Food Picture Collage: cashew-coconut blueberry ice-cream cake, yogurt fruit bowl, collard green wraps etc.

Hello guys,

It's so good to be back blogging about what matters to me. I wanted to share some of  the meals that I've been eating & enjoying in a picture collage.

www.liliashealthbook.blogspot.com

1. Collard green wraps: sunflower seed pâté, tomato, dulse, cucumber, bell pepper
2. Zucchini noodles with tomatoes in a basil-avocado sauce
3. yogurt bowl with mix berries, kiwi. (I use goat milk kefir)
4. cucumber slices topped with sunflower seed pâté, cucumber & bell pepper
5. Smoothie: spinach, mix berry, almond milk, banana, plant-based protien (sunwarrior), flax, chia
6. Fruits: blueberries, mandarins, grapefruit, kiwi, brazil nuts, mint leaves
7. homemade coconut yogurt with kiwi
8. yogurt bowl: mix berries, almonds, sunflower seeds, ground flax, chia
9. homegrown sunflower sprouts (a great addition to salads)
10. Vegetable & black bean patties
11& 12. Smoothie: spinach, pineapple, banana, water, flax seeds, hemp seeds, green powder
13. Cashew, coconut, blueberry cake / dessert
14. Chia bowl: coconut milk/almond milk, chia seeds, flax, honey topped with kiwi & blueberries
15. Tumeric infused scrambled eggs with onions, collard greens, tomatoes

Which one is your favorite?

Thanks for reading, sharing, commenting,

Lavender Shea Hair & Body Recipe (+Giveaway) [CLOSED]

Hello friends,

I'm back with another blogspot and this time I am giving away my all time favorite body butter for hair and body. This is my all time #1 moisturizer in the colder months to keep my hair and skin moisturized and supple. If you're a follower of my blog, then you know I have a few body butter recipes on the blog, here, here and here. 

A few weeks ago I made a batch and gave to friends who love it.


This is my first contest on the blog and I'm super excited about it. Since I have a small readership of the blog, the giveaway will be open till Friday, 10/17/2014 at 11:59:59 pm EST. Open to followers only | Open Nationally (in the US only).

(Whipped)Lavender Shea Coconut Hair & Body Butter

shea butter

coconut oil

olive oil

aloe vera gel

lavender essential oil (or peppermint if you like)

You will receive the hair & body butter in a 6 oz mason jar! A mason jar that you can always re-use.

How to Enter:

1. Must be a follower of my blog ---> Click 'join this site' under followers on the home page [on the left)
2. Leave 1 comment (any comment) under this blog post

• One entry per person please. 
• I will choose the winner from current, active subscribers who leave 1 comment on the blog
• I make my own hair & body butter in my house, in my kitchen. I don’t have a sterile lab. So, while I try my best to ensure everything is clean.
• I am not responsible if the winner has any negative reactions to any of the items in the prize package—I will include a list of all ingredients and the winner is responsible for ensuring they are not allergic/sensitive to any of them.
• I am not responsible for any negative reactions resulting from misuse (intentional or accidental). They are not food safe, and should not be consumed or inserted into the body in any way, shape, or form. Keep out of eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and all other orifices.
• Entrants CANNOT SUE ME for ANY REASON. I am running this contest out of my own pocket and the goodness of my heart because I am excited about the products that I make and I want to share them with my readers. 
•  I am going to mail the hair & body butter using USPS.
• I reserve the right to update and change these rules as I see fit throughout the duration of the contest
• The winner must reply to the e-mail selecting them as the winner within two (2) calendar days or another winner will be selected (so you should subscribe with an e-mail address you actually check).

I hope this helps,

Removing Makeup using Coconut Oil

Hello friends,

I'm back with another blogpost!

www.liliashealthbook.blogspot.com

In this post, I will share with you a super easy makeup remover using only one ingredient: Coconut oil.

When I began using makeup, I thought that I had to use the pricey store bought makeup removers, especially for eye makeup. I wanted to use something that was natural of course, but also with ingredients that if entered the eyes were deemed safe. Finding an all natural makeup remover wasn't easy to find. I did my research to find that oil, especially coconut oil works just as fine, if not better than store-bought removers. 

Coconut oil is very safe to use around the eyes. It removes the most stubborn eye makeup, such as mascara, leaving your eye lashes nicely conditioned. Due to its anti-bacterial properties, coconut oil is suited to remove makeup on the face and around the eyes. Always go for the extra-virgin organic coconut oil for quality.

I use coconut oil daily, both internally and externally and I love it. Other ways to include coconut oil in your daily life can be found using this link.


I hope this helps,

Brown Sugar Cocoa Body Scub

Hello friends,

In this post I will share with you how I achieve soft, supple skin all year round, but especially now that the weather is warmer. 

Body scrubs provide the best of both worlds once it comes to the skin: exfoliation and moisturization.  Summer is fast approaching, revealing more skin. Body scrubs will help you to put your best skin forward every time. 

This Brown sugar cocoa body scrub recipe will help you achieve silky, soft, supple skin. You won’t even need to lotion afterwards.

Brown Sugar Cocoa Body Scrub 

                                                                                                                                                              

• ·       ½ - 1 cup of brown sugar
• ·       ¼ cup of cocoa butter
• ·       4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• ·       Essential oil of your choice (In this recipe I used lavender)

Enjoy before or after your shower or bath. Massage this into your skin until the sugar dissolves. The olive oil and cocoa butter will leave your skin feeling super soft and supple, while the brown sugar will exfoliate, removing dead skin. Moreover, your lymphatic system will thank you!

Enjoy your new body scrub.

Caution: your bath tub may be slippery!

I hope this helps,

Detecting Mineral & Vitamin Deficiencies

Hello friends,

Detecting mineral and vitamin deficiencies are not always obvious, especially when you're not sure what to look for. Hopefully this infographic helps. As always, don't forget to do your own research. No one body is the same.

via pinterest

I hope this helps,

52 Week Money Challenge

Hello friends,

image via pinterest

I think a big part of being healthy and well is making sure that our finances are in order. Building a savings account is not always the easiest thing to do, but with discipline and commitment it can be done. I have found the 52 Week Money Challenge to work very well in helping me and others save a little each week.

Keep in mind, this is the 16th week. It's not too late.

This is how it works:

Save $1 the first week. The second week, $2; the third week, $3. Increase the amount by $1 each week. By the end of 52 weeks, you will have saved $1,378!

I have friends who double their weekly savings each week. There is no wrong or right way to do this. The idea is to get in the habit of saving. 

It's not too late to join. If you're already participating in the 52 week challenge, let me know how you're making out.


Take care,

Discovering Health + Wellness: Oil Pulling & Apple Cider Vinegar Water

Hello guys,

I know I haven't blogged in so long. (My first blog post for the year).  I truly love blogging and "Discovering various aspects to Health & Wellness" (My blog tag line) and sharing them here with you.

In the midst of my absence, I have discovered health and wellness treatments/remedies and would like to share them with you. My new additions are below: 

image via pinterest

1. Oil Pulling. In an effort to be more of an active participant in my oral health, I have taken up oil pulling. I've wanted to try oil pulling for so long now, I've finally given it a chance, using sesame oil. The purported benefits seem fair enough and couldn't pass up doing something that seems so harmless and easy doing. The infographic briefly sums up this ancient ayurvedic treatment. 

More information on oil pulling on the links below:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/12/oil-pulling_n_4943808.html

http://www.henryhappened.com/oil-pulling.html

Also, heyfranhey has a great YouTube video on oil pulling.

2.  Apple Cider Vinegar.  My day begins with hydration. Every morning I drink 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water. This has been an awesome way for me to jump start my body, while cleaning it out.in and outside of the body Apple cider vinegar is both beneficial in and on the body. 

Do your research. Give it a try. Let me know.

If you've tried either oil pulling or drinking apple cider vinegar in water, please share below in the comments section.

image via pinterest

I hope this helps,

Lilia

Ultra smooth & creamy Body Butter Mix (No heat used)

Hello friends,

I'm back with a new body butter recipe. Now that's it cold outside, added moisture is definitely needed to achieve and maintain supple, moisturized and healthy skin. 

You can find my other recipes here and here

This is my best body butter recipe to date. 

Why? 

Because no heat was added. 

With my other body butters, I melted my butters. which greatly increased the final results, which then had to re-solidify overnight.

The final result of what I'm about to show you only took a few minutes?

How?

I used a blender to blend all ingredients into a super creamy body butter that simply melts into the skin.

By not using heat, you maintain ingredients in their most whole form. Your cocoa butter, shea butter or coconut oil retain all their nutrients and are not zapped out by high heat. For this reason, I prefer using ingredients that are raw, organic and unrefined to reap the most benefits.

 I hope you guys enjoy the recipe. In a blender, I combined these ingredients:

1 cup mango butter

1/4 cup cocoa butter

1/4 cup sweet almond oil

 2 tbsps coconut oil

1/4 cup castor oil

1/4 cup olive oil

I was inspired by HeyFranHey to create my body butters by blending instead of heating.

I hope this helps,

Get stronger bones without Cow's milk

Hello friends,

Get stronger bones without cow's milk.

My now favorite bok choy!

I hope this helps,

Your perfect Smoothie Recipe

Hello friends,

The perfect Smoothie Recipe!

Source

I hope this helps,

40 Unexpected Ways to Add Veggies to a meal

Photo credit: pinterest (Fully Raw)

Here are 40 Unexpected ways to add Veggies to a meal... <<<<Click the link to find out! -Source Greatist!


I hope this helps,

Flour & Starch Substitute

Hello friends,

Looking for flour or starch substitute when baking. This chart may help.

source: Greatist

My Natural Hair Wedding Story

Hello friends,

On deciding the perfect hairstyle for my special day, going with the look I did was a no brainer. As someone who's always donned their natural curls and coils. I knew that an elegant, natural hair style was the best fit for me.

I wanted to make sure that the natural hair style I chose could last all day and throughout the entire honeymoon.

My wedding day hairstyle was inspired by my everyday look, but a bit more glam. I was fortunate that my hairstylist was also a long time friend. We worked very well together. She met with me a few weeks prior to the wedding for a trial session. At that time, we went through variations of the style to figure out the final look. 

My hair was done the day before the wedding to save time, as I opted for smaller twists. My hair was washed, conditioned, and slightly blow-dried for quick drying right before styling. My goal was to have my hair washed the day before styling, but it all worked out in the end. No extensions were used. I used an oil mix and cantu shea butter leave-in conditioning repair cream for styling and moisturizing. 

I wore my style the week following the wedding for the honeymoon. I received tons of compliments and most importantly, my husband loved my hair.

My advice for brides-to-be: It is extremely important for brides to have a trial session(s) with their hairstylist weeks prior to their wedding ceremony. This is your time to figure out what you want and definitely what you don’t want for your hair the day of your wedding. Doing so will help to minimize some of the unwanted surprises that day.

I hope this helps,

Plant-based protein sources

Hello friends,

Over the past few months, I have been incorporating more plant-based protein sources into my diet and decreasing my meat intake. I came across this info-graphic, which has been very helpful.

source: pinterest

I hope you find this helpful!

Creamy White Peach Mango Smoothie

Hello friends,

I love smoothies! I'm always looking to create my own recipes. Now that its hot outside, I find myself drinking more and more smoothies throughout the day. Smoothies are so easy to make and taste great.

My first smoothie recipe was delicious, but there were too many ingredients. My advice for anyone who wants to incorporate more smoothies in their diet is to start with the fruits that you enjpy and don't feel the need to add a bunch of ingredients. All you need is your base (liquid), your choice of greens, fruit, and healthy fats (such as coconut oil, flax seeds, chia seeds). 5-6 ingredients at the most!!

This smoothie recipe is my all time favorite. It is creamy and the ripeness of the white white added the right amount of sweetness.

Creamy White Peach Mango Smoothie Recipe

2 ripe white peaches

kale leaves

1 cup of fozen mango

1.5 cups of coconut water

2 tbsps of ground flax seed

Enjoy!

I hope this helps,

Coco-Cocoa Body Butter Recipe! (Great for hot summer days)

Hello friends,

It melts like butter, (pun intended) in your hands.

I hope that everyone is doing well!

This blog post follows from my previous blogpost, Searching for that work-life balance. I don't know if I've found that balance, but in the meantime, I do have a new schedule to devote more time to my blog. That way, I get my creative ideas out there and do what I love to do.

This body butter recipe is perfect for those hot summer days, because a little goes a long way during this time. Really, you don't need a lot. 

Tip: Best used on dampened skin for added moisture.

If anyone tries this recipe, please let me know how it goes. I would love to know your thoughts!

 This healthy body butter recipe calls for:  

1/2 cup of Cocoa butter

1/2 cup of Coconut oil

2 tbsps of Vitamin E oil (after the cocoa butter+coconut oil has cooled, but not hardened)

~10 drops of lavender oil (after the cocoa butter+coconut oil has cooled, but not hardened)

 Thank you for taking the time to read!

 I hope this helps,

Searching for that Work-Life Balance!

Hello friends,

Source

Its been a while since I posted and this is why...

So, I've started working. Full time. My first 9 to 5 and I am ever so grateful for this opportunity working to conduct research. 

It's been 6 months in the new job and I am beginning to engage in conversation (mostly internal) about not being caught in the 'rat race.'  

And what is the rat race you might ask?

Think of this analogy of many rats in  a maze expending tons of energy, running around in a maze, expending tons of energy, running around aimlessly (in circles) and getting absolutely no where. Now let's transfer this to the real world.
The 'rat race' is often used in reference to full time employment (the '9 to 5'), where one works way too much, often long hours and not much of a life outside of work. Basically, the 'rat race' refers to a poor work-life balance.

Truth be told, I am getting worried that I may fall into this awful pit of long work hours, despite the fact that I may love what I do.

I miss school break and month long vacations; not having to do the same thing day in and day out. I miss he spontaneity of life as a student. 

Like I mentioned earlier, I love my job and the work that I do everyday. I am no longer a student. It seems that I miss life as a student. Since, I am so new to the '9 to 5' life I believe that I am still trying to adjust.

For those of you, who have similar work schedules as myself, how do you ensure that you don't get unhappy with your job? How to do balance work life and personal life?

I need help with this new schedule.

Thank you in advance,

A great Resource: Exercise and Muscle Directory

Hello lovely people,

I came across this great site for all things exercise. It is a great resource if you want to isolate exercises for certain muscle groups. The link is below.

Image via Pinterest

The link: http://exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

 

I hope this helps,

Using Liquid Nutrition to Combat Health Disparities

Hello friends,

                          Using Liquid Nutrition to Combat Health Disparities

I’m sure you’ve heard all about green smoothies and/or green juices. Green smoothies and juices are quick and easy to make. Most importantly, they are delicious and highly nutritious, because they flood our bodies with much needed fiber, nutrients, antioxidants, enzymes, and chlorophyll. I think they are an excellent way for us to engage in healthier behaviors, give our bodies the nutrients it needs, and do our part to eliminate heath disparities in our communities. 

www.liliashealthbook.blogspot.com

Minorities have the worse health conditions in the United States, with African Americans leading the pack. For example, obesity is one of the fastest growing epidemics in the United States, but even more so for Black women. For example, according to the Office of Minority Health, African American women are 70% more likely to be obese than Non-Hispanic White women. I think, we as Black women can reverse or even eliminate these statistics by incorporating more fruit and vegetable juices and smoothies in our diets. Here are two reasons why I think so.  

1.  Juicing has shown excellent promise in weight loss. How? Well vegetables and fruits are naturally low in calories and fat. So, replacing as many foods as you can that are higher in calories with fruits and vegetables in the form of a juice or smoothie would be wise to do for anyone who’s trying to lose weight. Moreover, fruits and vegetable juices and smoothies provide our bodies with large amounts of nutrients that are quickly absorbed by the body to help in the elimination of any nutritional deficiencies.

2.  Green smoothies are full of fiber, which is very important in the elimination of waste. Personally, I’ve noticed significantly more bowel movements (i.e. daily movements) since incorporating daily green smoothies. Fiber helps you feel full quicker and keeps you full longer. This is definitely ideal in anyone who’s looking to lose weight and to help build and maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

The health statistics for Black women are appalling and I for one did not want poor health to become my reality. I began incorporating green juices and smoothies in my diet as a way to increase my intake of more fruits and vegetables, because we all know that fruits and vegetables are good for us.

More information on green smoothies and juices can be found on the links below:

http://liliashealthbook.blogspot.com/2012/01/my-new-love-green-smoothie.html
http://liliashealthbook.blogspot.com/2012/06/berry-infused-coconut-smoothie.html
http://liliashealthbook.blogspot.com/2012/10/green-smoothie-recipe-3-celery-kale.html
http://liliashealthbook.blogspot.com/2012/02/green-smoothie-recipe-2-kale-spinach.html 
http://liliashealthbook.blogspot.com/2012/03/tips-on-eating-healthier.html
http://liliashealthbook.blogspot.com/2012/02/eating-healthy-is-sexy-fruit-vegetable.html

I hope this helps,

 

Positive Fitspiration: keeping the mind, body & soul in good health

I am very excited to bring to this guest post by Claudine. Claudine is a great writer and is passionate about overall health like myself. If you would like to see more information like that which is presented below, please let Claudine know in the comment section below.

Eating well and exercising are very beneficial for being healthy and staying fit, however if the internal being within us is not well we are robbing our selves of true health. In today's world many things can dampen our minds, our bodies and our spirits. We all fall in one or more categories of having stressors which can disturb the mind.

 Some common stressors being lack of jobs, debt, relationship or marital problems (just to name a few common areas) can cause major mental and emotional problems in our lives. This is why from time to time self evaluation is neccessary for our inner bodies to cleanse. We should make it our duty to ask ourselves questions such as: 

What is causing the problems in our lives? 

Why are we being subjected to them? 

What can we do to change this problems?

Who are we allowing into our lives or what are we allowing into our lives to dampen our spirits,to bring unrest,to unsettle our emotions?

 Many times bitterness, anger, jealousy, pain and so many other negative emotions over cloud our bodies. These emotions when inhaled can cause illnesses in our bodies such as high blood pressure, internal cancers, mood disorders which we develop such as bipolarism, schizophrenia, anxiety, nervous breakdowns, depression etc. An unsettled inner body leads to an unsettled outer body. 

Often times we drown ourselves in liquor, wine, smoking and other detrimental habits in order to drown our pain thus destroying our bodies more. We should know when its time to make changes. 

I encourage you to surround your world with positive energy, positive people, to love and respect yourself and your body enough to let go of whatever is hindering your growth. Pray. Meditate. Exercises such as yoga and  kickboxing are ways to get rid of some of the internal anger and bitterness which can destroy our bodies. Take care of your temple and it will function the right way. This has been Fitspiration! Be happy, be blessed, give yourself the gift of inner and outer health.

This post has been brought to you by Claudine. 

All images via Pinterest.
 
I hope this helps,