Vinegar – It’s For More Than Poaching Eggs

Healthy living is about more than getting to the gym every day of the week or maintaining a 10-step daily skin regimen!! It’s about caring for your body, yes J but also your mind and peace of being…..

To me, this meaning changes by the day… Some days it is about squeezing in that extra yoga session to feel relaxed, one with my mind and body, and awake. Some it’s about a productive, positive day at my spa. And yet other days, it’s about the little things – a perfectly cooked healthy meal or a smaller win, like finding five minutes to get the vacuuming done.

Earlier this week, I found my peace over a late breakfast…. As I took to a mission of cooking a perfectly poached egg, I realized how strange it is that a capful of vinegar of all things keeps the egg together!! J My chain of thought went a bit down the rabbit hole with curiosity as to exactly what else vinegar is used for – it turns out that there is quite a list. Below are just a few of my favorites.

   ·       Burn remedy – A dash of white vinegar on a cloth, laid over a kitchen burn or sunburn soothes the pain and removes the heat

   ·       Un-over salt – If you have added to much salt to a recipe, add a dash of vinegar to balance it back out

   ·       Cleaning – Vinegar combined with salt (one tsp. vinegar to two Tbsp salt) makes a beautiful kitchen cleaner – it shines up even the most dulled or lime-stained chrome fixtures in a snap

   ·       Sparkling glasses – Add ½ c. vinegar to your dishwasher’s rinse cycle to make dishes and glassware sparkle

   ·       Stain removal – Add a teaspoon each of vinegar and a mild liquid detergent to a gallon of hot water to remove non-oily stains from carpeting

   ·       Facial toner – Mix equal parts vinegar and water for a great DIY facial toner

   ·       Body freckles – Rub full-strength vinegar over body freckles to lighten them

   ·       Age spots – A daily splash of 1:1 onion juice and vinegar can overtime reduce age spots

   ·       Lasting polish – Extend the life of nail polish by wiping nails with vinegar-soaked cotton balls before applying polish

   ·       Bug bites – Stop the itching from bug bites by dabbing bite marks with undiluted vinegar

   ·       Flower power – Extend the bloom time of cut flowers or liven droopy blossoms by adding two tablespoons vinegar and one teaspoon sugar to a quart of water, then use to freshen flowers’ water

Sometimes to achieve daily peace, we simply need to take a step back and appreciate life’s little wonders – whether it be the way vinegar holds the whites of an egg together to create a beautifully poached egg or a rainbow after a summer storm. The world is full of surprises – taking a moment to enjoy them helps put your mind at ease and bring joy to your day.

I hope that you are able to take a few minutes out of your day to enjoy peace, reflection, and one of life’s little wonders.

Shaz x

Finding Balance in a Busy World

Is the world getting busier or is it just me?

We are working ridiculous hours at our jobs, washing, ironing, cooking, doing household chores, paying bills. Looking after kids, spending time with husbands (wives) and family, caring for pets – the list goes on.

How many times have we said, “Tomorrow I’m going to start going to the gym,” or, “I’m going to catch up with our friends,” or, “do ‘this’ or ‘that.’” We are constantly running from one thing to the next, feeling uptight, getting stressed, losing patience – no wonder we‘re so tired all the time.

There are so many things involved in our everyday lives that it seems we focus on all of the tasks to complete without ever dedicating anytime to ourselves.

Think about it – we are always doing something for someone or something because it needs to be done; why is it that the “someone” is never ourselves? I realize that when I actually have spare time, I usually give that time to somebody else! Sound familiar? I think we are all able to relate to this because we are all soooo busy and left searching for that balance between work (whatever that work may be) and life.

So what exactly does it mean to find balance?

To me, it means simply taking time out to recover, recoup, recharge, distress, wind down, or do the things that help us cope with life – it’s allowing ourselves time to indulge in the activities that ultimately make us happy.

Life will go on if the vacuuming is not done or the car is not cleaned or the papers you have piled on your desk are not attended to at this very moment.

I love coming to work every day, running my new business Aquavit Spa & Wellness ; however, it has been very taxing on me and my family and I find it especially hard to find time for me!

When talking to Frank about finding some time for myself, he reminded me of some ‘activator’ thing we all have tucked away in our brains – the thing that alerts you to keep an eye out for something. Like when you’re thinking about buying a particular type of car and suddenly they are everywhere on the road and you’re astounded by how many are actually out there!  

Well those activators are very good at helping us find the gaps in our day/week where we can take time out. You just have to tell yourself that you’re going to find time to do… (you fill in the blank). Write it down…, “I WILL FIND TIME THIS WEEK TO (FILL IN THE BLANK WITH AN ACTIVITY JUST FOR YOU).”

Place the reminder in your purse or wallet or on the fridge…anywhere front and center to remind you of your goal.

My release is the gym; I go there and train hard with my girlfriends and feel totally invigorated and recharged. Usually I’m there five days a week, but lately that hasn’t been happening. I've made a goal for next week to allocate two days to the gym. I just looked into www.bikramyoga.com.au – there are so many great benefits to yoga http://bikramyogamemphis.com/2011/05/13-extraordinary-benefits-of-bikram-yoga/.   

I hope you all look at your day or week and think about how you can just do one thing for YOU...even if it’s just an hour a day. That's all... your body is a temple... look after the place you live...

Shaz x

How to Follow this Blog

A number of people have asked me how they can follow me on this blog....

We have added a "Follow me" icon on top of the screen so all you need to do is enter your email address and it will then notify you each time there's a new post! 

Oh, and if you think this blog is worthy please please please share my blog on Facebook or Twitter.

Shaz x

Life’s Highs and Lows….and Guilt Free Chocolate!

I’ve heard a saying before that goes something like ‘In life there are only two things for certain, death and taxes’ well I reckon I can add a third to that - ‘Life’s highs and lows’.

My recent high came in the form of our wedding at Kingsford Homestead a couple of weekends back. It was just perfect for myself and Frank in so many ways and was quite possibly the best day of my entire life with such wonderful people and so many happy memories :)

We were so lucky with the weather and to be surrounded by our dearest friends and family, it’s hard not to feel a sense of being truly blessed.

One particularly moving event for me was having my Nana, who is 92 years young, fly in from Sydney to be there. She is the kindest, most beautiful and strong willed woman that I've ever met. My grandad passed away early last year and they were married for 68 years. I aspire in so many ways to be just like my Nana.

Something that will stay with me forever is my daughter Kristy walking me down the aisle and giving me away. This was such a very special moment in time that I know we will both treasure forever.

After the wedding we relaxed in Clare for a couple of nights with lots of reading, eating, sleeping and just chillin’ which was just lovely although, and this is where the low kicks in because it was very much a bittersweet situation.

It was bittersweet because Kristy flew out to Europe, with her boyfriend Paul, on the Wednesday directly after the wedding. Not just for a few weeks either, she is travelling for more than 6 months!

Now some people might think what’s wrong with that but you have to understand we are like joined at the hip….for those who know the Gilmore Girls, that’s us! Not only has she never left home before but we have never really been apart for than 2 weeks before. And right now she is on the other side of the world and I have to say I’m really struggling with it.

We are so close and without a doubt each other’s best friend, confiding in each other with all we do. She has emailed, messaged  and sent me through pictures...so I know she's safe and all I can hear is the excitement in her emails and how she just wants to tell me everything that's happening and that makes me really happy...you know some of us can't wait until our kids grow up and leave home. Don't wish for that moment too quick, cos’ believe me it will come around quick enough.

I will add some pictures of Kristy's adventure soon :)

This brings me to the guilt free chocolate bit…and I’m guessing you were probably more interested in this part more than story above but anyway I’m sitting here in the lounge with a glass of red and eating a block of dark chocolate to make myself feel better and not feeling guilty about it.

That made me want to share why chocolate can benefit you, especially dark chocolate.  And importantly you don't have to feel guilty, (remember of course, everything in moderation) ...so here’s some good news on dark chocolate from an article** I read recently...

1)      Dark Chocolate is Good for Your Heart

Studies show that eating a small amount of dark chocolate two or three times each week can help lower your blood pressure. 

2) Dark Chocolate is Good for Your Brain

Dark chocolate increases blood flow to the brain as well as to the heart, so it can help improve cognitive function. Dark chocolate also helps reduce your risk of stroke. 

Dark chocolate also contains several chemical compounds that have a positive effect on your mood and cognitive health.

3) Dark Chocolate Helps Control Blood Sugar

Dark chocolate helps keep your blood vessels healthy and your circulation unimpaired to protect against type 2 diabetes. The flavonoids in dark chocolate also help reduce insulin resistance by helping your cells to function normally and regain the ability to use your body's insulin efficiently. Dark chocolate also has a low glycemic index, meaning it won't cause huge spikes in blood sugar levels.

4) Dark Chocolate is Full of Antioxidants

Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants. Antioxidants help free your body of free radicals, which cause oxidative damage to cells. Free radicals are implicated in the aging process and may be a cause of cancer, so eating antioxidant rich foods like dark chocolate can protect you from many types of cancer and slow the signs of aging.

5) Dark Chocolate Contains Theobromine

Dark chocolate contains theobromine, which has been shown to harden tooth enamel. That means that dark chocolate, unlike most other sweets, lowers your risk of getting cavities if you practice proper dental hygiene.

6) Dark Chocolate is High in Vitamins and Minerals

Dark chocolate contains a number of vitamins and minerals that can support your health.Dark chocolate contains some of the following vitamins and minerals in high concentrations:

• Potassium

• Copper

• Magnesium 

• Iron

The copper and potassium in dark chocolate help prevent against stroke and cardiovascular ailments. The iron in chocolate protects against iron deficiency anemia, and the magnesium in chocolate helps prevent type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. 

There’s more info in the article so click the link if your interested.

Shaz x

**

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/6-health-benefits-of-dark-chocolate.html

OMG....I'm Getting Married!!

Well for those who don't know me, I'm getting married tomorrow!! :) xox

You know its funny how life works..... I had my daughter at 21 years of age and she is the best thing that ever happened to me, we share a very special bond.

After her dad and I broke up when she was about 10 months old I spent a lot years on my own  with Kristy and she was my only focus.. Ensuring she had my love, commitment and full attention and I was determined to give her the best of me and coach her through life

Then I met my husband to be Frank..... He is the love of my life I love the way I  feel when I'm with him our relationship is honest, raw and loving... We respect each other and allow each other to be their own person which I think is really important in a relationship, we also communicate and talk about everything! Working through life's challenges together and just feeling a sense of closeness between each other I've never had that in a relationship.

I never thought I would marry again let alone have another relationship.... I just never connected with anyone or could see myself being in a relationship with the people I met....It's really hard to met that special one.

I remember writing a wish list.. Yes.. I know it sounds odd.. BUT.. If you know what you want and what you don't want then it should be easy, write all the things down on a piece of paper that are important to you in a relationship, EVERYTHING.. Don't leave even the smallest thing out.. And put it out into the universe and believe you deserve it! X because you do....

I always say " If you don't believe.. You won't receive.."

Sharing my life with you all makes me really happy as life hasn't always been easy for me and unfortunately being such a young mum I was judged often and had found myself in some very lonely situations and I have many stories to share.... But I guess that what makes me the person who I am today and why it's important to me to help and give you some encouragement...

Shaz x

Lemon and Water – My Morning Cleanser

There are so many thoughts and ideas buzzing around my head this morning on what I would like to post on my blog and today as I was going through my usual morning rituals it dawned on me that a key part of my morning routine, drinking warm lemon & water, was as good a place as any to start.

For as long as I can remember I have been drinking lemon and water, in fact I still remember like it was yesterday when dad made me have a sip of his when I was about 10 years old.

If you’re anything like me you will remember all the horrible things your good meaning parents did to you when you were young (and they are probably the things we have to thanks them for now :-)) and I clearly recall dad saying to me one day ‘here Sharon have a taste of Daddy’s morning drink’ and me screwing my face up like kids do!!

It’s really simple, I just take a whole lemon and squeeze it with my brightly coloured lemon squeezer - yes, best invention in the world - into a cup of warm/hot water and drink it before breakfast!

This simple yet powerful little drink does truly amazing things for my body and I was reminded of all those when I tried to convince hubby, Frank, to drink it.

He is a typical male and won’t try anything I say unless I have some proper information to back it up. Because I am terrible at lying he knows straight away if I’m fluffing the truth a little and so a few years back I decided to get the facts** on lemon and water to convince him.

All this in one simple lemon…

   

1. Boosts your immune system: Lemons are high in vitamin C, which is great for fighting colds.  They’re high in potassium, which stimulates brain and nerve function. Potassium also helps control blood pressure.

2. Balances pH: Drinking lemon water every day reduces your body’s overall acidity. Lemon is one of the most alkaline foods around. Yes, lemon is essentially citric acid but somehow when we metabolise this acid our body makes it alkaline….I still can’t work out why but I know its good.

3. Helps with weight loss:   Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which helps fight hunger cravings. It also has been shown that people who maintain a more alkaline diet (see #2) lose weight faster.

4. Aids digestion:  Lemon juice helps flush out unwanted materials. It encourages the liver to produce bile which is an acid that required for digestion. Efficient digestion reduces heartburn and constipation. This is why it’s so effective drinking it first thing in the morning.

5. Is a diuretic: Lemons increase the rate of urination in the body, which helps purify it. Toxins are, therefore, released at a faster rate which helps keep your urinary tract healthy.

6. Clears skin:  The vitamin C component helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Lemon water purges toxins from the blood which helps keep skin clear as well. Apparently you can also apply lemon directly to scars to help reduce their appearance.

7. Freshens breath: Not only this, but it can help relieve tooth pain and gingivitis. The citric acid can apparently erode tooth enamel, so they recommend to monitor this. I admit, I’m always slightly worried about it so I drink water directly after and swish it around my mouth just to make sure.

8. Relieves respiratory problems: Warm lemon water helps get rid of chest infections and halt those pesky coughs. It’s thought to be helpful to people with asthma and allergies too.

9. Keeps you zen: Vitamin C is one of the first things depleted when you subject your mind and body to stress. As mentioned previously, lemons are chock full of vitamin C.

10. Helps kick the coffee habit:  After I have a glass of hot lemon water, some people don’t actually crave coffee in the morning. Well this one is weird; I can’t explain it, because I still have to have my one morning coffee.

The one thing I couldn’t find a concrete answer for is why the water has to be hot. I can only assume that cold water likely provides a shock or stress factor to the body. It takes energy for your body to process cold and really hot water, believe it or not.

Tip:  Start with a just a wedge of lemon if you have never done it before and then build up to a whole lemon over time

Tip:  Drink your warm lemon water in coffee cups that has coffee or tea stains.  The lemon water will help remove them.

Tip:  Grind the used lemon rinds in your garbage disposal to help deodorize it.

Shaz x

**http://lajollamom.com/2011/01/drink-warm-lemon-water-in-the-morning/

Welcome to Living Life!

Hi and welcome to my blog!

I hope you enjoy reading my weekly ramblings about how to live life to its best.

This blog will look to give you tips on family, love, life, getting a true work balance and giving your life direction and substance.

I also hope to give us girls confidence about how we look, how we interact with others and how to get the best from the temple we live in - our body!

I decided to give this blog a try because friends, family, even people I meet for the first time, ask me for advice on how I live and manage my life, look after my body and be so happy. 

I can only assume that they see in me something they would like to see in their own life and hopefully by committing to a regular blog I am in some small way going to help them and anybody else who comes along for the ride :)

If you ever want to come and chat to me in person you can find me at my wonderful day spa in Adelaide www.aquavitspa.com.au 

x Shaz