Lifestyle: Live the Lovely Life

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How to Drink More Water: THE COLDEST WATER BOTTLE

October 4, 2016 · Leave a Comment

BEAUTY & WATER:
One of the best beauty-enhancing daily habits you can have is to drink lots of water. It keeps your skin glowing and unclogged of toxins; it gives you energy, and it helps manage weight gain. You really can’t beat the dewy glow from being well-hydrated. This is not news by any means, but it is worth discussing because accomplishing this basic beauty habit is easier said than done: guzzling your daily water intake can seem unappealing when compared to drinking delicious coffee and sugary beverages.

But it is a worthwhile beauty goal. According to a recent study, 20% of women that drank 1.5 liters of water daily saw a reduction in wrinkles after six weeks. In another study, people reported clearer skin and less acne within a week of drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day. So how much water should you drink and what can help make that water appealing enough to meet your water consumption goal?

HOW MUCH WATER TO DRINK?
There are various opinions on how much water one should consume daily. For the sake of your skin, it is typically 4-5 glasses a day. This is the amount needed for your organs to function properly and remove toxins from your body, including the skin. This amount also helps with clearing acne. The amount of water required varies a bit from person to person based on your weight and other health issues. As a general guide, you are hydrated enough if your urine is a light wheat color. If not, you are dehydrated, whether you feel thirsty or not.

To avoid dehydration, keep sipping water throughout the day.

THE COLDEST WATER BOTTLE: HOW TO MAKE IT A DAILY WATER DRINKING HABIT APPEALING
Some people like to add a slice of lemon or infuse their water with fruit. This is helpful to make your daily water intake taste more appealing. But the biggest aid to making daily water consumption easier is often the temperature of the water: chilled water is energizing and refreshing, especially after a workout or on a hot day. Cold water is just easier to drink. It is also helpful for burning extra calories: your body burns more calories with cold water than drinking tepid, warm or hot water.

The Coldest Water Bottle is an easily portable water that keeps water at a cold temperature, providing access to icy-cold water that stays at an even cold temperature all day. It is not just a water bottle with an ice core center insert that keeps the water cooler inside the bottle. The Coldest Water Bottle keeps water at a constant ICE COLD temperature for up to 25 hours, and any ice in the bottle stays in ice form during that time.

THE COLDEST WATER BOTTLE

CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN
Made of stainless steel, it is a long-lasting, quality water bottle that does not need to be frequently replaced like plastic bottles. It uses double wall insulation with materials designed to keep water cold for more than 25 hours with no sweating. It floats in oceans and pools and its 99% of cup holders, so you have no excuse NOT to get your daily water intake. BPA and toxin free, it is safer than other water bottles that can quickly harbor bacteria (and odor) within its’ plastic walls.

It is made for athletes but is suitable for any environmentally conscious person who wants to carry cold water with them throughout the day or for a late-day workout. The Coldest Water bottle is intended for lifetime use.

PUTTING COLDEST WATER BOTTLE TO THE TEST
THE PROBLEM: The gym I belong to has ice-cold bottled water chilled in a vending machine for $2.50 a bottle, and each pilates class or gym session I would typically need two of these 12-ounce bottles. And sometimes after a particularly busy class, the vending machine runs out of water entirely. I tried to bring my bottled water, but I wanted the *COLD* water during and after my workout. The problem is, I go to the gym after work, so if I bring water from home, it would have to stay cold for about 11 hours by the time I get to the gym.

TESTING THE COLDEST WATER BOTTLE: Turns out, the Coldest Water Bottle keeps water cold for a very long time, it keeps water cold all day and keeps a full bottle cold for a late-day workout. The ice cubes stay as ice cubes; they don’t substantially melt. I filled the bottle with ice cubes and cold water from the tap at around 7 A.M. Ten hours later the ice was still in ice cube form with no melting or “sweating.” In the meantime, the bottle sat in the warm car without the benefit of air conditioning. When I drank my water at the gym, almost twelve hours later, it was still ice cold! Pretty impressive. The leftover ice stayed unmelted afterward until I dumped it out when I got home that night, a few hours after my workout, probably hour 16 at that point. Very nice!

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CONCLUSION: A sturdy, well-constructed water bottle, just fill it with water and ice and go. Carrying a Coldest Water Bottle will remind you to drink water and keep track of how much you are drinking. It is the perfect bottle for athletes, Mom’s with thirsty kids, campers, beach-goers, or anyone who wants to have access to cold water during the day. I also find it useful for keeping some cold water in a car during the summer to stay hydrated in the case of unexpected delays or emergencies.

The Coldest Water Bottle is an environmentally friendly, cost-effective choice, saving you from buying repeated plastic water bottles. The stainless steel is sturdy without being too heavy to carry in my bag. Since I have had the bottle, I have remembered to bring water with me each day, and it stays ice cold in my bag while I am in transit. The bottle does not leak, so it is safe to put in your backpack or briefcase. The stainless steel naturally is bacteria resistant, which feels cleaner to transport around places like the gym. Since I have had the Coldest Water Bottle, I stay hydrated at the gym, at work, and I haven’t had to buy chilled plastic bottled water when I am out. A very worthwhile investment that saves both the environment and saves money on bottled water costs.

Find this great bottle at TheColdestWater.com

THE COLDEST WATER BOTTLE

I received this product in exchange for my unbiased review and received compensation for my time and effort. However, my experience with the product and the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine.

How to Infuse Olive Oil

September 28, 2016 · Leave a Comment

My mother’s side of the family (the Italian side) has been in the food business for six generation. Anytime we’d go out to a restaurant with our grandmother, there was always an analysis of any particularly good dish and how she could duplicate it at home. I remember a time we were enjoying a particularly excellent bread that came with a lemon infused olive oil for dipping. It wasn’t a tremendously pronounced lemon taste. There was no acidity to it at all. Just a light, fresh, slight taste of lemon that did not overpower the taste of the olive oil (if you are using a high-quality oil, then it should taste good on its own merits.) It was simply a co-existing lemon note to the olive note.

Of course, Granny made it better at home.

I have tried to duplicate the recipe, but I have always found dedicated olive oil infusers to be messy, or I have had difficulty pouring out the right amount of oil. Whether it is adding it to a recipe or onto a salad, the right amount of olive oil can make or break a dish. So I am very happy to have found Domestic Corner’s Precision No Drip Oil and Vinegar Infuser and Dispenser.

Domestic Corner Precision No Drip Oil and Vinegar Infuser and Dispenser

First off, this is one good looking dispenser. It is made of thick, high-quality glass and has a Louboutin Red stripe where the dispenser button is located. It is also a generous size: 17 oz, which allows for infusing and dispensing larger quantities of oil. If you use olive oil regularly or are feeding a group, it’s great to be able to infuse and decant either a little or a lot of oil.

Second, it is incredibly easy to measure exactly how much oil you want to use. By pressing the button on the bottle, oil is brought to the measuring chamber at the top. You can see the measurements exactly – teaspoon, tablespoon, even milliliters. From there you can easily and precisely drizzle the oil onto your dish. There is no sputtering or uneven pouring, just a slow, controlled dispensation.

If you are interested in infusing your oil, there are plenty of recipes on the internet, but here is my spin on the lemon-infused olive oil recipe: peel the rind of a lemon in thin strips (ideally a Meyer Lemon, as it will have a lemon taste with less acidity.) Twist the strips gently to extract the lemon oil. Add them to the olive oil and leave it in the oil for 12 hours. It will produce a light, fresh lemon taste without being too tart or overpowering.

Domestic Corner Precision No Drip Oil and Vinegar Infuser and Dispenser

An “off-label” use for this item is for beauty. If you use an oil like Safflower Oil on your skin, this is a fantastic way to dispense the right amount of oil for use without contaminating the rest of the product.

Exercise: Cielo Yoga Block and Strap

September 25, 2016 · Leave a Comment

If you go to a Yoga studio, you may have seen or used Yoga Blocks and straps before. If you are trying Yoga or Pilates or some simple stretching exercises at home by yourself or with an instructional DVD for the first time, a block and a strap are a worthwhile investment for keeping proper form and reducing the risk of injury. Using at-home exercise tutorial videos at great but it is easy to unknowingly develop bad form. Recently I tried a Cielo Yoga Block and Strap that help me retain good posture.

Cielo Yoga Block and Strap

WHAT IT DOES
The Cielo Yoga Block and Strap is an excellent set to modify poses, provide support, stability or balance during yoga and pilates. If you can’t reach far enough or you have difficulty holding form or retaining balance, a block or strap can help. Cielo blocks and straps are made from waterproof and eco-friendly materials.

WHO IT IS FOR
They are ideal for:

Beginners
Those with weak posture or alignment, weak core strength
Those with an injury
Those with balancing problems
Those undertaking a challenging new pose and want to make sure to retain proper form and alignment
Women at all stages of a pregnancy and post pregnancy as the body needs more support, and the center of balance is constantly changing.
Those with hypermobility who have difficulty getting a good stretch

THE CIELO YOGA BLOCK

QUALITY
Two issues concern me when selecting a yoga block: sizing of the block and the whether the material is suitable for comfortable, yet grounded use.

SIZING: The block is 9x6x4 inches. By positioning the block, there are three height options for customized support. Laying flat on the thinner side I find useful for sitting on, placed upright lengthwise gives support to the hands when stretching from above, and I want to retain the ability to balance.

COMFORTABLE GROUNDING: My ideal yoga block is comfortable enough to use but not so soft that it has too much give to be stable. This Cielo Yoga block is durable non-slip, hard foam material that has some cushion without being too soft. Gentle on the hands, it is comfortable to use to bear weight upon with just the right amount of give to be comfortable for the wrist when grounding down yet hard enough to still maintaining proper positioning.

USE
The Cielo block is helpful to sit on during exercises that typically one sits on their feet. I find the block gives me a better alignment. I like to use the block between my knees or thighs to hold proper alignment of my legs for Wheel or Bridge pose. The Cielo block stayed steady and provided some lengthening balance for my lowered hand on the block during Revolved Triangle; it creates the longer line of the intended triangle shape and gives better opening when I can hold the pose longer.

Cielo Yoga Block and Strap

THE CIELO YOGA STRAP

QUALITY
It is well made and durable, no wear and tear from my pulling, tugging or bearing weight on it. It is comfortable and easy to grasp. It is long enough to use for arms or legs or to wrap around the core and shoulders to maintain posture, especially for beginners or after sustaining an injury.

USE
The 1.5” x 8-foot strap is a very useful tool for keeping the core in place or ensuring proper form for beginner poses or difficult poses. If you are working on improving posture, this strap is very helpful. For beginners or those with posture issues, the wrapping the strap around the waist and shoulders provides a reminder of keeping proper alignment.

I find the strap particularly helpful in my stretches when I am very tight as well as when attempting new poses and positions, or when I just can’t reach far enough for stretches like Cow Face Pose. The strap helps me keep even posture, form, and alignment. I get a deeper stretch in my hamstrings and back and keep better form when I use the strap during a forward bend. If you are unsure of your posture and alignment during a Downward Dog pose, a strap is very helpful. And a Hammock Pose can be enhanced with the use of a strap to keep the tension out of a stretch. My favorite stretch with a strap is the Legs Up in the Air Pose, after a long day this releases tension in the back after just a few minutes. I like to do that one before bed for better sleep at night.

I also find the strap useful to wear while sitting at the computer in my home office; I tend to slump and this helps me keep proper posture when sitting.

Cielo Yoga Block and Strap

CONCLUSION: Straps and blocks are not just for Yoga newbies, they can help make your body feel better and maintain form longer. Cielo Yoga straps and blocks are eco-friendly, waterproof material with comfortable give that is still firm enough to ground down and maintain stability, the block and strap provide stability and balance to aid my alignment for deeper poses and stretches.

Phytopia Clinical Collection PainAway Synergy Oil

September 22, 2016 · Leave a Comment

This week on StyleChicks, we’ve been featuring several helpful products to enhance your workout routine. One especially useful product is Phytopia Clinical Collection PainAway Synergy, which is a topical oil that, as the product title says, helps soothe aches and pains such as one experiences after a particularly tough workout (I’m looking at you, LEG day).

Phytopia Clinical Collection PainAway Synergy Oil

HOW DOES PAINAWAY OIL WORK?
PainAway is a 98.5% organic product essential oil that contains natural essential oil active ingredients that help reduce inflammation including Eucalyptus, Lavender, Rosemary, and Peppermint amongst other oils. These natural ingredients have natural anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic properties that reduce pain, tenderness and swelling. This makes PainAway safe for pregnant women, seniors, and children, or others who may wish to avoid or limit their use of pain pills.

USE
Decant a few drops (about 1-3ml) from the inverted dropper bottle and rub palms together to apply evenly over sore and painful areas. Apply in a circular motion and massage the oil in until it is absorbed.

RESULTS
I found this oil particularly helpful on my sore shoulder area post arm day workouts, and I like to use it on my sore calves after a day of wearing a favorite pair of almost 4.5′ heels. I love stiletto heel shoes, but my calves sure are achy the next day, this PainAway oil soothes tired legs after wearing too high a heel, too much walking or dancing, or if your job requires lots of standing on your feet.

After the days at the gym that I primarily focus on leg exercises, after my post-workout shower, I like to apply this oil directly on the larger muscles of the upper thigh and calves and around my knees. This helps reduce my post-workout soreness. The oil dries reasonably quickly and lightly smells of Eucalyptus. It is not an offensive scent such as might be found in some tell-tale creams and liniments that ease soreness or pain (like Ben-Gay for example). It does not conflict with any perfumes I may wear.

PACKAGING
PainAway comes in a lovely amber glass bottle with an inverted dropper, wrapped in a pretty patterned fabric bag, with a gift card pocket that includes instructions for use. Suitable for gift giving for a friend who sustained some injury, likes to exercise or has general aches and pains.

Phytopia Clinical Collection PainAway Synergy Oil

CONCLUSION:
A useful item for dealing with post workout exercise soreness, PainAway is an all natural oil that soothes pain with skin-nourishing, anti-inflammatory oils. It dries down reasonably quickly. It comes in pretty packaging which makes an excellent gift for someone you wish to pamper: a pregnant friend, a new Mom, an older person with aches and pains, or someone who is trying to stick to their exercise routine despite aches and pains.

Find it at Amazon.

I received this product for testing and review purposes. If you have any questions about my experience with it, leave it in the comments section below, and I’ll do my best to answer it!