GLOW AN URBAN RETREAT FOR WOMEN

It is coming up at the end of this month!

Join Donna Davis, Alexa Spas and myself for this fun educational and inspirational Sunday afternoon retreat. We will eat good food, drink amazing freshly pressed juices, play with raw skin care and do some yoga.

Lots of good learning and great goodies to bring home:)

REGISTER HERE

Need more info? Contact me at info@womandivine.ca or call at 613 2167676

REGISTRATION CLOSED. Thank you:)

Why I love juicing with Flexi Lexi.

Yayyyyyy! Just finishing up my 3 day juice cleanse, literally,  2 more juices to go.
I love juicing (nothing like a freshly pressed juice) but sometimes I really do not feel like pressing juices myself. Call it lazy but if you have ever juiced you know it is messy and the cleanup takes quiet a bit of time, no matter how easy the juicer company promises it to be.


This time I have treated myself to a juice detox with the lovely Alexa Spas the owner of Flexi Lexi an Ottawa business focused on culinary nutrition and juice cleansing.
I absolutely loved the idea of all juices being prepared for me and delivered to my door. Yes, Alexa will press the delicious cleansing juices, all 18 of them and bring them to you. No need to scrub carrots, core apples, dice beets 6 times a day, no need to think which recipes will be the best to include in your juice cleanse... not even a trip to the store to buy all the produce needed...pure cleansing heaven.
Alexa's juices, each of the six you will have every day are very very tasty and there is plenty to satisfy you throughout the day. OK... I had my moments which is also a good reason to go with Flexi Lexi. All of the juices are in your fridge, paid for... so even if the weak moment strikes you will feel you may as well keep going. No easy way out:)
We are coming into a perfect time of the year for a cleanse. If you are feeling sluggish, tired and wanting to get a fresh kick start to healthier eating and a clearer complexion, I highly suggest you get Flexi with Lexi soon. I sure am glad I did.
Thank you Alexa!  I am looking forward to many more of your awesome delicious and nutritious juices:))
How to get in touch with Alexa Spas?
www.flexilexi.ca
https://www.facebook.com/flexilexi
email: hello@flexilexi.ca

Bliss out your bathroom, it's getting cold!

A bath is one of my favorite home beauty treatments for fall and winter. On a cool day nothing will warm my spirit, relax my muscles and soften my skin like a soothing soak in a tub infused with the scent of herbs and essential oils. 

The bathroom is often the only place (if you have a busy family life) where you can lock the door, stop the world and escape. I am sure most of you know exactly what I am talking about... . It is worth your while to organize your bathroom ahead of time for your bliss out power sessions.

First if you can, please please get a water purifier for your tub. If you are going to soak in your tub, make sure that the water is free of harmful chemicals. There is a lot of evidence and research to prove harmful effect of chlorine on our health. It will be good for you and other members of your family, especially your kids. One of the sources for water purifiers is NEW WAVE ENVIRO.

Once you have this set up the rest is play.

I always have a good book, a cup of herbal tea and a beautiful pheylonian mini-lite candle going.  Often it is the only time I have in my busy day to read for pleasure.  Maybe music is something that rocks your boat... A cup of hot herbal tea adds coziness to my experience; any tea my heart desires. The pheylonian candles smell amazing!

About every two months I stock up on bath oils. I blend them myself:)). It is a blend of base oil like almond or camellia oil and essential oils. Essential oils change according to what I feel I need... maybe lavender for relaxation, eucalyptus to ward off a cold or a flu...
I can custom blend bath oils for you if you would like. Visit Woman Divine to learn more about my oils and write me an email info@womandivine.ca to order.
I love bath oils because they leave my skin feeling beautiful and nourished. If needed I can also customize them to become very effective remedies for a variety of ailments.

If you are going to do it yourself I would suggest about a tablespoon of base oil and 10 drops of essential oil.  1 Tbsp of oil is approximately 10 ml. If you get a 100ml bottle of let's say almond oil, it will be enough for 10 baths.  Use more common essential oils like the Lavender (Lavendula Angustafolia) or Eucalyptus (Radiata)  and stay away from citrus, mint, clove... in your bath water.
Essential oils are very potent and it is a good idea to use the with caution. Always educate yourself before you use them, that's all.

Bath salts are a wonderful addition to your bath. You can use them scented or just plain.
Stock up on Epsom salts, Dead Sea mineral salts or Himalayan salts or all of the above. I usually put one cup of salt in my tub. Most salts are detoxifying and help to remineralize the skin. They also neutralize the trace elements which harden water.

But before you hop in your tub dry brush (natural bristle brush is a must) your skin for an added health and beauty benefit. This is a very simple practice (good to implement on a daily basis) that will immensely improve the health of your skin and your body. It helps to move fluids; lymph congestion, water retention, and improves the blood circulation.
Start at the bottom of your feet and gently work your way up omitting the delicate breast area.
Watch the dead skin cells fly off your body... rinse and now you are ready to enjoy your bath. Make sure to lock the door. For the next 30 minutes you are not available:))

BATHING RULES that are good to know.

• bathe when your stomach is empty

• elderly, young children, anyone with high or very low blood pressure, heart condition,  poor circulation should stick to lower temperature baths

• morning bath - 10min - 96.8 degrees Fahrenheit (36 degrees centigrade)

• evening bath - 15-20min - 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees centigrade) to 102 degrees Fahrenheit (39 degrees centigrade)

• muscle pain and after physical exertion bath -104 to 107degrees Fahrenheit  (40-42 degrees centigrade)

• a cold shower after a hot bath will tone the skin and increase the resistance to colds and infections

• a toxin-eliminating bath is best followed by a rest period under a warm blanket, followed by a cool shower and the application of appropriate oils 
• after a hot bath replenish fluids by drinking water

Papaya Coffee body scrub.

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My friend Mary, a yoga teacher, has introduced me to a wonderful Papaya Coffee body scrub.

Mary has experienced some amazing treatments while vacationing in Costa Rica and this one was her favorite. After trying it myself I totally see why…

Ingredients:

All you will need is:  

a cup of fresh papaya meat (no seeds please)

1/2 banana 

1 Tbsp. of ground coffee.

How to prepare:

In a small bowl mush the papaya and banana.

Add the coffee.

How to apply:

Hop in the shower and start applying the mixture from the feet, working your way up. Work in a circular motion, always moving toward your heart.

Rinse off.

Moisturize your skin with an oil like almond, apricot, coconut...

This scrub smells wonderful, if you love coffee that is.  I can never drink coffee because it gives me jitters but this scrub I can definitely do. It will leave your skin smooth and your body invigorated. 

Why to use the papaya coffee scrub?

Besides smelling and feeling great this stuff actually does a very good job on your skin.

Use it in the morning; it will wake you up.

Native to Central America, papaya removes dead skin cells and is very effective for overall skin dryness; it nourishes the skin, lightens freckles and is used for healing wounds. It is rich in Vitamin A, C, E and beta-carotene as well as calcium, phosphorus and iron.

Coffee in this blend does much more than scrub your skin or wake you up.  Caffeine and coffee berries have the power to improve a number of common skin issues.

The caffeic acid found in coffee grounds can significantly affect anti-inflammatory activity and skin wound healing. The main chemical in coffee is caffeine, a natural antioxidant. Antioxidants neutralize the effects of free radicals, which can damage the inner layer of skin.

The scent of coffee acts to clear a person's mind of excessive thoughts and as an anti-depressant. 

Caffeine has a diuretic effect, which helps speed fluid on its way, reducing the appearance of cellulite.

If you have sensitive skin, coffee scrub may help soothe it by tightening your blood vessels.

Banana softens, nourishes and soothes sensitive and dry skin.

Enjoy your scrub!

Since you have used only a little part of your papaya fruit for this scrub you may as well splash some lime juice on the rest and have it for breakfast.

Papaya is high in digestive enzymes and has a tonic effect on the stomach. It also has a high mucus solvent action.

When consumed regularly papaya will improve the health of your skin, hair nails and eyes.

Let me know how you like it.

Magdalena

Simply Raw Express

Simply Raw Express has just opened its door at 989 Wellington street in Ottawa's up-and-coming neighbourhood of Hintonburg.

Congratulations to the owners Natasha Kyssa and Mark Faul who for many years, have been promoting the raw vegan way of life. Special acknowledgement to Natasha for her perseverance. She has been on the raw food path for twenty some years. I am certain it was not always easy going against the current. 

Natasha has been offering her services assisting people through her detox program, teaching about the raw vegan diet and she is also an author of the Simply Raw Detox Manual - a book definitely worth having.

A few years back, I personally had the pleasure to experience Natasha's 28-day detox program. I loved it! I believe it to be the best way to detox. Results are awesome and the process itself becomes a great reminder of what pure food tastes like. Finally you get to experience food as medicine!  Next time you feel like you need to clean out your body and want to see a healthy glow to your skin, sign up for Natasha's cleanse at www.simplyraw.ca

The famous Norwalk juicer; I have been fantasizing about it since the 80's. It is the Rolls-Royce of  juicers. Now, I can drink great, fresh juices pressed by this awesome contraption! Finally my fantasy has been fulfilled.

At Simply Raw Express you will find a selection of super-foods, very tasty raw vegan sushi, salads, smoothies and soups for those who like it hot. Treat yourself to Natasha's raw cheesecake; it is a must!
 

Simply Raw (Norwalk juicer expressed) fresh organic juices. I have tasted energizing carrot/apple and green alkalizing blend. Both delicious!

Good luck Simply Raw Express! I wish you great success:)))

Tea spoon - my cleansing power tool.

No, I am not using a tea spoon to cleanse my skin but I do scrape my tongue with it every morning.

If you already are into tongue scraping read no more, but if you have never indulged in this peculiar practice stay with me and I will show you that your tea spoon has a higher purpose then stirring sugar in your coffee:)))

According to Ayurveda - 'the science of life' originating in India, the tongue is quite a story teller in regards to the internal state of our well-being. The science of tongue analysis is complex and it is a part of an Ayurvedic health assessment. What Ayurveda suggests is that while we sleep we release toxins from the digestive tract. Over night these toxins accumulate on the surface of our tongues. If we do not remove the toxic coating from our tongues first thing in the morning, we end up ingesting it with our first drink or meal. Yuk!!!  Hence the tea spoon. You can purchase a fancy tongue scraper at your health food store but I find that a tea spoon does the trick.

I strongly recommend you add this simple practice to your morning routine. Your mouth will feel way better. It is simply good hygiene, keeping you body cleaner and your mouth healthier.

 

1.  Pick a teaspoon from your kitchen and make a home for it in the bathroom, next to your tooth brush.

2.  Every morning upon rising clean your tongue, only then brush your teeth.

3.  Follow with a glass of warm purified water with a splash of fresh lemon. 

Now, that's a fresh start to your day. Simple like that!