November 22, 2017

The Perfect Smoothie

November 22, 2017/ Lauren Kissee

If you know me, you know that I am smoothie-obsessed. I make a smoothie for one of my meals every single day and I have noticed huge health benefits from it! Not only is it extremely easy to make but the health benefits are endless. I also love how I can customize my daily smoothie to fit that particular day & health goals. Going on a hard workout and need extra protein? Add a vegan protein powder in. Feeling sluggish? Add vitamin D. Feeling Stressed? Add an adaptogen like Ashwagandha! The customization options are endless.

The Perfect Smoothie

Fruit + Greens + Protein + Healthy fat+ Customizable Supplements = The Perfect Smoothie

FRUIT-

when making a smoothie, its important to not overload it with sugary fruits. I usually add half of a banana, handful of strawberries, handful of blueberries, and acai to my smoothies. Rule of thumb- never put more fruit in your smoothie then you would actually eat in one sitting!

GREENS-

Adding in greens to your smoothie is not only extremely nutritious but its also GENIUS because you can't even taste the greens! Greens also help balance out the sugar in the fruit and give your body the nutrients it needs for proper digestion. I always add either a handful of kale or spinach to my smoothies.

PROTEIN-

I don't always add protein into my smoothies but when I do, its plant-based and low on sugar! My favorite way to get protein in my smoothies is Vital Protein Collagen Peptides. I love this because its not only a great source of protein but its also amazing support for hair, skin, nails, and your gut! I also love the Tone It Up plant-based protein and use it often. I don't eat very much meat and so adding in protein is super important for me because it keeps me full longer and keeps me from craving carbs!

HEALTHY FAT-

When making a smoothie, I love adding in healthy fats to help keep me full for longer. Healthy fats are good for so many other reasons as well such as brain function and prolonged energy. I usually add coconut butter or avocado in my smoothie and it also helps make it creamier!

CUSTOMIZABLE SUPPLEMENTS-

I'm a huge fan of adaptogens! Adaptogens are special herbs that help the body adapt to different environmental stressors. I will do an entire blog post on these powerful herbs but my favorites to use in smoothies are Ashwagandha and Reishi!

I hope this helps you in your own smoothie making! Aim to make a smoothie a day and just see how your overall health improves for the better! Making a Smoothie doesn't have to be difficult. Start small and you can always purchase different ingredients down the road once you get the hang of what you like and don't like in your smoothies. Have fun with it! I've learned all I know about smoothies from trial and error! :)

Feel free to comment with any more questions you may have and Happy Smoothie Making!

February 08, 2017

My top 3 uses for coconut oil

February 08, 2017/ Lauren Kissee

Coconut oil has become increasingly more popular these days. From an alternative to cooking oil to using it as a moisturizer, there are many amazing uses for this powerful oil! I use it in my daily routine in three unique ways that you may have not heard before. I swear by these daily rituals and I know you will love them too!

1. Oil Pulling- You may not have heard of oil pulling before, but if you haven’t starting oil pulling yet, you need to! I have always struggled with having low enamel on my teeth and whenever I went to the dentist, they would always prescribe me special medicine (full of chemicals) in order to help my teeth enamel. It seemed like whatever I would try, nothing would help build the enamel and whiten my teeth. One day I got so sick of it that I got on the computer and started googling natural remedies for oral health. I came across oil pulling and thought it sounded super strange but I was willing to give it a shot. I use about a tablespoon of coconut oil and I swish it in my mouth for about 20 minutes. I cannot even begin to tell you all the amazing things this simple ritual has done for me! My teeth have never been whiter, stronger or healthier! Coconut oil not only rebuilds your teeth but it also purifies them and gets rid of the bad bacteria. It’s truly amazing what this natural health remedy can do!

2. dry Brushing/Oiling- Another daily ritual I have added to my routine is dry brushing my body and then putting coconut oil on my skin before I take a shower. Dry brushing is amazing for circulation and removing dead skin cells. After dry brushing, massage coconut oil into the skin for five minutes and then rinse it off in the shower. It’s the best moisturizer for your body (along with my R+F moisturizer for extra dry days). I would NOT recommend putting coconut oil on your face, though. This will clog your pores and cause unwanted breakouts! I use an AMAZING oil free moisturizer and exfoliant that works for my face. E-mail me and I can tell you more about it!

3. Coffee Creamer- Yep. I’m one of those people that makes “bullet-proof coffee”. Ha! For reals, though. Coconut oil in your coffee is a game changer! It makes your coffee taste silky smooth and creamy without all the calories and bad fats. Coconut oil has a ton of HEALTHY fat and it has also been known to help with digestion, weight loss, and inflammation! Don’t be afraid of this health source of fat. It will do much more good than harm!

I buy the big container of Organic Coconut Oil from Costco to use for all of these uses. I promise, these daily rituals will be a game-changer for you. Try them out and let me know what you think!

Hugs + Kissees,

Lauren

February 01, 2017

My Weird Health Hack: Bone Broth

February 01, 2017/ Lauren Kissee

Let me just say it, NOTHING in the words "bone broth" sounds appetizing, especially to me. I barely eat any meat at all as I would much rather stick to a diet heavy on the veggies. When I started hearing about all of the healing benefits of bone broth, it took me awhile to catch on. I even googled how to make it once and I saw that it took DAYS and lots of meat/bone handling to make, which was not something I wanted to be a part of. One day, though, I was at my local farmers market and they were selling mason jars full of high-quality organic bone broth and I decided to try it. Let me tell you, it changed EVERYTHING.

I experimented with what time of day to drink it and I found that the morning was the best time because my body seems to reap the benefits from it all day long! I put about 2 tablespoon of bone broth into a mug of boiling water and sip on it like tea. Honestly, it does not taste bad at all! It tastes kind of like a stew broth. I use beef bone broth but chicken bone broth is also really yummy too!

My results? Whenever I do my morning ritual of bone broth, I feel more energized, less bloated, and my mind feels clear and awake and ready for the day! Bone broth has a plethora of vitamins and minerals in it along with collagen that replenishes your body with vital nutrients. Bone broth is also amazing for gut health and healing your stomach lining so that your digestive system will run at its prime!

There are many ways you can add bone broth into your diet. If you think sipping it sounds gross (and I did too) start small! Costco now sells cartons of bone broth that you can use to replace chicken stock! Just use bone broth in your soups or as a replacement for water when cooking rice or quinoa and you will still reap the health benefits!