I Tried It: A. Vogel Milk Thistle Complex, Molkosan Vitality & Golden Rod & Knotgrass Tea Blend

This past Monday marked the end of my A. Vogel Fourteen Day Detox and, I've got to say, it was just what I needed! By re-incorporating loads of healthy foods, plenty of fluids and exercise, my body feels back in balance after the indulgent holiday. My energy is back to normal levels. My skin and eyes are clear. And I don't feel like a big, gooey, bloated blob anymore.

What I loved most about the plan was that it was healthy, nourishing and realistic. I am not an advocate of radical "cleanses." I feel that those types of regimens focus on unrealistically depriving the body, while also upsetting it to various degrees. My thought is that the body does not need to be "cleansed" - it needs to be supported in its functions through nourishing foods, clean living and herbal allies.


To assist me with my detox, the kind folks at A. Vogel provided me with 3 supporting herbal products - Milk Thistle Complex, Molkosan® Vitality & Golden Rod & Knotgrass Cleansing Herb Tea Blend

Allow me to share my experiences with these products with you!

Milk Thistle Complex


Milk thistle has always been one of my plant besties, so I was really excited to try this blend of artichoke, milk thistle, dandelion, boldo and peppermint. This blend is supportive of the liver, which - ahem - I kinda needed after the holidays.

I LOVE this tincture! I have an affinity for bitter plants, so this was right up my alley. It has a wonderful bitter taste with a hint of mint on the back end. I replaced my usual bitters with this blend during the two weeks and was very pleased. While I took the Milk Thistle Complex in a bit of water as recommended, I also snuck a few drops daily - straight up - every once in awhile to savor the bitter flavor (not exceeding the recommended daily dosage of drops, of course). In fact I'm sneaking a drop right now. 

Skin eruptions are directly related to liver function (along with other factors, of course), so this was a wonderful ally to help clear up that holiday breakout.

Molkosan® Vitality


This was, by far, the most intriguing and unique product of the three. Molkosan® Vitality is a prebiotic powdered drink made from fresh, organic whey that has been fermented with a specially selected lactobacillus and also includes soluble fiber to help maintain healthy bowel function and to benefit digestion. 

The powder is mixed with a bit of water and taken about 20 minutes prior to eating. It has a very "lively" and tangy orange flavor that is best taken mixed with a bit of juice. It is also lactose, gluten and calorie free and vegetarian, so it can fit into several different dietary lifestyles.

Let's face it. Healthy Poops = Healthy Body & Skin. This product surely gets the digestion moving on its merry way, and helped me feel light as a feather - and with a flatter tummy - after just a few days. 

Golden Rod & Knotgrass Cleansing Herb Tea Blend


The Golden Rod & Knotgrass Tea was my best buddy during the detox. Given the cold temps we've had the past few weeks, a warm cup of this tea was a welcome escape that I enjoyed daily. And golden rod is one of my energetic plant allies, so I felt very comforted by this tea.

This tea contains golden rod, birch leaves, knotgrass, horsetail and wild pansy - a blend supportive of cleansing your system from the inside. This tea is described as "A gentle blend of five herbs, known for their positive effect in kidney and bladder function, will relieve fluid retention and contribute to an overall cleansing of the system, without strong detoxification reactions."

It has a beautiful color and a very mild, soothing, slightly sweet taste that feels like a nice cozy blankie.

Overall, I am so glad that I completed the detox plan. It was extra fun completing in in tandem virtually with others, including my lovely contact at A. Vogel, Annemarie.

Sometimes we just need a little kick in the pants to get back on track. :)

Disclosure: The above products were provided to me by A. Vogel for the purposes of testing and reviewing. All opinions in this post are my own personal experiences and I received no monetary compensation.












A. Vogel Fourteen Day Detox: Update & Inspiration


Today marks one week down of the A. Vogel Fourteen Day Detox, so I wanted to touch base with you all. Have you joined along in the detox? If so, how are you doing? Have you noticed any changes in your skin, your body, your mood or energy levels?

I have to say, I had a bumpy start to the detox, being snowed in and all. Stuck inside with the chilly temps lended itself to eating whatever wouldn’t run away from me. And the ever-repeating daily phone messages cancelling school for snow days (we had 6!) had me reaching for a few glasses of that leftover holiday wine. :/

But, when the kids returned to school and life got back to “normal” (is it ever really normal???) it was easy to get back on track. And, truly, this plan is so user friendly and flexible in that it supports you in making healthy, nourishing choices for your body, rather than depriving yourself on “cobwebs and cucumbers,” as Ali, the nutritionist behind the detox plan so perfectly put it!

So, here is what I have realistically incorporated into my whole life detox plan this past week:

  • Omitted white flour, sugar and any processed or refined foods
  • Included 4-5 extra servings of fruits and veggies (50% raw/50% cooked) per day (8-9 total)
  • Sucked down a nutrient packed smoothie, when I was in the smoothie groove
  • Focused on hydrating, mainly with herbal teas, but also filtered and coconut waters
  • Incorporated lean protein sources - fish, turkey, beans and tons of sushi
  • Attended yoga and spinning class 2 times
  • Practiced meditation to calm my monkey mind
  • Cut back social media to only 10-15 minutes a day (not counting writing this blog)
  • Luxuriated in 2 energy clearing epsom salt baths, following a good dry body brushing
  • Received an intuitive crystal reading from my friend Brandi (aka The Crystal Whisperer) to guide me in letting go of the old and letting in fresh new energy for the new year (for local folks, she does readings at Crystal Treasures and is amazing!)
  • Tried to be in bed around 10pm, although this book had me up reading a bit later a few nights
  • Spent time with positive and uplifting friends
Wow! It feels good writing that down. Progress. :)

So, what results have I seen so far? Well, after an initial ghastly breakout (which I expected after scarfing down all that holiday junk - toxins have to exit somewhere and it is often times through your skin), some bloating and a feeling of being mildly uncomfortable with life in general (all of which are normal with a detox), I can see the indulgent holiday behind me now with clearer skin, a clearer outlook ahead and a lot more energy. And I lost 2 pounds. Bonus!

What has inspired me this week (clockwise from left to right)?



A raw fennel and apple salad from my favorite raw foods blog - Rawmazing (photo by Rawmazing).

A super easy and yummy "Fresh Start" detox bath salt recipe - a Pinterest find from Energy We Bring (photo by Energy We Bring).

New, fancy dragonfly lotus yoga pants from Carouselink on etsy (photo by Carouselink).

This version of "Ong Namo" by one of my favorite artists, Snatam Kaur.

Ometepe perfume handcrafted by Ananda at Amrita Apothecary - delicious (photo by Amrita Apothecary).

As I head into week two of the detox, I am going to also begin incorporating a few supporting herbal products provided by the kind folks at A. Vogel. So stay tuned for a review on how these work out! 

Until then, Happy Detox! Be kind to yourself and breathe life in - and out - of your heart. Let me know how the beginning of 2014 is shaping up for you!

Why New Year's Resolutions Suck: 3 Skin Care "Intentions" You Can Start Right Now!

The season of resolutions is still fresh and real. Does this make anyone else feel super anxious? 

This time of year has always made me uneasy. Don't get me wrong - I love a fresh start. I have always just felt that the "New Year's Resolution," as a construct, is flawed. They often set one up for feeling like they have failed if they eat that one piece of cake they said they wouldn't. Resolutions can also often feel so out-of-reach or rigid that it is easy to give up.

I prefer to set "New Year's Intentions" - clear statements as to the things that will get my focus and attention for the year to come, realizing that there will be bumps along the way and curves and roadblocks along the journey - and it's all good however it turns out, as long as I gave it my all.

So, today, at the risk of sounding like a New Year's Resolution Slacker, I'm offering 3 realistic, easy and accessible "New Year's Skin Care Intentions" that you can start right this second. These are 3 of the most important things you can do to keep your skin happy and healthy and every time you do them, your skin will thank you.

Because I am a Virgo by sign, I will organize these for you by intention and action steps because sometimes I'm OCD like that. If you are a Pisces, perhaps, you can write these intentions on a napkin and either make origami out of it or lose it somewhere in your purse (not poking fun at Pisces - I've got a ton of Pisces influence in my astrology and this is something I would do). If you are a Capricorn, you could make a pie chart of this information and give it to someone else to tell them what to do (OK, I'm poking fun of my husband here). 

Anyhoo...


For those of you that have been reading this blog for awhile, you know I never shut up about hydration. But it's true. One of the easiest and best things you can do for your skin is to keep your body hydrated from the inside. (Interestingly, this is the #1 thing that my skin care clients have mentioned they are going to work toward this year.)

Skin needs proper internal hydration to stay supple, moist, fresh and to properly do jobs like feeding and making skin cells. And NO amount of moisturizer or fancy pants treatment can reverse the effect of poor internal hydration on skin.

The Intention:

This year I will strive to keep hydrated, for my skin and entire body health.

Action Steps:

Each day, I will work to include 3 extra sources of hydration in my diet (this can be in the form of water (especially coconut water), caffeine-free herbal teas, juices, herb/fruit infused waters, kefir water, kombucha or other healthy fluids.

For each caffeinated or alcoholic beverage I consume, I will consume an additional serving of a healthy fluid.



One of the most often skipped steps in skin care is exfoliation. Just as topical moisturizers can't help fix dehydrated skin, they won't be as effective on skin that is not properly exfoliated.

Skin on the face and body should be exfoliated at least once a week (or more for appropriate skin types - but please note that TOO MUCH exfoliation is actually detrimental to skin). Removing this layer of dead skin regularly is crucial to assisting the skin in functioning properly and allowing your skin care products to do their job. Slapping moisturizer on top of old, dead skin cells is like trying to clean your oven with a cotton ball - not very effective (that was a horrible analogy - sorry!).

Intention:

This year I will plan to exfoliate the skin on my face and body once a week.

Action Steps:

Once a week, I will exfoliate the skin on my face with an exfoliant suited to my skin type. 

There are about a million trillion types of exfoliants out in the world, so it is difficult for me to recommend one that is appropriate for each one of you, but the following is a quick, simple exfoliating mask recipe that is good for all skin types (granted you aren't allergic or sensitive to any of the ingredients):

A small amount of ripe papaya
A few chunks of pineapple
A dollop of yogurt or cream(milk)
A drizzle of honey 

Smash it all together in a bowl with a fork (or use an immersion blender) and apply to clean skin for 15-20 minutes. Remove with a clean, warm, damp cloth. Rinse face with warm water to remove any residue and follow with your favorite toner and moisturizer.

Once a week, on the rest of my body, I will use a body scrub and/or some other exfoliation technique, such as dry brushing, to keep my skin fresh from icky dead skin cells.

Check out this post from the past for tips on dry brushing and a recipe for a simple, effective body scrub.


A large part of skin care is protecting skin from the elements - sun, wind, extreme temperatures, environmental pollutants, dirt, debris and general funk. 

We all know it is important to wear sunscreen to protect from the sun's rays, but another good reason to wear sunscreen and other treatments that protect the skin - moisturizers, body butters, lotions, etc. - is to allow a barrier between the skin and life. This buffer can help protect delicate skin tissues from the elements and from skin sucking in environmental pollutants.

Another important reason to use these protective coatings is to allow skin to maintain proper moisture balance by helping to keep the vital moisture in the skin, rather than evaporated into the environment (the fancy word for this is Transepidermal Water Loss).

Intention:
I will use protective treatments on my face and body daily to help protect it from the environment.

Action Steps:
Each day, I will apply a protective moisturizer to my face and body, followed by healthy sun protection.

Again, it is hard to recommend one particular product that works for each of you, but some of my protective favorites are: DeVita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+, 3rd Rock Sunblock, and Deep Steep Body Butter.

Oh, and one last intention to add - more of a mantra, really:

I will not freak out if I don't do this stuff every day, but every day that I do, my skin is that much healthier. :)

A few of my intentions this year? To get back into a regular yoga practice and to write an eBook.

Now, where the heck did I put that napkin???

New Year's Reboot: Antioxidant Skin Care Smoothie

So, today feels like a great day for a life "reboot" for the new year, as I start on the A. Vogel Fourteen Day Detox. After a rather indulgent holiday break, I'm starting the day off fresh with one of my favorite healthy smoothies.  It is loaded with antioxidant ingredients to help protect your skin, so I wanted to share my recipe with you to help you in your own reboot today. :)

Blueberries are one of the best foods around to support healthy skin. They are loaded with antioxidants and phytochemicals (plant sources of nutrients) that help to neutralize free radicals that damage skin cells.They are also loaded with Vitamin C and fiber. Vitamin C aids in the repair of skin tissues and the development of collagen, while fiber helps to move toxins out of the body through the digestive system, so that they don't contribute to skin troubles.

Goji berries are another "superfood" that helps to nourish skin from the inside out. They help the skin to resist damage from the sun due to the high amounts of astaxanthin. They are also a wonderful source of Vitamin A, which can help reduce inflammation in the body and assist in healthy skin cell growth.

Bananas benefit the skin with antioxidant protection from Vitamins C and B6 and potassium, which helps boost skin's circulation. Almond milk contains antioxidant Vitamin E, which can help speed skin healing. Fresh romaine greens are also loaded with Vitamin A, which also helps regenerate skin by supporting cell turnover.

If you prefer, you can soak the goji berries in warm water ahead of time to make them softer, but I love them straight up, as they give you little chewy surprise bits. You can also make this smoothie your own with the addition of a plant-based protein powder, powdered vanilla or vanilla extract, maca powder, a few dates, a few shavings of dark chocolate, a touch of honey or whatever else your imagination dreams up!

So, drink up for skin health! Cheers!

How are you "rebooting" this New Year? 
I'd love to hear in the comments below!

Happy 2014 & True Confessions of a Naughty Skin Care Therapist

Happy New Year, dear friends! I hope your holiday was full of joy, love and sweetness of life! I'd love to hear how you spent your holiday season.


This is how we show you where we are in Michigan.

I am back to work and back to blogging after a wonderfully relaxing 17-day winter break. The holidays mark the only time of year that my family is able to be together for a longer stretch of time than just a weekend. This year we decided to maximize the chill-out factor by escaping to our family cabin in Northern Michigan ("Up Norf"), which is one of the most calming and beautiful places on the planet. 


A view of the pines from the cabin in late October.
Why not a snowy pic from this holiday vacation?
Because I was far too lazy.

The cabin backs up to state forest with vast stretches of pine, a myriad of plant friends and tons of wildlife. Even though the snow and chilly temps kept most of the critters in hiding (including us!), we were able to watch the squirrels and birds play and hunt for deer and elk tracks in the deep snow. We also played countless games of Monopoly, UNO, and Pictionary with the kids, assembled puzzles with my mom, crafted with paper and fabric, loomed bracelets and re-watched as many Harry Potters that we could before our eyes went blurry.

But, mostly, I spent this vacation being very, very naughty.

Remember back in November when we were all completing the Healthy Skin Care Challenge? Remember all of the "DOs" and "DONTs" that we diligently worked to incorporate into our lives? Well, for the past two weeks, I DID all of the DONTs and none of the DOs.



This holiday was sponsored by wine, cheese and carbs. I stayed up late, drank coffee each morning like my life depended on it, devoured pie and Amish coffee cake (this area of Michigan is known for its amazing Amish community bakeries), sat on my butt and went to bed nearly every night without even waving a washcloth at my face.

And it felt good. Reaaaaallly good.

Well, at least at the time. Now, I am paying for it with a lovely post-holiday breakout and dryness, dark circles under my eyes from inadequate hydration and about 5 extra pounds.

Do I feel guilty? No way!!! We are born into this world human and part of living this crazy life is to indulge from time-to-time. For many of us, the past few weeks is that time. Celebrating the holidays with friends and family is a priceless gift. Live it and enjoy it to the fullest, while balancing it with a healthy lifestyle year-round.

So, tomorrow the kids are supposed to go back to school (although we are expecting a foot of snow and low, low temps, so odds are another snow day - or a few!). But tomorrow, I am ready to return to our regular, healthy, daily routine and breathing a little sigh of relief that the holidays only come once a year.

So, want to join me in rebooting for the New Year?

My friends at A.Vogel, a well-known herbal remedies company in the UK, have invited me to take part in their Fourteen Day Detox that starts, tomorrow, January 6 and I would love for you to join me! (See my review of some wonderful A. Vogel skin care products HERE)


This will be us after the 14 days! Yippee!

Now, don't worry, this isn't some crazy, intense starvation cleanse - it is a sensible, balanced plan to help folks get back on track by supporting healthy digestion, increasing hydration, boosting intake of nourishing foods (including nice, warm, comforting foods for winter) and getting your body moving. 

The program is free and includes daily email support, including healthy meal ideas and recipes, as well as expert tips, advice and support. Although, they have herbal products to assist in your detox progress, they are not required and you can take as little or as much from the plan that works for you.

You can sign up for the plan straight away HERE! I would love for you to join me on this journey into the new year! We can all be here to support each other. :)

May this year be full of love and happiness - and a little indulgence, here and there!