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Anti-inflammatory

  • Why You Cant Lose Weight: Calories Dont Matter

    First of all, how are you doing on your challenge?
    Great I hope, keep at it, remember that small actions taken every day soon become your life.
    We are a multitude of habits, and the only way to change your life is by making habits that support the change you want to see part of your daily life.
    So, the great news now is that real progress is finally being made regarding women and the metabolic effects of food on them.
    If you did not know, 95%+ of medical studies done regarding metabolic effects of foods and exercise are on college age men. WHY? Because they are monetarily efficient.
    When you pay for a study, you want some results. College age men typically out perform all other sub groups of people.
    However this seems to be a time when doctors, researchers and companies are waking up to the fact that women over 35 do not respond like a college age man to their suggestions. In fact, much of what might work for the men might actually make things worse for older women!!
    I'm not going to say its exactly cohesive research, but progress is happening.
    One especially exciting development, even though it applies to both men and women, is that medical doctors are finally waking up to the metabolic effects of food and drinks.
    Forever we have heard that a "calorie is a calorie" and like I've been saying for years now, a calorie is definitely not a calorie. In fact, sometimes I wonder how you could get something MORE wrong?
    Still we cling to this notion of calories, as if our body is some sort of gas tank. It's not.  I know, this may be painful for some of you to really acknowledge, its even painful for me sometimes still, but calories really don't matter all that much.
    As the renowned nephrologist Dr Jason Fung states "Here’s the bottom line truth. ‘Calories’ is NOT a physiologic concept, just as ‘weight of food’ is not a physiologic concept. Both are unit borrowed from physics. Longing for mathematical precision, obesity experts have severe ‘physics envy’, and try to shoehorn the useless physiologic concept of calories into a human biology that does not accept it."
    If you'd like to experience true next-level food nerd science than you can read his full article: "The Useless Concept of Calories."
    So what does this have to do with tea? Quite a bit actually, because two of the main obesity promoting components of food are inflammation and insulin resistance.
    Both are caused in part by what you eat, and tea can help fight and reverse both of them as well.
    There are many other aspects that need to be addressed when dealing with both of these topics, but remember that small habits over time will yield exponential results. Keep drinking your tea and tomorrow I will be back with more about how you can tame the inflammation and insulin resistance that is causing weight gain and so many other issues.
    Jennifer
    PS: Want to fight inflammation quickly? Our Sea Glass Beach Anti-C tea helps and its on sale , its our most medicinal tea and only for those who can handle it! Now available in 7 day size as well.

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  • 2 Tea Infused Low Sugar Jello Recipes- 1 Vegan & 1 Paleo

    We all need fast, refreshing treats, here's two versions of low sugar jello both infused with jasmine tea! Jasmine tea is especially floral and soothing- I love to cook with it.
    VEGAN:
    Gather
    2 cups water
    3/4 frozen blackberries
    1 Tbsp jasmine tea leaves
    1/4 cup agave nectar or use liquid stevia to taste
    1 pinch sea salt
    3 Tbsp agar flakes
    2 Tbsp lemon juice
    1/2 cup blackberries, cut in half lengthways
    Make it
    Add frozen blackberries, water and tea leaves to a small pan and bring to a simmer. Turn off heat and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain and discard tea and blackberries.
    Add liquid back to pan, add agave nectar or other sweetener along with sea salt and agar flakes; bring back to a simmer.
    Cook for five minutes until agar flakes has dissolved.  Take off heat and stir in lemon juice.
    Pour mixture into desired container and garnish with blackberries.
    Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes or until firm, serve with homemade sugar free whipped cream.
    Paleo (Grass Fed Gelatin)
    Gather
    2 cups water
    3/4 cup frozen blackberries
    1 Tbsp jasmine tea leaves
    1/3 cup agave nectar or liquid stevia to taste
    2 Tbsp lemon juice
    1 pinch sea salt
    4 teaspoons grass-fed gelatin powder
    1/3 cup cold water
    1/3 cup blackberries, cut in half lengthwise
    Make It
    Add water, frozen blackberries and tea leaves to a small pan and bring to a simmer. Turn off heat and allow mixture to steep for 5 minutes.
    Strain and discard the tea leaves and blackberries. Return liquid to pan and add lemon juice and sea salt.
    In separate container dissolve the gelatin powder in cold water, stirring for about 30 seconds or until mixture has thickened. Allow to sit for one minute.
    Dissolve the hot blackberry mixture into the activated gelatin by stirring for 30 seconds and pour into desired container.
    Garnish with cut blackberries and chill in refrigerator until firm. Serve with homemade sugar free whipped cream.
    Interested in getting tea the features Jasmine? Our Unicorn Magic Happiness tea contains delicious jasmine flowers and would be amazing in this recipe!

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  • 6 Spices Effective For Burning Belly Fat


    Did you know that some of the spices you use at home are very effective in doing away with belly fat and help you get into shape? Belly fat is the most stubborn fat to do away with, even if you are eating well and exercising regularly. I have always added a variety of spices to my meals and drinks so as to increase the flavor and also help burn the stubborn fat.

    Particular spices are meant to quicken your metabolism, have a fat burning capacity and curb your appetite hence help you in your pursuit of losing weight.


    Ginger is one of the common spices that we use in our homes, and it is loaded with potent antioxidants, which help in relieving stomach upsets and also burning fat by speeding up the metabolism. Ginger can be added to soup, salad dressings and in tea for soothing digestion.


    Another good spice is cinnamon which I use on almost everything.  Cinnamon contains antioxidants called polyphenols which improve insulin sensitivity, stabilizes glucose levels in the body and alter body composition.  It also has an excellent source of calcium and fiber, which are good for fastening your metabolism and building muscles. Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to your smoothie to suppress hunger and stabilize blood sugars, and this will lead to a smaller waist. 


    Adding a little hotness to your meals by use of cayenne pepper will also help in burning belly fat. Cayenne has a chemical called capsaicin, which boosts metabolism to burn abdominal fat and reduces your appetite. The recommended amount each day for maximum benefits is taking about 20-30 grams of which you can sprinkle on meat, fish, eggs, salsa or deserts.


    Turmeric is also another great spice that has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in the body. Curcumin which is a phytochemical in turmeric, curbs inflammation in the body and this gives the body's receptiveness to leptin which fastens metabolism. It also helps reduce fat in the liver by assisting the liver to metabolize other fats that have been stored from excess refined carbs and sugar.


    Black pepper is known to aid in digestion, treat multiple stomach problems, increase metabolism and raise body temperature.  It contains a chemical compound known as piperine which prevents the formation of new fat cells i.e. adipogenesis, and it signals the body to produce hydrochloric acid which aids in the digestion of proteins and other foods.  This result to decrease in body fat, waist size, and cholesterol levels.  


    Finally, the mustard seed is another great spice that increases your metabolic rate by about 25% with its effects lasting to about 3 hours in the body.  Mustard has a high fiber content which helps in digestion and makes one feel full for a longer period and has low amounts of calories in them. It has a plant compound called homo brassinolide which stimulates the muscle cells to increase muscle mass and lead body and also has melatonin, which stimulates the “beige fat” which burns fat and helps regulate body weight.
     

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  • How to Get Relief with Magical Lavender

    Lavender flowers are quite magical, though we associate them with southern France in the Summer, I think they're a great flower to use during Spring, when we get affected by the seasonal changes. They are great to use in almost any form, but respect their potency, don't use them everyday and don't ever take the essential oil internally.
    Lavender is wonderful for easing anxiety and insomnia. You can use it to help dispel headaches and energetically it helps shield your entire energy field... like when you don't want people prying into your business or messing with your emotions. Think of it as your automatic chill button.
    The tea is full of antioxidants and incredibly uplifting, though it isn't a tea you should drink too frequently. The essential oil when dabbed at the third eye and throat chakras will keep out unwanted influences. To create harmony in your home, burn lavender flowers as incense or in your fire and burn lavender scented purple candles.
    Lavender is also well-known to attract love, so be careful who you wear it around. I like spraying it on my bedsheets, actually I love the smell anytime, on anything!
    Lavender is a gentle pain reliever, you can use the tea when you've been working or studying to hard and need to wind down for the night. Add the flowers to peppermint tea to warm your body or spearmint to cool your body. If you suffer from migraines like me, lavender essential oil in a bath can help soothe your aching brain.
    Our Corona del Mar paleo lean tea has lavender along with spearmint and calendula, perfect for  after a workout when you're really hot or after a family visit when they've pushed your buttons! This tea in particular can help stop emotional eating, it is also not caffeinated so you can use it when evening munchies hit.
    Trying to increase your meditation or yoga practice? Lavender in any form will help you connect with your spiritual side and focus, perfect as we welcome the Sun to Pisces, the mystical sign ruled by Neptune!
    Much Love & Magic this Spring
    Jennifer XOXO
    PS: Get an additional 25% off with code SPRINGSALE

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  • Super Beauty Detox: Apples


    Here's an easy way to perk up your skin and hair with plain applesauce!You know I'm all about HEALTHY, NATURAL and NO CHEMICALS! What could be easier or cheaper than premade no-sugar applesauce?
    Apples contain natural alpha hydroxy acid that gently exfoliate by dissolving dead skin cells, which makes them the perfect ingredient for getting that healthy spring glow!
    Exfoliating Applesauce Mask
    2 Tablespoons sugar-free applesauce
    1 Tablespoon ground oats
    1 teaspoon honey
    2 teaspoons lemon juice
    Combine the applesauce, oats, honey and lemon juice in a small bowl, then apply the mixture to your face and neck, and sip some tea for 10 minutes. As you wash the mask off, gently rub in a circular motion to slough off dead skin cells. Towel dry and moisturize!
    Cleansing Applesauce Scalp Treatment
    Apply 1/2 cup sugar-free applesauce directly to your scalp and hair after shampooing, the malic acid will break down any clogged hair follicles and dead skin on the scalp. Let sit for 10 minutes while you sip tea and then rinse well. No need to condition!
    Celebrate Spring with 25% off any order
    use code SPRINGSALE

    Right now you can get our Mermaid Cove Metabolism Tea + Newport Skinny Tea evening blend detox on sale, this combination is very powerful at reducing inflammation and helping control cravings.

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  • 3 Keys to Creating Your Dream Body

    Hi
    I'm glad you're here!
    If this headline intrigued you, then I know you're kinda like me, you like to take care of everyone and everything...
    Maybe you call yourself a control freak, or don't even really think about why you do this.
    Here's why putting yourself last has not gotten you the life you want and never will...
    1. Your outer reality is created by your inner reality
    2. Being, not wanting, creates the change you seek
    3. You're using the "I am" statement
    1. Most of us try to create our outer world by doing things, we exercise to lose weight, we try to connect with our friends and family to feel less lonely, we save money to get out of debt. We especially do things for other people to be the catalyst for helping them create a better world.
    We do too many things for our families, our jobs and our homes, we deplete ourselves by giving every last ounce of energy, time and motivation we have in an attempt to create the life we dream of and we end up resenting all of it.
    We give our best attitude, encouragement and years to those who we want to be needed by, we dream of being valued, but this rarely gives us the connection or life we desire. We dream of valuing ourselves.
    I know this is how I have felt many times in the past, I have expected that all that I gave would be given back to me and that I would feel a sense of fulfillment from it- but that never came. I gave up my time to exercise, sleep enough and prepare myself healthy food because I felt that I wasn't as important as having everything I thought was in my dream life. I wanted to make it easier for others, as if I had to overcompensate to ensure they cared about me, and they needed me. That's a big key, ensuring people need you because you've made them dependent on you and all you do for them.
    This is not easy to talk about, I want you to know, that if you are brave enough to look inside yourself, where these secrets are kept, and take them out into the light, it will begin to free you to really start defining the kind of dream life you actually want to wake up and live every day. I know, its very scary, but I have total faith in you, I'm here to tell you that your very existence is enough, you are worthy of being cared for just for being you.
    Our dream lives start on the inside, they start with our thoughts, they start by taking care of ourselves. Our outer reality is created by our beliefs, the thoughts we keep thinking. When our thoughts change, our reality changes accordingly. When we think better, especially about ourselves, our lives get better.
    2. We may have desperately wanted things to change, we may have wanted this change for years, but our thoughts about ourselves have stayed the same. The state of wanting only creates more wanting.... it keeps you trapped in perpetual wanting.
    Wanting/Desiring is only useful to move us into a state of doing, but if we do not believe we are capable or deserving of having the thing we want, we will never actually start doing.
    We must move from wanting to being. When this happens, things actually change. When we move from wanting to get in shape to being a fit person in our minds, we DO things differently. When we move from wanting to lose weight to being slim, we ARE different. The outside reality hasn't yet caught up but its just a matter of time.
    Think about the process you go through when you become hungry, you want something to eat, you feel the discomfort, then you decide to do something about it, you eat and you are full. You move from wanting to being, if you continued to want but didn't decide to act and then actually take the action, you would never actually be any different in terms of your state.
    The key to changing this in your head is to correctly use the term "I am" to your benefit.
    3. The way you use the term "I am" is like your message to the Universe. Be very careful how you describe yourself, especially in your head.
    People love to label others, like "You are lazy".  They say things like this very easily and we believe them most of the time, especially people in authority, such as your parents, boss or spouse.
    First of all, most people have not clearly defined who they are, they just agree with what they have been told their whole lives by teachers, parents, friends, etc. We got labelled SHY, NOT CREATIVE, CHUBBY, ANNOYING or any other word that was said to us... and it stuck.
    We add things like TALL, ATHLETIC, HONEST or FLAKY to our description and we assume that is WHO we are.  Of course, these labels are who we have chosen to be, we are all things at all times, we can become whom ever we want.
    The Universe is listening to you talk about who you are when you say the words "I am." I want you to start saying the words of who you want to be, you are going to have to repeat them often and you are going to have to have some faith.
    Don't keep changing your mind, don't keep doubting who you want to be. Other people are already these things, observe them, read about them, find out information if it helps, but its not necessary. Just reinforce this desire many times a day.
    Make it your password, find places to write it, put it everywhere you can. Move yourself from wanting to be healthy to "I am healthy." Yes, at first, you will have resistance, but it will fade if you continue. If you decide that health is your reality, it must be.
    I hope this has helped you, look for more daily updates designed to help you be healthy, beautiful and fit.
    Jennifer XOXO
    PS I would love to see you take on the October Tea Challenge, starting October 10th! Our Newport Skinny Tea and NST + MBB 21 day are both on sale!

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