Busy Weekend

I feel like today is Monday!!! Which I guess in the long run is good becaues Friday will come sooner!! I'm actually in Dallas fixing to get on a flight back to Austin!! Btw, I got a flight from Dallas to Austin on Southwest for $40!!! $40!! Thats awesome!! Cheaper than a full tank of gas right now! Well this weekend has been busy busy! My sister came down to Austin last Friday and we had Executive National Vice President Tarrah Brandsma come down too and help us out with some Arbonne Parties! So we had parties on Friday night and Saturday morning!! We had an awesome Curiosity and Coffee Saturday afternoon where Tarrah talked about the opportunities you can have with Arbonne. It was very inspiring!!!

Saturday night my sister, Kevin and I went to the Oasis and had dinner!! Have you been there lately?? So much has changed. There are 2 other resturants now; a seafood one and a BBQ one! They are also building shops as well. They want it to me a destination stop where people come and shop and eat!! We had a great time! That night we watched Charlie St. Cloud, great movie if you haven't seen it!

Then Sunday we went to church and then I drove up to Dallas with my sister!! We then had 3 parties for Arbonne while I was up here!! One Sunday afternoon, one Monday afternoon, and one Monday night!! Crazy busy weekend, but very productive!! I'm excited to see what is in store for me with Arbonne!

Now, I'm ready to be home! I miss my husband!

Parabens

This is something new I've recently learned about, and to be honest it kind of freaks me out! I normally don't pay too much attention to the latest thing that is supposedly bad for you, but this is hitting home more for me since I realized how many products I use have parabens in them. I'll tell you a little about parabens and other endocrine disrupter's!!



What are endocrine disruptors?
An endocrine disruptor is a synthetic compound that mimics a natural hormone when it is absorbed by the body. They make plastic products softer and easier to handle and cosmetics, and skincare smoother and longerlasting. In humans, the natural level of circulating hormones needed to orchestrate bodily functions is relatively low. Synthetic endocrine disruptors are now being found in living tissue at dramatically higher concentrations than natural hormones. In a 2005 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report it was found that Americans of all ages contain an average of 148 synthetic chemicals. Experts estimate that 40 million pounds of hormonally active chemicals are produced in this country per annum, with 2000 new varieties introduced to market each year.

Common Endocrine Disruptors

**Phthalates: Synthetic substances added to soaps, shampoos, perfumes, hair spray and nail polish.

**Parabens: Compounds used as preservatives in thousands of cosmetics (skin care, makeup etc.)

These substances tip the estrogen- progesterone ratio off balance, causing a condition called ESTROGEN DOMINANCE.

Only 11% of the 10,500 chemicals in cosmetics have been tested for safety

THINK ABOUT IT!

The average person uses 10 personal care products a day (shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, hair spray, shaving cream, moisturizers, etc.) According to the EPA 60% of what you put on your skin enters you blood and every organ in your body in 26 seconds.

Honestly I went through my foundation, body wash, lotions, hair products, etc and most of them had parabens in them!!!

Arbonne's products are FREE of Parabens and other Endocrine Disruptors!!

How do I attract Happy Hormones?

1. Use skincare products FREE of : 

Parabens 

Phthalates,

Propylene 

Glycol 

Mineral Oil

PABA 

Petrolatum

Diethanolamine 

Fragrances

2. Choose your food intelligently. 

Eat as organically as possible. Livestock are fattened up with estrogen. Endocrine disruptors and heavy metals magnify in the food chain. Large deep water “fatty” fish like tuna may contain high levels of synthetic chemicals and heavy metals. This is a reason to avoid fish oil.

3. Take a FULL SPECTRUM Mult-Vtiamin/Min

to ensure rich nutrition and support your body’s ability to create energy and handle stress. In today’s world this is no longer an option but a mandate. You must equip your body with the essential tools it needs to do its job.

4. Supplement with Omega 3’s .

Low blood levels of omega-3’s are associated with depression and inflammation, which is the fire beneath many joint and skin problems. Supplement with flaxseed oil that contains vitamins A, C, and E. to protect potency! It is estimated that over 80% of the US population is deficient in omega 3 essential fatty acids

5. Support your body’s detox system 

(liver,kidneys, and colon) with herbs, fiber and sea botanicals. Your liver removes stress hormones.

Drink detox tea that contains herbs like: Milk Thistle, Couch Grass, Sarsaparilla, Peppermint, Dandelion Lemon Grass, Burdock , Fennel.

Increase fiber intake. Excess estrogen is removed through the bowel

Use a 7 day sea botanical cleanse. Sea botanicals contain chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals and enzymes that help alkalize and purify the blood. Sea vegetables are so close to human plasma they help balance the cells of the body!!!

6. Get regular sleep (you detoxify at night)

Drink plenty of filtered water (1/2 your weight in ounces).

7. Drink green tea beverages

with 90mg of EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate). EGCG is a powerful, detoxifying anti-oxidant. When combined with caffeine EGCG increases your body’s ability to burn fat. Multiple studies have shown that

ECGC protects the heart, brain and blood. Its anti-cancer properties are undeniable.

8. Use a soy based progesterone cream

(400-500mg of progesterone per ounce) to balance unopposed estrogen

Signs of Estrogen Dominance

PMS

Sleep disturbances

Hot flashes

Lack of concentration

Vaginal Dryness

Dry, thin, wrinkly skin

Fibrocystic breasts

Depression (including postpartum)

Water retention

Inability to handle stress

Headaches

Loss of sex drive

Unexplained weight gain?

Mood swings

Irritability

Uterine fibroids

Fatigue

Anxiety

Heart Palpitations

Foggy thinking

Enlarged prostate

Hypothyroidism

Fibromyalgia

Miscarriage and Infertility

Chronic Fatigue

John Hopkins Study

A 1996 John’s Hopkins study concluded that women low in natural progesterone have an 80% higher risk of developing breast cancer and that the risk of developing other malignant cancers increases ten-fold.

Great Weekend

Kevin and I had a great weekend! On Friday night we went to Olive Garden for some dinner and then Kevin surprised me by taking me to play putt-putt!! We play 36 holes! By the end though I was so mad at myself because of how terrible I was playing! But we had fun getting to just spend time together doing something fun!

On Saturday, Kevin helped some friends move while I did some work and errands and such! That night we went over and saw Addison and the twins before heading out to Alamo Drafthouse to see Lincoln Lawyer! It was a really good movie, go see it!!

Then yesterday we went to church in the morning and in the afternoon I had an Arbonne Party at the house! We then watched the Longhorns heart breaking loss in the NCAA tournament :(.

Busy week ahead!!!! But had a great weekend spending time with my hubby!!

E-Bags

Don't know if ya'll have ever heard of eBags before, but I had a coupon to there and we needed some good luggage for our Italy trip!! We just got them in and I'm super excited about them. Check it out:

Mother Lode TLS Weekender Convertible

So this awesome backpack seems like it is going to carry a ton of stuff! There are some many different compartments in it. What is nice, is that the backpack straps can be hidden in a pouch if you want to carry it like a duffel. We thought this would be a great bag because we want to be able to carry our bags on the plane with all the different flights we are going to be on. I don't want to get to Italy and realize they lost my BAGS! And since we are going all over Italy it will be nice to have a lighter load.

How awesome is the inside of this! You can make it like a mini suitcase! My biggest challenge of course is going to be learning how to pack lightly, but this bag is really going to help!!

Mother Lode eTech Mini 21'' Wheeled Duffel

This is the bag I'm going to carry because it has wheels!! YAY! It is kind of a suitcase/duffel bag. Again it has tons of different little compartments!

This is also a carry on as well. But I love how the bottom part is a suitcase and then the top is like a small bag! This will be perfect for wheeling around Italy!!

Pack-it-Flat Toiletry Kit

We also got this handy bag for all our toiletry items. I love how it lays flat but still fits what we need in it. It also come with some bottles to put stuff in!

Everest Large Cotton Canvas Messenger Bag

And last but not least I got this little messenger bag to carry around Italy when we are visiting the sites! I love that it is a messenger bag and slings across by body so that it is harder for someone to swipe off me!!

Sooo excited, almost 2 months away!! 

Why Arbonne?

Our skin care formulations are:

• Botanically based: We use plant based ingredients in our formulations.  We go by the philosophy of “pure, safe, and beneficial” and have since 1980

• pH correct: Our skin’s pH is between 5.5 and 6.5, so we need to make sure we are using products that have the same pH as our skin.  If the pH is not correct, it can become very dry and irritated or become too oily and produce acne.  Our skin has a natural acid mantle that protects our skin against bacteria and we don’t want to disrupt it. All of our products are pH correct to ensure maximum benefit!

• Hypoallergenic: This is one of my favorite things about Arbonne.  Arbonne products are formulated without the use of certain ingredients that are frequently known to cause allergic reactions, and contain no harsh chemicals.  The term “hypoallergenic” does not mean non-allergenic, there is no such thing.  Arbonne really raises the bar with the hypoallergenic claim.  Arbonne uses what’s called a “Repeat Insult Patch Test.”  This is where a human panel uses a product on the same site for an extended period of time.  If one person negatively reacts to the product, Arbonne scratches that formulation and starts again.  Arbonne will not release a product unless it scores zero in this study!  The standard in the US is a 4 meaning that if 4 out of 10 people negatively react to a product, a company can still term the product “hypoallergenic.”  That’s 40% of the population!!  This is why a lot of people with sensitive skin have a hard time finding a product that works!  Arbonne has one of the lowest allergic reaction rates in the industry.  

• Dermatologist tested: This means the products have been tested for irritation under the watchful eye of a dermatologist BEFORE the products are released to the market.  

• Never tested on animals: Our products are tested at independent laboratories on voluntary human panels.  

• Formulated without animal products or by-products: How many of you have heard of a rendering plant?  Ok, well I hadn’t, but what it is, all the animals that die in feed lot/farms/vet. offices are picked up and taken to the rendering plant where they are boiled down.  Well, what rises to the surface is this thin fatty layer that is skimmed off and sold to the American cosmetic industry as a filler ingredient.  It’s a super cheap ingredient, but it gives that nice greasy feel.  Lot of lotions and lipsticks have animal by-products in them.  Have you ever had a smelly lotion or a lipstick that is heavily fragrance where after a few months it has a gross odor to it…..well the fragrance which was covering up the smell of the animal bi-product has worn off and now you smell the animal bi-product.  Arbonne is vegan certified so nothing animal in Arbonne!

• Formulated without mineral oil: This was a big eye-opener for me!  Mineral oil is the #1 used ingredient in American Skin Care.  It is a bi-product of crude oil and the mineral oil molecule is occlusive which means it cannot penetrate the skin because its molecules are larger than our pores. Products with mineral oil just sit on the surface of the skin and actually inhibit the skin’s ability to absorb oxygen and release toxins – so nothing good can come in and nothing bad can come out.  And the product is inhibited from being absorbed into the deep layers of the skin.  So when you go to wash your hands or take a shower, you wash away that mineral oil leaving your skin feeling ultra-dry. 

• Formulated without dyes or chemical fragrances: Dyes and fragrances are known irritants and can cause allergic reactions. Our product smell awesome and what you smell is nature.  

• Formulated without SD40 Alcohol: This is a drying agent and is popular in toners.  When applied to the skin it may give the skin a tight and clean feeling at first, but it dries out your skin so much that it strips the skin of its natural oils.  Your skin is smart and the oil glands start overproducing in order to compensate for the loss.

Happy Birthday SARAH!!!!

Happy Birthday to Miss Sarah Isenhower!!!!!

I am so blessed to have her as one of my best friends here in Austin!! 

Sarah, I hope you have a wonderful BIRTHDAY today!! PARTY tonight at MY HOUSE!! :)

Texas Independence Day!

Happy

Texas Independence Day!!!

175 years ago today, a small group of men met in a small community on the Brazos River to declare Texas’ independence and the creation of a new country.  It was a cold and windy day, and the unfinished meeting hall’s windows had to be covered with blankets while they deliberated freedom from tyranny.  200 miles away, the men of the Alamo were under siege by the Mexican Army, and would hold on for only four more days.  On April 21^st, Texas’ independence was finally secured in an 18 minute battle on the banks of the San Jacinto River.  Long may we remember their sacrifices for the freedoms we enjoy today…