My Essence of Vitality Challenge Day 5 & 6

Okay guys! I am learning so many things about my body in just a short period of time. For instance, I do believe that I have a gluten and dairy allergy. I had a hunch for years but this cleanse has proven my suspicions right. I am no longer bloated or have that “full” feeling anymore. And I am only 6 days in!!!! This is so exciting! However, I am a sucker for pasta and sweet things, but I am starting to researching recipes without traditional flour. I am discovering things such as almond and coconut flour. I can’t wait until the cleanse is over to experiment with transforming my original yummy recipes into yummy healthy recipes!! I am so thankful for Chef Ahki and discovering her tonic. I am looking forward to the end result!!!!

 

 

 

My Essence of Vitality Challenge-Day 3 & 4

This truly is an experience. First without being completely explicit, I experiencing my monthly visit from my “Aunt Flow” simultaneously as I am doing this detox. Normally I experience severe cramping but I haven’t felt any yet…hmmm. I will have to ask Chef Ahki if this is common. My mental clarity has heightened and I feel less cluttered. I have NO APPETITE what so ever, which is not like me at all. I am also starting to break out on my face slightly. I am assuming this is a detoxing side effect. I am no longer afraid of drinking the tonic lol. Don’t get me wrong, it is still very bitter, but I don’t have to pray before I drink it any more..lol. Because of my lack of appetite, I have to force myself to eat. I have had apples, bananas, and oatmeal for the entire weekend. I feel like I am in preschool. I will be experimenting with cauliflower “rice” for dinner tonight. I will also be measuring myself tonight. My waist measurement was 36 inches right before the detox, I can’t wait to see if any progress has been made yet!

It’s funny because I just realized that Thanksgiving is this week!!! i am already preparing myself for all of the questions that i am going to get. The obvious one being, “Girl, why would you chose now to do a detox?”…lol.  To which I will reply, “Why not?”. The way I see it, there is always a reason for people to celebrate with food. If it’s not Thanksgiving, it’s going to be Christmas, then New Year’s, then Valentine’s Day, etc, etc, etc.

I will continue to keep you updated throughout my journey!

Let’s Get Clean Together!

Candace M. Braddock

My Essence of Vitality Challenge-Day 2

Hey Guys!!

*Singing* “Oh now I, I will survive!”…

I got through the first night. I even went to a training seminar for my business, and I was okay! It is interesting because I have no appetite what so ever…hmmm. I am not quite sure what that is all about, but it is intriguing to say the least. I am already conscious of the fact that this is going to be a gradual process, hence the 21 Days. So if you are expecting some sort of detox fast program, this is not it. You must be dedicated to the process. Just so you all know, I love cookies, cake, and almost anything sweet and yummy. But for whatever reason I am not even thinking about those things or craving them! I am excited for what is already happened but I am super excited by what is to come!

Last Night’s Dinner: A Bowl of Cabbage (Onion, garlic, and olive oil)

My Food for Today: I had Eggplant, Cabbage, Snow Peas and brown rice, chai tea with almond milk

I will keep you updated throughout my journey!

Let’s Get Clean Together!

Candace M. Braddock

Day 1 of My Essence of Vitality Challenge

My bottle of Essence of Vitality finally arrived in the mail yesterday! I ordered it last week and between the postal holiday on Monday and my impatience, I was freaking out!!! I was so ready to just dive right it and get this detox started. Well, I should have took the time to mentally prepare myself for what I was about to embark upon. Before I go into my personal experience, I just want to say that this or any other intense detox takes mentally preparation. This is not for the faint at heart.

So the package came and I ripped open the box super fast!!!! I couldn’t wait! I was moving so fast that I couldn’t even open the darn thing. I finally got the bottle opened. I quickly read the instructions and searched for a measuring cup. I must admit I watched a few video reviews and I wanted to be prepared. Well there is no preparation in the world that could have prepared me for what I was going to witness. I do not believe in scare tactics but I will tell you that this tonic is extremely bitter. I want to let you know this, so that you don’t get discouraged and discontinue the detox. Herbal bitter is different that sour bitter, so if you think this will be a citrus experience , you are sadly mistaken.

The Aftermath: My energy soared through the roof. I have been ignoring the fact that I have this Ebook deadline for months! My boyfriend asked me how long will it take to complete. I told him 3-4 UNINTERRUPTED hours. Normally I would sit my laptop on my lap and attempt to write. An hour later, I am awakened and told to go to sleep. That did not happen last night, I FINISHED IT!!! If this is a window of what’ to come then I will just deal with the extreme bitterness. I have been to the bathroom several times and I love it!!!

My Food for Today: I had a fresh Asian Vegetable Soup (no rice, no noodles), A Fresh strawberry, pineapple,mango smoothie, water, and herbal tea.

I will keep you updated throughout my journey!

 

Let’s Get Clean Together!

Candace M. Braddock

Keep Stress Out Of Your Life With These Tips

If you’ve been feeling stressed lately, you’re not the only one. Every person you see has had to battle with stress. Having techniques in place to combat stress works, and if you can find methods that work right for you, then you need to use them. Here are some great options for fighting stress.

Try to plan your week at work or school in advance, so that you do not put pressure on yourself to do everything in one day. Procrastination is one of the worst things that you can do when trying to limit stress, as you should attempt to create equilibrium as often as possible.

Take a time-out and have a mini massage. Try rubbing the palm of your right hand with the thumb of your left. Make slow, circular motions, or use a device. Focus on the rhythmic movement and feel of the massage. Check for tight spots in your neck, and massage out any knots.

Make it a habit to rate whatever is stressing you on a scale from one to ten. One being a very small issue while ten being a major stress breakdown. Often, you will find the stresses you have at hand will fall in the lower end of the spectrum. This is a great way to put your stressful situations into perspective.

Think about the relative benefits verses problems associated with being a perfectionist. When we hold ourselves to too high of standards stress can be the result. Is it really necessary that the refrigerator be wiped out every day or would every other day suffice? Does ever paper at work have to go through three editors or is one perfectly substantial?

Be wary of prescription drugs. While various prescription drugs like Valium, Xanax, and Ativan are often prescribed to treat the symptoms of anxiety, these drugs might actually have a counterproductive effect on our reaction to stress. Just as is the case with common drugs like alcohol and tobacco, prescription drugs can actually make us more sensitive to stressful events.

In order to keep your stress level under control, it would be wise to find something that you love doing. This will to keep your mind off of whatever may bring stress in your life. A little time out, if you will? This is important because many people need an activity that will help to give them an outlet, for their frustrations.

Use these methods as much as you can. Meeting stress head-on can be the most effective way to make sure that it doesn’t have a dramatic effect on you, and you can return to the rest of your life. Follow these tips and prepare for stress, and it won’t be as big a deal as it once was.

Help Yourself to Be Better

Poor personal development can negatively affect you, both physically and emotionally. You need to do a lot of your research so that you don’t get depressed if you don’t achieve your goals right away. There are some tips listed below to help you start working on your own plan for personal development.

Prioritize your goals, and value the best things in your life. If you’re working towards specific ends, be sure to weigh its importance against other obligations in your life. This will enable you to develop a practical timeline for personal goals and encourages confidence in your successes. Success will taste so much sweeter if you make your goals manageable!

Stop living in the past. The past is full of memories, but you can’t change any of them. Spending too much time on what used to be only, stifles your personal development. By letting go of the past, you open your hands for whatever the future brings. Your life has to start now so that the future can unfold.

Religion can help some people. Perhaps the religion you were raised in is not for you if you consider yourself an atheist. Certain people see religion as a way of finding their place in the universe, and some people see it as a way to improve their daily life by adopting a certain philosophy.

One of the keys to happiness is success. That is why it is important for you to achieve your goals in order to become happier. This could be work related or something from your personal life, whatever it is, work hard at it. Do not let any setbacks stop you from achieving your goal.

A great way to develop yourself is to try experimenting as much as you can. Don’t be one of those people who watches things happen; make things happen! Experimenting with different ideas allows you to come up with better ones! Once you have come up with these better ideas, you can apply them to achieve a higher quality in whatever you are doing.

Learning a new skill is a great way to stretch yourself and improve the quality of your character. What’s more, perfecting a hobby, technical skill or artistic form may be challenging at first, but if you master it, you will gain a sense of accomplishment, purpose and enjoyment. What’s more, you add to your pool of leisure activities and make yourself a more rounded human being.

Poor personal development can be very troublesome, but with some work and some patience, you can beat it. It just takes research, working, and planning what to do so that you can approach it better. I believe in YOU, Do you?

#DesignYourLife

Feel Better, Be Better: Simple Steps For Self Help

What is personal development but your ability to enjoy life? Every talent or skill that you develop, enriches your life. First, comes the thrill of learning to play the piano or playing the position of goalie at soccer. But over the years, this deepens. Your ability becomes an important part of the meaning of life. Here are some tips to help you develop your talents.

Approach the challenges in your life with the attitude of finding a win-win solution to it. If you can take the time to find a resolution to challenges or problems in your life with a positive attitude, you are likely to find that it is quite satisfying when the issue is resolved.

Improve your diet. Having a poor diet can make you feel unwell or depressed. Make sure you are eating plenty of complex carbohydrates. A diet that is low on complex carbohydrates can cause a deficiency in serotonin. Not enough serotonin can go a long way in making you feel depressed.

When it comes to personal development a great tip is to challenge yourself. You will never grow or learn anything new by doing the same things over and over again. Rather, put yourself in a situation you are uncomfortable with, and challenge yourself to do well with it.

Gratitude is a very important step to personal development. You must be thankful for each day as it comes. No matter if it was a terrible day, you should still show appreciation for the day that you did have because you have probably learned a valuable lesson that will benefit you in the future.

So many wonderful things to learn and do! Human possibilities are almost infinite. I hope these tips will give you new ideas and a new impetus to the unfolding of your talents. Time is the only limit, once you have set a course toward realizing your full capacities.

Great Guide On How To Fight Depression

 

One of the most debilitating things to affect humans is depression. Depression bring affected individuals into a melancholy space where they may lose sight of goals in life and lose any hope for their future. If you need help battling depression, then pay attention to the advice in my blog post.

Prior to becoming pregnant, I thought that depression was a figment of people’s imagination. I thought they people who said they had depression were selfish and were intention seekers. It wasn’t until after I had my son and started experiencing depression that I realized how real it was. It took over a year and a half for me to “snap out of it”. Below are some suggestions that helped me “find myself” all over again.

Becoming interested in a hobby is a great way to help you deal with your depression. Many people say that gardening is one of the best things to do but it can be whatever interests you. Just the act of having a hobby can often take your mind off of what is ailing you.

Create an artistic outlet for yourself. You can do this by painting, acting in a play or getting involved in crafts. This can help you communicate your emotions and let them out. When you use energy for activities like this you will relieve stress which can definitely help out with depression. I actually started this blog :).

When dealing with depression, don’t try to do it all on your own. Instead, open up to trusted friends and family members to let them know what you are going through. Having a solid support system in place can make all the difference when you are trying to cope with with this difficult condition.

Understand your mind. Depression is not a sign of insanity, rather it means something is not right. Depression is just a sign that something in your life is unbalanced. It could be something in yourself, your environment, or may include both. Knowing you are not crazy can really help you feel more positive about your life.

A great tip that can help you get out of your depression is to sing a song that you enjoy. Singing a song will instantly put you in a better mood. Singing a little bit each day can help you get out of your depression in no time.

If you are apt to get depressed, write in a journal daily. Daily journal writing helps you monitor your mood so you can stop depression in its tracks. Reviewing your journal helps you find the pattern to your moods so you can take steps to avoid an oncoming depressive episode.

Post Partum Depression

Know the symptoms of post-partum depression, and make sure that your partner does, too. While some “baby blues” are normal after giving birth, post-partum depression is a serious, yet common illness that can benefit greatly from professional help. Your partner can help you watch for signs that you need some help, as you may not be able to see the situation clearly yourself.

As stated before in the introduction, depression has a debilitating effect on humans. Depression makes individuals melancholy while removing any hopes and goals they have for life. If you remember the advice found in this post, you can battle depression and remove your own “I got the blues” state and return to being a more happier you.

Make Positive Changes In Your Life With These Great Tips

 

Working on yourself can be one of the great challenges of your life. Knowing that you have things to change, and admitting it, can be the start to a wonderful journey of self-discovery that can last a lifetime. Here are a few self help tips to get you started on that journey

Time Management

Time management is essential to processing, so be sure to set aside time every day to evaluate your overall performance. It may be difficult to revisit shortcomings so quickly after they have passed, but revisiting failures immediately afterward can help you identify where you went wrong and amend this behavior in the future.

Be timely. This is a skill that may not come easy to everyone, but is essential to your personal development. In today’s world time is money and if you are late for appointments, you are not only wasting everyone’s time but also their money. Time management is highly valued in almost all aspects of society.

Inside every big job are tons of little jobs. Subdivide your personal development tasks to make them easier to tackle. This task subdivision is almost infinitely reproducible, too. If one part of a bigger job is still ominously large, subdivide it again. Good task division is good time management. You can accomplish huge goals if you nibble away at them consistently.

One important component of personal development is learning how to effectively manage your time. Strong time management skills can help you reach your goals more quickly so you can get more of what you want out of life. Not only that, but managing your time wisely can reduce your overall stress levels by making life far less hectic and rushed.

Self-help tips can never be complete; there is so much to think about. But knowing that you’re on the right road can be an enormous comfort. Be gentle but honest with yourself, and you’ll start to expand your knowledge of the one person you spend the most time with: yourself.

Smoothies and Juicing…

Yes!!! An amazing, gigantic, fresh, watermelon, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry smoothie for lunch! “Your Health is Your Wealth” ~PSVP Isra Girgrah Wynn~
You have to start somewhere, it might as well be today! #DesignYourLife http://ow.ly/i/15W8S