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I love hiking, I just love being in the middle of the threes, hearing the bird chirping, seeing small and some big animals...
Hicking is my get back to nature moment. Studies actually prove that we feel better and do better after being in nature. Just going for a walk in nature can have great impact on our well-being. In Japan, they call it" Forest Bathing.” a short, leisurely visit to a forest” . Hiking is my forest bathing and I try to hike wherever I go. That's me; in Hawaii about to go on a hike at Diamond Head. 
Hiking is a lot of fun, but in summer can be a little bit sticky and smelly. I mean that's summer all around, right?! Between vacation, fireworks, barbecues, pool parties, kid’s games, camping, everything tend to be little sticky and smelling.
If you are looking for an easy summer skin care routine, read my minimalist natural summer skin care routine. I can also help you create a minimalist natural skin routine too. But, today is all about staying fresh and protected during the hot summer months and there are plenty of natural products to help us.
1st let's cover the basics
If you are going camping, hiking, or anywhere in the woods do not wear perfume. Perfumes attract mosquitoes and other insects. And of course, you need insect repellent. Most insect repellents contain DEET, but there is so much controversy around it. When I was researching DEET, I noticed that event the research or articles explaining that DEET was safe still referenced few cases seizures caused by DEET. Why take the risk? Especially since there are effective DEET-free alternatives. The Environmental Working group (EWG) recommends Picardin, IR 3535 and Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus as effective safe alternatives to DEET. Here are few natural options for you: 
This winter has been quite cold, so I excited that spring is just around the corner. But, for many of us, spring is not only the synonym of the temperature increase but also a sign that natural allergies are here. While there are many allergen triggers, the most common ones include air pollution, animal dander, certain foods, beauty product ingredients, fecal parts of dust mites, pollen from trees and grass, and insect bites.
Do you usually suffer from spring allergies? If yes, this blog post is for you. Some of the common signs that you have allergies are itchy or watering eyes, runny nose, congestion, irritation or tickle in the ears, excess mucus production scratchy throat or sneezing. If you have any of these signs, you might be suffering from allergies. Before I switch to natural living, I was a big user for allergy medication like Zyrtec and Benadryl; But, I found ways to deal with allergies naturally and I share it with you in this blog post. So, what can you so about spring allergies naturally? 
#1: Lower Your Exposure To Triggers:
While this may be difficult to achieve when you suffer from natural allergies during spring, the truth is that there are some steps that you can take to, at least, reduce your exposure. These can include: - decreasing the time you spend outdoors - wash your hands frequently - take a shower after spending time outdoors - remove dust and allergens from your home - use a humidifier to help moisturize the environment at home #2: Boost Your Immune System: When you give a boost to your immune system, you will be less susceptible to allergic reactions. So, here are some things that you can do that can help you boost your immune system: - sleep at least 7 to 8 hours each night - use raw Local honey. There is no recommended amount, but having one spoon of raw honey daily worked for me (you should not give honey to children under the age of 1). - you should include in your diet high-antioxidant foods such as berries, pineapple, yams, carrot, and beets. In addition, you should consider including in your diet raw local honey, bone broth, spices such as ginger and turmeric, dark leafy greens, wild-caught fish, free-range poultry, and grass-fed meats. #3: Make Use Of Herbs with anti-inflammatory and antihistamine properties 
It is the time of the year to celebrate moms. In this blog post, I share with you ideas for natural gifts that will make this Mother's Day a special one.
#1 - Instead of going out for brunch or lunch, take your mom out for special day that would be filled with memories and connect you even more. Find a beautiful Park and organize a picnic with your mom. Share a meal that you both love. Bring the entire family to make this moment an even more special. Take a lot of pictures and share them with your mom. This is a gift that can keep on giving. If you already have pictures of special moments you shared with your mom, you can create a photo album to give to your mother on Mother’s Day. This could be a digital album oh a physical one that you would share with her. This will be an amazing opportunity to share special moments you spent with your mom. #2 - You could also do a DIY album photo for your mom. I love this simple idea from the Body Shop. #3 Make this mother's day a unique one, by giving unique handmade gifts to your mother 
I struggle with allergies all year long, but spring allergies are the worst. Whenever you have allergies year round or your allergies are triggered by spring newly cut grass, pollen, or others, dealing with allergies is so so frustrating. The never ending sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes, congestion, runny nose, and even endless sinus infections can ruin a perfectly beautiful spring.
One of my most frustrating moments was when I had a severe sinus infection and went to see the ENT to find out that I was breathing at 70% because of allergies. I was miserable; I tried many natural supplements and herbal teas and they help so much to relieve my allergies symptoms. In this blog post, I share with you herbal teas and supplement that help my allergies and allow me to enjoy spring. 
#1: For immediate relief, try herbal tea made with stinging nettle
Herbal teas also called tisanes are are made using spices, seeds, roots, flowers, and leaves. They are usually caffeine free. To retain the therapeutic benefits from teas, after pouring boiling water over your tea, cover it while it steeps and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. If you have been suffering from seasonal allergies for years, someone probably already recommended nettle tea. By itself, stinging nettle tea is irritating and unpleasant, but when you boil them into tea they become a super healer. To help with the unpleasant taste, you can (and should) mix it with other herbs to make it taste better. But, I found the Republic of Tea Organic Nettle Superherb Herbal Tea. Wow, this is an amazing tea. Wow, this is an amazing tea. I had immediate relief. From the smell to the taste, I was breathing better. I am usually not a big vanilla tea fan, but this tea does it. They also added peppermint which works great to open the air waves. Peppermint and stinging nettle tea have amazing anti-inflammatory and soothing properties. 
#2: Start early with a butterbur extract supplement, great for congested sinuses To prepare for spring, you could start drinking Garden of Life Natural Sinus Support in march. This herbal tea contain 8 wild–crafted herbs along with probiotics, enzymes and whole food vitamins and minerals and beta glucans. Their main ingredient is butterbur extract. Studies show that butterbur is as effective as the antihistamine fexofenadine (Allegra) in providing relief from allergy symptoms. This herbal tea work so well. I sleep so well the first day I drank it. I noticed less sinus infections as well. Gone are my congested weeks. I try to drink this tea daily. I also notice less post-nasal drips over time too. #3: Itchy throat and or tired, try a spicier option with this honey and ginger If you are ok with spicy, you will love Prince of Peace Instant Ginger Honey Crystals. I actually drink this tea all year round. It is great to quickly deal with cold in winter. In spring, the natural antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties help so much to deal with itchy throat and coughing. One of the symptoms of seasonal allergies is tiredness, so this tea comes in so handy to wake me up. I also love that I can mix this Instant Ginger Honey Crystals with other teas that are great for seasonal allergies. Lately, I have been mixing this crystals with Gaia Herbs Bronchial Wellness Herbal Tea. The mix is so soothing. #4 NETI INHALERS! SET of TWO (2) Sinus & Lung Relief, Lately, I have also tried this himalayan salts and essential oil blend. Oh, it is so good at helping me breath better. For essential oils, they used peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, tea tree. This is very clearing and easy to carry around. I have it in my pocket and use it whenever needed. What are your natural remedies for seasonal allergies? 
Fermented food is amazing for gut health; Fermented food supports the body production of good bacteria in our gut. One of the easiest fermented food to make is sauerkraut. Here is an easy recipe.
Easy Sauerkraut Recipe! All you need is : • 1/2 Green cabbage • 2 tsp of salt How to Make Sauerkraut?
Happy Valentine's Day! Today it's all about love but don't forget, it's also the day and the weekend for self-care.
This is also the time to treat ourselves with a spa at home and it doesn't have to be expensive. Here are four quick natural self-love/spa at home ideas to relax and feel great in our skin. First, pamper yourself with these five DIY clay masks. I love clay masks; they purify our skin and. make our skin feel so soft. My favorite clay is Aztec Secret - Indian Healing Clay. 
Second, If you have a busy schedule, take a relaxing aromatherapy warm shower with the shower steamers from Mineral Me. It's $18 for a set of 6. This will literally take you 15 minutes and you will feel so relaxed.
Third, Just settle in your favorite spot at home with a scented soy candle to read your favorite book or to watch your favorite movie. My favorite natural lead-free soy candles are Lulu Candles. They have many lovely scents like Wild Lemongrass, Lavender, Sea Salt Water & Lavender. They cost for $15 and are slow burning. 
I just red the O magazine from Oprah and they had a column on New Year's resolutions, and few hours later, I ended up reading an email from MindBodyGreen with 15 quotes to stick to our new goals.
I had an "Aha!" moment when they mentioned the Quitter's Day; I didn't know there was such a thing like Quitter's Day, but I definitely belong to that category; I know for sure that my New Year's resolutions or goals are in the red zone right around this time of the year | second week of January| . This is the time where I can give up on my resolutions and goals. Do you feel that way too? I bet you are thinking actually.... Well, let's revisit our goals and get a little boost to keep moving forward with our goals and resolutions. First, we need to make sure that we have a goal or a resolution that is achievable. You know what I am going to talk about. Yes, SMART goal/resolution. This formula has been working forever and there is a reason for it. First - Are your resolutions/goals SMART? Check and Make Sure! 
Once you've made sure that your goals and resolutions are SMART, it is time to make sure that we are sticking with them.
Second, Here is my 6 step process to help you! 
Third, You've made it. Now You have a plan to stick with your resolution.
Pat yourself on the back. This is the first step for you to keep up with your resolutions. I recommend going back to this process once once a week to reinforce your decision. Yeah to you!! I don't know about you but, it is more and more difficult to lose weight as I grew older. I wanted give you (and me) more reasons to stay off the weight gain wagon this time of the year. These tips are easy to do!  
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