The Most Beautiful Thing You Can Do For Yourself!

The Most Beautiful Thing Anyone Can Do for Themselves Right Now…..

Me doing my celeb style pose at Sugar MGM Grand  Las Vegas post-workout (please note:  no sugar was purchased during the making of this photo)

We are taking a break from the “Black Myth:  Why You should Never Own a Little Black Dress” this week and talking about the most beautiful thing that anyone can do for themselves right now. Hint: It doesn't have anything to do with how you dress, how expensive your shoes are or even how you style your hair and make-up.  The MOST beautiful thing you can do… drum-roll please… is to take care of yourself through diet and exercise.  Oh cliché, right? Wrong…..

The Husband and I recently went to Vegas for a Remax Convention and we saw the Founders of this International company speak.  The opening address wasn’t about making more money, looking like a West-Hollywood rockstar or even having a Kardashian-sized family…he talked to hundreds of us about how important your health is.  He had an infection leaving him paralyzed and he said in that moment he realized it doesn't matter how much money you have, if you don’t have your health you got nothin’

I applied this to the Elements, fashion, and really everything on the exterior.  It doesn't matter if I am waltzing around the room in a long lilac purple Grecian goddess style dress….if my body is not feeling the best, my focus will be on my ailments (migraines, lack of energy, chronic stomach aches…I had all of these before my Natural Doctor came into the picture) and I won’t be able to be the best me! 

After coming home from our anniversary trip to Costa Rica I visited my Natural Doctor at Valeo Health & Wellness Center (well that’s what I call him-he has a much fancier title) and we found out that I had picked up a parasite while on my vacation…I have come up with a slogan for parasites after dealing with one:  “Parasites:  the Gift that keeps on taking”  I wasn't able to take a deep breath, I had itchy red hives all over my body, a rapid heart rate, and I was losing tons of fluids…..all from a pesky little parasite!  After two visits to my natural doctor (and 45 whole food supplements per day for two months later) I have my energy back, and all of the above symptoms are GONE!  I feel like a million bucks! I’m sure some of you at home are saying “well, glad that worked for you, but it’s too expensive for me and I don’t have the time”:  I couldn't afford to live everyday of my life in pain, sickness and not feeling my best.  We spend lots of money on magazines, clothes, and junk food-when will you make your health a higher priority?  As for time? When you are sick and not able to perform your daily activities as well as you would like, play with your children, or enjoy time with your spouse/friends…believe me you will MAKE time. 

Diet:  I am not a doctor (this is a phrase my husband I love to say to one another before we give our opinion but you really should speak with your own doctor before embarking on any changes to your diet/exercise routine) but I have noticed that cutting out gluten, most dairy (except organic butter and eggs) and trying to limit my sugar intake makes me feel like I did when I was in college….scratch that…BETTER.  Pizza is my favorite food group-Ben & Jerry’s is my second.  I do still eat these items on occasion but usually when I do I am doubled-over for the next 2 days L If I follow a more Paleo plan I naturally get up earlier (no clue why), no belly aches, and it isn't hard to maintain a healthy weight.  My favorite new snack:  Bacon (the nitrate/nitrate free kind from Trader Joes), apple, spinach salad with olive oil and lemon….hmm I think I will go make one now….I also dropped roughly 20 pounds after high school when I dropped processed garbage.  I am far from perfect in the diet dept. but maintaining a healthy diet about 75% of the time works for me (note: it doesn't happen 100% of the time).

Exercise:  I like me some Pilates.  I do Mari Windor’s 20 minute Pilate workout (20 minutes folks-how much time do we all invest in our healthy daily!!) almost everyday along with some kind of cardio or strength (aka:  walking around the neighborhood with my kids, elliptical, grocery shopping…it’s a workout if you have two kids).  I even cheat and watch one of my guilty pleasures-like The Bachelor or Vanderpump Rules-while doing my Pilates and I don’t even notice that 20mins has gone by.

Taking care of yourself and making an investment in one of the most important things-your health-will not only improve your life dramatically but result in a more beautiful one inside and out :)  

Be Well!