Remember me???

I'm baa-ack!  Well, I was never really gone, I just couldn't get onto the computer!  It seems there is a computer thief in my house and he's getting more and more vocal!!  Lucas has decided that the instant he wakes up, he needs to be on the computer, watching video's of all his favorite hockey players over and over and over.  He's 4 1/2 and when he's at home, he's either watching hockey, or playing it in our basement.  Tom has moved all the furniture to one side and he straps on roller blades that are three sizes too big, grabs my brother's old hockey gloves, Tom's old Jets jersey, his helmet and stick and skates around in circles, shooting a ball against the stairs and practicing his stick handling.  It's the cutest thing to watch - until he's decided that he needs to study the great ones again and needs, just NEEDS to be on the computer!

This past week, I've been so busy (and it's been much to humid!) to argue about anything.  I let him watch his video's and I can get some work done.  So, I apologize to everyone who has been looking for my blogs to no avail this past week and say - blame it on Lucas - :)!

So just what have I been doing this whole week?  A whole lot of everything.  I've been at our facility, making products, re-formulating others and making labels!  Our new summer line is now available at the store - Raspberry Lemonade and Sex on the Beach!!

Our Raspberry Lemonade is a delectable blend of raspberries and lemon (real, of course!!)  It's tart and tangy and absolutely mouth-watering!!  We made a soap, lotion, butter and lip balm.  This is also our summer manicure/pedicure treat - delightful!!

I used to make the Sex on the Beach soap years ago when I had my store on Stafford.  It was a very popular soap and we've had alot of requests for it at the store.  So, for the summer only - it's baa-ack too!  We use a combination of peach schnapps, orange and cranberry, just like the drink BUT we have thrown in real sand to exfoliate away dry, dull skin so your skin can be silky soft and smelling wonderful for these beautiful summer days.  We also made a lotion so you can carry the scent with you all day long - but don't worry, there's no sand in the lotion!!

Of course, we still have our bug spray.  It really has been working well but there's a trick to it - you have to remember to use it whenever you are outside!!  I haven't been putting it on when I take the kids to school or pick them up and of course, I get bit.  Then I go to soccer in the evenings and tell people how great the spray is and they look at my bitten legs and arms and nod politely, while thinking 'Yeah, right!'.  So here is a tip for everyone who bought the bug spray - USE IT!!  Because, when you do, it works!!

LIFE WELL LIVED TIP #15 - Eat Chocolate! - Yes, I mean chocolate!  I'm sure you've all heard about anti-oxidants and free radicals but I'm going to give you a little lesson anyway - because I like talking about these things!!  When you expend energy - moving, exercising, breathing - your body uses oxygen as fuel.  This process, called oxidation, creates what we know as free radicals.  Free radicals are molecules that are missing an electron.  These molecules are not complete and begin scavenging throughout your body, trying to steal an electron from anywhere they can.  It is this stealing of electrons that makes other, previously stable molecules, unstable because now they have to go looking for what was stolen from them and in this way, the free radicals set off a chain reaction, thereby causing aging and wrinkles, cancer, strokes, cardio vascular disease and can even damage our DNA.  (This, of course, is a simplified version of what actually happens in our bodies.  But, I'd rather simplify and have you continue to read this than go all starry-eyed as I bombard you with all the technical information!  I'll continue to add on in other posts.) 

To combat the free radicals, we need anti-oxidants.  While our body naturally contains and creates anti-oxidants, we don't have nearly enough to combat all of the stressors that increase the amount of free radicals in our bodies.  Things like high fat foods, trans fats, high sugar foods, refined foods, ultraviolet light, pollution, stress and lack of exercise ALL create free radicals.  So, we need to eat foods rich in anti-oxidants to keep ourselves healthy. 

Researchers have created the Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity test (ORAC) to determine which foods provide us with the best sources of anti-oxidants.  Among others, researchers have found that pomegranates, red wine, blueberries, vitamins E & C and green tea score high on the ORAC test.  Topping the list is, of course, unprocessed cacao - aka Chocolate!!  It has the highest score on the ORAC test than any other food in the world!! 

Now, here's the problem.  When you process the cacao bean, it loses much of it's antioxidant power.  And when it's mixed with fillers such as milk, wax etc., it loses even more. Combine in the amount of sugar and saturated fat, and you've negated any benefit that might have been there.  This means that the Areo bar calling your name from the cupboard is really not helping all that much.  So, when I say Eat Chocolate, I really mean, eat dark, unprocessed chocolate, and eat it up to three times a day!! 

And yes, we sell this kind of chocolate at our store!!  Come in and get some really great tasting, healthy chocolate and enjoy!!

Comments

[Kal Barteski]

Hurray! You're back - I am so glad. Darn that I DON'T REALLY LIKE CHOCOLATE!?? I can't drink red wine RIGHT NOW... I'm gonna have to OD on Pomegranates. LOVE this post.