3 Fantastic Uses for Sweet Almond Oil

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If you've been hearing a lot of talk about Almond Oil lately, it's likely a result of it's recent boost in popularity due to it's myriad of amazing health benefits.  Almond oil is known to benefit the skin and hair, as well as soothe aching muscles, aid in the functioning of a healthy heart, and so much more.  I recently had the opportunity to try a bottle of eHsense Naturals Sweet Almond Oil for free in exchange for my honest review, and along the way, have learned about so many benefits I previously was not aware of.  While there are way more than just 3, here's 3 of my favorite uses for Almond Oil:

Dark Circles - Almond Oil is a great way to tackle dark under-eye circles without the use of products containing potentially harmful/harsh chemicals.  Whether it's from lack of sleep or aging, we all experience dark circles at one time or another.  If you're anything like me, you would do nearly anything to get rid of them! While some people prepare a mixture of honey and almond oil, I prefer to apply it alone by gently massaging it onto my skin.  The feeling of rubbing the silky, smooth oil onto my skin is very relaxing as well.  I normally apply it right before heading to bed for the evening. If your skin is prone to dryness, it will welcome the oil, known for it's moisturizing qualities.

Muscle Relaxer - Hot almond oil massaged onto tired, aching muscles is a fantastic way to wind down after a long day.  A massage alone is already a great way to relieve tension, but the added benefit of the almond oil creates an incredibly relaxing experience while it expels toxins from your body.  

Hair Loss - For women experiencing their 20's for the second time, such as myself, at least a little bit of hair loss is inevitable.  However, did you know that the regular use of almond oil as a scalp treatment may hinder the thinning process of the hair?  Rubbing a tablespoon of warm almond oil into the scalp is another crazy awesome way to relax and wind down, but may also prevent the loss of hair while also helping to maintain a smooth, healthy, glossy appearance.  

Do you use Almond Oil?  I would love to hear how you use it in the comments below!!

Until next time... 

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Skinny Jane Weight Loss Products ~~~REVIEW~~~

I don't know about you, but as of recently, my weight is completely out of control.  Admittedly, my scale has been on a roller coaster ride throughout the vast majority of my adult years, seeing it's fair share of highs and lows.  However, until I hit my 20's the second time, I NEVER had a problem losing anything I have gained.  Suddenly, however, the word "challenge" took on a brand new meaning when it comes to the battle of the bulge.  One of the biggest challenges I've faced recently, is trying to determine which diet aids work vs. those that are complete gimmicks.  After all, from supplements to shakes, ab crushers to butt blasters, in this day and age, there's virtually hundreds, no maybe thousands, of options!  

The one option I've been wanting to try, however, is so expensive, that I'd actually lose weight starving myself just to afford to pay for it.  Perhaps you've heard of it, though I won't call it out by name.  It touts the abilities of a delicious shake, allegedly packed with tons of beneficial nutrients, designed to help you lose weight and keep it off.  I actually don't doubt it's abilities, as I've known several people who have had an abundance of success with the program.  However, I just can't bring myself to shell out over $100 for nothing but a monthly supply of the product, nothing else.  

Much to my delight, I recently received the opportunity to try a similar product at a discount in exchange for my honest opinions.  It's called Skinny Blend, by Skinny Jane, which works very similarly to the product I mentioned previously, though at a much lower price.  In conjunction with the Skinny Blend shake, I also received the opportunity to try Skinny Burn, a supplement in capsule form, packed with 9 different beneficial ingredients designed to speed up metabolism and boost energy, as well as the safe and effective cleansing product, Skinny Cleanse, which aids in the fat-burning process.  

Skinny Blend Weight Loss Shake - The Skinny Blend Weight Loss Shake comes in 5 different flavors:  Vanilla, Chocolate, Banana, Strawberry, and Cookies 'n' Cream.  Personally, I enjoy Vanilla, so I decided to play it safe and selected Vanilla as my flavor of choice.  To say the shake is delicious is an understatement.  The vanilla flavor in the shake is so prominent that I forgot that it had less than 1 gram of sugar and packed full of protein and other ingredients designed to aide in the weight-loss process.  

Skinny Burn - I was initially hesitant to try the Skinny Burn supplements, in fear that they would leave me feeling jittery.  Much to my surprise, however, they sped up my metabolism, helped to burn fat, and reduced my cravings for unhealthy, high-fat, sugary foods without speeding up my heartbeat and/or making me feel nervous and jittery. While remembering the importance of taking my supplements with water was a bit of a challenge, I found it beneficial, as it aided in keeping me hydrated, and eventually reduced my cravings for caffeine, as it eventually became the replacement.

Skinny Cleanse - I've heard a lot about the benefits of a cleanse lately, so I looked forward to trying the Skinny Cleanse capsules.  While I can't say I know exactly how much they contributed to the process, I can say that my body felt significantly healthier by the end of the cleansing period.  Once again, drinking 64 oz. of water started off to be a bit of a challenge, but once I got used to it, I saw and experienced the benefits!

The results?  While I feel that I certainly could have lost more weight using the Skinny Jane products, I can definitely see their benefits.  I admittedly had a difficult time weaning myself off of my favorite highly caffeinated, high-sugar, high-calorie soda.  With that said, had I stopped cold-turkey, or spent more time preparing in advance, I feel that I would have reaped more rewards of the Skinny Jane products.  Nevertheless, I did lose several pounds while following the program, and more importantly, felt abundantly healthier and more energetic.  The taste alone encourages me to continue using the products until I've achieved my weight-loss goals!!

HealthyWiser pH Test Strips ~~~Review~~~

I never really considered testing my pH levels until I started hearing rumors about the growing popularity of the Alkaline Diet, made popular this year following claims from celebrities like Kelly Ripa and Elle Macpherson, proclaiming it's amazing life-changing results. Actually, before hearing about the Alkaline Diet, I honestly thought pH was only something tested in pool water!!

What is pH? Well, I could go into the long, drawn out, scientific explanation of pH that neither I nor many others completely understand, but I'll keep it basic in regard to what it relates to. pH (which stands for potential hydrogen) in the human body relates to the balance of acid/alkaline/oxygen in the blood. The bottom line, is that it's important to keep a healthy balance in order to maintain optimal health and reduce the risk of certain conditions like bone degeneration, arthritis, nerve conditions, etc. The ideal pH level for the human body is 7.0.

According to the instructions that accompanied my HealthyWiser pH strips, mornings are an ideal time to check pH balance. You can test using urine or saliva. Urine just seemed more of a "normal" way to test as far as I was concerned, so I took that route. My pH levels were ridiculously high, maxing out at the top of the scale. With that said, it encouraged me to look more into the Alkaline Diet, or other ways to create a healthy pH balance within my body, which, hopefully will result in feeling more healthy, less lethargic, and more productive.

I'm still in the exploration phase when it comes to learning about efforts I can make to create healthy pH levels, but I wouldn't be this far if not for the results provided by these strips. I'm very glad that I've received the opportunity to review these for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

Easy@Home Fingertip Pulse Oximeter ~~REVIEW~~

I was only 36 years old when I had a heart attack.  Overall, I was the epitome of good health.  Slightly overweight at the time, but no health issues to speak of.  My blood pressure was consistently a perfect 120/80, No high/low cholesterol issues, no chronic illnesses, and I rarely fell sick as a result of a cough, cold, etc.

At the time I had the heart attack, my job was about an hour commute from my home.  With a work schedule beginning at 7:00 in the morning and ending anywhere between 7:00 and 9:00 in the evening and 4 kids to take care of at home, I didn't get too much sleep.  However, in my opinion, I didn't need much.  On the morning of the heart attack, I woke up to a strange, and oddly painful sensation in the upper half of my arm.  Soon after, I began experiencing terrible stomach cramps.  In fact, I didn't feel pains nearly as bad when I went into labor with any of my 4 children.  Convinced it would pass, however, I continued getting ready for work.  As I drove to work on that very cold morning in November, I realized that my arm, which was now slightly numb, was not warming up as the rest of my body adjusted to the 80 degree heat pouring out of the vents in my car.  I placed my cold hand in front of one of the vents, and while I could "feel" the heat, it wasn't really warming up my hand at all.  I felt this was strange, but kept driving.  By the time I arrived at work, I felt much better.  However, one of my co-workers suggested I just stop in at a hospital or clinic and get checked out.  If it weren't for the fact that my job was physically demanding, I probably would have ignored his advice.  However, my job site that day happened to be located just across the street from a hospital, so I decided to pop in so that I could receive confirmation (and a large bill) that I was just stressing myself out, but ok.  When the doctor walked into the room and explained I had experienced a heart attack, likely as a result of a lack of oxygen to my heart, I burst into tears (thinking the worst, of course...).  Lucky for me, it was one of those fluke things that happens to about 1% of those struck with a heart attack (a statistic that fits me well), and there was no lasting damage, nor did I have any health concerns that require long-term maintenance.  Nevertheless, it opened my eyes to the many steps I can take to prevent something worse should I ever experience this again.

One of the items I have recently had the opportunity to review free in exchange for my honest review was Easy @ Home's Fingertip Pulse Oximeter.  While having one of these may not have changed the circumstances that morning, it could a) provided important cues and clues leading up to the event, and/or b) saved my life had I decided to be stubborn and not check the situation out further (which is really classic "me"... I just happened to listen to that inner voice that morning).  

I was sincerely impressed with this pulse oximeter, which depicts high-quality design, and came with a nice carrying case with a neck/wrist cord attached.  The led display is extremely clear, accurate, and easy-to-read.  It comes with two AAA batteries and has a power-save function that will automatically shut it off if not receiving a signal within 5 seconds.

If you're not sure how a pulse oximeter may be able to benefit you, you may be interested in checking out these suggested uses of pulse oximeters as suggested by Healthcare4Home.

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