my maggie

Friday, January 06, 2017

My Maggie January

January is here! And with it came allll the white and snow. While scraping my car and driving in the snow is NOT my favorite, I love everything else about this winter wonderland we're living in. I had a wonderful holiday season. I hope you did too. I rang in the new year surrounded by friends at a fun party we threw. Any new year brought in with confetti, sparkling toasts, and hot tubbing in the snow is gonna be a good one. I wish you the best 2017!

January will bring snowshoeing in pristine canyons, friend reunions, and glitter parties galore.

Listen to this playlist to give yourself a boost in motivation to make this year everything you want it to be.

Past New Year playlists: 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013

Thursday, January 05, 2017

Natural Health & Beauty Post #3

It's a new year, and I'm so motivated to continue making and sharing healthy changes to my lifestyle.

My past posts have been about replacing daily routine products with healthier options that don't contain hormone-distrupting chemicals. I outlined my facial routine and my shower routine. Now, I want to share some tips I use between showers to reduce my exposure to chemicals so often found in toiletry products.

Hair: I try to wash mine only 2-3 times a week. My biggest tip and recommendation is to get a Mason Pearson hair brush.

It is one of the best purchases I ever made. I use it everyday. A blog post I read years ago by a stylist I really admire convinced me to get one: read it here. I bought mine through Amazon when they were having a Black Friday sale. They are pricey. Mine was just less than $100. FOR A HAIRBRUSH. But I have NEVER regretted this purchase, and I believe it will last a lifetime or longer.

I got a junior in the dark ruby color, because that's what was on sale. I do love the other colors, though. I love the way it fits in my hand. The MAIN reason I love it is a discovery of my own: hygienic reasons. Just like all our grandmothers did in generations past, I tip my head upside down and brush from my scalp to the ends of my hair every single morning. I brush and brush and come away with a clean scalp and distributed oils throughout my hair and a lovely sheen and texture. WITHOUT any hair products. The natural bristles work their magic and the nylon bristles detangle like a boss.

When my roots need a little more oil absorption my Norwex Body Cloths come to the rescue. This was a major selling point for me when I was considering buying them. Just wet a corner of the cloth and rub around along your root line. These microfiber cloths are pros at absorbing oils and dirt, just like they do on my face. My roots are wet after, so I do a quick blow-dry or let them air dry. Or a mixture of both.

I'm also really interested in trying activated charcoal tablets or powder as a natural oil absorber and detoxifier. Since I have dark roots, I can sprinkle away and let those natural compounds do their thing. Did you know people rub that black powder on their teeth to whiten them? It works.

Now to the opposite problem: dry ends. Everyday my hair needs a little something from mid-shaft down. Just a touch of coconut oil or almond oil will do the trick. But I can see myself trying Honest Beauty's entire styling line.

Moving on from hair: Between showers my Norwex body cloths are a must-have. I use them to freshen up and know they pull toxins out of my skin. I moisturize with my Plexus Body Cream.

Natural deodorant: I've gone all-natural guys. I have two go-tos. #1 Plexus Body Cream. Why? Because this product is meant to pull out toxins and leaves a fresh scent and clean feel. #2 My other favorite is Lush's T'eo deodorant. It smells so good and absorbs moisture. Want to know another secret about staying dry while using natural deodorant?

Move to the desert.

Ha ha, I know that isn't an option for everyone, but I haven't felt like I've needed anti-perspirant since moving here. It's been the best! I clean up with my Norwex body cloth and water between deodorant applications and I'm good to go.

As a reminder, I've been slowly replacing my products over the past few years, so don't feel overwhelmed that you must replace everything in your bathroom NOW. Shop around and find some decent prices and slowly replace things when you want to. It also doesn't hurt to invest in one bigger thing that you know you'll get a ton of use out of. One of those I would suggest are the Norwex Body Cloths.

My next couple natural health and beauty posts will include some tips about makeup and menstrual cycles. I also can't wait to share some nutrition lifestyle changes I'm working on.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Natural Health and Beauty Post #2

Hey all my natural beauties! I thought it was time for my second post about natural beauty and health products. In my first post, I gave an overview of some topics I knew I wanted to write about--and I shared my all-natural facial routine. It feels so good to know that two times daily--that's over 700 times a year--I'm caring for my face in a way that avoids hormone-disrupting chemicals. It's just that many fewer exposures I have to worry about.

Why is having naturally balanced hormones important to me? It all started with my period. For years it sent me home sick once a month panicked, nauseous, and faintly. My whole life I was taught that this is normal, so I just accepted it. I had my first women's wellness exam this year and explained how distraught I was over hemorrhaging and missing 1-2 days of work every month. My doctor assured me this was not normal and no one should have to live her life this way. She slapped a birth control prescription on me faster than I could get my questions out. I started sobbing in her office, because birth control did not feel right to me. I am not ok with slapping a bandaid over a deeper problem. Birth control is prescribed when estrogen levels are higher than progesterone. In most women, estrogen is off-the-charts too high. By artificially raising progesterone, the body is tricked into being balanced again. But it's not. It's a superficial fix that only works while you are on the pill. I never filled my prescription, and instead, I started doing research on how to heal my body naturally.

The best thing I could have done was come across WomanCode by Alisa Vitti.

I borrowed it from the library and ended up practically photocopying the whole book. So naturally, I asked for it for Christmas and can't wait to get a copy of my own. One of my favorite sections of the book (pages 38-39) explains what chemicals are endocrine disruptors and where they are commonly found. I'll share some of that with you below. A word--reading this may feel really overwhelming, but I told myself to just take my time with replacing products one at a time. I've been slowly doing this for several months and still have a long way to go.

Reconsider your: nail polish, body lotion, and deodorant
Toss if the label lists: chemicals from the phthalate family (DBP, DEHP)
Why endocrine disruptors are used in the first place: to make products soft and malleable

Reconsider your: toothpaste, shampoo, bath salts, and body/shower gel
Toss if the label lists: sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES)
Why these endocrine disruptors are used in the first place: as agents and emulsifiers

Reconsider your: conditioner, foundation, concealer, facial mask, and skin cream
Toss if the label lists: chemicals known as parabens (including methyl, propyl, butyl, and ethyl)
Why used: as germicides and preservatives

Reconsider your: soap, hairspray, eyeliner, talc, shaving cream, and hair styling products
Toss if the label lists: chemicals from the anolamine family (DEA-Diethanolamine, TEA-Triethanolamine, MEA-Monoethanolamine)
Why used: as emulsifiers, pH adjusters, preservatives, foaming agents

Reconsider your: petroleum jelly and skin and lip products
Toss if the label lists: petrolatum
Why used: as a moisturizer

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Now to the reason I wanted to write this post: my shower routine

I feel super great about switching my shampoo and conditioner to Honest Beauty Truly Restored Shampoo and Conditioner. The shampoo works better than anything I've tried lately--meaning I can get my hair clean with just one use--no need to repeat. The conditioner also works great, but I believe it leaves my hair feeling just a little coarser than my old conditioner. But not by much. Believe me, I've experienced much worse. With a quick spray of a moisturizing milk, you could glide right through that hair lickety-split. I've been wanting to try Honest Beauty Beyond Hydrated Moisture Milk Leave-In Conditioner.

For your information: previous to Honest Beauty, I was using Pureology Strength Cure, which I truly loved except for I felt like I had to wash my hair 3 times before it felt clean and it contains hormone disrupting chemicals that my skin would absorb each time I used it. Also, I chose Honest Beauty Truly Restored because I color my hair about every 2-3 months. Now THAT is a chemically-crazy experience that I'm sure is not healthy for me. I often feel like I'm going to faint in the salon. Not sure what to do about that.

For my body wash, I use Honest Beauty's parent company, The Honest Company's shampoo + body wash Perfectly Gentle. It works wonderfully. I bought a two-pack at Costco and keep one in the shower and one at my sink that I use to wash my hands. The packaging at all levels of this company is A+ and each item feels and looks high-end. I really like the company and products all around. I'm impressed that Jessica Alba, its Founder, has been to congress to lobby for safer products.

I try to use my body wash lather to shave, so I don't use shave cream very often. And I haven't found a healthy replacement yet. I'll keep using what I have until I find a better option.

As I mentioned in my facial routine post, I use my Norwex Body Cloth to take off my makeup before I get into the shower. Then as part of my shower routine, I use my beloved Clarisonic and Alba Botanical Good & Clean Gentle Acne Wash. I come out with very clean feeling pores.

Lastly, before I get out of the shower, I rub a quarter-size dollop of Almond Glow oil blend to each leg and arm, focusing on my heels and elbows and any other dry areas. This means I no longer have to rub on lotions containing all those terrible chemicals.

I'll be back again to write about hair, makeup, maintaining health and beauty between showers, and more. I'm not perfect at all of this and might have more questions than answers, but I do feel like I'm making progress. I hope this can help and inspire anyone else who is interested.

Monday, December 05, 2016

My Maggie December

These are the songs I'm listening to over and over this December. I love them so much. They emanate emotion, stillness, warmth, and a little quirkiness.

This December I'm following the #LIGHTtheWORLD campaign and loving focusing just a small part of my day on becoming more like the Savior. My favorite experience so far was Day 3: Jesus Can Help Others To See And So Can You. I didn't necessarily have an opportunity to donate old glasses or help someone blind, so instead, before I went to bed, I sat in my room without my contacts or glasses on. I have always had TERRIBLE eyesight. I never go more than a few seconds without corrective lenses. As I sat there looking around at everything blurry, I focused on how my Savior can heal me, just as he healed other blind people. And how blessed I am to have amazing doctors to care for me. And how grateful I am for people who decide to study optometry to help people like me. Because of my Savior, I will be resurrected to a perfect being who will no longer have vision impairments.

Enjoy my December playlist! (Song #10, Last Christmas, is down below)

Song #10 on my playlist, Last Christmas by SASKATCHEWAN, isn't available on Spotify, but you can listen to it below. You don't want to miss it!

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Things I'd Like to Share

Over the past few years I've slowly developed an interest and passion in natural health and beauty. I've learned so much, and the whys are just as fascinating as the hows. I’ve made some small changes in my life that I just can’t keep to myself anymore! I decided to write up a few posts to share what products, protocols, and resources I’ve adopted into my lifestyle. I’m a work in progress and still have a long way to go, but I’m so grateful for the changes I’ve made so far. Are any of you also interested in this topic? I hope you'll tune in every once in a while to learn a little something or find some motivation to make a few small changes here and there.

My disclaimer is I am not a health professional, ahem--I studied art, so everything I'm sharing here is my own opinion and a compilation of ideas I've gathered from many different sources.

Some of the topics I'd like to cover include:

Why focusing on my endocrine health and digestive health is my #1 daily, hourly priority
The moment I realized “green” cleaning and hygiene products are not just about protecting the environment
Specific companies with incredible products I support, such as DoTerra, Norwex, and Plexus
My favorite products and protocols, such as my homemade facial toner formula
Books, blogs, and other resources that have changed my life. Seriously, start reading The Woman Code now!
Going dairy, gluten, and sugar free -- sounds trendy and hokey right? I don't even have any allergies! Finally understanding why this is the right choice for me.
ALL things menstrual cycle

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I thought to start, I'd share my facial routine.

Growing up in the 90s I was a product junkie. Who didn't raid her older sister's products and pile on the Ten-0-Six, Sea Breeze, Clean and Clear, and basically everything else you can get at Walmart? The problem is until recently I've been piling on products full of chemicals that are disrupting my endocrine system, causing my estrogen to soar. When estrogen levels are higher than progesterone, all hell breaks loose. Acne, weight gain, severe periods, infertility. Products with sulfates, parabens, phthalates, MEA, DEA, and TEA cause these disruptions, because those chemicals mimic estrogen in your body. Check your labels. You'll be surprised how often these chemicals are present. And you use them everyday.

Want to know what I use to wash off my makeup now?

Water

With my amazing Norwex body cloth.

The microfibers are so tiny that they grab all the makeup, oil, and dirt from my face and pores. Way better than the ponds wipes I used twice a day and threw directly into the trash--buying a new pack every two weeks. After using my body cloth, my skin feels so clean, soft, and exfoliated. The cloth contains microscopic threads of silver woven into the microfiber. The silver acts as a natural anti-bacterial agent, so the cloth cleans itself in between my uses. After about a week of use, I wash it with a sprinkle of my Norwex laundry detergent that is free of all those terrible chemicals and protects the microfibers from being coated with waxes from standard detergents.

That's it. A few times a week, I'll use my Clarisonic with the deep pore cleansing brush with Alba Botanical Good & Clean Gentle Acne Wash.

After using my body cloth, morning and evening, I use a swab of my homemade facial toner. I make an astringent toner geared towards blemishes and reducing the appearance of pores. Many essential oils have astringent properties, which basically means it shrinks your pores. If that's not your need, I also have formulas for dry skin, oily skin, anti-aging, and tenderness.

In a glass bottle, using a stainless steel funnel and tablespoon, I mix
3 TBSP raw cider vinegar (balances pH of skin)

6 TBSP water

3 drops DoTerra Frankenscence (astringent)

3 drops DoTerra Thyme (antioxidant--anti-aging!)

3 drops DoTerra Melaleuca (antibacterial)

3 drops DoTerra Lavender (anti-inflammatory)

Shake it before each use. It lasts me about 2 weeks.

After my toner has dried a bit, I swipe on DoTerra's Immortelle, an anti-aging blend, around my eyes and across my forehead. These are the areas I'm concerned about first signs of wrinkles and discoloration. I only do this in the morning, after I've put my contacts in. If I use it without contacts, it burns my eyes too bad. You can always dilute it with fractionated coconut oil too.

Lastly, morning and evening, I use a dab of Plexus Body Cream as a moisturizer. It's gray, because it contains activated charcoal, which removes toxins, is anti-aging, and moisturizes wonderfully.

I should have been sponsored for this post, right?! I've got connections to people who sell each of these products, so let me know if you're interested in anything or want to know more. I love knowing exactly what's going on my skin and being absorbed into my body. I love controlling the properties within my products, and I'm not gonna lie, I love feeling like I own my own little apothecary adding a little of this and a little of that to get a result customized to my needs.

Tuesday, November 08, 2016

Maggie’s Must-Watch Gilmore Girls Guide

All Gilmore Girls fans have a story of how Lorelai, Rory, and Stars Hollow became the makings of their favorite tv show.

Mine?

Senior year of college, I was introduced to the show by a roommate who let me borrow her 7-season DVD set. I coped with the never-ending art history papers, French and art classes, and campus museum job by spending Friday nights cuddled with my freshman sister on my twin bed enveloping ourselves in this wonderful world of seasonal traditions, junk food galore, and quirky characters.

With the new Netflix mini-series coming out in three weeks, there’s no way at this point anyone can get through all seven seasons in preparation. My must-watch guide will save you hours and hours and help you follow the most important story lines. You will lose some of the charm by not seeing everything, but you won’t lose any of the most important life-changing decisions made by the Gilmore girls.

My guide is fully biased towards the story lines I find the most interesting—namely Rory’s love life and milestones. Lorelai’s important relationships take a close second, but I skip over some that are trivial. Lastly, I focus on the most magical episodes that Gilmore Girls does so well. The ones that create a wonderland of small-town tradition. I tried so hard to be concise, so I had to leave out some favorite episodes in the name of following the most important story lines. I'm still shocked by how many I'm including--46 to be exact. Enough to watch about 3 episodes everyday from now until Thanksgiving. Are you up to the challenge? You can thank me later.

See my full must-watch guide below. I renamed most of the episodes to reflect what stands out to me, so they get a little silly. I'd be interested to hear your feedback about what I’ve chosen.

SEASON 1

S1E1: Pilot