POSTURE

I recently saw an article that listed a reason to be very jealous of Taylor Swift. I mean she has a lot of things going for her like money, fame, talent, the ability to wear red lipstick without looking stupid, super hot guys in her music videos, supermodel friends, etc. But among those things is she she has amazing posture!

It's true. I looked through all of the photos in the article and Swifty is always looking poised and practically perfect in every one.

So this got me thinking about myself and noticing how I slump on the couch to watch a movie and it's horrible. I was given a Faburo adjustable posture back brace to test out for a bit.

This brace is comfortable enough to wear throughout the day. It is great for long periods of sitting behind a desk at work, or a daily jog. The brace is designed is designed to pull your shoulders back, straightening your posture while constantly reminding you to position your shoulders in the proper form.

While helping to fix posture, the brace also helps relieve many back pain issues. With your back muscles in proper form, spinal pressure may be relieved. That's a plus!

The brace is available in black and white. It is easily adjustable via the shoulder straps and fits many sizes (26"-40" chest size). I even had my mom try it out (that's her in the top two photos).

Tip: for greater comfort, wear the brace over a shirt.

Of course, for best results in straightening your posture your physical participation is required...unless you have a magical TayTay wand to wave around. Give it a try. Now I'm off to drink gallons of water to get that JLo glow she promises comes from her major consumption of water. I wonder if she has a bladder as small as mine though.

#BestPostureBrace

MASSAGE DAY

I like a good massage. It is true. I have had plenty of them. But I recently had an experience with massage that I cannot explain. Keep reading and promise not to judge me. 

As I made my appointment, I asked for the therapist who could provide some pretty deep tissue work. The staff recommended Steve (or Scott...I don't really remember and it doesn't matter). This therapist massaged me in places I have never been massaged before. Not THOSE places, guys!! He basically only worked in my armpits, glutes, and pelvis/hip bone area. He worked these areas so deeply it took 1.5 hours. While he was doing it, it didn't feel comfortable and in my head I was saying I would never ask for those areas again, but as he finished the areas worked felt so much more relaxed. It was intense. While working my glutes, he told me people often hold emotions in this area. It was super tender for me. I asked, "Are you telling me I hold my emotions in my right buttcheek?!"

He replied, "Yes, I guess I am saying having feelings is a pain in the butt."

Well played, Mr. Massage Guy.

Once Scooter (I really can't remember his name) was finished, he politely walked me to the front desk to manage the payment. I was following him down the hall and started getting giggly. He turned to me and said they call that being "massage drunk." OK whatever. I was at the desk and I just started laughing. The receptionist girls began laughing with me which made me laugh even more. They told me not to be embarrassed and this sort of thing happens all the time. I told her, "Nothing is funny, but I can't stop laughing." One girl brought me a glass of water as I sat down to compose myself.

Feeling in control, I took a deep breath and stepped up to the front desk again. The receptionist started explaining some sort of membership she wanted me to join to get monthly massages. I honestly could not pay attention. She looked at me and I said, "I feel like I am going to cry." She offered to phone me later to speak about said membership and I walked out. I sat in my car and began to cry. Let me say, I feel like I am pretty good at understanding and controlling my emotions, but I have no idea what was happening.  This was the strangest experience with massage I have ever had.

So I googled crying after a massage. Turns out it happens to other people more than I knew. Apparently, we hold emotions inside and when certain areas are worked and opened up, toxins and emotions can come out and make themselves manifest. I believe in the power of touch. I believe massages can relax and release tensions inside our body. I still don't understand it, but I think I needed this time on the table. 

Three cheers to letting go of the toxins in our life that seem to be overwhelming us or holding us back.

Check out this article someone sent me to help me understand this experience a little better HERE.

BURSTS OF BIOTIN

Have you ever met a person with fabulous skin and amazing hair? That person isn't me, but I try.

I have recently discovered Biotin bursts from NeoCell to help me on this beauty journey.

You already know I like adult gummy vitamins, so you might not be surprised that I like prefer the gourmet soft chew to get my biotin. Each chew is low in sugar and formulated to be readily absorbable. They come in a delicious Acai Berry flavor.

It will seem like you are eating a little treat each day instead of taking a supplement. Each chew is full of 10,000 mcg of Biotin to help get your skin and hair healthy.
You will not be disappointed in the quality of products from the NeoCell company. You can find out more about the biotin bursts at their youtube channel here.

I was given this product for free in return for my honest opinion.

Intermountain Health Hub APP GIVEAWAY

It's winter and the weather is turning cold. This means it's time to drink more orange juice, bundle, and avoid getting sick. But we can't always control our health, right. I have info on a cool new app. Intermountain Healthcare has developed a free new mobile app, called “Intermountain Health Hub,” which is an all-in-one tool that makes managing healthcare easier. It gives users many different features designed to simplify the entire healthcare experience, including the “Germ Tracker”, “Instacare wait times” and “Bill Pay” while on the go. The app can be downloaded for free from the iTunes App Store and Google Play here.

What exactly can you do in the app? Here are 10 features and benefits the new app provides:

· GermWatch: Find out how prevalent various germs are in Utah, and see how their activity level is trending. Learn about symptoms, how germs are spread, treatments, vaccinations, and when you should contact your doctor.

· InstaCare and KidsCare urgent care centers: Hold your place in line before you arrive and compare wait times by Utah location. Also find KidsCare after-hours clinics in Utah and information for making appointments.

· My Health: Users can access the password-protected My Health patient portal, where they can securely message their Intermountain doctor, check lab results and other parts of their medical records with Intermountain Healthcare, and review benefits and claims.

· First aid: Get first aid tips for common injuries such as sprains, burns, cuts, etc.

· Prescription refills: Request refills at Intermountain pharmacies and check the status of prescription requests.

· Symptoms: Search for adult or child/baby symptoms by key word, body area, or alphabetically by topic. Find out when you should see a doctor or call 911. Learn about self-care options.

· Doctors: Find doctors by name, specialty, hospital, clinic, location, and save your doctors to your

“favorites” list for quick reference later.

· Locations: Find Intermountain hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies near you. Then you can save your favorites for quick reference later.

· Pay bills: Easily pay Intermountain Healthcare bills by credit card or eCheck.

· Send wishes: Send cards with personalized messages directly to patients you might know in Intermountain hospitals.

We all live on our cell phones, might as well make sure you are keeping track of your health too with this app. For information on other Intermountain Healthcare mobile apps, visit http://www.Intermountain.com/mobile.

To encourage you to download the app, here is a giveaway for a $250 Target gift card:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

DOG Hip& Joint Pain Supplement

I have heard that 25% of all dogs will develop joint mobility issues of some kind during their life. Day-Z will be 6 years old in the next few months and I want to keep her happy and in tiptop health as possible. We were given some TerraMax Pro Hip & Joint supplement to try. 

The formula is designed to reverse the effects of joint damage. It restores your dogs natural ability to heal and grow new cartilage while nourishing and revitalizing joints/tissues. This means you can improve your dogs flexibility and mobility to prevent the possibility of any future stress injuries.

Good things about this supplement: it contains a natural anti-inflammatory so it doubles as powerful pain relief for dogs already suffering from arthritis or dysplasia. #TerraMaxPro comes in a liquid form which is more easily absorbed than tablet supplements. AND it is made in the USA.

If you have a dog who has pain or trouble walking, this supplement just might be the answer for you. You will find that your dog isn't as tired after going on walks and has more energy.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Number One Omega 3 Krill Oil

Most people have heard of taking fish oil for your health. The new thing is to take is krill oil. What is krill oil? Krill oil comes from krill (a small shrimp species) the main food source to many omega 3 rich fishes. 

So what will krill oil do for you? It is proven to help improve heart health, joint pain, lower cholesterol, and ease PMS symptoms. Those all sound great to me!

Dr. Oz reports that it may work faster and more intensively than other sources of Omega-3s. It also doesn't have a fishy aftertaste that you can get from fish oils. Another great thing about this product is that they aren't giant, hard-to-swallow pills and you don't have to take 5 of them. I like that.

Find out more about #bestkrill for yourself via:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

PETBROSIA #GIVEAWAY

Day-Z is a picky eater sometimes.
She doesn't eat much and only once a day, but the vet said she needs to lose 1-3 lbs. I am pretty sure she sneaks human food from other members of the household (AHEM). So she is on a strict diet with NO human food and better dog food.

We have been trying Petbrosia. When you order Petbrosia, you answer a few questions to help them determine the right diet for your dog or cat based on their breed, age, weight, food allergies, activity level, and other needs you feel should be brought to their attention. Don't worry, they will help you understand their approach to designing the best dog food. 

They also have a guide to switching your pet’s food so your furry friend doesn't get an upset stomach. This is what they recommend:

Day 1-3: Mix 75% old food with 25% new food.

Day 4-6: Mix 50% old food with 50% new food.

Day 7-9: Mix 75% new food with 25% old food.

Day 10: Feed 100% Petbrosia food.

Petbrosia uses all-natural meats, fruits, and vegetables which Day-Z loves and there is a dog food comparison on their site to check out. 

Once you decide your pet loves their new food, you can set up Petbrosia’s dog food delivery program (this might save you a few late night trips to the store when you forget their food ran out). Day-Z loves the delivery man and gets excited when she hears the doorbell ring.

**Petbrosia is letting me offer you readers a trial offer for 3 lbs. of Petbrosia Pet Food for only $9 with free shipping for new consumers only by using the promotional code:  BRZEJ9**

Enter to WIN a FREE 3 lb. box of Petbrosia for your cat or dog on the form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SuperSwizz Spiral Slicer

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.
It might have been so long that you don't remember, but I used to spend my summers in the Czech Republic. I ate many yummy foods there. One of my favorite meals Ivanka made was schnitzel, potatoes, and cucumber salad. That cucumber salad was so light and perfect for summer. I miss it. So I am going to share the recipe with you.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 large cucumbers
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/8 cup water
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

Slice the cucumbers. Mix all other ingredients in a bowl. Put cucumber in mixture. Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving. Easy Peasy.

How do you get your cucumber to look as pretty as the cucumber in the photo? You can use the SuperSwizz Spiral Slicer. This spiral slicer will also help you cut carrots, squash, and zucchini into veggie spaghetti, stir fry ingredients, or as a fancy garnish to add to your plates (totally impressive). It is easy to use and comes with a finger guard so you don't cut yourself. You can slice veggies in 2 different sizes. It is easy to clean and fits in your drawer with your other kitchen gadgets. You'll love it.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

PET MEDICATION DISCOUNT CARD

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

For almost 1 year, I have been giving Day-Z 1 drop in her eye 2x daily. I do it at the same time twice a day, but for some reason, the alarm I set surprises me each time it goes off. Anyway, we buy this solution in bulk to try to save some money because it is rather costly.  

Another way I found to save money on pet medications (and a bunch of human ones too) is with a FREE pet medication discount card. The medication card is accepted at all chain pharmacies including CVS, Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Rite-Aid, and, well, let's just say it's good at over 59,000 pharmacies nationwide.

Your Pharmacy discount card can save you up to 75% off all of the cash price of your and your pet's prescription medications.  You just need to print the card, hand it to your pharmacist when picking up your medication, and save money.  Discounts will be significantly more for generic drugs than brand name, but the card works for both.

Day-Z uses Latanoprost which is a generic for Xalatan solution. As you can see, we still paid a good chunk of money for the meds at our Costco pharmacy, but would've had to pay lots more without a discount. Each bottle is normally $17.50 if you purchase 3....use your math and we saved a bunch buying 12 boxes. We'll keep this card handy for our future purchases.

The medication discount card is free, never expires, is easy to use, and can be printed and used immediately so you might as well give it a try and save some money your and your pet medications!

**NOTE this is not insurance and cannot be used to reduce your co-pay.  It can be used instead of insurance or for drugs or vitamins that are not covered by insurance.  This card will work for most drugs, but there might be some that the card offers no discount on. (Go here to check for a full drug list.)**

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

YOGA SWEAT

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I believe some people are made to do yoga and some are not. If you watched me when I first put on the Yoga Sweat DVD, you might have politely told me to try another form of exercise. 

Julie Schoen (yoga trainer, author, founder of yoginiology.com, and the lady in the video) looks fantastic and does the moves with ease. Deanna (mean Reese's Peanut butter cup milkshake maker, dog walker, and kinda lazy lately) looked more like an elephant trying to tiptoe.

I'm not posting any photos of me because my dog does more graceful poses than I do.

I know from other experience that stretching is super good for your body. I get a lot of knots in my shoulders and my body really lets me know when I have been slacking with exercise/stretching. So I thought why not give yoga a try?

I am an absolute beginner! I was able to follow along pretty well with the 10-minute warm-up (and it really did warm me up). The first 30-minute workout came on and the instructor goes a little fast. I'm sure it will get easier once I learn the poses. I realize it isn't so repetitious as an aerobic routine video where you do a small move a bunch of times in a row so you can catch on after the first couple. The moves are all named off as they are performed on the DVD. I've never heard chaturanga, dandasana, upward facing dog, downward dog, eagle in the nest, warrior 2, hopper step forward, offer the heart, etc. It was a little intimidating (like a foreign language). DON'T GIVE UP! You will get it. Practice makes perfect. The second 30-minute workout was more my style and KILLER for the core (you'll feel it in the legs, glutes, arms, and back too--no worries). To end, there is a nice 10-minute cool-down that helps with your breathing (in savasana) and is full of stretches that I am already familiar with from previous stretching in PE classes from high school.

It is supposed to be powerful and fun yoga for weight loss and beginners…don't let the intensity scare you. Don't give up on it. I have no doubt this 80-minute yoga DVD is great for losing weight, toning your body from head to toe, and working out in an effective way. #namaste

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.