Hi Everybody!

Great to see you again and Happy Glorious Thanksgiving!

I am So Grateful for Each and Every One of You, For Being the Magnificent YOU, and for being part of our community here.
I am sending (((BIG WAVES of LOVE and WARMTH to YOU!)))

Today I want to share The TOP 5 Things I Do on a Daily Basis to Keep My Glow- or what I call my “Va-Va-Voom”- intact and some favorite quick recipes.

Also coming up: I have a super exciting announcement for those who would like Coaching and/or an Intuitive Reading with me, so stay tuned!  Meantime you can read more about my intuitive readings here: http://berrnadettepenotti.com/consultations/intuitivelifestrategy

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Now about that “Va-Va Voom” Factor:

My experience has been this: We take care of our “inside”, ie nourishing ourselves well, getting enough rest and sleep, and the ‘outside’ will take care of itself. We still enjoy our dry skin-brushing to exfoliate our body, and moisturizing with luscious raw, organic coconut butter, and artfully apply a bit of eyeliner or lipstick when the fancy strikes us.

We REALLY don’t need tons of toiletries or grooming aids, because the Big Blossoms of Beauty and Health happen from within.
So without further adieu here is my list to keep it all glowing smoothly!

“Berrnadette’s TOP 5 Biggies for Radiant Health and Natural Beauty”:

1- HYDRATE to Look and Feel Great!

I do this first thing in the morning and throughout the day. My favorite way is to drink a large glass of warm or room temp pure water upon awakening. We de-hydrate when we sleep- all that repair!- so this will juice us back up and push toxins through and out.
You can also start with a freshly made vegetable juice. When you’re using organic leafy greens and veggies it’s a wonderful way to get going and glowing.

Many mornings after a tall glass of water I like to follow with my sweet and spicy lemonade, which really hits the spot! Here it is:

“Spice and Citrus Chia Tonic”:

1 Apple
1 nickel-size of fresh Ginger
1/2 Lemon or Lime (peeled and pitted)
1 handful of Parsley (or any leafy green you like)
1/4 tsp each Cinnamon and Cayenne Pepper
*2 cups of Chia gel water and seeds
1/4 cup frozen Blueberries

Blend ALL and Enjoy!

*The eve before put 2-3 Tbsp of Chia Seeds in 1 Qt of water. Leave in the fridge overnight, and in morn you’ll have Chia gel. Chia seeds and gel are high in Omega 3′s, very hydrating and great at stabilizing blood sugar.
*For a super simple version you can just use fresh fruit, ginger, lemon and pure water.

2- PUMP the LYMPH!

This funny phrase simply means “get the lymph fluid in our bodies moving”which effectively carries toxins through and out of us. How to do this? Well anytime you vigorously (or even gently) move you’re stimulating the lymphatic system or “pumping the lymph”.

Jumping jacks, race-walking, gentle jogging, rebounding (bouncing on a small trampoline), sitting and bouncing on an exercise ball (or your bed), or doing the “pony” dance in your living room all work well for this!

You can “pump up” in short 30-60 second spurts throughout your day (ie 60 seconds of jumping jacks every hour) or in longer 10-30 minute sessions. Just make sure whatever you choose IT’S FUN for you. Having fun is a great de-toxifier and glow- producer too!

Click here for short video of me the pups and me on our most recent Skip Skip HooRay!

3- SHINE, SHINE BABY!

A key move in my day is getting ((SUN!)) on me first thing in the morning, and if it’s warm enough, getting it on a good deal of my body for at least 20-30 minutes. When the weather turns chilly I still make sure to get out every day and get sun or daylight, even if I have to bundle up.
Though I take a Vitamin D-3 supplement daily, there is nothing like the real thing.
Sunshine also brings minerals to the surface of our skin, which helps us look more radiant. Of course you can combine your “Lymph Pump” with sun and fresh air for a great beautifying combo!

4- EATING THE “HIGH-RAW” WAY!

Or as I like to call it: “The High-Raw and Low-Tech Way”.

Basically it’s dining gloriously on mostly fresh, life-giving vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes and non-gluten grains in their natural state. Whether you’re a vegetarian or not, enjoying lots of foods grown from the ground and nourished by the sun is a sure way to infuse vitality into you and your looks.

Here’s a simple fast FRESH dish I love and you can try too!

“Spaghetti Marinara”

Zucchini Pasta:

1-2 peeled zucchini

The zucchini will be your “spaghetti” without the “starch”.
Use a veggie peeler to make “alfredo” noodles or ribbon pasta, or use a
“Spiral Slicer”(inexpensive gadget you can easily where appliances are sold) to make “angel-hair” pasta.

Yummy Marinara Sauce:

In a food processor roughly combine:

2 chopped ripe tomatoes
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 cup Sun-dried tomatoes (oil packed),
1 Garlic clove (pressed),
Shake of italian herbs (basil, oregano)
Pinch of sea salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.
Add a bit of cold- pressed olive oil and then process quickly to keep it on the chunky side.

Presto! Delicious Marinara sauce to put over your Zucchini Pasta!
*Garnish with basil leaves, and feel free to warm the sauce to body temperature and then put over the noodles.
Let me know what you think!

5- SLEEP LIKE NO ONE IS WATCHING.

Meaning sleep as much as you care to, all the time! Find ways to get extra zzz’s, and/or rest and quiet time, and watch your health and beauty soar. I know we hear this often, but are we actually doing it?

Case in point:
The last two weeks I decided to “sleep in” every day as an experiment. Instead of feeling I was “behind the eight ball” by rising later than usual, I found I was WAY more efficient for the tasks of the day. I actually got more done in less time, and in a more joyful way because I was well rested.
Plus my skin looks brighter and clearer- always a happy thing!

If you have trouble falling asleep you could try this:

*Wind down, lower the lights, and turn off all electronics an hour or more before bed.

*Take a warm bath or shower before bed to direct your body towards sleep. This step is especially important to me. Not only do I revel in the warm, soothing water but I physically and metaphorically “rinse off the day”and all its activity before sleep. I slip into bed feeling sparklingly clean and unencumbered by the events of the day- aaahhh…

*Play nature sounds, or a soothing “white noise” sound machine if there is outside noise. (I sleep deeply to the sounds of “rainfall” here in bustling NYC.)

*Experiment with Chamomile Tea, Valerian Root Tincture and/or Tryptophan to take the edge off and sleep deeply.

*Eat the last meal of your day four hours or more before bed. When your body is still trying to digest food it’s harder to sleep. (Plus this tack is a sure-fire waist whittler !)

*Make sure your bedroom is very dark and on the cool side, 70 degrees or cooler, which insures the best sleep. I like it very cool, but wear cozy socks to bed and keep extra blankets close by in case.
Happy Beauty Zzz’s to You!

Here’s my “5 Health and Beauty Biggies” in a Nutshell:

1-Hydrate!
2-Pump Your Body.
3-Sunshine Soak.
4-Eat Fresh.
5-Sleep Heaps!

*****

I’d like to invite you to join me on Facebook for more Health, Beauty, Success and Well-being Tips at:
http://facebook.com/berrnadettepenotti

Happy Thanksgiving and Thoughts of Love, Beauty and Radiant Health for You!

Berrnadette