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By Amy Zhang August 10, 2018 in Beauty 4 Comments

Summer Skin Essential: Bio Oil

For some reason, my skin tends to go haywire every time I travel. I don’t know if it’s the change in climate, routine, or something completely unrelated, but every time I take off for an extended period of time I anticipate having skin problems of some sort. Especially in the summer – I’m very prone to mosquito bites and heat rash, and all too often find myself incredibly itchy and uncomfortable. My skin also scars really easily, which is extra fun when you’re trying to wear shorts and dresses.

Thankfully, I discovered Bio Oil a few years ago and it’s become a skincare staple.

Bio Oil is a bit of a cult skincare product – if you know, you know. It’s made with natural ingredients (rosemary, chamomile oils) and then enriched with vitamins A and E – which help heal and improve skin. It addresses so many skin problems many of us have, and it’s also SO affordable (you can get it for under $20). Here are a few reasons Bio Oil should be a staple in your skincare routine and how I like to use it.

Summer Skin Essential: BIO OIL

+ Stretch marks and scars.

This is probably Bio Oil’s claim to fame – and it really does work. Whenever I get nasty bug bites or cuts that I’m afraid will turn into scars, I make sure to use bio oil every day while my skin is healing. It helps remove the discoloration and lighten the scars. It also works on stretch marks!

+ An all natural glow.

I love mixing Bio Oil with my foundation and moisturizer. It gives my skin a bit of a natural, dewy glow.

+ Moisturizing oil

Vitamins A and E are very hydrating, so I like to use Bio Oil on my cuticles, heels, and even the ends of my hair when I don’t have my usual hair oil on hand. You can even use it as a facial oil, on your elbows, lips, and and scalp.

+ Soothing scratches and cuts

The oil is filled with ingredients that soothe irritated skin. It’s perfect to use before or after shaving or when your skin is feeling irritated or tight.

+ Makeup remover

When I travel, I like to pack as light as possible. I love how multi purpose Bio Oil is – making it a summer travel essential!

Have you tried Bio Oil? xx

By Amy Zhang July 13, 2018 in Wellness 3 Comments

FOOD CRAVINGS and What They Mean

Food cravings are soooo real. You know, that feeling you get when all you can think about is a specific food and you just have to have it. I’ve found myself wondering about this recently so I did some digging to find out what it is exactly, how to change what you crave (can you?) and what specific cravings might mean.

If you’ve ever wondered about this, take a look at what I learned below.

What is a food craving?

How I understand it, food cravings are basically the brain trying to communicate with you. One theory is that when you see a certain food associated with an award or a positive experience, it triggers a happy memory. This can then make you crave that food again because of its association with happiness (this is part of why we stress eat).

Another theory suggests that cravings happen when your body is telling you it’s low on a certain nutrient. So when you think you’re craving chocolate, it might actually mean you need magnesium, B vitamins or essential fatty acids. More on this below under how to change what you crave.

Can you change what you crave and why do you crave certain things?

While there are psychological reasons (like anxiety) that can cause cravings, when it comes to recognizing what your body needs, I think there are a couple tricks to avoiding all the sugary and fattening foods we usually go for when a craving strikes. All you have to do is be a little more intentional about recognizing your craving and learning what your body is actually asking you for. Sounds easier than it is, but you really can help yourself out here! Below are tastes, or types of food you might crave, and what your body is trying to tell you it’s running low on.

Craving: chocolate

Needs: B vitamins, magnesium, essential fatty acids

Alternative: dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher), smoothies with unsweetened cocoa

Craving: sugar

Needs: chromium, magnesium or water

Alternative: fresh fruit, water—watermelon would be a great way to combine the two

Craving: salty

Needs: electrolytes, B vitamins

Alternative: nuts and seeds

Craving: fried foods

Needs: essential fatty acids

Alternative: healthy fats from nuts and seeds, leafy greens, whole grains or eggs

How are cravings related to anxiety?

If you’ve ever struggled with stress eating/cravings being triggered by anxiety and feeling overwhelmed, this is for you. Unfortunately, when we’re stressed our body searches for ways to boost serotonin, and carbs will do just the trick—temporarily at least. This means fatty and sugary foods make us feel better in those stressed out times, but only until our blood sugar crashes and we might even end up feeling worse, both physically and psychologically. This is why I think it’s important to look back at the alternatives I mentioned above. Because if you do reach for food during anxious times, you have some healthy options.

Can you stop food cravings?

From what I’ve gathered, there may not be a way to completely stop food cravings. Bummer, I know! But, the good news is that there are a couple solutions on how to deal with them without going on a major binge. The first solution is what I’ve mentioned above, which is searching out those healthier alternatives and gaining a greater understanding of what your body is actually telling you when a craving arises.

The second solution, especially if your cravings are triggered by stress and anxiety, would be to simulate happiness to ignite serotonin production without having to eat. Do the things you enjoy—talk to friends and family, exercise, play with your pets—anything that brings you even just a little bit of joy.

Hopefully this helps the next time you feel a craving coming on!

By Amy Zhang July 10, 2018 in Wellness 2 Comments

Everything You Need to Know About: Alkaline Food

There’s a lot of hype on the Internet and in the health and wellness world about alkaline foods and their kind of “magical” effect on the body. Which, of course, means there’s also a lot of skepticism. If you’ve never heard of this concept or aren’t sure what alkaline foods are, strap in, because I have some information for you!

To put it simply, after our bodies burn up the food we consume for energy, there’s a kind of “ash” left over. That ash can either be acidic, alkaline or neutral depending on what the food was. Here’s where the magical part comes in. Some people say alkaline ash acts as a sort of protection for your body (more on these benefits below), whereas acidic ash can weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to diseases. Your ash can also be considered neutral, which is said to have no effects.

If some of these words are taking you back to high school science class, it’s because all of this goes back to the pH level of your body (remember learning about that in 9th grade?). A 0-7 pH level means you’re acidic, 7 is neutral and 7-14 means you’re alkaline (or “basic” as it was probably referred to in your science class).

So now you might be wondering how to tell if you’re acidic, neutral or alkaline. Here in lies the mystery because there really isn’t a super reliable way to tell. The stomach has lots of acids to help break down food, which is totally healthy and natural. But the blood is slightly alkaline to help maintain cellular function. Neither of these change, nor do you want them to, so they’re not reliable for testing. Some say you can measure alkaline through urine, but it’s also considered pretty unreliable (according to this article and its corresponding research).

If your curiosity has been piqued, though, here are some of the benefits of an alkaline diet:

Benefits of eating alkaline food

Improved energy levels
Reduced acid reflux
Improved metabolic function
Increased antioxidant properties within the body
Anti-aging
Increased colon health

And if you’re looking to incorporate more alkaline-heavy foods into your diet consider the following:

Alkaline Food

Nuts
- Almonds
- Chestnuts
- Cashews
Vegetables
- Artichokes
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Root veggies
- Spinach
Fruits
- Lemons
- Limes
- Oranges
- Strawberries
- Blackberries
- Cantaloupe
Other
- Pumpkin seeds
- Ginger root
- Sea salt
- Parsley

Acidic foods (foods to eat less of according to the alkaline diet)

Dairy products
Alcohol
Fish
Red meat
Turkey
Added sweeteners
Eggs
Most grains

What’s your take? Do you think alkaline foods have benefits beyond just their natural nutritional value?

By Amy Zhang July 7, 2018 in Fitness, Lifestyle 4 Comments

5 Tips to Stay Active on Vacation

It’s been a year since I took a proper vacation and I couldn’t be more excited to spend the next two weeks in Europe! We’ll be going to Mallorca, Ibiza, Milan, and Florence – so stay tuned for more travel posts! To say I’m excited to unwind and unplug with a glass of wine is an understatement, but one area I have changed in over the past year is how active I am even when I go on vacation. In the past I’ve gone away and completely let go of my health and fitness routine, only to come back sluggish and a few pounds heavier. The older I get, the more careful I am not to overdo it *too* much (you still have to live a little!) – and staying active even when I travel has become a huge part of it.

Why Staying Active is Important… Even on Vacation

If you’re normally very active and have a consistent routine down, you can afford to take a few days (or even a couple weeks) off without skipping a beat – but when fitness becomes a huge part of your daily routine, chances are you will stay want to keep it up somehow. It’s so easy to get out of a healthy routine when you’re on vacation which can easily translate to weight gain or inflammation. Getting out of sync with your sleep cycle, fitness routine, and diet can really throw off your digestion and gut health (google traveler’s constipation – it’s a thing). I’m all for indulging and letting loose, but not at the expense of the balance you’ve worked so hard to achieve.

Staying active on vacation doesn’t have to be hard or feel like a chore – packing a few key items and making small changes to your itinerary can help you ensure that you don’t fall off track too much!

5 Tips to Stay Active on Vacation:

1. Walk everywhere!

It’s the best way to see a new city and you might even stumble into a hidden gem you would have missed otherwise. Whenever I travel, I typically walk at least 7 to 10 miles a day (make sure you pack comfortable shoes!). This helps offset all of the yummy local foods you’ll be indulging in ; ). Bonus points if you run around the neighborhood in your new location!

2. Bring equipment

If you insist on working out properly but aren’t sure if you will have a gym around, pack lightweight equipment such as resistance bands or a jump rope. They’re compact and perfect for on the go workouts – plus, you can use them anywhere, even in small hotel rooms!

3. Choose destinations with activities in mind

If staying active on vacation is important to you, try to choose vacation destinations with this in mind. Try to find spots where you can run outside, hike, ski, or bike. If you’re on an island, try snorkeling or surfing. Going on vacation doesn’t mean you have to sit around all day!

4. Do your research in advance

You can always look online beforehand to see if there are local fitness studios you can try or a hotel in your gym. This way you can plan accordingly and even schedule your workouts in advance.

5. Pack gym clothes!

This is a no-brainer, but bringing gym clothes along (even though they take up precious space in your suitcase!) can help motivate you to workout. Always pack gym shoes (I really love my adidas Ultra Boost sneakers for travel!) and lightweight, sweat wicking clothes. Even a pair of leggings or gym shorts with a sports bra is enough – you can always wash and reuse if you don’t have much space left in your bag. I brought my sneakers with me to Europe – I just got these last month and can’t stop wearing them. They’re super lightweight, so comfortable, and cute enough to wear with an outfit to go sightseeing.

Some of my vacation essentials below:

1. adidas leggings

2. Swell water bottle

3. adidas Ultra Boost sneakers

4. Resistance bands

5. Jump rope

How do you stay active on vacation? Is it something you prioritize?
Though this post is sponsored by adidas, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

By Amy Zhang July 3, 2018 in Wellness 4 Comments

The Importance of Gut Health

Living in California, I’m constantly surrounded by kombucha bars, vegan options and all the gluten-free food a person could need. With all of this, plus my own desire to live a healthy lifestyle, I’ve been giving a lot of thought lately to my gut health. It’s probably not the sexiest topic out there. However, a lot of what goes on in our bodies actually leads back to having a healthy gut.

But before I dive into why it’s so important to maintain your gut health. Let’s talk about how to make sure you’re on top of it or restore it if you’ve gotten off track lately.

First, make sure you’re taking a probiotic.

You can find these in yogurt and kombucha, but you’ll want to watch the added sugar in these foods. Other options are cultured vegetables like kimchi and sauerkraut or miso and tempeh. Or you can simply take a probiotic supplement.

Next, you’ll want to pay attention to the amount of processed food you’re eating. Processed food usually means lots of added sugar, which causes indigestion aka bad gut health. Replace it with a few more plants that are rich in fiber and magnesium and you’ll be well on your way to a healthy gut.

Besides all the other basic stuff like exercising and staying hydrated, you’ll also want to pay special attention to the amount of antibiotics you’re consuming. Hence the “anti” in antibiotics. They’re called this because they actually kill the good bacteria in your gut from probiotics. So next time you come down with something, think carefully about whether or not an antibiotic is completely necessary.

OK! I think we’re ready to move on to why all of this is so important. Like I said above, it’s kind of crazy what issues go on with our bodies that could actually be remedied with better gut health, so I hope you find this list as interesting as I do.

+ It builds up your immune system

According to what I’ve read, there’s good bacteria and bad bacteria living in our guts. The good bacteria can actually help your body heal and recover from being sick. And when it’s maintained and consistently produced by your healthy gut, it builds your immunity so you don’t get sick as often. Sounds pretty amazing, right?

+ Weight management

As mentioned, this isn’t exactly a sexy topic, but having good gut health keeps you regular and your digestive system running smoothly, which ultimately helps with weight management. The anti-inflammatory nature of a diet that supports good gut health also assists with keeping bloating and inflammation to a minimum.

+ Can help prevent stress

This is one of the most interesting things I’ve learned about gut health. I would have never guessed it was associated with stress, but it is. When you have lots of the good bacteria hanging out in your gut like I mentioned above, it can help reduce cortisol levels, which means less stress. If anything were to motivate me to pay more attention to my gut, this would probably be it.

+ Potentially reduced seasonal allergies

This is another fact that really surprised me. Without sounding too science-y, basically how I understand it, is like this: When we get seasonal allergies, it’s because our immune system is having a reaction to an external factor (like pollen). And if our immune system is already functioning at a lower level because of an unbalanced gut, the allergies are more likely to kick in and be a bit more extreme than they would for someone with a healthy gut.

That was a lot of information, but all interesting and helpful I hope!

Lifestyle