by | May 12, 2014 | Fitness, From the Heart, Inspirations |
People have heard it time and time again, but how many actually listen when they are told that they need to keep a closer watch on their alcohol consumption? It’s likely that many people reading this will be aware of the dangers of excessive drinking and yet it is also highly probable that they will not know exactly what constitutes ‘excessive’.
Would people, for example, be able to tell precisely how many units are in a glass of wine? Chances are that they wouldn’t if they think that they could as there are so many variants involved in such a calculation. Things such as the size of glass and the alcoholic volume of the wine must all be taken into consideration in order to accurately measure the amount of units being consumed.
Whether it is a diagram from a medical stock illustrations specialist or a photograph of the damage done to the liver, it is easy to see just how badly alcohol abuse can disrupt the performance of this vital organ. And yet so many people continue to drink excessively without even knowing that we are doing so. According to UK guidelines men should not exceed 3-4 units per day, while women should only consume a maximum of 2-3 units. This only amounts to 1.5 pints of 4% beer for men and a single pint for women per day, far less than you think.
So what can be done in order to start making a change in our drinking habits? Well, the fact that if people are reading this article, that is a great start as any knowledge that they can obtain will help to make a change in their lifestyle. However, what they can do next is far more important:
1) Calculate the intake – Finding out just how much that they are actually drinking may come as a bit of shock but that should be seen as a good thing. If it shocks, then people need to know that they need to start making a change in your drinking habits. There are numerous online alcohol calculators available that will give people their seven day intake amounts. Use this figure to find out how alcohol is affecting the body and also as a barometer for change. Once people have their current weekly figure, they will have a target to work towards lowering.
2) Monitor the intake – Now that people have their seven day intake amount, keeping track of all of the alcohol that they consume will give them an insight into whether or not they are on course to lowering consumption. It will also give them a new target to work towards breaking.
3) Lower the intake – Once people have a few weeks of statistics to work with, they can begin to consciously set themselves achievable goals if they have not already started to do so. Lower the amount of alcohol that they consume at home by switching a fridge full of beer and wine to some soft drinks instead. Make sure that they have some completely alcohol free days too, as this will give the body an opportunity to recover as it progresses to a healthier lifestyle.
Following these steps will help people become more aware of their daily, weekly and monthly alcohol consumption. If people feel as though they need further help with your drinking there are plenty of options available to you. Speak with a doctor or medical professional; they can advise and suggest how to lower the intake healthily. Stick with it and do not regret it, the time to make a change is now.
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by | May 10, 2014 | Music |
Hello Elegant Readers,
My Birthday weekend and birthday month of May is in full effect.
I have been to many big name concerts in my life, but nothing compared to the Summer Shed Tour that I experienced over the weekend.
The brief tour consisted of only seven venues in ten days and featured four and a half hours of music from six diverse musical acts. It was by far the loudest, most explosive, and most uplifting concert that I have attended.
Summer Shed Tour – May 2014; via tobymac.com
So far in 2014, I have attended two concerts with my hubby and our new concert cronies, Eugene and Roxanne, who invited us to the Winter Jam concert back in January. These two concerts have literally opened my eyes up to a new concert-going experience. For more on the Winter Jam concert, click HERE!
Toby Mac, of the famed trio DC Talk, organized and headlined the Summer Shed Tour, bringing together an eclectic group of rap, hip-hop, pop and heavy metal. Typically if you mix together heavy metal and hip-hop into one concert, it is a disaster waiting to happen. The styles of music, not to mention the audiences, would clash. But what makes this concert works is the fact that each of the acts are focused one mission, to spread the good news of Jesus Christ and His redemptive power. No matter the type of music, the message was the same.
The four and a half hour show included newcomers WE AS HUMAN, CAPITAL KINGS and TEDASHII; with veterans LACRAE, SKILLET and TOBY MAC. When Eugene and Roxanne invited us to this concert, my hubby was not sure if he wanted to go to a concert and we did not know four of the six acts. We had seen Lacrae at Winter Jam and we had listened Toby Mac for a while now. But looking at the ticket prices, my hubby thought, sixty dollars for a ticket was not a bad price for six musical acts. Ten dollars per act was a pretty good price. And I am glad that he made the decision to get the tickets. By getting a pre-sale password from Toby Mac’s newsletter, we were able to get tickets in the fifth row. We had never been able to sit so close to the stage. The seats were awesome!
We waited in line maybe twenty minutes and that was not bad because it was not hot and we like to people watch and get a since of what the crowd is like, Eugene and Roxanne bought the front of the line passes so they walked up to the gate and when the doors opened at a quarter to six they got right in.
The Crowd by JTWISDOM
The concert started with MC / Pastor Sammy at 6:10 p.m. introducing WE AS HUMAN and we were so close that the bass was thumping. This band is heavy metal and got the crowd pumped. We were really close so the energy was all around.
WE AS HUMAN photo by JTWISDOM
Capital Kings came to the stage after WE AS HUMAN. The music was high energy and reminded me of being on the beach with the ball floating through the crowd.
Capital Kings
Up next Tedashii, he keeps the crowd pumping with his love for Jesus.
Tedashii shared his testimony about how he lost his one year old son. This really touched me and his performance was heart-wrenching but powerful.
Tedashii
The music keep coming and it’s all good. Lacrae officially had the crowd hip hopping. He included his testimony from “I AM SECOND,” which is awesome. Christians can have fun, yes Christians can have fun. He sang some of my favorites, I can Play the Background and Faking it.
Lacrae photo by JTwisdom
The first photo below is a clip that was shown of Lacrae’s testimony from I An Second. Lacrae, Tedashi had fans come on stage for the one of the songs. Really cool!
Lacrae with Tedashii and fans
The artist just keep coming. Skillet was next and Pastor Sammy said that this group will make you melt, so get ready. He was right. He said as soon as the video comes and the music starts to get up out of your seats.
Skillet
This band is literally on fire for the Lord. I really like their sound. We could feel the heat from the flames and every beat of the drums, the bass and guitar riffs.
Skillet
Next is the one and only TobyMac. I have been listening to this dude since DC TALK so I know quite a few songs. Lets say I can sing along to practically every song.
TobyMac
This was a fun set and the main focus was Jesus. Priceless!
TobyMac
After TobyMac’s set, the crowd gained more momentum for an encore and raised their phones to beam bright lights and here comes the artist.
Summer Shed Tour Finale – “Jesus Freak”
This was four and a half hours of awesome music.
A few words from my hubby about the concert:
“I have attended some major concerts in my life: Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, REO Speedwagon, Sade, Duran Duran, Paula Abdul, to name a few. But his concert is by far the best concert that I have ever been to in my life. The sound, the message and the atmosphere left me wanting more. I will be searching out these acts to find all of their songs and albums.”
by | May 5, 2014 | Food |
Hello Elegant Reader,
I recently had the opportunity to try VeganSmart All-In-One Shake by Naturade. Naturade has been providing innovative and natural products since 1926. I really enjoy drinking shakes for breakfast or lunch and I had been looking for a smoothie that did not have any artificial flavorings, nor high amounts of sugar or fructose. Naturade is exactly what I was looking for. The VeganSmart shake is certified vegan and is naturally flavored and sweetened.
Information from the Naturade site.
VeganSmart™ All-In-One Nutritional Shake provides 20g Non-GMO protein, 6g dietary fiber, 22 vitamins & minerals, whole food complex, omega 3, probiotics and digestive enzymes.
Everything you need for optimal health in one delicious shake… And nothing you don’t! No cholesterol, zero trans fat, no egg, no dairy, soy free, gluten free, no artificial sweeteners, no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, no acesulfame-k, no MSG.
Naturade sent me nine packets – three chocolate, three vanilla and three chai. The first packet I wanted to try was chocolate. I had the option of only adding water and drinking the shake that way. However, my hubby and I added frozen peaches, bananas and water with one whole packet and blended in our Ninja Blender. We added the extra fruit to boost the flavor even more. By adding the extra fruit and the water (about nine ounces) allowed me to get two shakes (one for me, one for my hubby) out of the one packet.
So simple, Chocolate All In One Naturade nutritional shake
This shake is delicious and good for feeling healthy.
In this picture I am drinking the vanilla VeganSmart All in One nutritional shake, with frozen blueberries, raspberries, peanut butter and water. Delicious!
I will make sure that when I finish the sample packets that Naturade provided me, I will be purchasing the shakes again. It is very impressive that the shake has so many essential vitamins and minerals. I love the fact that it is dairy, soy and gluten free, with no artificial sweeteners! One packet is only 170 calories. If you are counting your calories, this shake is a safe way for you to get the proper nutrients from a quick, on-the-go meal.
I am going to try the Chai flavor next.
Another benefit I’ve noticed is that I don’t have an after taste with this shake.
JT drinking Naturade All-In-One nutritional shake
Naturade provided these shake packets to me for free. I was not paid to provide this review. All opinions are honest and are my own. Thank you Naturade for the oppurtunity.
Check out Naturade on Twitter : @naturade
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Naturade/80018411867
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/naturade/
Website: www.vegansmartshake.com
by | Apr 27, 2014 | Fashion |
Hi Elegant Readers,
I recently had the opportunity to collaborate with fashion designer Camilla Olson. She allowed me to sample one of her luxurious pieces and to write a review of it (click HERE for the review). I also had a chance to ask her questions about her designs and her company. She is an inspiration for women at any age. If you really want to achieve your dreams, you have to go out and just do it.
Camilla Olson via plum alley
1. With a BA in Microbiology and an MBA in Marketing, what made you pursue a career in Fashion? As a graduate of the Academy of Art, describe the experience of showing your designs at the 2011 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week? Were you nervous, excited?
I had careers in science and business that utilized my training.
Later in life ….
My family was not wealthy and my mother sewed most of my clothes. I also sewed, but I never liked the design or skill that I produced. There is a side story about my daughter wanting to be a designer, and I fought her. Wanting to convince her that it was a bad move, I took her to a local school for an open house. To make a long story short, I enrolled at 53 years old and she studied finance! MBFW was the thrill of a lifetime, but I was exhausted, and backstage, I didn’t see it live. I also bought new heels and my feet were killing me. Still I was 10 feet high. I don’t think nerves were a part of that day, because there were so many days of nerves before getting there. By time we got there, I knew I belonged, there was just a lot of work and I had to be very focused.
2. How did you go from your MFA degree in Fashion Design to being able to have a business with staff?
I’ve started 5 other companies; so I knew some of the things to do. To fully answer this is an mba in itself. the first thing is to get a product, find some where to make it, find the materials, get some customers, and hope to get some money. All those things fell into place for me. I’ve also been blessed with wonderful people to work with. We have a wonderful team.
3. What advice would you give a person who has a passion for fashion and would like to get in to the design fashion industry?
Please work with someone who knows what they are doing; then partner with a businesses person. I’ve started 5 companies in biotech and I thought that would help me, but it was only a small help. No one would hire me at my age so I had no choice, but it was difficult and expensive to learn. Also, the important thing is to make sure you have a clear vision and a differentiated voice. There are so many designers out there, how are you going to stand out? You have to have a clear answer to that. [it took me 3 years to figure that one out.]
4. Your designs are beautiful. What inspires you? Motivates you? What inspired your 2014 Spring Collection?
I’m in a moment of transition. I was working with the fashion calendar using literary, geographic references in my fashion. But I realized that so many designers are working for those 29% of women who are passionate about fashion. What about the other 71%? Now I’m working through how to reach her. So I’m less interested in the inspiration than into how to reach her, how to talk with her. Once I see how to dialog with this woman then I will see what inspirations she wants. As for 2014 spring, it was mostly from our Anna Karenina (Tolstoy) collection. I focused on shirts that haven’t gotten much attention in the recent past. But I think the shirt is the “business end of women” as they sit at a table or desk.
5. Describe the woman who buys and is wearing your designs? What is her lifestyle?
Why would she pick your designs over another designer? See answer to question number four.
6. Describe your design principle of how nine pieces can make 30 outfits?
This is a styling question. I am working on a design principle, but more detail will remain proprietary for the moment. [your questions are pretty good! Are you looking for a job? ]
7. What is the process for choosing fabric choices for your current designs?
Very simple. MUST BE soft and feel good. And be washable.
8. What was the experience like designing an Oscar dress for Betsy Franco (mother of James Franco) for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards? How did that change your business?
Link to San Francisco Gate article here.
9. How did actress, Tanna Frederick, become the face of your brand?
My pr agent found her. Tanna and I had an instant connection and there was no question that we should work together. So far, it has been a remarkable time together. It is truly a win-win. She is just releasing her new film The M Word about menopause. It is really funny.
Tanna Frederick for Camilla Olson
Your short film, “Identity” is so cool and retro chic. What was your inspiration for this film? Do you have plans to do more short films for your line? We filmed it at a Frank Lloyd Wright designed Civic Center in Marin County. There is an extraordinary 2nd floor with escalators, sky light and windows that you can see in the windows. It show so well with our caging. Our art director and film team conceived the film and executed it flawlessly. I’m thrilled with it.
Tanna and I just finished 4 films. We are just finishing the music for them. They are artistic and realistic in a fun way. I cannot wait for you to see them. Two are two additional collections of 9 making 30+ looks. We filmed Tanna in all 30+ looks in one take; dressing and undressing in front of the camera. The result is gorgeous. We did that for two complete sets of 9 in one day. It was exhausting. The third film is Tanna as 5 “different” women wearing the same shirt. And the last is called Muse; it will be a surprise.
10. What’s a typical day in the life of designer Camilla Olson?
Each day is a surprise. It is usually quiet until 10 am and I can get some work done. Then I am busy responding to other people until about 5 pm. At this point my husband comes home and I try to get back to getting “my” work done. All the work changes day to day and week to week depending on where we are in the calendar.
11. Aside from the Fashion Industry, what do you do for fun? What are your hobbies?
I try to sleep when I can, but I am lucky when I get enough. I love catching up with my son and daughter and spend time with my husband. Fortunately, I have a lot of girlfriends and often walk the neighborhood or hills with them. We love our dog, Licky, travelling and film.
Camille’s dog Licky
Next week I’ll be at the DGA in LA for the Am Film Inst showcase for women directors. I work with one of the directors (dressing her for this and other events) and am costume director on one of her feature films. It is the most exciting thing on my plate right now.
Ms. Olson thank you for taking time out of your full schedule to answer my questions, it has been a pleasure working with you and your company.
by | Apr 25, 2014 | Accessories, Fashion |
If you have not been to the optometrist for a few years, you might not be aware of the health of your eyes. For many people, it is a job that they know needs to be done, but it just gets pushed back in the place of other daily life occurrences and tasks that take priority. It’s a common trend, so you aren’t alone if this rings true with you!
However it can really be in your best interests to go to the opticians – an appointment will usually take less than 30 minutes and in that time your eyes will get properly assessed by a trained professional.
Not only that, but other illnesses can sometimes be identified through an eye test, meaning there are wider health benefits too. Of course, if you find out that you need a form of vision aid, you will need to pick between glasses or contact lenses, otherwise your eyes could suffer in the long term.
This blog post should go some way to helping you decide what is right for your needs…
Thinking about glasses?
There are plenty of terms used when it comes to glasses: frames, lenses, bifocals, reading, VDU and specs are just some of them. It can be a bit confusing when you get your first ever pair of glasses, so it is important to seek clarification from your optician if you have questions about when and where you are supposed to wear them.
Despite many people complaining about wearing glasses, the right frames can actually look incredibly flattering. It is all about choosing the right style and shape to suit your face; there are resources online perfect for this. However, glasses won’t appeal to everyone; they are known to be quite restrictive during the participation of certain sports and activities. For that reason, contact lenses can often provide a suitable alternative.
Thinking about contact lenses?
At many free eye tests you can speak to an optician about your suitability for contact lenses. Many people choose to wear these hidden optical aids, especially if they take part in sports such as tennis or running. The main reason for this is because they stay put on your face, unlike many fragile frames.
Other people pick them for fashion and style reasons, believing that they are more versatile than glasses. Yet the cost of buying contact lenses can be greater than the price of a pair of glasses, so this is also worth taking into consideration.
Thinking about ignoring your prescription?
Some people choose to avoid wearing any lenses altogether, even when they are told they have a prescription. It’s easy to understand why this could be a tempting option – it seems less hassle and expense – but ultimately it can create further problems. Firstly you must be able to easily read a car license plate to do your driving test, and you could be breaking the law if you drive with poor eyesight that is not corrected with suitable aids such as glasses or contact lenses. You may also suffer from headaches if you are straining your eyes to see a screen or to focus on something in particular.
Remember, you only get one pair of eyes, and therefore looking after them is absolutely vital.
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