Common Cold: Prevention & Treatments

Cold season has arrived! This week, I'll tell you about a few natural cold prevention and treatment tips, as well as MOBU's option - the CCC line! 

Natural Cold Prevention: 

I don't know how many times I can talk about these things, or mention all of the benefits involved, but it really can't be overstated. Getting enough sleep, drinking lots of water, and exercise are three of the best ways to keep your immune system strong. 

Other ways to help prevent colds include simple germ avoiding habits, such as avoiding touching surfaces that many other people have touched, such as hand rails, door handles, etc. Washing your hands often and trying to avoid touching your face are also good ways to help prevent the spread of diseases. 

Natural Cold Remedies: 

Zinc - 15-30 mg lozenges, taken at the first sign of a tickly throat or runny nose, helps boost the immune system and decrease viral activity. 

Echinacea - herbal supplements, help to boost the immune system and fight colds. This works better for prevention than treatment. 

Vitamin C - supports the immune system by bonding to the free radicals in your body, so the immune system can do it's job. This works best when consuming about 3000 mg throughout the day. The powdered drink additive, Emergen-C is good for this, as each packet has 1000 mg of Vitamin C with electrolytes. 

Honey - has antioxidants, antiviral and antibacterial properties, which boost the immune system and help fight off all kinds of diseases. Adding two tablespoons of honey to a cup of hot tea is the easiest way to get it into your system. But never give honey to infants or young children - it may include botulism spores which their immune systems aren't ready to handle yet. 

Ginger - contains compounds called gingerols that help fight pain, inflammation, germs, and viruses. when you have the cold or flu, you need plenty of fluids, so drinking some ginger tea is an easy way to get fluids as well as the benefits of the ginger root. 

MOBU's Solution: The C.C.C. line

C.C.C. stands for cough, cold and congestion. The blend of herbs used in these products supports a healthy immune system and respiratory system. They help your lungs feel healthy by providing a feeling of easy breathing and clear airways, soothing your body on cold and chilly days, and helping to soften the skin while also increasing your protection from contaminants. The herbs and oils contained in the C.C.C. products include eucalyptus, horehound, ginger root, vervain, echinacea, fever few, and menthol. 

Feel Better Naturally: Sleep

Sleep - everyone needs it, but many people struggle to get the amount and quality that they need in order to function at their best. In this blog, I'll tell you about the importance of a good nights sleep, as well as some tips and information on how to improve your restfulness.

Why is a good nights sleep so important? 

Sleep helps protect our physical and mental health and our quality of life. During sleep, our bodies work to support and rejuvenate healthy brain function and maintain physical health, as well as forming new pathways which facilitate learning and memory, to prepare for the next day. In children and teens, sleep also helps to support growth and development. If we don't have enough sleep, we can lose focus more often, decrease our reaction times, and increase our risks for chronic health problems. 

How much do we really need? 

• Infants (4-12 months)         12-16 hours a day (including naps) 
• Children (1-2 years)            11-14 hours a day (including naps) 
• Children (3-5 years)            10-13 hours a day (including naps) 
• Children (6-12 years)          9-12 hours a day
• Teens (13-18 years)             8-10 hours a day
• Adults (18+ years)               7-8 hours a day

A regular sleep schedule is important for your body to receive all of the benefits that sleep offers. If you sleep more on your days off than when you work, it may be a sign that you're not getting enough sleep during the week. Many people also nap as a way to deal with sleepiness. Naps can provide a temporary boost in alertness and performance, but they don't have the other benefits of a full nights sleep. 

Many work schedules make sleeping the adequate amount difficult. If you work nights, or odd schedules, many people tend to have one schedule while they are working and another when they are off. While getting adequate sleep is the most important, regardless of the schedule, your body will only get all of the benefits from sleep when done on a regular schedule (sleeping when your body is ready for sleep). Work schedules or lifestyles which are routinely interrupted, such as those in the medical field or emergency responders, can also cause the body to lack the appropriate benefits from a good night sleep. There have been a few studies that show, for these lifestyles, periods of regular sleep throughout the day, for at least 2-3 hours each, can help the body get the adequate amount of sleep and the benefits it provides. 

How can you improve your sleep habits? 

• Keep a regular sleep schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the same times, even on the weekend, can help regulate your body's internal clock and help you fall asleep easier and stay asleep throughout the night.
  
  
• If you are having problems sleeping, avoiding naps especially in the afternoon can help you sleep better throughout the night.
  
  
• Exercising daily, at any time of the day, can help your body get the activity it needs in order to be ready for a full nights sleep later.
  
  
• Evaluate where you sleep - a comfortable mattress and pillows help a lot with a good nights sleep. Getting rid of any noise or light distractions can also help with restfulness. If you find yourself constantly wanting to check your phone or play phone games when you should be sleeping, setting and charging your phone away from the bed may be a good idea. 

Giveaway

Let's have some fun this week! Look for the giveaway below for your chance to win one free Body Butter of your choice! 

The giveaway will run from October 9th through the 14th, and will have a couple tasks to complete in order to be entered to win. Come check it out - and feel free to contact me if you have any questions! 

Good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Overthinking

Overthinking, obsessing, brooding, or ruminating - all describe the same, toxic habit that can have quite a negative impact on our daily lives. These things all involve thinking, very often, about something, anything really, that may be upsetting, but doing so in a passive way - without taking action. These thoughts can consume us, wondering constantly about what was really meant or intended by a comment, or worrying about why things happened the way the did, or even worrying about the future. 

Overthinking causes people to feel like they are working on a solution, or making some sort of progress, while in reality, you're really getting nowhere, and may even be exacerbating the problem. All of the constant thinking can take up a lot of time and energy, which could be used to actually solve the problem, or focus on the things actually occurring in your life. It can also drive others away, as people who chronically overthink everything tend to share their misery and ponderings to the point of being annoying. 

Overthinking can also impair problem-solving skills, causing you to be more pessimistic about the future, and almost guarantee a bad mood. Those who overthink often are four times as likely to be depressed as those who don't. 

How do you know if you're overthinking? 

It's repetitive. If you find yourself thinking about the same things over and over again, examining a problem or situation from every angle, then you're probably overthinking! 

It's also very passive. People tend to overthink with the goal of finding a solution to a problem, but instead, studies show that those who overthink aren't very effective at solving anything. Even when a solution is found, if you've overthought it for a long time, it's difficult to find the motivation to carry it out, and procrastination, or even non-action, generally occurs. 

It's generally about the past, not the future. Overthinking generally focuses on what has already happened, trying to figure out why, or what could have been. 

How to break the habit: 

Start by giving up your regrets. Everyone does things that they regret, so instead of overthinking what you should have done instead, or trying to figure out why things happened, just take a deep breath and accept what happened. You can even try thinking instead about the future, and how to not repeat the problem. 

Distracting yourself is also an easy way to attempt to stop overthinking. If things such as watching TV or going for a drive don't work because you still find too much time to think, then do other, more active things such as playing with your pets, or working on projects around the house. Even things that seem nonsensical, like daydreaming or imagining things, can help get your mind off of the problems and situations you tend to overthink. 

A final way to stop overthinking is to challenge yourself. Do something that is within your skills and abilities, but still difficult for you. It's hard to overthink things when you are pushing your mind and talents to new heights! This can also help to build up confidence in yourself and can help you learn how to be more productive with your time. 

MOBU Products that can help: 

Kava Calm Balm and Lotion - If you find yourself overthinking mainly at night, when you're trying to go to sleep, using Kava Calm products can help you to relax and stop the wandering thoughts so you can get a good night's sleep. Being well rested and prepared for the day can help you be more productive and less likely to overthink the next day as well. 

General Wellness

We all want to be healthy, right? Nobody wants to be sick, or down, or lacking something in their life. But often times, in our hectic and fast-paced society, we look for things with instant results, rather than long-term effects. In terms of our body, overall health and fitness, and general wellness, there is no magic cure-all. These things are aspects of our lives that we must strive to maintain and improve, even with small steps, so we can have a healthier future. You've got to really decide that you want to make a change for the better, plan ways to make that a reality, and then stick with it. Again, as nice as it would be, there is no magic pill that you can take once, or a workout you can do for only a day, that will give you the lasting effects of a gradual, lifestyle change. 

There are a few simple things you can gradually incorporate into your life that can have a big impact on your health and wellness over time. 

• Get active! If you've been living a pretty sedentary life and generally spend most of your time sitting down, adding some activity to your days can greatly increase your health over time. Even if you just start with a daily walk or stretching, building up to a few short workouts a week, to maybe even daily workouts or runs, you can begin to see the increased energy and improved mood in yourself in no time. J  
• Eat healthier! Even if you don't think you eat unhealthy as it is, you can just start by monitoring what you eat for a week - keep a food journal or list on your phone, or use one of the many health apps that lets you log in food and drink as you consume them and monitors calories and nutritional value. After doing this for a little while, you may become more conscious when putting things that really aren't the best for you into your system. You can also try simple things like decreasing your sugar intake, or trying to eat more fruits and vegetables (and fewer desserts). 
• Drink more water! I really can't stress enough how important it is that we all drink more water. A lot of us don't really feel dehydrated because we consume liquids in other forms, such as soda or coffee, but these have negative components as well and sometimes do more harm than good. Your body needs adequate supplies of water to maintain a healthy metabolism and keep all of your organs functioning their best. 
• Be aware of your emotional health! Being stressed or angry for long periods of time can have a very negative impact on your ability to keep your fitness goals, and your overall physical health and immune system. Trying to be more aware of the things that cause you stress and anger, and finding healthy ways of releasing these feelings can help your overall feeling of well-being immensely. It's also equally as important to realize when you are depressed or sad, and strive to find ways to not feed into those feelings, but to battle them and discover ways to find happiness in the day and yourself (even if it's only a tiny amount J ). Always remember that your mental and emotional health are just as important as your physical health! 

Sugar Detox

Studies show that the average American eats about 19 teaspoons of sugar a day. But, the American Heart Association reports that a healthy level of sugar intake amounts to no more than 6 teaspoons a day for women, and 9 teaspoons a day for men. Breaking a sugar habit can be a very difficult thing to do. Why is this? Is it actually an addiction? What's the best way to really cut down on the amount of sugar we consume? I'll be discussing all of these things, as well as some MOBU products that can help, in the rest of this post! 😊  

Sugar Addiction – 

I think sugar habit is a better term, as there aren't actually the 'withdrawals' typically associated with addiction. You may not be eating a whole lot of sugar intentionally, in fact, you might not even realize how much sugar you're really consuming. But, if you find yourself craving sugar and eating more than you planned, you may need to look closer at your sugar intake. 

Sugar fuels your brain cells. Your brain also recognizes sugar as a reward, making you want more and more of it. Eating a lot of sugar reinforces that reward, making it very difficult to break the habit. Sugar highs and energy rushes happen when you eat a candy bar, syrup, soda, candy and add sugar to things. These sources have sugar in the form of simple carbohydrates, which are quickly converted into glucose in the bloodstream. This causes your blood sugar levels to spike. There are also simple carbs in dairy, fruit and vegetables - however, these also have fibers and proteins that slow the process down. After consuming your sweet snack, your body then needs to move the glucose out of the bloodstream and into cells for energy. For this process, your body makes the hormone insulin. Following the conversion to energy, your blood sugar levels can drop rapidly (the 'crash' after the high) and can cause you to feel shaky and wiped out, making you want more sugar to regain the positive feelings from the sugar high. This is not a good cycle! Inadvertently, you may be continually feeding the cycle and making it harder and harder for yourself to eat healthily. 

Starchy foods can have similar effects. If you don't necessarily crave sugar, but instead find yourself wanting bagels, chips, french fries, or pasta, it's basically the same thing, even if you don't realize it. When consumed without other foods that slow the process, these things are complex carbohydrates which break down into simple sugars, which cause the same high and crash feelings as regular sugar. White rice and flour also work in similar ways. 

Ways to break a sugar habit – 

Many of the sugar detox plans out there tell you to avoid all sweets, or, anything with the simple sugars. This would include all fruit, dairy, and refined grains, as well as the obvious things such as soda or candy. Their idea is that you need to purge your body of all sugar. But is this really the best way? WebMD states that changes like this are too drastic to keep up, and can really only be done for the short term, causing you to fall back into your old habits quickly. 

A much better option is to try and teach your taste buds to enjoy other things that may be healthier for you. You can do this by slowly decreasing the amount of sugar you consume. For example, try cutting out one sugary thing from your diet every week, like your dessert after dinner, or putting less sugar in your coffee. Over time, you will lose your craving for the sweet tastes. 

You don't have to give up everything that tastes sweet either! Just do your best to get it from sources with other nutritional value as well, such as fruits or low-fat milk or yogurt. These have other benefits as well as tasting sweet, and can help you kick the sugar-habit. As you slowly start to decrease your overall sugar intake, you'll also find yourself enjoying them more and more as your need for the overly sweet flavor (that can be found in sodas or candy bars) decreases. 

By taking baby steps and cutting out one thing at a time, or slowly reducing your sugar intake, you can make long-term changes in your diet that will really help your overall health in the long run. Eating more fruits and vegetables and drinking extra water are also excellent habits to pick up, to replace your sweet cravings.

Proteins can also help curb sugar cravings. High protein foods such as eggs, nuts, and beans digest slowly and help keep you feeling full for longer, without providing the sugar high and crash of the simple sugars and refined carbs. 

Fibers can also help keep you feeling full longer, as well as give you energy. With this kind of energy, however, there is no crash afterward because they don't raise your blood sugar levels. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help with this. For a good fiber and protein combination, try eating fruits or vegetables with some peanut butter. 

Many artificial sweeteners are also on the market to replace sugar. However, these generally do more harm than good, as they can have many other chemicals in them that can be detrimental over time. They also don't help break a sugar habit, because they can actually leave you craving more sugar and continuing the high/crash cycle.  Honey, brown sugar and cane juice may be slightly higher in nutrients than regular sugars, but should still be used only in moderation as they can cause your blood sugar to rise just as regular sugars do. 

MOBU Herbals products that can help fight sugar habits: 

The slim stick is great for appetite and sugar craving assistance on the go! It is a simple lip balm that helps to reduce sugar cravings and regulate blood sugar. The slim stick has a green tea flavor for a quick pick me up that also helps curb your appetite, as well as the Gymnema herb which makes sugar taste bland, helping to control your sugar cravings. 

  

Slim lotion (not to be confused with the Slim Wrap lotion) is another great product for helping combat sugar habits. The lotion should be applied 30 minutes before meals, or whenever you're experiencing sugar cravings. This lotion also has the Gymnema herb combined with green tea, as well as kelp and other herbs that help with overeating. It helps curb your sugar cravings by supporting healthy blood sugar levels, as well as easing the jittery feeling resulting from low-calorie intakes. 

Feel Better Naturally - Aerobic & Strength Training

I know we've talked about the benefits of exercise before (if you missed it, check it out here) but now I want to give you some more details on suggested amounts and actual types of activity you can do! 😊 

The Mayo Clinic recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week. Moderate aerobic exercise includes things such as brisk walking, swimming, and mowing the lawn. 

As a general goal, you should aim for at least 30 minutes of activity every day. If you want to lose weight, or meet a specific goal, you may need to exercise more if you have the time. Another important thing to consider is your time spent sitting. If you can reduce your sitting time, you reduce your risks of metabolic problems! 

If you don't have the time to add 30 minutes of exercise a day, that's ok! You can break up the amount in whatever way you see fit, such as a ten minute walk in the morning, doing household chores, and another walk later on. Whatever you can do - the important part is making regular physical activity a part of your lifestyle. 

The Mayo Clinic also recommends doing strength training a couple times a week. Strength training can include anything from weight machines to kayaking or rock climbing. While the aerobic activities will help maintain your fitness levels and toning, the strength training will help you build muscle mass as well. 

Just like there are many different kinds of aerobic activities, there are also strength training options for every fitness levels! There are many strength building exercises that can be done with little to no equipment, including push-ups and situps, ab crunches, squats, and stairs. There are also a number of activities that can be done with a set of resistance tubes, as well as free-weights. Feel free to use the lowest weight amount you feel comfortable with - you want your muscles to be tense and worked, but not to the point where you wear yourself out too much, or pull a muscle and cause yourself pain. 

Here's a link to videos showing specific strength exercises you can do, for any fitness level! Give some a try and find the ones that work best for you. If you have any others that you regularly do, feel free to share them so others can try them too! 

Lice: Prevention and Detection

It's that time again! The kids are back in school, and with that comes the greater likelihood of catching a whole bunch of colds, diseases, and also - lice! Nobody likes to think about it, those itchy bugs living on your head, but we've got to talk about it! There are ways to minimize the likelihood of becoming infected, let's start with those first. 

Lice cannot fly - they can only jump or crawl. Therefore, the only way to contract head-lice is by being near someone else with them. Common places for lice transmission are places where people are often in close proximity: playgrounds and classrooms for sure, as well as within families or in tight-knit workplaces. It is also possible to transfer lice through sharing of objects, like hair brushes or accessories, headphones, hats, jackets, pillows, towels, etc. You can minimize the risk of you or your kids getting lice by telling them the importance of not sharing these things, and by storing these things apart from each other (keeping all the jackets in a classroom together is another excellent way for lice to infect multiple people).  

Regularly check your kids (and yourself, if you're concerned) for lice! Many schools will have regular lice checks of all students, and doctors will often do it too at regular checkups. Using a fine tooth comb, you can check all over your child's scalp and base of the hair follicles for live nymphs (immature) and adult lice, as well as the eggs, which are attached to the shafts of the hairs, approximately 4mm from the scalp. 

If you do find evidence of lice - don't worry, it's not the end of the world! Lice don't carry any viral or bacterial infectious diseases, but they do feed on blood from the human scalp. These tiny bites can cause the head to become very itchy and uncomfortable, so it is important to treat as soon as identified. If you scratch too much, you can open sores and scratches on the scalp, which can allow for other infections to enter the body. But there are many simple ways to combat the itchy infection. There are several over-the-counter treatments such as shampoos and lice combs, to help rid the infected head of these little buggers. 


MOBU Herbals also has a preventative treatment available: Buzz Away Lotion. This lotion is simple and easy to use! To help prevent head-lice, all you have to do is rub the lotion in along the hairline at the back of the neck and near the ears. This product is also great for repelling other insects, such as mosquitos! 




Once treated, it is possible that there will still be some dead lice remaining in the hair, but they are no longer going to be feeding or causing the itching and will go away with regular washing and brushing over time. 

Menopause: Symptoms & Relief

Menopause is the time in a woman's life that marks the end of menstrual cycles. It is officially diagnosed after you've gone a full year without a period. Menopause can happen as early as your late 30's, but the average age in the US is 51. It is generally the result of a natural decline of reproductive hormones but can also be caused by a hysterectomy or chemotherapy. Menopause can be a very uncomfortable time for many women, but there are several ways you can help alleviate the symptoms. 

In the months or years leading up to menopause, several signs or symptoms may present themselves and continue during the menopausal transition. These include: 

 - Irregular periods

 - Hot flashes or chills

 - Night sweats or sleep problems

 - Mood changes

 - Slowed metabolism and weight gain

Once these symptoms have started, what can you do about them? Do you just have to accept them and suffer through? Not necessarily! There are several simple lifestyle changes you can incorporate into your routine that can help alleviate many of the negative aspects of menopause. There are also several MOBU products that can help! 

Simple Lifestyle Changes

 - Dealing with hot flashes: Many women find there are certain triggers to their hot flashes, some of which include hot beverages, caffeine, alcohol, or stress. If you can identify your triggers, you can try to avoid them, or be better prepared when the hot flashes do occur, by dressing in removable layers or having a cold drink ready.

 - Get enough sleep! This is good for your overall health and can help to decrease some of the negative impacts of menopause.

 - Practice relaxation techniques: massages, deep breathing, meditation, and guided imagery can help with some of the stress and mood changes that menopause can bring.

 - Eat a balanced diet! This is another one that is always good for your health, but in regard specifically to menopause, eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help, especially while limiting oils, sugars, and saturated fats.

 - Don't smoke! Again, always a good thing, but smoking can also bring on hot flashes and early onset menopause. 

 - Regular exercise: adding regular physical activity can help protect from many conditions associated with aging, including heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis. 

 - Women's 35+

      This product is specifically designed to help with menopause! It supports normal hormone levels throughout a woman's life and can help relieve hot flashes, occasional moodiness, and cramping. It can also increase your energy, vibrancy, and sexual arousal.

 - Vitality

     This product helps to provide support for the immune and adrenal systems, as well as assisting in regulating the menstrual cycle. It increases energy and strengthens hair and nails. 

 - Kava Calm

     This product is a wonderful natural remedy for occasional stress and tension. It supports the adrenals, helps to balance emotion, and promotes a restful sleep. It can also help soothe mild depression, counteracting negative feelings of grief, sadness, and hopelessness. 

Improving Your Lifestyle: Selling with MOBU

$$  Feel Better Naturally while Earning More Money  $$

Have you tried out products, realized how awesome they are, and now want to share them with your friends and family? Are you considering becoming a MOBU ambassador? This short video, less than one minute long, explains the benefits of doing personal sales with MOBU Herbals! 

If you're interested, let me know and we can get you signed up and ready to start selling and earning today! 😀 

Also, feel free to contact me with any and all questions you may have! 

For quick reference, here are the main points covered in the video!

All ambassadors receive: 

- 35% discount on products! (No minimum sales requirement!)
- 35% commission on all personal sales! 

Want to create a team? You earn money with your downline as well! (minimum CSV is $50)

- 5% compensation on all your Level 1 ambassadors' sales

- 3% compensation on your Levels 2 & 3

- 1% compensation on your Levels 4-9

If the above video doesn't play, here's a link to it for ya! https://youtu.be/dwGtFQUYsyY

Feel Better Naturally: Benefits of Lavender

Hello everyone! A few weeks ago I posted the first of this "Feel Better Naturally" series, about the benefits of exercise and how adding just a short period of increased activity a few times a week can have a huge impact in the long run. If you missed it, here's an easy link to it for you! Feel Better Naturally: Exercise

This week, I'm going to talk to you about the many benefits of incorporating some lavender into your life! I'll try and cover as many of them as I can think of and find information on, but just know, there's a lot! This simple but gorgeous plant can really help you out on so many levels if you let it! So, without further ado, I give you, LAVENDER! 

Benefits of Lavender

First of all, the obvious must be stated. Lavender is gorgeous! Just look at that color! And the scent is quite lovely as well. But what about the benefits it can have on your body? When applied to the body, as in a balm or lotion type application, or even through essential oils or drinking a tea infused with lavender, the lavender can get into your bloodstream and have some major effects! 

Lavender has been shown to be very calming and relaxing, reducing anxiety and emotional stress. It can also help fight off those occasional blues we all suffer from, as well as promoting restfulness and improving your sleep. It's also been shown to help improve brain function and even relieve pain, including headaches! It can assist with the relief of burns and wounds, and restore your skin complexion and reduce acne. Lavender also has powerful antioxidants that can help slow the overall aging process! Regarding the wounds and burns, lavender oil is believed to have mild antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It is therefore also helpful in disinfecting your skin, which is always a good thing! 

Lavender has also been shown to increase blood circulation, which, when combined with the transdermal method we use at MOBU, can only be helpful, allowing our products to enter the bloodstream more effectively and helping you get the most benefits from the applied products. 

MOBU Products with Lavender

• Cool Waters Body Butter
• Fresh Encounter Body Butter
• Kava Calm Balm & Lotion
• Lavender Bath Salts
• Lavender Vanilla Body Butter
• P.M. Pain Balm & Lotion

MOBU Facebook Parties & Benefits of Hosting

~Host your own Party~

How to Host

  House Parties

House parties can be a lot of fun! Invite your friends, family, and anyone living near you that might enjoy our products. It's also a good idea to have some food, or at least snacks, for those attending. Samples are also a great idea for house parties! Your guests can then try the products for themselves and really see what it is we're offering. 

Facebook Parties

Facebook parties are generally much quicker and simpler than house parties. The discussions can go quickly, and there's no need to cook anything or prepare your house for guests. You still need to invite people and do your best to get them excited about the party!

Follow this link to find my Facebook page:

Brenda Deming - MOBU Herbals Facebook Page

Feel free to check out how I promote the products and the natural living lifestyle. You can do what I do, or just get some ideas! You can also check out my previous events on my page, to see how a MOBU Facebook party would go! 

If you're interested in hosting a party, either Facebook or house, please get in touch with me and I'll be happy to help in any way I can!

Benefits of Hosting

Hosting a MOBU Party can get you lots of sales, introduce new people to the products, and help share the natural living lifestyle we've all come to know and love! But did you know you can also get free products and discounts just by making sales at your party? The rewards start at just $50 of sales! The table below shows the breakdown of the other awards you can earn, simply by making sales at your party.

If you have questions about the products or throwing your own party, or any other questions at all, get in touch with me through my Facebook or by using this Contact Form:

Weight Loss with MOBU Herbals

MOBU offers some great options for helping to control your waistline and shed a few pounds! In this post, I'll tell you some of the ways the MOBU products can help you lose some weight, control your cravings, and be overall much more healthy with your diet choices! 

Losing weight with the MOBU Slim Products 

Start out with a nice, relaxing Slim Detox bath with the salts in the afternoon. Be warned, you will probably need to use the bathroom quite often as the toxins leave your body. Make sure you rinse off really well before leaving the tub. You can do this every morning or afternoon that you plan on using the Slim Wrap. 

Next, jump-start your metabolism and lose inches with a Slim Wrap in the evening, about 30 minutes before your meal. Some people use plastic wrap after applying a large, silver-dollars worth of lotion to the targeted areas, but others apply the lotion without the wrap - It's up to you! The product has a thermogenic effect so you will feel the areas where the lotion is applied heating up. The plastic wrap can simply increase this effect by holding the heat in. But it's not necessary - You will still notice results even if you choose not to use the plastic wrap. You can apply the lotion from neck to toe, or anywhere in between. Some people have experienced nausea if they have eaten sweets within six hours of applying, so if you can, be on the safe side and avoid the sugar-cravings prior to wrapping! The herbs and essential oils in the lotion will continue aiding in losing inches for 72 hours after applying the wrap. For this reason, we recommend only wrapping once every 72 hours. 

When you're out and about, you can use the Slim Stick! Apply the Slim Stick as you would a lip-balm, then gently lick your lips. The Slim Stick works as your appetite control on-the-go! It helps to make sugar not as tasty, curbing your appetite in the process. We recommend applying the product 30 minutes before eating a meal, for optimal appetite control. 

The Slim Lotion and Balm products (not to be confused with the Slim Wrap lotion) helps control the cravings that can occur when dieting, as well as the jitters you can get from not eating when you're used to. This should be used at least three times a day, and can be used 30 minutes before each meal by applying to the wrists, also helping to control your appetite and how much you eat. 

If you want to clean out your system, helping with the weight loss process, use our E-Z Lax product! Start on Day 2, because the Detox on Day 1 is quite enough. The E-Z Lax can be used at least once a day, but morning and night is best! A pea size amount of the product should be used, rubbing it in just below the belly button. 

The Slim Routine : 

Slim Detox Bath Salt - every 72 hours

Slim Wrap - every 72 hours

Slim Lotion or Balm, for at home use - at least 3 times per day

Slim Stick, for on-the-go use, to replace Slim Lotion or Balm - 30 minutes before each meal. 

E-Z Lax - at least once a day

Water & the Importance of Staying Hydrated

Drink More Water! 

We hear this all the time, with recommendations of drinking 8-12 glasses of water every day. But do you ever wonder why this is important? Why are we encouraged constantly to increase our water intake? What benefits does drinking more water have on our bodies and health? 

Why? 

Our bodies are composed of approximately 60% water. Drinking enough water helps us to maintain our fluid balance, which is important for transporting and absorbing nutrients through the body, regulating body temperature, digesting food, as well as many other physiological processes. We need to realize how often our body loses water throughout each day. We are losing fluids constantly, through evaporation when sweating and breathing, as well as through eliminations in urine and stool. It is very important that our water intake at least equals our output, otherwise, we become dehydrated and many of our natural body processes, such as metabolism, can be slowed. 

Drinking lots of water is a common diet strategy; it can help control calories and reduce the desire for other, less healthy drink options. Water also helps to energize our muscles. When the cells of our body don't have adequate fluids, the electrolytes in the muscles can shrivel, resulting in fatigue. Our skin also shows signs of dryness, cracking, or more wrinkles when we are dehydrated, so drinking more water helps the skin to function properly as a barrier, thereby better controlling fluid loss and keeping the skin looking healthy. 

Proper hydration levels also help keep the kidneys functioning properly. The kidneys are important for cleansing the body of many types of toxins, both naturally produced as waste and consumed through foods. When the kidneys don't have adequate fluid to work with, they can retain the fluid they do have in order to help the body with other necessary functions, but, in the process, also retaining the toxins and compounds that should have been released with normal elimination. Not drinking enough water can also lead to constipation, as the body will pull fluids from the stool to keep vital bodily functions intact. 

But how much water do we really need? 

Many people have said that everyone needs to drink eight, or more, glasses of water per day. But really, it varies from person to person. The Institute of Medicine currently recommends that men drink at least 13 and women at least 9 cups of water per day. However, while this is a good starting point, this amount is also just a loose recommendation. Your age, health, activity and fitness levels also contribute to how much water your individual body needs on a daily basis. For example, if you're very active, or live in a warmer, more dry climate, you will need more water than those who live a more sedentary lifestyle, as you will lose more water through sweat and need to replace it. It's also very important to drink more water when you are sick with a fever, diarrhea or vomiting, as the body can lose fluids much faster than normal during these times. 

How much is too much? 

It is important to note that there is a point where drinking too much water can become a problem. If you drink too much water, usually in a short period of time, the extra water can dilute the electrolytes in your blood, decreasing sodium levels and leading to a condition called hyponatremia. Symptoms of this can include confusion, headaches, fatigue, and irritability. This is usually very uncommon, and generally only occurs in people with a very slight build or small children, or very active people who consume large quantities of water in a very short period of time. If you think you might be at risk by drinking large amounts of water for exercise or to prepare for sporting events, then you can drink a sports drink containing sodium and other electrolytes which will help replenish those lost through sweating. 

Feel Better Naturally: Exercise

First of all, why should we try to live naturally? 

Well, as we've heard from many sources and have sometimes figured out on our own, it's healthier! Reducing or eliminating the chemicals included in many types of food and products have been shown time and time again to help reach and maintain a more healthy lifestyle. It can also be beneficial, and cheaper, to use natural remedies and home-made products from simple things around the house. For example, many people have taken to making their own laundry detergents, soap, pet-care products, and even insect repellents, in order to save money and avoid allergies or other unintended effects of the mass-produced, available in-store options. There are also several ways that with subtle lifestyle changes we can improve our fitness and health, with small or no impact on our regular routines. 

"Feel Better Naturally" will be a series of tips and information on several areas where living naturally can help improve the body and overall health. I'll try to make contributions to this series at least once a month so we can look at the many different areas where we can improve our health through small changes in our lifestyle. This first entry will be regarding exercise. 

Exercise and The Body

How can exercise help the body? Obviously, if you work out regularly, exercise can help with maintaining a healthy weight and physique, but what other benefits does it have? Exercise can help improve your mood! Increasing physical activity and raising the heart rate activates a part of the brain called the ventral prefrontal cortex, which involves decision making and emotional processing. It is also beneficial by increasing the neurotransmitter serotonin, which can improve your mood and decrease stress. Memory, cognition, and satisfaction levels are also improved with regular exercise. 

Now that we've talked about the brain benefits, what about the rest of the body? People who are physically active greatly reduce the risk of developing heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and many types of cancer. It has also been shown that cancer patients who regularly exercise after having undergone chemotherapy have a much lower chance of recurrence. Regular exercise can also improve muscle and bone strength, regulate blood pressure, increase your energy levels through improved cardiovascular levels, and help with skin health. 

What type of exercise do I have to do to get these benefits? 

Any kind of regular exercise can help! Regular exercise can be anything from short walks a few times a week, to playing sports in a club or with friends, or rigorous workouts in a gym-like setting. All of these can help with the benefits listed above. If you are simply trying to increase your overall health and body functions, then try adding a twenty or thirty minute period of increased activity three days a week. Go on a walk or run with your family or dog, or do some stretching and push-ups or sit-ups, yoga, Pilates, any one of the many available forms of activity available that can be done from home! Exercise can be a fun way to spend some quality family time, bonding with each other, while also imparting on your kids a habit of a healthy lifestyle. 

If you're looking for more effects than an increase in the health of the body, such as weight loss or muscle gain, then you may need to do more than walking. Strength training, cardio, and aerobic exercises can help with these goals. While doing the physical training and exercise is important, it is also important to note that eating better and cutting out some of the overly fattening foods in your diet might be necessary to achieve your goals.