Posted on June 23, 2015June 23, 2015 by BeautyBlondie

Elsa’s French Braid {Hair Style Video}

I know in the past I have showed you how to do a basic braid, a french braid, a braided updo and a messy bun with braids! Today I am excited to share with you how to do the Elsa braid from frozen!

I love the idea of wearing my hair in a braid for so many occasions! You can make it look more casual or elegant depending on how you style it.

I know that Elsa is all the rage for little girls and so many of them are asking their moms to do their hair like that. Well I am here to help! Here is a video showing you an easy way to braid your hair just like Elsa!

Some of you might be asking yourself, “Isn’t this just a french braid?”. The answer is yes although there are a few things that we do different here that you will have to remember when trying to get you hair to look like Elsa!

1. Start with your hair strait, smooth and thick (Add extensions if necessary).
2. Tease the top of your hair for extra body and fullness.
3. Make sure you take big sections of hair when adding it to your braid.
4. Don’t forget to maneuver the hair to the side as you are braiding it.
5. Secure the braid with a clear elastic.
6. Loosen the braid by pulling at each little sections, starting at the bottom and working your way to the top.
7. Curl any fly-a-ways with a large curing iron.
8. Once you have the braid exactly how you like it, spray it with a long lasting hairspray.

This style is great for anyone at any age and for any occasion! It just depends on how clean or messy you make the braid. Personally I think that it would be awesome for summer because even if it gets a little messy, it looks like it should be that way!

See moms, it isn’t as hard as you thought, was it? Do you think that you will be able to achieve this style the next time some little one asks you? Or better yet the next time you want to try it on yourself?

Posted on June 16, 2015June 16, 2015 by BeautyBlondie

What supplements do you need to take during pregnancy? {Shaklee & pregnancy}

One of the most frequently asked questions that I get from women is what supplements to take while pregnant and what did I take? Even though this is my first time being pregnant I have several family members that have been pregnant multiple times: My mom has been pregnant 12 time, my sister 4 times and my sister-in-law 5 times. Through watching them and having my own, I have learned a lot about which supplements to take while pregnant.

For starters, I hope women know and understand that every women needs to and should supplement while pregnant. Women carry something so small and precious, they are caring for another human life been inside of them and they need extra nutrients.

Everyone in my family has chosen Shaklee supplements for all of our pregnancies for the past 16 years and swear by them.

Shaklee’s been around for almost 60 years and is the number one natural nutrition company in the USA. Shaklee takes pride in the fact that all of their products are guaranteed to ALWAYS WORK that they are ALWAYS SAFE and ALWAYS GREEN. Shaklee makes sure that it lives in harmony with nature using only the best and safest ingredients that can be found. You can read more about the Shaklee difference here.

I know that I am not a doctor although Shaklee has lots of doctors on staff and this is what they recommend for pregnancy.As soon as I told my Doctor that I was taking Shaklee’s supplements he immediately said; Shaklee, that is excellent!

(Because the nutritional needs during pregnancy and lactation are unique to this stage of a women’s life, we strongly urge all women who are pregnant or nursing to discuss the use of dietary supplements with their obstetrician)

However, along with our general recommendation to eat a healthy, well balanced diet to ensure pregnant and nursing women are meeting their nutritional needs, we also recommend a combination of Shaklee supplements that can be used as alternatives to a standard prenatal vitamin once discussed with the Obstetrician.

An excellent “Shaklee alternative” would be:

2 tablets of Vita-Lea with Iron

2 tablets of B complex for the basic prenatal nutrients, in particular folic acid to help prevent neural tube defects

For women who do not drink milk or eat the recommended number of servings of dairy foods the addition of:

2-4 tablets of OsteoMatrix can help meet needs for calcium,vitamin D and other bone health nutrients

To provide a safe and beneficial amount of omega three fatty acids (ie. DHA):

3 softgel capsules of OmegaGuard per day are recommended to support fetal brain development

It is not uncommon for some pregnant women to need additional:

1 tablet of Iron plus C can be added providing an additional 18 mg of Iron and 60 mg of Vitamin C

And lastly:

Shaklee 180 meal smoothie prepared as directed, and used as part of healthy breakfast or midday snack provides a mother and her growing fetus with an additional 270 calories, 24 grams of high quality protein and 6 grams of fiber.

Although Vitalizer is a comprehensive nutritional foundation for virtually all adults, there are some components that might not generally be considered essential in a standard prenatal nutrition program. In addition, certain nutrients such as folic acid were not included at levels intended to support a pregnant mother and her growing baby. The use of Vitalizer during pregnancy should be discussed with the Obstetrician, who may wish to suggest an addition 1-2 B Complex and Osteomatrix as stated above if approved for you.

Elisabeth’s Recommends:

I recommend everything that Shaklee recommends with a few additional lifestyle products.

Shaklee 180 Energy Tea for ever more energy. I didn’t take this in my first 2 trimesters, but I really needed extra energy in my 3rd. (Plus we are refinishing our house, which means we are constantly trying to keep up with the dust and dirt in the house! I asked my doctor and he said it was fine. No more than 1-2 teas a day.

Get Clean Non-Toxic Cleaners and Natural Laundry Proudcts because you should NOT be cleaning with toxic cleaners. If you haven’t switched to natural cleaners now, you should ASAP. If not for you, for your baby. This kit has everything you need to start cleaning your way to a healthier home.

Enfuselle Skin Care and Natural Hair Care because you should remove all toxins from your home including and especially your what goes on your skin. Did you know that anything you put on your skin gets absorbed into your body within 90 seconds…which is where your baby is? Sick. Not for me.

Natural Daily Care like toothpaste, deodorant, lotions, etc. because I believe you should take out all toxins.

Stay tuned for my posts about postpartum care and breastfeeding nutrition. Taking care of your baby is the most important thing you can do! Here is a picture of my little Magdalena Rose!

Go here to shop Shaklee now

Congrats on your pregnancy! I wish you a happy & healthy pregnancy, birth, and baby!

Enjoy this time. Thank you for letting me help you build the healthiest baby.

Your baby will be here soon…

Elisabeth 🙂

Posted on May 22, 2015June 16, 2015 by BeautyBlondie — 2 Comments

Maternity Photo Shoot!

Some of you might know that our little Baby Johnson (Magdalena Rose Johnson) is already here and we couldn’t be happier to have her in our life! She came to us just a week after our maternity photo shoot. Perfect timing , right?

We weren’t planning on waiting so long to have them done but it rained every day we planned on getting them taken. So on Holy Saturday (The day before Eater Sunday, 2015) My sister Hannah, was nice enough to take these amazing pictures for us on a whim. Didn’t she do a great job?

Without any classes and being self taught, I would say that Hannah did an amazing job! I just love the way they turner out and I think I found myself a new family photographer!

Don’t you think she did a great job?

Posted on March 16, 2015March 16, 2015 by BeautyBlondie — 1 Comment

8 Reasons to Drink More Water!

I personally love drinking water especially while being pregnant. I remember at my 8 week O.B appointment the nurse was asking me if I drink water. When I told her yes, that is always my drink of choice she seemed kind of surprised. She said that most women don’t like to drink water and they force themselves to drink it while pregnant. I am thankful that my mom had us drink water even since we were little because there are so many amazing health benefits!

So I am going to start by saying, drink water! I know this might sound dumb to some of you but it is so important for our bodies!

But you need to ask yourself:

“How much water did I drink so far today?”
“Do I measure how much I drink daily?”

What did you answer? Was it good or bad?

Go grab a glass of water and come back to finish reading this!

Ok, now ask yourself this:

“Do I feel hungry?”
“Do I have lots of energy?”
“Am I fatigued?”
“Do I have a headache?”
“Do I have a dry mouth?”
“How many times do I go to the bathroom each day?”
“Do I have dry skin?”
“Do I get dizzy?”

If you answered YES to some of those questions, you may be dehydrated!

Did you know that if you are thirsty today, it is because you didn’t drink enough water yesterday? Are you drinking your water yet, lol?

Here are 8 important things water can do to help your body:

1. Naturally prevents headaches!
Going without water for too long causes headaches for most people and can also be a migraine trigger. A great way to prevent headaches is to stay hydrated throughout the day. And if you’ve already been hit with a dehydration-triggered headache, you’ll need significantly more water to help it go away.

2. Keep things flowing and detoxifies!
Nobody wants to deal with digestion issues. Fortunately, drinking enough water adds fluids to the colon which helps make things move smoothly. I think this is huge plus, I love to detox! If you are looking for a little bit more movement, try Herblax! It is amazing!

3. Fatigue fighter!
Next time you’re feeling zonked, try drinking a couple glasses of water. About 60 percent of the human body is made of water, and keeping our fluids balanced. That means that all that water is doing its job: transporting nutrients, aiding digestion, regulating temperature and helping keep you energized. Move over coffee, water can help fight those tired eyes too. One of the most common symptoms of dehydration is tiredness. As far as energy, try drinking an Energizing Tea instead of coffee!

4. Helps keep your skin clear.
Certain toxins in the body can cause the skin to inflame, which results in clogged pores and acne. Water will help flush out these toxins and can reduce the risk of pimples. But always make sure that you are using a Skin Care Line that gives you all the nutrients that your skin needs!

5. Water can help with Weight loss.
Anyone looking to lose weight can benefit by upping their water intake. Extra water helps us eat less by making us feel full, and it may also boost metabolism. (6-8 glasses a day is recommend but a rough rule of thumb is to drink 1/2 ounce of water for every pound per day.) Most people mistake thirst for hunger. Try this, next time you feel fatigued or sluggish, drink water, it may be just what you need to perk up and fill your tummy! You can read my whole weight loss story here!

6. Improves mood.
Drinking water makes us feel so refreshed that it actually can improve our state of mind. You don’t even have to be severely in need of improvement to benefit: Even mild dehydration has been shown to negatively impact moods. But if you really need an extra pick me up, Mood Lift is a great additive to keep you smiling all day long!

7. Bubbly water makes cocktails healthier.
Fizzy water is a staple for healthier versions of favorite boozy beverages. Using seltzer water and fresh fruit instead of sugary mixers makes for a delicious and better-for-you drink (that can also help prevent dehydration so less chance of a hangover!)

8. Hangover helper.
If booze has got the best of you, help a hangover with a glass of water to hydrate the body and stop that pounding headache. (For extra hydration add Performance with live electrolytes)

So, How much water should you drink each day?

6-8 glasses a day is recommend but a rough rule of thumb is to drink 1/2 ounce of water for every pound per day. You will need a little extra if you workout, if you are pregnant or a child.

Tip:

If you are trying to lose weight, drink a glass of water immediately right when you wake up. (I keep one on my nightstand.) This will help flush toxins and jump start your metabolism each morning!

What kind of water should you be drinking?

Well, we love our Water Filter because it will remove the bad stuff including lead (the only one on the market) and it will save a lot of plastic bottles by not buying the individual water bottles.