you sexy b!tch

an alphabet of happy

starlightandpoison:

i came up with this idea this morning & i thought i’d give it a try. things for each letter of the alphabet that i love & that make me happy. here goes…

• a - apples with peanut butter, art, atlantic city
• b - bubbles, bouncy castles, birds, baking, broadway
• c - christina (my sister), cookies, candles, cupcakes, cuddling
• d - dancing, dreaming, dinosaurs, driving, design, disney world
• e - empire state building, eating (lol),
• f - fun, flowers, family, friends, fashion, food network
• g - games (like cranium, etc.), giants football, guitar, giggling, genuineness
• h - holding hands, hugs, healing, hearts, honesty, humility, hoodies, hats
• i - illustration, ipod, ikea
• j - joke, jeans, jazz, joy
• k - kisses, kurt halsey, keys, kindness, kitsch
• l - life, love, listening, laughter
• m - meaning, music, movies, mom, museums, melting pot, mail
• n - niceness, necklaces, nyc, nights in
• o - openness, owls, oreos
• p - pizza, purple, playing, pj’s, painting, photoshop, planetariums
• q - quiet, quinn (brady lol), quirky
• r - relaxing, reading, rain showers, rings
• s - smiling, silliness, swimming, summer, spring, singing, sonic, sky, stars
• t - trust, truth, thrift stores, theatre, tumblr, teaching, tattoo art
• u - up!, understanding, cute undies
• v - vans shoes, veggies, vintage
• w - writing, wii, wacom, winter (around christmas time)
• x - x (as in the letter)
• y - yellow, your/you’re used correctly lol, yogurt, yummy
• z - zebra print, zoos

7 Natural Energy Boosters

Do you muster every ounce of energy you have just to lift your limbs out of bed, experience a daily afternoon crash that only lifts with a caffeine boost, or feel a general sense of fatigue throughout the day? According to research, you are not alone. Fatigue is the second most common complaint to doctors in North America.

Unfortunately, many people turn to caffeine to boost their energy levels. That approach provides short-lived energy at best. At worst, it may cause damage to your body in the form of caffeine addiction, blood sugar fluctuations and adrenal gland depletion that makes you more vulnerable to stress. Since caffeine continues to work for about 12 hours, that afternoon coffee may leave you lying awake counting sheep when you are ready to sleep.

Nature offers many energy-enhancers. Some of the best include: bee pollen, royal jelly extract, Siberian ginseng, spirulina, gotu kola, ho shou wu, and cayenne.

• 1. Bee Pollen
  Bee Pollen is touted as a source of perpetual youth in many of the world’s great books, including the Talmud, Bible, Koran, scrolls of the ancient Orient, Greece, Rome, Russia, the Middle East. Ancient Greek athletes ate bee pollen regularly to increase their strength and vitality. More recently, the USDA discovered that bee pollen even has anti-cancer properties.

  Bee pollen is packed with 22 amino acids, natural antibiotic factors, DNA/RNA (the genetic coding of plants), 18 enzymes (to aid digestion and other bodily functions), glucosides (natural sources of energy in the body), plant hormones, 27 minerals and at least 16 vitamins, it is no surprise that it increases energy and vitality. Avoid bee pollen if you suffer pollen allergies or if you are allergic to bees.

  2. Royal Jelly
  Royal jelly is the natural result when bees combine honey and pollen. It is a powerhouse of B-complex vitamins. It also contains many other vitamins, minerals, hormones, enzymes, 18 amino acids, and natural antibacterial and antibiotic substances. It has traditionally been used to address bronchial asthma, pancreatitis, liver disease, insomnia, stomach ulcers, kidney disease, bone fractures, immune problems, and skin disorders, but royal jelly is also effective for increasing energy.

  3. Siberian Ginseng
  As the name suggests, Siberian ginseng originates in Siberia. It also grows in Japan, China, and Korea and parts of Canada. It has been used medicinally for at least two thousand years. Siberian ginseng is one of only a handful of herbs that is an adaptogen, which means that it works to normalize bodily functions. It inhibits the adrenal stress response and works as an immune stimulant, particularly for fighting the effects of stress and depression. It aids the liver in detoxifying harmful toxins, including chemotherapeutic agents and radiation. Siberian ginseng also stimulates the activity of several immune system components: B and T cells, making it excellent for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and other viral infections. Athletes around the world use Siberian ginseng as a training aid because of its reputed ability to increase resistance to stress, increase performance, bolster the immune system during workouts, and reduce fatigue. But it also helps strengthen energy levels over time.

  4. Spirulina
  The Aztec people knew a good thing when they saw it. They discovered spirulina, a single-celled algae that they called tecuitlatl and soon made it a staple of their diet. It is high in usable protein, a great source of Vitamin B12 (often called the “energy vitamin”), 8 minerals and many vitamins, including 7 types of vitamin A precursors known as carotenoids. It is also packed with chlorophyll, the green pigment that gives spirulina its colour and its blood purification properties. And, of course, it boosts energy levels.

  5. Gotu Kola
  Gotu Kola is an herb that contains many nutrients and healing phytochemicals. As one of the primary energy herbs used by herbalists, gotu kola lessens fatigue and depression without the effects of caffeine. Actually, unlike caffeine that may keep you awake into the evenings, gotu kola actually helps improve sleep at night.

  6. Ho Shou Wu
  Also known as fo-ti or ho she wu, the root of this native Chinese vine is a powerful tonic to increase energy and maintain youthful vigor, while still having a calming effect. It contains a natural form of lecithin that helps lessen arterial plaque and lower blood pressure. In laboratory studies, ho shou wu effectively reduced blood cholesterol and triglycerides, and even prevented cholesterol from forming in test animals.

  7. Cayenne
  Cayenne works to boost energy by improving circulation. It is also effective to help ward off colds, sinus infections, and sore throats. It even helps reduce pain and inflammation.

  As with all herbal medicines, it is best to consult with a skilled health professional prior to starting any herbal or nutritional supplements. This article is provided for educational purposes only.

Tantric Sex for Beginners: 4 Easy Tips

Design an “intimacy space”
This should be a comfortable area that is playful and relaxed. First, clear the room of any attention-grabbing clutter. Next, decorate with flowers, candles and cozy fabrics. Scent is really important to our sensuality, so try natural oils like jasmine, ylang-ylang, or rose. Make sure your bed is as comfortable as possible with soft sheets and a number of pillows. Lastly, chose a soundtrack of music that you both like. Play it softly in the background to enhance your mood.

Breathe Each Other’s Breath
Harmonizing your breath is one of the easiest ways to sync with your partner. Straddle your partner’s lap (called the yab-yom position) and inhale while they exhale and vice versa. As your partner breathes out, you’ll find yourself taking their breath into and down through your entire body. As you exhale, consciously attempt to energize the breath. In this way, you’re sharing all of yourself with your partner. “Becoming conscious about your breath is central to all yogic practices and is foundational in Tantra,” says Strgar.

Keep Your Eyes Open
“The idea of making love with your eyes open is one of the fundamentals of deep connection in intimacy,” says Strgar. “It is surprisingly harder to do than you might expect. Move toward this idea as an intention rather than a rule and be amazed as the collection of glimpses that will reshape how you think about your partner and yourself. It is not easy to be seen, even by the people we love. Truly witnessing the act of love is profoundly transformative.”

Take it Slow
Sorry guys, foreplay is essential in Tantra. A lesiurely, slow build helps men control longevity and piques women’s arousal. The longer you linger in this process of building energy, the longer your session will last and the more energy you will build. Use this time to fully focus on each other. As in meditation, when your thoughts wander, gently guide your attention back to your partner and the magic of the moment at hand.

Homemade Sugar Scrub

OK, folks. Get ready for almost unbelievably soft skin (even for those of us with older skin).

The other day I was speaking with Larry Pleasant, CEO of The Vermont Soapworks, and he mentioned that he and his staff had spent the morning testing homemade sugar scrubs, and that everyone was commenting on how incredibly soft their skin felt. Aware that sugar cane produces glycolic acid, one of the natural alpha hydroxy acids that exfoliates the skin, I was immediately curious about his recipes.

Ingredients
• 50 percent white cane sugar (note that organic sucanat, while the best choice for food, doesn’t work as well for this recipe)
• 50 percent vegetable glycerin to moisten the sugar (I used avocado oil since I was out of vegetable glycerin and it proved to be a successful substitute)
• Small amounts of aloe vera gel, vitamin C crystals, or anything healing that dissolves in water
• 1 or 2 drops of essential oil if desired (Larry recommends combining orange and lavender)
• Enough ground hibiscus powder for pink color (if desired)

Combine the ingredients in a bowl. Scoop some of the scrub onto your hand and massage gently onto your skin for a minute (the scrub will actually tighten onto your skin like a masque). Leave on for 3 to 4 minutes before rinsing.

Let me warn you in advance that you’ll want to use this sugar scrub on your entire body. I started on my face, returned to my desk, and my skin felt so baby soft that the skin on my neck felt like sandpaper, so I needed to use the sugar scrub there, and on and on

10563.) I don’t believe in reality. The world inside my head is so much better.

(via blogsecret)