Keeping away the winter blues

I want to share this with all of you because it has changed my life! I don't how many of you have kids or are constantly around them. One thing is for sure, during the fall & winter months we can expect the flu and cold germs to become a guest in our home. I want to share with all of you a safe, natural and effective way of helping those bugs go bye bye.


If you didn't know I love Essential Oils! I have found throughout the years that essential oils are one of the best gift's for our health from mother nature. For years I have been mixing  a special blend that helps fight flu's cold, and other germs and using it on everyone in my family. But great news no mixing for you guys! DoTerra came to the rescue with an amazing product called On Guard.

On Guard Essential Oil Blend from Doterra

This fabulous product is so simple to use you will soon become addicted to it. I'm gonna list some info about the this product and how you use it but before I do let me share what DoTerra has to say about it.

"On Guard®
Protective Blend

On Guard is dōTERRA®'s unique, proprietary blend formulated to support healthy immune function. Wild orange essential oil, combined with clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary offer a fragrant, natural and effective alternative to synthetic options for immune support. On Guard, with its unique aroma, is one of our most versatile blends. It is also safe to use on counter tops, as a non-toxic way to cleanse surfaces, or to purify the atmosphere by diffusing. On Guard is superb for eliminating and controlling pathogens due to the potency of its constituents. For aromatic, topical, or dietary use." Copied from Doterra's site.



This Oil blend smells fabulous and really works well. I know you don't want to hear me babbling any more and want me to get to the good part. Well let me just say a few more words. The oils used in this blend have been known to not only help boost the immune system but also ward off and kill some of the common everyday germs. 

Now to the good stuff :D


Uses for On Guard:

1. Hand Sanitizer: Simply add it to your favorite liquid soap, or into a small spray bottle with rubbing alcohol or Vodka/ water solution for a quick hand sanitizer.
2. Cold Flu Rub: mix 5 drops with 1/2 tsp of coconut or olive oil and rub on the chest, back and bottom of the feet when experiencing symptoms of the Cold or Flu.
3.  Put 10 drops in 20 oz of water in a spray bottle mix it well and use it to spray door knobs, light switches, kids toys, counter tops, bedding etc.
4. You can add a few drops to your laundry specially babies laundry to help sanitize it with out the harsh chemicals of bleach.
5. Use it in a Oil diffuser to help neutralize odors in the air as well as get rid of air born germs that  can cause one to get re infected with the cold or flu virus. 

The Alcohol / water mix:

• Get 3 oz of rubbing alcohol or Vodka 90 proof and add 10 - 15 drops or On Guard and mix well.
• then add about 1/3 oz - 1/2 oz of distilled water. (add the water little bits at a time so it doesn't turn the solution cloudy if you want a clear liquid) cloudiness will not affect the way it work it just doesn't look pretty.

Oil Diffuser:

Lotus Diffuser from DoTerra 
 "The Lotus diffuser uses a highly efficient real time atomization technology to effectively diffuse essential oils into the environment. The essential oils are atomized into minute ion particles and active oxygen anions, which are more easily absorbed by the human body than oils diffused by conventional diffusers. dōTERRA® is pleased to be the exclusive distributor of the Lotus diffuser to you and your family." from Doterra site.






 
Like always consult your physician when treating medical conditions but if your looking for a safe effective way to keep your family healthy this may just be the thing for you. Your next step is to try it and let your body be the judge.

Homemade hair gel

Flaxseeds

If you've ever wanted a hair gel that contained no alcohol and improved the texture of your hair we have a recipe that may become your new favorite. Not only is it affordable to make but also easy!

I personally use this on my hair with wonderful results.








What you'll need to make this hair gel is:

1/4 cup of flaxseeds
3 cups water (distilled if possible) Sauce pan
wooden spoons
Inexpensive Panty hose
Sealable container


Instructions:

Combine the flaxseed and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil stir occasionally until the liquid thickens up to the thickness of a smooth gravy. Strain the flaxseeds out of the hot liquid using the pantyhose and wooden spoons. (be careful not to touch the mixture with your hands as the liquid will be hot and you can get burnt). At this point you can add your favorite essential oil if you would like a scented gel. Once you've strained it all seal the container and store in the refrigerator. Use within 3 weeks.

Let's see who's a sharp reader!

We're handing out a publication at fox plaza. It has 2 misspelled words on purpose. If you can point 1 out you get 10% off your purchase get both right and you get 25% off your purchase. Let's see how many catch the mistake :D

We're Moving!!!

I'm so exited to announce that JHSC is moving to a larger space.  We will be teaming up with fitness and nutrition specialists to bring you the best of the 3 worlds. Yes under one roof you will be able to get fitness advise, loose weight and engage in one of the most exhilarating Zumba workouts that will leave you wanting more. You will also be able to consult one of the Herbalife consultants about your nutrition needs. Last but not least is JHSC! Yes aside from all the great things you'll find at the new location, you will also find us. Remember we're not just a Skin Care store, we're dedicated to teaching and helping every single one of you how to care for your skin.

So come give is a visit and allow us to help you achieve your goals.

Meatloaf muffin

Meatloaf in muffin pan ready to bake

While surfing Pinterest I stumbled upon a picture of meatloaf baked in a muffin pan. As you can imagine I imediately thought "Why didn't I think of that". Cooking for 7 people I like things that help with portion control and that are easy enough for even my hubby to cook. So I decided to use my Meatloaf recipe and put this idea to the test.

Right now this meatloaf is sitting in my fridge wrapped and marinating for tomorrow. So I'll make sure to post an update tommorow. As of now the theory is that you don't have to make a mess cutting and it cooks faster that in a loaf pan.

Ok let me tell you what you'll need to do this. I'm sharing my personal meatloaf recipe. feel free to doctor it up to your taste.


Yeild : 12 servings
Prep time: 10 Min
Cook time: 20-25 Min
Oven Temp: 375 degrees

Materials & Ingredients:

1 Standard Size Muffin Pan
1 Large bowl
2 pounds of ground meat (I used Turkey)
1/4 cup of chopped onions (or Tastefuly Simples' Onion Onion)
1 TBS of Garlic (or Tastefuly Simples' Garlic Garlic)
2 TBS of chopped Cilantro (fresh or dried)
1/2 Tbsp Salt
1/3 Tbsp Ground Pepper
1 Egg
2/4 cup bread crumbs

Additional ingredients:

BBQ Sauce

Instructions:

With clean hands, place all of the ingredients exept the BBQ Sauce into the large bowl and mix. Add to muffin pan in equal portions. Top with BBQ sauce. If you're going to bake it imediately after mizing you're good to go just cover it with foil so the BBQ Sauce doesn't burn. If you're going to bake the next day just wrap and store in the fridge till it's time to bake. Bake for 20-25 min (or until fully cooked) in the oven at 375.

Enjoy! Feel free to let me know what you think, share your pictures or recipe changes.

Update:

The meatloaf took only 20 min to cook which was a hit for me as I like 30 min or less meals. it was also a great way to do portion control.

So go for it try it!

Insanity: I think I lost my marbles



This was me 8 months ago

I know many of you have hear of the Insanity Workout. This week I started my journey and lets just say I think I lost my marbles lol one must be insane to submit them selve to so much, but I'm up to the challenge :D

As some of you know this old girl has some back issues that prevent me from doing some moves but that's not stoping me. About 4 months ago I had enrolled in a Bootcamp class that hadd the same level of intensity as Insanity. During the classes there was times that those workouts got so hard I wanted to quit, cry or just have a emotional breakdown all toghether. It was those times when I realized I had to just dig deeper and push. It was that determination that got me to where I'm at now.

8 months ago I was not only over weight but some of my pre existing conditions just kept getting worst and worst. New symptoms came up and my ability to do the daily was decreasing. I reached a point in my life where I either did something about it or I would risk being crippled for good. It's this vivid memory of what life for me was 8 months ago that helps me dig deeper and push beyond what I though was posible.

So how did the wieightloss journey start? With a little insanity one day at a time :D  I did something I don't recomend but for me it was the only option. I got off the steroids and pain meds, I change my eating habits and increased my nutrition and I exersized on step at a time.

When I started to work out I was using the eliptical machine for no more than 15 min. That was all I could really handle. As the time increased I became more energetic and motivated so I did another insane move, I joined Baila Conmigo Studios and began taking Zumba classes. I say insane because all my doctors told me I would not be able to do any of the things I do now to includeZumba. It was just too much for my back and knee's to handle. According th them I should just be walking and nothing else. Like I said before I had to learn to dig deep and move past the initial pain. To my surprise in just 2 months I was not only able to do 1 hour of zumba but I was actually able to do 2 zumba classes in a row!  By this point not only did I notice my body shrinking but my back and knees got stronger too. Then insanity hits again lol. I trully lost my marble completely! Imagine one Wednesday morning I go to my 8:30 AM Zumba class at Baila Conmigo Studios to find this guy (who at the time seemed like a giant next to my 5 foot 5 in) that giant is Chris. You may be wondering what so insane about this senario, well Chris was no Zumba instructor he was there to give a Kickboxing class. I now laugh about it but that day I was terrified. In my mind that was the day I would be pulled out of there in a stretcher. To my surprise not only did I do the full 1 hour Kickboxing workout but I fell in love with kickboxing. Concidering that I'm uncordinated by nature. No exagerations about that. Being dyslexic not only am I a horrible speller but I'm uncordinated to the max. But don't feel bad for me my lack of coordination in my eyes just ads a little bit of spice and humor to my life. I've learned to embrase it and leverage it.

KT Tape

With all this going on not only did I keep shrinking but my strenght increased. I have not had any more problems with my back as my core is now able to do it's job. My knees still bother me some times but that's where KT Tape comes to the rescue. There's days that I look like a neon pink bionic woman with all the pink KT Tape I'm wearing on my knees. But I made a comitment to my self that I would not let pain stop me. I have to tell you It's paid off big time for me. It's now been 3 months since I've had to wear KT Tape. My knees have healed up so nicely and the muscles around them are so much stronger that I sometimes can't believe it my self. It is thanks to God and all of these things that now I'm able to start the Insanity workout journey. 

The Insanity workout had a bit of a rough start today lol Charle horses, I slipped and fell once (my floor is way too clean felt like my sneakers where skates lol), but I sweat like a hog, burned some calories and feel acomplished.  My 1st fit test wasn't bad but could use improvement.

Switch Kicks: 86
Power Jacks: 50
Power Knees: 80
Power Jumps: 20
Globe jumps: 9
Suicide Jumps: 25
Push- Up Jacks: 0 (the Charle Horse kicked in at this point with a vengence but I will conquer this beast)
Low Plank Oblique: 18

Lets see what 2 weeks brings along. In the mean time I have a date with my foam roller and my protein shake. In the mean time I will leave you with some pictures of my progress from Aug. of last year till Feb. of this year. The Feb. picture is what I still look like now. I took a lil bit of down time and decreased the intensity and quantity of my workouts but I've managed to maintain the weight I've lost.

My weight loss progress



Ionic Detox Foot Spa

Ionic Detox Foot Spa Machine

Well After posting on Facebook about my experience with Ionic Foot Detoxing, many of you wanted to get more info on how to get a hold of the machine. The image you see here is the exact machine I have and is available on Amazon. If you click on the image it will take you directly to the amazon link.

Now let me give you a bit of info about how I started using this  method of detoxing.

After being diagnose with several conditions that required multiple meds I found my self very tired and feeling worst everyday even after taking my meds. After talking to a naturopathist (natural medicine practitioner ) I was recommended that I do a detox. Well if you know me well you know I hate pills. So the traditional detoxing method was not an option for me. That is when Google came in! I began to research alternative detoxing methods and found this. It's now been 6 years since I've been using this machine and I love the results. I sleep better, my existing medical conditions are under control, my joints are not only more flexible but the pain decreased by 90%.  I have been able to do many things I wasn't able to do.

Array

Now you're wondering how it works. Well without getting into a science class, there's and array that is plugged in to the machine and inserted into a water bath(it doesn't have to be fancy.  Any container that will fit your feet is good enough). when we insert our feet into the water this array conducts energy into our body that helps the cells release the toxins. When the toxins are released the water changes color.  indicating the different organs that are releasing toxins at the time of the detox. See the chart bellow for info on the colors and the organs detoxing.

 

Water Color/ Detox Chart

In a nut shell this is what this machine does.  Please keep in mind that there's some people that will not be able to use this machine because of their medical conditions. This include people with pace makers, so please do your research and talk to your doctor or alternative medicine practitioner before using this method of detoxing.

Sunscreens remain safe, effective form of sun protection, experts say

ScienceDaily (May 15, 2012) — The American Academy of Dermatology (Academy) has recently reiterated the safety and effectiveness of sunscreens to protect against the damaging effects from exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. As one component of a daily sun-protection strategy, sunscreen is an important tool in the fight against skin cancer, including melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. 

 Sunscreens remain safe, effective form of sun protection, experts say

Academy of Dermatology (AAD) (2012, May 15). Sunscreens remain safe, effective form of sun protection, experts say. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 30, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­/releases/2012/05/120515202122.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515202122.htm#.T8blY3eipDg.blogger

Vigorous physical activity associated with reduced risk of psoriasis

ScienceDaily (May 21, 2012) — A study of U.S. women suggests that vigorous physical activity may be associated with a reduced risk of psoriasis, according to a report published Online First byArchives of Dermatology, a JAMA Network publication. Click on link to read full article. Vigorous physical activity associated with reduced risk of psoriasis

JAMA and Archives Journals (2012, May 21). Vigorous physical activity associated with reduced risk of psoriasis. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 30, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­/releases/2012/05/120521163843.htm#.T8bkGEUEntc.blogger

We have been featured on Army Spouse Magazine

JHSC & Mrs. Jones have received the privilege of being featured on Army Spouse Magazine. 

Read the article

JHSC review by Maryland Momma's Rables & Review

See what Maryland Momma's has to say about our Pink Scrub

Read review

Jones Handmade Soap Company Review by Uncreative Mommy in a Sea of Crafty Bloggers

Check out what Uncreative Mommy has to say about our Peppermint Eucalyptus Soap.
Read Review

Answering Common Question

Q. I'm using the Lavender products and my skin is breaking out more. Why?
A. Lavender along with all of the other ingredients we use naturally pull out the impurities from the skin. This may cause some people who suffer from acne to temporarily break out.

Q. Are your products medication and can I substitute my meds for your products?
A. No our products are not medications. They're just good old soap and lotions made with great natural ingredients that nourish the skin. If you suffer from any particular condition you should talk to your doctor specially before discontinuing any medication or treatment.

Q. Are your products edible?
A. No, although they're made with food grade ingredients we do not make edible products nor do we recommend you eat them.

Q. Why do your products work so well on conditions like Eczema, Psoriasis and Acne?
A.  Our products are made with natural ingredients that are scientifically known to help with these conditions. We also have taken special care in the development of our recipes to ensure that they remain as mild as possible. Because of this our soaps cleanse the skin without striping it of it's natural oil witch allows your skin to balance it self faster. Please see our illustration on the Acid Mantle for a brief explanation of how our products help your skin.



Illustration of the different layers of the skin and the protective acid mantle. When this layer (protective Acid Mantle) is damaged we are prone to conditions such as Acne, Eczema, dry skin, cracked skin, infections and much more. JHSC products are manufactured with the goal of aiding the protection of the Acid mantle.

The Acid Mantle and how it affects you

The Acid Mantle is an acidic film on the surface of the skin. This film acts as a barrier that protects us from bacteria, viruses and other things that can contaminate our skin and body. This acid is released through the sebaceous glands. Illustration of the skin layers and the Acid Mantle. When contaminants come in contact with the skin this acid neutralizes them so they don't affect us in a negative way. When this film is stripped we no longer have this protection. At this point the PH balance of our skin is altered and if left unattended it can lead to the perfect breading ground for bacteria and other skin conditions.
 This is important to know because most of us bathe 2-3 times a day. Every time we bathe we are stripping the skin of it's oils and altering the Acid Mantle. In some cases even stripping the Acid mantle completely. Thus the reason so many of us suffer from dry itchy skin. The Mantle takes an average of 24-48 hours to fully regenerate once stripped, so as you can see when w bathe more than once a day and use a harsh cleanser our skin doesn't stand a chance.

This is where JHSC products make a difference. Unlike commercial soap found in most of our local stores, our soaps main goal is to gently cleanse the skin without the use of harsh chemicals. Commercial soaps are often made with harsh chemicals that although work great at removing dirt, grease etc. they also work great at removing the Acid Mantle. By this point you may be asking, but I use a moisturizing soap? The truth is Soap has never been intended to be a moisturizer. So we have to bust the 1st myth. Soap is meant to clean. The only reason some soaps such as ours make your skin feel less dry and healthier is because they don't strip the Mantle allowing those natural oils to stay where they belong. By doing so your skin regenerates quicker and heals it self faster. In other words your skin does what it's supposed to do on it's own.

To aid in the process of maintaining a healthy skin and protecting the mantle JHSC also makes moisturizers. These moisturizers are made with ingredients such as Shea butter witch is rich in vitamins and minerals and serves as a natural barrier to protect your skin. The beauty of Shea butter is although it's a barrier it allows your skin to breathe.  In addition we use other ingredients that are rich in vitamin E with helps the elasticity and serves as an antioxidant. When all these ingredients are combined you get a moisturizer from mother nature that is far more powerful than any chemically based moisturizer on the market today.

Our Lavender Soap made with Lavender Essential Oil. Not only known for it's relaxation benefits but also for it's antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial and skin regenerating properties. This soap also contains Oatmeal witch is know for it skin soothing effects.

Why is using additional moisturizing so important? I use your soaps, isn't that enough? The answer is no. Because of all the elements our skin is exposed to and the abuse we have subjected it to we need that extra protection. If your mantle is damages you need the extra moisturizing more than ever.

Here are some signs that your mantle is in trouble:

• Itchy skin after showering
• Dry flaky skin
• Cracked Skin possibly bleeding
• Rash or red irritated skin

If you have signs of any of these #1 you need to talk to your doctor and eliminate any other serious medical conditions that can cause similar symptoms. (If your skin is cracked and bleeding, puffy and red it's even that much more important that you visit your doctor immediately. These could be signs of infection and needs to be treated right away with antibiotics.) Once those are eliminated and it's confirmed that it is indeed a skin condition you need to take the 1st step witch is changing your cleanser and moisturizer. Once you have done this here are some other steps you can take to help your skin recover.

• Reduce the temperature of your water. When showering with very hot water not only are you irritating the skin but also activating the histamine in the body. This will cause you to itch even more. Instead shower with lukewarm water.
• Make your showers shorter. Believe it or not water is also an irritant to our skin. For this reason we should limit our showers to no more than 15 minutes. Anything longer than that can begin to damage the mantle.
• Shower less. If you take 2-3 showers a day you may want to consider reducing that to 1 showers a day or even every other day. Specially if you have signs of moderate to severe Eczema. This measure will allow your skin to begin to regenerate the Acid mantle and commence the healing process.

Remember the skin is the largest organ of the body, and the 1st line o protection for our internal organs. Taking care of it goes far beyond looks. A healthy skin protects us from possibly life threatening illnesses.

Our Lavender Body Butter made with Lavender Essential Oil. Not only known for it's relaxation benefits but also for it's antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial and skin regenerating properties.