Continually challenging your brain on a regular basis not only keeps you sharp and on your toes, but it can also prevent Alzheimer’s later on in life.  It can also improve your brain’s short term recall…think, where did I leave my keys?   We all have blips of “senior moments”, but we can do things to improve them.  Try this brain challenge to keep you on your toes.  Change the font on your computer.  By simply changing your font to something different from your norm, you are challenging your brain to process things in a different way.  Changing your font has been shown to improve your long term retention, according to research published in the journal Cognition.  Focusing on a new font may make your brain’s processing center work a little harder, upping your recall.

For years, Jillian Michaels has come into our homes, teaching us her workout techniques on The Biggest Loser.  How does Jillian keep her near-perfect physique?  Jillian says “I usually go to the gym three to four times a week.  I work out hard when I go.  I just kill it, whether it’s doing kettlebells, mixed martial arts, Spinning classes or power yoga.  I get bored easily, so I need something that’s going to keep me focused.  I mix it up.  Everything I do is a combo of body resistance and cardiovascular endurance.” Jillian’s favorite workout is mixed martial arts.  Her most dreaded workout would be a marathon.  She says “You’re at mile 20, and you have six more to go, and your body is just battered and bleeding and miserable.  I would rather be dead.”

Check out Fitness magazine’s July/August issue to learn more about Jillian Michaels’ signature workout style.

 Supernatural Botanicals is a proud sponsor of SmartTalk Connected Conversation.  SmartTalk will bring their sensational lineup of interesting, successful and dynamic women to Cincinnati again in January.  Stay tuned for the release of their 2012 lineup on their website at SmartTalk.

Neurologist have found that the brain cannot decipher between actually doing something that makes you happy or just thinking about it.  And that’s good news if you aren’t particularly happy with _______ (insert any pain-in-the-tail item here).  If you are not in your sweet spot in life, then imagine yourself being there. 

When you open yourself up and think deeply, ask yourself what it is that you’d do or have if failure was not an option.  A new house, a new relationship, a new body shape, a masters degree?  What do you want, specifically?  Think about how you you’d decorate your new house.  Think about the clothes you’ll wear with your new body.  Think about how you want to be treated in your next relationship.  Imagine it.  Get into the moment of it. 

You become your thoughts.  Whatever it is that you think of all day, that’s what you’ll bring into your life.  If you are thinking about bills, about being late to work, about how bad work is once you get there, and about how much weight you’ve gained….this is the energy your are providing for your brain.  Luckily, the exact opposite works, too.  Think about routes of cash flowing into your life.  Think about your ability to land a better job where you can use your talents better.  Think about how responsible you are and how you are always on time.  Positive energy works, and it works every single time.   Think yourself into a better state of mind, and therefore, a better overall life.  There’s nothing wrong with faking it until you make it!

Anyone who has worked out with regularity can confirm this  Harvard study, who reports adults who practice about 27 minutes of mindful activity a day, including gentle yoga and meditation exercises, had a significant increase in gray matter in eight weeks.  Specifically, in the parts of the brain that help regulate emotions and stress.  “We believe that these changes reflect increased brain activity which helps explain why the benefits of practice continue throughout the day.”  Working out simply makes you sharper, quicker on the draw.  It also helps you to deal with stress better, and of course,  be a kinder and better all around person.  It works every single time….so do some mindful activity eight weeks in a row and find out for yourself.  You’ll love the results.

A big thank you to EcoBold for not only supporting eco-minded people and businesses, but for also featuring Supernatural Botanicals today.  The following article is courtsey of EcoBold.  Visit their site to learn more about the great work they are doing…then let it inspire you!

The founder of Supernatural Botanicals, Robin Feltner has a chemistry background and she just knows what ingredients should or shouldn’t be inside skincare products. This line is completely paraben-free and phthalate-free. Learn more with the interview below:

Tell us a little bit about the background and story of Supernatural Botanicals.
Supernatural Botanicals is an eco-chic bath & body company specializing in skincare that follows Green practices and principals, and formulates its products with intent and purpose.

At the inception of Supernatural Botanicals, we knew we wanted to create a company that knows its demographic. Growing increasingly disappointed with mainstream bath & body stores catering to teenagers, Supernatural Botanicals wanted to target the grown sexy woman demographic. We also wanted to focus on being Green and creating products that not only feel and smell amazing, but products that are highly beneficial for the skin.

We created products formulated without Parabens or Phthalates. Green products come from natural and organic ingredients, and that’s exactly how we formulate our products…with intent and purpose, and as natural as we can. After literally hundreds and hundreds of prototypes, we formulated perfection, bringing to you natural products that smell as incredible as they perform.

What did you want to be when you were a kid? 
I’ve always had “entrepreneur” in my genetic makeup. I was selling homemade cards to neighborhood ladies at the age of 4. I wanted to grow up and have a double major as a fashion designer and interior designer. That dream never materialized. In hindsight, I wish I would have had a mentor to help me prepare, telling me which art and business classes I should have taken.

What’s wrong with standard skincare products and why do you think such ingredients are allowed? 
I believe lack of quality ingredients poses a huge threat. Not only has quality fallen by the wayside, but we also should be concerned with the toxins in the products we are using every day. Many common ingredients have been proven by scientists to be harmful, yet manufacturers continue to use them because they are inexpensive, thus allowing for more profit.

How did you choose your ingredients and what to put in each product? 
Extensive research! Having a chemistry/pharmacy background, I’m always extremely cognizant about using quality, natural ingredients.

What’s the biggest lesson you learned while starting Supernatural Botanicals? 
I’ve literally learned a wealth of knowledge in forming my company. I’ve learned that customers sincerely do appreciate companies that are going the extra effort to keep them healthy. I, too, have learned how many mainstream companies use cheap fillers in order to make profits. 

If you could choose just one of your products, which one would it be? 
Extremely hard to narrow that down as I love all of the products. I do favor our Beach Body Spray. Not only does it smell absolutely amazing and I get numerous compliments on it every time I wear it, but it’s a multitasker. It works great in your hair, giving your hair extra volume and beautiful scent. I even use it as a linen spray on my bed sheets. It’s also our best seller.

Describe a typical day in your life.
I’m an early riser. I tend to get a tremendous amount accomplished in the early hours. I work on the business end of the business from 5-8…networking, emails, following up on orders, PR, social media, etc. From 8-6 I’m in our workshop, formulating skincare products and filling orders. The day flies by, and I’m always hungry for more hours at the end of the day. In the past, it would be very common to find me in my workshop until as late as 11 p.m. I’ve luckily learned time management, and the importance of accomplishing that task.

What’s one thing we could do to have an awesome skin, naturally? 
Check your labels. Use products that do not contain parabens. Don’t be fooled by companies that splash the name of an all natural ingredient, only to flip the label over and realize that they natural product they are promoting only has trace elements within it, and is filled with other harmful fillers. 

If there is one thing/thought/idea that you could pass on to the next generation, what would it be? 
One huge concern I have for our next generation is the condition of our planet. Global warming and eco concerns will certainly be a problem in which they inherit. My hope is that we can educate the masses enough to get everyone on board with being green and eco-responsible. 

What’s your # 1 green tip? 
Recycling is an easy way to start being green. Every human being on the planet creates waste. There’s absolutely no reason we shouldn’t be more responsible for the garbage we create. This is also something that even children can learn and be a part of. If we start them early, it will become second-nature to them.

As it turns out, meditation does more than relax the mind and body, it also kicks pain to the curb.  Wake Forest University School of Medicine confirms what we meditation-enthusiasts have known for years…that many of the body’s problems can be alleviated by meditation.  They concluded in a recent study that people who had a pain-inducing heating device placed on their legs were able to reduce the hurt by 40%, simply by meditating.  In comparison, morphine only decreases pain by about 25%.

Subjects in the study used the “focused attention” technique.  You can achieve this by closing your eyes, breathing through your nose, and concentrating on the air coming in and going out.  The more you practice, the better it works.  It also sharpens your focus, lowers your blood pressure, and zaps stress.

If you workout regularly, you’ve probably had an injury or two.  That, however, is not a reason to give up your workouts until you feel healed.  In fact, as you are healing from an injury, you should not stop exercising.  Activity delivers oxygen and nutrients that help your body repair itself. Sure, take it easier.  Consider training with less weight and intensity, but by all means, don’t stop exercising.

What is fiber?  Fiber, found mainly in the outer layers of plants, is an indigestible substance that passes through the body virtually unchanged, without being broken down into nutrients.

Why do we need it?  Fiber is an important of the digestive process from start to finish.  It slows digestion and absorption which keeps blood sugar levels at a more even level.  Fiber makes food more satisfying.  It makes contents of the stomach bulkier so they stay there longer, contributing to a “full” feeling, which in turn can prevent overeating and obesity.

Where is it found?  Only plants produce fiber.  You cannot find it in animal products.  The best food sources of fiber are whole grains breads, cereals, pasta, brown rice, nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits and  vegetables.

A pound of body fat equates to approximately 3500 calories. So if you have a calorie deficit of 500 calories (meaning that you burn 500 calories more than you eat each day) you would lose approximately one pound per week.