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Contest

Win a Stay at Ste. Anne’s Spa (Giveaway)

March 14, 2014

Recently I visited the lovely and relaxing Ste. Anne’s Spa, just an hour and a half east of Toronto. This beautiful full facility spa in Grafton, Ontario offers all-inclusive day and blissful weekend getaways that rejuvenate your body and soul.

One of my lucky readers will win a midweek overnight stay for two in one of the lovely spa cottages at Ste. Anne’s Spa!

The package will include:

$120 in spa and wellness allowance
breakfast
3 course lunch
afternoon tea
4 course dinner
full use of the facilities

Valid Monday – Thursday, excluding July and August, and March and Christmas breaks. The value of this package is over $900!

ENTER TO WIN by filling out the Rafflecopter below to enter this giveaway. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Food

Kashi Introduces New Gluten-Free Cereals

March 13, 2014

With all of my various food sensitivities, I’m often challenged with time to cook and bake meals that I am able to eat. I can’t just grab a few slices of bacon or gluten, dairy and egg free pancakes for breakfast. It takes planning!

I’m thrilled that I can reach for a bowl of cereal as an option now that Kashi has introduced new cereals that are gluten-free, certified organic, and Non-GMO Project Verified! This is fabulous news for someone like me who is sensitive to so many ingredients.

Kashi Organic Promise Simply Maize cereal is made with whole organic corn in crispy flakes while Kashi Organic Promise Indigo Morning cereal combines a delicious blend of puffed golden corn flakes with real blueberries and blackberries for a tangy sweet flavour.

The cereal is really tasty, like a treat – just a little bit of sweetness, made with organic dried cane syrup. You really could have a serving just as a snack.

Kashi’s new line of cereals and snack bars also feature nutritious ingredients such as chia and flax seeds – superfoods with many benefits. The new Kashi Chia Granola Bars are available in Cranberry Lemon and Dark Chocolate, Almond & Sea Salt flavours and have 4g of fibre per 35g bar. My husband tried and enjoyed both granola bar flavours and said they tasted chewy yet crunchy and had a nice texture.

The benefits of chia are also coming to the cereal aisle with the introduction of new Kashi Nutty Chia Flax Multigrain cereal. It has a nutty flavour, light crunch and perfect blend of chia, flax and walnuts, a yummy way to start your morning. Each ¾ cup delivers a source of Omega-3 polyunsaturates and 5g of fibre, a great boost to your day.

I’m very happy that Kashi has 11 products that have the Non-GMO Project Verification! By the end of 2015 more than half of their products will also be non-GMO. Kashi is moving towards the use of organic and non-GMO ingredients where possible, and is committed to have all of their products non-GMO.

Do you eat cereal? Have you tried chia and flax seeds?

Disclosure: I’m working with Kashi to promote their new line of cereals and granola bars.

Beauty

5 Beauty Tips for a Smooth Spring Break

March 12, 2014

Are you going away this spring break? If you’re one of the lucky ones, your hotel and flights are booked and your bags are packed and off to a sunny destination.

But have you considered how you’re going to get your skin ready for spring break and a week or two of fun in the sun? After months of hibernation, you may need a little ‘grooming’ before you’re beach ready!

Beauty expert Rhonda Shupe shares her top tips to get your skin ready for spring break and the beach – we’re talking bikinis and bare legs!

Here are 5 beauty tips to get your body silky and smooth in time for spring break:

1. Which method best suits your hair removal needs? Waxing, shaving or cream? If you’re headed on vacation, a big concern is how to maintain soft and smooth skin when on the go. “When travelling, wax strips are best because they are small, quick and easy to use,” says Rhonda.

She suggests using easy-to-pack wax strips, like Nair Brazilian Spa Clay Body Wax Strips, “they can be easily tucked away and are warmed through the friction of massaging the strip between hands.”*

2. With so many options and formulations to choose from, Rhonda advises picking one with added benefits – especially for the face. “With a sensitive formula, Nair Brazilian Spa Clay Face Trio provides three easy steps to remove unwanted hair in minutes with a balm, cream and moisturizer to give you the perfect finish.”

To top it of, the ingredients include mango butter, açai berry and mineral-rich clay for antioxidant protection.

3. When you are waxing, make sure to hold the skin taut to prevent muscle slackening and bruising. “In fact, the tighter you hold the skin, the less pain you’ll feel,” says Rhonda.

4. Relax – you’re about to head out on vacation! “If you’re feeling stressed or anxious, give yourself a bit of time to calm down,” says Rhonda.

“Stress, in fact, magnifies discomfort as nerve endings become more acute.”

5. Apply an after wax cooling or an aloe based gel or tea tree oil to help soothe skin and reduce redness and after waxing. You can also use ice or brewed and cooled tea bags to help with redness.

* Always read and follow the directions and warning copy on the package.

Disclosure: I’m working with Church & Dwight as an ambassador. Opinions here are my own.

Entertainment

Why is Everyone Being So Hard on Juan Pablo?

March 11, 2014

The Bachelor finale was not what anyone expected. Juan Pablo Galavis chose Nikki Ferrell over Clare Crawley but he didn’t propose – instead told her, “I like you, I like you a lot.”

Ok ok, it could be that English is his second language makes it challenging for Juan Pablo to express himself as well in English. It may be difficult for him to articulate well.

But he was honest – he couldn’t say he was in love because he wasn’t yet. And everyone is coming down hard on him because of it.

I’m not surprised by Juan Pablo’s decision – he just wasn’t ready to propose. So why is everyone slamming him? Isn’t it a better choice to take things slow first rather than jump into marriage, just for the sake of a TV reality show?

I don’t know how possible is it to fall in love with someone in just six weeks, without the other person not being able to tell you how they feel openly. Now for someone who is young and single, I can see how the romance of it all can take you away and how easy it is to let your emotions take over completely.

But Juan Pablo has a child. If you were a single parent, would you realistically be able to find love and a step-parent within six weeks?

As a parent, I wouldn’t want to propose marriage after several weeks in a fantasy-like setting – it’s not real life. Can the relationship survive in the real world? Will this person be a good step-parent? You can’t possibly make the right decision.

In the After the Final Rose show, it was the most awkward than any show ever before. Chris Harrison was grasping at straws, trying to squeeze some information out of Juan Pablo about his relationship with Nikki.

Juan Pablo openly said he’s ready to start a real relationship with Nikki now, without the cameras following them around. He’s taking the relationship seriously – after all, he does have a daughter.

I think people are being a little hard on Juan Pablo about him wanting some privacy now that the show is over. Not everyone is going to enjoy the spotlight and fall in love within six weeks. At least Juan Pablo was honest about it, even though he came across to most as a jerk.

It’s obvious that Juan Pablo is happy he met Nikki but not happy with how the show turned out, or the producers. I’m sure The Bachelor producers tried to have him exaggerate his feelings for the sake of good TV. Juan Pablo is glad it’s over and that his obligation to the show and his contract is done.

Is host Chris Harrison saying that the Bachelor should lie about his feelings for the sake of television? That Juan Pablo didn’t serve up good TV? Is that what America wants – a fake, made-up contrived love story?

In that case, Juan Pablo did the right thing – I’m sure his contract was finally over and he wasn’t about to give the show any more information than he had to.

I’m not going to get into why we all don’t like Juan Pablo – and there is a lot to talk about there…

Oh Juan Pablo, eeees okay!!!

Big Kids

Should Handheld Devices be Banned for Kids Under 12?

March 10, 2014

Should handheld devices be banned for kids under 12? Cris Rowan, pediatric occupational therapist and author, thinks they should be.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Society of Pediatrics, infants aged 0-2 years should not have any exposure to technology, children aged 3-5 should be restricted to one hour per day and 6-18 year old kids should be restricted to 2 hours per day.

Rowan argues that children and youth use technology 4-5 times the recommended amount with serious and often life threatening consequences. Handheld devices include cell phones, tablets, electronic games – think of iPads, iPhones, iPods, Ninendo DS’s.

Reducing the amount of usage of handheld devices is crucial but I think banning makes it extreme. How do we go back in time? How can we reverse back to when technology was used minimally? Rewinding to a simpler time after technology has been introduced is very difficult.

Also tech tools such as iPads are being used in schools as part of teachers’ curriculum, and the spending of those devices is paid for by boards of education.

Of course it’s important for parents and children to have screen-free quality family time however it seems silly to deny children access to technology tools which will be the norm for these children in future learning and employment.

At the same time, it’s awful to see some children as young as three years old, spending hours upon hours between watching television, playing video games, watching or playing games on an iPad. Parents can set limitations – here are 5 ways to limit screen time for children.

When we were children, we didn’t have devices or videos to keep us occupied in the car, at appointments or at home. We’d use our imagination, read books, play games, tell jokes… it’s baffling to see a bunch of kids together sitting down in a row and they’re all on their devices.

As parents spend more time on their devices, they are disconnecting from their children and vice versa.

What do you think? Should handheld devices be banned for kids under 12?

Books & Music

No More Books With Talking Animals in Canadian Schools?

March 6, 2014

The Chair of the Canadian Education Committee announced that he would like to see all books with talking animals removed from Canadian schools.

Newly-appointed Harold Wright – who is the only person on the committee – thinks that books with talking animal characters are harmful to the development of children and detrimental, calling them “nonsense” by making kids think that it’s real life.

So what would happen to our beloved Charlotte’s Web? Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Stuart Little and Winnie the Pooh? What about all of these other classic books with animals who talk?

In an interview with CBC’s Peter Oldring, Wright mentions the book “Harry the Grumpy Horse” arguing that a horse can’t speak and we’re teaching children will think it’s real. “What is that doing to children?”

He also argued that encouraging a child to believe that a Hippopotamus can not only speak but is also a dental hygienist is a “ludicrous notion and extremely detrimental to a child’s development”.

What kind of books would he like to see in Canadian schools? Wright wants more books with realism. “Why does a construction worker have to be a giraffe? Make him a construction worker.”

Now where’s the fun in that? Not long ago there was a some new research which showed that one in five parents had scrapped some fairytale classics such as Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood because they are too scary for their kids.

What kind of books would he like to see in Canadian schools? Wright wants more books with realism. “Why does a construction worker have to be a giraffe? Make him a construction worker.”

What do you think – ridiculous or valid?

Update: OK so I totally fell for this story… This show called “This is That” is “a current affairs program that doesn’t just talk about the issues, it fabricates them.” Totally got me!

Big Kids

The Next Step on The Family Channel Interview with West

March 5, 2014

My nine-year-old son likes watching The Next Step on The Family Channel, which is a television show about a group of dancers who attend The Next Step Dance Studio as they strive to win a series of dance competitions.

When I had a chance to chat with one of the actors of the show about the upcoming second season of The Next Step, my son was all over it! So I handed the interview over to him and had him write out the questions and conduct the interview with Lamar Johnson who plays West.

Lamar is a self-taught dancer with a natural flair and rhythm. Being born in Toronto, Ontario, he grew up in a vast community of dance and arts. Well known for his back flips and amazing tumbling abilities, he was cast at the age of nine as ‘Little Man’ alongside Jessica Alba in the feature film “Honey”.

Q: How many times a day do you practice your dancing and for how long?

A: I’m pretty much dancing every day whether it’s at the studio or at home, I’m just dancing. When I hear music I start to freestyle. I’d say the minimum is about 30 hours a week.

Q: Why is dancing your passion?

A: I grew up with it because my family is performers, my mother being a dancer and my father being a singer, it kind of was just in my blood. My mom was telling me when I was younger she used to bring me to friends’ parties and when the music started playing, I would just dance. It was just something that was in me from a very young age and I just love it.

Q: You were a dancer first. Why did you start acting?

A: I wanted to broaden what I did and what I was interested in acting as well and I would really enjoy watching television and watching those shows and one day I was sitting down and I wondered, why can’t that be me? I got into a conversation with one of my friends and he had an agent so I ended up getting an agent and I made that transition and I started acting and acting is my new found love.

Q: What do you eat to be healthy enough before and after your dancing?

A: I eat a lot! I’ve cut down on junk food, but I like to eat a lot of pasta and it’s really important to keep hydrated during your dancing. Drink lots of water and stay hydrated.

Q: What will season two of The Next Step be like?

A: There will be much more dancing, now we’re national and it’s a bigger competition and much more at stake. The stakes are much higher.

Family Channel’s hit series The Next Step will be returning on Friday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT.

Health

Week Two of My 30 Day Health Kick

March 4, 2014

I’ve been on a gluten free diet for some time now, as well as cutting out a bunch of other foods (if you didn’t know already).

A little while ago I mentioned that I was starting up a 30 day health kick on my social media channels and immediately friends chimed in saying that the liver does a natural cleanse of our bodies and that detoxes are not necessary. No need to argue those points because there are differing opinions on the topic! Who knew that cleanses and detox diets would stir up such a debate?

Having cut out so many foods from my diet and not having lost a pound, I felt I needed a boost to my sluggish metabolism. Yes I exercise – maybe not extensively as my current schedule doesn’t permit 5 days at the gym at the moment – but it hasn’t been enough to kick-start my metabolism.

I was thinking that something was missing from my already restrictive diet. So I started a 30 day health kick by drinking vegan protein shakes. The protein shake has 22 grams of pea protein and hemp protein and keeps you feeling full all morning. You can either have another shake for lunch or for dinner.

Once a week, you have a cleanse day – it’s like intermittent fasting – where you consume a cleanse juice filled with nutrients and minerals as well as snacks every hour or two. Some more info on intermittent fasting here (which I find interesting).

So two weeks in and what are my results at the half-way point?

The first week of my 30 day health kick, I didn’t see any weight loss surprisingly! It was actually a good sign for me since most times, you end up losing water in the first week anyway – which you immediately gain back after re-introducing foods to your diet.

I’ll be honest, I found the first few days a little challenging. I upped my intake of water but I must admit, I was really missing my coffee. However by week two, it did get easier AND I started noticing a difference in the way I felt in terms of energy level, and how my clothes were feeling…

Since I’ve been my drinking protein shakes, I’m happy to say that I have more energy and I’ve finally crossed that plateau! I’ve managed to lose 5 lbs so far and 4 inches in two weeks! This metabolism boost has really helped me get closer to reaching my goal.

I’d say that’s pretty good results for only having one shake a day for breakfast (instead of the recommended two per day on this particular program) on my 30 day health kick!

Two more weeks to go. In the meantime, if you’d like to learn more, see here.

Contest

Sick? 4 Tips to Getting Better

March 3, 2014

This Polar Vortex has been insanity! This past winter has been brutal – it’s been the second coldest winter in decades!

This winter has been difficult both mentally and physically. While we’d like to think we’re winter warriors, sometimes our immune systems start to crack… especially with constant -20 C temps!

If you can recognize the telltale signs of cold and flu symptoms, you’ll be better prepared to act fast. Here are the differences between cold and flu:

Cold:

Cough
Scratchy Throat
Congestion
Runny Nose

Flu:

Extreme Fatigue
Aches and Pains
Chills
Fever
Headache

Prevention is key so make sure to read my tips on how to avoid getting sick.

If you weren’t able to avoid those nasty Canadian cold and flu bugs this winter, here are 4 tips to getting better:

1. Treatment: With ingredients like ginger and willow bark, Gravol’s® Natural Source Multi Symptom will help you kick that cold to the curb. This all-in-one pain, fever and nausea reliever won’t leave you feeling drowsy either, because we all know you’ve got a million things to do.

2. Exercise: Just as much of a preventative measure as it is a solution; don’t let sore muscles and joints stop you from being active. Bring out the triple threat – RUB A535® Triple Action Cream cools, warms and soothes to keep you going. Exercising will help your body fight the cold, improve your mood, boost your energy and help you sleep, a win-win situation.

3. Drink Fluids: Just like your parents always said, drink lots of hot liquids to soothe your throat, thin your mucus and put you on the road to recovery.

4. Vitamin C: Extra vitamin C? Try Vitafusion™ Power C™ adult gummy vitamins to up your vitamin C intake. Delicious orange flavour and yummy gummy texture will make remembering to take them the easiest thing you do today.

ENTER TO WIN

I’m giving away TWO “Winter Warrior” prize packs to help keep the whole family healthy this looooong winter. This giveaway will include the following products:

Vitafusion™ MultiVites™
L’il Critters™ GummyVites™
Vitafusion™ Power C™
RUB A535® Triple Action Cream
RUB A535® Arnica Gel-Cream
RUB A535® Arnica Spray
Gravol® Natural Source Multi-Symptom Tablets
Gravol® Kids Quick Dissolve Chewable Tablets
Gravol® Liquid Gel Capsules
Vitafusion™ T-shirt

Total Value: Approx. $100

Enter this giveaway by filling out the Rafflecopter below. Open to Canadians only. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I’m working with Church & Dwight as an ambassador. Opinions here are my own.

Health

Blissful Weekend at Ste. Anne’s Spa

February 27, 2014

From the moment I walked into Ste. Anne’s Spa, I instantly felt I could let my guard down for a weekend of relaxation and quiet. Just an hour and a half east of Toronto, Canada’s largest destination spa offers all-inclusive day and blissful weekend getaways that rejuvenate your body and soul.

As soon as you enter the lovely grounds in Grafton, Ontario, the clothes come off! You can put on your robe with your bathing suit underneath and enjoy the day simply free at probably the most relaxing spa in Ontario!

You’re able to arrive early at Ste. Anne’s and use the lockers to store your items until your room is ready, for overnight visits, or during the day for day spas. I arrived around noon and stored my items in the locker.

I grabbed a coffee one of the several sitting areas and waited for my appointment for an Aroma Stone Massage. There are several quiet rooms to enjoy with a cup of tea and a good book, or a game of chess or a puzzle.

The massage therapist used hot basalt stones and essential oils. I was able to choose two scents for my massage – vanilla and cinnamon. The entire massage is performed using the stones with just enough pressure to make it enjoyable. The soothing heat and the feeling of the stones plus the aroma from the essential oils makes it a favourite of mine and one I’ll go back and do again. It was the first time I’d ever received a hot stone massage and let me tell you, it was an hour of complete bliss!

This is how I look when I’m relaxed:

There are 16 rooms in The Main Inn which feature private bathrooms and many have fireplaces. These rooms are close to the dining and spa facilities. There are also six cottages located nearby which is nice if you want extra privacy or larger groups – I’m talking about a girls weekend, or even a romantic getaway with your partner.

The dining room is warm and inviting. Usually with packages you can get a three-course lunch, an afternoon tea, a spa and wellness allowance which can go towards one of the many spa services and complete use of all of the facilities. If you’re staying overnight, you’ll also have breakfast and a four-course dinner in the dining room.

What impressed me the most was that the dining room only offers a gluten-free menu! With someone like me with so many dietary restrictions, they were so willing and capable of adjusting my meals.

The spa also offers wellness classes throughout the day including yoga. For $10, I took part in a meditation class – you can sign up for classes when you arrive to guarantee a spot. I just may have traveled to another realm in this photo:

My accommodations were so lovely – I stayed in the Eagle’s Nest room at the Bird Song Cottage which is just a few minutes away from the Main Inn. It offered a large bathroom with a deep soaking tub with jets, a queen size poster bed and a fireplace. It’s just a few doors down from Ste. Anne’s gluten-free bakery!

The facilities at Ste. Anne’s are wonderful. In addition to the main inn, you can also enjoy a workout or swim at the new fitness facility located at Maison Santé. Maison Santé is equipped with an outdoor endless pool, which allows you to swim against smooth currents and includes an underwater treadmill.

The hot tub, steam room and dry sauna are accessible in the women’s locker area. But the Fieldstone Grotto and Eucalyptus room are the big highlight of the Inn.

The Fieldstone Grotto is open year-round and features a hot tub, a plunge pool for cooling down after heating up in the hot tub, and a lap pool where you can swim against a current. In the middle of winter, it was amazing to be sitting in the outdoor hot tub. I think I made it in the plunge pool to about my knee!

The Eucalyptus Steam Room is infused with eucalyptus (pure essential oil) which can be helpful in relieving many respiratory symptoms. The eucalyptus is dispensed automatically. I found going straight from the hot tub to the eucalyptus room was the most enjoyable.

The Ste. Anne’s philosophy focuses on creating an atmosphere to help rebuild your strength, recapture your energy, and reflect on what’s truly important in your life. And that is does, above and beyond your expectations!

I’ll be going back with my mom, and another time with the husband for sure. I also think it’s a great destination for a group of girlfriends.

You can enter to win an overnight stay for two in a private cottage at Ste. Anne’s Spa here.