woman divine blog
Botox is a controversial topic. And a bit of a touchy one for sure. There are strong views in both camps. I try to give more of a heart to heart or a woman to woman approach to the subject. Hope you enjoy listening!
I would love to know what are your thoughts on botox. Have you done it? Are you thinking of doing it? Please share if you feel comfortable to do so:)
Magdalena xo
You may not know this but I have completed a holistic nutrition program back in the nineties.
Nutrition has always been a fundamental part of how I understand skin health. That’s why my clients always hear me talk about the importance of improving their diets.
I know that there are many different opinions on eating dairy products. But one thing for sure is that in some cases, today’s grocery store purchased dairy causes systemic havoc and often expresses itself through skin symptoms like dermatitis, acne or eczema.
Personally I have had my own share of dairy related issues and my baby girl was born with eczema behind her tiny ears. This prompted me to explore NUT MILK MAKING. I was in search of a nutritious drink for my family which would replace cow’s milk.
I know that you can buy a selection of nut milks in the store but I feel that nothing compares to making your own fresh and exactly the way you want it.
Nut milks are nutritionally amazing and packed with protein, unsaturated fats, vitamins and minerals. On top of that, when you make your own you can enhance it nutritionally with other natural foods like cocoa, carob powder, dry or fresh fruit. You can also flavour it with a drizzle of maple syrup, raw honey or vanilla.
If you want to go even more fancy you can fortify your nut milk with flaxseed, bee pollen, slippery elm or carob powder. The possibilities are limitless:)
The most exciting part of making your own NUT MILKS is that you will know exactly what you are feeding your body, you can create the most delicious drinks, and you will literally take your health in your own hands.
When we prepare our food from scratch we develop a deeper connection with and a deeper gratitude for how the earth sustains our life.
THIS IS HOW TO MAKE YOUR NUT MILK
What you need to know before you set out to make your milk is that nuts and seeds can go rancid and it is very important to make sure that yours are fresh and organic. Rancid oil within the nuts or seeds is very unhealthy and you will know right away when you bite into the nuts. Rancid will taste awful and bitter.
I always taste the nuts and seeds before I buy them and I always buy bulk. I know that we are not supposed to do this in the store but organic nuts can be very pricy so I give myself permission to do the tasting. Thus far, I never got caught:) I buy mine in the health food store and I usually store them in a mason jar in the fridge.
To make your nut milk you will need: nuts, purified water, a nut milk bag (you will find it at the health food store) and a good blender. I love the Vitamix and have been using one for the past 30 years.
I have many recipes that I like but a simple single nut milk is always a great way to start. I like to use raw almonds, pecans, cashews or walnuts.
1. Place 1 cup of your favourite nuts in a glass container. Cover with purified water and soak overnight or for 8 hours.
2. When ready, rinse the nuts, transfer to a blender and add four cups of purified water.
3. Blend:)
4. Line a glass container or a jar with a nut milk bag and strain the content of your blender. Make sure to squeeze every drop.
5. I like to store my nut milks in mason jars. Refrigerated it will keep for 3-4 days.
You can drink your nut milk cold or hot. Add it to your oatmeal, or smoothie in the morning. You can fortify it with fruit and honey or maple syrup to create lovely sweet tasting dessert-like drinks. Or you can mix nuts with seeds for a nutritionally rich drink.
Nuts are a concentrated source of protein, unsaturated fat, B complex vitamins, vitamin E, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous and copper.
Seeds are rich in protein, contain B complex vitamins, vitamin A,D,E, phosphorous, calcium, iron, iodine, potassium, magnesium, zinc, unsaturated fatty acids. Sesame seeds are especially high in calcium.
BANANA ALMOND MILK
1 cup of almond milk
1/2 ripe banana
a drizzle of maple syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Blend.
Enjoy!
CHOCOLATE ALMOND MILK
1 cup hot almond milk
1 tsp carob powder
1 tsp cocoa powder
a drizzle of maple syrup or honey
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Blend.
Enjoy!
Let your creative spirit go and make lots of delicious nut milk recipes. Your body and your skin will thank you!
Since we are on the topic of finding alternatives to cows milk products, I thought that I’ll share with you about my absolutely favourite nut cheese company. To tell you the truth, I didn’t really like nut cheese until I found the Quebec based VEGNATURE. Their fermented cashew cheese is excellent and very delicious!
I hope that you enjoyed this post. HAPPY NUT MILK MAKING TO YOU!
MAGDALENA XO
Deep gratitude to Dr. Kristy Lewis for the amazing opportunity to share about my work and about mindful beauty!
Dear Kristy, is an Ottawa based naturopathic doctor and she is also a natural when it comes to podcasting! Thank you for asking meaningful questions Kristy!!! I truly enjoyed this conversation.
Listen to this podcast HERE
Clients often ask me what is the difference between organic whole plant based products like I formulate for Woman Divine, and the department store or pharmacy bought, conventional lines. I feel that this is a very important question to ask and it absolutely deserves to be thoughtfully addressed.
Have a listen to this audio recording on the topic and let me know what you think.
Post your questions and feedback in comments or send me an email at info@womandivine.ca. and share with your friends.
I welcome your ideas and your wishes for future content so I can create recordings worthy of your time:)
Thank you,
Magdalena xo
I have prepared a recording for you on the subject of beauty. I’ve had good intentions to record it in a very professional way but then decided that there is no better time than right now. So, I have picked up my phone and went for it.
I hope that you will find this information very helpful. It really has put things into perspective for me, many years ago when I was first introduced to it. I also hope that you will be able to hear beyond my Polish accent, a sound quality which is not that of a recording studio and probably more than one English language mishap.
Have a listen and please let me know if you’ve enjoyed it. Should we do more of this in the future?
Love, Magdalena
We have recently added the much needed Cleansing Oil and a Cleansing cloth to Woman Divine Skin Care collection. To many women this is a new way of facial cleansing. Woman Divine collaborated with The Eco Hub www.theecohub on the 'Right way to cleanse your face' article. And here is all you need to know about oil cleansing: https://www.theecohub.ca/the-right-way-to-cleanse-your-face-with-oil/
Big thank you to the lovely Candice Batista the creator and the brains behind the www.theecohub TheEcoHub is truly an amazing resource for Canadians for all things Eco. At its core this is a website that connects conscious consumers to brands and companies that care about people and the planet. You will find there lots of valuable info to support your eco friendly living. Definite follow:) https://www.instagram.com/theecohub/
Here is a little bit about our new products.
CLEANSING OIL | plant oils + essences | purify and restore
A healthy skin care routine starts with proper cleansing. Our gentle Cleansing Oil will effectively remove pollution and makeup without disturbing or stripping the protective layer of your skin. This oil is suitable for all skin types.
Ingredients: *Camellia sinensis (Camellia seed) oil, *Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) oil, *Oenothera biennis (Primrose) oil, *Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) oil, *Olea europaea (Olive) oil, *Ricinus communis (Castor) oil, *Herbal infusion of: *Calendula officinalis (Calendula)flower, *Matricaria chamomilla (Chamomile)flower, *Rosa rugosa (Rose)flower, *Arnica montana (Arnica)flower, *Althaea officinalis (Marshmallow) root, essential oils: *Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender), *Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea tree)
*denotes organic or wildcrafted ingredients
purchase here: http://www.womandivine.ca/shop/cleansing-oil-plant-oils-essences-2
CLEANSING CLOTH
This multilayered cotton gauze cloth works very well with our cleansing oil and/ or facial compressing.
Because we really love our cloths which we use in Woman Divine Face Treatments we decided to make exactly the same one for you to take home. Handmade with ❤️
purchase here: http://www.womandivine.ca/shop/cleansing-cloth
I’m part of a professional group and there was an interesting discussion about transparency and ingredient sourcing in a skin care product formulating. I would like to share some thoughts with you on this subject because I believe it is an important one.
In general there are very few companies in the skin care industry that are truly honest about their ingredients. Period! First it was (and still is) game playing with the word ‘organic’. Many used one organic ingredient in their formula but made it sound as if their whole formula was such… Some did not use any organic ingredients and still managed to sneak the word ‘organic’ into their packaging and advertising. Now I can smell the same thing happening in regards to ingredient sourcing…. So watch out! The industry is going to entertain you with words like ‘transparency’, ‘sourcing’ and such for the next little while.
To tell the truth, I don’t spend much time any more on trying to figure out who speaks the truth and who does not. I don’t even consider myself part of the industry to be honest. I do my small thing in my small way and I am content with it. My products are truly a micro-batch creation and when I call it ‘artisan’ and ‘handcrafted’ it is because these are proper and honest words to describe what I do. Tim Hortons has an ‘artisan’ sandwich and a ‘handcrafted’ latte on their menu now. You could think we work in similar ways lol.
I feel like I am part of something much more beautiful than the INDUSTRY can ever be or offer. I am part of a still small, but very potent movement which is built around TRUST and RELATIONSHIPS and HONESTY and COMMUNITY and a simple belief in surrounding yourself with decent, solid human beings whose intentions and integrity you don’t have to question.
I thought about my sourcing practices and I must say they are not very complicated at all. I happen to know the people who grow herbs for my product. One of them is a dear friend, the other came to me as a client a long time before I bought any herbs from her. We know and understand each other’s values and beliefs. That’s what keeps us together:) They have my full confidence. I know how much love and care goes into their growing practices and I’d like to think that they trust I will put their hard work of growing herbs to good use. When I purchase other ingredients which come from far away places (which I had no chance to visit personally yet) I do so through people who have developed relationships with small producers around the world, similar to the one I have with the herb growers. TRUST is a common theme.
I understand, that the bigger the company the more tricky it gets to have this kind of connection. The beautiful values of HONESTY, TRUST, RELATIONSHIPS, COMMUNITY, which I cherish are lost and abandoned in mass-produced product and profit driven industry. Isn’t it ironic that we call it BEAUTY INDUSTRY. Where did the BEAUTY go?
Magdalena xo
