Positively Posie – lifestyle + beauty + wellness + motherhood

Yes, I’ve Tried Laser Hair Removal, Lets Talk About It

April 15, 2018April 16, 2018by Positively PosieLeave a Comment

Smooth sexy hairless skin is in, okay it is if you are me! I wanted to do laser hair removal for years because I FREAKING hate hair and no matter what razor I used I would end up with razor burn. I was that girl that with rashes all over my legs and even my lady business. YES – That’s right ya’ll it wasn’t fun, so I finally said enough is enough I needed to get laser hair removal ASAP.

Laser hair removal has been life changing, yes that sounds cheesy but that is how BAD my razor burn got! If you have hair that grows thick and fast like me, and constantly get razor burn and can take a little bit of pain- – plus the whole process of it. Then guys you’ll really never have to shave much again!!

But always you guys if you are fine with your body hair and razor burn, of course — that decision is completely up to you. Okay enough already, lets dive into the world of laser hair removal.

WHAT IS LASER HAIR REMOVAL

Laser hair removal targets hair follicles that are about to enter the (active) phase of hair growth, with the goal of destroying the follicle itself which will end hair growth to a specific area. The goal is to hit the different growth cycles of your hair, because not every follicle goes through each cycle at the same time and speed. Which leads us into the next question…

HOW MANY SESSIONS DO I NEED

On average most people need 10-12 sessions. The length between sessions will depend on the body part your lasering. Facial hair sessions are spread to every 2-3 weeks, and then body hair like legs is every 6-8 weeks depending on how fast your hair grows.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO COMPLETE TREATMENT

Because the goal is to hit the different growth cycles of your hair. You’re looking at a few months to complete treatment. It is important to remember that with each session your hair is going to become less dense and more fine.With each session you will notice that shaving becomes much easier with less razor burn and ingrown hairs. For me I have crazyyy hair, unlike any hair they seen or so they say. Basically my hair is really stubborn and I had to get more treatments than the average person. YAY ME. But again I didn’t care the razor burn was so bad, I would do 1,000 treatments to get rid of my body hair.

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR MY TREATMENTS

Okay so it is really important to prepare your skin prior to each treatment. Make sure to shave prior to each treatment, and it helps if you NOT super tan prior to your session. Sorry guys no spray tan a week or two prior to treatment, you’ll survive. Why you ask well to avoid chances of the laser targeting the skin pigment and not the hair.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST

The price is going to vary based on the size of the treatment area, as well the med spa you choose to go to. Most places will have a package deal of 5-6 treatments for X $ amount and then a smaller fee for yearly touch ups. But before you spend the money make sure that you are a good candidate for laser hair removal. If you have blonde, gray or red hair ALL laser hair removal treatments WILL NOT respond the way you want because the laser targets melanin, the pigment in the hair follicle. JUST a friendly reminder to do your research before trying any beauty treatment.

Have any of you tried laser hair removal? Are you thinking of getting it, I would love to know your thoughts and your experiences.

Have a great week guys!

Xo- Whitney

Lifestyle, Wellness

How I Curbed My Sweet Tooth

April 9, 2018April 16, 2018by Positively Posie2 Comments

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Recently I asked on Instagram what ya’ll wanted to hear more of and the people spoke….drumroll please… Health and Wellness! So today I really want to share with you my journey with sugar! Before we begin, can I just preface this post by saying, I need a sweet treat sometimes. I am not here to tell you to NEVER have a sweet treat ever again. I am here to say (because I know personally) that sugar can control your life, because it is addicting. I saved this article forever ago because I loved what it asks, are you high? High off of sugar that is, don’t worry most of us are buzzed off of sugar these days. We eat on average, as American’s nearly 66 pounds of added sugar every year, when I read this and my jaw dropped. I’m sure that a few years ago I was consuming 66 lbs of sugar a year too but not since curbed that sweet tooth. So moving right along & back to the point: How I Curbed My Sweet Tooth! Well I came up with game plan that’s fairly easy to manage, with this anyone can say PEACE OUT to sugar controlling their life.

+ I’m starting this off with a harsh dose of reality. Sugar is addicting. Truly to curb your sweet tooth I believe you have to cut it completely out before slowly reintroducing those little treats. When I say cut it completely out I mean cut out what I like to call ” THE BIG THREE” the soda, candy, desserts. There is sugar in everything but those three are where I started.

+ Clean out the fridge and pantry. I literally had a trash full of items that were loaded with sugar. Out of sight out of mind, right! Even the kids treats, if you don’t think you can control yourself until you are detoxed then get rid of those treats too!

+ Eat breakfast. 90% of the time I have eggs and avocado for breakfast. I keep it simple folks, protein with some healthy fats. I swear that when I eat breakfast I find myself not snacking later in the night, which is when most of us tend to grab the sweets.

+ Reduced Stress. Truth! So many people are stress sugar eaters and when we are stressed our bodies produce more cortisol. Cortisol increases our appetite and motivation to eat. By reducing stress through prayer, yoga, drinking decaff coffee and adrenal support supplements I have drastically reduced my stress and my night time sugar cravings.

+ Staying Hydrated. Towards the end of the night I often grab a La Croix or some hot tea. Just something to hold in my hands and sip, really helps. It’s about an hour before bed that those sugary cravings pop up. I encourage you to ask yourself , am I needing something sweet or would some water/ tea do the trick. I bet it will do the trick!!

Anyways– my friends. It took me completely cutting out sugar to beat that addiction. Now I feel like sugar doesn’t control me, and I can 100% have a healthier sweet treat when I want… I’m in control! I hope these tips help and encourage you to curb that sweet tooth too!

xo- Whitney

Beauty, Skin

3 Beauty Essentials Products for Spring and Summer

April 5, 2018April 16, 2018by Positively PosieLeave a Comment

I quickly wanted to share 3 beauty essentials products that are a must for spring and summer. I can’t go anywhere without these 3 things items. I am so in love with these because they have helped change my skin for the better. Okay- lets get into it!!

+ Dr Lancer’s the Method is a game changer for skin texture. The polish is life changing and unlike any product I have ever used. I literally have my husband and sister using the method too! My pores are smaller and my makeup goes on so much better because it changes the texture of your skin to this creamy smooth texture (it’s hard to explain the difference). Try the travel size collection if you don’t want to commit right away, that is what I did at first and later bought the full sizes.

+ Caffeinated Sunscreen. I’m a huge fan of the Skinny Confidential she the QUEEN of skin and I totally appreciate her love for her skincare. She is obsessed with caffeinated sunscreen and after looking into it I had to try it. Guys, it really is as good as she says it is, it’s the best base under my makeup. Also thanks to a study at Rutgers University, it shows that caffeine promotes the destruction of cells damaged by sunlight before they have a chance to to mutate into anything. Try it out, I know you are gonna thank me!

+SkinMedica Lytera 2.0 Pigment correcting serum. While pregnant with Blakely mama got melasma AKA not so cute brown patches all over my forehead and under my eyes. Which I think gave me weird little raccoon eyes, not cute guys!!! Over the last 6 months I have religiously been putting this serum on AM/PM and it has made a world of a difference. My only tip is you have to do this everyday AM/PM to see those spots fade, I wasn’t being consist at the beginning and so my raccoon eyes stayed around longer than they should have. Consistency is key!

Okay loves that it, I’m addicted to loving and taking care of my skin (I wish I was like this when I was 20) BUT better late than never! THREE products you won’t be disappointed in I can promise you that, they haven’t disappointed me yet!

xoxo- Whitney

Wellness

5 Things To Know If Diagnosed With Hashimoto’s Disease

March 23, 2018April 18, 2018by Positively PosieLeave a Comment

Hey Everyone! I was overwhelmed with the number of people who reached out to me when I started talking about Hashimoto’s disease and my journey. I noticed THREE reoccurring themes from most of you who contacted me. First, it was you were diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, given medication and told to come back to recheck my levels in a few months. Basically here take this pill to fix it…. end of story. I also heard, well my doctor tested my thyroid except not my antibody levels. And finally I heard many people were struggling with weight gain due Hashimotos. So like I said on Instagram, over the last year I’ve put my nursing skills to use and have been studying Hashimoto’s. Here are 5 Things To Know If You Have Hashimoto’s Disease. (* please remember I am NOT nurse practitioner yet this is just what I have learned through studying and working with my doctor. I suggest seeing a naturopathic doctor they tend to see the whole picture when it comes to Hashimotos)

PROPER LABS

1. Do you have the right labs being drawn? Your practitioner will be looking at your TSH, Free T3, and Free T4, Reverse T3, Antibodies. It is important to know that Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease. This means that your immune system is attacking your own thyroid, which causes it to underproduce thyroid hormones [iii.] . Like I said in the intro many people told me they know they struggle with hypothyroidism but don’t know if their condition is autoimmune-related or not. This is totally unfortunate but very common and here is why. Most conventional doctors don’t routinely check for thyroid antibodies when testing thyroid blood levels. Which is mind blowing to me because you are not getting the “FULL” picture of your health. It’s just so unfair to you as the patien not to know this piece of information. So please make sure to ask your doctor to include checking your antibody levels (* be your own advocate people)

STRESS

2. Stress plays a huge role in how your thyroid functions [i]. I was going to try to break down the medical side of things but it is hard to quote on quote “break it down” because this whole thing is so complex. But what we know is stress has a major impact on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Cortisol is regulated via the HPA axis, cortisol is the primary hormone responsible for stress response [v.]. Cortisol’s weakening effects on the immune response have also been well documented. When you are stressed this axis is impacted, therefore your thyroid gland and immune system suffer too[ii]. Guys, reducing your stress level will help in the healing process, over the last year I have done everything in my power to reduce my stress levels. Some of those ways have been getting more sleep, just making an effort to get to bed by 9:00pm. A big one for me is to NOT watch the news. Seeing how crazy the world is really gives me anxiety, so I monitor what I watch. And probably the hardest has been reducing my coffee (caffeine) intake, I only have one cup in the morning and often it is decaf.

BYE BYE GLUTEN

3. Eliminating Gluten is key and here is why. Studies from several different countries show Hashimoto’s is linked to gluten sensitivity. The protein structure in the gluten protein shares an amino acid sequence that resembles that of the thyroid. Therefore, when a gluten sensitive person reacts to gluten, the immune system may begin erroneously reacting to thyroid tissue too [iii.]. By cutting out gluten you are reducing an immune reaction that leads to thyroid tissue destruction. This whole process is known as molecular mimicry, which I learned all about from Dr. Amy Meyers. Dairy’s molecular makeup is also similar to gluten which is why a lot of people eliminate this as well (me included) [iii.]. Over the last 10 years I’ve cut out gluten, dairy, soy which I believe helped keep my Hashimoto’s symptoms almost unnoticeable. Probably why it took me so long to figure out that I even had it.

GUT HEALTH

4. Gut support, sounds weird right but it’s SO important when dealing with Hashimotos. This thing called leaky gut and gluten go hand in hand people. If you consume gluten and have a sensitivity to it what happens is the gluten will make its way to the small intestine. Inflammation then happens in your small intestine and creates abnormally large spaces between the cells of the gut wall which allow the entry of toxic “crap” to enter your bloodstream[iii.]. Lovely right?! So to support and heal the gut is key with Hashimotos. First I cut out gluten (gone bye bye) and second I’ve added in a few things to my daily/weekly routine to help heal and protect my gut. Digestives enzymes, probiotics, bone broth (swapping our chicken broth in cooking), fermented foods like kombucha a couple days a week, and I buy only organic meat and veggies. Guys, I encourage you to research leaky gut and try adding in some of these things to help heal your gut.

PROPER SUPPLEMENTS

5. There are common nutrient depletions with Hashimotos, I also did a blood test to get an even bigger picture of my deficiencies. The most common nutrient depletions that I’ve found in my studies are selenium, vitamin D, B12, ferritin (the iron storage protein), thiamine and magnesium [iv.]. I don’t actually take all of these, but working with my naturopathic doctor I’m taking the exact supplements that my body needs due to the Hashimotos. Find a practitioner that will work with you on this, it is crucial!! And in my opinion I was shocked how with the just the proper supplements I started to feel better… quickly.

Alright, so there are my 5 Things To Know If You Have Hashimoto’s Disease. It’s life changing finding a doctor/nurse practitioner who doesn’t do things the conventional way. Conventional medicine is great but what I’ve realized is sometimes you need a little more than that. You need to think outside the box and try to look at other factors impacting your health. I hope this helps you see the full picture of what you can do to help conquer Hashimotos.

If you have any questions find me on Instagram and DM me or write me a comment here!!

xo – Whitney

References

^[i] Stress and Your Thyroid. Thyroid Advisor. https://thyroidadvisor.com/stress-and-your-thyroid/#_ednref1

[ii] Smith SM, Vale WW. The role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in neuroendocrine responses to stress. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. 2006;8(4):383-395. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3181830/

[iii.] Is Gluten to Blame for Your Hashimoto’s, AmyMyersmd.com https://www.amymyersmd.com/2017/12/gluten-blame-hashimotos/

[iv.] The 6 Most Important Nutrient Deficiencies in Hashimoto’s, Thyroidpharmacist.com., https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/6-important-nutrient-deficiencies-hashimotos/

[v.] Michael Randall ’12, The Physiology of Stress: Cortisol and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis, Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science, http://dujs.dartmouth.edu/2011/02/the-physiology-of-stress-cortisol-and-the-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis/#.WrUPktPwa8o

Motherhood

Embracing My Mom Bod

March 11, 2018April 16, 2018by Positively PosieLeave a Comment

unnamed-1 Over the last few years I have really started to see my body as a piece of artwork. I only started to view it this way after I had my daughter. Watching my body carry and give birth to a baby allowed me to give myself some grace in the body image department.

A mother’s body, is beautifully and wonderfully made, I only wish I could have learned this type of grace when I was younger. The struggle to have positive body image has plagued my life since before I can remember. I was never thin enough or toned enough. I always had to many stretch marks and cellulite. This toxic thing called “PERFECTION” ate away at my soul little by little.

I recently shared a guest post on the website KNOW.BE.RAISE, about my journey to loving and accepting my ever changing body. Our bodies help shape our lives and tell our stories. I hope by sharing my story, it will encourage women everywhere to embrace their mom bod. Head to KNOW. BE. RAISE to read the full post and interview questions.

xo- Whitney

Beauty

Four Easy Hairstyles For Long Hair

March 4, 2018April 16, 2018by Positively PosieLeave a Comment

If you have been around here awhile you know I love hair extensions but I rarely do anything fancy with my hair just simple beach waves. Well as of recent I have been branching out and trying new looks. Here are four of my favorite hairstyles to try and if I can do these styles ANYONE can do them!

Amber Fillerup inspired- WRAPPED LOW BRAID

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Khole Kardashion inspired- HALF UP PONYTAIL

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Amber Fillerup inspired- Bubble Braid or Bubble Pony

Amber Fillerup inspired Beach Waves- My Everyday Look

My Tips

Not everyone has really thick extensions to make the braids look big and thick, so make sure to tease the base of your hair and all the way down, then just tame and smooth for extra volume. Then your ready to get started.
On the wrapped braid I like to use a clear rubber band over the section wrapped around the base of my pony instead of a bobby pen. It sounds weird but it actually works to keep it in place better and it doesn’t show.
The cheaper the curling iron the better, it’s true the curls are the beachest the cheaper the iron.
For those perfect beach waves hair spray is a must, I spray and brush each sections before I curl. The curls truly hold much longer!

Happy Hairstyling Friends!

Lifestyle

Tone It Up Inspired Blueberry Avocado Smoothie

February 23, 2018February 24, 2018by Positively PosieLeave a Comment

1 scoops Vanilla Tone It Up Protein ( gf. soy. dairy free)

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup spinach

1 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 od an frozen banana

1/2 of an avocado

1/2 cup of unsweetened vanilla coconut yogurt

Okay guys this is how I really drink my smoothie, the straw is cute but come on! This blueberry coconut smoothie is similar to a TIU smoothie, but I added a few more items to increase my “good” fat intake for the day. It’s so good I have to control myself and drink it slowly! Hope you love it as much as I do… ENJOY!

Lifestyle

San Diego’s Most Instagram Worthy Spots

February 15, 2018April 16, 2018by Positively PosieLeave a Comment

Over the last year I have literally been Instagramming myself all over San Diego. In 2017 I posted some of my favorite Instagram worthy spots in North Park but there are so many more places to see in this iconic city. I decided to create a Instagram tour guide for ALL of San Diego. So get ready here are my favorite Instagram spots around San Diego, Happy Instagramming!

Spanish Village Art Center

The spanish village art center is a hidden treasure located in Balboa Park and is largest community of artists in San Diego. It is a color of explosion, and the perfect place to snap a few IG photos. (Google Maps)

S3 Coffee Bar

S3 coffee bar’s drinks and decor are truly Instagram Heaven! Grab Rose Gold latte or a Rainbow latte you won’t be disappointed! (Google Map)

C O M M U N A L C O F F E E

San Diego Instagram worthy spots communal coffee This shop gives me two of my favorite things– Coffee + Flowers! It’s the perfect spot to grab a latte, a bite to eat and a beautiful boutique of flowers. (Google Map)

Holy Matcha

If pink is your favorite color this is the spot for you. The decor and drinks are Instagram worthy, my drink of choice is their Matcha Latte with coconut milk, it is delicious! (Google Maps)

Artelexia

The perfect Instagram spot if you’re a local or a tourist, this store is full of color and cute trinkets! (Google Maps)

Pigment

Add some life to your Instagram page with a photo in front of Pigment’s ombre pink wall. Pigment it is my favorite store in San Diego! Succulents, flamingos and rainbows cover the store, it’s the BEST! (Google Maps)

Birch Aquarium

The birch aquarium is hidden mom jewel but it’s still very Instagram worthy. This is the perfect place to feel reminded that beauty is all around us, on land and in water! (Google Maps)

Favorite Color Wall

This playful wall in La Jolla is another one of my favorites! The “favorite color” mural was created by Roy Mcmakin an designer, architect and was inspired by the emotions around peoples favorite colors. Don’t forget to use #favoritecolor. (Google Maps)

Chronic Smoothies, Blazin Grill

San Diego Instagram worthy spots Chronic Smoothie Grab yourself a smoothie and 3 killer IG photos… thanks to the artist peasefulxo there are three beautiful murals to choose from… here are 2 of the 3! Make sure to show the love and tag peasefulxo. on Instagrtam. (Google Maps)

Happy San Diego wandering and instagramming friends!

–Whitney

Beauty, Skin

Best Brow and Beauty Spa in San Diego- High Brow Beauty

February 11, 2018April 16, 2018by Positively PosieLeave a Comment

Happy Friday babes. I don’t know about you but when I was a little girl I remember watching my mom take care of her beautiful skin. She always made it priority to use great products and wash her face morning and night. I carried that with me into adulthood . So for me taking care of my skin is really important and an everyday thing. So when I got the opportunity to try some of High Brow Beauty’s amazing beauty treatments I said “HELL YES”. I’m so excited to share my experience, so lets get into the details.

Talk about a darling little beauty spa set in downtown San Diego. High Brow Beauty offers Brow Design, Eye Lash Extensions, Keratin Lash Lift, Waxing, Sugaring and a variety of Facials .

They have the total dream team working there with years of experience in the world of beauty. First, I got my eyebrows shaped and they designed the perfect brow arch for me with a “no stencil” ! My eyebrows hadn’t been touched in months, so I definitely needed some shaping and cleaning up. Here is the before and the the following photos are the after!

High Brow Beauty- Waxing

After eye brow shaping I went straight into the Organic Medi Facial. Which they describe as the perfect marriage of medical science and luxurious pampering, this gentle yet effective facial is 100% natural. They used this incredible pumpkin enzyme mask that left my face so smooth and I’m still glowing two days post facial.

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We finished the morning off with Keratin Lash Lift, which I had never done or even heard of (I’m way behind in the lash department). Being honest I think this is awesome for people who need to curl their lashes daily.But I need to curl my lashes, so for me I had some MAJOR curl post treatment and I probably wouldn’t do it again.

I can’t thank High Brow Beauty enough for hosting me. If you are in Sa Diego and interested in trying some really great beauty treatments check them out!

Xo- Whitney High Brow Beauty- Eyelash Lift

Brows, Facial and Lash Lift, were provided to Positively Posie free of charge. These are all my opinions though!

Lifestyle

Must See Favorite Spots- Scottsdale, Arizona

February 5, 2018April 16, 2018by Positively PosieLeave a Comment

So much happiness in one spot,that is Arizona. It is one of favorite places in the world, and it will forever be home to me. So where should you go if your visiting Scottsdale, Arizona? Head to the heart of Scottsdale…Old Town! It has everything from great restaurants, boutiques,tourist shops and art galleries. Everything that makes for a great Saturday morning, check them out and DUH make sure to Instagram them!

The Art of Ice Cream Experience

Guys literally the most instagrammable and colorful place in Old Town. The Art of Ice Cream is celebrating America’s love of ice cream with interactive art that is so much fun. Your kids will love it, gosh YOU will love it because it’s such a happy and colorful place.

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Carmen on 5th

I can always count on Carmen to have a super cute Arizona based t-shirts. Stop in and check out their adorable shop! They are next to Cartel Coffee on 5th Avenue!

SHIRT: Madewell tie / SUNNIES: Madewell Aviators / BAG: H&M tote / Jeans: 7 mankind

Farm and Craft

If there was ever a restaurant made for me it is Farm and Craft. They have a wellness menu that features 4 paths to optimal health includes ( anti inflammatory, increasing probiotics levels, maintaining high levels of antioxidants and reducing your overall stress levels). Basically this place is gluten free, organic and hormone free, healthy food but done in a creative and delicious way!

RUZE Cake House

This is probably one of my favorite places in Arizona! Macaroons+ Boba Tea makes for the perfect afternoon treat. This shop has a place in my heart because the mother/daughter team behind RUZE have played a special role in my major life moments over the past two years. From my bridal shower to wedding cake and desserts, and then my baby shower treats, I just can’t get enough of their delicious but beautiful designed treats. Be on the look for a future post solely about RUZE and the women behind it.

OG Beauty

This little gem OG Beauty carries all types of indie beauty/ makeup brands. If your a makeup lover like me then you’ll want to pop in and check them out! They are located on Main St, just down from Ruze Cake House! So grab a Boba tea from Ruze and head over to OG beauty to try a couple new beauty products.