The French Apothecary

04/27/2025

“Invisible Shield, Anywhere You Go. From the beach to the boardroom, I never skip my SPF! 🌞✨ Sun Defense Minerals Sheer keeps my skin protected without a trace – no color, no shine, just healthy, radiant skin. This translucent mineral powder is my secret to staying sun-safe and confident all day, whether I’m bare-faced or setting my makeup. ”

04/24/2025

Red light therapy uses therapeutic LED wavelengths to stimulate your skin at a cellular level.
When paired with HydraFacial and LightStim, it helps:
• Boost collagen
• Reduce inflammation
• Calm redness
• Improve skin tone & elasticity

04/24/2025

Turn back the clock, naturally. Red light therapy boosts fibroblast activity, helping skin appear firmer, smoother, and more even-toned. Use it regularly after a HydraFacial for maximum anti-aging effects! Now available at Lifetime.Life Gilbert inside LifeSpa.

10/20/2021

Its Wellness Wednesday!

06/19/2021

Omg! It's very hot outside!
Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water frequently.
Do you struggle with the taste of plain water? Add a dash of fresh lemon or lime & a sprig of fresh mint for a refreshing drink!

06/07/2020

06/07/2020

Its been a while since I posted. Now, more than ever, it’s important to have a healthy and strong immune system.
Here are 10 foods to promote a healthy immune system.

1. Citrus
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps support a healthy immune system. Begin incorporating citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, lemons, tangerines and limes into your daily diet now. Your immune system will thank you. Not an orange fan? Kiwis are another tasty source of vitamin C!

2. Broccoli
Full of nutritional fiber, antioxidants and vitamins, broccoli packs a punch of good-for-you ingredients. While there are many delicious ways to enjoy broccoli, the veggie is at its most nutritious when minimally cooked, so try it quickly blanched or raw.

3. Garlic
Found in almost every cuisine around the world, fresh garlic is widely loved for its intense flavor and nutritional benefits. A little can go a long way toward helping to lower blood pressure, fighting infections, and boosting the immune system. Add some to your next pasta, stir-fry or salad dressing.

4. Red bell peppers
The eye-catching vegetable contains twice as much vitamin C as citrus, and it is also a rich source of beta carotene.

5. Almonds
While it’s not as talked about as vitamin C, vitamin E is also key to maintaining a healthy immune system—and almonds are a wonderful source. In fact, a half-cup serving provides nearly 100% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin E. They’re also a good source of plant-based protein, making them a great hunger-killing snack.

6. Spinach
Leafy greens like spinach and kale have beta carotene, vitamin C and countless antioxidants to keep your immune system in fighting shape. Like broccoli, spinach best retains its nutrients when raw. Add a handful to a salad, or blend it into a smoothie.

7. Sunflower seeds
Don’t let their size fool you; sunflower seeds are packed with nutrients, including phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin B-6, and vitamin E. Plus, they add a fun crunch to any salad, stir-fry or snack.

8. Green tea
While both green and black teas are rich in antioxidants, green tea offers more bang for your buck in the form of epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, known to enhance immune function. Green tea also offers a good dose of the amino acid L-theanine, which may help produce germ-fighting compounds.

9. Ginger
A common ingredient in cold-fighting remedies, ginger may help reduce a sore throat and other inflammatory illnesses. It’s also known to decrease nausea, ease chronic pain, and even lower cholesterol. To reap its nutritional benefits, it’s best to enjoy your ginger fresh (versus powder) in sweet and savory preparations.

10. Jackfruit
Of course, we couldn’t leave out our favorite immunity-boosting food of all! Along with being a great source of gut-healthy nutritional fiber, jackfruit is rich in vitamins A and C, which are both known to help ward off illness. Jackfruit’s high calcium content strengthens bones, while iron, magnesium and copper help improve blood and thyroid function. Easy to enjoy in sweet or savory dishes, super-versatile jackfruit is really the jack of all foods.

12/24/2016

The holidays are almost here! The stress of shopping, hosting, and entertaining are abounding. What do you do? Check out this article from Zija International on the top 5 timeless tips for a stress free holiday! Merry Christmas!

THE TOP 5 TIMELESS TIPS FOR HANDLING THE HOLIDAY STRESS AND FINDING INNER PEACE
“May you have warmth in your igloo, oil in your lamp, and peace in your heart!”

Eskimo proverb

The holidays are upon us.

A time of needed relaxation and more time with the people closest to us.

A time of stress and worries. A time of not all the joy you may have hoped for or been promised by upbeat advertising and movies.

It can be a time of mixed feelings.

So today I would like to share 5 powerful and timeless tips that can help you to make these holidays a more joyful and peaceful time.

1. Slow down.

“For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.”
Lily Tomlin

First, slow down. Even if it may feel silly and if you have to force it a bit. Slow down your body, move and walk slowly.

Breathe slower and more deeply with your belly (and focus on doing just that for two minutes and see what happens).

Slow down your eating (this will not only help you to relax, it will also help you to not eat too much during the holidays since it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to register that you are full).

Slow it all down and pay attention to what you are doing. Be here now and focus on doing just one thing at a time. By slowing down, by being here now, by not having your focus split between many things you – your body and your mind – start to relax.

2. Appreciate the little things instead of focusing on perfection.

“Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon.”
Winnie the Pooh

Daily happiness is to a large part about appreciating the small things. If you just allow yourself to be happy when accomplishing a big goal or when everything lines up just perfectly then you are making life harder than it needs to be.

Instead, focus on appreciating things that you may take for granted.

Take two minutes and find things in your life you can appreciate now. If you want a handful of suggestions, here are a few of the things that I like to appreciate around the holidays:

All the tasty food.
My health.
My family and friends.
That I have a roof and a warm home as the snow is falling and the cold winds are blowing.
The beautiful wintery landscapes.
3. Give a bit of joy to someone else.

“Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give.”
Eleanor Roosevelt

This may sound like an empty cliché but it surely works. One of the best ways to become happier is simply to make others happier.

When you make someone else happy you can sense, see, feel and hear it. And that happy feeling flows back to you.

And since the Law of Reciprocity is strong there is another upside. People will feel like giving back to you. Or like paying it forward to someone else.

And so the two (or more) of you keep building an upward spiral of for example positivity, of helping out, of cheering up and of lending a listening ear and support.

4. Focus on what is most valuable.

“You can never get enough of what you don’t need to make you happy.”
Eric Hoffer

“Joy is not in things; it is in us.”
Benjamin Franklin

Instead of focusing on a lot of things focus on what is most important and valuable to you.

If you still have Christmas gifts to buy then instead of giving away a lot of expensive stuff it may be better to give one thing that the person you are giving it to will truly appreciate.

Or maybe you could skip giving a physical thing altogether. And instead give away an experience that will become a special day and cherished memory for him or her or for the two of you.

However you choose to go about things over the holidays make it YOUR choices as best you can and not a bunch of shoulds that mostly make you feel deflated.

5. Just accept how you feel right now.

“We cannot change anything until we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses.”
Carl Jung

Maybe you try some of the tips above. And they still can’t help you to shake that negativity, worries or stress you are carrying around. I would then suggest that you just accept that the feeling is there.

Tell yourself: This is how I feel right now and I accept it.

This might sound counter-intuitive and like you are giving up. However, by accepting how you feel instead of resisting it you reduce the emotional energy that you are feeding into this conflict or problem.

And it then tends to lose speed like a car that runs out of fuel. Sometimes the problem or conflict will then become so weak that it just moves out of your mind.

By accepting what is you have now freed up energy and your attention so your mind can become more level-headed, open and constructive once again. And you can see more clearly and take focused action towards a solution.

12/19/2016

I have a dear friend that takes a bath every single night before going to bed. Last night I was restless so I decided to soak in the tub and see why my friend loves taking a bath at night so much! I had the best night sleep I've had in a long time. This afternoon I found this article on the benefits of bath time!

Taking baths is awesome, but the benefits of bathtime go beyond just smells.

People around the world have been hopping in the tub for hundreds of years, and for good reasons!

1. Fight a cold

When you’re battling a cold or flu, your throat and sinuses can get inflamed, leaving you hoarse and achy. Breathing in steamy air while you’re in the bath brings soothing relief in the form of gentle heat and moisture, which can put you comfortably on the road to recovery. Steam will also help to decongest your lungs and sinuses, helping you breathe and sleep more. Get steamy to combat a cold or flu.

2. Send yourself off to sleep

After taking a few minutes to soak in warm, fragrant water, you probably already feel calm, relaxed and ready to nod off. When the cool air hits your skin when you step out of your bath, your brain also releases melatonin, a hormone that can help you fall asleep even more easily. Travelers often take melatonin as a supplement to help them adjust to a new time zone, but you can get yours the all natural way by hopping in the bath before bed.

3. Soothe your skin

Bathing in warm water opens your pores, leaves skin refreshed and glowing, and gives you the opportunity to deeply moisturize by adding rich oils and butters to your bathwater. Toss a bath bomb or bath salts, rich bath oils or bath milks. Add essential oils of lavender, orange or bergamot mixed in some Dead Sea salts to soften and moisturize your skin.
Create a luxury Bath Oil by adding essential oils of rose, lavender and bergamot to sweet almond oil. Your skin will love you.

4. Improve circulation

When you submerge your body in warm water, it responds by sending more blood to your skin’s surface, giving you a flushed, rosy look. Your arteries and veins also expand temporarily, lowering blood pressure by creating more room for blood to flow through. This can help you leave your stresses behind and literally soak your troubles away.

5. Experience a scent

The essential oils can change your bathing experience by impacting your mood: consider how you would like to feel, then choose your essential oil accordingly. If you’re after a soothing soak, lavender and rose are great for calming the mind. Try French Lavender and Rosemary, and or Rose, for a totally relaxing reprieve.

If you need something more energizing, choose lots of sunny citrus oils to lift your spirits and get you going. Add some peppermint too. Blend orange, lemon, tangerine and bergamot oil and add to Dead Sea salts will leave you feeling cheery and chipper.

Breathe deeply to benefit from essential oils. Sometimes, all you really need is a little alone time, and a bath is the perfect quick retreat. Need some wonderful essential oils !?? Send me a message!
Happy Bathing !!

06/27/2016

Its been a while but here is what's concerning me today ...Often I see products advertised as non GMO. Soy is one. Did you know 90% of the Soy grown in the US is a GM? What is a GM? It means genetically modified. In some cases, its been modified to resist the pesticides that are sprayed on the produce. Do you know what company is the largest producer of Soy in the US? Monsanto! The maker product we have all used Round UP.
Heres a link to the products they produce. Notice anything in common with the top 10 GM products? And here's a link to the history behind the company. Notice their intertwinement with Pharma. http://www.monsanto.com/whoweare/pages/monsanto-history.aspx
http://www.monsanto.com/products/pages/default.aspx

Here are the top 10 GMO products.
The answer buy certified Organic products. No just ORGANIC. Certified. I will post some guidelines on Organics later this week. In the meantime, read about GMO's and where and what products to look for under that umbrella, If it has these products don;t buy it is my recommendations. Or at least research it out. Be an informed consumer.
The danger of GMO's

The question of whether or not genetically modified foods (GMO's) are safe for human consumption is an ongoing debate that does not seem to see any resolution except in the arena of public opinion. Due to lack of labeling, Americans are still left at a loss as to whether or not what is on the table is genetically modified. This lack of information makes the avoiding and tracking of GM foods an exercise in futility. Below are just some of the food products popularly identified to be genetically modified:

1. Corn - Corn has been modified to create its own insecticide. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has declared that tons of genetically modified corn has been introduced for human consumption. Monsanto has revealed that half of the US's sweet corn farms are planted with genetically modified seed. Mice fed with GM corn were discovered to have smaller offspring and fertility problems.

2. Soy - Soy has also been genetically modified to resist herbicides. Soy products include soy flour, tofu, soy beverages, soybean oil and other products that may include pastries, baked products and edible oil. Hamsters fed with GM soy were unable to have offspring and suffered a high mortality rate.

3. Cotton - Like corn and soy, cotton has been designed to resist pesticides. It is considered food because its oil can be consumed. Its introduction in Chinese agriculture has produced a chemical that kills cotton bollworm, reducing the incidences of pests not only in cotton crops but also in neighboring fields of soybeans and corn. Incidentally, thousands of Indian farmers suffered severe rashes upon exposure to BT cotton.

4. Papaya - The virus-resistant variety of papaya was commercially introduced in Hawaii in 1999. Transgenic papayas comprised three-fourths of the total Hawaiian papaya crop. Monsanto bestowed upon Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore technology for developing papaya resistant to the ringspot virus in India.

5. Rice - This staple food from South East Asia has now been genetically modified to contain a high amount of vitamin A. Allegedly, there are reports of rice varieties containing human genes to be grown in the US. The rice will create human proteins useful for dealing with infant diarrhea in the 3rd world. China Daily, an online journal, reported potential serious public health and environment problems with genetically modified rice considering its tendency to cause allergic reactions with the concurrent possibility of gene transfers.

6. Tomatoes - Tomatoes have now been genetically engineered for longer shelf life, preventing them from easily rotting and degrading. In a test conducted to determine the safety of GM tomatoes, some animal subjects died within a few weeks after consuming GM tomatoes.

7. Rapeseed - In Canada, this crop was renamed canola to differentiate it from non-edible rapeseed. Food stuff produced from rapeseed includes rapeseed oi (canola oil) l used to process cooking oil and margarine. Honey can also be produced from GM rapeseed. German food surveillance authorities discovered as much as a third of the total pollen present in Canadian honey may be from GM pollen. In fact, some honey products from Canada were also discovered to have pollen from GM rapeseed.

8. Dairy products - It has been discovered that 22 percent of cows in the U.S. were injected with recombinant (genetically modified) bovine growth hormone (rbGH). This Monsanto created hormone artificially forces cows to increase their milk production by 15 percent. Milk from cows treated with this milk inducing hormone contains increased levels of IGF-1 (insulin growth factors-1). Humans also have IGF-1 in their system. Scientists have expressed concerns that increased levels of IGF-1 in humans have been associated with colon and breast cancer.

9. Potatoes - Mice fed with potatoes engineered with Bacillus thuringiensis var. Kurstaki Cry 1 were found to have toxins in their system. Despite claims to the contrary, this shows that Cry1 toxin was stable in the mouse gut. When the health risks were revealed, it sparked a debate.

10. Peas - Peas that have been genetically modified have been found to cause immune responses in mice and possibly even in humans. A gene from kidney beans was inserted into the peas creating a protein that functions as a pesticide.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/035734_GMOs_foods_dangers.html

05/08/2016

To all my wonderful friends and family!

05/02/2016

Things to do today!