Today is Monday January 9th 2012, which means…Happy National Bubble Bath Day!!! What a wonderful way to start off the week! If you haven’t yet perfected the art of the bubble bath, have no fear! Below are some simple do it yourself homemade bubble bath recipes you can enjoy. So start the tub, pour some wine and get ready to sit back and relax!

Vanilla & Honey Recipe
1 cup sunflower oil
1/2 cup castile soap
1/4 cup honey
1 TBS vanilla

Instructions:
Grate the castile soap and cover with a bit of water, heat until melted.
Stir in the rest of the ingredients, add to running bath.

Vanilla Foam Bath Recipe
1/4 cup sweet almond or sunflower oil
1 c. liquid soap or unscented shampoo
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup dried milk powder, optional

Instructions:
This is a very simple recipe, making it perfect for anyone! Use a large plastic container to blend the ingredients together thoroughly. Mix well in any order. Pour the combined mixture into a lidded glass jar. Shake very well before each use.

Basic Recipe
1 cup mild shampoo (baby shampoo) or a mild dish soap
1/3 cup Glycerin
2 Tablespoons of Water
Essential Oil of your choosing

Instructions:
Gently mix together the shampoo, glycerin, and water. If desired, add 10 – 25 drops of water scent of essential oil you enjoy, and, again, gently mix. Pour mixture into a bottle or jar that can close tightly.

Let us know how you enjoyed the recipes or share your own on our Facebook page, ENJOY!!!

Wishing you every happiness this Holiday Season and prosperity in the New Year. Thank you for being our customer. We look forward to continuing our relationship in 2012.

Watch our Holiday Video here!

It seems that we all can’t wait for spring, but for some of us, we are suffering as we admire the gorgeous blooming cherry blossoms and the new green grass. My philosophy is to always ask “Why?” What is causing this reaction and what can you do, other than take a pill, to support yourself and ease your symptoms?

An allergy is an over-reaction of the immune system. The body responds as though it is under attack, releasing antibodies and triggering inflammation. So if the pollen is an irritant for you, your body is inflamed and one of the best things you can do is support your body with the right kinds of food! Using food to soother allergies? Diet has a direct affect on the inflammation in your body.

If you system is already on alert from the outside allergens, then you need to remove the foods from your diet that will also create inflammation. Eating inflammatory foods when you are experiencing an allergic reaction is like throwing gasoline on a burning fire.

Sugar, refined grains, wheat and dairy are the big ones to look out for. Too much sugar places major demands on our digestive system, suppressing the immune system, not to mention wreaking havoc with our metabolism.

It is estimated the over 90 million Americans have certain genetic variants that make them sensitive to gluten, the protein found within the seeds or grains of wheat, rye, barley, spelt and kamut. The system responds to gluten as an intruder in the body, not a food. If you are sensitive to gluten and continue to include it in your diet, you will be setting the stage for systemic inflammation, triggering other sensitivities.

There has been much controversy around dairy. But, 60% of the world’s population can’t digest dairy. Dairy triggers mucus production that can lead to sinus congestion and sinus headaches. I have personally witnessed the most profound results in my clients’ respiratory and digestive healing from removing dairy from their diets!

So if you are already inflamed and suffering, remove the foods from your diet that will add to your discomfort and inflammation. Food can be your medicine, so use it wisely and pay attention to the foods that are making your feel worse, rather than better.

This article is courtesy of Elise Rubenstein, let us know what you think!

Looking for a healthy and festive Cinco De Mayo dinner option? Here is a great recipe from Elise Rubenstein, let us know what you think!

Savory Moroccan Veggie Stew

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

3  cups low-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable stock
1 can diced tomatoes, with their juice
1 cup zucchini, sliced into half circles
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
4 artichoke hearts, cut in half (frozen or packed in water and drained)
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/4 cup  parsley, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
2 scallions , thinly sliced (including green tops)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp basil
1/2  tsp oregano

Directions:

Bring stock, plus 1 cup of water to a rolling boil. Reduce heat and add remaining ingredients. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, until the quinoa is cooked.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

The current U.S. health care system maintains our health care through the advancement and application of conventional-modern medicine and health science. Conventional medicine definitely has its place in our health system, however it’s evident that our health care today waits for an illness to develop and then spends huge sums of money on heroic measures, even then ignoring the underlying lifestyle causes. This is the equivalent of waiting for a leaky roof to destroy the infrastructure of a house and then repairing the damage without fixing the leak. This is naturally expensive and ineffective.

Perhaps the greatest evidence of the depth of the crisis is that we have come to accept such levels of chronic disease or symptoms as normal, despite evidence that much of it is preventable. Evidence has shown us that dietary imbalances are the leading preventable contributors to premature death in the U.S.

Medical care often treats the symptoms and not the cause. For example, if you can’t sleep or suffer from headaches, indigestion, have high cholesterol, anxiety, stress or depression; the doctor will routinely prescribe you medication.

People realize that their headaches are not due to aspirin deficiency and are seeking answers that address the root of the problem and aid in restoring normal, healthy body function. This is not to say that treatment of the symptoms of a condition is wrong. What would be wrong would be to think that by eliminating the symptom we have dealt with the problem itself.

As a result, many people utilize conventional medicine for diagnosis and basic information and symptom relief, while turning to complementary choices for therapy or health & wellness enhancing measures. Studies indicate that complementary approaches are often used in conjunction with conventional medicine with positive outcomes.

The Integrative Health Transitional Program offers broader concepts and includes more facets of human life than the traditional definition of health. The integration of holistic concepts and practices in conjunction with conventional care is not found in conventional wellness programs. An integrative health program will help you broaden your perspective on health and healing and offer more alternatives that support self-care and self-responsibility.

HealthPlan Headquarters wants to offer you an opportunity to experience the HealthPlanHQ.com website with a scavenger hunt.   It will take just a few minutes of your time and by submitting your response by January 3rd you will be eligible for a raffle drawing to win an Apple iPad (keep reading to find out how you can get more than one raffle ticket) !

Answer the following 8 questions and when you are finished submit your answers to Info@HealthPlanHQ.com with scavenger hunt in the subject line, good luck!

Scavenger Hunt:

1. Finish this statement, “Access to Coverage. People who…”?

2. If you select products and services, and then click on the business owner icon, what does his quote say?

3. Click on products and services, then click on the yellow business and employers icon on the left hand side, what does the fifth paragraph say? (By accurately…)

4. Where are we located?

5. Under individuals and families, if you click on the medical icon on the left side, then scroll to the bottom of the page and press the yellow bar for a quote; after you fill out the request (this is strictly for the contest, your information will not be used) where does it take you?

6. Under the about us tab, select meet our team of HPHQ Gurus, what is a guru?

7. Go to our FAQ section (found in the middle of the homepage under “whether online, over the phone, or in-store, we’re here to help!”) what is the answer to number 1, “how does a broker get compensated”?

8. For each social media outlet you friend us on we will put your name on an additional raffle ticket (Follow the icons on our homepage!).

Complete the scavenger hunt and send your answers to Info@HealthPlanHQ.com by Monday January 3^rd 2011.

All completed responses received by January 7^th 2011 will be entered into a drawing for an Apple iPad!  We will notify everyone of the winner by Friday January 7^th 2011. Thank you for your participation we look forward to hearing from you, good luck!