#sponsored It's #SelfCareSunday and #hearthealth awareness month, no better time to share a simple way to help your heart! #PureAmbassador

*Supplement suggestions are products that are currently working for me, please check with your doctor before starting on any supplements if you are taking medication. Your doctor or pharmacist will be able to let you know if they play nicely together! This is NOT medical advice!*

February is the awareness month for Hearth Health in the United States. It's American Heart Month and I would be remiss if I let the month come to a close without sharing a simple way to support your cardiovascular health. ‡

Some of you may know from following my social media accounts, that Mama Butterfly is experiencing issues with her heart, and this past year has been a blur of hospitalizations and doctor visits.

Like the engine is the 'heart' of a car, our heart is definitely the engine of our bodies and there are important ways to help take care of it:

- Learn your health history. Is there history of heart disease in your family? If so, be sure to discuss this with your primary care doctor (who may also refer you to a cardiologist).

- A heart healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and low fat dairy products. Reduce salt, saturated fat and sugars.

- Exercise - Strive for 150 minutes of moderate- intensity aerobic activitity each week plus muscle strengthening activities twice per week.

- Quit Smoking

 

-  Take all medicines as directed by your physician and never stop a medication without clearing it with your doctor first. Worried that a supplement may not play nicely with your current meds? Well then Pure has you covered! Check out their Drug Nutrients Interactions Checker/database to make sure the supplements you are taking don't interfere adversely with your medications!

 

- Choose your drinks carefully, limit alcohol consumption, substitute water for sugary drinks

 

- Take heart smart supplements like Pure Encapsulations O.N.E. Omega it offers 1,000 mg supercritical Co2 extracted, triglyceride-form EPA and DHA in a softgel once daily dose.

 

About O.N.E. Omega:

 

- Supports joint and connective tissue integrity

- Promotes cardiovascular health

-  It offers *twice* the potency of other fish oils (with NO fishy aftertaste)

-  Low temperature, oxygen-free processing prevents oxidation reactions

     

‡These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Other 'heart smart' supplements from Pure Encapsulations: 

- Coq10 120 mg

- Resveratrol EXTRA

- Cholestepure Plus II

- PureHeart K2D

MY TAKE:

Pure Encapsulations are free from unnecessary additives and many common allergens. We had no history of heart issues in my family making what mama butterfly is going through that much more of a surprise. But seeing what she is going through I am trying to be more careful about my own heart health, and am glad to have the opportunity to partner with Pure Encapsulations and take better care of my overall wellness.

What you won't find in Pure Encapsulations: Wheat, Soy, Dairy, Eggs, Gluten, Coatings and Shellacs, Tree nuts or peanuts, Artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners, GMOs, unnecessary binders, fillers or preservatives, trans fat & hydrogenated oils.

My only warning with this supplement and this is the first I have experienced with Pure so far is that this one is big! I have not had trouble swallowing it personally, but it is certainly larger than any other pill I take.

I am very happy to report that these do not repeat on me at all. No fishy aftertaste.

 

If you have already done a DNA kit like 23andMe or Ancestry, you can tap into the power of PureGenomics which is a service that harnesses the science of nutrigenomics to help personalize wellness strategies and get supplements tailored to your unique health needs. (I really want to try this!) 

 

‡ These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

READERS SOUND OFF:

Which supplements are you already taking? Are you thinking of adding any new ones? If so, which ones and why? Have you already done a DNA report from 23andMe or Ancestry?

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FTC Disclosure: No monetary compensation has been received. I am a PURE Ambassador. As a Pure Ambassador I will have the opportunity to receive products free of charge or at a discount. All opinions are 100% my own! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure. 

If you like this article treat me to a coffee, a caffeinated writer is a happy writer! 

paypal.me/TracyIglesias or https://cash.app/$ascendingbutterfly or Venmo: Ascending1

Are you ready for World Heart Day? Sharing ways I'm Falling into Health! + a chance for YOU to win a year's worth of supplements!

If you are connected to this blog on our social channels you may be aware that my Mama Butterfly was rushed to the hospital the day after my birthday in cardiac arrest. This year has been a blur of hospitalizations and stress/worry.

While I have had a ton to say, the stress in my life right now has prevented from me writing much. I usually liked to write in the late night hours when the world was still and as quiet as any neighborhood in New York City can be...

But this year by the time things were 'still/quiet' I would just shut down and mostly stare at the ceiling (you all know by now I am an insomniac)...'Paralyzed from Exhaustion' would be a great title to describe my nights lately.

This year, World Heart Day - observed on September 29th, hits home for me a bit more. While there is no cookie cutter solution to heart health, I am trying out a new supplement and I wanted to put it on your radar:

Wakunaga of America sent me some of their supplements and I am sharing them in the order I started testing them! First up is Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract.

What it does NOT do: There is NO pizza breath here! This supplement will not repeat on you! - I mention this because I tried a Garlic Supplement in my teens for thinning hair and it made my breath so foul I refused to stay the course. So that was my first concern when starting with this supplement and I am happy to report that there are no bad breath issues here at all.

Instructions: Take two vegan capsules with food, preferably during or right after a meal. With food, the pH of the stomach is less acidic which allows the AGE (Aged Garlic Extracts) and its constituents to survive and go into the intestinal tract for absorption. (absorption my friends is the key with any supplement, how well it is absorbed determines how effective it will be so if your supplement bottle tells you to take it with or right after a meal, it is very important to follow those instructions).

Benefits: Aged Garlic Extracts have demonstrated in numerous clinical studies to support overall cardiovascular health by reducing many risk factors for heart disease (e.g., maintaining healthy coronary arteries, supports healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels already within normal ranges, enhance circulation, etc.). Wakunaga's Aged Garlic Extracts have also been shown in clinical studies to show favorable impact in areas of immune function, gingivitis, stress and gut microbiota.

Where it is grown: The garlic used to make their Aged Garlic Extracts is organically grown in California, USA, under strictly controlled conditions without the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides.

Multiple benefits of Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract include:

•         Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels
•         Slowing the progression of coronary artery calcification
•         Inhibiting the accumulation of “soft” unstable plaque
•         Decreasing blood platelet adhesion and aggregation
•         Enhancing circulation
•         Supporting immune function
•         Reducing the risk of gingivitis
•         Easing stress
•         Improving gut microbiota

I have been taking this supplement for a little under one month now and plan to add it to my routine as I oddly had to cancel my visit to my cardiologist which fell while Mama Butterfly was in the hospital. But her experience definitely has me taking my heart health more seriously and I plan to re-schedule all my appointments soon.

Ten Ways to Improve Hearth Health (suggestions from the American Heart Association):

1. Balance calories with physical activity.
2. Reach for a variety of fruits and vegetables.
3. Choose whole grains.
4. Include healthy protein sources, mostly plants and seafood.
5. Use liquid non-tropical plant oils.
6. Choose minimally processed foods.
7. Subtract added sugars
8. Cut down on salt.
9. Limit alcohol.
10. Do all this wherever you eat!

Register to win a year’s supply of your favorite Wakunaga supplement during Wakunaga’s 50th anniversary celebration (no purchase necessary; one winner per month during the year 2022): https://kyolic.com/promotion/woa50th-sweepstakes/

My Take:

Mama Butterfly's harrowing experience this year, brought hearth health to the forefront at Casa Butterfly. I have a pretty regular supplement routine and I take quite a few supplements daily, but until now I had never taken one purely for heart health and now I can't imagine not taking one!

Readers Sound Off: Do you take Vitamins and Supplements daily? If so, which ones? Which have you found the most useful/helpful so far?

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FTC Disclosure: No monetary compensation has been received. Supplements were provided for Editorial Consideration. All opinions are 100% my own! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure. Like this article? Buy your Editor a coffee to say thanks for the read: paypal.me/TracyIglesias or https://cash.app/$ascendingbutterfly or Venmo: Ascending1

Don't fall into a #health rut - find new snacks & vitamins every month for 50% off @BuluBox use code: BULUGAN707

Ascending Butterfly has always been an empowerment community that advocates health and beauty from the INSIDE out, a big part of looking good and feeling confident is by feeling good on the inside, both mentally and physically.

Making wiser snack choices and adding supplements where your diet is currently failing you is a great way to boost your system, I recently became a Bulu Box Brand Ambassador to help me widen my health product brand choices and then share it all with my butterflies of course!

I know there is an insanely wide variety of Monthly Box Subscriptions Services out there, and trying to figure out which ones are the best for you isn't always an easy decision, but with Bulu they are curating a wide variety of vitamins, snacks and supplements so you don't have to, they do the leg work, and you just sit back, try it all and figure out what works best for you.

Do you have someone special in your life who is trying hard to make lifestyle changes? This box is a great way to give that person a month or a year of healthy and happy at a price that certainly beats what you currently pay to indulge a daily coffee habit! And the choices in this box are way better than a daily coffee habit that's for sure!

This Box Included:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The Good Bean - A Roasted Chickpeas snack!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Quest Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bar - Gluten and Sugar Free Protein Bar, high in fiber and low in calories. Muscle Building Protein and great chocolate chip cookie dough taste, UM YES PLEASE!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - RUNA Tea - The key ingredient in this tea is Guayusa (pronounced GHY-YOU-SA) is an amazonian super-leaf that balances caffeine with polyphenol antioxidants which provides you with clean and steady energy to make you feel "Runa" - fully alive.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Shapeology Burn Blend - This is a dietary supplement that mimics the effect of a high metabolism, helping you to burn more calories and loose weight faster, in a liquid delivery system for even faster results.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Garden of Life RAW Organic Protein - Can be used as a meal replacement or post workout drink, it is vegan, gluten, dairy and soy free!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - BONUS SAMPLE: AdvanceMint Happy Hour - This mint replenishes the body with a formula of Vitamins, Minerals, Electrolytes and Anti-Oxidants to help your body offset the negative effects of alcohol. (and for my non-drinking butterflies, you may also want to have one of these on hand during a long flight, the dry air and jet lag is a very similar feeling to over-indulging in spirits, so this would be helpful for my frequent fliers as well!)

GET SOCIAL:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Like Bulu Box on Facebook

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @BuluBox via Twitter

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Get with the pin program via Pinterest too

DISCOUNT:

Want to join the Bulugan Nation? Nab it at a 50% discount by entering code:  BULUGAN707

MY TAKE:

I actively try to make the healthiest choices for myself on a daily basis, but like everyone else I have my bad habits too and I appreciate that Bulu Box is a great reminder to take better care of myself, try out supplements that are new to me and find products that help me to become a healthier and happier butterfly!

Have you tried Bulu Box? If you have, do you have a favorite product that you learned about via Bulu?

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, no monetary compensation has been received. A Bulu Box has been provided to Ascending Butterfly for Editorial Consideration. As always, all opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

{CLOSED} Trop 50 True Resolutions + $50 Spa Week Gift Card Giveaway! Ends 01/31

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Trop50! We look forward to working with you again. The winner is: Entry #139 Chelsea R. Chelsea will receive one $50 Spa Week Gift Card. Remember: There are great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!

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Ascending Butterfly's New Year, New You! Giveaway #3, sponsored by:

Trop50 wants to know about your resolutions, and you can get a $1 off coupon for their Trop50 juice beverages just for telling them, but you have to act FAST, as this promotion ends SOON (and by soon, I mean 01/31/12).

One of my resolutions is to continue with my weight loss progress and I did really well last year just by making recipe substitutions in addition to adding fitness games that I play using my Wii. I even found a great beverage substitution that doesn't require me to give up on the fresh taste I love with Trop50. It gets its name because it uses 50% less sugar and calories but it's the same great Tropicana fresh Orange Juice flavor I already know and love.

I'm not a coffee or tea person, so I start my morning every morning with OJ and Tropicana is definitely my preferred brand, I have always loved that it's never made from concentrate and contains no artificial sweeteners.

Each 8oz glass will give you 100% of your day's Vitamin C in addition to being a good source of Thiamin, Potassium, Vitamin E and Vitamin A. And the Trop 50 No Pulp with Calcium and Vitamin D Orange Juice, is an excellent source of calcium as well. Your doctor may even tell you that you don't need an additional Calcium supplement on top of it. I love when I can make a substitution that is good for me and still tastes good.

To get the word and to help you stick with your New Year's Resolutions Trop50 has some fun promotions going on, the first is to visit their facebook app here: http://facebook.com.trop50 and tell them your resolution, you can print out a $1 off coupon after you share your resolution (in fact that's the mandatory entry in our giveaway), then you can enter to win one of FOUR, yes 4 $1,000 Gift Cards to help make 2012 your most fabulous year ever. AND if that weren't enough, you also have a shot at winning a $50 Spa Week Gift Card Right HERE. Now that's what I call a win/win situation!

Enter using the Rafflecopter form below, if it doesn't load for you, hit refresh! (You can let me know in the comments below if you like using Rafflecopter and would like us to continue using it). Start by pressing the big green button that says '+1 Do It' to get started with the Mandatory Entry! (And if you experience any problems using Rafflecopter to get your daily tweets, no worries, just copy the link to your tweet and leave it as a comment on this post instead!

{CLOSED} Amway Nutrilite Vitamins Review and Giveaway #AmwayHealth {Rafflecopter}

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Amway USA! We look forward to working with you again. The winner is: Jeanne F. Remember: There are great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!

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Before my recent health scare set me back, I was on a major lifestyle revamp, and had lost 26 pounds and 3 dress sizes very slowly in 2011. I am starting to slowly begin reclaiming my new year and getting back into my routines again! I plan to continue this year to lose more weight, increase my physical activity and of course eat better, pretty much typical New Years Resolutions for most I'm sure.

Did you know that it takes regularly consuming 22 essential vitamins and minerals, 10+ servings of fruits and vegetables, and one serving of ocean fish every day to give our bodies what they need to stay healthy and strong? While I do love seafood, fruits and veggies, I am not about to say I can consume that much in one day, (an on the go schedule doesn't always allow for home cooked meals every single night), that's where dietary supplements come in. I take a multi-vitamin daily, but it wasn't until I was sent a package from our friends at Amway, that I realized I wasn't consuming nearly enough fruits and veggies per day.

NUTRILITE® Concentrated Fruits and Vegetables - Tablets - 60 Count

Description

For just over $1 per day, Amway NUTRILITE Concentrated Fruits and Vegetables provide the phytonutrient equivalent of more than 10 servings of fruits and vegetables, the amount recommended by health authorities. Phytonutrients are the natural nutrients in plants that give fruits and vegetables their vibrant colors and respective health benefits when consumed.

Benefits

• Supports heart health with 5 apples’ worth of the phytonutrient quercetin (150 mg) and 2 servings of green tea’s worth of the phytonutrient EGCG1 (90 mg).
• Supports circulatory health with 3 oranges’ worth of the phytonutrient hesperidin (60 mg).
• Supports colon health with 1 ½ cups raspberries’ worth of ellagic acid (40 mg).
• Supports eye health with 1 cup raw spinach’s worth of the phytonutrient lutein (6 mg).
• Supports prostate health with 1 tomato’s worth of the phytonutrient lycopene (3 mg). 

NUTRILITE® Fruits & Vegetables 2GO Twist Tubes

Description

With NUTRILITE Fruits & Vegetables 2GO Twist Tubes, twisting the health benefits of more fruits and vegetables into your day has never been easier.

Benefits

• Healthy immune system. Contains the natural vitamin C equivalent of one serving of cantaloupe to help boost and protect your immune system.
• Eye and skin health. Provides the natural beta carotene of one serving of carrots, beneficial for eye and skin health.

• Convenient, refreshing, on-the-go nutrition. Slip a tube in your purse or bag and look forward to a delicious Mango-Citrus treat that will help you reach your healthy eating goals.

My Take:

Incorporating 10 servings of fruits and vegetables into a daily diet can sometimes be a challenge. A natural, plant-based dietary supplement is an option for those wishing to fill your “phytonutrient gap.” Amway's online phytonutrient tracker tool is a great first step to evaluate what phytonutrients you are missing in your diet: http://www.amway.com/shop/product/phytonutrientsnapshot.aspx

I have definitely felt more energetic since adding the nutritional supplements to my regular daily multi-vitamin. And the 2Go Tubes are great for mornings when I skip my vitamins since they are portable and fit in my purse, I can leave some there so on mornings I forget to take the dietary supplements I have my vitamins with me on the go. Not to mention, it sometimes gets pretty boring trying to drink 8-10 glasses of plain water, the 2Go helps 'jazz' up your water a bit, so you can get in enough fluids throughout the day and stay hydrated. Keeping hydrated is a must even when you are not excercising, and of course most especially when you are!

Our friends at Amway want to help you stick with your New Year's Resolutions, especially now, February is where most people find they have lost steam and start to drop their resolutions entirely, don't give up!

Win One package of Fruits &Vegetables 2GO Twist Tubes and one package of Concentrated Fruits & Vegetables ($61.80 value) using the Rafflecopter form below, if it doesn't load for you, hit refresh! (You can let me know in the comments below if you like using Rafflecopter and would like us to continue using it, this is our very first Rafflecopter Widget Giveaway!). Start by pressing the big green button that says '+1 Do It' to get started with the Mandatory Entry!