Sunday, April 30, 2023

#ad A #SelfcareSunday for your Gut! Show your tummy some love with amazing products from Pure Encapsulations. #PureAmbassador

A Self Care Sunday for your Gut!


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

I know the internet tries to sell you on a SelfCare Sunday that's all face masks and wine, but taking a step toward a healthier you is important too! Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the joys of a good mental health day too, but I am also here for taking small steps towards my physical health.

If you have been considering doing a 'cleanse' I am trying to two products from Pure that you should definitely consider!

🦋 PRODUCT ONE:


PureDefense Collagen with Bone Broth Powder The hardest part of a cleanse is feeling *deprived*, but how about a way to enjoy your cleanse and still get protein in addition to these benefits:

🦋 Immune system support with fermented EpiCor postbiotic

🦋 Promotion of barrier integrity - specifically your G.I. mucosal lining

🦋 Cell health and joint support from natural, bioactive compounds (including plant-based flavoniods)

🦋 15 grams of protein from grass-fed beef bone broth AND collagen peptides

Includes immune-supportive mushrooms (fellow Horror/SciFi loving entertainment watchers, no worries you won't turn into a cordycep zombie), enhanced absorption turmeric extract, fermented black garlic extract (this is not my first time featuring black garlic extract, it is incredibly beneficial in so many ways) and an organic vegetable blend, offering both flavor and immune-supporting phytonutrients

Combine a scoop of this powder with hot water for comforting and savory goodness that has health benefits and won't leave you feeling deprived. I would do a smoothie for breakfast, this for lunch and dinner on your cleanse days. If you are trying to reduce meat in your diet, this is also an excellent option for your *meatless mondays* or a meal for Fridays during Lent.

🦋 PRODUCT TWO:


 

Probiotic G.I. - Helping to promote support digestive function and immune function is something I personally do daily. A Probiotic is definitely helpful before, during and well past a cleanse. This one helps:

🦋 Promote G.I. health

🦋 Helps maintain healthy cellular activity in the G.I. tract

🦋 Supports healthy barrier function, cell health and immune function in the G.I. tract

Provides 10 billion colony forming units (CFU) per capsule of the beneficial strains Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus

Note: It is suggested to refrigerate this one and it arrived to me cool (the package had a ice pack in it) - so put this in your refrigerator or beauty fridge if you have one!

Pill Size:


MY TAKE:  

The only other thing I would add to this list is keeping a pot of ginger tea brewed and at the ready (I like to buy organic ginger and make this tea myself but you can also buy a Ginger tea on the market!)

I enjoy bone broth even when I am not on a cleanse of any type. This is a perfect product to keep in your desk at work, especially in winter when you don't want to go out or get so busy you do not have time to order in. Just get a cup of hot water from the water cooler and add a scoop of this to it, instant lunch that has protein, is super comforting, and won't weigh you down!



ROCK THE VOTE:

I still need testimonials to help me advance to the voting round for my Sephora Squad application, literally 10-15 words and you get ZERO emails in conjunction with your support! Remember Ambassadorships for your favorite blogger always mean fun stuff for readers too! VOTE: https://www.sephorasquad.com/leave_testimonial/114319

Readers Sound Off: What does a typical Selfcare Sunday look like for you?


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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. However I am a brand ambassador for Pure Encapsulations and products 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, 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

https://cash.app/$ascendingbutterfly

Venmo: Ascending1

Thursday, April 20, 2023

A #420 that is three years in the making! Happy 4/20 day! Here is a round up of brands and products that stand out!

Happy 4/20 day butterflies!

Chronic Pain Warriors, Anxiety Suffererers and Insomniacs This Post is for YOU!

Note: This post does not make medical claims, and you must discuss incorporating CBD into your wellness plans with your physician!

BRAND ONE:

 

Three years ago I attended a favorite conference, the conference had a ton of lifestyle brands there in addition to their core focus which I definitely loved, and someone urged me to visit a booth called "VERBÖDEN" and try the 'chocolate'. Me thinking it was an artisanal chocolate maker I headed over there as quick as my feet would take me! I met the team and realized the truffles were a little more than I expected. I have to admit this lifelong nerd has never smoked, anything, ever. And while that is still the case, I got a crash course in CBD from the owners who paid very close attention to my very long list of chronic pain issues, insomnia, anxiety and more and suggested I try their CHILL sublingual oil (Full Spectrum) and their no triflin truffles. (I took home the two piece sampler that day and I can tell you just go straight for the 9 count box!)

 

Those two products will always hold a special place in my heart as that is where my CBD journey began! Just getting started I found the truffles a bit more palatable than the oil at first, over time I got used to just how much quicker you get the benefits when using the sublinguals which I already had some experience with as a sublingual ginseng user.

I want to try more products from their line for sure. For anxiety I lean more toward CHILL and for Insomnia I lean more toward their truffles (not to mention if you have a sweet tooth it is a great way to wind down your evening). I am proud to report they are a Certified B Corp. and they are women led, their CEO Jena Min is such an amazing person and I am so glad to have met her in person. I only wish we would have had the chance to nab a quick photo, but needless to say with them being the only CBD brand there, her team definitely had their hands full that day.

BRAND TWO:

 

Ancient Nutrition Organic CBD Hemp Oil - 20 mg. (Full Spectrum) This is literally the second sublingual I tried and I was lucky to be able to say this was another winner. Now when I say something is a *winner* I mean 'efficacy' - it works for me! And every time I tried a new brand or product I learned something new, they suggested adding theirs to coffee which I thought was a great idea, since I was having tea the day this arrived I put it in my tea and I didn't find that it altered the taste of the tea much (yes you'll be aware of the mct oil that is used as a carrier) and I enjoyed it a bit more in the tea than as a sublingual. They have this product with caplets in their intermediate kit or you can purchase the oil alone using the link provided at the beginning of this paragraph. I spent awhile with this brand as it was the only one available near me in retail (once the pandemic hit I branched out with ordering products online)

BRAND THREE:

  

Winged Wellness - (affiliate link, be sure to use the discount code Tracy20) I won an international women's day contest via Instagram this year. It was a perfectly curated combo of some power house brands and Winged Wellness was one of them. I am just starting on a super wide assortment of their products and they are definitely going to need to their own dedicated post, but the first thing that stood out is they are as butterfly centered as I am as you can see on their packaging! They are also women led, founded by Jessica Mulligan.

"The idea to start Winged came after plant medicine saved me from a dark place. I wanted to share the relief I felt with other women and set out to design a product line formulate for women" ~Jessica Mulligan

This literally spoke to *directly* to me. It perfectly encompasses how I feel!

I am literally just starting with the line so a full review is forthcoming as I go along trying out the different products, but I did want to also single out that they have a Dark Chocolate THC Free, Vegan and sugar free ingestible that I want to put on your radar - Dark Chocolate Hibiscus Infused Relaxation Bites with Maca (a female specific adaptogen grown in the mountains of Peru, nourishes glands throughout the body responsible for hormone production and improves mood and stress response) & 5-HTP (an amino acid precursor to serotonin, the brain's "happy" neurotransmitter that is linked to feelings of wellbeing and positive mood) I tend to lean toward Chocolate anything as I have a late night sweet tooth and these are perfect! Crafted by a 4th generation chocolatier utilizing certified organic cacao ethically sourced from a female run co-op farm. Organic CBD that is sourced from broad spectrum hemp extract to help minimize the feelings of stress. Hibiscus flower petal extract adds antioxidant protection and a floral tang to each dark chocolate bite. The reviews are high for these for 'that time of the month' hopefully I have some left by then so I can report back on that specific benefit!

I applied for their ambassador program so keep your fingers crossed butterflies. I'd love to be able to work with them directly - there is just a very strong synergy I feel for the products and brand and what they are trying to achieve. 

I am happy to report that I am an affiliate and if you would like a 20% discount on this product or any other at Winged Wellness enter the code: Tracy20

BRAND FOUR:

Medterra True Full Spectrum Deep Sleep CBD Gummies - so you know those ads on Facebook that offer a full size product for the price of shipping the item to you? I pressed on one and discovered this hero product! I read the reviews and the complaints that the shipping was kind of high, but decided to proceed anyway and I am so glad I did. This product definitely delivers and should you see this offer show up on your meta/facebook page, do not hesitate! It was NOT a subscription, just a one time shipping charge for a full size product that arrived to me in perfect condition. Note: my mom, affectionately called "mama butterfly" around these parts, has been stealing these from me and asked me to re-order some! So in one sampling they gained two customers! (By the way I have tried a few beauty products this way since trying this and I have been greatly enjoying these types of offers. Please be careful and do your research make sure when you find these types of offers that they are legit - not all are!)

BRAND FIVE:

 

Highline Wellness CBD Body Oil - I also tried their CBD sleep gummies with melatonin which I did like as well, but the oil is definitely the hero product in their line, it is a combo of marula oil, Jojoba seed oil, vitamin E and Neroli oil, in collaboration with Health and Wellness Guru Hannah Bronfman's HBFIT, it will nourish and soothe your skin it is powered by a potent blend of oils paired with the relaxing and therapeutic qualities of hemp-derived CBD, you will find that your skin will drink it in! I personally would have appreciated a bit of scent with this one, but it is definitely hydrating and I use it while my skin is damp post shower. I do apply a squirt of my fave perfume in my hands and mix it with the oil before applying it onto my skin. (Full disclosure: I was a brand ambassador when I got to try these products. Sadly my affiliate codes expired as I was biting off a bit more than I could chew at the time. I will definitely have to re-apply and hope they will welcome me back!)

BRAND SIX:

 

For the 'format I never knew I needed award' comes canibrands! This is not a perfume sampler spray bottle, this is a sprayer version from their Cani-Sleep family of CBD sleep products which are natural and non-habit forming, they target all three key sleep phases: relaxing before sleep, falling asleep and staying asleep.  For those of you like me who have issues with your hands, be it Rheumatoid Arthritis, Neuropathy, Fibromyalgia you will find this spray format by far the easiest way to use a sublingual. If you drop it, there is no bottle to break and you won't lose product. You can spray it with more accuracy, no fumbling with a dropper and aside from gum or ingestibles is an amazingly easy way to travel with your favorite formulation in your pocket or purse!

They offer four sprays, see collections:

cani-boost for Focus and Energy

cani-mend for Repair and Recovery

cani-fresh for Relaxation and Revitalization

Cani Sleep CBD  for rest + sleep

MY TAKE:  

Over the years I have slowly but surely tried a wide variety of brands and products. Some gifted/sampled and others I have purchased.

Regular readers may know that during the pandemic I spent time studying. First I did a certificate program in Women's Entrepreneurial Studies at eCornell and recently I graduated from NASDAQ's Milestone Circles program. Both of them together felt like the most well rounded, near Masters Degree Level experience out there. And both allowed me to interface and learn and grow from a wide variety of entrepreneurs and study with fellow entrepreneurs. It was a time consuming but totally amazing experience. I have been trying to start writing again more this year. Oddly at the time where I had the most going on, the most to share and the most to say, I genuinely did not have the time. But I did have a ton of sleepless nights studying again, and was glad that I was already well enough into my CBD journey to be able to find products that helped me.

I have been trying to make a conscious effort to support women led brands. Helping other female entrepreneurs succeed be it by supporting them on these pages, or on social media, or of course by purchases, just feels right after spending two years immersed in women's entrepreneurial studies.

If you are asking yourself  'butterfly if these products are so great why do you keep trying others'? Simple, I am still very much learning and trying out different products helps me learn what works best for me, remember dosing might be different from brand to brand as it will be from person to person. If you have questions about dosing always check out a brand FAQ page and feel free to use contact us to ask questions to a rep when you don't see an answer on their page or a review that addresses your specific type of issues. You will find that the brands are always happy to help and will steer you in the right direction.

I have been enjoying the wide range of ways/products that are available and most importantly how effective they are for me. The benefits of the cumulative effects of taking them regularly, and find the topical, ingestible and spray formulation by far to be my favorites.

Readers Sound Off: Have you tried CBD yet? If so what brands and products do you recommend?

If you want to see this Chronic Pain Warrior join Sephora Squad please put in a testimonial for my Sephora Squad 2023 application here: https://www.sephorasquad.com/leave_testimonial/114319

Let's show brands that differently-abled people are beautiful!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. 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, 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

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

I almost went to meet Jesus! My morning shower almost killed me! #WTFWednesday

My *What the Fuck* Wednesday Moment: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ya'll your favorite butterfly almost went to meet Jesus! 

I was taking a shower this morning, I heard a bursting sound and when I looked up my shower head flew off and hit the ceiling and water was spewing directly from the pipe, the water was literally *everywhere*! The shower head then hit the top of a cabinet and was bounding back toward me with full force. 

As an Aries I knew to protect my head as that is where people born under the sign of Aries tend to get hurt.

Once I knew I was safe I went scrambling to put off the water. And when I inspected the shower head it looked like it had melted from the inside, I have never seen anything like it before or experienced anything like it for that matter.

Then I had to get a pot from the kitchen because these arthritic knees was not trying to sit on the floor of the bathtub and take a bath!

It was both not cute and hysterically funny at the same time!

Never a dull moment!

I opted to put on new underwear though, just in case! Special shout out to Jesus and all my Angels for keeping that shower head from hell from killing me!

Readers Sound Off: Has your shower head ever tried to kill you? Have you had a #WTF moment this week yet?

If you want to see this Latina Chronic Pain Warrior join Sephora Squad (because if Beauty isn't the place for my sense of humor right?) then please put in a testimonial for #SephoraSquad23 application here: https://www.sephorasquad.com/leave_testimonial/114319


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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. 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

Sunday, April 9, 2023

Happy Easter! Easter Quotes + Thing To Do Recommendation if you are in New York City! Ƹ̵̡Óœ̵̨̄Æ·

Happy Easter Butterflies!



For my Christian Peeps: He is Risen! Today is a day to rejoice!

Some Beautiful Easter Quotes (secular and religious):

🦋 "Easter is the demonstration of God that life is essentially spiritual and timeless." ~ Charles M. Crowe

🦋 "God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power" ~ 1 Corinthians 6:14

🦋 "I am the resurrection and the life." ~ John 11:25

🦋 "The great gift of Easter is hope" ~ Basil Hume

🦋 "There would be no Christmas if there was no Easter" ~ Gordon B. Hinckley

🦋 "Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world." ~ Virgil A. Kraft

🦋 "You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming." ~ Pablo Neruda

🦋 "The very first Easter taught us this: that life never ends and love never dies." ~ Kate McGahan

🦋 "The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day He created spring." ~Bernard Williams

🦋 "Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song." ~ Pope John Paul II

🦋 "Easter is the only time when it's perfectly safe to put all your eggs in one basket." ~ Evan Esar

🦋 "By grace, we are saved through faith." ~ Kevin DeYoung

🦋 "On Easter Day the veil between time and eternity thins to gossamer." ~ Douglas Horton

🦋 "Don't wait for someone to bring you flowers. Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul." ~ Luther Burbank

🦋 "Where man sees but withered leaves, God sees sweet flowers growing." ~ Albert Lighton

🦋 "The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances." ~ Robert Flatt

🦋 "Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in the books alone, but in every leaf in springtime" ~ Martin Luther

🦋 "Twas Easter Sunday. The full-blossomed trees filled all the air with fragrance and with joy." ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Still need your help!


 

🦋 Where you come in: 
 
I applied for Sephora Squad again this year and I am going to need testimonials to move to the next round! Here is the link to provide your testimonial: https://www.sephorasquad.com/leave_testimonial/114319
 
Just for clarity - they want to hear why my blog or my social feeds resonate with you. So men you too can leave a testimonial, this is not just how I inspire people when it comes to makeup, skincare and hair care but in general.
 
🦋 Readers Sound Off: What are your plans for Easter?
 
For those of you local to New York City, I very much highly recommend seeing The Orchid Show at New York Botanical Garden, this year marks the return of Orchid Evenings not to be missed in my humble opinion! My review: https://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/2023/02/a-media-preview-day-like-no-other.html
 

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. 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

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Happy Birthday To Me! Another year around the sun! + I may be a Losu Tree!

Happy Birthday To Me!


 

I have no idea why the hashtag #IfYouSendMeFiveDollars is trending. But since today is my birthday, I'll play!

I want to see @shenyunperformingarts for my birthday!

#ShenYun is in NYC starting April 6th.

Let's see if this hashtag can make that happen!

Cashapp: $ascendingbutterfly
Paypal: http://paypal.me/TracyIglesias
Venmo: @Ascending1
 

 

+ Not all gifts cost, I could still use a two sentence testimonial for my Sephora Squad 2023 Application! Post it here: https://www.sephorasquad.com/leave_testimonial/114319

🦋 My personal *New Years Day*

I read in a magazine ages ago, that instead of New Years Eve/Day being when we *reset* the year and revisit our goals, it should be our birthday. Our personal annual rebirth. That always resonated with me, and so for me, today is New Years Day! My annual reset!

LOSU TREE!



🦋 - This flowering tree is called the Losu tree. It is extremely rare and found in China. There are only three of them. It blooms once a year in April, and China provides it with severe protection to preserve it. It is also called the April snow because of its very white flowers. I might just be a Losu tree, since I bloom in April too! LOL!

🦋 Readers Sound Off: Do you consider New Years Day or Your Birthday your annual reset + why?
 
I love that messages have started coming in on my social feed, I plan to be out and about today, so I will return messages in the next few days!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. 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