DWBride615

 I've thought of drinking it straight before, but I've read that it's not recommended at all because the acid will burn your throat. You have to add a couple teaspoons to 8 fl. oz. of water to dilute it. Cooking with it will not work and adding it to a salad loses it's effect because you're supposed to drink the ACV 'before' you eat.  Thanks for the best wishes! =] Â

Quote: Originally Posted by ashleyryan Speaking of tea, have you (or anyone) every tried Jiaogulan Tea? My FI had a cough for about 2 months and after a few cups of this tea it FINALLY started to go away!! I purchased it at Teaopia but I'm sure it could be found at most specialty tea shops. It's like green tea in terms of taste, but a little better because it's sweeter with even more health benefits than conventional green tea. It stays active for about 8-14 hours after steeped which means you can re-steep the same herbs over and over for quite a while and still get all of the health benefits! Steep for 5-8 minutes  Here's a little bit of info on it for everyone:  Jiaogulan – The ‘Immortality’ Tea  Jiaogulan (pronounced ‘JOW GOO LANN’) is a Chinese herb which has been consumed for centuries for its reputed anti-aging, antioxidant and disease-fighting properties. Jiaogulan is sometimes called Five Leafed Ginseng or Southern Ginseng, since it grows in south central China and because of its similarity to ginseng in chemical composition and function. The plant is a member of the cucumber family and grows in clusters of five leaves. All parts of the plant may be dried and infused, and you will see the grassy look of the product, which consist of both leaves and stems, matted and held in shape by a very light sucrose. Thus, there is sweetness to the herb when infused, which occurs due to the natural sweetness of the leaf and the sucrose used to hold it together.  Infusion Reccomendations: Infuse each ball in approximated 24 ounces of water at no more than 175 degrees for at least five minutes. Multiple infusions are strongly recommended. Successive infusions are smooth and delicious.  Chinese history about the plant dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.) The plant was used as both a dietary supplement and a food source. By the late 1500’s some theraputic claims began to be described. In the mountainous regions of Southern China, Jiaogulan was consumed for its apparent energizing effects, to increase strength and endurance and to relieve fatigue. Its uses and its reputation became comparable to those of ginseng. A frequently cited story states that in a village near Fanjing Mountain in Guizhou province, residents consumed tea made from the herb instead of the more commonly used green tea, and as a result many people in the village lived to 100 years of age or more. Thus the tea was named ‘Xiancao’, ‘Immortality herb’.  Chinese herbology sources include Jiaogulan in the ‘Dictionary of Chinese Materia Medica’, where traditional uses for the herb as a medicine, are described. It is a recommended prescription for anti-inflammation, detoxification, cough remedy, and as an expectorant and chronic bronchitis remedy. Other claims for the effectiveness of the herb include its power as an antioxidant and its adaptogenic properties. The term ‘adaptogen’ describes herbs that help the out-of-balance body to normalize itself. So, for example, if you need to energize, the claim is that the plant will do that for you, and if you need to rest, the plant will calm you. Multiple research citations claim the effectiveness of Jiaogulan as an adaptogen, which is also very rich in antioxidants, amino acids, minerals, and is stimulant-free. The plant has attracted the attention of scientists not only in China, but also Europe and the U.S. Ther herb is being actively researched, but more studies on the human body are needed to prove its health claims.  According to herbalists Jiaogulan is used for:  - Antioxidant and disease-fighting properties - Supports organ systems and blood function - Decreased cholesterol - Reduction of blood fat levels - Improved digestion and nutrient absorption - Increase in vitality and endurance - Improved athletic performance - Regulation of hormonal functions - Aids in weight loss - Improvement of sleep - Relief from fatigue enhanced resistance to disease - Calming and mood elevation  That's interesting. I've never heard of that particular tea before. Thank you for posting the information. I do like tea, so I'll definitely look for this the next time I go grocery shopping.  For coughs and sore throats, I've added cayenne pepper into my tea before. It works immediately. It's also known to better heart health among other benefits. It's one of the listed remedies on the website I posted. There's so many things I've learned from there. Spearmint tea is another beneficial tea. Â

Dancing With the Stars :: Holly Madison

dislike? Â Â high school?

Both are gorgeous dresses! However, I'd have to say I like the first Chiffon silk dress best. Â If you're having a hard time choosing, perhaps wear the first one for the rehearsal dinner (after all, the dinner is supposed to be the kick start to the wedding's events) and the second dress as the reception dress because it looks more bridal. They are both beautiful choices tho! Congrats on the wedding! =] Â

It's doesn't taste absolutely terrible, it's just unpleasant the first time you try it because it's new. It's sweeter than any other vinegar which is good. You get used to it quick though and can even learn to like it. Â I forgot to add another benefit to it. If you have a cold, drinking it will clear up any nose congestion. Â

Josh Duhamel :: mmmm yummy  Wait this isn't 'pops in your head'!  oops...  Josh Duhamel :: Transformers ...hehe... Â

You are absolutely right. Nevermind my last comment. Â

Yes, I was indeed very tempted to fill in the empty lines with a few creative choice words lol Â

 I buy organic green tea bags. Just go about making tea the normal way; with a hot cup of water and let the bag sit in the cup. Once the tea is done...this may sound weird, but it's known to be effective and I can back it up...I get the tea bag, dipping it one last time to have enough moisture in it, and run it over my skin. If need be, I dip it in again to get more moisture. Don't avoid the eye area because green tea reduces eye puffiness/ dark circles. Your skin will be wet, let it dry naturally by air; do NOT dry with a towel/paper. Then drink the tea after lol  Have you heard of oil-pulling for over-all good health and even whitens your teeth? I use this too and it works.  If you go to www.earthclinic.com it will show you natural remedies using things you can find in your household and shows thousands of reviews from people who have used them. It's great!   lol I feel like I'm completely turning away from the weight loss topic and semi-like a paid promoter. haha Â

Cuba Gooding Jr. :: Men of Honor

I agree; it really does work. I drink ACV 3 times a day. I just add a couple spoons of it into a water bottle each time. The taste isn't that bad to me, but it's actually better if you use cold water IMO. Â This is off-topic to weight loss, yet....I do this once, every other day. Drinking it will have this same effect, but I use it as a second face wash too. After using my regular face foam, I dash some ACV on my skin and immediately wash it off.(Remember to do it immediately, because over exposure can cause irritation with it being an acid base) The skin becomes blemish-free and betters your skin tone in a couple days. You can get the same thing from drinking it alone, but direct application works faster. Then I use green tea as a toner. Never had skin problems whatsoever since I started this.

This is one of the most ridiculous spam emails that I've received. It's so obvious, but I felt I should spread the word regardless, just in case. Â I received this on my email that I posted in a thread here. Luckily, it wasn't a personal email, but the one I created separately for the BDW Biggest Loser season I'm hosting. Â The spam passes the filter and actually gets received in the INBOX folder instead of spam like it should. This a yahoo email, but even if you have hotmail, gmail, etc. it could easily be altered to fit. Â Anyway, this is the email: Â This is for your own safety to avoid your account closed, you will have to verify your account by filling out your Login below by clicking the reply button. We apologies for any inconvenience. User name:................. Password:....................... Date Of Birth:...................... Occupation:.................. Country Of Residence:................. After receiving the information requested you will be able to continue using your Account. Â Â I've gotten multiples of these and each email it's from is different and the email itself is altered each time. So, be careful when posting emails/personal info on here, it's still public viewing. And If you get an email like this, ignore it! It's Spam! Â Take care, ladie

depends on what kind of gossip it is...if it's to do with shows, movies, celebrities..then yes, I like but other gossip would most likely be a dislike   Count of Monte Cristo - book?

bliss :: heaven on earth

It's the first official week of this season's BDW Biggest Loser! Â Please make sure to send in your entries by this Friday and no later than noon on Saturday, August 28th, in order to be eligible for the competition. If you're not interested in competing, but still want to enter, feel free to send in your information at any time. I do ask that you state whether you're a contestant or a non-contestant in your email. Â Look forward to your entries. Good luck, ladies! =]

My colors are silver, dark red, white...and a little bit of black

This is super long, but we are looking for something very specific so I felt it best to post all the inspiration pictures for the cake we want.  Our cake is going to be layers of vanilla and red velvet. If not, our second choice is tres leche. We're having trouble finding a local vendor where we're getting married, but we're hoping it'll work out.  We don't have one picture of the cake, but the design will be a mixture of these three cakes.  These are our inspirations of the cake we want:  Basically, we want our cake to have Cake 1's stature with cake 2's design and cake 3's roses cascading down the corner of the cake.   Cake 1: We want the stature of this cake, but instead of flowers we will have red roses cascading down the side.    Cake 2: The design on the side of the cake is the one we would want on each tier:   Cake 3: We want the roses cascading down our cake to look like these roses, with the vines and everything:     We don't know about our AHR cake yet, but this is the cake we're ordering for our engagement party (when we announce the DW).  The design will ultimately resemble this(there will be some personal changes):  http://blog.pinkcakebox.com/vintage-luggage-map-cake-2010-02-07.htm  Only with the following changes:  The luggage on top will be open like this with clothing/items bursting out instead of the lid closed and will include the passport/ luggage tags:   The luggage design will look like this, instead of plain brown:   So, like I said, super long but very detailed

Beautiful dress!

This is actually something that's been on my mind a lot lately. Â Recently, my FI got me something way incredible for a wedding gift and I don't think I can match it, let alone top it... Â Thanks to the suggestions of a few BDW ladies, I'm leaning towards adding another destination to our somewhat long honeymoon. I'm thinking a surprise trip to Bora Bora after our already planned honeymoon in Europe and Austrailia. Still haven't completely decided on it, but that's definitely top choice at the moment. Â I will, also, be taking B-pics to show him on the wedding night.

Like! Â Â Â Apple's iPad?

July 2010 Jennifer and Juan- July 2nd, 2010- Gran Bahia Principe Tulum Kaytee and CJ- July 3rd, 2010- Destination still TBD! Quintina and Carloas (creoletexan) - July 3rd, 2010 - Nassau, Bahamas Jannae and Ryan (LadyTrunck)- July 6, 2010- Riu Palace Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen, Mexico!! Sarah and Mike (bahiabride2010) - July 7, 2010 - Gran Bahia Principe Punta Cana Mandy and Chad- July 10, 2010- Sullivans Island, SC Lulu & Kirkton (lmuze) ~ July 10, 2010: Iberostar Rose Hall Suites, Montego Bay, Jamaica Cassie and Andrew - July 11, 2010 - Rancho Palos Verdes, California Edy And Jaxon (mswhatever) - July 17, 2010 Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton resort & Spa Jamaica Chelle and Todd (Janelley100) - July 17, 2010 Moon Palace Jessica & James -July 17, 2010 Paradisus Punta Cana Bobbett and Ricky (Natural)- July 18, 2010 San Juan, Puerto Rico Tracy and Cole - July 2010 in Playa del Carmen, TBD Meredith & Jedd - July 21, 2010 - The Royal Cancun, Mexico Louise (Woodsylou) and Andy - 30th July 2010 Moon Palace Golf and Spa Cancun Danielle and Ty (daniepps)- July 31, 2010 Azul Sensatori Resort Riviera Maya, Mexico August 2010 Melissa and Robby (hunniebee724) ~ August 19, 2010 NYC, Carnival Cruise Lines, Jennifer & Laurthel (Jennyco116) ~ August 20, 2010 Key West, Florida Crystal & Marques (hugrad) - August 9, 3010 St. Thomas, USVI Mindy & Jay ( MSG518 ) ~ August 21, 2010 Excellence Playa Mujeres, Mexico September 2010 Courtney & Chris-September 3,2010-Siesta Key, Fl Michelle & George - September 4, 2010 - Occidental Grand, Playa del Carmen Marisa & Dan - September 12, 2010 Glen Iris Inn, NY Cheryl & Joel - September 17, 2010 - Excellence Playa Mujeres, Mexico Kim & Mike - September 18,2010 - Cancun, Mexico Jen (jamk32179) & Steve- September 18,2010-The Royal Playa del Carmen Carolina (carolina24) & Alex - Sept 24, 2010 - Dreams Cancun Cindy (Shoesiesluvr) & Hector -September 25, 2010 - Gran Caribe Real Cancun Michael and Holy - 30th September,2010. Destination not yet decided. October 2010 Sally & Kevin-Oct. 2, 2010 Dream Puerto Aventuras Mindy & Joe - Oct. 4, 2010 - DRC Glenny & Anthony - October 9, 2010 - Gran Bahia Principe Punta Cana Tee & CJ (Bride Loving CJ) - October 10, 2010 - nh-Royal Beach, Punta Cana Lori & Oliver (gossip girl) - October 10, 2010 - Destination TBD! Suzanne & Joe (sierra101010) - October 10, 2010 - Puerto Vallarta Ashley & Josh (xxashleyxx007) - October 15, 2010 - Dreams Punta Cana, DR Chris & Crystal (Crystalballl) - October 20, 2010 - Playa Pesquero, Cuba Jo & Darren (Jo&Daz20-10-2010) - October 20, 2010 - Coral Coast - Fiji Luciel & Emil (luciel2820) - October 23, 2010 - Catalonia Royal Bavaro, Punta Cana Emma & Josh (EmmaGaussoin)- October 23, 2010- Dreams Riviera Cancun Alyssa & Adrian (MayanLily) - October 21, 2010 - Paradisus Riviera, Mexico Heather & Kevin (hat0112) - October 22, 2010 - Palm Beach, Aruba November 2010 Allie and Doug - November 5, 2010 - Sandals Regency, Saint Lucia Crista & Mike - November 10, 2010 - Azul Sensatori, Riveria Maya Mexico Jenna and Chris (MayaLove) - November 12, 2010 - Playa Del Carmen, Mexico Ashley & Mark - November 15, 2010 - Riviera Maya Karen and Angelo - November 19, 2010 The Royal Playa del Carmen, Mexico Melissa and Mark- November 21, 2010 Las Caletas, Puerto Vallarta Emily and Scott (Emily Joy) - T Giving Weekend, November 26, 2010 - Playa Del Carmen December 2010 Angela & Craig (Princess402) - December 8, 2010 - Dreams Riviera Cancun, Mexico Stephen & Sabrina (breeze616) - December 10, 2010 - Iberostar Rose Hall, Jamaica Shana and Jamel (chocolatedrop04)- December 11, 2010-Moon Palace, Mexico Jaime and TaBoris (jaimeburns) - December 11, 2010 Riviera Maya Carla & Christoper (adias.angel) - December 11, 2010 - Riviera Maya Vondra'a and Kevin(Peachy~Girl)- December 11, 2010- Miami, Florida Nichole & Ryan (coley8 - December 11, 2010 - Paradisus Punta Cana Carey & Gary (*tinkertoy*)- December 11, 2010 - Valentin Imperial Maya, Mexico Scott & Lindsay (lsjhik) - December 12, 2010 - Sun Valley, Idaho Anastasia and Derek (Adj) - December 18, 2010 - Sandos Beach Resort, Mexico Jen and Kory (Jnagan2011)- December 20, 2010~ Riu Palace Riveria Maya, Play Del Carmen, Mexico! January 2011 Jan and Edward - January 01 2011 Jodie & Dave - Jan 11 2011 - riu caribe, cancun, mexico Christel & Tiante (CeeCee76) Jan 11 2011 Sun Palace, Cancun Sara & Randy (soontobemrsdow) Jan, 11, 2011, Gran Bahia Principe Jamaica Jen & Ian (Jen1407) - Jan 19 2011 Riu Ocho Rios, Jamaica Daniel & Mitzi- Jan 22, 2011~ Coyaba Gardens and Mahoe Falls Ocho Rios, Jamaica February 2011 Anita & Josh - February 2, 2011- Dreams Tulum, Mayan Riviera, Mexico Renée (Oryx) & Paul - February 3, 2011 - Majestic Colonial, Punta Cana, DR Carey & Marc (smtc0245) - February 17, 2011 - Dreams Punta Cana Tiffany and Jason (Mischaka) - February 19, 2011 - NOW Jade Riviera Cancun March 2011 Melaina and Patrick - March 3, 2011 - Grand Sirenis Mayan Beach, Riviera Maya April 2011 Jon'el (bizzyangel) & Carlito - April 1, 2011 - RIU Ocho Rios Brandy & Chris- April 2, 2011- Beaches Turks & Caicos Cindy & Chole (Vintage Bride)- April 14,2011- Dreams Punta Cana Christina and Charles (futur_bride) - April 14 2011, Grand Palladium Riviera Maya, Mexico TheFutureWagners - April 16, 2011, The Royal Cancun, Mexico May 2011 Mel and Vince (Mellyrox) - May 04, 2011 Grand Palladium Jamaica Heather and Eric (hockeymom97) - May 5th, 2011, Beaches, Turks & Caicos Annick and Kevin (Anikoni) - May 7, 2011 Grand Bahia Principe Esmeralda Raquel and Sean (Mrs.G2B) -May 14, 2011 The Royal Playa Del Carmen Shannon & Paul (IrishgirlinNY)- May 28, 2011 Riu Ocho Rios Nicola & Stephen (Nicyx) - May 2011, Date TBC, Riu Plce Riviera Maya June 2011 Adrianne & James (adridashanne) - June 17, 2011, Grand Palladium Riviera Heidi & Francois (heidilynn2 - June 28th, 2011, Valentin Imperial Maya, MX July 2011 Chris & John (sunstarsmoon) - July 8, 2011 Couples Sans Souci Ocho Rios Denedra & Eron (sorord) - July 30, 2011 Negril Jamaica August 2011 Mallory & Glenn (Mallory57)-August 13th, 2011-Moon Dance Cliffs-Negril, Jamaica October 2011 Anthea & Alphonso (MrsJones2be)- October 9, 2011- Nassau, Bahamas November 2011 Eden & Eric (Eden) - November 11, 2011 - Michigan, USA August 2012 Cathy and Charles - August 2012  October 2012 Chelsea & Eric (DWBride615) - October 13, 2012 - Rome, Italy (Odescalchi Castle)

WEEK OF AUGUST 22 - 29, 2010    Tip Of The Week  Here's a Fun Fact: Apple Cider Vinegar promotes weight loss. Just add one or two teaspoons of organic apple cider vinegar in a glass of water before each meal. ACV will also better your complexion, among other benefits.  The nutrients, enzymes, and organic acids in apple cider vinegar cause weight reduction by acting as an appetite suppressant, by increasing your body's metabolic rate, by reducing water retention, and by helping you maintain a feeling of well being. Challenge of the Week (I think Ann’s suggestions are great, so I’m posting but ALL credit goes to Ann  Run 1 mile, jog 2 miles, or walk 3 miles (Choose one or if you're up for it, do all of them    Myth of the Week (Is it True or False?)  “Eating after 8 p.m. causes weight gain."  Fact: It does not matter what time of day you eat. It is what and how much you eat and how much physical activity you do during the whole day that determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain your weight. No matter when you eat, your body will store extra calories as fat. Tip: If you want to have a snack before bedtime, think first about how many calories you have eaten that day. And try to avoid snacking in front of the TV at night it may be easier to overeat when you are distracted by the television.      Healthy Recipe of the week (It's time for a vegan choice)  Edamame Veggie Burger  Ingredients 1/4 cup millet 1/2 cup cold water 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed 1 medium carrot 1 large red radish 2 tablespoons finely grated, peeled, fresh ginger 1/2 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 2 tablespoons mirin (See Cook's Note.) 1/8 teaspoon Asian chili paste, such as Sri Racha sauce 1 pound frozen blanched, peeled edamame (soybeans), thawed 1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs) 2 large egg whites, beaten (vegan egg replacer can also be used) Vegetable oil, for brushing Directions Heat the millet in a small dry saucepan, with a tight-fitting lid, over medium-high heat, cook, shaking occasionally, until the millet begins to "pop". Continue toasting the millet until the popping subsides, about 2 minutes, until it smells like freshly popped popcorn. Set aside to cool slightly. Add the water and the 1/4 teaspoon of the salt to the saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Wrap the pan's lid tightly with a small kitchen towel and cover the saucepan. (Make sure the towel's edges are folded up well away from the heat.) Lower the heat to low and simmer covered, for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat (don't uncover) and set aside for 10 minutes. Fluff the millet with a fork and transfer to a large bowl. Using a box grater, grate the carrot and radish into the bowl of millet. Add the ginger, garlic, lime juice, mirin, and chili paste and stir to combine. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Add the edamame, cover, and return to a boil; cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Drain and immediately add to the bowl of millet mixture (to lightly warm the vegetables). Stir to combine and set aside to cool. When cool, season the edamame mixture with the remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Transfer to a food processor and puree into a paste. Return the edamame to the bowl and stir in the panko and egg whites until incorporated. Using your hands, form the edamame mixture into 8 patties about 3 inches in diameter. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until set. Place a rack about 4 inches from the broiler element and preheat. Place the patties on a foil-lined baking sheet or broiler pan. Brush both sides of the patties lightly with oil and sprinkle with salt. Broil until the tops are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip the patties with a spatula. Broil until lightly browned and hot, about 3 minutes more. Serve on grilled naan bread with sprouts, pickled ginger, and wasabi. (The burgers can also be grilled or Sauteed.) Serving suggestions: Alfalfa sprouts, pickled ginger, wasabi paste, and grilled naan-style bread Yield : 8 garden burgers

like   scary movies?

Oh wow, Greece! Congrats on the wedding; It'll be beautiful. Â Good to see a fellow Europe bride =]