Eating healthy on vacation!

Everyone loves vacations, whether it’s camping, a cruise, or staying in a hotel, we all need that time to relax and enjoy ourselves. However, what I don’t like about vacations is coming back with my jeans fitting tighter! It can be really hard to eat right when you are away from home and going to restaurants for so many meals, but I’ve gathered some tips so that we can all have waistline friendly vacations this year!

1. Don’t go out to eat for every meal. This can be difficult when staying in a hotel, but at least bring your own food for breakfast and snacks. Cram some fruit, veggies, and yogurt in the mini fridge and bring some nuts to snack on if you get hungry.

2. When you do go out to eat, don’t order anything creamy. Get vegetables instead of fries; look for dishes that are grilled, broiled or steamed; and skip the bread basket (a single Olive Garden breadstick has 150 calories… and most people don’t have just one!). Get olive oil and vinegar dressing on the side for your salad and don’t get any candies nuts, which are also really high in calories.

3. If you’re camping, try turkey hotdogs

4. Cruises can really do some damage to that bikini body you’ve worked so hard for. They have food and drinks available 24/7, but this doesn’t mean you have to actually consume them 24/7! Stick to your normal meal times and don’t go to the buffet to munch between meals.

5. If you’re at a buffet, use a smaller plate. It’s so easy to fill up a huge plate when there are so many food options to choose from, so having a smaller plate will help to limit your portions.

6. There are a lot of high-calorie cocktails that can have you drinking thousands of calories without even knowing it. Some low-calorie drinks include champagne, wine, light beer, vodka with diet lemon-lime soda like Sprite, gin and tonic, or a skinny margarita with tequila, triple sec, and fresh lime juice. Anything fruity and blended will most likely have a ton of sugar and leave you with a headache that will cut in to your precious time at the beach!

7. It is vacation, so indulge, but do it in moderation. Share a dessert with everyone at the table and only have one “treat” per day.

Relax and indulge in moderation on your vacation, and your pants will thank you when you return home!

What do you wear to work out in?

I’ve decided that good workout attire is totally underrated. It’s time to toss the baggy t-shirts and sweatpants and get clothing that looks cute and is functional! Here are my top 4 reasons for investing in real workout gear:

1. Good workout clothing is moisture wicking and will pull the sweat off of your body instead of trapping it on your skin and clogging every pore.

2. Have you ever seen those people that look like they peed their pants because they wore grey cotton pants? Good clothes don’t do this.

3. Getting new workout clothing is fun, and it is more motivating to go to the gym when you look good and feel good. I also like to use this (instead of food!) as a reward for sticking to my workout plan!

4. Good quality clothing holds up better, doesn’t smell bad as easily, and will last longer!

Here are some of my favorite brands that have cute and functional clothing:

· Lululemon: There are two Lululemon stores in the Phoenix area (one in the Biltmore and one at the Scottsdale Quarter). They have a lot of great stuff for when it’s hot, but look especially for their “circle mesh,” which is mesh but is NOT see-through; “silverescent,” which is anti-stink; and their clothing that has ultraviolet protection if you are going to be outside.

· Shakti Activewear: This brand is made specifically for hot yoga, but they have a lot of cute and unique clothing. You can find it online or Sumit’s yoga studios carry it.

· Lucy: Lucy is a little cheaper than Lululemon and Shakti Activwear, and it has workout clothing for all different sports and workout styles. Some of their clothing also has odor and sun protection.

· Elisabetta Rogiani: This is probably the most expensive one on the list, but they have really high quality clothing. Elisabetta Rogiani is featured in a lot of fitness magazines because of its great fit and distinctive styles.

· FitnessEtc.com and SanDiegoFit.com are websites with several different brands, but they carry a lot of Brazilian supplex, which is an amazing fabric to work out in! These websites are kind of cheesy looking, but you can find a lot of cute stuff on them!

To help you get in shape, come into Iluminar and mention this post to get 25% off of our Lipoplex injections! These injections are a great instant fat loss aide that encourage your body to burn fat and give you a boost in energy through a mixture of B vitamins.

Sun Safety Week!

Today is the first day of national sun safety week, so I thought I’d give you guys some good info for skin care and sun exposure. No one wants skin cancer or sunspots, so wearing a good sun block when out in the sun is a must! Here are a few tips to protect your skin:

• Apply sunscreen liberally 15-30 minutes before going out in the sun
• Both UVA and UVB rays are harmful, which means tanning beds are just as bad as going outside!
• UVA rays can go through windows and reach your skin, so pay attention to how much sun you are getting while driving.
• You’re lips need sun protection, too, so don’t neglect them.
• Reapply often, putting on sunscreen once a day is not enough!
• Sunscreen expires after 3 years.
• Use at least SPF 30, but remember that this still is not a 100% fix.

A lot of sunscreens are thick, sticky, and smelly, which makes me not want to wear them. Luckily, there are a lot of products that don’t feel like you are wearing sunscreen—here are some of our favorites:

• Melaleuca
• Sun Shades Sport SPF 45+ Continuous Spray Sunscreen: spray formula and should protect skin in water for up to 80 minutes
• Sun Shades Mineral Plus SPF 30+ Sunscreen: lotion with extra minerals for sensitive skin; it also is water-resistant for 80 minutes
• Sun Shades Lip Balm, SPF 15

• Arbonne
• Damage Control, SPF 30, Water Resistant
• Lip Saver, SPF 30

Here are two more products from DeVita Professional Skin Care that are not sunscreens, but can help skin that is already damaged or protect from future damage. If you are interested in these amazing products let us know and we can order them for you!

• C-Pro Plus: moisturizes and helps to erase signs of age or damage (fine lines, wrinkles, etc.) to your skin, and you will have visible results within days of using it! It comes in a 1 oz bottle and is $31.50.
• CU + Copper + Peptide Repair Serum: has copper in it to help repair your skin and actually prevent future damage through it’s anti-oxidative properties. This serum also helps with fine lines and wrinkles, but also helps to thicken skin, even out skin tone, and improve elasticity—it’s basically youthful skin in serum form :) This one also comes in a 1oz bottle and is $43.50.

For more information on sun protection, check out this link: http://tiny.cc/35kcb

Beat the heat this summer!

It’s starting to get hot, and we all know the key to getting through an Arizona summer is to get away for a few days. Luckily, there are plenty of places locally to “get away” and beat the heat. Also, most of the resorts here in Phoenix have really great summer specials that include resort credits, spa packages, and activities for kids if you want to bring the whole family. Click here for an article with details on Phoenix resort specials.

If you want to get away for a weekend but want to stay in Arizona, here are some other unique places to stay:

• Sedona: There are several really nice resorts (L’Auberge de Sedona or Enchantment Resort), but for something different there are also some cool bed and breakfasts, such as Boots and Saddles. While you are in Sedona try wine tasting at one of wineries nearby.
• Flagstaff: The Inn at 410 is another bed and breakfast you should check out. It has won many awards and fills up quickly, so book this one in advance!
• Prescott: The Motor Lodge should be at the top of your list to check out this summer—you literally cannot find a bad review of this place! It is luxury at a discount price, has amazing customer service, and is located right by Whiskey Row.
• Greer: The Greer Lodge Resort is another great place to relax, get outdoors, and enjoy some cooler weather.

If you can’t get away, check out the Museum of Musical Instruments. This really is a world-class museum that you could spend an entire day at! Think outside the box this summer with ways to stay cool!

Another cool event series is the Summer Spaaah Series. There are several different spas participating, and the events a spread out from now until August. You buy a ticket on the day of the event and then have 30 days to book a spa service at that location. The ticket includes a 50-60 minute spa service, a cool gift bag, spa tote, and entrance to an evening party with food and drinks. Part of the ticket price goes to the Fresh Start Women’s Foundation, so you’re getting a massage for a good cause!

Stay tuned for some great info on sun block and eating healthy while you are away from home :)

Have you heard...Hormone Pellets!

In a never-ending endeavor to provide our patients with the best possible choices for their healthcare needs, we are very proud to announce another option in natural hormone replacement therapy. Patients at Iluminar® now have the ability to improve their health and well being with natural bioidentical subcutaneous hormone pellets.

Bio-identical hormone replacement (bHRT) is a treatment option that Iluminar® has provided for years but we have added the latest in bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy.

About the size of a grain of rice, these small pellets are easily and painlessly placed under the skin in a simple in-office procedure. Within as little as 24 hours, patients can expect to begin having relief from symptoms related to hormone imbalance and deficiency. The natural hormone releases gradually into the bloodstream, providing a continuous flow of hormone that cannot be replicated by other forms of delivery such as creams, pills, and patches.

Having been utilized medically since the 1930’s, this therapy is effective for women suffering from perimenopause and menopause. And men, suffering from andropause, the male equivalent of menopause, also greatly benefit.

We are very proud to now offer this revolutionary form of therapy for our patients. We look forward to hearing from you and helping to determine if this therapy is a fit for you.

Be Well,

Dr. Cristina Bosch

Contact Iluminar® for more information and make your appointment with Dr. Bosch to see if you are a candidate for this amazingly effective treatment option.