Airbnb

Oh man, I do not know where we will be going on our next trip, but I do know that we will definitely be at an Airbnb. These places are incredible. Airbnb is like a vacation rental site where you go to rent people's homes, but waay nicer. This has super chic places that look nice instead of mildly creepy but less expensive than a hotel. One of the best things I love about this is that home owners pick who stays at their place. It's a bit like you are auditioning to be a tourist, which is super nice considering that everyone else staying there had to go through the same test.

To sign up, just go to Airbnb and start up an account. I have heard that it is best to put as much information on your profile as possible since this is what home owners look at. Yes, homeowners can turn you down. Next, shop the site. Type in where you want to go, how many people, and if you know the dates, add that in too.

Design Love Fest is currently doing a 12 Day Giveaway and one of them is for a $1000 credit at Airbnb. A winner will be chosen on Christmas Eve, so be sure to get in on this one soon! Or don't and let me win, I'm good with that too. I have already completed everything needed to win this. Here are some of the places I would love to go with that $1000!

NYC Brownstone Loft that sleeps two and is a walk away from some of my favorite places in the city!

Le Marais Romantic destination in Paris, a walk away from everything iconic and loved.

Roomy Upper East Side place in NYC. Yes, I would like to go to there, please.

Delores Park one bedroom place in one of the prettiest trendy areas of San Fransisco!

Safari Style in Yellowstone. Hands down my favorite one of any list and the place I want to go next. This is where my winnings would be in a heartbeat.

Emily Henderson recently did a massive project for Airbnb in Hollywood. Click here to see what she did!

Tom's Shoes Sale!

Be sure to get on the Tom's Shoes 20% sale the ends today! Tom's is offering 20% off every product with the promo code LOVEYOU2.  Here are a few of my current favorites. Pictures are all linked to shoes.

Why Women Need a Calcium Supplement

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Watching my Grandmothers, Aunts, and older friends go through bone density issues shows me that women sure do need calcium- and more than we get in our diets alone. Calcium is key to strong, healthy bones that can support us and the rigors we put them through. As women age, our bodies have much less bone density than that of men. Not fair, I know, but true. It is easy to think that we can handle dealing with the bone density bridge when we cross it (guilty), but there are things we can do now that can offset osteoporosis in our older years. To help offset osteoporosis and the issues that come with brittle bones, us women need a calcium supplement. 

1. Osteoporosis
If saying the word "osteoporosis" would cover the whole reason women need a calcium supplement, we would be covered and finished. Unfortunately that is rarely enough. Osteoporosis is the inability for new bone growth to keep up with the removal of old bone. This makes bones brittle bones that break easier and arthritis. Caucasian and Asian women over the age of menopause are at a much greater risk than any other group of people. Thankfully, a diet high in calcium from a young age can significantly reduce the risks. 

2. Acidity 
When we eat acidic meals or have a diet rich in acidic foods (pasta sauce, anyone?) our bodies use calcium to reduce the acidity. Calcium is usually supplied be the blood, but when that is too low, it is taken from our bones. By taking a calcium supplement, we are ensuring that our bodies have enough calcium reserves and will not need to deplete what are bones already have. 

3. Our Diets
Even the greatest foodies out there who only eat organic, locally grown magic vegetables will have a hard time getting all the nutrients they need everyday. Doctors recommend women between the ages of nine to seventy-one recommend getting between 1,000 and 1,300 milligrams of calcium per day. Most people do not even break the 700 milligram mark. Take the stress off of your diet by taking a calcium supplement twice per day. 

4. Our Bodies
When it comes to calcium production, our bodies give us no help. Calcium cannot be created internally, but must be absorbed through our diet. If we are not getting enough calcium from outside sources, we are not getting enough calcium at all. Even worse, diets high in sodium and proteins will increase the body's secretion on calcium so we are possibly getting less calcium than we think. 

5. Bonus Health Benefits
New research is showing that calcium will decrease fat retention. Anywhere between 2-3 servings of calcium per day are recommended to keep those unwanted fats away. Likewise, calcium can decrease the risks of cardiovascular disease and hypertension. 99% of calcium is stored in our bones and teeth, but the other 1% is used for proper nervous and muscular function. Keeping the right amount of calcium in our bodies can increase  the proper functioning of our bodies. 

Although calcium supplements are great for us, too much calcium can lead to health risks including heart issues. Doctors recommend taking no more than 2,000 milligrams of calcium per day. Most doctors recommend two servings of calcium a day, neither being more than 500 milligrams since that is all our bodies can absorb at one time. When you take calcium depends one what type of supplements you have. Calcium citrate is better for those with lower stomach acidity and can be taken with or without food. Calcium carbonate is best taken with meals since the acid in our stomachs helps break it down. 

New Things in The New Year

We have recently started some new things on P+K and have secret plans of a few more in the new year. Hopefully, all will go according to plan and I will be announcing one or two more surprises for the blog, but until then, let's talk about what's already happening!

As of two weeks ago I tried out a 6th post during the week. This one comes on Sunday and was started as a bit of a bonus post but has turned into a favorite for me to do and a new regular to the weekly articles. Whoohoo! For now, the plan is to release the usual health, fitness, Disney, and lifestyle blogs throughout the week, then release one that has a bit of it all on Sundays that goes over my week in workouts.

This new Sunday post is helping keep me on track with my fitness goals and workout schedule, which is great all on it's own. It is also a great way to conglomerate all of the YouTube and non P+K workouts I complete throughout the week in one place. Every workout that is online has a link along with any food recipes that were extra special. Pretty much, these are link-tastic posts that have much more content than simply talking about a few loved YouTube workouts that week.

I have also been tending to add any personal info from the week to this one as well (what we are up to, intstagrams, that kind of stuff). If you're into personal info, there you are! If not, skip past it, you will not offend me :)

Here is the first Sunday post and here is the second. You will notice that they have completely different lay outs. It's been a trial run but the second is my fave. If you do not agree or have an even better sum up idea, let me know!

Oh yes, and stay tuned because P+K will be hosting it's first product giveaway very, very shortly!!!!