AHHHH-AQUA SANA.

Available at aquasana.com

I never imagined a shower could be so enjoyable! My BF recently gifted me an Aqua Sana shower filter; it’s like a Brita for your shower and WOW, what a difference it makes. No more strange white film on my skin after a shower, I barely need to moisturize my skin, and my hair looks and feels much healthier after just one wash.

Aside from the aesthetic benefits, I have learned that unfiltered water has chlorine in it to treat toxic waste. The problem with this is that when you combine chlorine with a hot shower the steam you are breathing in is now chlorinated, so the chlorine is not only affecting your skin but your lungs as well. Another reason to use filtered water is because pharmaceuticals such as Prozac and Xanax eventually end up in water when people toss out expired bottles. Water filtering treatments are not up to date with modern drugs and thus these drugs are not filtered out of the water prior to it reaching our faucets—GROSS!

How did I make it this far in life without this precious device?

POWER OF THE PLIE'

I love the burn I feel in my quads from our plie’ and grande plie series in Sculpere class. Plie’s and Grande Plie’s will literally sculpt that last bit of definition into your thighs and buttocks—especially when performed on your toes!

• Begin in first position (heels together, toes apart) facing the barre.
• Tighten the quads, buttocks and abdominals as you assume first position.
• Bend the knees and straighten, integrating your entire core at the top.
• During Grande Plie’s allow the heels to come up off the ground and push through the heels

   to press back up, engaging the quads, hams, buttocks, and abs.
• Remember to use your breath as you enjoy this flowing movement.

Common Mistake: do not allow the belly to relax on the way down. Always remain lifted through the core.