Author: vanalika
How to Go From Consuming Lots of Dairy to Virtually No Dairy & Have Clear Skin
How to Go From Consuming Lots of Dairy to Virtually No Dairy & Have Clear Skin
I am going to assume you have heard the connection between dairy and acne. It is pretty much everywhere on the web. Thousands of people continue to claim that you can get rid of acne naturally by simply avoiding dairy. So, is this true? Somewhat. Avoiding dairy can significantly increase your chances of curing your acne and may even get rid of your acne completely.
This article will help guide you to consuming less dairy. Most of us love cheese, milk, yogurt, ice cream and all the foods that happen to contain dairy. Fortunately for you and me I was able to dramatically decrease my dairy intake immediately and it has led to almost 100% clear skin. Continue reading for some tips to lowering dairy consumption.
Baby Steps to Less Dairy Consumption
If you want to change the way you live in anything then I recommend you do it in baby steps. However, if you strongly believe you can take that large step, a t-rex size so to speak, then go ahead and do so.
A few months ago I ate lots of dairy. I had about 5 to 6 glasses of milk a day and also loved a turkey sandwich with cheese. I would also eat ice cream for dessert way more often then I should have.
If you are in this same situation then consider taking baby steps if you believe it will be difficult to take a large leap. If you drink 4 glasses of milk a day then start today by consuming 3. Next week lower the amount to 2 a day, then 1, then 0. Believe in yourself and you will be able to do this.
If you are consuming a lot of cheese them simply start by putting a slightly less amount of cheese on everything you eat that you would normally put cheese on. Each week or even day, just put a little less cheese on your food and eventually you will be cheese free or will at least have cut your consumption significantly.
Milk Alternatives
An excellent way to stop consuming cows milk is to drink milk alternatives. I discovered almond milk a few weeks ago and love it. I still eat cereal in the morning sometimes and will pour on some original almond milk instead of cows milk.
Another excellent alternative is hemp milk. However, this is a little pricey so only purchase it if your wallet allows. Soy milk is better than cows milk but also comes with its own baggage so be careful with that. Coconut milk is also another excellent choice. Lastly, drink plenty of water. Water is always an excellent alternative to any drink.
Give it a Chance
Some acne sufferers learn that dairy causes acne and so they stop consuming dairy. They wait a few days, maybe a week or 2 and do not see results. Give it a chance. Go dairy free for 2-3 months and see how your skin reacts.
Additionally, it is important to realize that the best chance of having clear skin is to throw many darts at the board for the bulls-eye (clear skin). Go dairy free but also consume more antioxidants, get 8 hours of adequate sleep nightly, increase your happiness by being more grateful, etc. Do more than one thing if you want clear skin.…
Read MoreParts of Your Health That You May Need to Pay More Attention to
Staying healthy is a common contributing factor in living a happy life; however, you may not be covering your health as comprehensively as you should. The reality is that there are components of your health and wellness that you may need to pay more attention to. If you want to stay healthy, don’t forget about these key factors.
Eyes
Many people only visit the eye doctor if they have trouble with their vision. What many don’t realize is that you can experience minor and unnoticeable differences in your vision or undetectable issues with your eyes before it raises to the level of a problem. Seeing an optometrist Halifax can help you identify changes in your vision and track your eye health to ensure that you have optimal health.
Teeth
Another influential, but sometimes neglected area of your health is your mouth, teeth and gums. Not only can damage and decay in your mouth lead to pain and discomfort, but it can also leave you susceptible to significant further damage if you aren’t careful. Proactive care can go a long way though, so make sure that you schedule your biannual cleanings and check in with your dentist.
Diet
While many people realize the importance of a healthy diet, this awareness does not protect them from making critical mistakes. A well-balanced diet can impact all areas of your life and your physical, mental and emotional health. Consider balancing your plate, adding fruits and vegetables, eating lean proteins and increasing your whole grains to ensure that you stay happy and healthy.
Mental Health
One of the most important parts of your wellness journey often goes unseen. Your mental health will have a vast influence over your entire life, but it is often something that many ignore. To stay mentally well, you need to invest the time and energy necessary to fortify your mental health, build resilience and ask for help.
If you want to ensure that your wellness is comprehensively covered, don’t forget about these critical components so that you enjoy life to its fullest.…
Read MoreMalt Balls Or Milk Duds?
Malt Balls Or Milk Duds?
Ever since I was a little girl I have always loved Milk Duds! Anything with chocolate and caramel I am all over it. I love the flavor! I love the texture! I love the overall experience when I eat Milk Duds. On the other hand, I can not eat Malt Balls. I hate the texture. I hate the flavor. I hate the overall experience. The crazy thing is that Milk Duds and Malt Balls look very similar.
They both are covered in chocolate, and they are both round but, the inside is a whole different experience. I will go along in life and someone might offer me a Malt Ball. I know I don’t like them, but I always think to my self, “Maybe this time it will taste good to me.” So I take it and put it in my mouth. As I start chewing on it, that old familiar yucky flavor starts to permeate my mouth, and I try to get it out as quick as possible. It is interesting: Two different candies that look very closely the same, yet taste so differently.
This reminds me of constantly going back to a failure or regret. No matter how many times you visit it, it will always be what it was. The enemy will tell you, “Just try it!” “Just take a look back at this mistake or that regret as maybe this time it won’t affect you like it has.” Reality is it will always affect you until you allow God to bring healing and restoration in that area of your life. The good news is that God takes the very thing that was distasteful and makes it beautiful. God can take the ashes in our lives and make beauty out of them.
Isaiah 61:1 – 3
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”
All that said, there are times God will allow us to go back and taste our “malt balls” to help us walk through the pain and receive the reward of healing and a new beginning. Sometimes we have to go back to go forward. Sometimes we don’t have to go back. Ask yourself a few questions about your struggle you keep dealing with: “Am I rehashing over and over again in my mind what happened and it is tormenting me?” or “Do I need to finally look at some areas of my past to bring closure and healing?” Who knows the very thing that you thought was distasteful can turn out to be the very thing God uses in your ministry.
Your sister in Christ,
Pastor Kris Belfils…
Read MoreAnkle Swelling and Leg Cramp Relief For Pregnant Women
Ankle Swelling and Leg Cramp Relief For Pregnant Women
Some common conditions that pregnant women face are ankle swelling, wrist swelling, and leg cramps. These can easily be remedied or prevented altogether by paying more attention to our pillars of support – the legs and feet! In pregnancy, swollen ankles and feet usually need three simple things: hydration, rotation and elevation of the legs.
Hydration
Women often respond to swelling by choosing to drink less fluids as they believe this will only increase the amount of fluid the body can hold onto. But often, the opposite is the case. Swelling can become aggravated in hotter weather as we dehydrate more easily, causing the body to retain fluid in response to increased salt levels in the body. It is also much easier to dehydrate while pregnant as you are supporting two life systems and expending more energy to do so. When swelling creeps ups, try drinking more water to aid the balance of salts throughout the body and flush the system.
Rotation
If you are sitting at a desk for the most of the day, allow yourself brief breaks to walk around the office. Then sit away from your desk and circle the ankles and wrists in a clockwise and counter-clockwise direction for several rotations. Ankles in particular can also be rotated while you continue to work at your desk. These simple ankle pain and wrist pain exercises will alleviate stiffness and stimulate the production of synovial fluid within the joint capsule, which helps lubricate the joint for greater freedom of movement. Rotation also stimulates the small lymph vessels located around the ankles, which help to filter the blood of excess fluid and reduce swelling.
Elevation
In the evening while sitting on the sofa, take the opportunity to elevate arms above your head, perhaps resting them on the top of the sofa, which will allow fluid to drain from the wrists. Rest legs on a coffee table or side table piled with cushions to the desired height so that ankles can also receive the benefits.
Leg Cramp Relief
Waking up in the middle of the night with severe cramps in one or both calves is a common occurrence in pregnancy and can be the result of fatigue, dehydration or lack of mobility through the legs and hips caused by long hours of sitting or standing. Muscle cramps can often easily be remedied with a tall glass or two of water. Simple calf stretches throughout your day or before you go to bed are also an effective way to relax the calf muscles and prevent cramping in the middle of the night. A targeted yoga therapy routine will help facilitate this.
Strong and supple feet and legs allow you to gather more support from the earth…which all Earth Mamas should take advantage of! This support can help to release congestion in the lower back and spine so that you find greater length all the way up the back to the crown of your head. Follow these baby steps and discover that the feet offer a path of healing for the whole body that will sustain you through your entire pregnancy and beyond.…
Read MoreUnderstanding French Cheeses
Understanding French Cheeses
If there is one group of people in this world who love their cheese, it’s the French. If you are new to French cuisine it may come as surprise that there are well over 400 varieties of French cheeses. They vary in color, texture and flavor and are made in different regions throughout France using milk from different farm animals. Many French cheeses are named after the areas they are produced. Some of the best known cheeses are Brie, Roquefort, Chevre, Munster, and Camembert.
In addition to the different areas the cheese is produced there are differences in the production techniques. Normal farm house production in which cheese is produced on the farms where the milk gets produced is called the Fremier variety of cheese. Artisanal cheese is produced using milk purchased from nearby areas using traditional methods. Cooperative cheese production is when local people or local dairy farms have joined together to produce their cheese as a unit.
Different kinds of milk will produce noticeable differences in flavor and texture in the cheese. Typically cow milk is the common choice for producing cheese. Langres which is a very soft variety, where the rind is not very thick. Typically eaten the year around, the best time is from March to December. The central part of the cheese is soft and the external rind is made from penicillium candidum.
Comte is a well known French cheese that gets its name from where it is made in the eastern regions of France known as Franche-Comte. This is the most produced cheese in France and has an annual production of more than 40 Kilo tones. Usually made in copper vats the production technique still in use is since the 12th century AD. The cheese is made in circular discs and has a creamy center with a light brown rind. The cheese is mainly made from unpasteurized cow milk and the texture is very creamy.
In addition to cow milk there quite a few cheeses made with milk from sheep. Ossau-iraty is one such variety which is made from Sheep milk. The production happens mainly in the south west of France known as the northern Basque Country and the Bearn regions. Ossau-iraty is one of the two varieties of sheep milk cheese made in France. It is made without the application of heat and mainly done using pressing.
Banon is a variety of French cheese that comes from mostly goat milk but also contains a small amount of cow milk. Produced in the town of Banon in south east France, it comes in smaller packages and has a strong taste.
Charouce is another French cheese that is not as well known as others and also gets its name from the village where it is produced in the Champagne region and is similar in taste to Camembert. The center of the cheese is light creamy and the rind is made form penicillium candidum.
Don’t take my word for it. Taste for yourself. The best way to learn more about French Cheeses is to attend a tasting at your local gourmet food store.…
Read MoreRelieve Neck Pain and Back Pain Caused by Computer Use
Relieve Neck Pain and Back Pain Caused by Computer Use
For the millions of us that spend our days working at a computer, it’s not at all unusual to experience chronic tension and pain in the upper back and neck areas. In this article, we’ll talk about what muscles are getting overwhelmed by this repetitive stress, and what we can do to get out of pain and integrate the upper back with the rest of the body.
The upper back and neck is an easy area to ‘hunch up’ and hold tension. The muscles there tend to volunteer themselves for all activities that the upper back needs strength for, like carrying groceries or a child, or reaching up for something on a shelf. They also tend to hunch up unnecessarily as we reach our arms forward to type on a keyboard, or drive a car, and sometimes get stuck! In this way they get stressed and overused, and other muscles that could support their function aren’t involved.
“Codependent” Muscles: They Want To Do It All For You!
A habitual place to carry tension is in the upper back and neck. The shoulder shrugging muscles have a tendency to jump in and try to do actions for us that aren’t their job (try this: lying on your back with knees bent, do an abdominal crunch, and then curl your right elbow to your left knee. See if you can get your right shoulderblade completely off the floor without lifting your shoulder up to your ear – those muscles are going to want to pitch in!). As a result, they tend to be constantly contracted to the point that they don’t know how to release, resulting in chronic neck pain and upper back pain.
In addition, the ‘hunched forward’ shape that we make with our shoulders and arms when we are typing on a keyboard (or driving a car) pulls the shoulder blades away from each other and stresses one set of ‘tug-of-war’ muscles while weakening the other.
My Job Requires That I Sit at A Computer
So how do we take care of this sensitive and overworked area, when we can’t get away from the requirements of our daily lives?
1. Take a hot bath, or get a massage. A hot bath softens the muscles (try using Epsom salts as well to draw out the ache) and a massage will increase blood and oxygen flow to the area and can release more specific areas of tension and holding.
2. Self Massage. You can get all of the benefits of going to a massage therapist with a self massage tool at home. Self massage tools work to target areas of tension just like a massage therapist would with their fingers, while you control the duration and intensity.
3. Begin a Stretching and Strengthening routine. It’s important to take care of these muscles so that our bodies don’t become permanently stuck in this position, causing further health and posture problems down the road. There are many yoga therapy exercises that target these muscles and relieve neck pain and upper back pain.
Our lives may make certain demands on our bodies that we can’t change, but we can put in a little time and effort to relieve pain, release tension, and feel better overall!…
Read MoreCustom Molded Chocolates – Beginner’s Course Part 7
Custom Molded Chocolates – Beginner’s Course Part 7
One of the most popular versions of chocolate candy which is growing more and more in popularity as the seasons go by is flavored chocolate candies. People are no longer as interested in the plain versions of just a chocolate bar or a bar with nuts.
By adding hot and spicy additions to your chocolates, a more mellowed version of the hot and fiery blends added to the sweetness of chocolate will create a tongue tingling version which can make your hair stand on end but still you just keep coming back for more.
More popular though is adding the flavors of raspberry to dark chocolate (the sweet fruit with the bite of a good quality dark chocolate is an excellent combination) or how about trying the milk chocolate with a light touch of amaretto or hazelnut. Any of your milder flavors complement the sweetness of milk chocolate.
With a little bit of practice you can become an expert at making different flavoring blends in no time.
Melt your chocolate wafers per the instructions in lesson 1.
Purchase some candy flavoring oils to begin your journey into flavored chocolates. It is very important to remember, never use any bottle called an extract — these flavors are water-based. You can not mix the oils of chocolate with a water-based liquid. Equally important, adding fresh fruits, whether they are mashed, pureed or whatever, will yield the same impossible results. Chocolate is an oil-based product. It will not stir into the water-based liquids effectively.
Stir in 1-2 drops per each one pound of melted chocolate. This is easiest if you use an eyedropper. Add the oils, stir and taste. If you can sense just a hint of your flavor, stop there. An oil-based flavoring agent will intensify in flavor with time as the chocolate absorbs the flavor and aroma. If you would keep adding more drops until you like the flavor today, within the next few days your candy will be too strong to eat.
After you have reached the flavor consistency you like, reheat the chocolate back to pouring temperature, stir and then finish pouring in whichever design of mold you prefer.
Some more popular flavor combinations include key lime or peanut butter in milk chocolate, almost any of the fruit flavors like orange or cherry with dark chocolate and if you happen to be a fan of white chocolate, the mild flavors of butter, cheesecake, almond etc. are often the most popular selections.
Experiment with the different flavor or add flavors together into different combinations and create your own signature line of chocolates which is most popular with your friends and family.…
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