Healthy Happy Wholesome

Healthy Happy Wholesome: The Little-Known Herb That Doubles As An IBS and C...

2016-10-29T01:07:00.001-07:00

Healthy Happy Wholesome: The Little-Known Herb That Doubles As An IBS and C...: Photo credit: Latisha ( herbmother) Sage -- the herb found in most spice cabinets , and the one commonly used to flavor your Tha...

The Little-Known Herb That Doubles As An IBS and Candida Remedy

2016-10-25T17:57:00.000-07:00

Sage -- the herb found in most spice cabinets, and the one commonly used to flavor your Thanksgiving dressing -- is a severely under-appreciated medicinal herb and panacea. Perhaps one of its most impressive uses is as a remedy for IBS and candida.

Considering that it's part of the mint family, it should come as no surprise that sage can help relieve IBS symptoms. In fact, some people regard this simple herb as their go-to remedy in times of a flare-up.

Nutritional Profile and Properties of Sage:
Sage contains over 80 different vitamins and nutrients, including:

Vitamins A, C, and K
Calcium
Magnesium
Potassium

See the entire nutrient profile for sage here.

Sage is a natural anti-spasmodic, meaning it'll stop those painful GI cramps that are infamous for their ability to double you over for hours on end.

Sage relieves inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, thanks to the rosmarinic acid content.

Sage has natural anti-fungal and anti-yeast action, which makes it perfect for killing off the excess of candida albicans or "yeast" that affects folks with IBS.

Sage fights infection, particularly those of the intestines, with anti-bacterial and anti-septic properties. Sage was even found to be effective against staphylococcus aureus, i.e. staph infection.

Sage is a natural remedy for constipation as it has a mild stimulating effect on digestion.

Photo credit: Latisha (herbmother)

How Sage Can Help IBS and Candida

1. Strengthens Digestion and Treats Stomach Disorders
Sage has been used for centuries as a general tonic to stimulate a weakened digestive system and treat stomach disorders, including stomach hemorrhages.

2. Prevents Flare-Ups Caused by Anxiety Many people suffering from IBS and candida know that any excitement like anxiety or nervousness can send your symptoms into overdrive in a matter of minutes. Use sage for its ability to help keep excitability, anxiety, and nervousness down. Drinking a tea infused with sage can also help with the headaches most of us nervous IBS'ers keep.

3. Sage tea provides strength to a weakened immune system and fatigued body.

How to Use Sage for Relief from IBS and Candida

Sage is often taken multiple times a day in small doses to get maximum results in particularly relentless cases of IBS.

The most popular way to use sage as a medicinal herb is in the form of a tea, although it's available in easy-to-swallow capsules.

Dosing: According to Whfoods' Food Rating Chart System, a serving of dried sage is 2 teaspoons or 1.40 grams.

How to Make Sage Tea:
Bring 8 ounces of water to a boil, then allow it to cool for a few minutes before pouring over 1 teaspoon of fresh sage leaves, or 2 teaspoons, if using dried sage leaves.

Allow to steep for 10 minutes. (One source recommend steeping for a whopping 4 hours.)

After steeping (for however long you prefer) strain, then drink the infusion as you would any tea.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for later.

No Leaves on-Hand? Just Use Ground Sage
There's no reason to forego this powerful IBS remedy just because you don't have actual sage leaves. Ground sage is just as good, and according to some people, works better than the tea method.

You can make a tea using ground sage in your coffee maker. Just substitute coffee grounds (don't forget a coffee filter) for a scoop of ground sage. Pour in your water, turn the coffee maker on and enjoy a quick cup of sage tea!

On hurried days, I just dump 2 teaspoons of ground sage in a cup of warm or even room temperature water for fast relief from bloating, cramping, and other IBS-related pain.

Unlike coffee, the grounds of sage aren't bothersome going down. If the grounds do happen to bother you simply strain the sage-infused water beforehand.

How to Take Sage for Candida Overgrowth

When my IBS symptoms increase and start showing up frequently, I know this signifies a problem with candidiasis, the overgrowth of candida albicans or "yeast." This is when I like to start taking sage on a daily basis. I either add ground sage to my water or put it in a capsule for fast, easy dosing.

My symptoms typically begin to disappear within 3-4 days, depending. There are times when 2 teaspoons a day for several days in a row are necessary to get the candida under control.

You can buy sage supplements or you can put the ground herb into empty capsules if you prefer to avoid the taste.

You can purchase easy-to-swallow sage capsules by clicking below

Have you ever tried this herbal remedy for IBS and candida overgrowth? Share your thoughts and results in the comments.

Vacationing With IBS? Try The Emergency Anti-IBS Protocol

2016-10-24T08:03:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: Herald

So you have a vacation coming up, but you're worried that your digestive woes will get in the way?

What kind of person worries about their digestive system when they're going on vacation?

The kind who suffers from irritable bowel syndrome, am I right?

If you're one of the millions of folks in the IBS club, then you've probably become a professional last-minute cancelling because you're digestive system decided to attack you. You've also become a pro in the excuses-department because the last thing you want to tell your friend (or date!) is that you can't go because your bowel is irritated. (Whoever came up with the term "irritable bowel syndrome" really didn't make things easier on us, did they?)

If you're one of us gals whose life has to revolve around her IBS, you want nothing more than to get control back over your life, er, digestive system. Believe me, I know because I've been there. From the age of about 15 all the way into adulthood, I've been there. I've vacationed dozens of times with IBS, I've gone on dates with IBS tagging along. You name it, I've IBS'd all through it. And it was miserable. Many vacations were smothered in pain. Many dates cancelled or cut short.


Photo credit: James Palisad

I was a teenager when my significant other (who I'd only been with for a year at the time) went on vacation with my family. I felt awful the entire time because the constant pain and digestive upsets. On top of that, I felt like I was putting a damper on everyone's time because even when we went out to eat, I'd be the only person not eating. It was impossible when the smallest meal would literally keep me down for an entire evening.

I know from years of experience that IBS doesn't take a vacation when you do. This obnoxious little pest doesn't even take Holidays off.

When you have IBS, things that are supposed to be exciting and fun, like vacation are just stressful.

Normal people are so full of excitement the night before they're set to leave for vacation. For people with IBS? you can't sleep because you're darn near sick with worry.

What if I get to the beach and there isn't a bathroom nearby?

What if I end up having to stay in the motel the entire time?

What if we get on a boat and my IBS flares up? No bathroom + a boat full of people = pure disaster.

IBS is a relentless SOB. He not only tags along on your much-needed vacation, but ruins your chances of spending any time outside of the bathroom and on that warm, relaxing beach. The minute you finally get out of the motel room and have trekked to the beach, bam! That gut-wrenching rumble strikes and you know that you better start surveying the area for the closest bathroom or place to sit as you try to secretly grit through the pains.

You finally get a vacation, but you don't actually get to enjoy it because your IBS won't allow it.

Photo credit: Moyan Brenn

It's like waving a big steak under a dog's nose repeatedly, then finally giving it to him only to snatch it away and beat him with it the second he sinks his teeth in.

That's precisely what vacation was like for me every single year. So, when an unexpected invitation to go to the beach popped up, I gathered up all my remedies and supplies to come up with a way to keep my IBS from consuming this vacation. I needed a low-maintenance kind of remedy that I could use in last-minute situations like this. There are many remedies that can help with IBS, but I needed something powerful that would prevent a flare-up all together, and provide relief in the event that one did occur.

I only had a single week, so the pressure was on. However, I had a few remedies up my sleeve, so I immediately began taking a sort of "emergency anti-IBS protocol."

And it worked! I made it all the way there and back without the IBS striking, even though I happened to be going through some severe emotional distress while we were away.

Read on to learn the ingredients I used, plus many tips that'll help you come up with the perfect protocol for your own IBS needs.

Choosing The Right Remedies for An Emergency Anti-IBS Protocol (I like the ring that has to it)

I'm including all the steps I take when emergency strikes, but by no means is this a strict "protocol" that has to be followed. Feel free to "tweak" the ingredients to fit your needs.

Identify Your Symptoms Before Proceeding

The main symptoms of IBS are similar for most people -- pain, cramps, abdominal discomfort, irregularity, bloating, gas, etc. The severity of each symptom varies from person to person. For example, some people have IBS-C, which means they have constipation frequently while others will be the opposite and suffer with diarrhea, a.k.a. IBS-D. Then there's those of us who have the unpredictable "surprise me" version that could go either way on any given day.

Since I fall under the in-between category, I had to look for flexible options or else I could end up with a remedy of disaster. Imagine taking an IBS-C remedy (one that's meant to fight IBS-C) when suddenly your IBS decides to come with diarrhea. That'd be like having diarrhea on top of diarrhea. A pure nightmare.

When it comes to IBS, you have to experiment and tailor your treatment based on your symptoms. Having the unpredictable "in-between" IBS, I had to use something that's friendly for all IBS symptoms, whether it's IBS-C or D.

I needed something extremely simple, easy, convenient, and low-maintenance, so I used what I knew to work best, was most readily available, and powerful enough to do the trick.

1. Take Aloe vera (preferably the "medicinal" variety but any will do) daily. You can also take aloe vera supplements instead of using the plants.

Photo credit: Florena Presse

Why: Aloe is the most important ingredient in the protocol because it stops my flare-ups and brings almost instantaneous relief. Aloe vera helps all the painful symptoms associated with IBS. It soothes the gut and intestinal lining, relieves intestinal cramps, discomfort, and inflammation.

Instructions: I typically start taking aloe vera a week before I go on vacation. If it's last minute, and then I begin as soon as possible. I'll also take it during the middle of a flare-up when I need relief. If I take aloe vera daily for a period of time (the length of time depends on how severe and on-going the IBS problems are) it'll keep it away for months to come. I always aim to take a dose everyday for a minimum of 3-days in a row, but a week guarantees I'll be completely in the clear.

How to Use Aloe From the plant: I typically cut whichever shoot is the most mature/largest from my plant. Using a knife, I slice one side of outer leaf away, then using the knife (or a spoon), I scrape the clear, inner material off. You'll end up with a glob of clear, gooey aloe vera. This is the edible portion. The green outer leaf isn't used. Rinse it well to ensure the latex (a yellow liquid-y substance that oozes from the cut shoots) isn't consumed as it's been reported to have a mild laxative effect for some people and some have suggested it could be bad for the liver.

There isn't a recommended amount of aloe vera to consume, but it doesn't take much to inhibit a flare-up.

Aloe Supplement method: If you're using a capsule/supplement, follow the recommended dosage on the label. Personally, I take 1-2 when I'm using the cheaper brand of aloe vera gel caps from Wal-mart (Nature's Valley is the brand, I think. It's the one in a dark green bottle with a yellow lid.)

A single gel cap is usually enough to bring me relief, but two never fails me.

Tips for using aloe: I usually just use my own aloe vera plants, but aloe vera supplements are just as useful. In fact, I like to keep a bottle of aloe supplements on-hand for emergency flare-ups and they're perfect for travel. Cutting/preparing aloe vera from the plant isn't travel-friendly and there's the added concern of it going bad.

- Aloe vera has started showing up in many consumer products, like beverages, but none of the beverages have been reliable for me during a flare-up. I like them fine as a way to promote better digestive health. The convenience of the aloe-laced beverages may be tempting, but I seriously don't recommend that you rely on them for this part of the protocol.

- Which Brand of Aloe Supplement? I've used close to all the aloe vera supplements that can be purchased in a Wal-mart or over the Internet and it really doesn't matter which brand you use or whether you go with freeze dried aloe or a gel capsule. Just as long as the ingredients are 100% pure aloe vera and free of harmful additives/chemicals. Some of the brands differ in potency aloe and quality to an extent, but the purpose is to get relief fast, and all of them do that in my experience.

*Note regarding the latex in aloe vera
Some people say the "latex" in aloe can cause discomfort or a laxative effect. Many recommend rinsing the aloe vera gel (if using from the plant) thoroughly to remove the "latex."

As for my experience, I've eaten many aloe vera plants of many different species, and I've consumed small amounts of the latex. Never have I experienced discomfort or a laxative effect. I've also never experienced negative side effects or worsening symptoms (like upset stomach/digestive system) when using any part of an aloe plant.

If you've been one of Healthy, Happy, Wholesome's long-term readers, you've probably read about how aloe vera helped me recover from IBS. Through all the years I've been experimenting, aloe vera has been an infallible, most helpful remedy. If you were to only choose a single ingredient for relief of IBS, aloe vera would probably be the best one you could go with.

2. Eat Garlic Cloves Daily.
Photo credit: Allison Turrell

Why? Garlic has numerous medicinal uses, and it garners a lot of attention for its digestive benefits. Garlic contains prebiotic substances, which feed and promote the growth of the healthy bacteria within the colon. This makes garlic particularly beneficial in cases of IBS because most people lack a sufficient supply of healthy bacteria. As a result, the "bad bacteria" (like candida albicans or "yeast," for example) usually take over. These bad bacteria are harmful and they're responsible for a lot of pain and suffering. Consuming garlic regularly will help kill off the bad bacteria and keep your system in check.

Instructions for use: Get a head of garlic and starting a week before you plan to go on vacation, eat at least a single clove daily. I took 1-2 cloves of garlic daily for the week leading up to our vacation and I stopped taking it the night before we left. If your concerned about the pungent aroma lingering during your vacation, you can stop the a day or so before leaving and still get the benefits.

The cloves can be used as flavoring in your meals or if you can tolerate it, chop up a clove and pop it into your mouth. Just be sure you don't allow it to sit in your mouth for too long as it can burn. I chop the clove into small bits, then wash them down with a glass of water.

Garlic's powerful anti-bacterial, anti-fungal properties will help kill off the harmful parasites, yeast, and bacteria that are known for causing IBS flares.

Anti-fungals can cause folks with IBS and candidiasis to have a Herxheimer reaction a.k.a. "die-off." This occurs when a number of the candida albicans "die-off" and release toxins in your system. I have had the Herx reaction in the past and it was a highly unpleasant few hours. With that said, you may want to be careful not to over consume things like garlic.

Tips for using garlic: Most experts agree that eating garlic cloves, rather than using garlic powder or taking a garlic supplement is the best way to reap the most benefits. I usually find a head of garlic for only 99 cents at the grocery store.

*Make sure to crush or chop the cloves as doing so releases an important chemical called allicin.

3. Take Peppermint As a Natural Pain-Killer and to Prevent Colon Spasms

Photo credit: Kim

Most IBS sufferers would agree that a spastic colon can cause extreme pain and severe cramps.

Why? Peppermint calms and numbs the gastrointestinal tract, providing relief from bloating, painful cramps, spasms, and inflammation associated with IBS. These benefits can be attributed to the active ingredient, menthol, which is a natural anti-spasmodic that relaxes the tense muscles that line intestinal tract and stomach. It also improves the functioning of these important muscles.

Additionally, peppermint helps your body digest fats and relieves diarrhea and gas.

Instructions for use:
Take a peppermint oil capsule or drink peppermint tea before meals, if possible. I like to start taking a single soft capsule of peppermint essential oil the day before I leave for vacation as well as at the start of my day for the duration of the trip.

Most people recommend taking the mint after a meal, but I like to take it at the beginning of my day to help keep the typical symptoms (discomfort, spasms, and gas) away.

Tips for using peppermint:
While peppermint tea has been reported to be useful for minor discomfort, using peppermint extract or a peppermint oil capsule seems to be the most favored approach. I personally find relief when I take a soft capsule that contains peppermint essential oil. I haven't had much luck with other peppermint products, like teas.

4. Take Coconut Oil

Photo credit: Meal Makeover Moms

Why? A daily dose of high quality, organic, un-refined coconut oil will kill candida albicans (the "yeast" fungus that's a major problem in IBS sufferers.)

When I first tried coconut oil for my severe IBS, I started with only half a teaspoon a day. When I decided (after a week or two) it was time to up my intake to 2 tablespoons, I ended up with a serious case of Herxheimer's reaction. Like with the garlic mentioned previously, be careful with coconut oil unless you're prepared to experience some "die-off" symptoms.

Coconut oil has anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties, so it'll also help kill off the harmful bacteria in your gut.

Instructions for use: A teaspoon of coconut oil taken everyday for a week leading up to the day you plan to leave. (Of course last minute vacations don't allow for this pre-planning, so it's still plenty beneficial to take the small doses while on vacation.)

Coconut oil can be eaten by the spoon or added to meals like oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies, etc. You can swap your cooking oil with coconut as well.

Notes about coconut oil: When I use a regular store-bought coconut oil, although it's easier to get down, I don't notice the same benefits for my IBS. That's why it's best to use an un-refined, organic, cold-pressed, virgin coconut oil. A reputable brand that I've personally used and had results with is Gold Label Organics.

5. Cinnamon

Photo credit: Marat Assanov

Why? The eugenol in cinnamon is a natural pain-killer that will be useful in stopping cramps and keeping diarrhea under control, if it strikes.

Instructions for use: When you're having cramps or diarrhea, take a teaspoon of ground cinnamon with a warm beverage like tea.

IBS-sufferers find themselves in "emergency situations" more than average, and it isn't just on vacation that we need a quick patch. Whether you're somewhere that doesn't have a bathroom nearby or you're stuck in a meeting, having this little remedy for "just in case" days is a life saver.

Over the years, I've learned different ways to live life with IBS and I've experimented with hundreds of different remedies to find relief when I need it most. One of the biggest gems I've accumulated on this painful journey is these remedies that I can use in any situation when a flare-up strikes. I just hadn't thought to use it as a preventative measure when I have a big event (like vacation!) coming up.

Now though, I can rest assured that next time a last-minute vacation (or similar event) arises, I'll know exactly how to make sure the IBS stays at home. ...Now, if only I can find a protocol that sends the IBS straight to hell. Forever. I think that'll be my next goal.

There's nothing like the horror of being stuck somewhere (especially somewhere quiet and surrounded by people) when your stomach starts rumbling, am I right? So what is your go-to remedy when this happens? How do you manage your IBS when you have big plans coming up?

A Common Solution for Depression Might Actually Worsen it

2016-10-09T08:12:00.001-07:00

Image source: Kyril Negoda

"Just get out of the house and surround yourself with people you enjoy being around. Get away for a while. Go on vacation. Do something for yourself."

The advice every single depressed person on the planet has been given time and again. Simple, right? Just force yourself to spend a little time with people you love, and soon the depression will dissolve.

There's one problem with that. Actually, there's often two, but it comes later and mostly involved on-going depression.

For the person experiencing depression, it feels downright impossible to interact with other people. They aren't lazy or wallowing in their problems. Most people actually do take action to improve their happiness, but it literally feels im. poss. ible.

Let's look at the typical scenario for the depressed person:

You peel yourself up and start the daunting tasks that are supposed to make you happy again. You force yourself to leave your comfort zone and go out with friends, attend an event, spend quality time with a loved one.

The entire process (before, during, and after) is purely exhausting, even when the occasion brings joy to the sufferer.

You push through time and again, hoping that eventually, you'll return to "normal" and the extreme discomfort and draining efforts will subside. You keep applying the solution, but fear and doubts surrounding the lack of results creep in.

You try to dispel the doubts and convince yourself this solution will work. Going out will become fun again and interacting with people will start feeling natural and not forced.

You keep telling yourself that you just have to maintain a little longer -- just keep the efforts up until you reach the breakthrough moment.

You remind yourself that a window of improvement has to open at some point. Then those everyday tasks that lead to so much suffering will be easier and easier.

This depression will lift, you'll find it possible to manage through a typical day without the feeling of fighting an impossible battle. Every minute you're still breathing won't feel like a struggle. The mental and physical exhaustion that threatens to takes you out the minute you wake up will cease to exist one day.

You might experience the feeling of hope again. Ah, just a sliver of a hopeful feeling would be heavenly.

You don't remember what it's like to feel many positive emotions, but you know you want to feel them again. You actively seek to feel a sense of joy, even for just a minute.

You've sought to do something, anything, that leaves you feeling fulfilled at the end of the day. So you push yourself some more.

You try the "fake it til' you make it" theory. You force yourself to smile until it hurts or fake-giggle until the laughter becomes sincere.

You started another gratitude journal and stuck with it until it became a habit.

Meditating has become another task on your ever-increasing list of activities you must complete to overcome this depression.

You even try making time for extra physical activity and exercise every week.

But you long to feel again.

To feel that surge of euphoria that comes when you laugh hysterically.

Just a fleeting moment of motivation, inspiration, or excitement would be a dream-come-true. If only you could capture a tiny sliver of any of those emotions, you just might be able to get somewhere.

You repeat the so-called depression solutions, but it's tiring and you can't help but wonder what's taking so long.

How much longer can you keep exhausting yourself? Is it even worth it anymore?

We can only repeat something so many times without getting the results we want before we have no option but to start entertaining the doubts.

What the articles that spout this as an optimal solution for depression don't tell us is that some cases of long-term depression significantly worsens after repeated application of the so-called solution.

After trying the so-called "best solution" without success, many of us end up not knowing where to turn... Except for inward.

This is why it's important to understand how, why, and when your depression could be at risk of worsening. Being mindful of the signs and how the worsening of depression typically unfolds will help you to stay ahead of it and know when to seek other options.

When the "Solution" Worsens Depression

Some people feel almost paralyzed when it comes to getting out of bed and functioning in a normal way. That's because it's hard to see how the situation could change anymore. It hasn't yet, so why would it now?

Many people enter this stage of depression after many "failed" attempts at the everyday "solutions" we're fed. It usually manifests after multiple disappointments, and it's time to change the course of action if this is the case.

The Reason Depression Continues to Worsen When You've Tried the Solutions

It eventually becomes easier (and safer) to stay in bed than get up and be presented with more negative circumstances that landed you here in the first place.

Why bother when the only things you can expect anymore are either no relief or new problems.

After working tirelessly with the intention of results, it's discouraging when, at the end of the day, you're left with nothing but more exhaustion. Minimal results aren't enough to fuel anyone to continue going forward in the same direction.

It's this kind of experience that leads you in the opposite direction of positive emotions. Your brain observes patterns and it starts taking notes.

In this case, the pattern looks like this: work, work, work = little to no change.

The work isn't producing enough results to satisfy the brain's "reward system." In other words, your brain decides this doesn't "work."

Our future expectations are based on past experiences

If you touched a hot stove and it burned your hand, would do it again and expect it not to burn?

No, because you know from experience that the stove burned your hand, so you would expect it to do it again.

Events and outcomes, whether negative or positive, are the same way. You experience enough of them and you start to expect nothing other than the same type of events and outcomes.

When you've been using a solution and receiving minimal or no results repeats and this pattern repeats, your brain only knows to expect more of the same. All we know is what we've already experienced. As our experiences build, we sort through and learn to expect whatever we see the most of, whether it's bad or good. It's when the bad outweighs the good that people typically lose hope. Visions of progress become so clouded that everything seems impossible.

Your brain decides that this doesn't "work." In other words, the work isn't producing enough worth the "reward."

Not only is it tough to keep putting in effort without any reward, now you're on the verge of developing negative thinking patterns. Instead of feeling numb, now you feel disappointment, frustration, and more hopelessness than before.

It seems the only intense emotions you can feel are negative ones (like anger and sadness) that stem from the the building struggles and upsets.

At this stage, it can be difficult to even feel genuine gratitude. The truth is, being grateful doesn't solve every case of depression. It undoubtedly does help and is a wonderful habit to develop, but I've noticed a lot of natural-based depression communities sending a dangerously strong message that the solution for all depression is gratitude and friends.

If you've put your all into a solution and actually feel worse than before, this is a huge red flag that suggests the need for a revision in your solution. There isn't a cure all for depression and the various options available to us should be explored, instead of touting one as the ultimate depression-fix.

I believe a lack of hope usually drags us to the low point where any sign of a good life is unimaginable. I remember times of hopefulness and hopelessness, and it's when I felt hope (even the smallest amount) that I was able to build on to it.

With a little hope, I could add a pinch of motivation. With those two ingredients, I was able to look at the possibilities and solutions. When I can grab onto a little hope, I at least know I haven't fully and completely given up on myself and any potential for better.

From the place of hope + motivation, we only need the other active ingredients to be on our way to whatever "better" there is.

Readers, please chime in with your comments and suggestions. What helps you during moments of hopelessness? Have you had any success in changing your expectations in order to change your outcomes?

Why I Stopped Taking Donnatal for My IBS (and Perhaps You Should Too)

2016-09-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Image source: Jonas Tana

Irritable bowel syndrome, is a painful condition that -- as the awful name suggests -- affects the bowels and digestive system. I struggled with crippling I.B.S. for several years before I knew what was wrong with me. It took years of relentless Internet searches for me to "self-diagnose," but the actual doctor diagnosis came when I underwent surgery for endometriosis, which is common among I.B.S sufferers.

After having surgery, the constant pain in my gut had actually subsided for the first time in years. I'm not even kidding when I say years.

Unfortunately, to my severe disappointment, the relief didn't last.

About four days after surgery, the typical pains that come with I.B.S. reared their ugly heads and I was in excruciating pain.

When I went back in for the post-operation checkup, my surgeon told me that some of my pain was related to I.B.S. and that they'd noticed a lot of spasms occurring during the surgery. This came as no surprise as I'd already read about it online and was certain that I.B.S. was accompanying my endometriosis issue.

In a few short minutes, the surgeon told me that I.B.S. was basically something I'd live with for the rest of my life and that the only way to manage it was with medication. He then mentioned something about I.B.S. being "psychological."

Suffering like this for the rest of my life?

So there really is no hope for me ever getting to feel better again?

I won't actually get to live a normal life?

Those were my biggest fears and hearing that I'd live with this kind of constant, relentless pain forever hit me like a ton of bricks and I nearly broke down and cried right there.

Nothing more was said about I.B.S. or what causes it or what my options for relief were. I was given a prescription for the medication Donnatal and sent on my way.

Being extremely sensitive to medications (even over the counter), I was hesitant about taking this medicine I'd never heard of.

"It's not going to make me feel crazy or anything, is it," I asked.

After assuring me that he wouldn't give me anything that made me "feel crazy," I left with little more than my piece of paper with the prescription written on it and the instructions to take four tablets a day.

I didn't even know a thing about the medication, but being drained of all hope and still clutching my stomach from the incessant pain, we picked up the Donnatal and I immediately took 2 tablets, which would be half of my daily dose.

By the time I made it home (about 15 minutes), the drug had apparently already taken effect.

Donnatal, it turns out, is a barbiturate.

Barbiturates are nervous system depressants that have a sedative effect. I found this out shortly after my first dose.

I attempted to feed the cats and dropped the container, dumping cat food all over the floor. I was trying to talk to my sisters and boyfriend and realized the medication was making it difficult to function, so I was hurried to bed.

I slept for the most part of two weeks. Just waking up to take the prescribed dose four times a day was a struggle. I literally felt paralyzed. At one point, I remember laying in bed -- while my loving boyfriend played video games to stay awake and watch over me -- and wondering if I would ever be able to get out of bed again.

But I kept taking the Donnatal.

It just takes time to get into your system and 'work', I'd read.
Being committed to relief, I kept believing it would eventually take effect and I would get used to the side effects. People told me that the extreme tiredness would eventually subside as my body got used to the Donnatal.

My loved ones also thought I'd eventually get better, find relief with the Donnatal, and no longer be so sensitive to the sleepy side effects.

I can't say how many weeks I went on like this, but I believe a month or two is when I couldn't take it anymore. I was not getting relief. The intense pains that came during the daily flare-ups were not less severe. The number or length of time a severe flare-up would last did not decrease.

Why am I still taking these? They're turning me into a zombie. I can't leave the bed hardly and I'm still in the same exact pain I was to start with.

The only difference was, I was sleeping like a hibernating bear. At first that was better than being awake and dealing with the discomfort, but the pain would just wake me up with or without Donnatal.

The only positive effect I can recall was that the duration of my anxiety attacks (another crazy friend that likes to accompany I.B.S.) were shorter.

I quietly decided on my own one day that I would only take half my daily dose, two tablets. I was absolutely terrified that if I completely stopped the medication, somehow the pain would get even worse. We were convinced that the medication had to work if it was prescribed to me. Somehow, it would start working and I would start feeling better. It just had to kick in and as long as I could just bear it and keep taking the stupid little tablets, I would get the relief I desperately prayed for.

But if I stop taking them... It could all backfire. But what people didn't understand was that I truly wasn't getting any relief.

Desperate to find relief anywhere, I started searching the Internet hoping for a "cure for I.B.S." I was surprised (and a bit skeptical) when I started reading that people were claiming to actually have found relief by using random, natural products that didn't require a prescription.

Of course I couldn't believe it would ever really work, but desperation does wonders. I got ahold of coconut oil, after reading that it gave people relief from I.B.S.

I started taking a tiny bit of the coconut oil everyday with my half-doses of Donnatal and slowly started noticing that the pain was a tad less severe. I was able to move a bit more.

I kept taking the Donnatal, ignorantly believing that it was finally "working" until one night after the severity of my I.B.S. problems had subsided for an entire week.

I wasn't in the clear at all. I was still down most of the time, but I was able to move from the bed without unbearable pain striking.

After about 9 - 12 months (if I recall correctly), I'd started taking only one dose of Donnatal and only before bed. I needed to function during the day. I couldn't bring myself to drive a vehicle while taking Donnatal. I felt too foggy headed. I felt a bit clumsy, even from the single dose.

There was no way I could keep taking Donnatal and function. So as I continued to take the coconut oil and later added aloe vera to my daily routine, I got to where I'd only take the Donnatal if I was having a flare-up. It didn't take much longer for me to see that it wasn't giving me any relief. And if there was any relief there, it wasn't enough that it kept me from crying for hours on end.

I finally quit calling in for my prescription all together and left the single, last tablet of Donnatal in my purse for "emergencies."

I never ended up needing to take the useless tablet. I continued to take aloe vera and a little coconut oil until I was able to begin making a real recovery.

For me, the side effects of Donnatal were way too strong. I wasn't able to adapt to the intense drowsiness that came with a single dose, and had I gotten any relief from it, I would've just continued taking the single dose before bed. Unfortunately, Donnatal wasn't a successful remedy for my pain.

Note: Barbiturates like Donnatal can be addictive.
When I later learned that Donnatal was easy to become addicted to, I was glad I'd stopped taking them when I did. Disappointed that their addictive nature was never mentioned when they were prescribed to me at 18 years old. I am lucky. I stopped before my body had become dependent on them, but other people have reported immense suffering from withdrawal symptoms when they go off drugs like Donnatal. This is one of those cases where the pros and cons must be carefully outweighed.

So Who Does Donnatal Work For?
I never did get the chance to discuss other medication options with the surgeon, but there are some people who can tolerate the side effects of medications like Donnatal. I've read other user experiences online and some people have been able to get relief from spasms, nausea, cramps, and anxiety.

I've read that Donnatal worked wonders for nausea and vomiting. Vomiting and nauseousness is often a symptom of I.B.S. and it can become a regular problem.

Another side effect of Donnatal is constipation. That's good news for the person who suffers with I.B.S.-D (diarrhea), but very bad news for the person with I.B.S.-C (constipation.) With that said, it's important to keep in mind that if your I.B.S. is already causing constipation, Donnatal might not help and could worsen the problem.

On the other hand, some people report relief from the intestinal cramping that I.B.S. causes.

I just wonder if perhaps the Donnatal is more useful for the vomiting and diarrhea and spasms that don't come with intense pain.

From the people I've talked to (mostly other I.B.S. sufferers) and stories I've read, Donnatal seems to be a hit or miss.

The above is just one person's experience with Donnatal for I.B.S. I decided to discuss my experience here after a reader asked me what happened after I had surgery. I know I didn't discuss the Donnatal in the past when I was dealing with this because it simply didn't help me, so I didn't consider my experience useful. I don't intend to discourage anyone from taking their prescribed medications for I.B.S. and if Donnatal has worked for you, please do let us know in the comments section.

So, have you been prescribed Donnatal? What was your experience? Am I the only I.B.S. sufferer who's had such minimal success with Donnatal?

Note: While I have made a major recovery from the debilitating condition I once had, I do still suffer from occasional flare-ups each year. However, now that I've become extremely familiar with the various remedies for IBS, I'm able to manage it with natural remedies. I can usually take one of my go-to remedies (aloe vera or an essential oil blend supplement) and stop the pain from escalating to the point that I can't go on with my day. I usually have to take it easy and be very still for a little while, but I'm always able to get enough relief that the pain and discomfort doesn't keep me in bed.

As for managing the I.B.S., I use a variety of remedies that support a healthy digestive system, like garlic. I especially love aloe vera, though as it has given me the most relief.

I've discussed virtually every remedy I've used here on Healthy, Happy, Wholesome, so if you're interested, scroll through the articles here and subscribe for more updates.

This Simple, but Highly Effective Task Combats Depression

2016-07-21T00:48:00.002-07:00

Photo source: Martin Furhmann

This Simple, but Highly Effective Task Combats Depression

A study found that just a few minutes a day completing a specific task can be enough to significantly impact your happiness.

The study consisted of four groups of people. Each of the four groups were each given one of the following instructions to follow:

1. Write down 5 things you're grateful today.

2. Write down 5 things that have annoyed you today.

3. Write down 5 ways you are superior to other people.

4. Write down 5 random things that happened today.

Throughout the study, the participants’ happiness and overall satisfaction with their lives was measured by researchers.

What they found

The group who completed the task of noting things they're grateful for became measurably happier, had more positive emotions, heightened well-being, and felt more satisfied with their lives, compared to the other groups.

Source: Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003, Vol. 84, No.2 (Robert A. Emmons and Michael E. McCullough)

I told you the task was extremely simple! Sometimes it really is the simplest of things that "work" though.

Photo source: Ryan Kemmers

Here's how you can use this simple task in your own life to improve your happiness...

The key is actually feeling gratitude and writing is the best way to conjure up that feeling.

However, if you're like me, you might need some encouragement, so here are a few gratitude-boosting videos for those days when feeling gratitude doesn't come easily.

1. A quick guided meditation video to end your day with feelings of gratitude.

2. A quick guided meditation video to start your day with feelings of gratitude.

You can use "guided meditation" videos like these any time you want to get the gratitude flowing. Although I've memorized some of these, I find that listening to them helps me stay focused on the gratitude affirmations. Otherwise, I'm lucky if my mind hasn't jumped to something else before I've listed 5 things I'm grateful for.

Tip: The more detailed you can be with your gratitude list, the better. For example, instead of just writing "I'm grateful for a roof over my head", try something like "I'm grateful for the comfort that comes with having a place to sleep and eat and bathe and enjoy myself every day."

To take the gratitude challenge one step further: At the end of the day, after making your gratitude list, aim for one thing that would make your day tomorrow wonderful.

This additional step takes things to a new level. I tend to have a more fulfilling day when I've taken the extra step to write down one thing that would make the day amazing. Sometimes it's just being around pleasant people or accomplishing a project, but it makes a difference. I love that doing this tiny thing sometimes causes me to strive towards a goal or make more of an effort to accomplish whatever "thing" I'd written down the night before.

Motivation is always a positive thing, so add this extra step to your gratitude journaling and let me know how it goes!

Stay tuned for the next post in this series: "Depression's Worst Enemy" and don't forget to subscribe for a regular dose of health, happiness, and well-being.

Share 5 things you're grateful for in the comments section and help encourage the rest of us.

The Top Best and Worst Foods for Post Menopausal Depression

2016-06-21T02:35:00.000-07:00

Source: Pain Pix

People who consume more refined carbohydrates, refined grains, and refined sugars (like white bread, white rice, etc.) are at higher risk for depression.

That isn't surprising considering the negative health effects that have been linked to refined foods. However, researchers confirmed that the risk of depression increases for post-menopausal women who consume refined foods.

While post-menopausal depression is a risk for people who have a history of depression already, it also affects women who never had a history of it at all. The decrease in estrogen that occurs is believed to be a contributing factor to depression, but unhealthy foods can increase your risk just as dangerously.

Did you know that "high glycemic index" foods (refined carbs, for example) can cause depression, mood changes, and fatigue?

This is due to the hormonal reaction that these high glycemic foods create. We already know that hormones play an enormous role in our mood, energy levels, and so much more.

Foods with a glycemic index of 70 or higher are considered "high glycemic." You can go here to search the glycemic index of a particular food.

According to studies, including the one that found refined foods to increase the risk of depression, show that, to an extent, you may have some control where depression is concerned... even if it's contrary to what your mainstream doctor tells you.

With that said, let's look at a few foods that you can start eating now to increase that power over depression.

Source: Honolulu Media

The Foods That Lower Your Risk...

The bright side is that the same study also found that post-menopausal women who consumed more lactose, vegetables, non-juice fruit, and fiber significantly lowered their risk for depression.

One thing to remember is the more colorful the fruits and vegetables, the more nutritional. For example, fruits that are vibrant yellow and orange, berries that are deep hues of blue and red, and vegetables of the dark green leafy variety.

Oxidative stress in the brain is associated with mild to moderate depression, especially in the elderly, so choose foods that have a high antioxidant profile.

Fruits (like bananas and blueberries) are rich in fiber and antioxidants -- both of which help promote mental health. Fruits like bananas and blueberries are rich sources of both fiber and antioxidants. The super-food sea buck thorn berries are high in antioxidants and incredibly rich in vitamin C, plus a host of other vitamins and minerals.

Leafy greens like red and green leaf lettuce, kale, chard, romaine, and collard greens contain phytochemicals (an important antioxidant) and fiber.

Fish
Studies found that a diet high in fish reduces the risk of depression by 17%.

There's been conflicting information regarding the benefit of fish for depression, so researchers performed a meta-analysis, 26 relevant studies involving 150,278 participants. Using the Egger's test and funnel plot to eradicate the possibility of publication bias, the evaluation concluded that the evidence is legitimate -- Fish does seem to decrease the risk of depression in both males and females.

Choose salmon and you'll get the depression-fighting omega-3's plus a dose of selenium. An alternative to food that swims would be chia seeds and flax seeds as they both contain omega-3's.

Why Selenium?
The mineral selenium not only helps decrease the symptoms of depression, but it also acts as an antioxidant, so make sure your diet contains plenty of it. Beans, brown rice, and seafood like clams and oysters are just a few sources of selenium.

Last but not least... Get Some D
No article on depression should omit the importance of vitamin D, even though this is far from a comprehensive list of foods that help fight depression. Make sure you're getting enough sunlight and vitamin D3 if you're deficient, like most people.

For more information about improving the symptoms of depression and prevention please subscribe and stay tuned for my upcoming series to learn what vitamins, minerals, and foods are necessary to kick depression's butt.

Do you have any anti-depressant tips to share? What has or has not worked for you? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Sources:
1. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2016; 70:299-304 doi:10.1136/jech-2015-206278 Fang Li, Xiaoqin Liu, Dongfeng Zhang
2. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Gangwisch et al., 2015). June 24, 2015, doi: 10.3945/ ajcn.114.103846 ajcn103846

Watch My Results with Instant Slim Body Wrap + Face Lift + Lip Plumper - Beauty Haul/Review

2016-06-12T00:04:00.000-07:00

* From here down, you'll find reviews and photos for the anti-aging product line from The Pure Body, as promised.

Everything that comes with the Instant Slim kit.

The Instant Slim Wrap kit uses all natural ingredients like bentonite clay that help detoxify and exfoliate the skin in an hour of use. The clay contains over 70 minerals that remove toxins known as adipocytes, which are stored between fat cells, causing cellular stress and problems losing weight.

It tightens, firms, and tones your skin while also directly removing toxins. The clay helps break down fat, improve cellulite and stretch marks, tighten and firm loose skin.

The clay is applied to the area you're treating (legs, waist, etc.) and the bandages are tightly wrapped over the clay-covered skin. The Pure Body recommends using Instant Slim kit at least once a month to help detox the skin.

The loofah is included as a preparation tool, used with warm water to exfoliate the area beforehand so the awesome ingredients in the clay can better penetrate your skin. Speaking of ingredients, they include: bentonite clay, kaolin clay, caffeine, tripeptide-1, tripeptide-10 Citrulline, and charcoal.

The slimming clay.

Bentonite Clay is a volcanic clay used to treat skin conditions and remove toxins by absorbing impurities like excess oil and dirt, from the skin. It also exfoliates and improves circulation.

Kaolin Clay draws out impurities without removing the skin's natural oils. It also improves circulation, exfoliates, and cleanses. It stimulates circulation, which can help remove stretch marks and cellulite. Kaolin is suitable for all skin types.

Caffeine is used for its ability to increase circulation to the skin as a way to improve stretch marks and cellulite. It also helps improve absorption of the other active ingredients. Circulating blood stimulates the body's natural metabolism, helping you burn more fat.

Tripeptide-1 is a peptide that contains three amino acids - glycine, histidine and lysine. It helps to increase collagen production in skin cells when applied topically. Collagen is the fiber which holds all of the cells in your body together, so promoting collagen can help with wrinkles and firming.

Tripeptide-10 Citrulline another peptide that contains the amino acids - citrulline, aspartic acid, isoleucine and lysine. It helps to regulate the uniformity of the collagen fibrils which increases the suppleness of the skin. Tripeptide-10 mimics the function of a naturally occurring proteoglycan called decorin which normally regulates the uniformity of collagen.

Charcoal is a detoxification agent that neutralizes harmful toxins such as heavy metals and free radicals.

Full ingredient List:

Purified Water, Bentonite, Kaolin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Magnesium Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Glyceryl Stearate, Caffeine, Water (and Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract (and) Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein (and) Hydrolyzed Soy Protein (and) Tripeptide-10 Citrulline (and) Tripeptide-1 (and) Lecithin (and) Xanthan Gum (and) Carbomer (and) Triethanolamine (and) Caprylyl Glycol, Charcoal, Zinc Oxide, Sodium StearylLactylate, Diazolidinyl Urea (and) IodopropynylButylcarbamate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate, Xanthan Gum, and Tromethamine.

Side view - All wrapped up! Things got a little messy, as you can see I've managed to get the clay all over the bandage.

An after photo (taken after using the slim wrap.)
For me, the results weren't so obvious inch-wise. It didn't seem to shrink me or change my waist's measurement, but I did appear less bloated and my skin was more hydrated.

Anti-Aging Kit

From left: Model Lash, Lip Serum, Hydrofirm cream, Miracle Eyes, and Instant Lift.

From Left: The Lip Serum, Model Lash, Hydrofirm cream, Instant Lift serum, and Miracle Eyes.

Lip Serum & Model Lash


Lip Serum and Model Lash pictured on the left.

The plumping lip serum that you saw me smearing all over my lips in my video quickly became my go-to lip serum, which I've been using in place of my regular lip gloss and lip balm.

The Lip Serum hydrates and plumps your lips and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It stimulates the lips – without burning them. It contains natural ingredients like peppermint and shea butter. It also contains Vitamins A and E for healthier skin.

It smells like peppermint and the taste is subtle and hardly noticeable, but somewhat sweet. Once it dries, the taste disappears and its just like wearing nothing. The lip serum does have a minor plumping effect and leaves my lips hydrated and with a cooling sensation. I love the subtle, natural sheen it gives my lips once dry. It's not like lip gloss or chap-stick. It doesn't leave a greasiness or any residue. It absorbs completely.

If I apply a lot of the lip serum to my lips, the cooling sensation can become quite tingly, but not uncomfortable.

It's be intensively moisturizing because it's kept my cracked lips totally smooth moisturized and soft, even when it wears off. I'm impressed because it does better for my lips than Burt's Bees!

I love this lip treatment because as I've been having some visits with the tanning bed lately (using red light therapy bulbs on my face), I'm concerned about the lines and damage that over time, shows up around your mouth.

I've been applying this lip serum on a daily basis for a couple of months now and I love it!

Model Lash

The Model Lash gel is used to increase the length of your eyelashes. It contains "lash-stimulating peptide complex to support the lash's natural renewal cycle making the lashes thicker, bolder, and healthier. Enriched with active ingredients, Model Lash will leave your eyes looking younger, revealing visibly longer and fuller lashes." - The Pure Body

It also conditions the eye lashes and can be used on your eyebrows.

I have fairly long lashes, but enjoyed using this during times when my eyelashes could use some length. Just like all hair, eyelashes fall out occasionally, too, and it can take a couple of weeks before mine get nice and long again, so this seemed to be useful especially during those times when my eyelashes needed a boost.

Unfortunately, there really isn't a way to measure lash growth, so I can't put any numbers on how much they may have grown, but it appears to help them grow quicker than they would without using the Model Lash.

Model Lash is a clear gel that's applied the same way you would apply a liquid eyeliner, making sure to swipe across the lash line. I used it on the top and bottom lashes and was really pleased at how long my bottom ones seemed to get after a few weeks of regular use.

Even after a couple of months of not using the Model Lash product, my eyelashes are still longer than ever, so I feel like with regular usage, the results will be fairly lasting.

Miracle Eyes and Instant Lift

The Miracle Eyes and Instant Lift creams are some of the best I've used for a quick lift. I can't say that the results are permanent, but applying collagen to your skin could end up having some anti-aging power for the long term.

"Miracle Eyes is a natural formula designed to rejuvenate the delicate skin around the eyes, giving them a younger refreshed feel and appearance. Within weeks’ fine lines and wrinkles will be visibly reduced, skin will feel firmer, look brighter, and be visibly rejuvenated." - The Pure Body

It reduces puffiness, tightens, lifts, firms, and moisturizes skin while smoothing fine lines and wrinkles. Another plus is that it helps fade blemishes and some dark spots.


This is a before photo, taken before applying any of the creams. The shadows and darkness under my eyes are pretty noticeable here, and in the following photos.

I snapped a few more quick after photos, which are posted below. I have to say, this was really tough for me, taking photos to post online. I'm pretty much cringing at the thought of even posting these. I normally don't get too down about appearance because I don't want to spiral into that ugly place of picking out perceived flaws like we tend to do to ourselves. However, I was pretty horrified by what I saw when I focused closely on my face at the time of these pictures... With that said, I hope you folks will understand that I couldn't bear to do any closer-ups or super bright photos for this.

The above two photos are taken before using any of the products. No cream on my smile lines, no Instant Lift, no Miracle Eyes.

After...

Awkward facial expression aside... The after photos above were taken after I applied the Miracle Eyes to the right side eye and Instant Lift applied to my smile lines. The reason for only applying the Miracle Eye cream to my right eye area was to help give as accurate of a picture as possible of the results. The dark shadows under my eyes are probably the hardest to resolve, but I'm pretty satisfied with the smoother and brighter appearance of the deep circles.

I apply the Miracle Eyes all around my eyes, paying special attention to the shadowy, dark circles that are especially noticeable when I'm under stress and not getting the best sleep, which is exactly the kind of conditions I was facing when I took the before and after photos below.

"Instant Lift is a clinically-proven solution for fighting signs of aging. it contains Argireline, the safe and effective alternative to Botox, proven to reduce fine lines and wrinkles instantly. It also contains Gatuline Expression to reduce crow’s feet and fine lines, Pepha-Tight to instantly tighten the skin and Trylagen to promote collagen synthesis for firmer, younger-looking skin.

Instant Light tightens, lifts, moisturizes and firms skin, helps smooths fine lines and wrinkles in as little as 5 minutes. It's supposed to have a 50-90 % reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles." -The Pure Body

It also reduces the appearance of acne scars, stretch marks and rosacea.

Instant Lift is a great all-over moisturizer with some lifting power.

I focus on my smile lines or "marionette lines" when I apply the Instant Lift since those are the most noticeable lines I have. They do kind of bother me, so I use this to try and help smooth them out and prevent them from becoming more prominent.

The Miracle Eyes and the Instant Lift both have a noticeable sensation, like a lot of powerful "plumpers" often do. It doesn't sting or burn, it's just noticeable. I suppose it occurs from the skin beginning to "plump." Some days I notice the sensation a lot less than others.

The results also seem to vary depending on how severe my dark circles and smile lines are every day. Some days, the lines and the under eye circles are harder to conceal.

When I look in the mirror, I always feel like the Miracle Eyes and the Instant Lift make somewhat of a difference, even if they don't fully erase the eye circles. The eye circles are most likely related to lifestyle, nutrition, etc. so a cream can only do so much on its own.

My eyes look brighter and the shadow under them seems less noticeable to me after I've used the Miracle Eyes. It also looks like the tiny creases are smoother. I also feel a tighter sensation under my eyes after applying the cream.

The Instant Lift seems to also work for smoothing out some of the creases under my eyes. I'll normally notice that my smile lines around my mouth are less pronounced for up to a few hours after applying Instant Lift to the area.

Hydrofirm

Hydrofirm is a luxurious, rich cream that contains peptides to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It gives skin a collagen boost, which promotes skin cell renewal. It also tightens, lifts, and firms skin.

Hydrofirm contains the "safe and non-toxic alternative to Botox called Argireline. In clinical studies Argireline has been proven to reduce the depth of wrinkles up to 30% after 30 days of use." - The Pure Body

Since Hydrofirm is such a deeply hydrating cream, I like to use it all over my face, paying special attention to the extremely dry areas, including blemishes. I would actually slather this all over my entire body if it were possible... and affordable! It's truly the best moisturizing cream ever and I just love having an exceptional moisturizer that doubles as an anti-aging cream.

Once again, here's the photo after I applied Hydrofirm to my smile lines (and also Miracle Eyes to my right eye area)

Hydrofirm is a perfect everyday cream to prevent and improve signs of aging, moisturize. I love that it goes on smoothly, leaving little residue and no scent on my skin. It sits well under both powder and liquid foundations, so it's easy to use everyday. Additionally, it also keeps my skin glowing and my pores less noticeable.

Hydrofirm is my favorite cream for hydration and anti-aging.

Disclaimer: I am not a specialist, expert, professional or doctor of any kind. Content on this blog is not intended to be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or advice of any sort. I'm simply sharing information about my own experiences and results from use of a product or activity in hopes of providing useful information to readers, not to be taken as a patient/medical adviser relationship. I am not responsible for what readers choose to do after viewing the content here. Furthermore, I do not hold an "exceptional" or other special relationship with any company mentioned on this site. I'm simply a consumer who worked with the company on a review that is in compliance with FTC's guidelines. That means, everything you read here is my own words, not anything of the company's. I was not provided with monetary compensation for my review. All information posted has been done so with complete honesty. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication ( I'm not responsible.) Readers who rely on the information in this blog to replace the advice of an appropriate health care provider assume all risks of such behavior.

5 Things You Need to Know Before Taking Prescription Anti-Depressants

2016-06-10T23:33:00.000-07:00

Source: Thomas Hawk

Anti-depressant drugs are prescribed at an alarming and perpetually rising rate, despite their negative, and all too common side effects.

Most people have at least heard about how dangerous these drugs and their side effects can be. The information regarding the harmful, often poisonous ingredients isn't a secret. Just a single Internet search on depression pulls up sources warning of the harms involved with these drugs.

But doctors don't seem to be any less eager to dole out prescriptions to their patients.

And we, the patients, don't seem to be any less eager to take them.

Of course, the information on the possible dangers should be made more available, and I agree wholeheartedly that prescribing doctors should practice ethics and be up front about the dangers before they prescribe.

But that isn't happening, and people are hardly getting any less depressed, despite having a rainbow assortment of anti-depressants to choose from.

It's up to us to get informed, to do the research, to ask the questions. And the best time to start is before you start taking the drugs prescribed by some doctor who may not even be fully aware herself/himself of what it may do to you. More importantly, you should know what steps you can take that might help improve your chances of better mental health.

For starters, did you know that not every person who's depressed requires anti-depressant medications? In fact, there's an increasing amount of evidence that suggests that some cases of depression can be attributed to something as simple as a vitamin deficiency.

Note: Depression is nothing to make light of and no doubt, the prescription drugs available have and do help many people. The purpose of this article is not to tell you that anti-depressants are wrong. My intention is to simply share information with the hope that it may help increase your odds when fighting this life-stealing battle known as depression.

Before you blindly take anti-depressant drugs, let's go over five common contributing factors that may be playing a major role in your depression.

Are You Deficient in Vitamin D?

Don't discredit the sunshine vitamin's importance for overall health. It does more than you think, including playing a role in depression. Inadequate vitamin D levels can cause Seasonal Affective Disorder or "SAD," one of the most common types of depression.

Hormonal imbalances are another frequent cause of depression. Vitamin D regulates hormones, so making sure you're getting enough could mean the difference between depression and wellness. *Read my next article in this series "Top Best and Worst Foods for Post-Menopausal Depression) to learn more about the foods that can cause depression and those that will help, particularly in depression cases that are related to hormonal imbalances.

Magnesium Deficiency Causes Depression

Multiple types of depression were seen in magnesium deficient people. Not only that, but there have been studies confirming the use of magnesium to help manage depression and anxiety.

The thing to keep in mind when it comes to magnesium is that many supplements are not able to reach the brain. However, the macromineral magnesium supplement, Magnesium L-Threonate, may break the blood-brain barrier to reach the brain and is highly absorbable, making it ideal for those of us who can't mess around with non-working magnesium.

A Healthy Digestive System Could Mean Less Depression

This may be the most shocking one yet, but poor digestive health impacts more than your gut. A properly balanced digestive system, with enough healthy bacteria (think probiotics and prebiotics) is attributed to healthier mental states. In fact, your digestive health affects your entire health, so tending to it may be just what you need to focus on.

It does make sense. How many of you suffer from digestive system ailments and depression, too? Don't worry, I'm in your boat, too.

When I first read that digestive problems like IBS (ahem, that's me) are linked to depression and anxiety, I remember wondering how I never made that connection myself being that I have struggled with each of them, all occurring around the same time.

Healthy Cholesterol Levels Can Decrease Depression

Surprise! Low cholesterol has also been linked to depression. Perhaps people suffering from depression as a result of having low cholesterol could benefit immensely from maintaining healthier levels.

Your Other Medications May be to Blame

Did you know that depression is a side effect of some blood pressure medications? Some birth control have depression listed as a common side effect, and the list goes on.

A lot of people expect their doctors to tell them up front if depression is a possible side effect of a medication they're taking, but this is rarely the case. So it's important that you check the medication's black box to see the full list of side effects and if you suspect a medication is causing depression, don't hesitate to tell your doctor. They often have alternatives that you can switch to. There are often options available to help counteract this side effect as well. And when options are limited (if there isn't an alternative medication available or if they don't work for you), some doctors will recommend other, non-prescription methods of managing the depressive side effects. I highly recommend that anybody suffering from depression ask their doctor what options are available to help them manage depression.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), for example, is becoming more and more common in mainstream medicine. It's basically a self-therapy that anyone can do, but even doctors are starting to attest to the benefits, so don't ever believe that your only option is permanent suffering.

This is not a comprehensive list of depression's causes. But it is a good place to start if you or your child is displaying symptoms of depression. It's a good idea to get all the facts and make sure that you're getting enough nutrients to avoid deficiency-related depression. The next step is to start looking at your lifestyle and see if there could be anything there contributing to depression that you can change or improve upon.

Want to know what foods cause depression in post-menopausal women and which ones can help? Click here to read the article.

For more information about improving the symptoms of depression and prevention please subscribe and stay tuned for my upcoming series to learn what vitamins, minerals, and foods are necessary to kick depression's butt.

Sources: 1. Possible contributions of skin pigmentation and vitamin D in a polyfactorial
model of seasonal affective disorder. Medical Hypotheses, 2014; 83 (5): 517 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2014.09.010 Alan E. Stewart, Susan Tanner, Kathryn A. Roecklein, Michael G. Kimlin.

2. Magnesium in depression. Chair and Department of Applied Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland. 2013;65(3):547-54. Serefko A, Szopa A, Wlaź P.

3. Gut Bacteria May Exacerbate Depression Published in Scientific American; 2013.

The Natural Solution for Dry, Damaged Hair

2016-05-16T23:58:00.000-07:00

Are you a flat-iron lovin', chemical-laden shampoo usin' girl who can't resist a new color or highlights, even though your hair will suffer?

If you're like me, you want to be able to style and color your hair without having to suffer the severe damage that often follows. The good news is, there is hope for our damaged strands. And it smells oh, so good!

This gal swapped the chemical free shampoos and their satisfying, foamy sulfates for natural versions. I swore off re-highlighting my hair, even while my roots continued to look worse by the day.

I even put down the flat iron for some time and still take time off from it.

All this sacrifice and I'm sorry to say it, but I failed.

After months of these sacrifices, my hair wasn't much better.

The dry, crispy-ness was still there. The split ends? Almost as bad as before. And God have mercy, do my grown-out, lackluster highlights look like garbage!

My hair is in bad shape, folks.

I just want to touch up my drab strands with some highlights, for Pete's sake! But I'm terrified that the super short hairs on the top of my head (short from the breakage and damage they went through in the past) are going to be even shorter and more damaged!

I was about to get desperate when a sliver of hope appeared at my door... Or should I say in my inbox.

It was an opportunity to try a very special restorative hair mask and see if it wouldn't give my hair the healing it needs.

So I quickly began using this new intensive hair mask by Shielo and let me just say, this stuff goes far beyond your drugstore "restorative" hair care products. I'm impressed with the ingredients -- like shea butter and avocado and olive oil. It's safe to proclaim that my hair is already on its way to better health!

Fate?

I'd say so.

That brings me to this post. I've found a piece of hair heaven and it's only fair that I share. First, let me tell you what this bottle of hair heaven's all about...

Shielo's Intensive Hair Mask uses organic ingredients that, as the bottle says, repairs, hydrates, and restructures damaged hair. Like mine!

..."restores elasticity, freshness and suppleness to dry, chemically treated or damaged hair. The mask instantly repairs to make hair look fresh, moisturized and free flowing. It is a concentrated formula of organic ingredients, complex peptides and highly moisturizing agents that make hair manageable and beautiful."

Note-worthy Features:

Sheilo is a cruelty-free company who's product labels boast the "Beauty Without Cruelty" logo and a "made with certified organic ingredients" stamp to boot.

Paraben free and contains peptides and natural plant proteins.

Great for all damage, distressed, and color-treated hair (just what I've needed.)

Perfect as a pre-dye treatment. This can be used a couple days before a dye/bleach treatment since it moisturizes and nourishes hair and seems like it may help prepare it for the harsh damage that will ensue.

Safe for bleached and dyed hair. The lemon peel extract helps keep your bleached strands bright and prevents brassiness and color darkening that typically occurs over time.

Super easy to use. Just apply to damp hair, leave on for 3-5 minutes and rinse! I love the ease of use because it means I'll actually get to use it. It doesn't get any easier than this since I can apply it before I shower, then rinse it off as I wash. I like to apply it at the beginning of my shower, then rinse at the end that way it has as much time to absorb into my strands as possible. For normal hair, Shielo recommends using the mask once weekly and twice per week for extremely damaged hair.

Washes out easily and no residue is left behind. (Have you ever used an oily hair mask only to find it darn near impossible to wash out of your hair? Not fun.)

It smells di-vine! Seriously. If you're into nice-smelling hair care, then you're in for heaven in the smell department alone with this stuff. Forget its hair super-powers, I wanted to slather this stuff on as a body lotion. I really, really came *this* close to doing that. Since it arrived on my birthday (awesome, huh?) and I was already getting ready to leave (the S/O took me out to this awesome pancake joint), I had to make myself set the bottle down before I ended up with intensely restored skin. I couldn't resist, though, so I squeezed a tiny drop onto my fingers, rubbed it in a bit, then swiped it over the already-highlighted, highly damaged pieces of hair right before I went bat-crap and pulled out my flat-iron!

I know, I broke the no-heat rule, but hey. It was my b-day and I wanted sleek hair. Plus, it gave me an excuse to use a little of this hair mask. You'd do the same thing, so don't judge!

Results

Before:

My embarrassingly damaged hair before using the hair mask -- washed and air-dried and completely un-styled and free of any products. It's very frizzy-looking and the split and damaged ends are very noticeable. At the time of this photo, I couldn't run my fingers through my hair without it breaking and pulling out. I had to carefully comb it and then tame and style it.

I almost considered not sharing a picture of my hair "before" since I don't allow most people to see my frizz-ball in its natural state, but... the insane difference between the before and after using the hair mask was simply too great to hide. So I shall let you see this embarrassing ball of crazy on my head just for amazement sake:

After:

I've attempted to snap a quick photo of my just-treated, washed, and freshly pony-tailed hair. This was no easy task as I had trouble getting all of my hair into the pictures and they turned out awkward, but I hope they get my point across.

The results (as if you can't tell for yourself)

Shiny! Smooth! Soft!

The cloud of fluffy frizz is tamed and presentable.

Underside of my hair. My split ends needed to be trimmed in these photos, but the overall feel and appearance greatly improved.

The dry, crispy-feeling ends are now silky and totally pet-able (just ask my significant other who forgets I'm not a cat.)

Flat-ironed. The ends still need trimming, especially the bleached strands, but I've never had such shiny, soft, smooth textured hair as I do after using this mask.

I can run my fingers through it without the sound of crackling followed by a cloud of broken hairs tumbling to the ground.

After using the intensive hair mask, my hair is 20 times more manageable. I also find it much easier to style. Yes, even with heat tools! I can't be good all the time, so I took this opportunity to see how well my hair could look after flat-ironed now that the mask has improved it. I cranked up my Theory and flew through the task quicker than I typically am able to. It went smoother since my hair wasn't a mess of dry, crispy frizz. It also looked nicer with its new shine and healthy appearance.

My hair smells di-vine!

All in all, I call this a huge success.

Note-Worthy Ingredients in the Shielo Hair Mask:

This restorative hair mask is chock full of useful ingredients. I'll mention a few of those note-worthy fellas below.

Safflower, Avocado, and Olive Fruit Oil: Safflower holds in moisture and improves overall health of hair while avocado oil nourishes, improves strength and shine, and olive fruit oil increases suppleness, shine, and protects from damage.

Hexapeptide-11: A skin conditioning peptide.

White Tea Leaf Extract: Moisturizes and conditions. Antioxidant rich, protects from sun damage.

Shea Butter: Deeply moisturizing and conditioning, locks in moisture, and is commonly used to treat itchy, irritated scalp and dandruff. Since shea butter absorbs into the hair shaft, it can help provide some protection against heat damage.

Sunflower Seed Extract: A conditioner with an added bonus -- it has a cleansing effect.

Goldenseal Root Extract: Rich in vitamins and minerals, Goldenseal Root Extract promotes healthy hair and can soothe away dandruff and other scalp inflammation.

Hydrolyzed Algae Extract: Algae acts as a clarifier that helps remove hair product build up, impurities, and excess oiliness. It nourishes, rejuvenates, softens, and improves hair's elasticity.

Burdock Root Extract: Burdock root is used by many herbalists to promote hair growth. Its Vitamin A content helps strengthen hair and improve overall health.

Mallow Flower Extract: Hydrates and re-moisturizes shaft of hair.

Full List of Ingredients:

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Safflower Seed Oil, Cyclopentasiloxane,Cyclotetrasiloxane, Avocado Oil, Olive Fruit Oil, Hexapeptide-11, White Tea Leaf Extract, Sunflower Seed Extract, Citric Acid, Shea Butter, Lemon Fruit Extract, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, Horsetail Extract¹, Golden Seal Root Extract, Mallow Flower Extract¹, Hydrolyzed Algae Extract, Burdock Root Extract¹, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Apple Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Lemon Peel Extract¹, Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch, Sugar Cane Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Cactus Extract, Amodimethicone, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, C11-15 Pareth-7, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Cysteine, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Dimethiconol, Divinyldimethicone/ Dimethicone Copolymer, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Hexylene Glycol, Laureth-9, Panthenol, PEG-45M, Polyquaternium-37, Polysorbate 60, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, PG Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Quaternium-91, Sodium PCA, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Tetrasodium EDTA, Trideceth-12, Wheat Amino Acids, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance, Yellow 6 (CI 1598)², Red 40 (CI 16035)², Blue 1 (CI 42090)²

I hope you've found this useful. Share in the comments what you use for damaged hair. And if you're interested in this Shielo Hair Mask I'm using, you can find it here.

5 Amazing Essential Oil Blends for A Positive Experience with Aromatherapy

2016-02-20T04:32:00.001-08:00

Aromatherapy Kit

Aromatherapy - Does it Really Have Any Benefits?

Firstly, let's go back to the basics and briefly discuss what aromatherapy is, in a nutshell.

Aroma-therapy: where pleasant aromas become therapists.

Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of fragrances (that come from plants and essential oils) for their cognitive benefits, to improve mood, or promote psychological and physical well-being.

Does it Really "Work?"

Research actually has suggested that aromatherapy has many beneficial effects. For example, peppermint oil is shown to improve brain and cognitive function and even headaches while lavender is commonly known for its calming and sedative effects.

Back in November, one of my favorite organic skincare companies, Annmarie Gianni, released their line of Pure Essential Oil Blends. So now that I've had the pleasure of sampling all 5 blends over the course of 3 months now, I've decided it was time to discuss aromatherapy and its benefits (as well as how these essential oils worked out for me) here at Healthy, Happy, Whole.

Annmarie Gianni's line of Pure Essential Oil Blends are designed to promote harmony and well-being using pure, high-grade essential oils.

The 5 blends are: Love, Passion, Calm, Vibrance, and Grounded. I just want to take a moment now to say how perfect these blends are. Annmarie Gianni really thought of it all when designing an essential oil line for various... ailments? No, that's definitely not the word I'm looking for. Perhaps "needs" is more suitable. Anyways, what I'm trying to say is that it's great they thought to create these various blends that will balance each other out.

Each of the 5 include a combination of essential oils designed to promote a particular environment or energy. The blend called Love, for example, contains essential oils that carry certain aroma-therapeutic benefits, giving it the ability to invoke a loving energy within the space its used.

Close-up of the little oils

Vibrance - This is our first essential oil blend, which we have already launched in full size.

Essential oils: Ruby grapefruit, lemon, lemon verbena, bergamot, lavender, jasmine sambac absolute, clementine, rose-geranium

Vibrance is our most uplifting blend. The refreshing notes of citrus bring energy and act as natural antidepressants. Classic florals serve to lift your mood while easing tension. We love wearing this blend at parties and social gatherings, and diffusing through our homes in morning.

Passion
"Indulge, electrify, and be sensual"

Essential oils: Sandalwood, vetiver, frankincense, rose moroc absolute, sweet myrrh, amyris, Buddha wood.

This warm and sweet essential oil blend is designed to help you relax and awaken your sensuality. Earth, grounding notes of vetiver and Buddha wood provide a base for the passion-igniting aromas of rose and sandalwood. This is perfect for a romantic evening, whether you dab a bit on your wrists as a perfume, diffuse through your room, or mix with water and spray on your linens.

Love
"Adore, embrace, and be tender"
Essential oils: Sandalwood, rose moroc absolute, jasmine sambac absolute, frankincense.

A heart-opening blend of natural aphrodisiac oils to inspire you to be your most loving self. Sweet jasmine and classic rose are balanced with sandalwood and frankincense, for a scent that’s nothing short of irresistible. This blend serves you well when you want to exude love, compassion, and acceptance.

Calm
"Relax, meditate, and be peaceful"
Essential oils: Spruce, frankincense, rosewood, lavender.

Create a sacred space for yourself where you can breathe deeply and release negativity. Spruce oil lends freshness to this blend of florals, tied together with comforting frankincense for a clean and crisp scent. We love using this blend at the end of the day to help wind down.

Grounded
"Secure, strengthen, and be centered"
Essential oils: Sandalwood, amyris, Peru balsam, cedarwood, vetiver, amber (fossilized), copaiba balsam, galangal root, patchouli, ginger root, Buddha wood, turmeric root.

Grounded is an incredibly balanced blend that helps bring you to a place of peace and clarity. Wood and earthy base notes with a touch of sweetness give you a beautifully understated, quietly confident scent. This blend is amazing for diffusing through the room before you do yoga, and is a great blend for those who appreciate a subtle and well-rounded scent.

Uses

As is the case with most essential oils, the Pure Essential Oil Blends from Annmarie Gianni can be used in a diffuser to scent the room and even as a body fragrance.

To use on the body, you can mix a drop of oil with your moisturizer or with a carrier oil like olive oil before applying. Same with a perfume -- just add a tiny drop to your perfume and use a dropper to apply. Or simply dab some onto your wrists, neck, etc.

Warning: Don't apply to your face or mix with your facial moisturizer. While many of the essential oils have great benefits for your skin, it could be risky since they're strong. My biggest concern has been with migraines as the smells tend to trigger migraines for me pretty badly, so having it on my face would be disastrous.

Personally, I've enjoyed using these essential oils to incorporate pleasant, fresh, and beneficial scents into my room. I've even put a few drops in a spritz bottle with water and spritzed my bedding several times. I did this hoping it would give promote calmness while in my bed and maybe even better sleep.

Bonus: Pet odors have nothin' on these essential oils! I noticed my bed sheets were smelling particular clean even though my dog had slept on them (and he was due for a bath, if that tells you anything.) It seems these act as a natural deodorizer, which was a totally appreciated bonus.

Warning: Never apply the oils directly onto your pet! There are too many possible health risks as some essential oils are believed to be toxic to certain pets.

I've also placed a few drops of the oils onto a small drawstring satchel bag and hung it up in my closet.

For a week or two my clothes smelled better, especially the ones that had been hanging up for months and were smelling "stale" and musky.

Another option is to use the oils as "dryer sheets" to lightly scent your clothes and keep the mood with you wherever you go. Drop some oil onto a scrap of fabric that you don't mind if it leaves a stain (it hasn't in my experience so far.) Or apply it to an old sock or wash cloth, then toss the aromatic fabric into the dryer with your clothes. Vibrance and Love are great for this. Calm may be helpful if you're prone to anxiety or have an outing that you know puts you in an anxious state. Can you say public speaking?

As a body fragrance, I have to be careful using these as I said, I am very migraine prone. However, I've been able to add a tee-tiny drop to special areas of my body that are not close to my face with success. I love the way these smell; if only my head would tolerate scents better!

Overall, using these oil blends has been a very beneficial addition to my everyday routine. I love opening the little vial of "Vibrance" when I'm waking up and getting ready or doing late-night work or just feeling extremely fatigued.

Calm is the oil I prefer when I'm trying to quieten down to meditate or relax from a stressful day before bed. Passion and Love are absolute God-sends since they're so fun and gentle. Anything that's supposed to add more love is a good thing, right? I like using these in a diffuser in the evenings when I'm spending time with my significant other, or just if I'm in a negative mind-space. You can find the sample kit here.

What is "Die-Off" or Herxheimer's Reaction and How to Get Relief

2016-02-19T04:04:00.002-08:00

Candida Albicans on Chocolate Agar by Mostly*Harmless

Do you have IBS, candidiasis or other sensitive digestive problems? Are certain remedies leaving you feeling deathly ill instead of relieving your suffering? If so, it's possible you're experiencing "die-off." Especially if you've changed your diet or began taking a new supplement/remedy. Read on to find out if what you're experiencing is symptoms of Herxheimer's reaction, a.k.a. "die-off." In this article series, you'll also learn what to expect with "die-off", how to avoid it, and how to feel better again if you're suffering right now.

Warning: In this article, you'll learn about the symptoms of "die-off" and what it feels like to experience it from the perspective of a severely ill young woman suffering from years of debilitating candidiasis and IBS. I'll also add remedies that may assist you and ease the hell of an experience with Herxheimer's.

What is Herxheimer's Reaction or "Die-Off?"

Herxheimer's reaction is a painful ordeal that leaves you feeling sick. It occurs when harmful microorganisms literally die off while inside your body, hence the name "die-off." It's usually a medicine or remedy that you've taken that causes a noticeable reaction, and you feel ill from the substance released by the dying microorganisms. Perhaps this is relieving for some of you who may be happy to know that your pain is actually a sign of the "bad guys" dying. Go ahead, revel in the pleasure that those suckers are meeting their death!

The actual name is Herxheimer's Reaction and if you want my personal input, it's real. Painfully, horrifically, gut-wrenchingly, head-spinningly real. As you might can tell, I'll never forget the night I had my first encounter with what I later found out was commonly referred to as "die-off," or "Herxing."

This unforgettable experience goes by other names as well -- my personal favorite: hell. But if you're in need of information regarding this reaction, then it may help to know that it's also called "detoxing." If you're scouring the web for answers, remember that the Herxheimer's Reaction or "die-off" isn't super commonly discussed or even known about, unless you're one of the folks like myself who's suffered from issues like candidiasis and have therefore become familiar with the special misery that seems to occur when you take certain herbs or supplements for candidiasis or IBS or a parasitic infection or any other detoxifying supplement or aid. A Wikipedia article states that taking certain antibiotics are a cause of Herxheimer's reaction. That's interesting since taking antibiotics is also one of the main causes for developing IBS and candidiasis. The candidiasis community often refer to Herxheimer's as a "healing crisis."

Symptoms of Herxheimer's reaction typically begin within the first few hours of having taken a supplement, herb, or remedy that kills bacteria and parasites.

I've found that most of what has given me Herxheimer's tends to be natural things with potent anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, like the coconut oil, for example. Interestingly enough, I can take an entire stalk of an aloe vera plant without ever suffering. I can also eat garlic like it's going out of style and never experience die-off symptoms. Perhaps aloe and garlic are more gentle?

Many people don't ever figure out that what they're actually experiencing is this Herxheimer's Reaction. Instead of ever finding out that what they are experiencing is literal "die-off" of bugs like candida albicans, they simply think that whatever they took (such as a detox supplement), is giving them negative side effects.

That's what I thought when I doubled my daily tablespoon dose of real, organic coconut oil. Boy was I certain I was the one dying off when that dizzy, rocks-moving-through-my-gut feeling sensation struck me. I remember the feeling more vividly than I remember my 21st birthday, which come to think of it, wasn't really that spectacular... but still.

I remember describing my symptoms -- to Google, no less. It was 2 am thankyouverymuch, and as someone who'd been completely debilitated with years of IBS, Candidiasis, and endometriosis, calling a doctor was a thing of the past. The symptoms can resemble those of bacterial sepsis, according to Wikipedia. I've never had sepsis, but it's one of the few ailments that I fear. Unlike sepsis though, you're not likely to die of Herxheimer's reaction.

The sun was coming up by the time I finally stopped reading about this new kind of hell and my misery was beginning to subside. But before the relief finally arrived, I had already been taking note of every symptom I felt as the hours passed, just in case I really was the one dying off, of course.

This whole experience occurred probably 5 years ago, and for some reason, I never thought to discuss it much here. As I recover from the beginnings of a new IBS-candidiasis flare-up, (albeit a very, very minor flare-up unlike those that used to keep me bedridden through my late tees - early 20's, I realized that. Why in the name of all things holy have I never thought to document some of that stuff here where I've documented virtually every step of my healing process?

It's your lucky day... Er, probably un-lucky if you landed here by searching for anything related to Herxheimer's symptoms ... because the idea finally arrived in this scrambled, aching head of mine. If my audience is mostly people who suffer with digestive problems like my own, and I frequently discuss remedies, it only makes sense to provide you sweet souls with a bit of a guide on Herxing.

Forgive me for not coming to your aid sooner. You truly deserve better than me.

While we're on the topic of forgiveness, you'll also want to make sure you have plenty more of it because I have a tendency to jump into fun-mode and be overly chatty when I'm talking to you guys. My job requires me to write in a completely un-personal, professional, boring, un-interesting tone, when I finally get to write for my readers here, I get carried away. I promise to put the actual informative parts like symptoms and relief/remedies in big, bold letters before I hit that publish button, just in case you arrived here to gather information and not for my cheery nature.

Symptoms:

*To repeat my earlier note, Wikipedia says Herxing can resemble bacterial sepsis.

- Fever
- Nausea
- Gas, bloating,diarrhea, need to go to the bathroom more than normal
- Intestinal cramps
- Abdominal pain (like I said, it felt like gravel moving through my gut.)
- Pain in your joints, muscles, all over body pain (similar to having the flu.)
- Headache
- Hypotension
- Anxiety, rapid heart rate, breathing difficulty, chest heaviness.
- Sweating or alternating between hot and cold
- Shivering cold
- Cold feet/hands
- Prickling sensations on the scalp, back of neck, etc.
- Shakiness, jitters.
- Confusion, brain fog,

- Exhaustion, fatigue. Some people report feeling insomnia, but many of us feel utterly exhausted during and after Herxing. I passed out hard and slept in the same position for hours both times I experienced die-off.

Remedies to Help Get You Through A Herxheimer's Reaction

If you can take on a "cleanse" in a gradual manner, chances of you being hit with a horrible bout of Herxheimer's could lessen. You can take steps towards cleaning your liver, lymph, and digestive system to lessen the chance of having loads of bacteria die at once.

The key is by gently cleansing and stimulating these important waste-removal systems before you go taking something that'll give you the Herx reaction. If you are aware of it beforehand. If you're like me, on the other hand and run smack dab into a die-off experience, we'll discuss some remedies in a moment that should help ease your symptoms until you feel better.

If it were me, I would start stimulating my lymphatic system on a daily basis, especially upon waking up. I particularly love Donna Eden's Energy Work techniques for this. *Video Below*

This will help your lymphatic system start working properly and begin moving some of the toxic waste from your body.

Next, you can try to use gentle liver and digestive "cleansing" herbs and teas. I am particularly fond of milk thistle as a daily liver cleanser/tonic. You can use a variety of easy, affordable herbal teas to help this too though. Senna and dandelion are all great for an enormous boost and cleansing of your liver. Learn more about simple ways to cleanse and protect your liver here.

Don't forget turmeric, which can be used as a spice in your food or added to your tea. It's great for your entire system, including your liver and kidneys, which both need to be in optimal shape to help your body remove all those toxins.

Before you even begin any sort of cleansing, you probably want to start taking in cultured or fermented foods, if you're digestive system will tolerate them without throwing a fit. Sauerkraut, miso soup, and kombucha tea are amazing probiotics to start using regularly. There's also kefir, if that's more suitable to your tastes. Either way, any of these foods will go a long way in the healing process and long-term health of your digestive system. As you've already been told, these probiotic-rich foods will also put the "good bacteria" in to fight off the bad.

Another great healing food for candidiasis and your entire digestive system is bone broth. Many people attest to its healing powers, even in this department. Try to aim for organic only. The foods listed above will not only give you relief, but will re-strengthen your body by giving it the nutrients needed to become well again, and to fight off the bad fellas.

To Get Relief While in the Midst of Die-Off

Dr. John Bergman is one of my go-to's when it comes to real health and wellness. In one of his videos on healing "everything," he discussed "moist packs" being a tool for healing digestive problems, including simple inflammation of the gut.

If you're experiencing the pain of die-off, a great starter would be to take Dr. Bergman's advice and lay down with a "moist heat pack." I've been weak and desperate enough to just lay in the bath full of hot water and simply use a wash cloth to lay over my entire abdominal area. Before it starts to cool, I'll add more of my hot bath water.

This is supposed to not only give you relief, but also be an incredible healing method, so if you're already in pain, it can't hurt!

Consume extra Vitamin C and antioxidants (I like seabuckthorn berry due to its powerful antioxidant profile and high Vitamin C content.) If you can consume more water than usual, it'll be worth it since it'll help flush out some of the byproducts and toxins caused by the die-off. The best thing you can do once you're clear of die-off symptoms is to gently begin building your immune system and cleansing your liver, kidneys, and lymphatic systems. This will make the rest of your journey so much smoother. I promise!

This guide is basic-information. I will happily continue to update things as time goes on, if any of you are interested. If not, I will most likely leave it as is since time won't allow for extra writing if people aren't in need of it. Don't hesitate to get in touch with me to discuss this further if you'd like, or leave me a request for additional information. I'm beyond happy to help in any way I can, or just chat with you.

Best wishes, health, and happiness.

1 Remedy That Relieves Dozens of Common Aches and Pains From Your Head to Your Toes

2016-02-12T08:29:00.000-08:00

* Dark-colored glass bottle is a good sign that Trusted Health Products are careful to ensure the ingredients will hold up and won't degrade through light exposure.

What is Runner's Choice?

The Runner's Choice - Foot Massage in A Bottle is the latest development in the line of all-natural, scientifically formulated, 100% botanical oil products by Trusted Health Products'.

The 2 ounce bottle goes a long way and can last for up to a year, depending on how often you use it.

What it's For Trusted Health Products designed Runner's Choice for people who suffer from sore feet and discomfort, like runners or someone with pain from being on their feet for lengthy periods of time.

Runner's Choice is a lightweight, non-greasy oil that absorbs almost immediately into the skin, soothing away soreness and discomfort deep within. I'm definitely no runner, but my feet and other muscles can use some relief as often as possible.

Did you know that your feet contain more than 200 muscles, 60 joints, and over 50 bones. That's not even accounting for the insane number of ligaments and tendons! There's a lot packed into our feet, so it's no wonder we feel the aches and pains of standing on them for hours at a time or beating them against pavement while running.

I was given the opportunity to try Runner's Choice to see if it could be useful for me, and in exchange for writing a review to share my thoughts and feelings about it.

After spending some time with the aromatically pleasing oil, I wanted to take the time to publish a review to share how it works, what the benefits/uses are. Perhaps by sharing this information and gem of an all-natural remedy, it will help other people suffering from tired, achy, sore feet or muscles to find some relief of their own.

An additional benefit is your feet won't smell! The strong mint aroma is pleasant and refreshing.

My Personal Results:

After receiving The Runner's Choice, I applied a few drops of the oil to the soles and tops of my feet near the start of the day.

Aside from the nice aroma, I noticed a subtle tingly sensation developing on the tops of my feet. Icy-Hot lovers rejoice -- the cold and tingly combo in this chemical-free product is intense enough to really put some pep in your step and cool down inflamed, deep aches.

My feet started to go somewhat numb after a couple of solid hours of being vertical. I worked out and engaged in some outdoor work and instead of the typical beginnings of feet-aches and the itchy sensation that accompanies, my feet were as cool and calm as a cucumber. I didn't even notice that the usual discomfort wasn't present until later.

Further activities included chasing after a house-full of children -- my feet remained cozy and comfortable for the most part.

From an entire full day (just day 1 of using), I can report that this oil is powerful enough to... well, to actually be worth report about.

I feel like even people with more significant aches and pains will even find relief in Runner's Choice.

You Don't Have to be A Runner to Benefit From Using The Runner's Choice

6 Month Update

The Runner's Choice, with it's magnificent ingredients, has more uses than just to soothe achy feet. In fact, I've applied it to other achy, sore areas of my body as well as to relieve the extreme discomfort and stiffness in the joints of my hands that comes from over-use like when I crochet or knit. Due to the comfort this provides when I massage it into my hands before attempting knitting or crochet, I just wonder if it would relieve at least some of the discomfort and pain of carpal tunnel syndrome... I began feeling all the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome myself a couple of years ago and it started getting so painful that after any hand activity like yarn-crafting or just ironing my hair, it would sometimes be distract-ingly painful.

It was becoming a real nuisance in my daily life, this carpal tunnel syndrome issue, but after I started using Runner's Choice on my hands, it's been a few months now since I have even felt any noticeable discomfort in my hands! I can knit for hours with no issue!

I feel like perhaps my hand underwent some healing due to some hand exercises and the amino acids I've been including into my supplement regimen. However, if it weren't for this, I would've been in far more pain and for a longer period of time. I feel like the combo of supplementing with aminos and using this soothing product really made a world of difference for me in this area.

When it comes to muscle soreness, I don't even hesitate to break out the Runner's Choice.

I've had great success using it for removing soreness from my arms and legs after over-using them to the point of my limbs shaking and quivering.

Headaches!

One of the biggest pains I've had as far back as I can remember is migraine headaches. Even on days when I don't develop a migraine, it's very common for me to end up clutching my temples from a headache. It's not always full-blown migraine, but these aches are intense enough to interfere horribly with my daily life.

One day in a desperate attempt to keep from hurling due to the nauseating pain in my head, I remembered that the smell of mint is said to be quite useful in bringing relief. So after swallowing a BC powder (forgive me for I know the dangers of BC's, but in the case of a migraine...) I ran to the bathroom and rubbed a drop on my temples, sat on the floor, and propped my feet upward and under running cold water. I remembered seeing something that claimed putting feet in ice water can get rid of headaches.

As I tried my best to stay put with the pain of the cold water on my feet, I kept taking deep breaths to sniff in the minty aromas. I actually did start to feel enough relief to get up and leave within minutes. I felt as good as if I'd taken a nap and woke up with just a rough headache instead of a debilitating migraine.

It was only upon standing up from my seated position that I really felt the major pain in my head. After spending a while relaxing quietly on the bed with my eyes closed (you never want to jump the gun with a migraine because relief doesn't mean a thing when it comes to these vicious things. It can hit you again if you don't take it easy.)

Within the hour, I was up and going like normal. I could still sense that there was sensitivity, but as for pain, it was non existent. I was able to last the rest of the day and night without it striking me down again.

Now you know why I titled this post "1 Remedy That Relieves Dozens of Common Aches and Pains from Your Head to Your Toes."

Additional Benefits

Relieves arthritis pain, heals wounds, burns.

Opens sinuses when sniffed and clears stuffy, inflamed tissue that causes stuffiness.

I've added a couple drops to a little satchel that I hang in my closet to keep clothes smelling fresh and keep odors from absorbing. It works better than my old dryer-sheet-rub-down remedy and the strong mints keep odors away for a good while without rubbing off onto my clothing. I've even started placing a small paper towel with drops of Runner's Choice in my drawers.

Ingredients such as Spearmint have anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties so using it on feet would also help prevent fungal issues and definitely odors. [Source: C.L. Wilson.Rapid evaluation of plant extract and essential oil for anti fumgal activity against Botrytis cinerea. Plant dis. 1997.81:204-210], [G.S. Moore, R.D. Atkins. The fungicidal and fungistatic effect of an aqueous garlic extract on medically important yeast like fungi. Mycologia. 1997.69:341-348.]

Ingredients:

Oils of Almond, Eucalyptus, Eucalyptol, Wintergreen, Peppermint, and Spearmint.

I can't stress enough how pleased I am with Trusted Health Products' ingredient choice. Every product I've used from THP never fails to impress me in this area. They use simple, science-backed ingredients that are highly effective, safe, healthy, and packed with healing properties.

The Runner's Choice is no exception. With powerful, pain-relieving mint oils, The Runner's Choice soothes tired, achy feet, joints, and muscles instantly after the oil absorbs.

Ingredients and Their Properties:

Oil of Almond: A nutrient dense carrier oil rich in magnesium and Vitamins E and C. Skin and hair both benefit from application of this oil. It helps heal infection and relieves inflammation and itchy of skin.

Oil of Eucalyptus: Stimulates blood flow. Some of eucalyptus' medicinal properties include wound cleaning, treatment of fungal infection, decongestant, etc. It's an anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antiseptic. It has also been used as an insecticide to kill ticks and mites.

Oil of Eucalyptol: See eucalyptus above. Eucalyptol is often found in mouthwash for the possible antibacterial properties.

Oil of Wintergreen: Has anti-rheumatic and anti-arthritic properties. Relieves muscle, bone and joint pain.

Oil of Peppermint: Anti-microbial, fungicidal, and bactericidal. For medicinal uses, studies have shown peppermint oil to be effective as an analgesic, a tonic, an antispasmodic, and for daytime sleepiness. When combined with eucalyptus oil, it'll treat headaches and relieve pain. Peppermint oil contains Vitamins A and C and is rich in minerals and nutrients such as calcium, folate, copper, iron, magnesium, and manganese.

Oil of Spearmint: Anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-spasmodic properties.

Directions: Apply to feet immediately before and after running, jogging, or when you will be on your feet for long periods of time. Coat the bottom of your feet, between the toes and the top and 2 inches above the ankle for best results. Rubbing is not required for effectiveness). Put the cap back on immediately after use to preserve potency. Extended exposure to air weakens the botanical oils’ effectiveness. Wash hands after use. Avoid contact with eyes and other sensitive tissue. Keep out of reach of children. Do not use on open wounds.

For a limited time and for first-time users, the manufacturer is willing to offer our readers the opportunity try The Runner’s Choice, and agreed to send a free bottle (except the shipping and handling charge, which is less than $5.) Click here for the offer (limited time.)

If you'd like to visit Trusted Health Products on social media, you can find them on Facebook and here at their website.

This Natural Remedy Improved My Dental Health

2015-11-13T04:40:00.000-08:00

Photo Source: Luiz Filipe

I know, some say you're not supposed to use this internally and I'm aware that many folks advise against using it in the mouth, and definitely not on cats (it's said to be toxic to their liver) However, I've found this one simple thing seems to be improving my dental health, killing germs, and leaving my breath fresher than any Colgate you could ever dream up!

Who needs fluoride, right? No, really. Nobody needs fluoride. If you aren't up to date on why, then please go do a simple search on the dangers of fluoride. It's been documented and written about more times than cancer.

If you've been present at all here around Ribbons and Pearls, you know that I became anti-fluoride about 3 years ago (I think.)

From there, I've tried everything from bar soap to peroxide to a blend of baking soda and peppermint to brush with -- each of which has been documented thoroughly along with my experience here on R&P.

But all those nasty tasting little suckers didn't quite keep me from pitching a fit every morning when the dreaded teeth-brushing time came around. In fact, most mornings, I gagged, puked, or both. I swear, my family starting getting suspicious that I was bulimic (no harm or insensitivity intended, promise.)

So, I was determined that there must be a safe and equally effective way to brush my chompers without having to resort to the tube of poison I used to use (that would be toothpaste, folks). After a couple of years of trying different things and not being able to tolerate much, I decided to take the chance and try replacing those with just one product that contains only three ingredients: botanical oils. I've discussed/reviewed the specific product I'm talking about in the past. You can find that post here.

I should probably stop here and disclaim the hell out of this post before I say what I'm about to say, but I'd prefer not to clog your reading up with an enormous disclaimer that tells you intelligent folks not to try anything your doctor doesn't recommend and that this most certainly is not advice (it isn't.) That the decision to use this is my doing and I take full responsibility for any risks or whatever that may come to myself, but only myself.

Peppermint by Detsugu

Okay, skip to the very bottom for a proper, full disclosure.

Moving on.

I've been using this OraMD oil spray to replace toothpaste -- it's supposed to help with bleeding, swollen gums, among other things -- because after researching each ingredient (peppermint, spearmint, and almond oils), I felt hopeful that the information I found (which I will include below) could be useful for my dental health.

Dental Benefits of Peppermint, Almond, and Spearmint Oil

Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-microbial. Proper cleansing properties was/is the most important thing for me so I can be sure I'm actually killing the bad stuff in my mouth that contributes to the decline of dental health in the first place. Taste can come in close second, but first and absolutely foremost is that the bad guys are eliminated so that I'm not just sacrificing harmful chemicals found in toothpaste with harmful bacteria found in the mouth. In fact, the folks who make OraMD say it has "interdental access" that's supposed to allow the ingredients to get in even the tiny spaces in between teeth to kill of bad bacteria.

Research has shown that peppermint essential oil is the "most effective" in killing anaerobic bacteria such as the bacteria that thrives in environments with low oxygen levels -- for instance, the kind of bacteria that causes gum disease.

The three ingredient are said to delay the process of gingivitis and reduce symptoms of gum disease, increases blood flow to gums, (for those of you struggling with these issues.)

Spearmint oil helps promote both healing and soothing to soft tissue. It's also an anti-septic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral.

Since the mint oils also happen to leave my entire mouth feeling like its undergone a deep cleansing like your car does when you put it through the car wash, I simply couldn't ever bring myself to go back to any of those other anti-fluoride methods you read about. Like bar soap. Just ick!

So everyday for the last year, I've been giving myself a squirt of this in the mouth before brushing my teeth. On the days I take a break, I'll simply use peroxide. Alternating between the two seems to have greatly improved my root canal issues as well as the pain I'd been dealing with from my wisdom tooth (second one now!) that broke. I didn't see a dentist until about 4 months after the tooth initially broke. Lets just say I had horrifying experiences all the last times I went to a dentist (which I've also discussed on this very blog).

But the fantastic news is that when I did finally drag myself into the dentist's office -- shaking so hard I literally shook the entire dental chair as he was hands-deep in my mouth -- he was able to pull the sucker right away! No infection! The only things I'd been doing was oil pulling gently with some tea tree oil at night before bed and brushing with peroxide most days (to help with the pain) and using the OraMD on other days.

Apparently, it must have done my mouth a world of good because it's quite unheard of for a dentist (conventional anyways) to extract a tooth on the very first visit.

Curious, I even asked him how much infection there was. He said either very little that he could see or none! That's never happened to me before, and I'd even tried several rounds of antibiotics and keeping garlic cloves on a previous broken wisdom tooth (pictured below, after extraction of course) in the past and still couldn't cut away the infection very successfully.

My wisdom tooth -- first extraction ever. It was awful, huh?

So, I went ahead and assumed my natural measures were doing my mouth some good. I was still in complete shock when after the x-rays, he began sticking my mouth with a needle! I nearly panicked. Whoa! Why is he numbing my mouth? He isn't about to go trying to pull this thing on the very first visit?

Oh yes he was, and although I was unprepared, I'm so grateful to have left that office less than an hour later half in shock (gauze held to my cheek, no less) and half in elation for having it gone so quick without having to wait and make another dreadful trip for the extraction.

Anyways, that glorious story aside (the very overly-priced, glorious story, that is), I have something I feel is worthy of sharing... You know, other than how awesome it is to be infection and broken wisdom tooth free!

It's been a couple of months now since I had that extraction (yes, they still hound me for the additional $48 they decided to charge because they wanted to try again for an x-ray since she couldn't quite get it perfect the first time. The second, $48 x-ray they're wanting to charge for was identical to the first she took!)

I have continued using the same methods for my dental care -- tea tree oil pulling, OraMD, and peroxide. I toss in the occasional ozonated oil (like olive or castor) in the hope that it will further help heal some dental crap I have.

I feel certain that things have improved in my mouth, although I have a ways to go with one tooth.

Just two days ago, I realized the large build-up of what I believe is calculus is actually falling out from between my teeth! A large chunk fell out the other night, leaving me with a brand new space between my lower to bottom teeth that hasn't been there in years! Yes, I believe the tea tree oil pulling and other techniques are actually removing this bizarre build-up from between my teeth and leaving them intact and safe! I will be documenting that, including a photo of the large chunk of build-up (TMI?) as soon as possible.

I would say things are beginning to look up, wouldn't you? What methods do you use for safely brushing your teeth everyday? Have you had any success with improving your dental health at all? I need a dose of hope here, guys!

Source:
1. Shapiro S, Meier A, Guggenheim B, The antimicrobial activity of essential oils and essential oil components towards oral bacteria. University of Zurich, Switzerland. Lett Appl Microbiol. 2009 Sep;49(3):354-60. Epub 2009 Jul 14.

So Your Sex Drive Sucks? Your Thyroid Could be to Blame + How to Restore it Naturally at Home

2015-11-12T02:26:00.002-08:00

Your sex drive has completely diminished. It's gone.
You've bought the horny goat weed pills at your local convenient store, but they didn't make good on their promise to restore your sex drive to that of a hormone-raging teenager.

Photo credit: Nikki Kinkaid

You don't know where your sex drive went, but you want it back. Yesterday. Chances are, there's still hope that you can figure this whole thing out and put the sex back into sex drive.

If this sounds like you and you've exhausted the most common causes of a low sex drive with no luck of what could be causing yours, then your thyroid just might be worth ~~pointing a finger~~ taking a look at.

Who knew something in your throat could have a link to something in your... pants (or at least I hope it's in your pants.)

The truth is, it's possible that your crappy, non-existent sex drive is your body's way of hinting at a deeper problem.

One cause of low sex drive (in both women and men) and even erectile dysfunction happens to be thyroid problems, especially when a hormonal imbalance is also involved. If you've looked into everything else, then perhaps it's the culprit in your case, too. And hopefully, this brief article can point you somewhat in the right direction.

Note: A thyroid evaluation should be done by a trusted healthcare professional in order to know if you have a thyroid problem and what precisely that problem is. There are a range of thyroid "problems" such as underactive thyroid and overactive thyroid, but for the sake of being brief, I'm going to avoid being complex and extensive in this article and stay on the simple side of things.

Unfortunately for myself, I may have a bit of a swollen thyroid going on, which is what got me looking into this whole thing in the first place. I later stumbled upon information that there was a connection between thyroid health and sex drive.

When I had my annual exam last month, the nurse told me she couldn't feel my lymph nodes and seemed pretty freaked as she squeezed around on my throat.

When she asked another nurse to see if she could "find" the lymph node in my left throat area, I started worrying. She said she'd never had trouble feeling someone's lymph nodes before, but that mine seemed to really be hiding.

Long story short - I panicked when they couldn't find my lymph node and when I saw the nurse give the other nurse an odd look, I asked "am I okay?"

I nearly flipped when I saw her hesitate, say "yea," then glance at the other nurse -- like she was saying "oh my God, this patient is going to die of hiding-lymph-node-syndrome!

Once she was able to assure me that I was okay and that she wasn't hiding a secret that would leave me dead without knowing I was dying, she commented on my thyroid.

The left side of my neck was "sticking out," she said.

She asked the other nurse to take a look and she agreed that my neck definitely "stuck out" much further on my left side.

She determined my thyroid was probably swollen and didn't say another word about it. She gave me what I came in for and I was gone.

But the thyroid ordeal kept coming into my mind, especially since I realized the weird popping sensation in my ear was on the same side as this new-found swollen thyroid.

I began researching about this thyroid stuff and started reading up on how I could improve my thyroid's health (and keep anyone else from looking at my uneven neck funny.)

Anyways, I didn't find much out about what the deal is with my own "swollen" thyroid or why my ear does that funny popping thing that makes me irritated and off balance all the time, but I did find some helpful information regarding thyroid health... oh yea, and sex drive.

Apparently, the thyroid is quite an important part of the body --it plays a role in all its major functioning.

As for me, I think my thyroid swelling may be new and hopefully minor enough that it hasn't had the chance to affect my sex drive (thank you Jesus, thank you.) But I would still like to offer up some help for those of you who may be suffering, wondering what on earth is causing your low sex drive. Start looking at your thyroid if you haven't already!

Let's take a look at the possible links between your thyroid and sex drive...

A study in the 2005 Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism showed a connection between some thyroid conditions such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism and sexual problems like low sex drive and erectile dysfunction in men.

*Most of the sexual issues experienced by the men in the study were found to have improved after they received treatment for their thyroid issues.

A symptom of low thyroid hormone is decreased sex drive.

According to an article on WebMD, a nurse practitioner called Lynn Moyer has said that she often sees female patients often report an improvement in sex drive after being treated for a thyroid issue.

Fix Yer Thyroid Now and Maybe That Sex Drive Will Return.
The good news is, you can often make improvements to your thyroid health right at home, and hopefully, in turn, your sex drive will return right where it belongs.

Of course you should consult with a trustworthy healthcare professional before you do anything. This is not advice. Do not go and swallow anything and then say I told you to. This information is simply shared information for you to peruse at your own risk... Blah, blah, blah. Just please use the information responsibly and do not do anything without a trusted health professional's clearance.

Now that that's out of the way...

Let's go over some "remedies" for greatly improving the health of your thyroid.

As a long-term maca powder user, I want to mention it first because a lot of folks attest to maca's powerful health benefits. Maca has been popularized for its ability to increase the sex drives of both men and women. However, maca powder has also been said to help many people with thyroid problems as it balances hormones, increases sex drive, and supports healthy thyroid more. Testimonies from maca users can be found online with a simple search, and some of them have even had blood tests taken before and after, which show that their thyroid levels have improved.

Perhaps maca powder could be a great source for improving overall health as well as thyroid health and sex drive.

- Amino Acids
Make sure you're consuming omega 3's and plenty of them. These are absolutely necessary for all of your health, including mental health and a healthy thyroid. Even depression is often relieved when you start getting sufficient omegas.

Chia seeds and flax seeds (or a teaspoon of flax seed oil daily) are one way to amp up your omega 3-fatty-acid intake. I use chia.

You should be getting omegas and L-Tyrosine (another amino acid important for thyroid health) everyday no matter if you have a thyroid issue, low sex drive, or perfect health. Omega 3's can

Arginine is another amino acid that can often improve your low sex drive symptoms.

- An under-active thyroid can often be easily fixed with an increase in your iodine intake -- 150mcg is the daily recommended amount. (Not the kind of iodine in table salt.) Try consuming more seaweed, kelp, parsley.)

- Magnesium, Potassium, Selenium, and Zinc not only reduce inflammation and are required for proper health in general, but they're also important for thyroid health.

Just 10 milligrams of zinc daily was shown by the University of Massachusetts, to improve thyroid problems in women. Note: The high zinc content found in oysters is a reason why they're considered to have aphrodisiac properties!

- B Vitamins

Just to go ahead and put it out there, deficiencies in Vitamin B's (B5 and B6) can also cause a low sex drive, so go ahead and include Vitamin B's to the above minerals to further increase your chances of putting your sex drive back into business. Plus, it'll help balance your hormones and keep them from hindering your sex drive.

Interesting note: The Journal of Sexual Medicine published a study saying that those women who choose red wine (moderate drinkers, that is) had higher libidos. One theory is because it increases blood flow.

Source:
Carani, Cesare, et. al. "Multicenter Study on the Prevalence of Sexual Symptoms in Male Hypo- and Hyperthyroid Patients," The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 90, No. 12 6472-6479

Boydens, C., Pauwels, B., Decaluwé, K., Brouckaert, P. and Van de Voorde, J. (2015), Relaxant and Antioxidant Capacity of the Red Wine Polyphenols, Resveratrol and Quercetin, on Isolated Mice Corpora Cavernosa. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 12: 303–312. doi: 10.1111/jsm.12786

Is it Possible to Shrink Your Stomach by Eating Less?

2015-10-28T15:28:00.001-07:00

Stomach-by-Karrie-Nodalo

Is it Possible to Shrink Your Stomach by Eating Less?

This question -- whether or not the stomach can be shrank by consuming less food -- made headlines on Yahoo! today.

Aside from the answer provided in the article "Does the Size of Your Stomach Shrink When You Eat Less?" featured on Yahoo! Health, I felt compelled to weigh in with my own "answer" as I am a perfect guinea pig.

To be clear, by "stomach," we're referring to the actual organ, not the waist or mid-section.

Now that that's out of the way, if you haven't already, go ahead and read the article mentioned and then come back here to read my own answer and how I arrived at the conclusion years ago that my stomach organ did in fact seem to shrink.

I arrived at this conclusion by complete accident (and at the expense of my health and youthful years of wild, carefree bliss) thanks to extremely agonizing gut-related issues that left me and every doctor I visited puzzled for most of my teenage and adult life.

It looks as if my extreme misfortune is finally coming in use for something, and I must say it's about time. Perhaps there was a reason for all those years of agony after all. And here I was asking why? Why? Why? Why must I seem the be the only girl forced to spend what's supposed to be the most fun, free, and wild years of the human life wasting away in bed (or more like the bathroom)?

Perhaps this is the reason -- so that a few years down the road I could finally write a blog post to let people know that it's probably true that your stomach can shrink if you don't feed it.

Well, at least I finally have an answer for why my adult life and late teen years cannot really be accounted for. That is, unless you're asking my cats or awesomely supportive boyfriend stayed by side through the last 10 years, including during the years I only half existed.

I've gone into great detail about the entire journey of those health problems, so I won't get too detailed here. I'll just get to the point and answer the question, based on my experience.

As you now know, and as the article I shared at the beginning of this post points out, the stomach can shrink when put through a period of not being filled, but to reach a level of actual shrinkage requires such a small amount of food that it's totally illogical and completely unhealthy to consider this as a weight loss method. Unfortunately, I know this all too well.

You see, for some reason, a combination of digestive problems -- one of them being ~~fatal~~ severe IBS (just kidding. Don't panic. IBS is not actually fatal. It just feels that way for those who suffer with it). Accompanied with the digestive complications came endometriosis that, according to the OB/GYN I reluctantly see, was deeply embedded in... ahem... my bowels (I know, as if having something called "irritable bowel syndrome" wasn't dehumanizing enough, right?).

Apparently, it was a better idea to simply sew me back up without removing any of the problematic endometriosis/adhesions than to attempt removing it from a place such as the bowels.

The point of sharing such humiliating personal details is to lead up to telling you that these health issues also caused me to become extremely ill anytime I ate. As if having something called "irritiable bowel syndrome" and then bowel-endometriosis on top of it isn't dehumanizing, humiliating, and agonizing enough, right?

My misfortune just had to be taken a step further and ruin my ability to even survive. Not being able to eat more than a couple of bites on any given day -- no joke. A couple of bites would almost always leave me writhing in pain -- started making it a little tough to survive. Forget the other health issues and sicknesses that come along with being malnourished and dehydrated.

Eventually, as you might've already guessed at this point, I was quite literally wasting away. 70-something pounds was my lowest weight.

By the time I had came across my little life-saver aloe vera (too bad I didn't start munching on it before the expensive surgery that did nothing to help), I was certain that death was closing in on me.

I was also certain that my stomach had shrank because when my family would force me to risk pure agony (by forcing me to eat, bless their souls), I would be as full as a dog tick, even from as little as 2-3 saltine crackers. Who knew that was possible?

This went on for several years until my desperate consumption of aloe vera -- I read it could soothe problems associated with IBS and immediately began taking it -- and it was nearly two years before I was able to actually sit down and finish a real, proper meal with proper portions.

So, to say that the stomach cannot shrink would be a complete and total injustice to the fact that I'm pretty sure my stomach shrank to the size of a peanut. Okay, a walnut.

Before I end I want to make it very clear that I am not in any way condoning any type of weight loss nor is this post intended to be taken as advice or suggestions on losing weight. In fact, if anything, I would like to recommend against any attempts to halt your food consumption in order to lose weight. Please treat your body like the precious, beautiful gem that it is (inside and out.) If not for you, do it for me. My heart broke every single time someone would comment on my extremely, sickly small size and then after asking me how I "did it," they would reply that I was so lucky and oh how they wish they would get sick so they could "get skinny."

I promise you, getting sick doesn't equal getting skinny in a healthy or fun way. From an outsider's perspective it may seem like the perfect, easy way to losing weight, but it's not. I used to tell the dozens of people who wished they could lose weight by getting sick the way I did that I'd rather be 300 pounds than to feel the pain I would feel from simply eating. We have to eat to survive. Having to endure so much pain that you can't even bring yourself to swallow a bite is not ever going to be worth it to you when you're there.

Okay, now that I've gone on and on to make sure you know that this is not a weight loss idea, I must finish up by also making sure you know that I'm not against healthy weight loss. But please do it the healthy way! Cutting out some of the foods that are extremely bad for you is a great way to do this and so is aiming for healthier portions and more filling meals. Don't forget, you have options that allow you to be a healthy weight without hurting yourself.

I know all about extreme food cravings that won't let you sleep. When I finally became able to eat normally and as much as I wanted without pain, believe me, was it hard to quit! I've come to really love food. But I do keep fairly healthy portions and aim for some healthy foods.

If you are disappointed that you came here and didn't find any information on actually losing weight, then perhaps I can interest you in other posts I've written discussing healthy and very effective ways to go about it. You can find dozens of posts here that will help teach you about plenty of options for losing and maintaining weight. I've even covered ways to knock out those intense cravings for junk food that strike every night. For example, this post will give you information that'll help you kick the habit of emotional eating, over-eating, and midnight cravings.

Before you go, scroll down to the comments and share your own knowledge, ideas, and theories regarding the topics we've covered here in this post.

How One Supplement Can Improve Every Move You Make

2015-10-24T16:06:00.000-07:00

I've been taking this AminoHD 1000 supplement daily -- thanks to the kind folks at Summit Nutritions who allowed me to use the supplement alongside my everyday exercise routine in exchange for a review and my thoughts on how the supplement worked for me personally.

AminoHD1000 is very popular among athletes, but I'm finding that it also has its place in the lives of folks like myself who are far from athletes, but maintain some level of exercise or daily activity.

Not only for exercising, the supplement contains vital amino acids that are promote healthy cells.

You see, AminoHD1000 helps the body in many ways aside from just aiding in your muscle-building desires. I will be discussing all the workings of this supplement in the review below.

About Amino Acids:

Aminos are important for the health of cells and speedy recovery and growth.

Not only are they integral to cell health and speedy recovery and growth; free-form BCAA does not get stuck in the liver, but is delivered straight to the muscles

AminoHD 1000 is manufactured from 100% amino acids and vegetable capsules. That's it. All that takes off for your muscles is "the raw material for muscle-building."

Studies Show:

- Leucine [#1 Ingredient in Amino HD 1000] caused a 145% boost of protein synthesis vs 41% boost with exercise alone - A 105% increase! (Pubmed Article: PMC2706121)

- BCAA Supplementation created a 17.2% greater resistance to fatigue over a placebo. (Pubmed Article: 21297567)

Very Safe: Free of excipients, yeast, gluten, preservatives, binders, fillers, artificial ingredients, egg soy, starch, wheat, and sugar.

AminoHD 1000 is useful in improving energy, stamina and endurance levels.

BCAA's (Branch Chain Amino Acids) help prevent muscle break-down.

BCAA's along with amino acids help promote fat loss.

No-questions-asked 100% money back guarantee

Close up

Bottle comes with a nice, long-term supply of 450 capsules (2 caps daily is recommended)

Note: It's important to keep in mind, as the manufacturer of Amino HD 1000 - Diet Standards - has warned, "supplements are not a wonder drug."

You won't wake up tomorrow looking like an NFL linebacker. But supplementing properly just might give you that extra edge. Hugh Jackman's trainer put him on 5-10g of BCAAs Pre & Post Workout for his (mostly shirtless) roll in X-Men Wolverine...and look how that turned out!"

My Experience using AminoHD 1000

There are a few notable effects that I've experienced while using this supplement so naturally, I was compelled to document and share these things. These are all explained below and as I continue using this supplement, I will update as any new changes or effects take place.

Increase in Endurance

The very first effect I noticed after using AminoHD 1000 was a significant, very noticeable increase in my endurance levels.

On the second day of taking AminoHD 1000, I was exercising when I noticed that I was performing exceptionally better than normal. I was really utilizing all of my muscles as I followed my typical ab and lunge/squat routine. Whereas I am usually fatigued and have to stop to breathe every 80-100 reps for the ab workout, I was feeling the "burn" far more than I normally do (because I was putting all my muscle effort in) and still reached 250 reps before having to pause for a breath!

I also performed my lunges and squats a little more efficiently than I normally can stand to do. I do not enjoy the weak, shaky, unstable feeling in my thighs that result from lunge or squat workouts. It's not satisfying to me, and when I notice that almost achy burn in my thighs during exercise, it irritates me greatly.

In fact, the only thing that's ever been a struggle for me when it comes to sticking to lunge/squat exercises is that stupid intensity in my thighs.

I don't intend to include any additional thickness or muscle in my thighs at the moment, so it bugs me that I feel them getting the majority of the workout when I'm lunging/squatting because I do those exercises for other reasons, not for my thighs!

Anyways, I was able to tolerate that irritating thigh-burn far longer than I normally can when I started taking this AminoHD supplement.

4 Days in: I just took my nightly dose of AminoHD 1000 a couple hours ago and then began my regular ab exercise routine (it's an ab-only focus day today. No lunges or squats, just abs.) and as I type this, I'm still feeling a hint of that left-over satisfaction deep within the muscles of my abdomen -- That slight sensation in the muscles that tell you you really worked those suckers well! I love when I can feel that I did well.

Update One Month Later:

It's been a month since I began taking the AminoHD supplement on a daily basis and I couldn't be more pleased with this supplement. While there aren't any super hulk results to be expected, I'm impressed with the health benefits I'm continuously receiving from taking these. It's also worth it to know that this is helping to support my muscles and amp up the progress I get from exercise.

All in all, it's one of my daily "must take" supplements, along with my multi-vitamin and a few other very vital minerals/vitamins and herbs. This is one I've been able to stick with and will for the long term due to the very broad benefits.

5 Ways to Stop Your Mental and Emotional Set-Backs From Keeping You Stuck

2015-09-06T02:01:00.002-07:00

Image Source: Alessandra

Whether it's anxiety, depression, a phobia, or all of the above, most people feel dealing with them feel like they're running into a brick wall. Sometimes repeatedly. Depression and anxiety commonly cause us to feel stuck. But do you know why?

Fear.

Photo credit: ASweeneyPhoto

This little 5-letter word is behind practically every case of depression and anxiety? The saying, "we're driven by fear" is so true, right? For most people, every action they take is out of fear. And they don't even realize it.

People overwork themselves out of fear of not having enough money. (Understandable, but a fear-based action nonetheless.)

People spend their money out of fear. Just take, for example, how many people spend thousands on insurance and home security systems. (That's not to say that it isn't a proactive and very smart thing to do, it does paint a picture of just how much our society lives in fear.)

Like with most things, our mental and emotional set-back are also fueled or "driven" by fear. Even our own unhappiness is often based on fears when we look deeper into it.

Nobody deserves to live in fear and nobody deserves to live a life that makes them feel stuck. Yet thousands of my readers feel both stuck and fearful. You've probably arrived here because you feel that way, too. And you want the mental and emotional set-backs to stop controlling your life.

That's exactly why I've laid out 5 simple, but effective ways you can get more control over the emotional and mental set-backs instead of them controlling you.

1. Stop Owning Your Problems (and Fears)
Three words: Law. of. Attraction.

What you think about and what you tell yourself and others will become your actual reality. If you continuously thinking about what scares you, your fears start manifesting quicker than you can burn your morning toast.

When you constantly claim an illness, it's almost like you invite it to become part of you. Slowly, this illness (or other problem) grows until it become your reality. Just take a gander at the years of posts and articles I've written on how I spent most of my adult life being severely ill from my anxieties and thoughts i.e. fears.

Ponder on this:
if you can easily create a lasting problem or illness for yourself just by claiming it or giving continuous thought to it, you can do the very same by giving thought to the opposite.

In other words, stop claiming your illness/problem/set-back and start claiming your joy, great health, and stability.

It works. I've been on the journey myself.

2. Stop Being Worthless

I know, that's harsh if not downright mean, but what I mean is stop letting yourself continue with a life routine that keeps you feeling worthless day in and day out.

P.S. This has been a big area of struggle for me, which is why I feel comfortable saying what I have. There were times that I felt so worthless that I found it difficult not to believe that I was nothing more than a burden to those who love me. I thought I was unworthy of even the smallest favor.

Do yourself (and me, please?) a favor and change this now.

Do not wallow in or even entertain the thoughts that bring up feelings of worthlessness. It will never help you to become any more worthy and it's completely counter-active to what you want to achieve.

Stop counting all the ways you must be worthless. You aren't. I promise.

What you can do to combat feelings of worthlessness:
I've taken the advice of some experts in this field and have been able to transform those useless thoughts and feelings of being worthless.

Get out of your head and get into the world, in any way that you can manage.
I started making a deliberate and conscious effort to get out of my head space and be with my loved ones. Even if it's just sitting with my nieces and nephews for a few minutes -- it's all about building yourself up with small things, and there's nothing that makes you feel as worthy of life as being around those who make you feel needed.

Or pets. If you're an animal lover, spend some time reveling in the love vibration you feel when petting your animals. This is thought to be very healing.

At the very least, being around the pets or kids always means I'll be put to good use. The turtles need feeding, the cats need petting, the dog needs a bath. Kids help with their homework, the TV channel changed, something to eat, or someone to read them a book.

At least doing homework, changing the channel, bathing, or feeding the pets is a distraction from the paralyzing feeling of depression. These little creatures force me to get up and do something, and a lot of times, that's what we need.

If the feelings of low self-worth comes from your circumstances, (like in my own case: feeling like I haven't been doing much with my life or for others) simply reaching out to an old friend, have a get-together, or spending time with a family members will do wonders. When I've hit a low place, I like to make a promise that I'll show up at a friend's place. The key is to show up, and to keep doing it. Even if it doesn't cure anything, it always works to distract you from the negative thoughts that are keeping you stuck.

I've learned that the best thing I can do is take up any opportunity that provides distraction.

Another helpful activity for anyone who's suffering with the feeling of worthlessness:
Before you go to bed tonight (or as you wake in the morning), don't do anything until you've listed at least a few things that make you feel worthy. For example, did you accomplish something that wasn't easy to tackle?

P.S. Make your results even more powerful by taking time to write (or type) the list.

This activity helps you move forward because it inspires the urge to do things in your day that allow you to feel worthy. Or better put, things that remind you that you are worthy.

3. Hold Yourself Accountable
Whether it's completing one small project or task on your to-do list or just making yourself get up, make that effort. Beforehand, remind yourself that you don't have to follow through to the end (yes, even if it's just a shower), you just have to start.

Now is the best time to do those things because you will feel insanely proud for having overcame part of the difficulty and completed something that you've wanted to ignore so badly.

Making the smallest attempts to do whatever it is you need to do but don't feel like doing will empower you. It's kind of like proving to yourself you can do something that once felt impossible. Then, you'll want to see how many more "things" you've dreaded that you can get done.

I use this technique so often that it's become almost a ritual. It never fails to uplift me as it's a way to prove to myself that I can do the things that I never thought I could manage.

4. Free The Emotions That Keep You Down
For the emotionally-driven set-backs many people swear by EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), but if you aren't into that, you need to at least work on your belief system.

You can start by instilling a brand new belief within yourself: The belief that you can change anything easily. Your circumstances, your situations, anything. It might take you a month to really believe it, but don't slack on reminding yourself everyday that you can change this situation.

Without the hope of knowing you can change things, you won't be as motivated towards the life you want.

Remember, you are not your "problem."

Oh, and while we're at it, let's stop referring to things as "our problems."

5. It Won't Last Forever, Not Even Your Circumstances

Just breathe. Whatever feels like it could ruin your life in one minute, it won't. You can change your mind any time you want to and same goes for your circumstances. The second you've decided that you want change (whether it's regarding your mental/emotional state or your financial state), it's already on its way to you. It really does happen as quickly as the time it takes you to think the thought "I want a change."

Think about it, our circumstances always change, even when we aren't trying to change them.

Stop focusing so hard on how badly a change needs to occur and start breathing and knowing it's already occurring. It's on its way.

Let's pause while you tell your mind "it's all fine and good."

Did you do it? Good...

The change will occur. You need to take it slowly, stop the hurried thoughts that scream "it must change now or else!" and know that the change is occurring, just in a comfortable, gentle manner.

Okay, I'll give you one more than what I promised...

There's also psychotherapy, which is a scary word, but in this new age world, we have options that rely less on drugs and more on healing on deep levels.

Take Daniela Maltauro at http://danielamaltauro.com/ for example, -- she's a psychotherapist who I admire for her unique approach to therapy in areas such as couples therapy.

Her approach -- which involves focusing on honesty, trust, caring, and best of all, hope -- takes psychotherapy to a new level, something that has been an inspiration to me, as someone who has struggled with personal issues such as anxiety, feelings of unworthiness, and anxiety.

I have never actually gone through therapy or counseling, but I try to keep up to date with new approaches in the industry. It's also worth noting that certain "psychotherapy services" (a simple couple's retreat, for example) can be useful for anyone, not just someone with a diagnosed mental health "illness."

Do you have anything you could add to this list of ways to stop letting setbacks get in the way of your everyday, joyful life? If so, please share them with everyone in the comments section.

Remember to have fun.
And have a safe, joyful Labor Day weekend!

Working My Way to Better Health With Bone Broth

2015-08-29T01:16:00.000-07:00

Bone Broth for Better Health

*Excuse my goofy pictures. I was under the influence of extreme excitement over getting to try organic bone broth, so I resorted to selfies with the bone broth when it came in the mail.*

Bone broth is considered a super-food by many, like the Weston A. Price Foundation for instance, and for good reason. It's known for its immune-boosting properties. Good bone broth like Bone Broths Co.'s nutrient-dense, organic, grass-fed bone broth is even used to aid in recovery from illness, or the flu/colds. It helps strengthen and restore many of the body's important functions, like the immune system.

It just so happens that when Bone Broths Co. sent me their bone broth, I had been dealing with the pain of a broken wisdom tooth for months, so it was the perfect time to try it since bone broth is so amazing for dental (and overall) health.

I want to go ahead and interrupt for a minute to say that one of my main reasons for wanting to try bone broth was for my bone and dental health. At one point, while in excruciating pain, I had the idea to hold some of this bone broth in my mouth around my wisdom tooth to see if it couldn't give me some relief. I was pleasantly surprised that the extreme inflammation seemed to calm each time I did that. I also alternated between other home remedies and when I went to the dentist two days ago, he surprised the heck out of my by poking my mouth with three needles (anesthesia) and going straight to extracting the tooth!

The reason that's a surprise is because the tooth was very broken, in one place, all the way to the gum and had been this way for around three months, so I expected to be sent home with a round fo antibiotics on my first visit and then asked to come back for the extraction. I've never heard of someone getting their tooth extracted the very same day!

I assumed it must have been because I didn't have much infection in the area. I know it was infected after it broke because I was in so much pain.

For good measure, before he went to town jerking my tooth out, I asked if there was much infection. He said he really couldn't see much at all. So, I have come to the conclusion that all my home remedies I'd been using actually did keep the infection down!

I used a variety of different natural remedies to keep the pain and infection as low as possible, but I have to say, the bone broth and the tea tree oil (which is what I used to brush with since it helped with pain and worked wonders to relieve the infection) seemed to be the most helpful to me. In fact, in the week leading up to my dentist visit, the only things I was using was tea tree oil and bone broth!

I just wanted to jump in and share that interesting bit of information real quick before continuing.

Bone Broth is rich in trace minerals like calcium, phosphorous, silicon, sulphur, magnesium, and others.

The benefits of a good bone broth are so numerous that I probably couldn't name them all, but I've listed many below.

- Builds strong bones.

- Improves metabolism

- Promotes healthy muscles and connective tissue, making bone broth beneficial to those looking to build more muscle.

- Provides protection to digestive lining

- Provides fuel to cells in the small intestine

- Bone broth is said to help aid in detoxification of cells, liver, and "gut."

The main reason I became interested in adding a good, organic bone broth to my diet was due to what I'd read from Weston A. Price's work and other health experts.

Since I've been working diligently at improving my dental and bone health -- and hopefully even remineralizing some of my teeth -- I finally decided it was time to really go all out and add the beloved bone broth into my diet.

I'd already adopted most of the other important things for proper dental health anyways -- such as quitting all toothpaste and only using natural stuff like essential oils.

I've been dealing with a broken wisdom tooth for months and the problems have been severe. So what better time to begin the bone broth, right? I was given the opportunity to collaborate with a reputable bone broth company -- Bone Broths Co. at just the perfect time when my teeth needed it the most.

Note: I'm not saying that consuming bone broth will cause my severely broken wisdom tooth to somehow heal magically. This is one case where I believe I'll have to have the tooth extracted, but in the meantime, I'm excited to begin adding the mineral and nutrient-rich broth to my diet to help improve my dental health (and overall health) as a whole.

Health Problems That Benefit From Bone Broth:

- Arthritis and pain associated with osteo/arthritis

*Bone broth contains gelatin, which is super important as it's said to be used to treat many diseases, even cancer. It is used as medical treatment in ancient China.

Gelatin is not only important for joint and cartilage health, but it's also great for digestion and has even been used to help people heal from digestive problems like "leaky gut syndrome," crohn's, ulcerative colitis, and IBS (something I've battled with on and off for years.) It also helps with candidiasis as bone broth promotes the growth of "good" bacteria which in turn can fight off the bad, like candida albicans.

- Food allergies

- Bone broth helps fight colds, flu, and malnutrition.

- Skin health

Many say that because of the collagen in bone broth, drinking it regularly will reduce cellulite and wrinkles.

3 Important Things to Look For Before Buying Bone Broth:

As with anything consumable these days, it's important to make sure the bone broth you consume is free of harmful items that are often found in many store-bought broths.

Make sure the bone broth you use is:
1. From grass-fed animals
2. Free of MSG (a neurotoxin found in most shelved stocks/broths)
3. Free of artificial growth hormones and antibiotics
From what I have read, these are the three basic things to look for if you plan to buy your bone broth.

Product Specs:

- 2 Servings per box

- Does not require refrigeration until box is opened

- Contains only 100% Organic vegetables, sea salt, herbs and grass-fed bones. No fillers, additives, artificial flavors.

- Bone Broth Co.'s broth does gel

Back label of Bone Broth Co. package

*The back of the label reads: "We combine modern day packaging technology with the old fashioned way of cooking bone broth to bring you a delicious and healthy shelf-stable beef bone broth. Every batch of our beef bone broth is made with bones from grass-fed, pasture-raised cattle without antibiotics or added hormones. We also use garden vegetables, sea salt, and spices. Our broth is cooked at a slow simmer to extract all the flavor and nutrients..."

Ways To Consume Bone Broth

Above is a quick chili "dip" + crackers. The chili "dip" is basically venison chili (made with bone broth) and shredded cheese, sour cream, garlic, and onions, and I believe a few other flavorful things that I currently cannot recall at this late hour. Clearly I also couldn't be bothered with any decent dishes at the late hour when the snack was made either. Hey, paper plates really can be a life-saver even if they are ugly.

As someone new to broths, I can't say the flavor of the straight broth in a cup was delicious to me, but it certainly wasn't intolerable. I had no trouble allowing the broth to sit in my mouth for several seconds. I did this for my teeth, especially since my broken wisdom tooth was giving me severe pain and the gums and teeth around the broken tooth were extremely inflamed.

Bone Broth can be used in a huge variety of dishes, but many people love drinking it as a warm beverage! I was surprised to learn this last winter, but I've read/heard/saw dozens of folks say they love drinking bone broth. In fact, there was a drive-thru place open somewhere in New York I think where you could get a warm cup of bone broth.

For those who aren't fond of drinking their bone broth, I've came across loads of different recipes that you can use it in.

Most people use bone broth in their soups, stews, and slow-cooker (crock-pot) dishes. I've seen pasta recipes like spaghetti that use bone broth as well.

As I've noted, bone broth is versatile in that it can be used in numerous dishes like stew and even spaghetti, but you can also include it in your sauces. The beef broth I'm using from Bone Broths Co. has so far went splendidly in every dish I've tried it with so far, including spaghetti.

Since I'm very new to bone broth, I've not had the chance to try it very many different recipes, so I'm just discovering the possibilities at the moment.

So far, I've found it enjoyable in vegetable soup (my favorite soup) and even in my mom's chicken chili! Chicken chili is basically a creamier kind of chili in my opinion. It's a blend of chili powder, beans, vegetables, and chicken instead of beef. My mom always includes herbs like parsley, basil, oregano, a variety of beans, sour cream, and of course cheese! That's exactly how I love it.

We tried using the bone broth in chicken chili and it was absolutely perfect. I thought it added more flavor rather than a watery, blandness it often has.

I could even imagine this bone broth being tasty in chicken noodle soup, for those of you who like the stuff.

Why I Love Bone Broths Co.'s Bone Broth

- This is the first truly fresh, never frozen bone broth

- Grass-fed garden vegetables

- All natural, no artificial ingredients, no added hormones, no antibiotics

- Gluten-free

- Minimally processed (slowly simmered)

- Paleo-friendly

- US inspected and passed by department of agriculture

"We keep things real by keeping things simple. Grass-fed bones, organic vegetables, sea salt and organic herbs are the only ingredients in our fresh and never frozen bone broth."

Ingredients in Bone Broths Co. Beef Bone Broth:
Filtered water, grass-fed beef bones, onions, organic carrots, organic parsley, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, black peppercorn, bay thyme, rosemary extract.

Bone Broths Co. is offering a 10% discount on your order. Just use the code bonebrothpal10 at checkout.

How to Naturally Detox Like a Pro with 14-day Skinnytox Tea

2015-08-19T21:44:00.000-07:00

Note: This post contains affiliate links

If like me, you've wanted to do a detox but the negative side effects that often come with many detox products stopped you, then you'll like Skinnytox Tea.

Skinnytox tea by Botanica Science a 100% natural, 14-day detox system that includes two different delicious herbal teas (a morning and a night tea).

This 14-day detox kit is simple, easy, and healthy. There are no negative or scary side effects and the ingredients are all natural.

I've been on the most pleasant detox of my life for the last week since I started the 14-day Skinnytox teas, and I can hardly contain my excitement over the entire experience, including the surprising results I'm seeing just one-week in.

From left: The Morning Tea Blend, the Night Time Tea Blend, My gorgeous owl mug that is absolutely necessary for sippin' in style, and an informational pamphlet about the Skinnytox Teas.


Let's talk about a few important factors that anyone who's considering detoxing should know -- what is a good detox anyways? How do you know what detox product would actually "work" when there's an overwhelming amount of supplements and drinks that claim to detoxify your body?

What a True 'Detox' System Should Consist Of:

A proper detoxification system should combine the following: A safe, natural, and thorough cleansing (with the focus being on the digestive system and colon) while also reducing water weight and bloating.

Those are the basics that should be expected from a detox product. The antioxidant-rich Skinnytox tea 14-day detox system does all of those, including reducing water weight, bloating, and detoxing the colon. Plus, it naturally boosts energy levels, suppresses appetite, reduces inflammation, improves digestion, and supports your metabolism and immune system. I also find the teas to be soothing on the digestive system and stomach.


You can join me in the 14-day detox by ordering the SkinnyTox Tea Kit and using code: KendraTea15 at check-out. *There's also a 28-day detox kit available.	-Botanica Science-

Close-up: Skinnytox teas are filled with 14 fruits, herbs, and tea. The flavor: heavenly.

Taste:
Warm or iced, both the Skinnytox teas that come in this system are delicious.

I enjoy turning the AC on high and snuggling up under the covers with a book and a warm cup of the night-time tea right before drifting off to sleep. When I wake up and leave my dark, cold den of bliss, the stifling July heat entices me to drop a few ice cubes into my cup of the energy blend morning tea.

Other times, I enjoy the teas warm. Either choice is always delicious.

The pleasant flavor makes these teas a real treat. As someone who appreciates her high-quality herbal teas, I can't say I actually savor or even enjoy the taste of most.

In fact, while I occasionally drink herbal teas for the health benefits or for relief of some type of ailment, I find it hard to tolerate the taste, aside from the slightly sweetened regular ol' black tea that us folks from the south are so fond of.

Skinnytox teas, unlike any other tea, have been a complete pleasure to my taste buds. I have no problem draining two mugs of Skinnytox (morning blend and night blend) every single day.

Energy Blend is a refreshingly sweet green tea

I love the refreshing, clean, sweet, lemon-y and slightly green flavor of the morning blend. The energy-inducing herbal ingredients really wake me up. And I typically require a hefty 120 milligrams of caffeine before I even start my day.

I can't say I could just cold-turkey my caffeine habit, but I am impressed with the energy boost I get from the Skinnytox morning blend.

The rich-red night-time blend is fruity and calming

As for the night-time blend, its fruity-ness somewhat serves the ever-present sweet-tooth of mine by decreasing my urge to go to bed with a sugary snack in-hand.

The night-time blend has a fruity, berry-like flavor to it and is somewhat acidic flavor like citrus fruits.

Now let me just share about Botanica Science so you guys know what kind of folks are behind this genius detox tea system.

My Results:

A lot of "detox" supplements and beverages I've used don't really come with significantly noticeable results, and I suppose that's okay.

Due to not experiencing noticeable differences when I tried other detoxing products in the past, I really didn't expect this 14-day detox to produce any results whatsoever.

I expected it to be nothing more than just drinking a regular cup of healthy, herbal tea everyday. But by the 4th or 5th day of this Skinnytox cleanse, boy was I certain that the stuff was actually causing noticeable differences in my body.

It isn't huge, crazy changes. What I noticed were subtle, but pleasant effects such as my favorite one of all -- waking up the 4th or 5th day with a flat stomach.

As someone who's battled issues like IBS, candidiasis, and even endometriosis, bloating, distended abdomen, and discomfort are all pretty much the normal for me on most days.

Even though I've gone through a serious recovery from the debilitating pain and suffering of those conditions, I still have minor irritations that hang around. I have to stay on top of the symptoms and on keeping my digestive system healthy and in balance.

The truth is, digestive issues are pretty high-maintenance little suckers.

So, to finally have my comfortable, flat, not-bloated abdomen come back has almost been like a new life for me.

I've not yet finished the full 14-days, but I was able to fit into a pair of shorts that I've not been able to get past my rear-end in over a year!

Just yesterday I decided to try them on again (after waking up with a noticeably flatter, non-bloated stomach) and was blown away when they not only fit over my body, but with room to spare!

Even when I first bought the shorts, they were very tight. So it's a thrill to be able to wear some of my clothes again. I'd stopped wearing a lot of my shorts because they'd become too tight since last summer.

Now it's like having new shorts all over again and at the perfect time, too since we're still in the warm summer months.

I know you guys will wonder if the 14-day Skinnytox system has actually caused me to lose pounds.

So far, I can't say it has. My weight seems to be staying consistent, only going down 1 pound since I started the Skinnytox.

I feel like some serious detoxing of the extra water weight, waste, and just general toxins are gently being removed and as a result, the smaller sized me underneath all that bloating and crud is showing through.

I would prefer to detox rather than get some short-term weight loss from a product like this, anyways. Needless to say, I'm totally thrilled with this Skinnytox and excited to see what happens as I continue.

My hope is that the results will stay around for a good while. I will definitely come back to Skinnytox as a regular method of detox because it's gentle, effective, safe, natural, and has a wealth of health benefits along with it.

The 14-day Morning and Night teas each come in their own nice little tins that can be re-used.

The Organic Energy Berry Morning Tea Blend is a green (Sencha) based blend

This morning tea contains amazing energy-boosting ingredients that get me going both mentally and physically without a crash.

Ingredients: Sencha, Eluethero Root/Siberian Ginseng, Stevia Leaf (Paraguay), Gotu Kola (Sri Lanka), Rosehips (Chile), Orange Peel (California/USA), Currants (California/USA), Elderberries (Albania).

Below you'll find information regarding what each of the ingredients are good for:

Sencha: Increases metabolism, supports immune system, suppresses appetite, lowers cholesterol, neutralizes free-radicals.

Siberian Ginseng: Increases energy, suppresses appetite, controls cravings, heightens mental state.

Stevia Leaf: A natural sweetener, diuretic, anti-inflammatory.

Gotu Kola: Eliminates fatigue, anxiety, depression, and improves memory.

Rosehips: Lower high cholesterol and high blood pressure, eliminates fluid retention, aids in weight loss, increases immune system function.

Orange Peel: A natural antioxidant. May help prevent cancer, reduces weight and cholesterol, anti-inflammatory, improves digestion, fights infection such as colds and flu, relieves bronchitis and even treats bad breath.

Currants: Rich in vitamin-C, potassium, and contains twice the antioxidants of blueberries. May help lower risk of cancer, reduces inflammation.

Elderberries: High in antioxidant activity, improves immune system and heart health, lowers cholesterol, improves vision.

The Organic Herbal Detox Night Tea Blend is a Rooibois (non-caffeinated) based tea.

This night tea has a calming, soothing effect and contains natural diuretics and laxatives. And in the meantime, you'll experience digestive regulation.

Ingredients: Hibiscus ( Burkina Faso), Rosehips (Chile), Rooibos(South Africa), Apple Fruit (Kyrgyzstan), Senna Leaf (India), Orange Peel (California/USA), Licorice Root (Uzbekistan), Lemon Grass (Paraguay).

See the benefits of each ingredient below:

Hibiscus: Contains Vitamin C, lowers blood pressure, diuretic.

Rosehips: Lower high cholesterol and high blood pressure, eliminates fluid retention, aids in weight loss, increases immune system function.

Rooibos: Antioxidant rich, helps digestive problems, anti-anxiety.

Apple Fruit: Supports healthy heart, reduces cholesterol, weight control, detoxifies liver, improves immune system, helps with diarrhea and constipation (balances.)

Senna Leaf: An FDA-approved, non-prescription laxative that also helps with weight loss.

Orange Peel: Cleanses the lungs and respiratory system, supports immune system, high antioxidant activity, rich in fiber and Vitamin C.

Licorice Root: Anti-inflammatory, helps digestion, reduces cravings.

Lemon Grass: Helps digestion, helps in treatment of high blood pressure, calms nervous disorders.

Product Specs:

Botanica Science is a socially and environmentally responsible company who uses 100% natural, whole ingredients from tea gardens and herb farms that practice responsible agriculture.

Botanica Science uses recyclable materials, including their reusable, beautiful tea tins.

The awesome sachets are made from a corn-based material.

They are so neat and in fact, I was really intrigued by their unique appearance. The sachets are non-toxic and chemical free and they do not contain any plastics, staples or glue.

The 14-day tea detox system includes two tins of teas -- one that contains your morning tea and one that contains your night-time tea.

Rating:

If I were to give this detox system a rating, I would have to give it a full 5 out of 5 "points." I absolutely love it. From the delicious taste to the health benefits and impressive visible results, this detox tea really has everything I could want and need in a detox regimen.

I love that Botanica Science went one step further and even combined energy-boosting ingredients in with the detox tea. That's exactly my kind of detox -- one that also gives me energy!

I will absolutely use this 14-day detox system again, and probably even establish regular use (at least a couple of times a year as I probably need to detox at least twice a year.)

Join along on the detox journey! Use code: KendraTea15 at checkout for a discount.

Earth Minerals Foundation Sample Video Review

2015-08-17T02:13:00.001-07:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfj5iEPbIq0

I've been experimenting with the Earth Minerals Foundation by Annmarie Gianni sample kit for a few weeks now, so I thought I'd share some photos of the kit, and how the foundations look.

I hope you'll also take the time to watch the video review above (apologies for the abrupt ending. My camera died right near the end, so I didn't make a PT.2 since it was so close to the end.)

Me wearing the "honey" shade of Earth Minerals Foundation

In my palm is the "Pearl" shade of Earth Minerals foundation and on my upper arm is "Olive." The darker shade seen on my wrist is "Honey" and beside it, the lighter shade is "Pearl," the same one in my palm.

Inside the sample kit -- the herbal facial oil and 4 shades of mineral powder (honey, sand, olive, and pearl)

Wearing the Olive shade from the Earth Minerals Foundation Sample Kit

Closer-up wearing the shade "Olive" Earth Minerals Foundation

Another shot of me in different lighting, wearing the shade "Olive." Turns out, I like this shade the most and have been wearing it for the last couple of weeks. It's a bit darker than sand and honey -- both of which were a tiny bit pale on my skin, although at the beginning, when I judged the shades on my wrist, I thought the Olive shade and the Honey shade looked way too dark for me. Turns out, my wrist is far paler than my facial skin! I think Olive suits my tone the most, don't you?


This is the "Sand" shade. Not as dark on my face as it showed on my wrist, but a smidgen darker than Olive. Once I've had a little sun on my skin, I think Sand will work out just as perfectly for my color as Olive does.

It doesn't appear that there are any shades darker than these in the Earth Minerals collection, and I do hope they are able to add darker shades to the line. If your skin is significantly darker than mine (I typically match the medium shades of most every brand of foundation) then all of these in the Earth Minerals line may be too light for you.

Conclusion

Overall, I have become increasingly fond of this makeup. It took some experimenting with the various shades as well as with how much oil to powder ratio was just right every day, but I have become so fond of this that it's my absolute #1 favorite foundation ever.

I found that the lighter shades did kind of look cake-y on me, but once I used the olive shade for a few days, I liked it more and more. It gives me the perfect coverage. With all the breakouts and scarring I've accumulated over the last year (which has left me a bit devastated over my skin's appearance), it improved how I felt immensely. To be able to cover them so well without the many cons that most foundation has (further breakouts, harmful ingredients, etc.), felt amazing to me.

I especially love that as long as I use the correct oil to powder ratio, I can actually look at my face in the mirror and feel happy about it.

I have used too much oil quite a few times, which some of my photos show, but even then, it's better than the flaking that I commonly have as a result of using most foundations on my combination skin. Especially since I've been working on clearing away the breakouts and scarring on my cheeks, which leaves the area really dry and flaky. I'm happy that even with combo skin, I can have the best of both worlds -- not extremely oily, but not dry and flaky.

Most people with combo skin like me know that you usually have to trade one for the other -- either oily areas or dry ones, and foundation often enhances both of those cons. That is probably what I'm the happiest about with this foundation -- that I get a decent balance and never have dry flakes showing and even with it being oil, it still leaves my forehead less shiny than my other foundations.

I have found that as I've gotten used to mixing the foundation up and wearing it more regularly, I can apply it fairly quickly and without taking a lot of time to perfect. It absorbs perfectly and super quickly! I don't have to spend hardly any time rubbing it in or blending it with a brush. I can actually achieve my preferred result with less time than it takes using my drugstore foundations because they require a lot of blending and rubbing in.

Of course the all-natural, all-safe ingredients makes me feel so much better about wearing foundation. I hated applying harmful ingredients to my skin, just to cover the "flaws" and having that awful knowing that I'm still doing damage while trying to cover damage! That felt so bad.

Needless to say, I'm unusually satisfied with the Earth Minerals foundation. I would love to toss every other foundation I own and use nothing but this forever. I love that no matter what, I always end up happy with the result after applying, even if I do it in a hurry, even when my skin is looking its worst -- I'm always satisfied with the end result.

To give you a rating to go by, I give this foundation a 5/5 rating. It's perfect.

I never recommend foundation makeup because there are so many differences between every person's skin, but I feel pretty comfortable saying that I would recommend this to anyone who wears foundation and wants a safe ingredient foundation that will work well for combination skin.

*You can find the sample kit here. You can also get a bigger sized bottle of any of the colors.

This Simple Trick Stops My Sugar Cravings and Keeps Me Full

2015-08-17T01:47:00.004-07:00

If you've been a reader here for very long, you probably know that I've tried desperately to kick my insane sweet cravings problem and usually with little luck.

But this time, I think I may have found the perfect recipe to kicking an incessant, never-ending sweet craving for good.

Many readers have emailed me -- after I published this post on Shake The Crave -- to say that you too are plagued by the killer sugar cravings and no matter what you've tried, they don't go away. So I thought I thought I would share my new found trick to really kicking those sugar cravings that keep you up at night salivating over every sugary morsel you can find in the house. Or even worse, those sugar cravings that you can't get relief from, even when you allow yourself to indulge.

Tonight has been one of those nights for me, and after downing 3 of those Captain Crunch Delights from Taco Bell (I think I'm addicted to them and I absolutely loathe that!), and still wanting more and more sugar, I finally got up and decided I was going to make myself so full that even the thought of one more bite would be a turn-off.

Yea, sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures, and in cases like this one, I'm prepared to go above and beyond to keep myself from devouring more and filling myself full of more junk food.

*I promise to keep this post short and to the point.*

I turned to my trusty Shake the Crave in chocolate flavor, but this time, being that I knew no matter what, I was still going to want more sweets, I took things to a whole new level.

I filled a small glass with cold water (interesting tip: cold beverages speeds the metabolism significantly and 16 ounces of ice water can burn up to 17 calories ) and added my one scoop of chocolate Shake the Crave.

Then, to make sure I wouldn't still want to give in to any remaining sugar craving, I added a teaspoon of Mila seed (chia seeds) and a few slices of a barely ripe banana. I love them when they're still a bit green.

Then I simply mixed it all up and nearly drained the entire glass of tasty sweetness before my stomach was so full that it couldn't hold any junk food even if I wanted it to.

Like I said, tonight was one of those nights that really called for extreme measures.

Sometimes, I can just indulge in a little sweet snack and be just fine. But then there's those days where PMS hits and no matter how much you allow yourself to indulge, the urge never goes away.

That's why I went ahead and kicked it. I knew I wouldn't be able to think straight (and I was right in the middle of work when the cravings struck) until my stomach was too full to stand any sweet junk. The good thing about a healthier alternative like this Shake the Crave + banana drink is that I can drink it and get full without getting that miserable feeling that typically comes with over-eating junk.

I wasn't even able to finish the entire glass before I was super full and -- all while still satisfying the sweets craving! That's a real success for me.

Now I'm reveling in the bliss of having finally found a fix for times like this when I can't get enough sweets and can't get my mind off eating them.

I came straight here to share this little "fix" with you guys, knowing that I'm (thankfully!) not the only person out there who struggles with this occasionally.

I hope this is helpful to others out there who know what it's like to have a craving like this that nearly takes over if you don't give in. Perhaps you guys can try this type of fix or something similar to help kick the craving as well.

Please don't forget to share your own tricks to getting rid of intense cravings! And let me know if you try this one (or something similar) with success. I love knowing other peoples' experiences and journies, so don't hesitate to share.

Death Wish Coffee - Is It Really The "World's Strongest?"

2015-07-15T22:20:00.000-07:00

Death Wish Coffee Company was kind enough to let me try two of their epic coffees -- the Death Wish coffee as well as their artisan roast: Valhalla Java Odin Force blend, which was crafted specifically for Zakk Wylde, a member of Black Label Society and the "world's most powerful guitarist."

For the Black Label Society or Zakk Wylde fans, here's Zakk Wylde's commercial for the Valhalla Blend (posted to Zakk Wylde's YouTube channel)

Without a doubt, the Death Wish Coffees are superior to any other coffee I've tried. Read on to find out what I felt makes stuff so rave-worthy.

To briefly summarize Death Wish Coffee for those who "skim," Death Wish Coffee contains twice as much caffeine as your average cup, and their coffee is organic, fair-trade certified, premium dark roast

As per the label on the Valhalla Java, "With maximum flavor and caffeine content, this blend will bring you back from the nights you thought you'd never wake up from. Do you bleed black?"

Valhalla Java is "forged from the volcanic soils of Indonesia and the nutrient rich soils of Central and South America."

Had a difficult time getting a clear shot of the shiny label without it being distorted from reflection, so here's a somewhat clearer image.

Death Wish

The following are a few close-ups of the actual coffee grounds. I'm a very photographic person, so I have included plenty.

Close-up of Death Wish Coffee Grounds

Another Death Wish Coffee ground photo

Last one, I promise... Except for the photos below, which will be of the Valhalla grounds.

Close-up of Valhalla Coffee Grounds. I notice the grounds of both Death Wish Coffee products appear richer/darker in color than the typical Folger's brand.


Another Valhalla Java Coffee Grounds Close-Up

Aroma

Death Wish Coffee has a genuine pungent aroma straight out of the bag, attesting to the buzzy strength that's soon to hit you.

Both Death Wish and the Valhalla Java have a fresh aroma and taste. They're velvety smooth (one of the most important aspects in a coffee, as far as personal preference goes), dark and roasted perfectly without the burnt bitterness that many dark roast coffees have. The Valhalla has a touch of frothiness.

Those of you who are awesome enough to hang around here at Ribbons and Pearls know that I'm an absolute [self-entitled] caffeine princess. In fact, I arrived at the conclusion early in my adult life that life really isn't that worth living without coffee.

I know, that's a pretty severe thing to say, but don't sit there and act like you don't agree.

I had been told from one of my awesome readers that I basically didn't know sh-- about strong caffeinated beverages until I tried this Death Wish Coffee.

That was the second time that Death Wish Coffee Company had come up, so I was intrigued just by the name alone and couldn't put it off any longer.

I absolutely had to get some of this Death Wish coffee and see for myself -- as a gal who easily takes in 1,000 milligrams of caffeine daily. And hey, just go ahead and throw your judgmental attitude to the side -- if it really lives up to the hype.

"The world's strongest coffee." Are you kidding me? There was no way I was going to keep hearing that phrase and not get a taste of that caffeinated glory myself.

And while we're at it, don't you think for one second I don't know good coffee, either. I know good coffee.

Death Wish Coffee is said to be the world's strongest.

Those are some pretty bold claims.

But do they hold any weight? Or is this just another average coffee with trumped up claims?

Just hold yer taters because I am here to answer those questions for you.

Naturally, I set out to try this Death Wish coffee for myself, and my prayers were answered (yes, I literally did pray to the good Jesus in heaven that I would be granted such an honor to try "the world's strongest coffee" for myself).

The good folks at Death Wish Coffee Company were kind enough to allow me the opportunity to try their two best-sellers -- the Death Wish coffee and the Valhalla Odin Force.

Without making you read through lengthy paragraphs to get your answer to the biggest, most nagging question any coffee connoisseur undoubtedly has by now...

And I normally can't answer such questions as these when it comes to a product with big, bold claims because it's rare that the actual experience/results aren't simply neutral or so-so compared to the big, bold claims, but is Death Wish coffee actually the "world's strongest?"

I have no doubt that it very well is.

Taste

But does it really taste that much better than your typical "good" coffee?

Ha!

Death Wish Coffee is far from your average cup of mud. From taste to quality, this stuff is purely luxurious.

I'll admit it, even though I am a self-entitled coffee princess, with the amount I consume on a daily basis (and the insanely miniscule income a writer like myself brings in), my stash does not consist of large amounts of the high-quality stuff.

Let's face it, on an average day, I choke down the so-called "quality" brands of coffee like Folgers and Maxwell House.

The "good stuff" stays in the freezer for special occasions. It only gets broken out when I feel like it's deserved.

I know it's harsh, but around here, the rule is if your favorite coffee is McDonald's coffee, then you really don't know coffee.

It shocks the life out of me that people love and even prefer McDonald's coffee over any other brand.

I have a theory that the "coffee" from McDonald's is actually green bean juice. The kind inside an aluminum can.

That is exactly what their coffee tastes like to me. Starbucks? All hype, although they do have decent coffee, but for the most part, it's just over-hyped (and equally over-priced) coffee or sugar since most of their coffee is whipped cream and sugar.

I'm not denying that I don't enjoy that rare taste Starbucks' coffee has, and it is a step up from crap like Folgers, but far from luxurious.

Then among my favorites when it comes to the cheaper/average-priced choices, like the Bean Street and other convenient store coffees such as Guatemalan, Peruvian and Colombian coffees-- which I'll now be boycotting due to the knowledge my mom recently shared regarding the sad, non-fair-trade problem, which I'll even discuss in this post.

Now that you've got an idea of what my personal definition of "good coffee," is, let me be of further assistance by giving you my own personal coffee rating system...

Taste Rating:

As far as taste goes, on a rating scale of 1-10, Death Wish coffee is among only 2 coffees that I've ever been able to rate a full 10.

I've rarely been able to rate a coffee above a 5-8 as far as taste goes.

As for strength, like I said, I can easily believe that Death Wish is "the world's strongest" coffee.

How Death Wish Compares to my Regular Folgers, Energy-Wise

Using the regular amount of coffee grounds required for an average-strength full pot is far weaker than Death Wish.

I've experimented using different amounts per pot and found that with Death Wish coffee, I can use half of what is normally required using Folgers and get about the same strength. In other words, it takes somewhere close to twice as much (not quite double, but close) Folgers to get the results I do with the Death Wish Coffee.

The Death Wish coffee label recommends 2 1/2 tablespoons per 6 ounces of coffee. I get a nice caffeine buzz from just half a large cup (large being 24 oz cups like the large you get at a convenient store) whereas I'll typically use 12-14 tablespoons, or a completely full, heaping filter-full of Folgers. In an average day, I'll consume close to the entire pot of it using Folgers. Using Death Wish, I have been getting my desired results with just the one 24 oz cup.

Specs:

Death Wish Coffee is an organic, premium dark roast coffee that I consider to have the taste of smooth luxury.

The Valhalla Java is an artisan blend that comes from nutrient-rich sources like Central and South America and Indonesia.

While high caffeine content and luxury taste is of utmost importance when it comes to your coffee, there are a few more aspects that are equally as important (or should be) but often over looked. For that reason, I'd like to point out the additional specs that further impressed me with Death Wish Coffee Co.

- USDA Certified Organic

- Expertly Roasted. Death Wish Coffee Co. even made a video showing just how expertly their roasting process is. It's pretty neat if you want to see it in-the-making, check out the video below:

- Fair Trade

* We coffee lovers should try to always look for "Fair Trade" certification on labels. It's important to support small producers and farm owners to ensure they're actually getting proper payment for their work rather than the alternative -- where they're paid so little that it's unethically pathetic.

Fair trade certification basically ensures responsible farming in an ecological sense and that that the growers are ethically treated with acceptable working conditions, including no child-labor.

I'm ashamed to say this, but I wasn't aware that coffee is basically like drug cartels. Small coffee farmers often have their profit stripped away by their governments.

Needless to say, Death Wish Coffee never fails to bring me up and make the start of my day a tasty and pleasurable experience. Plus, the infallible energetic buzz was enough to transform me into a devoted Death Wish Coffee drinker.

From here on, the "good stuff" I keep in the freezer will consist only of Death Wish.

P.S. Death Wish Coffee Company frequently gives away merchandise freebies to Twitter followers. Click here to follow them on Twitter to keep up.

They have koozies, stickers, etc. I was lucky enough to also get a Death Wish Coffee Co. sticker and that sucker is going on my car.

Review for ReliefMD - "The Massage in a Bottle"

2015-07-15T02:22:00.000-07:00

ReliefMD is called the "massage in a bottle" because of its scientifically formulated ingredients that have relieving properties.

Something that I love about Trusted Health Products: they use only a few potent, effective ingredients that are safe and don't include harmful fillers or additives or anything like that. Like all Trusted Health Products, ReliefMD contains only natural ingredients.

ReliefMD Ingredients

Natural almond oils, eucalyptus, peppermint, wintergreen, camphor, spearmint, and olive.

Shot of ReliefMD in better lighting. Note the awesome salt rock lamp in the background. ;)

ReliefMD is for the discomfort of the Following:

Sore neck/back

Swollen joints

Sore muscles

sprains

Contusions

Headache

Bruises

Insomnia

Mosquito bites

Itching

Cold sores

Burns

You can also place a few drops of ReliefMD in a little container like a saucer and leave it nearby your bed for aromatic benefits.

The amazing aroma is so clean and lovely as a room freshener too.

Instructions for Use:

Directions on Label:
Swipe one drop on upper lip, above the nose and across the forehead and then lightly cover the affected area without rubbing in. Use 3x's a day or as needed. Wash hands when finished using. Don't use on open wounds.

Without rubbing in, you can place a little ReliefMD on the affected area up to 3 times daily.

You can swipe a small drop on the upper lip, below the nose or across the forehead as well to treat headaches.

Properties of Each Ingredient:

⦁ Almond – used in skin care because it acts as an emollient (softens and soothes skin), as a remedy for dry skin conditions, and as a relief for irritation, inflammation, and itching. These excellent emollient properties help skin to balance its loss and absorption of moisture. Almond oil is used in the medical field to help treat various forms of dermatitis.

⦁ Eucalyptus – antiseptic, helps with nausea, suppresses coughs, has powerful germicidal and disinfectant properties.

Stimulates blood flow, which directs more oxygen to the brain and to the point of application.

⦁ Peppermint – anti-microbial, fungicidal, and bactericidal. For medicinal uses, studies have shown peppermint oil to be effective as an analgesic, a tonic, an antispasmodic, and for daytime sleepiness. When combined with eucalyptus oil, they're well-known for their positive efficacy to treat headaches and relieve pain.

⦁ Wintergreen (Methyl Salicylate) – is accepted by the U.S Food and Drug Administration as an over-the-counter external analgesic, primarily intended to relieve mild muscle and joint pain. Has anti-inflammatory properties and is used in topical pain relievers and products that produce a feeling of warmth.

⦁ Camphor – antiseptic, analgesic and antispasmodic. Germany has approved Camphor for the treatment of rheumatism (externally). Camphor oil is applied to the skin to promote circulation and to relieve itching.

⦁ Spearmint – is generally used for its anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic properties, and in skin care, it is used as an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.

⦁ Olive – nourishing and moisturizing

What I've Used ReliefMD For So Far:

1. Headache. I use the powerful aromatic properties of the oil to help with my migraines and headaches.

2. Insect bites, itching, and as an insect repellant.

Now that summer is here and so are the biting bugs, I've been using this ReliefMD religiously because we spend a lot of time outdoors and bugs eat me alive.

The ReliefMD has been efficient at keeping the bugs away when applied to the skin as well as treating the itch of bites already there -- something that is hugely relieving!

Our family does weekend get-togethers outside at the pool and build a fire for roasting marshmallows. These two areas are where the bugs seem to be the worst, so the entire family has been happily slathering the ReliefMD all over to keep the bugs away!

We've even strayed family members away from the harmful, chemical-laden bug sprays by having them use this instead. Everyone (including myself) seems to be very pleased with it, and the minty aroma is pleasant! Even the kids are happy to use this stuff.

I've also used the ReliefMD for bites with success. It stops the itching for good, as soon as I apply it the bite won't itch anymore.

A lot of products that claim to treat itching only work for a short period, but Trusted Health Products' ReliefMD keeps it from ever itching again, especially if I catch it quickly. I noticed their other oil -- the body moisturizer that I reviewed recently here -- also seemed to be keeping insects away.

Another awesome benefit of the mint oils in ReliefMD is that mint is known for its helpful benefits on the brain. Just smelling it can help you perform better on things like tests.

In fact, when I was applying ReliefMD to my niece, she told me that the school she attends applies something similar to the backs of the kids' chairs during testing because they "think better." I was so thrilled to hear that her school (the school I attended as a child too) was doing this.

This oil is so light-weight and absorbable that it leaves no residue behind on my skin and doesn't leave a super greasy appearance to skin. It's somewhat moisturizing and it fully absorbs, so if used as a massage oil, you won't have to rush to the shower as soon as you're done (the oil isn't messy and I can wear it under my clothing without problems.)

P.S.
For a limited time, the manufacturer is willing to offer my readers a free bottle (excluding shipping) of ReliefMD. They said they'd love to have our readers try out ReliefMD and agreed to send one bottle, if our readers pay the shipping fee. If you're interested, you can accept the offer here.

If you'd like to visit Trusted Health Products on social media, you can find them on Facebook and here at their website.

Make Healing Water Using Dr. Emoto's Simple Water-Structure-Changing Technique:

2015-07-15T02:05:00.001-07:00

Make Healing Water Using Dr. Masaru Emoto's Simple Water-Structure-Changing Technique:

Most of you have heard about the experiment by Dr. Masaru Emoto where he used prayer, music, and writing different words onto pieces of paper and placed them under a container of water to find that the structure of the water changed in such ways that confirmed that the words carry energy/vibration that has the ability to literally change the water's structure. When he examined the samples, he found that the ones that had words such as "love" under them had formed a perfect hexagonal crystal snowflake. Upon examining the samples that had words like "hate," he found the structure to be chaotic and not formed like the snow-flake- looking crystals.

"The result was that we always observed beautiful crystals after giving good words, playing good music, and showing, playing, or offering pure prayer to water. On the other hand, we observed disfigured crystals in the opposite situation. Moreover, we never observed identical crystals," says Dr. Emoto's statement about the experiment on his website.

If you haven't heard of this experiment, I implore you to watch the video below (from Dr. Masaru Emoto's website) before continuing. It's pretty powerful stuff. *You can also visit Dr. Masaru Emoto's website, which talks all about his work and findings.

Now, I'd like to share with you how we might be able to use the wonderful Dr. Emoto's findings to easily change the structure of the water we drink.

When I first read about Dr. Emoto's water experiment, the first thing I did was write the word "love" on a piece of paper, and set my cup of water over it. 30 minutes later, I drank the water.

I've since made a habit of doing this with my water every night. I write the words "love, healing, health, and joy" on the paper and let my glass of water sit on top of it for about 30 minutes before I drink it.

Simple, right? And best of all, it costs nothing really (unless you don't have a writing utensil, a glass for the water, or water.)

I do this with my other beverages as well.

I figure you can also just write the word on the cup/glass. I'm also assuming that this little technique for changing the vibration of something can be used in many, many ways such as with your food and any other thing you consume. In fact, I even wrote it on the stuff I brush my teeth with! I use a blend of oils to brush my teeth with, so I just took a marker (it isn't even visible on the bottle, but I know it's there and that's all that matters) and wrote the words "love, perfect health, joy" on the bottle.

I am not sure what the "rating" of the vibration for the words "perfect health" and "joy" would be, but they are words that feel very powerful and positive to me, and they're in-line with my intentions -- to have perfect health inside out, including dental health, to have and be love and to have joy -- so I figured I'd try those out as well as love.

Let me know if you can think of any other high-vibration words that could be used for certain intentions/desires!

I figured since Dr. Emoto's experiment produced such magnificent results, it would surely work the same way for us if we were to utilize his method for our water, and then drink it. So, since we could all use good health, and since love is the most positive vibration there is, why not attempt to change the water we drink into something that just might encourage healing or good health within us?

Dr. Emoto's experiment was conducted with the intentions of showing that words are powerful enough to impact water and humans. Since we're made up of something like 70 percent water, it would stand to reason that words alone can change the structure within us as well, whether positive or negative.

Dr. Emoto reminded us that the words we use have an impact on every part of our body and we need to be mindful about this.

That's really powerful information that I personally feel like can be utilized for a multitude of magnificent possibilities

We can use this to our benefit, though. It's my thinking that there could be many incredible ways we can use this free information to our benefit.

For the time being, I'm using it to see if perhaps by doing this simple, free "technique" my health can benefit.

I hope you all will join me in this simple experiment and see if you can benefit from it as well. At the very least, this "challenge" (if you'd like to think of it as such) will benefit us in the way that we'll definitely become more mindful of the words we use when we speak to ourselves, right? It might even encourage us to use more positive words when we talk to ourselves (and others), now that we are aware that words probably impact our entire makeup as well.

So, take a minute to repeat the word "love" slowly and deliberately for a few seconds.

I have been letting words like "love" and "health" flow over and over through my mind as I picture the words, noting every syllable and every letter.

Picturing the letters going across my forehead and then absorbing into my brain. Maybe that sounds odd, but when I was deliberately saying the word "love" in my mind, that is the image that popped up -- the word slowly moving across my forehead like those electronic signs you see going down the road, announcing some ad for something or what-not.

Then, the word itself just kind of looked as if it were fading into the area of my head, so I came to the idea that imagining it "absorbing" into my head, and then flowing through my body could be beneficial.

I sincerely hope you guys will join me in this fun, free challenge that just might help improve our health and well-being! It's worth a shot, right? I will be keeping an eye out for any changes or improvements as I continue this (focusing on the water experiment) and then I'll meet you back here to discuss what occurs.

Please, if any of you do this or something similar (you can tweak it to your own needs and desires!) share with me how it goes for you in a comment or in an email or message to me. I always reply to my readers and I love sharing stories and outcomes of our personal journies with each other. It brings me so much joy to share our techniques and results together, so please don't hesitate to jump in and let me know how you do it, and how things turn out!