#& I can afford food. just i want more organic and better quality and prices here are higher than in London

[kxowledge]

The university ghosted me, which I tried to rationalize at first, but honestly, whatever. I’ll get the mass rejection email in some weeks, and it’s fine. I felt so incredibly heart broken for the last week, as I’m coming to terms with the fact that I didn’t get in. Despite trying to restrain myself, I had imagined the life I would lead if I had gotten in – the food I could afford, the furniture I’d get, the course I could teach, the pottery studio I’d join, the timing around buying a house & building a family.

However, I talked with my boyfriend about options and I’m happy with how things stand. I feel more clarity and it’s good. I am going to apply to one other PhD position this round, but otherwise I’m taking some time to work on things, for which I’m so excited about. I’ll retake the GRE to boost my scores (aiming for a perfect 170 in the verbal this time around!) and I’ll take my time working on research proposals and applications in the next cycle (this time aiming for around 8 universities). I’ll also apply to teacher training (for 2025/26, three different programs) and an agroecology program. I can then dedicate some time to volunteering once my applications are in – don’t know 100% where but I have two or three options in mind.

For the time being, I will stay here, which is a great relief – I don’t think I could cope with moving. I’ll work at my current job until they let me go (the company is closing down) and afterwards I’ll look for a kitchen job, which actually I know I would enjoy to a certain extent and would bring in a similar amount of income anyway as Norway has a good minimum wage. I’m going to extend my degree by one or two semesters and work on the thesis – perhaps try to refine it into a publishable article as well. This gives me also time to finalize the dissertation for the bachelor in theology and close that chapter of my life as well. Another big focus will be learning Norwegian – I should use my opportunity to be here and practice.

And in the meanwhile, to keep things interesting, I’ll focus on various low-stakes projects for fun, which I feel like I missed so much during the past two years as I was razor-focused on getting into a PhD program. I’ll try making my own sourdough! I’ll take a cooking class! I’ll help my dad with his kitchen reno! I’ll take many hikes! I’ll take an online agroecology course! I’ll focus on refining my cooking! Who knows, maybe I will even take the pottery course. And for extra, extra fun – to make me excited about the more immediate future: I’ll travel to Bath (always a good choice when in despair) & I’ll organize a longer trip in September.

Getting in would have maybe made my life easier, but this will make it more interesting.

[mortiskiller]

How I Manage Food Costs as a Feedist

Preface: I often see people in this community post about struggling with food insecurity and managing food costs. These are just some tips that have helped me when I was down to the last few dollars and needed to eat for a few weeks. I understand circumstances are different for everyone, and some people struggle even with this level of food security, I have been there. My intention is to help.

With food prices still high—often due to profit gouging—I’ve found ways to manage my food budget, and the secret is simple: **eat at home!** Growing up in extreme poverty with two working parents, eating at home was pretty much our only option, aside from takeout once every few months. My parents taught me the value of home cooking, and while it takes time to develop essential skills, Making sauces, learning how to prep and clean ingredients, cooking veggies, preparing meats, etc., once you have them, there’s a whole world of recipes within reach.

Here’s how I manage food costs, and how you can too:

1. Weekly/Monthly Shopping Essentials

Start with the basics—items you’ll need to shop for regularly to cover your meals for a week or two. Building a pantry depends on the storage space you have, but here are some key ingredients to keep on hand:

- Milk (1 to 2 gallons, depending on your choice—I go with 1%)

- Eggs (18 count)

- Bread (1 loaf) (I also recommend tortillas as they last longer than bread and can be used for nearly any bread needs)

- Rolls or Croissants (If you shop at a bulk store, you can get a dozen for $6.)

- Fruits: Change with the season, but apples, oranges, and grapes are solid year-round choices. In the summer, throw in some berries and stone fruit.

- Veggies for Prep: Stick to simple, versatile veggies like green bell peppers, zucchini, onions, potatoes, and chilies.

- Butter: Unsalted sweet cream butter is my favorite! Go for sticks instead of tubs for a better per-unit cost.

- Leafy Greens: A bag of spinach or romaine hearts

- Cheese: Shredded cheese works best and if you want to save more, buy a block and slice or shred it yourself.

These staples give you a variety of flavors, textures, and nutrition to build meals around, whether you’re whipping up sides, salads, or more complex dishes.

2. Protein, Protein, Protein!

Protein is an essential part of a healthy diet, but you don’t need to overdo it or overspend. I’ve found that chicken and tofu are some of the most affordable and versatile protein sources available (unless you’re hunting your own!). Both freeze well and can be used in a variety of recipes with different seasonings and marinades.

You can also look at beef, but stick to lean beef and fish as you do not want to pay for fat that will not end up in your food.

3. Shelf-Stable Items to Buy in Bulk

Buying in bulk can be a game changer, especially if you stock up on shelf-stable items. If you’re short on storage space, invest in an airtight tote to keep things organized. Start with common essentials like:

- Flour (Good ole AP with cover you most of the time)

- Sugar

- Baking Powder

- Baking Soda

- Brown Sugar

- Cooking Oil (I go for olive oil and canola oil)

These staples are the foundation of countless recipes and, when stored properly, can last for months or even a year.

4. Season Early, Season Often

Spices are what make food magical! You don’t need fancy brands—stick with basics that offer single-ingredient profiles. My go-to spices are:

- Salt

- Pepper

- Garlic Powder

- Onion Powder

- Thyme

- Oregano

- Paprika

- Cumin

- Cinnamon

- Chili Powder

- Vanilla Extract

- Bouillon Cubes

- Red Pepper Flakes

These spices will give you all the flavor you need to create a variety of meals without breaking the bank.

5. Canned Goods: The Unsung Hero

Canned goods are a staple in my kitchen. They offer consistent quality, low prices, and a long shelf life. Plus, they’re great for backup when fresh ingredients are low. Some key canned items to keep on hand are:

- Pinto Beans

- Crushed Tomatoes

- Tomato Paste

- Tomato Sauce

- Boiled White Potatoes

- Herring or Sardines

- Tuna

- Fruit Cocktail

- Peaches

- Pears

- Broth or Stock

These ingredients can help you create filling and versatile meals on a budget.

6. Where You Shop Matters

The store you shop at can make a huge difference in food prices. Here’s how to stretch your budget even further:

Bulk Stores: Invest in a membership at places like Sam’s Club, Costco, or BJ’s. The $100 yearly fee is usually paid for in savings after just a few trips. Protein, especially beef and fish, is almost always cheaper in bulk stores.

Walmart and Aldi: These stores are great for extras like frozen veggies, fresh produce, dairy items, and baked goods. Their prices are hard to beat!

Hope this helps and feel free to reblog or comment with your own tips and tricks!

Stick to Your List: One of the easiest ways to overspend and waste food is by shopping without a plan. Make a list, and stick to it. This will help keep your budget in check and prevent unnecessary purchases.

By following these steps, you can keep your food costs down while still eating healthy and delicious meals. The key is planning ahead, shopping smart, and keeping a well-stocked pantry!

[wingatesalisbury01]

TOP PLACES FOR SHOPPING IN SALISBURY

The best way to visit a new place is to immerse yourself in the culture and history of that place. To do so, you need to experience its best aspects, and where better to start than shopping?

Shopping places are important around tourist places to get a good idea of what the local atmosphere is like and also their product range. It is interesting to see how people from different backgrounds shop. It gives you a glimpse into different cultures and gives you an insight into the lifestyle of the area where your holiday will take place and the best way to do this is through discovering local shops.

Salisbury in Maryland, USA is a great tourist attraction. Therefore, we have checked some of the places around tourist places and made them organized on a list of the top places to shop in Salisbury.

The Centre

Explore the fashion choices of people of Salisbury at the only-regional shopping mall in the nearby locality, The Centre. The people who like the in-mall experience will have a good time exploring fashion. The place also offers a cinema hall and food facilities which makes it a perfect place for an evening outing.

The Country House

If I had to choose one place which every visitor of Salisbury MUST visit would be this place, The Country House. The place sells the best home décor items. From curtains to linens to florals, the place offers everything that too at very reasonable & affordable rates. It is that one place where not just the locals, but the people from the whole of the USA want to visit once and spend a day which has earned it a tag of “worth the trip!”

The Commons

If you want to get a one in all experience, this is the place for you. From shopping to food and games, this place offers everything which is why people often call it a “one-stop plaza” as once you get in here; you are leaving with exactly what you wanted and many more things along. Plus, the food joints here are great with taste and proportions.

The Waverley Shopping Centre

This place is the best stop for your grocery shopping. The place has a vast and diverse collection of meats, vegetables, and seafood which at times is even difficult to find out at even places like Walmart.

Chesapeake East Company

Gift your loved ones a token of creativity filled with love from Chesapeake East Company. It’s an art gallery and specialty gift shop which is famous for its colorful paintings. So gift yourself an article from here as a memory of your visit to Salisbury.

Boscov’s

It is one of the largest family-owned department stores in the USA for the past 100 years and the tag justifies the place pretty well. It’s a place that has separate specialty departments for various types of products like gifting departments, weddings, etc. It also houses the top brands for merchandise like Adidas, Clinique, Calvin Klein, Skechers, Kenneth Cole, Cuisinart, and many more.

Marshalls

Marshalls are a retail chain brand that offers its own clothing line, accessories, and housewares. It is one of the top picks for the locals as the quality that they provide at such affordable rates is unbelievable. Do not miss visiting Marshalls if you are visiting Salisbury at all.

Uptown Cheapskate

It’s an open fact that people in their twenties, who are new to adulthood, love to explore fashion and buy from high-end brands but are running a bit tight on their pockets. Well, Uptown Cheapskate is a perfect place for those. It is a retail shop that buys and sells second- hand designer apparel and accessories for young adults. The prices are very affordable for the products which are otherwise, far away from our purchasing power.

Why are you still waiting? Pack your bags and reserve a room at Sleep Inn, the best hotel in Salisbury, where you can conveniently visit all of the sights mentioned above. Our Sleep Inn hotel is located in the heart of downtown, making it the best site for your stay in Salisbury from where all the above-mentioned places are easily accessible. Your stay at the Sleep Inn in Salisbury will undoubtedly be comfortable, enjoyable, and full of fun. Visit us at http://wingatesalisbury.com/ for more details and bookings.

[wuxiaphoenix]

Worldbuilding: White Gold

If you want conflict in your story, you don’t need to invent political plots or conspiracies. You just need to look for the one thing in your setting everyone needs, and the Evil Plots will appear. Consider the case of salt.

The history of human civilization is, to a great extent, the history of salt. Ice makes it in there too, especially once we worked out powered ways to refrigerate and freeze food, but mostly salt.

Three main reasons for this. First, salt is one of the best, simplest, non-temperature-dependent ways to preserve food. If you can’t put food by and build up a surplus, you can’t get past bare survival, much less build villages and cultures that write down their rituals, recipes, and raunchy jokes.

Second, plain old ordinary salt is useful for all kinds of chemical reactions. Tanning, dyeing, soap-making, mining and alloys - all of these use salt. Modern industry uses most of the salt produced worldwide. Look up organic chemistry if you want the gritty details, that stuff’s scary.

Third, humans need salt in their diet. It may be hard to imagine in grocery stores full of processed food and salty snacks, but for most of history, if you didn’t live right on the seashore, getting enough salt to stay healthy could be an uphill battle.

And here’s where some of the annoying aspects of civilization kick in. Specifically, governments hungry for Ever More Tax Money. Since everyone needs salt, governments throughout history have concluded that by taxing and controlling salt, they get everyone to pay taxes. Fair, right?

...I will pause here to let readers stop laughing hysterically, and/or retrieve their rolled eyes from under the sofa where they’re picking up dust bunnies.

Yeah. Not so much. Historically the people who most need to use salt to store food as a hedge against disaster are those too poor to afford getting fresh food when they want it. If you’re rich you can have fresh meat slaughtered, fresh fish hauled in water-baskets inland, fresh cherries air-mailed by pigeon post for a banquet.

(True story. A guy in ancient Persia proving a point about how fast he could get news across the Empire. Enemies took the hint.)

Rich people don’t have to spend as much money on salt. But if you sell salt, to people who have to have it? You can make out like a bandit.

(According to Everyday Life in Joseon-era Korea, this was the actual historical cause of many people turning bandit. They couldn’t afford enough salt to stay legal and survive.)

It runs through history like clockwork. Governments want money, they take over the production of salt, they farm out the actual work to people who can bribe their way into running it, the quality goes down, the price goes up, people make and smuggle it illegally... and there’s never enough. If you want some more recent history, look at British India. The government made it illegal for native Indians to make their own salt. This was part of what Gandhi used to crack them. (There were plenty of other things wrong, but salt was the one that affected your average householder trying to get by. Messy.)

If your story is set any time prior to modern day, salt is an important background detail. Nations go to war for salt. Beggars steal for it. People travel to find it, mine it, boil it from brine, and so much more. This Wikipedia article on salt in Chinese history lays out a lot of historical shenanigans, and if your library lets you borrow Mark Kurlansky’s Salt: A World History, even better. This is history with ordinary people attached, meaning excellent story fodder.

But your story doesn’t have to use salt for this. Just anything that a lot of people need, and will pay for. If you want your characters going up against villains like corrupt government officials or greedy merchants - here’s a place to start looking!

[allthebest20]

Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi

8/10.  A joy to read and a great debut novel. I think the author has even better work ahead of her.  The characters are complex and unique, and the book explores modernity, pain, and generational spirituality in a very readable style.  I couldn’t help but make assumptions about the author as I read the book: definitely Nigerian, definitely a cook, definitely spent time in London and Canada, definitely queer, definitely raised in the Church, but also definitely spiritual.  The authenticity with which she writes, especially in regards to being queer in the modern world and the cultures of different places, is what makes this book great.  The story dances between the gruesome details of reality in the twenty-first century and romanticized views of youth and love. It raises a lot of questions in me about the international class system, wealth, and privilege.  

The only real complaint that I have is around one of the main plot points: the rape of Kehinde when she is 12.  While this is a turning point in all their lives, I feel as though it is also simultaneously underappreciated, as if the author choose this event simply because it was one of the worst things she could think of.  I think this is a common pit fall for authors.  A lot of traumatic things happen to this family: Kambi, the mother, is very mental ill, Banji, the twin’s beloved father, is murdered, Taiye, the queer twin, struggles with her own mental health.  Yet, the rape is regarded as the primary Bad Thing and all the other traumatic events are hardly discussed.  I appreciate how the author takes some time, maybe 1 chapter, to discuss Kehinde’s relationship to sex and her body.  Yet, Kehinde’s life seems to be mostly unaffected by this event, except in the way she punishes her family with her silence.  She is in a healthy relationship.  She does not abuse alcohol or drugs.  She has a successful career.  Ultimately, it’s not a book about overcoming childhood sexual abuse.  It’s a book about mending a family after years of pain, resentment, distance, and silence.  I almost feel as though the book could have been stronger if it focused more on the effects of Banji’s death and Kambi’s violence and depression on the twins.  Ultimately, though, sexual abuse is just a thing that happens to a lot of kids, and perhaps it serves a purpose to write a book where it happens, it’s horrible, but it doesn’t need to be put under a magnifying glass.  It just reverberates.

This book could have been about a lot of things.  When I picked it off the shelf at the library, I barely read the entire description, immediately caught by the spiritual nature of Kambi’s being and the brief mention of “reckless hedonism.”  I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Taiye was a lesbian, and I saw a lot of myself in her: the serial string of intense relationships, always slated to go nowhere, the indulgence in food and weed and dancing and occasionally other drugs, the loneliness and missing family but not being able to connect with them, the exploration of religion and spirituality and non-monogamy, seeing and feeling things you don’t know are real.  I feel like a lot of modern young adults live like Taiye does, unsure what to look for except comfort.  I love how the author mentioned the chaotic draw of dating apps.  I love how Taiye is a stoner.  I love how Taiye loves organic butter and fair trade chocolate and cooking extravagant meals for anyone who will eat it.  I LOVE how the author includes recipes for what Taiye is cooking.  Although I probably won’t use those recipes, I did want to cook what Taiye was cooking, and it reads just like my brain reads when I am absorbed in a culinary project.  This book could have been more about what it means to be a lesbian, but it only barely describes her formative romantic and sexual experiences.  The author details the first time Taiye calls her self gay out loud and has queer sex, but this is long after she has had gay feelings and gay experiences.  The author does not explore Taiye’s inner turmoil, and it is unclear if Taiye struggles at all with her sexuality in the long term.

I also like how the book explores mental illness.  It doesn’t shy away from both the good and the bad parts.  It doesn’t shame medication use.  It explores the spiritual powers of those who’s brains work differently.  Kambi’s voice explores suicide in an interesting way: both from the frequent pull of the voices, asking Kambi to escape the pain of living, and Kambi’s own knowledge that she wants to remain here with her family.  Although I have perhaps 0 hard examples of mental illness being spiritual, I still want to believe that those who hear voices, who see things, who feel things, are connected to the spiritual in a way that those who live entirely in reality are not.  This book explores one such case.  I also found it interesting how Taiye inherits some of Kambi’s crazy (struggles to speak as a young child, depressed, sleep walks) and some of Kambi’s magic (draws people to her, sees and hears beyond).  This make Taiye feel closer to her mom as she ages, while Kehinde remains unsure.  This book could have been more about generational mental illness and the pain and distance it causes, but instead the author focuses on the magic of it all.  It asks, quietly, if the girls should be mad at their mother, can they be mad at her?  From the outside, Kehinde knows that Kambi is respoinsible for the scar on Taiye’s face, but yet we, the audience, know that Kambi had to do this to prevent Taiye from killing the rapist, Uncle Earnest.  Does Kehinde know this?  How can she understand?  In a family, we have no choice but to forgive and let live if we cannot understand, or else remain alienated.  This is the underlying message of the book.

The book has a complicated timeline: the main story line follows the events of a six month period in which the three main characters are united again in Lagos, after over a decade apart.  Slowly, in tangents, the three characters’ backstory is explained.

The book features a few key locations:

Nigeria (specifically Abeokuta, where Kambirinachi is born, Ife, where she spends her youth, and Lagos, where she raises her family),

London (where the twins were born and where Taiye lived for 9 years during and after university),

and Canada (Kehinde lives in Montreal since attending university there and Taiye lives in Halifax after London). 

I’ve never been to Nigeria or London, but I love the way the author writes the dialogue and the characters from each place.  I cannot say if they are accurate, but they have a clear and unique voice, not homogeneous but also representative of those place-based qualities that unite an area.  The characters give me a glimpse into what it feels like to be Nigerian abroad vs. Nigerian at home.  She rarely writes about interpersonal incidents of racism: the characters are mostly well liked, treated nicely by the people in their life, given opportunities.  I think that contributes to the feeling of romanticism in the story.  Racism is discussed on a more systematic level: they have problems at the airport, Taiye learns about the history of racism in Canada. As someone who has been to Canada, knows about the history of Canada, and lives very close to Canada, I enjoyed hearing about Taiye learning about Canada’s dark side, something that is so rarely discussed by the general public.  However, for those of us who are interested, the evidence is everywhere.  The history is just waiting to be explored by anyone who is interested in looking just slightly beyond the state-issued textbooks.  I thought the way the author wrote about Canada was really authentic, which convinces me that the way she writes about London and Nigeria must also be accurate.  What it must be like to be Ekwuyasi, so intimately familiar with places so far apart.

There was one line in the book that really stuck with me: as Taiye is traveling home, she passes through the busy streets of Lagos, crowded with street children, and she is reminded of her privilege in a very visual way, something she doesn’t get in Canada or London.  This is the view the West wants us to have of Africa: a whole continent made of dirty huts and begging children on busy urban roads.  Yes, poverty looks different in Nigeria than it does in Canada, but that doesn’t mean that everyone in Nigeria is somehow poorer.  In fact, this family has a beautiful compound and a trust fund.  Despite having a trust fund, Taiye still makes decisions on a strict budget and denies herself luxuries to save money, the way I do.  I don’t really know a lot of people with trust funds, so I can’t tell if this is an international thing or if there are American kids who act like this.  It kind of annoyed me when Taiye wrote to the culinary program saying she didn’t have enough to pay for the program, when in reality she just didn’t want to dip into her trust fund.  I don’t know if there were limited spots/funds available for people who couldn’t afford to pay full price, but I hate when rich people forget what it means to actually not have money.  Being cheap and being poor are two different things, often way more opposing than people think.  Rich people are often the ones who know how to exploit the system to get what they want for less, while the poor are left with less connections and less time to work it.

Still, I refrain from delivering too harsh judgement on Taiye. I do not know the size of the trust fund.  I know their family home was a gift, so perhaps the fund is to be saved for medical emergencies and property taxes.  I’m not sure how insurance or taxes work in Nigeria, although I know the government is very unstable.  How did they pay for international university?  Did that come from the trust fund?  The whole plot line has me thinking a lot about wealth and class on  an international level.  While I grew up comfortably, I often felt like my family was poor because of how rich everyone in our town was.  I wonder what it would have been like to grow up in a compound and see homeless children often, but also ingest international media that cast your entire country as poor and to know your government is unstable.

All in all, the book touches on many of the central issues of modern life  While it only brushes the surfaces of these topics, it had me thinking for days and wanting to know more.  Perhaps I will search out an some Nigerian autobiographies / memoirs in the future.

[wehavethoughts]

Darryl Carter Review! Part 2: The Collected Home

The Collected Home: Rooms with Style, Grace, and History

By Darryl Carter

With Trish Donnally

Photographs by Gordon Beall

Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2012

“Forgo the immediate, and embrace the lasting.”

Darryl Carter is a sophisticated interior designer who champions blending the modern with the traditional. Last review, I looked at The New Traditional, in which Carter defined his style with shining examples and anecdotes from his personal experiences. Four years later, The Collected Home elaborates on Carter’s special approach to interior design, providing more concrete suggestions by room for readers who are on their own design journeys. Welcome to Part 2!

The Collected Home is successful in its generous plethora of ideas shared in an organized way, as well as its written voice which encourages the reader to follow her own preferences, goals, and intuition. In the end, the hard-cover merits 5 out of 6 treasured geese.

In the Introduction and throughout, Carter repeatedly rallies the reader to have fun during the process. Without forgetting to urge you to be thoughtful and careful in your selections, Carter promises that patience and excitement can coexist. The Collected Home is, in a way, antithetical to current DIY movements; both welcome creativity, but Carter’s approach favors discovery, planning, and listening. Reflection questions throughout the volume ask readers to consider how they use spaces from needs to style proclivity:What appliances do you use? 

Where do you anticipate needing electrical outlets? Step-stools?

How many people eat here regularly?

How often do you buy food? How do you store it?

Where do you want privacy? 

How frequently do you use things?

What’s important to access in your daily life?

I think reflection is key. Too often I see everyday people getting into interior design by coming into contact with a particular aesthetic they like and want to consume. This isn’t bad or good, but doesn’t allow for a few things to happen. 

First, you end up robbing yourself of the joy of collecting, which takes time. Of course, most interior designers recommend starting with mood boards or inspirational images to brainstorm goals and envision ideas. But if this stage is done in one afternoon, or after watching one YouTuber, the result is rarely a style you will truly treasure, let alone one that will last. Changing and growing is to be expected (and celebrated!), but Carter’s idea of home is to be an assemblage of meaningful treasures, and a gathering of all things personal. Basically, not something you can replicate from elsewhere.

“The home should be oriented toward your personal use and enjoyment.”

The second incentive to reflect deeply before transforming your space is because often we do not listen to what the house tells you, about itself and about you. I really appreciate when designs recognize that the home has a voice, and that the particularities of the space are one-of-a-kind! This includes materials in walls, light coming from outside, proportions of doors and closets, everything! Carter insists on process as play: upcycling or reclamation, contributions from everyone in the household, and envisioning multiple possibilities can say a lot about how the home wants to be inhabited. In his price-range, Carter recommends collaborating with tradespeople, architects, and others who can provide a solution you may not have thought of-- or even how to make a limitation work better than the original idea. Does the house offer natural lighting instead of needing to buy a fixture? Would durable floors serve residents better than a fancier floor, thus allowing something else in the space to shine? Can you repurpose cabinets as children’s desks? Or reuse an old door as a pony wall for a bit of separation? Are you able to retrofit furniture into existing architectural elements, like shelving? Knowing and building relationships with craftspeople and experts will only enhance your experience creating your home.

“Often, intangibles define the experience of a home.”

Carter clearly has years of experience and an extensive network in his field. My main critique of The Collected Home is in being way out of league for many readers. Most people don’t collect antique Han dynasty figurines to learn how to display, or own a cast-sculpture of a carousel horse to orient in a foyer. Carter uses lots of terms I had to look up. He also shared swatches from his own paint line that he developed. He’s clearly involved in the art world and has a sophisticated relationship with artists, sculptors, and antique vendors. Furniture designer George Nakashima is featured for embedding an antique work table into a ‘frame’ to actually function (below left). It’s actually really cool. The book just seemed out-of-reach at times.

This is not for lack of encouragement and really clever ideas! I particularly like his vision to buy furniture pieces that can translate into different uses over time. A lot of projects he described leaned into a chance find at a flea market, or pre-existing architectural features, such as staircases or windows. All of his nuanced and well-trained advice is great for people who have the resources to hire experts. Any of his inspiration can be ‘dialed down’, especially because Carter included so many concrete questions to ask and possibilities to consider. For example, he acknowledges the more affordable but high-impact option of ‘try painting it’. He repeats that nothing should be too precious to use, which is an excellent sentiment. 

The Collected Home showcases impressive and high-quality interior design, exactly what it says it does. 5 of 6 sensible geese.

With loving curiosity, 

DesignMod

[lorelounge]

Environmental E-Zine Task - Practical Research

These are the 5 topics I have explored-

Pollution

Nearly 2,500 deaths in Scotland every year have been caused by pollution with 38 places officially in Pollution Zones as the towns have been failing air quality safety standards. Air Pollution has been a worlds problem for years, even before the industrial revolution. Research shows that 9 out of 10 people breath in polluted air.

Air Pollution has been associated with causing cancer, respiratory issues, and more recently, dementia and diabetes.

There are five major air pollutants:

Particle Materials-

These are inhalable particles made out of sulphate, nitrates, ammonia, sodium chloride, black carbon, mineral dust, and water.

Particles with diameters less than 10microns (P10) pose the greatest threat of death as they can penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream

They are from Combustion engines (diesel and petrol), solid-fuel (coal, lignite, heavy oil) and industrial activities (building, mining, manufacturing of cement)

Black Carbon-

Black Carbon is a major component of PM2.5 and is a main element of climate change

Despite having a short atmospheric lifetime, it is one of the largest contributors to global warming, after CO2, as it expedites glacier melting

As well as that, it also is known to decrease agricultural yields

Carbon Monoxide (CO)-

CO is a colourless and odourless gas that is sourced from motor vehicle exhaust and machines that burn fossil fuels

High levels of this gas are harmful as they can reduce the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream and reaching important organs

Recent studies also show that long term exposure to low concentrations can also lead to large amounts of health issues

Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)

SO2 is mainly caused by fossil fuels (coal and oil)

It can affect the respiratory system and lung function, which could lead to aggravation of previous lung issues such as asthma or bronchitis

It can also irritate the eyes

Also, SO2 combining with water in the air forms sulphuric acid, which is a main component of acid rain

Ground Level Ozone

GLO is a major component in photochemical smog (which is a haze in the air, characterised by high levels of nitrogen oxides) and is a secondary pollutant, meaning that it is not directly emitted.

Key health risks linked to Ground Level Ozone are breathing problems, asthma, reduced lung function, and respiratory disease.

Stopping air pollution is difficult, as it would require global cooperation. Windblown dust from heavily polluted countries (such as China or Bangladesh) carry large concentrations of particle matter.

Poverty

In Scotland alone, around one million people are in poverty (even before Covid-19). This is the lowest rate in the UK, second only behind Nothern Ireland. Poverty is defined as an income of an individual or household not being able to meet the needs of people, resulting in restrictions in the ability to work in society. It is also used to describe when a large portion/all of an income is used for one specific thing (such as rent), leaving less money for other deemed essentials (food, fuel, funerals, broadband). There have been many different factors that could lead to poverty, such as:

Unemployment or Low Paying Jobs-

A lot of jobs do not provide efficient pay, prospects, or security. Most places are in high concentration of those types of jobs, or failing that, having not enough jobs.

Lack of Education-

Young people and adults without the necessary skill or qualification often can't get any high paying, or any, jobs.

Benefit System Failing-

Welfare system not giving enough money to those in need to live off of. More often than not it has people staying in poverty when it really should be trying to lift people over the line. It is also somewhat confusing and hard to engage with, leaving many people unable to access it.

High Cost-

The high cost of housing and essentials (food, credit, gas, electricity, water, council tax, broadband) creates poverty as even if individuals are able to get enough money, they have to spend it on items that are considered essential.

Abuse, Trauma, Chaotic Living-

Abuse/Trauma can cause a bad impact on mental health, leading to unemployment, educational/motivational issues, and low earnings. Prison time, criminal records, drug misuse can also lead to a deepening in poverty.

Here are some consequences of Poverty,

health issues

housing problems

being victims or perpetrators of crime

drug of alcohol abuse

lower educational achievements

poverty for later generations (studies show that children in poverty often grow up to live in similar situations)

homelessness

biological effects (young children growing in poverty has shown to have an effect on the brains development)

Street Dumping

Street Dumping is the act of leaving rubbish in places where it isn't meant to be, i.e. not in a bin. This can negatively impact the environment. The most commonly littered items are,

food packaging

cigarette butts

used drink bottles

chewing gum wrappers

toys

glass

food scraps

There are many reasons for littering, such as,

Litter being in the area (studies show that there is a correlation between litter already being in an area and the intentional act of throwing litter)

Construction sites (Workers lunchtime waste and inevitable building waste)

Laziness (People not wanting to properly through away their waste)

Belief of no consequence

Lack of bins

Lack of education (Smokers, as an example, are sometimes unaware of the damage cigarettes cause)

The main problems with street dumping are how it affects the environment and the people in the area.

Littering can cause serious harm (Needles, blades, and broken glass can harm or kill humans and wildlife)

Spread Disease (Littering can encourage the spread of pests and disease as it can provide adequate breeding grounds for both that can then be passed onto humans and animals)

Pollutes Environment (Toxic material from Litter can be blown/washed into lakes, oceans, creeks, seas, etc. which pollutes waterways, land, soil, and forest areas)

Kill Wildlife (Many wildlife and ocean life are found dead with glass, plastic, cigarette butts found in their stomachs. They can be poisoned over long periods of time through eating litter, or they can become trapped and suffocating in waste)

Affects Aesthetics and Local Tourism (Litter isn't very nice to look at and it can cause people to not want to go to places, which prevents local businesses from making money out of tourism)

Governments have been trying to prevent the dropping of litter through fines, education, signs, and campaigns but litter is still a major issue and a major pollutant.

Renewable Energy

Over 90% of Scotlands electricity is from Renewable sources, proving it is possible to live off this energy. Renewable energy is the step forward in viable, clean energy. It’s sustainable. Every type uses natural reserves that can be replenished over the years.

Other benefits include little to no waste or carbon footprint, economic improvements and less overall maintenance. This will be able to help with air and water pollution as many pollutants come from burning fossil fuels for energy. However, there are disadvantages to some, as renewable energy sources can be expensive. There are areas that just can’t afford to get it operating in place of coal-fired power.

The different types of Renewable energy include,

Solar Energy

Wind Energy

Hydro Energy

Tidal Energy

Geothermal Energy

Biomass Energy

It is estimated that the number of renewable energy sources will increase as the demand for power rises, which will also cause the price of renewable energy to fall, making it the cheaper, and cleaner, alternative.

Face Masks

Face masks have made a jump in popularity ever since the start of Covid-19, considering that they are now mandatory. Face Masks have been proven to work in preventing the spread of viruses, but the effect on the environment hasn't been for the better. Roughly 53 million face masks have been filling up in landfills daily, which is not counting the amount abandoned in towns and cities. Like with most disposable things, people tend to just drop them after they've finished using them. Masks are slowly becoming similar to disposable plastic bags, meaning that it is another waste product slowly becoming another infectious, irreversible mark on the environment. Over 90% of people use disposable masks rather than reusable ones, in these masks, three layers of plastic are used, including polypropylene.

Abandoned face masks are polluting streams, oceans, green lands, etc. and since Covid-19 has been shown to be able to last on surfaces for up to 9 days, they are also a biohazard.

The only thing we can do to try help stop this is to buy and use washable face masks that we don't throw out.

I chose to research these topics as all of them hit fairly close to home. I feel like all of these topics are very similar in the sense that they all connect. Many of these hits close to home, the main two being pollution and street dumping. I will be focusing on Pollution. There are different types of pollution, caused by different things.

[auntiesocks]

Spending Money

A big part of being an adult, I’ve found, is learning what you should/shouldn’t spend more money on. 

Some things aren’t worth spending more money on, like off-brand food at the grocery store (especially things like canned/frozen veggies). You’re getting pretty much the same thing no matter what. 

Some things you don’t need to spend more money on, but you might want to, like a particular type of bubble bath that always helps you relax and makes your skin feel nice. BUY IT. The extra money is worth it for an occasional moment of relaxation, refreshment, and happiness. 

Some things are worth spending more money on; my favorite example is the Tupperware sets with the locking lids (the lids that lock together and also lock to the bottom of the containers). Makes it harder to lose the lids, and helps you keep all that stuff together. That not only helps me when I want to store leftovers, it impressed the FUCK out of my mom, who is generally a very neat and organized person, but whose storage container/lid problem is nearly of epic proportions. My mom thought I was a better adult than she is just because of the freaking Tupperware.

When you do need to buy bigger ticket items, make a decision matrix. For example, let’s say you need a new TV. Some things to consider with a TV are price (of course), size, picture quality, features like whether it’s a smart TV, or specials like getting it with Roku or something like that. 

You don’t have to make it this “fancy”, but here’s a matrix to compare five different TVs and the considerations we have above:

Now, compare and rank, with 1 being “the best”. 

So, in this example, A is the least expensive, but it falls behind on a lot of the other measures. Just from this, we can see we probably don’t want to get TV set A, because, aside from the price, it’s a pretty crappy one.

But wait! We’re not done. Which of these qualifications - price, size, picture quality, smart TV, or store specials - is the most important to you? If price is the number one consideration, maybe A is the way to go.

Let’s say Picture Quality is the most important, followed by Size, Price, Smart TV, and then Specials. 

Well, TV C came in first on Picture Quality. It’s second on Size, right in the middle on price and store specials, but it’s falling down on the “smart” area. Possibly the store special is that it comes with a Roku or Fire stick, which would effectively make it “smart” even though it’s not on its own. Still, TV C isn’t dead last on any of the measures. 

Given our priorities, set C seems to be the best option. Middle of the road on price, we can get it to do what we want it do with the included store special, and it’s a good size and has great picture quality. This will give us the most bang for our personal bucks. 

For someone else with different priorities, set C may not be the way to go. (For example, if Price is the highest priority, set B may be the best option: not quite as cheap as set A but it’s only a little more expensive, there’s a pretty good store special running on it, and it’s a great size.)

Decision matrices are great for things like this, where you have multiple considerations on big ticket items. Anything you’ll use a lot of is generally worth spending a little more on. (For that matter, do you need a TV or do you mostly watch stuff and play games on your computer? It might be better to sink your TV money into your computer budget - and then make a decision matrix for getting a new computer!)

And, if a dress or skirt has pockets, BUY IT IMMEDIATELY.  [ahem] If you like it and can afford it, of course.

[girlwithwolftatoo]

Your “eco-friendly fashion” can go and f*ck itself, and so you do.

Let me explain this: no, I don’t hate the eco-friendly trending of, actually, trying to get the less waste of products and similar stuff, for we need to be more responsible with the planet because, just as Starlord said, we are the idiots living on it. 

The problem comes when this idea of a “green life” becomes just another fashion to follow, building another bloody capitalist industry around it so those poor nasty rich people feel a little less bad for basically being the ones who contributes at more than 50% of carbon emissions  and contamination. What am I talking about? Let’s check some advices to contribute to help the enviroment which are in fact just pacifiers for first world, good wealth people:

Wasting reduction, a.k.a “my zero waste challenge”. Yes, plastic is the big villain at this moment, and to fight against it the population across the world is recomending the use of certain stuff to replace it, like glass recipents (fun fact: some idiotics enjoy saying how millenials are guilty for using plastic containers instead of glass like “my good ol’ granpa used to”, but hey, guess which generation started exploiding petroleum -where plastic comes from- to increase their wealth and reduce costs of production? One clue: not Millenials) or fabric bags. A good idea? Yes, until you remember most of the products like food come in plastic stuff, and I’m not just talking about that first world obssession for covering their fruit and veggies with fucking plastic when, hello, fruits and veggies ARE ALREADY PROTECTED BY THEIR SKIN, YOU JUST NEED TO FUCKING WASH IT A LITTLE BEFORE COOKING. 

Yes, Karen, I know what you’re thinking, “Well, duh, if you don’t like plastic around your food go to an organic market, they have this lovelies glass or fabric containers, stop complaining and do what U need to do”. And here comes problem number two:

Organic everything, the new way to show how rich you are. I have some news for ya, except for the processed food, EVERYTHING IS ORGANIC. The only problem is you are afraid of “toxicity in food for pesticides and dark water” which, guess what, is pushed violently by your bloody wild capitalism in order to produce more food. And now a lot of stores selling you organic, zero-waste, green food is just part of the same system, it just puts a huge stick in front of your ecologic container swearing these overpriced carrot (which vitamins are THE SAME AS THAT DOUBLE-LEGGED CARROT PLACES LIKE FUCKING WAL-MART RATHER THROWS TO THE GARBAGE) is good and fair... yeees, you just need to make some researchs on internet to find out the “fair price” for the peasants and agriculture workers just doesn’t equals the price you are paying to your white, nice lady in white uniform attending your weekly shopping of “clean” veggies and soy and quinoa. 

I know some countries aren’t used of local/producers market where you’re actually buying to the producer and paying a low price that goes directly to the field workers, but here’s a funny thing: the organic stores doesn’t just sell you the idea of “organic, ecologic” stuff, but the key word is “clean”, the idea of a mutant potato sounds “unclean” for them, because if it has a brother stuck in a side of it is because it was soaked in “evil chemistry stuff to make it grow like that”. Well, say thanks to Monsanto for covering the world with their bloody products who are actually doing worse damage than your ugly looking veggies, and all of it just to make money and provide you, person of a wealthy, capitalist, whitey country, of your organic stores and the rest of your nice stuff like year model car and Starbucks. 

In short: organic stores are just face washed supermarkets feeding with the explotation of people in other countries, putting an enormous, unnecessary price to their stuff which not everybody can afford just to make you feel good and a planet savior. 

The cow didn’t suffered, but what about Pablo? I know I’m entering a dangerous point here, but with these eco-friendly trending, veganism has been exploited like the panacea for everything, from enviroment contamination to poor cows and pigs crying in the farms. And yes, becoming more aware of the cruelty towards animals has been the iceberg peak to become more humans and protective to the other living forms in our society, and yes, the carnic industry tends to be awful and utterly disgusting... IN FIRST WORLD COUNTRIES. 

This might sound shocking, but the images of cattle of any shape being tormented since the moment of birth are usually from USA, UK and similar “farms” which act more like a corporation in the middle of a field than like a real farm. Places like South and Central America has a carnic indsutry which works pretty different; you can actually see, in a daily basis, cows and goats walking free in the farm’s territory, eating as much as they want and sometimes getting involved in fights with cars on the road, and though this isn’t an excuse for the late slaughter, at least those aren’t creatures jailed and tortured inside a 5x5 box. Chickens are the same, for instead of killing the males the farms in Mexico and sibbling countries rather let them grow to become the source of meat, the hens aren’t eaten a lot in our culture so they live to lay eggs and they also have a nice life in comparison with their north-americans or european pals. 

In other words: stopping meat consume doesn’t make you the person of the year, but fighting for animal rights and stop eating meat from massive industries will help a lot more than just hating everyone for getting a burger. 

“But still I rather take vegan products, soy and quinoa and other stuff...” Uh, do you remember what I said about the organic stores selling you smoke and mirrors? Yes, perhaps none animal died because of your vegan product (at least not none of the cuties like baby cows and chubby pigs, just a bunch of insects which exists as part of the natural balance and very probably wild life), but a lot of people of third world countries certainly will. Illegal buy of land made by corporations to needy goverments, privatization of fucking water from local comunities in order to create and feed fields of “organic food”, child and indigenous abuse due to this “legal steal” of land and bad payed, forced work (because in the end, the poor need to, you know, fucking live even if it’s at the minimun wage)... All of this so the white lady who enjoys speaking to managers and drives a massive truck just for her and her two children, can go and buy her quinoa and post a pic on Instagram claiming how “nice and easy” is save the enviroment.

Oh, I know, I’m being too mean to that people, am I? I don’t fucking care, because the hidden part of this fashion, the worst part of this idea of “ecologic capitalism” comes with this only truth:

Poor people aren’t “eco-friendly”. Classism has become the key to keep this trending just made for the wealthy, the idea of poor people not being “good with the enviroment” comes from a lot of cultural ideas created by the vision of a thirds of the population. Rich people hates seeing images of countries like India, Colombia, Phillipines and similar because the images sell a complete lie which helps to keep them in a bubble: poor people eating fast food or buying things in plastic containers is gross and they think “Oh thank God I left that life style behind” as they drive his car leaving a lot of CO2 compared to those who takes public transport, that same public transport that looks disgusting in those images I’m talking about, because hat portion of the world has no money to get new vehicles every year, because they can’t #govegan because their only sources of a certain quality food is the normal food, those who doesn’ have a seal of aproval which claims how enviroment-savior is, because that lack of wealth forces them to work much more than people of France, Germany or USA and gaining much less than them, with so little time to think on “being green”, sometimes even with little time to cook natural food in their homes, and of course being unable to pay to an inmigrant to cook for them like... well, you know like who. And because these poor people, who works and dies because their country and the “free market” is pushing them to a modern slavery for international corps which provide to their targets, people who aren’t from the South of the tropics, white and wealthy, free of any guilt because they spend 50 bucks every week in organic coffee which was grounded in the last remains of an indigenous land and harvested for a dark-skin, 10 y/o boy who is forced to work instead of studying because all this economic machine made him part of the poorest side of the society, the idea of being “better than others”. Because they’re selling the idea that being a helper for the enviroment is easy, as long as you can afford it in their terms, becaus they’re making you think your green bag is making more for the world than stop and think how those who make that bag are being paid 5 cents of dollar at day in a dark little room in the East of the world, consumed by the greed and vanity of capitalism.

You can be eco-friendly without spending like an idiot in that special stores and markets. How? You can recycle when you’re able to, you can use public transport or walk for short distances instead of depending of your car, you can carry water in a bottle to avoid buying one-use bottles outside, you can support your local producers market and stop thinking of the “zero waste challenge” and making it the “less, well thinking waste daily basis”. And, for the love of any God you’re praying to, STOP SUPPORTING FUCKING MARKET CHAINS OF ALLEGEDLY VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE, ECOLOGIC SHIT. If you have the time and money to make your own food or to spend less plastic, FUCKING DO IT FOR YOURSELF AND NOT VIA BUYING USELESS SHIT FROM THOSE COMPANIES.

This was my 2020 year advice, thanks for reading. If you want more info, you can search for “international agriculture explotation”, “organic food origin” and “most enviromental dangerous companies” in your favorite searcher.

[the-silly-hippy]

Can you afford being healthy?

So let’s say my goal is to have optimal health, both physical and mental, what should I do? Off the top of my head I’m thinking gym, organic food, green smoothies, psychotherapy, social life, maybe supplements. All of which sound very expensive compared to staying at home watching TV and eating corndogs. So for a long time, I thought I couldn’t afford taking care of my health. But then I had to, so I got creative.

Health is an investment

The first thing to keep in mind is that taking care of your health now will save you money (and trouble) in the future. Being sick is expensive: medication, hospital bills, missing work, etc. I try to remember that every time time I want to go for McDonalds instead of.. anything else really.. to save a buck.

Time to hang out with friends

Taking care of your mental health also means having a social life and leisure. What do you need for that? Time. Why don’t you have enough time? Mostly because of work. Why do you have to work so much? Because life is so fucking expensive. So my logic is: if I need less things, and if I spend less on things I have to buy, that means more time for me. I’ll summarize this in two words: thrift stores and simplicity.

First, go for simplicity

Try to buy less stuff and when you want to buy, ask yourself if you really need it, that’s basic. To avoid feeling in a place of scarcity and lack, think of something you really do want, and make it your goal, your reward. So instead of thinking “I shouldn’t buy this, I don’t absolutely need it. That sucks, I can’t have anything nice

” You could shift that to: “If I don’t buy this dress that I probably wouldn’t wear much, it means I’m $45 closer my trip to Bali :D”. Consistently doing this keep you exited about your goal because, how often do we want to buy things we don’t really need? That’s right, you’ll have your reward in mind very often.

Simplicity in your products

I think that a good first step to take towards health is eliminate toxicity. To do that, what often makes sense is to simplify: go for foods that have the less ingredients, or that are totally unprocessed. Same goes for cosmetics. Look for products that only contain a few ingredients that you can recognize, or if you’re so inclined, you can even make them yourself, thus, saving more money. So, weather it goes on your body or in your body, a healthy and cost effective solution is to buy ingredients in bulk and start cooking.

Save on food and reduce food waste with apps

Get this: you install an app on your phone (Flashfood is one but I’m sure there are a couple others), and it shows you products that are close to expiration date that groceries near you are selling at a discounted price. I can’t stand seeing food go to waste, and my cheap ass just loves save 50%, so this concept really is pure gold for me. These apps allow me to have access to meat that I couldn’t normally afford, which allows me to pursue my quest for the best diet for my body (I used to be a vegan, I’m now on an API diet, what’s next?!). You can find vegetables, bakery, seafood, anything. I’d say I buy 80% of my groceries through these apps now. Buying in bulk and cooking? Well that is possible with the apps. Having a truck load of bell peppers will sure spark your creativity, as you have to use them before they go bad.

Freeze food

That brings us to the freezer. If you can get a second-hand freezer (I suppose some models consume less electricity, you might want to look for these), that might be the best investment you make this year. Because if you’re half as obsessed as I am about health and simplicity, there’s just not enough room in your standard freezer for all that healthy food you’ll buy at a 50% discount. See where this is going? Buy basic ingredients in bulk, cook huge batches, freeze portions. You saved time and money and you get to eat as healthy as you want to.

DIY your skin and hair products

You’re lucky there is a big trend on DIY products right now, so recipes are easy to find for pretty much everything you want to make. There are some ingredients that have multiple uses, like castille soap or baking soda for instance, so these are a good choice for a starter kit. I tried making solid shampoo and I must say it’s very satisfying to successfully wash your hair with a shampoo you made with your own two hands! And to know you’re not sending chemicals in the water, and in your scalp. And not buying another plastic bottle. And throwing it away when empty. The shampoo bar cost approximately $7 and will last for.. I dunno like ten million showers. I also make my own face serum with two ingredients: jojoba oil and tea tree. Speaking of oil (sweet almond in this case), it’s the best and cheapest makeup remover, period. I used to buy very expensive natural face care products but I was frustrated that there was no visible improvement of my skin. I wanted to test them on half my face for a couple months to demonstrate how ineffective they actually were but I never had the required discipline. If you don’t see noticeable improvement in your face after using a product for a while, stop buying that shit and just rub your face with oil. Because the one you’re buying probably contains mostly oil anyway and the rest of the fancy ingredients are probably in traces amount and completely useless. And don’t even get me started on the non-natural products. Ew.

Get rid of plastic

They say (the same “they” I always talk about when I don’t have sources) that if you store food in plastic containers of drink out of plastic bottles, plastic gets in your body and can cause health problems, hormone imbalance and whatnot. A good alternative are glass containers. The tupperware style with lids can be pricey if you buy them new, so the strategy here is: no stress, buy just a couple at a time when you find them at the salvation army and gradually eliminate the plastic ones. When I say eliminate I mean re-purpose or give to good will. As good hippies, let’s try to produce less waste! There’s also the very trendy mason jar, so practical to store food and – Pinterest shows us every day – anything you can think of.

Drink the best possible water

I’ve heard that tap water contains traces of birth control pills, antidepressants, antibiotics, etc. I don’t have the expertise to know if it’s true but it did scare me. I’m the kind of hippie that will avoid taking a small innocent ibuprofen if I can. I don’t want drugs in my body, unless it’s going to be fun and psychedelic. I certainly have a lack of scientific evidence about traces of drugs in the city’s water supply but my nose and taste buds tell me that chlorine isn’t something I should drink. There’s also fluoride in the water, that is arguably bad for you. These are the reasons I decided to stop drinking tap water. What are the alternatives? I had a Brita but it doesn’t eliminate much of the bad stuff. Plus, it’s made of plastic. The high quality water filters are just ridiculously expensive so my only option was to buy bottled water. Not small bottles, the big ones that are reused when you bring them back to the store. It felt weird to buy water when there’s plenty in the tap but, my god, does it taste better. And I’ve read it hydrates you better too. Hydration is a key component of health, that’s for sure, so if you can’t afford to buy water, still, drink a liter a day, you’ll be healthier than if you let yourself dry like a raisin. I hesitated to make that water bottle move for a bit because I thought I needed to buy a water dispenser, but it turns out I don’t need it at all. I just leave the bottle on the counter and I got used really quickly to flip that giant heavy thing. Now I can pour myself a shot glass of water without spilling a drop. No need to buy a machine. Also, it’s best to drink it at room temperature, and it’s empty within a week of two so I figure it doesn’t have time to grow bacteria, or algae or whatever happens to water when you let it sit.

Sleeping is free

We underestimate the role that sleep has to play in our health so we often neglect it, but a good sleep hygiene can make a huge difference in your energy level, I’ve experienced it. I was always tired, couldn’t get through the day without a nap, couldn’t concentrate, I was unable to get up in the morning. Then a doctor prescribed that I take melatonin every night at 6 pm for two weeks, go to bed at 10, wake up at 7 and blast a light therapy lamp in my face for half an hour every morning. I did that and guess what? It. Worked. I didn’t follow the exact hours he prescribed and I’m not sure the melatonin had a good effect on me so I only took it for a couple days. So I think what does the trick is consistently waking up at the same time each morning, regardless of what time you go to bed. Occasionally I get only four hours of sleep and usually the next day I’d be unable to function. Now that I wake up at regular hours, I can go through the day and have so much energy that I even forget I got only 4 hours of sleep. A phrase he said about staying in bed later to catch up on you sleep stuck with me: it’s too hard for the system. It had not occurred to me that it could be difficult for the body to change its sleep schedule. I thought “as long as I get 8 hours I’m fine” or even “the more sleep the better, I’ll sleep 12 hours today”. So if you happen to have sleep problems, irregular sleep pattern or fatigue, set an alarm and get some light in the morning, see what happens. Hopefully your body will adjust to the schedule and you won’t need the alarm after a week, and your mornings will be less painful. Another thing I didn’t take seriously was avoiding blue light in the evening. But it turns out it’s serious, it really does mess with your natural sleep hormones. So I installed f.lux on all my screens. It’s an app that will cut the blue light out of your screen according to the time of day. My screen is yellow right now because I’m too silly to go to bed at a normal time, I prefer to write a blog post. I used to binge watch TV on my computer very late in the night and not feel tired. I realized after installing the app that it was the blue light that was keeping me up. Now I watch an episode and start to yawn, so that’s a good thing, less TV.

Meditation is free

According to every damn article I read or podcast I listen to, meditation is one of the healthiest thing you can do. Good news: all you have to do is sit there and breathe. Now that, you can afford. No time? A minute a day is still better than nothing. If you need a little help to begin, there are tons of free apps you can install. I use Breathe and Calm, which also has some nice sleep stories.

Functional training

Exercising at home requires more discipline, at least in my experience, but if you can pull it off, it means more money in your pocket. You don’t necessarily need those machines to have an effective workout. The weight of your body will do. Remember those good old push ups? Yep. YouTube will help you find some exercises ideas for what part of your body you want to work out. Weights can be found easily at thrift stores. Elastic bands offer multiple possibilities and are not too expensive. Cardio is important too so if running outside isn’t an option, because breathing smog will annihilate any benefits of working out, for instance, maybe look for a stationary bike in the ads.

You can still party

Even if you’ve decided that for health reasons, alcohol, sugar and carbs are to avoid, you can still allow yourself to have them every once in a while. Just don’t binge, and limit the damage. For example, I drink on rare but meaningful occasions and I choose low sugar and gluten free drinks like vodka-soda or gin-soda. That’s the protecting my health part, now for the protecting my wallet. Go to the liquor store and find the best value alcohol. Not the will-make-you-go-blind kind of alcohol, because that’s not healthy. Usually a big-ass bottle of average quality vodka will be a good price to quantity ratio, and will give you an occasion to let go of what the cashier thinks of you as a person. Vodka is pretty much tasteless so that leaves you more drinks possibilities. (plus, you can DIY perfume using vodka: avoiding chemicals on your skin and saving $200, yay)! Sugar in food now. It’s always best to choose natural sugars like honey, instead or refined sugar, or use stevia. Man, stevia is the best: it tastes like sugar, but it’s not. It’ll make your food taste sweet and do zero damage. Buy in a giant bottle to save money. Hell, you could even grow your own stevia plant! Let’s go crazy! You can also pour a drop in your vodka. Now that’s starting to look like a party to me! The use of the word honey and saving money just made me think of a fine browser extension you can use for online shopping. It’s called Honey and it can notify you when a product you watch goes on sale. It can also find and apply coupon codes for you. Here’s the only referral link in this article: my link to Honey. So, where were we. Sugar. When I stopped eating sugar, I bought dark unsweetened chocolat in bulk, thinking it would taste like dark 70% chocolate. Oh, was I wrong. It tastes bitter. That’s the only thing you’ll taste in sugar free dark chocolate. But it’s cheap to buy in bulk and I can control what goes into it, so from time to time I like to melt some in a pan, add stevia and eat that with bananas.

Let’s talk! What are your secrets to stay healthy and how do you afford it?

[fiti-vation]

Is Eating Healthy Really More Expensive & Time Consuming? (A heartfelt post)

Hey guys,

I noticed that a pressing debate has taken place under one of my posts (Healthy Lunch Recipe Ideas); some people have been debating about healthy eating and I’m happy to see many people share their point of view! That being said, while I am happy to see many thoughts being shared, it is important for me to emphasize that I never want the comment section under any of my posts to become a battleground for nasty arguments.

As someone who studied in criminology and completed numerous undergrad law courses, I have always been open to intelligent debate, as long as it is conducted with respect and diplomacy. Always remember it is rain that grows flowers, not thunder, so don’t raise your voice, but improve your argument instead.

When I post content on my blog, it is never intended to create tyranny, but always to educate. Simply put, my blog is an educative space. The comment section under my posts is not a place for radical ideologies, shaming or pointing fingers at others. Someone who truly advocates for healthy eating on a budget will never shame or point fingers at those who can’t. On that note, here’s my 2 cents on the entire debacle.

Before I start, I’d like to stress that everything written below is from my perspective as a Canadian! I live in the National Capital Region, so there are many places where one can get nutritious food at affordable prices. Canada has for the most part some good places where healthy foods can be purchased while on a budget. Obviously, for people who live in the Territories (Yukon, Nunavut and NWT) that’s a different story…

P.S. I will be counter-arguing many of the points stressed by @nerdgul • Time • Availability • Seasoning

SO, WHAT DO I REALLY THINK ABOUT HEALTHY EATING ON A BUDGET?

Before I begin to present my counterarguments, it is important as always for me to stress the importance of healthy eating. For those of you who have been following me for years, you know how much I advocate for taking good care of our body.  Our body is our temple. It is a gift, and it is the only one we will be given in this life. I believe that fitness needs to come from within you. You need to respect your body. Only then will you have the zeal to maintain it. No one should ever downplay the importance of eating healthy simply because of their financial/socio-economic situation.

The body is amazing, and if you’re not healthy and do not take care of it, it will affect many aspects of your life. The body can heal itself of anything if it is given the tools that it needs and the conditions it requires for natural healing to occur. If we take responsibility for our health, we will develop a desire to accomplish our exercise and fitness goals. The body is your temple. Keep it pure and clean for the soul to reside in.

Minimizing the importance of healthy eating is so prevalent in North American society that obesity, which is linked to many chronic diseases, has become a pervasive and critical issue that many people turn a blind eye to. In Canada and US alone not to mention the other parts of the world, we have far too many people suffering from obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, hypertension and stroke. Studies after studies have shown that we can reduce the risk of these diseases, and maintain our good health by eating properly, getting enough regular exercise, avoiding stress and breathing clean, fresh air. While it may not always be possible to avoid stress and breath clean air, it is indeed possible to control what we eat by choosing the right kind of foods.

The idea that healthy food costs more than junk food is something I hear far too often. People generally believe that ‘healthy’ equals ‘expensive, but as I’ve come to find out over the years from personal experience this is not completely true. One part of the problem is that many people confuse “healthy” with other labels that do increase costs, like “organic” or “gluten-free.” However, unless you have a diagnosed medical condition, you can have a nutritious diet without worrying about those extra labels. I personally don’t buy organic or gluten free food, I just buy heathy food periodt. They key is to eat more whole foods and fewer processed ones.  The other part of the problem is where one shops.

My definition of healthy eating, as stated in Body, Mind, & Mouth...Life's Eating Connection is: "Eating food that is enjoyable to you, in the quantity that is good for you." This means the fruit and vegetables you find enjoyable can be eaten in a larger quantity than the chocolate cake you find enjoyable that should be eaten in a much smaller quantity. It means that you don't deprive yourself, but you learn to make choices congruent with your desired results. It also means your grocery cart is full of the food that nourishes you, and less or none of the food with no nourishment. In the grand scheme, it cost you less.

My food philosophy is: Embrace gorgeous greens, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, grains, sea veggies, fruits and vegetables galore. It is good to eat foods that keep your body alive, but it is better to eat food that keep your body healthy; it is best to regard your body as a temple and eat appropriate food. The point is you have to invest in your health - it is your biggest asset in life!! Feed your body only best quality food, you deserve it! You eat better, you perform better, you feel better, you look better. It all ties together.

Now that I am done rambling about healthy eating here are my counterarguments.

Money – Responsibility

As someone who has been on both sides of the socio-economic spectrum, I can say with certainty that eating healthy while on a budget isn’t impossible. I have experienced poverty, homelessness and financial stability. That being said, when I experienced financial instability, it never stopped me from eating healthy.

Over my 25 years of existence of this earth, I have never let my socio-economic situation define who I am and what I can accomplish. When I hear people say that they can’t eat healthy because of their financial situation (e.g. my family is on welfare), it strikes a chord in me. To me, asserting that poor people cannot eat healthy simply because of their financial status perpetuates and reinforces the stigma and representation of the unhealthy lower-class individual. It insinuates that eating healthy is only for rich people – this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The circumstances of our lives, especially when they seem stressful or intense, do have an impact on us, for sure. However, all too often, we give away our power to these circumstances and situations. At some point, you have to take control of your existence. You cannot keep on blaming your parents or your circumstances forever. You are totally responsible for your life.

Like discipline, responsibility is one of those words you have probably heard so many times from authority figures that you've developed a bit of an allergy to it. Still, it's one of the most important things to grow and to feel good about your life. Without it as a foundation nothing else really works. Not taking responsibility may be less demanding, less painful and mean less time spent in the unknown. It's more comfortable. You can just take it easy and blame problems in your life. But there is always a price to pay. When you don't take responsibility for your life you give away your personal power.

Disciplining yourself to do what you know is right and important, although difficult, is the high road to pride, self-esteem and personal satisfaction.

The fact of not having the financial means does not necessarily mean that one cannot eat healthy. Everyone can rise above their circumstances.

Note, I’m not referring to homeless people here, but to people who either live on financial assistance or a modest salary. Also, keep in mind that again I am sharing my 2 cents as a Canadian. I perfectly understand that in terms of social benefits, Canada and the US cannot be compared (I’m assuming that @nerdgul, you are American).

At the beginning of my last year in high school, my mother developed a mental illness. Eventually, she ended up not working anymore and we started living on social assistance. If you’ve been following me since I started my blog, you know that at that time I was obese type 2. Fast forward, when I graduated high school and entered college, that’s when I really turned my life around and took responsibility for it. Despite being almost broke, buried under college assignments and dealing with personal life issues at home (taking care of my mentally ill mother), I managed to lose 70 pounds on my own, going from 220 pounds to 150 pounds – by exercising and starting to eat healthy while on a budget.

I didn’t have the time, but I made the time. I didn’t have the knowledge, but I did what I knew. I didn’t have the support, but I learned to support myself. I didn’t have the confidence, but the confidence came with results. I had a lot going against me, but I had enough going for me. I had plenty of excuses, but I chose not to use any of them.

When I look at my old pictures, all I can see is what I used to be, but am no longer. I think what I can see is what I am not… It's not my story anymore: whenever I speak about the past now, I feel as if I were talking about something that has nothing to do with me. All that remains in the present are the voice, the presence, and the importance of fulfilling my mission. I don't regret difficulties I experienced; I think they helped me to become the person I am today, I feel the way a warrior must feel after years of training; he doesn't remember the details of everything he learned, but he knows how to strike when the time is right.

I wasn’t in the best shape of my life, but I wanted to prove to myself I could do something that seems insurmountable and inspire others by showing them no matter where they are in their fitness goals, they can do it, too. “You just do it. You force yourself to get up. You force yourself to put one foot before the other, and God damn it; you refuse to let it get to you. You fight. You cry. You curse. Then you go about the business of living. That’s how I’ve done it. There’s no other way.

One thing that college and university have taught me is how to be resourceful. RESOURCEFUL! One more time for those in the background: RE·SOURCE·FUL! Resourceful in terms of money, time and sources! Having the ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties will get you far in life! Not having much is not a reason that should prevent someone from realizing greatness. As a post-secondary student, I learned to make the most of the little money I have, I never let my lack of money prevent me from being healthy. Obstacles don't have to stop you. Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

There are so many great places where food can be purchased at affordable price. Stores such as Dollarama, Dollar It, Dollar Three, Walmart and Giant Tiger (a.k.a GT Boutique) have so much to offer. As of late I’ve most of my grocery shopping at GT.  Y’all postsecondary students in Canada need to stop sleeping on GT boutique!

10 Healthy Things You Can Buy at the Dollar Store [X]

What's VEGAN at Dollar Tree? Frozen Foods Edition - ON A BUDGET [X]

What's VEGAN at Dollar Tree? Frozen Foods Edition - ON A BUDGET [X]

Never Pay For Food Again In NYC [X]

Why Do We Waste Perfectly Good Food In The U.S.? [X]

I purchase most of my fruits and veggies at Giant Tiger. As you can see in the images below:

Mangoes are ¢79 each (60 cents USD) – Third pic

A bag of 5 avocadoes $1.99 on sales ($1.51 USD)/Regular price $3.97 ($3 USD) – First pic

A bag of apple $1.97 ($1.49 USD) – First pic

A bag of oranges $2.97 ($2.24 USD) – First pic

A pack of 4 bell peppers $1.97 ($1.49 USD) – First pic

Cantaloupe $2.47 each ($1.86 USD) – First pic

Cucumbers ¢97 each (73.17 cents USD) – Second pic

Mushrooms $1 (75 cents USD) – Fouth pic

Pasta ¢79 (¢60 USD) – Fifth pic

Here’s a list of stuff that I regularly purchase at these stores.

When it comes to meat I always check for specials. When the meat is on sale I stack up my freezer. In the image below you can see I grabbed on some chicken at $1.91 CAD and $5.55 CAD + Pork ribs $4.72 CAD. 

Essentials

Since many cooking commodities such as herbs, spices, flour and oil can be purchased in dollar stores, it seems a little misleading to say that these products are expensive. It’s $1 per seasoning at Dollar Tree [X]. That being said, they sell flour at many dollar stores, Walmart, Target, Giant Tiger.

Availability

Unless you live in a remote area, Dollar stores, Walmart, Target stores, and many similar stores are everywhere. That being said, there are numerous blogs and websites that give great advices on how to eat healthy while living in a remote area. While it may be difficult to have access to affordable, healthy and nutritious food in remote regions, it still isn’t impossible.

In consideration of the foregoing, it should be emphasized that very few people in North America live in remote areas. Today, the most urbanized regions include Northern America (with 82% of its population living in urban areas in 2018), Latin America and the Caribbean (81%), Europe (74%) and Oceania (68%). The level of urbanization in Asia is now approximating 50%. In contrast, Africa remains mostly rural, with 43% of its population living in urban areas [X].

Time

Time, don’t we all wish we had more of it. As I have indicated above, one of the most important things that college and university taught me is how to be resourceful!  As a varsity athlete I work out 4 HOURS per day, go to class, work, and still manage to make time to prepare healthy meals. It’s not about having time, it’s about making time. Many things aren't equal, but everyone gets the same 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We make time for what we truly want.

Prior to being on social assistance - before developing her mental illness, my mother worked 12 hours a day as a cleaning lady; from 8 am to 4 pm, then from 5 pm to 9 pm. Despite her 12-hour shift, she still found time to cook. Now that I’m older and thinking about it, that wild…

There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be fancy. There are so many healthy recipes out there that require very little time to prepare. Sometimes I end up preparing my lunch right before leaving for work. These below are all meals that I prepared right BEFORE leaving for work in like 15-20 min.

It's not the will to win that matters - everyone has that. It's the will to prepare to win that matters. The will to win is worthless if you do not have the will to prepare. By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail...

Here’s a chicken salad I made in 30 min.

I bought a whole cooked chicken for $6 which I boned and then seasoned

Boiled some pasta for 10 min – then put in the freezer for 15 min

Cut some broccoli and cherry tomatoes

Mixed the pasta with the broccoli and cherry tomatoes and some extra seasoning + Mayo

P.S. Here are a few more of my recipes:

Tuna Alfredo Pasta

Cranberry Tuna Salad

Creamy Garlic Shrimp Alfredo Pasta

As a final word

Although, I have much more to say, this post is definitely longer than I expected, so I will stop here. That being said, before closing this post, I would like to emphasize here that we all have our own struggles and by no means I am trying to invalidate the struggles of others with this post.

If someone is tired after working 5 hours and you worked for 7, it doesn’t mean that they’re not allowed to be tired. It doesn’t mean they can’t feel what they’re feeling just because you’ve had it worse.

It is true that there’s a lot more to the price of being healthy than just money, but in the end it all comes down to responsibility. Our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become. Nobody chooses to be broke; nobody wants to be broke, and nobody likes to be broke, but again —our financial status doesn’t have to define us. Your financial situation does not have to dictate how you live your life – rise above adversity. As stated in one of my previous posts, the moment you leave your future in the hands of things outside of your control, is the moment you place it in the hands of circumstance. And, circumstance doesn’t much care about your success. Circumstances are beyond human control, but our conduct is in our own power. Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.

Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. If you do not have money, time and resources to eat healthy, do not give up, figure out ways to change your lifestyle. You can’t change the direction of the wind, but you can adjust your sails to always reach your destination.

I am a firm believer in the law of attraction.

“Watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions, they become habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

If you constantly say that you cannot eat healthily because you do not have money, time and resources, it will become a habit. You won’t make an effort to eat healthy because you think you can’t – you will have this misconception in your head that eating healthy is out of your reach. But if you start to change your mind and think more optimistically, you will change your actions. If you start telling yourself “you know what I don’t have much but let me see what I can do with the little that I have”, you will improve your eating habits. Will it be easy? Absolutely not.  The path to a healthy lifestyle is never easy, but the road to it is always rewarding.

Thinking that you can’t eat healthy because you don’t have money, time and resources is a detrimental way of thinking. It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters. Everyone is a victim of circumstances they accept. If you decide not to eat healthy because you don’t have money, time and resources – well you have let your circumstances win. Never let your circumstances prevent you from achieving greatness.

A positive attitude gives you power over your circumstances instead of your circumstances having power over you. Your mind is the most powerful force you will ever face. It will tell you lies— it will tell you: you can’t do that – you’re not meant for that; you’re not good enough for that, you can’t go on anymore – you don’t have the energy. You must thank it for its opinion and carry on. The only locked doors that exist are in YOUR own mind. The doors in reality are open and all you have to do is walk through…

Don’t be that person who thinks that because they cannot eat healthy, they are not going to eat healthy.

[mensbodybuildingtips]

How to Get Rid of Loose Skin After Weight Loss

If you're taking care of the problem of loosened skin, particularly after major weight loss, right here's just what you could do about it.

Have you broke your butt for months as well as months to drop weight just to be left with handfuls of hideous loose skin?

Do you would like to know at last just what it takes to tighten this skin and also display that brand-new body you have actually worked so tough for?

If so, then this write-up is for you!

First, allow me state that I comprehend exactly how frustrating the loose skin problem is. It's very inhibiting to really feel like you're doing whatever right without obtaining the outcomes you actually desire.

Some people might say to quit stressing over just how you look as well as just be delighted with exactly what you have actually obtained, yet I have a difficult time with guidance like that.

Sure, some people develop undesirable fascinations with looks and picture, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with wishing to have a lean, solid, healthy body that looks as well as feels great. In truth, I would certainly reach stating that everyone must have that experience.

And so in this short article, we're mosting likely to take an extensive take a look at the loosened skin concern and also see what can be done about it.

The Trouble isn't Constantly Loose or Excess Skin

While there are legitimate cases of excess skin after weight-loss, just what many individuals assume hangs or excess skin is really just excess body fat, which is soft as well as jiggly and quickly mistaken as skin.

There's a simple method to inform if you're handling real loose skin or way too much body fat.

Pinch the location you're worried about as well as if you can get hold of greater than a couple of millimeters of skin, there's more fat in there to lose.

Until you shed that fat, your skin has no factor to return to its previous size and also tautness. Bear in mind that skin isn't really a curtain of passive, inert flesh-it's a living body organ that adapts to its interior and external environments. As long as the fat it's affixed to remains, it will certainly sag.

If you're a man, I wouldn't take into consideration surgical treatment to take care of loosened skin up until you've struck 10% body fat. If you're a woman, 20% is the number.

These are the body fat ranges where your subcutaneous fat degrees come to be reduced sufficient to precisely examine the state of your skin. As well as possibilities are simply getting lean sufficient will solve the entire problem.

If, however, a person reaches this reduced level of body fat and his/her skin is practically paper thin as well as looks like crinkly papyrus, after that it truly refers excess skin, and could be taken care of accordingly.

Now, one point you should know is that specific fat shops are more difficult to shed compared to others. The scientific research is rather complicated, and also I study it below, but also for the function of this post all you need to recognize is the fat in certain locations of our body is tougher to lose compared to the fat in others.

Not together, these 'stubborn' fat stores stick to the areas frequently related to loose or excess skin troubles: the reduced abdomen, lower back (love takes care of), hips, thighs, and butt.

What many people think is loosened skin is just excess amounts of stubborn fat.

Now, you cannot directly 'target' persistent fat shops with unique diet regimen or training methods, however you could make use of a number of strategies to assist remove them much faster. I discuss every little thing here.

Building Muscle and Minimizing Excess Skin

A big part of tightening up loose skin is developing muscle. The factor for this is simple.

There are two layers of tissue below your skin: fat and also muscle, both which press against your skin as well as keep it from sagging loosely.

When you acquire a huge quantity of weight, your skin needs to increase a fair bit to suit the increase in body size. When you lose the fat, nonetheless, as well as particularly when you lose it promptly, your skin does not necessarily reduce at the exact same price as your fat cells. This discrepancy can cause loose skin.

Furthermore, numerous individuals utilize numerous types of starvation diet programs along with large amounts of cardio to lose fat, which additionally causes substantial muscular tissue loss, further broadening deep space between the skin and the underlying tissue.

The outcome is a minimized body fat percentage but a little, soft physique with drooping skin. The 'slim fat' appearance, as it's called.

Building muscle is the remedy to all these woes because it actually completes the looseness in the skin, producing a visibly tighter, healthier look.

This suggestions applies to both people that have already lost a lot of weight and those that are just beginning. If you're presently dealing with issues of loosened skin, you ought to start raising weights. If you're starting a weight loss routine, be sure to include weight training in it.

Remember the objective isn't just to lose weight yet to lose fat and not muscle.

Improving Skin Elasticity

If your skin loses elasticity-its capability to broaden as well as diminish as needed-it can not go back to its correct dimension. This occurs normally as we age but it could affect more youthful people. What can you do to enhance it?

Several things, actually.

Stop smoking.

As if there weren't currently adequate reasons to stop cigarette smoking, below's an additional: it ruins your skin.

A research study from scientists at the International Association of Ecologic Dermatology assessed the skin of 64 women Italian cigarette smokers for the presence of lines, vascular as well as pigmentation state, elasticity, brightness, and also texture.

The first evaluation exposed that the ordinary organic age of research individuals was 9 years older compared to their chronological age. After 9 months of not smoking cigarettes, nevertheless, the average decrease in the organic age of the skin was 13 years.

The profits is this: if you desire healthy and balanced, vivid skin, you have to steer clear of from cigarettes.

Eat enough protein.

Research shows a relationship between healthy protein intake and skin youthfulness and also wellness. Low-protein diet programs is related to poorer skin health than high-protein weight loss, which aids decrease wrinkles, dryness, as well as skin atrophy.

Eat your fruits and vegetables.

Your body needs a large range of minerals and vitamins to accomplish the millions of organic procedures that maintain you active and also healthy, and also consuming a number of portions of vegetables and fruits each day is the only reputable way to provide everything your body needs.

In terms of skin specifically, research study has actually revealed that greater consumption of fruits as well as vegetables are related to healthier, good-looking skin.

Consider supplementation.

No tablets or powders are mosting likely to offer you a 'quick repair' for your loosened skin, but there are several supplements that may help. Let's look at each.

Gelatin

A research performed by scientist at Stanford College found that supplementing with 250 mg of jelly daily enhanced skin elasticity.

Getting jelly in your diet can be a little challenging, though, unless you enjoy eating a variety of odd foods like oxtail, chicken feet, or brief ribs. Supplementing is the simplest means to go here, and also here's the product I would directly utilize (CURRENTLY Foods is a credible firm):

Fish Oil

Among fish oil's numerous health advantages is the improvement of skin elasticity, as well as a significant improvement can be seen in as couple of as 3 months.

A premium fish oil is one of the most effective all-around supplements you could take to maintain health and wellness and safeguard against illness, however not all fish oils are equal.

There are 2 vital things to consider when selecting one:

You need to know just how the oil has actually been processed.

There are two types of fish oil on the marketplace today: the triglyceride type and also the ethyl ester form.

The triglyceride type is fish oil in its natural state, and the ethyl ester kind is a processed variation of the triglyceride type that includes a particle of ethanol (alcohol).

While lots of researches have confirmed the benefits of supplementation with fat ethyl esters (FAEEs), research study has shown that the triglyceride form is better soaked up by the body.

One of the reasons for this is the ethyl ester form is far more immune to the enzymatic procedure by which the body breaks the oil down for use.

Another drawback to the ethyl ester form is during the digestive procedure, your body transforms it back to the triglyceride type, which causes the launch of the ethanol molecule.

Although the dosage is small, those with alcohol level of sensitivity or dependency can be negatively impacted. Research has actually supplied evidence of mobile and also natural poisoning and also injury resulting from the ingestion of FAEEs.

You desire to understand the EPA/DHA material of each serving.

Because of the varying quality of fish oils on the market, it's essential that you look at how lots of milligrams of EPA and also DHA (omega-3 fatty acids) are really in each serving.

Lower-quality supplements may have as little as 150 - 200 mg each 1 gram of fat, which makes them virtually pointless as you have to take much too many every day to obtain sufficient omega-3s (you want a minimum of 2 - 3 g of omega-3s each day).

A top quality fish oil can be quite a bit more money than a low-quality one, but when you check out just how much you're obtaining for that money in terms of omega-3 fatty acids, the price makes more sense.

For instance, below's the label from an affordable, low-grade (ethyl ester) fish oil product:

This item costs regarding $11, and comes with 100 pills consisting of 300 mg of omega-3 fats each. This indicates you're obtaining 30 g of omega-3 fats each bottle, and paying concerning 37 cents per gram.

Now, below's the tag from a high-grade triglyceride fish oil item that I make use of, Nordic Naturals' Ultimate Omega ( and FYI, I have no partnership with Nordic Naturals):

This item costs concerning $40, as well as includes 120 tablets having 640 mg of omega-3 fatty acids each.

This implies you're getting about 77 g of omega-3 fats each container, and paying about 52 cents per gram.

So, as you can see, the first cost difference of $11 vs. $40 isn't really as extreme when you check out just what you're getting: 37 cents per gram of low-quality oil that isn't really most likely to deliver all the benefits you're looking for vs. 52 cents each gram for the highest-quality oil on the marketplace that will.

In regards to dose, 1 to 3 g of omega 3 fatty acids (not fish oil but the omega Sixes themselves) suffices for many objectives. Right here's the product I directly utilize and like:

What Regarding 'Weight-loss Tablets'?

The US weight-loss market is absolutely enormous (worth nearly $61 billion since 2011), as well as weight-loss tablets make up about $1.5 billion of that pie.

When people are investing that kind of loan, matter on the hucksters and also shysters to be operating in force.

The outcome is, well, what we see in the marketplace: an absolute excess of weight loss items and also dietary routines, all advertised as far better compared to the next.

This could make fat burning a very complex, discouraging, and also expensive endeavor.

Well, the first thing you must understand is that NO pill will certainly cause you to amazingly shed weight. You have to manage your caloric intake to slim down (you have to feed your body less energy compared to it burns everyday).

That claimed, in this article, I review the components in a selection of prominent "weight reduction pills" and reveal you which could accelerate weight reduction when combined with an appropriate diet regimen, which don't, and which researchers are not sure of.

The Profits on Loose Skin and also Weight Loss

In some situations, there is no other way to completely remove loosened skin without surgical procedure. Before you drop that roadway, however, comply with the suggestions in this article and also see where you're at:

Get to 10% body fat (men)/ 20% body fat (ladies)

Build a substantial quantity of muscle mass to replace a few of the 'area' left from the fat loss

Don't smoke

Adopt a high-protein diet

Eat a number of portions of vegetables and fruits every day

Use supplements confirmed to aid if your budget sustains it

If you do all these points and continue to be individual, there's an excellent chance you could dramatically decrease and even remove your loosened skin issue without going under the knife.

[taurusmanlove]

Best Gifts For a Taurus Man

New Post has been published on https://taurusmen.net/best-gifts-for-a-taurus-man/

Best Gifts For a Taurus Man

Everybody loves attention, right? especially from their loved ones.

Men born in this sign are true hedonists, and they really know how to enjoy things and they love everything that involves good taste, comfort or that looks pretty. As you can see, it’s not that hard to please your Taurus man.

As an earth sign, there is no doubt in their stability, and it also refers to things they like. They don’t drift away from their usual wishes and needs, so you don’t have to worry about whether he changed his hobby, or stopped liking the thing he adored so much the day before.

The Venus that rules his sign makes him enjoy luxurious things with good quality, but he doesn’t care about the price. He is not superficial, far more than that. He is gentle but masculine.

There are all kinds of ideas and I will mention some of them, but also, you can find more here on this youtube video. It’s worth watching because the author is concise, and she doesn’t strive from the topic.

See also: What a Taurus man really wants from his woman

Choosing The Best Gift for a Taurus Man

Anything that is connected to art and collectables

A very interesting thing about Taurus men is their connection to art (especially music and singing), but it’s also logical since they love to please their senses.

If you know him and his taste of music well, you could take him to the concert he would like. Just don’t choose a location that is too far away, because they don’t like long travels.

You can reconsider buying him a record or maybe an instrument he likes the most if you can afford it of course.

Paintings could be a good gift, but you really need to know him well in order to pick the right painting. Since they like fine and pampering things, picking the right one could be a bit tricky. The same refers to clothes.

If he collects something, adding something to his collection would never be amiss.

See also: 7 things that turn him on

Something that satisfies his senses

As sensual as their sign can be, they enjoy in a good taste. Therefore, taking him out to dinner in a fine, luxurious restaurant where they serve the food he likes is always a good choice, but if you are skilled in cooking, making the food yourself would be an even better option.

You can decorate the living room with natural-based scents and things, play some good music and enjoy your romantic dinner.

Wherever you are going, try to look your best for him. Pick your favorite outfit and look as beautiful as you can be. When he sees you like that, he will be so happy that a woman like you is actually his and only his. Make sure you smell good as well, he will love it.

If you want to make him something he hasn’t eaten before, it’s better not to experiment with unfamiliar cuisine or ingredients, since he will certainly react to it.

They love sensual touch as well, so taking him to a spa or a message is a great option as well.

Also, you can take him into nature, or a place with beautiful scenery. They love natural things that are not very turbulent, but try to be original about picking a place.

See also: The things he loves to hear from a woman

Practical but affectionate

Taurus men are very in tune with their surroundings. They love the sights, sounds and smells and will always choose to live and spend time in beautiful surroundings. Therefore, a great present for him would be something that compliments his apartment, like comfortable blankets or pillows. Remember, they are very sensual.

Taurus men are stable, practical and devoted. He would like to have something he could use, but try to include something else with it that’s showing your emotions towards him.

Don’t just buy something and give it to him. Wrap it nicely, because small things that show that you care about him are always a plus, so make sure you add a handwritten gift card, or a picture, or anything handmade if you can. That will show him how much effort you have put into making a present for him.

There are so many ideas on what kind of practical items you can give to your Taurus partner. They work hard, so, if you can afford it, a tablet or a laptop that is designed for work is a great choice. If not, then you could buy him some kind of a classy planner or notebook which he can use for organizing his work schedule.

This article here gives a lot of good advice on more items you could buy him. It is very helpful since Taurus is a fixed sign.

See also: The things to know when dating a Taurus

Final Thoughts

In summary, Taurus men are not so picky. They don’t care about the present itself as much as they care about your attention. They will be thrilled to see that you have invested your time in them, especially if you picked the right present for him.

You can combine these ideas. Take him somewhere nice, and then give him a present there. He will be happy to see that you have planned everything that you really want him to be happy.

Don’t forget: If a Taurus man is with you, then he is all about you. Choosing a present that’s just right for him will make him even more crazy about you since you will show him that he is safe with you.

You can, then, both enjoy some great scenery, or a dinner or something else that you chose to give him, and sharing that experience will make your connection even stronger.

But be cautious; With them, it’s a hit or miss with everything, not just with buying presents.

Try to really find out what he wants or needs, and when you are sure that’s the right present for him, buy it.

Don’t rush it and be patient, with a little observing and asking a few indirect questions should tell you enough.

If you still need more gift ideas for your Taurus lover then check out the video below.

[supplementsprice]

Turmeric Forskolin

This is the best losing fat formula which is created to help the people get rid of heavy weight and body fat. Turmeric Forskolin boosts your metabolism level and speeds up your healthy losing fat process. This formula is available in the form of easy to swallow supplements and is very beneficial to make you to look and feel slim. I am an individual who would like to almost everything perfect in the existence, so just that is why what exactly is skimp having my own body. My growing body fat deposit and excess weight come about to as make the difference of fret personally and my partner and I thought that I would eliminate the idea in just three months which presented the beginning to my own search for the good dietary formula. This specific lookup required everyone nearer to something which is not acknowledged but it is very quiet successful. What I am saying is Turmeric Forskolin. This served everyone eradicate Murielle body fat bulges in the short period of energy and also presented a lots of positive aspects as well. The actual dietary formula given everyone proper life style and also presented everyone liberty by each of the bloat way too. Surely, this system contains a lots of other positive aspects way too which are discussed within evaluate beneath with regards too. The goods is very successful in cutting down each of the extra weight that has been paying off reduced in your body by years. It does not makes you really feel weary during this procedure but instead encourages our power and also stamina by simply renovating the actual cholesterol and calorie storage devices directly into the carbs. The goods guarantees higher health insurance and encouraged amount of the durability and self-assurance as well. This system wards down each of the laziness by you and also makes you the energetic in your work. This will also encourages our digestive system and lowers bloat. The actual dietary formula gives you the liberty by gastric difficulties. This will promotes our feelings and makes you very much more pleased.

My Unbiased review about Turmeric Forskolin

Detailed Study!

This Turmeric Forskolin specific dietary formula encourages our blood flow and supplies you having superior levels of defense. Turmeric Forskolin will help you to restore our most loved self-assurance and help bring about our look. The goods gives you the better working intestines and lowers the actual pay out of the microorganisms inside the body way too. The actual dietary formula is best one in the market today which lowers each of the body fat articles from the body. It will also help within the cleanup of one’s and we can continue with his daily exercise for more time to length. The goods blocks the actual unwanted pay out of the energy and cholesterol that is why enabling you to eat what so ever you want to have to get. This delivers our own bodies back in correct condition and funds that you some sort of the younger looking seem. This function detoxifies our own bodies and help the idea within the everyday operates. This Slimera Garcinia Cambogia destroys each of the unsafe pay out of microorganisms from the body and maintains you match and powerful. The goods setting our craving for food and will help you to express joy each second individuals existence by simply clearing you by feelings golf shots. This specific dietary formula funds you having superior sleeping and eliminates laziness by you as well. The goods promotes the actual operates individuals organs by simply boosting the actual blood flow. This Slimera Garcinia Cambogia help to bring about energy levels and enhances up our self-assurance. The actual dietary formula gives you the superior digestive system and gives you our youngster’s rear.

Product Details!

I really wonder that when I was start to using my fat became melt and I feel energetic all my day my mood swings reduced also eliminate the stomach up section. Turmeric Forskolin also block new making weight and keep controlling your hunger at bay. Turmeric Forskolin really work on the ridiculous and bad things which is boost on our body. It turns out that it is really good deal for the users. It also produce friendly bacteria in our body that provide us more energy friendly mood or good health. The most important way to determine if the diet formula really works and if it can work for you are its results. The answer of your question is here yes I really does work upon you. The highest quality formula that you ever want for the extra weight in affordable price is here. In the addition the latest brand launch for the fatty people according to their health. Read some of the special aspects below, you must be impressed with this Turmeric Forskolin is proven fat burner that is block the new fat to storage. Turmeric Forskolin will also start to melting away fat that you already have naturally start to provide you the sleeker looking body.

Ingredients of Turmeric Forskolin!

Turmeric Forskolin includes the lots of active components, such as Turmeric Forskolin Extract, Hydroxycitric Acid and powerful Antioxidants. All its components are further very safe and effective.

Market Study!

Now a day’s weight gain and obesity is a major issues in our society again. My main focus is weight loss; but without discouraging overall health and also your food. But the big question is how?? It’s all in natural way the right combination of food, it’s so effective that you use supplements while using right diet. The supplementation Turmeric Forskolin, it contain vitamin C which is good for fat burning, also it has a great source anti-oxidant that help to control premature aging and help to hydrate. It is effective our metabolism rate, that digest fad food in our body, remove toxins and parasites. Excess sugar, like carbohydrates instead of being turned into fat, and burn excess fat, and the remaining extra fat convert into energy. This will increase lean body mass, beside this it will actually get rid of the all bad unhealthy food in our body, and make it beautiful slim body. It obvious when you lose weight, you feeling happy and energetic with the healthy way of life.

Product Features!

For some individuals, this is an excellent way to control their cravings that often leads to overeating. Consequently, those who take this supplement feel less hungry and take in less amounts of excess fat. They just eat what’s desired by the entire body, which removes the intake of extra calories. Further helps increase the serotonin levels in the mind. This brain chemical is to blame for maintaining proper balance of one’s moods, as well as relieve symptoms linked with depression and tension. Generally, emotional eaters or those who overeat because of worries are inclined to gain weight in a significantly quicker rate. With the aid of this supplement, one’s moods may become more stable, which eliminates entirely episodes of overeating. A person became more weight loss in healthy way, and energetic all day.

Consideration about Turmeric Forskolin!

The best way to lose weight is to make small, realistic changes to your diet, use supplements APG and the amount of physical activity you do. Than you significantly reduce body mass and get rid to the unwanted fat. The benefits of weight loss pills extend far beyond just helping you lose weight. They can reduce your risk of certain types of diseases, improve your overall mood and make you feel and look better. When you lose some weight you see the positive changes in your body or lifestyle. Some are listed below have a look;

Decreased risk for colon and breast cancer.

Better blood pressure.

A better night’s sleep for those with obstructive sleep apnea.

Improved heart health and lower cholesterol levels.

A healthier gallbladder.

Decreased risk for diabetes.

Better breathing.

Enhanced sex life.

Improved mobility.

Less pain associated with arthritis, joint disease, and lower back pain.

More energy and power.

Losing weight reduces the amount of fatty tissue in the back of the throat and decreases snoring. Weight loss pills work by increasing energy and reducing appetite, both of which help you lose weight. Maintaining a healthy weight encourages better quality sleep and reduces the risk of developing sleep.

Important Things about Turmeric Forskolin!

Over weight is major issue these days you know the all very well. Weight is difficult but not even impossible. If you decide to shed pounds than shed actually and do some for your obesity. Let it be go Turmeric Forskolin as you read above the article I define very clear that these certified formulated pills are only for weight loss and more over health. These supplementation increase the level of energy, control huger, eliminate toxin, increase the metabolic rate also serotonin which lead shed sufficient pound in our body. Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which blood sugar levels are above normal. High blood sugar is a major cause of heart disease, kidney disease. This formula control the all premature disease. Losing weight may help prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. Losing weight and becoming more physically active can help you control your blood sugar levels and prevent or delay health problems. Losing weight supplement more may also allow you to reduce the amount of carbohydrate and allow to lose some extra fat.

Directions of Use!

Turmeric Forskolin manages the cortisol, serotonin levels of the overall body, a hormone that increases due to stress. High blood pressure is linked to overweight and obesity in several ways. Having a large body size may increase blood pressure because your heart needs to pump harder to supply blood to all your cells. Hence, a persons will feel more energized and capable of performing excellently even when stressed out. This applies the main role in our whole health. We achieved amazingly figure. Blood pressure is how hard your blood pushes against the walls of your arteries. High blood pressure (hypertension) usually has no symptoms, but it may cause serious problems, such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. This implies, it is not only effective in preserving one’s ideal weight loss, but it has a positive impact using a person’s total wellbeing. Excess fat may also damage your kidneys, which help regulate blood pressure. It control the symptoms of high blood pressure and all the other unhealthy health issues. The energy boost is many people’s favorite part of the weight loss pills. Increased energy leads to greater productivity, faster weight loss and in some cases, less depression. Enjoy the ability of the Slimera Garcinia Cambogia product.

Indications!

The frustration of seeing extra pounds on the scale or of a too-tight waistband that you know used to fit is understandable. But did you know that anything from a hormonal imbalance to vitamin deficiencies to the prescription meds you take can hold clues to what’s making you gain weight? Anti-depressant medications cause weight gain so if you are depressed and taking anti-depression pills for it, expect to see a bump in weight gradually over the year. Carrying excess weight makes it difficult for cells to respond to insulin, because the extra fat acts like an insulating layer, making it harder for the sugar to move into cells and resulting in higher circulating blood sugar levels. People who are overweight or obese often have health problems that may increase the risk for heart disease. The big reason is in inverted commas; that is over eating, we really don’t know what we eat all day, if we are not hungry at all. Accumulated we eat continuously and didn’t notice, when we notice our extra pounds on the scale is too much. Than we frustrate and not understand what we do now. Avoid these all things in your life.

Legal Disclaimer!

Turmeric Forskolin is perfectly safe and very effective; it’s the way some companies mix and dilute it that ruins an otherwise excellent weight-loss supplement. HCA, the weight-loss chemical found in natural tropical fruits, is the key. Turmeric Forskolin has a truly natural product that is made from the rind of the tamarind fruit, which resembles tiny pumpkin. This fruit is full of tons of anti-oxidants, and ingredients that help in combating fat and also reduce the effects of aging. Anti-oxidants are very important and they attack free radicals in the body that cause disease and build fat cells that are otherwise so hard to get rid of.

Effectiveness of Product!

Wrong to say it has risk. No Turmeric Forskolin has not any unhealthy risk issues. Totally natural herbal product for shedding weight for all the individual who wished to look slim. Obese or extremely overweight and at risk of health complications should take the pills; people who want to shed a few pounds to fit into their favorite dress should use weight loss pills and instead consider extra exercise and cutting out unhealthy foods from their diets. Now just a look an ingredients. The blend of herbal compound called HCA of Garcinia extract. That mold our body comfortably huge too thin and slim. Also it has positive source of calcium, vitamin C. which is hydrate your body all day, give you more strong bones also shed pounds in healthy way of life.

Visible Benefits!

If you use these formulation you will get more energy compared to your normal days.

Eliminate toxins and parasite in your colon.

Sufficient weight loss is main goal of this supplements.

Attack on belly stubborn fat, and make it flat.

Dehydrate body all day.

Give you great source of calcium and vitamins.

Increase metabolic rate.

Slow the sign of aging.

The pills help detoxify and even cleanse the body.

Relief from fatigue.

Control stress hormone.

The pills help rid the body of unwanted acid, which in turn improves circulation and overall health.

Improve the level of blood flow also serotonin.

Control food craving make you fit.

Does It Really Works?

Turmeric Forskolin is a safe and healthy weight loss aid all by itself. But where it really excels is in combination with other products. Because it is milder than some other diet aids with no caffeine or other stimulant properties, it has been used for many years to enhance the effectiveness of other products without making users nauseous, nervous, or edgy. ThisTurmeric Forskolin product is a fat burner with a natural way, it is fast and quick weight loss product introduce here. Weight loss is not an easy task from everybody. Turmeric Forskolin have produced results that indicate a potential for modulation of lipid metabolism, this product is naturally produce for weight lose especially who did not want to exercise or diet. Its ingredients is very helpful to bust your body fat, increase serotonin level appetite suppressant and mood enhancer. That power combination of effects is what allows people to lose weight and stressed out. Losing weight is never easy but it can definitely be less or more difficult depending on your body’s natural rate of metabolism. Even the hunger suppressant is a bit different.

How Does It Works?

Based mostly on a recently available exploration published inside the Diabetes, Obesity and Calorie, researchers used Turmeric Forskolin with HCA to learn about its weight-loss benefits. They discovered that it causes significant weight loss, along with a decrease in food intake. But, it also targets and improves things like cholesterol, low-density triglycerides, lipoproteins and serum leptin levels. It is a diet supplement that is gaining interest among the entire health and weight loss industry. Turmeric Forskolin is 100% natural and contains no extra filler ingredients. When it comes to weight loss and taking diet pills, it’s important to do it smart: Being overweight truly comes with several potential underlying health problems that could be affected. This is actually why people must be sure that the product they use will help them lose weight and that it is safe for their health. An increase in weight or an improper diet can have associated problems on your body, and therefore it is very necessary to try to have the right diet and even the right weight for height and build. In fact, there are tables which decide the recommended weight and will clearly show if you have too much weight of the body, according to your height. With any type of drug or diet you should really keep a journal and keep records of what you eat and how you feel at different times of the day before you start with your weight loss attempt and during. This Slimera Garcinia Cambogia will help you to get the very best results from your practices and to keep track of your overall health.

Expected Results!

Reduces the body’s ability to store fat.

Controls appetite and thus helps to lose weight.

Lowers serum triglycerides.

Garcinia is also an appetite suppressant.

Increasing the amount of serotonin in your body.

Slimera will increase your serotonin level and regulate your emotions.

When to Expect Results!

Not only does HCA suppress your appetite, but it also limits the body’s ability to turn carbohydrates into fat. This factor, combined with increased calorie burning and a suppressed appetite, prohibit the body from converting excess carbohydrates into stored body fat. In fact, instead of increasing your body fat, you’ll increase your energy. They will not be stressed enough to eat and will not hungry either. This supplement will help a person reach their goals of a healthy weight. This fruit can also improve a person’s sleeping habits and make them more rested. This amazing product Turmeric Forskolin gives you the best results in just couple of week.

Best Tips!

Don’t use anti-depression pills ever.

Don’t take too much stress.

Control your blood pressure.

Do not consume more sweets like; saturated sugar, pastries.

Do some walk daily, twice a day, 5 day in a week.

Eat healthy food.

Eliminate unhealthy food, junk foods

Only use pure supplements for weight loss likeTurmeric Forskolin

Pros!

Turmeric Forskolin will control all body fat.

It is GMP certified with laboratories.

It has unpleasant side effects.

Slimera will 100% guaranteed fat burner formula.

Enhance metabolism.

Shed belly, thigh and butt fat.

Cons!

Turmeric Forskolin is only for women’s.

It did not allowed for pregnant and nursing mothers.

Problems in Product!

Honestly! I did not find any problem in this Turmeric Forskolin, because I am the user of Turmeric Forskolin and did not found any problem and any of unhealthy risk, beside it provides me lots of benefits.

Doctors Analysis!

This Turmeric Forskolin formula is for all those individuals who found solution to busting extra fat. It is really incredible formula for all those people who is in depression about their unacceptable body. This product is certified GMP lab. The recommended dosage is 500-1000 mg before each meal. This amazing product Turmeric Forskolin is recommended by all doctors.

People’s Opinion!

1st user says: I am new to the world of diet supplements, but tried this out to combat middle age spread around the midsection. I like the fact that Turmeric Forskolin are uses all natural ingredients and that there is some scientific validity to how and why it works. This has been helpful to me as an appetite suppressant, which is why I originally got it. Of course, when it comes to weight control and weight loss.

My Personal Opinion!

I have manage to reduce so much of weight is 25 lbs to be precise. Actually, I have tried several types of diet, but as they says, fads do not really work that well. Besides, while dieting, I was commonly left hungry so I have end up binging on a weekend after dieting of for week. This prevent me from lose all the unhealthy weight. But with Turmeric Forskolin supplements, I do not the cravings and I feel finally healthy.

Things keep In Your Mind!

Turmeric Forskolin is GMP certified and clinically proven.

It did not allowed to use who are pregnant or breast feeding.

Turmeric Forskolinis totally fat burner.

It did not cause any health risk.

Recommended dosage of Turmeric Forskolin is 1000mg per day, which means 2 capsules a day.

Free Trial!

Turmeric Forskolin is offers you free trial that you would satisfy yourself with it. Simply and truly it contain 60 % of HCA which is safe and effective shed unwanted weight and improve metabolism. Don’t neglect this chance get your free trial now.

Having Any Risk?

The extract from this fruit has been featured and commented on by Doctors. Garcinia Cambogia is all natural from a fruit and does not contain additives. There are no known side effects since thisTurmeric Forskolin supplement comes from a fruit. In addition to healthy eating habits and proper exercise a person can lose up to three times the weight by using this Slimera supplement.

Things I Do Not Like It!

The first use of supplements feel little headache but after 2, 3 days you would normal as routine.

Also it is not for nursing mothers.

Precaution!

Suggested dosage is 800mg before major meal.

Do not use nursing mothers.

Use prescription as directed.

Keep out of reach of the children.

Only use natural Turmeric Forskolin

Pick it only true formulation.

Prediction!

This raw material often requires more care and expertise to produce because of the time intensive extraction process (from the rind of the Turmeric Forskolin fruit) that insures maximum potency. Turmeric Forskolin is validated by human clinical trials and the potency is guaranteed. This Slimera Garcinia Cambogia product has been primarily sold in health clinics across the USA and we are now making it available online exclusively through Weight Loss Punch. Turmeric Forskolin is truly number 1 and delivers maximum potency for maximum results.

Where to Buy?

For drag your order visit its official website…

The post Turmeric Forskolin appeared first on Supplements Price.

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Organifi Green Juice Reviews: Must Try At Least Once in a Lifetime

At least once in a lifetime, you should try to drink organic green juice. Nothing can ease your effort to get a healthy life like organifi products can. Imagine finding your own formula to mix the fruits, vegetables, and other foods to fulfill your nutritional needs. Plenty of those ingredients are out of your reach, grown only in certain locations and must be expensive to get. But organifi drinks have made it easier.

Organifi Green Juice Reviews: Must Try at Least Once in a Lifetime

So, too, do organic drinks! The best natural ingredients in Organifi work together to help and support you every day and give your body the best. The materials used are grown organically and taken directly from the site. Not from the ordinary shop who might sell fake or cheap-quality products.

Remember when we were kids? We often refuse to eat vegetables and fruits that are good for us because they are not tasty. It is true that some vegetables have a bitter taste that makes you want to throw them up before you chew them. But forget that kind of assumption! Many organifi green juice reviews show us that our drinks are the most delicious healthy drinks they ever tasted. I guarantee you will not find any drink with the same taste as organifi!  You know how you feel when you taste a great drink, right? want to drink more and more. You do not even mind paying the price if you are satisfied.

Moreover, organic drinks are affordable and easy to get. No one complained about the price of organifi drinks because they knew that to get such ingredients with the nutrition and quality, they could spend much more money than the organifi drinks. Everything is online now, so if you visit a physical store near your home or office, it might be hard to find. Just visit the website and you'll see plenty of organifi reviews there. Prove it by yourself! You just have to order, make the payment, and wait until the slushy is delivered right in front of your very door.

Still not sure? The support team is ready to be your personal coach if you need any further information or have questions to ask. And if you buy online, there will always be plenty of discounts and coupons offered. Of course, buying in multiple packs saves much more, but if you try one can on your first attempt, it already fulfills your nutrition needs for the 30 days ahead! Remember, there is no purchase requirement here!

Want to know what’s greater? Organifi offers a guarantee for every product you purchase. You can get your money back 100% if you want within 30 days since you received your order. No questions will be asked or terms and conditions applied. It is all up to you! So, what are you waiting for? Being healthy and happy has never been this easy. Nothing to lose, right? Take the chance now; faster is better.

You might think you have tried such products in the past and got no result. Other healthy drinks also bombard you with their advertisements. So, why do I have to choose Organifi? What’s the difference? Because Organifi gives you the proof, not just some sweet promises.

Alternative: https://www.mygreensdaily.com/

[cook-the-beans]

As I said in a previous post, you shouldn’t visit Bali thinking about the beaches, if you want great beaches, look at other Indonesian islands or even other countries in southern Asia. Said that what a better place to be than a city that doesn’t have a coastline, and is really well located to visit the best places around the island of Bali.

I’ve found that Ubud offers the best location, great and affordable accommodation and abundant vegan food options. Out of all the cities in Bali, Ubud is the best, not because is the most authentic one (far from that) but because it has good quality affordable touristic infrastructures in a perfect location to do days out to other places in the island. Within relatively short driving distances you have temples, museums, mountains, waterfalls, rice terraces, and many other natural sights.

The downside of Ubud is that feels a bit like the city is entirely set up to tourists, unfortunately, most places in Bali that offers good/affordable accommodation nowadays are like that. Although I still found that Ubud offered a good middle ground between touristic and local.

About Ubud

Ubud is located in the Gianyar region of Bali and is surrounded by lush rice paddies, and is one of the cultural centers of Bali. Ubud is extremely popular among tourists and a hub of yoga, spas and, vegan food.

Ubud like the rest of the island of Bali is a multi-religious place, but the predominant religion is Hinduism, called Agama Hindu Dharma, a blend of Shivaism and Buddhism. Their religion is a world apart from the Hindu religion in India. Ubud, like the rest of Bali, is home to countless temples, and their everyday life is inextricably intertwined with colorful and fascinating religious practices.

Bahasa is the language spoken and the currency used is the Rupiah ($1=Rp.14.800)

I have spent 10 days exploring the island of Bali, always based in Ubud, I had a motorbike to go to different places every day. Please be aware that I don’t advise in any way that you rent a motorbike there if you don’t have experience, Bali, its not the place to learn how to ride one. I never ever seen so many people with motorbike injuries during my travels like I saw in Bali. Road conditions are rough and traffic a nightmare, on top of that there are no rules…

Out of the 10 days only two were actually spent in Ubud, what I think is more than enough if you are not planning to do anything special like a yoga retreat or a course. So here are the top things to do in Ubud

At the end of the post check also what to avoid 🙂

What to do in Ubud

Campuhan Ridge Walk (8.5km, ~3h/4h)

This place is a serene and beautiful green path for an easy hike early morning, the path starts at the Campuhan Bridge and has an amazing view of the jungle, rice paddy fields, small villages, communities, temples, and passes over the lush river valley of Sungai Wos.

This is worth waking up early for, you can go any time during the day but it does get hot and crowded, at least the first part of the path.

  The Puri Saren Agungis – Ubud Royal Palace 

It’s far for being a spectacular place but is the hub of all of Ubud’s cultural events. The entrance is free.

Saraswati Temple (Water Palace)

Its one of the most beautiful temple in central Ubud with a great little walkway in between lotus ponds leading up to the temple. The Saraswati Temple is a Hindu temple built in the 19th century to adore the Goddess Saraswati (The Goddess of Knowledge).

Jalan Goutama 

It’s a road packed with organic everything, from restaurants, bars, cafes, ice-cream shops, etc. and has lots of local warungs serving cheap and delicious food. Here you will find restaurants for all tastes, budgets and, diets.

Jl. Kajeng

A road with messages written into the street paving. It’s really nice to stroll up here and read the message of peace, love and ‘vegan propaganda’.

Ubud Market

The market is a great place to stroll around. If you go very early in the morning (what I recommend) you can visit the produce market in the far south-east corner, and this is as authentic as it gets (7h-10h). Later on, you only have souvenir stalls, with clothes, homewares, jewelry, and other miscellaneous bits and pieces. Prices are always fully negotiable.

Watch a movie at Paradiso Ubud 

Paradiso Ubud is the world’s first organic vegan cinema and definitely worth a try! There are daily movie screenings and the food is delicious.

Food

Balinese food is delicious, and anywhere you go in Ubud there will be delicious vegan options on the menu.

Ubud is blessed with an abundance of great eateries, although menus are a little pricey compared to the rest of Indonesia if you don’t scuffle around backstreets. Local warungs or Padang rumah makan (eating house) are great options.

Massage

There is a tonne of little spas lining the roads in the center of Ubud with very reasonable prices. Why not treat yourself with a full body Balinese massage? You can find prices as lower as RP70.000 to 100.00 ($4.70 – $6.80) for one hour massage.

Wander around 

This is true for any place you visit, stroll around without a plan or a schedule, and lose yourself through narrow streets.. Because Bali is a predominantly Hindu island, there is always something to see, experience and smell.. for example, each morning you will find hundreds of little boxes called Canang Sari filled with flowers, offerings and burning incense.

Unfortunately, there is also a downside here, Ubud has Jammed traffic from vehicles and pedestrians, severely uneven, damaged and broken sidewalks, broken drainage holes with jagged metal bars, sidewalk vendors, shop displays and sometimes even motorbikes. So you are guessing correctly, walking can be a challenge that requires energy and art.

Motorbike around the Ubud countryside

Bali is a small island, so renting a motorbike gives you the freedom and access to explore the Balinese countryside. On your way to places is easy to stumble upon local festivals, cremation ceremonies,  pass by beautiful structures of intricately-carved stone, people flying kites in the fields, beautiful rice paddies, waterfalls, mountains, markets, temples…

⛔️ what to Avoid in Ubud

Sacred Monkey Forest

This is considered a must-do for many, for me is a must not. You do not need to pay to go to a jungle and to see macaques in Southeast Asia, literally you can do it everywhere, for free and without the crowds.

Plus these monkeys are not as cute as they look in the pictures they can be scary aggressive. If you are still planning a visit don’t take anything with you that you aren’t prepared to lose, monkeys can open bags with ease and are professional thieves. They are well trained at efficiently robbing tourists.

I know I’m just telling you to avoid one of the most popular Ubud attractions, but trust me on this one.

Shopping

Well maybe I’m a bit suspect on this one because to be fair I don’t shop, I’m already carrying my small bag around with me, and the last thing I need is extra weight 🙂 plus Ubud is extremely expensive (for Indonesian standards) you will find the same things much much cheaper somewhere else.

If you are into shopping go to the market but be prepared to haggle. Even if you don’t want to do any shopping I still think that you should give the market a visit but early in the morning, because by afternoon it gets seriously crowded.

Don’t buy spices or coffee on the market, most of it is fake.

Sungai Ayung Valley (6.5km ~4h) 

This was sposed to be a great trekking through the lush, tropical river valley but sadly has become an extortion scheme.

When you arrive at the Sayan Terrace hotel, you take the path downhill, there you will find some locals that are blocking the passage with a gate and you can only pass through if you pay RP.150.000 ($10) per person. We refused to pay and they didn’t allow us to pass. So we headed up the hill and we did a different trekking around the same area but instead of the 6.5km took us 15km 🙂

Be aware that the locals carry large sickles or machetes (that they are not using as farming tools) but for the threatening effect.

how to get to Ubud

If you arrive by air, the best option is unfortunately to take a taxi. As you know is always hard to negotiate taxi fares so it’s probably best to have that arrangement done in advance. Most places in Ubud will offer that service, negotiate with them and skip the hassle at the airport in Denpasar.

In August 2018 the taxi fares from Denpasar to Ubud were around RP. 250.000 to RP. 350.000 ($17-$23)

Just get ready for a very slow ride from Denpasar to Ubud, the traffic is just unbelievable. Ubud is about the same distance and time from the nearest port, where boats go to Gili Islands and Lombok.

Where to Stay

My suggestion is to stay close to the center, in a place that includes breakfast, offers transfer and that rents motorbike, this will prevent that you get in one of those motorbikes scams. Ubud has plenty of options with a great relation between quality and price. Make some research and look at the reviews.

I stayed in a great central place, and still in a quiet street. The family was really nice and welcoming, the room was clean and comfortable, and the price excellent, $8 per night with breakfast (I’m happy to pass the name of the place if you want).

Extra notes  

To visit temples, you must be dressed appropriately which includes wearing a sarong, that is basically a long piece of cloth that you wear wrapped around the body and tucked at the waist. Just bring one from home so you don’t need to buy or rent one.

Small temples are all around the city and each temple is unique in its own way.

Don’t buy water bottles, Bali has a project for water refills. Download the app and find the closest location. Ubud has several places offering this service for free or for a small fee (https://www.refillmybottle.com).

Indonesia is an affordable place to travel but especially in Bali, you need to be extra careful to not spend more than you budgeted.  Prices offered to tourists are always inflated and haggling is the only option to bring it within reason.

ATMs can be found easily throughout Ubud.

photography – all rights reserved – Ana Rocha

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Ubud a great hub to explore Bali As I said in a previous post, you shouldn't visit Bali thinking about the beaches, if you want great beaches, look at other Indonesian islands or even other countries in southern Asia.