#there were no avocados . hence cucumber

[mossyshadows]

groceries acquired & going to make the following next few days. yum. adulting

smoked salmon cucumber sushi (bought rice vinegar finally 😏) with konjac shuang on side

egg drop soup (miso base? or stock..) w/ rice and pak choi on side. roast sesame seeds on rice a must. also alternatively silken tofu + pak choi IN miso soup… or alsoooo noodles + miso soup + soft boiled egg. the possibilities <3

spinach tomato sweet potato curry w/ rice & steamed broccoli on side. ginger onion garlic turmeric cumin…. OH CHICKPEAS I forgot chickpeas.. Don’t forget coconut milk either

& jujube ginger honey tea at some point 🫖

[americanbleach]

Sucker Punch - Chapter 1

“Why did you order so many flowers?” I asked, feeling the tickle of a sneeze coming.

“I want it to feel magical like we’re in a garden instead of just a brick courtyard,” Chrissy huffed, taking the bouquet from my arms. 

I sneezed; the relief was instant. 

“Well, you’re in charge of them while I work on the lights,” I smiled.

Chrissy has always loved to make even dinner parties extravagant. She had enthusiastically planned the entire evening, from styling to the menu, and decided on a Midsummer Night’s Dream theme. I folded like a chair when she insisted on picking my clothing for the event, knowing she would also insist on doing my hair and makeup. There was no arguing with Chrissy on these matters, ever the hostess, even if we were hosting in my flat instead of hers. I don’t have an outdoor space, but your courtyard will be perfect. There was no arguing with her logic.

I ran through my to-do list. The homemade lemonade was infused with mint and rosemary. The honey and fig tart was set up in the fridge. The cheese was out to get to room temp. The dishes Chrissy and I picked up in Camden the day before were clean and stacked, ready to go onto the table. I just needed to finish the last of the summer salads I had made before working on hanging the lights up.

After handling the flowers, I rewashed my hands and wiped them on my apron to finish chopping the simple cucumber, tomato, and avocado salad. This was the easiest and last salad to prepare. I added olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice before mixing it and putting it in the fridge. 

Taking off my apron, I walked out to the patio. Chrissy had constructed a long bench seat made of palettes against one courtyard wall with blankets and pillows. 

“I still can’t believe you bought all this for a dinner party. We could have done it picnic style out here.” I said, picking up the boxes of lights.

“It’s an investment for future dinner parties,” Chrissy said, smiling at me as she started arranging flowers and candles in random vases, wine bottles, and candle holders. 

As I worked on hanging the lights, I thought about the prospects for the future. Chrissy was a great friend and wanted to introduce me to as many of her friends as possible. She was a social butterfly, whereas I preferred a smaller, closer group of friends. She knew it was hard for me to move to London, with her as my only friend to turn to upon arriving. She had even arranged for my nanny job that would sponsor me with a work visa when I had told her I planned to come permanently.

We had known each other since childhood, and our fathers worked remotely at the same company. Summers were spent taking turns to visit each other across the pond. As Chrissy and I became teenagers, we began keeping in touch with email throughout the year. She was like the sister I never had, and now that I was in London with her, we were even closer.

Chrissy spent every free moment with me in the two months I had been here. I slept on her couch for the first two weeks before we found a flat in Marylebone near my job in Mayfair for me. Camden had been lovely, but it was even nicer to walk to work without taking the bus or the tube. On weekends, when Chrissy wasn’t doing self-tapes or working a job, she would take me to explore London or buy furniture for my flat, which was mostly furnished now. Hence her insistence on a dinner party. 

She was introducing me to her friends from university; some were in the industry, and some had left for more stable incomes. It would be an interesting night to hang out with grown-up theater kids. It had me slightly overwhelmed, but I knew I needed the kick in the butt from Chrissy to socialize. 

I finished with the last strand of lights and helped Chrissy move the table and chairs into place.

“This is going to look stunning,” Chrissy said, moving some of the flowers and candles onto the table. Why don’t you go shower while I set up the table?”

————————

I adjusted the straps of my dress, feeling naked, “Chrissy, I don’t know about this dress.”

She stepped out of the bathroom, applied her lipstick, and rubbed her lips together. "You look perfect, babes.”

“I feel like I’m not wearing clothes. I look like I’m wearing a nightie without a bra,” I shrugged, moving pieces of my hair from my face. 

“Hazel, you look amazing. Please don’t change,” she begged, her eyes going wide.

“Fine,” I pursed my lips, returning to my vanity.

“Put some highlighter on your collarbones and shoulders. You’ll look like you’re glowing in the lighting,” she said, stepping back into the bathroom.

I brushed it on as someone rang the bell.

“Shit,” Chrissy said, fluffing her curls. 

She slipped on her heels as she headed to the front door. I followed behind her, the straps of my heels already smarting, I was thankful the evening would be spent sitting mostly. She opened the door to a smiling couple. 

“Lucy. Adam. I’m so glad you could make it,” she said leaning in for kisses as they stepped through the doorway.

The next twenty minutes was a flurry of conversation and introductions as more people arrived. Soon we were a party of nine gathered in the courtyard with drinks in our hands. I was chatting with Camille, Chrissy’s roommate from uni. The bell rang again, and Chrissy was in a conversation with Mark and Adelaide. 

“I’ll get it,” I said setting my drink down. 

I adjusted the straps of my dress, smoothing the front down as I walked to the door. Opening it I felt the air rush from my lungs. 

“Hi,” I said lamely. 

“Hello, I’m Luke. You must be Hazel.” He said stepping forward. 

[losingitinjersey]

Started my Sunday by sleeping in until 8 a.m. then hitting the pavement by 9 a.m. for a 5.5 mile walk with the erp.  Thankfully, it was a cool 66 degrees today so I didn’t have to worry about the heat like I did on Friday. Thank you to everyone who chimed in with helpful words of encouragement <3 

After getting home I immediately got in the shower then spent the next hour cleaning the kitchen, doing laundry, making coffee and making breakfast.  By the time I was done I was completely over standing so I spent the rest of the afternoon lounging in bed with the babers.  Dynamite decision.  

While I haven’t gotten any hummingbirds yet at least I caught a cardinal!

Way to hide the package, delivery dude. 

I made the unfortunate decision to take a cup out of the microwave without protective gear and now get this lovely reminder of my lapse in judgement.

I find it so fascinating that by adjusting certain portions in my breakfast I can have such a variety of different meals for roughly the same calorie counts.  This first breakfast shown here with the ginormous tortilla with avocado, sausage and eggs is the same amount of calories as my normal eggs and cheese breakfast.  Crazy town. (I used one less egg, no butter and only 7g of heavy cream instead of 15g)

Dinner Saturday night was leftover chicken thighs and roasted broccoli (what I was making when I burnt my finger by melting coconut oil in the microwave to coat the broccoli in)

When I got dressed for my walk this morning I was struck by how my silhouette is coming back.  Sure, my body has changed and my stomach is puffier than it was pre-pregnancy but I’m really proud of my efforts and it’s exciting to see that reflected.  

Pics from our walk this morning including erp’s most adorable cheeks, one of the many bunny sightings I see every day, and this hidden angry face in the sidewalk.  I actually saw the face as I walked one direction but didn’t stop to capture it because I thought someone was closeish behind me. I kept thinking about the face and kicking myself for not stopping to snap it.  So when I turned around and came back I kept checking every single stick on the ground hoping someone didn’t kick the frown out of place. Just when I was going to give up he showed his angry face again for our viewing enjoyment :)

Whoever mentioned on their blog that they eat cucumbers with salt and pepper is a genius.  Thanks for sharing this refreshing snack!  I paired it with some instant iced coffee for an afternoon pick-me-up. YuM

Breakfast this morning was brussels with bacon and eggs and coffee in our new/old mug.  Kevin’s mom shipped us a bunch of stuff from his old room (hence the giant package cleverly hidden on my porch) including three mugs that didn’t make the trip from CA but three that did!

I was going to put money on gaining weight today thanks to the fact I ate Halo Top last night.  But hooray for a surprise loss!  

Sundays sure are extra special when there’s another day off waiting in the wings!  Now to find something on Netflix to enjoy for the rest of the evening.  

Side note: I finished Dead To Me season 2 last night and I really didn’t like this season.  Anyone else? I felt like the writing was far poorer, the plot was lame, the twists were uninspired and the character development was severely lacking.  I expected more from this female led show.  Maybe my standards have changed?  But when!? 

[spacegaywritings]

CoS - Chapter 7: Late Night bonding Time

Summary: The weekend rolls around and Virgil is excited to meet his bestest friend in town. Roman interrogates him and their relationship remains tense. They actually watch a film together on Friday and Virgil and Logan take a walk in the middle of it. Something is there. ao3 clicky Story under the cut:

The weekend finally rolled around and the roommates got together to watch their film as Patton had proposed. Virgil and Logan had spent some time together to make some snacks and arrange the things that Roman had picked from the store. Patton had his free day. Apparently, he worked on Tuesday, Thursday and the weekend. But Fridays were usually free for him every other week or so. This was about all Patton shared about his job. That and the fact he was usually away all night and came back super early. Other than that, he was apparently working with Dr. Picani to finish his thesis and that was about it. Logically, he did not have too much time on his hands even when staying at home since he would read and write and compromise his data - often with Logan’s help. Hence, he adored time off and would gladly spend it with his favourite people who just so happened to be his roommates. Patton was sitting on the couch, obviously banned from helping in the kitchen. After all, he just came from his research work and was done thinking for the day. It was cuddle time. Roman gladly leaned against his side and the two giggled as they shifted together as Patton simply pulled the tanned man against his strong chest and smiled warmly while Logan and Virgil brought the snacks over and decorated the table with several snacks. There were crisps and flips, some cut vegetables and cheese, bite-sized tomatoes (Virgil forgot the name for them but he liked them a lot), some breadsticks and dips such as hot cheese dip and guacamole. The guacamole was a Logan thing that nobody commented on. How would anyone condemn avocado and curse the tasty food worked into one of the greatest dips in life, after all? Personally, Logan thought that nothing was just as subtly tasty and so immediately the most drool-worthy and customisable dip that had ever come from human hands. When Virgil and Logan were done, they finally settled onto the couch and Roman explained which film he had chosen and started going a little ramble on the dramatic effects and the superior art of acting. ‘’I promise you will cry by the end of it! She is just that amazing!’’, he said in a booming voice. If he had not convinced anyone before with his blabbering and rambling, he surely did make a point by sounding as if he was debating about how much water consisted of oxygen and hydrogen. He surely was passionate about that and Patton just kept gigging about it while Logan mumbled something about not understanding acting and the whole concept. He still thought it was a masterful skill to carry out. The snacks were contributed. Roman settled with some crisps that somewhat tasted of bacon or spicy stuff while Virgil very much stuck to carrots and cucumber dipped into guacamole and similar things. Logan attended to salty nacho crisps with his beloved guacamole he seemed to only really share with Virgil. Not that anyone minded. Patton alternated between sugary chocolate things. They looked like donuts but in so tiny, the hole did not even fit a pinky through, It was entirely made of some sort of dark milk chocolate and the backside was flat while the top had sprinkle on it that looked like matte pearls of pure sugar and mouth-watering sweetness. Other than that, he sometimes helped himself to the cheese flips they had together. There was no dinner, they just ate all the snacks and little things they had in front of them. When the film was close to ending, the twist hit them and the protagonist finally made it to a better life. As Roman had predicted, Patton was smiling and ‘aww’-ing at the courageous actions of the character. She had finally grown out of her problems and taken the initiative to love herself and put her own needs and matters first. Currently, the protagonist was moving to another place and when she checked in at the counter, she was met with a smile by a nice person with dark skin and tired eyes. Work had to be hard in these positions. He gave her the documents back and greeted her with the scripted ‘’Welcome to our country’’-phrase he probably had to say to every person to pass through on his watch. She smiled and started tearing up while Patton squeaked and threw his arms around Roman to hug him. Virgil was curled up into himself and right next to Logan on the other side of the couch. When the It student heard the first sniffles, he blinked in surprise. Usually, Roman and Patton were the emotional ones who would sniffle and laugh and throw marshmallows at the TV while begging the characters to act other than their roles were scripted. Itw as a fruitless endeavour and nothing came from it, naturally, yet they always kept doing it. For this time, however, Virgil was sniffling. The sound came from the left side where Virgil was hugging his legs, snacks abandoned and face buried in his knees as his eyeliner started running down his cheeks. That was new. That was pretty new. Sure, when he had met him during this night (‘met’ was probably the wrong word considering Logan had come to his home, to his room), he had seen Virgil cry for the first and only time. It had not been pretty but tears never were. His mind was filled with confusion as Virgil wiped his sleeve over his eyes and tried to muffle his own sounds by blocking his mouth with his jacket part that covered his arm. Logan gently nudged him and Roman stood up after putting the snacks aside and he stretched with an exaggeratedly loud sigh that seemed stage-worthy. No wonder he was so dramatic when he literally worked in the theatre department of the university and acted alongside his students. ‘’I told you this film would be great! Did you like the ending? We h-a-v-e to talk about it’’, he declared quickly and Virgil shrunk into himself. The punk barely glanced over at Logan but there was no response and Patton seemed to just need a moment. ‘’Kiddo, you okay?’’ The ball flinched but did not move for a moment before his tear-streaked face rose from his knees. ‘’uh, sure’’, he proposed vaguely. His voice was rather shaky but it was forced into a more stable stance as he looked up and shrugged. Logan was not exactly the ideal interpreter of social cues but he was rather sure that the curled up position and the hugging of the own legs was a rather defensive action. Especially when he considered how much Virgil looked like someone threatening to fire bombs as he leaned over the wall of his precious castle just enough for others to see him. His words were still mildly blocked his knees. His legs seemed to extend arms for his words and embrace them rather than let them leave his proximity. The bookshelf artist did not exactly know what was up but he just suspected that maybe Roman was right about films having a special effect on people after all. Patton had been sniffling as well and Roman himself looked like used to be a balloon but finally let out some air that had left him tensed up and rigid. Logan softly ghosted his hands over the nape of Virgil’s neck and looked at him. He leaned in just a bit, then lowered his voice so it would stay between him and his friend only. ‘’Do you want to talk?’’, he asked softly, voice smothered into a breathless plead more than a proposition. The punk shrugged and let out a sigh. His hands moved up and down his legs as if to warm them into a little fire. Logan waited patiently until the other leaned closer and nodded. Patton and Roman were in the kitchen, obviously ushered away by the tension in the air and the intimacy Logan had displayed. Virgil gently let his right travel over to Logan’s side and he let out a breath of relief before he took his hand and squeezed it. Another big breath. Deep, hollow at the same time. He carefully dipped his head upwards, leaning a little against Logan’s side as his body staggered aimlessly like a confused, wasted bullet on a last warning shot. ‘’Promise I am fine’’, he muttered and cleared his throat. His words sounded as if they were covered by something that filtered the truth from what he tried to convey. It almost sounded ugly but his words seemed to make up for the missing shine. Or Logan just wanted to believe him and his words. His friend would not lie to him after all, now would he? He heard another heavy breath, like shackles around his tongue. The words were still trembling but his lips seemed to move with grace like a calculating performer, a dancer who was born to evoke and rolled into the world instead of being dragged into it or cradled close. Virgil licked his lips. His small, curved mouth smoothly moved, fleeing from his piercings until he retreated back into place and pulled at the rings with his teeth. The voice sounded again, nearly echoing like an angelic sound when Logan could catch it with his ears. ‘’I am..happy.’’ A scoff followed the soft words and Logan felt himself dipped into the velvet of yogurt-like sensations on his skin. Cool, smooth, luxurious to his skin and carefully travelling over his skin with slow movements as it draped itself over his body, covering his whole form. Then it was warm, so warm and loose like a burning heater in a cold winter’s night. It was crackling and sizzling, his heart whistled like boiled water ready for the last ingredient, the part that came from the outside - the teabag to make water more than it used to be, more than it seemed to be made out for. A sob broke from the punk but a smile was on his face and Logan carefully brought his arms around him. ‘’Being happy is good. It is good, you deserve to be happy, Virgil’’, Logan assured him. He did not know whether his coworker need it but he knew that it was true. He let his heart speak and for a moment, his mind was only the tool for providing words rather than the executive control of his actions. His mind was an agent to his heart, it acted for his feelings and pronounced what his deepest wishes seemed to be. It expressed thoughts he had never realised to be living in his pounding chest. ‘’I-...’’, Virgil started but his thrilling breath caught him off and he took another drag of air around him. It was so so thin to him, his mind started getting dizzy with too much already, ‘’you too, nerd.’’ Logan blinked at the words and felt his lips splitting for a quick snicker as his chest seemed to be punched with the impact of Virgil’s words. The element of surprise seemed to inhabit his friend and it never ceased to get to him. ‘’I am happy. I am happy with you and I am happy that you are happy, really.’’ It was Virgil’s turn to snort at the other and he glanced at him, a warm lambency flaring from him as he let his golden sunshine eyes rest on Logan’s appearance for just a moment. His head was twisted to the side so he rested the side of it on his knees and stared into Logan’s soul without effort, without even attempting to do so. It just was. It happened simply and honestly right then and there between the two students. ‘’I just.. I am happy to be here’’, Virgil explained softly, the words slowly dancing in the air between them, twirling and cheering as they seductively closed in and eventually settled in Logan’s blood pump. ‘’I have waited so long to be happy and now it is here and I can barely believe I deserve it, Log. Sometimes I just look around this place and it feels like a lie, it feels like a facade before it will all inevitably break down onto me and stop being good because life is not like that.’’ He sighed and gave the other another weak smile. ‘’It is so nice’’, he sniffled before he continued, his voice gaining more and more weight the more he said. The shaky sensation long gone and instead having been replaced by the density of truth, ‘’It is just so nice to come home and there is silence and community.’’ Logan nodded seriously. He had suspected it before and his heart clenched as his mind ticked his suspicion. Virgil had been mistreated in his life before. Neglected and isolated from happiness and stability everyone needed and deserved. ‘’Your previous roommates, they -’’, he started but cut himself off as Virgil leaned back against the couch and broke from Logan’s arms, determining the sweet contact of their union. ‘’They were your family?’’ Virgil bit his lip, the side where he had no holes pierced through his skin for aesthetic purposes. ‘’I don’t really um.. I mean.. no. They were not. Just people I met. I never met my biological parents anyway but as far as I know, the mother died pretty soon after I came to life and the father was in jail or still is. I mean, I know he still is but I don’t know whether he was even then but probably, if not on the way.’’ He sighed carefully and shrugged. ‘’Anyway, I do have a family kinda thing so I better give some sign of life and get ready so I can do the happy thing, you know?’’, he said and Logan narrowed his eyes, his mouth slightly agape. Virgil nodded. ‘’Yeah, kind of like that, you get me.’’ He gave him the softest of smiles, so faint and precious Logan was not even sure it was there but with that, the other got off the couch and disappeared into their shared room. It only took a few minutes during which Patton and Roman cleared the table and settled back with Logan again. ‘’Hey Logan, where is the kiddo gone to?’’, Patton asked as he cuddled up once more, this time between Roman and Logan and he let out the curly giggles that spiraled up the scale of adorableness as they went on. His faintly freckled hands carefully wrapped around the other two males who flanked him. Logan licked his lips and shrugged. ‘’According to him, there is a >>family thing<< he needs to attend’’, he informed. His words came out as neatly printed as they were flat. Just black and white on paper, it was just that simple. Patton’s eyebrows carefully knitted together s if trying to merge. It was a sight like two cars closing in so much that it felt dangerous and nearly painful to watch. The nerd averted his eyes and sighed. ‘’Aw! But we usually play board games together! Now we have to wait until I have time again’’, Patton pouted in protest. He knew it was a fruitless effort but his bottom lip slowly peeked out from under his upper one and his mouth quivered just a bit like a shaky line drawn by a person who was anything but sober. Roman huffed. ‘’Did he not know about that? This is tradition! First a movie and then games!’’ Patton sighed but shrugged, obviously defeated as his lips curled downwards and Logan’s chest tightened just a bit as he saw his best friend so upset over the minuscule inconvenience. Virgil was not the usual part of this ritual, this little tradition that happened whenever Patton’s work let them and they usually dropped everything just to spend this time together. It had been how Roman and Logan had met and eventually decided to somewhat be friends and spend them together by staying in a shared flat. Still, knowing that Virgil was about to be invited and absorbed into their history-heavy tradition that was the essential bonding time between them all, it kind of felt wrong, it felt like a void was there just building the yawn of a seemingly bottomless abyss. Logan knew that a bottomless abyss was nothing but a hole, a void, but it felt just like that. It was gaping and destructive and it seemed to grow in size and severity with every waking moment spent in this situation. Like holding Virgil’s right hand after he had held the left and was left with so little him, and so much pain instead, so much unfilled potential and so much that he could be, so much he could fill but did not because as much as he wanted to, he was not actually enabled to do fix up everything that was missing. Just on cue, the punk ducked out of the room and dipped into the living-room like a kid dipped their finger into the baking batter when their parents were watching but decided to let it slide with silence and comment with nothing more but thoughts. ‘’Hey, Log imma-’’, he started with a certain hop in his voice until he stopped, his tracks dead and his voice deflated for a moment. He continued with a more gloomy touch to his words, the excitement veiled by a certain blockade he had put up by now, ‘’what..is happened here?’’ Patton retreated his arms and looked over at Virgil and smiled with his lips spreading over his cheeks with a force that was clearly forced. It appeared to be effortless but it was hollow, lacking any sort enthusiasm. ‘’Oh kiddo, look! We usually play games after the film together and sometimes we watch another but it has been a bit of time so we started playing more than watching films, you know?’’ Virgil’s eyes lost all the light that had been instilled in him and a dark shadow hushed over his face in a moment of panic. ‘’Oh, ... oh fuck, I did not know! ‘’, he exclaimed immediately and guarded his chest with one arm wrapped around it while his other arm curled over his abdomen, his fingers buried in the exterior of his squishy sports bag that was strapped over his right shoulder and hung from there. ‘’It is alright. We can play next time when you have time! Logan said you are busy?’’ Virgil shuffled on the spot, his legs giving in a bit as they felt weak. His heart and his knees seemed to sink in wobbly powerlessness. ‘’Uh,, yeah.. I mean, yes. It- it is a fam-fa...family thing n all. I -.. I might be gone u-until tomorrow or or the day a-after’’, he explained with a shaky voice. The newbie inhaled deeply as he took a little speaking break, ‘’I um,... I am gonna sleep over and then I have exercise and uh, .. I might meet my partner and all and it has been a while and shit..’’ He looked down at his feet before he glanced into the vague direction of the three who happened to stare their eyes into his soul. Patton clapped his hands together and Virgil nearly jumped out of his skin, his head jerking up to face the source of sound with an antsy anticipation covering his usually nonchalant and slightly mischievous facial features. The master student noted it with just another moment of hesitation before he offered the other a sweetened smile and his hands pulled apart to face Virgil’s direction with his palms. He was harmless, really! Sharks killed more people than he ever did! ‘’Aw! Have fun with your friends and family, kiddo! I am sure they all missed you a bunch and cannot wait to see you again and hug you a lot!’’ The cheerfulness was back to Patton’s face. Maybe the genuine answer from Virgil had eased up his mood and straightened the worries and sadness he had held in his chest before the explanation had been provided. Maybe the panic in Virgil’s voice had him appreciate the fact that he was going to a place he wanted to be at, a place where he was welcomed and comfortable. ‘’uh..tha-thanks, thank you, really’’, he stuttered out quickly and carefully marched over to the door, taking a huge bow around the trio. ‘’Oh! Wait kiddo! Wait!’’, Patton called out immediately but his voice softened as soon as the first word had escaped his mouth and sent jolts through the addressed person’s body. ‘’Ah, sorry for being so loud’’, he apologised as he jumped to his feet and quickly retrieved a stack of papers from the table, ‘’there you go. The landlord gave us a seasonal update on rent. We don’t have to pay in December so we only have to pay our bills. I will send you the invoice and check it with you, don’t worry. You will not have to pay more than the rest of us.’’ Virgil carefully extended his hand to curl his fingers around the papers that were stapled together by the edge. On the right side, not the left side as it was per usual. A bright pink note was plastered over the contract, his name on it and some signs that made up a little message. ‘’I thought that it was yours. Given the name and the language nobody here understands.’’ Patton smiled at him and shifted on his legs for a moment, his face looking unruly, somewhat excited for something he had not revealed just yet. ‘’Kiddo can I get a hug before you leave? I just really want to squish you right now!’’ The punk bit his left piercing and shrugged before he put the contract away. Fucking Kyle was being a damn saint with their stupid initiatives. ‘’Go for it, strike me with your love, dad’’, he joked. Boi, did he not expect the impact of his words. Patton’s whole face lit up like Christmas decoration, especially the fairy lights that would illuminate a whole pine tree cut down for the sake of being a dying ornament. His freckles seemed to glow in lovely delight and his face scrunched up like a cute kitten sneezing or an adorable pooch expressing their affection for their caretakers. ‘’Aw!! kiddo!’’, he squealed and Logan covered his ears instantly, fearing more sounds to wreck his hearing abilities, ‘’of course I will!!’’ He threw himself, his body that was a steel wall dressed in a walking cotton candy hug of love and nostalgic kid dreams, into Virgil with a force that made the other drop his bag and lose the air in his lungs with an unironic ‘’oof’’ that was knocked out of him. Arms wrapped around him and quickly lifted him just a tad off his feet and Virgil mentally noted just how strong and unbelievably gay this moment was when he hesitantly drew his arms around the soft soft sweater-ed man that wrapped around him like a fluffy blanket on a cold winter night. ‘’Hey Pat’’, he chuckled and buried his face in the giant’s big collar that brushed over him with the comfort of a beloved childhood plushie you would hold dear from the good old days when all was good, if not better at least. The other replied with the soft soft puddle noises the giant let out. It kind of reminded him of videos with moms cuddling their toddlers and complementing their babies when they did something cute or funny, sometimes both. Patton made him feel all kinds of fuzzy warm feelings inside and it was so profound that whenever thy hugged, Virgil felt like life was a little more complete and less sucky. It was just ... it was okay when Patton hugged him. Everything was okay. The punk carefully patted his friend’s back. They were friends, right? He did not know whether he would just let some random person hug him but then again, they had met and Patton had instantly given him a hug (with much consent and secret euphoria, actually). Maybe it was a therapy thing but Patton just gave him these vibes of.. of home. A home he had not have when he was younger but now.. perhaps now he did. Patton took the pat as initiation to end the whole procedure and he carefully lowered the smaller student with a bright smile flashing at him. ‘’Sorry kiddo, I tend to overdo it a bit’’, he apologised with a sheepish smile playing on his lips like the sensual curves of an attractive datemate, ‘’you okay?’’ Virgil felt his heart thump so loud, he feared he ‘’Tell-tale heart’’ becoming a truth to his life. His cheeks were warm. Warm like Patton’s hugs and Virgil just felt so incredibly vulnerable to the touch, he could feel his eyes tear up. This was all so much. ‘’I am good’’, he squeaked in reply and carefully hugged his body when he was released and the punk ungracefully stumbled backwards with insecurity marking his trembling steps. Something unruly was in his demeanour but the candy man could not quite place it. Man... Patton was like the human manifestation of a marshmellow, he casually realised as he quickly found the strap to his bag and pull at it before it glided out of his grip and hit the floor just to be pulled into his hands again and finally be strapped over his shoulder with a quickened glance over the psychology student one more time. Patton was giving him a look. While not directly suspicious, it was bordering on scolding and it held that ..concern? Yeah, the dirty glass green eyes of this caring man were darkened by the heavy concern he felt for the other. It felt like a vague promise, the extra squeeze at the end of a handshake before a guidance counsellor would finally let you go back to class or return home. ‘’Really’’, he assured. His voice seemed to stumble like a drunk idiot who navigated themself through the streets when the streetlights were on but they forgot so their eyes were squeezed shut. The walking hug pressed his lips together and Virgil and he just stared into each others orbs for a moment. Eventually, Patton nodded and put his cheery smile back on. ‘’Okay kiddo! I would hate to hurt you!’’, he repeated softly. It was one of these things he said almost every time they talked. Sometimes they barely exchanged any content and he still said this. It was yet another of these things that made Virgil feel short of breath and it terrible need of a break from all these feelings and all this confusion in his chest, his lung... and his mind. Virgil let his lips twitch into one direction for a brief moment but his golden sunshine eyes seemed to gleam with just a grain more of enthusiasm. He turned to leave and walk away but Logan stopped him this time, calling out to him in a voice he has never heard and for some reason, it gave him a wobbly, foggy feeling. The art student turned around, worry glazing his honey eyes with a bit of hesitance. Something.. just something about how Logan called him felt so severe to him like a final goodbye. Logan was standing, still around the couch area and even Princey looked over at him, unable to ignore the tension in the air. ‘’Are you going to be safe?’’, he asked. Virgil’s eyes closed with a quick blink. He felt his hands adjusting the strap around his left shoulder and he nodded carefully. ’’They would die for me, Logan. I know it.’’ And then he left with the thud of the door and the rustling sounds of his clothing rubbing together and his sports bag falling against his legs as he walked. The three were left in a pressing silence. Roman was the first to speak up. ‘’Logan, why would you ask that?’’ The nerd did not answer and Patton simply sighed, his mind filled with horrible ideas and quotes from actual people that had talked to him, had talked to Emile about all their trouble and struggle. ‘’Now Roman, I guess this is none of our business’’, he chastised softly with a slightly more obvious scold to his tone. Logan straightened his shirt and flexed his shoulders while Patton returned to their couch and carefully cuddled up between them. ‘’I do not know’’, he admitted eventually as he let his body sink against Patton’s shoulder and sighed, ‘’Virgil is nearly as much of a mystery to me as he is to you.’’ The psychology student narrowed his eyes at his friends and gently brought his arms around both men’s shoulders. ’’Let him open up. I am sure you will get to know him better if you just give him time and space. He seems like a little mouse in a big city centre and that can be really scary and exciting.’’ The youngest of the three sighed and shrugged before he closed his eyes and leaned back against his best friend. He loved Patton. He did not know how the other was just so wise and still so clueless and oblivious at the same time but he was filled with glee about having him in his life and being able to lay down and relax on him and his advice. He could take all the time to dwell on his words and Patton would never, had never in their time together, pushed him into opening up when he was not ready. ‘’Hey pocket protector’’, Roman started, his voice unusually soft. It felt more like a breeze than a strong and impressive wind that - while short despite the intensity - would disappear upon its initial appearance. Now it was a gently nudge as little wake-up call instead of loud drilling sounds of an annoying construction side starting up way too early to be humanly acceptable. ‘’Are you gonna ask him out?’’ Patton nearly gasped as the body on his lap was instantly stiffening so much, it felt more like a wooden log on his body rather than a person cuddling with him and holding his hand like it was the most fragile treasure in the whole universe. He watched Logan divide his lips for a split moment before he closed them again, pressing his mouth shut and letting his eyebrows twitch together to bump into one another for a brief moment of extreme energy fueling their movements. It was kind of like giving a car too much gas at once. Silence weighed over them for a moment. It was a horrendous moment. Long and stretched like the abomination of a horror-borne monster that was exclusively made to disgust and terrify people just by being mentioned, hence triggering the mental image of it. It lingered, it stayed. Once it left, it was still resting in their minds, and if not there, they remained a large burden in their hearts. ‘’Roman, I do not..Ro-’’, but he was already interrupted by a certain thespian jerking into a sitting position and startling his human pillow enough to have him become an uncomfortable cushion to Logan at last. ‘’You do not what? Come on, Microsoft turd! I see you like him, you know it and Patton sees it too and you are sitting here, letting him go somewhere, you do not even know anything about him.’’ Logan sat up, preparing to speak but Roman was already fired up, cheeks warm and words flaming. ‘’You like him, just get it together and do something so you can get to know him. Logan, come on, you are such a disaster gay and I do not know how you are just sitting here, pretending to be all sad about it when you never really try to do shit with him. I do not even get how Patton puts up with living with a complete stranger. We know nothing about him!’’ Roman took a short breath, his cheeks puffing up in red rage, pent up like a fully blown balloon that was not tied up but let go and all came out at once, with long and loud farting sounds because this was about as much as Logan heard when the other continued. ‘’You are just letting him be over here and you know nothing, absolutely nothing. He could kill you in your sleep! I swear, he does not sleep and he is always on and about - I can hear him come and go at night, I am closest to the front door with my room. You invited him over to stay because you have the hots for him and you are still to scared to admit it when you could just say something and stop putting us at risk.’’ Patton gave Roman a gaze. He was in a house, a house that was on fire and the stairs were blocked and the elevator should not be used and the levels underneath him were already caught up in hot burning flames while he was staring down the window, seeing the concrete reach out for him. ‘’Now, let us not judge like this. He is really sweet and ever since he came, we got that precious sweetie handing us the contract with rent as collective winter gift’’, Patton softly advocated and Logan huffed in response. ‘’And that makes it possible for you to go home despite the holiday bonus being insecure this year. I mean, that is really good. And he cooks with me and gives really soft hugs. He cleans and has a job, he pays the pills and never lets anything slip up or lay around. Roman, he is really nice. If you are worried, you can get to know him too, you know? I bet he would be happy to make another friend and you would probably like him.’’ Roman glared at Logan and when he looked over at Patton, the fierce green in his eyes seemed to soften. The wind in his sails was taken out by the off-handed look on Patton’s face and he felt a hand reach out to his and squeeze it. ...It was his time to sigh and before Logan could fire out a response, Roman slumped back against Patton. ‘’I .. I don’t know him, man. I just don’t know him and I don’t trust him’’, he pouted, his arms crossed over his broad chest as he huffed at the air and let himself fall against Patton’s shoulder. ‘’And what if he is a mean guy? Because he certainly looks like a mean guy and I do not feel like welcoming one in our home! I mean.. come on.’’ The thespian took a deep breath and let his arms slide out of position just a bit. ‘’He is all creepy with his behaviour, all odd and mysterious and such and I do not like him! He is always so.. so edgy with me’’, he confessed, his words assembling around the ‘’edgy’’ as they emphasised it and held it up like the whole sentence was just made to make this point and nothing else. Logan carefully let himself rest back against the couch but he did not take Patton’s hand. Just the thought of it gave him the chills and he tried his best to keep his shoulders in place as the shiver ran down his spine and shook his upper body like a wind chime was rattled by the wind. ‘’Roman, you are being ri-.. you are being irrational. If he wanted to hurt us, he would have done this right from the start. He knows me, he works with me and we study together and it sounds very much like he is on a scholarship’’, he started. Roman nodded and Logan nearly smiled. There was still hope. ‘’He is being rather secretive and while that may raise suspicion, please be aware that I do work with him and share a room together with Virgil. We spend much time together and recent events lead me to believe that he is, indeed, a trustworthy person with a set of his own morals and principles. ‘ The nerd turned to look at Roman and he leaned over just a bit, Patton carefully nudging the other and offering his hand again. The actor took it and gave the caring elder a little smile before he gave Logan his most neutral expression. Emotions stormed within him but he did not push anything into the situation to fuel any more distress. ‘’I am sorry I called you Microsoft turd. It is just’’, he looked at his hand that Patton was not holding with one of his large and unbelievably welcoming hands. A strange kind of pain seemed to strike through him, a pain that was his but also not his at all. ‘’I do not know him and I do not want my friend to get hurt but he comes and goes at all times, we do not know any of his friends or his family. We do not know anything. I know you guys and you two grew up together. And he.. he just comes and suddenly we get rent for free for a whole month and a discount for the following. Those are weird things happening. And he is away so much for someone who studies. We... We just do not know anything about him and we wanted to change that to night and now he left.’’ Logan shrugged. ‘’I, however, did find out things about him after this film, Roman. Perhaps you find our time to be wasted, still, I do perceive our relationship to be more open ever since the day I brought him here. I may not be the most’’, he paused for a moment, possibly searching his mental library for suitable term to fit his expectation, ‘’socially-skilled person on this planet but I do recognise a person opening up to me. And he started doing this much more lately. I am sure I can have him talk a bit more to me but if you are concerned about this so much, I would propose another of Patton’s family nights or flatmate activities to warm up to one another - so to speak.’’ Patton sucked in a breath and released an audible smile as soon as he exhaled again. How were smiles audible? Well, it was obvious Patton magic. He just had his way with people to make things work. Maybe it was this affective presence that people talked about, apparently it gave people positive feelings and made them like you a lot - to simplify it by a bunch. Not that human beings and their interactions ever were that easy. However, Patton made them easy - or at least made them seem to be oh so simple when, in reality, they were not. Not even in the slightest, especially not when you were Logan who could barely fulfil surface interactions. But being Roman was just as hard, a person who was everybodies’ darling but somehow not really a dear to just one person, no matter how hard he tried. And Patton was just between them, sitting there and connecting them as he took their hands and squeezed them with his broadening smile. ‘’You know what, kiddos? You are starting to think just right! I will ask him whether he wants to make it this or next week. I will get my work thing together and see whether I can make it work, alright? You two, too?’’ He flashed them adorable smiles and Logan could not help but pull out his phone to check his calendar and try to peek into the work schedule so they would be able to see whether Virgil was working. ‘’Got the message! I am sure he will reply when he is not so busy having fun!’’, he added, smile swinging in his voice and Roman chimed in with a silenced battle cry. ‘’Alright! I don’t have rehearsals on the weekend until the end of November!’’, he informed and smirked at them, his fingers curling around one of the cartoon rectangles before him. ‘’Anyone up for a round of our favourite game?’’, he asked and drew his arms to his chest, holding the board game in front of his chest with the cover facing the others. He was grinning like a honey bear and Patton quickly caught on to do the same. ‘’No you’’ was about the greatest game they have ever played and, again, it was something Patton had come up with (since he had the adorable inventive mind of an unexpected genius) because he had wanted to get Logan and Roman to be friends or at least know each other a bit better when they had first moved in together. Now, it was a tradition and they all loved just relishing in the minutes and hours they would invest into the game.

[athravpharma50]

Some expensive beauty tips for free

Here are a few beauty tips that you can follow while going out or while being at home to get glowing skin:

Give     up late-night parties! Late nights adversely affect the skin by making it     dull, tired, and exhausted due to lack of sleep. Hence, it is best advised     to give up drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and consuming energy     drinks or caffeinated beverages before going out at night. These will not     only make your skin glow but also keep you healthy inside out!

Never     forget to use a good UV protection skin enriched with Vitamin C before     going out in the sun

Keep     drinking water. Water plays an essential part in beauty as it reduces     wrinkles and fine lines from the skin.

Always     moisturize your skin. It is crucial to keep the skin moisturized at all     times.

Use     home remedies for glowing skin found in your kitchen. For instance,     applying a paste of lemon and cucumber juice on the face helps tighten     pores and thus, removes blackheads and acne effectively. Aloe vera gel     also has similar benefits to the skin and reduces blemishes. 

The     avocado mask makes you look fresh by lightening pimples, dark spots, and     freckles!  

Eating     healthy food not only keeps you healthy but aids beauty too! You can eat     carrots or even take carrot juice since they help produce Vitamin A,     essential for healthy skin. Also, eat plenty of nuts, fruits, and green     vegetables as they are high in antioxidants that protect the skin from     free radicals and pollution.

Finally,     exercise regularly as it helps improve blood circulation and makes your     skin glow! So these were a few beauty tips that would help you get glowing     skin in no time! Just in case you face any problems like acne, blemishes     or dark circles, etc., do not forget to consult a dermatologist

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[hungry-mike]

Gut bustin’ Pork Jowl Flour Tostada with avocado, jocoque, red onion, radish and burnt habanero. This decadent dish comes courtesy of Chef Lalo Pino @lalopinoo at his restaurant @hambrusia in La Paz, BCS. This was just part of the fantastic dinner we enjoyed after a pleasant walk down the beach front promenade. Chef Lalo was kind enough to emerge from the kitchen and greet us, as well as suggesting particular menu items. What we had: - Tostatùn: Tuna confit with wasabi mayonnaise, avocado and red onion, on a crispy wonton tostada. What a start! We were hooked. - Tripulpo: Beef innards sauté with grilled octopus, avocado, red onion and three chili sauce. 👌🏻 - Mei Mei: Pork jowl stir fried with sesame oil, covered in sweet-sour sauce with red onion and cucumber. This was majestic! I loved the Asian touch, brilliant. - Vaca Entera: Slow cooked beef in a mixed chili sauce, refried beans, red onion, guacamole and three chili sauce. Wow! Time is a big ingredient here. I must admit, this bad boy isn’t for the faint of heart. So much flavor packed into this robust dish. We were ready to leave but then I saw a server walk by with a plate, on it were two giant pieces of tuna. I had to have it. Hence, the Taco Sushi: almost like an inside out sushi roll. I made a mess of ir but enjoyed it immensely. Thank you to Chef Lalo and the entire team at Hambrusia for feeding is so thoroughly and making our dinner one to remember. I wish you nothing but success! Keep kicking ass. (at Hambrusia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMH_poWgw7D/?igshid=q4jvvttgig8k

[suncakemom]

Kachumbari Recipe

Does simplicity beat beauty or they come hand in hand? Find out what’s more important while quickly preparing a bowl of kachumbari tomato and onion salad.

As I most recently have some time, I was surfing on the internet yesterday. Trying to get new, interesting thoughts, inspirational recipes that I have never tasted before, to delight my loved ones with. Searching for a while unfortunately could not come across any interesting stuff. Right before I thought to give up on it, I came upon this delicious and easy dessert simply by chance at Suncakemom. It looked so delightful on its snapshot, that required rapid actions.

It was easy to imagine just how it is made, how it tastes and just how much my hubby might enjoy it. Actually, it is very easy to keep happy the man when it comes to desserts. Yes, I’m a blessed one. Or maybe he is.Anyway, I went to the site and simply used the simple instuctions which were coupled with great graphics of the task. It really makes life faster and easier. I can imagine that it is a bit of a hassle to take photographs in the midst of cooking in the kitchen as you may normally have gross hands thus i seriously appreciate the effort and time she put in for making this blogpost .

With that in mind I’m empowered to present my own, personal recipe in a similar fashion. Appreciate your the idea.

I was fine tuning the original recipe create it for the taste of my family. I must say it was an awesome success. They prized the taste, the consistency and enjoyed having a sweet such as this in the midst of a lively workweek. They ultimately wanted even more, many more. Hence next time I am not going to commit the same miscalculation. I am likely to twin the quantity .

This kachumbari was provided to us by SunCakeMom

Originally Kachumbari is just a tomato and onion salad but we can go wild and add more stuff to it. Avocado goes well with lime and cilantro while pepper parsley and lemon are lovely choices too, others really dig cucumber and garlic.

Rinse and peel that needs to be rinsed and peeled. Dice the the ingredients up. Try to make similar sized rectangles. Similar size food not just looks but tastes better too.

Sprinkle salt and lemon or lime juice on top then mix everything together. Keep it in the fridge until it is served.

[droppinit]

Day 3

Goood mor....no. No. Not good morning. Just morning. My kid was up at 1am with a sore throat, so I got about 2-3 hours sleep.

Rise & Grind as well as the AM cup SUPREMELY helped. I managed through my 8am class without much issue other than needing to leave the lecture to pee 3 times, not including during our 10 minute break. If anyone else shares the sentiment of feeling uncomfortable using public toilets, they especially know how uncomfortable it is to have to go #2 in them. Which I did. Twice. It is either the coffee or the excessive amount of pho last night (I finished the leftovers, which was about 2 helpings) but man I’ve been not having a great morning bathroom wise. My stomach is unhappy, I’m passing some not so great smelling gas, and ultimately want to bang my head against a wall.

On the menu today:

Protein shake

Greek yogurt with dragonfruit, cashews, and mixed frozen berries

Spinach salad mix, avocado, cucumber, Havarti, pecans, cranberries & pumpkin seeds

Ground chicken w/bell peppers

LOTS of tea & water

I started fasting after I finished my lunch as a personal challenge, which the app BodyFast helps with as it sets up a weekly schedule. So I will be fasting until 7am tomorrow.

I enjoy fasting as it usually works into my schedule for times I don’t typically eat anyways, essentially fasting automatically. I’m not a breakfast person, but last week I was challenged to eat breakfast (hence the protein shakes) and eat an early dinner.

Fasting isn’t very difficult for me, except with family dynamics. Can’t really be fasting if there’s a family dinner or something. BodyFast also allows you to change the days/times to best suit you.

Pretty uneventful evening, did lots of cuddling with my kiddo, who got to spend the day with her Pops (my stepdad) and Lollie (my mum) who were both home sick today. Drank a bunch of tea and noticed my bloat go down, which was either due to this coffee or the sodium in the pho last night.

I took the Sleeping Brew-ty around the time that my kiddo ate her dinner, and just finished the PM cup.

My best friend’s grandma (Gigi as my kiddo knows her) died about an hour ago. It’s hard to type this, but I promised to do it and I really feel like I need to get my mind occupied on something different. Despite this, I haven’t felt the urge to go reach for food of any sort.

Today’s weigh in was 184lbs even, so I’m accrediting that to the sodium in the pho. I’m gonna get started on a draft for tomorrow’s post, full with as much of my day as I see it going.

[ketohc]

Keto Chips – A Good Idea?

Keto Chips – A Good Idea?

People who love snacking might feel there are less options while on a keto-diet; especially for that time of the day when you feel the urge to munch on something, between your lunch and dinner.

So, what are you counting on these days? Mere salads and keto-bars are not going to keep you interested for a long time if those are the only choices you have in your mind; and anything you opt for needs to fit in the low-carb diet always.

How about Keto-chips?

Yes, it’s the long-awaited snack, that you only dream of now. Eating chips was so easy at one time. Just grab a packet or two, and go munching while watching a movie, your favorite series, working or partying. But we aren’t talking about the chips that are available in the market. We talk – Keto chips here!

Have you checked on the keto-friendly chips yet? If not, we have good information and some nice recipes to try out. Also, these are going to be fresh and healthy. What better can you expect your snack to give you, than letting you feel the guilt-free indulgence over something you can forever lean on!

Replacing Food

We all know that keto-dieting can be a little challenging, for the kind of restricted plan one needs to follow. No, it doesn’t have to be so depressing. Keto-diet is about cutting down on carbs and filling in fats, so pick your choice of healthy alternatives with low-carb, high-fat and replicate what you like eating the most.

How to add chips?

We haven’t forgotten about that yet. We had to tell you that every food is replaceable, provided you are open to integration. Make yourself a small bowl of keto-friendly chips, made from many low-carb items like radish, cheese, cucumber, zucchini, kale, spinach, coconut, cabbage, pork rind, etc.

Bring in all that you eat for keto, and see what wonders you are going to create in your very own kitchen.

What Are Chips and Why Aren’t They Low Carb-Friendly?

Potato chips are the first ones to hit us when we call chips, and then we have tortilla chips, equally tempting and a wonderful snack along with dips. These sound great for a non-keto dieter, however, for the followers, it’s essential to know that both are higher on carbs and not keto-friendly. To add more, these chips go through different processes, where they are treated chemically for enriched color and are fried in vegetable or canola oil, used commonly for processed foods (the later having major negative effects on the heart, blood, liver, and kidney as well).

If you are not worrying about it yet, you might like to know that 1 ounce of potato chips gives you about 15g carbs and 10g fat (not total saturated fats).

Are Keto Chips Low in Carbs?

We are focusing a lot on making the keto-diet interesting and variant. The sole reason behind it is to make the journey less disappointing for you because we understand that the transformation can be irksome at times. Hence, sharing new recipes, giving out information on the nutritional values and helping you understand the do’s and don’ts is the whole agenda.

So, let’s be practical

keto-chips aren’t going to be just how you thought (yummy potato chips or Doritos), No!

These will be different in taste, texture and looks; but we assure you that these are keto-friendly, and you can count on them any time of the day. These chips will be low in carbs, and diversely tasty too.

We would call you even luckier if you can find an organic store that sells out keto-chips! But if you know of none in your city, you’ll get more ideas here, on how to make your snack at home.

What Chips Can You Eat on the Keto Diet?

Like we mentioned above, there are many low-carb options you can consider for your keto-chips. Pick few and try out making them for a start if you like the taste, great! If not, try another one!

Radish Chips

Apart from being low on carb alternative to potato chips, radish can provide you with many nutrients like, potassium, vitamin B, vitamin C, manganese, and folate, that detoxifies your blood, promoting better health, great skin, improved heart health and weight loss at the same time. Why not try it for good?

Here is what you need to do to get yourself a small bowl of radish chips.

Method:

Preheat your oven to 375°F

Wash the radish and slice it into thin chips

Spread a parchment paper over a baking sheet and then place the chips on it

Spray oil lightly over the chips and then sprinkle salt & pepper too

Bake this in the oven for about 10 minutes, take it out, turn them upside down and bake for another 6-10 minutes

Once they seem crispy, take them out of the oven and keep aside to cool

A cup of sliced radish has an only 2g net carb and zero fat. Isn’t that just perfect?

Cheese Chips

Cheese on a keto-diet is an advantage, really. At least you have something to rely on when you need to either top your salad, use as a dip or spread it over your regular meal. But, have you come across these amazing cheese chips ever?

With high-fat and low-carb content, cheese makes perfect chips for a keto-dieter. In fact, an ounce of this delicious crunchy snack will give you 6g saturated fat and less than 0.5g carb! Along with that, you will also receive a bunch of goodness from these chips, like important vitamins, zinc, calcium, and phosphorus.

Try these out and thank the creator later.

Method:

Preheat your oven to 400°F

Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and carefully place the cheese slices on them (you can also cut them into shapes you like)

Bake these for 8-10 minutes, making sure occasionally that they don’t burn

There! You have your gorgeous looking cheese chips, totally keto-friendly and great as a snack.

Cucumber Chips

Over salad or just like that, cucumbers are so much healthy. Also, it gives you enough vitamins, manganese, potassium, and magnesium. With less than 2g carb in a serving, you can make this one ideal snack for you, every time a cucumber is seen lying in the refrigerator.

All you will need to do is exactly what you do for a salad, slice ‘em up!

Method:

Preheat your oven to 170°F

Use a kitchen towel to dry the moisture from over the cucumber

Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and place the cucumber slices over it

Bake them low & slow for 3 hours

Kale Chips

A green leafy vegetable like kale is majorly known for its anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties that help the body defeat many diseases. Kale makes great salads and are pretty loved by many. Also, it’s ideal on a keto-list because it provides only 2g carbs and less than 1g fat in a serving of one cup.

It is low on carb. Hence, it is one amazing veggie to add in the list of chips. Try making these at home and start munching already!

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350°F

Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and keep aside

Remove thick stems from the leaves and tear the leaves into a size that you like

Bake them for about 10-15 minutes, till the edges of the leaves turn brown and look crunchy enough. Don’t burn them

These were quick and easily available recipes for you to make amazing keto-friendly chips, from the available items in your kitchen. Below we will be sharing more recipes on how to make incredible keto-chips. Some you’ll love to try right away.

Keto Tortilla Chips

Contrary to the above statement, we would like to add tortilla to this list. No, this is going to be a keto-friendly tortilla recipe, so you won’t feel bad about eating them.

These chips are going to taste just like your favorite tortilla chips but will be gluten-free and low-carb; plus, no wheat and no corns.

Ingredients:

2 cups of Mozzarella cheese (shredded)

Two tbsp psyllium husk

¾ cup of Almond flour (powdered)

Salt (as per your liking)

¼ tsp onion powder (optional)

¼ tsp garlic powder (optional)

¼ tsp paprika (optional)

Method:

Heat your oven to 356°F

Take a non-stick saucepan and gently heat the cheese, while stirring constantly

Mix almond flour, spices, psyllium husk, and salt in the melted cheese and stir for a dough like the combination, and then knead it until it’s smooth

Dice the dough into two balls and roll them as thin as possible, between two sheets of parchment paper to avoid sticking on the rolling pin

Use a pizza cutter to cut-out triangle shaped of this flattened dough and spread them over the baking sheet, with enough space for them to stay untouched from each other

Bake these for about 8 minutes or till the edges turn brown (also, the thickness of the tortilla chips will decide how much time you’ll need to bake them)

You have your bowl of freshly baked home-made tortilla chips. Devour!

Almond Butter Cabbage Chips

Another great ingredient for a keto-salad, cucumber makes it to the list without an effort. With just about 5g of net carb and almost zero fat, this leafy veggie is apt to include in anything you want.

The kale recipe was simple and had not much to experiment with. However, you can try adding almond butter as a twist to the keto-chips’ idea. Also, this recipe will make a lot of chips, so you can store them in the refrigerator and munch on them later, or even share (if you can).

Ingredients:

900g Cabbage (cut into pieces)

Four tbsp Almond butter

One tbsp Coconut amino

Four tbsp Avocado oil

One tbsp Fish sauce

Two tbsp Hemp seeds

Method:

Keeping the cabbage aside, mix everything else in a large bowl

Whip it to form a nice and smooth paste (you can add water to the mixture if you think it’s too thick, but make sure to keep the pasty texture intact)

Take the cabbage leaves and coat them with the paste thoroughly

Keep them in the dehydrator for at least 6 hours at 145°F. These should be dry and crispy by then

You can store these chips in an airtight container and consume them within three days

Cinnamon Coconut Chips

While leafy veggies make great chips (as you’ve already read), coconut is not stepping back either. With the natural richness that coconut carries, cinnamon just adds to the flavor taking the nutty delight to another level.

Coconut chips are wonderful healthy snacks for keto-dieter, and even those who aren’t won’t deny taking a bite… no, several bites in fact. However, the carb content could be a little on the higher side, therefore, making sure not to overeat is recommended.

Making these amazing cinnamon coconut chips is super easy and consumes only about 5 minutes!

Ingredients:

1 and ½ cups of Coconut flakes

One tsp Cinnamon

Method:

Preheat your oven to 325°F

Take a baking sheet and spread the coconut flakes. Sprinkle the cinnamon powder over the flakes

Place the sheet in the oven and bake it for 5 minutes, turning them upside down occasionally, so they don’t burn and bake thoroughly

Once they look golden brown in color, remove it and let it cool

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Though keto-chips might not replace the taste of those nicely packed potato chips or the tortilla chips, yet, you are never going to regret consuming them. And above that, you’ll find so many recipes to try for a new keto-chips’ idea.

People share new ways of making keto-meals or snacks interesting, because of the limited options available for the dieters, and you’ll never get bored of trying them too.

If you’re worrying about more options for a snack while on a keto-diet, worry not, you have several ways of making your snacks faultlessly ketogenic, and tasty too.

For instance, Fat-bombs that you can create yourself at home using either peanut or almond butter. Then we have Pork rinds for non-vegetarians, that is made of pork skin; Low carb tuna pickle, Guacamole as dips, Canned Sardines, Low carb onion rings, Peanut butter barks, Keto mug bread, Zucchini chips, Chia Seed puddings, Mixed nuts, Beef Jerky, Pumpkin seeds, and many, many more.

If you have forgotten eggs, let’s remind you that boiled eggs too make amazing snacks. Just boil them in the morning and eat them whenever you feel the pangs hitting in, or whenever you are bored. They are easily available, cheap and generally in the kitchen stock as well.

What more do you need?

If you want more variation, try checking out delicious recipes online. Make the most of your keto-diet program.

Happy munching!

References

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/195554?utm_source=TrendMD&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=J_Am_Med_TrendMD_1

https://academic.oup.com/aje/article-abstract/122/1/27/110405

https://www.peta.org/living/food/vegan-keto-tips-recipes/

https://asweetlife.org/why-i-chose-a-ketogenic-diet-for-diabetes-management/

https://wellandwealthy.org/easy-keto-recipes/

https://annals.org/aim/fullarticle/717451

https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com

https://www.fatforweightloss.com.au/recipe/peanut-butter-cookies/

https://whatmollymade.com/peanut-butter-fat-bombs/

https://www.ruled.me/peanut-butter-pancakes/

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[carolcooks2]

Welcome to this weeks edition of Saturday Snippets…we have had rain plenty of it and I am sitting here surrounded by scaffolding, a ceiling which collapsed under the weight of water and lots of workmen who are trying to decide where the water is coming in…They have found one but it doesn’t bode well… armed with mastic and tape because they won’t admit it is the roof which needs replacing I fear another bodge job…we shall see…gone are the days when I stress about it I will just move once this COVID thingy goes away…I am calm…

On a brighter note, my new laptop is out for delivery…I can’t wait to be able to just do..instead of either not being able to or working around it…changing browsers etc…

Sharks…Feared by many but an essential part of our survival…the shark plays an important role within the eco-system…Classed as one of the top predators they are an essential part of the natural order of marine ecosystems.

Not all species of sharks attack humans and when they do sometimes it is a set of circumstances like a magpie is said to be attracted to bright shiny objects bright colours or blood from an open wound attracts some sharks …

This video is beautiful and shows the trust between the diver and the sharks …

If I had known in March that this would be the last time I would eat in a restaurant for the foreseeable …I most certainly would have ordered dessert…

You have heard me mention that Thais love foraging especially my daughter law she must go foraging at least 3-4 times a week if not more…

These are the mushrooms she has foraged this week I think they like the weather at the moment as there seem to be a lot of mushrooms about… Tik my daughter in law is in her element she loves her mushroom soup and her mushroom dips…

Lets now pop over to Sally for her health column…

Taking supplements is something I don’t do and I actually know little about supplements unlike Sally and she will take you through taking supplements when and how to take. In this post, Sally is looking at the use of supplements, the ingredients you should avoid and which ones which are more easily absorbed by the body.

Wellness Corner. Smorgasbord Health Column – by Sally Cronin…

  https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2020/08/11/smorgasbord-health-column-supplements-absorbing-the-nutrients-avoiding-the-additives-by-sally-cronin/

Over the years I have gathered many sayings along the way which I am sure many of you have however who would have thunk that ” I wouldn’t touch him/her with a 6-foot barge pole would become national policy but here we are!

As you know I am a supporter of looking after and nurturing our world…This is a great example and quite close to my home give or take a few hundred km…563 to be precise…

A beautiful example of a rooftop farm I can’t wait to go and see it!

Music…what would life be without music? I think everyone should have music in their

lives…

Today on August 15th, 1969…Woodstock began in a filed near Yagur’s Farm at Bethel,

New York. The three -day concert featured 24 rock bands and drew a crowd of more than

300,000 young people. This event came to symbolise the counterculture movement of the

1960’s

It was such a shame when Woodstock 50  was cancelled last year…There are some planned over the next few months at various venues but who knows if they will go ahead some have already been cancelled.

It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe ended…six million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians and 1,900 Catholic priests were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved and humiliated.

So what is this holocaust denial all about? Iran and others claiming the Holocaust is a myth…we must not forget or it will happen again and has in recent times happened again … There have been many recipients of The Nobel Peace Prize many deservedly so…some in my humble opinion not so deserving…Last year this lady was nominated and not selected…

Last year 2019 the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was awarded the Noble Peace

Prize and deservedly so…Most who are selected for the award are high profile people or

Prime Ministers…BUT we should not forget to honour and remember brave souls like

Irena Sendler  and all the children she saved from certain death or worse experimented

on…A brave lady indeed!

This week is National Afternoon Tea Week…Today is also National Lemon Meringue

Pie Day and National Honey Bee Day…

Lemon /Lime Meringue Pie.

https://carolcooks2.com/2018/06/19/lime-lemon-meringue-pie/

Honey Bees are precious and we need to nurture their surroundings and plant wild

flowers as if the bees disappear so will the human race …They pollinate much of our food

and without them …I don’t think I need to spell it out…

Did you know? It takes about 2 million flower visits by honeybees to produce 1 pound of

honey.

If bees were not around do you know how many foods we would lose?

Honey (obviously)

Tree fruits such as apples, peaches, apricots, plums, lemons, limes and cherries

Bananas, melons, mangos and papaya

Berries such as strawberries, blueberries, elderberries, blackberries, raspberries and cranberries

Onions

Almonds, cashews and coconut

Avocados

Beans varieties such as green beans, adzuki, kidney and lima beans)

Coffee (!!!!!!)

Tea plants

Vanilla

Sunflower and sesame oils

Tomatoes

Cucumbers

Grapes (and, therefore, wine!)

Cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, turnips and Brussels sprouts

Beetroot, pumpkin

Chocolate

Sugarcane

Agave (vital for tequila!)

So if you don’t eat any of those, no need to worry (!)

That’s all for today…Be well and stay safe don’t forego those precautions too quickly as many areas are seeing an increase in Covid-19 cases��It ain’t over yet folks…Better to be safe than sorry…xx

About Carol Taylor: 

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a fabulous week and stay safe these are troubling times xx

Saturday Snippets…

Welcome to this weeks edition of Saturday Snippets…we have had rain plenty of it and I am sitting here surrounded by scaffolding, a ceiling which collapsed under the weight of water and lots of workmen who are trying to decide where the water is coming in…They have found one but it doesn’t bode well…

Saturday Snippets… Welcome to this weeks edition of Saturday Snippets...we have had rain plenty of it and I am sitting here surrounded by scaffolding, a ceiling which collapsed under the weight of water and lots of workmen who are trying to decide where the water is coming in...They have found one but it doesn't bode well...

[ketobhbpills]

Keto BHB Reviews - Keto BHB Diet Pills | Does It Really Work?

Keto BHB Reviews - Keto BHB Diet Pills

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See more at: http://carbsprotein.com/keto-bhb-reviews/

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[angsarapblog]

I was so glad when we discovered this place because of all Scandinavian countries we visited, Finland feels quite different, so different I thought there were no Asian buffets in here, but I was wrong. This was the longest stay for us in any Scandinavian country and we had 5 days in here and of all those five days we had been looking for an Asian buffet and it finally showed up on the last day on a place we had passed by so many times when we were finding some food, in the alley ways of Ateneuminkuja in Aikatalo district.

Like I said we passed by this place when we dined in at Davinci Ristorante as well as Vapiano but I think we were not looking hard enough hence we did not saw it during those times, anyways it’s here and we loved it. They offer their lunch buffet for only €9.80 and dinner buffer for €12.80 which was very affordable, taking into consideration the quality of food they serve. Like mentioned it was located on Ateneuminkuja but I think that’s the rear entrance hence it’s not as visible, there was a front entrance, but you have to come from the Sav-Rahoitus Oyj building.

Upon entering you will be surprised how clean it is, unlike most Asian buffets. Solid wooden seats and Oriental decors gives it a good indication that you are dining in an Asian restaurant. We got seated near the front entrance just behind where the buffet food is on display. And there are many things on offer.

First section got me confused, it’s like a taco or salad station where items like corn, fruits, olive, beans, prawns, butter and pickles are on display. In this area there was also bread and salad greens. Until now I am puzzled on what that station should be, all I grabbed from there was the peaches.

Then you have the salad station, this too was confusing as it is a mix of Asian warm and Western cold salads like. Caprese, Tomato Cucumber, some sort of spicy salad with carrots and mangoes, Warm chicken and cucumber then beef and mint salad.

Then there is this sushi section, which I do loved, they are cut neatly, and they do not skimp on the fillings. Sushi include Salmon, Tuna, Chicken, Tofu Wraps, Tamago, Avocado, etc For Nigiri they have salmon, grilled salmon, eel, prawn, squid, kani, tuna, etc.

There was also the Chinese section where it features dim sums like shumai and dumplings, fried prawn balls with sweet and sour sauce plus some egg foo young. There are also three different types on meat on the warm dishes, some stir fried beef, chicken and pork, as well as prawns and spring rolls.

On the last section there are other dishes like French Fries, broccoli, another stir fried chicken dish, tofu and noodles was also on display.

They also had two types of soup, a dessert made from apple and cinnamon which we really loved. Plus, there are also drinks like coffee, tea and juice included on the price.

While the food selection was very diverse, we were satisfied and actually filled to the brim. We ate a lot of that shumai as well as the sticky corn but needless to say all the dishes tasted amazing.

Zhong Hua Address: Mikonkatu 8, 00100 Helsinki, Finland Phone: +358 9 2785017 Website: https://zhonghua.fi/

Zhong Hua (Helsinki, Finland) I was so glad when we discovered this place because of all Scandinavian countries we visited, …

[spacegaywritings]

The Communication of Silence - chapter 8

https://archiveofourown.org/works/18884971/chapters/53251429 There are no extra warnings this time. Sorry for the big delay. Executive dysfunction and stress don’t go together. The weekend rolls around and Virgil is excited to meet his bestest friend in town. Roman interrogates him and their relationship remains tense. They actually watch a film together on Friday and Virgil and Logan take a walk in the middle of it. Something is there.

The weekend finally rolled around and the roommates got together to watch their film as Patton had proposed.

Virgil and Logan had spent some time together to make some snacks and arrange the things that Roman had picked from the store.

 Patton had his free day. Apparently, he worked on Tuesday, Thursday and the weekend. But Fridays were usually free for him every other week or so.

This was about all Patton shared about his job. That and the fact he was usually away all night and came back super early.

Other than that, he was apparently working with Dr. Picani to finish his thesis and that was about it. Logically, he did not have too much time on his hands even when staying at home since he would read and write and compromise his data - often with Logan’s help.

Hence, he adored time off and would gladly spend it with his favourite people who just so happened to be his roommates.

 Patton was sitting on the couch, obviously banned from helping in the kitchen. After all, he just came from his research work and was done thinking for the day. It was cuddle time.

Roman gladly leaned against his side and the two giggled as they shifted together as Patton simply pulled the tanned man against his strong chest and smiled warmly while Logan and Virgil brought the snacks over and decorated the table with several snacks.

There were crisps and flips, some cut vegetables and cheese, bite-sized tomatoes (Virgil forgot the name for them but he liked them a lot), some breadsticks and dips such as hot cheese dip and guacamole.

 The guacamole was a Logan thing that nobody commented on. How would anyone condemn avocado and curse the tasty food worked into one of the greatest dips in life, after all?

Personally, Logan thought that nothing was just as subtly tasty and so immediately the most drool-worthy and customisable dip that had ever come from human hands.

 When Virgil and Logan were done, they finally settled onto the couch and Roman explained which film he had chosen and started going a little ramble on the dramatic effects and the superior art of acting.

 ‘’I promise you will cry by the end of it! She is just that amazing!’’, he said in a booming voice. If he had not convinced anyone before with his blabbering and rambling, he surely did make a point by sounding as if he was debating about how much water consisted of oxygen and hydrogen.

He surely was passionate about that and Patton just kept gigging about it while Logan mumbled something about not understanding acting and the whole concept. He still thought it was a masterful skill to carry out.

 The snacks were contributed.

Roman settled with some crisps that somewhat tasted of bacon or spicy stuff while Virgil very much stuck to carrots and cucumber dipped into guacamole and similar things. Logan attended to salty nacho crisps with his beloved guacamole he seemed to only really share with Virgil.

Not that anyone minded.

Patton alternated between sugary chocolate things. They looked like donuts but in so tiny, the hole did not even fit a pinky through, It was entirely made of some sort of dark milk chocolate and the backside was flat while the top had sprinkle on it that looked like matte pearls of pure sugar and mouth-watering sweetness. Other than that, he sometimes helped himself to the cheese flips they had together.

 There was no dinner, they just ate all the snacks and little things they had in front of them.

 When the film was close to ending, the twist hit them and the protagonist finally made it to a better life. As Roman had predicted, Patton was smiling and ‘aww’-ing at the courageous actions of the character. She had finally grown out of her problems and taken the initiative to love herself and put her own needs and matters first.

Currently, the protagonist was moving to another place and when she checked in at the counter, she was met with a smile by a nice person with dark skin and tired eyes.

Work had to be hard in these positions.

He gave her the documents back and greeted her with the scripted ‘’Welcome to our country’’-phrase he probably had to say to every person to pass through on his watch.

 She smiled and started tearing up while Patton squeaked and threw his arms around Roman to hug him.

Virgil was curled up into himself and right next to Logan on the other side of the couch. When the It student heard the first sniffles, he blinked in surprise.

 Usually, Roman and Patton were the emotional ones who would sniffle and laugh and throw marshmallows at the TV while begging the characters to act other than their roles were scripted. Itw as a fruitless endeavour and nothing came from it, naturally, yet they always kept doing it.

For this time, however, Virgil was sniffling. The sound came from the left side where Virgil was hugging his legs, snacks abandoned and face buried in his knees as his eyeliner started running down his cheeks.

 That was new.

That was pretty new.

Sure, when he had met him during this night (‘met’ was probably the wrong word considering Logan had come to his home, to his room), he had seen Virgil cry for the first and only time.

It had not been pretty but tears never were.

 His mind was filled with confusion as Virgil wiped his sleeve over his eyes and tried to muffle his own sounds by blocking his mouth with his jacket part that covered his arm.

Logan gently nudged him and Roman stood up after putting the snacks aside and he stretched with an exaggeratedly loud sigh that seemed stage-worthy.

No wonder he was so dramatic when he literally worked in the theatre department of the university and acted alongside his students.

 ‘’I told you this film would be great! Did you like the ending? We h-a-v-e to talk about it’’, he declared quickly and Virgil shrunk into himself.

The punk barely glanced over at Logan but there was no response and Patton seemed to just need a moment.

 ‘’Kiddo, you okay?’’

 The ball flinched but did not move for a moment before his tear-streaked face rose from his knees.

 ‘’uh, sure’’, he proposed vaguely. His voice was rather shaky but it was forced into a more stable stance as he looked up and shrugged.

 Logan was not exactly the ideal interpreter of social cues but he was rather sure that the curled up position and the hugging of the own legs was a rather defensive action. Especially when he considered how much Virgil looked like someone threatening to fire bombs as he leaned over the wall of his precious castle just enough for others to see him.

 His words were still mildly blocked his knees. His legs seemed to extend arms for his words and embrace them rather than let them leave his proximity.

The bookshelf artist did not exactly know what was up but he just suspected that maybe Roman was right about films having a special effect on people after all. Patton had been sniffling as well and Roman himself looked like used to be a balloon but finally let out some air that had left him tensed up and rigid.

 Logan softly ghosted his hands over the nape of Virgil’s neck and looked at him. He leaned in just a bit, then lowered his voice so it would stay between him and his friend only.

‘’Do you want to talk?’’, he asked softly, voice smothered into a breathless plead more than a proposition.

 The punk shrugged and let out a sigh. His hands moved up and down his legs as if to warm them into a little fire.

Logan waited patiently until the other leaned closer and nodded.

 Patton and Roman were in the kitchen, obviously ushered away by the tension in the air and the intimacy Logan had displayed.

Virgil gently let his right travel over to Logan’s side and he let out a breath of relief before he took his hand and squeezed it.

Another big breath. Deep, hollow at the same time.

 He carefully dipped his head upwards, leaning a little against Logan’s side as his body staggered aimlessly like a confused, wasted bullet on a last warning shot.

‘’Promise I am fine’’, he muttered and cleared his throat. His words sounded as if they were covered by something that filtered the truth from what he tried to convey. It almost sounded ugly but his words seemed to make up for the missing shine.

Or Logan just wanted to believe him and his words. His friend would not lie to him after all, now would he?

 He heard another heavy breath, like shackles around his tongue. The words were still trembling but his lips seemed to move with grace like a calculating performer, a dancer who was born to evoke and rolled into the world instead of being dragged into it or cradled close.

Virgil licked his lips. His small, curved mouth smoothly moved, fleeing from his piercings until he retreated back into place and pulled at the rings with his teeth.

 The voice sounded again, nearly echoing like an angelic sound when Logan could catch it with his ears.

‘’I am..happy.’’

A scoff followed the soft words and Logan felt himself dipped into the velvet of yogurt-like sensations on his skin. Cool, smooth, luxurious to his skin and carefully travelling over his skin with slow movements as it draped itself over his body, covering his whole form. Then it was warm, so warm and loose like a burning heater in a cold winter’s night.

It was crackling and sizzling, his heart whistled like boiled water ready for the last ingredient, the part that came from the outside - the teabag to make water more than it used to be, more than it seemed to be made out for.

 A sob broke from the punk but a smile was on his face and Logan carefully brought his arms around him.

‘’Being happy is good. It is good, you deserve to be happy, Virgil’’, Logan assured him.

He did not know whether his coworker need it but he knew that it was true. He let his heart speak and for a moment, his mind was only the tool for providing words rather than the executive control of his actions. His mind was an agent to his heart, it acted for his feelings and pronounced what his deepest wishes seemed to be.

It expressed thoughts he had never realised to be living in his pounding chest.

 ‘’I-...’’, Virgil started but his thrilling breath caught him off and he took another drag of air around him. It was so so thin to him, his mind started getting dizzy with too much already, ‘’you too, nerd.’’

Logan blinked at the words and felt his lips splitting for a quick snicker as his chest seemed to be punched with the impact of Virgil’s words.

The element of surprise seemed to inhabit his friend and it never ceased to get to him.

 ‘’I am happy. I am happy with you and I am happy that you are happy, really.’’

 It was Virgil’s turn to snort at the other and he glanced at him, a warm lambency flaring from him as he let his golden sunshine eyes rest on Logan’s appearance for just a moment.

His head was twisted to the side so he rested the side of it on his knees and stared into Logan’s soul without effort, without even attempting to do so.

It just was. It happened simply and honestly right then and there between the two students.

 ‘’I just.. I am happy to be here’’, Virgil explained softly, the words slowly dancing in the air between them, twirling and cheering as they seductively closed in and eventually settled in Logan’s blood pump.

‘’I have waited so long to be happy and now it is here and I can barely believe I deserve it, Log. Sometimes I just look around this place and it feels like a lie, it feels like a facade before it will all inevitably break down onto me and stop being good because life is not like that.’’

 He sighed and gave the other another weak smile.

 ‘’It is so nice’’, he sniffled before he continued, his voice gaining more and more weight the more he said. The shaky sensation long gone and instead having been replaced by the density of truth, ‘’It is just so nice to come home and there is silence and community.’’

 Logan nodded seriously.

He had suspected it before and his heart clenched as his mind ticked his suspicion. Virgil had been mistreated in his life before. Neglected and isolated from happiness and stability everyone needed and deserved.

 ‘’Your previous roommates, they -’’, he started but cut himself off as Virgil leaned back against the couch and broke from Logan’s arms, determining the sweet contact of their union.

‘’They were your family?’’

 Virgil bit his lip, the side where he had no holes pierced through his skin for aesthetic purposes.

‘’I don’t really um.. I mean.. no. They were not. Just people I met. I never met my biological parents anyway but as far as I know, the mother died pretty soon after I came to life and the father was in jail or still is. I mean, I know he still is but I don’t know whether he was even then but probably, if not on the way.’’

 He sighed carefully and shrugged.

 ‘’Anyway, I do have a family kinda thing so I better give some sign of life and get ready so I can do the happy thing, you know?’’, he said and Logan narrowed his eyes, his mouth slightly agape.

 Virgil nodded.

‘’Yeah, kind of like that, you get me.’’

He gave him the softest of smiles, so faint and precious Logan was not even sure it was there but with that, the other got off the couch and disappeared into their shared room.

  It only took a few minutes during which Patton and Roman cleared the table and settled back with Logan again.

‘’Hey Logan, where is the kiddo gone to?’’, Patton asked as he cuddled up once more, this time between Roman and Logan and he let out the curly giggles that spiraled up the scale of adorableness as they went on.

His faintly freckled hands carefully wrapped around the other two males who flanked him.

 Logan licked his lips and shrugged.

‘’According to him, there is a >>family thing<< he needs to attend’’, he informed. His words came out as neatly printed as they were flat. Just black and white on paper, it was just that simple.

Patton’s eyebrows carefully knitted together s if trying to merge. It was a sight like two cars closing in so much that it felt dangerous and nearly painful to watch.

 The nerd averted his eyes and sighed.

‘’Aw! But we usually play board games together! Now we have to wait until I have time again’’, Patton pouted in protest.

He knew it was a fruitless effort but his bottom lip slowly peeked out from under his upper one and his mouth quivered just a bit like a shaky line drawn by a person who was anything but sober.

 Roman huffed.

‘’Did he not know about that? This is tradition! First a movie and then games!’’

Patton sighed but shrugged, obviously defeated as his lips curled downwards and Logan’s chest tightened just a bit as he saw his best friend so upset over the minuscule inconvenience.

Virgil was not the usual part of this ritual, this little tradition that happened whenever Patton’s work let them and they usually dropped everything just to spend this time together. It had been how Roman and Logan had met and eventually decided to somewhat be friends and spend them together by staying in a shared flat.

 Still, knowing that Virgil was about to be invited and absorbed into their history-heavy tradition that was the essential bonding time between them all, it kind of felt wrong, it felt like a void was there just building the yawn of a seemingly bottomless abyss.

Logan knew that a bottomless abyss was nothing but a hole, a void, but it felt just like that. It was gaping and destructive and it seemed to grow in size and severity with every waking moment spent in this situation.

Like holding Virgil’s right hand after he had held the left and was left with so little him, and so much pain instead, so much unfilled potential and so much that he could be, so much he could fill but did not because as much as he wanted to, he was not actually enabled to do fix up everything that was missing.

 Just on cue, the punk ducked out of the room and dipped into the living-room like a kid dipped their finger into the baking batter when their parents were watching but decided to let it slide with silence and comment with nothing more but thoughts.

‘’Hey, Log imma-’’, he started with a certain hop in his voice until he stopped, his tracks dead and his voice deflated for a moment. He continued with a more gloomy touch to his words, the excitement veiled by a certain blockade he had put up by now, ‘’what..is happened here?’’

 Patton retreated his arms and looked over at Virgil and smiled with his lips spreading over his cheeks with a force that was clearly forced. It appeared to be effortless but it was hollow, lacking any sort enthusiasm.

‘’Oh kiddo, look! We usually play games after the film together and sometimes we watch another but it has been a bit of time so we started playing more than watching films, you know?’’

 Virgil’s eyes lost all the light that had been instilled in him and a dark shadow hushed over his face in a moment of panic.

‘’Oh, ... oh fuck, I did not know! ‘’, he exclaimed immediately and guarded his chest with one arm wrapped around it while his other arm curled over his abdomen, his fingers buried in the exterior of his squishy sports bag that was strapped over his right shoulder and hung from there.

‘’It is alright. We can play next time when you have time! Logan said you are busy?’’

 Virgil shuffled on the spot, his legs giving in a bit as they felt weak. His heart and his knees seemed to sink in wobbly powerlessness.

‘’Uh,, yeah.. I mean, yes. It- it is a fam-fa...family thing n all. I -.. I might be gone u-until tomorrow or or the day a-after’’, he explained with a shaky voice. The newbie inhaled deeply as he took a little speaking break, ‘’I um,... I am gonna sleep over and then I have exercise and uh, .. I might meet my partner and all and it has been a while and shit..’’

He looked down at his feet before he glanced into the vague direction of the three who happened to stare their eyes into his soul.

 Patton clapped his hands together and Virgil nearly jumped out of his skin, his head jerking up to face the source of sound with an antsy anticipation covering his usually nonchalant and slightly mischievous facial features.

The master student noted it with just another moment of hesitation before he offered the other a sweetened smile and his hands pulled apart to face Virgil’s direction with his palms.

He was harmless, really! Sharks killed more people than he ever did!

‘’Aw! Have fun with your friends and family, kiddo! I am sure they all missed you a bunch and cannot wait to see you again and hug you a lot!’’

 The cheerfulness was back to Patton’s face.

Maybe the genuine answer from Virgil had eased up his mood and straightened the worries and sadness he had held in his chest before the explanation had been provided.

Maybe the panic in Virgil’s voice had him appreciate the fact that he was going to a place he wanted to be at, a place where he was welcomed and comfortable.

 ‘’uh..tha-thanks, thank you, really’’, he stuttered out quickly and carefully marched over to the door, taking a huge bow around the trio.

 ‘’Oh! Wait kiddo! Wait!’’, Patton called out immediately but his voice softened as soon as the first word had escaped his mouth and sent jolts through the addressed person’s body.

‘’Ah, sorry for being so loud’’, he apologised as he jumped to his feet and quickly retrieved a stack of papers from the table, ‘’there you go. The landlord gave us a seasonal update on rent. We don’t have to pay in December so we only have to pay our bills. I will send you the invoice and check it with you, don’t worry. You will not have to pay more than the rest of us.’’

 Virgil carefully extended his hand to curl his fingers around the papers that were stapled together by the edge. On the right side, not the left side as it was per usual.

A bright pink note was plastered over the contract, his name on it and some signs that made up a little message.

 ‘’I thought that it was yours. Given the name and the language nobody here understands.’’

Patton smiled at him and shifted on his legs for a moment, his face looking unruly, somewhat excited for something he had not revealed just yet.

‘’Kiddo can I get a hug before you leave? I just really want to squish you right now!’’

 The punk bit his left piercing and shrugged before he put the contract away. Fucking Kyle was being a damn saint with their stupid initiatives.

‘’Go for it, strike me with your love, dad’’, he joked.

 Boi, did he not expect the impact of his words.

Patton’s whole face lit up like Christmas decoration, especially the fairy lights that would illuminate a whole pine tree cut down for the sake of being a dying ornament. His freckles seemed to glow in lovely delight and his face scrunched up like a cute kitten sneezing or an adorable pooch expressing their affection for their caretakers.

‘’Aw!! kiddo!’’, he squealed and Logan covered his ears instantly, fearing more sounds to wreck his hearing abilities, ‘’of course I will!!’’

 He threw himself, his body that was a steel wall dressed in a walking cotton candy hug of love and nostalgic kid dreams, into Virgil with a force that made the other drop his bag and lose the air in his lungs with an unironic ‘’oof’’ that was knocked out of him.

Arms wrapped around him and quickly lifted him just a tad off his feet and Virgil mentally noted just how strong and unbelievably gay this moment was when he hesitantly drew his arms around the soft soft sweater-ed man that wrapped around him like a fluffy blanket on a cold winter night.

 ‘’Hey Pat’’, he chuckled and buried his face in the giant’s big collar that brushed over him with the comfort of a beloved childhood plushie you would hold dear from the good old days when all was good, if not better at least.

The other replied with the soft soft puddle noises the giant let out. It kind of reminded him of videos with moms cuddling their toddlers and complementing their babies when they did something cute or funny, sometimes both.

Patton made him feel all kinds of fuzzy warm feelings inside and it was so profound that whenever thy hugged, Virgil felt like life was a little more complete and less sucky. It was just ... it was okay when Patton hugged him.

Everything was okay.

 The punk carefully patted his friend’s back.

They were friends, right? He did not know whether he would just let some random person hug him but then again, they had met and Patton had instantly given him a hug (with much consent and secret euphoria, actually).

Maybe it was a therapy thing but Patton just gave him these vibes of.. of home. A home he had not have when he was younger but now.. perhaps now he did.

 Patton took the pat as initiation to end the whole procedure and he carefully lowered the smaller student with a bright smile flashing at him.

‘’Sorry kiddo, I tend to overdo it a bit’’, he apologised with a sheepish smile playing on his lips like the sensual curves of an attractive datemate, ‘’you okay?’’

 Virgil felt his heart thump so loud, he feared he ‘’Tell-tale heart’’ becoming a truth to his life.

His cheeks were warm. Warm like Patton’s hugs and Virgil just felt so incredibly vulnerable to the touch, he could feel his eyes tear up.

This was all so much.

‘’I am good’’, he squeaked in reply and carefully hugged his body when he was released and the punk ungracefully stumbled backwards with insecurity marking his trembling steps.

Something unruly was in his demeanour but the candy man could not quite place it.

Man... Patton was like the human manifestation of a marshmellow, he casually realised as he quickly found the strap to his bag and pull at it before it glided out of his grip and hit the floor just to be pulled into his hands again and finally be strapped over his shoulder with a quickened glance over the psychology student one more time.

 Patton was giving him a look. While not directly suspicious, it was bordering on scolding and it held that ..concern? Yeah, the dirty glass green eyes of this caring man were darkened by the heavy concern he felt for the other.

It felt like a vague promise, the extra squeeze at the end of a handshake before a guidance counsellor would finally let you go back to class or return home.

 ‘’Really’’, he assured. His voice seemed to stumble like a drunk idiot who navigated themself through the streets when the streetlights were on but they forgot so their eyes were squeezed shut.

The walking hug pressed his lips together and Virgil and he just stared into each others orbs for a moment.

Eventually, Patton nodded and put his cheery smile back on.

 ‘’Okay kiddo! I would hate to hurt you!’’, he repeated softly.

It was one of these things he said almost every time they talked. Sometimes they barely exchanged any content and he still said this. It was yet another of these things that made Virgil feel short of breath and it terrible need of a break from all these feelings and all this confusion in his chest, his lung... and his mind.

Virgil let his lips twitch into one direction for a brief moment but his golden sunshine eyes seemed to gleam with just a grain more of enthusiasm.

 He turned to leave and walk away but Logan stopped him this time, calling out to him in a voice he has never heard and for some reason, it gave him a wobbly, foggy feeling.

The art student turned around, worry glazing his honey eyes with a bit of hesitance. Something.. just something about how Logan called him felt so severe to him like a final goodbye.

 Logan was standing, still around the couch area and even Princey looked over at him, unable to ignore the tension in the air.

 ‘’Are you going to be safe?’’, he asked.

 Virgil’s eyes closed with a quick blink. He felt his hands adjusting the strap around his left shoulder and he nodded carefully.

’’They would die for me, Logan. I know it.’’

And then he left with the thud of the door and the rustling sounds of his clothing rubbing together and his sports bag falling against his legs as he walked.

 The three were left in a pressing silence.

Roman was the first to speak up.

‘’Logan, why would you ask that?’’

The nerd did not answer and Patton simply sighed, his mind filled with horrible ideas and quotes from actual people that had talked to him, had talked to Emile about all their trouble and struggle.

 ‘’Now Roman, I guess this is none of our business’’, he chastised softly with a slightly more obvious scold to his tone.

Logan straightened his shirt and flexed his shoulders while Patton returned to their couch and carefully cuddled up between them.

‘’I do not know’’, he admitted eventually as he let his body sink against Patton’s shoulder and sighed, ‘’Virgil is nearly as much of a mystery to me as he is to you.’’

 The psychology student narrowed his eyes at his friends and gently brought his arms around both men’s shoulders.

’’Let him open up. I am sure you will get to know him better if you just give him time and space. He seems like a little mouse in a big city centre and that can be really scary and exciting.’’

 The youngest of the three sighed and shrugged before he closed his eyes and leaned back against his best friend.

He loved Patton. He did not know how the other was just so wise and still so clueless and oblivious at the same time but he was filled with glee about having him in his life and being able to lay down and relax on him and his advice. He could take all the time to dwell on his words and Patton would never, had never in their time together, pushed him into opening up when he was not ready.

 ‘’Hey pocket protector’’, Roman started, his voice unusually soft. It felt more like a breeze than a strong and impressive wind that - while short despite the intensity - would disappear upon its initial appearance. Now it was a gently nudge as little wake-up call instead of loud drilling sounds of an annoying construction side starting up way too early to be humanly acceptable.

‘’Are you gonna ask him out?’’

 Patton nearly gasped as the body on his lap was instantly stiffening so much, it felt more like a wooden log on his body rather than a person cuddling with him and holding his hand like it was the most fragile treasure in the whole universe.

He watched Logan divide his lips for a split moment before he closed them again, pressing his mouth shut and letting his eyebrows twitch together to bump into one another for a brief moment of extreme energy fueling their movements.

It was kind of like giving a car too much gas at once.

Silence weighed over them for a moment. It was a horrendous moment. Long and stretched like the abomination of a horror-borne monster that was exclusively made to disgust and terrify people just by being mentioned, hence triggering the mental image of it.

It lingered, it stayed. Once it left, it was still resting in their minds, and if not there, they remained a large burden in their hearts.

 ‘’Roman, I do not..Ro-’’, but he was already interrupted by a certain thespian jerking into a sitting position and startling his human pillow enough to have him become an uncomfortable cushion to Logan at last.

‘’You do not what? Come on, Microsoft turd! I see you like him, you know it and Patton sees it too and you are sitting here, letting him go somewhere, you do not even know anything about him.’’

 Logan sat up, preparing to speak but Roman was already fired up, cheeks warm and words flaming.

‘’You like him, just get it together and do something so you can get to know him. Logan, come on, you are such a disaster gay and I do not know how you are just sitting here, pretending to be all sad about it when you never really try to do shit with him. I do not even get how Patton puts up with living with a complete stranger. We know nothing about him!’’

Roman took a short breath, his cheeks puffing up in red rage, pent up like a fully blown balloon that was not tied up but let go and all came out at once, with long and loud farting sounds because this was about as much as Logan heard when the other continued.

 ‘’You are just letting him be over here and you know nothing, absolutely nothing. He could kill you in your sleep! I swear, he does not sleep and he is always on and about - I can hear him come and go at night, I am closest to the front door with my room. You invited him over to stay because you have the hots for him and you are still to scared to admit it when you could just say something and stop putting us at risk.’’

 Patton gave Roman a gaze. He was in a house, a house that was on fire and the stairs were blocked and the elevator should not be used and the levels underneath him were already caught up in hot burning flames while he was staring down the window, seeing the concrete reach out for him.

‘’Now, let us not judge like this. He is really sweet and ever since he came, we got that precious sweetie handing us the contract with rent as collective winter gift’’, Patton softly advocated and Logan huffed in response.

‘’And that makes it possible for you to go home despite the holiday bonus being insecure this year. I mean, that is really good. And he cooks with me and gives really soft hugs. He cleans and has a job, he pays the pills and never lets anything slip up or lay around. Roman, he is really nice. If you are worried, you can get to know him too, you know? I bet he would be happy to make another friend and you would probably like him.’’

 Roman glared at Logan and when he looked over at Patton, the fierce green in his eyes seemed to soften. The wind in his sails was taken out by the off-handed look on Patton’s face and he felt a hand reach out to his and squeeze it.

...It was his time to sigh and before Logan could fire out a response, Roman slumped back against Patton.

 ‘’I .. I don’t know him, man. I just don’t know him and I don’t trust him’’, he pouted, his arms crossed over his broad chest as he huffed at the air and let himself fall against Patton’s shoulder.

‘’And what if he is a mean guy? Because he certainly looks like a mean guy and I do not feel like welcoming one in our home! I mean.. come on.’’

The thespian took a deep breath and let his arms slide out of position just a bit.

‘’He is all creepy with his behaviour, all odd and mysterious and such and I do not like him! He is always so.. so edgy with me’’, he confessed, his words assembling around the ‘’edgy’’ as they emphasised it and held it up like the whole sentence was just made to make this point and nothing else.

 Logan carefully let himself rest back against the couch but he did not take Patton’s hand. Just the thought of it gave him the chills and he tried his best to keep his shoulders in place as the shiver ran down his spine and shook his upper body like a wind chime was rattled by the wind.

 ‘’Roman, you are being ri-.. you are being irrational. If he wanted to hurt us, he would have done this right from the start. He knows me, he works with me and we study together and it sounds very much like he is on a scholarship’’, he started.

Roman nodded and Logan nearly smiled.

There was still hope.

‘’He is being rather secretive and while that may raise suspicion, please be aware that I do work with him and share a room together with Virgil. We spend much time together and recent events lead me to believe that he is, indeed, a trustworthy person with a set of his own morals and principles. ‘

 The nerd turned to look at Roman and he leaned over just a bit, Patton carefully nudging the other and offering his hand again.

The actor took it and gave the caring elder a little smile before he gave Logan his most neutral expression. Emotions stormed within him but he did not push anything into the situation to fuel any more distress.

‘’I am sorry I called you Microsoft turd. It is just’’, he looked at his hand that Patton was not holding with one of his large and unbelievably welcoming hands. A strange kind of pain seemed to strike through him, a pain that was his but also not his at all.

‘’I do not know him and I do not want my friend to get hurt but he comes and goes at all times, we do not know any of his friends or his family. We do not know anything. I know you guys and you two grew up together. And he.. he just comes and suddenly we get rent for free for a whole month and a discount for the following. Those are weird things happening. And he is away so much for someone who studies. We... We just do not know anything about him and we wanted to change that to night and now he left.’’

 Logan shrugged.

‘’I, however, did find out things about him after this film, Roman. Perhaps you find our time to be wasted, still, I do perceive our relationship to be more open ever since the day I brought him here. I may not be the most’’, he paused for a moment, possibly searching his mental library for suitable term to fit his expectation, ‘’socially-skilled person on this planet but I do recognise a person opening up to me. And he started doing this much more lately. I am sure I can have him talk a bit more to me but if you are concerned about this so much, I would propose another of Patton’s family nights or flatmate activities to warm up to one another - so to speak.’’

  Patton sucked in a breath and released an audible smile as soon as he exhaled again.

How were smiles audible? Well, it was obvious Patton magic. He just had his way with people to make things work. Maybe it was this affective presence that people talked about, apparently it gave people positive feelings and made them like you a lot - to simplify it by a bunch. Not that human beings and their interactions ever were that easy.

However, Patton made them easy - or at least made them seem to be oh so simple when, in reality, they were not. Not even in the slightest, especially not when you were Logan who could barely fulfil surface interactions. But being Roman was just as hard, a person who was everybodies’ darling but somehow not really a dear to just one person, no matter how hard he tried.

 And Patton was just between them, sitting there and connecting them as he took their hands and squeezed them with his broadening smile.

‘’You know what, kiddos? You are starting to think just right! I will ask him whether he wants to make it this or next week. I will get my work thing together and see whether I can make it work, alright? You two, too?’’

He flashed them adorable smiles and Logan could not help but pull out his phone to check his calendar and try to peek into the work schedule so they would be able to see whether Virgil was working.

 ‘’Got the message! I am sure he will reply when he is not so busy having fun!’’, he added, smile swinging in his voice and Roman chimed in with a silenced battle cry.

‘’Alright! I don’t have rehearsals on the weekend until the end of November!’’, he informed and smirked at them, his fingers curling around one of the cartoon rectangles before him.

 ‘’Anyone up for a round of our favourite game?’’, he asked and drew his arms to his chest, holding the board game in front of his chest with the cover facing the others.

He was grinning like a honey bear and Patton quickly caught on to do the same.

‘’No you’’ was about the greatest game they have ever played and, again, it was something Patton had come up with (since he had the adorable inventive mind of an unexpected genius) because he had wanted to get Logan and Roman to be friends or at least know each other a bit better when they had first moved in together.

 Now, it was a tradition and they all loved just relishing in the minutes and hours they would invest into the game.

[lindafrancois]

Keto Diet Plan – Menu and Diet Chart for Fast Weight Loss In 14 Days

What is Keto Diet?

A ketogenic diet or keto diet, in short, is a low carb diet that offers numerous health benefits. The ketogenic diet, in fact, shares many similarities with the Atkins and low carb diets. Keto diet drastically reduces carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. When this process takes place, the body becomes incredibly efficient at fat burning which produces a massive amount of energy, this also helps turn fat into ketones in the liver supplying energy to the brain.

Keto diet can help enormously in reducing the levels of blood sugar and insulin. The main reason why the keto diet is better is that you cut down on fatty carbs which are easy to digest, like sugar, soda, pastries, and white bread.

Who should not follow the Keto Diet?

As one’s eating habit changes, there are risks and safety issues one need to be mindful about. Any significant changes in the diet plan should be discussed with your doctor before starting.

Keto diet plans should be avoided by the following people.

1. Pregnant women

If you are pregnant then prolonged keto diet can be harmful. Studies have shown that prolonged maternal ketosis has an effect on the newborn affecting the brain development or increase of neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Therefore ketogenic diet is not recommended by the doctors during pregnancy.

2. Breastfeeding women

Women who are on a very low carb intake could experience a reduction in milk production. We are not saying to complete come out of the keto diet but maintain a healthy intake of carbs which you know is safe. Women who are breastfeeding can tolerate more carbs and proteins and still remain in ketosis because the macros will go in the production of milk.

3. Kidney stones/Gallstones

Ketosis can increase the urinary acidity which can lead to the promotion of uric acid and kidney stones.  If you are a patient of gallstones, then eating fat will result in some gallstone pain but if you wish to follow the keto diet plan then you need to slowly introduce or onto the diet once the gallstones have been removed.

4. No gallbladder

If your gallbladder is removed then the keto diet is not for you. The gallbladder produces bile necessary to break down fats.

5. Growing Kids

Growing children should avoid the keto diet plan as studies have shown that children experience stunted growth due to inadequate protein intake. There should be a balance of macronutrients such as carbohydrates, protein and fats.

Starting a new diet is always confusing and the biggest struggle is figuring out what to cook, what all food needs to be avoided but if you have a meal plan prepared well in advance it makes dieting so much easier. So here is a 14 day Keto Diet Plan mapped out for you.

Hence it is highly advised that you consult a trained professional on how to lose weight. Here is a start, you can consult one of Truweight’s nutritionist, absolutely FREE! Ask your doubts and get solutions.

Get FREE Diet Consultation Today!

 The Best 14 Day Keto Diet Plan

This meal is basically an outline, so once you have tried all these, it’s easy to insert more recipes and varieties of other food you might like. Try cooking in larger batches of food so you can have leftovers for lunch or dinner. It is important to have a variety on ketogenic diet plan so that you don’t get bored of eating the same thing.         

Days of the weekBreakfastLunchDinnerDay 1 - MondayKeto Chorizo Shakshuka - Shakshuka is Middle Eastern dishes which consist of egg poached in a rich tomato sauce. It is very easy to prepare as you have all the ingredients in hand.Grilled Cheese Sandwich The grilled cheese sandwich is so easy to make. It is very low in carb and only takes 2 minutes in the microwave.Dal Tadka Use Lentils or Dal in Limited quantity, we cannot skip Lentils as Vegetarian, as they are one of the main sources of protein. But since they are high in carbohydrate content, we need to use just a small quantity to balance the protein and carbohydrate content.Day 2 - TuesdaySalmon Benny Breakfast Bombs Smoked salmon, hollandaise, egg, and chives are breakfast bombs.  A great breakfast on the go because they are creamy and delicious.Cauliflower Bagel BLTs BLT is a classic combination that always tastes super. This recipe features bagels made out of cauliflower, eggs, almond flour, and coconut flour. Broccoli Cheese Soup This creamy soup is gluten-free, delicious, and takes just 20 minutes to make, plus you only need 5 ingredients to make it.Day 3 - WednesdayLow Carb Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes It just takes a few minutes to prepare and is keto friendly, full of flavor and very tasty.Dill Chicken Salad After you make this easy and inexpensive dill chicken salad, you will never go back to buying store-to buy chicken salad again!Cheesy Pakora Oh, the humble cheese! Who does not love cheese at dinner? And when you get to eat it on a diet, it is a complete blessing. Cheese is high in fat and low in carbohydrate content, which helps the ketosis procedure and helps you to lose fat quickly.Day 4 - ThursdayKeto Lemon Poppyseed Muffins Lemon and poppy seed go so well together. These muffins are easy to make and they store great in the freezer. They make for a great breakfast throughout the week. To make them taste even better, warm them in the microwave for 20 seconds and then put some butter on them.Cucumber Cream Cheese Sandwiches This recipe features low carb flax bread stuffed with a creamy cucumber filling.Low-Carb Indian Vegetable Samosas Traditional samosas are high carb, with a filling of potatoes and dough made of wheat flour. These samosas have filling onions and cauliflower, and the dough is made out of mozzarella and almond flour instead.Day 5 - Friday  Keto Breakfast Tacos These breakfast tacos have a homemade shell made out of one ingredient – cheese! The avocado adds the perfect creamy touch to the final product.Loaded Jalapeno Burger These burgers are healthier than most because of the Portobello mushroom buns.Indian Spiced Meatballs in Curry Sauce A recipe is always fun to male when you know you are good at it and off the scale with flavor. These meatballs in curry sauce will excite your taste buds.Day 6 - SaturdayBacon Cheddar Chive Omelette This bacon cheddar chive omelet contains the perfect mix of ingredients that go so well together. It’s the perfect breakfast to enjoy on a Saturday morningPressed Cubano Sandwiches Smoked ham and pork tenderloin together on a low carb (and gluten-free) sandwich bread makes for the perfect lunch.Keto Paneer Parantha The benefits of paneer and almond flour are highly beneficial in a keto diet. Use a small amount of coconut oil and use coriander leaves for better taste.Day 7 - SundayJalapeño Popper Egg Cups These little egg cups are a fantastic breakfast, and you can make them in advance too. They store great in the fridge.Lettuce Wrap Sandwich Have you ever wanted to try a lettuce wrap sandwich that doesn’t fall apart when you eat it? This recipe shows you exactly how to make one, step-by-step!Ketogenic Pizza Pocket Recipe These are the perfect alternative for anyone craving traditional carb-loaded pizza pockets.Day 8 - MondayKeto No Bake Cookies Do you love cookies for breakfast? Yes, please! These delicious cookies only take 5 minutes to make. They are creamy, fudgy, and crunchy. Grab a couple to eat on your way to work and you are good to go!Low Carb Crab Melt Sandwich This recipe combines a creamy crab salad and melted cheese on a base of a Portobello mushroom. They make for a satisfying and delicious lunch. Keto Cauliflower Pizza Pizza is now famous in India as in the US. But for keto, we will use Cauliflower Base. Cauliflower is one of the most sought after ingredients for a keto diet, containing just 2.9 grams of carbohydrates per cup.Day 9 - TuesdayScrambled Eggs with Ricotta This scrambled eggs recipe is quick to prepare, nutritious, and filling.Chicken Avocado Lime Soup Although this might seem like a weird combination, it makes for a light yet satisfying and delicious lunchKeto Bhindi Masala The Famous Spicy Indian Sabzi – Bhindi Masala. Not only is okra low in calories and low in carbohydrate content, but it is also gluten-free. And yes, it tastes amazing as well. All these factors add up to crown okra as one of the most keto- friendly ingredients, which can help in steady weight loss.Day 10 - WednesdayFlaxseed, Cream and Goji Cup This breakfast is delicious, nutritious, and full of fiber. It is great if you are craving something sweet in the morning.Keto Cobb Salad This salad is so simple to prepare and perfect to bring to work or school.Keto Masala Rice Another Staple Food in East and South India is Rice. And hail the cauliflower! Need I praise the hero of keto once again? You must have by far known how cauliflower is essential on a keto diet and how it helps in losing weight through keto.Day 11 - ThursdayLow Carb Pancake Sandwich If you were a fan of the McDonald’s McChicken sandwich before following the keto diet, you will love this low-carb alternative.Turkey Club Roll-Ups This ketogenic lunch recipe ditches the carb-filled wrap for something way more clever. It only takes minutes to prepare, and it’s perfect to bring to work with you.Turkey Club Roll-Ups This ketogenic lunch recipe ditches the carb-filled wrap for something way more clever. It only takes minutes to prepare, and it’s perfect to bring to work with you.Day 12 - Friday  Raspberry Brie Grilled Waffles If you crave sweet waffles for breakfast, this recipe will be a lifesaver. It is sweet, satisfying, and so delicious.Low Carb Cheeseburger Salad This salad has all of the flavors of a juicy cheeseburger in a light and a lovely salad.Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Cauliflower, cheese, and cream, as we discussed above, are all keto friendly ingredients, and if combined together, make for one ultimate keto recipe.Day 13 - SaturdayPumpkin Spiced French toast Winter breakfast to set the cold mood as it is a sweet, satisfying, and will definitely keep you full until lunch!Keto Avocado Pepperoni Salad This salad is easy, full of flavor, and only takes a couple of minutes to put together. It’s the perfect lunch to bring to work or school.Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato and Parmesan Chicken Zoodles This is such a comfort food dinner, and the best part about it is that it’s totally keto-friendly. Zucchini noodles make for an awesome pasta alternative.Day 14 - SundayBlackberry Chocolate Shake The perfect breakfast on the go is a smoothie. If you are a chocolate lover, this one 's for you.Tuna Salad in a Pickle The lunch of your dreams for any person who is a pickle lover.Keto Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast A cheese spinach filling, wrapped in tender crispy chicken and smothered in flavorful marinara sauce. What more could you want?

Are you not sure what to eat when you’re on a keto diet? Below is a quick guide on what to eat and avoid when you’re on a keto diet plan.

Eat

Fish and seafood especially fatty fish like salmon

Meat: Unprocessed meats are lean and keto friendly and grass-fed beef is the ultimate choice. Remember keto diet is a high-fat diet and not a high protein diet, so doesn’t indulge in an excess amount of meat.

Eggs:  Eat them in any way you want! Boiled, scrambled, fried in butter, or as omelettes.

Natural high fat sauce such as Bearnaise or garlic butter, you can get a good amount of oil from natural sources like meat, fish, and eggs. You can cook your food using olive oil and coconut oil and add them in your salads etc.

Vegetables that grow above the ground and favorites include cauliflower, cabbage, avocado, broccoli, and zucchini. Many people end up eating more vegetables than before when starting keto, as veggies replacing pasta, rice, potatoes, etc.

High Fat Dairy: Butter is good, indulge in some high-fat cheese and yogurts can be moderately eaten. Avoid drinking milk but you can use it sparingly in your coffee.            

Nuts and Berries: These can be eaten in moderation just to provide you energy and can be eaten as snacks.

Drink:

Water:  it is undoubtedly the no 1 option, sip it like a hot tea or add flavoring agents like cucumber, lemon or limes. Drink at least 2 litres of water every day.

Coffee: Drink coffee with no sugar but a small amount of milk and cream is fine. Note: If you are trying to lose weight then cut back on the cream in your coffee.

Tea: Feel free to drink most teas whether it is green, black, mint or herbal. Don’t add sugar.

Avoid these foods if you are on a keto diet.

Sugar: A big NO to sugar! Cut down on all soft drinks, fruit juices, sports drinks. Avoid all sugary candies, sweets, cakes, cookies, donuts, frozen treats, and breakfast cereals.

Starch: Bread, pasta, rice, potatoes (including sweet potatoes), French fries, potato chips, porridge, muesli and so on. Try avoiding whole grain products too

Beer: It contains full of rapidly absorbed carbs.

Fruit: It is sweet and has natural sugar, eats them occasionally and treat them as a natural form of candy.

Margarine: An industrially produced fat with a very high content of Omega 6 fat. It has no health benefits and tastes worse than butter.

Keto diet has been making headlines as the ‘go-to diet’ but is the hype justified? Let’s dive into the pros and cons of the keto diet.

PROS:

1. Can help lose body fat:

The ketogenic diet consists of high fat, low carb, and moderate protein thus helping your body to lose fat. When we take away the body’s main source of energy which is carbohydrates, it’s forced to adapt using the body fat for fuel.  In addition, eating high-fat food throughout the day can help minimize cravings and give you a feeling of satiety, ultimately helping you stay on track with the recommended daily calorie count.

2. Great way to detox from sugar:

The main factor of the keto diet is, it limits the carbs restricting it to 25-25 grams a day and most people will have to cut down on sugary foods which will be beneficial to the body.

3. Reduces Insulin levels:

Insulin is a key hormone that helps move glucose from the bloodstream to the muscle and tissues.  A ketogenic diet helps to reduce insulin levels thereby help to reduce inflammation in the body.

4. Reduces Risk of Heart Disease:

Reducing the carb intake can lower blood triglycerides, which are fat molecules in the blood. If you have high levels of blood triglycerides then it puts you at a higher risk of heart disease.

CONS:

1. It can be difficult to follow:

A ketogenic diet can be hard to follow, especially because you have to measure out the portion that you need to take in a day. 70-80 percent of high fat, 10 percent carbs, and 15 percent protein at every single meal and to this on a daily basis is hard and very tiring.

2. It may not promote long term weight loss:

Though there is weight loss with the keto diet, many of us don’t lose as much weight as we hope for mainly because it is so had to adhere to the routine.

3. Many people end up eating fats that aren’t so healthy:

The upside of the plan is the increased fat intake but the downside is that many people end up eating a lot of unsaturated animal fat. In addition, a lot of people aren’t buying organic, grass-fed animal products so the quality of the food can be an issue as well. if you’re using a lot of animal-based foods for fats and proteins, try to make them organic and well-sourced whenever possible.

Don’t be afraid to try on the new diet plan. It might take some time to get used to it but if you love it then there will be good results in your way and if you don’t then you can always switch back into your normal routine. Please make sure you check with your doctor before taking up this plan whether it’s safe to go ahead with the diet.

Here’s a free consultation on how to lose weight from one of Truweight’s nutritionists, all for free!

Get FREE Diet Consultation Today!

Stay healthy. Stay Happy! 

Read More:

Indian Diet Plan Weight Loss Chart And Healthy Tips To Lose Weight In 4 Weeks!

10 Best And Worst Foods For Weight Loss – Pledge Health Today!

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[psychotherapyconsultants]

Anti-Aging Psychotherapy: Dr. Ellen Langer Versus Your Green Smoothie

The anti-aging movement is taking off at warp speed. Many people are willing to do whatever it takes to live longer, better, or both. Take me. I often start my day off with a green drink. No, I'm not talking about mixing a few avocado slices with a cucumber in a blender. No way. I'm a serious player! I'm talking about ingesting a serious organic product with nearly 100 superfoods. Yep, I said 100. I want something that packs a punch. But wait, I'm just getting warmed up. I'll often chase it with a liquid supplement sporting well over 230 other superfoods (I'm up to over 300 for those of you with a touch of OCD). I might also swallow a teaspoon of bee pollen, a whole food multivitamin, and a supplement packed with nearly 50 fruits and veggies, just for nutritional insurance.

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Since this won't fill me up, and my behavior is anything but consistent from day to day, I will often wolf down something healthy like an apple, or more likely, a food source theoretically not so healthy, such as a can of commercial soup loaded with enough sodium to keep the average NFL team bloated until Super Bowl Sunday. You might ask, "Well do you really feel like a million bucks on this regimen?" (I was hoping you wouldn't ask.) Um, truthfully, no, not really. Some research on superfoods and antioxidants has not demonstrated longevity benefits in animals and on occasion has shortened their lives! Moreover, experts don't agree on what constitutes a superfood and what doesn’t. Take coffee and caffeine. One day the news reports they are poison, while the very next day you will hear that nothing matches their nutritional benefits. It's enough to make a therapist see a therapist! Ditto for diets. One expert advocates a plant-based diet while another castigates you for consuming an apple loaded with sugar and recommends near zero carb lifestyle. The only remedy we know of that is almost guaranteed to extend our lives is caloric restriction, aka nearly starving yourself—and who wants to do that for the next 50 plus years? And just for the record, even some of the zealots in this arena are now backing off and claiming calorie restriction is not turning out to be the panacea we thought it was. Okay great. So now what? Well, what if we are all barking up the wrong tree? Enter Harvard psychologist of mindfulness fame, Ellen Langer. What if anti-aging is mainly psychological? In her landmark book Counter Clockwise: Mindful Health and the Power of Possibility, Dr. Langer shares a study she performed in 1981 that was a total game changer. She and her colleagues took men in their seventies and eighties to a monastery in New Hampshire. The monastery was set up as if it was 1959 or 22 years earlier. The books, radio programs, television shows, and newspapers were from the 1950s. One group of men was instructed to embrace the present moment but reminisce about the era. The other group was told to pretend they actually were 22 years younger and to act as if it was actually 1959 once again. Hence, if a man was currently retired, but owned an auto repair shop in 1959, he was instructed to act and talk as if he owns the auto repair facility in the present; which again is 1959. The results were spectacular. Although both groups of men made some anti-aging progress, the group who imagined they were younger, and acted as if it was the 50s again, made tremendous progress and literally seemed to age backward. Biomarkers of aging including strength, flexibility, vision, hearing, and cognitive abilities improved in just five days! They even looked younger. Langer reports that a group of the men gave up their canes and she was playing touch football with them by the end of their stay. Show me a green drink that can instill that kind of change and I'll say, "I'll have whatever he is drinking." Yes, there were minor criticisms of the study such as the fact that the results were illuminated in her book rather than published in a professional journal and no women were part of the study. Nevertheless, the quintessential question seems to be whether psychotherapists are the real anti-aging specialists. Could we become the premier movers and shakers in the quest for longevity? Should we be attempting to instill an anti-aging mindset in willing clients? Perhaps therapists ought to be at the forefront of the movement using cognitive therapy, hypnosis, guided imagery, mindfulness, and a host of related techniques to roll back the clock. Even Dr. Langer is purportedly contemplating counterclockwise rejuvenation clinics. Should we trade in our green drinks and cupboards overflowing with vitamins, minerals, enzymes, telomere boosters, workout schedules and the next breakthrough for sessions of creative visualization from the Bill Clinton era? We can lead the charge by decorating our offices with a 1996 ambiance. When the client strolls in Adam Sandler will be on the television showcasing a key scene from the 80s classic movie “Happy Gilmore”. Everything will go great until your 11-year-old client asks, "Why is that man on television running toward the golf ball?" You can glance at his mother and respond with, "Here, have a piece of candy, dark chocolate is a superfood." Yeah right. At least for this week!  from http://www.psychotherapy.net/blog/title/anti-aging-psychotherapy-dr.-ellen-langer-versus-your-green-smoothie

[gethealthy18-blog]

8 Fatty Foods That Are Actually Healthy

New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/getting-healthy/getting-healthy-women/8-fatty-foods-that-are-actually-healthy/

8 Fatty Foods That Are Actually Healthy

Ravi Teja Tadimalla December 12, 2018

A whopping 70% of Americans are having more than the recommended amount of saturated fat (1). Are you one of them?

Saturated fats may elevate bad cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease (2). These fats can cause a host of other serious ailments. But wait, these are saturated fats – not just any type of fat. Over the last two decades, fats have been mercilessly demonized. People started cutting down on fats – without a thought. And that has only done more harm than good.

If you think giving up on delicious foods is the only way to cut down on bad fat, wait. Sit back and hold your thoughts. Keep reading.

Table of Contents

How Can High-Fat Foods Be Healthy?

Perfectly legitimate question. For the answers, we must first know what the different types of fats are.

Fats are broadly classified into unsaturated and saturated. Unsaturated fats are further categorized into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. In simple terms, unsaturated fats are healthier fats. These are the fats you need to consume. These fats reduce the risk of heart disease (3). While monounsaturated fats help lower your cholesterol levels, polyunsaturated fats aid muscle movement and blood clotting.

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are two types of polyunsaturated fats. There’s a ton of research supporting the ability of omega-3 fatty acids in preventing chronic disease and dangerous ailments (4). There is some research showing the cardioprotective effects of omega-6 fatty acids as well – though there are debates about their inflammatory role and possible harm.

Also, though a large body of research suggests that saturated fats are bad, some studies find no possible link between this type of fat and disease (5). Nonetheless, we recommend you cut down on saturated fats and increase your intake of the unsaturated kind.

All in all, fats are important – when they are of the unsaturated kind. All the super-healthy high-fat foods contain them. Let’s take a look at them now.

Back To TOC

What Are The Healthy High-Fat Foods?

These are the foods with high concentrations of unsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty acids. They include:

1. Nuts

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Serving size – 137 g

Total fat – 70.5 g

Unsaturated fat – 57.8 g

Omega-3 – 260 mg

The unsaturated fats in nuts are thought to lower bad cholesterol levels, as per some reports. Nuts are also quite replete with omega-3 fatty acids, which help preserve heart health (6).

The unsaturated fats in nuts, especially in almonds or hazelnuts, were found to lower bad cholesterol while elevating good cholesterol levels (7), (8).

Walnuts are also great sources of omega-3 fatty acids and alpha-linolenic acid. Studies show they may have the ability to increase inferential reasoning in individuals (9).

How To Include In Your Diet

You can sprinkle almonds on top of yogurt. Or top hot or cold breakfast cereal with nuts for a great start to the day.

Caution: Nuts are high in calories and eating too many of them can result in calorie overload. Hence, consume nuts in limited quantities (not more than a handful).

2. Seeds

Serving size – 140g

Total fat – 67.3 g

Unsaturated fat – 57.6 g

Omega-3 – 31325 mg

Seeds are potent sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. In fact, flaxseeds are among the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. And for non-fish eaters, they are the best source of these healthy fats (10).

Even chia seeds are great sources of omega-3. In a study, the seeds were found to increase blood levels of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid) (11).

How To Include In Your Diet

You can add ground flax seeds to smoothies or oatmeal. Combine different seeds to make a trail mix. Sprinkle sunflower seeds over your evening salad. You can add chia seeds to your pastries and puddings.

3. Avocados

Shutterstock

Serving size – 150 g

Total fat – 22 g

Unsaturated fat – 17.4 g

Omega-3 – 165 mg

Avocados are great sources of both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Thanks to these, they can be a part of a heart-healthy diet plan (12).

Majority of the fat in avocados is oleic acid, which is also linked to lowered inflammation (13). This acid can also have positive effects on genes linked to cancer.

Interestingly, the monounsaturated fats in avocados can promote the absorption of antioxidants like beta-carotene (which is fat-soluble), thereby enhancing vision health (14).

How To Include In Your Diet

Add slices of avocado to scrambled eggs and have them for breakfast. You may also replace the butter or mayonnaise on your breakfast toast with slices of avocado.

4. Coconut Oil

Serving size – 218 g

Total fat – 218 g

Unsaturated fat – 16.5 g

Omega-3 – Nil

Though coconut oil contains unsaturated fat, what contributes most to its benefits are its saturated fats. The oil contains a special type of healthy saturated fats, called medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). These triglycerides are shorter than most fats found in our food (which are long-chain triglycerides).

Studies show that the MCTs in coconut oil can increase energy expenditure, thereby inducing fat burning (15). Coconut oil is 92% saturated fat, and lauric acid is one of the main constituents. This acid, as per studies, can fight inflammation and microbial infections (16).

Surprisingly, the saturated fats in coconut oil could also increase good cholesterol levels in participants in a study (17). Of course, this has more to do with the chemical structure of the saturated fats in coconut oil. Otherwise, saturated fats by themselves are not healthy. At least, not most of the time.

How To Include In Your Diet

Use coconut oil to cook your favorite dishes. You can also replace other oils and butter in your recipes with coconut oil.

5. Dark Chocolate

Shutterstock

Serving size – 101 g

Total fat – 43.1 g

Unsaturated fat – 14.2 g

Omega-3 – 34.3 mg

The healthy fats in dark chocolate come from cocoa butter. These fats are made of oleic, stearic, and palmitic acids. Though stearic and palmitic acids are saturated fats, while stearic acid has a neutral effect on blood cholesterol, palmitic acid is so low in concentration for it to have any severe impact (18). But, of course, moderation is key here.

The oleic acid in dark chocolate is considered hypocholesterolemic (cholesterol-lowering) and can even be protective against coronary heart disease (19).

How To Include In Your Diet

Drizzle some hot chocolate over your breakfast cereal or fruit salad. You may also add dark chocolate chips/cubes to your morning smoothie.

6. Salmon (And Other Fatty Fish)

Serving size – 198 g

Total fat – 12.6 g

Unsaturated fat – 9.2 g

Omega-3 – 3996 mg

Salmon is one of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Though the fatty acids are present in most fish, those like salmon are richer – as they store a lot of the oils in their muscles. Studies show that omega-3 fatty acids can cut the risk of heart disease and even promote vision health in adults (20).

EPA and DHA, the two omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish, are crucial for brain development as well. They are abundantly present in the cell membranes of brain cells, facilitating communication between brain cells (21).

Other fatty fish with beneficial unsaturated fats (omega-3s) include sardines, mackerel, and anchovies.

How To Include In Your Diet

You can have poached salmon, along with herbs, for breakfast. You may also add smoked salmon and cream cheese on sprouted-grain bread, with cucumber or tomato slices.

Caution: Pregnant and breastfeeding women must be careful while choosing fish to avoid complications from possible contamination.

7. Spirulina

Shutterstock

Serving size – 112 g

Total fat – 8.6 g

Unsaturated fat – 3.1 g

Omega-3 – 922 mg

Spirulina is another good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Several preclinical studies have established spirulina’s hypolipidemic effects. Supplementation had shown to reduce total serum cholesterol levels, in addition to increasing the levels of good cholesterol (22).

How To Include In Your Diet

Spirulina is most commonly available in the form of powder and tablets. You can simply mix the powder in a glass of water and drink it straight.

8. Whole Eggs

Serving size – 44 g (1 medium egg)

Total fat – 4.4 g

Unsaturated fat – 2.3 g

Omega-3 – 32.6 mg

Eggs, especially those enriched with omega-3s, can be quite beneficial. Studies show the intake of such eggs can lower serum triglyceride levels (23). Evidence also suggests that regular intake of eggs can help prevent chronic and infectious diseases (24).

How To Include In Your Diet

Have 1 to 2 boiled eggs every day, for breakfast. Egg omelets can be a great combination with your breakfast toast as well.

These are the foods that contain the highest amount of healthy fats (especially omega-3). Including them in your regular diet can do wonders for your health. But there’s a catch – you can’t have too much of these healthy fats. Excess of unsaturated fat (omega-3 and omega-6, both) can cause undesirable effects.

Back To TOC

What Are The Side Effects Of Excess Unsaturated Fats?

There is only so much fat you can take in a day – be it saturated or unsaturated. The daily fat intake for adults should be around 20% to 35% of the total calories (25). This means, if you consume about 2,000 calories a day, your fat intake can be between 44 grams to 77 grams. If this fat is unsaturated, much better. But exceeding the amount can lead to complications. These include:

Elevated Blood Sugar Levels

Studies show excess of omega-3, especially in type 2 diabetes patients, can elevate blood glucose levels (26).

Possible Diarrhea And Acid Reflux

Treatment with omega-3 fatty acids was found to cause diarrhea and acid reflux (27). This is rare, but it may happen. Excess dietary fat intake can even lead to indigestion, as per a few studies (28).

Increased Risk Of Stroke

Stroke occurs due to bleeding in the brain, which is caused by the rupture of blood vessels. Certain animal studies show unsaturated fats like omega-3 fatty acids may decrease the blood’s clotting ability, thereby increasing stroke risk (29).

Excessively Lowered Blood Pressure

Studies show that omega-3 fatty acids can lower blood pressure (30). This can be beneficial for people with high blood pressure levels. But those with low blood pressure or on medications for low blood pressure may face issues – as the fats may lower their blood pressure way too much.

Excess of omega-6 fatty acids is also harmful. Research suggests this can lead to several chronic inflammatory ailments (31).

Back To TOC

Conclusion

Fats are not bad. Our bodies need fat. You just need to mindful about the type of fats you ingest and the amount. Don’t go overboard.

Include the foods we listed in your diet today. Did we miss listing any other food rich in healthy fats? Let us know by commenting in the box below.

References

“Current eating patterns in the United States”. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

“Cut down on saturated fats”. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

“Saturated fats compared with unsaturated fats and sources of…”. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, US National Library of Medicine.

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“Nuts and your heart…”. MayoClinic.

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“Effects of regular consumption of different forms...”. European Journal of Nutrition, US National Library of Medicine.

“Effects of walnut consumption on cognitive…”. The British Journal of Nutrition, US National Library of Medicine.

“Flaxseed – a potential functional food source”. Journal of Food Science & Technology, US National Library of Medicine.

“Supplementation of milled chia seeds increases…”. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, US National Library of Medicine.

“Hass avocado composition and potential...”. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, US National Library of Medicine.

“Dietary factors that promote or retard...”. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. US National Library of Medicine.

“Carotenoid absorption from salad and salsa...”. The Journal of Nutrition, US National Library of Medicine.

“Medium chain triglycerides enhance exercise…”. PloS One, US National Library of Medicine.

“Comparison of antibacterial efficacy of coconut oil...”. Journal of International Society of Preventive & Community Dentistry, US National Library of Medicine.

“A coconut extra virgin oil-rich diet increases HDL...”. Nutrición Hospitalaria, US National Library of Medicine.

“Heart healthy benefits of dark chocolate”. Cleveland Clinic.

“Chocolate and prevention of cardiovascular…”. Nutrition & Metabolism, US National Library of Medicine.

“Farmed salmon Vs. wild salmon”. Washington State Department of Health.

“Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and…”. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, US National Library of Medicine.

“Hypolipidemic, antioxidant, and…”. Cardiovascular Therapeutics, US National Library of Medicine.

“Decrease in blood triglycerides associated with the...”. Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases, US National Library of Medicine.

“Egg and egg-derived foods: effects on...”. Nutrients, US National Library of Medicine.

“Fat: What you need to know.” Cleveland Clinic.

“Elevated plasma glucose and lowered...”. Diabetes Care, US National Library of Medicine.

“Overview of omega-3 fatty acid therapies”. P&T, US National Library of Medicine.

“Dietary fat intake and functional dyspepsia”. Advanced Biomedical Research, US National Library of Medicine.

“Dietary supplementation of omega-3 polyunsaturated...”. Experimental Neurology, US National Library of Medicine.

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