Wedding ideas

I know I am not getting married for at least another four years, but I started looking for ideas anyway. I think wedding planning is one activity that brings out my girly side. :)

Relax people, it is only food

People freak out a lot about food these days.

 We live in a society where we have the privilege to pick our food, enjoy our food and change our diets based on our needs. For the most part we no longer have to eat food just as fuel, just shovel it down to fill you up until the next meal.  In this 21st century people have more knowledge about food than ever before, and we have it all at our finger tips. This can be seen as positive, or negative.

In general Americans have more 'down/leisure' time than ever before.  This time has been used by many to experiment with foods and different diets. That is a positive (knowledge is power).  The negative aspect comes a long when people spend so much of their time and energy on food that they become obsessed. Now eating disorders can be a result of this, but that is not what I want to address. I want to address the peoples who get so intense about food, they become very critical and intense.

I like to take joy in my food. I like to plan meals, chop, cook, smell the wonderful aromas and relax by enjoying my meal. It really gets to me when people spend so much time dissecting their food that they cannot enjoy it. Then these individuals in question spread their dissecting ways onto others, and imply that their way of eating is 'wrong'. Quite frankly, this pisses me off.

If you do not think that people should eat X, then fine don't eat X. If someone asks you for advice or casually mentions X then it is polite to share your opinion. Butting in is not cool or appreciated. Yes some people need food interventions, but most of the time it is not your place to suggest such a thing. Food is complicated.

I am a huge advocate of making food your medicine. I am all for a diet high in fruits, veggies and beans.  I do nutrition research to some degree on a daily basis and I have for years. I enjoy nutrition and seeing how my body reacts to different ways of eating.  I do not believe that humans need much grain in their diets at all. I am not a fan of dairy products. I admit that I do cringe when I hear that people still eat Pop Tarts and drink soda with no intent of stopping. Yet I know that it does not put me in a position to overtly judge others eating habits.

Who the freak cares what other eat? Unless they are a diabetic gorging on Snickers bars, obese and wont admit they have a problem or something along the line, it is hard for me to see why it matters what other people eat.

Focus on your own body.  If you want to be critical, maybe harvest some of that energy into your life style in the form of motivation to improve your habits. Everyone is on their own path.  The path also includes their food choices.  If you do not know all of the circumstances surrounding someones food decisions, then back off. 

And most importantly, remember to take pleasure in your eating.  Do not be too hard on yourself and remember, you know your body best(as opposed to the biggest online health guru).

First package came today!

Oh Happy day! I got two of my purchases in the mail today :) I can't wait to start using these, the anticipation is intense. Haha I wonder how many other people get as excited over skin care products as I do.

Also quick note about the Novena skin cream. Turns out that the only lightening cream I could find that is not horribly toxic, is a cream intended for use during pregnancy(since chemicals while preggo is bad). Opps, oh well. It has great reviews, so i'm sure it will be fine. :)

The epic anti-scar trial: starting date and tools

Hello lovelies!
    First things first, turns out when you order stuff online you cannot set a concrete start date for using them. I would love to already have a day marked on the calendar to start this trial, but because shipping is unpredictable I do not have that ability. 

   Next up, my topical tools!  :)

Main anti-scar tools:

•  30 ml Salicylic acid skin peel  20% and neutralizing wash
• Skin Bright premium concentrate skin brightener(contains all natural ingredients)
• Novena organic Bearberry skin brightening mositurizer
• Light&Bright lightening concentrate

Others:

• Aveno daily Spf
• raw, unfiltered, local honey
• Zeo force mud mask by Health Force
• extra virgin olive oil
• manuka oil

During the trial I will use the honey as a face wash.  On a typical day I will use the Novena organic Bearberry skin brightening mositurizer in the morning, followed by the Spf.  Then in the afternoon I will apply the Skin Bright premium concentrate skin brightener.  I am going to make week A and week B.  On week A I will use the Light&Bright twice and on week B I will use the Salicylic peel on Friday. I separate them into different weeks because the peel can only be used once every 14 days. So my months will looks something like:

• Week B
• Week A
• Week B
• Week A

 On Saturdays and Sundays of week B I will nourish my skin to stop any redness or flaking that may be caused by the peel. 

I am very excited to get the products in the mail and start using them! I have been saving up for this trial for a while and I have been planning it for months. I have meticulously researched products, and decided on the ones that had the best reviews, the best prices and contain ingredients I know will treat my body well. I have high hopes for the next four months!

The epic anti-scar trial: introduction

 I am starting my blog back up and running in order to document my upcoming four-month trial.
I have decided to take a serious effort to improve the texture of my skin, and document it.  So what specifically am I trying to alter? I am trying to get rid of my hyper-pigmentation and scars.

First, some background:


How did I originally get the hyper-pigmentation and why do I continue to develop it?

I want to be sure that there are not misconceptions that I have this skin problem because I do not take good care of my skin or my body. When I was 15 I was prescribed the drug Acutane for seven months.  Turns out this was a very bad decision. The drug left me with a screwed up digestive system, and hyper-pigmented skin.  One of the side-effects is increased chances of "abnormal pigmentation of the skin" (as they put it). Due to Acutane's side-effects and my spectacular cellular memory, the scars have remained...and duplicated. It is interesting how easily I get new pigmentation. Stressed? New scar. Ate too much sugar? New scar. The only thing that does not cause new pigmentation to form are topical products.

What have I already done to get rid of the hyper-pigmentation?
In list form(used all of these topically for more than 3 months, usually used more than one in any given week/day):

•  vitamin E
• fresh aloe vera
• extra virgin olive oil
• clinique brightening serum
• glycolic acid 10%
• straight lemons
• manuka honey 20+ umf
• apple cider vinegar
• mud masks
• manuka oil
• jojoba oil with lavender oil
• straight lavender oil
• vitamin C serum
• bio oil
• four laser treatments

 I initially developed the scars in High School.  Even though I greatly researched what I could do for my skin, I was new to the field of "self- prescribed dermatology". Plus I was in a foreign country where I could not read anything in the drug store so I stuck with topically using Vitamin E, extra virgin olive oil and aloe for several years.  For topical scars this skin regimen would have worked wonderfully, but as it turns out my scars reach down to the dermis, so unfortunately the only effect it had was making my skin super moisturized. Then towards the end of High School I got really sick and tired of the scars, so I did more research. I saved up $1,000 by the end of my Senior year. As soon as I got back to the US I used that money on laser treatments. I spent $700 on those treatments. Turns out, the derm who gave me the treatment did not provide me with the after care info I needed. Without the proper aftercare my skin did not improve as I had hopped. After four treatments and spending $700 I got pissed off and spent the other $300 on a tv. It has been a year since then, and I have been taking a very basic approach to my scars. Over the last twelve months I have been using Glycolic 10% solution three nights a week, frequently using fresh aloe and wearing Spf on a daily basis. I even got a lightening night treatment but forgot to use it for about four months after I bought it....woops.

Why take such initiative to change my skin now?
1) I am sick and tired of wearing make up
2) I am turning twenty soon

1- Makeup should be fun. When I am self-conscious, and want to cover half my face in foundation, makeup is no longer enjoyable. In fact I currently find makeup very stressful. I dislike shopping for it. I dislike putting it on. I dislike not knowing what I am doing with said foundation.  So you might be thinking: why don't you just be confident and not wear makeup if you hate it so much? Well I admit, I have a construct with makeup.  It is a love-hate relationship. I do not like putting it on, buying it or even sometimes wearing it. But I do enjoy that I am more confident with it on, and I feel like I can show off my true beauty(not just my uneven skin).  One main thing I want to accomplish with this trial is to alter my skin enough that I feel more 'normal' without foundation on. I want to feel great with just lotion on(and of course I want makeup become fun again :] ).

2-  I associate my hyper-pigmentation with my teenage years. I am an adult now, and I will be considered to be even more so when I am twenty. I do not want my 'teenage skin' to also become 'my troubled twenties skin'.  I feel like a victim of circumstance in regards to these scars, I want to leave them behind me and move on. I do not want anything to hold me back, and sadly these scars are a hindrance on daily life.

In the next post I will share the tools I will use in the trial. 

Stay tuned! :) 

Friday love lists

My Friday love lists are things I find myself being thankful for throughout the week.  These are things besides the "givens"(parents, house) so don't think they're petty! :)
Time to give thanks!

Week one Friday: I am thankful for...

• winter clothes so I don't freeze
• A loving, steady relationship with Joseph
• apple cider
• heaters
• actually having quarters when you need a drink from the vending machine
• my hair- I have just been loving my hair recently :D

Week two Friday: I am thankful for...

• fireplaces
• the access to healthy/organic foods
• the internet as a means for spreading information that aids in my everyday learning
• making new friends
• having the luxury to be planning parties
• college- even though it's a pain in my behind right now, signing up for next semesters classes reinstated my thankful feelings towards the fact that I am getting my education paid for
• being dominatly left brained- this is what makes me so great with things like history, english, psychology, sociology etc you get the point :P Excelling in these subjects is a major source of pride for me, I don't know who I would be without this character trait

Week 4 over view

I know this is being put up a little late, but better late than never eh?

So last week I concously took the time to find relaxing activities to help my mind calm down. 
The things that I found to be most relaxing are spending time with Joseph and the pets.  It's simple, but makes a huge difference for me.  Nothing better than a great hug and giving your fuzzy doggy a belly rub. 
   Another activity that was great was volunteering at the cat shelter, definatly a calming experience.  There truly is something to be said for animals lowering blood pressure!  (interesting to study further huh?) I think that the fact that I was helping others and being nurturing that aided in my relaxation. 
     Last week I also started watch way more TV than normal.  It was to the point that this week I had a super hard time pulling myself away(so addicting!).  While the other things primarly caused my body to relax, this helped my brain calm down.  There can be alot of psychological comfort in doing absolutly nothing sometimes.  Plus if you watch the right stuff it can be an inspiring(girl power!) or learning experience(yay documentaries!) which ads to the experience. 

  I am labling last week as a success.  I came out the other end less stressed and I felt healthier(that sinus infection that I had for 3 months, went away, yaaaay). 

The only thing that I did not focus on that I still need to work with is my breathing.  I need to breath more. When I get fast thoughts my chest clenches, which is obviously not good(stupid epinephrine).  To counter act this I need to start taking deep breaths and being centered for a few moments daily. I will blog more about in in the near future. 

What do you do to destress? Are your destressing activities healthy(not chocolate)?