Candida Diet Breakfast: Apple Walnut Yogurt Parfait

1 apple

Handful of walnuts

1 cup plain yogurt

Cinnamon


Chop up the apples and walnuts. Layer them with the yogurt as seen on picture, then top with cinnamon.

Health Tip: PMS

Suffering from PMS? Here’s some help!

Take:

- 50 mg of Zinc four days before your period starts and 4 days into it (8 days total)

- 2 capsules of Milk Thistle 3 times a day starting 4 days before your period and all throughout it.

- Drink mullein tea the week before and the week of as well.


It might sound like a lot of work, but if it works then it’s worth it right! Much better than taking drugs to just cover up the problem.

Have a healthy day!

My Candida Diet

So a while ago I told you guys that I was going on a Candida diet (here's the original post). It was part of my whole health regiment and it was supposed to help me with my energy levels, cravings, and digestion. (Here's the definition of yeast candida if you've never heard of it)

I've read a lot of different versions of this diet out there, and a lot of people have to go on it for at least a year to really kill of the Candida, but my doctor said that in the right way, with the right supplements I could just do a month "diet" or "cleanse". Of course at that point I was willing to try anything, so I went for it, a month really didn't sound so bad.

Here's what I did. Like I said there are lots of different variations (and here are a couple for you to check out) and I wish I could tell you each vitamin I was on but I think there's no "one size fits all" with any cleanse or diet so I'll just tell you the basics (and the vitamins I remember! Some of them had weird names!)

1) No sugar, and when I say sugar that means fruit, sugar, honey, molasses, Spenta, stevia, corn syrup etc. Anything that is or will turn into sugar in your system.

That includes anything with sugar in it too. So items like jam, salad dressing, rice or soy milk, bread, and well, most things have sugar in them, so if you are going to be serious about this diet you need to spend a lot of time reading labels and going to the natural and organic sections of the grocery store.

2) No Dairy - no exceptions.

3) No white or refined flours or grains. That means no white anything. And a very small amount of grains to begin with. Maybe 1-2 servings a day. I usually just had around one.

4) Lots and lots of veggies, around 6 servings a day. And there's only certain veggies I could have but I wouldn't list them all here, that would make a super long post. My list was pretty restricted but here's recommended veggie list.

5) Odorless garlic three times a day

6) Omega three liquid pills, two times a day (this is the omega I take, it's great!)

7) 8 glasses of water a day

8) Lots of protein. I had to have 40 grams a day (through meat or a protein shake, which was hard to do because most protein powders have some form of sugar in them).

Here's a protein intake calculator if you are interested. I don't know if I totally agree with their calculations but it's a starting point, and will at least give you an idea if you are close.

9) Have a super strong pro-biotic. For this I had to have different doses at different points in the diet so I'm not going to list a certain amount

10) Nothing with any form of yeast in it. With all the things listed above you would think that wouldn't be too had, but you would be surprised how many products I found with no sugar but that had yeast in it.

I had about three to four other vitamins on my diet but you get the idea (Sorry, I don't remember the names, and they were special order that you can't just pick up in any store). A lot of variations of this diet say you can have dairy and fruit but I don't believe to truly get the yeast out of your system you can eat them.

The month was ruff, and I didn't enjoy not being able to have the things I wanted or was used to. Each meal had to be super planned out and planned ahead. I couldn't just grab anything but I think it's worth it if you're serious about this and have a problem with yeast.

For me after the month I still had the cravings, and I still had head aches and was tiered but it was for sure a step in the right direction and those issues weren't quiet as extreme and looking back I was feeling a lot better. (All my issues have been around for years so it would have been silly for me to think that a month long diet would fix everything)

The number one thing that I noticed was weight loss; I lost 16 pounds. It was funny how it happened. One day in the diet I was getting dressed and caught myself in the mirror and realized how much thinner I was. Then I paid a little more attention to my clothes and I really had lost a lot of weight. I was only 126 pounds and I'm 5'4 1/2'' so 16 pounds was a pretty substantial amount for someone my size.

The second thing that I noticed was my digestion. I had been having trouble with being regular and having my system work well on it's own. If I didn't have a very specific high fiber breakfast my system just wouldn't function, and trust me I tried a lot of (natural) things to remedy this. Now I'm like clock work every day and it's wonderful.

All and all I would highly suggest this diet. To me the extremeness of it is for sure not sustainable but it's good to get you cleaned out and get that yeast out of your body. More then a month is likely needed for most people and I'm sure for me there's still yeast in there, but I am happy either way that I did it.

Health Tip of the Week: Glutton free Lara Bars

I have a couple of girl friends that are allergic to glutton and I see how hard it is for them at times to find good (and tasty) options so I always try to keep my eyes open for things they might like and I thought this was a great find.

My mom and I were in Costco and it was a sample day (I love those!) and we were trying some glutton free crackers and the sample man told us about these bars. We went searching for them and my mom decided she’d get a box and then if we liked them I’d get one too (they’re $13 for a box of 12 so it would suck if they tasted nasty). We shared the Key Lime bar on the drive home and it was amazing! I’m going to be having the Chocolate Coconut one today and it has only 5 ingredients, all of which I know and recognize (almonds, dates, coconut, coco powder, walnuts)


Check out their website and their Philosophy!

“Our Food Philosophy: Simple. Pure. Delicious.™



LÄRABAR firmly believes that the foundation of a sound mind, body and spirit is derived from what you eat. And what you eat is healthiest and most satisfying when it's in a whole, natural state. 

Our company name comes from an ancient belief that food falls into two categories:



BECKONING FOODS
which beckon consumption again and again, sapping the body of energy without any real health benefits, Today, they're called "junk foods."



HUMM FOODS
on the other hand, resonate with energy in a whole, natural state. When consumed, they cause you to feel vibrant and alive.

You can expect an unmistakable urge to humm after every LÄRABAR bar you eat.



Let the humming begin!”

Health Tip of the Week: Stopping Memory Loss

I often think about getting older and forgetting things. It sort of scares me at times so I figured instead of just sitting and being scared why don’t I get proactive and do something about it? I try to do a lot of these already, so when I found this write up I was encouraged. The stats are based on studies done with seniors but it’s still a really good article, especially for foresight.

Six brain-sharpening recommendations:

1. Go Aerobic 
More than 60 percent of seniors don't exercise, according to surveys by the Centers for Disease Control. That's a big mistake, since an impressive lineup of research suggests that exercise promotes new neurons in the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for some aspects of memory, and new connections between them. Neuroscientist Arthur Kramer and colleagues at the University of Illinois found that after only six months people over 60 who exercised three times a week for an hour had the brain volumes of people three years younger. In 2006 the Annals of Internal Medicine reported a six-year project involving 1,740 people 65 and up that linked even moderate exercise to reduced risk of dementia. So get your heart pumping so it brings more blood and oxygen to your brain.

2. Be a Player 
Software has been used for years to help people who have suffered strokes or traumatic brain injuries regain specific mental abilities. Healthy folks have their choice of a host of products, including one, Posit Science's Brain Fitness Program, whose effectiveness is backed by a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2006. Posit found that healthy people over the age of 60 tested about 10 years younger on standardized tests after using the product. Even playing Sudoku helps keep your mind in shape. For more software check out SharpBrains.com, which promotes science-based cognitive training.

3. Fat Factor 
Omega-3 fatty acids, which are plentiful in flaxseed, walnuts, wild salmon, cooked soybeans and halibut, among other foods, are not only mood-boosters but can improve concentration, according to work at the University of Siena in Italy.

4. Take Folic Acid 
Research published last year in the British medical journal the Lancet found that adults ages 50 to 70 who took 800mg a day of folic acid for three years did much better on cognitive tests than a placebo group.

5. Bottoms Up 
Follow your brain-boosting routine and then reward yourself with a daily glass of kindness. Among seniors with mild memory and cognitive problems, those who had one alcoholic drink a day, typically wine, had a slower progression of their dementia over a three-year period than the teetotalers. (But be sure not to go over the CDC’s recommended intake of one or two drinks for men and one for women.)

6. Relax
 Seniors with higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their blood have a smaller hippocampus and do worse on memory tests, according to researchers at Douglas Hospital. Stress may also act as a trigger to poor memory in people with a gene associated with Alzheimer's. You can find the American Academy of Family Physicians' tips on managing stress here.

Health Tip of the Week: Facts about Our Nails

There are many interesting facts that are related to nails. Some of these facts are pure superstition but most of them are scientific. So, here are some interesting facts about nails:

• Nails are actually the same as hair. Both hair and nails are made of the same protein, called keratin.
• The nail plates are dead cells and contrary to the popular belief, they don't breathe. So they don't require oxygen. However, the nail beds and the cuticles are live cells and they do need oxygen, vitamins and minerals.
• Nails don't sweat. The nail bed does not have sweat glands, so it can't perspire. It is the skin around the nails that gets sweaty.
• Nails grow at the rate of 0.1 mm daily (or 1 cm in every 100 days). So, for a finger nail to regrow completely, it takes between 4 and 6 months. For toe nails, the period of complete regrow is 12 to 18 months.
• Men's nails grow faster than women's nails.
• Finger nails for both genders grow faster than toe nails.
• Toe nails are about twice thicker than finger nails.
• The fastest growing nail is on the middle finger. The slowest – on the thumbnail.
• When nails are freshly cut, they grow faster than nails that are not cut often. That is why it takes so much time to grow nails longer than an inch (breaking nails is excluded).
• Seasons and weather also affect nail growth. Nails grow faster in warm climates and during daytime, than in cold climates and at night.
• Nails grow faster on young people than on old people. Also nails grow much faster during pregnancy.
• Nails grow at different speeds on both hands. If you are right-handed, the nails on your right hand will grow faster than the nails on your left hand and vice versa.
• Light trauma, like typing on a computer stimulates nail growth.
• It is a myth that hair and nails will continue to grow for several days after death. This is an optical illusion and is due to the fact that the skin shrinks, thus making it look as if the hair and nails are growing.
• Not drinking enough water leads to dry nails as well.

The search for a warm winter mitten

So I take the bus. I have to stand outside for around 10 minutes at both of my waits, and when the weather really sucks the buses are usually late and I have to wait even longer.

For some reason I can find everything else warm but not mittens. I asked all my friends on face book and I got a lot of different suggestions. I'm always hesitant to go out and spend a bunch of money but I was getting a lot more sick of having cold and frozen hands all the time... SO I decided that I was going to go out and buy all the different gloves suggested and find something that would finally work. I was tiered of always having cold hands! (Of course I made sure I bought them at places I could do returns..Having 5 pairs of gloves that didn't work wasn't part of this plan!)

So I thought I would share this all with you. It's a relativity boring post but I thought if you're like me and have tiny hands with no fat on them to keep you warm, and sort of bad circulation this might really be helpful!

I first tried these. They were $90 gloves so I thought for sure they would be pretty good. Nope. My fingers (at -20C) got cold within 5 minutes and freezing within 10 minutes. They were by far the nicest gloves but that doesn't matter when you have no fingers!

Next I tried some Hot Paws from Costco. They were $30 but I heard they were like having heaters on your hands. Nope. Again, no good. To be honest they were a little bit better then the North Face gloves, they lasted a couple minutes more but still not good enough.
Next a tried a pair of mittens from The Bay. I can't find an exact picture but they were similar to these but darker purple and they had fur around the cuffs. They were Thinsulate 40 Gram mitts which I was told is a great rating and those should for sure do the job. They were the cheapest of all the gloves I found (on sale too) at $20. I tried them out for a couple of day, same cold testing and same results; no good at all! They lasted about 3 minutes at -20C before my fingers were cold.

The four try was a pair of Dragon Fly Thinsulate mittens from Sports Check. They were 100 Gram gloves so I was sure they had to do better then the other gloves. Nope. About the same: after 5 minutes my fingers were cold and after about 8 minutes they were freezing. Even curling them up in a ball inside the mittens didn't do much at that point. When I brought them back "Is there anything wrong with them?", "They're not warm". The cashier wasn't too sure what to say, but at least I was honest right.

Ok, so my last effort? Go to MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op) and try and find something there. I spent about 30 minutes trying on all the different gloves and trying to find something that seemed that it would work better then the rest (it's amazing how little labeling is on these things!). Finally I decided on a pair of Gordini mittens. By this time I had the other four pairs of gloves going through their tests so this pair was last and boy could I tell the difference when I got to these! No, they don't work for more then half an hour out standing in the cold in -30, but at that point, I find that not much does! They work well for the 10-20 minutes I'm standing outside in -20 to -30. My hands start go get cold at the 10 minute mark and at about 20 minutes (if I haven't moved my fingers around or tried anything to keep them warm) they start to really feel frozen. But you know, considering where I live and all the other tries I've had with gloves and how poorly they did I'm taking this as a success. $40 after tax, not too bad for toasty warm fingers.

Ok, It's time to laugh

Ok, so doctor's orders I need to laugh more. Did you know that kids laugh around 300 times a day? Adults? 27 times a day! I don't think I even do 5! So here are some videos to get me (and you!) started on laughing more!!

I'm not going to get into all the health benefits on laughing, I'll do that in another post, but just take some time and have a good laugh!

Health Tip of the Week: Omega-3 Recipes

Back in May I did a series on Omega Oils and I thought it would be a good idea to follow up with some great recipes to help you along the road to increasing your omega oils. Now these are for sure not the healthiest recipes, so I almost didn’t want to post them, but for those of you who hate pills, or fish, this might be an ok option from time to time to help you along the way.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Power Bars

Canola cooking spray
1 tablespoon butter or canola margarine
1/3 cup reduced-fat smooth peanut butter
2 cups miniature marshmallows, lightly packed
1 cup low-fat granola
1 cup Rice Krispies
1/3 cup ground flaxseed (golden flax works better in this recipe)

Coat an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with canola cooking spray. Put the butter, peanut butter, and marshmallows into a medium-sized microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds, or until mixture is just melted. Stir to blend.
Microwave again briefly if the mixture isn't melted or smooth. Then stir in granola, puffed rice and flaxseed.
Spread the mixture in the prepared pan, flattening it evenly with a sheet of waxed paper. Let it cool completely before cutting into 8 equal-sized bars.
Yield: 8 bars
Per serving: 207 calories, 5.5 grams protein, 31 grams carbohydrate, 8 grams of fat ( 2 grams saturated fat, 1 gram monounsaturated fat, 1.8 grams polyunsaturated fat) , 4 milligrams cholesterol, 3 grams fiber, 174 milligrams sodium. Calories from fat: 35%. Omega-3 fatty acids = 1 gram, Omega-6 fatty acids = 0.7 gram.

Mocha-ccino Freeze

1 cup low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt or light vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup strong decaf coffee, chilled
1 cup ice cubes
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

Add all ingredients to your blender or food processor
Blend on highest speed until smooth (about 10 seconds). Scrape sides of blender, and blend again for five more seconds.
Pour into two glasses and enjoy!
Yield: 2 smoothies.
Per serving: 157 calories, 7 grams protein, 23 grams carbohydrate, 4.5 grams fat ( 1.3 saturated fat, 1 grams monounsaturated fat, 1.9 grams polyunsaturated fat), 7 milligrams cholesterol, 2.3 grams fiber, 79 milligrams sodium. Calories from fat: 26%. Omega-3 fatty acids = 1.5 grams. Omega-6 fatty acids = 0.4 gram.
Both recipes are from The Flax Cookbook by Elaine Magee

Herbed Spaghetti Squash

I bought a spaghetti squash but I always seem to make it a little funny and it doesn't taste that amazing. I had it at Amichi a little while ago and I swear I could have eaten just that, for likely hours! So I wanted to find that recipe and I think this is it (or the closest next thing!)

I hope you enjoy it as much as I am! I'm going to have some more right now!

Ingredients

• 1 small spaghetti squash, about 2 1/4 pounds
• 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped mixed soft herbs, such as basil, chives, chervil, parsley and sage
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise and place, cut side down, in a baking dish. Add enough water to come 1/2-inch up the sides of the baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes, until the squash is easily pierced with a paring knife. Turn squash over and cover with foil again and continue to cook another 15 minutes, until the squash is very tender. Remove from the oven, uncover, and allow to cool slightly. Using a spoon, remove the seeds and discard. Using a fork, gently pull the strands of squash away from the peel and place the squash strands into a mixing bowl.

Heat a skillet. Add the butter, spaghetti squash, herbs, salt and pepper and toss thoroughly but gently to heat and combine. Serve immediately or cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

Natural Bubble Baths

So I've been trying to switch to all natural or organic products and bubble bath is one that I just haven't been able to find yet. I mean there are a few out there but I thought why not make one myself? So here are the recipes I (had some help) found and I'm still trying to figure out which one to try first! If you bet me to it let me know which one you like!!

Sweet Dreams Bubble Bath

This bubble bath has lavender and patchouli oils to relax you before bedtime. Use soft music and lighted candles in your bathroom for a soothing effect.

6 drops of lavender oil
3 drops of patchouli oil
1 quart of distilled water
1 bar of castille soap. (4 oz. Bar)
4 ounces liquid glycerin

Directions: mix the water, soap and glycerin together and stir. Now add your essential oils to the mixture.

Cold Season Bubble Bath

This bubble bath will help you breathe easier, with eucalyptus oil to ease the cold congestion. This is perfect for the cold season.

6 drops of eucalyptus oil
3 drops of spearmint oil
3 drops of peppermint oil
1 quart of distilled water
1 bar of castille soap. (4 oz. Bar)
4 ounces liquid glycerin

Directions: mix the water, soap and glycerin together and stir. Now add your essential oils to the mixture.

Pure Sunshine Bubble Bath

This citrusy bubble bath will cheer you up and energize you. Perfect for a morning bath or use after exercising.

6 drops of orange oil
4 drops of grapefruit oil
3 drops of lemon oil
1 quart of distilled water
1 bar of castille soap. (4 oz. Bar)
4 ounces liquid glycerin

Directions: mix the water, soap and glycerin together and stir. Now add your essential oils to the mixture.

Love Potion Bubble Bath

This bubble bath will put you in a romantic mood. All of the ingredients are considered known aphrodisiac – so look out!

6 drops jasmine oil
3 drops rose oil
3 drops vanilla oil
6 drops ylang ylang oil
1 quart of distilled water
1 bar of castille soap. (4 oz. Bar)
4 ounces liquid glycerin

Directions: mix the water, soap and glycerin together and stir. Now add your essential oils to the mixture

Healthy Oatmeal

So as you know I'm on this crazy strict diet right now and I just got this recipe from my doctor. I was sort of stuck with what to make for breaky. Eggs and protein shakes get pretty boring after a while so I'm pretty excited to try this! I know, it doesn't look that exciting but for someone on a Candida diet I think it's pretty great!!

½ cup raw whole rolled oats

¾ cup vanilla rice milk (or almond milk)

¾ cups water

Pinch or two of cinnamon

1 ripe banana

½ cup berries (blueberries, strawberries – organic, raspberry, saskattoon)

Put all the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat (2-3) and simmer for 10-12 minutes

Health Tip of the Week: The Benefits of Fibre Pt. 3

Keeping Weight under Control

Foods containing plenty of fibre have more bulk than low-fibre foods. If taken in the right form at the right time and at sufficient quantities, fibre can sometimes slow the onset of hunger.

Nice To Know:
To help control your weight with fibre:

Always try to take fibre in the natural form. For example, instead of sprinkling bran over your food, choose foods naturally high in fibre.

Avoid foods that have been made easier to eat and digest by removal of fibre, especially sugars (including fruit juices).

Choose foods that satisfy hunger without providing many calories, mainly vegetables and most fruits, which are rich in fibre.

Need To Know:
Some individuals claim that fibre alone can cause weight loss without the need to diet. But in fact, the only effective and safe way to lose weight is to:

- Reduce calorie intake to a safe level
- Get enough exercise to burn off excess calories

However, fibre can be a useful aid in reducing calorie intake.

I posted a while ago a great fibre muffin recipe; check it out here if you want!

Health Tip of the Week: The Benefits of Fibre Pt.2

Preventing Certain Diseases

Getting enough fibre in the diet can lower the risk of developing certain conditions:

Heart disease. Evidence is now growing to support the notion that foods containing soluble fibre (such as oats, rye barley, and beans) can have a positive influence on cholesterol, triglycerides, and other particles in the blood that affect the development of heart disease. Some fruits and vegetables (such as citrus fruits and carrots) have been shown to have the same effect.

Cancer. The passage of food through the body is speed up when fibre is eaten. Some experts believe this may prevent harmful substances found in some foods from affecting the colon and may protect against colon cancer. (However, a recent study conducted by Harvard University concluded that eating high-fibre food did not appear to protect people from colon cancer.) Other types of cancer that are linked with overnutrition and may be prevented by a fibre-rich diet include breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer.

Diabetes. Adding fibre to the diet helps regulate blood sugar levels, which is important in avoiding diabetes. In addition, some people with diabetes can achieve a significant reduction in their blood sugar levels and may find they can reduce their medication.

Diverticular disease. Diverticular disease is a condition in which small pouches, called diverticula, develop in the wall of the colon. In a small percentage of people, these diverticula become inflamed or infected, a condition known as diverticulitis. Diverticular disease can cause pain, diarrhoea, constipation, and other problems.

Gallstones and kidney stones. Rapid digestion leads to a rapid release of glucose (sugar) into the bloodstream. To cope with this, the body has to release large amounts of insulin into the bloodstream, and this can make a person more likely to develop gallstones and kidney stones (in addition to diabetes and high cholesterol).

For further information about diverticular disease, go to Diverticular Disease.

For further information about gallstones, go to Gallstones.
For further information about kidney stones, go to Kidney Stones.

Come back next week for part 3 and the completion of this series!

Health Tip of the Week: The Benefits of Fibre Pt. 1

Fibre is helpful to the body in many ways:

- Relieving constipation and haemorrhoids
- Preventing certain diseases
- Keeping weight under control

Avoiding and Relieving Constipation
Fibre can absorb large amounts of water in the bowels, and this makes stools softer and easier to pass. Anyone starting a higher-fibre diet will notice the difference in stool bulk.
In almost all cases, increasing fibre in the diet will relieve constipation within hours or days.
Because stools are easier to pass, less straining is necessary, and this can help relieve haemorrhoids.

Digestion Fact:
On average, it takes 39 hours in women and 31 hours in men for food to pass through the colon and out of the body. This time varies a lot from person to person, depending on personality, state of mind, and fibre intake. Usually, the effect of fibre is to speed up this process.

Come back next week for part 2!

Health Tip of the Week: Power Boost Smoothie

My friend Sara is one of the healthiest people I know and suggested this smoothie to me. I’m not too sure I would have the egg in it, but here’s the complete recipe for those are you wanting to be a bit more extreme on your health journey.

1 cup Frozen Berries

1/2-3/4 cup Coconut Milk

1 Egg

1 scoop of Greens

1-3 tsp Ground Flaxseed

Blend and enjoy!

Health Tip of the Week: Home Made Facials

As a follow up to my many make up posts here are some healthy, chemical free alternative for facials!

Homemade Facial Scrub Instead of Soap

This is for the lady who wanted a homemade facial mask. First, clean your face with water only. Never use soap. You can open your pores with hot compresses (washcloth) for a facial scrub, moisten oatmeal to a “goo", use it to scrub your face (not around your eyes). Wash off with cool water. You may also make a paste of the oatmeal and allow it to dry. Remove with cool water. Sliced fresh cucumber placed on your closed eyes will reduce bagginess and dark circles.

Honey for Best Facial

The best facial mask that I have found is honey. Use warm cloth to open pores, smear on honey, leave on 15 to 30 minutes, rinse off with warm water, and then use cold water to close pores. Use for 3 days in a row and then once a week. Sometimes I mix a little ground oatmeal with the honey, which makes a great mask.

Exfoliating Mask

For an easy exfoliating mask, mix three tablespoons olive oil or any good oil and one tablespoon kosher salt mix and gently rub into dry skin. Do not use around eye area. This works great on elbows and feet, but it can also be used on cheeks and forehead

Egg Whites

I use egg whites. Just beat one egg white until it is frothy. Spread it all over your face. Wait until it dries. Rinse it off. My face feels very clean and "tight" after this application. And then I use the yolk for cooking.( I have yet to have found a use for the shell)

Egg Yolk

The best homemade facial mask that I have used is a raw egg yolk. Just apply the raw yolk to your face and neck for 30 minutes and rinse with cool water. Egg yolks are high in vitamin A. The mask is very effective in healing blemishes.

For dry skin, try:

· An egg yolk mixed with olive oil and warmed honey

· Sour cream

· Avocado

For oily skin:

· Dissolve a teaspoon of baking yeast in a small amount of warm milk, wait until foamy, then apply (best done in the bath tub);

· Puree flesh of a tomato and mix with some potato flour to make a paste;

· Cucumber (it will whiten your skin);

· Beaten egg whites with a few drops of lemon juice (great for getting rid of blackheads);

· Carrots (but don't use this one more than about every other week because it can over dry your skin). This one will make you look tanned.

General refreshing masks:

· Grapes (just cut a berry in half and rub lightly)

· Strawberries (test behind your ear first, because many people are allergic to strawberries used this way even though they can eat them just fine)

· Honey and ricotta cheese

Health Tip of the Week: How to Eat to Help Speed up your Metabolism

Breakfast is essential. Your body has been deprived of food throughout the night, therefore your metabolism has slowed. If the cells do not receive sufficient nutrients they will begin to function less efficiently on smaller amounts, and they will actually store more fat to use during these times of nutritional deprivation.

Eat six small meals a day to keep your body's fuel supply consistent and keep your metabolism revved up. Avoid eating late at night because your metabolism naturally slows down in the afternoon and evening, so eat a hearty breakfast. Consistency is important because your body metabolism adapts to your current weight. If you have been dieting or skipping meals your body's metabolism slows down to compensate for the lack of nutrients. When lean people overeat their metabolism speeds up and when obese people diet their metabolism slows down. The key is a balance of exercise and diet.

Eat fewer high-fat foods and less total calories. Choosing healthy foods, such as lean protein and vegetables, can actually increase your metabolism as well. Increase dietary fibre and limit sugary foods, alcohol, caffeine and don't smoke. The best foods to increase your metabolism and help you lose weight are fish, dark green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, blueberries and other fruits, whole grains, and at least 8 glasses of water a day.

When your cells need energy they will break down carbohydrates first, then fat and finally protein. Your body converts carbohydrates into a form of sugar called glucose which is easily used as fuel by your body. Any excess carbohydrates you eat will be turned into fat for storage. Of course, any fat you eat will be stored as fat as well. Your body converts the fat you eat into body fat very efficiently. If you exercise and eat wisely, however, you will burn those fat stores and increase your metabolism.

Information found at www.consumeraffairs.com

Health Tip of the Week: Jump starting your Metabolism

The best way to jump-start your metabolism is to exercise. Exercise will reduce body fat and increase lean muscle mass. By increasing lean muscle mass, metabolism will increase and aid in the weight-loss process. Muscle tissue uses more calories than fat tissue because it has a higher metabolic rate. Aerobic exercise, like walking, swimming or cycling, has the added bonus of speeding up your metabolism for 4 to 8 hours after you stop exercising. Additional calories will be burned off long after you stop exercising. Weight lifting, resistance or strength training, does not speed up your metabolism, but it does burn fat and increase your lean muscle mass which increases your resting metabolic rate.

Information found at www.consumeraffairs.com

Health Tip of the Week: What You Need to Know about Your Metabolism

Metabolism gets blamed when people put on weight or have trouble losing weight, but you can learn how to speed up your metabolism. Increasing your metabolism can help you burn calories, replace fat with muscle and give you more energy. The key to increasing your metabolism is understanding what it is.

Metabolism is a combination of physical and chemical processes called anabolism and catabolism. Anabolism is the constructive phase of metabolism in which body cells synthesize protoplasm for growth and repair. Catabolism is the destructive phase of metabolism in which complex substances are broken down into simpler compounds producing energy which is essential for the proper functioning of body cells. Together, these processes distribute nutrients which are absorbed into the blood after digestion.

Three factors determine your metabolic rate, which is the amount of calories your body uses every day. The basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the rate your body uses energy for vital body processes. The rate you burn energy during physical activity and the rate you use energy during digestion of food are the two other factors involved in your total metabolic rate. To improve your metabolic efficiency you only need to alter what you eat and what you do a little bit to experience a difference in how you look and feel.

Information found at www.consumeraffairs.com