#pump me full of vitamins and probiotics

[aqent8]

they need to invent a place u go to where they actually fix you up and reset your issues so if you walk back out youre the healthiest u could be at that moment

[meditating-dog-lover]

Exercise

So I've been doing a good amount of HIIT since last July. And it is very effective at burning fat, boosting cardio endurance, and building strength all over your body.

Exercise is so important for full body health. I don't believe it's something you can exclude from your lifestyle and still expect to be reaching optimal levels of health. And it doesn't even have to be anything intense. A simple walk or a yoga session are also great for you.

For the past few months, I've still been exercising. I just feel like I've had a few lazy weeks and days here and there and I am physically exhausted. So pumping out a few HIIT sessions a week is tough. I have also been dealing with other health issues such as a foot injury that sent me to the hospital, some concerns for my teeth, and several nutritional deficiencies and heavy metal exposure. Exercise can't really do anything for these things and they are very important too. And they were urgent and required immediate action and change to my daily lifestyle. I had to target my nutritional deficiencies and do a deep dive internet search on supplements and different key vitamins and minerals and how they benefit me. I also had to search for oral care products and ditched commercial toothpaste and ditched mouthwash altogether because of their downsides (having little to no health benefits besides fluoride + messing up the oral microbiome). Making the changes of using xylitol toothpaste and oral probiotics were good implementations I had to make for the sale of my oral health. Plus buying a Sonicare toothbrush and supplementing with vitamin D, K, phosphorus, and magnesium (still worried a bit about my vitamin D levels). But adding supplements has helped me a lot overall. I'm less dizzy when I stand up or move my head, I have a lot fewer sugar cravings, my nails are hard, my hair is shiny (I cut the split ends off the other day), my eczema and angular cheilitis cleared up (it came back after I took an oral probiotic but I stopped taking that and am hoping the dry spots and patches clear up), etc... I feel better and healthier. I am also planning on taking some chlorella to help with omega-3 levels and to aid in detoxing from heavy metals (they can interfere with physiological processes in the body including nutrient absorption, adrenal function, hormonal balance, and the quality of the immune system). I'm going to do a retest for my minerals and heavy metals in a few months as well as for my oral microbiome. I expect to see some good results from this. Even when my skin health is off (dryness comes back) I feel off and I have to take my supplements. And this is not just for the skin; these vitamins have helped my whole body. I'm not 100% but things will get better with time regarding my health!

I felt crappy this year and last summer, fall. I knew something was off regarding my health, I just could not pinpoint it. Yes, I was exercising and that's so important. But I was unaware of other health issues I had that exercise cannot correct or eliminate, and these issues needed attention. So my supplementation did help, I'm hoping the chlorella helps too. I had to take full action over my own health because many doctors I saw in the past were just superficially treating symptoms by applying topical drug store products instead of doing a deep dive and reliable scan to test my health to see if there is anything wrong internally/address the root cause and can then recommend nutritional and gut health assessments. I felt like I was not getting the health help I needed, so I had to take action. I'm proud of myself for that, even though I still have health anxiety and I obsess over it. And I also have a lot to learn, but I am happy I started somewhere.

When this is all balanced out and established, I can get back to my regular exercise routine. Plus to be fair, I don't think anyone exercises as much in the winner as they do in the spring and summer. I should be proud of the health achievements I have made this year!

[dawnmarie74]

When I looked into these new products I was SO excited 👏🏼 I have always been about natural health + healing so to have a full hemp line + non hemp nutraceuticals I was like yaaaaaassss 🙌🏼 I mean there’s everything from full spectrum hemp oil / pet hemp / CBD water / vitamin sprays / probiotics / protein (that has 100% grass fed whey, hemp, bcaa’s + pre/probiotics!!) / vitamins for brain + mental health / adaptogenic herbs / weight loss / energy / focus + SO much more 🌿 BUT it was the compensation plan that made my jaw drop + truly blew me away. I have never seen anything like it and it’s what got me REALLY PUMPED. ▪️It’s so amazing that my friend + mentor earned a six figure paycheck last MONTH 😳🤯 ▪️So amazing that yesterday my friend walked away from a five figure monthly income to start completely over + build in this company 🙌🏼 ▪️So amazing that so many earned nearly $1000 in a matter of days 😭 and they are not slowing down! ▪️So amazing that in a matter of days we have already had several promotions on the team that I can’t wait to share about!! I can’t even begin to tell you what this means for our family. And if something like this would bless yours I would love to tell you everything! 🤍 https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccf0JOPrrnw/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sustainhealthmagazine]

The 10 best protein powders to whip you into shape

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Richard Jones Daily Telegraph

Protein shakes have an image problem. Historically, their marketing has focused on images of pumped up men trying to emulate charismatic Austrians (we love you Arnie!), instantly alienating half of the population in one fell swoop. 

The common misconception among women was that taking protein shakes would mean being lumped with a load of muscle. But the protein world has had a bit of a shake up this decade, with products specifically targeting the female demographic as the health and fitness benefits of supplementing your diet with protein (besides the muscle building) are becoming more widely known and promoted.

"Protein shakes are really useful for anyone who is doing a form of exercise and struggles to get it from their diet," reveals James Exton, co-founder of fitness company LDNM. "It isn’t necessarily for muscle building and is quite an important element to have in your diet for weight loss as well. Our whole ethos is that it’s not going to make you into a monster like the giant men on the tubs. That is just a marketing tool a lot of companies use. ​If you’re a woman, it’s not going to make you a man."

If you weigh 11 stone, it is recommended you eat about 52.5g of protein a day but you will need more than that if you are planning on exercising regularly. "It is quite difficult getting it from your diet alone," says Exton. "If you work busy jobs or you are on the move, than it is hard to get to the requirement. But if you are hitting the mark, don’t buy protein shakes. Most people are deficient to protein to some extent and could use a little help to bolster it."

So if you have decided to go the whey of the protein shake, what are the main things to consider? 

"If you are on a weight loss journey, all you're looking for is a high protein content, low carbohydrate content and low fat content. Some do have higher sugar content so bear that in mind. Some brands are selling at £80 to £90, but I can tell you now, that will not change the way a person looks over and above a protein powder that is £30 for the same size."

To help you decide which protein shake to make, we tried as many as we could get our sweaty hands on, and as if we were protein shake sommeliers, judged them on flavour, texture and how they made us feel after consumption – though unfortunately they didn't make us tipsy.

Here are our humble opinions:

1. Form performance protein 520g

£24, from Planet Organic

One of the main reasons why some people are turned off protein shakes is the high dairy and milk content in some powders, while vegan alternatives have a reputation for unappetizing flavours and smells (unflavoured pea protein will make you never want to eat a vegetable ever again).

Form are changing the game as far as this point is concerned. Their vanilla flavoured hemp, pea and algae protein mix will have you wondering how on earth they did it, while the chocolate caramel superblend tastes exactly like millionaire's shortbread - complete with that malty biscuit flavour.

They also manage to fit in 30 grams of protein per 40g serving along with probiotics and BCAA's to help synthesise and digest your protein intake. With it's cool, mindful packaging (no images of beach hunks and babes vying for attention here), Form is a market disruptor – and a welcome one at that.

10/10

Nutritional information per 40g serving: protein - 30 g, carbohydrates - 0.4 g, calories - 149 kcal

2. Protein World The Slender Blend 1.2kg

£25.99, from Protein World

The champion of the protein world. Having reached a level of notoriety in 2015 with a series of adverts that campaigners slammed for promoting "body shaming", Protein World still retains a monster following, with over 700,000 followers on Instagram.

Trying to ignore the marketing and prior conceptions of the brand, we found Protein World to exceed our expectations of what a protein powder could be. It tastes better than many vanilla milkshakes you get in restaurants, and it contains a shopping list of added vitamins and minerals.

As someone who has had issues with protein shake digestion in the past, I was particularly pleased to see the inclusion of a genius probiotic blend, designed to help your gut handle the lactose that's usually found in milky protein shakes.

This is not so much a health supplement as a lifestyle one. I felt oddly revitalised and refreshed after an early morning gym session that usually sees me in a floppy heap on the doormat. However, there is some debate around Protein World's carb count.

9/10

Nutritional information per 40g serving (vanilla): protein - 22.9 g, carbohydrates - 7.9 g

3. Whey box 300g

£16.99, from Whey Box

With it's cheesy tag-line ("It's the only whey") and fascinating range of weird and wonderful flavours (gingerbread anyone?), Whey Box is bringing some welcome fun into the protein game. They offer a monthly subscription service, with ten sachets per pack – useful, as you can just chuck them in your shaker without the need for faffing around with scoops or measurements.

The powder is low on calories compared to other products on this list, but high on carbohydrate percentage. Without offering the robust range of extra vitamins and probiotics of the previous two on our list, it was all down to taste with the Whey Box and we have no complaints on that front. Our favourites are strawberry and a surprisingly yummy cookies and cream.

8/10

Nutritional information per 30g: protein - 22 g, carbohydrates - 3 g, calories - 120

4. Neat Nutrition lean protein 1 kg

£34, from Neat Nutrition

Neat Nutrition follow Form's vibe of 'hipster' protein, with it's parcel like packaging and emphasis on organic ingredients. The vanilla might not be a match for the mighty form, but this is still a pleasant tasting protein shake (although we weren't so much a fan of their berry flavour).

It also has the added benefit of having matcha green tea blended in with the powder, so we decided to take this protein shake as a breakfast replacement, and found it kept us going all the way until lunch without the need for a coffee. 

8/10

Nutritional information per 30 g: protein - 23.1 g, carbohydrates - 2 g, calories - 117kcal

5. Multipower pure whey protein 2kg

£51, from Amazon

The banana mango flavoured Multipower whey protein tastes like those little marshmallow bananas you get at the pic 'n' mix (albeit in liquidised form), which is a lot nicer than it sounds. And the coffee and caramel reminds me of an iced coffee that I mistakenly order on a hot day from Costa. It's not the same as a piping hot coffee, but at least it tastes like what it proposes to be, which in the world of protein shakes is not to be sniffed at.

However the powder does cling to the side of the shaker, leaving some residue – and me wondering whether I've utilised the full amount of powder from the sachet.

They've also added vitamin B6 and Branched-Chain Amino Acids which helps stimulate protein synthesis and could explain the welcome extra kick on the pull-up bar.

7/10

Nutritional information per 30 g (banana mango): protein - 24 g, carbohydrates - 1.4 g, calories - 116 kcal

6. Bulk Powders Whey Protein 1 kg

£11.19, from Bulk Powders

This protein powder mixes very well without going bubbly, and tastes rather pleasant at the price point (albeit a little disappointing when compared to the gourmet options on this list). It also contains those very handy BCAAs (but no vitamin B6) which aid workouts – albeit not to the extent of Multipower's product. However it is nearly half the price so out of the cheaper options on the market, we crown Bulk Powders king.

7/10

Nutritional information per 30g (vanilla): protein - 24.2 g, carbohydrates - 1.5 g, calories - 122 kcal

7. Precision Complete Whey Protein Powder 2.28kg

£35.95, from Amazon

We're starting to get away from the artisan options, and into the more traditional looking tubs. To my surprise, Precision Complete doesn't taste as synthetic as the ingredients might hint.

While at first it feels like it is going to have a bitter aftertaste, much to my surprise it never reaches this place and instead carries on tasting like a slightly trashy kids party chocolate ice cream or something you'd drink by the litre in order to get over a painful break up. It settles well in the stomach – a lot better than other dairy products in it's price range - all of which makes Precision Complete a good 'cheap and cheerful' option for those none too bothered about flashy branding or marketing ploys.

7/10

Nutritional information per 34 g serving: protein - 24.5 g, carbohydrates - 3 g, calories - 129

8. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey 908 g

£44.99, from Holland & Barrett

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard, like Precision Complete before it, promises us whey protein isolates - apparently the purest form of whey protein that exists. In truth, this powder does provide a very good workout indeed (I was going at that rowing machine like a madman for a whole hour). However, at the price point, I am left wondering if there is any thing more to this powder. 

In terms of taste, Optimum Nutrition is a very middle of the road option. It is not as sweet as Precision Complete, nor as creamy as Protein World or Form. However, it doesn't stick to the top of your mouth, the powder dissolves well, and it is relatively low on calories. There are better options out there, but you can still do a whole lot worse.

7/10

Nutritional information per 50 g serving: protein - 34 g, carbohydrates - 5.5 g, calories - 182 kcal

9. Purition original 500g

£22.95, from Purition

Having found favour among the likes of opera singer Katherine Jenkinsand sports presenter Kirsty Gallacher, Purition is flying the flag on this list for the new trend of wholefood protein ready to shake up the scene this year. Rather than a straight up powder, Purition is a flavoured blend of seeds (including our favourites, chia and kernal), nuts, whey and hemp protein and real flavourings (vanilla pods for examples as opposed to a vanilla flavoured construction from a lab).

With it all looking this uber-healthy it is with a little disappointment that we found the flavour a touch bland and in need of sugar. The directions also tell you to blend it up with milk or yoghurt, which obviously requires a blender. Now, I don't know about you, but I couldn't take a blender into the weights room while keeping a straight face, meaning you'll have to go home before you can take the protein, thus missing the golden 20 minute window after a workout where your protein intake is being optimised.

However we would highly recommend Purition for those terrified of long lists of odd sounding ingredients on the back of protein powders, and those wishing to take their protein with a meal (it works great sprinkled on muesli).

7/10

Nutritional information per 40 g (macadamia and vanilla): protein - 15.6 g, carbohydrates - 3.4 g, calories - 198 kcal

10. MyProtein Total Protein 1 kg

£21.99, from MyProtein

Since its founding in 2004, MyProtein has risen to the top of the protein game to become the largest sports nutrition retailer in Europe. We tried their total protein protein product, which scores very highly on the low calorie, low carbohydrate, high protein content scale.

The packaging can some across as a little low-end, and the powder, even when shaking it like a wet dog, doesn't blend very well in a shaker; you might be left with gloopy chunks of protein powder at the bottom. The chocolate initially tastes lovely, but has a clingy aftertaste, like something faintly nuclear is deploying on your taste buds. However with near daily discounts making their products the cheapest on the market (along with Bulk Powders), MyProtein is surely the go-to option for anyone who's primary concern is saving pennies.

6/10

Nutritional information per 30g: protein - 25 g, carbohydrates - 1.2 g, calories - 118 kcal

Our favourites

It definitely feels like a changing of the old guard in the protein world. Brands like Form are promoting more mindful imagery and selling their products almost like lifestyle supplements, with a host of vitamins and minerals to keep your health in check past building muscle.

Elsewhere, Whey Box are trying to flip the traditional, rather 'serious' feel of protein tubs and making it tasty and fun. Both are offering that something extra which we can't help but get behind.

View latest offers from Myprotein

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[grantfnxion]

7 simple food swaps you can do right now. 1.  Cooking oil/spray 

There are so many different types out there these days and just like food choices you should be wary of the nutritional value and hidden calories. Choose olive oil. Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats, which are linked to healthier cholesterol ratios. If you fill your own pump, go one step further and choose virgin or extra-virgin oil, which contain antioxidants called polyphenols, which may fight inflammation in the body.

2. Sauces/ Condiments 

Don’t be fooled by health haloes many sauces carry fat-free, gluten-free, MSG free, preservative free and other health halo claims. This doesn’t mean they’re healthy. Many are still high in sugar and salt. Take an average tomato sauce Yes, a lot of the ingredients are ‘organic’ including the added sugar BUT sugars make up 25 per cent of the sauce and it can have more than 1220mg of sodium per 100mL. Thankfully there are now low salt/sugar varieties available so look out for those.

3. Maple syrup 

The first time as with most food products, if it has a label and nutritional information...read it! If you are going to buy maple syrup then make sure it is “actual” maple syrup not just “maple flavoured syrup” which can be loaded with refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup. The average maple syrup is 2/3 sugar and as you should know sugar is nothing but additional empty calories which adds to our daily intake with no nutritional benefit for us. That being said there are some surprising health benefits in maple syrup such as it containing a good amount of antioxidants, minerals such as calcium, iron and magnesium and vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin and b6. BUT...if you are going to indulge in maple syrup go for the organic sugar free version whenever possible to lesson the calories per serve and to avoid artificial colours, additives and preservatives.

4. Protein Bars  

Just because it’s a “protein” bar does not mean that it’s a healthy or smart choice. We are quick to assume protein means healthy due to the high publicity of the importance and benefits of this macronutrient but...what else is in that “high protein bar”? And is the usual small serving size worth the amount of calories or could you eat a more nutrient dense meal from another food source that is higher in protein and lower is calories, sugars and additives? Remember protein bars are designed for convenience and a quick snack on the go and should be used as that when needed but not as a replacement for real food. So...if you are going to choose a protein bar here’s some advice, look at the calories per serve, protein per serve, sugars, saturated fats and also what artificial flavours and sugar replacements it contains and go for the best option, it always pays to compare products and find the most nutritionally beneficial one. An example of a good one would be a 40-60g bar at around 20g of protein per serve, no more than 10g carbs and and fats. 

5. Coffee  

Although not a food, this is one of humans most consumed fuels and also an easy way to set yourself up for failure when it comes to your health and fitness goals. Many factors come into play by the fact we can choose how we have it, the type of milk, sugar or no sugar, chocolate powder and sweetness will all impact whether you are making a healthy choice or not. Full cream milk is higher is fat and plenty of sugar before you add your additional spoonfuls to it, same with the chocolate powder you add to the top of your cappuccino or any other addition like caramel syrups or Starbucks concoctions. The healthier milk options are skim, soy or almond milk, and try to go without the sugar if possible or opt for Splenda or zero calorie sweeteners, even honey is a better choice and you can’t get a healthier coffee than a long black so that’s an option if you are just looking for the energy boost or ask for a dash of milk rather than the full serve. And remember just because it’s not a food does not mean the calories won’t count and add to your daily intake.

6. Yogurt  

As with many other foods which are highly advertised as “a healthy option” depends on what type you buy before it falls into the healthy category so here is some information and factors to take into account. Most yogurts contain considerable amounts of added sweeteners, usually sucrose (white sugar), along with various kinds of flavoring. As a result, the amount of sugar in yogurt is highly variable, and may range from 4.7% to 18.6%, also although the majority of yogurt sold is advertised as either low-fat or fat-free The fat content can range from 0.4% in non-fat yogurt to 3.3% or more in full-fat yogurt. The majority of fat in yogurt is saturated (70%), but it also contains a fair amount of monounsaturated fat. There is also lactose free options which is to be considered when choosing your type as it can cause a lot of discomfort if you do suffer from this. Benefits are the bacteria it contains and it’s function as a probiotic. This can provide a variety of health benefits that go well beyond those of plain milk. Plain yogurt made from whole milk contains about 8.5 grams of protein in each cup and amount of fat in yogurt depends on the type of milk it is made from as it can be produced from all kinds of milk, whole milk, low-fat milk or fat-free milk which will be one of the main factors in choosing the healthiest option. At the end of the day look at the nutritional facts and opt for the most natural version, low sugar and low fat. Greek Yogurt is a good place to start.

7. Not a food but more important - Water

Saving the best for last with this one as it is more important and healthier than any other single thing you can digest. Probably the cheapest, easiest and by far the most unappreciated life source in the world. Fizzy drinks high and no sugar, coffee, energy drinks, alcohol, flavoured milks, Sports drinks and the list goes on. None of the above mentioned can replace nor anywhere near compare to the goodness and need of water. Drink more water. Aim for 3L a day dehydration leads to confusion for your body by telling you that you feel hungry when in fact you need water. There is 7 reasons out of hundreds of reasons to drink water and more of it!! DRINK MORE WATER! Enough said.

Follow my Instagram  page and stories @grantjroberts to watch me discuss many more weekly topics on health, fitness and lifestyle. Visit fnxion.com now for online coaching, customised workouts and meal plans.

[trendyelle]

What To Eat For Clear Skin& What Foods Will Wreak Havoc On Your Face

If youre anything like me, someone who is a mature adult treats their body like a trashcan, then you recognise the daily skirmish that is doing whatever the fuck off want while also wanting to have a great body and enormous surface. Lifes hard when you want to get fucked up at Heads Ball but likewise gaze 100 years old in your Instagram story. Not that I would know. I did not go to Gov Ball, though I did waste the weekend going through mimosas like water and chewing enough food to get me my own TLC reality show. That being said, I want to change. I want to be a new me. A better me. A me who sets actual vitamins and minerals into her system so her scalp doesnt resemble the entire slice of pizza she ingested last darknes. So heres a register of nutrients you should avoid like an ex-boyfriend slipping into your DMs and foods you should embrace because theyll define your fucking heads. Damn, Ive got bars. DONT: Feed Canned Food/ Meats Gross. As if. Like, who even devours canned meat anymore? Other than my ex from college who had this weird preoccupation with eating vienna sausages( which, in hindsight, should have been a ruby-red fucking pennant that this minor was a sociopath. That and his Belk credit card that he was always boasting about ). Canned and/ or highly processed foods have a shit ton of sodium in them and causes your person to hold on to water, which is why your look is always puffy or you have pocketed under your eyes that can be seen from seat, and your acne is at World War III proportions. DO: Eat Salmon Aside from giving you a reason to pretend to be a foodie and too be obnoxious on Instagram, eating salmon is a sure space to get better gazing skin. Salmon is rich with omega-3 fatty battery-acids and healthy paunches. These paunches strengthen cell layers and nourish the skin to deter you ogling fresh AF. DONT: Drink Green Juice Lol exactly because you often do shit like #FitLife and #CleanEating on your IG does not mean you know wtf is good for you, because SURPRISE all those juices youre boozing to cleanse your mas are actually certainly fucking bad for you. Juices are sugary as hell, specially the dark-green juices which can have up to 50 grams of sugar in them, which is actual sabotage when it comes to having clear scalp. ^ I envisage every fitstagrammer when the catch out they’ve been pumping liquid carbohydrate into their temples bodies DO: Suck A Protein Smoothie Aside from having something to talk about with the hot manager at your gym, protein smoothies can actually be beneficial for your surface. The more you know. Abide away from the juicer smoothies and opt for one with some protein in it. These types of smoothies are high in healthy paunches and wont leave your surface examining more ratchet than your Snap story last weekend. DONT: Eat Ice Cream Okay, this one I verified entering. Good-for-nothing that savor this good can be anything but destruction on your figure. And since Im not on my interval rn in control of my torso I guess Im open to suggestions here. Ice cream is chock-full of sugar who are capable of pattern this fun event called advanced glycation end products which fucks up the protein in your person. Why is that important you may ask? Because the proteins it fucks with “the worlds largest” are the ones that keep your skin plump and springy examining. So basically gobbling ice cream is aging you.* gradations into oncoming transaction* DO: Eat Dark Chocolate Dark chocolate aka the DUD of chocolates has a fuck ton of antioxidants in it, which is v good for your scalp. So although it is penchants healthy and the whole occasion youll be wishing you two are snacking real chocolate with real flavor at the least your scalp will examine good AF and be protected against wrinkles and other bad shit. DONT: Drink Coffee HA HA HA HA this has to be some sort of sick pun. You want me to give up my will to live caffeine? Do you too want me to commit homicide the next time person responds all to ministries and departments email chain? DO YOU? This one is tough for me to wrap my psyche around because coffee is literally one of the only intellects I get out of bed in the morning, and consequently, the same reasons you get to experience this sparkling temperament. That being said, coffee is a diuretic( phony news Im sure !) which causes your organization to lose ocean and your surface to get v dehydrated. Stay away from this shit if you require glowy AF skin. DO: Drink Hot Lemon Water This replacement sounds about as good as the Republicans plan for health care but thats neither here nor there. Even though the prospect of drinking hot lemon ocean know it sounds as enticing as sleeping with Jonathan The Tickle Monster, its actually super are you all right. Its hydrating, full of antioxidants, and throws some much needed support to your liver. Apparently, the liver is the main organ that detoxifies the body and if youre full of toxins boozing on dates that dissolve in Y, youre more likely to break out. Sighs. And this is why we cant have neat things. DONT: Eat Bagels Okay, Im starting to feel personally was well received by such lists. Like, is person looking at my bank announcement and be careful to ensure that I waste a large amount of my down time in coffee shops and/ or bagel stores? Because Im seeming genuinely assaulted rn. Apparently, bagels are the worst for your scalp and can lead to a cascade of hormones aka acne breakouts for periods.* prays this is imitation bulletin* DO: Eat Non-Processed Carbs or Oats Tbh Id rather deprived than eat something that resembles animal feed but I guess thats the toll we pay to look like the “after” girl in an acne commercial. Oats are the right kind of carbs probs because it ogles miserable to eat and too because its high in antioxidants which weve installed will not only give you clear/ glowy scalp but likewise engages against anti-aging. DONT: Drink Soda To absolutely no ones bombshell except my own because I refuse to read labels written by health professionals people who are out to destroy my prosperity, soda is poor for you. And just because you booze diet soda doesnt mean youre safe. Because diet soda especially disrupts the necessary and healthy bacteria found in your intestine. Also boozing any sort of soda are actually fuck with your surface. Like, make rosacea, eczema, and acne fuck with your scalp. K. Just fuck me up rn then. Also, wtf am I supposed to order at the bar to go along with my vodka then? I cant just suck vodka straight-shooting. I want to have clearer skin , not succumb. DO: Drink Kombucha Finally something that looks good on my Instagram story and isnt going to fuck up my skin. About damn era. Basically Kombucha is good for you because its fermented, and therefore full of probiotics, which will solve all their own lives problems. Im paraphrasing, but still. If you require clear scalp by the time this weekend’s brunch buns around then chug some of this and profes like its alcohol something you experience drinking. So, in conclusion, anything that brings you rejoice is perhaps fucking up your skin and you should cut it from your diet ASAP. I am feeling #blessed rn that alcohol did not stir the inventory, but thats predominantly because I refused to do any actual research that would prove otherwise. Who says you cant see your own destiny? Listen, if all else flunks and you have no self control dont want to relinquish your prosperity theres always Facetune. Read more: www.betches.com http://selfhelpantiagingtips.com/what-to-eat-for-clear-skin-what-foods-will-wreak-havoc-on-your-face-36/

[the-fit-and-healthy-mama]

🌴☀️👙 8 Weeks to Summer Boot Camp!! ⛱ . ➡️Enrolling now and I am super pumped about it!! This means that the warm weather will be here before we know it!! It is my absolute favorite time of year filled with long beach days, pool days and just so much fun!! How much sweeter would it be to feel awesome in your favorite bathing suit or outfit? To have tons of energy and just feel your best?? . ➡️The secret to success is not doing it alone. Joining in the boot camp group will give you all the tools you need to succeed!! Fitness, nutrition, support, motivation and accountability! . ☀️Choose home workouts through an online fitness library! . 🌴Eat real food that is family friendly and delicious! Meal plans and recipes provided so there is no guesswork. . 👙Sub one meal a day with a super convenient and yummy shake full of proteins, vitamins, minerals, superfoods and probiotics. Helps you to lose weight and curbs junk food cravings! . 🏖Participate in fun extra fitness challenges all posted online in our private group to target your abs, arms and a$$!! . 🏝Motivation and accountability from me as your one on one coach and also from our fit family in a super fun and super supportive group! . I have 8 open spots for NEW boot camp challengers!! Comment below "I'm in Karen" or message me today! - - - - - - - - #goldendoodlepuppy #njfoodie #nycfoodie #fitmom #bootcampworkout #goldendoodlemom #healthylifestyle #sweettooth #fitmomof2 #momof2 #cleaneating #fitover40 #coffeelover #selflove #momlife #snowyday #parenthood #beaches #palmtrees #foodnetwork #cantwaitforsummer #vacationmode #healthyfoodie #thesecret #weightlosssupport #csection #bodyafterbaby #minigoldendoodle #minigoldendoodlepuppy (at New Jersey)

[neurotickitchenista]

Hi Readers! Today I’m share a list I’ve compiled of my favorite products geared towards those who share my desire to give myself and my family the healthiest environment possible, from the foods we eat to the products we use in our home and, of course, on our bodies.

When it comes to storing, transporting and serving food to little ones, it’s surely a process of trial and error. We’re all looking to find products we trust that are also the most utilitarian  and earth-friendly, and it can cost a lot of money to find what works best for you. Of course, avoiding BPAs and phthalates in our plastics is a priority, but I am sure you will agree that identifying the products your kids can easily use and embrace is crucial as well.

With this in mind, I recommend all the below products (for toddlers, kids and adults) which are absolute mainstays in home.  I mention them so often to friends and family that I just had to compile them for you. Please note that I have absolutely no affiliation with any of the companies/brands represented below; I simply hope that some of these will make a difference in your lives as they have for us! Enjoy.

  A crave-worthy, chocolatey shelf-stable treat for the allergy set

A great high protein pick me up snack for mom and kids (not-nut free)

Our favorite organic whey protein

A nutritional supplement powder for kids (and adults) that’s a totally delicious and healthy treat

You won’t need corn flakes when you try this more virtuous version from One Degree

Amazingly healthy “cheerios”

Widely available, these O’s also stand in for cheerios in our house

Full fat grass fed yogurt

Artisana makes fabulous nut butters and coconut oils

Artisana nut butters are generally peanut free

Our favorite pistachios (Peanut Free)

Lunch Bots bentos – a must for your healthy and portable kids’ meals

Bentgo Kids – our favorite lunchbox

Thermos Sippy Cups – a toddler staple

Triple Paste – the diaper rash savior

Gentle and comparatively pure, Cerave Baby is a moisturizer we trust

Dr. Bronner’s Soap (Baby Mild)- use this for everything. It’s the only think I put on my kids

Sappo Hill Soaps are the purest out there. We love oatmeal, plain glycerine unscented and cucumber varieties.

Classic oatmeal soak for your little one’s sensitive skin

Gerber Graduates Cutlery

Reusable Baby Bjorn Bibs catch a mess and last for years

Keekaroo Peanut Changer – No more washing diaper pad covers. This cleans easily and is indestructable

Fisher Price Healthy Care Booster. The best portable booster seat at an awesome price point

Munchkin 360 – great for first time sippy cup users

Organic Kefir – kids love it and it’s so good for them because of its probiotic properties

Happy Bellies Baby Oatmeal, fortified with vitamins and Choline, it’s a great staple for the new eater

Hypoallergenic and pure, South of France pump and bar soaps are great for adults with allergies

Jason is the purest toothpaste around.

Hello is a great choice if you’re looking for a healthy kid’s tootpaste

Alba Botanica – my favorite daily facial moisturizer with SPF. Free of lots of the usual junk

Our favorite full body moisturizer without a lot of nasties

Badger Beauty Balms are super effective and pure. Add them to your beauty routine

Badger brand makes gentle but effective baby sunscreens at a fair price

My favorite adult sunscreen (also comes in great kids options or is gentle enough to use on kids)

Nut free and delicious, these organic fruit snacks make junk food a little healthier

Yum Earth Organic Lollies – a guilt free and nut free treat

Formaldehyde free polish in beautiful shades

Widely available in drug stores, the Shea Moisture hair and body line is sulfate, phthalate and paraben free.

Seventh Generation Free and Clear wipes worked best for us

We trust everything Eco-Me. They make fabulous household products for every room and use

Eco-Me products – the purest out there without allergy inducing preservatives found in so many other so called non toxic brands

Our favorite all purpose cleaner – all the scents are great or choose fragrance free

Qi’a Gluten Free Oatmeal – super satisfying with good for you ingredients

Healthy crackers for adults! GG Crispbreads are super high fiber and low carb. They are a must for healthy snacks and are so versatile.

Nordic Naturals makes a great line of high quality children’s supplements

I swear by FloraTummys baby and kids’ probiotic sprinkles. They are fully allergy free, tasteless and undetectable. Sprinkle them into milk, yogurt or applesauce daily for an immunity and digestion boost for your little one. We never miss a day

We wouldn’t survive without Made Good fabulous tasting, healthy and allergy free granola bars – we buy them in bulk and chocolate chip is our favorite

The List! Neurotic-Mom’s Must Haves Hi Readers! Today I'm share a list I've compiled of my favorite products geared towards those who share my desire to give myself and my family the healthiest environment possible, from the foods we eat to the products we use in our home and, of course, on our bodies.

[lenaglittleus]

How All the Beachbody Products Work Together

You may think you know what Beachbody is all about — “It’s that company that sells exercise programs and supplements, like P90X and 21 Day Fix, and Shakeology, right?”

Technically, yes — but there’s so much more to it.

Beachbody is home to exercise plans and supplements, the Portion Fix eating plan, Shakeology, Shakeology Boosts, Beachbody Performance supplements, Daily Sunshine, Team Beachbody Coaches, the Beachbody Community, and so much more.

What Is Beachbody?

First, a brief history lesson: Co-founders Carl Daikeler and Jon Congdon started Beachbody in 1998 with big dreams and one mission: To help people achieve their goals and enjoy healthy, fulfilling lives.

With a comprehensive approach that combines fitness, nutrition, and support, they created a complete solution for people who want to transform their lives, physically and mentally.

Whether you want to lose weight, build muscle, or just learn more about nutrition and exercise, Beachbody has programs, products, and content to help you accomplish those goals.

How do all the proven fitness and weight-loss solutions in the Beachbody world work together? Let’s take a closer look and break it all down.

Pro tip: If you’re familiar with Beachbody, then click directly to the sections you want to know more about!

Beachbody On Demand Programs | Shakeology | Shakeology Boosts | Daily Sunshine | Beachbody Performance Supplements | Beachbody Resources | How to Get Started

The Beachbody Ecosystem

It’s important to remember that everything in the Beachbody ecosystem works together in a strategic, cohesive way.

It’s not just a random assortment of programs and products. Each piece has a place in your fitness and health journey, no matter where you’re at, with Beachbody On Demand as the foundation:

Beachbody On Demand (BOD) is Beachbody’s streaming platform that’s home to 700+ workouts, with programs like CORE DE FORCE, Clean Week, SHIFT SHOP, PiYo, and Autumn Calabrese’s 80 Day Obsession.

Most programs include an easy-to-follow nutrition guide. You can find free recipes and program- and calorie-level specific meal preps, and more on the Beachbody Blog.

Several of the guides are based on the Portion Fix Container system and incorporate Shakeology, Shakeology Boosts and Beachbody Performance supplements to help you get the best results.

The Ultimate Beachbody On Demand Guide is the hub page for all things BOD. This in-depth, comprehensive guide will help you understand how our system works.

Team Beachbody Coaches are available for guidance and one-on-one support and the Beachbody Community is a place where you can ask, answer, share, and connect with like-minded people.

The Beachbody Expert Advice section of the Community gives you access to registered dietitians, certified trainers, and other experts who help create our products. If you have a question about any of the fitness or nutrition products on BOD, you’ll find answers there.

Beachbody On Demand Programs

Once you join BOD, you can pick a program by fitness level or type of exercise, then stream it right on your desktop, TV, tablet, or mobile device.

You also get access to exclusive content like Fixate, a cooking show featuring 21 Day Fix creator Autumn Calabrese and her brother, Bobby — Autumn and her chef brother show you how to make healthy Portion Fix-approved meals.

All you need is an Internet connection and you can take all this great content wherever you go.

Here’s a sample of the variety of programs available:

Beginner Beachbody Programs

Double Time: Tony Horton’s low-impact, family-friendly program features simple, fun moves that you can do with your kids, partner, or a friend. It also comes with an eBook of healthy recipes that everyone in your family will love.

Clean Week: This one-week program with Super Trainer Megan Davies introduces you to the basics of nutrition and fitness to help you kick-start new healthy habits for life.

YOUv2: Get your groove on with professional dancer/Super Trainer Leandro Carvahlo with easy-to-follow dance routines featuring your favorite hits from the ’80s and ’90s.

Intermediate-Beginner/Intermediate Beachbody Programs

SHIFT SHOP: This unique three-week program from Super Trainer Chris Downing ramps up the intensity each week.

The workouts emphasize drills that build agility, strength, and endurance, while the nutrition plan refines your diet to maximize muscle growth and fat burning.

PiYO: This is a low-impact workout, but don’t be deceived: Chalene Johnson puts you to work with a combination of a yoga and Pilates, with extra cardio and strengthening exercises thrown into the mix.

FOCUS T25: Shaun T gets your heart pumping with intense 25-minute workouts that will get you serious results.

This cardio-heavy program demands a decent amount of jumping, but as with all Beachbody programs, you can follow the modifier moves.

Intermediate-Advanced Beachbody Programs

Body Beast: This weightlifting program focuses on building and defining your muscles, and shedding fat.

It includes two 90-day workout schedules — one that focuses on gaining muscle mass, and the other that focuses on getting lean and ripped.

CORE DE FORCE: This mixed martial arts-inspired program works your entire body without using any equipment.

Super Trainers Joel Freeman and Jericho McMatthews break down all the moves to demonstrate proper form.

Advanced Beachbody Programs

The Master’s Hammer and Chisel: This resistance-training program is led by 21 Day Fix creator Autumn Calabrese and Body Beast creator Sagi Kalev.

Six days a week for eight weeks, you alternate between muscle-building workouts and sculpting, cardio-based workouts.

P90X3: In this program from the P90X series, Tony Horton takes you through variety of workouts inspired by mixed-martial arts and Pilates, as well as upper- and lower-body strength training, so you’ll never be bored.

You’ll work out six days a week, with an optional active recovery workout on the seventh day.

Shakeology: Your Daily Dose of Dense Nutrition

You’d have to eat a whole lot of different foods to get the phytonutrients, antioxidants, enzymes, pre- and probiotics, fiber, adaptogens, vitamins, and minerals in a single glass of Shakeology.

Shakeology works to benefit your overall health, helping to support healthy energy and support digestive health.*

This powerful superfood protein shake can also help start to clean up your diet by curbing junk food cravings and satisfying hunger.*

On its own, Shakeology does not replace a meal, but it can be a part of a balanced meal when combined with other healthy foods like fruits, nuts, seeds, nut butters, avocados, or various milks.

Drink a morning shake with a healthy breakfast that has a mix of carbs, protein, and fat and you’ll be setting yourself up for success for the rest of the day.

(Note: We don’t recommend Shakeology for kids. But we got your back, parents: Check out the Daily Sunshine section below…)

Shakeology Boosts

Beachbody has easy and effective ways to customize your shake to your specific health and lifestyle needs: Shakeology Boosts. There are three boosts to choose from and they each do something a little different for your body:

Focused Energy is an effective pick-me-up that contains ginseng and natural caffeine from guarana and green tea to support mental clarity, alertness, and focus.*

Power Greens contains veggies like cucumber, kale, and spinach to deliver a full serving of vegetables in each scoop.

Digestive Health is a powerful boost that helps support regularity with a unique blend of soluble and insoluble fiber.*

Daily Sunshine

While Shakeology was created for adults, we’ve got your kids covered, too: Daily Sunshine is a healthy (and tasty!) shake formulated for kids and their unique dietary needs.

It can be a struggle to get kids to eat right, so our goal was to create a healthy and easy snack that you feel good about giving them. (Add water + shake it up = done.)

It comes in two kid-approved flavors — Chocolate and Strawberry Banana — and provides the building blocks of nutrition that kids need every day: an organic fruit and veggie blend, protein, and healthy fats.

Daily Sunshine is soy-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and non-GMO, and it contains NO artificial flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives.

Beachbody Performance Supplements

To help you make the most of your workouts, there’s the Beachbody Performance (BBP) supplement line.

Whether you want to lose weight or build serious muscle, these five products can help you hit your goals.

Energize gives you energy so that you can work out harder — and if you work out harder, you can burn more calories.*

Hydrate When you sweat, you lose more than just water, you also lose minerals called electrolytes. Hydrate replenishes your body by providing an ideal balance of electrolytes and sugars.*

Recover has phytonutrients shown to reduce inflammation caused by exercise. That means less soreness and faster muscle recovery so you can get back to working out again as soon as possible.*

Recharge targets muscle repair post-exercise — even while you’re sleeping.*

Creatine helps delay fatigue, boost muscle growth, and accelerate recovery, both between sets and workouts.*

Beachbody Resources

If at any point in your journey you need support, information, or motivation, there are plenty of resources available to you:

The Beachbody Blog

Here, you’ll find Shakeology recipes, Portion-Fix approved meals, meal plans, nutrition and fitness content, inspiring Before and After stories, and much more.

Here’s just a taste of what’s available on the blog:

7 Clean Eating Meal Prep Tips

Where Does Fat Go When You Lose Weight?

10 of the Best Lower Back Exercises

35 Vanilla Shakeology Recipes

21 Day Fix Results: She Lost 109 Pounds — and Kept It Off!

The Beachbody On Demand Community

Having an accountability partner or group can give you that extra kick in the rear when you’re dragging, and support when you’re not sure if you’re doing things right.

That’s where the BOD Community and Team Beachbody Coaches come in:

In the BOD Community, you can get advice from Official Beachbody Experts, share recipes, post your success story, ask for tips, or start your own conversation.

You can also stay up to date on all things Beachbody by following us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Your free Team Beachbody Coach can help you stay on track with one-on-one support and Challenge Groups: A group made up of people who are all committed to getting healthy and fit.

How to Get Started

Step 1: Sign up with Beachbody On Demand. You can choose one of two plans:

* 12 Month All-Access With Shakeology Challenge Pack: This includes access to all our programs and future releases, exclusive trainer workouts, a 30-Day supply of Shakeology, a set of Portion Fix containers, and a free personal coach.

* 12 Month All-Access Plan: This plan includes access to 700+ workouts, new program releases, and exclusive trainer workouts.

Step 2: Find a program that works for you. You can take an interactive quiz to find the program that fits your goals.

Step 3: Each program comes with its own nutrition plan that includes food lists, recipes, and easy-to-follow guidelines. Most plans are based on the Portion Fix Container System and incorporate Shakeology and Beachbody Performance supplements to help you get the best results. Talk to your Coach to make sure you have everything you need.

Step 4: Get going!

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

from News About Health https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/blog/what-is-beachbody

[pounceys4plexus-blog]

People think, "Plexus will make me skinny!" Here's the truth: Plexus products are about making your body more balanced and helping things to work the way they should. Often, as a result of that balance, people that need to lose weight usually do...but that's not the focus. It's about overall health. We don't have an energy drink; we have a drink that helps you find your #natural #energy by balancing out your blood #sugars without pumping you full of stimulants. We have #health supplements like a #multivitamin with the most bioavailable forms of #vitamins and minerals so your body absorbs them. We have a #probiotic that targets fungus in the gut that causes so many health issues. We also have one that has specific amounts of strains that have been clinical shown to help #anxiety, #mood, and #stress. We have a completely plant based #omega supplement with more than just omega 3 and 6, and a magnesium #supplement with vitamin C that becomes one of the post absorbable forms. It's about so much more than #weight loss. For Plexus, it's about health + happiness. ❤️

[northshorehealthandfitness]

healing timeline + tips for recovery (breast explant, lift, and abdominoplasty surgery)

[Warning: the reals + wrinkly stomach pics ahead. Proceed with caution] 

Hi friends! Thank you again for all of your kind wishes and comments on the post about my surgery. I was overwhelmed with all of your support and genuinely appreciate those who took time to leave a comment here, on Instagram, and Facebook. It can always been a little daunting to put yourself out there on social media, especially when you feel vulnerable, and you always wrap me up in kindness and love. Thank you for being so wonderful.

You can read more about why I got my breast implants removed and diastasis recti repaired here. (<— classified as a full abdominoplasty because my ab separation was all the way up, and I had loose skin above and below my belly button.)

While I was recovering, I chipped away at this post with some things that came to mind. There are some tips mixed in with my personal experience, and as always, please remember that only we can make the best decisions for ourselves and our health, with our doctor’s guidance. 

Day 1 (Day of surgery): I’m shaking as my alarm goes off. Quickly, I shower, get dressed (in a plaid shirt and comfy shorts I’ll end up wearing for 2 days), and head with Tom to the surgery center. The Dr marks me up with Sharpie, we take pictures, and before I know it, I’m on the operating table, getting my happy juice before I doze off to Dreamland. My body tends to want to fight off anesthesia, so the second they start “lightening” the amount, I WAKE UP. On the OR table. Every around me assures me that it’s over, but I’m still trying to talk (I have no voice from the tube that was down my throat) and also trying to Hulk myself off the table. (My wrists are strapped down.) I’m pretty sure people wake up in recovery? I was wide awake as they lifted me onto the other roll table thing -I did watch Grey’s Anatomy but my brain isn’t helping me remember what it’s called- and wheeled into the recovery room. Tom comes in to keep me company, and my entire body is shaking from the anesthesia. I tell the nurse that I’m in a lot of pain, and she gives me Demerol. It relaxes me a little TOO much, my blood pressure starts to plummet, and they have to quickly give me fluids. In a few minutes, I’m feeling ok again, and talking to the Dr.

Good thing Tom is there because I can’t remember a single thing we discussed. I just remember my blood pressure crashing, getting the fluids, the shaking/doom feeling going away, and drinking ginger ale. I hadn’t had ginger ale in SO LONG and it’s pretty much the best post-surgery drink ever. So bubbly, sweet, and refreshing.  

We head back to the hotel where a wheelchair is waiting, and straight into bed for a long nap. When I wake up, I’m actually feeling pretty great. I eat some nice and salty gluten-free crackers, drink more ginger ale, and we order room service and watch movies.

My recovery timeline:

Day 2-4: The very hardest days. In the middle of the night after my first day post-op, I wake up in SEARING pain. I’d stayed on top of all of my pain pills and muscle relaxers, and wake up having to count down until my next dose. It was pretty terrible. These couple of days are a blur of naps, reading a bit, and watching movies, in addition to getting up every hour or so (hunched over) to walk around the room for 5 minutes so I can move my legs. (<— Doc suggested this to prevent blood clots, and Tom also has to give me daily Lovenox injections to prevent clots for 7 days.) We order a lot of room service and Postmates, since I don’t end up leaving the hotel room the entire time we’re there.

(I’ve never watched so much TV in my entire life)

We have my post-op appointment on day three, and drive home. We stop every hour and walk around -it’s quite a sight hunched over with my compression socks on- and make it home to madre and the girls. The girls know I have an owie and can’t pick them up yet, and they’re super gentle and sweet. I’m SO thankful my mom can stay with us for two weeks. She and Tom end up doing everything around the house and for Liv and P, while also taking care of me. Every time I think about everything they’re doing, it makes me start to tear up because I feel so overwhelmed with gratitude and how fortunate I am to have them in my life. There’s literally no way I can do anything functional at this point; I need help getting out of bed and shuffle around, either to the kitchen, the bathroom, or back to bed.

Day 5-10: Each day, I start to feel a little bit more *normal* and can stand a little more straight. I spend a lot of time on the couch (the girls can snuggle with me and I’ll read them books or watch movies with them), or in bed taking naps. By this point, I’m starting to get bored, and also missing be able to spend all day going on adventures and playing with the girls. I take a break from my binder and super tight sports bra each night to let everything air out, and massage my belly with arnica gel and coconut oil. We watch a lot of movies, and I sleep a lot. 

Tom also takes the drains out from my breasts, which is intense. It’s almost like minor surgery haha. The doctor showed him how to do it since he wanted to spare us another drive to Atlanta and back, and as soon as the drains are gone, I feel RELIEF. It makes it much easier to move around and take a shower. I still have my belly drain, but 1 drain compared to 3 is pure bliss. 

Day 10, I make the switch to Tylenol because I only have 2 pain pills left -I feel like I need to save them in case the pain gets worse- and it’s kind of a rough day. I’m extra sore and tired. I spend a little more time lying on the couch, snoozing, and taking breaks to walk around and shake my legs out. I’m glad I switch to Tylenol because the pain meds were seriously messing up my stomach. (I won’t go into details but I took probiotics twice a day, Colace 3x a day, ate prunes and drank Smooth Move tea.. and things were still not ok.)

By Day 13: I feel SO much better. I feel more mobile, I’m able to contribute more to our family (I can make quick snacks and meals for the girls.. and for myself) and we took my belly drain out, so I’m drain-free! Taking a shower minus the drains is AMAZING. We head to my post-op appointment and get so much good news. Everything is healing as it should be, and I can start to transition carefully towards move normal activities. I can also ditch the binder and wear Spanx instead (I order a couple of these from Amazon), drink alcohol (YEAH), start to add in gentle walking around the block, and massage everything with Vitamin E. This appointment makes me feel so relieved that everything is doing what it should be.

Week 3: I continue to feel better, but feel tired and swollen by the end of the day. I’m wearing these Spanx during the day, and my binder during the night. I’m surprised by how awesome it feels to have my abs back together. Everything feels like it’s back in place. Before it felt like my stomach was always pushing out. I thought I’d be sad that I can’t work out by this point, but I can’t even imagine going to the gym. (Not that I would go early, but I thought I’d feel good enough that I’d be sad I’d have to wait. Nope. Not even close to feeling ready.) 

Week 4: I’m back into my daily activity levels, and it feels awesome. I’m still walking pretty slowly, and tend to do almost everything in slow motion, but I can take Liv to school and pick her up, make all of the girls’ meals, fold and put away laundry, and get some computer work done without feeling like I need a nap halfway through. I’m still wearing my Spanx (starting to transition to that at night instead of the binder), and my sports bra, and using arnica and coconut oil on my torso. I’m waiting for my surgical glue to come off until I start using the Vitamin E on my incisions.

I take a walk around the block.. in slow motion… and am super tired afterwards.

Week 5: I’m cleared to lift P again, and life changes. I feel like I can do everything I need to do -it was SO HARD to have to bring P to the couch every time she wanted me to pick her up and hold her. She’d have to crawl onto my lap instead- and while I’m still being careful, I’m pumped about it. I start to walk around the block more often, because I’ll be cleared to exercise the next week, and will need to start teaching again the week after that. I feel like I can definitely teach at this point, and will just need to spend way more time coaching than doing the actual exercises.

Week 6: I’m cleared to work out again! The doc said to take it easy to start, and avoid super heavy weight lifting, dedicated core work and insane things for another 6 weeks. For now, I’m just excited to do some jogging and barre. He also says I can stop wearing Spanx 24/7 and just wear it during workouts and if I feel more swollen/puffy that day. This is my first week teaching, and while I only do maybe 10% of the class, it’s really hard. I’ve lost a lot of my strength and flexibility. 

Week 7-8: Since we evacuate to Atlanta to escape Hurricane Irma, I book an appointment just to get everything checked out and have a couple of questions answered. There is a small part on the center of my scar he might revise next year -apparently revision is no big deal and done with local anesthesia and very little downtime, but I’m REALLY hoping it flattens out on its own- as well as two small dog ears. These are hard to avoid, and it’s like a puffy/fatty area at the ends of the incision. I’d prefer to stay far away from a scalpel from now on, so I’m crossing my fingers that I heal well and all of the residual scar puffiness goes the heck away.

The good news is that I’m cleared to lift weights again (wahoo!) and everything is healing as it should be. He gives me some silicone strips to try out for scar healing, so we’ll see how they go. 

From now on, I just hope everything continues to heal well and that I continue to feel better and more normal. <3 

Let’s talk about a few things:

-Pain pills. Whenever I have a medical procedure, I take the pain pills for a couple of days and then wean onto Tylenol instead. I have a pretty high pain tolerance. I ended up needing almost every single pain pill they gave me. I took them for 9 days, and took all of my muscle relaxers, and can’t imagine taking anything less. This recovery stuff is not for the birds.

-Recovery smoothie. I didn’t have much of an appetite for the first few days, but even after I was eating like normal-ish again, I continued to have this smoothie almost every day:

-1 1/2 cups almond milk

-1 scoop vanilla protein 

-1 scoop collagen

-spinach

-1-2 tablespoons almond butter (or 1 tablespoon almond butter + 1 tablespoon MCT oil)

-1/2 cup frozen cauliflower

-lots of cinnamon

-ice

It was so refreshing and was an easy way to pack in a lot of nutrients at once. 

-Drains. I’m in a couple of Facebook groups so I can lurk/learn about these procedures, and so many people would complain about their drains. The first day, I was like, “Why are they complaining? The drains are kind of annoying but not so bad.” By like Day 2, I got it. They were terrible. They ached at night and it was so hard to get comfortable. The sites where the drains came out ached whenever they were bumped or moved, and draining them was just nasty. Thankfully Tom did it for me for at least the first 5 days since he’s not grossed out by that stuff. Something that helped me shower was to get a lanyard, clip the drains to it, and they would just hang around my neck. Showering is terrible for the first couple of weeks. Since I couldn’t lift my arms -I got a lift with my explant- my mom and Tom had to help with washing my hair or scrubbing myself. The things we do.

-Must-haves. Extra sports bra (I had to keep them compressed for 2 weeks after my explant and lift), an extra belly binder to wear while you’re washing the other one, and soft camisoles. The binders are SO itchy, and you can wear a camisole underneath. I also rubbed arnica gel on my stomach (not by the wounds) and top of my chest to help with swelling. I also highly recommend Arnica gel for bruising and swelling. Pineapple contains bromelain, which is also supposed to help with swelling. I didn’t take the bromelain supplements, but made an effort to drink pineapple juice and eat fresh pineapple in the first few days.

I also had this wedge pillow for sleeping in bed and it was clutch. (For tummy tucks, they generally recommend sleeping in a recliner or reclined chair position with knees bent and head/shoulders elevated. We don’t have a recliner, but the wedge pillow was perfect. I just used that with a regular pillow on top, and two pillows under my knees.)

All of my must-haves for each type of recovery are listed at the bottom of this post. 

-Recovery and time sleeping/resting. This is so crucial, and as mamas, it can be SO hard to do. This is why it’s important to enlist help during this time. You don’t want to try to be a hero, do too much, and set yourself up for complications (like fluid build-up or tearing muscle repairs). It’s boring and hard to sit still. Also, I found that even though I was sitting and resting a lot, I didn’t have a ton of mojo to get work done or write. It’s different to be resting when you need to rest compared to resting because it feels good to just chill.

I had a lot of help with the girls since I couldn’t lift P for 5 weeks. Madre was here for the first 2, then we had a babysitter while Tom was at work. The good news is that our babysitters are amazing, so it never felt awkward with them here while I was here. When P was napping and Liv was at school, we’d chat and watch Netflix together. It was SO HARD to not pick up my babies, and childcare backup was expensive, but worth it to avoid complications. The good news is that even though I couldn’t lift the girls, we could still snuggle together. We spent a lot of time on the couch, curled up in a blanket, or I’d sit on the floor and read books or play dolls with them. 

-The roller coaster of emotions. My doctor told me that my muscle repair would hurt so much that I wouldn’t even notice my breast pain, and he was exactly right. My breasts felt awesome immediately after getting the implants out. I knew I made the right decision, despite the large scars and the drains. They had ached and burned for so long that the pain from surgery was nothing compared to how I felt before! It was sweet, sweet relief. I felt light, pain-free, and SO happy.

With my abdominal repair, I doubted myself around day three. I still couldn’t easily get out of bed by myself, could hardly walk, had sneezed (THE WORST), had an enormous scar, and was wondering if I’d made the right choice. It got into my head a little -I just wanted to feel good and be able to take care of the girls- but within a few days, as the scar began to heal and I realized how awesome my abs feel together again, I knew it was worth it. The smooth skin is a welcomed improvement, and I’m glad I decided to go for it. 

Before and After pics

I wasn’t originally planning on posting before/after pics, but in my last post, I received quite a few requests to share them. While I was researching these procedures, it helped me tremendously to see pictures of the healing process, so I’m going to share them for those who have asked. It was also helpful for me to see pics of people who had this procedure who had loose skin from childbirth, and ab bulging from the DR. When I saw these types of pictures, and read their stories about how great they felt afterwards, it was reassuring to me. 

Please keep in mind that I’m a human, with real feelings. While dissenting opinions and thoughtful conversation is always encouraged on the blog, comments that are posted for the sake of personal attack (against myself or others who weigh in) will be removed. 

My stomach before (facing forward):

Close up… I like to think it looked like the bottom of a burrito (which really is the best part of a burrito)

Side view:

Relaxed side view at the end of the day (the pressure on the connective tissue all day made me super bloated):

After:

5 weeks post op (belly button is still healing/swollen):

Side view, relaxed: (5 weeks post up):

[Sorry for the bad lighting in these pics, but I didn’t want to edit any of them. Sorry, no boob pics. lol.]

So there ya go!

Thank you so much for reading. Cheers to everyone working on a happier and healthier version of themselves; whatever that looks like for each of us.

xoxo

Gina

My must-haves:

Breast explant and lift:

–Zipper sports bra

–Arnica

-Coconut oil (I get mine from Thrive Market)

–Pure Vitamin E

-Button-up shirts. I especially loved these button up pajamas.

–Wedge pillow (while drains are still in, or until Dr says you can lie flat)

–Soft camisole to wear under the compression bra

–Bralettes and wireless bras (after healing and Dr gave the ok to ditch the sports bra. This is my very fave.)

Abdominoplasty:

–Wedge pillow

–Spanx camisole

–Spanx leotard (I got two of these and LOVE them)

-Faja (this one can be strapless which is nice if you want to wear an off-shoulder top or dress. It’s also very tight and supportive. Not as soft and comfy as the Spanx but does the trick.)

–Vitamin E

-Coconut oil

-Foods on hand that don’t need to be prepared (or were prepped in advance and frozen!), and snacks, like dried fruit, ginger ale, coconut water, and bars

–Arnica

-Soft leggings and comfy pajamas

The post healing timeline + tips for recovery (breast explant, lift, and abdominoplasty surgery) appeared first on The Fitnessista.

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[watsonrodriquezie]

Hair Loss: Looking beyond Genetics

Conventional wisdom teaches us to accept our fate when it comes to hair loss. “Runs in the family,” we’re often told—and sometimes it does (but that’s usually not the full story). “It’s just part of getting older,” people say, too—and there we again find only partial truth at best.

But the Primal path is one of thoughtful scrutiny, not blind acceptance. While most people would file hair loss under aesthetic concerns (ranging from neutral to negative depending on social norms and personal views), it’s not always that innocuous. Let’s look today the bigger picture behind hair loss and the situations in which it signifies a genuine health concern.

Hair Loss: Genetic Destiny?

To those in the know, androgenetic alopecia (AA) is the number one form of progressive hair loss. The term can be a little misleading: while it translates to male-pattern baldness, it also encompasses a condition called female pattern baldness. The “andro” derives from dihydrotestosterone, the so-called male hormone that specialists believe to be the primary cause of AA. It’s estimated that half of men over the age of 50 and half of women over the age of 65 have this form of hair loss, and the young people can be affected as well.

The theory goes that every hair follicle on your scalp is genetically predisposed to either be susceptible or resistant to increasing levels of dihydrotestosterone as you age. Those whose hair follicles are sensitive to this hormone will see a steady decline in hair as they age, while those who dodged the genetic bullet can retain their hair into their later decades…provided they don’t succumb to any number of other hair loss factors.

The theory implicating testosterone developed back in the 1940s, when James B. Hamilton reported the notable lack of hair loss in “old eunuchs who were castrated prior to sexual maturation.” It stood to reason that testosterone, which Hamilton assumed wasn’t being produced in any significant quantities post-snip, was the cause of hair loss in “intact” men. In 1980, a team of scientists refined this theory when they discovered a group of pseudohermaphrodites living in the Dominican Republic who had normal testosterone concentrations but lacked an enzyme that converted testosterone into the “hair follicle damaging” dihydrotestosterone.

The rest was history. Pharmaceutical opportunists caught onto the findings, and began pumping out early equivalents of today’s Rogaine and Propecia. Research-wise, not a lot of progress has been made since.

The Problem with a Fatalist View on Genetics

An study published last year in the International Journal of Trichology got me thinking. Researchers examined the medical and family history of 210 patients with female pattern hair loss, finding that close to 85% of the patients had a history of AA. Nothing new there.

But there was more at play: the study also found that the hair loss patients also had a high incidence of hypothyroidism and hypertension, and most were deficient in vitamin D. Clearly, all of these factors are influenced primarily by diet, stress, and other easily-altered variables.

This presents a problem for the fatalist alopecia soothsayers and drug companies alike. The issue with flat-out blaming genetics for something like hair loss is that there’s always confounding factors. For example, if someone has a family history of hair loss, does that family also have a gluten/dairy/egg/nut sensitivity that they don’t know about? Does that family have a ravenous sweet tooth, and therefore consume vast quantities of delicious but inflammatory sweeties? It’s easy to blame genetics for all of life’s maladies, but the waters muddy a little when a “predisposition” is intertwined with unhealthy habits, diet, or food allergies.

An alternative hair solutions blogger Danny Roddy agrees. Drawing on extensive research from Dr. Ray Peat, Roddy firmly dismisses the “genetic determinism” mindset and argues that the decades-old research upon which our current hair loss notions are based is inherently flawed. Roddy suggests that baldness and most genetic-derived hair loss conditions are due to environmental factors.

Crucially, Roddy also points out that those with androgenic alopecia don’t actually exhibit higher than normal levels of testosterone, implying that there are other elements at play here. Many recent findings also suggest that the so-called “sensitivity” of androgen receptors in the scalp doesn’t vary between balding and non-balding people.

The point here is that mainstream perceptions of common hair disorders may be a little off the mark. The other thing to remember is that “risk” doesn’t equate to “inevitable.” Just because your DNA puts you at a greater risk of losing your hair, that doesn’t seal the deal. Let’s examine a few other salient factors.

Hair Loss and Stress

Stress is bad news for your health. And your hair is no exception. Acute, extreme stress provides the primary mechanism by which your hair can start falling out, a condition known as telogen effluvium. This type of stress could come in any form—emotional trauma, physical pain or injury, that kind of thing. Cutting off blood flow and nutrient cycling to your hair follicles is the body’s way of focusing on the vital areas that are critical for survival during what it perceives to be a time of extreme hardship.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Pathology was one of the first lab tests to actually illustrate the short term effects that telogen effluvium can have on mammals. Using substance P as an acute stressor on mice, researchers were able to demonstrate that psycho-emotional stress altered hair follicle cycling, reduced the duration of hair growth, and exposed hair follicles to inflammation.

The second hair-fall mechanism is chronic stress. Low-level but continuous stress, perhaps in the form of incessant background noise, poor diet, or drawn out work troubles, has been shown to contribute to hair loss. Chronic stress can also occur as a negative feedback loop, whereby the stress of worrying about your hair falling out actually contributes to it’s continuing demise—the self-fulfilling prophecy.

The solution is obvious but not always easy: identify the stress and minimize it. The building blocks of stress management are always going to include diet: eat nutrient dense foods like organ meats, a wide range of vegetables, grass-fed dairy and pastured eggs. In addition to providing a wide range of other vital nutrients, these foods are also rich in biotin, which has been shown to be an effective treatment for certain forms of hair loss. Otherwise, you know the drill: scale back on the stress-inducing lifestyle factors, take more time for yourself, ensure regular nature immersions, and consider beginning a meditation or other relaxation-focused practice.

Hair Loss and Hormones

Despite the doubt surrounding genetic precursors to hair loss, there’s no question that hormonal imbalances play a key role in the state of your hair. Long-accepted hormonal contributors to hair loss include:

low ratio of estrogen to testosterone in women, which often occurs during and after menopause

underactive thyroid hormone in both men and women

excess testosterone in both men and women

insulin resistance in both men and women

While prescribing hormone-specific solutions for your hair is a whole article in itself, the key here is to focus on but one word: balance. As cliched as it sounds, true health is achieved by balancing all the systems, processes, inputs and outputs in your body…and the same is true for hair loss. Your first step might be to do a hormone test, or it might be to get back to basics with diet and lifestyle.

Luckily, a Primal way of life is a great way to start balancing out your hormones. Encouraging a shift away from excess carb consumption should go a long way towards improving insulin sensitivity, while steering clear of gluten and other potential food allergens (and making sure you’re getting ample selenium) can allow your thyroid to regain some semblance of normalcy. Excess testosterone typically isn’t an issue for folks like us, as a diet rich in whole foods helps to regulate its production and restore ratios between estrogen and testosterone.

Beyond CW, there’s a potential gollum lurking in the shadows: prolactin. Prolactin is secreted by the pituitary gland during pregnancy, and during times of stress. Prolactin is the mortal enemy of progesterone, one of the “female” hormones that also plays an important role in men.  Progesterone blocks the effects of testosterone, leading some to believe that reducing the levels of prolactin in the body and thereby promoting progesterone secretion is a key element of supporting healthy hair growth. Because there’s very little research to back up these claims, aside from the musings of Dr. Ray Peat, this is a difficult one to explore further.

Nonetheless, reducing prolactin activity in your body certainly can’t hurt. Getting plenty of zinc, along with calcium and its cofactors should help to keep prolactin in check. Reducing alcohol intake and cutting out sugar can also encourage estrogen regulation, which plays a role in prolactin secretion. Experiment with foods and ratios, and see what works for you.

Hair Loss and Disease

I could ruminate all day on the various health conditions that lead to hair loss. Cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, hypothyroidism. The list goes on.

To me, the one which slips under the radar time and again is autoimmunity—particularly in the case of alopecia areata. If your hair loss is patchy rather than general thinning or receding, look to common autoimmune triggers for the answer. Healing your gut should be the first line of defense, which may be as simple as cutting out grains and upping the probiotics. It could also require more focused action, with something more along the lines of an autoimmune protocol.

Hair Loss and Nutrients

I’ve already touched upon dietary changes that can be promoted to treat certain hair loss causes. Still, suffice to say that if you’re following a relatively Primal-friendly eating plan, but still lacking in certain nutrients, you may need to explore efforts more close in. Women should keep a close eye on ferritin levels, as iron deficiency has been associated with up to 90% of hair loss cases. Many women with thinning hair also respond well to lysine supplementation.

For men, zinc and copper deficiencies may play a role in hair loss—particularly in the case of androgenetic alopecia. Because zinc is often lacking in many a person’s diet, it’s worthwhile upping your zinc intake primarily from food sources like grass-fed dairy, red meat, and nuts.

At the other end of the spectrum, overdosing on vitamin A is also thought to contribute to hair loss. Vegetables like sweet potato, carrots, and dark leafy greens should be providing more than enough vitamin A to meet your daily quota, so cut back or cut out vitamin A supplementation if hair loss is an issue.

Thanks for stopping by, folks. What’s your experience been with hair health? Have any of you achieved hair loss reversal with certain key changes to your diet, lifestyle, supplementation or other means? To all celebrating today, Happy 4th!

[fishermariawo]

Hair Loss: Looking beyond Genetics

Conventional wisdom teaches us to accept our fate when it comes to hair loss. “Runs in the family,” we’re often told—and sometimes it does (but that’s usually not the full story). “It’s just part of getting older,” people say, too—and there we again find only partial truth at best.

But the Primal path is one of thoughtful scrutiny, not blind acceptance. While most people would file hair loss under aesthetic concerns (ranging from neutral to negative depending on social norms and personal views), it’s not always that innocuous. Let’s look today the bigger picture behind hair loss and the situations in which it signifies a genuine health concern.

Hair Loss: Genetic Destiny?

To those in the know, androgenetic alopecia (AA) is the number one form of progressive hair loss. The term can be a little misleading: while it translates to male-pattern baldness, it also encompasses a condition called female pattern baldness. The “andro” derives from dihydrotestosterone, the so-called male hormone that specialists believe to be the primary cause of AA. It’s estimated that half of men over the age of 50 and half of women over the age of 65 have this form of hair loss, and the young people can be affected as well.

The theory goes that every hair follicle on your scalp is genetically predisposed to either be susceptible or resistant to increasing levels of dihydrotestosterone as you age. Those whose hair follicles are sensitive to this hormone will see a steady decline in hair as they age, while those who dodged the genetic bullet can retain their hair into their later decades…provided they don’t succumb to any number of other hair loss factors.

The theory implicating testosterone developed back in the 1940s, when James B. Hamilton reported the notable lack of hair loss in “old eunuchs who were castrated prior to sexual maturation.” It stood to reason that testosterone, which Hamilton assumed wasn’t being produced in any significant quantities post-snip, was the cause of hair loss in “intact” men. In 1980, a team of scientists refined this theory when they discovered a group of pseudohermaphrodites living in the Dominican Republic who had normal testosterone concentrations but lacked an enzyme that converted testosterone into the “hair follicle damaging” dihydrotestosterone.

The rest was history. Pharmaceutical opportunists caught onto the findings, and began pumping out early equivalents of today’s Rogaine and Propecia. Research-wise, not a lot of progress has been made since.

The Problem with a Fatalist View on Genetics

An study published last year in the International Journal of Trichology got me thinking. Researchers examined the medical and family history of 210 patients with female pattern hair loss, finding that close to 85% of the patients had a history of AA. Nothing new there.

But there was more at play: the study also found that the hair loss patients also had a high incidence of hypothyroidism and hypertension, and most were deficient in vitamin D. Clearly, all of these factors are influenced primarily by diet, stress, and other easily-altered variables.

This presents a problem for the fatalist alopecia soothsayers and drug companies alike. The issue with flat-out blaming genetics for something like hair loss is that there’s always confounding factors. For example, if someone has a family history of hair loss, does that family also have a gluten/dairy/egg/nut sensitivity that they don’t know about? Does that family have a ravenous sweet tooth, and therefore consume vast quantities of delicious but inflammatory sweeties? It’s easy to blame genetics for all of life’s maladies, but the waters muddy a little when a “predisposition” is intertwined with unhealthy habits, diet, or food allergies.

An alternative hair solutions blogger Danny Roddy agrees. Drawing on extensive research from Dr. Ray Peat, Roddy firmly dismisses the “genetic determinism” mindset and argues that the decades-old research upon which our current hair loss notions are based is inherently flawed. Roddy suggests that baldness and most genetic-derived hair loss conditions are due to environmental factors.

Crucially, Roddy also points out that those with androgenic alopecia don’t actually exhibit higher than normal levels of testosterone, implying that there are other elements at play here. Many recent findings also suggest that the so-called “sensitivity” of androgen receptors in the scalp doesn’t vary between balding and non-balding people.

The point here is that mainstream perceptions of common hair disorders may be a little off the mark. The other thing to remember is that “risk” doesn’t equate to “inevitable.” Just because your DNA puts you at a greater risk of losing your hair, that doesn’t seal the deal. Let’s examine a few other salient factors.

Hair Loss and Stress

Stress is bad news for your health. And your hair is no exception. Acute, extreme stress provides the primary mechanism by which your hair can start falling out, a condition known as telogen effluvium. This type of stress could come in any form—emotional trauma, physical pain or injury, that kind of thing. Cutting off blood flow and nutrient cycling to your hair follicles is the body’s way of focusing on the vital areas that are critical for survival during what it perceives to be a time of extreme hardship.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Pathology was one of the first lab tests to actually illustrate the short term effects that telogen effluvium can have on mammals. Using substance P as an acute stressor on mice, researchers were able to demonstrate that psycho-emotional stress altered hair follicle cycling, reduced the duration of hair growth, and exposed hair follicles to inflammation.

The second hair-fall mechanism is chronic stress. Low-level but continuous stress, perhaps in the form of incessant background noise, poor diet, or drawn out work troubles, has been shown to contribute to hair loss. Chronic stress can also occur as a negative feedback loop, whereby the stress of worrying about your hair falling out actually contributes to it’s continuing demise—the self-fulfilling prophecy.

The solution is obvious but not always easy: identify the stress and minimize it. The building blocks of stress management are always going to include diet: eat nutrient dense foods like organ meats, a wide range of vegetables, grass-fed dairy and pastured eggs. In addition to providing a wide range of other vital nutrients, these foods are also rich in biotin, which has been shown to be an effective treatment for certain forms of hair loss. Otherwise, you know the drill: scale back on the stress-inducing lifestyle factors, take more time for yourself, ensure regular nature immersions, and consider beginning a meditation or other relaxation-focused practice.

Hair Loss and Hormones

Despite the doubt surrounding genetic precursors to hair loss, there’s no question that hormonal imbalances play a key role in the state of your hair. Long-accepted hormonal contributors to hair loss include:

low ratio of estrogen to testosterone in women, which often occurs during and after menopause

underactive thyroid hormone in both men and women

excess testosterone in both men and women

insulin resistance in both men and women

While prescribing hormone-specific solutions for your hair is a whole article in itself, the key here is to focus on but one word: balance. As cliched as it sounds, true health is achieved by balancing all the systems, processes, inputs and outputs in your body…and the same is true for hair loss. Your first step might be to do a hormone test, or it might be to get back to basics with diet and lifestyle.

Luckily, a Primal way of life is a great way to start balancing out your hormones. Encouraging a shift away from excess carb consumption should go a long way towards improving insulin sensitivity, while steering clear of gluten and other potential food allergens (and making sure you’re getting ample selenium) can allow your thyroid to regain some semblance of normalcy. Excess testosterone typically isn’t an issue for folks like us, as a diet rich in whole foods helps to regulate its production and restore ratios between estrogen and testosterone.

Beyond CW, there’s a potential gollum lurking in the shadows: prolactin. Prolactin is secreted by the pituitary gland during pregnancy, and during times of stress. Prolactin is the mortal enemy of progesterone, one of the “female” hormones that also plays an important role in men.  Progesterone blocks the effects of testosterone, leading some to believe that reducing the levels of prolactin in the body and thereby promoting progesterone secretion is a key element of supporting healthy hair growth. Because there’s very little research to back up these claims, aside from the musings of Dr. Ray Peat, this is a difficult one to explore further.

Nonetheless, reducing prolactin activity in your body certainly can’t hurt. Getting plenty of zinc, along with calcium and its cofactors should help to keep prolactin in check. Reducing alcohol intake and cutting out sugar can also encourage estrogen regulation, which plays a role in prolactin secretion. Experiment with foods and ratios, and see what works for you.

Hair Loss and Disease

I could ruminate all day on the various health conditions that lead to hair loss. Cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, hypothyroidism. The list goes on.

To me, the one which slips under the radar time and again is autoimmunity—particularly in the case of alopecia areata. If your hair loss is patchy rather than general thinning or receding, look to common autoimmune triggers for the answer. Healing your gut should be the first line of defense, which may be as simple as cutting out grains and upping the probiotics. It could also require more focused action, with something more along the lines of an autoimmune protocol.

Hair Loss and Nutrients

I’ve already touched upon dietary changes that can be promoted to treat certain hair loss causes. Still, suffice to say that if you’re following a relatively Primal-friendly eating plan, but still lacking in certain nutrients, you may need to explore efforts more close in. Women should keep a close eye on ferritin levels, as iron deficiency has been associated with up to 90% of hair loss cases. Many women with thinning hair also respond well to lysine supplementation.

For men, zinc and copper deficiencies may play a role in hair loss—particularly in the case of androgenetic alopecia. Because zinc is often lacking in many a person’s diet, it’s worthwhile upping your zinc intake primarily from food sources like grass-fed dairy, red meat, and nuts.

At the other end of the spectrum, overdosing on vitamin A is also thought to contribute to hair loss. Vegetables like sweet potato, carrots, and dark leafy greens should be providing more than enough vitamin A to meet your daily quota, so cut back or cut out vitamin A supplementation if hair loss is an issue.

Thanks for stopping by, folks. What’s your experience been with hair health? Have any of you achieved hair loss reversal with certain key changes to your diet, lifestyle, supplementation or other means? To all celebrating today, Happy 4th!

[milenasanchezmk]

Hair Loss: Looking beyond Genetics

Conventional wisdom teaches us to accept our fate when it comes to hair loss. “Runs in the family,” we’re often told—and sometimes it does (but that’s usually not the full story). “It’s just part of getting older,” people say, too—and there we again find only partial truth at best.

But the Primal path is one of thoughtful scrutiny, not blind acceptance. While most people would file hair loss under aesthetic concerns (ranging from neutral to negative depending on social norms and personal views), it’s not always that innocuous. Let’s look today the bigger picture behind hair loss and the situations in which it signifies a genuine health concern.

Hair Loss: Genetic Destiny?

To those in the know, androgenetic alopecia (AA) is the number one form of progressive hair loss. The term can be a little misleading: while it translates to male-pattern baldness, it also encompasses a condition called female pattern baldness. The “andro” derives from dihydrotestosterone, the so-called male hormone that specialists believe to be the primary cause of AA. It’s estimated that half of men over the age of 50 and half of women over the age of 65 have this form of hair loss, and the young people can be affected as well.

The theory goes that every hair follicle on your scalp is genetically predisposed to either be susceptible or resistant to increasing levels of dihydrotestosterone as you age. Those whose hair follicles are sensitive to this hormone will see a steady decline in hair as they age, while those who dodged the genetic bullet can retain their hair into their later decades…provided they don’t succumb to any number of other hair loss factors.

The theory implicating testosterone developed back in the 1940s, when James B. Hamilton reported the notable lack of hair loss in “old eunuchs who were castrated prior to sexual maturation.” It stood to reason that testosterone, which Hamilton assumed wasn’t being produced in any significant quantities post-snip, was the cause of hair loss in “intact” men. In 1980, a team of scientists refined this theory when they discovered a group of pseudohermaphrodites living in the Dominican Republic who had normal testosterone concentrations but lacked an enzyme that converted testosterone into the “hair follicle damaging” dihydrotestosterone.

The rest was history. Pharmaceutical opportunists caught onto the findings, and began pumping out early equivalents of today’s Rogaine and Propecia. Research-wise, not a lot of progress has been made since.

The Problem with a Fatalist View on Genetics

An study published last year in the International Journal of Trichology got me thinking. Researchers examined the medical and family history of 210 patients with female pattern hair loss, finding that close to 85% of the patients had a history of AA. Nothing new there.

But there was more at play: the study also found that the hair loss patients also had a high incidence of hypothyroidism and hypertension, and most were deficient in vitamin D. Clearly, all of these factors are influenced primarily by diet, stress, and other easily-altered variables.

This presents a problem for the fatalist alopecia soothsayers and drug companies alike. The issue with flat-out blaming genetics for something like hair loss is that there’s always confounding factors. For example, if someone has a family history of hair loss, does that family also have a gluten/dairy/egg/nut sensitivity that they don’t know about? Does that family have a ravenous sweet tooth, and therefore consume vast quantities of delicious but inflammatory sweeties? It’s easy to blame genetics for all of life’s maladies, but the waters muddy a little when a “predisposition” is intertwined with unhealthy habits, diet, or food allergies.

An alternative hair solutions blogger Danny Roddy agrees. Drawing on extensive research from Dr. Ray Peat, Roddy firmly dismisses the “genetic determinism” mindset and argues that the decades-old research upon which our current hair loss notions are based is inherently flawed. Roddy suggests that baldness and most genetic-derived hair loss conditions are due to environmental factors.

Crucially, Roddy also points out that those with androgenic alopecia don’t actually exhibit higher than normal levels of testosterone, implying that there are other elements at play here. Many recent findings also suggest that the so-called “sensitivity” of androgen receptors in the scalp doesn’t vary between balding and non-balding people.

The point here is that mainstream perceptions of common hair disorders may be a little off the mark. The other thing to remember is that “risk” doesn’t equate to “inevitable.” Just because your DNA puts you at a greater risk of losing your hair, that doesn’t seal the deal. Let’s examine a few other salient factors.

Hair Loss and Stress

Stress is bad news for your health. And your hair is no exception. Acute, extreme stress provides the primary mechanism by which your hair can start falling out, a condition known as telogen effluvium. This type of stress could come in any form—emotional trauma, physical pain or injury, that kind of thing. Cutting off blood flow and nutrient cycling to your hair follicles is the body’s way of focusing on the vital areas that are critical for survival during what it perceives to be a time of extreme hardship.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Pathology was one of the first lab tests to actually illustrate the short term effects that telogen effluvium can have on mammals. Using substance P as an acute stressor on mice, researchers were able to demonstrate that psycho-emotional stress altered hair follicle cycling, reduced the duration of hair growth, and exposed hair follicles to inflammation.

The second hair-fall mechanism is chronic stress. Low-level but continuous stress, perhaps in the form of incessant background noise, poor diet, or drawn out work troubles, has been shown to contribute to hair loss. Chronic stress can also occur as a negative feedback loop, whereby the stress of worrying about your hair falling out actually contributes to it’s continuing demise—the self-fulfilling prophecy.

The solution is obvious but not always easy: identify the stress and minimize it. The building blocks of stress management are always going to include diet: eat nutrient dense foods like organ meats, a wide range of vegetables, grass-fed dairy and pastured eggs. In addition to providing a wide range of other vital nutrients, these foods are also rich in biotin, which has been shown to be an effective treatment for certain forms of hair loss. Otherwise, you know the drill: scale back on the stress-inducing lifestyle factors, take more time for yourself, ensure regular nature immersions, and consider beginning a meditation or other relaxation-focused practice.

Hair Loss and Hormones

Despite the doubt surrounding genetic precursors to hair loss, there’s no question that hormonal imbalances play a key role in the state of your hair. Long-accepted hormonal contributors to hair loss include:

low ratio of estrogen to testosterone in women, which often occurs during and after menopause

underactive thyroid hormone in both men and women

excess testosterone in both men and women

insulin resistance in both men and women

While prescribing hormone-specific solutions for your hair is a whole article in itself, the key here is to focus on but one word: balance. As cliched as it sounds, true health is achieved by balancing all the systems, processes, inputs and outputs in your body…and the same is true for hair loss. Your first step might be to do a hormone test, or it might be to get back to basics with diet and lifestyle.

Luckily, a Primal way of life is a great way to start balancing out your hormones. Encouraging a shift away from excess carb consumption should go a long way towards improving insulin sensitivity, while steering clear of gluten and other potential food allergens (and making sure you’re getting ample selenium) can allow your thyroid to regain some semblance of normalcy. Excess testosterone typically isn’t an issue for folks like us, as a diet rich in whole foods helps to regulate its production and restore ratios between estrogen and testosterone.

Beyond CW, there’s a potential gollum lurking in the shadows: prolactin. Prolactin is secreted by the pituitary gland during pregnancy, and during times of stress. Prolactin is the mortal enemy of progesterone, one of the “female” hormones that also plays an important role in men.  Progesterone blocks the effects of testosterone, leading some to believe that reducing the levels of prolactin in the body and thereby promoting progesterone secretion is a key element of supporting healthy hair growth. Because there’s very little research to back up these claims, aside from the musings of Dr. Ray Peat, this is a difficult one to explore further.

Nonetheless, reducing prolactin activity in your body certainly can’t hurt. Getting plenty of zinc, along with calcium and its cofactors should help to keep prolactin in check. Reducing alcohol intake and cutting out sugar can also encourage estrogen regulation, which plays a role in prolactin secretion. Experiment with foods and ratios, and see what works for you.

Hair Loss and Disease

I could ruminate all day on the various health conditions that lead to hair loss. Cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, hypothyroidism. The list goes on.

To me, the one which slips under the radar time and again is autoimmunity—particularly in the case of alopecia areata. If your hair loss is patchy rather than general thinning or receding, look to common autoimmune triggers for the answer. Healing your gut should be the first line of defense, which may be as simple as cutting out grains and upping the probiotics. It could also require more focused action, with something more along the lines of an autoimmune protocol.

Hair Loss and Nutrients

I’ve already touched upon dietary changes that can be promoted to treat certain hair loss causes. Still, suffice to say that if you’re following a relatively Primal-friendly eating plan, but still lacking in certain nutrients, you may need to explore efforts more close in. Women should keep a close eye on ferritin levels, as iron deficiency has been associated with up to 90% of hair loss cases. Many women with thinning hair also respond well to lysine supplementation.

For men, zinc and copper deficiencies may play a role in hair loss—particularly in the case of androgenetic alopecia. Because zinc is often lacking in many a person’s diet, it’s worthwhile upping your zinc intake primarily from food sources like grass-fed dairy, red meat, and nuts.

At the other end of the spectrum, overdosing on vitamin A is also thought to contribute to hair loss. Vegetables like sweet potato, carrots, and dark leafy greens should be providing more than enough vitamin A to meet your daily quota, so cut back or cut out vitamin A supplementation if hair loss is an issue.

Thanks for stopping by, folks. What’s your experience been with hair health? Have any of you achieved hair loss reversal with certain key changes to your diet, lifestyle, supplementation or other means? To all celebrating today, Happy 4th!

[cristinajourdanqp]

Hair Loss: Looking beyond Genetics

Conventional wisdom teaches us to accept our fate when it comes to hair loss. “Runs in the family,” we’re often told—and sometimes it does (but that’s usually not the full story). “It’s just part of getting older,” people say, too—and there we again find only partial truth at best.

But the Primal path is one of thoughtful scrutiny, not blind acceptance. While most people would file hair loss under aesthetic concerns (ranging from neutral to negative depending on social norms and personal views), it’s not always that innocuous. Let’s look today the bigger picture behind hair loss and the situations in which it signifies a genuine health concern.

Hair Loss: Genetic Destiny?

To those in the know, androgenetic alopecia (AA) is the number one form of progressive hair loss. The term can be a little misleading: while it translates to male-pattern baldness, it also encompasses a condition called female pattern baldness. The “andro” derives from dihydrotestosterone, the so-called male hormone that specialists believe to be the primary cause of AA. It’s estimated that half of men over the age of 50 and half of women over the age of 65 have this form of hair loss, and the young people can be affected as well.

The theory goes that every hair follicle on your scalp is genetically predisposed to either be susceptible or resistant to increasing levels of dihydrotestosterone as you age. Those whose hair follicles are sensitive to this hormone will see a steady decline in hair as they age, while those who dodged the genetic bullet can retain their hair into their later decades…provided they don’t succumb to any number of other hair loss factors.

The theory implicating testosterone developed back in the 1940s, when James B. Hamilton reported the notable lack of hair loss in “old eunuchs who were castrated prior to sexual maturation.” It stood to reason that testosterone, which Hamilton assumed wasn’t being produced in any significant quantities post-snip, was the cause of hair loss in “intact” men. In 1980, a team of scientists refined this theory when they discovered a group of pseudohermaphrodites living in the Dominican Republic who had normal testosterone concentrations but lacked an enzyme that converted testosterone into the “hair follicle damaging” dihydrotestosterone.

The rest was history. Pharmaceutical opportunists caught onto the findings, and began pumping out early equivalents of today’s Rogaine and Propecia. Research-wise, not a lot of progress has been made since.

The Problem with a Fatalist View on Genetics

An study published last year in the International Journal of Trichology got me thinking. Researchers examined the medical and family history of 210 patients with female pattern hair loss, finding that close to 85% of the patients had a history of AA. Nothing new there.

But there was more at play: the study also found that the hair loss patients also had a high incidence of hypothyroidism and hypertension, and most were deficient in vitamin D. Clearly, all of these factors are influenced primarily by diet, stress, and other easily-altered variables.

This presents a problem for the fatalist alopecia soothsayers and drug companies alike. The issue with flat-out blaming genetics for something like hair loss is that there’s always confounding factors. For example, if someone has a family history of hair loss, does that family also have a gluten/dairy/egg/nut sensitivity that they don’t know about? Does that family have a ravenous sweet tooth, and therefore consume vast quantities of delicious but inflammatory sweeties? It’s easy to blame genetics for all of life’s maladies, but the waters muddy a little when a “predisposition” is intertwined with unhealthy habits, diet, or food allergies.

An alternative hair solutions blogger Danny Roddy agrees. Drawing on extensive research from Dr. Ray Peat, Roddy firmly dismisses the “genetic determinism” mindset and argues that the decades-old research upon which our current hair loss notions are based is inherently flawed. Roddy suggests that baldness and most genetic-derived hair loss conditions are due to environmental factors.

Crucially, Roddy also points out that those with androgenic alopecia don’t actually exhibit higher than normal levels of testosterone, implying that there are other elements at play here. Many recent findings also suggest that the so-called “sensitivity” of androgen receptors in the scalp doesn’t vary between balding and non-balding people.

The point here is that mainstream perceptions of common hair disorders may be a little off the mark. The other thing to remember is that “risk” doesn’t equate to “inevitable.” Just because your DNA puts you at a greater risk of losing your hair, that doesn’t seal the deal. Let’s examine a few other salient factors.

Hair Loss and Stress

Stress is bad news for your health. And your hair is no exception. Acute, extreme stress provides the primary mechanism by which your hair can start falling out, a condition known as telogen effluvium. This type of stress could come in any form—emotional trauma, physical pain or injury, that kind of thing. Cutting off blood flow and nutrient cycling to your hair follicles is the body’s way of focusing on the vital areas that are critical for survival during what it perceives to be a time of extreme hardship.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Pathology was one of the first lab tests to actually illustrate the short term effects that telogen effluvium can have on mammals. Using substance P as an acute stressor on mice, researchers were able to demonstrate that psycho-emotional stress altered hair follicle cycling, reduced the duration of hair growth, and exposed hair follicles to inflammation.

The second hair-fall mechanism is chronic stress. Low-level but continuous stress, perhaps in the form of incessant background noise, poor diet, or drawn out work troubles, has been shown to contribute to hair loss. Chronic stress can also occur as a negative feedback loop, whereby the stress of worrying about your hair falling out actually contributes to it’s continuing demise—the self-fulfilling prophecy.

The solution is obvious but not always easy: identify the stress and minimize it. The building blocks of stress management are always going to include diet: eat nutrient dense foods like organ meats, a wide range of vegetables, grass-fed dairy and pastured eggs. In addition to providing a wide range of other vital nutrients, these foods are also rich in biotin, which has been shown to be an effective treatment for certain forms of hair loss. Otherwise, you know the drill: scale back on the stress-inducing lifestyle factors, take more time for yourself, ensure regular nature immersions, and consider beginning a meditation or other relaxation-focused practice.

Hair Loss and Hormones

Despite the doubt surrounding genetic precursors to hair loss, there’s no question that hormonal imbalances play a key role in the state of your hair. Long-accepted hormonal contributors to hair loss include:

low ratio of estrogen to testosterone in women, which often occurs during and after menopause

underactive thyroid hormone in both men and women

excess testosterone in both men and women

insulin resistance in both men and women

While prescribing hormone-specific solutions for your hair is a whole article in itself, the key here is to focus on but one word: balance. As cliched as it sounds, true health is achieved by balancing all the systems, processes, inputs and outputs in your body…and the same is true for hair loss. Your first step might be to do a hormone test, or it might be to get back to basics with diet and lifestyle.

Luckily, a Primal way of life is a great way to start balancing out your hormones. Encouraging a shift away from excess carb consumption should go a long way towards improving insulin sensitivity, while steering clear of gluten and other potential food allergens (and making sure you’re getting ample selenium) can allow your thyroid to regain some semblance of normalcy. Excess testosterone typically isn’t an issue for folks like us, as a diet rich in whole foods helps to regulate its production and restore ratios between estrogen and testosterone.

Beyond CW, there’s a potential gollum lurking in the shadows: prolactin. Prolactin is secreted by the pituitary gland during pregnancy, and during times of stress. Prolactin is the mortal enemy of progesterone, one of the “female” hormones that also plays an important role in men.  Progesterone blocks the effects of testosterone, leading some to believe that reducing the levels of prolactin in the body and thereby promoting progesterone secretion is a key element of supporting healthy hair growth. Because there’s very little research to back up these claims, aside from the musings of Dr. Ray Peat, this is a difficult one to explore further.

Nonetheless, reducing prolactin activity in your body certainly can’t hurt. Getting plenty of zinc, along with calcium and its cofactors should help to keep prolactin in check. Reducing alcohol intake and cutting out sugar can also encourage estrogen regulation, which plays a role in prolactin secretion. Experiment with foods and ratios, and see what works for you.

Hair Loss and Disease

I could ruminate all day on the various health conditions that lead to hair loss. Cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, hypothyroidism. The list goes on.

To me, the one which slips under the radar time and again is autoimmunity—particularly in the case of alopecia areata. If your hair loss is patchy rather than general thinning or receding, look to common autoimmune triggers for the answer. Healing your gut should be the first line of defense, which may be as simple as cutting out grains and upping the probiotics. It could also require more focused action, with something more along the lines of an autoimmune protocol.

Hair Loss and Nutrients

I’ve already touched upon dietary changes that can be promoted to treat certain hair loss causes. Still, suffice to say that if you’re following a relatively Primal-friendly eating plan, but still lacking in certain nutrients, you may need to explore efforts more close in. Women should keep a close eye on ferritin levels, as iron deficiency has been associated with up to 90% of hair loss cases. Many women with thinning hair also respond well to lysine supplementation.

For men, zinc and copper deficiencies may play a role in hair loss—particularly in the case of androgenetic alopecia. Because zinc is often lacking in many a person’s diet, it’s worthwhile upping your zinc intake primarily from food sources like grass-fed dairy, red meat, and nuts.

At the other end of the spectrum, overdosing on vitamin A is also thought to contribute to hair loss. Vegetables like sweet potato, carrots, and dark leafy greens should be providing more than enough vitamin A to meet your daily quota, so cut back or cut out vitamin A supplementation if hair loss is an issue.

Thanks for stopping by, folks. What’s your experience been with hair health? Have any of you achieved hair loss reversal with certain key changes to your diet, lifestyle, supplementation or other means? To all celebrating today, Happy 4th!

[trendyelle]

What To Eat For Clear Skin& What Foods Will Wreak Havoc On Your Face

If youre anything like me, someone who is a mature adult treats their body like a trashcan, then you recognize the daily struggle that is doing whatever the fuck you want while also wanting to have a great body and great skin. Lifes hard when you want to get fucked up at Governors Ball but also look 100 years old in your Instagram story. Not that I would know. I did not go to Gov Ball, though I did spend the weekend going through mimosas like water and eating enough food to get me my own TLC reality show. That being said, I want to change. I want to be a new me. A better me. A me who puts actual vitamins and minerals into her system so her skin doesnt resemble the entire slice of pizza she ate last night. So heres a list of foods you should avoid like an ex-boyfriend sliding into your DMs and foods you should embrace because theyll fix your fucking face. Damn, Ive got bars. DONT: Eat Canned Food/Meats Gross. As if. Like, who even eats canned meats anymore? Other than my ex from college who had this weird obsession with eating vienna sausages (which, in hindsight, should have been a red fucking flag that this kid was a sociopath. That and his Belk credit card that he was always bragging about). Canned and/or highly processed foods have a shit ton of sodium in them and causes your body to hold on to water, which is why your face is always puffy or you have bags under your eyes that can be seen from space, and your acne is at World War III proportions. DO: Eat Salmon Aside from giving you a reason to pretend to be a foodie and also be obnoxious on Instagram, eating salmon is a sure way to get better looking skin. Salmon is rich with omega-3 fatty acids and healthy fats. These fats reinforce cell membranes and nourish the skin to keep you looking fresh AF. DONT: Drink Green Juice Lol just because you frequently say shit like #FitLife and #CleanEating on your IG does not mean you know wtf is good for you, because SURPRISE all those juices youre drinking to cleanse your body are actually really fucking bad for you. Juices are sugary as hell, especially the green juices which can have up to 50 grams of sugar in them, which is actual sabotage when it comes to having clear skin.  ^I imagine every fitstagrammer when the find out they’ve been pumping liquid sugar into their temples bodies DO: Drink A Protein Smoothie Aside from having something to talk about with the hot trainer at your gym, protein smoothies can actually be beneficial for your skin. The more you know. Stay away from the juicer smoothies and opt for one with some protein in it. These types of smoothies are high in healthy fats and wont leave your skin looking more ratchet than your Snap story last weekend. DONT: Eat Ice Cream Okay, this one I saw coming. Nothing that tastes this good can be anything but sabotage on your body. And since Im not on my period rn in control of my body I guess Im open to suggestions here. Ice cream is chock-full of sugar which can form this fun thing called advanced glycation end products which fucks up the protein in your body. Why is that important you may ask? Because the proteins it fucks with the most are the ones that keep your skin plump and springy looking. So basically eating ice cream is aging you. *steps into oncoming traffic* DO: Eat Dark Chocolate Dark chocolate aka the DUD of chocolates has a fuck ton of antioxidants in it, which is v good for your skin. So even though it tastes healthy and the whole time youll be wishing you were eating real chocolate with real flavor at least your skin will look good AF and be protected against wrinkles and other bad shit. DONT: Drink Coffee HA HA HA HA this has to be some sort of sick joke. You want me to give up my will to live caffeine? Do you also want me to commit homicide the next time someone replies all to a department email chain? DO YOU? This one is tough for me to wrap my brain around because coffee is literally one of the only reasons I get out of bed in the morning, and consequently, the reason you get to experience this sparkling personality. That being said, coffee is a diuretic (fake news Im sure!) which causes your body to lose water and your skin to get v dehydrated. Stay away from this shit if you want glowy AF skin.  DO: Drink Hot Lemon Water This replacement sounds about as good as the Republicans plan for health care but thats neither here nor there. Even though the prospect of drinking hot lemon water sounds about as enticing as sleeping with Jonathan The Tickle Monster, its actually super good for you. Its hydrating, full of antioxidants, and gives some much needed support to your liver. Apparently, the liver is the main organ that detoxifies the body and if youre full of toxins drinking on days that end in Y, youre more likely to break out. Sighs. And this is why we cant have nice things. DONT: Eat Bagels Okay, Im starting to feel personally victimized by this list. Like, is someone looking at my bank statement and seeing that I spend a large amount of my down time in coffee shops and/or bagel shops? Because Im feeling really attacked rn. Apparently, bagels are the worst for your skin and can lead to a cascade of hormones aka acne breakouts for days. *prays this is fake news* DO: Eat Non-Processed Carbs or Oats Tbh Id rather starve than eat something that resembles animal feed but I guess thats the price we pay to look like the “after” girl in an acne commercial. Oats are the right kind of carbs probs because it looks miserable to eat and also because its high in antioxidants which weve established will not only give you clear/glowy skin but also fights against anti-aging. DONT: Drink Soda To absolutely no ones surprise except my own because I refuse to read labels written by health professionals people who are out to destroy my happiness, soda is bad for you. And just because you drink diet soda doesnt mean youre safe. Because diet soda especially disrupts the necessary and healthy bacteria found in your gut. Also drinking any kind of soda can really fuck with your skin. Like, cause rosacea, eczema, and acne fuck with your skin. K. Just fuck me up rn then. Also, wtf am I supposed to order at the bar to go along with my vodka then? I cant just drink vodka straight. I want to have clearer skin, not die.  DO: Drink Kombucha Finally something that looks good on my Instagram story and isnt going to fuck up my skin. About damn time. Basically Kombucha is good for you because its fermented, and therefore full of probiotics, which will solve all your life problems. Im paraphrasing, but still. If you want clear skin by the time this weekend’s brunch rolls around then chug some of this and pretend like its alcohol something you enjoy drinking. So, in conclusion, anything that brings you joy is probably fucking up your skin and you should cut it from your diet ASAP. I am feeling #blessed rn that alcohol did not make the list, but thats mostly because I refused to do any actual research that would prove otherwise. Who says you cant make your own destiny? Listen, if all else fails and you have no self control dont want to sacrifice your happiness theres always Facetune. Read more: www.betches.com The post What To Eat For Clear Skin& What Foods Will Wreak Havoc On Your Face appeared first on Anti Aging Tips. http://selfhelpantiagingtips.com/what-to-eat-for-clear-skin-what-foods-will-wreak-havoc-on-your-face-29/