Is your MILK making you SICK?



No more cows milk for me!(I still love you Mr. Cow)

I’m going to finally admit it, I’m a bit of a milk fanatic-I just LOVE the stuff!!

I drink milk at LEAST 2 times a day; whether it be with my cereal or as an icy, tall glass along with cookies, I consume a good amount of milk. However, not too long ago, the nutritious drink that makes me so happy (at that time it was Organic Valley 1% Milk) started to cause health problems.  

I noticed that I was becoming extremely ‘mucousy’ and getting colds more often.  Of course at first, I did not relate these symptoms to my milk intake; I simply thought that between the weather & me not taking good enough care of myself that I was just becoming more susceptible to illness.  In fact, it wasn’t until my hard coughing (and attempts to clear mucous from my airway) began to keep me awake at nights that I became alarmed. The mucous would be so thick that it would be difficult for me lay down and breath easily; this is when I decided it was time to see the doctor.

At the ENT (Ears, Nose & Throat doctor) a few test were taken and I found out that my issue may be caused by an allergy; however the idea of milk being the guilty party was still not mentioned, though the doctor did tell me to cut back on dairy and excessive sweets just as a precaution.  Knowing that I like to keep things as natural as possible, my doctor will not suggest a prescription unless absolutely necessary, so he recommended that I drink a cup of hot  tea each night before bed and that should help to thin out the mucous. This suggestion helped—for a moment, then I was right back to square one with sleepless nights & uncontrollable coughing.  

It wasn’t until my husband came to me with his observations that things changed for the better.  He told me that he’d been watching me a little closer since I started not feeling well and disclosed to me that (in his opinion) I was drinking too much of the wrong milk! He shared with me that had been doing some research and discovered that my condition may be due to my body/immune system ‘rejecting’ the milk.

Cow’s milk consists of hormones, they are not necessarily being put there-but are usually naturally formed (just as they are in human breast milk), and these hormones can be an irritant to some folks.  It was with this information that he concluded that my body was probably trying to rid me of mucous caused by my milk intake, by inducing coughing.

That day we decided to try a little experiment; I would replace my Organic Valley milk with Rice Milk. Certain Rice milks do have a few downfalls, such as not being high in calcium or protein-but nothings perfect; on the flip side rice milk is superior because it does not come from an animal (duh), tastes great, is lactose-free, fortified with vitamins & minerals and is vegan friendly (which we like here). 
Final analysis: After about three weeks of drinking rice milk I was seemingly mucous-free! I was sleeping comfortably and no longer tirelessly attempting to cough up mucous. Rice Milk was the answer to my problems. It’s been about a year since we’ve switched to Rice milk and those terrible symptoms have not plagued me since!

What kind of milk do you/your family drink?  Have you ever considered giving rice milk a try?

Castile Soap.. a Date Rape Drug? hmmm...

Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Castile Soap



The article below suggests that Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap (particularly the Peppermint scented one--my favorite for its cooling effect during the hot summer months) initially tested positive for traces of the Date Rape Drug during a Newport Beach Police analysis.

I'm an avid user of Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap. I use it as a shampoo and my husband uses it as a body wash. It's the gentlest product we've ever used!

Those Newport Beach police may want to consider updating their tests.

Either way, it's an interesting article. Enjoy!

http://www.drbronner.com/pdf/LA%20Times4172007_doc.pdf 

Fierce Fridays with Shakyra: Is your Skin Cool or Warm?

Hey Everyone:

Autumn is in the air and the need for fresh, fall make-up is now upon us!

When I think of fall make-up jewel tones automatically come to mind.
Rich Reds, Deep Purples and Daring Greens are the perfect palette for taking one from office chic to a night out on the town!

However, such rich colors may pose a problem as everyone’s skin tone is not meant to be drenched in heavy color; the trick is to match your skin with the proper shade.
Generally, skin tones fall into two categories: Cool & Warm.

Typically, Cool skin tones are reserved for those with lighter hair & eyes; whose skin is fair and will easily tan. Warm skin tones can be classified by people who have a golden undertone to their skin and/or those who have darker hair & eyes. Here is a great way to figure out which category you fit into:
Try on a white shirt and then a cream/tan colored shirt - How does your skin look? If you appear more flattering in the white top then you probably have a cool skin tone. If the cream/tan colored blouse was more appealing, you most likely have a warm skin tone.

Now that you know which category you fall into, here are a few tips on how you can make rich, fall tones work for you!

Cool skin tones:

* Opt for lighter jewel colors with a more pastel look, i.e.: light violets, cool grays and soft pinks.
*Avoid dark colors as they will ‘wash’ out your features instead of complimenting them.
*For a more dramatic eye without using dark shades, simply apply a neutral color to the lips. This will make your eyes ‘Pop’! Alternatively, you can select a deeper lip color and keep your eyes neutral.

Warm skin tones:

*Select shades from rich, earthy palettes. Go for deep berries and warm reds & golds.
*Avoid using colors that may appear too light as they may give you a ‘chalky’ appearance.
*Don’t overdo it! If you are sporting a smoky eye do not apply a dark color to your lips. The key is to choose which of your features you like most, then enhance it with splashes of color.

I recommend this helpful tool to assist with finding the perfect shades for your skin tone. Enjoy!

Coconut Oil..a Cure for Dandruff?

My cousin has had scalp problems for years; in my opinion her issue was way more intense then just dandruff, I really think she may have had seborrhoeic dermatitis of the scalp, but she won't know for sure until she visits a dermatologist.

Being that her hair was relaxed most of her life up until about 3 years ago, she has suffered almost every hair blunder under the sun and her scalp became very damaged (much like mine)! Her scalp has endured chemical burns; being pulled into tight pony tails/braids and heat damage …you name it and her scalp has probably been through it as some point. But recently, she’s been noticing how her natural hair care routine has been keeping her scalp dandruff-free longer than usual.

Normally she’d have to wash her hair twice (sometimes three times) a week to keep the flakes at bay, but now that she’s using natural plant derived products on her scalp she now washes it only once a week (and recently she said that it’s been more by choice as opposed to having to wash it because of thick flakes starting to appear--which is a Big deal for her!) 

I began noticing that she was able to retain a style for an entire week without taking it down & re-washing; it was then that I suggested that she take a second look at what she’s been using and I think we’ve figured out what’s been helping.

She’s been washing with the same shampoo, same conditioner, same leave-in-- but about a month ago she started moisturizing her scalp with Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil from Nature’s approved (it smells heavenly) and slowly but surely the dandruff started to get milder. She told me that it’s still there, but nowhere near how it used to be. I recently corn rowed her hair (and it had been about 3 days since she last washed it) so I was prepared to see a white, flakey mess in between each part, but to my surprise it was flake-free & healthy looking! I’ve been keeping an eye on her scalp and it’s really never looked better! She says that it still itches every once in a while, but the difference now is that when she scratches, there’s no embarrassing flakes to dust off of her shoulder. I think she’s finally found her dandruff cure! I’m still urging her to see a dermatologist just to find out exactly what’s going on with her scalp and I think she will, but for now she’s just thrilled about having a nice, clean scalp!

Do you have a scalp condition?

Have you been able to find a natural way to eliminate it?  If not, I think coconut oil is worth a try!

I’m definitely adding it to my hair/scalp regimen.

Fierce Fridays with Shakyra!

Hey Everyone:

My name is Shakyra and make-up artistry is my passion!

By day I work as a paralegal, but when I have time for myself I focus my energy on obtaining my doctorates degree and working on my business: LoveAngel Make-up Artistry!

Keeping with the Natural theme of this blog, I will also be doing my best to incorporate natural product reviews and information as well.

I hope that you enjoy my posts on make-up, fashion and all things glam!

Now, let's get to our first 'Fierce Friday' Topic!!

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Make-up Tips for Darker Skin Tones

I have found that several people are under the impression that make-up looks best on lighter skin tones. However; make-up can look great on any and EVERY skin tone, depending on which colors are applied and how they are applied. I'm no expert on choosing the perfect colors for every color skin, but I have been doing some research, as well as playing around with colors to determine which colors are the best for the different faces I work with. I will be posting some articles that I come across that are not only beneficial to me, but to the people who follow me and/or are uncertain as to which colors will work best for them.

Some simple tips for people with darker skin that they should be aware of are as follows:

* When choosing a foundation, DO NOT use a cream foundation. Darker skin has a tendency to look a little more oily than lighter skin, and a cream foundation will just enhance the look.

* DO use a water base foundation or a liquid foundation. Liquid foundations will probably work best.

* To blend the foundation in without creating streaks or leaving harsh lines, blend distilled water into the foundation and then blend it into the skin!

I hope this has been helpful. There will be more tips to follow.

Also, follow me on twitter for "Make-Up Tips of the Day"

It's Soup Time!!

Happy October Everyone!

I'm most certainly a Summer girl and will miss the radiant days & the balmy nights, but needless to say, I'm also excited about Fall officially being here!

There's now a refreshing chill in the air, the kids are picking apples and I've been having a distinct craving for hot soup.

I've been following this blog called, Fresh-out-of-the-Box and it is fabulous! It's all about sharing delicious recipes made with only the freshest, local ingredients.  I recently made the fresh tomato soup that was published on the site on September 17th and it came out fantastic! Even my husband (who isn't normally a huge fan of tomato soup) thought it was delicious. Fresh, homemade tomato soup with warm, toasty grilled cheese on the side was just the type of meal we needed for a chilly October evening. We improvised and added fresh pepper, a dash of cayenne and a squirt of fresh lime juice just to zest it up a bit more! Not only was it a delicious & nutritious meal, but it only took me 30 minutes (total) to make! That's worth a standing ovation alone!!

Check out some of the healthy (and tasty) recipes that they have to offer, I promise you won't be disappointed. ;-)