Oh My Heartsie Girl

March 27, 2018

Individualizing Health and Taking Responsibility

Individualizing Health

When it comes to your health, it’s important to remember the you part of it! When you select a doctor or go on a treatment plan, make sure you are getting care specific to what you need and respond well to. This is also important in your daily wellness practices. While there are some overarching principles regarding good health, there’s no one-size-fits-all.

Diet

There are some basic diet rules out there: get enough vitamins, keep a balance of macronutrients, eat your veggies, stay away from refined sugars, etc. But not all bodies react the same way to the same foods. You may find that you don’t digest some foods well. You may find that a Mediterranean diet helps reduce inflammation, or that red meat makes you sluggish. Heck, if peanut butter makes you gassy, you need to know that so that you don’t gobble it down right before a hot date! Some studies even show that your genetic makeup might determine the best diet for you.

Specific medical conditions may also require specific dietary protocol. For instance, if you are a diabetic, you know all too well the importance of monitoring your glucose levels and carb intake. So if you deal with the “dawn phenomenon,” for instance, you may need to make dietary adjustments, such as fewer carbs early and late in the day, or eating an earlier dinner. If you’re at a high risk for osteoporosis, make sure you consistently take in enough calcium. People on blood thinners may need to avoid green vegetables, because of the high vitamin K.

Small ailments

We by no means suggest taking our advice instead of seeing a doctor! There are some small ailments, though, that you may find you’re able to relieve in ways particular to you. Someone with chronic shoulder tension may find acupuncture useful; someone else may find that medicinal CBD Fix provides relief; someone else altogether may require muscle relaxers from the doctor.

Pay attention to your body: you may notice that certain activities, foods, or interactions cause negative reactions. Too much sugar may give you a sore throat, or you may simply burn easily in the sun. These little things are important to notice and take care of. Your best friend may never get a sunburn, but if you turn into a lobster in 10 minutes, slather on that sunscreen silly!

Individualized medicine

There is actually a branch/style of research in medicine known as “individualized medicine.” This practice stems from the idea that “people vary in their circumstances, preferences, and in their optimal path to full health.” In individualized health, a patient is compared to other patients with similar characteristics. By comparing someone with people who are more or less like the patient, any aberrations stand out in stark contrast. At the same time, these subsets are becoming clearer and clearer, making it easier for doctors to notice any trends that might be specific to people with a patient’s particular characteristics. Major research clinics like Johns Hopkins and Mayo Clinic employ individualized medicine as part of their research and treatment.

March 27, 2018

Brown Sandwich Bread with Teff Flour Gluten Free

Sometime before Christmas I decided I was going to take a page from my daughter book and change the way I eat, I decided that I would only eat when I got hungry (as it turns out thats quite often) but what I didnt know was the result in my weight. I started by just eating fruit all morning, when I got hungry along with seed crackers I made that are gluten free since they are just made with seeds, no grains. Then in the afternoon I make sure to eat protein, then more fruit and for dinner I would have a salad, a vegetable and protein. I lost 32 pounds over the next 3 months. Basically a gluten free diet, no dairy, no sugar!

In my quest to eat gluten free I decided that I didnt want to miss out on bread so I tired a brand of gluten free bread from the store and found it had a strange texture, no flavour, and it was dry, not to mention expensive, $6. a loaf, so I started making my own bread and found this recipe. The first was white and heavy, so this was my second recipe the I’m excited to say it meets my criteria, it has a good crumb like a regular whole wheat bread, it slices nicely and is moist. And makes great toast!

Im a recipe reader and study ingredients before choosing to try any recipe and this one had all the ingredients I had on hand except “teff flour”. There’s nothing more irritating than to have a recipe but dont have the ingredients. It has taken me a while to change baking ingredients to gluten free flours, like Brown Rice flour, Almond flour, Arrowroot, coconut flour, an all purpose gluten free flour, Xanthan gum, and for sweetening, I chose xylitol, honey, agave and maple syrup, I just did not want refined sugar.
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This bread recipe works for me, moist, makes great toast and good sandwiches.

March 27, 2018

Is It Wiser to Renovate or Buy a New House?

If you’ve spent a long time in your current home, but need to expand on the space available, you face a tough dilemma. You’ll probably have fallen in love with your home, which will make the “do I relocate or not” decision even more difficult. There are various situations where you’ll need to address whether it’s wiser to renovate or buy a new house altogether. Perhaps you want a new house, but love your neighbors. Your house has charm, but it’s in desperate need of a new look. You might even value your backyard so much you want to stay put.

Different factors motivate homeowners to make an important choice. If you’re wondering whether you should relocate or renovate, here are some critical points to consider:

Neighborhood

Location plays a vital role in the decision process. If you don’t want to leave behind your beloved neighbors, renovation is a wise choice. It’s natural to grow an attachment with your area, where you become comfortable with amenities and are used to calling a certain place home. A useful side effect of staying put arises when you sit in a trendy area where real estate prices are on the incline. This makes renovation a sound investment, since you’ll increase the value of your home considerably. Before your remodeling project begins, you can determine the fair market value of the project once completed. The decision is a no-brainer if the eventual sale price outweighs the cost of renovations. If the concept of renovating your home is appealing, a custom house builder like Kalka can attend to your remodeling requirements. They can help you create a luxury home to suit your individual requirements. This means you can stay in the neighborhood you’ve grown accustomed to, but achieve the home of your dreams.

Finances

Buying a new home and renovating are two decisions that require financial backing. This is arguably the biggest consideration of all, since you can only decide within your financial means. Buying a new house means you need to qualify for a mortgage. The timing probably isn’t right if you’ve recently incurred debts or have changed jobs, because financial stability is paramount. Buying a new home is more realistic when you have the money to do so. If you’ve established reasonable equity in your current home, there are options for equity loans to pay for renovations. There will be other costs to consider, like credit reports, title insurance, and appraisals, but the procedure is much cheaper. If you do decide to buy a new home, remember to factor in real estate commission and selling costs. These are common expenses when moving your belongings from location to location.

Space
The amount of space available is a huge factor when deciding what to do. The great thing about buying a new house is that you can choose an environment with ample space, providing you have the money. When renovating an existing home, you can create more space by building up or out. Adding a second story is a viable plan, but it requires research to discover whether your foundation can support additional weight. Building out is a great option for increasing square yardage, but it requires considerable planning. When extending your home, you’ll also need to consider interior design. An important aspect in the latter stages is decoration, specifically the inclusion of attractive decor that suits your theme. You’ll need to consider questions like ‘do I install plantation shutters or blinds?’ If you’re wondering how much do custom plantation shutters cost, by researching online you can find suitable options well within your price range.

March 27, 2018

Using Wall Tiles for The Maximalism Trend of 2018

Tiles for the Maximalism Trend

For what feels like a lifetime, minimalism has been the go-to trend for homeowners and designers alike. While beautifully timeless and classic, the minimalism trend is slowly being bypassed by a bolder and more colorful look, maximalism. Best summed up as the total opposite of minimalism, maximalism focuses on rich colours, patterns and textures. This lends itself to creative and character filled homes that are bursting with life. But how do you get this same look in rooms like bathrooms or kitchens which are notoriously more difficult to personalize? Well, the best place to start is your tiles. Tiles are the foundations to a whole theme in bathrooms and kitchens, so, lets take a look which tiles can help you to achieve that stunning maximalist home.

Black Metro Tiles

Metro tiles have more than been doing the rounds in the interiors world as of late. Walk in to nearly any commercial or residential building and you’ll likely be met with a metro tile. Metro wall tiles first rose to popularity in the early 1900s thanks to their extensive use on the London Underground stations. These tiles soon became an iconic design feature that is synonymous with this time in history and as such give a gorgeous vintage glamour aesthetic. For a maximalist look, use a black metro tile with a high gloss finish. This gives a dramatic flair that oozes sophistication. Black tiles are best used in spaces with plenty of access to natural or artificial light, so try a grey metro tile for smaller rooms instead.

Definition of Maximalism–Quote
“Maximalism has such an emotional quality to it because you’re
drawing upon things you love. Sasha Bikoff, interior designer”

Patterned Tiles

There’s no escaping patterns at the moment and they show no signs of going away any time soon. Whether it be a funky palm tree, geometric or chevron print, its safe to say that patterns are paving the way of the maximalist trend. Much like a wallpaper, patterned tile make for excellent feature walls. This allows you to focus on those stunning accessories that really make the maximalist design shine.

Herringbone Tiles

You may find the term herringbone vaguely familiar and for good reason. Most commonly found within the wood flooring world, herringbone refers to the name of the layout of the wood planks. One of the best thing about tiles is that you can lay them however you want once you’ve bought them. Herringbone floors have taken over the wood flooring industry and the look is currently doing the same within the tile community. Herringbone tiles are ideal for maximalist looks since they add incredibly fluidity and interest to a wall or floor. In a similar way to patterns, chevron tiles create a point of interest in a room which works perfectly with those striking colours and finishing home decor items.

Maximalism couldn’t come at a better time. With minimalist homes starting to grow tired and predictable, the interiors world is relishing the chance to work with bold new looks. In the worlds current climate, a little makeover is exactly what were all looking for. So, why not consider maximalism as a theme if you’re planning to redecorate!