Category Archives: Health

Oct10

“Why Can’t I Quit You?” – Mistakes You’re Making When You Try To Break Bad Habits

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“Why Can’t I Quit You?” – Mistakes You’re Making When You Try To Break Bad Habits

I feel like everyone has at least one or more bad habits. If you say you don’t you are probably a liar! From binging on three gallons of ice cream in bed to smoking a pack a day, we all do things that we are not necessarily proud of. But, if you are at a point in your life that you would like to quit some of these behaviors, here are some tips for you:

“Why Can’t I Quit You?” – Mistakes You’re Making When You Try To Break Bad Habits:

It’s somewhat comforting to know that we all have bad habits. None of us are perfect people, floating through life unencumbered by the things that might sway us from our perfect course. They are those little things we do that our friends might have once brought up, polite as can be, before telling us to knock it off! We know about them, yet we do them anyway.

It’s unlikely that you don’t know that some of these habits can be an issue. Most of us are acutely aware of our failings, even if we try to ignore them. We even go as far as to seek to justify them and explain that it’s okay that we do X because we don’t do Y. If we try to stop them, we come up against a roadblock.

With the time for New Year’s Resolutions creeping up on us at a frightening pace, try and do something differently this time. Rather than just stopping something because you know you need to, find out the obstacles in your way. That way, you can be prepared when the Facebook New Year’s posts clog up your newsfeed!

You’re Not Just Giving Up A Habit – You’re Gaining A New One: This sounds a little bit worrying, but it’s actually helpful so long as the substitute is a healthier one. Take the biggest, baddest habit of them all: smoking. When you stop smoking, you lose the time and energy you would have previously spent smoking. You now have a vacuum of time, and succeeding at quitting is going to be about finding a new habit to fill the gap. It’s the same for a simple thing like biting your nails. You do that when you’re stressed, right? So what are you going to do when you’re stressed now?

You have to find a habit to replace the one that you’re losing. For example, smokers may turn to vaping and nail biters buy stress balls. Places like Shoreditch Vape will give you a fresh start away from tobacco and can make it easier to ease into quitting. If you are buying a vape to help transition into quitting smoking, it is important to stick with that goal so you don’t end up going back to smoking again. Making sure that you use vape products that are actually enjoyable rather than a plain substitute for cigarettes can make a big difference. It is for this reason that choosing a brand that sets the standard for excellence in the world of vaping isn’t just a matter of taste and it can actually help to fight your addiction by helping you to forget the positive association you had with smoking and replace this instead with high quality vaping products.

One of the best ways to help cease your smoking habit is with nicotine free vapes. It will still provide you with the physical act of smoking sans the harmful additives. HealthVape’s Caffeine Vape could be an excellent alternative that comes in a variety of flavors with a formula blend of caffeine, Vitamin B12, and L-Theanine. If you are considering a nicotine free vape, read the customer reviews so you can choose the one that gave people the most success.

You Don’t Understand Physical Addiction: Few of us do something because we don’t like it; we have our habits as they meet our emotional needs. They make us feel better and when they do that, we get a rush of a chemical called dopamine into our brains. This chemical is linked with feelings of joy and happiness. So when we break our habits, the dopamine goes away. We don’t like that.

You may associate physical addiction with the likes of heroin and nicotine, but it applies to pretty much anything. Deny your brain its daily rush of dopamine and its not going to be happy about it. So when you’re struggling in the early phases, give yourself a break. You’ve got to retrain your brain chemistry.

You Don’t Give It Time: Most of us want to shed our bad habits and be done with them ASAP, but it doesn’t work like that. Research at University College London concluded it takes us 66 days to adopt a new habit – which is what you’re doing – as routine. So give yourself time and don’t try and rush it. Anything else and there’s a risk of expecting too much and suffering the subsequent disappointment when you fail.

Creating healthy habits and new routines can be very difficult if you are staying in the place where your addiction festers. If you are binge drinking a lot in your own home, for example, that can be a particularly tough habit to break. Should this be the case for you, you might want to consider a Drug & alcohol addiction treatment in Texas (Or anywhere you fancy!) to get a fresh start away from your usual stresses and triggers. A change in location is a simple idea but it really can be effective in creating good habits and coping skills.

I am the first to admit that I have bad habits. But the right knowledge, tools, and willingness to change can make breaking your bad habit a little more easy. What is one of your worst habits? Have you ever broken a bad habit before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image Photo Provided By: Flickr

Oct6

Common Winter Skin Issues and How to Deal With Them

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Common Winter Skin Issues and How to Deal With Them

With cold weather just around the corner, this post is jam packed with tips and tricks on how to deal with the effect that it can have on our skin. Take a look:

Common Winter Skin Issues and How to Deal With Them:

It’s a fact of life that as the weather gets worse, our poor skin can suffer. But what can we do about the most common cold weather skin complaints? For issues like dryness or joint aches from the cold, you can’t go wrong with private label CBD skin care to help soothe chapped, irritated skin or minor aches. Bath bombs, body butter, and salves all can go a long way in providing some much needed relief. For other common skin issues, you can try the following:

Cold Sores: Many people have problems with cold sores when the weather turns. Cold sores are caused by the Herpes Simplex virus and usually occurs when the person’s immune system is compromised. That means they are more likely to pop up when you get a cold or the flu during the winter time.

The good news is that you can only get them if you already have the virus. The bad news is that it can be transmitted quite easily and that is why you shouldn’t share lipsticks or lip balms if at all possible, as you just open yourself up to the risk of contracting the virus. To treat cold sores, ignore the old wives tales and use antiviral creams. It’s best to deal with them as soon as you feel the familiar tingle. If you leave them to develop, they can become painful and ugly.

Chapped Lips: Even if you are not susceptible to cold sores, the harsh weather of the winter may cause you to get nasty chapped lips. This is when the skin on the lips dries out so much that it begins to crack. It can be very painful, and your lips are at a high risk because they move a lot and go from being wet to dry frequently.The best way of dealing with chapped lips is to use a lip balm regularly. You should also exfoliate your lips once a week so the dead skin does not build up on them.eos.jpg

Link to photo

Eczema: Winter time is often when people suffering from eczema experience a worsening of their condition. This is because the temperature varies so often throughout the day from the cold outside to the warm indoors which can further dry out and irritate damaged skin. It is worth remembering that eczema is more than just a bit of dry skin that can be dealt with by using face lotion. In fact, it is a recognized medical condition. If you believe that you could be suffering from this, you can get some more information online from West Dermatology.

If you can’t get into your dermatologist’s right away and are looking for relief for your eczema, you could try HarlanMD’s eczema cream for face. It is a prebiotic lotion that can help to both relieve and prevent flare ups to keep your skin looking and feeling its best all winter long.

Redness: A lot of people can suffer from redness in the face during the winter. This is often because they struggle to regulate their body temperature sufficiently. Or, the tiny capillaries in the cheeks become constricted trapping blood flow in that area. For many of us this red face issue, known as Rosacea is embarrassing and difficult to deal with. Some rely on creams to take the redness down, while others swear by green cream which is meant to neutralize the red color.

A more lasting way of dealing with Rosacea is to use a dermatologist developed camouflage cream. These creams are makeup that contains a high percentage of pigment. That means that they are effective at covering up redness and other issues like birthmarks. They are often waterproof once sealed with translucent powder, so the wearer doesn’t have to worry that it will come off in the rain or snow.

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Sun Damage: Surprisingly, another cause of red skin in the winter can be sunburn. We all associate sunburn with hot weather, but the sun can be shining brightly on even the coldest, snowiest day. That is why skiers often wear crazy neon colored sunblock. Make sure that your family is protected against the UVA and UVB rays of the sun all year round by providing them access to sun cream. The ones that you put on once in the morning and last all day are best because it’s likely that they will forget to apply regularly if the temperature is below 0!

Chaffing: Another rather embarrassing problem that winter can bring us is chaffing. This can happen anywhere on the body where your skin meets your clothes but is often an issue on the inner thigh area. It can be very painful and cause red bumps and welts to appear on your otherwise healthy skin. In particularly bad cases the skin can become so dry and damaged that it becomes flaky.

If you are suffering from this problem, there are a few things that you can do. First of all, you can apply an intensive moisture cream to aid healing in the damaged area. Secondly, check the fit of your clothes. Rough trouser seams or friction creating tights can have a lot to do with this issue. Lastly, you can coat the affected area with Vaseline which will add movement and prevent such a friction build up.

Moles: While we have to be careful of exposing any mole that we have to sunlight in the summer, they can still be problematic in the winter. This is because it’s easy to forget to check them regularly because we are much more covered up in the cold weather. However, it is essential to check skin marks like moles for the symmetry and edges. This can tell you and your doctors a lot about your risk of skin cancer. Although it may sound silly, schedule a time each month to make sure you check of this sort of thing. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Blisters: While many people jump for joy, because winter is the season for wearing big heavy boots, it makes others groan. This is because heavy footwear, made of stiff materials is likely to cause nasty blisters on your feet. At least until your boots have broken in with wear.

You can minimize blisters by stretching your boots out before you wear them properly. Wear two pairs of thick socks and your boots around the house so they begin to mold to your feet. You can also use specialized blister plasters or balm which will protect the most vulnerable parts of your feet like your heels and toes. This should make your boots a lot more comfortable and enjoyable to wear come wintertime.

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How do you beat winter skin problems? What is one of your skin care secrets to combat the cold? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep12

Flawless Fall Skin

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Flawless Fall Skin

Hey everyone and happy Monday! Welcome to the final post in my fall guest bloggers series brought to you by Laura at Skincare Scope. Laura’s article will give you an abundance of tips on how to achieve youthful, gorgeous skin for the fall season. It is an excellent read and is so informative so take a look:

Flawless Fall Skin:

Did you know that 80% of your skin’s appearance is up to you? Only 20% is genetics! Read what experts say you can do to make a difference:

  1. Avoid the sun. It’s the No. 1 cause of wrinkles, with dozens of studies documenting the impact. In one study that looked at identical twins, New York plastic surgeon Darrick Antell, MD, found sun exposure was even more important than heredity. Siblings who limited sun time had fewer wrinkles and looked younger overall than their sun-worshiping twins.
  2. Wear sunscreen. If you must go out in the sun, the American Academy of Dermatology says, wear sunscreen! It will protect you from skin cancer and help prevent wrinkles at the same time. Buyer beware, not all sunscreens are effective. Look for this seal:

The Skin Cancer Foundation grants its Seal of Recommendation to products that meet the Foundation’s specific criteria for effective UV sun protection.

  1. Don’t smoke. More studies are confirming that cigarette smoke ages skin – mostly by releasing an enzyme that breaks down collagen and elastin, important components of the skin. Sibling studies done at the Twin Research Unit at St. Thomas Hospital in London found the brother or sister who smoked tended to have skin that was more wrinkled and up to 40% thinner than the non-smoker.
  2. Get adequate sleep. Yale dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, MD, says that when you don’t get enough sleep, the body produces excess cortisol, a hormone that breaks down skin cells. Get enough rest, Perricone says, and you’ll produce more HGH (human growth hormone), which helps skin remain thick, more “elastic,” and less likely to wrinkle.
  3. Sleep on your back. Dr. Katie Rodan, (the Proactiv doctor) says, “sleeping on your back could be better than botox”. It is a simple, no cost way to avoid creating wrinkles. The AAD (American Academy of Dermatologists) says any repetitive facial movement overworks facial muscles, forming a groove beneath the skin’s surface. This groove eventually becomes a wrinkle.
  4. Don’t squint – get sunglasses! Sunglasses will protect skin around the eyes from sun damage and further keep you from squinting.
  5. Eat a healthy diet, more fish, fruits, and veggies. Cold water fish, like salmon are a great source of protein – one of the building blocks of great skin. It’s also an awesome source of an essential fatty acid known as omega-3. Fatty acids help nourish skin and keep it plump and youthful. Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidant compounds. These compounds fight damage caused by free radicals (unstable molecules that can damage cells), which in turn helps skin look younger and more radiant.
  6. Use moisturizer. Women and men often overlook the power of a simple moisturizer. Many skin issues are due to a lack of moisture. Skin that is moist simply looks better, so lines and creases are far less noticeable.
  7. Don’t over-wash your face. According to dermatologists at the University of Maryland Medical Center, tap water can strip skin of its natural barrier oils and moisture that protect against wrinkles. Wash them off too often, and you wash away protection. Unless your soap contains moisturizers, you should use a cleanser instead. Use your fingertips to wash your face.
  8. Exfoliate! Out with the old, in with the new. Removing dead skin cells with gentle exfoliation will accomplish three important factors. But be careful and only use gentle exfoliation ingredients like sugar and salt. Even washcloths may be too harsh for your face!
  • It accelerates turnover of dead skin cells.
  • It clears the way for penetration of active treatment ingredients.
  • It refines the skin’s surface to look more luminous.
  • Apply ingredients to repair and replenish skin. Many ingredients have shown anti-ageing benefits. Does your product provide clinical proof that it works? It is not just the ingredient, but the application and formulation that makes the difference.
  • Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs). These natural fruit acids lift away the top layer of dead skin cells, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, particularly around the eyes.
  • Retinoids (including Retin A). The only FDA-approved topical treatment for wrinkles is tretinoin, known commercially as Retin A. Retinol is a natural form of vitamin A found in many over-the-counter products. Studies show that in a stabilized formula, in high concentrations, it may be as effective as Retin A, without the side effects, such as skin burning and sensitivity.
  • Topical vitamin C. Studies at Tulane University, among others, have found it can increase collagen production, protect against damage from UVA and UVB rays, correct pigmentation problems, and improve inflammatory skin conditions. The key, however, may be the type of vitamin C used. To date, most of the research points to the L-ascorbic acid form as the most potent for wrinkle relief.
  • Peptides can increase collagen production in sun-damaged skin and diminished lines and wrinkles.

Take these steps to incorporate good habits for healthy, youthful looking skin. Your skin is your advertisement to the world.  Feel confident that you can put your best face forward.  Comment below to tell us what is your best wrinkle fighting tip.

^^^ Thank you so much again to Laura for such a great read! Once again, please check out her blog and give her some love. What are some of your must have skin care products? What is your daily skin care routine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul29

Six Common Skin Care Mistakes to Avoid

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Six Common Skin Care Mistakes to Avoid

Hi everyone and welcome to a fantastic article from Fix Your Skin that teaches you some major skin care no nos. Take a look and then be sure to check out Fix Your Skin’s website for even more beauty and skin care tips of the trade:

Six Common Skin Care Mistakes to Avoid:

Taking care of your skin is hard. Like a cranky baby that constantly demands attention, you need to put all your time and effort into getting results. All of this is totally worth it, though, when you end up with glowing skin that ages well. However, some women may not get the desired results and find it tough to maintain healthy and beautiful skin all year round.

No doubt, everybody likes and wants to have beautiful skin. It has always been the main indicator of your inner health. Youthful and glowing skin indicates vitality and good health. However, people commit various mistakes thinking that they are following the best skin care techniques asnd they end up with all sorts of skin problems.

Below are the skin care mistakes you might be making which needs to be corrected before extensive damage occurs:

1) Not Paying Attention To Ingredients

To get an accurate idea of what components are present in the product, check the back of the box where the list of ingredients is displayed. Nowadays, people are aware that silicones and parabens are bad for the skin while hyaluronic acid and ceramides are good. However, don’t just scan the list for bad or good ingredients to Fix Your Skin. You need to take note of the order in which the ingredients are displayed.

Sometimes pharmaceutical firms may overload the ingredient list with fillers. So, some of the beneficial vitamins may get buried at the bottom. Keep in mind that fillers are like empty vitamins. Make sure you are looking for products that are rich in natural oils, healthy antioxidants, and vitamins.

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2) Avoiding Sunscreen

One of the biggest mistakes people make while going out in the sun is skipping sunscreen protection. Yikes! As stated by various dermatologists, the primary cause of premature aging of the skin is exposure to the harsh UV rays of the sun sans sunscreen. Make sure to apply the sunscreen lotion on exposed parts like hands, face, legs, and neck 15-20 minutes before you leave home. Go for a sunscreen that has an SPF of 30 or more.

3) Not Cleaning your Makeup Tools

One of the major reasons why you should not leave your makeup brushes unclean is that you are subjecting your skin to dirt, bacteria and other kinds of irritants. These can cause rosacea, acne, and even eczema. So, the smart thing to do is to wash your brushes every week with a soft sulfate-free cleanser.

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4) Smoking

According to various skin experts, smoking is one of the habits that you need to stay away from and it is one of the major skincare mistakes to avoid. The ill consequences of smoking are well documented in the media, and everyone is aware of them. The immediate effect of smoking is that it leads to dehydration of the skin and early aging. It dries the skin and absorbs all of the nutrients. So, in no time, skin becomes saggy, pale, and wrinkles start to appear.

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5) Not Drinking Enough Water

One of the most common skincare mistakes many people make is not drinking enough water. Frankly, it is the easiest and most important thing that you need to do every day. Did you know that water is one of the best moisturizers that you can give to your skin? If you don’t drink enough water, your skin will become dehydrated and blotchy. Various doctors and health experts agree that it is important to have at least 6-8 glasses of water each day. Consuming a lot of water will make your skin glow as it helps in flushing out harmful toxins from the body and keeps skin hydrated from the inside.

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6) Avoiding Fruits And Vegetables And Going For Junk Food

Fruits and veggies are the richest sources of minerals, vitamins, and various other antioxidants. They help in maintaining the elasticity of the skin and also in keeping it healthy. You need to include them in your diet as recent studies have shown that carotenoids present in fruits assist in improving skin tone. Doctors and skin experts feel that junk food not only has harmful effects on your waistline but also on the skin. The biggest cause of breakouts is junk food like white bread, soft drinks, fried snacks, and pizzas. They produce oil and clog pores, thereby impacting the health of the skin.

Final Verdict:

Trying to avoid these common skincare mistakes and having healthy skin can be a huge challenge. Your day-to-day duties for your family, friends, work, and other events are bound to come in between your skin care routine. It might not always seem like the right thing to do but you have to put yourself first. Taking care of yourself is just as important as caring for others. By avoiding the skin care mistakes mentioned in this article, you can get vibrant, glowing skin and can become healthier overall, too.

I want to thank the Fix Your Skin team so much for providing such a fantastic article and graphics for lifewithlilred! What are some of your skin care secrets for healthy skin? What is one of your must have skin care products? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

 

Jun5

Summer Body Workout

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Summer Body Workout

Hi everyone and welcome to another guest blog compliments of the lovely Jess over at Acorn Life & Fitness. I am so freaking excited about this post because lifewithlilred has never had a workout themed anything because I don’t workout! I was thrilled when I learned that Jess was a fitness guru and had her create a workout regimen special for my readers to get that perfect summer bod. Check out Jess’s post and then please be sure to give her page some love!

Summer Body Workout

When it comes to burning fat there’s only one way to do it: cardio. Unfortunately, I despise cardio with a passion so I’m always looking for ways around it. So far, I’ve found that doing a HIIT style cardio workout is the best way to burn as much fat as possible in a short amount of time, while also toning up! HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training so, like the name suggests, it’s short bursts of really hard work. For me, it’s better than going for a run or sweating it out on the cross trainer for 40 minutes because you can be done a lot quicker and you tend to get faster results.

The whole idea of HIIT training is to do an exercise for a short amount of time at full force and then move straight onto the next exercise. It’s pretty hard to get bored of what you’re doing which is a huge bonus for me!

This is a HIIT style cardio workout that I’ve designed. It can be adapted to your wants/needs but it’s a good place to start! You want to do each exercise with as much intensity as you can (while going at your own pace!) and try to only take a 30 second to 1 minute break between circuits. If you need to take more/longer breaks, then do. There’s no need to hurt yourself. But if you can, try not to rest during a circuit. I’ve put a step-by-step description of how to do each exercise at the bottom of the post if you’re unsure about how to do any of them!

I’m going to be making a series of these HIIT style workouts on my blog (targeted at core, upper, and lower body) so if you’re interested in trying out the different routines check it out!

Circuit One:

2 mins jog in place

1 min jumping jacks

2 mins jog in place

30 sec burpees

Circuit Two:

2 mins jog in place

1 min in and outs

2 mins jog in place

30 sec squat jumps

Circuit Three:

2 mins jog in place

1 min in and outs

2 mins jog in place

30 sec burpees

Circuit Four:

2 mins jog in place

1 min fast feet

2 mins jog in place

30 sec squat jumps

How to Safely do Each Exercise:

Jog in Place – Gently jog on the spot, you’ll get tired of this quite quickly so don’t push yourself too hard!

Jumping Jacks – Also known as star jumps, start standing with feet together and hands by your side. Jump into the air and land with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart and hands swept up in the air and repeat.

Burpees – Starting in a standing position, crouch down to the floor with your hands and jump feet out into plank position (hands and feet on the floor with back straight). Now, lift feet back into crouching position and stand. Repeat as many times as you can in the time given.

In and Outs – Sitting on the floor, lift your legs off the floor and out in front of you (bend at the knees to make it easier) and rest your hands on the floor to support you. Your body should be in a ‘V’ shape with only your bum and hands touching the floor. To make the ‘in and out’ action, bring your knees and chest together and then back out again.

Squat Jumps – Start standing, feet shoulder width apart and hands out in front of you for balance. Squat down until your thighs are parallel with the floor (remember to stick your bum out!!) and then jump as high as you can. This all should be one swift motion.

Fast Feet – This is essentially just jogging in place REALLY fast. Like the name says, move your feet as fast as you can. You don’t need to lift your knees high!

^^^ Wasn’t that awesome? I so enjoyed working with Jess and am so impressed with how her guest post turned out. Once again, please take the time to look at Jess’s page at Acorn Life & Fitness. You won’t be disappointed! What is your workout routine (or lack-thereof)? What is your secret to staying in shape? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr26

Monday Update: This Or That Edition Update

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Monday Update: This Or That Edition Update

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday! During a previous Monday Update, I asked for everyone’s opinion on what pair of glasses I should pick out between two equally gorgeous pairs. The choice was between a circular pair of Dolce & Gabbanas or a rectangular pair of Kliik Denmarks. I made my decision and received my new pair of glasses last week and I must say, I’m very happy with them! So what pair did I pick? Take a look and find out:

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THE DOLCE & GABBANAS!!!

Shocking, I know, because the majority of you guys picked the Kliik Denmarks as the pair that I should pick. So why did I go with the polar opposite? I guess I just liked how quirky the circular pair was. I liked that it made me feel professional but still fun and I loved how I could picture myself wearing them to school, my job, and my internship. And yes, I was totally enamored by the fact that they were Dolce & Gabbana. I’m really not a girl that goes gaga over labels but I do have a soft spot in my heart for designer eye-wear. It’s a weakness and a sickness, I tell ya!

All of the above reasons kind of sealed the deal for the D&Cs but one major “aha!” moment made me feel that much more confident in my decision. When I returned to the optometrist’s office after a weekend with both pairs of glasses to help make up my mind, I was wearing my old pair of specs. I’ve had my only pair of glasses since I was fifteen (I’m almost twenty-two, now) and it took trying the Kliik Denmark pair on one more time after I took my old glasses off to know that they were no longer the pair for me.

My pair of old faithfuls just so happens to be the exact same shape as the Kliik Denmarks except that the frames are thicker. I had no intentions of parting with my old pair of glasses so that I could have them as a backup pair and to wear them around the house on a lazy day. Once I saw that I would essentially be having two pairs of the same glasses but in different colors and widths, I knew that I made the right choice by picking the Dolce & Gabbanas.

The D&Cs were the first pair of glasses that I tried on after my eye appointment so it seems fitting that they ended up being the pair that I left with. I’m so happy with my new glasses and all of the compliments that I’ve received about them make me feel even more confident with my quirky cool choice!

So there you have it, an Update on a previous Monday Update: This Or That Edition! Has anyone purchased any new eye or sunglasses recently? How about a new pair of shoes or a purse? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr11

Monday Update: This Or That Edition

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Monday Update: This Or That Edition

Howdy everyone and happy Monday! I hope all of you had a fabulous weekend! I’ve needed to go to the eye doctor for quite some time now and finally managed to get an appointment this past Friday. After I got a new prescription for my contacts, I spent some time looking for new glasses because I’ve seriously had the same pair since I was fifteen. I found a few pairs that really spoke to me so I went home and then returned later in the day with my mom to get her opinion.

I tried on tons of different frames but I ended up returning to the two pairs that I was daydreaming about all afternoon. Two remarkably different but amazingly cute frames. A pair of red, black, and white Kliik Denmarks and a circular black and grey pair of Dolce & Gabbanas. My mom and I were really struggling to figure out which pair was the one and began to grow increasingly aware of the time crunch that we were working with as the office was closing soon.

Lucky for me, I was allowed to take both frames home for the weekend so that I could decide which one I like the best. All weekend I’ve been flip flopping between the two quirky cool pairs and I think I’ve made a decision…But I want to hear what the general public thinks, first. I’m so aware that the following selfies kind of suck but they get the job done. So take a look and then help me decide which pair I should go with:

^^^ Why must I love them both? WHY?!

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: This Or That Edition! What pair of glasses do you like the best? Has anyone struggled with a glasses situation similar to mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar16

Sick Day

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Sick Day

Hello everyone and happy Hump Day! I hope all of you are having a great week so far. Unfortunately, I’ve been feeling pretty under the weather since Saturday. My mom had a killer cold last week which she passed on to me and it hit me with full force. Stuffed up nose, body aches, cough, fever, no appetite – you name the symptom and chances are I’m feeling it. I’ve been running on a diet of Powerade since Monday and I have to say, I’m pretty friggen miserable. The only good thing about my killer cold stint is the Sick Day that I had with my boyfriend, Kyle, on Monday. Let’s discuss:

Let me start off by saying that I usually despise super sappy “I love my boyfriend” or “look what my significant other did for me” posts. I kid you not, there’s a girl on my Facebook newsfeed who literally posts about how much she loves her boyfriend and blah, blah, blah at least five times a day – it drives me absolutely freaking crazy. I will never be the girl who goes overboard with boyfriend posts but this one is SO necessary. Especially considering Kyle risked the possibility of getting sick himself just to take care of little old me.

Monday has always been me and Kyle’s day together and apparently not even the worst cold of all time can change that. Kyle showed up at my house around three bearing candy, tea from Teavana, brownies from his work, and a movie rental of Crimson Peak. He also showed up with knowledge from articles that he Googled on “how to take care of your sick girlfriend without getting sick yourself”. Lol, he seriously thought of everything!

After Kyle unloaded the bag of goodies that he brought for me, we headed into my basement to have a Curb Your Enthusiasm marathon. We were armed with a wad of tissues, a bag full of Sour Patch Kids, Starbursts, and Skittles, as well as the rules of: 1) Refrain from breathing on Kyle and 2) NO KISSES. We deemed the sign of affection “mouth kissin” thanks to me being silly and constantly asking him for a kiss anyways. Kyle tucked me in on the futon and we began our TV marathon which we decided to do in the afternoon so we could watch our movie in the evening.

As soon as we were done with Larry David for the day, we took a break so that I could get something to drink and refill my tissue stash. Kyle came upstairs with me toting my trash can full of tissues to empty which I thought was the sweetest thing ever. It was also one of the suggestions that he found in his research to empty the trash can often. Once we got everything we needed we headed back into the basement to start the movie.

Crimson Peak was a movie that Kyle and I planned on seeing in theaters but we never got around to it. It finally came out on video and I’ve been eager to see it so I was so happy when Kyle rented it for me. Unfortunately, the movie was severely disappointing so I’m glad we didn’t bother seeing it when it first came out. Even though the movie sucked, it was still fun to be able to watch it together!

By the time the movie was done, I was exhausted so we decided to start bringing my Sick Day to an end. We concluded our day by watching Malcolm in the Middle on the computer which is what we usually do before bed when we’re at his house. Kyle then tucked me in under my seven blankets (I like to be really warm when I sleep!) and hit the road. Even though I felt like death, it was sure a perfect end to an awesome day.

I can’t get over how sweet Kyle was to take care of his poor sick girlfriend. He filled my day that shouldn’t have been very fun with so much joy and at some points I even forgot how sick I was feeling. A tell tale sign that Doctor Boyfriend did a great job. Thank you so much for taking such good care of me, babe! I love you!! ❤

I think it’s safe to say that I had one of the best Sick Days in the world thanks to Kyle! As I write this, I’m still feeling pretty shitty but I’m feeling better than yesterday so that’s a plus! Has anyone battled a tough cold or flu recently? What are some remedies that you swear by to feel better? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec3

Looking Good, Feeling Awful

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Looking Good, Feeling Awful

Heyyy everyone and happy Thursday! I’ve been pretty lucky as far as my health goes these past few months – no flus, no infections, nothing…So naturally, I got a cold from hell this week. It’s so awful that I seriously think it would make Satan cry. And who do I have to thank for my unfortunate snotty situation? My boyfriend, of course. What a guy! ❤

Kyle wasn’t feeling well over Thanksgiving so good thing we spent it together, right? He had the beginnings of a cold and sore throat as well as a debilitating sprained ankle…Lucky for me, those aren’t contagious, too! I was feeling fine throughout Thanksgiving weekend, I was healthy as an ox (is that a saying?) and sexy as hell (hubba hubba)! But then on Monday, things took a turn for the worse because I woke up more stuffed up than one of those stuck up Kardashians…Who I HATE!

Every unfortunate cold symptom there is, I had – the sniffles, sore throat, sneezes, body aches, headaches, and a nose that ran faster than Usain Bolt. It’s basically like my own personal form of purgatory which I get to experience right from my home front! Yay!

On Monday after school I make the trek up to Kyle’s place because we always spend Monday evenings together. I was SO hungry by the time that I got there so we decided to get some Mexican food in our sickly stupor. The food was awesome and we got a half pitcher of margaritas to share which might not have been the best choice to drink after having a stomach full of cold medicine and pain relievers.

By the time that we got home, my stomach was in knots and I had to spend some quality time with the toilet where I ended up throwing up a gigantic margarita mess…It was not pretty. I was hurling and my nose was running and I somehow managed to get vomit all over my legs while I was trying to push my hair back. I was a hot as fuck mess. In those moments of stomach weakness, my tummy did end up feeling better but I was so disgusted with myself! I had to call Kyle as I sat on the bathroom floor to have him hobble over and bring me my shower gel so I could scrub my vomit soaked legs clean…It was really great and I highly recommend it.

How was Tuesday and Wednesday, you might ask? Well I am so glad you did because THEY SUCKED TOO! Tuesday and Wednesday ended up being a repeat of Monday except without puking up a half of a half pitcher of margs. Not only are my days filled with agony but I can’t even find any relief at night either. I’ve been waking up three or more times each night to blow my nose, cough, or just lay in misery…And do you know how hard it is to blow your nose with FIVE NOSE PIERCINGS?? I’ll answer that for you…It’s pretty hard. -__-

dandy!.gif

^^^ Dandy is talking about me.

So there you have it, an update on your girl’s declining health in Looking Good, Feeling Awful. I hope all of you guys are having a wonderful and healthy week! Who’s experienced some nasty winter time sickness this year? What are your some of your go to remedies for helping with a cold? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov9

Monday Update: Ain’t That A Kick In The Head Edition

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Monday Update: Ain’t That A Kick In The Head Edition

Hellooo everyone and happy Monday! Unfortunately, I didn’t have the best of weekends because Lil Red suffered from a concussion on Thursday night. Homegirl was not feeling too hot thanks to the most random head injury of all time and now I’m here to tell you all about it! Let’s discuss:

One thing about me is that I sleep like the dead. I usually stay in the same position all night and am completely out like a light once I’m asleep. But on Thursday night, my body decided to do a switch up on me and make me the biggest roley poley of all time in my sleep. I think it might have had something to do with the dream that I was having…

I dreamt that I was in an enchanted Walmart where everything in the store was HUGE – we’re talking gigantic! I was running around throughout the store trying to rescue all of the silly minions from Despicable Me who were captured by Kathy Bates? Haha, yeah, Kathy made a cameo in my dream, too. She was in character as Iris from American Horror Story: Hotel and she was some sort of evil sorceress who kidnapped all of the minions, so it was up to me to return them to Gru, their rightful owner. Things were intense in my dream – I did more physical activity in it than I’ve ever done in my entire life! I was starting to get the hang of it until…

SMACK! CRACK! POW!

I woke up from my head whacking the arm rest of my bedside chair while I was rolling off of my bed. (I must have been rolling under an obstacle in my dream!) The chair by my bed is nice and comfy in the middle but the arm rests are hard as hell and once my head smacked it at full force I was jolted awake. I found myself on my bedroom floor in a sea of blankets and a world of pain. I got myself up to go to the bathroom and assess the situation and as soon as I started walking I knew that something was wrong because I was so dizzy I could barely make my way down the hall. I vividly remember thinking to myself “I wonder if I have a concussion” and then I found my way back to my bed and fell asleep.

On Friday morning I woke up with a pounding in my head that felt like I was getting hit with a hammer. I went to the bathroom and from just the short walk to the loo and back to my room I felt so faint and lightheaded that I had to get myself back in bed. My vision was blurred and it kept going dark and hazy and my stomach felt nauseous. I called my mom who is a doctor to tell her what happened as well as my suspicions that it was a concussion and she told me that I was probably right. Then I consulted Dr. Web MD and my symptoms matched a lot of the ones that were listed as well. Great. -__-

I was officially concussed and was ordered by my mom and Web MD to stay in bed because rest is the best thing that you can do for a concussion. Most of my weekend was spent laying around feeling like ass and also feeling sorry for myself. I got my injury in the strangest way and it left me with symptoms that felt almost flu-like. It was the antithesis of fun and head injuries are NO JOKE. I was so shocked by how awful one blow to the head left me feeling. I guess I’m going to start sleeping in a crib from now on to prevent any further instances of rolling off of my bed! Haha, #FML.

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Ain’t That A Kick In The Head Edition. Thankfully, I’m feeling much better, but Lil Red was definitely hurtin’ these past few days! What was everyone up to this weekend? Anything exciting? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

minions!