Read First

Posted on by Bella Strega

My quest for health and happiness began a little over 3 years ago. I had been miserable for so long it had become normal for me; I had accepted depression as something I ‘had’ that required daily medication, I was numb and stagnant. My daily life consisted only of accomplishing the necessary tasks for parenting and household maintenance and I didn’t know how to answer questions like “What brings you joy?” or “What do you want out of life?”. I had steadily gained weight for 5 years and was at my all-time heaviest weight and definitely the unhealthiest I’ve ever been. I knew that I needed change and had begun reading blogs and articles on self-improvement, looking for some magical solution. In a way I found it, but not quite the way I expected, and it certainly was not instant.

                In an effort to form a new habit and kickstart a diet I signed up for a 14 day no sugar challenge that sent email suggestions for meal plans and had an online forum to talk to others participating. I very quickly found that I was enjoying taking control of what I was putting into my body and I felt amazing within just a few days. The biggest permanent habit to come out of this was switching to drinking almost exclusively water, with very little exception, aside from black coffee in the mornings or occasional tea in the evenings. This is something I have continued, for the most part, to this day. The other result, and how this kickstarted my whole journey, was that I instantly wondered what else I could cut out or control to feel even better. And so, off I went, down a rabbit hole of health and wellness knowledge in search of this euphoria I experienced from the first positive change. In hindsight, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, although at times I was not sure of that at all.

                Over the following months and years, I embraced veganism, whole foods and clean eating, minimalism, exercise of various types, radical self-love and acceptance, and many other paths. Some of them were short lived, not all were successful, but without exception I took away something positive from each new step. A short time after starting my journey I began to feel the fog of depression lift a bit and came to the realization that my depression was truly situational. I chose to stop medicating and eventually learned that sitting with those feelings and understanding what was causing them was essential to getting better. In reality my physical health was the least of my issues, it was a symptom of how horribly off track I had allowed my entire life to get, and yet it was an easy place to start.

I was in an abusive relationship, surrounded by toxic people and life in general was barely tolerable. To attempt to tackle the bigger issues first would surely have led to failure or catastrophe of some sort. It was no doubt a long and arduous path to happiness, but for me it all unfolded the way it should, and when it needed to. All the steps of my journey, the self-discovery, the realizations about who I am & why, how I made it to the other side of the darkness I was in without losing my mind, these are the building blocks for this blog.

                I am going to take you all with me, step by step, through the last few years (and quite a bit of my past as well) and then continue to share my ongoing quest to be the best me and live my best life. Just a bit of a spoiler/teaser to get you started; I am happier and healthier at almost 40 than I have ever been and recently took a huge leap of faith to literally start a new life, in a new place. There will be a lot of darkness and pain recounted in some of my entrees and I will always give warnings for those who need to be cautious of triggers, but if you can I encourage you to read and absorb those messages as they contain some of the most powerful discoveries and life changing moments.

                I hope that every reader can take something away from my journey, my truth. I am not a professional and nothing contained in this blog is intended as medical advice, you should always do your own research and make your own informed choices. I am only sharing my story in the hopes that it can help even one person find their own way into the light. Never forget that every day is an opportunity to start fresh and make different choices. Happy travels, let the adventure begin!

Diets Effect on your Skin

Posted on by Maxx Kills

You know that flawless appearance you really want? What if I told you that the Oreo cookies you are eating while reading this definitely won’t help you get there? The food you consume can play a huge part in the health of your skin. If you have a decent skin-care routine, that is cool, but have you ever considered that the food you eat could dictate the quality of your skin? This article will help you understand the way food affects your skin and how it is important to consider what you eat when you are establishing how to take care of your skin.

What is Acne?

During puberty, you will experience a rougher skin texture, this is due to the overproduction of sebum, a substance meant to protect the skin from infection. The overproduction of sebum can cause the sebaceous glands on your face to swell and grow bacteria, this is called Acne. Even though it is mainly known to be experienced by teens, just about 95% of adults under the age of 25 report the continued experience of acne. This often has to do with a continued diet of processed high fat, low protein, nutrient lacking foods.

How the Right and Wrong Foods Can Do a Lot to Your Skin

Some foods that are commonly known to cause acne are dairy products (like cheese), processed foods, sugar-rich foods, and glycose. The best diet for your skin and overall health is a whole-food Mediterranean diet. This consists of fresh vegetables and high protein meats. That isn’t exactly the ideal diet for the average western teen and would be pretty difficult to maintain in the united states unless you had an extreme amount of will power or some sort of illness that demanded it. I would like to introduce to you the traditional Japanese diet. It is pretty far on the pescatarian side and is very nutrient-rich with high protein meats. A quick breakdown of the diet would look like steamed rice, cooked vegetables, some sort of fish, with a small portion of meat or egg. This is because of Japan’s proximity to the ocean versus it’s access to live-stock. The modern version of the traditional Japanese diet is very westernized and includes a lot more processed foods than the original traditional diet.

Quick tip: If you want your skin to glow like Ruby Rose’s, stick to as much natural, whole food as possible. The closer your food is to fresh, the better it is for your whole body, including your complexion. So, eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables and leans meats that aren’t fried or processed … and skip the candy and junk food! 

Your Diet’s Effect on Regeneration

Your diet can control the quality of your skin like it’s moisture, blemishes, and its ability to heal. If you aren’t consuming the right amount of nutrients, then your skin will have a harder time healing from damage. Hydration is key to hydrated skin, even though it is always good to have a handy moisturizer, staying hydrated can also help with that. Teenagers should consume an average of two to three quarts of water a day, according to the Institute of Medicine. Since blemishes can be caused by patches of blackheads and acne scars, it is safe to say that avoiding foods that are low in fat and rich in nutrients is beneficial for everything.

My best advice is to talk to always consult your dermatologist about a skin problem you are having and to listen to the advice that they give you.

Diet is the Key to Youthful Skin

Diet is the Key to Youthful Skin

Posted on by Maxx Kills

Aging is something that a lot of women dread as they approach that four-o. Turning 40 consists of hunting for the best anti-aging cream and the best vitamins and supplements to take for that youthful look that everyone desires to uphold. I don’t see a lot of women pay attention to the food they consume as they panic to reverse the effect of time, and that is where this article comes in handy. If you really want to know the best way to maintain that bright and youthful look, then your best option is to continue reading.

Wrinkles are one of the most noticeable parts of aging, and also one of the most dreaded. Preserving the softness and tightness of your skin is an absolute must! First, I am going to have break it to you that sugar is now your biggest enemy. Sugar and processed foods have constantly been linked to the increase of wrinkles. There are foods that you can eat that can help prevent and decrease wrinkles as well. Omega 3-fatty acids and oils are now your best friend. Nuts and fish contain these oils and fatty acids that you want to look for. Eating foods high in protein and the fatty acids mentioned will encourage the production of collagen and help to decrease and prevent wrinkles.

Restricting your caloric intake and increasing your consumption of foods rich with antioxidants is another important step in maintaining youthful skin. You can find the antioxidants you need in foods like carrots, potatoes, and broccoli. Vitamin C is the antioxidant you want to look for since it helps to even your skin tone and reduce those wrinkles and blemishes.

Staying hydrated is another key component to maintaining your skins elasticity & preventing wrinkles. The recommended daily intake of water for an adult female is roughly 3 liters per day. That’s approximately 3 rounds of filling your 32oz water bottle. While that may sound like a lot of water, if you keep your water bottle close by and sip throughout the day it will go down easily. You can also infuse your water with fruits high in antioxidants and Vitamin C to pack an extra anti-aging punch.

The true key to preserving your youth through your diet is avoiding most, if not all, processed foods and sticking to a whole food diet. Unhealthy diets rich in carbs and processed nutrients are known to be linked to bad aging. While genetics do play a role in how you age, you can still do your best to improve your experience.  Sadly, your daily venti quad macchiato is not helping your skin stay healthy. It leads to dehydration and can increase cortisol and oil production leading to breakouts. Drinking more than a single glass of wine a day can also inhibit that J.Lo glow you’re seeking. If it sounds like a lot of this advice is to eat as healthy as possible, that’s because aging gracefully requires being very health conscious.

As I always like to say, if you genuinely want to achieve the best results, consult a specialist about the things you want to see in your skin. Going to online resources is helpful to clear up information and to expand on the things you know, but it isn’t too helpful in helping you coordinate a personalized routine for something specific you want to see in yourself. Even Kim Kardashian raves about her dermatologist’s role in her amazing complexion!