A Taste of Sugar, After Almost Three Years

Posted by Reporter on Thursday

Almost three whole years have gone by and I have managed to stay sane without indulging in sugar. I’ve thrived, actually. Every New Year’s Eve I’ve asked myself if I can let go and indulge a little. So far I have not wanted to taste sugar again.

At some point on my birthday, however, I decided that I might try a little dessert if the occasion presented itself.

It did.

Jeff and I enjoyed a very late night dinner at Old Ebbitt Grill and I asked to see the dessert menu.

(I’ve frequently thought about taking a bite of something deliciously, sinfully sweet, just a bite, but then fear becoming a full-fledged addict all over again. No taste in this world would make it worth it. And yet, does this total denial make me an obsessed freak?)

After a small dinner on the night of my birthday, the server brought out a chocolate cappuccino brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, covered with layers of fresh whipped cream. I knew this was going to be outrageously delicious. I planned to attack the dessert from the top down, one layer of whipped cream at a time before diving into the chewy brownie. I salivated in anticipation.

As I began to undress the brownie’s sweet layers of whipped cream, a monster impulse came out of me and I began to greedily take large spoonfulls of brownie, covered in ice cream and whipped cream. I savored the flavors of chocolate and espresso and vanilla just long enough to swallow quickly before taking another bite.

This lasted all of four bites.

I reached my tolerance for sweet so quickly that I set my spoon down in surprise. I had not anticipated this. I planned to take advantage of the situation and eat the entire dessert, until the very last drop of melted ice cream and crumb of brownie were resting in my belly. I didn’t care if I ate too much, just this once.

I sat back and looked at Jeff. He was holding his spoon, ready and waiting to pick up where I left off. I told him I had had enough. I couldn’t even imagine taking one more bite. He asked me if I could “taste the sugar” and honestly I was not able to break down the ingredients like that. My mouth just began to need water and reject the mere idea of more sweet. It was simple and complicated.

Bittersweet.

I sat back and enjoyed watching my husband devour the almost fully intact dessert. He lives for chocolate and has this raging sweet tooth all the time. He asked me if we should tell our server what a significant dessert this was for me. The server came by and cleared our table and Jeff and I looked at each other, knowing that this would be our little secret.

As we walked outside, past the White House and down the street to our car, Jeff asked if I would eat sugar again anytime soon. Instantly pictures of donuts and cookie dough and ice cream flooded my imagination. I could take my pick. I could be done with this silly sugar-free kick and enjoy life! But I shook my head and tried to explain the strange sensation that I felt.

“As good as that brownie ice cream sundae tasted, a better feeling emerged from my brain as I stopped eating it and watched you enjoy it,” I said, unsure how to explain this feeling. “These past few years I have watched so many people enjoy desserts, as I sip lemon water or tea. In the beginning I felt somewhat resentful and angry at myself for having such a dumb resolution to not eat sugar, but it morphs into something else. This is going to sound twisted, but I’ll try to explain: As I watch other people eat dessert, I see that people are weak around sugar–which I recognize easily, because I am weak around sugar, too. They are victims to their sweet tooth and eat and eat until their stomach is about to explode, and after dinner will confess that they ate too much but couldn’t stop. I feel a certain strength in passing on dessert because I know I will feel good about myself.”

Too many times in the past (okay, almost every time) when presented with dessert, I overate. I would beat myself up for losing control, while suffering from a full, bloated belly. I would swear to have more willpower next time, but “next time” I never had that willpower I promised myself. It was a vicious cycle that never changed until that first day of the year, 2008, when I kicked sugar’s butt.

After quitting sugar for two years and nine months and then finally eating a sugary dessert, my conclusion is that nothing tastes as good as feeling good about myself feels.

Back to my boring sugar-free ways…

Just kidding! Sugar free is not boring at all. Look around my blog for recipes and stories. Being sugar-free is actually quite an adventure, and I look forward to many more years of freedom from the white stuff.

Go to source

Natural Anti Aging Skin Products Contain Shea Butter, Jojoba & Grape Seed Oil

Posted by Reporter on

The market for anti aging products is giant and growing.   When there is a big demand for something, multiple companies try to meet the demand.  

Several manufacturers offer high quality anti wrinkle creams, lotions and deep moisturizing masks.  Others provide ineffective cosmetics.   The only method to tell the difference is by reading the label of ingredients.

Independent evaluations have shown that some compounds truly work.   Note the “some”.  The same evaluations showed that some are no more effective than a cheap moisturizer.

Cheap moisturizers can amazingly be harmful.   Most of them contain petroleum jelly which can cause you to age prematurely and does cause acne breakouts by clogging the pores.

I have spoken to many who say they don’t use moisturizing creams, because they don’t like the greasy feeling they leave and cause them to have breakouts.   I personally tried anti aging products that caused the same problem.  No matter what else the creams contain, there will always be emollients in them.

Emollients are moisturizing and softening compounds.   If you won’t use a moisturizer, then you cannot use anti aging skin care products.  But, don’t fret.   Anyone can use a moisturizer as long as it does not contain petrolatum or mineral oil.  You see, it is the ingredient, not the product that causes the problem.

Natural emollients include Shea butter, grape seed oil, jojoba and macadamia oil.  Shea butter is one of the effective ingredients mentioned above. 

Clinical studies have proven it to make women’s skin softer, smoother and younger looking in as little as 30 days of use. 

People are often surprised to learn about the benefits of Shea butter.  They have used it as a hand cream, but had no idea about the anti-aging effects.  

It is important to note only the highest grades of Shea butter offer the premium benefits.  It is important to look for the cold pressed grades.  They should not contain any added perfumes.

Fragrances are unnecessary ingredients that should not be included in anti aging products.  Many of the adverse reactions that people experience are caused by the fragrance. 

There are other effective ingredients to look for.  You will learn more about them in some of my other articles. 

Go to source

The Proper Way To Bleach Your Skin

Posted by Reporter on

Skin bleaching is one of the most popular beauty procedures and there are numerous females around the world who bleach their skin on a normal basis. Nevertheless, very few of them are aware of the right way to do so. If you wish to bleach your skin properly, read on to find out more on ways to go about it.

For starters, you must locate the right bleaching product for your skin. Below par products are unlikely to provide you with the desired results. Of the many different bleaching products obtainable in the markets; just a few could guarantee true effectiveness. Thus, it’s very critical for you to select the proper bleaching products. You ought to ideally go for natural skin bleaches that are made up of ingredients like aloe vera, kojic acid and licorice.

While most natural bleaches are commonly very successful; they do not work as well on stubborn skin. Using these bleaches to remove suntan lines may not at all times deliver the outcomes you want. In such cases, it would be wise to select a stronger and more effective skin bleach crème. Nevertheless, do check customer testimonials and product reviews before settling on any certain bleaching product.

The next in line thing which you need to pay attention to is the right application of bleach. Many women are in the habit of using bleach unevenly by applying generously on one area and sparingly on the remaining areas. This is nevertheless a complete no-no if you don’t want any uneven skin tone. In case you are nursing pimples, it’s critical for you to steer clear of applying bleach on the areas of zits and mounts. This may stop skin irritation.

Always keep a moisturizer handy while bleaching. Most women tend to neglect moisturizing after bleaching. However, this could cause substantial harm to your skin. In severe cases, it may even peel off the outermost layer of the skin epidermis. Therefore, it is critical that you use a moisturizer after bleaching to prevent skin damage. A suitable moisturizer can help recharge your skin by providing it with vital nutrients. The product should ideally be applied about 5-10 minutes after the use of the bleach. Also, do make certain that your moisturizer is sufficiently light and absorbent for best outcomes.

While some people bleach their skin to lessen the appearance of facial hair, there are others who want to hide acne scars. In case you want to camouflage acne scarring, you could also make use of the Zenmed Acne Scar Treatment Kit. Irrespective of what the reason may be, it is essential that you do the task right.

The next time you’re bleaching your skin, make sure that you are a little cautious and there’s no stopping you from accomplishing the best results.

Go to source