Tuesday Healthventures! Tea and Banana's

Okay let me preface this by stating the obvious. I am not an expert, nor am I going to pretend to be. This segment is strictly about me finding out what has worked for my body. If it works for you too then great!

About three weeks ago, I made the decision to say goodbye to a very dear friend. Starbucks. See, I loved coffee, and I could have had anywhere from one to three cups a day, which isn't as bad as some, but worse than others. But I pretty much always started off my morning with a cup.

Now let me back track. At the end of May this year I was informed that I will basically be living with chronic migraines. At 24, it's pretty damn irritating to deal with, and I now have to take a pill every night to combat them. So I have been on a mission to search for natural ways of combating these horrible, horrible things, because I hate taking pills. I hate the idea of putting something unnatural in my body.

Back to the coffee. Every morning when I woke up I would have my cup, I was convinced I needed that jolt to get me going for the day. I was still having headaches every week if not multiple times a week. I was in a constant state of migraine. I was increasing my coffee intake with the headaches believing that the caffeine would help, which it did to an extent. One morning after and very busy weekend, where for some reason or another I hadn't had any coffee at all, I woke up and realized that I wasn't dizzy, didn't have a headache, and hadn't had even a cup of coffee in three days. Caffeine is a trigger.

I decided to take a week to test out this theory, and just not drink anything caffeinated what so ever for the rest of the week. Sure enough, not a single dizzy spell.

As of late instead of drinking my cup of joe in the morning I am now in the habit of having a cup of tea to put me to sleep at night. A routine I am growing quite fond of. But I also needed something to boost me in the mornings, so I did some research and hear are too things that I now do every morning.

Peppermint Tea - First it's supposed to really help ease migraine pain. I put it to the test today and it does. I had one coming on, and it pretty much kicked it. But it also helps with things like digestive health, and helps to ease nausea and other unpleasant things caused by stomach malfunctions. It also helps relax the muscles, which is why I believe this has started to become part of my morning routine. I am usually super tense when I wake up, even if I'm in a good mood, I'm just not a morning person. I like sleep. But this tea helps to relax me, but not so much that I want to sleep. Just enough so I feel ready for my day.

Bananas - I have loved this fruit since I was a kid, and it is my morning staple now. One reason first if I don't have time to have a full breakfast, a banana fills me up just fine, and gives me an awesome energy boost. But seriously this is like the best fruit of all time...well these and avocados. Check out this link. It completely blew my mind. I always have a banana in my purse or lunch box now!

http://foodmatters.tv/articles-1/25-powerful-reasons-to-eat-bananas

Okay that's all for this week! Next week, we'll talk smoothies...and no, not the shakes you make from a can, or packet.

This song just makes my day that's really all.

A Non-exciting Disney, kitty week

I'll be honest the past week really hasn't been all that exciting. I've been working. A lot. And I will continue to do so this week. Gotta get those head shots done!

Anyway here are a few of the positive highlights:

I swear I am never going to grow up. At least in some ways. I love Disney, and I am proud to show it, even on a lunch box that I take to work. That is just who I am. Plus look how pretty that is!

Okay so this cat is the opposite reason of why I do this blog but it's soooo funny to me! I love Grumpy Cat Meme's. The boyfriend has a bucket full of things to do whenever I'm feeling sad, and Grumpy cat is part of them. It is guaranteed to make me laugh! And the fact that it was combined with The Big Bang Theory is even better!

My boss - I'm not going to put his name on here mainly because of all the drama at my current job right now. I call him Boss-man at work so that's what I will put here. While the current situation at my job is not ideal, I still thoroughly enjoy going into work, because my boss is pretty much one of the nicest people, you will ever meet, who also gets shit done. I've described him to many as a big brother figure, he genuinely cares about his employees and wants the best for them, but will bring the hammer down if needs be. There has been a lot going on in the workplace lately, some good, and bad, and a lot of us have been really anxious to see what our fate with the company is, and for the most part Boss-man has really held the team together to the best of his ability. Quite frankly even though there are many days where I dread going into work, I am incredibly thankful with the people I work for and with.

Okay next, so to this a more regular blog I have decided to do a weekly stint on my adventures to becoming a more healthy individual. Things that I discover I like and don't like and, what I find to be facts and fiction in the realm of health nuttiness. I'm trying to turn into a health nut, and I am okay with that title if it means feeling better overall. Starting tomorrow, Tuesday's will be about my adventures into the world of becoming a more healthy individual!

Things from this week

I WILL get the hang of blogging more frequently! I swear...

So Thursday was my birthday, and no big thing. It was honestly a perfect day! I received lots of phone calls from family, and texts from friends, and got my hair cut. It was awesome.

Best part of my birthday: These and waffles!

In the world of relationships, I really am one incredibly lucky lady! He knew I wanted flowers and he got them in the best way possible. These will be able to stick around for quite some time and they are quite lovely on our balcony. Then later the boy made me waffles! One of the things he loves doing, and takes pride in. Even though he makes them a lot I always feel super special when he makes me waffles, and these were birthday waffles so there is something even more magical about them.

My bestie knows me all too well.

I love Harry Potter, and needed a new wallet. Perfect. I don't care how old I get I will always display my inner dork.

Getting my haircut at Floyds - I love this place, if you live in LA and still haven't found a reliable place to get your hair done. do it here. It's perfect. It's called Floyd's 99 Barbershop. Don't let the barbershop part throw you off the it is just as much a salon. It's a very rockish atmosphere and the music for the most part is great. Occasionally you get some crap, but the also played The Real Slim Shady and that made me happy. I will be going to get my hair done there from here on out.

I am on mission to figure out what looks work for me. 1 - I am tired of the t-shirt jeans look all of the time, I actually do like to look cute, and prettied up. 2 - I love that the sixties are coming back because it is making finding looks a lot easier! Not necessarily all of the colors, I couldn't find a good example online, because, I'm new to this whole actually trying to be fashionable thing so I didn't know what to call the style of the dresses I've recently purchased. But the best way to put it right now is that it seems to me that society is noticing that girls have figures again, which for me is awesome. Because I'm going to be real, no matter how skinny I may get someday, I am going to have a full figure. My point, I am happy that I am able to actually find cute clothes the fit me properly!

Okay that's all for now. There are many other topics but now the boyfriend is home and I want to go talk to him.

Nilton is awesome...and so it Pinterest

Nilton - When I tried to look up the name I couldn't find it. All I could find was Milton. Which to me says, extremely unique. This is perfect for Nilton.

Nilton is one of my co-workers, and I love him to pieces. He truly is a one of a kind person, and you won't find anyone else like him. Also he tolerates my weirdness so this helps our friendship greatly.

Everyone I work with can agree that work has been a bit of a stressful situation lately, so for me when I go in knowing that we are about to work together it puts my mind at ease. Not only because things, just flow well when we work together everything for the most part goes the way it should from a business stand point, but we actually have fun, while getting the work done...most nights.

The best part about this guy is that he is who he is and makes absolutely no bones about it. I think we could all learn a lesson from him in that. He is a 20 something hispanic guy, who likes to party, but knows when to work, loves his friends and is there without question when someone needs him, and loves his family wholeheartedly! I couldn't ask for someone better to work with or as a friend!

Pinterest - I am becoming freaking addicted again! So many wonderful things! Including a new hairstyle for myself that will be coming tomorrow. Also it has inspired me to learn how to make more homemade things, besides jam. Like avocado dressing. Come one you know that sounds amazing.

Also it help me discover these

These are Golden Retriever Dachshund mixes! And I now have a new dog obsession. I want a dog crazy bad, and I love Golden Retrievers, but something smaller is better for apartment living. Look at these faces! New obsession reached ladies and gentlemen.

Tar and Ice Cream

Today was definitely a thumbs up kind of day. Date day! Which I love. We haven't gotten to do that in awhile so it was much needed. We went up to the La Brea Tar Pits which I had never really seen, even though I go by it every time I go to work, and worked our way around. Oh first we at The Counter, which has fried pickles, which were the best I have found in LA thus far.

The Tar Pits are pretty cool and they have a little botanical garden thing that you can check out while you're there. And there was a man playing what sounded like Native American music. I don't know if that's the right term, but that's whay it sounded like.

We made our way from the Tar Pits to LACMA, which has these cool lights. These look really cool during the day too, but at night when they are lit up walking through them gives you that old city feel, and it's super awesome.

After this we made our way down toward Whimsic Alley like good nerdy people do if you are in Miracle Mile. Whimsic Alley is a Harry Potter based store that is made to look like Diagon Alley, and they have a Doctor Who room as well. After this is what made my day entirely.

I was thinking that we should have dessert since we had done all of that walking. Since the first time I had moved to LA I have always wanted to find a place where they had locally made ice cream. Because lets face it, forget Ben and Jerry's, it's the best! Well right next to Whimsic Alley we found this place. It's called Milk Jar Cookies, and it was awesome! You could even see then little vanilla bean pieces in the vanilla ice cream. I just had a scoop of ice cream and a chocolate chip cookie, and it was sooo good. The chocolate chips in the cookie were still melted and the cookie was still warm. These people are literally just making fresh cookies all day! They also sold some organic iced teas which were really good. I had the peach and was flabbergasted at how awesome it was. Tea and ice cream make a good combo.

This place also has a really cool vibe to it. It's like walking into a little mom and pop ice cream shop. Which is something I was missing around here, since practically grew up in one. They just play music from the 50's and 60's, which if you know me, you know that makes me even happier.

All in all a really fun day. The best part, is that it made me appreciate LA more. This city really does have a lot to offer.

Jam!

First I am officially admitting defeat on doing 30 straight days thing. I've failed, but that's okay. I can still highlight the positive things in my life without challenge thingies.

This deserves its own post because I am so proud of myself for doing it. I don't care how easy it was I am just proud of myself. I made my first set of homemade jam and it is sooo good! And Melody approved as well. That's important. I even went all California and used organic sugar, which by the way really is a lot better than processed sugar.

But yes I crushed the berries with a potato masher and everything, and will probably do it this way from now on. Since January I have been on a slow and steady mission to remove many processed and store bought things from my diet and I have just eliminated a big one, because I love PB&J if I get hungry in the middle of the night.

Now I just have to get a canner so I can do it the non super easy way next time.