To begin, let me say that the following answers are based upon my training and experience as a holistic nutritionist. Opinions on what’s best in nutrition are highly controversial which is the reason so many consumers are confused about making the best choices.

Keep in mind that you are unique, and your genetics, lifestyle, age, and even where you live factor into what might be the best choices for you.

However, there are some absolutes that the nutrition community agrees upon. Highly processed foods, chemicals, additives, refined sugars of any type are unhealthy. Consuming them on a regular basis will harm your health. Consuming meat that contains added growth hormones and antibiotics is unhealthy as well.

Below you will find some frequently asked questions and my response to them:

Full Fat vs. Low or Non-Fat Milk and Yogurt

Q. What are the benefits of full fat milk or yogurt versus low or non-fat in our diets? Is it safe to say full fat products are less processed?

A. Healthy fats play a vital role in our brain health and in helping us feel satisfied. However, when you narrow it down to dairy fats, full or low, consume them in limited amounts. Many people are sensitive to any dairy and the sensitivity can show in acne, digestive issues, phlegm in the lungs or sinuses.

Dairy is not the only answer to acquiring adequate calcium as the Dairy Council might suggest. There are other calcium rich foods. And remember to have adequate Vitamin D intake daily. It aids absorption of calcium and is a proven deterrent to serious Covid illness.

Plant Fat vs. Animal Fat

Q. If all plant fat is healthy and animal fat is dangerous, does that mean it is healthy and safe to eat margarine for example and dangerous to consume butter?

A. Quite the opposite when it comes to butter v. margarine. Butter is a saturated fat, and when derived from grass-fed/antibiotic-free/added-hormone-free cows, it is a rich and nourishing food – when eaten in a limited amount. It is true that your brain needs fat to flourish and maintain healthy performance.

Around 60 percent of your brain is made up of DHA – an omega-3 fat that you get from algae and fish. A little butter in the mix is also fine for the brain. (An early treatment for epilepsy, a brain malfunction, was a full fat diet because of fat’s importance in nourishing the brain.)

And forget about the margarine. Early versions of margarine contained hydrogenated or trans fats. They have been upgraded to contain interesterified vegetable oils which is also highly processed. Modern margarine may contain several food additives, including emulsifiers and colorants.

Put simply, modern margarine is a highly processed food product made from vegetable oils, while butter is basically concentrated dairy fat. You want to eat real food. Your body and brain will thank you for it.

Food and Inflamation

Q. What is inflammation and how is it affected by what we eat?

A. That’s a great question. You may not realize it, but that back pain, joint pain and headache probably stems from your diet. It all starts with what you eat. If you are eating highly processed foods with artificial ingredients and chemicals, your body is charged with processing these unnatural products.

They take longer to be disposed of because the liver’s function is to filter out toxins, and the products in processed foods are indeed toxic.

So, imagine that eating this way is a way of life for you. Eventually, your digestive system will break down because of a lack of healthy foods that produce needed gut flora that regulates metabolism, mood and immunity.

Your energy will fade, leading you to overeat to somehow find the nutrients that the processed foods aren’t giving you. It creates a vicious cycle. Your brain, your muscles, and your joints, along with your digestive system, will need tobcarry on without the vital nutrients these systems need. This is what creates inflammation.

It will show up as headache, acid reflux, back pain, sleep disturbances and joint pain. Don’t pass it off as part of your age; it is your diet, not your age that triggers inflammation.

One-Food Diet

Q. Does eating a cup of blueberries every day help maintain brain health?

A. It definitely will help, but it’s only one piece of the dietary mix that will keep your brain healthy. Blueberries prevent oxidative stress in the brain, so they are definitely beneficial.

You also need healthy fats in your diet that come from walnuts, salmon and avocado. There is never just one food that makes you healthy; it’s a combination of fruits and vegetables of many colors, nuts, seeds and grains, and clean antibiotic-free meats if you choose to eat them.

What nutrition questions have been on your mind? Do you wonder about nutrition conundrums? Have you connected your diet to any particular health conditions? What do you do to keep your body healthy?

Milia is is a somewhat under-the-radar skin condition that manifests itself in the form of small, hard bumps, usually under the eyes or the cheeks. I developed one under my left eye last year and had to do some major research on how to get rid of the milia bump. Given that I’m a borderline hypochondriac, my initial thoughts naturally lead me to scour WebMD (my best friend and worst enemy) in order to self-diagnose myself with what I was sure to be something more serious than a benign bump.

Once I had officially ruled out that the bump was the result of something harmful, my next best guess was that it was a skin tag of sorts. After hours of research, I came to the conclusion that the annoying little bump was something called Milia (also commonly referred to as “milk spots”), a harmless cyst-like bump that forms as a result of excess keratin buildup that becomes hardened under the skin’s surface.

There are two different types of milia; primary and secondary, and each one can be caused by an array of different factors, including lifestyle and hygiene habits to skin trauma caused by lasers, chemical peels, and other more aggressive beauty procedures. Generally, milia form as a result of dead skin buildup that isn’t able to be properly removed, hence forming into a hardened, often whitish cyst. While they’re not serious, they are in fact rather unsightly, and unfortunately fuller-coverage concealers and setting powders seem to highlight their unwanted presence rather than concealing them.

It took me several months, but I am happy to report that I was indeed able to get rid of the unsightly bump on my own and without having to make an appointment to see a dermatologist or esthetician. With the help of a few key products, patience, and due diligence, the under-eye bump is finally gone. Keep reading to find out some of the products I used to help self-treat milia, and what I use to prevent it from making a comeback later down the road.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Courtesy of Adobe.

It took me several months, but I am happy to report that I was indeed able to get rid of the unsightly bump on my own and without the help of a dermatologist or esthetician. With the help of a few key products, patience, and due diligence, the under-eye bump is finally gone. Keep reading to find out some of the products I used to help self-treat milia, and what I use to prevent it from making a comeback later down the road.

The Face Shop.

The Face Shop Rice Water Double Cleansing Set

Opting for a double cleansing routine is an excellent way to prevent milia from forming, especially if you wear makeup or extra rich eye creams and moisturizers. Of course, because the under-eye region is so delicate, you want to make sure you’re using products that are neither too abrasive (to prevent fine lines) or emollient (clogging your pores).

Buy: The Face Shop Double Cleansing Set $21.99

Courtesy of Paul’s Choice.

Paula’s Choice Skin-Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Using a BHA (salicylic acid) solution is an excellent treatment for unclogging pores, which is why it’s commonly used as an active ingredient for acne and congested pores. Using a mild BHA can help open the pores and expedite the expulsion process, helping to remove the keratin build-up from the cyst. For the record, I know this is a viral TikTok beauty product, but I’ve been using it for years—it’s no Internet-famous gimmick.

Buy: Paula’s Choice BHA Toner $29.50

Amazon.

CeraVe Eye Repair Cream

While a super hydrating night eye cream can be a game-changer when it comes to softening fine lines and preventing makeup from settling in, it can also be the culprit for milia bumps thanks to clogged pores. You don’t have to ditch this skincare step altogether, but choosing a non-comedogenic, lightweight formula like CeraVe’s is key.

Courtesy of La-Roche Posay.

La Roche-Posay Ultra-Fine Facial Scrub For Sensitive Skin

While chemical exfoliants are the best method, using a fine scrub can also help to open up the pores as well. I love this scrub because it’s gentle and non-abrasive so it won’t damage or tear the skin. While I’ve never been one to use a physical scrub to exfoliate (especially under the eyes), I honestly believe that using something with a bit more grit really did help expedite the removal process — just don’t overdo it.

Buy: La-Roche Posay Ultra Fine Scrub $17.99

Amazon.

InstaNatural Retinol Serum

Retinol is practically the all-encompassing miracle ingredient that’s backed by ample research and dermatologist approvals because it actually works. Like chemical exfoliants, retinol speeds up cell turnover, helping to slough away dead skin, which is why it’s a critical step if you’re trying to get rid of milia.

Buy: InstaNatural Retinol Serum $18.87

Danielle Olivera’s Season 5 Reunion Dress

Summer House Season 5 Reunion Fashion

Orange you glad Summer House is finally getting a real reunion show this year?! Well we sure are because it means we get to see Danielle Olivera rock this super hot (and perfect for summer!) orange ribbed tank dress. And if you’re wondering who it’s by, well then keep on scrolling to see us spill the tea Loverboy down below. 

Fashionably,

Faryn

Click Here to Shop Her Remain Birger Christensen Dress in Orange

Click Here to Shop it in Red

Click Here to Shop Her Asos Design Sandals

Photos & Info: BravoTV.com

Originally posted at: Danielle Olivera’s Season 5 Reunion Dress

Do you dread trying to find something in your loft or attic space? When people are embarking on a declutter, trust me, the bottom of the list is always the loft or attic. Or shall we call it the Room of Doom? It’s filled with all that random stuff that just doesn’t have a home anywhere else in the house, and there is LOTS of it. You know that room!

It could be anything – you fling it into the abyss, and it never comes up for air. Old kettles, memorabilia, suitcases, summer clothes, books, pushchairs, hand-me-down clothes, all get pushed up into your loft or attic and stick around for years waiting to be discovered and loved.

The stuff stored there is random, and the space tends to be seriously awkward – tricky to access with lots of low beams and sloping walls, dusty, damp and dark – a storage nightmare! So, it’s time to be inventive!

First Things First – Time to Declutter

Lofts or attics are straightforward because, for the most part, they hold lots of delayed decisions. You have decided you don’t want something in your house anymore and just put it in the loft or attic until you can decide what to do with it.

So, procrastinate no more. Be ruthless – ask yourself, “Do I really need it, love it or use it?” If not, do yourself a favour and donate it to charity or goodwill.

Logistics Can Be the Hardest Part of a Loft Declutter

You need to think about such things as the weather and how easy it is to hoist your stuff from the top of the house to the bottom. If you have a loft ladder, you need a second person to help. You need to be able to get larger boxes down somehow.

A loft or attic can be dark so light can be an issue. Add that to the fact that some belongings have been buried for years, and it’s no wonder we call it the Room of Doom!

Once You Start Taking Stuff Out of There, It Can Be Like a Tardis

To be able to go to your loft and easily find what you need is a must. The less stuff you have up there, the easier it is to create a really useful extension to your home for those seasonal and sentimental items. It’s vital to create order and focus on visibility and accessibility first and foremost.

New Storage in Zones

Zoning is critical too. Store like with like, and create zones for seasonal decorations, memorabilia, household items, etc. And remember rule number one of an organised home – make sure everything is accessible and your system is logical for the whole family.

Storage Containers Matter

Large, clear, robust plastic boxes are the best storage solutions for lofts and attics – they keep your stuff dry, safe and contained and are easy to label. Don’t underestimate the lack of light – use thick black marker pens on your labels so you can see at a glance where everything is.

In certain climates, a loft or attic is a definite no-no for storage too – you know if that’s your part of the world!

So, set a day or two aside, be ruthless and go for it! If you’ve decluttered a loft or attic and are still smiling, you can tackle anything!

Do you have a loft/attic that’s chockablock from floor to ceiling? What kind of zones do you use to keep things in order? Let us know in the comments.