Magazine Posts Table of Contents

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Posted 2014-12-02 11:27:18 | Views: 784
Are there down sides to a gluten free diet?
The rule in any deal is that there must be something given to get something in return. In the case of going gluten free, this bargain all depends on the management of a diet. When removing a protein found in so many substantial foods from a diet, be careful to only be cutting out the gluten and not loosing essential vitamins and minerals. A great way to make sure there’s no exclusion of any of these essentials is to consult in a dietician.

One more thing to look for is what is being added to the gluten free products to help them maintain there flavor, texture, and structure without gluten. Some products increase the amount of sugar or oils they use. They also swap ingredients such as corn, oats, and rice for wheat which can also cause irritations all on their own ("The Pros and Cons of Going Gluten-Free").
Does a gluten free diet help with weight loss?
The answer to this question varies. For those with gluten intolerance, it for sure can be a huge step in their weight loss journey; however, most of the time dropping the gluten is not dropping the pounds. Let’s take a second to think about all the delicious food that contains gluten. Gluten is in noodles, breads, cereal, baked goods, dressings, beer, and sauces. Looking at this general list, what do they all have in common? They all contain a bounty of carbs! Anyone who is truly looking to loose pounds knows that carbs are the thing to decrease in a diet. When someone decides to go gluten free, they tend to eat less food found in this carb rich category and more fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. New food choices are making the weight loss difference rather than the lack of gluten.
Going gluten free can also cause you to gain weight. If you go the more expensive rout exchanging all regular goods with similar gluten free products, gaining weight becomes a very likely result. These products often contain more fats and sugars thus only increasing your caloric intake and decreasing your weight lost ("Why Going Gluten Free Can Be Unhealthy").
Gluten Protein Structure:
Gluten is neither good nor bad it is merely a protein that ‘s effects are unique in each individual. It can be a boost to a happy healthier life no longer fighting a gluten deficient body. It may also be a pointless fad diet that makes no physical difference. Either way it is a personal decision one that each person should make for the needs of their own truly unique body. We encourage people to try something new and go gluten free for thirty days. They may not even know the energy, clear skin, and weight loss that’s been missing until this change in diet. People do not know what they do not try.

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Posted 2014-11-30 14:46:38 | Views: 774
Is Gluten Free for Me?
 Gluten free diets have skyrocketed in popularity this past year. It has entailed much controversy. Gluten free diets claim to be the key to everyone’s diet success yet has also labeled the largest fad diet of the decade. Before hoping on the gluten free bandwagon or totally ranting on it, take some time to understand gluten and why people are trying to cut it from their diets. 
What is gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Products such as noodles, cereal, and bread hold together and keep their shape through the power of this protein ("What Is Gluten? - Celiac Disease Foundation")
Why is gluten bad?
The thought that gluten is harmful to everyone is a common misconception. Gluten has a different affect on each individual and it is quite unlikely that you need to go completely gluten free. The only people who truly cannot have gluten are those with celiac disease.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes damage to the small intestines during the digestion of gluten. Not to worry though only about 1 in every 100 people have celiac disease; however, celiac disease is a 
very serious issue and without treatment can cause serous damage. Avoid self-diagnosis and treatment. The best way to go about treating it is to maintain a regular diet and go to the doctor as soon as possible. Their blood tests can determine if this disease is present. They then will help cut this part out of the diet without sacrificing other essential vitamins and minerals ("What Is Celiac Disease? - Celiac Disease Foundation"). The other more likely reason to cut gluten from a diet is due to gluten sensitivity. About 1 in every 20 people suffers from gluten sensitivity on some. This is a less serious non celiac disease that would also cause you to benefit from dropping gluten. The best way in this situation or just out of curiosity about gluten’s affects is to try going gluten free for thirty days ("Why Going Gluten Free Can Be Unhealthy").
What are the symptoms of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity?
Many of the symptoms are general such as abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, anemia, irritability, mouth ulcers, and irritated skin rashes. If these symptoms are present, consult a doctor.

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Posted 2014-11-30 14:46:20 | Views: 691
Living rooms are often a gathering place that revolves around conversation and other activities. To pick this lively mood, look back to the warm colors such as reds and yellows. A very popular combination now is taking a darker shade of red and letting furniture accent the walls by having them be a neutral color such as brown.
Offices are a place to concentrate and focus on the materials you need to complete. As we stated before, green is a good color to keep a peace setting and help maintain concentration. Another way to go would be the modern sophisticated look by blending white, gray, and black together through paint and furniture. For this look, consider buying furniture that has a steal accent. This will create the firm professional business look you are striving to obtain ("Using Color Psychology to Create an Emotionally Healthy Home").
A final tip is to keep in mind that the color affects not only emotions but also how large the room appears. Darker colors make the room feel smaller because its darkness seemingly draws things together. On the contrary, lighter colors brighten up a room making it feel more spacious. This rule does not only affects walls but also ceilings. The reason people typically leave their ceilings white is to make the ceiling appear taller ("Room Color and How It Affects Your Mood").
We hope that this advice brings excitement, relaxation, concentration, and energy wherever you need it. Good luck coming up with color combinations that best suit you! Have fun and paint the mood! 

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Posted 2014-11-17 10:11:04 | Views: 719
The fist step is deciding what type of feeling to incorporate into the room. Is the goal to spice it up and have it be a lively hub filled with conversation or is it turning the mood down into a relaxation destination? Using the desired mood, select a warm or cool color. With the wide variety of color hues and mixtures, it can be difficult to choose the right one. To get thinking, we have come up with some color schemes that best suit the moods of a couple generic rooms.
Kitchens are often like a busy bee’s hive with the constant flow of people walking in and out along with the continuous work that goes on in there to feed the hole family. If this best describes your kitchen or what you want the kitchen to become, try a warm vibrant color that will evoke energy. Different shades of reds and yellows are perfect for bringing this effect to the kitchen. Many restaurants have a basic color scheme including red. Red not only stimulates conversation but also increases your appetite ("Using Color Psychology to Create an Emotionally Healthy Home").
Bedrooms are often a place looked at as one’s get away from life’s stresses. A place to forget about what tomorrow brings and clears the head for tranquil rest. To bring on this feeling of ease, look at a cool pallet. Blues, greens, and purples are all great choices. If you tend to ponder on questions, consider going green. Green is a very relaxing color for the eyes and enables people to hold their concentration longer ("Room Color and How It Affects Your Mood").
The bathroom is a place to literally scrub the dirt of the world off in hopes that feelings of purity and relief will follow. Use a cool color such as turquois due to its rising popularity; however, this is a place where many other colors are suitable. White is a desirable color for bathrooms because it is the color of purity, which is ultimately the goal when leaving a bathroom. Another consideration is what color is most flattering. Would you ever wear this color? This is the place where people spend most their time preparing themself for the day. Have a color that starts the day off right leaving a happy and confident feeling. A little self-confidence goes a long way in this tough world.

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Posted 2014-11-17 10:10:59 | Views: 731
Painting the Mood
 The color chosen for a room sets the mood. Color is a form of nonverbal communication that subtly affects peoples’ emotions and behavior. Color affects blood pressure and metabolism. Both hold a great deal of power when it comes to creating moods and influencing emotions. Although experiences create certain preferences to specific colors, subconsciously colors change the way a person feels.
 First, let’s establish how to classify colors. There are two main groups that colors can be broken into, either warm or cool. The warm group contains the colors at the red end of the color spectrum containing red, orange, and yellow. These colors often correspond with very passionate feelings that range from love and comfort to rage and enmity. Cool colors are on the exact opposite side of the color spectrum. Its colors include blue, green, and purple, which usually correspond with, relaxed feelings but at the same time associate with sorrow. The hue of colors also affects the emotional strength. Dark hues of any color give off deeper and stronger emotions while light misty hues lend a more soothing feel ("Can Color Really Change How You Feel and Act?").
A few colors do not fall under the basic categories of the warm cool color spectrum such as white, brown, gray, and black. Each of these colors holds their own affect each one with some good and bad. With these colors, take extra caution for they each hold their own beauty but the key to this beauty is in moderation. The way people view white is usually based off its proportion. With the right amount, white can make a room seem more spacious and give off a feeling of pureness; however, if it is over used it quickly transcends into a cold icy feeling. If used in moderation, brown is a powerful earthy color that carries the feeling of warmth in its many different shades. Grey is a very practical color that often makes a good counterpart to other colors. Do make sure to avoid overusing it because the room will then appear dull and depressing. Black is one of the trickiest colors when it comes to painting due to its bold appearance. When using black, there is a fine line between looking sleekly sophisticated and looking spookily evil. Typically, these colors not found on the color spectrum make a great accent to the other warm and cool colors ("The Psychology of Color - How Color Affects Human Behavior").

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Posted 2014-11-13 21:01:36 | Views: 807
Picking between sweet and salty is not the issue with this fun bite size snack. You can have the best of both worlds in one bite.
3) M&M Pretzel Treats
Ingredients:
1 bag of circle pretzels (9 ounces)
1 bag of Hershey kisses
12.6 oz. bag of regular M&M’s (Christmas colored if desired)
Little Hershey pies are a new creative mash up between a cream cheese wanton and a slice of pie. The intricate look of wantons mixed with the sweet taste of piecrust is the ultimate dessert combination!
4) Hershey Pies
Ingredients:
1 bag of Hershey kisses
1 refrigerated piecrust
Egg wash: 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water
Granulated sugar for dusting Powder sugar for dusting
Start by thawing the piecrust and then rolling it out. Then lay a row of Hershey kisses around the outer edge of the piecrust about three inches apart. Cut circles three inches in diameter around each kiss. Keep making these circles throughout the piecrust until there is no more room. Gather up the left over pieces of your crust and kneed them into a ball. Then spread the crust out again. Keep spreading and cutting until all the dough is gone. 

Then start folding the crust around each kiss in the shape of a wanton. Fold half of the dough over the kiss, push up the center of the sidepieces, and then pinch all of the seams together. 
Coat each small pie with a small glazing of egg wash and then sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar. Whisking the mixture of an egg and one tablespoon of water makes the egg wash. 

Bake the little Hershey pies in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for twenty to twenty-eight minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool for five minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Then dust each little Hershey pie with powder sugar ("Kiss Pies - Picky Palate").
  Since 1894, Hershey chocolates have been making huge impacts on the candy and desert industry. We are so happy to have been able to share with you some fun ways to use these scrumptious chocolates in your festive holiday deserts. Happy holidays and may this season be just as sweet as your deserts!
Begin by spreading the pretzels out on a cookie sheet. Then proceed by placing one Hershey kiss in each pretzel.  

Bake in the oven for approximately 3 minutes at 275 degrees Fahrenheit. This should soften the chocolate completely. Take it out of the oven and press one M&M onto each melted kiss and then put your treats in the refrigerator to keep them solid ("M&M Pretzel Treats").

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Posted 2014-11-13 21:01:23 | Views: 831
Spruce up your regular peanut butter cookies this holiday with a kiss. Adding a Hershey’s kiss to your regular peanut butter cookie puts a completely new twist on the taste.
2) Peanut Butter Blossoms
Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup softened butter
1 cup peanut butter 
2 eggs 
2 teaspoons baking soda 
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
½ teaspoon salt 
1 bag of Hershey’s kisses 
Start by mixing the white sugar, brown sugar, and butter together and then add both of the eggs and the vanilla.

Tip: Again, let the butter soften on it’s own and use a double dose of vanilla if you are using vanilla extract.
In a different container, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually mix it in with the other ingredients. Once the mixture is consistent throughout, add the peanut butter.

  Tip: If the consistency is loose, make sure to add in a little more flour.
Bake them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 8 minutes or until the cookies are just about golden brown.

Tip: For this type of cookie, use a light colored baking sheet.
When you take the cookies out of the oven, the tops should be slightly impressionable. Press one chocolate kiss into each cookie.

Then put the cookies back in the oven for no more than 30 seconds. Take them out and let them cool before removing them from the pan. As they cool, the cookie and the chocolate will set and hold together nicely.

Tip: Put a slice of bread in this container to be sure the cookies maintain their freshness (Yochim, Beverly. Personal interview. 31 Oct. 2014.).

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Posted 2014-11-12 10:11:45 | Views: 872
 Start by mixing softened butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla into a light creamy mixture.

Tip: Have patience and wait for the butter to soften at room temperature, if melted using a microwave the consistency of the cookie will not be as soft and fluffy. Also, do not be stingy with the vanilla. If you want to add a double dose, go right ahead. Chances are you are using vanilla extract that isn’t as strong as pure vanilla.
Then mix in your chocolate chips and nuts.

Tip: To prevent the smashing and breaking of chocolate chips when using an automatic mixer, manually stir them in. Before shaping the cookies, check the consistency of the batter. If it seems too loose, adding some more flour can thicken the dough, which will help them bake bigger and fluffier.
Put rounded teaspoon balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and cook at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. 

Tip: Use a lighter colored baking sheet rather than a dark one. They tend to bake cookies at a better rate and stop them from getting some of the typical baking problems such as flat, wrinkly, and dark. Also, once the cookies are out of the oven, let them cool for a couple of minutes to ensure they hold together. Be sure to stick a slice of bread in your cookie container. The bread will absorb the air and keep the cookies tasting fresh and feeling as soft as they were the day they came out of the oven ("HERSHEY'S Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe").
Then beat in both eggs.

 In a separate container, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Add this mixture slowly into the rest of the dough until it is completely even and there are no clumps of flour. 

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Posted 2014-11-12 10:11:36 | Views: 747
Four Hershey Treats
Hershey’s has come out with a delicious wide variety of chocolates over the years. This holiday season we decided to honor their legendary chocolates with a few ideas on how to use and improve some of Hershey’s works of art. Whether you have a couple of cute kids begging to make cookies for Santa, or you’re just in need of a sweet treat to melt away all your holiday stress, baking holiday treats is bound to leave you a little more joyful and well just a tad sweeter.
One cookie classic is the Hershey chocolate chip cookie. Each sweet bite melts in your mouth leaving you with a constant crave for more.
1) Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
 1 cup of softened butter
 ¾ cup sugar
 ¾ cup brown sugar
 1 teaspoon vanilla
 2 eggs
 2 ¼ all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
 ½ teaspoon salt
 2 cups Hershey’s chocolate chips
 1 cup of nuts (optional)

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Posted 2014-10-29 10:00:05 | Views: 726
11) Wire Christmas Tree
12) Candy Cane Centerpiece
We hope these twelve Christmas crafts bring you and your home some fun and excitement over the holiday season. Remember, do the craft to save the cash. Happy crafting!

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Posted 2014-10-28 09:29:59 | Views: 682
More Simple Crafty Ideas:
7) Tin Can Snowman
9) Cinnamon Stick Candles
8) Hot Chocolate Corner
10) Wine Glass Candle Holders

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Posted 2014-10-27 10:48:49 | Views: 789
5) Bulb Wreath
Another way to make a unique wreath is to make it out of various Christmas tree bulbs. Mix and match bulbs using different colors, textures, and patterns. Remove the hooks from all of the bulbs then proceed by taking all of the caps off. Use a small bit of hot glue and glue the caps back on to the bulbs. This helps guarantee that the bulbs will stay on during the constructing of the wreath and during the wear and tear it will face outside. Then bend a metal coat hanger into a circle making sure to leave the hook bent, so you will be able to hang your wreath. Slide your bulbs on to the coat hanger by untwisting the metal piece of the hanger that is twisted around the hook. Once it is an open circle, string the bulbs into the circle using this opening and the hole in the cap. Once your wreath is full, you can twist the hanger back together at the hook and string some ribbon through the bulbs at the top and make a voluminous bow with long curled ends. Using ribbon with metal edges will give your bow more support and will be helpful in keeping its shape ("Como Fazer Uma Guirlanda Com Cabide De Metal E Bolas De Natal - Fácil E Barato").
6) Snow Globes
Seeing the snowfall is a very precious sight and now you can capture it in a mason jar! Start by filling the jar with water, at least one tablespoon of glycerin, and lots of glitter. Choose the objects you want in your snow globe and hot glue them to the flat lid. Once the objects are dried and stable, glue the lid to the jar and then glue the screw on lid to the jar as well. Flip it over and you have a beautiful sparkling snowfall ("{DIY} Holiday + Winter Wedding Decor DIYs - Oh Lovely Day").

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Posted 2014-10-27 10:43:28 | Views: 714
2) Bow Wreath
Add some dimension to your wreath this year by making it out of bows. Get a straw wreath and leave its plastic wrap on. Continue by peeling the backing off of the bows and sticking them onto the wreath making sure to get all the edges to give your wreath more volume. If you want your bows to have a stronger hold, you can place a dab of hot glue on the bow’s backing before putting it on the straw wreath ("Bow Wreath").
3) Crafty Wrapping
Wrapping paper gets to be just another expense to add to your list during holiday shopping. A wise economical and environmental choice is to reuse paper grocery bags. Rip open a bag by its seams and face the non-printed side upward when wrapping. After your gift is wrapped, decorate the plain brown paper with patterns and colors by using different stickers and bows ("40 Brown Paper Gift Wrapping Ideas | My Paradissi").
4) Refurbishing Wine Bottles
Make your old boring wine glasses into beautiful texturized vases in a few simple steps. First, paint an old wine bottle white with painting primer. After it dries, spray craft bond adhesive on it and then roll it in Epson salt. After you have gathered a sufficient amount of salt and it dries to the bottle, start decorating by placing pinecones or bulbs at the base and branches or dried flowers inside the bottle ("Winter Centerpiece"). 

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Posted 2014-10-24 10:46:53 | Views: 722
12 Days of Christmas D.I.Y.
 D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) pieces have been getting a lot of buzz lately. It’s no surprise considering it’s the time of year when folks pinch their pennies to get a couple more gifts or the winter vacation that they swear is going to spare their life from the bitter cold weather. We’ve all been there trying to save a little cash so we have gathered up twelve ways to liven up your homes for the holidays but keep you from breaking the bank. Do the craft to save some cash!
1) Scrabble Ornaments:
Do you ever have the problem that you just can’t find an ornament that has the right word, phrase, or name? A cute easy solution is to round up scrabble pieces that spell your desired word or phrase. You then have two options of how you want to assemble your ornament. Either you can glue your pieces together to form one long section, or you can find a cute background such as a section of wood, part of a ruler, or even some ribbon to glue each piece onto. After the glue has dried, you can make a small whole at the top of your ornament and loop some ribbon through it to use as a hook. You can also add other embellishments such as stick on snowflakes and little pieces of holly ("Dimples and Tangles: SCRABBLE TILE ORNAMENTS").

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Posted 2014-09-23 09:15:40 | Views: 726
Note from the Author:

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is right around the corner and the spectacular time for gift giving, twinkling lights, cute coats, fun boots, and sweet hot coco will finally be here! It's the time for family and friends to gather together and make precious memories that will last a life time.

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. Ever since I was young, I've been fascinated by the beauty of Christmas and it's powerful ability to draw in family and friends from all different areas to celebrate the miraculous birth of Jesus.

During holiday preparations, I tend to be a detail oriented person. I enjoy the tedious work that makes holidays so festive. The gift wrapping, hanging the glittering Christmas tree bulbs, baking a variety of sweet cookies, and hanging the long knit stockings from above the warm fire place are all jobs I adore and believe make a difference in the beauty of Christmas.

I hope to spread some of my Christmas cheer this year by sharing some helpful recipes and decorating tips. I hope my advise brings you an easier and more enjoyable holiday. Take some time during this gorgeous season to admire and truly appreciate the small things in life that make it so much more fun to live! I wish you a very merry Christmas and a wonderful new year filled with love and happiness!

-Melissa