How to Wear Jeans Correctly

  Now that the weather is cooling down, I will be replacing my shorts with jeans. For the longest time, I did not wear a pair of jeans because I had a hard time finding jeans that fit my body type. When skinny jeans became popular, it was then I gave jeans a chance again. Now, I love wearing jeans and they are now considered essential items in my wardrobe.

 Safe to say, almost every woman owns a pair of jeans that are considered an essential item. But with the array of cuts, styles, and types of jeans out there, how do you know which is the right one for you? The best advice I can give you is to take it all back to basics and prevent that overwhelmed feeling by building on the basics. Here’s the essential guide to help you pick the right style for you, and to wear it well and with confidence!

More than 50 shades of everything!

 Although this season has indicated that sky blue is becoming the color of the season, remember that the denim you buy will also have to work and coordinate with the rest of the clothing you own and match your lifestyle. If you work with dogs, for example, light color such as this might not be the best idea! 

 Darker indigos and blues are easy to dress up to a more formal look and are easier to adapt to a working environment. If classic blue is not your thing, don’t be afraid to depart into one of the many unconventional jeans colors available on the market today. You might even discover that something you have always considered outrageous, like leopard print jeans, turns out to look great on you.

Although many people are intimidated by them, white jeans can go a long way in balancing out your figure, when paired with the right top half accessorizing. 

Something for every size

 For those who fall into the plus-size category, a good pair of jeans for women can go a long way in balancing hips and making your legs look longer. When it comes to jeans for women, bootleg, flare, and straight leg cuts are excellent for flattering the plus size figure. The secret of a flattering cut is to create long lines that lengthen the proportions of the body.

 Although many plus-size wearers shy away from form-fitting cuts, these are excellent for balancing the proportions of hips and thighs, creating an overall slimming effect. Add dark denim to the mix and you will enhance the look. 

What’s your shape?

 Rectangular body types tend to have hips and shoulders of similar width, with no real defined waist and a flat bottom. The benefit of this is that you can choose how much you would like to lift, emphasize, or underplay the shape of your backside through the jeans you choose.

 Rectangles are considered an easy body type to dress, as you have the choice of whether or not to create and emphasize, or downplay the presence of curves. The universal rule with jeans is to ensure that there is no extra room around the crotch. ​Rather buy jeans a size too small than too big, and let them stretch around your natural shape. Ideally, jeans should be form-fitting when you buy them and relax their fit as you wear them. Look for high-quality denim with lots of stretch in the fabric, that allows the fabric some give it when you wear it. 

At Home Screening Tests With Imaware ~ No Doctor Approval Needed

 I am an affiliate with imaware

Skip the doctor and screen for food allergies, diseases, and more

 I remember over two years ago when I started experiencing severe asthma attacks but did not yet realize that I had asthma. It all started in the summer of 2017 when my seasonal allergies got worse and I was feeling out of breath when I was exercising. My seasonal allergies were causing me to cough a lot. I thought that maybe more of the weeds that I was allergic to were growing. I also thought that getting older was the reason that I was out of breath when exercising. When fall came, the time that my outdoor allergies would normally get better, and the bad cough did not go away that I started to think ~ could this be asthma?  I started to think that I was experiencing an asthmatic cough. 

My asthma got worse

 The next year my health took a turn for the worse. I starting experiencing a real bad cough, one that made it hard to breathe. It was January so I thought that I had a bad cold. When the cough did not go away and I had to sleep sitting up, I knew something was not right with my body. This cough would leave me gasping for air and I began to question even more that I had asthma. I knew that I needed to make a doctor's appointment but at the same time, I knew that getting an appointment with a doctor could take a while. So I tried to ignore this bad asthmatic cough and started Googling things. Online searching led me to that dairy products could trigger asthma symptoms. I already was sensitive to milk and could not eat ice cream or drink milk without feeling sick to my stomach. 

 What I did not realize at that time that my use of whey-based protein powder and nightly snack of cheese and crackers was causing me to have severe asthma attacks. I, not willingly, eliminated all dairy from my diet. In a couple weeks, my cough went away. I still did not believe that I had a dairy allergy so I decided to get a food allergy blood test to determine if I was allergic to milk products. The blood test result confirmed that I was allergic to all dairy products and the cause of my severe breathing problems.  

Food allergy testing from the comfort of your home

 Back in 2018, I went to a lab to get my food allergy testing done. If it was the year 2020, I probably would have not felt safe going to a medical lab, let alone a doctor's office. Not because of the COVID virus but because of all the disinfectant products that are being used, as the chemicals trigger an asthma attack. I took my son to the dentist the other day and my asthma flared up from sitting inside the exam room for 10 minutes.   

 So I am glad that I discover a place that allows you to perform health screens from the comfort of your own home. Imaware™  sends everything that you need to safely complete a health test at home with no need to see a doctor. This at-home health testing company has tests available from allergy testing to celiac testing. They even have COVID-19 testing.    

 As you probably know, COVID-19 has forced many people to re-look at their own health and put their own metaphorical oxygen mask on first. At imaware™ they make it easy for someone to order a test and complete a test - all at home - with just a few drops of blood. Imaware is an at-home health testing company that empowers patients to put health back into their own hands.

So much more than food allergy testing

This at-home health testing company came into the market many years ago and were known for their at-home celiac disease screening test, they have since grown so much and now offer health screening tests for the following health conditions:

~ Overall baseline health tests: Women’s Health & Wellness, Men’s Health & Wellness

~ Autoimmune diseases like celiac disease and rheumatoid arthritis

~ IgE allergies (unlike the food sensitivity screenings you see that are not recommended by allergists)

~ Prostate cancer (PSA) screening

~ Baseline Heart Health and pre-diabetes testing

~ Specialized cardiovascular screening and more!

Available online at imaware, imaware™ is a convenient and reliable at-home blood testing solution. Easy-to-use collection kits and accurate online results empower you to take control of your health.

 Will I need to see a doctor?

 With imaware, there is no need for a doctor's approval. You don't see to see a doctor or have a doctor write a prescription for the health test. So there is no need to call your doctor or schedule a doctor's appointment. So you can do your health screening at home and get the results that you need without ever seeing a doctor.

What about medical insurance?  

 If you don't have medical insurance, no worries as imaware is affordable and does not use medical insurance. You order the tests you want and pay for them with a credit card, all safely online.

What will the tests tell me?

~ The easy to read and actionable lab reports will help you understand:

~ Whether you may have the condition

~ How likely you are to have the condition

~ How to engage your healthcare professional

~ How to track your health and progress over time

Get more information about imaware home screening test HERE

Is the testing accurate?

 All of the laboratories that imaware uses are based in the US and CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988) and CAP College of American Pathologists) certified. This standard ensures that lab sample processing is reviewed and audited to the highest standards.

How Does The Test Work?

 The health screening tests are easy to perform and you can do everything at home. It takes four simple tests to get the health results that you need.

1. Draw 5 drops of blood

2. Collect in the collection device

3. Secure and return the sample

4. Check your results online

My results with imaware at-home health screening

 Since I already knew that I was allergic to dairy and milk products, I had no need for additional food allergy testing. My last food blood allergy testing also confirmed that I was allergic to soy and mushrooms. So I decided to order a  Women's Health & Wellness Test to check how my overall health was. I liked that this blood test checked my vitamin D levels and cholesterol, along with many other important health conditions. I wanted to know how my health was so I could be aware of any health problems that may require me to visit a doctor.

 It was kind of easy to perform the health test and I only had to fast for 8 hours. Poking my finger with the lancet was the easy part. I had a hard time squeezing the blood out of my finger, so I am glad that the kit came with 2 lancets. After I got the blood on the device,  I sent the test packet back through UPS in a prepaid envelope. Then in 7 days, I got the results. I really liked how detailed the heath test results were. I was happy to see my test results in the comfort of my home. I discovered that my vitamin D was a healthy range, must be my daily sunshine, and the supplement that I am taking. My cholesterol was also fine as well as the other items that the test checked in my blood. These blood results encouraged me to keep up my healthy habits.

Did you know most illnesses can be prevented through proactive screening?  

But every year, millions of Americans avoid traditional lab testing because it can be costly and inconvenient. Our mission is to help everyone gain access to easy and affordable at-home tests, so together we can prevent life-altering conditions and disease.

Get more information about imaware home screening test HERE

Discovering Allergy Friendly Foods At The Online Nourished Festival

Discovering food that is safe for me to eat

      I received samples of the mentioned food to facilitate this post.

 A couple of weeks ago I attended an amazing online allergy-friendly festival and it was the perfect way to discover food that I can enjoy with my food allergies. Many brands came together and showcased their allergy-friendly foods at the Online Nourished Festival so people like me could discover food and other products that are safe for them. This online event was created since the real events of the Nourished Festival had to be canceled due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic. Yes, you read that right, I said events as the Nourished Festival has several expos throughout the United States at different times of the year. If you have never attended a Nourished Festival event, you need to as it is the best way to discover and taste foods that are allergy-friendly, gluten-free, and made for specialty diets.

 The Online Nourished Festival was three days of discovering new foods, gathering new information and recipes, and meeting with brands that understand folks who have to avoid certain foods and follow special diets. This was an incredible event and the only part that was missing was being able to sample the foods. 

Discovering my food allergies

 In the past, I have attended a Nourished Festival and I enjoyed sampling the foods that were allergy-friendly and learning new information about how to manage your diet when you have food intolerances and food allergies. When I attended the Online Nourished Festival in 2018, in Phoenix, Arizona, my purpose was to learn about how I could better serve my readers who had gluten intolerances but little did I know that the conference was going to help me manage my own food allergies. It was a month after I attended the expo that I discovered that it was a dairy allergy that was causing my severe asthma flare-ups. My food allergy elimination diet and a food allergy blood test confirmed that I was allergic to dairy, soy, and mushrooms. 

  All my life I thought I had a dairy lactose problem but was really a dairy allergy. It was my use of a whey protein powder that triggered my dairy allergy to go from moderate to severe. What I thought were bad symptoms from seasonal allergies and things like mold and dust were in fact being made worse from my food allergies. Once I eliminated milk, soy, and mushrooms from my diet, I was better able to manage my asthma naturally without prescription drugs. Of course, I had to learn how to eat dairy-free, soy-free, and mushroom-free. That meant a trip to the grocery store meant reading labels. Eating out meant I had to speak up about my food allergies as one bite of the food that I was allergic too would cause me to have a bad asthma attack and leave me feeling sick to my stomach. 

Attending the Online Nourished Festival as a blogger

 So I was excited to be able to attend the Online Nourished Festival as a blogger so I could discover not only new products that I could safely eat but also learn new information about serving my community that had food allergies and food intolerances like gluten. It also meant that I could sample new allergy-friendly food and let others know about how they tasted. I was more than happy to have packages of dairy-free and gluten-free foods arrive at my house. While I don't have gluten issues, I like eating gluten-free foods as they can be healthier, and that way I can give my readers my opinion about how the food tastes when compared to food that has wheat in it. 

Checking out the allergy-friendly food

1. So Delicious ice cream

~ So Delicious was not at the Online Nourish Festival but I included them as they are my favorite dairy-free frozen treat. This frozen treat tastes just like ice cream as it is so creamy. I love that So Delicious comes in many delicious flavors and varieties so even those with nut allergies can enjoy a dish of yummy deliciousness. 

I recently tried Snickerdoodle Cashewmilk and I love that it has real bits of cinnamon sugar cookies in every bite.

~ I also tried So Delicious Sandwiches made from coconut milk and I was so happy to enjoy a dairy-free ice cream sandwich. I can't remember the last time that I ate an ice cream sandwich since eliminating all dairy from my diet. These frozen treats are so yummy and they only have 100 calories per serving. 

2. Grab The Gold Bars

~ Grab The Gold Bars are amazing! They taste like oatmeal peanut butter cookie dough before you bake the dough. The best part is they are healthy and dairy-free. They are also gluten-free.

3. Immune Boost Shot - Berry Drink Mix

~ Grab The Gold Immune Boost Shot is a delicious way to boost my immune system this winter, It was sweet and had a nice berry flavor. I like that it was loaded with vitamin C, Elderberry, and other immune-boosting nutrients.

4. Barilla Red Lentil Pasta

~ I am excited to try Barilla Red Lentil Pasta as it is loaded with protein. I also like that it is gluten-free and the color is so pretty!

5. Wasa Gluten-free Crispbread

~ I have always been a fan of Wasa Crispbread and I am happy that they make a gluten-free option for my friends who can't have gluten. They have always been made without milk products and this gluten-free crispbread tastes just like the original Wasa.

6. Flax4Life muffins and brownies

~ Flax4Life muffins and brownies were amazing and it was hard to believe that they were gluten-free and made without dairy. These treats were moist and full of sweet flavor. The chocolate ones were my favorites.

7. Metta Gluten-Free Flour

~ Metta Gluten-free flour is made from healthy ancient grains and promises to work in all my baking goodies like cookies and pancakes. I will be using this flour when I make gluten-free treats for my friends.

8. Path of Life Quinoa Blends 

 ~ These quinoa blends were so delicious and I loved the big pieces of kale that were blended in.

9. Hungry Harry's Baking Mixes

~ I just love the bright yellow bags that Hungry Harry's makes. This company sent me lots of yellow goodies with their baking mixes. I can't decide which baking mix to try first. They are all dairy-free and gluten-free so now I can enjoy cake and muffins from mixes instead of having to make it from scratch. All the baking mixes are allergy-friendly and free from 16 food allergens.

10. Josie's Best Gluten-Free Mixes 

~ I loved that these gluten-free mixes baked up like real waffles and they tasted so good. They were fluffy and crisp like how a waffle should be.

11. Love Corn

~ Love Corn was a big hit with my teenager. He kept sneaking the sample packs that came with this cool looking box of samples. He also liked the winter hat that was in the box. I liked that these corn nuts were made from corn and had a crunch that was not super hard. This was a healthy vegan snack. The flavors were so delicious and I loved the barbecue one along with the habanero flavored corn nuts. 

12. Homefree Cookies

~ Homefree cookies were bite-sized and delicious. They were dairy-free and gluten-free as well as nut-free and soy-free. They came in many flavors like chocolate chip, lemon, ginger snap, and many more. I loved all the cookies and enjoyed them with my coffee. It was nice to enjoy a cookie that I did not have to bake myself.

13. The Good Crisp Company

~ My boys have enjoyed The Good Crisp before and were happy to see samples of these chips. They love all the flavors and that they come in a can that keeps them from breaking. I had to hide a can so I could enjoy one as my boys can eat these up quickly.

 

14. Sauce Goddess Gourmet

~ I am excited to try these sauces and seasonings from Sauce Goddess Gourmet. I love that they are made with real ingredients and that the allergens are clearly listed on the label. These are dairy-free and contain no gluten. The products also have no additives or preservatives. The Big and Tangy sauce is a delicious tomato-based sauce that has a kick of heat. While the Jamaican Jerk seasoning is perfect to sprinkle into recipes and on my veggies.

15. Olive Your Heart®, Lemon

~ A delicious way to add heart-healthy nutrients to your diet.  This premium Greek extra virgin olive oil is loaded with omega-3 marine oil and provides 1,480 mg of omega-3s per serving.  It’s mild and smooth and makes it easy and promotes cardiovascular health.

  I was amazed at all the delicious allergy-friendly food that the companies, that had exhibitor booths at the Online Nourished Festival, sent me. While I only spoke of the snacks and products being dairy-free and gluten-free, they were also soy-free. Many of the foods were also free of the top 8 common allergens. I was happy to sample them and I liked that I did not have to worry about my food allergies as all the food was vegan. Of course, I still read the labels of all the food products that were sent to me to make sure they did not contain soy or mushrooms, common ingredients in vegan food. While I can trust that vegan food does not contain dairy it can contain mushrooms and soy which can make managing my food allergies hard, especially when eating out. To get more information about the products that I sampled and other allergy-friendly products, make sure to visit this link. 

 I felt like a kid in a candy store as I had so many healthy snacks and foods that tasted so good. I enjoyed having treats like brownies and cookies that I did not have to bake myself. My boys who don't have any food issues helped me sample the goodies and they quickly discovered some new snacks like Love Corn and Good Crisps. When my teen tried the waffles that I made from Josie's Best Gluten-Free Mixes, he could not believe that they were gluten-free as he reached for a second waffle. Discovering new foods that are safe for people with food allergies means my time at the grocery store is easier. I can now select foods that taste good and are safe for me to eat. I still have some brands sending me some items and I will update the list as I receive them. I am very thankful for companies that make allergy-friendly food so those, like me, can enjoy food without having to worry about an allergic reaction.

Which allergy-friendly/gluten-free are you excited to try?