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On starting a business

This is a new one in the Categories section. I did not write anything on my intention to start a business. I think I have been avoiding it on purpose. I cannot give any advice as it my first attempt so why bother writing about it right? But now I have changed my mind. The reason is – I simply need to streamline my ideas, get down to business and most importantly – start it! Writing about it will really push me and I need the push…

So little bit of the background. I have been working steadily since 2005 with the same employer until summer 2016. I knew what I had to do. I knew the people and company’s ethos. I cannot say that it was the job of my life but it was O.K. I have learned along the way and become more at ease with marketing, promotion campaigns, accounting and few other skills which I did not study at university. I can honestly say that I worked on automatic pilot and it did not cost me much effort. Last year or two a strange feeling began to creep in: “This job is a dead end and it will probably not be very long before I get fired.” People I worked with started to disappear and it become more obvious that one day I will have to go, too. I did not want to see it. I was always ‘too busy’ to consider what if that really happens? And one day, yes, I was told: “We don’t need you anymore but may call you back if the business picks up…”.

First I thought:”Not a big deal. I needed a change.” But after while I realized that finding new job is going to be lot harder than I thought. I am not twenty any more. Some of my skills are out of date. So after a frantic search through current job market I have made a big decision:” I will set up my own business. I will finally do what I like and enjoy .”The decision has been made and as I said, I have to make it happen. There is no other way. Not knowing what is ahead of me – is scary. Knowing that it is only up to me – is exciting. Wish me luck 🙂

What I do to stop hair loss

One thing that worked for me over the years was a nettle extract. I have experienced increased hair fall during certain periods of my life. First time was during my teenage years. I did not think much of it as it was not so obvious. My did try few things. Cut my hair short and used some herbal hair tonics. It lasted probably year or so and I forgot all about it. The second time I have experienced more noticeable hair loss was during my pregnancies. By then I have suspected that this is due to the hormonal changes. Again I have used hair tonics and tried to be more gentle to my hair. I bought a good brush, did not wear tight pony tails, used herbal shampoos and and avoided hair colour. It also stopped and I did not have to think about hair loss for a while. Until now.

I have noticed my hair is started to get thinner and is falling out more easily. As I have experienced this before I did make the connection with the hormonal changes straight away. I take it like a message from my body that says: “pay attention to your hair”. And I try. Unfortunately I cannot get the hair tonic that I have used years ago as they do not produce it any more. I have tried some other shampoos, hair masks and tonics but unfortunately they did not work. I remembered that my step father used to rinse his hair with nettle extract. When he was in his 30’s his hair started fall more significantly and got really worried. He did go to see doctor and a skin specialist. They gave him some specialized shampoos but they did not make much difference. He was really miserable. To us it was funny because he still had full head of black hair and nobody would guess his problem. My granny was a very kind soul and she always took all problems to her heart. She has talked to her friend – an experienced herbalist – and he had a simple advice:”Buy nettle, boil it in a water like a tea and when finished washing your hair, rinse them with it.” Granny hesitated to tell my step father because he was not into that stuff at all. He was and engineer and did not like any “mambo jumbo” like herb cures etc. He would often make fun of these things and did not ever consider them as an option. However, when he run out of all his options he thought he will give it try. Granny got a pack of dry nettle that would last for a month. At first nothing was happening. We stopped asking him about the results and got bored with making jokes about it. It was only when has similar problem with hair falling out I remembered this. My step father has a full head of hair even now. Although he is mostly grey, he is not bald and does not have any balding patches. To my surprise he did tell me that ever since my granny advised him on the nettle extract he uses it religiously. Ideally ever two weeks or at least once a month. He keeps on buying dry nettle leaves for more then thirty years!

I was amazed and decided to give it try. Where I live nettle is not a common herb and the only nettle I was able to get were tea bags. But anyways, it is still a nettle right? I have boiled 2 sachets in a liter of a water and when it cooled down I used it as a rinse. I have done that once a week for about a month. And the result? My hat goes off to this wonderful herb! The hair fall reduced after 2 weeks and then stopped after one month. I was delighted! It worked. I did not think that after so many years I will find an answer literally on my doorstep.

One important note though. The rinse is quite dark and can stain your bathtub. The extract is not strong enough to colour the hair. At least I did not notice any change in colour [I have dark brown hair]. Sometimes I am too busy or too lazy to prepare the nettle rinse and usually within a month the hair fall increases again. That means that nettle does not cure but it reduces or stops the hair loss temporarily.

Boil 1 liter of water. Add 2 sachets of nettle tea. Let it stand until lukewarm. Use as a last step when washing your hair. Rinse hair and gently massage in. Do not rinse with water. Repeat twice a week for at least one month to see results.

I should add that the nettle tea is usually recommended to beat tiredness and to clean blood. Many herbalists believe that nettle is better for the body than coffee. Unfortunately I do not like the taste of it. To me it is bit too grassy so I am sticking to a good cuppa of coffee…

Update: 2019 – Zinc supplement seems to help.

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Trio I can rely on

Every autumn and spring I take out my trusted trio: Tiger balm, Olbas oil and White oil. Over the years I have discovered that they give me the best protection during the flu season. I have been using them for over 1o years now. Tiger balm I have discovered during my travels. The name intrigued me. Were any tigers harmed during the process? As I read the label I thought:”This is worth a try.” Since then always when I feel head cold I slap it on my forehead or when I have a cough I spread it on my chest. It is a strong stuff. You have to make sure that you do not touch your eyes afterwards as it would irritate them. My kids did not share my enthusiasm and I used to put a little bit on their chest when they were asleep. It always eased any chest congestion and provided relieve. Olbas oil I have discovered by accident when browsing through the shelves of our new pharmacy. It was bit pricey but I gave it a try. Usually a put few drops on a tissue and leave it beside the bed. It has a very pleasant smell of eucalyptus. It is calming and I do think it helps you breath more easily. Sometimes I would put few drops on the heater. The oil would then evaporate and refresh the whole room. And last but not least is the White flower oil. I liked the cute bottle that was easy to slip into the pocket. I put few drops on my neck when I feel some cold coming on. Sometimes I have used it for my daughter when she was getting bit woozy on the train. The strong aroma always refreshed her instantly. As autumn approaching I am reaching for my three little friends – knowing they will give my immunity much needed boost.

I should mention that when I apply these oils people around me can smell it. The aroma is very strong so it is not advisable to use them if you are going to attend some important social event 🙂

Photo coming soon 🙂

Detox that works for me

As I have noticed my first grey hair I thought to myself that I need to pay a bit more
attention to my aging body. I did plan to do a detox or cleanse for a while but the time
never seemed right. The idea of starving whole day and living just on juices did not appeal to me. But I did want to do something. Something that will make me feel good. Something that will give me more energy.
As luck would have it one of my dear friends has recommended a detox in one her e-mails. I hesitated at first. It had a set menu for 28 days which needed to be followed. I resent any strict diets and was worried this is one of them. To my pleasant surprise the premise of the detox is not to starve – you can eat until full – in fact the more you eat the better. You need to drink about 3-3,5 l of water every day and you need to stick to the meals that are prescribed. The author is Mrs. Macingova, a Slovak nutritionist. Her detox is very popular in Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Most of the people do this detox to lose weight. Some of them have a great success with weight loss but the weight loss is not the main aim of it. Just a bonus.
And now about my results. After the 28 days I felt lot better and more energetic. I even started to wake up half an hour earlier than usual. I did not need my usual coffee boost. I did not crave any sweets. I just did not feel like eating any of my usual treats. People commented on how good and fresh I look. They did notice the difference. With regards to weight loss it was not as spectacular. I have lost only 2 kg on the scale but my clothes were lot looser. What happens with this detox is a loss of ‘volume’. Somehow I shrank. Shirt that was to tight was suddenly loose. I could swing my arms and there was some more space around my stomach area. I did find this very interesting. Mrs. Macingova always stresses that it is not the kilos you loose but the centimeters. The results had such a visible impact on me that I have decided to repeat it again in 3 months. That time my husband joined me and lost about 5 kgs. This detox is going to be part of my routine for sure. On the scale of 1 to 10 I would give it 9. The reason I would not give it 10 is because during the whole month you have to follow the menu. And I am not just very good at sticking to a set of rules. But that is just my laziness I suppose…so I should really give it 10 out of 10 🙂

Floravit – the best iron supplement for me

Floravit is something I have been using for years. It helped to keep my iron levels up. I usually take it in spring and in autumn. I have been giving it to my kids, too as they have been growing up on vegetarian diet. What I like about it is that it comes from natural sources and it is in a liquid form. It tastes fruity but has bit of a metallic taste. I don’t mind that at all and kids take it with little bit of juice. Once opened it needs to be kept in the fridge. It is bit pricey but it is worth it. In the reviews of the product I read that people take it when their immunity is down or when they feel tired. Most of the reviews I came across were positive. When I hear that somebody is anemic or when my friends are pregnant I tell them about this. As a bonus it contains Vitamin B12 and is gluten free. If you need some iron boost then check it out!

Update 2019: I am still relying on Floravit and Floradix. I think it absorbs well and does not cause constipation as most of the iron supplements. Tastes O.K. I do a course every three months.

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Extra protein idea

This idea came to me by an accident. I have bought Quinoa flour thinking that it must be healthy and full protein. When I brought it home I opened the packed just to see. The flour seemed to have a strong aroma. After a quick surf through the internet I found out that the flour is mostly used in a mix with some other flours. There did not seem to be many recipes purely for Quinoa flour. So I kept the packet on my shelf and it sat there for at least a month. One day I was preparing my tofu which I usually coat in a starch. I though let’s try the Quinoa flour instead. It is healthier than starch and provides some extra protein. The result was surprising. It tasted O.K. and family finished it as a snack not even waiting for dinner. It is not even a recipe but in case you are stuck with Quinoa flour as I was here it is:

1/ Drain the tofu and slice it.

2/ Mix half a cup of Quinoa flour with teaspoon of salt. Add black pepper or smoked paprika according to your preference.

3/ Coat the tofu slices in the mixture. The tofu will be still damp so most of the flour will stick to it.

4/ Heat up 2 table spoons of olive oil and quickly fry the slices from both sides.

5/ Dry the slices on the paper towel.

6/Serve hot as a side or as a snack with your favourite sauce.

I have included a photo strictly for illustration purposes 🙂 It is not very inviting I know so maybe next time…

Covering the grey

So I got to this age when some grey hair start to show up. Do I mind? A bit. It is mainly an aesthetic issue for me. I started to get grey on the sides and from afar it looks as if I am going bold. Not kidding. I did go to local salon to cover those bits and the result was good. However it lasted only few weeks and the whole procedure was very pricey. I began to search for something more affordable and hopefully something more natural like henna. Most of the hair colours were very expensive and and a long list of chemicals in it. Finally I found one henna product in a small Indian shop. I have been using this for 3 months now and I am happy with results. Did not have any adverse reaction to it. To put the colour on is a messy business. You need a pair of disposable gloves, comb and shower cap. I usually put some newspaper down because the bathroom floor can get dirty – henna really sticks and is hard to wash off. I tried Black and Dark brown shade from Herbul. Did not notice much difference in terms of the shade. It covers the grey well but you need to be patient and let the henna dry properly. The hair looks black and shiny afterward. I do not cover all of the hair just the grey bits. Sometime I use comb but sometimes I use hands to grasp the stands. Then I check that there is no henna on my face, glasses, hands and I clean bathroom before henna has the chance to dry. When I coloured my hair for the first time I did not notice few henna flakes and and really hard time to get them off. I noticed that sometimes the colour stays longer up to 4 to 5 weeks. I guess it depends how long I leave it on and much water I add to it. My experience with henna so far has been very good. It does the job although it takes time and effort to put it on. I am wondering when I get more grey hair if I am going to use it all over as that it will be even messier and harder to do. Not sure yet. But for covering of few grey it really works.

Update: Recently I have been adding couple of drop of the lavender essential oil. The henna mixture by itself has a grassy smell. The lavender helps to perfume the hair and eases itchy scalp.

Update 2019: Tried some other hair colours but this one is still the best and cheapest.

One week on HCLF

Short holiday break was perfect opportunity to try the Vegan diet properly. Three clean meals with lot’s of veg seemed appealing. I have dedicated few hours to gather some really tasty recipes and make my shopping list. During the search I have realized that there are different types of Vegan diets and after talking to my daughter we have decided to give High Carb Low Fat diet /HCLF/ a go. We liked the recipes and the fact that carbs are allowed and can be eaten at every meal. People promoting this style of eating looked great – energetic, healthy and optimistic. That was a great promise for us because that is what we are after. We have done a week of HCLF cooking and here is my short report.

I have enjoyed the meals but missed the fat. I am sorry to say this but I just always thought something was missing. I just like my stir-fries or baked veg with olive oil. In terms of energy I have expected a surge of vitality – but it did not come. I felt the same as before and had to turn to my cup of coffee to get through the afternoon. And the third negative would be that I have put on weight – little bit over 1 kg. I don’t know how it happened. I was meant to be eating very healthy food cooked with no oil…When I look back I think I probably eat to much. I think I watched too many videos showing huge portions and beautiful slim girls saying eat as much as you want. I did not think to myself that may be I should eat my normal portions and maybe the girls can burn the calories lot easier because they are younger and more fit. Also during that week I did feel that I filled up more and that my trousers are tighter. When I started to feel like that I have automatically down sized the portions. After that week I looked franticly for people who had the same experience because until then I thought that everyone on HCLF is guaranteed to weight. I did find some people saying that they put on weight, too.. Some of them noted that they have been under weight before they started the HCLF diet so when they started it they have put on weight. But that was not my case.

Now about the positives. I was happy to learn some new recipes that I can add to my repertoire. It was wonderful to see how many people are there turning to vegan lifestyle, wanting to make a difference and the world to be less cruel. All in all a good experience which I will repeat again /but I will be more mindful about the portions next time/.

An extra note – I have checked with my daughter and she has also put on weight 2 kg. This is quite interesting because we are different age and she has faster metabolism. I think we really overindulged in the carbs. We love big portions and the recommendation “eat as much as you want” did more damage than good. So please be mindful of this. Take in mind your age, your activity level, your metabolism etc.

I have used recipes mainly from Hi Carb Hannah and Cooking with plants. Only after I finished the week I have discovered a YouTube channel The Vegan Corner which seems to be very popular and has have lot’s of hi carb recipes. So I recon it is worth to try – maybe next time 🙂

Update: I have found a good video explaining HCLF and weight gain on Hi Carb Hannah channel.

Update 2019: Did not work for me. Both daughter and I we put on weight – so we never went back to this eating style.

Happy ending

I am delighted to write these lines…the operation went well and my mum is now cancer free. The recovery stage has started. Physically she is lot stronger. People are commenting on how good she looks. We are convinced it is due to all the herbs she took to support the treatment. Psychologically she is still fragile. I think she is still worried that the cancer might come back. The disease drained her on mental level – there is no doubt about it.

However, we all are trying to be positive. It seems that she will not have to go through more chemos which took so much of her energy away and instead she will be undergoing some hormonal treatment. She will be told the detailed treatment after her blood tests come back. The worst is definitely over. What’s next for her? I don’t know. Will she change her life? Go on long holidays? Do something out of the box? Probably not. My guess is she will slip back into her quiet routine. I think that she can do anything she wants. The main thing is she stays with us for many more years…

Update April 2017:

My mum is in great spirits but she is still on hormone therapy which she does not like. She is convinced it is causing her mood swings. Her arthritis also got worse and she suspects it is due to all the radiation she was exposed to. She has some tests ahead so we will see if she can drop the hormonal medicine.

Update February 2019:

Mum is stil in good spirits. She is still taking hormonal medicine – I think it influencing her moods a bit. She is treated for arthritis and osteoporosis. Has trouble to walk and stays at home most of the time. We had a conversation about all these problems – but agreed that it is better to stay alive even with all these difficulties.

Detox

I am currently doing a special detox. It lasts 28 days. I have done it before and it was good for me. Not a massive weight loss but I have noticed visible health improvements. I am still wheat free most of the time. During the second and third week of the detox I am allowed a bit a of a bread and eggless pasta. The bread was homemade from rye and spelt flour. I realised that wheat makes me feel heavy. When I am on detox I do not miss bread or flour products really and I suppose that is a good news. The detox also does other things for me. The meals are set so I do not have to think about what to cook. I have more energy then usual which I need at the moment. So this was a short update on my wheat free adventures.

Update: 2019 – I have repeated this detox several times. Did not loose weight but felt very refreshed afterwards. Did not have sugar craving for about three weeks and did not feel like coffee. Felt energy surge at least for few weeks.