Hi Everyone! I posted this on Colognes but figured I’d share here, too.
I’ve always loved good smelling stuff and for the last 15 years I’ve usually had one bottle of cologne, and would replace once it’s out. Only in the last few months have I really delved into this world and began filling out a modest collection. I’m definitely not an expert (so take my reviews with a big grain of salt) but I love smelling and writing so here ya go. (Fucking wall of text incoming lmao, I didn’t realize how lengthy this got)
I just got back from a three-hour mall trip to try and get my nose on as many niche fragrances as my senses would tolerate. I had already done a good bit of research so I had some picked out to try and others already crossed-off. Im a 30M for reference.
I also had the goal in mind to find a contender for a fall/winter scent that exudes class, sophistication and decadence. For that, I’ve already tried a few that I really enjoy, and kind of used these as a springboard to continue exploring:
Xerjoff Alexandria II- This is what I envision royalty wearing. Lavender and rosewood mix soooo nice in the open, and dries into a lovey rose/vanilla/essence of oud. The oud is really toned down here for those that dislike it. It’s kind of hard to pick out. Nuclear performance.
Initio Oud for Greatness- Another good starter oud, you could say (this was my introduction to oud). It lasts forever and the dry down is seriously heavenly. The wet, soily oud is at the forefront for 2-4 hours, but I’m absolutely in love with what’s left when it disappears. Lavender, saffron, nutmeg and musk mixes into the best dryer-sheet-like scent I’ve come across (what it reminds ME of at least).
Perfums de Marly Haltane- Quite similar in the opening to Oud for Greatness. Haltane is darker, though, where I get more leathesmoke. I think the oud in this is more subdued, or at least less moist smelling. It blends well and lasts a good while.
Initio Atomic Rose- Holy shit. Apparently rose gets my motor GOING. I tried a lot of rose-centric fragrances today, but this probably still takes the cake for its balance and strength, in addition to the scent itself being just gorgeous.
So with those in mind I was off to Neiman Marcus. I sampled a large amount more than what I’ve written, but stuck to the ones that were memorable; good or bad.
Frederic Malle - Portrait of a Lady- My favorite of the Frederic Malle. Sensual rose/clove/currant at the front, but it is kind of hard to pick out specific notes on this one. After looking, I can get the cinnamon in the background of the dry down, it blends perfectly with the sandalwood, rose and benzoin after drying down. - Carnal Flower- Some similarity to POAL, lots of tuberose and jasmine, which I personally like. A bright yet sensual floral, and you get some coconut and melon there, too. I typically dislike coconut but this is blended masterfully. - Lipstick Rose- Yeah, that’s what it smells like. Try this if you’ve seen people describe scents as lipstick-y or violet taking on that accord. Not my cup of tea, also leans more feminine to my nose than the other two. - Musc Ravageur- I really wanted to like this one. And for a split second I did! A clove-y vanilla sasparilla is what I first got, and it unfortunately turned into barnyard urine. I immediately remembered seeing some reviews stating this, and I couldn’t get my nose to move past it. I can tell there’s good stuff there, but not for me.
Amouage - Reflection- The only one I’d tried before, and remains one of my favs. Rosemary and pink pepper greet you with a deep, fresh spice. The vetiver and patchouli sit nicely at the bottom, and the combination of white florals mixes wonderfully. Another scent I could imagine on royalty, and seems pretty versatile, too. You could wear this year-round without feeling out of place. Insane staying power. - Lyric- Probably my favorite, but I need to smell again on another day. Compared to the other Amouage, I had to continually stick my nose in the coffe beans to pick up the scent from the test strip. When I did get it, it was a lovely light, fresh scent. Quite a departure from the other Amouage I’ve tried, but great. No surprise, the list of notes are some of my favorites: lime, bergamot, rose, orange blossom, saffron, nutmeg, musk, pine, vanilla, incense, sandalwood. Seriously, love each and all those individually and they come together beautifully. - Interlude- Another good one. Dark, mysterious. Definitely get the oregano/peppepatchouli/incense bomb off the top. Leather lurking behind. I typically don’t gravitate toward the leathery scents but this one’s good. - Enclave- This pretty much seals the deal for me that on me, mint just ain’t it. I liked Sedley at first, but the mint somehow gets too cloying to my nose after too long. I can tell I would get the same from the peppermint in the opening of Enclave. I almost liked this one, too. If you can even tolerate peppermint, you’ll enjoy this one.
Mind Games - Blockade- Wowww. First sniff love, here. Explosion of citrus, juicy fruit-y sex. I usually find myself staying away from citrus-forward scents but this shit is next level. This will be a contender for my next upscale summer buy. - Double Attack- Another love at first sniff. It’s familiar, though. Chocolate/orange/cinnamon/vanilla. You’ll want to eat it right up. I already have this box checked in my collection, but may come back to it in the future. - Checkmate- Another lovely scent. Champagne, red currant, rose, magnolia, little patchouli. It all comes together really nicely, and it was difficult for me to pick out specific notes before looking. Not a love, but I was really impressed with the quality and scent profile of the Mind Games I tried.
Clive Christian - Town & Country- Wow. No seriously, like fucking wow. Smells like an Italian fruit cart strolling through an English manor’s sprawling garden road. I look at the notes and I don’t understand how you get this smell supposedly out of Clary Sage, Ambergris, and Sandalwood. Like, what? This is high quality shit. I get some pear or grapes there, too. Try this. - Crab Apple Blossom- Yum yum yum this is goooood. Smells like it sounds. Bergamot, apple blossom and rhubarb dance around playfully together. Can’t help but have a big stupid smile on your face when you smell this. The more it dried down, the more it might be my favorite over Town & Country. - Matsukita- Another great scent. In the same vein as the other two since they are part of the same “Crown Collection.” You get some smokiness, here. Bergamot with nutmeg and mate give depth and a little mystery. White florals, woody ambers and musk at the base. Just quality stuff here. All three of these in the Crown Collection were available in 10ml travel size gift pack for $300. Good idea to put on my wish list. That shit is kiiiinda expensive.
Xerjoff - Erba Pura- I did not expect to like this as much as I did! Favorite that I sampled. Perfect combination of citrus and fruitiness off the top, layered over a bed of sweet musk. Something here is very familiar to my nose but I couldn’t place it. This will be another top contender for a future upscale summer purchase. - Accento- Soothing scent. Fruity white floral (usually dumb reach for me), and the iris gives it some powder but not overpowering. Not as feminine-leaning as I would have expected. - Iommi- Delicious! Sweet smoky rum off the top, and it’s a little surprising how forward the patchouli and leather is in this. It’s bordering on being a little overpowering, but it tames a bit on the dry down. I’d need to see how this goes on my skin, for sure. - Torino 21- Another one that I liked way more than expected. I’m going back and seeing mint listed as a top note here…I didn’t get that! And thank God since mint usually is a non-starter. Kind of an aquatic green to my nose. Again, just a lovely scent. - Naxos- Yeah ok this is good shit. I was expecting a sweet bomb, but this is definitely more restrained than what a lot of reviewers will have you believe. I’m a sucker for lavender and bergamot. Throw in honey and jasmine atop a bed of tobacco, vanilla and tonka bean? Yes please. - Erba Gold- Pretty good. To my nose more feminine than Erba Pura, likely due to the extra fruits in the middle. That combination of citruses, pear and melon is reminiscent of particular ladies’ scents.
Louis Vuitton - L’Immensité- Ohhhh yeahh. Relaxation in a bottle. My favorite besides maybe Fleur du Desert. This, Imagination and Météore all kind of dance to the same song, so to speak. More than one of these would be redundant, in my opinion. The quality speaks through each of these fragrances, though- really nice stuff. - Imagination- The name fits, as a lot of the notes here are almost fleeting like a word on the tip of your tongue. It’s a great, calming scent but it didn’t blow me away. Like I said, L’Immensité was the best of these and I don’t see the need to diversify within this collection. - Météore- Compared to L’Immensité, there’s a little more sweetness here. This leans closer to a shower gel-like scent in my opinion. Still great. - Fleur du Désert- This one started out reallly good. Honey and cinnamon into rose and orange blossom is an intriguing, sensual combination. Unfortunately, smelling it on my arm after a couple hours, the jasmine and honey turn into something my mind recognizes as an old lady scent. The POAL on my hand, by comparison, keeps mixing with my skin in a great pheromonic way. - Ombre Nomad- Disappointed with this one. I’m realizing I don’t gravitate toward darker scents like heavy oud, leather, incense. I can tell it’s put together really well and uses quality materials, but this isn’t one that was made for me.
All in all, my main take-aways include: Xerjoff scents living up to the name. I was definitely impressed with their offerings, and would have expected it to lean closer to overrated. Same with Mind Games. Really enjoyed everything I sampled from them, even if it wasn’t my cup of tea, I was impressed with the quality. Also, I need to get back and sample the rest of the Clive Christian house. I was absolutely blown away with what I tried.
A little bonus: I tried TF Noir de Noir, Extreme Noir, and Cafe Rose. Extreme Noir is excellent. A regal mix of saffron, nutmeg and cardamom on top of rose and white florals. Ahhhh, again, similar to what I imagine a king or king to smell like.
Cafe Rose is probably the second best rose-centric scent to my nose besides Atomic Rose. I’ll need to put those side by side.
Anyway, feel free to ask away if you’d like. I was bored and inspired so killed some time writing this out :)

Hey all, im a 20s male in UK that has just done some UV therapy for the third time (16, 20 and now). It worked less well the second time but It’s just made it worse this time (my mum was the same on third go - shes in peace on skyrizi now)
Ideally UV worked but not surprised it hasn’t - I am aware I need to go through the system to get to biologics in a couple of years.
So, next up is systematic treatments. I have been offered methotrexate and acitretin and honestly I am still scared of methotrexate’s damage to the liver. I don’t drink that frequently but I do like to get drunk when I go out (partially anxiety but also just enjoy getting funny with my friends and letting loose). Especially with summer coming I will wait to do the blood tests and sobriety. Also I get nauseous anyway and am expecting it to send me green.
For now, my question I can’t find is are isotretinoin (accutane) and acitretin’s effects similar? (aka: if i didnt have hair loss is it likely I won’t have it with the other).
Im a lucky boy that was battered by acne and psoriasis and other than dry lips and sore muscles the isotretinoin changed my life acne wise. People’s acitretin’s stories read like a horror plot though - Is it seriously this bad? I’m going to try it to tick it off but honestly I am surprised by its perception considering I found accutane very managable in its effects. I am fair skinned and took doxycycline for years in my late teens which has UV sensitivity so again not worried about that - its mainly the hairloss.
Anybody with experience please let me know.
TL;DR - are acitretin and isotretinoin likely to do similar effects as the doc says.

Posting on here for some advice on whether to start using retinol again… I have a long story with acne and getting perioral dermatitis recently - really need some advice
For context, I have struggled with acne my entire life, from the age of 11 I was on multiple treatments including creams and antibiotics to try and control my spotty and oily t-zone. At the age of 17 I had a terrible break out on my cheeks, it was really severe and I had never had acne like that before. After numerous things I ended going on the contraceptive pill and that completely cleared my skin. I was on the pill for about 5-6 years but it really affected my mental health, depression, anxiety and mood swings were horrible so I finally came off it before the age of 23.
When I came off the pill I became quite nervous that all my acne would come back, I began getting spots here and there, and after seeing the rave about tretinoin online I decided to give it a go. It definitely wasn’t the best decision from me, I got the retinol uglies, I went in with 0.5 which was definitely too strong too quick and I was losing hope after a few months. I think my skin was just TOO exfoliated, I couldn’t figure out a routine and I think I was using too many products.
I then switched to Dermatica and got prescribed Adapalene 0.2% / Clindamycin 1% / Niacinimide 4% This felt better but my skin was continually peeling, it looks glowy now that I look back on pictures but I was still getting spots. Nothing drastic but I was definitely searching for that glass skin look.
After 6 months they switched my prescription and removed the Clindamycin (due to resistance to that ingredient I think you can only take it for 6 months). This was before Christmas time in 2023, the weather became really extreme and my skin suffered. I thought it was just the weather and I would lather in moisturisers and continue to only use Dermatica every 3rd night but my skin would not stop peeling. I contacted Dermatica and told them my side effects and they said that my skin is just getting used to it. I began to get a dry patch near my mouth which slowly got worse, I thought this was because of the weather but I got a lot of redness around my mouth and looking online I felt like I had developed perioral dermatitis.
Long story short I did have perioral dermatitis. I stripped my skincare routine to be VERY minimal and began taking antibiotic, I was prescribed Lymecycline from my doctor for 3 months, I also started using Azelaic Acid after following Dr Sam Bunting advice online.
Now that I have finished my antibiotic, I am still continually getting spots, it almost feels a tad worse now that I’ve finished the antibiotic (Lymecycline is also prescribed for acne as well as POD). My skin feels really clogged and my forehead just has a lot of tiny spots, I keep getting breakouts and I just want to not have to deal with it all the time, it feels NEVER ending that I have acne for the rest of time at the moment.
Here is my current skincare routine: AM - Wash face with water - The Ordinary Caffeine Solution under my eyes - The Inkey List Azelaic Acid 10% - The Inkey List Vitamin C 15% (just started using this to brighten marks) - The Inkey List Niacinimide (for my oiliness) - The Inkey List Omega Water Cream (if my skin is feeling moisturised I don’t use this) - Paula’s Choice Clear SPF 30 Fluid
PM - Remove make up with The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm - Wash face with Dr Sam Bunting Flawless Cleanser - Dr Sam Bunting Flawless Neutralising Gel - this has 2% salycilic acid, 5% azelaic acid, 0.5% bakuchiol, 5% squalene (started using this in the past week now that I have finished my antibiotic and I only put it on my spots, most nights in the week) - Sometimes I may use Paula’s Choice BHA or AHA (probably once a week and not at the same time as the gel above) - Cosrx Snail Mucin (if my skin is feeling dry or I have used an exfoliator) - The Inkey List Omega Water Cream OR Aveeno Oat Restorative Night Cream
Treatments: - I’ve got the Omnilux Red Light Therapy mask and I use it a few times a week (my skin feels very hydrated and plump from this) - I’ve been using a high frequency wand a few times a week on my spots
I’ve been contemplating using The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% maybe once or twice a week in the evenings, but I’m just really nervous and not entirely sure whether it’s worth it. My skin did look good on Dermatica (apart from the peeling) and definitely way less clogged than I feel now, so I feel really tempted especially hearing that retinal is really good.
Considering I’ve been using Azelaic Acid daily for 3 months now I feel like my skin is slightly less sensitive, but I’m VERY worried I will fall into a trap and over exfoliate if my spots still continue, I’m a stress picker and I just want them gone so if one appears I just need to do something to it. I’m also very scared of the retinol uglies, I’ve started a new job recently and I’m definitely worried it will crush my confidence on a daily, as already I get quite down about spots.
Does anyone have any advice if retinal is a good idea?

This is a continuation to my first post here:
https://www.reddit.com/longtermTRE/comments/1crxyji/so_i_tried_this_for_the_first_time/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
A couple days ago I shared here my first TRE exercise and how it led into a dream where all felt real and I kept tremoring. Today it happened almost exactly the same but the experience was much different, and more odd. I'll try to describe it as best as I can.
As a quick side note, yesterday I did the same exercise again but it was at noon, so I didn't sleep after. This time I went on for a bit longer and during the third repetition I actually got a full body tremor which was quite intense.
So last night after I had dinner, I layed on the couch to read a bit and fell asleep. Woke up at around 4:30 AM and headed to bed. I stayed awake for a while and then decided to try the exercise again before sleeping, this time repeating the routine I did yesterday. This started at around 5 AM (I feel this is important for a reason I'll share later)
I did the routine for maybe around 10 minutes, going through 3 cycles. At the third cycle my legs tremored very violently and got a full body tremor again.
After I stopped, I put on my eye mask and intended to sleep, but instead I slowly felt my body locking up and going into full paralysis.
Now, I am no stranger to sleep paralysis and the visions one can have while in it. In fact, in a way I yearn for it so I can train to eventually feel comfortable during that state, and i've become quite adept at at least remaining composed and actually pulling myself out of it at will when I want. My point is: I'm fairly experienced in sleep paralysis and hallucinations, and this felt NOTHING like I've ever felt before.
The overall experience was almost exactly the same as in my first post: I was on my bed, in my same room, getting frequent intense full body tremors, all while remaining conscious.
However, during this time the whole atmosphere of my room felt very oppressive, just like in any other sleep paralysis experience. But at this time I wasn't having any visions and I actually had "limited movement"
I say that in quotations because I wasn't really moving my physical body, the same body typing this post, because it was totally paralysed. The best way I can describe it, as absurd as it sounds, is like if my consciousness instead of remaining in my paralyzed body, shifted to a parallel reality or dream world of sorts where everything is the same: my room, my bed, except I was inhabiting another version of my body wearing the same clothes, laying in the same position.
Anyway, while I was in this state, I retained full consciousness. I took the opportunity to experiment by thinking about stuff, and at one point I thought about my dog outside my bedroom door. As soon as I did, my face took an uncontrollable expression of feagrief. I felt my mouth open and it remained open for the rest of the experience to the point I could feel my tongue dry out. My theory on why I made that expression is because in my last experience, my dog was gone; and I feared that she would be gone again.
I tried standing up and walk to my door, but my body felt so heavy and would be janked back to the bed, like if gravity was 100x stronger. Moving was exhausting.
At one point I heard my parents wake up and do their morning routine. All the while I was trying to get out of the room ,trying to get up the bed, and even at one point I heard a weird noise right beside me, but since I was aware I was in an altered state of consciousness, I paid it no mind.
Eventually I managed to stand up and move to my door. I felt very weak, could barely walk, and I still retained my eye mask on my forehead and my frightened expression; I could only breathe through my mouth in heavy bursts.
My parents were having breakfast and discussing some stuff. This time, when I opened the door, the house was exactly the same and my dog was there. My parents paid me no mind and continued their talk.
For some reason I moved to the front door and I almost fell. My parents approached me and grabbed me by the arms to lift me up; they said nothing. Then they started dragging me back to my bed, and I got the idea to use that as an "anchor" to "wake up" in my real body.
Here's the weirdest part about this whole thing: as they were approaching my bed, I consciously started to move my REAL fingers, because I could barely feel the bed sheets. Each step they took, I could feel more of my bed.
Eventually, as my parents were sitting "me" on the edge of the bed, my consciousness gradually shifted to my real body. Once I was back, I felt all the oppressiveness gone, and felt like all the nerves on my body reactivated and I could move again. I
Now, why is this experience different than the previous one? (Other than the obvious reasons of my living room being different and my dog gone)
Because this time I'm sure this was NOT a dream, not even a lucid one, for 3 reasons:
-Unlike the previous experience, I NEVER fell asleep.
Think about when you are falling asleep, your consciousness slowly slips away. Then there's this period of unconsciousness, then you either suddenly appear in a dream or you wake up hours later. I've had lucid dreams before, and this void of consciousness between being awake and being in a dream is always there. That's why lucid dreamers do reality checks.
Last time I did say it was the smoothest transition into a dream I've ever had, but I did have this period of unconsciousness. This time I DIDN'T, because when I get sleep paralysis, there has never been a "skip" between being awake and being paralyzed. It's always gradual, and I'm fully conscious the whole time.
-Going hand in hand with the previous point: I NEVER woke up.
Now think about when you wake up. Regardless if you were dreaming or not, you either suddenly open your eyes and regain consciousness, or it happens gradually. If it happens gradually, at first you'll always feel groggy.
Last time, I distinctly remember suddenly waking up in a slight shock. This time I didn't. I didn't slowly regain consciousness either, because as I've mentioned, I was ALWAYS conscious, always awake; I just "shifted" bodies, and while I was doing that I could gradually feel my real body again.
Now, I've had experienced dreams where if something in the real world has a strong presence around me (noise, light, movement, temperature, wanting to pee, etc), that element will creep into whatever I'm dreaming, I'll notice that element, and then quickly wake up. But this felt different
Those Dream>>Awake transitions feel like taking a VR headset off This felt like crossfading two clips in a video sequence
And to cap this one off: when i "returned" to my body, my eye mask was on my forehead, my mouth was actually agape and my tongue was dry, just like it was during the whole experience
-Finally, the previous experience lasted 6 hours, but didn't feel like it because I was actually sleeping. Time is weird when you are dreaming, it can go too slow or too fast. In that case, those 6 hours went too fast.
This experience however, I'm sure lasted what I felt like it lasted, which was around an hour.
I mentioned earlier that this happened at around 5-5:10 AM (checked the clock when I began the exercise). My parents always wake up at 5:30 and start their breakfast around 6.
Also remember how I mentioned that I heard them having a conversation while I was walking to the door? When I returned to my body, they continued with that conversation, exactly where they left off.
So what was all that? My best guess is that I did get sleep paralysis, and a pretty long one. Due to its length, I had a more complex hallucination than normal
Cool, so why did I post it here instead of any other sub? Because this has NEVER happened to me before; not like this, not with this complexity, and not this quickly.
I've tried experimenting with lots of things before sleep: Wim Hof breathing, affirmations, visualization, subliminals, binaural beats, you name it. Most of the time I get a profound restful sleep, very cool dreams, and less commonly sleep paralysis, and while these are always wild, they don't last long at all.
Yet, the first ever couple instances I do TRE at night, I get some of the most intense experiences in my life, and not only that; but they are remarkably similar, with the most recent one building upon the first one in complexity and intensity.
Why is that? How is this technique so powerful? Does it even have something to do with my experiences or was it just a coincidence?
Part of me wants to test it again tonight but I think it's wiser to abstain from doing this before sleep, at least for a while, until I get more familiarized with the exercises and the sensations. To be clear I'm not afraid of it and I was never afraid during my experience; but I'm aware I found something that has proven to be very effective for me to induce altered states of consciousness, so Id rather take my time testing it.
I guess the last thing I can say is; Has anyone else ever experienced something similar to this after they've begun doing TRE?
Cheers!

Hi AskDentist! Seeking some advice/confirmation of a diagnosis I received.
Dentist informed me that I have 12 cavities in all of my molars in all quadrants. They said I have it on 3 surfaces: occlusal (the actual biting part), lingual (the one facing tongue), and facial (the one showing when you smile). They have my treatment plan for 12 fillings with code D2393 (Resin-3 surface + post-perm).
I don't know anything about dentistry and am unsure how much information X-Rays really hold without an actual visual inspection of the teeth (pardon my ignorance!). But, just by looking at these X-Rays, would you be inclined to agree with this diagnosis?
Additionally, as a general question, how severe would you say this tooth decay is? Are any teeth close to needing a root canal? Any information/perspective is deeply appreciated, thank you so much!!
More about me:

• I drink socially, maximum 1 drink per month.
• I do not smoke, nor do I use recreational drugs
• Had an eating disorder for most of my teen years
• Improper dental hygiene for most of my teen years
• I now brush twice a day, mouthwash twice. Still inconsistent with flossing but try to do it when I remember.
• Have mild temperature sensitivity in my bottom quadrants. No pain yet.
• Teeth have crowding.
• Wisdom teeth had grown in with pain and inflammation, never sought dental care for those issues. Now, they've all emerged, but the bottom left wisdom tooth is partially covered by gum.

Hi all! Wanted to see if I could get some advice about what I should be using right now.
Yesterday and today I’ve had the most godawful breakout I’ve ever had. A ton of little bumps all over my face and some with white heads, but my skin doesn’t feel dry or more sensitive or itchy or anything like that. I’ve also been breaking out on my face and neck, and I genuinely don’t think I’ve broken out this badly ever lol
I see a dermatologist for acne and was prescribed clindamycin, a low dose antibiotic, and a low dose Tretinoin back in March but had a follow up last week on Thursday.
Since then, they took me off of the antibiotic, had me try 3% Adapalene instead of the Tretinoin, and suggested I switched my moisturizer. Still using the clindamycin. So basically a lot of changes all at once and I’m a dumbass and didn’t think to ease into it since I’ve never really had sensitive skin. Everything was totally great until Monday night when all hell broke loose on my skin.
Should also mention that I have had issues with my birth control in the past so it could also be a hormonal thing? 🙃
I’m wondering what I should do as far as using everything I’m supposed to, I really don’t want to to irritate it more or anything but if it’s just hormonal I don’t want to make it worse by stopping everything yk?
I can post pics if needed, I’d appreciate any help! :)

I’m not handy. I went to clean a house after the floors were refinished. There was some dust on horizontal surfaces. I wiped up using wet clothes. This was about two months ago, I’ve been to a doctor .My sinuses feel dry and clogged and the mucus is a weird consistency. My mouth tingled and had a weird taste. According to the wood database it’s a more sensitizing and irritating wood - walnut. Since then I’ve become more familiar with fine dust and it’s hazards and I’m trying to understand if anyone has similar experiences or had bad sinus issues that cleared up or if I’ve done permanent damage. The drs gave normal antihistamine and irrigation suggestions .

Hello! I’m very new to the community and skincare stuff in general so apologizes if I miss anything :) wanted to see if I could get some advice here before going straight to the doctor about it lol
Yesterday and today I’ve had the most godawful breakout I’ve ever had. A ton of little bumps all over my face and some with white heads, but my skin doesn’t feel dry or more sensitive or itchy or anything like that. I’ve also been breaking out on my face and neck, and I genuinely don’t think I’ve broken out this badly ever lol
I see a dermatologist for acne and was prescribed clindamycin, a low dose antibiotic, and a low dose Tretinoin back in March but had a follow up last week on Thursday.
Since then, they took me off of the antibiotic, had me try 3% Adapalene instead of the Tretinoin, and suggested I switched my moisturizer. Still using the clindamycin. So basically a lot of changes all at once and I’m a dumbass and didn’t think to ease into it since I’ve never really had sensitive skin. Everything was totally great until Monday night when all hell broke loose on my skin.
Should also mention that I have had issues with my birth control in the past so it could also be a hormonal thing? 🙃
I’m wondering what I should do as far as using everything I’m supposed to, I really don’t want to to irritate it more or anything but if it’s just hormonal I don’t want to make it worse by stopping everything yk?
I can post pics if needed, I will absolutely owe my life if any of you all can help me out <3

The majority of dropping odds alerts you receive on POD will likely not lead to a value bet but that’s totally normal.
If you are new to the dropping odds strategy you can expect to place one bet for every five alerts. If you’re more experienced and have knowledge of ‘prime times’ and ‘fruitful markets’ then you will be able to improve significantly on that but even then you’ll still have to sift through alerts that don’t lead to a bet. You may even have times when you go on a streak of 10-15 ‘dud’ alerts but that is par for the course. Remember we get paid for placing good bets but don’t lose money for allowing bad bets to pass us by. Remain disciplined and don’t be disheartened by dry spells. It's also worth mentioning that your alert-to-bet ratio is going to vary massively on what country you are in and what bookmakers you have access to so don't think you're doing something wrong if someone has a better ratio than you because it may well just be because they have different market conditions.
With that being said, in this article, I’m going to look at the two main reasons why an alert might not lead to a bet and how we can improve our alert-to-bet ratio by using some simple tricks and ideas.

Reason 1: The Soft Bookmakers Have Already Dropped Their Odds

Just because the softs are slow to adjust their odds some of the time doesn’t mean they are slow to adjust their odds all of the time. The most common reason you won’t be able to get a bet off is because the odds have already shifted in accordance with Pinnacle meaning there simply isn’t any value in the odds.
Speed up Your Process
You can’t control how long it takes for the soft to adjust but you can control, to a large extent, how long it takes you to react to the alert. Don’t waste time in getting to the market and placing the bet.
💡 Tips to speed up your betting process:

1. Have your softs open in a separate tab and the bookmaker’s search bar ready
2. Have your alerts unmuted and volume turned up
3. Practice reading the team names, market and NVP from your alert quickly so you don’t have to return to POD before placing the bet
4. Used a fixed stake strategy so you know exactly how much to bet on each bet meaning you don’t have to waste time doing complex calculations

Work in Markets that are Slow to Adjust
Once you have been betting with the strategy for a while you will start to notice patterns. Perhaps a particular competition is throwing up consistent value or perhaps a certain bookmaker is particularly slow across the board… your response to this should be ‘great now I know where to fish’. Set up your filters to target these rich hunting grounds and you will see your alert to bet ratio improve.
Given the fact that each country has different bookmakers which offer different markets and have differing price sensitivity for different sports and competitions I cannot point you to those bookmakers/markets that will be best for you but I will say that in the normal course of betting you will stumble across your fair share of them so keep at it and stay vigilant.

Reason 2: Your Softs Don’t Have the Market

Not every bookmaker has every sport, league, market type or derivative on offer. You will frequently find that an alert won’t yield a bet because you simply have no softs to place a bet on.
Add markets to your coverage
You can reduce the occurrence of this by opening more accounts at soft bookmakers and by betting on softs that have good market breadth and depth like Bet365.
Check Derivative/Correlated Markets
If the odds drop for the over 3.25 market on Pinnacle and your softs don’t cover that market but instead they have the over 3.0 market don’t despair because the odds will have dropped for the over 3.0 market as well given they are heavily correlated. You can check all of the available markets for an alerted event directly from the alerts tab using the ‘QuickLook’ feature which is found by clicking on the blue magnifying glass in the SideKick.
Exclude Competitions
Another way to correct for this is to filter out the competitions that your bookmakers do not cover by using the competition filter’s exclude function. Here’s what I would input in order to filter out alerts for the Nigeria - NPFL competition:notice that the filter is set to ‘exclude’

Why Value Betting isn’t Baseball

The good news is that value betting isn’t baseball, there aren’t any strikes. You don’t pay a penalty for allowing a bad bet to pass you by so if an alert pops up and there’s no value to be had then no worries just wait for the next one. On the other hand you do pay a penalty for placing a bet at negative expected value so do not get tempted to place a bad bet during a period of slowness .
As I said earlier you will inevitably hit a dry spell where you receive 10-15 alerts in a row that don’t lead to a bet. Discipline is the most important trait when it comes to value betting so be strict with yourself and don’t shoot yourself in the foot during these slow periods by either quitting or by placing negative EV bets.

Summary

• Dropping odds alerts often don't lead to value bets
• Newcomers might find only one bet for every five alerts
• Experienced bettors can improve but still face many false alarms
• Reasons for alerts failing:
  • Soft bookmakers may have already adjusted odds, eliminating value
  • Soft bookmakers might lack the market for the alerted event
• Tips to improve success:
  • React quickly to alerts
  • Target markets slow to adjust
  • Open accounts with more soft bookmakers
  • Use QuickLook feature to explore available markets
  • Exclude competitions your bookmakers don't cover

As requested here are my tips on smelling good all day !
Personally I watched lots of hygiene videos and experinmented with different shower routines but I finally found something that works for me that I will list below!
Your soap is important! Purchase a soap for your skin type, normal, oily, acne prone, sensitive or dry. Try to keep it as natural as possible in terms of carrier oils and ingredients.
After soaking your body in the shower, gwt your body soap and Use exfoluating gloves/ washcloth to clean your body after massaging the soap and getting suds. Make sure that when you bathe you scrub all of the dirt off. Scrub behind the ears, neck, back, belly button, armpits, legs, calves, FEET AND TOES AS WELL AS IN BETWEEN THE TOES.
To clean the outside of your coochie please find a yoni soap that is a gentle PH balance and all natural. Before purchasing please do reseach prior to purchasing and use a WHITE WASHCLOTH.
Have different washcloths for your areas, body, coochie and butt.
For your butt use an anti bacterial soap. Irish spring works best but also Dettol or Savalon soap. (Original) I will link a video I watched as a guide.
When you are clean you get out of the shower and lightly dad your skin in the towel. Now here comes the fun part! Moisturizing!
Depending on your skin type, your needs for a lotion/ body butter will be different.
First apply body butte lotion (preferbly unscented but if you have a set like VS or BBW use that scented lotion or body butter
Apply body oil! This is the key to locking in moisture if you have dry skin/ very dry/ cracked skin. It softens the skin over time. If you want to try out a regular oil, jojoba oil is a sealant for all skin types.
For signiture scent you first put vasaline/ petrolleum jelly on your pressure points and spray your body mist/ perfume on the areas. Lightly make a mist and step into it.
For a touch up you can carry a travel sized bottle of the scent with you on the go and reapply the spray in the bathroom.
I hope these tips are helpful! I will link below the hygiene videos that made my routine imprive drastically.
~Giselle

TLDR at bottom
only had this happen to me twice. Both times with Robert mondovi bottles. First time it happened was on a 2017 I think nappa valley or oakville which was $18 at the time. Second time it happens was on a 2017 or 2019 reserve bottle I got for $45.
So first bottle 2017 I pop it open pour a glass and left bottom shelf no light room temp and forgot about it. 2-3 weeks later had friend over was her birthday and remembered about it. Reopened it up along with another bottle from the same case. Poured 3 glasses and it was amazing coat your tongue. Like almost a savory note. Completely different from my first glas. Made my salavte and the fruit notes or w..e. lingered I'm my mouth making me want more. My friends loved it. The 2nd bottle that had been left open to breath tsdted like my first glass not even close
2nd bottle we popped it at my friends birthday the reserve everyone was like hey too dry. Had 1/3rd left. Month goes by.. I'm back up he goes you want a cup of that wine you for me? I got a glass and it was AMAZING. I told him try it again now. He took a sip and was like omg that's good.
What happened? Did the alcohol content of the wine lower? Or what?
Tldr: wines that were opened and recorked left at room temp in dark place for 2weeks to 4. Tasted 100s better than first glass. Meanwhile a bottle of Hess I had turned vinegar.

Hey!
I’m a newbie with skincare and I’m struggling a bit to understand how to do the cleanse daily without irritating my skin. I’m often adviced not to use cleanser products more than every other day or so - how do I do my PM cleanse on the off-days then?
Right now I do a cold water wash in the morning and in the evenings before my PM routine I’ve used the squalane cleanser by TO every day since I feel like warm water alone isn’t enough to clean my face from sun screen and all the grit of living in the city. It does feel like using the cleanser daily makes my skin dryer.
Any advice how I should approach this?

28 weeks. I have some pretty bad and demanding pelvic pain in my hips and back/sides. Until about 2-3 weeks ago it was manageable, I could perform most of my usual functions, but now all day every day I'm using anything I can to stave off the pain and avoiding most bodily movements. Laying and sitting hurt more than walking so most of my day is spent just slowly pacing around in between treatments.
Currently I am taking warm baths 4 times a day. This is the minimum I can do to avoid being in writhing, groaning pain - it flares up throughout the day but especially at night around bedtime (laying down is not a factor here). When it flares, the bath is the only thing that truly helps, although this is becoming less effective.
Other things I've tried:
Ice packs - next best thing when I'm trying to delay my next bath or if I need to lay down or sit. I use ice packs very frequently throughout the day.
Heat pad - was sort of working for a little bit, now seems to make it worse.
Pregnancy support belt - was helping for a while but after the pain got really bad it just started making it worse.
Massage - helps later on but not in the moment. Sometimes I'm in more pain directly after the massage than before it - but feel better later, usually if I'm able to do this bath thing right afterward.
Pillows for support - I do need proper ones. I don't know if it will make a significant difference. Right now I'm using what I have to try to take some pressure off of my hips and back when I lay down.
Gentle stretches - I've had 1 physical therapy appointment so far and at this appointment the therapist gave me some mild stretches to try at home. I do these when I'm not in too much pain.
Tylenol - I don't notice much difference while I'm awake. Most nights it helps me sleep a little longer before waking up again from the pain. Tonight it didn't.
Epsom salt in the bath - didn't seem to make a huge difference and now I have to avoid because my skin is raw from all these baths (water only).
Reasons why I need to cut back:
Bills - water and heater (idk if gas or electric).
Bathroom availability - 1 bathroom, 5 adults. I try to make sure no one needs it before I go in because I need at least an hour most of the time.
My availability - I have a toddler and the other adults have a hard time keeping up with her sometimes. Currently I can't either due to my condition, but having me out and present instead of locked away in the bathroom is helpful for the others. And my daughter misses me.
Skin - all of these baths are messing up my skin. It's dry, itchy, burning, sensitive. I don't have proper lotion, just a fancy heavily scented one, so that probably doesn't help.
What I haven't tried:
TENS - will be sending a message to my doctor soon to ask about it.
Chiropractor - have brought this up with my doctor but they ignore it. I know some work with pregnant women but I might be too far along, and if not then I need to at least know they're a pregnancy safe practitioner.
Acupuncture - skeptical but willing to try if it's safe.
Yoga ball - don't have one but can get one. I don't know if it will help at this level of pain, especially because sitting usually aggravates the pain.
Tennis balls on back - recommended by a friend, haven't tried yet, not sure how tbh as I don't have a proper chair.

Some health-conscious individuals, particularly those following carnivore or heavily meat-based diets, argue that plants produce toxins to protect themselves. Therefore, they claim, consuming these plants introduces harmful substances into our bodies, potentially leading to severe allergic reactions or impacting biological processes.
Understanding Natural Toxins in Fruits and Vegetables Indeed, most fruits and vegetables contain certain natural toxins as their defense mechanism against pests and harsh external factors. However, these naturally occurring toxins don't always effectively deter insects. For instance, wild tomatoes often have more pests than those grown in gardens.
The Beneficial Compounds in Plants Plants contain polyphenols and carotenoids, which protect them against ultraviolet radiation and pathogens. These compounds also have unmatched antioxidant properties, along with other health benefits. Eating these plants brings these protective and healthy properties to our diet, supported by countless studies.
Human Physiology and Toxin Sensitivity From a physical perspective, humans are much larger than insects. The quantity of toxins that affects insects is unlikely to impact our bodies significantly.
Natural Toxins Found in Fruits and Vegetables Plants produce a remarkable array of enzymes used to create complex chemical compounds for defense against pathogens and animals. These are known as "specializing compounds." Without these compounds, plants would quickly be consumed by insects, herbivores, and humans.
These harmful potential toxins are found in roots, tubers, stems, fruits, buds, and leaves. Indeed, in sufficient quantities, these toxins can cause significant harm or discomfort to humans, entering the body through inhalation, ingestion, or direct contact.
Here’s a breakdown of some natural toxins and how they might affect us:
Toxin: 𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐈𝐃𝐒 Foods: Potatoes, eggplants, coffee beans, tea leaves. How they harm: Alkaloids are organic compounds derived from amino acids, mostly with strong physiological effects. They often affect the central nervous system, and some can damage the liver by obstructing blood microvessels.
Toxin: 𝐆𝐋𝐘𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐒 Foods: Lima beans, soybean hulls, flax seeds, bamboo shoots, apricots, and almonds. How they harm: Glycosides have several annoying groups. One type, cyanogen glycoside, attaches to mitochondria's cytochrome and blocks the electron transport chain, leading to comas. Another, cardiac glycosides, inhibit an enzyme controlling heart rhythm.
Toxin: Protein Toxin Foods: Castor beans, abrin, white snakeroot. How they harm: Protein toxins can enter cells and prevent them from producing essential proteins.
Toxin: Oxalates Foods: Spinach, soybeans, various beans, potatoes. How they harm: Oxalates contain crystals that can irritate the skin, mouth, tongue, and throat, potentially leading to breathing difficulties, pain, and stomach aches. Oxalates can also bind with calcium, leading to severe hypotension and muscle spasms (tetany).
Toxin: 𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈-𝐕𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐒 Foods: Horsetails, Bracken (fern family), Cinnamon, Mexican vanilla, tonka beans, strawberries, apricots. How they harm: Anti-vitamins are toxins that work against vitamins in the body. Coumarin, found in significant amounts in cinnamon, breaks down vitamin K, while Horsetail and Bracken conflict with thiamine.
Toxin: 𝐅𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐒 Foods: Parsley, celery root... How they harm: Furocoumarins can cause digestive issues in some individuals. They are also phototoxic, meaning they can cause severe skin reactions when exposed to sunlight.
Toxin: 𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐒 Foods: Various beans (kidney, peanuts...), grains. How they harm: They can cause stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Conclusion While it's important to be aware of these natural toxins, the benefits of consuming a varied diet rich in fruits and vegetables typically outweigh the risks for most people. The toxins in typical serving sizes are generally well below the harmful levels, and many of these substances can be reduced or eliminated through cooking.
Adopting a balanced diet, considering both the protective compounds and potential toxins in plants, is key to optimizing health.
https://youtube.com/shorts/1aRZD8vVbQI?feature=share
#HealthyEating #NutritionFacts #FoodSafety #PlantBased #ToxinsInFood #DietAndHealth #NaturalToxins #FruitsAndVeggies #HealthAwareness #FoodScience

I ran out of room on my last post, so this is just going to be a continuation of that. This is Vedic astrology once again.
Yoni
Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra is associated with the male lion yoni. Together with the pillar of light as one of its symbols, this brings to mind the story of Lord Narasimha, who was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu as a part-lion avatar, where he destroyed the duality of worldy-mindliness represented by Hiranyakashipu. This of course relates to Purva Bhadrapada's nature of protection of innocence and the oncoming destruction of duality. Lions are known for their majestic presence and commanding strength in the animal kingdom, qualities that mirror the dominant and regal nature of individuals born under this nakshatra. The male lion yoni symbolizes a potent and assertive approach to sexuality, illuminating the primal instincts and intense desires of Purva Bhadrapada natives. Similar to the bold and authoritative demeanor of a lion, these individuals may exhibit a confident and passionate attitude in their sexual encounters, embracing intimacy with fervor and intensity. Purva Bhadrapada natives are often loyal, attractive, forgiving, and faithful partners, embodying the noble virtues associated with the lion yoni. There is also a connection between Purva Bhadrapada and homosexuality, which is echoed in the behavior of lions to frequently engage in same-sex relationship and mating behavior. The diversity of sexual expressions within the animal kingdom, mirroring the complexity and fluidity of human sexuality observed among Purva Bhadrapada natives is apparent here. That said, there can be a tendency to be overly sexual, as lions are known to mate up to 50 times in a 24-hour period when the females are in heat. And despite being painful for the female lion due to the barbs on the male lions genitals, that does not stop them from harassing the males for sex when they cannot keep up with their demands. Beyond their sexual nature, the lion yoni offers insights into the fundamental characteristics that shape compatibility in relationships for Purva Bhadrapada individuals. Lions are typically known for their social structure, where they live in prides led by a dominant male, with females doing most of the work in terms of hunting and caring for the young. Male lions are often portrayed as gentle and lazy, preferring to conserve their energy for crucial moments of challenge from another male, while female lions are more continuously aggressive and assertive, taking on the role of primary hunters and protectors of the pride. In the context of Purva Bhadrapada individuals, this dynamic may manifest in their views on relationships and interpersonal dynamics. Like male lions, they may view others' children as adversaries, striving to maintain their dominance and authority over a given territory. Women of this Nakshatra will behave more like female lions though, even though the yoni as a whole is of the Male lion. The yoni counterpart to this asterism is the female lion of Dhanishta.
Deciding Attributes

Activity – Nakshatras are categorized into three main modes of activity based on their inherent qualities: passive, active, and balanced. These classifications provide insights into the fundamental nature and functioning of each Nakshatra, influencing its manifestation. Passive Nakshatras are characterized by a receptive and introspective nature, expressing themselves internally. They tend to be more attuned to their surroundings, absorbing energy and stimuli from their environment. Individuals born under passive Nakshatras may exhibit traits such as sensitivity, intuition, idealism, and emotional depth. They often possess a natural ability to empathize with others and may excel in creative or spiritual pursuits that require reflection. On the other hand, active Nakshatras are dynamic and assertive. They are proactive and initiative-taking, inclined towards external expression of action like the naming suggests. Individuals born under active Nakshatras may display traits such as courage and a strong drive of pursuit. They are often motivated to pursue their goals with determination and may excel in leadership roles or competitive endeavors. Balanced Nakshatras exhibit a combination of both passive and active qualities, allowing them to adapt their behavior and approach according to the demands of the situation. Individuals born under balanced Nakshatras may possess a versatile nature, capable of both receptivity and initiative as circumstances require. They are adept at finding a harmonious medium between action and reflection. Purva Bhadrapada is a passive Nakshatra and does not rush into things.

Gender – Purva Bhadrapada is a masculine Nakshatra. This Nakshatra projects the qualities described as masculine by the sages, such as enthusiasm, logic, and initiation. This nakshatra is also in association with male planets like Jupiter and Saturn.

Direction – Purva bhadrapada's main directions are West and South East. Its looking direction is downward. Westward activities, such as introspection, meditation, and spiritual practices, are considered auspicious, as they align with the nakshatra's inward-focused energy and journey towards spiritual enlightenment. Conversely, Southeast-facing endeavors, like material pursuits, worldly ambitions, and external engagements, may be less favorable, as they distract from the nakshatra's path of inner growth and self-discovery. The downward looking direction further emphasizes the importance of grounding and introspection, guiding individuals towards activities that foster inner peace, wisdom, and spiritual fulfillment.

Tendency – Creation (as opposed to maintenance or dissolution)

Nadi – Like Ashwini, Purva Bhadrapada's nadi dosha is Aadi nadi and is related to Vaata, indicating flow of energyt from top to bottom. This nadi dosha can lead to problems with anxiety, controversy, divorce, and matters related to children.

Overall Auspicious activities – Purva Bahdrapada is good for activities that are difficult or impossible to reverse, such as argument, violent or destructive tasks, meat selling, battles, legal proceedings, weapons handling, aggressive behavior, risky activities and investments, endings and completions, dealing with death-related matters like funerals, removal of obstacles, terminating relationships, demolitions, handling waste, rituals to remove obstacles, occult practices, meditation, group ceremonies, technology-related tasks, and agricultural matters.

Overall Inauspicious activities – Purva Bhadrapada is not good for activities that require stability and peace, such as travelling, sexual intercourse, marriage ceremonies, negotiations, reconciliations, initiating things, establishing new relationships, beginning journeys, farming or gardening, creative endeavors, childbirth, religious ceremonies focused on positivity, dealing with authority, and generally any activity requiring patience or a gentle hand.

Capacity – Purva Bhadrapada is Ugra, meaning fierce or intense. Ugra nakshatras are characterized by their aggressive and forceful nature. The energy of Purva Bhadrapada can be both destructive and transformative. This nakshatra is associated with breaking down old structures to make way for new growth. Ugra nakshatras are suitable for activities requiring fire, destruction, excessive force, and challenging enemies. They are also support activities such as tantric practices, shamanistic rituals, and other forms of deep spiritual work, with Purva Bhadrapada having the most power to cause transformations overall.

Professions – Purva Bhadrapada is associated with careers such as business administration, occupations related to death, medicine and healing (especially those related to death or geriatrics), psychology and psychiatry careers (especially those relating to asylums or loss of mental faculties like insanity or cognitive degeneration), research jobs, teaching and higher education, visionary or fanatical work like a social rights activism or terrorism, occultism and black magic, the darker side of the government/ruling elite, the darker side of the entertainment industry like pornography or scandals, weapon makers and users, soldiers and homicide forces, dark technologies, religious ascetics and monks, metal industry jobs, occupations related to the use of fire, enemies and protectors of the environment, jobs related to pharmaceuticals, and occupations that require total secrecy like illegal activities and those that require high standing for authorization. As a personal observation, I also tend to see them quite a bit in the entertainment industry as creative artists of music, media, and fashion. Their creations are usually quite popular, even though they can be a bit more dark.


Tattva – Purva Bhadrapada's overall tattva is Akasha (Ether), but is it also closely linked to Agni or fire. Akasha represents the vast, boundless nature of space. With this being the predominant Tattva, natives of this nakshatra have a tendency to look beyond the immediate or the mundane, choosing to look for the truth of reality themselves. As the element of Ether is associated with the vastness of the cosmos and the unseen realms, Purva Bhadrapada natives often have strong spiritual and mystical inclinations. They may be drawn to esoteric knowledge, occult practices, and metaphysical exploration. Connecting with sound, Ether is also the element communication. This is not practical communication though; it is more spiritual and implicit communication, where the knowledge of the universe is echoed through everything. Individuals born under Purva Bhadrapada possess an ability to communicate things without saying them. They can just kind of send out information that others attuned to them and this level of existence will be able to pick up on with little effort.

Ayurvedic connections – In Ayurveda, each individual is said to be born with a unique combination of the three doshas, known as their primary constitution or Prakriti. Like Ashwini, Purva Bhadrapada is connected to Vaata dosha, primarily being connected to the knees and the top portions of the feet. Knees are the body parts which provide us the capacity for walking and quick forward movement, such as with running and jumping. Vaata carries a moveable energy as it is said to govern movement and is associated with qualities like dryness, coldness, lightness, and variability. According to ayurveda, doshas out of balance will lead to poor health and disease. When in harmony, Vaata will provide creativity and enthusiasm, flexibility and adaptability, clear and agile thinking, healthy digestion and regular elimination, sound sleep, stable energy levels throughout the day, an overall sense of well-being and vitality, a lean physique with proportionate features, graceful movements, a healthy and clear complexion, strong and flexible joints and muscles, normal and healthy body temperature and circulation. When out of balance, the effect of Vaata can lead to anxiety, nervousness, uncontrollable restlessness, insomnia and disturbed sleep, digestive issues, dry as well as rough/cracked skin, fatigue/inconsistent energy levels, joint stiffness or pain, forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating, irregular appetite, emotional instability, sensitivity to the cold or windy weather, weight loss, brittle hair and nails, excessive movement or hyper speech, confusion, fear, tremors, and weakening muscles.

Shakti – The Yajamana Udyamana Shakti of Purva Bhadrapada manifests as a dual force, intertwining the energies of sacrifice and grand endeavors to uplift society. On one hand, this Shakti empowers individuals to engage in acts of selfless sacrifice, dedicating themselves to the betterment of society and the advancement of spiritual growth. Their willingness to make personal sacrifices for the greater good serves as a beacon of inspiration, illuminating the path towards collective upliftment and enlightenment. However, the promise of swift manifestation and profound transformation also carries inherent dangers and consequences, including unintended outcomes. They can lose their way by fixating on power and control. Overall, this Shakti gives a natural inclination towards leadership and innovation. When associated with this nakshatra, it gives these natives the capacity to envision bold initiatives and possess the drive and determination to see them through to fruition. Whether it's spearheading social reforms, pioneering scientific breakthroughs, or initiating large-scale efforts, these individuals are drawn to endeavors that have a lasting impact on the world. Moreover, this Shakti gives individuals the ability to inspire and motivate others to join them in their quest. Their pwerful presence and persuasive abilities enable them to rally support and build coalitions, creating a ripple effect that amplifies the reach and impact of their actions. They are amplifiers for change, igniting passion and purpose in those around them and mobilizing collective action towards a shared vision

Does anyone have loss of vision from et and dry eyes? Light sensitivity?

I feel quite flat today. I feel okay and all, I just feel empty but not sad empty but empty as in I have nothing to give today.
I’m taking a step back in some areas with work. I came to the realisation today that my doing work I shouldn’t have to/is not my responsibility means that the issue of it not being done isn’t being exposed. I’ve communicated several times to my manager that what should be happening isn’t and nothing has changed, so I figure it I step back from it then she’ll see it not being done/she’ll hear about it from others. I like that I’m a team player blah blah blah, I always support and encourage my colleagues and take on more so they can focus on their goals and things and I just need to stop. I can still do it, and I know wi will regardless because I can’t not, but I need to be selfish. My manager herself said I needed to learn to be selfish - ironic isn’t it, given how much it a selfish self absorbed cow I am outside of work. Anyway I’m letting it pile up now. I’ve communicated plenty, I’ve offered solutions, I’ve even set up a bloody chat for the team taking over if they have any questions and I can help them. If they opt to not do their work then it shouldn’t fall on me, so therefore I’m stepping back.
I feel like I don’t have any real control over myself lately. Like I tell myself to do something and I don’t do it and I can’t seem to make myself do anything. I have zero discipline. I need to learn to have much stronger discipline. I’ve also had the worst cravings again lately, I guess I’ve shown some discipline in that but I’m still not eating properly - I need to be cooking proper meals, not instant rice and veggies and stuff. I feel like utter crap when I don’t eat properly, and that doesn’t mean eating junk food stuff it also means not eating an adequate amount of protein and things. I need to get myself together. I just haven’t had the drive to do anything lately.
I’ve been using my K18 mask each wash, as it says I should, I don’t condition and then I put it into my damp hair and maybe my hair feels healthier I guess but I hate how it air-dries. It’s so blahhh. Normally when I air dry it’s fairly silky in the morning, not silky silky as it would be when I properly style it or use a mask etc but it’s nice enough. Whereas now it’s all… idk. It feels a lot thicker lately, idk why as it won’t be, but I can’t fit it all into a claw clip anymore like I could before. I wonder if it’s more to do with my layers growing out? It’s also longer. So probably those two things. It’s still going through a shedding phase, the post stress kind of shedding I get. I hate it. I hate that my inability to control my emotions means I get such physical side effects. Anyway. I’m welllll overdue for a haircut, but I feel like I want to get it all to one length and then go, because I feel like she keeps f’ing up my length. So idk. It’s so ugly at the moment though, it’s due for a colour and desperately needs some shaping done. Maybe this time I will go to a new salon and then I always have my usual one to fall back on? Idk. I won’t get a cut for at least another month I don’t think. Maybe. I need it but I want it all one length so it can be properly restyled. So idk, I guess I’ll get bigger clips. My face framies need some TLC big time though. Oh well. What’s some bad hair when I’m so ugly anyway. Plus getting my hair done means I have to stare at myself in a mirror for 2 hours, I can barely even look at myself when putting makeup/skincare on.
I did a workout today and it was so bad. I truly have nothing to give today. I ended up just doing a super basic pilates routine which tbh was more stretching than anything. It felt nice though, so I’m glad I did it. So in short I did not do a workout today, and I shouldn’t have said that.
I wonder what it will be like to not hate myself? It feels like an unreachable goal but it’s my goal nonetheless. But I wonder what it’s like? It sounds so freeing. The way Andy says he doesn’t really think negatively about himself, that he doesn’t relentlessly beat himself up over things and idk, he said more but anyway. I know that won’t always be the case and he’ll sometimes feel completely different and negatively and things, which I detest the idea of, but on the whole he’s content with himself. The idea of that feels so foreign. I don’t know where it came from, I mean I do - a lifetime of collecting insecurities, fears and all of that. But I realise I haven’t had a life where I’ve been constantly rejected or had any issue getting attention from men (who were clearly daft and blind), I have parents who in theory seem to love me (out of obligation), I don’t have a difficult life and I have plenty of opportunities thrown at me etc etc. I I guess I have been treated badly by people close to me, people I’ve forced myself to trust and be open with, and I have always been sensitive and idk. So I guess I took on those situations and words and they stuck and then proceeded to fester. But I hated myself before then too… though I hated myself less before then I suppose. But I didn’t feel worthy of anything much back then and I didn’t like myself at all. I can’t actually remember a time where I felt accepting of myself, I don’t mean a time where I liked myself, I mean just a time where I felt content enough. I remember being in primary school and wishing on dandelions that I could be anyone else as long as I wasn’t me. I remember it, I think it was in my grandmas garden and idk. Anyway. I still make wishes on dandelions even now, though a lot more privately. But so I can’t remember a time I felt okay about myself, and over the years it’s just slowly but surely become a twisted, monstrous hatred for myself, where I fantasise about ripping my skin off and hacking away at myself and tell myself horrid nasty things throughout the day, every day. It sometimes feels lightened thanks to therapy, the hatred hasn’t really lessened but my ability to recognise the negativity has increased and so I don’t lean into the negativity as easily now, but I still do on a daily basis. I just don’t even know what it would be like to accept myself. I hope I get to that point some day, I really hope it’s soon. Even if it just means I’m in a state of delusion.
I wish downstairs wouldn’t slam their goddamn door all the time, it’s like they’re incapable of closing it normally. And then they thunder around so heavy footed - like how is it that the people DOWNSTAIRS makes UPSTAIRS shake with footsteps and things. Anyway it’s fine and not really an issue, but it annoys me sometimes. Like why do they walk so heavy!!! WALK LIGHTER.
I don’t want to journal anymore. Im going to read. He’s still asleep so I’m not really sure if we’ll spend time together or not tonight. Okay anyway bye

I dont do makeup much but when I go out I just use some concealer under my eyes .I have quite oily skin and my eyes get dry quick.My eyes r quite sensitive

Hi, y’all. I’m struggling over here. I got an ear piercing on Sunday (lobe) and while my left ear has been fine, my right ear began swelling maybe three days ago.
First it was irritated and red, then I went to sleep thinking it would get better and woke up with it swollen, then yesterday went to the mirror and saw that it was embedded in my ear, and scoured Reddit for answers just to come to the conclusion that I should just let it heal and try to sleep correctly, but then I woke up maybe ten minutes ago, went to the bathroom, and saw that there was possibly dried blood on the piercing and the embedding might have gotten worse.
I spray saline on my piercings everyday and I really don’t know what to do. I used a donut last night and woke up turned around so I feel like this is probably the reason for my problems. My left ear is also notorious for giving me headaches when it comes to infections (my original piercing is also sensitive) so Im not really sure what to do.
Should I go to the doctor and get it removed or toughen through it?

Hi there!
I have quite a bit of experience with traveling, and unfortunately, I'm also very experienced with migraines (for over 10 years). Through trial and error, I've figured out how to navigate travel without triggering a migraine, and I'd love to share my tips with you. Feel free to share your own tips in the comments!
We all have our own migraine or headache triggers, and I've got plenty of mine. The key is to identify yours and do your best to avoid them.

1. The first rule of being a migraine traveler is to always carry your migraine or headache relief with you. Even if you know tons of life hacks on how to reduce it, no one knows when the next attack will come. Most migraine pills are sold on a prescription basis in Europe, so you cannot buy them in a pharmacy whenever you want. Make sure you have enough pills/drops for your trip (and also ensure you will not be required to carry your prescription, as some countries' border control might ask for it).
2. Try to minimize stress as much as possible (though it may seem tough! :) ). Make a thorough packing list in your notes or a packing app to prevent those "OMG, I forgot my passport" moments. Also, ensure you arrive at the airport on time to avoid unnecessary rushing and stress.
3. One of my major triggers is strong smells, so I always try to avoid duty-free shops that sell perfume. However, there are times when I might still visit these shops if I feel that my migraine is under control and won't be triggered.
4. Stay hydrated. I mean really hydrated. I always carry at least a bottle of water for every hour of flight. Staying hydrated on a plane is vital due to the low humidity (dry air in airplanes is a major cause of dehydration, as your body loses moisture through breathing and skin evaporation) and high altitude, which can lead to dehydration and worsen headaches. Drinking water (not juice or coke!!!) regularly throughout the flight helps counteract these effects.
5. Avoid alcohol and caffeine as much as you can before and during your flight. They can both contribute to dehydration, but more importantly, they influence blood vessels and neurotransmitter levels in the brain. Both alcohol and caffeine can change how blood moves through your body and affect a chemical called serotonin. These changes are connected to migraines in people who are prone to getting them. Save the drinks for your destination! Skip your glass of overpriced champagne in the airport and opt for Prosecco in Rome or some Kölsch in Cologne instead.
6. Choose the right seat (and even pay for it if needed). Light sensitivity? Opt for a window seat, so you can close the window shade and block the bright sunlight. Motion sickness? Avoid seats near the wings or engines can help minimize exposure to noise and vibrations. Swelling? Seletc a seat with extra legroom, which not only provides comfort but can also help reduce the risk of swelling in the legs and feet, which is common during long flights and can contribute to discomfort and headaches.
7. Consider your in-flight entertainment carefully. While in-flight movies and TV shows can be a great way to pass the time, staring at a screen for too long can strain your eyes and potentially trigger a migraine. Take regular breaks, blink often, and adjust the screen brightness to a comfortable level. I prefer audiobooks or interesting podcasts - my headphones keep me away from noise on the airplane and I gain some useful knowledge.
8. Wear comfy clothes during the flight and bring some extras to stay warm. Choose loose clothes instead of tight jeans or high heels that might make you uncomfortable during the flight. Wear layers so you can adjust to the plane's changing temperatures. Bring a travel pillow and blanket if you want extra comfort for long flights. I always bring my travel pillow, warm jacket, and soft&warm socks to stay comfy.
9. Select right food and snacks. Stick to your regular meal schedule and opt for healthy options like salad or a panini instead of fast food. Pack or buy snacks (preferably non-sugary ones!). Skipping meals or relying on sugary snacks can disrupt your blood sugar levels, which often triggers migraines. Pack some healthy snacks like nuts, fruits, or granola bars to keep your energy levels stable throughout the flight.
10. Enjoy your travel :) Maintaining a positive mood can help keep migraines away! Try to relax, enjoy the journey, and stay optimistic. Engage in activities that bring you joy and make the most out of your travel experience!

The list above might seem over-complicated, but trust me - it's worth it to avoid ruining your vacation with a migraine.
Happy travels, everyone!