How I Cured High Cholesterol Without Medication

In 2009, I was a 19 year old community college student.  One day, I was sitting in a nutrition class and the teacher was talking about the fat in our organs.  I hadn't eaten anything substantial that morning, so between that and the discussion topic, I began to feel light headed.  I thought if I could just splash some cold water on my face I would be fine.  I walked out of the class and headed toward the restroom.  My breathing was heavy and my mind was foggy as I walked slowly down the hallway.  The next thing I remember is waking up on the ground surrounded by strangers kneeling over me.  I slowly sat up and they told me I blacked out.  This was the first time I had ever passed out before.  My teacher came out of the classroom and insisted on calling an ambulance.  All she seemed to care about was following protocol.

While waiting for the paramedics, the women, who I found out were in the nursing program, began telling me what happened from their perspective.  They said when they first saw me I was walking strangely close to the wall.  They ran and guided me to the ground as I fell.  I don't know what would have happened if they hadn't been there and I'm so thankful God sent them to help me.  The paramedics came and after a short checkup they determined I was fine.  I called my parents to pick me up and on the way home my mom said I had to go to the doctor, just to be sure everything was okay, and I reluctantly agreed.

My doctor didn't find anything abnormal during the checkup and said it was probably a psychological issue combined with not eating enough.  She wanted me to take a blood test as an extra precaution.  Everything came back normal except my cholesterol.  My doctor was surprised by this because of my age and since I've always been underweight.  She said sometimes genetics can contribute to this condition and there was nothing I could do to change that.  Her advice was to exercise daily and change my diet.  I'll admit I was very sedentary at this point in my life because my main activity was sitting at a desk doing school work.  My diet was also a mess at this time.  The only guidance she gave me was in the form of a vague pamphlet about high cholesterol.

Over the next two years I was given a certain time period to work out and clean up my diet before the next blood test.  I would do well for a while, but then I'd get lazy again.  At the age of 22, I went to a gynecologist who told me about red yeast rice supplements.  Those were a great option for me because I didn't want to be on prescription medication.  I took Red Yeast Rice for about two years.

When I started researching nutrition on my own and discovered The Beauty Detox Program, I stopped taking them.  By eating a whole foods, plant based diet 98% of the time, I got my cholesterol levels healthy in an all natural way.  I also discovered yoga, which gets my heart rate up while building strength and I believe that has helped as well.  I still get checked at least once a year and ever since I've been eating this way my levels have been healthy.  I'm not qualified to give medical advice, I've just been through a lot with my body over the past few years and this is what has worked for me.  You can read my other story, My Journey to Clear Skin, for more specifications on how I changed my diet.  If you or someone you know is on medication for high cholesterol, I suggest you look into this lifestyle.  You don't have to live on prescriptions the rest of your life to be healthy.  All you need is self discipline and guidance from well researched nutritionists.

My Journey to Clear Skin

I'm sharing this experience for anyone struggling with acne.  I've dealt with this since I was 13 years old.  Finally, 11 years later, I found the true solution.  I spent those 11 years trying many different products, making sure I washed my face every morning and night, and I still had frequent breakouts.  At times I hated myself.  Other times I just wanted to give up.  It was something I worried about all the time.  I made sure to sit away from the light so my imperfections were less noticeable.  It was normal for me to stay in my room so I didn't have to go into the world with this curse on my face.  If you identify with any of these thoughts, please read this post and try the tips and solutions I share.  Before we get into all I've learned, I want to share my story and the specifics of what I went through so you can avoid the nonsense and get to the real answers.

As many people do, I believed the main problem with my skin was what I put on my face.  If I could just find the right face wash or acne cream, everything would clear up.  As a teenager, I tried Proactive, and while it did improve my skin for a time, I found after a while it would stop working.  So I moved on to a prescription called Differin.  My sister got it from her doctor, but she didn't like it so she gave it to me.  The instructions said to wash your face with a bar of soap every morning and night, and then apply the acne cream.  Even though I didn't see much of an improvement, I kept using it.  I thought if I kept up the routine it would kick in, but it never did.  In fact, my skin was even more jacked up because on top of the oil and breakouts, now I had scaly patches from the medication drying it out.

At the age of 21, I finally went to the dermatologist.  I put a lot of trust in them because I thought "these people went to school to learn how to have clear skin, so they'll tell me what I need to do."  They asked questions about my daily routine and I discovered the soap I was using was awful for my skin.  They prescribed three acne creams and suggested I start using a Clarisonic to wash my face.   I was optimistic this would work and over the next 3 years, I did as I was told.  The only thing I'm thankful for about that visit was ditching the bar of soap and getting the Clarisonic, which I love to this day.  The prescriptions ended up having the same effect as the Differin, plus they were very expensive.

At 24, I felt defeated.  What was I doing wrong?  Why has everything I've tried not worked?  I prayed for God to give me the answers I so desperately needed, and He did just that.  I decided I couldn't live like this anymore and I had to do something different.  I began to research skin on my own.  I read many articles about the causes of acne and what I discovered changed everything.  I was looking on the outside when I should have been looking inside.  Yes, some of my skin issues were probably hormonal as a teen, but my main problem was the food I was eating.

At the beginning of my story I said I had believed what you put on your face is the key to the problem.  The moment I realized that is only a small piece of the puzzle, I felt so free.  I finally had control over the state of my body.  Since I've always been underweight, people have told me I can eat whatever I want and always be skinny, which was true.  But when I was 20, I found out I had high cholesterol.  My doctor was shocked and said it had to be genetic. She suggested I exercise more and change my diet, although she wasn't very clear about how I should do this.  That was the only time I really tried to focus on a healthy diet, and even then I didn't put much effort into changing my bad habits.  I had always eaten the Standard American Diet consisting mostly of dairy, animal protein, processed junk foods, sugar, and gluten.

When I began my research, I started to make drastic changes to my diet.  Thankfully, my husband was very supportive and we cleaned out our pantry and fridge, getting rid of all processed foods.  It was mostly cereal, cheese crackers, and other junk food I no longer desired to consume.  At around this same time, I decided I would finish the prescription creams and not buy them again.  A friend had told me a long time ago she didn't believe in acne prescriptions because of all the chemicals that get absorbed into your skin.  The more natural and clean your products are, the better they are for your body.  Plus, they don't get to the root cause of acne.  My skin began to gradually improve.  Soon, I no longer had those dry patches of skin and I started using tea tree oil for breakout areas.

In December of 2014, I discovered an author and C.N. named Kimberly Snyder.  I got The Beauty Detox Solution and The Beauty Detox Foods for Christmas and by January I had finished the first book.  I remember the shock and empowerment I felt while reading it.  All the science behind her program made total sense to me.  I felt like I had uncovered the secret to health and I was determined to test it out for myself.

In her first book, she talks about how not only are our livers and kidneys detoxifying organs, but so is our skin.  When our internal organs are overloaded with toxins, our bodies push them out through the skin.  "If the colon is clogged and backed up (which can happen on a deeper level even if we are regularly going to the bathroom) and/or if our bodies have become overly acidic and a fertile breeding ground for unfriendly bacteria, our liver will get clogged and backed up, and toxins will be pushed out through the skin...and then the acne shows up!" (p.50 from The Beauty Detox Solution).  I had never heard this aspect before and it was upsetting my dermatologist hadn't shared it with me.

My main focus was to adjust my diet so my skin would clear up.  I started with one of the easiest steps: drinking hot water with lemon first thing in the morning.  Then, I made the Glowing Green Smoothie (GGS) for breakfast.  It didn't take long for me to realize I loved this new morning routine.  The hot lemon water re-hydrates you and cleanses your liver.  The GGS is full of minerals, enzymes, fiber, and it's easy on your digestive system.  I've never liked traditional breakfast foods, so this was easy for me to implement into my daily routine.

I also made it a habit to drink lots of water throughout the day, because water is essential to skin health.  I learned to drink room temperature water because icy beverages, especially with meals, slow digestion and make your body work harder, since it must warm it up.

The next big change I made was probably the most controversial, but it was the best thing I could have done for my skin and overall health.  I gave up dairy.  I started drinking coconut and almond milk and incorporating them into smoothies and other recipes.  Giving up milk was easy because I've never liked the taste anyway.

You may be wondering why I believe dairy is so harmful to our bodies.  The dairy industry has worked very hard to ensure you believe milk is vital to the health of our bones, but this is not true.  "There is a lot of phosphorus in dairy products, and it binds to the calcium in our digestive tract and makes most of the calcium impossible to absorb." (p.104 from TBDS).

In the section called There Is Nothing Beautiful About Dairy, I learned a lot about how damaging dairy is to our bodies.  It's acidic, mucus-forming, and not compatible with our digestive systems.  "Dairy products begin to wreak havoc on our bodies as soon as they are ingested, so our bodies then try desperately to get rid of them in different ways, such as in the form of phlegm, mucus, or pimples." (p. 102 from TBDS).  Since my goal was to improve my skin, this is the part that really motivated me to stop consuming dairy.

I'm actually shocked to be writing this right now, because not too long ago, I heard milk is harmful to humans and thought that was a ridiculous notion.  But once I actually researched it on my own, the evidence was overwhelming.  I won't deny milk has calcium, because it obviously does.  But it's designed to make cows big and strong, not humans.  You can get plenty of calcium from plant foods such as cauliflower, broccoli, cucumber, and spinach.  I get plenty of calcium every day in my GGS, without the harmful side effects that come from dairy.

I also began to decrease my animal protein consumption.  This was very gradual as well because I had been told my whole life I need meat, but this was all in my head.  I remember the first day I tried a vegetarian lunch.  I felt so light and energetic, because all my energy wasn't being sucked by my system trying to digest such a heavy food.  Now, the only meat I consume is the venison my husband provides.  I eat a very small amount, with greens or veggies first, only at dinner, about twice a month.  The less meat I eat, the less I feel I need.

As I got deeper into the program, the better I felt and the better my skin looked.  I had less oil on my scalp and face, and my ruddy complexion was greatly improved.  I started making Beauty Detox recipes and following the easy tips for better digestion.  My favorites are eating light to heavy, which means you eat fruit on an empty stomach because it digests fastest, then vegetables, then starches or protein.  I also follow proper food combinations because, for example, combining starch and protein in the same meal makes our digestive systems work extremely hard.  "We immediately get tired after eating because all our energy is going right into our bellies." (p.43 from TBDS).

The hardest thing for me has been to decrease my sugar intake.  I've always loved desserts, but I knew if I wanted my skin to improve, I'd have to cut back.  The easiest way for me to achieve this has been to not buy sweets anymore.  If they aren't in my home, I can't eat them.  I do have some dairy- free dark chocolate I let myself snack on, and I make the desserts from the Beauty Detox books, but I've been trying really hard to not overeat sweets.  I've also cut back on gluten, since it's also been known to contribute to acne.

The state of our digestive systems is directly correlated with the appearance of our skin.  When we cleanse out toxins regularly, our skin will be clear.  All the foods in the Beauty Detox program are meant to help with detoxing our systems.  Last year, I finally took the next step and invested in a product called Detoxy.  It's a magnesium oxygen supplement that helps cleanse the body of waste in a gentle way.  I promise, I'm not getting paid for this.  I'm simply sharing how much I love this product because I noticed that when I started using it, my skin got even clearer.  A few months ago, I also started taking Kimberly Snyder's soil based probiotics, and noticed my skin got even better.  Probiotics are very important for clear skin and overall health because they create healthy gut bacteria.

I'd also like to mention some other practical tips that can help reduce the risk of breakouts:

1. Keep your pillow cases clean.
I wash my sheets every week and switch out the pillow cases every few days so I'm keeping clean fabric on my face while I sleep.

2. Wash your hands.
Never touch your face unless you've just washed your hands.  Whether you're washing your face or applying makeup, make sure you're not spreading more dirt and oil into your pores.

3. Use clean towels.
Another item that comes in frequent contact with our faces is towels.  I always make sure to use a fresh towel everyday.

4. Keep the phone away.
Never touch your phone to your skin.  This is another sneaky source that can spread acne.

5. Ditch hair products.
I used to sleep with product in my hair every night.  But I realized this could have been causing breakouts on my cheeks.  I recently stopped using hair products altogether and noticed the breakouts have greatly reduced.  Most hair products on the market today are full of chemicals anyway, so now I just soak my hair in coconut oil once a week.  Since I don't need to wash it everyday, I pull it up and away from my face when I sleep so any oil won't spread.

I'm still on this journey.  As I mentioned before, I'm sharing my experience so if you are struggling with this awful condition, you can cut through all the BS and get to the root of your problems.  I'm not saying everyone's story will look like mine.  You may have other issues going on with your body.  But in general, I believe most people's skin would clear up if they followed the Beauty Detox program.  My skin isn't perfect, but as I get deeper into this lifestyle and continue to perfect my diet, my skin has continued to improve.  I hope this has inspired you to improve your diet, your health, and therefore your life.

Please leave a comment if you have any questions or if you'd like to share your experiences with me.  I'd encourage you to read the books for yourself to get more in depth with the concepts I've described.  Click here to price them on Amazon.  You can buy Detoxy and KS Probiotics here.

Being Human (U.S) Season Four Review

Warning: Spoilers below!

The final, and in my opinion, best season of Being Human starts similarly to last season's premiere.  The roommates are split up again after Sally is pulled through her death spot to another dimension by Donna.  Josh is now a werewolf all the time, except the night of the full moon, so Nora and Aidan live in the woods while they try to figure out how to get him back.  The newlyweds only get a few hours with each other every month and they use their time wisely.

Sally is able to once again outsmart Donna and make it back to her friends.  We quickly realize Sally and Donna are connected through magic and she uses a spell to literally pull Josh out of his wolf.  But, she's unable to finish it because every time she practices magic, she temporarily travels in time!  I really liked this new aspect of the show because it allows us to see different facets of our characters.  For example, Sally is horrified when she travels back to the 20's and gets a glimpse at Aidan's previous murderous lifestyle.

Since the spell is incomplete, Josh comes back different.  He struggles to adjust to living as a human again and becomes aware that the wolf is still there, just beneath his skin.

Kenny shows up again and we learn he's still a deformed looking hybrid, but he's able to compel everyone, including vampires, into thinking he looks normal.  I found myself unsure of his character for the majority of this season because like Aidan, we're trying to figure out if he's a good guy or another power hungry type like Bishop.

The weakest plot point for me is the Ramona story.  Many times when Sally travels throughout time, she sees a little girl being murdered in the 70's and spends part of the season trying to figure out how to help her.

Josh and Nora meet new werewolves and end up throwing a party for a couple whose pure bread baby they helped deliver.  This werewolf baby shower leads to another hilarious moment when Aidan and Kenny crash and start dancing.  Of course, we can't escape the awkward vampire/werewolf tension and an inevitable fight breaks out.

I watched a few episodes of the UK version of this show but couldn't finish it because the main werewolf character was so unlikable.  When he cheats on his girlfriend, I was out.  I was disappointed they brought a similar plot point to the U.S. show, but it's at least slightly more understandable.  Josh does cheat on Nora, but in wolf form when they change in the woods with the new pack.  I hated he didn't tell her right away because I thought he was better than that.  But it does contribute to him learning more about his new wolf.  He is now able to transform at will and Nora becomes afraid of him.  It was so sad when she leaves.

Aidan is reunited with Suzanna, his wife he thought was dead and it turns out, Bishop turned her.  At first, we don't understand her actions.  She whips herself, drinks only to survive, never for pleasure, and is killing other vampires.  Then, we're shown flashbacks depicting her first kill being Isaac, her and Aidan's only son.  When she finally tells Aidan the truth, she gives him the opportunity to kill her, but he can't do it.  The pain in this scene is deeply felt and as they finally mourn their son together, some healing occurs.

I love the fact they used Sally's real life brother to play Robbie because they could be twins.  Unfortunately, he mysteriously dies at the house and we get another great moment when someone learns the truth about the supernatural.  He is now a ghost and Sally insists on getting Donna to help bring him back to life.  We get flashbacks and learn Donna was hung in the 17th century.  Other witches use a ghost's life forces to bring Donna back to life and when Sally learns this, she wants to use this method for her brother.  Donna offers to sacrifice herself for Robbie, but he has accepted his fate and disappears.  At this point, we have come to like Donna as a character because of how much she has helped Sally and we better understand her backstory.

Episode 8, Rewind, Rewind, is my favorite of the entire show.  Sally is time traveling again and she's in the house with Danny and her past self.  But this isn't just any night.  When she unwraps herself from a blanket and reveals her signature outfit from the first two seasons, she realizes this is the night of her death.  She's yelling at herself to get away from Danny and I get goosebumps every time I see this scene.  Even though she's unable to use her magic, she can still possess.  She jumps into her own body and tells Danny off before he can kill her.  What follows is everything you want to happen to her character.  I would say it would be worth it to just watch this one episode, but it's intensity is only felt when you've seen what our characters have been through to make it to this point.

In this episode they bring back many familiar faces from season one.  Sally's personality is so confident and feisty because she knows what is to come.  She prevents Aidan from killing Rebecca and convinces him and Josh to move in with her in the house.  The scene of them moving everything in is so nostalgic because everything is the same, except this time she's alive.  Surprisingly in this reality, Sally and Aidan fall in love!  I remember thinking how great and strange this aspect was because they are great together, but up until this point their relationship has been platonic, even when she was a zombie.  Looking back, there were some moments that hinted at their chemistry, but until now, it was never fulfilled.  They certainly fulfill it in this episode.

Of course things can't stay perfect forever.  Josh is struggling and Sally realizes she interfered with his and Aidan's relationship when Aidan is ready to give up on him.  I remember being so sad about this because I loved Sally and Aidan together.  Sally also puts a rift between Josh and Nora when she gets scratched, preventing Nora from being turned.

Even though she believed she was changing the past for the better, things seem to fall back to the old timeline.  Sally is devastated to learn Danny murdered Bridget.  Aidan still kills Bishop, this time by giving him blood tainted with the virus from season 3.  And sadly, Sally gets mixed up in a fight between Josh, Ray, Aidan, and another vampire, and she dies by getting her head bashed in again.  I have to say, her makeup and outfit in this afterlife are killer.  The conversation between Josh and Aidan after Sally's death breaks my heart.  The pain inflicted is hard to watch.

Even after she dies, Sally is still stuck in the past for a few years.  Josh and Nora do not end up together and Nora is a divorced addict.  Sally is trying to find a way to get back to the correct timeline and when she possesses Josh, she leaves behind memories of the group all together.  I love the scene where he talks to Nora and they're both sad things didn't work out between them.  He sees one of Sally's memories of Nora at their wedding.  This motivates him to help her fix things to how they were meant to be.

She's finally able to enlist Donna for help, who warns her she may bounce ahead of where she's supposed to be before going back to the correct time.  She temporarily goes too far and sees Aidan kill Josh just before getting home.  We are left with dread for what is to come.

In episode 10, Aidan must defend Kenny from Suzanna and ultimately has to kill her, hoping she can finally find peace.  Nora and Sally have a girl talk that starts with Sally knocking pills out of Nora's hands to save her from her addiction.  It turns out, it was only ibuprofen and they laugh at the suggestion that pills would ever be one of her vices.  Sally tells her about the alternate reality romance with Aidan and it becomes clear she needs to tell him what happened.  How does she decide to do this?  By possessing a werewolf during a fight to save Josh of course.  This scene is reminiscent of the movie Ghost, when Patrick Swayze possesses Whoopi Goldberg so he and Demi Moore can have a moment.  Similarly, we are shown Aidan kissing the werewolf and then we get to see Sally take his place.  As awkward as this is, it works and Aidan's feelings for Sally are awakened.

Josh had to be rescued from the werewolves because they forced him to turn willing humans into his new type of wolf.  This whole season he's been struggling to fight against this part of himself.  Sally is able to help him overcome this fear by facing his wolf and accepting him into his life.  This allows his relationship with Nora to be on the mend because now he is in control.

Another great moment occurs when Sally tells Nora she's always admired her for getting out of her abusive relationship since she wasn't able to get out of her own.  Sally is able to rid Nora of her burn scars with a spell, showing at least one time her magic didn't yield horrible consequences.

As this season comes to a close, we realize the roommates can no longer stay in the house.  This is when the Ramona sub plot comes to a head.  Ramona is the little girl Sally saw get murdered in the past.  We find out she has been living in a hidden room upstairs the whole time, which is why this part seemed a little weak for me.  She doesn't want anyone to leave and we learn she is the one who killed Robbie.  It gets weirder because she's actually not even a ghost.  From what I understand she's the evil of the house and thrives on death.

In an attempt to force everyone to stay with her, Ramona manipulates everyone's minds.  Her goal is to get them to kill themselves so they'll have to live there with her forever as ghosts.  Everyone but Aidan snaps out of it and Sally's vision of him killing Josh almost comes true.  In the end, she's not able to snap him out of it and sacrifices herself for him.  Her last spell turns Aidan human, and then she's gone.  After all the times similar things have happened, it becomes clear she's gone for good this time.

It made perfect sense they would choose to make Aidan human in the end because if he has to die, this way he would have an afterlife.  There is some great humor when he eats human food and it actually tastes good for the first time in over two hundred years.  However, his body is aging fast and he only has a few weeks to live.  He's conflicted and even tries to get turned again, but Josh stops him just in time reminding him of Sally's sacrifice.  Her absence causes him intense pain.

He spends his remaining time with Josh and the two have some great bonding moments.  When they discover Ramona hasn't stopped killing, they make a plan to stop her.  Aidan tricks Josh and ends up going to the house alone to burn it down.  He defeats Ramona and we see him dying in the same spot Sally died.  The house being burned is symbolic of the end of this period in their lives.  It has been such a uniting refuge for all of them and now it's over.

I was thrilled to see Aidan's ghost when Josh and Nora come in to see the remains of the house.  They're able to say goodbye and he gets his door.  He walks into the light, is immediately greeted by Sally, and at this point I'm sobbing.  They finally get to be together after all that.  In the final moments of the show, we see a dream Josh and Nora are having about the four of them in the house like old times.  They wake up calling for their two children who they've named Sally and Aidan.  I'm still crying as the show comes to a bittersweet close.

After seeing all four seasons, I might have to say this is my all time favorite show.  It was funny, emotional, suspenseful, romantic, horrifying; everything I want.  I love the characters, the effects and visuals were on point, and it had something to say about what it means to really love someone.

Being Human (U.S.) Season Three Review

Warning: Spoilers below!

Before I saw season three, I remember wondering how our main characters could possibly get themselves out of the predicaments set up from season 2.  Sally went to limbo, Aidan was buried alive, and Josh and Nora were last seen fighting Ray.  The writing does an excellent job at solving these problems.

Right away, it's easy to tell this show is headed in a fresh direction.  Josh and Nora look and act more mature because of all they've been through.  It's nice to see their relationship thriving again.  They've been trying to find Sally and Aidan for the past eighteen months.  Interestingly, Josh, Aidan, and Sally have all defeated their makers.  Aidan killed Bishop at the end of season one, Sally shredded Danny in season two, and now we learn Josh has lifted his curse by killing Ray to protect Nora.

As a last resort, Josh and Nora get involved with a witch named Donna.  She's not very likable at first, but she helps bring Sally back. Not just her spirit, Sally comes back from the dead!  I was thrilled by this because I was really concerned about how her story could progress any further as a ghost.  I think she changes the most because just when you think there's nothing left, we get majorly surprised with where her character goes.

It turns out, Aidan was buried at the best possible time because the vampires are on the verge of extinction.  A flu broke out among humans and when vampires drink the blood of someone who had it, they get sick and slowly die.  Mother and most of the other vampires are dead, except for Henry.  When Aidan is finally reunited with Josh and Sally, it takes him a minute to realize Sally is alive and this scene is one of my favorites.

They go all out with Sally's different hair, makeup, and fashion choices and it's so much fun finally getting to see her live for real.  But as we know, magic always comes with a price.  At first, she seems totally normal.  Then we start to notice her eating...a lot.  It seems innocent and we're even led to believe it would make sense since she did come back from the dead.  But it gets to the point where she eats constantly and nothing satisfies her hunger.  After cleaning out the fridge one night, she munches on some raw meat, confirming something is really wrong.

Connor and Brynn's father, Liam, stirs up trouble throughout this season.  We find out Nora killed Brynn in self defense and Aidan takes the blame.  Josh is scratched again, this time by Liam, but he's not as emotionally affected by this as we would expect.  Liam uses another werewolf, named Erin, to try to kill Aidan and I didn't care for her story line.  However, it did contribute to the discovery that werewolf blood is a cure for the vampire virus.  When Aidan gets sick, we get flashbacks as he remembers his long dead wife.  When he recovers, they remember he drank from Josh and when Erin tried to poison him with her blood, it gave him a boost, causing him to beat the virus.

Sally's condition worsens and she learns the only way she's temporarily satisfied is to eat something living.  She eats a mouse and decides she doesn't want to go down the zombie path.  She gives up and gradually starts to decompose.

Aidan loses Henry to the virus before he knows about the cure and then he meets Kenny.  Kenny is called the bubble boy because he has an autoimmune disease and has to live in the hospital where  Aidan works.  Aidan is able to sneak Kenny's blood because he knows it's clean.  The bits where Kenny is trying to prove Aidan is a vampire are pretty funny.  After a lot of begging, Kenny convinces Aidan to turn him so he doesn't have to live in a bubble the rest of his life.  Aidan has been mourning Henry and feels like he can start over with Kenny and raise a "son" the right way.

Josh and Nora get engaged and we see them planning their future together amidst all the turmoil around them.  In episode 12, they quickly plan a wedding at the house because they want Sally to be there, but it's too late.  She's fading fast, but doesn't die before Nora helps her pick out a killer outfit for her second afterlife.

After Sally dies again, she goes through the door Donna has prepared for her.  Donna tricked everyone so she could eat Sally's soul to preserve her youth, but Sally is able to defeat her with the help of Aidan and Josh.  Sally attends the wedding in spirit and of course she gives some hilarious commentary that Josh is unable to hear since he hasn't turned yet.  Aidan marries Josh and Nora and I'll admit I cried a little during their ceremony.  They've gone through so much to get to that moment and it's obvious they're meant to be together.

Of course, there are consequences to the vampire virus cure and when Aidan turns Kenny, he becomes a werewolf-vampire hybrid.  In the season finale, Liam tries to kill Aidan and we get an awesome scene where the group unites to survive his attack.  Josh and Nora can't even enjoy their honeymoon without some sort of dark drama interrupting.  In the end, Sally is able to save them and we get hints that she's a different kind of ghost now.  We also see Aidan's wife step out of a cab in present day Boston, setting up her role for season four.

Towards the end of the finale, Donna shows up as a ghost and pulls Sally down a hole that appears in the spot where she died.  Josh and Nora turn together again but Nora wakes up to find Josh is still a wolf the next morning.

With all of this being said, season three is my second favorite.  I love the choices they made because our characters were able to go through intense growth and development.  My favorite part was seeing Sally alive, even if it was only temporary.  What's up with her new ghostly power and where did Donna take her?  What will Josh and Nora's married life be like, especially now that Josh is a wolf indefinitely?  And how is Aidan's wife alive?  These are all the cliffhangers we are left with leading to my favorite season of all.

Being Human (U.S.) Season Two Review

Warning: Spoilers below!

Season two of Being Human (U.S.) is my least favorite of the four because everything you don't want to happen to our four main characters happens.  Even so, it still has some great moments and intricate story telling.

Aidan is faced with the challenge of cooperating with "Mother", the oldest, most powerful vampire.  She comes to Boston to decide who will take Bishop's place as leader.  Mother has Aidan dig up her daughter, Suren, who was buried alive in the 30's.  They cleverly say she has been "grounded" for eighty years.  Mother wants Suren to lead Boston with Aidan's help and he reluctantly agrees. At first, Suren's character is a little annoying but if he helps her succeed, he can have his freedom.  We are shown flashbacks to the time before she was grounded and we're introduced to Aidan's only "vampire son", Henry.  Henry and Suren were briefly together and Aidan warns Henry about getting involved with a royal.  When Henry betrays Suren, she reveals herself as a vampire in front of an extravagant dinner party which is what lead to her grounding.  Henry shows back up in the present time and in order for him to be forgiven, Suren skins him.  Thankfully, nothing is shown, but this is one of the more gruesome aspects of the show.

Josh and Nora's relationship is rocky in this season.  Nora is now a werewolf and I love the scene the morning after her first turn where she finally meets Sally.  We're also introduced to the twins, Connor and Brynn, who are pure bread werewolves.  They definitely contribute to the growing rift between Josh and Nora.  The ex who gave Nora the burns on her stomach returns and Connor and Brynn encourage her to get revenge during a full moon.  She ends up killing him, leading her down a dark path.  The conversation Josh and Nora have about how they both hate the morning after a turn brilliantly reveals opposite perspectives about their wolves.  Nora enjoys the power while Josh hates himself.  They break up and after Aidan kills Connor, Nora runs off with Brynn.

Sally's story line is the most dull in my opinion because it's all about a mysterious reaper who is "shredding" other ghosts.  It gets better in episode 10, when Sally is trapped in an alternate reality where she's engaged to the reaper, Scott.  The scenes in this world are actually quite beautiful and I especially love the color scheme.  The apartment is redecorated and everything is black, white, and gray, with generous pops of purple.  This is the first time we see Sally with different hair, makeup, and clothes and she looks great.  In the real world, she is taken over by this reaper and the scenes where he talks through her are extremely creepy.  One of the reasons I thought this was one of the weakest plot points is because we find out Sally is actually the reaper and has been the one shredding ghosts all along.

In this same episode, something very significant happens between Josh and Aidan that will come up again in later seasons.  The "reaper" has sealed the house so Josh, Aidan, and Zoe, a ghost whisperer, are stuck there.  Aidan is starving and Josh will be turning soon, putting Zoe in danger.  It's always fun when they tell someone new about their secrets and we get that here with Zoe.  As a last resort, Aidan drinks from Josh and we see how a vampire's body handles werewolf blood.  At first Aidan feels super charged, but soon he's on the floor with blood coming out of his mouth, nose, and eyes.

We are also introduced to Julia in this season when Aidan starts dating her.  There is an incredibly awkward scene when Josh and Nora meet Aidan and Julia in the kitchen and we discover Julia is Josh's ex-fiancee.  It's previously hinted that Josh was supposed to get married and we get a lot more of that story.  After Nora is out of the picture and Aidan breaks up with Julia because of his loyalty to Josh, the sparks between Josh and Julia cannot be avoided.  I was very conflicted about this development because Josh and Nora's relationship always seemed right since he could be honest with her.  As a result of the pain from their past, it was hard to see Josh and Julia as right for each other.

Another aspect that gets better towards the end of the season is the romantic relationship between Aidan and Suren.  They end up falling in love after he breaks up with Julia.  In episode 11, Aidan and Suren have a double date with Julia and Josh in an attempt to resolve tension.  Sally watches the whole thing, making funny comments, and Julia is the only who can't see her.  We also learn more about Suren and Aidan's past and this scene really made me like her character and their relationship much more.

In episode 12, Josh almost turns in public because his transformation is triggered by an eclipse.  Unfortunately, Julia chases him in the street and is killed when she gets hit by a car right after seeing his fangs and claws mid-turn.  Josh doesn't realize he's talking to her ghost until her door appears.  Before she goes through it, she says she loved him enough, he just didn't believe it.  It's so sad, but I believe it had to happen for the sake of the story's progression.  Another result of the eclipse is all the ghosts Sally shredded make a brief reappearance and she learns how bad it is in limbo.

Nora comes back towards the end of the season and tells Josh she learned that if a werewolf kills their maker, they will be cured.  Josh is resistant at first, but they eventually make a plan to murder Ray.  I really hated this part because even though we aren't meant to like his character, it's still sad.

Once Aidan successfully helps Suren clean up Boston, he's cut off from the vampire world.  This is Mother's way of maintaining control because he does get his "freedom" but now he's forbidden to continue his relationship with Suren.  They briefly run away together but she's too weak and decides to go back.  Even though I did like their relationship, this demonstrates that Suren didn't love Aidan enough to stay with him.  Mother's cruelty is showcased when she tries to force Suren into killing Aidan.  This would prove to Mother Suren will be the leader she's always wanted her to be.  In the end she can't do it, and Mother kills her own daughter.  Interestingly, by the end of this season, Josh and Aidan both lose their love interests.

I can't deny the finale is great for this season.  Mother grounds Aidan and Sally shreds herself to try to find a way to help all the ghosts she shredded.  We hear a gun shot and it's unclear if Josh and Nora were successful at killing Ray.

This season is tragic, but if these events didn't happen, we wouldn't have the foundation for the next two seasons, which are my favorite.  These trials make them who we want them to be and their relationships become even stronger as a result.  Check out my Being Human (U.S.) Season Three Review now!

Being Human (U.S.) Season One Review

Warning: Spoilers below!

Being Human (U.S.) has got to be one of my all time favorite shows.  I just finished rewatching the entire series for the third time.  I first discovered the show several years ago and from the first episode I was hooked.  I've always loved supernatural shows and the idea of a vampire, werewolf, and ghost living together as roommates instantly intrigued me.  The quality stands out among many other shows and movies in this genre.  Overall, my favorite aspect is the lovable, complicated, damaged characters and the close relationships they form with each other.

Aidan, played by Sam Witwer, is a charismatic vampire struggling with his unquenchable thirst for human blood and the bond he's constantly trying to sever between himself and the secret world of vampires.  Josh, played by Sam Huntington, is a self loathing werewolf who ran away from his human life in an attempt to shield his loved ones from the monster he believes he's become.  The two become friends and the basis of the show is formed when they move in together in an attempt at "being human".  That's when Sally, played by Meghan Rath, comes in.  She's an outgoing, quick-witted ghost who died in the house Aidan and Josh have rented.  They are able to see and speak to her because they're all supernatural beings.  Kristen Hagar plays Nora, Josh's gorgeous love interest, and the four of them make up the main cast.

Season one is my third favorite of the series.  It lays the groundwork for the four characters to develop as individuals, and in their relationships with each other.  Not only are we introduced to dark themes such as addiction, self hatred, revenge, and loss, there are many comedic moments that let us know this isn't all about heartbreak and death.  Specifically, in the pilot episode, Josh delivers several hilariously awkward lines I always look forward to when revisiting the series.

Each character is faced with separate obstacles they must overcome.  Sally has been dead for six months when we meet her energetic spirit.  She doesn't remember how she died and is unable to leave the house.   The show cleverly and gradually reveals it's ghost mythology as Sally learns to navigate her afterlife.  She can appear and disappear, make objects move, possess other humans, and speak to people who are open to it.  All ghosts are waiting for their door, which is unique to each ghost and leads to a mysterious white light.  The problem is, she can't move on until she resolves all her earthly issues.  This aspect reminded me of the show Ghost Whisperer.  At first, she wants to talk to her fiance, Danny, and let him know it's okay to move on.  She even blesses his relationship with her best friend, Bridget.  But as the details of her death are slowly revealed, we learn that Danny has a temper and he was the one who killed her.  The clogged plumbing in the house represented the repressed memories of Sally's death and once the engagement ring she dropped down the drain is found, it all comes back to her as the pipes unclog.  Once Danny's true abusive nature is discovered, Sally is able to get through to Bridget, saving her from a similar fate of untimely death.  We see justice for Sally when Josh and Aidan help her force Danny to turn himself in for killing her.

In interviews about playing Aidan, Sam Witwer has often said what his character struggles with is a metaphor for being a drug addict.  Aidan's life as a vampire is, as one would expect, extremely bloody.  He tries to survive on the bagged blood he sneaks out of the hospital where he works as a nurse.  His career choice may seem strange for someone constantly fighting the urge to drink human blood, but he explains this is a way for him to help people and make up for the gruesome things he's done in the past (which we get awful glimpses of throughout the series).  The bagged blood only satiates him for so long until he slips up and drains a girl he's dating in the first episode.  The fact that he slips up sometimes really makes the show seem more realistic.  His maker/vampire father, Bishop, played by Mark Pellegrino, is eager to clean up the mess because it's a way for him to suck Aidan back into the underground world of "running" Boston.  I will say I didn't care for the Rebecca story line and the scenes with Bernie were heartbreaking.

Josh also works at the hospital as an orderly.  Since becoming a werewolf, he has given up on his aspiration of becoming a doctor and just focuses on getting through each full moon.  The werewolf mythology is pretty standard.  The transformation is extremely painful and happens every full moon.  At one point Sally tells Josh she would trade places with him if she could.  She'd rather be a werewolf once a month and have a life than be stuck as a ghost indefinitely.  Later, she sees him transform and apologizes for not realizing how bad he really has it.  Ray is another werewolf that comes onto the scene claiming to want to help Josh.  He seems okay at first and even teaches Josh tips about their shared condition.  Eventually, Josh is sickened to learn Ray is the one who turned him.

The romance between Josh and Nora begins with awkward, yet charming, pick up lines he learned from Ray.  They do end up dating and as the chemistry between them heats up, Josh finds it hard to let himself get intimate with her.  We learn about her past when she reveals burn scars on her stomach from an abusive ex, which is expanded upon further in future seasons.

  In episode 7, there is a hilarious scene where Josh is visiting his parents.  Aidan shows up and for appearances he eats dinner, which happens to have garlic in it.  In this world, garlic effects vampires by revealing their natural form, so Aidan has to hide his fangs and black eyes by hiding out in the bathroom.  I always laugh when Josh walks in and is surprised to find Aidan in the bathtub with herbs trying to get the garlic to wear off.

At the end of the season Aidan kills Bishop and the theme of "the son always kills the father" is introduced.  In a previous episode we learned Bishop chose power over love so it's a little surprising when he's almost proud of Aidan for succeeding in killing him.  Sally misses her door to help Aidan and it is unclear what this will mean for her future.  Nora finally discovers the truth about Josh and we're left with a cliffhanger when it's revealed Josh accidentally scratched her just before he turned.

I would recommend this series to anyone who likes the supernatural genre.  Currently, you can marathon them on Netflix.  This show goes deep into the struggles of being something other than a human and it's done in such a way that makes you fall in love with all the characters.  Check out my Being Human (U.S) Season Two Review next!

5 Easy Tips For Making Cleaning More Enjoyable

I readily admit I am a clean freak.  I get it from my mom who always kept our home immaculate.  The thing is, it's not just that I like having a clean living space.  I genuinely love to clean.  I look forward to my weekly cleaning day where I dust, scrub the bathrooms, mop, vacuum, do laundry, etc.  I understand many people do not feel this way, which is why I've created this list of ways to make cleaning more enjoyable.  Even if you're unable to devote an entire day to cleaning, you can incorporate these tips into whatever task you're working on.

Tip #1: Get in the Right Mindset
If you begin a cleaning session with an attitude of dread, you will not enjoy yourself.  Those negative thoughts will permeate the whole experience.  Instead, try to think positively about what you're doing.  You have a living space and the ability to get up and do something good for you and your family.  This is a necessary task, so instead of complaining about doing a little work, accept where you are and try to feel joy in the present moment.

Tip #2: Create a List
Instead of just starting a random task, make a list of everything you want to get done in a convenient sequence.  I always dust and wipe counters before I vacuum so dirt and crumbs that land on the floor will get picked up.  I don't have kids yet, but I plan to use the method my mom did with my sister and I where we would make a list of chores to help her check things off.  By making it into a game, it teaches them cleaning is fun and not a punishment.  This will benefit them later in life.

Tip #3:  Listen to Music or Podcasts
This is my favorite thing to do when I clean.  I love music and podcasts, so I always have something playing.  This is a great way to distract your mind and focus on what you're listening to.  It helps reduce negative thoughts and makes whatever you're doing go by much faster.  Most of the time, I carry my phone in my pocket and use headphones when I vacuum.  The headphones are great if you need block out noise or if you're trying to be quiet for others.  Some of my favorite podcasts are The BadChristian Podcast, You Hate Movies, Beauty Inside Out With Kimberly Snyder, and Lead Singer Syndrome.  You can subscribe and get new episodes regularly on your podcast app.  That way, you get new content every week.  There are podcasts on just about every topic so just search the app for whatever you're interested in and try a new show.

Tip #4: Use Cleaning as a Form of Exercise
When I'm scrubbing surfaces or vacuuming the floors, I can feel my muscles getting stronger.  Our bodies release endorphins when we exercise and it's important to stay active if you want to live a healthy lifestyle.  You're really killing two birds with one stone.

Tip #5:  Embrace Your Accomplishments
Once you've completed a task, take a deep breath and give yourself permission to be proud of what you've accomplished.  Take pride in keeping your home clean.  It's not always easy to get things done and when you're successful, that work should be acknowledged.  Once you are done, you can enjoy the rest of your day in a fresh, healthier living space.

I hope these tips help future cleaning experiences become something you can at least no longer dread.  I believe maintaining a clean home is a major aspect of creating the best possible environment for a healthy family.  You'll be surprised by how putting in a little effort and using these simple techniques to make the process go smoother will reap awesome rewards and benefits to many aspects of your life.  You'll be less stressed and improve family relationships, convenient living, and overall health.