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Clean Out Clothes and Have a Dress Party

Everyone knows it, you have more clothes than a closet. That’s why you have to muck out clothes from time to time. But instead of throwing them away, you can sell them at flea markets or online. But here, too, things are difficult to get rid of. So we have more tips for getting rid of clothes and having a dress party.

Cleaning out clothes

If you have too many clothes that you no longer wear, it’s high time to declutter your clothes. But sometimes it’s not as easy as you think. Because how often do you think to yourself: “I’ll definitely wear that again!”. But the fact of the matter is that most of the time that moment doesn’t come. And then the unworn things lie in the smelly wardrobe for years to come. Then you’d better get rid of your clothes. The Marie-Kondo method will help you to clear out the mess or consult a friend.

Just get rid of clothes

The question often arises as to how to sensibly get rid of the mountain of clothing. If you want to earn some extra money, you can make cash out of the things you have sorted out. To do this, sell your clothes at the flea market or on the Internet on special sites such as Vinted or eBay classifieds.

You can also donate the clothes to the Red Cross or other organizations. To do this, find out beforehand whether there is a need for women’s clothing. The German Clothing Foundation also collects package donations and distributes them fairly. Or throw a dress party!

What is a dress party?

Instead of simply throwing away the clothes or donating them, it makes sense to invite friends and relatives to a clothes party. Everyone brings the things that are to be discarded to the party. Children’s things are also very suitable for this.

Then you can either sell the clothes you brought with you cheaply, exchange them or simply give them away. Anything left over is given to charity the next day. As a result, a dress party is a lot of fun and you save money too. For even more joy, combine the party with a delicious brunch. In addition, such dress parties are often organized by larger organizers, so that you can swap with several people there.

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Food

Planting Pole Beans: What You Have to Pay Attention to When Growing and Caring For Them

Planting runner beans is easy. The plants are undemanding and bring good yields. We explain to you what you have to pay attention to when growing.

Planting pole beans – you should know that

If you want to provide yourself with vegetables, runner beans should not be missing in your garden. They are easy to grow and produce good yields over a long period of time. The plants keep forming new pods and you can harvest regularly over a long period of time. Because they mainly grow tall, you can harvest a lot of vegetables from a relatively small area in your garden.

Planting runner beans – These points are important

If you want to grow runner beans, you have to consider several points:
Beans are weak eaters – meaning they only need a small amount of nutrients. Pole beans, however, have slightly higher requirements than other types of beans. Therefore, it makes sense if you prepare the bed with some compost.
Runner beans live up to their name: they need a pole to help them climb. Depending on the variety, they grow 1.5 to 4 meters in height.
A good climbing aid are long bamboo sticks. Plant four equally spaced in the ground and tie the top ends together. If you want to grow more beans, you can set up the poles in two rows using the same principle. Then tie two together at the top and connect them to each other with a crossbar at the top.
Pole beans only germinate above 12 degrees Celsius. Therefore, only plant them when the soil has warmed up and no more frosts are to be expected. From the “Ice Saints” in mid-May you are on the safe side.
The beans need a sunny, warm location if possible.

Prepare the bed for runner beans

Even if runner beans are quite undemanding, you should prepare the bed properly. In this case, this means that you have to loosen the soil well. Now you should set up the climbing aids. Make sure the trellises are long enough for your type of bean. Set up the poles at a distance of 50 to 70 centimeters from each other.

Then place five beans three centimeters deep in the soil at equal intervals around each pole. The warmer it is, the faster they germinate.

Maintain runner beans

Pole beans begin to germinate just a few days after sowing. Once they are about 6 inches tall, cover them with soil. This makes them more stable and forms additional roots. As a rule, the young shoots quickly find their way to the climbing aid. If that doesn’t work, you can easily tie them up with a piece of string.

Runner beans grow incredibly fast. You will be amazed. Once the beans have sprouted and found support on the trellis, your task is limited to regular, thorough watering. Pole beans need a lot of water.

Harvest runner beans

It won’t be long before your runner beans start producing flowers, which eventually become pods. Harvest time is from the end of July. The young beans are particularly tender. When ripening, the individual beans form a hard skin in the pod.

You should always use two hands to harvest beans. With one hand you hold the tendril just above the pod, with the other you pluck off the pod.

IMPORTANT: Raw beans are poisonous! They contain the protein phasin. The substance is only broken down by cooking.

Regular harvesting and thorough watering ensure you high and consistent yields. As the gardening season draws to a close, allow some pods to fully mature. When the husk is brown and dried up in late fall, you can harvest it and have your own seed for next year.

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Cooking Tips

Boiling Beetroot: This Way You Have More of it

Beetroot also tastes delicious when boiled. We’ll show you how to quickly and easily preserve the fresh vegetables. So you can still enjoy beetroot after the season.

Beetroot can not only be combined in a variety of salads or as a side dish, but is also a real vitamin bomb. Vegetables are in season from September to November

Boil beetroot: You need these ingredients

For 3-4 mason jars you need the following ingredients:
1 kg beetroot
1 small onion
400ml of water
200 ml balsamic vinegar
20 grams of sugar
1 pinch of salt
cloves
peppercorns
10 g fresh horseradish
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger

Boil beetroot: this is how it works

Wash the tubers thoroughly with water and remove the leaves.
Boil the beetroot in a closed saucepan with water and add salt.
Let the beetroot cook for about an hour over medium-high heat.
Take the tubers out of the water and rinse them with cold water.
The skin should now peel off easily. Slice the peeled beets. Warning: beetroot juice can stain heavily. So it is best to wear gloves when you process the tubers.
Peel the onion and
Set the beets aside and bring the water to a boil with the vinegar, salt, sugar and onions in a saucepan.
Peel the horseradish and the
Put the beetroot in screw-top jars that you have rinsed out with hot water beforehand
Add horseradish, ginger, cloves, onion, and pepper to taste.
Fill the glasses with the brew.
Sterilize the jars by placing them in a pot of boiling water for about half an hour. The glasses should be half covered with water and not touching each other.
Take the glasses out of the water and let them cool. Beetroot can be kept for several months in a dark, cool place.

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Cooking Tips

Cooking Without Carbohydrates: You Should Have These Ingredients at Home

Cooking without carbohydrates isn’t difficult at all: You can find tips about eating according to the low-carb principle and the most important ingredients that you should always have at hand here.

Cooking without carbohydrates: What should not be missing

With a low-carb diet, the carbohydrate content in your meals is reduced. The focus is on protein, vitamins and healthy fats. You should always have the following things at home and ready to hand if you want to reduce your carbohydrate diet:

low-carb fruits (e.g. berries, grapefruit, apricots)
vegetables
Quark
oil
eggs
nuts
butter
Cheese
herbs and spices
yogurt
dark chocolate
Sugar substitutes: xylitol, erythritol, stevia or sweetener
Protein bread
In principle, fish is suitable for a low-carbohydrate diet. The problem with fish, however, is that many species are severely overfished. So you should find out beforehand which varieties you can eat with a clear conscience.
Always remember that you should not completely eliminate carbohydrates from your diet. Examples of healthy carbohydrate sources include potatoes, oatmeal, quinoa and legumes. Better watch out for hidden carbohydrates: These are mainly found in sweet drinks. Therefore, you should primarily drink water and unsweetened tea and largely avoid lemonade, juices and iced tea.

Cooking without carbohydrates – how does it work?

When you’re just beginning to cut carbs from your diet, you might find it difficult to find dishes that fit. For example, a “low carb day” could look like this:

breakfast
You should avoid wheat rolls and croissants in the morning. Instead, you can, for example, prepare individual, delicious “Breakfast Bowls”. As the name suggests, these are bowls filled with fruit, yoghurt, nuts and seeds. You can try countless combinations and let your creativity run free.

Variant 1: Greek yoghurt, strawberries and walnuts.
Variant 2: Quark, bananas, walnuts and a little cocoa powder.
Variant 3: Natural yoghurt, berry mix and homemade muesli.

Having lunch
At lunchtime, it is best to combine lots of vegetables with a protein source (e.g. eggs or fish). Fast dishes are, for example, spinach with egg, vegetable pans, mixed salads or hearty vegetable pancakes.

dinner
Depending on whether you prefer to eat warm or cold in the evening, you should also combine vegetables, protein and healthy fats here. For example, eat tomato-mozzarella, hearty muffins or try a cauliflower pizza. Vegetable casseroles and gratins are also suitable for dinner.

Snacks for in between?
It is currently controversial whether only three meals are better than five, because the lowering of the blood sugar level during long breaks in eating is seen as positive. However, this does not play a decisive role in a low-carbohydrate diet.

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health

Carotene: Does it Really Have to Be Capsules and Tablets?

Carotene tablets are supposed to protect our skin and, as “beauty capsules”, ensure “beauty from within”. But is it really necessary to supplement carotene or can we also meet our needs naturally?

What are carotenes?

Carotenes are secondary plant substances and belong to the group of carotenoids. They are the reason for the red, yellow or orange coloring of various types of fruit and vegetables. Synthetically produced, they are therefore also often used as food coloring. The name comes from the Latin word “carota”, which means “carrot” and thus alludes to the best-known carotene supplier.

There are over 600 carotene variants, of which around 60 can be converted into vitamin A by the human organism. The so-called beta-carotene has the highest vitamin A activity and is therefore the best-known and most important representative of the carotenes. Since it is an important precursor of vitamin A, it is also referred to as provitamin A.

Why do we need carotene?

The most important function of carotenes is their cell-protecting (antioxidative) effect: carotenes eliminate free oxygen radicals in the tissue and thus protect us from harmful environmental influences such as infections and UV rays. Carotene is also instrumental in strengthening our immune system.

If carotenes are converted by metabolism, they fulfill other important functions as vitamin A. The importance for our eyesight is well known. Surely everyone has heard the saying “Have you ever seen a rabbit with glasses?” However, what many do not know is that without vitamin A we would not be able to see anything at all. The gaze impulses that hit our eyes first have to be forwarded to the brain, where they are processed into correct images. This forwarding would not even take place without vitamin A. A vitamin A deficiency can therefore actually lead to visual disturbances, such as night blindness or reduced visual acuity, as well as very dry eyes.

Another well-known function of vitamin A is its importance for our skin. Dry, irritated or very sensitive skin can be a sign of vitamin A deficiency, as this plays a key role in the structure of the skin. Vitamin A is also important for the stability of our bones and the functionality of our mucous membranes.

Which foods contain carotene?

In the dietary supplement market, carotene tablets are advertised as “sun protection from within”, “help to activate a tan” or “cure against dry skin”. However, if you integrate different types of fruit and vegetables into your diet every day, you will be able to cover your need for carotene without tablets and pellets. According to the German Society for Nutrition, the recommended daily intake of carotene is two to four milligrams.

As a rule of thumb, all red, yellow, or orange fruits and vegetables are high in carotene. These include e.g.:
carrots
sweet potatoes
pumpkin
paprika
tomatoes
apricots
mangoes
nectarines
peaches
sea ​​buckthorn
persimmons
But many green vegetables also provide your body with carotene. The color of the carotene is overlaid by the green of the high chlorophyll content. Kale has the highest carotene content of all foods: just 25 to 40 grams cover your daily requirement. Spinach, rocket, savoy cabbage or lamb’s lettuce are also examples of vegetables containing carotene.

So that your body can use the carotene accordingly, you should always eat the vegetables and fruits mentioned with some (high-quality) fat. For example, you can sauté vegetables in some oil or butter, add olive or linseed oil to your salad, or sprinkle some nuts and seeds over your fruit salad. In order to make it even easier for your body to digest it, you should also chew the food long enough or enjoy it pureed or as juice.

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Food

Raw and Vegan: You Have to Pay Attention to This With This Type of Nutrition

There are many diet trends that are gaining more and more followers these days, and going raw and vegan is one of them. Here you can find out what makes vegan raw food special, how it works and what you should consider when making a change.

According to the definition from the Gießen Raw Food Study, raw food nutrition is a form of nutrition that largely or exclusively contains unheated plant-based (sometimes also animal) foods. The raw vegan diet also avoids animal products such as raw milk and dried meat and is therefore a special form of veganism.

Vegetables and fruits, lettuce, herbs and other edible leafy greens as well as nuts, mushrooms, seeds and seeds can be consumed. The main aim is to preserve the heat-sensitive vitamins, trace elements and minerals in the food, which is why they must not be heated and processed at more than 45 degrees.

Behind the decision to eat raw vegan is often an increased awareness of their own consumption of food – most raw vegans therefore pay particular attention to eating seasonal and regional food of organic quality.

It is better not to eat these foods raw

Although raw foods are usually on the menu even with a conventional diet, caution is required when consuming raw foods, especially for raw vegans who are just starting out.

Not all plant-based foods can be consumed raw: this is especially true for potatoes, aubergines, beans, rhubarb, elderberry, legumes and cassava – they must be heated before consumption. One of the few legumes that can also be eaten raw is the mangetout.
In addition, the consumer advice center warns against a high nitrate content in rocket, lamb’s lettuce and lettuce and the consumption of raw spinach and chard.
You should be particularly careful when you go looking for wild herbs and mushrooms that you want to eat raw later – there is often a high risk of confusion with poisonous specimens.
Note: Consuming only raw foods puts more strain on your teeth than a traditional diet. You should therefore make sure that you eat fruit and vegetables not only whole, but also grated or pureed.

Of course, you can continue to enjoy all foods that you usually eat raw when you switch to raw vegan food without hesitation – or try one of the various preparation methods of raw vegan cuisine.

Raw Vegan Diet: Methods of Preparation and Processing

Raw vegans don’t just nibble on raw vegetable sticks, they have a more varied diet than you might think: the various preparation methods, all of which do not require excessive heating, result in an amazing wealth of raw vegan recipes.

Soaking: This method is mainly used for nuts and seeds. On the one hand, they can be processed better, on the other hand, certain seeds start to germinate after a certain soaking time, which should have a positive effect on digestion if consumed in moderation.
Drying: Food is dried for several hours in a dehydrator or at a maximum of 45 degrees in a convection oven, thus preserving it. Among other things, vegetable chips and raw food bread can be made in this way.
Pureeing fruit and vegetables: You can no longer avoid smoothies and vegetable juices made from all imaginable ingredients. Many raw vegan soups are also prepared in this way.
Fermenting: pickling vegetables in water and salt. All nutrients are retained during the fermentation process and lactic acid bacteria are formed, which promote a healthy intestinal flora. White and red cabbage are particularly often fermented, but basically all types of vegetables are suitable.
If you’re planning on sticking with the raw vegan diet for a longer period of time, it’s worth getting certain kitchen appliances, like a food dehydrator or a good blender. If you’re just starting out with raw vegan food, or aren’t sure yet if you want to stick with it, you can make most recipes without these expensive equipment.

Raw and vegan – and still all the nutrients?

A sufficient supply of vitamins A, C and E as well as folic acid, selenium and antioxidants has been found in people who eat a raw vegan diet. Deficiency symptoms, on the other hand, existed for vitamins D, B2 and B12 as well as for zinc, calcium, iron and proteins. It is therefore particularly important with a limited form of nutrition such as vegan raw food nutrition to eat a varied diet and in this way to take in as many different nutrients as possible.

You can get enough calcium from a green vegetable juice made from broccoli, fennel or kale.
You can prevent zinc and iron deficiency by eating pumpkin seeds, unpeeled flaxseed and sesame seeds.
You can also get certain essential fatty acids from high-fat foods such as avocados or olives.
Even pure vegans have problems with vitamin B12: The safest way to get it is through animal products. Plant sources are said to be chlorella algae or fermented foods such as sauerkraut – but this has not been clearly proven.
You can achieve a sufficient supply of other minerals and trace elements with mineral-rich water.

Vegan raw food: tackle the change in diet the right way

There are many reasons to consider switching to a raw vegan diet: Because it largely avoids processed foods, the raw vegan diet is considered extremely healthy. Avoiding animal products is also advantageous in terms of the environment and animal welfare. Last but not least, people are also increasingly concerned with their own consumer behavior and are taking more time for eating again.

However, you shouldn’t rush the switch to a raw vegan diet: It’s better to increase the proportion of raw food in your usual diet step by step – this way you don’t immediately overwhelm your digestive system. Stomach complaints, a feeling of fullness and diarrhea are typical symptoms of switching to raw food too quickly.
Inform yourself well beforehand about the type of diet by exchanging ideas with others or by buying a guide book with detailed tips and information.
If you suffer from chronic deficiency symptoms or illnesses, discuss the change in diet with a doctor.
In general, every person is different and every body has different needs. If you notice that you don’t feel comfortable with an exclusively raw vegan diet, you can also reduce the raw food proportion as you wish. It is important to eat a wholesome diet, in which you pay just as much attention to your own health as to the well-being of animals and the environment.

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Which Foods Have How Many Calories?

Tips to pay attention to the daily calorie intake without starving yourself. Do you know that? You think to yourself: I don’t eat that much, but I’m still gaining more and more weight. Why does everything start immediately with me like gold in my hips?

We want the spring and summer figure, but somehow the diet doesn’t really work. If we put ourselves on the scales again, we are horrified: five kilos more than four months ago. How can that be?

We often eat unhealthily and undisciplined. Therefore, you can observe the following tips so that you can lose weight without starving yourself. It’s great when calorie counting doesn’t get out of hand. You can continue to enjoy life with zest for life, feast once in a while, and accept the invitation to eat without immediately seeing the kilos on the scales increase. The following tips will help you to eat healthily, consciously, and low in calories. Live consciously, your health will thank you.

1. Eat regularly – avoid cravings

Those who are hungry will always eat a lot. Then we eat the wrong thing and inevitably gain weight. It is better to regularly eat a lot of foods that are low in calories and fill the stomach. It takes away hunger pangs and fills you up. Five meals a day are allowed. Eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, they fill the stomach and provide you with sufficient vitamins and minerals. For example, an apple has 80-100 calories, and a bar of nut chocolate has more than 600 calories. After eating sugary chocolate, they quickly get hungry again, while the fruit is healthy and keeps you full for longer.

A large bowl of salad with little oil has 300-400 calories and fills you up, while a pasta dish with cream sauce easily has twice the calories. So we often don’t eat too much, but simply do the wrong thing: Tip: simply eat lots of fruit and vegetables, which contain a lot of water and are guaranteed not to make you fat.

2. Drink plenty of water and unsweetened tea

Anyone who drinks low-calorie drinks such as water, tea, or the occasional cup of coffee or fruit juice fills the stomach without taking in many nutrients. While a glass of juice or a quarter liter of wine easily has 150 – 300 calories, half a liter of beer has around 200 calories and a glass of milk also has around 180 calories, you can save with drinks without calories.

Anyone who consciously drinks a glass of wine spritzer every evening and enjoys it does more for their health than simply pointlessly consuming alcohol and sugary lemonade. Those are unnecessary calories that don’t fill you up. The weight increase is an unpleasant side effect that does not have to be.

3. Low-fat preparation

There is nothing wrong with the seared piece of meat or fish. Why should you avoid the salad oil altogether? However, please pay attention to healthy, polyunsaturated fatty acids contained in rapeseed oil or high-quality vegetable oils. A teaspoon of oil for frying a piece of chicken breast is enough to fry the meat crispy. The pan does not have to be swimming in fat. The butter should not be smeared thickly on the breakfast bread.

Everything is in moderation. If you consciously save and weigh fat, you can save calories in the long term. Pay attention to low and high-quality fat.

4. Recognize calorie needs and live by them

If you know your nutritional needs and adjust your daily eating habits accordingly, you will not gain weight in the long term. Eat mindfully. If you’re enjoying a cake because you’re invited to a family party, save yourself those calories at the next meal. Nutrition means: dealing with yourself and your body, then eating calorie-conscious.

5. Include exercise in everyday life

Anyone who moves consciously uses their bike to go shopping, walks up the stairs instead of taking the elevator, and who consciously does sport once a week increases their fitness. He just burns calories without really noticing it. This builds muscles, you feel vital and fit. If you build muscle mass, you will burn more calories in the long run. A virtuous circle for your fitness and nutrient consumption.

If you exercise casually in the fresh air, you burn calories and feel good about it. A little exercise promotes blood circulation and increases well-being. Inevitably, you pay attention to a calorie-conscious diet and one or the other sundae in the cafe is quickly relaxed again.

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Cooking Tips

Warming Up Rice: What You Have to Consider

Reheating rice is not a problem. However, you should follow a few tips to avoid possible bacteria. With our tips you can reheat your leftover rice.

Rice is one of the staple foods worldwide. It is often used as a side dish for curries and other dishes. But what to do if part of the rice dish is left over? We give you tips on how to store rice properly and reheat it:

If you have any rice left over after eating, you can store it in the fridge. However, it only lasts two days. If your rice is older, trust your senses. How does it look, how does it smell? Do a little taste test before you continue using it.
If you want to store it longer, you should freeze the rice.
In both cases, however, make sure that the rice is in airtight packaging.

Warm up rice: this is how you do it

You can heat up the refrigerated rice in a saucepan, water bath or in a pan. Here’s how you do it:
Pan:
Put some oil or butter in the pan.
Fry the rice in it over medium heat.
Stir frequently so the rice doesn’t burn.
Water bath:
Fill a saucepan halfway with warm (not boiling!) water.
Place the rice in a freezer bag and seal tightly.
Place the bag in the hot water for about 15 minutes.
Then pour the water out through a sieve.
Tip: Only use reusable freezer bags or use one of the other methods – this way you can save plastic and protect the environment.
Pot:
Put the rice in a pot.
Add a little butter or a few sips of water as the rice can burn quickly. Alternatively, you can warm it up in a sauce or curry.
Heat it up over medium-high heat until it’s warm again. Be sure to stir the rice frequently.
You should note that:
Bacteria can form on the rice when it is chilled. Therefore, it is important that you warm up the rice under heat – this can kill any pathogens.
Therefore, it is better to do without the microwave. There the food may not get warm enough to kill all pathogens.

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Food

Vegan Diet: Advantages, Rules and What You Have to Consider

The vegan diet has many advantages – but also risks. We explain what you have to consider if you eat vegan, what the rules are and how the environment and your health can benefit from them.

Many people label a vegan diet as “radical” or “extreme.” For them it is often not clear why people eat vegan. After all, if you don’t want animals to be slaughtered, you can also eat vegetarian food.

Vegans, on the other hand, not only do without meat and fish, but also all products of animal origin. This also applies to eggs and dairy products, for example.

Why are vegans so strict? Because products other than meat also kill animals. For example, only female animals are necessary for the production of eggs. When the offspring hatch, the male chicks are often gassed or shredded directly. The female chicks are used as laying hens.

The situation is similar with male calves: Since they cannot give milk, they are often slaughtered prematurely. The killing of the young males is closely linked to the production of milk and eggs.

In addition to the killing of many animals, the husbandry conditions are also a common reason for eating vegan. Most farm animals experience suffering and stress when they are kept and raised in factory farms. Many animals are also injured during transport.

Is a vegan diet healthier?

It is not easy to make statements about how healthy a vegan lifestyle is. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that vegan nutrition has not been researched for long. On the other hand, vegans may generally pay more attention to a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. What we know:
According to the German Society for Nutrition (DGE), vegans have a lower risk of diseases caused by poor nutrition. Examples include obesity and diabetes.
A plant-based diet can lower cholesterol. This can prevent heart disease, for example.
A vegan diet can help treat obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
The World Health Organization has confirmed that red and processed meat increase the risk of developing cancer. That’s why you should avoid it.
For whom a vegan diet is suitable and for whom it is not depends on the individual. The most important aspects:
A vegan diet in children is controversial and associated with risks. If you want to feed your children vegan, you should inform yourself in detail beforehand and preferably speak to a doctor.
Veganism can also be risky during breastfeeding and pregnancy because nutrient deficiencies can harm your baby. In these phases of life, you should therefore only eat vegan after consulting a doctor.
Eating a purely plant-based diet does not affect performance. Many competitive athletes eat vegan, for example the American professional boxer Mike Tyson.
Like everyone else, vegans must ensure that they eat a varied and balanced diet. The vegan food pyramid can help you with this.

Vegan diet: prevent deficiencies

Certain nutrients occur more often or only in animal products. If you decide to follow a vegan diet, you should find out exactly which plant sources you can get these nutrients from – otherwise you may develop deficiency symptoms. This applies in particular to the following nutrients:
Vitamin D,
essential fatty acids,
calcium and
Iron.
Under the linked articles you can read about the foods in which the substances are found.

It is more difficult with vitamin B12: The vitamin is mainly found in fish, but also in dairy products and eggs. Therefore, if you follow a vegan diet, you may need to take vitamin B12 supplements. Clarify this with your family doctor.

Environmental balance of a purely plant-based diet

A vegan diet requires significantly fewer resources than one that includes animal products. An example explains why this is so:
In order to grow vegetables and grains, the crops must be grown, watered regularly and finally harvested after a few months.
The situation is different with meat or animal products: an animal needs water and feed regularly for years, which in turn has to be cultivated first.
For example, one kilogram of beef contains:
about 5 kilograms of grain,
approx. 15,000 liters of water (for the feed and also for the animal itself)
a usable area of ​​27 to 49 square meters.
The digestion of the cow also produces 22 kilograms of greenhouse gases per kilogram of meat. With a vegan diet, on the other hand, you can reduce your carbon footprint.

Many vegans are accused of polluting the environment by consuming soy products. For this it can be stated:
In fact, the cultivation of soy is often not ecological. According to the WWF, soybeans are mainly imported. 80 percent of the soy used as animal feed in Germany comes directly from South America.
Parts of the rainforest are cleared for cultivation. After the soy has been harvested, the areas mostly lie fallow.
But it is also a fact that most of the soy (98 percent) is used as feed for animals in factory farming. The beans are a popular feed for fattening animals because they gain weight particularly quickly.
Only two percent of the soy grown worldwide is processed into tofu or soy milk at all.
The soy that is processed into food for humans usually grows in Europe. Organic soy often comes from Germany.
Factory farming thus contributes significantly to the deforestation of the rainforest. This is driving species extinction and we are losing an important carbon store on earth.

Nevertheless, not every vegan product is automatically sustainable:
Vegan foods generally cause fewer greenhouse gases than animal products. However, if you buy fruit and vegetables out of season, the environmental footprint of your vegan diet will deteriorate. Because the food has to travel long distances by plane or is grown in heated greenhouses.
For example, when tomatoes (PDF) are grown in a heated greenhouse in winter, they emit ten times more greenhouse gases than locally grown tomatoes during the season.
Even heavily processed meat substitute products are not very ecological. They are processed in many energy-intensive steps and cause packaging waste. Therefore, you should not eat such products too often. In addition, meat substitutes often contain a lot of fat, sugar and unhealthy additives.
Caution is also advised when it comes to trendy superfood: avocado, chia seeds and the like are healthy, but are often flown in from far away. As a rule, there are regional alternatives for these foods, such as flaxseed or hemp seeds.

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What to Do if You Have a Dust Mite Allergy?

Many people suffer from dust mite allergies. The house dust mite symptoms are similar to a cold, which is why the allergy is usually discovered late. Find out everything about causes, diagnosis, and how you can effectively alleviate house dust mite allergy.

We come into contact with house dust mites every day. Because they are natural and harmless roommates on our mattresses, blankets, and pillows. But some people are allergic to the feces of the animals. This can result in annoying symptoms such as a runny nose, watery eyes, etc.

What is an allergy anyway?

The term “allergy” comes from ancient Greek and means something like “foreign reaction”, i.e. excessive defensive reactions to something foreign. The body of an allergy sufferer is therefore hypersensitive to substances that come from the environment. In short, an allergy is a malfunction of the body’s immune system. As the European Center for Allergy reports, around a third of 18-79-year-old Germans are diagnosed with an allergy in the course of their lives. Women are affected much more often (35.8 percent) than men (24.1 percent). Incidentally, the latest estimates point to 30 million people affected.

Cause of house dust mite allergy

House dust is the accumulation of hair, skin flakes, textile particles, etc. that are in your home. This dust can not only be found on the floor and in the corners, but also in pillows, blankets, and mattresses. People with a house dust mite allergy react allergically to mite proteins, which are mainly found in the feces. If we come into contact with it, our immune system triggers a reaction. Then more histamine is released, which is responsible for the symptoms that occur.

Diagnosis of allergy

If you show symptoms of house dust mite allergy, you should get a clear diagnosis and see a specialist. A trained allergist or a family doctor who specializes in allergology has various diagnostic methods that can be used to determine the trigger of an allergy. Sometimes a clear diagnosis proves to be difficult, but you can only counteract the allergy with a clear determination.

There are online allergy tests so you can get a preliminary diagnosis. Consequently, these are a useful first way to classify occurring symptoms. You can use an allergy questionnaire to check initial suspicions. This is a good basis for your visit to the doctor.

Alleviate house dust mite allergy

A lack of hygiene in the household is not a trigger for an increased occurrence of house mites, as is often wrongly assumed. Nevertheless, there are a few household tricks to alleviate dust mite allergy and its symptoms. Also, read our 5 tips against house dust mites to relieve your house dust mite allergy.

1) Reduce dust mites

All measures to reduce the allergen load in the household are of great importance and usually lead to a significant reduction in symptoms. As a result, we have an overview of the most important ones for you. For more information, read our article on Dust Mites and Dust Mite Control.

  • Regular and extensive ventilation throughout the house. Airing the room twice a day is recommended for allergen-free air. This reduces the humidity. The room temperature should not be too high either.
  • The use of air purifiers can filter pollutants such as mite droppings from the air. Thus, they ensure better breathing air at home.
  • Wear a special breathing mask when cleaning. The dust that is thrown up is very stressful for allergy sufferers, so the mask can be a good protective measure.
  • Daily vacuuming (with HEPA microfilters) is helpful and particularly effective. We also recommend damp mopping afterward.
  • Regular washing of bed linen and professional washing at least 60 degrees is also popular here. And at least once a year a mattress cleaning is recommended.
  • Use of encasings. These covers for mattresses and bed linen are dust mite-proof covers, the costs of which are even reimbursed by some health insurance companies.
  • Salt inhalers to relieve breathing difficulties or relieve asthmatic symptoms.
  • Dust collectors in the entire living environment should be reduced as much as possible. Because the less house dust, the less food for the house dust mites.

2) Relieve symptoms with medication

To relieve dust mite allergy symptoms, your doctor may prescribe you antihistamines. Consequently, these should prevent the release of histamine in the body. Or they ask about glucocorticoids (cortisone) in the form of a nasal spray to decongest the nasal mucosa. In addition, note our natural home remedies for colds, effective measures against headaches, and remedies for burning eyes.

3) Hyposensitization at the allergist

You can also have a hyposensitization carried out by the doctor. This is immunotherapy in which the treating medical staff (usual allergists) inject you with the allergens of the house dust mites. The concentration is gradually increased. Consequently, your body should get used to the allergens (triggers). It is therefore an effective method to no longer suffer from the allergy in the future. Also, note our home remedies for pollen allergy and pollen count.

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