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Make Your Own Crunchy Chocolate Pralines

You can easily make these crispy chocolate pralines yourself and without baking! They are also great as a gift – even for yourself. Because you might not want to share them as delicious as they are. Do it quickly and enjoy!

Who doesn’t love them, the small, crunchy chocolate treats? But why not do it yourself? The homemade, crunchy chocolate pralines simply taste good without any baking and are super quick to prepare.

And they are healthier than the original: they only contain natural ingredients and are lower in fat. Besides, you know exactly what’s in it.

Ingredients for 30 crispy chocolate pralines:

  • 200 g dark chocolate
  • 40 g muesli flake mixture
  • 100 g spelled flakes
  • 25 g cherries (dried, unsweetened)

Preparation steps:

  1. Fill a pot with water, bring to a boil and then turn the stove to the lowest setting.
  2. Finely chop the dark chocolate and place about two-thirds of it in a bowl. Place the bowl in the saucepan and gently melt the chocolate in a water bath. Stir occasionally.
  3. Once the chocolate is completely melted, remove the bowl from the heat and add the remaining chocolate, stirring slowly until melted.
  4. In a large bowl, carefully combine the granola mixture, spelled flakes, dried cherries, and melted chocolate so everything is coated in chocolate.
  5. Form about 30 chocolate pralines with two teaspoons and place them on baking paper. Then let it dry in a cool environment for about 2-3 hours.

This recipe is so easy you could actually make it every day. Of course, you don’t do that…or do you? Because the small chocolate pralines are also great as gifts or for parties. Enjoy your meal!

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Make Your Own Low-Carb Waffles

Waffles are something fine – especially when they come freshly baked from the hot iron and exude their wonderfully sweet scent. If you are looking for an alternative to the otherwise carbohydrate-rich treat, you should definitely try our homemade low-carb waffles!

High in protein and wonderfully crispy

Sure, no other waffle recipe comes close to Grandma’s, but you should definitely try this one for low-carb waffles! The waffles consist of only five ingredients, which are one thing above all: rich in protein! And so you can treat yourself to the low-carb waffles in the evening without a guilty conscience because they fill you up for a long time and do not have a negative effect on fat burning – on the contrary: the little protein hearts even boost them!

Choose low-carb toppings so you don’t miss out on the benefits of low-carb waffles. Low-sugar fruits such as berries (also frozen goods) or grapefruit, natural yogurt, and pure cocoa powder still ensure a lot of waffle fun on the plate. If you prefer something savory, you can upgrade the waffle batter with grated seasonal vegetables, small cheese slicers, and spices – whatever tastes good is allowed! Here is the recipe for making low-carb waffles yourself!

Make your own low-carb waffles

The ingredients:

  • 50 grams of butter
  • 100 g low-fat quark
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 6 tbsp protein powder (vanilla or chocolate)

The preparation:

  1. Preheat the waffle iron. Melt the butter in a saucepan and set aside.
  2. Using a hand mixer, mix together the butter, low-fat quark, eggs, and rapeseed oil.
  3. Now stir the egg white powder into the batter and bake the waffles in the waffle iron until golden brown – serve with your choice of toppings.
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Make Your Own Bean Brownies

From kidney beans, avocado and nuts we conjure up – no, not chili con carne, but – super juicy brownies! Thanks to dates, almond milk, coconut oil, and cocoa, the small squares taste wonderfully sweet and chocolaty. The simple recipe follows immediately: make bean brownies yourself.

Bean power in brownie form

Baking fairies have already discovered a very special ingredient for their creations from the hot oven: vegetables. It makes many baking classics even juicier than the original and you can save a few calories when baking with vegetables. This is because some of the flour that is otherwise used can be replaced with zucchini, sauerkraut, or – like here – beans, thus creating more volume.

Like all legumes, kidney beans provide a large portion of vegetable protein and fiber, which keeps you full for a long time. In addition, the tiny ones contain around 150 milligrams of magnesium per 100 grams and thus ensure strong nerves and healthy muscles. These chocolaty bean brownies prove that kidney beans can not only end up savory on the plate!

Make your own bean brownies

The ingredients (for 16 pieces):

For the bean brownie:

  • 20 soft dates (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes)
  • 180g kidney beans
  • 120 ml canola oil
  • 130 ml almond milk (or other plant-based milk)
  • 3 eggs (size M)
  • 50 g rolled oats (tender)
  • 50 almonds (ground)
  • 50 grams of cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 5 tbsp walnuts (chopped)

For the frosting:

  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 3 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
  • 3 tablespoons of espresso
  • 3 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 5 tbsp maple syrup
  • Crumbles or coarse sea salt to taste

The preparation:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees top/bottom heat. Process the dates together with the kidney beans into a pulp using a hand blender or a food processor.
  2. Now add rapeseed oil, almond milk, eggs, oat flakes, ground almonds, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt to the date and bean mush and mix to form a brownie batter.
  3. Now fold the chopped walnuts into the batter and pour the whole thing into a casserole dish (approx. 26×20 centimeters) lined with baking paper and bake for 30 minutes. Then let it cool down completely.
  4. Now process all the ingredients for the frosting with a hand blender or a food processor until you get a fine chocolate cream and spread it over the bean brownie using a spatula. Refine with toppings as you like, cut them into 16 pieces, and store them in the fridge.
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Make Your Own Oat Milk

Make oat milk yourself – this is how it works: This plant-based milk is for everyone who is looking for an alternative to cow’s milk or nut milk. You can make your own oat milk with just three ingredients. This is full of valuable nutrients and provides you with many vitamins. Try it out – we’ll show you how quickly and easily you can make your own oat milk.

Healthy Flakes

Oatmeal is extremely healthy because it has a high-quality nutrient composition and complex carbohydrates keep you full for a long time. They contain a lot of dietary fiber, which ensures good digestion, as well as unsaturated fatty acids.

They are also said to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Blood sugar levels don’t rise as much after eating oatmeal, which helps prevent cravings. A good reason to make your own oat milk.

The small flakes also contain a lot of minerals, trace elements, and vitamins as well as iron, zinc, folic acid, vitamin E, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, copper, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus.

Not only a hit in porridge

If you want to integrate the delicious flakes into your diet, you don’t necessarily have to eat porridge all the time. You can also make your own oat milk! This is not only a good milk alternative but also another plant-based milk that can add some variety to the diet.

Whether due to lactose intolerance or because no animal products are to be consumed, oat milk can be used as an alternative to cow’s milk along with almond milk and the like. But be careful: oats contain gluten, so they are not suitable for people with gluten intolerance.

If you make the oat milk yourself, vary the amount of water as you like, depending on how thick or creamy you like the milk.

Homemade oat milk also scores with few ingredients – and you can sweeten and season as you like. The finished oat milk will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about three days. Alternatively, you can boil the milk again and fill it hot into airtight bottles – this way the oat milk will last longer.

Make your own oat milk

The ingredients for 1 liter:

  • 100 g tender oat flakes
  • 1 liter of water (or to taste)
  • pinch of salt

Preparing the oat milk:

  • Put the rolled oats and salt in a bowl, cover with 1l of cold water and stir briefly. Let the oat flakes swell for about 5 minutes and then puree them with a hand blender or in a blender.
  • Place the puree in a nut milk bag (or linen cloth), drain the liquid into a container, and squeeze the mixture well so all the liquid comes out.
  • Finished! Now you can sweeten or spice it up as you like, for example with dates, cinnamon, or vanilla.
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Make Your Own Nice Cream: Healthy Banana Split

And now a cool ice cream for refreshment! But it has to be healthy because not everyone wants to lick a sugar bomb. We have the solution: creamy Nicecream! Made from bananas and some almond milk, this ice cream is the perfect treat for anyone who relies on natural ingredients and valuable ingredients. We’ll show you how you can make delicious nice cream yourself – like a banana split!

What is nice cream?

The banana-based ice cream is known in English as Banana Ice Cream – abbreviated to Nana Ice Cream. The frosty dessert is now also known as ice cream and is being eaten more and more frequently by those who are health-conscious or have allergies.

Topped with other fruits, chocolate, or nuts, the Nicecream is a great ice cream variant free from refined sugar, artificial additives, and flavor enhancers. Ripe bananas in particular are ideal as nice cream due to their sweetness and do not have to be thrown away.

Cut into slices, frozen, and processed into a creamy ice cream mass in the blender, the ice cream can be quickly made and licked at home.

That’s how healthy the Nicecream Banana Split is

Bananas are not only a healthy snack, they also provide B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and a large portion of magnesium. Very ripe bananas contain up to 23 percent fructose, which quickly gets into the bloodless ripe bananas and provides more starch.

Due to the ideal combination of quickly digestible sugar, “slower” starch, and about three percent fiber, bananas not only fill you up quickly but also for a long time – and with relatively low-calorie content. Make your own ice cream: Let’s go, here’s the simple recipe.

Make your own ice cream

The ingredients:

  • 5 bananas
  • 50 ml almond milk (or water)
  • 2 handfuls of berries to taste
  • 20 g chocolate (70 percent cocoa content)

The preparation:

  1. Peel three bananas and cut them into finger-thick pieces. Place everything in a freezer-safe bag and place in the freezer for about four hours.
  2. Take the frozen banana slices out of the freezer and put them in a powerful blender together with the almond milk. Puree to a creamy mass and add a little liquid if you like – the ice cream is ready!
  3. For the Nicecream Banana Split, peel the two remaining bananas, cut them in half lengthways, and place them on the plates. Spread the ice cream balls on top and serve sprinkled with berries and finely chopped chocolate.
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Nightlife and Partying: 10 Phrases You Should never Say to Your Bartender

As a bartender, you deal with many different people every day – and they all want something from you. Some are friendly, others flirt for a drink for free, others get cheeky. What should party guests never say?

10 phrases you shouldn’t say to bartenders

There are so many phrases bartenders hear so often they just can’t take it anymore. If you want to do your bartender a favor, you should better not say the following 10 sentences:

“Put more alcohol in the next drink, okay?” – If you personally don’t feel the alcohol, it may be more your own inhibitions than the bartender. After all, there are usually fixed mixing specifications for every drink.
“Hey dude, cool to see you again.” – Bartenders tend to see so many people on a daily basis that they probably won’t remember you.
“Man, when I was still waiting tables, I could do it faster.” – You can really offend someone with such sentences. In the end, you may be the one to suffer. Sometimes there is just a lot going on and everyone tries to do their best. Appreciation and a “thank you” can usually do much more than being annoyed.
“I drink the same as you.”- This statement is based on the cliché that every bartender also drinks alcohol in the evening. But this is not the case: not everyone who works with alcohol automatically drinks some.
“Hey, it’s my birthday. Are you buying one?” Bartenders hear this phrase so often that it’s usually never true. After all, everyone can say what they want.
“Tell me, can’t you swap out the DJ?” – The bartender usually has nothing to do with the DJ; consequently, he or she usually cannot change anything about the music in the bar.
“Hey bartender, can you actually smile?” – bartenders are often under stress or can sometimes be annoyed by the people in front of the bar. So it’s completely understandable that he doesn’t always have a smile on his face.
“Will you give me your number?” – Bartenders are generally not interested in exchanging numbers with customers. They just want to do their job – and you should respect that.
“I would have liked to have shaken my drink, not stirred it.” Often customers don’t even know the difference. In many cases they only know one drink and only make the statement to appear intelligent.
“Hey, can you store my jacket here for a moment?” – The bartender is not responsible for checking clothes. His job is to mix the drinks, not act as a cloakroom.

Instead of these 10 sentences, you can put a smile on the face of many a bartender or make the stressful job easier if you are friendly, show understanding and sometimes say “thank you”. This makes partying fun on both sides of the bar.

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Cleaning Windows: With This Unusual Means, Your Windows Will Be Clean

Cleaning windows with window cleaning agent – anyone can do that. We reveal the trick how detergent ensures streak-free windows and white window frames.

Clean with detergent – this is how it works

Yes, you heard me right. Detergent not only makes the laundry shine clean again. Fabric softener is a real miracle cure for streak-free windows. To do this, simply fill the cap of the packaging with fabric softener and mix the amount with three liters of water. The windows are then cleaned with this liquid in the usual routine. This not only makes the windows shine. The ingredients in the fabric softener also ensure that rainwater rolls off the window glass. Who knows, maybe you won’t have to clean as often afterwards.

Fabric softener for streak-free windows – that’s not all. Because with detergent you can also get the window frames clean. This time we’ll use the washing powder that everyone probably has at home. This also saves you the trip to the shop if the actual window cleaning agent is empty. Detergent powder is particularly suitable for white window frames that can no longer be cleaned properly with normal cleaning.

The procedure is simple: moisten a cloth slightly and put a small amount of the white washing powder on it. The window frame can then be cleaned with it. Isn’t that enough? Then simply repeat the process again. The bleaching content of the powder not only ensures white laundry: after use, the frame will shine in wonderful white again, which makes you want spring.

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Already Dangerous? Why Your Dog is Panting – and When You Should See The Vet

When your dog pant, it’s nothing unusual at first. However, there are certain signs of a panting dog that you should seek advice from your veterinarian.

Why do dogs pant?

Dogs lack the ability to sweat because they hardly have any sweat glands on their bodies. A few are located in the area of ​​the paw pads and the nose. Dogs regulate their body temperature to a large extent through the upper respiratory tract, which includes the pharynx, nasal cavity, larynx, and trachea. Panting allows dogs to bring cooler air into their bodies, cooling themselves from the inside out. Panting increases the exchange of air between the mouth and the trachea. The sense and purpose of panting is therefore only in the increased evaporative cooling, which is caused by the constant draft. This eventually lowers the body temperature. Dogs breathe much shallower than humans and the increased saliva production, commonly referred to as “drooling,” prevents the tongue from drying out.

This type of cooling has other advantages for dogs:
Dogs can actively control the breathing rate when panting and thus the degree of cooling.
When panting, your dog does not lose vital salts through the skin, as is the case with sweating.
Panting does not produce odors, which could create disadvantages among conspecifics that communicate via scents. Because in addition to the sense of sight, hearing and touch, dogs also come into contact through scents and transmit messages.
Depending on the size, breed and physique of the dog, the amount of panting varies. Smaller dogs have an easier time regulating their temperature due to their physique and lower body volume. So they don’t have to pant as often and as much as their larger conspecifics. Larger dogs, on the other hand, have to pant a lot more to keep their bodies from overheating. Heavier drooling is also common.

With short-headed dog breeds, which include pugs, Pekingese or bulldogs, for example, heavy panting can occur even with little physical exertion. Their reduced turbinate and the resulting shortened airways make it difficult for them to breathe and pant. As a result, they have fewer opportunities to regulate their body temperature by panting. If your dog is one of these dog breeds, you should keep an eye on your dog when he’s panting so he doesn’t overheat. Before you get a dog, you should find out about the characteristics typical of the breed so that you do not unknowingly expose it to stressful situations.

When is panting normal in dogs?

Even a dog’s body needs to cool down after a long walk, an hour of agility training, or mantrailing, but it lacks the ability to sweat. This means that dogs cannot use the evaporative cooling that occurs when sweating on human skin like we humans can. They can shed a little sweat through the pads of their paws and the nose, but the cooling effect is very small and not enough to regulate body temperature. The low level of perspiration through the paws is primarily used to leave scent marks (pheromones) for conspecifics. When panting, dogs breathe shallowly and rapidly, up to 300 times per minute. This accelerates the evaporation of water on the tongue, in the mouth and in the upper respiratory tract. This effect helps your dog normalize its body temperature.

Tip: If you have a puppy or older dog, make sure he doesn’t overexert himself. The cardiovascular system could possibly be overtaxed. Make sure your dog always has fresh water available and offer him cool treats like watermelon or dog ice cream in the summer.

In addition to heat and physical exertion, emotions can also lead to increased panting. For example, if your dog is very happy when you come home or when he meets his playmates, it can upset him emotionally. Conversely, dogs can also experience stress when they feel overwhelmed in certain situations. Experts speak of a skipping action in which dogs, for example, scratch, bark or pant when they are stressed.

Many dogs also develop great fears of thunderstorms, lightning, or loud noises. In addition to volume, dogs also seem to sense a drop in pressure during thunderstorms. Darkening skies and gusts of wind can also frighten them. This can even lead to panic attacks, which are usually accompanied by rapid panting.

Tip: The most important thing is that you keep calm yourself, because your dog will sense your insecurity. Try to free your dog from the stressful situation as quickly as possible and have a calming effect on him. Move calmly and behave normally.

Intense sniffing is one of the favorite pastimes of many dogs. Hunting dogs, civil protection dogs or mantrailing use this ability to track down game, save people or set tracks. However, it also requires a high level of concentration in the dog and causes the salivation to be stimulated. Dogs can absorb significantly more scents through increased panting, but this also means a lot of effort.

Tip: Your dog performs at its best when it comes to nose work, which is why you should give your four-legged friend enough rest breaks after training.

If you experience these symptoms, you should seek veterinary advice

If your dog has been exposed to high temperatures and has been in the sun for a long time, it may have suffered from heat stroke. In addition to high outside temperatures, high physical stress through dog sports, running on a bike or being locked in overheated cars can also be reasons for heat stroke. Then, in addition to the strong panting, the following symptoms appear:
Vomit
Diarrhea
balance disorders
apathy
cramps
In the event of heat stroke, the entire dog’s body is affected. Due to the severe overheating, the dog tries to pant more and more to lower its body temperature. However, he loses more and more fluid, which means that the blood becomes more concentrated and can no longer flow through the body as quickly. The heart then has to do more work and severe circulatory problems can occur, which can lead to loss of consciousness and shock. In the worst case, dogs can also die from heat stroke. Heatstroke is a life-threatening emergency that requires immediate emergency care.
Important: Never leave your dog in a heated car. The inside temperature rises extremely quickly when exposed to sunlight and within a very short time the dog can no longer compensate for the heat.

gastric torsion or poisoning
If your dog shows other symptoms in addition to panting, such as restlessness, increased salivation and pale mucous membranes, it can also be a life-threatening stomach torsion or poisoning.

Gastric torsion is an absolute emergency that requires veterinary treatment within a few hours. The impending constriction of the blood vessels, as well as the entrance and exit of the stomach, is life-threatening. This prevents digestive gases from escaping and allows the stomach to inflate like a balloon. In addition to the stomach, other internal organs can also be affected, which is why immediate surgery is indicated.

Poisoning in a dog is also an emergency. Because if there is no treatment, dogs are threatened with long-term consequential damage or even death. The symptoms that dogs show when poisoned depend on the type and dose of the poison. In addition to panting, the following symptoms can also occur:
Vomit
fast or irregular pulse
restlessness
apathy
constricted or dilated pupils
Important: If you suspect poisoning in your dog, you should first try to calm your dog down. Also make sure that the airways remain free and bring the dog into the stable side position. If possible, you can bring a sample of the dog’s poison or vomit to the vet for testing.

Dogs can also react to heart problems with increased panting. If the heart no longer provides its full pumping capacity, the dog’s body can no longer supply every cell with sufficient oxygen. The lungs can also be affected by heart problems if fluid builds up in the lung tissue. This can result in the dog not getting enough oxygen.

Other symptoms that may indicate a heart or lung problem include:
Cough
Strangle
listlessness
Collapse
Pale or bluish gums
Attention: Panting in combination with pale mucous membranes can also indicate anemia, i.e. anemia or poor circulation.

Cushing’s syndrome is a disease of the endocrine system that results in increased cortisol levels. Poodles, dachshunds, miniature schnauzers, terriers and boxers are particularly affected: If your dog shows the following symptoms in addition to excessive panting, you should take it to the veterinary practice:
Excessive thirst and urination
hair loss
Bloated stomach
Other causes of increased panting in dogs:

Allergic Reactions: In an allergic reaction, dogs can sometimes become short of breath, lethargic, or vomit.
Infections: In some cases, infections can cause pneumonia. In addition to panting, your dog will then develop breathing problems, coughing and possibly a fever.
Pain: Dogs are particularly good at hiding pain. First signs can be, for example, when your dog is restless and panting when he would normally relax. If severe exhaustion, a lack of movement or vomiting also occur, this can indicate pain.
Overweight: If your dog weighs too many kilos, his organism will also be under more strain. In addition, lighter movements are difficult for him. This can also manifest itself in increased panting. Since obesity in dogs can also cause secondary diseases such as arthrosis, diabetes or heart problems, you should discuss with your veterinarian how your dog can best lose weight.

Conclusion

In summary, the following points should be observed:
Dogs can regulate their body temperature by panting. High outside temperatures or physical exertion can trigger panting in dogs and is not initially a cause for concern.
Make sure your dog always has access to fresh water, because panting causes him to constantly consume fluid.
Some dog breeds pant particularly often. This is especially the case with short-headed dog breeds, as their airways are shortened, making it harder for them to breathe.
The size of the dog also plays a role, as large dogs have more body volume.
In addition to physical causes, psychological factors such as excitement, nervousness and stress can also lead to dogs panting more often.
If your dog is panting for no apparent reason, it could be due to illness, upset stomach, poisoning, fever and pain. You should seek veterinary advice as soon as possible.
If, in addition to heavy panting, other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, balance disorders, apathy or cramps occur when the outside temperature is high, this can indicate life-threatening heat stroke. Then you should immediately take your dog to a cool place and definitely consult a veterinarian.

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Make Your Own Banana Bread

This banana bread is the perfect combination of super moist, cinnamon-sweet, and crunchy crumble topping. Due to the sweetness of the bananas, sugar can optionally be omitted. We’ll show you how easy it is to make this banana bread yourself.

Banana bread with sprinkles

Once again the banana has become too ripe, but you shouldn’t throw away the good one! Because you can conjure up a wonderful and juicy banana bread from ripe bananas. And we’ll add one more thing: crispy crumbles with cinnamon.

This banana bread has everything a treat needs. Due to the natural sweetness of the bananas, you can also completely do without sugar in the dough, optionally of course without the crumbles if you want it even healthier. But sometimes it can also be a little treat!

Coarsely chopped nuts can give banana bread an extra crunch. This is how you combine many healthy ingredients: bananas, nuts, buttermilk, and cinnamon. The fruity delicacy tastes just as good warm from the oven as it does when chilled – the 15 pieces are gone faster than you can say “cinnamon banana bread with crumbles”.

The recipe for the banana bread

For the banana bread

  • 1 egg
  • 80 g sugar (optional)
  • 1 tsp vanilla sugar
  • 115g butter
  • 250 buttermilk
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 260 g wholemeal spelled flour
  • ½ g salt
  • 2 teaspoons of baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • coarsely chopped nuts (optional)

For the sprinkles

  • 40 g powdered sugar
  • 60 g wholemeal spelled flour
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • Salt
  • Besides that
  • Butter for greasing the mold

Preparation steps

  1. In a large bowl, combine the egg, sugar (optional), and vanilla sugar using a hand mixer. Add the butter and mix until a fluffy mass is formed.
  2. Add buttermilk and bananas.
  3. In a second bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.
  4. Gradually pour the flour mixture into the liquid mixture.
  5. Optionally, mix a few chopped nuts (e.g. Brazil nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts) into the batter.
  6. Grease a mold and dust with some flour. Pour in the batter and preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
  7. For the crumbles, melt the butter and mix with the powdered sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Mix with your hands and pour over the dough in the mold as a fairly coarse crumble.
  8. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.
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New Beauty Trend 2022: How Acid Should Care For Your Hair

Long and healthy hair is still the ideal of beauty for many women and men. But conventional shampoos often do not bring the desired success, which is why alternatives are worth a look.

Hair shampoos in the test – that says Stiftung Warentest

Stiftung Warentest regularly examines several shampoos and compares them in terms of effectiveness, the cost factor and the environmental aspect. In 2020, 18 shampoos and hair soaps were tested, including seven natural cosmetics. A total of 14 performed well, three were satisfactory and one was just sufficient. Big price differences were still noticeable, the products cost between 1 and 38 cents per hair wash. A shampoo, on the other hand, turned out to be a sham.

A new trend is currently noticeable, so-called “hair soaps*” made from oils or fats “saponified” from lye are becoming increasingly popular. In principle, such solid shampoos work no differently than liquid shampoos, they have only been deprived of water and then formed. Most liquid shampoos performed well across the board, while hair soaps performed slightly worse. The problem, however, is that these can form whitish residues when washing. The result is swelling hair that is difficult to comb. A rinse made of vinegar and water, also known as an “acidic rinse”, helps against this so-called “lime soap”. This form of hair washing has been propagated, among other things, since 2014 as the so-called “No poo” movement, which originated in the USA and today has numerous followers and groups worldwide. There are several forms of exercise, one of the most popular being washing your hair with vinegar.

But how healthy is acetic acid for hair and scalp? Does it even damage the hair in the long run and what can you do about the acidic smell?

Beautiful hair: the “no poo” movement

“No poo” simply means to wash your hair without shampoo. Shampoos are said to damage the hair, and the substances and chemicals they contain can potentially make you sick. There is also concern that conventional shampoos remove the scalp’s natural oils, thereby drying out the hair and scalp.

The movement emerged in 2014 and today there are various forms of it. One group rejects any means for the hair and only cleans it with water. Another group uses baking soda in place of shampoo and apple cider vinegar as a supplemental conditioner. The third group consists of self-mixed remedies, for example made from rye flour, eggs, clay or beer.

Since the current beauty trend in terms of hair care products is propagating apple cider vinegar, this technique is briefly presented below. Because the scalp is naturally slightly acidic (hair pH is around 5.5, well in the mid-range), acidifying hair is all about lowering the pH of the scalp and hair. This care treatment is intended to give the hair strands more shine and smoothness and to prevent the hair from charging by closing the cuticle layer and smoothing the hair structure. Numerous external influences can also negatively affect the natural pH value of the scalp and hair, which is why it is advisable to avoid using products with a basic pH value such as children’s shampoos, industrial hair masks and conditioners, cleaning shampoos and hair coloring products and to use natural products instead . What is meant here is above all the “sour rinse” (rinse = English for conditioner), which is used like a conventional hair conditioner

Preparation of the “sour rinse”

The preparation of the conditioner is simple and uncomplicated. The first treatment can also start with a tablespoon of vinegar. For this purpose, the hair is washed with normal shampoo beforehand, whereby a hair care product made from organic and natural ingredients should promise more success, since the chemicals contained in normal shampoos are said to damage the structure. After washing the hair, the acidic rinse is poured over the hair, which does not have to be rinsed out again. Once the hair dries, the vinegar smell will dissipate. If the smell is too strong, a few drops of essential oils can help. In addition to apple cider vinegar, other types of vinegar such as balsamic vinegar, herbal vinegar and lemon juice or citric acid can also be used. Be careful with citric acid, half a teaspoon is enough.

Another non-chemical, vinegar-based hair treatment is a combination of baking soda and vinegar. The shampoo is made from the apple cider vinegar and water, and the neutralizing solution is made from the baking soda and water. Instead of the shampoo, the hair is washed with a baking soda solution to neutralize the scalp and to loosen the oil from the scalp. The sodium hydroxide solution makes the skin alkaline, which then has to be balanced out with the acetic acid.

Even if this procedure is simple and good for the hair, the smell is a disadvantage. In terms of combability, the vinegar treatment is not necessarily recommended for all hair types and is particularly suitable for straight hair. In the case of hair with natural frizz and curls, however, combing it out afterwards is very painful. Another glaring problem with using baking soda is that baking soda can actively damage the scalp and hair. Also, the natural pH level could be compromised by the highly alkaline baking soda, which can lead to scalp and hair damage over time.

problem

So one of the most popular “No Poo” methods is acidifying your hair with a vinegar solution. As mentioned, there are pros and cons here. Anyone who likes to use natural care products and can handle them well should rely on a conditioner with vinegar. However, there is not enough evidence of how beneficial this procedure is for the entire hair structure in the long term. The effectiveness of other forms of care such as egg or beer rinses against problems such as dandruff, itching and dryness has not yet been successfully confirmed.

Although there was a time in Europe when body odors were highly regarded and even encouraged by a lack of personal hygiene, most people are now used to noticing pleasant smells in their counterparts. The natural body odor is less socially acceptable today and is suppressed or covered up with all conceivable methods. Without sufficient care, the hair also begins to smell unpleasantly after a few weeks, since the scalp sebum smells like rancid butter after a while. Some people are very prone to greasy dandruff and irritated scalps, which are made worse by winter and stress. If such a predisposition is present, it is even necessary to use a medicinal shampoo with an antifungal substance. This can prevent certain organic germs from growing. If you fail to do this or if you don’t wash your hair at all instead, it can develop into a massively itchy scalp surface covered with a shell-like crust of scales, from which more and more hair gradually falls out.

Some popular “no poo” methods have been shown to actually damage and irritate the hair and scalp. The oil residue on the scalp can change and oxidize, causing the oil to break down into foul-smelling by-products and causing an itchy and flaky scalp. In fact, pH is not the only reason for hair health, while some problems such as skin irritations, dandruff or allergies can be treated with a pH-adjusted shampoo, it is not the solution to all hair problems. Dermatologists continue to give the all-clear when it comes to naming the body’s own fat production on the scalp as a reason for not shampooing, because the body produces the same amount of scalp fat relatively constantly, regardless of how often and intensively the hair is treated with a conventional shampoo to wash.

Conclusion

Dermatologists are concerned that nowadays hair is washed too often and products with inappropriate ingredients are often used. In particular, allergy sufferers and people with a sensitive scalp should avoid certain ingredients (such as dyes and preservatives, cocamidopropyl betaine, parabens or silicones). Although silicones make the hair shiny and supple, there is a risk of clogging the open scalp pores and follicle openings, so that a reasonable exchange of substances through the scalp can no longer take place.

Hair specialists recommend using a mild shampoo* to wash your head every 2-3 days. In addition, the water should not be too hot, lukewarm is fine. A moderate heat should also be used when blow-drying. The use of organic products can be added as a supplement, for example in the form of a night cap with olive oil to strengthen dry or flaky scalps.

The best remedy for clean hair and a well-groomed scalp is still a good shampoo and conditioner. Modern shampoos are designed to remove scalp oils and dirt without attacking the natural layer of moisture. That is why it is even important for the scalp and hair to get rid of excess oil regularly.

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