9 Healthy Halloween recipes for when you can’t look at another piece of candy

Between the party treats, pumpkin spiced goodies, and mountains of candy your kids will haul home, Halloween is full of sugary indulgences. Don’t worry, it is possible to make spooky treats that don’t scare your arteries. In honor of Halloween, we are sharing some healthy recipes to mix up your holiday routine and fuel yourself for a night of trick-or-treating!

One of the great recipes in this selection is bell pepper jack-o-lanterns with vegetables and dip. These carved edible “bowls” can be made to be as goofy or as scary as you like, depending on your mood! Not only do these jack o’ lantern snacks add a festive touch, but they will also make sure kids and adults alike will continue to snack on vegetables amongst all that Halloween sweetness.

From bell pepper jack-o-lanterns to pumpkin curry empanadas, there is a spooky something for everyone on this list. We at the Optimist Daily are particular fans of snacking on the spiced pumpkin seeds. Check out the full article from Sunset to learn how to make all 9 of these healthy Halloween treats.

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Why you should consider getting a bidet installed in your bathroom

The bidet: in much of the world it’s the normal, hygienic way to clean your bum after using the toilet. In America, it’s virtually unknown. And that’s a crying shame, both for public health as well for the environment. If you don’t know what a bidet is, allow us to fill you in. It’s basically a basin that sprays water which you use to clean up your butt instead of toilet paper. It’s usually a separate entity from the toilet, but it can also be installed inside your toilet.

The biggest benefit of a bidet is the environmental one. Whereas the bidet uses only one-eighth of a gallon water peruse, a single roll of toilet paper takes about 37 gallons of water to be made, not to mention the number of trees you save from refraining from toilet paper.

As people become more environmentally conscious, could bidets actually become a thing in America? According to USA Today, they’re already catching on. In one article, the publication wrote: “bidet seats and bidet toilets in the U.S. are currently a $106 million category expected to grow 15 percent annually through 2021.”

A study by the National Kitchen and Bath Association also found that designers consider the bidet squirting feature the most important thing to put in a new bathroom today. Could 2019 be the year of the bidet?

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Aloe Cadabra – each tube is carefully filled over 95% Full of Organic Aloe Vera to moisturize and soothe.

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How to overcome the 5 mental obstacles that stand in the way of happiness

In the new book,The Five Hurdles to Happiness, author and child psychologist Mitch Ablett sets off to describe five reactive habits of minds that were originally identified in ancient contemplative and meditative traditions. Though these habits evolved for important reasons—to keep us safe from danger, for example—many of us find them less than useful in our modern world, where they can wreak havoc on our well-being. These are those five habits (or hurdles) and how to overcome them.

Desire: craving pleasure is completely normal, but compulsive craving leads to excessive costs to our effectiveness and, in extremes, to the impairments and perils of addiction. To overcome this, stop what you’re doing for just a moment when you can tell you’re getting triggered by something in your environment.

Aversion: we get irritable and hostile when we perceive our life circumstances “shouldn’t” be as they are. It’s natural to want to “push” away from aversive situations, but this anger can spill over into other parts of life and become toxic for your well-being. One solution is to notice, with curiosity about, what is happening in your body and your mind. Witness the bodily sensations and flow of thoughts that come from aversion. Let them be born, live, and pass on their own.

Mental fatigue: a clouded, dull, sluggish state of mind that saps our concentration and ability to see others. When we’re mentally fatigued, we regularly tune out of the world, because we’re unsatisfied in some way. If you’re having trouble concentrating, allow these experiences to be just as they are, without judgment or attempts to control them. Try to recognize what’s happening in your body and mind without trying to change it.

Restlessness: our powerful human brain evolved to help us quickly and efficiently anticipate threats in our environment. Nowadays, it can also make us feel restless and anxious. To solve this, penetrate uncomfortable sensations in the body with full, deep belly breaths, and continue to breathe in this way until you notice your experience shifting and your negative thought patterns dissolving.

Doubt: uncertainty about our situation and ourselves that blocks our ability to see the way forward with flexibility. To move past doubt, prompt yourself to move or act with intention in the direction that feels most important and reflects compassionate care for others. Pause—and remember to be kind to yourself.

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Aloe Cadabra – each tube is carefully filled over 95% Full of Organic Aloe Vera to moisturize and soothe.

Moisturize
Lubricate
Replenish