INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Mix thoroughly.

SUMMARY: Drizzle a layer of passion fruit sundae sauce on the bottom of your glass. Chop up mango and pineapple pieces and add them to your softened vanilla ice cream. Freeze ice cream before scooping two scoops into your glass. Top with remaining passion fruit sauce, a swirl of whipped cream, and a handful of walnuts that had been pre-soaked in a honey-and-vegetable-oil mixture and then roasted until crisp. Finished.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you’d rather not add functions to your own spreadsheets, try using one of the many pre-built budget worksheets online. Worksheets list types of fixed and variable monthly expenses, and many already contain addition and subtraction functions to calculate your budget for you.  Online pre-made worksheets can also be customized for college students or self-employed professionals. You can access a number of free budgeting worksheets online at: https://www.mint.com/budgeting-3/monthly-budget-template-track-your-spending-by-month. Check out some more free examples online at: https://www.smartsheet.com/top-excel-budget-templates. A spreadsheet has the additional benefit of being able to tally your monthly income and expenditures. Name rows for different types of fixed and variable expenditures. When setting up your budget spreadsheet, use the “sum” and “subtract” functions to add up your total expenditures and subtract these from your net income.  If you like, break down sub-categories within expenditure areas like “food” or “entertainment.” For example, you could have “restaurants,” “bars,” “take-out” or “movies,” “concerts,” and “theater.” Or, you could use multiple spreadsheets each month. For example, 1 could be only for fixed expenses, another for variable expenses, and a third for your various sources of income. Write “total net income” at the top, followed by the amount. Then, use a separate row to track your expenses. Write “fixed” and “variable” on the left side of the page, and fill in the various sub-categories: “rent,” “food,” “auto,” “entertainment,” “medical,” etc. As the month goes by, record your expenses in each category. At the end of the month, add up the expenses and confirm that they’re less than the total income.

SUMMARY: Use a pre-made budget worksheet for an easy option. Watch your budget with a spreadsheet for a technological alternative. Track your budget on a sheet of paper for a simple option.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Sit on the floor with one leg stretched out front and bent at the knee, and the other leg stretched behind you and bent at the knee. Your legs should make a “Z” shape.  Sit in the stretch a few minutes. Lean forward to bring your head down towards the floor. Use the yoga pose “single pigeon” to stretch out your thighs and rotate your hips.  Start in the “Z” position and then lengthen your back leg until it is straight behind you. Sit in this position for a few minutes. Repeat the stretch switching which leg is forward.

SUMMARY: Stretch your legs  in a “Z” position. Do a single pigeon pose.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The exfoliant will lift dead skin cells, and over time it may fade the dark areas around your mouth. You can use a chemical or a physical exfoliant. Chemical exfoliants can be better for treating dark areas because they do not stimulate the skin like a physical exfoliant, which can exacerbate the problem. You can find chemical exfoliants and facial scrubs in drugstores, grocery stores, and bath-and-body stores. Read reviews of a product before you buy it. Some scrubs may be sold to treat acne and other skin conditions; these scrubs often use acids and chemicals to deep-clean your skin. You can find moisturizing, skin-brightening pigment products in drugstores and beauty-product stores. Find a cream that contains Vitamin C, kojic acid (extracted from certain fungi species), arbutin (taken from the bearberry plant), azelaic acid (found in wheat, barley, and rye), licorice extract, niacinamide, or grapeseed extract: these ingredients help to block the enzyme tyrosinase, which your skin cells need to produce melanin. Spread a thin layer of the cream around your mouth. Follow the instructions, and don’t use these skin-lightening products for more than three weeks.   Kojic acid is a popular treatment, but it can irritate sensitive skin. Be careful. If you have celiac disease or are gluten intolerant, avoid using azelaic acid, which comes from wheat. If your spots won't go away, your dermatologist may prescribe a drug-based cream like hydroquinone. Hydroquinone limits your pigment-making cells and slows your skin's production of tyrosinase. Dark spots tend to vanish quickly with lower pigment production.  Animal studies have linked hydroquinone with cancer, but those animals were fed and injected with the drug. Most human treatments stop at topical application, and no research suggests toxicity in humans. Many dermatologists deny the cancer link.  Most patients show the first signs of skin lightening within a few days, and most of the effects act within six weeks. After the treatment, you can switch to an over-the-counter cream to keep up the brighter pigment. Lasers like Fraxel tend to be the most lasting and effective way to treat discolorations that are close to the surface of the skin. However, laser pigment work is not always permanent. The effect will depend upon your genetics, your UV exposure, and your skincare habits. Lasers also tend to be more expensive than other treatments. Your dermatologist may suggest these peels to reach and treat damaged cells deep within your skin. Bear in mind that these treatments are not permanent. Depending on your genetic predisposition to dark spots—and how much UV exposure you get—your spots may return as soon as a few weeks or as late as a few years. Stay out of the sun, wear sunscreen when you do go outdoors, and treat your dark spots early to make sure that your treatment lasts longer.

SUMMARY:
Exfoliate daily with a mild facial exfoliant. Use an over-the-counter skin-brightening cream. Consider using a prescription cream. Try a laser treatment. Try a glycolic or salicylic acid peel.