13 November 2024

4 minute read

Homeopathy is a holistic form of treatment that explores the aim of patients with regards to specific ailments, giving them all the solutions from a natural perspective to treat those conditions. A visit to a homeopath focuses on your presenting complaint which is the main issue that is bothering you; your general constitution like energy levels, bathrooms habits, sleep, perspiration, diet, lifestyle, and medical history; and the mental and emotional aspect of your personality such as the type of stress you’re under, your emotions, and how you respond to them. This gives the homeopath an overall view of a person’s health, allowing them to make up a treatment specifically suited to the patient.

Dr Zahra Kazi, a homeopath and sleep specialist, and specialist in endocrine disorders, hormonal health, and other female-related health conditions, says that “we’ve become more sedentary than ever before”. Alongside bad food practices and the environmental exposure to things like chemicals and plastics, this has led to an increase in health conditions and disruptions in hormone balances, thus causing sleep disorders.

Homeopathy functions on the premise that “no two people have the same life experiences” so each treatment plan is individualised to fit the patient. More and more people nowadays suffer from sleep disruptions and disorders. While health care practitioners prescribe sleep aids like anxiolytics or tranquilizers for people suffering from sleep disorders to allow the person to “shut down”, homeopathy addresses sleep issues at a much deeper level. These include looking at a patient’s sleep cycle, specifically when a person can’t sleep, if a person is having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, at what intervals the person keeps waking at night, and the quality and quantity of their sleep.

Factors like lifestyle and stress are also taken into consideration, since stress and hormone imbalances affect a person’s sleep. Most people don’t see the connection between lack of sleep and an imbalance in their body. Progesterone and oestrogen hormonal imbalances in women can put a strain on the liver in the evening, and cause disruptions in a women’s sleep cycle particularly between 1:00am and 3:00am, or frequent waking with hot flushes at any time during the night. High stress causes an increase in cortisol production which leads to more restless sleep, with waking occurring between 2:00am and 4:00am. Peaks and dips in energy levels through the day will be monitored by the homeopath. In terms of insulin resistance, blood sugar should be balanced through the day to make you more insulin sensitive, so that your body goes back to the way it was before becoming insulin resistant.

Food and sleep are co-dependent, as what we consume impacts on our sleep. Going to bed after having eaten a big meal means that you haven’t given your body a chance to digest the food that you’ve eaten. Foods high in caffeine and sugar tend to disturb sleep. Spikes and drops in sugar levels further impact sleep, depending on what a person eats before they sleep.

So how much sleep do we need? Dr Zahra says that younger children and teenagers require between 8 and 10 hours of good quality sleep as they are still growing. Ideally, adults should also get 8 hours of sleep per night. However, where this is not attainable, sleep can be “banked”, with people catching up on sleep lost during the week on the weekends. The aim for patients is to get between 6 and 8 hours of sleep every night. As prescribed in the sunnah, power naps of 20 minutes in the early afternoon are ideal to enhance sleep.

Listen to the full interview on New Horizons with Faaiza Munshi.

06 November 2024

5-minute read

Your skin is the largest organ in the body and your first barrier to everything outside, but according to Saadiqah Bariche, a biomedical scientist specialising in skin care formulation, “your skin can only serve you as long as you take care of it”.

Skin routines for young children is a growing trend. Kids skin is more robust and has natural protection against dirt and germs, but it is important to remember that skin needs to breathe, and the only time it can do this is after a shower or a bath at night where all the grime from the day is washed off.

Parents “shape what a child’s skincare routine looks like” and choosing skincare when children are younger is “very subjective’’. Developing a healthy skin routine for your child starts from birth and should be kept simple until the pre-teen years. Developing routines for sun protection from babyhood is non-negotiable. A basic cleanser that agrees with the child’s skin, a moisturiser, and a broad-spectrum sunscreen are all essentials for children who don’t have problem skins and are not prone to skin illnesses like eczema.  Another factor when it comes to skin care is whether you are getting value for money.

When it comes to sunscreens, a broad spectrum, high Sun Protection Factor (SPF) stands sunscreens apart from regular moisturisers. Even if you have a moisturiser with a built-in SPF, it does not equate a sunscreen. People of colour have higher melanin in their skins which makes them more resistant to the sun and less susceptible to sun damage, but that does not mean they should compromise on the SPF. A higher SPF of 50 is always more effective than a lower SPF of 30. Sunscreens should also offer both UVA and UVB protection. Many sunscreens nowadays offer protection from unnatural light like the blue light coming off cell phones and computer screens. Sunscreens should be used daily, as the last step in your skincare routine in the morning, and at least 30 minutes before coming into contact with water. It should also be reapplied regularly, especially if you are exposed to water.

Saadiqah does not recommend serums for young skin, saying that “these are mainly for mature skin” and can cause harm when used on young skin. Such high concentrations of chemicals can disrupt a child’s natural skin barrier which in turn causes sensitivity, dryness and irritation. Moving into adulthood, this “can cause more harm than good”. However, Saadiqah says there are oil-based serums that are just a combination of healthy oils that don’t harm children’s skin.

It is not necessary to see a skin specialist unless your child suffers from a specific skin problem like eczema. Eczema is a complex condition that can be managed by:

1. Getting to know your child’s skin well.
2. Identifying factors that worsen the condition like using essential oils and fragrances that aggravate eczema, as these can cause allergies with long term use.
3. Limiting sun exposure.
4. Using mild laundry detergents.
5. Avoiding extremely hot water when showering.
6. Using fabrics that are breathable and reduce skin irritation.
7. Keeping the irritated areas dry.

Up until the age of puberty, all types of acids, retinoids, alcohol, fragrances, dyes and colourants formulated in skincare products are “major red flags when it comes to younger skin” and should be avoided. A basic skincare routine for younger kids includes cleansing, moisturising and applying sunscreen. As skin changes with puberty, an active ingredient can be added to target specific skin types. Cleansers target at your child’s skincare concerns; serums are for oily, acne-prone skin to balance the oil levels; and ceramides can be used for dry skin.

Experimentation with make-up varies across different ages and cultures. Girls should be taught to use make-up for fun but not to hide flaws. Make-up can worsen conditions like acne. It is essential to remove make-up at the end of the day with an oil-based cleanser to firstly bind to all of that make-up, and then a regular water-based one to wash it all away. It is important to take care of the skin under the make-up so as not to develop permanent damage like aggravated acne or early aging.

When children swim, one of the effects of chlorine on skin is that it is very drying. However, Saadiqah states that “water is a breeding ground for bacteria, so chlorine is essential”. Enough SPF should be applied on a child’s skin before they swim, giving it enough time to absorb before getting into the pool. Once kids are out of the pool, wash and rinse them off properly with soap to “cleanse the day away”. Use aloe-vera gel for burning and possible sun damage.

Natural and organic products may not always be as natural as they claim to be and can be unsafe to use for young children. Parents should be aware of the harms of natural ingredients that may not agree with young children by checking the list of ingredients in the product. Avoid products with alcohol, essential oils, fragrances and colourants. Clever marketing skills target younger children through social media, and brands will do anything to sell products. There are a lot of healthy, natural preservatives that increase the shelf life of a product and make it safe. Look for products that treat multiple concerns.

Saadiqah has developed her own skin care range called Bare Skin, and places emphasis on gentle, natural products.

Listen to the full interview on New Horizons with Faaiza Munshi.

02 October 2024

4-minute read

A hadith states something to the effect: “When a person saves a life, it is as if he has saved the whole of mankind.” There are few things in life which we can control, because ultimately everything is in Allah’s control. While we believe completely in the concept of taqdeer, there are things within our control that can make a difference in our lives and the lives of the ummah. Learning first aid is one of these things, and according to Tahera Saloojee, a paramedic student, every person should be equipped with a first-aid qualification. There are a number of organizations providing these courses. A first-aid qualification lasts 2-3 years and should be upgraded regularly. FIMA, the Federation of Muslim Associations, runs an initiative to get the community equipped with first aid equipment and to teach the community basic first aid.

Tahera, a qualified Aalimah and enrolled in her first year of studying towards becoming a paramedic, was inspired by always wanting to do something health related. The loss of her brother in a motor-vehicle accident propelled her onto a path towards her medical studies. She completed her Aalimah course when she was younger and while she always wanted to study further, at a later stage in her life, she found herself in a situation where she needed to do more. Starting off with a series of small courses, she eventually realized that every job field requires a matric. So at the age of 30, Tahera determinedly went back to school online and wrote her matric, before enrolling at med school.

She shared these tips to control panic and centre yourself:

1. Recite a name of Allah or Bismillah to centre yourself.
2. Don’t run – remind yourself of the bigger picture and create awareness.
3. Bring mindfulness into it – think of one thing you can see, one thing you can hear, one thing you can smell, and one thing you can touch.

Basic first aid covers how to deal with choking, drowning and burns. Choking is common, especially with toddlers, and little objects like sweets and toys are often the biggest choking hazards. Simple sweets like marshmallows can expand if they don’t go past the pipe in the throat and this can easily block a child’s air pipe. If you are able to reach any object in the back of the child’s mouth, remove it with your finger. If not, turn the kid upside down and backslap. In the case of partial choking in adults, bending forward and coughing is a natural manner in which to stop the choking or remove the object. If this is ineffective, as it usually is in full choking where the person has no sound coming out of their mouths, upward backslapping or the Heimlich maneuver is the best way to remove the lodged object. Sometimes an object lodges in the air pipe instead of the food pipe so taking a sip of water will be effective because the swallowing motion allows a resetting of the system.

When it comes to water safety, it is important to remember that anyone can drown, even if they know how to swim. A little child can drown in a few seconds, in very shallow water, and even in the bathtub. If you have a pool, be sure to have all preventative measures in place and teach all your family members to swim. In the case of a drowning, first, call for help, then remove the child or the person from the water with the help of a swimming aid, because even if you know how to swim, it is hard to pull a drowning person out of the water. Secondly, determine what state the person is in. If the person is responsive, get them to cough out any water they may have swallowed. If they are unresponsive, check for a pulse, then listen or check for breathing by determining whether the chest and stomach are rising. Then start CPR until the person responds, by first turning him or her into the recovery position.

When treating burns, Tahera suggests running the area under cold water and keeping Burn-Shield on hand, preferably in the fridge. If you are feeling no pain but can see the burn, this would not necessarily be a good thing and you would need to get your nearest emergency room.

The importance of knowing emergency and first aid cannot be understated and basic level 1 first aid is an essential for all. Helping the ummah starts within your own home.

Listen to the full interview on the New Horizons program with Faaiza Munshi and Tahera Saloojee.

18 September 2024

5-minute read

With more and more people moving away from conventional medicine, many women with fertility issues are seeking alternative therapies to treat and cure their illnesses. A new modern approach to cupping and acupuncture may just be the answer.

There are multiple benefits to both cupping and acupuncture for every ailment, including infertility. A number of women face fertility issues nowadays and some of these include endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome, commonly known as PCOS, among others. These conditions can lead to infertility as they worsen, and in most cases, are causes of a poor diet and stressful lifestyle. Alternate medicine like cupping allows for better blood circulation and is a catalyst to restore the body. It supplies the body with what it requires in order to get back to optimum health.

According to Zeenat Cajee, a cupping therapist and acupuncturist, cupping helps to detoxify the blood, which is the root cause of most illnesses, by removing toxins. The modern-day diet and lifestyle causes a high amount of uric acid in the body; which contributes to auto-immune diseases and a build-up of toxins, uric acids, and metals in the blood. Toxins can comprise of virus, bacteria, parasites, muscle knots, cysts, fibroids and polyps. Cupping works by drawing up non-nutrient-rich blood from just beneath the skin’s surface to the topmost layer of the skin. This is blood that surrounds tissues and muscles; blood that the body does not need; and not blood from the arteries and veins. Acupuncture helps reduce inflammation in the body that manifests in pain, swelling and tenderness. It works by drawing the blood to the surface of the skin causing slight inflammation in an area to heal the deeper problem beneath the skin.

So what does a cupping session actually entail? After an initial consultation of one’s medical history, the therapist will brief the client on each step of the process. She works on the site of pain; commencing by placing a dry cup on the affected area and allowing the blood to be drawn to the surface of the skin. She then removes the dry cup and makes light superficial cuts on the skin with a blade before reapplying the cup to the same spot to draw out the dirty blood. Toxins get released through the dirty blood and no blood needed by the body is taken out. If no blood comes to the surface, it is a sign of poor circulation and too much stagnation within the body. Acidity levels can also be noted in the dirty blood that is removed from the body; an indication of too many take-outs and too much refined foods. These conditions can be treated with a change in diet, regular exercise, and consistency with cupping.  Zeenat states that cupping “looks more painful than it is” but is actually “pain-free”.

The body goes through a post-cupping process in order to continue detoxing, and during this process a high intake of water and hydration is required with caffeine and caffeinated drinks being minimized. As for side effects: what you could expect to feel after cupping is lowered energy, headaches, nausea and fatigue as the body goes through a resetting of the body processes.

Cupping assists in detoxifying the body by giving it an immune boost, thus reversing the problem and encouraging the body to heal itself. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury and causes swelling, pain and tenderness in the body. While chronic inflammation leads to disease, acute inflammation, which happens at the time of an injury, is actually the body’s way of protecting itself. Cupping assists in reducing inflammation by creating a vacuum effect; pulling up the skin and separating the layers of the muscles. A micro-trauma response is created when the skin is suctioned under the cup, which is like a sterile inflammation response in the area to heal it. With this the body triggers an immune response, creating an injury to heal an injury.

Symptoms of any pelvic inflammatory disease include pain around the reproductive organs, bleeding between periods, heavy periods, bleeding during intercourse, pain during intercourse and while urinating, and vaginal discharge. Cupping can bring on menstrual cycles, stimulate natural ovulation, and increase egg count. In women with endometriosis, cupping can assist in stopping the growth of the cyst. The negative pressure when pulling up the skin under the cup has been known to shrink cysts in the ovarian region.

However, toxin break-up does not happen in one session. In addition to regular cupping sessions for infertility, a lifestyle change is needed with a change in diet, increased water intake, exercise, decreased stress, and correct amounts of sleep. Additionally, it is important to cut out acid from a patients’ diets and increase alkaline foods “Amazing results” are seen when cupping is incorporated with treatment for PCOS. Cupping can even extend the period of time one needs for surgery so that the mass may not have to be cut as often. If symptoms persist, patients should have them checked out by a medical practitioner and choose a balanced approach between alternative and mainstream medical treatment.

Cupping is a cure for all ailments, if performed at the right time, and many women suffering from infertility have shared their success stories. Coupled with lifestyle changes because “food is medicine” and “resting is also productive”, by cupping, one will witness the shifa in the Sunnah.

Listen to the full interview with Faaiza Munshi and Zeenat Cajee on New Horizons.

04 September 2024

4-minute read

Ajuda, a Portuguese word meaning ‘help’ has been developed as a groundbreaking technological solution designed to keep track of all a patient’s health records in one place.

The concept came into being just after COVID when tech and marketing business executive Taryn Oldman, and paediatrician Dr Lisa Street teamed up to create ajuda.co.za. Frustrated at not having all their patient records in one place led to the formation of an online space where personal medical information could be stored and accessed with ease. As stated on the website: ‘From birth through life, Ajuda bundles your medical records, health resources, wellness tools and support in one place’ so that ‘your entire health management can function independent of location’.

According to Dr Lisa, “memory and movement are the two biggest problems” when it comes to keeping track of one’s personal medical records. It is difficult for patients to remember all their medical histories, especially if that “information is scattered between the doctor’s rooms”. Having medical records on hand and in one place cuts out complications. The “movement factor” comes in when patients move around from doctor to doctor, immigrate, semi-grate, or just move to other cities within their country and then have to find new health care practitioners. Ajuda will keep track of medical records and medications, access practitioners and allow bookings online, and even send and redeem scripts, all whilst keeping personal medical records and histories safe.

And it can be used for kids as well. Healthy children with no serious illnesses are referred to as ‘medically active’ in their first 10 years of life, and the app will help parents keep track of their kids’ vaccinations, screenings; general tests; educational assessments; and growth milestones, as most parents’ attest that they can’t remember many of the details of their kids as they grow.

So how does it work? Taryn states that Ajuda will “centralize information” with different folders to store information. There are folders for medication, vaccinations, allergies, tests, healthcare visits, and even a notes section to comment on whether certain medication worked or not. Different medications can be labelled according to their different categories – prescription, over-the-counter and homeopathic medication. This helps your healthcare professional stay updated on the different meds you are taking so that they are aware of how they may interact with other medication they may want to prescribe. The app is currently in its first phase, so if you have medical records like X-Rays, blood tests, your kid’s educational assessments, you can upload it and label it on the app and it will categorize and store it for you in the specific folder. The next step they are concentrating on is records that are not on hand but are sent to the various departments. These will automatically be uploaded as you have them done and will be begin to flow into your folder. The other feature is the one-time form which you fill in regarding all your personal, medical and health information, which only needs to be filled in once and updated as need be. This form can easily be downloaded and taken along with you on future medical visits.

Values of ajuda include:

• Resources will not be overused – tests and screenings will not have to be done repeatedly due to documents being misplaced.
• It allows your healthcare to be more streamlined.
• It is cost-effective.
• There are no repeats of medication that hasn’t worked in the past.
• It is not a medical app but rather a consumer app as your personal friend/tool that builds up your medical history.
• It allows you to keep all family members detail in one place.
• Ajuda is safe to use with information kept in a secure space that only you can access.
• It removes anxiety when at the doctor as information is accessible and shareable.

Taryn concluded with encouraging everyone to ‘take ownership of their health’ on ajuda.co.za.

Listen to the full interview on the New Horizons program with Faaiza Munshi.

31 August 2024

4-minute read

Who doesn’t dream of a destination holiday? Soft, sandy beaches, exciting city tours, breathtaking scenery…But sometimes, travel with kids can turn a holiday into a nightmare! With 20 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry, Ayesha Chopdat from Harvey World Travel Melrose shared two of the best child-friendly holiday destinations that also won’t cost an arm and a leg.

Pyramids of Giza

Since the Covid lockdown which restricted travel drastically, many people stopped travelling, but now that things are fully open again, Egypt is definitely her number one destination of choice for families. The best times to visit are between October and April, however, December and January are very busy and cold. South Africans travelling to Egypt receive a 30-day visa on arrival, and as an Islamic country, it is the ideal place for Muslim visitors with there being ‘plentiful’ halal food available. Khushari, the local vegetarian dish made up of an unusual mixture of rice, lentils, beans, macaroni and fried onions, is a must-try. Egypt is also budget-friendly making it affordable for South Africans.

Sightseeing in Cairo include the pyramids of Giza, also known as the jewel of Egypt and one of the seven wonders of the world. Tourists should take a walk through the Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar for an authentic Egyptian shopping experience. Situated in a historic neighbourhood in Cairo, it is made up of narrow alleyways showcasing vendors selling traditional crafts and souvenirs. Soak up the souk atmosphere and don’t forget to haggle for some enjoyment. The newly built Grand Egyptian Museum will keep the everyone fascinated for hours on end. The museum which can hold up to 15 thousand visitors at a time, also boasts a children’s museum that allows hands-on interactive learning to ‘ignite a child’s curiosity’. Nile River cruises are very popular and can be taken either during the day or at night.

Grand Egypt Museum

The beautiful Sharm Al-Sheikh is the highlight of any trip to Egypt. Many resorts in this coastal region boast on-site water parks with all-inclusive meals and lots of entertainment for kids. Beaches are known for their guided diving and snorkeling; and if water activities are not for you, there are the options of quad biking, camel-back rides and star gazing in the desert; ending your day after sunset with a dinner in the desert.

Sharm El-Sheikh

Mauritius, another perfect family destination, is a short 4-hour flight from South Africa and with no visa requirements for South Africans, it cuts out all the red tape when travelling. There are plenty of water sports in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean and lots of fun beach activities. And for some variety, tourists can visit the quaint town of Grand Bay, the Seven Sands or the capital of Port Louis. Most resorts and hotels cater for halal food with Muslim chefs. However, Ayesha advises visitors to the island to always be cautious and first ensure the halal status of food before consuming it.

Mauritius

Ayesha shared some tips for travelling overseas with kids: Always plan ahead; book shorter flights because ‘shorter flights mean happier kids’; choose an evening flights over a day flight as most children will then sleep as per their normal routine and reach the destination refreshed; don’t forget their prescribed medication if any; pack their favourite snacks and toys to keep them entertained; and lastly, choose a good beach destination where you can all relax together as a family in one spot. So you can actually have a dream holiday with kids!

Listen to the full interview on teh Travel Segment with Ml Ibrahim Daya and Ml Muhammad Kara.

Ginger chopped a few pieces
1 lemon chopped
Half an onion chopped
Turmeric /Arad a little Cloves, Cinnamon, Cardamon/Elachi

Boil above ingredients

Strain then pour in ice cube trays and freeze, once frozen pack blocks into zip lock bags and leave in the freezer when required add one block in a cup of hot water and sip

Courtesy Sister Ammarah @ammarah_moola

THIS RECIPE WAS SHARED BY A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE WHO WAS A NURSE…DURING COVID….

1 Litre water

1 Amuco/Acc..

8 cloves

8 peppers

1 Sachet Ginger tea or u can use fresh Ginger…that has been cut up…5 small pieces

1 tsp of Turmeric/Arad…u can use fresh turmeric…4 pieces cut up

1 tea bag of choice…

2 tblsp honey

Boil together and sip hot 2 x a day.

Soften Butter (Even if You Forgot to Take It Out of the Fridge)

Don’t you hate it when you forget to take butter out of the fridge to make your favorite recipe? If you forget to bring that butter up to room temp in advance, it’s OK. You can soften butter quickly. The easiest way is to cut butter into cubes and let it sit on the counter for about 20 minutes. The smaller pieces will soften up faster than a whole stick.

Get Golden Brown Air Fryer Food

We love air fryers for giving us the crispy fried texture we love without the extra grease. However, air fryers don’t always produce that golden hue we crave. You can fix that, though! The secret to that perfect golden color is giving your foods a quick spritz of cooking spray before popping them into the air fryer basket. That very light coating of oil is all you need

Stop Cheese from Sticking

Grated cheese really makes a difference (here’s why!) but it

can be a pain to prep. For easy cleanup, use a quick spritz of cooking spray on your cheese grater (speaking of, you need to try this viral TikTok cheese grater) to keep the cheese from sticking. You’ll never go back to pre-shredded again.

Get More Juice

Next time you need fresh lemon juice, (maybe for one of our lemon-flavored recipes) try this restaurant tip. Microwave a lemon for 7-10 seconds. Then, roll the lemon back and forth under your palm on the counter. When you squeeze, you’ll get more juice from the lemon with way less effort. Try it with limes, too!

Use dental floss to cut cheese or baked goods

Spray Your Spoon

Spray your measuring spoon with nonstick spray before measuring sticky stuff like honey or syrup — it’ll slide right off into your mixing bowl.

Don’t Toss Butter Papers

There’s good butter left on those! Save the paper that wraps your butter in a bag in the refrigerator. Next time you’re baking, wipe them across your pans to grease them.

Save Paper Towel Tubes for Storing Knives

Store knives and transport them safely by carefully slipping

them into paper towel tubes.

RID YOUR HANDS (AND FRIDGE!) OF COOKING SMELLS

Every cook has been burdened by it. The enduring smell of onions and garlic on the hands. Sound familiar? Try rubbing your hands with lemon juice or bicarbonate of soda. Smelly fridge? Mix a tablespoon of bicarb with some water in a mug, and leave it in the fridge overnight. The solution will absorb any pesky odours.

PREVENT RAW POTATOES FROM BROWNING

Ever noticed how peeled potatoes turn a brownish colour when you leave them standing for too long? To prevent this from happening, place your spuds in cold water until you’re ready to cook them.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR HERBS

So many recipes call for just a sprig of rosemary or coriander and before you know it, the leftovers go limp and lifeless. Pop them in an ice tray with water, olive oil or stock, then freeze. They can be used as a seasoning agent in dishes.

For a nearly endless green onion hack, save the white ends

(with the roots attached) of your green onions and place them in a jar of water somewhere that gets sunlight. “Spring onions in water work almost too well. Infinite greens!”

If you want to keep a salad fresh days after making it, put a paper towel on top of it, right under the lid. It’ll absorb moisture. The picture on the right is on day four.”

BAKE CAKE IN A MUG

Not only does it make your treat fun to eat, and significantly reduce baking time, microwaving cakes in mugs is an easy way to practice portion control! No wonder it’s one of the most popular cooking hacks. Grab a microwave safe cup and spoon and see how easy it is to

COAT MEASURING CUPS WITH COOKING SPRAY

Since it’s decidedly difficult to accurately portion out sticky substances like peanut butter or honey, the trick is to spray your measuring implements with cooking oil first.

Reheat a slice of pizza in a skillet.

If you’re warming a slice, use your skillet. This will help you score a crispy crust and melty cheese all at once, all without turning on your oven. Cook over medium heat for a minute, add a couple drops of water for steam, then put a lid on it. Two to three minutes later, you’ll slice will be nice.

Slice greens with a pizza cutter.

Make quick work of a heap of herbs by rolling a pizza cutter over the leaves. Keep the round slicer handy for DIY chopped salads, too: Add all your ingredients to a sturdy glass or stainless steel bowl and roll the cutter back and forth, rotating the bowl by 90 degrees every few passes, until you form bite-sized pieces.

1. You’re taking shortcuts with ingredients. …
2. Your oven temperature is causing uneven bakes. …
3. You’re opening the oven too often. …
4. You’re not preparing the cake tin properly. …
5. Flavours are transferring within the oven. …
6. You’re resting your cake on the wrong surface.

Whether you’re a baking beginner or a seasoned pro in the kitchen, these are some common baking mistakes you might be making — plus some tips on how to improve!

There’s no doubt about it — baking can be tricky.

There are just so many skills and techniques that you have to learn, and it can easily get overwhelming. And that’s not to mention the importance of learning all the baking science that’s going on behind the scenes!

Over the years, I have made lots of mistakes when baking, but I’ve learned and grown over time. So, in the hopes of helping you become a better baker, today I wanted to share some common baking mistakes that I see all the time (and that I have personally made over the years).

Trust me: with a few tricks up your sleeve, you’ll be baking like a seasoned pastry chef in no time.

1. Not Measuring Your Ingredients Correctly

When it comes down to it, baking is not very forgiving.

If you accidentally add an extra ⅓ cup of flour into your cake batter, your cake might be crumbly and taste like a brick. Yuck.

That’s why it’s so important to measure all of your ingredients correctly!

For instance, when you’re measuring flour, it’s best to use the spoon & level method. Instead of scooping the flour directly out of the bag of flour, take a scoop and gently add flour into your measuring cup. Once the measuring cup is full, use a knife to gently level it off before adding the flour to your recipe.

So, if you’re unsure how to properly measure an ingredient, do some research before making the entire recipe.

2. Substituting Ingredients

We’ve all been there: it’s Saturday night and you’re craving chocolate chip cookies, so you grab out all your ingredients… only to realize you don’t have eggs.

You quickly search for ‘egg replacement’ on Google, hastily whip together the dough, and bake the cookies, only to have them come out flat and dense.

That’s why it’s important not to substitute ingredients! When people create recipes, they test them and perfect them using the ingredients they have listed. You’re never guaranteed success with a recipe if you start going rogue with the ingredients.

3. Overmixing the Batter or Dough

You’ve probably seen it before on a recipe — ‘mix until just combined’ or ‘be careful not to overmix.’ But why does that instruction really matter?

When you’re making baked goods like cookies or cakes, mixing flour with liquids helps create the gluten structure that we all know and love. But, overmixing can lead to the development of too much gluten, making the end result tough and chewy.

So, as a general rule of thumb, if a recipe warns you not to overmix, make sure to mix only until there are no more visible streaks of flour or dry ingredients.

If you’re interested in learning more, this article breaks this entire topic down in detail and offers mixing advice for specific types of baked goods.

4. Not Scraping the Bowl

As a rule of thumb, I like to scrape my mixing bowl well after adding any new ingredients. This helps create a homogenous mixture and helps prevent any large clumps or butter or flour.

And when it comes to scraping, I always opt for silicone spatulas — they’re really lightweight and pliable, which helps you get to all the corners and crevices of your mixing bowl.

Curious to learn more about how important scraping the bowl is? King Arthur Flour did some experiments with cookies and cakes to find out.

5. Not Chilling Your Dough

If a recipe tells you to chill the dough for a certain amount of time, it’s for a reason!

For instance, chilling cookie dough before baking has numerous impacts, such as:

• It keeps the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
• It helps concentrate the flavor.
• It helps the gluten relax, which leads to soft and tender cookies.

So, make sure to read ahead and give yourself enough time to properly chill your dough! If you’re up for it, you can even make the dough ahead of time to set yourself up for success the next day.

6. Not Greasing Your Pans Properly

Is there anything worse than taking freshly-baked cookies out of the oven only to realize they’re stuck to the baking sheet?

Luckily, there are several different ways you can grease your pans! Here are a few options:

• With nonstick cooking spray
• With butter and a sprinkling of flour or sugar
• With parchment paper or foil

And when it comes down to it, certain types of baked goods do better with each of these options. So if you’re not sure, do your research ahead of time and get those pans ready for the oven!

7. Baking at the Wrong Temperature

You always want to make sure your oven is fully preheated before putting in whatever you’re baking. If your oven is not quite at the right temperature, it can alter the cooking time and texture of the baked good.

And even more, your oven temperature might not be as accurate as you think.

Want to test the oven temperature out for yourself? Invest in a handy-dandy oven thermometer and check the temperature. I promise it will make baking that much easier for you!

8. Opening the Oven Door Too Early

Especially when making certain baked goods like cakes, opening the oven door too early can have detrimental effects.

Opening the oven door too early lets in a lot of air, which can cause items like cakes to collapse. This is especially important for cakes like a génoise sponge that get their rise from aeration instead of chemical leaveners.

9. Not Knowing When Baked Goods are Ready

As much as we wish we could have a spidey sense to tell when baked goods are done, it’s oftentimes a bit more difficult than that. (Or, if you’re Peter from the Great British Bake Off, you can just tell by listening to your cakes.)

Each type of baked good has a different set of parameters for testing for doneness, so it’s definitely worth it to do a bit of research and learn what to look for.

Interested in learning more? Check out my tips on how to test if a cake is done!

10. Not Letting Cakes Cool Before Frosting

I know it can be really tempting to frost your cake as soon as it comes out of the oven, but it’s really important to wait!

Frosting applied to warm cake will inevitably melt, and it can even pull up crumbs from the tender and soft cake.

Want to speed up the process? Let the cake layers cool on wire racks for a half hour or so, then transfer them to the fridge to cool completely. You can even bake cake layers a few days ahead of time to space out the work.