“The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution which has to start with each one of us?”

Day’s Early Years

Dorothy Day was born in Brooklyn in 1897, but spent most of her childhood in Chicago. She eventually returned to New York as an adult. Day spent her young adult years as a journalist and activist for Communist ideology. Although she had a spiritual side, Communist teachings convinced her to suppress this yearning for a period of her life.

As a liberal activist, Day picketed for labor and women’s causes (and was arrested on numerous occasions for it), wrote for many leftist publications including the Masses, and lived a life verging on wild, with many lovers, one illegal abortion, and many nights spent drinking and talking politics with others throughout New York City.

Dorothy Day thought she had found an ideal life in her late 20s, living with Forster Batterham, her husband by common law marriage. Batterham was an introverted biologist as well as an ardent atheist and anarchist. Day and Batterham lived a simple, peaceful life together for several years in their sea-side home near New York.

However, the birth of their daughter, Tamar Theresa, in 1926 sparked the beginning of Day’s life as a devout Catholic with the help of a nun who lived nearby. Even though it was tremendously difficult for her, Day eventually left her husband when he would not allow Tamar to be baptised into the Roman Catholic Church. She went on to live as a single mother, writing for income, and growing spiritually in Catholicism for many years.

The Rise of the Catholic Worker

During this new period of her life, Dorothy Day struggled to reconcile her radical roots with her new-found spirituality. Most of the radical activists of the day were atheist, and most of the Catholics seemed to be blind to many of the world’s injustices.

At age 35, Day prayed for a God-sent way to use her talents within the church for the workers and the poor. The next day an aging French peasant showed up at her door. This Catholic radical was Peter Maurin and he brought Day new ideas about how Catholicism and social activism could come together and bring about a better world.

With Maurin’s vision and Day’s talents, the two began a new newspaper called the Catholic Worker. This non-profit publication covered their ideas on spirituality, peace, and the worker’s movements of the time. The circulation soon reached 150,000 and was read by a wide range of people throughout North America.

Not long later, Day and Maurin took the commands of Jesus into action by creating a House of Hospitality in the slums of New York that provided food, shelter, and compassion to the poor during an economically devastating era. Together with the house of hospitality and the newspaper, this movement became a forefront in the journey of racial justice, active non-violence, and the practice of the works of mercy mentioned in the New Testament.

Over the years, the movement grew, with nearly 100 Catholic Worker Houses at any one time, as well as a few communes with the same ideals. Although most are Catholic, religious diversity is accepted, and some are even based on different religions including Quaker and Buddhist.

Day’s Legacy

By her death in 1980, Dorothy Day had spent over 50 years living in voluntary poverty, putting her life and heart into an active devotion for the gospel and while making real positive change for what Jesus would call, “the least of these.” The movement she began is still flourishing and continuing her work. In addition, the Vatican began the process of considering her for sainthood in 2000.

Love is the Measure

Other than the belief that your life should speak your truth, I’ve learned countless lessons from the writings and life of Dorothy Day:

-Some of the best saints were really good sinners too. It was true of St Francis and Buddha as much as with Dorothy Day…it’s just not easy to find that deep spiritual insight until you make it to the darkest corners of the human soul.

That doesn’t mean to just go nuts with the veniality, but to search for truth and do it on your own terms. When it’s real to you because you found it yourself, you can move mountains.

-Poverty can’t stop you if you have faith. The Catholic Worker Movement started with nothing. They never had a fundraiser. They never were sponsored by big rich fellows. But they grew and inspired and changed countless lives.

Pray, visualize, do that stuff “The Secret” tells you to do, whatever, just believe in your purpose enough and the cosmos will make a way no matter how little you have to begin with.

-A child is one of the most precious gifts. Honestly, I wasn’t interested in having my own children until I ready Dorothy Day’s account of her daughter’s birth. She made me realize how beautiful child birth is and how lucky I am to be a women who can bring a baby into the world.

Her quick conversion to what seemed to be her true calling came with pregnancy and showed me how powerful a new life can be for anyone.

-Change is a struggle. Enjoy the ride. Day was jailed several times, lived in poverty, and had to deal with all kinds of difficult people on a daily basis. Instead of getting weary and giving up, she got weary, wrote and learned from it, and went on. Until the day of her death, she was still working for reform and following what she believed God called her to do.

-Weird little street dudes can change your life forever. Well I don’t know if this is very true for most people, but I still like to believe so.

-Love isn’t easy. Work at it anyway. Day once wrote, “Love must be tried and tested and proved. It must be tried as though by fire, and fire burns.”

When you feel defeated and overwhelmed it’s the last thing you feel like doing. But only through love, through compassion and empathy, will anything worthwhile ever come about. So love till it hurts and then love some more. Eventually it will be your ever-burning torch you can light the world with.

A lot of people think that they have spend a lot of money on brand new pieces for their kitchen remodel. The truth is that there will be a cost no matter how you get your cheap kitchen units, but it might be a time cost instead of a monetary cost. This article will discuss the pros and cons of reusing pieces for your modular kitchen remodel from other people who are remodeling their kitchens, and using their old pieces.

The Pros

1. The cost is the biggest pro of doing your remodel this way, if you offer to help the people remove their old kitchen units, they may give you their old ones for free. This isn’t always the case, but even if they charge you, the price will be much lower than if you were to buy new.
2. Another good thing that comes from using old cabinets from someone else’s house is that you are saving garbage from going into the landfill. If you remove your old cabinets and donate them, either to an organization such as Habitat for Humanity, or to another renovator, you are making a much greener choice than if you just throw the old stuff away.
3. If you are really lucky, you might just get a custom kitchen that was designed for the last persons’ house, but will work for you as well. Careful though, when you tell people what you paid for your custom kitchen, they might just break down in a fit of jealousy.

The Cons

1. As you’ve probably already guessed, the biggest con for recycling old cabinets and such is that you may not get the style you want, or you will have to wait a very long time to get the kitchen units you want.
2. Another drawback to this method of home improvement is that you might have to spend a lot more time putting the units into your home, since they might not be square, or you might have to cut some of the units to make them fit.

In my opinion the pros of doing a green renovation already outweigh the cons of a regular one. If you can also save your hard earned money by using cheap kitchen units, and some of your own time, why wouldn’t you do it?

Summer is the perfect time to indulge in fresh produce including green beans. If you’ve been used to eating green beans from a can, you’ll be amazed at the taste and consistency of fresh green beans, especially if you buy some from the farmer’s market.

There are several methods for preparing green beans, but using the stove top will do the job quickly and in less time than other methods (other than a microwave). Here’s how to cook green beans on the stove:

1. Rinse your green beans in cold water and snap the ends off of each bean.

2. Fill a pot with water and add a few pinches of sea salt. Bring to a boil.

3. Add the green beans to the water once it beings to boil. Let boil for about four minutes.

4. Remove the pot from heat and drain the water.

Now that you know how to cook fresh green beans on the stove, here’s a quick recipe for a sauce to drizzle over them:

1. Take a few cloves of garlic and mince well.

2. Add 1 or 2 Tablespoons of olive oil or butter to a heated skillet over low heat.

3. Let the oil or butter warm for about 30 seconds, then add the garlic.

4. Saute for about a minute or until the garlic just barely begins to brown.

5. Pour over your fresh green beans and enjoy!

Image: Suat Eman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When it comes to your credit score and report it’s vitally important that you do what is necessary to improve it.  With out a good credit rating score it could affect the interest rate you get on a loan costing you thousands, it could drive up cost on things like your car insurance, and even determine whether you get that job you’ve been after.  So in this article I’m going to show 3 easy ways for you to improve your credit score right now.

Get Your Score & Report

First off, before I dive into these tips it’s important that you check you score first to know what you have.  To get the cheapest credit report check out CreditKarma.com.  This site is great because it breaks down each area of your credit score and gives you a letter grade on how well you are doing. With your credit score and report in front of you it will be a little bit easier for you to know what you should fix.  So do this first.

Keep Older Credit Lines

The first tip you should do it to keep older credit lines.   If you have been considering getting rid of a credit card you may want to get rid of the newest one first.  The reason behind this is because credit cards and other debts that have more age behind them tend to carry more weight when considering you score.  On top of that your age is based on an average of all of your debts combined.

For example, if you have one credit card that is 3 years old, another one that is 10 years old, a car loan that is 4 years old, and a mortgage that is 7 years old, your average credit age would be around 6 years old.  However if you were to get rid of your 10 year old credit card it would drop to around 4 and a half years, lowering your score as a result.

Diversify Your Credit

The next thing you’ll want to do is diversify your credit.  What this means is you should have credit from multiple sources, not just one.  By doing this you are showing creditors that you aren’t over weighted with any particular debt such as credit cards.

For example, if all you have are 5 credit cards you would be getting a few negative marks for this as a result.  However if you were to have 2 credit cards, a car loan, and a home loan you would be much more diversified, giving you a better score overall.

Credit Card Utilization

Finally, the last thing that you can do to improve your credit report is to consider how much you use your credit card.  This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to carry a credit card balance however, one thing creditors look at a lot is how much credit card debt you use in a month divided by the total amount of credit.

For example, on my credit report with Credit Karma it shows that I spend around $849 a month and that I have a total credit limit of $8,000.  When you divide $849 over $8,000 it says that I utilizes only 11% of my total available credit in a given month, which is a good thing creditors want to see.  If you have to much debt on your credit cards this could hurt your score.

In The End…

Start by getting a cheap credit score online with Credit Karma and review these different areas of your report.  Also know that not all areas of your credit will be able to be fixed easily but with a little time and patience you can get good credit,  so get started today.

Antidepressants are usually the first medications prescribed by your doctor after you have been diagnosed with depression; however, not all people find prescription antidepressants effective because of the secondary effects that they can produce. Instead, some people are choosing other alternative treatments that have fewer secondary effects and are organic.

If you want to treat your depression naturally and without drugs, then the best thing that you can do is take organic supplements. One organic treatment that is helpful in reducing mild to moderate depression in people is 5-HTP. This is already found in our body, but it can decrease over time. When it gets low, it is not able to function properly as a producer of serotonin. This serotonin is associated with our state of mind and our mood. After you take 5-HTP, you will possess the normal amount of serotonin level because the 5-HTP supplement will be converted into serotonin.

Another natural supplement for treating depression that you can try is L-Tyrosine. It is necessary that we have the regulated level of this because it is a part of the creation of neurotransmitters that are linked to our state of mind and our mood. If we don’t have enough L-Tyrosine in our bodies, then the creation of neurotransmitters will be interrupted. This interruption can cause us to feel irritated and produce other signs of depression.

You can also try eating cold water fishes or consuming fish oils on your meal each day. Fish oils are the best source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids improve our brain functioning by increasing the blood flow to the brain. An increased blood flow to the brain will also help to reduce your symptoms of depression. You can take supplements of Omega-3 fatty acids in forms of tablet, capsules, or extracts. This is also good as an anti-inflammatory.

Herbal and homeopathic depression treatment options have been shown to improve the symptoms of depression. It is best to consult with a naturopathic health care provide to determine what will be best for you. There are also pre-packaged formulas available in the market.

Finally, last but not least, you can try to supplement your body with melatonin. This is another one of the natural ways to fight depression and will provide many of the same effects of all the other supplements mentioned above.

It might seem that it rains all the time where you live and that you can’t imagine that there is any shortage of water in the world since the planet is covered in the stuff. Unfortanetly, that is not the case. Less than 1% of the water in the world is easily accessible and fresh. 1 in 8 people have no access to safe water. Millions of children die every year from dirty water containing diseases.

The average person in America uses 150 gallons of H2O per day. The United Nations calculate that only 13 gallons are needed for drinking, cooking and safe sanitation. That is a huge disparity that affects us all. Why? It is because water is a finite resource that we all must share. Already over 66% of fresh water supplies is used for growing crops. With the world population set to double in 50 years the future is looking bleak for fresh water supplies despite the constant rain in your area.

To save water in the home it is not necessary to spend lots of money. A good place to start is with toilets, showers and faucets. Combined these three water outlets in the home make up 35% of the entire home water consumption; and most of it is not for drinking!

Most new toilets have different flush options and many are low flush toilets. However, instead of rushing out and buying a new toilet you can simply put a rubber brick in the toilet cistern to reduce the flush volume. Another important action is to stop using toilets as garbage disposal units.

An average shower uses 5 gallons of water a minute. A low flow shower unit mixes air with water to reduce the water flow rate to 2 or less. A good low flow shower washes just as well as a normal shower with no loss in spray strength or shower pleasure.

Similarly, you can install faucet aerators that dramatically reduce flow rates by mixing air with water. The capacity to clean is not impaired.

All of these measures need to be allied with a mental vigilance that seeks to conserve water supplies where ever possible.

When times are tough, the first place many families look to cut costs is their grocery bill.  By using up leftovers and choosing low-cost and high nutrient staples for your pantry, you can reduce your monthly grocery bill substantially.

Potatoes are often overlooked as a good source of nutrients – one serving of potato contains 25 percent of the daily requirement of Vitamin C, and is also an excellent source of Vitamin B6.  Potatoes are also versatile, being served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner dishes.  Find a good scalloped potatoes recipe and keep it on file for days when you are looking for a fast, filling, and cheap meal for your family.  Milk and cheese provide calcium (choose low-fat versions to keep the recipe light) while additions of onion and bacon bits add flavor.  As a brunch main dish or a side dish for dinner, scalloped potatoes are hearty and wholesome.  For a different take on the dish, try a scalloped sweet potato and apple version.

Black beans are an excellent source of protein, and are a valuable ingredient in vegetarian casserole recipes.  Combined with cornmeal, diced tomatoes, seasonings, milk and shredded cheese, a black bean casserole is a filling main dish.  If you prefer a more spicy meal, add chili powder to the tomatoes, or use a jar of low-sodium hot salsa instead.  Onions, chopped red pepper or cherry tomatoes are all delicious additions to this frugal entree.

Brown rice is a more filling and flavorful grain than it’s refined white counterpart, and it is chock full of good vitamins and minerals.  High in fiber, a brown rice casserole makes an excellent main dish as it will fill you up well without the addition of meat, which can be expensive.  Combining brown rice with black beans or tinned tuna for additional protein is a good idea, so watch for all three of these items to go on sale at the supermarket and stock up to make many different kinds of frugal, delicious and healthy casserole dishes.

You may be on the road to going green and not even know it! Adopting an environmentally conscious lifestyle is not as difficult as many are lead to believe – in fact, many eco-friendly actions require nothing other than a “getting back to the basics” attitude. So are you planning to go green, or are you already halfway there?

Strangely enough, every time a person decides not to buy “new” that consumer has already made a step in the green direction. This philosophy even applies to sustainably produced items: buying a roll of recycled paper towels is still less environmentally friendly than not buying any at all. If you are one of the many homeowners that utilizes reusable cloths to clean up messes you have already begun the process of “reduce, reuse, recycle” – the great rallying cry of the environmentalist movement.

If you open your windows in the summer instead of cranking up the air conditioner a few more degrees, you are taking a major step toward going green and saving money. It may not seem like a big change to many people who are already in love with the smell of fresh air, but you may be surprised how many people haven’t cracked a pane in years!

Those who have an organic garden in their backyards are probably already well aware that they are superstars of the green movement. However, the millions of people who buy from these individuals at local farmer markets deserve their equal share of the spotlight! Everybody is an eco-friendly hero in some small way, so why not take the title and run with it? Heck, you can even consider devoting a weekend to create your own DIY solar panels to save produce your own energy and save money! See how many small changes you can add on to your unintentional activism!

Going green isn’t just for hippies or tree huggers anymore – we all share the same planet and we can all make a difference!

Vitamin D Supplements: The Sunshine Pills

Vitamin D supplementing has increased in popularity in recent years. New research shows supplementation could be beneficial. This info on vitamin D will help you decide if supplementation is right for you:

The benefits from vitamin D are widespread. Everything from reducing the risk of cancer to stronger bones has been researched and confirmed. Vitamin D offers protection from diseases like osteoporosis and high blood pressure. Calcium and phosphors is regulated by this vitamin to maintain healthy levels in the blood stream.

With all these benefits there’s no doubt that vitamin D plays a big role in the body. Deficiency could be very harmful. Adults with too little vitamin D have decreased strength in both bones and muscle. Children’s risk is even more harmful with the potential to get skeletal deformities with insufficient vitamin D.

Other benefits, not necessarily thoroughly confirmed by research, have been reported.  Some say vitamin D is one of the essential vitamins for hair growth and also functions as one of the vitamins for acne prevention.

Higher Risk Groups

Certain groups have a higher chance of developing a vitamin D deficiency. Those who don’t get enough sun exposure will certainly have an increased risk. Other groups include obese and elderly individuals.

Sources

There’s a wide range of different dietary sources of vitamin D. Milk, eggs and fish are the best vitamin d food sources. Make sure you eat plenty of those. You should also make sure you spend some time in the sun. Sun exposure is the most efficient way to keep healthy levels. If you still believe you don’t have enough vitamin D you could supplement. Food and supplements can contain both versions of vitamin D (D2 and D3).

Toxicity

Vitamin D can potentially be toxic with high dosage. This can’t happen with only diet and sun exposure as supplementation is needed to reach toxic levels. Symptoms of excess vitamin d include nausea, vomiting and less appetite. A recommended daily intake of 600IU (International units) is sufficient to harness benefits without posing toxicity risks.

Vitamin D is very beneficial for most people. The truth is that a large group of the population has insufficient levels of vitamin D. Supplementation is recommended in most cases and chances of overdosing are low.

Image: Maggie Smith / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Aloe vera has long been respected as a therapeutic plant, successfully healing numerous ailments. History is full of prominent people in society, Nefertiti, Jesus and Aristotle all used aloe vera for skin care or therapeutic use. Aloe vera features antiseptic agents like lupeol, urea nitrogen, salicylic acid, cinnamic acid, sulfur and phenol. The All 4 Natural Health internet site says that the aloe vera plant can even reduce high cholesterol levels.

History
The aloe vera plant is really a part of the lily family and the ancient Romans, Greeks, Indians, Egyptians and Chinese used the aloe vera plant for 1000′s of years. The moist leaves of the aloe plant are composed of 96 % water with amino acids, enzymes, calcium, vitamins A, C, and E and minerals constituting the other 4 %. Aloe vera has antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal qualities, helping to improve blood circulation and make new blood cells.

Aloe Vera Juice
Aloe vera juice is derived from the transparent gel its thick leaves. This extract features carrisyn, a compound that help fight infections and strengthens the immune system. Aloe vera juice benefits us also because it features the amino acids methionine and serine threonine and the mineral molybdenum. These nutrients help with detoxifying heavy metals from the and clearing toxins from the body. Aloe juice is regarded as one of the finest body cleansers.

Cholesterol
Cholesterol is split into two sorts: high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL). HDL is regarded as the “good” cholesterol, whilst LDL is regarded as “bad.” Cholesterol is created within the body but additionally, it is derived from the diet. The AHA website states that cholesterol can’t be dissolved within the blood; it needs to be transported out of the blood. It’s understood that it’s the task of HDL cholesterol to transport any additional LDL cholesterol.

Aloe Vera For Cholesterol
The Maharishi Ayurveda internet site says that drinking aloe vera juice promotes cardiovascular health. Additionally, it helps with blood detoxification, enlarges blood vessels and encourages the growth of new white blood cells. Together with a diet low in fat, the compound B-sitosterol present in aloe juice can help lower cholesterol levels. The antiseptic ingredients in aloe help to reduce harmful cholesterol levels also.

For more information on the benefits of aloe vera juice for cholesterol check out is aloe vera juice good for you?

When investing in any type of investment, it very important to be familiar with the set of rules and regulations that govern such investment account. This way, we will be able to know how to handle our investment account properly in order to get the most benefits of our investments. Many people prefer to secure their wealth for their future with an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). There are, of course, IRA rules that must be followed, and knowing what these rules are will truly help an investor in managing his account well.

The IRA is a type of retirement investment vehicle that most employed individuals prefer to have. Any employed individual who is earning a taxable income during the year is meets IRA eligibility requirements. This income may be in the form of salary, wage, commission, bonus, or professional fees. There is a maximum income that is set by the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) depending on the marital status of the investor to be considered eligible to contribute, especially for the Roth IRA. The maximum contribution to both the Traditional and Roth IRAs, two of the most popular IRA plans, must not exceed $5,000 or the total annual taxable income, whichever is smaller. This is for those investors who are below 50 years old by the year end. For those investors who are 50 years old or older by the end of the year, the maximum contribution is $6,000 or the total annual taxable income, whichever is smaller.

For distributions or withdrawals from a retirement plan IRA, there are certain rules that must be followed as well. The minimum age allowed to make an IRA withdrawal is 59 years and 6 months old. If the investor needs to take money from his account before he reaches 59 and a half years, then he needs to make an early withdrawal from IRA, which will be subjected to taxes and additional withdrawal penalties. With Traditional IRAs, distributions are mandatory at a required minimum amount when investors reach the age of 70 and a half; but there is no forced nor minimum required distribution with Roth IRAs rules.

If you’re like many homeowners, you might be planning on hosting a few outdoor parties on the deck now that summer has begun. And if you are, you’re going to need to do a little summer party decorating and add some exterior outdoor lighting to your home so that your guests will be able to see after it gets dark (unless you plan on ending the party when the sun goes down). You have many designs and styles of lights to choose from when it comes to outdoor party lights and outdoor deck lighting ideas are limited only to your imagination and pocketbook. Here are a few tips on how to save money while getting the best lights you can.

When you buy your lights don’t buy ones that are party specific, (meaning you can only use them for one event) such as string lights with turkeys on them for Thanksgiving, for example. If you buy more generic lights like outdoor patio lanterns or patio string lights in different colors, you will be able to use them all summer long for different parties.

If you’re planning on hosting a large event, such as a popular relative’s birthday party or even a wedding reception and you’re going to need lots of overhead lights to light up your entire yard, think about renting globe lights to hang overhead instead of buying them. If your yard is large enough you could easily spend five hundred dollars on lights alone but many rental companies would be happy to rent you the lights you need for a day or two for a fraction of the cost. Some will even set them up for you and take them down for a small fee.

Think up deck solar lighting ideas instead of traditional lighting systems. Because solar lighting has become so popular in the last ten or fifteen years, you can find them in just as many styles as traditional 12 volt low voltage lights. And one of the easiest ways to save money on your lighting bill is by not paying to supply power to them once you set them up.

Although DIY solar projects are a very popular idea today, most consumers still prefer to purchase similar products from solar panel manufacturers. Such choice can be easily explained by the convenience and quality of services provided as a part of the purchased products. Nevertheless, before applying to the first manufacturer of solar panels you find on the Internet or at your local market, take your time and compare all possible options available to you.  The average cost of solar panels can be high so it is important to ensure you are purchasing a quality product.

It is always more convenient to purchase low cost solar panels for your home from solar panel manufacturers directly or at least from their official dealers. Other retailers may or may not provide additional free or discount services. But you can always expect special deals from a manufacturer or official dealer. And even though you might not need free consultation at all, in many situations such service will be of a great help.

No matter if you purchase your solar powered system from solar panel manufacturers or from retailers, be sure to ask if solar panels you are buying are subjected to aging or not. While the most durable solar panels of a high quality can serve you for at least 10 years, other models may lose their quality within a couple of years.

If you have decided to buy second hand solar panels, you still can apply to solar panel manufacturers. Most of them agree to buy used solar panels back and to resell for much lower price than the original solar panels cost.

Solar panel manufacturers usually offer their prices per watt. You should note that these prices vary greatly from one manufacturer to another, even though the quality of the panels is often the same. Be sure to ask if the installation price is included into the initial price as the installation price can also be quite high.  Cost effective solar panels are available from certain manufacturers.

The more solar panels you install the more money you pay for installation and for panels. Don’t be surprised that self-sufficient off-grid solar powered system will cost you much more than grid-tied one. The cost of solar panels for home can vary widely.  But in the first case the payback period will also be much shorter than in the latter case as you will be able to save more money on electricity.

Unlike those products that can be purchased directly from solar panel manufacturers, DIY solar projects are less expensive. Solar panels cost can be from less than a hundred to several thousand dollars.  But even in this case you are to buy cheap solar panels for your home by a reputable manufacturer and not to make it on your own. The main difference here is that you will have to put all parts of your solar powered system together without any help at all.

Having acne breakouts is not a rare event. A lot of people suffer from the effects of acne every day. From the painful swelling to the ugly scars that affects the features of individual faces, acne can affect both the physical and social affect of a person. Though there are people who tolerate having acne and scars left on their faces, there are others who treat as a big thing. Now if you are one of the many individuals who are concerned about getting back their skin free of acne and its ugly effects, you may want to start off with some of the many great ways to get rid of acne in the non-toxic world with natural acne remedies.

You may ask yourself, why would you want to go for natural remedies, when in fact conventional treatment are already being sold in the market? The answer is simple. The treatment and medication for acne that are being advertised and circulated in the market is very costly, not to mention the fact that its effects may or may not favor each individual the same way. One treatment may work for your best friend, while it doesn’t for you or vice versa. There’s a great chance that you will be spending too much for naught.

Another thing that you also need to consider is the adverse effects of these treatments on your skin. Most anti acne products often have active chemicals in them which your skin can be sensitive to. This can cause more problems for you.

A great advantage when using natural remedies for bad acne is that they are often readily available at home or in the supermarket, and will only cost you less than half the price of a commercially circulated anti acne product. This can include water, honey, tomatoes, Aloe Vera, changing or controlling your diet, and a lot more. Most often these treatments not only remove your acne, but also nourish your skin, making them one of the best acne scar treatment as well.

So before trying out expensive treatments, why not try out natural treatments which are both inexpensive and effective for use?

It’s not a secret that oils made from different plants or fruits can cure some of the most common diseases. If it wasn’t true, than all our ancestors have cured themselves with lies. But this is not the case. There are many drugs based on this plants or oils, used in today’s medicine. Let’s see what exactly all of this can treat.

Maybe the most obvious element is the skin, because essential oils are, basically, applied on it. Most of these oils have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic qualities, therefore they can protect the skin from external agents. Lavender oil, for example, was used to treat World War I patients, to disinfect the wounds and to help them heal faster.

Also, vaporized oils can help with the respiratory system. It is not advisable to continue the inhalation if you feel any kind of irritation to your nose, but when used correctly, it can help prevent colds and viruses. Some of these oils, like the almond oil or coconut oil, can help teenagers with acne. This common problem can be cured by using this oil for massaging the skin, because it removes dead skin cells and causes of infection, clearing the skin in just a matter of weeks.

But can essential oils promote hair growth? Hair loss is, even today, a big and common problem, especially for those past 30 years of age, or those that suffer from different diseases. That’s why there are many essential oils for hair, which can not only give a natural aspect of the hair, but also prevent further loss, repairing roots and making the hair grow faster. Even though the next element is more about aesthetics than health, it is important to know that a healthy skin looks always better than a skin loaded with oils. Almond oil for skin, for example, treats dry and damaged skin, making it look more natural, healthy, and most of all, it helps preventing future pimples or allergies.

Although you can use these essential oils by yourself, it is important to check with a doctor or a dermatologist before actually using it. You can never know if what you use is best for you, and in order to avoid complications, it’s best to know exactly why and for what you’re using the oil.

Do you want to lose weight by starting a meal replacement plan? Do you want to make protein shakes part of your routine so you can build up muscle faster? You do not always have to buy ready-made shakes especially when you are unsure if you are getting enough nutrition. The great news is that you can make such protein recipes right in your own kitchen.

These shakes are easy to make and you do not need any ingredient that is hard to get. Here are some great recipes that are not just easy to do but also great for the diet you have in mind. Some of the best protein powder recipes can be slapped together using ingredients you may already have in the fridge!

Meal Replacement Protein Shake (for Weight Loss)

When you start a meal replacement plan, you want to be guaranteed that you get sufficient nutrition while losing weight. Try blending 1 and a half cups of strawberries, one banana, 2 scoops of vanilla casein protein powder, 5 ice cubes and some water.

Muscle Building Shake

After working out, you must fuel your muscles immediately and the right way. Whey protein is best because it can help you bulk up faster. You can sip this shake during or immediately after a workout session. Blend two scoops of choco protein powder (whey, not casein), one cup skim milk, 1 tbsp peanut butter (natural) and 1 cup Egg Beater.

100% Natural Protein Shake

If you want to stay away from lactose or processed milk products, you can try out some of the best hemp protein powder. You get lots of fiber and protein with this recipe. For a serving, you get about 15 to 20 grams of protein. Stir (no need to really blend) two cups of yogurt, 30 grams of protein powder (hemp) and one cup of fruits like strawberries or raspberries.

So next time you’re at the health food store, feeling a bit bewildered by the options, just head to the grocery store and whip up a homemade protein shake!

Green energy is simply energy that is environmentally friendly. In order for it to be environmentally friendly, it has to not emit harmful gasses and not deplete its energy source nor harm the environment in any other way. There are several different natural energy sources that are sustainable and renewable. Some of them are even easy to use! Others, not so much, however, as technology continues to improve year after year even the not so user-friendly energy sources will become a more viable option as well.

Probably the absolute easiest with the most versatile applications is solar power. Among the many advantages of solar energy is that it is quite efficient, can be found anywhere, will never run out and you can begin seeing savings almost immediately! Some of the ways people are using solar energy is with solar panels that supply electricity to their homes. You can also heat your pool through the use of a solar pool cover. There are not only solar pool covers but there are solar pool rings and also liquid solar pool covers. All are quite efficient, easy to find and come with varying price tags. Only you can decide which one would best meet your needs. They can save significantly on your energy bill, chemical usage and water bill as well. You can also get solar battery chargers. These can be used to charge your cell phone, laptop, ipod, and camera, anything that needs batteries!

Another one that is becoming more and more popular is hydropower. This can save you bundles at the gas pump. A hydrogen converter turns water into hydrogen gas so that you can run your vehicle on water instead of gasoline or diesel. There are many Internet sites that can give you all the information you could possibly want to know about these. If you are mechanically inclined you can even build and install them yourself.

Wind is another form of energy that is widely used. Because it requires a rather large turbine in a place that receives a pretty good amount of wind, they are not quite as practical as solar power. However, if you live in the right area of the country and desire to invest in a wind turbine, they can save you money as well as contribute in the effort of using greener energy. Wind power is a very good way of providing energy to remote areas though wind is unpredictable so windless days can be a bit of a problem.

Geothermal heat is sometimes used to heat a house and can cut an electric bill significantly. Because the temperature inside the earth is more constant than the air outside, geothermal heat pumps are one of the more efficient heating and cooling technologies today.

So, if you desire to find some green energy solutions you should have no problems finding the one or two or even more that are right for you!

One of the biggest food and beverage corporations in the world has made a few packaging materials announcements that are creating a huge influence on the varying consumer scene across the globe. At a packaging conference held in Las Vegas on Feb 9th, a top official with Nestle SA confirmed that their market shift is to Asia and other places from the conventional markets of the developed world.

Global head of packaging and design at Vevey, Switzerland-based Nestle, Anne Roulin said that a varying retail setting, a different consumer base, market division among the rich and poor, the pace of digital communications and capacity to endure are the key challenges that are pushing the design and packaging matters.

Roulin said that Nestle’s changing business model sets less dependence on its existence in big-box retail stores (like those that sell Nestle products for cup holders) located in developed world. It puts more trust on private-label, specialty or boutique brands instead.

She added that Nestle’s largest predictive growing sector is amid customers whose annual income is between $3,000-$14,000. Hence North America and Europe will pose less scope for expansion and consequently to sustain products in small-serving vending machines, Nestle is developing its grasp into flexible packaging for commodities and PET containers.

The company is launching more “smart” packaging for developed nations that includes unified three-dimensional animation and bar codes in order to lead customers to company websites and to boost the rates of recycling.

Roulin stated that in 1991, Nestle formulated its first policy on sustainability and since then it has banked on life-cycle assessments, promoting recycling and recovery, renewable materials and lightweighting for its progress.

The design team of Nestle consists of 350 specialists from all across the globe who are utilizing an in-house scorecard to perform life-cycle assessments. The result: in many categories plastics have replaced glass for packaging, vegetable-based inks have been introduced into labeling, an eco-shape water bottle launched and so on. This 9.8-gram water bottle, introduced in 2009 weighed about 20 percent less compared to the previous half-liter bottle and thus saved the company 150 million pounds of PET in 2010, Roulin said.

Nestle is also keen on the prospect of environment-based materials. In fact, the company is focusing on the commercialization of polyethylene from sugar cane by Brazil’s Braskem SA. Furthermore, from 2015 Nestle will be involved in conventional or new bioplastics modified to packaging applications that derive from no-food sources like wood, agricultural waste, drought-resistant plants and algae.

The new hit television show on TLC called Extreme Couponing has generated a lot of buzz and interest about how to save money using coupons.  The problem is, the people on the television show are so extreme, that their situations and methods just aren’t practical for the normal person looking to save some money every week.  Here are some great ways to find coupons to use.

1. Newspaper Inserts – If you want to start saving money with coupons, then the first thing you need to do is invest in the Sunday paper.  Most newspaper companies allow you to subscribe to a Sunday-only edition, and so that will keep your costs down, keep the number of newspapers cluttering up your home down, and the best part is, it will get you the coupon inserts you need to save money.  Smart Source, Red Plum, and Proctor & Gamble newspaper inserts are the most popular way to get coupons.
2. Printable Coupons – Another great way to get coupons is by getting them online and printing them.  There are a lot of places to find printable coupons, and you simply print them out, cut the excess paper off, and bring them into the store.  Don’t try to duplicate these, because the stores may reject them, but most sites do let you print 2 coupons per computer.  Department stores are starting to offer a lot of printable coupons, so if you are looking for department store coupons, then definitely look online.
3. Smartphone Coupons – Another great place to get coupons is right on your smartphone.  You can download apps that feature coupons that you can just hand to the cashier at some stores, and they can scan the coupon right there on your smartphone.  This is a great way to save some paper and still get awesome savings on some of your favorite items.

Now that you have coupons, the best thing that you can do is to match those coupons with the weekly store sales to maximize your savings!

Having great hair is perhaps one of the simple joys in life that everyone wants to have. But while there are dozes of hair care products available in the market today, how would you know which ones are safe and which ones will worsen the damage in your hair? If you are one of the people who pay particular attention to their hair, there is something that you need to know.