Naturekay

Healthy Eating Tips (continued)

2011-01-10T08:21:00.003+01:00

To view previous tips click here

11. Avoid hot food.
Allow your food to cool first. Extremely hot food makes the stomach weak, and may cause cancer.

12. Don't eat fruits or drink fruit juice immediately before, after or with a meal.
This causes the food to ferment in the stomach, causing the stomach to bloat. Take fruits an hour before a meal or 1 - 2 hours after a meal.

13. Don't be unhappy with the food.
Don't condemn the food you are about to eat. If the food is obviously bad for you, don't eat it. Avoid eating while accompanied by bad feelings. If you like it, eat it and praise the fodder and the cook. If you don't like it, leave the food and say nothing.

14. Quit emotional eating.
Eat because you're hungry, not because you're upset. Emotional eating disturbs normal digestive functioning. Whenever a craving strikes, take a brisk walk in the fresh air for 15-20 minutes. Drink tea to soothe emotional hunger. If you're still hungry, that means you really need food.
15. Don't lean while eating.
This is not a natural position for the organs when it comes to ingesting food and drink.

16. Don't lie down while eating.
Lying down alters the natural passage of food, causes heartburn and is harmful. When in an upright position like sitting at the dinner table, acidic liquid content in the stomach called refluxate flows down due to gravity and thus prevents it from sloshing up the oesophagus (the muscular tube that carries food from throat to stomach). When lying down, there is no such gravitational pull. Reflux may result in the oesophagus membrane lining becoming pre-cancerous, and eventually lead to fatal gastrointestinal cancer.

17. Don't eat in a standing position.
There is a need to relax while eating or drinking so the digestive muscles contract normally. Eating while standing or in activity prevents this.

18. Don't eat with the face facing downwards.
One example is when one is lying down with the stomach below. Another is when we bring the mouth to the food than vice-versa. Health experts advise an upright sitting position when eating, including bringing the food to the mouth to maintain an upright posture. Eating with an incorrect or lazy posture affects digestion and reduces metabolism.

19. Don't eat too much.
Eating less is anti-aging. Excessive eating causes a number of illnesses, and invites death: brain diseases, eye diseases, E.N.T diseases (ear, nose, throat), chest and lung diseases, heart and valves diseases, liver and gall bladder diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, destruction of brain veins. psychological diseases, depression or stroke. Studies in yeast, rodents and other organisms also have found that drastically cutting calories extends life span.

20. Wash the hands after eating.
This ensures cleanliness and prevents infection.

Do keep in touch as more tips will be posted soon!

Premature Gray Hair

2010-12-28T09:08:00.000+01:00

Graying hair is a condition in which the hair begins to lose its coloring pigment. The graying of hair is usually considered to be the early sign of ageing, though, this is not always so. There are a lot of people who suffer from this rather rare condition in which hair turns gray prematurely. It can be very distressing for the person who experiences graying of hair since it is generally seen as a sign of ageing.

Signs of Gray Hair

If the hair is graying naturally, you should experience other signs of old age like appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on your skin. However, premature graying of hair may not have any symptoms other than an increase in the number of hair strands that are gray.

Causes of Gray Hair

Our skin contains glands known as melanocytes which synthesize melanin, a pigment which gives the skin its color. The hair follicles similarly contain melanocytes which give our hair its natural color. The graying of hair is usually caused when the pigment melanin is no longer manufactured in the hair follicles. This should normally be due to the natural ageing process but when it is premature then it could be due to a medical condition which affects the melanocytes. Heredity is also a predisposing factor.

Some other causes are:

• Stress (both physical and mental) - Mental worries produce extraordinary tension in the skin of the scalp, this interferes with the supply of vital nutrition necessary for the health of the hair.

• Constant worrying

• Washing hair in hot water

• Malnutrition - Lack of some of the B vitamins, iron, copper, and iodine in the daily diet.

• Using excessive amounts of chemicals in the hair.

Home Remedies for Gray Hair

• Indian gooseberry (Amla)

This so far is the best remedy for graying hair. It is a valuable hair tonic for enriching hair growth and hair pigmentation. Grind the fruit into a paste and then apply it on your scalp. Apart from treating graying of hair, this also makes your hair silky and smooth, improving the texture of the hair and helping it grow longer and thicker.

• Coconut oil

Warm the oil (not boil please), then apply some and massage your scalp with it regularly.

• Curry leaves

You can also ground some and consume them regularly along with your food. This will help prolong the life of the melanocytes of your hair follicles. These leaves have the property of providing vitality and strength to hair roots. New hair roots that grow are healthier and contain a normal pigment. When the leaves are boiled in coconut oil, the oil forms an excellent hair tonic to stimulate hair growth and bring back hair pigmentation.

• For best results, take some coconut oil and add some curry leaves and amla paste into it. Now warm this oil and massage it gently into your scalp every time before you wash your hair.

• Butter

The butter made from cow's milk has the property of preventing premature greying of hair. A small roll may be taken internally and a little quantity may be massaged into the hair roots twice a week.

Diet for Gray Hair

Vitamins B, C, E and K are essential for your hair. To keep your hair healthy, consume lots of vitamins and minerals. Your hair is basically made of proteins. Therefore, it is important to consume a good amount of proteins in your diet.

Avoid devitalizing foods, soft drinks etc

Devitalizing foods such as white flour, refined sugar and all products made from them, soft drinks, pastries, jams and jellies should be avoided. These foods take away energy, cause wrinkles, unattractive skin, grey hair, and premature old age.

Other Suggestions

If none of the remedies are working you can dye your hair. If you want to use a natural dye, you can use Henna. There are lots of hair care products that contain the natural dye henna. A good and trusted brand is Nature Vital. It comes in shampoos and conditioners.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T07:36:00.000+01:00

Dear Friend,

May all the world's happiness and joy come to you this Christmas. We at Naturekay thank you very much for being there to read our various posts and we wish you and your loved ones a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and your loved ones this period and forever, and may your joy know no bounds in the coming year.

We love forward to you reading more posts from us and telling your friends about us.

Happy celebrations.

Health Benefits of Onion

2010-12-23T13:01:00.000+01:00

Onion is an ingredient that we cannot do without in many delicious recipes: main meals, soups, salads, and snacks. The onion is a major source of protein, calcium, potassium, sodium, sulphur and iron. A 100 gm of raw onion contains: 1.3 gms of dietary fiber, 23 calories, 0.9 gms of protein and 5.2 gms of sugar. One cup of chopped onions has 61 calories, 0 fat and 3 grams fiber. Onions contain quercetin, one of the most powerful flavonoids (natural plant antioxidants).

Medical Facts About Onion
Onion is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, kills worms, eliminates bacteria causing tuberculosis and ulceration of the lungs, helps in dissolution of blood cholesterol and relieves congestion in airways. It can help in bronchial congestion, preventing heart attacks and in cancer resistance. Chop onions for the maximum phytonutrient boost, or if you hate to cry, roast them with a little olive oil and serve with rice or other vegetables.

Studies show that onions help protect against cancer. They are anti bacterial and anti fungal, with other health benefits of such as the treatment of age spots, baldness, burns, cholesterol, digestive system, nervous system, eliminates bacteria causing TB and ulceration of lungs, freckles, helps in dissolution of blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, insomnia, kills worms, prevents heart attacks, warts, wounds.

Onion Home Remedies:

Age spot, wart, freckleRub onion juice mixed with vinegar on affected areas.

Asthma
Onion counters bronchial constriction so it may help prevent asthmatic attacks.

Cholesterol
Take onion juice.

Hypertension
Take 2 teaspoons mixed onion juice and pure honey in 1:1 quantity 1x a day.
Restrict salt intake and drink plenty of water.

Insomnia
Take onion juice.

Home Remedies for Bad Breath

2010-12-22T18:14:00.003+01:00

Bad breath is a problem nobody wants to talk about – but everyone is affected by it at some point in his or her life. That why bad breath remedies are so important.

Whether you yourself have bad breath, or you are living and working with someone who does, coping with bad breath is a reality for us all.

Causes of Bad Breath
One of the main causes for bad breath is bacteria that thrives in the mouth. In some situations, a more serious underlying medical condition can be the root cause – issues like a liver disorder can manifest in bad breath. Decaying teeth are a common factor in people experiencing bad breath, as are gum diseases. Sinus and throat infections can also cause unpleasant breath odors.

Many of the causes of bad breath are fairly common sense – but what might surprise you is the link between your gut and your mouth. Problems with digestion or the digestive tract can also lead to bad breath.

Steps To Curing Bad Breath
There are several steps you can take with bad breath home remedies that will hopefully cure your problem once and for all.

• Keep Mouth Clean
Bacteria thrives in the warm, moist recessed of the mouth – particularly between teeth. By brushing your teeth after every meal, you can cut down on your risk for bad breath dramatically.

• Masking the Right Way
Eating something to mask bad breath might be the way to go – chewing mint leaves or even parsley after a meal can freshen your breath dramatically. It might be a surprise to learn the sunflower seeds eaten after a meal can be one of the simplest bad breath home remedies.

Of course the most obvious home remedy to cure bad breath is to simply make sure that you clean your mouth after a meal. By not allowing food particles to settle into unforeseen caverns with in the mouth, you are stopping the cycle of bacteria with in the mouth. On the other hand, bad breath is sometimes cured by eating something else.

Some people have found that chewing on mint leaves will freshen your breath. You can also chew on sunflower seeds after a meal and drink a glass of water with them.
Fortunately, these are simple, easily-accessed bad breath home remedies that you can try with no risk or great expense.

• Foods That Work Aromatic Wonders
An apple a day is said to keep the doctor away – and it may well eliminate bad breath, too. Chewing an apple can help eliminate bacteria that would otherwise cause bad breath.

Zinc is recognized for its ability to prevent bad breath by controlling bacteria in the mouth, so you might want to try eating foods high in zinc – it’s worth a shot.

• Drink Your Woes Away
Lemon is a pretty versatile and popular fruit – no wonder many tout it as one of the more effective bad breath home remedies. Squeezing the juice of one lemon into a glass and periodically gargling with it throughout the day has worked to eliminate many cases of bad breath.

For others, drinking unsweetened green tea is an effective cure for bad breath. Tea made from Fenugreek seeds is a common solution for many, but if that isn’t appealing to you, you might want to try drinking the more palatable pineapple juice instead.

• Other Remedies
There are many items in your medicine cabinet or kitchen cupboard that are great bad breath home remedies. Baking soda is widely recognized for its ability to eliminate bad breath and clean the mouth. Try using it on your toothbrush, or gargling with a mixture of baking soda and water. This will also help clean bacteria from your tongue, which is a common source of bad breath.

Other good bad breath home remedies that also function as tongue cleaners include hydrogen peroxide. Its effectiveness might just surprise you – but be sure to rinse and spit, don’t swallow!

If these bad breath home remedies don’t help, you might want to consider seeing your dentist or doctor. Your dentist can offer you tips on improving your oral hygiene routine, and your doctor can rule out the chance of any medical reason for your bad breath.

Healthy Eating Tips

2010-12-22T12:19:00.002+01:00

1. Eat only when hungry.
Healthy eating requires eating only when hungry. This is to prevent eating disorders. Overeating, emotional eating, and obesity that leads to loads of health problems.

2. Wash both hands up to the wrists before eating.

This is a healthy eating habit for standard hygiene, to prevent infection.

3. Do not clean the hands with a towel after washing.
This may convey infection from one person to the other particularly viral diseases like infective hepatitis or bacterial infection like typhoid, dysentry and cholera.

4. Eat localized food.
Eat the food that is grown in your area. Locally grown foods contains all the appropriate nutrients for the climate that you live in. Medicine in the food is also suited for bacteria that is locally produced. This is also the same for seasonal foods. Freezing what is produced in the winter season to be eaten in the summer time may result in ingesting medicine at the wrong time, which is harmful rather than healing.

5. Take a pinch of salt before eating.
Taking a pinch (just a pinch!) of salt before every meal help to sterilize the stomach. Salt turns into hydrochloric acid in the stomach, killing any harmful bacteria. It also helps to gear up the acid needed to digest the food.

6. Eat with three fingers.
It is scientifically-proven that eating with three fingers, that is the thumb and first two fingers, cause one to eat bit by bit and hence help in digesting the food. If you are from a culture that uses folk and spoon, take bits of pieces, and not a huge chunk at a time.

7. Eat what is in front of you.
If you have to stretch to get the food, stretch out after the other person has drawn his hand back. This is out of politeness to other people at the table.

8. Eat slowly.
Taking small bites is healthy eating. Chew well and don't reach for more until first swallowing what have been taken.

9. Chew the food.Chewing is the first stage of digestion. Chew the food long enough to nearly liquidify it. It physically breaks down the food and signals the organs to secrete their digestive juices to prepare for the incoming foods. Chewing also makes the food more enjoyable.

10. Swallow the first piece of food before taking in the second.The second taking of food is only after you're done with the first one (after step 8 and 9). Do not take a big piece, nor a very small one. A big piece can choke, while a small one makes one take in more and more before chewing is done because it doesn't give satisfaction.

Do keep in touch, as we have only just begun with this topic! More tips will be posted soon!

Natural Ways To Eliminate Body odor

2010-12-21T14:53:00.005+01:00

Body odor is something very unpleasant that we don’t expect or desire to have. It is influenced by what your sweat glands produce. Because body odor is very unpleasant it will surely have an effect on your social life. I am sure you don’t want people covering their noses or trying to get away once you are around them. Body odor if not treated rightly could lead to low self esteem and lack of confidence.

Signs of Body odor
Being nervous or afraid to be around others could be an indication of body odor. Sweating heavily as a result of strenuous physical exercise should tell you that you are going to smell badly. You may feel the unpleasant odor yourself.

Causes for Body odor

• Poor hygiene is the most common cause of body odor.
• Body odor may be due to serious ill health.
• Body odor may be due to kidney disease, fungal infections, liver disease etc.
• Intake of some strong medicines may make the smell of those medicines present in body odor. For instance diabetic patients may smell of acetone because of insulin that they take.
• If you smoke cigarette or cigar, or drink alcohol, you will have an unpleasant body odor.
• Body odor may also be due to zinc deficiency, cavities, toxins and etc. It is often related with sweating of the body, but the unpleasant odor is mainly due to bacteria present in the sweat.

Home Treatment for Body odor
• Maintain a very good hygiene. Keep clean always and wear clean clothes.
• Wear cotton clothes during hot climate so that the sweat will be soaked up.
• Use antibacterial soaps or deodorant soaps to combat body odor caused by sweating.
• Instead of using deodorant, wipe your sweat producing areas like armpit using white vinegar or alcohol.
• Avoid using antiperspirants because they clog sweat glands, use alum instead.
• Avoid using strong smelling perfumes.
• Applying some baking soda on the armpit, it will absorb sweat and kill bacteria.
• If your body odor is due to any medicine that you are on, then you should talk to your doctor.
• Soak yourself for 15 minutes in bath water with couple of cups of tomato juice in it.
• Use baby powder to keep areas of heavy perspiration dry.

Helpful diet for Body odor

There is a direct link between what a person eats and his body odor. Foods to avoid include processed foods like hydrogenated oils, refined sugar, white flour, and others. Avoid red meat because it releases lots of toxins into the blood stream. Avoid alcohol, caffeine and garlic. Avoid foods that lack fiber.

Eat a healthy diet which contains lots of leafy vegetables and fresh fruits, whole grains, soy products, raw nuts etc.

Finally, do not attempt to cover up body other with strong perfumes as that will only worsen the situation. Instead, practice the tips you have read in this article and with time you will have a pleasant smell and gain more self confidence.

Remedies For Dry Skin

2010-12-21T14:51:00.005+01:00

Different people have different skin types. Some people may have oily skin, while others may have dry skin, and yet others may have a combination of both. Some people may only experience dry skin during dry weathers or experience dry skin on only certain parts of their body. Most people experience dry skin on their most exposed parts such as arms, legs, and face. It is therefore important to make sure that these areas are always well-moisturized on a daily basis. Avoid prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures as well as dry winds.

Signs of Dry Skin
Here are Some things to look out for to determine if you have dry skin:
• Your skin feels tight and stretched, especially after washing.
• You get a frequent urge to itch your skin.
• Your skin has visible white scales on it especially when you scratch it.

Causes of Dry Skin
Dry skin is primarily caused by a lack of natural oils (sebum) being secreted by the pores of the skin. It may also be caused by an insufficient intake of water and other fluids. Prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures or harsh chemicals can also result in dry skin. An improper or insufficient diet may also lead to dry skin. Prolonged exposure to the sun or prolonged submersion in water, especially sea water, can also dry out your skin.

Home treatment for Dry Skin
There are a number of simple home remedies that can be used to combat dry skin. Let us take a look at some of them.
• The best way to ensure that your skin doesn’t become dry is to keep it moisturized. Use a moisturizing cream and apply it liberally over the affected areas of your skin, especially after you bathe.
• A hot water bath may feel wonderful in the winters, but it also dries out your skin more than normal water. Keep these hot water baths to a minimum or apply some body oil before you bathe so that your skin doesn’t lose all its precious moisture.

Helpful diet for Dry Skin
Here are some dietary tips that will help to keep your skin moisturized in these cold winter months.
• Drink plenty of water and fluids. This is the best thing you can do to keep dry skin at bay.
• Avoid excessive consumption of alcohol. Although alcohol might make you feel all warm during these cold winter months, it doesn’t do good for the rest of your body, including your skin.
• Vitamins A,D, and E can do wonders for your skin. Consume them in the form of capsules or through your diet.
Other Suggestions for Dry Skin
• Avoid smoking. Smoking further dries out the skin and makes it parched and leathery.
• Avoid keeping the temperature setting in your room too high. Also use a humidifier to keep the air moist.
• Harsh chemicals such as those used in detergents and soaps can really play havoc with your skin. Use natural soaps to bathe. Also wearing gloves when you’re washing dishes or clothes is very advisable.
• Eat lots of fruits and vegetables.

Guaranteed Home Remedy For Lower Back Pain

2010-12-20T17:45:00.005+01:00

Intense physical work such as lifting of heavy equipment is a common cause of lower back pain. In this case, the muscles of the body especially lower back cease to expand which may cause pain. Some of the other causes include spontaneous spasms, sprains and swollen ligaments. In order to avoid such kind of pain, it is very important to make sure that you do not indulge in an activity which may involve rigorous physical work.

Treatment of lower back pain
The first remedy for lower back pain would be to immediately stop the intense physical work and lie on the bed. You should lie on your back with a pillow under your head and your legs raised.

Another cure for lower back pain would be to place a pillow below the knees while lying down. This will ease the back pain and you can soon go back to your normal life. In case the back pain does not reduce after one or two hours of lying on the bed, it is recommended to apply an ice pack around the region of the back pain. The ice pack should be applied for at least 25 to 30 minutes. It is very important to rest at least for a day or two for the back pain to completely go away.

Other home remedies for the treatment of back pain include application of herbal pain balms which are easily available in pharmacies and supermarkets. It is recommended to keep one at home in case of other spontaneous spasms.

If the back pain persists after a day or two, it is recommended to see a specialist as the pain maybe an indication of something more severe.

Natural Remedies And Healthy Diet For High Blood Pressure

2010-12-20T17:10:00.004+01:00

High blood pressure which is blood pressure level rising above normal is considered to be a very common illness among people. Seven in every ten people suffer from hypertension. High blood pressure is also known as a "silent killer" because the sufferer may not know until the blood pressure level is measured.

The most common cause of high blood pressure is improper diet and not enough rest and some symptoms include nausea, frequent headaches and blurred vision, It is very important to maintain a healthy diet and consume foods which are rich in proteins, vitamins and carbohydrates. It is also important to consume small portions of dairy products on a daily basis. Also a reduction in the consumption of alcohol is known to regulate the blood flow in the body.

A natural way to lower blood pressure is to have a good night's sleep which should last at least a minimum of seven hours daily. Sometimes, a good night's slumber is considered to solve most of the small time problems of the body.
Healthy Diet to lower high blood pressure
A healthy diet is a speedy way of treating high blood pressure. Salt level should be reduced in your meals as it may make things worse in curing high blood pressure. A natural home remedy includes consumption of the juice of a raw beetroot. It is also important to increase consumption of fresh fruits vegetables. Dry fruits such as almonds also help in regulating the blood flow.

You should engage in light exercises like speed walking, cycling, swimming and other related exercises. It is important to keep in mind that you do not go overboard with these exercises but do it daily for a maximum of 20 minutes.

To control high blood pressure naturally, you need to rest more and work less and keep a very healthy and calm mind.

It is advisable to check your blood pressure level on a regular basis and consult a physician in case the problem becomes persistent.

Health and Fitness Tips

2010-12-20T17:08:00.006+01:00

Living a healthy life is a matter of choice. Like any other good thing, it takes a bit of hard work and perseverance to live healthy, but if you stick to it, you can transform your life to rise above the pitfalls of ill health. Our home remedies on health and fitness will give you some important insights into how you can make your life and that of your family healthier and richer.

Fitness Health Tips
Our bodies are designed so as to be active in the hours of daylight and to rest in the hours of darkness. Although the advent of artificial lighting has ensured that we need not be governed by the motion of the sun, are body's internal clocks still follow their own rule.

Why fight your body? If your job gives you the freedom to do so, it is best to sleep early at night and to wake up early in the morning. This ensures that your body is rested when its energy levels are at its lowest. You will also be amazed by the amount of work and play that you can put in simply by waking up a couple of hours earlier than you normally do.
Home Remedy Tips
The herbs, vegetables and fruits in your kitchen have tremendous unrealized potential. Learn how to harness this potential so that you can avoid unnecessary medications for simple problems such as a common cold, stomach problems, headaches and muscle cramps.

For common cold, make a delicious soup comprising of six crushed cloves of garlic, a quart of chicken stock, and two egg whites. Fry the cloves in vegetable oil, pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the two egg whites a dash of white vinegar. This tasty soup will help to keep the symptoms of common cold at bay. Also eat lots of fruits rich in Vitamin C.

Those suffering from stomach aches or flatulence can follow this health tip for a speedy cure.

Dissolve one and a half teaspoons of ground cinnamon in a cup of warm water. Cover the mixture for fifteen minutes and then drink it. This healthy cinnamon tea will take care of your stomach problems once and for all.
The next time you have a headache don't reach for that bottle of aspirin. Try almonds instead. Eating ten almonds has the same beneficial effects as aspirin with none of the side effects.

Similarly applying clove oil to areas that are affected by muscle cramps helps to relieve the soreness.

Tips on health
Obesity is a rampant problem among the youth and many adults. Most people eat far more than they need. Extensive studies provide a direct correlation between overeating and increased risk of various diseases.

Ensuring that you eat a healthy diet and eat less will ensure that you and your family have a better chance of maintaining good health in the years to come. It is better to eat healthy consistently rather than to indulge in food followed by periods of binge dieting. Vegetarianism is also increasing in popularity all over the world as it allows you to obtain the same benefits as eating meat with almost none of the attached risks.

Restrict your meals to small portions and drink lots of water. Many times we actually interpret thirst as hunger and end up eating when all our body needs is some water.

Natural Hair Care Tips

2010-12-20T16:55:00.004+01:00

We are always tempted by new, laboratory-tested brands of hair care products in new bottles. A lot of them are very good, but they are expensive and they often smell of chemicals. Try some of these natural hair tips and enjoy the fresh smells of fruit and other good things.

To Give Your Hair Body And Shine
Beat an egg and massage it into freshly washed hair. After five minutes, rinse it out with cool water. Do not use hot water or you will have scrambled egg in your hair. Then you'll spend all morning washing it out.
Mayonnaise is excellent for conditioning hair. Massage it through, and preferably keep it in overnight (put your hair in a plastic bag or something, to avoid getting mayonnaise all over the pillows). Again, rinse out carefully in cool water. If you use hot, the mayonnaise will set in your hair and will be very difficult to get out.

Beer also gives a lovely shine to hair. Rinse your hair in beer in the shower, then rinse out with water. Use a beer that does not smell too strongly, or you will give people the wrong impression at work. Shampoos based on beers used to be popular though they do not seem to be around at the moment. They never smelled of beer.

Oily Hair
Opinions vary about how often oily hair should be washed. Some people prefer to wash it every day. Others claim that this merely encourages more oil production, thus worsening the problem. Whenever you wash your hair, try a tablespoon of cider vinegar to the final rinse to help cut down on the grease.

Dry Hair
You have to be very careful not to overwash dry hair. It's very easy to strip away the natural oils if you wash it too often.

Olive oil is a wonderful conditioner for dry hair. Warm up half a cup, or more if your hair is very long. Massage it through the hair, especially the ends and middle bits - these are always drier than the hair near your scalp. Wrap your hair in plastic, and then in a warm towel, and leave for 30 minutes. This allows the oil to penetrate the hair shaft. Wash out carefully, using a gentle shampoo suited for dry hair.

A Natural Way To Exfoliate

2010-12-20T16:44:00.003+01:00

Sea salt removes dry, flaky, dead skin.

Wet face (or anywhere on the body), apply a couple of tablespoons of sea salt, then GENTLY massage with a wet washcloth or fingers.

Focus on the T-zone and cheeks, but avoid the eye area. After one or two minutes, rinse with cold water to tighten the pores.

It is important to do this regularly, or face-creams will not penetrate.

You can do this maximum once per week.

Bath Cookies

2 cups finely ground sea salt

1/2 cup baking soda

1/2 cup cornstarch

2 T light oil 1 tsp vitamin E oil

2 eggs

5-6 drops essential oil

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Mix together all the ingredients. Take a teaspoon of the dough and roll it gently into a ball (about an inch in diameter). Continue doing this with all the dough and place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet. (You can decorate the cookies with clove buds, anise seeds, or dried citrus peel if you wish.) Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Do not overbake. Allow the cookies to cool completely. To use: drop 1 or 2 cookies into a warm bath and allow to dissolve. Yield: 24 cookies, enough for 12 baths.

Culled From

http://skin-care.health-cares.net/skin-care-recipes.php

Healthy Hair Care Tips

2010-12-17T20:20:00.009+01:00

Here are some basic hair care tips that you can use to improve the health and look of your hair.

General
• A healthy lifestyle will mean healthier hair for you. Excessive stress, smoking, not exercising and not eating nutritiously are not healthy for your hair.
• Get enough sleep.
• Avoid using hair styling products with alcohol which dries out hair.
• Avoid puting hair styling products directly on your scalp, if you put it on your scalp you'll clog the pores on your head.
• Swimming
Before entering a pool, wet your hair so your hair will soak up the initial water instead of the chlorinated water.
• When swimming where a cap to protect your hair from chlorinated water, if you choose not to wear a cap make sure you shampoo and condition your hair right after you are done swimming.
Drying
• Hot air can be damaging to your hair so when using a hair dryer use the cool setting.
• Don't leave the blowdryer in one spot for more than a few seconds, keep it moving and at a good distance away from your hair. To speed up the drying process, pat your hair dry with a towell and let the remaining moisture in your hair dry naturally.
• Gently use your fingers or a pick to untangle any knots while your hair is drying.

Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Spots

2010-12-17T20:05:00.008+01:00

The following are some natural home remedies that may be useful to clarify the pigmented spots that arise as a result of acne. If you are currently following a specific treatment for acne, consult with your dermatologist if you can apply one of these home remedies.

Honey
Honey is also used to help match the color of the skin. To do this, apply a little honey directly on the face and leave at least half an hour.

Yogurt mask
The yogurt also can whiten the skin. Should be applied on all skin and leave at least half an hour so you can shed some light on the tone of the spots.
Crushed tomatoes
Tomatoes have vitamin A which is an antioxidant that helps repair and rejuvenate the skin.

Aloe Vera
This plant has many healing properties for skin. Help to heal and also functions as a bactericide

Lemon
Lemon juice is used, and also to improve the picture of acne, to clarify the dark patches of skin that have arisen as a result of acne. To achieve this, apply some lemon juice on the scars and leave for about 10 minutes before rinsing. It is always important to be careful with the lemon because if one is exposed to sunlight even with the lemon juice over the skin could have significant burns and stains on the skin.

It is important to note that natural home remedies often require that we be consistent so as to see significant improvement.

Acne/Pimples Treatment

2010-12-17T16:40:00.006+01:00

A smooth and beautiful face can be achieved by following some very simple natural beauty tips! I’ll be sharing these tips with you from time to time.

Do you know that simply using tomatoes can solve the problem of acne and pimples?! Yea, it works for me. Just wash your face and pat dry. Cut a red tomatoe into 2 so the juicy pulp is visible. Rub the juice all over your face avoiding the areas very close to the eyes. Allow to dry. Leave on for 1 hour and then rinse off with slightly warm water (not hot please) and cold water afterwards.

Make this a weekly routine, about 2 times a week, and you will be sure to keep pimples and acne far away and have a smooth and beautiful skin instead.

Now go and put this into practice till i come back to share another tip with you soon. Cheers…

Washing Your Hands

2010-12-17T16:38:00.003+01:00

As you go about your normal business everyday, your hands come in contact with all manner of things.

These can transfer dirt and bacteria to your hands. It is therefore important to wash your hands as many times as you can during the day, but most importantly, as soon as you get home from wherever you have gone to.

Even if you wouldn’t want to take your bath immediately, please make sure that as soon as you drop your bag, go to the bathroom and wash your hands with soap and water.

This will remove all bacteria and impurities you may have come in contact with during the day and avoid them from being transferred inside you through your food thereby making you ill.