Monday 29 April 2013

Foods for Easy Beauty Maintenance!

Typically, people tend to focus their attention on how to make themselves beautiful on the outside by slabbing on makeup, doing their hair, painting themselves, whatever it takes, you know? They don't take into consideration all the effects that it is having on the health of their hair and skin as well as the food they are ingesting in order to maintain this health. I believe the most beautiful people are the happiest and healthiest. And what better way to change your lifestyle for the better, and get healthy hair, skin, and nails in the process, than eating better and just adding a few good habits into your daily routine?
Here are 12 miracle foods that are beneficial to your health and beauty;
1) Green tea - This drink contains antioxidants, is believed to reduce your risk of cancer, keeps you hydrated, is known to support weight loss by boosting your metabolism, and helps you combat aging.
2) Quinoa - Contains a ton of protein and has all of the nine essential amino acids our bodies need, and contains iron, fibre, magnesium, manganese and riboflavin. All of these benefits of quinoa make it one of the top miracle foods, especially for vegetarians or vegans that need that extra protein and iron.
3) Chia seeds - This miracle food is thought to be the weight loss dream. It helps you feel full for hours due to the fact that it forms a gel coat when exposed to water. It also has antioxidants, omega fatty acids, proteins, stabilizes blood sugar, provides protein and a ton of other benefits. Definitely a must have.
4) Greek Yogurt - Greek yogurt contains protein, calcium, it contains less lactose (which is helpful for people who are lactose intolerant), and it is delicious! This is a excellent food to have in your daily diet.
5) Black Beans - This food provides support to your digestive system, regulates blood sugar, maintains cardiovascular health, and are high in protein, antioxidants, folate and fiber.
6) Flax Seeds - This is thought to be the ultimate wrinkle fighter, due to the fact that it contains omega-3 fatty acids and is a key against inflammation within the body. It also contains a high amount of fiber. This miracle food will help reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma, and diabetes.
7) Cantaloupe - Cantaloupe contains a payload of Vitamin A, postassium, and vitamin C and makes it a wonderful source for maintenance of beautiful skin.
8) Kale - Kale contains antioxidants, as well as a packload of Vitamin K, A, C, and B6, magnesium, and calcium. And all with a low amount of calories.
9) Tomatoes - This miracle food contains folate, vitamin C, A, K, is low in calories, fat free, and also contain thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, magnesium, phosphorus and copper, all are essential for good health and is contained in just this one food. On top of that, they are delicious! 
10) Blueberries - Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, lower the risk for a large range of cancers, been proven to preserve vision, lowers the risk of Alzheimer's, and aids in weight loss.
11) Almonds - Almonds contain manganese, vitamin E, magnesium, tryptophan, copper, vitamin B2 and phosphorus, lowers cholesterol, and reduces your risk of heart disease. Almonds help you maintain nice skin due to its abundance of vitamin E.
12) Spinach - This food contains antioxidants, is anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, contains vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, beta-carotene, manganese, zinc and selenium, effectively lowers blood pressure, is good for immunity and vision, and promotes healthy skin.


Sunday 21 April 2013

The Unknown Miracle Herb!

Borage

A beautiful flowering plant that grows in the Mediterranean, Borage is one of the unknown miracle herbs that are widely available for growth in North America. This herb contains a wide range of benefits in such small amounts, and is such an easy plant to grow and maintain, it is remarkable why it is not used more extravagantly.  



5 Benefits of Borage;
1) Contains essential fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) - What this fatty acid can do to contribute to your overall health is maintain healthy and beautiful skin, restore joint health, and even raise your immunity. 
2) Have very high levels of Vitamin A and C - Vitamin A in itself has numerous benefits for your health, and is thought to be one of the main vitamins to maintain healthy and beautiful skin. This will protect against aging of the skin and give you a healthy glow. Vitamin C is shown to contribute to the wellness of your skin and immunity as well. 
3) Contains minerals like iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, copper, zinc, and magnesium- These minerals contribute to your overall health. For example, Potassium helps control heart rate and blood pressure (also alleviates cramps), Iron is important for cellular metabolism and is a main component for hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood. 
4) Anti-inflammatory - This property of Borage is most commonly used in its oil form. It may be used to treat acne and studies have shown that it has a good possibility of treating arthritis.
5) Has sedative effects - This can be used to sooth nervous conditions and is known to ease depression and mood swings. 

FACT* The Borage flower is one of the only naturally blue edible plants in the world. It has a sweet taste and can be used as a sweetener and decoration for tea or on top of pastries. 

Borage also comes in the form of an oil, which is one of the "must haves" for natural youth and beauty maintenance. Although it is a bit pricey, it is well worth the cost and can last you a couple months, even if used on a daily basis. That really beats having to buy expensive moisturizers that last a couple weeks to a month, which may have little to no impact when comparing to the benefits of Borage oil. 

I've personally tried to grow this plant from seed and it has worked like a charm. As long as you provide them with some light and water a little bit daily, they grow with little assistance and maintain strong seedlings.

Monday 15 April 2013

Tips For Naturally Kissable lips!

Dehydrated lips are one of the most annoying things in the world. You feel as if there is a constant bother on your face and small habits formed by these bothers, such as biting or licking your lips, just worsen the condition. In the end, you end up with chapped, unmanageable lips that just refuse to respond to your daily treatment of lip balm.These are absolutely MUST know tips and must have ingredients in your household to maintain perfect, kissable lips cheaply, naturally, and effectively.   
First off, some tips. Because treatment will not be as effective if you refuse to change some habits.


5 tips for healthy lips;
1) DO NOT bite or lick your lips - This is something that you should NOT do. Avoid buying flavored lip balms because this will just tempt you to lick and bite your lips even more. Saliva evaporates quickly and will leave your lips even drier than they were before, and biting or picking will damage the delicate skin. 
2) Stay hydrated - Drink lots of water. This will not only hydrate your lips, but your entire body. A good way to stay healthy is to drink two liters of water a day. 
3) Apply lip balm or Vaseline before applying on lipstick - Some lipsticks can dry out your lips and leave them worse off than they were before. Applying on some kind of moisturizer before applying lipstick will prevent damage, leave your lips hydrated and much better off than bare lipstick. 
4) Wear a scarf in the winter - Cover your mouth with the scarf to prevent any harsh cold wind from further drying and damaging your lips. 
5) Breathe through your nose - Breathing through your mouth dries out your lips. Also, breathing through your nose is actually proven to be healthier for you since your nasal passage filters the air that you breathe.

Here are three basic ingredients that you must have in order to maintain soft, hydrated lips;
1) Petroleum Jelly (Vaseline) - This works wonders for your lips. You may even apply it on top of your lipstick or on bare lips to give it a nice shine and effectively give your lips the hydration that they need to stay beautiful and young. 
2) Honey - May be applied every once in a while to rejuvenate and hydrate your lips (can also be applied to face, check out my other article on the benefits of honey). 
3) Coconut oil or almond oil - I tend to use almond oil because it always works for me. But research states that coconut oil is very beneficial in the hydration of lips if used in MODERATE amounts. Do not apply too much at a time as this can worsen it. Nevertheless, it does wonders if applied correctly. 

Wednesday 10 April 2013

Rosehip Oil, Great for Skin and Your Health!

This is an essential oil that I would definitely recommend using for aging or acne prone skin. Rosehip, the fruit of the rose, can be made into many things, such as tea and jam (my favorites) and is very beneficial for your body inside and out. Rosehip is a natural source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and essential fatty acids such as Omega-3, 6 and 9 as well as packed with antioxidants that can do wonders for your skin and for your health.
Rosehip oil may be applied on the skin every night before you go to bed in order to increase elasticity of the skin, repair sun damage, and reduce and prevent acne.

Here are 5 benefits of rosehip oil when applied directly on the skin;
1) Increases skin elasticity and is anti-aging
2) Deep hydration for all skin types
3) Reduces acne
4) Repairs sun damage and reduces appearance of scars and stretchmarks
5) Tones and makes skin glow

3 Benefits of Rosehip for the BODY;
1)  Great source of Vitamin A and C
2) Contains fatty acids such as Omega-3, 6, and 9 which are essential for the skin's beauty
3) Contains antioxidants

*I recommend putting rosehip jam or tea into your daily diet to increase your health and your beauty. One small warning.. rosehip jam is extremely sweet. If you have a sweet tooth, like me, you will absolutely love rosehip jam on a piece of toasted whole wheat bread in the morning =D

Monday 8 April 2013

Super Easy All Natural Hairspray!

Aren't you sick of all the chemicals, the horrible smell, and the money it takes to just keep you hair voluminous, beautiful and in order? On top of these temporary effects of hairspray, it can also impose long term damage on your hair if used often. Try out this homemade hairspray recipe that you can use as much as you want without inflicting any damage on your hair whatsoever. 
This is one of the easiest homemade recipes that are ever going to be posted on this blog, and it is sugar hairspray. Honestly, the name says it all. It is hairspray that is made by dissolving sugar in water, and in my opinion, works better than any hairspray you can buy in the store. It is easy to use, easy to make, and VERY cheap. And when you compare it to the hairsprays you buy in the store, it is much more healthy to use and reduces the amount of chemicals going down your drain when you wash your hair, so thumbs up for environmental concern =D

You will need the following ingredients;
1) Water
2) Sugar
Everybody has these in their household.

Instructions;
1)Boil a cup of water
2) Add 3-5 tablespoons (this is what I use) of sugar in the water.
3) Wait for it to cool, add in a spritzer bottle, and use like regular hairspray.

I use this hairspray on a daily basis and it works like a charm. You can also add essential oils to make this spray even more beneficial for your hair or just for a nice scent.

Friday 5 April 2013

5 Ways to Dye Hair Naturally!

1) Coffee hair mask 
In a coffee hair mask, you would expect to get a darker color shade of hair and is recommended for people with light brown or blond hair who want to tint it dark. In order for this to work, you will need the following;
- Apple cider vinegar
- Coffee (the stronger the better, preferably espresso)
- Water
- A bowl
- A shower cap
Instructions;
1) Dilute the apple cider vinegar in a 1:4 ratio (1 part apple cider for every 4 parts water)
2) Brew some strong coffee. Add three times  the amount of coffee in your mixture than you regularly would in your morning cup. Fill a large bowl and wait for it to cool (add ice cubes to speed up the process).
3) Shower, wash your hair regularly, then apply the apple cider vinegar until your hair is completely soaked in it. Then wash the vinegar out of your hair MOSTLY, leave a little bit in. This allows you to get rid of any buildup of hair products in your hair and gives you volume.
4) Either soak your hair in the coffee bowl for 20 minutes, or pour the entire bowl over your hair evenly and cover with a shower cap for two hours. After doing either of these two options, wash your hair thoroughly and apply apple cider vinegar again. Wash the vinegar out thorougly.
5) Enjoy your silky smooth slightly darker hair =D

*Did you know that?
The caffeine in coffee actually stimulates hair growth and prevents hair breakage and loss.

TIP* You may add a mix of almond oil and rosemary oil for the maximum benefit to your hair in this mask. However, you will have to shampoo your hair again after applying on the coffee-rosemary oil-almond oil mask and then apply the apple cider vinegar again. Nevertheless, I found this way to be the best.
2) Tea 
For this home remedy, the hair color you get would depend on the type of tea you use. Chamomile and black tea typically gives a lighter effect on the hair. In order for this to work, you would have to steep 8-10 tea bags in a steaming bowl of water until diffused properly. After this is done, allow the strong concentration of tea to cool down until it is cool to the touch (you can add ice to speed up this process). Remember, the skin on your scalp is more sensitive than the skin on your hands, so make sure it is cooled down properly. After this, you may lean back on a table for about 20 minutes with your hair in the bowl that entire time, OR you may soak your hair in the tea and wear a shower cap for two hours. Wash your hair thoroughly and you should see slight results and guaranteed soft, smooth hair. If this is repeated for a few days, you should see noticeable results.

3) Lemon 
This is used to get natural looking highlights by simply using lemons and the power of the sun. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice and apply it to the places in your hair where you would like highlights. Go out in the sun for an hour at a time. Do NOT stay out in the sun for more than an hour with lemon in your hair because there's the chance of causing some damage. Do this once a day for a few days to get very noticeable results.

4) Beets 
Beets stain very well, so use caution in this remedy if you don't want to end up looking like a lobster for a day or so. This would tint your hair red fairly well and has benefits for your scalp due to the fact that beets are good for your circulation, and everybody loves circulation. Shred the beat using a cheese shredder, than scoop up the remain (WITH GLOVES) and squeeze the juice out of it into a cup. With only a couple beets, you should get the amount you want (they're very juicy). While you're at it, you can drink up a tiny espresso cup of beet juice due to the fact that it is WONDERFUL for your health (specifically circulation and blood). Rinse your hair with the beet juice and put on a shower cap for two hours, and rinse thoroughly.

5) Henna
Henna is a strong, plant-based colorant used for temporary designs on your skin. It is very popular in Indian cultures, and you know how I love home remedies that originate in India. There are different colors of henna and you may choose which color you prefer. Henna is said to leave your hair effectively dyed, and leaves your locks stronger and less prone to breakage than before. This dyes your hair a lot longer, and naturally, than the remedies mentioned above, but it is also the most expensive and the hardest to wash out. Read the instructions on the package carefully before applying henna to your hair. Nevertheless, I HIGHLY recommend this to dye your hair naturally.

Wednesday 3 April 2013

Awakening Coffee Face Mask

Don't throw away those used grounds that you used to make your coffee this morning! Instead, make your own "wake your skin up" face mask AFTER using the grounds (it is especially important to use used ground coffee to not scratch your face). Although I'm not a coffee lover myself (I'm more of a tea drinker), I absolutely love using this mask to get rid of tired eyes, brighten my face, and to feel more awake.

Ingredients: 

  • Used ground coffee
  • Honey (lots of benefit for your skin in this ingredient)
  • Cocoa (Optional)

Instructions: 

  1. Wash your hands and your face
  2. Take a small cup and place your coffee grounds in it
  3. Pour enough honey over it until you can mix the honey and coffee together easily
  4. Add a quarter of a teaspoon of cocoa and mix well (Optional)
  5. Spread mixture evenly over face (especially under eyes) and do NOT rub
  6. Wash off thoroughly with lukewarm water

After using this face mask in the morning, your skin should be visibly brightened and the area around your eyes should appear to be more awake.

What are the benefits for my skin?
There are many benefits for using coffee as a skin care product (if used moderately).
Here are 5 BENEFITS OF COFFEE FOR SKINCARE;

  1. It exfoliates dead skin 
  2. It tightens skin and reduces cellulite 
  3. It brightens the skin
  4. It's known to SLIM the body if used as a body scrub
  5. Removes acne scars 
TIP* An alternative ingredient in this mask can be to replace coffee with caffeinated TEA (avoid herbal teas if you would like to benefit from the caffeine). Tea has many benefits for your skin in itself, and I prefer this over coffee. Although it contains less caffeine, this may be a better alternative if you use the right tea. Look for teas that have ingredients that are beneficial for your skin, such as green or peppermint.

P.S. There will be a continuation of this post TOMORROW on how to naturally dye your hair black with coffee!

Monday 1 April 2013

Benefits of Green Tea

This is my most favorite subject in the world, tea. Green tea has been used as a medicine for thousands of years with its origins reaching and starting at China. When green tea is made, it is not fermented, unlike black tea, and therefore keeps all of its antioxidants and other nutrients that give green tea its so many benefits. This is such an easy thing to incorporate into your daily routine in order to keep you beautiful and healthy, so I don't see why you shouldn't try it. I'm going to keep this brief and just list below the absolutely amazing benefits of this tea and hopefully convince you to give it a try.



10 AMAZING BENEFITS OF GREEN TEA

1) Skincare - Green tea has anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties which helps maintain your skin's youth and reduces swelling and the appearance of redness in the skin. You can ingest this tea on a regular basis or use it on your skin in a mix of honey as a face mask. 
2) Anti-aging - Whether green tea is applied directly to the face (honey and green tea face mask) or whether consumed daily on a regular basis, it has been proven that green tea is a fabulous weapon against aging due to it being an antioxidant.
3) Weight loss - Green tea has been proven to aid in weight loss due to the fact that it boosts your metabolism naturally and helps you burn around 60-70 calories per day! You know how much you have to work out for that? Too much.
4) Blood pressure - Green tea is believe to control blood pressure and puts you at a lower risk for high blood pressure. 
5) Makes you happier - A naturally found amino acid in green tea, theanine, helps calm you down and pours a relaxation over you. This reduces the risk or symptoms of depression. 
6) Anti-viral and Anti-bacterial - It's beautiful when you find something that is anti-everything bad. Green tea has been considered in recent studies as a "cancer reducer." This tea can help you from simple things such as the common cold, to infections, to cancer (with the addition of a vitamin C boost). Something delicious in place of cough syrup. 
7) Memory Booster - Green tea has been proven to help with memory from recent studies showing the effects of green tea protect brain cells and repair damaged brain cells. 
8) Helps asthma - Green tea helps relax the bronchial muscles which reduces the severity of asthma.
9) Reduces tooth decay - The anti-bacterial properties in green tea helps treat any dental diseases and prevents cavities. 
10) Cholesterol and heart health - Green tea helps bad cholesterol and is also thought as a preventative to heart disease according to recent and accurate studies. It prevents the formation of clots and relaxes the blood vessels for better blood flow. 




Tip* If you have a bit of a sweet tooth (I am personally guilty of this), drink your cup of green tea with a teaspoon of honey, which has amazing health benefits in itself (which you can read on my previous blog about the uses of honey and its benefits). In my opinion and past experience, NOTHING goes better with green tea than a little bit of honey.