Mosquito Bites? Remedies From Home

Itchy?

There is nothing like mosquito bites to spoil the enjoyment of outdoor activities. While it is better not to get bitten in the first place, it is not always avoidable.

Finding relief from those annoying mosquito bites with natural, easy, home remedies can bring the enjoyment back to your day.

There are actually quite a few home remedies for mosquito bites.

• One of my favorites is rubbing apple cider vinegar over the bites. I must say this is more comfortable if you do it before scratching. Otherwise it will sting. Some people mix olive oil with the vinegar.

• My mother always uses lavender oil to relieve her mosquito bites.

• Try rubbing diluted lime juice over the bites.

• A salt water solution put on the mosquito bite can help relieve the itch as can a baking soda solution.

• If you are outdoors and there is mud. A bit of mud on the bites can be effective.

• Rub the inside of a banana peel over the bites. I tried this on my granddaughter the other day. It worked.

• Rubbing dry soap over the bite should reduce the itchiness and the swelling.

There are seven ideas for you to try next time you have mosquito bites to deal with. All of the ingredients are easy to come by.

In most situations at least one of them would probably be available. That was why I used the banana peel; it was all I had available at the time.

I hope you find that some of these work for you in relieving the itch of mosquito bites.

Keep safe and have fun

Jocelyn

Toothache? Dentist not Available?

Toothache Remedies

Sometimes a toothache can strike when we can't get to a dentist for various reasons. Rather than suffer the pain have a list of remedies to try. Whether they work or not depends on many different variable circumstances so it is a good idea to have a few options.

Here are ten different ideas.

1. Cloves. If you have clove oil on hand use that but many people will only have clove powder from their spice rack. That will work quite well. Either put the dry powder on the tooth and around the gum or mix it with a little coconut oil first.
   
   
2. A few drops of vanilla extract placed on the troublesome tooth can relieve the pain.
   
   
3. Chew some raw onion for a few minutes.
   
   
4. Put pieces of cold cucumber on the aching tooth.
   
   
5. Chew on some ice.
   
   
6. Use a mouthwash of warm salty water.
   
   
7. Lightly crush a piece of garlic and put it on the tooth.
   
   
8. Mix a pinch of pepper with salt and put on the tooth.
   
   
9. Put raw potato on the tooth for about 15 minutes.
   
   
10. Put some peppermint extract or peppermint leaves on the tooth.

There are more toothache remedies available by following the link. These ten ideas will get you started. If you are having trouble with your teeth it is a good idea to visit the dentist if possible. Ensure that you have no food particles caught between your teeth.

My favourite tooth cleaner, instead of toothpaste, is a simple powder. Mix together 1 tablespoon sea salt, 3 tablespoons bi carbonate of soda and 1/4 teaspoon clove powder. Put a little on your tooth brush and brush as normal.

Another trick that keeps my teeth from being sensitive is to swish a little coconut oil around the mouth both morning and night after cleaning teeth.

Be well,

Jocelyn

A Bakers Dozen of Weight Loss Tips

Weight Loss Plan?

How is your weight loss plan going? Are you still on track? Good on you if you are. You are doing great. Keep up the good work.

If not now is a good time to refocus and start again. What will make it work for you? Do you need a support team or person to help you keep on track?

Adjust your plan to something that might work for you and try again. Remember that you don't want to keep doing the same thing expecting a different result. Never give up, you can do it.

I have put together a bakers dozen of weight loss tips. Perhaps some of them might resonate with you.

The Tips

1. Choose the smaller portion sizes. If you start with a larger meal you will eat more than you need. Thus you will gain weight.
   
   
2. Drink a glass of water before meals. This will keep you hydrated and may reduce your feeling of hunger. The result is you are likely to eat less.
   
   
3. Choose unsalted nuts rather than chocolate, sweets, cakes or cookies. You will consume less calories but gain extra nutrients. This will build your health rather than pull it down.
   
   
4. Find ways to walk each day. Park your car further away. Walk at lunch time. Walk after work. Walk after dinner. Whatever works for you. Just do it.
   
   
5. Clean out your cupboards of all the foods that no longer fit into your healthy eating plan. If they are in the house you will eat them. Replace them with healthy options that will be kind to your weight loss efforts.
   
   
6. Eat smaller meals more often. Eat every 2 or 3 hours. That is about 5 or 6 times a day. Your metabolism will thank you by burning more energy.
   
   
7. Find a fun way to exercise that doesn’t feel like exercise. Some examples would be dancing, bike riding, kayaking or swimming. Find something that works for you and do it.
   
   
8. Make small changes that you can sustain rather than massive changes that you can’t keep up. This will not only help you to reach your goal weight but will help to keep it there.
   
   
9. Eat slowly.
   
   
10. Eat soup or salad to start the meal. This will add extra nutrients. Your main course will be able to be smaller.
    
    
11. Never skip meals especially breakfast. Skipping meals slows your metabolism down. Eat regular small meals. It will help you to lose weight.
    
    
12. Drink water not soft drink. Drinking 2 soft drinks each day can add up to 15 kgs each year.
    
    
13. Keep a bowl of fruit handy. It provides healthy snacks packed full of important nutrients. If you need a snack having fruit handy gives you a great way to eat but not wreck your eating plan.

There they are. If you have a favourite weight loss tip that you would like to share, please share it with us by leaving a comment. If you want to celebrate your weight loss success with others tell us about it so we can celebrate with you. Alternatively, if you need some support to keep pressing on to your goal, feel free to let us know and we will help you in any way we can.

Keep pressing on

Jocelyn

What Is There in the Kitchen to Clear Zits?

Zit Remedies From the Kitchen

It is amazing just how many ordinary everyday foods and other common household substances can be of assistance in treating the dreaded pimple, acne, blackhead otherwise known as zits.

Cooked carrots, mashed, applied to the face and covered with a hot compress is one remedy. Leave it on for about 20 minutes.

Here is a brief list of some others:

• Honey
• Orange Peel
• Lemon Juice
• Avocado
• Cucumber
• Tomato
• Potato
• Cumin
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Nutmeg
• Cinnamon
• Turmeric

The list could go on. More details on how to use this list in treating zits can be found at health-home-remedies.com. Browsing through the related articles on that site will give further and more detailed information on these and other home remedies for dealing with the distressing problem of acne and pimples.

Using ingredients that are commonly found in our homes certainly makes for cheap treatment. Some remedies work better on some people than others. Experiment and see what works for you. If you find a remedy that is really great share it with us by leaving a comment.

Here's to a zit free life

Jocelyn

Quinoa Pilaf Recipe

Quinoa is an ancient seed from South America. It is like a grain but technically it is a seed. It can be used in much the same way as rice. The following recipe is one that I make often. It is very versatile. Think of this recipe as a base that can be changed according to your tastes and flights of fancy. In fact this recipe is an adaptation of a different recipe that I have long lost track of.

Quinoa Pilaf

If you like to soak your seeds and grains before cooking them, then soak 1 cup quinoa in 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar overnight. This neutralises any anti nutrients that may be in the seeds, making the nutrients more bio available. This is not something that is just for quinoa but is recommended for all seeds and grains. However it cooks just the same if you don't do this.

Put some extra virgin olive oil, or coconut oil in a saucepan. Lightly cook cut up onion, carrot and celery. Add 1 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon coriander. Sometimes I also add 1 teaspoon ground ginger. Add quinoa and water. Use twice as much water as quinoa. Add frozen peas and corn or whatever vegetables takes your fancy. Add salt to taste. Cover and simmer until water has been taken up, approximately 15 - 20 minutes.

Eat either hot or cold. As a cold salad it is nice with the addition of avocado and tomato. Eaten hot it goes well with chicken.

I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does. Make changes according to your tastes.

Jocelyn

Are Your Hidden Food Allergies Making You Fat?

I just came across a news article titled "Your hidden food allergies are making you fat". A 12 week study of 27 people, who had been unable to lose weight, had great success with this one treatment. All they did was to avoid foods that a special blood test (ALCAT) showed to be immune reactive. In other words they did not eat any foods that they had sensitivities or allergies to.

The results were fantastic. The average weight loss over 12 weeks was 37 pounds (17 kg). They had an average drop of 6 points in the BMI index and averaged a decrease of 30% of body fat.

Other studies have had similar results with significant improvement in weight within 4 weeks of following a ALCAT test based food elimination diet.

Roger Deutsch, co-author of the book, "Your Hidden Food Allergies are Making You Fat" says that chronic inflammation, caused primarily by exposure to incompatible foods, is the root of metabolic problems like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity.

The authors also stress the importance of having a healthy lifestyle which includes eating quality food, getting adequate rest and exercise.

The source of this information quoted in the news article was :

Cell Science Systems: Middle East Journal of Family Medicine: April 2009.

May good health and happiness be yours

Jocelyn

12 Positive Sayings

I recently came across a page of little saying that tie in with the theme of positive mental attitude and success. I thought I'd share them with you here.

• It doesn't matter where you're coming from, all that matters is where you're going.
• Do something to move yourself towards your major goal every day.
• Until a goal is written down, it's just a wish or a fantasy.
• Most of your happiness, and your unhappiness, comes with hair on top and talks back.
• If you change your thinking, you change your life.
• All change in your life comes when your mind collides with a new idea.
• The one thing over which you have complete control is your thinking; use it well.
• "Failure is merely another opportunity to more intelligently begin again." Henry Ford
• What you think about most of the time is what you become.
• Success comes when you do what you love and commit to being the best in your field.
• Imagine you are already the best in your field' how would you behave differently?
• The mind of the beginner is empty, free of the habits of the expert, ready to accept, to doubt, and open to all possibilities." Shunryu Suzuki

Well, there they are. I hope you enjoyed them and found one that you can use.

Have a great day

Jocelyn