Headache Cure

I just came across this headache cure in an old book. I haven't had a need to try it for myself.
Take the juice of a lemon and half a teaspoon of bicarbonate soda. Mix and drink while fizzing.

If anyone tries it add a comment and let us know how it went.

Hypnotism - Stop Smoking

There are many ways to stop smoking. One of the most effective is hypnotism either used by itself or in conjunction with other methods.

What is Hypnotism?
Quite often we tend to think of hypnotism as something in the entertainment field rather than a serious topic that can have a beneficial effect on our health.
Hypnosis is a way of accessing your subconscious mind. During hypnosis one is in an altered state of consciousness. That does not mean that you are asleep or that you have no control over what you do. Wikipedia describes hypnosis as 'a wakeful state of focused attention and heightened suggestibility, with diminished peripheral awareness'.

You must want to quit smoking for it to have any chance of working
For a person to use hypnosis to successfully stop smoking they need to be ready to quit. It is not a method to use if deep down you don't really want to stop. A person cannot be made to do something they don't want to do just because they have been hypnotized.

Is Hypnotism Effective
It has been estimated that using hypnotism to stop smoking is about three times more effective than nicotine replacement therapy. For those who have tried to quit by willpower alone and failed, hypnosis is 15 times more effective than going it alone.
As a bonus those who are worried about gaining weight when they stop smoking one study on using hypnosis for weight loss found it 30 times more effective than the control group in the study.

Ways to Access Hypnotism
Find a hypnotherapist in your local area.
Learn self hypnosis. There is actually quite a lot of information around about this.
Buy a product that combines both the above. There are many products out there that have been put together by hypnotherapists that you can use yourself in the convenience of your own home. These usually cost much less than sessions with a hypnotherapist and could be worth exploring. To get you started, one such product is the Hypnosis Vault. There are eighteen hypnosis sessions. When you buy one you get the other 17 included. Of course one of them is to Stop Smoking. Have a look and see how many of the other sessions would be of interest to you.

If you are a smoker and want to quit I wish you luck and success. I know it can be difficult but go for it. If one method doesn't work for you keep trying till you find one that does.

Good luck,
Jocelyn

Smoking Diseases

As you can see it has been quite a long time since I have added anything on my blog. Things have been a little chaotic lately. The reason for this was that my Dad, aged in his 80's has recently had a below the knee amputation.

Until you see someone trying to come to terms with losing a limb one has no idea of what that really means in terms of day to day life. However he is gradually doing more and more and still hopes that he will be able to learn to use an artificial leg.

The thing is that he lost his leg because of poor circulation and the leg virtually died. According to the doctors the reason for the poor circulation along with the emphysema and congestive heart disorder is the fact that for many years he was a heavy smoker. Even though he has not smoked now for many years the damage was done. Smoking diseases have really taken their toll on his body.
Before you rush in to thinking that there was no use in quitting I would say that had he remained a smoker he would have been dead many years ago. The sooner one quits smoking the less damage is done and the shorter the time one is a smoker the less damage is done.

Some Smoking Diseases

• Cancers - a variety of different types.
  
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Hardening of the arteries
• Breathing and lung diseases
• Diabetes
• Cataracts
• Impotence
• Reduced fertility
• Loss of taste and smell

Not a pretty picture. Perhaps if you are a smoker, finding out how you can quit smoking and improve your health is something you are interested in.
The "Stop Smoking...Once and For All" eCourse is a step by step 4 day battle plan to becoming smoke free in just 4 days. If quitting is your goal check this out and see if it will work for you.

Best of health to you all.

Jocelyn

More Dark Chocolate Antioxidant Benefits

While I am on the topic of chocolate health benefits, I couldn't pass this interesting article from Science Daily. The article is called "Cocoa 'Vitamin' Health Benefits Could Outshine Penicillin"

The reason they believe it to be so important is that there is a compound in cocoa called epicatechin. Scientists are crediting this compound with huge health benefits.
Norman Hollenberg, a professor of medicine, studied the Kuna people in Panama, and the benefits of cocoa drinking. These people can drink up to 40 cups of cocoa in a week. That is about 5 or 6 cups a day. He observed that the diseases of stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes were reduced to a rate of less than 10%.

Natural cocoa, which is what these people used, contains high levels of epicatechin. Epicatechin and other flavanols give cocoa a bitter taste and so they are removed from commercial cocoas. I saw some raw cocoa in the health food shop today, maybe that would be one way to get this important compound.

Other sources of the flavonoid epicatechin are: white tea, green tea, dark grapes especially in the skins and seeds - hence also red wine, apple, apricot and blueberries.

So for good health chocolate really could be a great addition to the diet. Of course keeping the sugar content low at the same time would be something to keep in mind. I am thinking of using raw cocoa and rapadua (dehydrated cane juice) to make a healthy chocolate drink. No milk of course because it seems that using milk with cocoa inhibits the absorption of the flavonoids and antioxidants.

Enjoy good health,

Jocelyn

A Surprising Food to Benefit Health: Chocolate

Here are some other chocolate health benefits.

Blood Pressure

One of the reasons that chocolate can be beneficial to blood pressure is that chocolate antioxidants called flavonoids help relax blood pressure. This is because they enhance the production of nitric oxide and also because they help balance certain hormones in the body
Nitric Oxide
Nitric oxide signals the blood vessels to dilate or expand. It has a role in transporting oxygen to the tissues. It is produced when the body relaxes. Anything that helps the body to relax, or anything that combats stress, can help the supply of oxygen to the cells and reduce blood pressure.

Cholesterol

Dark chocolate can lower LDL cholesterol by up to 10%. Remember to eat dark chocolate. Antioxidant levels in dark chocolate are much higher than milk chocolate or white chocolate.

Endorphins

Chocolate helps to stimulate endorphin production. It seems that eating chocolate causes more endorphins to be released into the brain. Endorphins can help to reduce pain and decrease stress levels.

Serotonin

Chocolate is high in the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan causes an increase in the release of serotonin. An increase in the serotonin level helps a person's mood to be better. The anti depressant action of serotonin is well known.

There are over 300 different chemicals found in chocolate. Undoubtedly there are benefits in chocolate that have not yet been discovered in a laboratory. However many people would attest to the fact that they feel good when they have eaten some chocolate. Perhaps we don't really need to know every action of this delicious food. It is good to know though that amongst other nutrients it contains potassium, magnesium and vitamins B1, B2, D and E.

Enjoy good health,

Jocelyn

Health Chocolate: Dark Chocolate Antioxidant Rich

Chocolate antioxidants are known as flavonoids. Chocolate makers have been experimenting with new ways of processing and manufacturing chocolate that will retain a lot more of the flavonoids. That is good news because it is the flavonoids that give chocolate health benefits that have been found to be helpful regarding heart attacks and strokes.

The flavonols in cocoa help prevent clogging of the arteries by preventing oxidization of cholesterol in the bloodstream. They also help to make the blood platelets less sticky and so less likely to clump together and cause clots.

High antioxidant chocolate is dark chocolate as it is much higher in flavonoids than milk chocolate. So go for the dark every time. Look for chocolate that has at least 65% cocoa in the ingredient list. My favorite has 72%. Dark chocolate has been reported to have about 8 times the antioxidants of strawberries.

Scientists are still doing studies to find out more about how the chemicals in chocolate benefit health. They are now able to isolate some of these chemicals and study them separately. However it is always possible that it is the synergy of all of the components of chocolate that cause it to have the benefits that it seems to have. So why wait for scientists to deconstruct the cacao bean? Enjoy small helpings of dark chocolate as part of your regular balanced diet and reap the benefits of one of nature's delicacies.

Have good health,

Jocelyn

Chocolate for anti aging and youthful skin

Had to share this Reuters Life article about chocolate. The chocolate makers of the world claim to have developed a chocolate bar to fight wrinkles and slow the aging process. The claim is that eating 20 grams of the chocolate each day may boost elasticity of the skin and improve skin hydration. This could help the prevention of wrinkles.
It is the chocolate antioxidants or flavanols in the cocoa bean that come up with the goodies. The chocolate makers are saying that they now have better ways of keeping more of those flavanols during the process of making the chocolate.
Hurrah for chocolate.

Enjoy your good health

Jocelyn

6 Foods that Help Your Skin Stay Young

Yesterday I wrote briefly about some foods that help to increase the collagen in the skin. Today I want to look at some other foods that help to combat the increase of wrinkles.

Turkey
There are substances in turkey that help prevent wrinkles. It contains the protein carnosine. This protein slows down the process of cross linking. Cross linking is when fibers grow into the collagen making the skin stiff and less elastic. Eating turkey two or three times a week will increase the amount of carnosine in your diet.

Flaxseed
Flaxseed contains the essential fatty acid omega 3. Having sufficient of the right oils and fats in the diet make the fatty layer surrounding the skin cells stronger. This in turn plumps out the skin cells, disguising wrinkles.

Olives
Olive oil contains oleic acid which also can help to plump up the skin cells. Use extra virgin olive oil and eat olives to help your skin along.

Chocolate
I couldn't leave this one out of the list. I love it when chocolate comes up in the healthy food lists. However it is only dark chocolate that has enough antioxidants to have the desired results. It would seem that a high dose of cocoa increases the blood flow to the skin bringing it higher levels of moisture and nutrients.

Goji Berries
The goji berry is a very nutritionally dense food. It has gained quite a name as an anti aging food. They do contain vitamin C and are high in antioxidants so there is every chance that they would contribute to a stronger, firmer skin.

Blueberries and Prunes
These fruits are full of antioxidants. Antioxidants get rid of free radicals. Free radicals cause skin damage. A diet high in antioxidants is beneficial to general health as well as keeping the skin healthy and firm.

Add these foods to your diet as well as the collagen increasing foods listed in the previous article. Making sure you include several serves of these foods each day will certainly help your overall nutrition as well as your skin tone.

Be in good health

Jocelyn

Increase Collagen and Improve Your Skin by the Foods you Eat

As we age our skin has less collagen in it. That is why wrinkles appear. Now I don't suppose the wrinkles can be held at bay for ever but there are some simple, natural things that can be done to help. For our body to be able to make collagen we must give it the necessary building blocks from our food.

Foods To Eat

Green leafy vegetables: These contain the antioxidant lutein amongst other vital nutrients. To help your skin stay hydrated and keep its elasticity try eating kale, spinach, asparagus, cabbage etc. These foods help to provide the building blocks for your body to make and use collagen.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables are also rich in luetin.

Beans: There is an anti aging element known as hyaluronic acid that is found in the body. It is needed for skin repair, amongst many other functions. Beans contain reasonably high levels of hyaluronic acid can help your body to have sufficient of this nutrient thereby increasing your collagen production. Try butter beans, broad beans, kidney beans in fact any kind of bean.
Try this resource for ideas on how to use beans in your diet regularly. The Bean Bible: A Legumaniac's Guide To Lentils, Peas, And Every Edible Bean On The Planet!

Beetroot: Another nutrient that is used in producing collagen is anthocyanins. This is found in the purple pigments of foods like beetroot and purple cabbage. It is also a good antioxidant.


Vitamin C: Whether you use a supplement or choose foods high in vitamin C. This is an essential nutrient for overall health including producing sufficient collagen. Vitamin C rich foods include strawberries, oranges, kiwi fruit, Brussells sprouts.

There are many other foods that are great for our skin. For a start try adding some of these to your diet regularly. It is better to make changes bit by bit rather than try to make huge changes that are unsustainable.

Have great health

Jocelyn

Banana Facial Masks to Reduce Wrinkles

A reader has asked for more information on how to use banana in skin care for anti aging. Bananas are rich in nutrients that are beneficial to the skin. In addition putting banana on the face is reputed to assist in reducing wrinkles.

The simplest form of a banana facial mask is to simply mash up some banana until creamy then apply to the face. Leave it on for 15-20 minutes before washing off with warm water. Finish by washing with cold water to close the pores of the skin.

there are many recipes that combine banana with a range of other ingredients that also have a reputation of being beneficial to the skin. Perhaps experimenting with a few different combinations would result in finding a facial mask that suits your skin the best. Below are four combinations to get you started.

1. Combine mashed banana, 1/2 cup finely ground oats, 1/4 cup honey, 3 tablespoons milk.
2. 1 small mashed banana, 2 tablespoons pure cream, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon oat flour.
3. 1 mashed banana, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon wheat germ oil, 1 tablespoon finely powdered oats.
4. 1 mashed banana, 2 tablespoons honey, 1/4 cup yoghurt.

the general method is to combine all ingredients until very fine and smooth. If you choose a recipe that has an ingredient that is coarse such as oats, grind them to a fine powder in a food processor. Adjust the quantities to gain a consistency that is similar to thick yoghurt. Apply to face and leave about 15-30 minutes. Wash off with warm water.

Regular use of facial masks is required to maintain the benefits gained. Using once a week may be sufficient, though some people use it three times a week.

12 Kitchen Hints

Here are some kitchen tips I came across recently. Some I have used and some I have yet to try. They all looked reasonably useful. Try them when you have the need and see if they work for you.

1. Eliminate Odors from Disposal Unit - Put a lemon in unit and grind it up.
2. Get rid of fish smells - Rub butter on your hands. Rubbing toothpaste on them works as well.
3. Get rid of onion smells - Dampen hands and rub bicarbonate soda on them.
4. Keep salt free of moisture - Put uncooked rice or pieces of blotting paper in the salt shaker. They will absorb the moisture. My salt shaker has large holes and so I sewed the rice into a little netting bag.
5. Over salted the dinner? - Potato absorbs the extra salt. If possible cook it for a while with a potato or two in it.
6. Freshen stale nuts - Put them in the oven for 15 minutes at 250 degrees C.
7. Boil a cracked egg - Add a dash of vinegar to the water.
8. Be sure your boil eggs will peel easily - Keep lid on a few minutes after boiling. The pressure causes shell to fall off easily.
   
9. Make sure all the popcorn pops - Freeze it first.
10. Keep berries fresh - Don't wash until ready to use. Keep in refrigerator until ready to use.
11. Keep vegetables fresh longer - Put paper towels in the bottom of the veggie bin or containers. It will absorb moisture.
12. Keep and use over ripe bananas - Mash and freeze for making cakes and baked goods.

As far as removing smells from hands I find that toothpaste gets rid of most things.
Regarding over ripe bananas. Mine never last to try the mash and freeze as I love fried banana with my breakfast egg so they all get used that way.

I am keen to try the popcorn one. How fabulous if they all popped.

Jocelyn

Easy Snacks - Looking for Healthy Foods? Snack on These

It can be hard sometimes to find healthy snack foods. It is so easy to find cakes, sweets, cookies and the like that are ready made and delicious. The problem is they are generally filled with calories but no real food value. As much as we might sometimes crave these foods we know that they do nothing to increase our health but do plenty to increase our weight.

For really easy snacks there is always fresh fruit or a handful of nuts. These take no preparation time at all. They contribute lots of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients. In fact they make great healthy food snacks. There are times though when that is just not the sort of food we are craving for. The question is can there be such a thing as healthy snack recipes to satisfy this type of craving?

The resounding answer is yes, delicious satisfying foods. Snack on these recipes and each one will contribute fabulous nutrients to your diet. These 20 recipes give you easy snacks that require preparation but no actual cooking.

These recipes for healthy treats and healthy snack foods use no processed sugar, flour or additives. They are based primarily on nuts, fresh fruit and dried fruit. It is amazing what delicious concoctions can be made with such simple ingredients. If you are looking for healthy foods snack on these. Not one of these free recipes could be said to have empty calories. They are all made with health giving ingredients.

For those who need a gluten free diet, 19 of the 20 recipes are gluten free. The Fridge Cookies on page 14 contain oats. All the other 19 recipes in 20 Healthy Raw Snacks and Treats are gluten free. It can be even harder for the gluten free to find easy snacks so I was especially pleased to find this resource.

Next time you crave something decadently sweet or tantalizingly delicious try Coconut Orange Chocolate Squares, Chocolate Fudge, Blueberry Slice or or one of the other healthy snack recipes found in this collection of recipes. Just click on this easy snacks link and save the pdf file to your computer.

Enjoy healthy foods. Snack without compromising your health.

Jocelyn

Aloe Vera Uses and Health Benefits

Aloe Vera has been touted as something of a miracle plant. While I don't believe that any one thing is a silver bullet guaranteeing perfect health it does seem that the aloe Vera plant has a wide range of uses and health benefits. I recently read that there are at least 500 Aloe Vera uses medicinal . Even if the number was even half that it would still be an extremely useful plant.

Some Aloe Vera Health Benefits

• Alleviates constipation, haemorrhoids, rectal itching
• Heals ulcers, IBS, and other digestive disorders
• Prevents and treats viruses, fungal and bacterial infections
• Helps to alkalize the body
• Accelerates healing of burns
• Helps skin growth
• Boosts immune system
• Stabilizes blood sugar and reduces triglycerides in diabetics
• Lowers high cholesterol
• Protects the body from oxidative stress
• Boosts the oxygenation of your blood
• Helps manage allergies and AIDS
• Eases skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and acne
• Helps heal skin blemishes
• Helps stop baldness
• Eases sunburn

Aloe Vera can be used externally on the skin or taken internally. While it is a tropical plant it can be grown indoors in a small pot fairly easily. To use the raw Aloe Vera leaf break or cut a piece of the leaf off. Inside the leaf is a clear gelatinous substance. Rub this on the skin for external use. For internal use try mixing it into a smoothie. Another way to use it is mix a tablespoon of Aloe Vera gel with some water to make a juice and take before meals.

If you are not able to grow your own there are many Aloe Vera products available. Read the labels and look for products that are made with 100 percent Aloe Vera gel. The less processed and the less additives in the product the better.

Aloe Vera Resource

If you are looking for more detailed information about how to use and prepare Aloe Vera to benefit your health I would recommend 'Aloe Your Miracle Doctor' by Yulia Berry. Not only does this resource tell you all the great uses for Aloe Vera it also tells you how to grow it and prepare it for use in the many home remedies detailed. For those not likely to grow there own plants there is a chapter on commercial medicinal forms of Aloe Vera.
There are some very interesting bonus ebooks that come with 'Aloe Your Miracle Doctor'. It is available in both English and Spanish.

Enjoy good health
Jocelyn

Bruises? Treatment with Vinegar Helps

Healing Bruises With Vinegar

If you do something and you know that you will get a bruise apply vinegar to it as soon as possible. The sooner you get vinegar to it the less bruising you will get. If the bruise is already apparent applying vinegar will usually lessen the amount of bruising and disperse it more quickly.

Finger Jammed in Car Door

My mother tells a story about my aunt. Her finger had got caught in the car door as someone slammed it. She was in such pain that she could hardly alert anyone to open the door to release her. My mother immediately brought her inside and put her finger in a bowl of vinegar. I believe she had a cup of tea and kept her finger in the vinegar for about an hour.
She did have some bruising but she did not lose the finger nail as everyone expected. I had forgotten this treatment for bruises until my mother retold the story recently.

How to Apply

Putting your hand, finger or foot in a bowl of vinegar is not that difficult. If it is your arm, leg or other part of your anatomy try soaking cotton balls in vinegar and putting that on the bruised part. If it is a fairly large area soak an appropriate sized cloth in vinegar and wring it out before applying it to the affected part. Leave it soak on the bruise for up to an hour. If it seems necessary apply again later.

There are other remedies around for healing bruise but this is the only one that I have a story for. The success my aunt had with this bruises treatment makes it a good one to try as an immediate first aid treatment.

I don't think it matters what kind of vinegar you use but ordinary white distilled vinegar is usually the cheapest around. In case of needing it for immediate first aid use what ever is handy.

If you have a favorite family first aid treatment share it by leaving a comment.

Jocelyn

Recipe - Almond Sticky Date, Gluten Free

To follow yesterdays article about alternative sweeteners I thought a recipe using rapadura would be a good idea. This particular recipe is one I developed from an ordinary sticky date pudding recipe.

Why was I changing the original recipe? My family need to follow a strict gluten free diet. After much experimentation I have come up with a few things that really work well in the baked goods department. This is one of them. They will keep fresh for weeks in the refrigerator, if they don't get eaten first. In fact they get nicer with age which is a bit unusual in terms of gluten free baked goods.

Almond Sticky Date

Boil together 500 gram (17 ozs) chopped dates and 2/3 cup water.
Then add 2 1/2 teaspoons bi carbonate soda and leave for 5 minutes. Mash with a fork. (I have forgotten to mash them and it still worked)

Beat 5 eggs (6 if small) with a fork. Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup rapadura (use honey or other sweetener if desired). Adjust the amount to your taste.
Add 1/2 cup coconut oil. Mix all these together.
Stir in 2 1/2 cups (20 ozs or 250 gram) almond meal.
Stir in dates.

Spoon into muffin cases and cook in 170-180 degree C oven for 30 minutes In Fahrenheit degrees that would be about 335-350 degrees.

Notes to clarify some points

I know that doesn't seem like much water to boil the dates in but it is right. You don't need to boil them for long. Just bring them up to the boil and the water is pretty much evaporated and it is time to take them off.

I use coconut oil in nearly all my baking and love it. If you prefer you could use butter instead or whatever you normally use for shortening. I am sure it would work satisfactorily.

Experiment with the amount of sweetening you need. Dates are quite sweet in themselves. When I first made these I used half a cup now I only use a quarter of a cup.

I hope you enjoy them. They are fairly easy to make. The most time consuming part is chopping the dates and grinding the almonds to make almond meal.

Jocelyn

4 Alternate Natural Sweeteners

Refined sugar, whether it originates from cane or beet, contributes only empty calories to our diet. Sometimes, in our efforts to improve our diet and therefore our health we are looking for a natural option to sweeten our food that will add nutrients not just calories.

There are four options that I would like to briefly explore here.

1. Rapadura
2. Honey
3. Agave nectar
4. Stevia.

Rapadura

Rapadura is evaporated cane juice. In some places it is called Panela or Jaggery. If the label says it is 100% evaporated cane juice then it is the same as rapadura. It is made by extracting the juice from the sugar cane by using a press. The juice is then evaporated and dries into granules. It has a different texture from sugar as it has not been heated and spun to produce the crystals of sugar.
Rapadura still has the all the nutrients that are in the cane juice. It is metabolized more slowly than refined sugar and does not cause your blood sugar to spike. In other words it has a low glycemic index rating. For a comparison between the components of rapadura, raw sugar and refined sugar click here.
I use rapadura in much of my baking. I find it very successful in cakes and biscuits. I always reduce the quantity of sweetening of any recipe so I might use 1/4 -1/3 cup of rapadua when the recipe asks for 1 cup sugar. Others might prefer things sweeter so experiment and see what suits you.

Honey

Honey is said to be 25 to 50 percent sweeter than sugar. I can be used in all forms of cooking. I sometimes use it in some cake recipes. In large quantities it can cause a spike in blood sugar levels. Raw honey contains enzynes and other health giving substances that are damaged by heat. As raw, unheated honey is usually more expensive it is a good idea to use it only when not heating it and to use cheaper heat treated honey for cooking purposes.

Agave Nectar

Agave nectar is relatively new on the supermarket shelves. However it is made from a plant that has been used for food in Mexico for thousands of years. The agave is a large spikey succulent type plant.
When the plants are 7-10 years old the leaves are cut off, leaving the core of the plant called the pina. The sap is extracted from the pina, filtered using enzymes and heated at a low temperature (under 118F), giving the resulting agave nectar.
Agave nectar has about the same calories as sugar but is sweeter so less is used.

Stevia

Stevia is a shrub that is native to Paraguay. While the leaves of this plant can be 30 times sweeter than sugar extracts from the leaves called steviosides are said to be about 300 times sweeter than sugar. The body does not metabolize the stevia leaf or any of its extracts so there are no calories. It doesn't raise blood sugar.
Raw herbal stevia contains nearly 100 identified phytonutrients and volatile oils. Most of these will be nonexistant in the refined extracts. On the down side many stevia products leave an aftertaste.

Make Your Own Stevia Extract
If you have access to stevia leaves you can make your own extract. Combine a measured portion of stevia leaves or herval powder with pure USP grain alcohol (eg Scotch) and let sit for 24 hours. Filter and dilute to taste using pure water. Reduce the alcohol content by heating vely slowly to allow the alcohol to evaporate off.
To make a water based extract. Pour boiling water over the leaves and allow to steep, strain when ready. This will now extract as much of the sweet glycosides as the alcohol. Either extract can be cooked down and concentrated into a syrup.

Stevia can be used for any cooking where sweetening is the only use. It does not caramelize, brown or crystalize like sugar does so it is not suitable for anything that needs these properties.

If you have a favorite natural sweetener please share it with us by leaving a comment.

Be healthy
Jocelyn

Kitchen Beauty Instead of Expensive Alpha Hydroxy Acid Products

Kitchen Beauty
Again Kitchen beauty comes to the rescue. Alpha hydroxy acids are used in the cosmetics industry. They are used in products intended to reduce wrinkles, aging and to improve the look and feel of the skin. Chemical peels also use alpha hydroxy acids. Most commercial products use synthetic alpha hydroxy acid. These products are usually quite expensive.

Instead of buying expensive alpha hydroxy acid products turn to your kitchen instead.

There are several types of alpha hydroxy acids derived from various foods.

• Malic acid - apples, vinegar
• Lactic acid - Buttermilk, yoghurt, kefir, powdered skim milk, sour cream, blackberries, tomatoes.
• Tartaric Acid - Grapes, grape juice, wine, cream of tartar
• Citric acid - Citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, grapefruit, orange.
• Glycolic acid - Cane sugar

Glycolic acid and lactic acid are considered the two that are most useful in skin care because they have a smaller molecular structure which makes them more able to penetrate the skin.

How it works
The alpha hydroxy acid either in commercial products or simple ingredients from your kitchen work by loosening the glue between dead skin cells. The dead cells then fall away leaving smooth and soft skin. If you have sensitive skin test any thing new on a small patch of skin first. Be careful to keep any of these out of your eyes.

Just before I sat down to do this article I rubbed kefir into my face, neck and arms. It went into the skin really easily. It is just about time to go wash it off. You could rub a small amount of lemon juice on, leave 10 minutes and wash off. For something quick try cutting a grape or strawberry in half and rubbing it over your skin. Leave it on for a few minutes before washing off.

Other benefits from utilizing the alpha hydroxy acid from your kitchen produce

• Can help prevent clogged pores
• Enhance cell renewal through exfoliation
• Help hydrate the skin
• Increase collagen production
• Improve skin texture making it appear more radiant
  

When beauty care products are the same as the food you eat you know you are not putting dangerous chemicals on your skin.

Have fun as you find what is in your kitchen to help your skin.

Jocelyn

If you are looking for a book that has compiled loads of kitchen beauty skin care together you might like "Leon's Anti-Aging Beauty Secrets" Ebook. Plenty of recipes including alpha hydroxy facial masks. This information allows you to take advantage of the natural powers of natural ingredients without all the useless added ingredients. Click now to check out Leon's Anti-Aging Beauty Secrets!

5 Banana Skin Care Ideas

Do you want to rejuvenate your skin? Use banana. Skin care using bananas provides natural substances that will nourish your skin. Bananas contain many vitamins, minerals and other substances that help to regenerate your skin. You can just use mashed banana by itself or combine it with some other ingredients that are also beneficial for your skin.

Cracked Skin

If you have cracked or dry skin on your elbows, knees or feet mix some mashed banana with a little honey. Apply it to your skin. Leave on for half an hour then wash off with warm water. It will help make the skin softer. If your hands are sore and chapped due to weather conditions mash banana with either a little honey or a little milk and spread all over your hands. Wrap them in a layer of plastic or put rubber gloves on. Leave on for half an hour to an hour before washing off.

Hair Conditioner

If you need to give more shine and moisture to dry hair mix a mashed banana, an egg a little honey, milk and some water together. Apply evenly to the hair. Cover the hair with a warm towel for half an hour. Wash out thoroughly.

Skin Moisturizer

Mix mashed banana with milk or cream and use as a moisturizer on your skin. It will help the skin to be moist and soft.

Facial Mask for Treating Pimples

Bananas have some anti bacterial properties and are said to be useful in treating skin blemishes. Try mixing a tablespoon of milk, a pinch of nutmeg and a tablespoon of oatmeal with a mashed banana. Apply to the face. Wash if off after it is dry.

Anti-aging

Use Bananas to soften and hydrate your skin. The antioxidants and vitamins in the bananas can help restore collagen in the skin and so are useful to help your skin maintain a younger look.

Natural skin care remedies like banana skin care provide a natural moisturizer and solutions to a range of skin problems. Best of all, because you know you can eat what you are putting on your skin, you know that there are no dangerous chemicals or ingredients.

Bring out the natural beauty of your skin.

Jocelyn

6+ Skin Uses for Banana Skins

So you thought that banana skins were just rubbish? I knew that rubbing the inside of the banana peel on an itchy insect bite could bring relief. Check out these other cool uses for banana skins.

Psoriasis - Rub the inside of a banana skin on the area of skin affected by psoriasis. It will be red at first but within a few days there should be a noticeable difference.

Acne - Rub the inside of the banana skin over the acne. It should soothe the skin and reduce acne breakouts. After a few uses the acne should be improved.

Poison Ivy - Rub the inside of a banana peel on to the area affected by the poison ivy. The inflammation should go and the itching stop.

Warts - Rub the inside of a banana peel on the wart each night. It takes about a week or two for improvement. It is reported that plantar warts as well as regular warts have responded to this. Some say that tapping the banana peel to the affected area overnight gives better results.

Bruises - Banana peel can speed up the natural healing and recovery so that the skin cells regenerate and restore themselves more quickly.

Wrinkles - Regularly pressing the inside of the banana peel on to large areas of the skin like the forehead or cheeks may help to tighten up the sink and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. This is not an instant fix.

Burns and Scratches - apparently the oil in a banana peel can help relieve the pain from burns and scratches.

Splinters - Tape a piece of peel over the splinter. The enzymes will help dislodge the splinter and heal the wound.

Plants - Not only are banana peels good for your skin they are good for your plants as well. When your houseplants are dusty wipe each leaf with the inside of a banana peel. It will clean off all the dirt and replace it with a great shine.

Shoe Polish - I know this is not exactly skin care but another use for the banana skin is to give a quick shine to your shoes. Rub the inside of the banana skin directly on the shoe and then polish with a dry cloth. Works for silverware as well.

Oh and for all the gardeners out there I believe they make very good fertilizer.

Banana skin contains antioxidants such as lutein and minerals, especially potassium and phosphorous, that help the skin restore itself naturally. The particular compounds in banana peel appear to be useful in reducing inflammation.

So next time you eat a banana consider if you have a current use for the skin before you throw it in the rubbish.

Have fun

Jocelyn

Homemade Facial Masks from the Kitchen

Kitchen beauty can be extended to homemade facial masks. The following ideas are all simple homemade facial masks recipes. None of them are complicated. In fact most of them consist of just one ingredient. It is easy to make your own facial masks with these simple ingredients

• Honey - Simple and easy just use plain honey. Open the pores by using a warm wash cloth. Smear the honey on and leave for 15-30 minutes. Wash off with warm water followed by cold water to close the pores.
• Egg White - Beat the white of an egg until it is frothy. spread it on your face. Leave it on until it dries, then rinse it off. An egg white mask will tighten the skin.
• Egg Yolk - Apply an egg yolk to your face and neck for 30 minutes then rinse with cool water. some people find this a great help in healing blemishes. That could be due to the great nutrients in the egg yolk.
• Banana - Mash about 1/4 of a ripe banana, or as much as you think you will need. spread it on your face and leave it for about 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water and then cold water to close the pores.

Try Some Combinations

• Combine a little honey with egg yolk.
• Mashed banana with about 1 tablespoon of honey is considered to be soothing and great for oily skin.
• Egg yolk, honey and oatmeal - Use 1 teaspoon of honey and one egg yolk. Mix together then slowly stir in oatmeal until you have a soft paste. Smooth it on to the face. Leave for 15 minutes then rinse off with warm water.
• Avocados and honey are considered to be great for moisturizing the skin. See previous articles about avocado and its uses on the skin.

Natural beauty treatments are very easy to use when you can use foods that are in your kitchen. You can feel confident that there are no harsh additives in your facial mask when you have made it from simple foods you would otherwise have eaten.

If you would like some extra facial mask recipes that use more than one ingredient try this page at wittyliving.com

Have fun as you experiment with kitchen recipes as part of your beauty care.

Jocelyn