Visit my other blog »

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Homemade Hair Masks

Hair masks are great for improving condition but some of them can be quite expensive. Why not try making your own? The biggest advantage is that your mask won't have any chemicals so it will really help your hair. You may already have most of the ingredients in your home so you can always whip one up for an emergency conditioning session! And it's fun! Give it a try – but be warned, it's addictive!

Here are some lovely hair mask recipes which I got from hair style city - have fun!

 Rescue Masks for dry, damaged hair

You can also use these if your hair isn't in bad condition but just needs a boost. Leave them in for the minimum time.

Coconut cream mask

Soften a large chunk of coconut cream in your hands and massage into hair. Wrap your head in a warm towel and leave it on for an hour. Wash out with a gentle shampoo.

Egg mask

Beat two full eggs with 2 tablespoons of water. Apply to clean, damp hair, massaging in well. Leave for 10 – 15 minutes and then wash out with mild shampoo.

Banana smoothie for hair – not for drinking!

Mix 1 mashed banana, 1 full egg, 3 tablespoons of honey, 3 tablespoons of milk and 5 tablespoons of olive oil. Make sure it's well combined and then apply to hair. Leave for 15 – 30 minutes and wash out with a gentle shampoo.

Yogurt hair mask

Separate an egg and beat the white until it's foamy. Mix with 6 tablespoons of natural yogurt. Massage into the hair and leave for 15 – 30 minutes. Wash out with a very mild shampoo.

Avocado hair mask

Mash the flesh of one ripe avocado. Add 1 tablespoon of honey and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix until creamy and then apply to your hair. Leave for 20 minutes and then wash out with a gentle shampoo.


Olive oil hair mask

Whisk up 5 tablespoons of olive oil – it doesn't matter which sort – with 2 full eggs. Massage thoroughly into your hair and then cover it with plastic wrap or a shower hat. Your body heat will help the oil to penetrate. Leave for a minimum of 30 minutes and then shampoo out, rinsing well.

Honey and Olive oil mask

Mix 3 tablespoons of olive oil with 2 tablespoons of honey. Apply to your hair and wrap your head in plastic film or put on a shower hat. Leave for at least 30 minutes and then shampoo as usual, rinsing well.

Banana and almond mask for dry, damaged hair

Mash a ripe banana and add a few drops of almond oil. Mix well and massage into your hair. Leave for 15 – 30 minutes. Wash out with gentle shampoo.

Milk and honey mask

Mix a tablespoon of honey in half a cup of full fat milk. Apply to your hair and leave for 15 minutes. Wash out with a mild shampoo.

Masks to help get rid of dandruff

Fenugreek mask

Soak a handful of fenugreek seeds overnight in just enough water to cover them. In the morning, grind the seeds in the water to make a paste. Apply to your hair and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. Wash it out using a mild shampoo.

Thyme hair rinse

Put 7 heaped tablespoons of dried thyme into 2 cups of water and boil the mixture for 10 minutes. Your kitchen will smell heavenly! Strain the mixture and leave it to cool. Lean over a bowl and pour half of the solution onto clean, damp hair. Keep scooping it out of the bowl and re-applying until all your hair is well soaked. Don't rinse or wash out. Keep the other half of the solution for another treatment!

Hair rinses

Rinse for blondes

Add a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice to a pint of water and use as a rinse after shampooing.

Rinse for brunettes and redheads

Add a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a pint of water and use as a rinse after shampooing.

Orange musk rinse for shiny hair

Mix the juice of a fresh orange with 1 tablespoon of honey and 5 – 7 drops of sandalwood oil. Dilute with enough water to make a rinse – about a pint – and mix thoroughly. Use after shampoo and then rinse out.

Honey shine rinse

Mix 1 teaspoon of honey into 4 cups of warm water. Make sure it's well dissolved. Use as a rinse after shampooing and don't wash out. Dry as normal for a great shine!

Be prepared!

These are quick, easy and fun to make – and they're great for your hair! Once you've found a few favorites, keep the ingredients in your store cupboard so you can indulge in one up whenever you want!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

5 BENEFITS OF CUCUMBER

1. Keep body hydrated - Cucumber has 96% water content that is more nutritious than regular water, which helps in keeping the body hydrated and regulating body temperature. It also helps in flushing out the toxins from the body.

2. Skin care - The high water content, vitamins A, B, C and the presence of certain minerals like magnesium, potassium, and silica make cucumbers an essential part of skin care. Facial masks containing cucumber juice can be used for skin tightening. Ascorbic acid and caffeic acid present in cucumbers can bring down the water retention rate which in turn diminishes the puffiness and swelling under the eyes. Cucumber skin also can bring relief to the skin caused by sunburn or windburn.

3. Fight cancers - Cucumber are known to contain lariciresinol, pinoresinol, and secoisolaricire sinol – three lignans that have a strong history of research in connection with reduced risk of several cancer types, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, uterine cancer, and ovarian cancer.

4. Control Blood Pressure - Cucumber juice contains a lot of potassium, magnesium and fiber thatwork effectively for regulating blood pressure. This makes cucumber good for treating both low blood pressure and high blood pressure.

5. Beneficial for teeth and gums - Cucumber juice is also beneficial for people with teeth and gums problems, especially in cases of pyorrhea. Cucumber is a good source of dietary fiber and this fiber massage in the teeth and gums.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Benefits Of Coconut Water

I love drinking coconut water especially if it's from a freshly opened coconut. Hubby and I often stop by at the market to buy a freshly opened coconut. I just love the refreshing taste not to mention the benefits we get from drinking it. I prefer it than those flavored drinks that are carbonated and high in fructose. In my homeland Philippines, coconut is sold everywhere. We even had 2 golden coconut trees in front of our house before and  we are used to drinking it. It's a sad thing that the coconuts had to be cut down because it grown so tall and touched the electric wire. Coconut water is really good and most of us use it to cleanse our urinary tracts and it really works. Below are benefits that we get from drinking coconut water. After reading this, the more I will drink it.

1. The best thing about this beverage is that it contains Zero Cholesterol. It contains minerals like Calcium, Manganese, İron, Zinc, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Sodium and Potassium. It also contains vitamins like Riboflavin, Thiamine and Vitamin C . All these nutrients make coconut a very potent health drink. It is more nutritious than milk, as it has less fats and no cholesterol

2. Research studies suggest that Cytokinins (e.g., kinetin and trans-zeatin) in coconut water showed significant Anti-Carcinogenic and Anti-Thrombotic and Anti-Aging Effects

3. It is used as intravenous saline fluid in many developing countries and has saved many lives. The reason that it's possible to be used that way is its composition, which is quite identical to Human Blood Plasma

4. Coconut water, by its very nature is an İsotonic Beverage. That is, it has the perfect balance of electrolytes in it, which is good for our body due to its right PH Levels

5. It is an excellent Energy Drink for the old and the sick, who find it difficult to process solid food. It is a Natural Fluid designed to Sustain Life

6. It is better than many processed baby milk products, as it contains Lauric Acid which is an important ingredient of Mother's Milk.This natural beverage can effectively treat Disturbance of the İntestine in İnfants

7. Anti-Ulcer Properties: Both coconut milk and coconut water exhibit potent anti-ulcer activity against chemicals such as indomethacin, a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID)

8. Blood-Pressuring Lowering Properties: When human subjects consumed coconut water for two weeks, it was found to lower blood pressure in 74% of the experimental group, reducing it by up to 24 points (mmHg) systolic and 15 points (mmHq) diastolic

9. Anti-Alzheimer’s Properties: in an animal model of ovarectomy-induced menopausal changes, coconut water appeared to prevent the decline of brain estrogen (estradiol) levels, as well as the associated accumulation of Alzheimer’s disease associated β-amyloid (Aβ) plaque in their brains

10. Anti-Bacterial Properties: Three novel antimicrobial peptides have been identified in coconut water which exhibited inhibitory activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria

 11. Anti-Gastroenteritis Agent: When sodium is added (ideally sea salt) coconut water has been determined to be an ideal rehydrating agent in countries where medical supplies are not freely available, and where, say, cholera and other severe forms of gastroenteritis persist

12. Ultimately, coconut makes for an excellent alternative to Sports Drinks, which are increasingly comprised of synthetic ingredients

13. Its water is also a very good source of B-Complex Vitamins such as Riboflavin, Niacin, Thiamin, Pyridoxine, and Folates. These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish

NOTE: IF you buy Coconut water, please look at the ingredients ... should be 100% pure coconut water ... nothing else ... no sugar, not anything else.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Make Up For Me

I am not very fussy with the way I look. In fact I hardly use any make up at all except putting some eye brow liner because my eyebrows are so thin. That's the reason I need to have an eyebrow liner most of the time. I even told my hubby I'm getting tired putting eyebrow liner in my eyebrows and I planned to go to the beauty salon to have a permanent eyebrow. I've never done it before but I believe it will save me time in putting those eyebrow liners in my face. One of my friends had done it before and she told me it's worth it. It so happened that as I was browsing the internet I found this site that offers a permanent make up to their customers. I think this is what I need and I have to tell my hubby about it. He might be happy for me to finally find a solution to my problem. The site caters to women who really want to look their best. If only my mom is still alive, I would have given her a Mother's Day present by giving her a permanent make up from the said website. So if you guys want to look prettier and stunning, just visit their website and find out more about Glow Day Spa. I'm pretty sure you will not get disappointed with their products and services.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Banana Each Day

Instead of eating an apple each day for optimum health, the adage should state that a banana each day keeps the doctor away.

Bananas are good for your heart and nerves.

Bananas are good for your kidneys and bones

Bananas can act as mood enhancer mild sedatives

Bananas are good for your blood

Bananas are good for kids.

Bananas are good source of dietary fiber

They Lower Blood Pressure

High Nutrient Absorption

They are also helpful in preventing age-related macular degeneration and strokes.

REDUCE ANGER TO LIVE A HEALTHIER LIFE

Did you know that you can die from anger? Anger can cause a number of life-threatening incidents such as stroke, high blood pressure, heart attacks and cancer.

It may also flare up illnesses such as diabetes, back pain, skin disorders, stomach problems and asthma.

Well known cardiologist Dr. Willie Ong has these tips on how to reduce anger. They are:

REST WELL --
Don’t overwork yourself. When you try to work too hard you pressure yourself. If you’re well rested, it will be harder to make you angry. Take a walk, or sit down with a friend. These activities can help you to relax.

EXERCISE --
Physical exercise can reduce stress and tension. By getting your body tired from exercise, you won’t have the pent-up energy to get mad anymore. Exercise also releases feel-good and happy hormones.

DON'T DRINK ALCOHOL --
Alcohol and anger are a deadly combination. Please do not be tempted to drown your anger in alcohol because this may lead to bigger problems later on.

WAIT YOUR ANGER OUT --
If you’re angry with someone, don’t confront the person right away. Wait awhile. Try doing slow, deep breathing exercises in the meantime. If possible, delay confronting him or her for a day. When the time comes, your anger might have passed already.

THINK LONG-TERM --
Ask yourself: Is this issue I’m angry about going to affect me in a year’s time? How about in 10 years? If the answer is “No, it won’t affect me,” then you might as well forget about it.

GET BUSY --
People who have nothing much to do tend to become more irritable. Little things that other people are doing become a bigger deal and a source of irritation. It’s better to focus your energies on your own projects.

DISTRACT YOURSELF --
If you feel your anger rising, one trick is to distract yourself. Read a magazine, look at a different scene, or mentally think of a beautiful place. This will shift your mind to other things.

GIVE YOURSELF SOME ALLOWANCE --
You don’t have to be a perfectionist. Prepare yourself in advance for delays, traffic problems, and glitches in meetings.

AVOID UNPLEASANT SITUATION --
Know the things that usually make you angry. Are you going to a meeting or a party you’re not comfortable in? Before getting yourself stuck in those situations, try to either prepare for it or just avoid it.

PRAY --
As the Bible tells us, “Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you.” This is hard to do, but forgiveness and acceptance may be the only permanent release from anger. Everybody makes a mistake, knowingly or unknowingly. That is why Jesus teaches us to pray, Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Yes, it’s easier said than done.