healthy and beautiful

Well you all knew honey was meant to be had for such things as coughs, colds, sugar replacements, etc, but how many of you knew that it provides the perfect remedy to cracked lips (or even heels for that matter!)? All you have to do is take a lip brush (I’ll write more on the various makeup brushes in another article) and apply a slather of natural honey on your smoochies. Get and use plain honey on your body. There are those with synthetic flavors and preservatives, but the best is to go a la natural. Applying honey to your lips also gives them a natural sheen, just as a lip gloss would. If you’re going to take a nap on the ground in a spot where you know there are bitsy bugs and/ or ants, I’d advise you to wait on the honey application. Otherwise though, it’s a healthy, foolproof way to care for your lips. Some popular brands of honey are: Dabur, BeeMaid, Honeywell, Honey Gold, etc. Dabur Honey was ranked the ‘best buy’ by the CERS (Consumer Education and Research Society) after tes...

Has the human race has proven to be resilient yet again? Rumors are surfacing that while scientists are struggling to find a cure for swine flu, many are recovering on their own. It is whispered that thousands around the world are being found to recover on their own with just bed rest and isolation. Although they still say that there are those at risk of it being fatal, such as the pregnant and those who have other resistance-weakening diseases.

Not many people know this, but rose water is an excellent natural make-up remover for both men and women. Not only does rose water act as a perfect tonic for your skin, it is also a natural remedy for making your skin look clear, fresh and alive. Using rose water on your skin at least once a day, leaves your skin looking healthy and glowing. All you need is a cotton ball and a few dabs of rose water. Gently dab - not rub - it onto your skin and let it work its magic. The best way to use it is right before bed. That way it has all night to sink into your skin and leave it looking fresh and pure again. Rose water is also a great skin 'healer' from the everyday wear and tear of dust, pollution, heat, etc.

No, drinking more milk, scientific research has found that taking a more calcium-rich diet does NOT help to prevent the much dreaded old-age symptom of osteoporosis, which is more common among the women species. It is just an old myth. To prepare against the eventualities of this deterioration disease, one must instead build up muscle mass which instead helps strengthen the bone. Calcium rich diets will only help you to build bone mass up until you are fully grown. After this, your body no longer needs to have excess milk (especially cow's milk) pumped into it. It is good as a protein yes, but not as a way of building bone mass. Only resistance training can do that for you. If you are trying to combat osteoporosis now, try seeking consultation from your doctor, or for going for some light aerobics and gradually working your way up to exercising with weights. Take dancing classes if you have to, but do something rigorous that will get your heart pumping and those muscles building.

For all you women out there who have yet to find a way around your monthly set of menstrual cramps, these tips should help you find pain relief. Daily aerobics - Exercising daily helps to strengthen your body's muscles and keeps them flexible. Asides from strengthening your body, it helps to reduce the pain of the cramps. Back stretches - This helps guard against the pain of the back muscles contracting during menses. Stomach crunches - Doing tummy exercises helps to toughen you up for those painful cramps you experience when your uterus muscles contract. Eat a high protein/ calcium diet. Avoid taking iron supplements during your period. Try eating chocolate to help ease the cramps. This is no old wives tale. It actually works :). Sleep extra. Drink plenty of water and liquids to help restock your body with fluids. Avoid doing exercise during the first one or two days of your bleeding. The above mentioned exercises should be done throughout the month and on a regular basis, althoug...

Is your hair falling out? Were you one of those who used to wake up in the morning to brush your thick hair and now, thanks to your hair fall, you are reduced to waking up to seeing at least 50 strands of loose hair spread out over your pillow? The time to stop your hair fall is now. It can be a thing of the past. Start by understanding the core root of the problem. Why does your hair fall out? o A common myth is that a severe case of dandruff makes your hair fall out by handfuls. This however, is a myth and not a fact. Dandruff is a condition of the scalp caused by dead skin cells being shed. This does not affect the hair to a point where it falls out in handfuls. o An important thing to remember is that losing or ‘shedding’ upto 100 strands of hair in a day is normal. The body easily replaces the fallen hair and as such, is part of a natural process. o It could be due to a poor intake of vitamins – namely, the vitamin B6 and folic acid which is essential for hair repair and healthy s...

Especially in summer months and dry climates, it can be quite a feat (no puns intended) to keep your feet soft and pleasant-looking. For women who wear open shoes, and men who wear sandals, keeping your feet clean and neat can be difficult when all day the sun and dust are working against the best of your efforts. I read an article that a friend of mine had written in which she said that she found an effective feet softener – easy to use, quick and result-friendly. She said that she applies cocoa butter to her feet at night and wears socks to keep the moisture cream from rubbing off while it works its magic. By morning, you can remove your socks and actually feel the difference in and on your feet. I found my friend’s advice to be spot on. Needless to say, if you need this remedy for any other part on you, just make sure you remember to wear a covering that is not too loose so as not to rub off the cocoa butter moisturizing cream. If you need to cream up your legs, wear tights or stock...

Strange, but true. Banana is an excellent conditioner. Many companies make banana hair conditioner, banana hair masks, banana shampoo, etc. but the best banana hair treatment I have ever used, was the one I made for myself. Must sound pretty odd, huh? It isn't complicated at all though to make yourself a homemade conditioner. At least you know what's in there, so you can judge it according to your hair type. All you need to do is blend a banana in the blender until it's smooth, and then apply it to your hair. Leave it on for about 1/2 hour to an hour and then wash your hair normally with your regular shampoo. You will find that after applying the banana to your hair, your hair becomes naturally glossy and easy to manage. It is much softer as well. For this reason, using banana on your hair is great especially for those with rough or dry hair, or for those that experience extreme summer months and dry heat. It's excellent for preventing and repairing hair loss as well. ...