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Top 3 Foods For Glowing Complexion

#1 Durian – also known as the King of Fruit, and for a reason, this nutritional powerfruit is not only good for your overall well-being but gives you a glowing complexion almost instantly. It does so mainly thanks to its organosulfur compounds which can’t be found in any other fruit.

Durian fruit
Durian fruit

#2 Oregano – mostly recommended topically in case of acne as an oil but eaten fresh, oregano will make you glow from the inside out thanks to its active compounds thymol and carvacrol. So make sure to add this herb to soups, salads, smoothies etc.

#3 Chillies – chilli peppers contain a phytochemical called capsaicin which works as a vasodilator, meaning that it increases blood flow to the skin. And if that’s not yet good enough then chillies have also been found to reduce wrinkles.

Chili Peppers
Chili Peppers
May 13, 2013Permalink

Acne Cure

Having been acne-free for more than a year already after several years of struggling with it I think it’s safe to say that there is no magic product out there that cures acne for good. There of course are remedies that work for a while but they won’t solve the problem in the long run. The best cure is always the simplest one, something so basic that you can’t even think of it. In the case of acne the best cure is absence of products. And by absence of products I mean all products. For example I don’t use any make-up, I do not use any face creams or oils and I don’t even wash my face daily. When I do wash my face (about once or twice a week maximum) then I use just plain water or occasionally the same thing that I use to wash my hair – Bentonite clay. And my skin has never looked or felt any better.

nahk

It isn’t easy though to go from using products on your face to using no products at all. The skin gets clogged up with debris from using too many products on it and needs to re-establish itself slowly. In my case I had about 6 month long transition period when I was still washing my face 2 or 3 times a week with a simple soap and used sea-buckthorn oil on my face. I highly recommend sea-buckthorn oil to anyone struggling with acne as it really clears up acne fast and keeps the breakouts at bay thanks to its antibacterial and antiviral properties and at the same time is absorbed into the skin really fast. I was afraid that when I stop using the oil then my acne would return but it never did and still shows no signs of doing so.

After giving up using any products on my face I must say that I also have to reconsider the theory that what we eat can cause or prevent acne because now I can eat all the things that before were known to cause an acne break-out on my skin for sure. I believe that any foods can cause acne only when the skin’s balance is disrupted from using too many products and it can’t eliminate toxins normally anymore. So to me the “skin-care” products seem to be the main cause of acne.

February 5, 2013Permalink Leave a comment

Natural Common Cold/Flu Remedies For Children

When my children come down with common cold or flu then instead of giving them the conventional medicine I first try to fight off the disease with some natural remedies instead. So over the years, practice has shown that these 3 remedies work the best to fight off a disease:


#1 – Garlic – Yes, simple as that, garlic does wonders to fight off viruses and bacteria and the good news is that there’s no need to feed it to your children but what I do is take about 2 garlic cloves, peel them and then cut them in half and place them somewhere near the child’s head during sleeping. When the cloves dry up then just peel and cut new ones.

#2 – Vodka and water mixture – This is a really old remedy that even my mother and grandmothers have used. Works well to take down the fever a few degrees. So what you need to do is mix together half a cup of vodka and half a cup of water and apply it to your child’s skin (all over the body if needed) with a cotton pad. The water and vodka mixture helps to cool down the body a bit when the fever gets too high. I usually start doing this when the fever hits 39,5 degrees.

#3 – Eucalyptus essential oil – Works like garlic by killing the bacteria and viruses and is especially good for stuffed nose. Either put a few drops into an oil lamp or humidifier or drop up to 2 drops straight onto your child’s pillow. Another trick you can try is rubbing a few drops of pure eucalyptus essential oil on the soles of your child’s feet, works well for coughs, stuffed nose and fever.

Essential oils shouldn’t be used on very small babies, it should be ok to start using them for babies 6 months and older. The other 2 remedies can be used on smaller babies as well.


October 20, 2012Permalink Leave a comment

Eat Up Your Papaya… Seeds

Yep, that’s right. Turns out that not only the fruit is edible but also its seeds. And just as the papaya fruit is good for your health so are the papaya seeds. For example the papaya seeds can help you get rid of worms and other parasitic infections because they contain papain (a strong proteolytic enzyme) and carpaine (anthelmintic alkaloid). Papaya seeds are also known to help cleanse the liver and fight off bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus etc.

Remember that since the papaya seeds are really potent then a little goes a long way. Only 1 teaspoonful of the seeds per fruit is enough (once you taste them I’m sure that you will agree with me). And remember not to have them daily for extended periods.


 

October 2, 2012Permalink Leave a comment

DIY: Hand Sanitizing Gel

After moving to South-East Asia recently there is one product that has previously been almost completely unnecessary but is now being used on a daily basis at least 10 times a day and that product is a hand sanitizing gel. It’s especially needed when you have small children because you can’t really prevent them from touching everything, can you? A small drop of hand sanitizer can go a long way by protecting you from milder diseases like upset stomach to more serious ones like hepatitis A.

After using many bottles of hand sanitizer already I did some research and learned that it’s really easy to make by yourself, so I gave it a try. All you need is 2/3 cup of aloe vera gel (which is really easy to make if you happen to have an aloe plant, read more about it here), 1/3 cup of rubbing alcohol (the stronger the better) and about 10 drops of essential oil of your choice. Mix everything and pour into a small plastic bottle so that you can carry it with you easily. Add liberally as often as you like and stop worrying about germs when you don’t have water and soap at hand.


 

August 26, 2012Permalink Leave a comment

DIY: Herbal Tooth Powder Without Baking Soda

Here’s one recipe for herbal tooth powder without any added baking soda. Since I ran out of my last tooth powder then now I decided to make a new one without baking soda because it is said to damage the tooth enamel when using long term. I’m not saying I won’t use baking soda ever again in a tooth powder, just a short break once in a while is a good thought : )

So here’s what you’ll need to make my herbal tooth powder: 2 tablespoons of whole dried stevia leaves, 2 tablespoons of whole dried peppermint leaves, 2 tablespoons of whole dried sage leaves, 1 tablespoon of neem powder (or 2 tablespoons of whole dried neem leaves) and 4 tablespoons of Bentonite clay.


Grind the herbs with mortar and pestle first:

And then add the neem powder and Bentonite clay and stir:

 

I chose exactly those herbs because the stevia gives the tooth powder a mildly sweet taste and also helps to improve dental health thanks to its antibacterial properties. The peppermint freshens the breath and also has strong antibacterial and antiviral properties. Sage is said to act as teeth whitener and cleaner plus it helps to keep your gums healthy. Neem powder helps to prevent periodontal disease and tooth decay. And I added the Bentonite clay because it mildly polishes and re-mineralizes the teeth.

 

May 27, 2012Permalink 1 Comment

More Natural Ways To Cure Vaginal Yeast Infection

Since my kefir tampons post has become surprisingly popular then I guess that many more people besides me are dealing with vaginal yeast infections (especially during pregnancy) so I’ll write here about some other natural remedies as well to get the yeast under control without having to turn to the doctor to get medications.

So the best thing you could do when trying to fight off yeast infection is to pay attention to what you eat, sugar and wheat are the main things to leave out because they are feeding the yeast as well. And try to add garlic to your dishes as much as you can, both cooked and raw versions. Also eating foods with probiotics is a good idea (kefir, buttermilk, plain yogurt).

Another remedy that is recommended to help cure the vaginal yeast infection is apple cider vinegar. Add one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (use organic version with “mother” if possible because that will have the most beneficial enzymes in it) to one glass of water and drink it first thing in the morning. It will help to make the internal pH balance unacceptable to the yeast. Drinking apple cider vinegar water is also especially recommended during pregnancy because it only doesn’t help to fight off the yeast but also strengthens the placenta and improves the blood flow to the uterus.

Externally you can also try applying olive oil to the infected areas because olive oil helps to destroy the spores of the yeast.

You can also try another quick fix method by clicking here.

May 13, 2012Permalink Leave a comment

Raw Kitchen Corner: Stinging Nettle Pesto

Lately I’m really glad to see that more and more people don’t consider stinging nettle to be just an annoying weed anymore but rather recognize it for what it really is, a superfood. Stinging nettle contains loads of iron and calcium for example. It is also a good source of vitamins A and K. I discovered this powerful weed for myself last spring and all through winter this year was dreaming of spring to get my hands on the fresh nettle leaves and make one really good pesto out of them : ) So here’s the recipe for my raw vegan stinging nettle pesto:

You’ll need about 2 handfuls of raw stinging nettle leaves, about 4-5 Siberian garlic chives leaves, a few basil leaves, about half a cup of cashew nuts, 2 tablespoons of pine nuts, 2-3 garlic cloves, about 1/3 or half a cup of walnut oil, salt to taste.

Mix everything in a blender and use on pasta or as a vegetable dip sauce.

If you don’t have Siberian garlic chives leaves then feel free to be creative and replace them with something else or skip them altogether, the star of this recipe after all is the stinging nettle : )

 

May 11, 2012Permalink 5 Comments

Beneficial Herbal Teas To Drink Before, During And After Pregnancy

There are many beneficial herbs that can be made into a tea and consumed before, during and/or after the pregnancy to keep both the mother and the growing baby healthy and happy.


Not so well-known herb to use before pregnancy is Herb Robert (Geranium Robertianum) because it is said to be the miracle remedy in case of infertility. It contains natural progesterone and stimulates fertility in both women and men. It is also a source of germanium which is a valuable element to the body as it makes oxygen available to the cells.

Probably the most well known herb on the other hand to use before and during pregnancy is raspberry leaf. It helps to prevent miscarriage and postpartum hemorrhage, eases morning sickness, reduces pain during labor and can actually help make the labor faster. After birth it assists in the production of breast milk. Raspberry leaf is also rich in various vitamins and minerals like calcium and magnesium which help relieve leg cramps and iron which helps to prevent and treat anemia.

Another herb to use before and during pregnancy is lady’s mantle which is also said to be very useful in treating sterility. It helps to thicken the uterine lining which is necessary for better embryo implantation. During pregnancy lady’s mantle helps to avoid miscarriage and during labor it helps and eases the process of giving birth.

Stinging nettle is also recommended during pregnancy but only for one week at a time. After drinking stinging nettle tea for one week you should have a break for at least 1 month before having it again. Stinging nettle tea is mostly used to treat and prevent anemia but it has other benefits as well. For example it aids and strengthens the kidneys, nourishes mother and baby, helps to reduce hemorrhoids and diminishes pain during and after birth.

Alfalfa tea is especially recommended during the last trimester of pregnancy because it contains a lot of vitamin K among other essential nutrients. Vitamin K is necessary for blood clotting so it helps to decrease postpartum bleeding and chance of hemorrhaging. Vitamin K is also essential to the newborn.

From 36th week of pregnancy it is recommended to start drinking one cup of wild thyme tea a day. It helps to prepare the cervix for the labor and relaxes smooth muscles. At the same time it is also a mild uterine stimulant.

All of the herbs mentioned above can be consumed after giving birth as well but there is one more herb that is especially recommended right after labor and that is yarrow. It helps to stop external and internal bleeding, has anti-inflammatory properties and is calming to the nerves. It can be used right after giving birth but should definitely be avoided during pregnancy!

May 10, 2012Permalink Leave a comment

Anti-Aging And Deep Cleansing Soap Nut Face Wash

This will be the last post from the soap nut series for a while, I promise : D I just couldn’t resist sharing this soap nut based face wash recipe as well. It’s quite simple really, the base is soap nut liquid again just as with the soap nut shampoo plus loads of added skin purifying and rejuvenating ingredients.

So first what you need to do is make the soap nut liquid by boiling 7 whole soap nuts in about 2 cups of water for 30 minutes on a medium heat. I also added a green tea bag into the boiling soap nut water because it has antioxidant (read: anti-aging) and anti-inflammatory activities when added to the skin. Then let the mixture cool and drain out the soap nuts and tea bag.

Then I used mortar and pestle to grind about 2 tablespoons of whole stevia leaves and 20 tablets of activated charcoal (if you’re using capsules of activated charcoal then skip the grinding part and just open up the capsules). Turns out that stevia leaf powder isn’t only good for your oral health but also for your skin. It effectively softens and tightens the skin, smoothes out wrinkles and helps to heal acne. Activated charcoal when added topically absorbs into the pores of your skin and draws out dirt and oils, meaning that it can help eliminate acne, bumps and blackheads.

I also added 4 tablespoons of Dead Sea mud, 2 tablespoons of neem powder and 2 tablespoons of rice powder to the face wash mixture. The Dead Sea mud helps in treatment of various skin ailments such as acne, eczema and psoriasis, it is said to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and hydrate and moisturize the skin. And just like activated charcoal it sucks out impurities and toxins from the skin. The neem powder acts as an astringent and tones the skin. The rice powder contains ferulic acid and allantoin. Ferulic acid is a powerful antioxidant and allantoin is a good anti-inflammatory agent, it soothes sunburns and promotes the skin’s repair. Rice powder also has some whitening effect on the skin.

When you have mixed all the ingredients together then add about 1 tablespoon of vitamin E oil for better preservation. You can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.

*If you want the face wash liquid to be less like a liquid and more like a paste so that you could also use it as a face mask then feel free to add any clay of your choice to make it thicker (I would recommend Rhassoul or French green clay for example)

 

 

May 8, 2012Permalink 1 Comment