Monthly Archives: September 2011

G is for Garlic – A Globe of Glamour for us Gals

Garlic for Natural Beauty

Garlic’s active component is a sulfur compound called allicin, which has been shown to destroy a whole host of bacteria, reduce cholesterol and blood pressure levels, destroy fungal infections, kill off parasites, improve the immune system, prevent viral infections, remove protozoan organisms,  prevent the release of histamine, and keep mosquitoes from attacking.

In order to release the power of allicin, you have to crush the garlic first.  And then you get more benefits -  Garlic stimulates T-lymphocyte and macrophage action, promote interleukin-1 levels, and support natural killer cells.

As if that’s not enough – garlic works great on your body as well.  It might sound weird to make skin care products out of garlic, but would I steer you wrong?   If you have a cyst or wart on your skin, you can apply a small slice of garlic to it to get rid of it.  If you get bitten by something nasty like a scorpion, apply a piece of garlic to the bite or sting.  (just a small piece – too much will burn!)

If you have acne – Mix the juice of 2 cloves of garlic with an equal amount of white vinegar and apply with a cotton pad twice daily.

For a cold sore, cut  a raw clove of garlic and apply the cut side directly to the sore.  It will sting, but it will help to get rid of it and prevent infection.

For athlete’s foot – Chop a few raw cloves of garlic finely and cover the area that has athlete’s foot  with the garlic.  Wrap with some bandages or gauze and leave on overnight. In the morning, wash your feet really well, put some garlic oil on it (you can just infuse some extra virgin olive oil with a few cloves of garlic) and wear some socks.  Say Goodbye with Garlic!

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G is for Grapefruit – Get Gorgeous!

Grapefruit is Great for Natural Beauty

All of the wonderful benefits that grapefruit can give your body (see G is for Grapefruit) work as well on the outside!

Most of us cleanse our skin, many of us moisturize, but only a few of us tone our skins.  And it really is an important step to wake up and rejuvenate our faces.

Grapefruit Herbal Toner.   To invigorate your skin, Squeeze the juice from a grapefruit and combine with one or several herbs (rosemary, mint, thyme, marjoram or sage all work great). Put all of your ingredients into a squeeze bottle and let it sit for a few hours so that the mixture will meld.  To apply, wet a cotton ball with the mixture and wipe over your face to refresh your complexion.  Be careful to avoid the area around the eyes.
If you don’t have any herbs handy, no problem.  Just soak a cotton ball with some fresh grapefruit juice and use it on your face by itself.  Ah, refreshing!

Yogurt is one of my favorite ingredients for facial masks (see Y is for Yogurt – On your Face and in Your Hair).  Adding grapefruit to some yogurt is a powerful way to perk up your face!

Grapefruit-Yogurt Clarifying Mask. Grate the rind (outer skin) of a grapefruit and mix with 3/4 cup yogurt in a glass bowl. Using your fingers in a circular motion, put the mixture on your face (always avoiding the delicate eye area).  Let it sit for 10 – 15 minutes, rinse with warm water and apply your favorite moisturizer.

Get Gorgeous with Grapefruit!

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G is for Green Tea – Great for Getting slim!

Green Tea for Great Weight Loss and Natural Health

Green tea is great for gobs and gobs of natural health benefits as we just saw.  But one of the great things about it for us naturally healthy and beautiful women is that it can help to increase weight loss.  You can get your green tea by brewing up a couple of cups a day, or by taking green tea extract in a dose equal to consuming at least seven cups of it a day.

First of all it has caffeine in it, which speeds up the metabolism and creates a thermogenic effect  which  is the process of the body burning fuel (fat) without making chemical energy (the calories are released as heat).  According to an Oprah show with famous holistic health and diet expert, Dr. Perricone, if you replace your coffee with green tea, your blood sugar will be stabilized and insulin will be lowered.  Insulin puts a lock on body fat. So, you’ll still get a kick of caffeine with green tea, but it will drop your insulin levels and body fat will fall very rapidly.  The polyphenol antioxidants in green tea which prevent the damages caused by free radicals are also shown to promote weight loss.

Weight loss is aided by green tea, yes, however it must be part of your diet regimen as it won’t work by itself.  You need to eat less, exercise more, and drink lots of water (and other non-caffeinated diuretic beverages) to ensure healthy, slow, long-lasting weight loss.  There are no Gimmicks to Getting healthy and Getting Gorgeous (except for some of the fabulous tips we have here!).

 

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G is for Green Tea – Grab Gobs for Great Natural Health

Green Tea Natural Health Benefits

Green tea (Camellia Sinesis) is gaining ground as one of the primary things you should consume to increase your natural health.  There are three types of tea (not counting herbal which is not part of the tea family) – green, black and oolong.  Green tea is made from the unfermented leaves of the tea plant, and has been shown to contain the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols.  We know, of course, that antioxidants help the body to fight against free radical damage that can cause or contribute to cancer and cardiovascular disease.  Green tea is constantly being studied as to its role in preventing these diseases.

Green tea contains a highly concentrated form of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) which scientists have found to inhibit the growth of cancer cells, in particular breast cancer, and diminish the risk of reoccurrence.  An analysis of 22 studies of the correlation between green tea and lung cancer has initial findings  that show how by drinking at least two cups of  green tea each day may reduce the risk of developing lung cancer by 18%.

Green tea has also been shown to help reduce inflammation associated with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, two types of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  Green tea has been used for centuries in Eastern cultures to control blood sugar in the body, which reduces the incidence of diabetes.

A study done by Dr. Orhan Aktas from the Institute of Neuroimmunology concluded that the catechin EGCG found in green tea is capable of directly protecting against neuronal injury in living brain tissue and that this might prove to be a new treatment for MS because of the combining of green tea’s anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective capacities.

Other research has shown that green tea is indicated in reducing the pain or rheumatoid arthritis, helping to keep arteries free of plaque by lowering bad LDL cholesterol, boosting the immune system, cutting down on periodontal disease, and reducing allergies and infections.

If even one of these claims is true, and in this case I believe they are, I say Go for the Green!  Next – G is for Green Tea – Great for Getting Slim!

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G is for Grapefruit – Great for Girls’ Natural Health

Grapefruit for natural health

Naturally Healthy Women of all ages – Grab a Grapefruit!  It’s Good for Girls!

Grapefruits of any color (although I think pink is really girly and gorgeous) are full of Vitamin C for skin care and fighting colds.   The colors of the grapefruits are signs of healthy carotenoids like lycopene, proven to reduce the incidence of prostate cancer in otherwise naturally healthy men, and diets high in vitamin C have been linked to a reduced risk of cancers of the esophagus, bladder, breast, cervix, colon and stomach.

Grapefruit also has a host of other natural health benefits – reducing the incidence of kidney stones in women and lowering cholesterol, as well as helping protect against colon cancer in smokers.  A study by the American Chemical Society that having a few glasses of grapefruit juice every day can lessen the action of an enzyme shown to increase the adverse effects of cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke.

Grapefruit and other citrus fruits and juices are not recommended for certain people taking some other medications, due to the actions of certain chemicals in citrus which interfere with enzymes needed to absorb or break the medications down.  Check with your healthcare provider to make sure grapefruit can be in your natural health diet.

And grapefruit’s great for natural beauty too!  And for weight loss!  Stay tuned for more great grapefruit gems!

 

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