Your Guide to Organic Beauty Products

It’s easy to say that organic beauty cosmetics are safer to use than regular cosmetics. But everyone knows that talk is cheap. So let’s choose a few generic products and dissect them one by one, ingredient by ingredient so that you’ll know exactly what it is that you’re getting when you buy beauty supplies. Then if you decide to use the more damaging products, can’t say you weren’t warned.

We’ll start with the base of cosmetics - foundation. This handy product can smooth out uneven skin tones, cover a multitude of flaws and give people the beautiful skin they wish they’d been born with.

One of the ingredients in foundation is propylene glycol. Sounds harmless enough, but what is it? It’s a form of alcohol - and you can find it in substances such as anti-freeze. Imagine putting the same ingredient you put in your car on your face. But you do when you use products containing this ingredient.

Next on the list is dimethicone, often used in pesticides. Using the same chemical used in killing bugs on your face? How absurd. Yet, it’s one of the ingredients in foundation. Or how about sodium dehydroacetate? It’s a preservative and can also be found in some household cleaning products.

Organic beauty cosmetics are safer because they don’t use chemicals that can be found in pesticides. They don’t use ingredients you’ll find in anti-freeze and they don’t use material that you’ll find in household cleaners.

They use natural, straight from the earth products to bring users products that can do the same job (such as foundation) but without all of the potential health hazards. You might not care about the difference and you might think that your risk is minimal.

Yet even with all of the leaps in technology, cancer is still one of the number one killers and it strikes without preference to race, age or gender. If the products that you use in your life contain known carcinogens or dangerous chemicals, it may adversely affect your health or the health of your loved ones - it’s just a matter of time. You deserve better and so does your family.

You might have grown up in a lifestyle where you just use whatever products are available, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to change - to make your environment healthier and safer. Start by eliminating all of the products you use in personal beauty care that contain harmful chemicals. Switch to organic shampoo, soap and organic deodorant.

You’ll discover that organic beauty cosmetics are safer, better for you - and once you make the change, you’ll see the difference in the glow of your skin and you can rest assured that you’re giving the best possible care you can to your body. Buying organic isn’t just a choice you make today - it’s an investment in a longer, healthier life for tomorrow.

Best Organic Beauty Products For Your Body

Overall good health involves a head to toe selection of the best organic beauty products for your body. It's not enough to simply use organic shampoos or soaps only to turn around and use products filled with chemicals that can harm your skin or worse - cause adverse health problems. 

Did you know that many of the products you buy in the beauty department are created with chemicals that contain materials that are linked to cancers? Unlike food items, beauty products have no stamp of approval or disapproval from the FDA. 

That means there are no tests done to show the consumer that the items are safe as well as effective. Any company with enough money and a big advertising campaign can sell to consumers and promote products that aren’t truly safe. 

Buying that $10 product made for the masses might seem like a good bargain, but what are you really getting? What’s in the shampoo that’s being absorbed into your skin? What kind of toxic chemicals are you putting on your face? What about the deodorants you use? The perfumes you apply to your skin? 

The list could go on and on and even include products you use to care for your clothes. Always remember that whatever you put on (bath products, cosmetics, shampoo, soap) your body does absorb. So whatever materials are in that product could end up inside your body. 

You might even have read reports where some companies assure potential buyers that their products weren’t tested on animals. But you have to ask yourself, why was the practice of testing on animals started to begin with? To see if they would be toxic to humans. 

Beauty product companies are in the business to make money and sadly, profit sings a better song to some than public safety. That’s why the best organic beauty products for your body are the ones made from purely organic materials. You might pay a little more for organic, but isn’t your health and the health of your loved ones worth a few extra dollars? Of course it is. 

Not only does switching to organic-based products help keep your skin and body toxin free, but it also can give your body some extra boosts. Did you know that many of the natural products contain vitamins and nutrients that help your body’s overall health? 

Where do you think the practice of using beauty products originated from? Where did the original beauty products come from?  From plant materials. From nature. Your long ago ancestors knew that the best organic beauty products for your body were made from natural resources offered by the earth. 

For your best health, always buy organic. Look for the products that don’t contain preservatives, dyes or any other type of chemical. You’ll not only look fantastic, but your body won’t have to pay the price for looking good. 

How to Shop for Organic Beauty Supplies

If you want to use organic cosmetics, it’s important that you learn the secret of how to shop for organic beauty supplies, because there are so many choices. Not every product that claims to be organic truly is what they claim to be. 

But it’s worth putting in the effort to get the truly natural products because there are many advantages of using organic beauty supplies over chemically produced ones. Not only is it better for the environment, but you’re not damaging your skin by exposing it to harsh chemicals day after day. 

Your first step when purchasing any organic product is to read the ingredient list. The more ingredients a product has, the less likely it is to be organic. Look for ingredient lists that are easy to pronounce and short.  

Pay attention to packaging as well. If the product doesn’t claim to be “all natural” or “organic,” then chances are high it’s not. But you should realize that even if a product is labeled all natural or organic it can be misleading. Make sure you do your homework before purchasing any organic cosmetics.  

Know which products are right for your skin type because there’s a difference even in organic circles. If you already know which ingredients help oily skin, then you’ll be better prepared to choose a product that helps you rather than wasting your time and money on something that doesn’t. 

A little online research can help you discover which ingredients will be best for your skin type and which ones to avoid and you’ll learn how to shop for organic beauty supplies as you educate yourself. 

When you’re ready to try an organic product, you’ll want to start small. You can often get free sample sizes of the product that interests you so that you can test it. It’s important to test out your products. 

While using the trial, you should ask yourself the following questions: 

· Does it last as long as the manufacturer says it does? 

· Does it perform as well as it claims to? 

· Does this product make me feel healthier and look my best? 

If it doesn’t work right or doesn’t make you feel good, pass on the product and keep searching for other organic beauty supplies. There are many great products out there. Finding your unique mix might just take a little trial and error. 

Expect to spend just a bit more. When it comes to knowing how to shop for organic beauty supplies, prices tend to be higher than the cosmetics you purchase at the drugstore that are full of chemicals. 

Organic cosmetics are often produced in smaller batches, which isn’t as cost effective as making it in bulk. But no matter the cost, it’s important to treat your skin right.  Remember, changing your beauty routine by using quality, organic cosmetics is a step toward a better, healthier you. 

Organic Beauty Recipes You Can Do at Home

If you enjoy using organic beauty supplies, did you know that there are organic beauty recipes you can do at home? And the great news is that these recipes are made from simple, natural products that you can easily buy. 

You’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that your products are completely free of toxins and you’ll save money, too. Once you’ve had some practice making the products yourself, you might even be able to put them in decorative containers and share them with your friends as gifts. 

You probably already have one ingredient needed for hair health right in your refrigerator and it’s as natural as you can get. That ingredient is an egg. For a lovely, natural shine to your hair (that’s free from harmful chemicals), use one egg (for short hair) two for longer hair. 

Crack the egg open into a bowl, mix it well and put it in your hair the same way you would store bought conditioner. Let the egg sit in your hair for anywhere from two to five minutes and then rinse the egg out. 

There are even organic beauty recipes you can do at home that can cover up the gray in your hair. It’s no secret that many people want to cover up gray hair. Having gray hair signifies to some people that the downside of aging has begun. 

Never mind that some of Hollywood’s most attractive men and women sport gray hair. If you don’t like having gray hair, it doesn’t matter what others do with theirs. Before you fall into the false belief that to cover gray hair you must buy a potentially poisonous hair dye, you should realize that you can also dye your hair naturally. 

One of the most popular phrases you’ll hear is ‘dye with henna’ and some companies will promote this as all natural. But what you might not know is some of the companies add chemicals to henna dye, making their product not organic and not safe. 

You can dye your hair naturally using spices like rosemary or sage. You can also color your hair using tea or coffee if you happen to have dark hair. It’s not as fast as using a store bought box of hair dye, but it is safer for your body. 

You brew the tea or coffee (make it twice as strong as you normally would) and let it come to room temperature. When that’s done, you just rinse your hair with the coffee or tea. You’ll need to repeat this step anywhere from three to five times before you’ll notice a difference. 

If you’re into soap making and are looking for organic beauty recipes you can do at home that involve creating your own soap, one of the best soaps you can make has olive oil as a main ingredient. 

The great thing about making your own soap is that you can give it your own fragrance depending on what ingredients you add, to make it uniquely yours.  Creating your own organic products from recipes you use at home is one of the best ways you can pamper your body. 

Organic Beauty Tips to Promote Good Health

Most magazines have feature articles that talk about various beauty routines, but organic beauty tips to promote good health cover more than just the outside of your body. Learning about and using organic products is a way that you can make sure you’re keeping your body its healthiest inside, too. 

While most people wouldn’t even consider using toxic materials inside their home and seek ways to go green, they’re unaware that their day to day routine of using mass produced beauty products could be harming their skin and even introducing dangerous toxins into their body. 

Every single product you use in your home and for your body should be used with an eye out toward keeping your life the healthiest it can be. Many women (and some men) use facial masks to get rid of dead skin cells and to invigorate new growth. 

These masks keep the skin looking younger, feeling smoother and promote internal well being from knowing your skin looks good. However, you can inadvertently add years to your skin by choosing the wrong facial mask - the ones with abrasive chemicals in the ingredients. 

Instead, you can opt for a safer and gentler mask by using oatmeal. You can either buy a natural oatmeal mask or you can make your own at home with the ingredients you already have on hand. 

All you need is oatmeal, a little bit of honey and some water. You mix the ingredients together until it’s nice and sticky and then apply it to your face. Leave it on for no less than ten minutes and then remove with water. You’ll instantly feel the difference. 

If you enjoy painting your finger and toenails, then you especially need to learn about organic beauty tips to promote good health because nail colors contain an ingredient known as nitrocellulose. 

This is an acid - and while it’s used in nail polish, guess what else it’s used in? Explosives such as dynamite. Did you know that the ingredients listed in nail polish are poisonous? 

Those ingredients are things like butyl acetate, ethyl acetate and toluene. Toluene is a solvent (think paint thinner), which is what gives nail polish that pungent odor. Inhaling the fumes from nail polish can poison your body. What’s the alternative if you want to paint your nails? Look for a water-based nail polish that doesn’t contain dangerous chemicals. 

The best way to understand which products are healthy to use is to not only select from organic choices, but to study exactly what you’re putting on your skin and into your body. 

You might think that companies would avoid products that could harm you, but they don’t. Even little ones aren’t exempt from dangerous ingredients in products (some diaper creams contain boric acid). 

So it’s important to make informed decisions rather than taking someone else’s word that what you’re buying is good for you - especially if that someone else is making a profit if they convince you to buy. There’s nothing wrong with making a profit. There is however, something very wrong with making a profit at the expense of the public’s health. 

4 Wonderful Food Facials to Nourish Your Skin

It’s not easy being skin in a world that’s full of toxins. Not only does your skin have to battle toxins, but the sun can cause damage as well. Most people really don’t give the job that their skin does a lot of thought.

It’s just there. They start to notice it whenever there’s an outbreak, an infection, or a rash that pops up. And you might not realize the toll that your eating, sleeping and lifestyle habits can take on your skin.

While genetics do come into play (and so does age) when it comes to how your skin looks, there are some simple facials you can use to rejuvenate your skin and make it shine with that healthy glow.

Why Use Food Facials?

Food facials are natural and don’t contain ingredients that can harm the skin. They’re relatively inexpensive and easy to whip up right in your own home.  Plus, food facials are always jam packed with good-for-your-skin ingredients like antioxidants.

These antioxidants don’t just fight off stuff that can damage your skin, but antioxidants are great at restoring skin that’s been damaged. If you’ve suffered damage from toxins, the sun or irritants, a food facial can help repair the cell changes you’ve encountered.

Food facials can offer you a ton of benefits that will help you see the difference when you look in the mirror. For one, they can help tone the skin. When you use a food facial, the ingredients in the mask work to tighten the pores.

As the pores are tightened, your skin feels and looks firmer. Your skin undergoes a lot of stress just during a normal day, much less any days that you’re doing additional things that can impact the health of your skin.

When you go through your day, the things that you do can impact the pH balance of your skin. If this balance is upset, you’ll see it.  When the pH balance isn’t right, your skin can become too dry.

It can also become too oily. You might notice red patches or areas of flaky skin. The balance must be kept between a certain pH balance and something as simple as washing the hands can change the pH balance for your hands.

In the shower, the shampoo that you use can leave a residue on your skin that can upset the balance. Though most products are pH balanced, not all of them are.

You can tell if you’re running into a problem with your skin’s balance if you start to notice that after exertion or after being in warmer temperatures, your sweat has a stronger, more distinctive odor.

If you notice that, it’s a sign that the alkaline is off kilter. Some people might not think keeping the skin balanced is a big deal. But one of the things the pH level does is help to prevent bacteria from entering the body through the skin. If the pH balance is off, your skin can become an open door for bacteria.

The Honey Facial

Honey is a natural facial that can work wonders for your skin. It’s loaded with antibacterial ingredients, so if there is bacteria lurking on your skin, honey can fight that for you.

These antibacterial properties can help prevent acne flare-ups as well as other skin infections. It’s also full of antioxidants which can keep cell damage at bay and since your skin is exposed to so much that can cause damage, you definitely want this.

But that’s not all that the antioxidants in honey can do if you use it as a facial. These little gems are some of nature’s best weapons for helping you fight the battle against aging skin.

You end up with younger looking skin, thanks to the anti-aging properties of honey. Plus, honey is great to use for hydrating the skin - so after you use it, you’ll notice that you have that refreshing glow to your face.

Because it can hydrate the face, it works wonders to put an end to dry skin. When you use a honey facial mask, your skin will go through a deep cleansing because honey is known to open up pores.

That means that if you’re struggling with clogged pores, honey can put an end to that. And unlike the chemical facials that you can buy at the store, honey doesn’t upset the natural pH balance of the skin.

So you won’t have to worry that you’re going to end up with dry or oily skin after using it. Some people have struggled for as long as they can remember with problem skin or common skin irritations, so they avoid using facials.

But because honey is all natural and soothing, it can be used even on problem skin. Anyone can use honey as a facial, regardless of the skin type. You want to make sure that you use raw honey and not any kind of processed honey.

The processed types of honey aren’t good for the skin. Because these types have undergone processing, the majority of the health benefits that honey was had is long gone.

So it wouldn’t do you any good to use processed honey. It’s best to make sure that the honey is warmed before you attempt to apply it. You can do this one of two ways.

You can gently warm it a little at a time by putting some in a glass container that you place into a sink full of hot water or you can warm it in a pot. If you do warm it in a pot, you need to make sure that there aren’t any hot zones left in the honey before you use.

So test it first before you apply it to your face. You need to warm the honey until it’s smooth enough for you to be able to easily spread it. Honey that’s a cooler temperature will be thick and not as easy to work with.

If you heat it on the stove, don’t put the pot it’s in directly on the source of heat. Instead, put a pot within a pot to heat it with water in the lower pot. Let that water boil and as soon as it does, remove it from heat and test the temperature of the honey.

If it’s cool enough, then put it on your face in a very thin layer. You want to leave it on anywhere between 10-15 minutes. Rinse your face completely when you’re finished.

Avocado Facials

Not only are avocados tasty, but they’re also fantastic to use as a facial. You’ll find that avocados are packed with skin boosting benefits. They’re known to roll back the years that take a toll on the skin.

So if you’re looking for younger skin, this is the mask that you want to use. If your skin has been having problems with the pH balance, an avocado facial can help to restore that.

It’s known to treat dry skin as well as skin that has lost its luster. This food is packed with antioxidants and minerals that help hydrate the skin. Using an avocado for your facial gives you a surge of skin healing vitamins.

These vitamins contain helpful boosters that get to work fixing what life has damaged on the skin of your face. When you use it, the avocado properties go deep into the skin to make sure that you’re not losing moisture as quickly as you have been.

A lack of moisture is one way that your skin suffers and you end up with red, dry or itchy skin. If you’ve been using expensive creams or lotions in an attempt to moisturize your face and they haven’t worked, it’s because these over the counter treatments don’t make it past the first layer of skin like an avocado facial can.

And one of the biggest bonuses with avocados is that they contain retinol. This is what helps to stimulate your body to produce collagen. When your body produces collagen, your skin ends up looking younger, smoother and the problem areas are effectively treated.

Plus, avocados are known to fight things like free radicals that can cause a lot of damage to the skin. If you’re someone who’s experienced sun damage, using an avocado facial mask can help restore the cells that were damaged.

To make this revitalizing mask is easy and convenient. Choose a ripe avocado, cut it in half and take out the pit. Place the insides of the avocado in a dish and use a whisk to stir it until it’s smooth.

Gently put the mixture onto your face lightly, but don’t rub it in. Place it on the face until all the areas are covered. Set a timer so that you can remove the mixture after about 15 minutes of use. When you’re done, rinse your face with warm water.

Mango Facial

Mangos are not only delicious, but they contain a wealth of vitamins. They’re loaded with the important B vitamins including B6. The minerals in the mango are part of a healthy diet - not just for you to eat - but for your face as well.

Because the fruit contains Vitamin C, it can help fight skin irritations or the overproduction of oil and other issues that can lead to an acne outbreak. Not only can this fruit help you be able to say goodbye to acne, but it also minimizes the damage left behind by scars.

The Vitamin A in the mango is an antioxidant. Any fruit that contains an antioxidant is known for helping to restore a youthful vitality to the face. Not only that, but the mango helps promote the growing of new cells that can boost your body’s collagen production process.

Plus, it helps restore the firmness of the skin tone, so that any wrinkles look smoother. For this reason, the mango is often referred to as an anti aging food. The fruit is a combination skin healer in that if you have skin that’s too oily, the mango works to help clear the pores.

If you have skin that’s too dry, the mango helps hydrate the skin. So it’s great to use for people of any skin type including those with sensitive skin. If you’re someone who likes to have fun in the sun, using a mango facial can also help keep the damage that the sun’s ultraviolet rays can do to your face at bay.

Making a mango mask is super easy, but you need to be careful that you don’t get any of the peel into the mixture. The peel of the mango has urushiol, and if that sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the same chemical that gives poison ivy its itchy, painful reaction when you come in contact with it.

So if you’re someone who has a bad reaction to poison ivy or poison sumac, you’ll need to be extremely careful with this fruit. You can use mango as the only ingredient in the mask or it can be mixed with other natural food items.

If you use it as the only ingredient, just peel the fruit and place the pulp into a bowl. Make sure you mix it so that it’s a creamy consistency so that it spreads easily across the face.

Put the mask onto your face and leave it on for about 10 minutes before rinsing with warm water. If you decide that you want to mix it with another food item, you can mix it with avocado for additional helpful benefits to your skin.

If you’re experiencing a skin flare up, you might try mixing the mango with honey since honey can soothe away irritants because of the anti-inflammatory properties it contains.

It can also be mixed with yogurt. If you want to focus on a strong exfoliating ingredient, then add a couple of teaspoons of plain oatmeal.

Lemon Juice Facial

Like fruits, lemon juice is packed with a ton of helpful minerals and vitamins that are good for your skin. Because it’s very acidic, some people might find that using lemon juice on the face tends to sting the skin.

If this is the case with you, you’ll find it helpful to mix the lemon juice with just a little bit of water so that it’s not as acidic. Your face goes through a lot in life and your skin takes the brunt of living.

The face especially can fall prey to the harshness of things you have to deal with in life. You can end up with scars or areas of the skin where the skin tone is no longer even. You can develop skin irritations and as you grow older, you might start to notice certain dark areas known as age spots have cropped up. Using lemon juice as a facial can help with all of that.

It alleviates the pigment changes in the skin that make scars more noticeable and it lightens age spots. Because it’s loaded with antibacterial properties, it can be used to treat common skin problems - including minor rashes and acne.

It can be used as part of a regular facial routine to keep acne from developing. The skin on your face can become coated with a build up of oil the skin secretes as well as other things and when you use a lemon juice facial, the ingredients strip away the build up, which leaves you with younger looking skin.

Because lemon juice is an exfoliant, it will promote the growing of new skin cells, which makes your skin look revitalized. It’s also beneficial for those who have oily skin because the lemon juice cleanses and tones oily skin.

If you have dark places on your skin - or an uneven skin tone, you’ll want to use a lemon juice facial because the juice from lemons is widely known to lighten dark areas on the skin.

Even though it’s acidic and you might think the opposite, lemon juice can moisturize skin. Plus, it can tighten wrinkles and lessen the appearance of fine lines.

To make a lemon facial mask, you can use it straight or you can mix it with water. Some people will put the juice into a spray bottle and spray the mixture directly onto the face.

But the lemon juice can also be mixed with honey. If you choose to mix it with honey, add a tablespoon of raw honey for every half of lemon that you use. Put the mixture on the face, taking care that you don’t get it into the eyes.

Leave it on a minimum of 15 minutes, but the mask can be left on as long as a half hour if your skin can tolerate the acidic nature of the lemon juice. You might want to build up your time with this food mask, since it does have the ability to alter the color of your skin, brightening it as it works topically.

There are many foods that you can use in facial masks. For instance, bananas moisturize your face. Vinegar can tighten up sagging skin. Mayonnaise is a wonderful cleanser.

Don’t ignore anything in your fridge or on your shelves. Look to see if it can be used as a facial mask. For example, even yellow mustard acts as a fantastic stimulant, but not everyone can tolerate it, so you have to do a test spot beforehand. 

Your Natural Guide to Health & Beauty

We live in a world that’s rich with pollutants and each of these pollutants can damage your body and your skin. Exposure to pollutants increases how fast your body and skin ages.

You have environmental factors, the damaging rays of the sun - and for those who have a cigarette habit, smoking can also damage your body inside and out and it can nullify the Vitamin C you do take in. Damage can also occur as a result of secondhand smoke.

Thankfully, there is a way that you can fight back against pollutants - and it’s an inexpensive way, too. You can make sure that you’re eating a diet of foods that are rich in Vitamin C.

The first way that your body fights back against pollutants is with healthy skin. Vitamin C is needed for the production of collagen. Vitamin C works with your body to help keep the production of collagen at a needed level.

Without enough Vitamin C, the collagen can start to break down. Because collagen is a connective tissue in the body, once you run on a Vitamin C deficit, the skin starts to wrinkle and sag.

Of course, the easiest and most natural way to get enough Vitamin C is by having a diet rich in this vitamin. Whenever Vitamin C is mentioned, people automatically think of oranges or orange juice - and while it’s true that both are a way to get daily doses of the vitamin, there are other choices so that you can have a variety.

Foods Rich in Vitamin C Protect You From Pollutants

Look to citrus fruits for your Vitamin C. Check out limes as well as grapefruits and lemons. Other fruits that have Vitamin C are strawberries, kiwi, cantaloupe, guava and peaches.

You might not be aware that peppers are loaded with Vitamin C. Both green and red peppers contain this vitamin, but the amount of Vitamin C is higher in red bell peppers than in green. Red bell peppers have at least double the amount that the green ones do.

Of course, leafy green vegetables have this nutrient, too - and you can get that in spinach or cabbage. Romaine lettuce, kale and turnip greens also have Vitamin C. The good news about getting enough of this vitamin in your diet is that not only does it improve your health and skin, but it also fights back against the diseases (like cancer) that you can get from being exposed to certain pollutants.

Fight Free Radicals That Attack Your Skin’s Beauty

When cell damage occurs, it can lead to skin that looks older than it is. But cell damage can also cause a lot of trouble for the body when free radicals attack your body’s cells both inward and outward.

When cells are damaged by free radicals, a reaction begins in the membrane of the cell. This reaction can lead you to develop certain diseases - and in some cases can lead to a cancer diagnosis.

The power to stop the reaction in the cells by the free radicals begins with the use of antioxidants. Antioxidants work like stop signs in the body. The power of antioxidants can protect your body on the inside so that you’ll have smooth, soft skin on the outside.

Antioxidants do this by making the free radicals ineffective in their quest to harm your body. You’ll find antioxidants in vitamins - especially in Vitamin E. Not only can this vitamin protect your skin, but it can also work to repair damage that’s already been done. This is a fat soluble vitamin and can be found in many different foods.

You can get helpful doses of Vitamin E by eating nuts. Some of the nuts that are high in this vitamin are peanuts, almonds and hazelnuts. Seeds are also a good food source to give you the protection and healing power of Vitamin E.

Look for seeds like sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. Vegetable oils also have a lot of Vitamin E - but only certain oils such as olive oil. Soybeans and olives are great foods that will add Vitamin E to your lunch or dinner recipes.

In the vegetable family, greens like spinach and broccoli can help you add more of this important vitamin to your meals. Having a slice or two of tomato on a sandwich adds Vitamin E, and so does adding some red bell pepper slices.

Breakfast cereals can help you increase Vitamin E in your diet. Look for cereals like bran flakes, multi-grain or oat cereal. Wheat germ is high in Vitamin E and can be added to recipes without even changing the flavor of the recipe. It’s also a food that doesn’t lose its antioxidant properties when it’s heated.

There are also benefits from drinking beverages that contain a lot of Vitamin E and one of those beverages is green tea. Green tea helps fight against the radicals that could cause tumors to grow within the body.

Not only is green tea good for you to drink, but it’s a treat for your skin, too. Using green tea as a facial mask gives your skin the benefit of antioxidants, which can repair damaged skin.

How to Eat Better for Stronger Nails

Your nutritional intake is a key to maintaining healthy nails. Doctors can tell a lot about their patients’ overall health simply by checking their nails. Problems with the thyroid and being iron deficient can cause brittle or weak nails. 

But no matter what causes nails that are weak or that don’t look their best, there are some steps you can take to get great looking, stronger nails. One of those steps is to make sure that you’re getting the biotin you need in your diet. 

Biotin helps give you energy, helps your skin look great and helps regulate glucose. Biotin is a vitamin that’s part of the B-complex family of vitamins and the benefit of this vitamin is how it works to help fight against weak nails. 

Biotin metabolizes the foods you eat so that your body can use the vitamins and minerals in the foods for whatever your body needs. There are a few different ways that you can get more biotin benefits for your body and one of those ways is by paying attention to the foods you eat and making sure that you consume foods rich in biotin. 

Remember that as with many vitamins, when you prepare the food by cooking it, you do lose some of the mineral amount. But foods like eggs, specifically the yolk, are very rich in biotin. 

Not only that, but many people don’t know that eggs also have antioxidants - so they’re doubly good for you! Avoid raw eggs when trying to increase your biotin intake because raw eggs prevent your body from being able to utilize the very nutrient you’re trying to add. 

Some meat foods are great sources to raise your biotin intake – including liver, pork and certain types of fish. Legumes also have high levels of biotin. Make sure you eat plenty of peas like black-eyed peas. 

Consuming some extra helpings of beans like soybeans and adding some alfalfa to your diet are all ways to get the beneficial boost of more biotin. Peanut butter and oatmeal are great sources of it, too. 

Fruits are a good source of biotin and you can find biotin in fruits like avocado, cantaloupe, watermelon, peaches, bananas and more. Peanut butter is a food that’s rich in biotin. With the many foods that contain biotin, it will be easy to change your daily menus to make sure you’re increasing the amount of this essential mineral you need.

Your body’s nails are made of keratin and what biotin does to help the nails is to aid in the production of this necessary protein so that you end up with strong, healthy nails. If you’re eating plenty of foods rich in biotin, but would like some extra help for your nails, then consider using a supplement or multivitamin containing biotin. 

The Role Zinc Plays in Keeping Acne at Bay

Years ago, it was thought that acne was a teenage skin problem caused by not washing the face well enough. But science has proved that theory wrong. Acne is a skin inflammation and the condition happens to people regardless of how young or old they are. 

For some people, it can be an ongoing battle trying to get and keep radiant looking skin that’s free from blemishes. The answer to how to get great looking, blemish free skin might surprise you. 

Zinc is recommended by dermatologists because of the ability this essential mineral has to fight against acne. Zinc has incredible anti-inflammatory properties that can actually work to heal the skin from the inflammation that causes the acne to occur. 

Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, zinc helps the skin repair itself from the outbreak. By having enough zinc in your diet, not only can that help fight acne, but if you do have an acne inflammation, zinc can heal the skin faster than any other mineral. It’s one of the reasons this mineral is also recommended in cases of diaper rash because it heals so well and fast. 

Oysters have more zinc than any food you can buy or grow. However, since not everyone is a fan of any kind of seafood - including oysters - there are other ways to make sure you get the zinc that you need to keep your skin in great shape. 

Beef (like a sirloin roast) or pork chops both have plenty of zinc - but a diet rich in lean meats like chicken can also provide the amount of zinc that you need. Eggs are a great food for a zinc rich diet and so is cheddar cheese. 

You can include extra zinc in your diet in the foods that you snack on as well. Snacks like pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, pecans and figs are high in zinc. Peanut butter is a healthy way to get servings of zinc. Wheat bran or oats have a lot of minerals that are good for you, including the zinc that will help your skin. Chow mein noodles are another good source for zinc intake. 

A very surprising source of zinc is cocoa powder. Not only can the zinc contained in this product give you the zinc you need, but it’s good for fighting cholesterol so you get double benefits from adding this to your diet. 

Vitamin A Keeps You Looking Younger

As kids, we don’t understand why it’s important to make sure we get enough rest, get enough exercise and eat right. But as adults, we understand the link between healthy eating to get the right vitamin intake and how it can make us look younger than we actually are. 

Vitamins are broken down as either fat or water soluble elements. This just means it’s how they’re broken down in the body or how they dissolve. One of the important vitamins for looking younger is Vitamin A. This vitamin is also known as retinol and is fat soluble. 

Usually the first sign of aging shows up on the outer layer of skin.  You’ll notice that your skin doesn’t look as healthy. It might start to look and feel drier and even begin to flake. 

If you’ve noticed that already, it can be a warning sign that your body isn’t getting enough Vitamin A. Vitamin A helps the body rejuvenate the skin cells as well as help promote the growth of new skin cells. 

Skin that seems leathered and wrinkles easily may be missing the proper amount of this key vitamin. If you’ll check out anti-aging skin creams, you’ll see that many of them contain this needed nutrient. 

Besides skin creams and supplements, there are some natural ways that you can make sure you’re incorporating enough Vitamin A into your daily food intake. If you like liver, then you’re in luck. This meat has plenty of Vitamin A and by consuming 3 ounces of liver every other week, you’ll be getting a healthy helping of the nutrient. 

Dairy products like ice cream, milk and yogurt are good sources of Vitamin A. Cheese is another dairy product that has this vitamin. Since egg yolks have plenty of Vitamin A, you’ll want to make sure that you add eggs to your diet if you don’t already eat this nutritional food. 

Vegetables that contain helpful doses of Vitamin A are sweet potatoes and greens like spinach or broccoli. When choosing greens, remember that dark, leafy greens are high in Vitamin A. Fruits that can help with Vitamin A intake are cantaloupe, mangos, apricots and peaches. 

Getting enough Vitamin A will help keep your skin healthy. It will also help keep your gastrointestinal tract healthy. For people who practice a vegetarian lifestyle, eating plenty of Vitamin A is essential for skin health as well as overall good health. 

To help keep you inspired, take a look at one our very favorite videos (from a fellow Canadian too!). Rose quartz is a lovely addition to any beauty and health care routine. Enjoy!

How Medicinal Plants Can Fuel Your Spiritual Evolution

We’re used to thinking of plants as “things” rather than living, sentient beings that are connected in profound ways to the health of our bodies, minds and souls.

But what if plants — with all their health-giving effects and amazing diversity of expression — hold the key not just to our health but to our spiritual evolution?

This idea is not as new as you might think, as it’s been part of ancient systems of natural medicine from Ayurveda to Chinese medicine. Plants affect our life force and connect us physically with the raw energy of the sun.

The fascinating and powerful relationship between plants and spiritual evolution is the passion of Floracopeia founder David Crow, who is brilliant on this subject.

I am excited to invite you to a FREE virtual event with David called, How Medicinal Plants Can Fuel Your Spiritual Evolution: Essential Insights that Unify Natural Medicine, Ecology & Spirituality.

You’ll need to RSVP for your space here.

If you’ve ever marveled at the peaceful beauty of a garden or been grateful for a herb that brought you healing or wondered how to harness the power of essential oils, you’ll be excited by David’s insights into the plant-human connection.  

During this virtual event, you’ll:

• Learn about body-based awareness exercises that will allow you to perceive plant intelligence more deeply.
• Relate to medicinal plants in a more meditative way to connect with their essence.
• Discover breath practices to open a stronger energetic relationship with plants.

For more than 30 years, David Crow has pioneered a path that is about harnessing the power of plants to infuse more intelligence in your body, mind and soul — giving you a more organic wisdom and sustainable connection with life.

He unifies wisdom from many streams of healing practices into a coherent understanding that will show you how to relate more deeply with medicinal plants for rejuvenation, awakening and health.

And as I mentioned, the great news is that this virtual event is free! Register here.

PS – In How Medicinal Plants Can Fuel Your Spiritual Evolution: Essential Insights that Unify Natural Medicine, Ecology & Spirituality, David Crow will help you understand plants in a more multi-dimensional way, so you can harmonize your bodily systems, heal old traumas and experience a more dynamic relationship with life force within and around you.

Apple Pie Smoothie & Pumpkin Pie Truffles

If you’re like me, you’re already starting to think about how you can enjoy the holiday season without packing on those extra pounds or spiking your blood sugar sky-high. But eating healthy doesn’t mean that you must forego eating delicious food!

It just means that we need to swap-out certain ingredients for ones that are better for our body. For example, here are two mouth-watering recipes that I came across on ALOHA‘s site. One is for a Healthy Apple Pie Protein Smoothie and the other is for Pumpkin Pie Protein Truffles.

I know. You’re thinking, “What? Healthy pumpkin pie covered in chocolate? Suuurrre.” But trust me when I tell you — both of these recipes are chock-full of goodness. And they are super easy to make!

Healthy Apple Pie Protein Smoothie:
ALOHA calls this a smoothie, but you could also use it as applesauce, which is a dish we always have at our table on Thanksgiving. Here are the ingredients and directions for this fabulous recipe:

A Beginner's Guide to Eating Raw

Many men and women have heard about the benefits of the raw food diet, but they’re unsure what it is exactly, and how they could incorporate it into their own lives.  When you first look into getting on the raw food diet, it’s because you feel sluggish or like something in your body is “off.” We’re tired, overweight, stressed and unable to make sure we get the proper nutrition.  

A raw food diet doesn’t always mean you’re a vegetarian. Many raw food followers eat meats and dairy products without cooking them first. This is a personal preference you’ll have to make.

Benefits of Following a Raw Food Diet

You might have every good intention in the world of eating healthy – you shop for vegetables and fruits, thinking you’re making sure that you get all the right vitamins and minerals. 

How To Ease Up on the Junk Food

Just as the name suggests junk food is junk. Junk food is full of calories that do absolutely nothing for your body. These are called empty calories because they have no or very little nutritional value. The truth is that most of these calories come from sugar and fats and they will do nothing but increase weight and body fat. 

Junk food can also cause you to retain water which will make you feel bloated and sluggish. This causes you to feel tired instead of having the energy to get up and move around. The long term effects of eating junk food can be extreme from causing you to be overweight to causing the clogging of arteries that leads to heart attack. 

Why do people love junk food? The truth is that our brains have very positive reactions to fatty and sugary foods. It induces “feel good” hormones in the brain that actually mimic the effects of powerful addictive drugs like cocaine and heroin. It is no wonder that we need them. 

How many people have cravings for spinach? 

But, cravings for ice cream, chips, soda and cookies is a whole other matter. In order to overcome these perilous food addictions, you must retrain your body, change old habits and change tastes. It takes time and effort, but, it can be done.

Did you know that there are thousands of fitness conscious people who NEVER touch any junk food? Yes it’s really true!

Removing junk food from your diet is an important way to become proactive when it comes to your health.

How To Remove Junk Food From Your Diet

It starts with some common sense.

Many people say that it is cheaper to eat junk food than it is to eat healthy food. Or they use the excuse that they just don’t like the way healthy food tastes. 

First you will have to reprogram your taste buds to get used to eating healthy foods. You have been eating junk food all of your life, this is what your body is used to and what it will crave but it is up to you to retrain your body and your mind to crave healthy foods. 

It is not cheaper to eat junk food!

Let’s forget about the fact that you will save thousands on medical bills by eating healthy and let’s look at what you are spending right now.

Potato Chips Versus Oranges

A bag of potato chips costs about $3.99 this will usually last a family of four one day, if that long.

Now let’s look at a bag of oranges. One bag of oranges costs about $4 on average. When you buy a bag of oranges you will get 8-10 oranges. This can make as many as 16 snacks which can last up to four days for a family of four. 

Now you have to look at which you would rather your family or yourself eat. 

Potato chips are loaded with fat, salt and a lot of calories. 1 ounce of Lays plain chips has 160 calories, 1 grams of fat and 170 grams of sodium (7% of daily allowance).

An orange has 0 fat, 0 salt and only 45 calories. Plus, it’s loaded with essential nutrients, like vitamin C (a whopping 85% of the daily recommended allowance), plus potassium and fiber.

When eating a bag of potato chips you may be watching television, letting all of that fat attach itself to your body, but, when you eat that orange, you are energized simply by the smell of it. 

And, this is just one example of how junk food compares to healthier options. Next time you go to the market do some comparison shopping and you will see that the prices of healthy food are not so different from junk food. 

There are also plenty of healthier snack options available that can fill kid’s lunch boxes with healthier alternatives.

Planning in Advance

It may take some planning when you are removing junk food from your diet, but, it is possible to eat healthy on the same budget you have right now. 

Healthier Substitutions For Junk food

When you remove junk food from your diet you will find that you suffer from cravings. Here are a few substitutions you can use to get past the cravings. 

• ·         A square of dark chocolate instead of a chocolate candy bar                                 
• ·         Unsalted pretzels or no butter popcorn instead of chips
• ·         Baked vegetable strips instead of chips
• ·         Raw nuts instead of chips for a crunchy snack                                                         
• ·         Plain yogurt with fruit, honey, or nuts instead of ice cream           
• ·         Flavored sparkling water instead of soda
• ·         Fresh fruit instead of cake and cookies                                                                    
• ·         Raisins instead of candy       
• ·         Cherries instead of candy

Substituting In Recipes

There are also ways that you can alter your favorite recipes to create a healthier version. For example instead of using butter in your cakes and cookies you can create a healthier version by substituting the butter with apple sauce. 

You can also use non-fat plain yogurt instead of sour cream or mayonnaise. If you are a real lover of mayonnaise than try replacing it with avocado on your sandwiches. It has the same texture and you never miss the empty calories of the mayonnaise. 

There are so many other options that you can do, but, rest assured it is possible to remove the junk food from your diet and replace it with much healthier alternatives. This will ensure your good health and the health of your family.

For more great tips on curbing the junk food, check out this video from PsycheTruth: