The Beauty Denominator

I have just been reading about Magnolia Extract and how natural it is for relieving stress. Now this is something that I definitely need to investigate further because with menopause I seem to have a lot of stress because of  weird things that keep happening to my body and I get totally freaked out when my skin feels like little bugs are crawling all over it.

I have always liked sports, but in the past couple years I haven’t been able to participate because I feel like crap. I have noticed that I’m also aging a lot quicker and I contribute that to lack of hormones and stress. Stress is a major contributor to health problems that many suffer from, but what if there was something natural that even sports figures could take that wasn’t illegal?

When I was younger I loved to compete in sports, but I always got uptight and seemed to freeze up and invariably I lost because my stress levels were so high. I over thought everything and made myself sick. It’s too bad I didn’t know about magnolia extract back then and a product called AbsoluteCalm which has 90% active ingredients compared to others 2%.

I am looking into this supplement because I think I might benefit from it. If you are curious about this supplement read about the benefits that can be attained within 15 minutes of taking one capsule, but also read any and all warnings and always talk to your doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements. Make sure you know what you are putting into your body.

Many people are using natural herbs and trying to find out more information and remedies that can be used for their health. People are trying to get back to basics in all areas of their life and moving away from harmful chemicals and drugs. You can find many blogs out there that can help.

I personally found a blog that I like and I think you will also the name of the blog is Herbology (Herb-blog-ogy) and the lady that keeps everyone updated with knowledge is AnkeB who is originally from Germany and now lives in Australia. When you read her about page you will find that she supplies a lot of her back history.

I enjoy the way she writes and her last post is titled Lemon Balm Liqueur - Making your own is easy and as she puts it “for medicinal purposes you understand.” I think you will be pleased with the insights and awareness and humor that she uses to help enlighten others that are seeking knowledge about herbs.

The Categories that she covers are Cautions, Family Health, Garden, General, Herbs, Pet Care, Recipes, Review, Techniques, and Travel. I know you will Thank me for pointing this blog out to you and for those of my friends that I haven’t linked yet don’t get upset because as soon as you come up with something I can use I will be sure and feature it. Be happy and go enjoy this blog as much as I do.

As we get older we worry more about developing cancer, for men it’s the fear of colon and prostate cancer and women of course worry about uterine and breast cancer. Of course we’re all urged to have certain tests done by a certain age and most people do because they want to make sure they are okay.

My sister had uterine cancer and she had a rough time, but she took the cancer treatment prescribed by her health provider and she is back to her mean old sassy self and she’ll be 58 this year. That was about 7 years ago, I cut her long hair for her because she got so stressed just seeing it fall out.

People are also becoming more conscious of skin cancer and taking better steps to protect their skin. We need to love the skin we’re in and I read an article at the link provided about the 3 types of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma which is the deadliest.

If caught in time it is 100% curable though. There are many helpful links to articles and the one I read was how to examine your self for skin cancer. I have bookmarked this site so I wont lose it and I can use it for any type of health reference that might come up that I would need more information about. The Doctor and Health Finder Directory will prove useful in the future because they have many other health topics besides Cancer.

Find a Doctor in your area by using this directory. It’s very easy to use because I looked to see if my doctor was listed and he was. My doctor is a DO and I’ve known him for years. I seldom go to any doctors unless I feel like I’m  knocking on Heaven’s door, but there has been talk of him retiring so I may be forced to find another one myself. You can also leave a recommendation that might be helpful for someone else.

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission has started a campaign to get the word out to everyone about safe boating practises. Boating Operating Under the Influence is against the law no matter where it occurs. I’m sure everyone has heard of some horror story involving a boating accident where alcohol was involved because a lot of people seem to think it’s okay to party on the waterways. Well, it’s not especially if you are operating the boat. It’s just as illegal to operate a boat under the influence as it is a car.

Everyone likes to have fun on vacation regardless of where that destination is. If you have any plans this Summer for using the waterways you should check out this page on Arizona Boating. They would like for everyone to be aware of safety rules and regulations. Boating Education Online is easy and if you want you can even take the test online. You will find information that is provided for online boating safety courses for 49 states so please be sure to watch the video’s below and learn more about safe sober boating.

Boating in Arizona:

Boat Sober Commercial:

I started a feature last week where I decided to share blogs and posts that I like and that I think will be helpful for you and this week I decided to highlight Heidi of the Health Nut Wannabe Mom blog. This mom shares a lot of good information that I think you will enjoy reading.

Everyone is trying to live a healthier life so they can live longer and enjoy their families and careers. It has been reported that we are living a lot longer now so who wants to be decrepit at age 50 and not be able to enjoy a good quality of life? You will find many good health tips on this blog and her latest is about the health benefits you receive from having a pet.

I think it’s great how they take trained animals into nursing homes to help the sick and give the older patients something to look forward to. However not everyone is an animal lover and when Bob’s Mom was there they brought a beautiful dog by and asked if she wanted to pet him and she told them to get that dog out of her room. 

I think you’ll find a lot of useful information at Health Nut Wannabe Mom and you can pick up some skin care tips and find out why you should eat spicy food. I’ll be on the look out for next weeks feature blog or post and it might be you. I hope you find something useful you can use on this blog. I’m sure you’ll like it.

Have you ever used aromatherapy? It’s been around for a very long time, but has gotten quite popular lately and many companies are getting in on it. I have seen advertisements on TV where you can buy products and put them in your shower and the steam will emit an aromatic fragrance to soothe and relax you.

Essential oils are normally a liquid derived from a plant and distilled. The distilling process usually involves water from a  stream or slow-moving river combined with the leaves, flowers, stems, bark and other parts of the plant. Essential oils don’t actually feel oily. Most essential oils are clear or a very clear orange or amber color.

Essential oils are said to contain the true essence of the plant or tree from which they were obtained. Due to the high concentration of the essential oils, they are often sold in very small bottles that last a long time. Essential oils are not the same or even similar to fragrances or perfumes.

Essential oils are always derived from real plants, while the vast majority of perfume or fragrance oils are artificially created or at the very least contain artificial substances and offer little or no therapeutic value. 

Since the use of the word aromatherapy is not yet regulated by the United States government, many companies offer fragrance oils as aromatherapy therapeutic oils even though they are not the same.

Usually these fragrant oils have little or no natural ingredients. It’s important to understand that if an aromatherapy product contains any type of synthetic or perfume oil, it is not a true aromatherapy product, simply someone trying to sell a lesser product as a greater one.

An important guideline to remember is an essential oil should never be used undiluted on the skin. While there may be exceptions to this precaution, you should never make that judgment on your own without careful consultation with an authority on the subject. Using the oil on the skin can cause skin irritation, rashes, severe sensitivity, and can be very toxic.

Lavender and tea tree can be used on the skin, but should only be done so on very rare occasions so that you do not incur the possibility of sensitivity. Keep in mind that some oils may produce sensitivity or allergic reactions in some individuals. Like with other things, some people are going to be allergic to essential oils that are used in aromatherapy.

So in order to safeguard yourself and others against a potential allergic reaction, always apply a very small amount of diluted essential oil (never undiluted) onto a small patch of skin. It can be helpful to do this on the inside of an elbow and then apply Band-Aid. Allow the oil to sit for at least 24 hours to see if there is any form of reaction.

It doesn’t matter if you think that you wont be allergic to any of the essential oils, you should always check first to be sure.

Many people are now eating organic foods and have made the switch for healthier living. We all know that many of our farmers use chemicals and pesticides while growing fruits and vegetables that we consume. Even though these pesticides are considered to be safe we still have concerns.

 I often think if they are strong enough to kill bugs and bacteria then what are they doing to my body. Many people are becoming more health conscious and concerned with what they are ingesting and can you be certain that just by rinsing you are making it any safer? 

We know that some soils become contaminated when pesticides and other similar chemicals are used. Farmers that decide to switch to growing organically often have to wait a certain amount of time and overhaul their entire fields before they are considered safe and clean from contaminants.

Organic foods should be certified by the QAI (Quality Assurance International) so always look for the certified organic label to make sure it is what it says. The standards and strict rules aren’t always easy to pass to be certified. There are many organic companies that are qualified though. You can find organic foods in your grocery store, there’s usually a small section.

Organic food is safe, healthy, and natural, but it costs more to eat healthy just like the process used to remove sugar from diabetic food, you pay more for it. People are able to find coupons online and many organic stores run specials just like your grocery store.

For many people they feel that the price is justified to make sure their family is provided with an alternate healthy way of eating. I know many people that make their own organic baby food because they want their babies to have a healthy start. You can find many organic recipes online.

There is now an option for organic pet food that companies have started producing. The cost is expensive, but I’m sure many people use it, otherwise they wouldn’t have incurred the cost to produce it. We are starting to take a greater interest in our health and surroundings and that’s a good thing for all concerned.

I was discussing the benefits of detoxification on one of my blogs today Mature Not Senile so I felt like carrying it over here because it’s very important to make sure we have a balanced mind, body, and soul in order to function in a healthy way. Yoga is used by many because it helps bring balance.

Yoga teaches breathing exercises that will actually help oxygenate the bloodstream, the different yoga asanas that you do along with breathing techniques are designed to help increase energy levels and help massage internal organs to get rid of toxins. Along with yoga many cultures use the sauna to help detox.

Most health facilities and gyms recommend using the sauna because it will help eliminate chemical buildup in fat cells. Along with a healthy diet consisting of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, nutritional supplements, and exercise the sauna will help you sweat out those deadly toxins.

Because of all the toxins that we are subjected to and that are produced in our body we have to eliminate them so the whole body can function properly. Many people are using special programs to eliminate the dangerous chemicals that build up and cause our internal cells, organs, and tissues to malfunction.

Detoxing will help increase your energy levels, keep your mind from getting sluggish, improve your skin, help alleviate your body aches and pains, and help your body avoid potential disease. There are so many benefits from detoxing that I wont name them all right now, but there are many blogs out there that are specifically geared for providing all the information you should know.

Right now I’m concerned with letting you know how important it is to have a healthy filtering system to eliminate and cleanse the impurities from the blood in the lungs, lymph, skin, intestines, kidneys, and liver. We have to have a strong immune system to fight off disease and in order to actually be and feel healthier we need to make sure we eliminate all the toxins.

Many substances that we use and abuse that will create the toxins and help prevent healing are saturated fats, refined sugars, alcohol, coffee, and cigarettes. We also have to contend with the increase of pollutants in the environment along with stronger chemical compounds that are being created.

It amazes me that we are actually living a longer life than our ancestors considering all the data that we now have and since they weren’t subjected to all the pollutants and toxins that we contend with in our century. I guess the evolution process has caused us to adapt and conform in order to survive and perpetuate our species.

I love that fact that we are more conscious of going green and making gentler household cleaners instead of the harsh chemical-based products and companies are making personal health care products more natural because of the demand. We check the labels of our shampoos, toothpaste, deodorants and cleansers much more carefully now because we have been taught what to look out for.

The fact remains that you never fully eliminate all the toxin build up unless you do some sort of purification and there are many ways to detox the body. You have to decide what your preferences are and what will fit your lifestyle best. Many people fast for a period of time by drinking juice only.

I know many people that have bought juice machines and use both fresh fruit and vegetables to use for their fast. A few to be used include celery, cabbage, carrots, and spinach, also cranberry, apples, and make your own pineapple juice, but no citrus fruits are used to get rid of toxins.

One of the best things about menopause is that I do not have to endure those dreaded horrible doubling up pure torture cramps for 2 days due to the menstrual cycle. Nothing ever helped when I was young, but it wasn’t quite as bad after I had my son although it still put me out of commission.

I was miserable until I hit 40 then my body started getting weird with the change and it was so nice not to hurt with those cramps, but then other weird things started happening. You learn to take each change as it comes, but it can drive you fricken nuts if you aren’t already.

If you are a sufferer here are a few natural remedies you can try: Ginger has been highly recommended for menstrual cramps and it can be taken in several different ways. I didn’t know about this until much later so I wasn’t able to reap the benefits. Ground up a teaspoon of ginger then follow it with a glass of water or ground up a teaspoon of ginger and add to a cup of boiling water and sip.

I have been told that you can use the cooked  flowers of the banana and mix it with curd as a  natural remedy  for menstrual cramps and according to one of my friends it also helps with a heavy flow. Why didn’t I know these things when I was young, but hopefully it can help someone else.

I could never get relief from pamprin or midol, it was horrible as I’m sure some of you must have suffered the same way so you will know exactly what I am talking about. Magnesium is also being used and they are found in whole grain foods and leafy vegetables, but can be taken in a supplement form.

Magnesium can cause side effects of muscle weakness and diarrhea if taken in large doses over a period of time so be sure to check with your doctor and he will advise you on a safe amount to take. More and more people are now looking for natural home remedies instead of prescription drugs to help in their everyday life and that’s a good thing.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids will also help with menstrual cramps and doesn’t have the side effects like magnesium. Fish is a good source or you can take a supplement, but it should be taken on a regular bases for good results not when the cramps start.

Exercise will also help relieve menstrual cramps wither you do aerobics, yoga, walking or running or simple stretching exercises will help with the pain. Of  course we can’t forget our trusted heating pads, if I hadn’t had that I don’t know how I would have made it, but moist heat is also good.

I also would take an ironing board and prop it against my bed, put a pillow on the floor for my head and elevate my body and that helped. If you have any remedies that have helped you get through please leave a comment and I’ll be happy to add it to the above list with a link to your site.

Feng Shui is very popular because it’s been proven as a very effective way to improve your life. Everyone wants the opportunity to improve their life and the promise of well being, improved health, and being able to meet goals is very desirable.

Feng shui is a term that means “wind-water”. There are many versions of Feng shui that you can learn from all kinds of classes whether online or in a traditional class.

The basis of Feng shui is that it allows you to achieve harmony with your surroundings and the environment. This is achieved through arranging your space, planning your agriculture, and more commonly, arranging the furniture and decorations of your home.

China has been practising Feng shui  for over 4000 years, but it is only in the last couple of decades that  it has really taken off in the rest of the world.

Feng shui teaches you to understand the energy that is in everything and that includes your body to pretty much anything that exists. By understanding this energy, you gain the insight to arrange your home or office to help you reach any goals that you set by increasing the good energy and eliminating the bad energy.

The Ba-Gua and compass are the two main tools that Feng shui uses. The Ba-Gua is a map that contains the symbols of the I Ching upon which feng shui originated.

The Ba-Gua consists of 8 specialized areas, what they represent, and the color scheme that is best suited to them. This is to increase the flow of good energy throughout the entire area.The belief is that everything has energy and everything in your home or office can either help you accomplish your goals or hinder them.