Get Rid Of Acne In Winter Season

During the winter, people typically experience drier skin due to a number of factors, including cold and windy weather and central heating. The exposure to drastic temperature changes tends to dry out the skin. In some cases, these factors may trigger the production of dry skin cells, which clog pores and lead to breakouts.

So here are a few tips and tricks that you can employ to keep your acne to the minimum this winter :

Clean Your Face:

Keeping your skin clean is very important during the winter season. Why? During the winter, the air is full of loose dust and sand and these particles can get stuck on your face and skin, especially when you’ve applied moisturizer and skin creams. You should clean your skin as early as possible.

Drink Lots Of Water:

Drink lots of water to keep yourself hydrated. This tip is good all year around, not only for the winter months. This will allow your body to flush out the toxins right away. Usually these toxins are a major cause of acne flaring up.
Switch To Mild Cleanser:

Change your skin cleanser. You might not be aware of it, but there are different cleansers for different types of weather. For example, if you're using cleansers containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, they are not the best in winter. Why? Because they dry your skin - which you definitely want to avoid in winter. Switch for the winter months to milder cleansers, such as Dove or  Neutrogena , they're available pretty much everywhere.

You can also refer to other natural skin cleaning product such as plain milk, yogurt, and chickpea powder can remove dirt and grease without drying out your skin.

Moisturizing Is Important:

Keep your skin moist by using moisturizer. If you haven't used them yet, now it's the time to start. Make sure you use a moisturizing gel or lotion, not cream.

Acne Medication:

Cut back on using over the counter acne fighting medication, such as creams and lotions. They are great but definitely dry your skin (since one of the ways of fighting acne is to dry out the pimples). Winter is not the best time to have a dry skin, so I don't say stop using these, but use them every second day instead of every day.

Note: if you have doctor prescribed treatments, make sure you do not change those, not at least without your doctor's consent.

Breathe in fresh air every morning :

Due to the chill outside, people prefer to keep their windows and doors closed. But make sure that you air your room well so that the dry air leaves your room and is replaced with fresh air. Breathing in fresh air in the morning will rejuvenate your skin and keep winter acne at bay.

Exercise:

You need a way to sweat out the toxines during the winter. This is maybe one of the most overlooked home remedy that you can employ in winter. Basically what happens is, during summer, with exercise, sports, jogging, you sweat. Which means, through sweating you release all the toxins out of your body. 

However during the winter, people become more sedentary in nature, and exercise much less than in summer. So you need to find a way to release those accumulated toxins during the winter as well. Find a nearby sauna , go to a gym, but don't stop exercising in winter.

Don’t pop!

Do not try to squeeze your pimples. By doing this, you will only allow the bacteria to spread all over your face, which in turn will flare up your acne, and you will end up with worse breakouts.

If you must do it, then please follow a few precautionary procedures: wash your hands with soap and use a soft tissue and squeeze just gently on the pimple. Do not try to go too deep and avoid spreading that puss all over your face. Once you removed the puss, wash your face and apply an antibiotic cream on it.

Do not go overboard with exfoliators:

Refrain from using exfoliating products during winters too often. You can scrub your face once a week. Too much of scrubbing may make your skin dry and eventually cause more breakouts.

Don't Over-Wash:

To help repair skin, avoid over-washing in the shower, since soap and hot water can strip skin of its natural oils." Additionally, "make sure to apply a layer of moisturizer right away to lock in moisture."

Use Humidifiers:

Humidifiers are ideal for reintroducing moisture back into the air inside your home, where the bulk of dry skin problems come from during the winter. Leave it on at night while you sleep and reap the benefits all season long by using it regularly.And if you don't have humidifier then, you can leave a bowl full of water in your bedroom.This is very old method but still it works.

Dr. suggests taking vitamins internally to level out oil production. Omega-3 Fatty Acids (most often found in fish), give the complexion positive oils. I am a vegetarian, so I turn to Flax Seed Oil, which, more or less, has the same effect. 

Enjoy your winters! Stay Beautiful.

Common Cold - Home Remedies

The winter season brings with itself a host of health problems - from common cold, cough, blocked nose, chest congestion to fevers. It is neither possible nor feasible to run to a doctor every time a member of the family succumbs to any of these winter related problems. You may find the solution in your kitchen cabinet itself, in the form of effective herbs and spices used in everyday cooking.

Home Remedies:

1. Garlic:

- Boil four to five chopped garlic cloves in a cup of water and add one teaspoon of honey. Drink it two to three times a day.

- You can also eat raw garlic or use a few drops of garlic oil in your food and drinks.

Garlic’s antibacterial and antiviral properties can be very helpful in getting rid of cold symptoms.Garlic is good for the immune system and helps open up respiratory passages, and also helps flush toxins out of your body.

2. Honey:

- The simplest home remedy is to consume a mixture of one teaspoon of lemon juice and two teaspoons of honey. Take it every two hours to get immense relief from your cold and sore throat.

- If you prefer, you can simply swallow a spoonful of raw honey.

3. Ginger:
- Eat raw ginger or drink ginger tea several times a day. For enhance the effectiveness of ginger tea, add a lemon juice and honey to it. 

- You can also make a paste of ginger, cloves and salt and eat one-half teaspoon of it two times a day.

-  For a runny nose, mix equal amounts of dry ginger powder, clarified butter (ghee) and jaggery (gur), a natural sweetener. Consume this mixture daily in the morning on an empty stomach.

4. Chicken Soup:

Chicken soup has many essential nutrients and vitamins that help treat common cold symptoms. The high antioxidant properties in chicken soup speed up the healing process.

5. Red Onion:

- Slice two to three red onions horizontally. Put one slice of onion in a bowl and add raw honey. Repeat the process until the bowl is full.

- Cover the bowl and leave it for 12 to 15 hours. When you open the bowl, there will be thick liquid like syrup.

- Drink a spoonful of the syrup several times a day to get relief from sore throats and other symptoms of a cold

6. Pepper:

- If you are suffering from a runny nose, put pepper on your food when you eat a meal. You can also gargle with a teaspoon of black pepper mixed in a glass of warm water.

- If you cannot eat or drink pepper, you can still benefit from smelling pepper throughout the day.

7. Green tea:

Green tea compounds not only help protect tissues from infection and boost immune response to infectious agents, but some also directly kill certain bacteria, viruses and fungi. That doesn’t mean that drinking green tea will protect you from all the viruses that can cause upper respiratory infections, but it could reduce the strength and duration of symptoms, and might be able to directly combat some of the causative agents.

8. Milk:

Milk, when combined with turmeric and ginger powder, helps treat coughing as well as other symptoms of a cold, like body aches and a headache. 

Contrary to the popular misconception, milk does not increase mucus production.

- Boil milk and add one-half teaspoon of turmeric power and one-half tablespoon of ginger powder (you can also use fresh ginger).

- Allow the milk to cool to room temperature so that you can drink it without burning your mouth. Try to drink it two times a day and especially before going to sleep.

9 . Cinnamon:

- Mix a tablespoon of powdered cinnamon and two cloves in a glass of boiling water water and allow it to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain and drink it while it is still warm. For best results, you can add some honey as well. Drink this tea one to three times a day.

- If you prefer, you can simply consume a few drops of cinnamon bark oil with honey.

10. Tulsi:

- Chewing tulsi leaves relieves cold and flu.Water boiled with basil leaves can be taken as drink in case of sore throat. This water can also be used as a gargle.

- Add tulsi, ginger and black pepper while preparing your tea. These three ingredients play an important role in fighting a common cold and cough.

11. Flaxseeds:

Boil flaxseeds until it thickens and strain it. Add a few drops of lime juice and honey. Consume the mixture for cold and cough relief.

12. Carrot juice:

It is not a common home remedy to fight a cold and cough, but carrot juice helps to fight a cough. It may be unconventional but it makes an interesting drink. Drink it to prevent cough and reap the benefits of carrot juice.

13. Amla:

Amla is a strong immunomodulator (agents that alter the immune response by suppression or enhancement) and protects from the onset of many diseases if taken regularly. It ensures the proper functioning of the liver and improves blood circulation.

14. Mint:

Mint (pudina) leaves and ginger boiled in water is an effective remedy for cough and cold. 

These home remedies should give you some relief from the symptoms of a common cold. But if the cold lasts longer than two weeks, you should consult a physician.
Herbal remedies can be used in addition to the medicines prescribed by the doctor. Avoid cold drinks, ice- cream, fried food and milk products.

Stay Healthy,

Common Cold and Cough - Causes And Remedies

Cold and Cough does not spare anyone.Winter comes and despite your best efforts, you catch a cold. 

What causes the common cold?

Although more than 100 viruses can cause a common cold, the rhinovirus is the most common culprit, and it's highly contagious.

The rhinovirus gets into the cells lining your nose and starts reproducing. it is not cold weather that causes a cold, but the fact that cold weather causes people to congregate together indoors, which makes transmission of the virus easier.

The virus generally moves from someone else's hands to your hands (either directly or through some intermediate surface like a door knob), and from your hands into your nose or eyes. The virus can spread through droplets in the air when someone who is sick coughs, sneezes or talks.

Your body reacts to the presence of the virus with its immune system. In the case of a cold, the immune system opens up blood vessels through inflammation and also increases mucus secretions. These two processes give you the runny nose and the stuffy feeling.

The irritation caused by the virus and all of the fluid causes sneezing. If the virus makes it into the cells lining the lungs, then they start producing fluid and mucus as well, which produces the cough.

As the immune system gears up over several days and fights the virus, the mucus thickens and changes color with dead cells. Eventually, the immune system eliminates the virus completely and you are well again!

Here are some cold remedy tips to help you feel better:

1. Drink plenty of fluids to help break up your congestion. Drinking water or juice will prevent dehydration and keep your throat moist.  Include fluids such as water, sports drinks, herbal teas, fruit drinks, or ginger ale. Your mother's vegi soup might help too! 

Limit: cold drinks, coffee, and other drinks with caffeine because it acts like a diuretic and may dehydrate you.

2. Inhale steam to ease your congestion and drippy nose. Hold your head over a pot of boiling water and breathe through your nose. Be careful. If the steam burns your nose, breathe in more slowly. You can buy a humidifier.

3. Blow your nose often, but do it the proper way. It's important to blow your nose regularly when you have a cold rather than sniffling mucus back into your head. But when you blow hard, pressure can carry germ-carrying phlegm back into your ear passages, causing earache.

4. Stay warm and rested. Staying warm and resting when you first come down with a cold or the flu helps your body direct its energy toward the immune battle. This battle taxes the body. So give it a little help by lying down under a blanket to stay warm if necessary.

5. Drink hot liquids.Hot liquids relieve nasal congestion, prevent dehydration, and soothe the uncomfortably inflamed membranes that line your nose and throat.

6. Take a steamy shower. Steamy showers moisturize your nasal passages and relax you. If you're dizzy from the flu, run a steamy shower while you sit on a chair nearby and take a sponge bath.

7. Gargle with warm salt water. Gargling can moisten a sore or scratchy throat and bring temporary relief.

Stay Healthy,

Tea with Milk OR without Milk....?

Tea has many active ingredients that affect our health. It is particularly rich in antioxidants and vitamins. It is found to improve our immune system, to control blood sugar levels, reduce damage to cells and prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Prepare tea that is of good medicinal value

1. Place some water in a pot to boil.

2. After water boils, remove the pot from the stove.

3. Add tea leaves into the water. As a guide,add teaspoon of leaves in approximately 4 cups of water.

4. Cover the pot for 2-3 mins.

5. Filter leaves and serve.

What Is...?

Tea is a type of herb, just as tulsi is a herb , that can be found on the mountains. It is well-known that when tulsi is boiled along with milk and sugar, it loses its value and goodness. In the same way, when we prepare tea with milk and sugar.Many of us acquired a habit to add a bit of milk to their regular cup of tea. It is a matter of taste, but scientists now say that that drop of milk can completely negate all the benefits tea can have on our health.

How...?

Milk proteins (caseins) can bind with the beneficial plant compounds known as flavonols in tea. (You may have heard these compounds referred to by specific names such as catechins.) And, according to some scientists, the binding may make it tough for the body to absorb the flavonols and get the health benefits.

To maximize the health benefits you get from tea, you’ll need to drink it without milk. Adding lemon appears to boost its antioxidant activity.

Tea Taken In Pure Form Serves As Vasodilator

Take for example the heart organ. It has four chambers. The muscles of the heart need blood to function properly. For the flow of blood to and from the heart, we need proper clear channels. If we have deposits in the arteries, the heart is unable to receive the full quantity of blood required. This condition is known as angina. When we take tea purely without any sugar and milk, it serves as a good vasodilator to clear the channels of the heart, preventing such problems from arising.

As well as, other ducts and channels of all the body systems are kept clear.

The Human Digestive System

Another example is that of the bile duct. The liver releases bile juice through the bile duct. If the dilation of the duct is reduced, the bile juice will begin to accumulate in the duct, forming bile stones. Tea, taken without sugar and milk, serves as a good vasodilator to clear this duct so that the bile content can easily flow into the duodenum and intestine.

Nature of Tea

When we take tea prepared without milk, sugar and without boiling the tea leaves in the water, the alkaline nature of the tea will keep the intestines in a healthy state.

In India you can find very strong tea with condensed milk on every street corners, as a "refreshments."  But,

if you do not want to spoil the benefits of your tea, try drinking it with honey and lemon.

And here's one idea:

If you prefer black tea with milk and sugar, drink it with breakfast. Then, later in the day, try to add in a cup of green tea -- nothing added.

Stay Healthy ,

Miracles of Aloe Vera gel in daily life

Aloe Vera is considered to be a miracle plant. Since, it contains phytochemicals and other nutrients which are beneficial for hair, health and skin. Aloe Vera extracts are also used in food and energy drinks.

Various studies have been conducted to examine the benefits of the aloe vera plant and it was found out that aloe vera does in fact have several properties that are effective in treating a variety of skin conditions.It is also said to be useful in treating wounds and burns, minor skin infections, cysts, diabetes, and elevated blood lipids in humans.

Rich Source Of Vitamins And Minerals:

Both the aloe vera juice and gel are power houses of antioxidants, antibiotics, work as stimulator of cell growth and have scar and pain inhibitor properties. They are rich in the following vitamins and minerals :

1. Calcium

2. Sodium

3. Iron

4. Potassium

5. Manganese

6. Zinc

7. Folic acid

8. Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E

9. Amino acids

The secret of the aloe vera plant is in the transparent, juicy substance contained in its long, thick skinned leaves--The Aloe Vera Gel.

You can get Aloe Veera Gel directly from the plant or near by stores.Because of its vast applications now a days you can get it very easily.

Here are some uses:

- As a face wash

• 1 Tbsp aloe vera gel
• 1 tsp almond milk
• 1 tsp lemon

Mix  three of them and let sit for a few minutes before rinsing. Since some minerals found in aloe are antibacterial, this face wash is ideal for sensitive skin

- As a soothing ice cube

Grab an ice cube tray, fill with aloe gel, and freeze. Pop them out and store in a freezer safe container. “These little frosty fellows are great after too much sun exposure, run-ins with your stove, bug bites, poison ivy, and even psoriasis."

- As a makeup remover

Squeeze a dollop of pure aloe gel onto a cotton ball and swipe away the day for a simple and effective alternative. 

- As a shaving cream

In-the-know beauty buffs swear by pure aloe as the perfect shaving cream: It’s antibacterial, which is great for nicks; it’s slippery, allowing for a nice close shave; and it moisturizes, too.

- As an exfoliator

Mix 1/2 cup of aloe with just enough brown sugar or baking soda to get a gritty (but not sharp) texture. Then rub it on your elbows, heels, arms, or wherever else needs softening in the shower.

- For bad breath

When bad breath hits, drink up to 1/4 cup pure aloe vera gel dissolved in a 1/2 cup of water or apple juice, Aloe vera contains an anti-inflammatory compound called B-sitosterol that soothes acid indigestion, a common cause of bad breath.

- As an eyebrow gel

Dip a clean mascara wand in some aloe vera gel and sweep over stray brows for serious stay-put power without getting hard or sticky.

- For dry, cracked feet

Mix together 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup corn meal, 4 Tbsp aloe vera gel, and 1/2 cup unscented body lotion and rub all over tired feet until well exfoliated. Sit for 10 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

- As a personal hand sanitizer

Mix 1/2 cup aloe vera gel, 1/4 cup alcohol, and 20 drops of your favorite essential oil and pour into a spritz bottle. "The alcohol fights germs while the aloe soothes your skin."

- As a moisturizer:

Aloe moisturizes the skin without giving it a greasy feel, so it`s perfect for anyone with an oily skin complexion.Once applied, it releases natural vitamins and enzymes on the skin to produce a deep moisturizing effect that helps to treat and restore its pH balance.

For women who use mineral-based make-up, aloe vera acts as a moisturizer and is great for the face prior to the application to prevents skin drying. 

For men: Aloe vera gel can be used as an aftershave treatment as its healing properties can treat small cuts caused by shaving.

- Treats acne:

Aloe vera gel contains two hormones: Auxin and Gibberellins. These two hormones provide wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties that reduce skin inflammation. Giberellin in aloe vera acts as a growth hormone stimulating the growth of new cells. It allows the skin to heal quickly and naturally with minimal scarring. 

- Fights aging:

As we age, everyone begins to worry about the appearance of fine lines and the loss of elasticity in their skin. Aloe leaves contain a plethora of antioxidants including, beta carotene, vitamin C and E that can help improve the skin's natural firmness and keep the skin hydrated.

- Lip Care:

Heat a heaped teaspoon of petroleum jelly in a double boiler. After it melts, add half a teaspoon of fresh aloe vera gel and two drops of Vitamin E oil extracted from the capsule. Switch off the stove and blend this mixture well. Pour it in a tube or an old lip balm container when it is in the liquid state. Allow this lip balm to cool and thicken in refrigerator and start using it on your lips. This will cure dry and chapped lips very effectively than any other store bought lip balms.

Make aloe vera your daily companion to get a holistic health care at the comfort of your home. You don’t need to rely on harsh chemicals when you have a natural option to stay fit and look glamorous always.

Hope now you are going to make aloe vera a part of your daily life. Plant an aloe vera in your home today.

Stay Beautiful