SORE THROAT REMEDY

8 HOME REMEDIES FOR BRITTLE NAILS

Remedies for brittle nails do not have to come in pretty-looking bottles or cost a fortune to work wonders! We can even make them at home, save cash, have some creative fun and even expect our home remedies for brittle nails to have some lasting results which, unfortunately, can’t be said for some of those popular, much-advertised products. What’s the catch? Well, there is none! Check out these DIY mixtures, go through your kitchen supplies and you’ll realize you have everything needed to make a fantastic home remedy for nails today!

1. OLIVE OIL AND LEMON JUICE MIXTURE

A teaspoon of olive oil mixed with a few drops of lemon juice will make a potent yet very easy to DIY remedy that, if used at least two times a week, will help you transform your brittle, easy to chip nails. Massage it into your nails thoroughly, let it soak in, then slip soft manicure gloves on and let the mixture work its magic overnight. But hey, do check out the following remedies for brittle nails, too.

2. TEA TREE OIL AND VITAMIN E

A teaspoon of Tea Tree oil with a couple of drops of Vitamin E won’t only help you have stronger, healthier nails but will prevent nail fungus as well as successfully treat any existing infection. Rub it in as described above as often as you can and it won’t be long before you start seeing results.

3. MASSAGE

Well here’s an easy, cost-effective remedy for brittle nails! Seriously, all you need is a bit of patience, a desire to spend a few short minutes of your day doing something good for yourself and a small amount of moisturizing cream, nail cream or vegetable oil of choice. Apply the chosen product on each nail, massaging gently and thoroughly all the way. The product will add moisture and soften your cuticles while a massage improves blood circulation, making your nails stronger, healthier and even longer in the long run.

4. SEA SALT TREATMENT

Speaking about interesting home remedies for nails – here’s a fun soak that will help you transform your weak brittle nails. Mix together two teaspoons of fine sea salt with 2 drops each of lemon juice or oil, frankincense oil, myrrh oil and wheat germ oil. Pour this mixture into a bowl of warm water, then soak your hands and keep them soaked for about 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat twice a week.

5. VITAMIN E OIL NIGHT TREATMENT

Vitamin E oil capsules or ampoules are a fantastic ingredient any savvy DIYer should have in her stash. Add it to your hair and skin care mixtures but don’t forget to use it on your nails too! A gentle, nightly massage with just a few drops of this oil will help improve the condition of your nails greatly, making them healthier with each use. Wear manicure gloves for better, faster results but have in mind that this is not a miraculous cure and that it takes some time to work.

6. BEER SOAK

Beer, olive oil and apple cider vinegar probably aren’t the ingredients you’d choose for your favorite drink, but are a great remedy for brittle nails nevertheless. Warm a quarter of a cup of olive oil, mix it with an equal amount of apple cider vinegar and half a cup of beer. Now soak your nails into this mixture, give them about 15 minutes to soak in all those nutrients and voila, all done! Fast, easy AND a great way to use beer leftovers – how cool is that?

7. LEMON JUICE

Harsh nail polish removers will often leave your nails feeling quite dry, even contribute to them chipping and peeling and let’s not forget about that yellow tinge, a nasty nail polish side effect not even the strongest of removers can successfully overcome! The universal and totally natural solution for this is just way too simple! Lemon juice! Squeeze the juice out, dip a cotton pad in it, then swipe each nail. Continue to massage the leftover juice in, let it dry on your nails, then rinse your hands in lukewarm water. Voila! Your nails are looking much better, the yellow tone is gone and the tips are looking brighter than ever!

8. HERBAL MASK

Last but not least! Give this fragrant herbal mask a try and it will soon become one of your favorite home remedies for nails! Pour a cup of boiling water over a teaspoon each of chamomile and peppermint tea, let them steep for an hour and a half, then strain the herbs away and mix in half a teaspoon of olive oil and two tablespoons of wheat flour. Blend well, apply to your nails, let it sit for a half an hour, then rinse off. Piece of cake, isn’t it?

But, ladies, don’t let me do all the talking! Is there some special home remedy for nails you like to use and what does it do? Do let me know!

LIMITS OF HUMAN BODY

FIGHT MENTAL FATIGUE

Mental fatigue is extremely hard on a person. It is even more difficult to deal with than physical fatigue. When a person has mental fatigue, they can’t think clearly and they can’t express how
they feel. It can even cause a person to feel physically fatigued and even cause illness.

If you suffer from this type of exhaustion, it could be caused by the work that you do, your family life, or a lack of good quality sleep. If you have mental stress and you need to make an important decision, it could also lead to severe depression.

How do you fight mental fatigue?

Relax your mind and you will boost your energy

If you have mental fatigue, you are probably wondering how in the world are you supposed to relax. Here are 5 tips on fighting mental fatigue naturally and helping you to establish a routine for relaxation:

* Make time for yourself.

A good way to do this is to sit in a quiet dark room and get in touch with your spiritual side. You could pray or meditate or even write your comments in a journal. Some people find it relaxing to just sit in a dark room with their eyes closed.

* Get good quality sleep.

You can still feel mentally exhausted even though you get enough sleep. However, if you do get your 8 hours of sleep every night, that will help refresh your mind and your body and will also help you deal with your day-to-day stress. When you sleep, your body repairs itself.

* Try to forget the problems that you are facing on a day-to-day basis.

Read a book, visit with your friends or family or get away for the weekend. Sometimes when you change your surroundings, you can forget the everyday stresses.

* Exercise on a regular basis.

When you exercise, your brain releases endorphins. These endorphins are what make you feel happy. You don’t need to work out or run a marathon. Just a simple 15 minute walk is all you need.

* Breathing exercises work very well also.

Just take in deep breaths through your nose, hold for 10 seconds and then release through your mouth. This will help to relieve any tension that you may be feeling.

* Make time to do things on your own.

Sometimes when we do things with other people, we have a tendency to not relax. If you like going to a museum and your spouse or friend does not like to do that, then do that yourself. You don’t be relaxed if you take someone to do something and it is not their favorite thing to do. You will be able to enjoy the experience the way you want to and not the way someone else forces you to.

Fight your mental fatigue using your own natural strategies

These are just 5 tips on fighting mental fatigue naturally. Once you start to implement some of these ideas, you will find many others that will help you. Doing these types of things on a regular basis will make you feel like a new person!

WORST DRINKS FOR YOUR BODY AND HEALTH

from cocktails and energy drinks to smoothies and soda, find out the 11 worst drinks for your body.

1. Juice Drinks

Labels like “juice drink” and “juice cocktail” are almost always a euphemism for brightly-colored sugar water. For a truly healthy drink, look for 100 percent juice, like orange juice, cranberry juice, or aloe vera juice. Nothing else.

2. Whipped Coffee Drinks

When made with 2-percent milk, a large icy cup of Joe can contain up to 800 calories and a third of the maximum recommended intake for artery-clogging saturated fat. And there’s a reason why it tastes so sweet: At 170 grams of sugar in a typical drink, you get more of a sugar shock than a caffeine buzz.

3. Flavored Water

Flavored and infused waters may deliver a few extra vitamins, but they’re also often packed with added sugars. Next time you buy a bottle of water, check the label: If you see anything more than water and natural flavors, leave it on the shelf.

4. Diet Soda

Diet soda may be calorie free, but it’s also 100 percent nutrition free. Plus, if you’re guzzling diet coke all day, there’s a good chance you’re not drinking the healthy beverages your body needs, particularly water and tea. One diet soda a day is fine, but if you’re downing five or six cans, you may be doing damage to your body.

5. Frozen Mixed Drinks

When it comes to cocktails, the mixers are the real calorie culprits. Case in point: According to the USDA, a 16-ounce pina colada can clock in at a whopping 880 calories, that’s more than 8 times the amount in a shot of rum.

6. Sports Drinks

Ending your workout by guzzling a typical sport drink may set your weight-loss goals back. Many sports drinks on the market contain a mixture of natural and artificial sweeteners, plus a laundry list unpronounceable additives. If replenishing electrolytes is your goal, switch to zero-calorie drinks.

7. Hard Liquor

Alcohol in moderation—one or two drinks a day—has been shown to raise HDL (good) cholesterol, boost bloodflow, and improve sugar metabolism. But when you ask for that third drink, your risk for obesity and slew of other health problems starts to climb. A March 2011 study from the American Cancer Society found that the risk of cancer death was 36 percent higher among people who drank liquor heavily (3 or more drinks each day) than those who drank in moderation or not at all.

8. “Healthy” Fruit Smoothies

Yes, fruit is good for you, but a 32-ounce smoothie can pack as many as 700 calories with fewer than 2 grams of protein, thanks to the high sugar content. That’s like eating a whole pineapple, entire mango and 1 cup each of blueberries and strawberries in a single sitting. Why that’s bad: Calories from any food get socked away in your fat cells if you eat more than you can burn.

9. Lemonade

Most store-bought versions are made from the same sweeteners used in soda, combined with preservatives and artificial color. At 100 calories per cup, and with the equivalent of 6 teaspoons of sugar and zero nutrients, you’re essentially drinking liquid candy. Definitely not refreshing.

10. Soft Drinks

It’s tough to find a single redeeming quality about soft drinks: They’re overloaded with sugar and provide empty calories without satisfying your hunger. In fact, soft drinks are the only food that has been directly linked to causing obesity. If you’re not willing to eliminate them from your diet entirely, consider one can of full-sugar soda as an occasional treat—the same way you would a candy bar.

11. Energy Drinks

When people think about “energy” drinks, they’re usually referring to products that contain caffeine. The problem is that most “energy drinks” are loaded with too much caffeine and sugar, so while they may give you a short-term burst of energy, you’ll ultimately crash and just want to zonk out. When you need a brain boost, you’re better off sipping green tea or snacking on a handful of walnuts.

10 EASY TO FOLLOW SKIN CARE TIPS

To help you get glowing, we’ve rounded up 10 simple, affordable and effective tips.

1. Come Clean

First things first: Before you even think about washing your face, clean your hands with a mild soap. If hands are dirty, then you’ll end up transferring more dirt and grime onto your skin.

2. Avoid Unnecessary Roughness

Because washcloths can be abrasive (especially if you have sensitive skin), opt for a muslin cloth instead. After applying cleanser, rinse the cloth in warm water and use slow, circular motions to wash away product.

3. Stay Slick

As skin and hair oils become more popular, they also become more expensive. But women in the Mediterranean have been using extra virgin olive oil as an all-over hydrator for centuries. Warm a few drops of oil in your hand before smoothing over your face for ultra-moisturized skin.

4. Quench Your Thirst

Although drinking water isn’t a replacement for your moisturizer, staying hydrated is necessary for maintaining healthy skin functions, such as regenerating cells and improving circulation. The result? A more radiant complexion.

5. Give Skin A Wake-Up Call

If you’re prone to dry skin, then washing your face once a day is enough—especially during cooler, dry months. Doing thorough cleansing before bed means that you can simply rinse it with warm water in the AM.

6. Keep Your Cool

Moderate exercise is great for the skin, delivering oxygen and nutrients to its cells. But chronic flushing—from exercise or heat—can lead to permanently dilated capillaries. So get into the habit of pressing a cold-water washcloth to your cheeks as part of your post-workout routine.

7. Have A Ball

Instead of trying to smear away dark lipstick with a tissue, opt for a cotton ball doused with an oil-based makeup remover. The messy tissue technique can leave an oily residue around the mouth that may lead to breakouts.

8. Call For Help

Another breakout culprit? Your not-so-clean cellphone, which often rests pressed against your skin. Go hands-free when you can, and to kill pore-clogging germs, keep antibacterial wipes on hand, suggests skincare guru Kate Somerville.

9. Feed Your Face

Los Angeles-based dermatologist Jessica Wu, M.D., recommends eating tomatoes to boost your natural defenses against UV rays. The savory fruit contains high levels of lycopene, an antioxidant that’s been shown to provide protection from the sun’s skin-aging rays.

10. Think Broad

Expensive sunscreens aren’t usually any more effective than cheap ones, say dermatologists. The important thing is that whatever you use should contain broad-spectrum UV protection—to guard your hide from both UVB rays that burn and UVA rays that age skin—no matter the season. Pesky UVA rays can pass through glass and clouds, and are equally intense thoughout the year.

FOODS RICH IN ANTIOXIDANTS

FOODS RICH IN ANTIOXIDANTS

Kale

This green leafy vegetable is a rich source of polyphenolic flavonoid (an antioxidant) that has anti-cancerous properties and also prevents cardiovascular diseases.

Spinach

Another green leafy vegetable that is rich in antioxidant is spinach. It has lutein, zeaxanthin (two cartenoid antioxidants) that protects the brain from neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Brussels sprouts

Apart from being a rich source of phytochemicals, Brussels sprouts is also rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals that are required by the body.

Beet

This cruciferous vegetable is a rich source of vitamins, proteins and minerals that keep you healthy and fit. Beet also increases blood circulation in the body. So, do not forget to include this antioxidant rich food in your diet.

Broccoli

Like other green vegetables, broccoli is also a rich source of antioxidants. It contains phytonutrients that detoxifies the body and fights many diseases.

Garlic

We all are well aware of the antibiotic properties of raw garlic. However, it is also rich in antioxidants like A, B and C, selenium, iron, zinc etc that reduces high blood pressure and lowers bad cholesterol levels.

Bell peppers

Bell peppers are a rich source of carotenoids and vitamin C (antioxidants). Both red and yellow bell peppers are healthy and nutritious too.

Kidney beans

Almost all types of beans, black, red and pinto are rich in antioxidants that cleanses the system and detoxifies it.

Berries

Berries like strawberries, cherries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries is rich in proteins, vitamins and other antioxidants. They not only burn fat deposits present in the body but also detoxes it. So, have berries to clean your system and remove free radicals from the body, have berries.

Apple

An apple a day keeps doctor away. Apples are rich in phyto-nutrients flavonoids and polyphenolics (antioxidants) that protects the body from damage caused by free radicals.

Avocado

Avocado is rich in vitamin A, C and E that detoxifies the system and also reduces the free radicals from the body.

Pomegranate

Apart from giving a nice taste, pomegranate seeds are also rich in antioxidants that cleanse the system.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are so far the richest source of lycopene (an antioxidant) that fights diseases. Tomatoes also aids weight loss as it burns fat deposits in the body.

Kiwi

Like other vitamin C rich foods, kiwi is also rich in antioxidants that removes free radicals from the body.