If you've picked up anything about me from my writing so far (obviously more through my articles than this shiny new blog) it should be that I am fascinated with home remedies and the holistic properties of items we already keep in our kitchen. One of my all-time favorites, though, who barely gets an honorable mention, the lemon! I just love the scent of a fresh cut or zested lemon; I've even read that they work great as aroma therapy because they do act as a mood enhancer. These zippy citrus fruits have major properties beyond their uplifting scent, though. Here are a couple of my favorite properties that I've found!
Lemon juice helps to get rid of black heads. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice and apply to blackheads nightly before bed. Rinse away with cool water in the morning. The lemon juice should make the blackheads complete disappear (diminishing more and more along the way.
The same fresh squeezed lemon juice can also help make your dark, age spots disappear. Add a ½ cup of lemon juice to your bath at night for a full body treatment. If you want to focus on spots on your face, treat them the same as black heads: apply fresh lemon juice to the spots and leave overnight. Wash away in the morning with cool water. Over a week or two, the lemon will brighten your skin and lighten the discoloration.
Lemon juice will go beyond blackhead and dark spots, though, to brighten and soften regular skin, as well. You can apply and massage lemon juice over any area of your body to create a soft and succulent glow. Apply to your arms, legs, elbow and knee; it will help keep you just as smooth as your usual lotion.
To exfoliate dry and dead skin, why not try dry lemonade! Slice your lemon in half and then dip the cut end into granulated sugar. Rub over your face gently in a circular motion. Not only will this clear away the dead skin, but the lemon juice will also brighten and rejuvenate the fresh skin below.
I don't know about you, but it's official for me: I am a proud member of the PSA - Pumpkin Spice Anonymous. I absolutely adore everything pumpkin flavored, and will destroy all of my healthy eating habits to appease the unbearable craving this time of year! A million trips to Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts for their PSL yummies. Coffee creamers full of sugar for when I make my coffee at home...and lets not even mention the cookies, cakes, and M&M's that also work their way into my grocery cart.
Well, I'm trying to reform my calorie ridden ways, and I thought I'd share my current two favorite new recipes with you. One for a new lighter Pumpkin Spice latte that you can make right at home, and one for pumpkin muffins that I'm sure you've used before, but hey, sometimes a reminder makes you say, "Oh yeah!"
Now for the "Lighter PSL" (this recipe is for 2 lattes: so you can share or go back for seconds)
Brew your favorite "strong coffee" however you prefer. I'm still a vintage farberware percolator girl (my coffee pot is about 30 years older than me and going strong!), but a good k-cup would work just as well!
While that's perking, grab your other ingredients!
2 cups non-fat milk (or unsweetened almond, soy, rice, coconut milk, etc)
2+ tablespoons of your favorite pumpkin puree (I say 2+ because you may like it more "pumpkiny" like I do!)
1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
3 packets of splenda (or your preferred sweetener to taste)
Whisk all ingredients (but your coffee) together in a sauce pan, over a medium-low heat, until your mixture is warm. Pour about 4 ounces of coffee into two coffee cups, and then fill up the rest with your pumpkin-milk mixture!
On to our super-simple, super-scrumptious pumpkin muffins!
All you need are three ingredients: a box of yellow cake mix, a cup of water, and a 15oz can of pumpkin puree.
Preheat your oven to 350*. Grab your muffin pan and line with your paper muffin cups. Mix your ingredients together, thoroughly, with an electric mixer. Fill up the cups 2/3 with batter, and then bake for 20-25 minutes.
And if you take them out a little too soon (like me), and the center is a littler "puddingy," enjoy it! Remember, there isn't anything raw in your cupcake, so a soft center is enjoyable without being dangerous.
I am absolutely loving the weather this week! The nights are coming on a little bit sooner, the skies are clear and beautiful, and the crisp, cooler air has me waiting on baited breath for fall! If you’re looking for a little bit of outdoor loving, too, here’s a simple, starry night project to get the little ones outside on the deck/patio/porch for just a little bit longer! (Or you can be a cool kid, like me, and do it for yourself and SO: no kids needed to enjoy!)
I’ve seen these called starry night jars, star jars, and fairy jar. I just call them awesome. And they’re so simple that it will only take you a couple of minutes to complete. There are two different methods, so I’ll mention both. For either you’ll need your jars of choice (I love large mason jars). You will then need either glow sticks (the big ones from the camping section) or glow in the dark paint. For a finishing touch you can also include silver glitter.
For a glow stick jar, simply crack your glow stick as usual and shake the contents together. Once it’s glowing, though, carefully cut off the tip of the stick and empty it into your jar. Add a pinch or two of glitter, close the lid on top, and shake to your heart’s content! You now have your bright, starry night jar! ((The plus of this version – the jar glows brighter and immediately. The down side – it is only a temporary project, through it can possibly be prolonged for a second night by putting it in the freezer when you’re done using it the first night))
Another version of the glowing jar utilizes glow in the dark paint. Just like the jar above, just add a squirt/glob or two of glow paint to your jar with a pinch of glitter, Add the lid and shake it up good. Let your paint dry and then get it under a good light source. Once it’s “fully charged” head outside with your new glowing lantern. ((Plus side – these jars are a permanent project that can be used night after night. Down side – they need to be charged under a light source and then recharged when their glow starts to fade.))
No matter which jar you choose to make, just be sure to take them outside and enjoy awesomeness of early fall nights!
I always find this interesting, and thank goodness we didn't make the list! Yesterday the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America released their "Top 10 Worst Cities" for people with Fall allergies to live in. Obviously, if you have severe Fall allergies, not living in one of these cities isn't going to save you. These 10, however, were ranked the most challenging based on number of pollen spores, multiple medication using patients, and the number of board-certified allergists per patient. The "lucky" 10 cities were:
1. Wichita
2. Jackson, Miss.
3. Knoxville, Tenn.
4. Louisville
5. Memphis
6. McAllen, Texas
7. Baton Rouge
8. Dayton, Ohio
9. Chattanooga, Tenn.
10. Oklahoma City
If you're one of the unlucky allergy sufferers, they do remind you to make sure to take care of yourself and your allergies this season. If you don't use any medications or the wrong medications, regular seasonal allergies can have serious repercussions if left unchecked.
They may be helping you kick your smoking habit, but are those same electronic cigarettes creating a new allure to an old bad habit for teens and children? We are all more than aware of the horrible side effects of smoking; we've seen the ads, we've heard the horror stories, but quitting is always easier said than done. To make it easier, we try to come up with new and enticing products to encourage us to quit. I mean, what could be better than a cherry flavored “cigarette,” with the nicotine fix and none of the smoke and tar?
Unfortunately these same enticing products are also just as much so to middle and high school students who have never smoked before, possibly creating a new bad habit all its own. The percentage of students from 6 to 12 grade who have ever used e-cigarettes more than doubled last year in comparison to the previous. 6.8% of students admitted to trying the devices, from 3.3% in 2011. 2.1% even admin to using them regularly, compared to 1.1% in 2011. With a wide variety of flavors and colors, it's not hard to see why they've been more appealing to the younger crowd.
The larger issues with child use of these devices are: 1) we don’t know about any long term side effects that may become associated with this form of nicotine intake and 2) these may be as addicting as regular cigarettes and act as a gateway drug to a lifelong cigarette addition. We don’t want to steer our teens back towards cigarettes, especially with teen smoking habits falling.
As of now, only 11 states have age-restrictions on e-cigarettes, making them easily accessible. Make sure to talk with your teens/children and let them know that they can be harmful, too. They should only be used as a tool to help friends and family members quit smoking: not as a recreational habit for teens who never have.
I saw this and wanted to make sure that everyone else did, too. (Especially all of our new mommies on here!)
Motrin manufacturers have voluntarily recalled about 200,000 bottles of concentrated drops for infants because there is potential contamination from plastic particles
Johnson & Johnson also asked retailers to remove the affected products from their shelves and asked customers to stop using the possibly tainted product: Berry Flavor "Concentrated Motrin Infant Drops."
The recalled half-ounce bottles can be identified by their lot numbers: DCB3T01, DDB4R01 and DDB4S01.
For you hard working ladies and gents, it’s important to take a little me time once in awhile. I am obsessed with organic, handmade beauty products: they just make you feel a little more special and relaxed than their mass produced equivalents! Sometimes their prices can be a little out of bounds, though, and then you tend to hoard the products, saving them for “special occasions” rather than whenever you feel like it (at least I’m this way, keeping my favorite bathtub pretties for another day, instead of enjoying them today).
Here is one yummy alternative that will keep you feeling pampered without needing to hoard the good, miserly. Simple and sweet, here is a groovy face mask for the end of those long work days that will only take you seconds to make. *I apologize ahead of time for all of those who ‘hate’ chocolate…*
1 tablespoon melted Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (yes, extra virgin coconut oil exists. Most health food stores will carry it. I get mine at GNC. You can also use “organic coconut oil” instead; we just don’t want any additives)
2-3 tablespoons Dark Cocoa Powder
Stir your melted coconut oil and cocoa powder together. They should create a very creamy texture. Feel free to add a little bit more of each as necessary to create a consistency that you love. Apply to your face with a brush or your fingers and then let is chill out for 15-20 minutes (preferably with your feet up, a couple candles lit, and your favorite movie playing in the background. When you’re done, wash the mask off with a warm wet cloth.
This is a great mask because both have such awesome properties. The dark cocoa has high level antioxidants that promote cell repair and help firm your skin; preventing wrinkles. It also increases your skins hydration and defense against UV ray damage. And…it smells fabulous! (If you’re a chocolate fan)
As for the coconut oil, as long as it’s quality oil without additives, it has antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties. It also provides a long lasting moisturizer that doesn't leave your skin oily or greasy.
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