I’m more than ready for this foul weather to move out and for a sunny, warm May to move in. It’s going to happen, I refuse to believe otherwise. We’ll probably skip right over Spring and head straight into a hot summer this year, and I’m actually ok with that! To get us started off right I found an awesome recipe for homemade sunscreen bars. I prefer lotion of any form in bars when possible: they’re just easier to handle, use, and store. Although you may not feel 100% about making sunscreen for kids, these are definitely worth a try for yourself if not your family!
To start you’ll need:
Start by melting the beeswax, Shea butter, and coconut oil together; put the ingredients in a mason jar and place it in a pot of boiling water until they’re melted completely. Removed from the heat and then stir in your zinc oxide and tea tree oil. Pour into silicon molds or an ice cube tray and allow to cool completely. Once done, store your sunscreen bars in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them! Once you’re heading out into the sun just grab a bar, warm it up slightly between your hands, and the rub it over your skin. These bars are roughly 20 SPF and waterproof. If you’re heading to the beach or a picnic keep your sunscreen bar in a zip-lock baggy in your cooler just to make sure it doesn’t melt on you.
(image source)
I thought that this is an awesome follow-up. About a month ago I wrote up a post about the dangers of using power morcellation as an option for hysterectomies and included the link to an online petition to stop the procedure from being recommended. The FDA is actually agreeing and is officially discouraging use of the procedure in these cases, as well as in the cases of fibroid surgeries.
Power morcellation is a technique that allows doctors to literally pulverize organs and fibers into tiny pieces to be removed through tiny incisions. The effect is a minimally invasive procedure for the patient, but it can result in the spread of cancer cells at the same time. Although cancer is screened for and doctors try rule it out ahead of time, 1 in every 350 cases the cancer is not detected and allowed to spread through the entire abdomen due to the morcellation process.
From William Maisel, the deputy director for Science and chief scientist for the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological health, “Patients should know that the FDA is discouraging the use of laparoscopic power morcellation for hysterectomy or (fibroid removal surgery), and they should discuss the risks and benefits of the available treatment options with their health care professionals."
This time of year can be literal torture for seasonal allergy sufferers (heck, and year-round allergy sufferers). The trees and flowers are back in bloom… and that means itchy eyes and congestions all around! I know that most of you tough it out, not wanting to resort to medications unless absolutely necessary, so here are a couple remedies that will hopefully provide you with a little relief as you go.
Start by swapping some of your schedule, if you can. They say the worst times for allergens and pollen are around sunrise and sunset: while the weather is still palatable, try swapping your morning jog to midday or late afternoon. This will hopefully help keep you out of the thick of it. Once you get home leave your sneakers outside and head straight in to get changed/shower. You bring a lot of pollen right indoors on you, so you’ll want to remove it quickly to decrease the effects. Washing your hair right before bed and changing your sheets more frequently will also help to ensure you a better night’s sleep by removing the lingering allergens that would keep you up.
Use apple cider vinegar to your advantage. We already use it to clean our homes and kill other health issues (such as heartburn). Use it to help cleanse your system and break down mucus, as well. Mix 1 tablespoon with a glass of water 3x daily to best affect.
Saline Nasal spray and Neti pots are your friend. Although using a neti isn’t always recommended (because it can be “overly cleansing” if used with too much regularity), cleansing your sinuses with nasal spray and/or neti pots will help remove residual allergens from your sinus canal to keep their effects to a minimum.
A teaspoon a day of local honey may keep the allergens away. Honey already has beneficial qualities to help you feel better: soothing raw throats and warding off a cough. It is believed that local honey may have an additional effect: the honey cultivated in our local environment may help you build up a barrier and tolerance for the allergens there. It may only be a chance, but with already existing anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties it doesn’t hurt to try.
Take as many breaks as you can. The more stressed you are the more hyper-reactive your body is going to be to the allergy simulants. By catching up on a little sleep and those yoga/meditative sessions you just haven’t had time for you’ll be helping your body fight the battle with fewer side-effects.
With the crazy winter finally finishing up and leading straight into a week of holidays and festivities, the chances are good that you’re more than ready for a relaxing spa day: I know that I am. My skin is crying out for it just as intensely as my psyche is! If you’re in the same boat, and don’t have the time or money to spend an entire afternoon at the spa (no matter how glorious it may sound) here are a few recipes for you to have your own spa day at home!
Let’s start with the hair. If you’re ready for a good conditioning treatment, here’s a simple and fast recipe! Pop 1 avocado (peeled and cubed), 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, and 1 tablespoon of honey into your blender and mix well. Wash your hair as usual, and then comb mixture through it. Wrap in cellophane and cover with a shower cap. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes and then rinse out well! This will leave your hair soft and silky, while helping to even out the pH of your scalp (leaving it not to dry and not too oily).
Next, we’ll work on healing those winter-chapped hands. Start with a simple scrub of ½ cup of olive oil and ½ cup of sugar. Mix them into a paste, massage over hands lightly, and then rinse off well. Next pop ¼ of honey (if not a little more) into the microwave for about 20 second to liquefy it (maybe a little more, maybe a little less depending on your microwave). Apply the honey to your hands and have a helper wrap them up in cellophane. Sit back and relax for about 30 minutes, allowing the honey to sooth and enrich your freshly exfoliated skin. Rinse away with warm water when you’re done.
Lastly, let’s greet the world with a glowing smile! I tend to post up face mask ideas often because they’re one of my favorite ways to unwind. This time, though, I figured why not go for something a little fancier! For this luscious mask you’ll start with 2 kiwis, 3 tablespoons of plain yogurt (regular or greek), 1 tablespoon of OJ, and 1 tablespoon of your preferred oil (almond, olive, sunflower, etc). Peel your kiwis and pop them in the blends. Puree them well, and then add the rest of your ingredients and blend well. Your mask should be creamy with just a touch of exfoliating properties (from your kiwi seeds). Apply all over your face, avoiding your eyes. Sit back, relax, and allow drying fully on your skin (usually about 10 to 15 minutes). Rinse off with warm water, and put any remaining mask in the fridge because it’s good for up to a week! (That means you can have a spa-mask-Monday if you’d like, too!)
I’m always looking for simple new health(ish) recipes, especially for desserts. I have a sweet tooth and would much rather have it over the dinner any day. Here’s a simple, fast recipe for a Paleo Banana Cream Pie that I will be putting to the test this week. I wanted to share it so that you could, too. All you really need (besides the ingredients) are a food processor, pie tin, and room in your freezer! No baking time and your recipe is all set up in about 15 minutes to pop in the freezer! What could be easier? So here is the breakdown of your ingredients:
Pie Crust:
-2 cups of raw cashews that you soaked overnight
-2 cups of unsweetened shredded coconut
-1/2 cup of dates
-1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Pie Filling:
-1 ½ cups of raw cashews, soaked overnight
-2 medium to large bananas + one extra for slices placed on top of pie
-1/4 cup of honey
-1/3 cup of coconut oil
-1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-a dash of salt
Place all of the ingredients for your pie crust into the food processor and blend until they clump and start to stick together. Place into your pie tin and press it evenly around. Put all of your pie filling ingredients into the food processor (except the extra banana for slicing) and blend until smooth. Pour and smooth it out evenly in the crust. Place banana slice all around the top and pop it into your freezer to harden (at least a couple hours). Take it out, thaw a couple minutes if necessary, and enjoy!
Once again it’s contest time, and once again I’m jealous that I can't participate! The awesomely talented Cookie Lady is hosting a contest exclusively for you, our LIFamilies crew, for a chance to 25 free custom cookie favors! Your prize will include the 25 personalized cookies and bags with personalized tags! The prize will be redeemable after May 10, 2014!
To enter, all you need to do is head over to the official contest thread and post a reply with the theme and type of the party you are/will be planning! (birthday, christening, baby shower, etc) Multiple entries are allowed if you're planning multiple parties, but please one entry per post!
The winner will be chosen at random, and the contest ends at midnight on April 24th! Prize is non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash!
Good luck! :-D
Here are some of The Cookie Lady's creations!!
I've always been a huge fan of buying fresh and buying local, but that can be easier said than done. In the warmer states their growing season is basically year round for a lot of produce. Here on the Island, though, once we get into cooler/cold weather, it's hard to figure out what could or may be in season, and what is available local. I found these awesome charts and figured I'd share it with you. (I was searching to see what's going to be in season next, now that spring seems to finally be here.) It'll help you keep an eye out for local items and make a viable shopping list for when you head to the farmers markets.
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