Where I frequently fall down various "Rabbit Holes" by reading the news online. Sometimes this leads to my ranting and sometimes it leads to very interesting posts.
Recently, I have been thinking more and more about growing older and what exactly that means to me and what I expect for myself. There was a time when I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 62, when I feared I might die. I was not ready to throw in the towel at 62. I had always said I intended to live to 100 because I want to see how the world turns out.
So, I did what I knew I had to do and I fought cancer. I had chemotherapy, which was arduous and unpleasant. I had 33 radiation treatments during which I had to lay on a table with my breasts exposed while strange people walked around behind me. I learned to divorce myself from my body to prevent embarrassment from being so exposed. I did everything in my power to be healthy again. I ate right, I got plenty of sleep, I spent time with my family. Eventually, it all paid off and I beat cancer.
Once you have had cancer, there is a place in your mind that always says, "just wait for the next shoe to drop", so there is a constant tension. I decided that instead of waiting I would become VERY proactive. I went on a Keto diet which has had success with keeping cancer at bay. I began an exercise program and exercised for 1 hour 5 days a week. I joined a group of people who became my friends and I enjoyed my social activities with them. I decided I wasn't dead yet, so I would choose to live.
Now here I am, age 72. I still intend to live to 100. I still do everything I can to stay healthy. But, somewhere in my head there has been a shift, or a change of attitude about what it means to me to grow older.
I watch my sister, who is only 3 years older than I am, grow weak and feeble. She has serious memory issues and is frequently incapacitated by illness and requires hospitalization. This has become her norm. Is this what I want for myself? Am I a bad sister for not wanting to be like her?
We have always been diametrically opposed in our thoughts and actions. She has been uncaring about her health and just living her life the way it came. I have always been interested in ways to improve health. I love exercise and when I found Keto, I began to feel better with that diet. We have never seen eye to eye on much. It seems, looking back, that I was more the big sister to her because I spent years taking care of her and her children.
But now I am thinking about how I want to spend the rest of my life. Do I want to be healthy? Uh, yes! Do I want to be able to be independent? Uh, yes again!! So what do I need to be doing now to accomplish this?
Ageing today is not the same as it was for my mother and father or my grandparents. There is much scientific investigation into the physical aspects of ageing that show promise in possible slowing down the process or even halting is entirely. There is much scientific investigation into the psychological aspects of ageing that show promise in alleviating some of the negative effects ageing has on your self-worth.
Our society adores youth. It has always been a youth oriented society. Is this a good thing? I don't know. I don't see it changing anytime soon, so we must learn as older adults to make our way in a society that demeans and devalues us. Sad, but true.
Here are some great recipes for a spa night to work on your hands and feet. These and others just as wonderful can be found atwww.SpaIndex.Com.
Feel free to visit and check out the rest of the recipes there. Let me know if you like any of these, won't you?
Avocado Hand and Foot Treatment
Mix together 1/4 to 1/2 mashed fresh avocado, 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon rice bran, and 10 drops of oil of evening primrose. Gently massage this treatment onto your hands and feet, and leave in place for 20 minutes. Rinse. This natural treatment will revive your dry, wrinkled and rough hands, feet, elbows and knees. The avocado and egg nourish the skin with proteins and oils; the rice bran exfoliates dead skin cells; the oil of evening primrose contains precious gamma linolenic acids, essential for healthy hair, skin and nails. Consider purchasing a small jar of Oil of Evening Primrose capsules from your health food store. Open one, and voila...you have the ingredient for this. Apricot Oil-Lanolin Cuticle Cream
1/2 tsp apricot kernel or emu oil
2 tsp lanolin
1 drop essential oil of your choice (optional)
Melt oils together, add essential oil, pour into jar or small pots and let set. To use, massage into cuticles. Cuticle Cream
1 T. fuller's earth (a natural clay substance)
1 tsp. olive oil
3 drops lavender essential oil
Mix into a paste and put into a sterile ointment jar or small pot. Massage into nails and cuticles. Cuticle Softener
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. vitamin E oil
Combine and massage into nails and cuticles. Strawberry Hand and Foot Exfoliant
Strawberries have a purpose here; they contain a natural fruit acid which aid exfoliation.
8-10 Strawberries
2 tablespoons Apricot Oil (you may substitute olive oil)
1 teaspoon of coarse salt, such as Kosher Salt, or Sea Salt
Mix together all ingredients into a paste, massage into hands and feet, rinse, and pat dry.
Here's what a journalist had to say about this recipe: Store-bought vs. homemade: trying natural alternatives
By Crystal Chow for Knight Ridder Newspapers
April 19, 2005
(KRT) - What price beauty? Is it really worth shelling out $10, $20 or more for things like exfoliators and masques? Even if you scream "Yes!" you still might think about creating such products at home. Ingredients are usually right at hand, with preparations costing pennies per application. It's a natural way to be nice to Mother Earth, too. But can DIY glamorizers stand polished toe to toe with the store-bought stuff? We had one tester per treatment find out.
TREATMENT: Hand, foot exfoliator: 8-10 ripe strawberries, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Mix together all ingredients, massage into hands and feet, rinse, then pat dry. (www.spaindex.com)
IS GREEN GREATER? "My skepticism was sky-high initially. Why would I want to use strawberries as a beauty product rather than eat them? But wow! This treatment really made a difference -- my hands were definitely softer. A caveat: The mixture is lumpy and messy, so apply in the kitchen and don't wear good clothes."
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp. of Aloe Vera
1 teaspoon wheat germ oil
20 drops of peppermint Essential Oil
20 drops of eucalyptus Essential Oil
Mix together and massage feet gently with this soothing ointment, or, add to a basin of very warm water, and soak. Finish by lightly dusting the feet in corn starch.
This sounds like a wonderful way to help your skin while soothing your mind and relaxing your body. I cannot wait to try this. Let me know if you try it, too. I just hope I don't eat it first!
This is from The Green Beagle and there are many other options available there, too.
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You may not always have the time to go to the spa or the money. Why not make your own spa treatments at home? You can invite some friends over and have a spa party or make your own recipes in your spare time. It’s a fun way to learn about the healing and nutritional properties of the foods you love. Organic Yogurt Walnut Scrub
This treatment works best on normal or combination skin. The nuts exfoliate old dry skin while the yogurt soothes, and the honey promotes calmness. Ingredients:
1/4 cup organic plain yogurt, chilled
1/4 cup organic walnuts; ground or pulverized
1 tbs Organic Fair Trade Raw Honey Instructions:
Stir ingredients together. Apply to freshly cleaned face and gently massage to exfoliate. Let the mask sit on your face between 5-10 minutes, then wash off with warm water and pat dry.
Here's a couple of videos I found to show how easy it is to make many of the skin care products we all use. By making your own, however, you control the ingredients and the outcomes. Home made skin care products also make lovely gifts, so it is a good thing to know how to make these.
Here's a really good and quick recipe to make your own lip balm. This is something I use all the time and I know you will too. I especially like the suggestion that you could make a non-color, non-scented balm to use on your cuticles. I am off to try that. Please click on the title link to visit the site this originated on. Leave a message if you try this and like it.
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A couple of years ago I saw a great lip balm tutorial at Not Martha. I was very inspired by it and decided to create my own recipe. It was a little difficult finding information about what works best. After a lot of research, I compiled a list of what to do.
The Basics:
For a firm lip balm that can be used in a tube or tub, you will need a ratio of about 2:4 solids to liquids. Solids meaning wax & butters, liquids meaning oils. If you find your final product too thick, add more oils. If it is too thin, add more solids.
For solids, I use bee’s wax & mango butter. Other solids are also available.
For liquids, I use sweet almond oil, olive oil, castor oil, and avocado oil. Other types of liquids are available.
Put all of your ingredients in a double boiler and let them melt. Make sure to stir the mixture. Add essential oils just before you are ready to fill your tubes or tubs. This way they will not have a chance to evaporate.
When creating a recipe, be sure to write down the ingredients you have added to each batch including the measurement. I add ingredients a half teaspoon at a time until I get it right. Once you get it right, you will know just how much of each item you used. There will be no need to figure it all out again.
Equipment Needed: • Stovetop
• Double boiler to melt ingredients in • Measuring spoons
• Plastic pipettes (droppers) to help you pour melted ingredients into your tubes or tubs without spilling.• Tubes or tubs to hold lip balm. I prefer to use metal tins instead of plastic because they have less of an environmental impact.
• Labels, if you plan to sell or give as gifts.
Where to shop:
There is a big selection of recipe’s at the Ponte Vedra Soap Shoppe. I shop at Majestic Mountain Sage. They have many exotic oils and good prices. Be sure to check the net because there may be a new company that has popped up that worthy of attention too. If you can’t wait to get started, and good health food store or Whole Foods Market will carry most of the ingredients you need.
About ingredients:
Castor Oil will make your balm glossy.
Shea butter can be stinky and needs to be melted at a certain temperature. If you do not pay attention to this it will become grainy. Use mango or another type of butter instead.
Stay away from hydrogenated oils because they are unhealthy.
Vitamin E Acetate is an antioxidant and extends the shelf life of your product. Make sure to use it in every recipe. I use vitamin E oil that comes in gelatin capsules. They are easy to puncture and squeeze into the mixture.
If you prefer a sweet lip balm, add some honey.
If you like tinted lip balm, add some of your favorite lipstick to the mixture. If you want to experiment with making your own colors you can purchase Iron Oxide, Mica Powder, or D&C colors to add to the mixture. Mica Powders will add a shimmer to you final product.
Avoid artificial flavors. There are many natural essential oils that can be used which will increase your lip balm's healing potential. About Essential Oils: Use essential oils such as tea tree oil, rosemary, sage, peppermint, spearmint, anise, vanilla, cinnamon oil, camphor oil, lavender or ginger. A combination of any of these can be nice as well.
Tea tree oil is known for its antibacterial, antifungal and antiseptic qualities.
Camphor, and mints are cooling.
Cinnamon and ginger are warming.
Do not use any essential oils that are from the citrus family because they make the skin photosensitive.
About Labels:
If you want to make up your own labels, Dover Publications has a great selection of clip art available. You can sign up for free design samples that they e-mail to you about every other week.
Other uses for ‘lip balm’:
These balms are good for cuticles and hands, if you create one without color or sweetener. Balms are great if you work with PMC too, just as long as you do not use any petroleum products in your recipe.
Everyone has them, everyone uses them; but how many really take care of them? Feet, I mean.
I think if more people took proper care of their feet, they would in turn become healthier and happier.
Nothing can ruin your day like feet that hurt. No one likes to have dry, cracked skin on their feet. Here are some Natural Foot Care Products for you to try:
The skin on your feet needs to be taken care of in the same manner as the skin of your face. You need to clean it, exfoliate it and moisturize it like you would any other part of your body. There are a number of foot care products available in the market. But you can make your own natural foot care products at home. These products are simple and easy to make and use naturally available material. Given below are a few simple recipes of natural foot care products.
Lime Cleanser
Ingredients:
Paper towels
Lemon juice
Take a bowl and mix half water and half lemon juice. Then dip paper towels into the mixture and apply on to your feet. This will soften, smooth and remove odors from your feet. This recipe does not contain preservatives and requires refrigeration. The shelf life of this product is approximately one week.
Strawberry Foot Exfoliator
Ingredients:
8 strawberries
2 tablespoons of olive oil or safflower oil
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
½ teaspoon finely chopped almonds
Mix all the ingredients together and make a paste of it. Do not blend too much as the strawberries have a lot of water and this will make the paste too watery. Massage it onto your feet, rinse off and dry your feet. This foot care product has no preservatives and has to be refrigerated. Shelf Life is about one week.
Relaxing Foot Lotion Recipe
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon almond oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon wheat germ oil
12 drops eucalyptus essential oil or fragrance oil
Put all these ingredients into a dark colored bottle and shake it well. As and when you require rub into the feet and heels. Store in cool dry place. This recipe does not contain preservatives and requires refrigeration. Shelf life is approximately one week.
Make and use these simple natural foot care products at home and they will keep your feet healthy and beautiful.
These were found at this site along with many other recipes and tips for healthy, happy feet!
I received an email a day ago from a trusted source (actually a work at home mom source) that talked about a mother who had discovered that she was taking such good care of her baby girl that she was actually poisoning her! Here is a list of items found in most personal care items that are toxic and are absorbed directly by your skin and what damage they actually do:
Here's a "top-ten" list of the most toxic types of substances in skin care products Dr. Sears' Wellness Research team identified - and the dangers they pose to your health:
Chemicals
Commonly Found
In Commercial Sunscreens
Dangerous Side Effects
1. Parabens
"Endocrine disruptors," these gender-bending chemicals mimic estrogen, upset your hormonal balance, and can cause various reproductive cancers in men and women
2. PABA (may be listed as octyl-dimethyl or padimate-O)
Attacks DNA and causes genetic mutation when exposed to sunlight
3. Mineral oil, paraffin, petrolatum
Coats skin like plastic and clogs pores, trapping toxins in, slows skin cell growth, disrupts normal hormone function, suspected of causing cancer
4. Sodium laurel, lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate (sometimes listed as "from coconut" or "coconut derived"
Combined with other chemicals, it becomes nitrosamine, a powerful cancer-causing agent; penetrates your skin's moisture barrier, allowing other dangerous chemicals to enter your bloodstream
5. Phenol carbolic acid
Circulatory collapse, paralysis, convulsions, coma, death from respiratory failure
6. Acrylamide
Breast cancer
7. Octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC)
Kills skin cells
8. Toluene (may be listed as benzoic, benzyl, or butylated hydroxtoluene)
You probably use them on your body every single day of your life. And since your skin is the largest organ of your body, these nasty chemicals go straight into your bloodstream.
Once they get inside of you, they mimic estrogen, disrupt your endocrine system, and throw your hormones out of whack.
So, that said, it makes even more sense to look into the possibility of making some of these products yourself--you have control over the ingredients and the method of manufacture.
Here is a link to a site that has numerous recipes for all types of personal care items. Check out some of these at The Spa Index. Another site that has many recipes to make your own personal care items is Craft Bits. I know I will be looking these recipes over and seeing which product I want to make for myself as a way to "get my toe in the water" so to speak. If it is as easy as they say, then I may go whole hog and make everything I use--actually I won't have to because my oldest daughter is now making me lip balm and soap.
Try some of these out and then let me know your results, won't you? I would love to hear what worked and what flopped and what you think went well. Talk to me, please!
I love when I find a recipe for a skin care product I use frequently, but find very expensive. One of these things is the Biore pour strips -- very expensive but necessary! Imagine my excitement when I found this recipe and tried it, only to discover that this works just as good if not better and only costs pennies! That to me is a miracle in the making. So, here is the recipe. Try it, you'll like it!
Homemade Biore Pore Strips
Make your own homemade pore strips, similar to Biore
After a week of wearing makeup, washing your face, moisturizing your face, and slathering all sorts of things all of it, a homemade pore cleanser can be the perfect remedy for big, clogged pores and lackluster skin. The homemade pore strip is a quick homemade beauty remedy that is easy to make and will yield wonderful results.
1 Tbsp Knox Unflavored Gelatin
11/2 T Milk
Makeup brush (preferably large eye shadow bristle brush)
Water
Witch Hazel or Toner
Mix milk and gelatin in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 10 seconds.
Using a clean make-up brush, apply thin layer of water and Gelatin mask to problematic areas, staying clear of the eye area.
Let mask dry for 10-15 minutes.
Gently tear off film once it's hardened.
Rinse off skin areas, making sure to remove any excess film.
Today is finally Christmas and I am so glad it's over. I worked today and it was a really sad day to spend with my patients. I am constantly reminded that life is hard and sometimes a simple quirk in time can mean all the difference in the type of life you get to live.
So, today I am very grateful for my life--my family, my work, my health, my pets, my friends,--simply my life.
I know that I am very blessed. I know that there are people in the world who love me and care about my happiness. I know that for my age, I am in extremely good health. I am thankful for it all.
I hope you too will do some internal searching and discover the bounty of your blessings. May Christmas live in your life all year long.
Merry Christmas!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Here's an idea for some last minute gifts to give to teachers and other service people you interact with regularly. Gifts don't need to be costly and the best gifts are those that you put some time into. This article below shows you an easy craft to make that will be very appreciated by any recipient.
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By Gayla Trail
HERBAL BATH TEA
What You Need:
# Cotton muslin or pre-made resealable tea bags (large size).
# Ribbon or string
# An assortment of herbs and essential oils (optional)
# Optional -- rolled oats, epsom salts, sea salt.
# Cellophane bags, cellophane roll, other packaging.
This is such a simple but satisfying gift to make. I have been making them for years and always receive compliments and requests. I often give three of them in conjunction with other bath/spa products (also homemade), or give one or two with other gifts. I make lots because everyone likes them and I can fire off a large batch in one night. As an additional savings use herbs grown in your garden. I use my own home-grown sage, basil, rosemary, mint, calendula and lavender (flowers and leaves).
To make the bags you will first require some cotton muslin. Other cotton fabrics can be used but I prefer this kind the most because it is dirt cheap ($2.00 and change for a yard or cheaper if you buy scraps from the ends bin), unbleached, and has an open weave while remaining sturdy and rigid. In the past I have purchased ribbon (I'll explain its use later), but this year I found some nice seam binding tape in earth tones for a very good price (29 cents a yard). If you don't want to sew you can purchase special large-sized, sealable tea bags made especially for this purpose. They are relatively cheap to buy and can be sealed with an iron. However, I guarantee you that even the most inexperienced sewer can make this. Keep in mind that it is going to be used a few times and thrown out. Precision is not necessary. No one will be grading you on your ability to achieve a perfect square because the bag will be wet and soggy before the recipient has a chance to inspect the merchandise.
1. Start by cutting the fabric into squares. Any size is fine but I usually cut mine into 6" squares because that is the thickness of my ruler and it's faster.
2. Cut a 12" length of ribbon or string. Butcher cord or just about any strong string you have on hand can be used. This will be used to hang the bag over the faucet so it must be strong enough to bear the weight of a bag of wet bag of herbs.
3. Lay out a piece of fabric. Lay the string/ribbon on top in a u-shape with the U formed inside the square. The object is to sew the ribbon inside the bag so that when you turn the bag inside out, you can hold the ribbon like a handle. Place the other piece of fabric on top and secure with a few pins.
4. Sew around the square, being sure to leave a small opening to pour the herbs through. Turn your bag inside out through the hole, push out the corner and iron flat.
5. To fill the bag, take a piece of scrap paper and form a cone with it. Insert this into the hole and use it as a funnel through which to pour your herb mix.
6. Sew the seam shut with matching thread.
7. Herb bags can be packaged in cellophane to retain freshness and the potency of the smell longer. Or you can give as is. Be sure to include the ingredients and instructions for use (Hang over faucet when filling tub. Hang to dry and reuse up to 3 times) with each one.
Herbal MixesHerb Mix Recipes:
Every year my recipes are different but they are always based on what I think are the three things people want out of a bath; to heal, to revitalize or to relax. As a result I mix my herbs accordingly. I always add a few extra ingredients aside from herbs to each bag. I add rolled oats (coarsely ground in the blender first) for moisturizing and soothing, epsom salts for muscle relaxation and celtic sea salt (as opposed to table salt) for its healing properties. Powdered milk or citrus peel can also be added. I have listed this year's recipes below and a listing of other potential ingredients at the side.
Please Note: When using herbs be sure your recipient doesn't have an allergy. Chamomile for instance is a common allergen to those with ragweed sensitivities. Also note that some herbs should not be given to pregnant women. Although you will not be drinking this 'tea', your skin is a semi-permeable membrane and anything that comes into contact with the skin will have an effect.
Here's a great idea for an evening spent with your daughters. Help them to enjoy natural beauty and natural goodness. Cleansing the face is something we all do regularly. Why not teach our daughters how to do this simple thing in a fun way and spend quality time while doing it?
Try this out during the holiday rush--take some time just for yourselves--to pamper and relax your mind and body!
Apple Face Mask, excerpt from The Natural Beauty Book
By Anne Akers Johnson
Mask are intensive treatments and should be limited to your once-a-week routine. Choose one that is well suited to your skin. Facial Mask Basics 1. Before applying a mask, find a place where you can lie back without being disturbed. Spread a towel out where you will rest your head in case your mask drips. 2. Choose and prepare a recipe. 3. Pull your hair back off your face. Pull long hair back into a ponytail. 4. Wash your face so it's nice and clean. 5. Run a washcloth under warm water, squeeze it out and hold it over your face for a few seconds to dampen your face. If you've just had a steam, skip this step. 6. Apply the mask all over your face and neck (if you like), avoiding your eye area. Lie back and let the mask work for 10-15 minutes. If it starts to feel itchy or uncomfortable, less time is OK. 7. If your mask is particularly chunky (like oatmeal) use your washcloth to gently wipe it off your face, shaking the bits of mask into the trash (this is the trick to avoiding clogged drains). Once it's mostly off, rinse your face in warm water.
Apple Face Mask
Ingredients
1/2 Apple, grated into a bowl 2 t Honey
1 T Uncooked, regular oatmeal
Directions
Step 1: Grind the oatmeal into a flour in a clean coffee grinder or food processor if you have one. Unground oatmeal is OK too, it just makes the mask a little messier. Step 2: Combine all the ingredients. Step 3: Lie back and gently press small handfulls of the mask onto your face. Rub it along the sides of your face, then let it sit for 10-15 minutes before removing and rinsing.
With the holidays coming up and money being spent for gifts, we sometimes forget to pamper ourselves or we simply let things like pedicures and manicures slide, even though we know we feel better and look better when we take care of ourselves.
This article was written in May for the summer season, but I think it is just as applicable for the upcoming holiday season. Maybe a "girls night" for Mom and daughters during the holiday rush season will be the start of a wonderful holiday habit. Maybe a gift of a home pedicure for the Dad or sons may teach an important message on self-care and esteem while showing them how much you love them. In any way, this is a great idea for this holiday season and I firmly support the plan that we all try this during the holiday madness that has become Christmas.
An at-home pedicure is an inexpensive DIY spa treatment to get your feet ready for summer. Learn how to give yourself a home spa pedicure with these steps, tips and homemade spa recipes for pedicure treatments.
Home Spa Pedicure Step 1: Remove old polish
The first step in a home pedicure is to remove any old polish from your toes. Use nail polish remover to remove any remnants of old polish. If your old polish has stained your toe nails or your nails have a yellowish tint, soak a cotton ball with hydrogen peroxide and apply to the nail. Leave on for a few minutes and then wipe off.
Home Spa Pedicure Step 2: Trim toenails Use a toenail clipper to cut your nails straight across. Your toenails should not be longer than the end of your toe as this can lead to ingrown toenails. After clipping, file straight across and only in one direction. Going back and forth with a nail file damages and weakens your nails.
Home Spa Pedicure Step 3: Soak feet Once you have trimmed your toe nails, prepare a foot bath for your home pedicure. A pedicure foot bath is not only relaxing, but is an important step for softening calluses and cuticles. Add epsom salts and essential oils to your foot bath or try this homemade spa recipe.
Homemade Foot Bath Recipe 1 C. Buttermilk (slightly warmed)
½ C. Sugar
6-7 C. Hot water
A few drops essential oil of your choosing (optional)
Milk can be substituted in this homemade spa foot soak, but buttermilk is better because of the higher concentration of lactic acid which works to soften feet and remove dead skin. The glycolic acid in the sugar also helps exfoliate your feet. Essential oils are optional, but here are some suggestions: Peppermint oil for invigorating feet, Lavender for soothing your senses, or Tea Tree oil if you have any problems with foot fungus. You can also put marbles on the bottom of your foot bath and rub your feet along them for massaging action during your foot soak. Soak your feet for 20 minutes or so and then pat dry.
Home Spa Pedicure Step 4: Cuticle Care After your home pedicure foot bath, your cuticles should be nice and soft. Use an orange stick to gently push back the cuticle. If necessary, use cuticle remover lotion to help with pushing back your cuticles. Don't cut your toenail cuticles, as the cuticles protect your feet from infection. If you have any excess skin on the sides of your nails that needs trimming, you can trim it with a cuticle trimmer.
Home Spa Pedicure Step 5: Scrub Feet Next give yourself a refreshing spa foot scrub to help remove dead skin and calluses from your feet. If you have access to beach sand it makes a wonderful scrub. If not here is a homemade spa foot scrub recipe.
Homemade Foot Scrub Recipe 1/2 C. Table Salt (or ¼ C. Salt and ¼ C. Sand)
2 Tbsp. Oil (Olive, Almond, Coconut, etc.)
2 Tsp. Liquid soap (bath or hand or even shampoo)
A few drops essential oil of your choosing (optional)
Mix together and massage well into your feet. Rinse well. After scrubbing, you can follow up with a pumice stone to help smooth calluses and rough spots. Avoid using razors or other methods that cut off calluses.
Home Spa Pedicure Step 6: Foot Mask This step is optional, but if you want to give your feet some extra pampering, try a spa foot mask for superbly soft and smooth feet.
Mash ingredients together, apply to dry feet and wrap in plastic. Plastic bread bags or vegetable bags work well over your feet, even if they look a little funny. You can cover the plastic wrap with socks if you wish. Relax for at least twenty minute and then rinse feet and pat dry.
Home Spa Pedicure Step 7: Paint toenails Use nail polish remover to wipe toenails and remove any excess oils that may remain from your home spa foot treatments. Nail polish does not adhere well to oily nails. Use cotton balls to separate toes when painting. Packing peanuts also work great as toe separators. Apply a base coat, allow to fully dry and then apply two top coats. If you decide not to apply color, use a nail whitening pencil and run it under the tips of your toenails for a French manicure look.
Home Spa Pedicure Step 8: Moisturize Rub a light foot or hand lotion into your feet and enjoy your soft, smooth, beautiful feet. If you do your home spa pedicure at night, apply a heavier lotion, cover with cotton socks, and leave on overnight.
Use these tips and recipes to give yourself a spa pedicure at home and you can save money and have beautiful feet for summer.
As a psychiatric nurse for the last 20 or so years, I have been an advocate of alternative medicine as well. I have always believed that we must try to do for ourselves as much as we can before we seek professional help. I believe that through proper and adequate nutrition and supplementation most chronic medical conditions can be averted altogether or can be halted in their progression. I also believe that herbs and acupuncture can play an important part in keeping the body healthy.
To be very clear here, I believe that if all you have done to stay healthy fails, I do believe you should see your doctor. Never ignore symptoms of illness. Use of alternative or complementary medicine should be used for maintaining health.
So, on that note, I have an article below that I found to be quite interesting. I hope you will read it and then give this issue some thought. Tell me what you think.
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More Med Schools Are Teaching Alternative Medicine
Ten years have gone by and $2.5 billion have been done in research, yet it all comes down to scientists, doctors and researchers have really found no cures from alternative medicine. Still, these mostly unproven modalities and treatments are mainstream and used by more than a third of all Americans and more med schools are teaching alternative medicine.
The government has spent more than $22 million to help medical and nursing schools start teaching about alternative medicine. Critics tend to be upset because they feel lesson plans are biased toward unproven remedies. These critics are also upset that more tax money is being spent to train more young doctors to do research in this field, which will launch some of thee bright young doctors into careers as alternative medicine providers.
Doctors need to know about popular remedies so they can discuss them non-judgmentally and give competent advice, the government says, and many universities and medical groups agree. "Patients are using these things" whether doctors think they should or should not, and safety is a big concern, said Dr. Victor Sierpina, an acupuncturist at the University of Texas Medical Branch.
Still some critics say it is like teaching “Harry Potter medicine.” Students are being asked to close their eyes to science principles that guide the rest of their training in order to keep an open mind about pseudoscience, they say. Still, it is not stopping med schools from teaching alternative medicine.
One of the largest and well known schools is The University of Arizona's Center for Integrative Medicine. Currently it has medical residency programs in hospitals around the country and is partly sponsored by well-known advocate Dr. Andrew Weil, the center's founder. The Bravewell Collaborative which is a private group promotes such care and offers scholarships for many of the Arizona school's students to get hands-on training in integrative care clinics.
The University of Minnesota offers medical students an elective course in alternative healing methods at a Hawaiian medical center and students raved about things they had tried firsthand, and said they returned more willing to recommend acupuncture, meditation, yoga,herbal remedies and other nontraditional care.
"Consumers are demanding it" and more research is needed to see what works, said Mary Jo Kreitzer, who directs the Minnesota school's alternative medicine curriculum. "Ultimately we need to align policy" so that insurers pay for these therapies” ,
Georgetown University started the nation's first graduate degree program in complementary and alternative medicine and they strive for objectivity, said the program's director, Hakima Amri. She stated the goal is "to train a new generation of open-minded but critical physicians or scientists."
Written by Tyler Woods Ph.D.
Tucson, Arizona
Exclusive to eMaxHealth
I have been reading, both online and in print, about all the possible problems that can develop from a low level of Vitamin D. As a nurse, I am interested because I believe that we need to do everything we can to maintain and keep good health instead of relying on the health care system. As a proponent of natural and holistic medicine myself, I firmly believe that additional vitamins are a necessity if you are to have a strong body and mind.
The problem I find myself having is this--there is so much hype in the mainstream news today about Vitamin D and all the myriad diseases it can prevent and even I become skeptical. First of all, vitamin D is not really a vitamin at all but rather a precursor hormone. Hormones are involved in every process of the human body, so I am sure that a deficiency in a specific substance could lead to many and different sources of ill health due to the breakdown of the natural processes of the body. Beyond that, I still need convincing. Although I have been taking Vitamin D supplements for some time, I am not quite convinced that Vitamin D is the "magic bullet" for good health and long life.
Below I have included just one of the many articles I find daily about this subject. Feel free to read the article and comment. Why not read it and come back here to comment?
Study Finds 1 in 5 Youngsters Lacking in Vitamin D
A new study finds that about 20 percent of U.S. children between ages 1 and 11 aren't getting enough vitamin D, the Associated Pressreports. Researchers looked at vitamin D blood levels in almost 3,000 children recorded between 2001 and 2006. The researchers also applied a higher cutoff for deficiency that showed close to 90 percent of black children and 80 percent of Hispanic children may be vitamin D deficient, according to the AP. Earlier research has suggested a link between vitamin D deficiency in kids and health problems such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol and has also shown that many U.S. teens are lacking enough of the nutrient. Health professionals do not have a single set of guidelines to determine the level at which a child is considered deficient, the AP reports. The latest study appears in the journal Pediatrics.
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