Monday, March 16, 2009

Natural Remedies for Dull Skin

Natural Remedies for Dull Skin
• Raw milk is a natural skin cleanser.
• Limestone again is a natural healer.
• Limejuice mixed with sugar can be rubbed on dark zones of the body.• A slice of cucumber on your eyes provides instant relief from lethargy.
• Papaya pulp is the most effective and instant face scrub

Skin Care Tips for Natural Glow

Skin Care Tips for Natural Glow

Beauty is one of the most predominant factors affecting your personality and confidence. But going to beauty parlors is not the only way of maintaining oneself. There are some effective natural beauty tips that may help you to make your skin happy and healthy.
• Fruits and vegetables that are a good source of vitamins and minerals and should be included in your meals as they also provide roughage that helps relieve constipation. Drumsticks, French beans, jackfruits, grapes, figs, peaches, phalsa and guava are some such sources.
• Diet should be rich in carbohydrate and proteins but with dietary fibre such as barley and maize, wheat flour (whole), rajmah and dry peas.
• Sugar should be restricted to limited amounts. High carbohydrate foods such as breads, cakes, cookies, dry fruits, honey, jams, syrups, potatoes, rich puddings and sweet potatoes should be avoided to prevent obesity.
• Bulking agents like Isabgul are rich in fibre, adding bulk to the diet and reducing the total food intake. This also reduces the total calorie intake.
• Take grapes and carrot both equal in weight. Clean and grate them along with peels. Eat about 200 gm of this mixture on an empty stomach in the morning with a free mind. Do not take anything for two hours after this. This will increase energy and vigor and reduce fat. It cleans and purifies blood, makes the face bright, fair and beautiful. Grated apples and carrots can also be taken after lunch. This helps in increasing weight and relieving weakness.
• The diet should be rich in iron, having Indian gooseberry, spinach, gur, all pulses, horsegram, soyabean, mustard leaves, radish leaves, turnip, apricots, dates, watermelon, peaches, pineapple, banana and egg yolk etc. These provide a glow to the face.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Beauty Tips For Women

Beauty Tips For Women: How To Achieve That Sexy LookHere are a few proven tips to help you look sexy and attractive in no time. Sometimes you don't have to spend a fortune on beauty products/services in order to look sexy. All you need is some positive attitude, self confidence and a few tips like the ones in this article.

Beauty tip 1: Brush Your Teeth
Always take good care of your teeth. Keep them extra white and shiny (aka sexy). Visit the dentist every now and then to ensure your teeth are healthy.

Beauty tip 2: The Earrings
I strongly recommend using your favorite jewelry when trying to look sexy. I will stress the use of earrings especially at dark hours. A pair of metallic classy earrings can make the difference and give you the hottest look.

Beauty tip 3: The Red Lipstick
Red color is bound to attract attention. Nothing does the job better than a red lipstick. Younger women should also use some lip gloss to sweeten their lips and have that shiny attractive look. Older women should avoid lip-gloss and choose a red lipstick that matches their skin type. For example, a blonde lady should use a pure red lipstick while a dark-skinned lady should go for a dark-red one.

Beauty tip 4: Quit Bad Habits
No matter what you think, quitting bad habits like alcohol or smoke will have a tremendous impact on the way you feel and look.

Beauty tip 5: The Sun Glasses And The Hat
Some people look extremely sexy when they look mysterious. A pair of sunglasses of your choice will give you a mysterious and cute look and it will protect you from UVA and UVB radiation. How about adding a hat to the set? A hat will strengthen your sex appeal and will draw attention too.

Beauty tip 6: Elegant Fabrics
Try wearing clothes made out of elegant fabrics like silk or cashmere. These fabrics feel good and will boost you self-confidence. Plus, you can visualize you are taking the place of your favorite celebrity.

But enough with the beauty tips.

Keep in mind that outer beauty is not all you need. No matter how many tips you know, how many beauty products you've bought, how many experts/stylists you've taken advice from etc.

Do you have the right kind of mindset to look sexy? Do you feel good about yourself?

What is inside is reflected on the outside. You always have to take good care of your inside and feel good about it in order to achieve an astonishing and sexy look. Then you can apply all the beauty tips you want.

Looking for more beauty tips? Take a look at this beauty guide with insider secrets from top beauty professionals. You will learn how to look and feel better than ever. You see, beauty is not just an outer appearance. It is a complete harmony from within that can be felt and sensed by others from the way you present yourself.

Beauty Tips – How To Sparkle At Any Party

Beauty Tips – How To Sparkle At Any Party
If you want to look great at any party and standout from the crowd, learn these quick beauty secrets and you will be the belle of the ball. If you want to look great at any party and standout from the crowd learn these quick beauty secrets and you will be the belle of the ball.

This year metallic is in as a theme and this allows for a dramatic stand out look.

Metallic and smoky eyes have been a big theme on the catwalks and other dramatic colours such as red and plum and electric blue are also big this year.

If you go for a standout colour or you want to be more conservative, the Beauty tips below will help get you noticed.

Make up

1. A great quick beauty secret is some false lashes. You can use alternate short and medium lashes to get a soft innocent look, or look more feline and vampy by using shorter lashes in the centre and medium ones to the side.

2. Eyes are one of your most important assets so make them the centre of attention.

3. Lips should be sexy! If you have pale skin you can use a blackish red lipstick, that will give you a gothic look or another standout colour such as purple.

4. For classy eye make up go for a silver - gold look with eye makeup. It gives an effervescent look and is the ultimate in sophistication.

Nails

Your nails if properly done will always get noticed, so what are the best colours for a party?

1. A French manicure is always classy and a safe choice but if you want to be a bit more daring and metallic crimson reds are a great option.

2. Try and match your lips to your nails. You communicate with both and this will make the upper body frame and make you look chic and sexy.

Hair

For a quick great look try the following – A long bob with a straight parting, which is a classic stylish look. It’s extremely easy to do and the parting can be down the side or centre.

You can also tuck one side behind your ear so you can get some glitzy sparkly earrings.

Face

1. Get your face prepared a day or two before.

The reason for this is if you have a facial on the day impurities tend to come to the surface and you don’t want that on the night! Do 48 hours before to ensure your skin looks its best and simply exfoliate on the day.

2. Powdered skin always gives a uniform appearance so use concealer rather than foundation which can make your face look tired and mask like.

Body

Relax in essential oils and let them moisturize and tone your skin on the day. Exfoliate the day before (not on the day) to avoid possible short term irritation. Make sure you moisturize all over afterwards.

Fragrance

Use strong smelling fragrances such as amber or musk, as they will give a pleasant scent in any party atmosphere.

Just a few beauty secrets that are quick and easy to do and of course there are many more - that will help you look your best on your big night.

8 Natural Beauty Secrets

Do you know that the most effective and simplest ways to create and maintain everlasting beauty, are at your finger tips? It's all there, as nature intended.

1. Drink 8 glasses of water per day

Lots of clean, filtered water will give you a beautiful and youthful complexion. Carry around one or more bottles and aim to finish them off, every day.

2. Don't wear make-up

Read the labels of your average make-up carefully. It is safer and kinder to your skin to wear none. Not only do many of them contain harmful toxins, but they also clog up your skin. Take good care of your skin - it's the largest organ you have!

3. Moisturize your skin with food

The best moisturizer comes from the food we eat. Treat your skin with regular raw certified organic salads. You'll not only look better but you'll also feel better!

4. Have early nights

Going to sleep by 10pm and waking around 6am, provides will relax you so much, that you'll wake up with clear skin and sparkling eyes.

5. Rinse your hair with apple cider vinegar

Dilute 1 tablespoon of ACV in 2 cups of water. Use as a final hair rinse and leave it in your hair. Your hair will be beautiful and shiny.

6. Bathe in the sun

The early hours of the morning before 10am are the most beneficial to our overall health and wellbeing. When you feel good, you'll look good.

7. Wear colors that suit your skin tone

Wearing the right colors for your skin tone, will always bring out your natural beauty. If unsure, seek the advice of a professional color consultant.

8. Exercise

Walking the dog or doing more strenuous exercise stimulates the body's metabolism. This will in turn create a more youthful complexion and body shape.

Friday, August 1, 2008

Reduce Weight Naturally

Reduce Weight Naturally
In ayurveda, Charak Samhita describes eight different types of bodies that are disease prone. Out of these, the obese body is described as the one afflicted with the most diseases and troubles. Obesity is the condition or physical state of the body when excessive deposition of fat takes place in the adipose tissue.

Extra fat puts a strain on the heart, kidneys, liver and the joints such as the hips, knees and ankles and thus, overweight people are susceptible to several diseases like coronary thrombosis, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, gout, liver and gall bladder disorders. Chief cause of obesity is overeating, irregular eating habits and not following the rules of eating or mixing non-compatible food items in one meal.

To decrease weight and get rid of obesity three things must be kept in mind:
Controlling eating habits.
Regular exercise.
Avoiding the causes of weight gain
Diet recommended to lose weight
Early morning
Juice of half a lemon mixed in a glass of warm water and a teaspoon of honey.


Breakfast
Wheat or Mung bean sprouts and a cup of skimmed milk.


Midmorning
A glass of orange, pineapple or carrot juice.


Lunch
Salad of raw vegetables such as carrot, beet, cucumber, cabbage, tomatoes. Steamed or boiled vegetables
Whole grain bread or whole wheat chapatis (Indian bread) and a glass of buttermilk.
Roasted cumin seeds, green coriander leaves, a little salt and some grated ginger mixed in the buttermilk.



Mid-afternoon
Coconut water
Dry fruits
Lemon tea
Fresh vegetable soup


Dinner
Whole grain bread or chapatis
Steamed vegetables
Seasonal fruits except banana and apple.
Home Remedies for Losing Weight
Increase the quantity of fruits and vegetables and low calorie foods.
Avoid intake of too much salt as it may be a factor for increasing body weight.
Milk products like cheese, butter etc. and non-vegetarian foods should be avoided as they are rich in fat.
Mint is very beneficial in losing weight. A chutney of green mint with some simple spices can be taken with meals. Mint tea also helps.
Spices like dry ginger, cinnamon, black pepper etc. are good for loosing weight and can be used in a number of ways.
Regular intake of carrot juice.
Avoid rice and potato, which contain a lot of carbohydrates. Among cereals wheat is good.
Vegetables like bitter gourd (Karela), and bitter variety of drumstick are useful in loosing weight.
Honey is an excellent home remedy for obesity. It mobilizes the extra deposited fat in the body allowing it to be utilized as energy for normal functions.
Dosage: One should start with small quantity of about 10 grams or a tablespoon, taken with hot water early in the morning. A teaspoonful of fresh lemon juice may also be added.
Fasting on honey and lime- juice is highly beneficial in the treatment of obesity without the loss of energy and appetite. For this, mix one teaspoon of fresh honey with the juice of half a lime in a glass of lukewarm water.
Dosage: Take several times a day at regular intervals.
Raw or cooked cabbage inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat. Hence, it is of great value in weight reduction.
Exercise is an important part of any weight reduction plan. It helps to use up calories stored in body as fat.
Walking is the best exercise to begin with and may be followed by running, swimming or rowing.
The gum of Commiphora Mukul called 'guggulu' is the drug of choice for the treatment of obesity.
Preparation of Home Remedies
According to ayurveda home remedies are prepared in the same way and with the same purpose as other ayurvedic medicines. The main aim is to obtain the maximum therapeutic benefit while making it palatable.

Some common methods of preparing home remedies are:
Juice
The juice may be taken from the fresh leaves, flowers or stems of the herb. The part of the herb used should be crushed or ground in a mortar and pestle, to make a paste. This paste should be put in a piece of cloth and squeezed to take out the juice.
Dosage: One to two tablespoons twice a day.


Powder
Dried herbs are used for powders. The herbs are usually dried in a cool, shady and well-ventilated place, although some herbs are dried in direct sunlight. The herbs are then ground into a fine powder and stored in a dry, airtight bottle. The powder may be taken with water, or if specified, with milk or honey.
Dosage: Half to one teaspoon twice a day


Decoction
A decoction is prepared by boiling the herb in water (ratio: 1 part herb to 16 parts water). The herbs are broken into pieces and soaked in water overnight. This mixture is then boiled until it reduces to one quarter of the original volume. It is then filtered and stored in a glass bottle.
Dosage: One to two tablespoons twice a day.


Infusion
Herbs are soaked in water to make an infusion (ratio: 1 part herb to 8 parts water). Hot infusions result from adding herbs to hot water, or gently heating but not boiling the mixture. This is strained and taken internally. Herbal teas are forms of hot infusions. Cold infusions are made from soaking the herb overnight. Honey can be added.
Dosage: half to one cup once or twice day.


Paste
A paste can be made from either fresh or dried herbs. The flowers, roots, stems, leaves or bark are ground and mixed with water. Pastes are mainly used for external application, in cases of cuts, burns and swellings. The paste should be thick enough to be applied in a layer to the skin.


Tablets
The herbs should be first dried separately and then mixed together in a powder form, in fixed proportions. Water or herbal juice can be added to this powder to make a paste, from which tablets of a specific size or weight are made. Tablets remain potent longer than juices, powders, pastes or decoctions.
Dosage: 1 or 2 tablets twice a day.


Medicated ghee and oil
Ghee is cooked with herbal juices, decoctions or pastes. The ghee should be heated with the herbal mixture at a moderate, controlled temperature. High temperatures can easily burn the ghee or oil, destroying its effectiveness. Medicated ghee and oils are either used internally or massaged externally.
Dosage: Half to one tablespoon.

Simple Facial Exercises

Simple Facial Exercises
If you want firmer facial skin, and want to look years younger just follow these ten exercises every morning and watch the age on your face fade away.
Face tapping - to get the circulation going
Tap 20 times on each dot with the pads of your middle fingers. From the bridge of your nose work out along your eyebrows, then in round the top of your cheekbone. Tap up from the sides of your mouth to each inner eye. Then out from the chin along the jawline to each ear. Make sharp, light, very quick taps as if you are testing a very hot iron.
Ear massage - to get your face glowing
With index fingers and thumbs, hold the top rim of your ears and pull upwards. Massage, making small circles between fingers and thumb. Move down all round the rim of the ears, pulling ears out gently and massaging. When you reach the lobes, pull them down slightly and massage for about one minute. Repeat this sequence if you have time. Then, with small, quick circular movements, massage all the crevices and spirals of the ear. Use the surface of the nails of your index fingers, or the pads of your middle fingers.
Throat massage - to beautify your neck
Put the fingers of one hand on one side of your throat and the thumb on the other. Make rapid circular motions up and down the throat. Repeat with the other hand.
Gum stimulation - for glowing gums
With finger tips of knuckles, make circles just above the jawline along the gums.
Under-chin slaps - to sharpen your jawline
Slap quickly and lightly under your chin 30 times with the back of one hand.
Hair massage - to stimulate hair growth and soothe headaches
With pads of your fingertips, massage in small circles all along the front of your scalp for atleast 30 seconds. Then take large fistfuls of hair and gently pull upwards. Now clench your hands into fists and lightly pound your scalp about 20 times.
Face Stroking - to soothe, relax and generally uplift face and mind
Start with the flat of your right hand against your chest and stroke up to your jawline, then immediately follow with your left. Continue alternating like this for atleast ten strokes.
Next, immediately smooth the palms and fingers of your hands over your face very, very lightly. Start at the jawline, move up and over your cheeks and each side of your nostrils, gently over the eyes and over the forehead to the hairline, then back down the sides of your face to your jaw. Repeat five to ten times in a continuous motion.

Now glide your middle fingers towards the bridge of your nose, out along your eyebrow, down your cheekbones and back to the bridge of your nose. Make ten of these light circular movements.

Then with your middle fingers on the bridge of your nose, stroke up towards your forehead. Place all fingers (not thumb) on your forehead and smooth outwards towards your temples; hold for a moment, pressing down slightly. Continue lightly down the side of your face, back along up from the bridge of your nose. Do this ten times.

Temple pressures - to lift eye area and whole face.
Leaning back in a chair, place the base of your palm or the pads of your fingertips against your temples and push upwards. At the same time, suck your tongue against the top of your mouth keeping your back teeth together. Hold this for a count of ten, increasing to 20. Slowly release and relax.
Exercise your mouth - to lift lip lines
Sit or stand, looking into the mirror. Open your mouth quite wide, as if about to yawn. Pull in the sides to form an oval. Now curve your lips over teeth. Then slowly to the count of ten, close your lips until they are about 1.5cm (1/2in) apart. You will feel an upward pull. Release very slowly.
Finish by closing your eyes for a few moments, breathing deeply and gently and allowing yourself to drift off into a peaceful place.