Food, Health

Healthy Meals

Cucumber Vinegar Salad

Photo by ZIu2019s Food&NatureArt

Whole Roasted Chicken

Photo by Tim Douglas https://www.food.com/recipe/moist-roasted-whole-chicken-330734
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Health, Herbs, Tea

Easy Marigold (Calendula) Tea

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How to Make Tea

  1. Bring water to  a boil for 3-5 min
  2. Remove from heat
  3. Add a tablespoon of water for every cup of water.
  4. Let steep for 5 minutes.
  5. Add Honey or lemon for added flavor if desired.marigold-flowers-blutenmeer-flower-meadow-45173

Health Benefits 

  • Immune system booster 
  • Detox 
  • Menstrual
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Digestive support 
  • Tamra
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Anti-fungal 
  • Anti-viral 
  • Antibiotic activity

Do not take if you are nursing or pregnant. This herb has hormonal properties that can affect your menstrual cycle  

 

Beauty, Fashion, Health, Nails

Healthy Nails

pexels-photo-973405.jpegHow do you know when your nails are healthy?

Healthy nails should have a pinkish white tone to them. The ends of your nails should be white and even without any splits, breaks or jagged edges.

What are the signs of unhealthy nails that I should look for?

Redness or blistering of any kind around the nail bed, rips or tears in the nail itself or the soft tissues around the nail. Also  horizontal lines and grooves into the nail are signs of unhealthy nails. Little white specks in the nail may be signs of painting your nails too often or biting them.

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Can I wash my hands too often or too hard?

Yes, while it is important to keep your hands and nails clean, be careful to make sure you are not being too harsh on them when washing . Use gentle soap and a soft toothbrush for cleaning  your nails. Try not to over wash your hands with harsh soaps. Use gloves when washing dishes. Remember dish soap is made to cut oil and grease on your dishes. This is great for your dishes and bad for your skin .  

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What natural oils are great for hands and nails?

Coconut oil is wonderful for your skin. Apply before bedtime and sleep with your hands in gloves to lock in moisture if your hands need a dry skin treatment. You can also add essential oils such as Lavender or frankincense to your coconut oil for added healing benefits. (Also smells great!)

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Is my diet important for having healthy nails?

Yes. Your diet has a big role to play in the health of your nails. Our nails are made up of a protein called keratin. Make sure you are eating  food rich in protein  in vitamins, like vitamin E and omega 3 oils (Found in fish) .

pexels-photo-704815What about gels and acrylics? Are they safe to use?With any type of nail treatment that requires the use of harsh chemicals or UV lights less is better. The UV light is what causes damage to the skin under the nail bed over long use. Try to space out your use of gels and acrylics. Give your nails a break often from harsh chemical treatments and heavily pigmented polishes. These tend to dry nails out and cause discoloration to the nail.

Do I really need a base coat and a topcoat of nail polish?

Yes, I am afraid you do, but let me explain why. The base coat helps to protect your nails from turning yellow when you are wearing heavy pigments. The top coat helps to keep that manicure looking great and helps prevent chipping and cracking of your color nail polish.

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What about nail polish removers?

Acetone is very harsh on nails and should be used as sparingly as possible. Make sure to only apply on the nail and try to avoid contact with skin as it is a supper drying agent. Don’t apply polish directly after cleaning with nail polish remover. Instead clean acetone from hands and apply coconut oil or another moisturizer. If you can don’t repaint your nails the same day that you strip them. Give them a little rest, this will help to keep your nails from becoming brittle and breaking off. Chemical free nail polish removers.

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What about press on nails?

Press on nails still use chemicals, however using a press on nails for a quick manicure is great when you want that acrylic look without the UV light. Just remember when removing press on nails you need to soak the nail in nail polish remover. Do not try to pull or cut the nail off as it will cause damage to your own nail bed.

What if I cannot wear nail polish or don’t want to wear it, are there other options for natural nail care?

If you want, you can go with clear nail polish, or buff your nails  both will give your nails a pretty shine. There are also a number of nail products that are natural and or free of harsh chemicals. Brands like Zoya offer polishes that  are free of toluene, formaldehyde, DBP (phthalates) and camphor.

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Food, Health

Cucumber Tomato and Red Onion Salad with Mint

IMG_0588.JPGEarlier today I pulled our first  cucumber out of the garden along with spearmint, sage, and some basil flowers. I started thinking about making a really yummy salad. Here is a recipe to one of the salads I will be making.

 

 

 

Cucumber Tomato and Red Onion Salad with Mint

pexels-photo-1059905.jpegYIELD Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

    • 2 large English hothouse cucumbers (you can use other varieties of cucumbers just check for bitterness as some tend to be a little bitter in taste.
    • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 3 large tomatoes, seeded, coarsely chopped
    • 2/3 cup coarsely chopped red onion
    • 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil

PREPARATION

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    1. Start by washing and cutting your cucumbers in half lengthwise. It is optional to remove or leave seeds inside. I prefer to leave the seeds inside mine.
    2. Cut cucumber halves diagonally in 1/2-inch-wide pieces.
    3. In a large bowl add vinegar, sugar and salt. Let stand at room temperature  for 1 hour.
    4. Combine tomatoes, red onions, mint (or basil if you are not a mint person) and  olive oil to cucumbers.
    5. Toss in seasoning
    6. Add salt and pepper to taste

*One 11-ounce (300-gram) unpeeled, raw cucumber contains the following

  • Calories: 45
  • Total fat: 0 grams
  • Carbs: 11 grams
  • Protein: 2 grams
  • Fiber: 2 grams
  • Vitamin C: 14% of the RDI
  • Vitamin K: 62% of the RDI
  • Magnesium: 10% of the RDI
  • Potassium: 13% of the RDI
  • Manganese: 12% of the RDI
Beauty, Fashion, Health

Healthy Hair

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1.Good shampoo and Conditioner 

Stay away from shampoos that contain silicone, sulfates, and alcohols. These products damage and break hair down over time.

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2. Cold water rinse.

Rinse and condition your hair in cold water, this will help to seal the moister into your hair.

3. Use natural Oils

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From time to time your hair may need a boost. Try Coconut oil or sweet almond oil to help rejuvenate dry hair and add a healthy shine.

4. Silk pillow case

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You have probably heard of this one before. Sleeping on silk cuts down on the amount of friction on your hair as you move at night. The silk can prevent the hair from becoming frizzed and breakage.

5. Condition before swimming

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Before you jump into the pool this summer make sure to lather your hair up with conditioner. This will help prevent damage from the chlorine in the water

Health, Tea

Haitian Ginger Tea (Te Jenjanm)

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Makes: 6 cups tea

Ingredients:
6 cups water
Fresh ginger, peel and grate
1 stalk lemongrass, take the outer dry leaves off and trim top & bottom
2-4 star anise pods
1 cinnamon stick
Pinch salt
Honey/ Brown sugar, to taste

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How to Make

Heat water on medium add ginger, lemongrass, star anise, and cinnamon stick as water is heating.
Bring tea to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Simmer it longer for stronger taste
Strain tea into cups add honey or brown sugar to taste.