Benefits of Baking Soda

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a white, crystalline, odorless, powdery substance, that is alkaline in nature. It has properties ranging from antimicrobial, antifungal, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. Who knew something as simple as this, had so many benefits to it. Growing up I remember my mother putting an open box in the refrigerator as a medium for masking scents, but now new uses are in order.

Here are some of the most common uses of Baking Soda:


Make-up remover 

Mixing this into a paste with water makes for an easy way to wash make-up off  in just one rinse. Ensure to avoid the eyes when applying this.

Skin Exfoliator

Mix into a paste with water, honey, grapeseed or coconut oil. Add a drop of your favorite essential oil and gently massaging into circular motions (peppermint gives a cool refreshing feeling, try it!). This
rids dead skin cells and leaves your body feeling extremely soft and refined.


Acne and pimples

With its antimicrobial, antifungal, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, it balances the ph of the face and aids in tackling these annoying little face creatures. Make a pasta, add honey (optional) and apply. Leave on for 2-5mins and rinse. Pat dry and tell me how your face feels. This also absorbs oil that is normally associated with acne problems.


Teeth whitener

Gets rid of coffee, curry and cigarette smoking stained teeth. Mix into a paste and add a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide and brush for 2mins. Rinse as usual. Do not use this for long periods as this can cause wearing of the enamel.

Hair care

No shampoo?... try mixing this into a paste and apply evenly throughout hair. One application will do. Also, persons transitioning to natural hair can use this to strip the hair. Follow through with your conditioner, style and go!


Itchy Skin/ Eczema

Need an itch reliever?... add some baking soda to warm bath water and soak. Do not rub, air dry instead. This remedy is even safe for the little ones.


Skin toner/ lightener

Add natural lemon juice to baking soda paste and apply daily. The baking soda exfoliates and the lemon juice lightens the skin. Great for uneven skin tones.

Deodorizer

Body: works by absorbing sweat and moisture that gives rise to body odor. This can be mixed into a paste with your favorite essential oil and add to underarms. Brush off excess and be on your way.

Refrigerator: Leave an open box of baking soda in the fridge, helps to mask scents. Last for a month.

Shoes: sprinkle in shoes overnight, in the morning, odorless shoes awaits you.



Sunburns

Its alkaline nature helps to soothe sunburn blisters. Make a paste with cold water and apply, no not rub. Leave on for 5min and rinse gently.



Hope these tips will be helpful to you. If you know of other ways to use baking soda, please feel free to comment with your suggestions below.

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Transitioning to natural hair with 6 simple tips

This can be a scary process especially when you’ve had processed hair for as far back as you can remember and now you have to go back to your roots. I mean, it's been ages since you last saw the natural, untouched, virgin hair you were born with, so how would I look, a girl of 25years rocking a fro, in an era where hair is one of the defining factors of beauty. Don’t worry, here are a few tips to help you along the way.

1. Don't chop. Trim

Nothing throws us off than looking in the mirror and seeing no hair!  It's a mental thing that you have to be prepared for unless you were actually going for the classic male look. Trim the ends little by little until you have rid all processed ends. This allows us for gradual adaptation to short hair and saves us from a nervous breakdown.

2. Braids and wigs

Wigs are the easiest way to switch between hairstyles. This minute you could be rocking a short and chic look and the next you could have long hair blowing in the wind. They are fun, manageable and cost effective, saving us many trips to the salon…and keeping some of that extra chi-ching ching in our pockets!

Braids… love them! They are flexible, long lasting and a good facilitator for transitioning. They allow you to grow the hair to the desired length, so that when you decide to embrace your natural side and rid the processed ends, it won't be as short.

3. Gelling

The very first time I rid my processed ends, gelling was my first method. My hair was short and it was super easy to just wash, gel and go. It gave me super cute curls that always had people asking what I used in my hair. Gelling is ideal for persons rocking really low cuts.

4. Eat right

Eating healthy is vital for hair growth. It’s like a garden of flowers, in order for it to flourish it needs nourishment and that only comes from the things we consume. So ensure to have a hearty balanced meal from all the foods from the food group, drink tons of water and take your vitamins.

5. Hair-Talk

Sounds weird right? But have to speak health and growth into being. We have to tell our hair we love it, commend it, and talk positively to and about it. Believe it or not, it works! Remember it’s a part of us, an entity by itself, therefore, it needs special attention too.

6. Stress-free

Whenever we are experiencing stress-phases, our hair feels it too. We can actually see and feel the difference then. It either sheds, thins, breaks or just stops growing for a while. I know life sometimes get the best of us and our hair have to suffer with it too, so try as best as possible to minimise those stressors until they are completely gone.


I hope these tips were helpful, and you’ll use or adjust them to suit your individuality. Just be expressive and colourful about this new look, and most of all, embrace the new you!

Things You Didn't Know About Essential Oils

Essential oils have been around from as early as the 1900’s and has now become a popular trend in its abundance of uses. Extracted from the flowers, stems, roots, bark and other parts of the plant, these oils have been used to enhance wellbeing through their medicinal and therapeutic effects.

This article will provide a few simple tips and tricks of the most commonly used essential oils.

                         

Health and Wellness

•    Massage the combination of nutmeg and grapeseed oil on areas of pain. This is great for persons with arthritis and menstrual cramps.

•    Apply peppermint or lavender oil on temples to reduce tension from migraine headaches.

•    Combine eucalyptus and lavender oil with coconut oil. Use as vapour rubs for stuffy nose and persons with asthma and bronchitis.

•    To treat a yeast infection, make a concoction of tea tree, lavender, and coconut oil. Soak tampon in the mixture, insert and leave overnight. Not only does it stop the itching, it helps rid the infection.

•    For sleeping disorders, put drops of lavender, roman chamomile or marjoram in your bathwater, diffuser, in laundry and on pillows when going to bed. Their fresh, light aroma provides a soothing and calming effect on the mind.

Beauty Care

•    Put a few drops of Tea Tree oil in your shampoo, or directly on the scalp and massage. This stops itching and controls dandruff.

•     Massage areas with cellulite or stretch marks with grapefruit and coconut oil daily. This reduces the appearance of marks while promoting circulation and softening the skin.

•    Reduce wrinkles by mixing frankincense in your lotion and applying just before bed. Its anti-aging properties tighten sagging skin and support regeneration of cell growth.

•    Put a drop of eucalyptus or peppermint oil under the tongue to freshen breath.

•    Make a paste with lemon, coconut oil, and fresh strawberries. Brush teeth for two minutes each day for two weeks and enjoy a whiter, brighter smile.

 Home Care

•    Dilute tea tree and lemon oil in water to clean countertops and floors. Not only does it disinfect, it also leaves a fresh clean scent.

•    A mixture of tea tree and eucalyptus oil with warm water rids mold and scum from tub and shower liner.

•    To ward off insects and rodents, put drops of lemongrass oil in draws and corners of rooms.

•    Eliminate scent from garbage bins by putting cinnamon oil on a piece of paper towel and placing it in the bin.

Sexual Enhancement

•    Combine one or more of these oils, ylang-ylang, rose or jasmine, with a carrier oil, to evoke the human senses of sensuality. Use for massage or place on pulse spots such as behind the ear, neck, wrist and behind the knees.

As time evolves, so will many more innovative ways of how to use essential oils. So let us continue to experiment and have fun with our favourite scents as we incorporate them in catering to our personal needs.

Friday Night Lies

Tonight  I felt so lonely inside
Amid a crowd of lovers.
Each person paired with the next
And I'm there like... 'These fuckers!"

My eyebrows knitted up at them
As they kissed and held hands together.
And I'm just standing there like,
"Why can't we enjoy this weather?"

I must admit I despise them all
For being in such Euphoria.
It's as if they all smoked from the same joint
Puff puff passed me straight to Gloria.

So I grabbed my purse and stormed right out
Hailed a cab from the distance.
Got home and posted an Instagram pic
"Oh what an awesome night with the spouse!" *smiley face*
(Liar)

How to make J'can Escovitch Fish

Tired of the same old fashion fried fish? Are you ready to get your mouth watering like the famous Dunn's River Falls? Well try this simple recipe and satisfy your taste buds.
Ingredients
Serving: 4
2 Lrg Red Snapper Fish (cut in equal halves)
1 Sweet pepper (any of your choice)
1 Onion (thinly sliced)
2 Carrots (steak cut)
1 Scotch bonnet pepper
1 limb of Thyme
2 tbs All purpose seasoning
¼ cup Vinegar
2 tbs butter
2 cubes of diced garlic
¼ cup cooking oil
1 cup flour

Instructions
Get a bowl big enough to hold all four pieces of fish. Add all ingredients except vinegar, butter, and garlic. Allow seasoning to soak for about an hour. Put flour in container and season with all purpose seasoning. Place fish halves in flour and coat thoroughly. Pour oil of your choice in skillet and allow to heat for about 30sec. or until you can smell oil. Add diced garlic. Let garlic fry until brown, then place fish halves in skillet. Allow fish to fry until golden brown then turn on the other side. Remove and place on paper towel to soak up excess oil. Get a saucepan, and add the remainder of ingredients. At this point, you can opt to burst pepper for spicy hot taste or leave as whole for flavouring. Cover and simmer for 20mins. Remove fish from paper towel to dish, scoop out seasoning and pour over fish. Leave excess sauce as extra gravy for rice or fish.

It first starts with ...

While you might think age is the defining factor that determines most or all of life's accomplishments...think again. The only defining factor that determines or defines this is you! You are the only one who can make a change of whether to quit or keep pushing on. You are the only one that is responsible for putting your aims, your goals, your aspirations, your dreams in order to get to your desired level. Do not expect hand-outs and pity from people around you; that only foster dependency. Depend on only you to get you there. The only thing you should be expecting or receiving is words of encouragement, positivity, motivation and inspirations.
Sometimes we feel as if we're all burnt out because we did not become the accountant by age 23, the medical doctor by 25 or the lawyer by 27. There is a saying, "it's better late than never", and it speaks volume. It evokes thoughts of determination and strong-will. It's simply telling us, "It's NEVER late for anything!"

So stop beating yourself up. Get up. Go back to the drawing board. Create new possibilities and start your journey of becoming a refined YOU!
 

The Human Vehicle

If you could be a car, what kind of car would you be; a Lamborghini, an Aston Martin, Fisker, a Toyota? For me, I would be a Subaru. But what do all these cars have in common regardless of their type… upkeep right! What happens if we forget to change the oil or take it to the mechanic shop to investigate a sound we heard coming from the engine and just kept driving it. Wouldn't that have some negative effect on the car and our lives if one day that car just would not start? Therefore, we wouldn't be able to make it to work, pick up the kids or go grocery shopping. Unless we plan to carpool or take the bus, now that’s another hassle! But needless to say, all cars require care and maintenance, just like the human body.

Our bodies are like cars and if we do not maintain it we are bound to encounter problems. From time to time we continue to neglect our body’s health because we think we're already in good shape, too busy with work and life or just fearful of unknown. Whatever the reason, let us put them on pause for a bit, and try and focus on our cars. Let us make an appointment with our mechanic.

It is imperative that we visit our doctor once or twice per year. We need to ensure our bodies are in good working condition to handle the daily stressors of life. Therefore early detection of any abnormalities allows for prompt intervention and treatment, which can result in favourable outcomes. Ladies, ensure to have your pap smears, pelvic ultrasounds, and breasts examinations done and men, check your prostate, as prostate cancer poses a major health risk for you.

Common conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart and kidney diseases among others, affects at least 9 in 10 persons. Sometimes these conditions becoming fatal, due to being unaware of their health status or practising poor health regimes. Not only that, smoking, poor dieting, being obese, not exercising or getting enough rest are other factors that contribute to poor health, which may lead to additional complications. We are basically wrecking our bodies by not attending to it enough. It’s almost like totalling the car, and what use does it have to us then, none!

So, are you ready to visit the mechanic shop? I sure am! Let us take a stance together for our health, a stance for a longer and healthier life. Let us make the change today.

Remember, health is the new wealth!