Archives For Laura Hollington

natural makeup

Benefits of Switching to Organic Makeup

Laura Hollington  —  June 11, 2015

The term “organic” is the ultimate buzzword in health circles, and has been for years now. No matter whether we are talking about food, cosmetics or clothing. However, the main thing that is preventing it from absolutely eliminating the products made from various harmful chemicals out of the competition is probably the fairly high price. If you find out how many benefits can come from using organic makeup and skin care products, it will make you realize that it is completely priceless and you should not try to save any money when buying beauty products.

The essential advantage

There is an infinite number of advantages organic makeup brings. Let us start with mentioning the fact that human skin’s job is to protect our body and keep our dynamic tissue system up and running. Knowing it, you also should know that it absorbs about 60% of any makeup products it gets in touch with, but sometimes even all of them, and takes it into our bloodstream and you surely do not want to deposit detrimental substances in your circulatory system. If you do, it can be indescribably dangerous, since some ingredients which are used in common cosmetics, such as those derived synthetically or got from petroleum, are often carcinogens or, at least, they are horrible irritants. So, hopefully, now you are aware of the dreadful disadvantages of using products of big pharmaceutical makers, because they would rather care about anything else, but our well-being, so the best option seems to be switching to organic skin care products and not caring about the money along the way.

mineral makeup

Other advantages

Unlike chemical-based makeup, organic makeup is made from the best natural components, such as flowers, plants and so on, that do not cause skin irritation and naturally, it does not contain any toxic ingredients – parabens, phthalates, artificial colors, man-made fragrances, hurtful preservatives, etc. For instance, they are often filled with vegetable or organic essential oils rich with vitamins and fatty acids, which moisturize the skin. Also, they do not damage or pollute the environment and do not require awful animal tests, which is an excellent thing. All of this actually makes organic cosmetics truly good for your health and the appearance of your skin, since it feeds it ingredients that have a remarkably positive effect on your skin. Lastly, you should use them especially if you are suffering from a skin condition.

The last but not the least is some advice on how to find the right products for you and what to look out for. Always check if there are certifications from renowned institutions and avoid those without them, since there are many fraudulent products on the market. You are to check the ingredients, as well, since you might be allergic to some, so watch out (e.g. you are allergic to pollen and the product is derived from flowers).

As  you can see, there are no downsides of using all-natural cosmetics and makeup, so you totally should switch to it as soon as possible, and if you just give it a shot only once, you will never go back to the dreadful makeup full of hurtful chemicals you used, because you will feel the difference immediately.

In Health And Beauty Tips, Health Tips For Women , , ,
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smoothies

Liquid Diets and Detox – Are They worth It?

Laura Hollington  —  May 12, 2015

Obesity is the most visible problem of today. It sometimes seems like a contagion, given the intensity with which it spreads. We’ve come up with hormonal treatment and aesthetic surgeries, but there is only one proper and natural way to deal with this menace, and that is by finding a personalized nutritional plan and sticking to it. When it comes to being on a diet, looking like a model or fitting into your favorite jeans are just the visual benefits of a much deeper healthy regeneration of the body.

Although phrases like “having large bones” or “simply genetics” are an ongoing thing, and more often than not, an excuse, the truth is that the main reason behind global obesity are global food trends. High calorie, low quality food is also full of various toxins and substances that have a devastating effect on our organism. Liquid diets are an effective and proven method for losing weight, but more importantly, for clearing the body from all these harmful toxins. As everything else in life, it has its negative and positive sides.

An Efficient Diet

Diet is a Greek word defining the eating habits of an individual. Diets that are good for losing weight are those that consist of taking in fewer calories than you used to. For the purpose of introducing a drop in calorie-intake, liquid diets are second to none. Replacing a meal or two daily with smoothies will drastically reduce your daily calorie count, paving the way for your imminent weight loss.

But because this change is so rapid, it can sometimes trigger the weight loss yo-yo effect. What this means is that while you are on this diet you will lose your weight rapidly, but once you return to a a regular diet, there is a good chance that you will instantly regain all those lost pounds, and perhaps even add on a few.

A Sustainable Diet

fresh-healthy-kitchen-2994

In order for any diet to be truly efficient it needs to be sustainable first. What this means is that a good diet, and a holistic diet at that, is not one you can maintain for a couple of weeks every time you gain some weight and then go back to your old ways, but one that you can keep for a longer period of time without feeling restricted in any way. This is why a liquid diet is best only when it is partial. Instead of changing all your solid meals for liquid ones, mix them up! Try to replace one or two solid meals a day with liquid meals, and you will see that this method is not only easier to maintain, but also less invasive on the body.

A great step in this direction would be to replace your daily coffee intake for a healthy skinny tea, or even better, specialized teas such as those from Slim Tea. This is a change so small, that in your daily business you will hardly notice it, but on the level of your general health the change will be drastic, in a positive way. Tea still contains the dose of caffeine that you need in order to get through the day, but is also better for your health because it clears all harmful toxins in your body and helps you lose some weight on its own.

A Doctor’s Approval

Before you start a liquid diet, it would be best to consult with a doctor. This is especially important for people on insulin and women who are expecting, since this diet, at least in its most drastic form, is harsh, and not recommended for just about anyone.

As anything else that is good in life, liquid diets are great for your health only when done in moderation. Before starting one, make sure to do proper research on the topic and consult your doctor. Afterwards, all you have to do is make a sound diet plan and schedule in order to drastically improve your life standard.

In Detoxifying, Diet Tips, Juicing ,
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jodie bouquet

The Health Benefits of Plants

Laura Hollington  —  April 24, 2015

Nothing heals like Mother Nature. Just about everybody feels immediately happier upon receiving a flower. Smiles that floral presents bring out are authentic, and they are closely followed by a drop in the level of anxiety. Simply put, flowers can cure sadness. It should come as no surprise that offices that are decorated with plants and flowers have more productive employees. Compared to an office without plants, the staff shows to be more energetic and successful in general, and has higher achievements at the end of the workday. Pleasing scents improve our mood, it is a fact, but we also react to colors. Blue entices our creativity and red helps with assignments that are focused on details – both of which are widely represented colors in flowers.

jodie bouquet

The gift of flowers is a rare tradition that survived millenniums. Every religion, culture and nation has a custom of gifting plants. In ancient Rome, women used to wear flowers not just because they believed that they will give them fertility, they believed that with these plants, they are protected from evil spirits. In South Africa, a flower is the only appropriate gift that one can get for Christmas. Chinese students believe that a flower is the perfect present for a teacher, but strangely, they also believe that if you are offering a potted plant as a present, you are expressing your will to keep the relationship on a certain level of distance. All societies used plants in medicinal purposes, long before we had knowledge of the more complex, manufactured chemicals. There is evidence that we’ve used medicinal herbs more than 50,000 years ago. Ancient Egyptians were masters of herbal medicine, and in 1000 AD, doctors in England used plants to heal patients from various infections. Not long after that, all across the globe, people wrote about and felt the need to emphasize the importance of floral treatment of diseases and illnesses. Even today some plants can’t be matched when it comes to their effect as remedies. For example:

Lavender water is the perfect wash for treating acnes, and its oil can help you if you have problems with dandruff. If you have an itch, or an insect bite, oil can calm the irritation. Also, lavender by itself has a calming effect on people, because its scent lowers blood pressure.

Chamomile helps with treating anxiety, stomach pain and digestive problems. It can also act soothingly on headaches, some infections, and it helps with colds and insomnia as well. Combined with some other plants, the chamomile’s medicinal benefits are enhanced.

Roses are rich with vitamin C, and great for dealing with a cough or a cold. From an antidepressant and an aphrodisiac, to a blood-tonic and expectorant, there are so many benefits of the rose. In fact, it used to be grown in medieval times as food and medicine, and not just because it looks beautiful.

tea varieties

On the other hand, even the look of the rose and blooming flower has a undisputable effect on us. It enhances our mood and provides us with the sense of serenity. In 2012, more than 224 millions of roses were grown for Valentine’s Day. We can’t even imagine the number of bouquets for Mother’s Day that were offered as a gift so far, because it is one of the oldest traditions that survived until this day in every culture, in virtually the same form. I guess the connection between our mothers and Mother Nature is a sacred one.

Remember that when you are offering someone a flower, you are offering them happiness. Whatever else you do, you started off strong.

In Body And Mind, Natural Healing , , , ,
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Why Eat Fruits and Not Vitamins

Laura Hollington  —  February 10, 2015

It is a fact that vitamins have a very positive impact on our health and the lack of any vitamin in the body leads to loss of immunity and various diseases. Although we know a lot about vitamins and minerals, the often question is: is there a difference between natural vitamins from fresh ingredients and synthetic vitamins obtained in the laboratory? Theoretically, yes: they both have the same chemical composition and perform the same biological function. In practice, however, the organism easily absorbed vitamins from the fresh food, and furthermore the consumption of fruit and has a number of other advantages over synthetic vitamins.

Fruit salad

Why Go Natural
Most supplements sold are made synthetically and have a small insignificant portion of the vitamins extracted form food. Vitamins aren’t just one chemical compound they are a mix of co-factors, co-enzymes and enzymes all necessary to keep you healthy. For example, synthetic vitamin C only has ascorbic acid unlike natural vitamin C which has a majority of components. The excess ascorbic acid is flushed out while your body breaks down its tissue to get the needed minerals. And every other vitamin has components that work together to keep your immune system working smoothly.

Hydration

Each fruit is composed mostly of water. Since the human body is 70% water, it is clear how important it is for our health to consume sufficient amounts of liquid. Freshly squeezed juice and fresh fruit are one of the best sources of water for your body and this you cannot get from synthetic vitamins.

Strawberry in water

Good Digestion

Fruits are rich in fibre, and this is something that you will not find in a pill, which is important for keeping your body healthy. Foods rich in fibre, like fruits, help your body avoid certain diseases, such as high blood pressure and diseases of the digestive tract. Most fruits speed up digestion and removal of excess fluid from the body.

Not Expensive

Supplements and various vitamins may be too expensive. Of course there are fruits that are expensive, if not from your area, but you can always turn to domestic products, which are cheaper than tropical fruits and vitamin supplements. In addition, if you do not know what to buy as a gift to a friend who regularly eats fruit, I always go for an order of  a gift hamper here in Sydney and they are usually very surprised.

Fruit

Preserves the Environment

Production at the factory or laboratory of any kind leaves behind a negative effect on the environment. You don’t have that with the fruit – eating apples, grapes, pineapple does not set before us ethical and environmental concerns and it is known that trees are the lungs of our planet.

Balanced Diet

One or several tablets of vitamins can’t fill you up while with eating fruits, you will kill two birds with one stone. You have ingested enough vitamins for your body you won’t need additional meals and that way you can maintain your ideal weight. Try making one day a fruit only day to cleanse your body of the heavy foods you usually eat.

On the shelves of pharmacies you can find a large number of vitamin products from individual vitamins and minerals to complex multivitamin / multi-mineral mixture and blend of well embedded elements. Although physician recipe is not required for these preparations, you will need expert advice in order to choose the right product, as well as for proper dosing, but with the fruit you do not have to think about that. Synthetically produced vitamins tablets contain a high concentration of vitamins, but excessive use of vitamins and minerals is not advised because your body will need to work hard to get them out of your system.

In Balanced Diet, Food is medicine, Healthy Diet , ,
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