Let's talk about Lemons

Lemons, the yellow tangy fruit that make my mouth water by just thinking about them, are not only rich in Vitamins C, B, and A, but they are also a great disinfectant, have anti-haemorrhagic properties, and keep the cholesterol level in check.

Lemons already have a long-time history and it is said the first lemons grew in India and China and later were introduced to Persia, Iran, and Egypt. Christopher Columbus brought the lemon seeds to the Americas.

Lemons are used for culinary uses, in skin care, and are a household multi-tasker:

• In skin care, lemons are used to treat blemishes. Mix some lemon juice and honey, apply it to your cleansed face and rinse with warm water. Your blemishes will heal due to the astringent and antiseptic properties.
• Lemons deodorize, disinfect, and remove grease and stains especially when mixed with baking soda.
• Lemons are used in the treatment of wood and cashiers use lemons to moisturize their fingers when dealing with a lot of bills.
• Lemons are a natural bleaching agent and can be used to remove stains as well as clean grout in the bathroom. Mix lemon juice with water and brush the grout with a toothbrush.
• Lemon juice cleans silver, brass, and copper.
• Lemons get rid of garlic odor on hands. Just rub your hands with a lemon slice and rinse with warm water.

The lemon rind has equally many uses in the culinary world as well as otherwise.

• Lemon rind with Espresso - I've always wondered why I am being served a tiny piece of lemon rind with my espresso. So far, I have not been given a definite answer but several versions of applications have it that

1. a) the lemon rind cleanses or disinfects the outside of the cup or the spoon (rub the yellow part around the edge of the cup or the back of the spoon)
2. b) if the espresso is too bitter, the lemon wedge neutralizes the bitterness with its acidity. Be aware that the use of the lemon rind may just be an insult to the person who served you the espresso!

• The rind is also used to make an Essential Oil which has various uses as well

1. a) I use lemon essential oil in my drinking water or to flavor my foods. Important: use only 100% pure or Grade A essential oils for internal use!
2. b) Lemon essential oil is a great air-freshener when diffused
3. c) Lemon essential oils is also a mood enhancer as it lifts the spirit and works against depression.
4. I also used lemon essential oil to clean glue and tape from my wooden floor.

As the saying goes "when life deals you lemons..." I only can say to use them wisely and remember, they disinfect, cleanse, deodorize, are great for your health, are antiseptic, and enhance your mood :-)

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Making Essential Oils

Just recently somebody asked if it is possible to make their own Essential Oils. While I don't want to burst anyone's bubble, making Essential Oils at home is very difficult unless you are able to distill the plant parts.

I found some instructions about distillation at home on wikiHow.

In brief, the picture below shows in simple illustration the distillation process that is needed to get an Essential Oil:

a) The dried plant parts go into the retort (or still).

b) A steamer on the bottom of the retort allows pressurized steam to flow through the retort that holds all plant parts (e.g. flower petals).

c) Vapor is being produced and the volatile oils of the plants are released.

d) The steam then passes through a condenser where the hot air is flowing out and cold air is being introduced.

e) This process allows the volatile oil mixture of the steam to separate into floral water and essential oil.

A really good or therapeutic grade essential oil is steam distilled with the exact right temperature and pressure to ensure high quality oils. Too much pressure or to little or high heat can damage the plant parts hence damage the volatile oils in the plant. The result will be disappointing.

If you would like to learn more about the distillation process of plants, please check this link from Young Living Essential Oils - Distillation Process.

The quality of a homemade essential oil cannot be compared to the standards of a Grade A or 100% essential oil from e.g. Young Living, Primavera or any other company.

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Safe Cosmetics

I just came across this article and thought it needs to be shared... the article talks about skin care and the most commonly used irritants in our cosmetic products. By "going natural" and using homemade products or products without any preservatives or other additives, you can eliminate unnecessary toxins from your body and life. Cleaning your house with Lemon, Vinegar, Thieves Essential Oils Cleaner, or other biodegradable and non-toxic cleaners is just as important as using body products made with only natural ingredients. We are surrounded by toxins on a daily basis. Just as an example, there are 63 pollutant sources in my neighborhood coming from the air, ground, water, and radio waves within a 10 km (6 miles) radious. Most computers / laptops work with wireless now and cell phone usage has gone up from 63 million to 203 million within the last 10 years (Accuconference). There seem to be 28 cell phone towers, 3 sources point toward water pollution, 1 source to ground pollution, and 31 sources to air pollution close to where I live. Since these pollutants are out of my control, the only thing I can do is control what I use in my household and for myself.

Be courteous to yourself and treat yourself with lots of TLC! Try to stay away from chemicals as much as you can and recycle as much as possible!

Resources:

Accuconference - http://www.accuconference.com/blog/CellPhoneStatistics.aspx

Article mentioned in this blog - http://www.SelfGrowth.com/articles/safe_cosmetics_may_save_your_sensitive_skin.html

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Lavender

This entry is dedicated to my favorite plant - Lavender

The lavender plant (officially Lavendula angustifolia) is a true multi-tasker:

Lavender can be found in many gardens; it's flowers are being used for decoration, in wreaths, and potpourris. The dried flower buds are often sown into small pillows to be used as relaxing aid or in meditations. This plant is not only known in the botanical world but left its mark also in the culinary circles. The French cuisine is infused with lavender. Beekeepers know the value of this flower just as much as pastry chefs who use the flowers as decoration.

The history of lavender essential oil is just as rich as the preset uses. Lavender was used in Roman times when it was used in baths. Parts of the plants were thrown onto the floor to fumigate homes during the middle ages when it also was carried around to ward off plague. During WWI, the medicinal properties of lavender were used to disinfect floors and walls.

Lavender today decorates homes, enhances food, and is widely used as an Essential Oil. The flowering top are steam distilled to make this precious oil that can be used in a few different ways:

1. Apply neat* - straight from the bottle for first aid for burns, to disinfect a minor cut, sunburns, insect bites and insect repellant.
2. Dilute it with a base oil such as Almond Oil or even Olive Oil for eczema, dry skin, chapped skin or lips, or as deodorant.
3. Use as aromatherapy and diffuse a few drops of Lavender Essential Oil for migraines, depression, insomnia, or for motion sickness.

Personally, I use Lavender Essential Oil in most of my creams, I place a few drops on my pillow or diffuse it during meditation or after a hectic day. A study by Ryoko Masago et al (2000) showed that pleasant odors such as lavender can reduce tension and depression. The same study reports that inhalation of Lavender Essential Oil causes a reduction in alpha activity. Alpha waves are brainwaves that show up on an EEG during wakeful relaxation.

*Note: Always test the Essential Oil on a small spot on your skin such as the inside of your wrist for an allergic reaction before applying the oil neat.

Reference: Masago, R., Matsuda, T., Kikuchi, Y., Miyazaki, Y., Iwanaga, K., Harada, H., Katsuura, T. (2000). Effects of Inhalation of Essential Oils on EEG Activity and Sensory Evaluation. Journal of Physiological Anthropology and Applied Human Science. 19, 1. 35-42.

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Wash your hands!

Now here is an article published by CNN that talks about how drugs can get into our system by just touching money, that is if you handle a lot of money on a daily basis. Our skin absorbs the particles that we come in contact with just by touching something... I posted this article to illustrate how quickly our skin absorbs something. The same goes for bacteria. Bacteria often breeds in moist and hot environments so the humid summer month are perfect for contracting a summer flu for example. Wash your hands frequently especially if you are touching foreign objects or come in contact with many people in order to stay healthy...

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/08/14/cocaine.traces.money/index.html

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Sunscreen

While yesterday's post was about absorption through our skin, today's post is what our skin is absorbing through sunscreen lotions. Please don't get me wrong, I love my Hawaiian Tropical sunscreen but maybe it is just me, sometimes I wonder how safe these lotions are even though they are enhanced with "time-released vitamin A, C, and E"... I will eat extra portions of fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat...

These are the three main ingredients of my Hawaiian Tropical sunscreen that smells so lovely of coconut:

Octyl Methoxycinnamate (octinoxate) is an organic compound found in lip-balms and sunscreens. This compound can cause photoallergenic effects, can cause endocrine disruption (natural hormones / chemicals in the body that carry messages across the body to repair tissue and manage growth could be interrupted). It is usually combined with another ingredient because once it is exposed to sunlight, it's functioning decreases.

Octyl Salicylate received a score of 4-6 (just as Octyl Methoxycinnamate) compared to titanium dioxide that received a low score of 1-4 on the Skin Deep Cosmetic Database. It is also an organic compound found in sunscreens. Since octisalate (or octyl salicylate) is an insufficient UV-filter on it's own, it has to be combined with something else. When exposed to the sun, octisalate degrades hence is less functioning.

Both octinoxate and octisalate are penetration enhancers, meaning, they are faster absorbed by the skin.

Titanium dioxide, a natural mineral that can safely be used as sunscreen. It is a white, opaque pigment that is used in a variety of ways... from food (white food coloring E171) to tattoo pigment to ceramic glaze to cosmetics where it can be used as thickener as well as functions as sunscreen. Titanium dioxide protects the skin from ultraviolet light. While titanium dioxide itself is considered toxic as the radicals are carcinogenic, fine or coarse titanium dioxide covered with silica or alumina is safe to use for infants and those who have sensitive skin.

Here are some links for more information:

Environmental Working Group

The Organic Make-up Company

Skin Deep Cosmetic Database

After reading up on all the ingredients, it leaves me to wonder why I should put two ingredients on my skin if they are not even doing their job so to speak. I decided to make my own sunscreen lotions with the safest of all evils, titanium dioxide and coconut and almond oils.

Good luck to all sun-lovers!!! May your skin be happy :-)

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Food for Thought

Just the other day I posted about the importance of hydration and exfoliation. While sea salt is a great exfoliator, someone who has high blood pressure needs to be cautious not that the sodium from the sea salt raises the blood pressure levels. Now why is that? Our skin absorbs through the thin layers everything that we put on ourselves... creams, lotions, beauty masks, perfume, and scrubs even if we do not leave them on for long. Because of the fact that our skin absorbs things easily and readily, it is that transdermal skin patches like birth control or smoking cessation work. Our skin absorbs everything whether it is medication or a synthetic chemical put into a cream to make it last longer. While these chemicals may not cause immediate harm, they nevertheless may poison us from the inside with extended use.
Of course, there is no way to avoid everything that may not necessarily be good for us. Chemicals are used in our environment, in foods, in cosmetics, practically wherever we go and are. Some are even necessary while some are not. Not everything that you see on a store shelf is of high quality. It is made in high quantity and in order to do that, chemicals are included to make the products last longer. Now maybe it is just me but I am always skeptical of something that lasts a very long time after it's been opened. Wonderbread comes to mind and so does my cream jar that I had purchased over 12 month ago and it is still good to use (not that I will but if I would want to, I could. Scarry...) That leaves me to wonder what is in that cream that makes it last so long. In an article that I found on EcoVoice (see link here) it says that "chemicals used to preserve cosmetics are far more toxic, and cause many more reactions, than the bacteria they are supposed to protect us from." The same is true for fragrances... a low grade and cheap essential oil can cause a headache. While a high grade essential oil may be more expensive, the benefit will outweigh the cost. So please be aware and careful about what you put on your skin!!!

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Recycle your coffee grinds

This article is very interesting hence I thought to share this with everyone. I found it on http://www.wholeliving.com/article/wake-up-scrub?

Nothing rouses you in the morning quite like the smell of coffee, so go ahead -- slather some on. A skin-softening body scrub made from coffee grounds and aromatic plant essences is a traditional treatment that's used in Thai and Balinese spas, and it's a luxurious way to start the day.

This recipe couples a rich, smoky coffee aroma with the sweet scent of peppermint -- known in aromatherapy for its mentally stimulating, energizing properties. Thanks to raw sugar crystals and olive oil, which exfoliate and moisturize, your body gets a pick-me-up, too. It makes enough for two to three applications.

Tools and Materials
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup pure turbinado sugar
15 drops peppermint essential oil (Mentha piperita)
1/2 cup used coffee grounds from a freshly brewed pot

Wake-Up Scrub How-To
1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; using a fork, thoroughly blend. Transfer the scrub to a wide mouthed jar, and store in a cool place until ready to use. The scrub will keep for one to two weeks, longer if refrigerated.

2. While showering, apply handfuls of the coffee scrub to wet skin in circular motions, starting at the feet and working up. The scrub contains oil, so it's best to do this over a rubber mat to avoid slipping. Pay particular attention to rough spots such as heels, ankles, knees, and elbows.

3. After scrubbing, cleanse skin as usual using a mild natural soap or body wash. Pat skin dry with a fluffy towel, and follow with lotion to seal in the moisture.

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Exfoliate your skin on a budget

(found on http://www.wholeliving.com/article/beautyremediesb0407fob_t-1?backto=true)

Walnuts
Use it to exfoliate hands and feet

Why it works: Rich in oil, walnuts make for extra-gentle sloughing.

How-to: Perillo likes to blend 1/4 cup shelled walnuts, 1/2 cup olive oil (for extra emollients), and a tablespoon of honey (to seal moisture into your skin) in a food processor set on a slow speed, creating a fine-particle scrub. Standing in the shower (if you're scrubbing your feet) or over a sink (if it's for your hands), work the mixture thoroughly over your skin for a couple of minutes. Rinse with warm water.

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Keep Your Skin Glowing

It has been a while since I last posted but I am back. The dog days of the summer are here and that means we need to nourish ourselves with plenty of liquid to stay hydrated. However, we also need to treat our skin with lots of TLC especially after sun exposure. So the topic of the day is hydration and exfoliation.

Hydration is important to stay healthy and energetic. Dehydration can cause headaches, poor digestion, lack of concentration, chills and fever, muscle cramps, difficulty breathing, dry skin and many more... so keep drinking plenty of liquids such as water to replenish what the body is loosing throughout the day. Try to avoid carbonated drinks such as soda as they have a dehydrating effect as well. If you drink coffee, alcohol, or fruit juices, always drink plenty of water along with it as this will keep you hydrated.

Exfoliation is great to keep your skin moisturized, smooth, and glowing. Removing dead skin cells keeps your skin looking fresh as dead skin clogs pores. You do not have to pay a lot of money for a good scrub. Make your own with some salt and oil. The coarseness of the salt will remove dead skin cells as well as give your skin an extra dose of magnesium which is contained in salt.

I like to use fine to medium sea salt, apricot oil (or olive oil), and some essential oils in my scrubs but the possibilities are limitless. I read about a scrub made with salt, buttermilk, and cucumber for a cooling effect.

Enjoy the summer and keep your skin glowing!

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