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Maybe you’re looking through the plant and seed catalogs and you’re intrigued by the medicinal herbs, or maybe you’re looking for natural alternatives to costly over-the-counter medicines. Maybe you’re just tired of paying an awful lot of money for a box of twenty tea bags. Many people these days want to tap into the ancient wisdom of herbalism, but find it overwhelming. There are so many different herbs, it’s hard to know where to start and what to do first.

There are a couple of good ways to test the waters without drowning. First, start simple. Literally. Simpling is the age old procedure of using only one herb at a time. Don’t worry about mixing special tea brews or finding the elixir of life. Pick one herb, such as chamomile, and make a tea out of it. You’d be surprised how new of an experience it is just to purchase a bulk bag of chamomile flowers and brew your own loose tea. Opening the bag and smelling the first puff of scent, feeling the crushed flowers between your fingers, and straining away the spent herb will give you a familiarity with the herb that store-bought tea bags won’t. Teas are a very easy way to experiment with a single herb, and there are many herbs that lend themselves well to this use; oatstraw, nettle, peppermint. Brewing and drinking a tea made from only one herb regularly will give you a chance to see how that herb affects your body. It can be interesting, after you’ve experimented with several teas, to see when your body craves which tea. (continue reading…)

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After a long day, nothing hits the spot quite like a cup of chamomile tea. Many people are familiar with the cheery yellow flowers with their uplifting aroma whether they buy it as good old plain chamomile tea or as a component of blends such as Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime tea. Both German and Roman chamomile provide the same effects. The main difference is which one is more accessible to you, or cheaper to buy.

Chamomile has many uses other than just as a relaxing tea, however, and a long history. It’s been used medicinally as far back as the time of the ancient Egyptians. The Egyptians used it to cure fever, and people in the middle ages used it as an air freshener and a bittering ingredient for beer. There are so many uses for chamomile that it is much more economical to buy the herb in bulk rather than in boxes of individually packaged tea bags. Below are some of the main uses for Chamomile. (continue reading…)

Dilly Giggles Four Flavor Set

Green health and beauty products abound but how many are there that cater just to the younger ones? I found one that offers unique and eco-friendly lip balms created just for girls.

Dilly Giggles is an inspired creation by a mom who wanted to give her daughter a safe alternative to the chemical-laden lip balms commonly found at local stores. It all started as a mother-daughter kitchen experiment that worked so well it grew into Dilly Giggles Organic Lip Balms for girls. (continue reading…)

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We’ve all seen celebs and models in magazine ads and TV commercials with gorgeous, shiny, voluminous locks. Whether their tresses are sleek and straight or curly and bouncy, these women have beautiful hair that makes us green with jealous envy. Fortunately, you can try some easy tricks at home – including diet, supplements and DIY hair treatments – to give you healthier hair naturally.

What’s Hair Made Of?

“Hair is made from a protein called keratin,” explains Helen Foster, author of The Beauty Book (p. 71) (1). The inner part of a hair strand is called the shaft, while the outer coating of a hair strand is called the cuticle. When hair is healthy and strong, the cuticle is smooth and reflects light. The result? Gorgeous shine. When your hair isn’t healthy – due to harsh styling, heated appliances or chemical processes – the shaft weakens and becomes brittle. Consequently, your locks become dry, dull and lackluster. (continue reading…)

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Unhealthy skin doesn’t just look bad. Unhealthy skin doesn’t do its job. Your skin is the largest organ in your body, the core of the integumentary system, and your body’s first line of defense against infection.  Working in top form, skin regulates your body temperature and generates and stores Vitamin D, which is essential for bone health. You can’t cover up  poor bone density with cosmetics.

Natural skin care starts with proper body care. No amount of enriched lotion or body butter makes up for skin that, at the core, is unhealthy. Fortunately, four basic wellness habits can support naturally healthy skin. (continue reading…)

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Crooked teeth aren’t just a cosmetic problem. Bad tooth alignment can affect digestion, dental health and even your cardiovascular health. The good news is, even if you didn’t have braces as a teenager to fix dental alignment issues, it’s probably not too late to fix your smile for both your health and your looks.

Health Benefits of Getting Braces

Crooked teeth make chewing less efficient. A healthy diet, full of leafy vegetables, raw fruits and veggies, whole grains and lean proteins takes a lot of effort to chew properly for efficient digestion. Though chewing is certainly possible without perfectly straight teeth, bad alignments can cause teeth to wear unevenly. In bad cases of malocclusion, some teeth may not be used for chewing at all, leaving the burden on fewer teeth that wear faster.

Crooked teeth are also more difficult to clean. Crowding may make flossing impossible. Even if you can floss, flossing may be so difficult or painful that you don’t do it every day. Standard brushing techniques may not reach all the tooth surfaces if the tooth is torqued. All of these leave areas of your teeth ripe for bacterial growth and gum inflammation. (continue reading…)

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An action plan is vital to eliminating acne lesions on the way to clear skin. You should make the changes that will ultimately become part of your habits and lifestyle. Behavioral medicine studies show that if you keep up with the lifestyle changes for ninety days, you have better chances to make it a habit. The preventive nature of the process can take months. Therefore, time and commitment to have changed lifestyle are essential for significant progress. Record keeping is key to the success of the action plan. So you must keep a journal. Four essential elements to a clear skin action plan are sleep, relaxation, exercise and diet.

Sleep

While research in this direct effect of sleep on the on progression of acne is sparse, but there are reports that the lack of proper sleep aggravates acne. Inadequate sleep disturbs the adrenal gland function and increases the level of cortisol which elevates acne. Moreover, sleep deprivation changes how we eat, promoting the intake of excess calories, more fats, sugar and fewer healthy fruits and vegetables. Thus, one should have good sleeping habits. (continue reading…)