Castor Oil for Longer & Thicker Eyelashes

Castor oil, an oil derived from the Castor bean, is an excellent natural remedy with many amazing uses, including lengthening and strengthening lashes.  Is that great news or what?!  There's a natural, chemical-free way to lengthen and strengthen your lashes...woo hoo! 

What it does

Castor Oil nourishes and conditions lashes, making them grow longer, thicker, faster, and healthier.  It's deeply hydrating, preventing breakage of brittle lashes.

Why it works

Castor Oil is rich in nutrients and contains Vitamin E, proteins, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals that nourish hair follicles.  Which means it can also be used to help eyebrows grow as well and even hair on your head.  It's also anti-fungal and anti-bacterial and is useful for eye irritations or troubles.

How to apply it

You can apply it with a clean disposable mascara wand, a Q-tip or your clean fingertip.  Apply the Castor Oil from the base of eyelids to the tip of lashes.  Don't worry if you get any in your eye, Castor oil is great for dry eyes and other eye troubles like Blepharitis.  It's best to apply it after taking off your make up and before bed due to the thickness of the oil, which will soak in by morning.

When will you see results?

Often results can be seen in as little as two to three weeks of applying Castor Oil nightly.  That's a pretty short time to have more luxurious lashes.

Contraindications

Although Castor Oil is considered safe and typically doesn't have side effects.  It may be wise to do a spot test to make sure you don't have an allergy or reaction to Castor Oil.

*Disclaimer: This article is for entertainment purposes only.  I am not a doctor and this does not constitute medical advice

Prunes Are a Nutrient Dense Superfood That Can Prevent and Reverse Osteoporosis

Prunes may not sound very glamorous, but they're nutrient dense powerhouses of nutrition.  Prunes, also known as dried plums, are full of bone building and disease fighting properties.  They can prevent and reverse osteoporosis because they are high in bone building vitamins and minerals including Boron, Vitamin K, magnesium, Potassium, and Manganese.  The osteoporosis prevention and reversing capabilities of prunes are great news in my opinion.  I'm a big believer in natural and home remedies and healing with food and nutrition. 

Prunes are also great for skin, hair, and vision and have a low glycemic index because they're high in fiber. They are higher in anti-oxidants than blueberries and are anti-inflammatory.  The suggested amount of prunes you should eat is 6-10 prunes a day for osteoporosis prevention and for reversing osteoporosis.  You may want to work up to 6-10 prunes a day slowly due to the laxative effects of prunes.  Prunes are also a good source of iron which is important in preventing anemia.  You can eat them as a snack, top your oatmeal with them or toss them in your morning smoothie, or however you want to include them in your diet to reap the many nutrients and health benefits.

*Disclaimer: This article is for entertainment purposes only.  I am not a doctor and this does not constitute medical advice

Professional Health Coaching Sessions with Me

Are you ready to clarify what you want in life, set goals, get unstuck and start taking baby steps towards your wants and dreams?  I'm here to support and encourage you, I'm happy to now offer the ability to purchase coaching sessions with me via Etsy! There are many options to chose from here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/482438540/coaching-sessions-by-professional?ref=shop_home_active_14 

The new year is the perfect time to have the support and guidance of a certified holistic health coach. Schedule your one-on-one Coaching session with me and lets work together to reach your goals! I received my training from The Institute for Integrative Nutrition where I studied with some of the world's top health and wellness experts.

As your personal health coach, I will work with you to help you explore and identify areas of your health and life that you would like to improve. We'll work together to empower you with the tools you need to make the best decisions, not only in nutrition, but all areas in your life, such as relationships, career, finances, fitness, etc. I "meet you where you are" and guide you with making small sustainable changes at your pace, when you're ready. Clarify what you want in life, set goals, get unstuck and start taking baby steps towards your wants and dreams!

I provide a positive, upbeat, non-judgmental environment of guidance, support and encouragement. Together we will create an individualized plan just for you based on your goals. Let's create a happy healthy life you love! :) If you have any questions, feel free to message me via Etsy or comment below. 

Health Benefits of Epsom Salt Baths

Life can be stressful, so it's nice to have some anti-stress tools that you can count on. A relaxing Epsom salt bath is one of my favorites.  Not only does it promote relaxation, but provides many other benefits too. 

Epsom salt isn't really salt, it's a mineral compound of magnesium and sulfate.  Soaking in an Epsom salt bath allows Magnesium to be readily absorbed directly through the skin, which is the body's largest organ.  Many people are Magnesium deficient for a variety of reasons, including eating a diet high in processed foods, depleted minerals in our soil and drinking caffeinated drinks and other diuretics.

Taking Magnesium supplements orally is helpful, but sometimes people don't absorb it as well that way and Magnesium has a laxative effect when taken in higher dosages.  You can avoid this effect by using transdermal magnesium therapy.  There are also other transdermal options such as Magnesium oil or Magnesium Flakes, but Epsom salt is easy to find, available in your local drug store or grocery store.  It's an inexpensive, effective, and gentle way to raise magnesium levels. 

Some of the benefits of Epsom salt baths include:

*Readily absorbs Magnesium into the body via the skin      

*Relieves sore muscles and joints

*Reduces inflammation

*Reduces stress

*Improves sleep

*Draws out toxins

*Reduces water retention

*Soothes skin issues

*Increases circulation

How to use Epsom salt:

Dissolve 1/2 cup of Epsom salt per 50 pounds of body weight in bath water and soak for up to 40 minutes to get the maximum benefits.  It's best to have a water filter so that you are soaking in the purest water possible.  Please check with your doctor before using Epsom salt to treat any medical conditions, before using it while pregnant and before using if you have skin cuts or abrasions.

Learn more about one-on-one health coaching sessions with me and health coaching packages here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/482438540/coaching-sessions-by-professional?ref=shop_home_active_14

This article is for information purposes only.  I am not a doctor and this does not constitute medical advice.

Estrogen Dominance Symptoms-Natural Progesterone Benefits

If you suffer from symptoms such as weight gain that won't budge (especially around the stomach, hips and abdomen), cravings for sweets, anxiety, PMS, fatigue, hair loss and foggy thinking then you might be experiencing estrogen dominance.  Estrogen dominance, a term coined by Dr. Lee, is a condition where a woman may have deficient or normal levels of estrogen, but have little to no progesterone.  Progesterone balances out estrogen, so  having little to no progesterone causes estrogen dominance and a variety of unpleasant symptoms can follow, including but not limited to: 

*PMS

*hair loss

*low libido

*fatigue/exhaustion

*irritability/mood swings

*sweet and/or salt cravings

*foggy thinking

*breast tenderness/pain

*weight gain, especially fat around the hips, thighs & stomach
*headaches/migraines
*hypoglycemia
*memory loss
*PCOS
*infertility or miscarraige
*water retention/bloating
*depression
*dry eyes
*accelerated aging
*adrenal fatigue
*thyroid malfunction
*hot flashes


Low progesterone typically occurs during peri-menopause and menopause, but often happens even earlier in your mid to late thirties or sooner.  The good news is that supplementing with natural progesterone can help.  Progesterone is your body's natural anti-depressant and anti-anxiety hormone.  It is made in the body by the ovaries, the adrenal glands and the placenta when a woman is pregnant.  Many things can cause low progesterone including high stress.  Progesterone is used to produce cortisol, so when the body is under stress and cortisol and adrenaline increase, progesterone decreases.  Using a natural progesterone cream is a safe, effective way to increase your levels of progesterone.  Some benefits of progesterone and supplementing with a natural/bio-identical USP progesterone cream include:


*it's your natural anti-anxiety and anti-depressant (yay!:)
*builds bone/protects against osteoperosis
*it's a natural diuretic
*can protect against cancers caused by having too much estrogen
*necessary for a normal, healthy pregnancy
*promotes restful sleep
*anti-aging
*weight loss
*reduces symptoms of menopause including hot flashes
*increased energy
*balances blood sugar
*can help you get and stay pregnant
*stops hormone related hair loss


The best choice is a topical natural USP progesterone cream, not a synthetic progesterone.  Creams that contain only Wild Yam and not USP progesterone are not the same.  Wild Yam can be converted into progesterone in a lab, but there is no indication that it can be converted into progesterone by the body.  The best places to apply progesterone are on the palms of your hands, inner arms, feet, breasts, face and neck, avoiding fatty areas which will store the progesterone instead of allowing it into the bloodstream.  Men also produce progesterone in the testes, can have low progesterone and can benefit from natural progesterone cream.  An excellent resource for learning more about progesterone and dosage information is http://www.progesteronetherapy.com/. I am not affiliated with them, but find they offer a wealth of extremely helpful information. 

This article is for information purposes only.  I am not a doctor and this does not constitute medical advice.  Please consult with your doctor before using progesterone cream.

The Amazing Health & Beauty Benefits of Raw Cacao

If you're like me, you love chocolate.  What if you could have your chocolate and get amazing health benefits too?  Win win. :)  Raw cacao is cold pressed to preserve the vitamins and minerals while cocoa powder is processed, heated, and stripped of it's nutrients and often contains hydrogenated oils.  Raw organic Cacao is a nutrient dense superfood that is:

*Full of anti-oxidants which are beautifying and can slow the aging process

*One of the richest sources of flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory properites 

*A good prebiotic because the good bacteria in your gut love flavonoids

*High in essential vitamins and minerals

*Mood enhancing-contains phenylethylamine, a brain chemical also known as "the love drug"=BLISS

*One of the highest food sources of Magnesium, which many people are deficient in

*an energy booster

*Alkalizing

*Beneficial for hair, skin and nails

So go ahead and treat yourself to some chocolate!


Disclaimer: I am not a doctor.  This does not constitute medical advice.

17 Signs to Help You Spot a Narcissist

I know the word narcissist is thrown around a lot but with a true narcissist, a person with narcissistic personality disorder, we're not talking about someone who is just vain, but someone who can do you real harm and can leave your life in shambles.  Your experience with a true narcissist is likely to be a bad one, especially during the discard phase.  I've had my own experience with a narcissist, but I'll save the details for a future post because I'd like to focus on how to spot a narcissist and protect yourself.  Below are some of the signs that he (or she) is a narcissist:

1. Self centered-it's all about them
2. No remorse for their wrong doings
3. Doesn't care about consequences of their actions-engages in risky behavior
4. No empathy-insensitive to others
5. No real values
6. Pathological lying (sometimes mixed in with the truth to make it hard to distinguish & they are typically good liars having had a lot of practice)
7. Lies about even little things when it would've been easier to tell the truth
8. Controls or tries to control you
9. Hangs on to resentment
10. Blames you/others-nothing is their fault
11. Has little to no conscience
12. Has a Secret life-hides money, other relationships, etc.
13. Tries to make you dependent on them for control reasons
14. Manipulates you/others to meet their needs
15. Gaslights you-a form of psychological abuse that manipulates you into doubting yourself.  For example: doubting your own memory,  your perception of things, and even your sanity.
16. Love bombs you by lavishing attention on you (like constant compliments) and trying to move the relationship forward too quickly.
17. Mirrors you by pretending as if they are like you (copying your attitudes, the way you talk, etc.)

Remember they also put on a convincing front of being a good person by acting kind and caring when it suits them, usually to manipulate you and other people.  This isn't a comprehensive list, if you feel you may be dealing with a narcissist educate yourself as much as possible.  Pay attention to red flags and your intuition. Love bombing and moving a relationship at lightening speed are big red flags.  Make sure you create healthy boundaries for yourself.  Really taking the time to get to know someone is important, anyone can put forth their best behavior in the beginning.