Month: August 2020

Categories
Lifestyle Wellness

Benefits Of Lavander Essential Oil.

Essential oils have been used since around 4500 BC but they have been trending more recently, because of their many different health benefits. Lavender essential oil is one of the more popular essential oils. Lavender not only smells amazing but has many different benefits too. 

  1. Promotes good sleep

Sleep is super important to a healthy lifestyle. Some people find it hard to fall asleep at night, no matter what they do. If you’re one of those people or anyone having a hard time falling asleep at night try lavender oil before bed.This happens because lavender communicates with the neurotransmitter to help induce calm and quiet in the brain. Helps ease headaches and migraines

Lavender is a super easy and quick way to ease headaches and migraines. Studies show that just a few quick whiffs of lavender oil can put headaches at ease.

  1. Reduces stress/treats anxiety

Lavender has been mainly known for its anxiety easing benefits. Similar to how it increases sleep quality, smelling lavender actually stimulates the nose to send a message to your brain to calm down. Lavender is a great way to calm down when you’re feeling stressed.

  1. Treats fungal infections

Lavender had antioxidant, antimicrobial and antispasmodic properties all in which are good for treating fungus and fungal infections. Lavender oil and other essential oils like it damage the cell membrane of the fungus. 

  1. Wound healing

If you have a burn, bite, cut or scrape lavender is a great way to treat it. Lavender has anti-inflammatory properties as well as this it promotes growth of skin tissue. However keep in mind when using lavender on the skin and especially on wounds, be sure to dilute it with a carrier oil.

Categories
Lifestyle Movement

15 Minute Ab Workout

When it comes to doing ab workouts there are so many different exercises and moves you can do to work your core. This is great because it means everyone can find a way they like to get their core workout in, but the downside is it’s hard to know which moves are best and come up with a routine. Although everyone is different this is my favorite ab workout. 

My tip every ab workout is to engage your core, so that you’re really working your muscles. While this sounds complicated or maybe even confusing, it’s quite simple. All you have to do is suck in your stomach. This is a similar motion to what happens when you laugh, so if you’re confused next time you laugh take note of how your stomach feels. 

15 minute ab workout routine

  • High plank 30 sec
  • Low plank 30 sec
  • Spiderman plank/knee to elbow plank 10rep on each side
  • Standard crunch 20 rep
  • Russian twist 10 rep 
  • Bicycle crunch 10 rep
  • Standard crunch 20 rep
  • In and out 10 rep
  • Bicycle crunch 10 rep
  • Hip dips 20 rep
Categories
Lifestyle

8 Things You May Not Realize Are Causing You Stress

Stress is unfortunately very common for most people. Sometimes getting rid of stress feels impossible so before you try to release stress, try changing or removing these 8 things that may be causing you extra stress without you even noticing or realizing it. 

  1. Lack of movement

Working out has more benefits than just getting in shape. It can actually decrease feelings of stress and anxiety by producing endorphins in the brain, which act as natural pain killers. When you’re feeling anxious it may be a sign to get in a workout or even just go for a walk.

  1. Caffeine 

Unfortunately your daily cup of morning coffee may be doing more harm than good. Studies have shown that caffeine increases cortisol, the stress hormone.

  1. Too much time of a computer or phone

It’s not news that social media can cause tons of extra stress and anxiety but this isn’t the only down to online time the blue lights in phones and computers can even add extra stress.

  1. Dehydration

This one is probably not a surprise for most. Water is super important for all kinds of bodily function and too little of it causes the body to produce extra cortisol. 

  1. Lack of sleep

Sleep is extremely important, studies have shown that even the slightest bit of sleep deprivation and bad quality sleep can cause extra stress.  

  1. An unclean work space

A clutter and mess especially in your work space leads to many issues. Clutter makes it hard to relax and focus on what we need to be working on. 

  1. Uneven diet

Food is another key component in a healthy lifestyle. Eating too much junk food or cortisol increasing foods such as sugar and caffeine can increase stress. 

  1. Not enough time outside

Similar to working out getting time outside releases endorphins and can immediately put stress at ease.

Categories
Beauty Nutrition

Foods To Avoid For Acne Prone Skin

Taking care of your skin on the outside is super important, but taking care of it on the inside is just as important if not more. If you’re breaking out it’s super important to take a look inside and know what foods to stay away from. 

  1. Sugar

Sugars are in the category of refined carbohydrates along with refined grains. Refined carbs are high in glycemic index, which means that when consumed they cause a spike in glucose. This then leads to our insulin growth factor to increase, which causes our skin to produce more oil therefore creating a perfect environment for bacteria such as acne to grow. 

  1. Dairy

Most dairies such as ice cream, cheese, butter and straight up milk contain cow’s milk. Cows milk increases your insulin growth factor, which increases our tissue growth and increases cell production. When our body starts producing more cells our skin starts producing more oil which can clog pores which later leads to acne. 

Aside from that the cows that produce milk also are feed hormones, so that they produce milk faster. When these hormones are in our body it triggers our skin to produce more oil. 

  1. Fast food

Fast foods are another one of those inflammatory foods filled with oils, sugar, and other inflammatory ingredients that can lead to breakouts.  

  1. Refined grains

As I stated before sugar and refined grains are both in the category of refined carbohydrates. Therefore they function similarly when it comes to how they affect the skin.

Categories
Beauty

Sheet Masks, Pros, And Cons?

Doing masks a few times a week are a great addition to anyone’s skincare routine. Sheet masks have been a super popular form of masking for years. They show up in basically every skincare store not to mention there all over instagram. But why are they so popular and are they really that great. Here are some of the pros and cons of sheet masks. 

Pros

-When the mask is taken off your skin it leaves behind extra product on your face so you’re getting the full benefit, rather than washing it off.

-Super easy and quick to use, all you have to do is open up a package and plop it on your face.

-Sheet masks offer tons of hydration for the skin, which everyone’s skin can benefit from.

– When you’re done with your sheet mask it leaves the skin looking dewy and plump

Cons

– You can only use a sheet mask once and most are not biodegradable, which means these masks are unfortunately not very environmentally friendly. 

-Whenever I use a sheet mask it is way too big for my face and many have the opposite issue. So unless you have the perfect sheet mask face chances are they don’t fit your face shape.

-It is nearly impossible to move your face or talk with these on because they don’t cling to the skin like other masks.

Categories
Beauty Nutrition

Benefits Of Cocoa In Skincare

Cocoa is well known for being the primary ingredient in chocolate. Cocoa has been shown to not only be delicious but have many health benefits, for your body, brain and skin. Typically people access cacao’s benefits by eating it whether it be in the form of dark chocolate, cocoa powder, or any of the other many forms of cocoa. But maybe you’ve seen cocoa as an ingredient in a few skincare products. So can cocoa actually help our skin not only from the inside but also on the outside? Yes! Cocoa actually has many external benefits for the skin. 

For one cocoa is a very powerful antioxidant. This is because cocoa is high in a powerful antioxidant called flavonoids. Antioxidants can help the skin repair itself and reduce visible damage on skin such as acne scars. Cocoa is actually a more powerful antioxidant than green tea. 

Along with its powerful antioxidant properties, cocoa is also great for anti-aging and providing the skin with a youthful, glowy look. For one cocoa has been shown to reduce wrinkles, as well as this cocoa, can reduce the harm done by UV rays. This happens because cocoa contains theobromine. Theobromine helps increase blood flow to the skin’s surface. This is the same thing that happens to the skin when it is sunburnt in efforts to repair the damaged skin. As well as minimizing effects from UV damage the increased blood flow can also result in more glowing and young skin. 

But that’s not all, cocoa is also soothing and calming externally. A cocoa mask can help soothe irritated and damaged skin. Cocoa butter (a fat extracted from the cocoa bean) is also a great natural moisturizer. Cocoa butter is especially great for oily skin because it repairs the skin’s moisture barrier so that the skin will only produce as much oil as needed and not extra. Lastly, cocoa butter is easily absorbed and doesn’t leave the skin with a greasy film which is another bonus for people with oily skin.

The most popular and my favorite way to use cocoa on the skin is in a mask form, but as mentioned earlier cocoa butter is also a great way to use cocoa to benefit your skin. Also even though this article was mainly talking about the external benefits of cocoa you can still get all these benefits for eating dark chocolate. Yes, really dark chocolate is not only delicious but eating it can actually help you achieve radiant and healthy skin.

Categories
Movement

When Is The Best Time Of Day To Workout?

Everyone already knows exercising has many benefits. The question is when is the best time to exercise to get the full benefits. There have been many different opinions on when the best time to exercise is, which makes it hard to figure out which is actually the best.

Taking in every different factor here is actually the best time to work out for your health, sleep, schedule and more. 

Working out in the morning

Working out in the morning is the best time to burn fat. It can also get your day going by giving you a boost of energy and can actually make your day more productive and happy. 

Even if the idea of getting up early in the morning to workout sounds terrible, working out in the morning may actually be able to help. Studies have shown that working out around 7-8 am can actually shift your sleep schedule to get tired earlier in the evening and get up earlier in the morning. 

Lastly working out in the morning is a good way to ensure other activities won’t get in the way of your workout. I personally prefer working out in the morning so I can get it out of the way and wont have to worry about it the rest of the day. 

Really the only con of working out in the morning is just having to get up earlier. But if you can try to get yourself up a little earlier to squeeze in a workout you may have a better day!

Working out in the afternoon

If you can’t get yourself up for a morning workout an afternoon workout is not a bad second choice. If you notice you start to feel tired or lazy in the afternoon, moving your workout to the afternoon may be a good idea. Working out in the afternoon can give you an extra boost of energy to get you through the day. 

Working out in the afternoon can also increase the quality of your workout, because you’ve probably eaten a few meals. The biggest con to exercising in the afternoon is fitting it into your schedule. For most the afternoon is the busiest time so fitting in exercise may just be overwhelming. 

Working out at night

While working out at night may be the easiest option, that’s basically the only benefit. Yes for some you may have more energy allowing a more high intensity workout but for others it’s quite the opposite. Sometimes after a long day working out is the last thing you want to do. 

As Well as the lack of pros there is also a con to workout out in the evening. Studies suggest that working out at night can make it harder to sleep, and throw off your sleep schedule. However as long as you workout 1 or 2 hours before bedtime you should be able to avoid this. 

In conclusion what time you work out really depends on your personal needs and preferences. As I said earlier I prefer to work out in the morning because it fits my needs and schedule but what’s really important is just getting in a workout no matter what time.

Categories
Beauty Lifestyle

Benefits Of Using A Jade Roller.

You’ve probably seen jade rollers, whether it be on instagram, in conversation or at a beauty store. They have been super popular recently, but what exactly are they? They have been said to do everything from improving circulation, sculpting, reducing puffiness and even more. So do they actually work and what are the real benefits. 

Although these jade rollers may seem new, they have been used in traditional chinese medicine for centuries. The chinese used them for healing and cleansing. They are supposed to work by aiding in the lymphatic drainage, which is a process in which the lymphatics in the face drain out toxins and waste. When the lymph is drained it can make the face and skin less puffy.

All this being said it sounds as though jade rollers seem to be pretty great why not try them, but it is important to note that the technique in which you use the roller is super important. Below is a chart on how to use a jade roller.

Jade roller benefits

  • It makes the skin extra glowy

This is where that lymphatic drainage comes in. The lymphatic drainage process can slow down the process of aging and boost skin town which is what really gives you that glowing look. They are also typically cool to the touch (and if it’s not you can use cold water to make it so) which can help brighten your complexion. 

  • Makes other skincare products work better 

When you use a jade roller after using serums and moisturizers, it helps the product soak into the pores. 

  • It soothes the skin

Getting a facial massage is super soothing, and is made easy to do by yourself with a jade roller. As well as this as I mentioned before they have a cooling effect which helps give the skin a soothed feeling.

  • Reduces puffiness

Puffiness reduction is probably the most well known benefit of a jade roller. This also leads back to that lymphatic drainage. When your lymphs get drained it reduces the look of puffiness because actual waste products are under your skin.

Categories
Wellness

What Essential Oils Are Best For Stress Relief?

Stress is inevitable especially in modern day. It’s super important to do as much as you can to reduce stress. There are so many stress relieving activities, but something that can help support stress relief is essential oil. Essential oils have so many benefits. They can change your mood, get rid of headaches, help you relax and so much more. Below are some of the best essential oils for stress relief. 

  1. Lavender

Lavender is a super popular essential oil for reducing stress and anxiety. It has been scientifically proven to slow heart rates and lower blood pressure plus it smells great. Lavender is also great for improving quality of sleep. 

  1. Neroli 

Neroli reduces the feelings of anger, irritability and stress. In ancient Egypt it was used to heal the body, mind and soul. 

  1. Lemon 

Lemon promotes energy and relieves nausea and anxiety. Lemon is a super popular essential oil and along with stress relief it also promotes energy with its trong citrus scent. 

  1. Ylang Ylang

Ylang Ylang boosts feelings of joy and comfort and it reduces negative emotions such as stress and anxiety. 

  1. Frankincense

Frankincense is a super popular essential oil. It boosts mood and reduces feelings of anxiety and stress. It can also improve focus and decrease pain, mentally  and physically

  1. Chamomile

Chamomile has an amazing soothing smell and much like chamomile tea promotes relaxation, and calmness. 

  1. Jasmine

Jasmine has been used in Asia as a natural remedy for anxiety, stress, insomnia and depression. 

  1. Rose

Rose is amazing for relaxation; its scent soothes emotions, headaches, breathing rates  and balancing hormones. 

  1. Bergamot

Bergamot promotes energy, fights bacterial infections and stimulates joy and freshness.  

Using essential oils for stress relief

Now that you know what oils to use you need to know how to use them. There are a few different ways you can use essential oils; here is a list of some of my favorite ways to use essential oils.

  1. Diffuser

This is one of my favorite and the easiest ways to use essential oils. All you have to do is place a few drops of your oil of choice with water in your diffuser. 

  1. With a carrier oil

Putting oils on the skin is a great way to get the most benefit of the oil. However It’s super important to dilute oils with a carrier oil when you’re putting them directly on the skin. This is because the essential oils are too potent to be put directly on the skin. My favorite carrier oil is jojoba because it’s super easy to use. Just mix 20 to 25 drops of jojoba with a drop of essential oil. 

  1. In a bath

The best part about this method is that you’re doing two stress relieving things, a bath and essential oils. Just be sure you’re still using carrier oil.

Categories
Beauty Nutrition

11 Foods That Boost Collagen Production

Collagen is a huge component in your skin, hair, nails and general health. It makes skin, hair and nails look youthful, bouncy and healthy, however as you get older your body produces less collagen which leads to aging and less healthy skin and hair. However, to keep your body producing collagen, you can eat certain foods that can boost your natural collagen production no matter what age. Here are some of the top collagen boosting foods. 

  1. Fish

Like different creatures, fish have bones and ligaments made of collagen. However the parts of the fish that contain the most collagen are the less desirable parts of the fish such as the skin, bones, head and eyeballs. 

  1. Citrus fruit

Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, limes and lemon are high in vitamin C. Vitamin C is a fundamental part of collagen production. Getting your daily dose of vitamin C is crucial for the skin. 

  1. Berries

Berries are another fruit with high contents of vitamin C. In Fact strawberries actually have more vitamin C than oranges. As Well as the high vitamin C contents berries also have antioxidants which are great for protecting the skin from damage. 

  1. Garlic

Garlic has so many health benefits, and one you may not know of is its contents of sulfur. Sulfur helps prevent the breakdown of collagen.

  1. Tropical fruits

Tropical fruits are another on the list with high vitamin C. Tropical fruits such as mango, kiwi, pineapple and guava. Guava also is high in zinc which is another great ingredient for collagen production. 

  1. Leafy greens

Leafy greens as we all know are a key feature in a healthy diet. These greens also have chlorophyll which is an amazing antioxidant for the skin. Chlorophyll also increases the precursor for collagen production. 

  1. Beans

Beans are great for collagen because they not only have copper (a nutrient for collagen production) they also have proteins necessary for collagen. 

  1. Tomatoes

Tomatoes (including sundried) also contain the high vitamin C levels needed for collagen production. 

  1. Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds boost your levels of zinc and copper. Zinc and copper are great nutrients to support collagen production. 

  1. Bell peppers

Bell peppers are yet another food with vitamin C. In Fact half of the bell pepper is around 117 ml of Vitamin C.  As Well as this bell peppers contain anti-inflammatory properties that combat aging. 

  1. Eggs

Eggs have large amounts of proline, which is an amino acid which is a key component for collagen production.