Category: Wellness

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Lifestyle Wellness

Is Nature The Best Medicine?

As wellness becomes a more popular topic we see the rise of nature as medicine. The human race has grown up in nature but as people spend less time outdoors we have seen higher levels of things such as type II diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety and even premature death. Yes, nature does actually offer many health benefits, just as withdrawals of nature can lead to bad health, nature actually works in the opposite way, spending time outdoors can actually offer many health benefits.  

“We don’t experience natural environments enough to realize how restored they can make us feel, nor are we aware that studies also show they make us healthier, more creative, more empathetic and more apt to engage with the world and with each other. Nature, it turns out, is good for civilization.” -The Nature Fix

Only a few benefits of nature include, reduced risk of type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, premature death, stress, depression and increased sleep duration. As stated by Florence WIlliams, “We don’t experience natural environments enough to realize how restored they can make us feel, nor are we aware that studies also show they make us healthier, more creative, more empathetic and more apt to engage with the world and with each other. Nature, it turns out, is good for civilization.” (The Nature Fix). Infact nature works so well that doctors in Scotland can now prescribe time outdoors rather than medication to treat these things. As Well as this forest bathing has become a popular form of therapy in Japan, in which patients spend time lying down, sitting or walking outdoors. The Japanese have found this therapy very effective because when outside people inhale natural killers which promote immune system health and fight against viruses. We can also get these natural killers from essential oils such as cedar and wood essential oils. We have also seen a rise in the numbers of “forest schools” which originated from a tradition in Scandinavia where students do the majority of their learning outdoors. This idea has moved to the United states considering research that has shown you are more focused and retain more information when you have spent time outside. 

Nature’s benefits are not only limited to physical health but also mental health, studies have shown that nature can reduce feelings of aggression and even reduce crime. A study took place in 2015 in which 2,000 people in the United Kingdom found that the more time spent outside led to lower crime rates and more positive socialization. Nature also reduces many other negative emotions such as anger, fear, sadness and stress. 

As mentioned before one of the most powerful benefits of spending time in nature is stress reduction. Time outdoors can lower levels of stress hormones, and lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety and increase immune system strength. Nature provides the perfect environment for less-effortful relaxation.  This has in turn helped people suffering with disturbed sleep patterns and even insomnia to obtain a better night’s sleep. That’s right, nature offers benefits for those with insomnia or other sleep disorders without the groggy effect that sleep medications offer. It can also help control mood disorders such as Attention Deficit Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. 

In addition nature can be used as a healthy coping mechanism for physical and emotional pain. In fact only looking at pictures of nature can improve our pain tolerance. According to doctors and surgeons, patients are much more tolerant to pain when looking at pictures of nature or trees rather than a plain wall. 

While nature is great for mental health that is not where its benefits end. Nature is also very healing for the body and different diseases. Studies have shown that hospitalized patients who have been exposed to nature and green spaces have healed faster than other patients. As Well as this people who exercise outdoors have been shown to have higher benefits from the workout rather than people who exercised indoors. 

Nature has always been a necessity for the human race however it is especially important in this time considering the rise of technology. As stated by Richard Louv,”“Time in nature is not leisure time; it’s an essential investment in our children’s health (and also, by the way, on our own).”(Last child in the woods). By 2050 two thirds of our population is estimated to be living in cities and urban areas. As stated by the quote above, nature is an essential part of human health. Health excerpts and researchers have become concerned with the rising lack of outdoor time in our society. As this becomes more of a concern government and health excerpts have been working to improve outdoor areas in cities and make nature more easy and accessible to everyone. 

The effects of nature are so strong that studies have shown that even having a single plant in your room can impact your day to day health. Aswell as this it only takes about 120 minutes or 2 hours a week outside to get people feeling healthier and happier. However even just 20 minutes outside a day can refresh your mind and energize you. To get the full benefits of nature the best amount of time to spend outside is around 72 hours. Even though you can get benefits from just going to a public park some of the best ways to get nature full benefits are hiking, forest bathing, and camping.

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Beauty Wellness

10 skincare tips for your hands.

It’s no secret that your hands and neck age the fastest of any other part of your skin. However even with knowing this information many people (including me) still don’t pay enough attention to our hand care as we should be. But you can hardly blame us, facial skincare is talked about so much that other forms of skincare get neglected. Not only do they age faster and easier our hands are also exposed to the same elements as our face but with less care and protection. Luckily it’s not too late to start taking care of your hands (no matter how old you are). 

Even though we may not hear about it as much there are many different hand care products and routines to help keep your hand in tip top shape. 

  1. Try a DIY hand mask

Masks have become super popular not just face masks but also hand masks. To make a DIY hand mask all you need is 1 avocado (ripe), 2 tablespoons of raw honey and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Then put all your ingredients into a blender and blend it until it’s smooth. After you apply it to your hands you can put your hands into plastic bags or gloves to preserve the moisture better. After 10-20 minutes you can take your hands out of the bag and wash off the mask. 

  1. Use cuticle moisturizers instead of cuticle cutters

Cutting cuticles may seem like a good idea for pretty hands but it can actually make cuticles more rough and jagged. Since the cuticle is basically the root of the nail it’s super important to care for your cuticles. Instead of trying cuticles cutters try using creams or moisturizers instead. Cuticle creams lock in moisturizer and combat dryness by acting as a barrier. Some of our favorite ingredients to look for in creams are jojoba oil and vitamin E.  

  1. Always wear SPF

SPF is a must in everyone’s face care routine but the same goes for hand care. Our hands are super prone to sun damage and aging. Not to mention our hands are almost always exposed to the sun for example when we’re driving. It’s important not only to apple SPF in the morning but also reapplying during the day is important especially if you’re doing something where your hands will be exposed a lot. 

  1. Use daily moisturizers

Moisturizers are super important for achieving smooth and moisturized skin. Especially during winter it’s super important that you keep your hands moisturized. Not only are dry hands unappealing but they can also allow bacteria and germs to get inside your body. It’s best to apply hand cream after washing, sanitizing your hands or anytime your hands are feeling dry.

  1. Invest in a nicer soap

As you may assume a higher quality soap is better for your hands. Better ingredients cause less drying and more effective soap. It’s also important to moisturize your hands after washing them to make up for any natural oils stripped from the water and hand soap.

  1. Exfoliate your hands

You’ve probably heard of exfoliation for your face but you can also do it on your hands. Just like your face dry skin can build up and clog the pores on your hands. How you want to exfoliate your hands is completely up to you. First of all you could use a dry brush. Dry brushing has been shown effective to not only exfoliate the skin. Dry brushing improves blood circulation and cell regeneration which promotes detoxification. Detoxification can cause smoother skin, less fat/cellulite and reduce toxins in the skin. 

Another way to exfoliate your hands is by a mechanical exfoliation product or a scrub. While we don’t recommend chemical exfoliation on your face it is much better on your hands because the skin is a lot less delicate. The last way is by using chemical exfoliation which is what we recommend for the face but it also works on the hands. Ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are really good for this.  

  1. Use a hand sanitizer that uses moisturizer

Hand sanitizers are one of the many things that are great at drying out our hands. While hand sanitizers are hard to avoid because they are so important for our health (especially during covid) the best thing you can do is find a hand sanitizer that has moisturizing ingredients so it’s less drying on your skin. 

  1. Try essential oils

Essential oils are super effective in many different aspects. They are super helpful for regenerating skin cells and balancing skin. Whether you want to diffuse them into the air using an essential oil diffuser or use them directly on your skin the benefits are super powerful. It is important however to always dilute essential oils if you’re using them directly on your skin. 

  1. Use a skincare friendly diet 

Diet is super important when it comes to skincare even more than you may think. Not only does eating healthy help your skin to glow from the inside out but it can also help improve nail growth. Eating healthy helps nails to stay strong and healthy while also producing more cell growth in our nails. 

Some of the best foods for your skin include

  • Carrots 
  • Leafy greens
  • Berries
  • Tomatoes
  • Nuts
  • Salmon and fatty fish
  • Beans, lentils and peas

Some of the best foods for your nails include 

  • Eggs
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Leafy greens
  • Whole grains
  • Fruits and berries
  • Avocadoes
  • Sweet potatoes
  1. Always use gloves when washing dishes

Unfortunately washing dishes is a daily task for most people. Even more unfortunately it can have a negative effect on our skin and nails. That much exposure to water can cause your skin to be dry and cracked and your nails to be frail and brittle. But wearing rubber gloves is the simple solution to this problem as it block the water from your skin and nails.

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Beauty Wellness

8 Tips For Preventing And Treating Maskne.

If you aren’t familiar with the term maskne yet, let’s fill you in. As the name suggests maskne is a term for acne, irritation or bumps bumps in areas caused by a protective facemask. Althoug many have taken to calling this maskne it actually has a technical term “acne mechanica”. With covid becoming a regular in our lives we are never outside of the house without a mask on. While masks are super important for keeping ourselves and others safe from covid-19 they cause the perfect environment for acne to form. The prolonged amounts of not letting the skin breathe in that area can lead to sweat heat and friction causing acne. Luckily since it seems we’ll be wearing these masks for a while there are many helpful tips that have been discovered. 

So who has discovered these things you may ask. It seems with the constant search for a vaccine or end to covid there isn’t much room to worry about maskne. While masks are a current thing for many people in the world however east asians have had experience with masks long before covid. Not only are masks seen as a fashion statement in some parts of asia. It is also common to wear masks just to avoid a common cold. High pollution dust storms are also a cause for mask wearing in Korea. Long story short asians have been working out how to deal with maskne for a long time and have found some quite helpful tips. Below are some of the top tips to deal with maskne. 

  1. Cleanse daily

While cleansing is a regular for most people it’s super important when it comes to maskne. With the mask covering your mouth and skin it makes it super easy for you pores to get clogged by sweat which is why cleaning to get any build up out of your pores is super important. If you’re used to cleansing twice a day (once in the morning and once at night) and you’re struggling from acne we recommend trying to cleanse three times a day (once after taking off your mask). This way your skin can immediately be refreshed from whatever has built up under your mask from throughout the day. The only downside to this is that over cleansing is a thing so it’s important to pay attention to how dry your skin is when doing this. 

  1. Focus on keeping your skin hydrated

When you hear hydration when it comes to skincare you probably think of preventing dry skin or looking to gain dewy skin, while hydration helps with both of these it’s also effective at preventing maskne and acne in general. When your skin is lacking hydration it may cause the cells to produce more oil and sebum to make up for the lack of hydration. This in turn causes acne and breakouts. And on top of all this when you’re wearing a mask that oil gets trapped and that (along with any other moisture being caused from the mask) causes the perfect environment for acne. 

So the simple answer to this is to simply keep your skin hydrated. Some studies have shown that water while being great for just about everything else isn’t super helpful when it comes to skincare. So we recommend a really hydrating product, face masks and cream moisturizers are perfect for this!

  1. Avoid using makeup when wearing your mask

Makeup is often shown to be problematic when it comes to acne but with a skincare routine and daily face wash it typically isn’t too big of an issue. However now that we are wearing mask makeup is one of the many changes in the world. When you’re wearing makeup you’re always running the risk of clogging your pores but when you’re wearing makeup under your mask this becomes more of a risk. This is because the makeup can become squished between your skin and your mask, the mask can then push your makeup deeper into your pores. 

The simplest resolution to this issue is to only wear makeup on the top half of your face. If however you find yourself struggling with this make sure to use a primer which creates a barrier between your skin and the makeup. And make sure you’re removing your makeup at the end of the day and cleansing properly. 

  1. Invest in a silk mask

Silk masks are some of the best masks to use if you can get your hands on some. They are not only much better for your skin but they also look super stylish. So why are silk masks so much better for our skin? First of all silk masks cause the least friction of all the different mask materials. Friction causes a type of acne mentioned before called “acne-mechanica”. Silk is also much more breathable compared to other masks, which helps prevent that moist environment that is perfect for bacteria growth. 

  1. Clean your mask after every use

While you should be cleaning your mask anyways to clean off any germs it’s also effective to prevent maskne. Cleaning your mask is pretty self explanatory but it basically gets rid of any makeup, oil or bacteria that’s built up on your mask. It also sort of resets that moist environment the mask creates. 

  1. Use benzoyl peroxide

Benzoyl peroxide is one of the many acne treating  ingredients similar to salicylic acid. Benzoyl peroxide works great for clearing up acne by exfoliating and shedding dead skin cells and killing bacteria that is underneath the skin. If you’re struggling from maskne or acne in general, we recommend starting with a 2.5% formula of benzoyl peroxide. If you feel the 2.5% isn’t working for you, you can try a 5% but be careful because benzoyl peroxide can be a striping ingredient (always moisturise afterwards).

  1. Focus on strengthening your skin barrier

If you’re trying to solve skin issues you’ve probably heard of strengthening your moisture barrier, seeing as it’s super important for your skin. However if you haven’t heard about it let me fill you in. Your moisture barrier is the outer layer of your skin that protects you from UV damage and controls your moisture levels. Unfortunately the skin barrier can become damaged resulting in redness, peeling skin, acne itchiness or roughness. 

Masks can be extremely irritating by the friction as well as the hot, moist environment caused by the mask, possibly causing a damaged moisture barrier. Luckily you can strengthen and heal your skin’s barrier. Using less stripping harsh ingredients such as chemicals, acne treatments or makeup wipes is the first step. The next step is making sure your staying hydrated drinking water, using stronger moisturizers and trying a humidifier can all help. Using a gentle moisturizer is also super important when it comes to a damaged skin barrier.

  1. Avoid touching your face

While touching your face should be one of the things on your don’t do list during the pandemic anyway, it can also help prevent acne. Touching your face is a great way to spread bacteria from your hands to your skin, which in turn can of course cause acne. While it’s difficult not to touch your face (trust me I know) it’s super important in preventing not only acne but also coronavirus.

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Beauty Wellness

A Guide To Achieving Smooth Skin.

Smooth skin is desirable for just about everyone, unfortunately a number of factors can make it difficult to get rid of rough and dry skin. Fortunately when it comes to skincare nothing is impossible including achieving the smooth skin of your dream, and there are a couple of simple techniques that can take you one step closer to having buttery smooth skin. 

Before we get ahead of ourselves how does rough skin happen in the first place? Well, there’s a couple of culprits when it comes to rough skin. It could be a skin condition such as eczema, a damaged skin barrier, or exposure of irritants to the skin. Unfortunately, skincare products could be contributing to this issue. One of the most problematic skin care ingredients is denatured alcohol. Although if you have sensitive skin other ingredients such as essential oils, salicylic acid, and benzoyl peroxide can also be problematic. However, lack of skincare products can also become an issue, to be more specific lack of sun protection. Sunscreen is super important to matter what type of skin you have, UV damage can cause damage to important collagen fibers in the skin which in turn causes dry, irritated, and acne-prone skin. 

But the sun isn’t the only external issue, things such as air pollution, dry air or cold winds can be affecting your path to smooth skin. To avoid this it’s important to make sure cleansing and moisturizing are a regular part of your routine. 

  • Chemically exfoliate

Getting rid of dead skin cells is the first step to achieving glowing and smooth skin. Although the idea of a “chemical” exfoliation may seem far too harsh, it’s actually much gentler than a mechanical exfoliation. Instead of tearing the dead skin cells of like a mechanical exfoliation, chemical exfoliants use gentle (and safe) chemicals to dissolve the “glue” that is holding dead skin cells onto the face. However as with any type of exfoliation its important to be gentle and not to use it everyday we recommend 2-3 times per week. 

  • Start dry brushing

Another form of exfoliation that has become quite popular is dry brushing. Dry brushing has a couple of benefits which make it a handy tool when it comes to getting smooth skin. For one it exfoliates and removes dead skin cells but it also stimulates circulation, which reduces puffiness, improves skin elasticity, lifts and tones the skin. 

  • Use a humidifier

Smooth skin starts with hydrated and moisturized skin. While it is very important to hydrate your skin on the inside it’s also important to do so on the outside. Using a humidifier is a great (and easy) way to reduce the effects of dry air on your skin, and add extra moisture to your skin. 

  • Start using vitamin C serum

Vitamin C is a powerful skincare ingredient, it has anti-aging properties and repairs existing skin damage. This leads to  bright, smooth skin. It also helps prevent future damage from free radicals, by neutralizing them. 

Vitamin C also helps prevent and repair UV damage. When your skin is exposed to UV light it lowers your vitamin C levels. Using a vitamin C serum can reverse the effects of sun damage. Vitamin C also repairs collagen levels by supporting collagen growth. All of this combined make vitamin C the perfect ingredient for smooth skin.

  • Use a strong moisturizer 

Moisturizers are a must step when it comes to smooth skin. For starters they help treat dry and flakey skin, which are the opposite of smooth and hydrated skin. It also prevents skin from being too oily which can lead to acne and an oily appearance on the skin. 

Moisturizers almost always are made with ingredients called emollients. Emollients are some of the most popular types of ingredients when it comes to smooth skin because they trap moisture onto the skin while preventing water loss. Another form of ingredients often found in moisturizers are humectants. Humectants help to moisturize the skin by pulling moisture from the surrounding air and onto your skin. 

If your finding your moisturizer isn’t doing the trick for your skin try to find a stronger moisturizer with emollients (things like shea butter, squalene, beeswax and cocoa butter), or humectants (things like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, honey and niacinamide) to help on your road to smooth skin. 

  • Use daily UV protection

Harmful UV rays are a cause of a number of skin issues, but one thing they are definitely not helpful for is getting smoother skin. While this shouldn’t be surprising information, a key step in having healthy, glowing skin is protecting your skin from the sun. It’s super important to protect your skin with sunscreen of around 30 SPF. Keep in mind you also need to reapply sunscreen throughout the day and use other types of sun protection (hats, sunglasses, etc).

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Lifestyle Wellness

How Forest Bathing Can Help Improve Sleep.

Sleep is a rough spot in many people’s lives. Whether it be the day to day struggle of a bad night’s sleep or someone actually diagnosed with insomnia or other sleep disorders getting a good night sleep can seem impossible. There are tons of remedies that have come out to receive a better night of sleep but one of the best remedies we have found so far is forest bathing. 

What is forest bathing you may ask, it is a form of meditation which originated in Japan. Also known as shinrin yoku (shinrin meaning forest and yoku meaning bath) forest bathing has become a popular form of treatment for different mental and physical health issues. Despite the name there isn’t any actual bathing involved in forest bathing. In fact it’s quite simple, practicing forest bathing involves opening your senses to involve the nature around you. 

It may seem silly but studies have shown that forest bathing can reduce signs of anxiety, depression, insomnia and increased selflessness and gratitude. So forest bathing has been shown to have many benefits, one of its biggest being sleep improvement. But forest bathing isn’t just simply improving a night of sleep it has even been shown to cure insomnia. 

Anyone living with insomnia knows it is no simple illness. Sleep is a super important act of self care that improves and helps just about every bodily function. Insomnia makes it extremely difficult to even achieve one night of sleep. Insomnia does have medication treatment but it can cause your brain to be foggy and overall make life more difficult. Luckily as hopeless as it may seem forest bathing actually can have extreme benefits for insomnia and some have even said it’s completely cured them. 

While forest bathing offers great benefits for those struggling with insomnia it also offers benefits for those just struggling to get a full night of sleep. Forest bathing can improve sleep length and overall quality. While scientists have yet to figure out exactly what about forest bathing offers so many benefits as opposed to a regular meditation we know for sure that it calms the mind. Scientists have hypothesized that some of forest bathing benefits come from oils found in trees that cause our bodies to release a hormone called oxytocin. Oxytocin is the same chemical released when we experience positive human contact. Oxytocin also counters cortisol also known as the stress hormone stress is a big cause of difficulty with sleeping, oxytocin counters this leaving our mind peaceful and ready for sleep. 

The best part of forest bathing is it’s a quite simple act. You can forest bathe for as long as you want (there are even week long retreats specifically for forest bathing) however you only need a few minutes a day to get started. Forest bathing consists of going into the forest with no devices, for at least 20 minutes (for maximum benefits we recommend  45 minutes) and taking deep breaths and grounding yourself (be sure to stay safe during forest bathing and be aware of your surroundings). 

If you find yourself trying every sleep remedy on the internet or spending your days wishing you weren’t so tired, a great habit to start is forest bathing.

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Lifestyle Wellness

6 Best Lifestyle And Self Improvement Books.

Gaining new knowledge is something people are always looking for. A great way to gain new ideas and knowledge is books! I love reading self improvement books and I always learn something new that I use in day to day life. Here is a list of some of my favorite self improvement books.

  1. Atomic habits: By James Clear

This book focuses on how to build good habits and get rid of bad ones. I love this book because it really goes in depth on how to create habits and has diagrams and examples which are super helpful for learning new ideas. 

  1. Grit: By Angela Duckworth

Grit goes into how to have more grit and what exactly grit is as well as some of the science behind having grit. This book was super helpful in helping me fully understand grit and how to use it.

  1. The Four Agreements: By Don Miguel Ruiz

This book is probably one of my favorite books, it talks about a code of conduct based on ancient toltec wisdom in a meaningful way. I try to use the ideas in this book through my daily life. This book contains great ideas to live by and I definitely recommend you read it. 

  1. Presence: By Amy Cuddy

Presence is all about being present with your body language and how to use your body to boost your mood and confidence. It has all kinds of examples and studies in it wich was super helpful to understand the concept. 

  1. Everything is figureoutable: Marie Forleo

This book (along with four agreements) are on the top of my list. I found this book so entertaining while still containing useful information. Everything is figureoutable is great because not only does she use examples from her life but encourages the reader to find examples in their own life and has activities at the end of each chapter to keep you engaged. 

  1. Eat beautiful: Wendy Rowe

Eat beautiful is all about eating to improve your skin, including what foods to eat and what not to eat recipes and some skincare tips!

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Beauty Wellness

What Is Plum Oil? And What Are Its Benefits In Skincare?

Recently there are tons of new natural skincare ingredients such as aloe vera, almond oil and plum oil. Plum oil is exactly what it sounds like, an oil extracted from the seeds of French Ente plums. It has a couple of benefits, Its most popular benefits being skin and hair. Plum oil has been shown to be a super powerful ingredient similar to dried plums, which have been added to our list of some of the top superfoods. 

People seem to love plum oil and its effect on the skin. Many people love how plum oil has a rich and non sticky texture while still offering many benefits, which is great for people with oily skin. 

So what are all the benefits of plum oil? Like many natural oils, plum oil has tons of proven benefits for the skin. Below are all of the reasons you should try adding plum oil into your routine. 

  • Sun Protection 

We can never get enough sun protection and even if you’re using a daily sunscreen we can always use a little extra. Plum oil contains vitamin E which naturally protects your skin barrier from harmful UV rays and sun damage. 

  • Heals skin

The skin on our face goes through a lot from acne scarring, to sun damage which is why healing our skin is so important. Plum oil uses its many vitamins and omega’s to help heal and protect the skin’s barrier. 

  • Hydrates skin

Whether they have oily or dry skin, moisturizer is a big part of anyone’s skin care routine. Plum oil contains omega fatty acids, which are moisturizing for the skin. As Well as this it contains Vitamin E which is another major moisturizing ingredient. 

  • Gives skin a radiant/bright look

If you’ve ever seen someone with glowing and radiant skin, there are many reasons and ingredients that could cause that one of which being plum oil. One of the greatest beauty benefits of plum oil is the glowing look it gives skin. 

  • Protects against free radicals

Free radicals are unfortunately responsible for breaking down collagen in skin which in turn causes aged, saggy or unflattering skin. Fortunately there are tons of ways to battle free radicals. And one of those ingredients is, you guessed it plum oil. Plum oil contains 13 nourishing omega fatty acids and Vitamin E and A which provide the skin the opposite of what free radicals do. They heal and hydrate skin, promote skin elasticity and reduce wrinkles. 

With all these benefits plum oil seems like a win win deal. However as always with natural ingredients and oils there is always a risk factor of side effects. Luckily plum oil doesn’t have many but there is always a risk or an allergic reaction. This is why it’s important to spot test the plum oil on your hand before slathering it on your face. 

Another wonderful thing about plum oil along with many other natural ingredients is its super easy to use. Once you get your hands on plum oil all you have to do is drop some into your hands and put it straight on your face. Simple as that!

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Lifestyle Wellness

What Is Epsom Salt And What Does It Do?

Epsom salt has recently come back in terms of trends. Epsom salt started with athletes using it as muscle relief however now epsom salt is used by everyone to celebrities and influencers to people at home. But people aren’t just using epsom salt for no reason, it actually has tons of benefits. 

Epsom salt, also known as magnesium sulfate is a mineral compound made of magnesium and sulfate. This means that epsom salt is not actually a salt but instead a mineral compound despite the name and the salt-like look. Despite not being a salt the name isn’t completely random. Epsom salt gets its name from Epsom,Surrey where it was discovered in the 17th century. However epsom salt has been shown to have more benefits than just treating muscle aches (which it is quite good at). The more benefits epsom salt has been shown to have the more popular it has gotten especially recently. 

Magnesium is a super important biochemical for our bodies. It reduces muscle pains, supports immune system health, produces sustainable energy, promotes healthy bones and keeps a steady heartbeat. Magnesium sulfate (epsom salt) has the same benefits. When epsom salt is used the magnesium directly soaks through the skin. The most popular and best way to get the benefits of epsom salt is through a bath. Warm bath water allows the magnesium so soak into the skin better. This is because the warm bath water allows the skin vessels to expand making an easy path for the epsom salt to enter the skin cells. 

So what exactly are the benefits of epsom salt? 

  •  Relaxation/stress reduction

Baths themselves have been known to have a stress reducing effect but to get even more benefits from your calming bath adding epsom salt is a great idea. Magnesium is a major stress reducing mineral and to promote a calm and relaxed mental state by lowering the stress hormone called cortisol. 

  • Alleviates joint pain

Many people have reported epsom salt reducing effects of arthritis and fibromyalgia. This is most likely because of the magnesium that epsom salt contains. Considering people with arthritis and fibromyalgia are typically lacking in magnesium. 

  • Heals acne and eczema 

While epsom salts benefits on acne have not been scientifically proven many people have seen benefits from it. Epsom salt may reduce the pain and swelling that comes with acne as well as serve as an exfoliant and loosen up clogged pores that cause blackheads. 

  • Releases toxins 

The best known way to release toxins is through the skin and luckily that exactly what epsom salt does. Due to the sulfate that epsom salt contains epsom salt is a great ingredient to flush out and release toxins from the body. 

  • Reduces inflammation

As stated above one of the many benefits epsom salt is drawing out toxins, this includes the toxins responsible for inflammation. Aswell as this epsom salt reduces swelling stiffness and general pain. 

  • Soothes skin

Epsom salt bethes can exfoliate dead skin cells, smooth rough skin, and even ease dry skin. 

  • Promotes foot health 

If you’re a dancer or athlete you’ve probably heard of or even used epsom salt before. While epsom salt is great for easing muscles and things alike another popular use for athletes is foot health. All of the benefits mentioned before also apply to the feet, but along with this epsom salt has been reported to prevent foot fungus. 

Luckily using epsom salt is quite easy. The main thing to keep in mind is when making an epsom salt bath it’s important to pour in a generous amount of salt. It is also important to make sure the water is fairly warm/on the hotter side. The recommended amount of epsom salt for a standard bathtub size is around 2 cups. Then all you have to do is soak in the bath for around 20 minutes. 

So epsom salt seems like a pretty great deal. Unfortunately everything comes with a few down sides, but luckily epsom salt doesn’t have many. The biggest issue with epsom salt is that it can be slightly drying, which is something to look out for if you have dry or sensitive skin. To make sure you’re good before fully submerging yourself in an epsom salt bath, spot test on a patch of skin. 

In conclusion epsom salt is an almost perfect ingredient that has many benefits and is super easy to use.

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Beauty Wellness

How To Tell If Your Acne Is from Stress.

Stress is a common thing everyone goes through, unfortunately so are breakouts. Almost everyone has experienced acne at some point or another and they probably will experience more in their lives. Unfortunately there are a lot of different things that can cause breakouts whether it be hormones, clogged pores, unhealthy diet or even stress. That’s right, stress not only takes a toll on your mental health but also your skin, which can make stressful times even more stressful than they already are. The worst part about stress breakouts is it can be difficult to figure out whether stress is what’s causing your acne. But luckily it’s not impossible. 

Stress is a very probable reason you’re experiencing breakouts this is because when you’re stressed your stress hormones rise signaling your body to produce more oil in your oil glands. This however is different from hormonal acne caused by your period. Hormonal acne has the same effect on the oil glands. The best way to tell the difference is to track your acne. For example if you’re noticing you get breakouts during a certain time of your cycle every month it’s probably not a stress hormone (unless something stresses you out the same time every month). You can also track if you’re breaking out after using a certain product. It is likely related to that product rather than stress.

There is also another way to spot stress acne. Stress acne typically appears in the cartian spots on the face. If you often experience acne in your T-zone (above your eyebrows on the forehead, and down to nose and chin in a T shape) it is quite possibly related to stress. If pimples in that area are accompanied by blackheads, whiteheads, larger pores, shiny/oily skin, redness or itchiness it’s most likely because of stress as regular acne won’t appear with these symptoms. 

Now that you know what stress acne is it would be useful to know how to prevent it. But before we learn to prevent it we need to understand exactly how stress acne works. As it may seem quite simple, stress acne goes deeper than just stress. As you may know acne is typically linked to hormones the same goes with stress acne. Stress triggers the release of a hormone called cortisol also known as “the stress hormone”. Cortisol in high enough amounts disrupts the hormone levels that control the sebum balance in your skin, which in turn can result in clogged pores which can result in acne. Stress can also cause hormonal changes that simply worsen your acne. 

So finally how can we prevent stress acne? Firstly taking care of your skin and regular acne treatments are a great way to deal with stress acne. Some options to use for acne treatment are topical over the counter treatments such as salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. It’s important to figure out what works for your skin, if your stress acne isn’t going away it’s important to switch up your routine and figure out what’s going to help. If nothing seems to work, it’s important to talk to a dermatologist to see what you can do.

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Lifestyle Wellness

10 Simple Ways To Ease Your Mental Health

The state of our mental health plays a huge part in our day to day life. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to keep a good mental state especially with outside forces affecting our lives. This is why it’s super important to find things you can do to help your mental state. Luckily psychologists have found multiple easy things you can do to keep mentally stable even in some of the toughest times. 

Here are some of the best easy ways to put your mental state at ease. 

  1. Get enough sleep. 

Getting sleep is super important for your body’s overall health but it can especially help your mental state. A bad night of sleep can cause unnecessary stress and your capability to deal with stress, increase anger and can also increase your probability of developing a mental illness such as depression. On the contrary a good night of sleep can increase mental resilience and daily mood this is because while you’re asleep your brain works on repairing not only injuries but also repairs our brains and mental state and consolidates our memories. It’s super important to get a good night’s sleep everyday but especially so, if you’re feeling anxious or depressed. 

  1. Do something you enjoy/something your good at.

This is pretty self explanatory but doing something you enjoy is a great and fun way to boost your mental health. Doing something enjoyable releases good endorphins that help beat stress hormones. As well as this doing something you know you’re good at when you’re feeling down helps boost self esteem and cause you to move your minds of what’s bothering you. 

  1. Learn what helps you cope with stress.

When it comes to dealing with stress everyone does something different, it all depends on what personally works for you. Luckily there are lots of different ways to deal with stress check out our article 15 Things You Can Do To Decrease Stress for ideas on how you cope with stress and anxiety. 

  1. Spend time with people you love.

Human connection is super important for everyone, because humans have always been social animals. Especially if your feeling down a possible cause could be isolation or lack of human connection. Social connection can lower your risk for mental illness, improve self esteem and even boost your immune system. It is important to talk to friends or family that make you feel good. 

  1. Meditate. 

Meditation has been known to be a great way to put your mind in a relaxed and tranquil state. Meditation may seem difficult but it’s quite simple to follow a guided meditation. Studies have shown that only five minutes of meditation a day can be a simple treatment for stress and anxiety. Anxiety can also help with other mental illnesses such as depression, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), schizophrenia and ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Meditation has also been shown to help with pain and other illnesses such as cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, headaches, sleep disorders and asthma. Next time you’re feeling stressed take a five minute meditation break before resuming with your day. 

  1. Take a break from stressful activities.

As obvious as it may seem sometimes we avoid doing the things we need the most, and in this case the thing you need the most could be to simply take a break. Whether it be work, school, friendships or other outside sources, it’s important to take your mental health into account when dealing with these things. 

  1. Eat healthy food.

Eating nutritious and healthy food does not only affect our physical health but also our mental health. This is because stress negatively affects blood pressure and blood flow. Healthy foods also affect blood pressure and blood flow but in the opposite way as stress. Some foods that reduce stress include: 

-Avocado

-Banana

-Tea

-Carrots

-Nuts

-Dark chocolate

-Swiss chard

-Orange

-and more

  1. Exercise. 

Much like healthy food exercise doesn’t only have physical benefits but also mental. Exercise can not only take your mind off any bad emotions you’re feeling, but it also has been proven to release positive endorphins that fight against stress and depression. The endorphins have been associated with “the runner high” because of their antidepressant-like effects. This is likely because exercising can cause cell growth in the hippocampus, which is the area of the brain that affects memory and emotion. People affected by depression have a smaller hippocampus which is why cell growth in that area is an effective antidepressant. 

  1. Treat yourself with kindness. 

As simple as it may seem being kind to yourself has a huge effect on your mental health. Studies have shown more self-compassionate people tend to cope with difficulties and negative feelings better. Aswell as this it can also lessen feelings of anxiety or depression. Self kindness is so effective in helping mental health that a form of therapy has been made called compassion focused therapy.  

  1. Get help from a professional.

Getting help from a professional is a great resource when your mental health isn’t doing well. Therapy has proven to be an effective treatment for many people dealing with mental health issues or mental illness.