Friday, December 31, 2010

Benefits of Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil is an extremely popular ingredient in many skin and hair care products. Since it is highly stable, the oil does not become rancid or lose nutrients even after long periods of storage.
Hence it provides better shelf life to the products. For commercial purposes the oil is extracted from the seeds of Simmondsia californica and Simmondsia chinesis.
Rich in Nutrition
The oil is a great source of vitamin E, B, copper, zinc, iodine, silicon and chromium. Also known as the liquid wax the oil contains alcoholic acids like oleic acids, palmitoleic acids and stigmasterol. These nutrients make this oil a powerful antioxidant agent, especially, due to presence of the alpha-tocopherol.
Therapeutic Uses
According to a study conducted on rabbits (in 1981 by scientists Clark and Yermanos) a diet which contains about 2 per cent of jojoba oil on daily basis is able to reduce cholesterol in rabbit.
Edible jojoba oil can be used as cooking oil for those people who are suffering from cardiovascular problems or those who are trying to lose weight.
There are several beauty benefits of jojoba oil. Massage with jojoba oil will help in removing dandruff from the hair and nourish the dry scalp.
It is part of several medicines prepared for skin disorders such as psoriasis, eczema and acne.
Common Home Remedies Using Jojoba Oil
Jojoba oil can be applied on sunburns, wind burns, bruises and mouth sores. It helps in reducing wrinkles if few drops of the oil are added to the regular moisturizer. Try avoiding use of the oil as a moisturizer during day as it may make the skin appear extra shiny.
Mix 1 tbsp of honey and 2 tbsp of jojoba oil, and store in a small glass container and refrigerate it. Use it as a lip balm for the night. To lighten color of the lips you may add half tbsp of lemon juice to the mixture.
It can be used for removing make up from the eyes. Use of a few drops of the oil on the eye lashes makes them lustrous and thick.

Why Soy Milk is Recommended !!!!!!!!!!

There could be many reasons that one chooses to drink cows milk or soy milk. Aside from ethical reason and personal taste preference, we will focus solely on the nutrition and health aspects in this article. Sometimes you don’t need to be an expert to make a choice; all you need is some common sense, and a little bit research.Soy milk is “Soy milk (also called soya milk, soybean milk, or soy juice) and sometimes referred to as soy drink/beverage is a beverage made from soy beans. A stable emulsion of oil, water and protein, it is produced by soaking dry soybeans, and grinding them with water.

Soy milk has quite a few beneficial properties aside from being low in saturated fats; it is chock full of proteins and fiber, as well as key vitamins and minerals essential for maintaining you body at its peak of performance. Another good thing about it is that it is lactose-free. Lactose is the natural sugar that is present in a cow’s milk. There are cases that many children and adults cannot digest lactose. It results to diarrhea, vomiting, gas and cramps. Thus making it a good option for those who are lactose-intolerant. Therefore not loosing the benefits of drinking milk. One huge benefit is that there is no lactose in soy drinks. For many they are allergic to cow milk and can’t really digest it that well. With no lactose those who can’t drink cow milk can drink soy milk. In recent years the quality of this milk has gone up tasting much better and having a variety of flavors.

The natural taste of soy is very different from whey protein. But this taste has been proven to be easily accepted by most people. In fact, the powder may even be mixed with daily food. To do that, buy unflavored protein powder. Such powder will not alter the intended taste of the dishes.

Diets that include 25 grams of soy protein a day, while reducing saturated fats and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. If your diet is rich in animal protein, you are losing calcium from your bones. Soy protein does not have the same effect but instead it adds calcium to the bones, making them stronger. The isoflavones found insoy milk and soy foods inhibits the breakdown of bones. Isoflavones are found in soy milk . They are quite similar to the hormone that we call estrogen. They are associated to the prevention of many cancers, heart disease, osteoporosis and more. They are also antioxidants which protect our cells and DNA against oxidation.

Soy milk has markedly less calories/kJ than the milk from animal origin - this is mainly because of the higher moisture content of the soy milk as well as the lower fat and protein content. Soy milk is one of candidiasis sufferers’ many enemies. It is produced by soaking soybeans and then grinding them with water. The liquid that comes out after straining the soybeans is what we call soy milk. Most of it that you find in stores is flavored and added with extra calcium and vitamins. That is why you need to be careful. Soy milk is a healthy alternative to dairy product, and it can be used in smoothies or on cereal. You can of course make it with normal kitchenware, if you just want to give it a try or have some fun. But if you want to drink your own soy milk every day, you’d better buy a maker. That way you can save much time on the processing, and you get more yields from the beans.

Health Benefits of Cacao

Cacao has a lot of substances which have made it a natural antidepressant. These natural beans have three neurotransmitters that promote healthy mood or positive mental state: serotonin, dopamine and phenylethylamine. Moreover, cacao also has the amino acid tryptophan and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. Although cacao beans and cacao nibs have that great chocolate flavor, you should think of them as a slightly different sort of food. When we think of chocolate, we always associate it with a smooth and silky texture. Unfortunately, cacao beans and cacao nibs do not give you that silky-smooth satisfaction -- they remain in your mouth as bitter grit-like pieces.

The best quality cacao beans come from Brazil, Venezuela, the Ivory Coast, Central America, Madagascar, and the Caribbean. The owner of Paris' Maison du Chocolat, Robert Linxe, believes that Ariba cacao beans from Central America are the finest in the world mainly because of its intense flavor and pronounced character. The medicinal benefits of Cacao date back as far as the sixteenth century when Cacao was reported to have at least 100 medicinal uses, for example, stimulation of the digestive system as well as increasing the appetite.


 It contains super proportions of magnesium, Phenylethylamine, and anandamide, making raw coca nibs a super form of chocolate. Raw Chocolate Facts! Now here is the interesting part: Cacao beans or raw chocolate as it is called is the source for all common coca products and chocolate. Known as the Goddess of the Seeds Cacao plants have been known to be part of a cure for every ancient illness. Cacao contains Serotonin, Tryptophan, Anandamide, Dopamine, PEA and MAO inhibitors which all have a positive effect on brain chemistry. These powerful components are attributed to increased mental focus and awareness.

Anandamide is a blissful chemical produced naturally by our bodies when we are feeling happy and great. Cacao enzyme inhibitors keeps this chemical in our body around longer, while adding onto it its own natural reserve of Anandamide. When a person feels blissful and happy, he does more good, makes more peace, shares more love. When you think of cacao, your thought immediately turns to chocolate and you are probably wondering how chocolate can be good for you. But the chocolate found in chocolate bars are in fact not the raw form of cacao and it is only when you eat cacao in its raw form that you can derive the benefits from it. Here are only a few benefits of eating raw cacao.

The large amount of antioxidants present in raw Cacao help fight cancer causing free radicals. They are a rich source of countless naturally occurring compounds. Raw cacao helps regulate sleep and strengthens the cardio-vascular system. It also stimulates secretion of mood elevating chemicals namely serotonin and endorphins, thereby energizing the body and give uplifts mood by providing a feeling of euphoria.

Bad Breath- An Embarrassment

Do you have bad breath problem? Most people with bad breath are not aware of their problem but the people around them certainly know and just embarrass to tell them. The reaction of people around you when you speak or open your mouth will somehow give you a hint if you have a bad breath problem.

Bad breath is called halitosis in medical term. Halitosis is a very embarrassing disease. It's an unpleasant condition that's cause for embarrassment and mess up your relationships. No one will tell you when you have bad breath. It's such a taboo for people to talk about this, so some people with bad breath aren't even aware there's a problem.

However, there are tests for bad breath that you can do, one test is lick the back of your wrist and let it dry for a minute or two and then smell it. Another way is to scrape the back of your tongue with an inverted spoon and smell the thick whitish dried residue. How it smells is most likely the way your breath smells to others. If you have a bad breath it is important to know how to fight bad breath.


Some of remedies for bad breath that might prevent or cure your bad breath or halitosis include:

- The important is your oral hygiene. You should brush your teeth and scrub your tongue properly and regularly everyday.

- Mixed baking soda with warm water and then irrigate your mouth with this mixture.

- Minimize the food supply for bacteria. The bacteria that cause bad breath thrive on protein rich foods. Vegetarians who eat less protein foods have much less problems with bad breath.


If you have dry mouth you may be able to get an artificial saliva substitute from your dentist. If you have an allergy that is causing your dry mouth then it would pay to try to identify your allergen and work on avoiding that allergen.

Visit a dental hygienist regularly for a professional clean. You should have this done every six months to make sure of no plaque build up between teeth. 

Give yourself a Treat of Damiana Herb

Damiana grows in the wild in Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies, as well as in parts of South America. It is a small herb that was originally native to Northern Mexico. The leaf and the stem of the damiana plant are the most commonly used components. Damiana was first used by the Mayans in the treatment of giddiness and loss of balance.

Damiana herb has been used for hundreds of years to treat a variety of medical conditions, most commonly constipation and low libido. The herb itself is quite gentle and lends itself well to the tea medium. 

The Damiana plant extract is usually made into tea to treat conditions ranging from constipation to depression. 

Here are some of the diseases that the plant is used to treat :

Coughs,
Fibromyalgia,
Emphysema,
Low Estrogen, 
Frigidity,
Hot flashes,
Impotency,
Infertility,
Menopause, 
Parkinson's disease,
Inflammation of prostate and Lou Gehrig's disease.

Damiana is a strengthener for the nervous system. It also has an ancient reputation as an Aphrodisiac - this may or may not be true but it is a tonic for the central nervous and hormonal systems. The pharmacology of the plant suggests that it has a testosterone like action. 

The damiana herb is not so very well known in the United States, but in rest of the world it is popular for its profound effects on the body and the mind. As expressed Damiana is useful as part of a method to treat clinical depression. So include the Damiana Herb with prescription depression medications, to help in easing up the libido issues.