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health benefits of lavender oil

Lavender essential oil, not to be confused with lavender scented oil, is not actually an oil, but a distillation of the lavender plant. But for the remainder of this article, lets stick to lavender oil. Lavender oil provides a great number of health benefits and is a highly versatile substance. Here are some of the top health benefits of lavender oil.

Health Benefits of Lavender Oil

Sleep aid

There are a number of different ways to utilize lavender oil to help you sleep. Sprinkle a few drops on your pillow or on a cotton ball placed inside your pillowcase. You can also buy an ultrasonic diffuser to diffuse the lavender oil throughout the air through the night. Sprinkle a few drops in bathwater before bed to calm and relax you to prepare for sleep. You can also place a few drops of lavender oil in the rinse water when laundering linens for a more long lasting effect.

Stress and anxiety reliever

Lavender is well known for being an anti-anxiety agent and stress reliever. Keep a small bottle handy in your purse or desk drawer and place a few drops on your pulse points before or during a high stress event. Hold your wrists in front of your face and inhale deeply several times. Not only will the lavender help you to relax, but breathing deeply provides additional health benefits and stress relief.

Soothe burns

Keep a bottle of lavender oil in the kitchen. You can apply a drop or two to skin burns for almost instant relief. Mix a few drops of lavender oil with a carrier oil such as coconut oil or almond oil and apply to sunburned skin for soothing relief.

Antiseptic/ Antifungal

Lavender has strong antiseptic properties, but is gentle on the skin and doesn’t burn. If you get a cut or a scrape, use a few drops of lavender oil to clean the wound. This would help because of the antiseptic properties. If you regularly use public showers, mix a few drops of lavender oil with a few teaspoons of vodka and a few teaspoons of distilled water and place in a spray bottle. Spray on your feet before putting your shoes and socks on to protect your feet from fungal infections.

The possibilities with lavender almost seem to be endless. Due to the natural properties of lavender it seems to be one of nature’s softer plants. Taking advantage of the health benefits of lavender oil is so easy. They smell amazing too!

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fruit and vegetable variety matters

We’ve been told repeatedly in our lives how fruits and vegetables are good for us. While we all have our personal veggie and fruit favorites, along with those we detest, many of us have a tendency to eat the same forms of produce day after day. However, fruit and vegetable variety matters.

Why Fruit and Vegetable Variety Matters

Certain fruits and veggies are easier to quickly pack in a lunch bag, and others are more convenient to prepare for dinner. Even though eating these same fruits and vegetables are advantageous to our well-being, consuming a variety of produce allows for additional health benefits. Each fruit or vegetable consists of a specific set of nutrients. By changing up the fruits and vegetables we eat, we get exposure to different vitamins, minerals and compounds. This can result in more positive, long-term effects on the body. Read on to learn the various ways certain fruits and veggies can benefit the body and why fruit and vegetable variety matters.

Grapes

Grapes contain a bunch of polyphenols. This compound has been shown to reduce heart disease. Grapes also contain high levels of caffeic acid which helps to fight cancer.

Broccoli

High in fiber, Broccoli helps with the digestion process. Because it also contains vitamins K, C and B6 consuming this veggie is an excellent way to maintain a healthy heart.

Asparagus

Asparagus contains a compound that helps break down harmful carcinogens. This vegetable is an important one to eat since it can help fight certain cancers like bone, breast, colon, and lung cancer. Not only does this vegetable benefit the body, but the folate it contains can also give your brain an extra boost.

Mangos

By providing a rich source of vitamin A, mangos can help support clear eyesight and fight various eye diseases. Including mangos as part of a diet has also shown to lead to clearer, healthier skin.

Blueberries

Blueberries have compounds that can slow down vision loss and prevent other ocular problems. They also contain copper which is good for maintaining a strong immunity.

Celery

Celery is useful for lowering blood pressure. The significant amount of vitamin C can lead to a stronger immune system.

Kiwi

Containing more vitamin C than an orange, Kiwi benefits the body by lowering the risk of heart disease. Vitamin C can also strengthen bones and connective tissues.

Kale

Kale is comprised of a vast amount of vitamin K which helps to maintain healthy bones. The antioxidants of kale are also important in the prevention of breast, bladder, colon, prostrate, and ovarian cancers.

Because of the unique properties each fruit and vegetable consists of the long-term effects on the body will be different. Recent studies have shown that those who consume eight servings or more of fruits and veggies, as a result, are 30% less likely to have a stroke. So next time you are out grocery shopping choose some produce that you wouldn’t normally buy. Fruit and vegetable variety matters and is very important! Not only will they provide additional health benefits, you just might discover some new favorites.

Consider trying something like Gooseberries. Not a very popular fruit with very popular health benefits!

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health benefits of lemon oil

Lemon essential oil – not to be confused with lemon scented oil – is a steamed distillate of lemons. It has a great number of health and beauty benefits. Make it a basic staple in both your medicine cabinet and your kitchen for a multitude of uses. Here are some health benefits of lemon oil.

Health Benefits Of Lemon Oil

Weight Loss

Lemons have long been a basic staple in the promotion of weight loss. Carry a small bottle of essential oil with you and drop a few drops in a large glass of water at least three times a day to help shed unwanted pounds.

Also read: 100 Weight Loss Tips For All Body Types

Face Wash

Lemon oil provides deep nourishment for the skin and makes a great natural acne free face wash. Mix a few drops of lemon oil with equal parts baking soda and honey for a refreshing and rejuvenating facial scrub.

Mood Booster

Drop a few drops in an ultrasonic diffuser to immediately provide an instant mood booster. Because of the natural anti-depressant properties of lemon oil, it will turn even the gloomiest of emotional days bright and sunny.

Also read: How To Be Happier And Healthier At Work

Disinfectant

Lemon oil makes a great natural disinfectant and is non-toxic to pets, people and even plants. Use lemon oil on your cutting boards to disinfect them without leaving behind harmful traces that can contaminate your food. To make a natural disinfectant spray for cleaning counter tops and showers, fill a 16 oz spray bottle with water and top off with a little bit of white vinegar. Drop in 40 drops of lemon oil and 20 drops tea tree oil. Because of the all natural ingredients, it makes for a pet and kid safe cleaner you can use throughout the whole house.

Clean Hands

Lemon oil will cut through even the gooiest gunk on hands and throughout the house. Whether you’ve been working on the car or doing crafts with sticky glue or other substances, lemon oil will make short work of it all. Best of all, lemon oil is gentle enough to use straight out of the bottle for the stickiest messes.

Due to the acidic properties, lemons can be a very powerful tool in any household. Whether its for the health benefits of lemon oil or cleaning benefits, lemons have shown to be very effective in their applications. Also, just like any other citric fruit out their, lemons are packed with vitamin C. So maybe carrying some lemon oil everywhere may not be a bad idea!

You may also want to read: How Lemons Help With Weight Loss

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health benefits of avocados

If you have noticed that there are more supermarkets offering fresh avocados, then make sure to add one or more of these to your grocery list. While you might think that an avocado is a vegetable, it is actually a fruit. Because of this, there are many health benefits of avocados.

5 Health Benefits Of Avocados

Several Types of Fat

An avocado has a high level of monounsaturated fat which is a vital nutrient for your health. If you avoid eating meat, fish or eggs, then adding avocados to your weekly meals is important. There are additional fats in avocados, including:

• Saturated fat

• Linoleic acid

• Palmitic acid

Monounsaturated fat also helps to improve your body’s cardiovascular health.

Vitamin B

If you are feeling lethargic, then consuming more vitamin B can improve your energy levels. Avocados provide several different types of vitamin B, including:

• Folate

• B6

• Pantothenic acid

• Niacin

• Riboflavin

• Thiamine

Therefore, vitamin B helps your body convert other foods into the fuel it needs to remain healthy on a daily basis.

Fiber

An avocado offers a lot of fiber which can improve your digestive health. As a result, this leads to fewer problems with diarrhea or constipation. Adding fiber to your diet also helps to reduce your cholesterol levels along with controlling your blood sugar levels.

Potassium

Potassium provides several benefits which help in preventing the following:

• Kidney problems

• Heart disorders

• High blood pressure

• Strokes

• Stress and anxiety

• Electrolyte dysfunction

You need to replenish your body’s potassium frequently. As a result of eating avocados you will increase your potassium levels.

Protein

Avocados contain small amounts of protein. Because of this, Avocados protect and rebuild the brain, muscles and bones by providing amino acids. When you limit the amount of meat in your diet, adding avocados can replenish the protein needed to remain healthy. Avocado is eaten raw as an ingredient in dips, sandwiches or salads.

Taking advantage of the health benefits of avocados can be a pretty easy task because it’s loved by everyone. In most american diets, avocados are added to a wide variety of dishes and it is a very popular side order. Avocados are very popular in Mexican foods like tacos, burritos and all kinds of salads ranging from Italian to Mexican. By adding this fruit to your daily meals you can see a very powerful health increase because of these powerful nutrients.

Bon Appetit !

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russell westbrook

Russell Westbrook’s future is still unknown. Although Oklahoma City Thunder did say they were not going to trade him this off-season, it seems like they might be changing their minds. If they don’t trade him now they will most likely lose him next season to free agency.

Russell Westbrook ’s Future

Oklahoma City is in a rebuilding phase and cannot afford to lose another big name player to free agency. If they plan to keep Westbrook for this year they will need to acquire another big name player and make a run for the championship.

However, if the management decides to trade Russell Westbrook, his destination will most likely be Boston Celtics. What the Celtics can offer in return is still a mystery. Can they offer draft picks? Sure. Will Oklahoma City accept them? Most likely not.

If a trade was to happen, it would most likely be a three-team-trade. A trade that might involve either the Clippers or the 76ers. Now, how a three-team-trade will work out is also a mystery. But considering that Thunder is rebuilding, they will look for young players or good draft picks. Most likely both.

Westbrook has averaged 23.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 10.4 APG. Without Durant, that number is even higher. He also shot at 45.4% from the field. His second highest season average. The amount of rebounds he got this season was the most he got in his career. And every season they seem to be going up.

Westbrook was definitely a top 5 point guard in the 2015-16 season. Even calling him the best current point guard in the league would not be far-fetched. He was the second in the league for assist per game, eight for points per game, and led the point guards in most rebounds per game. Not only was he leading in that category, but he also held a comfortable lead.

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turkey’s recent coup

Turkey’s Recent Coup: On Friday, July 15, 2016, Turkey’s military attempted a coup. Hundreds of people died and thousands were injured. The president’s location during the coup was unknown. He did however, take to FaceTime to urge his citizens to stand up and defend the country.

Turkey’s Recent Coup

This happened overnight and in the morning it was known to be a failed attempt. Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called this an uprising from a small group in the military. When asked what will happen with the soldiers who were involved, Ilnur Cevik, the president’s aide, responded by saying they will be sentenced to prison for life.

Many groups were involved in this coup. Some were for it, some were against it. And everyone of them is blaming each other for being un-democratic. Erdoğan’s supporters blamed the military and took to the streets to protest, while the military blamed the president for diving the country.

There are many unknown facts to this story. Facts such as: who was behind this coup attempt, how successful were they, how much of the military was involved, and so forth. Erdoğan is blaming Fethullah Gülen, who led the movement called Hizmet.

However, Mr. Güllen, who now lives in the United States, rejects all such claims that he was in any way involved in this coup.

Güllen goes on to say that he believes this was a false coup attempt perpetrated by Erdoğan. Güllen also believes this was a way for him to gain more power. In response, Erdoğan asked United States to return Güllen to Turkey. Secretary of state John Kerry, responded by saying that they will look at the information they have and respond.

Still, Turkey remains apart of NATO. And even though United States has disagreed with some of what Erdoğan said or did, they still support him and say that he won the vote democratically.

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most effective skin care ingredients

The Skin Care industry is a multi-billion dollar business. As a result, it consists of thousands upon thousands of lotions and potions promising beauty and anti-aging. But the truth is only a fraction of them work. Problems involving topical skin care creams range from ingredients that are simply ineffective to them not being able to penetrate the skin. Knowing the most effective skin care ingredients can help you when shopping for a skin care cream. Therefore, you can have less, but more effective products.

The Most Effective Skin Care Ingredients

When shopping for your next wrinkle cream to add to your midnight skin care routine, be on the look out for these staples.

Retinol

Retinol is a form of vitamin A. Being one of the few substances scientifically proven to reverse skin aging. Retinol is highly effective at increasing skin collagen as well as promoting cell turn over. Because of this you will notice healthier skin.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is not just for when you catch a cold. This vitamin is highly responsible for the regeneration of collagen throughout the body. It can be taken orally or applied topically. Vitamin C is typically sold as a serum that can be applied to the face and neck. After a few days, you will notice the skin to be more supple and smooth. As this ingredient can quickly oxidize, you must use the bottle within a short period of time and be careful to store it in a dark cool place.

The Ultimate Beauty Mineral: MSM

There has been a new craze over this powerhouse substance, and it`s for a good reason. MSM, in conjunction with vitamin C, has been touted as “a miracle solution” for aging skin and wrinkles. So it seems that it is one of the most effective skin care ingredients. MSM being an all natural substance, you can use it as often as needed. When taken orally or purchased in skin care creams, the results can show in as little as 2 weeks.

Any of us can fall victim to the skin care industry’s sales schemes. It seems that they don’t give much thought to their products anymore. Rather, they focus on reducing costs and increasing profits. Knowing the most effective skin care ingredients can be a very powerful tool for purchasing skin care creams.

However, ignoring the basics of skin care won’t let the skin care creams work to their biggest potential. Drinking water and staying hydrated may probably be the single most important factor in skin care.

You can see further health benefits of water by reading 3 Major Benefits Of Water

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morning beauty routine

The sound of the alarm going off in the morning is seldom a welcoming thing. Whether it’s another day at the workplace or a busy day at home keeping up with little ones, the morning routine always seems rushed. Trying to fit in a thorough skin care routine and applying make-up can be nearly impossible. Rather than taking away time from precious sleep in order wake up earlier to get ready, perhaps it’s time to take a good look at the various regimens and then find a way to simplify the morning beauty routine.

How to Simplify the Morning Beauty Routine

The Hair

Styling the hair can take a ton of time in the morning. This is especially the case if you are someone who has to shower, blow dry and style your hair in those early hours. Washing the hair the night before can be a huge time-saver. It’s even be possible to style the night before as well. Some curlers are made for sleeping while hair that is straightened via a straightener is likely to stay flat overnight.

If you are someone who absolutely must shower in the morning you may want to consider not washing your entire head. Rather, by cleansing the roots around the face and perhaps at the scalp you can definitely simplify the morning beauty routine. Not shampooing all of the hair will make blow drying and styling a much quicker process.

The Face

The amount of products that can be adhered to the face each morning is pretty extensive. There tends to be more common ones that are usually included in a daily skincare routine. These are usually moisturizers, under eye concealers, sunscreen, anti-aging creams, blush and bronzer. Instead of taking the time to apply each of these products separately, it may be a good idea to purchase beauty products that allow for more than one function. For example, there are an increasing number of cosmetics on the market that contain sunscreen, moisturizer, and bronzer. Utilizing such make-up is an easy way to simplify the morning beauty routine. Furthermore, with a single application this can result in a smoother-looking complexion, instead of streaks that layering of products can leave behind.

The Make-up

Again, to save valuable time you may want to purchase cosmetics that have a dual-function. Becoming increasingly popular are eyeliner/eye shadow combination pencils. Additionally, there are a variety of tinted balms on the market. There are some that allow wearers to add a splash of color to lips and cheeks.

Utilizing products that have more than one purpose can easily shorten that morning beauty routine. Not only does that make for less containers to rummage through, it can save you money. This is because it means less items to buy!

For additional skincare tips you can learn how they used to do it back in the days of history by visiting Old Fashioned Skin Care Tricks.

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sugar free detox

We all seem to eat too much whenever there is a holiday. Diets are quickly blown to the wayside as we chow down on all those tasty foods that aren’t healthy for us, especially the sweets and treats. Then afterwards we are left with an overly stuffed belly and a head filled with guilt. Rather than spending an exorbitant amount of money on a complicated and drastic diet plan, simply going on a sugar free detox for a month can result in weight loss.

Starting a Sugar Free Detox

Starting a sugar free detox can be quite a challenge. Most of us don’t realize how often we consume sugar filled foods. Whether it’s the usual dessert after dinner or a handful or two of M&Ms at the office, these seemingly harmless calories find a way into our mouths and then onto our waistlines. But setting a minimal time frame of one month can lead to weight loss and give us a way to keep our eating habits in check as well.

The Hardest Part

The first three days of the detox are usually the toughest. Giving up something we love and crave usually is. Those initial days may seem long and may be downright unbearable. You may find yourself quite irritable as well. But keep your eyes on the prize and remind yourself how staying the course of sugar free for only one month can result in weight loss.

It Gets Easier

By the fourth day that craving for sweet and sugary foods should be less intense. By then you will mostly likely have found other snacks to fill the void – healthier snacks. If the idea of going the rest of the month without anything sweet still seems too difficult, allow yourself one treat a week. This single treat will allow you to have something to look forward to during the rest of the week. But the delectable desert should be small enough so the detox plan can result in weight loss. In other words, it should be a single slice or serving of cake – not an entire cake. Also, it may be wise to go out to enjoy this treat. Otherwise, if you bring the savored confections into the home it will probably lead to temptation.

The end of the month will have arrived before you know it. Hopefully your month long sugar free detox has resulted in some weight loss that you can celebrate. Be sure to reward yourself for reaching your goal. But if you do choose to celebrate with something sugary, do your month of detox a favor and keep the portion small!

For additional weight loss tips visit: 100 Weight Loss Tips For All Body Types

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how to blend eye shadow

Almost every time I finish makeup on a client and after they see them selves in the mirror there is always one thing they say. “There is no way I could do the eye shadow like this”. When it comes to doing makeup, nothing is more intimidating than eye shadow. You can buy the most expensive eye makeup in the world, and you can even invest in to the best brushes. But if you don’t know how to blend eye shadow, your makeup is always going to look like a mess. Even celebrities don’t always excel at it. Whether it’s bad blending, poor placement, or a heavy-handed application there’s a lot that can go wrong.

How To Blend Eye Shadow

So that is the reason so many women decide to just skip eye shadow altogether! But that would be a shame. Done right, eye shadow is SO transformative: it can define your eyes, give polish to your makeup look, enhance your eye color and (if you want to go bold) even change your whole vibe.

Some of the tips on blending eye shadow

Here is a complete tutorial that I made on how to blend eye shadow for beginners using easy blending technique:

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