RUBY ZUBBY'S NATURAL HEALING GUIDE: January 2013

Wednesday, 23 January 2013

Castor plant benefits

Castor plant benefits

Castor beans or seeds are grown for the ornamental purposes like for the beads in the necklaces and other type of jewellery. For commercial purposes castor oil is extracted from these beads. The dust from the grinded beans can cause sensitivity reactions and poisoning. These beans contain ricin which is highly toxic and extremely dangerous. The consumption of only one castor bean can be fatal.

Castor oil is used for various purposes. It helps to soften the cuticles and can do wonders for the brittle nails and ragged cuticles. Just massage the small amount of oil on your cuticles and nails each day and see the wonderful results.

It can be an excellent conditioner for the hair and can give you the healthy and shiny hair. Castor oil also soothe the tired eyes and for this one have to rub some oil around the eyes but be careful not to get the oil in your eyes.

Some of the non medicinal uses of the castor oil are to use it as a food additive and flavoring agent. It also acts as a mold inhibitor. It is used as an ingredient in the skin care products and cosmetics like lipsticks, shampoos and soap. It is also used in the manufacturing of the plastics, rubbers, fibers, paints, lubricants and dyes. The oil is also used for the leather treatments and as a lubricant.

Some of the medicinal uses of the castor oil are to treat the gastrointestinal problems like constipation, dysentery, inflammatory bowel disease, bladder and vaginal infections and Asthma.

Poultices from the leaves of the castor plant are used to treat the gynecological problems in females. Poultices when applies externally on the breasts, increases the secretion of milk in nursing mothers. When applied on the abdomen it promotes the normal menstruation.

The topical application of the castor oil is also useful for the treatment of variety of skin ailments like keratosis, dermatosis, wound healing, acne, ringworm and warts.

Feel Free To Leave Comments To My Posts,Its Always Nice To Get Feed Back!:) “The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.”~ Thomas Edison

Tips to Improve Digestion

According to Ayurveda, when the digestive system does not function at its optimum, the body becomes congested, hampering circulation and inhibiting movement of toxins out of the body. Hence, it is not only important, but imperative that efforts are made and steps are taken to keep one’s digestive system in optimum condition. Here are some tips to improve digestion the Ayurvedic way:

Begin each day with a warm oil massage, applying gentle pressure on the abdomen in a circular motion. This daily massage goes a long way in improving digestion.
Have a glass of warm water with a little honey and lemon juice on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. Follow this with a warm breakfast, ideally of fresh fruits, boiled vegetables, and freshly cooked warm cereal. According toAyurveda, breakfast should never be skipped.
Eat regular meals, with not more than a two and a half hour gap between successive meals. The digestive tract needs about that much time to complete a digestive cycle after eating. The largest meal of the day should be eaten between 12 noon and 2pm. The last meal should be light and finished at least two hours before going to sleep.
According to Ayurveda, the process of eating is reverent and important for the development of not only our physical health, but also our consciousness. Our bodies need an uplifting and calm environment to process and absorb the nutrients from our meals. If that is not always possible, it is important to be at least sitting down while eating, not standing, walking or driving through a meal. When we sit down to eat with nothing (like TV or a book) to distract us, our stomach is in a relaxed position, and we are fully aware of the taste, smell and texture of the food. This helps enormously in digestion.
One other way to improve digestion is to stimulate the ‘Agni’ or digestive fire before we start eating, as weak digestive Agni may result in fatigue after eating. A one inch piece of fresh ginger with a little lime juice and salt eaten before starting a mealwill activate the salivary glands, producing the necessary enzymes for quick and easy absorption of nutrients by the body.
Ice or cold water, or cold drinks for that matter, douse the digestive fire and must be avoided at all times. Warm water sipped throughout the day is great for aiding digestion. In Ayurveda, it is believed that warm water is exceptionally good for the stomach, helping in digestion and purification.
Another Ayurvedic tip for good digestion is to drink a fresh yoghurt drink, also known as ‘Lassi’ with the mid-day meal. It can be made by blending ¼ cup fresh yoghurt with1 glass water (at room temperature) and sugar to taste. Lassi is not only refreshing with a meal; it is also light and contains the bacteria lactobacilli, which lubricate the intestines.
Tea and coffee should ideally be replaced with herbal teas. A fragrant fennel tea immediately after lunch will greatly improve digestion.

Beside all these tips, one should follow all the general Ayurvedic principles for good health – getting adequate sleep, exercising regularly, minimising stress and meditation.

Feel Free To Leave Comments To My Posts,Its Always Nice To Get Feed Back!:) “The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.”~ Thomas Edison

Weirdest Home Remedies That Actually Work

Weirdest Home Remedies That Actually Work

1. Listerine cures toenail fungus

Soaking your feet in Listerine mouthwash for 15-20 minutes, twice a day, will cure most cases of toenail fungus. Listerine contains antiseptic and disinfectant ingredients; it has been used for everything from curing gonorrhea to cleaning floors.

Listerine is also good for curing blisters (dab onto blister 2-3 times per day to dry it out), and dandruff.

2. Yogurt cures bad breath

Studies have shown that live bacteria in sugar free yogurt can suppress levels of bad breath-causing bacteria. If the bad bacteria can't survive, your breath smells sweeter.

3. Olive oil cures Eczema

Olive oil is rich in vitamin E, so it's a great skin moisturizer. Apply extra virgin, unrefined olive oil to your skin after showering, while your skin is still damp. The olive oil seals in moisture and helps soothe painful Eczema flair-ups.

4. Sugar stops the hiccups

Hiccups are annoying, but now you can stop them within one minute simply by swallowing a teaspoon full of dry sugar. Experts believe that the sudden sweetness on the tongue overloads the nerve endings in the mouth and stops the hiccup spasm.

5. Chewing peppermint or cinnamon gum eases commuting stress

Studies have shown that chewing peppermint or cinnamon gum increases awareness and reduces fatigue by as much as 20%. Test subjects reported 25% less frustration and 30% increased alertness. The drive also seemed 30% shorter for those who chewed the gum, versus those who did not.

6. Duct tape cures warts

Duct tape: Is there anything it can't do? Some people would go to great lengths to have warts removed. Typically, painful options like cryotherapy, acid preparations, laser therapy, heat, and tape occlusion are the treatment of choice, but even cryotherapy (burning the wart off with liquid nitrogen) has only a 60% success rate. Comparably, the painless practice of applying a small piece of duct tape seems to provide about an 85% success rate.

Simply apply a small piece of duct tape to the wart and leave it on for a week. Then wash the area and use a pumice stone to scour the affected area, and reapply the tape for another week. Repeat until the wart is gone.

7. Biting on a pencil cures headaches

Tension headaches can often arise from unconsciously clenching your jaw. Gently holding a pencil between your teeth forces your jaw muscles to relax, easing your headache.

8. Vodka cures stinky feet

Wipe your feet with a vodka-soaked rag to eliminate foot odor. Vodka contains alcohol, an antiseptic that is very drying. Alcohol destroys odor-causing fungus and bacteria and dries out the moisture that lets these organisms grow.

9. Olives and lemons cure sea sickness

Motion sickness causes excess saliva, which can make you queasy. Eating olives or sucking on a lemon at the first signs of sea sickness can help ease nausea thanks to the tannins contained in these items.

10. Tomatoes cure acne

Tomatoes have a lot of vitamins C and A, antioxidants and acidic content, so they can be used to treat a variety of minor skin ailments. This cure is especially good for oily skin. Mash one small tomato into a pulp, then spread the pulp on your face and let it sit for one hour. Wash it off with tepid water and pat dry. Repeat once a day for a week.

15 Great and Easy Home Tips !

15 Great and Easy Home Tips !

If you thought that objects and food stuffs has only one use, you'll be surprised by some of the new and effective uses for storing, keeping fresh, quick solutions and cleanliness tips you'll find here!

How do you make tomatoes ripen faster? How to neutralize the smell of onions? what you sprinkle the bottom of the candle so you don't have to clean wax later? What is the connection between citrus peel and brown sugar? 15 great tips!

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An apple to make tomatoes ripen

If you're tired of waiting and would like to make your tomatoes ripe in half the time, put them in a bowl with an apple or two, and cover them up with plastic wrap.

Beans for wax

fill up the candle house with a layer of raw beans. It's not only a nice decoration, but the beans will also keep the candle steady and capture the wax drops.

Toothpick on scotch tape

Mark the end of the scotch tape by rolling it up with a toothpick at the end.

Orange Peel to conserve moisture

Keep the moisture and softness of brown sugar and prevent it from become rough lumps by adding a long and narrow orange peeling into the sugar vessel. .

Coffee filter to clean dust

Clean dust from the computer and television screen using a coffee filter. You won't even have to get it wet to use it!

Paper cloth to clean the shower doors

Remove insistent soap accumulation from the shower's glass doors by spraying a little water on a paper cloth, the kind used for the dryer and cleaning doors.

Eggshells to clean narrow places

Use a hard boiled eggshell to clean the hard to reach areas of bottles, jars and vases. Throw a few pieces of shell in the object, add hot water and a little bit of dish soap, and stir it well. The shells will scrape off that hard-to-reach dirt.

Pillow cover to clean the ceiling fan.

Slip an old pillow cover on the blades of the ceiling fan and then pull it backwards quickly to draw all the dust and dirt into it, without dropping them all over the floor.

Ginger to deal with pain

Calm down blisters and burns by swatting some fresh ginger juice on the aching spot.

Lemon to clean a grater

After you've grated soft cheese or other sticky foods, use half a lemon to get rid of the leftovers. Just use the soft side of the lemon on both sides of the grater and you'll see how easily it becomes clean again.

Nailpolish to fix a loose button

Smear a thin layer of transparent nailpolish on the center of the loose button, it will harden and keep it from falling.

Onion to get rid of the scent of mildew

Air out the smell of mildew from the basement or the tool shed with onions. Cut an onion in half, put half of it on a plate and leave it in the room for the night. The morning after, the air in the room will be cleaner and you won't even smell the onion!

Vinegar and salt against the smell of onion

However, you might be concerned of having that pesky scent of onions on your hands. A combination of vinegar and salt neutralizes the smell of onions. Mix the two materials and pour this on your hands to rub together until the scent is gone. Then wash with soap.

Pumice to clean a sweater

Take a rough pumice and gently rub it on any thick sweaters to get rid of little fibers and other junk.

Empty bottle to stabalize boots

Use empty wine bottles to keep tall leather boots stable, so they don't lose their shape in storage.

Tuesday, 22 January 2013

FACTS:FOOD DOESN'T HAVE LABELS,PRODUCTS HAVE LABELS

For most individuals, eating using these guidelines 80-90% of the time would make for an excellent improvement in health and body composition.

Personally I'm against the need to eliminate all grains or starchy carbs 100% of the time unless you have some form of intolerance to grains. For the more athletic people, I recommend more carbs in any case.

As I always say, carbs aren't evil. Sugars aren't either. They're just 'bad' when over-consumed, especially if you're not a very physically active individual and don't have the remainder of your nutrition in place.

First things first: Eat nutritionally dense, get in your macro's, get in your required calories, THEN you can think about foods that are of lesser nutritional quality.

Like if you think this is a great "starting point".

*Share* if you think this could kick-start others healthy eating habits.

How belly fat differs from thigh fat—and why it matters

Researchers discover that the genes active in a person’s belly fat are significantly different from those in his or her thigh fat, a finding that could shift the way we approach unwanted belly fat—from banishing it to relocating it.
Men tend to store fat in the abdominal area, but don’t usually have much in the way of hips or thighs. Women, on the other hand, are more often pear-shaped—storing more fat on their hips and thighs than in the belly.
Why are women and men shaped differently?
The answer still isn’t clear, but it’s an issue worth investigating, says Steven Smith, M.D., director of the Florida Hospital – Sanford-Burnham Translational Research Institute for Metabolism and Diabetes. That’s because belly fat is associated with higher risks of heart disease and diabetes. On the other hand, hip and thigh fat don’t seem to play a special role in these conditions.
In a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Smith and colleagues help explain this discrepancy by determining how belly and thigh fat differ genetically. This research might shift common thinking about fat—rather than focusing on how to banish belly fat, perhaps we need to tip the balance in favor of heart-friendly fat in the lower body. In that case, the study also provides a first step toward aiming treatments at specific regions of the body, especially those that contribute most to the complications of obesity.
Belly fat genes vs. thigh fat genes
Smith and colleagues first took fat samples from men and women. Then they compared the genes most active in belly fat to those most active in thigh fat.
Here’s what they found: The genes operating in a person’s thigh fat are hugely different from those in his or her belly fat. For men, 125 genes are expressed differently in the belly than in the thighs. For women, it’s 218 genes (most are unique to women, but 59 genes are the same as those that varied in male fat).
The most notable genes that differed are known as homeobox genes. These genes are known for their role in helping shape a developing embryo—determining which cells and organs go where. Many homeobox genes are influenced by hormones such as estrogen.
Why are these homeobox genes important for fat? “We believe these genes actually program those fat cells to respond differently to different hormones and other signals,” Smith says.
Stem cells show fat is preprogrammed for its location
In the course of their work, Smith and his team also isolated stem cells from belly and thigh fat and grew them in laboratory dishes. This was a nice control because fat cells in a dish aren’t influenced by nerves, hormones, or other outside signals.
Yet the researchers still saw the same location-specific differences in gene activity in the fat that developed from these stem cells. That result told them that the cells are preprogrammed. In other words, belly fat and thigh fat are genetically destined for their final location during development. It’s not a difference that’s acquired over time, as a result of diet or environmental exposure.
A new way of thinking about fat
Medically speaking, says Smith, it’s important to understand these differences and how they arise. “Even though many women hate having large hips and thighs, that pear shape actually reduces their risk of heart disease and diabetes. In fact, women who have heart attacks tend to have more belly fat than thigh fat.”
This research marks a new way of thinking. “Most people want to stop belly fat. But the problem is not just the fat—it’s the location. Belly fat is just a marker of the problem. The real issue is in inability to store that fat on the hips and thighs,” he continues.
Smith hopes that future studies aimed at understanding the fundamental differences in these fat depots could lead to specific treatments aimed at the regions that contribute most to the complications of obesity.

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This research was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases grants DK072476, R24DK087669, and P30DK46200), the Society for Women’s Health Research Interdisciplinary Studies on Sex Differences (ISIS) Network on Metabolism, the Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Affinity Research Collaborative on Sex Differences in Adipose Tissue at Boston University School of Medicine, the Genomics Core Facility at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, and the Geriatric Research Education Clinical Center, Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

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Amazing Health Benefits of Coconut Water

This is a very nice way to get in your iron.

Saturday, 19 January 2013

Scalp Care Tips for Men

The key to great looking hair is proper scalp care. Most men not only ignore their hair but do not take required measures for the upkeep of a healthy scalp. It does not take much time and effort to care for your scalp.

Cleaning

Most men shampoo everyday and if you’re one of them make sure that you use a mild shampoo meant for daily use. Also, the choice of your shampoo depends on how dry or oily your scalp is. While bathing remember to massage the shampoo gently on your scalp and not on the body of your hair unless you wear them long. Short to medium length hair get cleaned as you wash the shampoo off.

Conditioning

If you find conditioners fussy and unnecessary you don’t have to adopt them as a daily routine. You can use a leave in conditioner once a week but remember to use it on the body of the hair and not the scalp.

Drying

Most men tend to dry off their hair by rubbing a coarse towel vigourously on their heads. It’s a quick method but one that causes damage to your hair and scalp. Wet hair are most vulnerable and break easily. Also you are likely to cause rashes on your scalp that might lead to dryness or fungal infections. Let a towel soak the excess hair and proceed to rub gently or let it dry naturally. Blowdryers are not a good option for frequent use as the hot air does more damage to both your scalp and hair. If you must use a blowdryer keep the setting on cool air.

Oil

If you also find oiling your hair troublesome you can do it before the shower once a week. If you use warm oil it will absorb in your scalp better and will not leave your hair greasy after the wash. Coconut oil is the lightest while almond oil is the most beneficial owing to its Vitamin A and D content. It is always best to massage with your fingertips gently in circular motions to enhance blood flow in your scalp.

Diet

A healthy balanced diet leads to a healthy scalp and hair. Make sure you get enough protein and other vital nutrients.

Styling

Steer clear of chemical based products. Most men are partial towards gels and they can cause various scalp problems like rashes, boils, itching, flaky skin and even dandruff. Natural moulding wax is best for short to medium length hair. Glycerine and mineral oil based hair creams are another safer option. If your hair is visibly dry you can use a serum to give it a glossy appearance.

Types of Hair Diseases

Anyone can be affected by hair loss diseases, young adolescents, adults, men and women. There are three phases of hair growth. One of the phases of hair lifecycle is its shedding. So, it is natural that you will lose hair at some point of time. You only need to guard against excessive hair fall and other conditions mentioned below.

Alopecia Areata

One of the most prevalent hair loss diseases is alopecia areata. It is more a condition of skin that can lead to hair loss. It is caused by a condition in which the hair follicles are invaded by the white blood cells of the body to destroy them. The hair follicles are mistaken to be germs that cause disease. Such a condition can make a person completely bald as the ability of hair re-growth is lost. Moreover, this problem can spread to the rest of the body too. It begins showing as small patches of baldness on the scalp and can go on to spread to the whole body.

Alopecia Universalis

Alopecia universalis is much the same as alopecia areata. It is characterised by hair loss in all body parts. The only difference between the two conditions is that in the universalis variant the hair loss is a lot more.

Androgenic Alopecia

In androgenic alopecia, the first stage of the hair lifecycle, i.e. the Anaga phase, fails to complete its full term and becomes progressively shorter. This hair loss disease is generally inherited and its major symptom is production of hair follicles that are thinner than normal. So, as the hair continues to become thinner and thinner, it eventually withers and separates from the scalp.

Telogen effluvium

When many strands of hair remain in the resting phase (telogen) for too long, it results in them getting detached and also becoming thinner. Such a condition can affect close to half of your total hair. It can go on till three months. Some common causes of telogen effluvium include poor nutrition, stress and hormonal imbalance.

Tinea Capitis

This condition is characterised by bare patches of skin on the scalp. Fungi infection leads to this disease and can affect not only the scalp, but also your eyebrows and eyelashes. This is a condition which mostly affects children under the age of 10. This disease is more of a skin condition which is also known as ringworm of the scalp.

There are some other skin conditions too such as lichen planopilaris, hypotrichosis, the frontal fibrosing alopecia and others. Men and women of all ages can lose hair as they can suffer from any of these hair diseases.

Home Remedies for Hair Loss in Men

Male hair loss is the most common form of hair loss. It is called androgen alopecia. It is mostly due to hereditary factors and runs in families for generations. Generally men start losing hair in their in their forties but many start losing hair in their twenties.

Hair loss in men is a metabolic disorder resulting in hair thinning, falling and disappearing. Hair is formed when the papilla, an up growth at the base of the hair follicle produces hair when a special group of cells on the scalp turns amino acids into a protein called keratin which makes hair. The rate of production of keratin governs hair growth.

Causes of hair loss in men are lack of vitamins such as B6 and folic acid in the diet; inadequate nutrition, compounded by stress, anxiety and sudden shock. Hair loss can also be a result of prolonged illnesses such as typhoid, syphilis, chronic cold, influenza and anaemia. Other causes are unclean condition of the scalp and poor blood circulation.

Natural Home Remedies for Hair Loss in Men

Boil one cup of mustard oil with four table spoons of heena (mehendi) leaves. This mixture should be filtered and kept in a bottle. Massage the bald patches regularly with this home remedy.
Grind fenugreek seeds with water and apply on the head for 40 minutes at least before washing. Wash off the mixture with cold water only after you have vigourously massaged your scalp. This treatment should be continued for a month.
Rub the bald area with onion paste till it becomes red and follow it with an application of honey.
Properly massage in a mixture of honey and egg yolk on the scalp and hair. Then leave for half an hour before washing.
A homemade shampoo could be an effective home remedy for hair loss in men, when prepared by adding 5 tbsp of curd, 1 tbsp of lemon juice and 2 tbsp of raw gram powder. Apply it on the head, and keep for an hour before washing.

Other tips to prevent hair loss in men are to add more mineral supplements in the diet such as calcium, magnesium and zinc; eating green leafy vegetables; meditation to reduce stress and anxiety; and not to brush hair when it is wet.

We could add some herbal methods as home remedies for hair loss in men:

A mixture is to be made consisting of amla (goose berry), reetha and shikakai and these should be boiled in 2 litres of water till the liquid reduces to half. This mixture should then be used to massage the scalp and hair along with coconut oil or aloe vera gel. Leave it on for half an hour. Do this at least three times in a week.
Another herbal home remedy is to mix aloe vera gel with triphala and apply to the scalp and hair. This should be continued for three to six months. It is a method to grow new hair.

Home Remedies for Sore Breasts

Sore breasts may be a symptom of several underlying problems, but they usually are part of the menstrual cycle. Sore breasts are caused by the imbalance of hormones soon after ovulation. Even though the pain is caused by chemical imbalance in the body, it can be relieved by altering lifestyle and diet a bit.

Chaste Tree Extract

Several studies have shown that extract of the chaste tree helps in restoring the balance between progesterone and estrogen. An imbalance in the progesterone and estrogen levels can lead to fluid retention in the body that can cause breast tenderness. The chaste tree extract has been known to alleviate any symptoms of breast pain.

Vitamin E

If soreness of the breasts is intolerable, you may take vitamin supplements as these help in providing sustained relief from pain due to the soreness. Do not, however, take vitamin supplements without consulting the doctor.

Take Essential Fatty Acids

Essential fatty acids are anti-inflammatory agents that help in reducing tenderness and pain in the breasts. Flax seed oil is also considered to be a good source of essential fatty acids.

Take Magnesium Supplements

Magnesium supplements help in the managing breast soreness and tenderness. According to experts, magnesium is one of the seven minerals that a person needs for optimal health. Magnesium exists in fluids that surround the tissues of the body and in the tissues. Taking magnesium supplements everyday helps in stabilising symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.

Take Iodine

Several studies have shown that taking only lower levels of iodine can cause disorders of the breast. Eating foods that are rich in iodine, such as sea foods, are considered advantageous. It is, however, important that you check your thyroid condition before adding more iodine in your diet. A lot of iodine can be detrimental to one’s health as it can create problems in the management of hyperthyroidism.

Cold Compression

Cold compression has been believed to relieve the pain due to soreness of the breast as it averts the inflammatory response. Using regular cold compression at times of acute pain is recommended for women experiencing breast soreness.

Limit Caffeine Intake and Processed Foods

Limit the intake of caffeinated foods in your diet. Avoid chocolate and cola drinks when you are going through acute pain. Foods that are packaged and have saturated fatty acids must also be avoided.

If the pain refuses to stabilise, get yourself checked with a gynaecologist.

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