Everyone deserves a little pampering, especially at times when we tend to get cranky and exhausted. A couple of simple tricks and treats might help us to feel better, face everyday life more easily, and look and feel more beautiful. All we need is a couple of ordinary household products.
Beauty on the Outside
Steam for a fresh complexion
Steam treatment cleans pores, helps skin get rid of toxic materials, and visibly freshens facial skin. Fill a bowl with hot water or camomile tea, put a towel over your head, and steam your face with eyes closed for about five minutes.
Lemon toner
Wiping your face with lemon juice mixed into a couple of teaspoons of yoghurt will reduce sebum and strengthen the acidic film on your skin – a great way to protect facial skin against winter cold.
Beautiful nails
Keep the lemon that you have pressed to get the juice for the toner. Going over your nails and cuticles with the lemon skin will whiten discoloured nails and soften cuticles – excellent before a manicure.
Beauty on the Inside
Jogging for a better mood
Jogging will not only make you fitter but will also fill your body with joy hormones. Start comfortably with a one-minute walk followed by a one-minute slow jog. Repeat 10 times. Slowly increase jogging times over the next few weeks to reach 30 minutes’ continuous jogging in six months’ time. If you do not feel like jogging, take a brisk 30-minute walk outside.
Slimming with laughter
The physical symptoms of laughter are quite similar to the changes our bodies undergo during active exercise: a higher pulse, increased blood circulation, straightened body posture to get more air in the system, a tightening diaphragm and abdominal muscles, rosy cheeks, and increased perspiration. A good dose of laughter will burn some 40 calories. Meanwhile, it will also raise our spirits, sweep bad moods away and release stress.
Forehead massage for relaxation
Use your thumbs to massage your forehead along your brows from the nose to the temples three times. This will smooth the wrinkles caused by stress and help to relax instantly.
Mindful breathing for a fresh brain
Breathing through alternate nostrils channels more oxygen to the brain, aids concentration, and makes us more alert. Press one of your nostrils closed and take 10 deep breaths through the other nostril, then repeat on the other side.
Health
Natural “antibiotics”
Certain plants and herbs have an anti-inflammatory effect, offering protection against the cool season’s viruses. Such agents are to be found in various kinds of onions, vegetables containing mustard oil (radish, horseradish, mustard), grapefruit seed extract, apiary products (pollen, honey, royal jelly), and Echinacea extract. Take these products every day.
Cocktails to boost the immune system
Drinking green tea on a regular basis helps to prevent a number of chronic diseases (e.g. heart and circulation problems) and reduces tiredness. Green tea is also an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Sea-buckthorn contains at least 30 times as much vitamin C as lemon but it is difficult to buy the fresh fruit because of the difficulty of picking. Moreover, sea-buckthorn has an acidic taste so it is more customary to make sea-buckthorn jam, jelly, or juice by adding sugar or honey. In addition to effectively strengthening the immune system, sea-buckthorn helps to heal gastric and duodenal ulcer, improves heart function, and helps to prevent early skin wrinkles. It is advisable to drink at least one glass of sea-buckthorn juice per day. Freshly pressed orange, lemon, and grapefruit juice with a teaspoon of honey is another efficient way to boost the immune system in the winter months. One each of the three fruits pressed should make enough juice for two persons. Drink it first thing in the morning or in the evening.
