Bad Friends Are Bad For Your Health! (Toxic Friends)

DEFINITION: ONE WHO PRETENDS TO BE A FRIEND BUT IS ACTUALLY AN ENEMY

Webster's dictionary: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frenemy) 

I thought this was interesting and deserved its own post because of the adverse health affects toxic friendships can cause in an individual.

There was a new study released by UCLA earlier this month that states that toxic friends can actually be bad for your health: "with negative social experiences had a higher level of inflammatory proteins that can lead to heart disease, depression, and cancer when compared to than those who noted fewer negative experiences."

Turmeric's Healing Powers

Turmeric is a spice that has been around for centuries.  It is commonly used in Eastern cooking, especially on the Indian sub-continent.  Turmeric is actually a plant in its original form as it is a part of the ginger family.  You would be able to tell by just looking at it.

The more common powder spice form is made by boiling and then drying the plant, which is then ground into a mustard yellow powder.  The color has actually been used to help color mustards.

Tip of the Day! Coconut Oil for Bruises

COCONUT OIL FOR BRUISES

If you're an easy bruiser like I am, then you will be ECSTATIC about this! 

Coconut oil is great for helping reduce the appearance of bruises.  Not only the appearance, but it actually helps to regenerate the bruised tissue. (Just another one of coconut oil's great benefits!)  Remember to apply ice to your bruise right away to help reduce any discoloring from your bruise.

Just apply directly on bruises:
Massage the oil in an outward motion from the center of your bruise.  A bruise is basically what you can see when your blood vessels right under the skin burst. The various colors of the bruise is the blood from these vessels that has been displaced and is in various stages of recuperation. Coconut oil's healing properties help heal the bruised tissue and skin.  

Turmeric Healing Bath

Turmeric is more commonly known for its use in Indian and Pakistani curries.  The spice also has many healing properties as well which include anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.  This is where the healing bath comes in!  If you’ve had a long day and your muscles and joints are achy, you can indulge yourself in a quick home made bath that will help soothe your aching joints.  (Also, if you’re suffering from acne, turmeric helps to unclog pores and remove scars and pigmentation).

Grapeseed Hot Oil Treatment for Hair

I just tried this hair treatment on my hair overnight and it seems to have worked wonders!  I was watching TV and playing with the ends of my hair when I noticed how thin and frail my hair seemed! EEK~This could not be happening!  Winters can be harsh on your hair and skin.  Even if you live in a place like Southern California where the temperatures don't drop below 40 F on your coldest night.

Of course, to the pantry I went!  I was out of olive oil -- my go-to oil for anything dry in general-- so I reached for the grapeseed oil.  From previous research, I knew about some of the benefits of grapeseed oil on your skin, but I wasn't 100% convinced that this was going to help condition my desperate "hair"-of-affairs!

Benefits of Grapeseed Oil

Grapeseed Oil has many health benefits especially for your skin. 

Grapeseed oil is made from cold pressing grape seeds and is essentially odorless and tasteless.  Due to this, grapeseed oil is used in many skin and hair products ranging from lip balm to body and facial creams.

Grapeseed oil contains antioxidants known as procyanidolic oligomers (PCOs) and are known to be more powerful than Vitamins C and E and polyphenols which helps slow our skin’s aging process.

Quick and Simple Sugar Body Scrub

Are you looking for a quick and nourishing scrub for your skin?  You've come to the right place!  If you have some white sugar in your pantry and some grapeseed oil (sunflower, olive, etc. also work–just make sure it’s cold pressed oil) you’re in luck!  This scrub takes no more than a couple of minutes to make and this recipe is enough for two full body uses.