No Makeup & Blemish Free? Healthy Gut, Healthy Skin – Here’s How

For a movie star, 1080 was bad enough; now there’s 4k resolution! Pores on the face can steal the show under high def scrutiny. The typical solution is  more makeup. Not just any makeup, high definition, movie star makeup, which is even worse for the skin than the conventional kind. It’s a vicious cycle in which many a movie or television star find themselves, while others have radiant, beautiful, blemish free skin.

Why do some stars look young and vibrant well past the age when most of us are blotchy and achy all over, even when they are caught off guard and makeup free by the paparazzi? It may seem like they know a Hollywood secret, but they don’t. There isn’t one. There’s no pill or insider trick. It’s health. Pure and simple. Health that is mainly due to diet. What you see is an actor who consistently makes the right choices, every single day.

Poor skin health is a symptom of an unhealthy microbiome. The health of the skin, eyes, and mouth are very good indicators for gut health. Anyone who wants healthy skin will have to eat a healthy diet.

Our microbiome breaks down and assimilates food, assimilates nutrients, and helps produce hormones, all while crowding out potential pathogens and keeping Candida numbers in check. The body’s gut flora primarily consists of bacteria and fungi. A healthy gut contains a ratio of about 1000 bacteria to 1 Candida yeast cell. In this ratio, Candida albicans is just a part of our beneficial gut flora. It’s no coincidence that the most beneficial gut bacteria survive and thrive on the most beneficial foods we can eat. Healthy gut flora live off of raw, organic vegetables and other healthy whole foods. Nasty, pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and other microbes live in a gut full of fast food and prescription drugs. The more fresh, raw, organic produce we consume, the healthier the gut flora will be. Candida is very opportunistic, and it will proliferate in a host who consumes a poor diet or otherwise disrupts their gut flora.

An abundance of Candida will seriously damage the intestinal walls causing an overly permeable or “leaky” gut. Most people in modern societies like ours are living with this right now. When Candida is left unchecked, it opens the door for other pathogens. More accurately, it makes holes in the gut for pathogens to invade the bloodstream. When someone has poor skin health, it is a safe bet that Candida is proliferating.

Our modern lifestyle disrupts our microbiome system:

  • Antibiotics in our food, water, drugs, soaps, and other bodycare products
  • Refined foods that feed the pathogens (healthy food feeds the good guys)
  • Vaccines, drugs (not just antibiotics, but anything toxic), heavy metals, and other toxins that kill beneficial flora
  • Pesticides, herbicides, and other toxins that kill our bacteria
  • Other toxic “foods” that disrupt our gut flora (like foods that contain heavy metals, artificial sweeteners, GMOs, etc.)

Here’s the thing that the medical community is not getting: anything that is toxic to the body will disrupt the body’s natural flora. Then Candida proliferates, and the body falls apart shortly thereafter. For better health, fix the body’s ecosystem. It will take time. Fortunately, it takes less time to get well than it does to get sick.

Natural Skin Health Via Gut Healing Protocol

Still not convinced? Try the following protocol for two weeks. Before starting, take pictures for a before and after comparison. The difference will be notable. We’re not just talking skin health. Allergies and most other ailments will dissipate, too. Fix the gut and eventually, the whole body follows.

Drink Lots of Cranberry Lemonade

Drink between a half a gallon and a gallon of cranberry lemonade each day to flush the liver and kidneys of toxins and help rejuvenate the endocrine system, which will help keep the blood clean and reduce “die-off symptoms” commonly associated with killing Candida.

Cranberry Lemonade Recipe

  • Glass gallon jar
  • Safe, clean, spring water or distilled water
  • 1 cup of unsweetened, organic cranberry juice, not from concentrate
  • 3 organic fresh lemons
  • A citrus juicer
  • Liquid stevia
  • Liquid cayenne

Fill the jar to about 85% capacity with spring water (or distilled water). Squeeze the lemons and pour the juice into the water. Add cranberry juice. Add stevia to taste and then add cayenne to taste. The amount of cayenne used is up to you, but the more the better.

If you don’t have access to a good source for spring water, use other clean drinking water that does not contain fluoride. If you don’t have access to organic lemons, use conventional. Fresh is almost always best. If there are no fresh lemons, use organic bottled lemon juice. If you can’t get cranberry juice that is not from concentrate, get the reconstituted kind (just don’t get any kind of cranberry juice that has any other ingredients like sweeteners or other juices). If you can’t stand cayenne, don’t use it. No glass jar? Use plastic.

Eat Right

Produce detoxifies. Fresh, whole, organic, raw vegetables, herbs, and fruits pull toxins from the body and repopulates healthy, beneficial gut bacteria as it give the body the nutrients it needs including enzymes and other phytonutrients that are almost non-existent in most modern diets.

Try to eat a huge salad every day with lots of greens, plenty of other colors, garlic, cilantro, ginger, and more. Check out this salad recipe.

The Salad Base

  • Spinach
  • Arugula (I prefer baby arugula, mature arugula tastes funky)
  • Collard greens (they’re very bitter; use sparingly)
  • Lettuce (mix it up, try an organic spring mix)
  • Kale
  • Beet greens (the tops of beets)
  • Red cabbage (thinly shred like a slaw or a little thicker, depending on the texture you prefer)
  • Rainbow chard

Shredded, Grated, or Spiralized

  • Carrots
  • Zucchini
  • Beetroot
  • Daikon (or other radish)

Chopped or Diced

  • Leeks
  • Red onions
  • Red and yellow bell peppers
  • Cucumbers
  • Cilantro
  • Asparagus (try cooking it in a balsamic vinegar first)

Extras

  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Olives
  • Raisins or dried cranberries
  • Sesame seeds
  • Ground papaya seeds and/or ground pepper
  • Avocado
  • Eggs (try soft boiled)
  • Beans (black, pinto, kidney, green, garbanzo, etc.)
  • Garlic
  • Turmeric
  • Chia seeds

It’s not an exact recipe, and it doesn’t have to be. Mix it up. Try new things. My salads generally have about 15 ingredients. Make them big; make them diverse. Just imagine you’re in nature, not modern society, and all you have to eat is nothing but a wide variety of the best, whole, fresh, healthy vegetables and herbs. This is what a big salad a day can do for you. It’s life changing.

I throw in chickpeas or a three-bean salad combination. If you’re not vegan, try a sheep feta cheese with this salad and throw on some eggs. It’s good with meat, too, like chicken or steak.

Don’t ruin it with a crappy salad dressing! All this salad needs is a little balsamic vinegar (apple cider is better, but I don’t like the taste as much in my salads), or some fresh lemon juice. It doesn’t take much.

What Else to Eat and What Not to Eat

Eat whole foods; avoid refined foods. Brown rice is good; white rice is out. Avoid wheat; artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or sweeteners; trans fats; and MSG. Avoid carbonated beverages. Avoid GMOs. Limit fruits, and besides stevia, avoid or limit anything else that’s sweet.

Our modern diet almost always includes too much refined sugar. We don’t have access to agave nectar, brown rice syrup, fruit juices, and other sweeteners in nature. It’s just too much sugar. You may be thinking honey is a good alternative, but this is only true when the gut is healed, the body is relatively free of infection, and the immune system functions properly. Otherwise, even with its antimicrobial properties, honey can feed infection as it goes through the digestion process.

Supplements

Candida evolves to be resistant to much of what we do to try to kill it. This is much more of an issue with conventional treatments than it is with supplements, but it’s still a possibility. A multifaceted approach is the best way to eliminate Candida quickly. They won’t have time to adapt. Lots of protocols recommend multiple supplements that essentially have the same active ingredients, leading the buyer to believe they are taking a multifaceted approach when they are not. This is one of the many reasons typical Candida protocols are not very effective, though poor diet is the number one reason for any natural protocol not working effectively. For those on a tight budget or only wanting to add one or two supplements to their routine, I listed the following supplement links in order from the most to the least important in regards to killing Candida and balancing the gut.

  • Formula SF722 is one of the most effective products (perhaps the best) for killing any kind of fungal infection. It’s been shown in labs that Candida cannot adapt to undecenoic acid (the active ingredient in SF722) like it can with almost every other way we try to kill it.
  • Shillington’s Intestinal Cleanse will kill parasites, Candida, and other bad guys while it heals the gut, improves regularity, and removes nasty biofilm (little-known fact: there’s good biofilm, and there’s bad biofilm), all while setting up a hospitable environment for beneficial flora.
  • Undecyn has many different active components formulated specially to kill pathogens in the gut, urinary tract, and vaginal area, but it kills bad guys everywhere.
  • FloraMend is a probiotic that passes through the stomach acid and releases in the intestinal tract.
  • Olive Leaf Extract supports the immune system and promotes a healthy intestinal environment and provides natural protection and a healthy environment for cells, without suppressing immune system function or harming beneficial microflora.
  • Shillington’s Intestinal Detox is important for anyone who may have heavy metals in their system, and this formula heals the whole digestive tract. It’s not as necessary for more people, but if you experience digestive upset or heavy metal toxicity the intestinal detox is perfect for these issues.
  • MicroDefense – Pure Encapsulations is effective against all common parasites. With the Intestinal Cleanse and the Undecyn, this is overkill for most people, but if you’re very concerned with parasites, it’s the formula designed for that.
  • Allium Oil, made with organic olive oil, garlic, and vitamin E, encourages healthy, smooth sebum production and release and fights infection. (See this article for more on sebum.)

The SF722, Undecyn, the MicroDefense, and to a lesser extent the Intestinal Cleanse, will damage beneficial bacteria, so there are two options to get the most out of your supplements. One method is to take the FloraMend probiotic (and olive leaf) at bedtime and upon take the other microbe-killing supplements during the day with meals. Another option is to wait a week or two for symptoms to subside and then stop taking the SF722 and Undecyn and start taking the probiotic, but for those who are particularly ill, healing may take a little longer with this approach. Taking beneficial bacteria and the supplements that help support it at night makes for better B vitamin production, mineral uptake, and hormonal balance. Note that one of the great things about the olive leaf extract and the Intestinal Detox supplements is that while they do kill pathogens, neither formula will kill the good bacteria.

There are certain vitamins and minerals that have been proven to curb Candida growth, and of course, Candida depletes many of these nutrients. The right diet should suffice, but most people will do well with a nutrition formula, a mineral formula, fats and vitamin D, and a B vitamin complex. This is especially true for anyone who does not have access to high quality, nutrient dense food on a regular basis. Biotin, otherwise known as B7, helps prohibit Candida from converting to its hyphal filamentous growth structure, which is the form where tentacles drill through the gut. But there are at least a dozen other minerals and vitamins that we know are just as significant to gut balance, hence the holistic approach.

Maintenance for Clear Skin

After the gut is healthy and the body is healthy, continue to eat well, avoid processed foods, take the aforementioned supplements (nutrition formula, a mineral formula, fats and vitamin D, and a B vitamin complex), and continue to stay away from processed foods, wheat, alcohol, and vaccines. Or, stay away from them for a month and then go eat some bread and get your flu shot, watch the zits pop up. Your choice.

For those who are willing to spend considerable money to look younger than should be possible:

You can take systemic enzymes with collagen, but don’t take them at the same time. Take systemic enzymes on an empty stomach. If you take them with food, enzymes will help digest the food, which is great, but also take them on an empty stomach.

Use essential oils in place of perfumes, and make your own deodorant and sunscreen. Avoid all skin care products with chemicals, which is to say, avoid all conventional skin care, and read the “natural” labels diligently. Or, don’t use that stuff and just make everything yourself.

Conclusion

Candida is a hot topic of debate within both the naturopathic community and conventional medicine, with views ranging from Candida being the root of everything that’s wrong with the body to it being a very rare issue that is completely overblown. The reality is that a Candida infection in the gut is a process that happens when one is not well, and when left unchecked (it doesn’t take long) Candida will allow other pathogens to infiltrate the body through the gut. Candida is the key to many other diseases due to how it burrows into the intestinal walls. Once someone is chronically ill, it may or may not be Candida causing their problems, but you can bet Candida has played a big role.

Illness is never due to just one type of pathogen. If you feel ill, whether it be from a chronic illness or just a cold, it’s a little-known fact that there’s often more than just one virus, bacteria, or other pathogen affecting you.

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Sources:


Five Tips To Help Avoid Stretch Marks

Embarrassed by your stretch marks? Well, don’t be. Stretch marks are super common in men and women and can be found on any area of the body where rapid weight gain is experienced. Although they are nothing to feel embarrassed about, there are a few things you can do to try and avoid stretch marks and to minimize the appearance of the ones you already have.

What are Stretch Marks?

Stretch marks are purple or red marks caused by tears in the elastic layers of the skin. Genetics plays a role, but anyone can develop stretch marks if they rapidly gain weight. Stretch marks commonly occur during pregnancy and puberty. Even bodybuilders develop stretch marks when they quickly build muscle.

How To Avoid Stretch Marks

If you are predisposed to stretch marks, there are several steps you can take to try to avoid them. Although there are no guarantees,   all of these tips have additional health benefits and are likely to reduce the severity of any stretch marks you do develop.

1. Keep Your Body Hydrated

Hydration is super important to keep your body optimally functioning. Proper hydration can also reduce your risk of developing stretch marks, especially during pregnancy, because it ensures optimal elasticity.

Some signs of dehydration include headaches, tiredness, dry throat or lips, and lack of concentration. Try to make sure you are drinking at least half your body weight in ounces of water as a minimum and adjust this amount depending on your activity level and climate.

2. Vitamins A & C

Maintaining a healthy diet is another way of maximizing your chances of avoiding stretch marks. Foods that contain Vitamin A and C are essential to healthy skin, so make sure you get plenty of these vitamins in your regular diet. Some great sources of Vitamin C include tomatoes, oranges, cantaloupe, and bell peppers. To get your daily dose of Vitamin A, you could include potatoes, carrots, and mangoes in your diet.

3. Essential Oil Treatments

There are several essential oils that improve skin elasticity and, therefore, can help reduce the appearance of stretch marks. Neroli oil is great for overall skin health and reducing stretch marks. It helps to regenerate skin cells and keeps your skin elastic. People with sensitive skin can also use Neroli oil because it does not irritate the skin.

Oil of mandarin oranges can also be applied on the skin to improve blood circulation and  skin rejuvenation. Lavender oil is another essential oil that can help as it also promotes skin regeneration and cell activity, which reduces the risk of developing stretch marks. A blend of cold-pressed wheat germ and almond oil can also be used to prevent stretch marks. Applying these oils gently on the skin will encourage new tissue growth and improve circulation.

4. Include Gelatin In Your Diet

Gelatin increases collagen formation in the body, which improves skin elasticity and can help prevent stretch marks and reduce the appearance of stretch marks you already have. One of the best ways to get more gelatin is to consume bone broth. Bone broth is easy to make at home and has a whole host of other health benefits.

You can also add gelatin powder to juice or a smoothie to increase collagen intake, but go for an organic grass fed source whenever possible. Gelatin doesn’t just improve skin elasticity, it also helps improve insulin sensitivity while it promotes digestive health, fights free radicals, and promotes wound healing.

5. Maintaining a Healthy Diet

Although there are times in our lives when weight gain is inevitable, such as during puberty or pregnancy, preventing excess weight gain through healthy eating and exercise can limit the likelihood of stretch marks. A healthy balance of nutrients can also help to maximize the health of not only our skin but the rest of our body.

Recommended Supplements:
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Natural Remedies and Prevention For Skin Tags

As we age, many of us will develop skin tags. Yes, they are more prevalent in people who are overweight or obese, in those who are pre-diabetic or diabetic, and in the elderly. But the truth is, nearly half of us will have one or more by middle age. Pregnancy, steroid use, genetics, and the HPV virus also increase the incidence of skin tags.

What Are Skin Tags?

Skin tags are small flaps of skin that usually appear in places where skin rubs against skin, such as the eyelids, underarms, groin, neck, under breasts, or in skin folds.. Although they can reach up to one half an inch in width, they are usually no bigger than an apple seed. They are often attached to the body by a “stalk” of skin, smaller than the body of the tag. They may be a little darker than normal skin color or may be the same color as the skin.

Skin tags are known by many names:

  • acrochordon
  • cutaneous papilloma
  • cutaneous tag
  • fibroepithelial polyp
  • fibroma molluscum
  • fibroma pendulum
  • papilloma colli
  • soft fibroma
  • Templeton skin tag

Skin tags are benign skin tumors that do not pose a problem unless their appearance is disturbing or if they are in a place where friction causes discomfort or shaving is problematic. They can, however, rarely be associated with Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome and Polycystic ovary syndrome.

Conventional Treatment for Skin Tags

General treatment is removal via surgery (just cutting or clipping), freezing, or burning.

Alternative Treatment for Skin Tags

When it comes to natural treatments, all are not created equal. A number of natural treatments cause skin tags to dry up and fall off, but many of them are slow, taking weeks to months to produce results. In addition, some require application many times a day.

Natural remedies include:

  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Banana peel
  • Castor oil
  • Dandelion juice
  • Garlic
  • Lemon juice
  • Oil of oregano
  • Tea tree oil

Of the choices, castor oil seems the easiest to use, and it has the added benefit of not irritating surrounding tissues. Just wash and dry the area; apply castor oil five or more times a day.

Apple cider vinegar, dandelion juice, and lemon juice are used the same way, simply apply several times a day.

To use oil of oregano, mix with a carrier oil (like coconut oil) with a 1 to 2 ratio (2 drops of oil of oregano to 4 drops of oil).

To use tea tree oil, mix with a few drops of water.

Garlic can be applied as a sliver with a bandage or as a paste of crushed garlic, though be aware that many complain of a burning sensation and skin irritation.

A piece banana peel can be taped to the site at night, the inside of the peel against the skin.

Most of these natural remedies take weeks of diligent application before you see results.

Conclusion

According to the odds, if you have skin tags you may be pre-diabetic or have been diagnosed with type II diabetes, and you are struggling with your weight. If you are looking for a diet that will make you feel wonderful and bring your blood sugar back in line quickly and effortlessly, check out the 80% Raw Food Diet and read 8 Easy Steps to Health.

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Cure Psoriasis By Killing Candida

According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, psoriasis is a disease that begins with a genetic predisposition that is set of by one or a combination of triggers: stress, skin injury, specific medications, or infection (in particular, strep).

In December of 2014, a new study was published that concluded superantigens and toxins from Candida “…may play various roles in the exacerbation and the persistence of psoriasis.” A full 60% of the psoriasis patients tested positive for Candida versus 20% of the control group in oral tests and 15% of the psoriasis patients tested positive verses 4% of the control group in skin tests.

The more we learn about Candida, the more we find it is a common factor in many if not all autoimmune diseases.

What Is an Autoimmune Disease?

The simple definition of autoimmune disease is that the immune system became confused, stopped working correctly, and began attacking healthy body tissue. Why would this happen? Persistent, chronic infection is sometimes thought to be the cause, and chronic Candida certainly fits in this scenario. But looking at the body holistically, we know that Candida filaments actually drill into tissue as Candida wreaks havoc in the gut, spewing toxins into the system, destroying the balance of healthy to unhealthy bacteria, and ultimately deteriorating the gut itself, resulting in leaky gut syndrome.

Leaky gut syndrome allows proteins and other particles to be dispersed directly into the bloodstream, setting up the immune system for a disastrous onslaught on foreign particles it is unequipped to handle. This is believed to be part of the process that triggers celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, as gluten proteins are also released into the bloodstream.

How To Heal The Body

In order to heal the body, regardless of the disease, the body needs an abundance of nutrition, to be cleansed of toxins, and to be rid of Candida overgrowth along with other parasites. And the gut needs to be healed.

What should you eat? A truly healthy diet includes a wide variety of whole, organic foods with lots and lots of raw produce – 80% of more of the diet – more vegetables, than fruits. Seeds and nuts should be soaked before they are eaten. Omega 3 fatty acids should be added to the diet. When dealing with any autoimmune situation, gluten and dairy should be removed from the diet until the gut is healed and only eaten thereafter if completely tolerated with no sign of autoimmune symptoms.

Of course, a healthy diet has no room for processed foods or their chemicals. No BHA, BHT, or MSG. No artificial flavors, colorings, or preservatives of any kind. No GMOs. No high fructose corn syrup. No wheat. Limit caffeine, and eliminate processed sugar. Yes, that’s right- no sugar. Sugar is the sworn enemy of the immune system and it feeds Candida as well. If you want it to heal, get rid of the sugar.

To learn more about how to eat healthy, read the 80% Raw Food Diet and check out Kill Candida and Balance The Gut Quickly.

Recommended Supplements:

Further Reading:


Four DIY Homemade Cosmetic Products For Healthy, Vibrant Skin

Attention ladies! Do you really know what you’re doing to your skin with each cosmetic product you use? I didn’t know. From the timeI wokeup in the morning until I washed my face at the end of the day, I fought with my skin.  After way too many years of this self-inflicted abuse, I came to my senses, put my foot down and decided to make some big changes. That’s when I turned to my daughter, the aesthetician, for advice on how to replace my cosmetic catastrophes with all-natural products. We ended up tossing out all fo my harmful products like my makeup remover, acne cleanser, makeup foundation, and my weekly beauty mask product. With that mess of product gone, we locked in on some easy-to use, all-natural ways to replace each of those products.

So, if you say “oui, oui” to going “au-naturel”, read on and find out what 4 products I now use. And guess what? Cosmetic companies don’t want you to know this!

Makeup Remover: Is Coconut Oil The “Healthiest Oil On Earth?”

First and foremost, what is one thing that we do every day that irritates our eyes? Of course, it’s removing our darn makeup. I have tried so many different makeup removers that I can certainly attribute the wrinkles around my eyes to some of them. Raise your hand if you feel the same way, too! After all, the vigorous action of removing waterproof mascara with an oily pad can sometimes be as harsh as using an emery board to buff your nails.

But then, my daughter told me about coconut oil. Say what? That’s right. She said that the unique fatty acids in it make it an ideal makeup remover because they help to break down and absorb the stubborn makeup on your skin. Not only that, but it’s a natural moisturizer which nourishes your skin. Not to mention the fact that it has strengthened my eyelashes, giving me a super sexy wink. 😉

Let me tell you how you can replace your expensive makeup removers with coconut oil, just like I did. Follow these 3 easy steps and you’ll be wondering why you didn’t hear about this sooner:

  1. Add some room temperature coconut oil to a soft cotton pad (It could be a bit hard. It will liquefy due to the heat of your skin.)
  2. Close your eyes and press the pad against your eyes for 15 seconds. (This allows the oil to break down and absorb all those nasty little bits of mascara.)
  3. Then, take the pad and gently wipe that makeup from your face in a consistent downward motion.

And just like that, the makeup will be removed, and your face is moisturized. Truly ladies, you’ll find that this is a super product that you need to stock up on.

Acne Treatment: Hey Acne! Meet My BFF, Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)

I’ve always had a serious issue with acne. It was at its worst when I was a teenager, but I still have breakouts here and there. From Clean & Clear to Proactiv, I’ve tried it all. Honestly, nothing really worked. And then a friend told me about this amazing use of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV). She told me that it regulates the pH of your skin, which detoxifies the skin and helps get rid of and prevent acne. Now don’t get me wrong, even though it can have a bit of a pungent aroma, it’s well worth the benefits.

And it is super easy to use. Just a heads up, I use Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother, as this is the product in its purest form. All you need to do is use the product at night after you remove your makeup and before you go to bed. So, here’s what you do:

  1. Put some ACV on a cotton pad and gently apply it your face in a circular motion until your entire face is covered.
  2. Then, while you get your beauty sleep it will absorb into your pores and work its magic all night long. Leaving you with clearer, healthier looking skin in the morning.

That’s all it takes. After doing this every night for about 2 months, I got rid of all of my acne and haven’t had an outbreak since. It’s been almost a year now! Woohoo! By the way, ACV has also been known to eliminate dark spots. Winning!

Makeup Foundation: Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue…And Rosehip Oil Is Perfect For You

After 30+ years of using way, way, way too much foundation, I had enough. So I decided to find a natural alternative. And I found out about rosehip oil. Again, it’s another product that has more than one benefit. Oh yes! It’s been known to reduce wrinkles and restore your skin’s natural complexion.

But ladies, let me tell you that you need to use this as your foundation. Simply coat your face with rosehip oil before putting on your makeup and it makes a great base to put on an even coat of makeup. And what I love about it, too, is that it’s super gentle on the skin. The product that I buy comes in a small bottle with a teardrop applicator. Here’s how you get that “rosy” foundation going:

  1. With the applicator (if yours has one), put 1-2 drops of rosehip oil on your fingers.
  2. Gently apply the oil in a consistent motion, starting from your nose out towards your cheeks.
  3. Repeat this process, until all the “makeup zones” on your face are covered.
  4. After applying, give yourself 5-10 minutes for the oil to absorb. This allows your makeup application to be easier and it will look like a professional aesthetician did it for you.

Beauty Mask: Honey! Where’s My Mask?

How many different beauty masks have you tried in your life? Well, have you ever tried a honey mask? OMG, I’m warning you that after you try this, you will be addicted. The powerful nutrients in honey make for rich and smooth skin, and once the coat is done you’re not going to want to stop petting your soft, supple skin.

Now, this one takes a little more effort than the other products.

  1. Warm up the honey first to make it easier to apply and to help it absorb into your skin. (Trick: Run the jar of honey under warm water for a few minutes.)
  2. Take 2 fingerfuls of honey and begin applying it to your face in a circular motion. Repeat this process until your face is fully coated. (Don’t worry, you can’t use too much. Well, maybe you can.)
  3. Once applied, let it cool and dry on your face.
  4. Have your lounge chair ready, and get to relaxing for about 15 minutes while the honey works its wonders.
  5. Finish off by rinsing your face with warm water. (Attention: Do not use any soap or cleansers to wash the honey from your face or it will cancel out all of that TLC.)

Trust me, honey, you will instantly see the difference when you touch your face after the mask therapy is over. Heck, you might even go for round 2 in the same day. (I did.) Realistically, if you can adopt this as a weekly ritual, you’ll be on the path to adding 10 years of youth to your beautiful skin.

Now you understand why cosmetic companies don’t want you knowing about these ingredients. After all, they’ll save you money, get you Ah-May-Zing results, and make you feel like a natural beauty. 😉 So, which one are you going to try first?

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Skin Care? Take It from the Queen Bee

Rumor has it that some people have found their fountain of youth. While one may easily think this is all thanks to modern cosmetic and beauty procedures, you can actually stay young and healthy naturally without the ridiculous cost. How? Let’s take it from the Queen Bee, shall we?

The use of honey bee products for beauty can be traced back as far as Cleopatra’s reign in Nile, Egypt.  Cleopatra was one of the earliest historical figures who used honey (and milk) in their baths to pamper their skin. Thanks to modern research, we now know that the famous Egyptian queen was onto something when she included honey in her beauty regimen.

Honey is known to have natural antibacterial properties, making it a popular chemical free skincare alternative for acne treatment and prevention. It’s also naturally rich in antioxidants, so it’s of little surprise to find honey in many anti-ageing beauty products today.

Honey is also used as a skin moisturizer to keep the skin well-soothed, glowing, and freshly hydrated. Honey is also great for improving complexion and unclogging pores because of its antimicrobial and clarifying properties.

Now that we know the basic skin care benefits of honey, let’s move on to different ways we can take advantage of it to achieve  youthful and better-looking skin. Here are several home treatments you can easily do to incorporate honey into your beauty regimen:

Moisturizing Facial Mask

Tired of having to deal with dry skin? With its natural humectant properties, you can bring honey to the rescue. Clean your face with your usual soap and cleanser, and pat it dry. Get a teaspoon of raw honey and spread it liberally onto your face. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes for long-lasting and more effective hydration. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. This beauty regimen also unclogs your pores.

Natural Exfoliator

While you can easily get your beauty treatment at your favorite spa or skin clinic, it’s still more relaxing and cost-effective if you do it at home. Exfoliating skin is highly recommended 1-3 times a week (depending on skin type and condition) to remove dead skin cells. You can make a gentle scrub with honey and baking soda (2 parts to 1 part, respectively). Baking soda powder has light exfoliation properties. Honey, as we already know, has moisturizing and clarifying properties, making this combo a simple and natural concoction to effectively soothe and exfoliate skin. And don’t just limit it to your face – it’s great for the whole body, too.

Acne Treatment 

One of the most common causes of acne is a build-up of bacteria and dirt on the skin. Honey’s antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties can help by preventing bacterial build-up and by soothing the skin irritation and redness caused by acne. Raw honey is recommended because of its unfiltered composition. For acne treatment, simply apply a thin layer of raw honey and let it sit on your skin for 10-30 minutes. Remember, do not rub your skin; rubbing will further irritate your acne. Rinse well with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.

Hair Mask

Let’s have a quick rundown here as to why honey can be great for hair care and hair growth:

  • Honey is a natural emollient, meaning it’s a great organic alternative for hair conditioning because of its softening and smoothening properties.
  • Its antioxidant properties are great for scalp care and hair growth.
  • As a humectant and with its high sugar content, honey can add and help retain moisture to the hair and scalp.
  • Honey’s antimicrobial properties help prevent scalp problems and infections, such as common dandruff and itchiness.

To use honey for your hair mask, you’ll also need olive oil (extra virgin preferred) and lemon (alternative: whipped yogurt). Create a concoction out of 2 tablespoons honey and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Heat together with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Apply and leave the lukewarm mixture unto scalp and hair for 30 minutes or longer. Rinse and wash off.

While honey has some amazing benefits, some people are just naturally allergic to it, so it’s still recommended to do a skin test before you use it. The tips mentioned here are basic. You can experiment depending on your needs. Remember that there are a lot of natural products you can actually use; you just have to do some research and careful experimentation to develop the beauty regimen that is perfect for you.

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Beat Eczema Naturally

Eczema is known as a chronic dermatological condition that is characterized by skin rashes, dryness, crusting, and flaking skin.  Research indicates that eczema is caused by chronic inflammation that affects the skin cells and causes scarring.  Natural lifestyle strategies allow the body to “de-inflame” and beat eczema.

Chronic inflammatory disorders such as eczema are characterized by a hyper responsive immune system.  The signs of eczema should warn the individual that inflammatory destruction is taking place within the body as well and must be addressed to prevent further sickness and disease.  Overcoming this abnormal immune control begins by rebuilding the intestinal wall, avoiding inflammatory triggers, increasing anti-inflammatory compounds, and optimizing vitamin D3 levels.

Immune Dysfunction and Eczema

Individuals with eczema have an overpopulation of pathogenic organisms in the gut that are damaging the intestinal wall and allowing food particles to pass into the bloodstream.  These undigested food particles are tagged as foreign invaders by the immune system.  When the immune system encounters these food particles in the bloodstream, it unleashes a massive inflammatory assault that causes a systemic allergenic response.

The most common food allergens include gluten, corn, soy products, artificial flavors, preservatives, starches, peanuts, eggs, and pasteurized dairy. Any processed or genetically modified food product would be considered highly allergenic.

Rebuild the Gut

Rebuilding the gut is absolutely essential to fully ward off eczema and chronic inflammatory disease the natural way.  High quality fermented foods are powerful weapons to use to reinstate a natural order within the gut.  These foods include sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented veggies, fermented fruit, apple cider vinegar, kombucha and coconut kefir.  Fermented, raw dairy from 100% grass-fed animals is especially useful in the form of amasai, kefir, whey, and cheese.

All of these fermented foods provide high powered enzymes, probiotics, and key amino acids that help to destroy the pathogenic microorganisms and repair the lining of the gut to prevent food particles from jumping across.  Intermediate fasting is especially beneficial during the healing phases and beyond.  Fasting from solid foods for periods of 16-18 hours each day can help the body store enzymes and repair the gut faster.

Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition Plan

The daily diet should focus on anti-inflammatory superfoods to help modulate the immune system so it will not over-inflame when stimulated.  This means restricting all man-made foods, sugars, and food allergens.  Loading up on anti-oxidant rich vegetables and using healthy fat sources such as avocados, extra virgin olive oil, 100% grass-fed red meat and raw dairy, wild-caught salmon, and organic eggs are fantastic foods to calm the immune system.

Other great foods for “de-inflaming” the body include coconut products, berries, and non-denatured grass-fed cows and goats.  This form of protein enhances cellular glutathione stores which protect the DNA within the cell and play an important role in coordinating immunity.  Superfood herbs like turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, oregano, rosemary, thyme, ginger, basil, and boswellia should be used as much as possible.  A combination of coconut oil and essential oil of peppermint is also very helpful as an ointment to put onto skin rashes and eczema.

Optimize Vitamin D3 Levels

Vitamin D3 is especially important for anyone with eczema or other chronic inflammatory conditions.  UV light therapy has been shown to be very helpful for individuals with eczema as well as sun-bathing for short periods of time.  Both of these techniques help to raise circulating vitamin D3 levels.

Optimal Vitamin D3 should be between 70-100 ng/ml, which is significantly higher than the medically acceptable level of 32 ng/ml.  Spend 20-30 minutes in the sun each day or supplement with 10,000 IU of a high quality emulsified vitamin D3 for a period of time to reach the desired level.

Editor’s Note

Skin issues are so often caused by Candida. And Candida is killed faster with Thorne SF722 than anything I know. Check out Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections. 

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