Category: Life Hacks

10 Truths We Forget Too Easily

10 Truths We Forget Too Easily

Image credit: Cactusbeetroot | Flickr

Some of life’s essential truths need repeating. Keep this list handy and give it a read any time you need a boost.

1. Being Busy Does Not Equal Being Productive

Look at everyone around you. They all seem so busy—running from meeting to meeting and firing off emails. Yet how many of them are really producing, really succeeding at a high level?

Success doesn’t come from movement and activity. It comes from focus—from ensuring that your time is used efficiently and productively.

You get the same number of hours in the day as everyone else. Use yours wisely. After all, you’re the product of your output, not your effort. Make certain your efforts are dedicated to tasks that get results.

Related: How Successful People Stay Productive and In Control

2. Great Success Is Often Preceded By Failure

You will never experience true success until you learn to embrace failure. Your mistakes pave the way for you to succeed by revealing when you’re on the wrong path.

The biggest breakthroughs typically come when you’re feeling the most frustrated and the most stuck. It’s this frustration that forces you to think differently, to look outside the box and see the solution that you’ve been missing.

Success takes patience and the ability to maintain a good attitude even while suffering for what you believe in.

3. Fear Is the No. 1 Source of Regret

When it’s all said and done, you will lament the chances you didn’t take far more than you will your failures. Don’t be afraid to take risks.

I often hear people say, “What’s the worst thing that can happen to you? Will it kill you?” Yet, death isn’t the worst thing that can happen to you.

The worst thing that can happen to you is allowing yourself to die inside while you’re still alive.

4. Your Self-Worth Must Come From Within

When your sense of pleasure and satisfaction are derived from comparing yourself to others, you are no longer the master of your own destiny. When you feel good about something that you’ve done, don’t allow anyone’s opinions or accomplishments to take that away from you.

While it’s impossible to turn off your reactions to what others think of you, you don’t have to compare yourself to others, and you can always take people’s opinions with a grain of salt. That way, no matter what other people are thinking or doing, your self-worth comes from within. Regardless of what people think of you at any particular moment, one thing is certain—you’re never as good or bad as they say you are.

5. You’re Only as Good as Those You Associate With

You should strive to surround yourself with people who inspire you, people who make you want to be better. And you probably do. But what about the people who drag you down? Why do you allow them to be a part of your life?

Anyone who makes you feel worthless, anxious, or uninspired is wasting your time and, quite possibly, making you more like them. Life is too short to associate with people like this. Cut them loose.

6. Life Is Short

None of us are guaranteed a tomorrow. Yet, when someone dies unexpectedly it causes us to take stock of our own life: what’s really important, how we spend our time, and how we treat other people.

Loss is a raw, visceral reminder of the frailty of life. It shouldn’t be.

Remind yourself every morning when you wake up that each day is a gift and you’re bound to make the most of the blessing you’ve been given. The moment you start acting like life is a blessing is the moment it will start acting like one.

After all, a great day begins with a great mindset.

Related: Why Leaders Lack Emotional Intelligence

7. You Don’t Have to Wait for an Apology to Forgive

Life goes a lot smoother once you let go of grudges and forgive even those who never said they were sorry. Grudges let negative events from your past ruin today’s happiness. Hate and anger are emotional parasites that destroy your joy in life.

The negative emotions that come with holding on to a grudge create a stress response in your body, and holding on to stress can have devastating health consequences. Researchers at Emory University have shown that holding on to stress contributes to high blood pressure and heart disease.

When you forgive someone, it doesn’t condone their actions; it simply frees you from being their eternal victim.

8. You’re Living the Life You’ve Created

You are not a victim of circumstance. No one can force you to make decisions and take actions that run contrary to your values and aspirations.

The circumstances you’re living in today are your own—you created them. Likewise, your future is entirely up to you. If you’re feeling stuck, it’s probably because you’re afraid to take the risks necessary to achieve your goals and live your dreams.

When it’s time to take action, remember that it’s always better to be at the bottom of the ladder you want to climb than at the top of one you don’t.

9. Live in the Moment

You can’t reach your full potential until you learn to live your life in the present.

No amount of guilt can change the past, and no amount of anxiety can change the future. It’s impossible to be happy if you’re constantly somewhere else, unable to fully embrace the reality (good or bad) of this very moment.

To help yourself live in the moment, you must do two things:

  1. Accept your past. If you don’t make peace with your past, it will never leave you and, in doing so, it will create your future.
  2. Accept the uncertainty of the future. Worry has no place in the here and now. As Mark Twain once said, “Worrying is like paying a debt you don’t owe.”

10. Change Is Inevitable — Embrace It

Only when you embrace change can you find the good in it. You need to have an open mind and open arms if you’re going to recognize, and capitalize on, the opportunities that change creates.

You’re bound to fail when you keep doing the same things you always have in the hope that ignoring change will make it go away.

After all, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

Life doesn’t stop for anyone. When things are going well, appreciate them and enjoy them, as they are bound to change. If you are always searching for something more, something better, that you think is going to make you happy, you’ll never be present enough to enjoy the great moments before they’re gone.

Jennifer Goforth Gregory

A version of this article first appeared on TalentSmart.com.

No Comments

Categories: Do's & Don't's Folklore Life Hacks Life Lessons Managing Self Limiting Thoughts Positive Mental Attitude Psychology Quotes Self Improvement Spiritual Energy Success Superior State of Mind Well Being

Magnesium: An Invisible Deficiency That Could Be Harming Your Health

 

By Dr. Mercola

Magnesium is a mineral used by every organ in your body, especially your heart, muscles, and kidneys.1 If you suffer from unexplained fatigue or weakness, abnormal heart rhythms or even muscle spasms and eye twitches, low levels of magnesium could be to blame.

If you’ve recently had a blood test, you might assume it would show a magnesium deficiency. But only 1 percent of magnesium in your body is distributed in your blood, making a simple sample of magnesium from a serum magnesium blood test not very useful.

Most magnesium is stored in your bones and organs, where it is used for many biological functions. Yet, it’s quite possible to be deficient and not know it, which is why magnesium deficiency has been dubbed the “invisible deficiency.”

By some estimates, up to 80 percent of Americans are not getting enough magnesium and may be deficient. Other research shows only about 25 percent of US adults are getting the recommended daily amount of 310 to 320 milligrams (mg) for women and 400 to 420 for men.2

Even more concerning, consuming even this amount is “just enough to ward off outright deficiency,” according to Dr. Carolyn Dean, a medical and naturopathic doctor.

Magnesium Deficiency May Trigger 22 Medical Conditions

Download Interview Transcript

Magnesium is often thought of primarily as a mineral for your heart and bones, but this is misleading. Researchers have now detected 3,751 magnesium-binding sites on human proteins, indicating that its role in human health and disease may have been vastly underestimated.3

Magnesium is also found in more than 300 different enzymes in your body and plays a role in your body’s detoxification processes, making it important for helping to prevent damage from environmental chemicals, heavy metals, and other toxins. In addition, magnesium is necessary for:

  • Activating muscles and nerves
  • Creating energy in your body by activating adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
  • Helping digest proteins, carbohydrates, and fats
  • Serving as a building block for RNA and DNA synthesis
  • Acting as a precursor for neurotransmitters like serotonin

Dr. Dean has studied and written about magnesium for more than 15 years. The latest addition of her book, The Magnesium Miracle, came out in 2014 and in it you can learn about 22 medical areas that magnesium deficiency triggers or causes, all of which have all been scientifically proven. This includes:4

Anxiety and panic attacks Asthma Blood clots
Bowel diseases Cystitis Depression
Detoxification Diabetes Fatigue
Heart disease Hypertension Hypoglycemia
Insomnia Kidney disease Liver disease
Migraine Musculoskeletal conditions (fibromyalgia, cramps, chronic back pain, etc.) Nerve problems
Obstetrics and gynecology (PMS, infertility, and preeclampsia) Osteoporosis Raynaud’s syndrome
Tooth decay

Early signs of magnesium deficiency include loss of appetite, headache, nausea, fatigue, and weakness. An ongoing magnesium deficiency can lead to more serious symptoms, including:

Numbness and tingling Muscle contractions and cramps Seizures
Personality changes Abnormal heart rhythms Coronary spasms

The Role of Magnesium in Diabetes, Cancer, and More

Most people do not think about magnesium when they think about how to prevent chronic disease, but it plays an essential role. For instance, there have been several significant studies about magnesium’s role in keeping your metabolism running efficiently—specifically in terms of insulin sensitivity, glucose regulation, and protection from type 2 diabetes.

Higher magnesium intake reduces risk of impaired glucose and insulin metabolism and slows progression from pre-diabetes to diabetes in middle-aged Americans.5 Researchers stated, “Magnesium intake may be particularly beneficial in offsetting your risk of developing diabetes, if you are high risk.”

Multiple studies have also shown that higher magnesium intake is associated with a higher bone mineral density in both men and women,6 and research from Norway has even found an association between magnesium in drinking water and a lower risk of hip fractures.7

Magnesium may even help lower your risk of cancer, and a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that higher intakes of dietary magnesium were associated with a lower risk of colorectal tumors.8

Results from the meta-analysis indicated that for every 100-mg increase in magnesium intake, the risk of colorectal tumor decreased by 13 percent, while the risk of colorectal cancer was lowered by 12 percent. The researchers noted magnesium’s anti-cancer effects may be related to its ability to reduce insulin resistance, which may positively affect the development of tumors.

Surprising Factors That Influence Your Magnesium Levels

Seaweed and green leafy vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard can be excellent sources of magnesium, as are some beans, nuts, and seeds, like pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds. Avocados also contain magnesium. Juicing your vegetables is an excellent option to ensure you’re getting enough of them in your diet.

However, most foods grown today are deficient in magnesium and other minerals, so getting enough isn’t simply a matter of eating magnesium-rich foods (although this is important too). According to Dr. Dean:

“Magnesium is farmed out of the soil much more than calcium… A hundred years ago, we would get maybe 500 milligrams of magnesium in an ordinary diet. Now we’re lucky to get 200 milligrams.”

Herbicides, like glyphosate also act as chelators, effectively blocking the uptake and utilization of minerals in so many foods grown today. As a result, it can be quite difficult to find truly magnesium-rich foods. Cooking and processing further depletes magnesium.

Meanwhile, certain foods can actually influence your body’s absorption of magnesium. If you drink alcohol in excess, for instance, it may interfere with your body’s absorption of vitamin D, which in turn is helpful for magnesium absorption. If you eat a lot of sugar, this can also cause your body to excrete magnesium through your kidneys, “resulting in a net loss,” according to Dr. Danine Fruge, associate medical director at the Pritikin Longevity Center in Florida.9 The following factors are also associated with lower magnesium levels:10

  • Excessive intake of soda or caffeine
  • Menopause
  • Older age (older adults are more likely to be magnesium deficient because absorption decreases with age and the elderly are more likely to take medications that can interfere with absorption)
  • Certain medications, including diuretics, certain antibiotics (such as gentamicin and tobramycin), corticosteroids (prednisone or Deltasone), antacids, and insulin
  • An unhealthy digestive system, which impairs your body’s ability to absorb magnesium (Crohn’s disease, leaky gut, etc.)

Calcium, Vitamin K2, and Vitamin D Must Be Balanced with Magnesium

It may seem like you could remedy the risks of low magnesium simply by taking a supplement, but it’s not quite that simple. When you’re taking magnesium, you need to consider calcium, vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 as well, since these all work synergistically with one another. Excessive amounts of calcium without the counterbalance of magnesium can lead to a heart attack and sudden death, for instance. Research on the Paleolithic or caveman diet has shown that the ratio of calcium to magnesium in the diet that our bodies evolved to eat is 1-to-1.11Americans in general tend to have a higher calcium-to-magnesium ratio in their diet, averaging about 3.5-to-1.

If you have too much calcium and not enough magnesium, your muscles will tend to go into spasm, and this has consequences for your heart in particular. “What happens is, the muscle and nerve function that magnesium is responsible for is diminished. If you don’t have enough magnesium, your muscles go into spasm. Calcium causes muscle to contract. If you had a balance, the muscles would do their thing. They’d relax, contract, and create their activity,” Dr. Dean explains.

When balancing calcium and magnesium, also keep in mind that vitamins K2 and D need to be considered. These four nutrients perform an intricate dance together, with one supporting the other. Lack of balance between these nutrients is one of the reasons why calcium supplements have become associated with increased risk of heart attacks and stroke, and why some people experience vitamin D toxicity. Part of the explanation for these adverse side effects is that vitamin K2 keeps calcium in its appropriate place. If you’re K2 deficient, added calcium can cause more problems than it solves, by accumulating in the wrong places, like your soft tissue.

Similarly, if you opt for oral vitamin D, you need to also consume it in your food or take supplemental vitamin K2 and more magnesium. Taking mega doses of vitamin D supplements without sufficient amounts of K2 and magnesium can lead to vitamin D toxicity and magnesium deficiency symptoms, which include inappropriate calcification that may damage your heart.

Tips for Increasing Your Magnesium Levels

One way to really increase your magnesium, as well as many other important plant-based nutrients, is by juicing your greens. I typically drink one pint to one quart of fresh green vegetable juice every day, and this is one of my primary sources of magnesium. Organic foods may have more magnesium if grown in nutrient-rich soils but it is very difficult to make that determination. If you opt for a supplement, be aware that there are a wide variety of magnesium supplements on the market, because magnesium must be bound to another substance. There’s simply no such thing as a 100 percent magnesium supplement.

The substance used in any given compound can affect the absorption and bioavailability of the magnesium, and may provide slightly different, or targeted, health benefits. The table that follows summarizes some of the differences between the various forms. Magnesium threonate and citrate are some of the best sources, as it seems to penetrate cell membranes, including your mitochondria, which results in higher energy levels. Additionally, it also penetrates your blood-brain barrier and seems to do wonders to treat and prevent dementia and improve memory. If you take a supplement, you can use the “bowel test” to determine if you’re taking too much magnesium. Dr. Dean explains:12

“The best way to tell if you are getting enough magnesium is the “bowel test”. You know when you have too much magnesium when your stools become loose. This, in fact, may be a blessing for people with constipation… [which] is one of the many ways magnesium deficiency manifests.”

Besides taking a supplement, another way to improve your magnesium status is to take regular Epsom salt baths or foot baths. Epsom salt is a magnesium sulfate that can absorb into your body through your skin. Magnesium oil can also be used for topical application and absorption. Whatever supplement you choose, be sure to avoid any containing magnesium stearate, a common but potentially hazardous additive.

Magnesium glycinate is a chelated form of magnesium that tends to provide the highest levels of absorption and bioavailability and is typically considered ideal for those who are trying to correct a deficiency. Magnesium oxide is a non-chelated type of magnesium, bound to an organic acid or a fatty acid. Contains 60 percent magnesium, and has stool softening properties
Magnesium chloride/Magnesium lactate contain only 12 percent magnesium, but has better absorption than others, such as magnesium oxide, which contains five times more magnesium Magnesium sulfate/Magnesium hydroxide (milk of magnesia) are typically used as laxatives. Be aware that it’s easy to overdose on these, so ONLY take as directed
Magnesium carbonate, which has antacid properties, contains 45 percent magnesium Magnesium taurate contains a combination of magnesium and taurine, an amino acid. Together, they tend to provide a calming effect on your body and mind
Magnesium citrate is magnesium with citric acid, which like most magnesium supplements has laxative properties but is well absorbed and cost effective Magnesium threonate is a newer, emerging type of magnesium supplement that appears promising, primarily due to its superior ability to penetrate the mitochondrial membrane, and may be the best magnesium supplement on the market
No Comments

Categories: Cleansing Disease & Prevention Eating Healthy General Health Healthy Choices Life Hacks Natural Cures Personal Health

Tags:

22 Ageless Life Lessons Everyone Can Learn From Aristotle

When you see the names Aristotle, Socrates, and Plato, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Probably just a bunch of old dudes who don’t really have any bearing in your life. You’ve probably asked yourself, “what can I really learn from someone who lived 2,300 years ago?”

In all honesty, the life lessons from these great men are timeless. They apply to our everyday lives in way most people don’t even comprehend. These men were some of the most wisest men to walk the Earth. Below you will find 22 ageless life lessons everyone can learn from Aristotle… don’t forget to read some life changing lessons from Socrates as well!

1. “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”
2. “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”
3. “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.”
4. “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.”
5. “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”
6. “To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.”
7. “Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives – choice, not chance, determines your destiny.”
8. “The wise man does not expose himself needlessly to danger, since there are few things for which he cares sufficiently; but he is willing, in great crises, to give even his life – knowing that under certain conditions it is not worthwhile to live.”
9. “There is no great genius without a mixture of madness.”
10. “The young are permanently in a state resembling intoxication.”
11. “We become just by performing just action, temperate by performing temperate actions, brave by performing brave action.”
12. “The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal.”
13. “Those that know, do. Those that understand, teach.”
14. “To run away from trouble is a form of cowardice and, while it is true that the suicide braves death, he does it not for some noble object but to escape some ill.”
15. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
16. “We must no more ask whether the soul and body are one than ask whether the wax and the figure impressed on it are one.”
17. “We praise a man who feels angry on the right grounds and against the right persons and also in the right manner at the right moment and for the right length of time.”
18. “You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.”
19. “Youth is easily deceived because it is quick to hope.”
20. “What it lies in our power to do, it lies in our power not to do.”
21. “Whosoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god.”
22. “Without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods.”
No Comments

Categories: Extraordinary People Folklore Inspirational Life Hacks Life Lessons Quotes Quotes Your Mind

Tags:

Powerful Syrup to Dissolve Kidney Stones

kidney

Kidney stones are a very common, but very painful urinary disorder. They are responsible for more than 10 million doctor’s visits each year.
When you get the delight of experiencing the passing of a kidney stone, it will soon become one thing you never wish to experience again. But, fortunately for you there are natural therapies that you can use to treat kidney stones, dissolving them into smaller pieces so that they become easier to pass through the urinary tract.

What are Kidney Stones?

A kidney stone is a hard, crystalline mineral material formed within the kidney or urinary tract. They form when there is a decrease in urine volume and/or excess of stone-forming substances in the urine.

How to Resolve the Issue

There are many therapies that can be used to get the kidney stones to pass from the ureter to the bladder, and then out the bladder during urination.

Drinking large quantities of fluids can help to flush the system out, but this method can be more effective when combined with other therapies to help break the stones into pieces. The following will do just that!

Ingredients:

1 ¼ Cup Olive oil

1 ½ lemons, including rinds

1 ¼ Cup raw organic honey

1 Large bunch of parsley

1 ¼ cup maple syrup

Method:

Chop the lemons into small chunks and add them to a blender. Process the ingredients and mix well. Then, add the other four ingredients to the blender and process again until smooth. Transfer to a large glass jar with a lid and put in the refrigerator.

How Much to Take

Take One tablespoon in the morning on an empty stomach, and make sure to drink plenty o fluids during the day.

Organic Health

No Comments

Categories: Cleansing Cleansing Eating Healthy Food General Health Healthy Choices Information Life Hacks Natural Cures Personal Health Recipes Your Body

Tags:

50 Things You Can Stop Buying and Start Making

50 things

You might be realizing that most of the products out there that aren’t made organically or naturally contain a lot of toxic chemicals. Not only that, many of these products can be harmful to our environment in a number of ways.

Making things yourself not only saves you money and helps the environment, but it lets you know where your products are coming from and exactly what’s in it.

You can make anything from food items to personal care and cleaning products all in very simple ways.

 

Remember: whenever you can, use organic foods and ingredients in recipes. Use sea salt instead of table salt. Use healthy oils like coconut oil. Use raw cane sugar or honey as sweetener instead of refined white sugar. Choosing the cleanest ingredients is the best choice for your mind and body.

 

50 Things You Can Start Making

(Click on the corresponding links to get the recipes and more information)

Homemade Ketchup – This ketchup won’t break the bank, tastes better than the real deal and contains no added sugar – so it’s nutritionally good for the whole family.

 

Homemade Mayonnaise – This is a great recipe for any mayonnaise lover out there wanting to make their own at home, it’s simple and easy and tastes better than the store bought versions.

 

Peanut Butter – It is so simple to make this pantry staple it would be silly to buy it. With only 3 ingredients you can make a simple tasty Peanut Butter for your whole family.

 

Simple Loaf Of Bread – This is a classic recipe for you to make and stop buying your normal weekly loaf of bread – nothing beats the smell of freshly baked bread. Saving you pennies and preservatives.

 

Homemade Nutella – It would make more sense to give your children chocolate spread which you made and know exactly what is in right? Then how about this fantastic recipe…

 

Homemade Butter – Instead of buying preservative laden, calorific heavy butter from the store, make your own butter with just 4 ingredient and a standard kitchen mixer…so simple yet so tasty.

 

Homemade Yoghurt – This recipe makes a thick and creamy yoghurt that would rival any store bought version. Once you learn this method you won’t be buying it again!

 

Spice Mixers – Did you know that store bought spice mixers and rubs have all sorts of questionable ingredients in them like fillers, preservatives and other unwanted fake flavor enhancers? It is far healthier, cheaper and tastier to make your own, here are 17 combinations to start you off…

 

Salad Dressing – This simple recipe for homemade salad dressing will jazz up any old salad and make it fabulous. Forget the store bought versions, get your aprons on and get making.

 

Homemade Maple Syrup – This classic sauce is so expensive nowadays, did you know it is so simple and easy to collect your own!

 

Honey Shampoo – This shampoo helps reduce frizz, combat dandruff, moisturizer and softens you hair all in one. A natural, kind to your skin shampoo that will make you think twice next time you are in the store.

 

Coconut Oil Deep Conditioner – With just three ingredients, you can whip up an economical, natural and luxurious conditioner to treat your hair, leaving it soft, manageable and shiny.

 

Body Wash – If you want to save money but have little time to spare, then this is the natural alternative is for you. A simple recipe and method which makes a soapy bubbly wash great for all skin types.

 

Shaving Cream – This shaving cream will leave your skin soft and smelling fantastic. With ingredients like coconut oil, Shea butter, mint and rosemary you will feel invigorated and fresh after every shave.

 

Squeezable Homemade Toothpaste – Ditch those commercial toothpastes on the market and opt for this natural re-mineralizing toothpaste that encourages white healthy teeth and improves oral health.

 

Minty Mouthwash – Not only is it chemical and alcohol-free, it’s practically free, well nearly is at $0.02 /oz! You will save loads on money this, and improve your family’s oral health at the same time – simple.

 

Super Strength Herbal deodorant – Rather than use expensive chemical filled deodorants, why not make your own? This requires just a few ingredients, is “super strength” and totally natural! (Alternative Link)

 

Honey, Beeswax & Almond Oil Moisturizing Creme – This recipe was  first devised almost 2000 years ago. It’s thick, velvety and decadent qualities will leave your skin silky smooth and hydrated.

 

Homemade Natural Sun Screen – Most sun screens contain toxic chemicals and other harmful ingredients that could actually damage you when they should be protecting you. Check out this natural alternative and make the swap.

 

Cleansing Wipes – These organic  wipes are totally natural and only contain ingredients you are aware of. Perfect for cleansing your face or as baby wipes for diaper changes.

 

Mascara – Arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, nickel, lead and thallium are toxins we do NOT want to be applying to our skin! So opt for this homemade version and you will save money and protect your skin.

 

Tinted Lipstick – This recipe includes beeswax pastilles, Shea/cocoa butter and coconut oil. It allows you to customize it with different natural powders, such as beetroot powder for red hues, cocoa powder for brown hues and bentonite clay for a matte texture.

 

Eye Liner – How would you like to be able to make your own natural eyeliner (which can also be used as a smokey eyeshadow) for just $0.24? If yes – then check this recipe out.

 

Bronzer – This homemade bronzer is really easy to make, simple to customize and so much better for your skin than store-bought varieties. A brilliant way of saving money too.

 

Natural Blush – Give your cheeks a rosy tint and brighten up your complexion with this easy natural blush recipe. Cosmetics are so pricey these days now really is the time to start making your own.

 

Foundation – This foundation from Robin at ThankYourBody.com contains all natural and non-toxic ingredients, it works fantastically (see a before and after foundation picture on the blog) and it’s really easy to make.

 

Under Eye Serum – Ingredients such as tamanu oil, vitamin E oil, grapefruit seed extract, avocado oil, carrot seed oil and more make this such an effective anti-wrinkle eye serum that is totally natural.

 

Copycat Burts Bees Lip Balm –  This wonderful copy cat recipe from HappyMoneySaver.com reveals how you can make your own version of Burts Bees Lip Balm (Normally priced $2.50) for just $0.12 per tube – what an incredible saving!

 

Lavender Bath Salts – Making these lavender bath salts couldn’t be simpler. You need just a few ingredients such as Epsom salts, sea salt, dried lavender buds and lavender essential oil and then you just have to follow the instructions.

 

Anti-wrinkle Cream – Have you ever been tempted by those “miracle” creams that will make you look “ten years younger” that all the major beauty companies produce? Well most are packed with chemicals, preservatives and artificial ingredients and on top of that, they are outrageously expensive. Make your own instead!

 

Lemon Lavender Aromatherapy Candle – These Lemon Lavender Aromatherapy Candles burn clear and fragrant – unlike many toxic store bought candles that release smoke and soot – and will make a wonderful addition to your home.

 

Reed Diffusers With Essential Oils – You can buy one in the stores, but usually they are quite expensive and the scents are made primarily from chemicals. Instead why not make your own at home? You can use any essential oils you like and can blend different oils together to create an aroma that is perfect for you and your family.

 

Homemade Potpourri – Potpourri is so simple to make it would be silly to pay for it. You can tailor the fragrances with your favorite smells and add some seasonal elements to make it even more special.

 

Homemade Herbal Incense – Incense can be a wonderful way to add a beautiful aroma to your home so take a look at this fantastic video which shows you how to make your own homemade incense with herbs.

 

DIY Scented Plug-in Refill – This fantastic tutorial which reveals how to get rid of the horrible toxic liquid found in chemical laden store bought plug-ins and replace it with health giving, wonderfully fragrant, toxin free essential oils.

 

Essential Oil Jelly Air Freshener – The great thing about these jelly air fresheners are that you can add ANY essential oil you want to, or even blend a few different oils together. Perfect if you have a particular scent you are trying to create.

 

Homemade ‘Fake Febreeze’ – A bottle of Febreeze is currently selling on Amazon for a whopping $6.99, yet you can make a homemade version that’s just as effective (and natural) for only $0.15. If you buy just one bottle per month, then that’s a monthly saving of $6.75 – and a yearly saving of $81! (We suggest you use a homemade natural fabric softener for this recipe.)

 

Homemade Mod Podge – If you are a keen crafter and go through tonnes of Mod Podge then why not have a go at making some for yourself, you will be surprised at how much you will save.

 

Un-paper Towels – Are you fed up of buying endless paper towels? If so, then this is the answer for you, these will act just like paper towels, but look pretty, and are totally re-usable, meaning you only have to purchase the materials once. Not forgetting them being economically friendly.

 

Homemade Natural Bleach Alternative – If you find bleach cleaners too strong and sometimes irritate your skin or eyes, then this alternative promises to clean just like bleach but without the harmful side affects.

 

Beeswax Furniture Polish – This is a  really simple recipe for a beeswax furniture polish that will restore shine and add gloss to your wooden furniture returning it to its original beauty. No need for expensive store bought polish!

 

Homemade Bath Tub Scrub – A wonderful bathtub scrub enriched with lemon essential oil and a surprising ingredient…ground up eggshells which give the scrub its abrasiveness and mixed with baking soda and a citrus-y essential oil makes this fantastic bathtub scrub a real winner.

 

World’s Best Homemade Laundry Detergent – It is all natural, it is much cheaper (you’ll be saving around $0.16 per load!), it cleans incredibly effectively, it works in all washer types and it’s also safe for septic tanks.

 

Homemade Liquid Dish Soap – This homemade liquid dish soap is fantastic. It’s natural, organic and antibacterial. Plus it’s a great money saver! To make a 32 oz batch costs about $1.20 compared to $4.47 for the equivalent in Dawn dish soap.

 

All-Natural Foaming Hand Soap – This homemade foaming hand soap is: natural, green, non-toxic, chemical free, organic, gentle and Antibacterial. What more could you want from a hand soap?

 

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Cubes– These are so simple to make, it simply requires mixing four simple ingredients together: washing soda, Epsom salt, Borax and lemon juice and then allowing to dry. The resulting cubes work wonders on your dishes!

 

Homemade Natural Fabric Softener – Want to make your laundry smell amazing, stay fresh and soft, well this is the recipe for you. Most fabric softeners are really toxic and could be harmful to skin.

 

Natural Disinfectant Spray – It contains just four ingredients: water, eucalyptus, lavender and tea tree essential oil (all of which can be bought here). The essential oils have antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antibiotic properties helping to clean and disinfect surfaces in your home without the chemicals, without the expense and with a wonderful aroma, too!

 

Non-Toxic Glass Cleaner – Here’s a great tutorial revealing how to make your own green, non-toxic, all-natural glass cleaner for just $0.45 per bottle! Best of all, this cleaner works better than any commercial cleaner you can buy in the stores – and you can feel happy that you are not putting yours – or your families – health at risk with toxic chemicals.

 

Source: Natural Living Ideas via Collective Evolution

No Comments

Categories: Cleansing Eating Healthy Food General Health Healthy Choices Healthy Techniques Information Life Hacks Natural Cures Recipes Your Body

Tags: