Simple 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!

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.

Nail polish to fix a loose button Smear a thin layer of transparent nail polish 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 wine bottle to stabilize boots Use empty wine bottles to keep tall leather boots stable, so they don't lose their shape in storage.

Submitted by: Sveta A.

Source: Harry T.

Detox your body from GMO food in order to immunize it...

Detox your body from GMO food in order to immunize it...





Genetically modified organisms are hiding throughout the U.S. food supply. And try as you might to avoid them, if you eat at a restaurant, are forced to pick up a snack from a vending machine, or even if you takesupplements that don’t explicitly state they are GMO-free, you are likely ingesting some GMOs. But the good news is that you may be able to detox these GMOs from your body – a few tips are just below.

Many GMO foods, but specifically corn, have been studied with frightening outcomes. From simple effects like weight gain to more serious ones like organ disruption and massive tumors, we have only really scratched the surface on all of the potential effects of these lab-created foods. This is why it is vitally important to regularly cleanse and detoxify your body of foreign health-wreaking materials. Keeping them out of your diet is the first step in ensuring you don’t experience their effects, but since GMOs can’t truly be avoided, detoxing is another route you’ll want to take.

Here are 4 simple ways to potentially detox GMOs from your body:
1. Increased Fiber Consumption
One of the best ways to ensure your body is eliminating those things which it has no use for (heavy metals, GM-toxins, and food additives) is through a high-fiber diet. This is achieved by eating plenty of plant foods but also by occasionally detoxing with something like psyllium husk.

Psyllium husk creates a sort of gel that, when consumed with plenty of water, will flush out the digestive tract, essentially taking all lingering toxins along. You can find organic psyllium husk at most health food stores or online.

2. Consume Probiotics and Fermented Foods
Your digestive system should be well-equipped for dealing with foreign invaders like GMOs and other toxins. When you eat fermented foods and consume probiotics, you create a healthy bacterial balance, ensuring your “gut bacteria” is able to break down and eliminate harmful substances in your diet. Consuming probiotics will also help your body to detox the Bt-toxin found in GMO crops.

3. Organic Sulfur
Jonathan Benson at NaturalNews suggests organic sulfur as a must-have for detoxing the liver. He calls this substance, also known as methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), “a critical component in detoxification, energy production, cell oxygenation, and immune capacity.” While it used to be found throughout the food supply, it has fallen by the wayside with “advances” in agriculture. Now, you can find organic, lignin-based sulfur crystals to help make up for the loss.

Read: Bentonite Clay to Detox Pesticides, Heavy Metals, More

4. Other Detoxifying Herbs
Other herbs that can help ensure GM foods don’t wreak havoc on your health arecascara sagrada and wild burdock root. Cascara sagrada is a cleansing herb, one that has been used for ages among indigenous people. It will clean out your digestive system and ensure healthy elimination. Wild burdock root also has cleansing properties, but works in a different manner. It is a diuretic and is considered a blood-cleanser.

Avoiding genetically modified foods should be your first line of defense. But creating a healthy body to fight those that do get in is important too. Regular cleansing and detoxification will help you avoid the negative effects of these and other modern food additives. 

Additional Sources:

naturalsociety.com
NaturalNews.com/041664

Remedies for hair growth

http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/28-powerful-home-remedies-for-hair-growth/?ref=1

31 Powerful Home Remedies For Hair Growth That Work Wonders

ARSHI AHMED ON APRIL 17, 2013

Going the natural way!

Young or old, we love our hair.

Hair health plays the deciding role in factors like styling and personality. Conditions like hair fall, damage, dandruff are few of the common hair problems faced by all. Earlier hair fall used to be a sign of ageing. The ever-rising pollution, hectic lifestyle and never-ending work stress paves way for hair fall.

There is another factor that we mostly ignore. Back in the days, women took better care of their hair. We do not have that kind of time anymore. We moved away from natural remedies to chemical treatments looking for instant results. Instant results is not the right solution for healthy hair. We have seen and understood that with time. It is time to bring back the age old solutions! Before that a small brief into the cycle of hair growth.

Hair Growth Cycle:

Each strand of our hair goes through three stages in its entire life cycle:

1. The Anagen stage – A phase when the growth in hair is actually seen. The follicle divides and contributes to the lengthening.
2. The Catagen stage – This is more of a transitional phase. Here the hair growth stops and the shaft of the hair is pushed up closer to the surface as the follicle shrinks.
3. The Telogen phase – This is the resting phase which lasts for about 2-4 months. Once this phase is over, the hair sheds on its own accord.

These cycles are very much active like every other body functions when we are young. The problem starts during the middle age, around 30 years or more. Our hair growth starts slowing down due to the hormonal imbalances, improper diet and excessive stress.

Home Remedies For Hair Growth:

There are many advantages of going natural with hair care. The most important being the fact that it works and it is inexpensive. It’s like having the cake and the cherry at the same time!

There are many remedies from nature that deliver great results. We have split this list into 4 categories of Kitchen remedies, essential oils and dietary needs for better clarity.

A. Kitchen Ingredients – Effective Home Remedies for Hair Growth:

1. Onion Juice:

This is the oldest and the most efficient home remedy for hair growth.

Why?

Onion juice is rich in sulphur that boosts collagen production in the tissues and helps in re-growth of hair.

How To Use:

• Use red onions or shallots
• Chop it into small pieces
• Squeeze out its juice.
• Now apply it on your scalp carefully and keep for 15 minutes.
• Finally rinse off with a mild shampoo.

For better understanding, here’s an excellent post on how onion helps hair growth.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar:

Why?

The vinegar gently cleanses the scalp and maintains the PH balance of the hair accelerating hair growth.

How To Use:

• Wash your hair
• Use apple cider vinegar as a final rinse after washing your hair to get healthy and shiny hair.
• For 1 litre of solution – mix 75ml of apple cider vinegar to one litre of water
• You may store this entirely or make it smaller batches.
• For smaller quantities, take 15 ml of apple cider vinegar and add it to a cup of warm filtered water
• After washing your hair, using this cup of water as the final rinse.

3. Egg Mask:

This home remedy is found to be a part of the many cultures all over the world with different variations.

Why?

It contains high levels of proteins which help in the formation of new hair. It is also rich insulphur, zinc, iron, selenium, phosphorous and iodine.

How To Use:

• Take the white of one egg
• Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and honey to it
• Mix it all well to form a smooth paste
• Apply it all over your hair carefully and leave it for 20 minutes
• Rinse with cool water and shampoo it off.

Not just for hair, you can use egg masks to get glowing skin too

[Read: Egg For Hair Growth]

4. Fenugreek:

This is another widely used home remedy for treating hair fall.

Why?

Fenugreek accelerates hair growth and protects the natural colour of your hair.

How To Use:

• Take 1 teaspoon of the fenugreek paste
• Add 2 teaspoons of coconut milk to it
• Apply it all over your hair and scalp
• Leave it on for 30 minutes
• Wash off with a mild shampoo

Here is an excellent post on beauty benefits of fenugreek.

5. Potato Juice:

This is a secret home remedy. Most people are not familiar with the hair growth properties of potato juice.

Why?

Potato is rich in Vitamin A, B and C. These are essential for healthy hair. This can be used even if you are suffering from alopecia i.e. thinning of hair.

How To Use:

• Place potato in an extractor for juicing
• Apply the potato juice on the scalp
• Leave it on for 15 minutes
• Wash off using mild shampoo

Potato is good for use as face packs too.

6. Henna Pack:

Henna is very well known as a natural conditioner. It is also good for hair growth.

Why?

It transforms dull and dry hair to smooth and shiny hair and adds colour too. It promotes hair growth by strengthening the roots of your hair.

How To Use:

• Make a pack by mixing 1 cup of dry henna powder with ½ cup of yoghurt
• Apply it all over your hair from root to tip.
• Leave the pack until it dries off completely
• Wash off with a mild shampoo

Here are 3 more henna hair packs.

7. Cayenne pepper:

Why?

Cayanne pepper stimulates hair growth and prevents thinning of hair. It has a chemical in it known as Capsaicin. This ingredient when applied on the scalp causes the nerves to activate and increase the blood flow to the scalp. This results in increased absorption of nutrients and better hair growth.

How To Use:

• Mix 1 teaspoon of pepper powder with 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• Apply it on the scalp where thinning is more prominent
• Wash off with cool water

8. Coconut Milk:

Why?

Coconut milk is rich in proteins, iron, potassium and essential fats. It reduces hair fall and breakage.

How To Use:

• Extract the milk of a coconut
• Apply it on the targeted areas
• Keep it overnight
• Rinse off with cool water the next day

This is the most effective hair growth treatment. Here are more benefits of coconut for your hair.

9. Green Tea

Why?

As you all know, green tea is rich in antioxidants. These antioxidants prevent hair loss and boost hair growth.

How To Use:

• Apply warm green tea all over your scalp
• Leave it for an hour
• Rinse off with cool water

Here are more benefits of green tea.

10. Indian gooseberry (amla):

Everyone is familiar with the varied magical properties of amla. It is the powerhouse of antioxidants and vitamin C. Amla promotes healthy hair growth and also improves the pigmentation of the hair.

How To Use:

• Mix 2 teaspoons of amla powder or juice with 2 teaspoons of lime juice
• Apply this on your scalp properly and let it dry
• Now rinse it well with warm water

Here is how Amla helps hair growth.

11. Cumin Seeds:

Why?

Cumin seeds come packed with 100′s of nutrients and vitamins that are great for replenishing your hair.

How To Use:

• Soak cumin seeds in olive oil or castor oil
• Let it soak overnight
• The next morning, apply it to the targeted areas
• Wash after 15 minutes with a mild shampoo

12. Peppercorns:

The use of black peppercorns is prevalent in the ayurvedic medicine. It leaves your hair soft and lustrous while improving the texture.

Why?

Black peppercorns have essential oils which keep your scalp well-hydrated.

How To Use:

• Blend 2 teaspoons of peppercorns with half a cup of lime juice
• Form a smooth paste
• Apply this paste on the roots
• Cover your head with a warm towel for deep penetration.
• Rinse off after half an hour.

[ Read: Ayurvedic Medicine for Dandruff ]

13. Hibiscus Flower:

Hibiscus flower is another home remedy for hair growth.

Why?

Hibiscus is truly said to be the “flower of hair care.” This flower is used for curing dandruff and enhancing hair growth. It also thickens the hair and prevents pre-mature ageing.

How To Use:

• Make a paste of the hibiscus flower with coconut oil or sesame oil
• Apply it on your hair evenly.
• Rinse with a mild shampoo.

14. Garlic:

Garlic is widely known as a home remedy for reducing the shedding of hair.

Why?

It boosts the regeneration of new hair and promotes the scalp circulation.

How To Use:

• Boil a few cloves of crushed garlic in olive oil or coconut oil
• Apply it to the roots of your hair follicles.
• Wash off properly
• Use this treatment thrice a week for best results.

Here are some more beauty benefit of garlic.

15. Vitamin E oil:

For ages, Vitamin E has been a home remedy for hair growth.

Why?

Vitamin E oil is rich in antioxidants and thus it helps to fight away the free radicals. It helps in increasing oxygen in the body and so increases the blood circulation in the scalp.

How To Use:

• Massage vitamin E oil onto the scalp
• Leave it overnight.
• Wash off with a mild shampoo the next day for soft and smooth hair.

Regular massage with the essential oils promotes hair growth, reduces hair fall and split ends. This makes your hair softer and smoother. After massaging your hair with any essential oil, wrap your head with a hot towel or a shower cap. This allows the pores of the scalp to open up and helps the oils to penetrate into the scalp better. It also stimulates the scalp and improves the blood circulation which boosts hair growth. Regular hot oil treatments also reduce dandruff and give a shine to your hair.

Here is a post on how Vitamic E helps hair growth.

B. Home Remedies For Hair Growth For Women – Essential Oil Treatments:

16. Coconut oil:

This is the best natural conditioner for hair. It has been used for centuries now.

Why?

Rich in proteins and potassium, coconut oil keeps your scalp healthy; promotes the growth of new hair and repairs damaged hair. It also reduces dandruff, hair breakage and hair loss. Coconut oil is also used as a pre-conditioning hair treatment for damaged hair. It acts as a moisturiser and strengthens the hair shaft from the root, thus preventing breakage. It keeps the scalp well-nourished and moisturised. Use coconut hot oil treatment for effective results.

17. Rosemary oil:

In use mostly in the middle eastern countries. It is prepared from the distillation of the rosemary herb.

Why?

Rosemary oil increases the cell division and expands the blood vessels, thus stimulating the blood circulation. It increases the hair growth and also acts as a hair tonic.

You can use rosemary oil by mixing it with your shampoo or conditioner. You can also massage your scalp with it by combining it with other essential oils like olive oil or tea tree oil.

Learn how Rosemary oil helps hair growth. 

18. Sage oil:

Sage oil is used for a host of health benefits.

Why?

Sage oil is excellent for treating hair loss. Along with hair loss, sage oil is also used for treating acne, wrinkles and digestive disorders. You can use sage oil by either combining it with apple cider vinegar or with other essential oils like the rosemary oil.

19. Lavender oil:

Lavender oil is known as the beauty oil. It has been known for its hair benefits for long.

Why?

Lavender oil is widely used for curing “alopecia- thinning of hair and hair loss in patches”. Apart from the hair growth, it also reduces sleeplessness and stress. It is used in majority of the spa treatments.

How to Use:

• Prepare an essential oil mixture by adding lavender oil, rosemary oil, thyme oil and jojoba oil in equal proportions.
• Apply this to your scalp
• Wrap with a shower cap
• Leave it on for an hour
• Wash and rinse thoroughly thereafter.

20. Jojoba oil:

Jojoba oil is known for its moisturising and hydrating properties.

Why?

Jojoba oils stimulates hair growth by improving the blood circulation and moisturizing the hair follicles. It also repairs dry and damaged hair.

21. Flaxseed oil:

Why?

Flaxseeds are a rich source of essential fatty acids which helps to transform dry, damaged and brittle hair to healthy and shiny hair. The omega 3 fatty acids in the oil promote healthy hair growth.

How To Use:

• Include flaxseed oil supplements in your daily diet
• Use it with the combination of other essential oils.

Learn more about flax seeds here.

22. Olive oil:

Every beauty enthusiast is familiar with the health and the beauty benefits of the olive oil. Olive oil is used in face packs, face masks, scrubs, body oils, hair tonic etc.

Why?

Olive oil helps in preventing as well as curing hair loss. It stimulates the formation of new hair. Regular use of olive oil prevents the formation of DTH hormone and thus facilitates hair growth. Rich in antioxidants, it is beneficial for overall hair health. Olive oil also acts as a natural conditioner by making your hair soft and silky.

How To Use:

• Include olive oil in your daily diet
• Use it as a pre-shampoo treatment.
• You can also mix it with lavender, sage and rosemary oil for hot oil treatment.

Here is an excellent post on olive oil.

23. Castor Oil:

Castor oil is one of the most beneficial oils that can make your hair grow faster, stronger and lustrous. It is claimed to be the best natural treatment for hair growth.

Why?

It is known to boost hair growth while reducing the possible bald patches.

How To Use:

• Make a hot oil massage treatment with indirectly warmed up castor oil.
• Use it on clean scalp for at least 20 minutes before going to shower.
• Massage it well.
• Wrap up your hair in a warm moist towel and keep it on for 20 minutes.
• As the oil is very sticky, so you can add a little lemon juice to it which will make it a bit smooth and also eradicate dandruff problems on your scalp.

C. Diet For Hair Growth:

A few dietary modifications are very important for stimulating the process of hair growth preventing hair loss. Abolition of junk and processed food, aerated drinks, smoking and drinking is very beneficial for your body and the scalp health. Include vitamin and mineral rich fruits and vegetables, whole grains, carbohydrates, omega 3 fatty acids and protein rich food in your diet. These are rich in phyto-nutrients which are beneficial for hair growth.

Below are the lists of some foods which you can include in your daily diet for better hair.

24. Protein-rich Foods:

Our hair is made of a special protein called the “keratin”. We should have a protein-rich diet. Include eggs, chicken, tofu, soybean; kidney beans and other similar foods to your diet. These are the richest source of proteins for hair. They promote the growth of new hair and make your hair shiny and smooth.

25. Vitamin A:

Vitamin A is beneficial for hair growth. Again, too much of it can cause hair loss. Mango, papaya, orange, prunes, carrot are few fruits with high contents of vitamin A.

Here is an excellent post on how vitamins help hair growth.

26. Vitamin B:

Vitamin B stimulates the production of haemoglobin in our blood which acts as the oxygen carrier. This increases the blood circulation in the scalp. Include potato, banana, chicken, oatmeal, fish and beans in your diet.

27. Vitamin C:

Vitamin C helps in the collagen production and fights off the free radicals in the skin. Do not forget to include lots of citrus fruits like amla, orange, kiwi, guava to your daily diet.

28. Vitamin E:

The scalp capillary function is stimulated by the intake of vitamin E in your diet. Thus it increases the blood circulation and promotes hair growth. Cereals, sunflower oil, soybean oil, tofu etc contain good amount of vitamin E. You must try and include as much of these foods to your diet as you can.

29. Green Vegetables:

Have lots of dark green vegetables. These contain iron which is really essential for hair growth. Fish is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids and so are nuts.

D. Natural Solutions:

Proper care and prevention will surely help to cope with any type of scalp or hair trouble. All the natural solutions will show their effect only when you are capable of fighting against indiscriminate hair loss.

30. ‘No’ To Hair Styling Products:

A popular proverb says, ‘no style is the best style’. This is truest when it comes to hair. Many of the hair styling products contain harmful chemicals, and superficial agents, which can be highly dangerous at times. You may look attractive for a few days by applying a hair styling product, but you never know how it affects the condition of your hair and scalp in the long term. Therefore, you should try to minimize the application of harmful styling products like hair colors, serums, and straighteners.

[ Read: Dove Unveils New Hair Oils Range ]

31. Regular Combing and Trimming:

Comb your hair thrice a day and trim it in every three months. Regular combing and trimming is extremely important for expediting the growth of new hair. Combing is essential as it provides good blood circulation, and stimulates hair follicles, helping them produce new hair naturally.

[ Read: Best Hair Regrowth Products ]

Try these effective Indian home remedies for better hair growth. Tell us about your secret home remedies too.