7 Fabulous Reasons to Use Omega 3 Oils
7 Secret Benefits of Eating Blueberries Everyday!
7 Secret Benefits of Eating Blueberries Everyday
I love blueberries. They are delicious, versatile and can be used in smoothies, toppings for pancakes and healthy snacks.
But why are blueberries so popular?
Well, they have many hidden health benefits. Here are 7 secret benefits of eating blueberries daily.
1.Blueberries contain Vitamin C - Vitamin C is great for boosting the production of collagen which plumps up the skin giving it a youthful appearance. Vitamin C is known for fighting off the wrinkles. Every cup of blueberries contains approximately 14 mgs of Vitamin C. This meets 25% of the recommended daily allowance.
Vitamin C is renowned for preventing gum disease and strengthening the immune system.
2.Healthy Heart – Research has shown that blueberries protect the heart from disease by preventing high blood pressure, obesity and high blood sugar.
3.Lowers The Risk Of Cancer – Blueberries contain anthocyanins which are said to reduce the development of cancer. They attach free radicals which are said to harm the body and stop tumours forming.
4.Healthier Bones – Blueberries promote the development of healthier bone. There are other nutrients which help the development of strong bones such as iron, manganese, magnesium, zinc vitamin K, phosphorous and calcium.
5.Blueberries are great for diabetes – They are high fibre which benefits type 1 diabetics. The high fibre lowers the levels of glucose in the blood. Those with type 2 have noticed an improvement in levels of blood sugar, insulin and lipids.
6.Blueberries contain Catechins which activate genes which promote fat burning. Therefore, they help with weigh loss.
7.Blueberries are said to slow down aging. They fight this process with the plant nutrient known as Proantholcycines.
So if you want to experience the benefits of blueberries, why not try them out as part of your daily diet.
Do you care about keeping about a youthful and vibrant appearance? Why not check out what I do if you care about your skin regime. Go to www.melslittleluxuries.co.uk where you can find natural skin products, pamper gifts for loved ones and special treats for You!
3 Great Reasons Why You Should Drink Coconut Water
Today I went shopping at our local supermarket and I was approached by an exotically dressed demonstrator who wanted me to try a new product. I asked what it was and he told me it was coconut water. It was the “new health drink”.
I was surprised because I have always known about coconut water and thought back to when I was a kid. I had visited Jamaica and remember it being so hot that I almost passed out.
There was a man by the beach side who beckoned me over. He had obviously seen that I was not used to the relentless heat and was desperate for a drink.
He was holding a machete and an object which I could not quite make out. The machete was used to swiftly cut the top off some kind of green plant. The man offered me a green object and told me it was a coconut and told me to drink from it.
Oh my goodness! The liquid was cool and refreshing and certainly quenched my thirst. It was coconut water. The same coconut water the demonstrator had offered me. The only difference was it was now in a carton.
Coconut water is now becoming popular because it is a natural drink and it has nutritional benefits.
Here are 3 reasons why you should drink coconut water: -
- Coconut water is good for hydrating the body. It keeps the skin soft and supple
- The water contains anti-aging properties. Cytokinins is a plant growth hormone which is said to slow down the aging process.
- Skin protective antioxidants are contained in coconut water. These help to fight damaging free radicals which are caused by sun exposure.
So if you want a great nutritional drink, give it a try!
Hey! Why not pop over to the following link to see some of the natural products I have created. If you care about your skin care, you will find some beautiful handmade products to fit into your personal care regime.
5 Top Tips For A Fabulous Neck
5 Fabulous Tips For a Fabulous Neck
Everyone seems to spend a lot of time looking after the skin on their face, their legs and painting their nails but they seem to have forgotten about their necks!
It’s on show just like everything else. We wear low cut tops and dresses but we still don’t really do anything to care for the delicate skin on the neck.
No matter how vibrantly gorgeous our faces look, our necks give the game away.
As we get older, we produce less collagen which is important for keeping the skin firm and plump.
Getting older also means that we’re not able to retain water as we used to. This results in wrinkles and the obvious signs of aging.
However, the good news is that it’s never too late to look after your neck.
Here are 5 fabulous tips showing you how to care for the delicate skin around your neck: -
Moisturise – This is the number one rule that you cannot avoid. Moisturizing hydrates and nourishes the skin. Ensure that the moisturiser you use is rich as this replenishes the thin skin making it appear more youthful. Simply apply the moisturiser in an upward motion. Never downward as this causes the skin to sag.
Exfoliate once a week – The beauty of exfoliation is that it removes the dead skin and reveals the smooth youthful skin underneath. However, be very careful by using an exfoliant which is not abrasive.
Use Sunscreen – Everyone knows that the sun can leave everlasting damage if you don’t cover up or fail to use a sunscreen.
Keep your Body Hydrated – As previously mentioned, the skin needs to be hydrated. As we get older, our skin losses the ability to retain water. A way of combating this is to drink water, and plenty of it throughout the course of the day. A lot of fruits and vegetables contain water so include them in your diet!
Eat Oily Fish – You can also take fish oil supplements. They are rich in antioxidants which fight off the signs of anti-aging. They leave the skin looking rejuvenated as they boost collagen production.
And I’m going to put a 6th fabulous tip in for the smokers out there. Please don’t smoke. It ages your skin and leaves it with a wrinkled appearance.
If you follow these tips on a regular basis, you are sure to notice a difference.
If you care about the appearance of your skin, why not pop over to the following link to take a look at the wonderfully moisturising Citrus Delight Whipped Body Butter: -
Find What You Like To Do and Just Do it!
A message that I see on a regular basis is “Find what you like to do, and just do it!”
A lot of people are stuck in traditional jobs. Some love their work, but there are others who work as a means to an end. They need to pay bills, pay school and university fees, mortgages and the list goes on. They don’t see how they can leave the traditional confines of work for what may appear to others as a namby pamby way of life. In reality, people have huge obligations!
But is it a namby pamby way of life?
So many people are beginning to leave traditional work for a number of reasons.
People want a quality life.
They want to spend time with their families. Traditional work often robs individuals of the opportunity to spend good quality time with their families as they have to work long hours, commute or even work abroad.
People want flexibility and not feel that they are answerable to others who don’t even appreciate the time and effort employees put in to their work on a daily basis.
I changed how I worked after I had 3 children. I was working incredibly long hours as a lawyer. Although I enjoyed it, I didn’t like the time I spent away from the family. I was leaving home before my children were awake and paying someone to get them up and take them to school.
Whilst I was at work, I would be missing the monumental events that as a mother, I should have been present at. I felt pangs of guilt at missing out on these important days that only come once in a life time. In addition, I was returning home when they were in bed. Sometimes I didn’t even have the chance to read them a story.
I started to think seriously about what it was I wanted. All I had ever known was law and it was scary thinking about doing something completely different. I also thought that people might think I was crazy at leaving a stable job.
It was whilst on a lengthy career break that I found the art of soap making. I did a couple of courses and really enjoyed it. I loved the way people liked the little gifts I made and that is when the idea for Mel’s Little Luxuries came about.
Some may think that it goes against the grain to leave a stable job but on the other hand, this new way of life gives me the time with my family I always craved for, flexibility and control so that I am no longer answerable to anyone if I wish to take time off.
The choice is obviously yours. If you feel that there is more to life than what you are actually doing right now, give it a serious thought! Do something which you enjoy. Find out what it is and if it leaves you feeling nothing but pure enjoyment, then just do it!
If you would like to see what it is that I do, just pop over to www.melslittleluxuries.co.uk
The Beauty of Saying What You Feel
Why can’t we say exactly what we feel?
Why are we worried about airs and graces and therefore hold back?
Do we do this because we want to please others?
Why is it so important to please others?
Are you happy when you please others?
A lot of questions I know, but these are the same questions I was asking myself yesterday when someone asked me and a friend to do something which we really didn’t want to do.
I simply gave an outright no. One of the people in the group wanted to say no but reluctantly agreed to do it. But you could see from their face that they really regretted their decision.
When our mutual friend was out of the picture, I asked them if they were happy with their decision to which they blurted out, “I could just kick myself!” They had only agreed to save face. They did not want to look bad to the other person, but as a result of this decision, they were feeling pretty awful. My friend did not want to offend anyone by not agreeing and in fact began thinking of a way to getting out of it.
Personally, I thought that this could have all been avoided by being honest. Why put yourself in a position where you put yourself under pressure and feel remorse only to keep someone else happy.
I think that a lot of us actually do this because we fear what others think if we say no. We believe that we are going to be criticized and perhaps socially cut off. But if people really make you feel like this, is this really a circle that you want to be a part of?
At the end of the day, it is your life! You should not feel forced into making decisions that you later regret, all because you fear what someone will do or say. You should be able to express yourself without fear and if someone dislikes your decision, then that’s their problem. Not yours! That’s called the beauty of saying what you feel.
The Beauty of Human Kindness
Last Tuesday evening, me and a friend set off to a meeting. Just as we got onto the motorway, the car started to make strange noises.
I had absolutely no idea what was happening. Suddenly, a small white van pulled alongside me and the driver indicated that I needed to pull over. At first I thought that he was a policeman in an unmarked vehicle, as he looked as if he was wearing one of those yellow fluorescent jackets which officers sometimes wear on the motorway.
I pulled over onto the hard shoulder feeling anxious.
I opened the car door and got out. Then I noticed the most horrendous stench. I began to worry and as I looked towards the rear of the car, realized that my rear tyre had completely shredded and the smell was burning rubber. How in the world I hadn’t I noticed?
The man who had stopped us explained that we were going nowhere. We had to sort the tyre out. He checked we were ok and offered to wait with us until roadside assistance came to the rescue.
He noticed that my friend did not have a coat. As we had originally set out, she thought that it was a warm evening and so a coat wasn’t needed. Now it was getting chilly. He walked to his van and took out his works coat and handed it to my friend. I asked him what his name was. It was Steve. I took his number so that we could return the jacket. When this guardian angel was happy that we were fine, safe and roadside assistance was on the way, he drove off.
I was really surprised by the generosity and kindness of Steve. He was busy but still managed to stop for us. Two complete strangers. He could have quite simply have driven by.
Why am I making such a big deal about this incident? Well, there’s so much going on in this world which makes us skeptical, judgmental and even hateful with our prejudices. But Steve showed up and proved that there is still humanity in this world. We need to be kinder and more loving to each other and stop the pettiness. I think that I am going to have a bit more faith in the beauty of human kindness.
