Category Archives: Health and Beauty

30Jun/17
doctors visit

I Hate Going to the Doctor!!!

Health and Beauty, Humor, Life, Rants, ,

did I say how much I hate it, but I went and I survived….

doctors visit

I hate stethoscopes too…

Ok, anyone who knows me also knows how much I hate going to the doctor. In fact, I don’t go, never, nada, zip… But with my cataract surgery coming up I had to have an exam and be checked out so I wouldn’t die while they were doing the surgery. I thought about going to one of those walk in clinics but I checked to see what was close by and there was an office right down the street. I called to see if they could do this exam and they said sure but they would need to first add me as a patient. I thought about hanging up and just going to the walk in clinic and then I thought, “you are getting older..ugh.. and maybe just maybe you should have a doctor”.

I know right? I even scared myself with this thought. But I had to have the exam and this place was close by so I scheduled the appointment. After scheduling it I got anxious and scared and considered calling and cancelling the appointment. I mean really anxious. But I went because my daughter assured me I would be fine. But would I?

The reason I hate doctors so much is this…all of my family members that went to the doctor for some little thing all the sudden were diagnosed with some big thing….and then they died. My Dad, My Mom, and my sister… so I am not a big fan of them. In fact I’m not a fan at all. I told the person on the phone, I told the assistant who came in to take my info and vitals and I told the doctor. I was pleasantly surprised when they all understood how I felt and even talked to me about my feelings. They all agreed they would feel the same if this had happened to them.

“Doctors and nurses are people who give you medicine until you die.” ~ Deborah Martin

See I even found this quote above…I don’t know who Deborah is but I think she is my twin. So the visit all in all went pretty well I guess… I have listed just a few things that happened while I was there. and I was there for a long time…an hour and a half to be exact.

  1. First of all they took my weight – I was astounded what I weighed since I never weigh myself and… don’t go to the doctors. I turned around to see if someone had their foot on the scale and asked if I could take all my clothes off and do it again. The assistant just smiled…
  2. Medical History – I have no medical history since I don’t go to the doctors. I had 3 kids, a tubal ligation(look it up) and a partial hysterectomy…all in the 60’s and 70’s…nothing since then and no doctor. I did have one while the kids were little, it was a family practice and he made me come once in awhile too. But when we moved to Maryland I stopped going there.
  3. Blood Pressure – My blood pressure was thru the roof. She knew I was anxious and said we’ll take it again before you leave. I told them I took it in the morning and it was fine. Just believe me…
  4. Having an EKG – I never had an EKG, I knew it had something to do with the heart and honestly this is what scared me the most. I have been having these feelings like my chest was tight and my heart was heavy and so I thought I was having symptoms of a heart attack. I got hooked up to the machine by all the little sticky things and the assistant had to go get something. So I lay there thinking this is it. I am going to be told I need to be on some medication and I have a bad heart. At that exact moment my gum almost went down my throat and I started choking. Thank goodness I got it back up before she came back in and thought I was dying before I even had the EKG. (the EKG was fine)
  5. The Questions- They asked for all the medications I was taking to which I of course said..none! But I explained I do take a lot of vitamins and other stuff. I had to list all the vitamins and how many mgs. of each, which of course I guessed at cause who knows that when you take like 10. And then my apple side vinegar and coconut oil! The best question was when the doctor finally looked at me and said, “exactly when was your last doctor visit?  I honestly didn’t know but guessing when I broke my arm in the 80’s..but that doesn’t even count cause I went to the hospital. So I said I guess the 70’s. Amy(that’s my doctors name, that sounds funny me even saying that) said OMG! She did follow it up with, “well you look good have no problems that I can see or feel so keep doing what you are doing.

Amy did ask that maybe, just maybe if I thought I could manage it, that I could come back for a wellness visit and some blood work…I told her I would think about it. I have given it some thought and I don’t think I will. I am having cataract surgery. That’s more than enough to worry about for a person who hates doctors. I have to have both eyes done and they won’t do them both at the same time. Believe me I asked and even begged… And I’m thinking if doing the one makes a lot of difference I may not even go back for the second one. I don’t like this. I don’t like this at all. I have managed for just about 40 some years to take care of myself by doing natural and alternative things for my body. I am very healthy and I don’t get sick.  I think I will just keep doing that. Its worked well for me so far…

A final note, as I left the office I stopped at the desk and knocked on the window…and when she opened it I told all of the girls that I really didn’t want to come there and again reiterated how much I hate doctors and doctors offices but that they made this visit so much easier for me and were all super sweet. They all said thanks and got big smiles on their faces…even the one who was a tad grumpy smiled. So there’s that!

Here’s my question…Do you hate going to the doctor?

“Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.” ~ Erma Bombeck (note: their plants were all flourishing.

 

04Jan/17
peace, calm and healing

My Word For The Year Is…

Health and Beauty, Life, ,

well you didn’t think I would just blurt it out now did you?

peace, calm and healing

Namaste peeps…  

I have chosen a “word of the year” for the last 3 years. Prior to that I would write the endless list of New Years resolutions on New Year’s Day that most times wouldn’t even make it past the first week. I got tired of doing that every year and then I also got tired of  feeling like such a loser when the year ended and I hadn’t accomplished anything on my list.

In 2015 I read about picking a “word of the year.” Just one word. I thought this was a great idea and wanted to give it a shot since I was so over the whole resolution thing. The word you pick should define you and the direction you want to see things go in your life. It should set the tone and focus for your whole year. Resolutions can be broken so easily and make you feel like giving up. But having a “word” for the year is different, If you forget about it for one day or even a week, it is still there waiting and you have the rest of the year to focus on making it work for you.

I decided I needed to give this “word” thing a try and chose the word  “Gratitude” for 2015. I was trying to find things to be grateful for after losing my dream job in February of that year. Every day I wrote things down in a journal that I was grateful for and it made me so aware of what I “did” have and not focus so much on what I had lost.  Last year, my word was “JOY”. I loved the word and tried to find as much of it as I could, and I did. That is.. I did until July when my son died. It was very hard to find any kind of JOY after losing him. But somehow the word kept coming up and I started trying to find more of it. And unbelievably, I did. I had so many friends and family members who showed me love and compassion that it made me believe I could have JOY even in the darkest hours of my life. So you see it works. If I could find JOY at the worst time of my life, then anyone can do this and make it work for them too.

Ok, I have made you wait long enough. Here it is…My word for 2017 is.. drum roll…”Healing”. I picked it due to the obvious fact that I am healing after losing my son…but I picked it for other reasons as well. I honestly just love helping people heal. I make essential oils for my friends and family members to help them with health issues. I love showing them alternative ways to help them heal by using Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar instead of medicine. I have helped several friends who had severe health issues, so much so that their doctor asked them what they did differently to get these results. When they said they were using Apple Cider Vinegar, their doctors all said keep doing what you’re doing cause it is working. Score!

Another reason I picked “Healing” is I am also looking into taking classes so I can teach Reiki. If you have never heard of this you need to. It is amazing. I looked up the meaning in the dictionary and here is a simple explanation of it. “Reiki is a technique based on the principle that energy can be channeled to the recipient by means of touch, activating the natural healing process and restoring physical and emotional well-being.” Sounds cool, right? Well it is and I want to learn more about it and possibly be a Reiki Master. I want to heal others and also myself.

So you can see how having a “word of the year” can truly define your year and your life. I am excited for what this year holds in store for me and also to see how many ways I can “Heal” or help someone else “Heal”.

I hope I inspire you to pick a word for 2017. A few of my friends already do this. One of my friends picked “Rejuvenate” and another picked “Grateful.” They both helped me to find “Joy” this year so of course, I plan on helping them find ways to be rejuvenated and grateful. Maybe I can also be helpful by “Healing” them in some way.

Well now you know what a “word of the year” is. And you know mine. Have you ever had a “word of the year”? Are you going to pick one for this year? I hope you do! Please comment and tell me what it is.

“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” ~ Rudyard Kipling

 

 

25Feb/16

How I Got Rid Of My Cold, Naturally!

Health and Beauty, Humor, Lifestyle, , ,

and in less than 2 days…

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Disclaimer: “The Helpful Hellion is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.” This means I could make a little money if you click on one of the links below and actually buy something. Also as stated before, I am not a doctor, nor do I pretend to be one. Do not try anything here if you have serious issues. Please consult your physician. I only tell my story and what happened when I used this. If your toes fall off after using these oil mixtures, don’t blame me!

I started sneezing and honestly could not stop. I am dead serious here, I must have sneezed at least 20 times in a row each time. My ribs and back were starting to hurt from it and I thought, oh great here we go. My grandson has had a cold lingering on for weeks now and insists upon kissing me on the lips. He is such a little love bug! And the keyword in that statement is “bug.”

Not wanting to go the medicine route as anyone that knows me even a little bit knows  that I do not do medicine. I started researching my trusty copy of The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy and found immediate relief from the sneezing. A drop of Lavender 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil by Edens Garden- 10 ml rubbed on the inside of your cheeks..who knew? But I did it and did not sneeze again, even once. It really did amaze me. How did I not know about this miracle cure for sneezing?

So that took care of the sneezing, now what to do about the achiness, coughing and slightly feverish feeling? Back to the book. Die some more research and then I made up a concoction of Majestic Pure Fractionated Coconut Oil 16 Oz(two tablespoons) and 5 drops each of Lavender, Eucalyptus and Peppermint oils in a little bottle and then shook it up and rubbed that on my feet, chest and back. I did this several times throughout the day. I especially reapplied it right before bed. Make sure to rub it on the feet and put on some nice thick warm socks.

I love Edens Gardens Essential Oils, they are a very good quality for the price. I have used them often and have had no problems. I don’t take them internally so I don’t worry about having some kind of weird reaction from them. But you should always do a little test to see if your skin can take the oil and never put it directly on the skin with out being diluted in a carrier oil, such as Coconut Oil, Grapeseed Oil or Sesame Seed Oil. I did rub the lavender oil on my cheeks but it was such a small amount and I feel like it went into my system through my cheeks, I didn’t really swallow it. Surprisingly, it did actually taste pretty good.

The reason I picked these three oils are…Lavender oil has antiseptic and anti fungal properties. Peppermint oil has antimicrobial properties and a calming effect. Eucalyptus oil has a wide range  of properties include anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, decongestant, antiseptic, and antibacterial as well as other great qualities.

You can also do this and I highly recommend it… put a few drops of the lavender and eucalyptus oils on a few tissues and keep them near by or carry them in your purse in a baggie to pull out and sniff if you get congested. A few drops on a tissue by your pillow also helps you to breathe freely and sleep more soundly.

A steaming hot bath with 3 drops each of Thyme, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus and Lemon essential oils will relax you and open up your sinuses. If you don’t have a bath or the time for one, you can put the oils on a washcloth and lay that on the bottom of the tub while taking your shower and it will still give you some much needed relief.

Diffusing the house or your bedroom with the above mentioned oils will help get rid of the germs and help you to breathe and feel better. I use this one from Amazon..

I did a few other things to get rid of the “bug”. I ate things that were good for me. I never remember if it’s, “starve a fever but feed a cold or feed a fever and starve a cold” ..whatever…but what if you have both…then what? Do you just starve? Well, since I wasn’t sure, I ate when I was hungry. I do have to disclose that I may or may not have had some ice cream…but that was for my 100 degree fever..and it worked. Fever was gone…I had tea every day this week instead of coffee and cinnamon on my bagels. I did take my Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar 32 oz. straight twice a day instead of just once. You don’t need to do it twice..or straight, you can out it in some water with lemon or in your tea. And I got lots of rest and slept very soundly, I think due in part to the lavender.

The best thing I ate for my “bug” was the homemade chicken noodle soup my daughter in law made me. Nothing like homemade soup especially when you don’t have to be the one making it. There is just something to be said for this old remedy. It really truly works and it’s yummy!

I can not believe all of this worked. I have never gotten over a cold or a “bug” so quickly in my whole entire life. You better believe I will be doing these things again should the dreaded “bug” return. I hope you try some of my natural remedies next time you get a cold or the “bug” and that they work as well for you as they worked for me. I wish you all good health and long life!

Do you have any natural remedies that you would like to share, maybe something passed down from your grandmother?

“I shall not die of a cold. I shall die of having lived.” ~ Willa Carter

 

 

 

04Feb/16

Fashion Trends For Spring 2016

Fashion, Health and Beauty, Lifestyle, ,

And there is something for everyone…

vintage straw bag

It looks to me like the 70’s are still going to be with us a while longer, especially into Spring/Summer 2016. Also for those of you who like the romantic/flowery, Victorian type clothing.. that is going to be big as well. Underwear as outerwear, not a fan of this. Do we really need to see your underwear? My dad always said, “it is more fun to unwrap something and be surprised.” Gotta go with Dad on this one.

The colors for Spring will be Peach Echo (coral/peach), Snorkel Blue (navy, one of my favs), Iced Coffee (sounds yummy and looks like what you would think it would..coffee), Lilac Grey (just looks like grey to me, but then what do I know, Pantone says its Lilac Grey so thats what it is, I do like grey by the way) Rose Quartz(which looks pink to me and not a color I wear, makes me look like I’m dead) There are a few others like Limpet Shell(which is a light colored turquoise, love this) and Buttercup, which I’m sure you can figure out. All in all not bad choices. Not that I ever go by their picks, but it does carry over into what colors the designers use for the season.

The one trend I am excited to see and have been personally wanting for quite some time is suede as in a suede jacket. I just had a conversation with a friend last week where she told me she was cleaning out the attic and came across her husband’s suede jacket from high school. She had it cleaned and her grandson is now wearing it. How cool is that?

So here are some of the top trends of 2016:

1.Straw and wicker handbags like The SAK Cambria Large Tote Shoulder Bag,Gypsy Stripe,One Size

2. Half Moon Handbags like this one from Silpada. To check it out go to my website www.mysilpada.com/renee.stambaugh

CSPR16_MRK37

 

3. Suede coats, vests and jackets like this BGSD Women’s “Anna” Suede Leather Car Coat

4. Victorian Flowered tops and dresses, I myself was never a big flowery person. Well I do enjoy real ones, just not wearing them.

5. Maxi skirts and dresses – like this AGB Women’s Knit Maxi Skirt. I have been thinking of trying one of these, seems like they would be comfortable.

6. Aviator sunglasses – not sure they ever left but they are back…Go Maverick (as in “Top Gun”, one of my favs)

7. Statement jewelry, earrings, necklaces and bracelets like the one below from Silpada. Again, you can check out my website above for more like this one.

CSPR16_MRK25

 

8. Denim, denim and more denim – shirts, jackets, skirts and dresses. I must say I do love denim.

9. Pointy toe flats and gladiator sandals – I like pointy toes because they feel better on my feet than round ones for some reason. Evidently, I must have pointy feet. However, as a side note, there will be no wearing of the the afore mentioned gladiator sandals. They are also showing shoes that look like slippers, even calling them slipper shoes. I guess the pajama people will be wearing them. And some weird looking sneakers unlike any sneakers I ever saw….um, no..

I am happy to see so many flats because I just can’t do the heels anymore. Been there, done that, ruined my feet to prove I’ve done it. Here is a cute pair of flats Breckelle BA45 Women Suede Pointy Toe T-Strap Cutout Flat Sandal – Leopard

10. Pleats – showing lots of pleated skirts, and dresses. Never been a “fan”..get it?

It looks like it is going to be a great Spring for fashion and the groundhog said it will be early, so you better get a move on.

I will end as always with a question and a quote…

My question – Which one of these trends is something you think you would wear?

My quote – “Playing dress up begins at age 5 and never truly ends” ~ Kate Spade

 

Disclaimer: Some of these links are affiliate links to Amazon and I may get paid a little bit if you would purchase an item…

21Jan/16

The Love/Hate Relationship I Have With My Hair

Fashion, Health and Beauty, Humor, Lifestyle,

and how this can be applied to almost anything in your life..

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I am the little girl in the middle of the picture, the one with the scowl on her face. This is my birthday party and I should be happy, but all I can think about is how much I don’t like my hair and how much I want it to be like the other girls in the picture.

How It Began..

My “love/hate” relationship with my hair began in grade school somewhere around 3rd grade. I didn’t mind it much before that or really even pay much attention to my hair or how it looked. However, at some point in 3rd grade, and I remember this as if it happened yesterday, one of my little “girlfriends”  told me my hair looked stupid and that I shouldn’t wear it curly. I was so upset and barely kept myself from crying in front of her. How could I change this? I couldn’t, my hair was naturally curly and there wasn’t a thing I could do about it. I don’t even begin to know how I made it through the rest of the day. And as soon as the bell rang I ran the whole way home crying so hard I could barely see. I ran in the house and told my mother what had happened and repeated to her what the little girl said to me. She tried to calm me down of course and then told me that the little girl was just jealous of my hair and how pretty it was and not to worry about it. Yeah, right!

This love/hate thing with my hair continued through elementary school and high school. My true friends never mentioned it or said what that little wench(being nice here) in the 3rd grade said to me. But there were those times on a rare occasion, like after I walked a mile to school in the rain, when I could see them looking pitifully at my wild, frizzy hair. I never made peace with my hair or should I say, the curls.

Things I  Tried..

You have to know that I went to school in the 50’s and 60’s and curly hair was not in style. Straight hair was the norm and if anything it may have had a flip at the ends but that was it. No curly hair was ever seen in my days at school, so I was it, the lone curly haired girl in the whole entire school. It is hard to be different and very hard to be the only one. I tried everything to make it better or less curly, like sleeping with my hair rolled up in beer cans or ironing it and much later, straightening it. The beer can thing worked…until I walked out of the house on a humid or rainy day. The ironing thing did as well until my mom caught on to what I was doing, especially after the day I burnt both my hair and my neck. I was not allowed to do that anymore and I spent the rest of that day explaining why I had a “love bite” on my neck. The professional straightening thing wasn’t very professional back then so it last maybe a week. But it was a week I truly enjoyed…

We didn’t have the products back in those days like we do now. We had shampoo, conditioner and hair spray. That was it! Oh and also some goopy stuff that was like jello. But believe me when I say these things did not work (on curly hair) and in fact made matters worse. The hair spray we had then was like painting your head with lacquer. And when you went out into the rain or faced the slightest bit of humidity, you would wind up looking like “Medusa” (check her out in Wikipedia)…not a good look or one I wanted to copy. I just wanted “straight hair”…

How I am feeling today..

A few years ago at a class reunion a few girls told me they just loved my hair and how lucky I was that I didn’t have to pay tons of money to have curls. They went on to say they were aways jealous of my hair and wished they had it. Wow, who knew! Certainly not me, the curly haired 8 year old in grade school who ran home crying. It did one thing though, it made me realize that we never know how others are feeling or what they really think about anything. We assume so many things in life and most of the time when we do that we are wrong in our assumptions.

The real lesson I have gotten from this whole thing is that we just need to accept the things we can’t change. And maybe, just maybe even learn to embrace them.

Is there something you have always wanted to change about yourself?

“if you don’t like something, change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.” ~ Mary Engelbreit

 

03Nov/15

10 Lessons I’ve Learned At This Point In My Life

Health and Beauty, Lifestyle, , ,

And why didn’t they teach us these in school…

empty-classroom

I guess the reason for that is we had to learn these life lessons ourselves. No one can teach them to you and we can’t teach them to anyone else. No one would listen anyway…and we didn’t either. But these lessons helped make me into the person I am today, so I guess that is really what it’s all about.

Here are my 10 lessons that I have learned at this point of my life.

1. Love the people you love like there is no tomorrow – Because sometimes there is no tomorrow and the “I should haves” will haunt you forever. Tell people you love them and show them by the way you treat them. You still will feel the loss, you just won’t have so many regrets.

2. Be You – Don’t be someone you aren’t or try to impress other people. Don’t worry so much about what they think of you or what they say about you. The real people in your life will be there. You don’t need to act to win their approval. You just need to be genuine. And be who you really are. And who you are is “enough.”

3. Time Flies – Spend quality time with your children. The dishes don’t need to be washed right away and the house can wait to be cleaned. The kids will be out of the house and in college before you know it and the house will be clean and very quiet. You will never get this time back again. The same goes with the grandchildren. Don’t spend a lot of money on them, spend time with them. I really don’t remember anything my parents or grandparents gave me, but I remember things we did together.

4. Work Smart, Not Hard – How many times have we heard this? But here is my take on work…We can’t work at the expense of everything else in our lives. Our families, our friends and our health. We need to take those vacation days and take time to do things that make us happy and fulfilled. No one is going to reward you for working those extra hours at night on that report or the weekends you spent on the special project. In fact, the company could downsize tomorrow and all that extra work you did and time away from family would be for nothing.

5. You Have to Have the Lows in Life, to Enjoy the Highs – Another one of these quotes we have heard so often. I never believed this when people said it to me when I was young. But as I grew older I do see some truth in this. If we keep going along in life and nothing bad ever happens we get lured into a false sense of security and entitlement. After a few bad years you really learn to truly appreciate those good times and be grateful for them.

6. Laugh – Laughter truly is the best medicine. We need to learn to laugh at ourselves and life and not take everything so seriously. We are too easily offended these days and it causes us to be angry and stressed out. Feeling like this doesn’t do our bodies or minds any good, so laugh….a good laugh can change everything.

7. Live in the Present – Don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future. The past is just that, the past..it’s over and we can’t do anything to change what has happened. The future is unknown and all the worrying, sleepless nights and stressed out days won’t do one thing towards making it better. We should just have gratitude and give thanks for each day we are alive. And try to find small moments that bring us joy and peace throughout the day. There is always something to be grateful for every single day. Find it!

8. Take a Risk, Take a Chance – Do something that makes you feel alive. Take the road less traveled. Do something out of the ordinary for you, something out of your comfort zone. As I tell people all the time, you don’t want to be sitting on your rocking chair in the home or on your front porch when you are 90 thinking, “I wish I would have done that.”

9. Look for the Good – If we focus on negativity, that is what we see and feel. If we focus on good, we will see and feel more good things. I know this isn’t easy to do. I have been through one of the worst years of my life. But I’m here, I’m alive and have so much to be thankful for. I try to concentrate on what I have and not what I don’t have.

10. Take Care of Your Body – It is the only one we get. We can’t trade it in like we do with our cars. I think when we are young we feel like we are invincible and that we can do anything and our bodies will be fine. Too much sun, too much of the wrong kinds of food, too much of everything takes a toil on us and can shorten our lives. Even if we do manage to live a long life, it can make those years worse with all the damage we have done to ourselves. Eat healthy, exercise and get a good 7 or 8 hours sleep every night. And take care of your “one” body.

I will end with this quote that I love:

“No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, show up and never give up.”  ~ Regina Brett  (Just be sure to dress in whatever makes you feel good!)

What lessons have you learned about life?

 

15Oct/15

Ten Reasons Growing Older Rocks!!

Health and Beauty, Humor, Lifestyle, ,

“Old age isn’t so bad when you consider the alternative” Maurice Chevalier

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It’s been said “youth is wasted on the young”, but I couldn’t find who really said it. Some sources say George Bernard Shaw and others attribute it to Oscar Wilde and neither of their quotes are the same. Anyway, the meaning of this is, when you are young you don’t really appreciate it. You are young in body and mind and think you will live forever. Not until you reach a certain age do you fully appreciate what you have. And considering “the alternative” as stated so eloquently by Maurice above, here are my top ten reasons growing older rocks.

1. Best thing ever…Senior Discounts…these are awesome….and you don’t even know most of them even exist. Don’t feel bad about asking for them, we’ve earned them…and more.

2. Younger people excuse you(most of the time anyway) when you say or do something stupid. Because of course, we’re old and don’t know any better… Not that I ever say or do something stupid.

3. People think we know everything about everything!  I guess because we are old and have lived though so much, we must have good advice. The flip side to this is, when some people don’t take the advice we give them… I guess we shouldn’t waste our breath, who knows how many of them we have left.

4. We don’t have to worry or stress about the big choices in life anymore. Like what career choices to make or if we should or shouldn’t have kids.  Most of the big choices have been made by us or for us. We are past that point now and can do what we want. We can work if we choose to work and do what we love to do instead of working to make a paycheck. And at least in my case there are no more kids going to be happening any time soon. Maybe a dog or cat…but that’s it.

5. It is a time in our lives when we truly have learned that looks can only get you so far. It’s not on the outside, it’s what’s inside that matters. So this means we can dress for us and for comfort. I do like to be fashionable, just not every day. If I want to lunge around in my sweats all day, I will.  And no more 4 inch heels for me. I killed my poor feet for far too long.

6. Our relationships with friends and family are real. I think we have come to the point where we have lost so many people and know that we only have so many more years left so the relationships we have in our lives now are the ones we want to be there. So we make time for them and cherish each moment we spend with them. When we were younger, our friends were all going through the having kids thing, the moving for careers thing and various other reasons why we didn’t have time or were in different places in our lives. Now we are for the most part at the same place and we have the time. When we are with family members now, there is an awareness that the time we are spending together is special.

7. The most fun thing ever is that we have time to be with our grandkids, to enjoy them, take them places and then send them home to their parents. Having grandkids is a lot like having kids only so much better because we don’t have the responsibilities we had with our kids. It is not on us to make them come out right. So we can just enjoy them.

8. We can do things we want to now, not because we have to. I have started writing at the age of 65. It is something I always wanted to do. Something I dreamed of doing, but just never seemed to have the time. I wrote as a teenager and then again in my late 20’s but then somehow just never started back up again. But I never lost the desire or the dream. It is never too late and we are never too old!

9. Naps! We can take naps and we can sleep in or go to bed early. There is no alarm waking us up for work. Getting up when I want to get up is the best feeling in the world. Getting up at all is even better.

10. I don’t have to be anywhere on anyone’s schedule but mine. If I want to spend the whole day reading, watching tv or on Facebook, I can do that. I sometimes feel guilty and then I stop and think about it, I deserve this, I earned the right to do what I want when I want. So I do!

These are my top ten. I’m sure I can think of more. I will end with this quote from Bernard Baruch, “To me, old age is always fifteen years older than I am”. I feel the same way.

Are you enjoying getting older? What are some of the reasons you enjoy it?

03Sep/15

Top Ten Benefits of Coconut Oil

Health and Beauty, Lifestyle, ,

There are actually way more than 10…

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I love Coconut Oil. I love to cook with it, take it everyday by the spoonful or use it as a treatment when I need some TLC for a certain issue. Here are some of my favorite ways to use it and why.

1. Take a spoonful everyday. It has wonderful antibacterial properties. Doing this daily can help with a lot of issues. Candida, kidney stones, liver problems, IBS and other digestive problems. Please consult your Doctor first if you have any serious issues.

2. Put it on your skin everyday. It is a great sunscreen and also very moisturizing. It is also not extremely greasy.

3. Use it for cooking. You can use it just like any vegetable oil. It is more easily digested than other oils and contains the “good” saturated fats the body needs. Because of this it is good for your heart. And it makes some very tasty scrambled eggs.

4. Put it on your feet. It has anti fungal properties so it is good for athletes foot or toe nail fungus.

5. Coconut oil can be a great help when you are trying to lose some weight. If you are craving something, like ice cream(just as a for instance, not saying I ever crave this) take a spoonful of coconut oil instead. For some reason it satisfies the craving. It also helps with digestion, due to its antimicrobial properties, which can also be a help with weight loss.

6. It is a wonderful mouth rinse. It has been shown to prevent cavities and heal gums.  My gums have been healthier since using this and my daughter in law has not had as many cavities as she has had in the past. Just take a little bit and swish it around your mouth for a few minutes and then spit it out. Follow up with some water and spit that out as well. You should do this for at least 10 minutes, but any time you spend doing it is better than not doing it at all.

7. Great as a massage oil for pain. I recently had my back go out so I put some peppermint oil, frankincense oil and coconut oil in a bottle and rubbed it on my back. It really alleviated the pain and helped with the healing of the muscle. And it smelled good too!

8. Coconut oil can be a wonderful stress reliever. Rub some on your forehead if your are feeling stressed out or have a headache.

9. It has recently been shown to help Alzheimers patients. Some studies have shown it has increased brain function and slowed down the process of alzheimers. I don’t know about you but I need all the help I can get with increasing my brain function.

10. Coconut oil is wonderful for your hair and scalp. You can massage some on your scalp and then shampoo as usual. Also put a little on after hair has dried to tame down any frizzies and help with dry hair. It has also been known to help with preventing head lice.

There are a lot of other things coconut oil can do for you. But these are my favorites and ones I have tried and worked for me. If you want to buy some you can click on the jar below. It takes you to Amazon and my favorite brand.

As always I am not a physician, so if you have any serious issues please consult your doctor before trying this.

Thanks for reading and good health!

 

02Jul/15

10 Benefits of Sesame Oil

Health and Beauty, Lifestyle, ,

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Why I love this stuff…

Apple Cider Vinegar, as many of you may know, is my number one go to cure all. Sesame Seed Oil is number two on my list for a variety of reasons. Today I will talk about the top 10.

1. Sesame Seed Oil has a high zinc content which makes it great for your skin. It has healing properties and produces collagen. Making it wonderful as a moisturizer and as a massage oil.

2. The seeds contains high levels of magnesium which has been known to prevent and help with some diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Also contains copper which can help those with rheumatoid arthritis.

3. Sesame seeds contain calcium, tryptophan and thiamin, which have calming effects and can help with pain, anxiety, depression and sleeping issues.

4. The oil has been shown to help improve the liver. Need I say more?

5. The healing properties of this seed are numerous as I mentioned above. Because of the zinc and it’s antioxidant properties it can prevent wrinkles, help with psoriasis and may lighten age spots. Start as early as possible using this, I have seen some of my age spots lighten a bit. I just wish I would have found this “wonder oil” sooner.

6. The oil can be used as a facial cleanser. It has amazing detox and healing properties due to the zinc and is very easy to make.

Mix together 1/2 cup sesame seed oil and 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar(if you don’t know about all the wonderful things ACV does, please read my earlier post on that) Throw some water on your face first and then use this mixture, leave on for a brief moment and then wash with warm water and your regular soap or cleanser.

7. It heals cuts, scrapes and helps with skin problems such as acne, which has a tendency to pop(no pun intended) up again later in life. Also tightens skin and stops itching. There has been some studies done where it has helped skin cancers or at least prevented it. I hesitate to promote this, as I do not know this to be a fact. But it can’t hurt.

8. Sesame oil is great for sunburn and after a day in the sun. Massage it gently all over your skin. One thing I like about it is it is not very greasy and doesn’t rub off on clothing or sheets like some other oils. (do not yell at me if you use too much and you ruin something)

9. I personally use it every morning as a serum under my moisturizer. I have noticed my skin getting softer and dry patches I had have disappeared.

10. And last but not least it works wonders on dry, cracked heels. Believe me when I say I have tried all the “cures” over the years and this is the best. Rub some on your feet every night, put on some socks and voila in the morning.. soft feet. It takes a few weeks to see the improvement but it is much better than the smelly Vicks or some of the other horrible things I have tried.

This list shows you a few of the benefits of Sesame Oil. You can also use the oil in cooking instead of vegetable oil. It has healthy fats and does not burn as quickly as some other oils. Make your salad dressing with it or just throw some seeds in your normal recipes. If you are making bread or cake throw some seeds in and no one will even notice(well they might, but its good for them). You can put some in your smoothies.

Note: I am not a doctor, nor do I pretend to be one. This works for me and I share my stories on what I use in hopes it may help others. If you take medication and think something may interact, please check with your doctor before trying anything I suggest. Good luck and good health!

I have provided a link to the one I use for my skin. Just click on the picture and it will take you to Amazon to purchase it. I always search for the best cost and best brand with highest rating from other users.

 

 

 

 

 

08Apr/15

Apple Cider Vinegar, The Best Thing Ever..

Health and Beauty, ,

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I Love This Stuff!!

I have been preaching the benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar for years to anyone who will listen. It is one of the worlds oldest and most useful products. And it does so much for you and your body, some of which I list here:

1. It is antimicrobial, so it kills bacteria. Kills germs and helps with sore throats, and flu.

2. It is an anti-inflammatory, eases pain and reduces swelling. Helps with joint pain, leg cramps, any issues with arthritis and other joint problems.

3.Reduces your blood sugar level. (please talk to your doctor first before taking it).

4. Gives you energy and is a mood booster.

5. Aids in digestion, helps with both constipation and diarrhea. Don’t ask me how it helps with both of these, but it does. Helps with any other bowel issues and acid reflux.I have heard it can help with weight loss, only because it can make you feel less hungry. It does have this effect on some and helps them lose a few pounds.

6. Helps with skin issues and scalp problems. Acne, itchy skin, poison and dandruff to mention a few.

This list is just a few of the things I personally can attest to it helping with as far as me and my family. My grandkids used to get sick every winter, bringing home all kinds of germs and flu from school. I can honestly say, they have not been sick this winter. Their mother puts a teaspoon of it in their juice everyday and they don’t even notice it.

As for me, I make up a bottle of water at the beginning of the day with 2-3 tablespoons of ACV and the rest water. If I have a special need like say I feel a sore throat coming on, I take it straight. 2 Tablespoons first thing in the morning, rinse my mouth with warm water because it can have an adverse effect on your enamel, and follow it with glass of warm water before eating or drinking anything. If you feel you can’t stomach is like this then add a teaspoon or two of honey to taste.

Update: I now take two tablespoons every morning straight..drink some water first, then the vinegar and then some more water. I love the taste of it now.

I have done this for a few years now and sometimes I forget for a while until I have an issue like I did this week. I had an incredibly stiff neck. I have been working on the computer for extended periods of time and I was in excruciating pain. It actually woke me up at night, i tried switching pillows, one pillow, two pillows, no pillow..nothing worked. If you know me you know I don’t like to take drugs, even aspirin or ibuprofen. If I have to I will as a last resort. I took a few this week. But on Sunday night after waking up numerous times due to the pain, I knew I had to do something or go to the doctor, which is another thing I really don’t like to do. So immediately after I got up on Monday I took 2 Tablespoons straight. I then did something I had never done before, I put some straight out of the bottle on a paper towel and rubbed it all over my neck, back of my head and upper back. It is not an exaggeration when I say within a half hour I could move my neck all around without any pain. And the best part is it stayed this way all day. I did it again before bed and again every morning since. The pain is gone.

Now please realize, this is my story and what has happened to me. This is in no way a medical site or am I giving medical advice. If you have a serious health issue and want to try ACV please talk to your doctor first.

The best apple cider vinegar should be organic, unfiltered and not pasteurized. It should have “the Mother” still intact. You will see pieces of apple and what looks like strings in the bottle.The brand I use is Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar.

 

Best of luck to you and be healthy!

Disclaimer: If you click on the link above and buy from it, I could make a little money…