I have been a bit stuffed up lately and it is preventing me from falling asleep as well as sleeping through the night. I've found that one of my favorite natural remedies to alleviate congestion and cough to aid with sleep was by using eucalyptus oil. These are some tried and true methods that I love - let me know how they work for you!! Sweet dreams. 

1. For insomnia + sleeplessness: rub a little over your eyelids before going to bed. Will bring a feeling of deep relaxation for a peaceful slumber.
2. Eyelash treatment: can condition eyelashes making them thicker and healthier; simply massage a drop (a little goes a long way) of castor oil on your lashes carefully each night, avoid getting into eyes. Wash off in the morning with a mild facial wash.
3. Eyelash treatment #2: fill a container with ¼ castor oil, ½ vitamin E oil, and ¼ aloe vera gel. Mix and apply a light layer to lashes every night before bed. After a month you will notice stronger, longer lashes. You can also apply this mixture to your eyebrows.
4. Eyebrow growth: applying castor oil to your eyebrows will help them grow long and thick. Apply before going to bed to leave on overnight.
5. Makeup remover: apply to a cotton ball or a q-tip, either 100% or half castor oil and half olive oil, to swipe off make-up easily
6. Stretch marks: massage into stretch marks and over time old marks will fade.
7. Reduce cellulite: blend castor oil with grapefruit, lemon, cedar and lavender essential oils and rub the mixture into your skin.
8. Scars + burns: use to treat cuts and scrapes and prevent scarring, new and old. Soak a soft absorbent cloth with castor oil and lay it on the scar, for very serious scars do this for two hours (if you have the time).
9. Deep condition hair: massage castor oil into dry have until saturated. Put on a shower cap and sleep with the oil in your hair, when washing out in the morning apply the shampoo before wetting hair.  
10. Healthy hair + scalp: massage castor oil into the scalp and roots of the hair, regular massage can lead to faster and newer hair growth as well as prevent dry scalp
11. Darken hair: using castor oil will make your hair just the slightest bit darker by applying oil on your scalp
12. Grow hair: leave on for thirty minutes and then wash off to grow long, thick, shiny hair and prevent hair loss. You can also add olive oil or coconut oil to the mixture.
13. Hair loss: rub castor oil onto your scalp and at the roots of your hair, known to regenerate new hair growth within months.
14. Add shine + reduce frizz: put a teaspoon worth onto a comb and brush it through dry hair. This is especially helpful during dry winter months.
15. Treat acne: before bedtime, open pores with a warm wash cloth then massage a small amount of castor oil into your skin and leave overnight.
16. Deep treatment for acne: fill your bathroom sink or bowl with hot water, drape a towel over your head and allow the steam to penetrate your pores for 15 to 20 minutes. Apply a small amount of castor oil to skin and leave overnight.
17. Moisturize skin: massage castor in circular motions after washing your face, will hydrate without clogging your pores. Can also use to moisturize your lips.
18. Moisturize feet: you can slather castor oil onto dry heals and feet to help moisturize them.  
19. Fast acting laxative: mix castor oil with orange juice or other juice directly before consuming and do not use at bedtime, as it works faster than other laxatives.
20. Intestinal cleanse: when ingested castor oil acts as a laxative that cleans out not only the lower but also the upper intestine, the expelling of this waste can allow a person to drop a few superficial pounds in a hurry and can help kick off a healthy diet and weight loss plan. Measure 2 oz. of castor oil (measure carefully as ingesting too much can induce vomiting and severe stomach cramps) and mix with 8 oz of fresh fruit juice (100% fruit juice, not juice cocktail or from concentrate). Drink the mixture and allow five hours to take effect, repeat once daily for up to five days only to clean out your intestinal tract. Decrease usage to once a month for digestive maintenance.
21. Mole and wart removal: cleanse location of mole and dry, put castor oil on the mole with a cotton swab and cover with band-aid. Repeat this procedure twice a day (in the morning and before bedtime) for one month. Or you can also apply a hot towel onto the mole for a minute, apply the castor oil and then reapply the hot towel for another minute. You can try doing this for about ten minutes two to three times a day.
22. Wrinkles + under eyes: rub in a small amount around your eyes and onto face before bed. Done daily this will prevent wrinkles and keep skin youthful and plump. Castor oil is an ingredient in several anti-ageing, under eye, and wrinkle creams.
23. Liver detox: apply to abdomen and place heating pad or hot towel on top for two hours, one to seven times a week. The castor oil stimulates both phases of liver detoxification and helps liver function.
24. Pain relief, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification: the main component of castor oil produces significant pain relieving and anti-inflammatory effects and is easily transmitted through the skins surface and into lymphatic circulation supporting detoxification pathways in the body.  To do this make a castor oil pack! Fold a flannel two to three times over your abdomen, especially covering the upper right side. Saturate the flannel with castor oil, put in a glass dish and place in the oven until warm to the touch. Lie on top of one towel (to prevent staining) and place the flannel on abdomen. Cover it with plastic and another towel and place a hot water bottle or a heating pad on top. Keep covered with a sheet and blanket to stay warm. Leave the pack in place for 45 to 60 minutes. 

and some tips for use...

•  To remove castor oil from skin use a solution of 1 tsp or baking soda with 1 pint of water
• When sleeping with castor oil on face or hair best to wrap up hair or sleep on a towel as stains from castor oil are almost impossible to remove.
• When placing castor oil onto face try mixing 1 part castor oil with 2 parts grapeseed oil or jojoba oil for cleansing and moisture.
• When applying castor oil to hair: castor oil is very thick and viscous so if you have fine or weak hair you should mix castor oil with a lighter oil so it will be easier to wash out later. Olive oil and coconut oil are your best bets. Try 1 oz castor oil and 2 oz coconut oil. To wash out best to apply shampoo to dry hair first 

I blog to you sitting in the library doing nothing other than what I am trying to avoid here, procrastinating. School has consumed my life and while I have put blogging on hold for a while, I have not put my health on hold. No matter how busy we get and how much life consumes us, we can NEVER put our health in the back seat. 


With that being said my trouble studying has spurred my interest in what can possibly help me to focus on my work. By having an understanding of what healthy foods will help you concentrate it will only further prevent you from grabbing that bag of chips... instead try making a bag of trail mix! 

1. Salmon
2. Vitamin C is required by the brain to carry nerve impulses
3. Tuna
4. Chia seeds
5. Kiwi
6. Lentils
7. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
8. Brazil nuts
9. Almonds
10. Walnuts
11. Do not skip breakfast!
12. Cashews
13. Coffee
14. Eggs
15. Antioxidants protect brain cells from damage by free radicals 
16. Oatmeal
17. Whole grains
18. Cauliflower
19. Leafy-Greens
20. Vitamin B, especially B6 and B12
21. Spinach
22. Kale
23. Broccoli
24. Strawberries
25. Melons
26. Black beans
27. Dark chocolate can increase blood flow to the brain for 2-3 hours 

Head
How you hold your head is key to overall posture which determines how efficiently you run

• let your gaze guide you, look ahead naturally not at your feet
• don't allow your chin to jut out

Shoulders

Play a role in keeping your body relaxed while you run, another key to maintaining good posture

• keep them low and loose
• if you get tired do not let them creep up your neck
• keep them level, don't let them dip from side to side with each stride

Arms

Your hands control the tension of your upper body and your arm swing works with your leg stride to drive you forward

• keep hands in unclenched fist, fingers lightly touching or resting your palms
• relax your fists, imagine lightly holding a piece of paper between your thumb and second finger 
• clenching fists causes muscles to contract wasting energy
• arms should swing back and forth, not across your body
• swing arms up to chest and down to your hip
• bend elbows at about 90 degree angle floating between chest and waist 

Torso

How you hold your head and shoulders affects your torso, if you position them correctly your torso and back will naturally straighten allowing for optimal lung capacity and stride strength.

• keep torso upright, if you start to slouch take a deep breath and you'll straighten out naturally
• stretch yourself up to your full height with your back comfortably straight 

Legs/Stride

Correctly stride will help you to run fluidly instead of wasting energy while you run.

• your feet should land directly underneath your body
• as your foot hits the ground your knee should be slightly flexed so that it can bend naturally on impact
• if your lower leg extends out in front of your body your stride is too long
• leg should land underneath your body
• lift lets only as high as needed to maintain proper stride
• landing on your forefoot can strain your calf and achilles

Ankles/Feet

The part of the body that many people have the most trouble with pounding the ground and striking with your heals leads to energy loss and possible injury. 

• lean your body from your ankles without bending at the waist
• keep your ankles flexed as you push off
• flexing at the ankle reduces unnecessary muscle strain and creates more force for push-off
• most good runners land between heal and midfoot, but ideally you should land on the balls of your feet and push off 
• roll forward quickly and use your calves to propel you forward with each step
• your foot should hit the ground lightly, running is springy and quiet

And now that you're a pro... 

1. Tea: Try drinking green, chamomile, or black. Loaded with antioxidants they boost immune function, fight cold and flu, and destroy cell-damaging free radicals.
2. Zinc: have 15 to 25 mgs of zinc a day as some consider it the single most important nutrient for maintaining optimal immune function. It can be found in red meat, poultry, beans, nuts and fortified cereal.
3. Almonds: are full of vitamin E which helps boost the immune system by increasing the amount of the body's cells that destroy germs. 
4. Broccoli: helps mucous membranes form to protect your body from damage by repelling environmental threats. It also contains vitamin A, C, and glutathione, all of which are known to help boost immunity. 
5. Vitamin C: Studies found that people who take vitamin C experience 45 to 91 percent reduction in common cold incidence while most people find them in citrus fruits, strawberries actually have a higher vitamin C concentration. 
6. Fiber: helps to support the production of white blood cells that fight bacteria. Fiber also allows your body to absorb immune boosting nutrients. Try a bowl of steel-cut oats with flax-seed. 
7. Mushrooms: contain beta-glucans known to enhance immunity. They also contain selenium, deficiencies in this nutrient are linked to developing the flu.
8. De-Stress:  Try yoga, tai chi, or meditation. Stress causes the immune system to be more susceptible to the common cold and other viruses. 
9. Watermelon: The antioxidant glutathione found in watermelon helps fight and fortify cells against infections. 
10. Yogurt: Yogurt containing "live and active cultures" may reduce your changes of getting a cold. 
11. Simple sugars: avoid them! Sugary foods and sugary juices can impair immune function.
12. Vitamin D: linked to immune function and regulation, deficiency increases the risk of infections. Few foods contain vitamin D and its best to get your dose from short periods of sun exposure without sunscreen.
13. Garlic: several antioxidants found in garlic battle immune system invaders. It has strong anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal qualities. 
14. Capsaican: studies have shown that capsaican, the substance that makes hot peppers hot, can fighting colds before they start when taken daily by increasing your
15. Echinacea: this supplement stimulates production of white blood cells. It has anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-viral powers that strengthens the body's natural immunity. It can be found in teas or taken as a supplement.

Going for a run? Planning on working out? Don't forget to eat! Food remaining in your stomach during a workout may cause nausea and cramping, eat something small and easy digestible at least twenty to thirty minutes before your go. If you're eating a something larger than a snack, leave yourself two hours to digest. Remember sleep is dehydrating and you need fluid for your muscles to work properly and help your breakfast get absorbed, without hydration your breakfast may leave you with a cramp on your workout. 

1. Carbs are the primary source of energy you burn during a run, they provide the fuel you need to run long distances
2. Eat a combination of carbs and protein, like a slice of whole-wheat toast and low-fat cheese, or a small bagel with peanut (or almond) butter
3. Eating a 100 to 300 calorie snack before your morning run can give you energy and staying power
4. Bananas: a carb-packed, energy booster they also contain potassium which regulates blood pressure, reduces the risk of stroke, and is known to prevent cramping
5. Berries: the potassium and vitamin C in berries help the body repair itself after the pounding from high-impact activities 
6. Avoid slow to digest fatty and high fiber foods, to help prevent cramping
7. Honey: a perfect pre-run supplement, it gives runners a nice combination of quick and slow absorption carbohydrates for sustained energy during exercise - add some in your water or tea
8. Oranges: high in water content, they will help to keep you hydrated and it has been found that hey increase fat burn during exercise
9. Almonds: full of vitamin E, almonds can help stave off post-workout soreness
10. Eggs: a great of protein, eggs provide energy and helps to repair tissue damaged during and after training
11. Leafy greens: in in levels of vitamin K, leafy greens like spinach and kale, aids with the production of proteins essential for bone health
12. Quinoa: Quinoa is a complete protein containing 8 muscle mending amino-acids to help your body bounce back after a workout 
13. Sweet Potatoes: provide sustained energy, keeping you going for the long haul 
14. Coconut water: rich in potassium it helps to prevent cramping
15. Tart Cherry Juice: helps to reduce inflammation

One of the keys to seeing results from your workouts is to continually surprise your body, to keep switching it up. While everyday is a fresh start, for some of us, we see Mondays as a time for a fresh start in particular. Mondays will now be My Healthy Life Now's "Make it Happen Mondays" where we will feature a new workout of the week for you to try. Check this one out and tell us what you think!