Natural Remedies: Honey for Acne

Acne is a problem that I’m fairly certain 99.99% of the population has to deal with. This has definitely been a struggle for me since I was a teenager. And now that I’m in my 20s, and still having breakouts, I decided to look into some natural ways to treat zits.


One of the most effective methods for treating facial acne I have discovered is a honey mask. No cream, or paste, or powder. Just honey. About once a week I slather this sweet and oh so sticky substance all over my face, which tends to keep all zits at bay. However, there are some weeks I forget and some acne will reappear. Luckily, honey works its magic fairly quickly. Just apply a honey mask, wash it off after about 15 minutes with warm water, and by the next morning there should be some improvement!


I cannot remember where I heard of honey as an acne treatment, so I decided to do some research on what makes honey so wonderful. Here’s what I found (1): 
 - Honey is hygroscopic, which means it tends to keep skin hydrated and prevents drying.
 - Honey is antibacterial, which means it prohibits growth of certain bacteria. This is probably why it is so good for acne.
 - Honey is full of antioxidants, which might be able to combat the effects of toxins.


So if you have some acne issues, slather some honey on it! At the very least, you'll have one sweet face!


(1)http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/honey-properties.html

Affordable Yoga

I used to practice yoga on a regular basis. I also used to have yoga paid for within my college tuition. Now that I have to pay for classes out of my pocket, getting back into a regular yoga practice got delayed.

The cost of yoga classes is something I hear quite often as an excuse as to why people avoid yoga or gave up the practice. However, I have found a solution to eliminate this excuse: online classes. I have found a number of programs that offer videos, seminars, and streaming classes for a much lower fee per month than the average cost of one drop in yoga session (which is between $10-$20 (1)). Below is a list of websites I have come across, and a little information about each one*:

MyYogaOnline.com

This is the site that I personally chose to join. For $7.49** a month, you can watch unlimited videos from many different types of yoga forms. You can also follow programs, watch seminars, and read healthy living articles. I really felt this site was very well balanced, and have enjoyed the Vinyasa videos so far!

YogaToday.com

This site is also $7.49** a month. You can stream videos based on skill level, instructor, or based on focusing on a particular body part. I believe there is still a download fee per video, in combination with the monthly fee.

CorePowerYoga.com

This company has classes in a couple states, as well as having an online subscription. For $8.33** per month, you can focus mostly on power yoga. This site has a free week of subscription available to new students.

YogaDownlad.com

This site is again $7.49** a month and is quite similar to MyYogaOnline in content. I only chose MyYogaOnline over this site because they offered seminars as well as a variety of yoga styles. 

*I have to recommend that if you have never taken a yoga class before, please sign up for a few classes with an instructor guiding you prior to obtaining an online membership to any yoga subscription site. I would hate for anyone to develop injuries due to improper form!

** Price per month is calculated with the one year subscription. These sites had a slightly higher price per month when paying on a monthly basis. If you can afford a lump sum up front, it will save you money!

(1)    http://fitness.costhelper.com/yoga.html

Beginning my Namaste Adventure...

The word Namaste means “I bow to you”. When practicing yoga, the word can be heard at the very end of each class. “ The teacher initiates Namaste as a symbol of gratitude and respect toward her students and her own teachers and in return invites the students to connect with their lineage, thereby allowing the truth to flow—the truth that we are all one when we live from the heart.” (1) My question is, why don't we all bow to ourselves more, and take care of our bodies? Why don't we live from our hearts every day, not just saying the words after yoga? 

So who am I? I am a naturally stressed out individual who tends to not take care of my body. I, like most people, know that changes need to be made in my life but know that change can seem like a very intimidating journey. However, I am a person on a mission to take control of me, and bring more happiness, health, and peace into my life. And I have a plan: I’m going to seek out more Namaste in my life.

So how to you apply a word of respect used in yoga classes to a lifestyle change? I’m going to learn to respect my body. I’m going to apply more principles taught in the practice of yoga to my everyday life.

So what can you expect from this blog? I’m going to share my tips and tricks of what works for me in my journey for a Namaste life. I’ll share the good and the bad. I’ll write about eating better, getting more active, simplifying life, and living a more balanced life. What you shouldn’t expect is expert advice. I’m an ordinary person, not a health care professional, dietician, or even yoga instructor. So please take my advice with the proverbial grain of salt.

Like my Uncle told me prior to his death, "have great adventures." This adventure is for him. Let's see where this journey leads to.

Namaste everyone!

(1)      http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/822