October 2017 ~ Faceme

Health Benefit of Honey & Cinnamon

The health benefits of honey and cinnamon include its ability to promote a stronger immune system, digestive system, increase the health of the heart, bones, skin, teeth, and hair, as well as stimulate weight loss. It also helps in relief from itching and the symptoms of arthritis. This article covers the health benefits of honey and cinnamon when they are combined.

Honey comes with a number of health benefits when consumed individually, and when consumed in combination with other food items; the most useful combinations are formed with cinnamon, ginger, and milk.

Nutritional Value Of Honey And Cinnamon

Honey and cinnamon are both

nutritious foods and contain vitamins and minerals that help to maintain good health. They contain nutrients which include water, protein, fiber, sugars and various vitamins and minerals. Cinnamon also contains a very low level of fat.

Minerals such as calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc are found in honey and cinnamon. In terms of vitamins, they contain vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, niacin, and riboflavin. Cinnamon also contains vitamin A, E, D and vitamin K.

Health Benefits Of Honey And Cinnamon

The health benefits of honey and cinnamon include the following:

Boosts Immunity

Honey and cinnamon paste is good for boosting the immune system, eliminating chronic fatigue and increasing the lifespan of people. It can also be used for treating colds and influenza. This is partially due to the antioxidants found in both honey and cinnamon which can combine to combat the free radicals in the body’s organ systems.

Controls Diabetes

Cinnamon contains antioxidant flavonoids whose effect closely resembles that of insulin, which means that it can encourage glucose out of the bloodstream and into the cells where it is needed for the functional energy source. Honey, as a pure source of natural sugar, does not cause the fluctuation in blood sugar levels that many artificial sources of sugar do, and cinnamon’s effects, when combined with it, show a steady use of glucose by the body, and an improvement in Type 2 diabetes management.

Prevents Cancer

The phytochemicals that are found in such impressive amount in honey have been linked to preventing cancer, while cinnamon has certain anti-tumor properties that can also decrease the chances of metastasis or the spread of cancer through tumorous growth. Certain acids within honey also directly shut down the activity of two enzymes, lipoxygenase, and phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, which have both been linked to producing cancerous materials in the body.

Treats Itching

A paste made of honey and cinnamon is often used to treat insect bites and relieve inflammation at the source. Cinnamon is considered an anti-inflammatory substance, while honey is an antiseptic and therapeutic component of many beauty and cosmetic products, so their combination works on all aspects of skin irritation and insect bites at the same time, while simultaneously keeping you from developing infections.

Aids in Digestion

Honey and cinnamon can help to increase the health and functionality of the digestive system. It can remove gas from the stomach and intestine and treat stomachache, excess flatulence, indigestion and bladder infections. Regular consumption of cinnamon and honey will help in maintaining healthy digestion, which protects the gastrointestinal system from a number of serious conditions.

Treats Arthritis

Honey and cinnamon are beneficial in providing relief from arthritis. Regular intake of their paste helps to maintain bone health and relieves joint pain. You can also mix honey and cinnamon powder in warm water and enjoy the results.

Skin Care

The benefits of honey and cinnamon extend to skin care as well, where minor skin infections and pimples can be treated with a simple application of a paste formed from these two precious foods. This can be done on actual wounds, or on the skin as a general spread due to its anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antioxidant characteristics, which can reduce the appearance of age-related spots and wrinkles by reducing the impact of free radicals in the skin.

Heart Disorders

Honey and cinnamon are used for reducing the cholesterol levels and thus providing additional protection to the health to your heart. A high cholesterol level (LDL or “bad” cholesterol) can result in atherosclerosis or plaque buildup on the walls of arteries and vessels, thereby increasing the chances of a clot forming that can result in a heart attack or a stroke.

Promotes Weight Loss

A mixture of honey and cinnamon in warm water is considered a good weight loss tool. Of course, like any other weight loss remedy, results are only seen when you combine it with a controlled diet and regular exercise.

Hair Care

Honey and cinnamon also nurture hair, reduce hair loss and stimulate hair growth.

Dental Care

Both honey and cinnamon are individually used for dental care. A mixture prepared from the two is also useful in dental care, particularly in eliminating bad breath and toothaches.

Black soap, also called African Black Soap (ABS),

is soap made from the ash of locally harvested plants and barks such a plantain, cocoa pods, palm tree leaves, and shea tree bark. Black soap is traditionally made in West Africa, typically Ghana, from secret recipes. Varieties of black soap actually made in Africa tend to be pure, while soaps made in Europe or the U.S. tend to have added artificial ingredients. Not sure if you have the “real deal”? One rule of thumb to look for: authentic ABS should look brown and not black.

Black soap cleanses gently, so it’s ideal for people with rosacea, rashes, dryness and other skin conditions. Some African black soap contain a plantain extract, which has antibacterial properties that may help treat acne breakouts. Some people use the soap as a shampoo or mild makeup remover.

If you’re trying to cut back on the amount of toxins you put on your skin, Black soap gently cleanses impurities without the harmful chemicals. Few studies have been done on raw black soap, but available research has shown that black soap does have bacteria-fighting properties that help treat a number of skin conditions.

Some of the uses for black soap are: shampoo (be sure to follow it with your regular conditioner), makeup remover, acne breakouts, fade skin discoloration, dark spots and acne scars, reduce discomfort for psoriasis and eczema, and helps relieve skin rashes.

Black soap is best stored in a container or sealed plastic bag for ideal use. Black soap has a high content of glycerin, so it may be best to speak to your dermatologist before trying ABS if you have a known glycerin allergy.

3 Steps On How To Use Black Soap:

1. To combat irritation (burning, stinging, redness) associated with use, take off a small amount of soap (liquid or solid), knead it into a ball and work it into a lather by rubbing it between your fingers. Be gentle if applying directly to the skin, because there may still be particles that can scratch and damage the skin.

2. To prevent dryness, wash and rinse skin with cool water to help skin retain more moisture and use a lightweight, non-comedogenic (not tending to clog pores) moisturizer after use.

3. Because raw black soap contains high concentrations of fats, waxes and fat-soluble vitamins, but no lye, beware of high concentrations of chocolate and/or caffeine. Also be cautious of high concentrations of latex from the plantains, palm oil and/or coconut oil.

African black soap is great for oily and acne prone skin. It’s efficient for deep pore cleansing because of its natural exfoliating qualities. For some oily skin types it seems to keep the skin hydrated without increasing oil.

Cleansing with African Black Soap

If you are using raw African black soap, take the soap apart and knead it into a ball to make sure there aren’t any jagged edges, and rub between hands to work into a lather. If you apply the soap directly to the skin, do so gently, because there could still be particles that can tear the skin.
Washing and rinsing with cool water can help reduce the possibility of stinging and redness. Avoid getting the soap in the eyes.
If you have sensitive or very reactive skin, don’t leave the soap on the skin for a long period of time.
You could experience tingling or a burning sensation in acne areas, open sores and cuts.
If your skin feels squeaky clean afterwards, it means the skin is too dry. Try reducing the amount of soap that you use. A very small amount (the size of a marble) can cleanse the face and neck.

Make your own body wash

You can dissolve the soap in purified water and use it as a body wash. Let it soak for a while and liquefy. Purified water is not necessary, but recommended because you could experience different results from tap water, since some tap water has more chlorine and can be either soft or hard.

Shea butter is an off-white fatty substance obtained from the nuts of the shea tree from West Africa, typically used in cosmetic and natural skin care products. Full of all-natural vitamin A, 100 percent pure, unrefined, raw shea butter aids in numerous skin conditions such as blemishes and wrinkles, stretch mark prevention during pregnancy, muscle fatigue, dermatitis, and radiation treatments for certain medical problems.

Indeed, because raw shea butter is extremely moisturizing and very hydrating, when applied to the skin, it provides immediate softness and smoothness. But it has other proven benefits.

The National Center for Biotechnology Information published a study indicating that shea nuts and shea fat (shea butter) constitute a significant source of anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor promoting compounds. Another study from the American Journal of Life Sciences claims that shea butter boosts collagen production, demonstrating anti-aging properties.

Nutritional Background of Raw Shea Butter

Raw shea butter is rich in stearic, oleic acids and benefit-rich vitamin E and vitamin A. The shea tree is used as a source of vegetable oil containing about 45–50 percent oleic acid, 30–41 percent stearic acid, 5–9 percent palmitic acid and 4–5 percent linoleic acid. The best shea butter is extracted using cold pressed methods without added chemicals or preservatives.

Shea butter is smooth in texture and does not liquify at room temperatures; however, it will soften in your hands, making it easy to apply. Containing vitamins A and E, it has relatively high amounts of saturated fatty acids (like MCT oil) when compared to other plant-sourced lipids, such as grape seed oil, olive oil and canola oil.

Cosmeticsinfo.org reports that The Food and Drug Administration includes shea nut oil on its list of direct food substances affirmed at Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). While it is more common in beauty products, shea butter is often found in a variety of confections and chocolate as a cocoa butter substitute.

The safety of raw shea butter and related forms has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel, and they note its popularity in cosmetics and personal care products as compared to many other oils with a total of 1,950 products, with 1,680 of those uses in leave-on formulations. They also note that “a recent survey of use concentrations for shea butter reports a maximum use concentration of 60 percent in leave-on products.”

The Journal of Oleo Science reported that through its studies, shea nuts and shea fat (shea butter) was found to reduce inflammation. The studies also showed that shea butter contains a significant source of anti-tumor promoting compounds such as cinnamate esters, which also make up the health benefits of cinnamon.

Shea butter is a skin superfood that comes from the seeds of the fruit of the Shea (Karite) tree and that is naturally rich in vitamins A, E and F. It offers UV protection (it is SPF ~6) and provides the skin with essential fatty acids and the nutrients necessary for collagen production. Shea butter has been used in Africa and other countries for years to improve skin and hair.

Shea Butter Benefits

Moisturizing: The concentration of natural vitamins and fatty acids in Shea butter makes it incredibly nourishing and moisturizing for skin. It is often used to remedy dry skin and to help protect the skin’s natural oils.
Reduces Inflammation: A 2010 study found that due to its cinnamic acid and other natural properties, shea butter was anti-inflammatory. (source) One compound in particular, lupeol cinnamate, was found to reduce skin inflammation and even potentially help avoid skin mutations. This also makes it beneficial for some people with acne.
Skin Smoothing: Shea butter aids in the skin’s natural collagen production and contains oleic, stearic, palmitic and linolenic acids that protect and nourish the skin to prevent drying. With long term use, many people report skin softening and strengthening as well as wrinkle reduction.

Shea Butter Uses

Shea butter is one of the most versatile natural beauty ingredients and I use it daily in some form. I’ve used it for years in everything from my homemade lotion bars and original magnesium body butter to homemade lip balms and healing salves.

Some of my favorite uses for Shea Butter:

By itself for face and body as a natural moisturizer
In a shea butter lotion bar stick for easy use
Alone or in a pregnancy stretch mark salve to ward off stretch marks
As the best under-eye wrinkle remover and bag-reducer
For massage butter
In velvety soft whipped body butter
or basic homemade lotion
As a base for homemade deodorant
As an SPF 6 skin lotion
In magnesium body butter
As a natural baby-care product (alone) or ingredient in baby care recipes
By itself on the lips or in homemade lip balms
Or homemade shimmer lip balm
To improve skin elasticity (some even say it helps with cellulite)
On the hair or scalp (in mixture with other natural ingredients)
In homemade liquid creme foundation and makeup
After sun or beach exposure to replenish skin
On the eyelids before applying makeup to make it last longer
As a natural cuticle cream
On scars to naturally help collagen production
On sore/raw noses during a cold or flu

Neem oil is a naturally occurring pesticide found in seeds from the neem tree. It is yellow to brown, has a bitter taste, and a garlic/sulfur smell. While it doesn’t sound very attractive, neem oil can be very beneficial by providing an all-natural pesticide that controls both pests and diseases.

Loaded with nutrients, neem oil is also used in natural skin care products because it contains high levels of antioxidants that help protect the skin from environmental damage. Neem also helps fight free radical damage in the skin because it contains carotenoids, which provide high antioxidant compounds. As a result, cold-pressed neem oil and neem extracts are widely used in cosmetics such as soap, hair products, cosmetics, hand creams and pet shampoos.

Neem oil is usually comprised of a mixture of components. Azadirachtin is the most active component and is used for for repelling and killing pests.After the extraction of azadirachtin, the portion left over is called clarified hydrophobic neem oil. As reported by Current Science, it works as an effective non-toxic insect control agent to agriculture.

Since neem is also especially high in important fatty acids and vitamin E and can quickly penetrate outer layers of skin, it is extremely effective in healing dry and damaged skin.

4 Benefits of Neem Oil

1. Combats Bed Bugs

The Environmental Protection Agency has reported that neem oil, when combined with with certain approved agents, can be safe and effective against bed bugs both at home and in commercial environments. Performance trials conducted show that neem oil helps control bed bug adults, nymphs and eggs.

The EPA issued registrations for two new products: TER-TRU1, containing 5.5 percent cold-pressed neem oil, is a ready-to-use formulation for spot treatment by residential and commercial users; TER-CX1, containing 22.0 percent cold-pressed neem oil, is a concentrate formulation for commercial use in the treatment of whole rooms.

2. Serves as a Natural Insecticide

Neem is considered a safe, naturally occurring insecticide. The Journal of Insect Science notes that

… control programs using conventional insecticides to target anthropogenic mosquito habitats are very expensive because these habitats are widespread, particularly in cities of most African countries. Additionally, there are serious environmental concerns regarding large-scale application of most conventional insecticides. Clearly there is a need for alternative methods that are more effective, less expensive, and environmentally friendly. One such method would be the application of preparations made from parts of the neem tree, Azadirachta indica A. Jussieu (Sapindales: Meliaceae).

Azadirachtin is the important ingredient in neem oil that can help prevent unwanted pests from destroying plants. While there are other ingredients in neem oil spray that show insecticidal properties, azadirachtin is responsible for 90 percent of the effect of neem oil insecticide.

EPA modeling of potential residues of neem oil following terrestrial treatments indicated that residues declined rapidly between applications and following the final application. Neem products do not provide absolute insect control; however, frequent applications can reduce pest populations dramatically by repelling them and inhibiting their larval development, growth, fertility, mating and egg laying, and deterring feeding.

How does it work? A solution of neem oil smothers insect pests and has antifungal properties as well. The oil coats the plant’s surface and prevents the germination of fungal spores. Neem oil can also be used as a safe, natural leaf polish, though some plants may be sensitive. It is always best to test first.

The American Orchid Society also reports that neem has been shown to ward off sand flies and mosquitoes, aiding in control of the spread of diseases such as malaria. It has been used to treat lice and scabies, and tea brewed from the leaf of the tree has been used for termite control. Neem, in the form of leaves, can be placed in the pockets of woolen clothing to fend off moths and added to stored grains and beans to help keep insects out.

Neem products are often used as a cattle-feed supplement to kill parasites. Because neem is relatively inexpensive, it’s even has been helpful to reduce post-harvest losses in developing countries.

3. Offers Wide-Ranging Skin Care — Smoothes Wrinkles, Stimulates Collagen, Relieves Dry Skin & Reduces Eczema and Acne

The Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) states that neem oil is rich in essential fatty acids (EFAs), triglycerides, vitamin E and calcium. Because of its EFAs and vitamin E, neem oil penetrates deep within the skin to heal the miniscule cracks brought on by severe dryness. Fatty acids present in the neem kernel oil are oleic acid (52.8 percent), linoleic acid (2.1 percent), palmitic acid (12.6 percent) and stearic acid (21.4 percent).

The fatty acids and vitamin E found in neem oil are easily absorbed into the skin without leaving the skin greasy. Once absorbed, these powerful properties work to rejuvenate the skin’s cells and restore elasticity. Benefit-rich vitamin E acts as a free radical scavenger, by hindering the oxidizing processes in the skin. It promotes soft and supple skin, helps in reducing old scars and promotes healing.

Need also stimulates collagen production, good for aging skin. Indeed, if used regularly, neem may help smooth wrinkles and fine lines while helping to prevent the signs of aging. Neem oil may prove to be a natural remedy for eczema symptoms — including dry, red, itchy skin — and be very soothing, but it will not cure the root causes for eczema.

There are anti-inflammatory compounds known as nimbidin and nimbin that help relieve swelling and redness. another compound known as quercetin supports the body’s ability to respond to inflammation by inhibiting both the manufacture and release of histamine and other irritants.

KNUST also states that neem oil, when used as a soap, is antimicrobial and helps people suffering from skin diseases such as acne because it can help to soothe irritation and inflammation by removing bacteria from the surface of the skin; therefore, preventing more break-outs.

Neem oil has been used in traditional folk medicine and as a home remedy for acne because of the aspirin-like compound that helps rid the skin of bacteria. It also helps reduce redness and inflammation. The high fatty-acid content in neem oil is said to prevent and treat scars from acne and is non-comedogenic. The leaves are also an excellent exfoliant that can be used in a facial mask to pull out impurities and tighten pores.

4. Mosquito Repellent

Neem oil makes for a great natural mosquito repellent that is safe to use. As reported in the Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association, when 2 percent neem oil was mixed with coconut oil, then applied to the exposed body parts of human volunteers, it provided complete protection for approximately 12 hours from the bites of all anopheline species. They claim that the application of neem oil is safe and can even be used for protection from malaria in endemic countries.

Faceme

Wednesday, October 4, 2017