Pumpkin Hair Mash

A great little recipe for gently conditioning and hydrating your hair.  It provides UV protection and strengthens to prevent future damage.

1 can organic canned pumpkin (Fresh pumpkin may be used as well.  Dice it and boil it until soft)
1/2 cup of plain yogurt

Mash ingredients together and apply to damp hair.   Leave on for 10-15 minutes.  Rinse and shampoo.  It is recommended that you do this twice a month.

(*From Women's Health Magazine - Australia)

Homemade Room Freshener / Linen Spray

Recipe:

• 2 tbsp. 100 proof vodka
• Your choice of two essential oils, such as jasmine, bergamot, lavender, etc.
• Distilled water

Instructions:

1. Mix the 2 tbsp. of vodka and your choice of these oils in a 16 or 32 oz. spray bottle as follows:
   - 1 teaspoon jasmine oil and ½ teaspoon bergamot oil
   - 1 teaspoon lavender oil and ½ teaspoon sandalwood oil
   - 1 teaspoon vanilla oil and 2 drops ginger oil
2. Add distilled water to the bottle until it is almost full.
3. Screw on the cap and shake the bottle to disperse the oils evenly throughout.
4. Shake lightly before each use. 

This spray can be used to freshen a room or to add a little fragrance to bed linens.

A Berry Good Yogurt Parfait Mask for Your Face

Stole this one from the July-Aug issue of Whole Living Magazine....

A few of the benefits you will get from this mask:

Yogurt has antibacterial properties
Honey will help your skin retain moisture
Berries are loaded with awesome antioxidants
Lemon juice is astringent - it reduces oil, clears acne and may reduce the appearance of scarring.

INGREDIENTS

2T Plain Yogurt
2T Honey
1/4 C Mixed Berries
1T Lemon Juice

Combine Yogurt and Honey in a blender, pulse until fully combined.
Add Mixed Berries puree until smooth, then add Lemon Juice.

Apply the mixture to a clean, dry face.    Let sit for 10 to 15 Minutes.
Rinse thoroughly with warm water and pat dry.

A Little Tea Party For Your Hair

There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea.  ~Bernard-Paul Heroux

 
Tea can enhance highlights to your hair naturally without drying.  Black tea adds important antioxidants too.   Place 2 teabags -or use fresh herbs- to 2 cups of boiling water for 30 minutes (or overnight)  When cool, apply the brewed tea all over your head and leave it in for 15 -30 minutes.

What to use for your hair....

• Black Tea for darkening hair  (Coffee is also effective)
• Chamomile tea to enhance blonde locks.
• Sage tea to darken gray hair (add fresh sage leaves to 2 cups of boiling water and let cool, leave on for 30 minutes, use weekly)
• Red Hibiscus tea can enhance red hair.
• Rosemary tea may help thinning hair (add fresh Rosemary to 2 cups of boiling water and let cool, leave on your hair for 20-25 minutes)
• Lavender tea can help control dandruff (add fresh lavender buds to 2 cups of boiling water)

 Self Care Girl

How to be the CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE

1) Give yourself permission to make TODAY All About YOU. (stating loudly " because Self Care Girl says I can" might help too!)
...
2) Be polite if anyone challenges your position and don't do anything that might harm another person - being the Center of the Universe comes with very important responsibility (some people forget this and have given it a very bad name.)

3) Insist on meeting your needs first - the truth is if you are strong, healthy and love yourself, you will be much better equipped to contribute positively back to the world.

4) Ask yourself repeatedly, "what do I NEED right now?", then act. If the message is coming back unclear- take a walk. Walking is one of the best ways to get your thoughts in order!

5) Being the Center of the Universe can be absolutely exhausting and it is not for the faint of heart...be sure to eat healthy, exercise and get a good night's sleep...surround yourself with supportive people...and get lots of hugs.

Enjoy your day! ♥

100 Resolutions for Taking Better Care of Yourself!

We will open the book.  Its pages are blank.  We are going to put words on them ourselves.  The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.  ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

1. Resolve to make no resolutions this year (you really are perfect the way you are!)
2. Start a Journal
3. Buy yourself flowers once a month
4. Make this the year you finally try something that you have been wanting to try forever
5. Get debt free (see Dave Ramsey)
6. Get rid of the clutter in your home (see FlyLady)
7. Eat more fruits and veggies
8. Drink more water
9. Plan a date night each month with the person you love
10. Make Friday night (or Saturday night) Family Pizza Night
11. Increase your vocabulary with a new word a day
12. Read a book a month
13. Train for a marathon
14. Budget for a manicure/pedicure once a month (great way to stop biting your nails!)
15. Replace one bad habit with a good one 
16. Make a regular night out with the girlfriends
17. Learn how to meditate
18. Clear a space in your home where you can go to daily for 15 minutes of peace
19. Eat less processed foods
20. Replace fruit juice with whole fruit (fiber from whole fruit helps your body process fructose better)
21. Stop smoking
22. Surround yourself with positive, happy people who encourage you.
23. Tell that negative voice in your head to take a hike
24. Send a love note a week to your honey....always put it somewhere that will surprise them!
25. Take a long hot bath each week (this of course should be in addition to your normal bath/shower routine)
26. Volunteer your time
27. Go to church
28. Join a club
29. Go back to school
30. Call you grandparents once a week...visit them as often as you are able.
31. Learn something new
32. Start a chick flick night with your girlfriends
33. Find a creative outlet
34. Allow yourself permission to feel fully (happy, sad, grumpy, jubilation!)
35. Listen to your gut  (did you know that you have brain cells there? Amazing!)
36. Embrace change
37. Do something that scares you
38. Take a nap 
39. Hire someone to clean your house
40. Make a vow to live more simply
41. Re-use, Reduce and Recycle
42. Share your talents with the world - become a teacher or a mentor
43. Walk
44. Pray
45. Get a new hairdo
46. Do the opposite of what you normally do 
47. Keep a stash of chocolat tied with a bow
48. Get rid of those traditions that don't feel good or cause you too much stress
49. Start new traditions
50. Clean out your cupboards each month and donate to Good Will and the food bank
51. Get on a budget
52. Cut out sugar
53. Unplug one day a week
54. Send thank you cards for small things
55. Eat more fiber
56. Take sick days
57. Write down your goals
58. Get regular massages
59. Go hiking
60. Start a vegetable garden
61. Take more pictures
62. Say "I love you" more often
63. Forgive
64. Don't gossip
65. Listen better
66. Finish something you started
67. Give hugs
68. Compliment yourself more often
69. Snuggle more
70. Get your teeth cleaned
71. Get a physical
72. Find a physical activity that you enjoy doing
73. Stretch each morning (yoga is wonderful)
74. Find a mentor
75. Learn to speak a new language
76. Take a cooking class
77. Set small goals
78. Make a 1year, 5 year and a 10 year plan- be sure to write it down and track your progress!
79. Adopt a signature fragrance
80. Add more color to your life
81. Feed the birds
82. Spend more time at the beach and in the woods
83. Visit a day spa
84. Treat yourself to a fine dining experience
85. Wear matching a bra and underwear (make sure you are wearing a bra that fits you!)
86. Buy and wear comfortable shoes
87. Start a collection
88. Let go, let God
89. Eat dinner at the table with your family - if you live and eat alone, set a beautiful table
90. Make sure you have a will and estate paperwork is up to date
91. Have regular one on one time with your kids
92. Join a cooperative or CSA - support local farms in your community
93. Try a new food each week.  There are lots of fruits and vegetables you may never have tried
94. Moisturize.  
95. Say No more often
96. Buy luxurious, high thread count sheets for your bed
97. Count your blessing daily
98. Buy fuzzy, warm socks
99. Be true to yourself
100. Don't justify, explain or defend your choices.  

Have a Happy New Year!

Self Care Girl Book Review: Mastering Your Metabolism, by Jillian Michaels

Reading (again):  Jillian Michael's "Mastering Your Metabolism". 

Frankly, her approach on The Biggest Loser kind of scared me, but after reading this book (the first time) my perspective was altered.   I think this book about weight loss, environmental toxins and hormones are spot on!

The science she promotes is not mainstream.   I think this might be one reason why she left the Biggest Loser.  You cannot write a book about the negative impacts of over-processed food, and toxins in our environment (ie: Plastics, pesticides, GMOs)  and still promote Yoplait yogurt or Cheerios as acceptable "diet food" on national television!

Highly recommend!