A blackhead is a yellowish or blackish bump or plug on the skin. A blackhead is a type of acne vulgaris. It is caused by excess oils that have accumulated in the sebaceous gland's duct. The substance found in these bumps mostly consists of keratin and modified sebum (an oily secretion of the sebaceous gland), which darkens (resembling dirt) as it oxidizes
This quick, easy, kid-friendly vegetarian tofu burger recipe is a sure way to get your kids or anyone else to eat tofu. Tofu burgers are a favorite with all our family and friends.
Half the tofu burger recipe if you're a small family, or save the leftover mix for sloppy joes, or scambled tofu. Improvise freely with the seasonings and the grains. But if you want onions, use them on the outside, not the inside - too wet.
Add all your favorite veggie burger fixings, fries, corn on the cob, whatever you like. Or go healthy, and serve the patties with steamed veggies and brown rice.
Amber - Amber absorbs negative energies and transforms them into positive forces that stimulate the body to heal itself. It can also help counteract suicidal or depressive tendencies.
Amethyst - has the power to calm the mind and emotions, creating a sense of peace. Amethyst also stimulates the intellectual and creative side of you. Amethysts are very powerful for people who suffer sleepless nights or for those with disturbing dreams and nightmares.
Ametrine - is an extremely energetic quartz of courage and harmony that contains both Amethyst and Citrine. Ametrine expels prejudice, stimulates creativity, strengthens concentration, promotes optimism and aids thinking things through.
Aquamarine - This beautiful crystal is reputedly able to dampen fears and gives its wearer a sense of confidence. It promotes communication and helps one to express oneselves. It is beneficial to wear it to examinations or while meditating.
Aventurine - This crystal promotes clarity of mind and self confidence thus reinforces decisiveness and amplifies leadership qualities. Aventurine helps you to focus and find creative solutions when you're feeling overwhelmed by problems.
Bloodstone - believed to have great magical and protective properties, possessing the ability to banish evil, keep out undesirable influences and dispel negativity. As its name suggests, Bloodstone is an excellent blood cleanser.
Carnelian - promotes happiness, creativity, steadfastness, confidence, courage, analytical power and assertiveness, and helps one to achieve greater success in career and personal matters.
Charoite - Charoite transmutes negativity and cleanses the aura. It bestows drive and vigor and is able to reduce stress and worry, bringing about a relaxed attitude. Charoite is also used to overcome obsessions and compulsions.
Clear Quartz - has very strong powers of protection against anyone who doesn't mean you well. Clear Quartz is a pure and powerful energy source which has the ability to transmit and receive energy.
Garnet - is also known as the stone of health, passion and romantic love. It enhances one's sexuality, sensuality and intimacy. Garnet also helps one to effectively deal with high stress, sadness, depression and critical situations.
Hematite - In physical healing, crystal healers credit Hematite with the ability to stimulate iron absorption, which in turn improves oxygen supply to the body and blood circulation.
Jade - is a desired stone prized for thousands of year in China for its protective powers and healing qualities. It is also said to stimulate creativity and mental agility, and enhance one's health. Jade is regarded as a symbol of the good and the beautiful.
Jasper - The powerful Jasper crystal is a stone that cools, soothes and calms the mind and nerves, hence reduces stress and brings tranquility. It enhances one's ability to relax and heal if necessary.
Lapis Lazuli - helps make one feel more empowered and cultivate a more fearless, adventuresome spirit and encourages taking charge of life. It also stimulates the higher faculties of the mind, bringing objectivity and clarity.
Moonstone - or Moonstone is most a great stone used to alleviate period pains, reduce emotional turbulence during menopause and enhances fertility. Moonstone helps bring out the best feminine qualities in a woman, provides emotional balance and enhances her sensitivity and intuition.
Obsidian - is perfect to boost your personal self-esteem and confidence. Obsidian is a very protective stone and is excellent for blocking out and dissolving negative energies, thus protecting you against evil intentions.
Onyx - is believed to be a powerful protection stone that absorbs negative forces and influences and transforms them into positive ones. Onyx is also said to have been helpful to people who are trying to move on after a bad relationships or let go of past attachments.
Peridot - is a helpful stone used to 'open' the heart and let go of "old baggage" such as people or the past, and to assist one to admit mistakes and move on. Peridot is also reputed to be a great stone to alleviate jealousy, anger, resentment and spite.
Prehnite - is a stone of unconditional love and the crystal to heal the healer. Prehnite enhances precognition and inner knowing. It is a stone that enables you always to be prepared, no matter what.
Rhodochrosite - is a crystal that represents selfless love and compassion, excellent for the heart and relationships. It is also a helpful stone used to remove denial, lift depressed mood, promote positive attitude, self-worth and acknowledgement of painful feelings.
Rose Quartz - Widely known as the 'Love Stone', Rose Quartz is most favored for its ability in speeding up the process for those seeking true love, mending broken relationships and jazzing up your existing romance life.
Ruby - is a very energetic stone that imparts vigor to life, fires enthusiasm, encourages passion for life and motivates one in achieving goals. Like citrine, it is also a stone of abundance that has the power to help prevent financial losses
Rutilated Quartz - is said to be the most energizing and uplifiting stone with anti-depressive effect. Rutilated Quartz is believed to relieve loneliness, attract love and stabilize relationships. It is also used to bring new hope, relieve guilt, aid sleep, assist decision making and enhance creativity.
Sapphire - is known as the wisdom stone. Blue sapphire is traditionally associated with love and purity. It focuses and calms the mind and releases unwanted thoughts and mental tension. Place on the throat, sapphire releases frustration and facilitates self-expression.
Smoky quartz - is a good stone to overcome lethargy. It encourages concentration and pragmatism. It is also an excellent stone used to absorb electromagnetic smog (detectable electromagnetic field that can be very harmful to sensitive people).
Sodalite - is a stone that instills a drive for truth and an urge toward idealism, making it possible to remain true to yourself and stand up for your beliefs. Sodalite clears electromagnetic pollution and can be placed on computers to block their emanations
Tiger's Eye - gives out energy that encourages your passion for life to blossom and stimulates your willpower and the desire for success. Tiger's Eye also promotes self confidence, self esteem, integrity, positive outlook on life as well as arms you with strength, courage and determination.
Turquoise - gives you tranquility refreshment and pushes you through with resourcefulness and enhances communication. It creates self awareness and promotes foresight.
Turquoise is reputed to be responsible for faithfulness and reliable relationships.
Watermelon Tourmaline - is a crystal particularly effective in promoting self-love and opening one's heart up to accept love. It increases happiness, serenity, compassion, tolerance and understanding in its wearer.
Zoisite - is a crystal that has the ability to transmute negative energies into positive ones. It is also a helpful stone used to dispel lethargy and promote expression of repressed feelings and emotions. Mentally, Zoisite increases creativity and focus.
Our skin is exposed to hundreds of chemicals during the course of our life, and is affected by them. From innocent bath products such as shampoos, shower gels, lotions and soaps to deodorants. Household cleaning solvents, detergent residues on clothes and chemicals from the bath or shower water also affect the skin.
Regular use of the sauna gradually restores the skin's elimination ability. Sweating removes toxic chemicals and metals faster than other detox method. It is a good habit that pays many health dividends.
The sauna's benefits are numerous. Not least because it is so relaxing and leaves your body soothed and your mind serene. It's main advantage lies in the fact that it promotes sweating, helping the body to rid itself of toxins. It is also believed that exposure of the skin to heat stimulates the production of white blood cells and strengthens the immune system.
Other benefits of the sauna include:
The sauna enhances circulation and oxygenates the cells, tissues and organs. It increases the body's ability to produce energy, which promotes healing. At the same time, heating the tissues speeds up the metabolism. Your cells are gradually capable of eliminating toxins much more effectively.
Scientists discovered the importance of alpha-lipoic acid in the 1950s, and recognized it as an antioxidant in 1988. The body needs alpha-lipoic acid to produce energy. It plays a crucial role in the energy-producing structures in cells. The body actually makes enough alpha-lipoic acid for this basic function. Alpha-lipoic acid acts as an antioxidant, however, only when there is an excess of it and it is in the "free" state in the cells. There is little free alpha-lipoic acid circulating in your body, unless you consume supplements or get it injected. Alpha-lipoic acid is a versatile antioxidant—it helps deactivate an unusually wide array of cell-damaging free radicals in many bodily systems.
Claims, purported benefits: Alpha-lipoic acid is said to prevent or treat many age-related diseases, from heart disease, and stroke to diabetes and Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as declines in energy, muscle strength, brain function, and immunity. Alpha-lipoic acid is also being studied for HIV disease and multiple sclerosis.
