Wednesday, 1 January 2014

Home Spa Foot Baths


Detox Foot Bath

If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, speak to your physician before giving yourself these baths. 
 
You want to avoid over stimulating your heart.

In the evening, before bed and after skin brushing, try giving yourself a detox foot bath. 
 
Again, if you’re feeling particularly unwell, be gentle with the amount of ingredients you use. 
 
I recommend using 1 cup of Epsom salts for every 60 lbs of weight.  So if you are 120 lbs, use 2 cups. 
 
However, if you’re very ill, or worn out, try only ½ cup or 1 cup of Epsom salts.  
 
The weaker you are, the more toxins are likely in your body.  When they begin to circulate from doing skin brushing & these baths, you'll feel very ill and may give up before you've had benefit. 



This is a formula I recommend:


Basin of hot water (no more than 98 degrees).


About 2 cups of Epsom salts (for a person 120 pounds). 
 
If you feel very healthy and want to aggressively clean out your lymphatic system, double this amount.  So instead of 2 cups, try 3-4 cups of Epsom salts. 

About 2 cups of hydrogen peroxide. 

When wanting a thorough cleanse, add an additional 2 cups.  Try to use the therapeutic grade found in natural health stores.   Hydrogen peroxide stimulates oxygen in the blood providing you a greater sense of ‘aliveness’ & calming to your nervous system.

About 1 cup of baking soda. 
 
As with hydrogen peroxide, natural health stores carry a grade that is without any additives that are not supportive of good health. 
 
Baking soda in the foot bath relieves itching& skin irritation. 
 
This is critical for you if you’ve been experiencing allergic reactions due to food intolerances or toxin buildup in the body.


As an addition, you can also add some raw, grated ginger, about a tablespoon.  It stimulates the body to increase blood flow. 


Many detox foot baths also call for addition of essential oils. 
 
As they are highly potent, you may wish to experiment first which ones trigger release of toxins and give you a greater sense of calm. 
 
I’ll talk at length about essential oils at a later date.


Best time to give yourself a detox foot bath is before bed. 
 
Give yourself a skin brush treatment, first, then soak in the foot bath for about 20 minutes. 
 
The truth though is that by 20 minutes, the bath will no longer be hot. 
 
I prefer to soak in the steaming bath for several minutes and then let my feet relax even further in the warm water for another 10-15 minutes. 
 
I read a book, listen to music.  Sometimes, I sit at my laptop and blog while I soak my feet.  Whatever works for you.


You’ll find your body heating up during the foot bath. 
 
For great health, you should be drinking upwards of 8 glasses of purified, non-chlorinated water everyday. 
 
When you do a foot bath, add an additional 1 to 2 glasses of water daily, depending on your height and weight.  The taller you are, the heavier you, the more water you will need.


After the foot bath, do not rub your feet aggressively dry.  Instead pat them dry. 
 
Your feet pores are open and are now actively releasing toxins.  Allow them to release so patting dry will least interfere with your ores.
 
At this point, you may also wish to stimulate your internal organs by pressing specific reflexology trigger points. 
 
As with essential oils, I'll be discussing reflexology at length at a later date. 
 
In the meantime, if you're eager to try reflexology, google the topic as there is an ocean of knowledge available online to get you started.
 


If you feel nauseous or headachy after your foot bath, place your feet in cool water.  This slows down the detoxification from your body. 
 

Give yourself a foot bath every night or at least twice a week until your energy has increased, your focus has improved and your overall health is better. 
 
Consider this a therapy to heal yourself of poor health.   A period of three to six weeks should clear up a number of health issues.
 
However, I also advise that you try giving yourself detox foot baths at least once or twice a week on an ongoing basis to maintain good health.
 
Skin brushing can be done everyday twice a day on an ongoing, non stop basis. 


While your detoxing, eat fruits, vegetables, lots of purified water, organic chicken and fish.  Eat whole foods.  
 
Supplement your diet with vitamin & minerals & good fats. 
 
When you exercise, do so gently as your body needs it’s strength to detoxify. 


Other than increasing your energy & focus, you will likely begin to see other ailments reduce or eliminate such as yeast infections, inflammation in joints, headaches, weary eyes. 
 
During the heaviest part of the detoxification process, your tongue will likely have a thick white coat or even a coat with a yellowish tinge. 
 
Scrape off this coat as it’s simply unwanted substances coming out of your body.


When you go for walks when you detoxify, you may find yourself sweating more than normal and your sweat may take on different odours. 
 
Again, allow what’s been built up in your body to leave.
 
Detox foot baths & skin brushing is inexpensive, simple & quick to do & non invasive to your body. 
 
Moreover, the benefits, as I've pointed out, are critical to your overall health & well being.

Sunday, 1 December 2013

December, A Time of Festivities

 
 
Welcome December!  A month long of festivities, good food, friends & family. 
 
Not only do we celebrate Christmas, but we also usher in the season of Hanukkah, The Festival of Lights.  
 
Diwali, also The Festival of Lights, was celebrated last month. 
 
As Christmas, both include gatherings with friends, family, gift sharing and beautifully prepared meals.

Saturday, 19 October 2013

Kale Tonic for Headaches & Migraines


I've been posting many homemade remedies for colds & flu. 

In October with the temperature change, so many of us find ourselves with chest inflammation, runny noses & fatigue, symptoms of cold & flu.

Another common cold & flu symptom are headaches & migraines. 

This remedy, which you also can make at home, is easy to make & eases the pain you feel with a migraine. 

INGREDIENTS

1/2 sliced pineapple
3-4 kale leaves
1 celery stalk
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 /2 teaspoon crushed ginger

Blend these ingredients together. 

Drink immediately.  Store remaining portion in fridge and store up to 1 day. 

Drink this throughout the day. 

This juice calms the nervous system and is effective for migraines, headaches, particularly those associated with colds & flues.

Onion, Garlic & Honey Cough Syrup


Here's another effective cold & flu remedy.
 
 
INGREDIENTS
 
 
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1 clove (sliced) or 1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 onion (sliced)
Dash of sage, thyme & oregano
 
 
METHOD
 
Mix honey & water.  Add onion & garlic.   Add sage, oregano & thyme.
 
Steep overnight at room temperature.
 
Strain & use the liquid as cough syrup.  1 - 2 teaspoon per serving.
 
Store rest in fridge.

Lemon, Garlic Tonic for Colds


This is the remedy I used to bring myself back to good health. 

I was eager to try it because it has a lot of the ingredients that release the chest & throat congestion like cayenne & lemon. 

The garlic attacks the virus and the honey soothes the throat.

The taste is good.  If you like garlic, you may even think it's delicious. 

After only one treatment, my symptoms went away within an hour. 

This is the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lemon
1 to 2 garlic cloves or

1/2 teaspoon shredded garlic
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon honey 


METHODS

Cut the lemon in half.  Squeeze both halves.  Use the 1st half for this treatment & the 2nd half 4 hours later if you do the treatment again.

Take the juice of 1/2 lemon & mix with the garlic.  Let mixture sit for 10 minutes. 

After 10 minutes, add the cayenne pepper. 

Add the honey and mix very well.  Put it into the blender if the mixture isn't blending well by hand. 

Repeat this treatment after 4 hours again if symptoms persist.

Sunday, 6 October 2013

Nutritional Deficiencies in Skin

 
When the body's skin is itchy, flaky, shows a lack of colour,  has patchy colours, a yellow tinge or is loose, you may look to these nutritional deficiencies.
 
All of these are signs show a lack of vitamins & minerals in vitamins A, C, K; mineral Zinc and Essential Fatty Acids.

Nutritional Deficiencies in Your Mouth


When lips are chapped, dry & peeling, look to a Vitamin B deficiency.

Swollen, burning, sore or pale tongues suggest a deficiency in Vitamin B Folic Acid, Vitamin B3, Iron or a food intolerance, sensitivity or allergy.