Natural, homemade ingredients can be utilized to make some refreshing face masks that can work wonders on your skin. If you have oily skin, dry skin or normal skin, you can make face masks that suit your own particular skin type. Here are a few masks that you can use for all skin types:

Egg white face mask:

This mask is very moisturizing and soothing and is made of only two basic ingredients, yogurt and egg whites. Take the egg whites from 2 eggs and mix with 1 tsp natural yogurt. Apply to face for 10-15 minutes and wash.

Yogurt and honey face mask:

This mask is ideal if you have suffered a sun burn, or even if you feel that your skin is feeling too dry. All it needs is one table spoon of yogurt and one table spoon of honey. Mix the two and apply to the face for 15 minutes. Wash for a refreshing and rejuvenating effect.

Homemade clay masks:

This mask is truly one of the best facial masks you can ever make. All you need is 1 and a half tsp green clay, half tsp kaolin, 1 and a half tsp Aloe Vera and 1 tsp rose water. You can also add a few drops of essential oils like almond oil to this mask. Apply the mask for 10-15 minutes and wash.

Oatmeal and yogurt face mask:

This face mask is such a simple and basic mask that it can be easily made and applied weekly at home. Simply mix 1 tsp yogurt, 1 tsp oatmeal and a few drops of organic honey and apply to the face. Leave on for 10 minutes and wash.

Banana face mask:

This mask if for normal to oily skin. Take a very ripe banana, 1 tsp honey and the juice of a lemon. Mix the ingredients and apply for ten minutes.

Most of us live very sedentary lives, and tend to be too caught up in work, daily chores and our kids to have time for a regular exercise routine. This way our body tends to suffer as too much immobility not only makes us gain weight, but is also bad for health. Here are a few tips on how you can increase your activity level:

Skip the elevator:

When you are out shopping, or going up to your floor in the office, skip the elevator once in a while and take the stairs.

Walk or bike ride to your destination:

Go green and either walk or ride a bike to work, school or the mall occasionally, when the weather allows it. This way not only do you save fuel, and thus help in energy conservation, but you also feel fresh and energetic when you reach your destination.

Join a class:

Join an aerobics class, a gym, a dance class, a team sport; join anything that will get you on the move once again! A regular activity like playing soccer with your kids, hiking with your friends or simply running every day will not only tone your body, but will also make you feel more energetic.

Get up, and do it yourself:

Instead of using the remote, manually switch the channels. The remote contributes the most in making our lives more and more sedentary. Start a garden and grow your own crops, mow your own lawn and instead of driving to the car wash, wash your own car. Start a house cleaning frenzy and make sure you have the cleanest house in the neighborhood!

What is Post Partum Depression?

Post Partum Depression, or the “Baby Blues” is the temporary condition that affects some mothers immediately after giving birth to their baby. This condition affects first time mothers more than others, as they are suddenly overwhelmed with the care of a new baby. This condition should last anywhere between a few hours, to a few days.

What you should understand about post partum depression:

If you are a first time mom, and feel completely depressed because of the baby blues, you must understand that this is completely normal. When a woman is pregnant, her body is running full throttle on pregnancy hormones which increase almost a million times more than normal. After giving birth, these hormones suddenly drop down and it is this sudden change in hormone concentration in the blood that may contribute to a woman’s sudden feeling of depression.

How should you cope with the “baby blues”:

Complete rest:

At this crucial time when your body literally feels like it’s been hit by a truck, rest can do you a world of good. Give your baby to his or her father or grandmothers for a few hours and take some much needed rest. Rest usually works wonders and a good night’s sleep is sometimes all that’s needed for that depressing feeling to go away.

Eating well:

Eat a highly nutritious and healthy diet and avoid fatty foods like junk food and sugary desserts. Eating well also contributes greatly to getting rid of post partum depression.

Support groups:

If you are a single mom, or don’t have much family support, you can always join a support group for young mothers. These can help you meet more new mothers and share experiences. If you are still feeling depressed after a couple of weeks of giving birth, you should seek help from a qualified psychologist or therapist.

Carbohydrates make up the bulk of an average persons diet. These are starches and sugars that our body utilizes for energy. Rice, bread, pasta and vegetables high in starch like potatoes are rich in carbohydrates. Not all carbs are healthy for you, as some can make you gain weight and offer empty calories. Here are a few tips that can help you select healthy carbohydrates:

Choose whole grains:

Instead of going for breads, buns, rolls and cereals made from white flour, try to go for whole grain varieties. These are high in fiber and also don’t make you put on excessive weight. They are also great for the digestive system.

Replace white pasta with whole wheat pasta:

Substitute the regular pasta that you eat with the ones made from whole wheat. This is definitely low in calories and even tastes better. You can even opt for spinach pasta or egg noodles instead of regular noodles.

Try to avoid starchy vegetables:

Try to go for healthy carbs like turnips, cauliflower and celery roots instead of the starch loaded potatoes. If you want, you can always add these vegetables to mashed potatoes to limit the potato intake in your diet, instead of eliminating it all together. Include fresh vegetables like carrots, onions, cucumbers and salad to your diet and try to eat them raw as much as possible.

Add fruits to your diet:

Fruits are always very healthy and loaded with vitamins and minerals. Fruit is also very high in fiber and can do you a world of good if you eat it regularly. Try to avoid starchy fruit like bananas and stick to more healthy and low calorie options like apples, strawberries and other seasonal fruits.

Vitamins are essential for keeping our energy levels up, and for maintaining essential processes in our body. Eating well can keep provide you with all the vitamins that you need. Mentioned here are a few natural sources of vitamins:

Vitamin A:

This vitamin is essential in maintaining good eyesight and its deficiency can cause night blindness. It can be found naturally in carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, spinach and cantaloupe.

The B vitamins:

These include B1, Folic acid, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12. These are essential for performing various functions of the body and are found in the Following natural sources:

• B1- whole grains, beans, sunflower seeds and seafood.
• Folic Acid- spinach, beans, oranges, mushrooms and other leafy greens
• B2- Milk, yogurt, fruit, leafy greens, chicken and almonds.
• B3- chicken breast, Peanut butter, yeast, canned tuna and sunflower seeds.
• B5- organ meats, grains, fish, eggs and peanuts
• B6- chickens, bananas, baked potato, cereals, peanuts, oats and chick peas
• B12- Fresh fish, beef, pork, eggs, dairy products.

Vitamin C:

This vitamin is very good for healthy gums, fighting colds and flu’s, strong teeth and many more essential uses. It is found in citrus fruit, strawberries, broccoli, red peppers, brussel sprouts and cranberry juice

Vitamin D:

This is essential for bone health and for healthy teeth. Its biggest source is sunlight and it is also found in egg yolk, fatty fish, liver and fortified milk.

Vitamin E:

This is an excellent vitamin for the health of skin and hair. Found in peanuts, whole grains, vegetable oil, sunflower seeds, yams and sweet potatoes.

Vitamin K:

This is a very important vitamin for the clotting of blood. It is found in eggs, dairy products, beets, fruits, seeds and also by bacteria in the gut.