Monday, July 29, 2013

Unusual ways to use Garlic

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Garlic is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, killing bacteria, fungus, viruses and mold, so it’s an important ally for natural health.  Here are some unusual and strange ways to use it. 


Pesticide
Whiteflies, aphids, cabbage loopers and squash bugs. All of these creepy-crawlies and more can totally decimate the beautiful organic garden you’ve been tending all season. Ward them off with an all-natural garlic pesticide spray. Mince three garlic cloves and let them sit in two tablespoons of mineral oil for 24 hours. Then strain out the garlic and add the oil, along with a teaspoon of liquid dish soap, to a pint of water in a spray bottle. Spray on infested plants.

Mosquito repellent
If you don’t mind smelling like Italian dressing, garlic can work wonders in warding off pesky mosquitoes without the use of DEET and other potentially toxic chemicals. Try this oddball garlic mosquito spray: let a few minced cloves of garlic infuse an ounce of mineral oil for 24 hours, strain, and mix the garlic-scented oil with 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Strain again if necessary and pour into a spray bottle.

Athlete’s foot
Garlic is a potent natural antifungal, making it ideal for treating fungal infections like irritating and itchy athlete’s foot. Add a few cloves of crushed garlic to warm water in a foot bath and soak the affected foot for 30 minutes.


Acne

Slice open a clove of raw, fresh garlic and apply it to breakouts as a home remedy for acne. Your skin won’t smell terribly good, but the antibacterial properties of garlic will help lessen the appearance of acne, even those deep acne cysts that can otherwise be difficult to treat. 

Cold sore treatment
These unsightly lesions always seem to pop up at the most inopportune times, like the morning before a big date. Raw garlic may work just as well as commercial medical treatments, though the acidity may cause discomfort at first. Cut a garlic clove in half and place it directly on the cold sore for 10 minutes, several times a day. Garlic supplements in capsule form may also speed up the healing process.

Glass repair
Did you know that garlic juice is a natural adhesive? While it’s not up to any major jobs, it can be used to fill in hairline cracks in glass and hold them together. Crush a clove of garlic and rub its sticky, viscous juice into the cracks and wipe away the excess.



Weight Loss Aid
Even though it’s potent flavor may make you want to eat a lot of it, garlic actually has weight loss properties, according to some research. Compounds found in garlic send your brain signals of satiety, which will actually help you to feel full faster. It also boosts metabolic function helping you to burn more calories as well. Plus it taste great when you cook with it 

Splinter removal
Splinters suck. They’re painful to remove, and sometimes they slice too far into the skin to pull out. Instead of waiting for it to come out on its own, try this odd trick: place a thin slice over the splinter and hold on with a bandage. The garlic should help the splinter work its way out of the skin within hours.

Yeast infections
At the first sign of a yeast infection, many women around the world turn to a rather unusual natural remedy: raw, peeled garlic cloves (not cut), typically tied in a strip of cheesecloth and inserted with a tampon applicator. Garlic’s antifungal properties go to work on the yeast, supposedly keeping the infection at bay.

Cough syrup
Ease inflammation in the throat and clear up excess mucus by using garlic as cough syrup. Try steeping raw, minced garlic in hot water, straining it after five minutes and drinking the liquid as tea; you can add ginger and honey to make it more palatable.

Mole removal
This method is almost certainly not recommended by dermatologists, and mole removal is best left to medical professionals, especially since skin doctors can tell upon excision whether the mole shows signs of malignancy. However, many people choose to go it alone, and garlic oil – applied several times per day and covered with a bandage – is an oft-repeated DIY route.

Hair loss help
Whether you’ve over-dyed your hair to the point of constant shedding or you’re just going bald, garlic may be worth a shot before you resort to more drastic measures (or just buy a lot of hats.) Some people believe that massaging the scalp with garlic oil stimulates hair growth.

Parasite killer
Many alternative health practitioners advise using raw garlic to expel intestinal parasites. Recommended as part of a cleansing diet that also includes raw honey, lemon juice, pumpkin seeds, carrots and beets, garlic consumed in quantities of about three cloves per day may help clear nasty organisms out of the digestive tract.

Aphrodisiac
Does garlic turn you on? You may not like the smell of it on someone else’s breath, but it may incite lust once it makes its way into your stomach. Garlic has been used as an aphrodisiac since ancient times, and modern medical knowledge may have an explanation: it aids circulation, pumping blood to your extremities. This effect might even increase men’s endurance in the bedroom.

Psoriasis relief
The persistent tightness and itching of psoriasis could be eased or even prevented by garlic’s anti-inflammatory properties. Active compounds in garlic interact with arachidonic acid, an omega fatty acid in the skin linked to psoriasis. Garlic oil may be rubbed directly on affected areas once or twice per day.

Fish bait
Garlic’s strong smell may repel insects, but it has the opposite effect on fish. Yep, that’s right, garlic cloves are recommended by some fisherman as an unusual bait that can attract catfish, carp, trout, bass and other species. Marshmallows or dough balls made from a mixture of crackers and cat food are coated with crushed or powdered garlic and placed on a hook to lure the fish with its scent.

Ear infections
A common folk remedy for centuries, garlic can indeed kill the bacteria that cause ear infections. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should shove a clove of garlic into your ear and hope for the best. Crush a clove of garlic with a press and place it in a teaspoon of hot olive oil for five minutes. Strain, allow to cool and drip a few drops at a time into your ear canal. You can also purchase garlic oil made for this purpose at natural health food stores.


Not only does garlic taste amazing to cook with, now you can try these other ways to use it. 


Check back for my Unusual ways to use coffee. Have an unusual way you use Garlic, I would love to hear about it! 

Friday, July 26, 2013

No dream is too big, and no dreamer is too small

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We recently took little G to his very first movie theater experience. He has never even stepped inside one so needless to say he was super excited. I was always afraid to pay 20-30$ for the whole family to go a  movie together for him to only sit through half of it. So we waited till he was almost 4 and for the right movie that would spark his attention and keep him entertained. Turbo, was just that movie. 




 Turbo is about a snail who desperately wishes he could escape the slow-paced life he’s living. He gets that chance after a freak accident when he suddenly finds himself vested with the power of incredible speed. Turbo embarks on an extraordinary journey to achieve the impossible: racing against the best that IndyCar has to offer. Turbo is the ultimate underdog who achieves the impossible by refusing to let his limitations limit his dreams.




We tried to make this as special as we could for him. So we let him pick out his own candy, got him his own special popcorn, let him pick the seats. When we got inside he was in awe of the " Giant TV screen " we brought a blanket in case he got cold and another one to shove in the seat so it wouldn't collapse on him. He brought Leonard ( his very loved blankey animal ) and we waited for the movie to start.




He sat through that whole movie and came out of it quoting parts and laughing and racing around like turbo. asking us if we remembered parts.. I was loving every minute of it! 





Cant wait to take him again!! Have you taken your little to see a movie at the theater? If so what movie did you see and how did they do?
 

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

What time is it?

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Today was a really rough day for me and the little. He argued with everything I asked or said and I was almost to my breaking point. So, I went in the laundry room shut the door and asked myself what can I do to change things, what does he need from me. It was to hot to go for a walk and he was in a destructive mood. I decided a craft that had to do with cutting would be a good way to channel those emotions without having any boundaries.. Just free roam, plus it gave us some one on one time and a change to kick us in the right direction. 

So we remade our much needed routine chart. We will probably need to add or pin or remake it when school starts but it works for now. I brought out the markers, glue, glitter, stickers and magazines and let him go to town.. 





After about an hour or more of working on this non stop. He was finished and proud of his work. And it now hangs in the spot where our old one used to hang. 



Do you have a routine? Would love to hear and see your chart if you have one ;) 

Friday, July 19, 2013

Unusual ways to use Olive Oil

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 This miracle substance has been revered for its wonderfully fruity flavor, but it’s so much more than a healthy topping for salad and a heavenly dip for fresh-baked bread. Olive oil has dozens of unusual uses around the house, not to mention its powerful moisturizing and healing properties on the hair and skin.  Check out these reasons why you should never be caught without it.

Paint clean-up
When your hands are covered in paint, sap or any other sticky substance that’s hard to remove, try scrubbing them with olive oil and a little salt or sugar. The paint will come right off and your skin will be soft and exfoliated.

Eye makeup remover
Even the heaviest, drag-show-worthy makeup job can’t stand up to the removal power of olive oil. Dab a little on a cotton pad and your eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara – including waterproof formulas – will wipe right off.

Furniture polish
Olive oil helps remove dust from furniture and gives it a shine. Add a teaspoon to a quarter cup of lemon juice, and you’ve got a non-toxic, petroleum-free polish that also gently cleans wood surfaces.

Skin moisturizer
You might think using olive oil as a moisturizer would leave you with oily skin, but that’s not the case. Used in small amounts, it seeps in completely, eliminating dryness and reducing the appearance of wrinkles without clogging pores.

Shoe polish
What, exactly, is it in shoe polish that has such a headache-inducing smell? It could be any number of potentially toxic ingredients. Banish them from your house and use olive oil instead. Just buff onto your leather shoes with a cloth.

Hinge lubricant
WD-40 shouldn’t hold a monopoly on squeaky door hinges when simple, natural olive oil works just as well. Wipe it on with a cotton ball or use a spray bottle to lubricate the hinge and eliminate that annoying creak.


Bath oil
Add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil and you’ve got a custom bath oil that will gently scent and moisturize your skin.

Stainless steel shine
Olive oil alone will buff stainless steel and brass surfaces to a brilliant shine. Just wipe off any debris and allow the surfaces to dry completely, then pour a little oil onto a clean, soft cloth. Buff in circular motions with firm pressure.

Smooth shave
Slick and moisturizing, olive oil will help your razor glide along your skin for a super-close, smooth shave with fewer nicks.


Throat soother
Got a big singing performance or speech coming up? Swallow a tablespoon of olive oil just before you step on stage and you won’t have to clear your throat nearly as often. This trick also works to soothe itchy throats and lubricate the back of the mouth and tonsil area, which may lessen snoring.

Hair treatment
Sure, you could buy a fancy commercially-prepared hot oil treatment for your hair – or you could just grab the bottle of olive oil that’s already sitting on a shelf in your kitchen. Apply a few tablespoons of warmed olive oil to damp hair, massage into the scalp and rub through the ends, then leave it on for thirty minutes to an hour. The oil will clean and condition the scalp, soften the hair and help the cuticles lay down flat for a sleek look.

Ear ache relief
A little warm olive oil is a fast, effective means of relieving painful ear aches. Just place the bottle in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes, then pour a few drops into the affected ear. To cure ear infections, infuse the olive oil with a fresh clove of garlic, strain the garlic out and drip into the ear.

Sticker remover
Dab olive oil onto a sticker or label, let it sit for a few minutes and the sticker will peel right off. No scraping needed, no annoying residue left behind.

Lice treatment
Olive oil has long been a preferred natural treatment to eliminate dreaded head lice. It reportedly helps to dissolve the exoskeleton of these little parasites, and smother the ones that are resistant. Pour it on to dry hair liberally, comb out any visible lice with a nit comb and then leave it on under a shower cap for up to 8 hours. Follow by coating the hair in apple cider vinegar; leave it on overnight, shampoo as usual and then comb out any remaining eggs.

Hairball prevention
Nobody likes the sound of a cat loudly hacking up a hairball, especially since it always seems to happen when you’re trying to eat or sleep. Help it pass through your cat’s system more easily by adding 1/4 teaspoon of olive oil to his or her food each day.

Chewing gum remover
Whether your child comes home from school with a mass of sticky pink bubble gum in her hair or you find yourself the victim of a wayward wad, you don’t have to resort to any crazy tricks or – gasp – scissors to get it out. Apply olive oil to the gum and the surrounding hair, leave it on for five to ten minutes and then pull the gum out.

Leather conditioner
Just as it cleans and restores leather shoes, olive oil can be used to re-condition cracked, dry leather items like baseball gloves, car seats and saddles. It takes a bit longer to fully penetrate the leather than most conventional conditioners, but it works.

Psoriasis and diaper rash treatment
Olive oil soothes itchy, burning, irritated skin and may help rashes heal. Apply it to a baby’s diaper rash or directly to any eruptions on your own skin for quick relief. Consuming olive oil on a regular basis may also be helpful in the treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis.

There's just a few. What are some of your uses? Check back tomorrow for unusual ways to use Garlic. 

Monday, July 15, 2013

Never curse at your corn again!

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If your like me you love corn on the cob, but dread and possible even spend more money on it already cleaned because of fact that you have to deal with the gross stringy mess, also know as shucking it.


  ( That is my I don't wanna do this face ) 

Well fear and make gross faces no longer!! I have the solution and it is in 3 fool proof, sit back and relax steps!  


    STEP ONE



Place that bad chicken ( or corn ) in your handy dandy microwave and heat for 4 minutes per ear. During this time you can prepare  your other dishes, go to the bathroom or simply pour a glass of wine and enjoy :) 

                        
   STEP TWO



Carefully pull out those suckers, they are beyond hot and will hurt almost as much as stepping on a Lego with bare feet 


       Cut about an inch off the bottom 


It should look like this after you have cut the bottom 

                             
STEP 3 



Now you get to practice your Harlem shake, okay just kidding. However, you do grab it by the opposite side of where you cut it and shake that puppy in an upward then downward motion ( it should slide our petty easily ) shakey shakey 



See how pretty and clean! No go fourth and eat that corn you have been eyeballing ;) 

Let me know how it works for you