Relax & Reclaim

We’re back with some fresh beauty tips—and this time, it’s all about your hair .  Whether you’re prepping for a big event or just trying to tame things before a Zoom call, these updated tricks will help your hair look great and keep it healthy, too. Let’s get into this. Tip #1: Feed Your Hair from the Inside Out What you eat has a direct impact on your hair. If you want strong, shiny, vibrant hair , you’ve got to start in the kitchen. Here’s what your strands are craving: Vitamins A, C, D & E – These promote growth and scalp health. Leafy greens, sweet potatoes, citrus fruits, and avocados are all winners. Protein – Hair is mostly made of protein (keratin), so skimping on it can make your hair weak or brittle . Load up on eggs, beans, lean meats, or tofu. Omega-3 fatty acids – These help keep your scalp and hair hydrated. Find them in walnuts , flaxseeds, salmon, sardines, and chia seeds . Water – Dehydration = dry, dull hair. Aim to drink at least 8 cups a day. Y...

Are you suffering from allergies?  Need some tips for relief? This new series can help you: Discover what causes allergies. Which foods and herbs are good to minimize the effects of allergies. Find out why some allergies do not easily go away. Perhaps even learn how to cure your allergies. How Allergies Happen Allergies are caused when your immune system defensively reacts to environmental agents such as: pollen, ragweed, mold and pet dander. Some foods like eggs, various fruits, nuts, and milk can all contribute to allergic reactions. Substances which cause allergies are called allergens. When the body's immune system identifies these foreign invaders, it sends out antibodies to drive them out.  Under normal circumstances, your immune system sends out antibodies proportionate to allergens that are present.  Allergies occur when the body overcompensates and sends too many antibodies. These antibodies may even attack your body's own tissues to exterminate th...

We all need it . We've gotta have it every night. And if a person doesn't get enough of it they could go crazy.... You do know that this is about sleep and nothing else, right? At least for now ...😉 If you have ever gazed at the ceiling at 2:17 a.m. ( for   example ) asking why your brain suddenly chose to become very creative... You are not alone. Not too long ago, I had one of those evenings. Body?  Totally depleted. Eyes?  Finished . Brain? Apparently I just had a triple espresso and a new batch of ideas. It suddenly decided to: Replay a 2008 humiliating event like it's breaking news. Create a complete to-do list for tomorrow, next week, and perhaps next year. Throw in a couple totally unneeded life queries. I am lying here wondering, meanwhile. " Wonderful. Just what I always wanted zero sleep .” And naturally, the more I tried to get to sleep, the more my brain resisted back. like, Oh, you need rest? Good luck, chump! 🍀 Do Herbal Remedies for...

It’s a question that sounds simple—but the answer isn’t. Depending on who you ask, alternative medicine is either a valuable extension of modern healthcare… or a collection of treatments that don’t quite hold up under scrutiny. So when a longtime reader named Tabitha asked me: “… what in the hell is alternative medicine, anyway ?” I realized she had a point. It’s a term people use all the time—but rarely stop to clearly define. So let’s break it down. A Brief (and Honest) Explanation At its core, alternative medicine refers to health practices that fall outside what we typically consider conventional or mainstream medical care. Here’s where it gets more nuanced. Today, most experts use two related terms: Alternative medicine: used instead of conventional treatment Complementary medicine: used alongside conventional treatment You’ll often hear both grouped together as CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine). And the range is wide. It includes everything from acupuncture and herbal ...

We're at the finish line now as this is the last chapter of our series. We wanted to wrap this up for with more recent examples of what can only be called "diet insanity".  Let us know what you think about these crazy diet plans and most importantly, have you ever tried any of them yourself? Part 1 ,   Part 2 Anyway, let's go into a couple more examples before we wrap up, okay? By the year 2000, we had shifted our focus from just popping pills to seeking out "natural" remedies. We believed that plants were always a safe bet. Turns out, we were quite mistaken. The Rise and Fall of Ephedra In the early 2000s, Ephedra was all the rage. This plant-based supplement promised boundless energy and rapid weight loss, making it a favorite among athletes and busy parents alike.  But there was a serious downside. Ephedra acted as a potent stimulant, putting immense strain on the heart and being linked to high blood pressure and strokes. The most notorious incident invol...

Just when you thought the diet craziness came to a crescendo in the 1970s, the next few decades continued the ridiculous trends.  Check this out: If the 70s were all about liquid protein, the next two decades seemed to be about completely escaping reality. The 1980s and 90s were a wild ride filled with neon fitness tapes and those so-called "miracle" pills.  You didn't miss part 1 did you? The "Sleeping Beauty" Diet Ever hear of this one? In the 80s, one trend took the idea of "beauty sleep" to a whole new level. Enter the Sleeping Beauty Diet. The concept was pretty straightforward: if you’re knocked out, you can’t eat. Followers would take heavy sedatives to sleep for days on end, and there were even whispers of celebrities giving it a go. It wasn’t just lazy; it was downright dangerous. Overdosing on sedatives can lead to respiratory failure, and let’s be real—your body needs real nutrients to function, not just a long nap. The Fen-Phen...