Health Benefits of Basil Leaves

The leaves of this miraculous herb are considered as an herbal remedy for common ailments and boast of countless health benefits some of which are given below.

Healing Properties

Due to their excellent healing properties, basil leaves strengthen the stomach and facilitate copious perspiration. They are effective in removing catarrhal matter and phlegm from the bronchial tube. Basil leaves have antiseptic properties and are hence, used in the treatment of ulcers, cuts and wounds. They help in reducing the pain caused by measles, chicken pox and small pox. A mixture of basil leaves juice and coconut oil can be applied on cuts and wounds to give relief.

Treatment of Fever

Being rich in phytonutrients and healing oil, basil leaves are effective in curing malarial and dengue fevers. Tender basil leaves boiled with tea should be given to the patient. In case of very high fever, basil leaves boiled with powdered cardamom in ½ liter of water mixed with sugar and milk should be given to the patient at an interval of 3 hours to bring down the temperatures. Basil leaves form good germicidal and a natural disinfectant that protects the body against all types of viral and bacterial infections.

Treatment of Common Cold and Cough

Basil leaves are effective in alleviating coughing and colds. Chewing fresh leaves or drinking a tea of dried basil leaves can calm coughing and relieve cold and flu. Basil leaves are used as an ingredient in cough syrups and expectorants and help to mobilize mucus in bronchitis and asthma.

Treatment of Sore Throat

A concoction made by boiling basil leaves in water can be taken as a drink or used for gargling to get relief from sore throat.

Heal Stings and Bites

Chewing a basil leaf or applying the juice of basil leaves on the area stung or bitten by an insect will help relieve the pain as well as draw the venom out.

Beneficial for Children

The juice of basil leaves is extremely beneficial in case of common pediatric such as cough, cold, diarrhea and vomiting. Basil leaves taken with saffron hasten the appearance of chicken pox pustules. Children experiencing loose motion at the time of tooth eruption can be given a mixture of pomegranate juice and powder of dried basil leaves for quick relief.

Relief from Frequent Vomiting

If you are suffering from frequent vomiting, you can try having a mixture of basil leaves juice, ginger juice and honey for immediate relief.

Relieve Stress and Sharpen the Mind

Basil leaves are considered as an ‘adaptogen’ or anti-stress agent. Chewing around 12 basil leaves twice a day on a regular basis purifies your blood, prevents stress and develops a sharp mind.

Beneficial in Cancer

Having a mixture of 10 grams of juice of basil leaves in 20-30 grams fresh curd or 2-3 spoons of honey religiously is likely to cure cancer.

Aid in Weight Loss and Curb Laziness

Basil leaves taken with home-made fresh curd help in reducing excess weight and fight laziness by renewing your energy levels and facilitating new blood cells formation.

Beneficial for Eyes

Being rich in vitamin A, basil leaves play an important role in eye health. You can soak a few basil leaves in water and wash your eyes with them every morning and before going to bed to prevent conjunctivitis, swelling, inflammations, boils and other infections. Basil leaves act as relaxants for your eyes to sooth stress induced fine lines. Chewing a couple of basil leaves helps to ward off eye problems caused by free radicals such as vision degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma. Basil leaves juice is an effective remedy for sore eyes and night blindness.

 Dental Health

Basil leaves can be dried in the sun, powdered and used for brushing teeth or mixed with mustard oil to be used as toothpaste for maintaining dental health and massaging the gums. It is also effective in curing pyorrhea and other teeth disorders. The anti-bacterial agents in basil leaves prevent bacteria build up whereas the antioxidants ensure clean plaque free teeth.

Help to Get Rid of Bad Breath

Bad breath can be detrimental to your self-confidence. Basil leaves can be a healthy substitute to special toothpastes and chewing gums to ward off bad breath. You can chew a handful of basil leaves to prevent bad breath.

Helpful in Quitting Smoking

Chain smokers can try chewing basil leaves to get rid of their addiction. These can be more beneficial than nicotine patches, flavored gum or even plain candy to curb the urge. While the juice has a cooling effect on your throat, the chewing will distract you and the antioxidants will repair the damage caused due to years of smoking.

 Treatment of Kidney stones

The juice of basil leaves taken with honey regularly for 6 months will expel kidney stones from the urinary tract.

Relief from Headache

Basil leaves are considered a great medicine for headache. A facial steam of dried basil leaf is effective in alleviating headache. For this purpose, add a tablespoon of dried basil leaves to 2 cups of water in a large pot. Covering your head with towel, carefully lean over the pot and breathe in the steam for 5 to 10 minutes. You can also apply pounded basil leaves mixed in sandalwood paste on your forehead to get relief from heat and headache as well as cooling effect in general.

Treatment of Respiratory Disorders

A decoction of basil leaves with honey and ginger is a natural remedy for respiratory disorders like bronchitis, asthma, cough and cold. A decoction made by boiling basil leaves and cloves in half a liter of water mixed with salt gives immediate relief in case of influenza.

Good for Heart

Basil leaves purify the blood by removing toxins. Basil leaf tea helps in controlling blood pressure. Basil leaves contain an antioxidant eugenol that helps in reducing cholesterol levels and blood glucose levels, thereby reducing the risk of heart attacks and other cardiac diseases.

Cheers!

Hair Benefits of Basil Leaves

Most commonly known as “Tulsi” in India, the basil plant is a leafy herb belonging to the mint family. Different varieties of basil are available in large or dwarf forms containing green, purple or variegated leaves. Some of the varieties of basil like Opal basil, lemon basil, anise basil, clove basil and cinnamon basil taste somewhat like their names.

This plant forms an important part of Indian culture. It is quite common in Hindu households where it is worshipped in the morning and evening. The leaves of this plant are edible and are used as flavoring agents due to their rich fragrance. Being one of the most popular herbs in the garden, it is extensively used in Italy in sauces and other dishes and is a key ingredient in Mediterranean food.

The Greek word for basil is ‘king’ which speaks highly of the qualities of this aromatic herb.  Basil plant, particularly the leaves, has great significance for mankind, not only because of its culinary uses but also due to its medicinal properties. Holy basil leaves have been widely used in Ayurveda since thousands of years. This herb is even mentioned in the “Charaka Samhita”, an ancient Ayurvedic text due to its excellent healing properties. In fact, basil leaves or tulsi leaves are considered as a universal cure for numerous diseases and promote longevity and overall well-being.

Basil leaves are equally beneficial for your hair and can help you get rid of a host of hair problems. The benefits of basil leaves for hair care are as follows.

Prevention of Hair Loss

Hair loss is a common problem which can occur due to itchiness and sweatiness of scalp. You can make a paste of basil leaves and add it to your hair oil. Applying this oil on your scalp will keep your scalp cool, reduce itchiness and promote hair growth by improving circulation in your scalp.

Treatment of Grey Hair

For this purpose, soak dried basil leaves powder and amla powder in water overnight and wash your hair with it after straining it the next morning. This prevents graying of hair as well as hair fall.

Strengthen the Hair Shaft

If you are suffering from brittle hair or hair thinning, you can consider basil leaves as they are effective in strengthening the hair shaft.

Rejuvenate Hair Follicles

Basil leaves help in rejuvenating and producing healthy hair by stimulating the hair follicles.

Prevention of Damage by Radiation

Basil leaves have antioxidant properties. They contain the flavonoids, orientin and vicenin that protect the chromosomes and cell structures from oxidation, thus preventing cell ageing and death and providing protection against radiation damage

HOW TO CREATE A HEALTHY HAIR REGIMEN

Hair regimen or Hair routine is simply a way we follow to care for our hair,it's a must have for every natural hair diva with the intention of achieving a healthy natural hair. Hair care regimen doesn't need to be massive or expensive, SIMPLICITY is the key. It's important to know that healthy hair/growth doesn't just happen overnight, its usually as a result of patience and judicious hair care.Below are the guide lines that will help you create a healthy regimen:

A.UNDERSTANDING YOUR HAIR. 

The number one basic step to creating a regimen is understanding your hair type, Porosity, Density, Elasticity and Texture.

B.CHOOSING THE RITE PRODUCTS

 Carefully choosing your hair care products is of great importance. It is either you go for DIY hair care products or you opt for store bought products. When going for store products, below are certain ingredients you must watch out for and avoid;

-Sodium laurel/Laurly sulfate/SLS/SLES

-Paraben

-Mineral oil

-Petrolatum/Petroluem jelly

-DEA,TEA,MEA

-FD & C color pigments

-Imidazolidinyl Urea

-DMDM Hydantoin

-Chlorine-Silicon

-Paraffin

-Propylene Glycol

-Isopropyl Alcohol

C.WEEKLY WASH

Weekly wash with either shampoo (shamwash) or conditioner(Cowash)

i) Shampoo: Finding a good sulfate free and moisturizing shampoo goes along way to help your hair or you can opt for a DIY shampoo. Washing your hair with shampoo could be done weekly or once in a month depending on your hair type and lifestyle and to this regards, you might want to try alternating it with a cowash. 

Examples of store-bought sulfate free shampoos: Creme of Nature argan oil shampoo, Sheamoisture shampoo etc

ii)Instant Conditioner:A paraben free conditioner is best suitable for our natural hair. The instant conditioner can be used as a weekly cowash depending on your hair type and life style while alternating it with a shamwash. Examples of store bought heathy conditioners are crème of nature argan oil conditioner, VO5, Sheamoisture conditioner etc

 D.DEEP CONDITIONING(DC)/DEEP TREATMENT(DT)

Deep Conditioning Treatment comes in after hair wash on damp hair. DC like a life giver to the hair, supporting the hair system while it replenishes and puts moist back into the hair because our natural hair is ordinarily prone to dryness. Deep conditioning strengthens the hair roots, makes our hair more manageable, prevents breakage, split ends, dandruff, itchy scalp and dullness of hair. Its absolutely one treatment no hair should overlook.

TYPES OF DEEP CONDITIONING TREATMENTS:

i)Moisturizing dc(weekly basis)

ii)Protein dc(once in month)

iii)Hydrolysed Protein dc(for transitioning and high porosity high hair types-Twice or once a month..Hydrolysed Protein dc recipes will be coming up soon)

iv)Hard protein dc

v)Hot oil treatment(A must do for all hair types,atleast 2x a month)

D.LEAVE-IN CONDITIONERS

Leave-in conditioners plays an important role in keeping the hair intact after treatments as well as on daily basis. Enriching your hair after a deep treatment with leave-in conditioner is a considerably factor, however its important you go for a good leave-in conditioner that is more of water/liquid based and to this regards, you will need to make do with a sealer oil(like castor oil,olive oil) or cream(like shea or cocobutter) to help seal in the moist and futher protects ur hair from drying out.Leave-in conditioners is a daily affair especially the spritz and no regimen or hair care is complete without it.

Note;Leave-in conditioners as the name implies is never to be rinsed or wash out after application.

E.PROTECTIVE STYLING:

When going for protective stlyes,ensure you make do with what your hair/scalp would be comfortable with. If you feel pains or servere pressure on your scalp in the course of making your PS, pls do not proceed further. The hair follicles weakens when excess pressure is put on it which often times results in severe hair breakage and traction alopecia in most cases. Above all, ensure your hair is treated right while on PS and a long time wear of PS is not advised.Avoid an excess manipulation/combing of your hair(Very important) and avoid combing hair when dry.

F.NIGHT TIME HAIR CARE

 Ensure you properly moisturize your hair and cover with a gud silk or stain scarf before going bed or better still sleep on a satin/silk pillow case. Also in the morning when you wake up, gently massage your scalp for atleast 2mins

A MUST HAVE HAIR CARE TOOLS:

1.Widetooth comb

2.Spray bottle

3.Plastic Cap/nylon bag

4.Measuring spoons

5.Mini bowel for ur DC mix

6.Satin/silk/bonnet cap

7.Soft clean towel or clean old T-shirt

Cheers!

Oriflame Nigeria Comes To Abuja!

Oriflame Nigeria Comes to Abuja for The Oriflame Opportunity Meeting (OOM)....Again!

Presentation of Certificates to March Achievers and lots more!!

Venue: Jades Hotel, Zone 5,  Opp NYSC 

            Secretariat and Bible Guest House 

            By Shoppers Plaza

Date:   25th April, 2015

Time: 12 noon

You don't want to Miss this Opportunity!

Health & Hair Benefits Of Okro

I decided to research more on natural health/hair benefits around us which many of us take for granted. Okro happen to come first on my research list. Enjoy!

Okra (also known as Okro, gumbo, bhindi or Lady's fingers) is a versatile vegetable found around the world.
It is often use for making soups, stews and sauces, but can also be eating raw as a snack.

In Nigeria, it is used for the popular Okra soup and ogbono- okra mixed soup. 

Okra is loaded with vitamins,minerals and dietary fiber and is more than just a food; it is a also a medicine. Here are some of the wonderful health benefits of Okra.

* Okra helps in weight management and it's good for people on a weight loss or fitness journey. This is because 100g of raw okra pods contains 30 calories and also has lots of dietary fibers that gives you a feeling of fullness.

*Okra is great for pregnant women, because it contain folic acid which is needed for the formation of the neural tube of the fetus.

* Okra is a good laxative and aids bowel movement.

* Okra is great for the skin and hair. Cut some okra pods and boil in little water until the juice mucilage begins to come out. Strain out and add a teaspoon of lemon juice. Apply mixture to hair and wash off after 10 minutes. Your hair will feel stronger and have more glow to it.

* Okra helps cure diabetes

* Okra Promotes colon health

* Okra boosts digestion

* Okra relieves cough

* Okra Improves eyesight(vision)

* Okra Helps to cure and prevent Constipation

Aren't these enough reasons to love Okra...well I think it is :) 

Cheers!

Hair Oil Blend Recipe

 

Ingredients: 

• 1 part olive oil
• 1 part coconut oil
• 1 part argan oil
• Rosemary essential oil

Directions:

• combine all the ingredients in an amber bottle
• add in 5-10 drops of essential oil
• use it in your hair smoothie treatments, or tame frizz working a tiny, tiny amount onto dry hair.
• This is a rich blend – so start small, just a bit will do!

Hope you like the recipes! If you do, please share them by following our blog!
Cheers!

Mint Blast Hair Smoothie

Ingredients: 
 1 egg
 1/4 cup yogurt
 scant 1/4 cup almond milk
 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
directions:
 in a blender, combine all the ingredients
 use a squeeze bottle to apply
 starting at the roots, down to your ends
 let sit for 20 minutes, then wash as normal.

Hair Oil Blend
A great tip is to pre-make a hair oil blend, which you can then use in your smoothie treatment. The best part is that each oil is multi-use - they are great for your skin too, so you can add it into your bath or dab it on your skin after a shower!

Hope you like the recipes! If you do, please share them by following our blog!
Cheers!