Hair Essentials

Don't you just envy the girls in the shampoo commercials on the tele. Long silky hair so fine, lustrous and shiny. Well I came across tips for beautiful hair from http://www.merinews.com/ and I want to share it with you. Here it is below :

SPLIT ENDS, which are mainly caused when your hairs cell fail to hold together, are a result of exposure to harsh elements, chemicals or even excessive brushing. The right kind of shampoo will minimise hair damage.

Meanwhile, it is also important to replenish ceramides, which are hairs natural cement, and is responsible for holding the hair cells together. A ceramides enriched shampoo will help repair hair fiber and reduce split ends.

To maintain oily hair

Oily hair always goes with any oily skin. The scalp has a tendency to secrete excess oil, which makes it lank and greasy. It is therefore important to keep the scalp dry. Do not succumb to the temptations of a harsh shampoo, which temporarily restores your hair but harms it in the long run. Using a special shampoo for oily hair is the best, which is gentle enough to be used often. It also essential to rinse the shampoo thoroughly finishing with cold water.

For thin and limp hair

Secondly, do not comb your hair when wet, let it dry naturally and finger comb it. A hair dryer can boost your hair for a while but on a regular basis can prove harmful for your hair. Then, brush your brush straight from your scalp and shake it free.

For dry brittle hair

First check your shampoo! If you are using a harsh, unsuitable shampoo, it will not only dry your hair, it will cause breakage and dry scalp may turn flaky and cause a lot of other problems.

Use an especially mild shampoo made for dry hair. One fortified with essential oils to replace the last nourishment is ideal. A good conditioner also helps soften dry hair. After wash keep your damp hair in a turbaned towel for about 15 minutes. Finger comb it in a gentle massage like movements, this will activate the oil glands in your scalp. Then brush it gently. Oil massages followed by a steamy, hot towel on your head every 15 days will also help get rid of dryness

Thin, limp, hair does have a tendency to fall flat and dead. What you need is a volume booster. For starters choose your shampoo carefully. Ordinary shampoos do not do much for your kind of hair. Look up a shampoo especially for limp hair.

Well I hope you enjoyed that article till we meet again on the next issue of Look Great and Feel Happy. Have a wonderful hair day.

About achieving your Dreams

There is something very special about having a dream and achieving them. It serves as a motivation to push further and improve the quality of our life.

For me it has always been about having my own business and making lots of money. I've yet to achieve both but I am working towards them at my own pace. I have not given up on this idea just yet.

I believe everyone has this feeling too. About what they want to achieve in life. It could be a wonderful job that is not stressful, doing what you enjoy most and passionate about. It could be a special person you have special feelings for. It could be owning your dream car or house.

My nephew's friend who also happens to be my husband former employee, came by the house yesterday and we got to talking. He was telling us how much he was loving his new job as a receptionist in a big and prestigious hotel. Although we were very happy for him, we made it clear that he should have bigger goals in life. You see, this boy is an amazing cook, and we just hated the idea that he would he would waste his talents, being too comfortable in his new job.

We explained to him that he had a lot of potential in him to make a mark of himself in this world. For one, he is honest and hardworking. Two important factors that I felt are important to be succesful in business. We told him if he worked hard and smart, he could even have his own business. It could be a restaurant or a factory or anything he wants.

We told him that as an employee, he'd just earn money enough to feed himself and his family. However as a business owner, not only is he able to make money for himself and his family but for all the other employees working for him and their families too.

To achieve this would require a lot of hardwork, time , money and sacrife, but in return you'll get a satisfaction of achieving something which is priceless in life. A chance to make a differance in your life and in the life of others.

So the next time you felt like giving up on your dreams. Don't. Focus on the outcome of achieving those goals. There is nothing worse than always wondering on what could have been.

Until the next issue of Look Great & Feel Happy. Have a wonderful day.

Tips to prevent Swine flu & Nigella Sativa (black seed)

There are many things happening in the world today. One of it is the recent outbreak of swine flu which has spread from Mexico to USA, UK and other parts of the world. Therefore steps need to be taken in order to prevent contacting the disease. The CDC recommends taking these daily precautions such as :

• Avoid contact with people if u or they are sick.
  
  
• Stay at home — from work, school or other public activities — when you are ill.

• If you are ill with symptoms like fever cough, sore throat, chills, body ache or vomiting and diahearrea in serious cases, seek medical care as soon as possible.
  

• Shield others from your coughs and sneezes by using a tissue.
  
  
• Wash your hands frequently. Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose or mouth.
  
  
• Maintain healthful habits — get ample sleep and exercise, drink lots of fluids to get rid of toxins, eat well and have adequate daily dose of sunshine for your supply of vitamin D which helps boost immunity system.
  

Apart from these, we need also to boost our immunity system. Eat well balanced diet so that the body get all the vitamin, minerals, protien and nutrition it needs to build up its immunity system. Take more foods which contains vitamin c, e, zinc, antioxidants, selenium, garlic, omega 3 fatty acids , all of which helps to boost up the body's immunity system. It's like going to war, you wanna be equipt with all the necessary weapons to defend and attack. In the same way the body needs all the necessary nutrients in order for it to defend it self and function properly.

If possible, eat more health supplements like multivitamins, if you are not able to eat a balanced diet. Personally my favorite supplement is Nigella Sative (black seed). Nigella Sativa increases the immunity system, it is anti-histamine, anti-tumour, anti-bacterial and anti inflammation all in one. It has been used traditionally in the Middle East and  India to treat coughs, athsma, diabetes, colds and flu, high blood pressure, stomach disorder, to dispel worms and parasites from intestinal track and many other ailments. The benefits of black seed can be summarized as follows :

• soothing bronchitis and coughs
• lighten and improves skin condition 
• stimulates menstrual periods
• increases the flow of breast milk
• provides quick burst of energy
• increases sperm count
• calms the nervous system
• encourages hair growth and retards hair fall out
• eliminates harmful toxins from the body

Perhaps that is why The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) said in his divine wisdom about the Black seed

"Use this Black seed, it has a cure for every disease except death". (Sahih Bukhari)

Nigella sativa contains over one hundred valuable nutrients. It contains about 21% protein, 38% carbohydrates and 35% plant fats and oils. The contents are similar to evening primrose oil, but because of its complex composition, it is much stronger. Thymoquinone, Nigellone, and Fixed oils are the active ingredients of black seed . It is also rich in Linoleic acid, Oleic acid, Calcium, Potassium, Iron, Zinc, Magnesium, Selenium, Vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin B2, Niacin, and Vitamin C.  I find that if I'm sick , when I take nigella sativa , I will recover from my illness much  faster. 

Be careful and take extra precautions to prevent the spread of swine flu. Better be careful than sorry. Until we met again in the next issue of Look Great Feel Happy, have a wonderful day.