A Banana a day keeps the Doctor away...

Its not just a banana after all. This yellow skinned fruit is not just deliciously sweet but it has so many unbelievable benefits for our body. Here a reasons why you should include a banana in your daily diet to kep the doctor away....

1. Aids digestion

Rich in pectin, bananas aid digestion and gently chelate toxins and heavy metals from the body. They act as a prebiotic, stimulating the growth of friendly bacteria in the bowel. They also produce digestive enzymes to assist in absorbing nutrients. Helps with relieving constipation and heart burn.

2. Prevents kidney cancer

3. Makes you smarter

Bananas make you smarter and help with learning by making you more alert. Eat a banana before an exam to benefit from the high levels of potassium.

4. Reduces Stroke 

Eating a banana between meals helps stabilize blood sugar. The potassium it contains is also helpful for reducing strokes.

5. Depression and stress

Bananas help overcome depression due high levels of tryptophan, which is converted into serotonin mood brain neurotransmitter.   When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water balance.

6. Anemia

 High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood therefore helping in cases of anemia.

7. Smoking and hangovers

 Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6,B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Hungover? The banana calms the stomach and builds up depleted blood sugar levels.

8. For beauty

Banana contains Vitamin B6, C and a high percentage of water, which nourishes and hydrates the skin. These nutrients also help to maintain the elasticity of your skin.

PS: Banana's do not make you fat. The fiber content of bananas helps to control hunger much better for those who are trying to lose fat.

Reduces Cellulite Appearance (DIY Coffee Body scrub)

As I shared in my last blog the benefits of coffee are more than just our favorite wake up boost. Today I share how coffee can help reduce the appearance of cellulite by plumping up your skin. If you check the labels, caffeine is in many of those very expensive cellulite creams ( so why pay more when you can do it yourself at home?). Here's an easy DIY Coffee body scrub that will not leave a dent in your monthly beauty budget :)

What you'll need:

1/2 cup ground coffee
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp sea salt

Mix the ground coffee with the brown sugar and sea salt. Add the olive oil mix well. Quick and easy coffee body scrub DONE!

Benefits of Coffee for your Health

Many people preach about how bad coffee is.. Well today I have good news to with all the coffee lovers (like myself) out there. Coffee is good for our health and our skin... Below I list a few benefits of including coffee in our diet...

1. It helps make your reproductive systems.

If you're looking for a drink to lower your risk of prostate cancer, and ladies lower your risk of endometrial cancer, then keep that coffee habit going. Journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention found that women who drank more than four cups of coffee a day had a 25 percent lower risk of endometrial cancer and men who drink  at least six or more cups a day reduced their risk of prostate cancer by 20 percent.

2. Coffee Can Help You Burn Fat 

Coffee contains caffeine, caffeine partly due to its stimulant effect on the central nervous system, both raises metabolism and increases the oxidation of fatty acids.

3.  Lower Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Coffee helps to block a substance in the body called human islet amyloid polypeptide that may play a role in the development of diabetes. 

4.  Coffee May Lower Your Risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s ( makes you smarter)

Not only can coffee make you smarter in the short term, it may also protect your brain in old age.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder in the world and a leading cause of dementia. In prospective studies, coffee drinkers have up to a 60% lower risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

5. It's great for your skin.

Drinking coffee may help you to ward off the most diagnosed form of skin cancer. In the journal Cancer Research that looked specifically at the caffeine in coffee demonstrated that coffee drinkers had a lower risk of developing basal cell carcinoma. 

Stay tuned for a Coffee Body Scrub that will help reduce the appearance of cellulite, make your skin firm and brighten the skin.

Blueberry DIY Face Mask

In my last blog I talked about the great benefits of Blueberries and what they can do for your skin and your body as a whole. Today I will share with you my DIY Blueberry Facial Mask recipe.

This face mask will assist in the elimination of acne, blemishes, pimples and uneven skin tone problems. It will also help in slowing do the aging of your skin. Here's what you'll need...

1/4th cup dried crushed oats
1/4th cup of blueberries
2 tablespoons each of rose water
2 tablespoons each of honey
A pinch of turmeric and lemon
1 tablespoon of olive oil

Instructions

Blend everything together into a smooth paste. Apply to your face and leave on for 20 minutes. Wash of with lukewarm water.

Your face will feel soft and smooth... Enjoy....

Health Benefits of Blueberries

We eat them by the handful, toss them into salads and sprinkle them on cereal and vanilla

 ice - cream.No matter how you eat them blueberries do so much good for our bodies. Here a 5 benefits of including berries in your diet...

1. Blueberry's antioxidants and their potential benefits for the nervous system and for brain health is amazing. It helps improve memory. 

2. Blueberries are not really considered to be low in glycemic index (GI) as their GI is between 40 - 53. Either way they have a  favorable impact on blood sugar regulation in persons already diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. 

3. Aid in reducing Belly Fat

4. Blueberries help promote urinary tract health. The building of colonies of certain bacteria like b-coli along the lining of the inner walls of urinary tract is responsible for this infection, resulting in inflammation, burning sensation during in passage of urine and other complications. Blueberries can help decrease the building of bacteria.

5. Blueberries can slow down visual  loss. They can prevent or delay all age related ocular problems like dryness and infections related to the retina.

NB : Tomorrow I'll be sharing my Blueberry Face Mask recipe.

Dark Beauty. ( Bright lipstick for dark skin)

Many dark skinned woman think they can not wear bright lipstick. Here are some tips on how to wear bright lipstick:


1. Keep eye makeup minimal. Wear only champagne eyeshadow, a little bit of black eyeliner, and a coat of mascara. And if you're wearing a very saturated lip color, don't top it off with gloss bright and shiny lips can look cheesy.

2. Use a thin nylon brush to outline your lips with concealer (choose a dry formula). This keeps lipstick from smudging or settling into lines around your mouth and doesn't look harsh, the way a lip pencil can.

3. Pat lipstick onto your lips with your finger to get a soft, stained finish—it's more flattering and less maintenance than an opaque layer of color. (Use your ring finger—the pad is smaller and more precise, and you won't apply as much pressure as you might with your index finger.)

My favorite color is Lipstick n 20 - Matte Finish from Black UP.

Anti aging and skin lightning Face mask (papaya)

As promised yesterday.. Here I share with you my favorite Papaya homemade facial recipe. It will keep your face smooth and soft and also leave it even toned.

What you'll need

• 1/2 a ripe papaya—peeled, seeded, and sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon of tumeric

Mash the papaya in a bowl with a fork until evenly mashed, mix in the other ingredients by hand. Spread over your face, be careful that no mixture gets into your eyes. Let it sit for 15 - 20 minutes. Wipe or rinse your face clean with warm water.

Other products that  contain papaya:

Papaya Body Balm by June Jacobs  - R 490


This unique synergistic action works to soften, protect and penetrate the skin as it replenishes lost moisture. Not only is the papaya scent intoxicating, but it leaves the skin refreshed and revitalized.

For the best result, apply the June Jacobs Papaya Body Balm daily after showering to keep the skin fresh and supple.