10 Surprising Uses of Honey

The health benefits of honey are bountiful. From providing us with a fantastic source of energy to supporting a strong immune system to promoting better blood sugar control - its benefits are incredible. But while it may be an essential ingredient to add to your diet, there are a number of other surprising uses for honey too.

So, if you're looking for more ways to use honey, here are a few things you can do outside the kitchen!

1. Use it to beautify your hair. 

For beautiful hair, as well as the perfect remedy to control frizziness, just add 1 teaspoon of honey to a quart of warm water and dilute. After shampooing, soak your hair in the mixture (especially the ends), let it sit for a couple of minutes and rinse off. The result? A glossy finish!

 

2. Use it to give yourself a facial.

Honey is a natural ingredient that can be used to keep your skin moist. It also contains antimicrobial properties, allowing your skin to stay fresh and cleansed. Mix a dollop of honey with two tablespoons of warm water and massage it into the skin, rubbing it up and out. 

 

3. Use it to remove parasites. If after having come home from a vacation you've discovered that you have parasites, mix up a good blend of honey, water and vinegar - the perfect remedy to being parasite free.

 

4. Use it to clean cuts and scrapes. 

One of the reasons that pure honey has no expiration date is due to its antimicrobial properties, making it an excellent natural antiseptic. Just slather a bit on scrapes, minor cuts or basic burns, lightly covering the wound. 

 

5. Use it to relieve anxiety. 

In India, honey has long been used to quell nervousness. So, to alleviate symptoms of anxiety, try blending it with a calming herbal tea before bed. For added benefits, try chamomile, fennel or lavender. Meanwhile, to start your morning off on a calm note, add honey to oatmeal - oats are another fantastic, natural remedy to reduce stress. 

 

6. Use it to soothe cracked lips. 

Making your own lip balm is easy. All it requires is some almond oil, beeswax and honey. Combine the ingredients together and apply a tad on your chapped lips.

7. Use it to soften dry elbows.  

If you suffer from dry, itchy elbows, smear some honey over the affected area to soften the skin. Be sure to wash and scrub them before. Leave the honey on for half an hour, then wash off.

8. Use it to promote better sleep. 

 If you don't have much trouble falling asleep, but tend to wake up in the middle of the night, it could be completely natural, or it could be due to stress hormones causing your adrenaline and cortisol levels to vary. A bit of salted honey, however, ought to do the trick. Combining both sweet and salty ought to help reset these hormones and get you back to sleep. You only need a small amount, so just a teaspoon should suffice. 

 

 9. Use it to soothe a hangover. 

If after a good night out you wake up with a throbbing headache, instead of popping an aspirin, spread some honey on your toast, or just add a teaspoon to your tea. This remedy works because honey is full of fructose, which speeds up the metabolism of alcohol. 

 

10. Use it to help root plants. 

Honey can promote growth in plants and will also help prevent disease from affecting root cuttings. Simply mix one part raw honey with three parts boiling water. Let it cool, then dip the plant cutting into the mixture before planting it.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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9 Practical Uses For Geranium Oil You Need To Know

1. Minimize Wrinkles

Geranium oil is one of the most popular essential oils for anti-aging skin care applications. It has a slightly astringent effect, helping to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Geranium oil plays a major role in my favorite DIY anti-aging serum.

2. Soothe Anxiety

Geranium can help improve your outlook and reduce anxious feelings. In fact, a 2015 study found that geranium oil helped reduce levels of anxiety in pregnant women during labor!
Add a few drops of geranium oil to your diffuser to help lift your spirits when you’re feeling stressed or down.

3. Add Shine To Hair

Use geranium oil to enrich your hair care routine and restore shine and vitality to dull hair!
After shampooing your hair, add 3-5 drops of geranium oil to your normal amount of conditioner before applying it. You’ll have radiant, more healthy-looking hair in no time, and it will smell great too!

4. Repel Insects

Use geranium oil to help keep bugs at bay! Add a drop or two to a cotton ball and place it in any areas where bugs have been sighted. You can also spritz yourself with diluted geranium oil before going outside to help repel bugs.

5. Reduce Inflammation

Geranium oil has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, making it a useful remedy for inflammatory skin conditions and other types of inflammation. Dilute 5 drops of geranium oil with 1 teaspoon of your preferred carrier oil, then apply it to the affected area to help reduce swelling and soothe discomfort.

6. Relieve Respiratory Symptoms

Geranium’s anti-inflammatory properties can also be useful for reducing respiratory symptoms like stuffy noses and congestion. Use geranium oil in your diffuser to help keep your airways clear when you have a cold or other respiratory illnesses.

7. Treat Skin Issues

Thanks to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, geranium oil is great for treating skin issues like acne, dermatitis, and more. Dilute 5 drops of geranium oil with 1 teaspoon of rosehip oil, then apply the mixture to the affected area once or twice a day until the condition improves.

8. Cool A Hot Flash

If hot flashes are stopping you in your tracks, keep a geranium oil spray on hand for quick cooling relief!
Add about 20 drops of geranium oil to a 4 ounce glass spray bottle, then fill the rest of the bottle with witch hazel. Replace the top, shake to mix, and spritz it onto your face and neck during a hot flash, or whenever you’re feeling a bit overheated!

9. Stop Minor Bleeding

When it comes to stopping bleeding from minor cuts (like nicks from shaving, for instance), many people swear by geranium oil! It can help reduce the flow of blood by contracting the blood vessels, and promote clotting to stop bleeding fast.
Use a cotton swab to apply a single drop of geranium oil to a small cut to help stop the bleeding.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
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Scientists Identify The Physical Source of Anxiety in The Brain

We're not wired to feel safe all the time, but maybe one day we could be.

A 2018 study investigating the neurological basis of anxiety in the brain has identified 'anxiety cells' located in the hippocampus – which not only regulate anxious behaviour but can be controlled by a beam of light.

The findings, so far demonstrated in experiments with lab mice, could offer a ray of hope for the millions of people worldwide who experience anxiety disorders (including almost one in five adults  in the US), by leading to new drugs that silence these anxiety-controlling neurons.

"We wanted to understand where the emotional information that goes into the feeling of anxiety is encoded within the brain," says one of the researchers,a neuroscientist.

To find out, the team used a technique called calcium imaging, inserting miniature microscopes into the brains of lab mice to record the activity of cells in the hippocampus as the animals made their way around their enclosures.

These weren't just any ordinary cages, either.

The team built special mazes where some paths led to open spaces and elevated platforms – exposed environments known to induce anxiety in mice, due to increased vulnerability to predators.

Away from the safety of walls, something went off in the mice's heads – with the researchers observing cells in a part of the hippocampus called ventral CA1 (vCA1) firing up, and the more anxious the mice behaved, the greater the neuron activity became.

"We call these anxiety cells because they only fire when the animals are in places that are innately frightening to them," explains senior researcher.

The output of these cells was traced to the hypothalamus, a region of the brain that – among other things – regulates the hormones that controls emotions.

Because this same regulation process operates in people, too – not just lab mice exposed to anxiety-inducing labyrinths – the researchers hypothesis that the anxiety neurons themselves could be a part of human biology, too.

"Now that we've found these cells in the hippocampus, it opens up new areas for exploring treatment ideas that we didn't know existed before," says one of the researcher.

Even more exciting is that we've already figured out a way of controlling these anxiety cells – in mice at least – to the extent it actually changes the animals' observable behaviour.

Using a technique called optogenetics to shine a beam of light onto the cells in the vCA1 region, the researchers were able to effectively silence the anxiety cells and prompt confident, anxiety-free activity in the mice.

"If we turn down this activity, will the animals become less anxious?" the author said.

"What we found was that they did become less anxious. They actually tended to want to explore the open arms of the maze even more."

This control switch didn't just work one way.

By changing the light settings, the researchers were also able to enhance the activity of the anxiety cells, making the animals quiver even when safely ensconced in enclosed, walled surroundings – not that the team necessarily thinks vCA1 is the only brain region involved here.

"These cells are probably just one part of an extended circuit by which the animal learns about anxiety-related information," the author told,  highlighting other neural cells justify additional study too.

In any case, the next steps will be to find out whether the same control switch is what regulates human anxiety – and based on what we know about the brain similarities with mice, it seems plausible.

If that pans out, these results could open a big new research lead into ways to treat various anxiety conditions.

And that's something we should all be grateful for.

"We have a target," the neurosceintist explained . "A very early way to think about new drugs."

The findings were reported in a medical journal.



THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                
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Health Benefits Of Fenugreek / Methi

Fenugreek is a herb whose leaves and seeds have been used since millennia. Traditionally, fenugreek seeds have been used as a condiment to promote better health and as a potent hair potion. But recent research indicates that they can do much more than that. From adding flavor to dishes and controlling diabetes to inducing labor, fenugreek seeds have had diverse benefits for your skin, hair, and health.

Various Benefits

1. Have Anti-Aging Effects

Fenugreek seeds can have surprising benefits for your skin, including eliminating the signs of aging like wrinkles and fine lines.
Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds soaked overnight
• 1 tablespoon plain yogurt

Method

1. Blend the fenugreek seeds and yogurt till a smooth paste is formed.
2. Apply this paste on your face.
3. Keep it on for 30 minutes and then rinse with cold water.

Germinated fenugreek seeds show a significant amount of antioxidant activity and fight the free radicals that accelerate the process of aging .
Yogurt has lactic acid that gently exfoliates your skin . It also leaves your skin feeling smoother and softer.

2. Cure Acne

Those who are suffering from acne can give fenugreek seeds a try because they are very effective in getting rid of acne .
Ingredients
4 tablespoons fenugreek seeds soaked overnight in water
4 cups water
Method

1. Add the fenugreek seeds to water and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Strain the water and let it cool.
3. Using a cotton wool, dab the water onto your face twice a day. Store the excess in the refrigerator.

Fenugreek has a compound named diosgenin that has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties . This helps fenugreek fight against acne.

3. Moisturize Skin

Fenugreek seeds can help moisturize and nourish your skin and remove all traces of dryness. Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seed powder
• 1 tablespoon water

Method

1. Mix fenugreek powder and water to make a smooth paste.
2. Using a cotton ball, apply the paste all over your face.
3. Keep it on for half an hour. Rinse with water.

Fenugreek seeds prevent your skin from getting coarse or dry. The slippery texture moisturizes your skin.

4. Prevent Hair Loss

Fenugreek is extremely effective in strengthening the hair from the roots and treating follicular problems.
Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds
• 1 cup coconut oil

Method

1. Place the coconut oil and fenugreek seeds in a mason jar. Seal the jar and store it for three weeks in a cool place, away from direct sunlight.
2. Strain the oil and use it for oil massages.

Fenugreek seeds have hormones that help promote hair growth. They are a good source of protein and nicotinic acid that strengthen the hair shaft and prevent breakage.

5. Add Shine

To make your hair look shiny and glossy, try using a fenugreek hair mask.
Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons fenugreek seeds
• 1 cup water

Method

1. Soak the whole ground seeds in boiling water and leave them overnight.
2. When the seeds turn slimy to touch, grind them into a paste. Apply the mixture on your scalp and roots, and then along the whole length of your hair.
3. Keep it on for 30 minutes and wash it off.

Fenugreek seeds contain lecithin, an emulsifying substance . When soaked in water, the seeds produce a slippery substance that imparts shine to your hair.

6. Fight Dandruff

Dandruff is a common hair ailment, and it generally surfaces during winter.
There are various treatments and procedures to treat dandruff. One of the most basic and effective cures is using methi seeds. They are also an effective cure for dry scalp and dermatitis.

Dandruff is usually caused by a dry scalp or fungal infection. Fenugreek helps remove dandruff.

7. Prevent Premature Graying

A part of folk medicine, fenugreek seeds have been used for a long time to prevent the graying of hair.

Fenugreek seeds have properties that help hair retain its pigment . This helps delay graying.

 

8. Help Control Diabetes

Diabetics are often recommended to include fenugreek seeds in their diet because of the positive effects they can have on their health.

Studies conducted on the effect of fenugreek seeds on type 2 diabetes have produced favorable results.  It was found that fenugreek seeds help control blood sugar and decrease insulin resistance.

9. Prevent Heart Attacks

Fenugreek seeds display a significant effect on cardiovascular health. They protect the heart from serious damage during a heart attack.

Heart attacks are a major cause of death, and they occur when an artery leading to the heart gets clogged. Fenugreek seeds prevent further damage to the heart and counteract the oxidative stress that occurs during a heart attack.

10. Help Prevent Cancer

Studies have shown that the oil extracted from fenugreek seeds can help fight against cancer.

A study conducted to investigate the anticancer effects of fenugreek found that fenugreek oil fights against certain cancer cell lines.

11. Alleviate Menstrual Cramps

Studies have shown that fenugreek seeds can also help in reducing the pain of menstrual cramps as well as other symptoms associated with menstruation.

Fenugreek seeds have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, which is why studies sought to investigate the effect they might have on the pain caused by menstruation . It was found that fenugreek seed powder substantially reduced the pain and symptoms such as fatigue, headache, and nausea.

12. Improve Breast Milk Production

In Asia, fenugreek seeds have been used by women to increase their breast milk production.

This herb contains phytoestrogen that boosts milk production in lactating mothers. Drinking fenugreek tea seems to increase the supply of breast milk in mothers, which promotes weight gain in the infants.

13. Reduce Cholesterol

Research has proven that fenugreek seeds help to lower the cholesterol level, especially the ‘bad’ cholesterol or LDL in our body.

Fenugreek seeds have a flavonoid named naringenin that lowers the lipid levels in those with high cholesterol.

14. Help Reduce Pain From Arthritis

Arthritis is a disorder that causes inflammation in one or more joints. This causes severe pain, and more than the regular wear and tear of the joint muscles.

Fenugreek has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help reduce the pain caused by arthritis.

15. Aid Digestion

For those suffering from stomach ailments, fenugreek can be a boon.

It is an effective treatment for gastritis and indigestion. It helps prevent constipation as well as digestive problems created by stomach ulcers. This is because it is a natural digestive tonic, and its lubricating properties help soothe your stomach and intestines.

16. Help In Weight Loss

If you are seeking to lose weight, adding fenugreek seeds to your diet is a must.

Fenugreek seeds prevent the accumulation of fat and improve the metabolism of lipids and glucose that help in weight loss .

17. Improve Kidney Function

Ingesting fenugreek seeds has been linked to better functioning kidneys.

Fenugreek seeds have polyphenolic flavonoids that improve kidney function and prevent the deterioration of cells by forming a membrane around them .

18. Protect Liver

Your liver cleanses your body of toxins. An injury to the liver can have a serious impact on your health. One of the main causes for decreased liver function is excessive alcohol intake, and studies have shown that fenugreek seeds are very effective in controlling the impact of alcohol on your liver.

Fenugreek seeds protect the liver from alcohol toxicity . Excessive alcohol intake can cause chronic liver damage. The polyphenolic compounds present in fenugreek seeds reduce liver damage and help metabolize the alcohol.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                                             FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                                                             https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                                       FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com