DECEMBER 3, 2009

Honey & Lemon Drink – a thirst quencher and an easy crowd pleaser

Posted by Dorothy under Natural Highs2 comments

Recipe

Water ( hot or cold )
Honey and lemon to your preference
A slice of lemon and a mint leave to garnish

Major Benefits Of Honey

1. Good substitute to sugar – lesser calories than sugar
2. Energy booster – glucose in honey is absorbed into the body quicker than sugar
3. Antiseptic and antioxidant – aids the digestive system whereby it helps fight diseases
4. Improves complexion – it acts as a mosituriser in skin care items
5. Heals wounds and cuts – can be applied on skin

Major Benefits Of Lemon

1. Cures colds and sore throat – due to high contents of Vitamin C – best to drink it with honey
2. Helps indigestion and constipation – it has a cleansing effect
3. Controls high blood pressure – high in potassium
4. Acts as a blood purifier
5. Skin care – high contents of Vitamin C – reduces wrinkles and fade scars
6. Insecticide – mother’s nature version of insecticide, esp mosquitoes and flies

**A little secret : lemon and warm milk aids in sleeplesness

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NOVEMBER 24, 2009

Anyone Fancy A Symphony Of Cicadas??

Posted by Dorothy under Natural Highsno responses

I was teaching a class at a resort spa during sunrise, cocooned within a rainforest sanctuary and overlooking the Andaman sea. As the students were deep into relaxation and lying comfortably in Savasana ( Corpse pose ), the calling of an insect broke the silence. I could not determine the sound until about 20 seconds later when the whole symphony just filled the air. It was the beautiful sounds of the female cicadas, calling out to the male for mating purposes. It was loud but soothing to our ears. It was the perfect moment that the cicadas decided to  ‘ sing for us ’. Only about 5 minutes later, when I cited…..slowly and gently…….return to the here and now….my students opened their eyes with a smile on their face, feeling utterly relaxed. They sat up and looked around them, appreciating the nature which surrounded us.

For those of you who are wondering how cicadas look and sound like, please click on the links below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mah26og11ms&feature=related – a clear look at a cicada

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT5jvEKHK2E&feature=related – symphony of cicadas

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NOVEMBER 11, 2009

Dry Brushing – a diy massage, exfoliation and detoxification

Posted by Dorothy under Natural Highsno responses

Do you dry brush? Have you heard of dry brushing?
If your answer to both questions are NO….you should read on.

What is it?
Dry brushing is a way of brushing the body with a dry brush. It differs from scrubbing yourself with a loofah while showering.

What is a dry brush and how to choose one?
It is a brush with soft bristles, preferably made from natural materials ( ie vegetable fibre ) because most synthetic brushes are too hard and will injure the skin. The brush for the face is slightly softer than the body brush. You should be able to find it in health stores or special body care stores.

Face Brush and Body Brush

What are the benefits?
The skin is the largest eliminative organ in the body and is responsible for one quarter of the body’s detoxification each day. It is also known as our third kidney. Therefore dry brushing helps exfoliate and unclog by removing the dry skin, revealing the new layer of clean, bright and smooth skin which the body processes every 12 hours. If it is done often, the skin will be seen as glowing, cellulites will be reduced and muscles will be toned.

Other than that dry brushing helps with blood circulation as it is a form of massage and it also stimulates our nerve endings, benefiting the nervous system. The health of our liver and kidneys will be improved because the body is no longer concentrating the entire detoxification process on those organs.

Most importantly, it helps clean the lymphatic system which creates a stronger immune system.

How is it done?
The best time to do it is before you hit the shower in the morning.

The basic rules :

Face -  brush gently from the middle to the sides .
Body – brush strokes towards the heart, but as for the stomach, chest and armpits,
use clockwise and anti clockwise strokes

Make sure that you avoid areas of broken skin, acne or rashes.
After that, shower as usual and massage some good moisturizer into your skin.

How to care for your brush?
Wash with soap and water at least once a week and leave it to dry. Please do not share your brush with anyone else.

This 5 minutes routine will leave you energized and invigorated. Your morning showers will never be the same without the dry brushing routine. You will definitely FEEL the difference after one first session and SEE the benefits after a week. I bet you will be singing James Brown’s “ I Feel Good ” after your morning showers.

Have a therapeutic brushing time:)!!

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