NCTV BLOG

  EASY SKIN CARE TIPS FOR SLEEP DEPRIVED WOMEN Plan ahead For women who know that they have a full day (and night) ahead, it will be very wise to make a plan. Advance preparations will do your skin a world of good. Simple Rules Sleep deprivation makes the skin lose water and nutrients, hence, make sure to eat foods that are high in Vitamin C , or take supplements containing Vitamin C. Avoid more than two alcoholic drinks as they will stop the skin from absorbing nutrients.  Spicy food and seafood can also cause skin sensitivity, so women with sensitive skin should keep those foods to a minimum.  Drink water throughout the night to keep the skin hydrated. If possible, also drink almond milk or fresh fruit juice.   Keep your skin moisturized Moisture can maintain the skin’s brightness and elasticity, so if it lacks in moisture, it will become dry and rough, thereby increasing the appearance of wrinkles. Women who often stay up late lose much of that precious skin mois...

  YOGA BODY LOCKS EXPLAINED There are three interior body locks, or bandhas (also spelled bhanda), that are used in yoga. These locks function much like windows in that they can be opened or closed. Keeping the locks closed is a way of retaining Prana, or the energy of life itself, and boosting the body's ability to heal, increasing physical endurance, and sharpening the senses. Specific exercises are done for each of the locks, with the emphasis on Pranayama. All three can be activated at the same time a well, and this practice is called Maha Bandha or the Great Lock. WORKING WITH THE BANDHAS Mula Bandha , also known as the Root Lock, is the first of the locks used in this practice. The location focused on during Rook Lock is the same as with the Root Chakra, in the space between the anus and the genitals, known as the perineum. To activate this bandha, first assume a kneeling position on the floor (a mat is not necessary), and then gently sit back on your legs. Keep your knees a...

    Use Of Facial Scrubs For Home Skin Care The most basic function of a scrub as a skin care product is to remove dead skin. Facial scrubs do this to reveal a layer of healthier, younger skin cells. The face is the area of the body that gets the most exposure from the environment and so it requires the most maintenance. Layers of dead skin tend to pile up, creating a rough feeling, and lacking the suppleness and elasticity of healthier skin. With educated use, exfoliating facial scrubs can remove the layers of dead cells without removing the healthy skin layer underneath.   Moisturizer content Facial moisturizers are a common ingredient of scrubs, keeping the skin supple and fresh. Maintaining moist skin is part of any good skin care regimen, and especially so when using facial scrubs. Moisturizers in facial scrubs help the skin by attracting and trapping water from the skin's surface, which can speed up the natural self-repair process of the skin. Also known as "cell tu...

  Instructions For Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana) Begin by standing in Mountain Pose and take a big left step back and align your hips parallel with the side wall. Spin your back left heel in at a 45-degree angle and keep your right foot pointed forward. Keep the front heel in line to the inside arch of the back foot. Extend your arms out to the side.  Beginners - Practice against a wall to help with alignment and balance. Continue the movement Exhale and bend your right knee shifting all your weight to the right leg. Shift forward and lift your left leg off the floor. Flex your foot and keep your toes pointed to the side. Raise your leg so that it is approximately parallel with the floor. Simultaneously tip from the waist and reach your fingertips down to the floor keeping your shoulders stacked upon one another reach your left arm into the sky. Continue rotating your chest open and keep your hipbones open to the sidewall. Gaze up at your hand. Beginners- To make this po...

      Lord Of The Dance Pose Instructions (Natarajasana) 1.  From Mountain Pose bend your right leg and grab the bottom of your right foot with your right hand. Make sure your left leg is straight and solid lifting your kneecap up. 2. Pull your right leg up until your thigh is parallel to the floor and your left arm is in front for balance parallel to the floor. 3. Your left arm should be raised up level with your left shoulder, and reach for the sky. Gaze straight ahead.   Hold 20 seconds. Visualization:  You are the master of your world, and there is nothing you cannot accomplish.  Think of the energy and discipline of dancers on stage and feel as though you are now one of them. My Sequence:   Mountain, Lord Of The Dance, Goddess, Warrior I,  Mountain, Eagle Pose, Volcano.  Holding each for 20 seconds. Perform this sequence after running, jogging, aerobics, dancing, strenuous housework, and unusually stressful days.   Benefit...

  The question about caffeine being good for you or not comes down to the answer to another question:  "Do you have any medical reasons for avoiding caffeine?"  The answer to that question is the ultimate response to whether or not beverages and skin care products that contain caffeine are actually beneficial for you.   Among my other studies, my time as a student at the former Clayton College Of Natural Health as Holistic Nutrition major, caused me to concentrate quite bit on whether or not caffeine is good for the body.  First Things First If you get jittery or experience insomnia from caffeine products that is actually a health reason for avoiding it.  That aside, your body might benefit from caffeine.  Read on. Calming You Down.   Yes, caffeine can have that affect on some of us.  Especially if you consume a large amount of caffeine, it can actually help you to wind down and decompress.  Thus, the reason why you see many m...

  (body weight lunge) Lunges really are leg and thigh miracle exercises.  They can work wonders firming, trimming and toning your legs from top to bottom.   Add one or both of these lunges to your usual routine, three times or more per week to see the best results.  Body Weight Lunge (photo above)   The most well-known exercise for thighs are the lunges. Stand with hip width distance between your feet. Step the right leg in front of you. Take a deep breath in, and on the exhale slowly lower your torso,until the right leg is parallel to the floor, with the left knee held straight. Come back up slowly. Repeat five to fifteen times, then switch legs and perform the same move the same number of times.  (step up lunge) The Step Up Lunge (photo above)   The difference between step up lunge and body weight lunge is the way the leg in front is placed. Place your right leg in front on a secure elevation, such as an exercise step, weight bench or even a par...

    (clary sage) Yes, Essential Oils Can Treat Acne! Balancing, toning, and cleansing types are the best essential oils for oily skin. Add them to your homemade facial masks,moisturizers, and facial steams, to cut down on breakouts and reduce large pores. Oily skin is usually hereditary, not a side effect of poor skin care habits, and it is a particular problem during hormone shifts ( the teenage years, the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause and stressful times of life). Aromatherapy skin care does not completely get rid of oily skin, but it can help to keep your skin's oil production under control. The following are four essential oils for oily skin: lavender — great for acne, oily skin, and even dry skin, lavender is the amazing skin "normalizer". Add a few drops to facial steams, moisturizers and masks to help balance your complexion. clary sage — awesome on its own or in combination with lavender, clary sage essential oil balances oily, shiny skin, calms, ...

        Mushrooms A vegetable that seems to be a "love it or hate it" kind of food, mushrooms have gained ground in recent years as the benefits of Beta Glucans, a compound commonly found in mushrooms, has become more widely recognized. The mushroom is a perfect example of how we can approach skin care from both a nutritional and a product-use standpoint. Eating mushrooms provides us with a healthy dose of not only Beta Glucans, but also Panthothinic Acid, Riboflavin, Niacin, Selenium, Copper, Potassium, and a lesser-tauted antioxidant called Ergotheonine. And, you will find many of these nutrients in skin care products, for good reason.    The Value Of Mushrooms When you see the term "antioxidant"used to describe a nutrient, it means that it has considerable power to help the body fight off cancer cells. As I mentioned above, mushrooms naturally contain Ergotheonine, a very beneficial antioxidant. Two of the ways that this happens is 1) the nutrient assis...

    Lavender Powder Facial Mask To get rid of inflammation on the face, and that red, ruddy complexion, look to the calming herbs. Lavender, which soothes the skin (smells divine), and also helps to balance an overly oily or overly dry complexion, is the key ingredient in this homemade face mask for inflammation. Rose and chamomile, which also have anti-inflammatory properties (as well as anti-bacterial action) back up the pure, powerful lavender powder in the form of essential oils. This facial mask is ideal for Rosacea sufferers and for dry, sensitive skin. With so many different anti-bacterial ingredients (honey, lavender, rose, and chamomile) it is also useful for blemishes, and for preventing dry skin. For anyone with redness and acne, well, it doesn't get any better than this calming, soothing facial. To make this facial mask to you will need: 3 tablespoons plain yogurt 1 tablespoon raw honey 1 tablespoon lavender powder 2 drops rose essential oil 2 d...

    My own abs.  Age 60.  Yes it can be done. Not Summer so why worry?  Wrong!  You should have healthy concern about your fitness level all year round! Use the following core-targeted moves to strengthen and tone your midsection.  Add one or all to your usual routine, or start a new abs only day, twice per week.   As always, warm-up and cool-down are both musts.  Simple up/down left/right stretches are fine.  Jumping jacks and knee raises are excellent.   Now, learn more about how to sculpt your abs NOW! Crunch/Side-Ben Combo: Lie down like you're about to do a sit-up, but instead of reaching your torso up, curl it to the right side. Reach your right elbow toward your right foot. Squeeze and hold for five seconds, then alternate sides. Repeat 10 times. 6-Inch Killers: Lie flat on your back with your legs reaching toward the ceiling, slightly bent. Intertwine your fingers behind your head and lift it slightly. For a more ...

      Garlic Can Be A Girl's Best Friend This is one food flavoring that's got a huge list of reasons why you should include it in your diet as much as you possibly can. For centuries, people have used garlic to fight infections and boost their immune systems, and those may be two great reasons, but they're not the only ones by any means. Garlic has cancer-fighting, heart disease-fighting and blood pressure-lowering properties due to a naturally occuring substance it contains, called, “allicin” . And the only thing you have to do to activate the allicin, is crush the garlic.   How Much Is Enough? A fresh clove of garlic contains between 2500 and 4500 mcg. of allicin, depending on the size of the clove, which is enough to have a positive effect on your body.   How Does It Help? Foods that support healthy-heart functioning automatically support a leaner body. Getting more oxygen to your body via circulation is the heart’s primary purpose, and when this is increase...

    Clay And Lime Facial Mask Citrus fruit and French green clay are two of the best skin care ingredients for blemished skin or skin that tends to be oily, To make the clay and lime facial mask you will need - 5 Tablespoons French green clay powder 2  Tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice, enough to make a paste with the clay  6  Drops of organic essential oil of lavender Witch Hazel or Rose Water as needed Getting Ready Mix together all ingredients in a glass bowl.  Use Witch Hazel and/or Rose Water as needed to get the mixture to a consistency you can easily use.  Cover and refrigerate. Prepare your bed by layering a few towels down to lay on. Wear a terry robe or a towel with a velcro closure.  Light candles and put in a meditation CD or a sounds of nature CD. Prep your skin by cleansing your face, neck and decollete thoroughly, using my Honey Charcoal Soap. Use your favorite facial scrub to those same areas, working it in for a full...

This 7 day program can prevent the dreaded Holiday weight gain, and even ward off colds and flu this Winter!   Smart Tips To Detoxify Your Body The main aim of this post is to teach you how to work with your body’s natural detoxification, or waste removal if you will, process. This isn’t intended to be one of those quick weight-loss gimmicks. It’s something you should do at different times of the year based on your lifestyle and/or what’s happening around you. As an example, you should follow these guidelines if you’ve just had a cold or the flu, or are experiencing an increase in your usual stress. Alternatively, you can simply opt to follow these instructions once or twice per year to help ward off health issues from congestion to minor allergic reactions. **Follow this program for a full seven days**  How To Detoxify Your Body Naturally It’s not only cutting out certain foods or including others that help you get rid of toxins your body has been storing, and reducing t...

       Yes, actually avocado can do just that! A very popular food these days, avocado is an excellent to many dishes. It can be used simply as a sliced side to a protein, a mashed and seasoned stuffing for bell peppers, or as a topping for fish. Avocado has a high omega 6 to omega 3 ratio (13:1). A diet rich in unsaturated fats is beneficial for heart functioning. No doubt that a healthy heart plays an important role in our everyday life, making excercise easier and our brains work more efficiently, but, a healthy heart means improved circulation to the skin, carrying oxygen and nutrients with it. The end result? Avocado makes you beautiful inside and out! Here’s a quick and simple salad that you can add to your diet 3 times per week - RECIPE Avocado Salad With Fresh Ground Black Pepper & Cilantro What you will need: 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce 1 large tomato or several cherry tomatoes, chopped 1 red onion, chopped 1 or tablespoons chickpeas 2 tablespoo...

  (photo is of the Pilates The Hundred)   Simple Routine To Tap Into Your Powerhouse Core Strength What Is The Powerhouse? More commonly known as the core, the powerhouse area of your body extends from the bottom of your ribs all the way to your hip line. It includes the abdominal muscles, low back muscles, pelvic floor, muscles around the hips, and the glutes. Your powerhouse muscles work together to form a supportive corset for your trunk. They stabilize us and at the same time create the big moves we make, giving targeted exercises major strength. The Hundred Instructions Lie on your back with spine flat on the floor, arms at your side, palms flat on the mat. Bring knees to chest and stretch legs up to a 90-degree angle, if you feel strong enough you can lower them to a 45% angle. Use your powerhouse to bring chin into your chest. Remember that you should imagine you are holding an orange under your chin. Continue to press your lower back into the mat and maintain this ...

  (photo is of some of our beehives) Raw Honey Explained This is the pure, unprocessed, honey that's harvested directly from beehives such as ours.  This is the product that busy honeybees make and it's left just the way Mother Nature intended it to be.   Unlike common commercial honey that's sold in supermarkets, that contains added water, sugar, and is thinned down to a watery syrup.  This is not real honey.  It's actually a processed honey product that mixes honey from different parts of the world together - getting the honey from whatever country sells it the cheapest.  In short, it's just not a product that my family would ever use, and I would never add it to my high quality soaps.    (video is of my Honey Cream Soap w/ Raised Bee Pattern variety) Raw Honey In Handcrafted Soap  It's been used for many centuries to treat burns, cuts, and other wounds, as well as taken orally to treat infections, stomach ailments, coughs and col...

      October is designated as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  This deadly disease is something I am familiar with, as it was the cause of my mother's death.   For the many people who are braving through this disease, their loved ones and those beautiful souls who work to help them, I have created a set of beautiful pink soaps, scented with a fresh roses fragrance.  They are available on my Etsy store.  CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

    Belly fat has the potential to kill you, and that’s not a scare tactic by any means.   Many women have a tendency to store excess body fat in the belly area, and abdominal fat is responsible for the majority of the health problems brought about by carrying too much weight.   Include this list of foods in your diet, and plan your weekly meals to include several of them every day.   Foods That Get Rid Of Belly Fat For Good Almonds and walnuts Beans Spinach and other green vegetables Dairy, low-fat varieties, such as yogurt Oatmeal Eggs, or egg whites Turkey and other lean meats Peanut butter, all natural Extra virgin olive oil and olives Whole grains Extra protein for snacks, such as slices of reduced fat cheese Blueberries, raspberries and other berries Salmon - this is one food you need to eat two to three times per week   Building your menus around these powerfully beneficial foods, your body will be fueled with good carbs, protein, fiber, and healthy ...

      What causes sagging after skin weight loss? There is an inherent elasticity in everyone’s skin, but once you get beyond age 25 or 30, the elasticity decreases. The tissue expands and your body literally makes more skin by producing more skin cells. And those annoying stretch marks? They are the artifacts of the breakdown of the normal architecture of skin.. Solution: Keep your skin moisturized with inexpensive lotion and water.   What are the biggest factors that determine my skin’s elasticity? The two biggest factors that determine skin elasticity are age and genetics. And, unfortunately, both are out of our control. How quickly you’ve gained the weight, as well as how quickly you’ve lost it, may also be a factor. Losing weight slowly, as I will always recommend, over a longer period of time, may give you more of a fighting chance.  If you have a significant amount of weight to lose, say in excess of 50lbs., then you are giving your entire body a chance ...