Health Gems

Gorgeously Green spa articles and book giveaway

By now, hopefully you’ve had a chance to view and even try out some of the DIY spa recipes we’ve been posting on our blog. It’s a lot of effort to find these recipes for you, but we think it’s well worth it for two reasons: First, because we know not everyone has the time or money to treat themselves to a regular spa treatment. Second, we like sharing these recipes because using natural products on our bodies are always better than using store-bought, chemical laden products.

But the main point of our DIY Skincare series is to help eliminate some of the excuses many women have for not

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Tags: DIY body scrub recipe, DIY Spa Series foot soak, GB giveaway, homemade foot soak recipes

How’s your decollette?

Many beautiful dresses and fashionable tops today have low cuts that draw attention to a woman’s upper chest area, or décolleté. Whether it’s just to show a little more skin or a beautiful necklace, it’s important to take care of this area. After all, it’s one of the sexiest parts of your body!

If you haven’t been paying attention to your décolleté, now is the time to do so. Did you know that it is one of the first places to show age? The skin on the neck and chest area is more sensitive than skin on other parts of our body – it’s thinner, less moisturized, has less elasticity and there is no fat tissue below it! Consequently, this skin is more likely to show signs of aging with dryness, hyper-pigmentation and age spots.

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Tags: caring for your decollette, decollette care, how to care for your decollette, how to take care of your neck and chest, woman's decollette

31 Days to a Greener and Healthier Life (Day 30)

Day 30 – Green your baby’s room.

(Okay, we understand that not everyone has a baby, so you may not think this post is applicable to you. However, because of what’s at stake (the baby’s health), we felt this was worth of mention. Even if it may not apply to you, chances are you know someone who has a little one that might benefit from this information.)

What:  All parents want to create a safe, loving space for their new baby. What most parents do not know however, is that a standard nursery contain chemicals that have been shown to cause health problems. Various pollutants such as formaldehyde and other VOC’s, (Volatile Organic Compounds) arise from newly laid flooring or carpet, soft furnishings, clothing, bedding, textiles and toys. VOCs are synthetic and natural substances that are emitted from everyday products and materials and include various household chemicals, solvents contained in glues, varnishes and other paint materials. Surely you wouldn’t want your delicate baby exposed to these! Since infants are especially susceptible to toxins and spend so much time in bed, it’s critical that their rooms are environmentally-safe sanctuaries.

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Tags: benefits of greening your baby's room, create a green nursery, green nursery, green your baby's room, green your nursery, how to green your baby's room

31 Days to a Greener and Healthier Life (Day 26)

Day 26 – Shop at your local farmers market.

What: Why not make the local farmers’ market your new favorite shopping place?  It’s a great way to show your support to local farmers, artisans and artists who gather at farmers’ markets to sell their own products.  With them around, you can find out exactly where your food comes from and how it’s grown. You can engage in a conversation about what you’re buying with a grower who would be more than happy in telling you about it. Local farmers live on or near their farms so they have a vested interest in keeping the surrounding land healthy, unlike big corporate farms, which often pollute the land and are not members of the community. Here’s another reason why we love the farmers market: most stands are organic, whether or not you see the USDA seal. Small farmers can’t always afford organic certification, but most of them follow the guidelines, providing you with delicious, healthy food.

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Tags: how to shop at your local farmers market, shop at your local farmers market, shopping at local farmers market, why shop at your local farmers market

31 Days to a Greener and Healthier Life (Day 25)

Day 25 – Go vegetarian at least once a week.

What: Ok, most of us love meat (I know I do!), but meat production causes some major distress to the environment. Animal waste produced by industrial farms release greenhouse gasses into the air and the trucks that carry that meat and animals to and from stores also cost the world significant amounts of fossil fuels to power the trucks. So if you’re eating a lot of meat, why not try to go vegetarian at least once a week? We’re not suggesting you go completely vegetarian later on (although it is good for the planet and  your health), but we believe even just one day a week can make a difference.

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Tags: benefits of going vegetarian, eat organic, go vegetarian once a week, how to go vegetarian, why go vegetarian