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Thursday, July 30, 2009

Homemade White Teeth Recipes


We all want shiny white teeth right?! But then it's not that easy to have specially for people who smokes and for coffee drinkers like me.

For most people shiny white teeth means good health and good hygiene. Something we all want to. So comes the question, just how do we get white teeth?

Generally people have this done by their dentists. This process can take time and can be costly. Some would also opt to buy other teeth whitening products...but as costly as they can be, they don't guarantee quick results.

This week I'm going to share some helpful tips in getting that shiny white teeth.

Firs and foremost, let's discuss first the causes for teeth discoloration. While out teeth are not really colored white, some factors contribute in making its color dull and too yellowish than normal such as --

- Drinking too much of tea or coffee (This is something I'm guilty of!)
- Drinking of red wine
- Intake of foods having residual pigments
- Chewing of beetles leaves and tobacco (Not so common nowadays.)
- Too much smoking is another cause for discolored teeth
- Some of the medicines also cause stains on the teeth (This we may not have a choice.)

So if of those things are inevitable we are best with just one choice...to follow some regimen that will combat those and will help manage discoloration of our teeth. One important thing is to make sure you brush your teeth or rinse them well after food intake...or even liquid specially if they have caffeine on it.

And though I've said it here, allow me to say it again --I encourage you to get to know about Oil Pulling. This ancient Ayurvedic technique is actually a good alternative for oral care.

And then you may try any of the following --

  • Rub table salt on your teeth and rinse it off with water after a few minutes.
  • Make powder of dry orange rinds and massage your teeth with it.
  • To replenish the mineral content of the teeth and hence getting back the whiteness, you can use sodium bicarbonate as a tooth powder.
  • Prepare a mixture of ½ tsp of baking soda, ½ tsp of vinegar and a pinch of table salt. This recipe when done will look like a paste. Apply this on your teeth and wash after a few minutes. It will make your teeth bacteria free and stain free and is a very effective homemade teeth-whitening recipe.
  • Another wonderful homemade teeth whitening recipe is to prepare a mixture of ½ tsp of baking soda and 1-2 drops of hydrogen peroxide. Apply this mixture on your teeth not more than twice a week as this is bleaching your teeth which you can only do so much for sometime. Though you may feel some irritation on your gum it won’t harm your teeth and gum.
  • Sprinkle baking powder on the half cut lemon. Then apply it gently over the upper and lower teeth for one minute each. After that brush your teeth with toothpaste. Do not use this recipe for more than once a week.
That's it. Very easy to follow right? More than anything they are just readily available...in fact they're all can found in your kitchen.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Office Makeup Tips


Makeup plays an important role in creating professional look for women...next to corporate dressing of course!

Today I will share quick makeup tips which I find handy for years now. Though I am a lover of makeup, you will rarely see me "painting my face" with too much color. I believe that makeups are there to enhance and bring out our asset and never to make us look like a different person altogether. Wearing makeup at work can help us look professional...in a way that we look neat, well groomed, and confident. Thus wearing makeup at work should done within the framework of certain criteria, making sure we do not overdo it. We should be able to strike a good balance to create a good image.

Here are few steps I take everyday before going to work!

I moisturize! Though it's given that I always apply body lotion...what I want to emphasis here right now is facial moisturizer. After bath I always apply moisturizer all over my face...my neck and nape...these are with sunscreen protection too! (For those who tends to have oily spots like the T-Zone area, you may want to blot with tissue papers those areas after application.)

Next is get a natural-looking base. I usually get a contemporary foundation-and- powder-in-one mixes. This gives me 2 great results, a nice finish and it allows an easy quick retouch anytime.
Now for my eye shadows I always try to match with the colors of my clothes...and most of the time I tone them down rather than playing them up. I always find eye pencil very convenient and long lasting. I also make sure I use a waterproof/ smudge-proof mascara. I am always meticulous when I shop for mascara...they have to define lashes without clogging them up. (As the eyes is the window of the soul so they say, I will write more about eye makeup tips this week!)

I put blush on occasionally and when I do, I make sure they are kept at the minimum. This is something I think one can skip...

Finally...lipstick. I'd say everything can be sum up with your lips. This defines our character...our boldness and level of confidence. Lipsticks are mostly "effective" when they are in strong, matter hues and so are more assertive with shades like burgundies, deep or true reds, rust browns and shades within this family of colors. I try to avoid paler shades at work, more so when they are glossy or frosted. (I think they're only best when I go for a walk or go shopping with the IT Guy on a lazy weekend! LOL)

Ah...one more thing! Your nails! Make sure they are neat...manicured or at least polished. A transparent top coat is already enough to give your hands that important cared-for look. Remember we extend ourselves when we shake hands...and raise that glass for a toss!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Vegetable Recipe


For two weeks I was joining What's Cooking Wednesday and due to the busyness of schedule it got stopped and now...well I'm on it again. Though it will be the first time to do it here as I used to share this entry at my Mariposa's Tales site. The reason for doing it here is that for the most part here I've been putting emphasis on vegetable meal and I feel it is just but right to feature a vegetable recipe here.

So this post is a (not) WORDful (less) Wednesday and What's Cooking Wednesday in one!



This nutritious and yummy dish is called Pinakbet which is just a vegetable stew with shrimp paste. This is a popular filipino viand and is a favorite of mine.





So let me share to you in a very simple easy to prepare recipe!

Ingredients

  • 1/4 kilo pork with fat, cut into small pieces

  • 2 Ampalaya (bitter gourd) sliced to bite size pieces

  • 2 eggplants, sliced to bite size pieces

  • 5 pieces of okra, cut in two

  • 1 head garlic, minced

  • 2 onions, diced

  • 5 tomatoes, sliced

  • 1 tablespoon of ginger, crushed and sliced

  • 4 tablespoons shrimp paste (for people who are allergic to this, alternatively you can have pork rinds popularly known here is chicharon)

  • 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

  • 1 1/2 cup water

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. In a cooking pan, heat oil and fry the pork until brown, remove the pork from the pan and set aside.
  2. On the same pan, saute garlic, onion, ginger and tomatoes.
  3. In a casserole, boil water and add shrimp paste. (Or the pork rinds, or you may skip this part.)
  4. Add the pork in the casserole and mix in the sautéed garlic, onion, ginger and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes or less.
  5. Add in all the vegetables and cook until the vegetables are done, but careful not to overcook. (Vegetables are highly nutritous but we can lost it in just a matter or minutes the moment we subject them to too much heat.)
  6. Salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Serve hot. (We usually serve it here with plain rice.)
Some people do it with interchange #3 and #5 as they usually add in the water last. I usually don't do that as it risked overcooking the vegetables or making them too tender.

For more interesting photos, you may visit Wordless Wednesday and Wordful Wednesday...or go to The Fairy Blogmother for more What's Cooking Wednesday participants.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

A Long Story

Caring for your long locks...


Growing long, beautiful and healthy hair is not a difficult process. It's more of a question of what you shouldn't do rather than what you should.

From Samson's long hair to Rapunzel's...to many people growing hair is something legendary but guess what it is not fairy tale at all!

Most of my life I've had long hair and let me tell you loving long locks and keeping it healthy is not that difficult after all. The following are hair care tips which I've found handy in keeping my long locks healthy for years now.

* Snip, snip! This is something I've learned the hard way I thought (like most people) that to grow one's hair means not cutting it cutting off. I was so wrong. If you want beautiful long hair, trim it for about half an inch once a month or within 2-3 months the most. That prevents you from growing split ends. Remember damaged hair doesn't grow, it breaks.

* You are what you eat! (So if you hair.) I have said this many times here...feeding your body what it needs to keep everything in working order helps us to have beautiful skin and hair.

Keep hydrated by drinking 8 - 10 glasses of water every day. Water will nourish the entire body from toes to the tips of our hair - one of the very best ways to take care of dry hair.

Following a healthy diet and a daily multi-vitamin to get good-for-your-hair trace minerals like Magnesium and Zinc will do wonders. Good diet especially with foods rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, tuna, flax seed oil and nuts are major building blocks of healthy hair, skin and nails. The hair (which is really 98 percent protein itself) needs protein to stay healthy; which we can easily supply by eating organic meats, nuts and seeds. Eggs and egg whites provide vitamin B12 and potatoes, bananas and oatmeal give us melanin-helper vitamin B6 which will give hair color a natural boost. Eliminating some food products, like wheat products, can also help fight and prevent scalp issues.

* Say no to harsh chemicals. This not only refers to hair dyes and other hair products used for styling but shampoos as well. Some hair shampoos contain sodium laureth sulfate, a harsh chemical used in dish detergents that is often added its lathering properties. This will strip and dry you hair.

One lesson I learned from my Mom is not to shampoo too frequently. I used to shampoo everyday as I don't feel like I've showered completely without washing my hair. Now I try to just do it every other day.

* Condition your hair! I use natural conditioner applied to my hair regularly in the shower. I try focusing on hair from my ear lobes down to the hair tips. I also use intensive conditioning treatment twice a month (or you can have your weekly, depending on your hair’s needs) and let it moisturize while covered with plastic wrap or a towel to retain heat for 10 - 15 minutes before rinsing in the shower.

The clue is the more you exposed your hair to harsh elements like heat and chemicals for styling, the more you need to condition and moisturize it.

* Invest on a good hair comb and brush. Yes...both! Quality hair brushes not only last years longer but will treat your delicate tresses properly, even with the most tangled hair. And use a wide tooth comb to detangle your strands. Avoid hair brushes with hard bulbs at the end, they’ll do more bad than good for your hair. Detangle hair from the tip to the root, focusing on a section at a time until you reach the scalp. Be gentle when detangling, pulling down on your hair too hard will cause breakage.

* Avoid having your hair tightly braided or even in having it in tight ponytail specially during sleep. The stress can cause breakage and/or hair loss.

* Don't rub your hair dry with a towel, instead blot the water out of your hair, when you rub, it'll cause hair to tangle.

* I also use silk pillow case. Using a satin or silk pillowcase where your hair will make it so that hair will slide across the pillowcase without getting caught. When I travel i either put my hair up in a ponytail on the top of my head with a scrunchie or specially treated band (that prevents breakage) or wrapped it with silk scarf.

* Brushing the hair is important because it spreads the the hair oils out across the length of our hair. Use long strokes starting from the roots of your hair when brushing and stroke your hand over your hair after you are done brushing to get rid of static.

And lastly be vigilant and watch out for your hair safety. With all of the potentially damaging elements around, taking a few simple steps to keep your scalp and hair out of harm’s way will pay off long-term. Before going swimming in a chlorinated swimming pool, wet your hair completely with tap water so your hair will soak up that water instead of the pool water. If you cannot pre-wet your hair, wear a swimming cap and wash your hair with shampoo immediately after. Before stepping into the pool be sure that your hair is not up in a rubber band to minimize breakage and hair damage. When outside on a sunny day, wear a hat as much as possible to protect your hair and delicate scalp from burning.

So that's it...my not so Wordless Wednesday entry for this Monday! LOL