A guide to health boosting tea

We all know that there a many different varieties of tea, but did you know that many of them have health boosting ingredients that will do wonders for your body?

Digestion
A cup of peppermint tea drunk at the end of a meal will aid digestion, helping the meal you have just eaten make its way through your body with no difficulty at all.

Sleep
A cup of Chamomile tea before bed will ensure you receive a good nights sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.

Nausea
The tea for ridding yourself of nausea is ginger. It can be used to combat morning sickness and travel sickness. Drinking it in this way is more pleasurable than simply popping a capsule.

Immune System
The herb by the name of Echinacea is often mixed with fruit when being made into tea, and this combination provides an excellent boost to your immune system. If you feel a cold coming on invest in a packet to help you overcome it.

Concentration
Ginkgo Biloba tea is a natural concentration aid, helping to focus the mind and improve even memory skills. Got an exam coming up or lots of work to do? Try Ginkgo for the week and see how you get on.

Skin Cleansing
To put the glow back into your skin, drink nettle, lemon balm or red clover tea.

Calming
Feeling anxious, worried or even slightly depressed? Lemon balm tea will help soothe away your stresses and strains and even help battle depression as it contains natural anti-depressant properties.

Headaches
Constant headaches can be very tiresome. If you don’t want to always turn to paracetamol, you could give Rosemary tea a trial. It can taste quite bitter though and if the taste is not quite for you, try mixing in a teaspoon of honey.

If any of you have tried any of these teas and would like to tell us how they helped you, send in your comments. Are there any teas that I have missed off the list?

Valentine's Day

Valentines day has just been and gone and this year, and although it is quite a commercial day, it is still nice to acknowledge it I think with a small token or gift of some sort. My favourite presents for Valentine’s Day are undoubtedly bath accessories or some delicious smelling creams or lotions. Chocolates and flowers are also nice, but they lack the imagination I feel, plus the chocolate goes in a flash and the flowers don’t take long before they start to wilt and die.

Lotions and potions not only make you feel good but they last for a long time. I am finding too that in this cold weather I need larger daily amounts of moisturizer to stop my skin from drying out due to the harsh weather conditions we are all suffering from at the moment. My current moisturizers of choice are Laughing Bird Neroli Face Cream for my face and the Laughing Bird Shea Body Cream which are both excellent creams for keeping your skin looking good. They also smell fantastic which is a bonus. I am suffering particularly from chapped lips at the moment I think caused by this dreadful weather so I’m using a lot of lip balm each day to keep them soft.

I would like to know what all your ideal valentines presents would be - maybe you received something extra special this year, or maybe your present was forgotten about! (This has happened to me a few times!) Send in your comments here and tell us what you did or did not receive this year and what you would have really like to have received!

How Nuts Can Aid Weight Loss

I was told as a child that 7 peanuts contain the same amount of fat as that of a roast dinner! Now as an adult, I’m not sure that fact is accurate, however it is true that there is a lot of fat and calories found in nuts. Believe it or not though, nuts and seeds play an important role in the health of out bodies and can even help us lose weight.



The reason that they are so good for us is that they contain healthy fat, not artery clogging saturated fat. In a similar way to avocados, they provide the body with the unsaturated fat that it needs to run at optimum performance. Anything eaten in excess however will cause weight gain, and nuts are no exception, but when eaten in moderation they are an excellent source of protein, fibre and minerals including magnesium and copper. Almonds in particular are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals and research has shown they hold tremendous ‘super powers’ for the body by staving off illness and disease.

It is important that the nuts consumed are in their natural form however. Salted or dry roasted or any other treated form of nut should be avoided as the processes used in producing them include the addition of unhealthy saturated fat and salt, both of which are bad for our health and our bodies.

At Baldwin’s we supply a range of organic nuts and seeds guaranteed to give your body a boost and help it stay healthy. The range of infinity foods we supply have even been certified by the soil association. They are the perfect crisp alternative, both satisfying and tasty to eat. Why don’t you give them a try for a few weeks and see how you feel. Whoever told me that they were as fattening as a roast dinner was off base - has anyone else ever believed something that was completely false!?

Snow

The snow has caused enormous disruption all over the UK. The whole country seems to have ground to a halt with thousands of people unable to leave their homes. Although snow does cause great disruption, there is nothing quite like waking up to a fresh blanket. I love the peacefulness of snow, and seeing plants and shrubs weighted down by thick layers.



Snow offers the perfect excuse to just enjoy yourself at home. My advice is to grab as many supplies as possible from the nearest shops and just shut the door to the outside world. The only exception should be to wrap yourself up warm and actually get out into a thick field of snow (or your garden) to build snowmen, make snow angels and have huge snowball fights.

Thick snow is particularly magical for children. Many schools have shut and children are relishing the days off. It’s great fun for them to head out into the snow and enjoy it. If you have a toboggan then grab it and head on out. If you don’t have one then a tray can work as an effective substitute. Waterproof boots and plenty of clothes are essential for everybody though. Some recent research has shown that there may be some scientific truth in wrapping up to prevent a cold. It seems that the virus that causes a cold lies dormant within our bodies, but when we are exposed to cold and wet conditions, the virus grows stronger and brings an onslaught of cold symptoms.




If you do find yourself snuffling over the next week or so, try having lots of steamy baths with some drops of essential oils and drink plenty of hot fluids. That should help stave off the worst symptoms. How do you plan on spending your time during this unexpected break? Send in your thoughts and comments on the best ways to enjoy the snow.

Five ways to rejuvenate your skin

The effects of the the sun, wind, pollution and smoke can often leave our skin looking a little dull. I have put together my top tips for making your skin ‘glow’.

1. Discover your skin type

So often people use the wrong type of products for their skin. If you have oily skin, you do not want to use the same moisturizer that someone with dry skin uses as it will exacerbate the oiliness and maybe even lead to outbreaks. Consult a dermatologist if you can to try to find out if you have dry, oily or combination skin.

2. Cleanse your face twice a day

Using a cleanser that suits your skin type, apply all over your face and wipe clean with a flannel face cloth soaked in warm water. If you do this in the morning and evening, your skin will instantly start to look better. No more soap and water, as soap dries out the skin and is too harsh for it.

3. Exfoliate twice a week

You only need to exfoliate twice a week, but it is an important part of your beauty routine. After cleansing, rub onto your face gently, leave for a minute, and remove with a damp face cloth. This will remove dead skin cells and help bring some life to your skin.

4. Moisturize every day

Moisturizing is essential for your skin. It stops it drying out and helps fight the onslaught of wrinkles as you get older. Invest in a decent moisturizer and apply generously to your face at least once a day. This should be done after cleansing and exfoliating. Try and avoid creams that have fragrances as these can contain chemicals that may be too harsh for your skin.

5. Wear sun cream, even if it is cloudy

This is my secret weapon! If you wear sun cream every time you go outside, your face will be protected from all the harmful UV rays that come from the sun. They can still penetrate even on a cloudy day. Use a cream with a high SPF factor to get the most benefit. It may seem a little over the top to wear sun cream in winter, but you will thank me for it when you are older as your skin will be smooth and clear.

In no time at all people will be complementing you and noticing your young looking skin. Has anyone got any other secret tips they use for keeping their skin soft and supple?