Cure 101: Insomnia

It's tough when you're up most of the time staring at the clock.

Dearest readers,

Recently, a viewer asked me to do a cure 101 on insomnia, so I've collaborated some tips on how to effectively fight against it!

Note: I am by no means a doctor and information on this page may be incorrect or subject to more research. Insomnia should not be treated lightly. In some cases, it could be a underlying issue that needs medical attention. Always seek help from a doctor first before turning to the internet for information. These tips should be used with caution in conjuction/ or with approval by your doctor.

1. Play some soft, soothing music that will lull you to sleep. There are many CDs designed for that very purpose. Some are specially composed music, others simply have sounds of waves rhythmically breaking, or the steady pattern of a heartbeat. Some will lead you to sleep with a combination of music, voice and other soothing sounds.

2. Drink a glass of warm milk 15 minutes before going to bed will soothe your nervous system. Milk contains calcium, which works directly on jagged nerves to make them (and you) relax.

3. Drink Herb tea if you don't like milk—or are avoiding dairy products—try a cup of hot camomile, catnip, anise or fennel tea. All contain natural ingredients which will help you sleep. Most health food stores will also have special blends of herb tea designed to soothe you and help you get to sleep.

4. Try melatonin, but carefully. Some people find it helpful to sleep, however there are cases of people who, on the contrary, disrupts sleep. There is at present considerable confusion as to the usefulness and appropriateness of melatonin. Therefore it is advisable to consult a health professional (naturopath, medical doctor or naturopathic) versed in the subject.

5. Eliminate or reduce caffeine and smoking. Almost everyone knows that caffeine makes it difficult to sleep, what many do not realize is that smoking near bedtime can disrupt sleep and cause us to wake up several times at night . Studies have shown that smokers show a decrease from the deepest stage of sleep, ie one in which delta waves predominate. Smoking also causes congestion in the airways and inflammation on mucous membranes. This makes the air flow is impeded, causing problems similar to those of sleep apnea.

6. Try eating some sleeping pills. I suggest Natures Way Sleeping Pills. OTC sleep aids are meant to be used for short term insomnia only. Sleep experts generally advise against the use of over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids because of side-effects, questions about their effectiveness, and lack of information about their safety over the long-term. Also be careful not to overdose.


xxx

Goodluck

RIP Latte: 2007-2012

Dearest readers,

It's with great sadness that I announce my beloved Latte's passing. It's strange watching a pet you owned for years suddenly die. It's almost surreal. You'd think I should be use to it by now, Truffles passed away recently as well but it still breaks my heart.

I'd like to think Latte isn't really dead. She's been granted an eternal sleep by the gods. But it does sadden me that I will never see her beloved face again. We've shared a lot together and she was the sweetest guinea pig you could ever ask for. She was truly one of a kind.

She was constantly doing things to please people: learning new tricks, following us around constantly and going into it's cage when it's 4'o'clock sharp. She never failed to do that, even until her death. She died of URI. She did a very good job masking the symptoms, and by the time we had noticed, it was too late. She probably knew she was going to die because she died behind her cage. She didn't want us to see her.

Sometimes I wish I could've been a better owner. I couldn't have asked anymore from Latte but I'm disappointed in myself for a lot of things. Looking back now, she was a lonely piggie. When her cagemate died when she was 2, we never got her another buddy. She roamed our backyard everday, waiting by our front entrance door every 4 o'lock. It was truly the sweetest thing but she may have just wanted to hear someone talk. Someone to make a noise. But to think something as small as her could display such beautiful affection, really moves me.

I also believe Latte's passing was partially due to Oreo (although we don't blame him!) Ever since he arrived, she started acting cold towards us. It was very strange at first. Whenever we picked Oreo up or played with him. She'd stand nearby, almost watching us. Then she'd leave alone and we'd never see her again. She also began to grow old very fast. My parents think it's because when she saw how young Oreo was, she realized her time was up. Within a week of getting Oreo, she started growing sick really fast. We cured her first round of sickness with antibotics. I didn't expect her to die so early.


Latte lived a long and peaceful life with us. Living until the ripe old age of 5. Her passing was sad, but in a way, I'm comforted knowing she's in a much happier place now, with Truffles. We buried her in her favourite sleeping spot and along with it, a tomatoe. Her favourite fruit.

Latte--thank you for the wonderful memories you have given me. Thank you for growing up with me during my childhood. Thank you for listening to me when no one else would. You are a star. Don't ever forget it.

my beautiful little girl :)

Keep smiling no matter what

RIP Latte.

"A persons life isn't measured by the number of years he lives, but how he lives his number of years."

Lush Soaps and Bath Melts review!!!

Dearest readers,

If you haven't been to Lush, believe me, you have to! If you don't have one near you, heres the link to their online store: www.lush.com.au  The soaps  there are actually so amazing. You really can't find soaps as unique as this anywhere else. I've decided to do a really quick review on a couple of soaps and bath melts I've used.

You've Been Mangoed Bath Melt:
My Rating: 9/10

Review:

This bath melt is probably one of my favourites yet. I haven't tried all of them yet, but so far, it's the one that has appealed to me the most. It's actually meant to melt in bath water, but I don't really do that because it took forever to dissolve in the water, so I usually just rub into right onto my skin. It's not that amazing when it melts in water (in my humble opinion) it just looks like mango water! It's amazingly velvety when it goes on and acts as a moisturizer for me. My body smells like mangoes for the whole day after using it! All my friends think I've been eating too much mangoes! Anyway, it's a perfect size and the smell is divine for me! Although sometimes I can't really distingiush whether it's mangoes or oranges I'm smelling!!

Due to my love for it,  I bought three more just to keep in stock. It's pricey for a bath melt but I can't escape it's intoxicating scent!!

Porridge Soap:
My Rating: 7.5/10

Review:

So this was actually the very first Lush product I bought and I wasn't really sure if I'd like it since I blindly picked it but it really surprised me! A lot of my friends have complained the bits and pieces in the soap scratched their skin and left them looking red and scarred. I didn't experience any of that

Scent wise, it's absolutely delicious. I was sooooo tempted to eat it, but obviously I didn't! It smells like warm cookies, melted caramel with a hint of citrus in it. And unlike the previous bath melt, the smell doesn't stay on your body after you take a shower (although I wouldn't mind smelling like porridge, haha!)  It does however, leave your bathroom smelling lovely.

Initially, the Porridge Soap created a nice, rich, creamy lather which was absolutely divine on the skin. Did I mention divine? The oatmeal pieces exfoliated my skin nicely as well, but after a few uses, it becomes harsher and rougher as you're left with more oatmeal pieces. I generally feel like it's an excellent exfoliator. It takes off all my dead skin cells on my legs! Perfect for shaving afterwards. It also makes your skin unbelievably soft and baby like.

I found collecting the oatmeal pieces afterwards extremely annoying. Sometimes 15 or so pieces will fall into my shower and collecting them afterwards is a hassle. Price wise, it's kind of pricey for me to purchase all the time. I'll still be sticking with more cheaper generic brands but if you don't use it everyday, it'll definitely be worth purchasing!

Noubar Soap:

My Rating: 6/10

Review:

 It's definitely not a soap you'll get use to straight away. I bought the Nobour Soap purely on it's looks. It was a really pretty bubbly green colour and I thought I'd give it a go. It smells like raw nuts (pistashios) with some peanuts mixed together. It also has a earthy herb smell to it and it made me feel sick after a while. Despite that, it lathers beautifully on the skin and left my skin so soft and smooth. Again, this soap does not make you smell like peanuts for the whole day.
Like the Porridge Soap, collecting the nutty pieces was a hassle. The nutty pieces itself was really rough, and the edges were really jagged so sometimes it left a scratch on my skin. I feel like the nuts weren't for exfoliating as it didn't really do much. It was more for decoration. On a positive note, it melts really quickly, more quickly than any of my soaps.

I will not be buying this soap again, purely because it wasn't up to my satisfaction and it's far too pricey to purchase all the time.

xxx

Moroccan Oil Hydrating Mask review

Dearest readers,

I've been using the Moroccan Oil Hydrating Mask for about 6 weeks now and honestly, my hair has never been better! I use heat a lot on my hair and as a result, my hair has been dryed out and really stiff and haywire like. I decided to purchase the Moroccan Oil after seeing some positive reviews about it and I have to say, it really does make a difference to your hair.

I use this as my daily conditioner and it works really well on my hair type (thick, dark hair) The thick mask is extremely nourishing to the hair and leaves it so soft and silky. I just take a little on my hand (about a table spoon if you want to be exact) and put it on the ends of my hair (where it's the driest) I leave it for about 10-15 minutes and rinse off. The results aren't immediate but after persistent use, the shine is remarkably noticable. I have to get a new tub every month or so.

Using this in conjuction with a good shampoo and conditioner (I use the Herbal Essences pin straight) really makes a difference, although most times I skip the conditioner and go straight to this. It doesn't contain those nasty chemicals like sulfite which really reassures me when I'm putting it onto my hair.

Smell wise, it's really not that great. It smells like a strong spice of some sort and I wouldn't have bought the product purely on the smell. I love the tube design, It's so pretty and nice looking!

So I'll be definitely repurchasing it. As a matter of fact, I may go and purchase another tub now, seeing as though I've got about half of the product left!

Packaging Rating:  9/10
Product Rating:  8/10
Overall Rating:  8.5

xxx

Cure 101: Split Ends

Don't want this??

Dearest readers,

Aren't split ends annoying? Well stop whatever your thinking now because here are some great tips to help fix and prevent them!

1. Obviously there are products you can buy in stores and high end brands that'll help fix split ends. I suggest investing in a good quality conditioner. Try the brand Herbal Essences, I use their shampoos and conditioners and honestly,  it can really make a difference!!

2. Use Mayonnaise- Massage a dollop of mayo into your hair once a week for at least five minutes. For best results, it is advised to keep the mayonnaise in the hair for a full hour before rinsing it out.
  
3. Use Beer – Spraying beer into your hair using an empty-pump bottle can, according to some, help you achieve a healthy, split-free look. This should be done after shampooing and rinsing the hair for best results.

4. Use Honey, oil and yolk- Saturate your hair from root to tip with a mix of one tablespoon of honey, a quarter cup of cooking oil and two egg yolks. Keep the treated hair in a shower cap for thirty to sixty minutes and rinse with cold water. This method has been said to be most effective at preventing, rather than treating, split ends.

5.  Apply Coconut Virgin Oil and smooth onto ends of hair. It'll help repair and renourish them.

6. Pamper your hair and give it a hot oil massage. Simply warm 2 tsp. of olive oil and 2 tsp. coconut oil and gently massage the scalp for 10-15 minutes. Rinse a towel in hot water, wipe and wind the hair around the head as it cools. Repeat 2 or 3 times to ensure total saturation. After that, shampoo and rinse well. It is good for brittle dry hair and for split ends.

7. Trim regularly (every 6 weeks for shorter hair 8 to 12 weeks for longer hair) and apply regular treatments. Following the advice in our long hair, detangling and conditioning sections will all help.

8. Avoid excess heat and too much brushing and combing.

9.   Invest in a quality combs and real bristle brushes. Throw away combs immediately a tooth is lost and never use metal combs.

10. Use moroccan oil (see review here) this product is absolutely amazing!

Comment below if you have more suggestions for Cure 101's. Otherwise, look forward to a new one next week!

XXX

7 wonders of the world

Dearest readers,

One of the things I have to do before I die (or turn 100) whichever comes first, is to travel one of the 7 wonders of the world. OMG. I've been planning this since like I was born! Carlina (my bffl) and I agreed when we're 21 we're gonna go together to these places, which makes it even more exciting knowing I'll be sharing these adventures with my best friend! A lot of people I told this to are asking how I'm going to pay for it. We haven't worked that out yet but most likely I'll be asking my dad for money :)

So here are the options. We're currently stuck chosing one of the seven wonders because obviously, we can't travel all of them. Thats far to expensive...even for my parents to pay!

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

The Colossus of Rhodes
The Great Pyramid of Giza
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The Lighthouse of Alexandria
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

The Seven Wonders of the Modern World

Channel Tunnel
CN Tower
Empire State Building
Golden Gate Bridge
Itaipu Dam
Netherlands North Sea Protection Works
Panama Canal

The Seven Wonders of the Medieval World.

Stonehenge
Colosseum
Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa
Great Wall of China
Porcelain Tower of Nanjing
Hagia Sophia
Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Seven Wonders of the Natural World.

Grand Canyon
Great Barrier Reef
Harbor of Rio de Janeiro
Mount Everest
Aurora
Parícutin volcano
Victoria Falls

Tell me in the comments below which one you recommend and what your "Must do before I die" thing is!

xxx

What does your handwriting say about you?

Dearest readers,

So I found out this really cool handwriting quiz online (click here to try) that accurately and spookily told me exactly what kind of person I was. I swear to god it's so scary, I thought there may have been hidden cameras installed around me!

Anyway, if you can't be bothered trying the quiz, I've collaborated a short list here which explains what your handwriting style is telling you:

(Also for fun, I've highlighted the ones that I am :D) You can obviously go ahead and print this out and highlight it for fun too xxx

SIZE
Small handwriting- research-oriented, good concentration, methodical, not always social
Large handwriting- people oriented, outgoing, outspoken, love to entertain and interlock
Right in the middle- you like to be with people, but value your own time

SPACING
Good deal of space- you need your freedom, to do things in your own time, don't like to be overwhelmed or crowed.
Very little space- it shows a tremendous about of irritability and constant pressure on yourself

HOW LETTERS ARE SHAPED
Rounded letters- indicates creativity, artistic abilities (writing, painting, acting, etc.)
Pointed letters- shows you are more aggressive, intense, very intelligent, curious
Connected letters- you are logical, systematic, make decisions carefully

LOOPING
Loopy handwriting- very social individual, huge imagination, sensitive to criticism
Not loopy- more isolated, reclusive, within themselves

DOTTING YOUR I's
Right over the I- attention to detail, organization, emphatic in what you say or do
High over the I- shows great imagination
To the left- procrastinator
Circle your I's- visionary, child like
Slashing it- overly self-critical, don't have a lot of patience for inadequacy or people that don't learn from their mistakes, irritation

CROSSING YOUR T's
Right in the middle- you are personally safe
Short crosses- shows a lack of determination
Long crosses- great determination and enthusiasm, can be stubborn
Very top of T- you're an idealist, ambition, good self-esteem
Cross downward at the top- you dominate your environment, authoritative nature

O's
Open- you are talkative, social, able to express your feelings, have little secrecy
Closed- you are very personal, limited sharing of your personal feelings, introvert

LEAD IN'S OR EXCESS FLOURISHES
Lead in's (or excess flourishes) - shows family orientation is important to you
Lack of lead in's (or excess flourishes)- you tackle problems in a direct, practical way, unhampered by sentimentality

MARGINS
Writing all over the page- you can't relax, constantly thinking
Left hand margin- you live in the past
Right hand margin- you are always looking towards the future

PRESSURE
Tremendous pressure- very intense, may have some evil qualities, aggressive, blow up easily
Average or light pressure- laid back, go with the flow
DOODLES
Boxes- you need structure, stability and order
Flowers- idealistic, romantic, creative
Triangles- perfectionist, structured, people that feel stuck- don't risk easily
Circles- dreamer, creative, takes thinks personally, visionary
Smiley faces- illusionary, wanting life to be beautiful, optimistic
Color inside the box or shape- you are very intense, serious, worrier, can suggest sign of temper because of tension or frustration

PUNCTUATION MARKS
Lots of exclamation marks- ego is involved, you want to be understood, passionate

SLANT
If you write upward- you tend to be optimist, hopeful, honest, ambitious, motivated
If you write downward- you tend to be negative, slightly depressed, dishonest

SPEED
If you write things quickly- you are impatient, dislike delays or time wasters
If you write slowly- more organized, more methodical, more self reliant

SIGNATURE (this is your public self image!)
Legible- shows integrity, confidence, leadership, open to show your true self
Not legible- very private person, hard to read or understand