How-To 7 Simple Sustainable Living Tips To Save The Planet Right Now 11:03 PM Sustainable living. You may have seen that term a lot on the internet these days. But what does it really mean?Simply put, sustainable living is practicing a lifestyle that attempts to reduce your negative global impact to the planet.For me, living sustainably is making sure the next generation has enough natural resources left to sustain them.Here's a Cambridge dictionary definition of 'sustainable':causing little or no damage to the environment and therefore able to continue for a long time.Is it hard? You'll be surprised how simple it can be. Here are some sustainable living ideas to help you save the planet right now.7 Simple Sustainable Living Tips to Save the Planet Right Now1. Turn off and unplug.Turn off gadgets and appliances when not in use. But that's not enough. Unplug them too! Even when idle, plugged electronics still consumes energy. According to DOE, 2-10 watts or 6-10% of your appliance consumption comes from electrical items on "standby" mode.Unplugged appliances even when not in use can also be a fire hazard.Living sustainably is as simple as turning off the light.Giphy2. Reuse.Don't throw away that pasta sauce glass container yet. Clean it and use it for keeping items or food. These bottles have usually tight and secured lids perfect for keeping the bugs out.Go online and watch video tutorials on how to reuse items such as plastic water containers, old clothes, tea bags, candle wax and other used items instead of throwing them away. With the information at your fingertips, there's no excuse for not knowing these awesome hacks.Tenor3. Be a conscious buyer.Always check the label. See if the ingredients being used are eco-friendly or cruelty-free. When at the grocery store, opt for more sustainable alternatives. Like picking a paper stem cotton buds instead of plastic.Shopping for clothes? Avoid those that are made from non-biodegradable materials like nylon and polyester. Choose more environment-friendly organic cotton or Tencel.Gfycat4. Go paperless.Opt for paperless invitations and notes. Thank God for technology, communication and sending information can now be done without printing paper.Read the news online.Choose email subscription or paperless receipts.Giphy5. Plant.What can be more sustainable than growing plants and trees? People may take plants for granted but it gives us more than we can ask for. It provides us sustained supply of food. Numerous plants can also be used as medicine and are good sources of nutrition.Plus, plants provide cleaner air and a gorgeous view.Nature is a gift that keeps on giving. Agree?Giphy6. Go plant-based.Speaking of plants, choose plant-based food. Plant-based or vegan food is not only healthier for your body but it also rejects violence (no animal harmed!) and is safer for the planet.If you were to choose between growing your own food and killing a sentient being for a piece of meat which one would you pick? If it's down to you to actually wrestle and kill the animal for food, would you really do it?Lucky us in this day and age because there are companies that produce sustainable products. Recently, healthier meat alternatives are now available in giant food chains and are seeing high increase in revenue."In mid-March (peak), sales of plant-based foods were up 90% year-over-year. For the 4 weeks following, plant-based food sales at retail grew 35% faster than total retail food sales." -Julie Emmett, Senior Director of retail partnerships at Plant-based Food AssociationThat's one heck of a grow!7. Support local, organic, sustainable brands.Buying locally means lesser shipping costs and carbon footprint.Let's help organic sustainable brands grow because their products provide us a better option than what's available in the market.What natural sustainable brands do you support? I personally recommend Human Nature. It's an ethical company with world-class quality. GiphyEvery little thing you do impacts the planet. From the food you put on your plate, to the shampoo you use, to your daily small habits like turning off the faucet when not in use, and properly throwing your trash, you make a huge difference.You can either leave the world a little better than you found it or make it unlivable.Never think that what you do doesn’t matter. It does. You matter. You, dear one, may be a tiny speck in the vast universe, but you can make a powerful change.The question is, what kind of change are you making?Be a good earth-steward. Follow sustainable practices. You’ll thank me later. And the planet will thank you right now.
Health & Wellness 3 Ways to Create a More Natural Lifestyle 7:00 PM Natural And HealthyThere's been a lot of discussion among certain scientists and doctors recently about the toxicity that people are putting into their bodies. Sometimes this toxicity comes about as simply as by choosing the wrong foods to eat. Other times, it can be due to clogging your body with prescription medication where natural remedies would work just as well. There’s a delicate balance that you can lead to not only make yourself healthier but your surrounding environment as well. The method to achieve this level of holistic health is by creating a natural lifestyle. This article will discuss three ways you can jump-start your natural lifestyle. Do your part in not only improving your own health but in combating against pollution and reducing your carbon footprint on the environment, as well. 3 Ways to Create a More Natural Lifestyle 1. Organic/Vegan One of the easiest and fastest ways you can start to live a natural lifestyle is by choosing to eat a plant-based diet. The health benefits are incredible. In certain studies, eating a plant-based diet tremendously affected glucose levels and either reduced or reversed Diabetes in patients. It's also been shown to fight against certain cancers. By freeing up your arteries from being clogged by the fat and chemicals that are consumed when you eat meat, your body can heal itself in an amazing way. Shopping organic can ensure that the fruits and vegetable you buy are not GMO. Find your local organic grocery and discover a huge collection of organic fruits and vegetables. Start your natural lifestyle easily by utilizing your local natural food market. 2. Live Green Another aspect of natural living is unplugging from coal and oil resources. The damaging effects that we are seeing on the environment are only going to get worse over time. Things like electric cars, natural gas gensets (if you are providing power to a ton of people) are great ways to be fuel and cost efficient. At your home, you can install solar panels to power your home. If you're by a lake or river, you can even make your own mill to produce hydroelectric power. 3. Essential Oils While prescription medication may be easy to get, they shouldn't always be your first answer. A great deal of healing for your body can be done the same way by using natural ingredients. As such, you should look into certain essential oils. They're antioxidants and can actually help boost the body's natural healing properties. The best part about them is that they don't come with the potentially toxic side-effects that medications do. All of these methods can be yours to utilize to begin that natural, healthier, lifestyle.
Guest Blogger Important Vitamins For Damaged Hair 8:00 PM Don't you wish you have beautiful long hair that's shiny and healthy? Who in their right minds want damaged hair anyway? 🤷On average, human hair grows about six inches each year. When your hair becomes damaged and broken, hair growth diminishes. Know the important vitamins you should be taking especially if you have damaged hair. Important Vitamins for Damaged Hair Here's a list of essential vitamins for healthy growing tresses:Vitamin C Vitamin B Biotin Niacin Vitamin A Vitamin D Vitamin E Know a little bit more about each of these vitamins---where to find them and what they can do for your hair.So you can flip it sexy like Denise Richards over here. ⤵ GiphyVitamin C Vitamin C is a popular vitamin found in everyday foodsorangesbroccolikalebrussels sproutspapayastrawberrieskiwired bell peppers Vitamin C is known in boosting the immune system to protect us from cold and illness. What many people don’t realise is that it works well to strengthen and help hair grow because it contains collagen---a vital protein for healthy hair, skin, and nails. Along with eating vitamin C infused food or supplements like Vitamin C powder there are also many hair products that contain this ingredient. Vitamin B There are 8 different types of Vitamin B and they each have their own benefit (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12). Vitamin B 12 is the most important of the vitamin B complex. To get the best results though, it's best to try and include all of them in your diet. Some sources of Vitamin B are:nutsgrainsvegetablesnutritional yeastfortified plant-based milkB vitamin affects our metabolism, energy, nerves, skin, nails and hair.The main role of this vitamin is to promote cell growth hence it is essential in hair growth. Niacin Niacin is still part of the Vitamin B family (Vitamin B 3) but is indispensable that it needs to be mentioned separately. It helps nourish your scalp and promotes hair growth. Without the correct amount of niacin, there a risk of your hair becoming dry and brittle. This vitamin can be found in:avocadopeanutswhole grainsmushroomsgreen peaspotatoes Biotin Biotin is Vitamin B7 and also plays an important part in hair growth.It creates glucose which breaks down the protein into amino acids that helps strengthen and protect your hair. It's important to combine a mixture of both biotin enriched foods and hair care products that contain it.The best foods sources of Biotin are:mushroomsavocadopeanut buttersweet potatoescauliflowertomatoesVitamin AVitamin A is necessary to add into your diet especially for your hair. It promotes the growth of your hair cells. Vitamin A contains sebum which is an essential oil that hair needs to grow healthily. Foods that contain this are:(orange) sweet potatobutternut squashcarrotspinach and other green leafy vegetablesdried apricotskalecantaloupe melonspring greens Vitamin D You know well that Vitamin D comes from the sun. A few hours a day is enough to give us healthy and nourished hair. This is easy to fulfill when it's the summer months. It becomes tricky during winter though.Here are some foods enriched which Vitamin D you can consume during gloomy season: soy milkmushroomsalmond milkorange juicerice milkfortified cereals Vitamin E Vitamin E is vital for healthy hair, skin and nails. It helps promote hair growth because of its antioxidant properties.These foods are rich in vitamin E:seedsnutsavocadoalmondbroccoliIt's not only beneficial to take this vitamin internally but it's also known to be good when rubbed onto your scalp. This leaves the hair healthy and shiny. Bonus: Important Minerals for Damaged HairIronAlthough iron is not a vitamin it is an essential mineral that we need for our body to function correctly. Without enough iron, our hair would become dry, dull and brittle. Foods with iron: lentilschickpeasbeanstofucashew nutschia seedsground linseedhemp seedspumpkin seedskaledried apricots and figsraisinsquinoa Magnesium Eating rich in magnesium food helps make sure you're giving your scalp what it needs to stay healthy. It also helps your hair grow strong and shiny. Foods rich in Magnesium:beanspeasgrainssoyseedsnuts Protein Protein is an essential mineral for hair. When you're protein-deficient, your hair gets damaged and breaks off. Adding protein to your diet fills in gaps in damaged hair follicles. Foods that are rich in proteins are:tofu, tempeh, and edamamelentilschickpeaspeanutsalmondsspirulinaquinoamycoprotein What's your favorite hair food? About the author: Francesca Jaques is the author and editor of www.hairday.co.uk. Beauty therapist by day and writer by night, she reviews every hair product available, finding the best of the best and giving you all the tips possible to make life easier for you. For hairstyle ideas, tips and reviews, you can find them on her:Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.