How to Get Rid of Blackheads With Tomatoes

Most acne pimples, including blackheads, occur when pores become clogged with dirt, dead skin cells and sebum, your skin's natural oil. Tomatoes, which are high in vitamin C, vitamin A and citric acid, are a natural blackhead remedy. They're much less costly than commercial acne formulations and may be less irritating to the skin. Tomatoes can be used alone or mixed with avocado, lemon or lime juice to create a facial mask. If you're out of fresh tomatoes, tomato paste can also be applied as a mask.

Step 1
Slice both the tomato and the lime or lemon in half.

Step 2
Use a hand juicer to collect the juice from half the lemon or lime. Pour the juice into a bowl and discard any seeds.

Step 3
Use the juicer to separate the tomato juice from the pulp. Hold the juicer over the bowl and allow the tomato juice to mix with the lime juice. Squeeze both halves of the tomato and save the juice mixture to use as an astringent later. You may wish to pour it into a small glass bottle and add a little water to dilute it, but it can also be used full-strength to tone skin after cleansing.

Step 4
Scoop the tomato pulp from the juicer and into the second bowl. Use a spoon if necessary to scrape the pulp from the skins.

Step 5
Lie back and spread the tomato pulp over your face, concentrating around the edges of your nose, where blackheads tend to accumulate. Leave the pulp on for 15 minutes.

Step 6
Wash your face with warm water and a mild soap and pat dry.

Things You'll Need
1 ripe tomato
Lemon or lime
Metal hand juicer
2 bowls
Glass bottle (optional)
Spoon (optional)

The Benefits of Using a Foam Roller Pre/Post Workout

Foam rollers are effective for increasing flexibility, but when are they best utilized? The answer to that question isn’t necessarily limited to when it’s most beneficial to use a foam roller. It’s rather a matter of how. According to National Academy of Sports Medicine CEO and founder Mike Clark (h/t OutsideOnline.com), practically everyone fails to properly utilize foam rollers. Correctly using a foam roller before strenuous exercise can decrease your chances of contracting an injury and improve your workout.

Tension release from problem areas
Your basic instinct to gently roll back-and-forth consistently won’t yield optimal results from using a foam roller. Instead, it’s important to apply pressure on problem areas of your body, such as the hip flexors and glutes. Hip flexor strain is a common outcome of daily physical activity, like sitting upright in a desk chair during an eight-hour workday. It’s also a primary point of concentration for mild lower back pain. You can effectively release the tension in your hip flexors, and other problem areas of the body, by rolling your hips on a foam roller for approximately one to two minutes before a workout.

Optimized range of motion
Stretching is widely conceived as an important element of pre-workout activity, but conventional stretching technique does not directly target muscle receptors and tendons. While it’s entirely possible to warm-up each major muscle group through stretching, using a foam roller can help prepare tendons for strenuous activity and also decrease muscular-tension imbalances. Foam rolling can help increase your body’s overall range of motion and enable you to perform explosive weightlifting exercises with greater authority.


Decreased muscular imbalance
Muscular imbalances refer to certain muscle groups within the body being stronger than others. Over time, it’s likely that you’ve noticed peculiar variations in how your body reacts to strenuous exercise. For example, it’s possible you’ve realized your quadriceps are able to handle more weight in the squat rack than your chest can tolerate on the bench press. While this is relatively common among active gym-goers, it could be an outcome of muscular imbalance. Clark emphasizes that foam rollers activate the Golgi tendon organ, which effectively allows conventional stretching to activate muscle receptors. This process helps create balance within the body, thus enabling you to exercise at optimal capacity.

Increased strength and flexibility
According to research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, a dynamic warm-up model will increase strength in the quadriceps and flexibility in the hamstrings. A conventional warm-up period typically consists of moderate stretching activity and low-intensity exercise. However, combining the use of a foam roller with a regular stretching regimen, and performing five minutes of moderately intense cardiovascular activity, such as spinning, has the potential to enhance your body’s ability to execute strenuous exercises. Although research regarding foam rolling and its correlative effect on exercise remains limited, experts like Clark tout foam rollers ability to stimulate muscle receptors, which aid the process of lengthening muscle fibers.

Enhanced effectiveness of stretching
The ultimate benefit of utilizing a foam roller both before and after a workout is that it enhances the effectiveness of conventional stretching methods. Foam rollers apply deep pressure to problem areas, especially those in the pelvic region. This consequently activates muscle receptors, which increases your overall range of motion, decreases muscular imbalance, and helps maximize your strength and flexibility.

How to Treat Menopause-Related Hair Loss

Dermatologist Noah Scheinfeld estimates that up to 75 percent of menopausal women suffer from female pattern hair loss. Menopausal women with this condition often see extensive hair loss from the top of their head. They also might notice that individual strands of hair become smaller in diameter, which increases the appearance of excessive hair loss. According to Scheinfeld, the role of hormones in female alopecia is not yet understood, and therefore there are limited options in treating menopause-related hair loss.

Step 1
Visit your doctor. It is easy to assume your hair loss, like your hot flashes, is a symptom of menopause, but it could have other causes. Your doctor can examine your scalp and review your general health to ensure there are no underlying medical causes for your hair loss.

Step 2
Talk to your doctor about using minoxidil if there are no underlying medical causes for your hair loss. Minoxidil, commercially known as Rogaine, is the only FDA-approved drug for treating female pattern hair loss. You can purchase the 2 percent topical product over the counter at many drugstores and some beauty supply stores.

Step 3
Use minoxidil as directed. In most cases, you apply minoxidil topically twice a day to the scalp in the area where you are experiencing thinning. It might take up to four months before you see any type of regrowth, and if you stop applying the minoxidil you probably will lose any hair that you have regrown.

Step 4
Take 300 mcg of biotin supplements daily. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, biotin supplements have been shown to have limited ability to regrow hair in children. No clinical data conclusively proves that taking biotin can cause hair in women to regrow. However, biotin is an essential B vitamin connected with the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and amino acids needed to manufacture the protein the body uses to create skin, hair and nails. Talk to your doctor before taking any supplement.

Step 5
Massage your scalp regularly to increase the blood flow. Increasing the blood flow to your scalp can help encourage the delivery of more nutrients to your hair follicles, which might help to encourage hair regrowth. You can massage your scalp yourself using the pads of your fingertips or visit an acupuncturist who can use a special tool to increase the blood flow in your scalp.

Step 6
Use aromatherapy to encourage hair regrowth. Lavender, rosemary, thyme and cedarwood are traditionally used to encourage hair growth. Mix one to two drops of these essential oils into a carrier oil like jojoba, and apply to your scalp one to two times a week for the best results.

How to Clear Acne With Lemon Juice

Acne vulgaris, or acne, occurs in 40 to 50 million individuals in the U.S. and is the most common skin condition, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Acne occurs from excess oil buildup, clogged pores, inflammation and bacteria. Over-the-counter products are available to treat acne breakouts, but they can be pricey. Lemon juice is a home remedy for acne treatment and is inexpensive compared to the acne products at stores. Lemons contain a natural astringent and antibacterial agent that acts as an exfoliant to help remove dead skin cells faster and prevent clogged pores. Lemon juice is not a substitute for medical treatment; consult with your health care provider to discuss any potential risks or if your condition worsens.

Lemon Juice Wash

Step 1
Cleanse your skin with mild soap and water. Apply a small amount of soap to a washcloth and gently scrub your skin to remove any oil or dirt buildup, rinse with warm water and dry with a clean towel. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, dermatologists suggest washing your face once or twice daily with warm water and a mild cleanser.

Step 2
Cut a fresh lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a bowl. After use, you can cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and save for another treatment.

Step 3
Dip a cotton ball into the lemon juice and squeeze out the excess liquid. Apply the lemon juice directly to the affected area of skin. Repeat dipping the cotton ball in lemon juice and applying it to your skin until you cover all affected areas.

Step 4
Wait 10 minutes. Allow the lemon juice to dry on your skin. However, if the lemon juice is causing severe stinging or discomfort, then remove it immediately by rinsing it off with cool water.

Step 5
Rinse the skin area with cool water to remove the lemon juice residue, and then dry with a towel.

Step 6
Repeat the lemon juice wash twice daily to help reduce or eliminate acne.


Lemon Juice and Rose Water

Step 1
Cleanse your skin with a mild soap and water while gently scrubbing with a washcloth. Rinse and dry your skin with a clean towel.

Step 2
Combine equal parts of lemon juice and rose water in a bowl. Rose water has natural antibacterial properties, is a skin toner and helps to reduce the acidic nature of lemon juice.

Step 3
Dip a cotton ball into the mixture and squeeze to remove any excess liquid. Apply the product directly to your affected skin areas.

Step 4
Let the product stay on your skin for 15 to 30 minutes and rinse with cool water. Dry your skin with a towel.

Step 5
Repeat the lemon juice and rose water treatment twice daily, or as needed.

Warnings
Avoid using lemon juice around your eyes. In addition, lemon juice is an exfoliant and removes the dead skin cells that promote new skin growth--this fresh skin may be sensitive to the sunlight, so avoiding sun exposure or wearing sunscreen is advised.

Tips
Perform a small skin test before applying lemon juice remedies to large areas of your skin. If you are using straight lemon juice, you many experience a mild stinging sensation upon application; however, if the stinging is uncomfortable or causes redness or inflammation, you can dilute the lemon juice with water using a one-to-one mixture.

Things You'll Need
Mild soap
Washcloth
Towel
Cotton ball
Bowl
Knife
Lemon, fresh or juice
Rose water

The Truth About Belly Fat

Visible abdominal muscles are seen as the ultimate sign of athleticism, discipline and aesthetics by both the public and fitness professionals alike.

Messages like ‘Abs are made in the kitchen, built in the gym’, ‘Earned not given’ are popular, making it seem like sheer will power alone is the reason some people have them and others don’t.

The belly facts
There are a few things that can influence why we hold fat around our mid-section. Ranging from genetics, diet, hormones and gender, I’ll tackle these one by one. First the facts.

• Visible abs are not simply a result of crunches, planks or v-sits but more the overall percentage of body fat you have.

• Visible abs are not an indicator of core strength, there are many larger athletes with exceptionally high core strength.

• There’s a minimum level of fat needed to support your metabolic processes, if you get too lean to see your six pack, your body may stop functioning at a basic level thus digestion and menstruation become compromised.

• ‘Visceral fat’ around the vital organs is a growing public health concern. So while belly fat is obvious on ‘apple’ shaped people, visible abs can be a red herring as to the metabolic health status of a person.

• People with metabolic syndrome typically have apple-shaped bodies and carry a lot of weight around the middle. It’s thought that having a pear-shaped body, narrower waist and wider hips, lowers the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and other complications of metabolic syndrome.

 There are three layers of abdominal muscles. The superficial rectus abdominis (your visible six pack) is just one. The deeper core muscles, transversus abdominis, obliques, diaphragm and pelvic floor, work to stabilize the spine, improve mobility, breathing, and posture.

• If you’ve lost a lot of weight, you may have loose skin preventing you from seeing definition on your stomach. You can still build your abs, though excess skin cannot generally be tightened through diet and exercise.

Key factors influencing belly fat

Genetic potential
Some people are genetically predisposed to having less belly fat because they’re a naturally lean body type. There are three body types; ectomorphs, mesomorphs and endomorphs.

Typical ectomorphs are long and lean, mesomorphs classically athletic and endomorphs smaller and wider.

Where your body first stores fat tends to be the last place it’s lost.

Your body type, fat percentage, strength and flexibility is somewhat inherited and there’s an element of working with what you’ve got to maximise outcomes, set realistic goals and expectations for yourself.

Understanding your genetic start point and how your body naturally responds to diet and exercise can go a long way to supporting your health and fitness goals.

Diet
Nutrition is the foundation for any health and fitness outcome. You cannot out train a poor diet. As a general rule, 70% of your result whatever your goal tends to come from the foods you eat, 20% from exercise and 10% from rest and recovery.

Good nutrition supports hormonal balance and a healthy digestive system, both of which are required to reduce belly fat.

Inflammation of the gut and poor digestion can often make you appear bloated around the middle.

To address this, start by reducing or completely removing refined sugar and processed foods. Be mindful of your alcohol consumption; choose whole fresh organic produce where possible.

Many processed foods have no nutritional value, contain additives and are linked to obesity. Increasing the amount of fibre in your diet will support digestion, as will staying hydrated by drinking at least 2 litres of water throughout the day.

Hormones
Hormones are chemical messengers that carry signals around the body. These signals are often determined by the food you eat and emotional balance you maintain. Insulin resistance is a hormonal imbalance and often the cause of belly fat.

When we eat, our blood sugar levels spike and a hormone called insulin is released to help manage this.

If this happens too often and drastically, our body stops responding to the insulin and becomes ‘insulin resistant’ a consequence of which are cravings and excess body fat, particularly around the belly. Insulin resistance is a precursor to metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes.

Prolonged stress can elevate levels of the ‘stress’ hormone cortisol, leading to fatigue and belly fat.

It’s also thought that increased exposure to cortisol is associated with more belly fat in women.

Managing your blood sugar levels with nutritional therapy and mood enhancing foods, alongside stress reduction techniques like deep mindful breathing, can help to rebalance hormones and improve your overall health and wellbeing.

Gender
Men and women metabolise and store fat differently.

Women have a naturally higher percentage of overall body fat specifically in the hips, butt, and legs, whereas men tend to gain weight in the upper body.

Women’s bodies can change after having children, the abdominal wall may become weaker and there could be loose skin around the tummy reducing the likelihood of seeing a six pack.

As a result, it’s important to use both resistance training to build muscle and high intensity interval training (HIIT) to burn fat.

Training methods like CrossFit incorporate HIIT and resistance training, creating an ‘after burn’ effect, boosting your metabolism as your body continues to burn calories post workout.

The truth about belly fat is…
There are many reasons, some beyond your control, as to why you either struggle with developing a six pack or find it easy. Lifestyle and consistency are major factors.

So ensure you get enough sleep, incorporate resistance training into your workouts, limit processed foods, manage stress and be mindful of your alcohol consumption.

You can build your abs like any part of the body. However to see them, you have to lose the fat obscuring them. Fat cannot be lost from specific areas via ‘spot reduction’, it’s all or nothing.

To lose excess body fat, you must move more and eat smarter. And if you work towards strength and health as primary goals, ‘the beach body’ including washboard abs may be the bi-product.

Best 20 Minute Workout After Work

So you went to work again today…sigh.

Until you become independently rich, probably by winning the lottery, or some such thing, you may have to keep going to work.

Going to work
The reason you need to got to work is simple. You need the money. The reason you need the money, is to keep you in the life style that you have became accustomed. You need to pay the rent, or the mortgage, you need to pay for your car or whatever mode of transport you use.

You like to go out at the weekend and you enjoy shopping. You have to eat, and you may be responsible for other people all around you that also need to eat, as well as other things.

The list is endless. So off to work.

Now the fact that you are reading this means that you have more than a casual interest in fitness. You may have a gym membership, or enjoy attending classes. Both of these things will also be a reason that you keep going to work.

Making it work in just 2o minutes
Keeping fit ain’t cheap, you need the right shoes, the current fitness wear, your Fitbit, your protein shake and of course your price of admission. Another reason that you keep going to work.

So here’s a thought.

What if you had a cool 20 minutes set aside twice a week, scheduled for when you finish work, that made you really look forward to going to work?

A brilliant 20 minute fitness session that you really looked forward to, that made going to work that day a joy instead of a chore. Easy!

The best 20 minute workout

Try the following.

Finish Work.

Get changed into your gym gear immediately, actually maybe go somewhere private first just in case, but do it the minute you clock off. Get outside and get ready to start.

Use your wearable tech to keep your timing right, your phone will also have a timer, or even use a watch (remember them?).

Warm up
Warm up with a gentle run around the building. If you don’t work in a building, find another one and run around it. If running aint your thing, power walk your way around, we just want your heart rate up before we really get going.

This warm up should last 5 minutes.

Ok, you are slightly warmer so we can increase your output a little.

Start your post work workout with cardio
After the day you have had, you will want to get rid of all the pent up tension and aggression you have accumulated during the day, especially after spending an hour with Clive from Accounts, so we are bringing out the big guns already and starting with 60 seconds of shuttle runs, or sprints.

1. Pick a point A and a point B and getting sprinting back and forth between them. Go as fast as you can and when your minute is up take a few seconds rest. Your next minute will be spent on the ground for mountain climbers.

2. Get on the palms of your hands and bring alternate knees in towards you, holding your core tight. After a minute rest.

3. Your 3rd minute of cardio will be everyone’s favourite, Burpees, give me another minute. Have another rest.

4. We are now finishing the cardio section with high knees, running on the spot and lifting those knees as high as possible. Another minute and your are done.

So 5 minutes warm up, 4 minutes exercise with a break in between should take you to around 10 minutes.

Now we are switching to toning and strengthening exercises
We are starting with a minute of planking. Onto the elbows, get in good alignment and hold the pose for minute 1.

After a rest, switch systems at get going going with your press ups. Go for good form, and really get those arms, chests and shoulders working, aim for 1 minute.

Have a quick rest and get back into your plank position for minute 3.

When completed, flip over and get those stomach muscles working with a minute of your favorite sit ups.

All done? Good, it’s back to the plank for the last time. I imagine you are really feeling those core stability muscles by now.

That’s another 4 minutes, with a minute for rest time, taking you to 5 minutes, which leaves you 5 minutes to go.

Final five minutes
Up onto your feet as we target hips, highs and gluts.

Start with a basic squat. Get good positioning and lower yourself into squat, then return nice and quick. 1 minute at a brisk pace is what we require here. Change for minute 2, go for forward single leg lunges.

Watch your technique, alternate legs for 1 minute then move onto the next move. Still on the leg muscles, go for alternate reverse leg lunges, really feel those muscles start to burn.

Minute 4 and we are finishing with a minute of squat jumps. Go into squat then propel yourself upwards int a jump, land in squat and repeat for a minute.

Take time to stretch
Use the remainder of your time to stretch and bingo, 20 minute after work workout.

Once your colleagues see the great time you are having, it won’t be long before they are asking to join in.

Your 20 minute workout is just long enough as to not be a great commitment, and it will make your working day go quicker as you look forward to getting to your very own fitness session.

Herbal Shampoos for Hair Growth

Herbal shampoos contain essential oils that can promote hair growth and help premature balding and thinning hair. If you can't find a commercial shampoo that uses the herb you need, you can make your own by mixing 9 ounces of distilled water with 3 ounces castile soap, 1/4 teaspoon jojoba oil and 25-to-30 drops of the essential oil of your choice. Examples of essential oils that promote the growth of hair are basil, peppermint and rosemary, reports herbalist Rosemary Gladstar in "Family Herbal -- A Guide to Living Life With Energy, Health and Vitality."

Basil
Basil (Ocimum basilicum), is member of the Lamiaceae, or mint, family. When added to shampoo formulas, basil essential oil helps stimulate blood circulation in the scalp, which promotes hair growth, says the website Aromatherapy at Home. It is also an antimicrobial agent that will help treat dandruff and flaky scalp and will reduce oiliness that can cause fungal infections. When applying basil shampoo, massage it into your scalp in circular motions and let it permeate your entire head for at least five minutes before rinsing it off with warm water.

Peppermint
Peppermint (Mentha pipperita) is a common ingredient for hair growth shampoo formulas. Another member of the mint family, peppermint essential oil also increases the blood flowing to your scalp, which stimulates the hair follicles to grow hair faster. It also promotes the production of natural oils from your scalp to give your hair a moisturizing coating that will make your hair stronger and less susceptible to dryness, says acupuncturist David Crow in his book "The Pharmacy of Flowers."

Rosemary
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a third member of the Lamiaceae family that when used as an essential oil in shampoos helps increase hair growth. Folk medicine tradition uses it as a remedy for premature baldness, says Crow, and it strengthens the hair shaft as it stimulates circulation, making your hair look thicker and healthier.

Sage
A fourth member of the mint family, sage (Salvia officinalis) is used as a stimulant for growing hair in shampoo formulas. The essential oil has the same qualities as rosemary essential oil and is useful in balancing the amount of oil in the scalp, reports the website Ananda Apothecary. Its use is contraindicated during pregnancy and for young children.