The Granola Effect
So in my last post I shared that the exploration into gluten free
baking (from scratch, not a mix) has taken me to some interesting
places, and I've found something for me along the way.
I cam across some interesting blogs, beginning with http://www.sortacrunchy.net/sortacrunchy/
Oooooh, I thought. What is Crunchy living? Sounds like granola to me. (Have I mentioned I love Granola?) I was intrigued. A little research revealed that Sorta Crunchy is about more natural living. Ok, I can get behind that. To the right of the home page was a little picture that said "I wash my face with oil." That sounded different. But interesting.
A little more research and I thought, well... that sounds... (you guessed it) interesting! Now, a little history. My skin is beginning to show a few signs of age. And I recently invested in one of those expensive face creams (after I ran out of the Avon stuff). And my skin reacted to it. Little red dots, and dryness. Which was odd since I was buying moisturizing lotion. After an allergy to my husband's propellant had me running to the doctor for a steroid shot (my eyes swelled shut), the reactions to the creams got worse. So, I thought, let's trade the steroid cream out for some all natural oils. (It worked wonders for the girl who would become Queen Esther.) Further research on the how-to's led to a blog about washing your face with "pure" honey. http://www.crunchybetty.com/honey-challenge
Oooooh, I thought (again). I have pure white clover honey in the pantry. A really big bottle. Rather than spending a lot of money to buy some oils, let's try this honey thing!
So today I began an experiment. Taking the time I would spend in the shower and using it to help out my poor skin, I first filled the tub with warm water and epsom salt (to give this busy Mama a bit of relaxation along the way, and soothe those muscle aches). Then I gave myself a "honey" of a facial. I followed this by washing my hair with baking soda (another blog I saw in my research: http://simplemom.net/how-to-clean-your-hair-without-shampoo/) and then, I used the honey as conditioner.
The results? My hair felt... well, a lot like hair. (I hear it takes a while to see changes. That's one of those non bounding processes I referenced before.) But my face felt... Nice. I mean really, really, nice! Soft and smooth and only a tiny bit of dryness left in the "trouble spot" that has been lingering since the allergic reaction in November.
After getting ready for the day, I noticed the skin just below my lips was dry. And this time instead of grabbing the chapstick I decided to try a little honey as the moisturizer. I put a tiny drop on my finger, and rubbed it until it was a little bit warm. The effect was... sweet!
A couple hours later and my face still feels smooth. (It's been a no make up kind of day.) My lips aren't chapped anymore. And I think I may just try this honey thing again... or even, the 'oil cleansing method'. It's nice to try something new every now and then. Keeps life fresh and interesting. It's also good to be sure I am taking care of me so I can take better care of those I love. I've learned that finding balance is a process, created day by day, until it becomes habit.
So I encourage all you other caregivers out there to take a little time to renew, and refresh. Look for something that lifts you up, adding sweetness to your spirit. Take time to delight in a golden day, to bring a little more nourishment to your heart and soul. And be sure to gather gratefulness along the way!
~Just Me
I cam across some interesting blogs, beginning with http://www.sortacrunchy.net/sortacrunchy/
Oooooh, I thought. What is Crunchy living? Sounds like granola to me. (Have I mentioned I love Granola?) I was intrigued. A little research revealed that Sorta Crunchy is about more natural living. Ok, I can get behind that. To the right of the home page was a little picture that said "I wash my face with oil." That sounded different. But interesting.
A little more research and I thought, well... that sounds... (you guessed it) interesting! Now, a little history. My skin is beginning to show a few signs of age. And I recently invested in one of those expensive face creams (after I ran out of the Avon stuff). And my skin reacted to it. Little red dots, and dryness. Which was odd since I was buying moisturizing lotion. After an allergy to my husband's propellant had me running to the doctor for a steroid shot (my eyes swelled shut), the reactions to the creams got worse. So, I thought, let's trade the steroid cream out for some all natural oils. (It worked wonders for the girl who would become Queen Esther.) Further research on the how-to's led to a blog about washing your face with "pure" honey. http://www.crunchybetty.com/honey-challenge
Oooooh, I thought (again). I have pure white clover honey in the pantry. A really big bottle. Rather than spending a lot of money to buy some oils, let's try this honey thing!
So today I began an experiment. Taking the time I would spend in the shower and using it to help out my poor skin, I first filled the tub with warm water and epsom salt (to give this busy Mama a bit of relaxation along the way, and soothe those muscle aches). Then I gave myself a "honey" of a facial. I followed this by washing my hair with baking soda (another blog I saw in my research: http://simplemom.net/how-to-clean-your-hair-without-shampoo/) and then, I used the honey as conditioner.
The results? My hair felt... well, a lot like hair. (I hear it takes a while to see changes. That's one of those non bounding processes I referenced before.) But my face felt... Nice. I mean really, really, nice! Soft and smooth and only a tiny bit of dryness left in the "trouble spot" that has been lingering since the allergic reaction in November.
After getting ready for the day, I noticed the skin just below my lips was dry. And this time instead of grabbing the chapstick I decided to try a little honey as the moisturizer. I put a tiny drop on my finger, and rubbed it until it was a little bit warm. The effect was... sweet!
A couple hours later and my face still feels smooth. (It's been a no make up kind of day.) My lips aren't chapped anymore. And I think I may just try this honey thing again... or even, the 'oil cleansing method'. It's nice to try something new every now and then. Keeps life fresh and interesting. It's also good to be sure I am taking care of me so I can take better care of those I love. I've learned that finding balance is a process, created day by day, until it becomes habit.
So I encourage all you other caregivers out there to take a little time to renew, and refresh. Look for something that lifts you up, adding sweetness to your spirit. Take time to delight in a golden day, to bring a little more nourishment to your heart and soul. And be sure to gather gratefulness along the way!
~Just Me
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