FABULOUS Skin Food (GREEN SMOOTHIES) = Goodbye Acne!! GREEN SMOOTHIE - Acne Cure

An EASY, TASTY way to eat your greens!
"Leafy greens combined with fruit might become your new best friends!"

Dr. Joel Fuhrman (www.drfuhrman.com & www.diseaseproof.com) a doctor for Discovery Health Channel,
is a big promoter of green smoothies, stating they are nutritional power houses, and he advises lots of leafy greens for those prone to acne!

What are Green Smoothies and Why are They Fabulous?
After consuming "leafy greens" on a daily basis for 6 weeks, by making quick and easy "green smoothies," I noticed a huge difference in my skin. My skin doesn't break out like it used to, and it now has a healthy glow. Green smoothies are leafy greens mixed with fruit smoothies, and the great part is that because you’ll be mixing the greens with fruit, you’ll only taste the fruit! This is one of the quickest, easiest, tastiest, most nutritious ways out there to get in your daily leafy greens.

Why Do Them:
If you’re suffering with acne, there’s a very good chance that the smoothies will greatly help (I believe this may be due to the high content of vitamin A, which is non-toxic and safe when you obtain it from food). They’ll make your skin look healthy, you’ll be getting tons of nutrition (blended greens give you 4 X the amount of nutrition compared to eating them, because the blender is able to more thoroughly break down all the cellular walls in order to release nutrients. So, drinking 1 cup of blended greens is like eating “FOUR” cups of greens!!), you may notice your appetite going down (because your body will be getting so much nutrition, it may stop craving other foods), you may find that you feel calmer and happier (greens are great for this), and a host of many more health benefits! For acne sufferers, to jumpstart the benefits, I recommend doing 6 – 8 cups a day for the first month and then going down to 4 cups (2 pints) a day for maintenance.

What You Will Need:
A blender - preferably a high-powered one, fruit, frozen fruit Optional (Frozen fruit is great for a flavor kick - especially frozen pineapple, and often, you can find certain frozen fruits, like strawberries, rapsberries, etc., cheaper than fresh. Whole Foods has a wonderful selection), leafy greens (For simplicity, I recommend getting a couple bags or containers of pre-washed lettuce. Baby romaine, baby spring mix, and baby spinach are all mild in flavor and great to start with.), flavoring Optional (cinnamon, honey, blueberry concentrate, etc), and water.

If you don’t like the noise of your blender (or if it’s over 90 decibels), you can use earplugs, ear protection from Hope Depot, or just figure out some way to cover your ears. We DO want to protect our hearing! You can disguise the green color of your smoothies by using dark colored fruits like blueberries, raspberries, etc.

How To Make the Smoothies (takes only 10 minutes TOTAL!):
If you’re making them every other day (which is what I recommend for simplicity), follow below:
• Cut 2 pieces of fruit (apples, pears, bananas, plums, etc) into 8ths
• Throw in 2 large handfuls of greens
• Add about 1 cup of frozen fruit Optional (tropical fruit mix, pineapples, mangoes, raspberries, etc.) Whole Foods has a great selection.
• About 4 cups of water (Be sure to add enough so it’s drinkable).
• Add flavorings Optional (Cinnamon, honey, etc.)
• Blend ingredients
• Pour smoothie mixture into 2 tall glasses (not plastic!), cover with a saucer, and store in the refrigerator to drink the next day (lasts up to 24hrs).
• Pour the rest into glasses, rinse out the blender with water and let it air dry.
• You’re done! Enjoy your smoothie.

** Be sure to eat a variety of greens!! This is very important, because not all greens are alike, and they must be balanced! Also, some of you were getting confused about leafy greens being vegetables, like broccoli. Basically, if it's not a leaf, then it's not a leafy green.

** For more information, search "green smoothies," or, click here: Most Popular Green Smoothie Questions Answered by Victoria Boutenko


By Independent Thinker

Vinegar is a frugal and healthy alternative

Apple cider vinegar should be used for anything personal, both inside and outside the body. Do not use white distilled vinegar as it can rob your body of essential minerals.

1. Used as a hair rinse, vinegar neutralizes alkali left by shampoos.
   A reader says 'it will give your hair an all out shine!'
2. Corn and callus remover - soak stale bread (a cloth would probably do as well) in vinegar, and tape over the callus or corn overnight.
3. Age spot fader - Mix equal parts of onion juice and vinegar and use it daily on age spots. It will take a few weeks to work, just like its expensive relative from the store.
4. Spray your hands with vinegar, or dip them in it and dry after having them in soapy water to keep your hands soft.
5. Splash vinegar on your varicose veins. The vinegar is supposed to reduce the veins and relieve the pain and swelling.
6. Use it diluted 50/50 as a skin cleanser as most soaps are alkaline.
7. A teaspoon to a tablespoon of vinegar gets rid of hiccups.
8. It's an ongoing battle as to whether vinegar can help you lose weight, but the ones who say it will, say to drink a glass of water before each meal in which you've added a tablespoon of vinegar and a tablespoon of honey.
9. Rinse water for face - pour 1/8 cup in rinse water, rinse face and let it air dry (it seals the moisture in the skin)
10. Try white vinegar on underarms and other areas of the body as a natural deodorant. Will not stop perspiration (which is not healthy anyway) but will neutralize odor.
11. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a quart of drinking water to deal with heat stress and repel mosquitos.
12. When children get lice, put warm vinegar on the hair, dip a nit comb in vinegar to help remove nits. It is supposed to be able to break down the glue the nits use to stay attached.
13. My dad is 77 years old and his skin on his face is so smooth and soft looking. His secret is he uses vinegar for aftershave. If he gets any rashes or pimples he uses vinegar for that as well. He drinks apple cider vinegar, honey and hot water every morning. The vinegar odor goes away very quickly when he uses it for aftershave. He started this when he always broke out in a rash after using regular aftershaves.
14. 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar in a small tub of water. Soak your head/hair to get rid of dandruff as well as all the garbage that accumulates on your hair from shampoos and conditioners. It's absolutely amazing.
15. For cleaning dentures - leave your dentures in vinegar for as long as you would leave them in a denture cleanser - about 15 minutes to half an hour or longer, if you wish. Then brush them thoroughly. Your dentures will be cleaner and whiter than a proprietary dental cleaner can do it!
16. Makes a great eyeglass cleaner. Mix white vinegar 1/2 and 1/2 with water. I keep a tiny spray bottle in my purse.
17. I mix my own facial toner using 1/2 water, 1/2 vinegar and a few aspirin. The acid in the vinegar forces old skin cells to flake off much like the store-bought alpha hydroxy products. Aspirin is my own anti-acne solution. A lot of acne products use salicylic acid, which is basically aspirin with a few differences. The aspirin won't dissolve completely, but it doesn't seem to matter. This works especially well against those deep acne spots older people often get. I've been using this twice a day for five years and people are amazed when I tell them my real age (44). One caution: Also use a face lotion with at least SPF 15 everyday- even in winter (Oil of Olay knockoffs are fairly cheap)- because the mixture will make your skin thinner just like the expensive store-bought ones will, and more susceptible to sun damage. http://frugalliving.about.com/cs/tips/a/blvinpers.htm

Apple cider vinegar restores the natural acid balance of human and animal skin and hair (fur, too) after washing with soaps of any kind, which are by nature, alkaline. That means it helps fight various skin disorders, heal chapped and dry skin and soften hair. It also fights against fungus and bacterial and viral infections - another plus in the care of skin. But wait - vinegar isn't through yet. It soothes burns and itches, safely disinfects dentures, and gently fades freckles and 'age spots' over a period of time. Wow. What else could you ask for in a golden liquid? Low price? You got it.

At a little over two dollars a gallon, it's frugal; it's cheap; it's a penny pincher's dream come true. Consider the cost of what it can replace:

1. Meat tenderizer
2. Hair conditioner
3. Acne medication
4. Denture tablets
5. Hand lotion
6. Potassium supplement
7. Sunburn remedy

And these are just a few uses! http://frugalliving.about.com/cs/cleaning/a/91200.htm


By SmashingPumpkins

Making the Apple Cider Vinegar Toner

1. 50/50 ACV + Water in an old Astringent bottle, Shot glass or Spray bottle.

2. Optional* Can add a few aspirin in the Toner or make a toner with asprin in it separately. This asprin is essentially nothing but Salicylic Acid which is a Beta Hydroxy Acid (exfoliates skin), SA also dries up acne and can penetrate deeper into the pores unblocking clogged pores.

3. Use a cotton pad, cotton ball, or spray bottle to apply ACV Toner.

4. I still occasionally break out usually hormones so I currently use Tea Tree Oil, it is a wonderful product and will not stop the healing process or slow it down. This is why I have chosen it over BP, and it does not dry your skin out or have any of the negative effects BP has. I apply TTO diluted with water, usually between 10 - 15 drops in a shot glass filled less then half way with water. I wait until my face is completely dry, then apply ACV wait until it is dry, Moisturize and I am done.

(for BP users)

After shower (or anytime day or night) apply the ACV Toner and wait until it is completely dried on your face apply BP and wait 15min. Now seeing as ACV neutralizes your skin and balances our pH levels you may not even need a moistuizer because if you have Oily skin ACV will make it not oily and if you have dry skin it will heal it making everything even. If your skin still feels tight after using BP definitely moisturize!

5. Sometimes I use ACV full strength it all depends on how my skin is feeling .. somedays it can handle it. There is nothing wrong with using full strength.. you just have to know your own skin. If you have sensitive skin I sugget sticking with the 50/50 solution, and if it is tougher than applying the ACV without water every now and then is okay too.


By SmashingPumpkins