HEALING BENEFITS OF GINGER

Ginger is a flowering plant that originated from china. It is among the healthiest and most delicious spices on the planet. It is loaded with nutrients and bioactive compounds that have powerful benefits for your body and brain. It has been used to help digestion, reduce menstrual pain, reduce nausea and lower cholesterol levels. It contains a substance that may help prevent cancer and help fight the flu and common cold, it may improve brain function and protect against Alzheimer’s disease.

Ginger can be used fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice, and is sometimes added to processed foods and cosmetics. It is a very common ingredient in recipes. The active ingredient in ginger can help fight infections. Many studies have suggested that increasing consumption of plant foods like ginger decreases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and overall mortality while promoting a healthy complexion and hair, increased energy and overall lower weight. 

Its healing benefits include:
· Ginger improves the absorption and assimilation of essential nutrients in the body.
· Ginger clears the ‘microcirculatory channels’ of the body, including the pesky sinuses that tend to flare up from time to time.
· Eat fresh ginger just before lunch to stoke a dull appetite and fire up the digestive juices.
· Tummy moaning and groaning under cramps? Munch on ginger.

· Feeling airsick or nauseous? Chew on ginger, preferably tossed in a little honey.
· Reeling under joint pain? Ginger, with its anti-inflammatory properties, can bring relief. Float some ginger essential oil in your bath to help aching muscles and joints.
· Stir up some ginger tea to get rid of throat and nose congestion. And when there’s a nip in the air, the warning benefits of this tasty tea are even greater.
· Just had a surgery? Chewing ginger post-operation can help overcome nausea.
· Fresh ginger is used for asthma, coughs, colic, heart palpitations, swellings, dyspepsia, loss of appetite and rheumatism, while the dried root is used to strengthen the stomach, inhibit vomiting and treat diarrhea. 

FOUR STEPS TO PERFECT EYEBROWS USING EYE PENCIL

Polished and well defined brows always make the face pop. It’s however surprising how ladies find achieving the perfect brows a hard task. Eyebrows don’t necessarily have to be drawn or extremely funny. To know when eyebrows are done right they should be defined, clean and very natural because a perfectly filled, natural looking eyebrows is the secret to a nice makeup looks.

However, many Nigerian and black African women overlook their eyebrows and wonder why the expensive makeup didn’t help them look as pretty as the photos they see on the pages of celebrity magazines and catalogues. Funny, overly defined, concealer-caked eyebrows are not necessarily the point of a flawless eyebrow; you can define your brows with eye pencils, brow gel/pomade and so on to achieve flawless eyebrows that stay in place for hours. Even if you have scanty brows or mistakenly shaved everything off, these steps can make your eyebrows look clean and natural.

 
1. Define and create the eyebrow shape you want: Trace the line under eyebrows along the arch to define both sides of the brows (over and under).  
2. Gently fill in the line with brow powder in the line closest to the brows.

3. Clean out underneath the brows with concealer, carefully blending into the skin so it doesn’t just sit on the skin.  
4. Blend, blend, and blend to get flawless eyebrows that can stay in place for hours. 

A Perfect Eyebrow

By Ruth Yakubu.

                         FOOD FACIALS FOR SOFT, SMOOTH AND BEAUTIFUL SKIN

            Everyone has food items around the house that can be used in many ways. Such kinds of foods may include oatmeal, honey, bananas and strawberries. These are regular food items we stock at home that can be used in more ways than one. They also make excellent food facial products.

Food facials may be considered the best facials because they contain all natural ingredients that are gentle on your skin and are also easy to use for a perfect mid-day facial. Food is fun to eat, and smearing it on your face can enhance the appearance of your skin.

STRAWBERRIES

          Strawberries are delicious to eat on salads or alone as a healthy snack, but these red rubies are also beneficial for working as a great facial. Not only are strawberries rich in vitamin C—a great anti-aging agent—their mildly rough texture make them natural exfoliators to scrub away dead skin cells.
Preparation:  Mash 3 strawberries in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoonful honey in the bowl and mix together. Rub the mixture evenly on your face with your hands or beauty brush. Relax and leave the mask on for about 15 – 20 minutes. Then rinse off with warm water followed by a splash of cool water.
    Amazingly, strawberries are grown in plateau state and farmers often have surplus because they don’t have enough buyers. Next time you’re passing through Jos, don’t forget to load up on strawberries!

                           

HONEY
      To achieve a smooth face, honey is the way to go. Warm the honey in a small pot, apply a thin layer to your face and rinse off after 15 minutes. The honey acts as antioxidant, antibacterial, cleanser and moisturizer. For best results, rinse your face with cool water.
                        
                                                   

BANANAS

It’s not just a breakfast food! If you need something to help with your oily skin or to fight wrinkles, try smearing a banana over your face. Bananas are a great source of vitamins C and E as well as a good moisturizer for dry skin. Take a banana and mash it up in a bowl or blender, rub the mash evenly over your face and let it stand for about 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse off with warm water and splash cold water on your face to reveal a softer skin.
                                                                  
                                                         

                                                                   

OATMEAL

       Perfect for oily and acne-prone skin, oatmeal makes an ideal food facial mask.  Oatmeal aids against inflammation and also absorbs the oil in your skin to reveal oil free skin. Be sure to use plain oats for this facial and not the instant oatmeal.
Preparation: Squeeze 1/2 of a lemon in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup of dry oats (ground or as is) and 1 tablespoonful of honey and mix thoroughly. Apply the mixture to your face. Leave on for 15 minutes, and then rise with cool water.

Remember to follow up your food facial with a good astringent and moisturizer to keep your skin looking healthy, soft and beautiful.

                                                 

    

SKIN TONING TREATMENT WITH LEMON JUICE, EGG WHITES AND MILK

As the saying goes, “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.” Tozali is always ready to make you look extraordinarily beautiful in the right way with natural products. If you are concerned about your uneven tone complexion or pigmentation spots on your face, you have come to the right magazine that will help you find tips about how to achieve even skin tone naturally with lemon juice, egg whites and milk. By following our skin toning tips, you can get even skin tone with a glowing complexion. At Tozali, we are always ready to unveil the facts that can actually make a difference in your looks.

Lemon juice, egg whites and milk are daily use items available in your kitchen. These items can also be used to tone your skin naturally and remove dark patches while brightening your skin to a healthy complexion.

LEMON JUICE: Everyone is aware that lemon is packed with citric and ascorbic acids which are excellent sources of vitamin C. Both have skin toning properties also. To tone your skin with lemon, cut a lemon into two halves and buff it gently onto your face and neck. Rinse your face after 10-15 minutes. Do it regularly and see your skin glowing up day by day. You can also mix small quantity of lemon juice with a bit of yoghurt. Apply it once a day. It works as well as any good toner.

Another way is to mix one teaspoon of lemon juice with one teaspoon of honey; the soothing properties of honey and the acidic properties of lemon make for effective skin toning solution. Gently massage and leave on your skin for 15-20 minutes, and then wash off.

EGG WHITES: Mix equal parts of lemon juice and egg whites. Heat the mixture in a small pan over low heat till the mixture thickens. Cool it in a small jar and keep it in your refrigerator. Apply this mixture onto your face and neck and leave for 15-20 minutes; then rinse off and see your skin brightening day by day. This also works well to remove a sun tan.

MILK: When you apply it topically, the lactic acid in milk works to gradually diminish the skin pigmentation leading to brighter complexion. For milk to be effective in skin tone, you need to soak one slice of lemon in one and half cup of whole milk for about 15 minutes. Rub the milk onto your skin and leave it overnight. Wash your skin thoroughly in the morning to give it a good look. However, it is preferable you use goat’s or cow’s milk. 

Even better is butter milk, as it has extra benefit to make your skin supple and smooth. Another method is to soak a soft cloth in the milk, wring out the milk so that the cloth is not dripping. Buff the milk unto your face and neck with the cloth. Keep refreshing the cloth with the milk when it dries out. Rinse it off after 15-20 minutes. However, it is better to apply at night and leave it on your skin overnight. You will start noticing that your skin is brightening up after a few weeks. 

 Follow the above skin toning tips and watch your skin brighten and glow naturally.

HOW TO SIT LIKE A LADY

Sitting like a lady is most relevant when wearing a dress or skirt. One can always practice sitting like a lady in any setting and in any type of outfit, formal or casual. It is really up to the classy lady to decide the look and style of her presence, and therefore each female will approach this subject differently. 

To most ladies, sitting like a lady indicates that the woman is classy and would like to be treated as such. To some, their commanding presence will not go unnoticed. To others, it prevents unsightly and unplanned views of undergarments and also it affects the behavior and mood of the individual in a positive manner.

There are typically 3 ways women most often sit. The first is an ankle cross with your knees turned to the left and your ankles to your right (unless you are speaking with someone – then your knees would face their direction). It is the most lady-like, but requires more delicate inner thigh muscle 
development, which is not taught or valued in today’s society.

The second and most commonly used technique of sitting like a lady is the leg cross, which is one knee placed on top of the other. It encourages bad posture and could potentially result in the formation of spider veins, but it requires less muscle control and has been adopted by many as the standard way to sit like a lady.

The third way a woman might sit is not ladylike at all, and is instead a more manly type of posture. It involves either resting the leg on the other knee or sitting with legs wide open. Neither is becoming or classy, and should be avoided at all cost if wearing a dress or skirt of any length.

Never sit with your knees and feet side by side, with your arms hanging over the back of your chair, or with a scowl on your face. Being a classy lady is exciting, respectful and a mature choice in today’s society. Your poise and confidence will shine through your seated posture, allowing others to acknowledge your classy nature before you utter a word.

AFRICA FASHION WEEK AMSTERDAM 2015

The fashion industry event, Africa Fashion Week Amsterdam (AFWA) is held for fashion professionals and fashion occult. It is an event for designers and brands to showcase upcoming collections to press, media, stylists, buyers, fashion trailblazers and, in some cases, the public.

In January 2012 London announced that it would dedicate an entire weekend to menswear fashion designers. Singapore dedicated a few days to men's shows. Los Angeles followed suite launching Men's Fashion Week LA in 2012. Additionally, Vancouver does Men's Fashion Week. Among other cities, New York has supported the developments in the menswear segment, but has yet to announce a Fashion Week dedicated entirely to menswear fashion designers.

Africa Fashion Week Amsterdam (AFWA) announces today to dedicate an entire day to promote its men's runway shows as a part of its regular Fashion Week schedule hosted by its Brand Ambassador Nollywood’s finest Ramsey Nouah Jr.

www.afwamsterdam.com 

Tickets available here:  

https://africafashionweekamsterdam.eventbrite.com/

                                                                      HEALTH BENEFITS OF LAUGHTER

     If you have had a good laugh recently, keep it up.Science shows there are numerous reasons why laughing is good for you. When laughter knocks, health andlongevity opens the door. The adage about laughter being the best medicine is actually approved and recommended.  Lots of benefits are associated with laughter including mental, emotional and physical benefits. Laughter does not only make you feel happy and relaxed, but also allows you to live longer, healthier and provide an edge when battling ailments like mental illness.

 *Laughter relaxes the whole body: A good hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45mins after.        

  *Laughter boosts the immune system:  It decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection- fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistances to diseases.

 * Laughter protects the heart: It improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.

                                                                                                     

                    PHYSICAL HEALTH BENEFIT OF LAUGHTER

·         It lowers stress hormones

·         Decreases pain

·         Relaxes your muscles

                                                                                                                        

·         Prevents heart disease                                                   

·         Boosts immunity

                   MENTAL HEALTH BENEFIT OF LAUGHTER

·         It adds joy and zest to life                                                    

·         Eases anxiety and fear

·         Relieves stress

·         Improves mood

·         Enhances resilience

                   SOCIAL BENEFIT OF LAUGHER

·         It strengthens relationships

·         Attracts others to us

·         Enhances team work

·         Helps defuse conflict

·         Promotes group bonding

                  By Constance Clement