MAGIC OF COCONUT OIL

Dry skin, a paper cut, maybe even a tummy ache? Try a drop of coconut oil. Offering a myriad of health benefits, coconut oil is affordable, readily available and completely natural. Here are six reasons to give it a try:

1. Skin Care: Wanna look like you just came back from an hour of yoga? Coconut oil works wonders as a moisturizer for all skin types, especially dry skin and aging skin, leaving you refreshed and looking wide-awake. No headstand required! The fat in the oil helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles without any irritation. Coconut oil can also help with skin problems like psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin conditions. In fact, the oil is frequently used in expensive skin care products. Try our easy, inexpensive recipe for a great honey and coconut oil moisturizer.

2. Stress Relief: Long day at the office, kids won’t stop screaming and your dog left a little “present” on your vintage bedspread? Relieve mental fatigue by applying coconut oil to the head in a circular, massaging motion. The natural aroma of coconuts is extremely soothing thus helping to lower your stress level.

QUICK IRONING TIPS

 • Iron your shirts in batches. Ironing a shirt only takes a few minutes, but half of that time is taken up with preparation–getting the ironing board set up, the iron filled and hot, etc. So use your time more effectively by ironing all your shirts in one batch instead of whenever you need one.

• If you’re ironing a large number of shirts or other articles of clothing, start with the garments needing the lowest temperature. Then move to the garments (cotton and linens) that require the highest temperatures. The reasoning is that it takes an iron longer to cool off than heat up, and it decreases the likelihood of damage to your clothing.

• If you dry your shirts in a clothing dryer, pull them out before they are fully dry. Better yet, don’t even place them in a dryer and instead put them on a wood hanger and iron them right out from the washing machine. No need to moisten or use any steam.

STRATEGY TO 'QUIT SMOKING'

Quitting is also the best health decision you`ll ever make, with smoking still the biggest cause of premature death and preventable disease world over. A latest research suggests that understanding what it is that makes you light up in the first place is the key to finding the quit method best suited to you. Below are the most common smoking personalities with tailored advice to ensure your habit goes up in smoke.

1. The stress smoker: You can happily survive without cigarettes until you have a problem at work or fight with your partner. For you, smoking is a way to ease tension.

Quit strategy: Get moving. Exercise is not only the ideal alternative stress-buster; research shows it can help you banish cravings. When you smoke, the nicotine triggers a rapid release of adrenaline, the `fight or flight` hormone, which speeds up your metabolism. Exercising also releases adrenaline, but in a more positive way to help the body burn fat and boost energy and mood levels, the perfect healthy substitute to satisfy a cigarette craving.

2. The nicotine junkie: Upon waking, your first thought is `cigarette` and you smoke regularly throughout the day, feeling jittery if you miss one. Although most smokers are hooked on nicotine, the chemical addiction feels particularly strong.