Water Works

Water provides true refreshment for the thirsty, but most people don’t know that it also plays a vital role in all bodily processes. Unfortunately, most people don’t drink enough water, perhaps because they don’t realize just how important it is. The fact is, not drinking enough water affects every aspect of your body, right out to your skin.

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Melaleuca

Nature

Tea tree oil is produced by steam distillation of the leaves and shoots of the tea tree, Melaleuca alternifolia, an amazing wonder that grows to about 20 feet in height. Melaleuca flourishes along the northern-eastern coastal lowlands of New South Wales in Australia and possesses a characteristic flaky, paper-thin, white bark. The oil from melaleuca (tea tree oil) is pale yellow and boasts a fresh camphoraceous odor, similar to that of eucalyptus oil.

Tea tree oil or “melaleuca oil” should not be confused with oils obtained from other melaleuca species such as cajeputl, kanuka, or manuka oils.
Traditionally, tea tree oil has been used to treat skin ailments such as burns, bruises, cuts, abrasions, swellings, insect bites and stings, ringworm, acne, and rosacea. Eastern Australia’s indigenous people used crushed leaves of the tea tree as a traditional medicine to combat coughs and colds. They also utilized the leaves to treat wounds and skin ailments, and to make an infusion to battle sore throats.
Melaleuca appeared on the medicinal radar screen years ago when researchers in Australia discovered that tea tree oil had an antiseptic activity far more potent than the commonly used germicide, carbolic acid. Australian soldiers included tea tree oil in their first aid kits as a disinfectant during World War II.
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AÇAI

The trendy açaí (pronounced ah-sah-EE) berry is found in a variety of products, including juice blends, smoothies, sodas, instant-drink powders, and ice cream. Touted and marketed as a super fruit that provides highly beneficial properties, the açaí berry is in high global demand in recent years.

Açaí is the fruit of a large palm tree, Euterpe oleraceae, indigenous to the Amazon and its tributaries. The açaí palm produces branched clusters of berries, containing 700 to 900 fruits. The fruit is small, round, and black-purple, similar in appearance and size to a grape but with less pulp and a larger seed.
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Sunscreen 101

Ahhhh. Summer has finally arrived! I love summer! There is something so wonderful about warm weather and all the great adventures that come with it. I have to tell you my first love of summer is flip flops. I just can’t get enough of them; I absolutely think they are fabulous! Next, on my list is the fresh summer produce like strawberries, peaches, and my favorite: sweet corn…. Yum, yum! And I would have to say my favorite summer adventure is swimming. I love going to the pool; and when you have an 18-month-old toddler who tags along, the pool truly becomes an adventure.

By now most pools have opened for the summer season and will most likely abound with kids and parents splashing, swimming, and just having a great time. And of course there are the “lucky” people who lounge poolside with a book in hand just soaking up the sun. There are some days I wish that were me!

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Evening Primrose Oil

To help treat inflammatory disorders

Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) adorns many backyards. It grows extensively throughout North America and is now widely naturalized through much of Europe and parts of Asia. Its name comes from its fragrant yellow flowers, measuring about one inch in diameter, which bloom in the evening..

The plant is harvested at the beginning of the flowering season. Oil is extracted from the tiny dark-gray seeds, which are only one fifteenth of an inch (1.5 millimeter) long. The oil is commercially available in capsule form. Each capsule usually contains about 500 milligram of oil. Up to 12 capsules a day, or a half teaspoon of oil, may be used to treat various conditions.
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