Granted, most allergy sufferers are at their worst in the Spring, when flowers begin to bloom. But just because fall is on the way, it doesn’t mean you can put away those antihistamines and tissue boxes.

Fall is the time for ragweed and mold, and allergy sufferers will be sniffling and sneezing away. Allergies are a result of the immune system mistakenly taking normally harmless substances as a threat, and overreacting to them.

One way to fight allergies, aside from antihistamines you can buy at the store, is having a cup of stinging nettle tea. Stinging nettle is a prickly plant that grows abundantly in Canada. You can buy premade tea at a health food store or take in capsule/pill form. It’s even a great source of iron!

But before you take the tea, consult your doctor to ensure it’s appropriate for you.

Lack of sleep is one of the main reasons that contributes to the formation of dark bags under the eyes, an aesthetic problem that’s difficult to cover up with makeup. Sleep deprivation has also been blamed for hindering one’s ability to lose weight.

If you go to bed but toss and turn all night, you may want to try a cup of valerian tea to help get you to sleep.

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a an herb that has been used for therapeutic purposes since ancient times.  The herb is prized for its ability to combat insomnia and other sleep disorders. It can also be used to treat headaches and heart palpitations.

The root of the perennial plant is used. Valerian is often dried to make into a tea. It’s also available in pill and capsule form for convenience.
Before you use valerian, consult your doctor to ensure it is suitable for your situation.

Before you spit that grape seed out next time, think about what you’re missing: proanthocyanidins.

Proanthocyanidins are admired for having powerful antioxidant properties - stronger than those offered by lemons and other citrus fruit.  These great bioflavonoids have the ability to protect cells from being damaged by neutralizing free radicals.

So even though they may not taste as good as the rest of the grape, your skin and body will thank you for it!

Are you watching your waistline and want to naturally supress your appetite? Try surrounding yourself with blue when you eat.

Research has shown that when diners were exposed to blue, their appetite decreased and they ate more slowly. Scientists believe that the reason for this is that there are very few to no naturally blue foods. And if we do see blue food, it’s been dyed by food colouring or appears as a mold (which can be delicious in some cases - like the mold that makes blue cheeses such as Roquefort and Stilton blue.

So next time you’re in the mood to binge, put your food on a blue plate, use a blue napkin and change the lightbulb for one that’s blue tinged. Enjoy!

Milia are tiny bumps that typically appear on the face of infants and adults, most commonly on the nose and upper cheeks near the eyes. They may be white or the same colour of the surrounding skin and can only exist in a sweat gland or hair follicle.

Milia are not considered a threat to your health – just an annoying cosmetic problem for adults which can be solved by simple noninvasive treatment. Cosmetic treatments such as microdermabrasion or chemical peels can help.

Because these bumps are caused by dead skin cells becoming trapped under the skin, they will eventually disappear with proper exfoliation.

Got acne? Get clear beautiful skin with Acne Treatment at Toronto Cosmetic Clinic. This new cosmetic procedure will destroy the root of the problem: Propionibacterium acnes. Propionibacterium acnes is the name of the bacteria that is responsible for the production of acne.

This nasty stuff feeds off of the natural oils, known as sebum, produced by our bodies. Sebum is secreted by sebaceous glands, a production mainly triggered by levels of testosterone. Combined with dead skin cells and dirt, pimples form in the pores of the skin because that way, they’re close to their food source. Gross!