Hippocrates once said, “The natural way is the only way”. As we venture into the new millennium, many people are moving toward the natural lifestyle recommended by the Father of Medicine thousands of years ago. Organic foods are becoming increasingly available and consumed. Various alternative therapies including Reiki, Breathwork and Acupuncture are quickly emerging as alternatives to more traditional allopathic medical treatments. Often, people become so harried trying to naturally achieve and maintain balance within their core that they forget to take care of their “shell”.

Here is a challenge that will help you reduce stress and save money while bringing the rejuvenation needed during the holidays. It will require some resolve on your part; adding five items to your grocery cart, and taking an hour a week to spend on yourself. The following recipes are designed to combat the ill effects of harsh winter weather on your face, hair, lips and body, without costing a fortune, or requiring hours of hunting down ingredients and making concoctions. (Each recipe has only three steps!)
Your challenge is to spend a little time each week treating your body to one (or all) of these treatments. You will look and feel better on the outside, which will make you glow from the inside.

On your next trip to the food market, you will need to buy the following items:

• 1 Avocado - contains Vitamins A, C, and E, iron, potassium, niacin, pantothenic acids; unsaturated fatty acids stimulate the skin’s of production of natural oil
• 2 Small bananas - contain tryptophan, an amino acid, potassium, and Vitamins A, B, C and E which restore the elasticity of the hair
• 1 small bottle Olive oil - Hippocrates called olive oil “the great therapeutic”; provides sunscreen protection, absorbing 20% of the sun’s rays
• Orange essential oil - soothes and restores the spirit; is a skin conditioner and soothing agent
• 1 brick of beeswax - melting point is 145°F; natural animal wax from the comb of the honey bee; works as a binder and protective barrier from wind and sun

Face

Tropical Citrus Mask
If you want to avoid lots of clean up, before applying this mask cover your face with cheesecloth (with holes cut out for eyes and mouth).

• Mix together: 1 ripe banana, 1 tsp. Olive oil, 1 drop Orange essential oil.
• Smooth over face and leave on for 15 - 20 minutes.
• Rinse off with tepid water. Smooth on a rich moisturizer.

Hair

Mayan Hair Mask
Ancient Mayan Inca and Aztec women believed that avocados fed the skin from the inside and outside. Make sure you save the avocado pit, setting it in a place where it can dry out.

• Mix together: ½ ripe avocado, 1 tbsp. olive oil, ½ small banana and 1 egg yolk.
• Gently massage onto hair and scalp and cover with a shower cap.
• Leave on 1 hour and rinse thoroughly with warm water. Shampoo as usual.

Lips

Honey Orange Lip Balm
If you like your lip balm to have a thinner, glossier consistency, use more olive oil. If you like a thicker, creamier feel, use less.

• Heat 2 tbsp. Chopped beeswax in a double boiler until melted. Remove from heat. Slowly pour ? cup olive oil into beeswax and stir to mix.
• Add 1 ½ tbsp. honey and 5 drops Orange essential oil. Stir continuously to mix until cool.
• Pour into a clean container with a lid. Tightly seal.

Body

Avocado & Banana Scrub
The pit of the avocado needs to be dried for 3 - 5 days before it can be ground for this recipe.

• Grind dried avocado pit until pieces are very fine (placing it in a sealed plastic bag and hammering it will work). Mix with ½ banana and olive oil to make a thick paste.
• Rub gently over skin - do not use too much pressure, as the pit will naturally exfoliate!
• Rinse off in a warm shower.