Boost your brain, mend your mind, and fine-tune your focus with these all-natural tips to improve concentration and conquer whatever the day throws your way.

We’ve all been there before. You have an important presentation requiring lots of preparation, but all you can seem to do is think about the errands you need to run after work. Or, you’ve been trying your hardest to come up with the right words for your thesis paper, but your energies are focused on scrolling through your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter feeds.

Living in multi-sensory and multi-tasking world means we can all get caught off guard a time or two (or ten), but with these tips for improving your concentration, you’ll find enjoyable ways to boost your brain power quickly and naturally.

1. Essential Oils

If you’re brain is feeling a bit frazzled, experts believe that sniffing certain scents will improve your ability to concentrate and focus. Rosemary essential oil is not only thought to be an immunity booster, but a brain stimulant, too! Base Formula recommends vaporizing this oil with grapefruit or peppermint (another good cognition booster) for a creative boost or mental fatigue aid. If you’re pregnant or suffering from epilepsy, skip the rosemary and try eucalyptus instead.

2. Eat These Foods

It’s easy to grab take-out during your lunch hour, but try to brown bag it, or at least search for plant-based options. Some of the best foods to consume that are thought to boost mental acuity are: avocados, beets, blueberries, coconut oil, dark chocolate, green leafy veggies, olive oil, and walnuts. Sounds like the recipe for a super delicious, antioxidant-rich salad to me! Throw in some extra meat-free protein options, like tofu or quinoa for well-balanced brain food.

3. Social Media Shutout

Shutting down the social media and other distractions from the web will help with everyone’s concentration, including those who suffer with ADD and ADHD. When you’re splitting your mental time among multiple tasks, and one of those includes a responsibility, then the other more enjoyable tasks are bound to win, thus causing greater distraction and less focus. When trying to complete something important, turn off the apps, or rid yourself of social media accounts altogether–some experts believe your career could depend on it.

4. Supplement

If you prefer to swallow your way to improved concentration, then there’s a natural vitamin or supplement for that. WebMD suggests ginkgo biloba to boost cognition, which is believed to work by thinning the blood and thereby improving oxygen flow to the brain. Apparently even a slight lack of oxygen can thwart concentration. Additionally, ginseng and vitamin B6 are also believed to enhance memory, performance, and brain function.

5. Grab a Cup

Your favorite morning beverage can give you a caffeine boost during your afternoon slump, but experts caution to use the drink wisely. Try not to overdo your coffee consumption, or the high concentrations of caffeine can actually have the opposite effect. Caffeine is one of the fastest acting stimulants, and can do wonders for concentration when used judiciously.  

6. Get Your Blood Flowing

Regular exercise has been shown to improve concentration in both children and adults. What’s truly fascinating is that a study with adult subjects who participated in a three-month aerobic exercise program were found to have formed new neurons and more diverse, interconnections between them. Not only does exercise seem to improve brain function, but it will also help ward off other neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and even ADHD.

7. Silence the Noise

Taking a few moments to sit in complete silence, including a departure from the thoughts and inner dialogue running through your head, is crucial to recharge your brain. uDancer, choreographer and author Twyla Tharp told the story of an opera singer who had to rest her vocal chords for three weeks by not speaking a word during those 21 days. She apparently enjoyed the silence and peace of mind it afforded her so much, that she made it an annual ritual. This “speaking diet” now comes highly recommended to creatives, or anyone in need of a cognitive boost, for meditation and other forms of quieting the mind have many benefits.

8. Turn-in Earlier

Although unfounded, a lack of sleep might be the root of all evils, especially concentration. There’s nothing quite like the blahs after waking up from poor or short-lived sleep. The more shut-eye you get every night, the greater your chances are of concentration well during the day.

9. Nap

If there’s one thing this season of “The Bachelor” taught us, it’s that nap time is always a good thing, even as an adult (#ThanksCorinne). If you can’t fit in more sleep at night, then take a 20 or 30 minute nap during your afternoon slump and you’ll likely wake up refreshed and ready to conquer what’s left of your day.

10. Have a Singular Focus

Multi-taskers, listen up! The brain’s ability to focus on multiple tasks at once, whether computer-related or tangible, is not efficient for prolonged periods of time. Your adrenaline can only boost your ability to juggle multiple things for so long before it eventually burns out, so it’s important to implement a habit of singular focus.

One concentration recommendation is the Pomodoro technique. It starts by removing all distractions from your area and getting comfy. Then, it instructs you to set a timer for 25 minutes and muster up all of your focus to concentrate on the one singular task at hand for the full 25 minutes. If you stray, that’s alright, just refocus your mind. And when the timer goes off, take a break. The writer who shared this technique swears by its efficacy, especially for the things she really loathes, like taxes. Blech.

Now that you have the tools, go out there and take back your cognition with these all-natural concentration-boosting methods! Share your thoughts on the EcoSalon Facebook page!

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Instead of cowering under your covers or rocking a baseball cap and enormous Olsen twins-style sunnies every day, check out these breakout-banishing all natural remedies for acne. Your skin will give you a glowing ovation for sure!

It’s a major bummer when you’ve reached your 20s and 30s and all of a sudden your skin decides to take a walk down preteen memory lane. The age-old myth is that every seven years your hormones change which is usually code for “get ready because your skin is about to freak the f&^% out!” These all natural remedies for acne can help.

1. Honey

Honey in its purest form is hands down the champion constituent in natural methods of zapping acne and blasting those unsightly blemishes. Its antibacterial and antiseptic properties are endless and you will save many pretty pennies by switching to this sweet stuff than opting for drug store solutions that usually fail.

When picking out honey for cleansing or masking, you must be label-alert. Look for raw, unheated, and unfiltered honey. This type consists of all of the essential nutrients needed. If there is propolis (“bee glue” that holds the honeycombs together) present in the jar, even better. Propolis reduces breakouts due to its antibacterial quality. Raw honey contains glycolic acid, which aids in balancing skin’s natural pH making it amazing at helping to heal skin and brighten the complexion. It will gently remove impurities and daily grime from yucky, clogged pores, but won’t strip the skin’s natural oils. Throw in a dash of cinnamon for its killer antimicrobial properties or squeeze some lemon in it for a little exfoliation. Whether cleansing or masking, you can leave your honey-mix on for 10-15 minutes twice a day for maximized results. Get a ton of sweet honey facts right here.

2. Papaya

The worst and hardest type of acne to battle is cystic. For lack of a better description, they are deeply rooted, hard pustules that are full of trapped bacteria and oil, sore to the touch, and a major bitch to fight off. Don’t give up just yet because there’s a very simple and easily attainable remedy. Papayas aren’t just for fruity cocktails and health-conscious smoothies. After rinsing your face with some H2O, try mashing some papaya up and spread it all over your face, letting it sit for about 15-20 minutes before washing clean. Papaya possesses the ability to remove dead skin cells and excess lipids and even has an enzyme called papain, which in my opinion, is the best feature because that will vanquish pus before it can begin to form. Say goodbye to that cystic crap! Another tip: as per the norm when purchasing produce, choosing organic if possible is always most beneficial.

3. Banana Peel

They’re delicious and nutritious… for your skin! Eat a banana then rub the inside of the peel all over the surface of your face until you’ve reached the desired coverage and leave it on for 30 minutes or so. It sounds silly, but this fruit packs serious acne ass-kicking skills. Lutein, an antioxidant found in bananas, has the capability to decrease redness, inflammation, and swelling of the skin. It can also help generate new cell growth. This is likely the most effortless of all natural remedies for acne out there… You can literally eat a banana in your car on the way home from work and smear it on your face to reduce and regenerate, paying no mind to those who may look at you like you’ve totally lost it.

4. Willow Bark Extract

This is an all natural alternative to the harsh drug store version of salicylic acid. Willow bark is anti-inflammatory and an awesome exfoliant. It clears out clogged pores and aids in shedding dead skin cells that would otherwise end up being the cause of the cursed clogging. Willow bark is the perfect spot treatment so you can stop going to bed with Colgate toothpaste spots sprinkled all over your face at night. You’re welcome.

5. Potato

Oh yeah, you’re totally reading that correctly. Potato. Believe it or not (I almost didn’t), potatoes are a great source for all natural remedies for acne. They’re teaming with brilliant elements such as potassium, sulfur, phosphorus, and chloride. All of those mentioned assist in decreasing those pesky pimples while the antioxidants also found in ‘taters speed up the birth of new cells. The task of application is another simple one, it’s actually almost stupid-easy. Grate a potato and take its shreds and juices and rub generously on your face using circular motions. Allow it to dry for 15-30 minutes and then rinse it all the way off with tepid water.

Now get in your kitchen and start concocting!

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Image via bionicgrrrl and Rita. Yang

The post 5 Breakout-Banishing All Natural Remedies For Acne: Beat the Endless Zit Battle appeared first on EcoSalon.

Oh, living a simple life. Do you look back to a time when distractions were few and family time was plentiful? Do you miss home-cooked fare and eating foods straight from the source? Dream of living like your ancestors? Here’s why you may want to consider living a simple life:

Modern medicine has done a lot with the extension of life. It used to be common to die while giving birth, or from what today would be considered an easily treatable infection. But even as modern medicine extends our lives, our own bad habits may once again shorten them. Diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and depression are a byproduct of a sedentary, overworked, and overfed society. This is where living like our ancestors comes into play.

1. The joy of the simple life on the farm.

Working out for an hour a day just isn’t enough to balance an entire day spent at a desk. My grandparents and their grandparents were farmers–they worked in the fields all day. The idea of paying for a gym membership to workout would have been humorous. That’s not to say that a daily work out isn’t a good thing. But the key is to attempt to be active throughout the day. Bike to work, take the stairs, walk after dinner, take the dogs for a stroll. You get the point.

2. Processed what?

Processed foods didn’t become a mainstay of the American diet until the 1950s. Today’s processed food market would still seem like a dream to our ancestors. Processed foods are calorie dense and often loaded with artificial flavors, colors, trans fats, and sugars. The more you can do without them, the better.

3. A world of distractions.

How often do you do just one thing at a time? It’s hard with so many distractions. Do you watch television and look on Instagram at the same time? With so many choices, it can be hard to pick one. But multi-tasking is the biggest myth ever invented. If you’re doing one thing, it’s impossible to do something else at the same time effectively. Try and minimize your distractions throughout the day. Remember a time when smartphones, televisions, and tablets were replaced by books and quiet time.

4. Organic didn’t have to be labeled.

Pesticides were largely non-existent until after World War II. Imagine if everything was organic. While today that may seem like a dream, buying organic or pesticide-free foods is no small deal. The market has grown to $35 billion per year. Skip the pesticides like your ancestors did.

5. GMOs in the food supply.

The first GMO to hit grocery stores didn’t come until 1994 when FDA approved the delayed-ripening tomato to have a longer shelf life than conventional tomatoes. My, how far we’ve come. Today, 95 percent of sugar beets, 94 percent of soybeans, 90 percent of cotton are GMO. Eat like your ancestors by choosing organic foods (which cannot be GMO) and avoid conventional foods that are commonly made with GMO ingredients, like the big three listed above.

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The post 5 Reasons Living a Simple Life Like Your Ancestors is a Really Good Idea appeared first on EcoSalon.

 Everyone has their own definition of celebrity, (and even who’s hot for that matter—Vandana Shiva’s on the top of my list). And while plenty of the ladies of screen don’t do much beyond promoting themselves to the tabloids, there are also quite a few who are giving back and doing good in very real ways. So here’s our pick of the 9 hottest all-natural female celebrities who fulfill the traditional idea of fame—and engage in projects that help people, planet and promote health too.

Jessica Alba

Alba, who grew up in front of the camera, is a long-standing proponent of an all-natural, holistic lifestyle. Her latest book, The Honest Life: Living Naturally and True To You, is filled with easy to use tips and great DIY recipes–a very approachable and down-to-Earth green guide.

Alicia Silverstone

Publisher of the fantastic vegan and green living site the Kind Life, and face of the affordable, eco-friendly beauty product line, EcoTools (made with responsible materials and recycled plastics), Silverstone is an all-natural celebrity looking to give back.

Anne Hawthaway

As an active proponent of a cruelty-free lifestyle–from her vegan diet to wearing vegan shoes on the red carpet, Anne Hawthaway is one of our favorite all-natural celebrities. Did you see her vegan leather knee-high gladiator sandals, custom made by Tom Ford? Badass.

Miranda Kerr

The gorgeous supermodel Miranda Kerr has recently gotten press not just for her insanely sexy looks and cute smile, but for her new line of all-natural beauty products, Kora Organics. Made with only organic and natural ingredients, if it’s good enough for Miranda, it’s good enough for me!

Livia Firth

As the Creative Director of Eco Age, and co-collaborator of the Green Carpet Challenge, Livia Firth is stepping up the awareness of eco-luxurious clothing. The Green Carpet Challenge heightens the excitement of award shows and draws attention to red-carpet looks in a new light, by dressing celebs in custom made, eco-friendly designer garments.

Gisele Bündchen

Gisele is an all-natural beauty in and of herself, but her line of natural skin care products, Sejaa, seals the deal. Holding her line to the highest standards, the products are sure to “protect and supports your skin’s natural radiance, while also protecting the health and beauty of our environment.”

Emma Watson

Since her role in the Harry Potter movies, actress Emma Watson is breaking new ground. In collaboration with Italian designer Alberta Ferretti, Watson has founded Pure Threads, a fashion line that features environmentally friendly dresses. “The collection is completely organic, from the picking and spinning of our cottons to the washing, weaving and dyeing of our textiles,” says Ferretti.

Salma Hayek

Everyone who has worked with her always remarks about how Hayek is naturally hot onscreen, but off screen, as a board member of Global Green, she isn’t supporting a hot planet. Ok, completely cheesy but Salma Hayek is active in engaging intelligent solutions to climate change. When she moved to California from Mexico, she has her home outfitted with solar panels.

Cate Blanchett

Beyond her badass gender-bending role playing Bob Dylan in I’m Not There, Blanchett is a strong advocate for natural living, sustainability and alternative energy.  It’s rumored she invited Suntech, a solar energy company to install solar panel on the roof of the Sydney Theatre Company, and both she and her husband were big proponents of the Greening the Wharf initiative, a project that installed over 1,900 solar panels. You can even read her green point of view from time to time on the New York Times Green Blog, DotEarth.

All images via: wikicommons

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