Mommy, Make it Better

Our parents have often reminded us to eat a balanced diet of vegetables, fruits, meat and fish. They say they’re good for us and makes us strong. But they never told us how.

In this blog post, I would like to share with you how a balanced diet of foods rich in antioxidants is important to our health.

What are antioxidants and what do they do?

Antioxidants are substances found naturally in the body that reach with foreign elements to neutralize their potentially harmful effects. However, we still need to increase our intake of foods that will provide us with additional protection from free radicals (harmful substances found in the environment and unhealthy foods). This is where foods rich in antioxidants come in.

The aforementioned “free radicals” are harmful substances that may lead to cancer and other illnesses. These free radicals are best handled and fought by antioxidants. So you see, having a diet of vegetables, fruits, meat and fish is really great for our bodies.

Now, the question is…

Where do we get these very important antioxidants?

Beta Carotene

carrots, carrot juice, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, cantalouple, winter squash, fresh apricots, dried apricots, mangoes, persimmon, broccoli

Vitamin C

melons, oranges, grapefruit, red and green peppers, leafy greens, strawberries, papaya, kiwi, mangoes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, fortified cereals, tomatoes, sweet potatoes (with skin)

Vitamin E

seeds, nuts, peanut butter, leafy greens, fish, shellfish, avocados, mangoes

Dietary Fiber

dried beans and peas and legumes, prunes, figs, dried apricots, whole grain foods, mangoes, pears, apples (with skin), brussel sprouts, seeds, nuts and peanut butter, grapefruits, oranges, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, artichokes

Our moms were right all along about vegetables and fruits. But now we know why!

What about you? Do you have other healthy diet and eating tips to share? Let the community know by commenting on this post or by emailing me at blog@mommymakeitbetter.com. I’d be so happy to hear from you.

I am sure you hate seeing ants on counter tops, in the pantry and worst, on the dining table. One minute your table is doing ok and the next minute you look a line of ants are already marching along and taking over the cookies you have placed on the table for the kids’ snacks. Annoying, isn’t it?

There are several ways of getting rid of ants. Each of them are very easy to do and, should you need specific materials or tools, I am sure they can easily be found within the house.

How to Get Rid of Ants Easily and Cheaply

Clean Up After Meals

As much as possible, make sure that there are no food spills or crumbs on counter tops and the dining table. Clean up immediately after meals and make sure to eat your meals at the dining table. If it can’t be avoided and you really want to have your dinner or snacks in the living room, use a tray to hold the dishes. Placemats are also recommended for easier clean up.

Vinegar Solution

Mix one part water and one part vinegar. I personally use apple cider vinegar, but if you don’t have it in stock, any kind of vinegar will do. Put the mixture of water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on tables and countertops every so often within the day. Ants hate the smell of vinegar so I’m sure they’ll leave your table and counters alone.

Chalk or Baby Powder

Chalk and Baby Powder contains talcum powder, which is a natural ant repellent. Sprinkle some baby powder or draw a line using a chalk on the spot where the army of annoying ants is coming from.

Cucumber or Orange Peels

Actually you can use either cucumber peels, orange peels, lemon peels or any other citrus peels. Ants avoid citrus peels because the peels are toxic to the specific type of fungi that the ants feed on.

Baking Soda

My mom used to do this trick and it worked wonders every time. Just sprinkle some baking soda on the ant line or even just on the spot where the line is coming from.

I have tried all of these tips myself and they have all worked splendidly for me. My favorite so far is using cucumber and orange peels. And of course, keeping my table crumb-free helps an awful lot!

Good luck! Let me know if any of these tips have helped you fight off those nasty ants!

What about you? Do you have other tried and tested ways of getting rid of ants? Share it with the community by commenting on this post or by emailing me at blog@mommymakeitbetter.com. I’d be so happy to hear from you.

I was 11 years old when I got my first perm. I was going through that phase when I thought looks were everything. So I cried, kicked and begged my mom to allow me to get a perm. I went at it for months until she relented.

On the day that I got my perm, I was so excited. What I didn’t expect was the strong smell of the perming chemicals I had to endure at the salon, during and after the perming procedure.

See, three days after getting the perm, the smell of chemicals still linger on my hair.

Do you have the same problem as I did? Then be glad you dropped by my blog today.

Now how can you remove the smell of perming chemicals that linger on your newly-permed hair?

1. Make sure your hair is dry and unwashed. You will be washing your hair after this treatment anyway.
2. Apply tomato juice on your hair, from the roots to the tips. Make sure that your hair is well-staturated.
3. Get a shower cap and cover your hair for 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Rinse the tomato juice off your hair.
5. Shampoo and condition your hair as per your personal routine.

Now you can enjoy your pretty new curls without the smell of perming chemicals following you everywhere!

What about you? Do you have other tried and tested ways of the foul odor of perming chemicals? Share it with the community by commenting on this post or by emailing me at blog@mommymakeitbetter.com. I’d be so happy to hear from you.