Kitchen pantry is the best Pharmacy: Natural Home Remedies

Most of the time I happen to get sick on a Friday night or Saturday evening, when obviously all the Pharmacies are closed...what a convenient time!

But today I am here to share the little tips we all can use when we happen to feel unhealthy out of a sudden, in the middle of the night or simply when we're not in the mood to visit the Pharmacy.

Sore Throat?

♥ Honey: Antibacterial properties due to its high sugar levels, pH and certain acids, will calm down your throat. Mix 2 tablespoons with lukewarm water or in some herbal infusion and have the drink every 2-3 hours. It is known that the darker types of honey the bigger the antibacterial properties these have. So check that out when you shop for honey next time, as well as sticking to organic.

Another way to use honey to deal with your throat infection is to mix a little bit of honey with a yoghurt and add spices and serve this in your salads or baked food.

After workout muscle pain?

♥ Ginger: With 2 grams a day for a week and a half will reduce to 25% the pain produced after a lifting session. All this because of some antioxidants called gingerols that have the power to reduce the inflammations, similar to what an Ibumax (Ibuprofen) effect. Ginger is also used for reducing nausea and dizziness.

Another way to use it is to grate it and use it in soups, when preparing a chicken breast or for teas, sushi or salads.

Insomnia? Trouble sleeping?

♥ Kiwi: This fruit increases the levels of serotonin, one of the main neurotransmitters inducing you in a nice cozy sleep every night. Add it to your salads, fruit bowls or make a mash out of it and mix it in your favorite smoothies.

Migraine, annoying headache?

♥ Pumpkin seeds: Due to their high content of magnesium, these seeds will provide you with the right quantity you need to unclog your blood vessels around your brain area, softly lowering your blood pressure. A handful of pumpkin seeds everyday will provide you with more than half of the right amount of magnesium you need. Keep in mind that it can provoke constipation for some people, so always have a good source of fiber and natural yoghurt. 

You can have the seeds mixed on your morning oatmeal as well as in your lunch salad.

PMS...?

♥ Almonds: Great source of riboflavin, these are supposed to act on the PMS symptoms and reduce them significantly. Only 30 grams of almonds or nuts will provide you with the 30% of the daily riboflavin intake. You can add them to your yoghurt or cereals, as well as preparing them with quinoa, rice or stir fry them for a delicious green beans dish. By crushing them you can use them to bath your chicken or fish before frying - cooking them!

Jet Lag, travellers!?

♥ Sour Cherries: Great source of melatonin that will get you in a sleepy mood when is dark outside. The day you're travelling, you can eat or have a handful of sour cherries or drink a glass of sour cherry juice as for the next 2 days keep on taking them when it's already dark outside. You can prepare yourself a smoothie or mix the juice of the sour cherries with a little fizzy water!

Stomach acidity, anyone?

♥ Kidney Beans: Fiber fiber fiber, amazing for your heart and digestion. The only thing you need to watch out are the condiments, make sure you wont add too many since it can make this dish a little too heavy for you. You can add them to your vegetarian burrito or you can make a mash out of them and enjoy as a dip.

Hope all these will come on hand next time you will need a medicine! All-natural and effective! Just make sure you have them in your kitchen pantry! 

How to: Be Super-Efficient at home

These summer days when you're supposed to get something done and at the end of the day you realize you haven't completed your tasks and you know that it won't take you anywhere if you skip sleeping and start doing that...so you go to sleep wake up next morning and same story, is too nice outside...you're distracted...you're too euphoric...you wanna go to the beach with your friends...

YOU NEED TO GET YOUR STUFF TOGETHER AND ORGANIZE YOUR TIME!

Sure, but how? Well, here I am to tell you how I organize and I actually get to do everything I was planning for on a day. Not saying this is going to work for all of you out there, we all have different motivations and schedules and will power, but at least this is working for me and I just hope you can pick some ideas from my tips!

Room Setting

You won't believe this but your room is like your sanctuary, you need to understand that this space is going to kick you out of it or in positive cases, will call you in and invite you to spend your time doing what you're enjoying to do (or ok, school work you might not enjoy) making things easier for you and helping you to find your inspiration and make the best of your time.

I am privileged to have a room with views to a gorgeous mountain, which of course, gives me a lot of positivity in the morning and reminds me of the beauty of the nature and how blessed I am to get my work done here. But I know not all of us might have same conditions, and even my ''so privileged'' room needs a pimp in the inside so I get more inspirational.

Tip: Decorate your room in a simple and subtle way, yet choose something that inspires you every day. Back in Finland, I decorated my bedroom by choosing simple colors for the bed lining, the lamps and furniture, white helps but think that is really high-maintenance, however I recommend you both white and woody colors. On the walls, to give more personality to your room, choose either paintings with pastel or plain colors (or try to choose them with less than 10 different shades, so it won't distract you too much), wall stickers that resemble something you really like this, pictures of your dear ones that mean a lot to you or someone that inspires you (avoid posters of bands, etc.).

Keep your desk tidy and ONLY with the necessities on it. I always have my computer, a bottle of water, a pen and a notebook and a book if I need it but most of the time I find everything I want in Internet and e-libraries so no need to pile up your books on your working desk.

Morning Routine

In the morning, I usually take a quick shower (even if I took one at night) to refresh myself from the sleep, I have my face all cleaned, put on some comfy clothes, no make-up, I clean my room from the morning mess and I take a healthy breakfast usually consisting in milk and fruits and sometimes some lean meat. All is in its place and I get my desk prepared. My favorite time to get things done.

Tip: Have your essentials nearby your area of working. You don't want to lose time looking for that one book one friend have gave you 2 years ago. Get only the essentials with you and try to have a clean desk, no excessive materials around and place it in such a way that the light comes from the left if you are right handed (and right if you are left handed). In this way, if you need to write, the shadow of your pen won't cover the notebook area where you're writing. Choose tranquil colors.

Afternoon Routine

Many of us get super lazy and powerless during the afternoon, and makes sense. If you're having lunch at 2 p.m. your digestion will take about 2 hours, meanwhile your body gets prepared for digestion, blood on your body concentrates in your stomach-tummy area to help the process of digestion get completed. Result? Not much energy left for your brain. Don't judge yourself for not being too effective at this time of the day. Enjoy this time for doing something else, take a break and have a walk (walks after eating helps and fastens digestion), meet a friend, do whatever you want which is not requiring too much thinking.

Tip: Enjoy your afternoon for planning. I always make plans during this time of the day. I skip all kinds of activities that require too much thinking because I know my brain is not going to cooperate at its fullest since my body is focusing on digestion. I usually have lunch and then plan the rest of the day and write down some notes for the rest of the week, or I measure my progress with my work and set some little goals to help me organize my stuff.

Evening Routine

This is when things get serious. You are completely unfocused and you just wish to go outside or just lay in front of the TV and do nothing. It's evening, sunset is about to show its beauty and you're trapped in your little cage to work. Well, taking small breaks every 30 minutes will improve your capacity to overwork, eat light (and less caloric meals) and try to relax as much as you can in the breaks.

Tip: I love summer evening, when sun is setting and it gets all breezy outside. What I sometimes do is just move my desktop to my garden table. If you don't have a garden then just make sure to take more frequent breaks while you're working and go to the window to enjoy the landscape (whatever that is, city lights, roofs, sun, forest, etc.) and think how fortunate you are, just relax...it's your time to say goodbye to another day you've worked hard for. When I finish my work, I usually do a summary in my head about what I've been doing that day and I double check it with my diary, to make sure I have sticked to the plan. If I ended it up successfully I reward myself with something, that's sometimes a little chocolate, a relaxing bath, a book, watching my fave series...and soon to bed!

Other tips that can help a lot

♥ Keep a planner/diary/journal

♥ Set goals every Sunday for the following week

♥ Check your planner every morning

♥ Check your planner back at the end of the day

♥ Measure your efficiency, try to see if you have a pattern

♥ Breaks are important, take them every 1-2 hours

♥ Switch off your Social Media notifications

♥ Have a good night sleep

♥ Get motivated and be positive about the work you're doing

♥ Set an inspiring and personalized simple atmosphere

♥ Be happy!

Today in Helsinki, tomorrow in Madrid: What do I eat?

Today's post is going to be about eating habits and how difficult or easy is to eat when travelling to a different gastronomic culture.

I have been living in Helsinki now for about a year. I was already familiar with the city, with the habits, with the culture, it has never been a shock for me at any point and that might be because of my international background. All my Spanish country-fellows found lots of difficulties adapting to Finland's eating habits and gastronomic culture. The obvious reason is because they are really different.

I am back in Spain and I clearly see the difference. The breakfast, the usage and type of bread, the lunch time, and how heavy dinner is.

The most challenging part I encountered in Finland is that veggies are not that common in the shops and the offers are reduced depending on what shop you are buying. I remember going to a specific place to get lentils, quinoa, etc. (yeah, noticed these are not veggies). And of course, the price, is shooting comparing to Spain, so as a student you might think it twice about how many times you're going to buy this and that on a week.

The breakfast time for me was pretty early in the morning, as my courses were starting at 8:00 am. Usually I had a banana on the go and a cappuccino while getting ready. Too sleepy to get something else, and yeah, not always the healthiest but hey, it's potassium and calcium with some slight caffeine, great combo, huh? The lunch time was crazy, I am not sure if everyone working or studying was doing this buy our university was crazy, we were having lunch (!!!) everyday at 11:00 am. I am not sure how is in your own country for working schedules but I am sure is not at 11:00 am, if I am not right then please, write a comment down below, I am really interested hearing about these differences!

We usually had pretty healthy acceptable lunch! That was the best part! I remember here in Madrid, our lunch at the university's restaurant was a bomb of unhealthiness (french fries with egg on top, sausages, heavy soups, hamburgers, deep fried stuff every single day) and no salad and the fruit was apart so you needed to pay for it and yeah, no comparison. 

Then we have the type of bread and how different the two countries use it. In Spain we have the typical white bread baguette that everyone is buying and every market or little shop has it, while in Finland, there is the delicious and healthy pure rye bread, which was the bread I was used to and really missing now that I am back in Madrid.

However, being back in Madrid and having all fruits and vegetables available, from big cherries to blueberries and more has really calmed my stomach, which was already a little too bored.

I am getting back to my own diet here, cooking lean meat now and then, making all kinds of juices, salads,  and what I especially appreciate is the range of meat, I am a big turkey lover so...I have been missing that in Finland (for a reasonable price).

If you want to know more of my eating habits I am slowly incorporating pictures in my Instagram account. Check it out yourself!

Need tips for cool restaurants in Helsinki? Let me know so I can make a post only on that!

Today is about creativity!

Hi there! I know I haven't been posting here as much as I usually post in Facebook haha but well, I do focus on my school quite a bit and I love what I am doing so, let's just say that I had a lot going on!

I am currently working on a project regarding a hotel and still I am thinking about the concept! Oh but I love it! These days I tried to push my inspiration to the limit and hey, what's better than a fashion magazines, couple inspirational hotel books and some chocolate? And it has been helping me!

The funny thing is when I opened the InStyle USA version magazine, randomly, and I see...

Good question, by the way...

But just to sum up my day in few words, it has been productive, inspirational and positive! I bet the weather has helped a lot!

I was just sitting on the sofa trying to figure out what should I do with this one project...in Teurastamo. Any ideas? If you want to get to know more (and you're a Finn) contact me and I can provide you with a survey we have created for the hotel project in Teurastamo!

My main items: diary, Cosmopolitan Hotels, inStyle, a delicious lemon protein bar chocolate and PEAK by Chip Conley (about Hospitality and joie de vivre! - inspirational)

How is your day so far? Stay positive! Weekend is arriving soon again!

Just a little time...

Hi dear ones! I am here today to apologize for my absence in the blog for some days. It is being really rough at uni and I have so much to do I barely have no time to eat, word. I have been working on many presentations these past 2 weeks and now I am having my last presentations for this period...and need to make the best out of it!

I am so überstressed with school, but I think it´s because I am too passionate about it and I just love it. I couldn´t picture myself doing anything else as good as I would do in here, so everyday for me is a day of improvement and learning new things and developing myself in this lovely field. I wish everyone could feel as passionate as me about what they are doing everyday. Believe me things would be so much easier if you love what you do. Is like you live for that. No matter how much you have to do, how much time takes, how many sleepless hours you have...at the end of the day when you ask yourself why are you doing this to you, the answer it would be clear, because you love it.

That´s how I feel right now. This is a very challenging week for me, as I am running out of time for some tasks, I will squeeze the best out of me there and I will let you know how it went this Friday! I will be so happy it´s over, because believe me, you might love what you do, but I bet no one likes deadlines...haha.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Beautiful morning and roses from my dear one ♡

Hope you all had an amazing day! And the week it´s coming to an end...I am optimistic, I know.

Friendships and Happiness

Hello my dear readers! Hope you all had a wonderful Women's Day and great weekend...unfortunately Monday is right around the corner waiting for us and our sleepy heads. It happens.

Yesterday I've announced in my Instagram account that I was going to talk about friendships and happiness in my blog, so here I am trying to squeeze together my thoughts on these two and how good they work together, and of course, how we should act like to make them happen.

It's a weird feeling me writing about this because is not that I have the best friendships ever but maybe that's what makes it more interesting. Everyone knows one or two people in their life that never complain about their friends, like they would never judge, let's be honest ladies! We judge and a lot!

I came across these thoughts a little earlier this week thinking about the high expectations I used to have in my late teens on people and how I slowly realized that I will always be alone if I expect so much and always be unhappy about everything. At the same time it made me feel artificial inside.

I am one of those people that expect same given or more from someone else and it's not easy to get anything back today, unless you have your childhood friends with you. Maybe I am wrong. I remember being so frustrated and sad and angry on people back then, I remember building up expectations when I first got to meet someone, already painting us doing something together (guess it was something I thought both would like), having fun, going out, meet others, not clashing in any way. I was always picturing the perfect friends and how I wanted them to be. But isn't that fooling yourself?

Over the past years, being in university opened up my eyes about what people like to be nowadays. I got to know other generations and how they react to friendships nowadays and I got to learn what these people really want nowadays to stick together and what does it take to be BFF, as they call themselves.

People come and go, just like the flow of a river, they continue their journey, never static. You need to be a rock on their way to make them stay and maybe not even then. There are so many people out there with great luck and awesome friendships, they know they'd going to be rescued anytime they need a pick up...but should I risk myself and claim that I believe there are more of the opposite people? That there are more people out there that are by themselves, trying to hang around a friendship they already know is not going to last or do any good to them...I like to see it as part of our culture nowadays, we have learnt to be tolerant to eachother (which is great!) but also at some point being superficial (which is great and not great, depending on the situation). This is the key to happiness in a friendship nowadays is, understand your friend and accept him/her and don't go too deep in their flaws, you want to keep it on the surface, you don't want those great mistakes they've been doing to be on the scene, you don't even want to think about them. You don't want to be reminded on how many things you and your BFF do not agree on. Of course, these might be superficial or not, but to our heads they've become unconditionally superficial because our desire of having someone is greater than our values (at least for some)...we start to forget what we believe in but we remember it at times when we miss it, yet is not enough to face the reality and go to your friend and say who you really are. We all have secrets. Who is denying that? And we know that there are things we are not going to share not even with our beloved ones because we care about them and we wouldn't like them to get hurt.

But how to learn to be happy with all these little flaws, surviving your friendships and at the same time staying loyal to yourself and not forgetting your values? That's a real question there. I have figured out in the past years that if you expect from people to give you same things you have been giving to them, you will never be completely happy. We are different in this way and we will never give back what we've been giving away, at least that's how I understood it. I have learnt to expect less from people I've just met, to be superficial with them, and not expect big things coming up right a week after meeting them, no matter how bright the sky might look there are always chances to rain. I have learnt that if we know what we deserve, we're going to have it harder finding a perfect friendship, we need to ignore our pride a little bit and act like they are acting. Now, this might be difficult for someone like me, for instance. I am still expecting some things sometimes from people, unfortunately, and I cannot be that superficial neither ignore my pride sometimes nor forget about values. But this doesn't mean there are not people out there that cannot do this if they truly want someone to be their friend, and if they appreciate friendship a little more than own values, if they think friendship probably is going to save their values!

My story ends when I met so many people around me, yet no one didn't even try to make an effort for me, while I was giving out my best...I was expecting too much and I was being too honest, to them and to myself. What am I doing now? I keep away from group of friends. I focus on meeting new people that are similar to me and that might have high expectations, maybe that is the only way to not to clash with someone, surround yourself with someone you might appreciate, you might admire, and you might look at like at your own self. I believe in soul mates, and I believe there is someone for each of us. But try to imagine how difficult it might get to find that someone in this Earth. Maybe they're not even living in the same countries as us, who knows...

The point here is, do not give up on what you want and appreciate. One day you will grow up and you will realize how important is staying true to ourselves and getting to know ourselves before getting to know someone. The most important tip to a happy and great friendship is to know yourself, your expectations, your ambitions, your dreams, your plans, your values...and then, you will see the same thing in your best friend, and that for sure, the person that you will look up at like at yourself, that's going to be your best friend. Don't get too used to call everyone a best friend. Be picky enough and rethink the decisions you are making, you won't regret it over years, when you will realize how much time you spent with that someone that is not in your life now, because they discovered a flaw on you and they decided to leave. Eveyone has flaws, if your friend lets you know about his/hers, appreciate it, not many people nowadays have the courage to admit they are no perfect. If you have flaws, embrace them, you are unique, just as many others, don't shout them out there, but...don't lie to what you consider your best friend. If he/she are the ones, they won't abandon you, they would keep you even closer, just because you had the guts to admit.

There are ups and downs, life is a rollercoaster, so friends are, sometimes they are there, sometimes they decide to leave, some they get here and might want to get to know you. Be open, love yourself and embrace yourself, get to know your inner better, and then...let the magic begin. This might be something more than just friendships, sociologically spoken,...maybe biology plays it role too. Who knows? But what I know is that at least once in our lifetime we will experience a great friendship and a bunch of failures. That's how life goes and not just for you, but for everyone! And the good thing about this is that we always gain something...experience, moments, knowledge...enjoy it and remember best friends a.k.a soul mates, exist.

Do you have BFFs? Have you ever thought more in depth about your friendship? How is it going? Be happy and enjoy every single day!

Dinner for two watching Sex and The City

Yes, my boyfriend doesn´t like capers, so that´s my plate!

Tulips, breakfast in bed and make-up

  

Sushibar + Wine and Beanie with Michiru!

It was such a fun evening! We got to know each other a little better, we´ve tasted some wine (which I cannot even remember the name - welcome to Finland - it doesn´t appear in the MENU online I guess) we had some sushi (spicy huh?) and we´ve ended the evening with a lovely strawberry cake!

I had a great time! I cannot even remember the last time I had a dinner out with a friend...it was about time! And Michiru (as she likes to be called here in Blogger) is such a sweet girl!

Lovely Saturday!!!

Finland-Sweden

Big day for both countries at the Olympics. Good luck!

Singles and couples surviving Valentine´s Day?

I am a lucky girl who time ago met her Valentine and even though we do not certainly celebrate it in a materialistic way, I do like to prepare something special on 14th February...though I always like to prepare specialities.

But I know we´re not all in the same situation and it hasn´t been like this for me either for some time before meeting my Valentine. In this post I am trying to reach you and maybe giving you some advice about surviving this cheesy day full of smiles and heartbeats, empty pockets at the end of the day and the doubts you might have with of a bunch of red lipsticks where to choose from...

Unfortunately this day made it to one of the most commercialized days in the States and since then it has been spreading all over the world...some might like it just like this, some might not. Some might love receiving gifts and pushing their relationship in this day, forgiving and being optimistic. Some might find it useless, disturbing and tacky. Not everyone out there is in a relationship, and not all of us might like to receive gifts in such awaited and expected days, some of us might want to be rewarded for our love in whatever other way or not at all. Why should we be rewarded for loving each other? Isn´t love a mutual feeling? Is it rather something special that not all us, couples, can feel?

Well there are so many theories these days popping...no wonder we´re not able to know the real answer.

What is true, is that many people feel attacked, offended and alone during this day. And it´s completely understandable. And it´s not helping at all if the person is at her/his lowest on self-esteem this certain day...and it might happen, and it happens too often. Should we ban Valentine´s for the discomfort of these individuals? Some might yell YES!!! And they´ve probably experienced a lonely and frustrating Valentine. Some might say all offended a no. They might have forgot how does it feel to be alone, not having one of your best days and seeing little red butts upside down (hearts) in every window, every commercial, etc.

It would be so lovely if we could control all this situation...but I guess as long as they sell so much for this day, they are not going to stop commercializing it, stop selling or advertising...of course not.

I fully understand all you that love to receive many gifts for this day, and your lover might head to the store some hours before to grab you something, but I am also supporting those ones who wish this day would be less of a hassle and less of a mess all about ´´what to get him/her??? HELP!´´.

If you´re single and your friends might not be reachable this day, grab yourself a drink and cook yourself a nice meal, reward yourself for being such a responsible person! You havent been contributing to the mass consumption! How cool that is?! Don´t lose your faith or have too much red wine ending up in a discussion with yourself about how longer will you still be single...or anything like that, just as we said, celebrate responsibility! Remember yourself how special you are and not just for your own self, but also for many outside there, look at your family and the feelings they have for you!

Valentine´s day is unfortunately seen just as Lover´s Day in many countries but it might not have the same story everywhere. In Finland for instance, we celebrate Friend´s Day, on Valentine´s Day. That´s actually the name this official festivity has, Friend´s Day. Isn´t it nice? Why not looking for similar cases while you´re having your nice dinner and glass of wine tomorrow? Why not getting out with your friends and toast in name of your friendship and amazing time you had together for all this time?

This day might be an exaggeration, of feelings, of loneliness, of everything. And every relationship has its flaws no matter how much we deny it, there´s always something down there. And it´s not bad!!! Couples stick together to complement each other and learn from each other! We might learn something important from our partner and in few years those flaws are going to fade away...just let it set. 

This day is a complete no sense when comes to rewarding each other and forgiving things we know we shouldn´t but we want to do it because we consider it´s a ''special day'' when everything can happen. Nah. To me it´s not quite working like that...Valentine´s is turning into an excuse.

For you who are into a relationship and still want to celebrate this day, in the name of the Saint or tradition but yet not fall into the claws of mass consumption and commercialism...prepare something nice and not unusual, nothing that would make your partner think they´re being treated in a way they couldn´t get treated every day. Prepare something that would be festive enough but without that message ''we´re here now, because is Valentine´s and we need to celebrate because we´re in a relationship.'' 

I strongly encourage testing your cooking skills and own creativity for a nice yet simple setting and a nice program, a movie? Popcorn? Something you love doing together in a normal day of your life? Going for a late night walk? (in the park, not under the sheets - that remains as your choice haha)

There are sooo many nice things we could do. And my wish for Valentine´s as for my every day wish these days, is just...if I could just fly to New York with my dear one!!! Oh!!! Would be soo cool! I would love visiting New York together.

What´s your wish together? And alone? We all have wishes!!! Dig into it and comment below! Would LOVE to hear!

Love yourself and you!