Fleas are one of the insects that stays on animal bodies especially dogs and cats. It might be a tiny one but it gives you a hell of problems which literally spreads into your house and that can drive you crazy. It's easy to spot fleas on your pets bodies. 

They include :

- where your dogs/cats constantly scratching their bodies and biting its's fur. That's because not only fleas can cause pain but their saliva gives an irritation to your pets. 

- fleas are visible. You can literally see them on your pets body. Adults fleas are about eight of an inch long and they're reddish brown and red.

- you can see what they leave behind. Its called the "flea dirt" and it looks like a tiny pepper. You can easily spot them on your pets body or your pet must have leave behind those dirt on places like beddings, sofas and the carpets.

Getting rid of fleas are a difficult process due to the long cycle of fleas. However, there are few steps to get rid of them :

- sanitation where you thoroughly clean areas where fleas frequently breed. This includes washing beddings, carpets, rugs, pet beddings and thoroughly vacuuming and sweeping floors and carpeted areas along with the edge of the walls.

- pet treatment, basically every pets in the home must be treated. Thoroughly bathe your pets with soap water, then clean them with flea comb. You must pay attention to the face and neck regions and the area in front of the tail. You can also talk to your veterinarian on how to choose the best flea medication.

Basically every pet owners have to take a huge responsibility by constantly taking care of them. Fleas are a huge trouble and its very painful for our pets. The cleaning process might take time so if you have start to notice fleas in your house, START CLEANING!!!

 Benefits of soaking your face in ice water.

Soaking our face is one of the best remedy to keep your face glowing, smooth and reduce acnes. Ice-cubes are said to be one of the secret weapon for beauty. Its inexpensive yet can give you the best results. A practice that is known to be well-practiced by Korean woman who are well known for their elaborate beauty routine.

All you have to do is take a big bowl of icy water and soak your face for 30 seconds, and with a soft cloth, mildly dap your face. Do it maximum twice or trice, one in the morning and evening. Another way is take three to four ice cubes, roll it into a soft cloth and then in circular motions, rub it on your face gently.

Benefits of soaking your face in ice water :

       i.          Helps in controlling blemishes and calms down inflamed acne

     ii.          De-puffs morning puffy face and eyes

   iii.          Ice opens up pores which leads to better absorption of the products

   iv.          Reduces the appearance of dark circles over continued usage

     v.          Reduces the inflammation caused post tweezing your eyebrows.

1. Cleanse

Dr. Magovern still recommends going for a gentle cleanser, but at night, you can use a cleanser that helps take off your makeup, like an oil-based face wash. If you want to go the extra mile, you can even try "double cleansing" by using a water-based face wash after an oil cleanser to clean any lingering dirt and oil out of your pores.

2. Tone

If you'd like to use a toner, apply it the same way you would in the morning. This will go before you start applying serums and treatments.

3. Serums and Treatments

Dr. Magovern is a big fan of using alpha hydroxy acid to help brighten skin by sloughing off dead skin cells. It helps build your collagen and improves radiance. If you're looking to include retinol in your skincare routine, Dr. Magovern says its best to apply during your nighttime ritual. Retinol is a form of vitamin A that helps decrease visible wrinkles, bright spots and pore size.

"Everyone can use a retinol," says Magovern. You can start using retinol as early as your 20s, but it becomes especially important as you age. "In your 40s and 50s is definitely where retinol should come in if it if it hasn't already."

4. Eye Cream

Dr. Magovern likes to tell her patients to try training the skin around their eyes to handle more active ingredients (like retinol) to reap their benefits. "You don't have to use a lot, but if you start training your skin to tolerate more active products around the eye, you'll see more change," she says. You can pat a bit of your serum or treatment around your eye area, then follow up by using your favorite eye cream.

5. Acne Spot Treatment

If you have a pimple that you'd like to see go away sooner rather than later, this is a great time to apply acne spot treatments. But instead of focusing on pimples when they pop up, Magovern advises you to keep up with your skincare routine as a preventative measure. "If you just treat the spot, then you're going to get an acne breakout right next door to it if your skin is clogged. You're getting breakouts because oil is building up in your skin. So you have to keep the pores clean on your whole face. "

6. Moisturize

Moisturizing is really important at night, as it creates a barrier that seals in active ingredients and hydration. This way, when you wake up, your skin is glowy and plump —and ready to start the day.

7. Face Oil

 Your Daytime Skincare Routine

Cleansing is the first step of any good skincare routine. The type of cleanser you use matters more than you think it does gentle face washes are the way to go, particularly if you plan on using more active ingredients down the line. "Too many people cleanse too much or too often or with a cleanser that's too harsh, and it will actually break down your skin barrier," warns Dr. Magovern.

2. Tone

Toner is an optional step, but if you have a toner you like, you should absolutely use it. Dr. Magovern says that toner can be a great way to balance your skin's pH. If you have acne-prone skin, look for a toner with ingredients like salicylic acid to calm breakouts. If you have dry or sensitive skin, opt for a hydrating toner to soothe.

3. Vitamin C Serum

When it comes to serums, Dr. Magovern recommends using a vitamin C serum during the day. "I feel like everybody should use vitamin C, no matter what your age, even starting in your 20s," says Dr. Magovern. "It helps reverse a lot of the damage that we get from the sun and pollution." When using a vitamin C serum, look for one that contains a stable form of vitamin C, so that the molecule will actually be able to soak into your skin.

4. Eye Cream

Eye creams fall into the "treat" category. Dab on eye cream using your ring finger (your weakest finger) so you don't unintentionally cause damage to your eye area.

5. Moisturizer

After you've treated your skin, it's time to moisturize. Moisturizer keeps your skin hydrated and helps strengthen your skin barrier. For daytime use, opt for a lighter moisturizer that will soak in quickly and won't cause pilling under makeup.

6. Sunscreen

This is the most important step in your skincare routine. "If you don't wear sunscreen, it's like you might as well not do any of those other steps," says Dr. Magovern. "The sun is the number one reason why people's skin will age prematurely." Heads up: Protecting your skin from the sun is important even if you're spending your days indoors, as UV rays can still come in through the windows.

    With the Covid-19 case increasing every day, most of us tend to get worried about catching that disease. Honestly, I myself wondered so many times if the cough and flu I had were actually the symptoms. Thankfully, they weren't and I just caught a regular cold. I do have sinus but obviously, I'm not gonna go to the clinic all the time right. So what how do I find a quick and easy remedy that saves time and money? 

    The answer was right behind my garden. I learned this remedy from my late grandma and dad. And yes, my family is very fond of traditional medicines. 

    To make this remedy, you'll need: 

*2-4 leaves of Karpooravali 
*some peppercorn (depending on the level of spiciness)
*ginger
*jaggery or honey

Ingredients Captured by Abia Iris

    Method:

1. First, bring to boil 2 cups of water.

2. Then, wash the leaves properly and be sure to wash both sides of the leaves as there might be insects' egg sticking on them.

3. Chop some ginger and jaggery. Jaggery is actually cane sugar which is rather healthier than regular white sugar. The function of the jaggery in this drink is to add sweetness. If you don't have jaggery, no worries. You can substitute it with honey. Who like bitter medicine rite, ugh...

4. Now grab a grinder and mash the leaves, peppercorn and ginger until you get a paste. You don't need to add water as your leaves are already wet. And the paste doesn't have to be perfect. Just mash until you see this juicy paste which is actually from the leaves and ginger. 

A paste of Karpooraveli leaves, ginger and peppercorn Captured by Abia Iris

5. Ok remember you boiled 2 cups of water? Add the paste into the water and let it boil. To check if your drink is ready, just look at the colour of the leaves. It should be pale green. Once done, add the jaggery or honey to your drink according to the amount of sweetness you would like and enjoy your drink (but not too much la. Its supposed to be a remedy, not dessert).  

    So what's the benefit?

Karpooravali leaves (Coleus Amboinicus) Captured by Abia Iris

    Karpooravalli or Coleus amboinicus (its scientific name), is one of a home remedy that works when we get a cold and cough even for kids. It is a traditional herb in Tamil Nadu widely used for medical purposes. They smell nice, like a minty kinda smell.

    This drink relieves cough, cold and chest mucus. Apart from that, this leaves works other wonders such. The juice from the crushed leaves is used to relieve insect bites, headache, conjunctivitis, constipation, digestion problems, weight reduction and relieves the muscle. You can just eat the leave as it is, no kidding. Just wash and chew on it.

    You can also make a remedy without water. Just crush some leaves, add some pepper and honey. Mix it well to form a syrup. The consumption is 2 teaspoons and 4-5 times a day until you get good relief. This works well for both adults and children. For kids below 2 years, make the syrup without adding pepper (just the extract from the leaves and honey). The consumption is 1 drop for infants under 1 year and 1 teaspoon for children above 1 year and should be given 3-4 times a day till they are relieved. However, for kids below 2 years, I would suggest you refer to your doctor first as kids are very fragile, unlike adults. 

    I hope those of you out there who are having a cough or cold would try out this simple and healthy remedy. Good luck trying and get well soon.