“15 Healthy Indulgences Under $15”

Indulge Yourself! It's been a long day, a long week…heck, the whole month seems to be moving at a snail's pace. If you need a pick-me-up, how about some good food, relaxation, and maybe a little laughter. We've got 15 great ideas for affordable, healthy indulgences that will recharge your energy and spirit.

 

Nibble a Piece of Dark Chocolate: Sweet, rich, with a luscious taste that lingers, few things feel as indulgent as eating dark chocolate. And the charms of this treat go beyond its silky smoothness. The "prescription": Nibble an ounce of dark chocolate each day. The healthy possibilities: lower blood pressure, increased blood flow, and improved "good" cholesterol. Now that's a luxury worth lingering over!

 

Scent a Room With Lavender: People have been smitten with aromatic herbs for centuries, filling pillows and pockets with them. Now research hints at what we've always suspected: Aromatherapy seems to be good for you. It may or may not provide all the health benefits some essential oils makers would like you to believe, but studies show that breathing in natural perfumed scents can lift a mood. So, indulge in some aromatherapy. Spritz lavender water on your pillow tonight. Pleasant dreams!

 

Indulge in a Kiss: You dash in the door late from work, say hello to your mate, then run off to a child's soccer practice or your book club. Wait! Stop a minute -- yes, a whole minute -- and give your spouse a really big kiss. Not only will giving your sweetheart a little sugar burn calories, but that kiss reduces stress, benefits your immune system, and boosts your bond with your spouse.

 

Splurge on a Fresh Tuna Steak: Give the can opener a rest and slice into a succulent tuna steak tonight. You'll not only delight tired taste buds, but you'll also give your body omega-3 fatty acids, super fats that are important to heart health and storing energy. And who doesn't need more opportunities for healthy eating? Dig in!

 

Get a Manicure: Those hands of yours are like busy bees. They fly over a computer keyboard, wield hammer and nails, tuck in the kids, hug your honey, scrub, brush, floss...Whew. Indulge these dedicated workers with a manicure. Like a massage, a manicure involves contact with another person through touch, which not only makes you feel pampered, it may even improve self-esteem. Now that's a stress reliever.

 

Rent a Funny Movie: Go ahead, laugh it up -- it's good for you! Studies show that a good belly laugh takes the zap out of stress, pumps up your immunity, improves blood flow, and stabilizes blood pressure. A good chuckle may even help keep blood sugar levels down and aid digestion. Just anticipating laughter seems to reduce stress. You may start to feel better just watching the opening credits roll.

 

Put the Kettle On: Even in this coffee-besotted nation, the average American sips more than 9 gallons of tea a year. Part of the appeal may be tea's tension-taming powers. Research shows that folks who enjoyed four cups of black tea a day for six weeks released fewer stress hormones after a tense task than those who drank a caffeinated fruit drink. Green tea has similar benefits. So put that kettle on, pull out your favorite mug, and steep a pot of your favorite tea today.

 

Enjoy a Little After-Work Delight: You've sat through meetings, raced through deadlines, and after work you just want to crash. Forget the TV. Forget making dinner. Instead, try the ultimate stress reliever. Sex (My Personal Disclaimer: SEX SHOULD BE WITH YOUR LEGAL SPOUSE OF THE OPPOSTIE SEX!). Studies show a little nookie lowers blood pressure, boosts immunity, and even raises self-esteem. Making love -- a perfect way to cap a stressful day.

 

Get a Chair Massage: A massage may feel like an expensive indulgence, but here's one luxury that's good for your physical and mental health. When you get a massage, your body releases endorphins, natural painkillers. A massage also reduces stress hormones, lowers anxiety, and raises your immunity. A chair massage usually costs about $1 a minute. You can get a chair massage at some malls, fairs, or office buildings. It's a quick way to shut out the surrounding chaos and let some wellness into your day.

 

Take Time to Streeeeetch: The day got away from you, and you missed your usual workout. Not to worry. While you indulge in watching your favorite TV program after work, give your body a boost with a little stretching. Not only will stretching help ease tired muscles and increase flexibility, it improves your range of motion and circulation, and soothes away stress, too. Take it slow and hold each pose for ten seconds…then feel the relief!

 

Go Natural: Want to enhance your serenity and indulge a little introspection? Get outside to hunt for a few seasonal "firsts." Perhaps it's the first birds returning in spring, autumn's first turning leaves, or the first bright crocus pushing through the snow. Get in touch with nature and your neighborhood. It lets you feel connected to something greater, giving you a healthy sense of peace and well-being.

 

Pick Some Exotic Fruit: Take home those unique choices from the produce department: star-shaped fruits, tiny purple berries, and what look like prickly little lemons. Whether you eat star fruit, acai berries, or "horned" cucumbers, indulging in tropical fruits gives your taste buds an exciting change. It also gives you a bumper crop of health benefits. Antioxidants and other nutrients in these foods help reduce risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

 

Call a Good Friend: Good friends are good for you -- it's as simple as that. Whether you see them every day or once in a while, friends foster a sense of belonging, purpose, and self-worth. Friendship even keeps you on a mental even keel. So grab the phone, stretch out on the couch, and give your best buddy a call.

 

Sleep, Baby, Sleep: Between a busy day of working, working out, and running errands, who has time to indulge in a good night's sleep? You do. Sleeping well tonight is not only important to ward off fatigue, it will also help you learn and make memories. The pros say most adults need seven to eight hours every night. So rest easy tonight -- your body will love you for it.

 

Move It, Move It, Move It! What if you had a magic elixir that could lift your mood, help you sleep, increase energy, and even spark your sex life? You don't need a mystic brew for all that. You just need to get moving! Don't call it exercise. Just call it a walk around the neighborhood, a tussle on the lawn with the kids, or digging in the garden. Ten minutes of each could even lead to fewer colds and a boost in brain power. So get moving!

Reviewed by Varnada Karriem-Norwood, MD on May 09, 2012

REFERENCES:
American Cancer Society: "Aromatherapy."
American Council on Exercise: "Can Exercise Reduce Your Risk of Catching a Cold?"
American Psychological Association: "Exercise Fuels the Brain's Stress Buffers."
Case Western Reserve University: "Active Minds: Supporting Mental Health on Campus."
Cleveland Clinic: "Exercise and Your Health," "Heart-Health Benefits of Chocolate Unveiled."
George Washington University Medical Center: "Stress Busting Foods."
Harvard Mahoney Neuroscience Institute Letter: "Humor, Laughter, and Those Aha Moments."
Harvard Medical School: "The Health Benefits Of That Heart-Shaped Box Of Dark Chocolate, From Harvard Men’s Health Watch," "Spending Time Outdoors Is Good For You, From The Harvard Health Letter," "Yoga for a Better Sex Life?"
Meals Matter: "Health Benefits of Tuna."
National Intitutes of Health: "Black Tea."
National Sleep Foundation: "How Much Sleep Do We Really Need?"
New York University Langone Medical Center: "What are the Possible Health Benefits of Chocolate?"
North Carolina State University: "The Magic of Friendship."
Ohio State University: "A Little Music With Exercise Boosts Brain Power, Study Suggests."
PR Newswire: "U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for December 16."
Sedgwick County Health Department: "Why Is Stretching Important?"
State Government of Victoria: "Kissing and Your Health."
Syracuse University: "Having Sex is Good for Your Health!"
USDA: "Why Is It Important to Eat Fruit?"
US Department of Health and Human Services: "Dark Chocolate May Harbor Benefits for the Heart."
University of California, Irvine: "Humor & Laughter."
University of Georgia: "Sleep Rocks! Get More of It!"
University of Maryland Medical Center: "Laughter is the 'Best Medicine' for Your Heart," "University Of Maryland School Of Medicine Study Shows Laughter Helps Blood Vessels Function Better."
University of Miami, Touch Research Institute: "The Magic of Your Touch," "Massage," "Adult Massage."
University of Wisconsin-Madison: "Stretching Exercises."
Washington University Sleep Medicine Center: "How Much Sleep Do I Need?"
Yale Scientificie Magazine: "Aromatherapy: Exploring Olfaction."

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #IWantYou2Live

The Goal is to Always Make You Aware of What Concerns Your Body, Soul and Spirit, So You Can Have Open, Honest and Frequent Discussions With Your Physicians and Counselors. You Can’t Treat or Cure What You Don’t Know is Sick.

"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)
"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)

The contents of the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites ("Content") are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites!

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Sites. Reliance on any information provided by WebMD, WebMD employees, others appearing on the Site at the invitation of WebMD, and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine or other visitors to the Sites is solely at your own risk. 

“Surprising Uses for Lavender”

Soothe Wounds and Pain: You’ve probably never heard your doctor shout, “Quick, get the lavender!” But this purple flowering plant may be a powerful healer. One small study found that lavender essential oil relieved soreness and redness for women who had episiotomies, vaginal cuts made to deliver babies. Another study showed that inhaling lavender essence, aka aromatherapy, eased pain from C-section childbirths.

Stop Hair Loss: Massaging your scalp regularly with a mix of lavender oil and other herb essential oils may help slow hair loss from alopecia areata. This autoimmune disease, which can run in families, makes your body mistakenly attack your hair follicles. Research goes on to see if lavender oil might help hair grow, too. In one study, mice treated with lavender oil sprouted furrier coats.

Salt Substitute: Culinary lavender adds a clean sweetness to just about any dish. It also packs ursolic acid, a nutrient that may help fight cancer and burn more calories. Blend your own salt-free herbs de Provence seasoning with lavender, rosemary, thyme, fennel, chives, and other herbs.

Tame Your Tummy: Ancient Roman soldiers counted on lavender’s antibacterial powers to treat upset stomach and other illnesses. Some research suggests that the plant’s essential oil can help fight colitis, inflammation of the colon that can lead to pain and diarrhea. It may do this by helping fend off bad bacteria and protecting the infection-fighting strains. Try sprinkling dried culinary lavender on Greek yogurt.

Soak Up Toxins: It’s tender but tough. Lavender thrives in toxic places that would quickly kill less hardy plants. Its roots absorb heavy metals like lead and zinc and store them in their leaves. This can help clean and restore industrial sites and contaminated garden plots.

Freshen Your Floors: House cleaners in Medieval times sprinkled floors with this aromatic herb to refresh stale or sickly air. It still works great on modern carpets to quash bad odors and to fight bacteria. Make your own floor deodorizer with 8 drops of lavender oil to ½ cup of baking soda. Sprinkle it over your carpet, let it sit for a few minutes, and vacuum.

Rev Up Your Recall: What else can lavender do again? Oh, yes -- improve your memory. A recent study found that nursing students who took a sniff of lavender right before a test scored much higher than their peers. Those test takers retained more information, concentrated better, and were less anxious. The study also suggested college kids might find aromatherapy a cost-effective remedy.

Tamp Down Motion Sickness: You get this condition when your inner ear’s senses go at odds with how you see movement around you. That confusion can make you dizzy and nauseated. Lavender can counteract that by distracting you with your sense of smell. Add in other sensory treats like ginger candies (and a smart seat choice) for a smooth ride.

Calm a Fussy Baby: Is your newborn fussy and colicky? Lavender might save the day -- and maybe the night. In one study, moms of 40 infants between 2 and 6 weeks old massaged their babies’ tummies with 1 drop of lavender oil in 20 milliliters of almond oil. The massaged babies quieted down more quickly than others, and they cried less each week of the study.

Zap Lice: Looking for a natural, nontoxic remedy to quash these buggers? In a study, a lavender and tea tree oil treatment worked better than pyrethrin, a pesticide made from chrysanthemum flowers.

Chill Hot Flashes: Menopause happens when a woman stops having a monthly period, usually around her late 40s or early 50s. It can bring on hot flashes, sudden warm flushes that sweep over your body and put a wrench in your daily life. But women in a study who sniffed lavender for 20 minutes twice a week reported their flashes faded up to 50% more than women who did not use the lavender aromatherapy. 

Soap Stand-In: Not only does it smell nice, lavender fights bacteria. It’s an ideal ingredient for a DIY hand sanitizer.

Prevent Falls: Lavender can’t catch your fall, but it might help keep you from falling. Nursing home residents in Japan who wore lavender patches every day for a year fell less often than those who went scent-free. Researchers don’t know exactly why. But it could be that lavender helped soothe agitation and improved balance. However it works, it’s a pleasant way to sail through the day.

Jazz Up Your Laundry: Lavender is thought to come from the Latin word lavare, meaning “to wash.” No wonder it makes such a great deodorizer-freshener duo for your laundry. Add 4 drops of lavender oil to the water in your iron for a steamy scent. You can also put a few drops right into your washing machine. Or make your own fragrant dryer sheet with a few drops of lavender on a dry cloth. Toss it into the dryer with your wet laundry.

Reviewed by Melinda Ratini, DO, MS on August 17, 2018

Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice: “Healing Advantages of Lavender Essential Oil During Episiotomy Recovery: A Clinical Trial.”

Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences: “Lavender Essence For Post-Cesarean Pain.”

Archives of Dermatology: “Randomized Trial of Aromatherapy. Successful Treatment for Alopecia Areata.”

Toxicological Research: “Hair Growth-Promoting Effects of Lavender Oil in C57BL/6 Mice.”

Food Science and Human Wellness: “Phytochemicals in Diets For Breast Cancer Prevention: The Importance of Resveratrol and Ursolic Acid.”

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: “Herbs de Provence Blend Recipe.”

Oregon Lavender Association: “Herbs de Provence.”

Herb Society of America: “Lavender Facts.”

American Journal of Physiology: Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology: “Medicinal Lavender Modulates the Enteric Microbiota to Protect Against Citrobacter Rodentium-induced Colitis.”

Virginia Mason Health System: “Colitis and Chronic Ulcerative Colitis.”

World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Biological, Food, Veterinary and Agricultural Engineering: “Potential of Lavender (Lavandula vera L.) for Phytoremediation of Soils Contaminated with Heavy Metals.”

New Phytologist: “Heavy Metal Hyperaccumulators: Plants That Clean Up.”

Missouri Botanical Garden: “St. Louis Herb Society Garden.”

American College of Healthcare Sciences: “Green Cleaning: Why We Love Lavender Essential Oil (And You Should, Too!).”

Journal of Nursing & Care: “The Effect of Lavender Aromatherapy to Junior Nursing Students’ Anxiety, Concentration and Memory Retention.”

CDC: “Motion Sickness.”

International Journal of Nursing Practice: “The Effectiveness of Aromatherapy Massage Using Lavender Oil as a Treatment For Infantile Colic.”

Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine: “Chemical Composition of Rosmarinus and Lavandula Essential Oils and Their Insecticidal Effects on Orgyia trigotephras (Lepidoptera, Lymantriidae).”

Colourage: “Fragrance Release and Moth Repellent Activity of Natural Essential Oils.”

Oregon Lavender Association: “Herbal Moth Sachets.”

BMC Dermatology: “A Randomised, Assessor Blind, Parallel Group Comparative Efficacy Trial of Three Products For the Treatment of Head Lice in Children -- Melaleuca Oil and Lavender Oil, Pyrethrins and Piperonyl Butoxide, and a ‘Suffocation’ Product.”

Extension Toxicology Network: “Pyrethrins.”

American Academy of Dermatology: “Head Lice.”

Cleveland Clinic: “Menopause, Perimenopause, and Postmenopause.”
Journal of the Chinese Medical Association: “Effect of Lavender Aromatherapy on Menopause Hot Flushing: A Crossover Randomized Clinical Trial.”

Laboratory Animal Research: “Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oil From Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) Against Pet Turtle-Borne Pathogenic Bacteria.”

Rodale’s Organic Life: “How To Make A Natural Hand Sanitizer With 3 Simple Ingredients.”

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society: “Fall Prevention Using Olfactory Stimulation With Lavender Odor in Elderly Nursing Home Residents: A Randomized Controlled Trial.”

HerbalGram: The Journal of the American Botanical Council: “Lavender Oil Aromatherapy Reduces Falls in Elderly Nursing Home Residents in Long-Term Trial.”

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #IWantYou2Live

The Goal is to Always Make You Aware of What Concerns Your Body, Soul and Spirit, So You Can Have Open, Honest and Frequent Discussions With Your Physicians and Counselors. You Can’t Treat or Cure What You Don’t Know is Sick.

"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)

The contents of the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites ("Content") are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites!

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Sites. Reliance on any information provided by WebMD, WebMD employees, others appearing on the Site at the invitation of WebMD, and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine or other visitors to the Sites is solely at your own risk.