Raw oats. Yes, good old Quaker Oats as a facial scrub is  natural and less abrasive to the skin. Take a half cup of the oats, add two table spoons, just enough to make it pasty, and voila! an instant facial scrub at a fraction of the cost. A lot of the store bought scrubs tend to be too harsh for the skin and can cause more irritation and dryness. So there goes the days of just eating your oatmeal.

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is another product that costs just pennies and is used around the house for many purposes. Now you can add brushing your teeth and hair care to the list. Many toothpaste brands have baking soda in them, but for a brighter smile, pure baking soda used alone is much more powerful in removing stains left from that lovely cup of coffee that gets you through the morning. For your hair, use it  in conjunction with shampoo to help remove the residue buildup left behind from hair products. Sprinkle a quarter size amount into the palm of your hand with the shampoo and wash away.

Pulling all-nighters for exams or research papers can leave  one feeling exhausted. So rather than walking around looking even more tired than you feel, combat puffiness and dark circles with tea bags. Preferably green, white or black blends. Tea bags help to diminish the appearance of puffiness or “bags” as they are known, by pulling out fluid found in the thin and sensitive eye tissue. Make a cup of tea as normal, letting the bag seep in the water for five to eight minutes, then squeeze gently to remove the access water from the tea bag, and place on the eyes for 10-15 minutes while relaxing.

When most people think of mayonnaise or eggs it is usually accompanied by two pieces of bread or bacon. Think again. Some time ago, and even today, mayonnaise was used as a conditioner to soften the coif and eggs gave the tresses high shine. Protein packed eggs are also excellent for strengthening dry brittle hair. To use a conditioner, mix two or more egg yolks with a tea spoon of castor oil and notice the difference.

Many of the products purchased out of drugstores and/or beauty supply stores tend to do more damage than good. For instance, they not only cause a build up on the hair and leave it limp and lifeless but they also dry the hair out, since most products contain alcohol and perfumes to some degree. This is not to discredit any of the more expensive beauty aids, because there are plenty out there that work wonderfully. However, going back to the basics isn’t such a bad idea.

For those of you out there suffering with any of the above symptoms, I’ve got just what the doctor ordered. Obviously, the most important thing is to drink plenty of water. Vitamin C is a give-in as well, and will aid in boosting your immune system to help to fight off your cold.

When I got sick as a child, my mom would always make me chicken broth with rice. Hot liquids are always soothing when you’re sick, and heat is one of the best ways to reduce inflammation of the throat. The heat from the broth or any hot liquid you consume while you’re sick coats the inflamed regions of your throat and helps to increase circulation. This will ultimately speed up the healing process.

Ginger is one of the most common home remedies for a sore throat, and its use as such can be traced back to Asia over 2,000 years ago. It is also used to aid in digestion and relieve upset stomach and nausea. If you are plagued with these symptoms, ginger is a remedy you should seriously consider.

In my personal opinion, the worst of all the cold symptoms is nasal congestion. It just seems to make everything worse. When you can’t breathe through your nose you automatically breathe through your mouth, which contributes to drying out your throat. Dry throat leads to an even worse cough and unbearable pain.

Boo to that, I say! So long as your stomach isn’t bothering you, spicy foods are great for aiding with nasal congestion. You know that feeling you get when you eat buffalo wings at happy hour? Spicy foods will do the same thing with a stuffy nose that they do with a healthy one.

These recipes won’t only help you feel better faster; they taste pretty good too!

Ginger Green Tea with Honey (makes one serving)

1 green tea bag
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon honey
12-ounces boiling water

Combine first three ingredients in a big mug. Add boiling water.
Allow to steep 2-4 minutes. Sip and enjoy.

Spicy Chicken Quesadillas (makes 4 quesadillas)

1 cup shredded chicken breast
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
½ small red onion, diced
1 cup shredded pepper-jack cheese
1 cup spicy salsa
8 corn tortillas

Heat a small frying pan over low heat. Place in one tortilla. Sprinkle with ¼ cup of cheese. Allow to sit about one minute, until cheese beings to melt. Meanwhile, combine chicken, jalapeno, garlic and onion in a small bowl.  Add ¼ cup chicken mixture on top of cheese. Top with a second tortilla. Flip to cook the second side. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Serve with spicy salsa.

Over 300 local government officials gathered at the New Brunswick Hyatt Regency on Wednesday to learn about New Jersey’s programs and financial incentives for renewable energy.

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and Department of Community Affairs sponsored the program and allowed officials from different towns, counties and local authorities to be informed. They were informed of a number of programs geared to help local governments save money and protect the environment by reaching the goals set by Governor Jon S. Corzine’s Energy Master Plan.

The new Energy Savings Improvement Program was on the agenda, informing the attendees about the state’s new Solar Power Purchase Agreements and other energy policy initiatives.

Local:

Conservatives are fighting back against what they see as excessive government spending and bailouts. More than 100 state residents stood in the rain and wind in Vineland, N.J. on Wednesday to protest.

Recently, hundreds of people organized through online resources such as Twitter, Facebook, videos and blogs, held “tea party” protests in northern New Jersey.

“TEA” stands for Taxed Enough Already, according to organizers. The protests are in responses to anger of people who believe the government is taking from them too much.

The conservatives are using online resources, like Obama did during the ’08 campaign, in order to spread the word and to get their voices heard. Currently, protesters are comparing themselves to the Revolutionary War protests in Boston, saying that like their colonial forefathers, their voices are not being heard by the government.

International:

Pirates attacked a U.S. flagged cargo ship off Somalia on Tuesday, but did not board the damaged ship. The pirates used automatic weapons and rockets to attack the Liberty Sun, which requested help from the U.S. Navy immediately.

The USS Bainbridge turned to go to the scene and aid the ship. When they arrived, the pirates were already gone. The Bainbridge was one of the ships who responded and helped rescue Captain Richard Phillips on Sunday after he was held captive for five days.

The crew was not injured in the attack, according to a statement from Liberty Maritime Corp of Lake Success, N.Y.

The ship was carrying food to Africa nations from Houston, Texas when it was attacked. Somali pirates hijacked two other cargo ships in the same area on early Tuesday.

National:

In light of Obama pushing a $3.5 trillion federal budget plan, Obama promised Wednesday to reform the “monstrous” U.S. tax system as Americans faced the tax deadline.

Obama made his promise on Tax Day while opponents pointed out what they see as wasteful spending by the administration and “tea party” protests were held in U.S. cities.

Some Democrats say that Obama’s federal budget plan holds too much deficit spending and tax cuts. Obama has already cut taxes for 95 percent of Americans and will continue with his pledge of no higher taxes for anyone earning less than $250,000 a year.