Skin Conditions

Things that contribute to Poor Skin Conditions 1.Antibiotics and alcohol lead the way in reducing good bacteria in the digestive tract. The liver and most of the immune system is in the digestive tract. 2. Poor diet, or faulty digestion restricts availability of nutrients that are important to skin's health 3. Sluggish liver can not store skin-loving vitamins such as A 4. Smoking subtracts years fro your health. It shows mostly in your skin. 5. Lack of exercise reduces blood circulation. This means fewer nutrients and oxygen make it to the skin. Avoid these ingredients in skin care products: Glycerin, sodium, lauryl sulfate, antibiotics, imidazoli, petrolatium, propylane glycol, PVP/VA copolymer, sodium lauryl sulfate, steaaralkonium cloride, synthetic colors, synthetic fragrances, and triethanolamine. What Essential Oils do for your Skin: ? Penetrate lower skin layers to work on moisturizing and healing ? Stimulate and regenerate skin cells, to heal skin damaged by sun, bums, wrinkles, or injury ? Destroy infectious bacteria, viruses, and fungi, such as those associated with acne and other skin problems ? Reduce inflammation and puffiness ? Soothe sensitive or injured skin ? Regulate over- or trader active oil glands ? Encourage removal of waste products ? Contain plant "hormones' (for hormonally related skin problems) ? Treat stress-related skin problems Gerald F. McCarthy holds a patent on the unique diffuser used in all ESSENTIAL AIR models. Over the years McCarthy of Leyden House has accumulated seventeen patents in the field of energy and health related products. A speech pathologist by profession he was intrigued by the beneficial effects of natural healing and began searching for ways to deliver essential oils more effectively. Visit: <a target="_new" href="http://www.essential-air.com">http://www.essential-air.com</a>

Exercise and Your Plastic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery can make an exciting and lasting difference in the way your face and body look. Many see the results as 'life-changing'. You will feel more confident and positive about yourself. It marks the beginning of a new attitude about you and your health. When you look good you'll want to maintain that appearance. Not surprisingly, many start incorporating exercise and better eating habits into their daily routine, habits that will help you look and feel younger longer. The better your physical condition is prior to surgery, the better your surgical outcome will be. Elective surgery will give you time to prepare to be as healthy as possible. An added bonus for those who are fit beforehand is they won't gain as much weight when they are inactive after surgery. Because you have more muscle from an active lifestyle your metabolism will remain higher. You will be given strict instructions by your doctor on when to return to an exercise regimen. It's usually three to four weeks after a facelift, and a month after any type of body surgery, like breast augmentation or liposuction. Once back to working out or starting up for the first time then it's best to build up slowly. EXERCISE PROGRAM You've had the surgery you wanted, the results are great...but how do you keep yourself looking slimmer and younger. The operative phrase may be "getting into a routine". To get results you need to train a minimum of three times each week, If you do it twice, you will maintain your current fitness but it'll be difficult to see any esthetic change. The cornerstone of your workout should be strength training. You lose a pound of muscle every year after thirty and your metabolism slows down. The optimum strength training is for roughly 45-55 minutes three times per week. But if you are short of time, concentrate on the large muscle groups, like legs and chest. These are the core of strength training. Cardio should be at least three times a week or more. I recommend three to four weekly sessions of moderate cardio lasting about 50 minutes and one twenty-minute intense session. The cardio must be aerobic, so your heartbeat remains at an elevated rate with activities like cycling, running and fast walking are examples. Tennis and squash don't qualify. Here's a good tip! Do your cardio after your weightlifting as your glycogen levels are down and you'll burn more fat. Flexibility is another important aspect of fitness, one people often neglect if they're rushing. You don't get old then stiff, 'You get stiff, then old." I recommend doing stretches anywhere, anytime, while watching television, in the shower, even at your desk. I take my strength training clients through a dynamic stretch to warm up for every workout , then end the workout with a static stretch for lasting flexibility gains. But what about those people who really just don't like to exercise? The secret is to get a program that is tailored to you. A personalized program can be really motivating and there are so many options to choose from. Hiring a personal trainer can help you create a program that works for you. Classes are another way to put some fun into your routine. Pilates, yoga, spinning, step aerobics, there are lots to choose from. NUTRITION If you want to decrease body fat and increase lean tissue, sixty per cent of your success will be determined by diet. If you are not getting enough proteins, fruits and vegetables, carbohydrates and water, the muscle won't regenerate itself. I recommend 3 meals and 2 snacks. If your meals are too far apart, the body holds onto the fuel because it doesn't know when the next meal will come. It saves fat for survival. When meals are too large your blood sugar spikes, causing insulin to spike causing fat storage yet again. Carbs are getting a lot of attention these days: are they good, bad or half-way in between? I recommend meals that contain lean protein, a vegetable, and a 'good' carbohydrate. Try and eat a low glycemic index carb, like sweet potatoes or real oatmeal. These carbs have a slow and consistent release of sugar into the bloodstream. This keeps your insulin levels nice and low. I don't like diets like Atkins which are too high in fat, and I'm not a proponent of The Zone Diet, but you should watch your carb intake. I prefer clients keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. You become accountable and start thinking a lot more about what your eating. I stress the importance of consistency and regular eating habits. Try to eat twenty-one meals a week and don't skip them. Breakfast is your most important meal. I usually make an egg white omlette with spinach and feta cheese. (Lunch is usually chicken or fish with salad, and dinner is similar, usually with salad). Of course, there is no secret formula to getting fit. It's a matter of planning ahead and working hard. But the results are worth it if you can make it work. Set realistic and attainable goals for exercise and diet or you'll fall off the wagon. They must also be challenging to make changes. It usually takes 45 to 60 days to see that change and you will feel so much better about yourself. Just remember, nutrition and exercise go hand in hand for your best results before and after surgery. DEBORAH is a highly respected authority in personal training for overall health and fitness, with more than 22 years of experience and success. Her credentials include... Currently licensed Registered Nurse specializing in Rehabilitative Nursing Medical Exercise Therapist: certified by AAHFRP, an internationally recognized physical rehabilitation certification Maternity Specialist Pre & Post Natal certified by Maternal Fitness Personal Fitness Specialist: certified by NASM, an internationally recognized certification Yoga Teacher Professional Health Member, National Organization of Fitness Instructors (IDEA), a leading membership organization of health and fitness professionals Deborah Caruana RN, MES, CPT Email: <a href="mailto:deb@vitalsignsfitness.com">deb@vitalsignsfitness.com</a> Website: <a target="_new" href="http://www.vitalsignsfitness.com">http://www.vitalsignsfitness.com</a>

How Sleep Affects Our Skin

Sleep is a "natural, temporary loss of consciousness" (Robinson, 1941) necessary for our bodies to build up energy reserves and regenerate body cells and tissues. During sleep, the heart beats more slowly, breathing becomes slower, growth hormones peak, muscles relax and body temperature lowers. Newborn infants sleep almost continuously, gradually decreasing their need for sleep. In early childhood, 12 to 13 hours of sleep are generally required and this amount decreases to approximately 8 hours in adulthood. After the age of 50, sleep is often characterized by frequent night time wakenings, shorter dream lengths and less overall sleep (Bricklen, 1990). Many consider sleep to be of low priority among the many daily activities engaged in. It is estimated that the world's population is depriving itself of one less hour of sleep per night than is needed (Awake!, 2004). Despite this view of night-time rest, sleep is a necessary, sophisticated process regulated by the brain. Operating as a 24- hour clock, chemical substances, such as melanin, are released in the body to trigger sleepiness. There are two main stages of sleep classified according to eye movement. The first is REM or rapid eye movement which is a shallow, dream-filled sleep. There are four sub-stages within REM sleep. The first sub-stage lasts 30 seconds to 7 minutes, and during this time the muscles relax while the brain produces irregular wave activity. The second sub-stage lasts 20 percent of the night and brain waves become larger as the body is asleep. The next sub-stage is called delta sleep, where growth hormones peak, and cell and tissue repair take place. Without delta sleep, which accounts for half of a night's sleep, one will feel tired the next day. Every 90 minutes the brain enters the dream sub-stage, where brain wave activity is similar in pattern to being awake, but muscles are not able to move as when awake. This stage lengthens each repeated cycle during the night, and is crucial to preserving mental health and long term memory, since the brain sorts through short term memory and 'deletes' unimportant data. The second major stage of sleep is non-REM, or non rapid eye movement, where blood pressure drops and heart rate slows as the person enters a deep sleep. Short term sleep deprivation causes little physical harm, since the body compensates for the lack of sleep by increasing its adrenaline levels during the day. The body also attempts to get more sleep at a later time. A temporary shift in attitude may occur, such as feelings of pessimism or negativity (Bricklin, 1990). Sleep deprivation, even short term, can be dangerous if driving a car, or operating machinery. Sleep deprivation is thought to be the cause of half of all traffic fatalities on U.S. highways, and being awake 17 to 19 hours can cause the same limited reaction and ability as having a 0.05 percent blood alcohol limit (Awake! 2004). It is also implicated in many workplace accidents. Chronic sleep deprivation, which is caused by prolonged shortages of sleep, can lead to paranoia or hallucinations. This is also termed 'sleep debt', and is characterized by irregular sleep patterns that do not allow the body to enter delta sleep. This can bring on a short attention span, memory and vocabulary loss as well as other symptoms. Among women aged 25-50 who tend to be "perfectionists", many tend to suffer from shallow sleep as the wake centre of the brain remains active when it should be relatively inactive. Other complications from sleep deprivation include obesity, premature aging, fatigue, chronic memory loss and increased risk for diabetes, infection, cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal disease. It is important, therefore, to obtain an adequate amount of sleep each night, since sleep also helps the body metabolize free radicals, which are thought to accelerate aging and cancerous growths. Obtaining a good night's rest can be achieved. The following are suggestions to help towards the goal of night-time rest: - Avoid stimulants like caffeinated drinks before bed. - Avoid eating a heavy meal at night. A light snack might help if hunger causes you to wake up at night. - Create a pleasant, warm (body temperature drops when sleepy), noise-free bedroom with a comfortable mattress and pillow. - Avoid exercise before bed, however, regular exercise during the day aids sleep. - Avoid activities that increase anxiety, such as considering financial matters or discussing serious problems before bed. - If possible, a quick daytime nap lasting 20 to 30 minutes can impart positive physiological benefits. Prolonged naps impair sleep at night and may cause insomnia. - If experiencing insomnia, try getting up and engaging in another activity for a brief time and then attempt sleep again. - A warm glass of milk contains tryptophan, a natural substance thought to aid sleep. - Keep the bedroom dark, since the area of the brain which controls the sleep cycle is close to the optic nerves and thus sensitive to light (feeling awake) and dark (feeling sleepy). - Quit smoking, which increases blood pressure, heart rate and brain wave activity. How can you know if you are a healthy sleeper? - Sleep comes easily at night. - You rarely wake up during the night and can fall back asleep with ease. - You wake at the same time each morning without an alarm. - You feel alert during the day and do not feel the need to nap. Getting a good night's rest refreshes the body, mind and attitude. It is as vital to our health as good food and exercise. The phrase "beauty rest" is more than a quaint idea, it is a fundamental task in the quest for external and internal beauty. References: - Bricklin, Mark, (1990). The Natural Healing and Nutritional Annual, Ed., Rodale Press, Pennsylvania. - Robinson, Victor M.D., (1941). The Modern Home Physician, Ed., Musson Books, Toronto. - Tleac, Deborah, (2000). Everyday Health Tips, Ed., Rodale Press, Pennsylvania. - Awake! Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Canada, March 22 2003. - Awake! Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Canada, February 8 2004. - http://www.naturalcosmetics.ca Lori Stryker has been researching and developing all natural skin care and make-up for the purpose of offering men and women safe, natural cosmetics for everyday use. She brings to her research a specialist in human biology from the University of Toronto, coupled with a professional home economics degree and an education degree from the University of British Columbia, fusing chemical and biological knowledge with food, family and textile sciences. You may use this article but any modification or publication of this article for fiancial gain must be approved of by the author. The author's name, Lori Stryker and her company's name, The Organic Make-up Company, needs to by noted when used.

Wearable Art: The Great Conversation Starter

Ok, you are heading to a small get together or large party and you know that you will not know many of the other guests. Alternatively, you want people (or maybe that cutie!) to have an easy way to approach you. In these situations, wear something that is highly likely to be a good conversation starter. For example, if hats are your thing, choose one that that people will be prompted to ask you about it. Even easier, is to wear a unique and funky jewelry accessory (called wearable art) that will quickly catch people's attention and gives them an easy in to ask you about it. Bring your own conversation piece Wearable art is a fantastic conversation prop, providing a non-threatening way to start a conversation. Actually, you are giving people an excuse to come and talk to you. You make yourself more approachable and interesting because you are wearing (&quot;Come say hi to me!&quot;) something about you that is an obvious talking point. These jewelry fashion props are natural conversation starters. They encourage conversation and others will be more naturally compelled to start a conversation with you. Jewelry adds to your body language Jewelry reflects the ultimate style and personality of the person wearing it. Zany and colorful wearable art works best, it shows you have spirit, are playful, light-hearted, and spontaneous. People are naturally attracted to this. Timely Fashion Wearing watches just to tell time is outdated and out of fashion. Creative and artistically creative watches are now the hottest, must have accessories. Both sexes are buying watches that are as fashionable as they are functional. Look for watch art with unique colors, design, shapes, or other significant characteristics. They stick out and help you get that conversation started. Best bet: Never leave home without your wearable art conversation prop! Contributor: Stuart Glasure [A fashion and wine enthusiast and publishing member of the wine source: <a target=_top target="_new" href="http://www.winedefinitions.com">http://www.WineDefinitions.com</a>.]

Contact Lens Cases ? Caring For Them The Right Way

A patient of mine called me a few weeks ago complaining that her eyes were hurting. I told her to come by the office and I would check her out. After looking at her eyes, I noticed some redness and slight corneal swelling. This concerned me because she was a fairly new patient who had just recently begun wearing contact lens within the past three months. After administering some tests and gathering some information, it was determined that the source of her eye irritation was stemming from storing her contact lenses improperly and not cleaning her contact lens case. The sad part about this situation is that it happens all too often when it could very easily be avoided. Caring for your contact lens and the contact lens case correctly is critical to maintaining the ongoing health of your eyes. By improperly cleaning your contact lens case, you are allowing harmful bacteria to build up on your contact lens. Given time, this buildup will begin to irritate your eyes. If left uncorrected, this can seriously damage your visual health. To avoid this, simply cleanse your contact lens case according to the instruction given by the manufacturer. This will usually include rinsing the case out at regular intervals with a specified cleansing solution or using very hot tap water and then letting the case air dry. Remember to only use commercial cleansing solutions recommended by your eye care practitioner. Homemade remedies fail to properly destroy the bacteria that are found in contact lenses (and accessories). One of the most destructive known eye infections comes from an ameba named Acanthamoeba. It enters the eye through failure to properly cleanse, handle, and store contact lenses and cases. In addition to proper cleansing/disinfecting the contact lens case, most eye care practitioners recommend discarding your case every month or every three to four months. Although this may seem like a lot, most designer contact lens cases can be purchased for less than $10 with very basic screw-top cases being available for under $2. It is important to remember that cleaning the contact lens case is just as important as cleansing the contact lens itself. It only takes a minute to properly cleanse and store your contact lens and case properly. Use only the recommended cleaning solution for your contact lens case and discard your case at appropriate intervals. By doing this, you can eliminate the risk of infection, and ensure the utmost health of your eyes. Mike Schwartz is the owner of the popular web site <a target="_new" href="http://www.bestcontactlensesonline.com">Best Contact Lenses Online</a>. His site provides useful tips, resources, and reviews to help you make the best decision when purchasing contact lenses on the Internet.

Hyaluronic Acid ? Newest Celebrity Beauty Secret?

We can always count on celebrities to serve as guinea pigs for the latest cosmetic and beauty treatments. During the Botox ? craze, even director Martin Scorsese commented that he couldn't find actresses who could frown anymore! Perhaps actors, politicians, musicians and the like all grew tired of looking like Stepford wives because the latest cosmetic craze involves Hyaluronic acid, a key component of human tissue, providing the body with essential moisture and a viable way to erase wrinkles without the loss of facial expression. Hyaluronic acid is available in facial injections reportedly favored by celebrities like Charlie Sheen, Tommy Lee Jones and Oprah Winfrey who have chosen Restylane, a Hyaluronic acid wrinkle-filler that works to lift the lip, wrinkle or fold and create volume. Hyaluronic acid injections do not relax muscles but instead &quot;fill in&quot; areas most affected by wrinkles and fine lines. There are also several new, non-invasive beauty products that contain Hylauronic acid or work to stimulate the body's own Hyaluronic acid production. Apparently full lips a la Angelina Jolie are a must-have because celebrities of all ages are going gaga for City Lips, a cutting edge product developed by City Lips Cosmetics. The City Lips product stimulates lips to produce their own collagen and Hyaluronic acid, painlessly increasing the size of lips. According to Karen Rauen, Good Housekeeping Institute's chemistry director, "The City Lips lip plumper, we found, plumps people's lips an average of three millimeters.&quot; Celebrities like Desperate Housewives stars, Teri Hatcher and Nicolette Sheridan, Jamie Lynn Discala, Virginia Madsen, Melissa Rivers, Angela Bassett, Lacy Chabert, Lake Bell, Eliza Dushku, Bijou Phillips, Haylie Duff, Kathy Griffin, Tracy Ross, Marlee Matlin, Shannon Elizabeth, Michelle Rodriguez, Faith Evans, Giuliana Depandi, Debbie Matenopoulos and Princess Ann Claire, are reportedly huge fans of City Lip Cosmetics. There are other Hyaluronic acid boosting &quot;lip plumpers&quot; on the cosmetic market including Lucky Lips which allegedly increases Hyaluronic acid levels by 148% just 48 hours after use. Other celeb Hyaluronic acid beauty favorites include Hydrating Gel Cream from Prada Beauty, a lightweight, sheer cream featuring Hyaluronic acid and Rest-A-Line Face Treatment by Joey New York, an anti-aging cream rich with Hyaluronic acid which helps the skin hold 1000 times its weight in water, causing a natural plumping effect. All in all, between facial injections and non-evasive beauty creams, it seems like there is much hope on the frontier for finding that elusive fountain of youth; for celebrities and for common folk, alike! <a target="_new" href="http://www.E-Hyaluronicacid.com">Hyaluronic Acid Resource</a> is dedicated to promoting an understanding of Hyaluronic acid, a major ingredient in many medical and anti-aging therapies and to highlighting places where you can safely purchase Hyaluronic acid products. For more information go to <a target="_new" href="http://www.E-Hyaluronicacid.com">E-Hyaluronicacid.com</a>

Collagen Injection

Collagen injection is a type of cosmetic procedure that augments skin and soft tissue to make them firmer and younger looking. The benefits of collagen injections are that collagen is a natural substance to be in the body so it incorporates with the body and doesn't degrade as quickly over time, there aren't serious complications or side effects, and it is a non-invasive procedure. Collagen injections are used to improve unsightly scars and fill in cheeks that have sunken in. Different types of collagen fillers have different advantages. Zyderm is a bovine collagen that lasts for six to ten months and is used for shallow scars. Zyplast is another bovine collagen, but is crossed with a heavier filler so it lasts longer than Zyderm (nine months to a year.) These two are easy to implant and are not often abused but certain patients can have allergic reactions to the collagen. Fibrel is a filler containing gelatin, amino caprotic acid and plasma or saline and lidocaine. Its effects are seen for one to five years and is a good alternative for people who are allergic to Zyderm and Zyplast. Artecoll is a synthetic filler consisting of polymethyl methacrylate microspheres (PMMA), collagen, lidocaine and saline. After the collagen degrades, the PMMA spheres are left. It has been shown to be reliable and long lasting in European markets but has yet to be released in the United States. Hylan B gel is another filler made from substances in rooster coxcombs. It lasts nine months to a year but requires a series of injections rather than just one session and, again, has not yet been released in the United States. Resoplast is another bovine collagen similar to Zyderm and causing the same allergic reactions. Autologen is a filler made from autologous collagen which resists enzymatic degradation and allergic reactions and has been shown to last for over a year. Similarly, Isolagen is autologous collagen taken from the patient and prepared for intradermal injection. Isolagen has not been fully tested yet. AlloDerm is, in fact, not an injection at all, but is a dermal sheet and has been used mostly for burn victims and patients undergoing oral surgery. Finally there are fat injections. These take time and careful preparation before they can be used. The fat is removed from a region such as the abdomen, thighs, knees, or backside. The fat has to be purified, washed, separated, centrifuged and prepared before use. Want more Information about <A target="_new" href="http://www.sleepingswan.com/articles/Collagen_Injections.htm">Collagen Injection</A> Cosmetic Surgery? Find a qualified <A href="http://www.sleepingswan.com/" target="_new">Cosmetic Surgeon</A> in Your Area at <a target="_new" href="http://www.sleepingswan.com">http://www.sleepingswan.com</a>