There can’t be anyone who has acne who has not been told not to eat chocolate or French fries or other greasy food! There are probably millions of teenagers who are staying away from these foods unnecessarily. While it is not good for your health to eat lots of greasy food or to stuff yourself with chocolate it is not going to affect your acne. There are lots of acne myths about, it is a favorite subject to make up all sorts of nonsense to tell people who are distressed with the condition and willing to try anything to make it better. Let’s try to dispel these inaccuracies and to see what you should do to really help to improve the condition of your skin.
Myth No 1 Chocolate Causes Acne
It has been shown in many trials that eating chocolate has no effect on acne whatsoever. So go ahead and eat chocolate occasionally without feeling guilty. You may have to bite your tongue when well-meaning people tell you off for doing so! This also applies to greasy foods. The grease in foods is not going to migrate somehow to your skin and cause your sebaceous glands to produce more sebum.
Myth No 2 Dirt Causes Acne
Believing in this myth causes a lot of problems as people think that the more often, and the more vigorously they wash their face the better their acne will be. This is the complete opposite of what is actually true as washing your face too often and too vigorously will only cause more irritation and spread around the bacteria that causes the acne.
Myth No 3 Stress Causes Acne
Stress is not the cause of acne but there is some truth in this myth as stress can actually make acne worse. Stress causes the production of more cortisol which triggers the production of more oil from the sebaceous glands. Responses to increased stress vary considerably between different people so one person may have an increase in flareups after stress while others will have no problems at all. Stress does not always mean negative stresses but can be triggered by positive stresses, for instance anticipation of an exciting event. This can cause a flareup of your acne just when you do not need it and when you want to look your best.
Myth No 4 The Sun Can Cure Acne
This is a dangerous myth as excessive exposure to the sun causes skin damage. It may have arisen because the reddening of the skin after exposure to the sun can mask pimples etc. so they don’t look as bad. This is only temporary however and it is not good to burn your skin is way. Exposure to the sun can irritate the skin even further and make the acne worse.
Myth No 5 Too Much Sex Causes Acne
This myth may have arisen as acne is caused by surging hormones during the teenage years. However there is no evidence at all that too much, or too little sex has any effect on acne. One wonders if this has been promoted by parents in an effort to curb their teenagers habits!
Myth No 6 Acne Should Be left To Go Away on Its Own
This is also a dangerous myth as acne needs to be treated, especially if it is severe. Leaving it can not only cause pain and embarrassment to the sufferer but long-term scarring of the skin. Although most people do grow out of acne once they’re in their early 20’s it can persist through the 20’s even into the 30’s. It is essential to get treatment as early as possible.
The Reality
Acne cannot be cured and, as we said, usually goes away on its own when the hormones begin to balance out after the teenage years. However there are many things you can do to treat your acne and prevent flareups and long term damage.
1. Gently wash your skin, twice a day only, with a sulfur based soap and a soft wash cloth or your hands. If you do use a washcloth make sure you boil it every day to kill the bacteria which can be transferred back to your skin.
2. Change your pillow case at least every other day as the oil and bacteria accumulating on a given night can be transferred back to your face and cause more problems.
3. Eat a healthy diet rich in vitamins A, B and C and the minerals chromium and zinc. You could also take a good multivitamin containing these minerals twice a day. Do not pick or interfere with pimples, whiteheads or blackheads as this will only spread the bacteria around and cause more breakouts.
4. Use gentle cleansers and light, oil free makeup. If you have mild to moderate acne find a natural acne remedy that you can use regularly and is effective on your skin. You could try tea tree oil which has been shown to be effective and gentle on sensitive skin.
Conclusion
Do not listen to the myths about acne but use a sensible routine to clean your skin, have a healthy lifestyle and consult a dermatologist or your doctor if your acne is very severe.
About the Author
For more information visit Acne Remedies or read Acne Remedies – the Myths
March 26, 2009 | Posted in
Acne |
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Acne vulgaris is a common disease in developed nations, one that has increased in frequency in the last half century, particularly among adult women. The precise mechanisms of the acne process are characterized by sebum overproduction, follicular hyperkeratinization, oxidative stress and inflammation.
Since inflammation is one of the earliest events to occur in the acne process, the influence of inflammatory mediators and subsequent free radical generation has become a major focus of experimental and clinical research.
Speculation that dietary factors can influence acne has been a matter of debate for decades, and emerging research is certainly suggesting that diet may indeed be an important factor, particularly in mediating the inflammation and oxidative stress of the acne process.
Hints that omega-3 fatty acids might positively influence acne originate from studies which show that communities that maintain a traditional diet high in omega-3 fatty acids have low rates of acne.
One study in over 1000 teenagers from North Carolina found that each of the primary signs of acne comedones, papules, pustules, acne cysts and oily skin were significantly lower in those consuming the greatest amounts of fish and seafood.
A separate investigation showed that patients actually with acne are more likely to be infrequent consumers of dietary fish and seafood. More recently, investigators have outlined mechanisms whereby fish oil may be effective in reducing inflammatory acne.
The inflammatory chemical leukotriene B4 (LTB4) is now know to up-regulate sebum production, and synthetic inhibition of LTB4, in the form of the drug zileuton, leads to significant improvement in acne.
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) from fish oil, and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) from borage oil, have been reported to inhibit the conversion of arachidonic acid into LTB4 to the same degree as the LTB4-inhibiting acne drug candidate zileuton.
Sophisticated studies have recently demonstrated that each pilosebaceous unit has the machinery in place to manufacture inflammatory chemicals, including LTB4, with the raw materials supplied from the breakdown products of dietary fats.
Fish oil, and EPA in particular, has a wealth of research to support its ability to inhibit LTB4 production, yet to date, no investigators have reported on the clinical utility of fish oil for acne.
A number of emerging studies have also shown that acne patients may be under increased local and systemic oxidative stress, and the lowered blood levels of various antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients might be a reflection of the increased demand in acne.
For example, lower levels of vitamins A and E among 200 age-matched acne patients vs. controls was recently found to be associated with the severity of acne. Furthermore, since the selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase enzyme activity is low in acne patients, it has been theorized that selenium would be of value.
Indeed, low levels of blood selenium have been documented in acne patients, and one study examined the effect of selenium (400 mcg) and vitamin E (20 mg) daily for 12 weeks in acne.
The combination led to improvements, especially in those with low baseline glutathione peroxidase activity. The epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) polyphenol from green tea has also been suggested to be helpful in acne due to its well documented anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity.
In addition, reports suggests EGCG may also influence hormonal aspects of acne since it is known to possess 5-alpha-reductase inhibiting properties when applied topically. Other botanical remedies which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, such as turmeric, have a long history of use in skin disorders such as acne.
Epidemiological studies suggest that traditional diets with a low glycemic load are protective against acne and one open label trial showed that 400 mcg of chromium improves acne. Clinical intervention studies show that a diet with an overall low glycemic load, more dietary fiber, more fish and seafood is helpful in acne. Results show an average 22 less acne lesions in those who adhere to such a diet.
On the one hand there are certainly hints that marine lipids, minerals and phytochemicals might have potential to reduce inflammatory acne lesions, and on the other, it is almost difficult not to notice that these are the very same nutrients that have been shown to influence mental outlook, depressive symptoms and anxiety.
Omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, selenium, chromium, and even phytochemicals such as those found in green tea, have been shown to improve mood and decrease anxiety in various clinical and experimental studies.
About the Author
Tanya Zafino has written an Ebook about the cure for pimples. Go to http://www.thezafinomethod.com/
March 25, 2009 | Posted in
Acne |
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What is Cancer? It could be described as an uncontrolled growth invasion (intrusion on and destruction of adjacent tissue) and sometimes Metastasis (spread to other locations in a body via lymph or blood). There is also the benign tumors which are self-limited, do not invade or metastasize. The study, diagnoses, treatment and prevention of cancer is called oncology.
Cancers are mostly caused by abnormalities in the genetic material of the transformed cells. These abnormalities may be due to the effects of carcinogens, such as tobacco smoke, radiation, chemicals, or infectious agents.
To put it in simple terms, cancer is an atypical growth of harmful cells called free radicals. These types of cells start to grow uncontrollably and threaten normal cells, cancer does not discriminate where it grows or who it chooses, and every part of the body can be at risk. If the cancer is of the malignant type it could lead to death.
While cancer can be very invasive (meaning spreading to healthy parts of the body) treatment can also attack the healthy parts of the body. Although benign cancers can be treated and cured, untreated benign cancers can sometimes turn malignant. If you are suspicious of a lump or growth or just something that might be worrying you, consult you doctor, don’t wait until it’s too late.
There is plenty of information about cancer, however despite all the information available there are still many mysteries, and there are still many people being diagnosed with cancer. I’m sure you know people who have suffered from cancer? Friends, relative or maybe even yourself have been affected by cancer. Despite all this knowledge of cancer we still don’t know how to prevent ourselves from being diagnosed with cancer. Be aware, however, getting cancer does not necessarily mean death in the future.
There is lots of research on food and the effects certain foods have on people. Information on how certain foods contain potential harmful elements, have been identified and found to have these harmful elements added during the processing phase. Food containing carcinogens often only have a minimal amount but over a period of time the amount accumulates in the body putting people at risk of becoming ill and possibly even getting cancer.
Therefore it is important that we become aware of the foods we eat. Look at the labels of foods you buy and try not to buy foods that contain chemicals such as preservatives and additives.
We are what we eat is a very true saying. We must be aware of what we are eating; many foods contain hidden harmful chemicals and toxins which we introduce into our system. Introducing these chemicals into our system could cause cancer and other illnesses which we could do well to be aware of, such as, high cholesterol, eating lots of saturated fats, high amounts of sodium consumption. Recent studies have also linked these factors with male prostate cancer.
Stopping smoking, avoiding processed foods, is a great way to improve your chances of remaining healthy. Eat more fruit and vegetables, preferably organic. Greens and fruits have high amounts of antioxidants which are the elements that help fight free radicals, thus preventing and even curing cancer, as well as other ailments.
Many herbal medicines and organic juices and foods contain Antioxidants. Foods such as Goju, Noni and Xango juices have high amounts of antioxidants. Other antioxidant foods are kale, asparagus and spinach. It is well known that eating organic is healthier as organic products do not contain harmful chemicals such as pesticides.
To sum up, eating a healthily and maintaining a diet high in antioxidants, will go a long way to help prevent cancer and possibly even cure it. However, do be advised by a qualified practitioner, look for one who is well versed in non chemical techniques and advocates healthy eating habits.
It is said that laughter is the best medicine, there have been cases of people who have cured then cancer by only thinking positive thoughts, laughing a lot, maintaining a happy disposition. A positive healthy attitude removing all negative thoughts will also go a long way to help you on the road to health.
About the Author
Joseph Adams creates niche websites, authors content, and welcomes writers to publish on his sites. To find out more about your favorite topic please visit his niche website at http://www.Cancer.GetMeArticles.com or visit http://www.GetMeArticles.com for links to all his niche websites.
March 24, 2009 | Posted in
Cancer |
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In this guide, I will provide you with 10 remedies to get rid of acne naturally. Many individuals are now reaching out to natural remedies. There are many reasons for this. Many have experimented with over the counter and/or prescription remedies with little to no success. Then, there are those who are budget conscious that want to have a remedy at their disposal that is effective, yet inexpensive. There are numerous benefits to electing to integrate the use of natural remedies for acne. The following details the most popular remedies to get rid of acne naturally:
1. The first natural acne treatment is increasing your consumption of water on a daily basis. Most medical professionals agree that approximately eight glasses of water a day is sufficient for health. However, if you are battling nasty blemishes and other traits of acne, it is best to increase the amount of water that you consume on a daily basis. This will assist in eliminating debris from the body. Impurities will be eliminated before they have a chance to accumulate in the pores of the skin.
2. The next thing that you should do if you want to eliminate acne naturally is to make certain that you reduce the amount of foods that you consume that have a large amount of oil in them. This includes foods that are considered to have a high amount of spice, and foods that are prepared by being fried. By reducing the oil in your diet, you will reduce the amount of oil that your skin produces. As a result, it will be less likely that you will experience blemishes.
3. One of the most popular remedies to get rid of acne naturally includes implementing the use of compresses that are cold, as well as those that are hot. If you find that you are suffering from acne, especially if it has inflammation, you should take a cold compress and place it on the affected area for approximately fifteen minutes. Once the time is up, you should place the hot compress on the same area and allow it to stay for the same amount of time. Then, you may choose to transition back to the cold compress. This will assist in the inflammation, as well as the pain that you experience with acne.
4. If you experience acne that includes painful cysts and other skin complications, you may want to consider implementing the use of apricot juice. This juice is all natural, yet contains enough acid that it will actually penetrate hard and painful cysts and boils that may occur as a result of acne.
5. The next natural remedy for acne is to create a banana mask. Bananas have often been regarding as a good health agent. Many individuals will take fresh, organic bananas and squish them up in order to make a paste like mask, and then apply it to the area of the body that is affected by acne for approximately half an hour. In the end, they have found that the acne is successfully eliminated.
6. If you can get juices that are citrus based, you are likely to find that these fluids are effective in naturally combating the complications associated with acne. Orange juice, grapefruit juice, and even lemon juice are all options that you have in this category. These juices will help draw out the dead skin and other types of debris that clog up the pores of the skin and cause acne.
7. White vinegar is another great option when it comes to natural acne treatments. You should take a small amount, apply it, and allow it to sit for approximately half an hour. Once the time has passed, simply take water that is cool in nature and rinse the skin thoroughly.
8. You should ensure that you exercise on a regular basis if you are attempting to combat acne naturally. By exercising, cells are renewed regularly. The chemicals of the skin are refreshed, and toxins are eliminated from the pores through fluid elimination. Exercise helps to keep the body healthy.
9. If you suffer from acne and have noticed a high amount of stress in your life, it is often best to try to eliminate those things that result in stress. If you do, you are likely to experience acne relief.
10. Last, but not the least, it is important to ensure that you get the appropriate amount of rest. When you sleep, the body works to repair and rejuvenate itself. This can help soothe the symptoms that are associated with acne.
If you follow these 10 remedies to get rid of acne naturally, you will quickly find that you experience clean, clear skin in no time!
About the Author
Gaetane Ross is a Certified Natural Health Consultant who has spent over 4 years focusing on Nutrition and Health.
Please visit Gaetane’s website for more information on curing your acne naturally at:
http://HealthProductsReviewsLive.com
March 19, 2009 | Posted in
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Cancer is a condition which most people dread. There are certain types of cancer which respond very well to modern chemotherapy and have excellent chances of recovery. Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer is not one of those cancers which is amenable to treatment. In most cases, the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer comes very late, when the disease has already progressed and involved the surrounding organs. This makes prevention a very important part of keeping oneself healthy. This article discuses the answer to the question how can I avoid pancreatic cancer.
To understand how can I avoid pancreatic cancer, the first step is to understand the risk factors for this condition. There are many factors that are associated with an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. The most important links start with smoking. It has been observed that smoking cigarettes is a very important risk factor which contributes to increased risk of pancreatic cancer. You will want to kick the smoking habit to ensure protection not just against pancreatic but also lung and oral cancers. Being obese or overweight also contributes to an increased susceptibility to cancer of the pancreas.
You should maintain the ideal weight for your age and height by embarking on a regular fitness program and sticking to a healthy diet. Diet may also play an importatn part as pancreatic cancer can be associated with diets which are rich in fats and meat.
Other factors which influence the answer to the question how can I avoid pancreatic cancer come from the family history. You have to check if your family has a positive history of pancreatic cancer. This might be among first or second degree relatives. There is also an influence of conditions like chronic pancreatitis. If you have a history of repeated attacks of inflammation of your pancreas, this increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer to a great extent. Some families have a predisposition to chronic pancreatitis and this factor must be looked into in detail.
One risk factor for pancreatitis itself and indirectly affeting the risk of deveoping pancreatic cancer is alcohol intake. There is clinical evidence to prove that alcohol induced pancreatitis is positively correlated with a higher risk of developing pacreatic cancer.Alcohol intake is also associted with liver cirhosis which has been implicated in the development of pancreatic cancer. Family history of genetic syndromes that can increase cancer risk, including a BRCA2 gene mutation, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, Lynch syndrome and familial atypical mole-malignant melanoma (FAMMM).
Age is another factor in the puzzling answer to what can I do to avoid pancreatic cancer. The older you are , the higher are your chances of developing the condition. But this is usually the case above to age of 70 years. The African – American population also has a higher chance of developing pancreatic cancer. The solution to this is to go in for regular check – ups to detect any abnormal cellular activity if you have any of the risk factors mentioned. This could be an annual health check up with special emphasis on cancer detection.
Pancreatic cancer is also an risk in case you are diabetic, so you must consult you doctor about risk factors in your family that could combine with your diabetic condition to develop pancreatic cancer. There is also evidence pointing to the long term exposure to chemicals like gasoline and its related compounds which increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Some insecticides have also been implicated in this.
About the Author
You can visit our website for more information about Cancer and Sarcoma. We have a lot of articles about Lung Cancer , Ovarian Cancer , Sarcoma Muscle Cancer, …
March 19, 2009 | Posted in
Cancer |
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Imagine a day when acne is a disease of the past. Imagine the day when teenagers no suffer from the unsightly blight of acne. Imagine the day when adults no longer feel compromised in the workplace by their acne prone skin flaring up on the worst possible days.
That day is near. And that day is a certainty if the world were to embrace natural acne treatment, which is more rightly described as natural acne prevention.
Natural acne treatment is about prevention. Consider this analogy: the most ‘natural’ way to avoid a wound to the skin becoming infected is to avoid the wound in the first place. And acne is essentially no different to an infected wound – acne begins with a wound that becomes infected.
Therefore, the best way to avoid acne is to prevent the wound – or damage to the skin – from occurring in the first place.
This damage to the skin begins by an unnatural state occurring in the body due to unnatural products being consumed by the individual.
The unnatural products that I am referring to are the products that the human body was not designed to handle. That is, the products that the human body did not evolve to be compatible with.
So, what are these products? In order to understand what these products are, one must understand the evolution of our species.
We as humans did most of our evolving between 200,000 and 100,000 years ago. During that time, our bodies evolved to suit the environment around us. That included the food that was available to us at the time.
Perhaps our single greatest advancement as a species came when we started to consume a greater proportion of meat in order to fuel the energy demands of our brain as it grew larger.
The point to note here is that it was eating meat, not carbohydrates, that allowed our brains to grow larger during out evolution.
One product that was certainly not around in vast quantities during this time was grain and other forms of carbohydrates such as potatoes. We simply either did not eat any of these products or only in small quantities when they came into season. The same was for fruit. Fruit and other sources of sugar such as honey were only available to us during certain times of the year or were a rarity.
Therefore, carbohydrates were the exception, not the rule, to the diet that we evolved with.
Nowadays, conventional wisdom promotes the idea that carbohydrates should make up 30-40 percent of one’s daily food intake. This is however an intake of carbohydrates that our bodies were not designed to handle.
We love carbohydrates because they are full of energy. The problem with carbohydrates is that they are a source of fast energy. That is, when we eat carbohydrates they end up as blood sugar very quickly.
Our bodies respond to large quantities of carbohydrates by generating a large amount of insulin. And for the average modern meal, the amount of insulin that our bodies need to produce is far more than what our bodies were designed to handle.
High levels of insulin are the main cause for diabetes. High levels of insulin are also the main cause for acne. Insulin promotes the conversion of testosterone to dihydroxytestosterone (DHT) and DHT in turn stimulates the skins oil glands to produce excessive oil. This excessive oil cause the skin to rupture and bacteria infect the ‘wound’ just as bacteria will infect any type of wound. This infection is otherwise known as acne.
So, quite logically, the best way to treat acne is to prevent it occurring in the first place. And the best way o prevent it occurring is to eliminate excessive insulin in one’s body by eliminating excessive carbohydrates from one’s diet.
About the Author
Tanya Zafino has written an Ebook about acne treatment. Go to http://www.thezafinomethod.com/
March 18, 2009 | Posted in
Acne |
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Although many people diagnosed with diabetes initially worry about the future, there is no reason why with a properly governed diet, they cannot enjoy a good healthy life. As with many things that are good for you in life, there is a payback and diabetes is no different, and it will be necessary to alter the foodstuffs you may be used too. To start with you will need to sort your own diabetic diet plan using diabetic recipes that most appeal to your tastes.
First Off, one of the main ends for a diabetic diet is to lower your weight and maintain it. Diabetic diets actually help you here by ensuring you only eat the right amount of food from the four main groups. Two problems connected with diabetes are coronary illness and strokes but by sticking to your diabetic diet program you should reduce the risk of having these problems. A diabetic diet using especially formulated diabetic recipes which are essentially a healthy, low-fat, balanced eating plan that helps the patient feel better and more energetic, and accomplish some control over the symptoms like fatigue, thirst, blurred vision.
A healthy diabetic menu is concerned with eating a balanced diet of non-fat dairy foodstuffs, lean meat, domestic fowl, fish, whole grains, fruit, vegetables and beans. In diabetic, low carbohydrate diets, the nutrients that are approved are meats, fish, poultry, eggs and cheese and certain vegetables like kidney beans, carrots, avocados. Diabetic recipes should include foodstuffs that are reduced in saturated fats and cholesterol, such as skinless poultry, fresh fruit, and vegetables as previously mentioned.
Weighing your food when you’re on a diabetic diet is as serious as the foods you consume, so that you receive the correct amount of calories. Using the food labels in the supermarkets will also become second nature when you are preparing your diabetic recipes as they contain useful info, usually based on a diet of 2,000 calories per day. When on a two thousand calorie diabetic diet plan, the ideal breakfast should comprise of two slices of bread or two rice cakes or half a cup of pasta, one cup of skimmed milk or a cup of sugar-free yogurt, one egg in any form, boiled or poached or scrambled and surely a serving of one’s favorite fruit. Diabetic recipes for a breakfast on a 1,800 calorie diabetic diet plan would look something like this; a cup of skimmed milk with two slices of bread a serving of fruit (apple, banana or orange) and a tablespoon of cheese.
In the mid afternoon a snack might comprise of a half cup of tea or coffee with man-made sweeteners a couple of crackers and some more fruit. Knowledge of your diabetic diet will mean that even small meals like this can be varied so that instead of tea or coffee, sugar free yoghurt or a cup of fat free milk could be a suitable replacement. A person suffering from diabetes no longer has to suffer a poor choice of diet especially when our knowledge of diabetes has ensured that diabetic recipe formulations are designed with mixture and health in mind. An afternoon snack might contain some fruit; perhaps a couple of crackers, half a cup of tea or coffee providing you used artificial sweeteners. There are alternatives available so the tea or coffee could be exchanged for yoghurt or a cup of skimmed milk. A diabetic diet does not have to be boring.
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March 7, 2009 | Posted in
Diabetes |
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