Posts Tagged ‘self help’

Discover the 6 Powerful Secrets of Fish Oil That Most Doctor’s Don’t Know

February 7th, 2010

Fish oils can prevent heart attacks. They also prevent a second heart attack from occurring. One study showed the effect of dietary intervention of over two thousand men recovering from heart attacks. At the end of two years, the group that was given fish oil was found to take there fish oil intake four times as much as the other subjects in the study. The group that took fish oils experienced a significantly lower mortality. The group that ingested the fish oils had a 29% reduction of risk of death compared with the other groups.

Even in patients with no apparent clinical evidence of arterial disease, fish consumption has been show to improve the arteries.

Fish oil or essential fatty acid deficiency also causes some severe degenerative inflammatory conditions such as Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. I am sure you have seen people whose hands or feet are all deformed from arthritis and they are in alot of pain. This person finds it hard to even get around. This can be prevented if the proper essential fatty acids, mainly Omega 3 fish oils, would have been taken. Clinical studies in women have shown a decreased risk of rheumatoid arthritis in those who have consumed fish oils. A double blind, placebo controlled study of rheumatoid arthritis patients given 1.8 grams per day of fish showed less morning stiffness and tender joints. There are many studies that show the wonderful effects of fish oils with rheumatoid arthritis. The main result being less tenderness and swelling of joints.

Fish oil is also important for proper kidney function. If the kidneys begin to malfunction, often times the person will have to go on dialysis. If any of you know somebody who has been on dialysis, it is not a pretty site. Fish oils have been known to lower serum triglyceride levels in people with kidney disease and they have shown to be clinically beneficial. So taking the proper fish oil benefits proper kidney function, which may prevent many other diseases.

We all know somebody who has heart disease or high cholesterol. Clogged arteries are a slowly degenerative disease that can be prevented with the correct amount of fish oils. Due to the foods that we consume, it is like chocking off the blood supply to the body or getting the pipes rusted. Fish oils help to maintain normal functioning arteries that can promote the correct amount of blood flow to all parts of the body

Fish oils also promote healthy colon function. Several studies with inflammatory bowel disease show an improvement after taking fish oils. High levels of inflammation have been shown in patient’s colon and in the stools of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The formation of these inflammatory compounds can be deceased by reducing or eliminating meat, red meat, and dairy, while increasing the amount of omega 3 fish oils in there diet. Inflammation in the bowel is very painful, it even sounds painful.

One of the most important secrets that most doctors do not even know is that fish oils help prevent blood cells from clumping together. Blood clots cause heart attacks and stokes. Taking omega 3 fish oils now helps to prevent heart attack and strokes. If you are or a loved one has had a heart attack or stroke, you know how devastating it can be. These diseases can be prevented. Having a heart attack is a very painful occurrence not only for you but also for your loved ones. By promoting a healthy circulatory system, these diseases can be prevented.

There is a large body of evidence that now shows the beneficial effects of omega 3 consumption. The Omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are the components of fish oil responsible for its preventative and therapeutic effects. These include assisting in the lowering of blood pressure, improving cholesterol and triglyceride levels, avoiding strokes, decreasing the risk of heart attacks and arteriosclerosis.

The main benefit of Omega 3’s are to decrease production of prostaglandin E2 that is the cause of inflammation.

As you can tell, most of these conditions are of an inflammatory nature, so eating the proper diet and taking Omega 3 fish oils are essential for maintaining good health and preventing disease in the future.

With all the hype in the news, it is confusing as to which is the best fatty acids. Do your own investigating and find all the wonderful benefits of omega 3 fatty acids at www.bestfishoil.docofthefuture.com today!

Natural Acne Treatments

December 18th, 2009

Every body knows the value of our faces. The more handsome it is, the more advantageous it gets. Above anything else, it is the first thing others look at when they see you. In general, our confidence relies on our level of contentment with our physical appearance. When one thinks he or she looks good, confidence really soars.

When growing up, the development of acne or even pimples is a major concern. If you do not have problems involving your face, then congratulations. On the other hand, if you are one of the majority who do have a problem, there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Is acne one of your concerns? Are you spending too much money on chemical acne remedies? Do you want to apply a treatment but you are afraid that it may be too harsh on your skin? Then try a more natural way of curing your acne. You do not have to go very far to do it, because the treatment is right there in your own house. The physician is within you. The most useful beauty advice of all time is: drink at least 8 glasses of water daily. Hydrating your body will ensure you get rid of your toxins. Take care of your body and take care of your skin.

Healthy and clean habits may also help. Ensure that you do not leave make-up on your skin because it adds to the clogging of your pores, thereby causing even more pimples and blackheads. Never sleep with your make-up on. Furthermore, always keep your hair away from your face, because hair contains natural oils that can create breakouts in your skin.

Put your pillow slip and face towels in the laundry often. Daily, if possible. They are absorbent and they also hold acne-contributors like oil and bacteria too. Finally, never, ever scratch your acne or pimples, since you do not want the dirt from your fingernails inside your face, do you?

Eat healthy food when you have acne, because you should try to cleanse yourself not only outside but also from the inside. It would really help too, if you could reduce your consumption of oily, fatty food. Eating food rich in fibre helps, since the fibre helps cleanse your body of waste too. Furthermore, eating food that is considered anti-oxidant would help a lot in order for you to maintain a healthy skin. Moreover, food rich in Vitamins A, B and D as well as those rich in calcium, potassium, phosphorus, chloride, magnesium, zinc, iron and sodium is also a great help too.

When you follow a diet which is high in beta-carotene and zinc, it is of help not only in the prevention but as well as in the treatment process and anti-scarring by acne. Beauty is only skin deep. Yes, but having beautiful skin will make you feel more beautiful and confident in your self.

Are you experiencing problems natural cures for acne? If you are or you would like to find out more about acne, please go to our website entitled http://treating-acne-scars.com

The Three Ways to Treat Acne

November 23rd, 2009

Acne is horrible. However, it’s not something that cannot be tackled. There are heaps of acne skin care products around. We can pigeonhole acne skin care products into 3 broad categories -

* Preventive or general acne skin care items; * Over-the-counter, specialised acne skin care products; * Prescription acne skin care items.

The all-purpose acne skin care items are the ones that are used as an acne-prevention measure. These include cleansers, make-up removers and similar items that help prevent acne. In the real sense, these acne skin care items are those that should be part of your daily routine anyway. However, some of these are more orientated to work like a general acne skin care item.

These acne skin care items work against the reasons for acne e.g. limiting the production of sebum/oil and avoiding the congestion of skin pores. Basically, these acne skin care products prevent the oil from getting trapped in pores and consequently impede the escalation of the bacteria that lead to acne. Broad-spectrum acne skin care products also include exfoliation products like skin peels. These work by removing dead skin cells, hence reducing the possibility of pore-blocking and bacteria development.

Then there are specialised acne skin care products that are available OTC i.e. without the requirement of a prescription. These embrace products like vanishing creams which remove the extra oil from the skin. Most of these acne skin care products are based on benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, both of which are the enemies of bacteria (and hence acne). You must start with a product that has a lower concentration of benzoyl peroxide (e.g. 5%) and see how your skin responds to it.

Alpha-hydroxy-acid based moisturizers are also common as acne skin care products. You may have to test a few, before you find the acne skin care product that is most successful for you. If nothing seems to work, you should get in touch with a dermatologist.

Prescription acne skin care items are the ones that are prescribed by a dermatologist. These include ointments that can be applied on the affected area or oral antibiotics or just any topical medication. A dermatologist may also suggest a minor surgical process to do away with the contents of pustules. However, never try to squeeze or do this by yourself, as it can lead to the permanent damage of your skin.

Your physician could also prescribe a hormone-based treatment (since hormonal changes are also known to cause acne). Such acne skin care items are known to be very efficacious in many circumstances. So, with all those acne skin care items, tackling acne is really not all that difficult.

Are you having problems treating acne scars? If you are or you would like to know more about acne, please go to our website entitled http://treating-acne-scars.com

Fungi Used as Remedies throughout History

October 30th, 2009

5,300 years ago, an injured and starving man from Val Venosta, Italy, fled across an Alpine glacier to escape pursuers. But his enemies caught up with him and with a practiced arrow-shot penetrated his shoulder blade and subclavian artery. Before long, he was dead from blood loss. “Oetzi the Iceman” was found mummified in 1991. On his person were pouches containing mushroom remedies, the oldest known proof in existence of medicinal mushrooms usage.

One of the mushrooms was Birch polypore – Piptoporus betulinus – which it is believed he used as a remedy against intestinal parasites. Eggs of the whipworm parasite (Trichuris trichiura) were found in his intestines. The other mushroom in the possession of Oetzi was Tinder fungus – Fomes fomentarius – which has been traditionally used in Europe to cauterize wounds and stop bleeding.

Both of these are polypores, so named because they have pores instead of gills underneath. No species of polypore is known to be poisonous. They usually grow on trees, dead or alive.

Few polypores are edible because they are hard and fibrous. But people in the Orient as well as the Occident have used them to treat a multitude of diseases for ages. Usually in the form of a tea that would be brewed and drunk; sometimes as a poultice placed on a wound or over an aching body part.

In North America, some Indian tribes used polypore extracts as remedies against smallpox and other illnesses that arrived with the Europeans. Birch polypore was among these. Other polypores used were Chaga (Inonotus obliquus), Reishi (Ganoderma resinaceum), Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor), and the now threatened species Agarikon (Fomitopsis officinalis).

Although nearly extinct today, Agarikon was once common in the old-growth forests of ancient Europe. Greek physician Dioscorides referred to Agarikon as a remedy for tuberculosis in Materia Medica, 65 B.C. It’s the earliest record of a medicinal mushroom in European literature. Two millennia later, the historic use of Agarikon in Poland was put down in writing in the article Medicinal mushrooms in Polish Folk Medicine by K. Grzywnowics. Again, it included lung conditions, as well as rheumatoid arthritis and infected wounds.

So far, we’ve only covered the history of medicinal mushrooms in Europe and America and have barely even touch upon their use in Asia, where their use has been even more exhaustive. At least three Asian species must be included in any article on the history of mushrooms.

First out is Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), sometimes nicknamed the “Mushroom of Immortality” due to its wide range of healing properties. Reishi was mentioned in Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic from around 2,000 years ago. Many ancient Oriental temples and wood-carvings include images of this highly revered “cure-all” fungus.

Next is Cordyceps, a minute fungus from the Tibetan plateau, parasitising on silk caterpillars. Cordyceps sinensis was first mentioned as a medicinal mushroom in The Classic Herbal of the Divine Plowman from 200 A.D. It is popular with athletes to improve physical stamina. Historically, it’s been used as an aphrodiciac.

Finally there is Shiitake, the number one gourmet mushroom of the Orient. Shiitake has been cultured in China for approximately 1,000 years as a food. What is less known is that it is also one of the most researched medicinal mushrooms in the world. A polysaccharide extracted from Shiitake is approved in Japan as an anti-cancer drug. Other qualities hinted at by research include antibiotic and immune enhancer.

Scientific research on medicinal mushrooms began in Japan in the late 1960’s. A ground-breaking study by Dr. Ikekawa found that mushroom growers and their families had lower cancer rates then the communities in which they lived. Today, medicinal research into mushrooms has expanded exponentially around the world and is still increasing. Medicinal mushrooms are still making history.

Note: The article is informational only. The FDA has not approved mushrooms for medicinal use. Always consult a licensed medical practitioner before using any product to treat an illness.

Dr. Rafael has worked in the natural health field since the mid-90’s as a researcher and author, now specializing in fungi for health. Click medicinal mushrooms for mushroom articles and products. The material for this article comes from several different sources. However, a large portion comes from the literature of medicinal fungi expert Paul Stamets, who deserves special credit and thanks.

Agarikon – Tree Fungus Tested at Army Lab

October 19th, 2009

In an interview on National Public Radio, world-renown medicinal mushroom expert Paul Stamets recounts his discovery of the healing properties of agarikon, a mushroom growing on 500-year-old trees in the old growth rainforests of the northwestern United States.

Scientists have known for some time that mushrooms are not plants. Far from it. They are more closely related to animals and humans then they are to the vegetables we eat. Because of that, they are often at risk from the same bacteria and other “bugs” that cause diseases in humans. Being well aware of this fact, Stamets asked himself how agarikon – a perennial mushroom living for up to 50 years – managed to fight off diseases so well in the perpetually wet rainforests. It must possess a potent immune system, he concluded, with potential anti-bacterial and anti-viral compounds that may act as antibiotics for humans.

Agarikon in the wild looks somewhat like a beehive on the trunk of some of the giant, ancient trees of the old-growth forests of the American northwest. (See picture of Paul Stamets with one of these wood conks by clicking on the agarikon-link on this page.) Be aware that this is an endangered species, which should be left unharmed in the wild. But be sure to bring your digital camera so you can prove to your mushroom club friends that you saw it.

Using a proprietary extraction method on his organically cultivated agarikon, Stamets created an agarikon medicinal. He sent a sample of it to the Defense Department for testing within the BIO Shield Program, at a top security lab facility in Ft. Dietrich, Maryland. The BIO Shield Program is dedicated to finding remedies for use against bioterrorism threats and potential biological warfare agents, such as anthrax or smallpox.

Within this BIO Shield Program, tens of thousands of natural and manmade compounds have been tested for use against biological warfare pathogens. Drug discovery supervisor John Seacrest was happy to report on the radio show that the agarikon extract provided by Stamets had indeed been one of the few substances tested that had proved effective against smallpox related viruses.

In lieu of this discovery, Stamets has applied for a patent to a mushroom related anti-viral drug. One of his sponsors is Boston investor John Norris. As Mr. Norris so correctly points out, not everybody is willing or able to be vaccinated.

A former second in command at the FDA, Mr. Norris is hopeful that he and Paul Stamets will be able to sell hundreds of millions of doses of this agarikon extract to the American, German and British armies’ defense stock-piles.

However, that may still be a few years off. This new mushroom-based anti-viral drug must first go through many lab trials and then gain final approval by the FDA.

Note: This article is intended for informational purposes only. Never use any herb or mushroom medicinally except as advised by a licensed medical practitioner.

Reference: Banse, T., NPR Morning Edition, Smallpox Defense May Be Found in Mushrooms, August 4, 2005.

About author: Dr. Markho Rafael has worked in natural health since the mid-90’s, specializing in medicinal mushrooms. Click Agarikon Mushroom for picture of agarikon, mushroom products, free mushroom articles, or to request a unique copy of any mushroom article for your own web-site or magazine / ezine. Click Fomitopsis medicinal for scientific research references about agarikon.

categories: virus,herbal,herbs,supplements,nutrition,wellness,alternative medicine,healing,medicine,disease,self help,fitness,biology,nature

Acne Scars

October 16th, 2009

Acne scars are an awful memento of the having suffered pimples or even acne. They are intolerable because of their apparent permanence and their non-complimentary look. Generally speaking, acne scars are quite difficult to treat, but tissue regeneration is not unusual these days with all the fantastic technological developments.

Generally speaking, by acne scarring, we mean the healed lesions caused by an acne breakout. While most scarring is temporary and will probably disappear on its own in time, scarring from the more severe forms of acne can become permanent.

Acne scars may be prevented if the sufferer sees doctor when the acne scarring is in an early stage, especially if nodules or cysts accompany the red pustules on the skin’s surface. If the breakouts of acne have marked your skin, you will have to approach the problem from a different perspective, which most of the time involves surgery.

Laser resurfacing is one way of removing the damaged skin areas and stimulating the natural regrowth of the tissue underneath. The procedure requires only local anaesthesia and can last between a few minutes and an hour depending on the extent of the problem.

Fractional laser therapy is one of the most recent forms of eliminating acne scarring. It involves surgical intervention at deep skin layers. The treatment is better than both dermabrasion and laser resurfacing in terms of quality and has a very reduced healing period. Nevertheless, fractional laser therapy remains within the reach of only those few fortunate people, who can afford it, since it is the most expensive acne treatment available so far.

Sometimes, further sessions are necessary to improve the condition of the superficial layers of skin, before they can tackle the deep level treatment of the acne scar. The doctor may inject collagen into the scarring in order to raise the normal skin level or she/he may recommend micro-dermabrasion for the very same purpose. Trying to perform chemical peels for acne treatment at home is a bad idea given the risk of aggravating the condition by irritating the scars even further.

As for the forms of acne scars, they can be grouped by the way they look. Scarring can result because of an increase of tissue or due to a loss of tissue They both have an adverse impact on the way the face looks. Specialists’ evaluation of the nature of the scars is a very important factor in deciding on the adoption of one type of treatment or another.

Are you having trouble treating acne scarring? If you are or you would like to find out more about acne, please go to our website entitled http://treating-acne-scars.com

Reishi and Tumors

October 16th, 2009

Reishi extract is commonly used in Oriental Medicine as almost a cure-all. Both medical practitioners and regular people use it for things as innocent as stress and the common cold to more serious afflictions like asthma and cancer.

Working with cancer research at the Linus Pauling Institute of Science & Medicine is Dr. Fukumi Morishige, a strong proponent for the use of reishi in cancer treatment.

Below follows seven cases described by Dr. Morishige during a speech, later reprinted in the publication, Chinese Traditional Medicine Part III.

Growing up in Japan as Dr. Morishige did, it was impossible not to have heard of reishi. But he dismissed it as a mild herbal remedy to be used with limited results for non-terminal illnesses, not as a viable option for treating terminal conditions such as cancer. His curiosity arose when two of his cancer patients showed signs of remission, which they themselves claimed were due to their use of reishi.

The first was a 39-year-old female with lung cancer. Several hospitals had given her the same prognosis. The condition was too far progressed; there was nothing they could do to help her. She’d also been having secondary complications to the cancer in the form of edema of the chest cavity. But by the time she came to see Dr. Morishige six months later, those symptoms had completely disappeared. The patient herself insisted the improvement was due to 4 grams of reishi per day.

The second case was a young boy suffering from congenital liver cancer. At the age of 5, his attending physician determined that the condition was terminal and discontinued any further treatment. At 9 years of age, the boy’s parents brought him to see Dr. Morishige who could then find no remaining traces of the cancer. The parents explained to Dr. Morishige that they had been feeding their son reishi via a naso-gastric tube. It was at this point Dr. Morishige determined that reishi’s effect on cancer deserved further study.

Listed below are five of Dr. Morishige’s cases. Reishi and Vitamin C (for side effects) was used:

Case 1: A patient with a 5 cm (2 in.) brain tumor who had lost consciousness was placed on 6 gm of reishi per day in June of ‘86. By September, this 70-year-old-male patient had emerged from his comatose state. The reishi was decreased to 3 gm per day. Another three months later, December of 1986, scans showed diminishing size of the tumor. After it shrunk to 1 cm (0.4 in.), the hospital released the man to return home and live with his family.

Case 2: A patient with lung cancer, a 50-year-old female, was coughing up blood. Dr. Morishige put her on a daily dose of 6 gm of reishi. In six months, the tumor vanished. The woman, among other things, had regained her ability to climb stairs without suffering shortness of breath.

Case 3: Patient with breast cancer that had spread to the bones was in unbearable pain and immobilized below the head. An initial dose of 9 grams of reishi daily was increased to 20 grams per day. Two months later, the woman was pain free and released after demonstrating improvement in her ability to walk.

Case 4: A man with rectal cancer metastasized to the liver was placed on 6 grams per day of reishi. Six months later, CT scans revealed that the tumor had shrunk. The patient showed improved health.

Case 5: A 60-year-old male diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer with a short remaining life expectancy began 9 gm/day of reishi orally, in combination with 30 gm/day of Vitamin C intravenously. One year later, he was completely symptom free and back to work. He continued using 5 gm/day of reishi after being released from the hospital.

Note: This article is provided for scientific and informational purposes only. This product has not been tested by the FDA and should not be used for self-treatment of tumors. Never use any herb for medicinal purposes without consulting a licensed medical doctor.

Reference: Morishige, Fukumi, 1987. Chinese Traditional Medicine Part III, Page 12 – 23, ISBN4-88580-053-6 C-0077

About the author: Markho Rafael has worked in natural health since the mid-90’s, specializing in medicinal mushrooms such as Reishi and Cordyceps sinensis. Click FungiPerfecti Reishi Extract for additional free articles about reishi and how it works individually or synergistically such as in Stamets 7. You may also request free unique articles for your web-site or other publication.

Reishi Extract – A Traditional Chinese Herbal Remedy

October 15th, 2009

Reishi extract is commonly used in Oriental Medicine as almost a cure-all. Both medical practitioners and regular people use it for things as innocent as stress and the common cold to more serious afflictions like asthma and cancer.

One of the strongest proponents for the use of reishi as a medicinal mushroom is Dr. Fukumi Morishige. He works with the Linus Pauling Institute of Science & Medicine on treating cancer with reishi.

Below follows seven cases described by Dr. Morishige during a speech, later reprinted in the publication, Chinese Traditional Medicine Part III.

Being a native of Japan, Dr. Morishige was familiar with reishi before becoming aware of its potential in cancer treatment. But his attitude was essentially the same as any other trained medical professional. He believed it might have some marginal effect on certain non-terminal conditions but dismissed any claims regarding cancer as exaggerated. That is, until two of his cancer patients related their stories of using reishi to self-remediate their conditions.

First was a 39-year-old woman with lung carcinoma. The hospitals she had visited all told her she was too far gone and there was nothing they could do to help her. As a serious secondary complication, she also exhibited chest cavity edema. None-the-less, by the time she had her first appointment with Dr. Morishige, the symptoms of her illness had disappeared. The woman credited her recovery to the use of reishi, which her husband had administered to her at 4 grams per day.

Next was a young boy with congenital liver cancer. At five years of age, his doctor had told his parents the cancer was terminal and subsequently discontinued treatment. Four years later, the parents took their son to see Dr. Morishige, who was no longer able to find any traces of the cancer. The boy’s parents told Dr. Morishige they’d been administering reishi to their son via his naso-gastric feeding tube. It was after this that Dr. Morishige decided to take a closer look at reishi’s effect on cancer.

The following are five of his case studies using reishi and Vitamin C (for prevention of side effects):

Case 1: A male patient, 70 years of age, had lost consciousness from a 5 cm brain tumor. Dr. Morishige put him on 6 grams of reishi daily beginning June, 1986. By September, he’d come out of his coma, after which he continued taking 3 grams of reishi per day. Six months later, brain scans revealed that the tumor had shrunk. When it had diminished to 1 cm (0.4 in.), the man left the hospital to go home and live with his family.

Case 2: A 50+ female with metastatic lung cancer and hemoptysis (coughing up blood) began a regimen of 6 gm/day of reishi. Six months later, the tumor had disappeared. And whereas before she had experienced severe shortness of breath, she could now effortlessly climb stairs.

Case 3: Patient with breast cancer that had spread to the bones was in unbearable pain and immobilized below the head. An initial dose of 9 grams of reishi daily was increased to 20 grams per day. Two months later, the woman was pain free and released after demonstrating improvement in her ability to walk.

Case 4: A patient with rectal cancer, which had metastasized to the liver, was administered 6 gm/day of reishi. CT scans taken 6 months later showed tumor shrinkage and patient reported feeling better.

Case 5: A male patient aged 60 was diagnosed as having terminal pancreatic cancer and short life expectancy. Dr. Morishige placed him on 9 gm/day of reishi plus 30 gm/day of Vitamin C. A year later, the man was free of any symptoms and back working. After leaving the hospital, he continued taking 5 gm of reishi per day.

Note: This article is provided for scientific and informational purposes only. This product has not been tested by the FDA and should not be used for self-treatment of tumors. Never use any herb for medicinal purposes without consulting a licensed medical doctor.

Reference: Morishige, Fukumi, 1987. Chinese Traditional Medicine Part III, Page 12 – 23, ISBN4-88580-053-6 C-0077

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Acne is Not Spots

October 10th, 2009

There are several different kinds of acne, depending on how or why the acne started. Some of the types of acne are: acne conglobata (chronic boils); acne fulminans (an extreme form of conglobata); acne cosmetica (caused by cosmetics); acne keloidalis nuchae (from shaving); acne medicamentosa (caused by starting or stopping a medication); acne rosacea (redness on the face); baby acne; hormonal acne; cloracne and the common variety: acne vulgaris (better known as ‘puberty spots’). We will concentrate on acne vulgaris.

Acne vulgaris can be defined as: ‘an inflammatory disease of the skin, caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland). Acne lesions are commonly referred to as pimples, spots or zits’ (from Wikipedia).

Acne is most often found in white Western teens, although it does occur in every country in the world, so there could be a genetic weakness to it. It is possible that it may be an abnormal reaction to quite normal levels of testosterone. For most afflicted, outbreaks of acne last only until adulthood, probably only a few years or at the most ten. For other people, however, it can be a life-long problem. It most often affects the face, upper-chest, upper-arms and back. However, an occasional spot does not constitute acne.

Acne vulgaris appears in various forms, which include: whiteheads, caused by pores which are totally blocked, trapping sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead skin cells, causing a white spot on the top; blackheads, resulting from pores which are only partially blocked, allowing some of the trapped sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells to slowly drain to the surface (the black colour is not a result of dirt, but is a reaction of the skin’s own pigment, called melanin, with the oxygen in the air); papules, which are inflamed, red, tender bumps with no head and pustules, which are similar to whiteheads, but are inflamed, and look like red circles with a white or yellow centre.

Whiteheads do not usually last long; blackheads do last a long time and pustules are what people call spots. Severe acne vulgaris is distinguished by nodules and cysts. A ‘nodule’ is a much larger and more painful type of pustule and can sometimes last for months. Nodules are large, hard bumps under the skin’s surface. They frequently result in scarring and should never be squeezed, which could cause them to last for months longer still.

A ‘cyst’ can look like a nodule, but it is full of pus and has been described as having a diameter of at least 5mm and, again, can leave scars and cause pain. Squeezing an acne cyst may cause a more severe infection and more acute inflammation which can last quite a lot longer than if it had not been squeezed. Skin experts have methods of reducing the swelling and avoiding scarring with both nodules and cysts. It is just not true that acne sufferers are not careful about washing.

In fact, over washing can exacerbate acne. There are many, many useless ‘cures’ on the market and many, many old wives’ tales, but any good dermatologist would tell you that there is no known cure for acne and that the patient should follow a religious regimen of cleaning until the acne just ‘goes away’ of its own accord.

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See Weight Loss Advice Today

October 5th, 2009

These days obesity and being overweight has reached wide-ranging proportions. It is no doubt that so many people want to lose weight. There are many reasons to lose weight from the visual reasons, like looking good to attract a mate or to fit in those wonderful pants to what is almost certainly the most critical reason and that is for excellent health.

Dissimilar bodies hoard fat in a different way. A person who stores all of the surplus fat in their thighs and butt has separate problems than a person who stores all of their extra fat in the core or the abdominal area. When you carry your fat in your thighs and butt you are shaped like a pear and when you carry your excess fat in your abdominal region you are shaped like an apple. The way that you carry your fat has a great impact on your health.

Women who are pear-shaped and carry all of their additional weight in their butt and thighs have a health benefit over the women who are apple shaped. They may battle more with finding the clothes that fit and they may still have body image issues but they do not have the health troubles that bother the apple-shaped women. The fat that accumulates on your butt and your thighs is not necessarily a health concern.

The fat that accumulates around the belly region puts the person at hazard for things like heart disease and cardiovascular problems, diabetes and other health risks. The problem is that the fat in the belly section collects around the internal organs. This prevents the organs from performing optimally. If you are pear-shaped you escape this quandary because there are no internal organs in your butt and thighs.

To establish if you are an apple or a pear, you must calculate your waist-hip ratio. Divide your waist in inches by your hips in inches and if the result is o.8 or less you are considered to be a pear. If the result is more than 0.8 then you are an apple shape. For example a 28 inch waist divided by a 38 inch hip is 0.73 a pear, while a 32 inch waist divided by the same 38 inch hip is 0.84 or an apple.

A pear may have body image issues and she may fight with her body type but she is not really facing crucial health risks, which is not the case for an apple-shaped individual. If you are apple-shaped it is much more vital that you drop the weight. Try increasing your cardio exercises and focus on consuming a fiber-rich diet with more fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes and lean protein sources such as fish and skinless chicken.

When it comes to weight loss an apple shaped individual does have an advantage because weight that accumulates in the abdominal section comes off quicker than the fat that accumulates in the butt and thighs. Butt and thigh fat is quite stubborn and it will take much more effort to get it to finally come off.

The type of body that you have is not something that you can control but you can do whatever is necessary to lose the excess fat or even better, of course, is to not gain it in the first place.

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