All for your health stories.

Healthy Hair Vitamins

2013-03-09T06:00:00.001-08:00

There a number of different specific Hair Vitamins and minerals that can play a major role in helping a person have a Healthy head of Hair. If a person does not have sufficient Hair Vitamins then the deficiencies can lead to thinning Hair or even total baldness in the most severe cases. The fact is that the state of a person’s Hair reflects the overall condition of their body. Extra Hair Vitamins are likely to be needed if a person is generally unwell or is undernourished as their Hair will show damage too and may even stop growing. Some of the most important Hair Vitamins that a person needs to have Healthy Hair include B6, biotin, inositol and folic acid. The best way to ensure that a person receives enough of these essential Hair Vitamins are for them to be taken as vitamin supplements. It is not just Hair Vitamins that are necessary for Healthy Hair though as there are a number of minerals that are essential, including magnesium, sulphur, silica and zinc. The most essential Hair vitamin is vitamin a but the best form of this is to include in the diet is beta-carotene. This is because the Hair vitamin A can be toxic if consumed in large quantities but beta-carotene has no such problems and is converted by the body into vitamin A that can be used to promote Healthy Hair. Of course, vitamin A is not just a Hair vitamin, it is also needed for a number of other functions including normal growth of bones, skin, nails and the protective sheath surrounding nerve fibres. Protein is another essential Hair vitamin. This is because Hair itself is essentially protein. The amount of this Hair vitamin that a person consumes in their diet can affect the Hair directly. If a lot of protein is included in a person’s diet then this Hair vitamin will lead to improved Hair growth and a far fuller head of Hair. However, a person who has a diet that is lacking in this Hair vitamin will suffer from thinning Hair and slow Hair growth. Of course, it is not just Hair Vitamins and minerals that are needed to ensure that a person has Healthy, strong Hair. There are a number of researchers who have found that there are direct links between the overall health of a person and the condition of their Hair. If a person is under a lot of stress or suffers from a lack of sleep then their Hair is also likely to suffer and it is likely that their diet will not provide enough Hair Vitamins to counter these effects. Hair vitamin and mineral supplements can be the solution to weak and damaged Hair.

Greatest Vitamin Sources

2013-02-16T06:36:00.000-08:00

Greatest Vitamin Sources

There is a lot of debate as to what the greatest vitamin actually is. Each vitamin has its own essential functions that contribute to a person’s general health and well-being. It is impossible to actually state that one of these is the greatest vitamin. However there are a number of foods that provide the greatest vitamin quantities.

The greatest vitamin sources vary for each vitamin. It is important to have a balanced diet to ensure that the required amounts of each vitamin are obtained. However, it may be useful to list the greatest vitamin sources for each vitamin to be used as a guide.

* Greatest vitamin A sources are milk, eggs, butter, yellow fruits & vegetables, dark green fruits & vegetables, liver

* Greatest vitamin B1 sources are brewer’s yeast, whole grains, blackstrap molasses, brown rice, organ meats, egg yolk

* Greatest vitamin B2 sources are brewer’s yeast, whole grains, legumes, nuts, organ meats, blackstrap molasses

* Greatest vitamin B3 sources are lean meats, poultry & fish, brewer’s yeast, peanuts, milk, rice bran, potatoes

* Greatest vitamin B4 sources are egg yolks, organ meats, brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, soybeans, fish, legumes

* Greatest vitamin B5 sources are organ meats, egg yolks, legumes, whole grains, wheat germ, salmon, brewer’s yeast

* Greatest vitamin B6 sources are meats, whole grains, organ meats brewer’s yeast, blackstrap molasses, wheat germ

* Greatest vitamin B7 sources are egg yolks, liver, unpolished rice, brewer’s yeast, sardines, legumes, whole grains

* Greatest vitamin B8 sources are who1e grains, citrus fruits, molasses, meat, milk, nuts, vegetables, brewer’s yeast

* Greatest vitamin B9 sources are dark-green leafy vegetables, organ meats, root vegetables, oysters, salmon, milk

* Greatest vitamin B12 sources are organ meats, fish, pork, eggs, cheese, milk, lamb, bananas, kelp, peanuts

* Greatest vitamin B13 sources are root vegetables, liquid whey

* Greatest vitamin B15 sources are brewer’s yeast, rare steaks, brown rice, sunflower, pumpkin & sesame seeds

* Greatest vitamin B17 sources are whole kernels of apricots, apples, cherries, peaches, plums

* Greatest vitamin C sources are citrus, cabbage family, chilli peppers, berries, melons, asparagus, rose hips

* Greatest vitamin D sources are salmon, sardines, herring, milk, egg yolk, organ meats, sprouted seeds, sunflower seeds

* Greatest vitamin E sources are cold-pressed oils, eggs, wheat germ, organ meats, molasses, sweet potatoes, nuts

* Greatest vitamin F sources are vegetable oils, butter, sunflower seeds

* Greatest vitamin K sources are green leafy vegetables, egg yolks, safflower oil, blackstrap molasses, cauliflower

* Greatest vitamin Q sources are pinto beans, legumes, soybeans

* Greatest vitamin T sources are sesame seeds, raw seeds, butter, egg yolk

* Greatest vitamin V sources are raw cabbage, sauerkraut, leafy vegetables

Good Food Health Vitamin Intake

2013-02-14T06:31:00.001-08:00

It is essential that a person is aware of what constitutes good food health vitamin intake. The federal drug administration produces a recommended daily allowance for the majority of vitamins which it regards as a good food health vitamin intake. These figures vary according to a person’s age, sex and some other factors so that the good food health vitamin intake for a young woman is going to be different to that of a man in his seventies.

The food health vitamin intake amounts of certain foods are included in the nutritional labelling. This labelling is important for a person to consider and helps ensure that they are receiving the correct food health vitamin intake from the foods that they eat. The nutritional information is often represented as a percentage of the recommended daily allowance of each vitamin and mineral and can help assess the value of the foods in the quest for good food health vitamin intake.

There are also a number of items that a person may want to restrict in their diet as part of their good food health vitamin intake. Again, the nutritional labelling of certain foods can help a person to see how high a product is in these undesirable contents. Salt and fat, for example, may be items that a person wants to consider limiting as part of their good food health vitamin intake even though they are not strictly vitamins. The majority of people actually refer to nutrients when they use the word vitamin and food manufacturers are aware that a person is looking at minerals and other items when they are considering their good food health vitamin intake. Fiber is another element that many people are more aware of as forming an essential part of a balanced diet and is necessary for good food health vitamin intake.

If a person is on a restricted diet for any reason then they need to pay even more attention to their good food health vitamin intake. Obviously, some foods contain different nutrients to others and this is applicable to vitamins as well and it may be more difficult for a person to achieve their good food health vitamin intake if they are unable to eat certain foods. Vitamin supplements can form an essential part of a good food health vitamin intake for people who are unable to obtain their vitamins from their normal diet. It is also worth remembering that the good food health vitamin intake for a person varies throughout their life depending on their general health.

A Guide to the E Vitamin

2013-02-14T06:29:00.002-08:00

The e vitamin is extremely important for a variety of functions in the body. A healthy heart needs plenty of the e vitamin as it has been shown to actually prevent heart disease. The e vitamin can also help contain any existing heart disease and stop it from getting worse. E vitamin is also vital in protecting the cell membranes from the harmful free radicals that are present in the body. Without e vitamin, amongst others, the cell membranes would be damaged and this could lead to serious health problems, including cancer. The reason that the e vitamin is so effective against free radicals is that it is fat soluble so it can be absorbed into the cell membranes. The e vitamin is therefore essential for the immune system. The recommended daily amount of the e vitamin that a person requires depends on their body weight. This is connected to the fact that the more fat a diet contains then the more of the e vitamin that is needed. However, the only foods that really contain any reasonable amount of the e vitamin are vegetable oils, seeds, wheat germ, and nuts. It is for this reason that most people should take some form of e vitamin supplement. A deficiency of the e vitamin does not affect a person immediately. In fact, it can take months for the effects of insufficient e vitamin to be detected. After years of e vitamin deficiency there may e some detectable damage to the nerves of the spinal cord or retina of the eye but this is very rare. Most people obtain enough e vitamin from a normal diet but it is essential that the food that a person eats contains a little fat to help with the absorption of the e vitamin. There are a few medical conditions that may lead to a deficiency of the e vitamin and may require the person to take e vitamin supplements. Cystic fibrosis causes a person to be unable to digest fats well which leads to less of the e vitamin being absorbed. Crohn’s disease causes to lower absorption rates of the e vitamin and a supplement may be necessary. Some forms of liver disease can also lead to problems absorbing the e vitamin, especially through the intestine. Of course, as fat is required to help absorb sufficient amounts of the e vitamin, anyone on an extremely low-fat diet will need to discuss their options for increasing the amount of e vitamin that their body needs.

Buying Discount Vitamins

2013-02-14T06:28:00.000-08:00

There are a number of ways that you can find discount vitamins. The most common is to wait until your favourite vitamin store has a sale but this can be a rather difficult way to get a discount vitamin. The problem is mainly due to the discount time. Most discount vitamin offers only have a limited amount of stock available and it is a case of first-come, first-served. The other issue with trying to get these discount vitamin offers is that they are strictly time limited and again, you may miss out unless you find out about the sale in advance. A large number of stores produce coupons that offer discount vitamin purchases. These coupons are often distributed in newspapers and magazines – the Sunday newspapers are so full of coupons that it may be time-consuming looking for the discount vitamin offers but it is worth the effort. You may find that some of these coupons do not give an instant discount vitamin purchase but you can claim the appropriate money back through a rebate system. Beware that some of these rebated discount vitamin offers require you to purchase additional equipment or accessories to qualify for them. One extremely good source for discount vitamin offers is to actually look for bulk purchases. This is an extremely underestimated resource as many people do not actually understand what a bulk purchase discount vitamin really is. In all honesty you are likely to get a better discount vitamin offer if you opt for a bulk purchase from your local outlet. This is because the bulk purchases offer the best discount vitamin prices possible. This is especially the case for vitamins that you may want to take on an ongoing basis. Vitamin C, for example, is a great choice to buy in bulk and obtain a discount vitamin price. It is extremely important, however, to ensure that the bulk discount vitamin purchases do not include vitamins that may have an expiration date that could be exceeded before they are all consumed. Do not be tempted to purchase bulk amounts of vitamins simply to obtain a discount vitamin price unless you are sure that you can consume all of the vitamins within the expiration dates given. One of the major mistakes that people make when looking for a discount vitamin is to overlook the expiration date. There may not be any danger if the discount vitamins are a few days past their sell by date but it is not worth the risk just to save a few pennies.

A Guide to the D Vitamin

2013-02-14T06:25:00.000-08:00

The D vitamin is the only vitamin that is not obtained from foods that are consumed. Instead, the D vitamin is actually obtained by sunlight on the skin. There has been a lot of media coverage about the dangers of getting too much sun but it is essential that the skin is exposed to sunlight to obtain the recommended daily allowance of the D vitamin. In reality, the amount of time that a person has to spend in the sun to receive a sufficient dose of the D vitamin is extremely small and just a few minutes a day will be sufficient and not have any adverse effects from the amount of ultra-violet light received. The most important function of the D vitamin is to help control how much calcium is absorbed from food. The majority of the calcium is used to build strong teeth and bones but it is also needed to send messages along the nerves and to help muscles, such as the heart muscles, to contract. It is the D vitamin that ensures that there is always sufficient calcium in the blood to perform these tasks. Other functions that require the D vitamin relate to the immune system and it is believed that it is also a contributing factor in reducing the risk of contracting cancer and, in particular, colon cancer. The variant of the D vitamin that is formed under the skin is known as vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol. This D vitamin is created when the ultraviolet in the sunlight reacts with a type of cholesterol that is found under the skin naturally. The D3 is converted into a more active form of the d vitamin in the liver and is then diverted to where it is needed the most. Some of the D vitamin remains in the liver and kidneys to help reabsorb the calcium from the blood. The rest of the D vitamin is dispersed to the bones to help them retain their calcium and the intestines to aid absorption of calcium from food. Even though the majority of the D vitamin is formed through the exposure of the skin to sunlight there are some foods that do contain some of the vitamin naturally. This form of the D vitamin is known as vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol. This is used in the same way as the other D vitamins and is the type used to create the majority of D vitamin supplements.

A Guide to the C Vitamin

2013-02-06T06:34:00.003-08:00

The C Vitamin has got to be the most widely known vitamin these days. It is not surprising because the body needs C Vitamin for over 300 functions. In fact, the C Vitamin has been proved to help protect against heart disease, cancer and other serious illnesses. Without the C Vitamin the body would not be able to heal itself either. This is because the C Vitamin is vital for the formation of collagen. Whenever a person has a cut or an injury it is the collagen that helps repair the damage and without sufficient C Vitamin this would be almost impossible. Collagen has a multitude of functions in the body, including keeping the organs in place, and it would not be able to do this without sufficient C Vitamin. The C Vitamin is also an antioxidant for the body and helps other vitamins and minerals to be absorbed better. Folic acid and iron, for example, need the C Vitamin to maximise their usefulness. The more C Vitamin that the body has, the better its defence against colds and other common ailments and the C Vitamin may not prevent a person catching a virus but it does help speed up the recovery process. There is C Vitamin in almost every fruit and vegetable but some have far higher C Vitamin content than others. Cranberries and melons have high C Vitamin content. In fact, tropical fruits have the highest C Vitamin amounts of all fruit. Hot peppers are amongst the richest sources of the C Vitamin when it comes to vegetables. The hotter the pepper, the higher its C Vitamin content is. Unfortunately, the C Vitamin is water soluble so many vegetables lose their effectiveness as a C Vitamin provider if they are boiled for a long time. Steaming or quick stir frying vegetables ensures that more of their C Vitamin content is retained. The recommended daily amount of the C Vitamin is easily obtained from eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day if they are consumed raw or cooked quickly. C Vitamin supplements are extremely useful to ensure that people obtain sufficient C Vitamin. However, with a balanced diet the amount of C Vitamin the body receives is likely to be sufficient. However, if a person begins feeling tired or lethargic then a C Vitamin supplement will help overcome this. There is no danger of having too much C Vitamin as the body simply excretes the excess.

B12 Vitamin Basics

2013-02-06T06:31:00.000-08:00

The B12 Vitamin is just one of the essential b vitamins that are needed to maintain a healthy body and mind. Cobalamin is the alternative name for the 12b vitamin. The body needs the B12 Vitamin for a number of different processes including converting the fats, carbohydrates and proteins from all food that is consumed into energy. One of the most important processes that the b12 is essential for is to create healthy red blood cells. The prevention of heart disease relies on the production of healthy blood cells and therefore the B12 Vitamin is vital. The B12 Vitamin is also vital for keeping the immune system functioning at its maximum efficiency. Not only this, but the B12 Vitamin also works to form the protective covering of all the nerve cells in the body. The production of red blood cells is not the only type of cells that the B12 Vitamin is essential for. In fact, all of the cells in the body require the B12 Vitamin, including white blood cells and nerve cells. The white blood cells are an important part of the immune system and without the b2 vitamin the effectiveness of the immunity of the body to germs and viruses is heavily reduced. The nerve cells need the B12 Vitamin to create the fatty layer that will protect them from damage. The brain cells are particularly open to disease and damage if there is not enough B12 Vitamin present to form this protective layer. Even though the B12 Vitamin is involved in so many essential processes the actual recommended daily amount that a body needs is quite small. The fact is that the majority of people consume much more of the B12 Vitamin than their body actually requires. The only issue is that the body cannot absorb the B12 Vitamin very easily and has to create its own aid to the process. The intrinsic factor that the body produces helps the body to absorb the B12 Vitamin that it needs from food but this still amounts to only half of the total B12 Vitamin available. A deficiency in the b12 is extremely rare in most people and is made even less likely because the body can recycle the B12 Vitamin that it already has absorbed. A few groups of people may develop anaemia due to a lack of B12 Vitamin in their diet. Young children often have a problem getting enough of the B12 Vitamin because they may be extremely fussy eaters and it is important to encourage them to eat as wide a variety of foods as possible. This is not only the case with the B12 Vitamin but is true for all essential vitamins and minerals.

A Guide to the B6 Vitamin

2013-02-06T06:28:00.001-08:00

The B6 Vitamin, also known as pyridoxine, is one of the most versatile of the B vitamins and yet the body only requires a relatively small amount. The B6 Vitamin works closely with all the other B vitamins, especially niacin, folic acid, and Cobalamin and contributes to numerous functions in the body. Amino acids are converted by the B6 Vitamin into proteins and it is also required for transforming stored sugar within the body into essential energy. Basically, the B6 Vitamin is essential for converting the proteins that are consumed into proteins that the body needs and also for converting the carbohydrates from the form that they are stored in the body to a form that can be used for extra energy. The body requires a number of different proteins and it is the B6 Vitamin that ensures that the correct forms are available. For example, the B6 Vitamin will create haemoglobin for carrying oxygen in the blood cells, hormones for regulating blood pressure, neurotransmitters and various enzymes. The recommended daily allowance for the B6 Vitamin is only around 2.0mg but this seemingly insignificant amount is used extremely efficiently within the body to produce over sixty different enzymes. The best sources of the B6 Vitamin are high-protein foods such as eggs, fish, poultry, and meat and it is also added to breakfast cereals and bread to ensure that everyone is able to consume their recommended daily allowance, even if they do not eat meat products. An additional amount of the B6 Vitamin may be beneficial for the heart and immune system. B6 Vitamin supplements are sometimes required by asthmatics and diabetics. However, it is important to be aware that large doses of the B6 Vitamin can be toxic. As the B6 Vitamin is found in many common foods the majority of people receive sufficient amounts of the vitamin from their normal diet. There are some groups that may need to take a B6 Vitamin supplement to ensure that they obtain the recommended daily allowance. For example, pregnant or breastfeeding women will need a slightly higher amount of the B6 Vitamin to allow for the amount of the vitamin that is being absorbed by the baby although it is possible to obtain the extra B6 Vitamin from an increased consumption of high-protein foods. Strict vegetarians or vegans, however, and children who do not eat animal products may need a B6 Vitamin supplement as vegetables and fruits are poor sources of the B6 Vitamin.

An Overview of the B5 Vitamin

2013-02-04T05:54:00.000-08:00

The B5 Vitamin is also known as Pantothenic Acid. The B5 Vitamin is the most prolific of all the Vitamins and is found in every type of food. In fact, it is impossible for a person to consume less B5 Vitamin than they need. That means that there is no little possibility that a person can have a B5 Vitamin deficiency. For this reason, there is actually no recommended daily amount that health professionals can state as everyone obtains more than enough from their normal food consumption. However, even though there is no need to calculate a recommended daily allowance it does not mean that the B5 Vitamin is not vital for a healthy body and mind. In fact, the B5 Vitamin is essential for turning food into energy amongst other functions. The B5 Vitamin is responsible for taking the fats and carbohydrates into energy. Some B5 Vitamin can be found in almost every food whether it is animal or vegetable. Obviously there are some sources of the B5 Vitamin that are better than others but a balanced diet will provide more than enough. The foods with the highest B5 Vitamin content are organ meats, salmon, eggs, beans, milk, and whole grains. It is worth noting that the B5 Vitamin is lost when grains are milled into flour and tends not to beaded back in. Therefore, processed grain foods such as bread, pasta, rice, breakfast cereal, and baked goods are not good sources of the B5 Vitamin. The B5 Vitamin is the most effective when it is combined with other B Vitamins especially thiamin or B1, riboflavin or B2, niacin or B3, pyridoxine or B6, and biotin. Along with these other B Vitamins, the B5 Vitamin is an integral part in a number of processes. The most important of these is the production of energy from food that is consumed and this is known as the Kreb’s cycle. The B5 Vitamin is also required for releasing energy from fats. Interestingly, the B5 Vitamin is also considered to be helpful in reducing stress. This is chiefly due to the fact that during periods of stress, the body produces more of certain hormones such as adrenalin and these require the B5 Vitamin. There are many theories as to the benefits of the B5 Vitamin but there is no need for the majority of people to actively seek out foods that are high in B5 as they are likely to be consuming far more than is needed already. There are no adverse effects to consuming too much B5 Vitamin.

The Different Types of B Vitamins

2013-02-04T05:45:00.002-08:00

There are a large number of B Vitamins that are needed to keep all of the body functions performing properly. All of the B Vitamins are essential for a number of Different processes. Without sufficient B Vitamins the blood supply would not be healthy and this leads to a variety of illnesses and diseases. The brain needs B Vitamins to function correctly and the heart also needs B Vitamins to stay healthy and prevent heart disease and food is broken down into the various nutrients by B Vitamins. In fact, just about every organ and process within the body requires at least one form of the B vitamin. Thiamin, or B1, is the B vitamin that the body needs to keep all of its cells, especially the nerves, functioning correctly. It is especially important for memory and general mental health and is one of the B Vitamins that is required to convert food into energy. Riboflavin, or B2, is the B vitamin that is essential for releasing the enrgy from food that has been consumed. Without this B vitamin the body cannot grow or develop properly as red blood cells will not be as healthy as they should be. Niacin, or B3, is the B vitamin that is involved in over fifty processes, ranging from detoxifying chemicals to making hormones and releasing energy from food. Pantothenic acid, or B5,works with several other B Vitamins for a number of essential processes including breaking down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates into energy and is also the B vitamin that is needed to form vitamin D, a variety of hormones, and red blood cells. Pyridoxine, or B6, is the B vitamin that is largely responsible for redistributing the amino acids to create over five thousand proteins that are needed by the body and is also one of the B Vitamins needed to form various enzymes. Biotin, or B7, is one of the B Vitamins that are involved in a number of processes within the body, including the breaking down of fats, carbohydrates and proteins into useable energy forms. Folic acid, or B9, is the essential B vitamin for aiding in cell growth and division, especially during pregnancy. This B vitamin is also necessary to make natural chemicals which control the appetite, moods and quality of sleep. It is also the best B vitamin for helping lower the chances of suffering a heart attack or stroke by keeping the arteries open. Cobalamin, or B12, is one of the B Vitamins that is important in the process of converting the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into energy. This B vitamin is also vital in forming the protective covering of nerve cells and to keep red blood cells healthy, and help prevent heart disease.

A Guide to the B Complex Vitamins

2013-02-04T05:43:00.000-08:00

There is a lot of discussion about the B Complex vitamin and how it is essential for the body to perform a multitude of functions. However, the B Complex vitamin is not simply one very complicated vitamin, as the name might suggest. There are actually eight B Vitamins that are in the B Complex vitamin as well as a few other related substances. The eight Vitamins that make up the B Complex vitamin are thiamine or vitamin B1, riboflavin or vitamin B2, niacin or vitamin B3, pyridoxine or vitamin B6, cobalamine or vitamin B12, folic acid, pantothenic acid and biotin. The other related substances that are also in the B Complex vitamin include choline, inositol and para-aminobenzoic acid. Every part of the B Complex vitamin performs its own individual function within the body but it is when they work together as the B Complex vitamin that they provide essential maintenance for the body to remain healthy. The B vitamin Complex comprises B Vitamins which are water soluble and it is essential that enough of these Vitamins are consumed on a daily basis. The body cannot store water soluble Vitamins such as the B Complex vitamin and this leads to a regular intake being required. The B Complex Vitamins are extremely beneficial for a number of conditions and may be needed in additional quantities at certain times in a person’s life. Of course, there is a recommended daily allowance for the B Complex Vitamins that varies according to the sex and age of a person. However, doctors and other health professionals have discovered the benefits of increasing the intake of the B Complex vitamin to help overcome certain illnesses. Many people suffer from anxiety and stress at one time or another and research has found that the B Complex vitamin can be beneficial in helping alleviate the symptoms of anxiety and stress. If a person has been unwell the B Complex vitamin can be extremely valuable in aiding the recovery process. Fatigue can be a symptom of a multitude of illnesses as well as simply overdoing things but the B Complex vitamin can help alleviate general tiredness and lethargy. Interestingly, some skin conditions, such as dermatitis, can also benefit from addition B Complex vitamin intake. In fact, a number of creams and other skin preparations contain added vitamin B Complex that can be absorbed by the skin to alleviate the condition. The condition of a person’s hair will also be greatly improved with sufficient B Complex vitamin intake.

The Importance of the 12 B vitamin

2013-02-04T05:40:00.002-08:00

The 12 b vitamin is one of the b vitamins that are essential to maintain a healthy body. Otherwise known as Cobalamin, the 12b vitamin is needed for the processes to convert the carbohydrates, fats and proteins from food into energy. 12 b also, more importantly, helps keep the red blood cells healthy and therefore prevent heart disease as well as keeping the immune system functioning at its maximum level. In addition, 12 b is used to create the protective covering of all nerve cells in the body. The most important function of 12 b is to form healthy red blood cells. However, all cells need 12 b to keep them healthy. It is the white blood cells, amongst others, that need 12 b to help ensure that the immune system functioning properly. All of the nerve cells in the body also need 12 b to form their protective fatty layer. This is essential for all of the nerves but is especially so for those in the brain. If there is not sufficient 12 b to create this protective layer then the brain will not be functioning properly. Interestingly, the amount of 12 b that the body needs is relatively small but is needed on a regular basis. However, 12 b on its own is not enough as the body cannot absorb it easily. To help the body absorb 12 b the stomach produces intrinsic factor which enables more of the 12 b to be absorbed. 12 b is only found in animal foods such as liver, eggs, fish and meat but most people consume far more than their recommended daily amount of 12 b. This is not a problem as the body can only absorb about half of the 12 b that is consumed. It is also worth noting that the body can recycle the 12 b which cuts down on the impact of a 12 b deficiency. However, strict vegetarians or vegans are likely to require 12 b supplements if they do not eat any animal products that contain 12 b. If the body does not have enough 12 b then anaemia is the most obvious symptom. Obviously, this is due to the fact that there is not enough 12 b to make healthy red blood cells. Anaemia can also be caused by the body not creating enough intrinsic factor to help absorb the 12 b that is available in the food consumed. The body tends to makes less intrinsic factor once a person reaches 50 and this will lead to less 12 b being absorbed and supplements of 12 b may be required. Kids are also at risk from anaemia because they may not eat the food that contain 12 b. Pregnant women need more 12 b because the baby is absorbing 12 b during the pregnancy to grow properly.

Which is the best skin care product?

2013-02-01T05:33:00.001-08:00

There is really nothing like a best skin care product. There really can’t be anything like ‘The best skin care product’, because skin care products work differently for different people (based on the skin type to some extent). A product that is the ‘best skin care product’ for one person might end up being the worst for another person. So, a more logical question to ask would be ‘What is the best skin care product for my type of skin?’. However, this still is not completely logical. We tend to segregate people into 4 groups based on their skin types – i.e. dry skin, oily skin, normal skin and sensitive skin. However, this classification is just too broad to be used definitively in determining the best skin care product. We can say ‘best skin care product for a dry skin’ or ‘best skin care product for an oily skin’ are better statements than just ‘best skin care product’. But really, that is what it is – ‘better’; still not accurate. So, it really comes to rephrasing the question to – ‘What is the best skin care product for me’. Yes, this is exactly the question that you should be asking, and unfortunately there is no easy answer for this. Arriving at the best skin care product for self will need some effort on your part. First of all, you need to understand how the skin care products work. This is simple. You can consider all skin care products to be composed of 2 types of ingredients – Active and inactive. The active ingredients are the ones that actually work on your skin. The inactive ones just help in delivering these active ingredients to your skin. Both the ingredients need to work for your skin, in order for the product to be effective (and move on to become the best skin care product for you). Besides the ingredients, the way you apply your skin care products is equally important. In fact, this is even more important. If you do not know how to apply skin care products, you might forever be hunting for the best skin care product for yourself, when that has already passed you. Moreover, it’s also important to decide on the frequency of application (of the skin care product). The environmental factors - temperature, humidity and pollution level, also affect the selection of best skin care product. Here are a few rules that you could use to ensure that your best skin care product is really the best for you: * Cleanse your skin before applying that best skin care product. * Use a makeup remover instead of plain water and remove your makeup before going to bed. * The effectiveness of active ingredients is reduced when applied over another product e.g. over moisturiser. So apply that best skin care product first and then apply a bit of moisturizer if needed. * Apply the products on moist and warm skin. * You will have to experiment with a few products before you arrive at the one that is the best skin care product for you. * Do not exfoliate too much or too hard. * Vary your skin care routine as per the seasons (winter/summer etc), changes in environmental factors and changes in your skin type Note that the best skin care product cannot be determined overnight. It’s only through experiment (and awareness) that you can find the ‘best skin care product’ (for you).

What is Natural skin care?

2013-02-01T05:31:00.001-08:00

Put simply, ‘Natural skin care’ is caring for your skin in a Natural and chemical-free way. ‘Natural skin care’ advocates enabling the skin to take care of itself (without any assistance from synthetic materials/ chemicals). ‘Natural skin care’ is about inculcation of good habits in the way you lead your day to day life. A lot of Natural skin care measures are actually the same as those for body care in general. So let’s see what these Natural skin care measures are. Well the first and the foremost Natural skin care measure is – ‘Drink a lot of water’. Around 8 glasses of water is a must everyday. Water helps in flushing out the toxins from the body, in a Natural way. It helps in the overall upkeep of the body and promotes good health for all organs (not just skin). General cleanliness is another inexpensive way of Natural skin care. Daily shower, wearing clean clothes and sleeping on a clean mattress/pillow are all part of general cleanliness. After all, clean skin is the key to keeping the skin disorders at bay. Regular exercise is the next thing on the cards. Exercise increases the flow of blood that helps in getting rid of body toxins and keeping you healthy. Exercise also helps in beating stress which is the worst enemy of good health. Healthy food and eating habits are also recommended for Natural skin care. Some type of food (e.g. oily food) is know to cause acne and should be avoided as much as possible. Your diet should be a healthy mix of various nutrient providing foods. Raw fruits and vegetables are known to provide freshness to your body and help in getting rid of body toxins. A good sleep is also instrumental in maintaining good health and in beating stress. As a Natural skin care measure, a good sleep delays slacking of skin. Beating stress is another Natural skin care therapy. Stress causes overall damage to body and health. Drinking a lot of water, getting a sound sleep and exercise has already been mentioned as stress busters. Indulging in a warm bubble bath, listening to music and playing your favourite sport are also good ways of beating stress. Yoga is yet another way of beating stress; it is fast gaining popularity amongst the masses. Avoiding excessive exposure to sun (by wearing long sleeved clothes, hat and umbrella etc), is another Natural skin care strategy. Sunscreen lotions are also recommended as necessary. A lot of traditional and home made Natural skin care products/ measures are also known to be very effective. Such measures are not only Natural and easy-to-follow, but also relatively inexpensive. Besides that, a lot of Natural skin care products are available in the commercial market. These include things like lavender oil, aloe vera etc., which don’t have any side effects.

Vitamin C skin care – The challenge

2013-02-01T05:29:00.000-08:00

Vitamin C is often regarded as a wrinkle fighter or an anti-aging agent. The main objective of ‘Vitamin C skin care’, in scientific terms, is to increase the synthesis of collagen (a structural protein that is found in skin). The additional benefit of ‘Vitamin C skin care’ is related to its capability of countering free radicals which cause damage to the skin. Vitamin C skin care, however, faces a major challenge today. This is related to the oxidation tendency of Vitamin C skin care products. On coming in contact with any oxidising agent (e.g. air), the Vitamin C in the Vitamin C skin care products, gets oxidised; thus making the Vitamin C skin care product useless (in fact counter-effective). The oxidised Vitamin C imparts a yellowish-brown colour to the Vitamin C skin care product. This is something that you need to check before buying a Vitamin C skin care product. Even after you buy a Vitamin C skin care product, you need to store it properly and keep checking that it’s still good to use (i.e. it hasn’t attained a yellowish-brown texture). The manufacturers of Vitamin C skin care products have tried to deal with this (oxidation) problem in multiple ways (and research on Vitamin C skin care products is on the top of their list). One such method of retaining effectiveness of Vitamin C skin care products for a long term is to keep a high concentration (say 10%) of Vitamin C. However, this makes the Vitamin C skin care products even more expensive. The Vitamin C skin care products are already pretty inexpensive and making them even more expensive will throw the product manufacturers out of business. The other way is to use Vitamin C derivatives (like ascorbyl palmitate and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate). These are not only more stable but also inexpensive. Even though the derivatives based products are not as effective as the Vitamin C skin care products, their stability against oxidation is a very desirable feature that makes them very attractive. Moreover, these are known to be less irritating too. Talking of effectiveness of Vitamin C skin care products, it’s important to mention that not everyone responds to Vitamin C treatments. So it’s not a magic potion in any way. If you don’t see a noticeable difference in your skin, it might be because of your skin not responding to Vitamin C treatment (and the Vitamin C skin care products might not be at fault, at all). As more research goes on, one can only keep our fingers crossed and wait for a complete solution to the challenges faced by ‘Vitamin C skin care’ today.

Top 10 skin care tips

2013-02-01T05:20:00.001-08:00

Healthy skin is really one of the most important ingredients for beauty-enhancement. This article on skin care tips is an effort to bring the 10 best skin care tips to you. The list of skin care tips has been restricted to 10 because anything more that that would not only be difficult to remember, but also shadow the more important skin care tips. So let’s see what these top ten skin care tips are: * Knowing your skin type is one of the most important skin care tip. This is important because not every skin care product suits everyone. In fact, all the skin care products specify the type of skin they cater too. * ‘Drink a lot of water’. This will not keep your skin moist but will help in overall upkeep of your health (and in turn your skin). It might seem a bit awkward to some, however, this is an important skin care tip. * Cleanse your skin regularly (1-2 times everyday). A very effective skin care tip that helps in getting rid of the dirt and other harsh elements from your skin. Cleansing is especially important when you have been out of your house (and hence exposed to pollutants, dust etc). This skin care tip also advocates the use of Luke warm water for cleansing (hot and cold water, both, cause damage to your skin) * Be gentle, after all it’s your skin. Don’t scrub/exfoliate too hard or too often. Similarly, don’t apply too much or too many skin care products. A must-to-follow skin care tip. * Keep your skin moist at all times. This is one of the most important skin care tip. Don’t let your skin get dry. Dryness causes the outer layer of your skin to break, leading to a rough and unattractive appearance. Use moisturisers/ emollients. Moisturisers work best when applied while the skin is still damp. * Avoid the use of soap on your face. Soap should only be used from below the neck. A small but important skin care tip. * Use sunscreen to protect yourself from sun’s harmful UV radiations. You can use day-time moisturisers that have sunscreen built into them. Use them even when it’s cloudy. UV radiations are known to cause skin cancer, so follow this skin care tip without fail. * A bit of exercise and good sleep are essential too, not just for skin care but for your health as a whole. Lack of sleep can lead to formation of wrinkles below your eyes and lack of exercise can cause your skin to slack. Moreover, exercise and sleep also help in beating stress. So besides being a skin care tip, this is also a health care tip. * Treat skin dilemmas with care. This skin care tip is about not ignoring any skin dilemmas. Consult your dermatologist before you go on to use a skin care product (lest you do end up harming your skin even more). * Beat the stress. The harmful effects of stress are known to everyone, however, sometimes stating the obvious is essential too (and hence this skin care tip found its place here). Yes, stress harms skin too. So, take a break or indulge in a warm bubble bath or just get good sleep.

Tips for make up and skin care

2013-01-29T06:42:00.000-08:00

‘make up and skin care’ is generally regarded as women’s forte. Men seldom indulge in ‘make up and skin care’. Many men do care for their skin but make up is really alien to most men. Treating make up and skin care as different topics wouldn’t make sense; after all, make up will work only if the skin is healthy. So how do you exercise make up and skin care, together? Here are some Tips for make up and skin care: * Always have skin care on mind, whether you are buying products for make up or actually applying them onto your skin after you have bought them. So what you are buying is a ‘make up and skin care’ product, not just a make up product. Check the ingredients to see if it contains things that you might be allergic to. Also check if it contains high concentration chemicals that can harm your skin. * ‘make up and skin care’ is also about testing the products before using them. So, apply the make up on a small patch of skin e.g. earlobes and check how your skin reacts to it. * Keep track of expiry date on your make up products and never use them beyond the expiry date. In fact some products (e.g. vitamin C based products), if not stored properly, get spoilt much earlier than the expiry date. * Cleanliness is an important part of make up and skin care procedure. Sharpen your eye-liners regularly and keep all your makeup equipment clean at all times. You might fix a date, each month, for overhauling of your equipment. As part of cleanliness, your make up and skin care procedure should also include keeping your hair clean at all times. * Nail care is another important aspect of make up and skin care. Use a good quality nail polish and always keep your nails clean. Once you are done with cleaning and polishing your nails, you should rub in cuticle oil at the edges of the nail. * If you have deep-set eyes, you should use a liquid eye liner instead of a pencil one. This will prevent smudging at the deep edges of your eye-lid. * If you have a skin disorder e.g. acne, you should not apply heavy or chemical based make up. Consult your dermatologist if you are not sure about the make up products that you can use while you have acne or other skin disorder. Never try to squeeze pimples/ acne. Remember that make up and skin care should not conflict each other. * Use a mild make up remover (instead of just washing it away). * Another important ‘make up and skin care’ procedure is the following golden rule: “Never sleep with your make up on” * While applying a deodorant, make sure that you maintain the recommended distance between the nozzle and your skin (as mentioned on the deodorant pack). So, make up and skin care should always go hand in hand. Do not try to treat make up and skin care differently.

The recipe for dry skin care

2013-01-17T06:26:00.002-08:00

dry skin cannot be ignored. dry skin leads to cracking of the upper layer of skin and gives it a real bad appearance. The main causes of dry skin include: dry climate, hormonal changes, too much exfoliation and treatment of other skin disorders. Moreover, dryness could be the inherent nature of one’s skin. Whatever be the cause, ‘dry skin care’ is very important (but not very difficult). ‘dry skin care’ starts with moisturisers, the most effective remedy for dry skin. Generally moisturisers are classified under 2 categories based on the way they provide ‘dry skin care’. The first category includes moisturisers that provide ‘dry skin care’ just by preserving the moisture within the skin e.g. Vaseline. These moisturisers are relatively inexpensive and are readily available (even at grocery shops). The second category includes moisturisers that work by drawing moisture from the environment and supplying it to the skin. This is a very effective way of ‘dry skin care’ in humid conditions. The moisturisers that provide ‘dry skin care’ in this way are also called humectants. For proper dry skin care, you must use a non-greasy type of moisturiser, as far as possible. Humectants fall in this category. The ingredients of humectants include propylene glycol, urea, glycerine, hyaluronic acid etc ‘dry skin care’ is not about just using moisturisers but also using them properly. The best ‘dry skin care procedure’ is to cleanse the skin before the application of moisturiser. You can make your ‘dry skin care’ even more effective by applying the moisturiser while the skin is still damp (after cleansing). Also, make sure that you use soap-free products (especially on your face, neck and arms). Exfoliation does help in dry skin care, by removing the dead skin cells. However, don’t exfoliate too hard. Your dry skin care procedures/products should also take care of sun protection. Avoid too much and too direct exposure to sun (simply by using an umbrella/hat etc). Use a good sunscreen lotion before going out. A lot of moisturisers provide sun protection too, along with dry skin care. You also have natural products for ‘dry skin care’ i.e. products that provide ‘dry skin care’ in a natural way (without the use of synthetic chemicals). These dry skin care products supply lipid enhancements to the skin, hence enabling moisture retention within the skin. Another, important thing for ‘dry skin care’ is the temperature of water you use for shower or for washing your face – Use warm water; too hot or too cold water can cause dryness too. ‘dry skin care’ is also about being gentle with your skin. You should avoid harsh detergents and alcohol based cleansers. Also, after a face wash, do not rub your towel on your face, just pat gently to soak the water off.

The facts about Oily skin care

2013-01-17T06:18:00.001-08:00

To start the discussion on Oily skin care, it’s imperative to first understand the cause behind Oily skin. Put simply, Oily skin is a result of excessive production of sebum (an Oily substance that is naturally produced by skin). As is known to everyone, excess of everything is bad; so excessive sebum is bad too. It leads to clogging of skin pores, resulting in accumulation of dead cells and hence formation of pimples/acne. Moreover, Oily skin spoils your looks too. So, ‘Oily skin care’ is as important as the ‘skin care’ for other types of skin. The basic aim of ‘Oily skin care’ is the removal of excessive sebum or oil from the skin. However, Oily skin care procedures should not lead to complete removal of oil. ‘Oily skin care’ starts with the use of a cleanser. However, not all cleansers will work. You need a cleanser which contains salicylic acid i.e. a beta-hydroxy acid that retards the rate of sebum production. Cleansing should be done twice a day (and even more in hot and humid conditions). Most of the Oily skin care products are oil-free; however, it is always good to check the ingredients of the product, before you actually buy it. This is especially important if a product is marked as ‘suitable for all skin types’, instead of ‘Oily skin care product’. ‘Oily skin care’ is also dependent on the degree of oiliness, if you aren’t too Oily, so some of these ‘suitable for all’- type of products might be work for you too. For extremely Oily skin, only Oily skin care products are suitable. Your Oily skin care routine can include an alcohol based toner (for an extremely Oily skin). This can be the second step in your Oily skin care routine i.e. just after cleansing. However, excessive toning can harm your skin. The next step in your Oily skin care routine can be a mild moisturiser. Again, the degree of oiliness of your skin will determine whether you need to include this in your Oily skin care routine. If you do decide to include a moisturiser, be sure to use one that is oil-free, wax-free and lipid-free. You could also use a clay mask (say once a week) as an Oily skin care measure. As far as the Oily skin care products go, you might need to try out a few before you arrive at the one that is really suitable for your skin. In case these measures don’t give you the desired result, consult a good dermatologist for advice. He could prescribe stronger Oily skin care products like vitamin A creams, retinoids, sulphur creams etc , which can help counter the problems of Oily skin.

The importance of caring for your skin

2013-01-17T06:10:00.002-08:00

“Packaging is as important as the gift itself” – it’s something that most of the gift manufacturing companies follow very closely. The same holds good for you too. Your outer-self i.e. your skin is as important as your inner-self. A lot of people do realise the importance of skin care. Well, this is one reason why there are so many skin care products in the market and most of the skin care products seem to do pretty well. We generally tend to associate skin care to just good looks. However, there is more to it than just that. There are multiple benefits associated with a healthy and glowing skin. Firstly, it has a good effect on you yourself. It makes you feel fresh and energetic. You are able to do more work and are quicker with everything you do. More importantly, the freshness adds to your enjoyment and makes your day. So a healthy skin too plays its part in building confidence. Yes, you can take most of the credit for having achieved that (however, do leave a little for the skin care products too). Moreover, this flow of positive energy is experience by people around you too and you observe that even they are friendlier with you. You get more respect from others. They are more responsive to your queries. They themselves experience the freshness that you are exuding. They love working with you and for you. Yes, that’s how it works. Some people might even go ahead and ask you about the skin care products you use (you might or might not reveal those secret skin care products to them). Thus, a healthy skin can be instrumental in creating a pleasant and friendly environment around you. On the other hand, carelessness or negligence on this front can make you look unattractive and dull. You will not only look dull but also feel dull. Your work efficiency is reduced. Even the people you meet might not be as friendly. In fact, it might lead to the aging process getting started much earlier. Thus the importance of skin care cannot be ignored. However, skin care is not that difficult at all. There are a lot of skin care products available and you can choose the ones that suit you the best. There are various ways in which skin care products are classified and the knowledge about these classifications will help you understand them better and make a selection. * The first categorisation is based on the skin type – so you have skin care products for oily skin, skin care product for dry skin, skin care products for sensitive skin etc. * Another way is to categorise skin care products based on their use e.g. you have moisturisers, cleansers, skin care products for exfoliation, toners etc. * Then you have skin care products for treatment of various skin dilemmas i.e. skin care products for acne, skin care products for stretch marks, skin care products for anti-ageing etc. * Another classification is based on the ingredients e.g. herbal skin care products, synthetic skin care products, cosmetic skin care products etc. However, skin care products are not the only way of skin care. You also need to build some basic skin care procedures in your day to day life (as we discuss in the other article on personal skin care).

Skin care cosmetic – Useful or harmful?

2013-01-17T06:07:00.003-08:00

A beautiful and healthy skin is a big confidence booster. Some people are naturally beautiful and hence don’t use any ‘Skin care cosmetic’. Then there are others, who don’t use Skin care cosmetic due to their laziness. Still some feel that Skin care cosmetic can harm their skin, and hence abandon the use of any kind of Skin care cosmetic. However, there are a large number of people who do use Skin care cosmetic (that’s why the business of Skin care cosmetic is prospering). So, is Skin care cosmetic useful, or is it harmful? Well, the opinions seem divided. However, one thing is for sure – Looking beautiful is surely nice and very desirable. Also, too much Skin care cosmetic can surely be harmful (as such, excess of anything is harmful). So, what does one do? The first thing is to formulate (and follow) a Skin care routine that will help keep your skin healthy and disease-free. The general recommendation is to cleanse and moisturise everyday, and tone and exfoliate occasionally (as and when needed). Next thing is the Skin care cosmetics that you would be using additionally (as beauty enhancers). These Skin care cosmetics could either be part of your Skin care routine or be applied only on special occasions (e.g. when attending a party etc). The most important thing with Skin care cosmetic is its selection. Here is a set of rules that you should use when selecting any Skin care cosmetic: * The general rule is to use products that suit your skin type. This is true both for the routine products and for the Skin care cosmetic. So check the label to see what it says e.g. ‘for dry skin only’ or ‘for all skin types’ etc. * Test the Skin care cosmetic before using it. This can be done by applying the Skin care cosmetic on a small patch of skin e.g. ear lobes and checking the reaction of your skin to the product * Check the ingredients of the Skin care cosmetic for chemicals that you are allergic to. Do not use products that are very harsh on skin e.g. products with high alcohol concentrations; such cosmetics might work for once but cause a long-lasting damage to your skin. * ‘More isn’t better’. Ensure that you apply the products in right quantity (neither less not more). Also, be gentle with your skin and follow the right procedures for application of Skin care products. Rubbing too hard or trying to squeeze a pimple can lead to permanent damage to your skin. * Finally, if you have a skin disorder e.g. acne etc, you should consult your dermatologist before using any Skin care cosmetic.

Serious skin care

2013-01-17T05:06:00.002-08:00

‘Serious skin care’ is about maintaining a healthy and glowing skin all through your life. As you grow older, your body’s natural skin care mechanisms become weaker. So, ‘Serious skin care’ is about responding to the changing needs of your skin. Thus, ‘Serious skin care’ is about constantly evaluating, analysing and changing your skin care routines. Your skin care routine should change based on the environmental conditions, your age and changes in your skin type. ‘Serious skin care’ is also about awareness. With the technological advancements and research, more and more facts are being brought to light everyday. Also, the composition and nature of skin care products seems to be changing with time. So trying out the new products is also a part of Serious skin care. However, ‘Serious skin care’ advises using a new product over a small patch of skin (not facial skin) first, just to see how your skin reacts to it. ‘Serious skin care’ also means knowing how to use your skin care products. Good practices include things like applying the moisturizers while the skin is damp, using upward strokes for better penetration of skin care products, removing the make up before going to bed, cleansing before moisturising or applying make up, using the correct amount of skin care products, etc. Thus, increasing the effectiveness of your skin care products is another focus area of Serious skin care. Some precautions, like avoiding contact with detergents, are also part of Serious skin care. ‘Serious skin care’ means being gentle with your skin. Things like over-exfoliation, use of low quality products, and application of strong-chemical based products, are all harmful to your skin. Some people have a wrong notion about Serious skin care. For them Serious skin care is - using large quantities of products as often as possible. However, this really isn’t Serious skin care (and that’s why awareness is so important). ‘Serious skin care’ is also about visiting your dermatologist for treatment of skin disorders. Ignoring the skin disorders can be fatal for your skin and might lead to permanent damage. So, if the things don’t improve with over the counter medication, you should immediately visit a dermatologist. Self-surgery e.g. squeezing of acne/pimples is a big no (it can lead to permanent damage of your skin). So, Seriously Serious skin care is more about precautions and preventive measures (than treatment). Serious skin care is about being proactive as well as reactive. In fact, we can say that ‘Serious skin care’ is about being proactive about the needs of your skin so that the need for being reactive is reduced to a minimum.

‘Personal skin care’ is a routine

2013-01-17T05:03:00.001-08:00

We all know the importance of ‘Personal skin care’. The opinion on how-to (for Personal skin care) differs from person to person. Some people believe that going to beauty parlours every other day is Personal skin care. Others believe that Personal skin care is just a matter of applying some cream or lotion on your skin, every now and then. Then there are people who think that Personal skin care is an event that happens once a month or once a year. Still others busy themselves with ‘Personal skin care’ all the time. However, Personal skin care is not that complicated and neither is it that expensive (considering how beneficial it is). Personal skin care is following a routine or a procedure for attending to the needs of your skin. Even before you start with a routine, you need to determine your skin-type (oily, dry, sensitive, normal etc) and select the Personal skin care products suitable for it (you might have to experiment with a few Personal skin care products). Here is a routine that should work for most people with normal skin. The first thing on Personal skin care routine is ‘Cleansing’. The three main ingredients of a cleanser are oil, water and surfactants (wetting agents). Oil and surfactants extract dirt and oil from your skin and water then flushes it out, thus making your skin clean. You might have to try a couple of cleansers before you find the one that suits you the best. However, you should always use soap-free cleansers. Also, you should use Luke warm water for cleansing (hot and cold water, both, cause damage to your skin). Take care that you don’t over-cleanse your skin and end up damaging your skin in the process. The second thing on the Personal skin care routine is exfoliation. Skin follows a natural maintenance process wherein it removes the dead cells and replaces them with new skin cells. Exfoliation is just a way to facilitate the skin in this process. Dead skin cells are not capable of responding to Personal skin care products but still consume these products, hence preventing them from reaching the new skin cells. Thus removing dead skin cells is important in order to increase the effectiveness of all Personal skin care products. Generally, exfoliation takes it place just after cleansing. As with any Personal skin care procedure, it’s important that you understand how much exfoliation you need. Exfoliate 4-5 times per week for oily/normal skin and 1-2 times per week for dry/sensitive skin. Exfoliate a couple of times more in hot and humid weather. Next thing on Personal skin care routine is moisturizers. This is one of the most important things in Personal skin care. Even people with oily skin need moisturisers. Moisturisers not only seal the moisture in your skin cells, but also attract moisture (from air) whenever needed. Use of too much moisturiser can however clog skin pores and end up harming your skin. The amount of moisturiser needed by your skin will become apparent to you within one week of you using the moisturiser. Also, applying the moisturiser is best when your skin is still damp. The last thing on Personal skin care routine is sunscreen. A lot of moisturizers (day-time creams/moisturisers) come with UV protection – so you can get double benefits from them. Such moisturisers are recommended for all days (irrespective of whether it is sunny or cloudy). Again, experiment with various Personal skin care products and also with the amount you need to apply. What gives you best results is the best Personal skin care recipe for you. However, if you have some kind of skin dilemma, it is best to consult your dermatologist before you actually start using any Personal skin care products.

Organic skin care

2013-01-15T06:05:00.000-08:00

“If it can be done naturally, why go for artificial means” - this is the basic premise on which ‘Organic skin care’ works. Organic skin care is the most natural way of ‘skin care’. In fact, ‘Organic skin care’ was probably the first one to be used by man when it first woke-up to the needs of his skin. ‘Organic skin care’ is not only friendlier to skin, but also inexpensive. If exercised in the right way, Organic skin care can prevent the occurrence of a lot of skin disorders and can help keep your skin healthy and young-looking for a much longer time. Organic fruits and vegetables are the most popular things on Organic skin care routines e.g. cucumber is very common in Organic skin care routines. Turmeric, apple, papaya, ginger are others that find a wide use in Organic skin care routines. These Organic materials have a very refreshing and vitalizing effect on your skin. Almost every skin care book/guide has section on Organic skin care (including the actions of various fruits and vegetables on skin). So choose the ones that are more suitable for your skin type and start experimenting with them until you finally select the ones that are most suitable for inclusion in your Organic skin care routine. It’s important that you use fresh Organic fruits/vegetables. Don’t try to utilise the rotten ones for your skin, their only place is the garbage bin. Milk is known to posses good cleansing properties; in fact, the name of some skin care products contains the word ‘milk’ in them. A combination of milk with ground oatmeal acts as wonderful cleanser. Ground oatmeal is especially good for oily skins and is a popular ingredient in Organic skin care regimen. It is used in various combinations e.g. with egg, honey, milk and fruits, for preparation of Organic facial packs. Wheat germ is another ingredient in Organic skin care procedures. It is rich in vitamin E and is known for its exfoliation as well as moisturising properties. Wheat germ, in various combinations with other Organic materials, is used to prepare facial masks for normal and dry skin types. Wheat germ oil is another way in which wheat germ is used for Organic skin care. Yogurt and sour cream are other Organic materials that are popular for their exfoliation and moisturising properties. Use of Organic honey is also popular in Organic skin care procedures. It helps in retention of moisture and helps impart a glowing look to skin. Rose water takes its place as a toner in Organic skin care routines. Lavender water is popular too. ‘Organic skin care’ uses combinations of various Organic materials that complement each other and enhance each other’s effectiveness. Moreover, these combinations are also helpful in over-riding the harmful effects (if any) of various Organic materials that form them. Organic skin care is really an art that, once perfected, can give wonderful results in a very cost effective manner.