Health and Beauty

How to keep your face spot free? Tips for college students….

2012-07-05T13:41:00.000+06:00

How to get rid of spots

We've got you covered with these 8 clear skin tips for college students. If the college students want spot free face, they must follow those tips:
How to get rid of spots:
Water:
It may not be exciting, but drinking water throughout your day will guarantee your body (and skin) gets the water it needs, plus the extra benefit of keeping your stomach feeling fuller, longer. Pick out a cool water bottle and fill it up throughout the day. Healthy skin is well hydrated skin. Your face will give you thanks.
Start Fresh Faced Each Day:
I know it will be tempting to just hop out of bed, pull on some clothes, put your hair up or under a hat and head off to your early class. But those with good skin know that starting the day with fresh skin is a must! So get to that sink and wash it!
If you have to wake up really early for a class and know you'll be showering later, just keep a pack of pre-moistened facial cleansing cloths in your room.
Skip the Pizza, Grab a Salad
Sure, eating pizza, greasy foods will not acne, but regular consumption of unhealthy foods just isn't good grounds for healthy skin or a healthy body. And, late nights with friends many times involve foods only available late at night like those mentioned above. Prepare for those foods by keeping your regular meals full of healthy fruits and vegetables. Then, the times that you do splurge won't be a big deal at all!
Never go to Bed with Your Makeup On
While you're sound asleep, your skin is working hard to rejuvenate fresh new skin cells. Why would you make it work harder with a face full of foundation?
Your skin needs time to breathe, so clean it each night. We know it's a pain to walk down to the bathrooms when it's late at night, so when you can't get yourself up, use those facial cleansing. Ideally though, it's best to give your face a thorough washing and rinsing at day's end to really get rid of the daily dirt and grime that your skin has accumulated. Our best advice to go wash your face before starting your homework or watch your favorite show. Then, it will be done when you're too tired to think about it.
Conclusion: Those steps are not so difficult to maintain. You can keep your face so nice by maintaining those steps. You can also try Clear Skin Max. It is a very good products.

11 Killing Tips For Get Rid of Acne Infection Forever

2012-03-28T16:39:00.002+06:00

Get Rid of Acne Infection Forever

Get Rid of Acne Infection:

Most people will have to deal with acne at some point or another, with many people having to deal with it to a significant degree for a significant period of time. What's worse, many of the over-the-counter remedies for pimples do more harm than good. However, you shouldn't let that discourage you from your search for good, natural home remedies for acne.

Are you worried about your acne infection? Are you still concerned about your facial skin? Is your flawed skin tone starting to bother you way too often? If the answer to even a single question is 'yes', it's time you read this article with care.
To know about type of acne: Different Type Of Acne Scars

Get Rid of Acne Infection Tips:

1. Keep Your Face Oil Free:

Blemishes are known to strike at will. Especially if you are a teenager, the chances are that you may be suffering from either blackheads or whiteheads. To be able to get rid of acne infection , you would be required to cleanse your face with fresh water and mild soap. You simply need to remove the excess oil from your face.

2. Make Use Of A Face Pack:

Pollution and stress play a major role in aggravating the acne infection. In order to remove the pollutants from the surface of your facial skin to get rid of acne infection, you simply need to apply a face pack, preferably a fruit facial, on a weekly basis. Likewise, you can try and soothe your mind by listening to soft music.

3. Apply An Anti-Acne Cream:

There are plenty of anti-blemish supplements available in the market today. In order to avoid the occurrence of whiteheads and blackheads, you need to try and apply an anti-blemish cream on a regular basis. These creams are readily available through an online store. Simply place an order and the cream of your choice would be delivered to your doorstep.

4. Some people recommend an apple cider vinegar facial application. You simply do a 50/50 mixture of filtered water and apple cider vinegar. Be careful not to apply too much to your face, as vinegar is a drying agent.

5. Some people use sour cream and strawberries on their faces. You simply mix them and you have a nice weekly facial paste.

6. Cucumbers are a classic for skin health. Cucumbers soothe irritated skin and help to keep it from drying out. You simply cut slices out of the cucumbers and apply them for about a half hour to any irritated skin.

7. Green tea bags are a popular natural home remedy for acne. You can drink your green tea and then rinse the tea bags in cold water for use as a half-minute acne application.

8. Honey masks are thought to be natural home remedies for acne and other infections of the skin. It's not known how it works exactly, but many people believe in it enough to put it all over their faces twice per week.

9. Garlic, as you might expect, is commonly used as a natural home remedy for acne. It's a natural antibiotic and has properties that repair and even reduce acne breakouts. Apply fresh garlic to areas where there is acne. Few things get more positive testimonials than garlic. Use this acne natural remedy at bedtime if you'd rather not be walking around during the day smelling like garlic.

10. Rosewater is among the more surprising natural remedies for acne. Two to three washes in rosewater daily is worth a try if you want healthier looking facial skin.

11. Tea tree oil may be directly applied to acne to get rid of acne infection. Unlike many of the other directly applied natural home remedies, tea tree oil will leave your skin with a nice moisture balance.

To Know more: How to Get Rid of Acne Scars Fast in Natural Way

The Secret Of Natural Acne Treatment

2012-03-28T16:39:00.001+06:00

The Secret Of Natural Acne Treatment

Natural Acne Treatment:

Natural Acne Treatment is a new way for treating affect people. Acne can affect anyone regardless of sexual characteristics, cultural background or customs. Skin conditions such as these usually begin to have an effect on an individual at teenage years, often resolving in time as the person ages. However, pimples and acne can appear in anyone past their teenage years. In fact, the occasional pimple or even full-blown acne may even appear in people in their 30s and 40s. Although there are medications that can be used as treatment for acne and pimples, there are also natural alternatives, all of which have been proven effective. Find out more how these treatments can help.

The Benefits Of Natural Acne Treatment:

There are many benefits of Natural Acne Treatment.

1. many of these have a long history and are known to work in healing the skin. The effects of these treatments were discovered many years back and have been used since. Continued use of these treatments can only mean that indeed, they still work.

2. Natural acne and pimples treatments also focus on prevention and not just cure.

3. Natural treatments encourage the improvement of overall health. This results to the elimination of toxins from the body, an action that also helps clear the pores, control the production of sebum and prevent the formation of pimples that lead to acne.

4. natural treatments are easy to find and significantly cheaper to use. Most natural treatments can be found at home, in the garden or pantry or on grocery shelves. Most anti-acne and pimple preparations cost only a few cents to make but can be as effective as the more expensive commercial creams and solutions.

5. Natural treatments also work best if used continuously and over a period of time. It might take a while to heal skin lesions, something that people who are in a hurry may not appreciate.

If you have acne infection please read this article:Get Rid of Acne Infection Forever

Alternative Natural Acne Treatments:

What about other alternative treatments? There are other alternative treatments that can be used to improve the appearance and texture of the skin. These are excellent options for people looking for a natural yet effective approach, the kind that improves the body's ability to heal itself. Again, the main drawback with this type of approach is that it takes time.

Should you consider a natural acne and pimples treatment? A natural treatment for acne and pimples is a good option for those who want to avoid harsh chemicals and artificial ingredients. It is also recommended for people who prefer a gentle, more holistic approach. If you prefer a gradual change and would prefer a treatment that you can customize to your needs, then a natural and holistic approach may be right for you.

To Know more: How to Get Rid of Acne Scars Fast in Natural Way

Discover Which Type Of Acne Scars DO YOU Have And Get Rid Of Acne Scars Within A Day

2012-03-28T16:39:00.000+06:00

Type Of Acne Scars And Get Rid Of Acne Scars

Different Type Of Acne Scars :

There are different type of acne scares. Acne is skin disease not just one particular type of skin blemish; it is not just one particular type of skin spot. It is an irritation of the sebaceous glands and results in nodules, papules and cysts all divided into superficial acne and deep acne. The acne most are familiar with, the common acne, or acne vulgaris is superficial. Cystic acne is the deep kind of acne that can cause embarrassment and scarring.

2 Type Of Acne Scars

There are 2 Type Of Acne Scars :

1. Inflammatory acne and

2. Non-inflammatory acne. Type Of Acne Scars

While the pathogenesis of acne is not totally understood, it is reported that hormonal changes are largely the cause. This is in part based on the observation that castrated males do not seem to get acne. Propionibacterium acnes also have roles in creating this inflammatory acne. This lipase of this bacterium breaks down the triglycerides in the sebaceous oils from glands walls of the follicle and this leads to inflammation.

Type Of Acne Scars 1: Superficial Acne

This is the acne vulgaris and can often be effectively managed with an acne treatment. Among the manifestations of this acne are the simple blackheads and the whiteheads. The only distinction between the two comedones is that the blackhead is an open comedone and exposed to oxygen. The chemical reaction between the keratinous material in the blackhead and the oxygen produces a color change on the tip of the comedone, turning it brown or black. The whitehead is covered by a microscopically thin layer of epithelium and thus is protected from interacting with oxygen.

Papules, nodules and pustules are still within the category of superficial acne. Superficial cysts are also characteristic of simple acne. This type of acne has the best chance of healing without causing any scar formation. If an inflamed blackhead or a pustule is being manipulated, where many other bacteria will be introduced, then a progression to a deep type of acne may follow. Again, an acne treatment will help reduce breakouts of superficial types.

Type Of Acne Scars 2: Deep Acne

This is often the result of traumatic attempts to express blackheads or whiteheads. In this attempt, other bacteria are introduced. The body's function of trying to neutralize the invading bacteria, will contribute to the formation of highly inflamed nodules and deep pus pockets, also known as cysts. If the cysts rupture to the outside, its contents will be expelled. If they rupture toward the inside, an abscess will form. With deep acne, scarring is very common. Most acne lesions will unfortunately be on the face or neck. Sometimes, the upper back and chest is also involved with acne lesions.

The Treatment To Get Rid Of Acne Scars:

1. How To Get Rid Of Acne Scars : Superficial Acne Type

Superficial acne will be treated differently from deep acne. With some superficial acne, no medical treatment is usually needed. You can try facial masks or little strips applied to your skin. When you pull either mask or strips off, the comedones will be pulled out of the skin. Most will naturally resolve with proper hygiene. If you have the superficial kind of pustule acne, applying topical erythromycin or clindamycin is often highly beneficial.

2. How To Get Rid Of Acne Scars: Deep Acne Type

Over the counter drugs can usually be used with really good results. For deep acne, medical treatment by a physician is necessary. Topical treatment for pus-filled cysts or abscesses is futile. It needs systemic therapy. Medications like erythromycin, tetracycline, minocycline and doxycycline all have a place in the treatment of severe acne. Some of these drugs have worse side effects than others and your doctor must decide what is best for you. In refractory cases, the synthetic vitamin A drug isotretinoin is prescribed, but certain precautions have to be taken with this drug before it is prescribed.

To Know More: The Secret Of Natural Acne Treatment

Know the Causes of Acne and How to Get Rid of Acne Scars Fast in Natural Way

2012-03-25T21:06:00.000+06:00

How to get rid of acne scars fast:

Do you know what is the age lavel of getting attaced with ance? It is normally start at the teenage level when the growth rate is very high of the body. Now, how to get rid of acne scars fast in natural way if you are suffering from this skin problem? We will try to provide some helpful tips and hope you enjoy it.
Importance of get rid of acne: You know that everybody wants to express or show himself or herself to others with good looks and hopfully you are not different from others, so you love your face very much.

When we look on others body then firstly we see the face and then gradually look on other parts of the body. It does not mean that we do not impose the importance on the rest body but face has more activities than other parts. The face as a part of body, it helps to recognize to others and not other parts works as like face. So, face is an important part to recognize to others and we should extra care on it.

Importance to get rid of acne scars fast:

How impact acts on others when they look on your face? To me, mind is the softest and hardest non visible item in human body and not only in the body but also in the world. When a person looks on a beauty face then his mind keeps store the face image and his brain acts according to it.

Acne can be skin condition, staining, etc. Acne most terrible problems that affect theirproperties as well. In particular, if we proceed to women, which found that women can not accept for its beauty and that is why I want to get rid of acne as soon as possible.Anyone who suffers from acne knows that acne is a problem worse. Before going to get rid of acne scars fast, the first to know about the cause of acne. The causes of acne are as follows -
What you are eating: Eating habits affect you much. What you eat? What should you eat? -Something that affects a lot. This is very important to eat clean and sanitary.

How much clean your living environment: The environment is also a major cause of acne. Your surroundings should be clean and hygienic, so you do not face this acne.

General Maintenance: If you keep your face and leave no gaps, then it can be very harmful to you, and can be dangerous for you. Maintenance is also a major cause of this acne.

Acne is caused by stress: The main cause of acne. This is the main cause of acne. If control of all the items listed above, then surely no one can get rid of acne. There are many treatments related to how to get rid of acne without problems, but most treatments are not effective and may be harmful to you and your body as well, since most of the treatments are full of side effects. Therefore it is very important or it can be said that it is very important to know the main causes of acne and you should know how to get rid of acne scars in natural way , because it is the most common problem.

Get Rid of Acne By Taking Lots of Fruits and Medication

2012-03-24T23:07:00.004+06:00

Get Rid of Acne By Taking Lots of Fruits and Medication

Nowadays, everyone wants to get rid of acne. Because acne is one of the most common as well as irritating skin disorders. And It affects different people differently. So, the best way to get rid of acne is to find one such acne treatment that works best for you.

Well, the best way to search for a really good acne treatment is to search for products reviews written by users themselves. Reading the product reviews you can access the success rate of any acne treatment quite effectively.

For example, if you want to buy exposed acne skin care kit to get rid of acne, reading some skin care reviews would definitely help you. The reviews would help you make sure whether exposed acne treatment would work for both, acne and blemishes, or not. You would know that it is one of the best products for teen as well as adult acne.

to get rid of acne after you buy exposed acne skin care product or any other acne product, you must know that each acne treatment would work for you only when you want it to. Acne is an inside out problem. So, while you treat your acne with medication from outside, you also need to adopt some good habits to treat it from the inside.

Ways to get rid of acne By fruits:

Eating lots of fruits is one such way to get rid of acne from inside. There are many fruits that treat acne naturally. The first among them is Apple. As, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, in this case it will keep a dermatologist away! You should try to eat at least 4 apples a week, especially through winters and fall. Apples contain Vitamin A, B and C, besides, antioxidants and essential proteins and minerals.

Similarly you should eat at least 1 banana every single day for get rid of acne. Bananas prevent acne as they tackle constipation effectively. In many people constipation is the major cause behind the acne. In spring, you should go for berries. Like the spring season, the berries are also known to possess, cleansing capabilities. They care for your facial skin. They not only save you from acne but other major skin diseases also.

In summers, to get rid of acne you should eat cantaloupes. They provide you with a high supply of essential vitamins such as vitamin A and C. Also they have various minerals as their contents. A combination of vitamins and minerals is very good for your skin. Another summer fruit you can go for are Apricots. You can get an unlimited supply of vitamin A, B-complex. Also apricots are very rich in fiber.

Eating grapefruits is also a good idea. You should eat them during the daytime. They will help you cleanse your skin as well as your body. Grapes are also equally good for you. They build blood and like bananas fight constipation, therefore help get rid of acne.

You should also eat cherries for their blood cleansing properties to get rid of acne. Also, they help you maintain your bowel movements. When it comes to acne, cherries can work like any other natural healing substance. Figs are also very good. You should eat them to ensure the elimination of debris in your body. You can get them throughout the summers. You should consume lemons by squeezing them in warm water. You should do this as soon as you get up in the morning. They will help you clean the bowels.

However you should always be sure of the quality of fruits. The best way is to go for organically grown fruits only, as they have all the natural benefits intact within themselves. Also, one should pick seasonal supply of fruits to get the best results.

So, to get rid of acne you may buy exposed acne skin care kit and use it regularly in combination with your fruit diet. This will not only help you get rid of your present acne but you will also be able to lead a completely acne free life soon!

Teenagers Acne Problem Is Linked With Overweight

2012-03-24T23:07:00.003+06:00

Teenagers Acne Problem Is Linked With Overweight

Teenagers Acne Problem is one of the most common problem for young people.Overweight girls in their late teens were twice as likely as their normal-weight peers to report having a lot of acne in a large new survey of Norwegian teenagers that did not find the same link in boys.

Some 3,600 young people in Oslo, aged 18 and 19, provided information on their teenagers acne problem, weight, diet and other health and lifestyle factors.

Only about a tenth of the girls and 15 percent of the boys fell into the overweight or obese categories, based on their body mass index (a measure of weight relative to height).

But among the overweight and obese girls, 19 out of every 100 said they had experienced a lot of acne problem in the past week, compared to 13 of every 100 normal-weight girls who reported recent acne problem. When the researchers took into account other potential influences, such as diet, smoking and "mental distress," they determined that overweight and obese girls were twice as likely to have teenagers acne problem.

Among the boys, about 14 out of every 100 have teenagers acne problem, regardless of weight.

In general, researchers say between 10 percent and 20 percent of adolescents experience moderate to severe acne. Many studies have documented the emotional and social difficulties that go along with the problem, especially during the sensitive teen years.

With a growing number of teens becoming overweight and obese - a circumstance that carries its own social stigma - the Norwegian team writes in the Archives of Dermatology, they wanted to investigate whether there's a connection.

There are physiological factors related to obesity that could explain the Norwegian results, said Dr. Nanette Silverberg, director of pediatric and adolescent dermatology at St. Luke's and Beth Israel Medical Centers in New York and a clinical professor at Columbia University.

For instance, high blood pressure, insulin resistance and hormonal changes, which frequently accompany obesity, "are in the pathway of influence" for acne, said Silverberg, who was not involved in the new study.

"Maybe changes in the level of insulin and other hormones are altered in overweight adolescents, and this can increase the formation of acne," said Dr. Jon Halvorsen, a researcher at Oslo University Hospital who led the study.

Although his results showed a link in girls between being overweight and having acne, they don't prove that one causes the other.

Because the pattern was confined to girls, though, "it is possible that polycystic ovarian syndrome can explain some of our findings," Halvorsen told Reuters Health in an email.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition whose cause is poorly understood but symptoms include too-high levels of male hormones, and often both obesity and teenagers acne problem.

Halvorsen's team couldn't rule out that any of the girls had been diagnosed with the syndrome.

Genetics are also considered important in the development of acne.

Although diet contributes to weight gain, it's not clear that food is to blame for what the researchers found.

When they took into account how many sweets, potato chips and soft drinks the girls usually had, the higher acne rates among overweight girls remained.

"The role of nutrition is controversial, and more studies are needed," Halvorsen said.

Silverberg said there is some evidence from other studies showing that poor diets do contribute to acne.

"Whatever you think is bad for you, eating high-sugar foods, large amounts of carbohydrates, all these things have a negative long term affect on acne. And this is particularly true in the teenage years," she told Reuters Health.

Get Rid Of Acne By using Benzoyl Peroxide

2012-03-24T23:07:00.002+06:00

Get Rid Of Acne By using Benzoyl Peroxide

To get rid of acne by Benzoyl Peroxide is a medicine for you . It comes in different strengths in lotions, gels, soaps, and liquids.

How does benzoyl peroxide treat acne?

Benzoyl peroxide unclogs skin pores. It also helps stop bacteria from growing and causing acne pimples and cystic lesions.

At first, acne may get worse. Your skin may get red and peel. It’s not a quick fix. You may need to use the product for as long as 4 to 6 weeks before your acne starts improving.

Does Benzoyl Peroxide to get rid of acne have side effects?

Side effects of benzyl peroxide for some people include:

Dry or peeling skin.

Skin that feels warm.

Tingling or slight stinging.

While using a product that contains benzoyl peroxide to get rid of acne, call a doctor if you develop:

A rash or itching.

Blisters or a burning feeling.

Redness.

Swelling.

Who should not use this product?

Talk to a doctor before allowing a child younger than 12 to use a product that contains benzoyl peroxide.

Where can I get benzoyl peroxide to get rid of acne?

You can buy products that contain benzoyl peroxide in the grocery store or pharmacy to get rid of acne. Look at the outside package to find products that have benzoyl peroxide as the active ingredient. Strengths range from 2.5% to 10% benzoyl peroxide. Start with the lowest strength to see how your skin reacts. Brand names include Brevoxyl and Triaz.

Prevent Acne Problem- natural ways

2012-03-24T23:07:00.001+06:00

Prevent Acne Problem- natural ways

For prevent acne problem from getting worse you can follow these steps:

Prevent Acne Problem- natural ways - Step-1

· Gently wash your face once or twice a day with warm water and a mild soap or acne wash.

Prevent Acne Problem- natural ways - Step-2
· Use gentle, circling motions rather than scrubbing your face.

Prevent Acne Problem- natural ways - Step-3
· Always completely rinse your skin after you wash it, and gently pat it dry. Avoid rubbing your skin.

Prevent Acne Problem- natural ways - Step-4
· If your face feels dry after washing it, use a moisturizing lotion. Look for skin care products that say "noncomedogenic" on the label.

Other tips include the following:

· Shower as soon as you can after any activity that causes heavy sweating, especially sports.

· Try keeping your hair off your face. Having hair hanging in your face can cause a breakout. Washing your hair every day may help.

· Try not to scrub or pick at your pimples. This can make them worse and can cause scars.

For mild acne

Mild acne, with a few pimples that clear up on their own, may not need any medical treatment. Try an acne cream with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. These work best when used just the way the label says.

It can take time to get acne under control. But if you haven't had good results with nonprescription products after trying them for 3 months, see your doctor. A prescription gel or skin cream may be all you need.

For moderate or severe acne

Moderate acne can mean more pimples or skin that always has breakouts. Severe acne can mean hundreds of pimples that cover the face, neck, chest, and back, or bigger, solid red lumps that are painful (cysts). For moderate or severe acne, call your doctor. There are medical treatments that can help get acne under control. And getting treatment early may prevent acne from getting worse or from causing scars.

Get Rid of Acne By Home Treatment

2012-03-24T23:07:00.000+06:00

Get Rid of Acne, Home Treatment can help reduce acne flare-ups.

Get Rid of Acne By Home Treatment Tips-1

· Wash your face (or other affected skin) gently one or two times a day.

Get Rid of Acne By Home Treatment Tips-2

· Do not squeeze pimples, because that often leads to infections, worse acne, and scars.

Get Rid of Acne By Home Treatment Tips-3

· Use water-based skin care products that gently clean your skin. Avoid products such as milky cleansers, cold creams, lipsticks, and lip glosses that contain oils.

Get Rid of Acne By Home Treatment Tips-4

· Use over-the-counter medicated creams, soaps, lotions, and gels to treat your acne. Always read the label carefully to make sure you are using the product correctly.

Examples of some over-the-counter products used to treat acne include:

· Benzoyl peroxide (such as Brevoxyl or Triaz), which unplugs pores.

· Alpha-hydroxy acid, which dries up blemishes and causes the top skin layer to peel. You'll find alpha-hydroxy acid in some moisturizers, cleansers, eye creams, and sunscreens.

· Salicylic acid (such as Propa pH or Stridex), which dries up blemishes and causes the top skin layer to peel.

· Tea tree oil, which kills bacteria. You'll find tea tree oil in some gels, creams, and oils.

Other products that may help your overall skin condition include skin pore-cleaning strips. When you peel these sticky strips off your skin, dirt and/or makeup is removed by the strip.

You'll have better results if you follow the directions for using topical medicines. If you use a product too often, acne can get worse.

Some skin care products, such as those with alpha hydroxy acid, will make your skin very sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light. Protect your skin from the sun and other sources of UV light.

How To Get Rid Of Acne Home Remedies

2012-03-24T23:01:00.000+06:00

How To Get Rid Of Acne Home Remedies

How To Get Rid Of Acne By Home Remedies – is a common question for almost every one by those who are suffering from acne problem. It is not possible to completely stop the formation of acne. Acne may ruin your days and leave behind aesthetically unpleasant scars. Hence, acnes are a blot on the beauty of a woman. Every woman wishes to get rid of them as early as possible when they are planning for a date or a party with her friends. Your opening of this page will surely help to get rid of acnes overnight. In order to have pimple free skin overnight, all you need to do is to follow these simple remedies at home.

Some very effective ways for how to get rid of acne by home remedies as soon as possible:

Following are some simple home remedies to get rid of acnes as early as possible:

1. Tips 1- for How To Get Rid Of Acne By Home Remedies - Toothpaste:

This is the most famous remedy to get rid of acnes overnight. Apply toothpaste before going to bed. Do not use gel for this. At night, wake up for a few times and check whether toothpaste covering is still there, else re-apply toothpaste on the acne. You will find a significant improvement in the morning.

2. Tips 2- for How To Get Rid Of Acne By Home Remedies - Steaming:

Take a container and fill it with water. Boil the water for a few minutes and later keep the container below your face. Let the steam to moisturize your face for 2–3 minutes. Rinse your face with tepid water. This helps in removing dirt, dust and oil from the skin pores without aggravating acnes. Application of an oil free moisturizing lotion helps to restore the lost moisture. This remedy aids in getting rid of acnes.

3. Tips 3- for How To Get Rid Of Acne By Home Remedies - Lemon juice:

Another simple remedy to get rid of acnes is application of lemon juice on the acne before sleeping. Sleep happily to see acnes getting dried the next morning.

4. Tips 4- for How To Get Rid Of Acne By Home Remedies - Honey and cinnamon:

This is a pleasant smell giving acne treatment. Mix honey and cinnamon to make a paste and apply it over acnes before going to bed. Next morning wash your face with cold water. You may feel itching sensation in the first few minutes as honey is sticky. You will find that the acnes are dried and dead the next morning.

5. Tips 5- for How To Get Rid Of Acne By Home Remedies - Lavender oil:

Although this remedy is not effective for all, it has helped many teenagers in getting rid of acnes. Apply lavender oil on acnes to dry them to a great extent. Apply lavender oil repeatedly to get rid of acne overnight.

These are a few home remedies to get rid of acnes overnight. These do not have any adverse effect on your skin but some may not be effective on your skin. Follow a remedy for a few weeks and if you do not find any improvement, consult a dermatologist for further assistance.

To know more: Get Rid of Acne By Home Treatment

Diabetes Danger Could Collapse As Magnesium Intake Climbs

2012-03-13T21:22:00.005+06:00

Getting enough magnesium in your diet could help prevent diabetes, a new study suggests.

People who consumed the most magnesium in foods and from vitamin supplements were about half as likely to develop diabetes over the next 20 years as people who took in the least magnesium, Dr. Ka He of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and colleagues found.

The results may explain in part why consuming whole grains, which are high in magnesium, is also associated with lower diabetes risk. However, large clinical trials testing the effects of magnesium on diabetes risk are needed to determine whether a causal relationship truly exists, the researchers note in Diabetes Care.

It's plausible that magnesium could influence diabetes risk because the mineral is needed for the proper functioning of several enzymes that help the body process glucose, the researchers point out. Studies of magnesium and diabetes risk have had conflicting results, though.

To investigate the link, the researchers looked at magnesium intake and diabetes risk in 4,497 men and women 18 to 30 years old, none of whom were diabetic at the study's outset. During a 20-year follow-up period, 330 of the subjects developed diabetes.

People with the highest magnesium intake, who averaged about 200 milligrams of magnesium for every 1,000 calories they consumed, were 47 percent less likely to have developed diabetes during follow up than those with the lowest intakes, who consumed about 100 milligrams of magnesium per 1,000 calories.

He and colleagues also found that as magnesium intake rose, levels of several markers of inflammation decreased, as did resistance to the effects of the key blood-sugar-regulating hormone insulin. Higher blood levels of magnesium also were linked to a lower degree of insulin resistance.

"Increasing magnesium intake may be important for improving insulin sensitivity, reducing systemic inflammation, and decreasing diabetes risk," He and colleagues write. "Further large-scale clinical trials are needed to establish causal inference and elucidate the mechanisms behind this potential benefit."

Benefits Of Ginger

2012-03-13T21:22:00.004+06:00

At least once a week, I have a craving for sushi and not just because I grew up loving California rolls, sliced fresh tuna, and crab salad. In fact, my favorite part of the raw Japanese meal by far has to be the little lump of often peach-colored pickled ginger that sits in the corner of the plate. Snapping up the slices of ginger from all of the plates on the table in one delicious yet spicy mound is the best part of my night. I never really thought that consuming that much ginger could be preventing future body pain, I just love the taste. The good news is that this wonderful root can actually help lessen a whole host of ailments.

Ginger is commonly used in cooking as well as for medicinal purposes. Ginger, also known by its Latin name Zingiber officinale, is often used in Asian cultures as a way to treat nausea or stomachaches usually associated with post surgical symptoms, pregnancy, chemotherapy aftereffects, or motion sickness. This reason may be why it is served with sushi—although it is called Gari instead of ginger when used in this manner—besides its original intention as a palate cleanser.” Many American dietary supplements contain ginger for its anti-nausea and vomit relief.

Ginger has also been used for treating osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis as well as muscle and other joint pains. Ginger comes in many forms: tablets, capsules, liquid, extract, tea, dried roots, or fresh root (as in my pickled kind at sushi). According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), is conducting experiments on the different drug interactions ginger may cause as well as whether or not ginger can be proven to help inflammation.

According to experts so far, there are few side effects due to taking small doses of ginger, such as: gas, bloating, heartburn, and the occasional case of nausea and these reported cases are from patients who took powdered ginger.

However, a 2006 study conducted at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, shows that powdered ginger—while it may have some side effects in small doses—may also help reduce ovarian cancer. The researchers studied a high-grade ginger powder in the laboratory against ovarian cancer cells. They found that the ginger when dissolved in a solution and applied to the cells caused them to die.

Two types of cell death occurred: apoptosis, in which the cells commit suicide, and autophagy, in which the cells attacke each other or digest themselves. Lead author and researcher, Dr. J. Rebecca Liu, the University of Michigan’s Medical School assistant professor of obstetrics says that the emerging results of their ginger study is a big leap for ovarian cancer research, “Most ovarian cancer patients develop recurrent disease that eventually becomes resistant to standard chemotherapy—which is associated with resistance to apoptosis. If ginger can cause autophagic cell death in addition to apoptosis, it may circumvent resistance to conventional chemotherapy.”

As with all preliminary verdicts, there is much more research to be done and dozens more studies to conduct before any final results can be made. The next step is to test these findings on animals within the lab before any human trials can be done. Since ginger has little to no side effects, the upside to it being a cancer treatment is that it is natural and not as harsh as radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery and it can potentially inhibit the growth of ovarian cancer cells as an added bonus.

If ginger is delicious in sushi, the spice can be used in savory dishes like our nutrition columnist’s own chicken soup or salad dressings and it can also be enjoyed in sweet treats. Gingersnap cookies are a favorite, same as gingerbread figures and houses around the holidays. Whatever foods you enjoy ginger in, just remember that beyond tantalizing your taste buds, you just may be saving your body from some serious and not so serious harm.

Ways For Natural Eye Care

2012-03-13T21:22:00.003+06:00

A friend of mine recently let his contacts stay in their antibacterial pool longer than usual and embraced his new pair of glasses like a long lost friend. After complimenting him on his new purchase, I tried them on only to hear him tell me not to look through the lenses because he was “blind as a bat” and my eyes would end up in pain. Aside from thinking I should have my own eyes checked after almost a decade, I also wondered if there were any natural ways to keep my eyes healthy.

Carrots have long been thought of as an old wives tale of chomping on good-for-you vegetables masquerading as cures, but there is merit to the humble carrot. Carrots contain beta-carotene which is transformed into vitamin A by the body. Sure excess amounts of vitamin A may not ensure 20/20 vision, but it can help you maintain good eyesight. You can also get vitamin A from liver, broccoli, kale, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, mango, apricots, and cantaloupe, but carrots are best known for helping the eyes.

Beta-carotene isn’t the only compound found in carrots that is helpful—an antioxidant called lutein that primarily works with another component called zeaxanthin—and eating foods rich in these nutrients can increase the pigment density in the macula and added protection for your retina. Most of the foods with both of these nutrients are of the green and leafy variety.

As we age, our eyes get weaker and while over half of all Americans over 80 years of age have cataracts, over 13 million Americans are suffering from macular degeneration. The macula, part of the eye that helps keep the cones and rods in proper working order, has been under the microscope lately because a new study has linked vitamin B supplements to helping those with age-related macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is a widespread disease that attacks the area central to the retina and is a leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 50.

A deficiency in vitamin A can also cause vision loss. Professor of Nutrition at Ohio State University, John Allred, says that extreme deficiency can cause night blindness and can even cause complete blindness, and is the leading cause of blindness in the third world alone. However, Allred says, if you are not deficient, drinking carrot juice every day or other beta-carotine enhanced veggies won’t improve your vision, only maintain it…and cause your skin to turn orange.

Beta-carotene, besides being broken down as a helpful vitamin within the body, is also a pigment. Experts say not to worry because even though the skin might appear to have an orange tint, it is completely harmless. If you cut back on the orange foods or drinks or consult your doctor to make sure your diet is balanced correctly, the tint will eventually lessen and go away and the excess of beta-carotene in your system will flush itself out. If you would rather not risk getting your vitamin A-carrying beta-carotene through orange tinted foods, most multi-vitamins include the nutrient for a quick source and readily available.

Unfortunately I did not find any helpful hints to share with my sight-challenged friend; I was pleased to find out that the urging of mothers everywhere to “eat your carrots” was not all a ruse. While I am still thinking of making an eye appointment and I am not 100 percent sure that my weekly carrot cake cravings are actually helping to keep my eyesight on a steady plateau, my eyes haven’t failed me yet and as long as my multi-vitamin can help me out, I will not worry about my eyes for now.

Green Tea Reduces Diabetes

2012-03-13T21:22:00.002+06:00

As the temperatures continue to drop and we start to see our breath coming out in clouds in the cool air, most of us instinctively reach for something warm. Whether it’s the drive-thru at the local Starbucks, ordering a cup alongside your dinner, or simply putting the kettle on at home while cozying up to your blanket, consider drinking green tea to benefit your body and warm you up. Emerging research shows that green tea—just like chamomile tea’s antioxidants—potentially has ability to prevent type-1 diabetes.

Green tea has been shown to stop inflammation and prevent cell death and has been studied as a preventative cancer measure with heart healthy antioxidants, but it has been in the news lately in Florida with its decaffeinated version decreasing blood pressure and cholesterol, effectively lowering stress and chronic inflammation. In a different study published recently, 111 adults were given green tea capsules over three months with positive results compared to the placebo group. On a roll by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels in humans, researchers in Georgia used the antioxidant fighting power of green tea to challenge diabetes in mice.

Type-1 diabetes is the most common diabetes, also known as childhood onset diabetes and occurs when the pancreas stops producing insulin altogether (type-2 is when the insulin produced is used within the body incorrectly) and is a lifelong disease patients have to learn to monitor on their own with a specialized diet watching their sugar intake, insulin injections, and by keeping a regular healthy exercise routine.

The Medical College of Georgia in Augusta’s researchers tested the effects of a compound in green tea for its antioxidant qualities against mice infected with type-1 diabetes. Mice with Sjogren’s syndrome—an autoimmune disorder that attacks the glands that produce saliva and tears resulting in symptoms of an overly dry mouth and eyes—were also treated with the compound. Sjogren’s syndrome currently has no cure.

Dr. Stephen D. Hsu of Augusta’s Medical College of Georgia along with his team found that the compound EGCG reduced the intensity of the symptoms and delayed the eventual salivary gland damage associated with the presence of Sjogren’s syndrome. The research team also found that the salivary gland cells under attack by the body were multiplying rapidly but EGCG proved to slow down the process. This new study confirms previous hypotheses helpful in linking EGCG to preventable efforts against autoimmune diseases.

The results were similar when the placebo group was compared with the type-1 diabetes group of mice. After 16 weeks, Hsu and his researchers found that only 25 percent of the mice given the green tea extract (EGCG) ended up developing diabetes versus 67 percent of mice who developed diabetes that were only given water. At 22 weeks, however, the numbers steadily grew. The EGCG green tea group had 45 percent with diabetes and the plain water group had 78 percent developing the disease.

In a statement, Hsu says about the importance of the study regarding the outcome of diabetes, “Our study focused on Sjogren's syndrome, so learning that EGCG also can prevent and delay insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes was a big surprise." The surprise for Hsu’s group is great news for more upcoming research to take their findings and update them to focus directly on type-1 diabetes prevention. The researchers think that the results came out similar because both diabetes and Sjogren’s syndrome are autoimmune diseases, causing the body to attack itself.

These advances in research show pivotal findings in the incurable Sjogren’s syndrome and hold great potential to do the same for diabetes. With November being National Diabetes Month protect yourself now. Green tea isn’t just to drink with Chinese food these days, so stock up on your antioxidants by sipping your diabetes risk away.

Tea Tree Oil Can Be used As Natural Medicine

2012-03-13T21:22:00.001+06:00

Tea tree oil, also known as melaleuca oil, is often used as an essential oil for a variety of ailments. Extracted from the leaves of a plant native to Australia, the pure form of the oil is very strong and usually diluted for use in cosmetics and medicines. Historically, tea tree oil got its name because the leaves of the melaleuca alternifolia plant were first steeped as a tea. Traditionally, the leaves were used topically for treating burns, lacerations, and infections.

Tea tree oil has been effective in helping or healing many maladies from athlete’s foot and acne to dandruff, nail fungus, eczema, ringworm, and even annoyances like lice and mosquito bites. This antiseptic, antiviral, and antifungal oil is wonderful for stopping pain and irritation while providing a soothing disinfectant for your skin. For acne sufferers, tea tree oil has been proven great for killing the bacteria and flushing out the toxins while keeping the skin’s natural oils without over-drying. For helping coughs and colds, tea tree oil helps to break up mucus.

As an essential oil used in aromatherapy, tea tree oil is found in many face and body creams, soaps, lotions, hair products and candles. Even though tea tree oil is a natural product, there have been studies done to prove its effectiveness as a treatment for certain ailments.

A controlled trial investigated three groups with athlete’s foot. Out of 158 sufferers, one group used 25 percent tea tree oil solution, the second group worked with 50 percent, and the final group was the placebo. Used twice daily for four weeks, the 50 percent solution group showed 64 percent cured in relation to only 31 percent in the placebo group. Another trial used tea tree oil to fight acne and it was tested against benzoyl peroxide and had fewer skin side effects overall but both groups showed significantly less skin irritations, inflammation, and breakouts.

Natural health products have been more popular in recent years and because they are branching out of their niche environment, more scientific studies are being conducted in order to test these natural products on conditions and diseases we have yet to find cures for. Tea tree oil has not been forgotten and emerging information is making headlines due to a rising health outbreak in the United States.

MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, has been in the news recently due to outbreaks of the infection caused by mistakes and sloppy corners used in hospitals across the country. MRSA cannot be treated with normal antibiotics and is easily transferred through large environments of sick people (from hospitals to nursing homes) causing pneumonia and other serious infections. A Northern Ireland study conducted by Queen’s University Belfast, shows that tea tree oil may provide a simple approach to preventing the virus from spreading.

In the news published earlier this month, lead author of the study Dr. Bronagh Blackwood from the university and his colleagues are testing results of patients using a body wash with 5 percent concentration of tea tree oil to combat MRSA. Earlier studies have shown that tea tree oil-infused body wash has seemed to eliminate the virus from the skin because a lot of these infections start at the surgical site. Blackwood’s team is experimenting with newly-diagnosed MRSA patients on people in hospital’s intensive care units and even though they are only a year into the trial they are hopeful for a positive outcome, “We started this trial in November 2007,” Blackwood continued, “We aim to complete it in November 2010.”

Tea tree oil should be used with caution and under supervision from a natural healer or healthcare provider in order to be used properly and in its correct form. It should be noted that tea tree oil should be checked for potency before use, because in its undiluted and purest state, it can cause skin irritations like blistering, itching, and rashes. Also tea tree oil is supposed to be used topically only and never to be ingested, ask a professional before using if pregnant or breast-feeding.

For Bug Bite Natural medicines

2012-03-13T21:22:00.000+06:00

Summer is here, the season of outdoor activities, and since mosquitoes tend to multiply in hot climates, summer is also the season of bug bites. Whether it is a mosquito bite or a bee sting, spraying your skin sticky with offensive-smelling bug repellants is only going to make you uncomfortable and possibly keep humans away from you as well. When I was a kid, my grandfather made my brother and I slather cotton balls in regular yellow Listerine and rub it on every part of skin that was showing before we were allowed outside. Thankfully, there are other natural remedies that keep the bugs—or if you have already been bitten—the sting and itch away.

Probably the safest way to keep bugs away from your home is to prevent your yard from inviting bugs. You can plant little repellent gardens all over your yard, front porch, or back patio to ward off unwanted bugs. Using nature-friendly plants like lemongrass (also known as Citronella, popular in mosquito-repelling candles), lemon thyme, catnip, and citrus-smelling geraniums which contain up to 60 percent of the power of popular spray DEET along with other commercial products, you can reduce your family’s bite ratio and reduce the amount of toxins they are subject to.

Another option is lotions and sprays found at natural health food stores or herbalists thar contain essential oils and herbs that are used to keep these pests away (like eucalyptus, bay laurel, thyme, or lavender). One of these natural oils, gaining in popularity, is neem oil. Made from the neem tree, this extract is used in Indian Ayurvedic cures; the oil is bitter and repels bugs while still being able to keep your friends close by. Although many of these lotions and essential oil-based solutions should not be used on infants, children under 2, or pregnant or nursing mothers, you can always spray their clothes or the area around them for protection. A safe-for-children remedy is to coat a stroller or toddler’s chair with pure vanilla bean extract or add a few drops to their regular skin lotion for use on their sensitive skin—or yours.

If you have already been stung or bitten, treating those bites can be a chore. Anti-inflammatory remedies like peppermint oil dropped onto the bite uses menthol to increase circulation and move the chemicals around that the bug left behind to physically reduce the sore. You can also use regular oatmeal on bites to pull any remaining toxins out of the body. Let a tablespoon of oatmeal marinate in water until a paste forms. Spread onto the bite until a crust hardens and rinse off. An easier way to pull toxins out of your body is to apply a slice of freshly cut eggplant on the wound, while a fresh cut cucumber slice also works to reduce swelling.

After the itch and pain are gone, unsightly bumps can still appear on the skin. Cover with easy at-home tricks like calendula and aloe vera to prevent against infection, which can be found over the counter in sprays and gels. Redness associated with a bug bite can be irritating in itself and again Ayurvedic medicine comes to the rescue. Alum, found in the spice aisle, is in powder form and can be dissolved in water takes away the unwanted physical aspects of the bite and even helps with any lingering itch you may have.

Don’t hesitate to call 911 if you suspect there is an emergency. Allergic reactions to bug bites can happen, either from bees, spiders, or other unknown insects that you may not realize you are allergic to. People can go into anaphylactic shock from certain bites or stings and they should be watched if any of their symptoms get worse. Even though run-ins with bugs can be annoying, they can also be dangerous, so don’t ignore the warning signs: pain at the site for longer than a few hours, nausea, vomiting, fever, unstoppable itching, muscle pain, difficulty breathing, extreme swelling, or causes confusion in the victim.

Bowen Therapy: A New Approach

2012-03-11T05:50:00.006+06:00

As a sufferer of both neck and back pain on occasion, a believer of chiropractic services, and a big supporter of massage therapy, if someone told me that I could relieve my pain by lying on a table and having my muscles gently manipulated like my spine is at my chiropractor’s office but with none of the cringe-inducing popping sounds, I would probably be skeptical but eager to try it out. Bowen Therapy—named for its founder Tom Bowen, an Australian who found he had a natural gift for finding rhythms and vibrations within the body’s muscles—is the quick, painless, and revolutionary cure long-time sufferers are looking for.

Bowen is safe for everyone (even animals!), from incredibly frail infants to extremely arthritic patients as well as the elderly, and every size, shape, and condition in between. Although Tom Bowen himself claimed an 88 percent success rate during his heyday from its introduction in the 1950s to his eventual retirement in the early 1980s, the feel-good rate is determined mostly by word of mouth because scientific data cannot be processed for this type of body work, although some experimental research has been done.

Some people feel great after only a few treatments and others continue to go every week for the benefits of being more relaxed and feeling more freedom and range of motion in their musculoskeletal system. During a one hour session, the Bowen therapist will find patterns within your muscles and move his or her fingers lightly across the skin to release the tension in that area. Once your muscles are free to relax, your body will be able to adjust according to the pattern the instructor is forming with your tendons. When this happens, the hope is that the body will be able to heal itself and find a balance from within to keep pain from cropping back up in any of your troublesome spots.

After each movement, the therapist or instructor performing the Bowen technique usually leaves the room or pauses for your muscles to realign, allowing ample space between movements, resulting in an hour session (even though each movement is very quick and one Bowen observer has said that it was like the therapist was flicking the patient’s skin). Therapists recommend drinking a lot of water the day of the treatment to get rid of toxins as well as abstaining from any heavy lifting or rigorous exercise that might otherwise strain the body further before or after treatment. Three sessions are recommended to train the body to balance itself and your Bowen therapist may recommend different exercises, stretches, or changing the way you move to do certain tasks in an effort to maximize the potential effects of the Bowen technique.

While reading testimonials from a variety of sources, Bowen seems to be the cure-all from every imaginable source of bodily pain and practitioners can be found all over the world. Besides the expected upper and lower extremity pains, people who have long-standing pain or short bouts from a recent injury including shin splints, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, ear infections, and sciatica to less obviously physical sources of pain like stress, panic attacks, and anxiety have been helped by Bowen Therapy.

Next time you find yourself in the kind of shooting pain that goes right down your back, causes your knee to buckle, or creates a lasting headache from numbing pain, consider Bowen Therapy as an alternative holistic treatment...after all, it doesn’t hurt to try.

Risk of Heart Arrhythmia Can Be Reduced By Omega-3s

2012-03-11T05:50:00.005+06:00

In a new study of some 3,000 older adults, those with the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood were 30 percent less likely to develop an irregular heartbeat over the next 14 years than peers with the lowest blood levels of omega-3s.

"A 30 percent lower risk of the most common chronic arrhythmia in the United States population is a pretty big effect," said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, senior author of the new report and a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health.

According to some estimates, up to nine percent of Americans will develop atrial fibrillation, a heart-rhythm abnormality that can lead to stroke and heart failure, by the time they reach their 80s.

There are few treatments for the condition and they largely center on preventing strokes with blood-thinning drugs.

Some previous studies have suggested that people who eat a lot of fish have a lower risk of developing atrial fibrillation to begin with. But others haven't found the same link.

The omega-3 fatty acids measured in the new study -- eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) - are found in oily fish and some enriched foods, like eggs, as well as in fish oil supplements.

The earlier studies relied on questionnaires about how much fish people ate, which can only estimate the levels of omega-3s they ingested, Mozaffarian noted.

"Any given fish species can vary in its omega-3s by 10-fold," he told Reuters Health.

To get a more accurate measurement of how much fish oil the people in the study actually ingested, the researchers sampled blood from more than 3,300 adults over age 65.

Over 14 years, they tracked the seniors' health and found that 789 had developed atrial fibrillation.

Those with top-25-percent omega-3 levels in their bloodstreams at the beginning of the study were about 30 percent less likely to end up with the arrhythmia compared to those with bottom-25-percent blood levels of the fatty acids.

The difference in risk isn't huge, but "these are meaningful reductions in risk" said Dr. Alvaro Alonso, a professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health who was not involved in this study.

A 30 percent reduction in risk would mean that instead of 25 out of every 100 people developing a condition, only about 17 out of every 100 people would get it.

Another study from Finland used the same approach of measuring fatty acids in the blood and found a similar reduction in the risk of atrial fibrillation among those with the highest levels.

Mozaffarian's group tried to tease out which of the omega-3 fats might be responsible for the lower risk, and found that high DHA levels were linked to a 23 percent lower risk for atrial fibrillation while EPA and DPA were not tied to any reduced risk.

DHA is highly concentrated in heart muscle cell membranes, Mozaffarian and his colleagues point out in their report, published in the journal Circulation.

Alonso cautioned that this study doesn't prove eating fish is responsible for the lower rate of atrial fibrillation, but he said there is some idea that the fatty acids found in fish could work by stabilizing the excitability of heart muscle cells.

He said that the results seem promising enough to warrant further studies experimenting with using fish oil as a potential preventive measure against atrial fibrillation.

An earlier study of fish oil pills found that they didn't help the symptoms of atrial fibrillation in people who had already developed the arrhythmia (see Reuters Health story of November 15, 2010).

The American Heart Association, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other groups recommend eating fish at least twice a week.

Mozaffarian said most Americans don't meet those goals.

He said his study "doesn't change current guidelines, but I think this should change people's motivation."

Optimistic Psychology Has Limited Physical Condition Benefits

2012-03-11T05:50:00.004+06:00

A psychology technique that encourages patients to think positively and gain confidence helped some with high blood pressure and heart disease stick to medication and exercise goals, according to new research.

But the strategy -- known as positive affect and self-affirmation, or just positive affirmation -- didn't always lead to obvious health benefits. And it's unclear whether any improvements in lifestyle would have continued after the extra encouragement stopped.

"In general, the idea is that as people feel positively about what they're doing, they're more likely to be energized and sustain that over time," said Dr. Geoffrey Williams from the University of Rochester, New York, who wrote a commentary published with three new studies on positive affirmation in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The studies addressed health goals in three groups of patients. In one, African-Americans with high blood pressure were encouraged to stick more closely to their medication plan. In the other two, people who had asthma or who'd recently had a stent inserted into blocked arteries agreed to exercise more.

All patients were given workbooks and made contracts with doctors about their goals.

Half of the participants in each study -- the positive-thinking groups -- also received small gifts in the mail, and were encouraged to incorporate things that made them happy into their everyday lives and to think about proud moments when they were having trouble sticking to their goals.

In the high blood pressure study, the extra encouragement led to limited success. Slightly more people in the positive-thinking group took their medications; in total, that group took 42 percent of its recommended doses, compared to 36 percent in the "control" group. But there was no difference in changes in blood pressure between the groups after a year.

The researchers calculated that 16 hypertensive patients would need to get the extra support, encouragement and gifts for one more to adhere to a medication plan.

The intervention had no clear effect on physical activity in asthma patients. Regardless of whether or not they were given the encouragement and told to think positively, the patients burned an extra 400 calories per week on average by the end of the year-long study.

There was some benefit in patients who received extra exercise encouragement after having a stent inserted. More than half of them surpassed the goal of burning an extra 336 calories per week after a year, compared to just over one-third of patients who were taught about exercise, but didn't get positive affirmation.

"Overall it's safe to say that self-affirmation... can help patients to engage in healthy lifestyle behaviors," said Dr. Gbenga Ogedegbe from the New York University School of Medicine, part of the NYU Langone Medical Center, and the lead researcher of the blood pressure study.

The theory of improving health and lifestyle through upbeat thinking is related to the "positive psychology" movement, which encourages the study of happiness, rather than focusing only on mental illness.

Ogedegbe said it's possible that combined with other behavioral strategies and improvements in care, positive thinking and affirmation can lead to actual reductions in blood pressure in some hypertensive patients, as well as other health benefits. But it's unclear from this study if that's the case.

One limit of all the new studies, according to Williams, is that they didn't track whether patients continued to take their medication and exercise after the extra encouragement and gifts stopped -- which would be important if the strategy was going to be useful in the real world.

"We need people to be able to carry this out themselves after we have (finished) working with them," Williams told Reuters Health.

Ogedegbe said that he and his colleagues are currently looking at how well the strategy works in combination with other health interventions, as well as how costly it would be outside of a research study.

For now, he told Reuters Health, "The simple message is that patients have to remain positive, even in the face of obstacles."

20,00,000 more people get safe and sound water to drink

2012-03-11T05:50:00.003+06:00

More than 2 billion people have gained access to better drinking water sources, such as piped supplies and protected wells, between 1990 and 2010, U.N. officials said on Tuesday.

The figure means the world has met the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goal (MDG) to halve the proportion of people with no safe drinking water well ahead of a 2015 deadline, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said this was "a great achievement for the people of the world" and noted it was one of the first MDGs to be met.

The Millennium Development Goals are a group of targets set by the international community in 2000 to seek to improve health and reduce poverty among the world's poorest people by 2015.

"The successful efforts to provide greater access to drinking water are a testament to all who see the MDGs not as a dream, but as a vital tool for improving the lives of millions," Ban said in a statement.

A report by the U.N. children's fund UNICEF and the WHO found that at the end of 2010, 89 percent of the world's population, or 6.1 billion people, had access to improved drinking water -- higher than the 88 percent MDG target.

The report estimates that by 2015, 92 percent of the global population will have access to improved drinking water.

"For children this is especially good news," UNICEF's Executive Director Anthony Lake said in a statement. "Every day more than 3,000 children die from diarrheal diseases. Achieving this goal will go a long way to saving children's lives."

Lake cautioned against declaring victory too early, as at least 11 percent of the world's population -- or 783 million people -- still have no safe drinking water, and some 2.5 billion do not have improved sanitation facilities.

The report said the world is still far from meeting the MDG target for sanitation, and is unlikely to do so by 2015. Only 63 percent of the world now have improved sanitation access, a figure projected to increase to only 67 percent by 2015, well below the 75 percent internationally agreed aim.

"Better water, sanitation and hygiene are key to improving human health and development," said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan. "Today, even with this exciting new progress, almost 10 percent of all diseases are still linked to poor water, sanitation and hygiene."

The report said there were still huge challenges in certain parts of the world, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, where only 61 percent of people have access to improved water supplies compared with 90 percent or more in Latin America and the Caribbean, Northern Africa and large parts of Asia.

It also said some 1.1 billion people still defecate in the open because they have no toilets, and the vast majority of them live in rural areas.

To Enhance Brain Memory Can Be Used Tiny electrical shocks

2012-03-11T05:50:00.002+06:00

Lightly shocking a person's brain just before they learned a new task appeared to strengthen memory in a handful of patients with epilepsy, a tantalizing result that could have implications for Alzheimer's disease, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

Pacemaker devices known as deep brain stimulators made by Medtronic and St. Jude Medical are already used to calm muscle tremors in patients with Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders, and are being tested for a host of other conditions such as treatment-resistant depression.

The devices are implanted under the skin in the chest with wires leading up the neck connected to tiny electrodes implanted deep in the brain, which produce electrical impulses.

The current study was done at the University of California at Los Angeles in seven epileptic patients awaiting surgery who had electrodes implanted deep in their brains to help pinpoint the source of their seizures. The team used this opportunity to see how stimulating the brain affects memory.

They focused on an area of the brain called the entorhinal cortex, which helps form and store memories.

"The entorhinal cortex is the golden gate to the brain's memory mainframe," Dr. Itzhak Fried, professor of neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, who worked on the study, said in a telephone interview. The research was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Fried said sensory experiences that eventually become memories pass through this hub before they are stored in the hippocampus, the brain's chief memory center.

For the study, patients played a video game in which they had to shuttle people around in taxis to different shops in a virtual city. The team tested whether stimulating the entorhinal cortex or the hippocampus while they were learning their way around the city improved their recall.

"When we stimulated the hippocampus itself, there was not an effect. It was really stimulation in the gateway to the hippocampus - the entorhinal cortex - where we got the beneficial effect in terms of memory," Fried said.

Compared to testing before stimulation, zapping this part of the brain helped people recognize landmarks and navigate the virtual city more quickly. Fried said the findings suggest stimulating the brain just as memories are forming is key.

IMPACT ON ALZHEIMER'S

In Alzheimer's disease, this area of the brain is affected early on, when signs of dementia begin to appear.

Fried said the study might have implications for treatments for patients with early Alzheimer's disease, but he cautioned that the results are very preliminary.

"The question would be whether this can help memory in patients with memory impairments," he said. Scientists are increasingly focused on ways to treat the memory-robbing disease, which affects more than 5 million Americans.

Despite costly efforts, no drug has been found that can keep Alzheimer's from progressing, and policymakers are growing increasingly worried about the swelling ranks of dementia patients as the population ages.

Suzanne Haber, a neuroscientist at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York who was not involved in the study, said she was "very excited about the finding," but she cautioned that the treatment is very invasive, very expensive and unproven in Alzheimer's patients.

The Obama administration said on Wednesday it plans to spend an additional $156 million over the next two years to help find an effective treatment for Alzheimer's.

One team has already tried deep brain stimulation in Alzheimer's patients. In a study published in the Annals of Neurology in 2010 researchers tested deep brain stimulation in six patients over the course of a year and found the treatment to be relatively safe. They also saw signs the treatment might have an effect on memory.

Dr. Sandra Black, a brain researcher at the University of Toronto who wrote an editorial on the current study, said the findings could have implications for early stage Alzheimer's disease if tests were developed to identify this process early through imaging or genomics.

"Although the current evidence is preliminary, is based on small samples and requires replication, the potential application of deep-brain stimulation in amnestic disorders is enticing," Black wrote.

E-Prescribing Decreases Medication Errors In Hospitals

2012-03-09T02:52:00.000+06:00

A study published in this week's PLoS Medicine shows that commercial electronic prescribing systems (commonly known as e-prescribing, in which prescribers use a computer to order medications for their patients through a system with the help of prompts, aids, and alerts) could substantially reduce prescribing error rates in hospital in-patients.

In the study, led by Professor Johanna Westbrook from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, the authors studied the introduction of the Cerner Millennium e-prescribing system into one ward in one hospital (Hospital A), and used three other wards as controls. At another hospital, the authors compared the error rates on two wards before and after the introduction of the e-prescribing system iSoft MedChart.

The study looked at both procedural (e.g., incomplete, unclear medication orders) and clinical (e.g., wrong dose, wrong drug) orders, and rated the severity of the errors (minor to serious). The researchers found that on the three intervention wards where an e-prescribing system was implemented the procedural prescribing error rates fell by over 90%.

The researchers found that serious clinical errors declined significantly by 44% on the three wards that used the e-prescribing system whereas the serious clinical error rate fell by 16.7% in control wards that did not get the system.

The overall rate of clinical errors (those rated as minor to serious combined) did not fall due to the fact that the e-prescribing systems unwittingly introduced some new types of errors called "system-related errors." These included, for example, when a prescriber accidently selected the wrong drug from a drop-down menu item. These system-related errors accounted for 35% of errors occurring in the intervention wards.

These findings are important as medication errors using hand-written scripts (for example, prescribing the wrong drug or giving a drug by the wrong route), frequently occur in health-care settings and are responsible for thousands of deaths every year.

The authors admit that the study has limitations, such as the lack of randomization and lack of control wards in Hospital B, but conclude: "Implementation of these commercial e-prescribing systems resulted in significant reductions in prescribing error rates with a significant decline in serious errors observed."

For Reduce Pain Massages Base on Science Can help

2012-03-09T02:42:00.000+06:00

According to a study published online in Science Translational Medicine by researchers from the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and McMaster University in Hamilton Ontario, massages aid the growth of new mitochondria in skeletal muscle, and help to reduce inflammation. Many athletes would attest to the fact that massages help in treating pain, and speed up recovery, but now scientists have the evidence to go along with their testimonies.

The researchers looked at the genetic data of muscle biopsies taken from 11 young men's quadriceps after strenuous exercise sessions on a stationary bike. One of the 11 men was chosen to have one of his legs massaged. Prior to the massage, biopsies had been taken of both legs, another was taken 10 minutes after the massage, and the third, 2.5 hours later.

Massage therapy is the 5th most globally used form of alternative medicine - with about 18 million people taking part in massage therapy methods. Although there have been studies that say long-term massage therapy can help with range of motion and chronic pain, the biological benefits of massage for skeletal tissue were previously unclear.

This study was funded by the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research, and a donation from the Warren Lammert family.

Fruit And Vegetables Consumption Responsible for Skin Tone

2012-03-09T02:33:00.000+06:00

Most people know eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables is good for long term health, but unfortunately, not that many actually consume the recommended daily amount. Now scientists at the University of St Andrews in the UK are hoping to appeal to another motivator: vanity. They report in a study published recently in the American Journal of Public Health, that eating more fruit and vegetables can change skin tone, lending it a healthier glow, within a matter of weeks.

Apparently it is all down to carotenoids, the orangey-red pigments found in fruits and vegetables.

Study supervisor Professor David Perrett and colleagues found that just two extra portions of fruit and veg a day for six weeks was enough to cause a detectable change in skin tone.

For the study, they recruited 35 students and followed their diet and changes in skin colour over 6 weeks. They also monitored how much of a change in skin colour had to take place before it was noticed by others.

The results showed that participants that increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables over the observation period showed a change in skin colour, toward more of a golden healthy glow. Those whose diet went the other way, with less fruit and veg, showed a reduction in skin tone.

In a media statement released this week, lead author Ross Whitehead, a researcher at St Andrews, said:

"People who eat more fruit and vegetables have a 'golden' skin tone that looks healthy and attractive. Our latest research finds that even small improvements in diet produces visible benefits to skin colour."

He said they were very surprised at how quickly the change occured.

Perrett said:

"Although skin colour varies markedly across the world, we find similar effects across different cultures - for Asians and Europeans alike a good diet is associated with an attractive skin tone."

"The message that a good diet improves skin colour could improve health across the globe," he added.

The researchers note that 75% of Britons do not eat the goverment-recommended "5 a Day": five portions of fruit and/or vegetables. They say this is particularly shocking when you consider that the UK recommendations are lower than those of many other countries: for instance in the US, the government suggests active men should be eating up to "13 a day". However, the Americans appear to be faring as poorly as the Brits in turning the ideal into reality.

Perhaps it is time to appeal to vanity, or something that will yield tangible benefit in a shorter time, argue the researchers.

Co-author Dr Gozde Ozakinci lectures in Health Psychology at St Andrews. He said:

"Appearance can be a powerful motivator. It is being used in other health campaigns to persuade people to avoid smoking, excessive sun exposure and alcohol consumption, all of which may speed up ageing. Our research points to the different benefits of a diet rich in fruit and vegetables on a healthy skin appearance."

Whitehead said:

"Most of us know we should eat plenty of fruit and veg, yet we are not sufficiently motivated to actually go ahead and eat a healthy diet.Government strategies aimed at improving diet typically only offer information about why a healthy diet is good for us. These strategies have, so far, had no real impact on the nation's eating habits."

"We hope that by highlighting the rapidly achievable benefits of a healthy diet on our attractiveness will be a stronger incentive for people to eat more healthily. Knowing you are going to look more attractive in a few weeks may be more persuasive than the promise of health benefits later in life," he added.

He and his colleagues conclude:

"This approach represents a novel direction for the field and is potentially suitable for cost-effective, population-level dissemination through the visual media."

The researchers believe eating much larger amounts of fruit and vegetables could make skin take on an even healthier glow in the long run.

They are currently carrying out trials in Scotland, investigating whether people can be persuaded to change their diets if they can see the positive changes that result.

Funds from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Unilever Research & Development USA are helping to pay for the study, while Perrett leads it under a British Academy Wolfson Research Professorship.