Skin Care And Beauty Site

Archive for November, 2009

Today more than ever there is so much information out there on losing weight that is has become very confusing and sometimes difficult to follow. It’s actually very easy to lose weight if you follow my 7 principles.

1. – Before you can start any diet program you need to be in the right frame of mind. If you do not feel good about yourself you probably will not want to choose healthy foods. You cannot expect the act of going on a diet to make you feel better about yourself. The only way you can choose to eat a healthy diet to lose weight is if you have a positive self-image.

2. – Learn more about who your ancestors were. If you eat more like your ancestors you will be eating food that is better for your body. You will likely lose weight, have more energy and feel great. It has been shown when a group of people stop eating the food that was indigenous to them they start gaining weight and having health problems.

3. – Eat whole foods that are as natural as possible. When you eat whole foods that are full of nutrients your body will know how much to eat and how much not to eat. You do not have to count calories because your body is a wonderful machine. If given the right nutrients you will be at the best weight for you, have plenty of energy and feel great. Eating highly processed empty calorie foods will cause your body to always be hungry because it’s trying to get the nutrients it needs.

4. – Drink the best weight loss supplement known to man, water. Most people do not know the difference from being hungry for food or thirsty for water. A great deal of times people eat when they should drink. Most likely you will not feel as hungry if you are getting enough water. You will be satisfying the thirst, which is confused for hunger. Water also helps you digest food better. Drinking water before you eat will help fill you up.

5. – Always chew your food well. Chewing your food well will ensure that you get the most nutrients out of your food. Getting the most nutrients will satisfy your body therefore you will eat less. Another benefit of chewing well is that it helps aid in digestion.

6. – Eat small, frequent meals in a day. Large meals tax your digestion system, making it work harder. Taking too much time in between meals makes you hungrier for the next meal.

7. – Increase your physical activity. Most people are over weight because of a lack of physical activity. Start walking more, bicycling, walk your dog for longer periods of time, swim, dance and leave the car at home when you can. It’s important that you choose a physical activity that you enjoy because you’ll stick with it. Choosing a physical activity purely based on the fact that it burns a lot of calories may be a mistake.

Finding a source of primitive stem cells.

There are news reports about the positive impact that research on cord blood stem cells is having on the possible cure for numerous life threatening diseases. But with so many varying reports about it or even factions it is impossible to keep track of all its useful facts. Stem cells show a great level of plasticity which means they can generate and regenerate into many different types of cells and even organs within in our body. Potentially, if they can be removed from the donor and transfused into the patient then in the future, stem cells could be used to cure virtually any illness.

Stem cells are more frequently found in babies or even in embryos although it has been discovered that adult stem cells do exist. To date these have mostly been found in the brain but are dispersed freely amongst millions of other cells making the extraction incredibly difficult.

Cord blood stem cells, on the other hand, are very easy to remove. Because the process is completed after the child has been born and the umbilical cord cut and clamped there is no effect whatsoever on the baby, the parent or the birth itself.

How stem cells become T cells.

T cells are the cells that are responsible for fighting infection in children and are created when stem cells pass through the thymus gland. If the patient does not have an adequate number of effective stem cells in their blood then they will not be able to create the T cells. And subsequently they are much more likely to suffer serious infections. This, in turn, means that cord blood stem cells can be used to recreate T cells as well as other vital cells within the body of your child. The stem cells will then create an army of T cells to fight off infection and leave the body to function in a normal manner. As with a blood transfusion it is imperative to the operation’s success that the stem cells transfused are of the same type as the patient’s own blood. Using cord blood stem cells belonging to the patient themselves all but guarantees that this will be the case.

Stem cell testing.

The umbilical cord stem cell matrix is called Wharton’s jelly and is rich in primitive stem cells. These cells are one that has yet to progress, transform or produce other cells. Primitive stem cells are the most effective type of stem cells that can be used in a transfusion on any patient.

Typically a lot of testing has been done on animals to prove the viability of using stem cells taken from cord blood of newborn babies and amongst the most prominent of these tests, according to the online journal “stem cells”, have been tests carried out on pigs. In a human blood cord, similar to a pig umbilical cord, two arteries & vein are found and tests have shown positive results concerned with the storage and potency of the blood. The journal “stem cells” contains a lot of data relating to stem cells and articles on various related topics.

At present leukemia and anemia are the two most common diseases treated with stem cell transfusions although since stem cell research has grown in volume and results diseases such as Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis and many different forms of cancer are also showing positive results.

At one point all of us have been trying to find ways on how to be completely acne-free. Here are some natural and not so natural acne treatments that are proven to be effective.

1. Witch Hazel Astringent

This astringent comes from the plant with the same name. It is widely spread from Nova Scotia in Canada down to Texas and Florida. Simply steam the twigs of this plant and voila! The extract you get from it serves as your astringent. Remember to cool it though. What’s good about this is that it occurs naturally and even the process it has undergone is all natural. You can be assured it is less harsh compared with commercially-produced astringents.

2. Commercially Produced Astringents

There is no doubt that astringents we can buy over-the-counter are also effective. There are lots of variants to choose from with additional ingredients that promote better skin. The only downside is it can be a little harsh because of the chemicals added to produce this formula. Use them with extra care as they can dry the skin.

3. All-Natural Treatments

Kitchen and acne are two enemies we may not be aware of. Scout your kitchen for stuff like oranges and lemons, fresh garlic and raw potatoes.

- Oranges and lemons just need to be squeezed on cotton balls. Apply the extract on affected areas and wash it after about 20 minutes.

- Fresh garlic is used much easier. Just remove its peeling and rub it on your face.

- As for raw potatoes, peel them and rub its flat surface on your face.

The natural extracts from these fruits and vegetables can help minimize the redness at the same time can clean the skin.

4. Oral Antibiotics

For severe cases, antibiotics are prescribed. These medications are orally taken to reduce the amount of bacteria inside and around skin follicles. They also decrease the exasperating chemicals that the white blood cells produce. Lastly, antibiotics diminish the concentration of the free fatty acids found in sebum, also creating an anti-inflammatory action. Consult your dermatologist for the right antibiotic and dosage.

Tetracycline is still the most commonly prescribed antibiotic for acne treatment. Most of this antibiotic should be taken on an empty stomach. Also, this shouldn’t be used by pregnant women and children under 9. Usually, the starting dose is initially 500 milligrams twice daily and is continuously taken until prescribed, or until a considerable dropping off of lesions is visible.

Erythromycin comes close second and can be prescribed to pregnant women. However, it can cause nausea and even upset stomach. Compared to tetracycline, which can only kill bacteria, Erythromycin has both anti-inflammatory and bacteria-killing properties. Also, this antibiotic needs to be taken in a food-filled tummy. You may discuss other possible antibiotics with your doctors regarding the effects and side-effects of each.

5. Topical Treatments
Externally applied creams are also proven effective for acne treatment. However, it results to drying and flaking but it is said to be the most effective treatment for severe acne. Benzoyl peroxide is one very common and effective topical acne treatment.

As a new parent, one of your priorities will be to establish good sleeping habits with your newborn. Your baby needs to learn to sleep on his own; the transition from sleeping with his mother to sleeping by himself takes some time. Of course, as add added bonus, if you get your baby to learn to sleep on his own you will also get some much needed rest yourself. To instill good sleeping habits in your baby, research and try to employ different baby sleep tips: try a lot of things and see what works for you, and don’t be afraid to trust your instincts.

Many baby sleep tips center on the idea of establishing routines and associations for your child between nighttime and sleep. The sooner you child begins to associate bedtime with sleep, the more likely he is to be able to go to sleep without a fuss. A period that is often overlooked, however, in establishing day vs. night associations, is the period of “transition” – that is, the one between being awake and falling asleep. Here are some transitioning techniques to try:

Try what is sometimes called “fathering down.” Just before placing the baby into bed, the father should cradle the baby in such a way that the baby’s head rests on the father neck. The father should then talk gently to the child. Because the male’s voice is much deeper than the female’s, babies are often more soothed by it, and will fall asleep more easily after being exposed to it for some time.

You can also try what is sometimes referred to as “wearing down.” This is effective if your baby has been active throughout the day and is too excited to go to bed easily. All you have to do is place your baby in a sling or carrier – “wear him” in other words – for about half an hour before his bedtime. Simply go about your regular household activities: being close to a parent and slowly rocked about before bedtime will provide your child with an easier transition from being awake to being asleep.

Finally, if you’ve exhausted other options, you can go for the tried and true method of “driving down.” Most parents are probably familiar with this as a last resort: place your baby in the car and drive around for awhile until he falls asleep. This one, while inconvenient, usually works every time, and if you desperately need some sleep it can be a godsend.

Obviously, you don’t want to do things like drive around every night to get your child to sleep. Nor do you want to have to carry him around in a sling. The idea, though, is to start with these more drastic techniques and then slowly ease out of them. Keep in mind what a major transition your baby is going through when he is tiny: he’s never slept on his own before. He simply doesn’t know how to transition himself from being awake to being asleep. By employing these transition techniques you will be slowly teaching him how to do so, and as they are gradually removed your baby will learn good sleeping habits, which will ensure that both you and your child get a good night’s rest.