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Archive for February 3rd, 2010

What is Acne?

Acne is a chronic disorder of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands. Some of the characteristics of acne include black heads, pimples, cysts, infected abscesses, and rarely scarring. Acne usually occurs during adolescence in both men and women. To be more specific, acne starts during puberty and tends to get worse for people with oily skin. Acne badly affects teenage boys. Only mild to moderate forms of acne occur in middle-aged women. Acne can be seen most commonly on the face. The other places where it can occur include the neck, chest, back, shoulders, scalp, and upper arms and legs. Most forms of acne are the result of heredity and hormonal problems and has nothing to do with a harmful diet or poor hygiene.

Types of acne

Acne starts in a similar way for all but can take different forms and can react in a unique way according to the body conditions of the individual. A basic lesion called the comedo is the begining of acne. The comedo is an enlarged hair follicle plugged with oil and bacteria residing under the surface of your skin, that waits for the right conditions to grow into an inflamed lesion. Whenever the skin produces more oil, the bacteria grows within the swollen follicle. The surrounding skin becomes increasingly inflamed as your white blood cells fight against the intruders. Two main types of acne include non-inflammatory acne and inflammatory acne.

Non-inflammatory acne

Closed comedo:

If the plugged follicle stays below the surface of the skin, the lesion is called a closed comedo. This usually appears on the skin as small, whitish bumps. This condition is otherwise called as whitehead.

Open comedo :

If the plug enlarges and pushes through the surface of the skin, the lesion is called an open comedo. The dark appearance of the plug is not due to dirt, but due to the buildup of melanin, the pigmentation element of the skin. This condition is otherwise called as blackhead.

Inflammatory acne

Papule:

This appears on the skin as a small, firm pink bump. The papules are tender in nature and are often considered an intermediary step between non-inflammatory and clearly inflammatory lesions.

Pustule:

These are small round lesions that are inflamed and contain visible pus, which appear red at the base with a yellowish or whitish center. Pustules do not contain a large amount of bacteria. The inflammation is caused by chemical irritation from sebum components such as fatty free acids.

Cyst:

These are large pus-filled lesions that are usually present deep within the skin. The cysts are very painful lesions, as they are inflamed. Cysts form as a result of the contents of a comedo spilling over the surrounding skin and due to the response of the local immune system in producing pus. The cysts often leave deep scars.

Acne conglobata:

This is a rare but serious form of inflammatory acne that develops primarily on the back, buttocks, and chest. In addition, to the presence of pustules and cysts, there may be severe bacterial infection.

Symptoms

The common symptoms of acne include persistent, recurrent red spots or swellings on the skin known as pimples. The pimples become inflamed and get filled with pus. The pimples usually occur on the face, chest, shoulders, neck, or upper portion of the back. Some of the other symptoms include dark spots with open pores at the center, which are known as blackheads, bulged spots under the skin without openings, which are known as whiteheads, and red swellings or lumps filled with pus, which are known as pustules. The pustules can develop from blackheads or whiteheads. Inflamed fluid-filled lumps under the skin known as cysts are also a symptom of acne. These cysts can become as large as an inch across.

The word aerobic literally means “with oxygen” or “in the presence of oxygen.” Aerobic exercise is any activity that uses large muscle groups, can be maintained continuously for a long period of time and is rhythmic in nature. Aerobic exercises utilize oxygen as the major fuel for sustaining activity for relatively long periods.

In general, aerobic exercises are those activities that require large muscle work, elevate the heart rate to between 60 percent and 80 percent of maximal heart rate, are continuous in nature and are of 15 to 60 minutes in duration. An aerobically fit individual can work longer, more vigorously and achieve a quicker recovery at the end of the aerobic session.

Aerobic exercises fall in two categories:

Low to Moderate Impact aerobics – These include walking, swimming, stair climbing, step classes, light water aerobics, rowing and cross-country skiing. Nearly anyone in reasonable health can engage in some low- to moderate-impact exercise. Brisk walking burns more calories than jogging for the same distance because it takes more time to walk than jog that distance and poses less risk for injury to muscle and bone.

High-Impact aerobics – Activities that belong to this group include running, dance exercise, tennis, racquetball and squash. High-impact aerobics should be performed on alternate days. People who are overweight, elderly, out of condition or have an injury or other medical problem should do them even less frequently and only with clearance from their doctor.

Here are some of the many aerobic exercises you can do and because of the variety you have to choose from, it can not only take the bordum out of doing it, it can make doing it downright fun as well.

1. Walking
Walking is a popular form of exercise because it requires little in terms of equipment or facilities. Walking an extra 20 minutes each day will burn off 7 pounds of body fat per year. Longer, moderately-paced daily walks are best for losing weight.

2. Jogging/Running
In jogging or running, an individual is able to cover greater distances in a shorter period of time. Therefore, greater numbers of calories can be burned per time spent.

3. Choreographed Aerobic Exercise
Choreographed aerobic dance is a very popular form of exercise throughout the world. Aerobic dance helps in toning up the muscles of the body and many people find it fun to do as well.

4. Step Aerobics
Step aerobics incorporates the use of a step or bench typically about one foot wide and three feet long and about six inches high. Instructors use many moves that require participants to step up and down from the platform. This way, the activity will not be boring and tiring, but will be lively and motivating.

5. Water Aerobics
Water aerobics incorporates a variety of movements from both swimming and land aerobics to develop vigorous routines that are aerobic in nature. It utilizes the resistance to movement that water creates to elevate heart rates and also helps you if balancing yourself on land is difficult. It is a good way to lose weight.

6. Swimming
Swimming is a very popular form of regular exercise. Due to the resistance of water, the amount of energy required to swim a certain distance is greater than that needed to run or walk the same distance. In other words, swimming can burn more calories than running per time spent.

7. Stationary Cycling/Bicycling
Stationary cycling or bicycling are excellent forms of aerobic exercise when done continuously. Like swimming, cycling is a non weight bearing activity that builds muscular endurance and strength and improved flexibility of selected muscles of the legs and thighs.

8. Jumping Rope
Jumping rope can be a great aerobic workout as long as it is performed at a slow to moderate pace and is done continuously for a relatively long period of time (15 minutes or more).

The key to effective weight loss is through use of a healthy exercise program which is performed on a regular basis while following a healthy dieting & nutritional plan. Aerobic exercise is good for weight loss because it uses more calories than other activities and helps raise your metabolic rate.

This helps your body burn calories at a faster rate. It is an effective way to lose fat only if you are motivated enough to do it frequently. Aerobics only burns fat during the workout itself. So if you want encouraging results you need to be able to exercise daily and for longer periods.

Too much stress? You need a simple stress meditation. Of course, learning to meditate might intimidate you, and it’s tough to find the time for daily meditation. A solution to both problems is a meditation you can learn right now, that will take a minute to do each day.

An Easy Stress Meditation

When you breath through your mouth, it expands your chest. Breath through your nose and you’ll notice how your abdomen extends. Nose-breathing causes the diaphram to pull air to the bottom of your lungs. This delivers a good dose of oxygen into your bloodstream and brain, and it also tends to relax you. Breathing through your nose is healthier, and it’s the basis of this one-minute meditation.

Here’s how you do it. Close your eyes, sigh, and let the tension go out of your muscles. It may help to tense up your muscles first, then release that tension. Then let go of your thoughts, as much as possible, and take four or five slow, deep breaths through your nose, paying attention to your breathing.

Can Meditation Be This Easy?

The short answer is yes. No, you’re not likely to get you into a deep meditative state with this simple stess meditation. However, you will get benefits, including a clearer mind and a reduction in stress.

It helps to develop a “trigger” for your meditation. For example, do your four breaths when you get into the car, or right after lunch each day. These triggers are places or times that remind you, so your meditation becomes a habit.

You can say this isn’t “real” meditation, but there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the relaxation you’ll get from this technique. If you want, you can always pursue deeper meditation later. Meanwhile, remember that not everything has to be difficult to be of value. Why not try this easy one-minute stress meditation?

There is a fad in the US among teenage girls that has made being slim and skinny in fashion. Popular actresses like the Olsen Twins, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie have been seen as physically beautiful and sexy at around, what, 85 pounds? Not only them, but just by looking at the media, primetime shows such as The Tyra Banks Show, Oprah, and others also discuss the issue of being “too slim.” It is safe to say that almost every teenage girl in America wants to be thin too, thinking of it as the “cool” thing to be or to do. In fashion, all models are required, or in any case, be thin. But some are just TOO thin, more like skin and bones. Not attractive at all, if you are NOT a model. Being an American teenage girl, you want to BE like them. So, the easiest way for them? Weight loss pills.

With their student allowances, they save up for these weight loss pills. In any drugstore or even a supermarket like Target or Walmart, these pills are available for them to gobble up and get thinner. Then, the outbreak of weight loss pills begins.
A product called “NV” is new and on the market now. It is so called the “First Rapid weight loss (and beauty) pill”. This rapid weight loss pill has a “three complex formula” that contains a beauty, weight loss, and energy blend. The catch? Well, its Carmen Electra, the spokeperson and endorser for “NV”. This alone will make the women swoon for this new rapid weight loss pill. It’s new, i’ts “rapid”, it is personally recommended by Carmen Electra herself! Now that’s advertising.

So, how are these weight loss pills be so popular? It’s the society, and how Hollywood gets to “shape up” the youth of today. Young women, wanting to look good and feel great all the time, turn to this method of taking pills because it’s cheap, affordable, quick and easy. Of course, not only taking such weight loss pills, but sometimes they really don’t eat at all! And that’s where anorexia enters. This disorder is getting common among teenage girls as well, since they ought to want to be as thin as the girls they see on TV. How sad. It seems like either media is as powerful as the government, or if rapid weight loss pills are effective. Who knows?

People should consider their health, especially young women today. Such rapid weight loss pills are just an extension of, well, weight loss pills. It is widely available in America, and not all are believed to be effective or even safe. Such drugs only alter the normal cycle of digestion, and can sometimes lead to disorders like anorexia and other eating disorders, which can be very harmful for your health. Imagine starvation?

Young women today should realize how wrong and misunderstood being what an attractive if not sexy, a woman should be. Feeling good about yourself, making sure that your health, social life, and other responsibilities are not disregarded. Whether you are fat, small, black, white, it really doesn’t matter, as long as you are reflective of a good and happy person. In this case, rapid weight loss pills won’t be the answer.