Holistic Skin Care Regrowing The Garden Of Youth

To win the battle against the effects of time and the environment, we need to do more than just apply lotions and creams to our faces. No matter how sophisticated the ingredients grow, those anti aging creams only improve the appearance of the dead layers of skin on the surface. To reach the deeper, living cells, we need to nourish ourselves from within.

Juices are an great way to get vital antioxidants, phytonutrients, and vitamins in fruits and vegetables we normally would not eat regularly. For example, pomegranate juice has been found to prevent the thickening of the arteries if drunk daily, as well as slow down the oxidation of cholesterol. And new research indicates it may have a much stronger antioxidant effect than red wine and green tea. Beauty foods like these can be a very effective tool in improving the way our skin looks and feels.

Antioxidants are an excellent way to slow down the aging process on our skin. There are a variety of antioxidants found in fruit and vegetables. These include polyphenols, flavanoids, and proanthocyanadins. Proanthacyanadins help capillary walls stay strong, which is important in making sure all the right nutrients and oxygen get to our cells. If our cells are starving because of nutrient transportation problems, they are not going to be healthy, or look good. Blueberries and blackberries are rich sources of proanthocyanadins, so that's a great excuse to make these delicious fruits part of a regular diet. If you can't get fresh berries, or they're too expensive, try frozen berries as they still retain their nutritional value.

Paul Bedson, who utilizes traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in his approach to the body, suggests these juices for good skin health:

• Carrot, celery and lemon juice
• Cucumber, lettuce, and pineapple juice
• Half a glass of cucumber juice with half a glass of water

TCM sees healthy skin function in relation to how well the other organs of elimination function. The skin is considered an organ of elimination as it excretes about one quarter of the body's wastes through perspiration. The other organs of elimination are the kidneys, the lungs, the liver and the bowels. The rationale behind considering the excretory organs as a whole when addressing skin health, is that if one of the organs is overloaded, or not doing its job properly, it throws the whole system of excretion out of balance, placing greater stress on the other eliminatory channels. So juices, food and supplements that support these other channels of elimination should also lead to a corresponding improvement in the skin.

Herbs that support the eliminatory channels, and thus indirectly the skin, include burdock, cleavers, nettles, goldenseal, yellow dock, and milk thistle, or st marys thistle.

References: Paul Bedson, The Complete Family Guide To Natural Healing (Hinkler Books, 2005)
Erica Angyal, Gorgeous Skin In 30 Days (Lothian Books, 2005
http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=62044-tesco-pomegreat-pomegranate

Do you suffer from acne? Would you like to learn 6 acne nutrition tips to help you manage your acne better? Or an acne diet article that discusses the link between insulin, bread and acne? Click on the links to find out.

The Many Uses and Benefits of Aromatherapy

If you always wondered what aromatherapy means, all you need to do is look at the name again. It is the treatment of the body and the mind by the use of scents and essential oils derived from plants. And to be specific these plants are known as being aromatic, hence the first part of the name. The second part is self explanatory.

Aromatherapy is very effective in making you feel good mentally and physically by the way it affects your senses. What you see, touch, and feel affects you in your daily life either in a positive, negative or even a neutral way. Aromatherapy slots in as a positive influence as it treats your mind and body through your sense of smell restoring and promoting balance when you need it most. Your sense of feeling is the other part of the senses influenced by aromatherapy as essential oils are also absorbed through your skin during massage or while bathing in water containing essential oils.

So, for example, if you feel stressed, plants like lavender will help you to relax. If you breath the lavender scent it will sooth you. So will the oils when absorbed through the skin either through massage or when you have a bath. If you feel low in energy essences like mint will give you that extra stimulus to make you spring back into action. Again these oils can be breathed in, used during massage or while bathing. They act as stimuli on the brain provoking a reaction in your chemical make up through your sense of smell and through the skin.

Aromatherapy has become the alternative medicine of choice for the busy society we live in. It is a beneficial because the oils and scents are pure and natural. It is an alternative that has been around too long for it to have any kind of side effect that the general population would find harmful. But of course you cannot legislate for substances you might be allergic to even ones that are considered benign.

And it is not only a kind of alternative medicine but is also used quite widely as an alternative for cosmetics and it is a very good replacement because the essences of aromatic plants are completely natural and as discussed not harmful to most people. In fact the benefits of aromatherapy covers not only us humans but animals as well. Essential oils such as niaouli, eucalyptus and tea tree are being credited by dog owners as being effective in combating the common colds of our best friend.

In conclusion aromatherapy has been shown to be a very effective replacement for treatments of the body and mind. It has been practiced from ancient times to cure various ailments and is still to this day very popular to treat these same ailments as well as curing newer ailments of our times like stress and anxiety. It is also widely used as natural beauty treatment alternative. Even cats and dogs like the effects of aromatherapy so it is sure to be here to stay and perhaps you will find it to have even more beneficial uses in the future.

Graham Grant is the editor of Aroma Therapy Best Guide a website totally dedicated to aromatherapy. For more articles and information please find out more at http://aromatherapy-best-guide.info

Acne And Carbohydrates Is There A Link?

There has been a lot of speculation about how diet and food intake affects acne. There is a relationship between what we eat and how our skin reacts, although the exact interaction is not clearly understood. All food has properties that are helpful or harmful to our bodies. Most foods have a combination of helpful and harmful components and our bodies are designed to utilize the positive attributes of the food and to eliminate the negative. Sometimes, based on our bodies? ability to process food, there may be changes in chemical and hormonal balances caused by food. Some contributing factors to changes in body metabolism are:

- Change in diet
- Change in climate
- High stress levels
- Natural hormonal changes in the body due to age and development
- Illness and infections within the body

In this article we are going to explore the relationship between carbohydrates and acne.

Carbohydrates

There are low-carbohydrate and high-carbohydrate foods found in the average daily diet. Teenagers and adults who eat a high carbohydrate diet are more prone to acne and outbreaks. Teenagers and adults who eat a lower carbohydrate diet that limits the amount of refined sugars have significantly fewer acne problems and outbreaks. High carbohydrate foods include candies, highly processed foods such as white bread, sugary cereals and fast foods. It is believed by scientists and nutritionists that the high carbohydrate foods trigger a sharp increase in insulin production that in turn triggers hormonal increases leading to oily skin and clogged pores.

Best Diet Choices

If you have acne, we recommend that you try the following changes in your diet (after discussing it with your doctor of course):

- Eat as much natural food as possible such as fruits and vegetables.
- Limit high carbohydrate items and switch to whole grain wheat products.
- Avoid fried foods or foods cooked in oils.
- Drink at least six glasses of water per day.
- Eat high fiber foods. These high fiber foods tend to be generally low carbohydrate foods.
- Avoid any foods that you may be allergic to. Keep a record of what is eaten for a week and see if there is any pattern to outbreaks.

Mike Singh is the publisher of http://www.stopping-acne-now.com/ On his website, he shows how to cure pimples and articles about different types of acne.

Acne Skin Care Treatment Goals Is Chocolate A Cause?

Acne Skin Care usually involves continual treatment of skin even after the acne goes away. It can form on the head, back, or chest and is caused by the blockage of pores by excessive sebum production from your sebaceous glands. Acne is not caused by eating chocolate or greasy foods although oils and grease that land on your face can irritate acne and make it look worse. Nor is it caused by stress but of course stress can make it look worse.

It's not recommended that people pop their acne but sometimes it's hard to ignore. If you do decide to pop, thoroughly wash your face and hands, and find a needle to lance it. Be sure to sterilize the needle with alcohol or heating it over a lit matchstick. Pierce the pimple and gently squeeze until it runs clear or you see blood. Wash everything again and let it alone.

There are several drug treatments available for acne, that are aimed at four goals: stopping the abnormal clumping of cells within follicles, stopping increased oil production, reducing bacteria on the skin, and reducing inflammation that makes acne look so bad.

Over the counter medicines available for the treatment of acne are: Benzoyl Peroxide, Resorcinol, Salicylic Acid, and Sulfur. Benzoyl Peroxide kills the acne causing bacteria, Resorcinol breaks down blackheads and whiteheads, Salicylic acid helps to break down blackheads and whiteheads and also cuts down the shedding of cells in follicles and Sulfur also breaks down blackheads and whiteheads.

Over the counter treatments come in the form of gels, soaps, creams, soaked into pads, or in lotions. They can cause irritation to the skin as well so if you experience burning, or redness after a prolonged use of the treatment, stop using them and consult your doctor.

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino is the internet's leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies, using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. Free info on Acne Skin Care with suggested treatments.

Home Remedies From Parsnip

The parsnip has been cultivated in Europe for centuries. It was especially popular before the arrival of the potato and was used as a valuable source of carbohydrate.

Parsnips contain natural sugars which impart a sweet taste to the vegetable. The Elizabethans used parsnips as a sweetmeat with honey and spices as well as serving the root as a vegetable. The carbohydrate in parsnips is stored in the form of natural sugars. This contrasts with the potato where the carbohydrate is 90% starch. Parsnips are considered sweeter than carrots. With almost three quarters of the sugar in parsnips as sucrose, the sugar we extract from sugar cane. By comparison, sucrose accounts for only one third of the sugar in carrots. Sucrose is not at all damaging to health when consumed in its natural form in its parent plant.

Culpeper (1653) writes that 'the garden parsnip nourisheth much and is good and wholesome, but a little windy whereby it is thought to procure bodily lust; but it fatteneth the body if much used. it is good for the stomach and reins (kidneys) and provoketh urine?.

Today we appreciate that the parsnip is not fattening, with a mere 20Kcal per 100g. Compare this to fats and oils at around 900Kcal per 100g.

Kevin Pederson has been managing a number of natural home remedies websites which have information on home based natural cures and remedies by some of the common itmes in house as well as parsnips.

7 Beauty Tips For Acne Prone Skin

Acne. Boy do I hate it. Those pimples popping up all over my face back in my teenaged years. Even now, I do get acne outbreaks when I am stressed, or use the wrong skin care product. I've been to many doctors who are able to clear my acne, until the next outbreak.

Part of the reason is oily skin. Greasy skin that traps dirt and skin debris clogging up pores make your skin pores an excellent breeding place for bacteria. The bacteria multiplies and voila. You have acne.

All is not lost. If you have oily skin that is prone to acne, here are 7 beauty tips to help keep the pimples away.

1. Keep your HANDS off your face.
You hands, after touching so many things, opening the door, picking up a bag, things we do everyday, are covered with bacteria. The last thing you want is to put that bacteria on your face. Touch your face often with your hands, or worse still, pick those pimples with your fingers, and you will see the pimples multiply.

2. Keep your HAIR off your face.
If you have oily skin, you probably have oily hair. Oily hair brushing against your face adds to the oil. Oil, sweat and skin debris are a great way to clog the pores in your skin, leading to more pimples. If you notice pimples appearing on your forehead, or your cheeks and chin, typically where your hair might brush against, your hair could be the culprit. Wear a hairband, use hair clips to keep your hair off your face, tie it into a pony tail, or get a hair cut.

3. Wash your face 3 times a day with a good acne cleanser.
I got that tip from a doctor. I washed my face when I woke up, at lunch time and at bedtime with a cleanser that is meant for skin that has acne. My skin cleared when I stuck to the routine and used only skin care products meant for skin with acne. A bar of soap meant for washing your face does the trick just as well.

4. Stick to acne skin care
Every time I stray from that point, I end up with a major acne outbreak. Always. Everytime I see my pals with exceptionally radiant skin, I want to use whatever they use. I would switch to richer, anti aging skin care as a preventive measure, worried about wrinkles appearing when I get older. That backfires every time. I end up with more pimples. Stick to good acne skin care products.

5. Relax
Did you notice how pimples tend to appear more before a stressful event. Exams. A big date. A presentation. Stress wreaks havoc on your skin. Ok, pimples can also pop up due to hormonal imbalances, like just before your period.

6. Sleep
Your skin heals itself when you sleep. Your entire body heals itself in your sleep. A night without sleep may lead to more pimples. Make it a habit to leave your worries behind and get a good night's sleep. Work out more earlier in the day. Get some exercise before evening. It helps.

7. Stay away from pressed powder compact.
Yup. You heard me right. I got this tip from a friend. Her friend used a pressed powder compact to hide her acne. Instead, the more she used it the worse it got. Just think. By mid day, your skin gets oily. You take out the powder compact, and use that powder puff to apply pressed powder on your face. Now, your face would already have dirt, bacteria and oil on it. Pat your face with that powder puff and now that puff picks up the dirt, bacteria and oil. You put it back into the compact. The bacteria happily breeds in there. Then you take out the compact again and pat more powder, mixed with oil, dirt and bacteria onto your face, picking up more gunk, putting in more gunk into your compact. The cycle goes on. A better bet would be to use blotting paper to blot off the excess oil instead. Then you can throw the paper away after use. Use the blotting paper meant for your face like the ones found at http://www.everythingbeauty.info/blotting%20paper.htm

About this powder puff thing, make it a point to wash your powder puff and all your make up brushes regularly, with soap and water. Then dry them completely before you keep them. Guess that would make it an 8th tip right?

Oily, acne prone skin needs a lot of care. The bright side is that oily skin is slower to show signs of aging than dry skin. Take care of your skin and you'll probably look younger than your peers as the decades go by.

You can find more information about how to deal with acne at acne remedies and skin care for teens. The writer is the webmaster of http://www.sisadvice.com

Acne Medication Potential Side Effects

Patients with mild or occasional acne may be able to treat themselves without the use of prescription medication. Such remedies may include an alteration in diet and exercise habits, regular cleansing to remove residue and buildup on the skin, choosing the right cosmetics and eliminating stress. But for some individuals, this simply isn?t enough. For those who suffer from moderate to severe acne, a stronger medication may be needed in order for that individual to find relief from their condition.

There are several different types of medication that are commonly used to treat acne, each of which may contain the potential for certain side effects. As is the case with most over-the-counter acne medication, prescription medicines are usually available as gels, creams, lotions or solutions. In determining which is the best choice for the patient, a physician will study the skin type, severity of acne and the patient?s likelihood of having a negative reaction to any medication. Once a prescription is written, the physician will explain how often to use the medicine and how to properly apply it to the skin.

As mentioned previously, it is not uncommon for individuals to have a reaction to strong acne medication. For some it is only temporary, but others may require a change in their prescription. The most widely seen reaction is that of the skin?s condition actually worsening. Many physicians agree that most medications will cause the skin to worsen before it actually improves, which may take 6-8 weeks of using a medication. However, additional side effects may include extreme redness, burning, stinging, peeling, soreness, scaling or a discoloration of the skin. If individuals notice these side effects becoming increasingly worse or if they do not go away after a specified period of use, which should be indicated by a physician, the medication may need to be changed.

Individuals who take oral medications for the treatment of acne may face an entirely different set of potential side effects, including an upset stomach, dizziness and skin discoloration. Certain types of medication can be dangerous to women who are pregnant or children under a certain age, so individuals should report any possible conditions to their physician prior to accepting a prescription.

As with any medication, there are often risks and benefits of it?s use. The best way to learn of these is to speak with a physician, ask about any potential side effects and completely disclose your current medical condition and any medications that you are currently taking. In some instances, medications may negatively react with one another and this can be very dangerous to the patient. Acne medicine is no different and the patient should have a complete understanding of how it operates before using it.

The information in this article is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be considered as, or used in place of, medical advice or professional recommendations for the cause, diagnosis or treatment of acne. If necessary, individuals should consult a medical doctor or dermatologist for information regarding the use of acne medication or other effective treatment methods.

Find more about acne medicine, bacne treatments or read about natural acne treatments on http://www.naturalacnemedicine.com/