Anti-aging info and advice

With more and more people living for longer periods, anti-aging is becoming big business. This article looks into what causes premature aging and gives advice on how to keep looking younger for longer.

The latest research shows that around seventy-five percent of skin aging is caused by an over exposure to the sun. This is a huge figure and one that has to be taken seriously for anyone who is looking at ways in delaying the aging process.

In my opinion this is actually common sense as when anything becomes burnt it tends to shrivel up and become all wrinkly. This is what can happen to peoples skin, it may not happen straight away but after maybe thirty years of this over exposure to the sun, wrinkles are likely to appear.

For people who enjoy spending time sunbathing as it makes them feel good and they like looking tanned, I would advise a strong sun cream. This should be used regularly as per the instructions and if you start to feel your body burning up this is the time when you should be looking for some shade or to cover up.

It is also important to ensure we get enough sleep. Research suggests that people who only average around six hours sleep per night will age in looks far quicker than people who average eight hours.

Again this is very logical as if you have a period of a couple of weeks when you do not get enough sleep, bags can appear under your eyes. If you have a really good nights sleep you tend to wake up not only feeling fresh and awake but also looking fresh and healthy. My advice here for people who have developed these bags under their eyes would be to use a good eye cream or to gently massage their eyes every day.

Smoking can certainly speed up the aging process. To quit smoking is not easy however but it is a must for people on a quest to delay the aging process. There are of course many other reasons to stop smoking, therefore be brave and look at ways to quit smoking today.

I have often heard people refer to somebody with a comment such as, he looks as if he has had a hard life. This is often referred to somebody who looks far older than they actually are. They look like they have not been looked after or that they have not had enough love in their lives.

What I think has happened is that they have had a stressful life. What we therefore need to do is to attempt to live as much of a stress-free life as possible. This of course is not that easy. What we need to do is to think in a more positive and pro-active way. We need to start to like ourselves and be happy with who we are and what we have. Thinking in this way will certainly in my opinion help you in your quest of anti-aging.


 

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Alternative Medicine-AKA Holistic Home Remedies

Holistic home remedies has it's roots in the belief that physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of your life are all involved and connected and should be used together to provide healing of different kinds. In the past it was generally viewed by many as just alternative medicine. Lately it has found its way into mainstream medical practices as a much broader approach to patient care and has been seen as a very effective approach to healing. Holistic home remedies is not necessarily a method of treatment but it is a way of approaching how the treatments should be applied.

There is something that you should consider when you decide to apply some of the principles of holistic health and some of the holistic home remedies. Remember that sometimes a small illness or symptom that you might have could be an indicator of a greater problem. Keep a record of things that go on with you and make it a practice to see the doctor regularly for physical checkups and also when there seems to be something bothering you for a long period of time.

In the US the Department of Veteran Affairs has started promoting holistic health which involves holistic home remedies. In their self care manual they let veterans know about treatments available to them such as acupuncture, high dose mineral and vitamin therapy, homeopathy, herbal medicine, and other holistic health treatments. They let the veterans know that when they go to visit conventional doctors to remember that the actual visit may be over in about 10-15 minutes. They tell the veterans that those who provide holistic and alternative treatments will often visit with you for over an hour. This is to find out as much as possible about you so that they can approach healing from every possible area.

One of the holistic home remedies that you may find out about is treatments for backaches. The first thing to remember is to be careful in the way you lift objects, keeping your back straight and lifting with your knees. That may sound obvious but it is too easily forgotten. Ice packs used for several days followed by heat packs for several days will help. Also consider changing your mattress if you wake up with a back ache every day. Get something very different than what you currently have.

A couple holistic healing remedies to get rid of headaches is to use acupressure by rubbing the space between your thumb and index finger. Run your hands under hot water and take aspirin with a cup of coffee.

Thomas Alva Edison wrote "The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human body, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease." Those who are interested in finding alternative treatments and cutting back on medical expenses will find more out about holistic home remedies.

There are many more available to people than mentioned above. Some are pretty basic while others might sound a bit bizarre and might involve some suggestions that may seem to have nothing to do with what your problem is. What you will find, though, is that there are significant connections within your body and that the relief that you may need can be found using holistic home remedies and a holistic approach to taking care of your body.


 

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Aging Problem can be Effectively Dealt with Natural Skin Care Tips

Skin problems are unfortunately very common in every human life. The skin being the largest part of a body is in fact the easiest way to get infected. Besides, most part of the skin remains exposed to heat, dust and air especially our face. This leads to various common and major skin problems like aging or wrinkling.

Factors like heredity, the damage caused by ultraviolet rays of the sun have a significant influence on the aging process. Since diet plays a large part in on human skin, the first step for overcoming aging problem is to make dietary changes. The key for maintaining a youthful glow is a lifetime dedication to healthy lifestyle and constant skin care. The fact is that beauty treatments related to skin will not help if a healthy lifestyle is not maintained.

The aging of skin may be inevitable. But there are certain natural skin care tips to slow down wrinkles or avoid flabby skin. One common therapy is using of skin creams. It may be a part of your daily regime, but the best way to start an anti aging effort is from inside our body.

First of all, it is necessary to check our water intake. There are varying opinions about how much water an individual needs for good health, but the general consensus remains that probably we aren't drinking enough water. This means dryness and wrinkles. So it's necessary to hydrate our skin by drinking plenty of water. But remember that alcohol, tea, tobacco and soft drinks contains caffeine and can dehydrate our skin leading to a wrinkle prone skin.

On this context, a multivitamin is always acceptable. But instead of going for any multivitamin tablets, it's better to include plenty of fruits and vegetables in our diet. It's because our body easily absorbs nutrients from food.

People who look younger than their age, repeatedly reveal one vital secret and that is getting enough sleep with a bit of daily exercise. Exercise helps our body to keep our weight down helps to digest our food easily and makes our sleep easy.

A good sleep and a exercise helps us from aging, speed up our heart beats and at the same time tone our muscles by getting the blood flowing to the skin.

Sometimes we might feel that we don't have enough time to take care of our skin or to follow certain skin care tips, but remember a healthy skin will not only make you look younger but also make you feel younger.


 

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Acne Cure- Reduce Oil Production

As an acne sufferer, I am sure you may have been told to apply glycolic acid. Acne is an inflammatory skin problem causing pimples, irritated skin and blocked pores.

To treat acne properly, you need to try and reduce oil production, speed up the skin cell turnover and deal with any bacterial infection.

Using oil free skin care preparations will help reduce the oil on your skin whilst antibacterial agents such as Benzoyl peroxide will be used to fight infection. Glycolic acid may be used to help speed up skin cell turnover. It works by removing the top layer of your skin i.e. it helps to remove the dead skin on the upper layer of the epidermis.

It is hardly surprising that glycolic acid is used as a skin exfoliant. Concentrated glycolic acid is used as a rust removal agent by various industries. Obviously the strength of the acid you apply to your skin would be a lot less, usually under 10%, but you can perhaps see why some doctors are concerned about patients using glycolic acid particularly in the home.

Some forms of acne should not be treated by exfoliating. If you suffer with pustules, exfoliating can open these and spread the infection around your face. In addition to causing the spread of your acne, you will also increase your pain and discomfort.

If you suffer from acne Rosacea, which is actually not acne despite its name, a properly qualified dermatologist will strongly advise against having this face peel treatment.

You will get the best results if you treat your acne holistically rather than just the individual pimples. Too many of us just focus on getting rid of the rash but you will spend your life doing this if you don't first find out the cause.

If your acne has only recently appeared examine the cosmetics you are currently using. Have you tried a new skin care range or different type of shampoo?

Have you just started your periods or perhaps maybe you are entering the menopause? Could you be pregnant? Has your doctor put you on a different contraceptive? Acne has been linked to hormones for years so anything which affects your hormone levels can cause acne.

Are you stressed? Drinking too much? Eating too much fast food? You cannot get acne from eating too many chips but if your diet is lacking specific vitamins and minerals, your skin will be one of the first causalities.

Try treating your acne with a gentle cleanser and warm water a couple of times a day. Keep your skin as clean as possible but don't overdo it as this can cause irritation. Use products that are suitable for your skin type.

If your acne or the scars it can cause is causing you distress or anxiety, ask your doctor to refer you to a dermatologist. He or she will be able to give you advice on various treatments that will help to reduce scarring. They may recommend a glycolic acid acne cure if they believe that it will help control your skin problem.


 

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5 Tips To Improved Skin Care

Your skin is the first thing that people notice about you and that is why a proper skin care regimen is so important. There are many products that claim to help improve skin tone and promote a flawless complexion, but the truth is that there is no such thing as instant results. An effective skin care regimen is one that is done consistently over a time before results will begin to develop.

Skin Care Tip 1:

Always use some type of exfoliation product, which will help to remove old skin cells and other debris and particles from your skin. This will expose the healthy cells and rid your body from the old ones.

Skin Care Tip 2:

If possible, avoid constant sun exposure and tanning beds. In addition to being dangerous where health is concerned, these may also lead to early signs of aging. Everyone loves a suntan, but there is no reason to sacrifice your skin or your health in order to achieve it. Therefore, many individuals opt for a self-tanning lotion instead. Back in the day, these products had a tendency to turn the skin orange, but that is no longer the case. Improvements have helped to give self-tanning products a more natural, streak-free look. Before applying the lotion to your entire body, apply it to a small test area just to make sure there is no irritation.

Skin Care Tip 3:

If your lips tend to become chapped in the winter months or wind burnt at other times, using lip balm or lipstick will help to protect the lips from nature's worst.

Skin Care Tip 4:

Dry or cracked skin can be very unbearable. Not to mention the discomfort of tight red skin, it can be downright embarrassing. A container of Pacquin Plus hand & body cream will eliminate soreness, redness and help to add moisture back to dry skin.

Skin Care Tip 5:

Do not use products that irritate your skin in any way, including soaps that have harsh ingredients. If possible, use a moisturizing soap or that which is designed for sensitive skin.
In addition to these tips, skin care products are available as commercial or prescription based treatments. A dermatologist is often consulted for matters relating to acne or other skin disorders, especially if they are severe. Many skin care enthusiasts also believe in using plenty of moisturizing body lotion in order to replenish the skin's natural moisture, which is often stripped in today's harsh environment.

The information in this article is to be used for informational purposes. It should not be considered as, or used in conjunction with, professional medical advice. Consult your doctor prior to beginning any skin care regimen or if you have been diagnosed with any disorder involving the skin.


 

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5 Steps To Perfect Hair

Your hair is your crowning glory. Look after it and it will shine for all the world to see. You don't always need expensive treatments, or visits to a hair salon to manage your hair professionally. There's so much you can do yourself.

1. For shiny, healthy hair think first of your body's intake. Your hair is really just a reflection of what you are inside. A good balanced, nutritious and healthy diet will do more to make your hair shine than any shampoo or conditioner. And drink eight to ten glasses of water a day too; hair is 25% water, so don't let yours go thirsty!

2. Dry your hair after washing in the ambient temperature of your room after using an absorbent towel to soak up the excess moisture, but don't rub hard. If possible, don't use blow-drying, flat irons, curling irons or hot rollers. Artificial heating will leave your hair brittle and damaged in time. Be natural whenever you can.

3. Prevent unnecessary hair damage by using the right kind of hairbrush. Only comb wet hair with a wide-tooth comb, combing from end to root, but avoiding touching the root. Detangling wet hair with a hard steel comb can create a lot of damage, so don't!

4. Remove trichoptlosis, or split ends, like this: take small sections of your hair and carefully twist them in a gentle downward motion. The split ends will stick out. Using sharp scissors, carefully cut into the twisted section, but not right through, to remove the damaged cuticles and leave a natural layered look. Cut roughly the same amount from each twist to balance the effect.

5. Hair loss can be slowed, or even reversed by applying a few simple tips, though they probably won't cure an underlying condition. Biotin can help to regenerate hair follicles: blend bananas with honey, yoghurt and low-fat milk, and drink it daily. Supplements such as Vitamin B6, zinc and saw palmetto will help too, but eliminating stress and getting plenty of sleep may work just as well.

We are all obsessed with our hair, whether we are 9 or 90, male or female. Look after yourself first and foremost and your hair will reflect that care and attention. The Biblical Samson's strength lay in his fine flowing hair. Your hair reflects your strength too.


 

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When to Seek Professional Treatment for Warts

Research and clinical experience shows that most warts go away without any treatment at all. In some cases, you might decide to treat warts on your own, at home. There are times, though, when you will decide that it's time to seek professional treatment for warts.

If you try to treat warts at home and they only get worse, you should see a doctor. Go in if you have used salicylic acid preparations for three months with little effect. You can see a health care expert about professional removal treatments at this time.

A wart might be located in a spot on your body that is easily irritated. If you have warts like these, you will probably want to seek help. If warts are unsightly, you will want to have someone help you remove the warts just to ease your embarrassment.

Plantar warts can be especially painful. Sometimes they can be so painful that people will go to the emergency room of a hospital to seek care. Whether you go to an urgent care clinic or just to your doctor's office, you will want help with plantar warts that you can't remove yourself.

Anyone with diabetes or peripheral artery disease should not try to treat plantar warts or any other warts on their lower extremities. It is always better to have a podiatrist deal with such situations.

There are times when you might mistakenly think something is a wart when it isn't. If the warts change shape or color, your doctor will probably want to check it to determine what it is. If you've never had warts before and you're past middle age, there's reason for your doctor to make sure the lesions aren't actually cancer.

Sometimes warts will grow very large. They can spread very rapidly to many parts of your body. If they become too large or too numerous to deal with by home treatment, see a doctor. There are many appropriate treatments for these more severe problems with warts.

It is possible to get a bacterial infection in a wart. If you have a bacterial infection, you might see red streaks coming from the wart. There might be pus or you might have a fever. The wart might be inflamed with excessive pain, redness, swelling and heat. If you have any of these symptoms, it's time to check in with a physician.

Even if you only suspect genital warts, you should consider seeking a doctor's help and advice. If you see any kind of sores, bumps, or warts in your genital area or around your anus, you might have this STD. You might also have burning or itching when you urinate. A discharge can come from the vagina of a woman or the penis of a man.

Abuse is a possible cause if children are found to have genital warts. This is one of the few ways children pick up this strain of the virus. Children should be referred to social services as well as a doctor. Anyone, child or adult, who has genital warts, should go to a doctor.

There are several different types of doctors who treat warts. Family medicine doctors, dermatologists, podiatrists, and pediatricians all do this work. If you have warts that need attention, don't hesitate to call someone.


 

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What Causes Warts?

Warts of all kinds are annoying and some can even signal danger. It would be nice to prevent them. To have any chance of doing that, you need an idea of what causes warts.

All warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). This virus gets into the skin at a certain point and infects it. The cells in that area grow very rapidly. A wart is formed at that site.

Warm, moist environments are breeding grounds for many varieties of warts. Anyplace that is wet can be a threat. A shower or locker room floor can be a problem in this area, especially if warm water covers the floor. People can pick up HPV in swimming pools, hot tubs, and saunas.

Skin abnormalities give the virus a place to take hold. If you have an irritation or a rough spot on your skin, it can give rise to a wart. If you are a swimmer, you may have plantar warts because of the combination of the moist environment and rough or broken skin from the surfaces of the pool. Plantar warts get worse because pressure from walking on them pushes them into the skin.

You can also contract HPV at the site of a patch of broken skin. This can be a rash or a cut. It can be a hangnail or a fingernail that you have bitten off very closely. It can even happen with a scrape or a scratch.

You can get common warts following excessive handling, such as in a job, of meat or poultry. The same goes for fish. Working with these foods keeps the skin moist over a long period of time.

HPV also causes genital warts. They are considered a sexually transmitted disease. They can be spread through contact with the throat or the mouth occasionally. Usually, they are contracted through exposure to the genitals or the anus.

Once the HPV is in your system, the warts can be carried to any other place on the body. You do this by scratching or touching them. Then, when you touch another body part, the HPV is spread. If the strain you have is genital warts, the infected areas will be on the genital areas.

You may have genital warts for awhile and they may go away. If this happens, be careful. You can still spread genital warts even if you are showing no signs of the infection. Genital warts are highly contagious, so you should take precautions such as using condoms during sex.

The question may arise as to whether a mother can spread genital warts to a baby when it is being delivered. The answer is that she can, but only rarely. The only time this would be a concern is if the doctor suspects that the warts will bleed excessively. At that point, a cesarean section will probably be performed.
There are many ways that warts can be spread. Some of them have to do with the warm, moist environment that fosters their growth. Some have to do with sexual activity. However HPV is actually the only cause of warts.


 

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Types of Warts

Warts are benign tumors of the skin, caused by viruses in the human papaloma virus family. They may take weeks or months to grow before they can become visible, and are contagious. In many cases, warts can be treated through home remedies and over the counter medications. However, in some cases warts must be treated by a professional.

There are four main types of warts: common warts, flat warts (also known as juvenile warts), plantar warts (warts on the feet), and genital warts. The first three types of warts are treated similarly. Genital warts typically require professional medical treatment, and can cause serious health problems if not treated quickly.

Most types of warts are not typically threatening to the overall health of the patient. When warts are bothersome or embarrassing they can be treated at home through over the counter medications. However, recurrences may happen later. If the warts continue to be bothersome, professional medical treatments may be sought.

Common Warts

Common warts appear as thickened bumps, sometimes called papules. They can appear somewhat like a mole, but are rougher on the surface. Small black dots also may appear due to clotted blood vessels.

Common warts often appear on the hands, knees, and elbows. Like all warts they are contagious, and can be spread to others with low immunity to the human papaloma virus family. Warts can also be spread to other areas of the body through touching or shaving.

Flat Warts (Juvenile Warts)

Flat warts are similar to common warts in that they appear on the hands, knees, arms, and face. They are also contagious, and can be spread to other areas of the body or other people. Flat warts are also called juvenile warts because they are most commonly found in children and young adults.

Flat warts appear as small bumps, about the size of a pin head, with a smooth flat top. They can be the color of the skin or may appear yellow or brown. They are not very large, but can form in clusters of as many as one hundred warts in one small area of the body.

Plantar Warts

Plantar warts occur on the bottoms of the feet. They are especially common in people with diabetes. Plantar warts can be very painful if left untreated, especially if they appear in a weight bearing area of the foot.

Plantar warts can sometimes be mistaken as corns or rough spots on the feet. They are typically rough and spongy in texture. Plantar warts are usually yellow, gray, or brown, causing the confusion with corns or other rough spots on the feet.

Genital Warts

Genital warts are the most common sexually transmitted disease. They appear as the color of the skin in most cases. They can be found anywhere in the genital area. In women they can actually spread to the walls of the vagina and the cervix itself.

Unlike other types of warts, genital warts can cause serious health conditions if left untreated. Treatment for genital warts must come from a professional. This type of warts cannot be treated at home.

The human papaloma virus has been found to actually cause cancer of the cervix. This is due to the rapid cell growth induced by the virus. There are over sixty strands of the virus, but only about four of them have been found to cause cervical cancer. However, the threat is very real, and should be addressed with professional medical attention as soon as they are noticed.


 

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The Link between Genital Warts and Cervical Cancer

You may have heard that there is some kind of link between genital warts and cervical cancer. Maybe you wonder if one causes the other. Almost every sexually active person has had genital warts at one time or another even if they didn't know it. However, not all women have had cervical cancer. So, what is the link?

The answer to that question can be summed up in two words or explained in many. The two words are human papillomavirus (HPV). Both genital warts and cervical cancer start with HPV. The difference is in the different strains of the virus and what happens after the virus takes hold.

Of the many types of HPV, thirty are active in the genital area. Some of these cause genital warts. They can be spread by sexual contact of the genitals, the anus, the mouth and the throat with an infected partner's. Genital warts are extremely contagious, especially when unprotected sex is involved.

Of the thirty strains of HPV that occur in genital areas, ten of them are called high risk. They are the most likely to cause cervical cancer. They usually do not produce visible genital warts, although they could.

Low risk variations of HPV cause visible and often troublesome genital warts. The good news is that they are less likely to cause cancer. If a woman has yearly Pap tests, her doctor can keep a close eye on her cervical health.

When a woman has an HPV infection, the body either fights off the virus or it doesn't. If the virus is defeated, the woman will never know she had HPV. If the virus remains active, she will have some negative results. These can be genital warts or cervical cancer.

The gynecologist can determine if she has any HPV infections. Furthermore, care can be taken to watch for problems. Cervical cancer can arise suddenly. Or, genital warts can develop into cervical cancer.

Your gynecologist may tell you that you have cancerous or precancerous growth on your cervix. There is a good chance that the genetic information of HPV is in the affected tissue. This happens often to women who started out being diagnosed with HPV before their cervical cancer.

Having many sexual partners or starting to have sex at a young age are considered risks for cervical cancer. This is because the HPV is so very contagious. It is also because the HPV is linked to cervical cancer.

Gardisil, a new HPV vaccine has recently made the news with its introduction into medical practice. It is helpful in preventing two kinds of HPV that primarily cause cervical cancer. It also prevents two kinds of HPV that make up the causes for ninety percent of all genital warts.

In the end HPV causes genital warts, whether they are visible or not. Some of the strains cause cervical cancer. For these reasons, it is very important to seek professional treatment when you have any suspicion of either condition. Also, don't forget to have a yearly Pap test.


 

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