| Wednesday, October 29, 2008 |
| 3 Eye Exercises to Better Vision |
My grand-uncle, who turned 75 years old, just a few weeks ago lives in Hong Kong (a very crowded urban environment, if you haven't been there) and he was one of the top lawyers back in the 50s up until he retired. Imagine the stress and the amount of time he spent staring into law books with impossibly small text. He should be wearing a really thick, ugly pair of glasses right?
So you can picture my amazement when he told me he never needed glasses his whole life. Practically everyone in the family needed one except him - and he's the one who read the most books, often in dim places.
As someone who've started wearing glasses since she was 8 years old, I have to ask him what's his secret. "Eye exercises" was his reply. There are many he explained but let's start with 3. Thus over the next few weeks I find myself doing research on this... "eye exercises". Sounds like quackery to me.
I tried the 3 eye exercises he told me and my eyesight didn't improve - though my eyes do feel rejuvenated everytime I do it. So I decided to buy a course over the internet and in blind faith, I did it religiously over the next 6 months or so. Just about 8 months ago, I didn't need glasses for my daily life anymore.
I would love to tell you what the eye exercises are but as my grand-uncle said, let's start with 3.
1. Palming. Place your palms over your eyes and close your eyes. Do this at least 10 minutes for every 3 hours of intense eye activity such as staring into the monitor.
2. Sunning. Close your eyes and expose them to the gentle morning sun while you slowly swing your head left to right.
3. Focusing. Place two pebbles 30 cm apart and try to see one of them only. |
| posted by Healthy Life @ 10:22 AM |
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| Saturday, October 25, 2008 |
| Obesity - Eating Your Way Out of Stress |
Obesity and stress often go hand in hand. Food is comforting when you feel your life is racing out of control. Unfortunately people usually turn to the high fat sugar laden foods that pack on the pounds. Eating to soothe those stressful times can lead to obesity.
No one wakes up in the morning and says they want to be fat. Many have learned to come to a reluctant acceptance of being overweight. Science is finding a genetic component for some people who are larger than the recommended healthy weight. Genetics can be a contributing factor however weight control is still possible.
Stress is a fact of life. Everyone has to deal with situations at one time or another that disrupt the normal flow of their life. Finances are a common source of stress. Money can be managed as long as nothing unexpected crops up. A major expense that has not been planned for can throw an otherwise stable financial picture right off track.
Imagine what it would mean to you financially and emotionally if your home burned down. There are many types of natural disasters beyond your control that can strike at any time. Floods, tornados, and earthquakes are some of the major events that can totally disrupt lives.
When your life is spinning out of control you feel powerless to stop the landslide of problems. It is normal to turn to food to regain a sense of control. It is comforting to perform normal everyday tasks. Food is usually readily available and is something you can do without a lot of thought. It is comforting.
You have probably had times in your life when you turned to food to help regain a sense of normalcy. When a family member dies, friends will often bring the bereaved family members gifts of food. This is meant to ease the burden of having to prepare food but it also helps to give a sense of normalcy to an abnormal situation.
Stress eating can become a habit. Turning to food, usually junk food, when dealing with stress or anxiety can contribute to weight gain and obesity. |
| posted by Healthy Life @ 10:35 AM |
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| Wednesday, October 22, 2008 |
| What's in a Beauty Cream? |
People in the world spend millions of dollars on skin care. This competitive market has produced an extensive array of products. What do some of them actually contain?
Retin-A
Retin-A is a prescription drug, also known as tretinoin, belonging to a family of skin care medication called the retinoids. A vitamin A derivative, it is used for treatment of acne, blackheads, whiteheads and hyper pigmentation. Retin-A medication comes in different concentration for different purposes and skin types. When applied, your skin becomes more sensitive during that period.
The main purpose of Retin-A is to exfoliate, stimulate the development and growth of new skin cells, including collagen and improving skin texture. Retin-A is also mixed with other bleaching agents to remove pigmentation on the skin (especially effective when used together with microdermabrasion).
AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acids)
AHA (alpha-hydroxy acids), derived from fruit and milk sugars are widely used by dermatologists and aestheticians as peeling agents. Similar to microdermabrasion, AHA such as glycolic acid (from sugar) or lactic acid (from milk) are exfoliants, commonly used for smoothing out wrinkles and reducing the appearance of scars.
AHA is the most effective in concentration of 6-8% at pH range 3-4. Being acids, it can irritate the skin, producing side effects such as rash, redness and swelling. AHA products over the counter must not contain more than 10% concentration, beyond which only certified professionals are allowed to use.
HA (Hyaluronic Acid)
HA (Hyaluronic acid) is a complex substance found in the dermis and epidermis that maintain the amount of moisture in our skin. This is what gives skin its firmness and fullness by holding water and allowing nutrients to reach our cells. However, this element gradually recedes over time and the loss is known to be as high as 50% by the time we are 50 years old.
People buy anti ageing creams containing HA in order to compensate for this loss, hoping to reduce acne scars, wrinkles, sagging skin and rehydrate the skin. It is a good alternative to collagen due to its ability to produce skin plumping effects. Found also in medical applications, it is used for treating eye disorders, arthritis and other joint ailments. |
| posted by Healthy Life @ 10:22 AM |
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| Saturday, October 18, 2008 |
| How to Help Yourself Stop Smoking |
There are various treatments available through both your national health service and over the counter in pharmacies that will help you stop smoking. Your health service will also provide you with support by holding group sessions with other smokers; you may want to join this to help you persevere. It helps to speak with people who are facing the same hurdles in their bid to quit smoking and will keep you motivated.
You may have already come across information on Nicotine Replacement Therapy. NRT is suitable to use for most smokers. It works differently to cigarettes as it does not have the toxic chemicals such as carbon monoxide and tar present in cigarettes.
There are variations to the products on offer within this therapy and you can choose the one that suits you best. Nicotine gums, nicotine patches and inhalators can all be used to substitute your cravings for cigarettes. With nicotine gums the nicotine is absorbed through the lining of the mouth and patches are more commonly used as they suit most regular smokers. Inhalators resemble the shape of a cigarette and are inhaled similarly and may suit those who enjoy the action of smoking.
There are also a few measures you personally have to take to make sure that you help yourself to stay away from smoking and stick to your goal. Set yourself a date that you want to quit smoking somewhere in the near future. If are in doubt, remind yourself of all the reasons why you should stop smoking and write them down.
Little things like removing all paraphernalia associated with smoking such as lighters, ashtrays and cigarettes will help to stop smoking as there isn't a constant reminder. Let as many people around you know of your intention to quit so they may support you. Be aware that you will have withdrawal symptoms so you know that you have to take one day at a time. |
| posted by Healthy Life @ 10:29 AM |
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| Wednesday, October 15, 2008 |
| How to Choose an Effective Skin Care Moisturizer Cream |
Not all skin care moisturizer cream products are good for your skin. You do not want to apply a product that will take away the natural oils in your skin. If this happens then you will end up with problems with your skin.
In order to make your skin softer and more radiant as you age, you need to apply a skin care moisturizer cream that does not harm the skin. Many consumers are just not aware of what they are putting on their bodies.
Some creams are designed for use during the day, while others are designed for use at night. Night creams are stronger than day creams because they are meant to work while you sleep.
Many ingredients found in popular products are not good for your skin. For example, you may not have heard of parabens, but they are quite nasty. They are preservatives that are added to skin creams designed to give the product a longer shelf life. They are considered potential cancer-causing agents and should not be used at all.
Another ingredient that seems to be used quite often is fragrances. Fragrances are not needed in skin care moisturizer creams. They can cause skin irritations and allergic reactions.
The safest and the most effective skin care moisturizer cream should contain natural ingredients that help to stimulate the body into producing more skin proteins. This will lead to a reduction of the lines and wrinkles on your skin.
There are some amazing natural substances being used in some unique skin care products these days. One of the most effective substances is Cynergy TK. It is very effective at boosting the re-production of vital skin proteins, this leads to healthier looking and feeling skin.
Keep in mind though that many cosmetic companies are not using natural ingredients like Cynergy TK. Many companies are still using synthetic ingredients, usually because they are cheaper and thus they make more money using them.
The safest and most effective skin care moisturizer cream is one that contains specific natural ingredients such as Cynergy TK. |
| posted by Healthy Life @ 10:22 AM |
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| Saturday, October 11, 2008 |
| How to Stop Smoking in the Next 10 Minutes |
Quitting smoking cold turkey is not easy. Trust me, I've been there, and like over 95% of smokers who want to quit, I failed in my first three attempts. But, you can quit smoking within the next 10 minutes with the right information, support system, and personal motivation.
Here are five tricks I used to quit smoking cold turkey:
1. While many smokers choose a gradual approach to smoking cessation and find comfort in using nicotine gum and patches, these methods would not work for me. The theory behind these methods is that you can retain the nicotine in your system while you learn to live without the physical act of smoking a cigarette. I learned the hard way that the patch and gum just prolonged my addiction to nicotine, making it very easy for me to fall back into the smoking habit. I had to swear off nicotine and cigarettes at the same time.
So, here's the trick: Stop now, cold turkey, and immediately implement the following tricks in this article.
2. The second trick is to clearly define why you want to quit smoking. You need to reach the point where your motivation to quit smoking exceeds your desire to smoke. Generally, successful quitters can relate to quitting because of health concerns, pressure from family, friends and co-workers, or simply the need to stop spending so much money on a lousy habit.
When you can find and focus on the key reason why you want to stop smoking, you will be half way home.
3. Nicotine is a powerful drug, and for many of us getting this smelly monkey off of our back is next to impossible without help. So for your third trick, I highly encourage you to get the people around you involved. If your spouse is a smoker, ask him or her to join you in quitting, or at least to avoid smoking around you. If your co-workers take frequent smoke breaks, find something else to do-but do not follow them out to the smoking area. In short, the third trick is to ask for help.
4. I used to believe smoking was a way to relieve stress, which turns out to be a myth, since nicotine is a stimulant. The smoking habit creates the illusion of relieving stress because human beings are comforted by engaging in habitual behavior. It's the act of engaging in the physical act of habit smoking that offers relief, not the nicotine or smoking itself.
So, your fourth, and perhaps the most important, trick is to replace the bad habit of smoking with a good habit-which is what the final trick to quitting smoking cold turkey is all about.
5. To replace the habit of smoking with a more constructive habit, I succeeded in my efforts to quit by taking up exercise and improving my eating habits. Once you accept the idea of leading a healthier lifestyle, you will find the idea of sabotaging your healthy lifestyle by smoking repulsive.
If you really want to beat cigarettes, then all you need is the right information, support, and personal motivation. If you will continually immerse yourself in information about how to stop, and resolve to never quit trying to beat the nicotine habit, you will succeed.
Decide to quit smoking right now. Do it for your health, your friends, family, and your co-workers, and the money you will save. |
| posted by Healthy Life @ 10:28 AM |
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| Wednesday, October 8, 2008 |
| How to Get Rid of Acne Marks - The Treatments Available |
Now after the acne is gone, the marks and scars that are left behind are still a source of embarrassment causing psychological damage, or social isolation. However, with advancement in modern medicine, there's no reason to endure them. There is a wide range of treatments available. How to get rid of acne marks is just a matter of deciding which treatment is best for you.
If acne marks are just a new occurrence and just in the form of discoloration, then give them some time to fade. Often in the case of severe acne, the redness left behind is just the remains of the inflammatory reaction, and will fade in time.
Before you seek treatment, do some research on what is available. Treatments can be as complicated as they are varied, so you might want to have a better of idea of what is available and what is involved in each procedure.
Then, determine what kind of acne marks you have. This will give you a better idea of the kind of treatment that is available for the type of acne marks. So, when you decide to get medical intervention for the acne marks, you will know what you are up against, and understand the why the doctor has recommended a particular treatment.
There are a number of categories of acne marks/scars, and there are different treatments available to remedy them. Look at your scars and skin and try to determine if they fit into any of the following selections. It will give you a better idea of what treatment you may be a candidate for.
* Is it skin discoloration? This is permanent redness, or brown marking making the skin look mottled. Skin discoloration responds well to pulse-dye laser therapy, or chemical peels.
* Are they ice pick scars ? These are deep pits, that are the most common, classic sign of acne scarring. These scars generally are treated with surgery, individually excising the scar tissue and stitching the excision back together.
* Perhaps box car scars? Sometimes referred to as pock marks, these are angular scars that usually occur on the temple and cheeks, and can be either superficial or deep. They are very similar in appearance to chickenpox scars. Derma fillers are used in this instance to raise indented scar tissue to the level of the normal skin.
* Does your skin have a wave like appearance? These are rolling scars - The inconsistency of this type of scarring requires laser treatment or a combination of laser and dermabrasion.
* Are the scars thick and bumpy? These are hypertrophic scars or thickened, or keloid scars. This type of scarring also responds well to laser therapy.
With all the resources available, you do not have to go through life disfigured by acne scars. Do a little research on how to get rid of acne marks, talk to your Doctor and decide on a course of action that will be best suited to remove your acne marks. Once your scars are removed, you will question why you never took action sooner. It will make that much of a difference in your life. |
| posted by Healthy Life @ 10:22 AM |
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| Saturday, October 4, 2008 |
| The Medical Benefits of Massage Therapy |
Most people know massages can help you relax, manage stress levels, re-align parts of your body, and help you feel rejuvenated.
Massage therapy is something people feel is a luxury, which it often is, but treatments also have many medical benefits to help you maintain good health and live a balanced lifestyle.
Besides stress relief and relaxation benefits, below are some other benefits you can expect to experience with massage therapy.
1. Improves Posture. People who improve their posture tend to look better and can lead to more self confidence. Plus, better posture keeps your body aligned and will lead to less body aches.
2. Improves Circulation. When you get a massage, parts of your body that might have poor circulation like certain muscles and joints get stimulated which cause a better flow of blood in those areas.
3. Lowers Blood Pressure. A number of scientific studies have shown that massage therapy can decrease diastolic and systolic blood pressure along with decreasing salivary and urinary cortisol stress-hormone levels.
4. Improves Flexibility. By working on muscles, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, and joints, massage therapy stimulates the production and retention of our bodies natural lubricants between the connective tissue fibers, making stretching and movement easier, and keeping the body limber and flexible.
Scientific research also suggests massage therapy increases a body's immune function and reduces the recovery time in many medical conditions including: allergies, depression, anxiety, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, asthma, bronchitis, circulatory problems, insomnia, a plethora of sports injuries, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, and musculo-skeletal disorders.
With all the direct and indirect benefits of massage therapy, you should consider explore the benefits yourself to unlock a more healthy, energetic, and stress free lifestyle. |
| posted by Healthy Life @ 10:27 AM |
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| Wednesday, October 1, 2008 |
| Understanding Acne - The First Step |
Before you look for acne treatments, you must first understand what acne is and why you have acne. Acne affects millions of people, mostly adolescents. Acne is formed when the skin pores get clogged either by excess oil or dead skin cells and bacteria. Acne can be found not just on the face but on a person's back, neck, chest and even buttocks! The cause of acne can vary from person to person so it's best to seek the help of a dermatologist as he or she will check your medical history and all possible causes of your acne.
There are lots of acne treatments available almost everywhere but if you really want to treat your acne, you must know your skin type as well as the type of acne that you have. Some of these products can be harmful to your skin and instead of improving your skin condition it may end up causing even more damage to it. You might end up having permanent scars on your face that are definitely unattractive. This is why you have to practice precaution. Don't jump to the most popular product right away. It may work for other people but it may cause catastrophe on your face so be cautious.
Don't be scared by that though, some people see their acne worsening for a few days using a treatment and then give up. A treatment needs time to be effective and you may have to use it for at least two weeks before you see the improvement. Of course, you don't want to experience irritation or an increase of pimples, but you should know that your acne treatment may be very effective and sticking to it may give you the answer. Just don't give up too soon and spend money on various treatments thinking not any one is working!
If going to a dermatologist is not your liking, you can try home remedies instead. They are natural so chances of irritation are slim unless you have allergies. If you use fruits or vegetables for your skin treatment, it would actually feel soothing plus it smells good too. Learn about the many natural remedies for acne and try them out for yourself. As long as you are not allergic to the ingredients then feel free to try it out. Acne treatments using natural ingredients is one of the best way to treat acne or other conditions.
Some popular and very effective acne treatments combine natural ingredients with scientifically researched formulas to deliver serious skin care. Many brands offer a complete kit to treat the various acne causes. and make their products affordable to most people. You can actually find acne sytems from trusted companies for as low as one dollar a day. |
| posted by Healthy Life @ 9:45 AM |
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