Pigmentation and Clear Complexion - Part 5

Mask

*Grate the skin of a Papaya and mix half cup of fuller's earth/besan. Take 2 Vitamin A capsules and mix into a paste. Apply on the face; keep for 20 minutes. When dry, pat with water or milk and rinse off. You can use these scrubs and masks at least once a week.

Do's and Don'ts:

*As soon as you find uneven skin tone in patches, include supplements of iron and calcium with the advise of a doctor. Include one green leafy vegetable at least once a day.

*Include curd and paneer generously.

*Have a Vitamin B complex capsule plus a livogen capsule - at least for a month. These are harmless and have proved quite effective in a number of cases.

*Do not use cosmetics that have colouring agents. Avoid make-up, or make it minimum. Use a sun block lotion before going out.

*Avoid using oral birth control drugs and sleeping pills.

*Avoid distress and anxiety as much as possible. Meditate for at least 15 minutes a day.

Source : LILY MADHOK

 

Warning : The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

The service is provided as general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute

for the medical advice of your own doctor.

Pigmentation and Clear Complexion - Part 4

2) Bleaching and skin peeling :

These are two effective methods followed by cosmetologists to clear up excessive pigmentation.  This can be done by

*Using cosmetic creams, lotions available in the market usually going by the name of fairness creams or whitening creams. Once again, there is a wide range to choose from - starting with the herbal, Indian and imported. They usually contain exfoliating agents, anti-melanin production agents and sometimes even a UV filter.

*Visiting a professional salon and in consultation with the cosmetologist there, undergo a treatment to clear the pigmentation. A few sittings may be required. The Shanaz Hussain's vegetable peel treatment is very effective and since it is herbal it has no side effects.

3. Home remedies :

Vitamin B3 and milk proteins are effective agents for melanin control. Follow the routine given below :

Take 2 tablespoons of milk powder (whole milk powder-WHP or skimmed milk powder- SMP), add  Hydrogen Peroxide enough to make a paste. Hydrogen Peroxide is usually available at the Chemist

Shop (use a 20 volume strength only). To this paste, add a few drops of glycerine and apply it on the dark spots. Leave it on for about 20 minutes and then rinse it off. After rinsing, if the skin feels dry, use a moisturising lotion.

Break a Vitamin E capsule and mix in a few drops of castor oil and apply on deeply pigmented areas. This is a very effective treatment.

Scrubs and masks for skin peeling :

*Crush 1 tsp. of almonds and add 1 tsp of oatmeal. Mix this with 2 tablespoons of honey or milk.

Gently rub this granular paste in a circular motion on your face for a few minutes. This removes all dead skin.

 

 

 

To Be Continued .....

 

 

Warning : The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

The service is provided as general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute
for the medical advice of your own doctor.



Pigmentation and Clear Complexion - Part 3

*Menopause: During this period, there is a decline in hormonal level, which in turn affects the

secretion of the colouring pigment in our skin, and dark patches appear again more prominently on the face. The pigmentation is more when a person has undergone surgical removal of ovaries and uterus.

*Deficiency of iron, calcium, Vitamins A, E & B complex results in patchy and spotty discolouration of the skin.

*Lack of Vitamin A results in thickening and darkening of the skin.

External factors causing pigmentation:

*Excessive exposure to the sun over exposure to the sun without a shield, tans and darkens the skin tone. The ultraviolet rays (UVR) of the sun penetrate the skin and damage the skin cells also - resulting in pigmentation.

*Use of wrong cosmetics certain make up products have chemical colours, creams that have mercury. These react adversely on the skin surface causing pigmentation.

*Oral medication  - the drugs prescribed for high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, insomnia, birth control and acne have an unfavourable effect on the skin causing spot pigmentation.

Clearing up the pigmentation

1) Protection from the sun:

Always protect yourself from the sun especially when you are outdoors too much exposure results in pigmentation of the skin as well as early wrinkles and even skin cancer. Ultraviolet ays (UVR) are most harmful and they are present just a little above the visible light. The UVR are again split into 3 - from shortest to longest wavelengths and are known as UVA, UVB and UVC.

UVA rays are the farthest yet the ones with the greatest potential for harming the skin. They  penetrate deepest into the skin. Strong exposure to UVA leads to dry, wrinkled and leathery skin.

UVB rays cause sunburn since they are the rays that usually reach the earth and are the ones that are most likely to cause skin cancer.

To protect yourself from tanning and pigmentation, use what we call a sun screen or sun block lotion: A wide range of these are available in India now, right from herbal ones to Indian and  Imported brands. However, use the following guidelines to choose your sunscreen :

Check for the SPF (Sun Protection Factor) ratings -- these usually measure a product's ability to block UVB rays. 15 to 20 SPF is more than enough for dark wheatish colour skins. If you are very fair, then use upto 60 SPF. If you have to be in the sun too long, for assurance, frequent application i.e. every two hours is recommended.

 

 

To Be Continued .....

 

 

Pigmentation and Clear Complexion - Part 2

In fair skins, melanin gets gradually destroyed as it moves upwards towards the outer layer of the epidermis. In dark skins, the destruction of melanin does not continue as far as the superficial layer. Therefore, the skin surface in dark, such skins contains much more melanin.

As melanin is a dark pigment, the skin surface acquires a dark colour. More the melanin darker the skin. In countries where the climate is hot and sunny, nature has given people dark skins to protect them from UVR. In countries where the climate is cold and very little sun, nature has given the people fair skins.

When there is an excessive secretion of melanin and if care is not taken, there is excessive keratinisation (hardening of skin) caused by the presence of the unexfoliated dead cells on the skin's surface causing more darkening of the skin in patches.

Factors causing skin pigmentation :

The internal disorders that cause pigmentation:

Internal pathological problems can sometimes interfere with the production or transfer of melanin. This may give rise to skin problems associated with colour, in the form of white or dark patches.

Some of these disorders are:

*Pregnancy: Due to hormonal changes, the production and transfer of melanin is affected and dark  brown spots appear predominantly on the face.

 

 

To Be Continued....

 

 

Pigmentation and Clear Complexion - Part 1

 

Pigmentation is a disorder of skin complexion and colour. It occurs mainly due to the malfunctioning of the endocrine glands and the liver, and exposure to the sun's rays. The pigmentation problem occurs as either an excessive colouration and darkening of the skin or a loss of colour and pigment in the skin, over the entire body or just in patches and spots.

Pigmentation is more widespread amongst the middle-aged women in particular. Very few women in the younger age suffer from pigmentation, and the extent of the problem is minimal, however younger people can suffer from suntan, freckles etc. The skin has wonderful protective responses.

In the deepest layers of the epidermis are cells that produce melanin - a pigment that gives the skin its colour. Melanin protects the skin from the harsh rays of the sun. When the skin is

exposed to the sun, the production of melanin increases. Once it is produced, melanin matures and moves into the upper layers of the epidermis. In some skins, this transfer of melanin gets blocked and there is no pigmentation. On the other hand, if the transfer is accelerated, it results in pigmentation and dark skins.

 

 

To Be Continued....

 

The Magic of Honey !

Magic Of Honey

Bees from the nectar of the flowers produce honey a sweet sticky substance. From ages honey has been an essential part in the beauty regimes.

Lets take a look at the benefits that honey has provided us.

* Honey has anti-microbial properties and is known to treat minor irritations and sun burns.

* It is a good substance that should be used in moisturizers, creams and other beauty products as honey has the ability to retain water.

* One teaspoon of honey poured in a mug of water and if used for the last rinse will bring a shine to the hair. It will work wonders and make your hair soft and silky.

* It works well with alpha hydroxy acids - it helps soothe the skin against an abrasive treatment.

* Apply equal parts of honey and milk and leave for twenty minutes, you will notice a glow on your skin.

* Honey fights against any kind of skin damage and ageing as it has antioxidant properties.

* It also helps to fight against the damage caused by sun's UV rays.

Depressed? Maybe you’re just sad - Part 2

With the advent of modern diagnostic criteria, these authors argue, doctors were directed to ignore the context of the patient’s complaints and focus only on symptoms — poor appetite, insomnia, low energy, hopelessness and so on. The current criteria for major depression, they say, largely fail to distinguish between “abnormal” reactions caused by “internal dysfunction” and “normal sadness” brought on by external circumstances. And they blame vested interests — doctors, researchers, pharmaceutical companies — for fostering this bloated concept of depression.

It may seem easy to determine that someone with depressive complaints is reacting to a loss that touched off the depression. Experienced clinicians know this is rarely the case.

Most of us can point to recent losses and disappointments in our lives, but it is not always clear that they are causally related to our becoming depressed. For example, a patient who had a stroke a month ago may appear tearful, lethargic and depressed. To critics, the so-called depression is just “normal sadness” in reaction to a terrible psychological blow. But strokes are also known to disrupt chemical pathways in the brain that directly affect mood. What is the “real” trigger for this patient’s depression? Perhaps it is a combination of psychological and neurological factors. In short, the notion of “reacting” to adverse life events is complex and problematic.

Yes, most psychiatrists would concede that in the space of a brief “managed care” appointment, it’s very hard to understand much about the context of the patient’s depressive complaints. And yes, under such conditions, some doctors are tempted to write that prescription for Prozac or Zoloft and move on to the next patient.

But the vexing issue of when bereavement or sadness becomes a disorder, and how it should be treated, requires much more research. Most psychiatrists believe that undertreatment of severe depression is a more pressing problem than overtreatment of “normal sadness.” NYT NEWS SERVICE

 

Concluded

 

 

Depressed? Maybe you’re just sad - Part 1

OVER-DIAGNOSED: The vexing issue of when bereavement or sadness becomes a disorder, and how it should be treated, requires much more research. Psychiatry Has Medicalized Normal Sadness By Failing To Consider The Social And Emotional Context

Let’s say a patient walks into my office and says he’s been feeling down for the past three weeks. A month ago, his fiancee left him for another man, and he feels there’s no point in going on. He has not been sleeping well, his appetite is poor and he has lost interest in nearly all of his usual activities.

Should I give him a diagnosis of clinical depression? Or is my patient merely experiencing what the 14th-century monk Thomas a Kempis called “the proper sorrows of the soul”? The answer is more complicated than some critics of psychiatric diagnosis think.

To these critics, psychiatry has medicalized normal sadness by failing to consider the social and emotional context in which people develop low mood — for example, after losing a job or experiencing the breakup of an important relationship. This diagnostic failure, the argument goes, has created a bogus epidemic of increasing depression.

In their recent book ‘The Loss of Sadness’ (Oxford, 2007), Allan Horwitz and Jerome Wakefield assert that for thousands of years, symptoms of sadness that were “with cause” were separated from those that were “without cause.” Only the latter were viewed as mental disorders.

To Be Continued ....

MYTHS ABOUT SLEEP - Part 5

Myth 9  :  Children who don’t get enough sleep at night will show signs of sleepiness during the day

Unlike adults, children who don’t get enough sleep at night typically become more active than normal during the day. They also show difficulty paying attention and behaving properly. Consequently, they may be misdiagnosed as having attention deficit hyperactivity.

Myth 10  :  The main cause of insomnia is worry

Although worry or stress can cause a short bout of insomnia, a persistent inability to fall asleep or stay asleep at night can be caused by a number of other factors. Certain medications and sleep disorders can keep you up at night. Other common causes of insomnia are depression, anxiety disorders, and asthma, arthritis, or other medical conditions with symptoms that become more troublesome at night. Some people who have chronic insomnia also appear to be more revved up than normal, so it is harder for them to fall asleep.

Concluded

Source : forum.abfun.net

MYTHS ABOUT SLEEP - Part 4

Myth 7  :  Naps are a waste of time

Although naps do not substitute for a good night’s sleep, they can be restorative and help counter some of the impaired performance that results from not getting enough sleep at night. Naps can actually help you learn how to do certain tasks quicker. But avoid taking naps later than 3 p.m., as late naps can interfere with your ability to fall asleep at night. Also, limit your naps to no longer than 1 hour because longer naps will make it harder to wake up and get back in the swing of things. If you take frequent naps during the day, you may have a sleep disorder that should be treated.

Myth 8  :  Snoring is a normal part of sleep

Snoring during sleep is common, particularly as a person gets older. Evidence is growing that snoring on a regular basis can make you sleepy during the day and more susceptible to diabetes and heart disease. In addition, some studies link frequent snoring to problem behaviour and poorer school achievement in children. Loud, frequent snoring can also be a sign of sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder that should be treated.

 

To Be Continued.....

 

 

Source : forum.abfun.net

 

MYTHS ABOUT SLEEP - Part 3

Myth 5  :   Extra sleep at night can cure you of problems with excessive daytime fatigue

Not only is the quantity of sleep important but also the quality of sleep. Some people sleep 8 or 9 hours a night but don’t feel well rested when they wake up because the quality of their sleep is poor. A number of sleep disorders and other medical conditions affect the quality of sleep. Sleeping more won’t alleviate the daytime sleepiness these disorders or conditions cause. However, many of these disorders or conditions can be treated effectively with changes in behaviour or with medical therapies.

Myth 6  :  You can make up for lost sleep during the week by sleeping more on the weekends

Although this sleeping pattern will help relieve part of a sleep debt, it will not completely make up for the lack of sleep. This pattern also will not make up for impaired performance during the week because of not sleeping enough. Furthermore, sleeping later on the weekends can affect your biological clock so that it is much harder to go to sleep at the right time on Sunday nights and get up early on Monday mornings. To sleep better you really should get these sleep myths out of the way.

To Be Continued ....

Source : forum.abfun.net

MYTHS ABOUT SLEEP - Part 2

Myth 3  :  Your body adjusts quickly to different sleep schedules

Your biological clock makes you most alert during the daytime and most drowsy at night. Thus, even if you work the night shift, you will naturally feel sleepy when night time comes. Most people can reset their biological clock, but only by appropriately timed cues—and even then, by 1–2 hours per day at best. Consequently, it can take more than a week to adjust to a dramatically altered sleep/wake cycle, such as you encounter when travelling across several time zones or switching from working the day shift to the night shift.

Myth 4  :   People need less sleep as they get older

Older people don’t need less sleep, but they often get less sleep or find their sleep less refreshing. That’s because as people age, they spend less time in the deep, restful stages of sleep and are more easily awakened. Older people are also more likely to have insomnia or other medical conditions that disrupt their sleep.

 

To Be Continued ....

Source : forum.abfun.net

MYTHS ABOUT SLEEP - Part 1

MYTHS ABOUT SLEEP

Myth 1: Sleep is a time when your body and brain shut down for rest and relaxation

No evidence shows that any major organ (including the brain) or regulatory system in the body shuts down during sleep. Some physiological processes actually become more active while you sleep. For example, secretion of certain hormones is boosted, and activity of the pathways in the brain needed for learning and memory is heightened. To sleep better you must get rid of many sleep myths including this one and only accept the sleeping facts!

Myth 2: Getting just 1 hour less sleep per night than needed will not have any effect on your daytime functioning

This lack of sleep may not make you noticeably sleepy during the day. But even slightly less sleep can affect your ability to think properly and respond quickly, and it can compromise your cardiovascular health and energy balance as well as the ability to fight infections, particularly if lack of sleep continues. If you consistently do not get enough sleep, eventually a sleep debt builds up that will make you excessively tired during the day.

To Be Continued ....

Source : forum.abfun.net

How Green Tea is Beneficial - Part 3

17. Green Tea and Immunity

Polyphenols and flavenoids found in green tea help boost your immune system, making your health stronger in fighting against infections.

18. Green Tea and Cold and Flu

Green tea prevents you from getting a cold or flu. Vitamin C in green tea helps you treat the flu and the common cold.

19. Green Tea and Asthma

Theophylline in green tea relaxes the muscles which support the bronchial tubes, reducing the severity of asthma.

20. Green Tea and Ear Infection

Green tea helps with ear infection problem. For natural ear cleaning, soak a cotton ball in green tea and clean the infected ear.

21. Green Tea and Herpes

Green tea increases the effectiveness of topical interferon treatment of herpes. First green tea compress is applied and then let the skin dry before the interferon treatment.

22. Green Tea and Tooth Decay

Green tea destroys bacteria and viruses that cause many dental diseases. It also slows the growth of bacteria which leads to bad breath.

23. Green Tea and Stress

L-theanine, which is a kind of amino acids in green tea, can help relieve stress and anxiety.

24. Green Tea and Allergies

EGCG found in green tea relieves allergies. So if you have allergies, you should really consider drinking green tea.

25. Green Tea and HIV

Scientists in Japan have found that EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) in green tea can stop HIV from binding to healthy immune cells. What this means is that green tea can help stop the HIV virus from spreading.

Concluded

Source : DSDG

How Green Tea is Beneficial - Part 2

8. Green Tea and Cholesterol

Green tea can help lower cholesterol level. It also improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol by reducing bad cholesterol level.

9. Green Tea and Obesity

Green tea prevents obesity by stopping the movement of glucose in fat cells. If you are on a healthy diet exercise regularly and drink green tea, it is unlikely you'll be obese.

10. Green Tea and Diabetes

Green tea improves lipid and glucose metabolisms prevents sharp increases in blood sugar level and balances your metabolism rate.

11. Green Tea and Alzheimer's

Green tea helps boost your memory. And although there's no cure for Alzheimer's, it helps slow the process of reduced acetylcholine in the brain, which leads to Alzheimer's.

12. Green Tea and Parkinson's

Antioxidants in green tea helps prevent against cell damage in the brain which could cause Parkinson's. People drinking green tea also are less likely to progress with Parkinson's.

13. Green Tea and Liver Disease

Green tea helps prevent transplant failure in people with liver failure. Researches showed that green tea destroys harmful free radicals in fatty livers.

14. Green Tea and High Blood Pressure

Green tea helps prevent high blood pressure. Drinking green tea helps keep your blood pressure down by repressing angiotensin,  which leads to high blood pressure.

15. Green Tea and Food Poisoning

Catechin found in green tea can kill bacteria which causes food poisoning and kills the toxins produced by those bacteria.

16. Green Tea and Blood Sugar

Blood sugar tends to increase with age but polyphenols and polysaccharides in green tea help lower your blood sugar level.

To Be Continued....

Source : DSDG

How Green Tea is Beneficial - Part 1

Green tea has increasingly become a very popular drink worldwide because of its immensely powerful health benefits. It is extraordinarily amazing what green tea can do for your health. And if you're not drinking 3 to 4 cups of green tea today,you're definitely NOT doing your health a big favor.

Here Are Few Reasons Why You Should Start Drinking Green Tea Right Now:

1. Green Tea and Cancer

Green tea helps reduce the risk of cancer. The antioxidant in green tea is 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times better than vitamin E. This helps your body at protecting cells from damage believed to be linked to cancer.

2. Green Tea and Heart Disease

Green tea helps prevent heart disease and stroke by lowering the level of cholesterol. Even after the heart attack, it prevents cell deaths and speeds up the recovery of heart cells.

3. Green Tea and Anti-Aging 

Green tea contains antioxidant known as polyphenols which fight against free radicals. What this means it helps you fight against aging and promotes longevity.

4. Green Tea and Weight Loss

Green tea helps with your body weight loss. Green tea burns fat and boosts your metabolism rate naturally. It can help you burn up to 70 calories in just one day. That translates to 7 pounds in one year.

5. Green Tea and Skin

Antioxidant in green tea protects the skin from the harmful effects of free radicals, which cause wrinkling and skin aging. Green tea also helps fight against skin cancer.

6. Green Tea and Arthritis

Green tea can help prevent and reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Green tea has benefit for your health as it protects the cartilage by blocking the enzyme that destroys cartilage.

7. Green Tea and Bones

The very key to this is high fluoride content found in green tea. It helps keep your bones strong. If you drink green tea every day, this will help you preserve your bone density.

To Be Continued....

Source : DSDG

Benefits of COFFEE - Part 2

5. Coffee can reduce risk for Type 2 diabetes

WebMD also asserts that coffee contains chemicals that lower blood sugar, making heavy coffee drinkers half as likely to get diabetes as light to non-coffee drinkers. 1-3 cups per day can reduce the risk for diabetes by single digits, but people who drink 6 cups or more per day can slash their chances by up to 54 percent.

6. Coffee is actually good for your teeth

We all know that one of the biggest cons of drinking coffee is a stained smile, but the beverage can also have a positive effect on teeth. According to a 2009 article published in the Wall Street Journal, people who drink coffee are less likely to have cavities. Roasted coffee beans have antibacterial effects against microorganisms like Streptococcus, which play a hand in causing tooth decay.

7. Coffee can help prevent/stop headaches

Have you ever wondered why caffeine is one of the main ingredients in migraine medication like Excedrin Migraine? WebMD explains that blood vessels increase in size during a migraine-- caffeine works to decrease the size of blood vessels before they can affect nerves in the brain. So, drinking coffee in the early stages of a headache can help minimize the severity later on.

So what are you waiting for - Drink and enjoy.....

Concluded

Source : DSDG Group Email 

Benefits of COFFEE - Part 1

1. Coffee is the #1 source of antioxidants in the American diet

While fruits and veggies are still the richest sources of antioxidants, it turns out that for Americans, coffee is the main basis of antioxidant consumption (according to the Institute of Coffee Studies at Vanderbilt University). Black tea and bananas came in second and third place, respectively. Surprisingly, both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee provide similar amounts of antioxidants.

2. Coffee increases your metabolism

Studies also show that coffee is very beneficial in terms of weight loss. It is a common misconception that coffee is an appetite suppressant, however, your morning cup can significantly speed up metabolism by about 10 percent. The National Research Council on Diet and Health found that metabolic rates will be highest during the first three hours following consumption. Just make sure to skip the added sugars, syrups, and whipped toppings found in many store-bought coffee drinks.

3. Coffee can improve short-term memory

According to studies published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, caffeine is a cognitive stimulant that actually boosts brain functioning. Furthermore, coffee reduces levels of beta amyloid, a protein in the brain that is responsible for Alzheimer's disease.

4. Coffee lowers the rates of some cancers

According to WebMD, coffee drinkers are 50 percent less likely to get liver cancer. By drinking 2 cups per day, you're also slashing your risk of getting colon cancer by 25 percent. Some studies have also found ties to lower rates of breast and skin cancers as well.

To Be Continued .....

Source : DSDG Group Email

Home Remedies for Common Cold / Running Nose - Part 3

Home Remedies for Stuffy Nose

Inhale turmeric fumes, for this tie some turmeric in a clean cloth and light it. Boil some water and allow it to cool, now add ¼ teaspoon table salt to it. Put 2 to 3 drops of this solution in your both the nostrils before meals and going to bed. Mix natural apple cider vinegar and water in equal parts. Boil this solution in a pan, when the fumes rises lean over the pan and inhale the fumes. Prepare a solution using 4 drops of Lavender Essential Oil and Pine Essential Oil, 3 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil and 7 drops of Eucalyptus Essential Oil. Inhale vapors of this solution by putting it on a cotton ball or an aromatherapy diffuser.

Dietaries for Common Cold

Abstain solid foods, drink fruit and vegetable juices

During the acute stage of the cold, when fever is present, the patient should abstain from all solid foods and only drink fruit and vegetable juices, diluted with water.

Well-balanced diet of seeds, nuts

After the acute symptoms are over, the patient can gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet, consisting of seeds, nuts, grains, vegetables, and fruits.

Avoid meat, fish, eggs and starchy foods

It is advisable to avoid meat, fish, eggs, cheese, and starchy foods.

Other Common Cold treatments

Mild sunbath, fresh air, deep breathing, sound sleep etc

Other useful measures in the treatment of a common cold are a mild sunbath, fresh air and deep breathing, brisk walks, sound sleep, and adjustment of one's clothes and habits to the requirements of the season so as to nullify the effect of weather fluctuations.

Concluded


Source : DSDG

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Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following 

instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor.

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