See How Your Life Affects Your Skin

How to Keep Your Skin Beautiful

Your skin protects your body, but that's not all. It's the face you present to the world. When healthy, it's a source of beauty. The choices you make every day -- what you eat, where you go, how you feel -- affect how your skin looks. Use this visual guide to keep your skin youthful, healthy, and wrinkle-free.

You've Got Food on Your Face

Want good skin? Watch your diet. Higher intakes of vitamin C and a lower intake of fats and carbohydrates are associated with better appearance as your skin ages. Changing your diet will help your looks. Foods rich in antioxidants, such as fish, fruits, and vegetables, seem to help

Want good skin? Watch your diet. Higher intakes of vitamin C and a lower intake of fats and carbohydrates are associated with better appearance as your skin ages. Changing your diet will help your looks. Foods rich in antioxidants, such as fish, fruits, and vegetables, seem to help protect skin. Some studies suggest that to avoid breakouts, go for complex carbohydrates (like whole grains and pasta) and healthy protein. Dairy products are also known to cause acne flares.

Eat Your Vitamins

Your anti-aging cream may contain vitamin C or E. Put these antioxidants to work from the inside, too. Eating foods rich in these vitamins, plus the mineral selenium, can help protect your skin against sun damage. They may even help reverse signs of aging, like wrinkles and skin. Your anti-aging cream may contain vitamin C or E. Put these antioxidants to work from the inside, too. Eating foods rich in these vitamins, plus the mineral selenium, can help protect your skin against sun damage. They may even help reverse signs of aging, like wrinkles and skin discoloration. 

Run Away From Aging Skin

Exercise benefits every part of your body -- including your largest organ, the skin. Working out improves circulation, helping nourish the skin. Better blood flow brings more oxygen and nutrients and may help your skin produce collagen, which staves off wrinkles. Don't fret about

Exercise benefits every part of your body -- including your largest organ, the skin. Working out improves circulation, helping nourish the skin. Better blood flow brings more oxygen and nutrients and may help your skin produce collagen, which staves off wrinkles. Don't fret about sweat -- exercise will not clog your pores. Wash your face right after a workout and avoid tight headbands, which can trap sweat and irritate skin.

Get Your Beauty Rest

Burn the candle at both ends for a few nights, and you may see it reflected in your face: Dark circles under the eyes, pale skin, and puffy eyes. Getting 7-8 hours a night will keep your body and skin in top shape. It matters how you sleep, too -- rest your face on the pillow in the same position

Burn the candle at both ends for a few nights, and you may see it reflected in your face: Dark circles under the eyes, pale skin, and puffy eyes. Getting 7-8 hours a night will keep your body and skin in top shape. It matters how you sleep, too -- rest your face on the pillow in the same position for years, and you'll get wrinkles where the skin is pressed against the pillow. Sleeping on your stomach will worsen bags under your eyes. Solution? Sleep on your back.

How Pregnancy Changes Your Skin

Stretch marks -- 90% of pregnant women get them. They may fade after delivery. Moisturizers can slightly improve the appearance of stretch marks. Prescription vitamin A creams or laser therapy can help, too. Acne is another common skin problem, caused by the extra hormones in your Stretch marks -- 90% of pregnant women get them. They may fade after delivery. Moisturizers can slightly improve the appearance of stretch marks. Prescription vitamin A creams or laser therapy can help, too. Acne is another common skin problem, caused by the extra hormones in your body. Your best bet for avoiding breakouts is to wash your face twice a day and use an oil-free moisturizer. Ask your doctor before using any acne products

Avoiding Melasma

Some women develop dark patches -- melasma -- on their faces when they're pregnant or taking birth control pills. An increase in melanin, the substance that gives skin its color, is responsible for these dark patches. Melasma usually fades after delivery or when you stop taking the pill. Prevent pigment changes by wearing sunscreen at all times and avoiding the sun. Melasma can also be treated with chemical peels or topical prescriptions of hydroquinone, retinoids, azelaic acid, niacinamide,kojic acid, or hydroxy acids that lighten the patches. But strict avoidance of sunlight is required.

Keep Harmful Rays Off Skin

Whether or not you were a sun worshipper, chances are your skin has sun damage. About 90% of all skin damage is due to the sun. As your time in the sun goes up, so does your risk of skin cancer. Protect skin by always wearing broad-spectrum sunblock. Look for products that contain zinc oxide,

Whether or not you were a sun worshipper, chances are your skin has sun damage. About 90% of all skin damage is due to the sun. As your time in the sun goes up, so does your risk of skin cancer. Protect skin by always wearing broad-spectrum sunblock. Look for products that contain zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or avobenzone. Sunscreens with an SPF of 30 or higher are best. Wear wide-brimmed hats and long sleeves, and avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when rays are strongest

How to Care for Aging Skin

As you age, your skin changes. Your body doesn't produce as much collagen, and the elastin that allows skin to spring back into place gets weaker. You also don't create or lose skin cells as fast. To boost aging skin, exfoliate to remove dead skin, use a nondrying soap, and moisturize As you age, your skin changes. Your body doesn't produce as much collagen, and the elastin that allows skin to spring back into place gets weaker. You also don't create or lose skin cells as fast. To boost aging skin, exfoliate to remove dead skin, use a nondrying soap, and moisturize often. Use over-the-counter retinoids to reduce fine wrinkles, or ask your doctor about a prescription version. Most of all, stay out of the sun.

Source : http://www.webmd.com/beauty/default.htm

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If you only do 5 things to boost health, what should you do?

By Jeanie Lerche Davis
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Unhealthy lifestyle. It's a common contributor of our biggest health problems: stroke, heart disease, diabetes, cancer. What do the nation's top physicians recommend to keep your heart, mind, and body in optimally good health?
For the secrets to a long healthy life, WebMD turned to Richard A. Lange, MD, chief of cardiology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. His advice:

1. Daily exercise.
Start with something simple, like parking in the far corner of the parking lot -- so you get those extra steps to the door. Take the stairs one or two flights instead of the elevator. If you take public transportation, get off one stop early and walk the rest. Get out at lunch to walk. Or walk with your significant other or your spouse after work. You'll get a bonus -- relaxation and stress reduction. To work your heart, it's got to be aerobic exercise. You've got lots of options: walking, jogging, biking, rowing machine, elliptical machine, swimming. But don't feel like you have to be an athlete. Walking is great exercise. Get 10 minutes here and there during the day. It all counts. You brush your teeth every day; exercise is equally important for your daily routine. Turn off the TV or computer, and get at least 30 minutes of exercise  every day.

2. Healthy diet.

Quit eating junk food and high-fat fast food. Your heart, brain, and overall health are harmed by foods high in saturated fats, salt, and cholesterol. There's no getting around it. You've got to replace them with healthy foods: lots of fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, olive oil -- what we call the Mediterranean diet. Eat like an Italian, a Spaniard, a Greek! Enjoy!

3. Weight loss.

Too much body weight puts your health at great risk. When you take in more calories than you burn, you get fat -- it's that simple. You've got to eat less. You've got to exercise more. You've got to push yourself to make these lifestyle changes -- but you've got to do it to help avoid serious health problems like heart disease , diabetes , or stroke .

4. Regular physical exams.

Tell your doctor your family medical history. Learn your personal risk factors, and the screening tests you need. Women may have mammograms to screen for breast cancer and Pap tests for cervical cancer. Men may have prostate cancer PSA tests. Routine screening for colorectal cancer should start at age 50, perhaps earlier if colon cancer  runs in your family. You also need regular diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol tests. Make sure your immunizations are up to date. You may need flu and pneumonia shots, depending on your age.

 5. Less stress.

When a person says they're too busy to exercise, it tells me other things are crowding out what's important in life: They don't spend time with family and friends; don't exercise enough; don't eat right; don't sleep properly. All these things reduce stress in your life, and that is critical to your health and longevity .

To be healthy, we need to set boundaries -- and set limits on work hours. We should not be working so hard that we're neglecting the things that keep us healthy. This is important advice, too, for people who take care of elderly parents or young children. Make sure you're getting proper exercise and sleep  -- and that you're not trying to do too much.

Source : http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/health-tips-heart-mind-body

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To Ice or Not to Ice a Sprained Ankle? Experts Weigh In

Here's what doctors think about the standard advice.
By-  Anne Harding

If you've ever suffered a sprain, you're no doubt familiar with RICE—which stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Back in 1978, Gabe Mirkin, MD, popularized the acronym in his The Sports Medicine Book, and it has become the standard recommendation for many sudden sports injuries.

But there's recently been some debate about the I in RICE. In a 2013 review of studies the National Athletic Trainers' Association pointed out that the evidence for icing a sprain is "sparse." And more recently, Dr. Mirkin himself changed his mind about ice based on research that suggests icing injured tissue cuts off its blood supply. He told Consumer Reports on Health that he now believes “ice doesn’t increase healing—it delays it.” 
So what should you do if (ugh) you twist your ankle? We reached out to leading docs for their advice.

RELATED: 7 Running Injuries and How to Avoid Them

To ice or not to ice?

It turns out there’s still plenty of support in the field for using ice to treat sprains. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society both back the RICE approach.

“I’m actually a big ice proponent,” says James Gladstone, MD, co-chief of the Division of Sports Medicine and associate professor of orthopaedic surgery at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. “I don’t think there’s a new wave necessarily in terms of treatment, and particularly for sports medicine doctors treating athletes acutely.” Anytime someone twists a joint in professional sports like football or soccer, he adds, the first thing a trainer does is put ice packs on the injured area.
Ice helps numb the pain, and reduces swelling by constricting the blood vessels, Dr. Gladstone explains. “You still get a sufficient inflammatory response even with the ice to get the healing started,” he says. And if icing can reduce swelling enough, it may make it possible to mobilize the joint earlier.

Andrew Hsu, MD, an assistant clinical professor of orthopaedic surgery at the University of California, Irvine, also recommends ice for his ankle sprain patients, every two to three hours for three to four days. “Don't put ice directly on the skin—use a thin piece of cloth such as a pillow case between the ice bag and the skin—and don't ice more than 20 minutes at a time to avoid frost bite,” he advises.

RELATED: The Best Exercises to Prevent Knee and Ankle Injuries

What about rest—how much is enough?

Experts say the “rest” part of the RICE equation varies depending on how bad the injury is. After a severe sprain, you may need a brace or splint to immobilize the joint as the ligaments are healing. But in general, you should limit weight bearing, and use crutches if you need to, Dr. Hsu says.
To strike the right balance between rest and activity, consider both the pain of moving the joint and the stiffness that results from keeping it immobile, says Dr. Gladstone. “You’d like to prevent stiffness, but you don’t want to induce pain, so a few days of immobilization can let things calm down, and then you can get it moving." Movement improves blood flow to the area, he adds, and that aids the healing process.
Keep in mind that once you sprain your ankle, you’re more vulnerable to spraining it again. That’s because the ligaments lose some of their elasticity, according to Dr. Gladstone. And after any injury, a joint loses proprioception—basically, the ability to “know” where it is in space. Physical therapy to improve your balance and strengthen the tendons and muscles in your leg and foot can help reduce your risk of more sprains down the road, he says.

From : http://www.health.com/fitness/ice-sprained-ankle

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Allergies

You know the feeling—the itchy eyes, the runny nose, the scratchy throat. These are, in fact, symptoms of mild allergies. In more severe situations allergies can cause problems breathing or seeing; they can even cause death. Allergies are not something to be taken lightly.
If you have allergies, you can benefit from the tips found here. We've tried to cover just about all the areas we can think of, and we are adding more all the time.

Tips, Tricks, and Answers

The following articles are available for the 'Allergies' topic. Click the article's title (shown in bold) to see the associated article.

Dealing with a Laundry Detergent Allergy
A laundry detergent allergy can be difficult to deal with, but there are things you can do to cope. Here are some ideas that might make it easier for you to live with the condition.

Differences between Allergies and Colds
Knowing the difference between a cold and allergies is the key in managing your health and preventing sickness in the future.

Food Allergies
What are food allergies and why do they occur? You'll find the answers to those and other questions about this common ailment right here.

Is it a Cold or Allergies?

While colds and allergies share common symptoms, and while many medications for both are interchangeable, it can be helpful to know for yourself which is which so you can best treat your condition. Certain symptoms, though, are specific to cold or allergies, and with careful attention, you can tell the difference between them.

Spot-Treating Seasonal Allergies
Many people around the world are affected by seasonal allergies. For allergies that are only an issue a few weeks out of the year, short-term treatment with home remedies or over-the-counter medicines is the best and easiest option.

Understanding Mold Allergies
Mold grows in any place that is damp, warm, and dark. It's no wonder allergies to it bloom all year round.

Source : http://health.tips.net/C0844_Allergies.html

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