Oily Skin Care Problems Solved

I've noticed over the years that many people have had problems with oily skin care products. A lot of times a product designed to rid you of the problems related to oily skin will either dry the skin out too much, or it will simply make the problem worse. So how do you find a product that will actually solve your problems? There are a couple of things that you want o look out for when buying cosmetics products. The first thing that you want to do when buying these types of products is read the label carefully. There are many times that you will find that the problem is only stemming from certain ingredients in the product. Typically, oily skin care products will contain at least one, but in many cases multiple alcohols in them. What all of this alcohol will do for you is it will dry up the excess oil that your skin is producing. The problem is that most times these alcohols are so strong that they end up drying out your skin too much. There are other ingredients that you will want to check the label for also. There are certain agents that you will find in cosmetics products that are added with the intent of them acting as natural moisturizers. The petroleum based versions of these are undoubtedly some of the worst that your product could contain. Two of the most widely used moisturizers in oily skin care products are petrolatum, and mineral oil. These are both petroleum based moisturizers, and despite their different consistencies they are actually one and the same. These "moisturizers" will dry your skin out with long term repeated use. These compounds will also give you far more problems with your skin than you ever bargained for. Due to their consistency these ingredients will not easily absorb into the skin. They will leave a greasy film on your skin, attract dirt, and clog your pores, which will eventually lead to blackheads and possibly acne. The kinds of moisturizers that oily skin care products should contain are natural, and plant based. Plant based oils absorb more readily into the skin due to them having extremely similar properties to our skin's natural oil. These ingredients will not leave any sort of oily residue on your skin at all. One of the ingredients that all oily skin care products should contain is a passion fruit extract from Brazil. Maracuja passion fruit is rich in linolenic acid, which helps to nourish and revitalize your skin. What it truly does best though is that it will regulate the production of your skin's oil, so that it will never be too oily or too dry. There are some companies that are producing oily skin care products that work far better than the ones that we're used to seeing. They are a little harder to find because they are typically being produced only by lesser known companies, as opposed to the big names. You should give some of their products a try if you want healthier skin. by Kathleen P. Walsh

My Personal Journey to the Raw Food Lifestyle

My decision to become a rawfoodist was not an easy one. I've been a meat eater the majority of my life. I often recall hearing my grandma saying, "You're a meat eater, eat some vegetables". As a child I hated veggies. I also didn't particularly care for the meat at the table either but hot dogs & bologna was where it was at for me.

During my adolescent years my grandparents and my dad were diagnosed with a myriad of diseases including but not limited to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, diabetes and last but not least heart disease. My mother passed away prematurely, they say from natural causes. I personally don't think it's natural at all to die at the age of 54 for no apparent real reason. Putting 2 & 2 together I came to the conclusion that the reason my grandparents and my parents were so unhealthy was because of our diets. I knew from the age of 16 that I needed to do something different if I wanted to remain healthy. I first heard about being a vegetarian from Dr. Paul Goss, creator of New Body Products in Compton CA. I began to attend his herbal, nutrition and Iridology classes on a regularly basis thus my journey on the path to being healthy began.

I remember going on my first diet with my "Big Momma" at the age of 5. Oh yes, you read it right. I started my first diet at 5yrs old. I remember eating boiled eggs, cottage cheese and grapefruits. At birth I weighed 4lbs 5oz, from what I've been told by my father when they brought me home from the hospital he instructed my mother to fatten me up, I was too small and I looked funny. That's when my battle of the bulge began. Needless to say, I've been on and off diets ever since. When I was 12 years old my doctor informed me that I was obese, weighing in at a whopping 203lbs. I didn't know what obese meant at the time and I didn't like the way it sounded.

I thought by becoming a vegetarian I would slim down and become healthy. Boy was I wrong! My eating regime consisted of pasta, breads, rice & beans, dairy, processed vegetarian transition meats, textured vegetable protein and everything sweetened with refined sugar. My weight continued to climb and all the while, I thought I was being healthy by being a "vegetarian". That lasted on and off a few years.

My disenchantment with western medicine began when I was a senior in high school. I became inflicted with some sort of skin disorder. After seeking medical attention from one doctor and then being referred to another and another and another and another still not knowing what the heck I was dealing with having been treated with all types of toxic prescriptions, ultra violet rays and eventually radiation. I still to this day don't know what I had. I saw 5 so called specialist and neither of them could agree on my condition. Needless to say, I was removed from attending school for almost 3 months. I began to understand why the term "medical practice" was used. They were "practicing" medicine on me. I quickly realized that doctors weren't so smart after all and instinctively I knew there had to be a better way.

Roughly six years ago, I began to experience strange episodes in my body. My heart would begin to race, my breathing was disturbed and I would start to sweat. It felt almost like I would pass out if I didn't sit down or like I was shorting out, similar to a light bulb when it's on the blink. I went to see my PCP and I told him my symptoms. He immediately took out his pad and wrote me a prescription for an anti-depressant. I became enraged because I knew I wasn't dealing with depression even though I was deeply saddened by the events of 911 like every other American. My symptoms were more than simply being depressed. I began to ask him how he could just write a prescription without checking me for anything. He hadn't run any labs at all. I became irate and began to have an "episode" right there in his office. This one was really bad because I actually fainted. I awakened with him shining his little flash light in my pupil. He immediately ordered labs for blood tests and he requested to have the results ASAP. Within a very short period of time the results were back and he tried to admit me into the hospital immediately, telling me my red blood cells were not close to where they should be on the charts and that I needed a blood transfusion immediately. I on the other hand didn't trust anything he said and told him that I would be willing to try increasing my iron intake over the next few weeks but having a blood transfusion today was out of the question. I grabbed my purse and marched right out with him in the background trying to convince me to stay, telling me just how serious my condition was and how I could just drop dead at any moment without the transfusion. My reply to him, with my flip attitude and a few choice words, were that if I had been an idiot I would have taken the prescription for anti-depression and still died so I will just take my chances from this moment on and I continued on out the door. When I got home I began my research on anemia and ways I could increase my iron levels. I had been taking prescription iron for many years already and couldn't understand why my levels were so low. I happened upon an article speaking about how the particular type of iron I was taking needed vitamin C in order for the body to absorb it. I increased my iron from 2 a day to 4 a day with the vitamin C and it worked! I didn't drop dead and today I am no longer anemic.

On to my choice to be raw, yet again I started having symptoms in my body and out of habit I went to the doctor and he wrote a prescription without running any tests and I decided for once and for all I would use food as my medicine and let my body heal itself. Common sense tells me that my body was wonderfully made. When things are out of wacky it fights hard to get everything in order and I knew given the right nutrients my body will heal naturally.

I began to record my journey on youtube and I began with the Master Cleanse. Then I discovered Bunny Berry doing her 100 day raw food challenge. I finished the Master Cleanse with great results and Bunny had just finished her 1st 100 day raw food challenge. She decided to do it again and this time she invited everyone to join her on Rawfu so I did. Honestly, I had never felt better in my life! Then I changed jobs and being 100 percent raw was next to impossible. The symptoms returned and yet again my career path has changed and I'm back home and back on the path. I've decided that my health is primary and I will no longer risk it for a job. I've been 90 percent raw now for almost a week and already my symptoms are reversing, I'm full of boundless energy and I'm happy.

I've learned that being raw means always being prepared and having things prepped and ready to eat on hand will prevent me from falling off the wagon. My ability to prepare beautiful and tasty meals is increasing and my desire to be a catalyst for others is insatiable!

I invite you to join me on my rawfood journey! by Starla Jackson

Fish Oil Benefits for Our Canine Friends

Anyone with a pet dog knows that it is truly another member of the family, and requires the same love and care as any child. Of course, you want to shower your pet with treats, but not all doggie snacks are good, healthy options for your dog's well-being. In fact, many have empty calories and harmful additives, providing little more than taste. Explore the possibilities of salmon oil for dogs to treat your pup and to improve the appearance and condition of its skin and coat while also strengthening the heart.

Salmon oil for dogs is an Omega-3 fatty acid extract from wild Alaska salmon, harvested from the icy Gulf of Alaska throughout the year. In humans, the high Omega-3 levels found in salmon help prevent cancer, arthritis, and asthma, but are best known for battling and preventing coronary disease. Dogs can benefit from this as well, as the fat helps to strengthen their hearts, though the fatty acids are mainly used for skin and fur upkeep.

Salmon is the richest source of Omega-3 fatty acids. There are five species of Alaskan salmon: the King, the Sockeye, the Coho, the Chum, and the Pink. Salmon that have longer spawning cycles and require more activity to swim upstream through freshwater to get to the sea tend to carry higher amounts of fat. Of all fish, the wild Alaskan Sockeye salmon claims the highest amount of Omega-3 at a level of 2.7%. Alaskan salmon are harvested responsibly by environmentally-minded fishermen, ensuring a sustainable habitat and large amounts of the fish for the future.

The health benefits of salmon oil for dogs aside, your canine friend will love the tasty fishy treat that is served as an additive to its daily meal rather than in plant Omega-3 extract pill supplement form, as the body is more apt to absorb and use the fatty acids from the fish oil. by Thomas Lasky

Herbal Remedies - Natural baby skin care

The relationship between mother and child is essential for the development of this new life, she took him in the belly for nine months so that connection will be essential and should continue in the future development of their faculties. According to investigations so that the union is best for the benefit of child development, mothers should take special care to breastfeeding, hygiene, baby, changing diapers, among others, which are classified in the relationship -communication mother- son.

The baby's health is the main activity to preserve their health until it is independent in their daily activities. To do this you must use the mother of use guaranteed products for babies, personal care products are common astringent for baby's sensitive skin and can sometimes create irreversible damage.

In this situation the mother should choose natural products in this group are the basic quartet for baby hygiene: soap, oil, talc and shampoo made on the basis of herbal remedies, medicinal properties which not only care for and nurture your baby's skin, as well as advocate for common diseases like colds, allergies, infections of various kinds of parasitic zoonoses or by contact with the environment and pets. by Herbal Remedies

Black Spot on Toenail

Having a black spot on toenail can be an ugly site. There are a few reason why you have this spot on your nail. You may have been active in some type of sports or some other physical activity. If that is not the case, you have a toe nail fungus. There are ways to prevent and treat a nail fungus infection.

If you suffer from a painful toenail, if it smells, and if your nails have turned black or yellow, these are the signs of a toe nail infection. Once you detect that you have this problem, you need to start treating it as soon as possible. The sooner you treat it the better.

Black Toenail Spot Treatment

The best treatment for nail fungus is to prevent it from coming back. In order to prevent it, you need to know some of the ways you may have gotten it. Do you have a habit of cutting your nails to short? If so, the problem occurs if you cut them to close to your skin, causing tiny cuts under your nails, which causes the infection to set in.

If your feet sweat a lot and you continue to wear tight shoes, this can also cause your nails to get infected. What you want to do is, wear some absorbent socks that will soak up the moisture. This will help by keeping your feet and toes dry.

Avoid going barefooted in public places. The best thing you can do is wear a pair of flip flops. This helps by not letting your feet touch wet floor which carry the fungus. Some people who have this infection do not care if they pass it along, so you have to be careful.

You may have to see you doctor for black spot on toenail, if this is the case try to avoid taken medications. These medications have known to cause serious side effects. You can do a little research on the Internet, there are plenty to choose from. If you hate doing research, which is understandable, ask your doctor for a recommendation for a good product. by Elliott Hairston

4 Fun Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) Facts

Vitamin B6 (also referred to as pyridoxine) is a B-complex vitamin. It was discovered in 1938 by Paul Gyorgy when he managed to isolate pyridoxine from rice bran and use it to prevent and cure the skin condition acrodynia. The main function of B6 is to help the body's cells break down proteins from the foods we eat into a form that they can use for energy but it does more than just this. In this article I will be looking at this vitamin in greater detail by discussing four fun vitamin B6 facts.

1) IT IS WATER SOLUBLE:- Vitamin B6 is water soluble which (as the name suggests) means that it dissolves in water. Water soluble vitamins share two main differences with fat soluble vitamins (the other type of vitamin). First, they are quite delicate and break down if exposed to intense heat or light. Secondly, they cannot be stored by the body and if you consume more than your body requires any excess is excreted in your urine. Therefore, it is very important that you take extra care when storing, preparing and cooking B6 so that it is not destroyed. You must also make sure that you are consuming B6 daily to ensure that you get your recommended daily allowance (RDA) which is 1.4mg for men and 1.2mg for women.

2) IT CAN BE FOUND IN ALL FOODS:- Vitamin B6 is present in all foods at some levels. However, certain foods are a much better source than others. For example, meat, salmon, beans, nuts and peas are all rich sources of pyridoxine. Therefore, if your diet does not contain any of the above foods perhaps you should consider sampling one or two of the suggestions on the above list and making them a permanent part of your diet.

3) GETTING TOO MUCH CAN BE DANGEROUS:- As I discussed above pyridoxine is water soluble and excess amounts are excreted daily. However, it can still be toxic in high doses and cause a number of unpleasant symptoms. For example, overdosing on vitamin B6 for a prolonged period can cause your hands and feet to become numb and even cause nerve damage. Therefore, whilst it is important to get your RDA amount of this vitamin just make sure you do not overdo it.

4) IT HELPS THE BODY PRODUCE A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT SUBSTANCES:- Vitamin B6 helps the body build a number of substances including red blood cells and neurotransmitters. Red blood cells help carry oxygen from the lungs to areas of the body that require oxygen. Neurotransmitters help carry important information between cells. Both of these functions are vital for optimal health which is yet another reason to make sure you get your RDA of pyridoxine.

I hope this article has given you a greater insight into the importance of vitamin B6. As you can see it is essential for breaking down protein, helping your body function properly and much more. by Tom Parker

What is Sea Salt Body Scrub

In advanced skin care many people have taken to exfoliating their skin with body scrubs and other semi abrasive compounds, with much success.

Sea salt scrubs have been known to while it also nourishes, soothes, tones, and vitamin C relaxes. Especially useful on extra-rough areas like knees and elbows.

The rejuvenation effect of sea salt scrubs occurs because the salt minerals in the sea has special effects on your skin. Consider most people from islands nations. On average their skin is much smoother than people from arid or high altitude regions. Popular explanations for this include diet; Usually island people diets consist of higher concentration of seafood. Secondly their bodies are in direct contact with the sea salt of the ocean water or ocean air at a much higher exposure than people in the United States of America.

Sea salt body scrub have been proven to relieve skin ailments such as psoriasis, eczema and acne. Minerals such as sodium, magnesium, potassium, enhance your skin's natural ability to retain moisture, making it smooth and healthy.

What are the ingredients of sea salt scrubs?

Sea Salt Body Scrub Ingredients

Sea salts usually are combined with oils, minerals and fragrances. Most scrubs combine Dead Sea Salt Minerals with 5 natural Oils: Jojoba Oil, Avocado Oil, Sesame Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, & Olive Oil. Rich in Vitamin A, C, D, E & B12 as well as 27 Minerals found in the Dead Sea Salt & Aloe Vera. This combination of oils and salt revitalizes your skin, prevents premature aging, when gently massaged into the Body, dead skin cells are immediately removed, leaving your skin soft & refresh.

Other ingredients you may find in sea salt scrubs: Sunflower Oil, Dead Sea Salt, Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol, Shea Butter, Apricot Oil, Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E, Squalene, Essential Oil, Fragrance, Germall Plus and endless amounts of fragrances including nutmeg, jasmine, cinnamon, lavender, coconut, almond, apple, lemon and rose.

How to use Sea Salt Body Scrub

On moist skin massage the salt and oil in a circularly motions until the oil is completely absorbed into the skin. Pay special attention to dry areas such as elbows, knees, feet, and other cellulite-prone areas, gently remove the remaining salt with running water. Usually the scrub is recommended for use-once a week for keeping your skin fresh and smooth.

Smooth Skin Tips

Because body skin is thicker than facial skin, rough exfoliants like salt scrubs and crushed natural ingredients (like nuts) are most effective;

More Sea Salt Scrub Features

* Finely ground dead sea salts, desert salts and kelp formula * Rich, and very creamy exfoliating complex * Replenishes and rejuvenates for softer, attractive skin * Restores nutrients for healthy vibrant skin complexion * Cleans clogged pores * Restores healthy skin glow

Using sea salt body scrubs will go a long way in making your skin smooth and refreshed. Several scrubs exists for various types of skin. Identify your skin type and develop a skin regimen that fits your skin. by Charles