8 Simple Acne Prevention Tips

Some good common sense tips on acne prevention. The most effective way to fight against acne is still to prevent it in the first place. Besides taking care in your cleansing regime, it is also important to take care of our diet.

Diet plays a vital role in acne prevention and eating the wrong foods or junk food can quickly worsen the condition of acne. For acne prone skin, it has been found that two major causes of acne are foods containing processed sugar and a lot of fat. We must ensure that we follow a more natural, fiber rich diet. This means taking more food like fresh vegetables, fruits and grains, which is a proven method for preventing acne. Foods that contain saturated fats and dairy products should be avoided.

The next thing you can do to prevent acne is to have enough sleep. A healthy, well-rested body has the resources to build a strong immune system. While a robust immune system won’t prevent acne altogether, it can help fight infection so your lesions clear up more quickly. Luckily, your body isn’t picky; uninterrupted sleep in the daytime is just as beneficial. Thus with all these tips, I hope they can help you to effectively prevent acne.

A healthy glowing skin free of blemishes is crucial to one’s social life, especially in the life of young adolescents. Thus, acne is oftentimes considered a curse that one may bring even until adult years. And though acne cannot be totally prevented or avoided, here are some precautions that can actually help minimize, if not prevent, the outbreaks of acne.

1. Make-up

Though there had been no scientific evidence that supports the theory that make-up can cause acne, it is still necessary to avoid cosmetic products, which are oil based, or those products containing isopropyl myristate, lanolins, laureth-4, D & C red dyes and sodium lauryl sulphate. It is much safer to use ‘nonacnegenic’ or ‘noncomedogenic’. Also, it is recommended to avoid wearing too much make-up.

2. Facial Washing

Before retiring to bed, it is best to thoroughly wash the make-up off the face to avoid clogging of pores. Harsh or vigorous washing or rubbing of the face should also be avoided. Instead, it is best to gently wash the face with water and mild soap twice daily, rinse the skin thoroughly and gently pat it to dry.

3. Pillows, Facecloths, and Cosmetic Brushes

Because pillows can come in contact with the face during sleep, it is advisable to use clean pillowcases. Also, face towels should be washed and kept clean. Using dirty washcloths and pillowcases can harbor germs and bacteria that can cause skin infection and acne outbreaks. For the same principle, cosmetic brushes should also be cleaned regularly with soap and water.

4. Pimples/Blackheads

A pimple is an inflamed lesion, and picking, squeezing, or popping the pimples out will only aggravate the inflammation. Thus, it is best to leave the pimples alone because grave inflammation could also lead to skin infection and may eventually leave scars on the face. However, there is one kind of pimple that you can get rid off by gentle squeezing, that is the one with a small yellow pus head in the center. Popping the pus out will allow the faster healing of the pimple. Blackheads can also be rectified with gentle squeezing.

5. Sun Exposure

It is believed by many that tanning or sunbathing can cure acne. But the fact is, the skin should be protected from too much exposure to the sun as it can only aggravate the drying of the skin. Exposure to the sun while under certain acne medications may bring about unwanted side effects.

6. Exercise

Regular exercise promotes stress reduction and enhances blood circulation, as well as increasing oxygen supply to the skin, thus aiding in the prevention of acne.

7. Water

Drinking 6-8 glasses of water daily has always been a good detoxifying agent to the body, which is also a great help in preventing the occurrence of acne.

8. Treatment

Use acne medications one at a time because mixing it together may cause adverse effects. Also, acne medication should be applied about half an inch beyond the inflamed area to keep it from spreading.

The precautions and practices mentioned, when followed correctly, can be a great help in preventing, as well as controlling, the dreadful acne.

The SkinStore, Natural Skin Care Products

About the Author, Darren W.: Author is the webmaster of http://www.acne-cart.com/.

Tea and Iron Absorption

I was having dinner with friends last night and the waitress was asking if we would like tea to go with our meal. One of my friends highlighted that his wife read somewhere that it is not good to drink tea with meal as it reduces the iron intake from our meal. I found it quite interesting and when I woke up this morning, I googled to see if I can find any information regarding this.

It wasn’t difficult to find information in the internet at all nowadays – as long as you spend some time on it. The search returned several results related and non-related. In all of the related results, they had shown similar information – that tea reduces the iron intake to a certain extent and it really depends. I will come to that in a short while.

Before we go on, let’s take a look at the mineral iron, with the symbol Fe in the periodic table. From my previous knowledge in school, I knew that iron is an essential part in hemoglobin for oxygen transport around the body. According to the British Nutrition Foundation, they stated, “Iron is also required for energy metabolism and is necessary for neurological development of developing embryos. Iron is also needed for the normal function of the immune system.” Iron can be found in foods in two forms, namely haem and non-haem iron. Haem iron is found mainly in meat, liver, offal and meat products. According to a document by the UK Tea Council, typically 20-30% of haem iron is absorbed from the diet and the level of haem iron absorption is relatively unaffected by other dietary factors.

According to the document, non-haem iron is found in plant foods such as cereals, vegetables, pulses, dried fruit, etc and compared to haem iron it is relatively poorly absorbed, typically less than 10% and often under 5%. The absorption of non-haem iron is much more influenced by an individual’s iron status and several factors in the diet that can either inhibit or enhance its absorption. Deficiency of iron in our body can ultimately result in anemia while too much of it can be toxic. Moderation is the key. According to the British Nutrition Foundation, iron deficiency anemia can make people feel tired, irritable and less able to concentrate. In children, it can affect behavior and development. Iron deficiency anemia is probably the most common nutritional deficiency in the world - it is estimated that at least 500 million people are affected.

According to the different sources of information that I gotten from Google, all of them stated that tea drinking mainly affects the absorption of non-haem iron as haem iron is relatively unaffected by tea. Most studies which were conducted to examine the effect of tea drinking on absorption of iron concluded that tea does have an inhibiting effect on iron absorption. However, there are people who argued that these studies were carried out in experimental conditions and may not reflect the role of tea when consumed as part of a complex, real diet.

According to the UK Tea Council, their researches also found conflicting results; some have found a higher risk of anemia amongst tea drinkers compared to non tea drinkers, while others have shown no such association, both in children and adults. There is however a lot of other determining factors that can affect the absorption of iron; like what kind of foods were taken beside the tea, the iron status or level of the person in the first place etc.

Practical advice for tea drinking in relation to iron status (Tea and Iron Absorption, UK Tea Council)

· There is no evidence to suggest that tea drinking should be restricted in healthy individuals who are not at risk of iron deficiency and are consuming a well balanced, mixed diet.

· People who have a poor iron status should avoid drinking tea with meals and up to at least one hour after the meal. Any adverse effects that tea may have on iron absorption are then likely to be minimized. This restriction should apply to all people who are in the following at-risk age groups - children less than 6 years of age, adolescent girls, women aged 18–49 years and women aged 75 years and over, as well as those who are known to have poor iron status.

· Moderate tea drinking (3-4 cups) spread throughout other times of the day is unlikely to have any adverse effect on iron status. The inhibitory effect of tea on iron absorption maybe partially overcomes by the simultaneous consumption of animal tissues and Vitamin C.

Something else interesting which I found out is that Vitamin C found in fruits, fruit juices and vegetables actually enhance the absorption of iron. Thus some actually suggest adding lemon to tea to reduce the effect of tea on absorption of iron.

In so speaking, you do not really have to refrain from drinking tea with meal especially if you are having a balanced diet and you are a healthy individual. Only when you are at high risk of iron deficiency, then it would be better to avoid drinking tea with meals. Wishing everyone great health!

5 Tips For Sticking To Gout Reducing Diets

If you have a gout attack, coffee may be beneficial, but to more effectively treat gout and stop it from occurring, you need to learn how to successfully stick with gout reducing diets. The following are 5 different tips on how you can create a diet plan that will work for you:

Tip 1 - Know what foods to avoid and what foods to welcome into your diet. The goal of any gout prevention diet is to stay away from foods that increase uric acid levels, which increase your risk of a gout attack, and stick with those that keep uric acid levels under control. Make a list of foods to avoid, as well as a list of friendly foods, and keep these lists posted on your fridge, and in your organizer/planner, so you’ll never be without them come mealtime, and when making an effective grocery list. Below are two brief lists:

Foods to avoid:

All alcoholic beverages
Yeast
Red meat
Organ meat (hearts, kidneys, liver, etc.)
Turkey
Meat extracts
Gravies
Anchovies,
Fish roes
Herring,
Mussels
Scallops
Legumes (peas, dried beans, etc.)
Spinach
Asparagus
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Sweetbreads

Beneficial foods:

Complex carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, cereal, etc.)
Dark berries (black berries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.)
Cherries
Bananas
Oranges
Pineapple
Tomatoes
Kale
Cabbage
Parsley
Tofu
Salmon
Flax and flax oil
Olive oil
Water
Fruit juices
Coffee/tea

Tip 2 – Eat a balanced diet – Knowing what foods to limit and increase in your diet will help to prevent a gout attack, but it’s still important to remain healthy by making sure you’re feeding your body a balanced diet. A balanced diet for gout – according to the American Medical Association - is one that is:

Low in protein - it is recommended that as much as 15% of calorie intake be from sources such as soy, poultry and lean meats, while a maximum of 30% of calories should be from fat.

High in complex carbohydrates (I.E. fruits, vegetables and whole grains)

As a general rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to eat more frequent and smaller meals than fewer larger meals. This will not only help you better digest your food; it also allows you to limit your portion sizes. This way, you can ensure that the protein portion of your meal is always the smallest.

Tip 3 - Plan your meals ahead of time – Planning your meals helps to strengthen your will power when it comes to making food choices. By planning your meals ahead of time, you will avoid giving into your craving for purine-rich foods, which is more likely to occur when you are hungry and haven’t thought about what you are going to eat. For this reason, it is very important that you take the time to prepare yourself a lunch/dinner for work ahead of time, so you don’t continuously eat out, as most restaurants don’t offer menus with meals that prevent a gout attack.

Tip 4 –Know how to make substitutions when eating out – Everyone eats out from time to time, and just because you are prone to gout shouldn’t stop you from this enjoyment. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should indulge in any food offered on the menu. When it comes to eating out, you need to learn how to substitute food to save yourself from a gout attack, while still tantalising your taste buds. Here are a few suggestions:

Appetizer – Instead of mussels try garlic bread or a veggie salad (Note: make sure to eliminate any veggies that are not conducive to a gout diet)

Entrée – Instead of steak have salmon with rice or a vegetarian dish

Dessert – Instead of cappuccino and cheesecake, go for a cup of tea/coffee and a fruit bowl

Tip 5 – Create and discover different gout recipes – Eating the same foods over and over again, or preparing meals the same way, becomes extremely boring and downright depressing after awhile. The last thing you want to do is not look forward to eating, because skipping meals or reverting back to an unhealthy and purine-rich diet will only bring back the gout attack. Take some time to look into gout reducing diets and recipes or started creating some of your own recipes.

About the Author, Lisa McDowell: Grab your free copy of Lisa McDowell's brand new Gout Newsletter here http://www.cure-gout-now.com which is overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you relieve and prevent Gout symptoms naturally.

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7 Easy Tips On How To Live Green

It is about time we do something for our planet Earth. If you look around you or watch the news, you might have already noticed the significant change in the weather around the World. Even at this point as I am typing this, the snow storm in China is still on-going; causing lost of lives and properties. Let us all contribute our parts in healing our planet Earth.

Living green doesn't mean you have to wave goodbye to all the niceties and luxuries of modern life. In fact, once you start to investigate the advantages of living a greener life, you may well discover all sorts of extra pleasures. Your taste buds will certainly notice and it's highly likely your wallet will as well.

There are plenty of things you can do which will help you to live green without total sacrifice. Here are seven tips that are quick and easy for you to implement. Most of them will barely change the way you operate but will help save the environment, especially if you can gradually persuade your friends to do the same things.

1. Re-use the bags you get every time you shop are good for more than one trip. Re-use them or, better yet, buy a "bag for life" and use that. Collectively, we use millions of plastic bags on a daily basis. Saving a couple bags here and there may not seem to make a difference, but as more and more people do this, the savings will mount up.

2. Re-cycle as much as you can. You probably already have a recycling collection service. If not, look out for recycling places local to you and drop off your newspapers, bottles, cans, etc next time you are passing. Don't make a special trip though. For larger items, if they're still usable then look up Freecycle for your local area. They offer a great way to give unwanted items a new, welcoming home.

3. Eat local produce. Especially if it's bought fresh from a Farmer's Market. You'll notice the difference in taste. And if you buy just what you need (rather than the supersize pack your grocery store normally sells) it probably won't cost much more. Plus you'll save all those miles that the often tasteless food your grocery store stocks has been forced to travel.

4. Turn off unused appliances at the socket. Standby mode still uses lots of energy. Cut your fuel bills by turning off televisions and other items when they're not in use. That includes your computer's monitor as well. Screensavers only stop the screen from getting burned in images. Energy saving mode cuts power usage but nowhere near as much as the on/off switch does.

5. Wash your clothes at a lower temperature. Modern detergents work fine at lower temperatures. Or throw away the detergent in favor of Eco washing balls, saving on the fossil fuels that are used for most modern detergents as well as cutting your washing costs without compromising wash quality.

6. Turn down your thermostat in the winter (and turn it up in the summer if you use air-conditioning). One or two degrees difference is barely noticeable, except when the fuel bill arrives. When you get used to the new, lower temperature, turn it down another degree or two!

7. Compost waste if you have a garden, saving on fertilizer cost and giving your plants a treatment they'll love.

About the Author, Geoff White: For more easy to follow tips on how to live green check out http://www.squidoo.com/how-tolivegreen There's plenty of easy to use information that can often save you money as well as help save the planet at http://www.squidoo.com/how-tolivegreen

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3 Powerful Weight Loss Tips

In most weight loss articles, you get tips on methods which you can use to lose weight. You can find good and sound tips on what to do or eat to help you to shed off the extra pounds. Losing weight to a large extent is a mind game. Many people started off with a lot of enthusiasm but eventually their interest dies off when they do not see their desire result. Keeping that plan and working towards that goal to lose weight takes a lot of determination of the mind and this is what this article is all about; empowering your mind to lose weight.

One thing I definitely agree with the article is focusing on what you want. This is similar to the concept in The Secret and it is the norm that most people focus on what they don't want then what they want. It is time for a switch of perspective.

Every January 1st, millions upon millions of people worldwide set out on their annual quest to try to shed their excess pounds.

Unfortunately, by now, the overwhelming majority of these well-intentioned folks will have already failed and uttered those immortal words...

"Oh well, I guess I'll try again next year."

Don't let that be you!

Here are three powerful tips that'll help you lose the weight you want to lose once and for all:

Powerful Weight Loss Tip #1 - Stop "trying" to lose weight.

The word "try" is, in my opinion, the single biggest "weasel word" in the entire English language.

Why do I call it a "weasel word", you ask?

Simple...

The word "try", by its very definition, comes with a built-in "escape hatch".

If you say you'll "try" to do something and you don't, you can always use your "escape hatch" and "weasel" out of it by saying...

"Well, I tried!"

Here's the deal...

You either will do something or you won't do something...

You either do something or you don't do something...

There's no such thing as "trying" to do something!

Think about it...

"Try" to read this article.

You can't, can you?

You either will read this article or you won't read this article...

You either do read this article or you don't read this article...

You can't "try" to read this article.

Nor...

Can you "try" to lose weight.

You either will lose weight or you won't lose weight...

You either do lose weight or you don't lose weight...

It's that simple!

Powerful Weight Loss Tip #2 - Focus on what you want, not on what you don't want.

In the book for which he's best known, his classic masterpiece "The Science of Getting Rich", Wallace D. Wattles wrote:

"The Creative Power within us makes us into the image of that to which we give our attention."

Most people who set out to lose weight start out by saying something like...

"I want to lose 50 pounds."

Question for you...

If you make a statement to yourself like...

"I want to lose 50 pounds"...

What are you giving your attention to?

Those excess 50 pounds, right?

Right.

Therefore...

Since that's what you're giving your attention to...

Guess what?

You got it...

That's *exactly* what you'll have...

Those excess 50 pounds!

In other words...

By making a statement like...

"I want to lose 50 pounds"...

You're subconsciously setting yourself up for failure before you even begin.

So...

What should you do instead?

Simple...

In his book "The Personal Power Course", Wallace D. Wattles wrote:

"... whenever you think of your physical self... think of the IDEAL BODY WHICH YOU ARE BUILDING, and not of the body which now is."

And...

Therein lies the secret to successfully losing weight.

If you weigh 200 pounds and you want to weigh 150 pounds...

Rather than say...

"I want to lose 50 pounds"...

Say...

"I want to weigh 150 pounds"...

Or...

Better...

"I weigh 150 pounds."

Or...

Even better...

Take "weight" out of the picture altogether and simply...

Form a clear and definite mental image of "the ideal body which you are building" and hold that image in your thoughts "whenever you think of your physical self".

Think about it...

If you looked and felt *exactly* as you wanted to look and feel, would you really care what you weighed?

I think not.

Powerful Weight Loss Tip #3 - Stay away from mirrors, scales, and tape measures.

Most people who begin a weight loss program, regardless of what it is, seem to have this overwhelming need to look in the mirror, hop on the scale, or check their measurements every five minutes to see if their weight loss program is working.

Now...

"Every five minutes" may be a bit of an exaggeration, but for some it's not too far from the truth.

Here's a question for you to ponder...

If you look in the mirror, hop on the scale, or check your measurements anytime before you have the ideal body you want, are you thinking of "the ideal body which you are building" or of "the body which now is"?

Think about it.

Remember...

"The Creative Power within us makes us into the image of that to which we give our attention."

So...

If you *really* want to shed your excess pounds this New Year once and for all...

Here's my best advice:

1. Take "weight" out of the picture altogether and decide *exactly* how you want to look and feel.

2. Form a clear and definite mental image of "the ideal body which you are building" and hold that image in your thoughts "whenever you think of your physical self".

3. Stay away from mirrors, scales, and tape measures.

About the Author: Tony Mase is a serious student of the works of Wallace D. Wattles and the creator of an amazing website that'll take you by the hand and guide you step-by-step down Wallace D. Wattles' proven path to wealth, health, success, happiness, love, and more... http://www.tonymasesinnercircle.com

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