How to Treat Acne

Acne is something that worries most teenagers, and a condition that can linger right through life.  

But, how does acne occur and why?

The whole surface of our epidermis is covered by pores, which include glands. These glands create a  form of fat called sebum. When the glands produce the proper amount of sebum, every thing is okay. But once they become stimulated and begin to develop excessive sebum, the pores become clogged. This leads to an accumulation of sebum and bacteria in the pores and skin, which leads towards the formation of pimples.   The reason why acne most often occurs in puberty is mainly because at this age the sex hormones that stimulate the glands are most active, and also the reason why it can flare up in women around menopause.

Acne is not a major physical problem, though in serious cases can lead to scarring, but often causes a loss of self-confidence which is equally as damaging.  

Here are a few simple tips to help keep acne under control, and eradicate it: 

    * Wash your face 2 times per day with soap and warm water gently without rubbing hard or you can irritate the skin further and then dry it gently, but thoroughly with a clean dry towel each time.

    * Keep all chemical and synthetic products away from your skin including accidental transference from your hands from hair gels and sprays.

    * Avoid cosmetics that are oil based – mineral make up is usually the best. 

    * Resist the urge to touch infected areas, and never ‘op’ any pimples.  If you do the bacteria will penetrate deeper into the pores, resulting in a lot more pain, redness and possibly even scars.

    * identify any food allergies that may aggravate your skin – check after eating to see if any change is visible in your skin and then avoid that particular food or drink.  

 * Stress can aggravate acne so reduce it wherever possible in your life. 

* Sunlight is generally considered helpful in dealing with acne, due to increased vitamin D levels, but do it gently and carefully and never when the sun is at its hottest.  

These simple tips will help, and so will keeping your immune system strong and healthy.  Follow a natural wholefood diet, get plenty of exercise and fresh air and you should see some improvement and if it is persistent then consult a practitioner such as a homoeopath who may be able to offer more help.

Learn to beat panic attacks

Easily Control Your Panic Attacks

Just about everybody has had some type of stress and anxiety.  Many people experience stress and anxiety so great that they can’t do their day to day activities.  There are some symptoms for daily panic attack such as trembling, dizziness, breathing problems, and stomach pain.  There are lots of people that go to the emergency room because they think that they are having a heart attack.  Indeed these are very scary symptoms but they however are not life threatening at all. 

To help yourself in gaining control over your panic attacks you need to first recognize what the triggers are of the panic attacks.  If you happen to do this then it will give you time to deal with them.

There are some relaxation methods that may help with staying focused and calm.  Yoga, meditation, and some breathing techniques can help.  When a panic attack starts you can react out of proportion and also out of reality.  By practising breathing methods you should be able to remain calm and focus to help you stop.

All intake of caffeine needs to be avoided this includes soda, tea, coffee, and diet pills. Panic attacks are triggered from the central nervous system and caffeine stimulates it.

Exercise needs to be a ritual.  By exercising it will release endorphins into the blood stream.  These are hormones that help you reach an euphoric feeling, at also can be called a “runners high.”  Consistent exercise will help you stay focused, and also relaxed.

It is strongly recommended that you discover as much as you can before choosing to start taking any form of drugs.

The Sound Asleep MP3/ipod Comfort Pillow- and how it can Help Tinnitus

I love technology that makes life better, and reminds me that most of the things I read about in 1930’s sci fi books have now mostly come true – how we laughed at the idea of a complete meal cooked in minutes from a box in the wall – hello microwaves and M&S ready meals! Now we have listening devices that are so small they are almost invisible and this means they can be used in places you might never have imagined – like your pillow.

Have you ever used music to help you drift off, or one of those subliminal tapes to learn a language or help you lose weight or stop smoking while you sleep? If you have you may have used headphones, or had to keep the volume low so your partner wasn’t disturbed by it, and you will know how annoying it is to start to drift off and hear the click as the music ends or you have to stretch to your bedside table and switch it off. Now there is a revolutionary new concept which marries a very comfortable memory foam pillow with a tiny built in speaker that you can plug your mp3, cassette player and most radios so you can drift off to sleep without uncomfortable headphones, or disturbing your partner. .

I asked a poor sleeper to test it out and they reported that the pillow was very comfortable as it moulded to their head shape and the tiny lead to their mp3 player could not be felt at all. They used a relaxing background track on their mp3 and found that a plus was that the pillow ‘switches off’ the sound at the end of your selected tracks. So no annoying click and, although you can hear your music or language cd clearly, it’s not audible to anyone else.

What particularly interested me about this whole concept is how it can use by those suffering from tinnitus. The continuous ringing or clicking sounds in the ear they experience seem more pronounced in quiet settings, such as in the bedroom before going to sleep. Sound therapy is often suggested and it works by reducing the difference, or contrast, between tinnitus sounds and a background sound which makes the tinnitus seem less intrusive. You can get ‘masking’ tracks to help muffle the tinnitus or just choose your favourite soft relaxing music to help you drift off.

The Sound Asleep Comfort Pillow will not emit any sound until it is connected to your device of choice such as a cd player or mp3/ipod and the cable is removable to keep the pillow tidy and safe when it’s not in use. Ideal if you like lying down and listening to music or audio books and don’t want to disturb anyone else.

How To Get A Good Night’s Sleep

Everyone occasionally has trouble sleeping, but if it becomes a habit then it a very damaging one for your health. You need a certain level of deep, uninterrupted sleep to help your body do its essential maintenance during the night and if you don’t get it then you definitely will suffer – ask any new mother!

New research has shown that an amazing 64% of us have a bad night’s sleep at least once a wee

k, with nearly one in five of us having sleep problems every night of the week and one in three of us is getting a minimal three to six hours a night. The main reason for sleep difficulties is usually down anxiety and stress and sadly most people put up with it, just lying there hoping to eventually fall asleep.

There are some six simple tips that can help, so let’s see if any of these work for you:

1 Pretend you are a child again and have a regular, enforced, bedtime.

2 Establish another routine in helping you unwind and relax before bed – not watching an adrenalin fuelled movie on tv, but maybe a relaxing bath or quietly meditating to or thinking of what you have to be grateful for that day. It will all help you let go of the stress of the day and be able to relax into sleep.

3 Keep the last hour of the day totally non tech and don’t watch TV, use the computer, mobile phone or iPod. However pleasurable, these will all over stimulate your brain and that’s the last thing you need when you are trying to get to sleep.

4 Make your bedroom a relaxing place that is just where you sleep and not where you keep books or TV or computers.

5 If your worries are keeping you awake, try writing them down before you go to sleep and tell yourself they are taken care of until the morning. Just doing this will help you put anxiety to one side during the night.

6 Spend some time and thought in making your bedroom a really calm, comforting sanctuary. It is your retreat from the world so make it a real pleasure to be in there.

Extra Help

If you still have trouble, before you resort to sleeping pills, do try these natural ways to encourage a good night’s sleep. I use them to combat the effects of the wind and rain which are making me anxious at the moment!

Lavender is very soothing so try having a lavender oil bath, or spray lavender in your bedroom to help you unwind.

Valerian and Hops are two herbs traditionally used to help sleep and there are two herbal remedies from Lane’s you might try. One is called Quiet Life which is particularly helpful if your sleeplessness is due to anxiety and worry and another called Kalms, especially for night time use.

Honey is used in India, just add two teaspoons to a cup of hot water and drink before bedtime.

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland that helps regulate the body’s biological clock. When your sleep pattern is disturbed then this rhythm is thrown off and supplementing with melatonin may help.

LightSleeper is a new product from a student who used to have terrible sleep problems. It uses the fact that the way the eyes track a book when reading can be soothing and she has mimicked that movement by using a light source instead. LightSleeper projects a light onto the ceiling and it moves in a controlled, circular motion, and it is claimed that following it encourages the mind to relax into a good night’s sleep. I am trying it myself so I will let you know how I get on, but if you want more information go to the website at www.lightsleeper.co.uk and you can also find it online at www.boots.com

Natural Help For Cold Feet

If you suffer from that partnership-threatening condition known as cold feet in the back during the night then copy this out and show it to your partner.

Sometimes it is just a simple matter of not being warm enough and a cosy pair of bedsocks in a natural fibre like wool, cotton or – best of all – cashmere.  For many this can solve the problem, but for others it is a year round problem and tends to be related to circulation issues.  Certain conditions such as anaemia, diabetes and Raynaud’s disease (a circulatory problem in which the hands and feet are hypersensitive to the cold) may be to blame, and it’s advisable to discuss it with your doctor.

In the meantime, these natural tips might help – however bizarre they may seem!
1. Sprinkle a small amount of ground cayenne pepper in your socks and shoes.
2. Exercise regularly as it will help improve your circulation.
3. Don’t smoke as nicotine constricts blood vessels which affects normal circulation.
4. Comfort footwear comes first as if your shoes are too tight that will also restrict circulation.
5. Before bed have a relaxing foot soak in warm (not hot) water and put on those socks!

Sunshine in a Box for SAD People

Well the clocks have gone back and the feeling of the having few hours of daylight is a reality that most of us shrug and learn to live with. We may miss having so much light, but for people suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) it is much more serious.

The symptoms of winter blues can affect an estimated half a million people in the UK every year according to SADA, the UK charity who offer help and advice. Symptoms include: low mood, increased mental and physical fatigue, stress, lack of concentration, weight-gain, loss of libido, and poor immune health.

SAD is thought to be caused by a biochemical imbalance in the brain which controls daily rhythms and mood, due to the shortening of daylight hours and lack of sunlight between September and April. There are special light boxes which mimic daylight that many sufferer find very helpful, but a less expensive option worth trying is a new offering from

Solgar supplements are used by many health professionals and they have come up with what they call their limited edition Sunshine in a box kit which contains the ultimate ‘feel-good’ nutrition essentials. These include:

** Vitamin D3 is also known as the sunshine vitamin as it strengthens immune health and has been shown to help brighten mood.

** 5HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) which increases the brain’s serotonin levels that help stabilise mood, promote relaxation, support restful sleep, as well as damping down cravings for carbohydrate and sugar.

** Rhodiola is an adaptogenic herb and a traditional remedy that may enhance mental and physical energy, help the body adapt to stress, and increase dopamine levels which help us feel more optimistic. It is often suggesdted as alternative to St John’s Wort for mood balancing.

The Sunshine Box also includes a book on the benefits of Vitamin D as well as the supplements and is a limited edition offering for the start of the SAD season and costs £25.00. If you can’t find it in your local health store, then call Solgar on 01442 890 355 for a local stockist or via their website at www.solgar-vitamins.co.uk

Help and information on the SADA charity at www.sada.org.uk

Flea collars warning

The report found two particular chemicals, tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP) and propoxur, used on national brands of flea collars. TCVP belongs to the class of nerve-damaging chemicals known as organophosphates, most of which are so hazardous that they’ve been banned for residential use or for use on pets. Propoxur belongs to a class of chemicals called carbamates, which also cause nerve damage, and it’s on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer.

Not good news for your pet, but particularly bad news if you have small children as they tend to pet the animal and then put their hands in their mouths.

Use only natural, non-chemical tick collars to protect the health of your pets and your children and if you can’t find anything in your local store then here’s a good recipe for a home made one using essential oils.

Recipe for a Herbal Flea Collar

You need to get a bottle each of citronella, tea tree, and rosemary oils.

In a glass bowl, blend one tablespoon of citronella and tea tree oil, and a half a tablespoon of rosemary Oil. Soak an ordinary cloth collar for 20 minutes in the mixture then let it air dry for about five hours.

Put it on your pet as normal and with any leftover oil you could store it in a glass jar and use it to give a weekly natural flea bath as needed. Take a small amount of the mixture, rub it into a towel, and then rub it lightly on the animal’s fur. This homemade herbal flea wipe means your pet smells great and it will keep fleas, and ticks away.

Aloe vera for Healthy Teeth

I always carry aloe vera gel when travelling as it is invaluable for healing cuts and burns, and it is a useful plant to have around the house. A new use for it is in tooth gel where it cleanses and soothes teeth and gums, and it is as effective as toothpaste to fight cavities according to, the Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal.

Aloe vera tooth gel helps eliminate disease-causing bacteria in the mouth and some dentists have been sceptical about that in the past. However, this new research compared the germ-fighting ability of an aloe vera tooth gel to two commercially popular toothpastes and revealed that the aloe vera tooth gel was just as effective, and in some cases more effective, than the commercial brands at controlling those organisms that cause cavities.

It is also good for those with sensitive teeth as Aloe latex contains anthraquinones, which are anti-inflammatory chemical compounds used in healing and stopping pain. Because aloe vera tooth gel tends to be less harsh on teeth, as it does not contain the abrasive elements often found in commercial toothpaste, it is a great alternative for people with sensitive teeth or gums.

You should be able to find aloe tooth gel in health stores, but if not here are a couple of useful websites: www.ernestonealoevera.co.uk and www.aloeveraproductsonline.co.uk

Dangers of Blackberry Thumb

No it is nothing to do with seasonal fruit picking, but is a genuine medical condition identified since the rise of texting on mobile phones. Swedish ergonomist Ewa Gustafsson at the Sahlgrenska Academy studied 56 young adults had reported pain in their hands, neck and arms and found their problem was the way they texted.

First they tended to hunch over the phone, and only used one thumb to text instead of two. Bet you never realised the dangers of that, but apparently the electrogoniometer that she used to measure activity in the muscles , showed excessive use of the thumb muscles. If you suffer from this condition, obviously try using both thumbs to type instead of one, do not hunch over too much and don’t type too fast.

It can also help to give your hands some support by varying your position frequently, using the backrest of your chair, resting your forearms against a desk or your thighs.

Natural help for RLS, anxiety and disturbed sleep

VitalCALM has been developed by Janice Wilson for the natural treatment of Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) and it is also suggested for reducing anxiety and improving sleep. She founded her company, Simply Vital, after having worked on drug development for the pharmaceutical industry and deciding she wanted to provide a more holistic approach in providing natural remedies as an alternative to drugs,

RLS is often not taken seriously enough by doctors but it affects 1.5 million people in the UK with women more likely to be affected by the condition, and it becomes more common with age. The uncomfortable sensations of RLS are usually triggered by inactivity, are often more noticeable in the evening and, for some, prevent them from sleeping.

Symptoms can be temporarily relieved by movement and recently GPs have been allowed to prescribe the same drugs used to treat Parkinson disease since low dopamine is implicated in RLSand sufferers know it can be quite debilitating. Symptoms can range from twitching legs when you are trying to relax or sleep, and creepy, often painful sensations that create an overwhelming urge to move. Sufferers report their greatest problems lie in an inability to relax and sit still, and disturbed sleep which has a knock on effect on how they feel during the day. It can also be a social embarrassment as sufferers are unable to control the restless kicking out that is associated with the condition.

If you have RLS you are most likely to be prescribed the same drugs as Parkinson’s, usually some form of dopamine, and these can have unpleasant side effects. Simply Vital have come up with a natural supplement using blue green algae extracts from Lake Klamath that contain two different molecules that should increase dopamine levels in the brain naturally as well as powerful antioxidants to treat RLS. It has been specifically developed to address severe imbalances in neurotransmitter status, which can lead to restlessness in both mind and body.

Boosting levels of dopamine has several beneficial effects as it has many important roles in the body. It is involved in the regulation of other hormones including insulin and is necessary to make us feel good, which is why when we have reduced levels of it we can suffer from fatigue, reduced sex drive, lack of motivation, obesity, addictions, anxiety and depression.

VitalCALM doesn’t have the usual disadvantage I have found in algae supplements, which are generally in powder form and feel like you are drinking a pond, as they come in a capsule form which is certainly easier to take – and rather more expensive. However if it can calm and relax the body so that RLS is no longer a problem, then it is probably well worth it.

If you want to know more, then visit their website at www.simplyvital.com

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