1)Select moisturizers made with vegetable oils. The lotions, creams and body oils that you use should be made with vegetable oils, not mineral oil. Vegetable oils, (like olive oil, sweet almond oil, corn oil, etc.) contain fatty acids which help to moisturize and soften skin. Mineral oil is derived from petroleum and does not contain anything that helps to nourish skin.

2)Look for herbs and herbal derivatives in your cosmetics. Herbs and their derivatives (essential oils, extracts, infusions) contain natural chemicals which soothe, tone and help condition skin. Two herbs which are especially useful in natural cosmetics are Lavender and Tea tree. The essential oils of both lavender and tea tree are gentle, natural antiseptics.

Overview of Gout Gout is a systemic disease caused by buildup of uric acid in joints, causing inflammation, swelling, and pain. This condition can develop for two reasons. The liver may produce more uric acid than body can excrete in urine, or a diet of rich foods (e.g., red meat, cream sauces, red wine) puts more uric acid into bloodstream than kidneys can filter. In both cases, a condition called hyperuricemia results. Over time, uric acid crystallizes and settles in joint spaces, most commonly in first metatarsal phalangeal joint of big toe or in ankle joint. Signs and Symptoms The most common symptoms of gout are inflammation, swelling, and tenderness in joint of first toe. Touching or moving it is intensely painful and patients often say it hurts to have as much as a bedsheet over toe. Gout develops quickly and typically occurs in only one joint at a time. Symptoms may develop in two or three joints simultaneously, but this is rare. If widespread symptoms occur, condition is probably not gout. Diagnosis The most reliable way to diagnose gout is to examine joint fluid for uric acid crystals. This is done by drawing fluid from joint with a needle and examining it under a polarized light microscope. Although test is invasive, results are definitive, and a positive result facilitates proper treatment and quick relief. Treatment Treatment for gout involves decreasing amount of uric acid in joint. If dietary habits are cause, patient's lifestyle must be changed to avoid condition. Gout is readily corrected with patient cooperation, and it is usually not treated unless it occurs frequently. Colchicine is a common medication for treating acute gout attacks. If continuous medication is necessary, two most common choices are probenecid and allopurinol. Prevention Alcohol and rich foods are primary contributors to excessive uric acid levels. Although some patients have a genetic predisposition to excessive uric acid production, most gout patients have normal kidneys and uncontrolled dietary habits. Prevention is best defense against disease. Many patients who suffer from gout continue to indulge, and suffer frequent attacks as a result. Although medication makes it possible to live with gout, continued accumulation of uric acid in joints eventually damages them, seriously inhibiting movement.