Natural Skin CareWritten by Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, Ph.D, ND, DACBN
You work hard to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. You know that organic foods can help you avoid ingesting nasty hormones and chemicals but did you know that these toxins are creeping into your system in other ways? Your moisturizers, eye creams, and make up may seem harmless, but check out labels and you'll find a laundry list of tongue-twisting ingredients, many of which could be hazardous to your health. In a recent survey, conducted by Health, eighty three percent of responding consumers indicated that they would rather use all natural body products. The skin care industry is responding to this demand. The natural and organic skin care product sector has seen a growth of thirty nine percent over last year. Some of these products may claim to be all-natural, while still containing a slew of chemicals and toxins. Here's what you need to know about natural skin care and how to determine if product you are using is free of harmful chemicals.Why Choose Natural Skin Care Products? There is approximately six pounds of skin on your body which provides a porous membrane into your system. Dirt, dust, pollutants, and other environmental pollutants enter body through skin, providing a more significant gateway to your system than food. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that 884 chemicals used in personal care products and cosmetics are known to be toxic. And a recent Canadian study in Pediatric Drugs found cosmetic and personal care products as most common cause of unintentional poisonings of kids under six. The chemicals and toxins found in most commercial skin care products also have a detrimental effect on environment, although this effect is just beginning to be understood. In March, a team of US Geological Survey scientists showed that a variety of chemicals from personal care products were among 95 wastewater contaminants found in US waterways. Why poison yourself and environment with toxic chemicals and pollutants? Natural skin care products are healthier for you, for your skin, and for environment. But many products may claim to be all-natural while still containing a number of harmful ingredients. Make sure you read and understand product label to ensure that product your using is as natural as it claims to be. Reading Ingredients Label Organic personal care manufacturing needs strict standards and enforcement in order to be effective. Currently, some manufacturers claim their products are organic merely as a marketing gimmick. One look at their products ingredients clearly suggests otherwise. Only by tying organic beauty care closely to National Organic Program standards can “lifestyle” marketed by manufacturers represent values at core of organic agriculture.
| | Post Traumatic Stress DisorderWritten by Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, Ph.D, ND, DACBN
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a debilitating psychological condition caused after witnessing or being involved in a major traumatic event. The event may be childhood abuse, rape, war, a terrorist act, death of a loved one, a natural disaster, or a catastrophic accident. But regardless of cause, development of post traumatic stress disorder often leads to feelings of extreme fear, helplessness, or horror. After traumatic event, many people experience nightmares, daytime memories of event, difficulty sleeping, numbness of emotions, or sometimes even personality changes. For many people, these symptoms stop within a month. Post traumatic stress disorder occurs when these symptoms continue for months or years.Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder The symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder usually occur within three months of traumatic event, although sometimes disorder does not develop until several years after initial trauma. Once symptoms start, they may fade away again within one to six months. However, symptoms may continue for much longer, and in some cases, problem may become chronic. On of most troubling symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder is development of flashbacks that cause survivor to relive a traumatic event. Flashbacks can be triggered by sounds, smells, feelings, or images. During a flashback, sufferer may completely lose touch with reality, believing that traumatic event is occurring all over again. Flashbacks can last for minutes or even hours. People who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder also often experience avoidance and arousal symptoms. Avoidance symptoms include an inability to remember event, a conscious desire to avoid discussing event, an inability to feel or express emotions, or an impending sense of doom. Arousal symptoms involve difficulty concentrating, over active startle reactions, moodiness, tendency towards violence, ad memory problems. Other common symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder include hyper alertness, fear and anxiety, nightmares, anger and irritability, guilt, depression, increased substance abuse, pessimistic outlook, and decreased sexual activity. In addition to above symptoms, children with post traumatic stress disorder may experience learning disabilities and memory or attention problems. They may also become more dependent, anxious, or even self-abusing. Diagnosing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder The diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder involves presence avoidance and arousal symptoms as well as at least one of following intrusive symptoms: 1. Flashbacks 2. Sleep Disorders: Difficulty sleeping, nightmares, night terrors 3. Intense anxiety triggered by events associated with trauma Treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Emergency Care: For those who have just been exposed to a traumatic event, immediate intervention is necessary to ensure their mental and physical survival. Protection from further danger, treatment of physical injuries, food, shelter, water, clothing, and reconnection with loved ones or an immediate social network can help survivors recover from a traumatic event.
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