Skin CareWritten by Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, Ph.D, ND, DACBN
Your skin is your armor, your shield from elements. Yet when was last time you really thought about what you need to do to take care of it? Throughout your life, genetic and environmental factors will cause a lot of wear and tear to your skin. But you are never too young or too old to start taking care of your skin. In fact, skin care and protection should be an essential part of your health, fitness, and beauty regime. If you take care of your skin, your skin will take care of you! If your stuck in a skin care rut, or if you are just looking to learn a bit more about basics of skin care, read on to learn more about this important step in your daily activities. The Essentials of Skin Care The first step to taking care of your skin is preventing damage. Sun, wind, pollutants, and simply aging can degrade condition of your skin. Common complaints include dry and itchy skin, wrinkles, sagging, color changes, and age spots. There are steps that you can take to keep you skin looking and feeling its best. Exercise, rest, and good nutrition lay foundation for beautiful, healthy skin, inside and out. A proper diet is not only good for your overall health, it also helps to ensure that your skin will receive all of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that it needs to maintain and repair cells. Drinking purified water is another good way to keep your skin healthy. Water helps to hydrate skin and move waste and nutrients through system. It is very effective mixing a teaspoon or capful of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar in with your water. Do not drink Tap Water. The most important way to care for your skin is to protect it from damaging rays of sun. Ultraviolet radiation damages skin and can lead to wrinkles, premature aging, age spots, and cancer. Take extra precautions to make sure your skin is not exposed to sun’s rays. Use a natural sunscreen, or a moisturizer that contains sunscreen (at least SPF 15) everyday. Your skin does need some sunlight – 10-15 minutes of direct exposure daily. Dry skin is very common, especially with age. Older skin has fewer sweat and oil glands than younger skin. Dry skin may be caused by frequent baths, certain cosmetics or medications. But whatever cause, there are ways to alleviate itchiness associated with it. Avoid using harsh soaps when bathing, and if possible, cut back on number of baths or showers each week. A sponge bath with warm water may help to clean and revive skin without stripping skin of its valuable moisturizers. When you do use soap, try using a natural very mild soap that does not contain any dyes, parabens or perfumes. Follow up bath with a moisturizing lotion like Parfait Visage, concentrating on problem dry areas. A good all natural moisturizer is one of foundations for a healthy skin care regimen. Continue moisturizing throughout day to keep skin healthy. Your hands and face are particularly susceptible to daily damage, and may need to be moisturized several times.
| | Understanding Anxiety DisordersWritten by Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, Ph.D, ND, DACBN
Anxiety disorders are most common psychiatric conditions affecting people today. Both children and adults today are susceptible to these conditions. In US, approximately 19 million adults suffer from some type of anxiety disorder. These conditions affect people’s lives on a daily basis, restricting their ability to work, relax, eat, and even sleep. Anxiety disorders are chronic, relentless, and they can grow progressively worse if not treated. Here’s a closer look at some common anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, phobias, post traumatic stress disorder, and social anxiety disorder.Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Also called GAD, this is a common anxiety disorder characterized by chronic episodes of “free floating" anxiety or apprehension that are not linked to a specific cause or situation. These episodes of GAD may last for six months or more. Stressful life events, such as moving, changing jobs, losing a loved one, or suffering a financial hardship can trigger or contribute to anxiety. Muscle tension, sweating, difficulty swallowing, edginess, nausea, trembling, insomnia, abdominal upsets, dizziness, and irritability are common physical symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. Women are twice as likely as men to be affected by this condition. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: OCD is commonly joked about in movies and television programs. Jack Nicholson's character in As Good as It Gets suffered from obsessive compulsive anxiety disorder. However, sufferers of condition, and their loved ones, don't find it to be a joking matter. With this condition, individuals are plagued by constant thoughts or obsessions that create fear and anxiety. For instance, a sufferer of obsessive-compulsive disorder might constantly fear being contaminated by germs or burning down house. These obsessions compel person to compulsively complete a routine or series of routines (such as washing hands or checking toaster) to relieve anxiety. Over one third of individuals who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder began to demonstrate signs of disease in childhood. Panic Disorder: A panic disorder is characterized by intense attacks that cause sufferer to experience such symptoms as heart palpitations, chest pain or discomfort, sweating, trembling, tingling sensations, feeling of choking, fear of dying, fear of losing control, and loss of touch with reality. People with panic disorder have feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeatedly with no warning. They can't predict when an attack will occur, and many develop intense anxiety between episodes, worrying when and where next one will strike. These attacks may be triggered by a stressful event or they may come on for no discernible reason. People who suffer from panic attacks are often uncomfortable in new or unfamiliar environments since they may be unsure of how they will get themselves to safety if an attack should occur. For this reason, panic disorders often occur with agoraphobia, in which people are afraid of any strange places. Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from a panic disorder.
|
