Bulicio

Archive for April, 2010

Ever wondered how some people have a flawless skin without apparently having to work for it? While genes do have a role to play in it, there is a lot you can do about it.

Believe it or not, your own attitude to life and your happiness quotient has a big role to play in it. As the well known supermodel Cindy Crawford says being happy and contented is the secret to looking good. Coming from the ever-so-youthful looking 44-year-old mother of two, this is something to sit back and think about, especially when she says that her secret of success is not diet but healthy eating habits, coupled with simply being happy and contented.

As far as getting that natural glow on your skin is concerned, the rule of the thumb is to follow a diet regimen that does not deprive you of the essentials. At the same time you must eat wholesome food. More emphasis on going green with organic food items will not only give you a glowing skin but also would impart that fresh feeling throughout the day. It would also keep you energized, which in turn would lead to a feeling of contentment and happiness.

Home Made Beauty Treatments for Glowing Skin

There are a number of beauty creams and other such beauty products in the market that promise to give you a glowing skin. Some of them are often tagged as herbal in nature, or natural products. But remember, most of these items contain chemicals either as a base or active ingredients, and preservatives to give these products a longer shelf life.

There are a number of solutions that you could try at home. Instead of buying these beauty treatments from the market, try out the following homemade beauty packs:

Gram Flour Face Mask – Take three spoonfuls of gram flour and add into it half a teaspoon of lemon drops. Add yogurt till the mixture becomes a paste. Apply it on the face and leave it there for 20 min or so till it starts getting dry. Scrub it off and wash the face with plain water thereafter. You will feel an instant glow! You could try it out on the neck, shoulders, arms and other parts of the body as well. Tomato Face Mask – For those who have an oily skin, a face mask made with tomato by mashing it and straining the seeds, makes an excellent remedy. Apply this and leave for about 20 minutes before rinsing it off with plain or lukewarm water. Cucumber Paste – A puree made by blending half a cucumber in two tablespoons of yogurt is an excellent face mask to give you that refreshed and rejuvenated feeling. It acts as a coolant and cleanses the pores giving your face a fresh look throughout the day! Apply for 15 minutes or till it starts getting dry, thereafter wash it off with tepid or cold water. Perfect Glow Pack - To experience that perfect glow along a refreshing feeling throughout the day, mix a tablespoon of honey, half a teaspoon sandalwood powder and a medium sized ripe Banana. Make a paste and apply on the face and neck for 20 minutes, washing it off thereafter with lukewarm water.

Lyme disease is tick borne, bacterial infection that is relatively common in the United States. Not very unusual, not very exotic, so what is it and why there is so much controversy surrounding it.

First discovered in 1975 in a town in Connecticut where it derives its name, lyme disease is caused by the spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb).

The disease is characterized by a distinctive skin lesion known as erythema migrans (EM) and possibly systemic symptoms including neurological, rheumatologic and cardiac involvement over time (months to years). Some reports say that the optic nerve may also be affected.

The EM which is the first manifestation in the majority of cases is a red papule that expands slowly frequently showing a clear center (bull’s eye). They may be seen singly or in multiples.

With or without EM, other early symptoms may include malaise, fatigue, fever, headache and stiff neck. Body aches and migratory joint pain may also be seen.

In the USA, lyme disease is endemic along the Atlantic coast, in Wisconsin and Minnesota and parts of California and Oregon.

Where then lies any controversy?

First is the mode of transmission. It is well documented that lyme is a tick borne disease. Ixodes scapularis and I. pacificus are the common species of ticks known to harbor Bb. The larval and nymphal ticks feed on small animals while adults feed on deers. Household pets like dogs can also get lyme disease.

However there are those that believe that there other vectors that carry the disease such as fleas, mites and mosquitoes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated on their web site that there is no credible evidence that Lyme disease can be transmitted through air, food, water, or from the bites of mosquitoes, flies, fleas, or lice.

The second issue frequently expressed by lyme sufferers is the testing and misdiagnosis.

Many patients complain that it is a problem getting properly diagnosed. Some say it may take years to get diagnosed for lyme disease. Some people talk of being misdiagnosed with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue or lupus.

The diagnosis of lyme disease is based on a two step laboratory testing process. The first step is using an antibody test known as ELISA or IFA. These are very sensitive tests and if you have lyme disease you should be positive.

There are times when someone who doesn’t have lyme disease may also come up positive in these screening tests. Cross reacting antibodies may cause false positives in patients with syphilis, leptospirosis, HIV, infectious mononucleosis and rheumatoid arthritis among others.

The ELISA and IFA tests are insensitive during the first weeks of infection and can remain negative if treated early with antibiotics.

The second step is the Western Blot test. This test is designed to be “specific,” meaning that it will usually be positive only if a person has been truly infected. Unless the ELISA or IFA is positive, the Western Blot should not be tested.

Critics say this two step testing process doesn’t work. They say purpose of standardization
was to establish parameters for laboratory confirmation of Lyme disease surveillance cases, not
clinical diagnosis.

They also say that the tests in step one is insufficiently sensitive to be used as screening tests. Also it is argued that the interpretation of the Western Blot was chosen on statistical rather than clinical grounds.
A third issue of contention is the appropriate treatment for lyme disease.

According to studies funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH) most patients can be cured with a few weeks of antibiotics taken by mouth. Antibiotics commonly used for oral treatment include doxycycline, amoxicillin, or cefuroxime axetil. Patients with certain neurological or cardiac forms of illness may require intravenous treatment with drugs such as ceftriaxone or penicillin.

Patients treated with antibiotics in the early stages of the infection usually recover rapidly and completely. A few patients, particularly those diagnosed with later stages of disease, may have persistent or recurrent symptoms.

Critics say that these treatments work only occasionally or rarely. Sometimes they help for a while and sometimes they do nothing at all.

Most infectious diseases have a very clear cut diagnostic test and a specific treatment, however Lyme disease has and probably will in the future be a problem for physicians and patients for the above reasons and others not mentioned here.

Motivation is a very powerful thing, but getting and remaining motivated, is something entirely different. The thought of being fit is a powerful motivator, it is portrayed in mass advertising, in the media, online, everywhere you look. Mostly the intention for this is the sale of fitness equipment or health products.

It can be the middle of winter, summer, spring or fall, and advertisers are encouraging you to get fit and healthy, it is in your face permanently. I want you to get fit now! We should be thanking them, this is a perfectly reasonable message. This advertising tells us the facts are that if we feel fit, we feel better, doctors agree.

New innovations in fitness equipment are coming onto the market daily. Suggestions for designs come from sports therapists, celebrity athletes and doctors and these high profile people endorse these products, so they must be good.

The design and engineering of these products is state-of-the art. New insight is being learned all the time regarding different activities and how they work in the body. New equipment has fantastic designs and even better benefits. They are comfortable, and specifically designed to work your body into fitness the safest and best way possible.

The buzz-words are “sexy” and “longevity”. We want these qualities and the advertising that promotes this equipment, tells us we can get them. This is not just hype it is fact! We all know that being fit is the best possible thing that could ever happen to us.

The fitness equipment industry rakes in billions of dollars every year for all the right reasons. The problem lies within however, what is there to say that we are going to use this shiny new gear. While the advertisers can guarantee fitness, they cannot guarantee that we will use the equipment.

The only thing that can do this is our own motivation and discipline. Without the commitment to discipline ourselves to get fit we are lost and our fitness equipment is relegated to gather dust in the garage. This is not the stuff that sexy bodies are made of. You have to from new good habits and break old bad habits.

To see the desired results, make that commitment, use your equipment and have fun using it. If you can come out of a six week commitment to using your gear, you will have formed a good new habit and broken and old bad one.

Just be sure that you select the kind of equipment you know you will have fun using. Say a mini exercise trampoline. If you can have fun, rather than feeling you are being tortured to death, the results come quicker and are far more satisfying.

Back pain, this is an ailment that many people all over the world suffer from. Among the people that suffer from this ailment, the majority of them suffer from lower back pain. This type of back pain can happen to anyone, at anytime. It does not matter what age you are. In fact, the most common age group that suffers from this lower back pain is between the ages of 30 – 50. Though this age group is the most common, it does not mean that someone younger or older can not suffer from this type of back pain. What causes back pain? How can I make it stop hurting? Unfortunately, the causes and treatments of this back pain will differ with each different individual. There are many factors that we can say is the factor as to why we suffer from this ailment. One good answer is that the muscles in our lower back are either over worked or not worked enough. Too much strain on weak muscles or even tired muscles will generally result in this pain.

Though the causes of lower back pain will be different with each different person, some of the causes of lower back pain are spinal degeneration, ruptured or bulging discs, heavy lifting, sciatica, spinal stenosis, osteoporosis and age. If you have any of these ailments, you should have them treated immediately. Failure to do so can lead to this lower back pain. An example of what can happen to bulging discs if left untreated. Let’s say that this has happened, the next thing would be that the disc may be forced into the spinal canal. Once there, it will lay against the nerve roots and the lumbar. This condition known as Cauda equine syndrome, will cause severe back pain and can even result in permanent neurological damage. This is just one example of why you should seek medical attention anytime that you feel you are having pains in your back.

Your posture plays a very vital role in the care of your back. People with poor posture, sitting improperly, lifting or bending can almost assuredly develop lower back pain. These factors here are the reasons as to why many companies have developed brochures and set up seminars for their companies to attend about the causes of and the ways to treat and prevent lower back pain. Why have they done this? Because so many work days are missed due to lower back pain, because the employees maybe not lifting something the way they should, slouching in their chair, or maybe it was even something as simple as bending over to pick something off of the floor. Workman’s compensation puts out thousands of dollars every year on claims that are related to lower back pain. This is why it is important to practice proper ergonomics.

If you are suffering from lower back pain and are wondering how it can be treated, the answer is that the treatments will vary with each different individual and depend on how severe the pain is. If treated in a timely manner and done properly, surgery can be avoided in most cases. This is very promising as most people do not want to have to worry about undergoing surgery. One of the first things that you want to do when you hurt your back, is to place ice on the affected area for 15 minutes every few hours. In doing this for the first couple of days will help to avoid any swelling and can be the one thing that keeps the lower back pain from turning into something much more serious.

If you suffer from lower back pain, seek out medical treatment. Your doctors will always know the best ways to treat your ailments. However, it is always nice to know how your appointment might go. So here is a run down of what might happen at a visit to your doctor. The first thing that the doctor will suggest is that you take some pain reliever and some anti-inflammatory medicine for a few days. After doing this, if you are not getting better then visit the doctor again and he will want to take some X-rays. Once the X-rays are finished, unless the doctor has discovered something serious shows up, he will suggest physical therapy as a treatment. This therapy, though may feel painful when doing it, you will better for it in the long run. The exercises are designed to help ease the lower back pain so that you can get on with your life and enjoy it.

A quick weight loss program may seem like a good idea when you are desperate to lose the extra pounds, but some of these “lose weight fast” diets can be very unhealthy and can cause health problems of their own. A weight loss program should include all of the foods recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture and should allow the dieter to eat enough calories to keep their metabolism working full force.

If you are looking in to a lose weight quick program, there are a few things that you should keep in mind when making your decision:

Set goals- If the program you are looking in to wants you to write down your weight loss goals, you may have found the right diet plan. Studies have shown that by setting goals for yourself, and writing them down, you are more apt to stick with your diet and reach your goals. Try setting small goals each week (such as to eat less fat or lose 1.5 pounds), these mini goals are not as overwhelming as larger goals, like losing 50 pounds in three months, or whatever your final goal may be. Also, by achieving these smaller goals, we see that we are making progress and are more likely to continue trying than if we don’t set any.

Calories are good- Yes, all quick weight loss program rules will tell you that you should limit your calorie intake per day if you are going to lose weight. But, cutting your calories too much can actually stall weight loss just as much as consuming too many calories per day. A good rule of thumb is to eat no less than 1,600 calories per day for men and 1,200 calories per day for women.

Exercise to speed losing weight – For our bodies to gain one pound, we must consume 3,500 more calories than our bodies burn. So, for every pound we want to lose, we must take 3,500 calories from our bodies. This can be achieved by either consuming fewer calories, or by raising our metabolism by exercise. A smart dieter on a quick weight loss program will cut calories to a healthy level and incorporate more exercise into their every day routines to flush more calories from their bodies. Of course, you can overdo exercise, so moderation is key for healthy weight loss.

A quick weight loss program must be healthy and allow the dieter to make healthy choices. Any diet that claims that a person can lose an unbelievable amount of calories in a very short amount of time is probably going to give unsound and unhealthy advice. A dieter should not have to cut out entire food groups from their diet to lose weight. Remember that our bodies work like machines, and all food groups serve a purpose in keeping our bodies functioning at an optimal level. By cutting calories too low, doing extreme amounts of exercising and/or only eating certain foods we can actually cause our bodies to shut down and stop working correctly. Don’t fall for the gimmicks. Work hard, set goals, and believe in yourself, and you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

There are many types of beauty treatments offered at beauty salons these days. How do you know which treatments are worth the expense and which beauty treatments you should choose if you have never been to beauty salon in the past? This informational piece on beauty salons provides practical information to allow you to make the right choice and be in front economically.

One of the most popular beauty treatments offered at beauty salons these days is aromatherapy massage. Aromatherapy massage uses essential oils and specialty creams which a masseuse relaxes and heals your mind, muscles and skin. Aromatherapy is very relaxing and will calm your nerves. Medically, aromatherapy massage stimulates the skin and allows blood circulation to increase, drawing the blood to the surface of the skin.

Another popular beauty treatment are facials. Facials involve many practices including analysis, exfoliation and deep cleansing, massage, toning, the removal of black heads, infrared therapy, heat therapy and moisturizing. Facial treatments are quite cost effective and are an ideal for the first time beauty salon user. Ask your beautician when in the beauty salon which facial will give you the most benefit, as the beautician will base the facial treatment on an in depth skin analysis.

Another commonly used treatment at beauty salons is the manicure or pedicure process. Manicures and pedicures are cost effective and long lasting and you will see your nails often and have many of your friends and family commenting on which beauty salon you had your manicure or pedicure treatment.

Quality beauty salons will be salons that are recommended by your friends and local magazines. They are generally located in the nicer parts of town, often near a shopping center. Look for experienced staff and a clean environment when selecting your beauty salon and remember to relax and enjoy your beauty salon appointment.