Wellness

WELLNESS

Hypertension is not Beautiful!

Photo Courtesy of www.RichlyMiddleClass.com

World Health Day is celebrated every April and marks the anniversary of the 1948 founding of the World Health Organization. Each year the World
Health Organization chooses a theme that highlights an important public health concern.
In 2013, the theme is hypertension, or high blood pressure. Hypertension, requires the heart to work harder and over time can lead to major heart problems including stroke, aneurysms, and heart failure. Fortunately, making appropriate diet and lifestyle choices can help prevent high blood pressure for some.
Read all about it here: http://bit.ly/11hpSGt

Is There Lead in your Lipstick?

The FDA has recently received a number of inquiries from consumers concerned about the amount of lead present in lipstick.
Reports about lead in lipstick are not new. In the 1990s, reports of analytical results from a commercial testing laboratory suggested that traces of lead in lipstick might be of concern.
Concerned?
Get your questions answered and a list of which lipsticks actually contain lead here: http://1.usa.gov/17CfYEg

Effective Detoxing Tips

"Our liver is an amazing organ that works hard to filter toxins from our bodies; however, our liver is not always able to keep up with the toxin load to which we expose our bodies."
Detoxing for the new year? Click here for some great tips that can support a healthy and successful detox.

The Best Defense!

Don't get the flu shot? Don't let the flu--or other illnesses knock you out of the game this winter! Our immune system is a highly effective defense mechanism, but it can become overwhelmed, and the lifestyle choices we make can have a profound impact on overall health. Click here for tips to boost immunity and protect your immune system from unwanted invaders.

Flake Less

Last year I had a vicious case of dandruff that just would not quit. My stylist told me that a vinegar rinse would help if I used it every week. She used the rinse when she washed my hair, but the dandruff would always come back within forty-eight hours. No matter what.
I did a little research--I figured if vinegar could help maybe something else (natural) would help.
Do you know how many solutions you can find on the internet to get rid of dandruff?? Some are REALLY crazy too--mashed beetroot leaves in henna paste?? the juice of a snake gourd?? What in the world??!!

I also found out that persistent dandruff can actually come from a fungus, so I went with aloe. I know that aloe vera has anti-fungal properties and it was easy enough--I had some right in my fridge. I've experienced the healing power of aloe before and the aloe I use has 150% of what the International Aloe Science Council requires of manufacturers. I knew that if it was truly a fungal issue, it should work.
The first time I "treated" myself I washed and rinsed my hair twice (with a non-sulfate shampoo with added olive oil), mixed 2 ounces of aloe with 2 ounces of apple cider vinegar, poured the mixture directly onto my scalp and massaged it in. Then I put conditioner on my hair, wrapped it in plastic and left it on over night. Oh yeah--I stayed in the house all day. Between the olive oil and the vinegar, I smelled like a walking salad bar.

The results were phenomenal. I've done this for a few months now, every week, and I haven't had one stitch of dandruff since I added the aloe to the mix. Not one flake!! With the exception of the time I got a weave and didn't wash my hair for almost three weeks. And even then the flaking was minimal.
Last week was the first week I rinsed the mixture out of my hair right away and didn't leave it in over night. I'll let you know how it goes.

Some tips:

Be careful--the mixture is cold and can sting your scalp (vinegar is an acid). Keep your eyes SHUT!

Keeping the mixture cold will help to maintain the properties of the ingredients
One of my friends recently commented on my skin. The only thing Im doing differently is allowing the aloe to rinse out onto my skin-another plus!

Aloe Vera is used both internally and externally on humans, and is claimed to have some medicinal effects, which have been supported by
scientific and medical research. For more information about the benefits of aloe click here.

1-18-2012 Update
When I rinse the mixture out (I leave it in about five minutes) a little flaking and itching returns after about a week.

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Exfoliation

I LOVE to exfoliate my skin. Exfoliation keeps my skin feeling fresh and new every day. Imagine going out and not needing a foundation! And for good reason.

Exfoliation is important at any age but it becomes even more
important as we age. Through the aging process, especially after
menopause for women, the natural process of skin erosion becomes uneven and our cellular turnover rate slows down,
which manifests in a number of ways; dull, thinner, rougher and
just unhealthy looking skin.

Exfoliation removes the outer layer to reveal the newer skin beneath. This shedding of the outer
layer unclogs pores, keeps skin clean, and helps reduce acne breakouts.

There are two main ways to exfoliate your skin: mechanically (physically) and chemically.
Physical exfoliation involves physically scrubbing the skin with an abrasive such as
microfiber cloths,or micro-bead facial scrubs for the face and sugar or salt crystals and
pumice for the body. You may also use abrasive materials such as sponges, loofahs and
brushes. Chemical exfoliants include scrubs containing salicylic acid, glycolic acid, fruit enzymes,
citric acid, or malic acid which may be applied in high concentrations by a medical professional, or
in lower concentrations in over-the-counter products. Chemical exfoliation may involve the use of
products that contain alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) or beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), or enzymes that act to loosen the glue-like substance that holds the cells together, allowing them to ease away. This
type of exfoliation is recommended for people treating acne.

The frequency of exfoliation varies from person to person and skin type to skin type. The
skin on the body is of course, thicker than the skin on the face, therefore it can take more
treatment. I go by comfort level. And common sense.

Exfoliate until you feel the least bit of discomfort or any irritation, then back off.

Chemical exfoliants are CHEMICALS. As beneficial as they can be to the health of
our skin, they can also cause damage if used improperly.

The drier the skin the lower the tolerance for exfoliation.

When physically exfoliating the skin, be gentle. Excessive and harsh scrubbing can also cause damage.

If you are kind to your skin, it will be kind to you. Especially in the mirror.

Back Acne

I think we’ve all seen that commercial declaring acne a
medical condition. While that statement is true, don’t be
concerned—all ailments associated with the body are
considered medical conditions or “diseases”. Just as facial
acne is a medical condition, body or back acne is considered
a medical condition.

Back acne develops in a similar way to facial acne, however, the skin
on the back can be thicker than that on the face, often has larger

pores, is usually covered and more difficult to access (making it more difficult to care for) therefore making "backne"more of a challenge to get under control.

Acne can develop anywhere on the body that has sebaceous (oil-producing) follicles.
(That includes every area except the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.)

Acne is usually the result of either a blockage to the pores or because of the overproduction of
sebum. In healthy skin sebum tends to drain to the surface. When the sebaceous glands either
become clogged or smaller in diameter, the bacteria Propionobacterium Acnes, which is naturally
present within the oil glands, begin to rapidly multiply beneath the skin’s surface.We won’t dwell
on the causes. They are nice to know, but in my experience, most people don’t care where it
comes from, they just want it to go away. I've seen quite a faces, with a wide variety of
conditions--and, guess what? Common sense almost always prevails. So, in addition to visiting
your local dermatologist or opting for a prescription drug, in my experience (and I must express,
this information comes mainly from experience ) here are some things you can do to alleviate
the symptoms of back acne:

Break a Sweat --Yes, exercise can help your skin (a client favorite :). Sweating keeps
                           your pores clean,healthy and open, helping to eliminate one of the
                           main causes acne.
Optimize your Intake—Fruits and vegetables are full of anti-oxidants (another fave).
                           Anti-oxidants increase the body's ability to fight bacteria and other
                           invaders; one of the other main cause of acne. Colorful fruits and
                           vegetables fight theses invaders off, naturally.   Supplement your
                           diet if you have to.
Exfoliate/Treat — Our skin is unique. It is the body’s largest organ, but it is not
                            considered vital. And, most of those anti-oxidants you’ve decided
                            to take in are probably working to fix the damage being done to your
                            liver or fighting off pesky little germy invaders that are trying to take
                            over your immune system. So, even though your skin is the body's
                            first line of defense, I think we can all agree that our kidneys or our
                            heart have a little more clout than the skin. Therefore, treating the
                            skin topically is critical to it’s health.
                        Exfoliation is key in treating acne, as it removes dead skin cells,
                            providing improved oxygenation helping to prevent build up and
                        blockages. Alpha & Beta hydroxy acids, and enzymes, are natural
                            and provide great exfoliation benefits. The acids come from fruits;
                           enzymes are natural proteins that increase biological processes
                           exponentially.    Vitamin C and Zinc can provide additional wound
                           healing benefits when applied topically after cleansing.


Some other things you can do: Keep your hair clean, wear breathable fabrics and be
careful of the moisturizers you use on your back. Tea Tree Oil, Aloe Vera, Green Tea and Chamomile extracts are also natural, light weight and protect and sooth the skin.
Make sure to get somebody you like to give you a nice back rub after cleansing. See--there's always a positive in a negative :)

And, If you really want to get technical, there are many companies that
now offer DNA testing to utilize your diet and lifestyle choices to optimize
your health. It sounds really advanced, but technology is allowing us to go
places faster and more efficiently than ever before.