Acne And Teenage Girls

Over 70% of teens say that acne has affected them in a negative way. An estimated 20 million teens suffer from acne, but even the fact that they're not alone doesn't ease the pain they feel. Teens are embarrassed at a time when they are unsure of themselves. They may become depressed and withdrawn. Acne is especially hard on teenage girls. At a time when they're noticing boys, and visa versa, acne can be devastating. They're surrounded by visions of beauty all around them on TV, in movies, in magazines and on line. We live in a society that worships youth and beauty.

Parents can help their teenage girls through this time by offering a supportive and sympathetic ear. Parents should help the child focus on all their positive attributes, which will help to strengthen the child's self esteem. The parents need to be actively involved with helping their child find the best possible cure for their particular form of acne.

Parents should also educate themselves about acne causes and treatments. Thirty years ago it was thought that acne was caused by eating the wrong foods. Chocolate and potatoe chips were culprit. It's now known that this isn't true. Food is not thought to play a large role in acne. It also has nothing to do with cleanliness of the skin.

What is fact is that acne in teenagers is caused by the action of hormones on the skin's oil glands. During puberty both boys and girls have an increase in the hormones called androgens. These hormones cause sebaceous glands under the surface of the skin to enlarge. The sebaceous glands in response produce excess oil. This excess oil mixes with bacteria and dead skin on the skin's surface and blocks pores. Inside these pores the bacteria multiple and cause inflammation.

Most cases of light to moderate acne can be treated by over the counter medications. There are many to choose from. Some find that benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid works well. Benzoyl peroxide is known to readily kill acne bacteria. Benzoyl peroxide can be found in cleansers and in spot treatments. Benzoyl peroxide is very drying and can make your face look even more irritated, especially when you first start washing with it. Many acne suffers use a moisturizer on their face after washing. There are many moisturizers available that are specifically designed to help with acne such as Cetaphil, Eucerin, and Neutrogena.

Severe acne, or acne that has not responded well to over the counter products, can be successfully treated with the knowledge and expertise of a dermatologist. A dermatologist will consider many things before suggesting treatment. He will perform a thorough evaluation of the patient, considering things such as severity of acne, patient age, lifestyle, and co-existing conditions. The dermatologist then may suggest a combination of two or three different therapies for best treatment.

Whatever one of the literally hundreds of treatments you decide to choose, or if you seek the help of a dermatologist, remember that acne takes time to disappear. Overnight or miraculous results don't happen. It takes six to eight weeks to see results from treatment. Unfortunately, in a teenage girl's life six to eight weeks can feel like a lifetime.

A Quick Guide to Vegetable Enzymes

Health care is an important issue for everyone. How we take care of our body throughout our life makes a big difference in the way we age and the diseases we may suffer.

Preventive Health Care

Enzymes are an important factor in our body's health. Enzymes are catalysts that start a chemical reaction to help us digest and absorb our food. If we do not have the proper help, our body cannot assimilate and use the nutrients we feed it. Health care will become a dreaded subject.

Many diseases and health concerns could be avoided with the right diet and enzymes. Some people cannot digest their food properly and become overweight while others suffer all manner of upper and lower digestive problems. As we age we lose our ability to digest properly, which causes more health care problems.

What Enzymes Do

There are different types of enzymes that work on a particular food. Amylase works to break down carbohydrates, starches and sugars. Protease breaks down protein in meat, eggs, and cheese. Lipase breaks down fats in dairy products and meats. There are others that are not as general and provide more specific functions.

Proper Nutrition

Because of a lack of good digestion, many people suffer from a deprivation of nutrition. This causes other health care problems. To maintain healthy skin, good cholesterol levels, good memory, healthy bones and joints, we must keep our body nourished and healthy. Lack of nutrition also causes sleep disorders and weight loss or gain and energy loss. Many health care concerns could be avoided with better digestion.

Good Health Care

When someone eats healthy all their life, their organs will be strong and able to fight off disease and illness. But if you cannot get enough nutrients with your food alone, enzymes will help spread the right reactions to each part of the body. Different enzymes will work with others to get each job done. Taking a vitamin supplement with enzymes or making an effort to consume more vegetables could make a vital difference in men's and women's health. Vitamins are much less expensive than healthcare these days!

Raw foods contain healthy enzymes, but heated and processed foods lose most, if not all, of their strength. Eating raw cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage will provide critical enzymes and also act as cancer blockers. For continuing good health, eating raw vegetables is very important.

Everyone Needs Enzymes

There have been doctors who have treated patients' serious diseases and cancer with diet and enzymes, which show the importance of this factor in our body. Don't neglect the needs of your body. For your own good health care, make sure you do not lack this vital digestive aid.

A Refreshing Way To Avoid Diabetes?

It appears that decaffeinated coffee has been linked to lowering your risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a report in a recent issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, a JAMA/Archives journal. It appears one of the benefits happens to be lower risk, good news for all you double shot latte fans out there. However, doctors are still not sure what the cause and effect really is.
But I hope you are thirsty, In the study, the respondents that where least likely to develop diabetes consumed more than five cups of coffee a day over a twelve year period. Good news for those of you already Dueto card at Starbucks, but those of you how don’t drink this much coffee have no fear, there is still hope.

Overall caffeine intake did not appear to be the culprit, further suggesting that some other ingredient in coffee is responsible. Coffee is high in Magnesium, which might explain some of the inverse relation between coffee intake and the risk of diabetes through known helpful effects on the carbohydrate metabolism. However, the study found no relation between Magnesium and diabetes risk. Other minerals and nutrients found in the coffee bean including compounds known as polyphenols, which have also been shown to help the body process carbohydrates and antioxidants, which might protect cells in the insulin producing pancreas can contribute to its beneficial effects and needs to be examined in future studies.

While much of the study does not specifically identify coffee as a true source for fighting diabetes, it sure tastes better than insulin. Drink Up!

A Time For Woolgathering and Healing

It was a worldwide day of reckoning. On September 11, 2001, the entire world became a witness to the darkest evil as well as the highest good that man was capable of doing. On that day, it was as if time had stopped and everything stood at a standstill. It was a time when most people began to ponder about their lives and how they lived, individually and collectively as human beings.
Amidst the concrete rubble and stench of death, people from all walks of life came together to lend each other a hand. Each came to bring their skills to save the trapped and wounded; all worked together with a heart that wanted to provide comfort in a time of great crisis for the people of New York and the rest of the United States. Yet the cries of shock and protest against that act of terrorism resounded from different countries around the globe. It was a defining moment in modern history, a turning point in the on-going war against terror.
Reminiscent of the horrors of the holocaust during World War II, and the devastation wrought by the atomic bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the events of 9/11 has been recorded as one of the most destructive man-made disasters of the 21st century.
Surely, even relatively smaller scale incidents produce the same kind of gried and sense of loss. Day after day, other tragedies happen to people around the world, around the clock. Vehicular accidents, kidnappings, robberies, rapes, hurricanes and other natural disasters all bring death and destruction.
The tragic 9/11 bombings of the World Trade Center generated extensive media coverage worldwide. Millions of viewers who are not really closely related to any of the victims felt a great sense of loss, fear, anger, surprise, shock and disbelief.
Those who escaped and survived the collapse of the World Trade Center bore scars on their body and within themselves. Many of the survivors, including their families now suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This is a type of anxiety disorder is acquired when an individual's undergoes a life-threatening experience or a very traumatic event. Those with PTSD have an anxiety attack whenever they remember the traumatic incident. Some of of the symptoms of PTSD include having a feeling of history repeating itself; sleep problems like insomia; nightmares; a feeling of isolation; agitation or irritability; and even guilt.
Many PTSD sufferers report that they always feel and think that the tragic event is happening all over again. These painful memories are called flashbacks and may consist of images, sounds, smells, or feelings that can be triggered by even the most ordinary things. A person having a flashback may lose touch with reality and believe that the traumatic incident is happening all over again. The anxiety can be very distressing and could lead to another panic attack. PTSD usually occurs about three weeks after the traumatic incident. In some cases, signs of PTSD may be delayed and would only start to appear after a couple of years later.
Insomia or having some troubles getting sleep may be caused by worrying or unresolved feelings about the tragic event. Nightmares may be about the same traumatic experience or it could be anything that is frightening and threatening to the person. Survivors of the 9/11 terrorist attack may even develop a feeling of isolation characterized by not feeling close to people. It is similar to socio phobia in the sense that there is fear in being with strangers, and sometimes, even with their own loved ones. People experiencing PTSD are highly irritable and get angry even at the slightest provocation. Guilt haunts people with PTSD. They feel guilty about surviving the tragedy while others did not. They feel irrational guilt that they could have done something for others who were in the same tragedy, or blame themselves for being the cause of the incident or accident.
Anti-anxiety medications may help people with PTSD feel less afraid and tense. It may take weeks before they experience its full medical benefits. Consulting with health care specialists and counselor for therapy may greatly help.
It is important that we keep family ties and other relationships tight. We need to surround ourselves with people who will always be there to reassure us, affirm us and comfort us in times of life's great challenges. People suffering from PTSD need a lot of reassurance, comfort, and encouragement. Survivors of 9/11, as well as other people suffering from PTSD, need enough time for “wool gathering” in order to heal from the hurts and pains of their tragic memories.

Abdominal Hysterectomy Recovery Time After Hysterectomy

Having an abdominal hysterectomy and the recovery time after hysterectomy are significant events in any woman's life. Since an abdominal hysterectomy is an in-patient surgical procedure, you should plan on being away from home and work during the surgery and perhaps during the beginning recovery time after hysterectomy. The length of the hospital stay depends on what type of hysterectomy you have, how your surgery goes and what your doctor recommends.

While the hysterectomy recovery may take a few weeks, here are things you can do to help speed up your hysterectomy recovery time:

1. Take all the pain relievers your doctor has prescribed. You will want to be as comfortable as possible during your recovery time after hysterectomy.

2. Keep sanitary pads handy since you may have some discharge and bloody drainage for several days after your abdominal hysterectomy.

3. Use a heating pad over your abdomen and another under it, if necessary. Be careful and do not sleep with a heating pad in direct contact with the skin because doing so can burn you.

4. Avoid all lifting after the abdominal hysterectomy surgery and during the post hysterectomy period. Just ask others to do all the lifting for you.

5. Avoid dairy foods during the post hysterectomy time since dairy products will tend to cause constipation. Pain medications taken during the recovery time after hysterectomy also tend to make you constipated.

6. Avoid alcoholic beverages totally during the recovery time after hysterectomy, especially while taking medications.

7. Drink 8-10 glasses of filtered water each day to adequately flush your system of toxins which would otherwise accumulate and cause discomfort or illness. Drinking pure clear water daily is a healthy habit to continue even once you are fully recovered.

8. Eat as healthy as you can since your body needs nutrients to help with healing. Be sure and include cold-water fish, turkey, chicken, organic bread, soups, salads, fruits and broths.

9. Take the best vitamin/mineral/nutritional supplement you can find. It's not just about the vitamins and minerals. Providing your body with important nutritional supplements is a good idea before and after your abdominal hysterectomy to help fill in the dietary gaps that everyone will have.

10. Use your recovery time after hysterectomy to really take care of yourself. Listen to your favorite music, watch your favorite television programs and read your favorite books. Relax and give your body a chance to adjust and recover from the surgery.

After an abdominal hysterectomy, women will likely experience a deficiency of the critical hormones progesterone, estrogen and testosterone. If only the uterus is removed in a partial hysterectomy, progesterone levels will fall dramatically in one to two months and estrogen levels will decrease in one or two years. Progesterone deficiency is related to numerous side effects including increased risk of developing certain kinds of cancer, including endometrial cancer. Testosterone deficiency in women causes low sex drive, low energy levels, thyroid deficiency and depression. Estrogen deficiency can result in vaginal dryness, hot flashes and night sweats.

Women considering abdominal hysterectomy or having had the procedure should seek the help of physicians trained in the use of natural bio-identical hormones. Bio-identical hormones are hormones that are identical to what the body makes and what normally would exist in the body. Synthetic drugs such as Premarin, Provera and Prempro are not natural nor the same as the body makes, and these kinds of synthetic drugs have numerous side effects.

There is a hormone health test provided by a leading women's health clinic that you can take online. The test takes just a few minutes and is free. Learn as much as you can about hormone imbalance, the recovery time after hysterectomy and physician-recommended natural alternatives for hormone replacement therapy.

Asbestos Testing- Necessary Protection Against Killer Diseases

Asbestos testing is the method to determine the presence of asbestos in the industrial processes, residential buildings and objects. Asbestos had been commonly used as construction materials in buildings till few years back. A mineral compound, asbestos is the common name for a group of six naturally occurring fibrous minerals found in certain rock formations. During mining and processing, asbestos produces very thin and light fibers that are easily released into the air.

Once released into the air, the asbestos particles can remain suspended for a long time. These fibers are invisible to human eyes and when inhaled can cause serious health problems including lung cancer. This is the reason why asbestos testing is a necessary safeguard for people handling and working with asbestos materials. People who are handling asbestos or products containing asbestos, including those involved in mining, producing or processing asbestos are at a great health risk. Natural resources containing asbestos and pipes made of cement can contaminate even drinking water.

Asbestos testing is must and strongly suggested for the areas where asbestos related industries were functional or asbestos was used as a material.

Establishing the presence of Asbestos

We can safely assume that a material is asbestos or contains asbestos unless it is clearly otherwise on the label or is verified by the manufacturer. Alternatively, it has to undergo a process of asbestos testing to verify the absence or presence of asbestos materials. Asbestos testing is especially necessary if such material was on the EPA's Sample List of Suspect Asbestos-Containing Materials Exit Ecology and was manufactured with asbestos in the past.

Asbestos Sampling

Asbestos sampling is the precursor for asbestos testing. Asbestos sampling and analyzing should be undertaken in a laboratory by a qualified personnel. It is dangerous to attempt this yourself, without acquiring sufficient information on the process and without proper precautions. If access to a laboratory is not possible and you wish to take the sample yourself, you must be very careful not to release asbestos fibers into the air or onto yourself.

Method of Asbestos Testing

Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) analysis of suspect material by specialized microscopes is a requirement of the EPA for asbestos testing. The results of asbestos testing establish the percentage and type of asbestos present in the sample material.

Adjustable Beds to Relieve Your Back Pain

Adjustable beds by their very existence as mechanical marvels of design and function are perfectly adapted to alleviate many different symptoms associated with varied conditions that lead to back pain. If you suffer from lower back pain, your condition may be the result of a multitude of causes, many of which the sufferer has no clue as to how they got them in the first place.

The causes associated with back pain include muscle spasm or sprains, ligament sprains, joint problems or a slipped disk. Actual physical disability from instances such as work related accidents are another well-known cause of back pain. In all these instances, an adjustable bed can help alleviate your sore aching back. Why can an adjustable bed help you? You do not have to take my word for it. I am not a medical expert. But I do know how to quote them.

Through my research, I have found that medical experts advise that the best way to ease back pain is to position yourself with your back on the floor, with pillows under your knees, hips and knees bent, with your feet raised on a chair. Now imagine yourself in that position. Looks rather awkward, doesn’t it. Can you imagine doing this every time your back begins to act up? Now imagine yourself, if you can, in an adjustable bed perfectly aligned to provide the same comforting relief. Looks a lot better on an adjustable bed than on the floor, doesn’t it

There are other tips from medical advisors on relieving back pain. Heating pads are recommended to relax painful muscle spasms and medications such as Motrin, Aleve, Aspirin, Orudis and Tylenol, also reduce pain and swelling. Once again, an adjustable bed can help you!

Some adjustable beds, more notably electric adjustable beds, come equipped with soothing heating units built in. Some electric adjustable beds even have a vibrating feature to massage away that nagging sore back. As far as any relief you may get from taking medications, the adjustable bed manufacturers haven’t come up with anything to replace them yet. You will just have to place them on your night table next to your adjustable bed.

Adjustable beds come in a multitude of different shapes and sizes, models and types to fit most any budget. There are basic, hand operated adjustable beds, basic electric adjustable beds that elevate and configure themselves at the push of a button on a remote control unit, to the top of the line, everything you could ever want in an adjustable bed, electric adjustable bed. This type of electric adjustable bed will have all the bells and whistles and awe inspiring electronic gizmos, but will also carry a hefty price tag. But if you can afford it, go for it. After all, it’s your back that’s hurting.

For more serious back conditions as in the case of a person with a debilitating physical impairment, getting a hospital adjustable bed would be advisable. These adjustable beds are constructed far more sturdily in order to continual use in an acute care situation. If you find that an adjustable bed is just a little too pricy for you, there is an alternative and I don’t mean lying on the floor with your feet propped up on a chair.

If the price of the adjustable beds you like is out of your reach, you can always look for a good, used, cheap adjustable bed. I wont go into the details of how to get your hands on one of these cheap adjustable beds, other than to say that there are articles available that go into the specifics. Getting a good, used adjustable bed at a good price is not as hard as you may think.

One thing to remember, regardless of which adjustable bed you finally decide to buy, you will need a new adjustable bed mattress to go along with it. A mattress from an average flat bed will not fit or function properly on an adjustable bed. Just as with adjustable beds, there are varying degrees of quality, materials and prices associated with adjustable bed mattresses.

So, in closing, I say, let the shopping begin. You’ll only have your back to thank you, but it will be well worth it.