Skin Nutrition and Acne
Part One – Acne Defined
When most of us think of acne we think of adolescence. Acne has been becoming a more persistant adult problem. But teenagers do make up the largest percent of acne sufferers,. Acne probles are common in more tha a quarter of the male population and half of the female population. These figures seem to be climbing.
Acne Defined
Acne is composed of skin blemishes which are associated with the accumulation of sebum in hair follicles, the tiny holes we commonly call pores. Sebum is produced by sebaceous glands deep within each pore and it can take two or three weeks before it reaches the skins surface. Sebum is the oil that keeps your skin moist and supple. As the skin regenerates itself, old cells die, mix with your skins natural oils and slough off.
Sometimes dead cells become sticky, clumping together and can plug the exits of pores. This traps oil and bacteria inside the pore which then swells as your skin continues its normal oil production and skin sloughing which can not escape. A bacteria infection can ensue and results in a skin blemish.
Types of Acne
There are basically two different categories of acne, non inflammatory and inflammatory.
Non Inflammatory Acne
A closed white head occurs when the plug in the pore remains unseen below the surface of the skin. These lesions commonly appear on the skin as small, whitish bumps.
An open whitehead or blackhead occurs when the plug enlarges and pushes through the surface of the skin. The plugs dark appearance is due to a buildup of melanin, the skin’s dark pigment, not dirt as commonly thought.
Inflammatory Acne
A papule is the mildest form of inflationary acne. It appears on the skin as firm, small pink bumps. These are usually tender to the touch, and are often considered an intermediary step between non-inflationary and inflationary acne.
Pustules are small lesions that are clearly inflamed and contain visible pus. They appear with a yellowish or whitish center and red around the base. The inflation is generally caused by chemical irritation from sebum components Such as free fatty acids and infection is almost always present.
Nodules or cysts are large, pus-filled, inflamed lesions lodged deep in the lower layers of the skin. They develop when a comedon has ruptured and its contents have leaked into the surrounding tissue below the surface of the skin (often the results of an unsuccessful squeeze). The most severe form of acne may persist for weeks or months with their contents hardening into a deep cyst. Both cysts and nodules can leave deep scares.
Acne conglobata is rare, but a serious form of inflammatory acne that primarily develops on the chest buttocks and back. In addition to nodules and pustules, there may be severe bacterial infection which can track latteraly through the layers of the skin and cause boils or furuncles.
Who Gets Acne? More than 90% of all adolescents are affected by acne, and nearly 50% of adults. It is one of the most wide spread medical conditions in the world.
Something To Help
Fortunately you do not have to live with acne. There is always something you can do to improve the health of your skin. Of course your doctor’s advice can be invaluable, but don’t forget to discuss the possible side effects that normally accompany the long term use of drugs. A naturalpathic doctor will give you other alternatives. There are many plants with anti bacterial and anti inflammatory properties. And a third way to find solutions is to do a search on the internet. There are several direct sales companies with quality products promising to help acne problems.
Skin Nutrition and Acne Part 2
Part Two – Causes, and Natural Prevention
Who Gets Acne? Nearly 50% of adults and more than 90% of all adolescents are affected by acne. No wonder people are concerned because it is one of the most wide spread medical conditions in the world.
Causes of Acne
The condition – Acne – is influenced by a variety of factors, many of them are simplely out of your control. There is no one cause of acne.
Acne usually begins at puberty, in both males and females, when the body begins to produce male hormones called androgens. These hormones cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge – a natural process of the body’s development. With acne sufferers, the sebaceous glands are over stimulated by androgens – often continuing well into adulthood.
When the sebaceous glands are stimulated by androgens, it produces extra sebum. During the journey up the hair follicle pore to the skin’s surface, sebum mixes with natural skin bacteria and dead skin cells that have been shed from the lining of the hair follicle. This process is normal, but the presence of the extra sebum in the pore increases the chances of clogging and can cause acnr.
On your face there can be as many as 500,000 bacteria per square centimeter. This bacteria is present in all skin types and is part of the skin’s natural environment. Once the pore is plugged however, the bacteria can multiply quickly in a closed space which fosters the development of acne.
The body sends white blood cells to attack the unwanted bacteria. This process is called chemotaxis. It results in pimples that become red, swollen, and painful.
Pollution has been proven to be one of the major causes of acne. This is because particles that become trapped in pores will block the pores and the result will in most cases be infections.
Prevention
There are lots of ways to control acne. Cleanse your skin up to three times a day with products containing the mangosteen fruit that will not strip your skin of all its natural oils but will stimulate skin turnover and exfoliation. Change your pillow cases and bed sheets often. The buildup of dirt on your face after a long day adds to the toxins on your face. Also the moisture from sweaty or wet cloths can irritate your skin and cause blemishes. Many don’t realize that some of the acne on other areas of the body are worse than the arne on your face.
The sun is not a cure for acne as believed by many people. Small amounts of UV light are essential for skin health, but getting a tan can cause unbalanced skin cell shedding which causes even more acne to appear and it can easily out weigh the benefits of UV light. Cosmetics are another common cause of acne. A lot of the products not only contain dangerous toxins but they plug the pores and most cleaning products are unable to remove the pore plugging debris of the makeup. Smoking is also harmful because it reduces collagen in your skin, this makes acne wore and scaring more likely.
Treatment
The first step is to cleanse the skin with natural plant compounds which stimulate skin growth and help exfoliate old cells. If you have particularly oily skin you may need to cleanse three times a day (morning, afternoon and bedtime).
Using liquid compounds capable of penetrating deep into the pores of the skin to dissolve sebum and dislodge debris is the next step. A product having the mangosteen fruit as a main ingredient will have remarkable natural antibiotic compounds which have been laboratory tested and proven to control p-acne and staphylococcus aureus, – the two bacterial strains known to be involved with acne.
Also products with the mangosteen fruit contain large quantities of anti inflammatory phytochemicals which reduce the severity of acne skin lesions. If these phytochemicals can remain on the face over night in the form of a moisturizer it can be a further benefit. If possible acne sufferers should use a gel moisturizer and not a creamy moisturizer since the high secretion of sebum which is a natural moisturizer may be sufficient.
Conclusion
Acne can be very emotionally and socially damaging whether it is confined to adolescence or continues through adulthood. Studies have shown acne can leave people to feel ugly, dirty, angry and depressed.
Fortunately you do not have to live with acne. There is always something you can do to help the health of your skin. One of the newest plants to be incorporated into skin care products is the mangosteen. The mangosteen fruit has been shown to exhibit anti inflammatory properties, anti bacterial properties and is a potent anti oxidant which are ideal properties to have in the prevention of acne.
A Little About Contemporary Nutrition; Modern Day Food Intake and Their Benefits
Unlike previous times, foods these days are pretty much common among everyone. People used to cook at homes, and most of the times the same food would taste differently in different houses. But these days, the food comes from cans and packets, and most of the times, no matter which part of the country you may go, the food might taste exactly the same; for they all come from the same source.
Vegetarians
Some people, on the other hand, are limited of their nutrition intake due to foods they eat by reasons of health, morality, and many other factors. These people are simply known as vegetarian and they consume a contemporary nutrition intake indeed. They basically choose to forgo foods from animal sources such as meat, eggs, milk and so on.
This can be very good at one perspective, but not in another. From one angle, this is good because the contemporary nutrition does not have bad nutrients such as fat and is very low in calories, rich in fiber, carbohydrates and antioxidants. On the other hand, this food contains nothing much in protein and other important nutrients like calcium and magnesium, which is essential in good growth.
Genetically Modified Food
This is another evolution in contemporary nutrition these days, where natural foods such as vegetables and meat are not actually natural in reality. They are genetically produced or manufactured, also known as Genetically Modified or GM foods. This industrial farming and mass production of foods had indeed led to many controversies in the common dietary practice these days that people have shifted from the tradition food pyramid to their own individual ones.
This is one of the main reasons as to why people are slowly moving to vegetarian foods and other alternative contemporary nutrition types, especially those of organic sources and what they call ‘self-planted’ or ‘self-raised’. Also not to forget is the recent habit of taking supplements instead of the main food itself, in belief that the supplement is in fact better than the genetically produced food.
Guide to Diabetes Nutrition
Different Types Of Diabetes
There are two main types of diabetes and they are: type 1 diabetes, which usually insulin occurs when the body cannot produce and allows glucose to provide the energy for the same. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body cannot use they insulin available in the body.
Diabetes nutrition is very important as the disease can easily turn fatal and cause kidney and/or heart failure. Here are a few suggestions, which may help you improve your present health state and live your life as normally as possible under the circumstances.
Eat Well And Exercise
Diabetes nutrition is mostly directed around non-starchy foods, vegetable and fruits and high in fiber such as spinach, broccoli or green beans along with your regular meals. Whole grains is yet another item included in the diabetes nutrition along with brown rice, pasta, lentils, fish couple of times a week and lean meats.
Diabetes nutrition will depend from person to person and therefore it is recommended not to start any without consulting your doctor or dietician first.
Diabetes nutrition will work even better to ensure your good health if you include an exercise in your daily routine as well such as a half hour daily walk or something light done in the comfort of your home.
It is important to keep your weight under control when you suffer from diabetes as any other complication can create fatal effects for the same.
Helpful Tip
Checking your daily blood sugar as often as you feel is required is key when you have diabetes and thus, you can control your diabetes nutrition as well. Diabetes can be kept under control and you too can lead a healthy and normal life benefiting from its beauty and pleasure if you understand you disease and make all efforts to accommodate the same in the best possible way.
Check with your doctor for a diabetes nutrition plan and/or your dietician who will be happy to assist and help you with the same. The sooner you understand your disease the better will be for you and your body.
Adhd and Whole Food Nutrition, Could There be a Connection?
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, a complex psychological disorder observed in both children and grown ups. It is characterized by symptoms of constant motion and restless activity, difficulty in concentrating or paying attention (and hence the name Attention Deficit), excessive talking and noise making, leaving tasks unfinished and interrupting others.
Whole Food Nutrition
Whole foods are those that are either totally unrefined and unprocessed or possessed and refined to a minimal degree. Unpolished grains, non-homogenized milk, and organically gardened vegetables and fruits are all included in whole foods. However, whole foods should not be confused with organic foods (those produced according to legally regulated standards). Whole foods need not be necessarily organic just like organic foods are not all whole foods by necessity.
EFA and ADHD
EFA is short for Essential Fatty Acid, a type of fat that is an essential constituent of every membrane of our body. It is an important part of the cell membranes of nerve cells. EFAs play a key role in the synthesis of eicosanoids, chemical compunds that act like mediators and modulators of the nervous system.
EFAs are also important for synthesis of steroids and metabolism of hormones. Thus EFAs influence the function of every body cell. From these findings it is easy to see that any deficiency or faulty metabolism of EFAs can cause problems in cellular function. It can be the cause of hyperactivity in children and adults. Whole food nutrition is rich in EFAs and serves as a natural means of preventing and treating ADHD.
Symptoms of EFA Deficiency
Main symptoms of EFA Deficiency include unusually intense thirst, allergic responses to general food items, and certain skin conditions (eczema for example). These symptoms are commonly found in ADHD patients.
Effect of Whole Food Nutrition Supply
Clinical studies show that if whole food nutrition supply is provided to ADHD patients, their ADHD symptoms are relieved to a significant degree. It is interesting to note that males require more than twice the amount of EFAs as do females of the same age group and other similar socioeconomic and genetic factors. Hence males suffer more readily from ADHd on account nutrition poor in EFAs.
Hypertension During Pregnancy and Nutrition as a Means of Fighting it
Pregnancy And Nutrition Form A Vital Link
It has been observed in many cases that when the nutrition is correct and consistent, there are fewer incidences of eclampsia and related symptoms. The diet that is the most beneficial consists of a high protein intake, about 600 mg of calcium as supplement, 450 mg of CLA or conjugated linoleic acid, and foods containing Vitamin C and E. Those who maintain such nutrition during pregnancy have had no problems with hypertension.
There have been studies which have probed into the connection between pregnancy and nutrition and found that there is a very close relationship between these two. Those women, who had appropriate nutrition (and supplements when their diet fell short), experienced little or no problems during their pregnancy period. Right nutrition removed even the most common complaints such as nausea, vomiting and acidity.
Is There A Link Between Pregnancy and Nutrition?
Since there is an important link between pregnancy and nutrition, doctors now prescribe a rich protein diet fortified with all the necessary vitamins and advise the would-be mother not to deviate from it, lest they will court health troubles for both themselves and he baby.
There is another plus point that underlines the importance of nutrition during pregnancy and that it, the normal growth and development of the baby. It has been time and again observed that women who have a healthy diet, rich in proteins, anti-oxidants, unsaturated fats, and a balanced level of carbohydrates are likely to have healthier babies that those who follow poor dietary rules.
There are times when the would-be mothers are unable to eat because of different factors, the most common of which is nausea. When this happens, the doctor should be able to complement the would-be mother’s diet with adequate supplements of vitamins (C, E, A, D) and minerals (zinc, selenium, phosphorous, manganese, iron, etc).
Hence, in case you are among those women who eat less and vomit more during their pregnancy period, do not just wait and bear it. Keep your doctor informed and ensure that you have sufficient intake of all those critical ingredients that your body and the growing baby inside you require.
Sports Nutrition Supplements – Vitamins And Minerals
We envy athletes for their trimmed physique and endurance to long hours of physical activities. They achieve the body and endurance that we envy because of regular exercise, body training, proper diet and sports nutrition supplements.
Sports nutrition supplements may be in a form of capsule, powdered shakes, liquid food and candy-like bars. What are sports nutrition supplements and what they can do to your body are the things that you should know first before you head to your local health stores for gallons of protein shakes, carbohydrates bar, and amino acid capsules.
Sports Nutrition Supplements: Vitamins and Minerals
Some people think that sports nutrition supplements such as vitamins or minerals help enhance their performance in the field. According to many experts, however, extra intakes of vitamins and minerals don’t add up to improvement in performance, unless of course the athlete is suffering from vitamin or mineral deficiencies.
A well-balanced diet can meet most of the daily vitamin and mineral needs of an athlete.
You should remember to avoid sports nutrition supplements that promise ‘megadoses’ of vitamins and minerals to achieve a bodybuilding body, strength of a weightlifter and speed of a basketball player. Many athletes pop these sports nutrition supplements without question. Don’t be like them. They are the type of athletes who are most likely to suffer from bursting veins and even arteries because of these super supplements.
Also, avoid sports nutrition supplements that claim to be ‘herbal’ in nature. Don’t self-prescribe vitamin oil supplements or ‘herbal’ muscle grower without asking your physician first. Usually, these ‘herbal’ supplements go in the guise of herbal supplement, when in fact they are capsules of steroids.
If you want to help your immune system, you can take megadoses of vitamin C. Vitamin C is water soluble and excess of which is easily discharged through sweat and urine.
To avoid sports anemia, especially to females who lose blood every month due to menstruation, the mineral iron should be part of an athlete’s list of sports nutrition supplements. Iron, in blood, is responsible for carrying clean oxygen to healthy body cells and removing carbon dioxide from them.
Athletes who have sports anemia have low hemoglobin level. You can easily spot an anemic athlete: he is always exhausted and seems to be in fatigue.
Taking iron supplements should be done with caution. There is such a thing as iron overdose. Consult your physician first before you take iron as part of your sports nutrition supplement.
Sports Nutrition Supplements: Proteins and Carbohydrates
Protein and carbohydrate are two of the most important sports nutrition supplements. Protein help the muscle grow and gain strength while carbohydrates fuel the body for long hours of exercise ahead.
Although an athlete can get protein and carbohydrates through his daily diet, he can get the large amount he needs by drinking protein shakes or eating a protein bar. There are also carbohydrates supplements in powder and bar form.
These sports nutrition supplements may be added to an athlete’s daily meal. Powdered proteins and carbohydrates are delicious ingredients to a glassful of smoothies or fruit punch.
If you love to bake your own pastries, you can add a tablespoon of these delicious sports nutrition supplements to your flour mixture. A vanilla flavored powdered protein may work for you. It is considered as the best tasting flavor of a powdered protein.
These sports nutrition supplements are also good for people who are on the go. They are good meal replacements for those who want to lose weight or meal addition for those who want to gain weight.
Nonetheless, anyone who has decided to add these sports nutrition supplements in their daily diet, they should also make it a point to exercise regularly to synthesize and burn out those protein and carbohydrates in the body.
The Importance of Nutrition!
I’ll bet you’ve never even taken the time to consider what your nutritional needs might be, or the importance of that nutrition on your health. Did you know that if the brain doesn’t get enough protein, it doesn’t develop correctly, or if the healthy female body doesn’t get enough flax oil, omega-3 and omega-6 her body’s metabolism will not function correctly and she is more susceptible to weight gain? All these pieces of information and many more are contributing factors to our nutritional needs, and our nutritional needs are met through our eating habits, good or bad.
Nutrition as it applies to our daily lives means that we take in what we need to maintain our body’s healthy state. Nutrition has become an important word thanks to the involvement of the USDA in our daily food requirements, and the FDA’s involvement in determining what is and is not dangerous for us to consume.
But what is our responsibility in the nutrition game? Do we understand what our nutritional requirements are, how to fulfill those requirements, and how to look for real nutritional value in our foods? I’m not sure that nutrition has been successfully addressed in its own right. We hear nutrition in relation to our vitamin intake, our fortified cereals and milk, and in the context that we need “nutritional value” from our food choices. But what really is nutrition when applied to our daily bodily functions?
Nutrition refers to the nurturing of our body, in our ability to keep it healthy and functioning as it is supposed to do. Our ability to provide the body with all the necessary food, vitamins, and minerals so that we continue to thrive in our daily life processes.
How do we determine that we are providing the essential nutritional needs? That knowledge comes by educating ourselves about what our individual needs are, the needs of our family, and then taking that knowledge and applying it to the foods we buy, that we prepare, and that our families consume. Our nutritional needs and caloric needs change as we age, the nutritional needs of a 13 year old teenager are much different to those of a 30 year old woman.
Quite often, our vitamin and mineral needs outweigh our caloric needs. In those instances, we turn to manufactured vitamins and minerals to fill the gap. This is a part of our nutritional needs, also.
Nutrition is one of the most complex areas to gain useful knowledge about, because there are so many components, and because each person has their own individual needs. Women’s needs differ from those of men, and older women’s needs differ from those of a young girl. As we age, our needs constantly change; therefore continual education about nutrition is a fact of life. The information we have available about the health choices and alternatives available to us change daily. Very few medical doctors ever address our nutritional needs, past the needs of a pregnant woman, or an already ailing patient. What about the needs of the well patient? In order to stay healthy, there is nutrition, exercise, mental, and emotional needs that must be met.
DISCLAIMER:
This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.
Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”
Sport Nutrition: Eat your Way to the Top of your Sport
There are many factors that affect your performance, but one of the keys is having your body in top condition and provided with the best nutrition. While most people understand that nutrition is a major factor in keeping our bodies healthy, sport nutrition requires eating healthy to an even higher level. A wise athlete recognizes that sport nutrition is very important and is something to be taken seriously if they want to maintain good health.
While most experienced endurance athletes know the importance of eating and drinking enough calories, some do not consume enough nutrition for their sport. When establishing a proper nutrition plan for endurance athletes, you still need to factor in exactly which sport they are training for competition. While most people eat to satisfy their hunger and remain healthy, sport nutrition is designed to make your body perform its best.
When establishing a diet for an athlete, it is best to consult a professional sport nutrition expert. A good place to start planning meals and menus as an athlete is with a sport nutritionist if you do not know how to do so yourself. Another good option would be to try some of the diets given by the professionals that have already achieved what you’re striving to do. Feed your body with low nutritional and sugary garbage and see how fast you will begin to feel out of shape.
Very cheap food supplements will not give your body the proper nutrition when you are eating to maintain a diet for a particular sport. When it comes to potentially performance-enhancing supplements, one option is to, consult a sport nutrition expert for help. Another good place to obtain more information on sports nutrition is the internet; here you will find journals from different sport nutritionist. You can often find sports nutrition presentations and booklets placed all over supplement and nutrition stores as well.
While most people would love to have the problem of not eating enough for their body, it’s quite common for endurance athletes to lack the proper nutrition. Ensuring you are receiving all the correct nutrients and vitamins is the correct way to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. There are a surprisingly large number of myths about sport nutrition and nutrition in general floating around all over the place. Ensuring you receive the correct nutrition will encourage your success in any sport or non sport activity that you participate in, so be sure to educate yourself and find the plan that will work best for you.
Lose Weight, Feel Great and Improve your Performance With Sports Nutrition
When it comes to sports nutrition, there is no exact diet that works for all people or all the different sports out there. An amazingly large number of myths about fitness, sports nutrition and nutrition in general are floating around so it’s important to do your homework. A great place to start planning meals and menus as an athlete is with a sport nutritionist.
Ensuring you receive the correct nutrition will encourage your success in any sport or fitness activity that you participate in.
A wise athlete will do whatever it takes to make sure they stay healthy for every game. The better you eat the better you will perform. Eating right also helps you recover from injury faster. One way start to improve physical prowess and develop more lean muscle is with creatine.
While most of the promotions and advertisements for sports nutrition companies still feature men and women with perfectly shaped bodies, the nutrition alone will not achieve those results. When establishing a rigorous diet and exercise plan, proper nutrition will vary depending on the training days involved. When it comes to potentially performance-enhancing supplements, consult a sports nutrition expert for help.
A determination of how much how much fat, carbohydrates, and proteins you should intake is best determined by calculating your own body and fat mass index. When establishing a diet for your training and competition schedule, consider eating wholesome fresh produce as part of your sport nutrition, but also vary your diet so you don’t get too bored with it.
While most individuals would love to have the problem of not eating enough for their body, it’s quite common for endurance athletes to lack sufficient nutrition. Very cheap supplements are usually just that, very cheap. Proper nutrition is important and not always cheap. A wise athlete recognizes the importance of nutrition and consumes the right food and supplements every day.
Ensuring you are always feeding your body’s daily recommended nutritional amount is an effective way to gain muscle, tone up, loose fat and slim down. Also, a smart athlete knows that every athlete does not need the same nutrition and the best sports nutrition program will be personalized. A sports nutritionist can help you determine how much of which foods to eat and when will be the best time to eat them. Ensuring you meet your very body’s daily nutritional demands is more important than sliming down in a week. If you are eating healthy, the results will come. Feed your body superior sports nutrition so it can fully benefit from all those sets and reps you’re cranking out.
