Body Care Facts & Health Tips

Aloe Vera is a plant that grows in arid climates like North Africa where it most likely originated. This plant is green and has long stems that when broken off are filled with a clear gel type liquid.  It has long been used by Westerners to ease burns including sunburns. It turns out that there are a lot of other uses and purposes to Aloe Vera as well.

Aloe Vera Juice for Regulation

One of the oldest touted uses of Aloe Vera is as a digestive system regulator. It is widely believed that Aloe Vera juice, which has a very faint water-like flavor, will regulate irritable bowel syndrome and reduce heart burn through regular consumption. Many department stores and drug stores carry Aloe Vera juice on the same aisle as laxatives and fiber supplements, for this purpose.

A derivative of Aloe Vera known as aloin was once a common ingredient in over the counter laxatives. In 2003 it was banned from use by the United States FDA. This is primarily because it was extremely harsh. Aloe Vera juice contains very small amounts or no aloin because of the way that it is produced; this is why it is still widely available on the market.

Aloe Vera and Beauty Products

Because Aloe Vera seems to help a great deal with improving the condition of skin and hair it is often added to make up and beauty products. Aloe Vera is widely praised for its ability to cool and soften skin. This is why it is a common extract found within beauty products.

Aloe Vera for Sunburns

Aloe Vera is widely found in products that are meant to treat sunburns. It is often used for this purpose even in its natural form. It is not only affective for relieving sunburns but other types of second degree burns as well. It is widely believed that Aloe Vera may also promote faster healing for burns and cuts.

Aloe Vera for Psoriasis and Herpes

Aloe Vera has shown potential as an effective treatment for psoriasis and genital herpes. When the gel was applied topically to affected areas for both ailments positive results were shown in many cases.

Aloe Vera for Cancer Treatment

Aloe Vera has show potential as a cancer treatment option through use in animals. When dogs and cats were given Aloe Vera for cancer treatment it seemed to significantly slow the growth of cancer by increasing the immunity of the animals. Humans have not showed the same response to Aloe Vera as a cancer treatment. There is hope however, that scientists will be able to figure out exactly how to translate the results achieved in animal patients over to human patients in the future.

Aloe Vera to Treat Gum Disease and Gingivitis

Aloe Vera was found to be as effective as fluoride when combined with a dentrice to fight gum disease and gingivitis. This was the result of a double blind study. Though Aloe Vera is not yet commonly used in toothpaste and other products it may become the wave of the future, as many have voiced concern over the use of fluoride.

Corns and calluses are extremely common. For many people they can also be extremely uncomfortable. Fortunately there are a lot of things that you can do at home to relieve the pain and pressure that often accompanies corns and calluses. Here are some home remedies to try out the next time you are feeling that old familiar pain, as well as some stuff to avoid.

Leave the Scalpel to the Professionals

Trying to remove a corn or callus by cutting it off regardless of the device used is never a good idea. It can lead to tremendously nasty and painful infections that are far worse than the callus or corn you were trying to remove. This is especially pertinent advice for diabetics who should pretty much leave their foot pains to a professional to prevent any serious complication.

Soaking

One popular home remedy for calluses and corns is to soften them up by soaking them in a warm herbal tea. The most common herbal tea for these issues is a good chamomile tea. You have the added benefit of the aromatherapy that chamomile can provide as well as the softening of your calluses and corns that will lead to a great amount of relief from your pain and suffering.

Aspirin

Some natural home remedy fans swear by aspirin as a softening agent for calluses and corns.  You don’t swallow them though you apply them topically. This is done by crushing four or five aspirin into something of a powder and then mixing the crushed aspirin with some water and lemon juice. Don’t make it too watery though, you want a good thick paste. Apply the paste to your calluses and corns and then wrap your foot in plastic. You can use a plastic wrap like saran wrap or wrap the feet in plastic bags. After you have done that put hot towels around your wrapped feet. The combination of the paste and the heat is meant to soften the calluses until they start to break up and eventually flake off.

Get a Pedicure

Having a deluxe pedicure at the salon can get rid of many of your calluses and corns. You can also do a deluxe pedicure at home.

A pedicure starts with a relaxing soak in some warm water. There are many different types of foot massagers sold over the counter than soak and massage the foot at the same time. These cost about the same as a trip to the salon and can be used thousands of time to massage your tired aching feet. If you don’t have the machines try enlisting your significant other to massage your feet while you soak them in warm water. The warm water is vital to loosening up the hard skin; it is also a good idea to add a moisturizing oil or foot soak to the water.

After the soak use a foot scrubber to remove dead tissue from the bottom of your foot. These are widely available and can be found at any department store for less than $10. The results are phenomenal. After a few pedicures your calluses and corns will melt away.

Carotenoids are naturally occurring pigments that cause the red, orange, and yellow color of fruits and vegetables. They are also often derived from dark green vegetables. There are a variety of different carotenoids including lycopene, lutein, beta-carotene, and alpha-carotene that are common to the American diet. Caratenoids are very important to the human diet because they have a variety of beneficial properties. They were once only celebrated for their high vitamin A content but it turns out that there is much more to carotenoids than just vitamin A. Here are some more things you should know about carotenoids.

Benefits of Carotenoids

Not only will carotenoids combat vitamin A deficiency but they are also a powerful antioxidant with a variety of other super capabilities. For one thing carotenoids are immune boosters. They help to support and enhance the human immune system. Carotenoids may be a powerful anti-aging agent as well as a powerful anti-cancer agent. They help to promote communication between the cells of the human body which can in turn help to keep aging to a minimum and stop the overproduction of cells that leads to cancer.

Here are some of the benefits of the most common carotenoids in the human diet:

Lutein

Lutein is one of the most popular North American carotenoids. It is found in greens like kale and spinach as well as the yolk of eggs. Lutein is also found in the human eye. Getting enough lutein in your diet may help to fight off age related macular degeneration, an eye condition.  Research has shown that people who do not have enough lutein in their diet will not have enough lutein present in the macular part of the eye. This is what likely leads to age related macular degeneration that can result in blindness.

Beta-Carotene

Beta-Carotene is another popularly occurring carotenoid in North America. This carotene is found in carrots, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes. There are three different carotenes. Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Carotene all convert into vitamin A in the human body. Getting enough carotenes like beta-carotene can help to support healthy bones as well as a healthy reproductive system.

Lycopene

Lycopene is a red carotene of the carotenoid group that can be found in tomatoes, watermelons, and grapefruits. This powerful antioxidant is believed to be a powerful fighter of prostate cancer. Lycopene has many anti-aging capabilities as well, as one of the most powerful antioxidants in the carotenoid group.

Carotenoids are the main pigment that is found in fruits and vegetables. They are the reason for all the latest advisories to make sure you are getting a variety of different colors on your plate each day.  This is because different carotenoids have different beneficial traits. Some of the benefits that can be derived from eating a diet high in carotenoids have likely not even been discovered yet. Carotenoids may cure or prevent a number of illnesses including yeast infections, skin cancer, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and cervical dysplasia as well as many others.

There are a lot of things that you can do to maintain the beauty and youth of your skin.  The best way to ensure that your skin will stay healthy and young looking is to start caring for it early in life. Here are some tips on how you can keep your skin appearing healthy and young for a long time.

Drink Plenty of Water

Getting plenty of water every day is the best thing you can do for your skin.  Lucky for you it helps with a lot of other health issues as well.  If you want to keep your skin looking and feeling its best you should always strive to get around 64 ounces of water per day.

Get Plenty of Vitamin E

Taking vitamin E supplements and eating plenty of vitamin E rich foods can help to maintain the beauty of your skin for years to come.  This is because vitamin E contains antioxidants that help protect the skin from skin-aging free radicals.  Some of the foods you can enjoy that are rich in vitamin E include wheat germ, broccoli, kiwi, and tomatoes.

Wear Sun Block

One of the best things you can do to protect your skin from premature aging is to wear a sun block that is at least SPF 15 every day, even in the winter and on cloudy days.  Many facial moisturizers and even some types of makeup come with SPF 15 already in the formula.  This makes it easier to get your sun protection every day.  This doesn’t mean that you can’t still have a healthy summer glow.  There are tons of bronzers and artificial tanners on the market these days and they are getting more advanced all the time.

Don’t Smoke

The reasons not to smoke are numerous.  One of the many reasons that you should quit smoking is the affect it has on your skin.  Smoking is a huge contributor to premature aging.  If you are looking to maintain the appearance of young, beautiful skin then you should stay away from cigarettes at all cost.

Moisturize Nightly

Dry skin can lead to premature wrinkles.  It is also dull and unattractive.  The best way to combat this is by using a moisturizer every day.  Moisturizers are greatly important to the aging process.  Even if your skin is a little oily, a light moisturizer can do wonders for its appearance.

Wash Your Face Regularly

Washing your face regularly can help to cut down on blemishes and slow the aging process.  Your face encounters hundreds of skin-aging toxins every day.  Washing your face twice a day can help to keep it looking young and fresh.  Never use a regular soap on your skin always use a soap that is intended specifically for the face. Purchasing a facial soap that matches your skin type is also beneficial.  There are facial soaps for dry skin, oily skin, and combination skin.  Choose the type that is best for you and wash twice daily. Use lukewarm water and make sure that you totally remove all soap residue with each wash.

Cellulite is a normal skin change that occurs in nearly all post pubescent females.  It also occurs in some men, though this is much rarer. Heredity is the biggest factor in how much cellulite you will develop as you get older.  Contrary to popular belief cellulite really isn’t a result of weight. Though the jury is still out on how effective treatment is for cellulite there are many different ways to try.  These are the common cellulite treatments that are available today.

Surgery

Two types of surgery to remove cellulite are available today.  Both are extremely expensive options that should only be used as a last resort.

The invasive surgery that is used to remove cellulite works by basically sucking underlying fat deposits out of the patient’s body.  This tightens the patient’s skin and helps to reduce the appearance of cellulite.  For surgeries such as this or for the very invasive full body life, you must be in excellent health.

The newer non invasive procedures for removing cellulite are laser surgery treatments.  This is the process of using a laser to penetrate the skin a few inches and destroy cellulite.  It is a popular alternative to traditional surgery and is far less invasive.

Lipomassage

Lipomassage is a system that uses suction to break up fat deposits under the skin in order to destroy cellulite.  It is another popular alternative to traditional surgery. It seems to be pretty effective to many people though probably not permanent.  More than this lipomassage can be extremely painful and more detailed than something like laser treatment surgery.

Cellulite Removal Creams

There is really no evidence to suggest that cellulite removal creams work.  They are extremely popular and a new one seems to come out every few months but these creams really have no scientific reason to work.

Diet and Exercise

A healthy diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals can help some with the development of cellulite.  Water is also beneficial to decreasing the amount of cellulite on the body.  Some cellulite growth is blamed on lack of water in the diet.  This is probably true since not getting enough water in your diet can wreak all sorts of havoc on your skin.  It certainly wouldn’t hurt to drink a few extra glasses of water each day.

There are also some exercises that are said to eliminate cellulite.  These exercises do seem to help in a way.  Exercises mostly work by making cellulite less noticeable.   They tone up the muscles that are underneath your cellulite and therefore decrease the magnitude of cellulite.

Different people have different degrees of cellulite.  It is primarily a female problem and for the most part it is common and natural.  It is far rarer not to have cellulite since 9 out of 10 women are said to have at least some cellulite on their body. Cellulite most often occurs on the back of the thighs or the stomach.  Please investigate all surgical procedures thoroughly.  There are risks and complications to any type of cosmetic surgery, even the non invasive laser surgeries that are gaining popularity.

Acne most often occurs in adolescence and has typically ran its course by the time college ends.  There are some people who have persistent acne far into adulthood however.  There are also people who suffer from acne sporadically throughout their life due to hormonal changes.  Acne is a pretty common occurrence during pregnancy for example.

Many people spend a fortune and slather a variety of chemicals they know nothing about all over themselves trying to treat their acne.  There are a lot of ways to heal acne that are not expensive or full of chemicals.  Here are some of the natural treatment options for acne sufferers.

Avoid Makeup

Makeup can cause break outs especially in people with very sensitive skin.  This is not to say that you should never wear make up again if you want to get rid of your acne, but you should give your skin a fair amount of time to breathe.  Wearing make up all the time clogs up your pores and causes blemishes and infections like acne.

Honey

Honey is a great face wash.  It has natural antibacterial elements that can help acne from becoming infected or causing further trouble down the road.  It is also great for cleaning out the pores and it leaves your skin feeling incredible.  Honey can be used every night or a few times a week.  Let the honey stay on your face for 3-5 minutes before you wash it off.  When you wash it off you will be amazed at how different and rejuvenated your skin feels. Make sure that you remove all the honey with a warm wet rag.

Water

Drinking plenty of water can help your skin out a great deal.  Water helps to make skin look rejuvenated and beautiful by removing toxins that would otherwise remain in the pores.  You should always drink 6-8 glasses of water a day.  The health benefits are astounding and you will definitely notice a difference in your skin right away.

Hands Off

Keeping your hands and other people’s hands off your face can really help to decrease your number of blemishes.  This is one of the biggest beauty secrets of those people who never seem to get pimples. The oils, grease, and bacteria on your hands and the hands of others will cause you to break out in a heartbeat.

Also keep your hair out of your face.  The same basic principle applies to hair as hands.  Oil from your hair clogs your pores and makes your break out.  This is why so many people have severe acne right under their bangs.

The best way to control acne is through prevention like keeping your face clean and free of toxins and harmful bacteria.  If you don’t feel like this is enough then try investing in some witch hazel.  It is a power astringent that is available for around $1 at most drug stores and it is made from herbs.  Women have been using witch hazel to treat acne as well as many other conditions for years and it is not nearly as harmful as some of the chemicals in leading acne treatments.