Body Care Facts & Health Tips

There have been numerous studies of medical marijuana that prove its viability to treat certain medical conditions. But it has quite a difficult time to be approved as a drug for medical uses. However, these studies have presented possible medical uses. Other issues have questioned the effectiveness of marijuana in the field of medicine. Some people said that majority of marijuana in the US is derived from the black market, where agricultural standards were not applied during farming and harvesting.  The amount of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) in a smoked marijuana can be viable, the reason why accurate dosage will be difficult to manage.

For most proponents, this form of marijuana is utilized to aid patients in dealing with different symptoms like nausea, chronic pain and depression. In the United States, medical marijuana is legally used to treat the following diseases:

• Anorexia
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Arthritis
• AIDS/HIV
• Crohn’s disease
• Glaucoma
• Cancer
• Migraine
• Epilepsy
• Cachexia
• Spasticity
• Wasting syndrome
• Multiple sclerosis

A lot of countries including the Netherlands, Austria and Canada studied the potential uses of medical marijuana and legalized this for patient use. While in many countries the drugs have been very controversial, many proponents showed evidence that patients administered with the drug showed improvements. Like the other uses of medical marijuana, its analgesic properties of medical marijuana have been controversial as well. The opposition claims that federally legal analgesics are already in the market in the form of opiates and NSAIDS such as Advil. However, the proponents of the drug claim that the use of medical marijuana as analgesics does not have very harmful effects and has lesser chance of causing addition than opiates. While these opposing claims continue, there is the truth behind the property of the drug to be less physiologically addictive.

Marijuana has been proven to increase appetite and weight gain for HIV patients after smoking. The first human study that attested to this claim, specifically the craving of sweet food, was made in 1971. Since that time, there were other relevant studies conducted some of which found that marijuana users showed an increase in body weight.

Moreover, marijuana has been also proven to have antiemetic effects. Studies showed that it is effective to placebo in nausea as a result from chemotherapy that induced moderate emesis. There are also previous reports that stated the potential of marijuana to have antitremor, antispasmodic and antiataxic activity. These properties have been studied in peopled with Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s chorea and spinal cord injuries. Reports that stated the possibility of marijuana smoking and oral THC to relieve nocturnal spasm and spasticity that has to do with spinal cord injuries and multiple sclerosis. According to animal studies, cannabinoids have been effective as anticonvulsants that are specifically important in partial and generalized tonic-clonic seizures.

Cannabinoids had been studied and shown to inhibit tumor angiogenesis in mice that have gliomas by minimizing the expression of different genes that are related to the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway. It works by adding the potency of ceramide, a fat molecule.

Psoriasis is a skin condition which affects millions of people all over the world. This chronic inflammatory problem generally shows up when you develop reddish plaques on your skin, which have silvery scales and tend to flake away from your skin. Though this is not a life threatening problem, the appearance of plaques on elbows, knees and various other parts of your body can be really irritating. And you should also know that obesity is a problem closely related with psoriasis.

The link between psoriasis and overweight is not yet very clear because research is ongoing to find out the real relationship between these two problems. But the data at hand points out to the fact that being overweight is an effect and not a cause of psoriasis. Research as established that people suffering from psoriasis are more likely to be overweight than others.

There is actually a perfectly logical explanation to this phenomenon. When you have psoriasis it is a problem that does not go away easily. Psoriasis affects your appearance and may make you a social outcast (as has been seen time and again). This can have a devastating impact on your morale and you may also suffer from low self esteem and depression.

It is then that you start eating and drinking more than you should, because doing this comforts you to a certain extent. When you do so, you are not eating away your sorrow but actually inviting more trouble. Becoming overweight with a pre-existing problem of psoriasis can:

• Enhance the severity of psoriasis. Several studies conducted in recent times have concluded that overweight people suffer from worse forms of psoriasis than others. Inverse psoriasis, which develops in skin fold and is one of the worst types of this skin-disease, generally is also really common among obese patients. Inverse psoriasis can be really tough to get rid of and can cause considerable pain in moving around.
• Decrease the chances of recovery and cause flare ups which worsen your problems.
• Render useless, any treatment methods you are trying. In a recent study it was found that etanercept, a drug being used to plaque psoriasis was much more effective in non-obese patients. Overweight and obese patients also found methotrexate, another drug used against psoriasis, to become ineffective soon after starting to use it.
• Increase the risk of developing heart problems and all other health hazards associated with heart disease. If you develop multiple health problems at the same time that you have psoriasis, how many battles will you fight?

Research shows that along with smoking and drink, being overweight can be worst problem during psoriasis. You can obviously try to lose weight, but studies are yet to confirm whether cutting down on weight can actually reverse the harm caused by being overweight while you have psoriasis. So the key lies in not gaining weight at all, at the onset of psoriasis.

The links between overweight and psoriasis may give you another reason to stay in shape. Great if it does!

Gaining excess weight maybe something you never wanted, but it happened nonetheless. But what you must do instead of crying over spilt milk is to make a concerted effort to lose the weight you have gained without further delay. And if then you find that you simply cannot lose weight, you will be joining the thousands of overweight people who have the same complain. Before crying hoarse over the fact that you cannot lose weight, you need to ask yourself whether you have tried hard enough and in the right manner.

It’s easy to say that you cannot lose weight. But the fact remains that if you combine a nutritious yet calorie-controlled diet along with a well-planned workout regime, there is no way on earth that you will not lose weight. So, the fault probably lies with your effort. Perhaps you think, you are trying, but actually you are not!

Sometimes when you are substantially overweight, making small changes to your lifestyle or diet is not enough. So, you may have given up on frequent visits to fast-food joints (but the home-made brownies and turkey roasts are still there for you) and try to take the stairs instead of the elevator (which is all the exercise you do in the day), but is that enough? Certainly not!

If you brand these cosmetic changes to your diet and lifestyle, as your ‘effort’ to lose weight, then you should know that you are not trying at all! An actual attempt to lose weight should be a lot more than this.

You should:

• Consult a dietitian to know exactly what you should eat, in order to consume no more calories than what your body needs. You have to discuss your specific goals so that the professional can easily understand what you want and chalk up a detailed diet plan containing food items, portion sizes and a calorie counts.
• Stick to such a diet plan, come what may. Holiday season, parties, picnics and vacations should not derail your diet.
• Consult a fitness trainer or hire a personal trainer. A fitness professional can understand your specific exercise needs and draw up a detailed routine of the workouts which will be the most beneficial for you. They will also help you understand each exercise and complete them in the right manner. You can workout at home, by buying equipments or simply join a gym. Do whatever, suits you, but get professional help when it comes to exercise.
• Let go of all unhealthy habits, such as drinking and smoking, sleeping late, midnight snacking and all else that comes in the way of your health goals.

If you try hard enough, there is no way you cannot lose weight, unless you have specific health issues preventing you from losing weight. In that case you must seek medical advice and try to find out the best course of action. But if you are otherwise fit, the right exercise and diet, along with honesty and dedication on your part can help you achieve weight loss in due course of time.

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.

There are a lot of reasons that women should not smoke.  The list could go on forever.  If you are looking for a convincing reason to quit though, here are some things that might help.  These are some of the top reasons that as a woman you should give up smoking now, rather than later.

It’s Unattractive

You might think that smoking helps you to lose weight, though it actually just greatly retards your metabolism temporarily.  The truth is for the little bit of weight that smoking might keep you from gaining, it does far more harm to your vanity.

For starters smoking makes your teeth and nails yellow and extremely unattractive.  Your hands will always smell like smoke and so will your hair, and to those who don’t smoke it really stinks.

Smoking also causes your skin to wrinkle and age must faster.  It makes your hair appear more dull and lifeless than it would without cigarettes.

It Can Kill You

Smoking is linked to emphysema, heart problems, lung cancer, cancer of the mouth, cancer of the throat, and many more severe chronic illnesses that you probably don’t ever want to experience. Smoking is one of the number one causes of death in the United States and it has claimed the lives of millions.  By smoking you are putting yourself at risk for a very long painful death.

The Effect on Your Children

Women who smoke cigarettes often have a hard time quitting when they find out they are pregnant.  Many do not quit at all.  Though you may know someone who had a child that seemed perfectly healthy after nine months, do not use them as your role model.

For one thing children who are born to mothers who smoke have lower IQs on average than children born to parents who don’t smoke.  This is something that might not be obvious when a smoking friend brings a bouncing baby home from the hospital.

Children who are born to mothers who smoke are also at a much higher risk of being premature or suffering from birth defects. These children are also more likely to get chronic ear infections and suffer from asthma.

Do not think for a second that you are only hurting yourself while smoking during pregnancy.  The smoke that you inhale does infiltrate the womb; it fills your body with hundreds of chemical toxins. Many of these toxins enter your blood stream and the umbilical cord through which you are feeding your child.

What’s more is that children who have a parent who smokes are far more likely to smoke themselves when they get older.  In fact there is a good chance that the first cigarette your child smokes will come from your pack.

Fertility

Smoking also has an effect on the fertility of both men and women.  It can greatly reduce fertility and possibly prevent you from ever getting to the point where smoking during pregnancy is an issue.  Though you might not want to have children now there is a good chance that you will in the future so this is something very important to consider.

Expense

Smoking is expensive.  Depending on how bad your habit is and what brand of cigarette you smoke you could be spending hundreds of dollars a month on cigarettes.  That is money that I bet you would rather be spending on clothes, shoes, your favorite hobby, anything other than a self-destructive cigarette.