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Health Magazine

Do Your Hair and Your Health a Favor, Use a Natural Shampoo

Although I have been using natural skin care products for many years, I have never worried too much about personal care products such as natural shampoo or natural soap that you put on and wash off straight away. I have always believed that if a product does not stay on the skin for any length of time then the risk of absorbing dangerous chemicals form that product is probably minimal.
That was until a few years ago when I found out more about the skin and its ability to absorb certain molecules instantly. In fact the skin can absorb substances within a few seconds and while you’re rubbing that gorgeous smelling shampoo into your scalp, your skin may be absorbing several chemicals you really do not want in your body.
Why do manufacturers put these chemicals into shampoos and other personal care products? There are several reasons including to make them smell nice, to preserve them so they last longer and, in the case of shampoos, to make them foam up well so that they appear to be doing a good job of cleansing your hair.
We’ll look at the two worst chemical ingredients in a typical store bought shampoo. They are Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES). Of course there are others, but this pair are potentially the most damaging to your skin and your health.
Both SLS and SLES are put into personal care products to make foam which cleans any surface it is applied to, whether it is a car engine, a garage floor or your hair and scalp. The problem is that both of these are known skin irritants which can mix with other ingredients and form deadly cancer causing dioxins and nitrates in the shampoo bottle itself. They can then be absorbed quickly through the pores of your scalp and then into your bloodstream. From there they can travel to the organs where they will stay, because these chemicals are notoriously hard to remove from the body.
SLS and SLES also cause trouble even before they are absorbed through the skin in the form of scalp irritation and even hair loss. Hair loss is really not what you are looking for in a shampoo!
So why don’t more people use a natural shampoo? Well mainly because they are not aware of the potential damage store bought shampoos can cause, and also because natural hair care had the reputation of being hard to lather and to rinse out. This has since been addressed and natural hair care can deliver the same or better results than its chemical equivalent.
Lastly a word of warning – beware of shampoos at health stores. A lot of these contain Sodium Laureth Sulphate called by another name. Always read the label carefully or use a reputable online store which sells a genuine natural shampoo instead.…

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Health Magazine

Stop Stressing Over Your Tresses

8 out of 10 women have damaged hair- me being one of them. I have every oil/conditioner/leave in conditioner & treatment imaginable in my shower to keep my hair healthy. I have even used the Superfood Acai, egg whites & mayonnaise. Sounds a bit off the wall, I know. Not everyone is born with beautiful hair, but by learning a few hair care facts, you can make your hair look its best. Healthy, attractive hair should shine. Whether your hair is long or short, light or dark, it should look smooth, silky and shiny. Hair that is dull, dry, brittle or frizzy is unhealthy and unattractive. Everyday events such as shampooing, brushing and blow drying can do great damage to your hair, causing the dry, brittle, frizzy appearance.
Your hair must meet its match when it comes to shampoo. Always use a shampoo for your exact hair type. If you have a perm or color treated your hair, you should use a shampoo for chemically treated hair. If your hair is dry, opt for a moisturizing shampoo. If your hair is curly or unmanageable, frizz control would be best. If you are not sure what your hair type is or what type of shampoo to use, ask your hairstylist. Your hairstylist can recommend the right shampoo and conditioner so you maintain a healthy and shiny head of hair. Another recommendation; go to your local beauty supply or a store like Sephora that offers a wide selection. The girls at the counters can be highly knowledgeable.
I remember when I was a little girl. I had a fascination with brushing my hair. Brushing your hair can actually help improve the shine. Brushing evenly distributes the oils from the scalp throughout the hair shaft. If you have long hair that tends to tangle on the ends, you should start brushing on the ends to remove any tangles, and work your way up to the scalp. This also applies to hair extensions. You should never brush wet hair.
I bet you didn’t know that wet hair is much weaker than dry hair. Wet hair will break very easily if it is not combed very gently. If you have long hair, you should squeeze the excess water from your hair with a towel. I love wrapping my hair in a towel for about an hour after shampooing. Never rub your hair between the towels to dry it, this can cause severe breakage. Before combing, a leave-in conditioner should be sprayed on the hair to help restore shine and help remove tangles. Using a wide tooth comb, comb hair from the ends and work your way up. Make time to visit your hairstylist for deep conditioning treatments & cranial massages which stimulate the hair follicles.
If you are armed with a blow dryer (set on high heat) it could be damaging, to your hair. Blow dryers are very convenient and many of us use them daily. If they are used incorrectly, they can cause severe heat damage to your hair. Blow drying is the culprit of dry ends, brittle & frizzy hair. Please allow your hair to air dry until it is about half way dry. Set your blow dryer on low or medium heat, and keep the blow dryer about six to eight inches away from your hair. I used a blow dryer to straighten my hair until I noticed it was leading to split ends. A rule of thumb, moderation-moderation-moderation. Excessive brushing especially when you still have product in your hair (gel or spray), mistreatment of wet hair and blow drying don’t make for head to toe beauty.
If you would like to improve the condition of your hair, these are the steps that will ensure you never have to say “I have a bad hair day”. In fact you should notice an improvement in the condition of your hair in as early as 2-4 weeks, depending on how damaged your hair is. Remember, no matter what your hair ailment is, there’s a product that will cure the condition of your hair. Ask your hairstylist or visit your local beauty supply & if you’re not sure, ask for samples of a few different lines until you find the one that works best for you. Until next time, make it a good hair day!.
©2009 Ungenita Beauty International, LLC.
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Actress/Author/Beauty Expert Ungenita Prevost publishes the award-winning ‘Strategies for Inner/Outer Beauty’ weekly ezine for women all over the world. If you’re ready to Go Beyond The MakeoverTM, get your FREE BEAUTY GIFTS now at…

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Health Magazine

Mesothelioma Prognosis: Know Your Chances

While some patients don’t want to know their chances of survival, there are also others who get an honest mesothelioma prognosis from their doctors. Of course, they may have different reasons for wanting to know. If you are a mesothelioma patient interested in the same thing, then you have the right to know. Do keep in mind though that there are various prognosis sources. Here are some important points you should consider when reading about asbestos cancer prognosis.

Prognosis Data

The Sources of Data – The first thing you should understand is where prognosis data comes from. Real prognosis information is based form statistical data. Researchers look into different mesothelioma cases through clinical studies to get average figures. This may mean that genuine prognosis information may be true for a large number of patients. This does not mean though that the information is always true.

Mesothelioma is different from other forms of cancer. This is because a lot of different factors can affect mesothelioma. Some of these include your overall health, treatments taken, time when treatment began, mesothelioma type and severity of the condition. It is therefore important not to view prognosis information as absolutely true in your case.

Difficulties with Prognosis

It may be difficult to arrive at statistical or personal mesothelioma prognosis. This is because mesothelioma itself is not like many other forms of cancer. The condition is rare. Asbestos exposure, which is the primary risk factor linked to this condition is not always experienced by a lot of people. Those who also have the condition may not immediately seek doctors’ assistance for diagnosis and treatment. The symptoms do not obviously point to the condition and may even mimic the symptoms of other diseases.

Statistical Information

What do statistics say? Since patients are often diagnosed late, the prognosis for many patients is not good. A lot of patients are told that they can expect to live for only less than a year. Again, there are exceptions to this prognosis. There have been personal accounts of patients who have survived for more than five years. Some even live up to ten years after diagnosis.

Diagnosis

The common thing about mesothelioma and other forms of cancer is that its early detection if crucial. Early diagnosis means early treatment and higher chances of survival. Since early diagnosis is not often made due to the lack of unique symptoms, you may not even think that a doctor’s visit is necessary. Your only clue that may suggest that you may need medical monitoring is asbestos exposure. This is only true however for individuals who work closely with asbestos. Patients who do not handle asbestos on a regular basis may not even remember or know that they have been exposed to asbestos.

Treatment

The individual’s treatment option can also affect the prognosis. Depending on your overall health, the stage of your disease and your doctor’s evaluation, you may have to undergo one or two cancer treatment methods. Like other forms of cancer, mesothelioma may be treated through chemotherapy, surgery or radiation therapy.

Keep in mind that mesothelioma prognosis may not be definite and accurate. Although prognosis information can provide you with valuable insight about the disease, there is no reason to believe that you absolutely have no hope of surviving beyond a year.…

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Health Magazine

Dark Circles Under the Eyes – How To Kill Them Fast

Dark circles under eyes and lines around mouths are often signs of stress, and they can age a person’s face by decades. Nothing says “I haven’t had any sleep last night and I’m having a bad week, so stay the **** out of my way!” like undereye circles and a mean look.
But stress and fatigue aren’t the only causes of undereye darkness.
There are a lot of different reasons why people get dark circles under their eyes.
If you’re one of those people who still have eye bags or what some might call “raccoon attacks” even after a relatively relaxing work week and lots of good sleep for example, your undereye circles problem might actually be hereditary.
For almost everybody, the skin is thinnest on and around the eyelids. This skin is called periorbital skin, and for some people the skin is so thin, it’s almost translucent. This means that blood passing through the veins near the surface of the skin in this area will usually give it a slightly darker -even bluish- tint.
Eye-rubbing, a habit that a person can develop especially if they have asthma, allergies, or any kind of condition that might make their eyes itch, can also create undereye circles. When you rub or scratch the skin around your eyes, more blood rushes to that area, and because the skin there is so thin, it can look pretty obvious.
If you have hay fever for example, you might get undereye darkness that comes and goes with the hay fever season. So if you want to look fresh, even through the allergy season, keep your antihistamines handy, and keep your hands off your eyes!
Certain medications that make blood vessels dilate and increase the flow of blood under the skin can make undereye darkness quite evident, especially if you’re one of those people who have naturally pale skin.
Other medical conditions, like anemia, can also cause dark circles under eyes. Iron deficiency, a very common kind of anemia, can make skin look much paler. This often makes the veins and discolored skin under a person’s eyes stand out even more.
Aside from being an indicator for a possible iron deficiency, dark circles under a person’s eyes can be a sign of other kinds of medical problems, like vitamin B6 deficiency, dehydration, bad circulation, or simply age.
Still, even though this is a fairly common problem that a lot of people have to deal with permanently, not everybody has to worry about undereye darkness all the time. Some get them only when they’re really tired.
Fatigue can make a person’s skin grow pale, which makes the blood under the thin skin of the area around the eyes really visible.
Whatever the cause of discoloration under a person’s eyes though, unless you’re trying to go for a very specific kind of look, it’s not really something desirable to have.
I had a long night last night, and I have to deal with unsightly undereye darkness right now. After coming home late from work last night, I got call from one of my friends asking if I could meet up with her for a few drinks and a little commiseration. She had broken up with her boyfriend, and she wanted someone to talk to.
As a friend, I knew that I couldn’t refuse, even after a having worked overtime that night. Five hours and half a bottle of tequila later, I finally staggered into bed. Two hours later, I oozed out of bed so that I could drag myself back to work. When I looked at myself in the mirror that morning, I was horrified by what I saw.
I looked like death warmed over. My skin was pale, my eyes were bloodshot, and I had undereye circles so dark, it looked as if I’d painted them on. I looked like I had aged at least ten years! I still had a long commute ahead of me, and if I wanted to look presentable, I knew that I had to get rid of my “raccoon attack” first, at least.
One of the best ways to get rid of dark circles under eyes in a pinch is to cover them up with makeup. Try using concealer with yellow or warm peach tones. Usually, the undereye circles are blue, purple or brownish in color, and using a warm-colored concealer will cancel out those colors, regardless of your skin tone. For a more seamless effect that will also ensure that your concealer won’t rub off or fade too quickly, lightly dust the area with translucent powder.
If you have a little more time to get rid of your undereye darkness though, you can try and soothe the skin and reduce the discoloration by regularly placing slices of cucumber or damp, refrigerated tea …

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Health Magazine

Is There a Connection Between Vitamin D and Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer is the most common cancer of women in the Western world. Many factors contribute to cause a malignant tumor of the breast (it is multifactorial), although heredity is an important issue. Some diets help prevent it, such as diets rich in fruits and vegetables and low in fat. Adequate calcium intake is very important. The role of vitamin D in the deterrence and management of breast cancer are extensively explored by researchers and the results have been promising so far.
No matter what cancer you have, or are trying to prevent, the question is: is cancer left to vitamin D deficiency? Current research shows that a solution to this question is no, women with breast cancer should not meet the expense of to vitamin D deficiency, nor their doctors.
Vitamin D and Breast Cancer: Not a Panacea
If you have breast cancer, please remember that vitamin D is not a panacea and should never be used as the main treatment for cancer. Your oncologist will prescribe a treatment that has proved effective and should carefully follow their advice as the mainstay of treatment. At the same time, you should know that the evidence suggests that adequate vitamin D can help in the fight against the cancer.
Vitamin D and Breast Cancer: Fight against Breast Cancer
Contemporary research indicates that most if not all, women have their vitamin D receptor, except if they were deficient in vitamin D, ie, they have these receptors if they were full of vitamin D. It appears that the receptor is present in breast tissue, where the most active form of vitamin D were present, and this is only true if vitamin D in the form of less-active, calcidiol, were present. In other words, if you are testing vitamin D in breast cancer patients for vitamin D receptors, they will not have much if you treat their disability, they will probably develop these receptors.
Not only calcitriol (a form from the optimal amounts of your body when your vitamin D in blood is ideal) inhibits breast cancer cells to grow, making these cells grow and die as natural cells. In addition, vitamin D inhibits the formation of the large blood vessel growth around the tumor, a progression called anti-angiogenesis.
The first modern connection with cancer and vitamin D is due to an interesting observation was made during the 1930’s. The observation was that people who have spent years in the sun (and later developed a relatively mild form of skin cancer called squamous cell cancer of the skin) were less likely to develop deadly internal cancers such as colon cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer. This led to early modern theories of cancer, namely that squamous cell skin confers immunity against the most deadly forms of cancer.…

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Health Magazine

Do Your Hair and Your Health a Favor, Use a Natural Shampoo

Although I have been using natural skin care products for many years, I have never worried too much about personal care products such as natural shampoo or natural soap that you put on and wash off straight away. I have always believed that if a product does not stay on the skin for any length of time then the risk of absorbing dangerous chemicals form that product is probably minimal.
That was until a few years ago when I found out more about the skin and its ability to absorb certain molecules instantly. In fact the skin can absorb substances within a few seconds and while you’re rubbing that gorgeous smelling shampoo into your scalp, your skin may be absorbing several chemicals you really do not want in your body.
Why do manufacturers put these chemicals into shampoos and other personal care products? There are several reasons including to make them smell nice, to preserve them so they last longer and, in the case of shampoos, to make them foam up well so that they appear to be doing a good job of cleansing your hair.
We’ll look at the two worst chemical ingredients in a typical store bought shampoo. They are Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES). Of course there are others, but this pair are potentially the most damaging to your skin and your health.
Both SLS and SLES are put into personal care products to make foam which cleans any surface it is applied to, whether it is a car engine, a garage floor or your hair and scalp. The problem is that both of these are known skin irritants which can mix with other ingredients and form deadly cancer causing dioxins and nitrates in the shampoo bottle itself. They can then be absorbed quickly through the pores of your scalp and then into your bloodstream. From there they can travel to the organs where they will stay, because these chemicals are notoriously hard to remove from the body.
SLS and SLES also cause trouble even before they are absorbed through the skin in the form of scalp irritation and even hair loss. Hair loss is really not what you are looking for in a shampoo!
So why don’t more people use a natural shampoo? Well mainly because they are not aware of the potential damage store bought shampoos can cause, and also because natural hair care had the reputation of being hard to lather and to rinse out. This has since been addressed and natural hair care can deliver the same or better results than its chemical equivalent.
Lastly a word of warning – beware of shampoos at health stores. A lot of these contain Sodium Laureth Sulphate called by another name. Always read the label carefully or use a reputable online store which sells a genuine natural shampoo instead.…

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Health Magazine

Lose Weight With a Perfect Diet

By skipping the meals or performing harmful starvation cannot help you in losing weight. By taking a diet drink or balanced meal cannot help you in losing the weight. By jumping from one diet plan to another in only some months can also not help you in decreasing your weight. If you want to overcome the frustration of being fat then you have to challenge yourself and plan for a perfect diet. Select a fully customized plan and implement it in your regular daily life. You can surely see the result in very less time. Do not create a plan which is difficult to implement. Only select the plan which is easy for you. It is very difficult to adjust to the new diet plan suddenly. Slowly implement the diet so that sudden weight loss is also dangerous to our health. As fast foods are convenient to eat everyone are attracted to it and are increasing their weights. Not only diet you also do some exercises in order to burn some fat in your body. Do not eat the food which contains fats and cholesterol. Do not eat the food in excess because all the excess food is stored as fat in our body.
Do not hesitate and get started now with your perfect diet. If you feel hungry you take fruits and vegetables as snacks. It will not affect your diet. Here are some tips on how to select a nutritional plan.
o Breakfast: In breakfast you can prefer fruits that are rich in water content. For example watermelon. You can eat this watermelon without any limits. It does not matter how much you eat it. The water content in this fruit helps in removing the toxins and cleans the stomach. Not only watermelon you can eat all types of melon. You can even take Honeydew, Cantaloupe, and Gala.
o Lunch time: you can small meal with some fruits. You can apples, bananas, pears or grapes. Eat fewer meals and more fruits. Eat fruits until your hunger is fulfilled. You can also have glass of juice of any fruit or vegetable. You can also eat hand full of dry fruits like dried raisins, sultanas, apricots and figs.
o Snacks: You can take a glass of freshly squeezed juice of carrot, cucumber or any other vegetable of fruits.
o Evening: you can have salads, handful of dry fruits, fresh vegetables and fresh fruits. Eat the food until your hunger satisfies. Eat more until your stomach is full so that you may not feel hungry in the middle of your sleep.…