How to prevent wrinkles from forming

Wrinkles are the result of skin that thins and a loss of elasticity. While the skin is supple, the lines formed when frowning or smiling will disappear as soon as you stop frowning or smiling. On the other hand when the skin looses its suppleness it will retain those lines and with time those lines will form wrinkles.

Some amount of wrinkling will develop as you grow older. It is inevitable and you can do nothing about it. The first sign of wrinkles normally appears around the eyes and mouth. With age the skin becomes thinner and dryer and that mainly cause the wrinkles. There are other factors also involved which mainly determines the rate of wrinkle formation.

These factors include:

• Diet and nutrition
• Muscle tone
• Facial expressions
• Stress
• Skin care
• Exposure to the sun and environmental pollution
• Smoking and other lifestyle habits
  

Of these factors, the exposure to the sun is probably the most important one. It dries the skin out and it leads to the generation of free radicals that damage the skin cells. Most sun damage is incured during everyday activities such as driving. Sun damage is cumulative, although not always obvious for many years.

Dermatologists are constantly searching for ways to prevent or treat wrinkles. They can perform a wide range of treatments such as facial peels, cosmetic surgery, laser treatments and BoTox. Most of these and other treatments can have negative side effects.

It is suggested that you rather follow some of the more natural treatments that do not have those negative side effects.

The following are recommended:

• Eat a well-balanced diet with lots of raw fruit and vegetables.
• Drink at least 2 litres of purified water per day.
• Obtain fatty acids from cold-pressed vegetable oils.
• Avoid alcohol, coffee and smoking. These only dry the skin out.
• Protect yourself from the sun in all weather conditions. The UV rays are present even when it rains.
• Get regular exercise to get a better blood circulation through your body.
• Practice good skin care, avoiding harsh soaps and solid cleansing creams. Use natural oils instead, such as avocado oil.
  

Following these guidelines will not prevent the natural ageing process and wrinkle formation, but it will speed down the process.

Please visit: Health Fitness Map for more info on living healthy

Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease

Although the causes of Alzheimer’s disease are unknown, research have shown that sufferers typically also suffer from nutritional deficiencies. It is mostly the B vitamins and the antioxidant vitamins A and E that are lacking. Aluminium, although not a heavy metal, can be toxic even in small amounts, if it is deposited in the brain. There is evidence to suggest that aluminium accumulation in the brain over the long term might contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

It is very difficult to avoid aluminium intake or absorption. Aluminium is the most abundant metallic element in the earth’s crust. It is absorbed into the body through the digestive tract, through the lungs and through the skin, where it then accumulates in the body tissues.
Aluminium is found in varying amounts in most food and water. Municipal water supplies is a prominent source of aluminium. It is used in the manufacturing of cookware and cooking utensils and foil. It is included in many over-the-counter drugs. It is an additive in many food sources, it is present in toothpaste and in table salt. It is estimated that the average person ingests about three to ten milligrams of aluminium per day.

What can be done to avoid or reduce aluminium ingestion and toxicity?

1. Use only stainless steel, iron or glass cookware and utensils.
2. Maintain a high fibre diet.
3. Read labels and avoid products that contain aluminium in any form.
4. Use garlic in food because it acts as a detoxifier.
5. Lecithin granules aids in the healing of the brain and cell membranes.
6. Calsium and magnesium bind with aluminium and eliminate it from the body.
   

It is thus important to always maintain a healthy diet, consisting of mostly raw vegetables and fruit and to take the necessary supplements day in and day out.


MS du Toit has always been interested in all things related to health, weight control and fitness and has been researching and writing on these topics. Her web site Health and Fitness Map also covers topics like natural remedies, nutrition

The Acid Alkaline Balance of the Body

The acidity and alkalinity of the body are measured according to the pH scale. Water, which is considered to be neutral has a pH of 7. The pH range for the body should be between 6 and 6.8.
You can test your own pH by applying saliva and / or urine to litmus paper, which can be bought at any pharmacy. The red paper will turn blue if it is alkaline and the blue paper will turn red if it is acidic.

If the body fluids are more acidic the condition is called acidosis and if it is more alkaline, it is called alkalosis. It is important that the pH should be in balance, neither too acidic nor too alkaline. If you suffer from the condition of either acidosis or alkalosis, you should adapt your diet to get the acid-alkaline balance under control.

What are some of the symptoms of acidosis?

1. Frequent sighing
2. Insomnia
3. Water retention
4. Arthritis
5. Migrain
6. Very low blood pressure
7. Sensitivity of the teeth to acidic fruits
   

What are some of the symptoms of alkalosis?

1. Nervousness
2. Hyperventilation
3. Sore muscles
4. Creaking joints
5. Drowsiness
6. Allergies
7. Thick blood
   

It is important to remember that all of the above symptoms can also be because of other conditions. The simple pH test as described above should done to determine the condition. Both acidosis and alkalosis can have different causes, but one of the main causes is improper diet.
The pH balance can be restored by eating a diet of at least 50% raw food. It is recommended that to achieve and maintain a pH balance in the body, you should eat 80% alkaline-forming foods and 20% acid-forming foods. Most fruit and vegetables are alkaline forming, even though they may taste acidic like lemons and most animal products are acid-forming. It is therefor wise to indulge in raw fruit and vegetables, and to eat only enough animal products to get the necessary proteins.

MS du Toit has always been interested in all things related to health, weight control and fitness and has been researching and writing on these topics. Her web site Health and Fitness Map also covers topics like natural remedies, nutrition and diseases.

Breast Cancer Articles

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and is the second leading cause of cancer death in the USA. The number one leading cause of cancer death is lung cancer. If breast cancer is detected early, the survival rate for five years and beyond is very high.
There is no single answer as to what causes breast cancer, but breast cancer and the causes can be understood through the various risk factors.
To be able to detect breast cancer at an early stage, woman need to be aware of the warning signs of breast cancer and the early symptoms of breast cancer. Interestingly enough, cancerous lumps are usually pain-free. They are also firm and never go away. Although the vast majority of breast lumps are not cancerous, a biopsy is required to identify the lump.
There are different breast cancer types like inflamatory breast cancer, intraductal breast cancer and lobular breast cancer. There are also different breast cancer stages. (You can read more by clicking on the links.)
There are different breast cancer treatment options. Those may include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy or a combination of these.
But like I always say, prevention is better than cure, so it would be wise to start right where you are and get into the habit of regular exercise and a healthy eating plan. Look at all the risk factors, and lower your risk for breast cancer. If you are already a victim, read as much as possible - knowledge is power. Visit Life Fitness Map and follow the links.

The fight against obesity

What is obesity?

Obesity is just an excess of body fat. Normally any person who is 20 percent or more over the normal weight for his or her height, sex and age can be considered as obese. Being overweight is a contributing factor to many preventable ailments.

Why does obesity have a negative impact on the body?
Here are just seven of the many reasons why obesity is bad for the human body:

1. Excess fat crowds the space of the internal organs so they can not function as they should.
2. It puts additional stress on the neck, back and legs and all the joints.
3. It increases the body’s resistance to insulin.
4. It increases the body’s susceptibility to infections by lowering the immune system.
5. It puts you at a higher risk for developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and cancer.
6. It can eventually lead to premature death.
7. Obesity also lets one suffer psychologically because obese people are just treated differently than thin people.
   

There are some medical conditions that can cause obesity like glandular malfunctions, hypoglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, but the most common causes for obesity are a poor diet and a lack of exercise.

Permanent weight loss is only possible when there is a lifetime commitment to a healthier lifestyle. Crash diets do not work. People who want to loose weight fast for whatever reason also gain it again just as fast, and they almost always gain more than they lost.

Here follows a few recommendations that can be implemented to start the lifelong fight against obesity:

1. Eat a variety of foods consisting of a balance of proteins, complex carbohydrates and fat. Those are the building blocks of the body.
2. Eat fresh fruits and lots of raw vegetables with each meal. It is recommended that each person consume at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. A good habit is to have one meal a day consisting of only fruit and vegetables.
3. Never eat fried or greasy foods.
4. Drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of purified water per day.
5. Avoid saturated fat (mainly animal fat) and consume only unsaturated fat (plant oils) like olive oil.
6. Do not eat white flour products.
7. Avoid sugar. The best sweet product to use is raw honey.
8. Do not eat before bedtime.
9. Use extra fibre on a daily basis.
10. Be active. Use every opportunity to be active like rather use the stairs than the elevator.
    

Once you get into a habit of healthy living, it gets easier. It is always good to ask a friend to join you. It is sometimes very hard to say no to certain foods, but one needs to think ahead and consider you own health and try to make the best decision every time. The fight against obesity is not an easy one.

The Essence of Therapy

The use of pure essential oils can enhance our mental and physical well-being. These aromatic oils can have many different applications in our lives. It can be used in conjunction with or as substitute for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, or it can just be used to make us feel better.

Our lives can be enriched by the sense of smell and through the use of aroma therapy we do just that. Essential oils affect our physical, mental and emotional conditions. Lavender oil, for example, can evoke and increase the release of serotonin which has a calming effect on the body. We can thus experience healing of emotions and feelings. Some oils also have healing properties when applied topically to the skin, like tea tree oil.

It is very easy to use essential oils. You just dilute a small amount of oil in a base. The base can be water or another oil, called a carrier oil. You then just apply the dilution topically or you inhale the aroma.

Typical carrier oils are:

• Almond oil
• Apricot oil
• Grape seed oil
• Jojoba oil
• Olive oil
  

The following is a list of essential oils that can be used to lift the spirit when you are experiencing difficult circumstances:

• Bergamot
• Clary Sage
• Geranium
• Grapefruit
• Jasmine
• Lavender
• Orange
• Rose
• Sandalwood and
• Ylang ylang
  

Healing from Within

It was Hippocrates who once said "A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings". He was so right when he said that, and we only really agree with that once illness strike. Many of us cannot even cope with a common cold. We run to the doctor with our first sneeze. We do not even try to fight the cold ourselves. The reason I believe, is a lack of knowledge of the inner power of healing.

Nature has provided us with an amazing immune system that has the power to combat any illness or disease, provided we take good care of our immune system. The problem is our modern lifestyle has caused us to be ignorent towards our immune system. We eat junk food, we abuse alcohol, we are dependent on all kinds of drugs and we live in a polluted environment coupled with all the stress in the world. Even though we live in an age where all the information in the world is freely available to everybody, we choose to be ignorent towards it. We choose to live the fast and instant life. Most of us have a profound lack of knowledge as to what our bodies need to function optimally and thus we find ourselves susceptible to all sorts of illnesses.

Nature has intended to provide us with all the right natural substances to fuel our immune systems and enable our bodies to function up to its fullest potential. The resources nature provides are whole foods, vitamins and minerals, enzymes and amino acids and phytochemicals. It is up to every individual to take up the responsibility of the maintenance of their health and in the treatment of disorders. Each person has the responsibility and ability to learn about nutrition and nurturing the immune system. Prevention is always better than cure, and if we take care of our inner healing power, our immune systems, then many of the chronic lifestyle diseases will not even touch us.

The human body is a very complex organism that has been given the ability to heal itself. We must listen to our bodies and respond with the right nourishment and care. Many of us have for many years abused our own bodies through smoking, abusing alcohol, unhealthy eating and lack of exercise. Even with all those abuse our bodies still serve us well for many years while crying out for better treatment. If we do not respond, then all of a sudden illnesses start to appear. But it is still not too late. If within the onset of illness, we would respond and nourish our immune systems, healing can start from within and years can be added to our lives.