Natural dry skin care information - tips, methods, causes, ingredients, and more. By Derick Yung.
The summer can be a relaxing and care-free time, but you may be exposing yourself unnecessarily to toxic chemicals. Swimming pools are typically chlorinated, and most sunscreen and insect repellents contain dangerous ingredients.
Tea may help soothe dry skin due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Vinegar may help, according to a reader of the Clarion-Ledger, who used it to prevent cracks in her fingertips during the winter season.
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070313/HEALTH/703130314/1242/health
Dr Mercola, in his Q & A section, explains what you can use as a skin moisturizer, and what he recommends. The important thing to note is that you absorb what you put on your skin.
If you give the body the nutrients it needs, then it can act upon those nutrients to help you heal eczema naturally.
By Audrey Lynn
A strong immune system is crucial to healing eczema. The important key to a strong immune system is through a healthy diet. This basic information regarding the importance of a nutritious diet is something that each dermatologist or physician should discuss with their eczema patients. It’s not that the body needs to be medicated; but rather, that it needs to be fed the nutrients for which it is deficient.
These are some food groups which are absolutely essential in healing eczema. This does not mean that you must eat everything listed here all at once. However, try to make sure that these essential nutrients become a part of you or your child’s daily diet.
(1) Vitamin A
Commonly we associated Vitamin A with good eyesight and skin. Not many of us realize that this is an immune boosting nutrient as well. Because eczema is an immuno-disorder, you can understand the importance of this essential nutrient towards the healing process. In other words, an eczema flare up signifies a deficiency in Vitamin A (especially beta carotene which is a major contributing factor in eczema healing). As a matter of fact, and if I had to do order of importance, replenishing this nutrient would be my first focus.
There are two forms of vitamin A: beta carotene & retinol. You want to focus your attention on the beta carotene form. Some of the foods that contain this essential nutrient are green vegetables (like broccoli, collard, kale, mustard, & spinach), green & romaine lettuce, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, and pink grapefruit (to name a little more than a few). Daily servings of one or more of these vegetables will begin the healing process. Green vegetables are especially important as they play the dual role of providing both the beta carotene and the fiber which are critical to healing eczema.
A word of caution here, just as vitamin A deficiencies can cause disease, so can over-dosage. This is why you need to be careful when supplementing this vitamin, as in the form of pills. I would prefer consuming this essential nutrient through whole food consumption which is the safest way.
(2) Vitamin B
B2 (riboflavin) helps the body cells to use oxygen and promotes tissue repair/healthy skin. B3 (niacin) is essential for cell metabolism and the absorption of carbohydrates which also helps to maintain healthy skin. Whole food sources for vitamin B2/riboflavin are milk, cheese, liver, fish, & poultry. A major whole food source for B3/niacin is liver.
(3) Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine which regulates histamine release in a healthy manner without promoting the harmful side effects as those created by steroid and other eczema medications. And, of course, Vitamin C is essential for boosting the immune system. You must make sure your body gets a constant daily supply of Vitamin C as it is not stored in the body.
(4) Fiber
Fiber is especially important for good digestive health. Fiber promotes good digestion. This will not only help rid the constipation problem; but it will also remove candida. Candida is a yeast like parasite that promotes eczema. Fiber promotes healthy digestive flow and helps in ridding the body of the candida that promotes eczema flare ups.
(5) Essential fatty acids (omega-3, omega-6, omega-9, GLA) and Vitamin E
The essential fatty acids and vitamin E addresses the skin and cells moisture levels. EFA’s are responsible for maintaining the cells moisture. This is important because the skin’s moisture barrier serves as a protective barrier against the elements (free radicals). Some of the food sources of ?-3 and ?-6 fatty acids are fish and shellfish, flaxseed (linseed), soya oil, canola (rapeseed) oil, hemp oil, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, leafy vegetables, and walnuts.
EFA deficiency is definitely a factor that has to be addressed in eczema sufferers; however, it is not the only deficiency an eczema manifestation represents. As a result, people who focus solely on replenishing EFA deficiency, (at the exclusion of the other deficiencies), end up frustrated in the healing process. In their frustration, they then reject the importance of EFA replenishment regarding eczema treatment. EFA replenishment is still essential to eczema healing; it just needs to be done in conjunction with nutritional replenishment of the various other vitamin/mineral deficiencies eczema represents.
From the list of food sources that I have given you, there are probably others that I’ve overlooked. Nonetheless, becoming familiar with the nutrients that food provides the human body goes a long way in making us more health conscious and aware of the benefits, (or lack of benefits in some cases), of the foods we consume. Feeding the right food to our body is the first step to healing eczema.
EczemaFreeNaturally.com is created by a mother who is determined to find a natural cure for her son’s eczema and sick of all the hypes on eczema lotions and potions. EczemaFreeNaturally.com offers natural and organic way of treating eczema, an increasingly common skin disorder. Check out www.eczemafreenaturally.com for more information on the healthier way to an eczema free lifestyle.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Audrey_Lynn
http://EzineArticles.com/?Eat-Your-Way-to-Healing-Eczema-Naturally&id=346584
Natural skin care treatment that really works is a great gift any time. This article has a few tips on natural skin care treatment, including avoiding carcinogens like mineral oil and petroleum.
The Open Press - Natural Skin Care Treatment that Really Works Is a Great Christmas Gift
Eczema and psoriasis can be more pronounced if you’re short on essential fatty acids (EFA’s). Some foods that contain EFA’s include flax seed, fish, and walnuts.
By Rudy Silva
Essential Fatty Acids are oils, omega-3 and omega-6, that you can find, in certain amounts, in all oils that you can purchase in most the health food and regular grocery stores. These fatty acids are called essential because you cannot create them in your body and your cells use them every day.
If you do not eat enough of these oils… guess what… you’re going to get sick. What kind of sick? The list is quite extensive and it depends on your deficiency.
* Acne
* DD/ADHD
* Alzheimer’s disease
* Arthritis
* Asthma
* Cancer
* Diabetes
* Eczema
* Eye diseases
* Growth retardation
* Hair loss
* Heart disease
* High blood pressure
* Immune dysfunction
* Kidney deterioration
* Kidney deterioration
* Memory loss
* Psoriasis
* Schizophrenia
It’s a good idea not to be short on these fatty acids, because this list is still not complete.
80% of the American people will come down with serious illness because of nutritional deficiencies
It is not enough to eat essential fatty acid randomly. They need to be eaten in balance. You will need to balance the Omega-3 with the Omega-6. Most people are eating around 15 tablespoons of Omega-6 to 1 tablespoon of Omega-3. If you are one of these persons then expect to be harboring or creating one of the diseases listed above
What are Essential Fatty Acids?
There are four important types of Essential Fatty Acids:
* Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA) or Omega-3 Oil
* Linoleic Acid (LA) or Omega-6 Oil
* Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA)
* Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)
The omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are found in everyday oils that you use for cooking, baking, and eating.
* Flax seed oil – contains four times more omega-3 than omega-6
* Perilla seed oil – contains three-four more omega-3 than omega-6
* Hemp oil – contain the ideal ratio of 4:1, four times more omega-6 to omega-3.
* Pumpkin oil – contains 3 times more omega-6 than omega-3
* Walnut oil contain ten times more omega-6 than omega-3
* Safflower – has no omega-3 and 75% of its oil is omega-6
* Sunflower – has no omega-3 and 65% of its oil is omega-6
* Wheat germ oil – slight amount of omega-3 but mostly omega-6
* Olive oil – no omega-3 and 8% of its oil is omega-6
* Corn oil – contains mostly omega- 6
You can see that most oils have very little omega-3. This is why you hear a lot about flax seeds and flax seed oil because they are high in omega-3.
In recent years, a new source of omega-3 was found in the seeds of the Perilla frutescens plant. Perilla oil was found not to cause digestive upset when used in large quantities. This oil is similar to flax seed oil in content except that 19% of it oil is saturated compared to 7% for flax seed oil.
It’s cheaper to buy perilla it in liquid form, since one tablespoon contains 7700 mg of omega-3 and one capsule contains 550 mg.
It is best to alternate between oils, using one bottle at a time of flax, perilla, and hemp oil. In this way you will get the benefits that the different oils have to give.
When buying your oils, try to buy them in dark bottles. This prevents oxidation from occurring and assures that you get active and fresh oils that contain strong levels of omega oils.
Other sources of omega-3 oil are,
* Flax seeds
* Chia seeds
* Pumpkin seeds
* Walnuts
* Dark greens
* Soy products
Limit your use of soy products. These products use up your body’s minerals and have been associated various body diseases. They cause fibrin to settles in your tissues and organs. Fibrin tends to clog up your organs and causes arteries to close off when you’re short on systemic enzymes.
Fish are also high in omega-3 oil. Include these in your diet by eating them at least once a week. The fish to eat are,
* Salmon
* Sardines
* Halibut
* Trout
* Albacore tuna
* Mackerel
Add the essential fatty acids to your eating habits everyday and gain the benefit of a better life.
Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He writes a newsletter call “Natural Remedies Thatwork.” For more information the on the essential fatty acids, visit his web site at
http://www.fatty-acid-remedies.for–you.info
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rudy_Silva
http://EzineArticles.com/?Essential-Fatty-Acids-(EFAs)&id=19492
Anti-aging foods, like avocadoes, berries, and fish, can help you improve the condition of your skin.
By Tanya Turner
Antiaging food has been a hot topic recently. Everybody knows that you are supposed to eat more fruit and vegetables to protect yourself from aging. But are all fruits and veggies equally good? Find what specific foods are considered best when it comes to anti-aging diet.
1. Avocado for younger looking skin
People who keep low fat diet usually avoid avocado because it contains a lot of fat. But actually it is high in monounsaturated fat which reduces cholesterol level in the body. Avocado is a very good source of Vitamin E, which is essential for keeping your skin smooth and young. Also avocado contains potassium which prevents high blood pressure. Avocado is great to use in sandwiches instead of butter spread.
2. Berries as antiaging antioxidants
Most berries especially blackberries, blueberries, blackcurrants contain phytochemicals which are powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants help to protect your body against damage caused by free radicals so they are very important for antiaging nutrition. Red grape is technically not a berry, but it has similar properties.
3. Fish for protein and Omega 3 fats
Your body needs quality proteins and some fat, and it is much better to take fish as a source of these and not red meat. Fish supplies us with Omega 3 fatty acids which stimulate the immune system and lowers risk of heart disease. Some studies have shown that people who eat a lot of fish have lower risk of colorectal, esophageal and stomach cancers.
4. Carrots for cancer protection
Carrots are an excellent source of beta carotene which is a powerful antioxidant that fights aging and many diseases. Studies have shown that people who eat one medium carrot a day significantly reduced risk of lung cancer. Beta carotene also keeps your vision sharp protecting your eyes from age related diseases. It is also important for keeping your immune system strong.
Carrots give you most benefits if eaten uncooked. If you don’t feel like eating a row carrot, try adding it to your salads, it gives slightly sweet taste to a salad. Alternatively drink carrot juice once in a while - the juice is a concentrated source of beta carotene.
5. Nuts to bust your immune system
Raw nuts are very high in fiber; they are also a good source of vitamins and potassium, zinc, iron, magnesium, copper and selenium. They control cholesterol level and strengthen your immune system. The only draw back of nuts is that they are high in fat, so a couple table spoons a day is good but not more.
Only row nuts are good anti-aging food. Avoid salted and roasted nuts, they do more damage to your health than bring benefits. A good way to add nuts to your everyday diet is to sprinkle them over a salad or to add them to cereals.
6. Whole meal pasta and brown rice for energy
These contain complex carbohydrates, to insure that you feel full of energy all day. Brown rice is high in fiber and B group vitamins. Only don’t make fried rice out of it - steamed brown rice is the best choice. Whole meal pasta is high in fiber and iron.
7. Water to detoxify and keep smooth skin
Water is absolutely essential for our health. You probably have heard that you should drink 8 glasses of water every day, but do you follow the advice? Water helps to get rid of toxins. Also adequate intake of water insures that your skin looks young and healthy. Moisturizing anti-aging creams and lotions are good, but if you drink enough water your skin will be less dry without creams.
Pure bottled water is very good for you, but not exciting. So you can replace it with other nutritious liquids - juices with no added sugar, herbal teas or mineral water. Fresh fruits also are good source of water, for example watermelon is basically 90% water. 8 glasses a day is a rule of thumb, but in hot or windy weather you might need more.
Include these products in your diet on a regular basis and you will see that soon you will feel and look younger than your physical age.
Tanya Turner is an anti-aging researcher and a publisher of Anti-Aging Skincare Guide which provides you with information about anti-aging food, anti-aging supplements, anti-aging treatments and skin care.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tanya_Turner
Mangosteen is simply delicious. If you haven’t sampled this wonderful fruit, you have to do it! Some of its benefits include being anti-inflammatory, anti-histamine and anti-fungal, to name a few.
By Steve Goltiao
The mangosteen is a fruit, technically known as Garcinia mangostana L., that is unique to tropical areas of Southeast Asia. Mangosteen is so prized by inhabitants of these countries that it is universally known as the “Queen of Fruits”. The raw mangosteen is fragile and the United States forbids its importation due to the risk of harmful pests entering the country. One of the admirable qualities of the mangosteen is its beauty. It is about the size of a tangerine and is deep purple in color on the outside, with a bright white pulp in the inside. Because of its appearance and high xanthone content, the mangosteen is truly one of Mother Earth’s natural wonders.
Xanthones are biologically active plant phenols that are packed with antioxidants and have proven medicinal properties. Because of its pharmaceutical properties, xanthones have been studied extensively for their medicinal potential. Mangosteen is the most plentiful source of antioxidants with over 30 xanthones. The mangosteen fruit provides many health benefits. Scientific research proves xanthones in mangosteen may reverse cholesterol and high blood pressure issues, and help as an anti-inflammatory, anti-histamine and anti-fungal, to name a few.
There is no other fruit on the planet that combines a distinctly delicious taste and overwhelming health benefits as that of the mangosteen. There is proven research on the health benefits of the mangosteen fruit, and the reports are very promising. A growing number of health practitioners are using the fruit in their clinical practice as first-line or adjunctive therapy to treat their patients. Mangosteen is available commercially in the form of juice, tea, or capsules and can be purchased in health stores and online.
For centuries, the Southeast Asia communities have known about the many health benefits of the mangosteen juice. The mangosteen fruit contains many antioxidant properties, which you probably already know, are very good for you. Over 50 independent studies to date substantiate its health benefits, and research is numerous and ongoing. There are numerous accounts all over the Internet of individuals who have experienced firsthand the benefits of the Queen of Fruits. The health benefits of mangosteen will undoubtedly be heralded for a long time to come.
Mangosteen is a natural health supplement food source that can provide the antioxidants lacking from a normal diet. And unlike artificial drugs, which have side effects that we hear more about in the news nearly every day, mangosteen is an all-natural product. The fruit is an absolutely superb treatment for any kind of pain or ailment. If you are looking for a natural way to boost your immune system, prevent future illness, and lead an overall healthier life, mangosteen may be just what you’re looking for.
Still don’t know if mangosteen is right for you? Visit http://www.holisticmangosteen.com to learn more about xanthones and mangosteen health benefits.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Goltiao
Mangosteen can provide relief for “skin ailments like psoriasis, seborrhea, or eczema”
By Leslie Martin
We’ve all heard the news for years about how important it is to get the right amount of antioxidants in order to keep our bodies healthy and ward of disease. Now there’s a new classification of antioxidants called xanthones, first discovered in the mangosteen fruit, which are poised to be one of the biggest discoveries of modern science in terms of health benefits.
While the concept of antioxidants may seem even more confusing when adding in another aspect, xanthones are fairly easy to understand, given their clear-cut, scientifically-proven benefits.
What are Xanthones?
Technically put, xanthones are a set of chemical compounds that can be synthetically produced, but are more often found and more potent in their natural settings. Xanthones are powerful antioxidants in a family of phytonutrients.
To date, researchers have discovered and classified approximately 200 xanthones, 40 of which are found in the mangosteen fruit. As a matter of fact, xanthones were first discovered when scientists began studying the health benefits of mangosteen based on its traditional indigenous medical uses.
Research into the medicinal properties of xanthones found in the mangosteen began in the 1970s, and gradually picked up pace as scientists began finding more exciting nutritional properties. Between 1996 and 2005, an exponential amount of research has been done in regards to mangosteen and its xanthones, and even more studies are in the works.
Xanthones in Mangosteen
To recap, xanthones are powerful antioxidants, and out of the 200 xanthones known to science, 40 of them are found in mangosteen.
But what do the antioxidant properties of the xanthones in mangosteen do for you? Antioxidants function as a balance for free radicals in the body. Free radicals are potentially harmful, yet oftentimes natural substances in your body that, when left free reign, build up and cause diseases like cancer, heart disease, and more.
The xanthones function to travel through your body, literally mopping up the free radicals on their way, leaving your body cleaner and healthier than before.
Some of the most important xanthones found in mangosteen include:
Alpha-mangostin
Beta-mangostin
Gamma-mangostin
Garcinone
Garcinone A
Garcinone C
Garcinone D
Mangostanol
Gartanin
These, among other xanthones, have been touted by independent researchers to have properties to include antiinflammatory, anticonvulsant, antiallergic, antitumor, and antiplatelet, to name just a few.
Known Benefits of Xanthones
Scientific research has made it abundantly clear that no other fruit compares in its health benefits to mangosteen, due to its xanthones and other nutritional properties.
Helping to fight cancer is just one of the many properties that different xanthones perform. For instance, one study performed in Japan showed that the xanthone alpha-mangostin had apparent properties that suppressed the development of tumors. Another, performed in China, found the xanthone garcinone E to show significant anticancer effects in terms of liver, lung, and gastric cancer cells.
In addition, some xanthones have shown significant antimicrobial effects in terms of fighting MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus), which is a bacterial strain known for its tenacious resistance to pharmacologic antibiotics. One scientific study also showed that alpha-mangostin, beta-mangostin, and garcinone B to have pronounced inhibition effects on a strain of tuberculosis.
As if that isn’t enough, xanthones have also been scientifically proven to help lower LDL, the bad cholesterol, by protecting the LDL from coming into contact with free radicals, thus leaving it unable to oxidize and attach to arterial walls and cause atherosclerosis.
Taking into account the anticancer, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, and cholesterol-lowering effects of the xanthones found in mangosteen, here is just a sampling of the other many benefits that science has either researched or is in the process of discovering:
Antiviral
Helps lower blood pressure
Helps fight fatigue
Antidepressant
Prevents stomach ulcers
Aids with weight loss
Antiaging
Combats diarrhea
Pain reducer
Heart protective
Analgesic
Anti-parkinsonian and anti-Alzheimer
Lowers fevers
Builds immunity to disease
Antiallergen
Antifungal
Antiparasitic
Indeed, even now some health practitioners are suggesting drinking mangosteen juice for relief to people who suffer from the following diseases:
Infections
Skin ailments like psoriasis, seborrhea, or eczema
Joint problems and arthritis
Dementia
Anxiety and depression
Cancer
Chronic pain
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Ulcers
Diabetes
The Fruit with Xanthone Power
As time goes by, it’s becoming less and less uncanny how traditional and folk medicine seems to have a grasp on the nutritional properties of food better than modern science has in the past. Indeed, it seems in some cases, especially in that of the mangosteen, science is working to catch up.
The mangosteen fruit is believed to have originated in the Moluccas and the Sunda Islands. It’s been used for decades upon decades by people from Thailand, the Philippines, and China in folk medicine to treat dysentery, skin disorders like eczema, diarrhea and cystitis, among other ailments.
One of the reasons why mangosteen is only now gaining notoriety and popularity is because, for many years, direct importation of the fruit from other countries has been illegal, based on governmental regulations to help quarantine the Asian fruit fly. Unfortunately, the mangosteen tree doesn’t grow well in most or all climates in the United States, so attempts to grow the fruit here have been relatively unsuccessful.
However, as science has begun proving the unsurpassed medical value of the rare mangosteen fruit and its xanthones, juices and preserves are becoming more and more readily available.
In terms of taste, the mangosteen itself is considered one of the most exquisitely delicious fruits nature has to offer. Often called the “Queen of Fruits,” the taste of mangosteen is unique, but is often described as sweet and tangy with hints of pear, ripe strawberry, and grape.
After sampling mangosteen, it’s easy to see why this fruit is so popular in Thailand due to its taste. And after learning about the benefits of the xanthones found in mangosteen, it’s even more clear how nutritionally beneficial this amazing fruit is.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leslie_Martin
Shea butter is made from the nuts of the Shea tree. Shea butter can assist with dry skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, and cracked and flaky skin. It’s found in a number of cosmetic products and is known for its ability to moisturize and soothe. I’ve ordered some Shea butter and it should arrive very soon.
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