Alternative Therapies and Health News

Summer is in its full swing and comes with it sweat and the irritating itching. Now you and I understand how humiliating it is to scratch before others and also how difficult it is to control the desire to scratch.

The root cause for itching is impurity in blood. It may affect your whole body or only certain parts of your body. Summer triggers of a several instances because of which one’s skin may turn prone to itching. These instances are:

• Dry Skin
• Skin Inflammations like Sunburn, Allergies
• Sweat
• Tight Clothing or Improper Summer Clothing

For questions like whether an Itching sensation should be dealt with scratch, the answer is always No. However satisfying the act of scratching is, it only worsens the problem and does not ease you from the trouble. It is best to avoid scratching. If scratching breaks open the skin, bacterial infection can set in. And if scratching continues for many months or years, the area that is scratched may develop thickened skin (lichenification) or pigmentation that darkens the area.

Home Remedies for itching:

• Peppermint Bath proves beneficial for a permanent relief from itching
• Use a light paste of Coconut Oil and Lime Juice to cover the infected area
• While taking bath massage your body in Luke Warm water with 2-3 cups of Oatmeal in it
• Mix a cupful of white vinegar in bath water and soak the body in it for 15-20 minutes
• Apply Cod Liver Oil or Aloe Vera to the affected area
• Use moisturizer after every wash
• Apply Vitamin E oil to lessen itching
• For immediate relief use hot water application to the affected area
• Apply the paste made out of Baking Soda and Water
• Neem leaves are an effective remedy for skin problems. Neem Oil also helps the infected area to come back to its normal healthy state. Neem bath that is taken by boiling Neem leaves in bathing water works wonders.

Along with all the above remedies it is imperative to use summer suitable clothing. Your Skin reflects how healthy you are.

Dry skin can cause itching or rashes on your skin. It can affect any part of the body; but the most frequently affected part is the arms and legs. Dry skin is usually caused due to inability of the skin to retain moisture. Here are some simple tips for a smoother and younger looking skin.

• Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.
• Drink plenty of water (at least 8 glasses) to keep your skin hydrated.
• Add oil (almond oil or olive oil) to your bath. Using bath oils and moisturizers daily would help. Oil stays more on the skin than moisturizers.
• Do not take bath in hot water for long durations.
• Avoid washing your face frequently; it might cause dehydration.
• Avoid using deodorants which can cause skin irritation.
• Increase the amount of essential fatty acids in your diet. It will help replace the moisture content of your skin and hair.
• Exfoliate your skin at least three times a week to get rid of dead cells. If dead cells remain on your skin, it lets the moisture escape from its cracks.
• Apply moisturizer to your skin.
• Limit the use of soap while bathing. After you take bath, pat your skin dry; and do not rub.
• Wear gloves when you wash clothes and dishes.
• Burrow’s solution that contains calcium acetate will be a great relief. Dilute one part of Burrow’s solution with 30 parts of water and apply on your skin.
• Dry skin usually lacks lipids that are found on normal skin that helps retain water on your skin. Use creams that help replace lipids on your skin.
• Do not overexpose your skin to sun. Apply sunscreen or moisturizer to those areas of skin that are prone to exposure.
• Extreme weather conditions can also cause dry skin. Use humidifier at home while central heating.

Stretch marks are fine lines that develop on the body, as a normal puberty symptom. Stretch mark is a term that is used in describing a condition in which the tissue under the skin gets pulled because of overstretching and rapid growth.

Strech marks are reddish or purple color lines that are formed on the body that differ in texture from the surrounding skin. Stretch marks are a very common problem , among both the genders.

Common Causes Of Stretch Marks:

• Pregnancy
• Obesity
• Rapid weight loss
• Body building
• Hormonal disorders
• Insufficiency of nutrients in the body
• Sudden difference in physical or environmental conditions some medications
• Use of steroids

Here are a Few Effective Stretch Mark Remedies:

• Drink lots of water, because it helps in increasing the elasticity of skin, thus preventing the formation of stretch marks. This is proven to be a very effective stretch marks remedy.
• Eat a well-balanced nutritious diet, such that you dont put on too much weight. Keep a watch on your food because weight gain can also become a cause for the formation of stretch marks.
• Massaging the area of stretch marks has proven to be a good home remedy for the stretch marks removal. You can use olive oil, flaxseed oil, vitamin E oil or cod liver oil for the massage.
• It is the loosening or stretching of skin which causes stretch marks. To tone your body, exercise well.
• Use cocoa butter and apply it on the stretch marks.

Following are some effective home remedies to treat wrinkles:

• Apply the egg white part of an  egg  to the problematic area as it serves as an effective home remedy for wrinkles.
• Apply some odorless castor oil on the skin that sags under the eyes or on the throat.
• Apply some coconut oil and massage it on the wrinkled skin.
• Everyday eat 1 tsp of shredded ginger along with a few drops of honey every morning.
• Rub the core of a pineapple over the face for sometime and leave it on for around 10 to 15 minutes.
• A paste of turmeric made with sugarcane juice is great to get rid of wrinkles and slow skin ageing.
• Prepare a mixture of honey, olive oil and cream. Apply it on the face. It gives very good results.
• Regular facials are necessary to control wrinkles.
• Have a balanced diet which includes fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods, seeds, nuts and legumes.

Eczema is quite common as a skin disease. Check the following remedies proven to be effective in soothing eczema.

• Rub a nutmeg against a smooth stone along with some water. Make a smooth paste and then apply it on your skin.
• Add a tablespoon of turmeric powder to a tbsp of neem leaves. Grind this to a paste and apply.
• Apply a mixture of 1 tsp camphor and 1 tsp sandalwood paste on the rashes.
• Apply some natural vitamin E on the affected skin, this will relieve it of itching.
• Zinc taken both orally and when applied directly on skin is effective.
• Shark cartilage and blueberry leaves lotion help in reducing inflammation.
• Use a pine tar soap to wash the affected skin.
• Drinking tomato juice everyday will help curing the symptoms in a few days.

Diet for Eczema:
It is a misconception that diet causes eczema. Food can only causes allergy. It is the genes of a person that causes eczema. If you are allergic or sensitive to certain foods then try avoiding them, because they could trigger eczema. Avoid dairy products, eggs, nuts, preservatives and citrus fruits which are more likely to trigger eczema.

All of us fancy a golden tan, but when it gets a little more than needed it can lead to a sun burn. A sun burn can be painful and makes one look ugly. But dont fear as it wont stay on your body for long, here are some tips to soothe a sunburn:

• Use Aspirin first, it will reduce the pain.
• Put a cold wet compress that will make you feel better immediately.
• Soak yourself in a tub of cool water containing a cup of white vinegar in the bath.
• Apply aloe gel generously to the burnt area.
• Rub the sunburned area with some fresh cucumber slices
• Apply ice or cold water to the burned area. This will soothe the burning process and cool the skin
• Apply peppermint oil to the sunburned skin. You can also make a mild peppermint infusion and use it as a wash to cool the sunburn
• Grate a potato and apply iton the burned area. The starch will cool and soothe the burn
• mix equal quantities of yogurt and mashed strawberries and apply it to the sunburned area for 15 minutes. Rinse the area with cool water.
• Mix the juice of three lemons into two cups of cold water and then sponge the sunburnt area. The lemon will cool the burn, act as a disinfectant, and will promote healing of the skin

If the burn is really bad then please go to a doctor. Another important thing to remmeber, be very careful before going into the sun, overexposure to the sun prematurely ages the skin and also increases the risk of skin cancer. So dont forget to use a sun blok or sun screen before facing the sun.

The first thing people look in you is – your face. Others get impressed first by your face and next by the way you dress. Anyway, without the best face the best dress can do nothing. For an attractive and glowing face you need to have a healthy skin. You can easily achieve healthy skin by following the basic guideline - cleansing.

Deep Cleanse

Normally men have 15% oilier skin. Mean also have larger pores than women have. Basically, this means your face gets dirtier. So, the best regimen for an impressive face is cleaning your face every day, no matter what skin type you have. Deep cleansing is very important to keep pores clear, skin healthy and make you look good.

The Best Cleansing Products

Use cleansing products that are chemical-free. Don’t use deodorant soaps because they cleanse your face with harsh ingredients and leave behind a detergent film. This irritates your skin and clogs your pores. So, the best advice is - go natural.

Scrub Your Face

A good scrub is important for healthy clean skin. It removes dead cells and smoothens the surface of your face. Make sure you use a scrub that is strong and without being damaging. Don’t use scrubs containing rough elements like seed extracts or ground bits of nut. They will tear and damage your skin. A good scrub is one that invigorates you, not hurts you.

Don’t Forget to Moisturize

Moisturizing is also necessary for a healthy skin. The product that has least amount of chemical additives is the right and best choice. Use a light moisturizer on your face after cleansing and shaving. Don’t forget your neck.

Pure vitamin E, or aloe vera oil work well for an intensive moisture treatment. You can find them in liquid form. If not just break open a capsule, and apply the oil on your skin. This is a great under eye treatment. Don’t forget to moisturize this very sensitive area of your face. This is one of the first places to show aging because the skin under your eye secretes no necessary oils on its own.

One More Thing

Keep this important thing in mind. Depending on your skin type and time of year, you have to use different products and treatments to treat and enhance your skin.

You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to get beautiful and healthy skin. Just follow a few sedu guidelines to get a flawless skin easily and naturally:

1. Eat healthy. Avoid foods that cause breakouts and pimples, this will make your skin less oily and more resistant to blemishes. Avoid junk and fried foods like fries, chocolates, pizzas and soft drinks. You dont need to give up everything that is bad for your skin. You can eat these things in moderation.

2. Keep your skin hydrated at all times. Drink atleast eight glasses of water every day to flush out the toxins from your body.

3. Exercise regularly. You can do some aerobic exercises, walking, running, cycling or swimming. Play some outdoor games to keep your body fit and active. Exercise helps in proper blood circulation and gives a natural glow to your skin.

4. Limit exposure to sun. Use a good sunscreen or sunblock cream whenever you step out. Also wear a hat and sunglasses and avoid going out in the sun during the peak hours between 11 a.m and 3 p.m.

5. Follow a regular cleansing routine. Cleanse and moisturize your skin with a good cream every day. Also tone and exfoliate your skin once in 2 days. Do not use hot water to wash your face.

6. Remove all traces of makeup before going to bed every night.

7. Use a facial mask once or twice in a week to refresh your face.

Our hands are the most used but probably the most neglected parts of our body. We try to keep our face glowing and vibrant all the time, but turn up at parties with dirty hands and fingernails. And most of us don’t have the time to visit a saloon and get a manicure done.

Here are some simple and quick steps to do manicure in a few minutes:

1. Remove all old nail polish from your nails.

2. Wash your hands thoroughly. Then cut your fingernails. Wash your hands again after cutting.

3. Now shape your nails. Take a nail file and file the corners of your nails. Avoid using a sawing motion, as this makes the nails brittle. Take your nail file to a corner and using an upward motion, file to the center of your nail.

4. Now soak your fingers in a bowl of warm, soapy water to soften the cuticles and loosen the dirt.

5. Now remove all the dirt from under the nails. And push back the cuticles using the stick. Wash your hands again.

6. Now soak your hands in a bowl of warm water to which a little lime juice and johnson’s baby shampoo has been added. Do this for 15 minutes. Then rinse off your hands.

7. Use a good moisturise to massage the hands and cuticles. This will make your hands soft and silky smooth.

Voila ! Now your hands are ready to be shown off everywhere with pride.

Your skin usually tends to become dry and flaky during the winter season. You need to take extra care of your skin and avoid any harsh products. Here are a few tips to heal your dry and dull skin:

1. Use scrubs regularly to remove dry and scaly skin.

2. Use an aloe vear based moisturiser daily. Apply it before bedtime and wash off in the morning.

3. Take half a tsp vitamin E oil and mix it with 2 drops of lime juice and half a tsp of glycerine. Apply this mixture on your skin daily.

4. Make a mixture of one tsp warm olive oil, a few drops of glycerine and 3 drops of lime juice. Apply this on your face once a day.

5. Take one tsp milk cream and mix it with 2 to 3 drops of lime juice. Apply this 10 minutes before taking a bath.

6. You can also apply plain whole milk for 10 minutes and wash off with cold water twice a day to keep dry skin at bay.

Brian Russell, an athlete had no idea what hit him until he was diagnosed with Staph Infection. He routinely tackles 250-pound running backs head-on, but he nearly saw his season end because of a microscopic germ. The Cleveland Browns safety was flattened by a staph infection that hospitalized him during the preseason.

Recalling his scary experience with a skin bacteria that is becoming hard for antibiotics such as penicillin to defeat, Russell said, “I went from being in tiptop shape, to a few hours later, being knocked on my butt and having surgery”.

Stories like Russell’s are becoming more common these days. There are several reports of staph infections, in varying and deadly forms, occuring across Ohio and nationwide in high school, college and professional athletes.

Wrestlers, football players and even fencers are contracting MRSA, a serious bug that has found its way into locker rooms, weight rooms and athletic training facilities. There has been an alarming rise in the Staph cases among athletes who share towels, whirlpools and common areas like locker rooms. Staph, enters through lesions in the skin and grows best in damp areas.

To stop the spread of Staph, people need to practice proper hygiene and take preventive measures, especially athletes who can be more at higher risk.

Athletes are advised to wash their hands frequently with soap and water and to report skin lesions to their team’s medical staff. They also need to wash cuts with soap and water and apply the proper dressings daily.

This bacteria is potentially deadly when it enters the body through scratches and scrapes. Once inside, it may cause blood and joint nfections, and pneumonia.

Treat your tired and wearied feet to a soothing soak and relax your whole body. Fill a large bowl with warm water, sliced lime and mint leaves. Take a saucepan, and combine half cup each of baby oil, sugar and chopped fresh mint. Stir over low heat until warm. Massage this mixture on your feet and then soak them in the bowl of lime-mint water for 10 minutes. Rinse off and pat dry. Your feet will tingle with freshness !!!