Anti Aging Supplements - Fight Wrinkles From Within
Choosing antioxidants to supplement your regular skin routine is an approach that has been validated scientifically. A study by French scientists found that woman taking vitamin C, vitamin E, and betacarotene had 23% fewer new wrinkles, and a reduction in existing wrinkles of 8%. Antioxidants stop the breakdown of collagen and elastin by free radicals.
Foods with the highest levels of antioxidants, as measured by the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbence capacity), listed from the highest: prunes, raisins, blueberries, kale, cranberries, spinach, raspberries, brussel sprouts, plums and broccoli.
Vitamin A is another important nutrient for the skin. A deficiency in vitamin A will reduce the effectiveness of skin treatments. Vitamin A is needed for the normal growth and renewal of skin cells. Our skin cells are constantly replacing each other, and new ones are pushed up to the surface as the old ones slough off. Not only is vitamin A an antioxidant, but it also nourishes the fat layer underneath the skin. Vitamin A keeps skin supple, and may prevent skin damage.
Symptoms of vitamin A deficiency include dry and rough skin, localized breakouts, fragile skin, wrinkle prone skin, poor skin texture, and splitting nails.
One thing to remember with taking vitamin A supplements is not to exceed the recommended daily dose, as it can build up in your body if taken in excess. Taking 10000 IU per day is fine.
Vitamin C is another important beauty supplement. Not only does it help in skin repair by building collagen, but lower levels of vitamin C in the skin are associated with aging and UV damage. Taking 500mg to 2000mg per day, in divided doses, is recommended.
An excellent antioxidant supplement to take is alpha lipoic acid (ALA), especially if you're taking the other antioxidant vitamins C and E, and coenzyme Q10. Alpha lipoic acid is not only an antioxidant in its own right, but it has the capacity to recycle these other antioxidants. Alpha lipoic acid is also an anti inflammatory agent, and improves insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is associated with obesity and heart disease. ALA increases the rate at which glucose is removed from the bloodstream, and helps the body detoxify metals that have accumulated. Alpha lipoic acid also prevents the cross linking of fibers, which leads to aging and the development of wrinkles.
Alpha lipoic acid is produced by the body, but only in small amounts. It is used by the cells in their production of cellular energy, and we only benefit from its antioxidant effects if the amount of ALA in our bodies is greater than that which our cells need for normal functioning. And, unfortunately, the levels of ALA in our body decline as we age.
One advantage of alpha lipoic acid is that it is both fat and water soluble. This means it can work in all parts of our body, making it very versatile. Most antioxidants are either fat or water soluble, but not both. For example, vitamin A is fat soluble, and vitamin C is water soluble.
Taking about 50 to 100mg of alpha lipoic acid supplements a day has been suggested, though this supplement has not been tested on pregnant or breast feeding women.
References: Nature and Health, April/May 2006
To learn more about why good anti aging best skin care regimens include beauty foods and supplements, see this article. Included are foods you should be eating regularly to nourish your skin. For a review of anti aging skin care treatments, see this article. If you prefer using natural health and beauty products, see this article.
Eating Disorders and their Causes
Eating disorders have become a major health problem in recent years and, according to the health professionals, they are caused by many different factors. Every person with an eating disorder will be affected by these different factors in their own way. These include social and cultural factors, psychological factors, family influences, biological factors and external issues.
The starting point of an eating disorder can often be a diet. If the diet is a particularly strict regime, the risk is even greater. In people who have underlying factors, it may be the thing that pushes him or her over the edge if the diet is prolonged. Of course, we must remember that not everyone who follows a diet will develop an eating disorder.
For family or friends, the search for the single cause of a loved ones eating disorder is fruitless. Many think that finding a single cause will help everyone to understand and be more able to help the person 'get over it'. If only it were that simple!!! It is definitely important for those family and friends to focus on supporting the person while they recover from this disorder under the guidance of health professionals.
Some of the different factors or influences that can contribute to an eating disorder include:
Cultural and Social Influence
In the past decade, there has been a great deal of attention focused on the social attitudes and influences that can cause eating disorders. The ideal of being thin is portrayed in all types of media in the western world, leading the not so thin to believe that they must diet in order to achieve this ideal body. This idealization of the perfect body can be one of the greatest social influences contributing to eating disorders as around thirty percent of young women are on weight loss diets at any given time.
The social attitudes and influences that contribute to this critical yearning to be slim include:
The fact that the models in magazines and on television are around a size eight or less while the average woman is around a size 14. this constant imagery of the 'perfect' body is unrealistic but it reinforces the ideas that this is the normal and the expected shape of a woman. Men, in a similar way, are constantly bombarded with the image of the handsome and muscular man, leaving them with the belief that it is the normal and ideal body for a man.
Overweight people are constantly shown as unhappy individuals who have lost control of their life, leaving them lonely and depressed.
Slim people are shown in the media as being successful, happy, and always in control of their lives. The media normally portrays these people as lively and fun loving individuals.
There appears to be a higher value put on physical appearance than on the inner qualities and non physical attributes of people in the modernized culture.
Some career paths put constant pressure on people to be thin.
Psychological Factors
There appears to be certain personality traits that are more common to people with the predisposition to develop an eating disorder. These include:
Lack of self esteem. Almost everyone who has an eating disorder has a low self esteem and this is exacerbated by the guilt associated with the disorder itself. The person may have had a troubled childhood or may even have been a victim of abuse. These however, are not the only causes of poor self esteem.
Having very high expectations of self and being unable to live up to these expectations.
Belief that people will only love them if they are high achievers.
Being unable to express their own needs and being unable to be assertive in their need to say 'no' to others when needed.
A history of loneliness, anger, anxiety and depression.
Any of these factors can be exacerbated by the starvation caused by bulimia or anorexia, thus making the situation even worse for the sufferer.
The Influence of Family
There are no particular predictors of a type of family where there is a more pronounced likelihood of a child developing an eating disorder though communication and expectations within a family may contribute to these disorders.
One thing that can have a dramatic and negative effect on young people of both genders is unrealistically high expectations from their parents. Often, these expectations affect all areas of their life such as education, sport, appearance, and weight control. Parents don't set out to put pressure on their children but merely want to help them to create a positive future for themselves. In so doing, however, they may be setting that child up for an eating disorder.
Sometimes communication and expression are lacking in family relationships. This can lead to frustration particularly if the feelings are negative. This can be the catapult for the child to develop an eating disorder.
If a parent or parents are continually dieting and are themselves obsessed with body weight and image, they may pass these values on to the child while he or she is still very young.
Biological Factors
There is some speculation that certain biological factors may contribute to the likelihood of a person developing an eating disorder. Some theories include:
In people with low levels of serotonin, eating disorders may be more likely to develop. Serotonin is the chemical responsible for transmitting messages from the brain about the need for food, sleep, and other matters. It has already been established that people with clinical depression have lower levels of serotonin.
It is possible that people with eating disorders may have a reduced blood flow to part of their brain.
The chance of an eating disorder may be associated with the hormonal imbalances that are a characteristic of puberty.
External Aspects
Sometimes things happen in life and the continuing pressure associated with these events can make people who are already vulnerable more likely to develop an eating disorder. For instance, a teenager who may already be on a strict diet may lose a parent and this may push him or her over the edge.
External factors that may trigger an eating disorder include:
A major life crisis such as the death of a loved one, a change of school or job, unemployment, the breakup of a relationship, or finding out that you have a serious illness.
Smaller, ongoing stresses like money worries and insults from people about size, weight and general appearance.
Regardless of the cause, it is extremely important to show the person as much support as possible, encouraging the person to seek help as quickly as possible.
Anne Wolski has worked in the health and welfare industry for more than 30 years. She is a co-director of http://www.magnetic-health-online.com and http://www.betterhealthshoppe.com which are both information portals with many interesting medical articles. She is also an associate of http://www.timzbiz.com which features many articles on internet marketing and resources.
Anne Wolski has worked in the health and welfare industry for more than 30 years. She is a co-director of http://www.magnetic-health-online.com and http://www.betterhealthshoppe.com which are both information portals with many interesting medical articles. She is also an associate of http://www.timzbiz.com which features many articles on internet marketing and resources.
Everything About Arthritis
One in three adult Americans suffer from some form of arthritis and the disease affects about twice as many women as men.
Arthritic diseases include rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, which are autoimmune diseases; septic arthritis, caused by joint infection; and the more common osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease. Arthritis can be caused from strains and injuries caused by repetitive motion, sports, overexertion, and falls. Unlike the autoimmune diseases, osteoarthritis largely affects older people and results from the degeneration of joint cartilage. Other forms are discussed below.
Arthritic joints can be sensitive to weather changes. The increased sensitivity is thought to be caused by the affected joints developing extra nerve endings in an attempt to protect the joint from further damage.
Signs and symptoms
All arthritides feature pain, which is generally worse in the morning and on initiating movement, and resolves in the course of time. In elderly people and children, the pain may not be the main feature, and the patient simply moves less (elderly) or refuse to use the affected limb (children).
When faced with joint pain, a doctor will generally ask about several other medical symptoms (such as fever, skin symptoms, breathlessness, Raynaud's phenomenon) that may narrow down the differential diagnosis to a few items, for which testing can be done.
Arthritis and fever together are pointers towards septic arthritis (see below). This is a medical emergency, and requires urgent referral to a rheumatologist.
Diagnosis
The various types of arthritis can be distinguished by the pace of onset, the age and sex of the patient, the amount of (and which) joints affected, additional symptoms (such as psoriasis, iridocyclitis, Raynaud's phenomenon, and rheumatoid nodules), and other clues.
Blood tests and X-rays of the affected joints are often performed to make the diagnosis. X-rays can show erosions or bone appositions.
Screening blood tests: full blood count, electrolytes, renal function, liver enzymes, calcium, phosphate, protein electrophoresis, C-reactive protein and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Specific tests are the rheumatoid factor, antinuclear factor (ANF), extractable nuclear antigen and specific antibodies whenever the ANF is found to be positive.
Treatment
Treatment options vary depending on the precise condition, but include surgery, and drug treatment, reduction of joint stress, physical and occupational therapy, and pain management. There are also numerous herbal remedies that purportedly treat arthritis, including Harpagophytum procumbens. For specifics, see the articles on the individual conditions listed below.
In March 2005, researchers at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in the USA found that a diet rich in oily fish raised the body's production of an anti-inflammatory fat, and may thus reduce the effects of arthritis. According to their study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, this diet worked best when combined with low aspirin doses.
George Harper writes for http://www.arthritisresolved.info where you can find out more about athritis and other topics.
George Harper writes for http://www.arthritisresolved.info where you can find out more about athritis and other topics.
