Does an Olive Oil Facial Cleanser Really Belong on Your Skin?

February 9th, 2010

Does an Olive Oil Facial Cleanser Really Belong on Your Skin?

By: Amy Austen

Olive oil is a popular additive in facial cleansers right now. Is it really an effective ingredient for cleaning the skin? This popular treatment does have a place in skin care, but perhaps not as you expect.

Most facial cleansers may contain a small amount of olive oil, but the active ingredients they use to cleanse the face are synthetic chemicals that are not beneficial to the skin. For example, many alcohols, such as isopropyl and ethanol, irritate the skin and make it more vulnerable to bacteria. Another common additive is mineral oil, which clogs the pores and can cause acne and a host of other skin issues.

So what are the benefits of this natural product? Olive oil is actually very similar to human sebum, the natural oil of our body. The best choice for achieving the full benefits is to select a cleanser with Olivem 800. Olivem 800 is an excellent extract of olive oil that has been developed recently. It is a powerful emollient, creating soft, glowing skin. Because its a pure extract, it is extremely effective at hydrating.

Another essential element of a facial cleanser is that it should contain natural ingredients, instead of the usual chemical additives. For example, active manuka honey has anti-bacterial effects which are very strong, and the honeyis also full of antioxidants. By partnering active manuka honey with Olivem 800, a powerful and beneficial facial cleanser is created, with none of the drawbacks of cleansers loaded with additives.

So, you may want to give products containing Olivem 800 a try. This extract will provide much more beneficial results than standard olive oil. And, by staying away from products with harsh chemicals, you’ll be doing yourself and your skin a favor.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_8774.shtml

Why You Haven’t Been Able to Get Whiter Teeth

February 7th, 2010

Why You Haven\’t Been Able to Get Whiter Teeth

By: Jeyanth Watson

Would you like to have whiter teeth? Or should I ask, have you tried whitening your teeth?

There are lots of people would want whiter teeth, and they try different methods, but nothing seems to work and they get frustrated.

The bad news is that what you know about teeth whitening may be incorrect and your efforts may be in vain. The good news is that you actually can get whiter teeth, and it doesn’t have to be expensive either.

Many people try to find a top of the line whitening toothpaste and brush many times a day, hoping that if they brush enough with a good toothpaste it will help whiten their teeth. While brushing with good toothpaste does help, it is only part of the best solution.

Whitening toothpastes (and many other teeth whitening products you find at the store) have a mild substance that helps to clean the enamel surfaces of your teeth. This means that they do a better job of cleaning your teeth, but they do not actually have too much “whitening power.”

There are other teeth whitening products that have addressed this problem though. There is a new product however that has a powerful oxidizing solution that penetrates the porosites in the enamel of your teeth, meaning this solution cleans much deeper than regular toothpastes. This whitening gel cleans your teeth, and it bleaches the enamel and and dentin layer.

This is a much more effective way to get whiter teeth. The whitening gel is easy to apply, and it gives you great results. Of course, you should still be using a good toothpaste and brushing your teeth, but trying a better solution is obviously going to help.

If you really want to get whiter teeth, then I highly recommend checking out the Dazzle White website.

You can find out more about why this powerful solution gives much better results than just using a good toothpaste or the other weak products available. Dazzle White is a gel-pen where you just rub the whitening gel on your teeth, and then brush it off. Easy to apply and great results.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_8699.shtml

What is the Best Skin Firming Face Care Line? Top Recommendations Revealed

February 6th, 2010

What is the Best Skin Firming Face Care Line? Top Recommendations Revealed

By: Amy Austen

There are many skin firming products hitting the market right now. They range from day and night creams to full body creams and even firming body washes that do their magic while you shower. These products are enticing for consumers who want to avoid or eliminate the signs of aging on the skin, but how do you identify the best skin firming face care lines? Which brands can you really trust?

There are three basic guidelines that we used to come up with the top recommendation for the best skin firming face care line being sold right now. There may be others that are worth checking into as well, but consider the three components of this skin firming line that really caught our attention.

Natural Ingredients

The best skin firming face care line had to come down to what is actually contained inside the formula of each product. Results are very important, but the long term consequences of those results are just as important. This is why natural ingredients topped our list of requirements when searching for the best skin firming face care line.

This was the first place that the Xtend-Life brand stood out from the crowd. They are very proud of their ingredients list, which exclude all of the common chemical fillers that other brands use such as frangrances, parabens (preservatives), and known toxins.

Since these fillers are excluded completely, they are able to fill their skin firming products with higher quantities of the key ingredients. This means more results for the consumer.

Benefits

The way that the products in this skin care line are designed impressed us as well. The manufacturer has identified a few main active ingredients that are extremely beneficial to the health and youthfulness of the skin, and they have included ample amounts of these substances in all of their products. It turns out many of these ingredients stimulate the production of collagen and elastin and help grow new skin cells.

This means they are the best skin firming face care line, but they also offer a lot of other benefits to the skin besides natural firming. They also replenish and nourish the skin while decreasing other signs of aging such as wrinkles and age spots.

Honest Guarantee

Xtend-Life offers a no questions asked guarantee which allows dissatisfied consumers to return the products they purchased within three months for an almost full refund (a small fee is taken due to shipping expenses). This is a company which truly backs up their products, and the quality offered is proof.

There are some other brands which come close to what is offered by this brand, but most of them fall short in one of these three key areas. Overall, Xtend-Life is the best skin firming face care line that really shows lasting results.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_8765.shtml

Bodybuilding Diet and Exercise: The Principles of Building the Perfect Body

February 5th, 2010

Bodybuilding Diet and Exercise: The Principles of Building the Perfect Body

By: Emile Jarreau

Who can forget the physique of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie Pumping Iron as he went on to win his seventh Mr. Olympia? His combination of size and symmetry was declared by many to be the perfect body. This bodybuilding physique led many young boys to begin picking up weights and starting off on their own journey to achieve perfect bodies.

Getting into ripped and extremely muscular shape is a little harder than just picking up a dumbbell and starting to curl, however. It requires intense determination and dedication to both diet and exercise principles. Body building is perhaps as much science as it is physical exercise and diet as it requires the right combination of both to achieve maximal results. First let’s look at some of the exercises that bodybuilders do to achieve their superhuman bodies.

Of all the exercises that one can do to build muscle, none is more effective than the squat. This exercise allows you to lift an incredible amount of weight and will develop your entire lower body as well as many of the muscles in your upper body. In addition, exercises such as the bench-press, dead lift, and pull up will work most of the other groups of muscles in your body as well. Bodybuilders, as they become more experienced, incorporate different types of isolation exercises as well that are designed to hit individual muscle groups. These isolation exercises help bodybuilders develop extreme muscle density and definition that gives them their marbled statue look. Because muscle growth actually takes place during rest periods, it is important to take a day or so off of lifting weights in the middle of the week to allow your muscles time to grow. If you simply work out 6 to 7 days per week, you can easily over train and your muscles will actually shrink rather than grow.

The diet of a bodybuilder is extremely important as well. One must eat to not only provide their muscles with the proper nutrients and energy to grow, but also to not add additional fat stores to their body; this process is an extremely delicate one indeed. Most bodybuilders prefer diets that are extremely high in protein because it is the building block of muscle growth. In addition, while they do consume varying amounts of carbohydrates, they try to do so by including slow burning carbohydrates such as various fruits and vegetables versus sugary sweets that can cause insulin levels to spike in the blood and potentially cause unwanted fat gain around their midsections. Their diets may change drastically directly before competition so as to lose all possible water and fat from their body to achieve that extremely tight ripped look when hitting the stage. Now, most of us won’t ever put on a pair of bikini trunks and slather our bodies in oil to compete in pose off, but by following basic bodybuilding diet principles we can get our bodies in peak shape and turn more than a few heads at the beach.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_8800.shtml

How to Build a Home Gym on the Cheap

February 4th, 2010

How to Build a Home Gym on the Cheap

By: Emile Jarreau

Going to the gym can be expensive. Some monthly gym memberships charge as much is $99 per month or more not including exorbitant setup fees of often hundreds of dollars. Even those much less expensive gyms that are in the $40 per month range can certainly add up over time especially if you factor in the amount of gas you use back and forth on each trip. Not only are they expensive, they can also be inconvenient. A majority of individuals who sign up for gym memberships never end up sticking to the workout routines because it can be so hard to fit going to the gym into your daily schedule. This makes building a home gym a perfect solution for many people.

Now, building a home gym does not have to be an expensive endeavor. You can often get away with very little equipment to start and simply add to it as you become more experienced with working out and your budget increases. For those who are new to working out, one of the best purchases can be a home gym system. These all in one equipment packages feature attachments that will allow you to work your entire body with one machine. Because of this, your home gym may end up being much smaller than if you had many pieces of equipment. Those who are a little more advanced may look to include free weights in their home gym setup.

For those that want to go the free weight route, you’ll want to put down some padded flooring in the room you choose. Padded flooring can be bought in squares that are approximately 2′ x 2′ and join together like pieces of a puzzle. Oftentimes, you get all the workout you need just by buying a set of dumbbells and an adjustable bench. Just about every exercise known to man can be done with dumbbells and as long as you get weights that go up to a high enough number to allow you to make progress, your simple but effective home gym can last you months if not years with no improvements. For those that are looking to put on serious mass with their muscle building routines, you may want to purchase a weight bench and or a squat rack. Ample room is required for these larger pieces of equipment so locating a free weight gym in a basement or garage is usually the best idea.

But a home gym is really anything that you make it. Some people simply want to lose a little fat and may only have an exercise bike and some strength bands. The most important thing to include in your home gym is yourself. Make a commitment to work out in your private space each and every day. Now that you don’t have to worry about the price of gas or working getting to the gym into your schedule, you can make a lifelong commitment to working out in your own private home gym.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_8813.shtml

How To Detect Breast Cancer

February 4th, 2010

How To Detect Breast Cancer

By: Mai Brooks

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in American women. In 2009, approximately 194,280 patients are estimated to be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, and 62,280 with carcinoma in situ. An estimated 40,610 will die of this disease. For a woman of average risk, the lifetime incidence of breast cancer is one in eight.

Screening of asymptomatic women has been accredited for the decline in mortality of breast cancer. The current recommendations from the American Cancer Society for normal-risk women are as follows: 1) Yearly mammogram starting at age 40. The age at which screening should be stopped should be individualized by considering the potential risks and benefits of screening in the context of overall health status and longevity; and 2) Clinical breast exam every 3 years for women in their 20’s and 30’s, and every year for women 40 and older. The evidence to justify mammography for population-based screening is derived from both randomized and several non-randomized clinical trials. Eight randomized trials totalling hundreds of thousands of patients include the Health Insurance Plan of New York, four studies from Sweden, one from the United Kingdom, and two from Canada. The US BCDDP (Breast Cancer Detection Demonstration Project), the largest study of mammography and clinical breast exam, also demonstrated that screening decreases breast cancer mortality.

During the past decade, advances in mammography include digital techniques and computer-aided detection. Film (non-digital) mammography has been estimated to have approximately 65-80% sensitivity at the desired specificity of 90%. The investigators from the DMIST (Digital Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial) reported that the overall diagnostic accuracy of digital and film mammography is similar. However, digital mammograms are more accurate in women under the age of 50 years, pre-menopausal or peri-menopausal women, and those with radiographically dense breasts. Two years later, another large study compared film mammography with digital mammograms read with computer-aided detection software. The authors found that diagnostic specificity significantly decreases from 90.2% to 87.2% with computer-aided detection, whereas sensitivity does not change. The rate of biopsy increases by 19.7%. Thus, more expensive technology does not necessarily translate into better outcome.

In women at high risk for developing breast cancer, screening may also involve breast ultrasound and/or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). High risk factors include BRCA gene carriers, personal or strong family history of breast cancer, prior atypia such as ADH (atypical ductal hyperplasia) or LCIS (lobular carcinoma in situ), and prior chest irradiation. Sonography may be useful in dense breasts. Screening ultrasound can lead to biopsy in 2%-4% of women, of which carcinoma was found in 10%-16% of these biopsies. The ACR Imaging Network trial 6666 is evaluating screening sonography in high-risk women. Breast MRI has also recently been used by clinicians in many high-risk patients. In previous reports, MRI resulted in biopsy in 7%-18% of women, of which breast cancer was detected in 24%-88% of these biopsies. We do not know yet whether ultrasound or MRI decreases breast cancer mortality in high-risk population, beyond that achieved by screening mammography. Currently, breast MRI is also indicated in women with newly diagnosed unilateral breast cancer. A recent publication showed that MRI can detect cancer in the contralateral breast that is missed by mammography and clinical examination in 3.1% of cases. The sensitivity of contralateral breast MRI is 91%, the specificity 88%, and the negative predictive value 99%.

Despite the proven success of breast cancer screening with mammography, many investigators in the US have noted a decline in its use. The NHIS (National Health Interview Survey) estimates from 2005 demonstrated a decline in mammogram screening to 66%, from 70% in 2000. This may unfortunately explain the reported decrease in the incidence of breast cancer, i.e. the discovery of new breast cancer.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_8671.shtml

The Truth about Top Skin Care Lines

February 3rd, 2010

The Truth about Top Skin Care Lines

By: Laurel Levine

Are you just plain fed up? Those formulas that you hear about being some of the top skin care lines that are available are in most cases going to leave you disappointed, possibly even bitterly so. You can only try so many different products without frustration at the lack of effectiveness building up to some extent, and even the newest ones by the major cosmetics companies will leave you with a bad taste in your mouth.

The ineffectiveness of these cosmetics is due to what it is that the major corporations put in them, or fails to, whichever way you want to look at it. These companies tend to try to keep their manufacturing costs down to a bare minimum, which severely curtails their chances for success. You cannot develop a quality skin care formula on a bare bones budget.

The top skin care lines as they are marketed do not include the all natural ingredients that they need in order to effectively treat your skin. Instead of the plant based oils, waxes, and extracts that you need to attain healthy skin, you will find chemical agents and weak synthetics in these products. These ingredients will do nothing for you, except make you sick.

Many people that buy these products do not know the danger that they are putting themselves in. the laymen usually does not have the knowledge necessary in order to be able to discern between what could be considered as healthy ingredients, and those that can be harmful to your health. This lack of knowledge could prove to be very costly in the long run.

What most of the products in the so-called top skin care lines contain are chemicals that have been positively linked to estrogen increases in the body, organ toxicity, and the possible development of nervous system disorders, and cancer. You need to stay away from products with these things in them if you want to remain healthy. It is not an absolute that you will become ill, but why would you risk it?

Stick with the plant based formulas containing proteins and enzymes as the only other compounds. These ingredients will provide your skin with all of the nutrients that you need in order to repair your skin. The best formulas will even contain proteins and extracts proven to increase the amount of connective tissue that you have substantially.

The top skin care lines are those that contain Functional Keratin and Phytessence Wakame in them. These are the ingredients necessary for the production of cells that form collagen and elastin, and that will prevent the future breakdown of your hyaluronic acid. These ingredients are the answer that you have been looking for when it comes to eliminating the lines and wrinkles from your skin.

You have got to be careful about blindly believing the cosmetics industries claims of having the top skin care lines, because without knowing what is in them could hurt you. Use only those products that contain all natural ingredients in them like Functional Keratin and Phytessence Wakame. They are the answer to safely looking younger that you have been waiting for.

Visit my site to learn about more amazing effective natural skin care substances you have probably never heard of.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_8730.shtml

The Glycemic Index and Weight Loss

February 2nd, 2010

The Glycemic Index and Weight Loss

By: Emile Jarreau

Have you ever felt yourself crash? Not the automobile type of crash, but the type of crash where you suddenly find yourself weak, tired, dizzy, or otherwise sluggish? This is because your blood sugar has dropped too low and your brain suddenly has too little. The way a human body would work best is if it had an IV drip of blood sugar throughout the day, because then it could respond very moderately to the intake of sugar. Unfortunately, that’s not realistic or practical, so the next best thing is to consider the glycemic index.

If you go for foods with a high glycemic index, you are choosing foods that will break down into sugar very quickly, which your body will clear out quickly with insulin. At a very basic level, this is how it works: When you eat something that has a lot of sugar in it, your body breaks it down easily, because it’s already practically sugar. Once all this sugar enters your bloodstream, your body reacts by getting insulin to clear it all out. As you know, too much sugar in your bloodstream is life-threatening. It’s called type 2 diabetes, where the pancreas can’t produce enough insulin anymore.

The glycemic index focuses on carbohydrates and their effect on your blood glucose levels. For your body, it’s ideal to have something resembling an IV drip of blood sugar––something that is broken down slowly and provides a slow stream of sugar, rather than an instantaneous surge of sugar that the body needs to clear out to keep you from dying. The glycemic index specifically looks at a 50-gram portion of various foods and evaluates how it raises your blood sugar levels, in terms of quantity and speed.

All food will create some sort of glycemic response, but not all carbohydrates are created equal. On an index of 1 to 100, 100 is considered to be pure glucose. Foods that are considered high on the glycemic index are 70 or higher; moderate foods are between 56 and 69; low foods are 55 and below. Pretzels are rated 81 on the glycemic index, which means they will cause a quicker glycemic response in your body than something like broccoli, which has a rating of 15.

What this means for you is that, if you want to eat healthier and feel your best, you need to look for foods with a low glycemic index. This means that you’ll have a steady stream of blood sugar, and you’ll also feel full in between meals. Again, consider what happens when you eat something like the pretzel. After you’ve eaten it, you might find yourself hungry in only a half hour or an hour. Then, you’ll crave another high glycemic food because your body cleared out too much blood sugar, and you’ll want to make up for it with something that can give you a quick response. This is a recipe for weight gain, not weight loss.

When figuring out how best to eat, find low glycemic foods that will keep you feeling full and give your body nutrients. As long as you know how to use it, the glycemic index is your best friend when it comes to health and weight loss.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_8804.shtml

Why Organic Natural Skin Care is Better

February 2nd, 2010

Why Organic Natural Skin Care is Better

By: Laurel Levine

Let?s face it. There is no question that organic natural skin care is a far better answer than the chemical laden products that are most frequently sold. If they are so much better, then why aren?t more people buying them? The answer to this question is that most people do not possess the knowledge about various cosmetics ingredients, and what it is that they do.

If more people understood how the ingredients in skin care products worked in order to keep their skin healthy then they would make far better buying decisions. Knowing what to look for in these products would also teach people what it is that they need to avoid. There are plenty of ingredients that are frequently used in the manufacture of cosmetics products that you should steer clear of.

The majority of the cosmetics companies do not develop organic natural skin care products; because they would cost the company far more than if they continued to fill their formulas with chemical agents and low grade synthetics. Natural ingredients have to be processed a certain way in order for them to be usable as ingredients in cosmetics, and this processing adds to the manufacturing expense of the product.

So in order to keep costs down, and profit margins up, most companies use ingredients in their products that are questionable at best. A long list of ingredients commonly used by the cosmetics industry in the United States, and in many areas of the world have been banned under ruling of the European Union. Let me tell you what some of these ingredients could do to you.

The chemicals typically found in cosmetics products have been proven during scientific studies to cause the development of cancer, organ toxicity, and nervous system damage. They have also been shown to have an estrogenic effect on the body. You will run the risk of none of these by using high quality organic natural skin care products.

These formulas are primarily plant based, and these oils, waxes, and extract have a healing effect on the skin. Plant compounds provide the skin with necessary nutrients which help to keep it healthy. They also provide a wealth of antioxidants, which aid in eliminating the UV produced free radicals which attacks the cells of your skin, and causes them to break down.

A truly effective organic natural skin care formula will also put to use various enzymes and proteins, which have been proven to positively affect your skin. One of the best of these types of ingredients is the keratin protein mixture known as Functional Keratin. This ingredient stimulates the production of the cells that are necessary for the growth of new collagen and elastin.

Make no mistake about it. You will never find an ingredient capable of promoting the growth of new connective tissue outside of an organic natural skin care formula. The products that flood the market right now are a waste of time and money, and the chance that you are taking in using them is simply not worth it. Do yourself a favor, and see what wonders natures ingredients can provide you with.

If you’d like to learn more about little known but clinically tested natural ingredients that are used for treating aging skin, visit my website today.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_8732.shtml

The Truth about Top Skin Care Lines

February 1st, 2010

The Truth about Top Skin Care Lines

By: Laurel Levine

Are you just plain fed up? Those formulas that you hear about being some of the top skin care lines that are available are in most cases going to leave you disappointed, possibly even bitterly so. You can only try so many different products without frustration at the lack of effectiveness building up to some extent, and even the newest ones by the major cosmetics companies will leave you with a bad taste in your mouth.

The ineffectiveness of these cosmetics is due to what it is that the major corporations put in them, or fails to, whichever way you want to look at it. These companies tend to try to keep their manufacturing costs down to a bare minimum, which severely curtails their chances for success. You cannot develop a quality skin care formula on a bare bones budget.

The top skin care lines as they are marketed do not include the all natural ingredients that they need in order to effectively treat your skin. Instead of the plant based oils, waxes, and extracts that you need to attain healthy skin, you will find chemical agents and weak synthetics in these products. These ingredients will do nothing for you, except make you sick.

Many people that buy these products do not know the danger that they are putting themselves in. the laymen usually does not have the knowledge necessary in order to be able to discern between what could be considered as healthy ingredients, and those that can be harmful to your health. This lack of knowledge could prove to be very costly in the long run.

What most of the products in the so-called top skin care lines contain are chemicals that have been positively linked to estrogen increases in the body, organ toxicity, and the possible development of nervous system disorders, and cancer. You need to stay away from products with these things in them if you want to remain healthy. It is not an absolute that you will become ill, but why would you risk it?

Stick with the plant based formulas containing proteins and enzymes as the only other compounds. These ingredients will provide your skin with all of the nutrients that you need in order to repair your skin. The best formulas will even contain proteins and extracts proven to increase the amount of connective tissue that you have substantially.

The top skin care lines are those that contain Functional Keratin and Phytessence Wakame in them. These are the ingredients necessary for the production of cells that form collagen and elastin, and that will prevent the future breakdown of your hyaluronic acid. These ingredients are the answer that you have been looking for when it comes to eliminating the lines and wrinkles from your skin.

You have got to be careful about blindly believing the cosmetics industries claims of having the top skin care lines, because without knowing what is in them could hurt you. Use only those products that contain all natural ingredients in them like Functional Keratin and Phytessence Wakame. They are the answer to safely looking younger that you have been waiting for.

Visit my site to learn about more amazing effective natural skin care substances you have probably never heard of.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_8730.shtml

Interesting Sources