Understanding How Your Internal System Affects Your Skin

A few things we think you really need to know about your enemy, Acne.

• Acne is a common inflammatory disease of the sebaceous follicle.
• Acne presents itself with comedones, papules, pustules, nodules and possible scarring.
• Acne is most frequently observed on the face, chest, and back where sebaceous follicles are large.
• Biomedically, the pathogenesis of acne is complex.
• The course and severity of this condition appears to be determined by an interaction between hormones, keratinization, sebum, and bacteria.

There are many skin care companies that follow the Traditional Oriental medicine etiology for treating the whole body as a way to combat imbalance in your system. Sounds fancy, right? Well, it works, and we want you to see for yourself how your first defense for problem skin lies well beneath the surface in the internal regulatory system.

Acne is a complex biomedical disorder with the root of the disorder being multi-faceted. When dealing with acne it is imperative we treat this disorder at the source.

There is indeed a strong connection between what you eat and your complexion. You knew it—You are what you eat! A healthy diet can truly nourish and cleanse your skin from within.
Commit to incorporating some of the following skin-friendly foods into your diet in the coming Days, and you will be amazed by the difference in your health and skin. You will likely notice a change in your skin within one week of altering your diet!

To keep things simple for you, we will list recommended fruits and vegetables. Please note that most or all of these suggestions are either green or yellow in appearance. This is an easy trick to remember when shopping for the right foods for your skin.

• Winter Squash
• Pumpkin
• Carrots
• All leafy greens
• Spinach
• Kale
• Swiss Chard
• Water Cress
• Alfalfa Sprouts
• Soy Beans

Note: All greens contain chlorophyll, which purifies the blood of the toxins that cause skin eruptions.
Acne can be the result of a faulty fat metabolism, so be sure to also include foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids like salmon and other fish products.

Vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin, is involved in the formation and maintenance of healthy skin, hair, and mucous membranes. Dark-green vegetables and deep-yellow fruits and vegetables provided about half of the vitamin A in the form of carotenes coming from this group.

Traditional Chinese identifies a strong link between herbal remedies and treatments and general well being. The following is a list of herbs recommended for acne sufferers and a brief description of the benefits each offer:

• Neem (antelaea azadirachta) - Used in the ancient Hindu science and health medicine, commonly called ayurvedic medicine, it has anti-inflammatory and antipyretic (fever reducing) properties.
• Chaste Tree Berry 91 mg (fructus viticus agni-casti) - Stimulates and normalizes pituitary functions. Relieves muscle cramps, regulates menstrual cycles and increases and improves breast milk. Good for premenstrual and menopausal symptoms.
• Honeysuckle - As it has a diaphoretic effect, it helps the body detoxify by promoting perspiration.
• Yellow Dock (radix rumicis) - A powerful blood purifier and astringent used to treat diseases of the blood and skin. It is very high in iron, making it useful for treating anemia. This herb also nourishes and detoxifies the spleen and liver.
• Burdock Root Seed (fructus artcii) - Blood cleanser and detoxifier as well as an important anti-inflammatory and anti-infective agent. Used for its specific antihistamine activity in cases of itching or eruptive skin problems such as cold sore outbreaks, acne and eczema.
• Dandelion Root (radix taraxaci) - Blood cleanser with stimulating effects on the stomach, liver and bowels.
• Chamomile (flos anthemis seu matricariae) - Penetrates deeply through the epidermal layers to relieve inflammation and stimulate healthy cellular regeneration.
• Sarsaparilla - A diuretic and diaphoretic, helping in the detoxifying process by promoting perspiration and increasing the discharge of urine.
• Milk Thistle - Has an anti-inflammatory effect on the skin and has the ability to detoxify liver. It also inhibits the entrance of toxins to the liver, and provides a regenerative effect on both the kidneys and liver.
• Burdock Root Seed – Cleans the blood and heals the kidney and liver functions.

These are just some products in a long list of herbal remedies, which would need to be properly blended by a certified Chinese Doctor in order for you to use. BUT you could find all of this in one simple capsule—Derma Cleanse Capsules.

Just as you have learned to perfect your skin cleansing routine, reduce stress and other pollutants and factors that cause acne, you now have the tools to beautify your skin from the inside out. Healthy skin is now within your reach. Believe it!

For more information on treating acne and some proven and natural treatment products visit this site.

What does all of this have to do with my acne problem?

Utilizing Fitness to Alleviate Skin-Damaging Stress

“I’m so stressed OUT!”
We’ve all uttered (or screamed) these words from time to time. Yes, sometimes stress feels bad, but it isn’t always a negative thing. The key is to learn how to differentiate between negative and positive stress and then find ways to manage the negative stress in your life. What does this have to do you with your acne problem? Read on…. there is an important connection!

Although most people assume stress is the enemy, there is such thing as good stress. Positive stress is what keeps us on our toes, helps us to make important decisions in a crunch, and gives us the push we need to be productive. Some people can handle this kind of stress and actually require it in order to be successful in relationships and work environments.

Still, other people have hard time managing even the positive stress. How do you determine your own stress level? Take few seconds to consider these questions:

* Do you find it difficult to make decisions?
* Are you generally anxious and on-edge?
* Do you feel frustrated by even simple tasks?
* Do you think your life is difficult?
* Are you angry?

Here’s the scoop—if you answered yes to more than half of these questions, chances are you are experiencing too much stress in your life. You may even be turning the positive stress into something negative if you do not have the skills to handle it in the right way.

“Hey! What does all of this have to do with my acne problem?”
Here’s the connection: Increased stress levels can send a surge of hormones through your internal regulatory system, which signals your body to produce more oils and restricts the blood flow.
More Oil + Restricted Blood Flow = Over-active sebaceous oil glands and clogged pores.

So what can you do prevent this scenario? Get moving! Many people look to fitness to alleviate stress. Exercise helps invigorate your body and is a great way to release the aggression and frustration that lead to stressing out.

In other words, don’t kick the cat or reach for the chocolate, instead head to the gym, take a brisk walk, or just turn on some music and dance around the house. (Make sure the blinds are closed!)

Maybe you’re strapped for time and exercise is just one more thing you’d have to cram into your over-stuffed to-do list. Then just incorporate it into your day by parking further away from work or the store so you can get a walk in, or take a stroll around the office on your lunch break. By making a few small changes, you can experience big results.

Some other great ways to unwind and de-stress:

* Take time for yourself each and every day. Meditate, practice deep breathing, or start recording your thoughts in a journal.
* Strive to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. Create a peaceful environment in your bedroom and don’t cheat yourself! Eight hours is best for optimal body functioning and performance.
* Listen to your body. If you need a break in the afternoon, simply close your eyes and quiet your mind for a few minutes. Not all of us are able take a siesta in the pm, but even a 15 minute break during the work day can bring down your stress level.
* Look after yourself. It’s good to take extra care of yourself once in a while. Of course it is a good thing to take care of others, but you can care for others best when you are healthy. Give yourself some attention for a change, and you’ll find yourself more relaxed and in better emotional and physical health.

To get started right away on the clear skin system, click here.
We know healthy, radiant skin is the objective here, but by following some of these tips you will be doing so much more than improving your complexion. You will be improving the quality of your life.

Blackheads on Your Nose! What do you do?

I think everyone - even people with the most beautiful, pristine skin in the world, have blackheads on or around their nose. Heck, my boyfriend and I both have tiny blackheads on our noses which just tend to look like bigger pores. Is there anything that you can do to get rid of these nose blackheads, or are they just there for good?

Well, you can go get a professional, comprehensive “corrective” facial and request to have all of the blackheads on your nose extracted. There is no guarantee that even a versed aesthetist will be able to extract your blackheads on your nose though, especially since some blackheads are especially stubborn and will not come out.

You can also try to perform the delicate blackhead extractions yourself, but this may not be a good idea, since you can actually end up with infected or inflamed pores (or both) and also since you may end up with a permanently open, red looking pore if you don’t do it just right. You may end with more, and that’s definitely not what anyone wants.

I know this from experience. I used one of those Biore pore strips on a particular blackhead on my nose, and now am still suffering from an open pore that just looks like a small red scar. I removed the blackhead with a Biore pores strip about two years ago, and you can still see the red dot. It doesn’t look good, and I’m sorry I did it!

Another thing you can do to at least lessen the appearance of blackheads on the nose, and help to loosen them so they are more easily extracted, as well as prevent further blackheads, is to use a professional microdermabasion product.

Using a toner, or an astringent, after you wash you face at night may help, since it seals the pores up, leading to clear pores as well as sealing off any dirt or sebum from blocking the pore, lessening the likelihood of more blackheads from forming.

Be careful with astringents though, and I would say only use them at night, because they can cause excessive drying since they are mostly alcohol based when used too often or too agressively.

You could also visit this site for more information on treating acne, pimples, scars, aging lines, blackheads and skin supplements.

Eight Major Causes of Acne in Adults

The causes for adult acne are often the same as they were during the teen years for people who had acne as teenagers. However, for adults who never had acne before, there can be new reasons for why they have now developed acne.

While the exact causes of adult acne are debatable, it is well known that hormonal fluctuations can trigger the onset of adult acne. That is why many women suffering from adult acne notice a change in their acne around the time of their menstrual cycle.

While hormones are a big contributor to the onset of adult acne, there are a number of other reasons as well. Here are eight major causes of adult acne.

1. The Poorly Understood Cause of Most Teenage and Adult Acne

Most dermatologists focus entirely on the skin when they talk about the causes of teenage and adult acne. They concentrate on how dry cells mix with sebum, and the resulting blockages or plugs that occur in the pores. These plugs then lead to sebum build-up, and bacterial infections often result.

Although there is certainly truth to this answer, it is not complete. And failing to understand the deeper causes of teenage and adult acne unfortunately results in most acne treatments failing.

The cause of acne is actually toxins and wastes that build up inside the body that cannot be properly eliminated. The body has several "normal" methods for expelling these toxins, through the liver, kidneys, colon, small intestine, and other organs.

However, if any of these organs are weak and can't handle the load or if the buildup is too great or too rapid acne can result.

That is because the body absolutely must get rid of the toxins. So in a last ditch effort to cleanse itself, the body tries to flush the unwanted toxins out through the pores of the skin. The sores and blemishes that result are what we call acne.

Now let's discuss additional causes of adult acne.

2. Adult Acne and Menstruation

Often, a woman's adult acne will revolve around her menstrual cycle and pimples will develop a few days before the onset of her period.

The reason for this is that during this time, a woman's estrogen levels are decreasing while her progesterone levels begin to rise. This causes the sebaceous glands to produce more oil, which can result in the onset of pimples.

3. Adult Acne and Pregnancy

As if pregnant women don't have enough to worry about, they often have to worry about developing acne too!

It is very common for adult acne to present itself during pregnancy. Women undergo a slew of hormonal changes during pregnancy.

Acne is often at its worst during the first three months of pregnancy, when hormones are fluctuating all over the map. However, it is possible for acne to last throughout the entire pregnancy and to continue into the breastfeeding period.

Fortunately, most pregnant women will likely go back to their pre-pregnancy complexions with time.

4. Adult Acne and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, also often referred to as Polycystic Ovarian Disease, is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed conditions in women. The condition affects six to ten percent of all women,and most women don't even know they have it!

While irregular or absent menstruation is the most common sign of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, acne is almost always present when this condition occurs.

Women suffering from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome suffer from substantial hormone imbalances. When these hormone imbalances are treated, the acne often resolves itself.

5. Adult Acne and Menopause

It would be nice to think that menopause would signal the beginning of the end of adult acne. Unfortunately, adult acne can appear in postmenopausal women, too.

While it's not common, it's not impossible to experience the onset of acne during your 40's, 50's and beyond. When acne develops at this stage in the game, it's usually mild, but it can still be a cause of embarrassment and annoyance.

6. Adult Acne and Medication

Research has shown that some medications can cause adult acne. These include anabolic steroids, some meds that contain lithium and iodine, isoniazid and rifampin, and some anti-epileptic medications.

7. Adult Acne and Chemicals

Chlorinated industrial chemicals can create a skin disorder called chloracne, which is actually a type of rash that is caused by exposure to chlorinated industrial chemicals or herbicides.

8. Adult Acne and Physical Pressure or Friction

Finally, adult acne can be caused by certain types of chronic physical pressure to the skin, such as the placement of a violin beneath the jaw and chin, or the chafing from the straps of a backpack. This type of acne is called acne mechanica.

For more information on acne visit my lens heal your acne and for acne medications and for many skin disease products, visit Zenmed Skin Care