How to Remove Dark Circles Naturally

November 27th, 2011

Dark under-eye circles are the result of weakened skin capillaries around the eyes. Unfortunately, weakened capillaries can be an inherited trait. Allergies, and the subsequent eye rubbing, sleep deprivation and excessive sun exposure can also contribute to these dark circles. But a costly trip to the dermatologist is not necessary: Dark circles can be lightened dramatically using natural, budget-friendly home remedies.

Difficulty:
Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

  • Cucumber
  • Knife
  • Plastic baggie
  • Bowl
  • Measuring cup
  • 1/4 cup pineapple juice
  • Spoon
  • 2 tsp. turmeric powder
  1. Cucumber Slices

    • 1

      Slice two rounds pieces of cucumber. Only two pieces are needed for one treatment. Store remaining cucumber in a large plastic baggie in the refrigerator.

    • 2

      Lie down, and place one cucumber piece on each eye.

    • 3

      Allow cucumbers to sit on the eyes for 20 minutes. Cucumbers will lighten the skin and reduce puffiness. Repeat process twice a day.

    Tropical Dark Circle Eliminator

    • 1

      Measure 1/4 cup pineapple juice, pour into bowl.

    • 2

      Mix 2 tsp. turmeric powder into bowl of pineapple juice.

    • 3

      Stir the ingredients until a paste-like mixture is formed. Stir for about one minute, mixing ingredients thoroughly.

    • 4

      Dab two cotton balls into pineapple turmeric powder paste. Apply under both eyes.

    • 5

      Repeat this process twice daily for two weeks for best results.

Tips & Warnings

  • Dark circles will lighten significantly if pineapple and cucumber treatments are used regularly. Expect to see results in as little as two weeks.

  • Keep all sharp objects such as knives out of reach from children. Failure to do so could result in serious injury or death. Wash hands after handling pineapple remedy. Pineapple juice contains high levels of acidity and if eye contact is made, may irritate and burn the eyes. If this occurs, flush eyes with cool water for 15 minutes.

Popular High Blood Pressure Medications

November 27th, 2011
Popular High Blood Pressure Medications

Many people with high blood pressure (hypertension) must take one or more medications to achieve adequate control of their elevated blood pressure. Combinations of medications are not uncommon in the treatment of hypertension. Some experts consider combinations of lower doses of more than one medication more effective in treating hypertension than higher doses of a single medication erectile dysfunction online help. In the United States, five categories of medication are most commonly prescribed in the treatment of hypertensive conditions. Those five categories are: beta blocker, calcium channel blocker (CCB), angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), and diuretics.

  1. Beta Blockers

    • Beta blockers reduce nerve impulses to heart and blood vessels. In doing so, they cause the heart to beat slower and with less force, in turn lowering blood pressure. Popular beta blockers include metoprolol (Toprol/Lopressor) and atenolol (Tenormin).

    Calcium Channel Blockers

    • Calcium channel blockers act to relax blood vessels by preventing calcium from entering blood vessel and heart muscle cells. The blood vessel relaxation results in lowered blood pressure.

      Calcium channel blockers are divided into three categories.

      Dihydropyridines work without slowing the heart. A popular medication in this class is Procardia XL.

      All other calcium channel blockers are categorized as non-dihydropyridine agents. Non-dihydropyridine agents are subdivided into two classes: verapamil and diltiazem. Popular verapamil medications include Calan, Covera, Isoptin and Veralan. A popular diltiazem medication is Cardizem.

    ACE Inhibitors

    • ACE inhibitors prevent formation of a blood vessel narrowing enzyme known as angiotensin II. ACE inhibitors are a popular practitioner choice for patients who have other conditions in addition to hypertension, such as diabetes or a history of heart failure. Popular ACE inhibitor medications include lisinopril, quinapril (Accupril) and trandolapril (Mavik).

    Angiotensin Receptor Blockers

    • Angiotensin receptor blockers interfere with (block) receptors on the arteries that the angiotensin hormone needs to bind with in order to have an effect. This prevents the angiotensin hormone from causing blood vessel narrowing that results in blood pressure elevation. As with ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers are popular choices for practitioners in situations involving such other medical conditions as heart failure history and diabetes. A popular angiotensin receptor blocker medication is irbesartan (Avapro).

    Diuretics

    • Diuretics work by reducing the amount of fluid in the blood, which they accomplish by flushing excess sodium and water from the body. Diuretics work in the kidneys. Popular diuretics for use in treating hypertension include hydrochlorothiazide (Hydrodiuril) (a thiazide/sulfa diuretic) and furosemide (Lasix) (a loop diuretic).

    Effectiveness and Side Effects

    • Each individual's needs and particular physiological makeup vary. Consequently, finding the correct medication regimen for some hypertension patients can require a course of trial-and-error prescribing until a doctor finds a side effect-free, effective set of medications to manage the hypertensive condition. Blood pressure medications can have side effects in some patients. For example, thiazide diuretics are of the sulfa drug class, and can cause violent reactions in patients with sulfa drug sensitivities. Patients may also have reactions to medications in the other categories as well. Many medication options are available for the management of elevated blood pressure, and patients should at once report any side effects of specific medications to their health care professional.

Enzyme Boosting Diets

November 27th, 2011

Enzyme-boosting diets are easy to implement and can dramatically improve digestion and overall health. Few people understand how enzymes work or what they are, but understanding their role in your body's natural processes can empower you to take control of your digestive future. With a recent rise in enzyme-boosting diet popularity, more and more groceries are carrying these foods, making it easy for you to implement a change for the better.

  1. What Are Enzymes, and What Do They Do?

    • As the science of nutrition advances, we are learning more and more about the way our bodies handle food. The recent popularity of holistic health and nutrition has put enzymes in the spotlight, but most people take for granted the role of enzymes in our overall health. According to Enzyme Essentials, enzymes are critical components of a well-functioning metabolic system. Without them, metabolic processes such as digestion and energy production couldn't occur. An awareness of the roles and sources of enzymes in your diet can lead to a healthier, more energetic experience of life that may bolster your body's defenses and promote long life.

      There are three types of enzymes: digestive, food and metabolic. Your body naturally produces digestive and metabolic enzymes, and these regulate a variety of life processes for you. Digestive enzymes, as the name suggests, aid in digestion; metabolic enzymes are present in nearly every part of your body and help convert nutrients into the specific resources you need.

    Where Does My Body Get Enzymes?

    • Your body can produce only digestive and metabolic enzymes-not food enzymes. These must come from the food you eat. Typically, most food contains the enzymes necessary for digestion. However, these enzymes are sensitive to high temperatures and are deactivated when cooked. Raw fruits and vegetables, and anything else eaten raw, may contain sufficient enzymes for digestion and processing; cooked foods can present a problem. The body won't waste food; instead, as Enzyme Essentials states, "[the] body must take over and internally create the needed amount of DIGESTIVE ENZYMES to handle the digestive task." These enzymes might otherwise have been used by the body for repairing lost or damaged cells, or strengthening natural defenses, and therein lies the problem with enzyme depletion. A diet that boosts the presence of enzymes in the body-and provides ample external sources as well-can have dramatic effects on health and vibrancy.

    Enzyme-Rich Eating

    • A raw-food diet is the fastest way to boost your body's naturally-and externally-derived stores of enzymes. Selfgrowth.com's Janice Handleman points out that temperatures of 118 degrees fahrenheit and above deactivate enzymes, so remember that "raw" does not mean "cold" as you prepare your meals. Raw-food diets are used in a variety of ways, from short-term cleanses to longer term changes in eating habits. More creative sources include raw milks or cheeses, cured or fermented meats (as opposed to cooked), and even tempeh, a tofu-like food derived from soy. Sprouted seeds, grains and legumes are especially rich in enzymes and are available at nearly all health markets. In fact, an increasing number of mainstream groceries and supermarkets are stocking shelves with these enzyme-boosting foods in response to a growing awareness of their benefits.

    Make a Trial Run

    • There is no doubt that enzymes are essential to the body; knowing whether you could benefit from an enzyme-boosting diet will take some experimentation. Take one or two weeks and devote yourself to primarily raw foods and sprouted seeds, grains and legumes. Many people report positive effects on digestion and overall well being very quickly after enzymes are introduced, and this trial run should inform you as to whether longer term modifications to your diet could be beneficial.

How Does Fat Work?

November 26th, 2011
How Does Fat Work?
  1. The Good and The Bad about Fat

    • The fat on our bodies has many roles. The fat we carry can either be our friend or our enemy, depending upon how much fat we have. Too much of a good thing can actually be bad for our health, while not enough can do the same thing Buy Propecia online no prescription. Too much fat can make a person more susceptible to high blood pressure, heart disease, fatty liver, diabetes and other health conditions. When a person suffers from anorexia, they don't have enough fat on their bodies, which can also lead to health problems such as poor circulation, poor kidney function, brittle bones, and even death. Fat is actually something we need to survive. Our bodies store fat whenever it can to protect us in case of famine.

    Fat Works as an Insulator and Protector

    • The fat we have on our bodies helps to insulate us from the cold, and cushion our organs for extra protection. When you don't have enough fat on your body you will get cold more easily basically because there is less insulation. Most people are more likely to gain weight in the winter time because our bodies are programmed this way. We also tend to eat more in the winter because of Thanksgiving and other holiday parties.

      Fat protects. Fat coats our nerves and nerve fibers by providing insulation and protection to our delicate nerves.

    Fat Works as Energy

    • The body uses fat as energy. This is why exercise literally burns fat. When we are physically active our body uses the calories we eat as energy in addition to the fat we have stored on our body. The more fat we have the longer it will take to burn it off.

    Fat Works with our Cells and Hormones

    • Fat helps to keep our hormones balanced. When we have too much or too little fat on our body, our hormones can become out of whack. This is especially the case for women of child bearing age. Some women who are severely obese have a harder time conceiving, and women who are too thin may also have difficulty when they try to get pregnant. Sometimes a lack of body fat can stop the menstrual cycle. Hormones play an important role in conception and when we don't have the right amount of fat on our bodies things don't always go as planned. Fat also works with our cells. Fat helps the cells to transport nutrients through cell membranes.

Resources

  • Right Health
  • AOL Health
  • Ideal Weight Calculator

How to Remove a Splinter With Bacon Fat

November 25th, 2011

Splinters are caused when a very small piece of a foreign object, such as wood or glass, gets stuck in your skin. While many people try to squeeze or dig splinters out with tweezers, there's one easy method you can try that utilizes bacon fat to draw the splinter out. So if you have a splinter and happen to also have some bacon stored away in your kitchen, learning how you can use the fat on bacon to remove the splinter painlessly can help ease the situation.

Difficulty:
Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

  • Anti-bacterial soap
  • Water
  • Soft cloth
  • Bacon fat
  • Adhesive bandage
    • 1

      Wash the area of the splinter with some anti-bacterial soap and warm water to prevent infection. Dry the area gently with a soft cloth.

    • 2

      Cut a pea-sized piece of white fat from a raw slice of bacon using a knife or butcher scissors. Place the piece of bacon fat directly over the splinter and wrap it atop the splinter, holding it in place with an adhesive bandage.

    • 3

      Let the bacon fat sit overnight. Remove the bandage and fat in the morning. If the splinter is still under the skin and hasn't emerged yet, cut another tiny piece of bacon fat and place it over the area with a bandage for an additional day. The bacon fat should draw out the splinter out within a couple of days.

Tips & Warnings

  • For added help, warm up your piece of bacon fat for no more than 10 seconds in the microwave. The warmth will help further pull the splinter to the surface, but since bacon fat becomes hot rather quickly, avoid heating for any longer than 10 seconds.

  • If the splinter is large and deep, you might need to use the bacon fat simply to bring it to head, then use sterile tweezers to pull it out from under the skin. For smaller splinters, the bacon fat should draw out the splinter and stick to it easily.

  • If splinter worsens or infection occurs remove bacon fat, wash area thoroughly and see your doctor for removal. Some splinters can be infectious or particularly hard to remove, which is why a doctor's assistance might be needed.

  • Never apply hot bacon fat to a splintered area, as this can cause serious burns.