Natural Skin Care Guide

Dandruff is a common and an embarrassing hair problem which has affected million around the world. Dandruff are white scales of dead skin shed by the scalp. Dandruff makes the roots of the hair weak and makes the hair fall. Dandruff may be the result of some scalp disorder. As part of skin regeneration process, the dead skin of our scalp is replaced by new skin. The dead skin normally remains on the surface our scalp as white flakes. The dandruff sufferers shed skin more frequently. It can be once in two weeks as against one month in case of normal situation. The dandruff suffer will notice an excessive flaking in their shoulder and clothes along with some other symptoms like itchy scalp, redness of scalp, inflammation.

Causes of dandruff:

• Pityrosporum ovale is a kind of fungus which is found on everybody’s scalp. The main function of this fungus is to metabolize human fat. But problem arises when the fungus grows faster than normal rate which disturbs the normal rate of skin regeneration.
• Overactive sebaceous gland can lead to access secretion of oil. Mild dandruff is usually a result of too much oiliness of the skin.
• Zinc deficiency can make one more vulnerable to dandruff. Frequent intake of fried foods, dairy foods, nuts and sugar can deteriorate the scalp condition and make the condition conducive for dandruff.
• Other causes of dandruff are excessive sweating, family history, food allergies, use of alkaline or harsh soaps, certain hair products such as dyes, hair spray or hair gel, stress, yeast infections. Even Cold, dry winters can be responsible for bring on dandruff or making it worse.

Dandruff is a scalp problem which needs much attention. So, when it is indentified that you have dandruff, there are certain precautions you can take to check the problem.

• Dandruff can be treated using medicated shampoos and lotions available in the medical stores. Choose the one that suits you. Wash your hair with a shampoo at least once a week. After applying shampoo rinse your hair thoroughly. Make sure that no shampoo is left in the hair. If the hair products like shampoos, conditioners are not washed properly they can accentuate the ill-effects.
• Dandruff is contagious so, it is always safer to separate your comb, hair brush from others.
  Clean them from time to time. Never use the comb of an infected person.
• Brush your hair thrice a day.
• Exposure to natural sunlight can be helpful in treating dandruff.
• Eat raw fruits and vegetables in the form of salad; take food rich in vitamins B, C and E. Avoid fried foods, dairy foods, nuts and sugar as far as possible this will be helpful in reversing the condition of a dandruff affected scalp. Eat food rich in rich zinc content. Beans, turkey, red meat, pork, and shellfish such as oysters are good sources of zinc.
• Styling products like hair spray, waxes, gel, and mousse tend to build up on the scalp, causing it to produce excess oil and can often cause allergic reactions. So, avoid these products as far as possible.

Home remedies to treat dandruff:

• Apply a mixture of almond oil and gooseberry juice with finger tips on the scalp.
• Apply the warm mixture of olive oil, lemon juice and coconut oil. Do a steam -towel- wrap for 15 minutes and then wash the hair with a shampoo.
• Heat the oil with a little camphor. Apply the oil in the scalp and massage for 10 minutes. Wash the hair with herbal shampoo after 30 minutes.
• Soak fenugreek seeds in water overnight. Crush the seeds and make a paste. Apply the paste on the scalp. Leave it for half an hour and then wash it off with a shampoo. Fenugreek seeds are an excellent remedy for dandruff.
• Make a mixture 100 g each of Indian goose berry, reetha, and shikakai, and boil in two liter of water until the liquid reduces to half. Use it as a shampoo for one month. This will cure the problem of dandruff and make your hair thick.
• Massage the scalp with almond oil and give it a hot towel therapy.
• Add two spoonful of vinegar to two spoonful of lemon juice then message your scalp with the mixture. Wash it with an egg shampoo after sometime.
• Boil coconut oil with small onions. Massage the Scalp with it. Wash it off with a mixture of green gram powder and water drained from cooked (boiled) rice.
• Rinse your hair with fresh lemon juice. It prevents dandruff, makes the hair oil free and gives a natural shine to the hair.
• Mix mashed beet root leaves with henna paste and apply the mixture on your hair to prevent dandruff.
• Mix two spoonful of vinegar with six spoonful of water and apply it the on the scalp. Leave it overnight. Wash it with a shampoo the next morning. Rinse with vinegar water. Continue this once a week for at least three months to see the result. This will also add bounce to dull and lifeless hair.
• Add black pepper to warm coconut oil. Boil the oil, allow it to cool then strain it. Apply this oil on your hair at night.

Regular exercises and physical activities are vital for our physical and mental well-being. Regular exercises help to protect us from a number of diseases and works as an excellent stress buster. But in order to get the best results, it is essential to do the exercise in right time. But when exactly is the best time to exercise? Is it early in the morning or is it late in the afternoon?

If you have developed a workout routine for yourself and are satisfied with the results, you need not change the routine. However, if you find that you are not getting the desired benefit and above all if it is wearing you off then it is high time that you should listen to your internal clock to fix your exercise timing. The circadian rhythm is an approximate daily periodicity, a roughly-24-hour cycle in the biochemical, physiological or behavioural processes of living beings. It is the circadian rhythm which regulates the temperature, metabolic activities and blood pressure in our body. Physicians study the body rhythm to help people determine the time when doing exercises will be most productive. A research on our circadian rhythms generally regards later part of the afternoon or early evening as the ideal time for exercise.

However there are certain advantages of exercising in the morning. You have fewer distractions and schedule interruptions as you can adjust your exercise timing by waking up a bit earlier without disturbing your work schedule. Air Pollution is the lowest during this part of the day. It is comfortable to exercise in the morning during summer days as the temperature remains cooler during morning. In the morning with fewer distractions you can concentrate better on your exercises. If somebody is on some sort of physical training then morning is the best time. However there are certain disadvantages of working out in the morning. Body temperature is low in the morning as a result we are low in energy. More over our muscles are also very stiff and cold so a high intensity workout can injure our muscles. Warming up before exercise is must in the morning.

But if a person is not comfortable exercising in the morning he should not try and squeeze in an exercise program early in the morning. It is said that you get the best result of exercise when your body temperature is the highest. Our body temperature is usually lowest between one to three hours before we wake up from sleep in the morning. Our body temperature reaches its peak late in the afternoon. Our muscles are warm and more flexible, our reaction time is quicker, and we are at our peak strength. So, exercise in late afternoon is very productive. However do not exercise for about 90 minutes after you have taken a meal.

Because of our busy schedule it may not be possible for us to stick to particular exercise timing. But since exercise at any time is better than no exercise at all so, try continuing exercise at whichever time you feel comfortable. Always remember regular exercise is the key to a healthy body.

Aloe vera is well known for its healing properties and health benefits. Its benefits range from soothing skin to helping internal problems. Aloe vera plant closely resembles cactus. It has thick and fleshy leaf. The outer structure of aloe vera leaf is smooth and rubbery and beneath lays the aloe vera gel. This gel is considered helpful in healing affected areas. The gel is the combination of water and more than 70 essential medicinal ingredients including mineral, enzymes, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, vitamin b12 and polysaccharides. All these ingredients combined together make aloe vera a medicinal plant.

Aloe vera has got many medicinal and cosmetic properties. It is used highly in beauty and skin care products. It is often used as a health drink. Some of the health benefits of Aloe vera are:

• Aloe vera juice acts as a tonic for the patients suffering from diseases like diabetes, arthritis and high cholesterol.
• Aloe vera is found to help in breaking down the fat globules so it is believed that it reduces obesity.
• Drinking Aloe vera juice helps to cure diseases like arthritis, insomnia, ulcers, infection, hemorrhoids, indigestion, constipation, heartburn.
• Aloe vera juices help to boost our immune system and organism condition improvement keeping your stomach cool.
• Drinking aloe vera juice helps in prevention from the cancer.
• ALoe vera juice helps in absorption of nutrients and neutralizing toxic and bad elements.
• Aloe vera juice aids in digestion, ease muscular conditions and allergies.
• Aloe Vera has anti-inflammatory properties and is an antioxidant.

Apart from medicinal properties there are various cosmetic benefits and uses of aloe vera plants too. It heals many types of skin problems. Because of its moisturizing and medicinal properties aloe vera gels are now widely used in many skin care and cosmetic products as one of the ingredients. It is also widely used in medicated jelly, facial cleansing wash, medicated cream, moisturizers, heat rub etc. Your body and skin will get endless benefits from the use of aloe vera.

• Aloe vera removes under arm odor.
• It removes dandruff, help to keep our scalps and hair healthy.
• Aloe reduces the inflammation and provides relief from itchiness. It also helps repair skin that has been damaged by skin disease like eczema.
• Aloe vera has moisturizing properties. Use aloe vera gel on your lips daily area to treat chapped lips.
• Aloe vera based cream are used to soothe the shaving burns. It acts as an after shaving lotion.
• It is used to treat acne or to dry up pimples. It’s also good to use on fever blisters or cold sores. To make use of the plant all you have to do is snip off a small piece and squeeze the liquid gel out. Rub it directly on the affected area then let it dry. Gradually it will heal the affected area.
• Aloe vera gel is also used to treat sun burn.
• Aloe Vera Gel moisturizes, soothes, helps in getting rid of dead cells and regenerates cells. So prevents wrinkles and stretch marks formation.
• Applying a thin layer of aloe Vera gel around your eyes daily will help to hydrate the area and over time make it appear less baggy and dark.

However an overdose of aloe vera can sometime produce certain side effects like delaying the healing of major wounds, fluid imbalance, intestinal cramps etc.

Eyes are the most beautiful and sensitive part of our body. But the area around the eyes is very delicate so dark circles, wrinkles and sagging eyes are quite common. Dark circle around the eyes is a very distressing issue. Dark circles occur mainly due to the changes in the blood vessels under the eyes. Exposure to sun light can boost the melanin level and make the skin around the eyes darker. Lack of adequate undisturbed sleep can be another cause of dark circles. Inadequate sleep makes the skin pale which makes the dark circle appear darker. Our skin becomes thinner with age is seen as a result the discoloration of the skin is seen easily. Other causes of dark circles can be chronic sinus infections and recurrent colds. For vibrant looking eyes we need to get rid of dark circles. Now a days, a number ways have been worked out to get rid of dark circles which range from makeup to laser therapy and in some cases, surgery. But for those who want to get rid of dark circles without concealing them under make or undergoing any surgery, here are some tips.

First of all get yourself undisturbed sleep of minimum 8 hours per day. Drink plenty of water. Avoid sweets and chocolate. Take foods rich in iron contents. Take adequate quantity of vitamins and minerals to support the adrenal function in general. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables which are rich in fiber. Try to reduce your stress level.

Some home remedies can also be useful be helpful in reducing dark circles.

• Grate cucumber and take out the juice. Apply the juice around your eyes for 15-20 minutes. Wash with warm water and apply a cream. This will help you to lighten the dark circles and soothe the area.
• You can also rub the area with ice cubes wrapped in a piece of cloth.
• Apply tea bags on top of their eyes. Tea bags reduce inflammation and decrease swelling.
• Potato juice has bleaching agents in it, so you can take potato juice out and apply it on your skin. Soak cotton balls in the juice and keep them on your eyes for at least 20 minutes while having rest.
• Refrigerate the juice of cucumber. Then make a mixture of lemon juice, lanolin cream and cucumber juice and apply around the eye for 10-15 minutes.
• Apply lemon juice on the dark circles 2 times a day.
• Crush some mint leaves and apply them around your eyes.
• Dip two cotton balls in rose water and place them on your eyes, covering dark circle. This will relax your eyes.
• Mix a teaspoonful of milk powder with honey and apply this paste on the dark circles. It helps in reducing the dark circles.

Do not rub or scratch the skin under your eyes as rubbing or scratching can irritates the skin around the eyes and can break tiny capillaries beneath the skin, causing discoloration. Reduce your salt intake. Too much salt can hamper proper blood circulation in your body, and cause the blood vessels under the skin to appear bluer. Smoking is another vice which causes vascular (blood vessel) problems and make your blood vessels appear more prominent and bluer beneath the skin. So, try to quit smoking. Taking a bath with cold water daily improves blood circulation. So, try to bathe in cold water regularly. Always wear sunglasses while going out in sun and apply sunscreen lotion on the skin around the eyes. This will help your eyes from the harmful effect of UV rays.

Our facial skin like the skin in any other part of our body loses elasticity with age. Usually, the facial skin under the jaw line, near chin, under the eye, on cheeks starts sagging as we grow older. Facial exercise makes the facial muscles strong and gives the face a smooth and tight look. The exercise gives more flexibility to the skin. So, we should do some facial exercise daily to tone up the facial skin. It is said that laughing relieves us of tension and gives our face a stress free look. It is probably the simplest form of facial exercise. Let’s take a look at some other exercises.

Exercises to tone and lift chin

• Sit upright and look up towards the ceiling, Make a chewing movement while your lips are shut together. You will feel the stretch in the throat and neck areas. Repeat this exercise 20 times at a time.
• Sit straight. Move head backward, with eyes fixed on the ceiling. Try to reach your chin with the help of your tongue. Keep the tongue in this position till you count up to 10. Then go back to your normal position.
• Sit upright look up towards the ceiling, Keep your lips closed and relax for some time. Now slowly try to bring your lower lip over your upper lip as far as possible. Count up to 5 then get back to the original position. Repeat it 5 times.

Exercise for tightening sagging Cheeks

• Sit in front of a mirror. Close your mouth with lips shut. Then smile as big as possible with the corners of your mouth turned up. Wrinkle your nose a bit and feel the cheek muscles move upwards. Remain in this position for 5 counts. Then relax and repeat it 10 times at a time.
• Close your teeth and lips. Puff up the cheeks with air in them then move the air in the direction of upper lip first then towards the right cheek. Move the air from right cheek to the lower lip and finally to the direction of left cheek. Count 10 in each position before moving to new position.
• Close your lips. Bring a smile on your face. Then suck the cheeks in. Remain in this position for 10 counts. Then relax. Repeat this 10 times.

Exercise for removing the lines from the forehead.

• Lie on your back in bed, look towards the ceiling. Lift your eyebrows as high as possible. Then relax for some time. Repeat this 10 times.
• Close your eyes. Frown and bring your eyebrows over your eyes if required with the help of your fingers. Then pull your eye brows and lift them while you open your eyes.

Some neck exercises

• Lean your head back a bit. First open and then close your mouth. Repeat this for some time. This exercise will help to keep the neck tight.
• While applying body lotion on your neck move your fingers in an upward stroke. This also tightens neck muscles.

Some exercises to tone the eye muscles.

• Open your eyes, Look straight. Then move the eyeball up and down ten times. Relax. Now move the eye balls in left to right direction ten times.
• Sit straight and close your eyes. Now stretch your eye lids down while lifting the eyebrows as far as possible. Count up to 5, and then change the position. Repeat it 5 times.
• Gently message the temples with your finger tips. This creates pressure on the forehead and tones up the muscles around eyes.

Facial exercises can be practiced by people of all ages. But it is always better to start when you are young as this will keeps wrinkles, lines and bag from appearing early. Remember that if face exercises is done incorrectly, it can sometimes make your skin loose. But a proper skin care with some exercises daily can make your skin stay younger and look great for a long time.

Burns are always judged by the amount of damage they do to the skin irrespective of their causes. There are different causes of burn. Burns can occur due to the exposure to UV rays both from natural source like sun or from artificial source like tanning both, from extreme cold, from chemicals like acid, from contact with heated objects etc. The treatment however depends on the extent to which the skin has been damaged rather than the cause of the damage.

Burn injuries are classified on the basis of the depth of the injury as partial thickness and full thickness injuries. Partial thickness burns involves damaging a part or all of the epidermis. Generally, equivalent to first- and second-degree burns. They heal well and are easier to be taken care of because new skin can grow upward from the dermis. Redness, light inflammation or mild pain in the skin resulting from sun burn can be treated at home effectively. But cases of blistering in more than 1% of the skin surface, burn injuries in body areas such as face, neck, genital area, hands, or feet or skin damage in case of a child under twelve years of age should treated by a physician only.

Full thickness burns damage all of the epidermis and the dermis and sometimes may include underlying structures, as well. In alternative classification, it is equivalent to third- and fourth-degree burns. As the dermis is destroyed no skin can grow back in that area and deep scarring develops which can be removed only when skin grafting is performed. A full thickness burn no matter how small should not be treated at home as it may lead to infection and scarring.

Guidelines for treating minor blistering:

• Make sure that the blistered area is not more than 1% of your body surface. Otherwise consult a physician.
• If the blister is intact smear some white petroleum jelly over it and wrap it loosely.
• Once the blister burst remove the skin from the blister by washing the area gently.
  Cover the burn with a dry nonstick dressing held in place with gauze or tape.
• Check with your doctor for the tetanus shots.
• Burns itches as it heals. So, keep your finger nails cut short and do not scratch the injured area as it may lead to infection.
• Change dressing regularly daily for 1-3 weeks (depending upon the extent of skin injury) till the new skin beneath the dressings is dry.
• Always wash your hands with soap and water before changing the dressing. Then gently wash the burn and put antibiotic ointment on it.
• Take anti inflammatory medication to get relief from the pain.
• Check the burns every day for signs of infection such as increased pain, redness, swelling or pus, fever. Visit your doctor immediately if you notice any of the signs.

Following these guidelines can minimize the risk of getting yourself burnt:

• Exposure to both natural and artificial sources of UV rays is harmful to the skin. Sun burn damages the skin and can even lead to skin cancer and premature aging. Wear sunscreen when you are out in the sun.
• Nearly all burns are accidental so, prevention is mostly a matter of basic safety. Always wear protective clothes and follow the safety guidelines while working with heat or radiation.
• Discourage smoking in bed.
• Check if the bath water is too hot for your skin before bathing. Set your water heater somewhere between hot and cold to void burns from steaming water.
• Do not touch any uncovered electrical wire and call an electrician to fix the faulty electrical wiring in your house.