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By Mario Bentley

 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

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Drug Resistant Bacteria War

By Reed Carney

 Finally, after years of warnings from health authorities of the growing hazard posed by drug-resistant bacteria, people are now listening. A deadly strain of antibiotic-resistant bacteria seems to be responsible in the death of more people every year, according to a study published last week in the Journal of the American Medical Association. An estimated 19,000 deaths in 2005 appeared to be caused by fatal bacterial infections, a much greater number of mortality than that of AIDS, emphysema or homicide. The recent casualty was a 17-year-old high school football player in Virginia, a grim reminder that Community Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, or CA-MRSA, can victimized otherwise healthy people.

According to Dr. Charles Gerba, professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona at Tucson, the best defense against the potentially deadly bacterial infection is common sense and cleanliness. “We need to reinvent hygiene for the 21st century,”he said. “You go to a grocery store, and hundreds of thousands of people have touched those surfaces every day. Microorganisms are evolving very rapidly.”

CA-MRSA is considered primarily a skin infection. Usually, it looks like a pimple, boil or spider bite, but it quickly worsens into an abscess or pus-filled blister or sore. Patients with sores that won’t heal or are filled with pus should immediately see a doctor and ask to be tested for staph infection. They should avoid squeezing the sore or try to drain it as it will only spread the infection to other parts of the skin or deeper into the body.

Most MRSA cases happen in hospital settings, but 10% to 15% occur in the community at large among otherwise healthy people. Those who are prone to cuts and scrapes, like children and athletes, are likely to get infected. MRSA spreads easily through skin-to-skin contact, crowded conditions and the sharing of contaminated personal items. Extra caution should be taken by people who have regular contact with health care workers, those who have recently taken antibiotics, such as fluoroquinolones or cephalosporin, homosexual men, military recruits, and prisoners.

In order to lower the risk of contracting MRSA, people should be serious with regular hygiene, such as bathing and washing their hands before meals. It is advise to use antibacterial sanitizer especially after you’ve been in public places, or have touched handrails and other highly trafficked surfaces. Always make sure that cuts and scrapes are bandaged until they heal. Regularly wash towels and sheets, preferably in hot water.

Avoid sharing personal items such as brushes, combs, razors, towels, makeup, and cell phones. Dr. Gerba’s own teenage girl had once contracted MRSA infection and he eventually tracked the bacteria to her cell phone. She had shared it with a friend whose mother worked in a nursing home. Dr. Gerba went on to discover MRSA on the friend’s cell phone and makeup compact and on a countertop in her home.

MRSA bacteria may be found on the skin and in the noses of nearly 30% of the population without causing harm. Experts believe the bacteria lurks on surfaces in 2% to 3% of homes, cars, and public places.

However, MRSA are evolving, and the statistics may have already underestimated the prevalence of such deadly bacteria. At high risk are health clubs and gyms because the bacteria grow rapidly in warm, moist environments. Always wipe down gym equipment before you use it. Most people only clean the sweaty benches, but MRSA has also been found on the grips of workout machines.

So much have been said about misuse of antibiotics which allows bacteria to evolve and develop resistance to drugs. Pediatricians should not be pressured by parents to prescribe antibiotics even when they don’t seem to help most of childhood infections. When taking antibiotics, always finish the dose. Antibiotic resistance is bad for everyone, but your body can also become particularly vulnerable to resistant bacteria if you don’t follow dosage instructions carefully.

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The Human Mind And The Ying Versus The Yang

By Reed Carney

 In Chinese philosophy, the concepts of yin and yang are two opposing forces that also complement each other, creating a harmonious balance. This balance is considered as the true “natural” state of everything from a person’s mental health to the actual workings of the planet. It is a mistake to see yin and yang as representation of “good” and “evil,” with “night” and “day” being more appropriate, albeit highly metaphorical comparisons. The idea behind this philosophy is that in all things is a natural balance between two sets of characteristics, with one set being yin and the other being yang. It is interesting to note how these comparisons can be applied to the field of mental health, particularly when studying human personalities. Take note that by no means is any of the following to be considered concrete, scientific doctrine. However, it does present an alternative avenue to the study of the various personality and psychological traits that make up human beings. Used in the context psychology, students are taught that a person’s yin aspects represent the feminine side of a psyche. However, yin also corresponds to order, law, and self-control, with an excess of it resulting in stagnation and a lack of emotion. In terms of mental health, this lack of emotion can display itself in a variety of ways, both on its own and in conjunction with other mental disorders.

For example, an excessive focus on what are considered a person’s yin traits, when combined with status anxiety, can result in a person showing excess duplicity and ruthlessness in his attempts to retain or improve his perceived station in life. In some ways, this can also be misinterpreted as social anxiety, as some have noted that people with a great focus on their yin aspects tend to view other people disdainfully, failing to understand how others can view emotions to be of any importance. According to some older texts on the yin and yang, psychological impotence can also result from an excess in a person’s mental yin, emerging from the complete and total suppression of all emotions - including the sex drive.

By comparison, yang is said to represent the masculine side of the mind. It corresponds to creativity, instinct, and impulsiveness, though excessive development can result in a dangerous recklessness and clinical insanity. Seen through the lens of mental health terms, this can result in some of the more common psychological disorders that people are aware of, as the yang aspects of a person are closely tied with the outer mental facade.

Examples of effects of over-developed yang aspects can include anxiety disorders, separation anxiety, performance anxiety, depression, dissociative identity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and manic-depressive disorder. Mental health that is yang-dominated can often be seen as overtly dangerous, with individuals being more interested in the expression of their baser desires, which can manifest as a desire to do violence in certain individuals. Due to the outward nature of a yang-dominated psyche, the manifestations of excess are significantly easier to detect than in yin-dominated ones, which tend to exhibit more subdued, perhaps even hidden, “deviancies” from the cultural and social norm.

A balance between yin and yang, theoretically, is present in most of the population. Yin and yang are cyclical forces, which can conveniently explain the inherent contradictions of the typical human being. According to the theories put forth by modern mental health experts who have merged Western and Oriental schools of thought, imbalances in either yin or yang can possibly lead to mental disorders. Theoretically, it is impossible for one side to be of such complete dominance that the other side is no longer present in a psyche. According to traditional concepts, even if one is shown to be dominant over the other, this is merely a disruption in the balance and not a complete absence of the side — showing that there is a continuous interplay between the yin and yang. For example, even the clinically insane occasionally exhibit signs of concern for their own well-being. This is taken as a sign that the yin still has influence over the person’s actions, even in those who are mentally ill. On the other hand, even the most calculating and logical thinkers feel emotions, even without allowing themselves to be swayed by them. The concept of emotions, as well as the ability to recognize them, is taken as a yang trait.

Indeed, the yin and yang of the human mind and personality makes an excellent subject for research. By understanding the duality in all things, which includes human thought and behavior, we would be able to catch a glimpse about the remarkable interplay of motive, emotions, and actions in people who all represent the reality of yin and yang.

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