Health

Acne Vulgaris, commonly known as acne, is a chronic skin problem that is commonly witnessed on the face, back, chest, or shoulders. This skin problem is usually seen in teenagers and can go on until the age of 30. Acne is the skin problem that occurs when your hair follicles get clogged with oil or dirt. This oil and dirt tend to breakout on our skin and appear in the form of blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, or even worse, pus-filled painful lumps.

Acne occurs differently in different people. While some may experience occasional and minor breakouts, others may get extreme and severe lumps or pimples very often. Although acne gets treated naturally with time and many treatments might stop or limit your acne, it can leave emotional and physical scars on your skin.

So it is very important to treat acne before it gets worse. Understanding the cause of acne is also a part of the cure. Once you understand the reason behind the breakouts, it becomes easier to heal them. Consult a professional like those at Aloki Skin Clinic in Townsville to understand the working of your skin and learn ways you can prevent the breakouts to worsen any further. Following are some of the causes that lead to acne:

• Stress:

Stress always tops the list when it comes to any health problem. And it is also true in the case of the acne problem. Stress may not be the sole reason for acne but it sure is responsible for its sudden increase. The oil-producing hormone, sebum, are the receptors of the stress hormones. The stress stimulates the sebum that creates more oil which mixes with dirt to create more pimples and blackheads.

• Hormonal Imbalance:

Imbalanced hormones in the body are another reason that might cause acne on your skin. Hormones usually fluctuate a lot when teenagers hit puberty and thus, lead to hormonal acne which can be very troubling. Girls may face this problem specifically a couple of days before their menstrual cycle begins. The increase of testosterone in the body also results in problems like acne, hair growth, etc.

• Unhealthy Eating Habits:

Eating oily and junk food can also increase your acne to a great extent. It stimulates the sebum to produce more oil and create whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples. Excess of oily food can enhance the problem and create painful, pus-filled pimples which can further leave scars for the rest of your life.

• Unhygienic Environment:

Excess of exposure to sun and dust can harm your skin. The heat and pollution can be very toxic for your skin. So it is very important to take care of your skin before you leave the house. Applying sunscreen, moisturizer and other beneficial skin products can protect your skin and help you to stay away from acne.

• The Way You Take Care of Yourself:

You may catch skin problems if you do not take appropriate care of your skin. Insufficient nutrients can also lead to acne problems. It is important to take proper supplements that will help improve your skin and bring back the glow and softness on your face.

Although there is no magic wand that can sweep off all the acne and its scars from your skin, there are some effective measures that you can take to prevent them or at least limit them. These preventive tips can at least help avoid permanent scars on your face.

• Consume required supplements:

Some vitamins and minerals help to get rid of the acne and bring glow and smoothness on your face. Some nutrients act as anti-oxidant and have an anti-inflammatory effect on your skin. To reduce the chances of acne leaving scars, Earl Hailey of PatchMD recommends Vitamin C, which boosts collagen production and improves skin elasticity. You can either consume these supplements in the form of medications or even easier, use the patch technology to obtain the necessary supplements. Vitamin A, D, E, K1, and K2 are also very beneficial and are used for treating skin problems, specifically acne.

• Apply CTM regularly:

Having a skincare routine is very important to have healthy and acne-free skin. CTM (cleansing, toning, and moisturizing) is the closest thing to the magical wand that one can use to get rid of open pores, blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples. People who have acne-prone skin should choose their cleanser, toner, and moisturizer according to their skin type (oily or dry).

Cleansing helps to remove all the dirt, excess oil, and any makeup you might have applied and also hydrate your skin to the maximum.

Toner will help to close the pores that opened up while you cleansed your face.

Moisturizer will help to create a protective layer on your skin.

• Essential oils:

There are some essential oils that can benefit your skin on a great level. Essential oils are extracted from different parts of the plants like flower, root, stem, and leaves. These essential oils are very beneficial and have medicinal properties that heal your skin, prevent acne, and even help to prevent acne scars. For example, tea tree oil is used in many skin products as it clears acne and reduces swelling.

• Apply face products of good quality:

There is no use in having a perfect skincare routine if you are not using the products of good quality. Your face is the most important part of your appearance, so it is natural to be possessive about it. Use products and brands in which you have complete faith. You should also be very particular about using the products according to your skin type. Using oily products on oily skin can worsen your acne whereas using oil-free products on dry skin can increase the dryness and dullness on your skin.

• Visit your Dermatologist:

Visit your trusted dermatologist regularly and consult all the problems with him. When it comes to our skin, no problem is big or small. Small acne outbursts only turn out to be painful pimples in the future. It is better to control the acne at the start with proper medication instead of waiting for it to grow further.

 

 

The health of your employees is vital to the company. It’s not just about the physical health, but also their mental and emotional well-being too. According to the World Health Organization, health is not only the absence of the disease, but it’s the overall state of physical, social, and mental well-being of an individual. If your employees are suffering in any of these areas, their productivity and work quality may be affected. There are things that you can do to help promote health and wellness, and here are some of them.

Educate employees

Schedule seminars that will tackle health and wellness issues of employees so they will know their importance. It will also equip them with knowledge on what to do to take care of their overall well-being. Invite health professionals to lead the discussion and to answer questions that the participants may have. Aside from seminars, posters and emails that offer more information and motivation to take care of their health will also help.

Plan events to promote health

Create activities that will be beneficial to the health of your employees. For example, plan a sports fest where they can join and compete in different sports like basketball, volleyball, etc. It will push them to be more active because they will need to practice for the game before the event. They will also have fun, which is beneficial for their mental and emotional wellness. Moreover, it will improve teamwork and relationships among your employees.

Offer free screenings and shots

According to The Economics Daily, 4.2 million workers had absences due to illness in January 2018. As the popular saying goes, prevention is better than cure, so you can find ways to help employees avoid sickness. One way is to offer free screenings such as blood work and general physical examinations. You may also provide them with free shots like flu and hepatitis vaccines.

Turn your office green

Having plants in your office has plenty of benefits. They are not just appealing, but they can help reduce the stress level of employees. Several studies have been made, and they show that plants could lower the level of stress by 15%, and they are also effective in improving mood. Plants also clean up air from pollutants, thus improving its quality. Impurities in the air can cause sickness in your employees. Aside from placing typical plants around the workplace, green walls are also an excellent addition. A green wall is more effective in cleaning air because it uses pressurised air.

Provide gym access

While sports events are helpful, it is also vital that employees incorporate exercise in their lifestyle. Regular access to the gym is one way to promote it. If the budget permits and you still have space in your workplace, set up a gym that your employees can use in their free time. Another option is to partner with a gym near your office to offer a discounted membership fee to your employees.

Take care of your employees by finding ways to improve their overall health. It will not just benefit them, but your company too as they will become more productive and efficient with their work.

 

Parents of teens know that sudden mood swings, reckless behavior, and personality changes are common. Few adults can deny that the teenage years are some of the most tumultuous and confusing, with raging hormones, increased responsibility, and relationship drama causing young people to rebel in sometimes dramatic and unexpected ways.

Sometimes, changes occur in response to environmental circumstances, such as bullying or a recent disruption in the family, including parental divorce. Every teen is likely to experience some level of hardship during these years, and remaining aware of the challenges your teen is experiencing will inevitably help them navigate this difficult stage with life with more ease.

Not every teen who faces struggles will develop a chronic mental health condition. However, some are particularly vulnerable, particularly to depression (known as the “common cold” of mental illness) and to anxiety, which often occur together and tend to appear during the teen and young adult years.

Be aware of the warning signs

Parents and educators are advised to keep a close eye on their teen’s behavior, and to be particularly wary of a few specific warning signs. Not every teen who displays these symptoms is necessarily depressed, but psychologists acknowledge that a statistically high number of teens are facing mental health crises in today’s world. This is likely because of constellation of contributing factors.

Fatigue, insomnia, listlessness, social withdrawal, a drop in academic performance, and sudden personality changes can all signal depression. Only a licensed professional can accurately diagnose and treat depression, especially in teens and young people, when the brain is undeveloped and still undergoing gradual changes.

Stay calm and be encouraging

If your teen has been diagnosed with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder, it’s normal to feel a mixture of emotions, from relief to resentment. But keep in mind that someone struggling with depression is unlikely to have the presence of mind to understand why you’re afraid and why your emotions may be running high. They already likely feel a great deal of shame because of the stigma surrounding mental illness and will likely shoulder more blame if they suspect they’re a burden to the family.

Teens look to trusted adults for guidance, and when they’re suffering from depression, they’re even more vulnerable to internalizing negative beliefs about themselves, self-injurious behavior, and suicide. They need a safe place within which to heal, not a war zone to return home to after school.

One of the biggest challenges to ensuring that your teen gets on the path to recovery is compliance. Some teens believe that their medication may stunt their creativity and fear the feeling of numbness that occasionally occurs with antidepressants. As a result, they may discard their pills in secret, take them inconsistently, or refuse to speak in therapy.

Parents who are actively involved in their adolescent child’s recovery are more likely to see results in a shorter span of time. If your teen is not complying with treatment, you may wish to help create a routine for them to help them feel less overwhelmed. Be patient and calm, yet firm.

Seek inpatient treatment if necessary

Sometimes, in severe cases, teens require more specialized care. Psychiatric residential programs provide one-on-one care. Medication and talk therapy are two common forms of treatment, typically used together.

However, teens with treatment-resistant depression may be referred to an inpatient program that combines psychiatric treatment with schooling that enables teens to complete their high school diploma, apply to college, and plan for their future.

If you believe that your teen is at serious risk of self-harm, it may be time to start seeking out rehabilitation programs. A simple search for “residential centers for youth near me” will turn up a variety of sources, but make sure you do your research, visit the facility, and trust your intuition.

To read more on topics like this, check out the health category.

Water purification is a process by which undesired chemical compounds, organic and inorganic materials, and biological pollutants are removed from the water. One prime purpose of water purification is to provide clean drinking water.

Water purification also meets the needs of medical, pharmacological, chemical, and industrial claims for clean and potable water.

The purification exercise moderates the concentration of contaminants such as adjourned particles, parasites, bacteria, algae, viruses, and fungi.

In modern times, the quality of water that must be purified is typically set by government agencies. Since it is infuriating to inspect water based on appearance, numerous processes, such as physical, chemical, or biological analyses, have been industrialized to test contamination levels. Level of organic and inorganic chemicals, such as chloride, copper, manganese, sulfates, and zinc, microbial pathogens, radioactive materials, and dissolved and suspended solids, as well as pH, odor, color, and taste, are some typical constraints analyzed to assess water quality and contamination heights.

General household methods such as boiling water or using an activated carbon filter can remove some water impurities, but these process does not remove more dangerous contaminants. For the treatment from harmful pollutants, “water purifiers” are taken into account.

Various minerals are found naturally in water and are significant for the human body, but an intense amount of it can cause multiple diseases. A good water purifier eliminates the excess salts, suspended elements, and microbes, and holds its essential vitamins and minerals. With so many manufacturers in the water purification industry these days, it is difficult to know which is good, which isn’t and which meets the essential standards.

Things You Need To Know About Water Purifiers

Water purifiers comprise different types of filters to make the water contaminant free. Thus water purification plant ensure that you will drink healthy water all around the year.

Reverse Osmosis filters (RO)

Reverse Osmosis (RO) system provides a multi-stage filtration of water by uniting active charcoal and also particle filtration. Here, the tap water is conceded through a membrane that has minute-sized pores, and this sweep out minerals and micro-organisms in water. The pollutants collected are then flushed out through an outlet pipe. An RO water purifier advances the taste of water. RO filters are suggested for places where the problem with the water is its high content of dissolved minerals.

Ultra Violet filters (UV)

UV light (low-level radiation) is passed on the water to destroy bacteria and other microbes by attacking the DNA in cells. These filters eradicate pesticides up to 98%. This filter is operative in removing all types of pathogens but is not effective for eliminating chemicals, taste, suspended particles, color, or smell.

Bio-sand filter

It has a concrete or plastic box that is occupied with layers of sand and gravel, which eradicates pathogens (micro-organisms in water) and suspended solids from polluted water.

Water is discharged into the top of the filter and collected in a safe storage container. Bacteria and other micro-organisms breed in the topmost layer of sand, which is called the bio-layer. The micro-organisms at the bio-layer eat away the pathogens in the water, thereby improving the water quality.

Ion exchange resin filters

Water is passed through resins that soften water by gripping the minerals present. These filters can soften the water by absorbing the salts present and can also entirely de-mineralize the water.

Ceramic filters

These are deep cylinders that are generally made from mud mixed with a flammable material like sawdust or coffee husks.

These drain out bacteria in the water over the small-sized pores in them. It removes chlorine and E.coli bacteria up to 99%. Its safe storage capacity prevents water to get contaminated again.

What to look before buying a water purifier

1. Is the industrial RO plant is accredited by a prominent institution such as NSF, WQA, and FDA?

2. How regularly the sediment filter/membrane needs to be cleaned or replaced?

3. What is the warranty on the components of the machine and how many free facilities does the firm offer?

4. If it is an RO purifier, what is the cleaning speed?

Which One To Buy?

There are numerous RO plant manufacturer in the market like – Tata Swach, Eureka Forbes, Kent, Pureit, etc. Each of these products varies in cost, type of filter they use and the method of purification. Most water purifiers today combine two-three techniques.

For instance, Eureka Forbes’ Aquaguard Protect Plus combines the advantages of a Reverse Osmosis purifier and Ultra Violet sterilization. The innovative model of water purifiers that offer a mixture of technologies will cost anywhere between Rs 8500 and Rs 16000.

Water purifiers have become an essential part of every kitchen now, and manufacturers of these products are challenging to garner market share. The advantage for a shopper here is that she/he can expect decent discounts in these products, especially when purchasing during a festive season.

To read more on topics like this, check out the health category.

Unfortunately, physical health is often prioritized over mental health as many individuals are unaware of how important their mental health actually is. To discover why it’s crucial to monitor your mental health and to actively take steps to increase your mental health, simply continue reading.

Why it is important to take care of your mental health:

1. Every facet of your life is influenced by your mental health

Keep in mind that every single area of your life is heavily influenced by the state of your mental health. As examples, if you’re not mentally healthy you’ll struggle to keep up at work and may be too stressed out to make healthy life decisions, this is where counseling can help if you feel stuck.

Worse yet, if you neglect your mental health, the way that your treat your friends and family members may be influenced by your negative psyche and your relationships may worsen as a result.

2. Individuals who neglect their mental health often turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with their feelings

Individuals who fail to take care of their mental health unfortunately often turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, to help them deal with their feelings of depression or apathy. Some examples of some of the unhealthy coping mechanisms which individuals may use to deal with their mental state include drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, taking drugs and engaging in self-harm.

So if you ever feel as if you’re feeling depressed or hopeless, it’s crucial to talk to a mental health professional, who’ll be able to provide you with all the tools and support which you need to positively work on your mental health.

3. You’ll be far more likely to achieve all of your goals in life if you take care of your mental health

If you stay on top of your mental health, you’ll give yourself the best possible shot of being able to achieve all of your major life goals. As an example, if your mental state is healthy you’ll be far more likely to meet a supportive, positive partner to build a life with.

Or, alternatively, if you’re not interested in having a family of your own, you may be interested in starting your own business or traveling to every continent in the world. No matter what your key life goals are, being in control of your own mental state, will give you a huge advantage.

4. Individuals who don’t deal with their mental health tend to isolate themselves from their loved ones

As individuals become more and more depressed and lose the will and motivation to socialize and to leave their houses, they usually start to isolate themselves from their loved ones such as friends and family members. As a result of their self imposed isolation, such individuals often start to feel even worse about their future as they may wallow in their own self-pity instead of being encouraged, loved and supported from their loved ones.

Hopefully, you’re now well aware of why it’s a smart idea to prioritize your mental health as well as your physical health, in order to lead a happy, fufilling life.

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The misunderstanding surrounding cardio workouts and lifting is always significant. However, they both have pros and cons that fitness enthusiasts must weight to know which ones are better to start with. Sometimes, either can work to start with depending on the goals that a person wants to achieve.

However, it is always good to know the sequence, especially if you are an athlete who must rely on all of it at the same time. Before you decide on where to start or how detailed you want get with either, the insights below will help you.

Cardio Workouts and Their Benefits

Have you been focusing on the treadmill every time you visit the gym or running every moment you have some free time? These two together with swimming, cycling, and jumping rope are some of the most popular cardio workouts. According to many beginners in fitness, they are easy to perform and more fun. But do they have any health and fitness benefits for your body?

Yes, they do. As the name suggests, they improve heart health by regulating blood pressure. Furthermore, they can start burning excess fat in the body and consequently promote weight loss. They are also very good for flexibility.

Weightlifting and Its Benefits

On the other hand, there are workouts that involve lifting or pressing against loads of different sizes. For instance, the Romanian deadlift, barbell squats, bench presses, and leg presses are the most popular weightlifting workouts that people choose whenever they visit the gym. Others include chin-ups, overhead presses, and dumbbells, just to mention a few.

As a person advances, they need to add more weight to realize the many benefits that it has. According to experts at 120kgs, a website that sells legit steroids, it is good to enhance your body when you start engaging in these workouts. Their main benefits include a heavy loss of fat, increased muscle growth, and more strength, but this depends on whether you work out appropriately.

When Both Workouts Are Combined

For the best results, both of these workouts are often combined. All athletes follow this routine because they need to maintain a healthy heart as well as tone the body. Before you start lifting weights, cardio workouts are the best for a warming up and setting the pace. You can run on the treadmill or cycle to the gym to rev up your heart.

After this, the body will be ready for a weightlifting session or any other aggressive workout. The fact that cardio workouts like elliptical trainers prepare the joints also prevents injuries during lifting by increasing the flexibility of the body.

One last thing to note is that cardio workouts are also used to cool down the body. This is because they are not very aggressive. Reserve one or two cardio workouts like the elliptical, which has no impact, to wind up your training session.

Conclusion

So, which of these two comes first? As we have seen, the cardio workouts start the session well for the athletes and also finish it up. However, you can omit them as cool-down workouts when there is no need. Weight-lifting should be done after the cardio workouts for the best fitness results.

To read more on topics like this, check out the health category.

 

Turmeric has been in the spotlight for many years now because of the potential health benefits of drinking it either as a tea or in supplement form. The curcuma longa plant is a rhizome that is closely related to ginger. It is a spice that is native to most parts of Southeast Asia and India. To this day, India still produces around 78% of the global supply of turmeric.

Turmeric lends a distinct flavour to many Asian dishes, and the Indian culture uses it extensively in religious rituals. Traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda also use turmeric in a variety of concoctions prescribed to treat different ailments.

What makes turmeric a common ingredient in alternative medicine?

According to research, turmeric contains the active ingredient curcumin, which is known to have anti-inflammatory properties. However, the compound itself is not easily accessed or absorbed by the body. This is the reason why today, most turmeric drink and supplement options available in the market often guarantee that the product has high curcumin concentration.

Apart from the commercial supplements that you can buy in health stores, one of the most popular ways to consume turmeric is in tea form. By brewing freshly grated or powdered turmeric, you can effectively absorb the right amount of curcumin. While health experts do not recommend a specific daily dosage of turmeric, most research available today concludes that the safe amount for an adult is 1 to 3 grams of freshly grated turmeric, or 400 to 600 milligrams of powdered turmeric three times a day.

Benefits of drinking turmeric tea every day

Alternative medicine believes that turmeric tea has many health benefits. The following are some of the reasons why drinking turmeric in tea form is quite popular today.

• Reduce the symptoms of arthritis. Studies conducted on the compound curcumin concluded that it has anti-inflammatory effects. Because of this property, turmeric is commonly used to relieve the symptoms of arthritis.
• Boost immunity. Aside from the anti-inflammatory property of turmeric, it is also believed to be an antioxidant. Drinking turmeric tea regularly may help improve the immune system’s defence against diseases.
• Treat digestive problems. In Ayurvedic medicine, turmeric is used for flushing toxins from the stomach and intestines. Doing so is believed to help restore balance and overall well-being. People who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome may experience relief from symptoms with the help of turmeric.
• Cancer prevention and treatment. Many clinical studies conducted to explore the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of curcumin are related to cancer treatment and prevention. These studies showed that turmeric was effective in reducing the size of tumours.

Indeed, there is not enough scientific research and human clinical trials to verify all the health claims made about turmeric. But if you are looking for a natural product or supplement to include in your lifestyle, turmeric tea is worth considering. With thousands of years of use in alternative medicine, drinking turmeric tea every day in recommended quantities will do you no harm. Perhaps in the coming years and with more conclusive evidence available, turmeric will be ultimately recognised as a real cure for various diseases.

To read more on topics like this, check out the health category.