Tuesday, April 27, 2010

People Over 50 Need To Understand Scalp Acne Causes And Treatment

Being over 50, you and just about everyone knows what acne is and that it commonly breaks out on the face, chest, arms and on the back. Acne also appears on other parts of the body as well, but unless you're someone with acne in one of these "other" areas, you may not have realized this.

If you think about what acne is - a skin condition - it makes sense then that acne can appear almost anywhere on the body. One area in particular that is not often associated with acne is the scalp.

Scalp acne, the mildest form of which is also known as scalp folliculitis, probably occurs more frequently than most people even realize. This form of acne is most often triggered during times of high stress. This irritating scalp condition usually develops whenever the scalp becomes oiler than usual, such as when the hair isn't washed frequently or when hair care products that contain a considerable amount of oil are used.

Scalp acne is very itchy and that makes it difficult for those who have it to leave it alone. In it's mildest form, the pustules are small, crusty, and they get very sore. They appear mainly on the upper forehead at the hairline. A person can have just a few pustules or there can be many.

A more severe form of scalp acne called acne necrotixa miliaris is characterized by inflamed larger papules with black-colored crusts. This form of acne can leave behind scars that resemble those resulting from Chicken Pox.

There is an even more severe form of scalp acne that primarily affects African-American men but can actually affect anybody, regardless of race or gender. This extremely rare condition is a combination of large cysts and smaller pustules and papules that grow to be very large.

Treatment for Scalp Acne

The mild form of scalp acne can be treated the way most other acne is treated. Keep the affected area clean by using a product that contains salicylic acid. Please remember though that these products can and usually do cause excessive dryness. So be sure to use the product on the affected areas only. For better control apply using a Q-Tip or cotton ball.

Since oily hair is a contributing factor to scalp acne, using shampoo that is formulated for oily hair and scalp is another good option. Hair care products designed especially to treat seborrhea have also been used successfully. And since many people, especially those over 50, use more than just shampoo on their hair, its a good idea to check the labels on all hair care products and make changes as necessary.

What Not To Do When Treating Scalp Acne

One thing that should not be used to treat scalp acne is any product that contains benzoyl peroxide. The peroxide, when it comes into contact with hair can change the color of the hair and result in a less-than-desirable look. Those who have chemically-textured their hair are most prone to hair trouble when benzoyl peroxide is used.

Never attempt to treat the more severe forms of scalp acne without first speaking to a doctor or a dermatologist.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Foods To Reduce High Blood Pressure When You're Over 50

When you're over 50 and you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure, it goes without saying that changes need to be made to your eating habits to improve the situation. Sure some medication may help, but watching what you eat will make a bigger difference to your health, and it will do it naturally, rather than with high cost prescription drugs with known and unknown side effects.

The leading advice given to high blood pressure sufferers, especially those over 50... is to cut down the salt intake. Foods that you need to avoid include fast foods, fried foods, oily foods, frozen dinners, canned vegetables, pickled foods, instant noodles, processed foods, bouillon cubes, steak sauce, barbecue sauce and more. Yes, I know it can get quite depressing if you just focus on what you cannot eat. However, what I'm about to share with you here is that it is better to have a positive approach instead by focusing on what you can and should eat.

So, right here, I am going to share with you are 5 kinds of foods that will help you fight your high blood pressure woes. Ready? Okay, here they are!

#1 is Garlic

You can add fresh cloves of garlic or garlic powder to your cooking or you can take garlic supplements. Garlic helps lower blood pressure because it contains components and compounds that can dilate your arteries. What this means is that your blood vessels open wider, which means your blood is able to flow easier. There have been several studies done to investigate if garlic really does help lower blood pressure. As a matter of fact, the University of Adelaide in South Australia did a review on 11 studies that involved garlic supplements. They concluded that garlic supplements can successfully lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure when taken on a regular basis. However, do not expect that eating garlic by itself will make your blood problem go away. It is only an aid and not the entire solution. Also, the fact that it is a blood thinner makes it unsuitable for certain people over the age of 50.

#2 is Celery

Yep, that's right. You see, celery is an old Chinese remedy to lower blood pressure. The University of Chicago Medical Center did some research on it and found that phtalide (3nb), a compound found in celery, helps improve blood flow. Also, it is very interesting how the research came about. For one week, the father of one of the researchers consumed about 4 stalks of celery everyday. As a result, his blood pressure dropped from 158/96 to 118/82. Amazing isn't it?
There are several ways to add celery to your diet. You can use it as an ingredient in your soups. You can also eat celery sticks as a snack or juice it along with tomatoes or carrots.

#3 is Tomatoes

Why? Because the lycopene found in tomatoes effectively lowers blood pressure! This is confirmed by a study conducted by Dr. Esther Paran of Soroka Medical Center in Israel. What he did was to select patients that were not responding well to hypertension medications, and gave them a daily supplement of tomato extract. Within 4 weeks, they all experienced a significant reduction in their blood pressure. It is recommended that you eat at least 4 tomatoes daily to see these positive results. You can make tomato juice, add tomatoes to your salad and sauces or make tomato salsa. You can also run to the pharmacy to buy tomato-concentrate pills... which is what I suggest, rather than trying to eat 4 tomatoes a day.

#4 is High Fiber Foods

Don't forget to include high fiber foods to your diet. All that simply means is to eat a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grain.

#5 is Potassium Rich Foods

One of the major contributing factors to high blood pressure is not having enough potassium and too much sodium. It's really best to get your daily potassium from natural foods instead of supplements. Potassium rich foods include potatoes, meat, oranges, and bananas. However, too much potassium is also not good and can be dangerous to your health. You just want a good balance of potassium-to-sodium.

So, as you can see, simply eating naturally and organically as much as possible can bring your blood pressure down effectively when you start to eat right. I know it's not always easy to make dietary changes, and you may find it difficult to break some old habits. However, you'll find the effort you put in will soon bring about pleasant results to your health.

This is the results you're looking for, right? Okay, now take action and go for it!

Monday, April 19, 2010

How To Get Motivated To Lose Weight And In Shape When You're Over 50

For men and women over 50, one of the biggest problems with losing weight is typically motivation. Older people can be very happy and content just sitting back on the couch and watching TV. How many times have you seen people stop their vehicle in front of the mailbox to get the mail through the window. Why not drive in and park have a walk back to the mailbox instead? It all adds up. No, walking down your driveway will not get you in shape unless you live five miles from the main road. But you have to get motivated to shape up and it can start with the little things.

So, being over 50, how do you get motivated? Well, put a photo up of your goal on the bathroom mirror. Remind yourself every day why you need to workout, get in shape and eat properly. There is no reason for you to be overweight unless you just choose to be.

You can learn how to lose weight by listening to motivational CDs or even watching DVDs. One way to stay motivated is to go to a gym. They have exercise classes that will help you get fit. You will begin meeting other people over 50 who have the same goals which will help you stay motivated. They will make you accountable for participating. Ideally the motivation to exercise should come from within. You should want to be in shape and not be overweight. You just have to want to do it.

The motivation to slim up should be simply to live a healthy life. No, it is not particularly easy or fun, especially if you are not accustomed to doing it. But are you going to be accustomed to having a heart attack? A Stroke? Diabetes? The health benefits of getting fit and losing weight far outweigh the inconvenience.

However, 75% of Americans disagree with that last fact. They have no problem with being overweight. The medical community now believe that modern medicine has even made it possible to stay alive longer and be obese. So that makes people relax about losing the weight.

But tell me this. Why would someone want to be overweight and unfit? You can hear the overweight and out of shape coming a mile away. The huffing and puffing as they make their way down the hallway at work or climbing a set of stairs. They cannot move comfortably packing all that weight around. That alone should be motivation enough to get in shape and lose weight.

So, if you're man or woman over 50... get motivated and reduce your fat. Your life will be much better for it, honestly.

Friday, April 16, 2010

New Health Care Program Impact On America And It's Seniors

I haven't really taken a good look at the new health care program that was recently passed, but someone who I respect has taken a close look at it and here is his published findings on the impact it will have on seniors and America. I now turn you over to William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.


"Social Medicine Will Bankrupt The Nation

America's best days may be in the past -- because social medicine WILL bankrupt us all.

The backwards plan that passed Congress recently doesn't fully take effect for years... but it's already costing us billions.

One new study finds that American companies will lose $14 billion this year alone because of tax changes in the bill. How many more jobs will that cost us? Don't ask your local politician -- he doesn't care.

But if he voted for the bill, be sure to send him to the back of the growing unemployment line in November.

Those same tax changes will cause companies to kill the prescription drug benefits many offer to retirees -- so up to 2 million seniors will have to find some other way to get their meds.

I'm all about finding alternatives to Big Pharma's worst drugs... but some people won't have a choice in the matter when they're faced with huge new bills.

Bankrupt seniors? YES WE CAN!

If you want to know the truth about ObamaCare, just take a look at some of its backers.

Shortly after this disastrous bill passed Congress, congratulations were sent out... from Fidel Castro in Havana! I don't need to tell you that this wasn't some friendly message from a neighbor, but a smug, gloating attack from a commie enemy who wants nothing more than to see America go the way of Cuba, and not just when it comes to medicine.

But while Castro grins into that beard of his, his own brother -- the man who's actually in charge of that nation now -- says Cuba needs to spend less on medicine.

That's right -- socialized medicine has gotten too expensive... even for the commies!

It's taken them decades to figure it out. How long will it take us to learn that same lesson -- and how much will it cost?"

Whether you or I agree or disagree, it's really something to think and be concerned about. What's your feelings on this?

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Older Men And Women Discover 3 Weight Loss Myths

Being a man or woman over 50, just how many weight loss tips do you already know? Plenty of them, right? You’ve read them in the health and fitness magazines, you’ve seen them on TV and the Internet, you may have heard them from your doctor, and you’ve certainly discussed them with your friends.

As a wiser older person, by now you probably know, although may not want to believe, that fad diets, weight loss pills and supplements do not work. However, for some reason, we constantly hold out hope that THIS diet or pill or piece of exercise equipment will be the ONE. And let's not insult your intelligence by lecturing you on the need to take in fewer calories than you use up during the day.

Listen, here's the problem. The weight loss industry is filled with myths and misleading information. Why is this? Maybe it's because they want you to buy their products. People also misinterpret information and so truths may get twisted. Here are three common myths and the truth about each one that men and women over 50 have discovered.

Myth #1: It is possible to accomplish spot reduction of fat. FALSE! It is impossible to force your body to spot reduce, no matter what workouts you are doing. Doing crunches and leg lifts to reduce belly fat frequently reduces the muscle mass rather than the fat beneath the abdomen. So instead of focusing on working out one area of your body, it is best to work your entire body while you follow a healthy diet. This will certainly speed up your metabolism and that is what burns fat.

Myth #2: Drastically reducing calorie intake will reduce your body fat. FALSE again. This myth is what pushes people to crash diet. Hasn't most everyone tried this? Yes, you may have lost some water weight, but what happens when you drastically reduce your intake? Your body goes into starvation mode. Starvation mode actually slows your metabolism and burns muscle rather than fat for energy. So you lose muscle instead of fat, and when you return to your usual eating patterns, you will regain any weight lost, but not muscle.

Myth #3: Cardio exercises alone will help you lose weight. FALSE once more. Yes, cardio and aerobic exercises can help you lose fat, but you still need to add weight lifting. Actually, weight lifting is really better than both cardio and aerobics. Why? Because weight lifting helps your body burn fat not only during the workout, but also after the workout. That is great news for everyone, not only men and women over 50!

Debunking these three myths and proceeding on the right path of proper food intake and proper workouts will surely lead you to become a fat burner and lose that weight.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Does Laser Hair Loss Treatment Work For People Over 50?

Welcome to another helpful health article for men and women over 50. As you know, I generally give you content about natural, holistic, or alternative health concerns. However, today, I want to touch upon something that's not so natural, but more and more people are becoming interested in it... laser hair loss treatment.

I found it very surprising that laser hair loss treatment is becoming one of the most common ways of treating hair loss today... even aong men and women over 50! As a matter of fact, it was already being performed in the last decades of the Twentieth Century before the equipment was even put on the market. Interestingly, laser hair loss treatment is considered a non-surgical solution for hair loss, thinning hair and baldness as well as a series of other disorders of the scalp such as dermatitis.

However, technically, it is a piece of equipment made out of around 50 therapeutic soft low light level lasers delivering light energy to different areas of the head. This principle is based on stimulating cell metabolism while repairing damaged cells at the same time. By using the power of laser light, it is said you can boost and revitalize your hair.

The theory is that light is energy and as a consequence, cells are able to survive thanks to light. The same goes for your hair. Much to my surprise, this has proven to be particularly efficient when combined with the proper hair hygiene products. I have found that laser hair loss treatment is more effective when used with Minoxidil (the first drug approved by the FDA for hair loss), together with the right scalp hygiene.

This type of treatment has been so successful that it has received numerous, positive reviews. Many magazines (including those catering to seniors), newspapers and TV channels claim that the success of this method of treating hair loss is one of the best on the market today.

It is said there are many benefits of laser hair loss treatment and the people who have tried it have been satisfied with the results... claiming that their hair loss had been greatly reduced after about six weeks of treatment and re-growth could be seen after about three months.

It is also stated and believed that using laser hair loss treatment can improve the flow of blood supply to the scalp after a single treatment. The correct dosage of light energy is applied from a different number of laser positions that helps in stimulating hair follicles, preventing too much hair loss and giving beautiful hair that is shiny, soft as well as thick and better manageable.

Laser hair loss treatment is the new, scientific approach to reducing scalp hair loss. It does not require any kind of surgery at all, just patience and time for the hair to recuperate. Moreover it has been tested to be both safe and effective.

Last but not least, studies conducted by the International Journal of Cosmetic Surgery and Aesthetic Dermatology, have demonstrated that laser hair loss treatment can positively help lots of hair loss sufferers in reducing the amount of hair loss. However, it is my personal belief that more studies should be done on long term and side effects... especially on old folks like us that are over 50

What's your take on this new form of treatment?

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Down Home Cooking The Healthy Way When You're Over 50

The following article is another one of my many articles you will find already published at http://tmdassc.qondio.com.

For men and women over 50, down home cooking is referred to by some as southern cooking, and by others as soul food. No matter what you may call it, it's some darn good eating to a lot of folks. Many people who like down home cooking do not get to enjoy it as much as they would like to because of the unhealthy amounts of calories, saturated fats, and cholesterol it generally contains.

However, there's good news for men and women over 50 who enjoy eating down home cooking. You can still enjoy down home cooking or soul food as much as you like because it can now be prepared in a healthy manner. All you need are the right substitutes.

The key to healthy down home cooking is to use lean meats such as round, sirlion, chuck arm pot roast, loin, lean and extra lean ground beef, and poultry with skin removed instead of high fat meats. Fish, beans and grain dishes are also great substitutes.

Substitute skinless chicken thighs for neckbones, turkey thighs for ham hocks and fatback, and small amounts of vegetable oil for lard, butter, or other fats that are hard at room temperature.

Use turkey bacon, lean ham, Canadian bacon(omit if on a low sodium diet) instead of prok bacon. Also substitute ground skinless turkey breast for pork sausage, ground boneless turkey breast for ground beef and pork, lowfat(1% - 2%) or nonfat/skim milk for whole milk, and lowfat or part skim milk cheeses for whole milk cheeses.

Substitute evaporated skim milk for cream, mustard for regular mayonnaise in sandwiches, and nonfat or lowfat dressing, yogurt or mayonnaise for regular mayonnaise in salads and sandwiches.

Use fruits and vegetables without added fat instead of avocado, olives, etc., as salad garnishes, and low sodium bouillon and broths instead of regular bouillons and broths.

Put away the deep fryer and replace it with a steamer. Get into the habit of broiling, steaming roasting/baking, microwaving, grilling, braising/stewing, boiling simmering, and stir-frying with a little bit of oil instead of frying, basting with fat, and cooking in fatty sauces and gravies. When using oil, use no more than 1 - 2 tablespoons of oil per 4 servings.

Substitute a variety of seasonings of herbs and spices for salt. for instance, instead of using salt for your greens, add fresh green pepper and basil. When cooking black eyed peas, add Spanish onion and crushed black pepper. Add pepper first, then taste. You are going to discover a whole new intense flavor in all your main dishes.

These substitutes will make very little difference to the taste of the food, but they will make a world of difference to your heart and to your health when you're over 50.

Now that you have been armed with the knowledge, get ready for some good healthy down home southern cooking and soul food. You can get started right now by grabbing your free complimentary copy of "Healthy Cooking Down Home Recipes" from the Free Reports section of this blog.