Timeless Beauty

Image via CrunchBase My gadget freak boyfriend is once again at it with industrial knobs and locks. When he's in one of his phases he forgets me. Oh well... To entertain myself I prefer to either read or blog. The latter is a more profitable endeavor but not less intellectually stimulating as the former. Blogging has opened new worlds of thought for me. Ideas I have never considered before I begin to learn and appreciate for their uniqueness and creativity. My own experience in writing for a school magazine has helped me with blogging and, modesty aside, I think my own creativity has been a wellspring of many innovative ideas I had in blogging for topics that are way out there (such as that post on skin shrinks). Recently a friend told me of his interest in blogging and earning from it. I told him he can create a blog easily at Blogger for free. Or he can get a free CMS and install it at a webhost , and buy a domain for only 10 dollars a year. Blogging is easy enough once you...

Are you afraid of wearing a swimsuit in summer or wearing a racy lingerie in front of your hubby because of unsightly stretch marks on your thighs and buttocks? If you answer yes, then you must read on. The following tips may reduce the appearance of stretch marks on skin. Stretch marks are tears in the skin when there is extreme stretching due to gaining large amounts of weight in a short period of time, or when a person has hormonal imbalance issues such as Cushing's syndrome which produces increased amounts of steroidal hormones in the body. Extreme stretching of the skin causes tiny skin fibers to tear. There is no known remedy to repair these fibers, although there are many products and treatments available that can help lighten stretch marks and improve the look of the skin. Many natural or organic treatments are available if you know your way around the web. The following ingredients can help: Cocoa butter Rose hip oil Emu oil Jojoba oil Castor oil  Shea butter Vitamin A Vi...

Image via Wikipedia A previous article discussed the benefits of mitral valve repair as opposed to mitral valve replacement as solution to mitral valve prolapse. The same post also posited that heart problems are one of the most common health risks in aging. However, mitral valve prolapse isn't the only heart problem one may encounter in maturity. Another type of these heart problems is called arrhythmia, or a form of heart murmur . An Arrythmia is any deviation from or disturbance of the normal heart rhythm and usually is a sign of an existing heart problem. The heart problem may be found in the mitral valve or in any part of the heart. However, a medical solution such as a heart surgery would require a team of specialists with extensive knowledge and experience. Cardiologists and heart surgeons can extend their knowledge through CME Programs . CME means Continuing Medical Education , a type of continuing education helping medical doctors improve their knowledge and skills in t...

Image via Wikipedia Aging brings with it many health problems, and one of these is a mitral valve prolapse , or heart murmur . The mitral valve is responsible for stopping blood from flowing back into the lungs when it should be pushed through the aorta and delivered to the rest of the body. When the mitral valve doesn't work, the blood flows back to the lungs which causes shortness of breath and weakening of heart muscle. Undergoing mitral valve surgery will solve the problem. However experts say a mitral valve repair is much better than mitral valve replacement . Repairing the mitral valve has more advantages, such as: A lower mortality at the time of operation (1-2% for repair versus 6-8% for replacement). A significantly lower risk of stroke, and a lower rate of infection. Improved long-term survival with mitral valve repair. Patients who receive a valve repair stay on the same survival curve as the normal population. After mitral valve repair, blood thinners are not requir...

Image by Big Fat Rat via Flickr With winter coming on many of us are preparing to bundle up and get warm for the next few months. However, it's not only our bodies that need this kind of attention. We also need to take care of our extremities, namely our hands and feet. Our hands are most often given more attention since they are nearer to our field of vision. But many of us tend to neglect our feet. We think wearing boots are enough, but this is not so. Boots with a thick lining is good for its warmth. However, according to a podiatrist most problems we have with our feet is caused by footwear that don't fit well. Daniel Altchuler, DPM , a board certified podiatrist, advises that we should vary our shoes everyday and have our feet measured once a year. A new pair of Dansko shoes every Christmas should do the trick (Wink! Wink!). Podiatrists find that the most common winter feet problems include dry and cracked skin and chilblains . Chilblains are small itchy, red swellings ...

Image via Wikipedia It's that season once again when leaves fall and the air is chillier than usual. A drop in temperature can be hurtful to your skin's hydration. When autumn comes and later winter, keep your skin moisturized and protected from the changes in the weather. Here are some winter skin care tips that even your snowmobile parts crazy hubby can make use of: * Apply a simple hydrotherapy technique using hot and cold showers. Start with a hot shower, and then before getting out switch to a cold shower for about fifteen seconds. After that turn up the heat a bit, and then down again. Repeat the alternate switching of hot and cold showers for about two minutes. This stimulates the blood flow throughout the body. It revitalizes the skin and invigorates the muscles. * Moisturize! Block the sun! Use a highly protective day cream with zinc oxide and has at least SPF 15 (ideally SPF 30) to protect your skin from the harsh elements of cold weather. Creamier, water-in-oil em...

Image by Prato9x via Flickr I don't remember the exact point when I decided to go veggies whenever I can. I was a hearty meat eater since I was a kid. In fact, I love hotdogs and ham, and I detest eating anything green. When I became a teener, however, I started eating vegetables. It was for my own good since I was so thin and my adolescent body is growing fast. I needed the proteins, vitamins and minerals I could get. My mom even made me take vitamin supplements to help my body cope with the nutritional demands of adolescence. It was in the recent years, since I stepped into my late twenties that I became aware of my health and how much impact what I eat has on my body. I didn't think of losing fat or going to the gym for this. I was happy the way I was since my weight is already normal for my height. I wasn't suffering from any health problem or anything. My only reason for eating healthy is to be healthy. However, my firm figure gained in my twenties is gradually leadi...

Hey, I just found a great anti aging skin care guide which is free for everyone to use. It's the ShopWiki Health and Beauty page with links to the Anti-Aging Skin Care Products Buying Guide . I found a good treasure trove of links and anti aging information there. To demonstrate, here's a good advice from the site: Ingredients to Look For: Antioxidants (Vitamin A, E, C, Polyphenols, Alpha Lipoic Acid , Beta-Glucan, Coenzyme Q10 ) Collagen Renewing Properties (Magnesium, Zinc, Copper, Copper Peptide, Sea Kelp, Algae, Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid , Palmitoyl Oligopeptide) Emollients (Silicone, Oils and Butters, Acetyls, Glycerls, Cetearyl Alcohol , Stearic Acid, Dimethicone) Exfoliating AHAs & BHAs (Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids ) SPF ( Sun protection Factor ) Retinol (Stimulates cell renewal) There are more to be discovered at ShopWiki. It also has a Cosmetics Buying Guide which is also one of my favorite obsessions. There's a great article on Eye Shado...

Image by *dolbystereoben* via Flickr I have an uncle who has Alzheimer's Disease . Whenever I visit their home he often asks me who I was. Again and again I had to gently remind whose daughter I am and what my name is. Sometimes when he does remember me he cries uncontrollably. When asked why he told me he was remembering my deceased father who was very close to him when my father was alive. Uncle was weeping because he felt so proud of me and what I have achieved as an adult which my dad wasn't able to see. Needless to say I love Uncle like a father and I care about his safety in his present health condition. My cousins love their father very much and would want to see him safe even when we all know there is no cure for Alzheimer's. The least the family can do is take turns watching out for my uncle, although it can be difficult sometimes when everyone else has his own family or career to take care of, too. My Aunt, who thankfully isn't going senile yet, may not be st...

Remember my sister's friend who got hitched ? Yes, they had their honeymoon in the Caribbean , particularly in one of those Barbados villa rentals where couples get to enjoy a real Caribbean vacation experience. But more than that, my sister's friend came back with great stories about Barbados, especially its connection to the mystical fig tree, which has been revered as one possible "Fountain of Youth." In fact, Barbados is so named after the island's bearded fig trees by Portuguese explorers. The fig is thought to be a gift from the Greek goddess Demeter whom her worshippers believed to be responsible for nourishing youth, bringing the seasons and preserving marriage. The last blessing mentioned is considered a large influence on Barbados as a top wedding and honeymoon destination for couples worldwide. Besides the Fig, Barbados has much to offer to nourish natural beauty and youth. Here are the top ten Fountains of Youth found in Barbados: 1. Sand and Surf. B...

Image via Wikipedia Allow me to deviate again from the subject of aging and skin care . It's not enough that we know how to keep our skin healthy and our bodies fit, but also what diseases we can expect when we reach a certain age. I am still in my thirties but health problems are beginning to bug me, especially those that are genetically pre-coded into my system. Allergic rhinitis is one of those genetic health problems I'm referring to. Allergic rhinitis may be triggered by exposure to dust, pollens and extreme changes in temperature. Other allergens include animal allergen (proteins produced by a cat's sebaceous glands) or molds which grow in warm, damp environments. These allergens cause the swelling of the nasal passage, resulting to runny nose , itching of the eyes, and cough. I thought the runny nose and the watery eyes were just symptoms of the flu, but no matter how much or how often I take flu tablets I still sneeze and my nasal passage still hurts. So that...

Image by maciul via Flickr A cousin of mine from Los Angeles has just stopped using whitening products because she couldn't get rid of the dark spots forming on her skin. She has dark brown skin but these spots are darker and appeared lately when she has reached the big four-oh. It's a natural occurrence in our family that we develop age spots , but usually they come in the form of lentigos, which are small wart-like growths that grow in number as we age. In an effort to help find a solution to her skin problem, I turn once again to the ever-reliable Internet. Searching through topics like 'melasma', 'age spots' and 'lentigos', I chance upon a medical page on how people can get rid of age spots. Age spots as their name implies are brought on by aging. However, their appearance is determined by many factors which includes genetics and sun exposure . As we age our skin becomes more vulnerable to the sun thus we produce too much melanin to compensate. Mel...

Image via Wikipedia Aging signs do not only include wrinkles, brittle bones and health problems, but also weakened eyes. As we grow older, our eyes lose the ability to focus well on near objects. The lens has a decreased capacity to increase its power and change its shape to accommodate the clear vision of near objects. This aging sign is technically called presbyopia which sets in usually at 40 and manifests as the inability to read comfortably at a close distance. By this time we would be either wearing reading glasses or moving the book as far away as 25 cm from our eyes so we can read the text clearly. Or we can have Lasik eye surgery and be done with it. An eye surgery can be beneficial in the long run. Presbyopia is not the only problem we'll be running into as we age and our eyes weaken considerably. Cataracts and glaucoma can lead to blindness if not corrected through eye surgery. However, it is presbyopia that will eventually affect all of us as we reach the golden ...

Image by Evan Romine via Flickr Mature skin doesn't respond well when there is too little moisture in the air. It is already dry and thin due to the slowing down of collagen production. If not taken cared of, dry air can produce more visible fine lines and wrinkles. What's worse it can cause aging skin to flake, crack or bleed. To prevent these from happening we can either move down South and take long Miami and Orlando vacations , or we can follow the following steps right in our homes: 1. Hydrate your skin by taking a short bath or shower daily using warm (not hot) water and closing the bathroom door to ensure the humidity is kept inside for a few minutes. 2. Be gentle with your skin. Use mild cleansers or soaps and do not rub your skin when drying off with a towel. Instead pat it dry and let a bit of moisture to remain on your skin. 3. To reduce dryness and itching moisturize regularly. Moisturizer should be applied within 3 minutes after finishing a bath or shower to tra...

Image by kruain J&B via Flickr We all know that with aging comes changes in our body in appearance and in function. We experience a slowing down of cell regeneration which affects collagen production resulting to loss of skin elasticity, and also affects cellular growth resulting to degeneration of internal organs. As a result, we develop wrinkles and experience aches and pains in our joints, or worse develop aging-related health problems such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. However, going through these aging-related health problems shouldn't have to be painful. There are natural remedies to ease the pain and fight the signs of aging. One of these natural remedies is magnetic therapy . Magnetic therapy has been around for centuries. As early as 2000 BC in China magnetic stones have been used to correct health imbalances. But the most popular use in ancient times was by the Egyptian Queen in maintaining her youthful appearance. Legend has it that Cleopatra slept wi...