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Dec

31

Chinese Wolfberry Has Amazing Health Benefits

Filed in: Diabetes, Diseases, Nutrition, cancer by chongyim on 12-31-11

Chinese Wolfberry

Chinese Wolfberry

It is a well established fact that to fight diseases our immune system must be strong. Though there are many ways to achieve this, one of the most important is to maximize our body’s antioxidant protection. And our body produces one of the most powerful natural antioxidants known as superoxide dismutase (SOD).

Researchers have found evidence that deficiency in SOD may be the reason why some people are prone to get pancreatic and breast cancers. Those suffering from cardiovascular diseases also have low levels of SOD. Unfortunately SOD level in our body declines significantly with age.

Recent studies have shown that the Chinese wolfberry can improve SOD activity in our body. Commonly known as goji, when combined with SOD, it becomes a powerful health-enhancing and disease fighting potion.

Wolfberry is an indigenous fruit of Asia and South-Eastern Europe and rich in potent antioxidants. Though the fruit is small, it is packed with nutrients like lycopene, beta-carotene, niacin, lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamins C, B1 and B2. It contains more than 30 essential trace minerals including calcium, phosphorous, potassium, iron, zinc and selenium. In addition wolfberry possesses 18 different amino acids such as arginine and tryptophan.

Wolfberry has many therapeutic benefits, including prevention of diabetes, enhancement to our eyesight, improving man’s sexual activity and a healthier and longer life span.

It is easy to make juice from wolfberries. It is delicious and provides all the benefits of antioxidants essential for people of all ages and lifestyles.

Like most herbal remedies, you should not expect immediate result. Consume this over a period of time and you will see good improvement to your energy levels and a reduction in your medical problems. Try it.

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Nov

30

Back Pain Heals Better With Yoga – New research

Filed in: Pain, Yoga by chongyim on 11-30-11

This is a guest post contributed by Jack Woo

According to the latest research, doing yoga daily is more effective in healing your chronic back pain than other conventional back pain treatments. There are also more side effects as a result of using the conventional treatments, such as painkillers and muscle relaxants.

The researchers closely monitored 228 adults who suffer from acute and chronic back pain problems. They were separated into three groups with two groups attending daily yoga sessions and the remaining group doing different exercises for a few weeks.

At the end of the program they discovered that half the participants who attended yoga sessions felt much better compared with only 20% of the other group.

Yoga exercises

Yoga exercises

Yoga is not just a form of meditation as some people perceive it and the benefits are not just limited to strengthening muscles, improve flexibility and balance. Yoga is an extremely good therapy for relieving back pain, shorten recovery time, reduce swelling and increase blood circulation. Practising yoga daily will help improve your posture and keep your spine in proper alignment, which is essential in back pain treatment.

There are many forms and poses of yoga and not all can help your back pain. In fact some can even worsen your back condition. It is best to attend classes under the guidance of certified yoga instructors as they can advise on what poses are suitable for you.

Back strengthening poses serve not only to strengthen your muscles around the spine, but also help to activate your kidneys and tonify your body. Back releasing poses will help to reduce tension and muscle spasm and improve spinal mobility. These exercises will help to nourish your back muscles and muscle tissues, and are good for people suffering from back pain, especially lower back pain. Stretching other muscles in your body such as the hamstring and thigh will make them stronger and more flexible and lessen the amount of stress on your back. This will finally reduce the tension and back pain.

Performing poses on the floor are easier than standing poses as they require less strength and balance. One very important aspect of doing yoga is to learn how to breathe properly, especially when holding the poses. Choose poses with longer hold times (inhaling and exhaling) as they are easier to do.

When you master the art of deep and rhythmic breathing, your body will relax, freeing you of pain-inducing restrictions and eases proper circulation.

Do not eat at least one to two hours before you practise yoga and refrain from drinking too much water before the session.

You should practise yoga daily for an average of 30 minutes, depending on your schedule, objective and fitness level. It is better to practise more often with shorter duration than less often with longer duration as this will produce better result.

If you are seeking relief from back pain, yoga is certainly one of the best lower back pain exercises. Like all forms of exercises, do not push your body to the limits. If you still experience pain after doing yoga, stop and consult your doctor.

Jack Woo has a special interest in back pain, having suffered from it in the past. He shares with you his experiences and many back pain treatment options and prevention tips.

Click here to find out more….

or visit: http://backpain-treatment.net/

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Oct

31

Glutathione – the mother of all antioxidants

Filed in: Nutrition, cancer by chongyim on 10-31-11

Glutathione is produced naturally and it’s found in every cell in our body. This antioxidant has many health benefits including the following:

  • Improve our immune system
  • Enhance mental function
  • Boost our energy levels
  • Remove toxic from our body
  • Improve liver function
  • Keep us safe from cancer

It is not a coincidence that patients who are suffering from cancer, AIDS or other serious medical conditions have a very low level of glutathione. Medical professionals are not sure why but it is a fact that it is important for maintaining intracellular health.

Glutathione consists of three amino acids: cystine, glutamine and glycine.

Glutathione contains sulphur chemicals that draw in free radicals and toxins, protecting our body from harm. However when our body has excessive toxins, the glutathione will be insufficient to balance them and we become unwell.

The other factors that affect the production of glutathione are stress, aging, poor diet medications, toxins and other detrimental factors.

These risk factors makes it quite likely that if you’re over 40, you will probably have insufficient glutathione to fight off diseases.

A deficiency in Glutathione is a common symptom for a number of diseases including:

  • Cancer
  • Diabetes
  • AIDS
  • Heart Diseases
  • Alzheimer’s
  • Hepatitis
  • Arthritis
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Parkinson’s Disease
  • Multiple Sclerosis

The reality is: if you don’t have enough glutathione in your system, your body starts to fall apart and you become sick.

Glutathione can be acknowledged by medical professionals with an impressive range of health benefits. Researchers have found that it functions as an amazing antioxidant, a great immune system booster, and a powerful detoxifier.

Glutathione is a health superhero in battling cancer and other fatal diseases.

To increase glutathione in our body we must eat foods rich in sulphur, which helps the molecule to attract harmful free radicals.

Foods that are rich in sulphur include eggs, seafood, beef, veal, liver, chicken, cabbage, broccoli, garlic, cauliflower, onions, kale, avocado, peaches and watermelon.

In addition to food, we must exercise regularly to boost our glutathione levels. Exercising helps boost our immune system, improve detoxification and enhance our body’s own antioxidant defenses.

We can also consume whey protein to increase cysteine and other amino acids that will help our body to produce more glutathione.

Nutrients which we can take to recycle and produce more glutathione:

  • Vitamins B6 and B12
  • Alpha lipoic acid
  • N-acetyl cysteine
  • Folate
  • Selenium
  • Milk thistle

Increasing the supply of glutathione will in the long run, help protect us from deadly diseases like cancer.

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Sep

28

Tips For Curing Nail Fungus

Filed in: Nail Fungus by chongyim on 09-28-11

Curing Nail Fungus

Curing Nail Fungus

The Best Tips to Curing Nail Fungus is that the nails must be kept clean and dry at all times and able to breath fresh air. Nail fungus is naturally occurring on your toenails and is only a problem when left to overgrow. A common reason for it to overdevelop is because of wearing shoes that are tied too tight. Wearing shoes for a very long time can cause your feet to perspire and promote the build-up of fungus.

The borrowing of nail cutters and other tools, that have not been properly sterilized, from other people might also cause you to develop a fungus. If the user has a fungus infection there is a good chance that it might get transferred to you. Trauma to the area can be another one of the reasons for its cause. The reason is that the injury will allow the bacteria to get in. People suffering from a low immune system have a greater chance of getting nail fungus. Once it occurs in one toenail it usually spreads to the other nails on the same foot.

There are mild and aggressive kinds of medications that are prescribed for the treatment of nail fungus. You, as the patient, have the option of being treated in a more natural way, self treated, or it can be under a medical doctors care. The most common but not always the best way, is to be treated by doctors who guarantee the effectiveness and safeness of the treatment. If you decide to go this root then ask many questions before you leave the office.

Some medicines can cause side effects especially on those people who are suffering from liver diseases. They can also cause allergies because of the medications high toxic contents. People who have depressed immune systems are most at risk, like those people with problems in their circulatory system, Diabetic people, elderly people and those who have HIV.  Medication for nail fungus is a long-term treatment.

Awareness is the key in preventing nail fungus, it can be the answer to restoring your healthy nail. It takes almost 3 months for your healthy nail to grow back in fully. In three months time, while your nails grow out, the medicine you would apply prevents the fungi from growing, as the diseased nail grows out you are left with a healthy nail.

Curing Nail fungus has its success rate at 60–80 percent and if the causative factors have not been eliminated it is not assured that it will not occur again. In fact, it has a 15 percent chance to reoccur because Nail Fungus has proven to be a long lasting kind of infection. That is why after treating it most doctors will still recommend their patients to continue the use of anti-fungal creams.

This is meant to prevent another build-up of a fungus infection.

The best way to keep that healthy nail you just grew is to keep your hygiene up always. To prevent nail fungus infection you must follow some proven methods. The first is to wear open toed footwear as much as possible to let the air get at it. Secondly you should change your socks immediately if your toes become damp or you can wear moisture absorbent socks if it is more preferable to you. Third, don’t wear high top boots if the weather doesn’t call for it and Fourth. Treat nail fungus as early as you can to stop its spreading.

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Aug

31

The Powerful Healing Seaweed – Ecklonia Cava

Filed in: Nutrition by chongyim on 08-31-11

The Wonder of Ecklonia Cava or Seanol

Ecklonia Cava is a brown seaweed that grows at a depth of 100 feet off the coast of Korea and Japan. It is staple food for Asians, especially the Chinese, Japanese and Korean who believe it has great health benefits.

About fifteen years ago, Dr. Haengwoo Lee, a Korean biochemist and his research team made a startling discovery on the health benefits of Ecklonia Cava. They found an antioxidant that’s up to 100 times stronger than the familiar antioxidants vitamins C and E, antioxidant-rich fruits like blueberries, pomegranates and even green tea catechins.

This super-antioxidant can undo years of damage to your heart, brain, joints and nerves. Researchers have named this brown seaweed extract Seanol.

Ecklonia Cava

Ecklonia Cava

Revive damaged arteries and improve blood flow

In a clinical study, researchers looked at patients with damaged artery walls which restricted blood flow and affecting the heart functions. However after taking Ecklonia Cava for just 6 weeks, blood flow increased by more than 50%.

Lower cholesterol and support cardiovascular health

But this super-antioxidant inhibits the oxidation of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). When LDL oxidizes, it can damage the lining of your arteries.

In one study, 39 adults (average age 55) were given this nutrient for six weeks. Their average cholesterol level dropped and their hard-to-raise “good” HDL rose from 46.5 to 50.7 which is unusual.

Their triglycerides fell from 215 to 195 and the atherogenic index (a key measurement of atherosclerosis) dropped a whopping 12.5%.

10 servings of fruits and vegetables in a single nutrient

Antioxidant power is measured with the ORAC scale (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity). The more free radicals a substance traps, the higher the ORAC score.

Dieticians and nutritionists recommend that we consume around 5000 ORAC units per day to reduce free radical damage. Ecklonia Cava or Seanol has an ORAC score of more than 8,300. That’s equivalent to your entire day’s worth of antioxidant protection in a single nutrient!

Crosses the blood-brain barrier

Unlike land-based antioxidants that are water-soluble, Seanol is only 40% fat-soluble. Therefore it has a greater ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and protect the cells of your brain. It can penetrate the membranes of all your cells easily, to give them the antioxidant protection they need.

Works up to 24 times longer

Since it is fat-soluble, Seanol has a much longer active life (up to 12  hours ) in your body. Most water-soluble, plant-based polyphenols like pomegranates and blueberries are expelled through your urine in just 30 minutes. This means Seanol may be working inside your body up to 24 times longer.

All these advantages give Seanol up to 100 times more free-radical scavenging power than ordinary land-based polyphenols. More than even the popular green tea catechins.

Thins your blood to support healthy circulation

When your blood is too thick, it can make your circulation sluggish and force your heart to pump even harder putting a strain on your heart.

Seanol naturally thins your blood without thinning it too much.

Seanol also lowers fibrinogen levels which means there’s less inflammation in your body. This will greatly improve your heart health, circulatory and inflammatory system!

Sharpens your memory and mental focus

Our memory relies on the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh). In laboratory tests, Seanol increased rodent ACh by 140% after just 7 days in brain regions responsible for learning and memory.

Scientists have also found that animals fed with Seanol learned maze challenges faster. This illustrate the improvement in short-term memory that is vulnerable in cognitive decline.

In another study, researchers found that Seanol improved alertness in bus drivers and high school students during their daytime activities. This is likely due to increased blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain.

Better night’s rest and Boosting energy

A good night’s sleep is necessary for your overall health especially weight loss and immune support.

In a 8 week study researchers gave Seanol to 36 participants and the results were startling. The participants fell asleep faster by 47 minutes and increased total night-time sleep by 1.6 hours. It improved soundness of sleep by 80% and even boosted their energy level by 71%. Patients given the placebo showed no improvement.

This means better alertness during the day. You will be more resistant to getting colds and flu. This will all translate to spending more time being active with your colleagues, friends and family.

Soothes joint pain and inflammation

Seanol also has the amazing ability to reduce inflammatory COX enzymes which cause joint discomfort and pain. This occurs when you have poor diet, stress, injury, infection, and toxins.

Beats fatigue and “mystery pains”

Millions of Americans suffer from unusual muscle pains and excessive fatigue? The causes for these mysterious symptoms are unknown and treatments are difficult. However in a double-blind study, patients suffering from these symptoms took Seanol for 8 weeks and showed dramatic improvement.  Patients reported 31% less pain, 71% more energy and better night-time sleep.

Weight Loss

Researchers found that Seanol inhibits the enzyme DGAT, which contribute to your fat cells, by more than 50%.  In laboratory experiments on mice, Seanol reduced their body fat and  increased their physical activity. Obese mice lost more than 10% of their weight in just 120 days! In a human study, 141 young adults drank a beverage containing Seanol and in just two weeks, their average weight dropped nearly two-and-a-half pounds.

Maintain healthy blood sugar

Recent studies have shown that Seanol reversed fat deposits in the liver and pancreas cells. When researchers fed Seanol to genetically engineered fat mice, it caused a 10% reduction in blood glucose and literally removed fat.

Zaps the enzyme that destroys your eyes and nerves

High blood sugar can lead to all sorts of health complications. One of these is created by an enzyme called aldose reductase.

Aldose reductase is present in your eyes, nerves, and many other parts of your body. When your blood sugar gets too high, this enzyme converts some of the excess glucose into a sugar alcohol called sorbitol. Sorbitol can build up in your eyes and nerve cells and damage them.

Seanol is a potent inhibitor of aldose reductase. So if you have high blood sugar or the pre-condition that leads to it, this is one supplement you want in your daily regiment!

Boosts sexual performance

Scientists studied 31 men with erectile dysfunction (ED) for over six months. They compared eight weeks of Seanol use to Viagra®. Overall, Seanol performed better than Viagra as indicated by the following chart:

Ecklonia  Cava/Seanol Viagra
Orgasmic Function 87% 27%
Intercourse Satisfaction 74% 44%
Erectile Function 66% 66%
Overall Satisfaction 62% 39%

Safe and effective

Teams of PhDs and doctors have studied Seanol for more than 15 years and spent more than $35 million on research. Numerous clinical studies have been conducted in the U.S., Japan, and Korea and patients have taken tens of thousands of Seanol doses, with no serious adverse condition.

Ecklonia Cava or Seanol is not just a seaweed but a “superfood” that have been eaten by Asians for centuries. There are no known interactions with drugs, so if you are on medication or taking other supplements you can consume Seanol without worry.

If you are interested, check out the latest offers at Amazon.

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Jul

24

The Best Diabetic Diet Lists for Weight Loss

Filed in: Diabetes, Nutrition, Obesity, Weight Control, Weight Loss by chongyim on 07-24-11

Finding a good weight loss program is hard. Finding a good diabetic diet for weight loss is even harder.  There are many diabetic diet programs and you have to choose one that meets your specific needs and medical condition.  There are important information and useful tips relating to diabetic diet which can help you attain excellent result for your weight loss objective. We will help you by explaining the different options and which is most suited to your needs.

Best diabetic diet food

Best diabetic diet food

Different Types of Diabetic Diets

Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD): This weight loss program consists of diet with very low daily food energy consumption of 800 kilocalories or less. This diet is usually a powder  mixed with water or another low-food-energy liquid. VLCDs also contain the daily recommended requirements for protein, vitamins, fatty acids and minerals. This diet is only prescribed for people who are deemed exceptionally heavy, with a BMI of 30 and above, and must not last more than 12 weeks. Since this kind of diabetic diet is regarded as extreme, you must first consult a doctor or dietician. Side Effects – constipation and in some cases gallstones.

Low Calorie Diet: This diet basically reduce your daily consumption of calories and therefore your body fat and in the long term, increase your longevity. An average person eats more than 2000 calories per day. This diet consists of a daily caloric intake of  1,000 to 1,500 calories for women and 1,500 to 2,000 calories for men.

Low Carbohydrate Diet: This is a diabetic diet consisting less foods that are high in digestible carbohydrates like potatoes, bread and pasta and more of proteins and fats (e.g. meat, fish, poultry,  nuts, shellfish, cheese, eggs, seeds, peanuts, and soy products) and with some vegetables and fruits. Examples of low-carb diabetic diet programs are Atkins Diet, Zone Diet and Stillman Diet.

Low Fat Diet: is a diabetic diet that consists of little fat, especially saturated fat and cholesterol. Consuming less fat doesn’t just help you lower the calories, but it can also  promote a more healthy selection of foods.. High fat foods have high carbs, such as cakes, burgers, pizzas, and pastries. Therefore, low fat diets, which contain a lot less carbs help to lower blood glucose levels.

Mediterranean diet: This diabetic diet includes high consumption of olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fruits,  vegetables; moderate consumption of dairy products; moderate to high consumption of fish (protein); low consumption of meat and meat products, and moderate consumption of wine. Olive oil is particularly characteristic of the Mediterranean diet which contains a very high level of monounsaturated fats, most notably oleic acid, and have been linked to a reduction in coronary heart disease. The antioxidants in olive oil also improve cholesterol regulation and LDL cholesterol reduction, and it has other anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive effects

Raw Food Diet: Depending on the type of lifestyle and results desired, raw food diets include a selection of raw vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds eggs, meat, fish, and non-pasteurized/non-homogenized dairy products such as raw milk. The idea for eating raw food is that cooking destroy the nutrients and vitamins. This diabetic diet contains hardly any saturated fats and is popular for people trying to find a form of detoxifying diet. However this diet is not recommended for pregnant women, people who are anemic or at risk of osteoporosis.  A raw diet can be low in calcium, vitamin D, iron, zinc, protein and calories. There is also the risk of getting food poisoning.

Which diabetic diet plan you finally choose depends on your personal lifestyle,  preferences as well as your medical condition. It is advisable you consult a professional dietician or your doctor before embarking on a specific diabetic diet plan for weight loss.

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Jun

29

Black Garlic Cures Psoriasis

Filed in: Nutrition, Psoriasis by chongyim on 06-29-11

Black Garlic has amazing Health Properties including Psoriasis Treatment

Black garlic is a type of fermented garlic used mainly as a food ingredient in Asian countries especially in Japan, Korea and Thailand.

Black garlic is produced by fermenting fresh white garlic at high temperatures in a humidity-controlled environment for about one month. It tastes sweet with a tinge of vinegar and tamarind.

It was first introduced by a Japanese researcher in 2005 and further studies have suggested that black garlic is effective in reducing the size of tumours in laboratory mice. The study was subsequently published in a Global Science Book journal about medicinal plant science.

The Koreans use it as a health supplement and the Thais believe it increases the longevity of consumers. Black garlic has only become popular recently in the United States as a sought-after ingredient for high-end cuisine.

Black garlic is loaded with almost twice the amount of disease fighting antioxidants as white garlic. It consists of 198 units per gram of antioxidants compared with 119 units per gram in white garlic. Therefore black garlic has more potent antibacterial properties than white garlic.

A pungent oily liquid called Allicine is found in white garlic and has antibiotic and anti-fungal properties. Through the fermentation process, the Allicine in the black garlic is turned into S-Allcysteine, which is water soluble, making it much easier to be absorbed into our bodies.

Black garlic is much less pungent, sweet and a bit sour which makes it palatable and appealing to some people. The taste has been compared to that of a dried fruit, smoky and chewy.  It’s also great for cooking, and will make a ‘mean’ garlic sauce.

Black Garlic Cures Psoriasis

Black Garlic

Black Garlic is excellent for Psoriasis Treatment

Black garlic is a natural blood purifier and has been used as an alternative medicine for a number of conditions, including psoriasis. Consume two to three black garlic cloves every morning, preferably on an empty stomach. It is effective in removing the toxins out of the blood and help to relieve your psoriasis.

There is no need to worry about eating too much black garlic as there is no side effect in consuming this “modern health food”.

Health Properties of Garlic

  • neutralizes and suppresses toxins which produces germs (control psoriasis)
  • helps fight against cancer, especially colorectal
  • reduces bad cholesterol
  • stimulates the burning of sugar and fats (slimming effect)
  • allows Vitamin B1 to be smoothly absorbed by the digestive tract
  • prevents thrombosis as well as brain and myocardial infarction
  • promotes the absorption of proteins
  • promotes active secretion of hormones (rejuvenation effect)
  • activates insulin, a positive effect against diabetes
  • strengthens the liver
  • acts as a strong antioxidant
  • raises body temperature and acts as antibiotic.

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May

30

Clean Your Kidneys with Parsley

Filed in: Kidneys, Nutrition by chongyim on 05-30-11

Parsley is traditionally used as a garnish for your dishes, but it has a lot more health benefits.
It can be used to cleanse your kidneys.

Clean your kidneys with parsley

Clean your kidneys with parsley

Your kidneys function as a filter system, cleaning your blood by removing salt, toxins and other unwanted materials. Over time these salt and materials accumulate and will harm your kidneys. Parley which is easily available and cheap can help clean you kidneys. Here is how to do it and is quite easy.

Take a bunch of parsley and wash it with water. Break them into small pieces and then boil it in a pot of water for about tem minutes. Let it cool down to room temperature and pour it into a bottle and keep it in the refrigerator.
Drink one to two glasses every day and the accumulated salt and unwanted materials will passed out in your urine. You can tell the difference and will feel better. Try it.

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Apr

29

Natural Remedy For Acid Reflux, Heartburn and GERD

Filed in: Acid Reflux by chongyim on 04-29-11

Are you or someone you know suffers from the painful acid reflux,

heartburn or GERD?

If the answer is Yes, then you must read on. Find out how Joe Barton and his father’s amazing discovery of simple home remedies that cure acid reflux without expensive prescribed drugs.

View his video that reveals the simple remedy that cured his dad’s acid reflux and probably saved his dad’s life. (The remedy is so simple that you can probably get it in your kitchen right now.)


This natural cure video has been BANNED by Google


Click to watch video on Acid Reflux Remedy and why the video was taken out

Acid reflux can lead to much more serious medical problems such as pneumonia and asthma (as the acid moves into your lungs), ulcers, nutritional deficiencies (from the poor digestion) and even cancer.

So don’t put off doing something about your acid reflux because you won’t just get relief from the pain and discomfort.

In this video you’ll also discover the drugs people take for acid reflux can actually worsen the conditions by disguising the symptoms and neutralizing the acid you need to digest your food.

Learn how to fix the real cause of your acid reflux with safe, inexpensive natural home remedies with ingredients you can easily buy from your grocery stores.

This informative video may be the most useful you have watch for a long while.


Acid Reflux Remedy

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Mar

28

The Basics and Types of Psoriasis

Filed in: Psoriasis by chongyim on 03-28-11

Basics of Psoriasis

In order to fully deal with the symptoms of psoriasis requires the need to understand what psoriasis is and how it affects your skin. No one really knows what causes psoriasis, but it is most closely related to a genetic link.

To understand psoriasis it’s important to figure out how normal skin works. During the course of a month, the skin cells go through their lifestyle process. The skin has two layers, the top and bottom layers. The newest layers of the skin form on the bottom layer and slowly make their way to the top. The top layer stays alive for those 28-30 days, before dying and falling away. The process isn’t noticeable at all and we all use thousands of skin cells each day during showers or towel drying afterwards.

When someone suffers with psoriasis, their skin process moves much faster. Often the cycle happens in only 3-4 days. The new cells develop much more quickly and force themselves through the top layer of skin. These new cells cause a bit of a buildup of dead skin on the surface. The good news is that the skins cells seem to affect only a small patch of skin at a time. The most common areas this happens in are the scalp, elbows, knees, or knuckles, but it can show up anywhere really. These areas of patchy, scaly, red skin are more commonly known as plaques.

Psoriasis remains a mystery as far as the main causes are concerned. Research has shown about 30% of all causes is based on family history. However, there are a few lifestyle choices that may be a factor as well. Excessive drinking, being overweight, too much stress, anxiety, sunburn, and even some medications can bring about psoriasis or make the symptoms a bit late.

Psoriasis may look a bit disconcerting, but it is not contagious and if you don’t have it you won’t get it. The symptoms affect each person differently; while one person may have small areas of patchy skin, others will have patches all over the body. In any case, psoriasis has no cure but learning to know if you have it or not is the first step in finding ways to prevent breakouts.

Types of Psoriasis

If you have ever dealt with psoriasis you know the feeling of struggling with red, itchy, scaly skin. Do you know what type of psoriasis you have? Were you even aware there were more than just one type? There are, in fact, three main types of psoriasis and although the basic symptoms are the same, they are all a little bit different.

All forms of psoriasis affect the skin. They can cause a few different problems and if you are lucky they will only cause one problem at a time. Psoriasis is famous for the redness of skin and the shedding. There are two layers of skin, the top and bottom. The top layer is the old skin, it lasts for a few weeks and then begins to shed off on its own. The bottom layer is the new skin growth that takes over for the shedding skin. Shedding skin is a normal procedure, but it happens over time so that we don’t notice. In psoriasis, we notice because the bottom lay tries to move up to the top before the top is ready to shed. This leaves cracks in the skin and gives it that red look. On top of that, the skin may start to become inflamed. If you scratch at the skin while it is flaky, red, and peeling, you could get weeping lesions and scaling on the affected area.

Those are the main symptoms for the basic three types of psoriasis: Guttate, Plaque, and Seborrheic. Plaque Psoriasis is the most common type of the disease. Each person is different, but for the most part it appears as patchy, thick flaky skin that causes itching and inflammation. If the skin is damaged skin gets injured in some other way, it is easily infected.

Guttate Psoriasis mainly affects children and young adults. It often follows after a bout of strep throat or other infections and causes red bumps on the skin. This form is often misdiagnosed as an allergic reaction rash or a fever rash. The good news is that it clears up with antibiotics, the kind taken for the strep, and it almost never comes back again.

Seborrheic Psoriasis is often mistaken for a serious cause of dandruff because it affects the scalp, ears, hairline, and forehead. Some medicated shampoos work to eliminate the flaking, but it can still be problematic.

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