Are you using one of this?

During World War II, in an effort to find ways to overcome the logistical problems of producing edible food in a short time, and to be able to reduce the amount and bulk of cooking fuels that would be required to support their planned operations for the military invasion of Russia, the Nazis began research and development of these devices. When the war ended, the United States’ War Department and the Soviet Union obtained the German microwave research and some of the devices. They took these home for further evaluation. The Russians continued to research the biological effects of microwave ovens and microwave-cooked food. In 1976, results led them to issue an international warning concerning the biological and environmental dangers of using such ovens and similar electronic frequency devices. They also find evidence that this same frequency of radiation causes blood sugar to spike in susceptible individuals and may actually be the cause of one type of diabetes.

The most significant German research concerned with the biological effects of microwaves was done at the Humbolt-Universitat zu Berlin in 1942 to 1943, during the Barbarossa military campaign. Beginning in 1957 and continuing up to the present, Russian studies in the field have been conducted at the Institute of Radio Technology. In most research, the foods were exposed to microwave propagation at an energy potential of 100 kilowatts per cubic centimetre per second, to the point considered acceptable for sanitary, normal ingestion.

Below are these alarming findings:

1. After being subjected to microwave emissions, meat prepared will cause to create a substance called d-nitrosodiethanolamine, a well known carcinogenic agent. The active molecular compounds of proteins are destablized. There is also an increase in radioactivity of the meat you heat up from saturation. Milk and cereals creates carcinogenic compounds. Your frozen food, when heat up upfront by the microwave heat, causes the molecular compounds of nutrients to break down, thus making them useless.

When you have consumed these microwaved food, a multi-system effect is expected. Unstable catabolism of microwaved food alters the elemental food substances, causing disorders in your digestive system. A statistically higher percentage of cancerous growths result in these organs, plus a generalised breakdown of the peripheral cellular tissues and a gradual degeneration of digestive and excretory functions, thereby increasing incidence of stomach and intestinal cancers. The chemical alterations within food substances causing malfunctions occurring in the lymphatic system, consequently causing a degeneration of the body’s ability to protect itself against certain forms of cancer cell growths. The growth of these cancer causing cells is further supported by the free radicals circulating in your system from trace-mineral molecular formations in plant substances.

1. Nutrients from your food are rendered useless. Why? Microwaving lowers the metabolic behavior and integration-process capability of alkaloids, glucosides, alactosides and nitrilosides. The nutritive value of nucleoproteins in meats are destroyed. It greatly accelerates the structural disintegration of all vital nutrients including vitamin B complex, vitamins C and E, essential minerals and lipotropics.

Foods that have been subjected to microwave radiation are dangerous to our health. Microwave ovens heat food with high-frequency microwaves that force water molecules to heat up by violently vibrating them. This causes a fracturing of the molecules, and a rearrangement of the chemical composition of the food.

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Do you know microwave is harmful?

Do you believe in the catchword, “You are what you eat.” Ideally, you would like to eat most of your food raw. But most of us won’t be able to accomplish that, that we cook our food. When you need to sterilize your cloth hand towel, you can use your microwave oven but not in preparing your food. Here’s why.

Due to soil depletion, the quality of your fresh food has declined. This can also be attributed to unsustainable farming practices, overproduction of crops, and the use of pesticides and herbicides. You can no longer believe you’re getting all the vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and phytonutrients you need by eating a multitude of fresh products, even if you are eating organically. Research shows that your microwave oven will NOT help you in these efforts – in fact it will threaten your health by violently ripping the molecules in your food apart, rendering some nutrients inert, at best, and carcinogenic at its worst.

Microwave ovens heat food by causing water molecules in it to resonate at very high frequencies and eventually turn to steam which heats your food. While this can rapidly heat your food, what most people fail to realize is that it also causes a change in your food’s chemical structure.

Notice that when you microwave food, there are some spots in your food that still feels cold while there are some areas that are too hot? These hot spots in microwaved food can be hot enough to cause burns. This is also the reasons why mothers are advised against using the microwave to heat baby bottles. Babies have been burned by super-heated formula that went unnoticed.

Another problem with microwave ovens is that carcinogenic toxins can leach out of your plastic and paper containers/covers, and into your food. The January/February 1990 issue of Nutrition Action Newsletter reported the leakage of numerous toxic chemicals from the packaging of common microwavable foods, including pizzas, chips and popcorn. Microwaving fatty foods in plastic containers leads to the release of dioxins which are known carcinogens and other toxins into your food.

The use of microwave contorts molecules of whatever food or other substance you subject to it.

One non-food product that can be distorted are blood products. Blood is normally warmed before being transfused into a person. When you use microwave to heat blood products, it damages the blood components. In 1991, a woman died after receiving a transfusion of microwaved blood which resulted in a well-publicized lawsuit.

Let’s say the microwave you bought is “top of the line” microwave oven. You would think, with all the quality assurance tests and regulations that oven went through, you would be safe. However, Powerwatch, a non-profit independent organization with a central role in the microwave radiation debates: “Even when the microwave oven is working correctly, the microwave levels within the kitchen are likely to be significantly higher than those from any nearby cellular phone base-stations. Remember also that microwaves will travel through walls if the microwave oven is against an inside wall.”  We don’t really know if the current regulations about leakage are truly safe and recommends ovens be checked at least annually, since microwave emissions can change with normal use.

The eyes are known to be particularly susceptible to microwave radiation because high microwave exposures are known to cause cataracts. Thus, it is highly recommended that you step away from your microwave while it is in use.

Photo by Theogeo / Lindsey.T

Since our body rely on the type of food we eat, it is but natural to expect that anything that happens to the digestive system will manifest themselves outside the body. Such an example is when one eats infected raw meat. One may pass helminths or worms in the stool as a consequence of eating infected raw meat. The same thing happens with our skin. When our digestive system does not work properly, problems in this system manifests in our skin. A slow functioning digestive system maybe the culprint of many skin disorders such as eczema, boils, body odor and in particular, acne.

Depending on how well the digestive system breaks down the food we eat, our body uses these processed food for energy. This system may fail as a result of overfatigue and stress leading to increase production of body toxins giving rise to various skin diseases including acne. When such condition persists, other system of our body gets affected and ultimately damages the whole body.

Essential in the digestive process is the HCL or hydrochloric acid. This is the substance that helps breakdown and process the different nourishment we take into complex substances for distribution and utilization of the different organs and systems of the body. Any alteration in the level of hydrochloric acid as well as its pH will have a resultant effect to the whole system but will certainly manifest on the skin. Some of the conditions that may affect the hydrochloric acid’s ph and level are (1) attacks of P. Helicobacter- this is the bacteria responsible for causing duodenal ulcer of which alters the pH of the HCL, (2) excessive intake of junk foods and lesser food intake – this further alter’s pH and level of HCL acid in the stomach, with less food, high levels and high pH of the HCL acid (3) excess dietary sugar and fats (4) hypothyroidism and malfunctioning adrenalin glands – which slows the metabolic rate resulting to slow digestive process.

Changes in the level of ydrochloric contributes to prevalence of adult acne in addition to other serious diseases and skin disorders. If you are using antibiotics for a long time, this can also cause decrease in  HCL in the stomach. Due to the reaction of the body to excess chemicals in the body from long term usage of antibiotics, acne develops as a manifestation of impaired immune system. This condition along with a sluggish digestive system causes the acne to flare up resulting to acne vulgaris. This are big, multiple acne that almost covers entirely the face. The toxins that the body cannot excrete is excreted in the skin, since it is the largest organ of the body and also functions as an excretory system.

Antibiotics that has been prescribed for minor ailments typically destroys the target bacteria or organism. But any living organism, when subjected to the same mode and intensity of treatment develops immunity against it, thus the usual treatment given will no longer be effective, yet it will cause the target bacteria to mutate, making it difficult to destroy. In addition, our reliance on taking the same antibiotic without proper physician consultation helps to mask certain disease process and will only manifest through the skin as our immune system weakens.

Research results  shows that diet plays an important role in acne prevention. Notice that the people who does not follow the western diet have fewer serious acne outbreaks? Western diet constitutes fried foods, burgers and soda. It is generally less healthy than the diet followed by people who live East.

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Do you know singing causes our brain to be more capable of processing information?

The power of music to affect our memory is quite intriguing. Most recently brain-imaging studies have shown that music activates many diverse parts of our brain, including an overlap in where the brain processes music and language. This simultaneous left and right brain action maximizes our learning and retention of information. The information we are studying activates the left brain while the music we are listening to activates the right brain. Also, activities which engage both sides of the brain at the same time, such as playing an instrument or singing, causes our brain to be more capable of processing information.

Our ear converts sound waves into movement by vibrating specific parts of the middle and inner ear. This movement is then converted into electrical signals that travel in our eighth cranial nerve to the brain. From the ear, auditory information travels first to the brain stem, then to the thalamus, and then to the auditory cortex in the temporal lobe on both sides of the brain.

Damage to the temporal lobe of our brain may cause us to have problems with singing a song, playing an instrument or keeping rhythm. Sometimes this damage causes problems related to recognizing music, but no problem with hearing speech and other sounds. This type of condition is called amusia. People with amusia have trouble recognizing melodies.

Some research has suggested that music is processed by the right cerebral hemisphere. Other research has shown that the left hemisphere is also important. Listening to music and appreciating music is a complex process that involves memory, learning and emotions. It is likely that there are multiple areas of the brain that are important for the musical experience.

In 1982, researchers from the University of North Texas performed a three-way test on postgraduate students to see if music could help in memorizing vocabulary words. The results simply showed that  our learning does not absolutely guarantee recall but music can possibly improve it. Background music in itself is not a part of the learning process, but it does enter into our memory along with the information learned. Apparently, our recall is better when the same music used for learning is used during recall.

Patients with lesions on the left sides of their brains showed improvement with music therapy. Before the therapy, these stroke patients responded to questions with largely incoherent sounds and phrases. But after just a few minutes with therapists, who asked them to sing phrases and tap their hands to the rhythm, the patients could sing “Happy Birthday,” recite their addresses, and communicate if they were thirsty. The underdeveloped systems on the right side of the brain that respond to music became enhanced and changed structures. However, success varied depending on how recently a person had had a stroke and the severity of the damage. But several patients were eventually able to teach themselves new words and phrases by turning them into tunes, and few were even able to move beyond simple phrases and give short speeches.

Evidently, music is an alternative to stimulate the parts and lobes of the brain that before were not involved in any other activities of our daily lives.

Photo by ohmyGaly

Acne is a warning sign that something's not right somewhere within the physical and psychological realms of your being.

Acne is not caused by bacterial infection, acne is what causes the bacterial infection. The bacteria, Propionibacterium Acnes (P. Acnes), are a normal part of your skin surface. In fact, they are a beneficial resident on everybody’s skin surface – their job is to repel other bacteria, which are way more harmful for you, and to maintain the natural balance of your skin. Even if you don’t suffer from acne, the bacteria are there as guardians and play a role in helping to keep your skin elastic.
Our skin’s relationship with P. Acnes is symbiotic – a “you-scratch-my-back-and-I’ll-scratch-yours” way of getting along. In a normal biological role these acne bacteria feed on the oil from the sebum glands and on perspiration. In turn, they protect our skin from invaders and supply chemicals that keep our skin supple.

Also, P. Acnes, is not contagious – we all have it. Your friend or neighbor can’t claim you are the fault of  their acne breakout. Some of the bacteria can even be found in our digestive track. The case is the same with Streptococcus Bacteria. We all have it. So, why don’t we all get tonsillitis or a strep throat? The reason is that, like acne bacteria, it will not pose a problem unless the conditions in the body are set up to allow a specific environment that encourages the growth of the strep.

P. Acnes bacteria encourages acne formations if the production of oil (sebum) on the face is excessive. A surplus of this oil is prompted by any number of changes in the body. So, to prevent acne, you do not want to kill the bacteria, but you do want the amount of bacteria on your skin to exist at an optimal balance. To optimize or balance the oil secretions, you need to understand and control your response to hormonal, nutritional, environmental and even psychological challenges. Blood toxicity plays a role, too.

Here are the mechanics of acne vulgaris and the role P. Acnes play. Due to overproduction of oil (sebum), the pore or hair follicle becomes clogged and the normal skin bacteria will start to grow unabated in the blocked pore. This growth causes the bacteria to alter the composition of the trapped sebum, converting it to free fatty acids that irritate the skin.

Blood toxins play a role, too. Often, your body uses your skin to rid itself of blood toxins that are not being eliminated in other ways. Add blood toxins to the combination of too much sebum and the out-of-control growth of P. Acnes, and you’ve got some big red problems in store for your skin. The body then calls upon white and red blood cells to defend itself. This inflammatory response results in the  symptoms of acne that can include blackheads, whiteheads, pustules (pimples or zits) and cysts.

Medicines applied to the acne kills the bacteria superficially, thereby reducing the inflammation but does not assure you of acne free skin permanently. Antibiotics will kill the bacteria for the short term – along with a number of other bacteria that our bodies need. Also, antibiotics get less effective the more they are used. To ensure that your skin remains acne free permanently, you need to restore the internal balance of your system. Simultaneously, the bacteria on the surface of the skin should be maintained at a normal level (P. Acnes, too!) so that your complexion becomes radiant once again.

Thus, acne is a presentation of symptoms, a warning sign that something’s not right somewhere within the physical and psychological realms of your being. In other words, P. Acnes, while it does a very messy job of it, is simply the messenger telling you that something needs to be fixed.

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Are you on schedule?

We all know what a canal is – a waterway that is used by barges or other floating craft to haul cargo, crops or people from one place to another. The Panama Canal runs from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Another canal, the Alimentary Canal, hauls food and runs from your mouth to your rear. It includes your mouth, your throat or esophagus, your stomach, your small intestine, your large intestine (colon) and your rectum. And just like the traffic on the Panama Canal, the traffic on the Alimentary Canal should be on time and on schedule.

“Digestive transit time” regards the time it takes from chewing to elimination. “Colon transit time” is the amount of time it takes for food to be eliminated after it enters the large intestine. As you are pursuing better health with the necessaries of colon cleansing through herbal blends or hydro-therapy, you will hear a lot about transit times.

First of all, not all folks run on the same schedule. What may be normal for one person will be a little off for the next. Transit times can vary from person to person due to dietary habits, age, climate, exercise habits, immobility, medications and so on.

Though everybody runs on a slightly different schedule, proper transit times can range from about 12 to 48 hours. These times are just guidelines to at least help you gauge whether or not the traffic on your canal is going by too fast and not dropping off the required fares (improper absorption of nutrients and/or diarrhea) or sitting around too long (constipation and/or gas bloating) and clogging up all the rest of the traffic.

Check your schedule. Beets are a good stool marker. Eat three to four whole beets, noting the exact time you do this. When you see darkened stool (beets will turn it deep red), calculate how many hours have passed. That is your transit time. Some folks use black sesame seeds or dried corn kernels as markers. Check this timetable to see how on schedule you are and take the appropriate action.

• More than 24 hours: Wastes are probably sitting in your colon too long. Toxic substances that were supposed to be eliminated may be irritating your colon and getting absorbed back into your bloodstream. Increase your fiber intake by eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Make sure you drink lots of water – around 64 ounces a day. Consult your doctor and/or a colonic therapist.
• 12 to 24 hours: Your bowels are functioning optimally. Keep up the good work. You’re probably keeping your colon clean and healthy through colonic hydro-therapy and/or herbal flushing.
• Less than 12 hours: You may not be absorbing all the nutrients you should from your food. Consult a health care professional and/or a colonic therapist.

With western-style diets, it is not uncommon for a very low-fiber, very high-fat and very high-calorie meal, to stay inside the digestive tract for two full days or even longer! And what happens? Auto intoxication that can include headaches, fatigue, bloating, gas, halitosis, skin problems, irritability, memory loss, rashes, weakened immune system, weight gain and so on.

Colon transit time is a key to colon health. Colon health is a key to a happier, more attractive and healthier you. Learn how to keep your colon clean and healthy. Check your schedule. You can successfully navigate the Alimentary Canal!

Photo by jpctalbot/ John Talbot

Consuming more vegetables will improve your bowel movement and prevent colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer ranks third in the mortality rate, worldwide, (Lung cancer ranks first among the major cause of death afflicting 1.3 million of the world’s population which results to about 639,000 deaths per year). The threat of a person becoming afflicted with colon cancer is very real. Noticeably, these statistics increase in number per year and the only way is prevention (my recommendation is colon cleansing).

It is difficult (if not impossible) to reverse colorectal cancer. The organ cannot be replaced or transplanted. There are people who spend the remaining years of their life with a colostomy bag. (It is a small pouch for feces that is usually attached to your belly). Colostomy bags are provided for those who cannot expel their feces due to ineffective bearing down or a section of the colon has been resected to save the small intestine due to inability of the colon to contract and discharge its contents.

This cancer starts with what you consider an innocent condition called constipation. You think being constipated for three days is just fine as long as you discharge it on the fourth day.  Medical professionals  says that the recommended size of your fecal discharge should be the length of your elbow to the tip of your hand per day. Now, if you happen unable to remove that specified length for that day, think how long that waste materials inside your colon if you haven’t visited the lavatory for 3 days? What happens? This creates a process inside our body called auto-intoxication. The toxins that should have been eliminated will be allowed to roam your body’s system once again through your blood stream. When they get back to your colon, they deposit themselves to your colon linings and starts to harden.

When this consistently happens, these hardened deposits thicken and attract the bacteria, the cycle of reabsorption and circulating again into your system gets repeated. Then you start feeling the symptoms. You sometimes feel colicky, or gassy, til the pain increases in intensity. That is the only time you consult your doctor and it may be too late. The usual treatment for constipation is enema. The nurse will be inserting a small tube attached to some rubber tubing with a solution. This can be as simple as soap water solution or solutions that are sold by the pharmacy. Regardless of what the doctor ordered, the solution will be introduced into your anus and when you feel like you are about to bear down, the nurse will remove the tube, and have you get up to run to the toilet or serve you a bedpan to release what was there in your colon for a long time. Quite embarassing? Nurses are used to it, you should not worry, but still you cannot help but be embarrassed. And this procedure doesn’t even guarantee you won’t be back for other occassions to do it again.

My friend, keep in mind: “An ounce of prevention is always better than a pound of cure.” Fiber which helps sweep that will help you get rid of those toxic wastes are readily available in your daily food. It is naturally present in fruit and green leafy vegetables. Water helps replenish fluids as well as helps liquefy those fecal materials attaching themselves to your colon.You just have to learn ways of eating or having them. If you don’t have time to peel a mango or munch on a pineapple, you can have them processed by the very reliable blender, pour into a bottle and store in the fridge so that you can always have the fruit by just gulping it down.  It’s just a matter of choosing which way you want to go, to drink a blender-processed fruit or wait until these fruit fibers and water won’t do any difference at all because your poop is catched by small plastic pocket on an opening in your belly. Choose well.

Photo by mckaysavage/ McKay Savage

Chocolates do not, in itself, cause acne outbreak. It's what IN the chocolate bar that matters

Much has been said about causes and treatment of acne. Below are some myths and rationale as to why they are true and otherwise.

Myth I: Acne is caused by eating nuts and chocolates.

Though no book in dermatology says so, this is not a reason for you to indulge. Certain food products causes allergic reactions and these allergic reactions may mistakenly be thought of as pimples, which explains why most people thought that nuts and chocolates causes pimples. What you can do is try to prove to yourself which is which. Eat both chocolates and nuts and examine if not eating or reducing your intake of these two type of food will decrease your oil or sebum production. If you already have a pimple, consider avoiding chocolate and nuts and see if there is any changes in the rate of how quickly or slow your pimple heals.

Myth II: You’re scarred for life when you’ve been scarred by acne.

Just like any part of our body that went through some wound healing, it does not go back to the way it was before especially if the dermis or the deeper layer of the skin has been involved. Yes, this myth holds some truth to it. To avoid scars, refrain from piercing the pimples especially when they contain pus. The pus that escapes out of the zit scatters to a larger area, (because you have pierced the pimple) exposing a larger area where pus can flow and bacteria to stay and do its damage.

Myth III: Acne healing can be hasten by putting toothpaste.

Most of our toothpaste has menthol which speeds up drying. Another good exfoliant is baking soda which is also present in our toothpaste. But, most of our toothpaste contains chloride which can counter any effects of the two ingredients mentioned herein to hasten pimple drying up. It may do more harm than good. You can treat a spot by making a creamy paste from mixing baking soda and water. This is done for three days and if there’s no improvement, you better see your dermatologist for an expert opinion.

Myth IV: Extraction is the only process that will rid you a pimple.

Would you go through that pain to rid yourself of that pimple? Harvard dermatologists developed a device called free electron laser which can destroy parts of the sebaceous glands that produces oil without harming our skin’s upper layer. No news if anyone went through with it yet. Would you like to be the first?

Myth V: More sweat, more break out.

When you work out, your testosterone level increases that makes your sebaceous glands produce more oil. These oil secretions can clog your pores if left unchecked. Now, the gym dirt may contribute to your break outs. Where did you place your towel after wiping your sweat? Are you sure you placed it in a clean area or you just hanged to the iron bar for the muscle lifting? Then, here you are again, wiping the sweat from your face and neck. The sweat is not the cause then. Well, you already know the answer to that.

Photo by EverJean

Can your toothpaste be causing your acne breakout? You'd be surprised.

With advance in technology, we pay or we give up something. During the earlier times, have you ever wonder, why are there rarely any commercials that advertises acne treatment products? Maybe, just maybe, the market is too small or maybe, the causes of having an acne are limited and relief is found in a very short time that no one experimented with skin products and started making money on making our face look the same way as before.

Knowing the causes of our problems will help us discover the solutions to such problem. The same with skin acne, the better we understand what promotes its proliferation or exacerbation, the more easier for us to explore the options we have in finding the needed treatment for this ageless skin ailment.

There are times in our life that we cannot thoroughly clean our face before we go to sleep. This is called residue. The excess oil, dirt, pollution and product residue from our faces are left to clog our pores, thus irritating them and causing acne.

Developmental stages bring about changes as well as life-situations. Hormones either fall or rise up which is also responsible for the sprouting of our facial skin disease. Moreover, stability of our hormones are further disrupted by stress. With stress, we become agitated, anxious making it difficult to catch some sleep and relax. If this is so, our body’s natural defense against infection falters and bacteria sees an opportunity to stay and do some damage.

Thinking that washing up does not cause acne? Think again, you might be wrong. When we wash our face, some of the cosmetic ingredients we used are not totally cleansed off, leaving them to clog our pores. These ingredients are called comedogens. They can cause acne when they are not totally washed off. Some products that has no connection to skin causes acne, such as toothpaste, shampoos, conditioners and other hair products. These can trickle down your face, neck and back so that when you perspire causes the pores to clog, influencing the bacteria-causing acne. This also explains why some people have acne on their backs and arms. If it runs in the family, it could also be the reason that you get acne however much you stay out of the causes.

Some activities that you do, medications you take, foods that you eat can contribute to the occurrence of your acne. Swimming pool water has chloride as well as your toothpaste. Some individuals develop acne when exposed to such chemical substances called halogens. Another culprit could be your cough syrup, your asthma medication, sleeping pills and even the chocolate you secretly carry to bed. They contain bromides which is also a factor in developing acne. Iodide containing foods can also trigger acne. These are found in salt, seafood, vitamins and processed foods.

Acne caused by substances containing halogen usually appears on the mouth and is also called peri-oral contact dermatitis. If and when you develop such types of acne, try to (1) verify whether you are using any of the products mentioned above. If so, try to lessen or stop using these items and (2) try switching to oral hygiene products without flouride, chloride, dyes or flavors.

Body acne, as mentioned earlier may develop if you did not rinse well. When this happens, the condition is termed as pityrosporum folliculitis or sweat acne. This is caused by a fungus that feeds on sweat and termed as pityrosporum. Fungus had been known for their ability to recur when treatment stops. So, make sure that when you consult your dermatologist, to ask when is the best time to stop treatment and what you can do to help prevent the recurrence of these acne.

Photo by shakestercody/ Cody Long

Are pimples affecting your social life?

Everybody has had to deal with a pimple  from time to time. Though unwanted, it’s not really that big of a deal. Yet, some of us have acne that can linger and even start to become more than a physical malady – it becomes a psycho-social problem. Since acne primarily affects the face, and the face is the focus of an any social interchange, people who suffer from the malady tend to develop a morbid psychology that manifests itself in a number of ways:

• Anxiety, depression, frustration and even anger
• Embarrassment and social withdrawal
• Reduced self-confidence, self-esteem and poor body image
• Higher rate of unemployment
• Preoccupation with thoughts about acne

To a degree, mental stress plays a role in the development of acne. The more stress, the more likely the body is prone to acne and then it starts to feed on itself. Take unemployment. That in itself is enough stress to cause just about anybody to develop some acne. So you get some pimples, then you have to go for an interview, that causes stress, that causes an increase in pimples, that causes you to have negative thoughts about yourself at a time when you need to be absolutely effervescent about yourself. Even with a job, people may call in sick just because their acne looks particularly bad that day; and that can lead to problems with the boss.

Acne sufferers owe it to themselves to get a grip. First of all, acne is not their fault. In fact, people who are predisposed to have acne often have a better and more thorough approach to personal hygiene, see a physician more often and keep a watch on their diets more so than their unaffected counterparts.

People with acne have a whole other world of terrific things about themselves that have nothing to do with the condition. They should focus on those positive things and not focus on the skin condition to the neglect of everything else.

As they start to cure the condition – not just the symptoms – it may be the time in their lives when withdrawal from social venues may prove a blessing, a time to completely focus on themselves. They should start doing research about their condition. Acne has almost as many cures as there are people who have it, just finding the right one is the challenge.

Since stress is a part of the development of acne, it may be time to focus on meditation techniques. Yoga would be a good outlet. Yoga loosens up and exercises the body while it also concentrates on the spiritual side of being healthy. Any sort of exercise will only help improve the condition. Setting physical goals for themselves is important so that they feel like a winner when they meet or surpass those goals.

As their waiting for their acne to clear, folks should perhaps undertake a hobby that is dependent on the self alone. A musical instrument, dabbling in painting and writing are just a few of the outlets available that don’t require extensive face to face interchange. And these could lead to a lifetime of enjoyment.

Acne sufferers shouldn’t neglect their friends or their family, though. Those folks will love you and appreciate you because they know who’s hiding behind that mask for a while. If they don’t, well, that may mean it’s time for a re-evaluation of the relationship.

No matter what, folks with acne, young and old alike, should never allow themselves a pity party. That is self-destructive and they should never let the affliction do that sort of harm to themselves, the physical aspects are damage enough. Their best bet is to see this as an opportunity to get to know themselves and their bodies in ways they perhaps never imagined.

Photo by Pink Sherbet Photography/ D.Sharon Pruitt