Lifestyle Choices

In the course of ageing, we all develop frown lines and furrows on the forehead but for some of us they are more prominent than for others, depending on the kind of skin we have, how much we frown and, also, inherited conditions which can make these lines appear relatively earlier in life.

Most people who consider cosmetic surgery because of an unacceptable, to them, degree of ageing of the face are disappointed to find that a face lift, which sounds so all- encompassing, does not touch these lines at all. Face lift surgery concentrates on the lower face and neck only. (more…)

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a major area of concern among women with a history of breast cancer. If you are in the crisis of a recent breast cancer diagnosis, the issue of HRT may seem relatively unimportant. However, as you get farther along and finish your treatment and proceed with your life, questions regarding HRT will certainly arise.

Much has been written on the issue of HRT in general. Less is known specifically about HRT for breast cancer survivors because doctors have been concerned about prescribing anything for their patients that may increase the risk of recurrent disease. (more…)

Proper cleansing can be the most important part of your skincare routine! Not only is it absolutely necessary to get your face clean without irritating your skin (often a delicate balance), but you can also treat your skin by the way you wash and the soap or cleanser you use. Your bath or shower can be your best friend, your greatest indulgence and your most important key to excellent health and a great, young appearance.

Getting the product right!

Your skin is by nature slightly acidic (with a pH of about 5.5). Until recently, most soaps and cleansers were the opposite — slightly alkaline. The result was dry skin! With advances in cosmetic chemistry, no longer do you have to choose from only harsh, alkaline products. (more…)

Unlike sunscreen (which everyone absolutely needs), not everyone needs a moisturizer, especially on the face. If you have oily skin, you are often better off without. As a dermatologist, I see many problems stemming from excessive or inappropriate use of moisturizers on the face. If you have an oily complexion but feel you need a moisturizer for non-oily parts of your face, use an oil-free formulation. Everyone should beware of exotic oils, fragrances, protein extracts, or enzymes; rarely useful, they are often irritating. (more…)

Does the performance of alpha-hydroxy acids match the promise? Yes, when formulated correctly, AHAs do indeed exfoliate the outer layers of skin to treat clogged pores and blackheads, to smooth fine wrinkles, and to remove dry surface skin. You, the consumer, however, are confronted with advertising for a myriad of products containing AHAs, all promising youthful, wrinkle-free skin. Not all preparations are effective. When choosing, there are three key factors to consider: (more…)

Holidays and sun

Many people find their psoriasis improves in the summer, particularly when on holiday. The beneficial side effects of ultraviolet light contribute to this improvement as do relaxation, exercise and decreased stress. Take all the holidays you are allowed.

General skin care

It may help to use a bath oil to get a film of oil onto your skin. Moisturizers help - E45, emulsifying ointment, aqueous creams are all good. Something stickier like Vaseline may be useful on plaques at times.

Scalp involvement is a nuisance and frequent hair-washing may be necessary - a short style makes this easier to cope with. (more…)

A great many of my patients do not really know what stress actually is. They think that it’s an outside force causing them to feel tense. But that’s not stress — that’s a stressor. Stress is a person’s negative reaction to a stressor.

For the most part, people have a negative reaction to stressors when they feel that their stressors are greater than their ability to deal with them. When they feel like this, they see their stressors as threats. On the other hand, if they think they can handle their stressors, they usually see them as challenges and generally enjoy grappling with them.

If you now feel as if your life is full of threats, instead of challenges, you are experiencing stress. If your degree of stress is severe, it’s going to be quite difficult for you to live a balanced, healthy lifestyle free from compulsion, including the compulsion to overeat. (more…)

Why do you want to reduce? Probably for two reasons. You are not happy over what you see when you look into the mirror, and you don’t like what your friends are saying. But do not be in too much of a hurry to get those pounds off. This is where you might have failed before. It is usually better to reduce more slowly. It is not a temporary low calorie diet that you need, but rather an entirely new pattern of living.

Most likely you will not need to make any drastic changes in your diet. Just be sure it is well balanced. Begin by taking smaller amounts of foods you usually eat. Don’t cut out any single item except, perhaps, those rich desserts that you don’t really need. But remember, some foods high in calories may also be necessary to maintain good health.

Potatoes and whole-grain cereals are excellent foods. They should remain in your diet. Just be careful about the amount of food that you take. Omit those that are especially high in fats and carbohydrates. It is so easy to take more than you actually want. Watch this carefully. (more…)

There are some fascinating differences in the sleep habits of men and women.

• Women sleep four minutes less than men on workdays and fourteen minutes less on days off.’ Women sleep forty to fifty minutes less than men if they cater to the needs of a baby or toddler.
• Scientists have discovered that there are differences in the circadian rhythms of males and females. The fraction of sleep is larger in women. The temperature rhythms are identical in males and females; the sleep-wake rhythms are significantly shorter in females.” “Women have shorter periods of deep (non-REM) sleep than men, making them more vulnerable to ‘tossing and turning’ bed partners and fitful babies.”

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Preventive Drugs

If you are prone to recurring bouts of severe depression (darkgrey, black or white) and you have chosen and been prescribed a preventive course of medication with either lithium or tricyclic anti-depressants, it is important to be conscientious with your tablet-taking. If you find yourself forgetting or stopping because you resist being on the tablets in the first place, you are probably in need of clarification. It is a good idea to discuss with your doctor the risks of not taking the medication compared to the nuisance and/or side-effects of taking it, and then to make your own decision. That way there is no outsider to resist and it really is up to you which way you choose.

Warning Sign

• Losing a little confidence, trusting yourself less and depending on others more
• Having less power of concentration than you usually have
• Being more indecisive than usual
• Having less initiative than usual; having more difficulty in getting started at anything
• Not having as much pleasure as usual, either at home or at work
• Undervaluing yourself
• Being more self-critical than usual
• Feeling a bit tired, listless, and slower
• Having less energy than usual
• Feeling disinterested, bored or unsatisfied
• Experiencing sensations less intensely than you usually do
• Feeling more distant from other people, especially those normally close to you

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These drugs can be useful in dark grey, black or white depression. Sixty-one out of 93 different studies have shown them to be more effective than placebo (tablets with no effective drug) in double blind trials (the patients and the doctors not knowing who was taking anti-depressants and who placebos). This is a significant finding, since placebo drugs are themselves fairly effective in reducing almost any kind of symptom. The drug is called “tricyclic” because the chemical structure contains three “circles”. More recently drugs of the same group but with four “circles” have been synthesized, called “tetracyclics”. (more…)

You can wash your face with soap and water as often as you can wash your face with soap and water. That may sound silly but what it means is that if you wash often with no ill effect, then clearly no damage is being done. People with greasy skin often have pallid, rather coarse, thickened complexions and suffer from blackheads, whiteheads and spots. They need to wash regularly to keep pace with the production of oil and it really doesn’t matter what they use as long as the shiny surface is removed. They cannot change the underlying grease production rate unless they take tablets which will grossly interfere with the hormonal control of their body. It is no use using products that claim “deep down cleansing” or which “unblock clogged pores:’. These phrases are meaningless and no amount of soap has any effect on the blocked grease gland which is the forerunner of an acne pimple. Neither is it any use using ‘medicated’ soaps because a flourishing bacterial population on the surface of the skin is quite normal and is only temporarily reduced by washing. (more…)

The first step in fat control is establishing realistic goals.

Too many teens and adults, both men and women, establish unrealistic goals for their physical appearance. Fat weight, and body proportions are all factors that can be changed, but people often set standards for themselves that will be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve. It is important that goals be set for fat and weight control that can be accomplished for both the short term and the long haul. This necessitates developing an understanding of your own body proportions as well as your body fatness. Unrealistic goals may result in eating disorders (see Concept 20), failure to meet goals, or the failure to maintain fat loss over the long haul. The measurement procedures used in Labs 13A and 13B should help you establish realistic goals.

Goals that emphasize the behavior of eating less and exercising more are more effective than those emphasizing a specific outcome such as weight or fat lost (or gained).

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Knowing how to read nutrient labels will help you to make better food choices when shopping. Marketing slogans that call a product ‘healthy’ or ‘natural‘ can make a food sound a lot better than the ingredients would merit. When we are too busy we tend to believe what is written on the front of the package, rather than taking the time to read what is on the back. For example, popcorn is considered a great low-fat snack. However, if you buy the microwave or prepared versions, you will find they can be a lot higher in salt and fat than if you buy dried corn and pop it yourself. If advertising can be misleading, let’s have a look at what some of these terms really mean.

A. ‘Lite’ or ‘Light’

This can mean a number of things and not necessarily that the product is lower in kilojoules or fat. Lite potato crisps may be thinly sliced and lightly salted, but they may still contain a high fat content. Light olive oil has a lighter flavour, light beer has less alcohol content, light margarine has less fat, light cheese has less fat and salt. It is important you check the label for what it is that has been ‘lightened’. (more…)

Taking a Dieter’s Tour of Restaurants

You may think that you must avoid certain types of restaurants or cuisine’s while you’re dieting. Not true. Keep reading if you want to be guided through various cuisine’s and food scenarios and find out what’s “safe” and what’s not.

Chinese

Depending on your order, you can get a healthy low-cal meal or a calorie nightmare in a Chinese restaurant; foods are either lean or fatty. Generally, the protein foods in Chinese cuisine - duck, spareribs, and pork-are extremely fatty, although you can also find chicken, shrimp, and lean beef.

Much of the food is deep fried - even items that may surprise you, such as vegetables in a simple stir-fry are sometimes blanched in hot oil instead of water. And the amount of oil in stir-fries can be staggeringly large. (more…)