Chair Yoga for Diabetes

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diabetes is quickly reaching epidemic levels. Some schools of thought estimate, 1 out of 3 Americans will have the disease at some time in their lives; and it will shorten their life spans by 10 to 15 years. Treatment for diabetes consists of three major components: diet, exercise, and medication. Proper diet and exercise are crucial for prevention and management, but chronic complications can inhibit physical activity.

Studies have confirmed the effectiveness of Yoga in the fight against diabetes, but not everyone can participate in traditional classes. Chair Yoga, a gentle practice using chairs for sitting or support, is gaining popularity with disabled and elderly participants - even those in wheel chairs. Offered in studios, senior centers, gated communities, and other recreation centers, this alternative provides the benefits of Yoga without the risky physical challenges.

In Chair Yoga for diabetes classes, emphasis is placed on poses, breathing techniques, and meditation. Due to the fact that diabetics often have numbness or fatigue that affects balance or makes standing exercises risky, Chair Yoga is a very safe way to maintain health and prevent injuries.

Participants not only experience a state of well-being and improved mood, but they also target specific problems caused by the illness. While these mechanisms are still not completely understood, researchers have speculated that Yoga helps diabetics in the following ways.

Yoga for Diabetes Benefits

• Excess weight complicates diabetes, and Yoga helps to keep the pounds in check.

• By lowering stress, Yoga reduces the levels of cortisol, adrenaline, and glucagons in the body, which stabilizes insulin production.

• Muscle relaxation improves circulation - a problem for many diabetics - and enables the muscles to increase their uptake of insulin, reducing blood sugar levels.

• Poor circulation is common in diabetes; and Yoga pumps fresh oxygen into the blood stream, oxygenating the blood flow and cleansing the lymph system.

• Yoga postures that stretch or massage the pancreas may enable it to do its job more effectively.

• Yoga lowers blood pressure and cholesterol - two factors that make the treatment of diabetes more difficult.

Although diabetes varies in severity, many sufferers have ailments that limit their social and physical activities. Others are looking for ways to maintain good health and lessen the effects of the disease. Chair Yoga classes can become a place to share friendship and support, as well as to learn new ways of coping with a chronic illness. At the same time, Chair Yoga students are likely to practice posturing, exercises, breathing techniques and what they learn about a healthy Yogic lifestyle at home.

© Copyright 2011 - Paul Jerard / Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/

Acne

Statistics indicate that eight out of ten people suffer from acne in their teenage years. No research has to be done to prove that but everyone does get to experience acne breakouts once in their lifetime. For some people it quickly passes on as they age and their body, lifestyle, environment and skin regimen changes. For others, acne problems become a lot worse and may unfortunately leave not just physical scars, but emotional trauma.

Sebaceous glands found in the follicles of our skin contain fatty tissues that help lubricate our hair and epidermis. These fatty oils keep our skin in a healthy condition. Acne forms as a result of the fatty oils, also known as sebum, being blocked by our skin's dead cells. They form into pimples, whiteheads or acne and worsen as it gets infected.

Most commonly affected by acne breakouts are teenagers who are still developing into puberty. However, adult acne is also very common among those people between twenty and forty years old. Some of the factors that cause acne breakouts among the adult population include lifestyle, stress and toxins from the environment, make-up, use of medicine and other anti-biotic, emotional problems and hormonal changes in the body.

Adult women are very prone to acne because some tend to use the wrong kind of beauty products for their skin. They also undergo serious hormonal changes as they reach the age of menopause. However, adult acne is not just limited to women, as men do get the same problem. Part of this has to do with hygiene and taking care of one's body. Smoking or drinking too much; not eating the right kind of food; or working too hard and not getting enough sleep are some of the things that might not only cause one's health to deteriorate, and it can also contribute to acne.

In treating acne conditions, a big lifestyle change may be in order for some people. The right kind of food to eat; the right amount of sleep; the way one handles stress; the environment one moves around in have to be altered or modified. Acne is also treatable with vitamins and capsules containing Vitamin A, B1 or E. This should help boost the body's immune system from infection. In really extreme cases, acne may also be treated with prescription drugs which should be recommended by a very good dermatologist.

Jason Rickard is the owner of Your Favourite Shop - Offering Self Help CDs [http://www.yourfavouriteshop.com] - Visit Health Resources for more articles.

Stretch Mark Creams

You have probably heard the news by now but if you haven't I will repeat it. There are methods of lessening the appearance of your stretch marks. The most common of them at the moment is stretch mark cream.

The rich first realised that surgical procedures could be undergone to enojoy the removal of unsightly stretch marks from your life but quite obviously this option didn't fit the price bracket or the comfort bracket of millions of women suffering from the condition of stretch marks, scientifically known as Striea.

So as they do, scientists band together in their labs to invent the now popular stretch mark creams that can be seen from a simple websearch for stretch mark cream. Stretch mark creams have been around for the last few years but have so far gained popularity on the internet more so than in the offline world.

So what do stretch mark creams do? After all it is the belief of most people that there is in fact no reliable cure for stretch marks.

Basically a stretch mark is a tear or damaging of the underlying tissue of the skin cells. The job of a good stretch mark cream is to penetrate deep enough into the skin that it can actually affect and by certain means heal and repair this damaged tissue causing a visible difference to the physical appearance of the skin.

For the most part stretch mark creams are compounds of natural ingredients and hence although they can be powerful do not require prescription. Keeping this in mind though, if you are looking at actually purchasing a stretch mark cream a few things should be considered.

Firstly you need to look on which level the stretch mark cream really works. Some stretch mark creams work on the outward appearance of the skin and work to tighten and firm the layers of skin nearest the surface and in doing so alter the skins appearance. While these stretch mark creams can produce results in changing the appearance of your stretch marks they won't actually penetrate to the cause of the stretch mark and work to fully heal it so that the mark that you see can eventually disappear.

The other type of stretch mark creams, the more effective and powerful type that is works on what is called a trans cellular level meaning that the active ingredients of the cream actually penetrates to the tissues below the surface of the skin to cause internal and hence more effective and longer lasting healing. It is when these tissues are healed, along with the combination of a healthy diet, will result in permanent removal of stretch marks.

Stretch mark creams retail on the market anywhere from $20 to $80 per bottle/jar/tube etc. Generally you will find that the second type of stretch mark cream mentioned will be at the higher end of the price scale due to the more advanced actions it performs and the more advanced technology they require, while the first type while being less effective will often be sold at the lower price.

Gary Stephens is a skin care product reviewer and runs an informational website dedicated to demystifying the new stretch mark cream Trilastin.

For more information please see http://www.trilastinreview.com

3 Simple Ways To Clear Acne From Your Body

Studies show that an individual has an eighty percent likelihood of having body acne at some point in his/her life. Though many claim that body acne is caused by hormonal imbalance, there is no single definite cause to this common skin problem.

Besides hormones, there are several other factors that can lead to body acne such as heredity causes, environmental factors and personal hygiene habits. Considering all acne causes at hand, there are several things you can try to banish or clear acne from your body.

Simple Ways to Clear Acne from Any Part of Your Body

The first and simplest way to clear acne from any part of your body is to detoxify. Detoxifying your skin is a way of getting rid of toxins out of your body. The natural way to detoxify is to have a good diet and ensure your body gets enough rest. Stress is a key factor in aggravating body acne. If an individual eats a healthy diet and sleeps at least eight hours a day, the existing acne is free from irritation and enables the skin to rejuvenate.

Use topical treatment. There are several types of topical treatments that can help the skin detoxify and kill the bacteria from building up in your skin. It is usually better to use natural topical treatments instead of over-the-counter topical treatments which contain harsh chemicals that can irritate body acne.

A gentle but effective one is Topical 4% Niacinamide or Nicotinamide, derived from Vitamin B3. There are many household items that you can use as a topical treatment as well like baking soda as a scrub, facial masks out of egg whites or oatmeal, tea tree oil as antiseptic, and aloe vera to help lessen scars.

Lastly, switch to a healthier lifestyle! Exercise daily to detoxify your skin naturally. Make sure to take a bath regularly to prevent bacteria from building up.

Eat healthily by adding vegetables and fruits to your daily diet. Although body acne appears on the outside, what causes it comes from within!

Avoid taking in too much fatty food, dairy products, and beverages such as caffeine and alcohol. Bad habits, such as smoking, also contribute to skin dehydration that can contribute to body acne. Avoid using too much make-up and beauty products too that contain harsh chemicals. Instead, use skin care products that are mild and organic.

Richard Hargreaves is a former MR AUSTRALIA and publisher of Acne-Free-Info.com. On his website he provides a FREE 70 page Acne Blemish Treatment eBook and information on the best acne skincare treatment products and how to clear acne.