Health and Fitness

As you age, your skin requires different treatments and pampering to maintain a healthy glow. Depending on your age, you may need more or less than these eight skin care products.

No matter what you do, always choose all-natural skin care products. Leave behind the toxic chemical peels and harsh creams. They tend to irritate the skin more than they help fix issues.

1. Cleansers

It is important to clean your face and body on a daily basis. Even if you don’t live in a big city with a lot of pollutants, the atmosphere contains dust particles, chemical toxins, and dead skin cells from other humans and animals. All of this micro-materials lands on your skin as you are walking around. You may never feel or notice these minute particles, but they can do a lot of damage to your skin.

Always use the most gentle cleanser for your skin type. There are all-natural cleansers for sensitive skin, normal skin, oily and dry skin.

Use a body wash for your body and a specific facial wash for your face, both with the most natural materials.

2. Toners

This is an often-skipped part of facial care. Many people clean their face and go right to a moisturizer, skipping the toner. A facial toner is necessary after wearing sunscreen and/or makeup.

Toners act as a barrier and protection to the open pores after cleaning. This layer of protection keeps toxins and dirt from penetrating too deeply into the pores.

Another important job of facial toners is to restore the pH balance. A naturally acidic skin can be stripped of normal oils, leaving skin dry. A good quality toner will replace and balance the pH of your skin.

3. Day and Night Creams

Most people use only one type of moisturizer, either in the morning, in the evening or both. There is a difference between day and night creams and they should both be used to gain the most from their ingredients.

Using a day cream will help protect your skin from the sun, free radicals and other random toxins that clog pores. Additionally, most moisturizers formulated for day time use add a certain glow to your skin.

Night moisturizers are used to help the skin repair itself from the damage it took on during the day. And, a deep penetrating night lotion will protect your skin from dirt and oil collected on your pillow over time.

Although each cream has different properties and jobs, it is important to use them both for maximum protection and repair, helping to put your best face forward.

4. Blemish Corrector

Many adults are now suffering from acne, which they somehow avoided in their teens and early twenties. Adult acne can be caused by a number of things, including stress and a poor diet.

Clearing your face and body of blemishes is not as easy as it sounds. Most dermatologists suggest using a retinol-based cream that helps to dry out the blemish, without harming the delicate skin around it.

Avoid acne medications and lotions that contain harsh chemicals and peels. A small amount of the medication goes a long way to eliminating the bacteria and lessening the redness around the pimple.

Use a preventative medication to keep blemishes away. Learn to control stress and eat better can also be helpful in keeping your face fresh and spot-free.

5. Wrinkle Corrector

Many women, but some men, rely on an anti-wrinkle cream to help them look and feel young. Wrinkles appear from ultraviolet radiation speeds up the natural process of aging. This toxic light from the sun breaks down the connective tissue in the skin. This tissue includes elastin fibers, the deep layer of skin, and collagen, the upper layer of skin or that nearest to the surface.

Wrinkles can also form from weight loss, smoking and general stress.

6. Exfoliator

It should be no surprise that skin is constantly shedding and renewing itself. Dead skin cells fall off your face and body without help from you. However, there are times when these dead skin cells get trapped in larger, open pores. This is when an Exfoliator is a good idea.

Using an Exfoliator helps to physically remove both dead and dull skin cells. It also helps to speed up the process of revealing younger skin.

To avoid stripping your skin, use an Exfoliator no more than twice a week. Use the mildest form you can purchase for your skin type. If you have dry skin, use less time per week, and if you have oily skin, use a little more each week.

7. Masks

Facial masks seem to be trending at the moment. They are made of many different materials including charcoal, clay, and mud. They also come in a variety of colors to spice things up as you wait for them to work. Designed to work by soothing, clarifying, and repairing skin.

The best mask for your skin is the one your skin needs. If you have oily skin, use a facial mask made of charcoal. This is a drying agent and can also close pores to help prevent acne from forming.

The best mask for dry skin is one made with hydrating essential oils that nourish your skin without taking it to an over oily state.

The best mask for combination skin, one that is both oily and dry, is made of a soothing clay. Always read the directions and don’t leave the masks on longer than the manufacturer recommendations for optimum benefits.

8. Weekly treatments

There are a number of procedures you can do on a weekly and monthly basis to prevent acne, redness, brown spots, and thickening of the skin. And remember, less is more. These products are designed to be used sparingly.

Unclog your pores. At least once a week, use a deep pore cleanser to open up and remove all the dirt from your pores. This helps to prevent acne and a buildup of blackheads. Use a toner after to shrink the pores to avoid getting more dirt inside them.

Use a serum to plump skin and help remove wrinkles. This is another practice to be done on a weekly basis. There are specially made serums for daily use, but it is best to stick to one that allows your skin to rest between uses.

For the last year and a half, I have been training hard to build muscle and really have something to show for it. While it is true that I received, like many weightlifters, my biggest gains within the first 3-6 months, as I continued to lift and eat within my “macros”, it happened… I plateaued.

It happens to all of us. The trick is getting over the hurdle. Whether the hurdle is finding it hard to pack on more muscle mass or finding nearly impossible to ¨cut¨ our weight to show off our hard work, we sometimes plateau.

In order to beat my plateau moment, a fellow lifter (and long-time lifter I might add) suggested Force Factor Test X180 Ignite to me.

The following is my experience with Text X180 Ignite, and what it did for me.

Mind-Blowing Benefits

What I loved about this product is that it is kind of an all-in-one supplement with added, unexpected benefits.

As lifters, we all want to gain more muscle mass and to do so we need more endurance during activity, and we need to allow our bodies to recover after.

Force Factor’s Test X180 Ignite helps deliver both. Along with boosting metabolism, you can also expect to experience perks you usually don’t find in a workout supplement: extra passion in the bedroom and more endurance in the sack.

Dude-Friendly Ingredients

With a list of ingredients that work for you and your workout sessions, let´s take a look at the special blends that make up Force Factor’s Test X180 Ignite.

Manliness Ignition Matrix

This powerhouse blend contains ingredients that have been talked about quite a lot in the weight room. Testofen^® Fenugreek Seed Extract is one of the most recognized libido enhancers in the industry. Add that to Green Tea Leaf Extract and Avena Sativa Extract, along with Horny Goat Weed, and you are in for a real treat both in the gym and in the bedroom. Expect more energy. Expect more get-up-and-go, and expect to get it sooner rather than later, if you know what I’m talking about.

Fat Incineration Complex

In this blend, you will find caffeine, white tea leaf extract, and green coffee extract. This group of ingredients works to help you beat the battle of the bulge while also cutting away fat that shows off the hard work that you have put in at the gym.

When the fat melts away, you just might be surprised at just how effective your workouts have been to build long-lasting lean muscle mass. As a result, you’ll be happy with what you’re seeing in the mirror.

Get the Fire Back in Your Life with Test X180 Ignite

You can snag your own bottle of Force Factor’s Test X180 Ignite by visiting the company´s website: https://www.forcefactor.com/products/test-x180-ignite.

If you don’t want to wait for it to ship, you can find it at your local Walmart store or if you are a loyal Amazon user, it is available there as well.

However, if you are not yet ready to commit, see if you qualify for a sample of the product (you do have to pay for shipping and handling) that will help you to determine how it works with your body and if you want to continue to be a faithful user.

I found that after using Test X180 Ignite for a few months, my muscles were more pronounced, I had more energy, and I had managed to cut back stubborn fat that hid muscles (abs, especially) that I had worked on in the gym for what seemed like forever.

I do not believe I would have been able to do this without the help of this supplement. I decided to continue my regimen of taking Test X180 Ignite and make this supplement part of my daily routine.

For all of the other lifters out there, if you need that extra something to get over the next hurdle in your bodybuilding journey, or if you are just an everyday guy looking to shed stubborn fat and enhance other areas of your life (including your sex life), Test X180 Ignite just might be the answer for you.

A human body has its own methods of detoxification among which the liver plays a major role in removing toxins. Your body also removes toxins through urine and sweat. However, sometimes your kidneys and liver overwork and they do deserve a break. A detox diet helps to relieve some pressure off these organs and this helps them to function smoothly for as long as the person lives.

There are several kinds of detox diets and the results would vary based on what diet you’ve chosen. What are some of the major health benefits of taking a detox diet?

Removal of waste and toxins from your body

Continuous exposure to chemicals, pollutants, industrial waste, metals, and preservatives becomes a threat to our immunity and affects our metabolism. This could result in various chronic diseases and terminal illnesses. We need to detoxify our body on a regular basis to get rid of these toxins from our body. Detoxification also helps our body to remove excess waste that it has been storing within. A detox diet gives a boost to the functioning of kidneys, colon, and liver. Colon cleansing is a major part of detoxification as the waste needs to be removed completely from your body to stop it from re-entering.

The immune system becomes stronger

Detoxifying your body removes unwanted strain from the vital organs and they are able to function properly. Your body is able to absorb all the vital nutrients including Vitamin C and this gives a boost to the immune system. The lymphatic system is also strengthened through the intake of certain herbs as part of a cleanse diet. The lymphatic system plays a major role in removing toxins from your body and keeping you healthy.

You feel energetic

Detoxifying your body boosts your levels of energy. During this programme, you stop taking those ingredients that have made it necessary for you to undergo detoxification. Hence, you’ve cut down the intake of caffeine, sugars, trans-fats, and gluten and replaced them with fresh vegetables, fruits and plenty of liquids. This will increase your levels of energy be it physical, emotional or mental.

Prevents chronic illness

Several types of diseases including neurological health issues, cardiovascular problems, different types of cancers and strokes are the result of toxins in the environment. Most of the time, the vital organs responsible for removing toxins from the body are overloaded. The process of detoxification helps your body remove these toxins and improves its overall functioning. Undertaking a detoxification programme at regular intervals can prevent diseases that are chronic and terminal.

Aids weight loss

Toxins within the body could result in a person gaining weight as the ability to burn fat naturally is affected. This could lead to several serious health disorders. Detoxifying the body removes toxins and the rate of metabolism increases. As a result, you will lose weight. The detoxifying programme will also introduce good food habits in you and if you continue following it along with regular exercise you can stay fit and healthy as long as you live.

Healthier skin

Toxins from the environment coupled with unhealthy eating habits affect your skin. Undergoing a detoxification programme is one of the best ways to remove these toxins from your body and you get a clearer, smoother and healthier skin. Detoxifying your body also helps in removing acne from your skin and gives you a natural glow.

Fights premature aging

Dealing with heavy metals and toxins on a regular basis causes your body to age prematurely. The process of detoxification removes these harmful toxins and helps your body to absorb nutrients properly. Proper absorption of antioxidants and vitamins helps in reducing oxidative stress. Once you complete the detoxifying programme make sure that you continue to follow a healthy lifestyle for long-term benefits.

Clarity of thought

Detoxifying your body helps to attain a clearer mind and you are able to think properly. Consumption of trans-fats and sugar based food on a regular basis will obstruct our thinking capacity. Many people testify that the process of detoxification clears the fogginess from their mind and that enables them to think with clarity.

Clean breath

A colon that is backed up is usually a factor that contributes to bad breath. Specific detox diet plans help in removing the colon back up and this causes the digestive system to function properly. This improves your breath.

Taking the detox diet in a controlled and healthy environment will ensure that you’ll get the desired results. This helps us regain our balance and our system starts functioning properly.

For all the controversies involving cannabis use, the biggest question is, is it effective? People argue about whether or not the use of cannabis products should be legal. Before we consider if legalisation is worth debating, it is essential to prove first that it has strong medical effects.

Cannabidiol oil or CBD is one of the products coming from marijuana. Unlike other components of the plant, it is not psychoactive. Hence, you will not get “high” if you use it. Furthermore, the use of cannabis as a medical solution is not something new. It has been a known medical product in various cultures for hundreds of years.

One of the most persuasive justifications in favour of legalising medical marijuana, or at least the use of CBD oil, is that it has pain-relieving effects, without the habit-forming impact. In short, you can receive all the health benefits without becoming addicted to the drug.

Chronic pain relief

The most widely accepted medical impact of CBD is for chronic pain relief. People suffering from extreme recurring pain use CBD to treat themselves. The oil has anti-inflammatory effects that aid in killing the pain. Therefore, if you have chronic back pain, you can apply the oil on the affected area, and you will start feeling better.

Cancer treatment

Although more studies are necessary to prove the effect of CBD on cancer patients, some of them already expressed feeling better when they started using CBD oil. Getting treatment from cancer using chemotherapy and other procedures is not easy. At the very least, using CBD oil helps in pain alleviation.

Less dependence on drugs

Marijuana use is controversial because of its addictive properties. Since CBD does not contain the said property, it does not make a patient dependent on it. To the contrary, the use of CBD oil helps make patients less dependent on drugs. Morphine and heroin addiction are a huge issue, and the use of CBD oil could help addiction to such drugs.

Epilepsy treatment

Over the years, several studies proved that the use of CBD oil helps in treating epilepsy. It prevents the occurrence of the problem, or at the very least, makes patients less anxious. It remains a controversial topic, and a lot of experts still contradict results showing the effect of cannabis on epilepsy, but a lot of people are always willing to give it a shot.

Potential side effects

Just like any other drug, there are possible side effects. Nausea, irritability and sleeping problems are among them. However, given all the benefits that you will receive from the use of CBD oil, it is worth trying. Besides, you will not suffer from withdrawal symptoms even if you decide to stop using it one day. Therefore, it comes with no risk at all.

You can look at online CBD oil UK stores selling it and give it a shot. Perhaps, this is the answer to the chronic pain and other medical issues you are suffering. Since it has no known severe side effects, you need to give it a try.

 

Having a dog can be one of the most fulfilling things in the world. You have a companion to play with, a protector to keep you safe, and an alarm clock to keep you in your routine. However, it can also be frustrating. Especially because, even though your dog might be as close to you as a child your dog doesn’t know English, so he can’t tell you what he’s thinking or feeling – especially when something is feeling bad or wrong.

Even though your pet can’t use words to tell you when he’s feeling bad, there are some ways that pets communicate to tell you that they’re feeling sick of off. By learning your dog’s behavior and their body language, and learning to detect when something’s amiss, you can get your dog the proper medical care when he needs it — to ensure he is feeling happy, healthy and like his old self in no time.

1. Clinginess

Lots of pups can love to be by their human’s side, but if your dog becomes clingy all of a sudden and there’s been no other change in his environment or routine – it may well be that your dog feels sick. Dogs can be clingy when they’re feeling unwell, preferring to stick by the person who provides them care, shelter and nourishment until they start feeling better.

2. Noticeable Changes in Behavior

Dogs can have subtle personality changes or pick up quirky new habits, but it’s a sign that your dog’s not feeling well if you notice drastic changes in behavior. For example, maybe a well trained pup will start urinating in the house regularly. Or, a dog may be restless, unwilling to lay down, or not able to find a comfortable position when he does lay down. If your dog is exhibiting behavior regularly that you’ve never seen before, and seems way out of the realm of normal, be sure to get him to a vet to see what might be bothering him.

3. Extreme Withdrawal

While some animals might get clingy when the feel bad, others will withdraw completely. They might hide away, seeking shelter until their body feels better – like under a bed, in a closet or in a dark corner where they usually don’t spend time. If your dog is withdrawing and hiding away somewhere where he hasn’t before (or for an extended amount of time), get him checked out. Hiding away can be a sign that he’s also fearful due to new feelings in his body.

4. Increased Thirst

Many diseases can cause increased thirst in dogs. So, if you noticed your dog drinking water (and urinating) more than normal, it could be a sign that something is amiss. Some conditions that cause increased thirst in dogs include kidney disease, liver disease and diabetes (and many, many more). If your dog is drinking more water than normal and for an extended period of time, ask your vet about it. If your dog is on medication, it may be possible that the medication itself is making him thirsty.

5. Lost Appetite

Dogs are a lot like humans. When they’re not feeling well, they don’t feel like eating. If your dog experiences a loss of appetite, there’s a chance that he’s feeling sick. Sometimes, a dog’s appetite can change based on the season or if he doesn’t like a specific food. However, if your dog doesn’t want to eat for an extended period of time, or if he’s disinterested no matter what you give him (treats, safe human food, etc.), then it’s worth him to get checked out at the vet.

6. Overt, Obvious Signs

There are some obvious, overt signs that your dog is sick that you don’t want to overlook. Some of those include a persistent cough, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, bright red eyes and lots of eye or nasal discharge. You may also notice signs that your dog is in pain; for example, he might be limping, wincing when you move him or he moves a certain way, or when he lays in a strange position (like propping his neck up on a piece of furniture because it hurts him). Because dogs can’t vocalize their pain or illness, paying attention to overt signs can help you notice that something’s wrong and get him into the vet quickly.

Having a sick pup can be stressful and challenging –especially because your pup can’t tell you what’s bugging him. However, if you learn to look out for the signs of a sick dog, you can not only spot that your dog is feeling off, but also get your dog into the vet quickly, so his illness will only last a short while. Also, to make sure your dog avoids illness in the first place, make sure to take him to the vet regularly. Your vet can check for illnesses that you might not have picked up (especially those in early stages), and also provide preventive treatments that can help him avoid illnesses in the long run, like NexGard for dogs, which helps prevent fleas and ticks.

Image Source

Chronic pain – ongoing pain that lasts longer than 12 weeks – can be draining and affect everything from quality of sleep to ability to work. A doctor will generally prescribe some kind of pain relief, however there may be times when you don’t want to rely on this medication alone. Here are just a few tips for helping to manage chronic pain better.

Cut out triggers

Various foods and bad habits are triggers that can increase pain. Sugary foods for example are known to spike insulin levels and make any existing inflammation worse. The same can be said of smoking, which can alleviate pain short-term but can heighten sensitivity to pain in the long run. Try to cut out these triggers as best you can in order to keep the pain at a manageable level.

Consider natural supplements

There are many natural pain relievers out there that you can consider. Ginger is commonly used to combat stomach pain, whilst turmeric is used by many people to relieve join pain. You can also use more heavy duty substances like Kratom as found at The Kratom Connection. You should always check that it is healthy to take these supplements on top of any prescribed medication. Always read into the side-effects, particularly with stronger natural supplements, so that you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into.

Do activities that produce endorphins

Endorphins are the body’s natural feelgood drug and they can be excellent at combating pain. Exercising, laughing, listening to music and having sex are all activities that flood our bodies with endorphins. Certain foods such as chocolates and spicy chillies have also been found to have this effect. Start doing activities that produce endorphins and you could find that the pain subsides. Be wary that certain activities may make pain worse because of the location of the pain – high-impact exercise could make joint pain worse, so you’re best sticking to low impact exercises such as yoga and swimming.

Reduce stress

Stress can make chronic pain worse – especially prolonged bouts of stress. Cortisol, the stress hormone, can help to cause inflammation whilst causing our muscles to become tense. We are also more alert when we are stressed, which can in turn effect our ability to sleep. Without proper sleep, the body is likely to feel pain more acutely. Learn to destress at the end of each day by meditating or having a long hot bath – this will reduce cortisol levels and hopefully reduce some of the pain that you’ve been feeling.

Join support groups

There are many support groups set up for people with chronic pain such as Pain Support. These groups are worth joining in order to meet other sufferers and share coping strategies. You could find that simply talking to other people that have chronic pain improves you mental wellbeing and has an effect on the way you face your chronic pain.