Acne Myths

When you got your first pimple, you probably ran to ask your parent, older brother or sister, or a friend about what to do. But before you take their advice and pop that pimple, you should know that some of what you hear about acne is just plain wrong.
Let's clear up some common myths about acne — and maybe even your skin in the process!

Myth: Popping your pimples is the best way to get rid of them.

Fact: Step away from that mirror! Some people might tell you that popping your zits will make them less noticeable and help them heal faster, but they're wrong. Picking or popping your pimples pushes germs further under your skin, which could cause more redness, pain, and maybe even a nasty infection. And popping zits can lead to scarring, which could last forever.
If pimples always seem to show up at the wrong time, like before a big event such as a dance, talk to your parent about seeing your doctor or a dertamologist, a doctor who specializes in treating acne. A doctor can help get your acne under control.

Myth: Stress causes acne.

Fact: Are you worried that the big test tomorrow or that next week's championship game will cause your skin to break out? Don't worry — the normal everyday stress of being a kid doesn't cause acne. If you're going through an especially stressful period in your life — such as moving to a new house or dealing with your parents' divorce— your skin may produce more oil, also known as sebum (say: see-bum), but that doesn't mean you'll get more zits.

Myth: Getting a tan clears up acne.

Fact: Baking in the sun does nothing to improve your acne. When you spend time outside and your skin becomes darker, the redness caused by acne may be less noticeable for a little while. But when your tan fades, you'll still see your zits. And spending time in the sun without the proper protection can cause dry, irritated, or burned skin — not to mention it increases your risk of developing wrinkles and skin cancer later in life.
Before you head outdoors, protect your skin with a sunscreen that contains a sun protection factor (on the label it'll say SPF) of at least 30. Use a brand that's marked "noncomedogenic" or "nonacnegenic," which means it won't clog your pores and worsen acne. Don't forget to wear a hat and sunglasses when you're outside to keep your skin in top shape. And if you ever wondered about tanning beds, here are the facts — they're boring, expensive, and dangerous because they increase your risk of developing skin cancer.

Myth: You can get rid of acne by washing your face more.

Fact: Washing your face regularly is a good idea because it helps remove dead skin cells, excess oil, and dirt from your skin's surface. But overwashing or scrubbing your skin too hard can dry out and irritate your skin, which only makes acne worse.
What's the best skin care strategy? As a general rule, gently wash your face no more than twice a day with a mild soap or cleanser. After you've finished washing, gently pat your skin dry with a soft towel. Steer clear of exfoliants or scrubs, which can irritate your pimples. Also avoid products that contain alcohol because they can dry out and irritate your skin.

Myth: If you want to avoid acne, don't wear makeup.

Fact: Young skin looks great without makeup. But if you like cosmetics, be sure to choose products that are labeled "noncomedogenic" or "nonacnegenic." That means the product won't clog your pores or cause breakouts. Some cosmetics even contain acne-fighting ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. If you are not sure, ask your parent or doctor.

Myth: If you keep breaking out, using more medicine will get your acne under control.

Fact: Do you know the saying "less is more"? It definitely applies to acne medication. Using too much medicine to zap zits can lead to dry, irritated skin. Whether you bought an acne product at your local drugstore or you are using something prescribed by a doctor, be sure to follow the directions carefully.
 
If over-the-counter medicine isn't helping your acne problem, talk to your parent. You may need to see your doctor or a dermatologist, who may prescribe other medications to help clear up your skin.
It can take as long as 8 weeks before you notice an improvement. If you don't, talk to your doctor, who will make the right adjustments for you. Don't use extra medication on your own, though — using more medicine than prescribed can cause unpleasant and even dangerous side effects.
Almost all kids and teens have to deal with acne at some point — but the good news is that with the right facts and the proper acne treatment, you can help your skin and put your best face forward!

Creditted to : kidshealth.org

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How To Help A Parents Who Smokes?

You can't escape the message that smoking is bad for you. But what if one or both of your parents smoke? You might be worried about their health, sick of smelling the smoke, or even a little embarrassed by it.

You can't order your mom or dad to stop smoking, but you can encourage them to quit. There are lots of good reasons for them to. Here are some you can mention:

• Smoking will hurt their health.
• Smoking creates secondhand smoke, which you don't like.
• Smoking will make it hard for them to keep up with you because they might run out of breath easily.

If you think it will help, you could print articles like this one to give to your mom or dad. Also, many states have free programs to help people quit smoking. You might see them advertised on billboards in your town. Point these out to your parents and encourage them to find out more.

But what if your parent gets angry with you for bringing up the topic of smoking? People don't like to be reminded that they are doing something unhealthy, so it's possible your parents will be insulted or angry, especially if they're worried they won't be able to quit. Maybe they have tried before and failed.

Remember to be kind and respectful when you discuss smoking with your mom or dad. Also remember that it is difficult to quit. Some people try several times before they're able to quit for good. Instead of yelling, tell them that you love them and want them to enjoy many healthy years ahead. 

In time, your mom or dad may realize you are right about smoking.

And if they do agree to stop smoking, be their biggest supporter. Ask if there's anything you can do to help them when they feel the urge to smoke. Maybe you could go for a walk, do a puzzle, or listen to music together. As they reach milestones, such as a month without smoking, be sure to celebrate the achievement. Way to go, mom! Way to go, dad!

Creditted to : kidshealth.org

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Obesity: Is It Dangerous To Your Kids?

Obesity increases the risk for serious health conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol — all once considered exclusively adult diseases. Obese kids also may be prone to low self-esteem that stems from being teased, bullied, or rejected by peers.

Kids who are unhappy with their weight may be more likely than average-weight kids to:

• develop unhealthy dieting habits and eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia
• be more prone to depression
• be at risk for substance abuse

Overweight and obese kids are at risk for developing medical problems that affect their present and future health and quality of life, including:

• high blood pressure, high cholesterol and abnormal blood lipid levels, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes
  
• bone and joint problems
  
• shortness of breath that makes exercise, sports, or any physical activity more difficult and may aggravate the symptoms or increase the chances of developing asthma
  
• restless or disordered sleep patterns, such as obstructive sleep apnea
  
• tendency to mature earlier (overweight kids may be taller and more sexually mature than their peers, raising expectations that they should act as old as they look, not as old as they are; overweight girls may have irregular menstrual cycles and fertility problems in adulthood)
• liver and gall bladder disease
  
• depression

Cardiovascular risk factors present in childhood (including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes) can lead to serious medical problems like heart disease, heart failure, and stroke as adults. Preventing or treating overweight and obesity in kids may reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease as they get older.

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How To Prevent Stretch Marks During Pregnancy

Your body will undergo many changes during your pregnancy, but many of those changes will disappear soon after your baby is born. Stretch marks are one change that won’t go away or at least not very easily. The following healthy pregnancy tips are the key to the secrets that unlock the mystery of how to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy.

Tip #1: A Healthy Diet For Pregnant Women

Stretch marks typically appear during the 6th and 7th months of pregnancy. The number one reason for stretch marks is that the skin is forced to stretch too much, too quickly. Like a piece of elastic, if you over stretch it, it won’t return to its original length because it will lose some of its elasticity, and you may even find that it becomes wrinkled along the edges. The same can happen with your body.

Eating a healthy diet controlling your weight gain during the course of your pregnancy is the best way to prevent that from happening. This gives your body, especially your tummy, time to adapt to your growing baby. A healthy diet during pregnancy is rich in nutrients and includes foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and cereals, and lean proteins.

During your pregnancy if you are in the normal weight band you will gain about 25 to 35 pounds (10 – 13 kilos). If you are underweight a little more and if overweight you should gain a little less. If you can keep your weight gain within the recommended range then you have unlocked the secret “how to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy”.

Tip #2: Make Water Your Best Friend

Water is your best friend when you are looking to understand how to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy. You need to drink plenty of water – at least 8 glasses a day and more if the weather is hot or if you exercise. If you are not drinking enough water then your skin will become dry and it will not have the elasticity that it needs to handle the stretching during pregnancy. And of course it is also necessary to drink plenty of water to keep your growing baby healthy.

Tip #3: Pamper your skin

Moisturizing your skin and protecting it from the sun is very important for maintaining suppleness and elasticity. Pick a moisturizer with a sun protection factor of at least 15 and check with your pharmacy for pregnancy safe moisturizing creams. While most commonly used products are completely safe there are some creams that contain a handful of ingedients that doctors recommend you avoid such as “retinoids” which are commonly used in anti-aging creams.

There are many moisturizing creams that may be suitable but it’s important to test them on a small part of your skin as not all moisturizers suit everyone.

The best way to apply the moisturizing cream is to gently rub it onto your body in a circular motion. A circular motion helps to bring blood flow to the surface of the skin and helps to keep it healthy.

Using these healthy pregnancy tips should help you understand how to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy or at least make them less noticeable if they do appear.

So stay healthy and enjoy your pregnancy.

Creditted to : ladiesstuffzone

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How to Make Your Breasts Beautiful with Exercises?

Exercise 1 for Beautiful Breasts. Pressure

Applying pressure is the simplest exercise for your bust. Stand tall facing the wall, lean against it with your hands. Press against the wall as hard as you can, as if you want to move it, keep on pushing for 10 seconds. Relax, shake your hands. Do a set of 10 repetitions.

Exercise 2 for Beautiful Breasts. Elbows Touch

Stand tall, bend your hands slightly in the elbows, keep your hands on your hips. Try to touch your elbows one to the other behind your back, do not do it in jerks, but rather do it slowly, stretching the muscles for 10-15 seconds. Repeat 8 times.

Exercise 3 for Beautiful Breasts. Palms Pressing

The next exercise for beautiful breasts is as follows: join your palms in front of the chest and press them hard against each other for 3-5 seconds. Repeat 8-10 times.

Exercise 4 for Beautiful Breasts. “Dry” Breast-Stroke

If you can not go to a swimming pool, do this effective exercise to improve the tone of your breast. Stand tall, nestle up to the wall, squeeze the pectoral muscles and make movements, as if you are breast-stroke swimming. Do a hundred slow strokes, keep your pectoral muscles tense all the time.

Finishing Exercises for Beautiful Breasts with Posture Exercise

The best way to finish this set of exercises for your bust is to do an exercise which targets your posture. Take a thick book, put it on your head and walk around the house for a few minutes like that, trying to keep it on your crown. This will help you relax the muscles effectively and give them the needed working tone. If you can not walk like that, at least try standing with the book on your head. You can hold on to a chair or the wall, but do not lean against the wall.

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How Can I Make My Breasts Firm and Beautiful?

Are you worried that your breasts look loose? 

 Do you get disappointed when a dress does not look good on you, simply because the loose shape of your breasts simply ruins the entire fitting? Well, worry not, because there are some options with which you can easily firm your breasts.

Switching over to a healthier lifestyle is the first step. 

You may not want to believe in this method of firming breasts, thinking a healthy lifestyle has got nothing to do with your breasts’ shape, but you can’t change the fact that your breasts are eventually a part of your body, and that they get affected by what you eat. When you eat a lot of junk food, your entire body gains weight, and that shows in your breast size too.

And then again when you lose a lot of weight, your breasts start to sag. Hence, it is more or less a direct connection, for which it is important for you to switch over to a healthy diet. That will ensure that your body does not have any kind of nutritional deficiencies, and thus, the chances of your breasts sagging because of nutritional deficiencies get reduced.

Exercising also plays a very important role in this process. You can join a gym, and ask your instructor to develop a customized workout plan for you based on your aims and goals; or you could join swimming, which is an excellent option for working out on the muscles of your chest. At the gym, your instructor will make you do some weight training exercises for your breasts. These will be small weights, but what is required is precision and dedication in the exercises, which will be divided in different sets and repetitions.

Another option which is now taking over the world, 

 Keeping in mind how vulnerable a consumer can be, is that of breast firming products available in the market. These include tonics, gels, creams, serums and what not. While some people say that they have had really good results with these products, others have complained of serious side effects, some of which stay for a lifetime. Thus, it is always a good idea to consult an expert in these matters, and find out if there is a particular brand or product that you can rely on, and if it is suitable for you or not.

On a daily basis, ensure that you are wearing the right kind of bras, and that your breasts never sag when you wear a bra. This is highly important to save your breasts from dropping further.

To further work on the problem, you can massage your breasts regularly at home. This will improve the blood circulation in the chest area, and will also help to strengthen and tone the muscles. Doing this properly and regularly will surely make your breasts firm, and they will get a good shape. They will look fuller and tighter, and then you can wear your dream dress with the best fitting anytime you want!

Creditted to: ladiesstuffzone

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Is Your Child Overweight?

The percentage of overweight children in the United States is growing at an alarming rate, with 1 out of 3 kids now considered overweight or obese.

Many kids are spending less time exercising and more time in front of the TV, computer, or video-game console. And today's busy families have fewer free moments to prepare nutritious, home-cooked meals. From fast food to electronics, quick and easy is the reality for many people.

Preventing kids from becoming overweight means adapting the way your family eats and exercises, and how you spend time together. Helping kids lead healthy lifestyles begins with parents who lead by example.

Is Your Child Overweight?

Body mass index (BMI) uses height and weight measurements to estimate a person's body fat. But calculating BMI on your own can be complicated. An easier way is to use a BMI calculator.

Once your child's BMI is known, it can be plotted on a standard BMI chart. Kids ages 2 to 19 fall into one of four categories:

1. underweight: BMI below the 5th percentile
2. normal weight: BMI at the 5th and less than the 85th percentile
3. overweight: BMI at the 85th and below 95th percentiles
4. obese: BMI at or above 95th percentile

BMI calculations aren't used to estimate body fat in babies and young toddlers. For kids younger than 2, doctors use weight-for-length charts to determine how a baby’s weight compares with his or her length. Any child who falls at or above the 85th percentile may be considered overweight.

BMI is not a perfect measure of body fat and can be misleading in some situations. For example, a muscular person may have a high BMI without being overweight (extra muscle adds to body weight — but not fatness). Also, BMI might be difficult to interpret during puberty when kids are experiencing periods of rapid growth. It's important to remember that BMI is usually a good indicator — but is not a direct measurement — of body fat.

If you're worried that your child or teen may be overweight, make an appointment with your doctor, who can assess eating and activity habits and make suggestions on how to make positive changes. The doctor also may decide to screen for some of the medical conditions that can be associated with obesity.

Depending on your child's BMI (or weight-for-length measurement), age, and health, the doctor may refer you to a registered dietitian for additional advice and, possibly, might recommend a comprehensive weight management program.

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