Symptoms most associated with Xeroderma (dry skin) are scaling, which is the visible peeling of the outer skin layer, itching and cracks in the skin. Only a lucky few have ‘normal’ skin; the rest of us have a dry, oily or combination variety; if dryness is your problem, read on. Xeroderma literally means “dry skin”.

Skin also harbors many nerve endings that provide the sense of touch and heat. The skin is often known as “the largest organ of the human body”. Skin also receives less blood flow and lower gland activity.

Epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin. The epidermis can be further subdivided into the following strata (beginning with the outermost layer): corneum, lucidum (only in feet), granulosum, spinosum, and basale. The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain.

Dermatitis, contact dermatitis, eczema, seborrhea or psoriasis may cause the skin to be dry too. Skin gets exposed to the elements especially in winter. Dry skin could be due to a genetic condition. The skin loses moisture and may crack and peel, or become irritated and inflamed.

Natural treatment should always be the first type of treatment to consider when you want to take the best care of your skin. For any skin condition, it’s always better to take a natural approach. Apply moisturizers just after a bath or shower, when your skin is still damp.

njoying life to the fullest and aging gracefully, without the burden of disease, depends primarily on the healthy choices we make for our bodies TODAY.

Try rotating between aerobic exercises such as walking, dancing, jogging, swimming, cycling, and skating.

n the past it was believed that your intelligence was
something that was inherited or that it was a genetics thing. Although this is a possibility it may not be a total truth. It is now believed that your intelligence can be determined by your environment, life experiences and your diet. So is there a brain food recipe that one can start eating to make them more intelligent?

Choline has also been proven to improve brain function.  Choline can be found in such foods as eggs and milk.

Many of today’s health foods loose their benefits while being
processed and mutated for production. Many of today’s common
health foods are genetically altered so they will ripen
earlier, are disease resistant, and can survive transport to
market without spoiling.

Other research makes claims that cranberries help reduce
plaque, and prevent H. pylori from attaching to the lining of
the stomach. The H. pylori cause ulcers that are linked to
gastric conditions, including stomach cancer.

Is taking naps good for your heart? New research from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and the University of Athens Medical School (UAMS) in Greece suggests that the answer may be yes.

The researchers, led by lead author Androniki Naska, lecturer of hygiene and epidemiology in UAMS, and senior author Dimitrios Trichopoulos, professor of cancer prevention and epidemiology at HSPH, looked at 23,681 individuals living in Greece who, at the beginning of the study, had no history of coronary heart disease, stroke or cancer.

Much has been studied about the role of certain vitamins, minerals and herbs in cancer prevention. Some of the most promising cancer prevention properties come from those vitamins that are known as antioxidants.

Antioxidants are substances that protect the body’s cells from damage caused by dangerous free radicals, which can potentially cause cancer. There are many different sources of antioxidants, including herbs, vitamins, and foods. Here are some of the most widely recommended supplements thought to help prevent cancer by fighting free radicals:

Beta Carotene: Beta carotene is thought to reduce the risk of cancer, especially lung cancer. Beta carotene is naturally occurring in red and orange foods such as pumpkin, squash, carrots, and red peppers. Beta carotene can also be found in dark leafy greens like spinach and kale.

Lutein: Lutein can help prevent colon cancer and encourage good eye health. Find lutein in dark green vegetables like collard greens, kale and spinach.

Lycopene: Lycopene has been studied for it’s prostate cancer preventing properties. Tomato products are the best sources of lycopene. Studies have shown that processed tomato products like canned tomatoes, soups and juices are higher in lycopene than fresh tomatoes.

Vitamin A:Vitamin A, whose most common form is retinol, is a powerful antioxidant with cancer preventing properties that is found in such foods as liver, carrots, milk, egg yolk and sweet potatoes.

A six-year study by VA researchers suggests that reducing the body’s excess iron stores—in this case, by drawing blood—may improve clinical outcomes for
people with symptomatic but stable peripheral arterial disease (PAD), but only if iron reduction begins at a relatively young age.

The new trial, funded by VA’s Cooperative Studies Program, involved 1,277 men and postmenopausal women with PAD, ages 43 to 87, at 24 VA medical centers.

ur weight weighs heavily on our minds, and it should.
Approximately 127 million adults in the U.S. are overweight, 60 million obese, and 9 million severely obese says the American Obesity Association.

That means two-thirds of Americans are overweight and one-third are obese. The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention has found that obesity is responsible for more than 325,000 deaths annually…that’s more than 100 9/11’s every year.

The National Institutes of Health estimates
obesity costs this country between $75 and $125 billion every year. Obesity is the number one risk factor for many chronic diseases—heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis to name a few.

* about his/her own body;

* what causes his/her body to become imbalanced;
and
* what he/she can do to re-balance their body.

* Avoid or eliminate foods that are highly processed like breakfast cereals, potato and corn chips (and the like), processed meats (processed deli meats, hot dogs and “pressed” meat like chicken “nuggets” and meat “patties”).

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High blood pressure is also commonly known as hypertension. It describes the medical condition whereby the pressure of the blood is elevated to a chronic level. On a formal level, high blood pressure is referred to as arterial hypertension. More strokes and heart attacks come as a result of high blood pressure than any other disease. It is one of the major risk factors for heart failure and arterial aneurysms. High blood pressure is also the leading cause of chronic renal failure.

Adults whose blood pressure is over 140/90 mm Hg are afflicted with hypertension and are more likely to have strokes and heart disease. It is advisable that those afflicted with this condition see their doctors immediately and start planning on how best to manage their high blood pressure.

There are no symptoms for high blood pressure; indeed, a vast majority of Americans afflicted with high blood pressure are not even aware of it. This is why it is important to have one’s blood pressure checked on a regular basis.

In recent years, the condition of “prehypertension” has been defined by the medical establishment as blood pressure between 120/80 mm Hg and 139/89 mm Hg. The category of prehypertension is meant to identify patients who are at high risk for developing high blood pressure.

Generally, high blood pressure is found incidentally by doctors. Since it has no symptoms, it is not easy to diagnose.

Researchers have established that blood pressure is affected by one’s diet. Vegetarians tend to have very low blood pressures. When one moves from a dietary plan that is low blood pressure associated to one that is affiliated with higher blood pressures, gradually one will adapt the higher blood pressure associated with that particular diet.

When it comes to some of today’s health issues, we are all looking for that extra edge.  It just may be that 100 percent fruit and vegetable juices can give you that edge in helping to  reduce risk factors related to certain diseases. This conclusion is the result of a European study designed to question traditional thinking that 100 percent juices play a less significant role in reducing risk for both cancer and cardiovascular disease than whole fruits and vegetables.

Juices are comparable in their ability to reduce risk compared to their whole fruit/vegetable counterparts according to a number of researchers. The researchers analyzed a variety of studies that looked at risk reduction attributed to the effects of both fiber and antioxidants. As a result, they determined that the positive impact fruits and vegetables offer come not from just the fiber but also from antioxidants which are present in both juice and the whole fruit and vegetables.

This 2006 review of the literature states, “When considering cancer and coronary heart disease prevention, there is no evidence that pure fruit and vegetable juices are less beneficial than whole fruit and vegetables.” The researchers add that the positioning of juices as being nutritionally inferior to whole fruits and vegetables in relationship to chronic disease development is “unjustified” and that policies which suggest otherwise about fruit and vegetable juices should be re-examined.