Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Which Is The Better Chemical Peel For Acne Treatment, Alpha-Hydroxy Acid Or Beta-Hydroxy Acid?

Acne has been tormenting millions of people in the US. Many acne products have been popping up in the market but there is one acne treatment that had existed for thousands of years. That is the chemical peel. It was recorded in history that Cleopatra had been bathing in sour milk to maintain her skin smooth and nice. Lactic acid found in sour milk is effective in peeling the skin removing dead skin. Lactic acid belongs to a group called Alpha-hydroxy acid.

A recent study by researchers from Saint Louis University School of Medicine has found that Alpha-hydroxy acid and Beta-hydroxy acid chemical peels are found to be both equally highly effective in combating mild to moderate facial acne.

20 patients suffering from mild to moderated acne were studied in that research. There are 17 males and 13 female in the studied group. Alpha-hydroxy acid peel (30% concentration of glycolic acid) was applied on one half of the face, while Beta-hydroxy acid peel (30% concentration of salicylic acid) was applied on the other half of the face of each patient. The treatments are done every two weeks for duration of three months. A non-bias evaluator was used to examine the effectiveness of each acid peels on the reduction of acne. Both the evaluator and the patients did not know which sides of the faces were applied with Alpha-hydroxy acid or Beta-hydroxy acid.

At the examination during the second treatment, both sides of the faces have found to have significantly reduced the numbers of pimples. However there are more severe side effects found on the sides of the faces that were applied with Alpha-hydroxy acid during the first examination. All these side effects generally were reduced to minimal after further treatments. Some common side effects of Alpha-hydroxy acid and Beta-hydroxy acid are stinging sensation, redness, dryness and peeling.

An examination was done to check for post treatment effect one month after all 6 treatments had been completed. It was found that 94% of the patients still continued to see good reduction in the numbers of pimples on both sides of their faces. Alpha-hydroxy acid and Beta-hydroxy acid chemical peels were still able to maintain their effectiveness one month after all treatments had been done.

Another examination was done two months after all treatments had been done. Beta-hydroxy acid had shown a bigger improvement in treating acne than Alpha-hydroxy acid. The non-bias evaluator gave 81 percent of the sides of faces applied with salicylic acid chemical peel fair or good improvement in acne condition, while only 75 percent of the sides applied with glycolic acid received fair or good improvement. There were also a few numbers of new pimples popping up on the sides that were applied with glycolic acid. However the numbers of new pimples were insignificant to be bothered.

The researchers concluded that both salicylic acid and glycolic acid chemical peels are equally effective in acne treatment. Salicylic acid was able to continue its effectiveness and had lesser side effects than glycolic acid. Overall Alpha-hydroxy acid and Beta-hydroxy acid chemical peels are successful treatment of acne.

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Author: Visit How to Get Rid of Pimples Fast for more pimple treatment methods

Which Is The Better Chemical Peel For Acne Treatment, Alpha-Hydroxy Acid Or Beta-Hydroxy Acid?

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Thursday, March 6, 2008

Chinese Medicine Schools

Seeking an alternative health education in Chinese Medicine? Instructing students an ancient healing art; Chinese medicine schools teach students how to balance the body's "chi" (life force) through energy channels. These channels are believed to be the body's internal balancing mechanism; able to bring about natural and self healing.

Providing students with fundamental knowledge of the therapeutic benefits of acupuncture, acupressure, cupping, herbal medicine, therapeutic exercise, and nutrition, Chinese medicine schools also provide comprehensive instruction on a variety of health treatments including moxibustion, a form of heat therapy application that is believed to prevent or possibly cure disease. Additionally, students who enroll in Chinese medicine schools may opt to take in-depth courses in Qi Gong and Tai Chi.

Educating students about dietary intake comprised of nutrient-rich foods; herbs; minerals; vitamins and other necessary supplements, Chinese medicine school philosophy and educational training is built upon the basis of the Yin and Yang, the Five Elements and Zang Fu.

Chinese Medicine Schools teach a wide curriculum of therapies that are used for allergies, arthritis, weight loss, quitting smoking, stress, TMJ, PMS and other menstrual problems, back pain, musculoskeletal problems, fatigue, digestive problems, and urinary problems, in addition to many other common or chronic health issues.

Though over 2,000 years old, today Chinese medicine is still considered alternative or complementary to traditional Western medicine; but its remarkable treatments and therapies are gaining headway in mainstream healthcare. Prospective practitioners can anticipate great personal satisfaction and substantial growth in this particular career choice.

To learn more about Chinese Medicine Schools and other programs of study, search our site for more in-depth information and resources.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved by SchoolsGalore.com, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc.

Notice: Publishers are free to use this article on an ezine or website, provided the article is reprinted in its entirety, including copyright and disclaimer, and ALL links remain intact and active.

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Author: C. Bailey-Lloyd is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Visit our Natural Healing Directory and find Colleges, Universities, Vocational Schools and Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Schools at SchoolsGalore.com; your educational resource to locate schools.

Chinese Medicine Schools

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Chinese Herbalism and Chinese Herbal Medicine

The Chinese herbal tradition is believed to date back some 4,000 years to the Emperor Shen Nong (or Chien Nung). He is said to have described over: 300 medicinal plants and their uses in a book called the Pen Tsao. Although versions of several ancient pharmacopoeia still exist today, the main surviving text on herbalism is the book by the physician Li Shih-chen describing almost 2,000 herbs and 10,000 herbal remedies, and written in the 16th century.

As well as the herbalism of trained physicians, there is also a folk tradition of herbal medicine in China. Many families had their own remedies, which were passed from generation to generation.

Traditional medicine came under question in the 20th century, but was reinstated under the communist regime. The barefoot doctors in the country districts were skilled in administering herbal prescriptions, the ingredients of which they had usually gathered and prepared themselves. Today, Chinese herbalism is very much an orthodox form of therapy and preventive treatment in China, and it is increasingly practiced in the West.

The so-called raw ingredients of herbal preparations are usually dried materials. They are often prescribed as "soups," decoctions, or teas but may be taken in their raw form or processed into pills, powders, ointments, liquid tonics, or teas.They are classified according to their properties, such as "warming" and "cooling," and by their taste. The majority are of plant origin but a few are derived from minerals or from animal sources.

Usually the herbs are combined into formulas that are often adapted to suit changing circumstances as the client progresses. The careful adjustment of the remedy to suit the individual client is characteristic of Chinese medicine. Chinese herbalism can be used for a wide range of ailments, including asthma, skin diseases, menstrual problems, digestive disturbances, and migraine, and is effective when used on its own or in conjunction with another therapy such as acupuncture.

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Author: Read out for Natural herbs Check out home remedies and homeopathic remedies

Chinese Herbalism and Chinese Herbal Medicine

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Natural healing With Chinese Medicine - An Alternative Medicine For Drug Free Health

Although Chinese medicine is conceived as alternative medicine outside of the Far East it is still considered the primary medical system in China, and has been for thousands of years. Because Chinese medicine relies on natural healing rather than synthetically produced drugs, more and more people in the Western world are turning to this branch of medicine.

Whilst Chinese medicine is thought to date back for 5,000 years the origins are far from clear. The first recorded history is thought to date back over 2,000 years with the first written document concerning Chinese medicine thought to be Hung-Di Nei-Jing(Cannon of Internal Medicine) and is attributed to the Yellow Emperor, although there is confusion over the dates and authors and is still the subject of much debate.

Most people are familiar with the primary methods of healing within Chinese medicine, which are herbal medicine and acupuncture with other methods such as massage, qi gong, or food therapy playing a secondary role. But few know that restoring harmony and regaining balance rather than treating the disease is the aim of all traditional treatment.

A lack of harmony is seen as the main cause of any illness. Whereas modern medicine treats bacteria and viruses directly by the use of antibiotics or vaccines, Chinese medicine has a holistic view and targets the imbalance with the philosophy that well-balanced human bodies can resist most everyday illness and disease.

While more and more medical schools are including classes on alternative medicine in their syllabuses, the relationship between TCM and Western medicine is still contentious. Older Western doctors are far more likely than their Chinese counterparts to view Chinese medicine with superstition.

This is not to say that the techniques are of no value in the West. In fact, drug companies have acknowledged the value of traditional medicines and teams of scientists in many parts of the world are employed to accumulate knowledge from traditional medical practitioners. In addition, many Western hospitals and increasing numbers of clinics now offer T'ai Chi Ch'uan or qigong classes as part of their inpatient and health programs.

Chinese Medicine is not considered alternative medicine to over three quarters of the world’s population and it is precisely in the areas of prevention and dealing with physical or emotional illnesses that it excels. It has been developed over the years as a form of non-invasive, therapeutic and risk free treatment.

Attitudes towards Chinese medicine are changing by the day and an increasing number of people are finding relief in this form of alternative medicine after failing with modern medicine and prescription drugs. But rather than as a last resort as was often the case it is now becoming a first recourse and more and more people are having regular treatments to maintain their health at an optimum level or to help with addictions or dietary problems.

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Author: John Philips is the author of Chinese Healing an informational website with various articles about Chinese Medicine. To read more observations from various sources on Chinese Medicine visit http://www.chinese-healing.info

Natural healing With Chinese Medicine - An Alternative Medicine For Drug Free Health

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Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Forced Reps Are A Waste Of Time!

That's right, the popular weight lifting technique known as "forced reps" are a huge waste of time and precious energy, regardless if your main goal is to gain pure strength or muscle building. Forced reps is when a weight trainer takes his set to failure. Once he reaches that point in which he can no longer complete a full repetition under his own strength, he / she then has their training partner help them lift the weight as they also complete the rep. Thus, you are "forcing" more reps than you normally would be able to do under your own power.

Well, this is another garbage technique that millions are led to believe will help them pass any "plateaus". According the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, a study was done where athletes were divided into three groups and assigned different weight lifting programs, each of which included the bench press.

Each group was told to do a different number of forced reps for each training workout session. Although all groups improved both their peak and mean power on the bench press, there was no significant differences in strength or power gains between them. Researchers concluded that once lifters reached rep failure, neither additional forced reps nor additional set volume further improved their strength gains.

Did you get that? Even though these weight lifters expended more energy, time, and intensity to complete the additional reps in "forced rep" style, they saw no improvement in strength or performance. And what's even more interesting is that all of these additional forced reps chips away at precious energy needed for the following repair / recovery / muscle building period. I don't know about you, but if I'm going to spend more time and effort with a certain training technique I better see some pay back in return.

This just goes to show that just because something may sound good on paper, or "in theory", it doesn't necessarily mean that it will work out in your benefit in the real world, where it counts. Too many of us looking to gain weight or build muscle mass naturally are constantly placing our hopes on complicated techniques, such as forced reps only to see no results, which just adds to our frustration.

And forced reps isn't the only one out there that will get you no where fast. What's sad is that many that don't get the results they desire quickly begin to think that they aren't gaining the muscle they would like because they aren't using some new bodybuilding supplement that's out on the market. They then go and spend their hard earned money on some pill, powder, or shake, continue to use improper weight training techniques... then 12 months done the line that still look exactly the same in the mirror.

Like I always say in all of my writings.....gaining weight and building muscle mass naturally comes down to two main factors: the correct weight training routine and calories. And let me save you the headache... don't bother with forced reps, unless want to risk suffering a major injury.

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Author: Forced reps are just one of many misconceptions that 99% of weight trainers believe... all of which lead to NO RESULTS. If you want to read about more of them, and which ones do work to build muscle, go here: http://www.muscle-weight-gain.com/get-rid-of-chronic-pain-by-weight-lifting/

Forced Reps Are A Waste Of Time!


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How to Prevent Hair Loss - Things to Remember to Prevent Premature Hair Loss

Nobody wants to go bald especially when they are still young. However, you need to remember that the very people that say that they don't want to go bald do everything in their life that can cause them to go bald early in life. This is why it is important for you to know what the causes of hair loss are in order for you to know how to prevent hair loss.

The first thing you need to remember is that hair also needs proper nourishment. People today eat a lot of junk that contains little or no nourishments at all. Because of this, premature hair loss will happen. Try to eat healthy foods especially foods that are healthy for your body and your hair. If you are particularly concerned about your hair and you want to prevent hair loss, then eat foods that contain iron and zinc. These two minerals are considered to be hair food which can keep your hair healthy and strong.

For women who are suffering from hair loss, you may want to take a look at your birth control pills. You have to remember that birth control pills can unnaturally unbalance your hormone levels. And, when this happens, hair loss will occur. To prevent hair loss, you will either want to stop taking contraceptives or you can consult your doctor about it and get your doctor to recommend you a birth control pill brand that doesn't contribute to hair loss.

Everyone knows that shampooing the hair is important to keep it clean. However, you need to know that using the wrong kind of shampoo can also lead to hair loss. You have to remember that there are different shampoos for different types of hair. Make sure that you use a shampoo that is specifically designed for your type of hair in order to prevent hair loss.

Hair dyes and other chemicals to make your hair look more beautiful can do the exact opposite. You have to remember that the chemicals in hair dyes are very strong and very harsh for your hair. So, lay off the hair dye. If you have to use hair dye, then try not to use it frequently. After dyeing your hair, you have to wait at least 3 months before dyeing it again.

Stress can also contribute to hair loss. To prevent hair loss caused by stress, try to relax a little. You can always go to the spa or get into aromatherapy. This will help you relax and also encourage your hair follicles to grow new hair.

Too much sun exposure can cause hair damage and ultimately, hair loss. So, whenever you go out in a hot day, you may want to cover your scalp with a hat.

Another cause for hair loss is by not rinsing your hair thoroughly after bathing in a swimming pool with chlorine in the water or in the sea. Salt and chlorine are deadly elements for your hair. So, after bathing in pools and the sea, you should rinse your hair thoroughly in order to get rid of chlorine and salt.

These are the causes of hair loss. By knowing about it, you will be able to know how to prevent hair loss. With these tips, you can be sure that you will be able to spend many more years with your head full of hair.

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Author: John Tulley manages the Provillus Alpha7: hair loss treatments web site. Our web site has more detailed advice and information on what causes hair loss and how to prevent hair loss.

How to Prevent Hair Loss - Things to Remember to Prevent Premature Hair Loss

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