March | 2016 | resveralife

March 8, 2016 by Mayank

Does Squinting Cause Fine Lines?

Beauty is surrounded by many rules, guidelines and myths and it can be daunting to keep up with everything that you are or are not supposed to be doing to and for your skin. If you’ve ever heard that squinting your eyes can cause fine lines and wrinkles, you’ve heard correctly. This is one beauty myth that is absolutely true. Keep reading to find out why squinting causes more fine lines and wrinkles and what you can do to prevent additional wrinkles under and around your eyes.

Does Squinting Cause Fine Lines and Wrinkles?
Unfortunately, squinting really does lead to more fine lines and wrinkles. When you squint, whether you’re trying to watch TV, read your book and check emails on your computer, you are contributing to more fine lines and wrinkles around your eyes. Dawn Davis, M.D, a dermatologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota says “…when you squint the muscles around your eyes grow stronger, and it’s kind of like a workout; therefore, the overlying skin will wrinkle.”

How to Prevent Wrinkles
The skin under and around your eyes is thinner and more delicate than the skin on the rest of your face, so it is more susceptible to fine lines and wrinkles. While you can never prevent all wrinkles, there are some lifestyle changes you can make to keep yourself from squinting as often and causing more fine lines than necessary.

Get an Annual Eye Exam – Often, squinting is a response to not being able to see properly and visiting your optometrist once a year is an excellent way to make sure that your vision is in check. Your optometrist will be able to provide you with prescription glasses, sunglasses or contacts so that you can see clearly without having to squint.
The Sun – You’re probably excited about how close spring is because you can bask in warm weather and sunlight, but the sun is another primary cause of squinting. You can prevent squinting due to the sun by wearing sunglasses and hats to keep the sun out of your eyes.
Move Away From the Screen – Computers are amazing and you probably can’t imagine your life without one, but they can be quite hard on your eyes. Dr. Julia Tzu of Wall Street Dermatology in New York City, New York suggests that you sit about 1.5 to 2 inches away from your computer screen to help prevent eye strain. Additionally, you should take two to three quick breaks away from your computer screen every hour to give your eyes time to rest, according to New York City based dermatologist, Dr. Janet Prystowsky.

Squinting does indeed cause fine lines and wrinkles, but you can fight back against them by making the above lifestyle changes. To most effectively reduce fine lines and wrinkles under and around your eyes, you should combine the above advice with a high-quality anti-aging eye cream. Put on your glasses and step away from the computer once in awhile to reduce the amount of time you spend squinting, and ultimately to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

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March 5, 2016 by Mayank

How to Spot a Skin Infection

One of the main functions of your skin is to provide protection against harmful diseases, conditions and infections. Your skin is constantly being exposed to germs, and no matter how well you take care of it, sometimes these germs will end up causing disease. Skin infections are caused by a wide variety of germs, and infections can vary greatly in symptoms and severity. It is important to know how to spot and subsequently treat a skin infection because there are instances in which skin infections can spread beyond the skin and enter into the bloodstream. Below, find out more about skin infections and how you can spot and treat them.

Types of Skin Infections
As previously mentioned, skin infections are caused by a large range of germs and can be bacterial, fungal or viral in nature. Some common skin infections among each type include:

Bacterial – Bacterial skin infections include leprosy, impetigo, boils, cellulitis, staph infection, carbuncles and pilonidal cysts and abscesses. According to the New York Department of Health, the two most common causes of bacterial infections are staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus.
Fungal – Fungal skin infections include ringworm, athlete’s foot, fungal nail infections, candidiasis (yeast infection) and sporotrichosis. The most common cause of fungal infections is yeast.
Viral – Viral skin infections include chickenpox, shingles and molluscum contagiosum. Viral skin infections are most frequently caused by one of three groups of viruses: herpes simplex virus, poxvirus and human papillomavirus.

Risk Factors for Skin Infections
There are several things that can increase your risk of contracting a skin infection. One of these is an already weakened immune system. Certain prescription medications can increase the chances of a skin infection. Skin that is already cracked or cut may allow bacteria to penetrate further into the skin, causing an infection and fungi flourish in warm, moist environments, so wearing sweaty clothing can increase your chance of a skin infection.

Skin Infection Symptoms
The symptoms you have will differ according to the cause of the skin infection, but there are some commonly experienced symptoms that can indicate a skin infection. The most frequent symptom among various types of skin infection is the presence of redness. Redness may be accompanied by swelling of the skin, as it is with cellulitis. Rashes are another very common symptom of skin infections. Certain skin infections have symptoms like blisters, sores and lesions as well as redness or irritation.

Dermatologist examining skin

Skin Infection Treatment
A doctor can properly diagnose a skin infection for you, which will sometimes involve collecting a culture of skin cells to determine what type of bacteria or fungus is present and causing the infection. Once you have been diagnosed, your doctor will determine the most appropriate treatment for your infection. Treatment will depend upon not only the cause, but also the severity of the skin infection. Some viral skin infections require no medication at all, and simply require time to clear up. Bacterial infections are often treated with the use of topical antibiotics, but in more severe cases, oral antibiotics may also be required. Your doctor may also suggest using medications that will reduce any discomfort you have, like the use of a topical anti-inflammatory.

Because skin infections can be caused by so many things, it is important to seek professional medical help if you think you may have one. Signs like redness, rashes or lesions are all indications that you should head to your doctor to find out how to treat your skin infection.

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March 2, 2016 by Mayank

Avoiding Cooties: Cold, Flu and Retrovirus

The common cold, the flu and retroviruses make their rounds during winter time and it can seem impossible to stay healthy. Luckily, there are lifestyle changes and medical interventions that you can use to help protect yourself and your loved ones from coming down with the cold, flu and retrovirus. Use the following five tips to keep your family and yourself healthy during cold and flu season this year.

Wash Your Hands
The number one thing you can do to prevent the common cold, flu and retroviruses is to wash your hands with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that “handwashing is like a do-it-yourself vaccine” when it comes to preventing illnesses. Properly washing your hands consists of five steps:

Wet your hands
Lather your hands – don’t forget the backs of your hands, in between fingers and under fingernails
Scrub your hands – do this for at least 20 seconds for maximum cleanliness
Rinse
Dry

Get Vaccinated
When it comes to the flu, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that getting vaccinated is the first, and most important, step in preventing the flu. The CDC recommends that everyone aged six months and older be vaccinated annually to prevent the flu virus. “Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to the flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations and deaths,” according to the CDC. Your healthcare provider can help you determine which flu vaccine is the most appropriate for you.

Stay Home
To protect yourself from illness, you want to limit your time and prevent close contact with individuals who are already sick. If you begin to exhibit any flu-like symptoms, do those you surround yourself with a favor and stay home. You need to rest to recover, and staying home reduces the risk of spreading the illness to others. If you have a fever, experts recommend that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone without using fever-reducing medicines.

Woman sleeping

Get Plenty of Sleep
Sleep is an important part of staying healthy and not getting enough sleep can make you more vulnerable to the common cold, flu and retroviruses. For otherwise healthy adults, the National Sleep Foundation recommends getting between seven and nine hours of sleep every night.

Practice Good Health Habits
In addition to making sure you are well-rested, there are things you can do in your daily life to help prevent the colds, retroviruses and the flu. First, a healthy diet and exercise can go a long way in keeping you healthy, so be sure that you are following a sensible eating plan and staying active. Next, avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes as much as possible, because germs from your hands enter the body this way. Cover your mouth and nose any time you cough or sneeze to protect those around you from your illness and clean and disinfect any surfaces that are frequently touched both at home and work to protect yourself from illness.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to avoid germs altogether, but practicing healthy habits can significantly reduce your risk of coming down with the common cold, flu or retrovirus. Remember to wash hands thoroughly and frequently and avoid putting your fingers in your eyes, nose or mouth to prevent illness. Keep those around you healthy by using the above tips to avoid colds, the flu and retroviruses.

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March 1, 2016 by Mayank

Handwashing Keeps You Healthy

When it comes to your health, handwashing is the single most important thing you can do to prevent illnesses, infections and diseases. There is no way to completely isolate yourself from germs, but you can minimize exposure to germs and other disease-causing microbes by frequently washing your hands. Keep reading to learn why you need to wash your hands, and when and how you should be washing your hands.

Why Washing Your Hands Is Important
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that “microbes are all tiny living organisms that may or may not cause diseases,” and “germs, or pathogens, are types of microbes that can cause disease.” As you go through each day, your hands accumulate tons of germs by touching people, surfaces and objects. Because you are constantly being exposed to germs, and it is impossible to stop that, it is important that you don’t let these germs remain on your skin. Infection and illness occurs when your germ-filled hands touch areas like your eyes, mouth or nose and enter into your body. Washing your hands frequently is the best way to limit the transfer of bacteria, viruses and other disease-causing microbes.

When to Wash Your Hands
Washing your hands before or after certain activities can help prevent illnesses and the spread of germs more effectively. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that you should always wash your hands:

Before eating
Before and after food preparation
Before and after treating a cut or wound
Before and after caring for someone who is sick
After cleaning up a child who has used the toilet or changing diapers
After touching garbage
After using the toilet
After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
After handling pet food or pet treats
After touching an animal, animal waste or animal feed

How to Wash Your Hands
Washing your hands properly is important to stopping the spread of germs. To be sure you are thoroughly cleansing your hands you should:

Wet your hands with running water that is either warm or cold. There isn’t any definitive data that states the temperature of the water impacts how clean your hands get, and hot water is irritating to the skin and weakens the natural moisture barrier, which can allow more germs and bacteria to enter the skin.
Turn off the faucet. You want to do this because when the water accumulates in the sink, it can bring any germs from the sink to your hands, and turning off the faucet saves water.
Apply soap and work into a lather. When doing this step, be sure to lather the backs of your hands, under your nails and in between your fingers.
Scrub hands vigorously for at least 20 seconds.
Rinse your hands under running water that is either warm or cold.
Pat hands dry with a towel. Because you’ve just washed your hands, if it is possible you want to turn off the faucet with your elbow or a towel to avoid adding germs right back to your hands.

Washing your hands protects your body against the spread of bacteria, viruses and other germs that make you sick. Be sure to wash your hands frequently and properly to keep yourself as healthy as possible.

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March 2016

Does Squinting Cause Fine Lines?

How to Spot a Skin Infection

Avoiding Cooties: Cold, Flu and Retrovirus

Handwashing Keeps You Healthy

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