Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Skin Damage

Woman drinking water at her work desk
 by Victoria Santalesa

Hydrogen Water Is The Latest Health Trend

These days it may seem like the water bottle is the new black. That, along with the yoga mat, may be the best ways to accessorize your athleisure. The water companies comply. They have answered the call by giving the consumer a variety of waters, stylishly packaged, claiming additional nutrients  capable of everything from relieving stress to improving brain power. However, skeptical though many of us are, every once in a while products do come along that live up to their claims, and it is important that we not let our judgmental attitudes prevent us from reaping the benefits. Hydrogen water is one of the latest to be making some miraculous health claims. Is there anything behind them? You be the judge.

Antioxidant and Brain Damage Prevention
Can hydrogen water help to fight oxidation that causes brain damage? Science says molecular hydrogen (H2) protects tissues and cells from oxidative damage by reducing the oxygen species ROS.

Studies on rats show hydrogen water can prevent the onset of Parkinson’s disease and has been shown to prevent cognitive impairment associated with Parkinson’s disease and dementia.

Another Parkinson’s related study on mice, showed the water capable of preventing the development and progression of neural degeneration associated with the condition, and a study on patients with Parkinson’s seems to support those findings. Hydrogen water was found to reduce neurotoxic damage with no adverse effects at high dosages.

Improves Mood Disorders
An additional rodent study, showed hydrogen water was able to restore the natural growth of brain cells in mice. Because antidepressants exhibit similar properties, there is speculations that hydrogen water may be able to improve depression and other mental disorders.

Anti Inflammatoy
A study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis showed that drinking .5L/day of hydrogen water for 4 week resulted in remission for all patients, with 20% becoming free of inflammatory symptoms.

Reduces Motor Deficits, Muscle Disease and Degeneration
An experiment on young athletes showed that drinking hydrogen water reduced the build up of lactic acid during strenuous exercise, resulting in a decrease of muscle fatigue.

In study on mice with the muscle disease Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), showed that hydrogen water prevented the gain of abnormal body mass and increased antioxidant production. This indicates a potential use for hydrogen water as a treatment for muscular dystrophy in patients with DMD.

Prevents Metabolic Syndrome
Hydrogen water may also be able to help those suffering with type 2 diabetes. A study done on diabetic mice found that hydrogen water reduced fatty lever and obesity and decreased insulin, glucose and triglyceride levels by stimulating metabolic energy. Yet another rat study, showed the water was able to prevent hardening of the arteries.

A study on patients with metabolic syndrome who drank 1.5 to 2L of hydrogen water daily for 8 weeks, showed the water led to an increase in HDL (good) cholesterol and a decrease in cholesterol overall.

What do you think? Is hydrogen water worth investigating? Let us know if you’ve tried it, and what you think.

in Live Well 0 comments
Woman smoking outside
 by Mayank

Smoking & Skin Aging

Smoking is an unappealing habit. It leaves you with bad breath, yellow nails, and moreover is linked to a vast host of health conditions such as lung cancer and even depression. What you may not fully realize however is that smoking also leads to significant premature aging of the skin and causes wrinkles, furrows and thinning lips. There’s really no soft way of saying this – if you smoke cigarettes, you need to stop. Many scientists have also stated that smoking adds between 10 and 20 years to your natural age.

It is estimated that around 1 million people start smoking in the United States every year and virtually all will go on to regret this decision as they find out the effect this poisonous habit has on their health, bodies and skin. Some studies have established that smoking is actually worse for women as the nicotine is more addictive. Women who smoke are also twice as likely to have heart attacks, strokes and lung cancer than their male counterparts.

How Does Smoking Age the Skin
The effects of smoking on skin have been known for a long while. One study as early as 1965 identified what is now known as ‘smoker’s face’. What has become more apparent in recent years is exactly how smoking causes premature aging. There are numerous mechanisms by which smoking accelerates aging. It begins with the formation of free-radicals in the body when exposed to cigarette smoke. Free radicals are unstable molecules that cause disease and damage to cell DNA. Smoking also restricts blood flow to the minuscule veins in your skin known as capillaries preventing oxygen and vital nutrients from doing their job. All in all, this leads to a dull, grayish skin tone which has an obviously discolored look.

Additionally, smoking increases production of enzymes that break down collagen in the skin which is integral to maintaining its elasticity. Smoking for many years will also deplete stores of vitamins A and C, both of which are involved in skin protection and health and help to keep harsh UV rays at bay.

Finally, the actions involved in continually sucking on cigarettes and squinting from cigarette smoke causes deep lines to develop around the eyes and mouth. Smoking doesn’t just cause wrinkling on your face, it is also associated with damage and sagging on nearly all parts of the body including your inner arms and neck.

Reversing Skin Damage
Many smokers wonder if they can reverse the damage they have caused to themselves by smoking. Simply put, the best thing you can do to begin the reversal process is stop smoking – although you must realize you will never fully undo the damage that you’ve done. Healthy diets and supplements are great at maintaining skin health. You should also be aware that skin damage won’t usually appear until 10 or 20 years after you began smoking. A proper skin care regimen using anti-aging and moisturizing creams can also assist in preventing the formation of further wrinkles and fine lines.

in Look Well 0 comments

logo

UNLOCK
20% OFF

Sign up and get 20% off your first purchase!

No thanks, I'll pay full price