BE GRATEFUL FOR OILY SPOTTY SKIN

I saw this, article below, today in the Daily Mail and found it interesting and I quite believe it to be true. If you suffer from acne you are more than likely to suffer from oily skin and whilst you may well moan about shine, blocked pores and your make up sliding off whilst your peers may be developing wrinkles you won't. Too much sebum (your natural moisturiser) will keep your skin supple as you age.

 Why being a spotty teenager stops your skin ageing: Acne sufferers' cells have built-in protection that keeps them looking younger 

• Suggestion comes after research on tiny structures called telomeres
• Caps on the ends of chromosomes protect the DNA in them from damage 
• Dermatologists have long noted acne patients seem to age more slowly 

If your teenage son or daughter is blighted by acne, they can take heart.

For while they may feel greasy and unattractive at the moment, by middle age they will be the envy of their peers.

British research shows that acne sufferers’ cells have built-in protection against ageing that is likely to keep them looking younger than their years.

So while their former classmates bemoan the appearance of crow’s feet and other wrinkles and crinkles, their skin is more likely to maintain a youthful lustre.

Acne sufferers’ cells have built-in protection against ageing that is likely to keep them looking younger than their years

The suggestion comes from King’s College London researchers who studied tiny structures called telomeres. 

These are caps on the ends of chromosomes that protect the DNA in them from damage, much like caps on shoelaces prevent fraying. Thought of as tiny biological clocks, telomeres get shorter as we age and eventually become so short that cells die.

Previous studies have found men and women with long telomeres tend to be biologically younger than those of the same age but with shorter ones. All in all, telomeres are considered so important that the scientists who discovered them seven years ago were awarded a Nobel Prize for medicine.

The King’s College study measured the telomeres in the white blood cells of more than 1,200 twins, a quarter of whom had suffered from acne. 

Telomeres were significantly longer in those who had a spotty adolescence, even when factors such as age were taken into account.

A second experiment looking at skin samples showed that a cluster of genes involved in cell death was less active in acne sufferers.

Dermatologists have long noted that the skin of acne patients seems to age more slowly, with wrinkles and thinning appearing much later.

It was thought excessive oil production contributed to their Peter Pan looks, but the rest of the biology was unknown.

Lead researcher Dr Simone Ribero said: ‘Our findings suggest that the cause could be linked to the length of telomeres which appears to be different in acne sufferers and means their cells may be protected against ageing.’

Co-author Dr Veronique Bataille added: ‘Longer telomeres are likely to be one factor explaining the protection against premature skin ageing in individuals who previously suffered from acne.’

Dermatologists have long noted that the skin of acne patients seems to age more slowly, with wrinkles and thinning appearing much later

Previous research from the same university has suggested adults with lots of moles may also look younger for longer. The latest study is reported in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

Dr Bataille said that while teenage acne sufferers do not listen to her when she tells them they are going to look ‘fantastic in their 40s and 50s’, women in their 20s tend to be more interested.

Longer telomeres also tend to signal stronger bones and a less frail old age, meaning dealing with spots may have more than one silver lining. Dr Bataille said: ‘It’s nice to know that there’s a positive aspect to having acne.’

She added that learning more about the genetic process could lead to new acne drugs, as well as anti-ageing treatments.

All of the study participants were women but the finding is also likely to apply to men who suffered from acne as teenagers.

Astrid Brown (Author) › Visit Amazon's Astrid Brown Page Find all the books, read about the author, and more

THE TRUE MEANING OF "HOLISTIC"

HOLISTIC THE WHOLE OF US, ALL ARE INTERLINKED AND INFLUENCE THE OTHER

I get a bit tired seeing the word “Holistic” used incorrectly. Often it is used merely to treat a disorder where unlike conventional medicine treats one ailment/disorder, it looks at the patient’s whole symptoms it may even take into account, their emotional/mental state but that is as far as it goes so to put the record straight Holistic medicine is a term used to describe therapies that attempt to treat the patient as a whole person. That is, instead of treating an illness, as in orthodox allopathy, holistic medicine looks at an individual's overall physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing before recommending treatment.

An important part of treating someone “Holistically” is treating him/her spiritually as you cannot claim to treat someone holistically without the spiritual aspect. When I mention spiritually I am not talking about a specific religion or set of beliefs, for every religion mentions the spiritual side of us and in holistic therapies, we are mind, body and spirit, essentially we are spirit within a human body. If we tackle this part of us we will achieve inner harmony for dis-harmony and dis-ease begins in the very essence of us “The Spirit”. 

When we think positively our Auras expand, they are directly connected to our Chakras, these are spinning vortices of energy and what gives us our vital life force, our spirit. If our Chakras are able to work correctly without being impinged in anyway, we will be happier mentally and emotionally and physically a lot healthier.

On the other hand if we think negatively our Aura's shrink in on themselves and this affects how the chakra's work, it restricts the flow of vital energy of the life force and starts to cause us problems both mentally and physically. Take for example the throat Chakra, it governs the thyroid and parathyroid endocrine glands and all the structures surrounding our throat and necks and vocal chords. It also governs communication between ourselves and others. So if we are thinking negatively it can lead to stiff neck muscles, causing tension headaches, make us more prone to sore throats, coughs and colds and can lead us to have communication problems relating to others perhaps causing arguments and an inability to understand others. This of course is just one Chakra.

In holistic medicine mind, body and spirit are all intertwined you cannot treat one without the other, yes its well known how the mind has an effect on the body but what is the catalyst? it is the spirit, this influences everything so it should never be dismissed nor ignored and if the spirit is not taken into account then it cannot be said to be “HOLISTIC”

Astrid Brown (Author) › Visit Amazon's Astrid Brown Page Find all the books, read about the author, and more

BOOK EXCERPT "AN ANGEL'S FEATHER"

THIS IS AN EXCERPT OF A BOOK I'M CURRENTLY WORKING ON

CHAPTER ONE

As I said before we learn through making mistakes and believe me I’ve made lots, every medium has a story to tell and it will be a life of ups and downs but none of us would change any of it. When we go through hard times it doesn’t feel like this but when you look back on your life you will see your life like a jigsaw, how one part had to happen to create another aspect, how each part came together like pieces of a jigsaw. You will realize just how much you have learned about life and you will come to accept these challenges we all face and it does in a way bring contentment.

I can’t speak for all mediums but I can share my experiences and from this you will start to understand what life is about.

What we all have in common as well as some tough times is a sensitivity, people will say you are too sensitive as it’s a bad thing to be, but to be a medium it’s a wonderful thing to be. Being sensitive enables us to tune into spirit and how people are feeling, we pick up atmospheres, know when something is not right and can understand how others feel. Chances are you’ve been like this from birth, your parents may have labeled you as being highly strung and or you may have cried a lot as a baby. This will have driven your parents to distraction at the time, we are often clingy children and pick up the moods of how are parents and siblings feel and if they feel unhappy and or stressed we will too. Trouble is at such a young age babies are not able to convey how they feel, and just know they are sad and unable to differentiate between what are their feelings and those of others.

Babies are naturally sensitive after all they have just recently been incarnated from spirit so they haven’t quite lost that memory of the spirit realms. It’s not uncommon to find babies staring at something you cannot see as they haven’t yet completed the full transition to life on earth.

A LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN

The silent stars go by

Smiling down from velvet sky

An angel strokes your tiny head

As cherubs gather around your bed

Never will you walk alone

Never will you face the dark all alone

If ever there was a baby angel bright

To light up the darkness of the night

You are a special divine tiny one

A little piece of heaven a chosen one

Your sweet gurgles of contentment as they lullaby

As cherubs sprinkle sleepy dust in your eyes

Good night baby angel whom God has sent

Sleep peacefully darling I am blessed

However this does not mean every baby has the ability to become a medium for through day to day living gradually memories of the other side are lost. Parents will tell you it’s your imagination and the majority will forget. Those who are destined to become mediums will not, that sensitivity will never leave us and it’s this sensitivity that can make us appear odd, like we feel different and more often than not our peer groups will notice. Children can be very cruel and it’s not unusual for the sensitive child to become the victim of bullies precisely because we are different.

The sensitive child has a very active imagination, this is no bad thing it leads to creativity and deep thinking and its this thoughtfulness that leads to world changes and development. If you have a sensitive child support and be proud of them for they will make a difference to others’ lives in the world as they grow up. 

Our souls are at different development levels with some being older souls than others and the older the soul the more spiritual you will be. This is because older souls have experienced more incarnations (lifetimes) so have much more experience of different challenges of these lifetimes they have learned a lot, been to earth’s classroom a lot more so are more spiritually educated.

You may not think it but each lifetime has a blueprint, it has planned guidelines of lessons we wish to experience. These blueprints have not been written by spiritual guides or mentors but by ourselves for we wish to experience both sides of a situation, the good and the bad, so we have a greater understanding. We cannot blame anyone else for our lives, life is what we make it, and we can turn the most negative situation to a positive one and this leads us to a very important lesson in our development that of ‘Acceptance. 

Acceptance doesn’t mean you take what life throws at you and become a door mat, far from it, rather it means taking up the challenge and doing it in a positive way. For example, supposing you are finding it difficult to get a job, it certainly shouldn’t mean you just accept this and think, well it looks like I’m going to be dependent on welfare. Positively viewing it this way and thinking, ok I don’t have a job just now but I’m not going to sit at home all day, I will actively look and visit premises where there are none advertised just now and volunteer your services for free. In fact entering the volunteer service not only will raise your esteem and confidence, you will find it rewarding. Possible employers will see you working and see what you have to offer and it will enable you to build up references and add the experience to your CV. 

Acceptance can cover many situations that is just one example I’m sure you can think of many more. It’s all about taking a problem which is negative and turning it into a challenge which is positive. In the universe ‘like attracts like’ so the more positive you make your life the more positive energy will come your way.

I do appreciate it’s hard to change a pessimistic mind set, but if you take baby steps and say take one day at a time, you will be surprised at what life can bring you.

There is no doubt acceptance is a tough lesson and I have questioned it myself in the past, I would not be writing this book if I hadn’t gone through an acceptance lesson. It’s only when you have gone through a situation and you reflect back you can see what you have learned for no experience in life is every wasted, all are designed to teach us something.

I often write during the night as I do automatic writing and channel philosophy from Spirit and one night this message came through. I had been seeking the answers to a question I had asked and this was my given answer.

It's necessary as we grow more spiritual to undertake challenges, this happens not just in our present lifetime but in ALL our lifetimes, to undertake all kinds of pain. Of all those emotional is the hardest of all. For in emotional pain the message and lesson within touches the soul. Physical pain only affects the earthly body and can be solved, there are many advances in medicine to deal with this. Only a kindred soul who has gone through and felt emotional pain has the skills and experience to empathise and can truly unburden others. 

As you develop spiritually you will do more good by allowing others unburden their emotional pain onto you for you are the key to their release. This undertaking is tough but necessary your time just now is making keys of which there are many. One day you will have a full set. See yourself as a seeker of knowledge. 

The day will come when you are akin to a sponge when you cannot take in anymore, it is then you will have achieved full spiritual growth. Do not fight this. Your lesson is acceptance know this is so. remember one cancels out the other.

It's a very true saying no one can ever understand unless they have walked a mile in anothers shoes.

Remember too, "Compensation and Retribution for all souls" you will never go unrewarded for those you help

Life isn’t fair, it was never intended to be, life is a series of challenges each with a lesson that will enrich our lives and enable you to help others.

Remember this book is not about how you should develop your abilities but my philosophy and how I developed my mediumship. If it gives you tips along the way that is great and you may well see some similarities everyone is unique and we all develop our abilities at our own rate and the right time for us.

I can give you some exercises to help your development and I will throughout this book but you can’t force it for you cannot change what you alone planned before you incarnated.

Which leads me on to the different energies and spiritual planes and the difference between psychics and mediums.

Copyright Astrid Brown

Astrid Brown (Author) › Visit Amazon's Astrid Brown Page Find all the books, read about the author, and more

THE SILENT KILLER

SPHYGMOMANOMETER USED TO RECORD BLOOD PRESSURE

Known as the "silent killer", high blood pressure rarely has obvious symptoms.

Around 30% of people in England have high blood pressure but many don't know it. If left untreated, high blood pressure increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

The only way of knowing there is a problem is to have your blood pressure measured. 

All adults should have their blood pressure checked at least every five years. If you haven’t had yours measured, or you don’t know what your blood pressure reading is, ask your GP to check it for you.

What is high blood pressure? (HYPERTENSION)

Blood pressure measures how strongly blood presses against the walls of your arteries (large blood vessels) as it is pumped around your body by your heart. If this pressure is too high it puts a strain on your arteries and your heart, which makes it more likely that you will suffer a heart attack, a stroke or kidney disease.

Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and it is recorded as two figures:

• systolic pressure: the pressure of the blood when your heart beats to pump blood out
• diastolic pressure: the pressure of the blood when your heart rests in between beats

For example, if your GP says your blood pressure is "140 over 90", or 140/90mmHg, it means you have a systolic pressure of 140mmHg and a diastolic pressure of 90mmHg.

You are said to have high blood pressure (medically known as hypertension) if readings on separate occasions consistently show your blood pressure to be 140/90mmHg or higher.

A blood pressure reading below 130/80mmHg is considered to be normal.

Who is most at risk?

Your chances of having high blood pressure increase as you get older. There is often no clear cause of high blood pressure but you are at increased risk if you:

• are overweight
• have a relative with high blood pressure
• are of African or Caribbean descent
• eat a lot of salt
• don't eat enough fruit and vegetables
• don't do enough exercise
• drink a lot of coffee (or other caffeine-based drinks)
• drink a lot of alcohol
• are aged over 65

If you fall into any of the groups listed above, consider making changes to your lifestyle to lower your risk of high blood pressure. Also consider having your blood pressure checked more often, ideally about once a year.

Prevention and treatment

You can take steps to prevent high blood pressure by:

• losing weight if you need to
• exercising regularly
• eating a healthy diet
• cutting back if you drink a lot of alcohol
• stopping smoking
• cutting down on salt and caffeine

If your blood pressure is found to be high, it will need to be closely monitored until it is brought under control. Your doctor will usually suggest changes to your lifestyle and, sometimes, medication to achieve this. Find out more about how blood pressure is treated.

INFORMATION FROM NHS CHOICES

Could you have high blood pressure?

At least 25% of adults have high blood pressure. Get tips on how to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level.

Astrid Brown (Author) › Visit Amazon's Astrid Brown Page Find all the books, read about the author, and more

EASING STRESS

Minor raised blood pressure can easily be controlled by simple lifestyle changes, taking some exercise and no its not neccessary to take out a gym membership, brisk walking, taking the stairs rather than the lift, walking instead of driving. Loosing some weight, cutting out fatty foods, stopping smoking and cutting down on alcohol.

Now we know that the Sympathetic Nervous System increases blood pressure, so designed to help us survive in danger, though we no longer have the same dangers today as we did in evolution and we know the body can't differentiate between modern stressors and those centuries ago. Modern stressors tend to go on for long periods of time, this is bad for us, so to combat the effects of the SNS we need to "fool" the body into believing the stress is over and triggering the Parasympathetic Nervous System. The PSN reverses all the effects of the SNS, so therefore blood pressure will fall, the heart rate will slow down, respirations will become slower and deeper, blood will begin flowing to the extremities such as the skin and hair this is due to adrenaline no longer being produced as adrenaline causes vaso contraction (arterioles tiny arterial vessels narrow, this causes a rise in blood pressure as the volume of blood has less of an area in which to flow, blood is diverted from the skin and hair) and the digestive system will start functioning properly. 

Many types of therapies can instigate the PSN one of the simplest and cheapest, as it needs no financial outlay is Meditation. Some people may find meditation difficult as it does take a bit of mind discipline as the idea is to empty your mind of current thoughts and you do get better with practice. By training in meditation, we create an inner space and clarity that enables us to control our mind regardless of the external circumstances. Gradually we develop mental equilibrium, a balanced mind that is happy all the time, rather than an unbalanced mind that oscillates between the extremes of excitement and despondency. If we train in meditation systematically, eventually we will be able to eradicate from our mind the delusions that are the causes of all our problems and suffering. In this way, we will come to experience a permanent inner peace. There are many ways to learn the art of meditation, you can join a class and meditate within a group and by being part of a group it does help and you can discuss any difficulties you may experience but equally a cheaper option is to use a guided mediation CD and this is very effective, remember practice makes perfect. Meditation instills an inner calm so effectively you are working on the Hypothalamus, the area of moods and emotions within the brain, by practicing meditation you trigger the PSN. There are a number of articles on Meditation included 'A guided meditation' on my site here.

Any kind of massage will also trigger the PSN, it does this in the following ways. Massage stimulates blood flow to the surface of the skin due to the specialised cells within the Dermis, Mast cells, to release Histamine, what histamine does is to cause vaso dilation (the tiny arteries arterioles to dilate) this means that the blood is able to flow over a wider area over the body to the skin, this then takes the strain of the heart and reduces blood pressure. The skin and hair will of course will get a better blood supply so increased nourishment for them. 

When we are stressed we inadvertedly tense up our muscles particularly in the area of the neck and upper back, this can lead to tension headaches, by working on the muscles in massage you ease the tension so this can ease those tension aches and aches in the neck and back.

Whenever we touch one another there is an exchange of energy, think back to childhood when you fell over, didn't your mother rubbing or kissing the affected area feel better. Touch is fundamental and massage has been practised as a therapy from ancient times, it is comforting and healing. Massage comforts and soothes, eases tension stimulates peripheral blood flow, this stimulates the PSN.

With Aromatherapy massage it works in two ways, the massage alone is beneficial as I have described but the use of certain essential oils affect the body by evoking a reaction in the hypothalamus via the limbic system (specialsed nerve cells within the upper portion of the nose pick up the tiny molecules of the essential oils these cells are connected to the hypothalamus. The other way essential oils work is by absorption through the skin into the blood stream whereby the can also evoke a reaction in the hypothalamus as  well as being the home of moods and emotions it maintains homeostasis in the body. Different essential oils create different effects in the body and most of them do relax the body but there are those that can raise the blood pressure such as Hysop,  Rosemary, Sage and Thyme, these have a stimulating effect.

Astrid Brown (Author) › Visit Amazon's Astrid Brown Page Find all the books, read about the author, and more

DEALING WITH THE REAL CAUSES OF SKIN DAMAGE

THIS ISN'T A CONVENTIONAL BEAUTY BLOG SO I AM NOT GOING INTO PRODUCTS OR EVEN ROUTINES BUT RATHER TACKLING THE INNER CORE AND DEALING WITH THE REAL CAUSES OF SKIN DAMAGE

THE BASICS: UNDERSTANDING HOW THE ENVIRONMENT AND STRESS AFFECTS THE SKIN 

Under the 'Stress section' I talked about how stress hormones such as Adrenalin and Cortisone affect the skin, if you recall Adrenalin reduces the nourishment delivered by the blood stream by directing the blood flow away from the extremities to the heart, lungs and muscles, so the skin and hair wont be so well nourished. Cortisone damages the fibrocytes, these are specialised cells within the Dermis that produce collagen and elastin and it is collagen and elastin that provides support and elasticity within the skin, akin to the foam and springs in a mattress. When we are young our skin is plump and elastic but through use from normal facial movements, the downward pull of gravity, the collagen and elastin tends to bunch together just like the stuffing in a well used mattress. Now if we undergo stress for a considerable period as these fibrocytes become damaged due to the action of Cortisol so the skin will loose its support structure, its elasticity will suffer and it wont spring back to shape like it used to, like spent elastic. Cell renewal will suffer due to the reduced blood supply there wont be adequate nourishment and the skin will take on a greyer pallor and it will loose its healthy rosy glow. 

Now there is another aspect to this equation, the action of Ultra Violet Light from the sun and of course sunbeds. The sun produces three types of UV Light UVA UVB and UVC. The Earth's ozone layer blocks 97-99% of this UV radiation from penetrating through the atmosphere. Of the ultraviolet radiation that reaches the Earth's surface, 98.7% is UVA (UVC and more energetic radiation is responsible for the generation of the ozone layer, and formation of the ozone there). Now I don't want to get to technical here and want to focus on UVA and UVB. UVB can only penetrate down through the skin to the dermis and is responsible for burning but UVA is able to penetrate down through the dermis and like Cortisol damages the Fibrocytes, those little cells that plump up our skin and give it elasticity. 

One of the best places on our bodies to see the affects of gravity and demishing collagen and elastin especially on women is on the thighs often referred to as 'Cellulite'. 

Because we are composed of 70% water, water is an important component of the skin, therefore it 's important we drink adequate water to keep ourselves hydrated. Don't wait until you feel thirsty before you reach for that drink, it is much better to sip water at regular intervals as we are constantly loosing water through bodily processes. 

THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL, SMOKING AND DRUGS ON THE SKIN 

Everything in moderation is something to bear in mind when it comes to food and drink and that includes alcohol, but alcohol is a toxin and the liver has to work hard to break it down. The occasional drink is not going to have too much effect on the skin but it does cause the peripheral circulation to dilate and one of the characteristic signs of too much alcohol is the appearance of broken capillaries across the face, There are other causes of broken capillaries, sometimes, it's hereditary but often caused by sudden changes in temperature i.e. going from very warm central heated homes to going outdoors without protecting the skin or driving in cars with the heater blasting against the face. Squeezing spots is another cause. Too much alcohol is a depressant too, so you may feel rather jolly at the time but you are sure to come back down to earth with a bump.

Many common prescribed drugs have an effect on the skin its something to be aware of many drugs such as diuretics will cause a loss of moisture so forewarned you take extra care to apply a good moisturiser to help counteract this effect. 

Recreational drugs obviously will have an effect on the skin too with many of them toxic to the body and anything that diverts the body to spend time detoxifying obviously takes energy away from repairing and maintaining the body. This is not a blog that discusses drugs I am sure readers will already know the dangers of such substances.

Smoking is one of the worst abuses you can do to your body, firstly because of its direct effect affect on the lungs, it impairs the uptake and absorption of oxygen and of course all cells in the body require oxygen in order to function normally. The nicotine as well as being addictive is a powerful vasoconstrictor therefore it reduces blood flow to the peripheral circulation so the skin and hair are going to suffer. So as well as impairing oxygen uptake and reducing blood flow to the skin, the body is also having to use its resources dealing with all the toxins also inhaled. Poorly nourished skin means it cannot repair itself adequately. Smoking also leads to more wrinkling, those little purse string lines around the mouth and crows feet caused by the smoke further research has proven that smoking causes the skin to age ten years.

ARTICLE FROM THE DAILY MAIL BELOW

How sunbeds, smoking and not eating enough fruit can age a woman's skin by TEN YEARS

• 'Lifestyle choices' account for 33 per cent of how old a woman looks
• Researchers carried out study on 585 woman in UK, China and Spain
• Team asked women a series of questions about their lifestyles 

A new study has found lifestyle choices can account for as much as 33 per cent of how old a woman looks

Living an unhealthy lifestyle can age a woman’s skin by over ten years, an in-depth international study has revealed.

The true damage caused by sun beds, smoking and a lack of fruit and moisturisation in accelerating the ageing process emerged following research on 585 women in the UK, China and Spain.

The study, published yesterday, showed the factors influencing their skin were the same even taking into account the backgrounds and skin type of the women involved.

It also emerged 'lifestyle choices' often account for as much as 33 per cent of how old a woman looks.

Dr Andrew Mayes, who led the study for Simple skincare, said: 'We already knew genetics accounted for about 50 per cent of how old people look, but we didn’t know how much would be accounted for by their lifestyles.

'Even we were surprised by just how much it was; both in terms of the number of years and the percentage.'

The study which was carried out over the last eight years involved women aged 45 to 75 in the UK, 30 to 70 in Spain and 25 to 70 in China.

Study sites with controlled laboratory conditions were established in Bedford in the UK, Madrid in Spain and Shanghai in China.

Those who took part were asked a string of questions about their lifestyles including whether or not they liked to sun tan and if they were smokers or non-smokers.

Other questions included how often the women moisturised, whether they eat fruit and veg, whether they brush their teeth and if they have all their own teeth.

The research team also took digital images of the women which were then assessed for how old they looked to identify their perceived age and whether they looked younger or older than their actual age.

The study, which was carried out over the last eight years, asked women questions about their lifestyle, including whether or not they smoked

Those taking part in the research were also asked whether or not they liked to sun tan and how often they moisturised

The research team, led by Dr Mayes, then compared the perceived ages of those with good versus bad lifestyles.

They concluded the difference was 10.4 years.

'We already knew genetics accounted for about 50 per cent of how old people look, but we didn’t know how much would be accounted for by their lifestyles'

- Dr Andrew Mayes

Dr Mayes added: 'The number of years' difference was most staggering - we had just seen some data out of a group of plastic surgeons in the US and Canada suggesting that a face and neck lift (together with eyelid and forehead modifications) could take an average of about 8.5 years off your facial age.

'Then we got our data through demonstrating a saving of over 10 years. It’s fair to say at first we couldn’t quite believe it.

'But the evidence was there in front of us - women with a healthy lifestyle looked much younger than those with an unhealthy lifestyle.

'Simply put; good skin health is about more than fancy creams and lotions - it’s about how we live our lives and how we treat our bodies and the steps we need to take do not need to be extreme.

'They can be small and steady and the effects will be seen over time without the need for plastic surgery.'

Astrid Brown (Author) › Visit Amazon's Astrid Brown Page Find all the books, read about the author, and more

REFLEXOLOGY AS A PAINKILLER

As a lecturer and a pioneer in bringing reflexology into hospitals I am surprised its taken so long to recognise how effective a therapy it is. The article below mine here is from the Daily Mail, which states "Reflexology may be as effective as painkillers for conditions as backache and arthritis".

Reflexology dates back to ancient civilisations such as Egypt, India and China, but this therapy was only introduced to the West in the early 20th Century. The oldest documentation of Reflexology comes from a pictograph in the dates back to ancient civilisations such as Egypt, India and China, but  this therapy was only introduced to the West in the early 20th Century.

The oldest documentation of Reflexology comes from a pictograph in the tomb of an Egyptian Physician Ankhmahor (2500-2330 B.C.) at Saqquara near Cairo.

It shows two men working on the feet and hands of two other men. The hieroglyphics above the scene read‘ Do not let it be painful’ says one of the patients.‘ I do as you please’ the practitioner says

In China there is evidence of some form of foot and hand therapy being practiced as long ago as 4,000 B.C., and the North American Indians have practised a form of foot therapy for hundreds of years. It was not until Dr William Fitzgerald USA 1872-1942 who was an Ear Nose and Throat Surgeon. He practiced in the USA, briefly in London and Vienna for 2 years. He was the founder of “Zone Therapy”, an early form of reflexology. But it was medical journalist Dr. Edwin Bowers who suggested his method be known as 'Zone Therapy'. Through research Dr. Fitzgerald discovered that if he exerted pressure on the tips of the toes or fingers, a corresponding part of the body would be anaesthetised. From this theory he divided the body into 10 equal zones running from the top of the head to the tips of the toes. He found that by applying pressure using tight bands of elastic on the middle section of each finger, or by using small clamps that were placed on the tips, he could carry out minor surgery using this technique only. These were very controversial ideas at the time.

However it was Eunice Ingham (1889 -1974) USA “The Mother of Modern Reflexology” who finally developed it to the form we now know and recognise. She was a Physiotherapist who worked in a Doctors practice and she used Dr Fitzgerald’s Zone Therapy method. However, she felt that the therapy could be more effective on the feet than the hands. After extensive research she evolved a map of the entire body on the feet. Hence the saying ‘The feet are a mirror of the body’. Eunice Ingham travelled around America for 30 years teaching Reflexology first to Doctors and Nurses and then to non-medical practitioners. It was in 1966 Doreen Bailey who was a former student of Eunice Ingham, returned to England and became the pioneer of reflexology as we know today in the UK

______________________________________________________

ARTICLE BELOW FROM THE DAILY MAIL

Reflexology may be as effective as painkillers for conditions such as back ache and arthritis

• People felt 40% less pain and were able to stand pain for about 45% longer when they had the treatment
• Researchers say is the first time reflexology has been scientifically tested as a treatment for acute pain

Reflexology may be as effective as painkillers for common conditions such as osteoarthritis, new research suggests. 
Those who had the treatment felt about 40 per cent less pain, and were able to stand pain for about 45 per cent longer when they used the complementary therapy as a method of pain relief.
The researchers, from the University of Portsmouth, said it was the first time this therapy had been scientifically tested as a treatment for acute pain.

Reflexology reduced pain by 40 per cent and people who had the therapy were able to stand pain for 45 per cent longer, researchers found 

Dr Carol Samuel, a trained reflexologist who carried out the experimental procedures as part of her PhD studies,  said the results suggested reflexology could be used to in conjunction with drugs to treat conditions such as osteoarthritis and back pain. 
Participants attended two sessions, in which they were asked to submerge their hand in ice water.
In one of the sessions they were given reflexology before they submerged their hand, and in the other session they believed they were receiving pain relief from a Tens machine, which was not actually switched on.
The researchers found that when the participants received reflexology prior to the session, they were able to keep their hand in the ice water for longer before they felt pain, and that they could also tolerate the pain for a longer period of time.
Dr Samuel said: 'As we predicted, reflexology decreased pain sensations.
'It is likely that reflexology works in a similar manner to acupuncture by causing the brain to release chemicals that lessen pain signals.'
Dr Ivor Ebenezer, co-author of the study, said: 'We are pleased with these results. Although this is a small study, we hope it will be the basis for future research into the use of reflexology.'

The findings suggest reflexology could help with conditions such as back ache and osteoarthritis

Reflexology involves applying pressure to any body area but is commonly used on either the feet, as it was in this study.
The researchers used a small study of 15 people to determine whether reflexology would be more effective than no pain relief at all.
Dr Ebenezer said: 'Complementary and alternative therapies come in for a lot of criticism, and many have never been properly tested scientifically.
'One of the common criticisms by the scientific community is that these therapies are often not tested under properly controlled conditions.
'When a new drug is tested, its effects are compared with a sugar pill.
'If the drug produces a similar response to the sugar pill, then it is likely that the drug's effect on the medical condition is due to a placebo effect.
'In order to avoid such criticism in this study, we compared the effects of reflexology to a sham Tens control that the participants believed produced pain relief.
'This is the equivalent of a sugar pill in drug trials.'
Dr Samuel added: 'This is an early study, and more work will need to be done to find out about the way reflexology works.
'However, it looks like it may be used to complement conventional drug therapy in the treatment of conditions that are associated with pain, such as osteoarthritis, backache and cancers.'
The study has been published in the Journal of Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice.

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HOW THE SKIN WORKS

If I were to ask you what is the largest organ in the body what would you say? It's not the liver nor the intestines but the skin, it does a very important job for us and how many of us take it for granted and don't look after it? It works very hard for us and it deserves to be cared for, if you don't there will come a time when you regret you didn't, prevention is always better than trying to cure the damage caused by neglect.

HOW THE SKIN WORKS

The basics so you will understand how the skin works. The skin is comprised of 3 layers, the Epidermis the layer you can see, the Dermis the true skin and the subcutaneous. Cosmetics only work on the Epidermis and you can see how deep it is, if you have ever experienced a blister. A blister is caused when friction causes the Epidermis and the Dermis to separate and the fluid within the blister is lymph. The Epidermis has no nerve endings or blood supply that is why removing the top layer of a blister is not painful, not to be recommended though as it exposes the Dermis which is rich in nerves and a blood supply to infection.

The skin  has several functions to secrete sebum that oily substance on your skin, this is to help keep the skin moisturised by trapping moisture and forming a barrier together with sweat known as the  'Acid Mantle' The Acid Mantle is slightly acidic and acts as a Bacteriastat to inhibit bacteria. The skin secretes sebum via the sebaceous glands within the hair follicles and sweat via the Endocrine glands (there are another type of sweat glands know as Apocrine glands these are found in the axillary and pubic regions unlike Endocrine sweat bacteria act on Apocrine sweat quickly and this causes the characteristic Body Odour, these glands only become active after puberty and have a role to play in pheromones)

Our body temperature is regulated by the skin this is due to the  peripheral circulation either dilating to bring blood to the extremities of the body like the skin causing flushing to help loose some of the heat and also by sweating for as the sweat evaporates heat rises with it. The opposite happens when its cold the body conserves heat to vital organs more important than the skin, giving a more white/bluish appearance and may even induce shivering. At the base of every hair follicle there is a tiny cilary muscle when its cold and we start to shiver this muscle contracts causing the hair to stand up trapping a layer of air next to the skin, giving the appearance of goosebumps. Within the Dermis there are sensory nerves that detect temperature. We also have an insulatory layer of fat in the subcutaneous.

Our skin is waterproof so absorbs very little, the only things that can permeate the skin are medications, this includes patches such as Nicotine  and HRT and Essential oils (see Aromatherapy articles on Blog)  COSMETICS CAN NOT. Do not believe the hype and sales talk ladies if it could be absorbed by the skin you you have to go to your Doctor for it and it would need to be licensed as a Medicine.

Our Skin is protected by sensory nerves that alert us to pain, pressure, touch, heat and cold, it is waterproof largely impermeable except to the substances above, fairly tough and it with its layer of fat below the dermis in the subcutaneous layer keeps us warm, protects our organs and bones, gives us shape. As fore mentioned the Acid Mantle helps protect from bacteria as bacterial growth is inhibited in its slightly acid environment. Melanocytes special little cells in the dermis increase as a result of UV light and give us tanning, the epidermis also thickens to help protect our skin. Also in the skin are mast cells and when they are damaged, they produce histamine, it gives the characteristic itching a weals associated by allergies, its function is to stimulate blood to the skin to repair and maintain it. However with allergies the body is hypersensitive producing this effect.

The skin also excretes some toxins through sweat but this is very very minimal, so do not believe the hype of some sales people who will suggest you have a detoxifying foot bath that will rid you of toxins as it changes the water to a dirty brown colour. Again this is sheer hype and nonsense for if ridding the body of toxins was that easy we wouldn't have a need for Dialysis Machines for those suffering kidney failure. It is the Liver, Kidneys and large Intestine that detoxify us.

Vitamin D is also formed in the skin as a result of the action of UV light acting on 7-dehydrocholesterol present in the skin, so everything in moderation we do need some sunlight.

Astrid Brown (Author) › Visit Amazon's Astrid Brown Page Find all the books, read about the author, and more