The Glycemic Index and Weight Loss

Have you ever felt yourself crash? Not the automobile type of crash, but the type of crash where you suddenly find yourself weak, tired, dizzy, or otherwise sluggish? This is because your blood sugar has dropped too low and your brain suddenly has too little. The way a human body would work best is if it had an IV drip of blood sugar throughout the day, because then it could respond very moderately to the intake of sugar. Unfortunately, that’s not realistic or practical, so the next best thing is to consider the glycemic index.

If you go for foods with a high glycemic index, you are choosing foods that will break down into sugar very quickly, which your body will clear out quickly with insulin. At a very basic level, this is how it works: When you eat something that has a lot of sugar in it, your body breaks it down easily, because it’s already practically sugar. Once all this sugar enters your bloodstream, your body reacts by getting insulin to clear it all out. As you know, too much sugar in your bloodstream is life-threatening. It’s called type 2 diabetes, where the pancreas can’t produce enough insulin anymore.

The glycemic index focuses on carbohydrates and their effect on your blood glucose levels. For your body, it’s ideal to have something resembling an IV drip of blood sugar––something that is broken down slowly and provides a slow stream of sugar, rather than an instantaneous surge of sugar that the body needs to clear out to keep you from dying. The glycemic index specifically looks at a 50-gram portion of various foods and evaluates how it raises your blood sugar levels, in terms of quantity and speed.

All food will create some sort of glycemic response, but not all carbohydrates are created equal. On an index of 1 to 100, 100 is considered to be pure glucose. Foods that are considered high on the glycemic index are 70 or higher; moderate foods are between 56 and 69; low foods are 55 and below. Pretzels are rated 81 on the glycemic index, which means they will cause a quicker glycemic response in your body than something like broccoli, which has a rating of 15.

What this means for you is that, if you want to eat healthier and feel your best, you need to look for foods with a low glycemic index. This means that you’ll have a steady stream of blood sugar, and you’ll also feel full in between meals. Again, consider what happens when you eat something like the pretzel. After you’ve eaten it, you might find yourself hungry in only a half hour or an hour. Then, you’ll crave another high glycemic food because your body cleared out too much blood sugar, and you’ll want to make up for it with something that can give you a quick response. This is a recipe for weight gain, not weight loss.

When figuring out how best to eat, find low glycemic foods that will keep you feeling full and give your body nutrients. As long as you know how to use it, the glycemic index is your best friend when it comes to health and weight loss.
by: Emile Jarreau



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Turunkan Berat Badan Tanpa Rasa Lapar

JANGAN bangga dengan badan gemuk. Dahulu banyak orang mengatakan kalau gemuk sangat berarti makmur. Sebenarnya, obesitas atau kegemukan bisa menyebabkan berbagai macam penyakit.

Penelitian terbaru yang dilaporkan pada pertemuan para ahli saluran pencernaan di Amerika Serikat menunjukkan bahwa wanita yang berbadan gemuk memiliki risiko terkena kanker usus besar 4 kali lebih besar daripada wanita berbadan normal. Sebuah penelitian baru yang dilakukan di Australia dengan mengambil sampel 109 wanita over weight dan 33 wanita yang memiliki berat badan normal untuk di-test fungsi jantung dan strukturnya menghasilkan; berat badan semakin meningkat maka otot jantung akan semakin menebal. Itu artinya, berat badan bisa mengakibatkan jantung tidak dapat berkontraksi dan berelaksasi secara normal. Selain itu, masih banyak penyakit yang timbul akibat obesitas seperti problem persendian, masalah dengan kesehatan jantung, hipertensi, diabetes meditus, gangguan hormonal dan masih banyak yang lainnya.

Diet? Tapi pertanyaan berikutnya apakah Anda siap dengan cara-cara diet seperti yang biasanya. Banyaknya makanan yang harus dihindari dan ditambah dengan porsi yang semakin mnyusut membuat pelaku diet seringkali merasakan tidak mendapatkan manfaat positif melainkan hanya rasa lapar. Alhasil, tak jarang orang menyerah diet karena program tersebut dirasa sangat menyiksa. So, bagaimana caranya? Berikut beberapa tip yang bisa kamu coba untuk melakukan program diet tanpa perlu merasa kelaparan:

Lupakan kalori

Ingatlah bahwa kalori yang berbeda akan dibakar secara berbeda pula di dalam tubuh kita. Sering kali hanya lemak yang diperhatikan dalam diet untuk kalori rendah. Beberapa bukti menunjukkan bahwa ketika kalori yang dimakan sama, individu yang mengonsumsi lemak paling banyak sebenarnya kehilangan lebih banyak berat badan. Lagi pula, efek makanan terhadap selera akan menentukan berat badan dan kemampuan makan. Kunci untuk bisa menurunkan berat badan dalam jangka panjang adalah tidak berkonsentrasi pada jumlah yang Anda makan, tetapi kualitas makanannya.

Perbanyak makanan kaya protein

Protein bisa memuaskan nafsu makan lebih dari karbohidrat atau lemak. Oleh karena itu, makanan yang banyak mengandung protein dan memuaskan selera makan. Karena itu, konsumsi makanan kaya protein harus dikurangi. Makanan berprotein tinggi seperti daging, ikan, telur, kacang-kacangan, dan biji-bijian.

Utamakan makanan dengan Indeks Glisemik (GI) rendak

GI atau Glisemik Indeks merupakan ukuran seberapa cepat makanan melepaskan gula ke dalam saluran darah. Semakin tinggi jumlah GI dalam makanan, semakin rendah kepuasan yang di dapat. Dari 20 penelitian yang pernah dipublikasikan antara tahun 1997 hingga 1999, 16 penelitian menunjukkan bahwa makanan dengan GI rendah dapat memberikan kepuasan yang didapatkan dari makan dan mengurangi rasa lapar sesudahnya. Selain kentang makanan kaya protein yang juga memiliki jumlah GI sangat rendah adalah kacang-kacangan, miju-miju, dan sebagian besar buah dan sayuran.

Jangan lupa sarapan

Selain sebagai sumber energi pada pagi hari, sarapan bagi kebanyakan orang dijadikan sebagai pencegah makan terlalu banyak pada siang hari. Fenomena ini dipelajari dalam riset yang dipublikasikan dalam Journal of Nutrision. Studi menunjukkan jika kita makan lebih banyak pada malam hari, rata-rata memakan lebih banyak kalori daripada kita makan porsi besar untuk sarapan paginya. Jadi, pastikan Anda sarapan pada pagi hari agar mempunyai nafsu makan yang alami.

Jangan makan terlalu berlebihan

Tidak segampang yang dibayangkan, untuk mengontrol berapa banyak makanan yang sudah masuk ke dalam perut saat kita lapar. Meskipun masih merasa lapar, Anda bisa mensiasati dengan makan di antara waktu makan. Sedikit mengonsumsi kacang-kacangan atau buah-buahan pada siang atau sore hari dapat dipercaya membuat kita makan lebih sehat pada jam-jam makan. Perlu Anda ketahui makan secara teratur memiliki hubungan dengan rendahnya tingkat insulin (hormon yang bisa menstimulasi produksi lemak dalam tubuh).

Anda harus mengunyah

Kedengarannya sepele. Tapi disadari atau tidak, mengunyah sering dilupakan terutama oleh kaum laki-laki saat mereka makan. Dengan berbagai alasan mereka membiarkan makanan yang masih kasar masuk ke dalam saluran pencernaan. Selain mempermudah makanan diproses dalam saluran pencernaan, pada program diet, mengunyah dan makan lebih lambat bisa membuat Anda tidak mengonsumsi makanan secara berlebihan. Idealnya, makan harus dikunyah merata sebelum ditelan. Dengan ini Anda tidak akan terburu-buru bahkan bisa membuat Anda tidak menyentuh sisa makanan benar-benar dikunyah dan ditelan.

Pastikan diet ideal Anda

Berdasarkan hasil penelitian psikologis, setiap orang memiliki tingkat ketangkasan metabolisme yang berbeda-beda. Misalnya, sebagian memiilki metabolisme yang sangat bagus terhadap lemak, sedangkan lainnya memiliki metabolisme yang prima terhadap karbihidrat. Dengan hal ini, diharapkan bisa menemukan diet yang paling ideal untuk Anda sendiri.
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Tallying Your Glycemic Load

There are a number of benefits that you can get by following the glycemic index, but it can be pretty confusing unless you are already familiar with how it works. In order to get the best results, you should integrate it into your diet. So, first of all, what is a glycemic index?

All of the food you eat falls under one of three major macronutrient types: carbohydrate, protein, and fat. Most foods have some of each, but usually are predominantly one category. As an example, potato chips are mostly carbohydrate, but they still have a little protein and fat. Any carbohydrate that you consume has a glycemic index, which is the way we measure how quickly a food is digested and released as glucose in your bloodstream.

While this is primarily useful for people with type 2 diabetes, it is also quite helpful for people who want to go longer without getting hungry between meals, and for anyone who wants to be healthier overall. There are many variables that go into calculating a food’s glycemic index, such as whether the food is grown, processed, or cooked; how much of the food a person eats; a person’s genetics; and what you combine the food with when you eat it.

There is a fundamental difference between the glycemic index and the glycemic load. With the index, it refers to how 50 grams of a certain food affects blood sugar levels in a person. The glycemic load takes the index into account, but goes one step further, by saying that while 50 grams of one food might cause a certain blood sugar reaction, if you take in 25 grams of a food with a higher GI (glycemic index), you might have a comparable glycemic load. It also accounts for the combination of foods eaten, instead of each food individually.

As a general guideline, a glycemic load of 20 or more is high, a glycemic load of 11 to 19 is medium and 10 or less is low. Consider a watermelon as an example. It has a high glycemic index at 72. In 120 grams of watermelon, it contains 6 grams of carbohydrates per serving. So, take the glycemic index of 72, divide it by 100, and multiply by the 6 grams of carbohydrate per serving, which leaves you with 4.32 (which you can round down to 4). The point of this calculation is to show that even though the carbohydrate in watermelon makes it show up high on the glycemic index, the glycemic load in watermelon is actually quite low because there actually isn’t a lot of carbohydrate compared to the total calories.

It’s important to understand the glycemic load and the glycemic index, regardless of your current health. Even if you are in good health, there is no reason not to consider your glycemic load, because too much sugar in your blood too quickly will result in hunger, and if you eat sugary foods too often, you’ll find yourself on the road to diabetes. Remember, the glycemic index helps you choose foods that have the potential to cause insulin resistance, while the glycemic load helps you to figure out what portions of each food will give you the best results.
by: Emile Jarreau
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Winter Coughs - Not A Good Wheeze!

It's not just horseback riders that cough and wheeze at this time of year. Respiratory problems are common in horses as well. Loss of performance may be the first sign that something is wrong. Mildly affected animals may cough occasionally when eating or when starting work. As the condition gets worse they may cough almost continuously.

Why is coughing such a problem in the winter? We need look no further than the changes in management that accompany the colder weather. Horses spend more time inside, often stabled in close proximity to their companions, giving any infection the opportunity to spread. They are exposed to irritants and allergens in the hay and bedding.

Recurrent airway obstruction (also known as COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is the horse equivalent of human asthma . It is an allergic condition, in which the horse reacts to small particles in the air. Chief among the culprits are fungal spores from the hay. This is a problem that seems to be becoming more common - probably due to the lack of good hay for horses.

We seem to have lost the ability to make good hay. Much of the hay fed to horses is dusty, and liberally sprinkled with fungal spores. Under poor storage conditions toxins such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS) can accumulate. These can cause inflammation of the respiratory tract.

Dust from the bedding may make the problem worse. It's important to keep the bed clean and dry. Replacing dusty straw with clean shavings may be a good idea. But if the shavings are allowed to build up into a soggy deep litter bed the ammonia and endotoxins may cause more irritation than the straw ever did, and may make matters worse.

When assessing the air quality in a stable, remember that the horse spends much of his time with his nose close to the ground. The air you breathe in the middle of the stable may be completely different from the air the horse breathes when he's sniffing around the floor or eating his hay.

It can be difficult to differentiate between infectious or environmental causes of coughing. What can be done to investigate the problem? The vet will observe your horse breathing and listen to the chest with a stethoscope. (This is not the time to talk to him or her!)

Respiratory infections may also be involved - in particular, viruses such as influenza, and equine herpes virus. If an infectious disease is suspected, swabs can be taken from the nose to try to identify the organism responsible. Blood samples may contain antibodies to the offending virus.

In persistent cases it may be necessary to collect a sample of fluid from the airways. This is usually done using a flexible endoscope.

Although medicines can be used to help clear the horse's chest and reduce the inflammation, the most important factor in treatment is allowing the horse to breathe clean fresh air.

So how can you prevent your winter schedule being disrupted by coughing? First of all, avoid feeding poor quality hay. Soaking it may help. The water damps down the dust and makes the spores swell. But it also washes the water-soluble nutrients out of the hay and so reduces the feeding value. (If there is any doubt about the hygienic quality of the hay, your veterinary surgeon or feed merchant may be able to have a sample tested to see if it is safe to feed.) Consider feeding haylage instead.

Let your horse have as much fresh air as possible. Turn out as much as the weather conditions allow. Make sure there is adequate ventilation in the stable or barn. Avoid the temptation to close the stable up, even in the coldest weather. Keep the bed as dust-free, and as clean, as possible. Do not muck out the stable with your horse in it. Give the bedding time to settle - preferably an hour or more - before bringing the horse back inside.

Give your horse clean air to breathe, and hopefully you will both enjoy a cough-free winter.
by: Mark Andrews

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Lensa Kontak Tak Bersih Sebabkan Keratitis

BAGI Anda yang menggunakan lensa kontak, sebaiknya harus lebih disiplin dalam menjaga kebersihan lensa kontak. Lensa kontak yang kotor dapat menyebabkan keratitis.

Keratitis adalah suatu kondisi di mana kornea bagian depan mata menjadi meradang. Kondisi ini sering ditandai dengan rasa sakit dan gangguan penglihatan. Keratitis merupakan peradangan pada kornea mata (membran transparan yang menyelimuti bagian berwarna dari mata dan pupil).

Pada saat pertama kali menggunakan softlens atau lensa kontak, biasanya diingatkan terlebih dahulu untuk selalu menjaga higienitas atau kebersihan lensa kontak. Kurangnya menjaga kebersihan lensa kontak bisa menyebabkan infeksi mata serius yang disebut acanthamoeba keratitis (AK). Infeksi pada mata dapat mengakibatkan gangguan pada penglihatan dan bisa menyebabkan kebutaan. Infeksi ini tidak hanya terjadi pada orang yang sering menggunakan soft lens, tapi sering juga dialami setiap orang yang bagian matanya terkena debu, air, dan tanah.

Faktor Penyebab dan Gejala

Keratitis dapat terjadi pada anak-anak maupun dewasa. Bakteri pada umumnya tidak dapat menyerang kornea mata yang sehat, namun beberapa kondisi dapat menyebabkan infeksi bakteri terjadi. Contohnya, luka atau trauma pada mata dapat menyebabkan kornea terinfeksi.

Penyebab keratitis bermacam-macam. Bakteri, virus, dan jamur merupakan salah satu yang dapat menyebabkan keratitis. Penyebab lainnya adalah kekeringan pada mata yang disebabkan penggunaan lensa kontak, benda asing yang masuk ke mata, atau bahkan iritatif lainnya. Selain itu, kekurangan vitamin A dan penggunaan lensa kontak yang kurang baik juga menjadi salah satu penyebab terjadinya keratitis.

Menurut Dr Siti Fatimah Sah R SpM dari Rumah Sakit Puri Indah Kembangan Selatan, Jakarta Barat, penyebab keratitis bisa dari bakteri, virus, dan jamur alergi. “Bisa juga akibat dari kondisi mata yang kering,” katanya. Penyebab umum terjadinya penyakit ini karena trauma atau luka yang terjadi tepat di kornea mata. “Sering kali kita mengucek mata terlalu berlebihan sehingga menimbulkan luka pada kornea,” jelasnya.

Kasus keratitis sering ditemukan pada mereka yang terlalu sering menggunakan lensa kontak. Pengguna lensa kontak masih sering lalai dalam menjaga kebersihan lensa kontak.

“Misalnya lensa kontak yang jarang dibersihkan sehabis dipakai atau penggunaan lensa kontak yang sudah expired,” tuturnya.

Keratitis sering terjadi karena pasien tidak menyimpan atau mensterilkan lensa kontak dengan benar sehingga mengakibatkan terjadinya infeksi pada mata. Selain dari faktor subjek pengguna, ada pula aktivitas yang dapat menjadi faktor risiko terjadinya penyakit ini yaitu memakai lensa kontak saat berenang atau mandi di pancuran (shower) tanpa melepas lensa kontak.

Beberapa gejala yang ditimbulkan dari keratitis di antaranya, keluar air mata yang berlebihan dan rasa nyeri yang teramat sangat pada mata. Selain itu terjadi juga penurunan ketajaman penglihatan. Pada beberapa kasus juga ditemui radang pada kelopak mata yang menyebabkan mata menjadi merah dan bengkak serta sangat sensitif terhadap cahaya yang berlebih.

“Tapi dari semua gejala yang paling kita takutkan adalah kaburnya pandangan pasien,” paparnya.

Penyakit ini terjadi karena kornea mata yang terluka dan ditakutkan akan terjadi kebutaan bila tak segera mendapatkan penanganan medis. Pada kasus keratitis yang lebih lanjut dapat terlihat seperti adanya cincin yang menutupi iris mata.

Diagnosa dan Pengobatan

Diagnosa dilakukan dengan cara anamnesis dan mencaritahu riwayat awal pasien. “Untuk diagnosis itu sendiri biasanya kita tahu dari gejala-gejala yang dialami pasien,” jelasnya. Diagnosis keratitis sangat jarang dilakukan secara tepat pada tahap awal. Penyakit ini biasanya baru dapat terdiagnosa setelah semua usaha pengobatan yang dilakkukan mengalami kegagalan.

Penderita keratitis sering kali mendapat diagnosa medis yang kurang tepat, karena penyakit ini sering kali diduga sebagai herpes simpleks keratitis. Penyakit-penyakit lain yang juga memiliki kemiripan dengan keratitis adalah keratitis yang disebabkan karena jamur dan keratitis akibat mycobakteri. Diagnosis juga bisa dibuktikan dengan pemeriksaan penunjang. Pemeriksaan penunjang yang dapat dilakukan dengan melakukan kultur biopsi kornea dengan menemukan bentuk amoebanya.

Obat tetes mata atau salep mata antibiotik, antijamur, dan antivirus biasanya diberikan untuk menyembuhkan keratitis, tapi obat-obat ini hanya boleh diberikan dengan resep dokter. “Terkadang banyak pasien yang sembarangan menggunakan tetes mata tanpa resep dari dokter,” katanya. Pengobatan yang tidak baik atau salah dapat menyebabkan perburukan gejala. Obat kortikosteroid topikal dapat menyebabkan perburukan kornea pada pasien dengan keratitis akibat virus herpes simplex.

Obat-obatan yang mengandung steroid tidak boleh digunakan untuk mata yang terkena keratitis, karena mungkin memperburuk penyakit dan menyebabkan ulserasi kornea dan menyebabkan kebutaan. Dan harus berkonsultasi dengan dokter mata atau memenuhi syarat untuk pengobatan kondisi mata.

“Biasanya dokter akan memberi obat berupa tetes mata atau salep yang dioleskan ke mata,” imbuhnya. Sedangkan untuk beberapa kasus yang berat biasanya diperlukan pencangkokan kornea agar mata bisa kembali melihat normal.

Pasien keratitis biasanya menggunakan tutup mata untuk melindungi mata dari cahaya terang, benda yang dapat mengotori mata, dan bahan iritatif lainnya. Tetapi yang lebih dianjurkan lagi adalah melakukan pengobatan ke dokter mata untuk mendapatkan penanganan yang lebih tepat.

Antibiotik, anti jamur, dan antivirus dapat digunakan tergantung dari kuman penyebab. Antibiotik spektrum dapat digunakan untuk pengobatan, tapi bila hasil laboratorium sudah ditemukan penyebabnya, pengobatan dapat diganti sesuai dengan kondisi pasien.

“Pemberian antibiotik itu tergantung dari penyebab keratitis itu sendiri,” paparnya. Terkadang, diperlukan lebih dari satu macam pengobatan. Terapi bedah laser terkadang dilakukan untuk kasus yang sudah berat, karena pasien membutuhkan transplantasi kornea.
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Cold Sore Blister - What is it and What Treatments Are Available?

What Is A Cold Sore Blister?

A cold sore blister is oral herpes--the most common form of herpes infection and is known as "herpes labialis",

which is the infection that occurs when the virus comes into contact with oral mucosa or abraded skin.

Active outbreaks often have what's called "prodrome" or "prodromal symptoms" that occur before you actually see the cold sore, the most common of which is "paresthesia"--the tingling or prickly sensation at the site of the cold sore before it shows up. This is a very reliable indicator that a cold sore is coming on and any preventative measures you can take should be done at this point (such as anti-virals, over-the-counter creams, ice, etc.). If you happen to have a prescription for anti-viral medications such as acyclovir or valacyclovir, you should begin taking them as soon as prodromal symptoms begin--the sooner you start the more effective they will be and the shorter and less painful and annoying your outbreak will be.

Am I Contagious?

Oral herpes is usually transmitted when there are visible sores on the person's face, however the period right before a cold sore emerges is a time during which the person is asymptomatically (showing no symptoms) shedding the virus and so is capable of infecting other people although there are no outward signs of the disease.

When one partner has herpes simplex and the other does not, the use of anti-virals like acyclovir and valacyclovir by the infected individual can significantly reduce the odds of infecting a partner by up to 50%. It is thought that asymptomatic herpes viral shedding occurs on 10.8% of days per year in patients who are not undergoing anti-viral treatment, versus 2.9% of days while on anti-viral therapy. (Source: Department of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill--For the full study, see: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16238897 )

How Often Will I Get Cold Sores and Can I Ever Get Rid of Them?

In a word: no. Sorry. The herpes virus, after initial infection, flees into the sensory nerve cells of the face where it remains in remission until the next outbreak (usually months and sometimes years later). Over time the frequency of the outbreaks will generally reduce (initially the outbreaks may occur every few months, as time goes on the frequency will usually decrease to once a year or so). Outbreaks typically last 2 to 21 days at a time, with about a week being on average for most people. Although, there are several vaccines currenly in Phase III trials, such as Herpevac and Zostavax, that have shown to be very promising (Source: National Institute of Health--Reference: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/dmid/stds/herpevac/ ) in dealing with the herpes simplex virus.

Treatments For Cold Sore Blisters

There are three main prescription treatments available that are prescribed for cold sore sufferers, they will all roughly produce the same result of reducing healing time by 1-2 days and decreasing the pain and irritation of the cold sore(s):

Acyclovir: Acyclovir was the original member of this drug class; it is currently available in several generic brands at greatly reduced prices. Acyclovir is the recommended anti-viral for suppressive therapy used during the last months of pregnancy to prevent transmission of herpes to the child in cases of maternal recurrent herpes.

Valacyclovir: Valacyclovir was approved by the FDA specifically for the purpose of reducing cold sore duration in people who are at least 12 years of age, and itís also been noted that Valacyclovir is absorbed much easier than other anti-virals such as Acyclovir. Valacyclovir and famcycloviróderivatives of acyclovir and pencyclovir, respectivelyóhave improved solubility in water and better bioavailability when taken orally.

Famciclovir: This medication is sometimes used to treat the herpes virus that causes cold sores as well as genital herpes (it acts on both the HSV-1 and HSV-2 strains, in other words), and studies have shown that it can work as well as Acyclovir in treating oral herpes outbreaks. Possible side effects include itching, fever, headache, fatigue, nausea, or diarrhea. Several studies in humans and mice provide evidence that early treatment with famciclovir soon after the first infection with herpes can significantly lower the chance of future outbreaks of herpes (Source: Journal of General Virology--See: http://vir.sgmjournals.org/cgi/content/full/81/10/2385 )

Cold Sore First Aid Basics

1. Do not itch or scratch! This can cause you to spread the virus to other areas of the body, particularly the eyes which can be very dangerous--herpes keratitis (herpes infection of the eye) is a leading cause of blindness in the United States (Source: Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School--See the study here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9293161 )

2. Start applying ice for 10 minutes every 2 hours. Simply apply an ice cube directly to the cold sore, this will reduce inflammation and slow down the virus. It also reduces the pain and itching.

3. Start taking anti-viral medication if you've got it, see your doctor for them if you don't and would like to try anti-viral therapy.

4. Keep the area clean and dry by washing it with a clean washcloth every couple of hours; just use normal soap and water. Also, be sure to use a new washcloth each time, the old one can re-infect you with herpes and spread it to other parts of your body.

5. Apply a benzoyl peroxide-based acne cream (like Clearasil) to keep it dry until you wash it again.
by: Andrew Kawoski

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Simple Steps To Avoid 'Winter Itch'

(NC)-Here are some helpful tips you can follow this season to avoid the dry, itchy skin that affects so many Canadians.

# Make sure you use moisturizers regularly, particularly after bathing. Look for products, such as Uremol, which contain urea, a moisturizing factor and keratolytic agent that removes dead, dry skin to reveal softer skin.

# Avoid overheating rooms.

# Use humidifiers to keep heated indoor air moist. Humidified air is easier to breathe, too.

# In terms of washing, baths dry out the skin more than showers, and hot or cold water is more drying than warm.

# One or two thorough baths or showers a week can be supplemented by daily sponge baths under the arms.

# Use a mild soap or wear rubber gloves if you need to handle strong detergents or other chemicals.

# Avoid excessive friction on the skin, such as scrubbing with harsh washcloths or wearing woolen clothing.

# Stay away from irritants or substances which can trigger allergic reactions.

# Bundle up when you go outside. Cover exposed skin in windy or cold weather.

# Be good to your skin. Follow these steps and the advice from your physician or pharmacist. Using a moisturizer like Uremol will effectively treat dryness and even difficult areas such as heels and elbows, softening the skin and providing protection.
by: News Canada

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