Jock Itch is the popular name for a rather less than popular fungal condition that affects the groin and upper thighs, more often than not in guys. While the medical name for jock itch is tinea cruris, it also sports other names such as crotch itch, crotch rot, Dhobie itch, eczema marginatum, gym itch and ringworm of the groin.

Jock itch is more likely to develop:

-  When there is lots of sweating involved such as while playing sports; in hot and humid weather; from friction when wearing tight clothes for extended periods; or even sharing clothes with others.

-  When people have certain health conditions, such as obesity, diabetes mellitus or other diseases that cause problems with the immune system.

Jock Itch only affects the top layer of the skin so it is fairly easy to treat with a topical medication but very importantly if you don’t treat it promptly, jock itch can last for weeks or even months.

Look out for these signs and symptoms:

-  A round red raised rash

-  Itching

-  Chafing, burning or red skin in the groin, thigh or anal area

-  Flaking, peeling or cracking skin as the rash starts to subside.

The jock itch rash usually starts on both sides of the groin fold and if left untreated, will advance down the inner thigh. As the infection worsens, the edge is redder and more raised than the initial rash. It is usually scaly and well demarcated. The longer the infection remains, the more the skin will turn a reddish-brown and lose much of the scale. Jock itch does not affect either the scrotum or penis.

There are several types of the mold-like fungi called dermatophytes and these are responsible for jock itch.  We all have microscopic fungi and bacteria (including dermatophytes) living on the dead tissues of our skin, hair and nails and, of course, thriving in the warm moist areas like the insides of the thighs. When the groin area gets sweaty and isn’t dried properly, it provides the perfect environment for the fungi to multiply and thrive.

Follow these treatment tips if jock itch appears:

• Wash thoroughly before drying the afected area using a clean towel. Use a separate, clean towel on the rest of your body — don’t use the same towel you used on your groin.

• Apply an over the counter antifungal cream, powder, or spray as directed on the label or if you prefer a natural and gentle remedy, H-Jock Itch will safely relieve the symptoms of jock itch with no skin irritation.

• Change your clothes, especially your underwear, every day.

• Treat other fungal infections, such as athlete’s foot. H-Athletes Foot will counteract the itching, burning and inflammation associated with this condition safely and successfully.

It’s important to continue treatment until all signs of the fungal infection have disappeared, and even longer, to prevent the infection from coming back.

Keep up good hygiene habits to prevent or after a jock itch outbreak as follows:

• Always shower or take a bath every day and especially after playing sports.

• Always keep the groin area as dry as possible by using a clean towel after showering or swimming.

• Avoid sharing towels.

• If you wear any athletic supporters, wash them as often as possible.

• Always treat any other fungal infection elsewhere on your body to prevent the fungus from spreading to your groin.

  Remember to never touch or scratch your groin area after touching another area of your body that has a fungal infection – for example your feet.

]]> http://www.amoils.com/health-blog/jock-itch-%e2%80%93-this-fungal-condition-needs-to-be-treated-promptly/feed/ 1 http://www.amoils.com/health-blog/skin-tags-%e2%80%93-the-more-embarrassing-ones/ http://www.amoils.com/health-blog/skin-tags-%e2%80%93-the-more-embarrassing-ones/#comments Sat, 05 Nov 2011 13:39:35 +0000 Jane Chitty http://www.amoils.com/health-blog/?p=4960 I have recently written about those every day skin tags that hang off various parts of the body and which are more of a nuisance than a concern. However, there is a slight variation on the normal skin tags which I am going to tell you about this time. These are skin tags that appear on the genitalia.

They include anal skin tags, groin skin tags and vaginal skin tags.

Anal skin tags in particular can differ from normal skin tags as they are often the result of another condition called an anal fissure, which is a small tear in the anus caused by a hard stool. During the healing process of this tear, the anal skin becomes uneven and the result can be an anal skin tag. They can also develop following hemorrhoids as the tissue-swelling (associated with the hemorrhoids) may extend to the anal skin. One of the differences between anal and other skin tags is that they can be itchy or painful. They can also cause hygiene problems because fecal debris may become trapped beneath an anal skin tag. If there are many anal skin tags, the problem multiplies and could lead to infection.

There are many different treatments available for anal skin tag removal:

- Cryotherapy which is when your doctor freezes off the skin tag using liquid nitrogen.

- Surgical excision where an anal skin tag is cut off under surgical conditions with a local anesthetic to dull the pain.

- Electrocautery which is a suitable treatment for large skin tags where the tag is cut off and the skin electrically cauterized to close the wound.

- Laser treatment which can be used on anal skin tags rather successfully and the whole anal area is re-surfaced at the same time which is a bonus.

Any surgery in the anal area, however small, may cause some post-operative pain.

- Anal and other skin tags can be successfully treated with essential oils. Healing Natural Oils provides just such a safe, gentle and successful treatment.

It is not recommended that you use any over-the-counter products for the removal of anal skin tags, as well as other skin tags in the groin area, as these are too harsh for the sensitive genital area.

Although groin and vaginal skin tags are harmless and benign, many people become upset at their appearance and worry about them being something more sinister. Understandably, they are also often concerned and even embarrassed about what their partner will think. In addition, because the genital area is moist and the skin often sensitive and tender, such skin tags can be easily irritated, chaffed, infected or injured by rubbing against underwear or from friction during sport, exercise or sexual activities. Skin tags have their own blood supply so will bleed if injured. Skin tags in the vaginal area are more vulnerable during menstruation because they start to swell during this time before returning to their normal size at the end of a woman’s period.

Fortunately, it is easy to remove skin tags.

So it is usually a good idea where there are anal skin tags or skin tags in the groin area (including the vagina) and particularly on the penis itself, to have them removed both for reasons of comfort and to avoid any anxiety for your sexual partner. The easiest time to treat them is when they are small. The important thing is to choose as safe and painless a method of removing your skin tags as possible whatever size they are and wherever they occur.

Skin tags are not contagious – they are simply a common skin abnormality. The medical name is Ancrochordons or Cutaneous Papilloma.

More common in women and after the age of 40, skin tags can also be genetically passed on; are often found in the overweight or obese; can be a sign of the presence of diabetes type 2 and of insulin rejection; are sometimes as a result of chaffing and irritation when skin is constantly rubbing against other skin; and perhaps noticeable during pregnancy when hormones start reacting in a different way. Approximately 50% of the adult population are likely to develop skin tags for one reason or another and usually when they reach middle age.

Another cause of skin tags is the use steroids as this interferes with the body and muscles, which in turn can affect the skin causing the collagen fibers to bond in such a way that skin tags are formed.

When skin tags first appear, they are small and you can easily twist them. This is the ideal time to treat them of course, especially if you don’t like the look of them or they get in the way. It is easy to remove skin tags.

-  Your doctor can freeze them off using liquid nitrogen.

-  Your doctor can cut them off under surgical conditions with a local anesthetic to dull the pain.

You are probably wondering if this process will hurt? As there are nerve endings in the skin tag, you will feel a strong stinging sensation. You will also question if a skin tag will bleed? A skin tag has a blood supply in order to survive. Therefore with these methods, you may expect some bleeding. Also, both these methods although effective can be painful and even leave a small scar.

-  You can remove them yourself at home with an essential oils product from Healing Natural Oils without the risk of pain, bleeding or scarring.

Never try to remove skin tags by snipping off with a pair of scissors as this can be very risky and dangerous because of the chance of infection and bleeding as well as mistaking the skin tag for some other kind of skin growth.

Very seldom, skin tags can be an indication of a rare disorder called Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome in which there are multiple non-cancerous tumors of the hair follicles, particularly on the face, neck and upper chest. This condition typically emerges between the ages of 20 and 40. Sufferers have an increased risk of developing kidney tumors, either cancerous or non-cancerous as well as tumors in other parts of the body. Cysts may form in the lungs and then air may collect in the chest cavity, sometimes resulting in a collapsed lung. I would emphasize again that this is a very rare disorder.

If you are at all unsure about whether you have skin tags, make an appointment to see your doctor or a dermatologist so that they can make a definite diagnosis. It could be that you have another skin condition which might need different treatment. For example, moles, warts or general skin damage from the sun or from toxic chemicals.

Medically known as bromodosis, stinky feet is a common problem causing embarrassment all year round regardless of the temperature.

Some of the causes of smelly feet include:

- Being a teenager or pregnant because their hormones are often up and down making them sweat more.
- Being under mental or emotional stress.
- Having to stand up all day at work.
- Having a medical condition called hyperhydrosis which causes perspiration far greater than the physiological needs of the body.
- Suffering from athletes foot.
- The side effects from certain prescribed medications.
- Poor hygiene.
- Wearing the same shoes constantly.

Our feet can become stinky if they sweat a lot and this sweat soaks into the shoes without drying properly before the shoes are worn again. Bacteria on the skin breaks down sweat as it comes from the pores and this bacteria can continue to breed in the shoes even after you have taken them off and especially if you put them still damp into a dark cupboard. Put them back on again in the morning and you have the perfect recipe for stinky feet – a warm, dark and moist home for the bacteria to thrive. Bacteria produced naturally by the body actually feed from the sweat produced by the feet, giving off a substance known as isovaleric acid. This is what causes the odor that emanates from your feet.

So what can you do about smelly feet?

1. If you suffer from athletes foot, treat the symptoms of this fungal condition as a matter of urgency with H-Athletes Foot from Healing Natural Oils.

2. Never wear the same shoes two days running. Be aware that trainers, boots and other constrictive footwear are particularly susceptible to this problem. So avoid any tight fitting footwear, allowing the feet to breathe.

3. Wash your feet at least once every day, making sure to thoroughly dry them every time. Some people find good results by using Hibiscrub soap (leave on skin for two minutes each time) helping to destroy the bacteria that causes the smell.

4. Use cotton wool dipped in surgical spirit and apply to the area between the toes really well to act as an antiseptic, astringent and dehydrating solution all-in-one. Another home remedy is to use vinegar instead.

5. Use a deodorant or antiperspirant on the feet which can be the same one as you use underarm.

6. Put on clean socks (preferably light colored) at least once a day. These socks should be made of natural fibres such as cotton or bamboo to allow the feet to breathe better and can even help to absorb excess sweat.

7. Use medicated insoles or the new cedar insoles in your shoes to absorb moisture and reduce foot odour. Cedarsoles are made from natural anti fungal cedarwood and give your feet a very long-lasting menthol-like aroma. Cedarwood is also very useful to prevent fungus or similar disorders.

8. Only wear leather or canvas shoes to let your feet breathe. Go barefoot as much as possible or wear open toe sandals when the weather allows.

It is always best to go down the natural route if you possibly can and in most cases, these simple self help measures will get rid of your smelly feet. However, if the problem is really bad and none of these solutions help, then you should see a doctor as a last resort as there are a number of prescription drugs that can treat serious foot odor, some by killing bacteria and some by reducing foot sweat.

Whether your young child is starting school for the first time or going back after the long school holidays, the whole family needs to get into an organized and stress-free routine once more. And top of the list is doing your best to ensure a happy and healthy child who is ready to learn and to enjoy his or her time at school.

Lunch box

Pack a healthy lunch (and one that your child will actually eat) in a BPA and lead-free lunch box or bag. In an article on NaturalNews, the writer suggested the traffic light model for children’s lunches.

Green for Go – all the fruits, veggies, whole grain products, nuts and organic meats and dairy – suggestions include organic blueberries, strawberries, graqpes, apples, a hardboiled egg, peanut butter or cheese sandwiches on whole grain bread, yoghurt (for a daily probiotic), nuts, trail mix, organic chips, carrot sticks or cheese sticks.

Yellow for Caution – the ones you should be more careful about including in the lunch box – desserts, baked goods and juices and…

Red for Stop – those you should avoid at all costs – sodas, foods with artificial coloring, flavoring or sweetening and processed foods.

Also be aware that many classrooms are declared “peanut or nut free zones” because of child allergies so that cuts out some of your options. Add a re-usable bottle of purified water and a small ice pack to keep the whole packed lunch cool and fresh both in hot weather and when the classroom is heated. Try to pack your children’s lunches the night before to save time and stress during the morning rush.

Get involved in what your child’s school stocks in any vending machines or provides in a cafeteria. Encourage the school to stock healthy choices such as fresh fruit, dairy products, water and 100 percent fruit juice in the vending machines. Remember that each 12-ounce soft drink can contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar. Drinking just one can of soda a day increases a child’s risk of obesity by 60%.

The morning rush

Get into the habit of having a “sit down” and healthy breakfast with your children before they leave for school. I tell my young grandson that he needs both “brain food” and “growing food” for his day at school. This is a good time for them to take a supplement to boost their immune systems for the coming school year – particularly the winter months when the cold and flu germs start doing the rounds. Please avoid any thought of a flu vaccine – so much safer to boost the immune system naturally with healthy eating, regular exercise and a good night’s sleep. Vitamin D is vital for that same immune system and unless you live in a warm climate with plenty of sunshine all the year round and exposure to that sunlight, your child is going to need to take a vitamin D3 supplement during the winter months. The dose should be 2000IU daily.

Exercise

Talking of exercise, this is important every day for your child’s health whether it is structured exercise, riding a bike or playing in a park or the back yard with other children. A good rule of thumb is to have 30 minutes of play or exercise for every 30 minutes spent in front of a TV screen. Of course time for study or homework has to be fitted in too.

Clothes for school

Clothing can be another problem in the morning so work out with your child the night before what he or she is going to wear and bear in mind any dress code guidelines and abide by these. An easy to carry backpack should be packed ready with all supplies to cut down on the morning rush. The backpack should have wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back. Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments with the heavier items closest to the center of the back. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of your child’s body weight and ensure your child uses both shoulder straps, as slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles.

Finally, say goodbye to your child with confidence and love, reassuring him that you will see him again at the end of the day. If he has been used to going to pre-school, there should be no difficulties. And the next day or that evening, the organization starts all over again!

There are a number of things that can happen when you feel anxious:

It can affect both your body and your mind.

Your body will release a hormone called adrenaline which is nature’s way of warning you about impending danger whether real or imagined.

With increased anxiety, your heart may start to pound, your breathing get faster and you could start to perspire. Unfortunately, increased anxxiety will lead to increased symptoms.

It can affect your appetite, your ability to function properly and of course your sleep pattern (insomnia).

If anxiety is affecting you, there are steps you can take to remedy the situation:

1. Tell yourself that you will have a certain time of the day when you are allowed to worry. You can allocate 30 minutes of the day to devote to anxiety, when you can face the worries and anxieties you have, think about solutions and then after that time is up, make sure that those worries are put to rest at the back of your mind until the next session.

2. Take good care of yourself by eating healthily, drinking plenty of pure water, getting a good night’s sleep evrry night, indulging in enjoyable and regular exercise, takaing time out to do something that you personally enjoy or to spend quality time with friends. If you keep so busy, you will have less time to entertain anxious thoughts. The support of close friends and family at times of anxiety can also be helpful. If you find that insomnia is leading you to have anxious thoughts, then get up and make that time of night your 30 minutes when you are allowed to worry. When the time is up, you should be feeling sleepy again so go back to bed.

3. Learning to relax by listening to soothing music, taking up yoga, deep breathing exercises or muscle relaxation exercising. Deep breathing can be accomplished by lying down on a flat surface; placing one hand on the stomach above the navel with the other hand on your chest; breathing in slowly uintil the stomach rises; holding your breath for a second or two; and then exhaling slowling. Keep repeating this exercise. Muscle relaxation exercising is where you tense and relax your muscles one by one as you mentally go round every part of your body.

4. If there is a certain type of situation that causes anxiety, you will need to confront the situation so you are more in control. For example, you may be afraid of crwods. To overcome such anxiety, start by joining a very small crowd that is easy to leave should your feelings of anxiety become oppressive. Gradually step up to larger crowds until you are confident to be part of such a large crowd. Use the same type of method to confront whatever situation affects you whether it be speaking in public, a fear of heights and other anxiety.

If you find you are unable to overcome your feelings of anxiety on your own, you may need to see your doctor or a therapist for additional help.

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Although it is true that many parents of babies and young children are sleep deprived because of disturbed nights, many others will sacrifice their sleep in order to have a 24 hour lifestyle.

These adults get up early to go to the gym or for a jog; they work a long day at their job; and then they they might carry on with other activities in the evening so that they end up with just 6 hours or less sleep every night. Others might find that they are suffering from too little sleep because of artificial light, unhealthy work schedules and night shifts. With so little sleep going on, it is no wonder that there is an increase in air controllers and even pilots falling asleep on the job.

Melatonin is produced naturally by our bodies to help us sleep soundly but only during the hours of darkness. So if we interfere with this natural product, we affect our whole sleeping pattern.

And of course not getting enough sleep is going to take its toll on our health sooner or later.

- Give your body clock a routine by getting up and going to bed at the same time each day.

- Give yourself time to unwind before bed especially if it has been a hectic day. The main cause of insomnia is a busy mind working overtime. If you have so much stuff going through your mind, get rid of it by writing it down on paper. Then you don’t have to think about it again.

- Take a hot bath to raise the body’s core temperature before bringing it down again. This will aid sleep. 3 drops of H-Insomnia will help too. Once you are dried off, massage a drop under each foot. H-Insomnia is the safe and natural product specially formulated with essential oils from Healing Natural Oils to send you off to sleep.

- Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet and not too warm with plenty of ventilation. To block out any noise, you might find swimmer’s ear plugs work for you as they mould well into the ears.

- Cherries are a great source of melatonin so make the perfect bedtime snack of a some cherries along with a glass of milk and a handful of walnuts. When cherries are out of season, drink some pure, natural cherry juice instead.

- If you find that you wake up in the night and cannot get back to sleep again, apply a further drop of H-Insomnia under each foot. It is important not to use too much formula as one drop is almost always sufficient. This means that the product is very economical to use.

- Make sure your mattress is not old and decrepit. If it has been some years since you bought a new one, perhaps now is the time to do so. A biometric foam mattress may suit you better than a memory foam mattress because the latter can raise the body’s temperature and lead to insomnia.

It is important to get up once you have had a good night’s sleep – for example 8 hours. If you sleep longer, the hormones that you need to get you up and going will not be used properly and you may well feel sluggish. A refreshing shower is the best way to get you in the right frame of mind for the day ahead.

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People often confuse the bilberry with the blueberry and of course both these delicious fruits have wonderful health benefits, especially their strong antioxident properties. Although bilberries and blueberries are similar in appearance and closely related, the bilberry is proven to have special benefits for eye health. And these eye health benefits are not something recent as – for example – British World War 2 pilots reported improved night vision when flying after eating bilberry jam!

Bilberries possess a high content of anthocyanins, which provide potent antioxidant activity. In addition to antioxidants, bilberries support healthy eye function through their anti-inflammatory, collagen stabilising, vasoprotective, and rhodopsin regenerating properties. So without a doubt, the main benefit of including bilberries in your diet is for your eye health.

Dr. Marc Grossman who is both an optometrist and licensed acupuncturist confirms the health benefits to the eyes: “Bilberry improves circulation in the blood vessels of the eye, helps maintain the integrity of capillaries, stabilizes collagen and stimulates the production of rhodopsin essential for night vision”. He then goes on to say that it is a myth that nothing can be done to improve your eyesight, but rather through proper diet, lifestyle and supplements you can have a positive impact on your vision.

Here is the long and impressive list of benefits for your eye health:

- Bilberries have a very high anthrocyanin content because the pigment is found in both the skin and the flesh while in the North American blueberry, the pigment is only found in the skin. This anthrocyanin antioxidant is known to benefit the eyes and the circulatory system.

- Anthocyanin fortifies blood-vessel walls, improves blood flow and increases oxygen to the tiny blood vessels that keep eyes healthy as well as maintaining good circulation.

- Bilberries protects eyes from eye strain and fatigue.

- Bilberries contain vitamin A which helps to promote sharper vision.

- Bilberries also contain vitamin C, helping to build collagen. This is needed for regeneration of tissue cells and healthy blood vessels.

- Both vitamins A and C help prevent free radical damage to the eyes especially when ageing, pollution and toxins are factors.

- Bilberry is known to improve the micro circulation and regeneration of the retinal pupil.

- The flavonoid complex in bilberries, help hasten regeneration of rhodopsin which is a purple pigment used by the eyes for the purpose of night vision. While it has not been proven that bilberry does help people with night blindness, anthocyanosides, which is also a pigment, helps to regenerate a pigment in the retina which is essential for the eye to adapt to light.

- Bilberries may also help to prevent cataracts while treating macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.

- Bilberry can also assist in preventing the onset of eye diseases like glaucoma, myopia, retinitis and pigmentosa.

You may eat bilberries fresh or dried or you can make bilberry tea using fresh or dried berries. Bilberry extract should be standardized to contain 25% anthocyanidin so that it contains the highest percentage of anthocyanosides, making it the strongest form of bilberry.

Although this post is mostly about how to avoid or treat UTIs in women, men can also suffer

Just a reminder:

• The kidneys collect wastes and extra water from the blood to make urine.
• The ureters carry the urine from the kidneys to the bladder.
• The bladder stores the urine, expelling it when full.
• The prostrate adds fluid to semen and
• The urethra carries the urine out of the bladder when urinating.

So if you are prone to UTIs, what can you do to improve the situation?

Here are some general tips as well as some tried and tested home remedies.

1. Drink plenty of pure, filtered water every day.
2. Eat a healthy diet low in sugar, starches and processed or refined foods. Eat plenty of fresh vegetables and avoid or reduce caffeine and alcoholic beverages.
3. Take a daily probiotic.
4. Avoid synthetic underwear and clothing, tight pants, skinny jeans, tights, leggings and panty hose.
5. Always urinate when you feel the need – no holding in.
6. Wipe from front to back to prevent bacteria from entering your urethra.
7. Take showers instead of baths while avoiding hot tubs and jacuzzis and if you do have a bath, then steer clear of bubble baths and any other perfumed bath and soap products.
8. Clean your genital area prior to sexual intercourse and again afterwards. Also urinate after sexual intercourse.
9. Avoid using feminine hygiene sprays, which may irritate your urethra.
10. Use only white fragrant free toilet paper, baby wipes, a clean wet cloth or a bidet when cleaning after urinating.
11. If you do start an infection, don’t rush to start a course of antibiotics unless absolutely necessary as there are other ways to treat a UTI. D-mannose is a popular treatment which is available from a health shop or can be ordered online and should be commenced at the very first sign of a UTI. D-Mannose is not a drug but a naturally occurring sugar which is even produced in our bodies. D-mannose helps to nourish your healthy flora because it doesn’t affect “friendly” bacteria. It is best to take D-Mannose in about 1-3 oz of water, stir well and give it time to go through your system. After about 20 to 30 minutes, you can drink water freely. It is safe, pleasant tasting and acts as a probiotic as well. The loose powder works out to be more economical than capsules.
12. While treating a UTI avoid all sugars because of the risk of a yeast infection which loves to feed on any sugar, even from juice and fruits. Drinking fresh or frozen cranberry juice is another remedy but it must be completely natural with no added sugar. A small bowl of fresh or frozen cranberries, blueberries and other fruits makes an ideal breakfast or it is easy to make homemade unsweetened cranberry juice by placing a 12 oz bag of cranberries in a large saucepan with 4 cups of water. Boil until all the berries pop and pour through a strainer. If too bitter, add a drop or two of liquid Stevia natural sweetener.
13. Another UTI remedy is to take 10 ml of Colloidal Silver daily while keeping the bladder well drained and drinking lots of water or you can use Olive Leaf Extract 4 times a day.
14. For a really inexpensive solution, drink 3 x 6oz glasses of a clear, low sugar, carbonated beverage such as club soda or Perrier water about an hour apart or add 1 teaspoon of real and natural sea salt in a large glass of water, repeated again a couple of hours later.
15. Finally, eating a pound of asparagus is a suggested remedy. It does not matter whether cooked or raw.

With all these different tips and home remedies, there should be something to suit everyone who has a UTI. If you have your own suggestion, send me a comment so yours can be shared with others too.

Here is all you need to know:

1. If you can take lutein and zeaxanthin every day either in a supplement or in a food such as spinach (where a daily quarter cup would give you a sufficient dose) this can help prevent macular degeneration. Another plus for lutein is that it filters out UV rays so the risk of developing cataracts drops. Lutein and zeaxanthin are 2 carotenoids that occur naturally in the retina, working like sunglasses to prevent damage to the eye cells by screening out ultraviolet rays. Other foods to put lutein and zeaxanthin back in your system include eggs, kale,spinach, turnip greens, collard greens, romaine lettuce, broccoli, zucchini, corn, garden peas and Brussels sprouts. For maximum benefits, these foods should be eaten raw or steamed lightly. Just remember that lutein, like other carotenoids, is fat-soluble, so cannot be absorbed unless fat is also present. So for example enjoy your spinach, whether steamed, sautéed or fresh in spinach salad, with a little olive oil and a chopped hard-boiled egg. Another method would be lightly steamed spinach topped with a lightly poached egg or two and a dab of butter. If your diet is healthy and varied, you don’t need many supplements.

2. But one of the herbal supplements that you can take is ginkgo biloba because it acts against free radical damage in the retina while at the same time improving the blood flow in the optic nerve. Medical studies have shown that taking the supplement twice a day considerably improves the long distance vision.

3. Omega-3 fatty acids in sufficient quantities (such as taking a supplement or eating fish more than twice a week) will also help prevent macular degeneration by as much as 50%.

4. Further protection is afforded by the type of sunglasses you wear outdoors. The best are wraparound with UV blocking lens. A big hat or sun visor worn outdoors will also help protect your eyes.

5. Avoid cigarette smoke which is bad news for eyes, increasing the risk of macular degeneration significantly by depleting those all important antioxidants. Smoking and cigarette smoke is the cause of 20% of all cataracts. Drinking alcohol can mean that you have lower than normal blood levels of carotenoids so limit your intake.

6. Then there is exercise for your body and exercise for your eyes. Any type of regular exercise as well as improving the body’s circulation and eliminating toxins will do the same for the eyes. One amazing study has found that those glaucoma patients who do a good work-out with 40 minutes of walking 5 days a week get the same results as if they used a pharmaceutical beta-blocker – namely the reduction of the intraocular pressure by some 2.5 mm. No side effects from walking – only benefits – but there could well be plenty of unwanted side effects from using the beta-blocker.

7. Exercises for the eyes: Close your eyes tightly for 3-5 seconds before opening them again for 3-5 seconds. Repeat 7 or 8 times.

8. Another exercise: lightly press 3 fingers of each hand against your upper eyelids. Hold for 1-2 seconds before releasing. Repeat 5 times.

9.  Sit and relax. Roll your eyes clockwise and then counter-clockwise. Repeat 5 times, blinking in between each time.

10. A final exercise is to focus on a distant object (further than 150 feet or 5 meters away or preferably the far horizon) for 10 to 15 seconds. Then slowly refocus your eyes on a nearby object (closer than 30 feet or 10 meters) without moving your head. Focus again for 10 to 15 seconds and go back to the distant object. Repeat this 5 times. The exercise with the horizon used to be done naturally by our ancestors when they were keeping a look out for everything from predators to the weather!

It is really worth while doing what we can to prevent any toll on our eyesight. Unfortunately, with ageing the surface of the cornea flattens, so less light gets into the eye. At the same time the macula (essential for reading and seeing the small print and fine details) becomes thinner. While lots of different causes lead to these changes, we can halt the progression through diet and exercise.

A few years ago, I suffered from a detached retina – it was a frightening experience and it made me realize how important my eyesight was to me. It was successfully repaired with lazer treatment but I never take my eyesight for granted any more.

Onychocryptosis is the medical term for ingrowing toenails and genetics also plays a role.

There are no early warning signs, but as one ages, your nail thickens and that is usually when the problem becomes apparent, especially if you happen to have curved nails.

Ingrowing toenails can be caused by:

-  Trauma to the nail
-  Cutting toenails incorrectly
-  Tight shoes or hosiery
-  Abnormal shape of nail plate
-  Abnormal thickness of nail

You should always:

-  Cut toenails straight across and leave them slightly longer to prevent an ingrowing toe nail
-  Avoid tight shoes
-  If discomfort occurs try soaking the feet in slightly warm salt water for 10 minutes each day

Experts are divided in their opinion on both the cause and treatment of ingrowing toenails. Some doctors maintain that it is not the nail that is the problem but the overgrown toe skin as some people have an unusually wide area of tissue medial and lateral to the nail and that, with weight bearing, this tissue is inclined to bulge up around the nail.

A surgical procedure is often recommended but not only does the surgical procedure increase the relative amount of soft tissue, making the problem more likely to recur but sometimes the attempts to remove some nail matrix lead to faulty regrowth of the nail. The procedure itself can be painful and tender plus you may very well end up with the supposed removed section of nail bed eventually growing a double nail on both sides – as well as rather odd-looking toes due to the too narrow nails. Be aware that chiropodists know this surgical procedure is just a temporary solution but nevertheless continue to suggest it.

So what can you do as an alternative treatment?

If  it is early in the course of the ingrown toenail, you can treat the nail yourself at home:

- Soak the foot in warm water four times a day. Do not add anything to the water.

- Wash the foot, including the affected area, twice a day with soap and water. Keep the foot clean and dry during the rest of the day.

- Do not wear high heels or tight-fitting shoes. Consider wearing sandals, if possible, until the condition clears up.

- Try to lift up the corner of the nail that is digging into the skin. Take a small piece of cotton or gauze and roll it between your fingers to form a small roll or wick. Then place the roll between the nail and the skin to keep it elevated. This is painful but it is the most important part of your home treatment. After every soaking, try to push the roll a little further in. Change the roll every day. It may take from 7 to 15 days for the nail to grow out so that it does not poke into the skin any longer.

- Take a mild pain reliever if it helps.

- Once the nail has started to grow out, keep the nail thin. The thicker the nail, the more it curves, cutting into the flesh of the toe.

- File the nail of the problem toe down every month or two or visit a podiatrist that does this with a handy little electric mini-sander. With a bit of luck, you can forget that ingrowing toenails were ever a problem.

If left untreated, an ingrown toenail can progress to an infection or even an abscess that requires surgical treatment. Osteomyelitis is a rare complication of an infected toe, in which the bone itself becomes infected.

As you or someone close to you is growing older, it is good to know that a year long trial in the US has concluded that walking for 40 minutes several times a week is enough to preserve memory while at the same time keeping “ageing brains” on top form. While the study was on healthy people in their 60s rather than people with Alzheimer’s disease or other types of demential, the findings were nevertheless important for our current ageing population faced with rising dementia statistics.

It is said that the Alzheimer’s epidemic will follow the obesity one we are currently experiencing – a sobering thought.

In the UK, 820 000 have dementia and the fears are that this figure will double by 2030.

In the US, there are 4 to 5 million Americans with dimentia and the figure will continue to rise.

The ageing population means that dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, is currently seen as one of the main health challenges in both the UK and the US.

Another interesting statistic is that from 2000 to 2006, death rates declined for most major diseases, including heart disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer, stroke and HIV/AIDS but deaths from Alzheimer’s rose more than 46% during that time period.

As Greg M. Cole, a neuroscientist at the Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System and associate director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, pointed out: “We have some pretty effective solutions for a lifetime of cardiovascular disease risk, but your bypass and stent may just give you time to dement.”

As there is currently no cure for these dimentia diseases, it is imperative to find inexpensive and easy ways to reverse these trends that older people can work into their every day lives.

Walking is just such a way.

This particular study was conducted by Professor Kirk Erickson and his colleagues from the University of Pittsburgh. The hippocampus is the area of the brain that makes memories and in the study, brain scans on the volunteers revealed the hippocampus volume increased by 2% in that group of people who did the exercise regimen of walking around a track for 40 minutes a day, 3 days a week for a year while the hippocampus volume decreased by 1.45% in the group who did not. While these percentages are not high, when carried out over many years, they could make a crucial difference.

This study is reported on at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12325285

There was an earlier research study carried out by a Swedish team that was reported in the journal – Lancet Neurology. The study involved some 1500 men and women between the ages of 65 and 79 and they looked back at how physically active these same people had been 21 years earlier. Some 200 of the participants had developed Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dimentia. From their findings, they concluded that exercising for half an hour at least twice a week during the late 40s and early 50s could significantly cut the risk of dementia in these same people when they reach their 60s and 70s or beyond. They also found that the amount of exercise that appeared necessary to be protective was physical exertion for some 20 to 30 minutes and this needed to lead to breathlessness and sweating.

This is advocating being more energetic than the current study.

If you would like to read more about this – http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4304822.stm

As you grow older, basically what it all boils down to is keeping healthy in all the ways that you know you should with a good, natural diet; plenty of regular exercise; drinking your 8 glasses of water; keeping away from pharmaceutical medications as much as possible while turning to natural products; making sure your grey matter is fully utilized; avoiding stress; and being happy and content.

A spokewoman from Alzheimer’s Research Trust echoes my thoughts when she says: “Studies seem to suggest that leading a healthy lifestyle – exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet – helps protect against dimentia.”

The longer you live, the greater chance of accumulating toxins in your body from the environment in which you live. A yearly cleanse is something you might like to consider to help cleanse your body, eliminate those toxic substances and keep the body functioning properly and healthily. Although our body consistently detoxes itself every day, with the help of the liver and kidneys, the body’s own natural functions can cause toxins with the effort.

If you think you may have a toxic build up in the body, look out for the signs which could be fatigue, illness, constipation, gas, skin problems, nausea, PMS, depression or poor circulation. The use of herbs is a wonderful way to help the detox process along, helping to restore your body to a state of balance and health by purifying the blood so that you end up with more energy, clearer skin and a body that functions optimally.

Parsely – this is a diuretic that flushes out the urinary system to detoxify and cleanse your body. Here is the recipe for a parsley detox drink that appears in The Complete Juice Book by Suzannah Olivier and Joanna Farrow by Anness Publishing Ltd. The inclusion of carrot and grapes give a natural sweetness complimenting the peppery taste of the celery with the fresh aroma of the parsley. If grapes are unavailable, apples can be used instead. Drink regularly for a body detox.

You will need:

1 stick of celery, with leaves
2 cups carrots
1 cup grapes
¼ cup fresh parsley

Process all the ingredients in your blender or food processor and serve immediately.

Alfalfa – this also works well as a powerful natural medicine. A natural diuretic, alfalfa has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which help to soothe the intestinal tract during a detox.

You will need:

Pure alfalfa powder, fruit juices and clean water.

1. Mix 1 tsp pure alfalfa powder to pure fruit juice each morning, drink on an empty stomach, and wait 30 minutes before eating.
2. Drink 2 glasses of chlorine-free water for every 50 lbs body weight spread out through the day (water kept in an open container for about 24 hours will remove all traces of chlorine).
3. Get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily as part of the cleanse.
4. Continue the alfalfa body cleanse for 2 weeks to help reduce the pain of arthritis, improve digestive orders and detox the entire body.

Red Clover – this is an excellent herb for skin problems. Red Clover is highly regarded by herbalists as a blood purifier because it helps support the liver as the body’s detox organ. It is also reputed to have anti-tumor properties but stay away from red clover if you are pregnant or taking an anticoagulant.

You can pick and dry the flowers for tea, eat them raw in a salad, or make a tincture with alcohol using one part herb to two parts alcohol-water solution that is at least 40% alcohol. 1 cup clover flowers, 1 cup water and 1 cup of 190-proof alcohol will make a 45% solution.

To make a strong tea: use 1/2 cup of the dried flowers in three cups of hot water plus add a pinch of mint. Steep for 2 hours, reheat and strain.

Chllorella – this comes as a supplement and while 3 grams per day is a good maintenance dosage, taking 5-7 grams per day will give you noticeable and significant changes in digestion, energy and overall health. .

Chlorophyll – this detox can be in the form of a juice fast by taking a fresh juice drink with 1 ounce of wheat grass juice per serving added, 3 times per day. This juice fast should be carried out for 3 days if you are a healthy adult. An alternative is a detox diet of whole fruits, vegetables, whole grains and vegetable oils with added chlorophyll in the form of spirulina flakes sprinkled over. This blue-green algae excels in detoxifying but follow the manufacturer’s dosage recommendations as each product will differ. During a detox program, people report clearer skin and increased bowel movements while taking some form of concentrated chlorophyll.

If you have never detoxified the body before, it is not too late to start. Whether you choose to change your diet or purchase herbs for detox, cleansing the body will help fight disease, help your organs work better, and boost overall health. However, if you have a serious health problem or are pregnant or nursing, be wary of detoxing and please consult your doctor.

Here is the report from BBC World Health:

Research at Oxford University and other centres found that it cut overall cancer deaths by at least a fifth. The study, published in the Lancet, covered some 25,000 patients, mostly from the UK. Experts say the findings show aspirin’s benefits often outweighed its associated risk of causing bleeding.

This latest research shows that when weighing up the risks and benefits of taking aspirin, experts should also consider its protective effect against cancer. Those patients who were given aspirin had a 25% lower risk of death from cancer during the trial period and a 10% reduction in death from any cause compared to patients who were not given the drug.

The treatment with aspirin lasted for between four and eight years, but long term-follow-up of around 12,500 patients showed the protective effect continued for 20 years in both men and women.

Lead researcher Professor Peter Rothwell said the findings might well underestimate the reduction in deaths that would result from longer-term treatment with aspirin. The risk of cancer death was reduced by 20% over 20 years. For individual cancers the reduction was about 40% for bowel cancer, 30% for lung cancer, 10% for prostate cancer and 60% for oesophageal cancer.

The reductions in pancreas, stomach and brain cancers were difficult to quantify because of smaller numbers of deaths. There was also not enough data to show an effect on breast or ovarian cancer and the authors suggest this is because there were not enough women in the trials. Large-scale studies investigating the effects on these cancers are under way.

Professor Rothwell said he was not urging healthy middle-aged adults to immediately start taking aspirin, but said the evidence on cancer “tips things towards it being well worth it”. The benefit in cancer reduction were found from a low daily dose of 75mg. Professor Rothwell said the annual risk of major internal bleeding was about 1 in 1,000 and aspirin roughly doubled that risk. But he said the danger of major bleeding was “very low” in middle age but increased dramatically after 75. A sensible time to consider starting daily aspirin use would be between 45-50, continuing for around 25 years, he said.

The full report appears in http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11930988

The report went on to conclude that taking aspirin at night with calcium seemed to enhance its effects while drinking a glass of milk at the same could also reduce stomach irritation.

Of course aspirin is not the only way in which you can help reduce the chances of cancer.

According to the latest statistics from the American Heart Association, cancer has overtaken heart disease as the top killer among those Americans who are aged between 45 and 74.

Dr Mercola in his article on his website as follows says:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/12/03/cancer-not-found-in-ancient-mummies-appears-to-be-recent-disease.aspx

The odds are very high that you or someone you know has cancer or has died from it. Cancer rates for various types of cancer are on the rise, and environmental/lifestyle factors are increasingly being pinpointed as the culprits, such as:

- Pesticides and other chemical exposures

- Pharmaceutical drugs

- Processed and artificial foods (plus the chemicals in the packaging)

- Wireless technology, dirty electricity and medical diagnostic radiation exposure

- Obesity, stress and poor sleeping habits

- Lack of sunshine exposure and the use of sunscreens.

This not an all-inclusive list but it is worth looking at all of the above to see how you can reduce their presence in your daily life.

If we suffer from too much stress and we don’t know how to relax, this affects our immune system and our sleeping patterns, leading to insomnia and even restless leg syndrome. Although short-term stress can actually boost the immune system, helping your body fight infection, ongoing stress can turn things in the opposite direction, possibly slowing wound healing, leaving you more susceptible to infection, and worsening skin conditions such as eczema, acne and shingles. Constantly tight muscles can cause headaches as well as neck, shoulder and back pain. Chronic stress may also increase your likelihood of developing osteoporosis.   A weakened system leads to all sorts of health problems.

If you can boost your immune system, you will fight off infections and viruses more successfully and not have to resort to prescription or over-the-counter medications.

Extreme stress can cause a dry mouth, indigestion, nausea and gas, and it stimulates the muscles of the intestines, possibly causing diarrhea or constipation. The symptoms then increase your risk for irritable bowel syndrome, severe heartburn or ulcers.

I know that in my own case, I tend to tense up my shoulders all the time especially when I am working at my computer. I have to keep reminding myself to relax those shoulders. And if I get the chance to go for a massage, the masseuse has to really work on those knots in that area.

The ability to switch off and relax has to be worked at and perfected. Some people find that they can relax if they listen to soothing music, take a long solitary walk on the beach or have a long soak in the bath with burning candles and aromatherapy oils. Other people need professional help such as joining a yoga class or learning to meditate.

There are relaxation techniques and exercises that you can do quietly at home. Choose a time and place where you will be left in peace for the duration of your “me” time and before you start, do a few gentle stretching exercises to relieve muscular tension:

-  You can either sit or lie down – the important thing is to be comfortable.

- Start by taking long, calm, slow and deep breaths until you think it is becoming effortless.

- Then focusing on one part of your body in turn, gently tense and then relax that area. It is easiest to start with your feet and then gradually work your way up your body until you reach your head.

- Part of the technique for each area is to think of warmth, heaviness and then relaxation.

- If you find those stressful thoughts starting to creep into your mind, please push them away firmly.

- Don’t force yourself to relax – you will find that as you let go of the tension in your muscles, relaxation will follow.

- Try to empty your mind by closing your eyes and focusing on one special peaceful place in your imagination.

- And stay put with this image for at least 20 minutes before taking some more deep breaths.

Then open your eyes but remain in place for a few more minutes before you get up again feeling renewed and relaxed!

And now that you have done this set of relaxation exercises once, you need to make them a regular occurrence for a new and improved less stressful “you”.

Although the final results of the study will only be available in another year, some 80 000 of these mats have been sold in Sweden during 2010. Anette Kjellgren, Associate Professor of Psychology at the Karlstad University, has led a study where pain patients had an opportunity to try out the spike mat.

She says:

“What we found in the study was that pain peaks were truncated. This difference was sufficiently great to be significant as we researchers say, that is, big enough to be measured and established statistically. The spike mat thus appears not to help patients’ constant dull pain, but it can offer some relief for powerful pain attacks.”

A big plus is that the mats are eco friendly as they are made from recylable materials.

The mat is marketed as being useful for alleviating pain and headaches, soothing tired and aching muscles and even combating insomnia. It has been developed to be used for a number of back-related ailments such as slipped discs, stiffness, lower back pain, stress, tense muscles, knots, chronic aches and pains, whiplash and fibromyalgia.

The mat is used by many professional specialists to treat and relax their clients when they need therapy.

There are two types of spike mats to choose from:

-  The classis model which has hard plastic spikes to work deep into the muscles.

-  The soft model which as the name suggests is less intense and is recommended for the neck as well as people with sensitive skin. If you prefer the sound of the soft model, this can also be used on the neck, back, lower back, buttocks and thighs.

It is easy to increase the intensity of the spikes’ pressure by using the mat on bare skin or to decrease it by wearing a T-shirt.

Proving very popular with all kinds of athletes either for sports injuries or to use as a muscle relaxation after a good work out, this mat was voted the best Christmas gift in Sweden last year.

The developers of the mat call it their “bed of nails” but the difference is that the “nails” of the mat have a rounded tip and cannot harm you. They suggest that for added benefits, you lie on the mat for 20-40 minutes as needed, preferably at least a couple of times a week or even every day. The experience should feel “nicely painful” to achieve its effect. They point out that everyone has different pain thresholds, so most people will need to adjust the effect by putting a towel or thin cloth on the mat to soften the pressure of the “nails”.

If you would like to find out more about this innovative mat, you can go to http://www.spikemat.com

Sounds like an easy way to benefit your health, relieve pain and to relax. If anyone has had experience of the spike mat, I would love to hear from you.

But the article goes on to explain that there is a price to pay for this delayed ageing:

More moles have been linked to a higher rate of cancer, both skin and other types. Those with more cell divisions, and more youthful looks, might be increasing their cancer risk.

Dr Bataille, the lead researcher who presented her findings at a Royal Society of Medicine conference, said:

“As a clinician, when I get a patient with lots of moles, I automatically want to know about their family history of cancer, so I can think about prevention. This is not just melanoma, but also more common cancers such as breast and colon cancer.”

But back to the good news of the story which is that people with large numbers of moles appeared less vulnerable to some of the effects of skin ageing, such as wrinkles and blemishes.

The article goes on to report:

The latest study in 1,200 twins suggested that high mole numbers also meant that people were less affected by age-related reductions in bone density, which could mean a lower risk of brittle bone disease and bone fractures later in life. Those with more than 100 moles were half as likely to develop osteoporosis compared with those with 25 moles or fewer.

The reason for these links are unclear, but researchers have noticed that people with large numbers of moles have differences in the strands of DNA in each cell which carry their genetic code. Sections on the end of these strands are called telomeres, and are effectively a countdown timer governing the number of times a cell can divide to produce new cells. The longer the telomere, the more cell divisions can take place over a lifetime – and more moles were linked to longer telomeres.

Dr Bataille suggested that moles were a visible product of the underlying system which controls body ageing.

She said: “Some people will have two moles, some people will have 600, but when you have a patient with lots of moles, we noticed they tended to age better.”

For more on this story, go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11813378

Most moles are harmless and don’t have to be removed but many people who have moles on the face feel they are unattractive and so, for cosmetic reasons, do want them to be removed.  Facial moles usually get more attention than moles elsewhere on the body.   In the 1950s, a dark regular mole on the cheek was considered to be a very attractive attribute and girls would often pencil in their own facial mole.  These were called beauty spots.  Cindy Crawford (super model of the 80s and 90s) brought back the fashion with her signature mole on the face close to her mouth. This was the genuine item.

Moles are usually small, dark, skin growths that develop from pigment-producing cells in the skin but they can be flesh-colored or yellow-brown, they can be raised off the skin and very noticeable or they may contain dark hairs.   Having hairs in a mole does not make it more dangerous.  Special cells that contain the pigment melanin cause the brown color of most moles.

All moles should be checked regularly.    While it is easy to keep an eye on facial moles (because we tend to examine our faces regularly in the mirror)  it is those moles elsewhere that we can easily forget about.   If you are at all concerned, go to your dermatologist or doctor for a full evaluation and screening.   Such a screening will look over your entire body rather than ignore areas that you may not be able to inspect regularly.

If you consider your moles on the face to be unattractive, then consider removing them. You can do this safely and gently with a natural essential oils product for removing moles.  There will be no pain and no scarring.

Image via Wikipedia

One of the most commonly used essential oils in the world today, tea tree oil is a natural antibacterial disinfectant that was used by the aborigine tribes in Australia for thousands of years when they would crush tea tree leaves and apply them to skin cuts, burns and infections.

Today the oil from those leaves is recognized by the scientific community as having tremendous medicinal benefits. From skincare to all purpose cleaning, tea tree oil applications are endless. But be aware that tea tree oil should always be diluted as it is rather potent – add to small amount of base oil such as olive oil.

For skin care and health

- If you are suffering from acne try using tea tree oil. It is a rich source of terpinen-4-ol, which is a powerful antimicrobial agent. When applied topically, it kills the bacteria that is such a problem in causing acne and pimples.

- If you have dandruff, or even worse head lice, a small amount of tea tree oil mixed with coconut oil or olive oil and applied to the scalp is a natural yet effective way to get rid of these two problems. Leave it on for up to 30 minutes and then wash off again.

- Tea tree oil is also a powerful antifungal agent so you can safely use it to treat athlete’s foot, ringworm or other types of fungal infections. Add a few drops of tea tree oil to a base oil such as coconut, olive, or almond oil and apply it in the affected areas. A soothing treat is to add some drops of tea tree oil to a bowl of warm water and soak your feet in this.

- Tea tree oil is a powerful natural remedy to treat cuts, burns and insect stings with its natural antiseptic properties. It will then go on to prevent infection, lessen the chance of scarring and complete the healing process.

- Add 3 drops of tea tree oil to a cup of warm water and use 3 times a day as a mouth wash to ensure no bad breath and to treat other oral problems. It also kills mouth bacteria before that check- up with the dentist or if you are going to have dental surgery and afterwards can reduce that mouth irritation that can be caused by dental procedures. Just be very careful not to swallow but to spit out afterwards as tea tree oil should never be taken internally.   A drop of tea tree oil can be added to toothpaste when brushing teeth for extra oral hygiene.

- Use as a steam inhaler for a sore throat or congestion to clear up chest infections and mucus by filling a large pot with water and bringing to the boil.  Remove from the stove and add 2-3 drops of tea tree oil.   Cover your head with a towel and lean over the pot so that the long ends of the towel are handing down the two sides of the pot.   Inhale for up to 10 minutes and repeat the process each night at bedtime until symptoms are gone.

Apart from natural rememdies, you can also use tea tree oil as a cleaning agent.

- To keep a humidifer bacteria free, add a few drops of – yes you guessed it! – tea tree oil to kill harmful bacteria and keep the humidifier clean.

- For a general cleaning solution around the home, add a few drops of tea tree oil to some liquid soap, put in a spray bottle and fill with water.

- Use a few drops of tea tree oils with a small amount of vinegar to wipe on areas of mould in the house.   It will eliminate it immediately.

Tea tree oil is easy to get hold of – you can buy from a natural health store or online but because of its potency, don’t use if you are pregnant or breast feeding.  In the 1770s, the British explorer Captain Cook observed the native Australians brewing tea from the leaves and, following their example, gave the same to his crew to prevent scurvy.  He coined the name tea tree.   In the 1920s, Australian doctors used the oil to clean wounds and prevent infections after surgery, believing it to be more effective than carbolic acid (the antiseptic commonly used then).  The oil became popular in Australian households as a remedy for skin conditions and fungus infections.  During World War II, tea tree oil was included in the first-aid kits given to all Australian soldiers and sailors.

After the discovery of penicillin and other antibiotics, tea tree oil went out of favor as an antiseptic until the 1980s, when it was discovered that some bacteria were resistant to certain antibiotics.  Today, tea tree oil has experienced a big “come back” as a successful alternative and natural treatment for skin infections.

Here are some of those foods to try:

For men

- Muesli makes a good breakfast for men as l-argine is one of the ingredients which improves circulation and penile response in men.

- Sunflower and vegetable oils as well as nuts contain plentiful amounts of linoleic acid which is important for sperm production.

For women

- The metabolism of the female hormone estrogen depends on manganese. So a diet rich in spinach, chestnuts, tea, oats, wholegrain cereals, wheatgerm, raisins, pineapple, beans, peas and nuts are all good sources of manganese.

For both men and women

- Bananas will benefit the sex drive as they contain significant amounts of the B vitamins which convert carbohydrates into energy and stimulate the production of testosterone.

- Flaxseeds and walnuts are also foods that boost hormone production and are a good source of fatty acids, which are essential to maintaining proper hormone levels.

- Zinc and folate are two other substances necessary for healthy sexual function and there are many foods rich in zinc, including shellfish, pumpkin seeds and pinenuts. Oysters have been one of the most popular traditional aphrodisiacs and this is due to their high level of zinc.

- Asparagus is a good source of folate, which stimulates histamine production, improving orgasms in men and women.

- Ginger and red wine are particularly helpful for improving circulatory function to the genitals while dark chocolate is rich in chemicals which trigger feelings of pleasure, relaxation and intoxication, making you more receptive to sexual stimulation and increasing response.

The idea of aphrodisiacs (certain foods that help to boost the libido and increase sexual pleasure) is certainly not a new concept as people as far back as the ancient Greeks have relied on various foods to give their love life a jump start.

But modern science has downplayed the connection between food and sexual desire preferring instead to promote chemical solutions such as Viagra.

Apart from food, there are also natural enhancement products now available to assist both men and women with libido and arousal problems.

In men, orgasms are just as important for their overall health as any other function of their bodies. Orgasms have definite health benefits attached to them such as: lower death rates for men; fewer days off sick; helping the body to fight infections; lowering of risk of prostrate cancer in men between the ages of 20 and 50; lessening likelihood of painful urination in old age; easing of tension; as well as reduction of stress and hostility.

Humans were meant to have sex often as the body and the mind suffer without the frequent combination of exertion and release brought about by sex and orgasms. But sometimes men have a low libido. Androgens, such as testosterone, are a major component of libido. Such hormone levels can decline at about 1% per annum in men so ageing can definitely contribute to a lower male libido.

Low libido may also be caused by depression, performance anxiety, marital stress or relationship problems, life crisis, financial difficulties, mental illness or even religious repression. Other reasons may be certain medical conditions. There are even certain prescription medications that interfere with libido while alcohol, smoking, recreational and hard drugs plus obesity can also have a negative affect on libido especially with increasing age. In many cases, if the causes are sorted out by therapy, stress release, a vacation or a change of lifestyle then the libido improves. But in other cases, additional help is needed. It is at such times that a male sex enhancer can be helpful.

The female libido will often peak in mid menstrual cycle and again premenstrual. These 2 types of sexual experience are different and there are strong links with hormones. Female libido does change throughout the menstrual cycle as do many other aspects of female life such as energy levels and emotions.

During mid menstrual cycle, the hormones come into play. Two of the hormones linked to female desire are testosterone and estrogen. Women have about one tenth the volume of testosterone compared to men but nevertheless it plays a dramatic role in many aspects of the female physiology and quality of life, including libido and sexual satisfaction.

Apart from the menstrual cycle, many women will experience a decrease in sexual desire or satisfaction at some point in their lives due to stress or depression; childbirth, menopause or hormonal fluctuations. Many women ignore this decrease in sexual desire or satisfaction thinking that it is just something that happens and not something that can be corrected.

In spite of modern conveniences, today’s lifestyle is still tough on women. Fatigue, constant responsibility, the demands of both the workplace and home, the difficulty of maintaining a healthy diet in the busy day and enough exercise all have a detrimental effect on a woman’s sexuality. A good sex life can be at the very bottom on her list of priorities.

Just as in the case of men, It is at such times that a female sex enhancer can be helpful.

So you don’t need to resort to artificial chemicals to solve sex drive problems when natural and food solutions are there for the taking.

The first sign that you might develop cracked heels is the appearance of dry, hard, thickened skin around the rim of the heel.   The skin starts to look yellow or dark brown and tiny cracks or fissures start to be visible.  If no cracked heel treatment is applied and more pressure is placed on the heel, these cracks become deeper so that walking and even standing are painful.  The cracks may become so deep that they start to bleed and may even become infected.  Cracked heels definitely seem to be more of a female problem while the guys suffer with Athlete’s foot.

So how can you avoid these cracked heels in the first place? Well the main reasons for them are:

- Long periods of standing on hard surfaces

- A change in walking posture

- High arched feet or flat feet

- Inactive sweat glands

- Misalignment of the metatarsal bones

- Shoes that do not fit correctly

- Wearing open back sandals or shoes

- Wearing heel spurs (you have to admit this cause is rather funny!)

- Surgery to the lower parts of the body

- Other skin disorders such as Athlete’s foot, psoriasis, eczema, thyroid disease and even – diabetes

- Ageing as thick dry scaly skin loses elasticity with age

- Unhygienic conditions or unhealthy dry skin due to climate or disease

- A vitamin, mineral or zinc deficiency

- Omega-3 fatty deficiency

- Being overweight or obese

- Extra dry feet or Xerosis

- Excessive feet activity especially if the skin is already dry

- Lack of attention to foot care and general neglect of the feet which will often lead to cracked skin

So if you have started down the road to cracked heels and feet and you are wondering what to do, here is how to look after your feet including the use of cracked heel treatment:

- Keep the feet clean and dirt free

- Soak them in warm water for about 20 minutes at night

- Apply lots of moisturizing cream and exfoliate the feet

- Petroleum jelly can also be used as a cracked heal cream to seal in the moisture after a foot bath and then slip into thick socks for bed

- Or another method is to use a regular application of a mixture of glycerine and rosewater

- A further method is to apply the pulp of a ripe banana on the dry cracked heels for 10 minutes before rinsing clean and repeat daily

- Use a pumice stone to reduce the thickness of the hard skin in the heal area but do not try to reduce the skin with a razor blade or scissors because of the risk of infection and even taking too much off

- Avoid wearing open-back shoes or thin soiled shoes

- Avoid walking barefoot if you are prone to dry cracked heels

- Exercise the feet regularly

- Pedicures and foot massages will keep heels hydrated and in perfect, crack-free condition

- Change to a diet rich in calcium, iron, zinc and omega-3 fats

- Use a healing natural oils product specially formulated for the treatment of cracked heels

I think you will agree that with a bit of special attention to the care of your feet and some minor lifestyle changes, any cracked heels will disappear and you will go into the coming months with lovely smooth heels to slip into your winter boots or footwear.   The discomfort and pain of dry cracked heels and feet will no longer be a problem.