Hormones and Your Skin

When skin care products fail to clear up your acne problems, it is an indication that they could be a result of hormonal imbalances. Below are some general guidelines on how to tell if your complexion problems are hormonal:

* You experience acne breakouts the week before your period, mostly on the jaw line, chin and neck.
* Irregular periods and/or excess hair on the face or body in addition to acne could signal a hormonal disorder. Consult your doctor.
* Your skin tends to feel much more sensitive during the fourth week of your monthly menstrual cycle.

Keeping skin acne free requires more than just diligent skincare. It is also a matter of timing your skin care according to your monthly hormonal surges. That is because monthly hormone fluctuations stimulate the skin’s sebaceous glands to secrete oil. The more oil our skin produces, the higher the possibility that acne problems will arise.

THE HORMONAL CYCLE 101

Your cycle begins on the first day of your period and can last anywhere from 21 to 40 days. In the first week after your period, your oestrogen level increases, helping to keep skin clear (oestrogen is the hormone that helps keep oil glands in check). When ovulation occurs around day 14 of your cycle, progesterone (another hormone) starts to surge and your potential for acne blemishes increases and peaks, just days before your period. That is when you will experience oily skin and acne breakouts.

WEEK-BY-WEEK SKINCARE

Week 1 (The cycle begins on the first day of your period)

WHAT’S HAPPENING: Hormone levels are at their monthly low. Skin may appear dull or it could be recovering from premenstrual acne flare-ups.

WHAT YOUR SKIN NEEDS: Regular and gentle care.

* Use mild cleansers that contain soothing ingredients like Aloe, Chamomile or Green Tea. While washing, massage your face gently with the pads of your fingertips.

* Concealers are your skin’s best friends this week. Choose an oil-free one that contains Salicylic Acid or Sulphur, which can help to unclog pores.

* Treat skin to a moisturizing or exfoliating mask. Left on for 10 minutes, an exfoliating mask will remove any flakiness on the skin and have skin lightening effects on a dull complexion. The moisturizing element will provide much needed extra skin hydration.

* Treat lingering acne scars and blemishes with acne treatment products that contain Salicylic Acid or Tea Tree Oil.

TIP: Do not skimp on your moisturizer. Hydrate your skin regularly and choose moisturizers that are oil-free or comedogenic.

Week 2 (The week after your period)

WHAT’S HAPPENING: As oestrogen levels are rising, your skin condition is at its peak with a clear and balanced complexion.

WHAT YOUR SKIN NEEDS: Maintenance and prevention

* For most skin types, ranging from normal to combination skin, this is a good time for professional pampering. Since your skin is not overly sensitive, you can get a simple gentle facial done.

* If you have very sensitive skin, do not go for facials as this may have the effects of over-stimulating your sensitive skin and cause further problems. Opt for a simple regimen that consists of a mild cleanser, sunscreen, moisturizer and a good acne treatment product (if you still experience acne breakouts during this week).

* Keep using the same mild cleansers you used in Week 1 and make sure that you keep your skin clean and fresh by washing your face twice a day. There is no need to carry out excessive cleansing as this may strip your skin of its natural sebum.

* Exfoliate your skin with exfoliating products that contain skin sloughers like Glycolic acid, Lactic acid or Salicylic Acid. However, if your skin is extremely sensitive, you should avoid using such exfoliating products as they may further sensitize your skin.

TIP: Always remove make-up before going to bed. Sleeping with your make-up on can cause pores to clog and trigger acne breakouts.

Week 3 (Ovulation)

WHAT’S HAPPENING: While your oestrogen levels peak, progesterone surges. These hormonal fluctuations cause oily skin flare-ups and acne breakouts.

WHAT YOUR SKIN NEEDS: Acne blemishes battling treatments and moderate exfoliation.

* Keep skin clean and fresh by washing your face twice a day with a mild cleanser, in the morning and in the night. Use an alcohol-free toner to deep-cleanse your pores.

* During other times, cleanse skin by using water only. Water is the natural healer for skin and can calm your skin without stripping your skin of its natural sebum.

* During Week 3 and Week 4, bring oil-blotting pads with you to mop up excess oil for a matte complexion.

* Pamper your skin with products that prevent acne scars and blemishes. They usually contain Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Benzoyl Peroxide, Chlorhexidine and Tea Tree Oil.

* Use an acne clearing mask this week. For normal skin users, the mask can be used 2 times a week, while sensitive skin users should only use it once a week.

TIP: Resist the urge to squeeze your pimples. Apply a warm washcloth to the pimples for several minutes and follow with an antibacterial Benzoyl-Peroxide or Chlorhexidine product.

Week 4 (The week before your period)

WHAT’S HAPPENING: Your oestrogen plummets while progesterone continues to surge. Your skin is at its oiliest, and painful pimples, bumps or acne cysts flare up.

WHAT YOUR SKIN NEEDS: Tender, loving care.

* Keep skin clean and fresh by washing your face twice a day with a mild cleanser, in the morning and in the night.

* During other times, cleanse skin by using water only. Water is the natural healer for skin and can calm your skin without stripping your skin of its natural sebum.

* Treat your acne scars and blemishes with spot treatments, in the morning and in the night.

* Declog your pores by using an acne mask at least twice this week. Sensitive skin users should only use an acne mask once a week.

* Look for foundations that contain Salicylic Acid, which will help clear pores. Also make sure that your make-up is labeled non-comedogenic so that it would not clog pores.

* Stay away from any sort of skin trauma this week. No waxing, laser treatments, microdermabrasion and facials. You are bound to experience extra discomfort on the acne affected areas if you do.

TIP: If the acne affected areas show no improvement and seem to be getting worse, you should immediately consult a dermatologist who can prescribe topical acne medication or oral antibiotics.

Ben Ong is a senior product development consultant at Acne Detox Skin Science. Backed by a team of experienced cosmeceutical researchers, Acne Detox Skin Science is a company that specializes in the formulation of acne treatment products that can help to rectify acne, pimples, acne scars, blemishes and blackheads. Please visit their official website for more information and tips on how to combat and treat acne effectively.

Related Information of Interest:

Making Your Own Bird Feeder
There is estimated to be over 100 billion individual wild birds on earth, and each one needs to eat certain amounts of food on a daily basis in order to survive. That’s where we come in! Birdfeeders are fun to make and are essential in order for birds to live. Bird houses can be made out of practically anything and are usually hung in different locations around your yard for birds to enjoy. Purchasing a bird feeder is another option, however this can be expensive and both methods serve practically the same purpose.

The following is a fun and easy way for children (or adults) to make a bird feeder:

What You Will Need:

•An empty milk or juice carton (any size will do)
•String (must be strong)
•Scissors
•Stapler
•Hole punch
•2 small sticks or wooden rods
•Bird seed
•Markers, paint or anything which can be used to decorate the carton. Ensure the paint is water based not to hurt your feathered friends and try not to use anything that can be potentially dangerous to swallow.

Directions:

1.Wash and dry the carton thoroughly.

2.Decorate your carton however you would like.

3.Using your scissors cut a square in each side of the carton (a square big enough to fit at least the head of a bird).

4.Using your hole punch (or your scissors) make a small hole below each square.

5.Push your sticks or rods through the holes from one side of the carton to the other (the sticks will form a “t”).

6.Fill the bottom of your carton with bird seed.

7.Punch a hole (or two if you like) in the top of your carton.

8.Hang your finished feeder to a tree branch with string.

Although these bird feeders will not last forever (or even close), they are a fun, inexpensive way for children to learn about birds and the importance of caring for our wildlife.

About the Author

Greg Pilson is an avid bird watcher who also dabbles in freelance photography of his favorite subjects. When he’s not working full time in the engineering industry, he writes as a freelance writer for www.birdfeedersdirect.com – a site that offers information about bird houses and more.

Web Conferencing Is A Benefit To Business Big Or Small
No matter what kind of job you have or business you own, it seems like meetings are just a fact of life. They are necessary to make sure vital information is shared and employees are kept in the loop, but they can be a major expense to the employer.

This is especially true for corporations that need to fly employees across the globe for face to face meetings with other employees or clients.

Well thanks to the internet and the latest innovations in communications technology, meetings can now be carried out over the internet via web conferencing. Today’s web conferencing solutions are state of the art thanks in part to the availability of high speed internet access.

Corporations can hold meetings and the employees don’t even need to leave their offices. All they need to do is hook into their web conferencing application which works just as well as actual in person meetings.

The savings in time and money to business owners is quite substantial when you add up travel time, overtime, and man hours away from the job to attend meetings in an offsite location.

Productivity and efficiency remain at peak levels and the company saves money all at the same time. It is no wonder web conferencing has taken the business world by storm.

It isn’t only big business that benefits. Small businesses and startups that work from home can now compete on a global scale thanks to web conferencing and the ability to communicate instantly with anyone on the planet that has access to internet technology.

There are a couple of options to consider when it comes to web conferencing. The choice will ultimately depend upon the budget of the company. In any case, the money saved by utilizing the web conferencing solution will pay for itself in no time.

For higher end solutions, there are full featured stand alone video web conferencing applications. For most small companies however, a simple web conferencing program can be initiated right over the internet which saves the expense of purchasing equipment and dedicated communication lines.

Web conferencing is a particular boon to those who work at home. It is relatively inexpensive to set up a web conferencing system utilizing a home computer and high speed internet line. Web conferencing provides a link to employees that work from home and gives those with a home business a more professional outward appearance.

Jane Wyvern is an established freelance writer. You can find more of her writing at webtalkcentral.com and webhostmatters.com.

Traditional Jamaican Recipes & Food
The flavors of Jamaica are the product of the island's history combined with a verdant, lush climate. The Spanish, British, African and East Indian have all had an influence over what is today a unique island cuisine made colorful by the many tropical fruits that thrive here.

The waters off Jamaica have always teemed with fish and seafood is the primary protein source for islanders. Snapper, grouper, sea bass and other reef a deep sea fish are caught daily by the many fishermen whose boats line the beaches. Spiny lobster, shrimp and freshwater crustaceans are readily available and cooked usually in a thick sauce. Chicken and goats are well suited to the small mountainous island and are kept by many families but cattle are rare and beef is not the predominant meat.

Many of Jamaica's fruits, including pineapple, mango, banana and avocado were brought to the region by slave traders and plantation owners experimenting with crops. What were once sugar cane fields are now being used to grow fruits and ackee for export and domestic use.

Few other cuisines mix such a range of spices and tastes - sweet, hot and savory - as Jamaican cooking. Jamaican food wouldn't be the same without the spices, seasonings and colors from: Allspice, the pimento berry.

Among many of the spices grown in Jamaica are nutmeg, ginger, thyme, scotch bonnet peppers, which are integral distinct flavors of Jamaican cooking. The pungent thyme grows rampantly on the island and is found in the majority of Jamaican foods.

Favourite Jamaican foods are those for coconut cake, rum punch & beef jerky recipies.

Real Jamaican food, when cooked with feeling, is a soul-satisfying experience.

For further tips and ideas for cooking great and traditional food from around the world, visit rel="nofollow">a href="http://www.worldwide-recipes.com/jamaican-recipes.html" target="_blank">Jamaican Recipes

This article was submitted by Jen Carter, owner of the World Recipes website. Jen has travelled around the world and enjoys collecting and sharing recipes from other countries.

Five Reasons Why You Should Drink More Water Everyday
1. Drinking more water everyday will keep your skin looking smooth and supple. Applying expensive creams and lotions to your face is not an effective way to conceal the effects aging has on your skin. The real fountain of youth can be found in a glass of water.

2. Drinking more water everyday will help you cut calories. Most popular beverages are loaded with calories. A can of soda can have as many as 240 calories per serving. Drinking 1 or 2 of these each day is a recipe for gaining weight. Choosing to drink water instead is the calorie free way to quench your thirst.

3. Drinking more water everyday will help you distinguish thirst from hunger. If you allow your body to become dehydrated it will be difficult to discern whether that gnawing feeling in your stomach is a call for food or a call for water. And if you keep eating food when what your body really needs is water, you will gain weight.

4. Drink more water everyday will help your think more clearly. Research has repeatedly shown that staying hydrated is necessary for the human brain, which is 85 percent water, to function at optimal levels. That is why many school systems throughout the country now encourage students to keep a bottle of water at their desks and to drink it throughout the day.

5. Drinking more water everyday will help you feel better. Your body is about 75 percent water and 25 percent solid material. Doesn’t it make sense that you would need to drink water on a daily basis to ensure that your body has all the water it needs to perform at optimal levels. It is a mistake to believe that thirst is the only indicator of a need to drink water. Constipation, achy joints and fatigue are also signals that your body may be dehydrated.

Jacqueline D. Stanley: Author, Speaker, Chief Encouragement Officer at Lettuce Is Not Enough University: The Place to Learn How to Live Well and Lose Weight. lettuceisnotenough.com