Eye Cream Or Eye Gel – Which is Best For You?

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There are so many varieties of anti-wrinkle products and eye care products in the market, add that with the confusion of which kind of consistency to use, and you’ve got yourself a total question mark on your head.

To subtract one of the perplexities of skin care and youthful glow, there is one issue that is rarely addressed, but has always been at the back of the mind when thinking of purchasing an anti-wrinkle cream, or anti-wrinkle gel at that. So, should you wrinkle cream, or wrinkle gel?

Actually, you may use a cream, or a gel, it all depends on your skin type, age, and eye problems. So read on and choose which is best for you.

Gels are:

  1. Best for younger skin- It is not as rich as creams, and since younger skin tends to be more oily than more mature skin, it would be advised for the younger generation with eye problems.
  2. More soothing for tired eyes
  3. More cooling than creams
  4. Ideal for reducing puffiness- It is more soothing and cooling as already mentioned, and the key to reducing puffiness is to soothe and cool the area around the eye.
  5. Leaves less residue
  6. Best for morning applications- It is less oily, and has less chances of smudging or leaving residue than creams.
  7. Easier for make-up application- Eye gels tend to be absorbed faster than eye creams, so if you’re a woman on the go, the fast absorption makes it easier for you to do your morning face rituals.
  8. Leaves a temporary tightening effect- Aside from the long term benefits, another reason which makes eye gels ideal for morning applications is that it also leaves a temporary tightening effect which leaves you looking fresh and younger as you go out in the day.
  9. Less likely to cause milia- Ideally, gels are lighter and have less chances of clogging your pores, making black heads and milia less chances to occur.

The given may give all the votes to gels, but, eye creams also give out their own wondrous effects.

Creams are:

  1. More nourishing and moisturizing- Creams contain more ingredients that moisturize the skin more effectively than cream
  2. Best for fine lines reduction- The moisturizing effect in eye creams eventually leaves aging skin with fine lines better than before. It contains emollients that nourishes the skin and plumps up the area to eliminate the fine lines.
  3. Better for dry skin
  4. Best for mature skin- Dry and mature skin need more oil to improve its health. Wrinkle creams have the right formulation to treat eye problems that are brought about by dry or more mature skin.

At Home Weight Loss Exercises With Sample Workout

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Attempting to construct an at home weight loss work out can be daunting, but an extremely effective at home weight loss work out can be done without the necessity of unsightly and expensive equipment or wasting money on a costly gym membership.

Too frequently, it becomes easy to fall into the trap of concentrating only on exercises specific to particular body parts and to waste valuable time doing so in the process (for example: crunches and leg lifts – these exercises will not give you great results no matter how many repetitions you perform). If rapid weight loss obtained in a shorter time span is your goal, this at home weight loss work out is the answer.

If your goal is to replace fat with muscle and obtain a slim and sexy silhouette, you can easily do just that by mastering the following concepts that are an integral part of any truly effective weight loss workout.

Before You Begin, Consider The Following Facts:

– If your wish to shed weight quickly and optimize the time spent doing it, always choose a physically challenging exercise over exercises aimed at only one body part. Compare 50 leg lifts to 50 lunges and it is easy to determine which exercise will burn more calories and more efficiently expedite the fat burning process necessary for effective weight loss.

– Never waste precious time on one area of your body when you can focus on the entire body and burn more calories in a shorter period of time. This will allow you to achieve more results in less time.

– Exercises intended for specific areas are not challenging enough to promote the optimum burning of calories that leads to weight loss and require many more repetitions to be as effective as fewer repetitions of more strenuous exercises. Once again, more results in less time.

– When beginning a weight loss exercise routine, don’t sabotage a valuable exercise program by attempting too many repetitions and too few breaks which can prevent continued exercise if discouragement sets in.

– The more challenging the exercise the more effective your weight loss routine. For example, a set of push-ups will help you develop a flat stomach much better than dozens of crunches.

– To obtain the best weight loss results, never burden yourself with a cumbersome routine that is not focused on rapid continuous movements and effective over all exercises.

The Most Effective Exercises for a Weight Loss Routine:

To discourage exercise burn out, create a challenge by varying exercises within each of these five groups. Choose one exercise, or exercise variation, from each group and perform each exercise one after the other with no, or minimal, rest. There will be a sample workout provided.

1. Upper body pushes ( dips and push-up variations)
2. Upper body pull (chin ups and regular and inverted rows)
3. Lower body (lunges, step ups, split squats, jump squats and squats)
4. Abdominal exercise (reverse crunches, inch worms, or planks)
5. Total body exercise/miscellaneous (jumping jacks, burpees or squat thrusts)

– Rest a couple of minutes only after repeating an entire circuit consisting of one exercise from all five categories. Complete three to five circuits of the five chosen exercises for maximum benefit.

– Don’t negate the benefits of a weight loss workout by attempting to do too much too quickly.

– Gradually decrease break times between circuits or increase the number of repetitions for each exercise you perform.

– Gradually increase both repetitions and sets to increase the challenge.

– Once you are able to complete five sets with no more than one minute between circuits, vary the exercises within each group to continue to burn off body fat, sculpt a lean body, and decrease the potential for exercise burn out.

A Sample Weight Loss Work Out:

Beginners: Do not to attempt too much and risk injury or discouragement.

– 12 reverse lunges on each leg
– 12 inverted rows
– Plank for 30 to 45 seconds
– 10 step-ups on each leg
– 10 close grip push-ups
– 50 jumping jacks
– Perform each exercise for the prescribed reps (or time period) with no breaks between exercises and continue to each exercise with few or no breaks.
– Rest for one to two minutes after completing the circuit.
– Repeat the entire routine no fewer than three times and no more than five times.

Losing weight is simply a matter of restricting your caloric intake and burning calories through exercise. When your goal is to lose weight, the sensible workout routine should always include weight loss exercises that are optimal for burning body fat and require less time to perform. Say “good bye” to long, slow, ineffective cardio because now you can obtain incredible results in a lot less time!

Which Diet Works?

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Every year a “revolutionary” new diet captures the headlines, claiming to be able to help us lose weight and feel healthier. There is no magic way to lose weight and the healthiest, safest and ultimately easiest way to lose weight and stay slim is to eat a balanced diet including fibre, while cutting down on sugary and fatty foods.

Many people, however, turn to one of these diets. While some are based on sound nutritional principals, others are deficient in certain nutrients and are not balanced. Let’s have a look at some of them.

The Atkins Diet
A low carbohydrate and high protein diet that is high in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. You can expect to lose up to 8lbs (3.6kg) in the first week, but this is mainly water. Once you start eating normally again the weight will come back and usually with more on top! This diet could be dangerous for anyone suffering from kidney disease.

The BBC Diet
A sensible diet that advocates less fat and sugar and more fibre and exercise. The guidelines include how to make the healthiest choices on the three-meals-a-day plan.

The Beverly Hills Diet
A low calorie diet which relies heavily on exotic fruit such as pineapple, papaya, and mangoes, eaten in a certain order on specific days. Deficient in many nutrients including protein.

The Hip and Thigh Diet
This low fat diet provides between 1000-1500 calories per day. Forbidden foods and menu options are listed. Dieters are advised to include foods from certain groups, and take a multivitamin supplement whilst on the diet.

The F-Plan Diet
The first book to come out extolling the virtues of high fibre foods when dieting. Based on 1000-1500 calories per day, the F-plan diet is low-fat and nutritionally well balanced. But anyone not used to a high-fibre diet may experience excess flatulence.

The Grapefruit or Mayo diet
This diet consists of unlimited amounts of meat, fish and eggs as long as half a grapefruit or some grapefruit is eaten with every meal. The diet claims that the grapefruit “burns fat” – which is untrue. The diet is potentially unbalanced and is high in saturated fats and cholesterol.

The Meatabolic Diet
This diet is based on low-fat, low sugar and high-fibre foods yielding 1000-1500 calories per day. The diet also contains a daily programme of vitamin and mineral supplements which it claims maximises the metabolic rate.

Very Low Calorie Diets
These diets are usually based on fluid preparations which are the dieter’s sole source of calories and nutrients, although some have added solid foods such as muesli bars. These diets can cause the body’s metabolism to drop below normal. This means that when the dieter resumes normal eating, the weight not only returns but is also more difficult than ever to lose. These diets do not encourage healthy eating habits which lead to a more gradual but permanent weight loss. Very low calorie diets should only be used by the seriously overweight, and they should not be used by anyone for more than three weeks.

The Hay Diet
This diet was devised by an American doctor, William Howard Hay, to fight digestive problems such as ulcers. Many people have claimed dramatic improvements in their heath after adopting the Hays diet, but medical proof of its effectiveness is limited.

The diet recommends that carbohydrates should not be eaten with high protein foods or acid fruits ( such as apples, pears and oranges) at the same meal. The major part of the diet comprises vegetables, salads and fruits. Only small quantities of fats, proteins and starches are eaten. All starches must be obtained from wholegrain products. Apart from digestive disorders, the diet also claims to help people suffering from arthritis and food allergies.

For more information on how to lose weight and for different reviews on the latest weight loss products visit http://www.thenewslimyoulifestyle.com.

Diabetes – How to Prevent It, How You Get It, and How to Treat It

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Thanks to modern medicine many people are living longer and longer, but many Americans are developing Diabetes at an alarming rate. There are many risk factors for developing Diabetes including heredity, obesity, sedentary lifestyle and increased consumption of fast food. Diabetes was once common in people in their 60s and 70s but has rapidly become common in younger people in their teens and 20s.

Diabetes Mellitus, (DM), is a very common disease caused by insufficient production of the hormone Insulin by the pancreas. There are two types of diabetes: Type 1, Juvenile Diabetes also known as Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) and Type 2, also known as Non-Insulin Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM). Type 1 is caused by total failure of the pancreas to make adequate levels of insulin to lower blood sugars that may range from 200 to close to 1000. Type 1 is diagnosed in the pediatric and adolescent population and is a life threatening event. The cause of Type 1 remains unknown and is a topic of much research. Without insulin supplementation, these patients will die from Diabetes Ketoacidosis or Diabetic Coma. Fortunately, Type 1 is much less common than Type 2.

Type 2 Diabetes is much more common, affecting millions of Americans each year. The pancreas does not quit working, it just produces less insulin than the body demands to keep blood sugars normal. Poor diet, lack of exercise and obesity tax the pancreas to keep up with normal Insulin production. Blood sugars are constantly rising and lowering, thanks to the complexity of the pancreas and insulin production. Normal insulin levels range from 60 to 120 in the fasting non-diabetic patient. Blood sugars may rise after eating a meal to levels above 140 and are lowered by the production of insulin in the normal patient.

Many of us have normal fasting blood sugars, less than 126 mg/dl, but are still considered pre-diabetic because we do not produce enough insulin for our bodily demands. Screening for Diabetes includes measuring a random, non fasting blood sugar. If the blood sugar is higher than 126mg/dl on two occasions, the diagnosis of Diabetes is made. Other patients are diagnosed with a glucose tolerance test. But a relatively new test, the Hemoglobin A1C, HgbA1C, is now the gold standard for the diagnosis of Diabetes. A HgbA1C of 6.0 or higher is diagnostic of Diabetes Mellitus. You can ask your Health Care Provider to order this test the next time you are due for bloodwork.

Many Type 2 Diabetics can be controlled with diet alone. Reducing the total number of calories taken in can reduce insulin levels. Sugars are not the only foods that raise insulin levels. Carbohydrates, such as bread, potatoes, pasta and rice, and bad fats increase levels of insulin. Many diabetics eat out at Mom and Pop Diners or eat fast food. These foods are full of fat and carbohydrates. A Diabetic friendly meal consists of one serving of lean protein, one serving of carbohydrate, and two or more servings of fresh vegetables. Exercise also plays an important part in keeping insulin levels low. Exercise helps the body move insulin from the blood stream into the muscle where it can be used as energy.

When diet and exercise alone are not enough to control sugar levels, there are many by mouth medications that can be prescribed by your Health Care Provider. Diet and Exercise are still important. Medicines can’t do it all. But medications can keep blood sugars in check. If the Diabetes is no longer controlled with diet, exercise and by mouth medications, Insulin and other medications administered under the skin are added to keep blood sugars normal. Many Type 2 Diabetics end up taking Insulin because the supply of insulin producing cells in the pancreas dwindles after years of overuse. The key is to preserve the pancreas function as long as possible with diet, exercise, controlling weight and if needed, medications.

But what is the big deal about high blood sugars? Many of my Diabetic patients say they feel just fine, even when their sugars are high. I use this analogy when teaching my patients about blood sugars. If the blood sugar is too high, it gets too thick, just like maple syrup is thicker than water alone. This thicker consistency of the blood makes it more sluggish and more difficult to flow through large and small blood vessels that feed the organs of the body. Long term high blood sugars can affect the eyes, leading to blindness. Many patients on dialysis are being treated because their kidneys were damaged from elevated blood sugars. Sugar enriched blood flows slower to the brain and heart leading to an increase in heart attacks and strokes. Blood that is thick with sugar cannot properly flow to legs, feet and hands and many poorly controlled Diabetics have to have amputations to treat a local major infection (gangrene) and to prevent the risk of a total body infection (sepsis).

But Diabetes doesn’t run in my family! Do I need to worry? Yes, you do. Because blood sugars rise gradually over time, you may not feel bad. Some symptoms that lead to suspicion of Diabetes are fatigue, frequent eating, frequent liquid consumption and frequent urination. Some patients may have extremely high blood sugars, greater than 300 mg/dl, and have fruity or acetone smelling breath and are at risk of Diabetic Ketoacidosis and Diabetic Coma.

So what can you do to lessen your chance of becoming a Diabetic? Well, you can’t change your genetics. But even patients with a family history of Diabetes can prevent the disease. All patients can greatly reduce the risk of developing Diabetes with improving their diet. Include lean meat, less beef and pork, more fish and chicken, less bad fats like lard and fatback, and more good fats like nuts and olive oil in your diet. We all need to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Try to eat foods in their original state, less processed. Instead of drinking orange juice, eat an orange. You will get all the juice, plus the pulp that is fiber. When fresh fruits and vegetables are not available, try frozen varieties over canned ones. Canned foods have less nutrients and more additives like salt. Eat less processed foods like chips, soda, candy, and sweets. When you go to the grocery store concentrate on buying food from the perimeter of the store, the fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy. Try to stay away from the center of the store where the processed foods are located.

Get moving! Exercise greatly reduces your risk of developing Diabetes and helps you control Diabetes if you have it. You should exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, 4 to 5 times a week. Choose something you enjoy doing. Walk, run, hike, play golf, play tennis, garden, surf, rollerblade, snowski, waterski, play with your grandchildren.

Get closer to your ideal body weight. You don’t have to get back down to the size you were when you married. And a few extra pounds will not hurt you as you get older. But you cannot afford to be obese. Calculate you BMI by using the formula provided by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute at http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi. Your Health Care Provider can help you calculate your ideal body weight at the office.

You can find out more about Diabetes from talking with your Health Care Provider. He or she can provide you with pamphlets or reliable internet sites. And you can visit the American Diabetes Association at http://www.diabetes.org.