Alpha Lipoic Acid The Miracle Nutrient Now Used In

Author: Danny Siegenthalerbr
Source: articleage.combr
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Brief overview of the skins functions
The human skin is the largest organ of the human body and plays several vital roles including, protection, sensation, temperature regulation and communication. In addition, it is also capable of healing itself.
I have discussed the anatomy and physiology of the skin in previous articles and will therefore focus on pores and their associated glands of the skin in this article.
There are literally millions of pores covering the surface of our skin and these pores play a very important role in the overall function of the skin and the health of our bodies. Often these skin pores are referred to a sweat glands, however they are more than that.
The microscopic anatomy of skin reflects this functional complexity, with each functional specialization implemented by particular features of cell and tissue structure.
Structurally the skin is basically divided into two layers, the epidermis (outer skin) and the dermis (skin below the surface). The epidermis is the epithelial tissue layer of the skin and contains hair follicles, sebaceous glands, and sweat glands, which originate in the dermis and protrude to the surface of the skin (the epidermis).
Focusing on the pores of the skin, lets look at the Sweat Glands first.
These glands are tubular and their secretory portion originates deep in the dermis. Secretions from these glands reach the skins surface via a duct that passes through the dermis and epidermis to the outermost layer of the skin.
The secretory portion of sweat glands is comprised of larger cells than the duct. These cells form a simple cuboidal epithelium, along with interspersed myoepithelial cells, which can expel sweat by contraction.
Cells lining the duct re-absorb certain elements from the fluid, secreted by the secretory portion of the sweat gland, as the fluid passes through the duct. This is primarily to conserve salt.
Sweat glands play a primary role in the bodys temperature regulation by means of a process called evaporative cooling.
There are two types of sweat glands, ordinary eccrine sweat glands found over most of the body and large apocrine sweat glands found in axillary, pubic, and perianal regions.
Sebaceous Glands
Sebaceous glands are part of the pilosebaceous apparatus, which consists of the sebaceous gland, the hair follicle and the hair shaft.
Unlike all other glands, sebaceous glands are holocrine glands, which means they secrete whole cells. The secreted cells are dead by the time they reach the surface of the skin but whilst alive and on their way to the surface, they absorb lipids (triglycerides and free fatty acids, wax esters, squalene, and cholesterol) which are then secreted to the skins surface via the lumen (opening/pore) of the hair shaft. The secretion of sebaceous glands is referred to as sebum.
Whilst most of the sebaceous glands are indeed associated with the pilosebaceous apparatus some glands open directly to the surface of the skin such, for example the Meibomian glands of the eyelids.
Sebum secretion is under hormonal control and sebaceous gland development occurs during puberty. Blockage, or excessive build up of sebum can lead to acne which is of primary concern to many teenagers and can reoccur during mid-life as adult acne.
As mentioned earlier, sebum is composed of triglycerides and free fatty acids, wax esters, squalene, and cholesterol. The secretion of sebum performs several functions. Firstly, the water-holding power of cornified epithelium depends on the presence of these lipids and secondly, sebum protects the skin against fungal and bacterial infections. This is sometimes referred to as the Acid Mantel of the skin.
As you can see, the secretions from the pores of the skin are in fact much more than mere sweat and serve some very important functions. The Acid Mantel for example is a key immune defence of the body protecting the inside from the external environment and thus reducing the chance of infection.
Danny Siegenthaler is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and together with his wife Susan, a medical herbalist and Aromatherapist, they have created Natural Skin Care Products by Wildcrafted Herbal Products to share their 40 years of combined expertise with you.
Join our Natural Skin Care Newsletter – its fun, free and Informative and you receive a free eBook on natural skin care.
? Wildcrafted Herbal Products 2006br
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Author: Joelle Applebebr
Source: articledashboard.combr
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Simply put, natural skin care means caring for your skin in a natural and chemical-free way. Natural skin care enables the skin to care for itself (without any assistance from synthetic materials or chemicals). Natural skin care is about indoctrination of good habits on the way you lead your daily life. A lot of natural skin care methods are really the same as those for body care in general.

Lets explore what these natural skin care measures are.

First and foremost, for natural skin care you must drink plenty of water. Several glasses of water should be taken every day to promote healthy skin. Keep in mind, however, that the rule of thumb eight glasses of water a day is not based on actual research. Its so often cited that we assume its based on fact, while it really isnt. The amount of water that you actually need may vary, depending on what you eat. If you enjoy plenty of fruits and vegetables that are naturally high in water content, you wont need to drink as much water during the day. The important thing is that youre getting even water to help your body flush out the toxins in a natural manner. Water aids the general upkeep of the body and promotes good health for all of your organs, including your skin.

Your general daily cleanliness is another inexpensive aspect of natural skin care. Wearing clean clothes, sleeping on clean linens and bathing every day are all important to your good hygiene. If you suffer with problem skin, remember that clean skin is paramount in keeping problems at bay.

The next thing to consider is regular physical exercise. When you exercise, your circulation of blood is naturally increased, your body is naturally cleansed of toxins, and you are healthier. Physical exercise also helps to decrease stress, which is the greatest obstacle to your good health.

Healthy food and eating habits are recommended for natural skin care as well. Some kinds of food (e.g. oily food) are known to cause acne and should be avoided as much as possible. Your diet should be a healthy mix of various nutritious foods. Raw fruits and vegetables are thought to provide freshness to your body and to help in getting rid of body toxins.

Good sleep is beneficial in maintaining good health and overcoming stress. As an organic skin care measure, adequate sleep is helpful in preventing slacking of the skin.

Reducing the amount of stress is another method of natural skin care. Stress leads to overall damage to body and health. Drinking a lot of water, getting a sound sleep and exercising have already been mentioned as stress reducers. Indulging in a warm bubble bath, listening to music and playing your favorite sport are also effective ways of beating stress. Yoga is an additional technique of beating stress; it is fast gaining popularity around the world.

Avoiding unnecessary exposure to the sun (by wearing long sleeved clothes, hat and umbrella) is another natural skin care strategy. Sunscreens are also highly recommended.

You can find information on many homemade and traditional natural skin care methods and products. These natural, easy-to-use methods are quite effective and are typically inexpensive as well.

There are many organic and natural skin care products available on the commercial market. These products include lavender oil, aloe vera and many more, which offer natural benefits without side effects./pbr
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Author: Danny Siegenthaler
Source: articleage.com

The skin of your children is soft, wrinkle free, supple, smooth and usually unblemished. “Smooth as a baby’s bottom”, is an expression used to indicate that some object or material has an extremely smooth finish or is smooth to the touch, just like a baby’s bottom.
Young skin is smooth and has a youthful appearance – of course, it’s young. As children grow up and their bodies start to mature, so to does their skin – teenagers often get acne and in some cases this can even lead to permanent scaring on their faces.
But there is another less obvious aging process that has a long term rather than a short term effect on the health and vitality of our skin – the sun.
Did you know, that 50% of exposure to the sun is done before we are 20? As young kids, we spend vast amounts of time outside and play in the sun, on the beach, in the snow, on playgrounds and so on. The amount of UV radiation that our skin is exposed to is huge.
The effects of this exposure however, is not obvious except for the occasional sunburn, but once that heals, there is little evidence of long-term damage. That is unless you could look below the surface of the skin.
The damage of UV radiation is focused on the dermis of our skin, this is where it has the greatest impact and that is where the long-term damage accumulates. Yes, the damage is cumulative. More UV exposure, more damage.
The media has helped to promote awareness of the risks of skin cancer due to excessive exposure to the sun, but rarely do we hear about other factors, such as premature signs of aging of our skin. Break down of collage, dehydration, and so on.
Often it is not until we reach our late 20′s or early 30′s that we start seeing the first little fine lines and begin to think about our skin care on a more serious level. But by now, most of the damage has already been done and all we are doing is to try to prevent the inevitable.
So, what should we do? Well, the first step is to start educating our children. Babies are used to having creams and lotions put on their bodies. So why do we stop when the nappy period of their lives is over?
It is at this point that children should be encouraged to put natural creams and lotions on their bodies after they have a shower or a bath. From the time they go to kindergarten, if not earlier, they will be spending many hours outdoors and sure we use the sunscreens, hats and generally try to keep the sun off their bare skin, but at the same time, we should encourage the use of natural skin care creams and lotions to protect, nourish, hydrate and cleanse their young and tender skin.
For example, introducing your children to using natural soaps rather than the harsh, commercially available types, will help their skin maintain its natural pH balance and thus the skin’s Acid Mantel.
Of course when they get grease or oil on their skin you may need to use a more powerful cleaner, but there are plenty of natural soaps available for all skin cleansing jobs. Wildcrafted’s Heavenly Hand & Body Wash is perfectly able to get rid of stubborn dirt and grime and at the same time it is kind and nourishing to their skin.
Teach your children to use natural hand creams. The skin on our hands gets more ware and tear then any other part using a good hand cream will help to keep their skin soft, supple and healthy.
Teach them to use a natural moisturising cream on their face and on their body. Choose a natural moisturiser that’s suitable for Normal skin, as children do not tend to have oily or dry skin, this usually starts around the time of puberty.
If you continue teaching your children from an early age to use natural skin care products on their skin, they will naturally continue this process and their skin will thank you and them in the long term.
Danny Siegenthaler is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and together with his wife Susan, a medical herbalist and Aromatherapist, they have created Natural Skin Care Products by Wildcrafted Herbal Products to share their 40 years of combined expertise with you.
Join our Natural Skin Care Newsletter – it’s fun, free and Informative and you receive a free eBook on natural skin care.
? Wildcrafted Herbal Products 2006