Basic Things on What You Want To Know About Sunscreens

sunscreen

Sunscreen is an important element in sun protection but it is an important heeding that while sunscreens can help you to protect  your skin from sunburn, are not as effective that it will protect you against ALL harmful effects of ultraviolet rays, such as premature aging of the skin and depression of the immune system.

Sunscreens are available in forms of topical lotion, ointment, cream, gel, or spray that can be applied to the skin; a stick  or a salve that can be applied to the lips, nose, and eyelids; sunglasses that protect the eyes; certain types of sun protection clothing; a moistener in towelettes that can be rubbed against the skin; and film screen that can be attached to the windows of a car, room, or office.

For now, we will talk about sunscreens we usually apply to our skin. How does it work? Sunscreen work either by absorbing, reflecting, or scattering the sun’s rays on the skin. Some sunscreens sun protection property are against to only one type of ultraviolet radiation: ultraviolet-B (UVB). Others protect against both types of ultraviolet radiation that reach earth’s atmosphere from the sun, the ultraviolet-B and ultraviolet-A (UVA). Broad-spectrum sunscreens protect us against both ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays. They do a better job of protecting skin from other effects of the sun including photo damage, photodermatitis, and rashes from the sun. However this, does not increase the length of time for you to expose under the sun.

A sunscreen effectiveness depends on the quantity of chemicals it contains. Sun protection products are labeled according its degree of effectiveness with a sun protection factor or SPF. SPF is simply a multiple of time it takes the sun to turn your skin red. The type of skin you have deeply influences how much sun you can tolerate before you suffer sunburn. Know your skin type for you to choose a sunscreen that’s fit for your need, formulated to provide you a full protection. The amount of time it takes for unprotected skin to burn depends on type of skin. Generally, fair skin burns more quickly than darker skin.

You want to know how long will your sunscreen protect your skin from harmful ultraviolet rays? Follow this simple step: First, you must know how long can you stay from the sun with your skin unprotected before suffering a sunburn. Second, check the SPF level of the sunblock you are using. If all the givens are there, try this simple mathematics: Multiply the time it take for your skin to suffer sunburn unprotected with the SPF of sunscreen you are using. This simple way may help you determine how long can you stay outdoors protected from harmful UVA-UVB rays. However, it is a good general rule to apply a sunscreen very liberally. Anyone who just apply a little amount of sunscreen won’t receive full protection. The sunscreen should be applied about a half hour before going outside to allow time for the sunscreen to soak in and take effect.

Divergent to the common advice that sunscreen should be reapplied every 2–3 hours. Some research shows that best protection can be achieved by application 15–30 minutes before exposure, followed by one reapplication 15–30 minutes after the sun exposure begins. Further reapplication is only necessary depending upon the activities you’re into. Activities such as swimming, and activities that may cause you to sweating, and rubbing needs a close monitoring when to reapply the sunscreen “while doing” those activities for  your optimum protection.

On the other hand, more recent research tells that sunscreen needs to be reapplied within 2 hours to remain effective. Not reapplying could even cause more cell damage than not using sunscreen at all, due to the release of extra free radicals from those sunscreen chemicals which were absorbed into the skin.

Importance of Sun Protection Against Harmful Effects Of The Sun

Summertime is getting near. It is the most awaited time of school kids, not just because of  their freedom from pressures on their studies but they have lots of time to play and do some activities. As I have noticed, people of all ages love to spend their summer doing outdoor activities. Kite flying, camping, hiking, biking and spending time on the beach are just some of most family’s summer ideas. We know that sun exposure is unavoidable doing outdoor activities. As early as this time, knowing the importance of sun protection to your family’s health is one of the best preparations you can do.

Sun protection is simply guarding your body from harmful effects of sunlight. Aside from the risk that heat may cause to your body, the sun poses the dangers of sunburn, which can permanently damage the skin and cause skin cancer, precancerous changes in the skin, as well as premature wrinkles and signs of aging. Exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun is an identified risk factor for the development of both melanomas and non-melanoma skin cancers. Thus, sun protection at any age is important to avoid the short-term as well as long-term damaging effects of sunlight.

How does the sun burn the skin? Ultraviolet rays from the sun penetrate your skin. At first there’s an initial red glow due to widening of your small blood vessels that leads to increase in the volume of blood flowing to your skin. Then, as the ultraviolet radiation penetrates the surface of your skin, cells from several layers down increase melanin(skin pigment) production. The pigments then moves to the upper most layers of your skin and darkens it. In general, fair skin burns more quickly than darker skin.

Almost everyone is prone, to some degree, to sun’s ultraviolet rays. Your natural skin types, that is determined by the amount of melanin, is the major determining factor. The darker your natural skin color is, the more melanin and natural protection you have. However take note of this, even the darkest skinned people can burn with sufficient exposure to sun.

How will you protect your whole family from harmful effects of the sun? Here’s a simple tip:

Avoid direct sunlight. Do remember that the sun’s rays are strongest between 10 A.M. and 4 P.M. Thus, if possible avoid being in the sun on that time unless necessary.

Wear protective clothing. Wear hat,  sunglasses and appropriate clothing with 100% protection against UV radiation. Light colored shirts are advisable.

Use a protective sunscreen to minimize the penetration of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Generously apply and reapply sunscreen to all exposed skin with an  SPF that protects you from ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B sun rays.

Reflective surfaces. Be aware that water, sand, cement and any reflective surfaces may increase exposure to ultraviolet lights significantly.

Look for shade. Stay under a tree, or use an umbrella. Remember the shadow rule when in the sun: Watch Your Shadow. No Shadow, Seek Shade!

Know the day’s UV index.

Vertigo And Its Causes

vertigo

Have you experience the feeling that you or your environment is moving or spinning? No, not lightheadedness but spinning or whirling sensation, an illusion of movement, that feeling is called vertigo. The term vertigo refers to the sensation of spinning or whirling that occurs as a result of a disturbance in balance (equilibrium). Some patients describe it as a feeling of being pulled toward the floor or toward one side of the room. When you feel as if you yourself are moving, it’s called subjective vertigo, and the perception that your surroundings are moving is called objective vertigo.

Vertigo comes from the Latin word vertigin-, vertigo, “dizziness,” originally “a whirling or spinning movement,” from vertere “to turn” is a specific type of dizziness, a major symptom of a balance disorder. Vertigo is a symptom, not a disease. The duration of this symptom may last from minutes to hours, and symptoms can be constant or episodic. Moving your head, changing position, and turning while lying down often worsen vertigo.

Vertigo is one of the most common health problems in adults. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), about 40% of people in the United States experience feeling dizzy at least once during their lifetime. Prevalence is slightly higher in women and increases with age.

Experiencing signs and symptoms of vertigo needs an evaluation by a doctor. Majority of vertigo cases are harmless. Most of its causes are easily treated with prescription medication. Have a doctor check any new signs and symptoms of vertigo to rule out possibly serious or life-threatening causes.

One source of vertigo is through exposure to high levels of sound pressure. It cause rattling in your inner ear thus causing a loss of balance.

Head trauma and neck injury may also result in vertigo, which usually goes away on its own.

Vertigo can also occur after long flights or boat journeys where the mind gets used to turbulence, resulting in a person’s feeling as if he is moving up and down. This usually subsides after a few days.

Consumption of alcohol, even in small amount, can cause temporary vertigo in some people.

Vertigo is usually associated with a problem in the vestibular system (structures of the inner ear, the vestibular nerve, brainstem, and cerebellum). The vestibular system is responsible for integrating sensory stimuli and movement and for keeping objects in visual focus as the body moves.

Vertigo is typically classified into one of two categories depending on the location of the damaged vestibular pathway. These are peripheral or central vertigo. Each category has a distinct set of characteristics and associated findings.

The sudden onset of vertigo usually indicates a peripheral vestibular disorder with a delay between the onset of nystagmus(circular movement of the eyes) usually indicates a peripheral vestibular disorder. Peripheral vestibular disorders also may cause the following symptoms:

vertigo

• Blurred vision
• Fatigue and reduced stamina
• Headache
• Heart palpitations (rapid fluttering of the heart)
• Imbalance
• Inability to concentrate
• Increased risk for motion sickness
• Muscle ache (especially of the neck and back)
• Nausea and vomiting
• Reduced cognitive function (i.e., thinking and memory)
• Sensitivity to bright lights and noise
• Sweating

Peripheral vestibular disorders includes the following:

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common form of vertigo and is characterized by the sensation of motion initiated by sudden head movements or moving the head in a certain direction. It is the most common peripheral disorder that may be accompanied by hearing loss, reduced cognitive function, and facial muscle weakness. It usually affects one of the sensing tubes in the inner ear called the posterior semicircular canal. BPPV occurs when debris made up of calcium carbonate and protein (called otoliths or ear crystals) builds up in and moves around in the posterior semicircular canal. BPPV also can affect the anterior canal or the horizontal canal. When the head is moved in certain ways, the calcium crystals move around and trigger inner ear sensors, causing a brief sensation of spinning. Inner ear degeneration (usually occurs in elderly patients), head trauma, and inner ear infection (e.g., otitis media, labyrinthitis) can cause BPPV.

Vestibular neuritis is an inflammation of vestibular nerve cells that may be caused by viral infection.

Vertigo can also be caused by inflammation of the inner ear(labyrinthitis). It may be due to the common cold, influenza, or a bacterial infections. Labyrinthitis is characterized by the sudden onset of vertigo and may be associated with hearing loss.

Meniere’s disease also causes vertigo. Meniere’s disease is composed of a triad of symptoms: episodes of vertigo, ringing in the ears, and hearing loss. In this case, people have the abrupt onset of severe vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, as well as periods in which they are symptom-free. There is fluctuating pressure of inner ear fluid (endolymph) thus, resulting to severe vertigo, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), and progressive hearing loss.

Cogan’s syndrome, an inflammation of connective tissue in the cornea is also results in vertigo, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), and loss of hearing.

Ototoxicity(i.e., ear poisoning) is caused by some medications and environmental chemical which may result in damage to the inner ear or the 8th cranial nerve (acoustic nerve) and cause vertigo. The damage can be permanent or temporary.

Medications that may cause temporary ototoxicity include the following:

Anticonvulsants (e.g., phenytoin, carbamazepine)

Antidepressants (e.g., clomipramine, amoxapine)

Antihypertensives (e.g., labetalol, enalapril)

Loop diuretics (e.g., bumetanide, furosemide)

Pain relievers (e.g., aspirin)

Prescription and over-the-counter cold medicines

Quinine (e.g., chloroquine, quinidine)

Long-term use or high doses of certain antibiotics (e.g., aminoglycosides [streptomycin, gentamicin]) and antineoplastics (e.g., cisplatin, carboplatin) can cause permanent ototoxicity.

Vertigo caused by a central vestibular disorder usually develops gradually. Lack of a delay between the onset of nystagmus(circular movement of the eyes) may indicate a central vestibular disorder.

vertigo

In addition to vertigo, central vestibular disorders may cause the following symptoms:

• Headache (may be severe)

• Double vision (diplopia)

• Impaired consciousness

• Inability to speak due to muscle impairment (dysarthria)

• Lack of coordination

• Nausea and vomiting

• Weakness

Central vestibular disorders includes the following:

Central nervous system (CNS) disorders (e.g., stroke [brain attack], brain hemorrhage). Vertigo can be caused by decreased blood flow to the base of the brain. Bleeding into the back of the brain (cerebellar hemorrhage) is characterized by vertigo, headache, difficulty walking, and inability to look toward the side of the bleed. The result is that the person’s eyes gaze away from the side with the problem. In this case, walking is also extremely impaired.

Head trauma

Migraine (30–50% of patients experience vertigo). In this case, vertigo is usually followed by a headache. There is often a prior history of similar episodes but no lasting problems.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) may occur when demyelination affects the brainstem or cerebellum. The onset of vertigo is usually abrupt, and examination of the eyes may reveal the inability of the eyes to move past the midline toward the nose.

Cardiovascular disorders like bradycardia (slowed heart rate) and tachycardia (rapid heart rate)

Orthostatic hypotension is a sharp decrease in blood pressure upon rising from a lying or sitting position to a standing position; caused by diabetes, dehydration, and anemia.

Systemic diseases like kidney disease and thyroid disorders

Tumors that affect the central vestibular system (e.g., acoustic neuroma). Acoustic neuroma is a type of tumor that can cause vertigo. Symptoms include vertigo with one-sided ringing in the ear and hearing loss.

In some cases, the cause of vertigo is unknown.

Vertigo-like symptoms may also appear as paraneoplastic syndrome (PNS) in the form of opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome, a multi-faceted neurological disorder associated with many forms of incipient cancer lesions or viruses.

Dyslexia, what is it?

Dyslexia, what is it? Is it an illness? Let’s explore the world of dyslexics for us to know and understand them better on what they’re going through and for us to know how to encourage and support them. Dyslexia is a common learning disability that can affect speaking, reading, spelling and writing. Dyslexia results from differences in how the brain processes written and spoken language. It simply means that a person’s brain has trouble processing letters and sounds.

Modern neuroimaging techniques such as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) have produced clear evidence of the structural differences in the brains of children with reading difficulties. Some research found that people with dyslexia have a deficit in parts of the left hemisphere of the brain involved in reading, which includes the inferior frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, and middle and ventral temporal cortex.

Dyslexics usually have average or superior intelligence but they’re often treated as dull because they don’t learn as fast as normal kids do. Worse, parents and teachers usually tag them as unmotivated or lazy.  A kid who has dyslexia will read slowly and might make a lot of mistakes. Sometimes they will mix up letters in a word. Kids who have dyslexia might get frustrated, angry, or sad because reading and spelling are so hard for them.

Speech delays, stuttering or clattering can be an early warning sign of dyslexia. Many dyslexics may have a problems in managing and interpreting auditory input prior to reproducing their own version of speech. Many dyslexics also can have problems with speaking clearly. They can mix up sounds in multi-syllabic words. They often have “immature” speech. They also can have problems speaking in full sentences.

Dyslexia can produce not just learning difficulties but emotional and psychological problems as well. It often weakens a child self-esteem and confidence that may lead to anti-social behavior and juvenile delinquency. Imagine a 10 year old kid who doesn’t know left from right, has difficulty in in learning the days of the week or the months of the year in order, he or she can be a target of humiliating taunts and classmate jokes.

Discovering a learning disability is the first step toward getting help that will make it easier for the kid to learn. Formal diagnosis of dyslexia is made by a qualified professional, such as a neurologist or an educational psychologist. Kid will be given some tests. But the idea isn’t to get a good grade; it’s to spot problems.

Some shared symptoms of the speech/hearing deficits and dyslexia:

dyslexia

If  it is so hard for the kid to distinguish before from after or right from left, and so on

If it is so hard for the kid to learn the alphabet

If it is so hard for the kid to retrieve a word or name  problems

If it is so difficult for the kid to identify or generate rhyming words, or counting syllables in words (phonological awareness)

If there is a difficulty for the kid on hearing and manipulating sounds in words (phonemic awareness)

If there is a difficulty for the kid on distinguishing different sounds in words (auditory discrimination)

If there is a difficulty for the kid on learning the sounds of letters

If there is a difficulty for the kid on associating individual words with their correct meanings

If there is a difficulty for the kid on time keeping and concept of time

If the kid is confused when it is on combinations of words

Since it is so hard for a kid with dyslexia to do those things, manifestations are:

Persistent baby talk exist. They may still be saying “wed and gween” instead of “red and green” in third grade.

Reversing letters and numbers

Poor in spelling

Difficulty in learning to read

Coordination problems, especially those of small motor coordination (hand manipulation)

Perceptual problems: confusing letters like b and d and reversing saw as was. They can have trouble correctly articulating Rs and Ls as well as Ms and Ns.

Poor retention of material that is learned

Inability to write down even simple thoughts

Short attention span and general restlessness.

Due to fear of speaking incorrectly, some children become withdrawn and shy or become   bullies out of their inability to understand the social cues in their environment

Difficulty in organization skills

dyslexia

Dyslexia has no known cure. The most effective thing to help them is through special education that focuses on training dyslexics to cope his or her problem. And, to uncover child’s skill and build on it and encourage them.

Now that we know some things what dyslexics are going through, all we can do to support them is to boost their self confidence for them to realize their potentials and become successful in the society.

How To Overcome Frustrations

overcome your frustrations

Frustrations, frustrations… How can you overcome it?

The bus pulls out and makes you  late just as you are running to catch it. Your secretary hadn’t finish the report on time and you badly need it. The machine breaks just when you need to use it. Cases like these are just examples of  frustrations we face day-today which make life an impression to be more difficult. If these small frustrations accumulates and become too numerous and you allow them to affect you, you will soon be faced with unbearable level of stress, as if it has originated from one colossal stress factor.

Your expectation that situation and, or other people will always act in the way you want it are the usual external or outside factors that causes frustration. Lack of motivation, incompetence and insufficient effort was given, are some of the internal or self-contained factors that may also cause frustration.

How can you overcome frustrations?

First, scrutinize your frustration. Why are you feeling frustrated? What is your problem? Are you in control of the situation or is it outside your control? What is the possibility for you to reach the objective.

Second is adjustment. Many times, situations are unchangeable but a person can always adjust. The willpower to adjust oneself to the circumstance and not become frustrated is an important step ahead.

Third and final step are action and be patient. Once the best approach is decided, take action and then to wait patiently.  Even the most frustrating situations disappear by themselves when we practice patience.

i. Beware of the “IFs” and “SHOULDs” in your thinking and talking.  Say to yourself that it is unlikely that people will always act decorously and respectfully to you. Remind yourself that everyone is imperfect and capable of making mistakes. And that you can’t hold all the situations the way you wanted it to be. This is the BEST anti-external factor frustration buster.

ii. Learn to forgive. Forgive yourself and, or others that caused you frustration.

iii. Learn from the situations that caused you stress.

iv. Cast your cares to the Lord.

The Benefits of Walking

find time to walk everyday

If you have put your back into exercise programs before, and just couldn’t stick at it, try walking. No other exercise, with so little risk, can do you much good as walking.

Did you know that among the activities you can identify as exercise, walking is the better choice to get the heart rate up enough to keep it healthy, but not so high that it gets stressed? It helps the vagus nerve slow the heart, one of the goal of modern cardiology. Walking strengthens your heart. It could increase your High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), commonly known as the good cholesterol.

Walking outdoors, in nature, can also lower the adrenaline in the blood which means less stress. Adrenaline or epinephrine is a hormone secreted by the adrenal gland. It is naturally produced in high-stress or physically exhilarating situations. The less the stress, the slower the heart will beat.

Walking increase the efficiency of our heart and lungs, burns almost the same quantity of calories per mile as does running and tones your muscles. Walking does not just improve your physical function, it is an excellent stress management technique. If you feel blue, anxious or stressed out, just walk it off and the tension will walk off too. Walking activates endorphins, a happy hormone that helps us feel better. It improves our sense well-being.

A 20-minute brisk walk in the fresh air or even just in your neighborhood, together with your family, friend, your pet or alone with God or any combination of it, will help you feel better not just physically but wellness as a whole.

The Importance Of Sun To Us

sunlight

Do you realize the extraordinary gift that God has given us in the sun that many of us has just taken it for granted? Sunlight gives the environment essential things for our existence by enabling plants to create oxygen and carbon dioxide and its rays regulates temperature and humidity at life supporting level.

What is the body fuel that gives animals life most of its energy, isn’t it from simple sugar called glucose? And, where can we get the more complex form of that sugar? From plants that we eat, right? How can plant exist without the help of the sun for its photosynthesis?

A simple question from a kid, “Why is it that sun has been the center of the universe?” May cause you to think more of its importance not just on earth or in our galaxy, but its importance in the whole universe, right?

All the things mentioned above  just proves how important the sun is to us, that without the sun we will not exist.

Now, lets focus on the sun’s health giving properties that promotes health and healing for our personal needs. Moderate sunlight gives you healthier skin. However, too much of it can damage the skin. As the sun touches your skin, your body makes vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, which is essential to your health. And, as the sunlight enters your eyes, it improves body functions, stimulating the hypothalamus, pineal glands, pituitary gland, along with the neurotransmitters of the brain. Sunlight is good for your nerves too. It elevates your mood and probably increases the endorphins, which is responsible of making you feel happy and invigorated.

Just like exercise, sunlight strengthens your heart and boost your immune system. Not only that it helps heal certain illnesses by killing its causative agent, the germs. Tuberculosis, Strep throat, pneumonia and leprosy are just some of it.

Moderate exposure to sun early in the morning for up to 30 minutes a day is so beneficial to our health. However, the same ultraviolet rays that gives us lots of benefits can also be harmful to our body. Too much exposure to sun, especially between 10AM to 3PM , will lead to premature skin aging, sunburn and even cancer.

Know Your Fat Intake

fried chicken

Our body needs fat for it is essential for us to leave. The questions are: How much fat do we need? What kind of fat are we taking? You know what is the difference between saturated from unsaturated fats?

It is estimated that our body needs about 20-30 percent of our total calorie intake per day. Of the calories we take in everyday, we usually consume more than what our body needs for if you ate no visible fat meal, you would already get about 10-15 percent of fats that’s why we need to know which foods are high fat and which are not. Too low a fat diet produce a set of problems to us too, so it is important that we must know how much is much and how much is too little.

The more hydrogen molecules a fat gets, the harder that the fat becomes. The unsaturated fats are oils and the harder fats are called saturated fats. Too much of saturated fats is not good for us, it clogs our arteries. Where can we get it those fats? Saturated fats are typically animal-derived fats while unsaturated fats usually originate from plants.

The main sources of saturated fat are from animal products: red meat and whole-milk dairy products, including cheese, sour cream, ice cream and butter. However there are also plant-based sources of saturated fat, principally coconut oil and coconut milk, palm kernel oil, cocoa butter, and palm oil.

Unsaturated fat food sources include soybean, sunflower, fish and corn, olive, peanut, and canola oils. Unsaturated fatty acids are suggested to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

So, if you eat meat, discard the fat for it is saturated fats that may clog your arteries. As much as possible, get rid of it before cooking the meat. Speaking of meat, a study found a strong evidence that red meat and processed meats were a cause of bowel cancer. Thus, it was advised that people should only consume a maximum of less than 500 grams, or 18 ounces, of cooked red meat per week. And if possible, we should avoid processed meat altogether. Processed meat was defined as meat preserved by smoking, curing, salting or the addition of preservatives that includes ham, bacon, pastrami, salami, frankfurters,etc. Processed meat do not just contain saturated fats but also too much of salt and other harmful ingredients from preservatives.

It is our aim not just to get rid of animal fat but to lower our total fat intake.