Vitamin C skin care - The challenge

Vitamin C is often regarded as a wrinkle fighter or an anti-aging agent. The main objective of ‘Vitamin C skin care’, in scientific terms, is to increase the synthesis of collagen (a structural protein that is found in skin).  The additional benefit of ‘Vitamin C skin care’ is related to its capability of countering free radicals which cause damage to the skin.

Vitamin C skin care, however, faces a major challenge today. This is related to the oxidation tendency of Vitamin C skin care products. On coming in contact with any oxidising agent (e.g. air), the Vitamin C in the Vitamin C skin care products,  gets oxidised; thus making the Vitamin C skin care product useless (in fact counter-effective). The oxidised Vitamin C imparts a yellowish-brown color to the Vitamin C skin care product. This is something that you need to check before buying a Vitamin C skin care product. Even after you buy a Vitamin C skin care product, you need to store it properly and keep checking that it’s still good to use (i.e. it hasn’t attained a yellowish-brown texture).

The manufacturers of Vitamin C skin care products have tried to deal with this (oxidation) problem in multiple ways (and research on Vitamin C skin care products is on the top of their list). One such method of retaining effectiveness of Vitamin C skin care products for a long term is to keep a high concentration (say 10%) of Vitamin C. However, this makes the Vitamin C skin care products even more expensive. The Vitamin C skin care products are already pretty inexpensive and making them even more expensive will throw the product manufacturers out of business. The other way is to use Vitamin C derivatives (like ascorbyl palmitate and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate). These are not only more stable but also inexpensive.  Even though the derivatives based products are not as effective as the Vitamin C skin care products, their stability against oxidation is a very desirable feature that makes them very attractive.  Moreover, these are known to be less irritating too.

Talking of effectiveness of Vitamin C skin care products, it’s important to mention that not everyone responds to Vitamin C treatments. So it’s not a magic potion in any way.  If you don’t see a noticeable difference in your skin, it might be because of your skin not responding to Vitamin C treatment (and the Vitamin C skin care products might not be at fault, at all).

As more research goes on, one can only keep our fingers crossed and wait for a complete solution to the challenges faced by ‘Vitamin C skin care’ today.

VitaShield Vitamin C treatment product contains 10% active Vitamin C -  L-Ascorbic Acid. It is considered a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.  It delivers up to 40 times more active Vitamin C to the skin than when taken orally, and promotes the synthesis of new, age-defying collagen, and Restores cell integrity

Which is the best skin care product?

There is really nothing like a best skin care product. There really can’t be anything like ‘The best skin care product’, because skin care products work differently for different people (based on the skin type to some extent). A product that is the ‘best skin care product’ for one person might end up being the worst for another person. So, a more logical question to ask would be ‘What is the best skin care product for my type of skin?’. However, this still is not completely logical. We tend to segregate people into 4 groups based on their skin types – i.e. dry skin, oily skin, normal skin and sensitive skin. However, this classification is just too broad to be used definitively in determining the best skin care product. We can say ‘best skin care product for a dry skin’ or ‘best skin care product for an oily skin’ are better statements than just ‘best skin care product’. But really, that is what it is – ‘better’; still not accurate.

So, it really comes to rephrasing the question to – ‘What is the best skin care product for me’. Yes, this is exactly the question that you should be asking, and unfortunately there is no easy answer for this. Arriving at the best skin care product for self will need some effort on your part.

First of all, you need to understand how the skin care products work. This is simple. You can consider all skin care products to be composed of 2 types of ingredients – Active and inactive. The active ingredients are the ones that actually work on your skin. The inactive ones just help in delivering these active ingredients to your skin. Both the ingredients need to work for your skin, in order for the product to be effective (and move on to become the best skin care product for you).

Besides the ingredients, the way you apply your skin care products is equally important. In fact, this is even more important. If you do not know how to apply skin care products, you might forever be hunting for the best skin care product for yourself, when that has already passed you. Moreover, it’s also important to decide on the frequency of application (of the skin care product). The environmental factors - temperature, humidity and pollution level, also affect the selection of best skin care product. Here are a few rules that you could use to ensure that your best skin care product is really the best for you:
* Cleanse your skin before applying that best skin care product.
* Use a makeup remover instead of plain water and remove your makeup before going to bed.
* The effectiveness of active ingredients is reduced when applied over another product e.g. over moisturiser. So apply that best skin care product first and then apply a bit of moisturizer if needed.
* Apply the products on moist and warm skin.
* You will have to experiment with a few products before you arrive at the one that is the best skin care product for you.
* Do not exfoliate too much or too hard.
* Vary your skin care routine as per the seasons (winter/summer etc), changes in environmental factors and changes in your skin type

Note that the best skin care product cannot be determined overnight. It’s only through experiment (and awareness) that you can find the ‘Best skin care product’ (for you).

Exercise For Diabetics

The most common types of diabetes are known as Type 1 and Type 2.  The Type 1 diabetes, which is also known as adolescent diabetes, differs from Type 2 in the sense that the body will stop producing insulin altogether.  Type 2 diabetes is normally diagnosed in older adults and occurs as the body stops producing enough insulin or the individual becomes resistant to their own body insulin.

No matter what form of diabetes it is, you’ll lose your ability to adequately utilize sugar.  The blood sugar levels will increase due to the body’s difficulty in transporting sugar into the cells and out of the blood stream.  There are several ways to lower your blood sugar levels, including diet, exercise, and medication.

As a whole, exercise is a very important part of diabetic management for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics.  Those that have Type 1 will find regular exercise helps to maintain insulin sensitivity, helps to prevent the accumulation of excess weight, and also increases the use of glucose by muscles. Although there is really no way to prevent Type 1 diabetes, it is possible to prevent Type 2 diabetes.

The things to consider when you attempt to prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes are regular exercise supplementation with vitamins and herbs that will help to prevent insulin resistance and proper control of weight.

Not only with exercise help directly with diabetic management by lowering blood sugar levels and  maintaining insulin sensitivity, but it will also help minimize several of the complications that can occur in a diabetic individual.  Research has shown that walking 30 minutes each day can diminish the possibility of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Almost all diabetics tend to develop circulatory problems and exercise can help lower blood pressure and improve circulation throughout the body.  Seeing as how people with diabetes tend to have poor blood flow to their lower areas and feet, better circulation is a great benefit.

Even though there are risks associated with exercise, the potential benefits will outweigh the risks.  Exercise does indeed lower blood sugar levels, so those with diabetes should measure their blood sugar both before and after they exercise.  Since your body uses more sugar while you exercise and makes you more sensitive to insulin, there is a risk of blood sugar becoming too low and causing hypoglycemia as a result.

Whenever you exercise, it is important to let others know that you are diabetic.  They should also be informed about what they should do in case of hypoglycemia.  To be on the safe side, you should always carry candy or fruit juice with you to treat low blood sugar when it occurs.

During and after you have exercised, you should pay very close attention about how you feel, since rapid heart beat, increased sweating, feeling shaky, or hunger can signal that your blood sugar levels are getting too low.

With diabetic management and treatment, exercise is very important.  Exercise will help with blood sugar control when the muscles use more glucose and the body becomes more sensitive to insulin.  Exercise will also help to prevent and minimize common diabetic complications which include heart problems, high blood pressure, and circulatory deficiencies.

If you are a diabetic, exercise should be part of your daily routine.  You should always exercise at a slow pace and never overdo it.  Also, you should be sure to exercise around people you know or at a gym, so there will always be people around you in case something goes wrong.  Being a diabetic doesn’t have to hinder your life or your  performance, as exercise can help you get your life back on track and heading in the right direction - the healthy direction.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the most important vitamins for your body.  It prevents a lot of diseases, and increases your body’s immune system.  You can take this vitamin with or without any food, as it can be found in supplement form or in many different juices.  Along with being found in supplement and vitamin form, you can find Vitamin C in broccoli, peppers, oranges, lemon juice, mustard greens, cauliflower, papaya, and parsley.

Research in the past has shown that there really aren’t any advantages to taking excessive amounts of this vitamin.  Even though you shouldn’t take excessive amounts of Vitamin C, you shouldn’t have a deficiency in the vitamin either.  The most common signs of a deficiency in Vitamin C include swollen gums, an unexplained weakness, and nosebleeds.  Deficiency is common these days, with the most common reasons being alcoholism and a poor diet.

Tendons and ligaments throughout your body need Vitamin C in order to remain healthy and strong.  Depending on your current health situation, it may be in your best interest to take Vitamin C supplements along with vitamin E.  Together, the combination of the two will work side by side, and enhance their overall impact on your body and your health.

Vitamin C is well known as an antioxidant, protecting your skin from the harmful damage of UV rays.  If you skin suffers from radiation damage, Vitamin C can actually help your skin to recover and reverse some of the harmful effects.  If you include Vitamin C in your diet and take it every day, you’ll notice that your skin will benefit.  If you use vitamin E and C together, you’ll notice that scars and other harmful defects on your skin will start to heal as well.

You can find Vitamin C in many fruits and vegetables, although oranges will give you the most amounts.  Orange juice is a great way to get your daily dose of Vitamin C, as all you need to do is drink a few glasses of it a day.  Even if you drink a glass of orange juice in the morning with your breakfast then eat a few oranges during the day, you’ll get more than enough Vitamin C.

If you want to get more Vitamin C in your diet, you can use vitamin supplements.  When you look for supplements at the store, you should read the labels and see how much Vitamin C is in the supplement, and how it works.  You should avoid time released supplements of Vitamin C, as they haven’t been proven to work as well yet.  As long as you monitor your intake of Vitamin C and use it on a daily basis, you’ll find that your health and immune system will be better than ever.

Water And Exercise

The human body is made up of over 75% of water, and as we all know, we cannot live without water.  The fact is, we can only survive for a total of 3 days without water.  Water has however, been replaced in most diets by soft drinks and other sugar sweetened refreshments.  Keep in mind that water is a healthier and necessary for leading yourself towards a better health and longevity.

Your own personal need for water can vary greatly due to exercise, weight, and temperature.  Research has proven that over 2/3 of adults don’t get the water they need on a daily basis.  By drinking water on a regular basis you can replenish your body and keep it well hydrated and functioning as it should be.

A majority of us wait until we are thirsty before we drink water.  Keep in mind, this way isn’t a  reliable gauge of the water needs for the body.  By the time you are thirsty you have already lost two of more cups of the body’s water supply.  Therefore, drinking water regularly is much better than simply waiting until you are thirsty.

It is very important that you don’t substitute  beverages with alcohol and caffeine for water.  The reason behind this is that those types of beverages act as a diuretic and can cause you to lose more weight through increased urination.  You may think and feel as if you are getting more water through these beverages, although the fact is that you are letting it go almost as fast as you consume it.

Anytime you exercise, you need more water. Due to perspiration, your body will lose quite a bit of water.  For each pound lost due to exercise, you need to drink 2 cups of water.  Even when you lay down to sleep, your body loses water.  By drinking a glass or more of water before you go to sleep, you can wake up with your body functioning as it should be.

It should become more obvious that when you are sick you’ll need more water than any other tine.  When you get a cold or the flu, your body can become dehydrated quite quickly.  You can help to prevent this by drinking more water at times when you become sick.

There are several mixed opinions as to whether purified water will actually provide benefit.  This is a subject you should explore yourself as you determine the best type of water for yourself.

Always make it a habit to drink water on a daily basis.  You should keep a bottle of water with you at all times and drink it throughout the day.  You should also teach yourself to drink water instead of other beverages that don’t replenish the nutrients your body needs.