On the heels of an already mild winter, Punxsutawney Phil’s Groundhog Day prediction of six more weeks of winter is a little off this year.  Much of the U.S. has been warmer than average and many regions are experiencing record high temperatures, so it’s a great time to get outdoors to enjoy the sun and fresh air.¹ Unfortunately, it’s also a prime set-up for that blind side so many of us have experienced on beautiful spring days – an unexpected sunburn!

The UV Index in parts of the country are also expected to be above average in correlation to the higher temperatures.   It’s easy to forget how strong the sun can be when the temperature is so comfortable.  If you aren’t prepared with sunscreen, you could become sunburned before you ever realize it.

Before you head outside, check the UV index on your local news or on the EPA’s  Sunwise UV Index home page.² This will help you determine the appropriate level of sunscreen protection needed for your region.  It’s always good to have a lightweight, oil-free sunscreen with an SPF of 30 of higher on hand.  UV Skincare Facial Light Sunscreen SPF35 by SkinHealth Technology is a great choice.  It is light, silky, and fragrance free so you hardly know you have it on.

1)    http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/12/10652420-temps-in-60s-70s-likely-across-northeast-midwest

2)    http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html

Daylight Savings Time 2012 begins on March 11.  Whether you look forward to it or dread it, societies have been manipulating daylight since ancient times.  Early civilizations divided the daylight into twelve hours, so that during the summer each hour was longer.  In more modern days, rail and communications schedules necessitated the standardization of time.

Modern DST was first proposed by New Zealand entomologist George Vernon Hudson in 1895.  He wanted to add daylight to the hours after his work shift so that he could spend more time collecting insects.  The first to actually use DST were Germany and its allies in WW1 as a way to conserve coal during wartime. Since then, the world has seen many enactments, adjustments, and repeals.¹

These days in the U.S. no law requires that a state observe DST, but if a state chooses to do so, it must follow the starting and ending dates as set by law.  Starting in 2007, has been observed from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, adding about a month to daylight saving time.²

Like Hudson, many people look forward to extended daylight after work to pursue activities that are not possible during the winter when it gets dark before dinner.  This is the first real sign that summer is just around the corner.  So don’t forget this Saturday night – set the clocks ahead an hour if you are in a location that observes DST.

1)    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time

2)    http://www.infoplease.com/spot/daylight1.html

If you suffer with psoriasis you may be doing all the right things to treat your condition, but are still having difficulty getting it under control.  You know there are prescription drugs available for topical and oral use, but you may prefer to treat the condition without prescriptions, using a more natural regimen.  This may include a topical product to provide moisture and soothe inflammation.

You know what to DO.  But do you know what NOT TO DO?  As with many conditions, psoriasis can be made worse by neglecting the affected areas.  This sensitive skin is vulnerable to damage and will have more difficulty healing than healthy skin.  It will also be more prone to flare ups if it’s not taken care of.

Here are five important tips to remember for psoriasis sufferers¹:

1.    Don’t leave the skin open to injury.

2.    Don’t cleanse vigorously.

3.    Don’t ignore dry skin.

4.    Don’t get sunburned.

5.    Don’t scratch plaques.

To read more about these tips, click on the link below.

1)    http://inhealth.cnn.com/stepping-up-your-psoriasis-treatment/five-skin-care-donts-for-psoriasis-sufferers

Ladies are you ready to take a leap of faith and propose to your man?

February 29 is a date that usually occurs every four years and is called leap day. This day is added to the calendar in ‘leap years’ as a corrective measure, because the earth does not orbit around the sun in precisely 365 days. ¹   Ever since Leap Years were first introduced over 2000 years ago, Leap Day has been associated with age-old special traditions and folklore.  By far the most popular Leap Day tradition is for women to propose to their men!

According to Irish legend St. Bridget struck a deal with St. Patrick to allow women to propose to men every four years. This is believed to have been introduced to balance the traditional roles of men and women in a similar way to how Leap Day balances the calendar.

In some places, Leap Day has been known as “Bachelors’ Day” for the same reason. A man was expected to pay a penalty if he refused a marriage proposal from a woman on Leap Day.  In many European countries, especially in the upper classes of society, tradition dictates that any man who refuses a woman’s proposal on February 29 has to buy her 12 pairs of gloves. The intention is that the woman can wear the gloves to hide the embarrassment of not having an engagement ring. During the middle ages there were actually laws governing this tradition! ²

Ladies, since no real penalties exist anymore it may well take an act of courage to pop the question. Your special someone may have been sitting on the fence as far as marriage for a long time now. Don’t wait another four years—just take that leap on Leap Day!

1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap_year
2) http://www.timeanddate.com/date/leap-day-february-29.html (more…)

Everyone knows that a bump to the skin can cause a bruise to form. More seriously, there are some medical conditions to consider if unusual or chronic bruising is experienced. For the most part, bruises are a condition treated by time – sooner or later they will disappear. Among the handful of topical bruise treatments thought to help the discoloration of a bruise clear up faster are products containing arnica montana.

Arnica is also believed to help lessen expected bruising from surgery or invasive cosmetic procedures if it is applied a few days before and after. BruiseCare X8 Treatment Balm, which contains arnica in a potent 8% concentration, has been clinically proven to improve the appearance of bruises faster than in untreated skin.

Check out this segment from the Dr. Oz Show about bruising – why bruises form and the most common causes and treatments. One of his recommendations is to use arnica, and he explains how arnica helps the body heal the bruise faster. Click the image below to view the video.

According to a study published in the weekly issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International (the German Medical Association’s official international bilingual science journal) researchers found that most of the geriatric patients in a German rehabilitation hospital suffered vitamin D deficiency. The study measured ‘25-OH vitamin D’ in 1,578 patients after admission to the rehab hospital.¹

Of the residents, 89% were found to have insufficient high concentrations of vitamin D and 67% had severe vitamin D deficiency. According to Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, insufficient vitamin D can negatively affect muscles and increase risk for falls and fractures in elderly people.¹

The most effective way to obtain this vital nutrient is to get your vitamin D from the sun directly.  However, the elderly produce less vitamin D in their skin than younger people and they spend less time in the sun. ¹

The current RDA for vitamin D–by the National Institutes of Health–is 800 IU’s for individuals 70 years and older.³ Many experts contend that this is not an adequate amount for overall health.

Although vitamin D is conventionally known to be important for bone health, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with serious health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, and depression and many as seventeen types of cancers, including breast cancer.²

1) aerzteblatt.de
2) Vitamin D Council
3) Office of Dietary Supplements

Modern celebrations of Valentine’s Day are gushing with sweetness. Did you know, though, that mid-February was first associated with romance in a pagan celebration of fertility complete with animal sacrifice? It’s believed that the festival was Christianized by Pope Gelacius and declared as St. Valentine’s Day around 496.¹ There were several St. Valentines and there is some historic uncertainty as to which one the Pope intended to honor.

Many scholars believe a very romantic version in which a priest named Valentine falls from favor with Roman emperor Claudius II. The emperor believed married men made poor soldiers, so he forbade young men to marry. Father Valentine defiantly performed secret weddings and was ultimately jailed by Claudius. While in jail Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s daughter. Before he was executed he sent her a letter signed “from your Valentine.”²

Regardless of the history, the fact is that these days a lot of people look forward to this holiday all year. With billions of dollars spent, the retail bonanza runs the gamut – from children in grade school exchanging little cut out cards and not so yummy Sweethearts candies, to grown-ups spending way too much on jewelry and romantic weekends.

On the downside, Valentine’s celebratory chocolates and fatty dinners may be responsible for post holiday acne breakouts. While diet’s effect on acne is still in debate, it does seem to aggravate the condition in some people. Still, there is no denying that the holiday can be an excuse to indulge. Fortunately, it’s only one day and shouldn’t be a big set-back if you are struggling to get rid of acne and keep your complexion clear. A spot treatment of a breakout is likely all that most people will need to get back on track.

So go ahead and enjoy the day! It’s as good a reason as any to treat the ones you love.

1) history.com
2) infoplease.com

Groundhog Day is a whimsical holiday celebrated on February 2 in the United States and Canada.

The celebration began in the 18th century as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania.

According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter-like weather will soon end. If it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will continue for six more weeks.

The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania where resident groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, is the star of the show.

Phil will let us know today if spring is on the way!

We all know that topically applied products can help provide moisture and restore elasticity to aging skin. But how about what we eat? It makes sense that diet plays a role in how well (or how poorly) our skin responds to factors associated with aging, such as sun damage and the general loss of collagen over time.

According to the American Academy of Dermatologists, the skin is made up of 80% collagen. It is naturally produced in the body and decreases over time. The diet greatly affects how much collagen is produced.

There are some adjustments you can make to your diet that not only provide overall health benefits, but specifically work at stimulating collagen. Below are some food groups you should include in your diet every day for more youthful looking skin.¹

Dark, leafy greens, which contain lutein, an antioxidant, provide positive effects on the skin including increased hydration, elasticity, lipid content and photo protective activity.

Berries, kiwi, guava, oranges, and grapefruit contain significant amounts of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that prevents free radical damage to skin and helps the skin form collagen.

Soy, found in soy beans, milk, tofu, cheese, and yogurt, contains isoflavones, a class of organic compounds, which like vitamin C can also be helpful in preventing cell damage caused by free radicals.

Pinto, kidney and navy beans contain hyaluronic acid, an anti-aging substance that prevents skin sagging and improves elasticity. This substance is naturally present in the skin, but decreases with age.

Omega three fatty acids contained in cold water fish, walnuts, flaxseed, and some vegetables offer a long list of health benefits, which include improving dry skin.²

A diet rich in the good foods listed above, and complemented by topical skincare products rich in emollients, can greatly improve the skin’s ability to withstand aging and other external assaults on collagen.

1) LiveStrong.com

2) NaturalSkinHealth.com

We have said in this blog before that diet has little effect on acne. In fact, this has been widely believed for years.

Several studies, though, implicate a high carb/high glycemic diet in many of the problems acne sufferers have to deal with.

One in particular – a two year study from Australia’s RMIT University – focused on metabolic changes in glucose and insulin levels in the body due to diet.

The results of the study led researchers to believe that spikes in insulin and glucose caused by eating a diet heavy in foods of high glycemic index could be responsible for outbreaks of acne. The test subjects who ate a diet consisting of low glycemic index carbs and protein saw improvement in their acne.

While there is still no absolute answer on what role diet plays in acne treatment, this type of diet can be beneficial not just for acne, but for overall health.

Combined with topical treatment like SkinHealth Technology’s AcneCare ClearTech Treatment, it may bring relief to people suffering with acne.