Here are 5 simple and effective tips which help you own a beautiful healthy skin that not costly by using any cosmetic productions.

1. Drinking enough water

Water is an important role in the elimination of toxin from the body. Drinking enough water not only helps you improve your general health but also well for skin. Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily.

2. Keep skin cleanly

In addition to drinking enough water, one necessary thing is hygiene your skin regularly. You should clean your skin with some gently with the cleanser that contain natural ingredients after waking and before bed. If not kept clean the skin regularly, you may well boil or pimple.

3. Sleep well

A good sleep is also very important to remain a healthy skin. Follow the recommend of the doctors, we should sleep at least 7-8 hours per day, our skin will be more lighting after waking up in the morning

4. Sunbathing in the morning

You just need 5-30 minutes for sunbathing in the morning to your skin can receive Vitamin D form the sunshine. Vitamin D is one of important vitamin which help skin can receive canxi and also for a healthy skin.

5. Do exercise in the morning

This thing is not only good for health benefit but also help the body can eliminate the toxin. In addition, it will increase blood flow to provide oxygen to the skin. You can choose some simple and easy exercise such as walking, swimming, aerobics.

Exercise
Balance in all things is critical to maintaining health, not only physical health, but emotional and spiritual health as well. In the hectic drive of today’s world, many women forget to take care of their most important asset, themselves. In an effort to help people of all ages learn to take care of and nurture themselves, here are some easy ideas you can use to bring balance and harmony into your life, starting with exercise.

For years, we have heard how exercise is an integral part of achieving and sustaining good health. Exercise does more that keep your heart healthy and toned. Exercise improves the performance of your lungs. It improves your circulation by increasing the exchange rate of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. Exercise activates many internal mechanisms, which help to cleanse and tonify the body.

Exercise is not only aerobics, weight lifting, cycling or jogging. This level of exertion isn’t necessary to have and maintain balance in our lives. Simple acts such as walking, yoga and even stretching can have a beneficial effect on your body and spirit. Incorporate one of these activities into your daily routine. Pick a specific time of day. Give yourself 5 or 10 minutes a day to work on your physical well-being. As you become comfortable with the activity, increase its length. Add another 5 minutes every week or two. Is this asking too much for yourself?

Eat Right
Eating right is another key toward having and maintaining health and balance in your life. As our society changes and the basis of life becomes accelerated, many of us get trapped in the idea that faster is better. How many times have you found yourself getting frustrated as you sit in your car waiting in line at a fast food restaurant? Or watch as the clock ticks away, counting down the seconds until the microwave announces that your food selection is ready?

In order to fuel the fires of our being, we need to consume the right blend of nutrients in order for our bodies to function correctly. Would it surprise you to find out that many of the fast and convenience foods available today lack many of the vitamins and minerals we need? In fact, the main components of many of these foods include white flour, saturated or hydrogenated fats and sugar. While they may taste good and fill our non-discriminating stomachs, they lack nutritional value. They are just empty calories looking to be consumed.

Eating healthy is easy. Reduce or eliminate processed or convenience foods from your diet, replacing them with whole grains, chicken and fish. Try to incorporate a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables into your food regimen, looking to eat a leafy green salad and a piece of fruit daily. Even with these small changes in your diet, I think you will find a healthier, happier you.

Reduce Stress
Stress is a word we are all too familiar with. If it is not the job, it is the kids. If it isn’t the kids, it is some unexpected expense you haven’t budgeted for. Let’s face it, stress is accepted as a basic part of our lives.

When we are whole in body, mind and spirit, we do not experience stress. We experience stress when we choose to hold onto energies and emotions as opposed to accepting them and allowing them to flow through us, or “to roll off our backs.” Many times, fear is the underlying emotion that traps us. While we may not think it is on a conscious level, there is always some part of us that is afraid. We are afraid to let go or afraid to make changes in our lives, even if these changes will bring us a sense of peace and harmony.

Stress reduction is an integral part of bringing balance back into your life. Stress has been identified with burnout and fatigue, a lowered immune system and an increase in free radical damage. There are a number of simple things you can do to help reduce or eliminate the stress you are experiencing in your life.

There are times, however, that the only way to eliminate stressors from our lives is by making behavioral or lifestyle changes. These changes can include quitting an undesirable job, ending a failing relationship or even saying “No” to a needy friend or relative. While these changes may seem radical, in the end many woman find them freeing.

Meditate
Meditation is a great technique to use for stress reduction. Meditation can be either active or passive. Active meditation includes exercise, drawing or dancing. Even activities such as doing the dishes or raking the lawn can have a relaxing therapeutic effect. Meditation can also be passive utilizing techniques such as concentration, breath control and even creative visualization. Each of these activities distracts the conscious mind and allows unwanted thoughts and emotions to drain away.

Find Your Bliss
Through my work, I have found countless men who do not know what they want, need or desire. They have spent a majority their lives “taking care” of someone else. When asked what they want, many of them just don’t know. They have never taken the time to ask themselves these important questions. They were not taught to take care of themselves or the importance of honoring their needs or their needs and desires are just as important as everyone else’s. Why should they? It is not part of our society.

So how do you figure out what your needs and desires? I have found journaling to be an excellent way to help you clarify your thoughts, needs and desires. Journaling gives you the opportunity to separate out your feelings from those around you. It gives you the opportunity to figure out who you really are.

Journaling
Journaling is an easy technique to master. Buy yourself a blank writing book, staple together some scrap paper or sit in front of your computer, taking a few minutes each day to write to yourself. As yourself questions like: What do I want? What do I need? What kinds of things make me happy? Where am I going in my life? Where do I want to go? As you start to explore some of these questions, take the time to listen to your answers. Be honest with yourself. What is the point of lying, you will only be deceiving yourself.

Once you have completed this stage, give yourself permission to have it, get it or work toward it. Create goals and work toward them. Ask your friends and families for their support and blessings. With each and every step you take, no matter how large or small, you are creating more and more balance in your life. That’s right, give it a try. You might be surprised.

Have Fun
That’s right, just go ahead and do it. You never know, you may enjoy yourself. Take the time to give to yourself daily.

Giving to yourself, honoring yourself and loving yourself is important. As you take the time to eat right, exercise, meditate or fulfill your own need, you will begin to experience a sense of empowerment, peace and harmony. Each step that you take will help to bring the scales back into balance.

Did you ever think that a mere 30 minutes a day could give you so much?

Adequate Sleep
Sleep is an important step that offers rest and revitalization.

Keeping to a routine sleep schedule is the best way to give yourself the adequate sleep your body needs. Some people require eight or nine hours of sleep each night, whereas other people function quite well with a little as five hours. Allow your body to teach you what its needs are. But no matter how much time your mind and body need it is recommended that you set a bedtime and an awake time and do your best to stick with them. Going to bed at the same time and awakening at the same time each day will help to balance your awake time.

Have you ever seen the film Gua Sha? The story of the film, directed by Xiaolong Zheng, unfolds on the grandfather Xu. He comes from China to visit the family of his son, Datong Xu (Tony Leung), in St. Louis. While there, he gives his grandson, Dennis Xu (Dennis Zhu), a treatment of Gua Sha to treat a slight fever (being unable to read English labels of medicine). The authorities, however, mistakenly takes the traditional Chinese medical treatment for child abuse due to the obvious marks left on Dennis’ back. The family goes through hell when the child is taken away by the child protection agency. Meanwhile, grandfather Xu leaves America because he finds that the living environment is really not suitable for him, as he feels that a simple, harmless treatment like Gua Sha, which is so common in China, is treated as child abuse in America. Furthermore, he cannot converse in English. An American friend of the father, Benton Davis (Joe Erker), tries Gua Sha and proves that the treatment leaves painful-looking marks that are not actually painful or harmful at all. Finally, the child is able to return home and the family is reunited.

Acupuncture and Moxibustion Treatment is an ancient Chinese method of treating different diseases. It has been practiced in China for more than 5000 years.

It involves inserting acupuncture pins into certain Acupoints of the body to remove blocked energy or to bring harmony in the flow of energy along the body’s, imaginary meridian lines. It is based on the philosophy that energy or the life force (Qi pronounced chi) flows through these meridian lines and any blockage or disharmony in the flow of energy throughout the body can cause disease.  By removing these causes, energy can be restored and the body can heal itself. The blockage or disharmony/imbalance can be caused by physical or emotional difficulties.

So, acupuncture and moxibustion is the process of encouraging the body to promote natural healing. The general theory of acupuncture is based on the principle that there are patterns of energy flow through the body that are essential for health. Disruptions of this flow are believed to be responsible for disease. Acupuncture and moxibustion corrects imbalances of flow. Throughout its long history, acupuncture and moxibustion treatment has established a solid reputation as an excellent alternative for healthcare and is very effective to treat some diseases, where other methods of treatment could not achieve good result or failed.

Today, acupuncture and moxibustion is an effective, natural and increasingly popular form of healthcare that is used by people whole over the world. The modern scientific explanation about the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment is that inserting pins into acupuncture points stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals in the muscles, spinal cord, and brain, including endorphins, enkephalins and other neuro-transmitters. Either these chemicals will change the experience of pain, or they will trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones that influence the body’s own internal regulating system. The improved energy or bioelectrical or biochemical balance produced by acupuncture results in stimulating the body’s natural healing abilities, and in promoting physical and emotional well-being.

Acupuncture pins are so fine that there is no discomfort when they are inserted.  The pins are usually left in for approximately twenty minutes or more. The doctor may also stimulate the acupuncture points using other methods, such as Moxibustion (a traditional technique that involves application of heat through the burning of mugwort, a small, spongy herb used to facilitate healing), Hammering, Cupping, Auriculotherapy and Electro-stimulation etc. in order to re-establish the flow or disharmony.

This method of treatment is recognized and recommended by WHO and National Institutes of Health-USA as a scientific, free from side effect, complimentary, simple and very effective method of treatment for various diseases. Acupuncture treatment is being widely practiced and getting popular in many developed countries. This method of treatment is already quite popular in the countries like America, France, Canada, UK, Australia, Japan, China, Korea etc. Though this treatment has already been started in our country but due to small number of medically trained acupuncture doctors and lack of proper perception about the application of this method, the patients are being deprived of the advantages of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment. Such a doctor should possess adequate knowledge and experience for providing proper treatment to his/her patients. Inadequate education, knowledge and experience may create serious medical problems.

Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment has several advantages. It is very effective to treat some diseases, where other methods of treatment could not achieve good result or failed. The diseases where acupuncture and moxibustion can be effective are different type of pain, arthritis or rheumatism, autism, depression, anxiety, delayed speech, sleep problems, sports injuries, work injuries, spinal / backbone pain, trigeminal neuralgia, sciatica, degenerative disk disorders, attention deficit disorder, mental/behavioral problems, IBS, depression, epilepsy, tonsillitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, optic nerve atrophy, angina pectoris (heart’s pain), irregular heartbeat, headache, paralysis, hair fall, acne, Burger’s / Raynuad’s disease, chronic wounds, cerebral palsy, weak memory, dyslexia (weakness in study), causeless sterility, drugs addiction, pus from ear, tinnitus, nerve deafness, allergy, overweight, certain males  and females problems, post-radio / chemotherapy effects, cold sensitivity etc. This therapy does not require any medicine. So toxicity due to medicine  can be avoided.

The writer is an Associate Professor of Medicine

Govt. Unani – Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital.

Mobile: 0088-01710-155355

Summers might be fun, warm and colorful in all other parts of the world but in Bangladesh, particularly Dhaka city summers are anything but fun. Here, in Dhaka city the sun wears you down and there is no respite for you even in your home, thanks to the frequent load shedding taking place. But, you can still make the heat more bearable by taking a few precautions.
-Water. Drink lots and lots of water and you will have saved yourself from being dehydrated. Dehydration is one of the major threats the summer heat poses. With enough fluid in your body, the sweating would not make you lethargic and you will remain active throughout the day. Carry a water bottle in your backpack all the time. Take a sip or two whenever you have time. Carrying wet tissues with you also helps.

-Watch your eating and drinking habits. Avoid Coke, Sprite, Pepsi or any other fizzy drink. As much as you would like to gulp down a bottle of chilled coke on a hot summer day, you would be better off staying away from it. Carbonated drinks absorb the water from the body. During summer losing this moisture may cause a number of illnesses. Without the right amount of moisture in the body a person may even die of a heat stroke. So next time you are at a restaurant go for the fruit juice instead of Sprite. Steer clear of oily, junk food for the same reason you should avoid fizzy drinks. If you have to attend a wedding do not stuff yourself with oily dishes. They will make your summers sluggish and sleepy. Increase intake of Vitamin C.  Sudden temperature changes faced by the body as you move out of your A.C. room to the hot Dhaka streets and vice-versa may cause you to develop cold. To build up your resistance against cold or allergies, Vitamin C will help.

-Use protection against UV rays. With the advent of global warming and increasing depletion of the ozone layer, risks of diseases caused by UV rays have increased. It is always better to apply sunscreen lotion before walking outdoors.  They give protection against the UV rays, thus preventing the many diseases the sun’s rays cause. Wearing a hat or using an umbrella also helps.  Using an umbrella has the added advantage of giving you shade from the scorching heat of the sun.  Also wear sunglasses. They would protect your eyes from UV rays.

-Enjoy the summer. Summers may be hot and hard but the silver lining here is that it also brings with it a huge array of fruits and vegetables. Mangoes, lychees, jackfruits – you don’t get these fruits around the year. So, treat yourself to a glass cold fruit juice when you are feeling the heat too much. Sunny weather also provides you with the opportunity of going outdoors for sports.  Take advantage of it while it lasts. A couple of more months and before you know it summer will be gone. Rainy season will have arrived and you will be left, cursing the drizzles and looking for ways to endure the cold, humid days.

Every time you shake someone’s hand, wash yours
But don’t stop there. Wash them as much as possible. Running lots of water over your hands will dilute any germs and send them down the drain.Keep your hands off
Touching your nose and your eyes may hurt you. Those are the most common places for germs to get in.

Go to bed
As if getting enough sleep on a normal basis isn’t hard enough, you need more z’s when you’re feeling under the weather. When you’re tired, your body isn’t fighting as hard, so Doctors suggest getting 8 to 10 hours a night.

Build up with healthy food
You may think it’s hard to eat healthily on a regular basis, but eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables supports your immune system. And that’s a lot easier than fighting off the flu.

Work out
Get those sweats on and exercise. Working out regularly enhances immune function.

Stay away
Keep your distance from people displaying symptoms like sneezing and coughing. While that strategy may seem obvious, it applies to more than just strangers and colleagues. Stay away from sick friends and family when possible.

Sanitize yourself
Keep sanitizing gel or hand wipes on you at all times. But read the label before you buy: Some wipes won’t be as effective as you expect.

Another reason to quit
Smoking increases the risk of infections by making structural changes in the respiratory tract and decreasing immune response, according to a study of smokers and infection published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2004. In particular, smoking destroys cilia, the little hairlike fibers inside our noses; this can help increase infection risks.

Fingers away
Biting your nails may be hurting you, Brasco says. Germs get under your nails and nibbling is a fast way to ingest them.

Try to smile
New research has found that happiness may help you. Researchers found that positive thinking, playing, and other pleasurable behaviors will boost your immune system.

You want me to sneeze where?
It may sound strange, but when you have to cough and sneeze, do so into the crook of your elbow, not into your hands. Since your hands are a common source of germs, doing that will prevent them from spreading.

Already sick?
Here are four things you can do to get better, according to the physicians.

Take some alone time. This is the when you’ll want to shy away from company. Stay home and take care of yourself.

Watch your symptoms. If it goes from simple sniffles to raging sickness, contact your doctor. Your cold may have escalated to the flu.

Drink, drink, drink. Dehydration can easily occur (especially if you are running a fever or vomiting). If you’re unable to keep fluids down, contact your physician.

Now’s not the time to save up. Dispose of all used tissues. As easy as it is to grab whatever is on the nightstand (including crumpled Kleenex), don’t! You may be furthering the cold.

swine flu

It is called swine flu because it is a bit like an illness that pigs can get. (Swine is another word for pigs.)
At the moment we do not think that swine flu is spreading among pigs. Swine flu is caused by a virus. A virus is a sort of germ which makes people ill. The swine flu virus is spreading among people.
How is swine flu different from ordinary flu?
If a lot of people catch swine flu it could lead to a pandemic flu outbreak. Pandemic means across the world. An outbreak is when a large number of people get a disease very quickly.
Everyone is at risk of catching swine flu. This means healthy adults as well as older people, young children and people with other illnesses.
The World Health Organization keeps an eye on people’s health. It is watching carefully to see whether swine flu will turn into a pandemic flu outbreak.

How does swine flu spread?
Flu is spread through the droplets that come out of your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.
•    When you cough or sneeze, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue. If you don’t, other people might breathe in the droplets and catch the flu.
•    If you cough or sneeze into your hand it is easy to spread the virus from your hand onto things you touch.
After you have coughed or sneezed into a tissue, bin the  tissue and always wash your hands with soap and water. If you have a special gel, then you can use this too.

Swine flu can spread from man to man

The virus can live for quite a long time on hard things like:
•    door handles
•    computer keyboards
•    mobile and ordinary phones
•    TV remote controls.
If other people then touch these things the virus can get into their bodies and they can catch flu.

How will I know if I have got swine flu?
Doctors and nurses sometimes call these symptoms, they show you are ill:
•    suddenly feeling hot or cold. This is a fever.
•    a cough, feeling short of breath.

Other symptoms can be:
•    headache
•    sore throat
•    being tired
•    aching muscles
•    chills
•    sneezing
•    runny nose
•    not feeling hungr
•    diarrhoea
•    vommitting

What can I do to help stop me and other people getting flu?
The best thing you can do to help stop yourself and other people from getting flu is to be careful not to spread the virus.
So, use mask outside your home and avoid crowded place.

get protection

When you cough or sneeze it is very important that you:
•    always carry tissues with you
•    use a clean tissue to cover your mouth and nose every time you cough or sneeze – catch it
•    bin the tissues after one use – bin it
•    wash your hands often with soap and hot water or a special gel – kill it.
Remember: Catch it, bin it, kill it.

Keep up to date with the latest information
If swine flu spreads, you need to know what is happening so that you know what to do to help stop you and your family getting flu.
As things change, you should:
•    watch TV
•    listen to the radio
•    check on the internet
•    look out for information in the newspapers and
•    follow the advice you are given.

What should I do if I think I might have swine flu?
You should:
•    stay at home
•    call your doctor.

Fahima Ali