Veggie Blog

Skin care treatment for the most common skin conditions

A glowing, healthy skin is an asset. Skin is not only about looks but also about health, so skin care treatment should be taken seriously. If you develop a skin problem, you need an appropriate treatment. For any skin disorder, treatment starts with prevention (what we can also call proactive or preventive skin care). Building and following a basic skin care routine is what counts as preventive care. Skin disorders can still occur even if you follow it, because prevention only reduces the probability. Let’s look at the treatment of some common skin conditions.

Acne

Acne is one of the most common skin problems. The first aim of treatment is to control acne and stop it from getting worse. Avoid tight clothes, which can cause body acne by trapping sweat. Do not touch the blemishes over and over (better still, do not touch them at all) because you might make the condition worse. Do not scrub too hard or squeeze them. Use of a mild cleanser is a recommended treatment for acne. Over-the-counter acne products can bring faster results. If your acne does not improve after a couple of months, see a doctor.

Dry skin

Treating dry skin is much easier. Moisturizers, used the right way and in the right quantity, are the best form of treatment. For best results, apply the moisturizer while your skin is still damp, and do not use too much or too little. If you notice no improvement after a few weeks, you may have to see a dermatologist for the treatment of your dry skin.

Brown spots

Brown spots, which show up on sun-exposed areas such as the face and hands, are caused by too much exposure to UV radiation. As a first step, use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a high SPF (dermatologists usually recommend SPF 30 or higher) and apply it whether the weather is sunny or cloudy. Another measure is to cover the exposed areas with clothing such as caps, long-sleeved shirts and an umbrella. Have a spot checked by a doctor if it changes in size, color or shape.

When to see a dermatologist

If a routine or an over-the-counter product is not enough for you, you should see a dermatologist for professional treatment. Tell the doctor about the treatment you have tried so far, and take along the details of the products you have used. Based on your skin condition and your history, the dermatologist may prescribe a treatment such as oral antibiotics, chemical peels or retinoids, and you will be on your way to recovery.

When you think of sports fitness, you probably picture the games themselves: football, tennis, swimming or running. Sports are a fun way to stay fit, and they are also physically demanding. Unlike general fitness, which is mostly about health, sports fitness is about building the strength, stamina and skill to perform in your chosen activity. Four everyday habits can help you do that.

1. How much should you drink?

Water is the one thing your body cannot do without. When you sweat a lot and do not replace the lost fluid, you risk dehydration and heat illness, which can be serious. Drink before, during and after exercise, and more in hot weather. For most workouts that last less than an hour, water is enough. For long or very intense sessions, or exercise in the heat, a sports drink can help, because it provides carbohydrate for energy and electrolytes such as sodium that you lose in sweat. Many sports drinks are also high in sugar, so you do not need them for a short walk or a gym session. The CDC’s guidance on heat and athletes has practical tips.

2. Why eat more vegetables and fruit?

People who play sports need a good supply of vitamins, minerals and fiber, and vegetables and fruit are among the best sources. They also supply antioxidants and carbohydrate to fuel your activity. Aim to fill half of your plate with them, and add whole grains, beans, nuts and a source of protein. Eating well gives your muscles what they need to recover and helps you to cope with the demands of training. If you are vegetarian, you may enjoy our post on building stronger bones as a veggie.

3. How much calcium do you need?

Strong bones help to prevent stress fractures and other injuries. According to the National Institutes of Health, adults aged 19 to 50 need 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day, and women over 50 and everyone over 70 need 1,200 milligrams. Milk, yogurt and cheese are rich in calcium. If you eat a plant-based diet, good sources include calcium-fortified soy milk and other plant drinks, tofu set with calcium, and some leafy greens such as kale and bok choy. Sardines with their bones are another source for those who eat fish. Food is the best source. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists the amounts you need and encourages you to talk to a health care provider before you take a supplement.

4. Why is warming up so important?

A warm-up prepares the muscles, joints and heart for exercise and lowers the risk of injury. Start with five to ten minutes of light activity, such as jogging in place or an easy bike ride, and then do movements that look like your sport. If you play tennis, swing your arms and rotate your hips. If you run, do some leg swings and lunges. Save long static stretches for after the session, when your muscles are warm. Cool down with some gentle walking, and then stretch.

Putting it together

Sports fitness is a combination of good food, enough fluid, strong bones and a sensible warm-up. Add rest days, sleep and well-fitting gear, and you will be able to enjoy your sport for years. For more advice, see our posts on preventing sports injuries, moderate exercise for fitness and health and fitness.

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When you start the Atkins diet, the supermarket changes. The old version of this post said that macaroni and cheese, pasta and bread vanish from the shopping list, and that you may feel like a fish out of water for the first few trips. It also gave tips on planning, buying meat in bulk and reading labels. This rewrite keeps those tips, checks them and adds food-safety and label advice.

How do you plan before you leave home?

The old post suggests listing the week’s recipes first, working out what each meal needs, and adding low-carb snacks for between meals. That is good practice for any diet. It also suggests cooking one main dish for the whole family and giving the others a carbohydrate side, such as half a potato next to the meatloaf, so you do not have to cook two dinners. For snack ideas with real carb counts, see low-carb snack ideas for Atkins and other low-carb plans, and for menus see planning for Atkins.

Where should you shop in the store?

The old post advises filling your cart with protein and produce first, so there is less room for anything else, and sticking to the outer edges of the store, where the produce, meat, fish and deli counter usually are. Store layouts vary, and plain frozen vegetables in the middle aisles are fine too. The old post also said to avoid all packaged foods during the first phase, including low-carb products. Our post on what you can eat on Atkins and how to read the label lists the foods that make up most of the plan.

How do you read a label?

Be careful with “low carb” claims on the front of a package. According to a dietitian at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center, “net carbs” is a term created by food companies, and neither the FDA nor the American Diabetes Association endorses it. They advise looking at total carbohydrates on the Nutrition Facts label. Net carbs are usually worked out by taking total carbohydrate and subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols, and it can still be useful to know them if you are counting carbs. The old post warned that some products have hidden sugars, which is a good reason to read the ingredient list too. Learn more in the Ohio State article on tracking net carbs.

Is buying meat in bulk a good idea?

It can save money, as the old post says, but only if you store the meat safely. The U.S. Department of Agriculture advises storing raw ground beef at 40°F (4°C) or below and using it within one to two days, or freezing it. Frozen at 0°F, ground beef stays safe indefinitely, though quality drops and USDA suggests using it within about four months. Cook ground beef to 160°F, and never leave raw meat out for more than two hours (one hour above 90°F). That is why the old post’s tip to cook meat in batches fits well: cook it, refrigerate it within two hours and keep it cold. USDA says cooked ground beef keeps for about three to four days in the fridge, or freeze it. Mark packages with the date. Read the details on ground beef and food safety.

What about cheese and fiber?

The old post says cheese can be bought in bulk if you tolerate it, and reminds readers to eat fiber (salad or raw vegetables) with it. Cheese is high in saturated fat, so keep portions reasonable, and low-carb eating can be low in fiber, which is why vegetables matter. Check the labels on shredded or processed cheese too.

How do you keep costs down?

Low-carb shopping is often expensive. Our guide to eating low-carb on a budget explains how planning, bulk buying and freezing, and choosing good-value proteins can trim the bill. With a list, a plan and a little practice, the old post says you will soon be an experienced low-carb shopper, and that part of the advice still stands.

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In Yoga for Transformation, Gary Kraftsow invites readers to look beyond the physical side of yoga. The book is interested in how posture, breath, attention and reflection can form a more personal practice. For readers whose experience of yoga begins and ends with stretching, it offers a different way to think about why they come to the mat.

What does the book cover?

The publisher describes a wide-ranging introduction to the physical, emotional and contemplative dimensions of yoga. It includes breathing techniques, exercises intended to sharpen attention and meditation practices for self-awareness. More than 350 black-and-white photographs support the explanations. Kraftsow is known for his work in the Viniyoga tradition, which places emphasis on adapting practice to individual needs.

Who is it written for?

This is most likely to appeal to a curious reader who wants yoga to be a regular personal practice rather than an occasional workout. It may also interest people who already enjoy postures but have not explored breath work or meditation. A reader looking only for a quick illustrated list of stretches may find its wider philosophical scope more than they need.

How does it fit with current evidence?

Yoga combines multiple elements, and that is part of what makes it difficult to study as one single intervention. The NCCIH summary of yoga research reports potential benefits for stress management, sleep and balance, while noting that results depend on the population and the kind of yoga studied. Spiritual or personal claims made in a book should not be confused with demonstrated treatment effects.

For a practical start, you might combine a gentle posture, a few minutes of unforced breathing and a quiet pause at the end. Stop if a movement causes pain, and seek individual advice before changing your routine if you have a relevant medical condition.

Can you buy it today?

Yes, the book remains in the publisher’s catalogue, with a paperback and ebook listing. It is an older title, but its availability does not depend only on second-hand sellers.

Check editions at Penguin Random House.

Related on Veggie-Blog: A Short History of Yoga and What Is Yoga?.

Book: Yoga for Transformation by Gary Kraftsow
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The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali is a classic Sanskrit treatise consisting of 195 “threads,” or aphorisms, describing the process of liberation through yoga. Although little is known about Patanjali (most scholars estimate that he lived in India circa 200–300 b.c.), his writings have long been recognized as a vital contribution to the philosophy and practice of yoga. This new, expert translation of the original Sanskrit text of Patanjali’s best-known work presents his seminal ideas and methods in accessible, plain-language English.

Patanjali organized the sutra into four parts: Samadhi (absorption), Sadhana (practice), Vibhuti (supernatural powers), and Kaivalya (liberation). Each represents a step in breaking free of our limited definition of consciousness and training the mind to achieve oneness with the universe. Geshe Michael Roach, one of the most respected teachers of Tibetan Buddhism in America and a renowned scholar of Sanskrit, provides authoritative commentary on each of the sutras. His notes and clarification are straightforward and highly readable, untainted by obscure, academic terminology or New Age jargon. The first edition of the Yoga Sutra to present a Buddhist perspective, this paperback original will be welcomed by students and spiritual seekers alike.
Author Bio:
GESHE MICHAEL ROACH is a fully ordained Buddhist monk and has been a teacher of Buddhism since 1981. He is also a scholar of Sanskrit, Tibetan, and Russian, and has translated many works in these languages into English. He founded the Asian Classics Institute and the Asian Classics Input Project and has been active in the restoration of the Sera Mey Tibetan Monastery, where he received his training. He lives in New York and Arizona.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra is a foundational ancient text that examines the purpose and practice of yoga. Longtime American Buddhist teacher Roach, who holds the distinguished title of geshe (comparable to a Ph.D. in Buddhist religious studies), provides commentary to McNally’s fresh translation of this aphoristic text from ca. 250 B.C.E. Yoga means union, and this interpretation unites the ways of Buddhism and yoga, making it useful for students of either practice. Roach’s commentary reveals the text’s logic and organization, unpacking its density in 108 short sections, each devoted to a few lines of the text. An index of important ideas in the sutra is helpful. Like any classic sacred text, this one is deceptively simple, inviting study, as Roach notes (“Now that you’ve read this book, you need to use it”). The text is dense and the commentary short, so this is not a book for beginners. The subtitle is misleading: as how-to books go, this is fairly abstract (“Everything we see around us is either at work or at rest”), lacking real anecdotes or examples to illustrate ideas. But for more experienced students and those interested in the intersection between yoga and Buddhism, this is a stimulating presentation of an influential text. (Aug. 16) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Book: The Essential Yoga Sutra by Geshe Michael Roach
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