How Soap Can Prevent Cold and Flu

Posted by kevin1234 on 7/29/2011 to Health
A cold or the flu can cause loss of work, unavailability for social events and overall unpleasantness. There are many methods that you can apply to your daily life to help you to prevent colds and the flu. These include diet, getting enough sleep and using soap regularly.

Soap is a great flu prevention method because it releases bacteria from your hands. We use our hands to put food in our mouth, hold telephones to our ear and put on lip balm, among many other daily activities. Hands come into contact with our nose and mouth many, many times per day.

It is crucial that our hands remain clean, especially during flu season. We could touch a door handle in public and later put our hands near our face. This will cause contact that could lead to infecting us with a cold or flu virus. Influenza or a cold could be airborne, but chances are we are at a higher risk if our hands are not kept clean.

Both antibacterial and regular soap are helpful in preventing sickness. They both are effective at getting rid of germs and bacteria on the skin. Warm water is also helpful and should be used every time hands are washed. During flu season we all need to remember to wash our hands more than we normally do.

Essential Oils for Bowel Problems

Posted by kevin1234 on 7/22/2011 to Health

Bowel issues are quite common in our society. Stresses, fatigue, poor diet, lack of exercise and secondary health conditions are all common contributors to bowel issues. Many people with minor bowel issues and more serious bowel issues such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) have experienced positive results using essential oils in conjunction with doctors recommendations.

Essential oils will need to be mixed into a carrier oil to reduce any chance of further irritation or inflammation. They will need to be applied directly to the abdomen. They can also be put into bath water for a long soak that will expose the body directly to the oils in the water.

Some of the recommended oils for bowel issues include rosemary oil, lemon verbena oil and blue chamomile oil. Be sure to find the right oil for your specific ailment. Some oils will help with constipation, while others may work well for treating loose bowels.

In addition to using essential oils topically to treat bowel problems, the oils can be used for aromatherapy. If stress has created a tight stomach and intestinal issues, lavender oil or rose oil can help to reduce the stress. Heating the oil in an aromatherapy burner is a preferred way to create a therapeutic scent.

The Best Essential Oils for Treating Acne

Posted by kevin1234 on 7/15/2011 to Health

Essential oils are becoming very popular for treating everyday ailments, including acne. These oils work to reduce the stress that may cause acne, reduce sebum production and minimize redness and irritation of pimples. There are three top acne treating oils including tea tree oil, lavender oil and rose oil.

Tea Tree Oil: Tea tree oil can reduce inflammation of acne and will prevent further bacteria from infecting the area. It is also used for treating dandruff, warts, blisters and rashes.

Lavender Oil: Lavender oil has antibacterial properties that can help to heal acne. It is also used in aromatherapy that can help to reduce stress levels and promote deep sleep. Both stress and sleep deprivation are known to cause acne.

Rose Oil: Rose oil works well as an antiseptic. Similar to lavender oil, rose oil can help to reduce stress. It can also help promote joy and happiness when used in an aromatherapy blend.

The quality of oils used to treat acne should be very high. If you are placing the oil directly onto your face, be sure that the blend will not further irritate your skin before using it liberally.

Does Soap Kill Bacteria?

Posted by kevin1234 on 7/6/2011 to Soaps

Regular bar soap and liquid soap dont actually kill bacteria. That does not mean that the soaps are useless. These soaps help to get rid of bacteria and other germs by loosening the bond between the bacteria and the skin. Water, during the hand washing process is then able to release the bacteria from the skin.

Antibacterial soaps, on the other hand, are able to get rid of many types of bacteria. These soaps not only will reduce bad bacteria, but good bacteria as well. The uses of this type of soap are controversial in the medical community.

Many in the health community do agree that it is best to use antibacterial soap when the hands are very dirty, have touched food or other substances that contain bacteria. Other soaps without antibacterial elements can be used for bathing and frequent hand washing.

All soaps are useful for removing dirt, germs and getting rid of bacteria. Antibacterial soap with alcohol will kill some, but not all germs. It is important to have good hygiene and use soap regularly to avoid immunity deficiencies.