Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Steps For More Effective Skin Care Can Lead To Aging Well

Skin care is an important issue that can lend itself to aging well. One well worth the time and effort it will require to become knowledgeable. As with any issue that affects appearance, you can enjoy greater confidence when you are looking your best. The right approach will bring with it all the opportunity that can be enjoyed by looking and feeling great.

Taking proper care of your skin means ensuring that your body has all it needs to keep itself healthy. In addition to basic care, there are environmental and lifestyle issues that may need to be considered as well. Activities such as smoking or prolonged exposure to the sun can leave your skin looking tired and worn out, or even increase your risk of developing signs of premature aging. Fortunately most of these issues can be addressed when you take the appropriate steps.

Fundamental care can be as simple as getting enough sleep. Fatigue leaves the body functioning less efficiently, and as a result your skin can't look its best. Once you have attended to any possible health and lifestyle concerns, it's time to consider what else you can do to keep your skin looking great. When it comes to selecting from the wide variety of commercial products that are available, a little education can go a long way.

With a range of options that cover everything from simple home remedies to costly and invasive surgeries, it's important to know more about your choices. The fundamentals of good skin care and aging well remain constant no matter which treatments you are considering. Proper cleansing, hydration, and protection won't merely prevent and treat dry skin. Done correctly, they will actually improve skin tone and texture, mask imperfections, and protect your skin from environmental threats.

Ensuring that the product you select is able to do this effectively is very important. Home remedies just won't be able to provide the care you need when it comes to skin type, or providing sufficient protection from your environment. The most effective results can only come from the right product. At the same time, it is also important to understand that many available products contain potentially damaging ingredients.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

The Weather's Influence on Men's Skin Care Products

Is there a direct correlation between the weather and the purchasing of men's skin care products? There may be. After working in sales at a well-established men's grooming company for the past five years, I have noticed some trends that may show how weather can influence a man's decision to buy skincare products.

1. Harsher weather environments is correlated to higher sales of men's skin care products than those of milder weather environments. "Harsher" meaning extreme weather conditions such as but not limited to freezing snow weather, or intraday weather that fluctuates greatly for example extremely hot weather in the early afternoon and then significantly cool weather at night.

So I have noticed a sales trend in the United States that the East Coast area is a larger market, in general, for men's skin care than the West Coast. From my previous work experience, Florida ranks near the top as one of the best states for the sale of men's skin care products probably due to the fact Florida is humid and its hot weather has more of a severe effect on the skin as compared to Texas' tepid weather conditions.

2. Warmer weather typically correlates to an increase in men's suncreen SPF product sales.

Arizona and California rank up there as the largest consumer states of sunscreen products per capita. This is probably due to the abundant number of sunshine days devoid of clouds that shield harmful UVA/UVB rays from us. Or maybe because more people are enjoying themselves outside at the beach or on the golf course.

One thing I would like to note which is not related to this topic but important enough to mention is when the weather is overcast with no visible signs of blue sky, it does not mean that you do not have to use a facial suncreen that day. Harmful UVA and UVB rays still penetrate your skin in any weather conditions. Use sunscreen daily!

3. Cooler non-humid weather encourages more sales of facial moisturizers.

I noticed that winter season in the East Coast is the peak season for facial moisturizers sales. The harsh winter air and ripping breezes dry out your skin whether it's your hands or face. During Winter, people living in Hawaii are not rampant consumers of moisturizers as compared to those living in upstate New York.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Everything You Need To Know About Your Hip Extensors

Some people may say that the hip flexors do not get as much exposure as they deserve, but the hip extensors get even less, despite the equal importance they have. The lesser known hip extensors are the opposing muscles to the flexors, which are composed primarily of muscles running along the back of the leg. The hip extensor's primary function is to pull down the leg from any vertical position (i.e. the hip flexors let you lift your knee up; the hip extensors can be used to pull it back down).

Hip Extensors Anatomy

Most people would be surprised to learn that the hip extensors are mainly made up of 2 major muscle groups: the Hamstring and the Gluteus Maximus.

Hamstring

You are probably familiar with the Hamstring, but just in case you are not here's a quick refresher. The Hamstring is composed of the large muscle and tendons behind your thigh muscle and is used heavily in running and athletic activity.

Gluteus Maximus

The Gluteus Maximus is the most obvious opponent of the hip flexors as it is located right behind the pelvis. It is the largest of the gluteal muscles and extremely powerful in humans and primates, often called the "butt". It is subdivided into smaller muscles but that is beyond the scope of this article.

Why Is This Muscle Group Important?

You may be asking yourself what the importance of the extensors is in relation to the flexors. The answer is simple, in that since the two muscle groups are antagonists (oppose) of each other, anything you do to one of them affects the other.

When you get a flexor injury, the typical course of action is to rest and encourage healing, and then hip flexor strengthening because your muscles have weakened through inactivity. However, most people do not strengthen their extensors, which have also become weak because they have not been used much due to the hip flexor pain

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Four Ways To Lose Weight Fast Naturally

It is very likely that you are looking for ways to lose weight fast naturally. This is something that everyone wants and is something that is possible. However, it is very important to point out that this will still require some hard work from you - there is no magical pill that you can take that will make the weight drop off!

Portion Size

If you actually looked at the size of your portion, it will feel normal and just right; however, it is probably way too big. Portion control is the downfall for many people who are looking to lose weight fast naturally. You can eat all of the right things but if you eat too much of it, you will still put on weight! To cut down on your portions and lose weight fast naturally, put your meals on a smaller plate. This will make your brain think that you are getting the same amount of food but you will be lowering your calorie intake.

Eat Slowly

As well as portion sizes, another big downfall is the speed that people eat. If you want to lose weight fast naturally you must not eat fast. When you eat fast it does not give your body the chance to digest the food. This will give your body the feeling like it is still hungry and will lead you to eating seconds. However, if you eat slowly, your food will digest along the way and you will feel satisfied. Turn off the TV while you eat and have conversations with those eating with you. This will make you chew, swallow and talk before going for the next mouthful.

Eat More Fruit and Vegetables

The main trick to lose weight fast naturally is to eat foods that are low in calories. Fruit and vegetables have next to no calories and will also help to battle the sweet cravings. Another benefit of eating more of your "five a day" is that they are healthy. Fruit and vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals that your body needs, not just to lose weight but also to fight infections and diseases.

Do Some Basic Exercise

Exercise is a great thing and something that your body needs. Not only will it help you lose weight fast naturally, it will also help you to build up your muscle and live longer. Just 30 minutes, five times a day is all you need to become healthier and you do not need to do all of that in one go. Take your time to build up slowly and constantly make changes to your exercise regime so your body does not get used to it.