The Psych Guru

Acne can be embarrassing for sufferers, and it can affect self-esteem for both teens and adults. While acne is often hormonal, and you may not be able to cure it overnight, there are some simple tips that can help you win the fight against acne.

Wash Regularly, But Not Too Much

Washing your face regularly with a quality facial cleanser is important, but when many people develop acne, they go overboard with how much they wash their face. Even if you have oily skin and acne, you should only be washing your face in the morning, evening and after you sweat or spend time exercising. Washing your face too much can actually strip the good oils your skin needs to stay healthy, which can cause your body to produce more oil than you really need, leading to more breakouts.

Use a Moisturizer

People that have acne often avoid moisturizers because they believe that using them will cause more pimples and breakouts. The problem is that many topical acne treatments contain ingredients that can severely dry the skin out, making it look dull, cracked or red. Using an oil-free moisturizer that is labeled as non-comedogenic – that means it’s been tested and won’t clog your pores – can help to stop some of the redness and irritation. Use quality facial moisturizer lightly after your bathe or wash your face to help your skin retain as much moisture as possible.

Limit Your Use of Makeup

Women that wear makeup regularly have a tendency to put on more foundation and concealer than they otherwise would when they have acne in an attempt to cover up pimples and red spots. While that might make sense to some women, makeup can actually clog pores and make acne worse. If you absolutely have to wear makeup, choose oil-free mineral makeup – it’s least likely to cause irritation and clogged pores. Take your makeup off whenever you can, and avoid wearing it for whole days whenever possible.

Don’t Touch Your Face

When you’re experiencing a breakout, it’s normal to want to touch your face. Some people that have a tendency to flush or feel red touch their face out of habit, often when they feel self-conscious about their skin. Other people pick, squeeze or try to pop their pimples with their fingernails in the hopes that they’ll go away or become less noticeable. Unfortunately, touching your face, especially when you have acne, is only going to make your skin look worse. You’ve got bacteria on your hands and under your fingernails that can make acne worse. If you pick at your pimples, you’re likely to increase irritation and scarring.

Wash Your Pillow Case and Sheets Frequently

You put your face down on your pillow case every single night, and your pillow case absorbs oil from your skin. If you’ve got acne, this oil can make pimples irritated and inflamed, and lead to more breakouts. Flip your pillow case over each night, and wash it after two days. It might seem like a lot of trouble, but your skin may look much better.

Erin is a Beauty Therapist from Brisbane, Australia. She often has people coming to her seeking assistance to fight acne and she provides these tips to help. If these aren’t helping, Erin recommends contacting the Victorian Cosmetic Institute about a professional acne treatment.

Consult a directory of counsellors and you’ll be
presented with dozens, hundreds or even thousands of leading
professionals in their field.

Of course, committing such an act can be a daunting process. You – as
a person in need of a counsellor personally, or a health practitioner
looking professionally – aren’t necessarily expected to know what to
look for in a counsellor, other than their legitimate certification. In
some counselling institutions this can take the form of titles beginning
with “Fellow”, “Member” and “Accredited member” – among others.

Beyond the letters and acronyms that you see trailing behind a
counsellor’s name like a badge of honour (they are), what other things
should you be looking for in a counsellor? What other questions should
you be asking your counsellor when you pick up the phone, following on
from your spot in a directory of counsellors?

Well, here are a few suggestions.

Publicity

Some – but not all – counsellors have been featured in mainstream or
niche press publications because they have acted as a source of
authority within their industry.

Very often the professional point of view of a counsellor will
be sought following on from a big news story, or after new discoveries
have been made in the fields of mental health or psychology. Such
examples of this might include a newspaper quoting a mental health
professional on their opinion about young people and their alcohol use,
or following a report linking the connections between diet and brain
activity.

As mentioned, these events tend to be the exception among the
counselling community rather than the norm, so don’t dismiss the
reputation of any one professional over another just because they
haven’t been featured in the press. All this does is just give them a
sense of authority and gravitas.

References and authored works

What speaks volumes more, however, about the standard of training a
counsellor has had, is if they have been cited in industry papers – or
indeed authored works themselves.

Such publications could include the Journal of Psychiatric and Mental
Health Nursing, the British Journal of Psychology, the Journal of
Counselling Psychology and so on.

Even having one’s own website, or regularly submitting contributions
to an industry blog, might suggest that the counsellor is a respected
professional – and academic – within the counselling sphere.

Testimonials

Alternatively, client testimonials might help you decide who you want
to hire. Getting the word ‘straight from the horses’ mouth, as it were,
is one of the best ways to test a counsellor’s mettle and show what
they’re made of.

Testimonials can also come from professionals whom have worked with
the counsellor, or mentors who helped the counsellor gain their
accreditation in the first place. For some, the words of others might
provide exactly what you’re looking for.

Speciality

Testimonials and all the other evidence you’ve gathered, as above,
might also reveal that your counsellor has a certainly speciality. By
all means you could also ask your counsellor directly what their forte
is.

Because the range of mental health and emotional issues a human can
experience varies so much, it certainly pays to know that you’re dealing
with a specialist in one of the numerous areas that counsellors dabble
in – be it anxiety or depression support, alcohol and drug abuse, or an
expert in NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) for a variety of problems. 

Hi,

I am Jill Dickens. I love to write on Porn Addiction, Technology, Counselling, etc.

While it is true that poor skin can be attributed to
a number of different factors, like the environment, diet, genetics and stress,
it is also true that good, basic skincare practices can help both your skin’s
overall health and your everyday complexion. Learning how to take care of your
skin is a great first step to looking your best and staying youthful.  Follow these three essential tips to ensure
you look your best and foster – or preserve – younger looking skin.

Step
1 – DIET: We have all heard the old saying that you are what
you eat. This is as true for your insides as your outsides. So, the first step
to younger looking skin is to develop a balanced, vitamin-rich diet that will compliment
your skin care routine. Nutritionists and dermatologists will tell you that drinking
plenty of water and digesting lots of fish oil are important for good hydration
and achieving a naturally healthy level of skin moisture.  As an added bonus, they’ll both help keep
your immune system strong.

Step
2 – SUN: While many of us might regularly yearn for a tan,
the truth is that exposure to the sun and ultraviolet radiation causes skin
damage. Hours in the sun might give you a healthy glow from a distance, but up
close it might also betray the blotchy skin, wrinkles, dryness and broken blood
vessels that you racked up while ‘catching the rays’ outside.  Our recommendation is to always use sunscreen
or wear a wide-brimmed hat when in bright sunlight.  Not only will this preserve your skin, it’ll
also reduce the chance of skin cancer.

Step
3 – EXERCISE: Beautiful skin and exercise doesn’t
always seem to go hand in hand, but physical exertion increases the flow of
blood around the body. Pumping blood by exercising on a regular basis will slow
the aging process. This is because exercise makes you feel less stressed and
lowers the cortisol levels in your body. Through exercise you can achieve
normal levels of sebum production – a necessary for healthy skin.  Plus, you’ll be healthier overall.

For
top-quality skincare products or more information visit www.mitoq.com

This holiday season, you will most likely be forced (albeit, enjoy) to indulge in a number of delicacies. But you have to remember to dial the consumption back a notch so that you do not regrettably endanger your well-being once the Christmas and New Year break is over. If you have to spoil yourself with something during those events and gatherings, your best choice would be wine and chocolate. See, not only are these both enjoyable to have, they are also quite healthy. And to further elaborate on this fact, here are some of the things they afford you with.

The wonders of dark chocolate and wine

First of all, and contrary to popular belief, wine and dark chocolate actually decreases your chances of having a heart attack or stroke. In a 16 year study of Harvard School of Public Health, it was revealed that moderate wine drinkers were 30% less likely to have a heart attack than nondrinkers. And in 2011, a Swedish study found out that women who had more than 45 grams of chocolate a week had a 20% lower risk of stroke than those who keep themselves from eating it. This conveniently coincides with the results of an 8 year research supervised by Columbia University which states that the risk of suffering from blood clot-related stroke drops by about 50% among those who moderately consume wine.

Polyphenols and flavonoids

This is largely attributed to the fact that both these products are rich of polyphenols (wine) and flavonoids (chocolate), which act as antioxidants and regulate the blood’s composition. With them in play, the levels of cholesterol in the body declines. And as far as clotting goes, both wine and chocolates have anticoagulant properties that disable the fibrin protein from binding when there isn’t any physical trauma to heal. Given these, it wouldn’t be surprising to note that both also are quite handy when it comes to reducing risks for cancer and heart disease.

Brain boosters?

But what is especially likeable about both is that they can keep you energized all throughout those long soirees. They are both filled with the right amount of calories so you can still function without having to drink too much or eat too much during the day or night. What’s more comforting about them is that they will also be able to sustain your mental faculties during those social functions and even help you make an impression. Chocolate is rich in carbohydrates, which breaks down into glucose which is brain food, essentially. So with little bites here and there, you will be able to focus, cope up with discussions and give the right feedbacks during conversations. This in line with the theory that wine helps increase intelligence (side note: a Danish epidemiological study conducted in 2001 showed that those who drank wine consistently had better IQ scores than those who consumed beer) should enable you to extend witty retorts and contribute insightful points to whatever topic is raised (provided you have a background of it, of course).

Flab busters?

And if that’s not enough to convince you of their benefits, you should also take note that both wine and chocolate will help you keep your weight or maybe lose some. Dark chocolate, in particular, is quite effective in curbing cravings. So having it will keep you from wanting anything else. In addition, it is also rich in fiber. Thus, it will make you feel full after a short while and convince you to eat less. Wine, on the other hand, (specifically red) invigorates the good bacteria in your digestive track so they can intervene efficiently when it comes to processing what you have consumed, absorbing what needs to be absorbed and then taking out the rest.

Word of caution

Now, this post does not suggest that you skip meals and just stick to eating chocolates and drinking wine all your life because they are so advantageous. This only means to educate you on an option you have when you are to attend multiple events this month. Having too much over a long period of time does not really coincide with the spirit of moderation. And it is only with this condition that the aforementioned benefits of chocolate and wine are experienced. So be mindful of your decisions and do not go overboard with this.

If you do find yourself bingeing, the best thing you could do is pull yourself away from the dining area and just provide yourself a distraction. Go to the library and read a book or step outside and get a little air. These should make you feel compelled to have another serving and keep you from making a complete fool out of yourself.If you already a little bit lightheaded, start hydrating yourself with water and eliminate as often as you can. It will take about two hours for your body to start adjusting again. And by then, you could gracefully leave the party, preferably with an escort. 

Heart attack has been known to be among the leading causes of death over the years. Read up to know more about cure, prevention, and up-to-date facts about this deadly disease. 

Prescription drugs can be expensive! But for those who are
creative the cost can be minimized without sacrificing safety or quality. The
internet has democratized many things, including shopping. Now healthcare
products can be found online at a discount by skipping the markup of
conventional drug stores. The United States’ northern neighbor Canada has high
standards for health care and just as high quality medicine. Many of these can
be purchased online for a fraction of the cost. Read on to learn the best
reasons to buy Canadian pharmacy products online and some common hang-ups to
avoid.

High Quality Goods

Canada is a developed country much the same as the United
States. It has an advanced economy and rates very highly on the Human
Development Index. All this to say that purchasing goods and services from our
northern neighbor is not at all a sacrifice. Many of the regulatory agencies do
very well in making sure the medicines produced are safe and effective, just as
in the US. This is great for consumers because they have a greater choice and
access to lower-cost medications, especially in a time when healthcare costs
are going through the roof.

Scientifically Proven Effectiveness

A recent study by the US-based National Bureau of
International Research showed that medications purchased from pharmacies
accredited by the Canadian International Pharmacy Association were 100 percent
authentic. The CIPA is an organization that certifies the authenticity and good
products from any online pharmacy that meets their standards. This particular
study was an audit on the group to make sure the third-party group was doing
their job and maintaining high standards for Canadian online pharmacies. The
study was performed in 2009 and again in 2011 and involved over 300 samples.

Many of the CIPA-approved pharmacies were also approved by
other third-party authorities. Some other organizations include:

• Pharmacy
  Checker (approves pharmacies both in the US and Canada)
• MIPA
  (Manitoba International Pharmacists Association)
• NCPA
  (National Community Pharmacists Association)

Check State-Issued Licenses

If you’re not sure about the status of an online pharmacy
you can figure it out with a little research. The Federal Drug Administration
has a helpful guide that encourages consumers to check the licenses of online
stores by contacting the issuing body. For example, a pharmacy located in
Ontario will have a license from that province. You can call the Ontario
College of Pharmacists to check if that particular website is actually allowed
to sell medications.

Signs of a Fake Pharmacy

Before spending the time to check licenses and seal
information there are also other common ways to identify a disreputable online
shop. These include the following:

• allowing
  customers to buy drugs without a prescription from their doctor
• prices
  that seem way too good to be true (although there are some good
  discounts available)
• send
  spam email to solicit customers
• do not
  have a physical address

Any company that sends spam should automatically be
considered bad news. However, in trying economic times the temptation might be
too great. Not having a physical address is also a big no-no. While some
companies may ship their drugs directly to you from other sources they should
still have a physical address listed in Canada.

Quirks of Online Pharmacies

Because pharmacies based online don’t have to maintain a
physical walk-in location they can be creative in how the drugs they provide
are sourced and shipped. This allows them to offer lower prices and a wide
variety of medication. As long as these groups’ licenses and seals of
authenticity are verified this should not be a problem. Affiliated
manufacturers must also comply with high standards of quality. In general, any
established store with a history of several years will be acceptable since most
scam sites are weeded out by regulating agencies within a short period of time
- but do your own research anyway.

Since medications must pass inspections by US customs the
delivery of products may be delayed. The government is very strict about any
controlled substances crossing the border. This delays deliveries up to a week.
Plan ahead by ordering early and having a set schedule for when recurring
prescriptions are delivered. It can be one to two weeks for orders to be
successfully processed. Patience and planning ahead are key to saving money.

If you follow the above guidelines you’ll be certain to have
a safe money-saving experience. You may want to shop around as there are many
options. If one shop doesn’t carry a needed medication there will probably be
others that will. Stay safe and healthy while saving money and shopping online. 

Jessica Thomas is a writer and professional photographerliving in Los Angeles. She often writes about Pharmacy, Drugs, Skin Care etc for Northwest Pharmacy which is a leading Online Canadian Pharmacy & International Drugstore. Her favorite hobbies include hiking, reading fantasy fiction, and still-life drawing. 

A slide show can be seen at:

http://www.slideshare.net/adonissfera/pain-and-its-treatment-in-psychiatric-practice-2-1