BEST HOME REMEDIES FOR PIMPLES

adPimples are one of the most common skin problems that you will see in many people especially in teenagers. It is nothing but the inflammation of the skin caused by the attack of bacteria on the sebaceous glands (oil glands) that present in underneath the skin. The bacteria infect the skin and this makes the skin to swell up by forming a puss inside. The main reason for the occurrence of pimples is teenagers are due to the excess secretion of sebum by the oil glands during their puberty stage when they undergo a lot of hormonal changes. It normally is seen on the face, neck, back and shoulders. Pimples are not a critical problem at all but it makes you look very miserable and poor in appearance. Sometimes, the hair, sebum, and skin cells clump together into a plug. The bacteria in the plug cause swelling. Then when the plug starts to break down, a pimple grows.

There are many types of pimples. The most common types are:

• Whiteheads: These are pimples that stay under the surface of the skin.

• Blackheads: These pimples rise to the skin’s surface and look black. The black color is not because of dirt.

• Papules: These are small pink bumps that can be tender.

• Pustules: These pimples are red at the bottom and have pus on top.

       

• Nodules: These are large, painful, solid pimples that are deep in the skin.

      

•  Cysts: These deep, painful, pus-filled pimples can cause scars.

     

 Who Gets Acne?

Acne is the most common skin disease. People of all races and ages get acne. But it is most common in teenagers and young adults. An estimated 80 percent of all people between the ages of 11 and 30 have acne outbreaks at some point. Some people in their forties and fifties still get acne. 

What Causes Acne?

The cause of acne is unknown. Doctors think certain factors might cause it:

• The hormone increase in teenage years (this can cause the oil glands to plug up more often)
• Hormone changes during pregnancy.
• Starting or stopping birth control pills
• Heredity (if your parents had acne, you might get it, too).
• Some types of medicine
• Greasy makeup.

 How Is Acne Treated?

Acne is treated by doctors who work with skin problems (dermatologists). Treatment tries to:

• Heal pimples
• Stop new pimples from forming
• Prevent scarring
• Help reduces the embarrassment of having acne.

Early treatment is the best way to prevent scars. Your doctor may suggest over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription drugs. Some acne medicines are put right on the skin. Other medicines are pills that you swallow. The doctor may tell you to use more than one medicine.

How Should People With Acne Care for Their Skin?

Here are some ways to care for skin if you have acne:

• Clean skin gently: This is one of the most effective methods, use a mild cleanser in the morning, evening, and after heavy workouts. Scrubbing the skin does not stop acne. It can even make the problem worse.

    

• Try not to touch your skin: People who squeeze, pinch, or pick their pimples can get scars or dark spots on their skin.

      

   

• Shave carefully: If you shave, you can try both electric and safety razors to see which works best. With safety razors, use a sharp blade. Also, it helps to soften your beard with soap and water before putting on shaving cream. Shave lightly and only when you have to.

    

• Stay out of the sun: Many acne medicines can make people more likely to sunburn. Being in the sun a lot can also make skin wrinkle and raise the risk of skin cancer.

    

• Choose makeup carefully: All makeup should be oil free. Look for the word “noncomedogenic” on the label. This means that the makeup will not clog up your pores. But some people still get acne even if they use these products.

• Shampoo your hair regularly: If your hair is oily, you may want to shampoo daily.

  

What Things Can Make Acne Worse?

Some things can make acne worse:

• Changing hormone levels in teenage girls and adult women 2 to 7 days before their period starts
• Pressure from bike helmets, backpacks, or tight collars
• Pollution and high humidity
• Squeezing or picking at pimples
• Hard scrubbing of the skin.

What Are Some Myths About the Causes of Acne?

There are many myths about what causes acne. Dirty skin and stress do not cause acne. Also, chocolate and greasy foods do not cause acne in most people.

What Research Is Being Done on Acne?

Scientists are looking at new ways to treat acne. Current research includes:

• Working on new drugs to treat acne, including new topical antibiotics
• Looking at ways to prevent plugs
• Looking at ways to stop the hormone testosterone from causing acne
• Understanding more about bacteria on the skin.

Simple Home Remedies To Treat Pimples

There are many home remedies that you can try out to make a fist of the pimples affecting your skin.

1. Turmeric Powder Paste

As we all know, turmeric has antiseptic properties that will fight the bacteria that cause pimples and reduce the production of pimples on the skin.

• Take a tablespoon of turmeric powder and mix it with a few drops of water to make it a thick paste.

• Apply this paste on the affected areas of your face and neck and leave it there for a few minutes.

• Rinse it off with cold water. Repeat this process for five to six days to effectively reduce pimples.

    

2. Fresh Mint Leaves Juice

Mint leaves are said to have real cooling and antiseptic properties and can work wonders on pimples.

• Take a bunch of fresh mint leaves and grind it to a rough paste form.

• Now squeeze the mint juice out of this paste.

• Apply this mint juice generously all over your face and neck and leave it to rest on the face overnight.

• Wash it off the next day with water and mild soap.

• Repeat this process for four to five days to reduce pimples on face and neck.

  

3. Lemon Juice

One of the quickest ways to treat pimples is the use of lemon juice. It is rich in Vitamin C and helps to easily dry out pimples.

• Extract 2 tablespoons of lemon juice from two medium sized fresh lemons.

• Dab a generous amount of lemon juice on a cotton ball and apply it to the pimples on your face and neck. Leave it there for 20 minutes and wash it off.

• Repeat this two to three times a day for three to four days to see visible results.

        

4. Garlic

Garlic is a natural remedy to treat pimples as it has antifungal, antiviral and antiseptic properties. The sulfur in the garlic will help to heal pimples quickly.

• Cut a big clove of garlic into two pieces.

• Now apply the cut end of the garlic on the pimples and leave the juice on the pimples for five minutes.

• Wash this off with lukewarm water and repeat this treatment several times a day to quickly see effective results.

• You can also eat one or two cloves of raw garlic a day to purify your blood and this will help reduce pimples.

  

5. Toothpaste

Toothpaste, yes the toothpaste that you use to brush your teeth is found to be very effective in treating pimples. You must only use the white toothpaste on your pimples for good results.

• Apply white toothpaste on the affected areas of your face and neck overnight before going to bed.

• Wash your face with water and see if there is some reduction in the size of the pimples.

• You can also do this procedure during day time and make sure that toothpaste remains on the pimples for about one to one and a half hours to see visible results.

         

6. Steam

Steam is a wonderful treatment for pimples as it will help to open up the pores of the skin and allow the skin to breathe freely. So, the bacteria, dirt, and oil trapped in the skin will be easily removed from the skin.

• If you have a steam tub at home, then you need to fill the tub with hot water and allow the steam to come in contact with your face and neck.

• Allow the steam to hit your face for a few minutes.

• Rinse your face now with lukewarm water and pat it dry.

• Repeat this process two times a day for four to five days to reduce pimples and to make skin glow.

       

7. Ice Pack

Ice is also a very effective home remedy for pimples. It removes dirt and oil from skin and also improves blood circulation.

• Wrap ice cubes or crushed ice in a piece of clean cotton cloth and hold it on the pimples on your face and neck or a few minutes.

• Wait for a few minutes and repeat the process three to four times.

• Do this twice a day to see effective results.

        

8. Cinnamon Powder

• Take one or two teaspoons of freshly ground cinnamon powder and mix it with a tablespoon of honey and lemon juice.

• Make a smooth paste of this mixture and apply on the pimples.

• Leave it there for 20 minutes and wash it off with lukewarm water.

• You can also leave it overnight and wash it off the next day morning to see good results.

            

9. Orange Peels

• Grind orange peels and mix them with a few drops of water.

• Make it into a paste and apply it on the affected areas of your face.

• Leave it to react with pimples for half an hour and wash it off to see effective results.
   

10. Honey

Honey is a rich source of natural antibiotics and helps to heal pimples effectively.

• Dip a clean cotton ball in pure honey and apply it generously on the pimples on your face and neck.

• Leave the honey on your pimples for 15 to 20 minutes and wash it off with lukewarm water.

• Repeat the process three times a day to see effective results.

             

11. Papaya

Papaya is rich in antioxidants and helps in reducing inflammation of the pimples.

• Cut raw papaya into pieces and crush it in a blender.

• Squeeze this paste to extract raw papaya juice and apply this juice over the pimples.

• Leave it for 15 to 20 minutes and then wash it off to see effective results.

         

12. Apple Cider Vinegar

• Dab a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and apply it slightly on the affected areas of your face and skin.

• You need to just apply limited amount and you do not need to wash it off.

• Repeat this process once or twice daily to reduce pimples.

13. Tomato Juice

Tomatoes are natural antioxidants and will help in easily removing pimple scars on your skin.

• Cut tomatoes into halves and apply the juicy area of the tomato on the pimples. Hold it for two to three minutes and repeat the same after five minutes.

• Do this twice a day for three to four days to effectively remove pimples.
    

14. Egg White Face Mask

• Just take the egg white from an egg and apply it generously to the affected areas of your face and skin.

• Leave the paste as long as you can on the pimples or even let it dry on the pimples to see visible results soon.
     

15. Lavender Oil

• Dip a little bit of lavender oil on a cotton wool and apply it directly on the big pimples on your face and neck.

• Repeat this process often to get rid of pimples soon.

  

16. Neem Leaves Paste

• Grind neem leaves and then extract its juice. Now add a teaspoon of turmeric powder to this juice and mix well.

• Apply this mixture on the pimples and leave it there for 15 minutes or even overnight.

• Wash it off and repeat every day to get rid of pimples.

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WHY MOSQUITOE BITE IS SO ITCHY ?

When female mosquitoes bites their proboscis through your skin. They can suck some of your blood to be later used to make eggs, they inject you with some of their saliva.  The saliva injected into your body helps them to drink your blood more quickly, because it contains a group of anticoagulants.  Once the female mosquito is full up of your blood or is disturbed, she flies away, leaving some of her saliva behind on your skin.  Your body then kicks your immune system in gear as a response to the presence of this saliva.  It produces various antibodies which in turn binds to the antigens in the mosquito’s saliva.  This triggers the release of histamine. Histamine is a nitrogen compound that, among other things, triggers an inflammatory response.  It also helps white blood cells and other proteins to engage invaders in your body by making the capillaries of these cells more permeable.  Bottom line, the histamine ends up making the blood vessels near the bite swell up.  This produces a pink, itchy bump where the mosquito poked you.

Scratching the bump only makes this worse because it causes more irritation and inflammation of the sight, resulting in your immune system thinking it needs more antibodies to get rid of the foreign protein.  So the more you scratch, the more it will swell; the itchier it will get; and the longer it will last

Some interesting facts about mosquitoes:
1. There are more mosquitoes on this planet than humans. It’s probably not surprising that mosquitos outnumber humans. There are 100 trillion tiny buzzing vampires from 3,450 different species ready to suck your blood. To give you an idea of what exactly that number looks like, if 100 trillion mosquitoes were stacked together on a football field, the pile would reach more than three miles high.
2. Your blood helps create MORE mosquitoes. Only female mosquitoes bite, because blood provides the protein that mosquito eggs need for development. Consider yourself a walking bottle of mosquito baby formula. Yuck.
3. Mosquitoes think you smell nice. It’s true! And it’s not just your fancy perfume. Mosquitos are attracted to the scents emitted by humans including carbon dioxide, lactic acid and natural skin oils. Mosquitoes even change their flight pattern depending on what they smell, like a heat-seeking missile.
4. Mosquitoes inject you with their saliva. Before sucking your blood, the female mosquito injects you with her saliva, which contains an anticoagulant, allowing your blood to flow freely into her. If you’re wondering how mosquitoes transmit diseases – this is how. The little red bump you get from a mosquito bite is actually your body’s reaction to a protein contained in mosquito saliva.
5. Mosquitoes transmit deadly diseases. You could say that giving people diseases is a mosquito’s favorite hobby. Mosquitoes are solely to blame for the propagation of Malaria, which affects 300 million people every year. The only way to get Malaria is from a mosquito bite. Mosquitoes also transmit West Nile Virus, commonly seen in the US. The Center for Disease Control claims that since 1999 more than 30,000 people in the United States have become sick with the West Nile Virus from mosquito bites. Both Malaria and West Nile Virus can be fatal.

10 FACTS ABOUT OBESITY

1. More than 1.4 billion adults were overweight in 2008, and more than 1/2 a billion obese. At least 2.8 million people each year die as a result of being overweight or obese. The prevalence of obesity has nearly doubled between 1980 and 2008. Once associated with high-income countries, obesity is now also prevalent in low- and middle-income countries.

2. Overweight and obesity are defined as "abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health". Body mass index (BMI) – the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters (kg/m2) – is a commonly used index to classify overweight and obesity in adults. WHO defines overweight as a BMI equal to or more than 25, and obesity as a BMI equal to or more than 30. You can calculate your overweight in link given here 
http://www.calculator.net/overweight-calculator.html
3. Globally, 42 million preschool children were overweight in 2013. Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. Overweight children are likely to become obese adults. They are more likely than non-overweight children to develop diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at a younger age, which in turn are associated with a higher chance of premature death and disability. Even they cannot manage their sex life after marriage.

4. Overweight and obesity are linked to more deaths worldwide than underweight. About 65% of the world's population live in a country where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight. This includes all high-income and middle-income countries. Globally, 44% of diabetes, 23% of ischaemic heart disease and 7–41% of certain cancers are attributable to overweight and obesity.

5. For an individual, obesity is usually the result of an imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. An increased consumption of highly calorific foods, without an equal increase in physical activity, leads to an unhealthy increase in weight and leads to obesity. Decreased levels of physical activity will also result in an energy imbalance and lead to weight gain.

6. Supportive environments and communities are fundamental in shaping people’s choices and preventing obesity. Individual responsibility can only have its full effect where people have access to a healthy lifestyle, and are supported to make healthy choices. WHO mobilizes the range of stakeholders who have vital roles to play in shaping healthy environments and making healthier diet options affordable and easily accessible.

7. Children's choices, diet and physical activity habits are influenced by their surrounding environment. Social and economic development as well as policies in the areas of agriculture, transport, urban planning, environment, education, food processing, distribution and marketing influence children's dietary habits and preferences as well as their physical activity patterns. Increasingly, these influences are promoting unhealthy weight gain leading to a steady rise in the prevalence of childhood obesity.

8. Eating a healthy diet can help prevent obesity

People can:

        1) Maintain a healthy weight.

2) Limit total fat intake and shift fat consumption away from               saturated fats to unsaturated fats.

3) Increase consumption of fruit, vegetables, pulses, whole                   grains and nuts.

4) Limit the intake of sugar and salt.

5) Having physical exercise every day.

9. Regular physical activity helps maintain a healthy body. People should engage in adequate   levels of physical activity throughout their lives. At least 30 minutes of regular, moderate-intensity physical activity on most days reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, colon cancer and breast cancer. Muscle strengthening and balance training can reduce falls and improve mobility among older adults. More activity may be required for weight control.

10. Curbing the global obesity epidemic requires a population-based multisectoral, multi-disciplinary, and culturally relevant approach.

ALL YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT HIV/AIDS

Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV/AIDS weakens a person's ability to fight infections. It is contracted through unprotected sex or needle sharing. An HIV test confirms diagnosis. Medications may suppress the virus and delay the onset of AIDS. There were approximately 36.7 million people living with HIV at the end of 2015.

The Symptoms of HIV/AIDS

The First Stage:

HIV infection comes in three stages. The first stage is called acute infection or seroconversion, and it typically happens within 2 to 6 weeks after exposure or becoming infected. This is when the body's immune system puts up a fight against HIV. The symptoms of acute infection look similar to those of other viral illnesses and are often compared to those of the flu. The symptoms may last a week or two and then completely go away as the virus goes into a non-symptomatic stage.

The initial symptoms of acute HIV infection may include:

• Headache
• Diarrhoea
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue
• Aching muscles
• Sore throat
• Red rash that doesn't itch, usually on the torso.
• Fever

You may be tested for HIV using highly sensitive tests that detect both HIV antigen, a protein produced by the virus immediately after infection, and HIV antibodies. This test can confirm a diagnosis within days of infection. (Regular HIV test don't work this soon after infection; they can only detect antibodies.) You may be given anti-HIV drugs to take for a prescribed period of time. There may be unpleasant side effects to these drugs, but they may stop HIV from infecting you. Most people don't know they've been infected with HIV, but weeks later they may experience the symptoms of seroconversion. These symptoms mean the body is trying to fight HIV.
The Second Stage:
The Period without Symptoms of HIV 
 After the first seroconversion period, the immune system loses the battle with HIV and symptoms go away. HIV infection goes into its second stage, which can be a long period without symptoms, called the asymptomatic (or latent ) period. This is when people may not know they are infected and can pass HIV on to others. This period can last 10 or more years.
During this period without symptoms, HIV is slowly killing the CD4 T-cells and destroying the immune system. Blood tests during this time can reveal the number of these CD4 T-cells. Normally, a person has a CD4 T-cell count between 450 and 1,400 cells per microliter. This number changes constantly, depending on a person's state of health. For an HIV-infected person, the number of CD4 T-cells steadily drops, making them vulnerable to other infections -- and in danger of developing AIDS.

The Third Stage:

• HIV Infection and AIDS
• AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is the advanced stage of HIV infection. When the CD4 T-cell number drops below 200, people are diagnosed with AIDS. Someone infected with HIV can also be diagnosed with AIDS if they have an “AIDS defining illness” such as Kaposi’s sarcoma (a form of skin cancer) or pneumonia (a lung disease).
• Fortunately, combination medications used to treat HIV -- a ''cocktail'' – can help rebuild the immune system. These drugs can be expensive and pose challenges with side effects, but it is critical to not stop taking them without talking to your doctor. It is also important not to take part of the medications without taking the others. People with low CD4 T-cells may also receive drugs to prevent infections. These preventative medications should be taken until the CD4 count has improved.

Some people don't know they were infected with HIV, and only discover their HIV infection after experiencing some of these HIV-related symptoms:

• Being tired all of the time
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck region
• Fever lasting for more than 10 days
• Night sweats
• Unexplained weight loss
• Purplish spots on the skin that don't go away
• Shortness of breath
• Severe, long-lasting diarrhoea
• Yeast infections in the mouth, throat, or vagina
• Easy bruising or unexplained bleeding

Cure for HIV:

Perhaps the most important development has been the case of the Berlin Patient (Timothy Ray Brown), the first person to be cured of HIV, which was first reported in 2008. The case provided a proof of principle that a cure was possible. Up until that point, AIDS research was largely a process of discovery. Now, knowing the key scientific questions that need to be answered, we’re moving into a new phase of problem-solving research that is more of a technological challenge. One of the technique used to increase the life span of HIV patients is Antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Antiretroviral therapy (ART):

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the combination of several antiretroviral medicines used to slow the rate at which HIV makes copies of itself (multiplies) in the body. A combination of three or more antiretroviral medicines is more effective than using just one medicine (monotherapy) to treat HIV.

The use of three or more antiretroviral medicines-sometimes referred to as an anti-HIV "cocktail"-is currently the standard treatment for HIV infection. So far, this treatment offers the best chance of preventing HIV from multiplying, which allows your immune system to stay healthy. The goal of antiretroviral therapy is to reduce the amount of virus in your body (viral load) to a level that can no longer be detected with current blood tests.

Antiretroviral medicines that are often used to treat HIV include:

• Nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors, also called nucleoside analogs, such as abacavir,emtricitabine ,  and tenofovir. These medicines are often combined for best results.
• Nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), such as efavirenz, etravirine, and nevirapine.
• Protease inhibitors (PIs), such as atazanavir,darunavir , and ritonavir.
• Entry inhibitors, such as enfuvirtide and maraviroc.
• Integrase inhibitors, such as dolutegravir and raltegravir.

Some medicines are available combined together in one pill. This reduces the number of pills to be taken each day.

The U.S. National Institutes of Health recommends using one of the following programs for people who begin treatment for HIV

• Efavirenz + tenofovir + emtricitabine
• Ritonavir-boosted atazanavir + tenofovir + emtricitabine
• Ritonavir-boosted darunavir + tenofovir + emtricitabine
• Raltegravir + tenofovir + emtricitabine

Other drug combinations are approved and may be used in some cases.

Also, studies have shown that if you are not infected with HIV, taking antiretroviral medicines can protect you against HIV. But to keep your risk low, you still need to use safer sex practices.