Medizines

At least 12 million Britons now suffer from allergies caused by dust mites according to the charity Allergy UK. They carried out a small survey among 1,600 allergy sufferers. According to that, the most popular allergies are house dust mites at 57.6%, followed by pets (45.2%), cleaning products (31.2%) and mould (30.9%).
· 58.9% of indoor allergy sufferers found their symptoms were worse in the bedroom.
· The average bed harbours 2 million dust mites and the average pillow doubles in weight over a period of six months due to dust mites faeces
· 16% of allergy sufferers said they wash bed linen every three weeks or less often, and 58% of those surveyed said they are washing at 30 or 40 degrees.
· 13% of allergy sufferers have had their current mattress for 11 years or more, and 3% kept theirs for 20 years or longer.
Mites are found in bedding, carpets, soft furnishings and clothing. Each mite produces about 20 of these waste droppings every day and the droppings continue to cause allergic symptoms even after the mite has died.
Controlling house dust mite allergens
1. Clean Regularly.
2. Wash Bedding Regularly. Putting your bed sheets through a 140°F (60°C) wash is usually enough to kill them and remove their fecal matter and skin particles.
3. Use an Anti-Allergy Mattress and Mattress Cover. Estimates as to how many dust mites actually live in an average mattress vary wildly from 10,000 to over a million.
4. Don't Make Your Bed in the Morning. This gives the moisture excreted from our bodies time to dry.
5. Get Rid of Feather Pillows and Duvets. Try using hypoallergenic synthetic pillows and duvets instead. They provide a less cosy environment for them and you can blast them through the wash at 140°F (60°C) which is the magic temperature for killing the mites.
6. Replace Carpets with Hard Flooring. Like beds and soft furnishings, carpets are a paradise for these microorganisms. Carpets trap dead skin and pet dander which the mites feed on.
7. Control Temperature and Humidity. Dust mites love living in an environment where the temperature is between 75°F and 80°F (24°C and 27°C) and the relative humidity is around 70% to 80%. Anything outside this range won't necessarily kill them but will push them outside their comfort zone and slow down their breeding. Set the temperature inside your house to no higher than 70°F (21°C). Anything lower than 70% relative humidity reduces their reproductive rate. Try to keep relative humidity in your bedroom and home to less than 50%.
8. Keep Pets Out of the Bedroom. Dust mites love pet dander. Make pets sleep outside or in the garage if possible and limit their indoor freedom to one or two rooms. Make an extra effort to keep pets out of the bedroom.
9. Get Rid of Curtains, Cushions and Soft Furnishings. Curtains and soft furnishings are a dust mites paradise. Fabric traps the dust and moisture which they feed on and shields them from potential threats. Replace curtains with easy-to-clean blinds.
10. Use a Steam Cleaner. Steam cleaners are a great way to clean items and objects that aren't suitable for a washing machine. You can use them on carpets, curtains, cushions, kitchen/bathroom surfaces and a thousand other places. The steam kills bacteria, dissolves dirt and yes, kills dust mites.

By Sandra Vera

A healthy and radiant skin is one of the most sought after things, perhaps by all women!! If you have it, you cannot hide it - but yes, you need to maintain it.
The key to a glowing skin is right there within your arm's range. One can attain a healthy supple skin though a three-tier approach involving diet, exercise and proper cosmetics.
Here is a step-by-step guide to skin care -
1) Water - drink two to three litres of water daily to detoxify.
2) Have a rich diet full of vegetables, fruits. Increase the fibre content in your daily diet. Avoid excess refined sugar, sweets as it damages collagen in skin and makes it lose its elasticity.
3) Invigorate your sluggish lifestyle. Come on, get moving!! Go to the gym or just stretch.
4) Restrict intake of alcohol and caffeine.
5) Keep stress at bay.
6) Go for a daily skin care regime- i.e. cleanse, tone and moisturize.
7) Apply a moisturizer to hydrate your skin externally. A homemade moisturizer is a mixture of cucumber, juice and buttermilk.
8) Go for an exfoliation once a fortnight either at a professional salon, or at home. It helps remove dead cells and revitalize the skin through blood circulation. Oatmeal combined with mashed apple is an excellent home scrub
9) Do not forget to apply sunscreen with a SPF of minimum 15 at least 10 minutes before going out of house. If you get a suntan, relieve yourself with a mixture of curd and cucumber juice.
10) Use cosmetics depending on your skin type. Learn about your skin type first and then try commercial products.
Skin care is not as difficult as it looks to be.
Thus, the ABC of a beautiful and radiant skin - balanced diet, hydration, cleansing and protecting it from sun and wind should be a part of your daily skin care regimen.
Some popular herbal remedies for skin care -
Water - Drink a minimum of 8-10 glasses of water daily to detoxify the body. It naturally hydrates the skin and gives that young vibrant look.
Turmeric: This is the basic grandma's remedy - just apply fresh turmeric paste along with curd and gram flour on to your face. Your complexion clears up within a few days, as turmeric is very good for skin health.
Tea extracts: It is a natural antiseptic and is useful for skin acne.
Neem, tulsi: Drop some neem leaves into your bathtub, and you will feel the difference in your skin within a few days. If you have any external skin rash, infection, just apply a paste of neem or basil leaves to heal up, as they have excellent anti-bacterial properties, clear up pimples and acne; and keep the skin naturally invigorated.
Sandalwood paste: It soothes the skin, cools it and moisturizes it naturally.
Different skin types and their care -
1. Dry skin -
To avoid any sort of skin problem, one should drink at least eight to ten glasses of water a day to keep dry skin well hydrated. Along with it, eat a high quality healthy diet rich in fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables; get some exercise and the secret 8-hour sleep daily to get a healthy skin.
Home remedies for dry skin:
o Do not expose yourself to sun too much, as well as to too much air conditioning.
o Reduce how often you wash your face to maximum two times a day, and if possible use slightly tepid water.
o Avoid caffeine and alcohol as they cause dehydration. Also do not smoke, as smoking deprives the skin of oxygen and nutrients making it dry and flaky.
o Avoid using a commercial highly perfumed soap. Instead, use non-detergent, neutral-pH products to cleanse your skin.
o Massage your face every night before sleeping with a good hydrating moisturizer, and be generous in the areas surrounding the eyes.
o For cracked skin on fingers and feet, use a cream rich in vitamin E and aloe vera. Massage in well.
2. Oily skin -
Oily skin is the least vulnerable, and it ages least of all. The best thing to do is to take measures to keep the skin pores from being clogged and forming acne.
- Follow strictly the experts' advice - clean your face two to three times daily with a good medicated soap, one, which works well with your skin.
- It is best to use water based non-comedogenic product that effortlessly and effectively dissolves sebum.
- Use an oil free moisturizer to maintain a shine free complexion. It will also help if you use tepid water to clean face as it loosens the dirt easily.
- Before applying make-up, use an antiseptic day cream which contains benzyl peroxide as it reduces sebaceous secretions.
Home remedies for oily skin -
- Cucumber juice works great on oily skin. Before applying make-up, rub it on the excessively oily parts of your face and dry it thoroughly.
- It is very important that you definitely remove all make up before going to bed. Gram flour mixed with curd acts as an effective cleansing milk which cleans open pores.
- Be cautious about your diet if you have an oily skin! Go for a protein rich diet, but restricted in sugar and salt. Take plenty of leafy green vegetables and fresh fruits. Cut down on animal fat, fatty foods, alcohol and junk food.
- It is advised that you reduce consumption of iodized salt.
- Do not miss out on the 8-10 glasses of water daily to keep the skin hydrated and to flush out toxins.
- Exercise is also a must. Exercise works magical on any skin as it boosts circulation, encourages blood flow, and cleans the skin from within.
3. Sensitive skin -
This is a very unpredictable skin type, and one needs to be extra cautious while dealing with it. Almost anything and everything can react to it.
- It is always advised to use the simplest and purest products- colour free, alcohol free, fragrance free and preservatives - a complete no-no.
- If using any new cosmetic, it is very important that you patch test it on your skin three to four times initially. The best parts are small areas like behind your ear or on hands. Go for it only if there is no skin reaction.
- Limit exposure to sun. While going out it is important to use a sun block because sensitive skin can easily get discoloured or age spots may appear. Use a sunscreen with only physical ingredients such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, which deflects the UV rays rather than absorb them.
- Try to use only natural or homemade products - they are best. Fresh and natural!!
- If you have sensitive skin, keep skin clean always. Wash your face maximum twice a day with a natural pH balanced cleanser.
- If going to a party, use only those cosmetics, which are hypo-allergenic and non-comedogenic.
- Always use cosmetics that do not contain many ingredients. The more the number of ingredients, the more the probability of it causing a reaction.
- Do not forget to drink plenty of water to detox for making your skin glow.
- Eat a well balanced diet that includes fresh fruits, green vegetables and nuts.
- Daily exercise to get that radiant glow from inside
- While washing face, avoid steam or very hot water. Hot baths and steams lead to broken capillaries.

By Dr John Anne