When one or both of the eyes become infected it can be an incredibly uncomfortable situation, to say the least. When either a virus, germ or bacteria finds a way into the eye an infection is usually the result.

Nobody is immune to eye infections, it affects people of all ages. The most vulnerable are those who have a compromised immune system. Be careful around family and friends, if you happen to get one, because they can be very contagious.

There are many different types of eye infections. The most common are styes, pink eye and blepharitis. Styes occurs in the oil glands that reside at the edge of the eyelids.

I am going to list some of the common symptoms of an eye infection so you know what to look out for: Flaky skin around the eyes, itchiness, eye inflammation, discomfort, pain, discharge (might become crusty after sleeping), swelling, tears, redness and blurry vision. If you have one or several of these symptoms then it is wise to see an optometrist as soon as possible.  Read more...

Healthy foods to stay young? Of course, youve heard it before, probably when mom insisted to eat more apples and less burger even when you thought you were too young to age.

Indeed, mom was right. Youll never know when youll start to age until you notice some crumpling and folding on your skin. Premature aging might just be a sleep away. And you never want to see that happen.

But its never too late. You can delay aging now by changing some items on your plates, and its just another meal away.

You Are What You Eat

The food and all other things that you take or dont are laying the groundwork for your health and your appearance as well. For example, a person who has a pretty huge room for french fries and beef patties in his stomach may suffer more diseases and may not look age-appropriate. A person deficient in unsaturated fats, on the other hand, may have dry, flaky skin, and eventually look older than he actually is.  Read more...

The term eczema is applied very broadly to a group of persistant skin conditions that are characterized by dryness, recurring rashes, redness and, cracking, oozing and bleeding. Individuals who experience eczema may also have temporary skin discoloration which often disappear over time. They are a result of heeled lesions and scarring is very rare.

Interestingly, the prevalence of eczema will peak in infancy, meaning that the majority of individuals who are treated clinically start with their eczema when their infants. Girls are predominantly affected and also present during their reproductive years, between the ages of 15 and 49. Since The Second World War the number of individuals who are diagnosed with eczema has increased significantly. This is true both in the United States and in data collected in the UK.

There are at least four common types of eczema which have been reported- atopic eczema, contact dermatitis, xerotic eczema and seborrheic dermatitis. Much less commonly are diagnosed: Dyshidrosis, Discoid eczema, venous eczema, dermatitis herpetiformis, neurodermatitis, and autoeczematization.  Read more...

Flaky skin occurs when the outermost layers begin to shed off of the body because of the extreme dryness. The body has a natural layer of oily skin that keeps our skin moisturized, but when it dries out the body is no longer able to keep it moisturized and replenished. More often than not, the body is able to keep up with the skin that is being lost but sometimes it is unable to keep up and other protection is needed.

When the skin becomes flaky it becomes itchy, inflammed and scaly (like a fish). Severe cases are characterized by cracks and skin that is chapped. When the skin dries out we are tempted to itch and scratch it. This causes even more problems because painful wounds can open up. The most affected parts of the body are the legs, arms, knees and elbows. The reason that these areas are normally a problem is because the skin is more thin and exposed to the elements.  Read more...

2 cups yellow flowers from the herb mullein
2 cups almond oil

Mix in a clean glass jar. Let sit for two weeks.

Strain and apply the resulting oil to the skin. This makes skin smooth and supple. It is also good for dry, flaky skin.