How to Fight Dandruff

There is no need to use extreme measures, such as tar products to combat the production of dead skin cells that we know as dandruff. In most cases it can be dealt with successfully using gentle, traditional recipes.

Serious cases of infection and a very itchy scalp are sometimes diagnosed as the chronic skin condition seborrhoeic dermatitis. 

But before you seek medical advice, it is worth trying natural methods that are kind to the skin. If these two remedies do not work, consult a specialist.

Oils for Dandruff

Cedarwood oil is good for getting rid of dandruff. But, as this treatment contains rosemary oil, avoid it if you are pregnant or suffer from high blood pressure or epilepsy.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon wheatgerm oil

2 drops Cedarwood oil

2 drops rosemary oil

2 drops lemon oil

Blend the oils together. Massage into your scalp and leave for two hours. Wash and rinse hair thoroughly.

Herbal Hair Rinse

This herbal rinse reduces the production of sebum and soothes inflammation of the scalp.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon horsetail

1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

½ cup water

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Mix the herbs in a heatproof bowl. Boil the water and pour it over the herbs. Add the vinegar and leave to infuse for about 20 minutes. Strain the mixture and use after shampooing.

Take Care: If you are pregnant or breast feeding, consult your medical practitioner before using herbal remedies  

Article: Facts About Fruit Juices and Syrups

Preparing for Pregnancy

If you plan to become pregnant, use the months prior to conception to get yourself into peak physical condition.

Most women realize that they must take good care of themselves during pregnancy. But a healthy state cannot be achieved overnight. There are certain sensible measures, which should be taken some months before you intend to become pregnant if you want to give your child the best possible start in life and yourself the best chances of a happy and healthy pregnancy. 

A Head Start on Health 

If you have not had rubella, (German measles) make sure that you have been immunized against it. You are GP can give you a simple blood test to see whether you need to be vaccinated. 

Remember that you cannot be vaccinated once your pregnancy has started and you should wait at least three-months after the vaccination before attempting to become pregnant. 

Drugs and medicine of any kind may have an effect on an unborn baby. If you are on pills of any sort and intend to become pregnant, tell your GP and only continue taking them if he or she advises that they are essential to your health. This even applies to remedies bought over the counter such as aspirin.

There may be uncertainty about the effect of many drugs but it is known that smoking damages the health of an unborn child. If you are a smoker, try to give up some months before you want to become pregnant. You should make sure you have well and truly stopped and will not lapse. Give yourself a chance to adjust and your system time to rid itself to the effects of smoking. 

The effects of alcohol on an unborn baby are not fully clear but it is evident that women who drink heavily during pregnancy may damage their baby’s as well as their own health. If you drink regularly, try to cut right down even before you try to conceive. Although the odd drink will do no harm, you will not want to take chances.

Building up Resources

Another important measure is to make sure that you eat a sensible, balanced diet and are reasonably fit in the months before pregnancy, so that when you become pregnant your body has the necessary resources to draw upon. Of course, it makes sense not to be overweight but do not go on a drastic slimming diet. You should be cutting out vital proteins and vitamins that your baby needs in the crucial early days following conception. It is thought that malnutrition in mothers before and around the time of conception may be responsible for many handicaps. If you are concerned about your weight, consult your GP about a sensible diet. 

Try to make sure you are getting enough exercise, although if you are not used to a great deal, take it gradually. Try walking a little further each day, swimming or joining a keep fit class. The fitter and healthier you are at the time of conception, the better for your baby and the more chance you will have of enjoying your pregnancy.

Your complete guide to Self-Massage

Delicious Potato Recipes

Looking After Your Breasts

It is essential for every woman to know how to care for her breasts because it will help ensure both their attractiveness and their health.

Breasts are highly valued as a sign of femininity. However, breasts can present an entirely different set of problems from any other part of the body, and these can include sagging chest muscles, swelling and tenderness before menstruation, difficulties arising from breast feeding — and cancer! This is why women must learn to understand and care for their breasts.

Breast care begins with exercises to strengthen the pectoral (chest) muscles which tend to become slack with age. Most keep-fit routines include some helpful exercises like swinging the arms in a circular movement. Swimming is another method. Opinion varies as to whether wearing a bra helps prevent sagging breasts: comfort should be the deciding factor. However, some women prefer to wear a bra only when breasts are swollen such as during pregnancy or lactation, or when doing energetic sports.

Breasts may feel full and cause some discomfort just before menstruation. This can often be alleviated by taking extra vitamin B and by reducing the salt intake to avoid water retention which is frequently the major cause of the swelling. 

Mothers who wish to breast feed should make preparations before the baby arrives. If your nipples are not prominent, then the month before you give birth, you should massage them between the forefinger and thumb to help them stand out more. A nightly application of lanolin cream will help to keep the breasts supple while you are doing this.

Once breast feeding begins, problems may occur. These include sore, cracked or inflamed breasts due to an infection. For sore breasts, apply lanolin after each feed and expose the nipple to the air at some time during the day. For the latter two difficulties, stop feeding on that side, express the milk by hand and see your doctor. It is still possible to continue feeding from the other breast while the sore one is treated. 

Lumps in the breast can occur because of a wide variety of reasons. Most often these occur during normal changes of the menstrual cycle or because of small cysts (fluid-filled lumps of tissue) or tumors (fibrous growths) which are harmless. Sometimes the cause is more serious, and that is why it is especially important for women to recognize any changes in their breasts by giving them frequent, thorough examinations. 

Breasts should be examined regularly each month. Women of childbearing age should carry out a check immediately after their period, preferably on the same day of the cycle every month.

Undress to the waist and sit or stand in front of a mirror. Look first for any changes in the size, shape or texture. Also check the nipples to see if there are any obvious changes.

Then lie down, raise one arm behind your head and feel the breast of that side with the other hand; use the flat of your hand, not your fingertips. Gradually slide the hand around and over the breast area, moving towards the centre of the breast and eventually to the nipple. Look out for any thickening or lumps; nipple changes such as drawing in, sensitivity or discharge; pain and discomfort. Once you finish with the first breast, examine the other in the same way. 

If you detect any changes, see your doctor immediately for a more thorough examination. Often there is nothing to worry about, but if there is breast cancer, early detection can bring successful results. For this reason breast care ultimately means that you are caring for your life.