Month: July 2017

Aging is a natural process, but that doesn’t mean you have to embrace it. There are simple ways to reduce the negative effects of aging by tweaking your lifestyle.
By avoiding habits that accelerate aging, you can ensure that you look as youthful as possible. Genetics play a large role, but external factors can make an even larger impact on your appearance. Here are five everyday things to avoid if you want to slow the aging process.

1. Chronic Stress

Stress is not just unpleasant, it’s dangerous. On the cellular level, chronic stress causes shorter telomeres, which are compound structures at the end of chromosomes that are associated with age-related diseases. Additionally, high levels of cortisol (the primary stress hormone) can weaken the immune system, damage the heart, and cause facial aging.
You may not be able to rid your life of stress, but there are ways to reduce and manage it. Meditation and yoga can ease stress, according to the Harvard Health Blog.

If meditation’s not your thing, consider spending time with friends, as research links socialization with stress relief. Marriage has also been proven to counter the effects of stress and increase longevity (though we’re not suggesting you get married solely for those reasons).

2. Inflammatory Foods

Inflammation is one of the biggest drivers of aging, and your diet could be full of inflammatory foods if you’re not careful. Trans fats, refined sugars, white bread, and dairy can all trigger inflammation inside your body.

On the other hand, there are many foods that reduce inflammation in your body. Tomatoes, olive oil, leafy green vegetables, and fatty fish are all anti-inflammatory. In fact, just about everything in the Mediterranean diet fights inflammation and promotes healthy aging.

3. Too Much Sun

Most of us know by now that the sun ages us, but we don’t always heed the warning. A summer suntan has yet to go out of style, so we continue to sit in the sun for longer than we should.

Unfortunately, UVA and UVB exposure from the sun causes photoaging. This complex process causes wrinkling as well as elastin and collagen damage. The best way to avoid these age accelerators is to reduce exposure to the sun and wear sunscreen when you’re outside.

4. Not Enough Sleep

If you’re looking for a good excuse to turn in early, here it is. Lack of sleep not only impairs your mental faculties, it also prematurely ages you.

University Hospitals Case Medical Center conducted a sleep study with 60 women between the ages of 30 and 49. The results showed that those who got quality sleep recovered more quickly from sunburns and other stressors and had fewer fine lines and more even pigmentation.
“Sleep deprived women show signs of premature skin aging and a decrease in their skin’s ability to recover after sun exposure,” said Dr. Elma Baron, director of the Skin Study Center at UH Case Medical Center and associate professor of dermatology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
What’s more, the problem is fairly widespread.

“Insufficient sleep has become a worldwide epidemic. While chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to medical problems such as obesity, diabetes, cancer and immune deficiency, its effects on skin function have previously been unknown.”
If you’re having trouble sleeping, consider turning off your phone (and make sure you’re not falling prey to one of these four nasty bedtime habits).

5. Too Many Calories

The type of calories you consume plays a large role in aging, but the quantity is also important. Studies of fish, rodents, and dogs have shown that caloric restriction (without malnutrition) can slow aging and increase lifespan.

There is not enough evidence to prove that humans benefit from caloric restriction, but there is ample proof that consuming too many calories has disastrous effects on aging. Studies have shown that obesity accelerates the onset of age-related diseases and the aging process in general. Provided that you’re getting the necessary nutrients, cutting calories can help you look and feel younger.

In the first half of this year, France has reported nearly six times the number of cases of measles as they experienced over the same timeframe in 2016—295 cases this year versus 47 last.

French politicians have taken notice of this disturbing trend and now they are taking action to prevent widespread public health emergencies.
As Newsweek reports, “Three vaccines, for diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis, are already mandatory in France,” but now Prime Minister Édouard Philippe is saying that beginning early next year, eight other vaccines will become required for French citizens.

A Matter of Pride and Practicality for the French People

“Children are still dying of measles,” Prime Minister Philippe said in a policy speech covered by the French publication Le Figaro. “In the homeland of Pasteur that is not admissible.”
Pasteur, of course, is the French biologist for whom pasteurization—the process that helps to keep milk and other foodstuffs germ free—was named.

The 19th-century scientist is also renowned as the “father of microbiology” and is credited with the creation of rabies and anthrax vaccines.
The European Center for Disease Control notes that when it comes to measles in France, “The incidence is highest in children under one year (5.2/100,000 with 43 cases), which represents 14.6% of cases declared… Of the cases with known vaccination status (258 cases out of 295), 190 (74%) were not vaccinated, 40 (16%) had received a single dose, 25 (10%) had received two doses and for three cases (1%) the number was unknown.”

A-level vaccination is the only way to stop outbreaks.

Dr. Seth Berkley of the nonprofit organization Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance promotes global vaccination policies.
“Over the past five years,” Berkley told NPR earlier this year, “measles vaccine coverage around the world has stagnated at around 78 percent… That in combination with the European outbreak is worrisome.”

NPR reporter Michaeleen Doucleff elaborated on the scientist’s comments, “For the measles, it’s not enough to have 78 percent of a population vaccinated. You need about 90 to 95 percent to stop outbreaks, Berkeley says.”
So right now, if the world were being graded on our collective vaccination against measles, we’d only be at a C level. We need to work together to get this grade up to an A.

France is not alone.

Germany is considering similar legislation that would fine families who don’t vaccinate their children. Italy has recently submitted similar legislation as well. In Australia, certain tax rebates are tied to whether a child has been properly vaccinated.
Meanwhile in Texas, their house of representatives recently passed a “measure barring mandatory vaccines for foster children,” with the amendment’s sponsor, Arlington Republican Rep. Bill Zedler, saying, “Immunizations do not qualify as emergency care. No vaccine cures a disease.”

Ever wonder why your ears pop on planes?
It’s a pretty universal phenomenon, although some people can’t quite get rid of the pressure, regardless of how frequently they fly. The good news is that you can safely unclog your ears provided that you understand the mechanism that causes that unpleasant “pop.”

1. Try the classics: Chewing gum, yawning, and swallowing.

These methods work because they activate the same muscles that control the Eustachian tube, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology.

“Swallowing occurs more often when chewing gum or when sucking on hard candies,” the organization’s website reads. “These are good air travel practices, especially just before take-off and during descent. Yawning is even better. Avoid sleeping during descent because swallowing may not occur often enough to keep up with the pressure changes.”

2. You can also hold your nose, close your mouth, and gently blow through your nostrils.

The key word there is “gently,” as blowing too hard can cause serious ear damage. You shouldn’t need much pressure to open up the Eustachian tube and relieve the pressure. Children shouldn’t attempt this method, as they’re more likely to use excessive force.
If these methods don’t seem to work, something might be blocking your Eustachian tube, and when that’s the case, you’ve got one option: Remove the blockage.

3. Take decongestants before your board the plane.

Decongestants thin out your mucous, allowing it to flow freely (sorry for the mental image).

Many Eustachian tube blockages are caused by congestion, so taking an over-the-counter decongestant before your flight will often prevent your ears from popping.
You can also try a nasal spray for a quicker solution, provided that you visit the airplane bathroom to use that spray (your fellow passengers will appreciate the courtesy).

Consider decongestants even if you feel fairly healthy. Blockages aren’t always associated with sickness, so if you frequently encounter pressurization issues, an over-the-counter medicine is certainly worth a try. Just be sure to check with your doctor beforehand if you have any persistent medical conditions or if you’re taking any other medications.

4. Some airlines also sell specialized earplugs.

Earplugs like EarPlanes help to regulate air pressure, and they can be essential carry-ons for some passengers. Just be sure to toss the earplugs at the end of the flight if you’re ill; they’re porous, so they’re not so easy to clean.

If none of these methods work, see an ear, nose, and throat doctor. Eustachian tube blockages can lead to hearing loss, so you’ll want to get the problem checked out sooner rather than later. Try to limit your flights in the meantime.

In Hollywood, dimples are a sought-after physical attribute (even if they are technically caused by a genetic defect).
However, cheek dimples are a purely genetic trait; if your parents had them, there’s a good chance that you’ll have them. But if you weren’t born with them, you’re probably out of luck.

Unless, of course, you’re willing to go under the knife. A surgical procedure called dimpleplasty has gained new ground with millennials in recent years—though doctors warn about the potential risks.

What are dimples, exactly?

Dimples are a genetic trait created when the skin of the cheek is directly attached to the cheek muscle through a small, naturally occurring hole. Smiling causes the cheek muscles to contract, pulling the skin tight and allowing the dimples to appear. Many people find dimples to be desirable, despite the fact that they’re functionally useless.

Dimpleplasty has been available for over 30 years, but the popularity of the practice has surged recently. Doctors believe people are drawn to this procedure because it is minimally invasive and relatively inexpensive. That’s not to say that it’s completely free from risk, however.

Dimpleplasty is attractive to millennials for several reasons.

A dimpleplasty is an outpatient procedure performed when the patient is under local anesthesia and only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. The surgeon makes the incisions on the inside of the cheek, so there is no visible scarring. The average total cost is between $1,200 and $2,500, which is relatively affordable when it comes to plastic surgery.

Doctors work with the patient to precisely measure where to place the dimple. After placement is determined, an incision is made into the cheek muscle (buccinator), at which point the cheek skin is attached. Some swelling typically occurs, and most people have semi-permanent dimples for about two months. Gradually the inflammation goes down and the dimples are only visible when the patient smiles.

However, the risks of dimpleplasty are substantial.

Some doctors warn that although dimpleplasty can be attractive from a cosmetic standpoint, the risks outweigh the benefits.

Mouth incisions are, by nature, extremely susceptible to bacteria. Surgeons typically prescribe a small dose of antibiotics to speed up the healing process and to avoid infection. Patients are also required to use an antiseptic mouthwash multiple times a day to kill any germs, but even with these precautions, infections are a possibility.
Dimpleplasty typically isn’t reversible. Doctors can sometimes remove the attached skin to minimize the dimples, but this isn’t always an option. The artificial dimples can also gradually disappear over time, as the aging process naturally causes the skin to stretch and move.
Some patients also note that their new dimples move or sag after several years. Working with a qualified, experienced surgeon can limit some of these risks. Still, no cosmetic surgery is perfect.

“As the skin ages and loses elasticity, there is no telling how the scars will look as the face begins to droop—designer dimples could become designer disasters within a matter of years,” said a spokesperson for SurgiCare to Fox News.