My Undying Love For Sulfur

Sulfur soap does look like pastries after all.

I am not the type of person who goes bashing around people and their products, nor do I give an opinion about a product I have never tested. I prefer, and probably enjoy, trying new things and doing some little experiments with myself. I have to try things for myself so with that I can be the one to claim first-hand that a product is worth the trial or if it was just a waste of time.

Way back to my childhood days, I used to have skin allergies brought by sweets, especially chocolates. I know, it is as if I am grounded in hell like forever. Going back to my allergies, I tried different products my dermatologist had given me. If I remember it correctly, I've tried using Carica (it's a brand name) and I think it worked for me back then. Aside from that topical, I also used Dr. Wong's Sulfur soap (a medicinal soap) and if I am not mistaken in any point, my red marks, which eventually led to dark spots, diminished thanks to my continuous use of that medicinal soap. The darkening of my red marks stopped for a long time, and my allergy only came back now. Now that my allergy has been irritating my skin again, I once had been to a drug store and remembered about Dr. Wong's Sulfur soap however I found only Dr. Kaufmann's Sulfur Zinc Oxide soap. With a new chemical introduced to me, as compared to Dr. Wong's, I was a little anxious to try it out. As written in the box, it cures skin diseases including acne. Thus, I became curious and decided to try it out for my face.

Ever since I started living in Manila, about more than five years from now, my skin started to be irritated and eventually led to pimples and blemishes, as well as "backne". I tried benzoyl peroxide products but it extremely dried out my oily face. I also tried salicylic acid, however I can't exactly remember the result. A dermatologist said I should use tea tree oil products, however the soap was probably harsh for my skin and it caused my cheeks to turn red and dry. Well, that same dermatologist gave me erythromycin solution to stop the redness. I also used to take Doxycyline, however the medication seem to intensify the symptoms of acne during the early week of use.

Trying sulfur soap for my face, I can say that it alleviated the symptoms of acne as early as three days, though I didn't have much acne, just marks. I've been using it for half a month now and my pimples are not, or at least prevented, from showing up. It doesn't seem to dry my skin. The only downside is its unpleasant odor. However, what is odor if I can gain back my young skin. :p

Researching on its active ingredients, sulfur and zinc oxide, the following are the details that I've gathered.

Sulfur, a naturally occurring, inorganic element has germicidal action, which aids in killing bacteria. It is also keratolytic, from the root words keratin and lytic, then we can assume beforehand that it breaks down the outer layer of the skin. Since acne is a skin disease caused by dirt, oil and bacteria build-up which clogs the pores of the skin, this keratolytic action will be helpful in removing and shedding the dead skin cells clogging the pores. Certain compound os sulfur, such as sulfonamides, are believed to retard the growth of bacteria by limiting the acids that they need in order to reproduce. Even though the use of sulfur as medication for skin diseases has not been well described, it has been used as skin treatment for about 500 years to combat skin conditions such as acne, fungal infections, eczema and the likes.

So this is how sulfur works for the skin.

Now moving on to the next active ingredient, zinc oxide, this compound can help prevent acne as well as to regulate the activity of the oil glands, since acne is also brought by too much oil production of the skin. When it is combined with oxygen, it can be effective in allowing protein synthesis and promoting a healthy immune system. Since acne is a superficial wound, a good immune system can aid in the healing of surface wounds due to the body's ability to fight bacteria that may cause acne flare-ups.

If this product keeps doing well for my skin, then this is a sure for keeps!

Glass of Water

Last Friday, right after my last class, I went to a mall with a friend. As we got inside a jeepney along Taft Ave., I immediately got a major headache, as if my head was being cracked open. Like I usually do, and since my companion told me to apply greater pain to my head, I hit my head against the "wall" of the PUJ and my hand against my head. Surprisingly, both personal techniques didn't work. I also tried diaphragm breathing to suffice myself with greater oxygen intake, but it didn't work, too.

So I thought, maybe inhaling too much polluted air from Metro Manila is killing my neurons; where all I can do is wait 'till I get to a "less polluted" place, like the mall. But getting inside the mall didn't help me with my suffering, but drinking water did a little magic with my brain-torturing, literally, headache.

On our way back home, I was again exposed to the air pollution haven, and so was my headache. During that time, I just didn't tell my friend, I really wanted to cry because of the unbearable pain, but it would just be too humiliating to do so. When we're about to take our dinner, I tried vomiting but nothing came out, and nothing good happened either. I lost my sense of taste, I can't even taste the soda I was drinking. But drinking the soda and my handy paracetamol made me so happy, it made the headache go bye-bye forever.

I did a little research and found out that dehydration is one of the biggest of the universal migraine triggers. The fact that more 70% of our body is composed of water, then we should have an idea how important water is for our body. Biological reactions also occur in aqueous medium, just so you know. So, by what mechanisms can dehydration or lack of water trigger migraine? The answer? Here you go:

1. Our nerves send signals to control every part of our body. This is via tiny water pathways. Lack of water thickens the fluid in these nerves, thus distorting the signals to be sent out. These distorted signals can be migraine triggers.

2. Toxins are carried away from cells via water. Lack of water cause toxins to build up, thus causing inflammation to nerves. These inflamed nerves can be migraine triggers.

3. Water, as a vital transport system, plays an active role in the biological processes. Lack of water may cause interference in these activities, thus may also cause lack of energy to power cell pumps. This may overwhelm neurons in the brain, which may be migraine triggers.

Scared of losin' all the time

He wrote it in a letter, he was a friend of mine

He heard you could see your future

Inside a glass of water with ripples and the lines

And he asked, "Will I see heaven in mine?"

-Glass of Water, Coldplay

Now, we all know the importance of drinking at least 6-8 glasses of water a day! Everyone needs to replace the water lost from their daily activities. Sounds simple, eh? Just a healthy way to keep that evil migraine away.

A glass of water a day, keeps the migraine away! The real thing, not the song, k?

Estrogen Level-Up

Estrogen hormone

Estrogen is the mother of all female hormones, they say. Girls, it is the hormone responsible for your growing chest, just so you know. As a female approaches her menopausal stage, so as her estrogen level starts to decline. As young hippie females, we may still not feel the importance and function of this hormone, but low estrogen levels may cause risk for a host of unpleasant, even health-threatening, conditions. These conditions are:

-Osteoporosis and bone loss

-Increased LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) and decreased HDL (the "good" cholesterol)

-Hair loss

-Weight gain (So is that why most women are fat when they're aged 40 and above?)

-Low blood pressure

-Fatigue

-Sore joints and muscles

-Increase in allergies

-Gastrointestinal disturbances (including indigestion, flatulence, bloating)

-Depression

-Anxiety

-Irritability (So that's why most moms are naggers and easily irritated)

-Insomnia

-Memory loss

-Difficulty in concentrating

Luckily, there are natural ways to elevate, and to avoid the declining of, the estrogen levels in the body. There are artificial ways, too, such as capsules and dietary supplements, but I'd rather go for the healthy and safe living.

To start with, let's go to the proper diet first. Low-carb diet which is mineral-rich with good sources of protein and zinc is a perfect way to increase the estrogen levels.

Yum! It actually looks like grilled camote cue.

Here is a list of estrogen-rich foods you and your... would be happy to eat.

Beans/legumes: black-eyed peas (cow peas), lentils, lima beans, soybeans, soybean sprouts, red beans and split peas

Fruits: papaya, plums, apple, cherries, raspberries, dates and pomegranates

Grains: oats, brown rice and wheat

Herbs and spices: clover, garlic, licorice, parsley and sage

Seeds: alfalfa, anise, flax, fennel, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower

Veggies: beets, carrots, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, pepper, potatoes, tomatoes and yams

Milk, eggs, all dairy and non-organic meats should also be avoided.

But there are also foods which may reduce the estrogen levels. These foods may be good to those suffering from breast cancer and ovarian cysts, which can be exacerbated by the estrogen. These foods are:

Fruits: berries, citrus, figs, grapes, melons, pears and pineapple

Grains: buckwheat, tapioca, white rice and white flour

Veggies: broccoli, cabbage, corn, green beans, onions and squash

Aside from eating a healthy diet, a balance endocrine system (our body's system for regulating hormones) can be achieve through the help of yoga.

Yoga. Kim Chiu does this, but why... No comment.

As for those who aim to develop their chest, other exercises such as the push-up and inclined bench press can help in developing the pectoral muscles thus pushing your breasts forward. Doing push-ups, instead of wearing them, is a healthier way to give those breasts some boost.

I said Push-up not Push-up bras

Inclined Bench Press