All Posts in ‘Skin Care’

Jan
19
2010

H.A. Hyaluronic Acid: Healthy Complexion, Joints, and Vision

Categories: Joint Health, Skin Care, Vision Health

Alive Brand of Hyaluronic Acid now in the flyer until January 31st 2010! Now only $43.99! Buy 6 and get 1 FREE! Good for you eyes, skin, joints and more!

 Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is produced naturally in our body, but as we age our body produces less and less.  The reason HA is so vital, is it keeps the moisture in our skin.  It also protects our joints while boosting our level of collagen.   Remember collagen is the main protein of connective tissue.  It is in our muscle, skin, and throughout the entire body.  It is a major component of what holds us together.  

 Recommended Dosage:

As mentioned, HA are natural  molecules produced in our body and when we are young we produce around three grams daily.  As we age and loose the ability to produce this wonderful molecule that ultimately keeps us strong throughout our body.  It is recommended to take 200mg of HA daily.   

Uses for HA:

  • Banishes Wrinkles
  • Speeds Healing
  • Prevents Scarring
  • Eases Joint Pain
  • Protects Your Vision

Banishing wrinkles is possible by taking HA internally.  Taking HA for three to four months boosts collagen production dramatically.  Our customers have noticed firmer skin, smoother skin, improved complexion as well as more youthful looking skin.  HA works by acting like a sponge holding up to 1000 times its own weight in moisture.  This is what helps to plump the skin and literally erase fine lines and wrinkles. 

Speed the healing of injuries and prevent scarring with HA.  It has been shown that HA not only speeds the healing of wounds, but it also will slowly get rid of old scarring.  This is especially helpful for people who suffer or who have suffered from acne in the past and now are dealing with the scars and an uneven complexion.  Leading researchers have found that taking just 140mg of HA a day shortens the time it takes a wound to heal by 40%!  Remember, while HA is a wonderful find, try not to be impatient.  For example, it takes on average three months to get rid of old acne scars.  Hang in there it is worth the wait.  Alice Chung, the owner of Alive Health Centre, has been using HA for years now and everyday people are amazed that she is 62 years old with baby soft skin.  Once customers find out her age they furrow their eyebrows and move up closer wanting to see if there is botox or some sort of cosmetic surgery, and they are always amazed that its all natural!

Ease your joint pain with HA.  For those who are not sure about HA, the FDA approves injections of HA right into joints that are suffering from arthritis.  Patients find relief because the HA acts like a sponge and absorbs shock.  There has been tremendous success for those that have been taking 200mg a day of HA.  The dosage has allowed people to naturally rebuild the pockets of fluid between their joints.  They are finding that HA is also actually helping to rebuild the cartilage in the joint.  Also the beauty of HA is that the capsule is tiny!  Anyone can seriously manage to swallow this. 

Protect your eyes with HA.  Doctors use HA to speed the healing of eye surgery.  However, you can take a maintenance dosage to prevent macular degeneration, which is the number one cause of blindness in adults.  Taking HA reduces the risk of developing a detached retina.

HA is becoming more and more well known.  Alive has been selling HA a long time before the hype.  We have had customers come in a use it for their joints or skin and this one women came back into the store to let us know that we forgot to mention that it helped with the eyes and that she is noticing a huge improvement!  She was estatic that her macular degeneration was not progressing anymore.  As always we are happy to help you with your health.  We look forward to seeing you at Alive Health Centre, Supplements Plus and Morning Sun!  Hope you have a great rest of your week.

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Jan
11
2010

Part 2: Conquer Acne with Perfect Skin by Genuine Health

Categories: Skin Care

Perfect Skin 120's is in the flyer sale until Jan 31st 2010 @ $39.99

As mentioned in the previous article on acne, skin problems are not just seen in teenagers, but even more in adults these days.  This is due to factors such as: stress, hormonal changes, excessive sebum, production, oxidative stress, low nutrient levels, and inflammation. 

Hormonal changes can be from puberty, pregnancy and menopause.  Other components that affect hormones are certain medications as well as the foods we eat.  For example, dairy products can cause hormonal fluxes which elevates sebum thus resulting in breakouts.  There is some controversy over whether diet has an impact on your skin and some people say it doesn’t, but it certainly does play a crucial part according to Dr. Alan Logan and Valor Treloar, MD Holistic Dermatologist.  They are writters of a fantastic scientic book on skin and it is entitled, “The Clear Skin Diet”.  It is the most comprehensive way to look at what you should be eating as well as the supplements that will benefit you inside and out.  When your skin is breaking out it means that there is an underlying problem.  Eating well seems easy, but it takes will power in the beginning and gets easier with time.  After awhile cravings for the bad things disappear and you will find yourself litterally craving vegetables and deep coloured fruits such as blueberries.  It just takes a strong mind and organization. 

Eating is obviously number one, but Perfect Skin is a fabulous formulation from Genuine Health and leading dermatologists, that will assist you and your skin on a healthy road to recovery. 

What is in Perfect Skin?

  • Omega 3 EPA concentrate: Derived from wild fish oils, omega 3 fatty acids are well-documented for their amazing natural anti-inflammatory properties and their ability to inhibit sebum production.
  • EGCG from green tea extract: A natural antioxidant with proven anti-inflammatory properties.  It also decreases oxidative stress and works together with zinc and selenium which are most beneficial for the skin.
  • Zinc: An antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrient.  People with acne are often deficient in this nutrient.
  • Vitamin E and Selenium: Required for proper glutithione peroxidase activity (antioxidant enzyme). Studies show levels are often low in people who suffer from acne.
  • Chromium: Controls blood sugar levels, which is often a problem in people who suffer from acne.  Research shows improvement in acne with oral chromium supplementation.

When can you see results?

Remember everyone is different, but on average results are seen anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks.  Also remember you are what you eat so stick to a healthy diet, and if you need help grab a copy of the “Clear Skin Diet”. 

Other Suggestions:

  1. If you really struggle with hormone imbalances, look at your diet and consider the amount of food that you may be consuming that has hormones in it.  Again you are what you eat, therefore, you may want to cutt down on red meat, or dairy.  Also if you are going to consume those products rememeber to look for non genetically modified or free range beef or chicken for example.  An excellent protein supplement is Harmonized Protein by the company Body Plus Interactive.  They use free range cattle from New Zealand. 
  2. Hormone Balancing:  If you need more assitance in balancing your hormones, you can try: Troubled Skin by DermaMed, there is evening primrose oil, zinc, vitamin A and many more excellent nutrients to help your skin.  The evening primrose will assist you in balancing your hormones.  Estrosense, by Lorna Vanderhaeghe is fantastic for hormone balancing and this means it will also help with PMS. 
  3. Balance you PH if you are inflammed with too much acidity, this can show up through acne.  Use a Greens + supplement, or Vega Meal Replacements from Sequal.  Vega is an awesome source of vegatarian protein that also has the added benefit of probiotics, greens, colostrum and more. 
  4. Do a cleanse by either Renew Life or Wild Rose that provides a meal plan.  A meal plan is a great idea if you are hopeless with making good food choices.  It is crucial to get rid of you bodies toxins and this can be the result of acne.

Lastly, just breath, relax and don’t worry.  This is a lot of information and remember you do not have to do everything at once.  We can help you at Alive Health Centre, Morning Sun or Supplements Plus to derive a plan that works for you.  It is important to note that Perfect Skin is for both men and women.  There is a blue packaging for men and the contents inside are identical.  Look forward to helping even more people reach their goal of beauty inside and out.  See you soon!

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Jan
6
2010

The Amazing Pure and Greaseless Aqualin Skin Reviving Moisturizer (Original Formula)

Categories: Skin Care

 

 *Due to popular demand! Information on Aqualin*

It is extremely difficult to find a moisturizer that is free from chemicals, fragrances, and doesn’t clog your pores.  Aqualin is a fantastic moisturizer that works for our customers because it is 100% pure with no chemicals, it is non-clogging and it has only two natural ingredients which are: electrolyte-free water and vegetable glycerin.  Aqualin is superior to other moisturizers because it actually keeps the water from evaporating allowing your skin to never feel the thirst.  Even if you have oily skin remember that Aqualin is greaseless and water soluble.  Often times with acne, or oily skin the infected area becomes very dry once it starts the healing process.  Aqualin will help replenish and renew the skin protecting it from redness and scaring.  Therefore, Aqualin is a fabulous moisturizer for all! 

The reason our skin becomes flakey, is due to the extreme temperature changes, as well as the commercial soaps and harsh detergents our skin encounters.  Aqualin uses the key ingredient glycerin to provide continuous moisture to the skin.  If we do not hydrate our bodies or moisturize ourselves, we loose water in our skin and this is how we start to ”age” and wrinkle.  Therefore, it is no secret, but it is absolutely vital that we replenish our skin with moisture.  Aqualin is truly amazing when it comes to dealing with wrinkles, but it also repairs the skin from extreme cases such as, burns of flakey itchy skin. 

How to use Aqualin is simple.  Wash your face with a chemical free cleanser such as Robert Urists Mild Cleansing Gel ($5.99).  Then while the face is still wet, squeeze out a small drop (the size of a green pea) onto the palm of your hand.  Mix it with a touch of water and apply all over your face and neck or where ever desired.  Lastly, do NOT pat your face dry, let the water be absorbed by your skin along with the Aqualin.  Your skin is like a plant it is thirsty and it will thank you for the moisture you have provided. 

The cost of the Aqualin is $32.99 for the original formula 4 oz tube.  The 4 oz goes a long way.  This is not a product that you are constantly running out of and it is worth every penny to ensure that you are not dosing your skin with harmful agents. 

Alive Health Centre, Morning Sun and Supplements Plus have been selling Aqualin for a number of years, and Alice Chung the owner of Alive is often described as a young 62 year old and her secret is Aqualin!  Everyday people complement her on her soft youthful skin.  She does not use any creams or skin products outside of the natural health inductry and her favourite is Aqualin.  

Key Points on Aqualin:

  • Pure skin relieving moisturizer,
  • It is greaseless and non-clogging,
  • Hypoallergenic,
  • It is non-irritating to the skin and eyes,
  • It is non-staining,
  • It is great for soothing burns, from the wind sun or kitchen,
  • There are only two ingreedients: electrolyte-free water and glycerin,
  • It renews from head to toe: flaky scalp, dry lines even around the eyes, hands, cuticles, nails, elbows, knees, legs, and feet.

 As always thanks for your support!  Look forward to seeing you in the stores!

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Jan
3
2010

Part 1: Conquer Stubborn Acne With Lifestyle Awareness

Categories: Skin Care

Beat Stubborn Acne

One of the most common concerns from our customers across the board is acne. It is often thought that teenagers are victoms of acne, when in fact adult onset acne is becoming more and more common.  This is partly due to our hectic lifestyles; there is no time to eat properly, relax and be fully aware of how we are treating ourselves.  It is the most frustrating thing when people sail through their teenage years and then hit their 20’s, 30’s or even 40’s waking up with little surprises known as the dreaded pimple.  Acne is not just a nuisance because it does not look attractive, but it is also painful in some cases.  Once acne is out of control it can lead to depression.  Remember that acne is a way for your body to tell you that something is wrong. 

Acne may be telling you that either your body is:

  1. Under stress.
  2. Going through some hormonal changes: teenage years, pregnancy, or menopause/PMS.
  3. Producing excessive sebum.
  4. Inflammed usually from the foods we consume.
  5. Not getting the right nutrition, i.e. too much coffee, too much deep fried foods.
  6. Under oxidative stress.

Steps you can take to deal with your Acne:

  1. There is no other way to say this; eat a cleaner diet.  Essentially we are what we eat.  If you drink 3 cups of coffee per day, start to cutt it down to perhaps one a day.  Regular coffee is acidic and makes your body inflammed.  Acne is a sign that your body is inflammed.  Also, if you eat at the food court or fast food 5 days a week, cut it down to 2 days per week, the rest of the days get yourself in a routine of making your own lunch.  If you make a salad make your own dressing!  Store bought dressings are not the best for you.  Suggestion would be to use extra virgin olive oil, or flax oil, or Nutrasea Fish oil and mix in some balsamic.  Then just crack in some pepper and you are finished!  If you are too busy to make sure that you consume the right amount of vitamins and minerals take a multivitamin, a greens + supplement and a tasty protein shake.
  2. Reduce your stress in a way that works for you.  Remember to breath while you are at work.  Take a walk everyday even if it is for just 10 minutes.  It is very important to get away from your cell phone, computer, car, T.V and even music.  It is important to hear your own thoughts and smell the air outside.  Another way to relax is to stretch every day.  I try to make sure a get a little stretch in during my break at work.  Stretching as well as exercise releases endorphines, which leads to a good mood.  Remember to take care of yourself first and foremost even if you are a nurse, doctor, or mother for example.  You are the most important and the only way to help others is to make sure you are in tip top shape.  Also, there are many supplements you can take to help you manage your stress such as: B-Complex, Holy Basal, Rhodiola, Royal Jelly, a good multi vitamin etc.
  3. Don’t do too much with your skin.  Don’t touch it all the time.  Use a mild cleanser, sometimes people use something as simple as a bar of vitamin E soap.  Don’t get too fancy with creams.  Keep your regime simple. SebaMed is gentle for sensitive skin.  Viva and Derma E are excellent skin care lines with no chemicals.
  4. Lastly, if you are noticing that acne is only a problem during your period, and you know that it must be hormonal you can try safe and natural supplements to restore your hormones back into balance.  Lorna Vanderhaeghe has a fantastic product called Estrosense, there is also a product by Derma Med called Troubled Skin that has a little bit of the important Omega 6 oils that help balance hormones such as Evening Primrose, and borage oil.   

This is the end of part 1.  Stay tuned for part 2 on how to conquer acne.  Remember that while acne can be complicated and that everyone can have acne for many different reasons, these are basic lifestyle changes that will not harm you and will not only help you with acne, but it will make you healthier in other areas as well.  You have nothing to loose by trying to make simple changes.  Remember that we are all in this together!  We only have one body and one set of everything: eyes, ears, nose, heart etc so we might as well look after what we have.  As always we look forward to helping you at Alive Health Centre, Supplements Plus  and Morning Sun. 

Happy New Year!

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Dec
18
2009

Renew Life: New Fish Oil called Norweigian Gold

Categories: Brain Health, Cholesterol, Digestive Health, Enzymes, Joint Health, New Products!, Omega 3's, Skin Care

p05_NGDORenew Life specializes in digestive health and when ever they introduce a new product to their line it is pure quality.  They are known first and foremost for their cleansing program, which starts with the First Cleanse (15days) for first timers all the way to a more advanced seven channel of elimation cleanse, which is called Cleansmart (30days).  They also have cleanses that work on specific parts of the body, for example the Liver Cleanse or the Lung Cleanse.   They have special FibreSmart formulas, Ultimate Probiotics, digestive enzymes, and colon soother products for people with IBS. 

Now Renew Life has come out with what is being called the Ultimate Fish Oil.  They are of superior quality and have been compared to Nordic Naturals or Eskimo 3 Enzymatics fish oils.  In fact the Norweigian Gold Ultimate Fish Oils exceed world standards for fish oil quality and purity.  Most of us know why we take fish oils, but just to re-cap and re-fresh fish oils nourish the whole body because of their essential fatty acids such as EPA and DHA.  They promote healthy skin, brain, heart, nervous system, joints and they help reduce excess inflammation in the body. 

What are the advantages with Norwegian Gold Fish Oils?

  • They are enteric coded to ensure that they are delivered directly to the intestines.  When this happens you getstomach-diagram 3x the absorption.
  • They included the the fat digesting enzyme called lipase for easy digestion and to eliminate burping up fish oil.
  • They have a one a day serving! 
  • They really mean quality and purity.  Norwegian Fish Oils are sourced from sustainable wild and unthreatened fish found in cold pristine waters.  These waters are naturally lower in toxins such as: PCB’s, mercury and pesticides.
  • Their testing and certification consistantly receives a 5 star raiting by the International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS) program.
  • All their fish oils are encapsulated in natural fish-derived gel caps!

How Much Fish Oil Do you Need?

  • For someone with no health concerns it is recommended to take a combined dosage of 1000mg of EPA and DHA.  This dosage is to maintain tissue health, skin, brain and joints health etc.
  • For someone with heart problems, unhealthy arteries, high cholesterol, joint pain, low mental acuity or other health conditions it is recommended to take a dosage as high as 4000mg of EPA and DHA.

Norwegian Gold Product Line: They have 4 Fish Oils

  1. Super Critical Omega (Total Omega 3 – 1025mg)
  2. Critical Omega (Total Omega 3 – 840mg)
  3. Daily Omega (Total Omega 3 – 400mg)
  4. Easy Omega (Total Omega 3 – 380mg)

For more information of the break down of the EPA and DHA for each product, or if you are wanting to know which one you should take based on your current health as always we are glad to help you!  Please come see us about any Renew Life Product; we would love to help.  You can find us at Alive Health Centre, Morning Sun or Supplements Plus.

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Nov
1
2009

Queen Helene – The Original Mint Julep Masque

Categories: Hot products, Skin Care

Many people are in search of a natural masque that will help dry up pimples, rinse away backheads and shrink enlarged pores.  The company Queen Helene has a very nice product called: “The Original Mint Julep Masque.” You do not have to have acne in order to use this product.  You can have perfect skin and use it for therapeutic purposes.  It is a very refreshing way to pamper yourself.  It cleanses the skin by removing toxins and things you cannot see. 

Brand-Queen Helen, Product Name-Mint Julep Masque

Brand-Queen Helen, Product Name-Mint Julep Masque

How do you use it?  It is very easy to use and there is no mess!  You do not have to fuss trying to mix anything.  First,cleanse your face and neck thoroughly.  If you want to you can gently exfoliate.  Then you apply the masque generously and allow it to dry for about 15 minutes.  Lastly, remove the masque with warm water.  Do it gently, if you rub it off with a face cloth you can open up your pimples or irritate your skin.  Afterwards your skin will feel refreshed and healthy!  Make sure you put some moisture back into your face, especially if you have sensitive skin.  I recommend Aqualin because it does not clogg your pores.  Most people use this once a week so they do not dry out there face.  You need balance!

What is in it? Water, kaolin, bentonite (which is a clay), glycerin, zinc, propylene glycol, sulfur, chromium oxide greens, mint fragrance, phenoxyethanol, and methylparaben. There is a small amount of parabens because they have to preserve the product.  However, there is very little, most of it consists of the good stuff like bentonite! 

The Mint Julep Masque is extremely popular in the natural health scene.  It is a fantastic way to pamper yourself with out spending a lot of money.  It retails for under $10.00 for an 8 oz tube and it goes a long way!  So kick up and relax and make it apart of your weekly ritual!  As always you can find me at the Oakridge location, but all of the Alive staff are eager to help you with any skin care concerns.  Hope to see you soon!

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