June 14, 2009
Help Identifying Vitiligo
Our skin makes its color from pigments. They are colored pigments. Individuals with dark skin have more of these pigments and those with lighter skin have less of them. This pigment is known as melanin.
The main purpose of melanin is to guard the body from sun rays. That is why, we get tanned when we expose ourselves to sun. Tanning means more production of melanin. Cells known as melanocytes in the skin produce melanin.
If for any cause, the skin begins losing melanin from a patch on the body, light skin develops on that place. This is called vitiligo disease. There is no specific cause known for vitiligo except for the thought that the body destroys the melanin itself. That is why this is called an autoimmune disease (a disease where the body attacks itself).
Vitiligo can develop on the whole body, or it can stop after creating few patches. Anybody can get it on any part of the body. There is no perfect cure for it. There is no prevention for vitiligo. Vitiligo also exposes skin to sun rays and that is dangerous. Let us find out more about it.
Vitiligo can develop on any part of the body, at any age and in anyone. Though it is believed that exposed parts of body have higher chances of developing Vitiligo, it can appear anywhere. Color of skin does not affect the probability of getting vitiligo. Similarly, it can strike both the sexes and at any age and treatments for vitiligo for everyone is very similar.
It is estimated that in about one-fifth of the cases, other family members may also have vitiligo. As vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder, its patients are monitored for other autoimmune diseases such as thyroid disorders, alopecia aerta, etc. You should talk to your doctor about this in detail.
Vitiligo begins with a small area of lighter color, which slowly turns to a white patch. Many patches can also develop at the same time. After some time, the discoloration may stop and then restart after some time. Some people may lose all the skin pigment. The hair also loses color at the site of vitiligo.
The cause of vitiligo is not known and so it is difficult to provide a definitive vitiligo cure, but it is thought that either the body destroys the melanin or it destroys itself. But the result is loss of pigment that protects body against sun damage.
I hope this helps you better understand the causes and effects of vitiligo. You shoul seek medical advice should begin to experience this mysterious disorder.
DISCLAIMER: I do hope this helps, but please note that I am not a medical professional so you should consult with your physician before taking any medical advice from the Internet.
Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an essential fatty acid (EFA) in the omega-6 family that is found primarily in plant based oils. EFAs are essential to human health but cannot be made in the body. For this reason, they must be obtained from food. EFAs are needed for normal brain function, growth and development, bone health, stimulation of skin and hair growth, regulation of metabolism, and maintenance of reproductive processes.
Linoleic acid (LA), another omega-6 fatty acid, is found in cooking oils and processed foods and converted to GLA in the body. GLA is then broken down to arachidonic acid (AA) and another substance called dihomogamma-liolenic acid (DGLA). AA can also be consumed directly from meat, and GLA is available directly from evening primrose oil (EPO), black currant seed oil, and borage oil. Most of these oils also contain some linoleic acid.
Health-conscious people across the country are consuming flaxseed, pumpkin seed, fatty fish, and fish oils in record amounts to get the benefits of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids. Indeed, these good fats can have an amazing impact on health: the omega-3s have taken center stage for their beneficial effects on cardiovascular health, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), depression, menopausal discomforts, immune system dysfunction and cancer.
In all the hype, many people have come to believe that omega-6 fats are bad and that only omega-3s are good. Yes, some omega-6s are bad when consumed in excess primarily linoleic acid, found in many vegetable oils, grains and seeds. But there is another fat in the omega-6 family which is a powerful key to vibrant health and radiant beauty: GLA, or gamma linolenic acid.
In fact, your body needs the right balance of omega-3s as well as Gamma Linoleic Acid from the omega-6 family, much like it needs the proper combination of vitamins and minerals for smooth-running metabolic functions. So if you’ve been primarily focusing on the omega-3 sources of good fats, you could very well be overlooking an amazing giant among nutrients namely GLA.
is available in softgel or bulk liquid forms at your local or internet discount vitamin store. Look for oils like evening primrose, borage, or flax seed in name brands like Barleans Oils, Source Naturals, and Solaray to ensure you receive a quality and pure product when making a purchase.
*Statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. GLA and its constituents are not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent disease. Always consult with your professional health care provider before changing any medication or adding Vitamins to medications.
Sometimes, the urge to garden might be stomped out by other circumstances, such as living arrangements or space constrictions. If you live in an apartment, you can not really operate a full garden, just because you do not really have a yard! I think that one of the best solutions for this problem is to grow plants in containers or earthbox systems. You can hang containers, or just arrange earth boxes and grow pots on your patio, window sill or balcony.
Just a few baskets or pots, and your whole living area will look much classier and nicer. A benefit of growing in small containers is the fact that you can move them around to suit your needs. If you rearrange your furniture and you think that it would look nicer if it was in the other area, it is no trouble at all to scoot it over. As long as the lighting is about the same, your plant should not mind the transition at all. Another benefit of grow pots versatility is the fact that you can adapt it to simulate any environment depending on the type of soil you fill it with and where you place it.
If you are trying to make an aesthetically pleasing arrangement of containers and plants, you can adjust the containers to be at different heights by hanging them from the ceiling or placing them on supports. Hanging them will allow you to make the most of the space you have. This is called vertical gardening. If you pull it off right, you can make a very pleasing arrangement of plants while conserving your valuable space. If you live in an apartment, you know how important it is to conserve space!
One method of vertical gardening is the use of a wooden step ladder. If painted correctly, you can arrange all the plants on it in a beautiful, stylish cascade of color. The maintenance of container plants takes slightly more time, since you have to water more often and go around to each individual container.
However, the square footage for container plants is much less than that of an actual garden, so the time spent on maintenance and watering is more balanced. It is important that you do not over-water your container plants, as this can be just as fatal to their health as under-watering. When choosing containers for your plants, you will want to buy them all at once along with some extras in case they break or you add more plants later. You do not want them to be all the same shape and size, but definitely the same style so that the compliment each other.
Plastic containers are the best and require the least amount of watering, but if you want to stick with clay or earthen pots then you should line the inside with plastic. This helps it retain water more, as the clay will soak up water. Another thing to remember when buying pots is the fact that the size of the pot will ultimately constrict the size of the plant. Make a careful choice of pots according to what you wish to grow in each one.
If you search for the plant you chose on the internet, you should be able to find specifications as to how much root space it should be given. This can even be an advantage for you if you choose a plant that can grow very large. If you only have a limited amount of space for it, you can constrict it by choosing a pot that is not large enough to support huge amounts of growth.
If the benefits of container gardening sound appealing to you, then you should start planning out your container garden today. If you write a list of all the plants you desire to have, you can do the necessary research to find out what size and shape of pots you should get. After that, it is just a matter of arranging them in a way that makes your home look the nicest.