Dark Under-Eye Circles, Causes And Treatment!

Most people think that dark under-eye circles are caused by staying up late watching monster movies, or having that last drink the night before, or sitting up with your laptop trying to finish the quarterly report. Most people think that their behavior is somehow linked to dark under-eye circles.

Well, most people are dead wrong!!

How and why your body creates dark under-eye circles

You need to know that dark under-eye circles are not your fault. They don't mysteriously appear when you misbehave or are stressed out, only to vanish when you get 8 straight hours of sleep. Dark under-eye circles are a by-product of the very same mechanism that produces bruises (and you don't blame yourself for bruising, do you?). Changing your behavior will, in almost every case, NOT get rid of your dark under-eye circles.

• What causes dark under-eye circles?

Your shiners, your raccoon eyes, your blue luggage... whatever you call your dark under-eye circles, here's what they really are: oxidizing hemoglobin.

Dark under-eye circles begin in the capillaries, the tiny blood vessels that web the delicate skin around the eyes. Now, your capillaries are so small that red blood cells sometimes have to line up, single file, to get through. Frequently, red blood cells get lost and wander into the surrounding skin. This isn't a problem; it happens all the time and your body has a mechanism to mop up these escapees. Enzymes in your body break down the red blood cells, including their hemoglobin (the molecule that gives them their distinctive red color).  No problem, right? Except for one thing: when hemoglobin is broken down, its remaining components have a dark blue-black color. Just like a bruise. So your dark under-eye circles are actually caused by leaky capillaries.

• How dark under-eye circles are like bruises?

When something hits you, blood vessels are traumatized and sometimes broken. Blood leaks out into the surrounding skin. Your body begins the mopping-up process, and you see a dark, purplish or blue-black discoloration.  So, as you can see, dark under-eye circles are very similar to bruises. The same mechanisms produce them.

• Why are dark under-eye circles so visible?

It's quite possible that capillaries all over your body are leaking small amounts of blood all the time (I don't know if this is true or not). But the reason dark under-eye circles are so apparent is this: the skin around the eyes is some of the thinnest, most delicate skin of your entire body. The capillaries are much closer to the surface of the skin there. Many people's skin is not only thinner around the eyes, but also more translucent.

The combination of capillaries near the skin's surface and translucent skin makes this discoloration much more apparent. And that's why you have those dark under-eye circles staring back at you in the mirror.

Causes of Dark Circles

• Dark circles occur more frequently and are more noticeable with age, because as we get older, our skin loses collagen and becomes thinner and more translucent.
• Nothing says exhaustion and strain like dark circles under your eyes. The problem is, you may be getting plenty of sleep every night and still wake up with puffy raccoon eyes. Now what
• Allergies are another common cause of dark circles. When you rub and scratch your itchy eyes, it irritates the skin and can break tiny capillaries beneath the skin, causing puffiness and discoloration. If allergies are the root of your problem, simply treat them or avoid what you're allergic to. If your dark circles or puffiness are constant, you may have an undetected food allergy or an allergy to a chemical in your surroundings. Consult an allergist to determine what you may be allergic to.
• Chinese medicine considers dark circles as a sign of weakness in the kidney network. Kidney weakness is due to exhaustion and overstrain coupled with lack of rest and relaxation. Since the kidney network in Chinese medicine governs the hormonal system, it affects the pigment melanin. It is said that unhealthy and depleted kidneys produce pigment deposit under the skin around the eyes and other parts of the face.
• Many cosmetic problems can be attributed to vitamin deficiencies. Dark circles and puffiness are often thought to be due to vitamin K deficiency or a lack of Antioxidants in the diet.

• It is also believed that lack of the mineral iron can cause dark circles. An iron deficiency may point to anemia, which is a potentially serious medical condition that requires treatment. If you believe you may have anemia, see your family doctor to schedule blood work.

Under-eye Remedies
Reduce the puffiness and lighten your circles with these all-natural solutions:
1.  For starters, be sure you are getting seven to nine hours of sleep every night.

2. What you eat counts! Eat a healthy, balanced diet, drink plenty of water, and make sure you are getting all your vitamins and minerals. Be sure to get plenty of fruits and vegetables, especially cabbage, spinach, and other leafy greens. Eat at least 2 cups of organic fresh spinach everyday. Additionally, eat a handful of raw almonds (unsalted and unroasted) between meals. Avoid salty foods, as salt causes the body to retain water, which equals bloating and puffiness that is particularly noticeable under the eye.

3. Asian pear is a juicy and crunchy fruit that has long been prized by Chinese herbalists as a way to lighten under-eye circles. Asian (or Fuji) pears are packed with copper and vitamin C, antioxidant nutrients that help protect you from cellular damage caused by free radicals. When free radicals damage enough skin cells, signs of aging begin to appear. Copper is an essential component of superoxide dismutase (SOD), an enzyme that attacks these harmful agents when they enter the body via air pollution and other toxins.

4. Treat your skin while you sleep. Just before bed, lightly wet a washcloth with cold water and place over your eyes as you sleep. By morning, you should see an improvement.

5. Apply cucumber slices or cool tea bags to your eyes. Cucumber slices are famous for their ability to reduce puffiness, and the tannin in tea bags has been found to reduce swelling and discoloration. Lie down, close your eyes, and place fresh cucumber slices or cool, damp caffeinated tea bags over your eyes for about ten minutes every day.

6. Gently apply almond oil under your eye every morning and evening until you see improvement.

7. Avoid smoking, as it causes vascular problems that not only threaten your health, but also make your blood vessels appear more prominent under the skin.

Treating your skin will help, but there may also be an underlying cause. Imbalances in your life show up on your face and skin. You may consider seeing a doctor.
I hope these tips will help! :)

Some of Your Favorite Things Can Make you Depressed..

Why is it that?!!
With every new study that comes out, we have to learn about one more enjoyable thing that's actually bad for us? This time, things are looking pretty bleak. According to some leading British experts on mood disorders, some of our favorite things could actually be causing depression:

Hot Weather
let's start with hot weather. Apparently there's such a thing as a summer form of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), where depression is triggered by too much sun. As someone who goes into hibernation mode all winter long, just waiting for June weather, I definitely know I'm not one of the tens of thousand who suffer from summer SAD.

Lead researcher Dr Lisa Page offered a number of explanations, the most interesting of which explains, "People tend to drink more alcohol in summer  not only does it have a depressive effect, it also disinhibits us, so we are more likely to act impulsively. Hot weather also disturbs sleep and this could possibly tip someone over the edge."

Doughnuts
It may be considered a comfort food, but according to the British Dietetic Association, doughnuts are anything but comforting, for both our weight and mental health. Sugary snacks like doughnuts give us a temporary high because it spikes dopamine levels, but once those levels begin to fall, sadness sets in. Researcher Helen Bond explains, "We tend to crave sugary and fatty foods for a quick mood fix, but the sugar crash that follows could make you feel worse."

Coffee
There's a little good news here; you don't have to give up coffee altogether. The key is to cut back and refrain from drinking it after a certain time. Drinking coffee throughout the day makes it harder to get a good night's sleep when the sun finally goes down, and lack of sleep can lead to depression. But it's like an endless cycle "I’m always amazed by the number of people I see who feel depressed because of sleep problems, yet who drink endless cups of tea and coffee, even late into the evening''

The other reason for this is simple and it has to do with the sugar and the caffeine that comes in coffee. When we drink a coffee we usually get a caffeine hit and a sugar rush. This picks us up for a few minutes or perhaps even an hour but then comes the inevitable low. Then we start to get feelings of sadness and stress and we cannot figure out why we are feeling so bad.
Test it out for yourself. See how you feel before a coffee, immediately after a coffee and then about two hours after a coffee. You might be surprised!!

Meat
People who started eating a vegetarian diet claim that they wonder how happy and “light” they felt all the time. So I decided that I need to do some research in to the matter and see whether eating meat causes stress or depression and it turns out that many ancient medical practices believe that it does. Every time I eat meat now I feel heavy and quite sick.

Many people in the East will tell you that feeling depressed after eating meat is due to the negative karma that is accrued due to killing an animal. Some more modern science, however, tells us that it might be due to the damage meat can cause your insulin levels as well as several other systems in the body. Meat has been linked to cancer, diabetes and other serious illnesses. One study even showed that vegetarians are happier than meat eaters!

Alcohol
Alcohol has been shown to change the chemistry of the brain and make you more likely to experience long term depression. With alcohol we are not talking about a depression that lasts a little while; it is one that lasts a long time and usually leads you to your next drink. You then need to drink more than you used to, to feel better and end up in a fast downward spiral. This is called tolerance and is a big part of why alcohol and any other drugs are so addictive.

The sad thing is that people who are already feeling a bit depressed use alcohol to treat the depression. This just makes them feel even more depressed and doesn’t really get you anywhere.

Fast food
I have always thought that the fast foods were bad. They are full of preservatives, salt, sugar, saturated fats and a host of other horrible chemicals. Think about all the antibiotics and hormones that KFC pump in to their meat before they lace it with salty bread crumbs and deep fry it. No wonder you feel heavy after you eat it. Try and avoid these foods at lunch time if you are feeling stress and anxious and depressed. This will also distract you from your work because you will feel full and sick.

The best thing you can do for your health is eat a natural diet that has as little man-made foods as possible. A diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, raw milk, eggs and other natural things will leave you feeling lighter, happier and full of long lasting energy. Avoid foods that are overly processed and full of refined sugar, salt and saturated fats.

Does anyone have any experiences with food making them feel terrible?!

Oat Bran Nutritional and Health Benefits!!

Oat bran is the edible, outermost layer of the oat kernel. Oats have been recognized as a food and an herb. Like oatmeal, oat bran contains B complex vitamins, protein, fat, minerals, and heart healthy soluble fiber. When eaten regularly, oatmeal and oat bran may help to lower total cholesterol levels by 25 or more within a very short time period (one to three months). In addition, oat bran can help to reduce the bad LDL and raise levels of good HDL cholesterol. Many moms have learned that most families like oat meal or oat bran.

 Oat bran is rich in a soluble fiber called beta-glucan. In 1997, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration passed a unique ruling that allowed oat bran to be registered as the first cholesterol-reducing food at an amount providing 3 grams of beta-glucan per day, although some evidence suggests this level may not be high enough to make a significant difference. Several trials have shown that oat bran supplementation can significantly lower cholesterol levels in people with elevated cholesterol, but only slightly in people with healthy cholesterol levels. Breads containing oat bran may, therefore, be beneficial at lowering elevated cholesterol.

Health Benefits of Oat Bran:

• Cardiovascular disease:

 Soluble fibre from oats lowers cholesterol levels in the blood. Consuming 3 g of soluble fiber from oat products per day (provided by three 28 g servings of oatmeal or one large bowl of oat bran cereal) has been shown to decrease total cholesterol by approximately 1.8. It is estimated that a 1 reduction in total cholesterol could lower the incidence of coronary heart disease by around 2.

Some studies suggest that oat consumption may reduce blood pressure.

• Diabetes:

Oats reduce blood glucose and insulin responses. Control of blood glucose and insulin levels is essential in prevention of many of the complications associated with diabetes.

• Atheltic performance:

Oats have been shown in scientific studies to favorably alter metabolism and enhance performance when ingested shortly (45 minutes - 1 hour) before prolonged endurance exercise (> 2 hours) of moderate intensity.

• Other Benefits:

Preliminary studies suggest that beta-glucan from oats may enhance the immune response. Further research is required to investigate the potential immune-boosting effects of oats however.

There is currently insufficient evidence to suggest that oats promote weight loss or improve compliance to a reduced-calorie diet.