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Achieve Healthy Youthful Skin in 6 Effective Ways

by Posted in Skin Care

Is your skin looking dull or pale? You’re not the only one. There was a point when my skin looked so dull I thought that I was sick. It turns out that I just wasn’t taking care of my skin properly.

If you’re having the same problem, then you’re in the right place. I’ve compiled the best skin tips that helped get my skin’s youthful glowing skin. Of course, there are other tips that can also help you out, but these are the very basics you should get right.

Ready to know what they are? Read on for all my tips.

1. Take a bath at least once a day.

Even if it’s cold, don’t forget to take a bath at least once a day. Sure, you didn’t sweat or you just stayed at home the whole time, but this doesn’t mean that you didn’t get dirty. Taking a bath regularly removes the dirt that stayed on your skin for the past 12 hours. Wouldn’t you want to get rid of the dirt, too?

2. Use a mild facial cleanser.

When it comes to your face, gentle products are the key. And every skincare routine starts with a cleanser. Finding the right facial cleanser will help you remove all the makeup, dirt, and oil that accumulated on your face the past few hours. While it may seem that the stronger product is the better, this can lead to irritation and breakouts.

It also helps to match your facial cleanser with the other skincare products you use so that they are all used to solve the same skin problems instead of clashing with each other’s chemicals.

3. Exfoliate twice a week.

Washing your skin with soap and water is not enough to remove all the dirt. That’s why you have to exfoliate at least twice a week. Doing so will help remove all the dead skin cells that stayed on your skin.

However, don’t forget to be gentle with your skin. Scrubbing too hard will be counter-effective because it might cause irritation. Just scrub it lightly with a body scrub or a loofah.

4. Moisturize every day even if you have oily skin.

Some people think that oily skin types don’t need moisturizer. That’s definitely wrong. Dermatologists advise that even if you have oily skin, moisturizers will help in regulating your face’s sebum production.

When you don’t put moisturizer, your skin will produce extra sebum (oil) which leads to more oiliness all throughout the day. If you’re worried that your face will look greasy, use a light moisturizer that is gel-based.

5. Eat foods rich in Vitamin A, C, and E.

One of the best tips ever shared with me is eating a healthy diet. It’s not obvious, but what you eat affects how your skin looks. If you lack certain vitamins like Vitamin A, C, and E, your skin will look dull and pale. No wonder why commercials always mention these vitamins to achieve glowing skin. They’re not lying!

You can get these vitamins from supplements, but you can also get them from vegetables and fruits. In other words, eating a healthy diet is very important if you want to “glow” from within.

6. Consult with a professional.

At first, I was hesitant to go to a skin clinic because I thought it would be expensive and it won’t be effective. As you would guess, I was eventually persuaded to go and I didn’t regret it! Going to a skin clinic will allow you to seek medical advice instead of reading so many blogs about different skin types.

What I love about going to a skin clinic is that they check your skin and they give solutions that are specific to you. Remember, people have different types of skin and varying lifestyles.

Those two alone sometimes make so many beauty advice ineffective. So if you want to know how to care for your skin, it’s best to see a professional. 

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Features to Consider When Choosing the Perfect Massage Gun for Recovery

by Posted in Health

I was already six months into my health-kick when I learned about massage guns – and let me tell you, I was really frustrated that I discovered them too late!

A massage gun is an excellent way to soothe the aching muscles and target specific areas right in your own home. As someone who has had some experience choosing the right massage gun, here’s what I want you to know:

Vibration or Percussion?

The primary difference between massage guns would be how they produce the power needed to massage the muscles. Vibration devices are just that – they vibrate and the resulting vibration causes the massaging motion.

Percussion devices on the other hand move in a forward-backward motion. Think like the arms of a boxer who jabs back and forth – this is what percussion massage guns do to produce the relaxing effect.

The difference between the two has to do with amplitude. Amplitude applies only to percussion types, specifically on how far the head would travel as it punches forward.

A higher altitude simply means that you’ll experience a deeper massage. This is perfect for serious athletes or those who already have layers of muscle and therefore need high amplitude to really press on the sore spots.

If you’re a beginner like me, however, the vibration type would be enough. It will give you just the right amount of massaging power to relax the muscles after a hard workout. If you want to deepen the massage, you’ll just have to manually push the massage gun deeper.

Revolutions Per Minute (RPM)

RPM is a specification that is present in both vibration and percussion massage guns. As the name shows, it’s all about the speed of the head of the gun. If it’s a percussion instrument – how fast does the head jab back and forth? If it’s a vibrating type – how fast is the vibration?

The good news is that RPM is often adjustable so this shouldn’t be a problem. Generally, the guns come in RPMs of 2000 to 3200 with a higher RPM also allowing for a finer or more intense massage.

My first massage gun was a vibrating type and had an RPM of 2000 and it already worked perfectly. Today however, some affordable units already have a maximum RPM of 3200.

Design and Attachments

If you’re using a massage gun on yourself, you’d obviously want to make sure that it has an ergonomic design. A good massage gun would allow you to pulse on different parts of your body independent of any help. It should be easy to hold and can be easily manipulated so that both the right and left hand can use it without any problems.

Attachments Available

Multiple attachments should also expand the capacity of the massage gun to provide relief to different body parts. Small attachments should always be part of the package since even smaller body parts may need the attention.

Power Source

Look for a model that can be plugged in or if not, something with a long battery life. This is really a judgment call on your part, depending on how often or where you would be using the massage gun. If you’ll only be using it at home, then a plugged type will offer you excellent reliability.

Final Thoughts

One thing to keep in mind is that the best massage gun you can buy in Australia doesn’t have to be the most expensive one. With the fitness culture being prevalent in the country, you can be sure that there are dozens of massage guns available for your perusal. Check them out and you should be able to find one within the budget you have.

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Ending My Pain with the Best Remedial Massage I Ever Got

by Posted in Myotherapy

As a weight lifter, muscle pain is not new to me. I could feel it in almost all parts of my body, from the legs to the shoulders. The tension as I attempt to raise a particular weight at a height level with my chest or shoulders can rip my muscles, leaving a dull ache that can last for days to months.

After each session, I ache all over, with some parts of my body more painful than others. The pain usually disappears after a few weeks. This year, however, the pain persisted and became so intense that just taking the right position to lift a weight has become laborious as the move causes a searing pain on every part of my body.

A Call That Changed My Life

I dreaded going to the gym for my regular workout. I started to miss a day, then two days, then almost a week because I couldn’t bear the pain anymore. I took all types of painkillers, went to several massage parlors, tried several therapists, and bought an electric foam roller massage but to no avail. I would stay home and wait for the dull pulsing pain increase intensity.

It was during those bad days when I was trying to watch TV to forget about the aches that I got a call from a fellow weightlifter. He is now living somewhere in Australia and works as a weight lifting coach. He invited me to spend a few weeks there and reminisce about the old days.

I eagerly answered yes. I made some preparations and off I flew to Brunswick in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. I saw my friend waiting for me at the airport and I can feel that something good might come out of my visit. I can sense that something is about to change in my life.

Getting Around Brunswick

My friend took me to his flat and wanted us to try a new pub downtown but I refused. I was aching all over and all I wanted was to go to bed. I blamed it on jet lag. The next day, I was supposed to accompany my friend to the gym. When I refused to join him in his routine, he looked confused. He started asking question after question regarding my health and how I changed a lot since the time we met.

I never gave a clear answer and he stopped badgering me. It was during another drive to the gym that I spotted the Brunswick remedial massage clinic just a few blocks away from my friend’s flat. I heard a lot of success stories about this clinic from my colleagues in the weightlifting world. I said to myself there is no harm in checking this place out.

The next day, I tried to venture around Brunswick on my own. I made a visit to the clinic and a smiling receptionist inquired about my purpose in visiting. I told her that I heard a lot of good things about the clinic. I then mentioned about seeking help for the pain I am suffering from. She asked me if I want to make an appointment and I decided to see a therapist the next day. I was happy that I did.

Getting Remedial Massage

I had my first therapy session two days after I signed in. My therapist explained to me that my pain could have been caused by a lack of blood supply to my muscle tissues and joints. By stimulating smooth blood flow, tissues that have been damaged can be repaired.

After several sessions with my remedial massage therapist, I felt some relief from the pain. The healing was gradual but eventually, the pain had been reduced. After staying with my friend for six months, I was happy to go home and start my weightlifting training once again.

Today, I can still experience a dull ache but it never lasts. My enthusiasm and zest for life have returned. Getting that remedial massage has led me back to weightlifting and my normal life.