For some men, the search for a baldness cure is akin to the age-old search for the fountain of youth. The virility, attractiveness, and just

Hair Skin

overall masculinity associated with a full head of flowing hair is understandably something that many men would do anything to hold on to . . . and the inse­curity associated with losing your hair is the reason so many hair loss prod­ucts have been so successful.

It’s debatable that few words in the English language are misused more than depression. Just as an example, if you’ve ever had a friend or family member who’s felt a little down in the dumps, chances are they’ve described them­selves as depressed.

Depression isn’t the same as being sad or discouraged.  Those feelings are just part of being alive. Depression is an illness, one that can be controlled with proper treatment or that can ruin your life if you don’t get the help you need.

If you’ve picked up a health book or magazine lately, you know all about calcium’s role in preventing osteoporosis, the brittle-bone disease that inca­pacitates thousands of women (and men) each year. But if scientific studies are any indication, there may be another, more immediate reason to add a calcium supplement to your medicine chest: It may relieve PMS.

In one study, researchers studied the diet of more than 3,000 women over 10 years and found that those who consumed 1,200 milligrams of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D a day through food had up to a 40 percent less chance of experiencing PMS. And it appears that choosing the low-fat versions of high-calcium foods made a difference. Women who drank 2 per­cent milk or lower had fewer symptoms than women who drank whole milk.

Vitamin C, the scurvy-fighting nutrient that’s abundant in citrus fruits and broccoli, is needed to form collagen, the “glue” within

Vitamin C Food Source

connective tissues that give shape and elasticity to skin and blood vessels. As the body ages and those connective tissues lose strength, skin becomes thinner and blood ves­sels are more fragile. Sun exposure accelerates the breakdown of connective tissues, making older people who’ve spent years in the sun more susceptible to bleeding and bruising. The sun’s rays also deplete stores of vitamin C, the very vitamin that the body needs to protect cells and tissue from free radical damage.

Vitamin K, (In German call koagulation) has long been used to promote blood clotting and prevent bleeding, particularly in

Vitamin K Food Source

cases of aspirin poisoning or blood-thinner overdose. It’s also a favorite among plastic sur­geons, who use large doses on their patients to prevent post surgery bruising.

Now these benefits are accessible to the general public as well. Research shows that applying vitamin K topically can prevent and heal bruising from laser surgery and fade away bruises, even those occurring from purpura senilis.