Is Coal Tar an Effective Psoriasis Cure?

Coal tar CT has been used for many years as a topical preparation in the treatment of psoriasis. However, in recent years the use of CT has been discouraged because it contains possible carcinogens. I will look at the evidence and consider whether CT is as an effective psoriasis cure and whether it's a safe treatment option.

Firstly, let's look at what CT is and how it is derived. CT is a by-product of the coal industry and is a thick brown or black liquid that is used to tarmac roads. However, the chemicals contained in CT were found to be effective in treating psoriasis over 150 years ago, both on its own and mixed with other ingredients. Even though it is not fully understood how it works as a therapeutic treatment, it's thought to reduce inflammation and the turn-over of skin cells.

CT preparations are found in many over-the-counter and prescription-only creams, lotions, ointments, bath oils and shampoos and are usually not harmful. However, some people have experienced minor skin irritations and more seriously an allergic reaction such as hives, swelling, stinging and burning. CT can also discolor fair skin and hair as well stain clothes and other fabrics. It's always wise to wear your oldest clothes and use old bedding when you first start using these products in case they stain. Very few people seem to experience any serious side effects.

At first crude CT was used in a 1 to 10% concentration in soft paraffin to treat psoriasis. However, it is less commonly used these days because it is extremely smelly and messy to use and few people can put up with it. These days, however, the creams containing between 0.4 - 2% concentrations are more pleasant and easier to use at home. However, two studies have shown that a 1% concentration used twice daily has significantly less therapeutic effect than a 5% concentration. The studies concluded that there were no benefits in exceeding a 5% CT concentration.

Preparations like Psorin ointment which contains dithranol, salicyclic acid and 1% CT are commonly prescribed for treating psoriasis because the active ingredients slow down the process of skin cell production and shedding old skin cells. They also reduce inflammation.

A recent study compared the efficacy of a new CT preparation called exorex (containing 1% concentration) with calcipotriol cream (containing Vitamin D), and found that even though exorex was as effective as calcipotriol, people could tolerate calcipotriol better. However, the study concluded that CT preparations are considerably less expensive than taking calcipotriol and are a useful and effective topical medication for chronic psoriasis.

Even though it has been found that using 5% CT concentration is more effective than a 1% concentration, the World Health Organization's International Cancer Research Agency has classified 5% or greater concentration as a carcinogen. Some studies have shown that using very high concentrations may cause cancer and, consequently, doctors and dermatologists are concerned about any use of coal tar products. Californian law regards even a 0.5% concentration dangerous, whilst the FDA still maintains that using 0.5% to 5% preparations is safe.

So, with this confusing information, the question that remains is whether coal tar products cause cancer? In the 1950s 280 patients were treated with crude coal tar and UV lights (known as the Goeckerman regimen). Following up 25 years later, they found that the incidence of skin cancer had not increased above the expected incidence of the general population. They concluded that there was a minimal risk for skin cancer using coal tar preparations.

Despite the cautiousness of the medical profession, there is no firm evidence that using over-the-counter coal tar preparations causes skin cancer or other cancers. In the end, it seems that it is still an effective and safe psoriasis cure.

If you are still concerned about using coal tar products, there are other methods of psoriasis cure You can read about the best psoriasis cream at my Clear Skin Guide website.

Vicky Massey has a wide experience of alternative health and healing. She has a degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and qualifications in massage, nutrition, healing and yoga.

It is Time to Combat Your Middle-Age Spread

Does your to-do list for the week include "lose my beer gut" or "lose fat from my hips and thighs" along with all of your other chores? If not, it probably should. Recent studies show that the oldest group of Baby Boomers, those born between 1945 and 1954, are much fatter, on average, than the people in the age groups slightly older than them. In some states, the rate of obesity among adults exceeds 30%, and in Mississippi over 40% of children are reported to be overweight or obese.

The increasing obesity problem is not just an aesthetic issue, but it is a very real health and economic issue. As the Baby Boomer generation begins to lean more heavily on government programs for health care, we will see a huge strain on our national resources due to the excess health care costs associated with obesity. People who are significantly overweight are at higher risk for a wide range of diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure, and several types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer, which is very difficult to treat and has a very high mortality rate.

Just looking better is a fine reason to decide to lose weight. But, an even better reason is to avoid the enormous costs involved in treating the diseases that result from being overweight. Chronic diseases like diabetes are manageable for decades, but the annual cost of management is large and growing. A little preventive medicine in the form of effective weight loss and fitness programs starting at an early age will pay for itself many times over by letting people advance into middle age and old age in much better health.

If you are overweight or even just beginning to notice the beginnings of middle-age spread, starting an effective weight loss and fitness program today will not only make you look better and feel better, but it will save you and the nation thousands of dollars in the long run. The biggest mistake you can make when first trying to lose weight is to get in too big a hurry and grasp at the ridiculous "lose weight quick" programs that really just want your money. Diet pills can have dangerous side effects and well known weight loss programs can be very expensive. It is better to educate yourself about the factors that cause weight gain and then to formulate your own personalized weight loss and fitness plan. You can learn everything you need to get started sculpting your ideal body in an inexpensive, but power-packed book that teaches you to Become Your Own Weight-Loss Coach. It comes in an instant download format, so you can get started taking charge of your own life right now.

Fast Weight Loss Plan - The Calorie Shifting Diet

Most of us wish to look great and have a healthy and well shaped body. If you are over weight and wish shed a few pounds, I'm sure you are a bit impatient.That's is the moment a fast weight loss plan comes in. Losing weight is a gradual process however there are some methods to lose weight that work a bit faster than others.

Some people may lose weight easily but later they fail to maintain it which isn't great either. One of the most effective ways to lose weight is the Calorie Shifting Diet aka Fat Loss for 4 Idiots which has made quite a bit of buzz in the weight loss industry over the last couple of years.

The fad dieting techniques are based on the low-calorie and low fat foods and they do not work out well because they lower your energy levels and you might be soon tempted to give up. A healthy weight loss plan does not have to be about starving or ever-lasting exercises.

The Calorie shifting diet does not reduce your energy levels instead it provides enough energy for the entire day, by eating up to 4 or 5 times daily.That is why calorie shifting is a lot different from many other weight loss plans. Not only that but when shifting calories you basically confuse your metabolism by increasing its rate to burn fat a lot faster.

Unlike other weight loss plans, with calorie shifting you don't need to spend too much money on low-calorie or low-fat foods. The calorie shifting diet has gained more popularity over the Internet because it works excellent for most people; no matter their age, sex or life-style.

Eating less is not the solution to weight loss. Finally discover an amazing fat burning diet that will change your life. Can you really lose 9 pounds every 11 days with Fat Loss 4 Idiots

For more information read our Fat Loss For Idiots Review

Best Chest Workout

Looking for the best chest workout can drive a guy crazy sometimes, but have no fear you can get great results from the workout I will show you here. The chest is a very strong muscle capable of lifting very huge amounts of weight. Do you think you have to bench a certain amount of weight before your chest will look good?

No, I don't believe that you have to lift really heavy weight to look great but you will most likely need to increase you strength in your chest at least a little bit. More likely you will need to strengthen more parts of your chest. A great chest looks that way because it is well-proportioned. This means that you need to train all parts of the chest to look great.

Here is what you need to do to get a great chest. First you need to focus on the upper chest more than ever before. Take dumbbells and use an bench inclined at about 45 degrees. Now you are going to do chest presses on the bench pushing the weights up until they touch above your chest, not above your face. Lower them back down until the almost touch your chest.

I want you to do these first, before you do any other workout at the gym. You have to develop the upper chest to get a great looking chest, so put your focus on it. After incline bench press you will move to the flat bench and do the same thing with the dumbbells. Forget about the straight bar for a month or two and just use dumbbells. Follow this plan and you will get a better looking chest.

More here on the best chest workout and click here for a great chest workout routine.

Want to Improve Confidence? Try a Binaural Beats MP3

Are you feeling down on yourself and need a way to improve confidence? Then look into meditation with binaural beats mp3s.

We are being inundated these days with a deluge of dire news and world events. It is easy to become discouraged and not be able to see your way out. This is the time to become the leader and demonstrate a confident attitude to keep your family and friends moving forward.

It's going to take more than getting up every morning and telling ourselves that everything is going to be okay. These positive convictions have to come from our inner self and more specifically, they have to be solidly embedded in our subconscious mind.

If the subconscious mind is flooded with years of negative beliefs, thoughts, and convictions, it will be impossible to improve confidence. The subconscious controls around 90% of how we think of ourselves and how we react to the world outside. This negativity has to be rooted out of the subconscious before any improvements can be made to self esteem and confidence.

The door to the subconscious mind to make these needed changes is available through meditation. The goal is to put your mind and body in a relaxed state so that the subconscious can be accessed. This is done by slowing down brainwave frequencies from the highly alert and conscious state of beta into the lower and meditative ranges of alpha and theta.

People who are experienced in meditation can exercise this degree of mind control fairly easily. Monks have been doing it for centuries, but they have had a lot of time to practice. Most of us don't have this much time or patience.

Binaural beats mp3s are a modern day aid to achieving effective meditation. The binaural beats recordings are designed to induce brainwave activity into the target levels of theta and alpha. All it takes is a quiet and relaxed environment and a set of headphones. There is not a long learning cycle and you can achieve results fairly quickly.

Once your brain is in the alpha and theta range, you can now begin to purge the negative thoughts and install positive affirmations that will take root in the subconscious mind. If you want to improve confidence, then meditation with the assistance of binaural beats mp3s could be an easy and quick solution.

To get a free sample recording and for more understanding about how to improve confidence using binaural beats and meditation, visit http://www.squidoo.com/Binaural-Beats-MP3 Learn right now how to download binaural beats mp3's and start getting help to improve your confidence today.

Jim is a management consultant who helps individuals and business owners with stress management, motivation, confidence building, improving performance, and overcoming addictions.