Probiotics better than antibiotics for acne
In the 1960s, on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” you often couldfinderichbrenn balancing and spinning a dozen plates on top of tall, skinny poles to the strains of the “Sabre Dance.” (The worldrecordforbalancing the most spinning plates is 108, set in 1996.) Well, balancing acts like that are almost as tough as keeping a teenager’s face clear of acne.
The standard acne treatment uses antibiotics to wipe out bacteria that contribute to the chronic infection. But researchers from UCLA have discovered that it’s an imbalance of skinloving and skin-damaging bacteria on your skin that is the real culprit. Wiping out either side of the bacterial equation may cause a greater imbalance in the skin microbiome, and more breakouts.
That’s why it may be more effective to promote a balance of those microbes by using oral and/or topical probiotics instead of antibiotics. Several studies have found that applying probiotics acidifies the skin, prevents pathogens from sticking around and lets a balanced skin biome flourish, reducing acne lesions and redness.
So talk to your dermatologist to find out how to use this new approach to get your acne under control and your skin biome back into balance.
Rosemary’s brain-boosting powers
In Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” Hamlet’s lover Ophelia becomes unhinged. When she makes her final appearance of the play, she hands her brother Laertes sprigs of fresh rosemary, saying: “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance. Pray, love, remember.”
Rosemary has long been thought to have memoryboosting properties, and now modern science is backing up this theory. In a study presented to the British Psychological Society, researchers found that children in a room scented with rosemary did significantly better on memory tasks than those who didn’t get a whiff of the herb. These findings line up with an earlier study the team did that found that when adults were exposed to higher concentrations of rosemary aroma, they performed better on cognitive tests. Scientists think a compound in rosemary called 1,8-cineole might help boost an important neurotransmitter in the brain.
Considering aromatherapy? Use only pure essential oil in a diffuser — and use it carefully. If applying topically, first dilute in a carrier oil to avoid skin irritation.
Pregnant and breastfeeding? No essential rosemary oil for you, in any form.
And no one should ever ingest it!
Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare.com.