Dark Under Eye Circles Because of Allergies

While most people suffer from black circles under their eyes because of genetic dark eye circles, many others have dark under eye circles because of allergies. The connection between dark under eye circles and allergies primarily deals with the histamine reactions caused by allergies. When an undesirable substance enters your body it usually comes in contact with your skin or the sensitive lining of your intestines or airways. At this point, antibodies are sent to the area of intrusion to fight off the allergens. This internal combat between the allergens and your antibodies causes histamines to be released. These histamines can lead to the formation of a rash, dilated blood vessels, fluid leaks, puffy and watery eyes, wheezing, muscle spasms, runny nose. Additionally, the frequent itching often leads one to constantly rub their eyes in order to get relief. As a result, black eye circles tend to develop.

Dark Under Eye Circles Because of Allergies to Food

It has been discovered that certain foods contribute to allergic reactions which manifest as dark circles. While there are many foods to which one may be allergic, some are more allergenic than others. Of this sort, there are a small number of them that actually cause dark under eye circles. Allergies to the following foods can cause these blemishes:

• Dairy Products
• Egg Whites
• Soy
• Wheat
• Yeast

Preventing Dark Under Eye Circles because of Allergies

If you've suffered from dark under eye circles because of allergies, there are also some preventive measures you can take once you get rid of them. Since the dark under eye circles that come from allergies arise mainly because of food, it's best to read labels to ensure they don't contain any of allergenic foods listed above.

Causes of Dark Circles

Dark circles - ever wonder why you get them?

Heredity is the primary cause of dark circles. Like so many things - eye color, curly or straight hair, skin tone - predisposition for dark circles is inherited.
The genes related to dark circles are actually the genes that cause weakened capillaries in the skin around your eyes (learn more about the biology of dark under-eye circles). Skin tone, including transparency of the skin, is also inherited and can make dark circles appear more dramatic.

What Causes Dark Circles?

Heredity isn't the only cause of dark circles. A variety of factors, both common and uncommon, can influence or cause the appearance of dark circles under the eyes.

Dark circles and sun exposure

Exposure to the sun can exacerbate your dark circles. Sunlight darkens the skin by raising melanin levels and bringing melanin to the surface of the skin. These boosted melanin levels make dark circles look darker.
So if you notice dark circles after a trip to the beach or the tanning bed, you're not alone.

Do fatigue or lack of sleep cause dark circles?

Short answer: no.
Long answer: not exactly. Lack of sleep makes your skin pale, which emphasizes your dark circles. Anything else that makes your skin pale, like fatigue or illness, makes your dark circles much more noticeable.
Pregnancy and menstruation also frequently make your skin pale. Many people associate dark circles with hormones -- but the hormones don't cause dark circles, just paleness.

The link between allergies and dark circles

Many people associate allergies with dark circles. This is a real and established connection. In fact, many doctors consider dark circles as an indication of allergies in children.
Allergies cause dark circles in two ways: first, histamine reactions themselves can cause dark smudges to appear under the eyes. The biology of this is way too complicated to get into here. Second, allergies frequently cause the eyes to feel itchy. Rubbing the eyes and the skin around the eyes makes dark circles even darker.

Age and dark circles

Yes, it's true -- age makes dark circles even worse. As we age, the skin of our faces becomes thinner. Thinner skin allows the discoloration of dark circles to be seen more easily, and dark circles become much more obvious.

Nutrition and dark circles

In some rare cases, lack of vitamins can cause dark circles under the eyes. This is relatively uncommon. Nevertheless, if you're not eating a balanced healthy diet, you may see dark circles. And sometimes changing to a more healthy diet can help to diminish those dark circles.

All about Dark Circles

How and why your body creates dark under-eye circles

Learn about the causes of dark circles under eyes
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.
If nothing else, I want you 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.
Having said that, onto the specifics:

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.

From the Founder: Alcohol

Sipping on cocktails or wine is something I enjoy a few times a month. Whether for relaxation purposes or as a social release during the times I catch up with my friends, having a drink is part of my life. However, there is a shot of irony with alcohol when it comes to living a balanced lifestyle.

It seems for most of us the scale is tipped too far when it comes to alcohol. Let’s not kid ourselves; we all tend to go a little too far with alcohol in some way, shape or form. Anyone who knows what a hangover feels like has put a boulder on the scale, which we know makes it very difficult to get the scale even with those odds.

I have had some really unforgettable hangovers where all I could think about was the next minute giving me some salvation from the horrible feeling. You may be wondering, why drink to the point where I feel like that the next day, and my answer to you is that when I am drinking I am serving another aspect of my well-being (as mentioned above).

When I think about wellness, I think about Balance- keeping everything in your life that makes you happy while learning how to make adjustments to keep the scale even to achieve goals. So for me when it comes to drinking alcohol, for the most part, I incorporate preventative measures to combat any of the extreme side effects of a happy hour gone wild.

First, I make sure I eat. Of those unforgettable hangovers 99% of them were the result of me not having enough food in my system giving the alcohol an all-access passport to travel throughout system wrecking havoc. On top of eating, I also eat a banana, take Vitamin B complex and OPC-3 (antioxidant with Pycnogenol) before or after my alcohol consumption. The banana is pretty hearty, plus the potassium rehydrates. In the home remedy world, Vitamin B is said to fight off the toxins in alcohol leading to that crushing headache due to its depletion. The antioxidant is just an overall back up fighting off free radical damage. I really notice a difference when I do not follow this regimen.

Now for my liver, I eat apples for breakfast during the work week. Even though it is a home remedy, I believe in the power of natural solutions. Twice a year I do a 7-day cleanse which includes a liver component that contains Milk Thistle, N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (amino acid), Dandelion Root, Garlic Bulb, Hawthorn Berry Extract, Schizandra Chinensis Fruit and Seed Extract, Yellow Dock Root, Burdock Root, Licorice Root, Barberry Bark and Root, Rosemary Leaf, Ginger Root, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Hyssop, Red Clover Flower, and Turmeric Root Extract.

If you’re a drinker like myself, consider how to be a ‘Well-Drinker’. Cheers!

Source: http://balanceboost.blogspot.com/

From the Founder: Sleep Spa

Sleep for me these days seems like a luxury. Lately, I just can’t seem to get enough. Last night, or afternoon I should say, I fell asleep at 6pm! No, I am not 70- I know most of you are wondering my age since falling asleep at that time seems to be the norm of the people living in a retirement community.

As much as my current lifestyle requires more hours for work and somehow I still put a decent amount of time into my social life, I am learning to give in to sleep. In this go-getter era, our lifestyles rarely allow us to give in to sleep except on the weekends and even then most of us feel guilty that we are wasting our time or that it is not allowed. After reading this week’s guide, I know most of you are thinking (whether there is a sleep spa in your city or not) There is no way I could break away from work for a nap!

Now back when I worked 9 – 5, I could see where that mentality comes from, but at the same time if I think hard enough I could really add some wasted time spent on Instant Messenger, Email, Chatting in the Lunch Area, etc. All of which could add up to 20 minute increments which if I had known back then would have traded for some ZZZ’s.

Napping of course is not something we need everyday. Even though an afternoon rest is a part of the European and Latin American cultures as Susan mentioned, we Americans need moderation for both setting the time aside and accepting the fact that it's OK to shut down just like a computer and reboot 20 minutes later.

When Susan shared the experience she and her friend had at Yelo in her Spa Blog, I wanted our BalanceBoost readers to know more. One of the things she told me that stuck out was how she woke up naturally. She said that they simulated a sunrise with the LED light which as most of us nappers know when we pass or voluntarily take a nap, sometimes waking up comes with a jolt of confusion- was I sleeping? how long was I sleeping? or from the noise of an annoying alarm. Most of know that feeling sometimes defeats the whole rest that we got from the nap and in
Susan’s feature, she told us about the benefits sleep has on our skin and appearance. Now napping, for me at least, has more value to it, because not only am I hoping to increase my energy and concentration when I wake up, I may also be contributing to my aesthetics.

Even though I have not been to a sleep spa yet, I definitely recommend that you try it once just to have the experience to compare to a cup of coffee, energy drink or to see what you look like after (it's not a makeover, keep your expectations in the realistic zone).

So sleep away and you may wake up looking better and ready to conquer the world! Source: http://balanceboost.blogspot.com/

Aging and Vision Loss

Eye Care
Aging and Vision Loss
Dr. Dennis Ruskin

We expect more from our eyesight now than ever before. Whether at work or play, our sight is precious to our understanding and enjoyment of the fascinating world around us.

Let Your Eyes Sparkle This Winter

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Let Your Eyes Sparkle This Winter
Eye Care

Your eyes may light up seeing preparations for the winter holiday season in Canada. But are you prepared for the care that your eyes need in the winter?

Computer Vision Syndrome

Health Guides
Computer Vision Syndrome
Eye Care

Your eyes are dry and stinging, and your head is pounding. Just another rough day at the office? Or could your computer screen be the culprit? Sore eyes and headaches are just two symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). CVS is a relatively common problem occurring in approximately 70-75 per cent of computer users.

Sunglasses – Not just for summer anymore

Health Guides
Sunglasses – not just for summer anymore
Eye Care

Your eyes need protection from the sun all year round – the same as the rest of your body. Just as in the summer, the two main risks are damage from the sun’s UV rays, and discomfort caused by glare. 

Vision Loss Etiquette 101

Health Guides
Vision Loss Etiquette 101
Eye Care

So you’ve just met someone with vision loss – perhaps at work, through a friend or out in the community. It’s only natural to feel unsure about how to behave and to want to avoid doing something inappropriate. Here are a few simple tips to help you be more comfortable and supportive around a person with vision loss. 

What to expect during an eye exam

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What to expect during an eye exam
Eye Care

That big “E” on the wall of your family doctor’s office is looking blurry, and you’re off to your first-ever eye exam. Here’s a primer on what to expect when you get there. 

Insight

Health Guides
Insight
Eye care

Q. My mother has glaucoma. What are my chances of getting it? What can I do to prevent it?

Canadian researchers break ground unlocking mysteries of glaucoma in one of world’s largest studies of disease

Health Guides
Eye Care

CNIB-funded study produces “gold mine” of new data, bringing hope to 67 million affected by open-angle glaucoma.

MONTREAL, June 22 – The world community of glaucoma researchers and 67 million people with this devastating eye disease worldwide can expect to benefit from a groundbreaking CNIB-funded study released today. More than 15 years in the making, the Canadian Glaucoma Study positively identified, for the first time, several risk factors predicting the progression of this little understood disease.

New method to detect high-risk glaucoma patients

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New method to detect high-risk glaucoma patients
Eye Care

A scientific method of identifying glaucoma patients at high risk for rapid deterioration and blindness has been developed by a researcher at Montreal’s Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital.

Weightlifting linked to eye risk

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Weightlifting linked to eye risk
Eye Care

Now that the holiday feasting is over, many people step up their exercise regimes to burn off those extra pounds. But new research shows that you may want to take extra precautions before hitting the weight machines.

Eye Care

Health Guides
Importance of Periodic Eye Examinations
Dr. Dennis Ruskin

Eye examinations are an important part of health maintenance for everyone. In many cases, eye and associated systemic disease have no visual symptoms in their early stages. Just because you may have 20/20 vision, it does not mean that your eyes are healthy. Periodic eye exams identify sight-threatening diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetes before irreversible vision loss occurs.

Approximately 75 per cent of vision loss and blindness is preventable or treatable. Looking after your eyes now may prevent you from losing your sight in the future. Adults and children also require periodic eye exams to maximize visual performance needed for school, work, or for leisure activities.

For children, eye exams can play an important role in normal development. Parents should have their child’s eyes examined by an eye doctor before the child reaches the age of three. However, if there is any family history of amblyopia (lazy eye), eye muscle problems or glasses worn at an early age or if the child was born prematurely or with developmental problems, then they need to be examined earlier.

Vision is closely linked to the learning process. Children, who have trouble seeing or interpreting what they see, will often have trouble with their schoolwork. Many times, children do not complain of vision problems simply because they don’t know what "normal" vision looks like. Children require annual eye exams to ensure that the visual system is operating properly.

For Adults, eye exams are important to monitor tissue changes as we grow older. New technology is now available to make more accurate and earlier identification of warning signs related to age related ocular disease such as high blood pressure, diabetes, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Digital imaging of the retina is one of the newer diagnostic procedures to monitor the retina, blood supply to the back of the eye, and optic nerve head. The full-colour images are used to monitor subtle tissue changes as time moves forward. Advanced software may also be used in conjunction with these images to further investigate the position and location of retinal problems. Digital imaging is non-invasive, safe, and painless.

The use of modern technology to aid in the diagnosis of ocular and systemic disease is one of the many ways my office strives to offer excellence in eye care. Two-years-old or ninety-two-years old, everyone deserves to see the best they can. Take care of your eyes. They have to last you a lifetime!