We have all been through a time when we had an awful pimple or pimples that just wouldn’t go away. Acne can be embarrassing and here are a few simple tips that could help get rid of unwanted blemishes.

Tip 1: Drink Water
Drinking water is incredibly good for your body overall. This may sound like a broken record, but its true eight glasses a day could lead to a better heart and skin. If water isn’t really your thing, try cutting lemons or cucumbers and adding them to a pitcher of water. Let the water sit overnight in the pitcher with the fruit. In the morning, your water will taste more like lemons or cucumbers than water.

Tip 2: Learn Your Complexion
How can you fix a problem if you don’t know what the problem is? Everyone has either dry, oily, or combination skin. You may have dry skin around your nose or oily skin on your forehead or possibly both. If you know what type of skin you have, you can make sure to get the right kind of treatments and products.

Tip 3: Keep a Daily Routine
Find a face wash and toner that you feel works for you and stick to it! There is no need to spend tons of money on ridiculous face products. Clean and Clear, Neutrogena, and St. Ives are all awesome brands of face washes. They are all easily found at any Walgreens, Target, or Wal-Mart, and are all under $12. Even just plain soap and water are good as long as you wash your face regularly.

Tip 4: Go Hot to Cold
When washing your face, use hot water first and then cold water. Hot water opens up the pores and will help all the soap get in to clean your pores. The cold water will help close up the pores.

Tip 5: Toothpaste is the Secret Remedy
Putting toothpaste on a pimple helps to get rid of the redness and will dry the pimple up. Toothpaste has sulfur which is why it helps to make the pimple smaller. Leave the toothpaste on overnight. In the morning, moisturize your face because it will dry out your skin a bit. If you’re in a hurry and don’t have all night a few hours can do the trick.

Tip 6: Sleep, Sleep, Sleep!
Sleep is vital in keeping your skin looking healthy. Pre-teens and teens should be getting roughly around 9 hours of sleep reports TeensHealth.org. Getting enough sleep helps keep you looking young and fresh!

Tip 7: Moisturize
Keeping your skin hydrated is very important. Also it’s good to get a moisturize that has sunscreen in it. The sun can do a lot of damage to our skin and it’s a good idea to buy a moisturizer you can wear daily that has at least SPF 15.

Tip 8: Exfoliate
To keep your skin soft and fresh, exfoliate your skin with a face wash scrub at least once a week. St. Ives apricot scrub works wonders and cost around $6.

Tip 9: Know the Difference
Acne can come in different forms and each one has a different treatment. Minor acne is usually divided into the categories of non-inflammatory acne such as blackheads and whiteheads and inflammatory acne like a papule or pustule (commonly called a zit). A blackhead is a blackish bump or plug on the skin, and a whitehead us a tiny white spot. They are very difficult to pop and could lead to scaring. If you have blackheads, trying to cover them up with makeup could be making your problem worse. Pilling on foundation is NOT the answer! The best way to get rid of blackheads is using products with Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) such as Olay Blackhead clearing scrub. Papules are inflamed, red, tender bumps with no head and should not be squeezed. A pustule appears as a red circle with a white or yellow center. Lotions with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid are great for treating papules and pustules.

Tip 10: Be Careful When Popping
There is a right and wrong way to pop blackheads. According to CollegeFashion.com the right way is, “wash your face with a gentle cleanser. Next, cover your face with a warm, wet cloth for 10 to 15 minutes. Pat your face dry, then wrap tissues around your fingers to prevent slippage. Use GENTLE pressure to press down then up around the sides of the blackhead. If nothing happens after one or two tries, stop. That means the blackhead isn’t ready to come out yet. Whatever you do, don’t pinch, use your nails or press too hard. This can damage your skin and might even lead to scars!”

If you have acne, you are not along. According to AcneSkinGuide.com, over 85% of teens suffer from acne. You don’t have to live with pimples, oily skin or anything else that makes you feel less than amazing. Caring for your skin is the easiest way for you to keep up with not having unwanted pimples. Most of all though love yourself! Most acne is a result of puberty, and I promise it will go away soon as you grow older.

By Ytzel Monae McDaniel

Like many other Hispanic families, my family has its battle with diabetes. My mother was the first to be diagnosed. Her diabetes was set off by her first pregnancy. It later developed into a permanent condition. Afterward, my uncle and my maternal grandmother where diagnosed with diabetes. A few years ago my paternal grandmother was also diagnosed with the same condition. Having so many members of my family suffer from diabetes makes me a potential candidate to suffer from it as well. Unfortunately, there are many young people like me who are at risk.

In the year 2007, the Center of Disease Control and Prevention reported that approximately 24 million people in the U.S. had diabetes. Of this staggering number about 10% were Hispanic. That means that in 2007 about 2 million Hispanics in the U.S. suffered from diabetes. As a matter of fact, diabetes is mostly prevalent among Latinos.

<b>What is Diabetes?</b>
Diabetes is a medical condition that causes levels of sugar, or glucose, to rise in the body. The problem starts at the pancreas, an organ under the stomach that makes the hormone insulin which helps regulate glucose levels in body cells. Insulin also helps the body turn glucose into energy. When the pancreas is unable to make enough insulin or the body cannot use the insulin, the insulin starts to accumulate in the blood resulting in diabetes. The reason this can be dangerous is because it could lead to health complications such as blindness, kidney failure and amputations.

Both genetics and the type of lifestyle a person leads can affect a person‘s probability of having this disease. There are two types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. When a person has type 1 diabetes, the body produces very little or no insulin at all. It is usually diagnosed in children and teens and is believed to be genetic. Type 2 diabetes is more common and has been linked to excess weight and inactivity. People who suffer from type 2 diabetes either do not produce enough insulin or their bodies reject the insulin they produce.

<b>Spotting the Symptoms</b>
The main symptoms of diabetes type 1 and 2 are frequent urination, increased thirst and increased hunger which are caused by the increased levels of glucose in the body. Other symptoms might include fatigue, blurred vision, wounds that don’t heal, skin infections, and numbness or tingling in the hands and feet.

“We ask that you learn to identify differences in your body. If all of a sudden you’re experiencing [symptoms] and you know it’s not normal then you should check yourself,” Ms. Krasey said, Marketing Coordinator at the Diabetes Association.

<b>Treating the Disease</b>
It’s important to diagnose and treat diabetes early. “Diabetes is called the silent killer. Usually what happens is that you fail to identify the symptoms and as time goes by there can be complications,” Ms. Krasey cautioned. The sugar accumulated in the body can cause damage to blood vessels. Kidneys are made up of tiny blood vessel clusters and can be damaged severely which can require a transplant if diabetes is not treated. High blood sugar levels affect the eye blood vessels which can eventually lead to blindness. Diabetes can also increase the risk of heart disease and Alzheimer’s.

Eating well and exercising regularly are essential to maintaining control of sugar levels and having a long life. Diabetes has no cure, so a person diagnosed with it who wishes to live a healthy life must commit to lifelong changes in their lifestyle. Blood sugar monitoring is a vital part of treating diabetes and it can save a person’s life. Changing glucose levels can be dangerous. Blood sugar monitoring is the only way to keep track of blood sugar levels which can change suddenly even with a strict diet. When a person’s blood sugar levels are at an extreme high or low, the person must seek immediate medical attention; seek an adult’s help or call 911.

For all type 1 and some type 2 diabetics insulin injections are essential to survive. However, oral insulin is also available for type 2 diabetics who are able to successfully control their insulin levels. There are many groups, such as the American Diabetes Association, that provide classes and support groups to help people learn how to treat diabetes and maintain a healthful lifestyle. If you think you might have diabetes, they can also provide low cost exams.

<b>Living with Diabetes</b>
Maria Teresa Cerqueira, Chief of the U.S.-Mexico Border Office for the World Health Organization stresses that the key to prevent diabetes is to maintain a healthy weight. “People should find a way to move, to keep active.” She recommends people exercise for about an hour a day, by either walking more or doing other activities they enjoy. Group activates are a good way of keeping active while having fun. “You don’t have to be a supermodel, just be healthy.” Ms. Cerqueira also mentioned that to keep a healthy weight, it is important to maintain a good self-esteem and drink plenty of water.

Although diabetes is a serious condition, Ms. Krasey also stressed that diabetes is not contagious. “Some kids hear diabetes and they get scared.” There is no way to contract this disease from other people.

November is diabetes awareness month. Let’s help raise awareness by wearing blue on Nov. 14. Eat well, be active and encourage others to do the same. It’s the only way to prevent and stop this disease.

By Helen Rodriguez

For years it was considered a disease of white, middle-class women.  Society considered Latina women “culturally immune” to anorexia nervosa, but with more and more Latinas adapting to the standards of United States culture, this is no longer the case.

Anorexia nervosa, more simply known as anorexia, is a psychological disorder characterized by a pathological fear of weight gain, leading to faulty eating patterns such as restrictive eating and/or purging through vomiting or laxative abuse. Many anorexics also exercise compulsively.  As a result, malnutrition and excessive weight loss usually occur.  Despite these dangerous resulting symptoms, anorexics have a distorted body image and fail to realize that they have driven themselves to emaciation; and sometimes, when they do realize they have a problem, they are still unable to get their eating behaviors under control.  As a result, many anorexics ultimately die of starvation.

According to the article <em>Minority Women: The Untold Story</em> by Marian Fitzgibbon and Melinda Stolley, research shows that the number of U.S. Latinas with anorexia is now similar to the number of white women with the disease.

This does not surprise me.  Because although the society seems to worship the curvy figures of Jennifer Lopez and Salma Hayek, the same society publishes unflattering pictures of Christina Aguilera in magazines and criticizes her for being “too fat.”  Just a few months ago, magazines were posting pictures of Jessica Simpson, who is reported by her sister to be a size two, calling her fat.  What was even worse was that many readers actually gave in to the madness. “She’s a fatty,” wrote one internet user on a website discussion board–and this was one of the kinder comments I came across. Society’s mixed messages are confusing for adolescent girls everywhere, regardless of their race.  I know this because at age 15, I suffered from anorexia.

<strong>GOD, SHE’S SO FAT</strong> I was like many Mexican-American girls I know– smart, nice, and disciplined.  I was 5’2 and 140 pounds. My doctor said I was within a healthy weight range, but I thought I was chubby and, as a result of that, felt blazingly insecure.  Although I did well in school and had friends, I couldn’t shake off the little comments I heard everyday.

“God, she’s so fat,” I would overhear girls say about girls who were skinnier than me.

“Oh she’s so pretty,” I’d hear boys say about girls who were thinner than me.

The comments were hard to ignore.  I not only heard them in the halls of my high school, but in the media as well. Every time I’d go to the grocery store, I’d see a beautiful thin woman on the cover of a magazine with a title next to her saying, “How I lost 20 pounds and became successful.”  It wasn’t long before I began to put all of the messages I received together.   <strong>HOW FAST IT HAPPENED</strong> My road to anorexia started off innocently enough.  At some point I decided that although I couldn’t really control my insecurities, drama with friends, and life’s curveballs of disappointment, I could control how I looked.  I thought that if I was skinnier, I would somehow be happier with myself and everything else would fall into place—that’s what all the people on TV and in the magazines said would happen.  I started watching what I ate, exercised more, and began weighing myself more often.  At first it was great. I received compliments on how good I looked–but at some point in time, I crossed a line without realizing it.

Watching what I ate and exercising regularly soon turned into eating only 600 calories and exercising compulsively.  Every time I lost a pound I’d experience a minute of extreme euphoria, followed by a sickening thought—what if I gain the weight back?  This fear drove me to push my body further and further.  Pretty soon, my period stopped, my hair began to fall out, my fingernails turned blue, and I was always cold. I dropped almost 50 pounds in six months and looked pale and emaciated.    You could see almost every bone in my body.

Despite all these symptoms, I still didn’t believe I had a problem.  Denial is a powerful thing–I had lost control and didn’t even know it.  Sure, I looked in the mirror and saw how gaunt and disproportioned I looked. I saw how every bony ridge in my ribcage protruded, but that wasn’t what I was looking at–all I could focus on was the “fatty” stomach pouch below my belly button and how I needed to do anything and everything to get rid of it.  Even after my family and doctors confronted me several times, I still didn’t believe I had a problem.  I only went along with their attempts to change my eating behaviors because they threatened to take me out of dance–the thing I loved most–and I wanted to get them off my back.

<strong>BUT YOU GUYS HAVE FOOD ISSUES TOO!</strong> As I started my road to recovery, I remember thinking to myself that everyone was so hypocritical.  Several of the good-hearted people who tried to intervene were battling with their own food and weight issues themselves—only from the opposite end of the spectrum. Isn’t being overweight unhealthy too, I thought to myself, as I forced myself to eat “normally”?  I couldn’t understand the hypocrisy of it all. Why was it okay for everyone else to say I had a problem and try to control my eating behaviors when many of the people around me obviously had issues with food themselves? Being overweight, like anorexia, can also wreak havoc on your body.   Why was I the only one being forced to change and examine my eating behaviors?

Not to mention, it was really hard to gauge what “normal” eating really was.  Looking around my school cafeteria wasn’t the best option. Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, Ph.D., found that ”Over one-half of teenage girls and nearly one-third of teenage boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting, and taking laxatives.”

Looking to adults wasn’t always a great option either.  Statistics compiled by The Renfrew Center Foundation for Eating Disorders show that “one in five women struggle with an eating disorder or disordered eating patterns.” On the other hand, as portion sizes and calorie intakes have increased over the years, the Center for Disease Control estimates that “66 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese.”  It seemed that everywhere I looked, people were always on opposite sides of the eating spectrum, and almost no one consistently modeled healthy eating patterns. So as someone who was struggling to redefine my eating habits, I often wondered–What was “normal” anyway?

Eventually though, I did realize I had a problem.  I went to therapy and figured out that although depression didn’t necessarily cause my anorexia, it definitely was a contributing factor.  My family had a history of depression, anxiety and alcohol abuse, which probably made me more susceptible to the disease.  However, I know it was more than just genetics.  The media’s glamorization of thin women didn’t help me, but to this day, more than anything, I believe that everyday people in society contributed to it most. People who were supposed to love and support me, but called me “fat” when they were angry with me.  People who doted on thinner girls, but never mentioned that someone who had meat on her bones like me could be beautiful.  People who decided to give in to the media’s ridiculous ideals.

<strong>RECOVERY</strong> I’m doing better now.  I’m at a healthy weight, and for the most part, have a positive mindset and body image.  I graduated from college, and just finished my first year of teaching high school language arts.  Most of my students know about my battle with anorexia.  I feel that the best thing I can do is be honest and open with them about it, so they can fully understand how this disease can arise and affect someone. The fact that I am able to use my battle with anorexia to help others is the <em>only</em> rewarding experience to come out of this hellish disease.

I even had one student, a Latina, come to me for guidance.  She admitted to me that she’d been throwing up her food, and needed help.  I remember when she explained to her mom what was going on, she said, “Dad calls me ‘<em>Gordita</em>’.”  Her mom said, “But <em>mija</em>, he’s just kidding, he calls us all his <em>gorditas</em>!”  As I listened in on that discussion, I couldn’t help but feel that my student’s conflict was somewhat cultural.  In the Mexican culture, a term like “gordita,” is used as a term of endearment or affection.  But in English, calling someone “fat,” is almost always viewed as an insult.  I thought, how difficult it must be for girls who identify with both Latin and American cultures to bridge the two very different meanings of the same word!

<strong>THE VOICE</strong> The sad thing about eating disorders, however, is that although you can recover from them, they never truly go away.  Even when your eating returns to “normal,” that voice in your head (that resembles your own and sounds like your conscience) tells you to be strong and put the food down, or it tells you to take laxatives so that you won’t have to deal with the repercussions of your food-filled, restaurant-hopping weekend.

Most of the time, I ignore the “voice.”  When I am feeling “fat,” I remind myself that even though I feel fat, I’m not.  I try to remember, <em>I’m in control. It’s my responsibility to fight this demon, and not let it consume me.</em> And, when my clothes are feeling a little tight I try to eat more healthy foods, not less food, and I try to go for a walk every day or push myself to go all-out at dance practice—nothing too excessive.  But sometimes the voice is too hard to ignore, because it is not my own.

The voice is a tabloid ripping apart a “fat” woman for being a size two.  It’s a brother calling his sister fat, a husband telling his wife that he’d be more attracted to her if she lost a few pounds, a parent modeling disordered eating behaviors for his/her children.  It’s a woman making snide comments about another woman’s weight; random strangers making flippant comments about people they see on the street; poorly worded comments by friends and family members that are unintentionally yet undeniably hurtful; and society’s failure to acknowledge beauty in a variety of forms.  It’s the sad, insecure student I see walking down the halls of the high school I work at talking about how fat and ugly she is, and her “friend” who says and does <em>nothing</em> to change her perception.

Now the only question I ask of you, dear reader, is–have you ever been part of the voice?

By Marisa Cano<br />

“Itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka-dot bikini That she wore for the first time today (Oh yeah) An itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka-dot bikini So in the locker she wanted to stay

She was afraid to come out of the locker She was as nervous as she could be She was afraid to come out of the locker She was afraid that somebody would see…”

<em> – Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini by Bombalurina, 1990</em>

Women! Girls! Sisters! It’s been almost 20 years since this song topped the charts, and let me tell you—it’s 2009 and modesty is so OUT! Now I’m not advising you throw all caution to the wind and prance around naked on a nude beach. What I am suggesting is that you throw that t-shirt in the beach bag where it belongs and embrace your body.

Sure, we’re not all Giselle. But the good part about that is…we’re not all Giselle! SHE is the strange one. Giselle, Heidi, Tyra…they get paid so much and are known solely by their first names because they’re oddities. Every guy can’t play basketball like Lebron and every girl can’t look like a Barbie in a bikini. The difference is that boys don’t let that stop them from playing the game, while girls often refuse to bare it all in a bathing suit. So…ENOUGH!

It’s time to be liberated. I’m tired of going to the pool, the lake, the beach to see girls cowering on the shore fully-clothed and sweltering in 100 degree weather. I’m sick of seeing the girls who are swimming doing it in a t-shirt. (Not only is it a hazard—it’s like wearing a cotton-polyester blend anchor—but it also clings in all the wrong places.) It’s time to be free and frolic in your bathing suit! Splash in the water, bask in the sun, and do it with a smile. How you look is 99% based on how you feel. So feel happy, look hot.

Finally girls, I’d like to share the secret of life with you. I spent over half my adolescence looking in the mirror, sucking in and worrying about how my butt looked. If I’d known and believed this (and you should, it’s the truth), I would have spent a lot less time stressing and a lot more time having fun. So here are 2 ideas to keep in mind: <ol><li>Every girl is far too worried about how she looks to worry about how you look. You are the only one who is thinking about your thighs. Homegirl who looks like she has no problems is likely stressing over her own imagined imperfections.<br /><br /></li><li>As for boys—well, if they were Tom Brady they could date Giselle. They’re not, and they don’t have those expectations. I have a brother in high school, and he tells me what’s “hot.” I’m always surprised, because it’s not girls with supermodel-esque bodies. It’s the saucy girls with a smile, a loud laugh and a fierce attitude. If you know you’re hot and act like it, who are the boys to think differently?</li></ol>So don’t cover up your itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka-dot bikini. Put on some rockin’ shades, embrace your bangin’ bod and follow the other words of Bombalurina: “Go on girl, go on, go on, go on girl!”

By Sam Sumpter<br />