ZENMED Blogger - Sarah Kirkpatrick

About Sarah

Sarah is an experienced social media manager and communication specialists. She started a freelance writing business, SMAK media, through which she has worked for a variety of clients ranging from Design firms to Medical equipment companies, and is now excelling in the healthy Skincare industry. Sarah is passionate about all-things-natural and strives to educate, through her writing, the importance of respecting the environment, leading a healthy lifestyle, and using products that reflect that. Staying ahead of the trends and on top of everything natural, Sarah specializes in educating consumers on the facts, the fictions, and the 'nows' of health and skincare.

Are you the victim of PRO-oxidants?

Pro-oxidants are like the anti-matter of anti-oxidants. Pro-oxidants are the formation of free radicals that suppress anti-oxidants and lead to acne marks.   How Pro-Oxidants Work According to BotanicalCuisine.com, “Pro-oxidants have an electron-imbalance – they possess an unpaired electron, which is chemically very unstable. As a result, pro-oxidants aggressively seek out an electron from another molecule around them (an unwitting “donor”). If not quenched immediately upon production, they will proceed to “steal” an electron from bodily cells, which harms these cells and literally makes the body “rot or rust.” This means, if your body has an excess of pro-oxidants it can create an unstable

Do you wash your face before or after conditioning your hair? Learn some of the biggest skincare mistakes we make on a daily basis

You have probably had your skincare routine nailed down since you got your first pimple in jr. high, but could you be making some major skincare mistakes without even knowing it?   Below are 15 of the most common skincare mistakes we have come across, some of which we have done ourselves!         15 skincare mistakes you didn’t know you were making   15. Washing your face at the wrong time - It is likely that you have a shower routine, but is it in the right order? Make sure you are always washing your face after you shampoo and condition your hair. Many hair products contain

Everything You Need to Know About Male Acne

You thought your days of acne were over when your voice deepened and you grew 2 feet in a year, but you are realizing that may have just been the beginning. Your face, back, chest, and neck seem to have come under attack and you want to stop it before you are reminded of when ‘school picture day’ was an automatic sick day.     THE CAUSE Doctors do not know the exact cause of adult acne although they believe that it may be connected to over active sex hormones which cause the sebaceous glands to swell and increase the production of sebum (the oil

Do you have ‘Acne Cosmetica’?

Acne Cosmetica is a skin condition wherein acne is caused by or made worse by cosmetics or any product applied to the skin.   When you break out it means that you are internally or externally overloaded and your skin cannot fight off the bacteria by itself. By applying makeup to hide acne it adds another layer of ‘stress’ to the skin and makes it more difficult for your body to manage your skins health. The trouble with makeup is not limited to clogged pores as many people may assume, there are many lesser known ways that makeup can cause or worsen

How to let your acne tell you what’s wrong.

Do you feel like parts of your face are more susceptible to acne than others? Do you constantly experience Orion’s Belt on your forehead? Or maybe you just get one major Jupiter on your chin. Did you know that this consistency can actually tell you something about your health and body?   It’s called Face Mapping, and it’s your new best friend. Originating in chinese medicine and moving forward with modern dermatological studies, this new method of understanding the body is your key to a clear face and an overall health overhaul, personalized.   Let’s get started: [caption id="attachment_3686" align="aligncenter" width="577"] Facial Mapping Acne Guide[/caption]   1.

How To Control Acne During Your Pregnancy

Pregnancy will cause a number of changes to the body, some expected while others may be not-so expected. One of the most common and annoying changes is acne breakouts that often resemble those of the bygone era of your teens. The higher levels of androgen hormones can stimulate oil production and contribute to more blackheads and breakouts.   But reaching for whatever zit cream or wash worked then should not be used at all while carrying and breastfeeding your baby. Here is what research tells us what your best options are.     The Good News   AHA’s (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) are safe to use during pregnancy

How Climbing Your Family Tree Can Help You Prevent Breast Cancer

Did you know? 5-10% of all breast cancers are hereditary. That may not seem like a huge number, but think about it this way:   - According to a 2011-2012 Cancer.org research study, there are 2.6 million breast cancer survivors in North America. So simply put, up to 260,000 cases of breast cancer were heredity-linked. Doesn’t seem like such a small percentage anymore.   Since the best treatment for breast cancer is early detection, here is what you can do to protect yourself: 1. Start digging through old photo albums and identifying some of the mystery faces. 2. Track down your family’s ancestor tracker (if you have

What you’re eating could save your life… from cancer.

Food, one of the items in the foundation of ‘Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs’, has been proven to be so much more than a basic human necessity. It has been extended into the realm of survival; not in terms of a basic nutrient source, but as a possible cancer fighter.   We hear it all the time in the media, headlines relating to, for example, vegetables warding off particular kinds of cancers. So if you believe in the theory that “food is your medicine”, we have gone ahead and compiled a list of foods that have gotten a lot of buzz in recent

Alcohol Consumption and Breast Cancer – The Link

Casual drinking is on the rise with young women, with many marketers targeting them specifically in their advertising. The media glamorizes the virtues of drinking red wine specifically, with some studies even linking it to decreased heart attacks and lowered blood pressure. However, while these studies show good news on some fronts, in the case of breast cancer, the news is all bad. Two alcoholic beverages a day actually increase your chances of breast cancer by up to 21%. Fact. Although packed with antioxidants and with the ability to lower blood pressure, the actual alcohol content in red wine limits its ability

What Does My Weight Have to Do With Cancer?

Weight is a major factor in the survival rate of breast cancer patients. Studies have shown that being even slightly overweight can increase the risk of recurrence. Every day we hear about why watching our weight is so important to our health and life expectancy but rarely do we relate that to a life-threatening disease. Some research has been done to suggest that weight can actually affect the success of chemo and other cancer related treatments. It appears that breast cancer patients at a healthy weight fared better during treatments then their obese counterparts.   So weight effects people who already have

What Does Your Deodorant Have To Do With Breast Cancer?

Much has been said about parabens in personal care products in the recent past. It is true that many paraben studies have come back as inconclusive in regards to these chemicals being a direct cause of breast cancer but this does not mean that they are off the hook yet.   Harvey PW and Everett DJ, contributors to the Journal of Applied Toxicology, explained the role of parabens in two very clear and concise scenarios: -       ‘Parabens are found in breast cancer tumors’, and -       ‘Parabens can mimic estrogen, a hormone that plays a role in the development of breast cancer’.   These two simple but

10 Healthy Breast Tips - Introduction

October is Breast Cancer awareness month and we want to play our part. Breast Cancer affects 1 in 8 woman and many of us know someone whose life has been affected. Do you? Breast cancer is scary. There is no cure (yet), and many of the factors that cause it are still unknown. But you can protect yourself. We may not know the exact causes of breast cancer but we are starting to understand some of the main contributors. Below is a list of the 10 best things you can do to keep your breasts healthy and increase their chances of

Happy Pore Health Day! (Really?)

The condition of your pores says a lot about where your skin has been and where it's going. Let us give you some insight.   Repair Your Pores and Get the Skin You Have Always Wanted. We hear 2 big complaints at ZENMED, 1) help me with my enlarged pores, or 2) help me unclog my pores. In actual fact, the recommended treatment product for both of these is the same, but the causes are vastly different.   What are pores? Pores are the necessary tiny openings in the skin that allow it to breath and stay moisturized and glowing; they are usually most noticeable across the nose.   Pores are

Plant Sterols: The basics of healthy skin

ZENMED prides itself on being two things: Doctor-formulated and naturally based; Our number one commitment to our customers is to offer products that work. On the other hand, we believe that it is our duty to offer products that are chemical free and environmentally conscious. Not only does this philosophy protect our customers from harmful ingredients, it allows people with both sensitive skin and various belief systems to use our products without concern.     AT OUR CORE Fruits and Vegetables are utilized and implemented into all of our products and, by examining them at their most basic level, we have been able to put

Bladder Infections and Eczema From Bath-Time? Doctors Say Yes!

Bubble baths are one of the major culprits of urinary tract infections in kids. And those bubble aren't doing any favors for their tender skin either. A point occurs where the natural barriers of their delicate skin finally breaks down from the constant exposure. Protect your kids health, here's how. Tide said it best when they tagged ‘Go ahead, get dirty’. Summer is coming to an end and schoolyard shenanigans are beginning to pick up. Our kids are bound to come home with dirt on their faces and sand in their hair, and ‘bath-time’ will likely be a more common practice

Keeping the festivities fun and your face fresh.

During the Summer, many of us living in the colder climates of the world hold festivals and day-long festivities within our cities. The carnival-like atmosphere helps to bond the members of the community with local businesses, entertainers, food vendors, and political representatives. This year ZENMED chose to participate in a number of these festivals to spread the word about our products and give away samples of some of our favourites. We love talking to different people, making recommendations, offering solutions, and sometimes just lending an ear. It was a great bonding experience with our customer base and we can’t wait

Laser Acne Scar Removal - Alternative Treatments

Acne Scarring comes in all shapes and sizes and is a common side effect of many varieties of acne. Most Acne scars fall under one of the following 4 categories.  http://www.acne.org/acne-scar-treatment.html Previously, potent chemical peels and retinoids were the number one choice for acne scar removal and, until recently, had one of the higher success rates for any medical facial procedure. However, laser techniques have quickly became welcomed as the go-to procedure for acne scar removal because of the control and precision doctors held when using the instruments. You can be in and out of the office within 30 minutes with substantial layers of damaged skin removed from

Laser Acne Removal - Is it for you?

Zits, pimples, blemishes, pustules, whiteheads, blackheads, bumps. We call it acne, a build up of oil in the skin follicles causing an infection known as P. Acnes. But no matter what you want to call it, you get it, and we spend the majority of our time at ZENMED helping people find a solution to get rid of it for the long term. One thing we get asked about a lot is a permanent cure. In fact, the demand to find a permanent "cure" has led to some super pricey options on the market today, and the current trending ‘cure’ is Laser Acne Removal. But how much do we really

Do you need the bubble?

Nothing feels better than lathering up your shampoo or hand soap and feeling the dirt simply wash away. Let me clarify. Nothing feels better to your mind than watching the foam spiral down the drain, dirt in tow, but I can’t say the same for your actual hair and skin. In fact, many things feel better than the damaging and drying effect of Sodium Laurel Sulfates stripping your body of its natural oils. From the top Sodium Lauryl Sulfates (SLS) are surfactants–surfactants are the compounds that cause products like soap to foam. Because of their ability to lower the surface tension of a

Argan Oil - ZENMED Beauty Secret Revealed

If you do not already know, every single particle that you come into contact with is at least partially absorbed by your skin. Unfortunately we cannot protect ourselves from the things we do not have control over, like what is floating in the air or resting on the railing at work. Wecan, however,protect ourselves from the products we have a choice to interact with, such as those for skin and hair care.   Chemicals are abundant in the cosmetic world and all work towards great outward results for your hair and skin­–but at what cost inwards?   ZENMED has worked hard to formulate only vegetable-based formulations and

Could You be Allergic to the Sun?

Do you ever feel like your skin burns before you even have a chance to enjoy the nice weather? Or that you are later punished for spending short amounts of time outside? You may be allergic to the sun! But don’t diagnose yourself just yet! There are two very different forms of drug-induced photo-sensitivity­–Phototoxic reactions and Photoallergic reactions. Let me break it down for you.   Phototoxic reactions These reactions are the result of sunlight activating the drug in your system–damaging your skin. Ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation is the biggest culprit in contributing to the reaction, but Ultraviolet B (UVB) plays its part. Looks like: a sunburn. This