Health & Fitness | Weight Loss

INTRODUCTION TO FUNGUS NAILS

Fungus nails is a unsightly condition which can be difficult to treat. Many patients become very conscious about a fungus nail condition and refuse to wear sandals and have their feet seen in public. It is caused by microscopic organisms called Dermatophytes. Dermatophytes grow in the nail bed, beneath the nail and live off keratin, the protein in the nail. The condition usually begins towards the far end of the nail and may start with patches of white or yellow discoloration. If the condition is left untreated, it will proceed to the base of the nail. It will attack the nail root (matrix) and cause the nail to grow very thick and deformed. The big toe is usually the first nail to be affected with the condition spreading to adjacent nails. In rare cases this condition can also affect the skin surrounding the nails.

APPEARANCE OF FUNGUS NAILS

• At an early stage, the nail may have white or yellow patches of discoloration. There may also be yellow horizontal streaks in the nail.
• At a later stage, the nail will grow thick, deformed, discoloured and have a foul odour (musty smell). It may also split and start to crumble.

Above is a picture of a fungal nail infection in its later stage.

SYMPTOMS OF FUNGUS NAILS

• The nail may become brittle and split in to several pieces.
• The actual condition is not painful. However, if the nail becomes thick and deformed it may grow into the skin at an angle and become an ingrowing toe nail.
• In severe cases, inflammation may arise from an ingrowing toe nail which may result in a secondary infection.
• It will affect a patients day to day activities as the pressure from the nails against the shoes causes discomfort.
• If the condition is left untreated for along period of time, the nail will become very brittle and the patient may experience episodes of total removal of the nail followed by re-growth.

CAUSES OF FUNGUS NAILS

• There are many types of fungus present in our environment. Most are harmless, however, a group of fungi called dermatophytes can affect the feet. Dermatophytes thrive on warm, moist conditions.
• Sweaty shoes and moist socks can be a contributing factor.
• Most people may have the fungus present on their feet. However, a nail fungus infection may be caused due to the fungus invading the skin. This can be due to injury to the nail, inflammation from a ingrowing toe nail or inappropriate nail cutting.
• Individuals with a lower immunity due to Diabetes, H.I.V and patients with poor circulation.

What is an ingrown hair?

An ingrown hair is a hair that curls and penetrates the skin with its tip, causing inflammation. Ingrown hairs are more common among people with very curly hair. Most ingrown hairs occur in the beard area.

What are the symptoms of an ingrown hair?

The most common symptom of an ingrown hair is inflammation of the skin, followed by pus formation. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. The symptoms of an ingrown hair may resemble other skin conditions. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.

How is an ingrown hair diagnosed?

Diagnosis of an ingrown hair can be confirmed with a medical history and a physical examination.

Treatment for an ingrown hair:

An ingrown hair often heals on its own. However, in the case of chronic ingrown hairs, treatment may include:

• allow the hair to grow longer
• depilatory (to remove the hair)
• electrolysis (to remove the hair)

Balance is an essential skill for most sports. It is crucial for inline skating. Not only does it help you keep the shiny side up (your helmet - not your bald head), it helps you skate faster, farther and with less effort. Good balance is also a requirement before you can do those cool tricks you see. Whether you are "shooting the duck" or doing a sole grind japan, without balance you'll fail.

Some of us are born with better balance than others, but balance can be learned. We've noticed that beginners who show up with experience in balance sports learn to skate far more quickly than those without. The closer the sport is to inline skating the more the balance "crossover." Of course ice skating and roller skating (inliners call them "Quad" skates), have great cross-over. Hockey and figure skaters usually have no problem with basic inline skating (except for the brake!). Other balance sports such as skiing, snow boarding, bicycling and, yes, even Yoga also have good crossover potential, especially if you do them often.

However, whether you participate in such sports or not, there are other ways to increase your balance skills through simple exercises. These exercises can be performed almost anywhere. Some involve equipment but some of the most effective do not.

Here is a sampling of balance exercises to get you started. You can probably invent more yourself or check out the references at the bottom of this article. Remember, these are exercises to improve your balance. Don't be frustrated if you can't do them at first. Keep trying.

One-Foot Stand

This is perhaps the simplest, but most effective, stationary exercise to improve your inline skating balance. Good one-foot balance helps you develop a stronger stroke and an effective glide, letting you skate faster with less effort. It is also the precursor to many tricks. Pretty good for such a simple exercise!

To do this exercise, simply lift one foot off the floor and maintain your balance on the other. Hold the position as long as you are comfortable, then switch to the other foot. That's it! You can do this almost anywhere - while you are reading the paper, talking on the phone, tying your shoes, watching TV or gabbing with friends (they will think you are weird though!). If you have trouble, holding your arms extended to the sides and staring at a point in front of you will help.

Some more advanced variations:

• Do a Quadriceps stretch by pulling your free foot up behind your butt with a hand. Extend your free arm to the side for balance. Try it on both sides.
• Try the Tree Pose. Bring your free foot up to your inner thigh with the knee pointed outward. Start with your arms to your sides. As you improve, try putting your palms together and slowly extending your arms above your head.

Rocker Board

A rocker board is a good beginner apparatus. It is basically a wooden platform on rockers that allow it to tilt on one axis. The basic exercises are the two-footed side to side and the two-footed forward-back balance. Stand on the board and balance without letting the edges touch down. I find it is a little easier to balance if I deliberately move the board a bit rather than trying to hold it totally still. Again, it also helps to look a point in front of you and to hold your arms outstretched to the side.

More advanced variations:

• Start with one side of the board touching the floor. Slowly tilt the board until the opposite side touches. Return. Keep the board under control.
• Try the side-to-side and front-back balance on one foot at a time. Great for ankle strength!

Wobble Board

The wobble board is a more advanced version of the rocker board that can tilt on any axis. Try this if you already have great balance or have mastered the rocker board.

Disco Sit

This device looks like a big whoopee cushion! As the name implies, it is made to sit on, but can also be used just like a rocker or Wobble Board. It is very portable, taking up little space when deflated, so you can throw it in your travel bag. Another great ankle exercise.

Bongo Board

The bongo board is the ultimate balance test. (Ok, crossing Niagara on a tight rope might be harder!) It is similar to a rocker board, but sits on a roller instead of a rocker. This adds a whole new dimension! Master the bongo board and you might want to talk to your guidance counselor about joining the circus.

Fitness Balls

How to achieve and maintain a healthy head of beautiful hair.

Three main things are needed for a good-looking head of hair -- good health, the right attention to cleanliness, and caution when using cosmetic treatments.

1. Adequate Diet

Hair growth depends on an adequate diet. A widespread diet problem which causes loss of hair is iron deficiency Anaemia. The cause is too little iron in blood, brought on by a diet containing too little meat, eggs, cereals or peas and beans. Fresh fruits and vegetables are also needed to provide vitamin C, which enables the body to absorb iron.

2. Cutting the hair

Although cutting the hair is not essential to its well-being, it is easier to keep the scalp clean if the hair is kept reasonably short. Regular cutting does not make the hair grow strong or faster.

3. How hair can be damaged

Although scalp hair is hardy, and can withstand a lot of abuse, it can be damaged by too much or inexpertly applied perming, dyeing, bleaching and massage. The amount of beautying the hair can take varies from person to person. Occasionally the scalp is allergic to the dye and becomes inflamed and swollen. To prevent this occuring, the dye should be tested by applying it to a small area on the arm. If a patch of inflammation has developed, the dye must not be used on the hair.

Clothing: Comfortable, breathable clothes are recommended for yoga. You probably want to wear a shirt that is a little bit form-fitting, since in many yoga poses your head comes below your hips and your shirt can slide down. Any exercise pants or shorts will do, although it’s best not to have super slick lycra-type pants since in some poses this may cause you to slip.

Shoes: Yoga is most often done barefoot, which is great news for those of us tired of carrying a bulky pair of athletic shoes around for after work trips to the gym. Yoga studios will often request that you leave your shoes near the entrance.

Mats: In gyms and yoga studios, it’s commonplace to use a yoga mat, also called a sticky mat. The mat helps define your personal space, but more importantly, it creates traction for your hands and feet so you don’t slip, especially as you get a little sweaty. The mat also provides a bit of cushioning on a hard floor. If you are just getting started with yoga, you may not want to buy a mat right away. Most studios have mats for rent, usually for a dollar or two per class. The disadvantage to these mats is that lots of people use them, and they can get smelly between washings. Yoga mats can be purchased for as little as $20, and many studios will allow you to store your mat with them if you become a regular.

Optional Equipment

The following yoga props come out of the Iyengar tradition. Iyengar style yoga teaches that having the proper alignment in the poses is the most important thing, and until the body becomes open enough, students should use props to bring the body into alignment to achieve maximum benefit and avoid injury. Iyengar’s use of props has been adopted by many other styles of yoga. The props are usually provided for students to use during class and there is no need to buy your own unless you are beginning a home practice.

Blankets: Yoga studios often have stacks of blankets available for students to use during class. Grab yourself one or two blankets at the beginning of class. The folded blankets are props to sit and lie on during class. For instance, when sitting in a cross-legged position, it’s nice to put a blanket under your sit bones to elevate the hips above the knees. They come in handy for all sorts of things during class, and if it’s chilly you can use them to cover yourself during final relaxation at the end of class.

Blocks: Like blankets, blocks are props to make yourself more comfortable and improve your alignment. Blocks are great for standing poses in which your hand doesn’t reach the floor.

Straps: Straps are particularly useful for bound poses if your hands do not reach each other, and for poses where you need to hold onto your feet but cannot reach them.

By yoga.about.com