What is Tinea Capitis(Ring Worm)

Tinea capitis is a disease caused by superficial fungal infection of the skin of the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes, with a propensity for attacking hair shafts and follicles (see the image below). The disease is considered to be a form of superficial mycosis or dermatophytosis. Several synonyms are used, including ringworm of the scalp and tinea tonsurans.

 Dermatophytosis includes several distinct clinical entities, depending on the anatomic site and etiologic agents involved. Clinically, the conditions include tinea capitis, tinea favosa (favus resulting from infection by Trichophyton schoenleinii), tinea corporis (ringworm of glabrous skin), tinea imbricata (ringworm resulting from infection by Trichophyton concentricum), tinea cruris (ringworm of the groin), tinea unguium or onychomycosis (ringworm of the nail), tinea pedis (ringworm of the feet), tinea barbae (ringworm of the beard), and tinea manuum (ringworm of the hand).

Pathophysiology

Tinea capitis is caused by fungi of species of genera Trichophyton and Microsporum.

Read More ->>

Top 10 Choleterol Lowering Foods

1. Apples: Apple pectin is a soluble fiber that helps draw cholesterol out of the system. The flavonoids in apples act as a powerful antioxidant that seems to short circuit the process that leads "bad" LDL cholesterol to accumulate in the blood stream.

2. Beans: beans and vegetables are excellent source of soluble fibers and high in vegetable protein. By properly combining beans with brown rice, seeds, corn, wheat, you can create a complete protein. Properly combined  beans become an excellent substitute for red meat protein that is high in saturated fat.

3. Brown rice: the oil in whole brown rice, not its fiber, lowers cholesterol, brown rice can be combined with beans to form an inexpensive complete protein low in saturated fat. In addition, this whole grain also supplies good doses of heart friendly fiber, magnesium, B vitamins.

Read More ->>

How to Have a Healthy and Young Skin

 

The objective of this page is to present health information in a manner that  is fascinating for an average reader who seeks information about health related issues. Today i am writing on tips for a healthy and young looking blemish skin that is capable of tickling a fancy.

Steps Include:

1. Protect yourself from scorching UV rays from the sun, this can be achieved by avoiding the sun during high intensity hours, wearing of protective clothing, and  by the use of sun screens.

2. Avoid smoking, research has shown that skin wrinkles and shrink and gradually degrades with age and smoking has been found to accelerate the process.

3.  Clean your skin thoroughly by using warm water and mild soap, do not excessively bath with hot water to prevent strip of oil on your skin. Apply moisturizers regularly to prevent drying up of skin. If your face is naturally dry avoid alcohol based products while  if your face is naturally oily avoid oil based products like petroleum jelly.

Read More ->>

What Is Dandruff? What Are The Symptoms Of Dandruff?

 Dandruff is a condition of the scalp that causes flakes of skin to appear. Dandruff is a common condition, which is marked by itching. In some cases it can be embarrassing and not easy to treat.
 Dandruff can be chronic (long-term) or the result of certain triggers. People with dandruff may also experience irritation and redness on the scalp.

Excessive flaking may be caused by an underlying illness or condition, such as psoriasis, a fungal infection (Malassezia), seborrheic dermatitis, or even head lice.

Some individuals with severe dandruff may have social or self-esteem problems. Therefore, treatment may be important for both physiological and psychological reasons.

The word dandruff comes from (most likely) dand (origin unknown) and E. Anglian (England) dialect huff, hurf, meaning "scab". This is probably linked to the Old Norse word hrufa, meaning "scab". The Old High German word hruf means "scurf".

What are the signs and symptoms of dandruff?

The hallmark sign of dandruff, or seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp, is white flakes on the scalp and in the hair. If the person is wearing dark clothes, the flakes will be more noticeable when they fall on their shoulders. The scalp may also feel itchy, tight or sore.

Read More ->>

What are the causes of pimples?

Pimples being a common ailment  encountered by individuals once they are close to puberty, therefore i have decided to write this article on what causes pimples, many individuals would have pondered of this question, which may have lead to mythical beliefs attached to it. Before we proceed i would like to write little on the definition of pimples.

A pimple is a small pustule or papule. Pimples are small skin lesions or inflammations of the skin - they are sebaceous glands (oil glands) which are infected with bacteria, swell up, and then fill up with pus.

Pimples are also known as spots or zits

Pimples occur when the sebaceous glands, which are located at the base of hair follicles, become overactive. The most vulnerable parts of the body are the face, back, chest and shoulders. Pimples are palpable signs of acne, especially when a breakout occurs.

According to Medilexicon's medical dictionary:

A pimple is A papule or small pustule; usually meant to denote an inflammatory lesion of acne.

What are the causes of pimples?

The sebaceous glands, which produce sebum, exist inside the pores of our skin. The outer layers of our skin are being shed continuously.

Read More ->>

10 Tips To Help You Naturally Improve The Quality Of Your Sperm

It’s probably a little child that doesn’t know what only men produce. For your sperm to be fertile enough to cause any woman to be pregnant then, its quality has to be of outmost priority to you because having a low quality sperm or low sperm count can be seen as a form of infertility. While in some cases, drugs and some form of corrective medications is often recommended as a remedy, you can also improve the quality of your sperm naturally without resort to any drugs or medication.

Here are some tips that can help you naturally increase the quality of your sperm.

Don’t over heat your testicles: – It’s not by choice or chance that our testicles are located outside our body. Our body temperature is too high compared to what our testicles needs in order to produce sperm effectively. Therefore, we should allow for a cooler environment for our testicles. This can be made possible by wearing pants and undies that are not too tight, but are spaced enough to allow for easy passage of air and aeration within. You should also resist the temptation of putting on too much clothes especially if you happen to find yourself in the tropics or other places of hotter climate. You should also keep off from hot environment, too much batting with hot water or prolong stay inside hot water.

Read More ->>

How to Keep your Drinking Water Clean

1. Boil at above boiling point(100 Degrees) for 5 minutes.

2. Use Chlorine/ Hypochlorite solution according to manufacturers description.

3. Irradiation such as UV rays, Alpha or beta particles.

4. Filtration using graded filters of 0.1nm pore.

Read More ->>

Must Read: Alcohol a Celebrated Poison.

 


The rate of Alcohol consumption among individuals is soaring at an alarming rate, this behavioral abnormality has cut across different strata of the human demographics. In a bid to help militate against this social uncooperative lifestyle, i have written this article to help enlighten ignorant fellows on the dangers of alcohol abuse.

Alcoholism(Wikipedia) is a broad term for problems with alcohol and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing. It is medically considered a disease, specifically an addictive illness. 

 What is alcohol abuse? 

Alcohol abuse is a disease. It is characterized by a maladaptive pattern of drinking alcohol that results in negative work, medical, legal, educational, and/or social effects on a person's life. The individual who abuses this substance tends to continue to use it despite such consequences. Effects of alcohol abuse and alcoholism on families can include increased domestic violence.

Read More ->>

Why is Proper Hand Washing Important?

INTRODUCTION

Hands play a major role in the transmission of infection in health care institutions, industrial settings such as the food industry and also in all community and domestic settings, the importance of hand hygiene in the control of infection cannot be under emphasized.

There are 2 – 3 million deaths worldwide each year from diarrheal diseases, many which could be prevented. Hands are highway for the transmission and spread of bacteria and viruses that causes food borne illness and nonsocial infection.

Definition

Hand washing is the act of cleaning ones hands with the use of water or another liquid or with use of soap for the purpose of removing soil, dirt and micro-organisms. Hand hygiene results in a reduction of microbial load on hand

Read More ->>

Dangers of Prolong Use of Computers: Health Risks of Computer Screens on the Human Eyes.

 

Causes

Overuse is the most common cause of repetitive strain from computer screens. It has been shown that people blink less when using a computer, which leads to dry eyes, discomfort and fatigue. Additionally, continually focusing on a visual object a constant distance away, such as a computer screen, can lead to eyesight degradation or impaired eye coordination. Neck and back strain can result from the monitor being at the incorrect viewing angle.

Identification

Chronic dry eyes are a sure sign of computer overuse. If you must resort to using eye drops every day, or several times per day, it is extremely likely you need to consider reducing your time spent at a computer. A recurring dull headache should also be considered a warning sign. A possible neck injury can be identified by an inability to hold the head still for extended periods without discomfort.

Prevention

Operating a computer in an ergonomically sound manner, with regular breaks, can help you avoid repetitive strain injuries. A computer monitor should be positioned so that the top of the screen is slightly below eye level, around an arm's length away and directly in front of you. If the screen is the proper distance away, it should not be necessary to bend the neck to view the entire area. Avoid using a CRT monitor that cannot handle a refresh rate of at least 85 hertz to prevent headaches, or use an LCD monitor. Work in an area that is neither overly bright nor overly dark, with the light source offset from the eyes at a 45-degree angle to avoid glare. Lastly, take regular breaks. Once every hour, a moment should be taken to stand up, move the muscles and refocus the eyes on different objects.

Credits:  http://www.ehow.com/about_5565299_health-risks-computer-screens.html

Read More ->>

10 Things You Need To Know About Sugars.

Every time you buying anything containing in sugar, you are sending a message that you don’t care about your body, that you are satisfied with food that is making you sick, fat, and unhealthy.

1. WHY SHOULD YOU BE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW MUCH SUGAR YOU CONSUME? - Sugar adds empty calories to your diet. “Empty calories” means foods,which don't have any nutritional benefit. - Sugar promotes belly fat. - Eating excess sugar could lead to weight gain, obesity, diabetes and “diabesity” which bring a host of other health problems such as heart disease.

2. WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR BODY WHEN WE EAT SUGAR? When we consume sugar, our body has two options on how to deal with it: - Burn it for energy. - Store excess sugar in our fat cells.

3. HOW DOES OUR BODY STORE EXCESS SUGAR IN FAT CELLS? - When our pancreas detects a rush of sugar, it releases a hormone called insulin to deal with all of that excess sugar. - Insulin helps regulate that level of sugar in our blood and store all of this glucose in fat cells

Read More ->>

Must Read: Benefits Of Shea Butter On The Skin.

We all know of Shea butter, what I think is that most of us have not realised the importance of Shea Butter to the World Market and the economy today.

Most women spends comparable amount of monies on Cosmetic Products that only contain about 5% of Shea Butter with the other 95% made up of synthetic compounds to give a desired texture and scent.

Compare the price of a Kilo of Shea Butter in Nigeria against the price of an imported jar
of cosmetic containing 5% or less of Shea Butter. Would it not be prudent to take that kilo of Shea butter and maximise it to the fullest?

Why not design your own skin cream!

Shea butter has been known to work well against stretch marks. It also benefits those suffering dry skin, dermatitis and sunburn, quick skin healing and cinnamic acid, which protects the skin against the harmful UV rays of the sun.
Since Shea butter is well tolerated by the skin, it usually does not trigger off any allergic reactions. This makes it ideal for use by persons with sensitive skin.

Medicinal Value

Shea butter is used as a base for medicinal ointments and has been claimed to have anti-inflammatory properties.

Read More ->>

Effects of Fatty Foods: Increases Serum Cholesterol, Read the Dangers of Increased Serum Cholesterol.

How High Cholesterol Leads to Heart Attack and Stroke

• Cholesterol can cling to the wall of your artery. As it builds up, it forms dense plaque. This narrows the space inside your arteries through which blood can flow. Eventually, plaque can block blood flow, since many cholesterol deposits within your tiny arteries.

• The buildup of plaque is called hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis. Plaque may be forming for years before you have symptoms.

• By blocking blood flow to your heart or brain, plaque can cause heart disease, heart attack, or stroke.

You can help prevent these conditions by treating high cholesterol as soon as you become aware of it.
Most the preventive measures is too avoid high fatty diets. 

Read More ->>

MUST READ: Reasons We Should Avoid Junk Foods.

This days many individuals prefer to eat fast foods like fries, burger, cake, because they are yummy in taste. This habit is slowly leading to some form of epidemics as it has contributed to a major disease risk, the most annoying thing is that many lovers of junk foods are ignorant of the attendant risk of consuming high fatty foods, there fore i have decided to write this piece to enlighten my readers.

 Fast food nutrition should make up a minimal part of a healthy diet. Fast foods and junk foods are high in fat, sodium and sugar, which can lead to obesity and a range of attendant health problems, including diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. Here are the facts about how excessive junk food consumption affects your body.

 1.  Junk Food Affects Your Energy Levels Junk food doesn't contain the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. As a result, you may feel chronically fatigued and lack the energy you need to complete daily tasks. The high levels of sugar in junk food puts your metabolism under stress; when you eat refined sugar, your pancreas secretes high amounts of insulin to prevent a dangerous spike in blood sugar levels. Because fast food and junk food don't contain adequate amounts of protein and good carbohydrates, your blood sugar levels will drop suddenly after eating, leaving you feeling grumpy, fatigued and craving sugar.
 2.  Junk Food Contributes to Poor Performance and Obesity Junk food contains large amounts of fat, and as fat accumulates in your body, you'll gain weight and could become obese. The more weight you gain, the more you'll be at risk for serious chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. You could even have a heart attack.

Read More ->>

8 Powerful Reasons to eat more Fruits and Vegetables

 

1. Fruits and  vegetables, add natural colors and texture that makes them appealing to eat.

2. Fruits and vegetables are nutritious in any form, fresh, frozen, canned, dried. they can be processed into 100% pure juice for refreshment.

3.Friuts and vegetables provides the body with fiber, that helps the digestive system(improves bowel function and helps maintain healthy body weight.

4. Fruits and vegetables are low in calories,fat, sodium, with zero cholesterol thereby helping to reduce cardiovascular risk( obesity).

Read More ->>