Archive for September, 2010

As part of the body’s renewal process, most of us lose 50 to 100 hairs every day. The average rate of growth is approximately 1/2 inch per month. Hair grows fastest in the summer, as heat and friction speed up the growth. It grows slower in the cold and winter months.

Hair Loss poses a potential problem only if it leads to noticeable thinning or balding, and even then it is often a normal part of life. Genetics & hormones determine the most common reasons for hair loss. Male pattern baldness is characterised by a receding hairline and loss of hair especially on the crown of the head. Female pattern baldness is characterised by a general thinning of the hair all over the head and a moderate loss of hair on the crown or the hairline.

Besides age and genetics, the main culprit in balding appears to be an overabundance or overactivity of the male hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT)DHT is a derivative of testosterone and is driven by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase, which is produced in the prostate, the adrenal glands and the scalp. The activity of this enzyme tends to increase as people, especially men, age. It also causes the hair follicle to degrade and it shortens the growth phase.

Other reasons for hair loss and thinning may include strict dieting (the loss is due to malnutrition), heavy metal toxicity (e.g. arsenic), chemotherapy and severe illness. When is comes to hair loss, the most common in women is iron deficiency. Blood test is recommended to identify this deficiency.

Symptoms:

1. Receding Hairline.
2. Thinning hair.
3. Hair that falls out in patches.

Root Causes:

1. Heredity.
2. Hormone imbalance (particularly thyroid).
3. Serious Illness, especially with a high fever.
4. Pregnancy, Menopause.
5. Stress.
6. Chemotherapy.
7. Hypothyroidism.
8. Autoimmune disorders.
9. Crash or fad diets.
10. Syphilis.
11. Extremely high doses of vitamin A.
12. Nutritional deficiencies.
13. Heavy metal toxicity.
14. Poor scalp circulation.
15. Malabsorption, parasites.

Treatment:

• Diet: make sure you have a varied, well rounded meals – including plenty of whole grains, vegetables, beans, nuts, fish and lean poultry. Food which are high in B vitamins promote hair growth, as well as Iron which can be found in green leafy vegetables (except spinach), leeks, cashews, berries, dried fruits, and figs.
• Natural prescriptions: Saw Palmetto has been used to promote hair loss. Omega-3 & Omega-6 (essential fatty acids EFA) are good. Rosemary Essential Oil – Few drops of oil with your shampoo- use daily to improve scalp circulation.
• Massage: Head and scalp massage increases the blood circulation to the head and help the hair follicles to receive the nutrients from the blood. Can use Rosemary Oil to stimule hair growth. Lavender, Chamomile, Jasmine, Rose and Geranium have relaxing properties to relieve stress.
• Be gentle to your hair- use wide-toother comb to separate the strands. Do not use blow dryer, let your hair dry naturally and dont dye or bleach the hair.
• Sleep is essential for hair renewal & growth. Try to get 8 hours a night or more.

Athlete’s Foot, also known as “Tinea Pedis”, is a persistent & annoying fungal infection of the foot. It commonly occurs between the toes and the toenails but can also occur on other areas of the foot. The skin between the toes can appear red, cracked, and scaly. Sores and blisters can form on the soles of the feet and between the toes. Moisture & warmth provide an environment for this fungus to thrive. Public or private showers, locker rooms, gym floors, and hotel bathrooms are common places for a person of any age to contract this fungus. People with sweaty feet are more susceptible to getting athlete’s foot. Changing into clean socks reduces the risk of reinfection.

Symptoms:

1. Burning, itching & cracking between the toes & on other places of the foot.
2. Patches of dry skin.
3. Yellowish-brown toenails.

Root Causes:

1. Prolonged or frequent use of antibiotics or corticosteroids, leading to a depletion of good bacteria that normally keep fungus in check.
2. Poor digestion and elimination.
3. Depressed immune system (e.g. diabetes).
4. Hig-sugar diet.
5. Poor hygiene (feet in a damp environment).

Treatment:

1. Diet: Base your meal around fresh vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins such as beans, lentils, fish & organic poultry. Also eat more unsweetened yoghurt daily. Drink plenty of water daily. And consume foods such as garlic, onions, chlorella, spirulina, wheatgrass, which support detoxification.
2. Natural Prescriptions: Apply Tea Tree oil on the areas daily until it clears. Or drink Grapefruit Seed Extract or Oregano Oil in capsules or liquid form which can be found in Helath shops. Or take Probiotics such as Lactobacillys Acidophilus and Bifidus which fight fungus and prevents its overgrowth.
3. Other recommendations:
   

• Expose the feet to the open air.
• Wear sandlas or porous slipers around the home or outside if weather permits.
• Use cotton socks. If your feet perspire a lot, change socks twice a day.
• Wear waterproof slippers or sandals or flip flops around locker rooms and in all wet areas in the gym. And don’t share any foot wear with any other people as you can either catch the fungus from the choes or you can pass on the infection to other persons.
  
• Make sure your feet are washed with soap daily and make sure you dry them properly. Do not share towels with any other person from your family.
• Wash your towel more often.

• Add celery leaves to your salad. Serve with low fat dressing.
• Try ants on a log (raw celery, peanut butter, and raisins).
• Add celery when making meat or vegetable soup.
• Add it finely chopped to potato or macaroni salad.
• Garnish with celery in soups or dips.
• Use celery when juicing other fruits and vegetables.
• Eat raw celery sticks as a healthy snack.