Shiny and voluminous hair is not only a sign of beauty but also speak volumes about the good health. However, maintaining them is not an easy task. The health condition of your hair depends on various nutrients, which are used by your body for their growth and repair. To help you keep your hair healthy, we have drawn up a list of some of the best vitamins for hair growth. Read on to know more. Vitamin A An important vitamin for proper hair growth is the vitamin A. It contains antioxidant properties that help in keeping the scalp moisturized by the production of sebum. Sebum is a natural oil made by the skin glands which makes your hair glossy. Vitamin A offers faster hair growth and sufficient thickness. Vitamin A rich foods include: Egg yolk Sweet potatoes Milk Spinach Mangoes Carrots Dried apricots Niacin (Vitamin B3) One of the 8 B vitamins, niacin is a necessary nutrient that is required for proper functioning of the body. Its chemical composition (nicotinamide) helps to improve skin function. Niacin ingested orally or applied to the scalp protects the scalp and hair from damage caused by sun/UV rays exposure. It makes your hair less brittle and provides more luster.

Fungal infection of the nail occurs when bacteria or fungi enter the nail bed. The main cause of fingernail fungus is a broken or cracked nail plate or cuticles. It can also result from bacteria inside the body. Often characterized by cracked nail beds, fungal infection makes the nail thick and yellow. There are different fingernail fungus treatment options, but the cure takes time to show results. Before discussing fingernail fungus treatment options, let’s look at the causes and visible symptoms of fungal infection. Causes of fingernail fungus Fingernail fungus infection usually occurs due to overgrowth of fungi under, or in the nail. Since fungi need a warm, and moist environment to multiply, so this type of environment helps them thrive easily. Nail infections can be caused by the same fungi that are responsible for causing ringworm, athlete’s foot, or jock itch. Nail infection can also be caused by fungi present on or in the body. It is also communicable i.e., it can spread if in case you come in contact with someone who already has a fungal infection. As stated by American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), toenails are more prone to fungal infections as compared to fingernails. This is because toes remain covered in the shoes which serves a perfect breeding ground for fungi.

The pineal gland is a tiny gland in your brain. This gland is responsible for your sleep cycle. The melatonin present in this gland helps you sleep. Melatonin is found in less quantity in food items like meats, grains, fruits, and vegetables. You can also buy melatonin sleep aids which come in the form of supplements. Melatonin and our body The pattern of waking up during the day and sleeping at night is your natural sleep cycle. It is because the pineal gland is active during the night when it is dark. The pineal gland remains passive during the day when the sunlight is visible. The exposure to light stimulates nerve pathway from the retina of your eye to your brain. This part of your brain is called hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is the seat of suprachiasmatic nucleus or SCN. It is responsible for sending signals to control hormones. The hormone control along with body temperature controls your sleep cycle. It is when this sleep cycle gets disrupted that you have to use a melatonin sleep aid. These supplements control the SCN that regulates various patterns of your body. The melatonin sleep aids enhance the work of the SCN by stimulating the melatonin and cortisol.

Shingle is a viral infection which leads to the development of a powerful rash. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States has found out that one in every three people will suffer from shingles at any point in their life. Varicella-zoster virus causes shingles. Incidentally, this is the same virus which is responsible for the development of chickenpox. For people who had suffered from chickenpox in their childhood, shingles virus can attack at any point in their life since it lies in a dormant stage in such people. Though shingles can occur at any point in the body, the rashes in shingles make their appearance in a small region. Pain in the shingles affected region is the first symptom of this medical condition. Usually, within a few days of the appearance of pain fluid-filled blisters make their appearance. People who suffer from shingles also develop fever and face fatigue for the most of the day. It is commonly known that there is no treatment for shingles; doctors also recommend antiviral medications for shingles. However, these are not very effective remedies for shingles; therefore, several natural remedies for shingles have also been recommended for getting relief from this ailment.

Pimples can pop out of nowhere. This can be a cause for concern, especially if you have planned something big on that day. However, all is not that bad and with many best acne treatments available, getting rid of this problem is now fairly easy. Below we list some of the best acne treatments which will help you move out with confidence. Use an oil-free face wash Oil and bacteria normally cause acne and you will have to keep these away to let pimples to pop out. This can be done by using an oil-free face wash on a regular basis. Such oil-free face wash consists of salicylic acid and thus help in getting rid of excess oil. Salicylic acid is considered to be antibacterial and is known to exfoliate the dead skin cells which otherwise clogs away the pores. It aids and is one of the best acne treatments. Using a facial brush Degreasing the skin also helps in reducing the oil content of the same. This can effectively be done with the help of handheld facial brushes. This technique helps in leaving less oil and bacteria on the skin and thus prevents the development of acne. These facial brushes consist of rotating brush heads and help in loosening the clogged pores.

Have you ever felt a rash on your skin for which you couldn’t find a concrete reason? Did you ever experience abrupt sneezing followed by watery eyes? The reason behind most of these unexplainable symptoms is an allergy. Allergy is a condition that is initiated by an overreaction of the body’s immune system to an allergen in the surroundings. Normally, a bout of allergy is acute and occurs instantaneously. There are different kinds of allergens that affect individuals differently. A person who is allergic to mushrooms might not be allergic to dust mites, while someone might not be allergic to both. The typical forms of allergies include hay fever which is the most common type of allergy and is particularly caused by sensitivity to pollen.Dust and dry weather fuel the occurrence of atopic dermatitis. Just like hay fever inflames the nasal cavity, this eczema inflames the skin tissue. Asthma is an allergy that is activated by air pollution and low levels of air purity. The allergen, in this case, is the suspended particulate matter. Food allergy is triggered by a food product or a category of products such as eggs, wheat, milk, and seafood.Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic disease that is caused by an insect bite.

Foot pain is a common problem. This could be due to standing for the complete day, lifestyle choices or some medical problems. Foot pain may occur on the heels, toes, arches, and soles. It causes discomfort to the sufferer. The foot ache can be low, mild and severe. Some pain lasts for short time while others may be chronic. The common causes of foot pain are: Lifestyle Wearing improper shoes can cause discomfort. High heels and tight shoes exert pressure on the toes. Intense exercises, sports, and jogging can also cause foot injury and pain. Medical Reasons Certain medical problems such as diabetes and feet disorders aggravate the foot pain. Arthritis is another big reason for foot pain. Other foot implications such as damaged foot nerves, foot ulcers, hardened foot arteries and sores cause enormous foot pain. People who are obese are prone to foot pain. Foot injuries such as tendinitis, sprain and fractures are other causes of foot pain. Pregnant ladies are more susceptible to foot aches. Warts, ingrown toenails, corns and athlete’s foot are the potential causes of foot ache. Hammertoes, joint pain, calluses and fallen arches could be the probable causes of foot pain. Medical treatment and home remedies for foot pain can cure it.

Feeling low or sluggish and exhausted all the time, unable to concentrate on the tasks at hand, there may be a chance that you lack the proper vitamin intake needed to give you sustained energy levels. Low levels of critical vitamins like Vitamin B, B12, B2, B3, folic acid, etc. may be hampering your ability to work and give your best performance, whether at work or otherwise. The sluggish and the fast-paced lifestyle, with improper sleep and living patterns along with a poor diet can also lead to several vitamin deficiencies that may cause for us to feel tired and demotivated throughout the day. Though the body is capable of making most of the essential nutrients that our body needs, vitamins are some essential substances which our body cannot make up on its own, but are needed to support the growth and proper functioning of our body, hence we derive them from our food intake. Having the right amount of vitamins for energy ensures that our body has what it needs to be active and attentive in performing day to day work. Where these vitamins for energy are in deficiency, then there arises a need to obtain them through artificial means in the form of tablets and supplements.

Acne or “Acne Vulgaris” is a long-term skin infection that may lead to the formation of pimples, blackheads, whiteheads or even formation of cysts. Skin surface of human beings contains a number of invisible tiny pores called hair follicles. These hair follicles further comprise of sebaceous glands also known as oil glands. These oil glands further produce sebum which helps in keeping our hair and skin moist. Sometimes what happens is that the sebum that carries the dead skin cells along the follicle gets clogged in the skin pore leading to the blockage of the follicle’s passage. Blocking of the pathway leads to building up of excessive sebum in the follicle as the sebaceous gland continues to secrete sebum. Skin bacteria may also grow on the follicle, which makes the follicle surface look reddish and swollen. This is how acne develops which later makes you want to look for a treatment. 2017 Best Acne Treatments The 2017 best acne treatments are discussed in the detail below: Over-the-Counter Medications: This is a simple treatment that involves using soaps, gels, foams, creams, and lotions for getting rid of acne. Various companies have been providing various acne-fighting products to make your skin look clear and beautiful.

Shingles is a condition caused by a virus called the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same one responsible for chickenpox. In childhood, when a person is affected by this virus, it causes chickenpox. The immune system makes sure that the virus remains inert and hidden inside the body. It retreats to the two nerve cells near the spine. This virus becomes active again, in one-third of the total cases of chickenpox, and reaches the skin surface through a nerve and causes painful blisters and rashes. This virus attack is called herpes zoster, or shingles. Shingles is an extremely painful skin condition which causes blisters and rashes that cause sharp, unbearable pain, and crusty skin that might burst open. In most of the cases, this pain goes away on its own in few weeks. However, in 10 to 20 percent of the cases, the pain never ends and becomes a condition that lasts for months, weeks or for an entire lifetime. This pain is called Post Herpetic Neuralgia (PHN), which is a form of neuropathic pain that appears after an episode of shingles. The risk of developing this pain is around 50 percent in people above the age of 60. The symptoms of this condition vary from individual to individual.