5 Tips to Get Rid of and Prevent Toenail Fungus

I wanted to share some of my tips that will help you have beautiful healthy toenails.  These are very simple tips and tricks that do not require much time or energy.

The first thing you can try is soaking your feet in Listerine. I read this many years ago and use this method from time to time when I want to have my own spa day.

Another method to try is by rubbing Vick's Vapor Rub (or similar product) on your toenails and around the cuticles. 

Yellow nails?  Try staying away from nail polish for a while.  I often have this problem with my fingernails which is why I rarely wear polish them.  In fact I never wear it simply because when I would remove the polish my nails would have a yellowish tint to them.  This may not be everyone and the only reason for yellow tone  but it's worth trying.

Wear white socks.  If you don't wear white socks you may be at risk for fungus buildup do the moisture from your feet.  White cotton socks are best at soaking up moisture as you sweat inside your shoes.

WASH your socks.  You think this is funny huh?  Haha, well it's no stinking laughing matter.  LOL  Do not wear your socks more than one time before washing.  The moisture and sweat from the sock is enough to transport from your sock to your feet and toenails and back again from your feet/toenails back to your socks.

Do not wear tennis shoes without socks.  This also has to do with moisture building up in the shoe.  The strong smells that tend to come from some peoples shoes is from fungus which just jumps back and forth.  So always wear socks with tennis shoes.

Keep your feet covered around the house.  Outside is not so much of a problem, but in doors with carpets and rugs, they can be a breeding ground for fungi; especially the carpet.  Extremely dirty carpets with alot of dirt buildup may cause toenail fungus. 

How's your shower floor and mat?  I am overly biased when it comes to clean showers and bathrooms.  People do not realize how much mold and fungi are transmitted from the bathtub/shower/tile to your toenails.  Mold growth is typically found in the grout between tiles, around the drain, around the faucets, and in the cracks where the caulk is (check for cracks in the caulk). Mold growth in showers and bathtubs are treatable.   Bleach kills the mold spores, but beware unless the area where moisture leads to mold is not professionally treated it is possible for it to return.

As always the items such as Listerine and vapor rub have not been approved by scientists or doctors.  This is from my personal experience I have had no known problems with these products.  If problems persists or are in extreme conditions please contact your physician or a medical professional.

A Natural Hair Interlude: What 'class' is your hair in?

If you didn't know by now, it appears 'they' (whomever they may be) have transformed hair classifications from the weave and extension packages to our own hair.  I  have never been a fan of the hair class or "caste" system I like to call it.  I call it a caste system because all it does is divide hair into groups according to their fineness or coarseness in texture.  As if we need anything else to further divide us.

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I believe people truly have a misunderstanding regarding natural hair care and all that it requires.  One thing in particular it DOES NOT require is you to group your hair in a classification in order to care for it.  ALL natural hair responds to products and maintenance differently.  And one of the main reasons it does is because of hormones, genetics and most importantly your diet.  Any two women with similar hair types can have a different effect from products, styling and maintenance.  Notice I wrote similar not the same.  We can share similar hair types but it is definitely not the same.  And this is Biology basics.  No two people share the same DNA and hair is essentially DNA.

Some hair products off the shelves do cater to certain hair types.  They may say loose/fine/wavy or coarse and thick.  Which I believe is completely different than constantly talking about hair "types."

Science is just one of the reasons I believe classifying ethnic hair is ridiculous.  But grouping them into a system that actually separates the fine/wavy textures from the more kinky/coiled texture is so yesterday.  I can't believe it's almost 2012 and people are still falling these types of gimmicks.  We might as well go back to classifying our people, light, fair-skinned, medium brown, dark-brown etc etc. 

It's a given that our hair textures vary, but we don't need a hair classification system to know that.
We have to dispel this myth; your GROWTH, regimen and maintenance HAS NO bearing on your hair type.  And to be real truthful, most ethnic hair is made up different texture all over the head.

At Charlottes Avenue you can find an abundance of useful information from chic styles to transitioning and maintenance.   Ms. Charlotte is very talented and all around creative with her hands please check out Charlottes Avenue Blog to get in the know about natural hair now, from time there will be givaways, reviews, products and information galore.

Tips to Preventing Flabby Skin

Flabby or what some might call hanging skin can be a huge problem with weight loss.  It is common in the areas of arms, chest and especially the stomach.  Having children can sometimes bring on these stubborn issues.

I'm here to tell you that there are ways to prevent, decrease, diminish and possibly permanently get rid of flabby skin. 

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There a few things that we must clear up first.  Hanging and excess skin from extreme weight loss has to surgically be altered.  For someone who carried around alot of weight for many years may be at risk for hanging skin.   Although this may not be everyone, there are factors involved to where it may not affect the person at all.  Things such as how quickly you put on and lost the weight, how long you carried the weight, genetics and how familiar/accustomed your body is to diet and exercise.   Of course our age plays a huge role as well.  The older we get the more our skin loses elasticity and collagen.

The number one way to help with saggy skin is to exercise and build muscle.  Dieting alone can leave you looking flabby and disproportionate.  Building muscle will get you a more toned appearance and shape your body.   Core workouts are great for altering how shapely your stomach is.  By not building muscle your stomach can make it look like you still have fat to lose and gushy.   Strength training and calisthenics are a great way to build muscle.  It doesn't require an elaborate gym membership and heavy weights.  Your body weight is enough resistance for you to build muscle tone. 
*I'll get to those details soon.

Another reason why people experience flabby skin is because they are not eating enough.  After your body has used fat for energy it starts to eat away at the muscle fibers for energy, thus leaving you with little to no muscle tone.

Eating protein also helps build the muscle fibers.  In fact protein are the major building blocks of muscle.  Eating all the healthy food in the world excluding protein will not help you build muscle.  As women we need at least 46 grams of protein daily.  You will be able to find protein in your lean meats such as fish and turkey and many vegetables such as beans and peas are among the top healthy foods with protein.

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More questions fill free to email me.  All the information presented it soley my views experience and education.  Please consult with your doctor or a professional on your personal needs.

What Will You Give Up...Permanently

I don't see the problem with moderation, however I don't think everything should be in moderation.  It's such a vague statement to those whom are unfamiliar to what that really means. 

It is clear that certain things in your diet have to be lessened and there are other things that need to completely wiped out if possible.  I was pretty much on the happy side as long I could sporadically drink soda.  I then began to think I'm still doing myself a disservice.  Soda is bad for your kidneys, your bones, your teeth, the caffeine, acid and the dark syrup.  Not to mention the empty calories.  I'm just giving myself a no tolerance mindset. 

I urge you to find out what is that keeps you from being your best you.  For some it's coffee, others it may be candy.  No matter what is, it there are unhealthy effects to it whether you consume it some of the time or often, if you can; permanently eliminate it from your diet.

Eg: After all you've never heard of smoking cigarettes in moderation have you?

The 15 lb Challenge..

I joined a community of health conscious people.  I joined 2 challenges.  The first one being to lose 15 lbs by Christmas which is very doable.  The second challenge is to lose 20lbs by January which is also an obtainable goal.  In fact, with alot of cardio I shouldn't have any problems.  As stated before I purposely wanted to kick things off before and during the holidays.  If I do not start now it would cost me at least another 10 lbs that I am not trying to lose in addition to what I am now.

My starting weight is 178..*gulp* : D  How's that for honesty?  I am currently at a size 10, a very snug 10 I might add.  Haha.  My goal is eventually 135 and to maintain it.  That would put me at about a size 4,5 or 6 in which I would be very happy and pleased with.  This time last year I was 160  and earlier this year I was at a steady 166-169.  It wasn't so much I overate during the holidays but I did not exercise. 

I will post pics of the progress and keep everything updated.

SW-178
GW-135

What's in Your Kitchen Cabinet? 3 Must Haves.

I just wanted to share few of the food items that we keep stocked in the kitchen that we use for health, fitness and/or wellness reasons.

Green Tea -  We almost always have Green Tea bags on hand.  Green Tea can be used for a variety of reasons; weight loss, anti-oxidant, immune system booster, fights cardiovascular diseases, arthritis and most of all has been proven to eliminate cancer cells.  So it looks like we are doing a good thing here.

If you are just drinking it for the first time it will have a very strong taste to it.  Don't fret over time you will get used to it and it can be sweetened with honey.  Currently we buy the plain Green Tea; decaffeinated.
 
Pure Honey - Honey has so many uses and benefits the list is too long to name them all.  The main thing we use honey for is to sweeten things such as when we drink warm Green Tea.  I also put it in my corn bread or when I bake certain pastries.  I put it in my sons oatmeal as well instead of table sugar.  It has been said that Honey aids in weight loss.  We also know that it helps with a sore throat and congestion.  Warm Geen Tea and Honey is great when one of us is ill; which is another time we use this great combination.  It's used as an energy booster and recently I used Honey in conjunction with brown sugar for a face scrub.  My skin was smooth and even had a bronze glow.  *Thumbs Up*

Lemon Juice or Lemons - Pure lemons are better but we always at least keep lemon juice on hand.  I almost always use it as an ingredient when baking fish.  It is good for breaking up mucus from a cold and I periodically rub it on my skin to help prevent and get rid of blemishes.  It can be very drying to the skin therefore I would advise using a facial or skin moisture after you use it on your skin.  It can also burn if you have sensitive skin.  Lemon is good for the break down of bacteria in your mouth which can cause bad breath.  It also aids in fat burning and metabolic booster.

Of course these are not the only products in the food market that are good for health and wellness however these are the ones I can't live without and cover a large territory.  They are all especially good for weight loss/reduction, your heart and keeping your immune system in superior standing which is the culprit of many things.

Soon I'll get into other items such as Vinegar, Olive Oil, Cinnamon and many more.

20 Years From...

How will I look?  Well if that thought isn't inspiration... I don't know what is. 


I have to admit this thought came about after seeing some 80's women singers who are now in their 50's.  I thought wow now alot of women want to be head turners but what about when you hit the 50 mark.  In the back of my mind I wonder if I'll still get "The Look"  who doesn't, at one point or another.

Halle Berry 45

                                                      
It's not all about being thin and looking good, but there's some sort of stigma attatched to term "aging" which is why I gather that people now say "aging gracefully."  As a Black woman I'd be lying if I said that it doesn't inspire and motivate me when I see older Black women who literally look like they haven't aged at all.  I know many things affect how your body ages. The main thing being genetics but anything can alter genetics for the better or worse.  How have you lived?  Did you consume large amounts of alcohol which is damaging to the skin?  Were you a heavy drug user and did lots of partying?  Even stress and depression is enough to do damage to your appearance.  

Robin Givens 46

I get a little concerned about some of these things sometimes, even to the extent of being paranoid about what's to come.  There are many things I try to avoid to slow up the process.  As I stated it's not that I need to be extra super fin skinnye at 50 but it says alot about you and how you have viewed and treated your body over the years.

Vivica Fox 47

And seeing my older peers who have taken care of themselves intrigues me a bit.  It also might possess the kind of life you have lived and what you have been through.  I've been through many things but sheesh I don't want to look like train wreck after the trials and tribulations have passed. 

Vanessa Williams 48

Michelle Obama 47

About a year ago I was mistaken to be alot younger than what I was.  My client couldn't believe I had a 10year old  (whom was 10 at the time) daughter.  Hopefully in 20 years I'll be mistaken for a 30 year old : ).


I'd like to also add that I can definitely see God's Love Grace and Mercy around some of these women I have spoken about.  It's amazing what God's covering can do.  If this is something new for you to hear then, He truly keeps his people.

Angela Bassett 53

Kimberly Elise 44

Until Next Time, Take Care......LITERALLY :D

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me,  do: and the God of peach shall be with you.  Philippians 4:9