Skin disorders vary greatly in symptoms and severity. They can be temporary or permanent, and may be painless or painful. Some have situational causes, while others may be genetic. Some skin conditions are minor, and others can be life-threatening. This afternoon we look at some of the more common adult skin disorders

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When we think of weight loss, we often think about what we eat. The questions we ask ourselves tend to revolve around how much fat, protein and carbs to eat, or whether beets help take off the pounds. Diets touted in the media as optimal for weight loss abound, yet we remain a nation with an obesity problem. What we tend to ignore, when we think of weight loss, is how we are approaching and managing the process of change. As important as it is to focus on what you eat to lose weight and keep it off, it is equally crucial to consider physical activity and maintaining lifestyle changes over time.

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Experts usually draw the line between a merely messy lifestyle and hoarding “when it comes to the person’s ability to function,” Tolin says. “Lots of people may acquire things they don’t need, but if it’s not the sort of thing that causes an inability to function adequately, we don’t call it hoarding. If they’re no longer able to cook meals in their own home, if they can’t live safely in their own home, if they’re a threat to others, that’s where we’d say it crosses the line.”

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Your fingernails — composed of laminated layers of a protein called keratin — grow from the area at the base of the nail under your cuticle. Healthy fingernails are smooth, without pits or grooves. They're uniform in color and consistency and free of spots or discoloration. Sometimes fingernails develop harmless vertical ridges that run from the cuticle to the tip of the nail. Vertical ridges tend to become more prominent with age. Fingernails can also develop white lines or spots due to injury, but these eventually grow out with the nail.

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Itchy skin is an uncomfortable, irritating sensation that makes you want to scratch. Also known as pruritus (proo-RIE-tus), itchy skin may be the result of a rash or another condition, such as psoriasis or dermatitis. Or itchy skin may be a symptom of a disease, such as liver disease or kidney failure. Depending on the cause of your itchy skin, it may appear normal. Or it may be red or rough or have bumps or blisters. Long-term relief requires identifying and treating the cause of itchy skin. Itchy skin treatments include medications, wet dressings and light therapy. Self-care measures, including using anti-itch products and taking cool baths, also can help.

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In the first experimental study to find evidence that smartphone interruptions can increase levels of inattention and hyperactivity -- both symptoms of ADHD -- the University of Virginia carried out a two-week experimental study of 221 students at the University of British Columbia with a team of researchers from the University. However lead author of the study, Kostadin Kushlev, did stress that ADHD is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder, and is not simply a result of using a smartphone, adding, "The findings simply suggest that our constant digital stimulation may be contributing to an increasingly problematic deficit of attention in modern society."

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Sleep apnea (AP-ne-ah) is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. Breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. They may occur 30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound. Sleep apnea usually is a chronic (ongoing) condition that disrupts your sleep. When your breathing pauses or becomes shallow, you’ll often move out of deep sleep and into light sleep. As a result, the quality of your sleep is poor, which makes you tired during the day. Sleep apnea is a leading cause of excessive daytime sleepiness.

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There is a commonly held view that eating disorders are a lifestyle choice. Eating disorders are actually serious and often fatal illnesses that cause severe disturbances to a person’s eating behaviors. Obsessions with food, body weight, and shape may also signal an eating disorder. Common eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.

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Asthma is a chronic disease involving the airways in the lungs. These airways, or bronchial tubes, allow air to come in and out of the lungs. If you have asthma your airways are always inflamed. They become even more swollen and the muscles around the airways can tighten when something triggers your symptoms. This makes it difficult for air to move in and out of the lungs, causing symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and/or chest tightness. For many asthma sufferers, timing of these symptoms is closely related to physical activity. And, some otherwise healthy people can develop asthma symptoms only when exercising.

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Latest research shows that women with sleep problems have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The 10-year study by Harvard University in the US focused on 133 353 women with sleep problems such as difficulties falling or staying asleep and sleep apnoea. The study group included women shift workers and concluded that at least 45% of all these women stood a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes compared to others.   SA Nutritional Consultant, Vanessa Ascencao says sleep is as important as eating and breathing and sleep deprivation can have a detrimental impact on mental and physical health

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