Selenium Benefits for Skin

Small amount of the mineral selenium helps maintain the overall health of an individual. Therefore selenium is enlisted under the group 'trace minerals'. With the help of selenium, human body synthesizes selenoproteins which play the role of antioxidant enzymes and help cancel the effects of free radicals on cells. They strengthen the immune system and help prevent various diseases including heart diseases and cancer. The following section describes selenium benefits for skin.

Selenium Function

Selenium is an important element of soil. Vegetables grown in selenium rich soil offer sufficient selenium. Various meats and seafood are also excellent sources of selenium. As explained above, selenium exhibits antioxidant properties and prevents cellular damage. In the absence of antioxidants like selenium, free radicals generated during oxygen metabolism can create havoc in the body. Selenium stimulates glutathione, another antioxidant in the body.

Nail and Skin Yeast Infections - Causes,Symptoms,Treatment and Prevention

Candida yeast can infect the skin as much as any other area of the body. Skin yeast infections are much more rare because skin is usually open to air and not chronically moist. However, given the right conditions, skin yeast infections will grow and spread. A skin yeast infection can happen for a number of reasons anywhere on the skin from nailbeds to toenails to chins to backs. All it takes are the right conditions.

Causes

Skin yeast infections are caused by conditions that allow Candida yeasts to flourish. Skin yeast infections are not nearly as common as genital and oral yeast infections because Candida thrives in moist, neutral to slightly acidic environments with plenty of sugars and starches to feed on. External skin doesn't often meet these requirements, but under certain circumstances this can change. Anything from a chronic thumbsucker to an athlete who doesn't change his socks often enough can create moist, food rich conditions ripe for a skin yeast infection to grow. Considering that the yeast is everywhere in our natural environment, that's all it really takes. The normal, everyday conditions that can contribute to a skin yeast infection are vast.Anytime a place on the body is chronically moist, Candida has an opening. People who are obese may have skin folds that don't get air very often and collect perspiration, thus causing / providing a perfect opening for a skin yeast infection to get in.