GUIDE TO FUNGAL NAIL INFECTION

A fungal nail infection occurs when a fungus attacks a fingernail, a toenail, or the skin under the nail, called the nail bed. Fungi (plural of fungus) can attack your nails through small cuts in the skin around your nail or through the opening between your nail and nail bed.

If you are healthy, a fungal nail infection probably won't cause serious problems. But it may look bad, hurt, or damage your nail or nail bed.

A fungal nail infection could lead to more serious problems if you have diabetes or a weak immune system. Talk to your doctor about the best way to treat a nail infection if you have one of these problems.

Yeasts, molds, and different kinds of fungi can cause fungal nail infections. Most are caused by the same type of fungus that causes athlete's foot.

Fungi grow best in warm, moist places, and they can spread from person to person. You can get a fungal nail infection from walking barefoot in public showers or pools or by sharing personal items, such as towels and nail clippers. If you have athlete's foot, the fungus can spread from your skin to your nails.

A nail with a fungal infection may:Turn yellow or white and Get thicker.

·         Crumble and split, and it may separate from the skin.

When you have a fungal nail infection, it can be uncomfortable or even painful to wear shoes, walk, or stand for a long time. The fungus could also spread to other nails or your skin. Over time, the infection can cause permanent damage to your nail or nail bed.

Your doctor will diagnose a fungal nail infection by looking at the nail, asking about your symptoms and past health, and possibly doing tests to look for fungi.

Whether to treat a fungal nail infection is up to you. If it isn't treated, it won't go away. It might get worse.

If you decide to treat a fungal nail infection, you can try a nonprescription antifungal medicine that comes in a cream, lotion, or nail polish. Your doctor can also prescribe a stronger medicine. You may need to use this medicine for a few weeks or for as long as a year. Even so, it may not get rid of the infection.

Anti-fungal pills give the best chance of curing a severe fungal nail infection. But they may cost a lot and have serious side effects. You will need to see your doctor for regular testing if you take these pills.

Fungal nail infections often come back after treatment. It is important to take steps to prevent this.

·         Before bed, wash and dry your feet carefully.

·      Wear sandals or roomy shoes made of materials that allow moisture to escape. Let shoes dry for 24 hours before you wear them again.

·         Wear socks. Change them if your feet get sweaty.

·         Do not share nail files or clippers, socks, towels, or other personal items.

·         Wear flip-flops or shower sandals in wet public areas, such as locker rooms or showers.

Learning about fungalnail  infection:	·            What is a fungal nail infection? ·         What causes it? ·         Can I prevent a fungal nail infection? ·         What are the symptoms? ·         What happens in a fungal nail infection? ·         What increases my risk for getting a fungal infection?
Being  diagnosed:	·         Who can diagnose a fungal nail infection? ·         How is it diagnosed?
Getting  treatment:	·         How is a fungal nail infection treated? ·         What medicines will I need to take? ·         Will I need surgery? ·         What other treatments might be recommended? ·         Should I take oral antifungal pills to treat a fungal nail infection?
Living with a  fungal  nail infection:	·         How can I manage a fungal nail infection at home? ·         When should I call my doctor? Article by WEBMD.COM

LOW CHOLESTEROL FOOD LIST

Healthy eating starts with having the right heart-healthy foods in your kitchen. They help lower cholesterol and keep your blood pressure in check. If you aren't sure which foods to buy, print this list to take to the supermarket.

Refrigerator Essentials

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: Loaded with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, fruits and veggies also have fiber, which lowers cholesterol and improves heart health. Pull them out first when you want something to eat. Remember, you need 5 cups of fruits and vegetables a day.

·         Apples

·         Berries

·         Bell peppers

·         Broccoli

·         Cauliflower

·         Celery

·         Dark leafy greens

·         Eggplant

·         Grapes

·         Kale

·         Oranges

·         Pears

·         Squash

·         Tomatoes

·         Zucchini

Dairy and Dairy Alternatives: Dairy is a great source of calcium. Just skip the cream, and choose low-fat or nonfat options.

·         Buttermilk, low-fat or nonfat

·         Cheese, nonfat or reduced-fat

·         Cottage cheese or ricotta cheese, nonfat or 1%

·         Cream cheese, nonfat or light

·         Creamers, nonfat

·         Milk, skim or 1%

·         Sour cream, nonfat

·         Yogurt, nonfat or 1%

Soy milk, almond milk, and other non-dairy products may also be options. Check to see if they're fortified with calcium and other nutrients. When shopping for these drinks, choose the unsweetened products to avoid added sugar.

Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Meat Substitutes: The American Heart Association suggests two servings of fish a week. Eat more heart-healthy tofu and other soy protein, too. Limit fatty cuts of meat.

·         Beef, lean cuts and lean ground round or sirloin

·         Chicken or turkey breasts and tenders, skinless, boneless

·         Chicken or turkey, ground

·         Fish, high in omega-3s, such as herring, mackerel, salmon, trout, tuna

·         Pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat

·         Seitan

·         Tempeh

·         Tofu

Frozen Foods: When your favorite fruits and veggies are out of season, choose frozen ones for nutritious desserts, side dishes, and snacks.

·         Fruits without added sugar (for example, frozen blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries)

·         Soybeans (edamame)

·         Vegetables and vegetable blends without added sauce, gravy, or sodium

Pantry Essentials

Beans, Grains, Soups, and Sauces: Beans and whole grains offer fiber to help lower your cholesterol.

·         Barley

·         Beans, canned, reduced-sodium: assorted cans of beans such as black, garbanzo, kidney, navy, and pinto

·         Beans, dried: Choose your favorite beans.

·         Broth, reduced-sodium chicken, beef, or vegetable

·         Cereals, whole-grain (Note: Choose cereals that have 5 or more grams of dietary fiber and fewer than 8 grams of sugar per serving.)

·         Cornmeal

·         Flaxseed, ground or whole

·         Flour, whole wheat

·         Grains such as wheat berries, couscous, polenta, millet, bulgur, and quinoa

·         Oat bran

·         Oats, rolled, steel-cut, or Irish

·         Pasta sauce, low-fat or fat-free

·    Pasta, whole wheat, spelt, or kamut (Note: These whole-grain pastas come in bowtie, fettuccini, lasagna, spaghetti, fusilli, spiral, elbow macaroni, and ravioli varieties.)

·         Rice: brown, wild, and brown basmati

·         Soups, low-sodium, and 98% fat-free cream of mushroom

·         Soy flour

·         Tomato paste

·         Tomatoes, whole or diced, reduced-sodium

·         Vegetarian or nonfat refried beans   Article by WEBMD....VISIT THEIR SITE FOR MORE

KEEPING AREAS CLEAN/HYGIENE

Person-to-person spread, especially by soiled hands, is the major way infectious diseases spread. Although household surfaces play a minor role, regular cleaning is still important to maintain a healthy environment.

Cleaning with detergent and warm water is all that is usually necessary to maintain a clean and healthy environment. Unnecessary use of disinfectants encourages the development of bacteria that are harder to kill.

Hygiene in the garden

Sandpits

Sandpits can become contaminated with animal feces and urine. Sandpits need to be properly constructed with adequate drainage. The sand should be raked often, and when not in use the area should be covered (for example, with a tarpaulin or shade cloth).

Gardening

Many gardening activities bring the gardener into contact with organisms that can cause illness.

Gardeners should wear gloves during gardening and always wash their hands (with soap and running water) before eating, drinking or smoking.

Hygiene in kitchen

Kitchen hygiene is important to prevent food poisoning.

All surfaces in the kitchen such as bench tops, stoves, sinks, walls, inside cupboards and items such as crockery and cutlery need to be kept clean. Leaving leftovers and spills to become dry will make them much harder to remove.

To effectively clean a surface in the kitchen you need to remove all visible soiling using detergent and warm water. This is usually all that is necessary.

Disinfectants

Surface disinfectants are usually not necessary and only work well on a surface that has already been cleaned.

If disinfectants are used it is important to:

- follow the manufacturer’s instructions on its use; this includes how much water to add to it, what water temperature to use, and how long the object needs to be in contact with the disinfectant.

- diluted disinfectants deteriorate on standing. All diluted disinfectant should be used immediately after preparation

- wear gloves when using chemical disinfectants as disinfectants are a common cause of dermatitis.

- empty buckets after use, wash with detergent and warm water and store dry

mops should be cleaned in detergent and warm water and stored dry.

Household sponges

Cleaning sponges should be changed frequently or disinfected regularly

separate sponges should be used for cleaning dishes and cleaning floors

floor spills should not be cleaned up with the dish sponge

mop floor spills with a single-use paper towel that can be thrown away.

Dishes

Dishes should be washed in warm-to-hot soapy water and rinsed in warm-to-hot water. Always ensure water temperatures can be comfortably tolerated to avoid scalding. This is especially important for children and the elderly.

It is best to leave dishes to air dry. If you do this, do not place a tea towel over them as this will only spread bacteria from the tea towel onto the clean dishes. Change your tea towel when it becomes dirty or wet.

Chopping boards and utensils

Separate chopping boards should be used for raw meats and ready-to-eat foods. If this cannot be done, the chopping board used for meat should be washed in warm-to-hot soapy water and rinsed before being re-used. The same applies to utensils, knives, benches and plates. Chopping boards can be disinfected by washing in warm-to-hot soapy water and then rinsing with diluted bleach, or washed in a dishwasher using the highest heat setting.

Clean inside fridges and cupboards regularly. Crumbs in cupboards can attract pests. Dirty fridges can carry bacteria and moulds.

LONG-TERM ASPIRIN USE REDUCES RISK OF CANCER

Past research has linked long-term aspirin use to adverse side effects, such as internal bleeding. But according to a new study, the benefits of longstanding aspirin therapy outweigh such risks; it can significantly reduce the risk of major cancers of the digestive tract, including stomach, bowel and esophageal cancers.

Researchers estimate that daily aspirin use for 5-10 years could provide a 9% reduction in the number of cancers, strokesand heart attacks in men, and a 7% reduction in women.

The research team, led by Prof. Jack Cuzick, head of the Centre for Cancer Prevention at the Queen Mary University of London in the UK, recently published their findings in the journal Annals of Oncology.

Aspirin, also known as acetlylsalicylic acid (ASA), is a salicylate drug commonly used to reduce minor aches and pains, inflammation and fever. In long-term low doses, the drug is also used as an antiplatelet for patients at high risk of heart attack and stroke.

There has been much debate surrounding the benefits of long-term aspirin therapy. Previous studies have suggested it can reduce risk of ovarian cancer and improve colon cancer survival, while others claim it can cause harm, with one study suggesting it increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration.

In this latest research, Prof. Cuzick and his team set out to determine whether the health benefits of continued aspirin use outweigh the risks.

Taking daily aspirin 'important for reducing cancer risk'

To reach their findings, the team conducted an analysis of all available evidence from an array of studies looking at the beneficial and harmful effects of aspirin use.

The researchers estimated that if individuals aged 50-65 took a daily 75-100 mg dose of aspirin for 5-10 years, the number of bowel cancer cases could be reduced by 35% and deaths by 40%, while rates of stomach and esophageal cancers could be cut by 30% and deaths by 35-50%.

Overall, they estimate that daily aspirin use for 5-10 years could provide a 9% reduction in the number of cancers, strokes and heart attacks in men, and a 7% reduction in women. Over a 20-year period, they estimate the number of deaths from all causes could be reduced by 4%. No benefits were found until individuals used aspirin for a minimum of 3 years.

But the researchers note that continued aspirin use does increase the risk of bleeding in the digestive tract. They found that individuals aged 60 who took aspirin daily for 10 years increased their risk of gastrointestinal bleeding by 1.4%, from 2.2% to 3.6%. However, they note that this is only likely to be life-threatening in around 5% of people.

"The risk of bleeding depends on a number of known factors which people need to be aware of before starting regular aspirin, and it would be advisable to consult with a doctor before embarking on daily medication," notes Prof. Cuzick.

In addition, they found that continuing aspirin use increased the risk of peptic ulcer by 30-60%.

But despite these side effects, Prof. Cuzick believes that long-term aspirin therapy could be vital to cancer prevention:

"It has long been known that aspirin - one of the cheapest and most common drugs on the market - can protect against certain types of cancer. But until our study, where we analyzed all the available evidence, it was unclear whether the pros of taking aspirin outweighed the cons.

Whilst there are some serious side effects that can't be ignored, taking aspirin daily looks to be the most important thing we can do to reduce cancer after stopping smoking and reducing obesity, and will probably be much easier to implement."

The team notes that further research is warranted to better pinpoint those who are most likely to benefit from long-term aspirin use and who is at highest risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.

Earlier this year, Medical News Today reported on a consumer update from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), stating that while daily low-dose aspirin use can prevent heart attack or stroke for those who have already had one, there is insufficient evidence to support its use for prevention of first-time heart attack or stroke.

Written by Honor Whiteman visit their website for more http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/280585.php