Aadvanced Foot Care Associates ssssAAssAssociates Preventing Toenail Fungus It is estimated that between 15%- 25% of Americans suffer from onychomycosis- more commonly known as “toenail fungus”. The incidence of people infected with toenail fungus increases with age, with over 50% of people over the age of 50 affected. The symptoms of toenail fungus can vary, but are generally characterized by toenails that are discolored, thick and brittle. In some cases a pungent odor can be found. In more serious cases, the patient’s nails can become misshapen, and can infect the skin that surrounds them. Because of the thickness of the nails, many patients experience pain from their toenails when they wear closed shoes, which can be severe enough to interfere with walking or running. Once infected, fungal toenails can be treated in a variety of ways, depending upon the severity of the patient’s infection. Treatments include topical antifungal creams and polishes, oral antifungal agents and laser, which uses a safe, non-invasive gentle light to eradicate fungal nails. There are plenty of things you can do to prevent toenail fungus from becoming an issue in the first place. While the two easiest and most common methods are keeping your feet as dry as you can at all times and avoiding trauma to your nail beds, there are a number of other ways to prevent fungus as well: • Be sure your feet are washed and dry before putting on socks and shoes • Use antifungal products on a regular basis. Powders are especially easy to apply and should be used after showering to help absorb moisture • Make sure your shoes fit properly. Ill fitting shoes may not allow your feet enough space to “breathe”, causing moisture to accumulate that can wash away the skin’s protective barrier that resists fungal invasion of skin and nails. • Change socks and hosiery at least once per day • Avoid being barefoot in damp, public places like locker rooms, pools and public showering areas In addition to these preventative measures, there are also some home remedies that can help prevent nail fungus: • Vinegar- Soaking in a dilute vinegar solution (a capful of white vinegar in a quart of tepid water) can prevent the growth of fungus and some bacteria. • Tea Tree Oil – Soak cotton balls in tea tree oil and place them in your closed-toe shoes overnight to prevent growth of fungus. • Carrier Oils – Apricot or sunflower oil mixed with tea tree oil placed around and under the nail area can keep any fungus from sticking to the nails. Nail fungus is common but it can be prevented easily enough. Practicing good hygiene can be enough in most cases but these tips and preventative measures can be an extra measure in good foot health. JANUARY 2014 Treatments of Toenail Fungus Topical treatments Ointments, lotions, creams and even medicated nail polish might be prescribed for fungal toenail infections. These treatments are cost effective, but unfortunately studies show the success rate of treating fungal nail infections with is 8% or lower. They are still prescribed though, for those that can’t take oral medications due to liver or heart disease for instance. Oral medications: The problem with taking oral medications besides the side effects, is that they are only 40%-50% effective depending on the dosage and duration. Laser Therapy: A few years ago the FDA certified the use of lasers to treat toenail fungus. The treated nails are replaced by healthy, new nail growth near the cuticle. The main advantages? No side effects, no discomfort and 90% success rate! It is important to remember that patients who have fungal nails are susceptible to reoccurrences, and need to follow an easy post treatment protocol that helps keep their feet dry and clean. Using a shoe sterilizing device eliminates the most common type of reinfection, and is part of the standard post-treatment protocol. Time for a change? Consider these New Year’s Resolutions Aadvanced Foot Care Welcomes Babak Nouri, DPM To Our Practice Dr. Babak Nouri A new year is upon us again. Here are a few resolutions you might consider for 2014: Dr. Babak Nouri completed his undergraduate education at City University of New York, Queens College where he majored in Computer Science. He went on to attend the New York College of Podiatric Medicine graduating in 2008. He completed his residency • Set aside at least 15 minutes of quality time for yourself every day. training in podiatric medicine and surgery at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway, NY in 2010. During residency he served as Acting Chief Resident from • Exercise at least three times a week for 30 minutes at a time. 2009-2010. After his training, Dr. Nouri went on to join the Wound • Learn from your prior stressful experiences and improve your stressbeating skills. During his time at St Johns, Dr. Nouri was involved in countless limb salvage and limb • Establish a personal journal to record positive events, quotes, and experiences. as podiatric medicine and surgery. • Take time to listen to good music. management. He performs pro-bono surgeries for the less fortunate unable to obtain Care and Hyperbaric Oxygen Center at St Johns, as Chief Fellow. reconstructive procedures, to improve quality of life in complicated diabetic patients. He specializes in the management of lower extremity wounds, sports medicine, as well Dr. Nouri also travels to the Caribbean Islands several times a year, educating and teaching clinicians and other medical professionals on proper diabetic patient highly advanced diabetic foot and wound care. On his leisure time, Dr. Nouri loves • Read a good book, every month if possible. • Laugh more, and try to see the funny side of life. • Find a realistic balance between work and pleasure. • Celebrate every day. reading, traveling, and out boating and fishing. What’s going on in Queens & Long Island? Peter Max Exhibition –now until Feb. 23/2014 Nassau County Museum: One Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor, NY www.nassaumuseum.org This exhibition takes the first in-depth look at the original drawings of Pop artist Peter Max. Covering a wide range of subjects, these neverbefore-seen drawings result in one of the most recognizable and commercially successful artistic practices of our times. What’s your New Year’s Resolution? THANKS FOR THE KIND WORDS! For years I've had unsightly toenails due to fungus. I came to Dr. Hal Abrahamson for my fungal toenails and he told me about this laser treatment he does. After my first treatment and follow up, I found my feet look the way they haven't looked in years. – Rivka, Kew Gardens, NY THE NEW QUEENS MUSEUM & HALL OF SCIENCE Located in Flushing Meadow Corona Park, be sure to visit both museums. The Queens Museum which now houses the Queens Museum of Art is open after a full renovation. I drove past it recently and it looks great from the outside. Go to www.queensmuseum.org. They are open Wednesday thru Sunday 12-6. The Hall of Science is also located in the park. There are always new exhibits to see and touch as well as a new audio video presentation. Go to www.nycsci.org to find out more information about up to date happenings at the Hall of Science! Yours in Foot Care, Dr. Hal Tips for Keeping Your Feet Warm This Winter There is nothing worse than cold feet! Here are some tips to keep them toasty! Start by making sure your shoes aren't too tight. Tight boots and shoes can restrict circulation in your feet, which leads to cold toes/cold feet no matter how insulated your footwear is. Your hiking boots or shoes should hold your foot securely, but there are several cues that they're holding you too tight: Your toes rub against the front of the toebox, you don't have enough room to wiggle your toes or any part of your foot, or toes feel pinched or cramped. If you're experiencing any of those issues, odds are good that the fit of your footwear is at least part of the problem. Cramped toes can compress the nerves in the feet, causing them to tingle. Keep your socks dry. Wet socks mean cold feet, so do everything you can to keep them dry. Here are some tricks that should help: Wear wicking socks, which draw moisture away from your feet and dry quickly. Wool socks are great as they wick moisture away and keep your feet warm, even when wet. Avoid cotton socks. Cotton totally loses its insulating properties when wet Try layering your socks. You can layer your socks just as you layer the rest of your body. If you've got plenty of room in your shoes but your feet are still cold, that extra layer of warm socks may be all you need. Try a thin liner sock with a thicker insulating sock over it. About.com By Lisa Maloney Black Bean Soup INGREDIENTS: Makes 4 servings            You broke it, you bought it— really? The sign “You break it, you bought it” is ubiquitous, but is it enforceable? Can a store really force you to pay for merchandise you damage or destroy by accident? According to an article on the website Slate, the answer is yes—although many stores don’t actually enforce the rule. Posting a prominent sign creates a contract, lawyers say, and by entering a shop you implicitly agree to it. Even in the absence of a sign, shoppers can be sued for negligence if careless behavior results in a broken item (if you trip over a shoelace and destroy an expensive vase, as happened in one British museum in 2006). In practice, though, many stores simply write the object off as a cost of doing business (with a few stern looks at the customer, probably). In the case of a really expensive item, a lawsuit isn’t likely to recover the value of the item: The Slate article notes the case of a Picasso painting worth $120 million that a museum visitor accidentally tore a 6inch hole in. Though the museum could have sued, it opted not to, presumably because the average museumgoer doesn’t have that kind of pocket change. 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed 3 cups water 1/2 cup prepared salsa 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon lime juice 4 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream (optional) 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional) DIRECTIONS: *Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add beans, water, salsa and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in lime juice. *Transfer half the soup to a blender and puree (use caution when pureeing hot liquids). Stir the puree back into the saucepan. Serve garnished with sour cream and cilantro, if desired. Source: www.eatingwell.com “Ingrown nails on the right side, Captain, termites on the left.” Rego Park 97-07 63rd Road Rego Park, NY 11374 718-896-4433 Fax: 718-896-4747 Flushing 76-79 172 Street Corner Union Tpke Flushing, NY 11366 718-969-2266 Plainview 100 Manetto Hill Road Suite 103 Plainview, NY 11803 516-822-9595 VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.QUEENSNASSAUPODIATRY.COM A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER TO INFORM AND ENTERTAIN OUR PATIENTS JANUARY 2014 Weird Science Facts!      The very first computer mouse was actually made out of wood. An average microwave oven actually makes use of more electricity by having its digital clock kept on standby than by heating up food. Human beings share as much as half of our DNA with bananas. Our teeth play host to an average of ten thousand million bacteria per square centimeter – making the average toothbrush considerably dirtier than the average toilet seat. The height of the Eiffel Tower varies by up to as much as six inches depending on the temperature. We are super excited to be sending you a monthly newsletter, full of information and fun articles. We hope you enjoy it, while sipping a warm cup of cocoa. We also want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! We look forward to seeing you again soon! Dr. Hal Abrahamson IN THIS ISSUE YOU WILL FIND: *Preventing Toenail Fungus *Welcome Dr. Nouri *Tips for Keeping Your Feet Warm This Winter *Healthy Black Bean Soup Recipe *Events Going on in Queens and Long Island And more!!! FIND THE FOOT IN OUR NEWSLETTER AND WIN … A free jar of MOISTURIZING CREAM! TO ENTER: Contact us via our web site and tell us you found it. Put the word CONTEST in the subject line, and in the message tell us where you see it. COPYRIGHT 2013 CUSTOM NEWSLETTERS, INC The Weekend Exerciser As the winter nights draw near, there’s nothing more comforting than beating a path to your own front door at the end of a long, hard day to spend the evening snuggling by the fire in front of a favorite TV program. Wintertime is also simply the best time of year for indulging in all those glorious comfort foods. After all, who cares if you put on a few extra pounds? You can always go on a diet when spring comes around, right? Actually, your body doesn’t really care what time of year it is. It still needs a healthy diet and exercise to keep it in tip-top condition. Because the dark evenings and the cold aren’t exactly conducive to getting out there for a run, it is all the more important to make the most of the weekends to get some exercise or make use of your local gym. Although it’s quite common for people to want to slip into hibernation mode in winter, the lethargy that many experience can lead to much more harmful feelings of depression by the time January and February come around. With a little bit of effort to keep yourself active during the colder months, though, you can stay in top form both physically and mentally. 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