MONTH YEAR

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 re-

infection, and is part of the standard

post-treatment protocol.

Aadvanced Foot Care Associates

ssssAAssAssociates

Aadvanced Foot Care Welcomes Babak Nouri, DPM

To Our Practice

Dr. Babak Nouri 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

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

2009-2010. After his training, Dr. Nouri went on to join the Wound

Care and Hyperbaric Oxygen Center at St Johns, as Chief Fellow.

During his time at St Johns, Dr. Nouri was involved in countless limb salvageand limb

reconstructive procedures, to improve quality of life in complicated diabetic patients. He

specializes in the management of lower extremity wounds, sports medicine, as well

as podiatric medicine and surgery.

Dr. Nouri also travels to the Caribbean Islands several times a year, educating and

teaching clinicians and other medical professionals on proper diabetic patient

management. He performs pro-bono surgeries for the less fortunate unable to obtain

highly advanced diabetic foot and wound care. On his leisure time, Dr. Nouri loves

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 never-

before-seen drawings result in one of the most recognizable and

commercially successful artistic practices of our times.

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

Learning Matters…a

Time for a change? Consider these New Year’s

Resolutions

A new year is upon us again. Here are

a few resolutions you might consider

for 2014:

• Set aside at least 15 minutes of

quality time for yourself every day.

• Exercise at least three times a week

for 30 minutes at a time.

• Learn from your prior stressful

experiences and improve your stress-

beating skills.

• Establish a personal journal to

record positive events, quotes, and

experiences.

• Take time to listen to good music.

• 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.

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

Financially

Speaking…

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 circula-

tion 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

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

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 6-

inch 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.

“Ingrown nails on the right side, Captain,

termites on the left.”

Rego Park Flushing Plainview 97-07 63rd Road 76-79 172 Street 100 Manetto Hill Road Rego Park, NY 11374 Corner Union Tpke Suite 103 718-896-4433 Flushing, NY 11366 Plainview, NY 11803 Fax: 718-896-4747 718-969-2266 516-822-9595

VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.QUEENSNASSAUPODIATRY.COM

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.

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.

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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A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER TO INFORM AND ENTERTAIN OUR PATIENTS JANUARY 2014