Treating Fungal Nail Infection

You may not need any treatment if your fungal nail infection is mild. However, if you do not treat the infection, there is a chance it will spread to other nails.

Serious fungal nail infections need to be treated. The main treatments are:

• Anti fungal tablets

• Anti fungal nail paints

Your pharmacist or GP will advise you whether you need treatment, and if so, which type you need.

Anti Fungal Tablets

Taking anti fungal medication in the form of tablets means that the treatment reaches your nail via your bloodstream.

The two medicines most commonly prescribed for fungal nail infection are terbinafine and itraconazole.

These can be very effective in the treatment of fungal infections. However, you may have to take the tablets for several months to ensure that the infection has completely gone. Stopping the medication too early can mean that the infection comes back.

An advantage of the anti fungal tablets is that they will clear any associated fungal skin infections, such as athlete's foot, at the same time.

However, some people prefer not to treat the infection with medication as side effects can sometimes include:

• headache
• itching
• loss of sense of taste
• nausea
• diarrhoea

Anti fungal nail paint

If you prefer not to take anti fungal tablets, your GP may suggest you try anti fungal nail paint instead.

Nail paint is not considered as effective as the tablets because it has to be painted onto the infected nail and work its way through to the infection. It can be difficult to reach all of the infection.

A fingernail can need around six months of treatment, and a toenail up to twelve months.

Foot care during your treatment

During your treatment, you should start to see a new healthy nail begin to grow from the base of the nail bed  This is a sign that the treatment is working. The old infected nail should begin to grow out and can be clipped away over a few months.

Speak to your GP if you do not begin to see a new nail growing after taking your treatment for two to three weeks. Keep using the treatment until your GP says it is ok to stop. If you stop the treatment too early, the infection could return.

Foot care tips

During and after your treatment, there are a few steps you can take to help keep the infection at bay, listed below.

• Keep your feet cool and dry and wear shoes and socks that allow your feet  to breathe. Wear clean cotton socks and avoid wearing trainers.
• Treat athlete's foot with anti fungal medicine as soon as possible to avoid spreading the infection to your nails.
• Clip your nails to keep them short.
• Use a separate pair of clippers or scissors to cut the infected nail, to avoid spreading the infection to other nails.
• Wear well-fitting shoes, without high heels or narrow toes.
• Maintain good foot hygiene.
• Wear clean shower shoes when using a communal shower.
• Consider seeking treatment from a podiatrist if thickened toenails cause discomfort when walking.
• Consider replacing old footwear, as this could be contaminated with fungal spores.

Article Source: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Fungal-nail-infection/Pages/Treatment.aspx

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How to Care for Your Feet and Toenails

Your feet are two of the most abused often used parts of the body, what with all the walking and running that you do everyday. This being said, you should make sure to give your feet the attention and care they deserve every so often. Taking good care of your feet will prevent you from getting foot conditions such as Athlete's foot or other fungal infections. No matter what the season is, it is always important to keep your feet and toenails in tip-top condition. During the hotter months, for example, your feet are constantly visible due to footwear choices such as sandals and slippers, so it would be a good idea to keep them looking fabulous and presentable. But even during the winter months when you feet are bundled up in socks and boots, it would still be advisable to take extra measures in keeping your feet well-cared for. Some of these feet and toenail care tips are applicable not only to women, but to men as well. Don't overlook the advantages of having nice-looking and cared-for feet

Here are some useful steps in taking care of your feet and toenails, which will get you to putting your best feet forward -- literally -- in no time.

STEPS

1) Make sure to wash your feet daily. With all the running about from place to place that most people do everyday, the feet would have been exposed to a lot of dust and dirt by the end of the day. If you take showers in the morning and not at night, at least make feet-washing a part of your nightly routine when you get home. Lather up with soap, and pay extra attention to the spaces in between the toes. Wipe the feet gently with a towel afterward. Aside from being a mark of good hygiene, doing this would also ensure that you do not step onto your bed with dirty feet, and thus prevent from bringing dirt to your place of rest and relaxation.

2) Give your feet a pedicure every two weeks. Painting them does not necessarily have to be part of every pedicure routine, but regular pedicures really make a difference in keeping your feet soft and free from dry and rough skin, and your toenails clean and neat. You don't need to spend a lot of cash to have your pedicure professionally done in a salon, and with a few tools, you can do your own pedicure right in the comforts of your own home. Here's how to do one:

• Soak your feet for about 5-10 minutes in a large bowl with lukewarm water. As an added treat, you may also wish to infuse the water with a few drops of essential oils or Dead Sea salts, to keep the feet smelling good and to soften hard skin respectively. The soaking time indicated here is merely just a suggestion -- you may choose to soak your feet for much longer if you want to relax, or if the hardened skin on your feet need extra hydration.

• Exfoliate your feet with a foot scrub to slough off dry and dead skin, and to moisturize your feet as well. Massage the scrub in circular motions, and rinse off afterward. To exfoliate the hardened skin on the heels and bottom part of the feet, use a foot file or a pumice stone. Make sure to use a gentle filing motion, and to never rub too hard.

• Cut your toenails straight across, as opposed to a curved shape, to prevent ingrown toenails from occurring. If you would really prefer a rounded shape instead of a straight square, use a nail file to smooth-en the ridges and to give the edges a bit of a curve, so you would end up with a square shape with rounded edges. Ensure that the nails are cut and filed to just the right length -- short, but not too much that you end up hurting yourself.

• Remember to include your cuticles too. Apply cuticle oil to your toenails to soften and moisturize the hardened edges, and push the cuticles back with an orange-wood stick to create a smooth, open area ready for your polish. Make sure that you do not push too hard, or you might risk cutting the

3) If desired, apply polish to your toenails. Do this after you have done your pedicure, so that you have a smooth, clean base for the polish to go on to.

• Before painting, clean the nail plates by wiping over them with nail polish remover. This removes excess oils as well as old polish from the nails, so your new colour will go on smoothly and last well.

• Use toe separators to keep your toes apart. This makes the process of painting easier, and prevents a freshly painted toenail from staining another toe.

• Always use a base-coat - a clear layer of polish - under your colour to prevent staining and to ensure your polish goes on smoothly.

• Using the nail color of your choice, apply the polish to your toenails. Try to follow the "three stroke method", which consists of using one stroke on each side and a stroke in the middle. This ensures that the polish is evenly applied on the whole nail. Apply two coats of polish to your toenails.

• After around 10 minutes, use a topcoat to achieve the smoothest, longest lasting results and a high-shine finish.

• For fall, choose browns, oranges, and reds. Dark green also looks good.

• For winter, try not to go too festive. For December, either go with red or dark green, but not both. Other colours for winter include dark blue and white. You can really use any colour though because your feet are not seen a lot.

• For spring, bring out the pastel colours Soft greens, pinks, purples, and blues are a great touch!

• For summer, use bright natural colours Other colours that work are light blue, turquoise, yellow, and white. If you have naturally fair skin and like to tan, coral accentuates it nicely.

• If you can't decide on a colour, remember that a French polish (nude or pale pink polish with white tips) suits everyone and goes with all colours of clothing and skin. But feel free to be bold with toenail colours -- on the fingernails, some colours can look garish and tacky, but on the toenails, pretty much anything goes!

5) Moisturize your feet everyday. Put lotion or foot cream on as a part of your routine. One way to achieve soft, moisturized feet is to rub on some lotion or petroleum jelly before bed, and slip on some socks. When you wake up in the morning, you'll find that your feet are very soft and are free from dryness! Just remember to never let the area between toes become over-moisturized, as this will cause fungus. 

TIPS

• Always use an acetone-free nail polish remover, as acetone can dry the nails and the skin/cuticles.

• If you don't have toenail separators for when applying nail polish, you may also use twisted tissue paper woven between the toes.

• Use the tips of an orangewood stick wrapped in cotton and soaked in nail polish remover to help clean up small spills and polish "bleed" around the cuticle or on the skin around your toes.

• When your healthy, glamorous feet are ready for the summer, show them off in some beautiful flip-flops, or cool sandals in a colour you like.

• You can learn a lot from the professionals, so treat yourself to a pro pedicure when you 'need' it -- and ask questions and pay attention!

Warning

If you have diabetes, take extra care when exfoliating, cutting your toenails or when pushing back your cuticles during a pedicure. Make sure that you do not injure yourself to prevent the risk of any infection.

Things You'll Need

• Large bowl
• Towel
• Essential oils
• Dead Sea salt
• Foot scrub
• Foot file or pumice stone
• Nail clipper
• Nail file
• Cuticle oil
• Orangewood stick
• Cotton balls
• Nail polish remover
• Nail polish colour of your choice, basecoat, and topcoat
• Foot cream, lotion or petroleum jelly

Article Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Care-for-Your-Feet-and-Toenails

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Treat Your Feet to Some TLC with Ayurveda

BY: Shreelata Suresh

Our feet are often the least pampered parts of our bodies. Here are some suggestions from ayurveda, the ancient science of healing from India, for taking care of your feet on a regular basis:

1. During your pre-bath ayurvedic massage (abhyanga), pay special attention to your feet. Massage the feet, each toe, the ankles, the heels and the soles in turn with the warm oil, gently stretching the feet and toes as you massage them and using circular motions around your ankles and heels. (Pat excess oil off your soles with paper towels before you step into the bath or shower and watch your step because oil can be slippery). This daily foot massage enhances lubrication and circulation, and helps draw toxins to the surface for release. Using massage oil that has been fortified with nourishing ayurvedic herbs provides added support to help keep your feet strong and flexible.

2. During your bath or shower, let your feet enjoy warm water for a few minutes, then cleanse with a gentle, non-irritating cleanser and a footbrush or washcloth, working between the toes and scrubbing the heels to slough off dead skin. Use a neem based cleanser to help rid feet of odor or bacteria. After your bath or shower, pat your feet dry and apply a moisturizing body lotion if you use one anyway, otherwise massage a little plain shea butter or coconut oil on your feet before slipping on a pair of cotton socks.

3. Once a week, apply a natural exfoliating mixture on your feet, especially on the heels and soles, when you cleanse, to remove hardened dead skin. Make your own exfoliating mixture of 2 parts coarse oatmeal, 2 parts chickpea flour (available at Indian grocery stores) and 1 part rose water. Add warm water as needed to form a thick paste. Apply on your feet and scrub gently, then rinse off with warm water. Pat dry and follow with an application of coconut oil, shea butter or natural body lotion.

4. Follow basic rules of comfort. Wear footwear that fits properly and is roomy enough so that no part of your foot feels pinched. Do not wear high heels except when you absolutely have to. Replace shoes before they wear out or become lopsided with use. Wear cotton socks indoors to protect your feet from the cold. When the temperature is comfortable and you are indoors, walk barefoot occasionally to allow your feet to breathe. Sit, stand and walk with an erect posture. If you work at a sedentary job, take breaks every hour or so and walk around a little. Use a footsie roller at your workstation.

5. A nightly foot and lower leg massage not only relaxes the feet, it also helps promote restful sleep. Use a light, non staining oil such as almond or jojoba, and if you like, you can add 4-5 drops of a relaxing essential oil such as lavender or sandalwood to every 2 oz. of base oil. Take a very small amount of oil, just enough to offer lubrication, in your palm and gently massage your lower legs and feet for 3-4 minutes each until the oil is absorbed by your skin. Use soothing strokes and breathe deeply as you massage. No need to wash the oil off--you can go to bed as soon as you are done.

6. For tired, stressed feet, try a foot soak. Either of the following two recipes will have you sighing, "Ah, this is bliss," as you soak the tension away.

Herbal foot soak:

1/4 cup lavender flowers

1/4 cup lemon peel

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

2 tablespoons fine oatmeal

2 tablespoons almond meal

Wrap the ingredients in a cheesecloth and tie with a string. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Drop the herb sachet in and turn off the heat. Let steep for 15-20 minutes. Combine the herbed water with enough comfortably warm water to immerse your feet up to your ankles, and soak your feet for about 15 minutes. Stay relaxed as you soak, either just sitting in silence and breathing deeply or hearing relaxing instrumental melodies. Pat you feet dry and rub on some lotion or shea butter.

Aromatherapy foot soak:

1/4 cup sea salts

1 tbsp Epsom salts

1 tsp baking soda

2 drops essential oil of lemon

2 drops essential oil of sandalwood

2 drops essential oil of coriander

Combine well all of the above in enough comfortably warm water (about 2 quarts) in a foot basin or bath-tub to immerse your feet up to your ankles. Soak your feet in the mix for about 15 minutes. Stay relaxed as you soak. After you're done, pat your feet dry and apply some moisturizing lotion or shea butter. Mmmm!

7. If your feet tend to perspire a lot or to help your feet stay fresh in warm weather, dust them lightly with the following natural powder:

1/2 cup arrowroot

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 tsp baking powder

2 drops essential oil of peppermint

2 drops essential oil of lemon

Pass the dry ingredients through a sieve two or three times to mix well. Add the essential oils to the mix, stir well, and sieve again. Store in a dry container.

Notes:

1. If you have any medical condition, please consult your health professional for proper care. Foot soaks, Epsom salts and essential oils, for example, are not recommended in certain conditions.

2. Exercise proper care when using salts and essential oils.

Disclaimer: The above article is educational in nature, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you have a medical condition, please consult your physician.

Article Source: http://www.pioneerthinking.com/ss_feet.html

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Care for Feet Every Step Of The Way

Foot Care Tips Help Prevent Complications of Diabetes

(ARA) - With winter just a few weeks away many people are starting to feel the itchy effects of dry skin, but for people with diabetes, dry skin is not simply a minor annoyance -- it may lead to more serious complications if not properly treated.

Severe dry skin may result in deep and painful cracks in the skin's surface, especially in the feet.

Approximately 60 percent of people with diabetes suffer from a complication called neuropathy, or nerve damage, and may not be able to feel those painful cracks on the soles of their feet. Left untreated, wounds may become infected and create greater complications.

More than 16 million Americans have diabetes, and each year more than 86,000 of them have amputations resulting from foot ulcers or chronic wounds, many of which begin as a small cut or blister.

Doctors estimate that nearly 50 percent of amputations may have been prevented through a combination of awareness, prevention and intervention.

"People with diabetes have the opportunity to significantly improve their condition by taking proactive measures to care for themselves," says Dr. Maria G. Dill, regional medical director for Curative Health Services and medical director at the Valley Baptist Wound Care Center in Harlingen, Texas. "Simple steps can be taken to prevent complications from arising."

The following preventive measures may help people avoid or minimize the severity of injuries, sores and infections to their feet:

Never walk barefoot.

Check feet every day for injury.

Wash feet daily in warm, soapy water.

Moisturize the soles of feet with unscented lotion immediately after bathing.

Avoid scented lotions, as they contain alcohol that may dry the feet.

Check shoes to make sure they are free of stones and sharp or lumpy objects, like a child's toy.

Wear loose socks in bed if feet are cold -- do not use hot water or heating pads to warm cold feet.

Make regular visits to a podiatrist.

Without proper treatment, injuries caused by neuropathy may become serious wound problems, resulting in chronic infections, gangrene and possibly amputation. More than 6 million people in the United States suffer from chronic wounds, which are commonly defined as wounds that show little or no improvement after four weeks of best practices, or do not progress toward healing in eight weeks. Curative Health Services (Nasdaq: CURE) operates a national network of more than 100 Wound Care Centers(R), which follow an interdisciplinary approach when treating patients suffering from chronic wounds. Nutrition, wound prevention, and education play key roles in all treatment plans. The program has healed more patients with chronic wounds than any other wound specialty program, and consistently averages a 90 percent patient satisfaction rate throughout the nation.

If non-healing foot ulcers occur, consult with a physician. For more information about foot care tips for people with diabetes or treatment for non-healing wounds, call the nearest Wound Care Center at (800) 991-HEAL (4325).

Article Source: http://www.pioneerthinking.com/ara-footcare.html

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What Should I Do to Reduce My Knee Pain?

By James Smith S

Pain in the knee can be extremely distressing. The structure of the knee is such that many areas of the joint are susceptible to severe pain as they readjust or wear away. Knee pain could be caused by accidents, sports related injuries, and slips and falls. If neglected, it could result in many problems in the knees such as cartilage or ligament tears, inflammation, sprains, tendonitis, dislocation, joint infection, ligament injury, bone bruises, edema, sub-articular stress fracture or collection of fluid in the joint.

Knee pain can interfere with your daily activities and make your life difficult. You must ensure that you do not neglect it because lack of medical attention might further worsen the condition.

Treatment Options

There are many ways of treating knee pain, and most of these aim at breaking the inflammatory cycle. If the pain has just begun, you could try some home remedies such as over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain medication, protection with knee pads, rest, ice packs, compression with a wrap or brace, and elevation. But if the pain does not respond to these remedies within a week, you would need to consult a physician or an orthopaedic specialist for further evaluation of your condition and the recommendation of the ideal treatment option. Only then would you be able to get effective and lasting relief.

A proper treatment plan is designed only after your physician diagnoses the root cause for the pain. An x-ray or MRI of the knee is required in most cases.

Physical Therapy as a Treatment Option

It is essential to mobilize and strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee during treatment. Therefore, the entire program of physical therapy is designed in such a manner that the pain can be reduced and at the same time, greater flexibility can be brought about. This in turn, can also improve the function. Apart from that, some other knee pain treatment methods include:

• Massage and Myofascial Release

• Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

• Ice or heat to eliminate muscle spasm and inflammation

• Ultrasound to treat soft tissue injuries

• Traction

Other Pain Management Techniques

There are many more knee pain treatment options available. Some of the most common of these include:

• Exercise

• Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

• Manual Techniques

• Administration of analgesics, NSAIDs, narcotic medications, muscle relaxants, and anti-convulsants and antidepressants

• Radiofrequency radio ablation

• Surgically implanted electrotherapy devices

• Prolotherapy

• Injections

However, it is always advisable to seek the help of the expert before deciding upon any of these options for treating knee pain.

Knee Pain Treatment - HealthQuest is a reputable pain management center in Brooklyn, New York, providing excellent treatment and support for patients struggling with chronic knee pain.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Smith_S

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Swimming for Fitness

By Chris Hartpence

A guy named Dr. Stephen Blair (University of South Carolina) conducted an extended survey to study the effectiveness of swimming for fitness. What he found was remarkable. The study was conducted over a period of years, and measured the health benefits of more than forty thousand study participants, ranging in ages from twenty-nine to ninety. His conclusion was that swimming is hands down the best form of exercise you can undertake, beating out perennial favorites jogging and walking. In fact, the study concludes that if you incorporate swimming as the major form of exercise, you're a staggering fifty percent less likely to die.

Fifty percent. That's huge, and the implications of the study are equally enormous, which of course means that if you don't have, or have access to an exercise poor or swimming spa, then you should seriously consider it, if you're interested in optimal health.

In a series of different studies done, it has also been found that swimming is one of the better forms of exercise you can undertake if you suffer from Fibromyalgia which is a fairly common condition in which a person suffers from pain and tenderness in muscles, tendons and joints, and has been linked to chronic headaches, sleep problems, and general fatigue. It has also been shown that for women who are trying to get pregnant, regular moderate exercise can actually increase the chances of conception (though the same study notes that intense exercise, say, marathon training or the like, can actually decrease the chances of conception, so moderation is very definitely the key word here).

Swim spas can be hugely expensive (some of the high end models can run upwards of forty thousand bucks, before counting installation fees, possible landscaping changes to your property, and ongoing maintenance), and as such, getting one may be out of reach for many people, however, given the health benefits mentioned above, if it's something you can afford, then it really is an excellent option, not only in that it helps foster better health and a longer life, but also in that it's an excellent addition to your home, that will enhance the value of your property long term, so if you decide to sell your place at some point, you'll find that your home fetches a premium for the addition of the swim spa.

Read the best swim spa reviews and find out what else you may not know about the topic by visiting us on the web: http://swimspareviews.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Hartpence

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Personal Fitness Trainer Suppose To's

By Brandon Blake

So I'm up at 12 or 1 in the morning and I'm watching t.v, you know just flicking through channels. And I stumble upon these fitness infomercials where you see Insanity workouts and P90X, and I'm sitting here thinking two things to myself. 1. How did they get this much money to do what they do and 2. who was it that gave these guys they're certification to teach people how to get in shape. The reason I say this is because there is no way that people should be doing these types of workouts this immediately. And you really can't fault the people because it's not like they know any better, they are however the blame for not doing their research before starting a workout plan and nutritional diet. But no worries because I'm here to set the record straight about how the average unlearned run of the mill fitness client should prepare himself when it comes to getting himself in shape for whatever the reason may be.

For the average person, it's more economical for them to buy a hundred dollars worth of workout video information. To pay a personal trainer an average of fifty dollars per session seems a bit steep nowadays with the financial state of this country. Most people, are seeing personal fitness trainers as a luxury rather than a necessity, I respectfully disagree with them. Consider for a moment... consider that well over 30% of this country's inhabitants are overweight and that's not even counting adults that's just counting high school on down. For adults, the numbers are 3x's as bad. I think that definitely makes personal training a necessity rather than a luxury. And if the personal trainer is as good as advertised then it's money well spent to get this country back in shape.

Now, lets just say the average person described in the paragraph above is slopping away on the couch in the middle of the night. He sees a way to get in shape without putting too much of a strain on his pockets. The infomercial does its job by making the workout look hard but fun. They entice the slopper by telling him he can get in shape quick without paying a personal trainer and without paying a gym membership fee. The advertiser/personal trainer tells you everything you want to hear but not what you NEED to hear.

Before you get involved with working out there are steps that need to be taken that are imperative to you not only getting in shape, but doing so without hurting yourself in the process. I'll cover those steps in the next article.

For this article and more subscribe to http://www.profitness-x.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandon_Blake

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Importance of Hand Washing in Infection Control - 3 Points

By Greg Garner

Any health care environment big or small poses an ever present risk of infection often referred to as hospital acquired infection (HAI). And even an otherwise simple ailment can get serious in such a set up. That is why infection control is an integral part of a health care facility. It adopts a combination of measures like surveillance, investigation, management and also the use of practices including wearing the proper gear, maintaining cleanliness, disinfection and safe disposal. All these steps help to prevent the spread of infection, and contain it when necessary.

However there is another infection control measure that is always stressed on and finds place in any kind of instruction to effectively reduce the chances of an infection breakout; that measure is hand washing.

The following 3 points will tell you more about this extremely vital safety measure.

1. When to Use Hand Washing procedures

• Ideally you must wash your hands before any treatment but especially when conducting an invasive medical procedure like surgery or use of any invasive equipment. Furthermore hands must be washed before treating patients who are particularly vulnerable to any infection due to their medical condition or even when dealing with newborns. Finally hygiene must be maintained when attending to any wound that has resulted in broken skin, which makes for an easy entry point for infections.

• Besides this hands must be washed thoroughly after any procedure in which you have made contact with blood, any kind of bodily fluids, mucus membrane and also any contaminated instruments, surfaces and materials like gauze. While you must wash your hands between attending to different patients soon after you remove the gloves, you may also be required to wash hands when performing different procedures on the same patient to avoid issues of cross-contamination.

2. Using Effective Cleaning Agents

• Using plain soap in any of the available forms like liquid and bar, and then rubbing your hands vigorously to form lather helps to loosen and suspend any dangerous micro-organisms which can then be rinsed under running water. However remember that the bar should be kept on racks that allow it to dry off and the liquids must be replaced entirely without adding new liquid to the older one.

• Using an antimicrobial cleaning agent on the other hand not only kills any harmful organisms but also prevents their growth. This kind of 'chemical' hand washing must be employed when working with high risk patients or in such units.

3. Ample Hand Washing Facilities

• It is very important for every health care facility to have sufficient hand washing facilities complete with soap and running water set up at convenient locations. Such facilities must also be available adjoining rooms that perform invasive procedures or diagnostics.

Today there are several modern personal equipments and cleaning and disposal systems available to assist in infection control. However a simple procedure like hand washing still remains extremely vital and is in fact one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of infection, and thus must be followed at all times without fail.

For more information, please visit our infection control website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Garner

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Why Should I Change To A Heart Disease Diet?

By Elaine Roles

A heart disease diet should not be thought of as a temporary solution to get you over a difficult time. If you have had a heart bypass, a stent or heart attack or been diagnosed with Coronary Heart Disease then there are lots of things about your lifestyle that the hospital's cardiac rehab team will have talked to you about. One of those recommended changes will have been to change your eating pattern to a healthy heart disease diet.

Ideally your lifestyle should have been assessed and recommendations been made as to the best way forward for you. Switching to a heart disease diet will make a big difference not just too how you feel in the coming months but in the years to come to your quality of life and health.

It's important to remember that there is no rush. Small steps that are taken every day will overtime add up. You may have been told to make lots of different changes not just to what you eat but also to how much you drink and the activity you do. You do not want to change everything at once! If you rush into changing everything you will find it hard to maintain and after a few months be back to square one. Don't think of it as a change in your diet which is a temporary measure and has an end point. A heart disease diet should be thought of as a lifelong commitment to healthy eating.

A heart disease diet plays an important part in your recovery, which once you see and feel the benefits will also affect how you feel in yourself. How you are thinking will affect how you feel and how you feel will affect what you do. Therefore it is important to think about a heart disease diet as a new way of eating for the rest of your life.

How you think and feel about food is often neglected when going on a diet or changing the way you eat. How you were brought up will have an impact on not just your food choices but on how you feel in yourself.

Were you ever rewarded with food? I expect you can remember being told "if you are good you can have some sweets." We all have an emotional attachment with food as it makes us feel good.

Cut out all processed foods and reduce the amount of salt you have. Consider the way you cook your meals, steaming or grilling your food would be a good place to start. Reducing the amount of calories you eat each day is a good place to start and you can do that simply by buying a smaller dinner plate.

The reality is that it only takes a tiny imbalance to make a huge difference. Eating just one extra chocolate biscuit (100 calories) each day, could lead to a weight gain of 5kg (just over 10lb) in a year! Therefore by adding a physical activity program as well as switching to a heart disease diet lines you up for success.

A heart disease diet is about make a small realistic change today. Therefore what are you waiting for? Don't promise yourself you'll start tomorrow, it won't happen, take action today! For more information about being successful in losing weight and obtaining a heart disease diet go now to http://www.heartdiseasediet.biz

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elaine_Roles

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