5 foods you must include in your diet to prevent, treat urine infections

A urinary tract infection, also known as UTI, is a common infection caused by microbes. Most UTIs are caused by bacteria, while some may also be caused by fungi, and viruses, in rare cases. A UTI can affect any part of your urinary tract – from your kidneys, uterus, bladder, to your urethra. While lower tract UTIs are more common, upper tract UTIs are more serious. 

UTIs can be caused if you come in contact with the pathogens. This can happen anywhere if proper hygiene is not followed. However, it is more common to contract a UTI from a public toilet or urinal. UTIs need to be treated with an antibiotic, and untreated UTI can grow further, and cause various complications in the urinary system. While there are no home remedies or foods that can treat UTI, there are some foods that can help you prevent the infection, and may also improve results of the medicine, providing more relief, and faster.

1. Water – Drinking water is extremely important to keep your urinary system healthy. It helps to flush out toxins and pathogens and can help prevent as well as treat a UTI. Make sure you drink at least 2 to 3 litres water in a day to prevent and treat a UTI.
2. Cranberry juice – While research suggests that cranberry juice cannot treat a UTI, it may help in the prevention of a UTI. Cranberries contain certain compounds that help in preventing the disease-causing bacteria from attaching to the cells of the host, preventing the infection.
3. Dark chocolate – Dark chocolate is known for its benefits when it comes to weight loss, menstrual pain, and improving reproductive health. Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants which help to reduce the risk of infection.
4. Probiotic yoghurt – Yoghurt or curd is rich in good bacteria, which help to fight the bad bacteria in the gut and the body. Consuming probiotic bacteria can help in effective prevention and treatment of a UTI.
5. Fruits and vegetables – A balanced diet that includes loads of fruits and vegetables is sure to keep you healthy, and prevent conditions like a UTI. Include green vegetables like spinach, bottle gourd, etc, and fruits like oranges, kiwi, mangoes, banana, etc in your diet. These foods provide your body with the nutrition it requires and can help you stay healthy, prevent such conditions.                                             
   
   This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
   

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Cocktail of germs on mobiles, likely coronavirus too

A new study has warned that mobile phones could be acting as “Trojan horses” for coronavirus. It found that phones host a cocktail of live germs.

The research was a review of 56 previous studies from 24 countries. While all those studies predate the current pandemic, the authors said SARS-CoV2 is probably present on mobiles and other touch-screen devices of coronavirus sufferers.

The review, scheduled for publication in Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, found that 68% of the phones sampled in these studies were contaminated. Golden staph and E. coli microbes were among the most common bugs on phones.

Our recommendation is that phones should be decontaminated daily and regularly with either 70% isopropyl or by sanitising with (ultraviolet) devices like PhoneSoap,” said the study, led by biomedical scientist Lotti Tajouri of Bond University, Australia.

In a statement, Dr Tajouri described mobile devices as “five-star hotels with premium heated spas, free buffet for microbes to thrive on”. “They have temperature control, we keep them in our pockets, we are addicted to them. We talk into them and deposit droplets that can be full of viruses, bacteria – you name it. We eat with them, so we give nutrients to micro-organisms..”

He said people travelled with their phones “and no border officers check them”. “That’s why mobile phones are Trojan horses. We don’t know that we are carrying the enemy.”

Dr Tajouri said even the average phone user handled their mobiles an average of three hours a day. “You can wash your hands as many times as you like – and you should – but if you then touch a contaminated phone you are contaminating yourself all over again. Think of your phone as your third hand.”

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Study finds way to make medical equipment infection-free

Researchers used nanoparticles to identify the presence of deadly microbes present on medical devices, like catheters and make them infection-free.This study was conducted as an interdisciplinary collaboration between microbiologists, immunologists and engineers led by  a Dr.

Candida albicans, a commonly found microbe, can turn deadly when it colonises on devices such as catheters implanted in the human body.

While commonly found in healthy people, this microbe can become a serious problem for those who are seriously ill or immune-suppressed.

The microbe forms a biofilm when it colonises using for e.g., a catheter as a source of infection. It then spreads into the bloodstream to infect internal organs.

The mortality rate in some patients populations can be as high as 30-40 % even if you treat people. When it colonises, its highly resistant to anti-fungal treatments, he said.

The idea is that if you can diagnose this infection early, then you can have a much bigger chance of treating it successfully with current anti-fungal drugs and stopping a full-blown systemic infection, but our current diagnostic methods are backing. A biosensor to detect early stages of colonisation would be highly beneficial, added the Prof.

The researchers investigated the effects of organosilica nanoparticles of different sizes, concentrations and surface coatings to see whether and how they interacted with both C. Albicans and with immune cells in the blood.

They found that the nanoparticles bound to fungal cells, but were non-toxic to them.

They don't kill the microbe, but we can make an anti-fungal particle by binding them to a known anti-fungal drug, the Prof. said.

The researchers also demonstrated that the particles associated with neutrophils-human white blood cells in a similar way as they did with C. Albicans, remaining noncytotoxic towards them.

We've identified that these nanoparticles and by inference a number of different types of nanoparticles can be made to be interactive with cells of interest, the Dr. said.

We can actually change the surface properties by attaching different things, thereby we can really change the interactions they have with these cells- that's quite significant, added the Dr.

The Dr. said while nanoparticles were being investigated in the treatment of cancer, the use of nano-particle-based technologies in infectious diseases lags behind the cancer nano-medicine field, despite the great potential for new treatments and diagnostics.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
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Ten Foods That Boost Your Immune System

The immune system is one of the most incredible features of the human body and it is important we do everything we can to look after it. It protects us from millions of microbes and bacteria which would otherwise invade our body and destroy it from the inside. It also heals cuts, expels infections and helps us process food by eliminating the bad bacteria that the body doesn't need. We don't have to do anything special to eliminate these harmful elements, because the immune system works around the clock to do it for us.

What Is The Immune System? The immune system is an extremely complicated mix of cells, organs and tissues that interact with each other to expel harmful pathogens and other foreign substances from the body. It also helps remove byproducts of cell activity and destroys infected cells. Many different parts of the body contribute to the immune system, including the spleen, the lymph nodes, white blood cells, antibodies and bone marrow, and the interactions are so complex it is virtually impossible to understand them all. Many of the best indicators we have of the power of the immune system are displayed when it fails us, in even the smallest way. Just one missed bacteria can cause the body to fall ill or infected. If the immune system was not working at all, then we would develop problems every second, we would contract food poisoning every time we ate and countless issues from the air that we breathe. Without it, we would not last very long at all.

How Can You Protect Your Immune System?

There are a number of ways you can protect your immune system, and many of them relate to lifestyle choices as well as diet. Smoking, excessive drinking and sleep deprivation can all lower our body's defenses so they should be avoided, and you should take steps to avoid infection by sanitizing your hands when you touch food or dirty surfaces. This will help ensure that the immune system isn't given extra, unnecessary work to do, and minimizes the likelihood of harmful bacteria finding their way through your defenses. There are, however, a number of foods we can add to our diet which can help boost the immune system's ability to do its job. Here are ten of the very best:

1. Citrus Fruits As mentioned earlier, white blood cells are one of the key components of the immune system. They are one of the body's main defenses against infection and invasion, so the body needs to have enough at all times. Vitamin C is thought to increase the production of white blood cells, and citrus fruits are packed full of it. Your body neither produces vitamin C itself, or stores reserves of it for future use, which means you constantly have to top up. Daily intake of citrus fruit is one of the best ways you can do this, and they are so versatile, it's possible to squeeze them into nearly every meal, or juice them into a drink.

2. Red Bell Peppers Speaking of vitamin C, one of the best ways you can add some more to your diet is via Red Bell Peppers. In fact, while citrus fruit are the more widely recognized provider of this key compound, red peppers actually contain twice as much vitamin C than a lemon or orange, pound for pound. Adding red bell peppers to your stir fries and sandwiches are a great way of boosting your immune system.

3. Spinach Spinach contains a number of compounds which can promote a healthy immune system, including beta-carotene and numerous antioxidants that help prevent cell damage inside the body, which is one of the immune system's most important jobs. It is another great provider of vitamin C, although you should try to eat fresh and raw if possible to ensure you benefit from all its nutrients. After all, Popeye eats it straight out of a can and how often have you seen him complain that he has the flu?

4. Yogurt Yogurts can be a useful immune system booster and you try and buy ones which have 'live and active cultures' written on the labels. Research found that these living organisms (or 'friendly bacteria') can stimulate your immune system to help fight disease. Yogurt also contains plenty of Vitamin D, which has more recently been found to play an important role in the promotion of a healthy immune system.

5. Almonds Vitamin E is sometimes overlooked in comparison to vitamin C, but it also plays an important role in the promotion of a healthy immune system because it is another powerful antioxidant. All nuts are full of vitamin E, but almonds are a particularly great source - just half a cup will provide pretty much all of your recommended daily amount. Keep a bag of trail mix handy and eating even a handful a day can make a difference.

6. Garlic Garlic is used everywhere and with good reason. Not only is it a tasty addition to any dish, it is also an absolute goldmine of health benefits. Its success in fighting infections has been recognized for many centuries, and it seems it can help your immune system as well. It is an antiseptic, anti-fungal and a natural detoxicant - all of which make it a fantastic ally of your immune system.

7. Turmeric Joining garlic as a super food with multiple health benefits is turmeric. Its bright yellow color is provided by high concentrations of curcumin, which is a natural anti-viral and anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is the cause of many of the most chronic and harmful diseases that can effect you, and turmeric is a great way to supercharge your immune system's defenses against them. It helps that it's delicious too!

8. Broccoli Broccoli provides your body with a war chest of essential vitamins that it can use in combination to fight disease and infection. It contains an abundance of vitamins A, C and E as well as a number of antioxidants, all best preserved if you cook it as little as possible (much like spinach) so try not to boil it into oblivion. Lightly steaming or roasting them is a much better option, unless you don't mind eating them raw.

9. Ginger Like garlic, ginger has been used as a healer by many cultures going back centuries. The primary reason for this is its key component gingerol, which can help control the growth of numerous bacteria and nasty microbes. This means it provides an effective fillip for your body's defense mechanisms against infection and disease.

10. Green Tea Both green and black tea are key providers of flavanoids, another of nature's most effective antioxidants. However, green tea gets a second check mark for being packed full of another powerful antioxidant - epigallocatetchin gallate, more commonly shortened to EGCG. EGCG present in black tea is destroyed during fermentation but green tea is steamed during production, so levels of this helpful compound are maintained. As an additional bonus, it also contains L-theanine, a product which helps produce germ fighting mechanisms with the body. It's great for the immune system, although it does contain caffeine so don't drink gallons of it. THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                      FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                     https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com

Viruses in kitchen sponges may help fight antibiotic resistance

Researchers have discovered viruses that infect bacteria living in the kitchen sponges which may prove useful in fighting 'superbugs' that cannot be killed by antibiotics alone.

A kitchen  sponge is exposed to all kinds of different microbes, which form a vast microbiome of bacteria, said researchers.

Bacteriophages are the most abundant biological particles on the planet and are typically found wherever bacteria reside. With this understanding, kitchen sponges seemed a likely place to find them.

The researchers isolated bacteria from their own used kitchen sponges and then used the bacteria as bait to find the phages that could attack it.

Two student researchers successfully discovered phages that infect bacteria living in their kitchen sponges.

"Our study illustrates the value in searching any microbial environment that could harbour potentially useful phages," said a student researcher.

The researchers decided to "swap" these two phages and see if they could cross-infect the other person's isolated bacteria. Consequently, the phages did kill the other's bacteria.

"This led us to wonder if the bacteria strains were coincidentally the same, even though they came from two different sponges," said Weiss.

The researchers compared the DNA of both isolated strains of bacteria and discovered that they were both members of the Enterobacteriaceae family.

These bacteria belong to a rod-shaped group of microbes commonly found in faeces, where some cause infections in hospital settings.

Although the strains are closely related, when performing biochemical testing they found chemical variations between them.

"These differences are important in understanding the range of bacteria that a phage can infect, which is also key to determining its ability to treat specific antibiotic-resistant infections," he said.

"Continuing our work, we hope to isolate and characterise more phages that can infect bacteria from a variety of microbial ecosystems, where some of these phages might be used to treat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections," he said.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                      FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                     https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com