June 17, 2019
Myth-busting: The truth about allergies
Beliefs can be hard to change even after you’ve found out that they’re scientifically wrong. Allergies are no different; let’s bust the myths of allergies.
Read More
May 3, 2019
3 tasty recipes to protect you from the flu
Flu season has arrived so it’s time to give the germs a good fight! The best way to arm yourself is to boost your body with flu-fighting foods. Here are three delicious recipes to send colds and flu packing.
Read More
August 3, 2018
How to get bed rest when you have the flu
Your head is pounding, your nose is stuffy and you have a terrible cough. Your doctor suggested “bed rest”, but how are you supposed to rest when you feel awful? When you have the flu, your body takes a toll and must repair itself. This means rest. Staying in bed and resting helps speed up the healing process while attempting to soldier through your symptoms will only leave you sick for longer. A healthy person who rests and follows their doctor’s prescribed medication should recover from the flu within 10 days. On the other hand, without bed rest, a healthy…
Read More
July 16, 2018
How sick is too sick to go to work?
Just how sick do you have to be to stay home? But how sick can you be to qualify for a day off? Well, truth is if you’re really feeling unwell and especially if you have a fever, you need to stay home. You also have to consider whether you’re putting yourself or others at risk if you go to work. If the symptoms of your condition, or the side-effects of medication could cause an injury or accident on the job, affect others, or if your work flow is interrupted and you can’t focus, then you need to stay at…
Read More
June 12, 2018
How long does the flu last?
You’ve been coughing and sneezing for what seems like forever! “When will it end?” Well, if your symptoms include a fever, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, chills, fatigue and sometimes, diarrhoea and vomiting… then you should stay home and avoid contact with other people. Flu stages Unlike a common cold, the effects of an influenza virus can come on very quickly. Flu symptoms usually start within one to four days after the infection. Flu often has signs of fever or chills. A headache, sore throat, dry cough, runny nose, muscle aches, and fatigue follow after. As…
Read More
April 20, 2018
Is chicken soup good for flu?
Chilly months seem to go hand-in-hand with colds and flu. There’s the inevitable itch in your throat, coughing, headache – and of course, the sniffles. Before downing your over-the-counter medication, is it worth trying that old natural remedy: chicken soup? It’s delicious, warm and filled with nutrients – and seems to do the trick. Here’s why. Magic liquid According to studies, cooking chicken releases the amino acid cysteine, which resembles a drug that can treat upper respiratory infections. Even better, when you add vegetables to your soup, you’re adding vitamins too, which ups your flu-fighting capabilities. Drinking liquid broth soups…
Read More
March 7, 2018
My phlegm is yellow – do I need antibiotics?
Coughing and wheezing, sniffles and sneezing are all symptoms of a cold, flu or even a sinus infection. These symptoms may leave you feeling down and lousy. Over-the-counter medication may have not eased the symptoms. Is it time for antibiotics? An antibiotic is not ‘stronger’ than other medication Would you say that spoons are stronger than scissors? Of course not. We understand that scissors have a different function to spoons: the one is used for cutting, and the other is used for dishing up. The same rule applies to antibiotics: it's not stronger than other medication: it is different. It works…
Read More
October 27, 2017
When does flu become dangerous?
Are you prepared for the flu season? Find out what you should watch out for, and whether you’re at risk for complications. What is Flu? Influenza (flu) is a viral disease that develop very quickly, spreading through your upper respiratory tract and sometimes progressing to your lungs. It’s highly contagious and it’s spread through airborne water droplets (when someone coughs or sneezes) or through close contact with an infected person. What are the Signs and Symptoms of Flu? General flu symptoms include a fever sore throat headache muscle pain stuffy nose cough body discomfort Certain, more severe strains of flu…
Read More
August 11, 2017
Fever & coughing: is it just flu or could it be TB?
Earlier this year, there was an outbreak of drug-resistant Tuberculosis in Australia. It started when a doctor in Sydney misdiagnosed a student with asthma and lung cancer – before realising it was TB. Scary stuff! It’s understandable, though: TB shares symptoms with other conditions, such as flu, but they should be treated with completely different medications. TB is caused by the organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is easily spread when people with active lung disease expel the small airborne TB particles from their lungs into the air through coughing. Other people then breathe in the infectious droplets into their lungs, where…
Read More
April 5, 2017
Why do I get sick when the seasons change?
"Put on a jersey, or you'll catch a cold!" Your grandma, mother or aunt has probably told you this at some stage. In fact, maybe you are that mother or aunt? Although you may mean well, this old wives' tale isn't entirely true: the cold temperature won't give you a cold. So why do we associate colds and flu with the winter season? Does the temperature have anything to do with it? Spring & Fall It may not be the cold weather that makes you sick. However, it's true that certain viruses flourish in cooler weather. It's these viruses that…
Read More
