Healthy advice from your family doctor
The first tooth usually ‘erupts’ between 6–10 months and most children have a full set of 20 ‘baby’ (deciduous) teeth by 3 years. While teething is often uncomfortable, there is still controversy about what effect it has. Teething is commonly thought to cause: Drooling Sucking or biting on objects Irritability, crying, loss of appetite Pulling
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of joint disease in Australia, mainly affecting people over 45 years of age. OA causes pain and stiffness, especially after resting or not moving the joint for a while. The most common joints affected are the hips, knees, hands and spine. Paracetamol tablets/capsules and anti-inflammatory creams and gels
Smoking is a greater health risk to women than to men. Female smokers have an overall 35% higher risk of stroke, heart attack and cancers compared to men who smoke. Smoking women are also at risk of additional diseases that do not apply to men. Smoking doubles the rate of cancer of the cervix and
World Glaucoma Week in March every year is a reminder to get your eyes checked for this hidden disease. Glaucoma Australia says 300,000 Australians have some form of glaucoma and half are undiagnosed. Symptoms do not usually occur until serious damage is done. Glaucoma is a group of diseases that damage the optic nerve (the
The influenza season will be here soon and nearly 500,000 Australians could catch the flu this year. Free vaccine is available if you are at high risk of severe infection or complications. Vaccination is the best defence against flu and it should be given now, in autumn. A single vaccine is required each year to
As we age, our bodies become less efficient at burning calories, so we gain weight gradually even if we exercise regularly and eat the same. Before we know it, our waistlines have expanded and we are at risk of a range of serious health problems. Guest dietitian Susie Burrell explains four ways to reverse that
Always follow doctor’s advice A 92 year-old man went to the doctor to get a checkup. A few days later the doctor saw the man walking down the street with a gorgeous young lady on his arm. At his follow up visit the doctor said, “I see you’re really doing well, aren’t you?” The man
Good advice for the average person is to be guided by thirst – drink when you’re thirsty and avoid drinking if you’re not. There is no scientific evidence for the recommendation to drink 2 litres per day. While extra fluids in hot weather and when exercising are a good idea, too much fluid can be
This healthy recipe is gluten free and is suitable for people with coeliac disease. INGREDIENTS 500g low fat fresh ricotta 100g low fat feta, crumbled 3 eggs 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 bunch fresh basil, finely shredded 375g grape tomatoes, halved METHOD Preheat oven to 180 °C. Oil side and line with baking paper the
Infant feeding guidelines were recently updated by the National Health and Medical Research Council. Here are some of the key messages from the draft report. Breastfeeding Breastfeeding is best and helps protect infants against infection, obesity and some chronic diseases. Ideally, aim for ‘exclusive’ breastfeeding until 6 months of age and continue breastfeeding for 12