I often hear people telling each other that they have the flu, but do they have a flu or just a bad cold? Either way, they would feel unwell. So, what it the difference?

Here is a little table:

Both are self-limiting, meaning if your immune system is working well, they generally go away by themselves. However, potential complications may include bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, ear infections and asthma. While a cold can make us feel unwell, we can still function, albeit at less optimal capacity. In addition, taking over the counter medication cold and flu medication, help us feel well enough to pursue our jobs and other daily activities (and share our germs with others in the process). A flu, however, will often leave you bedridden for a few days, with body aches, lethargy, bad headaches and fevers.

As both are caused by a virus, anti-biotics are generally useless as they are designed to fight bacteria. However, if things get really bad anti-viral medication may be an option if your GP thinks they will be adequate.

There is lots we can do to ensure that our immune system is coping with the onslaught of the winter germs. That doesn’t mean that you are never getting a cold or flu, but it might mean that your body deals with it better.

• Follow a mainly fresh food diet with a minimum of 2 serves or fruit and 7+ serves of vegetables.
• Avoid processed food, sugar, too much alcohol and smoking.
• Keep up your water intake. About 2.5 litres is great.
• Enjoy regular exercise like walking in the fresh air for 30min 5 days a week.
• Ensure to wash your hands regularly when touching possibly contaminated surfaces.
• Avoid other who are sick (not so easy, but…)

If the cold or flu has gotten hold….

• Stay at home and rest!
• Keep your fluids up.
• If you are sneezing or coughing – do so into your elbow rather than your hand.
• Ask you grandparent or parents about some home remedies that are comforting and have helped them in the past. g. Chicken Soup
• A tea/infusion made from Yarrow, Peppermint and Elderflower may help to encourage sweating and stimulate the immune system.
• Fresh Ginger and Lemon can be added to enhance the effect.
• There are many herbs and nutrients that have evidence to be helpful in fighting and possibly preventing the cold or flu.

Taking supplementations and herbs for the sake of it without the advice of someone with the right qualifications is not advisable. Some can do more harm than good if not taken the right way. Some can interact with medication and not every herb is right for everyone.

I hope this gave you a little insight. Don’t forget, a balanced nutritious diet is the corner stone of a great immune system.

If you need some advice send me a message here.

If you need some help book your acute appointment here.

Yours in health and happiness,

Nicole

Did you know that from 1st April 2019, you will no longer be able to claim private health insurance rebates on Naturopathy, Herbal Medicine and 15 other natural medicine modalities?

Despite a wealth of scientific research on natural medicines published in peer-reviewed journals, the Government’s ‘Review of the Australian Government Rebate on Private Health Insurance for Natural Therapies’ concluded that there is “no clear evidence demonstrating the effectiveness” of 17 widely used natural therapies, including Naturopathy and Herbal Medicine.

The Review’s findings have been used to justify removing private health fund rebates for widely used natural therapies.

When zero published scientific papers on Naturopathy and Herbal Medicine were actually reviewed in reaching this conclusion, how can we trust this conclusion was based on sound scientific principles?

What can you do? If you too would like to see these natural medicine rebates saved, now is your chance. Have your say by clicking the link below to email your personalised message to Health Minister Hunt, your state Liberal National Party Senators and your local Federal Member if you reside in a Liberal National Party seat.

Maintaining these private health rebates will benefit around 20,000 small businesses in the natural medicine profession and continue to encourage more of the population to utilise this preventive health care model, thus reducing the strain on the overburdened public health system.

Health Minister Greg Hunt has the power to change the Business Rules to allow insurers to continue to offer rebates for these services.

Please share the below link far and wide, https://www.yourhealthyourchoice.com.au/save-rebates/

The government has come up with the idea of offering a system for consolidating all your health records in one place.  Great idea… or is it?

I am not sure at this point. I have come across this article¹ and it made me wonder if I would rather wait to sign up until the system is running smoothly and all possible flaws are considered. At the same time, I am not sure if I really want every healthcare provider to have access to my health record.

Than the question is, are only health care providers having access in the future? What if the government decides that they will privatise this department and hence sell it off. Consider also, that the government has the possibility to change the legislation about how the information is accessed and kept. Will that make our records vulnerable? It is well known that very well protected agencies and even Facebook has had security breaches, what will make this system any better?

Maybe this system is not such a bad idea. I am undecided. However, my main concern is, that not many people may be aware of this record. From this Year 2018 everyone will have a health record unless you opt out² by the 15^th of November 2018.

Here are a few locations to get some more information, My Health Record³, the ABC article⁴ and this article⁵ to make your own decision.

References:

¹ https://www.medicalobserver.com.au/views/how-fake-data-led-me-dump-my-health-record?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiT1RreU1tTmtPV016WldVeSIsInQiOiJXMUFvY3FRbzRwNU9Xb3lWMG9LWEpzdko4QktTSVg0OXprZUxlZHFvK0FLSlwvXC9USGtwOHFGRENoSHA5a2FjZERramNDelNlMGtHNlFkUW5pbDNwNUYydUFGZkt1aFdtQ0Y4XC9xWTk1c3BEZ0c0Nkp3SUV6TVpaRVNiTk1WR01CNSJ9

² https://www.myhealthrecord.gov.au/for-you-your-family/opt-out-my-health-record

³ https://www.myhealthrecord.gov.au/for-you-your-family

⁴http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-07-16/my-health-record-experts-say-its-safe-privacy-concerns-remain/9981658

⁵ https://theconversation.com/what-could-a-my-health-record-data-breach-look-like-100090