med4u newsletter

Christmas 2001

Many thanks to everyone who has supported us around the year and we would like to wish you a happy, healthy Christmas and may your dreams come true in the New Year.

With best wishes
from
Liz, Gordon, Declan, Ketan, Stephen, William, Gillian, Graeme, and all the other docs who help with med4u

Just to set off the Seasonal Festivities here are a few helpful tips that will keep the doctor away

1 Stop the Flu
2 Swallow Sore Throats
3 Surmount the winter blues
4 Survive the Party Scene

1 Stop the Flu

1 – Its almost too late but you GP may still have stocks of the flu jab. Besides protecting against flu it also reduces the risk of sore throats by 25%, it may all be in the mind but as long as it works...
2 – plenty of vitamin C – some doctors suggest that 3 gms Vitamin C a day reduces the length of the illness by a couple of days
3 – Avoid crowded places, don’t go too close to people with flu and don't shake hands! Flu germs travel in sneeze droplets and stay on the palms –
4 – If you do catch flu, stay home – you will get better quicker and you wont pass it round to your friends and colleagues. Beware of flu remedies, there is some evidence that although aspirin and paracetamol may make you feel better, they will prolong the illness
5 – Relenza is a new anti-flu drug, given early it will shorten the illness by a couple of days. The down side is that it is only available on a private prescription and it costs around £30. However, if your boss finds you indispensable then I am sure he will be happy to pay!

2 Swallow Sore Throats

1 – Most sore throats are caused by viruses and get better within a few days without antibiotics. Antibiotics make people feel quite run down and encourage resistant bacteria to develop.
2 – Viral sore throats often have other symptoms besides a sore throat, these include a runny nose, hoarseness, general aches and pains
3 – Effective remedies include paracetomol; aspirin; aspirin and caffeine; ibuprofen; painkillers with an antiseptic mouthwash; and finally, patients who had a longer appointment with their doctor that included a physical examination did 40% better than those having the ordinary service!
4 - If you do need antibiotics, take vitamin supplements to improve your general wellbeing
5 – Prevention: the flu jab, vaccination reduced the number of people who had a sore throat by a quarter!

3 Surmount the winter blues

Some people more sensitive than others to lack of sunlight over the winter months – in its extreme form it is known as SAD or seasonal affective disorder. People with seasonal affective disorder develop a form of depression in during winter that gets better naturally in the spring.

As the amount of sunlight diminishes so people often feel blue. Perhaps we were simply meant to hibernate during the long cold nights! However there are lots of things that can boost the amount of light you get.

1 - Walking around outside during the day helps. Sunlight is twenty times as bright as artificial light. People with SAD spend up to an hour a day sitting in front of a light box just to top up their light exposure.
2 - Keep plenty of lights on, getting up in the dark and going to bed in the dark  
3 - Take a winter holiday to somewhere bright and preferably in the Southern hemisphere
4 - When the clocks go back an hour there is less light in the evening, so try get up a little earlier to make sure you don’t miss those precious rays
5 - Even an hour makes a difference. Make the hour change gradually over a few days rather than sticking to the clock time. It is not too difficult to lengthen our day and night cycle by an hour, nonetheless body rhythms still need time to adjust.
6 - If the winter blues really take hold discuss the situation with your doctor and consider taking St John’s Wort. This is available from local pharmacies and is as effective as standard antidepressants but with far less side effects.

 4 Survive the Party Scene

1 - Drink plenty of water, drink a glass of water for each glass of an alcoholic drink.
2 – Have high energy breakfasts
3 – Take Ibuprofen for the hangover (this is junior doctors most popular remedy)
4 – Try an energy giving cocktail of caffeine (strong tea or coffee) Vitamin C and a couple of aspirin. This will increase your metabolism by up to 15%.
5 - Avoid eating late at night!
6 - Take time to catch up with your sleep - an afternoon cat nap can be a lifesaver.