JANUARY 2014 - SUMMER is here!

Kym Hughes - Naturopath

The summer holidays are upon us

 

Many of us are asking “Where has the time gone?”  Life’s pace is so fast these days, weeks and months fly by so quickly.  This is a reflection of our busy life styles.  The years end is a good time to slow down and unwind.  Take the time to review and reflect on how our health and wellbeing have coped in the year past.  Stress is very insidious; it  affects us in many ways; not only physically but emotionally in areas such as family, relationships, friends and work.  There are some important basic questions we can ask ourselves as we reflect.

 

Do we supply our physical bodies with adequate:

· water,

· a balanced diet,

· regular exercise

· and perhaps most importantly, rest and relaxation?

Hydration

Here in Australia we are lucky to have an abundance of clean, fresh water – take advantage of this and drink at least two liters of water daily.

Balanced Diet

Make sure you include plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds and lean proteins.  A good quality multi vitamin and mineral supplement and a daily dose of super greens is great for boosting nutrient  intake.

Exercise

Thirty minutes to one hour of brisk walking daily is a good habit to form.  “Use it or lose it”

Rest

Adequate rest does not only include 8 hours sleep a night but the ability to relax and quite the mind, if only for ten minutes a day is very beneficial.

Following these basic rules with the addition of a hat, long sleeves and a good natural sunscreen when enjoying our great weather will go a long way to a happy restful summer after which one can return to the Frey in 2014 fighting fit! 

 

Happy New Year to you all!

 

 

 

JANUARY 2014 - Words of Wisdom

Hello Club Members,

Welcome to 2014 – a new year and new opportunities. As I reflect on 2013 – I    recall many good things and working with many fantastic people. At the root of all our lives is how we behave. In particular how we behave when we are challenged to do something or to behave in a way we think is beneath us. It is how we choose to deal with this - that  defines who we really are.

 

People make the difference – in positive and negative ways – every day. We each build a reputation according to our behaviour and the manner in which we interact with others. We cannot control our reputation – for this is the perception of   others. We can, however, control our thoughts, our actions, our ideas, our  mindset, our language. Through the character we display – we build the reputation that others perceive and ultimately judge us by.

With these comments I would like to provide some food for thought:

1. Purpose – I believe we are each born for a purpose and only find peace and contentment when we discover this purpose. I think much change and need for change- occur because individuals are unaware of their purpose in life.

2. Service – I believe that in serving others, in helping others with what they need – really builds our character and our willingness to work with others. We must, though, do this through our purpose in life.

3. Gratitude – is being Grateful to those around us and who have helped us – day to day – in our            endeavours. None of us can walk our journey alone. We need others for support, advice and company. We also need to pat ourselves on the back when we have done well.

4. Loyalty - can be defined as being faithful to those who depend on you and to those on whom you depend. Loyalty is a four way street. There are people in positions of more responsibility who depend on us. There are people for whom we are responsible  - who depend on us. And there are people with similar roles and responsibilities - on whom we each depend. So Loyalty is about helping others as well as ourselves. It is about supporting others in times of extra pressure. And it is about ensuring that the decisions we make cause the least amount of anxiety to others – while still achieving the goal you require.

 

I hope you have a healthy and fulfilling 2014 and that the above thoughts will help to achieve your goals and find an  inner peace.

Regards………

 

Mario Calanna

 

 

 

 

JANUARY 2014 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!

PRICKLY HEAT - Advice on what it is

Prickly Heat Rash, also commonly known as Heat Rash, Wildfire Rash or Miliaria Ruba is a condition where  leakage of sweat into the deeper layers of the epidermis (outer most layers of cells in the skin) is caused by obstruction, like blocked pores, provoking local inflammatory reaction - with the typical appearance of redness and/or larger blister-like lesions. 



The lesions are usually tiny white or clear in colour and are found in a number of areas on the body  including;

4 Face

4 Neck

4 Under breasts

4 Groin

4 Elbow folds

4 Abdomen

 

Prickly heat is prevalent in the summer months and particularly in humid climates, such as ours.

It is usually itchy, irritating and uncomfortable and can develop on anyone.

There are however, individuals that will be more prone to prickly heat, they include;

4 Babies / Infants - as their sweat glands have not fully developed

4 Athletes and people who regularly exercise

4 Overweight persons

4 Bedridden persons

The first step in treating any heat rash is to wash the affected area with a non-soap wash i.e. Pinetarsol Gel. Rinse with water and this can be repeated as often as needed and should be done immediately after exercise or prolonged heat exposure.

Also cool packs are a great way to relieve the itchiness, and in more severe cases use of cortisone & antifungal creams may help for resistant rashes. Talk to your GP or Pharmacist about these.

Wearing light cotton or absorbent fabrics that separate the skin especially in the folds of the skin i.e. elbows, knees and groin areas.

Drinking water is also an important prevention process as it;

ü Is helpful for overall hydration

ü Is good for body temperature regulation

 

Let’s look at some factors that aggrivate Prickly Heat;

4 High humidity / temperature

4  Jacuzzi’s, Sauna’s & steam rooms

4  Fever

4  Sunburn

4  Sweating or hyperhydrosis (excess sweating)

4  Tight garments & non-breathable fabrics

4  Application of perfumes, body oils, fragranced lotions (these may cause secondary irritation)

So, in the summer months of Tropical Queensland, it’s important to stay hydrated, and limit activities that make you sweat in excess.  Remember, Calanna Pharmacy have a fantastic product to help with Prickly Heat!