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Please scroll down for more guidance on gluten consumption, coughs & colds, dry itchy eyes, snoring and hangovers.
Gluten Consumption
You can’t taste it, smell it, or see it. And maybe you can’t tolerate it. What is it.....? Gluten
Hundreds of everyday foods contain gluten: breads, biscuits, cakes, crackers, rolls, muffins, baking mixes, pasta, sausages and gravies, soups thickened with wheat flour and most breakfast cereals, as well as some confectionery, ice-creams and desserts.
Stomach upsets come and go. Sometimes we eat or drink something that is too rich or doesn’t agree with us, and we pay for it the next day (or sooner). But sometimes, everyday food, eaten in moderation, can be the culprit. For many Australians that "food" is gluten, a complex protein found in wheat, barley, rye, oats, and thousands of processed foods. It can combine with anti-bodies in the digestive tract to damage the walls of the small intestine and interfere with the absorption of many nutrients, especially fats, iron and certain starches and sugars.
This is a condition known as Gluten Intolerance, with symptoms that include diarrhoea, abdominal bloating, flatulence, weight loss or weight gain, headaches, malnutrition and skin disorders.
Gluten Intolerance, which is sometimes confused with other digestive ailments, can lead to more permanent damage (inflammation) to the small intestine, which can only be detected by a biopsy.
Who is likely to have problems with gluten consumption?
It can be a genetic disorder so if your parents suffer from eating gluten, there is a possibility you may too. It can affect any age from 6 months upwards (i.e. once a child starts eating solid foods).
BioRevive Gluten Test is a rapid, simple and reliable home test using a fingertip blood sample which helps detect if you have problems consuming gluten. The test is easy and quick - in fact it only takes 5 minutes for a positive or negative result. The BioRevive Gluten Test is available from leading pharmacies.
Avoiding gluten
Once the disease has been identified your healthcare practitioner is likely to recommend a strict gluten-free diet.
Hundreds of everyday foods contain gluten: breads, biscuits, cakes, crackers, rolls, muffins, baking mixes, pasta, sausages and gravies, soups thickened with wheat flour and most breakfast cereals, as well as some confectionery, ice-creams and desserts. Beer, malted drinks and chocolate milk should also be avoided.
Outside the home, order only plain foods, such as grilled fish or meat, steamed vegetables, and a baked potato – all without any sauces or dressings.
When you start on a gluten-free diet, the body’s healing response may take several weeks or months. This is because of the time it takes for the lining of the digestive system to re-grow. However the immune system will remember gluten, and any further ingestion of gluten can cause prolonged damage.
A dietitian can assist in planning nutritionally balanced meals that are gluten-free. Some doctors also prescribe supplements to counter any nutritional deficiencies.
Coughs & Colds
Colds are the commonest cause of illness in children and adults. Colds are caused by a virus - there are over 200 types of viruses that can cause the common cold! When people are in closer contact with each other they are more likely to infect each other. Cold causing viruses are spread by sneezing, coughing and hand contact.
The symptoms of a cold include:
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Headache
- Red eyes
- Swelling of lymph glands
- Fever (occasionally).
The actual symptoms will vary from person to person, and from illness to illness. Symptoms can last from a few days to a week or more.
You can help relieve a cold or chesty cough in the following ways:
- Warm drinks will ease a sore throat and dry mouth.
- Paracetamol may be used if fever is present.
- Nasal drops or inhalers might ease a blocked nose.
- Zinc lozenges like Cold-Clear to help prevent the cold-causing virus from spreading.
- A cough expectorant like Prospan to help bring up mucus and relieve coughing spasms.
Dry Eye
Although there is no cure for dry eye, the condition can be successfully managed.
For dry eye we recommend that you:
- Make a conscious effort to blink more often.
- Increase the humidity of the air in your home by placing bowls of water around the room to evaporate.
- Consult your doctor about the side effects of any medications you may be taking.
- Ensure your eyes are regularly checked by an eye specialist.
- In serious cases special plugs can be inserted into the tear ducts to prevent excessive loss of tears or surgery maybe considered.
- Use eye drops or a lipid spray such as Tears Again.
Snoring
Snoring is not harmful to one's health, however if a person is a loud snorer they may continually wake themselves and their bed-partner up during the night. This can lead to long-term sleep deprivation, stress and fatigue.
The following tips may assist snorers (and their bed partners!).
- Losing weight and cutting back on alcohol.
- Sleeping on one's side instead of on the back.
- Allow plenty of air to circulate through the bedroom.
- In serious cases surgery maybe considered.
- Use a nasal device such as Nozovent.
Hangovers
A hangover is a sign of over-indulgence. Your body is in a state of dehydration. It normally includes symptoms such as dry mouth, headache, nausea, queasy stomach and fatigue.
The following tips will help alleviate those nasty 'morning-after' symptoms:
- Drink lots of fluids such as water and juices.
- If you drink coffee, always follow with water.
- Have a substantial meal but avoid greasy and fatty foods.
- Paracetamol may help headaches.
- Take 4 Hydrodol capsules to help relieve major hangover symptoms.
Minimising the effects of a hangover is probably the best strategy all round.
To help reduce the risk of a hangover, try:
- Drinking on a full stomach or at least eat whilst drinking
- Selecting drinks that suit you and that you normally like to drink.
- Avoiding fast drinking or 'skolling'.
- Restricting the quantity of alcohol you drink by diluting your drinks.
- Having a non-alcoholic drink in-between alcoholic drinks.
- Beer drinkers, try 'light' beers.
- Avoiding or restricting smoking while you drink.
- Drinking 3 large glasses of water before going to bed.
- Taking 4 Hydrodol capsules.
Always drink in moderation. Do not drink and drive. If symptoms persist, please see your health care practitioner.
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