Meet Sam, a gorgeous Hawke’s Bay 9 year old boy full of life. You may have seen his story, unfortunately Sam has been diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. Sam needs treatment at Starship Hospital for the next 3 years. What is worse is that Sam’s Dad, Derek, has undergone treatment for male breast cancer in 1995 and 2009 and his Mum, Helen, was also diagnosed and fought breast cancer 2½ years ago. Sam has 2 siblings who have had most of their childhood memories linked in some way to cancer.
Cooler temperatures and lower humidity create the perfect conditions for cold and flu viruses to survive and spread. Although annoying, colds and flus are self-limiting for many people but can leave behind a nagging cough that is harder to treat. We look at ways to manage the cough and a reminder to prepare for Winter.
Immunity naturally weakens with age, increasing the risk of contracting infections and them being more severe. As the colder months approach, here are three essential ways to enhance immunity and maintain good health.
Digestion is the body’s way of taking food, breaking it down into small molecules that can be absorbed into the body and excreting the waste. The first sign our digestion isn’t working as well as it should is a shift in normal bowel habits and pain. Other symptoms may include reflux, heart burn, bloating, cramping, wind, tender abdomen and constipation or diarrhoea. It is common for people to simply put up with them.
But these symptoms can act as a warning sign that our digestion is not working properly and of future ill health...
We all have our ups and downs in life but it is important to remain emotionally well for overall wellbeing. Mental illnesses include depression and anxiety and affect many people around us. It is important that if you have one of these conditions that you ask for help from a health professional. However, there's more to good mental health than avoiding or treating mental illness.
