More than just feeling sad
Depression is one of the world’s most common illnesses, affecting one in
four women and one in six men in their lifetime. More than just a temporary
sadness, it is a serious illness causing prolonged low mood. Depression may
cause a range of physical symptoms including headaches, pain and
indigestion. Those with chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease or
cancer have an increased risk of depression. It is always important to
diagnose and treat depression as well as the physical condition. Some of
the key symptoms include:
Sleep problems – particularly trouble getting to sleep and early-morning
waking.
Chronic tiredness.
Trouble concentrating.
Loss of interest in work or hobbies.
Changes in sex drive (libido)
Changes in appetite – either overeating or not eating.
Loss of weight.
Low self-esteem, feelings of guilt or worthlessness.
Feeling that life is not worth living.
Some medical conditions such as anaemia, under-active thyroid gland and
diabetes may cause similar symptoms. Your doctor will check for these
before diagnosing depression.
If you have a family or personal history of depression, it is important
to be aware of potential triggers. These include life changes such as job
loss, loss of a family member, moving house and times of hormonal changes
including pregnancy and menopause. It is estimated that up to 1 in 5 women
will experience depression or anxiety either during pregnancy or after the
birth of their baby. Partners of depressed new mothers are also up to 7
times more likely to become depressed.
Treatment for depression depends on its severity. Antidepressant
medications work by altering brain chemicals, like serotonin, and can be
very helpful for significant depression. It can take a week or two for
medications to become fully effective and they should be taken for at
least 3-6 months. While side effects are possible, these should be
discussed with the doctor as treatment benefits often outweigh the risks.
Never stop taking antidepressants suddenly as this can cause withdrawal
symptoms and relapse. In severe cases, sufferers may need to be in
hospital and may be treated with electro-convulsive therapy (ECT). This
involves passing an electrical current through the brain under anaesthetic
and can be a very effective treatment, despite popular misconceptions.
Psychotherapy and cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) are helpful in mild
depression and useful for preventing relapses. They can be undertaken
while on medication and provide psychological strategies to cope with life
events that may otherwise trigger mental illness.
Never hesitate to ask for help either for yourself or a loved one who
may be depressed. It is an illness – not something to be ashamed of.
Treatment can make an enormous difference for everyone involved.
Further information can be found at www.beyondblue.org.au
Calcium and iron are especially important for women
Recent studies show that women’s diets often fall short of calcium and
iron. Teenage girls and women are more at risk of deficiencies in these
nutrients than men.
Iron is an essential mineral found in every cell of the body and is
needed to maintain basic life functions. Iron must be replaced daily as
the ability to store iron in the body is limited. Functions such as
sweating, bleeding and energy consumption deplete these iron stores.
Iron from animal sources meat and egg yolk is more readily absorbed than
iron from plant sources – including wholegrain cereals, dark green leafy
vegetables, legumes, nuts, bread and breakfast cereals. High vitamin C
foods such as citrus fruit, tomatoes and capsicum eaten at the same meal
will help the absorption of iron from plant sources.
The recommended daily intake of calcium is between 800mg to 1200mg.
Teenagers and pregnant, breastfeeding and post-menopausal women need the
most. The best sources of calcium are dairy products — milk, yoghurt, and
cheese. These foods also contain substances that help the efficient
absorption of calcium.
Other sources of calcium are tinned fish with edible bones, shellfish,
baked beans, soybeans, bread, almonds, sesame seeds, oranges and dark
green vegetables. However large quantities of these foods - 20 slices of
bread, 43 tablespoons sesame seeds, 3 cups soy beans and 1kg cooked
broccoli - are needed to equal one serve of a dairy food. Three serves of
dairy foods (250ml calcium enriched milk, 200gm low fat yoghurt, and 35gm
cheddar cheese) each day is the best way to make sure you are having
enough calcium.
Milk only contains 4% fat. It is also available as reduced-fat (about
half the fat removed) and low-fat (most of the fat removed). These
products may be enriched with calcium and are recommended for anyone over
the age of five. (Small children and babies require the energy and
vitamins in full fat milk to support their rapid growth.)
Cheese and yoghurt contain minimal amounts of lactose and can be eaten
by people with lactose sensitivity.
Research suggests that a diet high in dairy calcium may aid in weight
loss, help protect against tooth decay and reduce the risk of some
cancers.
Calcium absorption is lowered by smoking and excessive use of salt,
caffeine and alcohol.
Tofu and non-dairy “milks” made from soybeans, rice and oats are not
suitable substitutes for dairy products unless calcium and other nutrients
are added by the manufacturer (read the label).
Good Health on the Menu
The following recipe would give a delicious boost of calcium and iron to
any meal for four people. Salmon is a good source of calcium, especially if
the soft bones are eaten.
Salmon Hash Browns
440g can salmon, drained
2 medium potatoes, grated
1 egg, beaten
3 spring onions, sliced
Combine all the ingredients. Divide into 8 portions and fry gently in 2
teaspoons oil until brown and firm.
Serve with a salad of leafy salad greens, broccoli, red capsicum,
mushrooms and tomatoes sprinkled with olive oil and lemon juice or
balsamic inegar.
Myth and Fact
Myth
You should wait half an hour after eating before going swimming or you
will get cramps and drown.
Fact
Many a parent recites this mantra to their child after a picnic or BBQ
at the beach - causing children to watch the clock, waiting impatiently
for the 30 minutes to pass.
In fact, when digestion of food is occurring, blood flow is diverted to
the stomach and intestines and away from the muscles. However, it is not
enough to have any significant effect on muscle function. Even athletes
eat just before competing! Occasionally some minor abdominal cramping may
occur but this is usually not dangerous. It is quite safe to eat a light
meal then go swimming.
Of course if a huge meal has been consumed, strenuous activity may make
you feel unwell. Listen to your body and swim when you feel
comfortable.
Health Reminder !
Breast cancer may develop in one out of every eleven women.
Get to know your breasts and note any changes in shape, skin, nipple
discharge or lumps.
Talk to your doctor about breast examinations and whether you need a
mammogram.
Dry ears well after swimming
Ears can be very sensitive and infection in the lining of the ear canal
(known as otitis externa) can be extremely painful. This area becomes
prone to infection when allowed to remain wet for any length of time such
as if water is trapped in the ear after swimming, hair washing or
sometimes just by being in damp tropical environments. For this reason,
the infection has been given other names including “swimmer’s ear” and
“tropical ear”. The wet skin becomes soft and soggy, creating a suitable
environment for bacterial, viral and even fungal infections to take hold.
Symptoms include severe pain in the ear, sensitivity to even gentle touch
and sometimes leakage of blood or fluid from the ear.
Treatment can be tricky, as the ear canal must be cleared of debris in
order for drops to penetrate. Sometimes the ear canal must be cleaned out
and packed with a medicated pack. Eardrops containing anti-inflammatory,
antibacterial and antifungal medications are usually used.
Prevention depends on keeping the ear canals dry – particularly when
swimming and showering. Some swimmers use earplugs. A cheap alternative to
silicone plugs is a wad of cotton wool soaked in Vaseline gel. Those with
recurring problems may use drops to help dry the ear canals. It is well
worth the extra effort to prevent painful infection!
Did you Know?
Cats and dogs may help allergy
It is common sense to avoid keeping animals that may cause allergies for
children when there is a family history of such problems. Some interesting
research from New Zealand however, has shown that children who live with
cats and dogs in the household have a lower risk of allergy than those
with a single pet. There was reduced allergy not only to animal allergens
but also house dust mite and grasses. Researchers suggest that parents who
decide to own a pet may obtain more allergy-protective effects with
combined dog and cat ownership. It is not yet clear why this may be.
Even the ancients had heart disease
An American medical journal reports that U.S. and Egyptian cardiologists
have been able to test 20 mummies using CT scans. Of the 16 with arteries
still present following mummification, 9 had evidence of hardening of the
arteries (atherosclerosis) indicating heart disease. Researchers said
these would have been people of high status whose diet would have included
a fair amount of meat. The most ancient Egyptian with atherosclerosis was
Lady Rai, nursemaid to Queen Nefertari, who died at 30-40 years of age,
around 1530BC.
Rib Ticklers
A man speaks frantically into the phone, “My wife is pregnant, and her
contractions are only two minutes apart!”
“Is this her first child?” the doctor queries.
“No, you idiot!” the man shouts. “This is her husband!”
Antioxidants: the real story
Many people have questions about antioxidants such as whether cancer can
be blamed on them, whether free radicals are counteracted by antioxidants
and whether natural antioxidants really do occur in fruit and vegetables -
because if so, how come research shows a disappointing effect of fruit and
vegetables on cancer incidence?
So let’s take each in turn.
Free radicals (highly active forms of oxygen which damage tissues) are
more related to ageing and arterial damage than cancer.
Free radicals are counteracted by antioxidants but the results from
antioxidant supplement trials have been disappointing – actually
increasing the risk of early death. It seems that antioxidants in whole
foods may be more important. While antioxidants do occur in fruit and
vegetables, the amount is variable and can depend on how you cook your
veg. For instance, red vegetables cooked in virgin olive oil appear to
release very strong antioxidants.
The link between high fruit and vegetable intake and lower than average
cancer risk is pretty solid, although it doesn’t apply to all cancers.
Bowel cancer, oesophageal and head and neck cancers seem to have the best
evidence. Deep yellow and dark green vegetables, onions and garlic seem to
be the ones with benefit. The current theory is that they contain enzymes
and substances which are cancer protective and don’t necessarily work by
inhibiting the action of free radicals.
It’s also possible that fruit and veg have their effect indirectly by
displacing less healthy foods in our diets like red meat.
So take the food, not the pills.
Arthritis can affect young people as well as adults
Arthritis is a general term meaning “inflamed joints” and can result
from a number of conditions that cause inflammation and damage to joints.
Joints occur where bones move against each other. A layer of cartilage or
gristle cushions the bone surfaces. The joint area is also covered by a
membrane (synovial membrane) that secretes a lubricating fluid. In
arthritis, this system becomes inflamed and damaged, reducing its ability
to work smoothly.
We commonly think of arthritis as an older person’s disease but young
adults, children and even babies can develop juvenile arthritis. There are
different types of juvenile arthritis, each with different symptoms and
prognosis. Either many joints or just one may be affected. Some types are
also associated with eye problems (uveitis) or skin conditions
(psoriasis). The main symptoms include joint pain, swelling and stiffness,
sometimes with fever or skin rashes.
Diagnosis and treatment are important in order to minimise damage to the
joints, potential deformity and disability. Treatment often involves the
use of anti-inflammatory and other medications. Sometimes steroid
injections into affected joints may be helpful. Physiotherapy plays an
important role in strengthening muscles and keeping joints flexible. In
most cases, early diagnosis and treatment by a professional team allows
for effective management of symptoms and reduced long-term disability for
children with juvenile arthritis.
