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General Wellbeing

Oct 15
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Focus on Healthy Bones for World Osteoporosis Day

By Elderly and ageing, General Wellbeing, Men's Health, Women's Health

In 2017, more than 160,000 Australians will be treated for broken bones due to osteoporosis. Around 80% of patients with broken bones leave hospital without being checked for osteoporosis, so that number could be significantly higher. The 20th of October is a day set apart around the world for focusing on bone health. Osteoporosis is a condition that affects Australians from all walks of life, and you can start taking steps at almost any stage of life to decrease the risk of breaking or fracturing a bone as a result of this condition.

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis refers to a condition where bones lose essential minerals (like calcium) quicker than the body can replace them. That leads to the bones becoming less thick and strong. The bones then become more porous and less dense, which weakens them – sometimes to the point where even a small bump or fall can lead to fractures. Over 1 million people in Australia, both men and women, have been diagnosed with osteoporosis.

Osteopenia is a related condition that occurs before osteoporosis. A diagnosis of osteopenia means that your bone density falls between the normal range and diagnosed osteoporosis, so you need to take action to increase the health of your bones to avoid developing osteoporosis.

How is osteoporosis diagnosed?

A simple scan can diagnose osteoporosis, called a “bone mineral density test”. The scan usually focuses on the hip and spine to see how much mineral loss may have occurred. The scan is a simple process – it requires that you lie flat on a padded table (while fully clothed), and a machine passes a scanning arm over your body. The scan does not usually take more than 10 – 15 minutes.

What risk factors can lead to osteoporosis?

Avoiding osteoporosis starts from a young age – calcium is extremely important for children and adolescents to build strong bones, and many are not getting enough. Some medications can affect bone health, and these side effects need to be discussed with your doctor. During menopause, rapidly declining levels of oestrogen make women more at risk of osteoporosis. Men’s hormone levels decline more slowly, so their increased risk often occurs later in life.

Some medications, health conditions and your family history can indicate an increased risk of osteoporosis. Being under- or overweight, low levels of physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and poor nutrition can also lead to the condition.

How is osteoporosis treated?

It is very important that osteoporosis is diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. Resistance, muscle-strengthening, and weight-bearing exercises are the best for increasing bone health. Weight-bearing exercises include any activity where you support your own body weight, like jogging or dancing. In addition, you will need to eliminate negative lifestyle factors – that includes avoiding smoking and excessive drinking, and keeping your body weight in a healthy range.

Calcium is extremely important for building strong bones. If you cannot get enough calcium from your diet, a supplement might be prescribed. Vitamin D levels also need to be adequate for good bone health. Your body can make vitamin D with just a few minutes of direct sunlight, but supplements are available if you are struggling to keep your levels high enough. Protein is also important for building bones.

Your GP can help you assess your risk factors, and arrange for bone testing if necessary. Talk to your doctor about any medications or health conditions that might affect your bone health. Early diagnosis will give you the best possible chance of avoiding fractures and keeping your bones healthy and strong.

Click here to book an appointment with a GP to discuss bone health and screening –>

Sep 08
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Fighting Fit Females – 5 Factors that Influence Women’s Health

By General Wellbeing, Lifestyle, Women's Health

This year, the Women’s Health Week focus was on 5 major health concerns that affect women. Most of these issues relate to each other – for example, getting healthy levels of exercise will help you sleep, improve your bone health, relax your mind and avoid cardiovascular disease. Have a look at these commonly neglected areas of women’s health, and plan how you can make small changes that have big effects on your health.

Heart Healthy

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for Australian women, so it’s important to take cardiovascular disease very seriously.  Factors like family history and age can’t be changed, but there are many lifestyle choices that will improve your chances of avoiding cardiovascular disease – eating well, moving more, and paying attention to your mental health all influence blood pressure and heart health. Seek help early, be aware of the signs of heart attack (they may not be what you think) and have regular check-ups to keep heart healthy.

Clear Mental Clutter

Mindfulness is fully supported by science as a method to counter depression, anxiety and stress.  Mindfulness means disengaging from all the stress of worrying about the future or dwelling on the past, and taking time to concentrate on the present. There are many different ways you can practice mindfulness, and great resources available online. You have everything you need to start right now – so set some time aside, find a guided mindfulness exercise to get you started, and begin your journey of decluttering your mind.

Strengthen Your Frame

Women are particularly susceptible to weakened bones or osteoporosis, but there are some easy ways to fight back. Getting regular sunlight helps vitamin D production. Regular weight-bearing physical activity, where you use your body to work against gravity, helps strengthen bones. Finally, a diet rich in calcium will build up your bones and allow them to perform their many vital functions.

Get Active

Exercise has a positive impact on nearly every part of your life, yet most of us don’t get enough. It can feel daunting to start an exercise program, but don’t think in terms of marathon training – little changes add up fast. Ideally, women should be aiming for at least 2 ½ hours of moderate intensity exercise over the course of a week, with strengthening exercises on at least 2 days. Try to tackle the reasons you might avoid exercise, and make small, lasting changes to see the benefits.

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is often undervalued, but not getting enough can have far reaching consequences for our physical and mental health. Establish a good bedtime routine to help you nod off. Turn off screens at least 2 hours before bedtime, and aim for around 7-9 hours per night. Caffeine consumption is a bad cycle to get into – it stops you sleeping, and people who haven’t slept enough often resort to caffeine to feel alert again. 10 minutes of brisk exercise is much more energising than caffeine, and is less likely to keep you awake at night.

If you have concerns in any of these areas or need ideas on how you can make changes, your GP is a great place to start. Making small, permanent changes (instead of grand plans you might not stick to) will start you on the path to better health.

Aug 17
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The Truth About Healthy Bones

By Body Systems, General Wellbeing, Lifestyle

The Truth About Healthy Bones

Poor bone health is a problem for 2 in 3 Australians older than 50 years. People of all ages can take steps to develop strong, healthy bones that will last a lifetime. Let’s look at some misconceptions about bone health, and find out the truth about healthy bones.

Misconception 1: Osteoporosis can’t be prevented.

Osteoporosis means that bones have become weak and brittle. If a person’s dietary intake is not enough to keep their body functioning, the body can borrow calcium and other minerals from the bones – which makes them more fragile and prone to breaking. Bone health can be influenced by genetics, but building strong bones early in life and maintaining good bone health habits later on goes a long way towards preventing osteoporosis.

Misconception 2: Osteoporosis is a women’s problem.

Because women have a rapid drop in oestrogen during menopause, they are more susceptible to osteoporosis. Men’s testosterone levels do drop off, but at a more gradual rate. However, by age 65, both genders lose bone mass at about the same rate. Osteoporosis affects 1 in 5 women over the age of 65 years, and 1 in 20 men – although the number of men is growing. Both men and women can benefit from good bone health.

Misconception 3: Bone health is only relevant to older people.

There are several advantages of considering bone health, even in children and young adults. Firstly, the habits that encourage strong bones are generally good for your whole body. Secondly, the teenage years build one-quarter of adult bone mass, and by the late twenties bones are at their peak mass. After this point, adults need to be careful to maintain good habits so they don’t lose that mass. Building healthy bones at a young age gives your older self a strong advantage later on.

Misconception 4: Maintaining strong bones is difficult.

There are 3 simple ways that you can ensure your bones stay healthy and strong. They are:

  1. Get enough calcium: In most Australian diets calcium comes from dairy products, but there are other sources such as supplements, fortified soy products and other foods. Discuss your calcium needs with a doctor or dietician to make sure your intake is adequate.
  2. Weight bearing exercise: it’s not only muscles that get stronger as you exercise – your bones get stronger too. Any exercise that offers some resistance is a good option for strengthening bones.
  3. Get vitamin D: Vitamin D is another essential building block for healthy bones, and the good news is that your body can make its own when given direct sunlight. But don’t throw your sun safety habits away – normally only a few minutes in the sun will do the trick. Talk to your doctor about how much sunlight you need to get your daily vitamin D.

While age, genetics and gender can’t be changed, your habits can. Healthy bones are worth the effort. Your GP is a great place to start looking for personalised information about what you can do to avoid osteoporosis and help your bones stay fighting fit, well into your later years.

Click here to book an appointment with a GP to discuss bone health –>

Jul 26
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Eliminating Hepatitis – It’s Everybody’s Problem

By General Wellbeing, Immunisation

 

Hepatitis has a reputation as a disease that only affects people who live an unhealthy lifestyle. While factors like sharing needles can greatly increase the chances of contracting a form of viral hepatitis, it is quite possible for almost anybody to come into contact with the disease. Being informed about hepatitis is everybody’s responsibility.

So, what is hepatitis?

The term “hepatitis” refers to inflammation of the liver. There can be many causes and degrees of severity. Normally when people talk about hepatitis, they are talking about one of the viral forms.

  • Hepatitis A (HAV) is a virus that is often transmitted by coming into contact with food or water that has been contaminated by faeces of an infected person.
  • Hepatitis B (HBV) is a virus that is spread via bodily fluids – blood, semen or similar.
  • Hepatitis C (HCV) is a virus that is also spread by contact with bodily fluid.
  • Hepatitis D (HDV) is a virus that is spread through direct blood contact, but can’t infect someone unless they also have Hepatitis B. It is uncommon in developed countries.
  • Hepatitis E (HEV) is a virus that is spread through contaminated water. It is very uncommon in developed countries.
  • You can also get non-viral hepatitis from an auto-immune disease, or as a complication from drugs, alcohol, medications or toxins.

How is hepatitis diagnosed?

Most symptoms of hepatitis aren’t obvious until there is a lot of damage to the liver. First, your doctor will talk to you to try and find any risk factors. You might get a physical exam where the doctor will gently press on your stomach to feel for any abnormal swelling, or if you have pain.

There are blood tests to see how well the liver is working. Abnormal results might be the first sign something is wrong, especially in the early stages. Other blood tests might be necessary to check for a number of factors that might indicate hepatitis.

Ultrasound can be used as a diagnostic tool to check that your liver looks normal. If there are still concerns, your doctor might order a liver biopsy, which is a small sample of tissue that is taken from your liver – normally with a needle instead of surgery. These samples show what’s really going on with your liver.

Treatment

Some types of hepatitis can be cured; some types can be vaccinated against, and some need to be managed. If you are found to have a form of hepatitis, you will need to work closely with your doctor to discuss treatment options.

Avoiding hepatitis

The best ways to avoid hepatitis are:

  • Good hygiene practices, including eating at restaurants with high safety standards
  • Avoiding blood, including spilled blood, shared drug needles and razors.
  • Practising safe sex
  • Be extra alert when traveling to developing countries; avoid local water, ice, raw fresh produce and seafood.
  • Stay up-to-date with vaccinations.

If you are concerned about any symptoms you might be experiencing, such as lethargy, unexplained weight loss, pale stools, abdominal pain, or if you would like a routine blood test – be sure to see your GP. Up to 90% of people who have hepatitis B are unaware that of their status, and the symptoms are often not obvious in the long-term forms of the disease. Your GP is the best person to help you find peace of mind and good health.

Click here to book to see a GP –>

Jul 20
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5 Tips to Get a Better Nights Sleep

By General Wellbeing, Lifestyle

How anxiety affects sleep

 As the Sleep Health Foundation say – “Time in bed is time well spent”. The average adult needs about 8 hours of sleep a night, but the truth is that many people are getting far less than the recommended amount. Poor sleep habits are sometimes seen as something to laugh about, but the lack of quality sleep can have some serious effects on our health. Let’s look at 5 tips you can do to get a better nights sleep.

The effect of anxiety on sleep

Sleep disruption is a common feature of mental health problems, and anxiety is no exception. You don’t have to have a diagnosed anxiety disorder to feel the impact the stress and worry can have on your sleep patterns.

anxiety and sleep information - things you should know infographic

Source: Sleep Health Foundation 

1.Set up a sleep pattern.

Your body operates on a complex biological timer, and you can help influence your internal clock by setting up a routine to tell your body when to sleep. To help train your body, try to go to bed at a similar time each day. Your pre-bed routine can also play an important part in winding down – you might take a warm shower, read a book, or do other calming activities to prepare yourself before bed.

2. No screen time before bed.

Taking mobile phones to bed for a last look at social media has become common, but this practice is particularly harmful to sleep quality. The light that electronic devices emit tell your brain that it is time to be awake, and make it harder for you to wind down. Turn off the electronics well before it is time for bed.

3. Avoid bad habits.

Caffeine is a major culprit in keeping people awake. Coffee, chocolate, tea and cola drinks have sleep-disturbing amounts of caffeine, so start limiting them hours before bed. Alcohol might seem to help with relaxation but it seriously affects the quality of sleep, so avoid that as well. If you need a daytime nap, try to have it before the afternoon so it doesn’t affect your sleep.

4. Don’t watch the clock.

If you are watching the clock tick over while you struggle to tune out, get rid of the clock completely. Create the mindset that rest is a good use of your time, even if you are not asleep. People sleep more than they think they do, and anxiety will definitely prevent you from relaxing. Don’t stay in bed if you are wide awake – try repeating your calming bedtime routine, and then use your time to rest and relax in bed.

5. Get professional help.

Sleeping tablets are rarely a long-term solution except in exceptional circumstances, but there are a range of other techniques and treatments that can be used to help people who struggle with sleep.  If you experience recurring problems in this area, don’t suffer in silence – talk to your GP.

The Sleep Health Foundation specifically recommends that you see your doctor if you experience “persistent problems with mood, restlessness in bed, severe snoring or wakening unrefreshed despite what should be adequate length sleep”. Your GP is available to help you with your sleep issues, and to refer you on to specialists where necessary. Don’t accept poor sleep as an inconvenient part of life – fight back for a good night’s rest.

With these 5 tips to get a better nights sleep, you could be on your way to getting that restful shut eye we all need!

Click here if you would like to see a GP to discuss sleep issues –>

Jun 05
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5 Reasons to get outside and play with your kids!

By Children's Health, General Wellbeing, Lifestyle

Kids love to get outside to play – and as parents know, they should get out in the fresh air as much as possible. The National Day of Real Play is a fantastic initiative to encourage parents to get their kids playing creatively. More than just play, getting out of the house has real health benefits for your children. Let’s look at some great reasons why you should take advantage of the National Day of Real Play and get your kids playing.

1. Helps to improve vision.

Studies by vision specialists have shown that when children play outside, it can help with their depth perception and distance vision. It makes sense that getting out of the four walls at home encourages their eyes to see further. You could take advantage of any scenic places in your area or hide things in your garden for them to find, to help them use their eyes at different ranges and depths.

2. Vitamin D.

Vitamin D is a vitamin our body can get for itself, but we need sunlight to be able to make it. Unfortunately, as children stay indoors for longer periods, vitamin D deficiency is becoming more common. Don’t throw your sun safety teaching out, but just a few minutes of direct sunlight each day will help your child to keep their vitamin D up at the levels they need to stay healthy and strong.

3. Increased attention span.

Many parents have already discovered for themselves the benefits of getting their kids to “burn excess energy” before they settle down. It seems this instinct has scientific backing – children who play outside and are encouraged to join in creative activities have been shown to have an increased attention span when it’s time for other activities. Being able to focus on tasks is a great life skill for later, and getting active helps children to concentrate.

4. Reduced stress.

Sadly, stress levels in children are on the rise, and even young children are being brought to their doctors for consultations. While you should always seek advice if you have any concerns, encouraging your children to be outside can help to reduce their stress levels. Practising mindfulness exercises outside can also help kids to reduce stress and feel more balanced.

5. Muscle strength and coordination.

One of the easiest ways that we can get our children to improve their muscle strength is to encourage kids to use them! Getting outdoors provides lots of opportunities to run, play and get involved with sports.
Movement is the best way to see your children improve their gross and fine motor skills, and helps them to develop their muscles and improve their coordination.

There are so many more great reasons to get your kids outside and active. Have a look online for some National Day of Real Play activities that are being held in your area, and you’ll also find some great tips for easy and fun ways to get creative at home. If you do have any concerns about your children, remember to discuss them with your GP. You can click here to book if you need.

May 11
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Let’s take a deep breath and talk about pneumonia

By Body Systems, General Wellbeing, Lifestyle

Pneumonia fact-check – are you at risk? 

This past week, the Lung Foundation has highlighted a very common but serious disease that affects many Australians – pneumonia. Let’s follow their lead and look at how to recognise the signs of pneumonia, how to identify if someone might be at risk, and how to help prevent pneumonia from occurring.

What is pneumonia?

We all have tiny air sacs in our lungs (called alveoli) that hold oxygen. Pneumonia causes those air sacs to swell and fill with pus or fluid, which stops air from flowing normally. There are many types of pneumonia, and most are caused by infections from bacteria or viruses. Some of these microbes are contagious, being spread by a cough or sneeze.

What are the signs?

The most common signs of pneumonia are:

  • Cough (dry or productive)
  • Fever/chills
  • Fatigue
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Chest pain, especially when coughing or breathing deeply.

Not everyone will get all of the symptoms, and pneumonia can sometimes look like a cold or flu. If you or someone you know has a few of these symptoms, it’s definitely worth getting to a GP for a closer look.

Who is at risk?

Pneumonia is a common infection – the Lung Foundation says there are over 77,500 pneumonia hospitalisations in Australia each year. Anyone can get pneumonia, but small babies and adults over the age of 65 are at an increased risk even if they are otherwise healthy, simply because of their age. The severity of the infection and the length of stay in hospital as a result greatly increases with age. Other at-risk groups are people who smoke, Indigenous Australians and people with other serious medical conditions – especially lung conditions like COPD.

Can pneumonia be prevented?

Pneumonia has such a wide range of causes and triggers that there is no 100% certain way to avoid contracting this infection. The good news is that there are several simple things you can do to lessen your chances of getting pneumonia:

  • Quit smoking.
  • Practice good hygiene – especially washing your hands well and often.
  • Have the pneumococcal vaccine.

The pneumococcal vaccine protects against the most common cause of pneumonia infection. The vaccine is free in Australia to at-risk people; including all Australians over the age of 65, people with a high-risk illness such as diabetes or weakened immune systems, Indigenous Australians who are aged 50 years or older, or Indigenous Australians aged 15-49 who have medical problems that might put them at risk.

Discuss with your GP if the pneumococcal vaccine is right for you. Pneumonia is a serious disease – if you suspect that you or someone you know might have pneumonia, seek medical advice as soon as possible. Your GP will be able to point you in the right direction.

Click here if you would like to book an appointment with a GP –>

Feb 09
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A Hearty Conversation about Heart Health

By Body Systems, General Wellbeing, Lifestyle

February 14th, Valentines day, is the day of love – represented by the symbol of the love heart. With all those hearts flying around, it’s the perfect time to be reminded of the importance of heart health. So it makes sense that it is also Heart Research Australia National Wear Red Day – aimed at raising awareness about the effects of heart disease, as well as the need for ongoing research.

 

What is heart disease?

Heart disease is a broad term used to describe a group of several diseases. Heart disease includes diseases affecting the blood vessels (such as coronary artery disease), the heart rhythm (such as arrhythmias) and heart diseases you are born with (congenital heart disease).

 

Why is heart research and heart health awareness so important?

Because the figures don’t lie, and right now, heart disease affects 2 out of 3 Australian families. In addition, on average one Australian dies from heart disease every 26 minutes! Because of this, the heart foundation recommends a heart check for people aged over 45, and over 35 for Aboriginal or Torres Straight Islander people.

 

Why is it important to have a heart health check?

Often there are no symptoms early on with heart disease, so without a test you may otherwise not know that you have the risk factors of heart disease.

 

How does my GP perform a heart health check?

During the consult, your GP will check your blood pressure, arrange blood tests, talk to you about your lifestyle and find out a bit about your family history. Once your blood test results are in, your doctor will be able to determine your risk of heart disease or stroke.

 

What can I do to reduce my risk of heart disease?

The biggest things within your control are lifestyle factors, such as maintaining a healthy weight and physical activity. Things such as avoiding excess salt intake (which increases your blood pressure, putting you at risk of heart attack or stroke), not smoking, and lowering your cholesterol levels can really help. If you’re concerned, you can speak to a GP as well as a dietician about how you can adapt your lifestyle to put you in the best possible position for avoiding heart disease.

 

What can I do to show my support for Heart Research Day?

Wear red! But also you can get together with neighbours, friends and family and raise money for heart research. Some ideas are: have a Wear Red day at school or work for a gold coin donation, host a heart healthy breakfast, lunch or dinner for your family or friends and ask for a small contribution for donation. You can also help spread the word, through social media and your personal networks, by telling people it’s Heart Research Day!

 

Click here to book with a GP to discuss heart disease –>

Dec 19
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5 ideas to keep you and your children hydrated this Summer

By Body Systems, Children's Health, General Wellbeing, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Travel

Why is it important to be hydrated?

Your body uses water for so many things, including maintaining temperature, removing waste, and lubricating joints. In fact, every single cell in your body requires water to work correctly!

What is dehydration?

Dehydration is a condition where the loss of body fluids exceeds the amount of fluid taken in. If severe, it can be quite dangerous and can even lead to death. 

What are the symptoms of dehydration?

If dehydration if mild, you may experience:

  • Feeling thirsty
  • Having a dry mouth, lips and tongue
  • Having a headache
  • Having dark yellow urine, and not much of it
  • Feeling dizzy or light headed when standing up

If dehydration is severe, you may experience

  • Feeling extremely thirsty
  • Having a very dry mouth
  • Breathing fast
  • Having a fast heart rate and low blood pressure
  • Having a fever
  • Having little or no urine
  • Feeling irritable, drowsy or confused

What causes dehydration?

You lose fluid every time you sweat, go to the bathroom, or even breathe. When it’s hot, the amount of fluid you lose doing just day-to-day activities increases dramatically. Dehydration can also be caused by vomiting and diarrhea – so it’s particularly important to be mindful of your fluid intake if you experience either of these, and potentially see your doctor if your symptoms don’t alleviate.

 So what are your five tips for keeping hydrated??

Glad you asked! Here they are:

  1. Add a slice of lemon or lime to your water bottle to add some flavor.
  1. If you often forget to drink water, make it part of your schedule – such as drinking when you wake, at each meal and when you go to bed. Alternatively you could drink a small glass of water every hour, or set a ‘water alarm’ on your phone to remind you to take a sip.
  1. Use a phone app to track how many cups of water you’ve had!
  1. Keep a jug of water on the dinner table and encourage everyone to fill their glass once before and once after eating.
  1. Prepare snacks made from water rich foods, such as cucumbers, melons or celery.
  1. Bonus tip! When you’re in the car, turn drinking water into a game, and see who can be the first to take a sip at each light.

Book online to see a GP to discuss any concerns about dehydration —>

Note: if you are concerned that you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of severe dehydration, please call 000.

Nov 23
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Antibiotic Resistance - healthmint medical centre

Antibiotic Resistance – Why Antibiotics Are Not Always the Answer

By Body Systems, General Wellbeing, Lifestyle

The WHO has warned that antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest threats to human health today – read on to find out why…

Take home points from antibiotics awareness week

  • Misusing antibiotics can cause harm
  • You could be passing on antibiotic resistant bacteria
  • Antibiotics are a precious resource that should be handled with care

What are antibiotics and what do they do?

Antibiotics are medicines used to treat infections or disease caused by bacteria.

Examples of infections caused by bacteria include:

  • Urinary tract infections
  • Skin infections
  • Infected wounds
  • Respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia and whooping cough

Antibiotics work by blocking a vital process in bacteria, which either kills them or stops them from multiplying. For example, some antibiotics destroy bacterial cell walls, while others affect the way the bacterial cell works.

  • antiobiotic resistance, healthmint medical centre

What do antibiotics not do?

Antibiotics have absolutely no effect against viruses and viral infections such as cold and flu.

 

So how do I know if I need antibiotics?

To be absolutely certain that a person needs antibiotics, your doctor would have to take a sample of the afflicted area to have it tested. Without this, your doctor would be making educated guesses based on data from clinical trials suggesting which types of illnesses are likely to benefit from treatment by antibiotics. IF YOU ARE GOING TO A DOCTOR WHO PRESCRIBES YOU ANTIBIOTICS FOR EVERYTHING WITHOUT QUESTION, CONSIDER GETTING A SECOND OPINION.

Certain ailments may benefit from antibiotics, such as Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs). But this doesn’t mean all UTIs are bacterial – it’s just that it is more likely than not that they are. So on balance, your doctor might make the call that antibiotics will help you.

 

What are the risks of taking unnecessary antibiotics?

The WHO has warned that antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest threats to human health today.

This is where the bacteria that normally would have been killed or prevented from multiplying by the antibiotic change to protect themselves from the antibiotic. In other words – the antibiotic will no longer be effective!

This is a HUGE issue for us in Australia, because we have one of the highest antibiotic prescription rates aroung the world. The more antibiotics are used, the higher the chances that bacteria will become resistant to them!

 

Antibiotics can also have some unpleasant side effects:

  • Stomach problems such as diarrhea, nausea and vomiting
  • Thrush infections which can affect the mouth or vagina
  • Less commonly they could cause allergic reactions such as hives, fever and breathing problems or ongoing diarrhea.

So it really isn’t worth taking them if they aren’t causing you any benefit

 

You could be passing on antibiotic resistant bacteria to your friends and family!

If you use unnecessary antibiotics, and an antibiotic-resistant strain of bacteria develops, these can be passed onto people you are in contact with.

 

So what should I do to stop the spread of antibiotic resistance?

Simple – be part of the solution! You can pledge to reduce antibiotic resistance by committing to the following 5 actions:

  1. I will not pressure my doctor to give me antibiotics for colds and the flu as they have NO EFFECT on viruses
  2. I understand that antibiotics will not help me recover faster from a viral infection
  3. I will only take antibiotics in the way they have been prescribed and when my doctor says I must
  4. I understand that it is possible to pass on antibiotic resistant bacteria to others
  5. I will make a greater effort to prevent the spread of germs by practising good hygiene

 

Remember, you can make antibiotic resistance worse if you:

  • Use antibiotics when you don’t need them
  • Use old packs of antibiotics for a new infection
  • Share antibiotics among friends or family
  • Don’t take antibiotics as your doctor prescribes, including the right amount at the right time.
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