JUNE 2012

• Beatingthewinterbulge

• Whendoesfertilitybegintodecline?

• Buildyourmuscle,buildyourbrain

Winter is here, making people more susceptible to colds and the flu. Flu symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue and body aches alongside the more obvious dry cough, sore throat and blocked nose. It’s easily spread through droplets of mucus coming from the mouth or nose and landing on a healthy person or object and getting picked up from there. Symptoms usually appear within two or three days after contact and while most people recover within a week, for those with respiratory conditions or the elderly, the flu can be much more dangerous.

It’s often hard to tell the common cold and the flu apart, although you’re usually sicker with the flu and tend to have a fever. Why is the flu more prevalent in colder months? It’s a combination of the virus preferring the cold weather and people spending more time in confined, warm spaces, so they’re more likely to be in close contact with other people carrying the virus.

Catching public transport also increases your chances of catching a cold or the flu – by up to six times in fact. When a person sneezes or coughs in a confined bus or train carriage they release contaminated matter into the air that can be easily inhaled by anyone standing close by. Things like stop buttons, hand rails and chairs also become easily tainted with germs by people wiping a runny nose or coughing into their hand. If you catch public transport, remember to wash your hands regularly and cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing with a tissue or a handkerchief.

As the flu is caused by a virus, it can’t be treated by antibiotics, however the elderly, infants and those with chronic respiratory conditions need to see their doctor as they’re more at risk of serious complications which could benefit from antibiotics. The best way to treat both colds and the flu is with bed rest, keeping

away from others and taking lots of fluids until the body works the virus out of its system. Stay at home from work until you feel better, there’s no point going in to the office and infecting everyone else.

Stopping the spread

There are simple steps you can take to reduce your chances of catching a cold or spreading it to others if you already have one. Colds can be passed on through touching hands or objects or by breathing in droplets from sneezes or coughs, so make sure to:

• cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing

• use tissues to blow your nose and dispose of them appropriately after use

• wash hands with soap, especially before preparing or eating food and after blowing your nose

• avoid sharing cups, glasses and cutlery

Winter flu woes

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147 Montacute RoadNewton SA 5074Ph: 08 8337 4580 Fax: 08 8365 6433

337 Payneham RoadMarden SA 5070Ph: 08 8362 2233 Fax: 08 8362 4668

General Practitioners:Dr. Joe Alvaro

MBBS, Dip. RACOGDr. Patricia Backhouse

BMBS FRACGPDr. Geoffrey Barrow

MBBS, FRACGPDr. Adey Burchard

MBBS FRACGP MPHDr. Pam Crawley

MBBS, DRCOGDr. Flavio Giannitto

MBBS, FRACGP Dr. Richard Hetzel

MBBS, FRACGPDr. Andrew Kellie

MBBS, MGPPsych (Clin), FRACGPDr. Kirsty Kneebone

MBBS FRACGPDr Annie Lin

MBBSDr. Joseph Massolino

BM,BS,(F.U.S.A.)1994 FRACGPDr. Alison Measday

MBBS, Dip Obst RCOG, MRACGP Dr. Robert Menz

BMed Sc(Hons),MBBS,FRACGPDr. Paul Pers

MBBSDr. Desi Psaromatis

MBBSDr. Maria Sauchelli

MBBS FRACGPDr. Dragica Sosa

MBBS DRANZCOG FRACGP IBCLC Dr. Emily Staehr

MBBSDr. Peter White

MBBS

Practice Manager: Gina BilibioOffice Manager: Jacqui ClancySnr Practice Nurse: Deborah Foster

Consultation times:Marden Surgery:Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 8.00am – 8.00pmWednesday & Friday: 8.00 – 5.30.pmSaturday & Sunday: 8.30am – 11.30am

Newton Surgery:Weekdays: 8.00am – 5.30pm

still enjoying hearty, winter dinners like our delicious shepherd’s pie below.

Here are some of our favourite winter alternatives:• Replace the butter and cream in your

mashed potato with roasted garlic, a splash of low fat milk and a touch of olive oil for a creamy texture

• Frozen puff pastry is convenient and can be hard to pass up, but filo pastry brushed with water or whisked egg whites provides a similar, crispy texture without as many calories

• If you like making lasagne, skip the béchamel sauce in favour of a tomato based sauce

• Use lean turkey or chicken mince or even lentils in place of beef mince in your meatballs, Bolognese and lasagne and opt for whole wheat or wholemeal spaghetti for extra fibre

• Stock-based soups are usually lower in calories than cream-based ones, but you don’t have to miss out entirely: try blending cooked cauliflower into your next batch of soup

When the air is chilly and the rain won’t stop falling, it’s harder to motivate yourself to exercise, but while the limited daylight and cold weather might make it more of a challenge to get out for a run or to the gym, it shouldn’t put a halt to your healthy eating and exercise regime.

Studies suggest most people are likely to gain a kilogram or so over the winter period and then they fail to lose it. Do that for 10 years and you’ve put on 10kg, and before you know it you’re overweight and heading towards becoming obese. Then you’re at high risk of conditions like diabetes, arthritis, dementia and heart disease – not much fun for you, your family or the health care system.

Instead of having to work hard to lose weight once you’ve gained it, it’s important to know how to stabilise your weight over the colder months so that you can still button up your jeans at the end of the season. Food can be warm, healthy and delicious without drowning in high calorie ingredients. By introducing more vegetables and making smart ingredient swaps in your cooking, you can save on calories while

Beating the winter bulge

RECIPE: Take home with you! Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients800g sweet potatoes4 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons low fat milk1 medium onion, diced2 cloves garlic, crushed1 can crushed tomatoes1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock1 cup water2 tablespoons tomato paste1/3 cup red wine1 can whole lentils (drained and rinsed to remove brine)1 medium carrot, diced1 stick celery, diced1/2 cup frozen peasHandful parsley

Method1. Boil sweet potatoes and mash with

half of the olive oil and the milk and set aside

2. Heat the rest of the oil in a pan, cook the onion and garlic, add carrot and celery and cook until soft

3. Add tinned tomatoes, stock, water, tomato paste, wine, and lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally

4. Add peas and parsley and cook for a further 5 minutes, uncovered

5. Pour mixture into a shallow oven proof dish

6. Top with sweet potato mash and bake for 20 minutes at 180°C

7. Serve as you please – we suggest some steamed broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts

Good Health on the Menu

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‘Gluten free’ doesn’t mean guilt freeGluten intolerance has arguably

become one of the trendiest dietary fads, with supermarket shelves and restaurant menus overflowing with gluten free items. While it’s a dream come true for anyone with coeliac disease, for the rest of us it can be confusing. So is gluten bad for you, and should you give it up?

Gluten is a protein found in many grains like wheat, rye and barley. However, gluten free versions of pizzas, donuts, pasta and biscuits are all still packed with calories because ingredients like butter and sugar are naturally gluten free products. In some cases, you might find the gluten free alternative has more calories.

Unless you have a serious gluten intolerance or coeliac disease, it’s unnecessary to take up a gluten free diet. Try cutting back on butter, oils, sugar and salt and stick to carbohydrates with a low glycaemic index – they’re kinder to your blood sugars and to your hips too.

Did Y ou K n ow?

too, with the report suggesting people need better information to encourage them to make good decisions when it comes to their health and that of their unborn child. For men, being overweight and having a poor diet can affect the quality of their sperm, making it more difficult for their partner to become pregnant.

It’s important to consider both partners’ age and health status when it comes to having a baby – to look after the whole family in the short and long term.

Stories of celebrities having babies well into their forties are abundant, but they’re not doing us any favours. A national survey found that more than 80% of Australians believe they have more time than they do to have a baby - and most are unable to identify the age at which men and women’s fertility starts to decline. Only 20% of respondents correctly identified that a woman’s fertility begins to decline during her early 30s. Even less were aware of male’s fertility timeframes, with only 9% able to identify 45 as the age when a man’s fertility starts to decline.

When it comes to doing their part, men under the age of 25 are able to bring about pregnancy in an average of 4.5 months, compared to men over 40 who take an average of two years. Age can also affect the health of the baby, with children whose fathers are over 40 five times more likely to be born with autism spectrum disorder, compared to those who have fathers under 30.

For mothers over 45, the likelihood of a stillbirth is a whopping 90%, compared to 10% in a woman aged 20. Older mothers are also at greater risk of gestational diabetes and placenta abruption, where the placenta separates itself from the uterus.

Obvious lifestyle factors, such as being over or under weight, smoking and heavy alcohol consumption are key areas of focus

Tick tock – when does fertility begin to decline?

Across:

2. Bringing a ... into the office can act as a buffer for stress

4. A symptom of flu

6. As the flu is caused by a virus, it can’t be treated by ...

7. This make a great mince substitute

8. Carbohydrates with a low... index are kinder to your blood sugar and keep you full for longer

Down:

1. People who have a gluten intolerance may suffer from this disease

3. A woman’s ... begins to decline during her early 30s

5. This is a protein found in many grains like wheat, rye and barley

Each of the words can be found in this issue of “Your Doctor”.

Answers on bottom of last page.

Workplaces can be stressful, with many people seeking ways to keep their corner of the office calm. Research has suggested that bringing your best four legged friend to work can help reduce office tension as well as create more job satisfaction. A study undertaken in the US found that bringing a dog into the office can act as a buffer for stress throughout the work day not only for the owner, but also for those the dog comes into contact with.

The research looked at employee stress levels, job satisfaction, organisational commitment and support within the work place. They took saliva samples to test stress hormone levels as well as surveys with staff and found that a person’s self-assessed and clinically-assessed stress levels were much lower than industry standards.

Throughout the day stress declined for employees with their dogs present and increased in those who left their pets at home or didn’t own any. The researchers also noticed an increase in employee exercise, with many (even the non dog-owners) taking the time to walk the dogs during their breaks.

The outcomes suggested pets may act as a low cost wellness intervention within the office. Just don’t forget to check with your boss before bringing your furry friend in for a visit – not all workplaces are pet friendly!

Man’s best friend makes for a more

productive work day

Build your Muscle, Build your Brain

There’s growing evidence that muscle strengthening exercises are good for your memory and thinking ability. Research into healthy people aged 65 and over has shown that if they are put through a programme of twice weekly strength training using weights, resistance machines and exercises like lunges and squats, their brain function improves considerably.

Recently the same researchers in Canada who carried out that work have tried the programme in people who are already showing the signs of memory loss and problems with thinking through decisions and how they might plan, say, a shopping trip. If left unhelped, nearly half of such people (who have what’s called mild cognitive impairment) will develop full blown dementia in five years.

The trial took nearly 90 people aged over 65 with mild cognitive impairment. One group just got stretching exercises and some strengthening work with lunges and squats. A second group were put through progressive aerobic exercise

in a twice weekly walking group which upped the intensity of exercise as people became fitter. They also added urban pole walking where poles are used in each hand to assist faster walking.

The third group received progressive strength training starting at low weights of around one kilogram with about eight repetitions of each exercise in two sets. Once they were doing those easily, the weights were increased by up to 20% at a time. By the end of the trial at six months, they were - for example in biceps exercises - lifting seven or eight kilos with each arm.

When it came to their brain function, the results were just as good. The participants significantly improved their associative memory - that’s tasks like putting a name to a face - and their planning ability, or in other words being able to think ahead, make plans and make good decisions.

The reasons for the benefits are not clear but it is probably a combination of fitness giving more confidence and the brain exercise from the thinking, counting and learning progressive training exercising. The key here is that the exercises have to increase in difficulty as people become fitter and stronger. When it comes to your brain, you can’t rest on your laurels.

Answers to crossword:Across: 2. Dog; 4. Fever; 6. Antibiotics; 7. Lentils; 8. Glycaemic.

Down: 1. Coeliac; 3. Fertility; 5. Gluten.

Myth

Starve a fever, feed a cold

Fact

According to a study undertaken in the Netherlands, this theory - handed down for many generations - might have some truth behind it.

Scientists set out to examine what effect alcohol had on the immune system, but to their surprise found that while alcohol had no effect, food changed a person’s immune response quite dramatically. Eating a meal seemed to boost the immune response that destroys the cold virus. When people had the flu, not eating stimulated the

immune system that helps fight the bacterial infection that causes fever.

The study conducted was quite small, so we need more information before we can be sure. Of course plenty of liquids (both warm and cold) and rest are still regarded as the best things to do when trying to get over a cold or the flu (also see Your Doctor’s cover story this month).

Myth o r Fa ct?

East Adelaide Healthcare General Practice, established in February 2001, is dedicated to providing the best care and service, thereby ensuring the best health and wellbeing of our patients.We believe your health is best managed by continuous care from the same source, however, we will refer you for specialist opinions, investigations and treatment when necessary.To provide the best possible service and facilities for your needs it is necessary to charge realistic fees for treating you. Prompt payment of our account will help us keep fees down. Pensioners and Healthcare Card holders are treated at a discounted gap payment.Credit card and EFTPOS facilities are available for your convenience. Our fees appear on the noticeboard and are available on request at reception. Additional services performed at the time of consultation may attract further charges. Services away from the surgery or provided after hours attract a surcharge fee for all patients, including Concession Card Holders. Please be aware that if you are referred to an outside service, these providers may charge fees. If you have any problems or queries with your account do not hesitate to discuss the matter with your doctor or Practice Manager.

AFTER HOURS CAREOur telephone is answered 24 hours a day. After hours all telephone calls to East Adelaide Healthcare are diverted to our answering service, who will organise the appropriate care for you. Doctors of the Practice are contacted by them as required. In an emergency please call Ambulance Service on 000.

APPOINTMENTSThe aim of this Practice is to keep appointments running to schedule. Priority is given to urgent cases where necessary and this may cause delays. If you require a longer appointment please advise Receptionist at time of booking.

INVESTIGATION/TEST RESULTSAll results are reviewed by the treating doctor. Please phone between 10am and 4pm for results, which will be given by the Registered Nurse at either location.

REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONSA brief appointment is required for all prescriptions.

PHONE CALLSThe doctors will take urgent phone calls where possible. If unavailable the doctor will return your call or alternatively you may speak with the Registered Nurse.

FEEDBACKIf you are unhappy with any aspect of the care you receive, please discuss this with your doctor or Practice Manager, Mrs. Gina Bilibio.

We believe problems that arise are best addressed by the Practice. However, external complaints can be made to the Australia Medical Association - SA Branch ph 8361 0100