Go Robbie GO!
In the Tour de France a win is a win; even if it is by a matter of millimeters. A win is also the pinnacle of pride and honour for the cyclist, his team and his country. So when Robbie Hunter took the 182km 11th stage between Marseilles and Montpellier for the South African team Barloworld, he made big-time history. The first South African, the first cyclist from Africa to win a stage in this very gruelling race. Well done! We are so proud!

This wonderful news come at a time when the South Coast is reeling from a very dark and tragic two weeks on our roads. So many accidents, so many deaths, so many broken bodies. Let us hope that this is not the beginning of a trend and that it was just a very stark reminder of the importance of road safety.
May this also serve as a urgent reminder and wake-up call to the authorities to attend to the absolutely horrendous condition of our roads. I am sure that a substantial percentage of all accidents are caused by the enormous potholes and subsequent loose gravel found all over town. While on the subject, let me openly beg of the roads department to stop filling these holes with loose gravel; it takes less than a day for the traffic to remove the gravel, leaving the hole as it was, but in the process scattering thousands of little pebbles all over the road, making it a disaster area just waiting for a victim on a motorbike or bicycle or even a motor vehicle to come around the corner and slide into oblivion.
Instead of making huge speed-bumps, use some of that labour and material to fill the potholes please! (I fully support the bumps - I’m just trying to make a point.)

Now that I’ve worked myself up a shade or two, I can just as well post some rhetorical questions right here and right now:
Having just read the news of the poor elderly couple at Swartberg that were stabbed and beaten to death on Friday, I compared the modus operandi with other similar recent cases. In fact, one can probably do this with hundreds if not thousands of cases of brutal attacks, murders, robberies and the like. Is this a unique Africa genetic trend to kill for a cell phone? Is it a previously unheard of tradition to slash and slain and rape to obtain a couple of rand? Or is it a very well orchestrated manouevre born in the dark abyss of political boardrooms and bred by hate-driven hidden agendas?
Am I even suppose to think along these lines, let alone write it down in a public letter? So many questions - it confuses me. In days gone by there were tremendous witch-hunts to discover the so called ‘third-force’ behind some alleged incidents of the past.
Maybe it was there, maybe not.
Is there another one at work today?
Where are we heading? Will the powers not take any wisdom away from the tragedy of a whole missing generation north of our borders?
I want no answers. I know what I want to believe. Please pray that I am wrong.

Health News: Probiotics;
With the warmer weather (hopefully) on it’s way, and the associated higher incidence of gastric problems, now is perhaps a good time to talk about Probiotics. Although it is a word that is thrown around a lot these days, it is more than just hype and fashion. It has a tremendous positive effect on general health.

So-called good bacteria in the intestines, which may help people with inflammatory bowel disease, allergies and some forms of cancer, work even when they're inactive.
Called probiotics, they are bacterial organisms that contribute to the health and balance of the intestinal tract. Recent studies have proven the health benefit of these bacteria.
The effectiveness of probiotics has been attributed to their live, metabolic activity. But active probiotics are used in only a small number of food products, such as yoghurt. Active probiotics are unsuitable for most food products because they induce fermentation, which changes the taste, texture and freshness of food on an hourly basis.

Potential use of inactivated probiotics:
Probiotics contain immune system-stimulating DNA that makes them just as effective when they're inactive. The finding of various studies offer the potential to use inactivated probiotics in a variety of food products.
The study also outlines a method to determine and select which probiotic bacteria provide the most benefit for people with inflammatory bowel disease.
Elderly people should take probiotic supplements - including drinks, capsules or yoghurt - to protect themselves against bowel conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or previously called ‘Spastic Colon’. Just be aware that not all commercially available yoghurt contains probiotics. Read the labels!
People over age 60 have about 1 000-fold less "friendly" bacteria and more disease-causing bacteria in their guts when compared with younger adults.

Boosts friendly bacteria
Probiotic products, which contain live strains of bacteria, can help boost the amount of friendly bacteria in the guts of older people and help protect them against acute conditions like traveller's diarrhoea, antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, seasonal gastro-enteritis as well as chronic bowel diseases.
While probiotic products are useful for healthy adults - for example, helping to fight bacteria that cause food poisoning - they are even more beneficial for older people.

The application in paediatric medicine is only now beginning to surface and we have seen, in our own pharmacy, the dramatic effect that these products bring about when given to young children, even small babies. Diarrhoea, food allergies, indigestion, colic, mal-absorpsion, bloated tummies, and many more can be treated without side-effect producing conventional medication, which sometimes leave these kids dazed and confused.

Come and speak to us about this wonderful gift from nature.


Vir die MANNE (maar die vrouens moet asseblief ook hierdie lees):

DIE meeste mans sal veel eerder 20 km in die reën hardloop, vyf kinderpartytjies op 'n streep bywoon, inskryf vir ‘n kursus in Russiese Prosa, as om hulle aan te meld vir 'n dikderm- of prostaatondersoek. 'n Kinderpartytjie kan dalk 'n man sy vrou se guns laat wen, maar 'n prostaatondersoek kan verseker sy lewe red.

Hoofoorsake van dood:
Volgens die Mediese Navorsingsraad (MNR), was die tien hoofoorsake van sterftes in die jaar 2000:
1. MIV/vigs: 24,6%
2. Geweld: 10%
3. Tuberkulose: 8,1%
4. Hartsiektes: 7,8%
5. Beroerte: 5,9%
6. Padongelukke: 4,4%
7. Longinfeksies: 3,5%
8. Chroniese lugwegobstruksie: 3,4%
9. Longkanker: 2,1%
10. Suikersiekte: 2,1%

Van dié sterftes kan deur klein lewenstylaanpassings soos veiliger seks (MIV/Vigs), rookstaking (longkanker en emfiseem), voldoende behandeling van asma (emfiseem), en minder alkohol gebruik en groter paraatheid en bewustheid (geweld en padongelukke), voorkom word.
Daar is egter min twyfel dat die uitwerking van baie siektes wat mans se lewe bedreig, deur vroeë siftingstoetse verklein kan word. In baie gevalle kan sterftes voorkom word deur vroeë opsporing en behandeling, en in ander gevalle kan siftingstoetse tot doeltreffender behandeling en 'n hoër lewensgehalte lei.

Siftingstoetse
Navorsing toon die volgende toetse kan 'n groot verskil maak.
Bloeddruk: Al om die ander jaar as jy in jou twintiger- of dertigerjare is, en jaarliks van jou veertigerjare af.
Cholesterol. (bloedmonster) Al om die ander jaar as jy in jou twintiger- en dertigerjare is en 'n familiegeskiedenis van hartsiektes het, en jaarliks van jou veertigerjare af.
Tipe 2 diabetes (suikersiekte) (bloedmonster). Alle mense met 'n verhoogde risiko behoort elke drie jaar vir suikersiekte getoets te word. Mense met 'n verhoogde risiko is diegene met 'n familiegeskiedenis van diabetes, alle volwassenes en kinders wat oorgewig is, en almal met hoë bloedcholesterolvlakke of hoë bloeddruk.
Prostaat. (bloedmonster vir 'n PSA-telling en 'n rektum-ondersoek). Alle mans in hul veertigerjare met 'n familiegeskiedenis van prostaat- of borskanker behoort jaarliks 'n ondersoek te ondergaan. Alle mans van 50 jaar en ouer behoort een keer per jaar 'n ondersoek te ondergaan. Een uit elke agt mans ouer as 50 jaar sal prostaatkanker ontwikkel.
Dikdermondersoek. ('n Kolonoskopie - 'n inwendige ondersoek). Elke vyf jaar as jy in jou twintiger- of dertigerjare is en 'n familiegeskiedenis van dikdermkanker het. Elke drie tot vyf jaar as jy in jou veertigerjare is en 'n familiegeskiedenis van dikdermkanker het; andersins elke vyf jaar. Jaarliks as jy 50 of ouer is.
Velondersoek. (Deur 'n dermatoloog gedoen.) Elke jaar vir mans bo 40. Mans wat gereeld gholf of krieket speel of gespeel het, boere, vissermanne en ander buitelug mans het 'n groter risiko om velkanker op te doen. Ook mans met donkerder velle kan velkanker opdoen.
Testes-selfondersoek. Maandeliks, veral as jy onafgedaalde testes het, as jy of jou broer of pa al 'n testesgewas gehad het, of as jy onvrugbaarheidsprobleme ondervind of ondervind het.
So voor jy die volgende braai reel, die komende manne-tee beplan, nog ‘n kinderpartytjie bywoon, jou motorhuis (weer) regpak, doen die sinvolle en regte ding; gaan maak ‘n afspraak met jou dokter en kry gemoedsrus.
Die toetse wat ons self kan uitvoer by die apteek is Bloeddruk, Diabetes, Cholesterol, PSA.
Kontak ons gerus vir meer inligting.
(Vir die vrouens wat tot hier nog bly lees het, neem aksie. Laat jou man getoets word voor sy volgende kar paaiement. So kan jy dus seker maak dat hy vir nog baie lank die paaiement sal kan betaal).

Signing out ....

As I sold this pharmacy in December 2008, this blog will be kept for archive purposes. A sort of memento (more for myself I suppose...).
If someone wants to contact me, do so via the comment facility.

Greetings and salutations

In the words of Terminator: "I will be back.."

Pieter

Newsletter October 2007

Maybe it is the time of the year, maybe it is the post-world cup euphoria trying to get back to some level of normal, but I detect a certain amount of emotional fatigue in the people I meet on a daily basis. Fatigue deeper that could be explained by just the lack of sleep due to a bit of world cup celebrations.

And celebrate we did. The nation sang the praises of the heroes in green and even while we were doing that, our brave and able minister of sports, Makhenkesi Stofile, said that the Boks squandered the opportunity after their first title triumph in 1995 to make the game truly representative of the country's racial mix and a repeat failure was unacceptable.
Am I suddenly feeling even more fatigue creeping in? Or is it a severe bout of nausea?

These characters in politics are trying their utmost to topple the cart. They stand on their soap boxes and whinge because rugby is an easy target, but they don't ever develop fields in townships, underwrite coaching classes or supply the nutrition needed to turn 75kg weaklings into 115kg tighthead props. It is just another attack on an established part of a forbidden culture.

Somewhere during the last week somebody filled my pothole. Thank you. It lasted all of two days. Nice gesture. Next time please try bitumen.

Another possible reason for emotional fatigue is the realisation that we are being lied to in a massive way. The state of the economy is but one that comes to mind. Is it really as strong as we are led to believe?

From the retailers out there I hear a different story. From the hospitality industry even worse reports. "Business is very quiet", is a common answer these days.
We are also kept in the dark about the level of crime. One can only ascertain that the statistics are totally warped. I mean, if the chief of police needs protection from his ultimate boss, how much control is out there?

All right. Time for positive thoughts. This coming Saturday, the 27th of October 2007, it will be exactly ten years since we took over from Eddie and Anne Pyle. Unbelievable. To all our loyal customers and patients who helped us achieve this milestone, a BIG Thank You! Please keep on supporting us and all our new endeavors so that we can make it through another ten years!

Report back:
We recently ran a very successful campaign called "State of you Health Week". Well in the end it ran for much more than a week and I must say it was hugely successful. A whole lot of people are now more aware of the dreaded Metabolic Syndrome; a lot are on treatment already, another batch are subscribing to a new lifestyle; one that creates healthy habits and stave off the warning signs.

The success of this round has led us to believe (and we are already planning) that we can do more. We are in the process of starting a Cholesterol Treatment Program, followed soon by more conditions. It will take the form of a treatment regime running over a period of weeks with medication, tests, eating plans, information sessions, feedback, education and more tests.
After completion the individual will have a healthier lifestyle, a better prognosis, and enough accumulated knowledge to make informed decisions where it comes to diet and habit. Watch this space. Or better still, contact us if you think we can help you with your particular problem. We will look at it and if within our field of expertise, we will device a program accordingly.

Treatment of emotional fatigue is excluded though. Try the guys in the top office. The ones with the Pierre Cardin Suits. The ones planning the next rugby world cup team selection.

Weight loss: When it's unexpected....
For most people, dropping a few kilogram without meaning to is a welcome surprise. But do you know when unexpected weight loss is a cause for concern?

Causes are varied:
There are many possible reasons for unintentional weight loss, including:

Changes in diet or activity level. Skipping meals, eating on the run, eating less fat or preparing food in new ways may contribute to unexpected weight loss. A particularly hectic schedule may cause you to drop a few kilo’s as well. Change your lifestyle. Eat healthy.

Mood changes.
Anxiety, stress and depression can affect your weight. Beware.

Medication.
Some over-the-counter and prescription drugs may cause weight loss. Ask.

Difficulty chewing or swallowing.
Dental problems can make it difficult to chew, and many conditions can interfere with swallowing. With esophageal dysphagia, food feels as if it sticks or gets hung up in the base of your throat or chest. Certain neuromuscular problems can weaken your throat muscles, making it difficult to move food from your mouth into your throat and esophagus. Get immediate diagnostic confirmation and treatment.

Poor absorption of nutrients.
This may be a problem with malabsorption disorders such as celiac disease, a digestive condition triggered by consumption of the protein gluten. This protein is found in bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust and other foods containing wheat, barley, rye and some oats. Some people might also suffer from food intolerances like Fructose. Fructose is a sugar found in fruit. It's also a basic component in table sugar (sucrose). In addition, sorbitol — a sugar alcohol — is converted to fructose during normal digestion. So if you have fructose intolerance, you should avoid foods that contain fructose and sucrose as well as sorbitol. There are tests available. Do it.

Nausea.
If you're feeling queasy, you may eat less and lose weight. Many conditions can trigger nausea.
Viral and bacterial infections, hormonal changes and various digestive disorders can all make you nauseated. If nausea persists have it checked out.

Inflammatory bowel disease.
Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are the two most common forms of inflammatory bowel disease. These often painful and debilitating conditions cause chronic inflammation of the digestive tract, which may prevent you from digesting or absorbing much of what you eat. These are serious.

Pancreatitis.
Pancreatitis is a condition in which digestive enzymes attack the pancreas rather than break down food in the small intestine. Chronic pancreatitis may cause weight loss, even when your appetite and eating habits are normal.

Lack of blood supply to the bowel.
If the blood flow to your small intestine is reduced, you may develop a condition called intestinal ischemia. Signs may include unintentional weight loss.

Hyperthyroidism.
The thyroid hormones regulate every aspect of your metabolism, from your heart rate to how quickly you burn calories. When your thyroid gland produces too much of the hormone thyroxine, you develop hyperthyroidism. This condition causes weight loss, even when your appetite is bigger than normal. There are diagnostic tests - ask your doctor.

Diabetes.
Diabetes affects the way your body uses blood sugar. Even when you eat as much as usual, you may lose weight if your muscle tissues don't get enough glucose to generate growth and energy. This is especially true with type 1 diabetes, in which very little sugar gets into your cells. With uncontrolled diabetes, sugar lost in the urine may also contribute to weight loss.

Cancer.
Many types of cancer cause unintentional weight loss, including cancers of the pancreas, gallbladder, colon and stomach. Cancer treatment may have the same effect.

S.O.S:
If you plan to trim down, by all means, do it in a controlled manner through a recognised eating plan. If you however are not on any conscious diet and suddenly start to drop weight, take note and take action. It may be your only wake-up call.

Hartsiektes neem toe.
Elke jaar kry meer as 47 000 Suid-Afrikaners ’n hartaanval. Ja, jy het reg gelees.
’n Kwart van hulle – sowat 12 000 – sterf onmiddellik! Daar word gereken dat voortydige sterftes weens hart- en bloedvatsiektes gaan tussen nou en 2030 met 40 persent toeneem.

As jy een van die nagenoeg 40 persent van die bevolking is wat met slegte hartgene gebore is, kan jy werklik keer dat dit – soos ’n lig – aangeskakel word. En as jy met goeie hartgene gebore is, kan jy ook jou hartvate teen skade beskerm deur sekere van jou gewoontes te verander.
Baie van die faktore lei tot ’n lae vlak van inflammasie in die bloedvatwande, en hierdie rooi en geswelde binnewande is dan uiters vatbaar vir verdere skade deur die ander faktore.

Hier is jou negepuntplan om jou risiko te beperk, saamgestel uit inligting deur Harvard-navorsers, hartspesialiste van die Mayo-kliniek en Suid-Afrikaanse navorsers:

1 As jy rook, hou op met rook.
Hetsy dit sigare, sigarette, lae-teer of "ligte" sigarette is.
Rook is een van die belangrikste faktore wat alle hoërisiko-hartgene aanskakel.
Dit beskadig verder die binnewande van bloedvate so erg dat die vate verstop kan raak.
As jy ophou rook, daal jou risiko vir ’n hartaanval binne drie jaar. Rokers wat ouer as sestig is, kan vyf tot sewe jaar by hul lewe voeg deur op te hou rook. Passiewe rook is ook ’n belangrike risikofaktor.
2 Doen oefening. Dit hou minstens twintig verskillende gesondheidsvoordele in.
Oefening maak die hartvate sterker en meer oop, dien as stresontlaaier en bekamp oorgewig. Fiksheid kan jou risiko vir hartsiektes met ’n derde verminder. Onfiksheid is selfs ’n groter gevaar vir jou hart as om oorgewig te wees. Probeer om minstens twee uur per week te oefen.
3 Beheer jou gewig.
Hoe vetter jy is, hoe dikker is die vetlaag om jou hart en ander organe. Mense met ’n appelvormige lyf – die manne met die boepe – het ’n groter risiko vir hartsiektes as iemand met ’n peervormige lyf.
4 Vette in die kos.
Eet van jongs af kos wat min versadigde en transvette bevat.
Dit keer dat ’n spesifieke hartgeen aangeskakel word.
5 Vetsure.
Eet minstens drie keer per week vis en ander kos wat baie omega- 3-vetsure bevat.
Kies haring, makriel, tuna, sardyne, forel, salm en ander olierige vis. Hierdie "goeie’" vette kan jou risiko vir bloedstolling en diep veneuse trombose verminder. Boonop laat dié vette jou gouer versadig voel.
6 Voedsel keuses.
Eet meer vars groente en vrugte, veral sitrusvrugte, spinasie en ander groen, blaarryke groente, want hulle bevat baie vitamien B en foliensuur wat mense met hoë cholesterolvlakke se hart kan beskerm.
7 Vesel.
Eet meer veselkos soos hawermoutpap.
Tien gram ru-vesel per dag kan jou risiko vir ’n hartaanval met 20 persent verlaag. Soek veral na die sogenaamde "Oat Bran"; dit het ‘n geweldige goeie effek op cholesterol.
8 Ken jou tellings en hou dit in toom.
As jy jou bloeddruk van 140/90 mm Hg kan verlaag tot 120/80 mm Hg, kan jy jou risiko van ’n beroerte halveer. Met elke breuk wat jou slegte LDL-cholesterolvlak daal, daal jou risiko vir ’n hartaanval ook. As een bloeddrukmiddel se newe effekte jou pla, gesels met jou dokter sodat jy ’n ander een kan probeer. Moenie net jou middels staak omdat jy lus het nie. Inteendeel moenie ooit enige voorskrif medisyne uit eie besluit staak nie.
9 Leer om stres te verwerk.
Dit lyk ál meer of langdurige stres ook die bloedvatwande vatbaarder maak vir skade. Leer om te ontspan. Begin met vyf minute per dag en verdubbel die tyd elke dag totdat jy effektief en doelbewus ontspan vir ten minste 2 uur voor slaaptyd. Om te gaan slaap soos ‘n opgewende horlosie-veer is net moeilikheid soek.

911 !!!
As ’n mens benoud voel, skielik moeg is of ’n sooibrandgevoel oor jou maag en bors het, veral ná oefening, kan dit ’n angina of ’n hartaanval wees. Jy moet beslis nie eers wag en kyk of die sooibrand ’n hartaanval is of nie. Toediening van ’n stolsel-oplosser binne drie tot vier uur kan ’n lewe red en die kans vergroot dat die pasiënt sonder hartskade herstel.
Wees ingelig

New in stock: A more feminine Shower Gel with seductive Jasmin. From the colour to the lingering fragrance of Gardenia Jasminoides, this will drag you back to the shower every time!

To be launched soon:
A more masculine Shaving Cream for the manne. But equally as effective for ‘em long legged ladies if the men do not hide their own creme permanently!

Newsletter September 2007

Just another day in paradise....Phil Collins wrote this song many years ago and tonight the meaning is lost to me but the title explains my feelings... I have my son Christiaan home for the week, my parents arriving tomorrow, my sister and my daughter Lize and soon-to-be son in law Dirk arriving in 3 days for the weekend. Plus most of my friends are here or arriving soon. Why? Little party for little birthday.
‘Nough said.

Oh yes, my wife is still here as well. (She made me say this).

Let’s get back to the pothole issue (been dragging on in this newsletter for two months):
I am so proud to announce that the not-so-subtle hints directed at the local authorities finally paid off. Yes. They finally addressed the pothole issue with purpose. They took one of the potholes in Mitchell street and relocated it to Douglas street!

I am now the proud owner of my own pothole. They stole it from somebody else and installed it right in front of my driveway. I am so sorry for the personal loss someone in Mitchell drive suffered because of this but I am proud to announce (and to comfort them) that this, my own new pothole, is alive and well, living in Douglas road (acknowledgement to Jacques Brell).
In fact, it is so alive, it is growing at an almost exponential rate! Every morning it is just so much bigger. It multiplies overnight... I am sure Steven Spielberg can make something out of this...but thank you, Mr Local Authority, I will nurture it and see that it grows to (your) standard proportions. If, one day soon, I do not arrive for work, let it be known that I went into the hole and never resurfaced...

Quote of the week: Mr I.M. Patient, waiting patiently for his repeat prescription was prompted about the recent slip of our (beloved) national cricket team in the 20twenty Wcup: "The biggest tragedy is that they didn’t play abroad....then we could have made the buggers swim home". In retrospect, what a tournament! Such class! The old Leather-on-Willow will never be the same.
Let me in the same breath state that (so far) our rugby is outplaying my (and many other’s) hopes. Such national confidence!?
Why do we even doubt them? Sisssssss! Let us all unite and wish them well. Go John! (And Go Bobby! {for Dr Skinstad’s sake})

So now we have covered the (spooky) local phenomenon of migrating potholes, the (sorry) state of our cricket, the (brave) state of our rugby, the (....watch this space .....) coming health week..(in fact, see bottom part of page 2 for details)..

Did we do something that you thought might be worth discussing? Please phone 0393150040, email pcn@venturenet.co.za or jut stop me on the road cycling......
As they say, Spring has sprung and we are on our way to a lovely summer with long days and lots of opportunities to panelbeat our winter-softened bodies. In line with our coming health week in October, let us look at exercise.

Exercise away your blues
Regular exercise may work as well as medication in improving symptoms of major depression, researchers have found.
In a study of 202 depressed adults, investigators found that those who went through group-based exercise therapy did as well as those treated with an antidepressant drug. A third group that performed home-based exercise also improved, though to a lesser degree.
Importantly, the researchers found, all three groups did better than a fourth group given a placebo -- an inactive pill identical to the antidepressant.
Doctors may not start widely prescribing exercise as a depression treatment just yet. But for patients who are motivated to try exercise, it could be a reasonable option, the study authors say.
By the end of the study, it was found that 47 percent of patients on the antidepressant no longer met the criteria for major depression. The same was true of 45 percent of those in the supervised exercise group. In the home-based exercise group, 40 percent had their symptoms go into remission. That compared with 31 percent of the placebo group.

How it may work
There are several theories on why exercise might improve depression. For example, physical activity seems to affect some key nervous system chemicals -- norepinephrine and serotonin -- that are targets of antidepressant drugs, as well as brain neurotrophins, which help protect nerve cells from injury and transmit signals in brain regions related to mood.
Exercise may also boost people's feelings of self-efficacy and promote positive thinking. Some experts speculate that group exercise, with its social aspect, may have added benefits.
Though the home exercise group in this study did better than the placebo group, it's not clear whether it's as good as supervised classes. Home exercise may be more convenient, but patients possibly do not push themselves as hard on their own.
So get off that couch, switch off the TV, put away the stress-ball and get ready to join some exercise program. It will, as a side effect, trim the body into a mean shape and last but not least, it might just save you from another lifestyle scourge, namely Metabolic Syndrome.

This is something that we want to address in all seriousness next month during our "State of your Health" week.
During this period (October 1-5) we will do the following to bolster awareness of this syndrome:
Full Lipogram (Total Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, Triglycerides)
Blood sugar
Blood pressure
Cardiac Risk Profile
BMI (Body mass index)
Waist circumference (waist to hip ratio)
Results while you wait
Free information pack on conditions featured namely Hypertension, Obesity, Cholesterol, Insulin resistance, Diabetes II, Lack of exercise.
We will supply information on diets, precautions and all the do’s and don’t’s.
Price?
Only R150.
But please phone for an appointment. We are getting full already so do not delay. Your may not be as healthy as you think.

Ek het aanvanklik gedink dat ‘n artikel oor aanvullings vir kinders nie goed ontvang sal word nie omrede die demografiese verspreiding wat betref ouderdom in my teiken area, maar toe besef ek dat elke persoon wat hierdie lees of self klein kindertjies het of, bevoorreg is om ‘n oupa of ouma te wees. So neem kennis en neem aksie.
Volgens die kenners het kinders deesdae redelike ernstige gebrek aan baie van die belangrike voedingstowwe soos vitamiene en minerale.

Vandag is dit bykans onmoontlik om 100% van die voedingstowwe te verkry uit die kos wat ons eet. Faktore soos ons besige skedules wat lei tot die eet van kits kosse, die manier van kos voorbereiding wat weereens baie keer gebasseer is op spoed en nie soseer kwaliteit nie, vinnige rypmakings-prosesse op plase, hormone wat toegevoeg word, voedsel bestraling om raklewe te verleng, genetiese manipulasie, preserveermiddels wat bygevoeg word, en ook begrotings kwessies wat ons somtyds laat gryp na die goedkoper opsies instede van die beter voedings-opsies, alles het tot gevolg dat die aanbevole daaglikse inname van meeste van die belangrikste voedingstowwe nie bereik word nie.

By kinders in die groei-fase van hulle lewe is ‘n gebrek aan enige van die voedingstowwe baie ernstiger as by volwassenes. Ons as groot mense kan dieet tekorte gou aanspreek en normaliseer, maar kindertjies groei baie keer op met ernstige tekortkominge in hulle dieet en dit wys eers dalk eendag as hulle self groot is, maar dan, helaas, is dit te laat om te herstel. Die kind het met die probleem opgegroei en die tekort het dan deel geword van sy lewe.
Ons moet dit nou aanspreek en seker maak dat hulle die regte stowwe, in die regte verhoudings, in die regte formaat, inkry.

Studies het gewys dat een derde van kinders ‘n tekort het aan yster, ‘n half het ‘n tekort aan sink, en soveel as negentig persent kry te min magnesium in. Meer as die helfte het ook hopeloos te min vitamien C in hul daaglikse inname en soveel as dertig persent het erge tekorte aan vitamien B-6.

Die maatskappy Bioharmony het in assosiasie met Patrick Holford getree en bring nou internasionale voedings deskundigheid na Suid Afrika. Dit verseker die hoogste standaarde van veiligheid, effektiwiteit en kwaliteit. Patrick se navorsing het gelei tot spesifieke formules wat die bou-stene is van goeie gesondheid en balans en welsyn.
Die maatskappy bemark ‘n produk wat hulle noem Optimum Nutrition for Smart Kids. Die naam behoort eintlik te wees Optimum Nutrition for Kids by Smart Parents! Hierdie is die naaste aan die volkome voedings aanvulling wat daar te verkry is.
Hierdie middel bevat 12 vitamiene en 10 minerale in bio-beskikbare vorm, dit is nutrisioneel geskik vir kinders 1 jaar en ouer.
Dit is vry van suiker, laktose, koring en glutien.
Dit word versoet met xylitol (geen aspartame of sakkarien)
Beskikbaar in natuurlike vrugte geure.
Ook beskikbaar in die reeks is Get up and Go for Smart Kids. Ek kan nie genoeg onderstreep dat kinders regmatig moet kan aanspraak maak op die regte voeding nie. Ons sit alreeds met die sogenaamde "passiewe generasie" as gevolg van TV, rekenaars, allerlei elektroniese goeters wat kinders weghou van gesonde, aktiewe, speel-speel grootword. Ons skep onaktiewe, oorgewig, ongesonde, fast-food kinders. Gee hulle ‘n kans.

Newsletter August 2007

And so we still have the potholes. Despite my pleas. Only now they seem to use a slightly darker colour gravel to fill these craters. So now the loose gravel is less visible. Now we are going to have fun and games going through corners on anything with wheels.

While on the topic of pebbles; I have another one in my blue suede shoe: Litter. Roadside litter. Specially brought in and imported from the Eastern Cape. Normally transported by busses proudly displaying a logo of some church from Flagstaff or beyond on the rear window.
These busses, filled to scary permutations of capacity, do regular stops on the way to the South Coast, to allow passengers the chance to purchase or otherwise obtain items of edible origin and purpose. These are then consumed and the packing material (the red little boxes with the caricature of the cute little yellow chicken on the side) is stored en masse in the bus while travelling North on it’s way to Durban....
....until it reaches the first bridge over the toll road at Ramsgate, or if that one is occupied, the next, or then any other available illegal stop.
Then these bothersome boxes, bottles and plastic bags are promptly removed by some of the passengers and dumped next to the road while some of their fellow travellers-in-time take the golden opportunity to biologically relieve themselves. All this in clear view of whoever wants to see. Pity is that many small children walking our roads see this and accept this manner of behaviour as the norm.
And we sit with the rubbish that is whisked away by the fresh coastal breeze and left hanging from fences and roadside bushes. "Eish!"

One last cry of anguish: Persons travelling in the modern version of the German Tiger II Tank or nowadays called the Minibus-Taxi, consuming liquid refreshments and then unceremoniously throwing the glass bottles out the window, to shatter and subsequently spread it’s deadly load of thousands of razor sharp particles over a vast area of road where thin tyres on bicycles, tender skin on children’s feet, soft cushions on animal’s feet get cut and stabbed and destroyed.
How can we ever dream of educating or stopping these beings from turning our lovely coast into another neglected dump? Am I crying into the wind here? Next time you see something like that, show your disgust vociferously or any way you feel would be appropriate. I know what I normally do but it will not be fit for printing.

And then my apologies for my own minister’s latest little steps. I fully realise that to be able to publically deny the existence and origins of a killer viral disease, to single-handedly destroy a centuries-old profession, to run a whole government department into a fraud riddled heap of cow dung, to cripple the public healthcare system, to sink the provincial hospitals, all these and then to be in her position of power purely and solely by the grace of her great friend Thabo, must be enough reason to have a nightcap in the hospital. Or maybe two or three. Point is not to be caught. Especially not by the press.

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This coming week is Deaf Awareness Week (DAW). It is a week dedicated to educating the public about hearing loss, deafness, deaf culture and sign language. The aim is to ensure that hearing people understand deafness and the culture of the deaf community.

A person who is unable to hear some sounds is said to present with hearing loss.
A person who is able to hear some sounds is said to be 'hard of hearing'.
A person who is unable to hear any sounds is said to be 'deaf'.

The ear is made up of three parts i.e. outer, middle and inner ear. Hearing loss can result from an obstruction or damage in any of these three parts.

There are three main types of hearing loss:
Conductive hearing loss occurs when there is an obstruction in the transmission of sound to the inner ear. The problem lies in the outer ear.
Sensorineural hearing loss which is caused by the inappropriate functioning of the cochlea or the hearing nerve.
Mixed hearing loss is a combination of the above.

Excessive accumulation of ear wax or infection of the auditory canal in the outer ear can cause temporary hearing loss. Perforation of the eardrum, infection or fluid in the middle ear and otosclerosis can lead to difficulties in hearing. The natural aging process, excessive exposure to noise, medication that is toxic to the auditory system and head injuries can also cause hearing loss.

Signs and Symptoms of Hearing Loss
* Discharging ears
* Ear-aches/pain in area of head/ear
* Ringing, buzzing and roaring sounds in the ear
* Swelling around ear
* Blocked sensation in the ear
* Frequent requests for repetitions
* Sits near the television or has the volume loud
* A baby’s babbling ceases around six to eight months of age or the babbling is replaced by screaming.
* Insufficient language development as the child grows and difficulty in following instructions.

Prevention of hearing difficulties:
* Attend to ear-aches, discharge and discomfort in the ear immediately
* Do not ever insert any objects into the ear canal
* Do not instil ear drops not prescribed for yourself into your ears
* Do not expose your ears to excessively loud music
* Be aware of the causes of hearing difficulties and its applicability to yourself
* Screen your hearing ability regularly.

A hearing test is carried out using advanced equipment that allows the audiologist to identify the site, severity and possible cause of the hearing loss in patients from newborns to geriatrics. Management can either be medical; i.e. referral to ENT or rehabilitative, i.e. hearing aids, sign language training, etc. Hearing people tend to have a number of myths and misconceptions about deaf people.
DAW aims to discredit these misconceptions by educating the public and making them aware of the true nature of deafness.

Always remain positive and relaxed when communicating with the deaf. Show that you care; your attitude can build confidence.

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Allergieë neem met rasse skrede toe:

Twintig jaar gelede het dokters geskat dat sowat een tot twee uit twintig mense aan hooikoors, asma, ekseem of ander vorms van allergieë ly. Nou toon navorsing dat tot een uit elke vyf mense aan 'n allergie ly. Met stuifmeel as een van die allergie-prikkels vir hooikoors en asma, is Suid-Afrikaners in die lente en somer meer as ooit vantevore van allergieë bewus.
'n Mens kan op enige ouderdom 'n allergie ontwikkel, maar kinders (en veral seuns) is die vatbaarste. Anders as wat medici aanvanklik gemeen het, blyk dit dat kinders nie juis allergieë ontgroei nie, maar net een allergie afskud om 'n ander een te ontwikkel. Dit blyk wel dat die intensiteit met ouderdom afneem.

Die immuniteitstelsel van allergiese mense "oorreageer" op allergene - stowwe wat skaars deur die oorblywende 80% van die bevolking se immuniteitstelsels opgemerk word. Verskillende allergene kan verskillende simptome ontlok. Dit kan wissel van rooi en waterige oë, hooikoors, asma, 'n jeukende veluitslag, galbulte, diarree en 'n skielike verlaging in bloeddruk tot 'n skokreaksie en selfs bewussynsverlies.

Die meeste allergiese reaksies is bloot lastig, maar geen reaksie wat tot asemhalingsprobleme, slukprobleme of duiseligheid en bewussynsverlies lei, moet onderskat word nie. Dit kan lewensgevaarlik wees en kan noodbehandeling verg.

Sommige mense het 'n hoër risiko om allergieë te ontwikkel omdat omgewings- sowel as genetiese faktore ter sprake is.
Die genetiese faktore bepaal hoe jy op 'n allergeen reageer, maar die allergiese reaksie word eers in werking gestel as jy daaraan blootgestel word.
As albei ouers aan allergieë ly, is die kans 75% dat hul kinders ook allergiese reaksies sal ontwikkel. As dit net een ouer is, daal die kinders se kans tot 50%. As nie een van die ouers probleme ondervind nie, is daar steeds 'n 10%-kans dat die kinders een of ander allergie kan ontwikkel.

Die belangrikste allergene:
Stuifmeel: Die stuifmeel van die bloekom-, eike-, doring-, olyf-, wilger-, sipres- en plataanboom is die algemeenste, terwyl stuifmeel van kikoejoegras en fynkweek (Bermuda grass) veral hooikoors veroorsaak.
Huismyte: Dié piepklein goggatjies is 'n algemene oorsaak van asma. Hulle hou van warm, vogtige plekke soos matrasse en gestoffeerde meubels. Daar is gemiddeld 10 000 myte, wat van afgedopte mensvelletjies leef, in 'n matras.
Troeteldiere: Die velskubbe, droë speeksel en urine van katte, honde, rotte, muise, hase, marmotte, voëls, perde, koeie, hoenders en talle ander diere kan allergieë veroorsaak. Veral kat-allergene kan maande lank in die lug sweef en tas sowat die helfte van alle asmalyers aan. Budjiemis kan ook ernstige longprobleme veroorsaak.
Sigaretrook: Selfs passiewe rook veroorsaak asma.
Medisyne-allergieë: Die antibiotiese middels penisillien, swawel-bevattende medisyne, barbituraat-behandeling teen epilepsie, insulien, sommige narkosemiddels en kleurstowwe wat ingespuit word vir sommige skanderings, kan allergiese reaksies ontlok.
Voedsel-allergieë: Sowat 2% van die volwasse bevolking en 2%-8% van kinders ly aan ware voedselallergieë. Die meeste daarvan word deur grondboontjies, eiers, suiwelprodukte, koring, neute, soja, vis en skulpvis veroorsaak.
Ander allergieë: By- en perdebysteke kan ernstige allergiese reaksies ontlok.

Raadpleeg jou dokter as jy een van die volgende simptome het:
Kwaai maagkrampe, naarheid, braking of diarree - dit kan voedselvergiftiging wees;
as jy moeilik asemhaal of pyn ondervind met asemhaling - dit kan asma of 'n hartaanval wees; as jy skielik galbulte ontwikkel saam met 'n gejeuk en vinnige hartklop - dit kan die aanvang van 'n anafilaktiese skokreaksie wees;
pyn in jou sinusse, koors en 'n neus-afskeiding - dit kan 'n hardnekkige sinusontsteking wees;
'n hoes en verkoue wat nie binne tien dae verdwyn nie;
'n geswelde gesig, veral om die oë en van die lippe en mond; of as die simptome skielik erger word of oor-die-toonbank-antihistamiene nie jou simptome verlig nie.

Moenie dié simptome ignoreer nie.