In Dubai everyone is playing doctor
17 Jan 2011 1 Comment
in News Updates
Source: The National
According to The National, an English publication in Abu Dhabi, 87% of people are now caring for themselves at home. A survey was conducted by “YouGov Siraj on behalf of the UAE division of Healthy People” which showed that people are now treating themselves before even going to see a doctor for a consultation.
Source: The National, 17/01/11
Residents playing doctor in the house
Healthy People, a health communications agency set up in Dubai last month, was formed in response to the survey’s results, which also revealed that almost 50 per cent chose health as a concern over financial prosperity, job security or job satisfaction.
However, six out of 10 GCC residents said that they would describe themselves as “unhealthy” and “in need of making lifestyle changes”.
“There is a need for a new kind of medical communication and a new approach – one that speaks directly to the patient, not the doctor,” said Nadim Khoury, the managing director of Healthy People.
“The average individual is no longer the passive patient of a few years back who gets all his information from the doctor.”
Instead, said Mr Khoury, patients were “self-informed”, turning to medical series on television such as ER, House and Grey’s Anatomy, or using the internet to self-diagnose, self-treat and learn about symptoms and illnesses.
“It’s more than that; there are now health magazines targeting every ethnicity, a strong awareness of health in the media, as well as word-of-mouth, of course, and talking to one’s friends. This means if they are choosing to self-medicate, we have to put them on the right track.”
Sunday’s tip from Sundays Zaman
16 Jan 2011 Leave a Comment
in Common Cold, For the Holidays, General Knowledge, Home Remedy Collection, Just For Kids
Source: Sundays Zaman
Here are some simple home remedies all the way from Turkey, for those clumsy moments or common colds that we all face from time to time…
Quick home remedies for common health problems |
| Source: Sundays Zaman, 16/01/11
How should a burn be immediately treated? What should you do when you get a nosebleed? What about when you get a sudden cramp? And how do you get rid of joint pain? Here are some small tips from doctors for the above-listed problems, which most of us will experience in some capacity at some point in our lives. |
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| Joint pain: Place a cold compress on the joint that is bothering you. Then make sure that particular joint is relaxed. Take a pain killer. If the pain continues, definitely head to the doctor for some advice.
If you receive a burn while handling any plastic or adhesive substance: First use water to try and get the adhesive material off the top of the burn area. Cover the burn area with a clean cloth and keep the area cold. Take a pain killer and head to your nearest medical institution. If the burn is on your face or in the genital area, take a pain killer but forgo the cloth and again, head straight for a doctor. If your children has problems falling asleep: If you think your child is having a particularly difficult time falling asleep and he or she is not ill, see that the child takes a warm shower or bath in the evening before bedtime. This helps relax the child and helps them to fall asleep. If your child has a fever: Monitor your child’s temperature until it reaches 37-38 degrees Celsius. If their fever reaches 38 degrees, you can use a fever reducer. However, if their temperature rises to 38.5 degrees or 39 degrees, use a lukewarm or cool compress all over the body to bring down their temperature, give your child a fever reducer and then head to your nearest doctor. |
Today’s Hot Topic- Fluoride
15 Jan 2011 Leave a Comment
in General Knowledge, News Updates
Source: Celebrities with Diseases
Looks like the news of today is that scientists and the government are finally realising that the amount of fluoride found in our water systems is a health risk. Fluoride is found in almost every bottled water, and can be found in the tap water.
According to an online blog “Celebrities with Diseases” having a high fluoride intake can cause damage to vital organs, especially the thyroid gland, which is what regulates our body’s energy levels. It can also decrease fertility and our mental processing speed.
How do I avoid fluoride?
There are a few ways to avoid consuming fluoride. Firstly there are filters which can fit onto taps in the home, and they limit (although not always fully remove) the amount we consume through drinking.
Buying organic food (and these days even this takes some homework to ensure the source is ‘clean’) and organic toothpaste will hopefully eliminate the risk of fluoride associated ailments.
The bottom line is this; if the government is finally admitting that fluoride is bad for us, after decades of telling us that it’s beneficial to our health, doesn’t it set alarm bells ringing? It is up to us to make the changes we need so that we can prolong our lives and live healthily and happily, enjoying them as we should while we have the chance.
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