Download millhouse integrative medical centre newsletter february march 2012

MILLHOUSE INTEGRATIVE MEDICAL CENTRE NEWSLETTER
MAY 2012
Hi to everyone in the Millhouse Community
The medical information provided in this newsletter has been written by medical student Michael
Duffy who was recently attached to the Millhouse Integrative Medical Centre for his general practice
experience. Each student as part of their attachment is expected to make a unique contribution to
the practice. I suggested to Michael he might like to contribute to the newsletter and he has written
a timely reminder about ways to avoid winter colds and flu. I hope you find this informative.
Before reading Michael’s contribution to the newsletter here is the latest Millhouse News:
Millhouse News
Flu vaccinations: Many have already received their immunizations, but if you have delayed
receiving this remember to see the nurses soon, to receive an immunity boost which will lessen the
chance of catching winter influenza.
Vitamin D for added protection: Don’t forget to supplement also with the immune-enhancing
VITAMIN D during the winter.
Vitamin D Forte child drops are available at Millhouse and
Cholecalciferol tablets for adults can be obtained on prescription.
Doctor on vacation: Doctor Else is taking a well-earned break, returning to South Africa to see her
Doctor Dad who still practises medicine in his eighties. She will be away for four weeks.
Diabetic Conversations. Practice Nurse Rhiannon has inspired us in creating a forum for the newly
diagnosed and not-so-new diabetic patients; they will meet on Tuesdays at 5.30pm for
approximately 1.5 hours. This is a support-educational group where personal experiences are shared
as well as discussion of food choices, meal preparation, exercise, medication and herbal therapies.
The sessions so far have been a great success and if you are interested in attending, please ring
Rhiannon.
Patient access to online appointments & blood results. Over the next few weeks, we will be
seeking your opinion on whether this service would be useful to you.
Well-Woman Clinics. Practice Nurses Kate and Vilya have just updated their cervical smear
examination skills and will incorporate this soon into a ‘Well-Woman’ health check.
Talofa lava if you have experienced a medical student sitting in on your consultation or who has
accidentally missing your vein while drawing blood; I’d like to thank you for letting me do so. I have
been at Millhouse Medical Centre for three weeks, and it has been an invaluable experience that has
gone far too quickly. I’d also like to thank the staff for letting me shadow them and annoy them
with questions. I have learnt many things and met many fascinating people; I will remember you for
the rest of my professional career. I wish the practice and the patients all the best and perhaps I will
see some of you around in the hospitals.
Consult your family doctor if
you have any of the following:



Difficulty breathing/chest
pain
Persistent fever
Vomiting or inability to keep
fluids down
Painful swallowing
Persistent cough
Persistent congestion and
headaches
Rashes
We are all too familiar with headaches, sneezes, runny/blocked noses,
fevers, muscle/joint pain and coughs. We can thank viruses and bacteria
for these unwanted hindering symptoms. So here are a few tips that can
help prevent you and your family from succumbing to the common cold, flu
and bacterial infections.
1. Hygiene
Although it may seem like common sense, basic hygiene is often overlooked. Bacteria and viruses are transmitted from one person to another
by direct contact with an infected person, or by aerosol droplets on
everyday objects like desks, keyboards, doorknobs - the list goes on. By
having a hand sanitizer handy and washing hands properly and

thoroughly (with warm water and soap), you can stop the spread of germs
effectively. Moreover avoid hand contact
with your eyes/mouth/nose, especially after coughing and sneezing. Lastly,
drying hands, disposing of used tissues and taking other basic precautions can
make your winter a happy and healthy one. 1



2.
Reduce Stress and Relax
Stress is unavoidable, especially in our busy lives, but we can try to reduce its
impact. Our adrenal glands located on top of our kidneys produce cortisol in
response to stress. This hormone, along with adrenaline, is secreted into our
bloodstream by to our sympathetic system, also referred to as the “fight or flight”
response. As cortisol builds up in our blood it hinders aspects of our immune
system by impeding chemical signals that regulate white blood cells, specifically
T lymphocytes. In order to reduce cortisol levels we must activate the
parasympathetic system or the “rest and digest” response.
MILLHOUSE INTEGRATIVE MEDICAL CENTRE NEWSLETTER
MAY 2012
As a medical student we are taught relaxation techniques to cope with stress and
anxiety. One of the recommendations is the use of the University of Auckland’s
http://calm.auckland.ac.nz/ website where you can download and listen to relaxing
exercises as well as learning a whole range of different coping mechanisms. And the
best thing about it is - it’s free.
A study in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicines & Science in Sports reported that
those who do high (>11 hours/week) and medium (7-12 hours/week) intense
exercise experienced more upper respiratory tract infections (URTI). However low
exercise (3-6 hours/week) participants had fewer episodes of URTI. The
reason for this is that your white blood cells produce chemical messengers called
cytokines, and more specifically Interleukin 10 (IL-10). IL-10 lowers levels of a cell
surface molecule called ‘major histocompatibility complex’ which mediates the
interactions of white blood cells. 2 So in basic terms, more intense exercise depresses your immune system, so
don’t overdo it this winter unless you’re training for the Olympics.
3.
FOOD
According to the BBC News, a chemical known as theobromine, found in dark chocolates that have no less
than 70% of cocoa, suppresses coughs. It is said that 2 ounces or 50-60 grams of dark chocolate will deliver
the same result as a typical cough medicine. Theobromine works by suppressing the vagus nerve, which is
responsible for the cough reflex and it has no cardiovascular or central nervous system adverse effects.3
Several foods have a good anti-inflammatory and decongestant action.
Garlic should be eaten raw, as cooking degrades allicin the chemical responsible for anti-inflammatory and
decongestant properties. Chillies contain capsaicin that makes them spicy, and on top of that it also thins
mucus, which is good for those congested sinuses. Furthermore red bell peppers have been shown to contain
twice the amount of Vitamin C per gram as many of the Vitamin C-containing fruits. Studies have shown that
Vitamin C is not just good for scurvy but also enhances immune mechanisms. Ginger is good for sore throats
and relieves tight painful congested coughs too.
These anti-inflammatories are worth trying out first instead of non steroidal anti-inflammatories like Voltaren,
which can cause stomach ulcers. Try to remain hydrated and
Antibiotics
work
through
targeting
ensure your vitamin intake is up to par. Deficiencies of fat- and
constituents of bacteria like the cell wall,
water-soluble vitamins like vitamins D, E, A, B6, B12, C and folic
RNA/DNA
and
various
proteins.
acid, zinc, iron, magnesium impair immune function too. 4
Unnecessary antibiotics can cause the
bacteria to mutate so that it becomes
resistant to antibiotics. That’s the reason
why doctors only prescribe antibiotics if
symptoms do not get better within a certain
period of time.
Antibiotics can disrupt normal gut flora
and cause some digestive problems like
diarrhoea.
4.
VACCINES and how they work
Flu vaccines have weaker versions or parts of the actual virus in
them. These ‘parts’ are known as antigens which are like the
virus’ finger prints. They are not strong enough to cause illness
(most of the time) but are strong enough to activate an immune
response. When a foreign body (bacteria or virus) first enters the
body, white blood cells detect them through these antigens
since they are not your made up of your own bodily cells, and
subsequently don’t have your own genetic marker. These white blood cells then digest and break up the
virus and present the antigens to T and B lymphocytes (other white blood cells) which in turn produce toxic
particles and antibodies specifically for that strain of virus.
These antibodies have different parts to them too. One part binds specifically to that bug’s antigen and the
other attracts white blood cells to engulf and destroy it. After the initial injection, the B lymphocytes which
remain in your body become memory cells and produce antibodies specifically for that particular virus’ antigens.
So the next time you are exposed, your immune system has a good memory of what it is and therefore
response to a subsequent infection is much quicker. However not all strains of viruses are covered under the
vaccine, so there is a possibility you may contract an alternative strand. For a more comprehensive explanation
go to the website below.5
Remember to take Vitamin D. See 2011 March Flu Newsletter on-line for more details.
Yours in good health
Dr Richard J. Coleman.
________________________________________________________________________________
1
Avoiding Winter Illness, Dr G. Whyte, Dr R. Budgett, Dr. R Jaques, P. Davies
2
Gleeson M., Bishop N., Oliveira M., Tauler P. 2011. Influence of training load on upper respiratory tract infection incidence and antigen-stimulated cytokine
production. Scand J Med Sci Sports doi:10.1111/j.1600-0838.2011.01422.x
3
Chocolate could be cough medicine. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/h ealth/4032585.stm
4
Fight flu with food. http://www.hellodoctor.com/content/Flu-_123.html
5
U.S
Department
of
Health
and
Human
Services.
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/vaccines/documents/undvacc.pdf
2008.
Understanding
Vaccines
and
What
They
Are,
How
They
Work.