Hi
As Autumn is now officially upon us, it is that time of year when
we all hope our immune systems stands up to the abuse it gets
from weather changes and other peoples colds and flu's. Over the
last two to three years the strains of flu viruses have been getting
stronger and stronger, the question is can your immune system
outsmart them? Therefore our main focus in this month's newsletter
is Colds & Flu. We are looking at what they are, what to do
if you get sick, but most importantly, how you can help prevent
them occurring.
Our other focus is on the expectant or new Mum. We have some wonderful
products available to support pregnancy and breastfeeding, as
well as some gift ideas.
Influenza
(Flu) and Cold Facts
WHAT
IS INFLUENZA?
Influenza (flu) is an infection of the respiratory tract
caused by the influenza virus and is significantly more serious
in comparison than the common cold. There are three types of flu
virus - A, B and C (the more mild form) - and the make-up
of these viruses' changes constantly. Major new strains circulate
around the world every couple of years and may cause widespread
epidemics.
WHAT CAUSES THE FLU?
The flu spreads by travelling through the air and by direct contact.
When an infected person sneezes, coughs or speaks, he or she expels
tiny droplets full of flu particles. These droplets are so small
that they may remain suspended in the air long enough for another
person to inhale them. Once the virus droplets land on the lining
of the nose, throat or airways, the flu invaded that person's
body and reproduces rapidly. This is an important reason to stay
home from work or school in the early stages, so you are not spreading
it around, and also to assist a quicker recovery. How many times
have you battled on at work and taken weeks to get over it?
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF THE FLU?
In adults, mild cases of the flu may be similar to a severe cold.
But more often, symptoms appear suddenly and include fever, cough,
muscle aches, headaches, sore throat, chills and tiredness.
Pneumonia is the most serious complication of flu. It can be caused
by the flu virus or by bacteria that get into the lungs when the
body's defence system is weakened further by the flu.
What
Can You Do If You Have The Flu?
- Avoid
close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick,
keep your distance from others to protect them from getting
sick too. (In other words - stay home from work in
the early stages)
- Cover
your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing
or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting
sick.
- Washing
your hands often will help protect you from germs.
- Avoid
touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread
when a person touches something that is contaminated with
germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Drink
plenty of warm fluids and avoid cold drinks.
-
Eat warming foods; add some ginger and garlic to your
meals.
- Wrap
up and stay warm, a higher body temperature helps your
immune system weaken the virus.
- Avoid
cold showers, exposure to cold winds, air-conditioning
etc
- Rest
- don't keep trying to be superman or superwomen, give
your body a chance to recover.
- Stop
smoking!
- Avoid
alcohol, sugars, caffeine and processed foods - eat lots
of fresh foods, especially fruits and vegetables.
- Anti-biotics
are only effective for bacterial infections, which sometime
accompany the flu, but they will not help the virus.
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If,
however, your flu symptoms are unusually severe (for example,
if you are having trouble breathing), you should consult your
health-care provider right away.
WHAT
MEASURES CAN BE TAKEN TO PREVENT THE FLU?
The best tool is to be pro-active! Don't wait until you are sick;
take steps around April to start supporting your immune system.
This may be a good time to review your nutrition, look at lifestyle
factors such as exercise and stress levels, and also be aware
of increased risk in your environment. If you have young children,
you may have a higher exposure to viruses, if you work in an air-conditioned
office, again, you may be at a higher risk. People who train hard
physically also put more load on their immune system and need
to take greater care - no point training hard for that Ironman,
marathon or event, only to get sick a few weeks out.
Herbs, Vitamins and Minerals are very effective in helping support
the immune system, and helping us to prevent illness. For suggestions
click
here.
What Is A Cold?
A
cold is a minor infection of the nose and throat. Most colds last
for about a week and are not severe enough to require strict bed-rest.
Some colds last longer, especially in children, elderly people
and those who are in poor health.
WHAT CAUSES A COLD?
Many viruses cause a cold. The rhinovirus family causes nearly
half of all colds. To date, scientists have identified more than
100 kinds of rhinoviruses, and there may be more.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF COLDS?
Between one and three days after a cold virus enters the body,
cold symptoms start to develop. Symptoms may include a runny nose,
sneezing, sore throat and a cough. Many people experience a decrease
in taste and smell and may feel hoarse, sound nasal and develop
a slight fever. Infants and young children are more likely to
develop a higher temperature. Smokers usually have more severe
symptoms compared to people who don't smoke.
WHAT MEASURES CAN BE TAKEN TO PREVENT A COLD?
Colds are highly contagious and are spread when droplets of fluid
that contain the cold virus are released into the air and subsequently
breathed in or transferred by touch. Several precautions can be
taken to reduce the risk of catching a cold, including:
- Avoid
close contact with people who have a cold, especially
during the first few days when they are most likely to
spread the infection
- Wash
hands after touching someone who has a cold and after
touching an object they have touched
- Keep
fingers away from your nose and eyes, to avoid infecting
yourself with cold virus particles that you may have picked
up
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Once again
the best tool is to be pro-active! Don't wait until you are
sick; take steps around April to start supporting your immune
system. This may be a good time to review your nutrition, look
at lifestyle factors such as exercise and stress levels, and
also be aware of increased risk in your environment. Herbs,
Vitamins and Minerals are very effective in helping support
the immune system, and helping us to prevent illness. For suggestions
click
here.
What Can You Do If You Have A Cold?
A
cold is a minor infection of the nose and throat. Most colds
last for about a week and are not severe enough to require strict
bed-rest. Some colds last longer, especially in children, elderly
people and those who are in poor health.
- Cover
your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or
sneeze and throw the tissue away and wash your hands
- Limit
close contact with people who are most vulnerable, including
anyone who has asthma or another chronic lung disease
- Stop
smoking!
- Keep
your warm fluids up
- Eat
warming foods; add some ginger and garlic to your meals
- Keep
warm, especially the head and feet
- Avoid
alcohol, and caffeine. It can also be helpful to avoid
banana's, orange juice; sugar, & white flour products
during colds, as this tend to increase the production
of mucous
- Eat
plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables
- Avoid
processed foods
- Take
some supplements to assist in you recovery - best to
get some professional advice of these.
- If
your symptoms are unusually severe (for example,
if you are having trouble breathing), you should
consult your health-care provider right away.
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Winter
Wellness
The
Body Corporate Ltd runs a range of Mini Seminars on
a variety of health topics. These are 45 minute presentations
designed to be held on site in businesses during the
lunchtime or other time of the days that suits the
company and staff. Our current focus is on cutting
down the risk of winter illnesses.
"Winter
Wellness - Helping avoid colds and flu's"
- Do
Colds & Viral infections interfere with your
business?
- Do
you or your staff have a high rate of sick leave?
- Is
this costing your business time and money?
- Want
to try and avoid this happening again this year?
The
Body Corporate Ltd can run a mini seminar tailored
for your business giving you and your staff the
necessary tools to help avoid winter illness, have
more energy and get more out of your day.
- Learn
how the body's immune system works and why we
get sick.
- What
are the pros and cons of flu injections?
- What
can you do to support your immune system?
- What
things do you need to avoid?
- Treatments
for acute infections to assist in rapid recovery
and reduce the reoccurrence.
- How
to choose the best supplements and treatments
for you
For
further information, contact us at seminars@bodycorp.co.nz
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Pregnancy
Support
If
you're an expectant mum, there are certain foods and vitamins
you should been consuming to ensure the health of you and your
baby. Essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, trace
elements and essential fatty acids play a protective role in
prenatal development. These nutrients can also have positive
long-term effects on your baby's health.
The diets of pregnant moms should contain plenty of vitamins,
particularly those of the B-group (thiamine or B1, riboflavin
or B2, niacin or B5, pyridoxine or B6, pantothenic acid, B12,
biotin and folic acid), and vitamin C. All minerals are
important and the requirements on a daily basis increase during
pregnancy - especially for Calcium. While a balanced healthy
diet should cover most of our requirements we still advise the
support of a good quality Multi Vitamin & Mineral Supplement
that has been designed for the requirements of pregnancy and
breast-feeding.
Click
here
for our recommendation.
Essential fatty acids (EFA's) cannot be made in the body and
must therefore come from your diet. These are important during
pregnancy for the production of healthy cell membranes, nerve
function and hormone balance and are vital for development of
your baby's eyes and brain. Unfortunately, dietary intakes of
EFA's are often low especially of Omega 3, and frequently insufficient
to meet the high needs of a developing foetus. A healthy adult
woman needs around 6 - 10g EFA's per day. During pregnancy and
breast-feeding, these needs are increased to an average of 14g
EFA's per day or approximately 4000g per day. The best source
of Omega 3 EFA's is fish, but unfortunately not many New Zealanders
each fish 4-5 times a week to achieve good dietary levels. So
it may be easier to take a good quality Omega 3 supplement.
Click
here
for our recommendation.
If you are unsure on what you should be taking please contact
us at info@bodycorp.co.nz
Ever wondered what to give
that expectant or new Mum?
Give her a "Beautiful Baby Pack". This is a
delightful mix of chemical free products by Living Nature to
naturally soothe and massage baby in a nice presentation box.
We have two packs available:
Pack A: Calendula Oil, Manuka oil & honey antiseptic
gel, Soothing evening primrose and Manuka honey gel, Lavender
massage balm and a soft cotton washcloth. $ 67.79 plus delivery.
Pack B: Manaka oil - mild, Lavender massage balm, Soothing
chamomile and lavender cream and a soft cotton washcloth. $61.95
plus delivery.
To order contact us at: order@bodycorp.co.nz
Here's
to a great year. Yours in Health and Wellness,
Karen,
Karen, Rebecca and Jill
The
Body Corporate Team
Just
a note - Karin Hoffman is no longer working in the office as she
is in her final year of her Naturopathic studies. Karin will however
be doing some project work for us from time to time, and we would
like to wish her well for her studies and exams.
How
to contact us:
Karen Beard
021-471 386
Karen Moffatt
021-843 860
Phone:
64-9-361-3964
Fax:
64-9-361 3965
Address:
84 College Hill Road, Ponsonby.
PO BOX 8225, Symonds Street, Auckland
E-mail
www.bodycorp.co.nz
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