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Signs of the Times Australia / NZ edition — lifestyle, health, relationships, culture, spirituality, people — published since 1886 |
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Signs of the Times Australia / NZ edition — lifestyle, health, relationships, culture, spirituality, people — published since 1886 |
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A tight shirt collar rubs the neck and can often develop minor infections. This happens when germs track down a hair follicle to the root, causing a pimple-like flare-up. Worse, sometimes a painful boil develops. Dabbing the area with metho, Betadine or tea-tree oil may get rid of mild infections. Keeping healthy and fit reduces your general risk of infection by strengthening one’s inbuilt immunity.
Bowen’s disease, a skin sore, is an early stage of skin cancer. Most dermatologists remove it, as it can lead to serious cancer. It is common, probably caused and aggravated by exposure to sunshine. It can occur in young people. Avoid the sun, using a wide-spectrum SPF-30 skin cream when outdoors. Up to 90 per cent of Australians will suffer a skin cancer sometime.
Freckles are caused by uneven distribution of melanin in the upper skin. They react to UV rays and worsen with exposure. Best to keep shaded, but apply an SPF 30 sunscreen to exposed areas for protection from sun.
There are simple ways to treat the awful burning of herpes shingles. This condition usually occurs in adults infected with chickenpox as a child. Apply crushed ice or a cold facecloth for relief, then repeat often. Aloe vera gel is also helpful. A gentle rub with castor oil is a centuries-old natural remedy. Capsicum ointment (Zostrix) also helps, but is quite mild. Begin treatment as soon as a blister appears. Antiviral medications help, but must be taken early.
over the holiday period, the roads can be lethal. Plan ahead in your driving, getting plenty of rest before you leave for your destination. Take your time—we all know how impatience leads to accidents and road rage—and leave just a little earlier than you need. Let the hoons fly past, giving them plenty of room, and wave to them at the next speed trap. In fact, all of those thoughts make for good driving all year round—an honourable and worthwhile New Year’s resolution.
If when reading the lines kink upward, you may be in the early stage of macular degeneration of the retina. Visit your GP and eye specialist at once. It can be arrested with anti-oxidants in some. This condition is the most common cause of legal blindness in Australia. Once lost, vision cannot be regained. Also, don’t smoke—and stay clear of cigarette fumes.
Sufferers of cracked skin on the knuckles, a painful condition aggravated by cold weather, need to apply a moisturiser containing urea. It helps retain moisture, making the skin smooth and supple and less liable to split. Or try an application of eucalyptus, camphor and menthol to thicken the skin.
Many women suffer from a crumbling spine, especially the big vertebral bones. They can be repaired. Specialist radiologists inject glue, which holds them together. Imaging will indicate if a person is a suitable candidate. The procedure literally holds the bones together, preventing further damage.
Extract from Signs of the Times, January / February 2005 .
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