Family Health Diary

Fleas are the most common external parasite in dogs & cats.

We’ve talked about the heat, and we’ve talked about the cold. Now what happens if we bring the two together?

Want to celebrate Halloween this year, but trying to keep it a bit healthier? Check out our top picks for fun Halloween treats...

Now we’re on to the other end of the heat spectrum with cold water immersion, or CWI. CWI has a slightly bigger job to do to sell itself...

Hot and cold exposure therapy has hurtled in to the trendy wellness stratosphere with people like Gwyneth Paltrow, Kim Kardashian etc.

This bright and bold smoothie packs an anti-inflammatory punch like no other, thanks to the star ingredients, turmeric and ginger.

These days we can buy pretty much anything we want, at any time of the day. Most supermarkets are open 7 days a week, if not 24 hours a day.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is thought to be the most commonly sexually transmitted disease in the world.

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient, meaning that the human body can’t make all of its requirements on its own and has to get it other ways.

These muesli bars came into my family's lives after much trial-and-error trying to make healthy lunch box treats that both my boys liked.

By making a few simple tweaks to your workspace, you can create a healing, rejuvenating refuge to create more balance!

There is good news for those unable to access or afford healthcare for minor health conditions. 

From 1st July the $5 prescription fee (co-payment) is being removed. The $5 prescription fee has often been considered a barrier.

Rising to this bright, warm, and wholesome bowl of goodness makes winter mornings that much easier!

Taking measures to support our immune system during the cold winter months can help us to stay healthy and keep our community safe.

COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in New Zealand after heart disease, stroke and lung cancer.

So you are loving your air fryer, but are not sure how to clean it? Regular cleaning will extend the lifespan of your air fryer and keep it in good ..

Cleaning the filters in your heat pump, humidifier and air-conditioning units on a regular basis is important to ensure that the air you breathe is ..

Smelly Containers do not have to be thrown out. Try this tip for getting rid of odours. Works well in lunch boxes and empty rubbish bins. For extra ..

The skin is your first barrier of protection from the outside world. It should keep the moisture in and infections out. Usually this works well, but..

Even if your child has been immunised, they may be missing protection against meningococcal disease.1 Meningococcal is a rare but potentially deadly..

People with fibromyalgia sometimes say they “hurt all over”. They often feel really tired. Each person tends to experience fibromyalgia differen..

There are several types of hepatitis. They have letters for their names: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C. They all affect your liver. H..

Spring is here and with it, finally warmer, drier, sunny weather. It’s time to take the opportunity and get outdoors, and with that, a reminder to..

We observe World Alzheimer’s month in September each year, to recognise the impact of dementia on people’s lives. Certainly the disease affects ..

Covid antiviral medicines have been available in New Zealand for several months now, on prescription from your doctor. They have recently been recla..

We need to think about protecting young and old from being burns all year round.

This hearty soup is the ultimate comfort food, and the fresh basil pesto twist packs a punch of flavour. Ingredients: Olive oil ..

Your kidneys filter your blood and takes out the water soluble waste products that you do not need. The kidneys make urine (pee) by dissolving these..

Every year we have a day to remind people about asthma; how many of us suffer with it and how many New Zealanders die from it every year and what we..

The thyroid gland and the importance of iodine The thyroid is a gland at the base of your neck. It produces thyroid hormones like T4 and T3. ..

The usual back to school flurry includes getting clothes and books ready and finding the lunch box. This year there is also the consideration of mas..

Most of us take our washing machine for granted, believing that washing clothes is enough to keep it clean. You will be shocked to see what your was..

When children first start school or daycare it's common to “catch everything” that is going around as they build their immunity.

How to tell if you have just eaten too much or if there is another reason for your pain. A lot of us eat too much over the festive season. In..

Soothe Sunburn in no time. Spray DYC Apple Cider Vinegar on sunburn to soothe the affected area. Ingredients: DYC Apple Cider ..

The world has been plagued by pandemics as far back as written history and beyond. Countries have responded over the centuries by closing their bord..

This is a simple kiwi Pavlova recipe, crunchy on the outside and marshmallow on the inside. Ingredients: 4 egg whites1 1/4 cup..

Meningococcal disease is caused by bacteria. Three out of every twenty people in New Zealand carry the bacteria in their nasal passages, they don’..

The traditional Kiwi salad dressing is a kiwi favourite with sweetened condensed milk and vinegar. Double the recipe if you want to use the w..

Strawberries, Raspberries and Blueberries are delicious. Before your berries go fuzzy, use this trick to keep them fresher for longer. Ingred..

In the pharmacy we usually see the first lot of people with sunburn at Labour weekend. It is like we all forgot that sun was hot during winter and h..

Cherry tomatoes, baby carrots and chopped cucumber with hummus, sliced capsicum, celery with cream cheese or peanut butter...

Finding creative ways to encourage your children to eat and enjoy fruit and vegetables can be fun for the entire family.

Hayfever – what is it?The medical name for hayfever is ‘allergic rhinoconjunctivitis’. So, it's not a fever and it's not an infection. Hayfev..

First we need to understand how a vaccine works. Vaccination causes an immune response that improves your body’s ability to fight the virus.

To make nail polish last longer, wipe fingernails with cotton wool that has been soaked with DYC White Vinegar before applying nail polish. You will..

Bedwetting can be upsetting for parents and children and yet it is a normal part of your child’s development as they learn to control their bladde..

Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control. There are different causes but the end result is wet pants and often embarrassment.

Many people have an irritable bowel from time to time. This is usually harmless and goes away by itself. The symptoms may include bloating, cramping..

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) are used to relieve pain in long and short-term conditions, including arthritis...

The health and beauty industry is full of temptation. There is a constant stream of new products promising longer lashes, brighter smiles...

Many people are asking about the COVID vaccines and are keen to understand how these work and if they are safe. First we need to understand t..

What exactly is it?Your heart is a pump. Imagine a water pump, pumping water through pipes, well it is very similar. Your heart pumps blood through ..

Sometimes I drive a car, throw things in the rubbish and buy things in plastic… there, I said it, confession over.

Serotonin syndrome is a serious effect that happens when our body accumulates too much serotonin.

What can we do to keep ourselves healthy and protect ourselves from respiratory infections like COVID, common cold and the flu?

Lips are an important part of our body, but we can easily forget to look after them. It is only when they are damaged that we pay them some attentio..

Each year in November there is a focus on men’s health. This is because men tend to go to the doctor less often and men die younger and often from..

Eye strain can be caused by looking at computer screens for too long without a break, driving long distances or reading a book for a long time. ..

Fainting is when you lose consciousness for a short time due to not enough blood and oxygen getting to your brain. There are many things that can ca..

We are past the shortest day (22 June). The days are getting longer and it is great to see daylight on the way to work (on fine days). In winter som..

Our body usually produces antibodies to fight off invaders like viral and bacterial infections. An autoimmune disease is when your immune system tri..

SymptomsNormal skin cells begin deep within the skin. They slowly rise to the surface where they die and fall off. This whole process takes about a ..

While we have been going through the Covid-19 lockdown a lot of people have felt increased stress levels, so here are some tips to help us all cope...

Whilst we have now moved into Level 2 it is still important to continue to take your medication. This may seem a fairly obvious thing to tell..

When someone gets a bad headache, they may say they have a migraine, but they might not. The pain of a headache can range from mild to severe. The p..

Diabetes is a group of diseases that affect how your body uses sugar. The sooner you begin treating diabetes and the better your blood sugar control..

Children’s day is held on the first Sunday in March every year, and what a perfect opportunity to spend some time celebrating children...

Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in New Zealand. It is a range of conditions that affect the optic nerve and cause blindness when not trea..

You may know someone who has had a TIA (sometimes called a mini stroke). By reading this blog you can be prepared in case it happens to you or someo..

Do you have problems with smelly feet in summer? So do lots of people. Sweat glands are over most of your body but mainly the palms of the ha..

Ingredients1 small tub of Greek yoghurt1/4 cup of Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries1 Tbsp of pistachios1 Tbsp of coconut Di..

“Safe and effective medicines for all” is the theme of this year’s World Pharmacists Day, which falls on 25 September 2019. The preside..

Ingredients1 large orange, peeled150ml frozen cranberries1 cup frozen berries (strawberries, raspberries)1 frozen banana, peeled and sliced150ml Oce..

Ingredients250ml Ocean Spray® Light Cranberry Classic™250ml sparkling water1/2 fresh lemon squeezed3 fresh mint sprigs Directions ..

September is World Alzheimer’s month. In New Zealand there are 70,000 people living with dementia. Dementia is a reduction in thinking, memory and..

Eating disorders have one of the highest mortality rates of any mental illness; anorexia actually has a higher mortality rate than depression. Here..

There are lots of different types of arthritis including arthritis associated with psoriasis and gout. I wrote about rheumatoid arthritis in July. T..

Conjunctivitis is inflammation of the covering of your eye and inside your eye lids. This can be caused by an infection or by an allergy.

Lots of people suffer with dry eyes at some stage in their lives and it is very common in winter. ‘Dry eye’ can be from not producing sufficient..

What is rheumatoid arthritis?Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a type of joint inflammation that causes long term pain and may lead to joint deformity. H..

Sore throatMost sore throats will not be helped by antibiotics whether they are an infection or not. Most sore throats are caused by a virus. A viru..

Planted based diets are best for your health. We could all do with eating a few more vegetables.

We all have bacteria growing all over our skin. The skin is the first line of protection to keep the bacteria out of our bodies. When you get a cut ..

As we age we are more likely to fall. This year one in every three persons over 65 years old will have a fall and one in every two persons over 80 w..

Nerve pain is pain that is caused by damage or disease that affects the nervous system of the body. It is also known as neuropathic pain or neuralgi..

by Emily Laurence Sometimes, I miss the food habits of my early 20s. Blissfully unaware of the dangers of processed food. Buying organic w..

With the latest measles outbreak people are asking their local pharmacists questions about measles: How do I catch it? What are the symptoms ..

February is Heart Awareness month. Did you know that every 90 minutes, someone in New Zealand dies from heart disease and it is the leading cause of d..

Sunny summer days have meant lots of swimming and therefore more ‘swimmers ear’. We have also seen more people coming into the pharmacy asking f..

While medicine can make a huge improvement to our health, there are times when the medicine may make us feel unwell. Before a medicine is available fo..

There was a recent death from meningitis reported in the newspapers. Although meningitis is more common in winter it is good for everyone to be aware ..

As the weather continues to become warmer we see more people coming into the pharmacy to ask for help with their fungal infections. Fungi are like mus..

The technical description of menopause is "a point in time 12 months after a woman's last period”. The time of life this happens can vary but it usu..

While child cancer is rare it has a profound effect on the entire whanau. Around 150 children are diagnosed with cancer each year in New Zealand. So e..

Ingredients: 3 sprigs fresh mint, washed1 tablespoon fresh lime juice100 ml Ocean Spray® Cranberry Classic™ or Cranberry Light Fruit DrinkSparkli..

Ingredients: Prep time:
10 minutes plus chilling 8-10 servings Salad: 5 cups broccoli florets, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1/2 cup chopped red ..

Worldwide, 300 million people who are living with viral hepatitis are unaware they have it. On World Hepatitis Day, 28 July, there is an international..

New science around probiotics proves that the bacteria (or bugs) that live in your intestine have a huge impact on the function of your body and your ..

A urinary tract infection is sometimes called a UTI. This is an infection of any part of the urinary tract like the bladder, the kidneys or the tubes ..

Cold A cold is a viral infection that affects your nose, sinuses, throat and upper chest. It usually goes away by itself in 7 to 10 days. The symptom..

Not drinking enough water can lead to dehydration, which can cause fatigue, headaches, skin problems, muscle cramps, low blood pressure...

Winter sport season is a time to consider concussion.

More than one in every ten people in NZ have asthma and many do not take their asthma seriously enough. New Zealand has one of the highest rates of as..

They don’t call it the silly season for nothing. December is a month I have a love/ hate relationship with and I’m sure I’m not alone. If thi..

For many of us, a sunny, warm summer is exciting. Getting outside and enjoying summer is part of being a kiwi. I’m all for that as long as we also r..

Auckland has recently had some hot days – in fact all of NZ has – it’s just that I happen to live in Auckland...

I was fascinated to read that the UK have an Anger Awareness Week in early December. Of all the awareness weeks that exist, this surely is one that al..

Movember is here. Men’s Health month – roll on hairy men. Well, actually there’s a lot more blokes sporty hirsute faces these days, be it the cl..

Pharmacists across New Zealand are raising awareness of medicine safety this month. It’s all part of National Patient Safety Week which is being hel..

The first of October was World Vegetarian Day and the first of November is World Vegan Day. And if the word ‘vegan’ is a first for you, it means y..

Children as they grow up, learn to grapple with big feelings, but it takes a while to do that (hey, even us adults aren’t pros).

I’m sure most people know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month – with promotions and events such as the Pink Ribbon Street Appeal, the Pi..

Depending where you sit on the age and with/without kids scale, school holidays will mean different things to you.

In this blog I want to promote Stroke Week which was held in the first week of October. Stroke Week leads into the Big NZ Blood Pressure Check. Why..

It’s that time of year again, the weather is supposed to be slowly warming up and the days are getting longer. Daylight saving is now here! While th..

Looking for some expert approved, family friendly parenting advice? Well, let me help you there!

Ingredients  Relish ¾ cup Ocean Spray® Reduced Sugar Craisins® Dried Cranberries 1 cup Ocean Spray® Cranberry Classic™ or Light Cranberry F..

Ingredients 250ml Ocean Spray® Cranberry Light Fruit Drink, chilled 2 ounces sparkling water Lime wedge, garnish Mint, garnish Directions Fi..

Grief – it’s a fact of life. At some stage, you or someone close to you is going to have to deal with the loss of someone or something special to ..

This winter looks set to be one to remember although maybe not for reasons we'd like to remember it. As well as setting weather records, notably for c..

If you haven’t caught up – and you have a teenage lad in your household – NEWS FLASH – the HPV vaccine is now funded free for the blokes. T..

I’m about to head away on a bit of an epic family adventure – something we have managed every couple of years or so, which is pretty lucky really...

I was recently reading an article about two mums who had both breastfed their babies, and had quite different experiences. Nothing new there – women..

Poisoning – it’s a major cause of hospitalisation for young children in New Zealand.

I’m an advocate for keeping a diary of health symptoms – it’s something I often recommend when someone asks me for advice in the pharmacy. Somet..

If there’s a tertiary student in your house, end of semester is a tense old time. Hand ins for the last assignments, prepping for end of course exam..

Dry skin – it’s a common winter thing At this time of year, as winter kicks in, I frequently talk to people asking for help to relieve dry skin. ..

Most of us know that we’re more likely to get a cold, sore throat, flu or other virus in winter.  But did you know that the chilly temperatures and..

I saw an email through the inbox this week, and thought – wow, I bet not many people know about that day – I didn’t. As per the logo above, t..

Yeah, an altogether stunning start to an article, a title like that. I could just as easily change it to kutis (or cooties) or head lice, but…let’..

Headlice, kutus, nits – whatever you call them – most parents dread their discovery in their child’s hair.

In the coming weeks poppies will start being seen on people’s chests, in the run up to ANZAC Day on 25 April. There will again be huge turnouts at d..

As I struggled to open the lid of a jar recently – saved by the 18-year-old son who made it look utterly effortless – it made me wonder how diffic..

Let’s talk threadworms. Something most children are likely to get at some time during their life – especially between the ages of 5-14yrs.

It’s been a good long while before I had planning a pregnancy on my mind (my babies are now 21,18 and 13) but planning is in fact what you should do..

Every time I set off for an outdoor adventure, I think about how lucky we are in New Zealand that we don’t have real nasties.

It’s here! School is back. A new routine and regular rhythm starts to daily life. Are you ready? Are your kids?

It’s something about the calendar rolling over to a new year that makes us take stock of our lives. Perhaps it’s simply the enforced holiday seaso..

We’re about to set off on another family hiking adventure.  For the last few summers we’ve done a multi-day hike somewhere around New Zealand enj..

Written by: Jenny Cade In my last blog I wrote about a recent personal experience with a mole that had to be removed because it could become a mela..

The earlier you get your kids on a bike, the more confidence they will have to keep progressing through the stages.

Our dog has had toxoplasmosis. Altogether a bit scary. I last heard the word ‘toxoplasmosis’ some 21 years ago, when pregnant with my first baby, ..

Earlier this year, I had a skin cancer check i.e. a specially qualified doctor ‘inspected’ my body to check for anything that already was or might..

Never too old to learn

I remember ‘back in the day’ as a student nurse at Middlemore in the 1980s being astounded at the amount of respiratory illnesses on the medical w..

Well it's that end of the year... the sharp end where all that learning is meant to come together efficiently and eloquently in an exam. Easy? No. Exc..

As I write this it is World Diabetes Day. As you read this, it probably isn’t. But one awareness day a year isn’t really what’s important.  Wha..

Ok, so yes, you might feel like you’ve had some Americanised mass market thing foisted upon you, your family and your neighbourhood...

A headline “Getting Sick on Holiday” in the Travel supplement in the New Zealand Herald earlier this year caught my eye. The article quoted resear..

A simple and delicious berry smoothie, with only 4 ingredients!

Chicken salad with Reduced Sugar Craisins® is a perfect filling for sandwiches

If you’re like me and have only just heard about the Shakti Mat, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about!

It’s breast cancer awareness month, but really it’s something year round us girls need a good understanding of. 3000 Kiwi women a year are diagnos..

I’ve left it a little late in September to talk about the blokes and Blue September – but you know as long as they don’t leave it till the last ..

In my last blog about the gastro outbreak in Havelock North, I wrote about the importance of hand washing in the context of preventing illnesses sprea..

Previous health crises in places like the Havelock North gastro outbreak, have shown how easy it is for some infections to spread. Thankfully an outbr..

World breastfeeding awareness week runs in the first week of August. One of the themes has been about how breastfeeding is a key element in getting us..

It’s ‘Plastic Free July’ and I for one need to try harder. And I want to. Earlier this year I went on a beach clean-up day with my daughter’s ..

This term is almost done and dusted. Good thing if you’re in Auckland? Less traffic on the road. Bad thing? Quelling a quiet sense of rising panic w..

With an increase in people choosing not to eat gluten, many people have heard of going ‘gluten free’ but it’s actually only deemed...

It's one of the basics we all need to teach our kids - how to wash your hands. That and brushing your teeth, how to use the toilet and saying please a..

Find out about the important points when using paracetamol to treat pain and/or fever in adults.

Giving advice is a huge part of what I do as a pharmacist. One of the conversations I always try to make time for is to give advice...

Now we've officially hit winter, it's time to think about what you can do to protect yourself from winter illnesses.

Colic is when a baby cries for several hours a day and there is no obvious cause.

Skin is made up of different layers and substances which make it supple and tough and allow it to stretch. But sometimes skin is broken...

Threadworms look like small pieces of white cotton, about 1 cm long. The most common sign of threadworm infection is an itchy bottom.

Regular Health Checklist for Women: Breast health check...

Instructions for taking medicines differ from one medicine to another and from one person to another...

As many have discovered, simply cutting back calories without addressing lifestyle imbalance: stress, inactivity and poor dietary patterns..

Keeping your home warm over winter makes it a much healthier living environment for you and your family.

Chicken pox, measles, mumps, rubella, slap cheek, meningitis...

Varicose veins are caused when valves don't work properly, causing blood to pool and veins to bulge.

Oral thrush causes thick white plaques to grow on the inside of the cheeks or tongue.

Most cases of simple cystitis are caused by bacteria which ascend through the urethra into the normally sterile urine in the bladder.

There are a number of measures you can take to maintain your health when travelling.

Sunlight damages skin. Areas most exposed (the hands, forearms, face and neck) are the most damaged and this damage can lead to skin cancer.

The ultraviolet radiation (UVR) that gets through the earth’s outer atmosphere is so much stronger at this time of year, causing sunburn...

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel carrying oxygen to the brain leaks or is blocked by a clot...

In our caveman days, stress, also known as the “flight or fright” response, was a self-preservation mechanism triggered by physical danger.

Ulcers form when the moist inner lining (the mucous membrane) of the digestive tract becomes damaged and inflamed.

Sprains are the tearing of a ligament. Strains refer to tearing of a muscle or tendon. They often occur together in or around joints...

Commonly, sore throats are viral, resulting from the common cold, glandular fever, measles, chicken pox or whooping cough.

Snoring is estimated to affect around 4 in 10 adult males and as many as 3 in 10 adult females. The sound of snoring is caused by vibration.

Tobacco is a major cause of cardiovascular disease, and more smokers die of cardiovascular disease than any other cause.

The condition of your skin can tell you a lot about your state of health, even your state of mind. Most skin problems happen either when...

Skin is your barrier against the outside world. It protects your organs and immune system from bacteria and disease...

The sinuses are designed to help insulate the skull and make it lighter, as well as provide resonance for our voice.

Shingles begins with the sensation of burning or tingling on or under the skin. Up to a week later the rash appears...

Seborrhoeic dermatitis, psoriasis of the scalp, contact dermatitis, lichen planus, discoid lupus erythematotus, alopecia...

Just visible to the naked eyes, the pregnant female itch mite Sarcoptes Scabiei burrows a tunnel into the skin of her human host before...

The best prevention is understanding what causes a STI, be aware of the risks and take precautions...

Most commonly, affected skin takes on a scaly appearance with silvery dry, scaly skin flakes forming an angry, red, inflamed patch of skin.

Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer and the second cause of cancer deaths behind lung cancer. It can be slow growing.

There are some steps that you can take to ensure you are healthy at the time of conception and throughout your pregnancy.

Children aged 0-4 years are most at risk of a poisoning. The most common poisoning agents are medicines.

Prior to the invention of antibiotics pneumonia killed one third of its victims, and even today, around 5% of pneumonia patients will die...

Pain can be felt in one place, like when you cut yourself, or all over your body, such as muscle pain that comes with the flu.

Osteoporosis happens when the bone structure breaks down and they become so weak and brittle that they can easily fracture.

Good dental and oral health will keep your teeth looking good; protect you from tooth decay and gum disease and also from bad breath...

Since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Tina’s had to adjust to life in a wheelchair while coping with other symptoms too: reduced...

Onset is usually before the age of 30 but can occur at any time of life. Both men and women are equally at risk. Bipolar disorder tends...

For most women periods come and go with little more than inconvenience. For other women, menstruation is fraught with pain, stress...

Menopause is the term for when it has been one year since a woman's last period. When the ovaries stop producing oestrogen, this function...

Melanoma is deservedly the most feared of the skin cancers, with nearly 3000 New Zealanders diagnosed every year.

The liver is such a remarkable organ that we cannot live without it performing its many important functions. These include...

All bones, except for one, form a joint with another bone. Most joints are designed to protect the ends of bone where they meet.

Every year around 30% of the adult population will experience some sleeping problems, and amongst the elderly insomnia rates can be...

Infertility is not the same as sterility, as many causes of infertility can be treated. About 25% of couples trying to conceive will...

Gastrointestinal Oesophageal Reflux Disease or GORD, reflux belongs to the large category of disorders termed Dyspepsia or Indigestion.

Imagine never knowing when your bladder is going to let you down in public... perhaps in the supermarket or cinema?

If you have narrowed arteries or increased blood volume, blood pressure increases. Hypertension is persistently raised blood pressure...

Herpes doesn’t deserve the upset it causes. Four out of five New Zealanders have the herpes simplex virus.

There are a number of types of hernias, including inguinal, umbilical, epigastric, femoral and insicional.

Heart disease covers any breakdown of normal heart function that affects its performance as a pump, supplying oxygen-rich blood...

Indigestion is discomfort or a burning feeling in the chest or stomach, often associated with nausea, bloating, belching, vomiting...

Have you woken from your cosy warm bed on a chilly morning to see water dripping down your bedroom windows?

Cooking for winter wellness is about producing foods that tick all the “comfort” boxes while looking after your health and weight...

If you find headlice on a child, a suggested treatment plan involves using a combination of insecticide treatment as well as regular combing

The brain itself does not have pain receptors so the pain you feel actually comes from the scalp, face or tissue lining the brain.

Allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to normally harmless substances in the air we breathe and food we eat.

It is normal to lose about 100 hairs a day but sometimes this shedding is faster than usual, leading to thinning hair and baldness.

Haemorrhoids or 'piles' as they are commonly known, are really a type of varicose vein. The veins supplying the rectal area...

Our gut, or gastrointestinal/digestive system, is having its turn in the sun as research reveals that this is no simple plumbing job...

The first joint of the big toe is one of the most commonly affected joints, although gout can affect virtually any joint.

Wellness is eating and moving the way nature intended, keeping stress levels down, avoiding toxins and aiming for balance in all things.

Approximately 20% of women over the age of 40, and 8% of men over 40 have gallstones which may range in size from a pinhead to a golf ball.

The most common types of fungal infections are caused by a mould-like fungus in the outer layers of the skin, usually on the arms, legs...

Most of the time our feet perform well and we take them for granted. However if we neglect our feet or abuse them...

To help assist in an emergency, keep at least one first-aid kit in your home and one in your car.

Light enters your eye, passes through the transparent cornea onto the crystalline lens, where it's focussed onto the light-sensitive cells..

Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is a problem partly resulting from the increasing prevalence of diabetes and obesity-related vascular problems.

Seizures are divided into two main categories, generalised seizures in which abnormal electrical impulses affect the whole brain and local..

Endometriosis is a condition whereby endometrial cells, which normally line the surface of the uterus or womb, are found outside the uterus.

Eating disorders may be tied up with body image but equally may be a response to stress including sexual, physical and emotional abuse.

Otitis media is by far the most common ear problem. It is the result of an infection or inflammation in the middle ear...

Normally digestion should work without problems, although the frequency of bowel motions can vary from person to person.

Diabetes is caused by having too much sugar in the blood because the hormone insulin, which normally controls blood sugar levels.

Inflammation of the skin is it’s way of reacting to an irritant or allergen and can occur anywhere in the body.

“I’m a dad and I’m scared. When I say I’m a dad and I’m scared, I really mean: I’m a dad and I’m looking for answers...

There’s a saying that ‘if you’ve got your health, you’ve got everything’. The gist is that your good health is your most important asset.

The clot causes swelling of the vein or thrombophlebitis and can cause pain, aching or discomfort.

When the cells lining your throat and airways come in contact with a foreign body messages are sent to the brain....

Approximately 85% of cases of COPD are the direct result of cigarette smoking, either active or passive.

Today there is a wide range of different contraceptive methods to choose from, each with different benefits.

The symptoms of a cold and flu are similar and often the first sign of a sniffle is mistakenly called the flu.

Around 70-80% of our cholesterol is made by our bodies, mainly by the liver, and the rest comes from dietary sources.

Cancer is a disease that occurs when abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and start to destroy healthy body tissues.

Each year more than 3000 New Zealand women are diagnosed with breast cancer.

Laughing out loud, scratching your ear, feeling a love-rush for your children, and reading this article... what do they have in common?

Technically urinary incontinence is defined as the inability to hold urine in the bladder...

While ants, mossies, sand flies and fleas leave a temporary legacy of maddening itching, wasp and bee stings are usually extremely painful..

Most new parents assume that sleep deprivation is all part of the job, unless they hit the jackpot and land themselves a ‘good sleeper'.

When skin problems are unsettling your baby you can usually see what you’re dealing with and can closely monitor the progress.

One in eight New Zealand adults and one in seven children are using medicines to control asthma.

Arthritis is the major cause of disability in New Zealand and affects half a million people at some point in their lives.

The New Zealand Mental Health Survey cast some light on the make-up of mental illness in our country.

‘Antioxidant’ is a classification of several organic substances, including vitamins A, C and E, selenium, and carotenoids.

Essentially anaemia is not having enough red cells in your blood. These carry oxygen from your lungs to all the tissues in your body.

Dementia is the term for a set of symptoms caused by many different disease processes. It involves a loss of mental function...

Allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to normally harmless substances in the air we breathe and food we eat.