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Health Life

The weirdest thing about getting older…

Now in my late 40’s, I’ve been lucky in that my age hasn’t really had a great effect on me. My eyesight has changed and my hair has got greyer, but these are all the norms. Ok, hangovers are pretty much more intense now but, yeah, my bladder remains normal and my bones are no less creaky than they ever were, so I consider myself lucky.

But there is one change, I’d say that’s occurred over the last 10 years, that’s particularly odd – my sensitivity to weather. A change in barometric (air) pressure can cause headaches by creating a pressure difference between the surrounding atmosphere and the sinuses, which are filled with air. Some people are more sensitive than others but, in my case, it’s become a lot more sensitive in recent years.

The effects are headaches and congestion when air pressure drops (I had an earache last night, as a black cloud loomed and there were reports of storms nearby, which later moves to the front of my head). My gran always said she could tell of impending bad weather due to her arthritis which, as bizarre as it may sound, is also a genuine effect of it too. But, for me, the headaches can be quite intense, sharp shots of pain from different areas of my head as well as quite sudden and bad nasal congestion.

But, as I say, considering the ailments that can afflict those getting older, I consider myself lucky that this probably the worst. Odd, none-the-less.

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Health Life

Why would you ever buy branded painkillers?

I saw this shared on Facebook today…

It’s wise advice. But it assumes you’re getting free prescriptions, which most people don’t. Of course, even then, it’s still good advice but can be extended more generally – always check the ‘over the counter’ cost of anything you’re getting on prescription, as it may be cheaper to buy it yourself.

However, this post is not actually about this but about comments that often come about as a result of this kind of discussion.

Why would anybody want to buy branded paracetamol when you can it buy them from Home Bargain for 16p?

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Health Life

Detoxing

The British Dietetic Association says the whole idea of detoxing is nonsense.

“There are no pills or specific drinks, patches or lotions that can do a magic job. The body has numerous organs, such as the skin, gut, liver and kidney, that continually ‘detoxify’ the body from head to toe.”

BBC News
Categories
Health Life

Living with Sensory Overload

For the last few years I occasionally suffer from something called “sensory overload“. Symptoms in those that experience it vary. In my case, sometimes, when I get to much sensory information coming in (lots of movement, lots of sounds) it causes me to be agitated and feel sick.

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Health How To Life

How to combat the Common Cold

The common cold – we get it 2-4 times a year on average and, although not something that kills us, can knock us sideways for a while. Yet, there’s no cure and what exists to help it, well, isn’t brilliant.