Colds or Flu?

Colds and flu are much alike in terms of their presentation of symptoms. However, there are a few differences that distinguish them. The symptoms of common colds are milder and develop slowly, which include sneezing, stuffy nose, watery eyes, and sore throat. Whereas the symptoms of flu include tiredness, fever, headache, major aches and pains, nausea, chills and sweats, and loss of appetite. Coughing can be a sign of either a cold or the flu. But a bad cough usually points to the flu.
Colds and flu are caused by viruses, hence antibiotics are not a medicine of choice to treat these conditions, unless there are secondary bacterial infections. Colds can be caused by nearly 200 types of viruses, like rhinovirus, coronaviruses, just to mention a few. But flu is caused by Influenza A or B viruses.
There are no known cures for colds and flu, however, you can alleviate the symptoms by drinking plenty of water, taking enough rest, avoid smoking and taking alcohol, and using a humidifier (an electric device that puts water into the air). To relieve a sore throat, you can gargle with warm salt water. You can also use a saline nose drop to help loosen mucus and moisten the tender skin in your nose. In addition, there are a number of OTC medicines available to control the colds and flu symptoms. You can always ask for pharmacists' advice in making choices.
To prevent a cold or flu, make sure you wash your hands frequently, because most cold and flu viruses are spread by direct contact. Eating healthy, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep are also ways to prevent colds and flu. You can also consider influenza vaccine to prevent flu. The vaccines are available in two forms: flu shot (comprises of dead viruses) and nasal spray (comprises of live but weakened viruses). The vaccine will help activate your body immune system to fight off the viruses. Click here to know more about influenza vaccine.

Over-the-counter medications: Terms

Over-the-counter medications are sold in many different forms that act as a mechanism for the safe and convenient delivery of accurate dosage.
Terms that describe the form of medication:

* Tablet -- a solid pill created by packing the active ingredient together with a binding agent.
* Geltab -- This is a tablet with a gelatin coating to aid in ease of swallowing.
* Capsule -- a hollow gelatin container that holds a powdered medication. Many people have an easier time swallowing capsules than they do swallowing ordinary tablets.
* Liquigel -- This capsule contains medicine that has been dissolved into liquid form to speed absorption by your body.
* Caplet-- Caplets are solid tablets in the shape of a capsule with a smooth coating. Caplets, like capsules, may go down more easily than ordinary tablets.
* Gelcap -- This is a caplet with a gelatin coating to aid in ease of swallowing.


Tablets ----------Geltabs ----------Capsules


Liquigel -------------Caplet ---------Gelcaps


These dosage forms may have integrated with certain features to maximize its absorption or to achieve optimal outcome after administration.
The following terms describe special features present in some medications.

* Buffered. A buffered medication contains an antacid to reduce acidity in the stomach.
* Combination formula. Products with this term contain two or more active ingredients.
* Enteric-coated. This special coating allows pills to pass undigested through your stomach and be dissolved in your small intestine, which helps reduce stomach irritation.
* Scored. These tablets have a groove in them, which allows you to more easily break them in half. Scored tablets may be useful if you need to take less than the amount in one dose, which may help limit side effects.
* Timed-release, extended-release or sustained-release. These products dissolve slowly. They prolong the effect of the medication by maintaining a sustained level of the active ingredient in your blood. Use them if you need lasting, not just immediate, relief. But don't crush or chew these products.

Check out thses terms at the drugs label. Understanding these terms will help you to choose the medication that's best for you!

Which type of calcium supplements is the best?

Calcium supplement is one of the most common and popular dietary supplements taken by people nowadays, for its importance in maintaining bone health and preventing osteoporosis. The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for calcium for adults is 1000mg -1300mg (depending on age and gender), which is a huge amount compared to other minerals. One cup of milk (250ml) provides ~300mg of calcium, that means we need to drink 2-3 cups of milk per day in order to meet our daily requirement. Alternatively, people take calcium supplements.

Important points to consider when purchasing calcium supplements:

* Check the elemental calcium content, that is the amount of calcium in a supplement that's available for your body to absorb. Look at the Nutrition Facts label. For calcium, the Percent Daily Value (% DV) is based on 1,000 mg of elemental calcium. For example, if a calcium supplement has 60 percent of the Daily Value, it contains 600 mg of elemental calcium (0.60 x 1,000 mg = 600 mg).

* Type of calcium supplements, (calcium carbonate, citrate, gluconate, lactate...)
Calcium supplements typically contain calcium carbonate or calcium citrate. Calcium gluconate and calcium lactate are not recommended as they contain low content of elemental calcium. Hence, one may need to take a large amount of tablets to meet the calcium requirement.

# Calcium Citrate e.g. Citracal (click image for information) or Solgar: Calcium is best absorbed in an acidic environment, hence calcium citrate is the best absorbed supplemental form of calcium. It does not require extra stomach acid for absorption; hence we may take it anytime in a day, even on an empty stomach. However calcium citrate usually provides less elemental calcium per pill, therefore one may need to take a relatively more numbers of pills per day depending to the needs.


# Calcium Carbonate e.g. Tums or Caltrate (click image for information): Most calcium pills in the market are in the form of calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate should be taken with meals. This is because acid secreted by your stomach enhances absorption of calcium carbonate.


Calcium is absorbed most efficiently by the body when it is taken in amounts of 500 milligrams (mg) or less. If you take 1,000 mg of calcium a day, split it in two or more doses over the course of the day. Bear in mind that not all calcium we consume will be absorbed. The amount of calcium absorbed is dependent on a number of factors such as the acidic condition in our intestines, vitamin D level, estrogen level and the type of calcium supplement. Most calcium supplements in the market now contain vitamin D to enhance its absorption.

Read more on calcium supplements.

Do I need dietary supplements?

People nowadays are more concerned about their health and most of them take dietary supplements. But does this all-in-one formulation meet their health needs? Dietary supplements aren't meant to be food substitutes, as they can't replicate all of the nutrients and benefits of whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Whole foods are the best sources of vitamins and minerals as they offer three main benefits over dietary supplements:

* Greater nutrition. Whole foods are complex, containing a variety of the micronutrients your body needs — not just one. An orange, for example, provides vitamin C but also some beta carotene, calcium and other nutrients. A vitamin C supplement lacks these other micronutrients.
* Essential fiber. Whole foods provide dietary fiber. Fiber can help prevent certain diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, and it can also help manage constipation.
* Protective substances. Whole foods contain other substances recognized as important for good health. Fruits and vegetables, for example, contain naturally occurring food substances called phytochemicals, which may help protect you against cancer, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Many are also good sources of antioxidants — substances that slow down oxidation, a natural process that leads to cell and tissue damage. If you depend on dietary supplements rather than eating a variety of whole foods, you miss the benefits of these substances.

Dietary supplements may be appropriate if you eat less than five total servings of fruits and vegetables daily; or you eat only one or two times a day; or you consume less than 1,200 calories a day. Vegetarian, postmenopausal woman, woman who has heavy menstrual bleeding, people with medical condition that affects how their body absorbs, uses or excretes nutrients, pregnant woman or woman plans to become pregnant, smoker and drinker may need dietary supplements.

If you decide to take a vitamin or mineral supplement, consider these factors:

* Check the supplement label. Read labels carefully. Product labels can tell you what the active ingredient or ingredients are, which nutrients are included, the serving size — for example, capsule, packet or teaspoonful — and the amount of nutrients in each serving.
* Avoid supplements that provide 'megadoses.' In general, choose a multivitamin-mineral supplement — for example, Centrum, One-A-Day, others — that provides about 100 percent of the Daily Value (DV) of all the vitamins and minerals, rather than one which has, for example, 500 percent of the DV for one vitamin and only 20 percent of the DV for another. The exception to this is calcium. You may notice that calcium-containing supplements don't provide 100 percent of the DV. If they did, the tablets would be too large to swallow.

What does Percent Daily Value (DV) means? Food labels list percentages that are based on recommended daily allowances — meaning the amount of nutrients a person should get each day. These numbers tell you the Percent Daily Value (DV) that one serving of this food provides as a percentage of established standards. For example, a label may show that a serving of the food provides 30 percent of the daily recommended amount of fiber. This means you still need another 70 percent to meet the recommended goal. Percent DV is based on a 2,000-calorie diet for adults older than 18.

The most important information that one should know about multivitamins and minerals is that do not take more than is prescribed for you or is directed on the package. Large doses of multivitamins and minerals can be dangerous. Take each dose with a full glass of water. Take them with food to lessen stomach upset.

Click image to view product's full labelling.

Preserve A Treasure

Many individuals either expect or ask their physicians to prescribe antibiotics when they feel sick or have a common cold. Some may even approach a pharmacy dispensing counter and ask for a specific antibiotic that thought to be the ' magic bullets' after they had administered once during their previous sickness. Improper use and abuse of antibiotics has led to the development of antibiotic resistance which occurs when strains of bacteria in the human body become resistant to antibiotics. Besides, most patients do not finish the full dosage of the antibiotic because they think that they have already recovered and there is no reason for them to continue taking drugs. In fact, when an antibiotic prescription is not finished (even leaving one or two pills), it leaves some bacteria alive and resistant to future antibiotic treatment. When this occurs, your illness lasts longer and your physicians will have to prescribe a different antibiotic in order to fight the infection. Therefore, scientists keep doing research in order to find alternatives for antibiotics that had found to develop resistance problems.
Physicians, community pharmacists, and patients have a role to play in decreasing the misuse of antibiotics. Antibiotic should only be prescribed if a bacterial infection present. Antibiotics are not effective in fighting a viral disease. Bear in mind that common cold and flu are caused by viruses. In US, it is estimated that 50 percent of the prescriptions are unnecessary since they are being prescribed for colds, cough, and other viral infections. Do not demand antibiotics from your physician. When given antibiotics, take them exactly as prescribed and complete the full course of treatment. Do not hoard pills for later use or share leftover antibiotics. When used prudently, antibiotics are a powerful medicinal tool to combat with bacteria-causing diseases.

View/download a brochure containing information about antibiotic resistance.

View/download a brochure from the U.S. FDA.

(The free Adobe Acrobat reader is needed to view these brochures.)

Higher sun protection factor (SPF) = better protection?

Sun protection factor (SPF) indicates how long one may stay in the sun without burning from UVB light, simply just multiplying the time you would normally burn in the sun without protection by the SPF of your product. For instance, 20 minutes produce redness on a light skinned individual. If he/she uses a product of SPF 15, then he/she can stay 15 x 20 = 300 minutes or 5 hours in the sun without burning. Individual with fairer skin normally requires products with higher SPF in order for them to get equal protection with those having medium or dark skin. Refer recommended SPF for different skin type.

So, how SPF of a product is determined? This can be achieved by applying the sunscreen to the skin of a volunteer and measuring how long it takes before sunburn occurs when exposed to an artificial sunlight source. Therefore, the product results will vary on different individuals.

But why only certain products provide UV protection while some others do not? The key ingredient in a sunscreen is either an organic chemical compound that absorbs UV light (such as oxybenzone) or an opaque material that reflects light (such as titanium oxide, zinc oxide), or a combination of both. The method of applying is also vital in order to get full protection. Contrary to the common advice that sunscreen should be reapplied every 2-3 hours, research has shown that the best protection is achieved by application 15-30 minutes before exposure, followed by one reapplication 15-30 minutes after the sun exposure begins. Further reapplication is only necessary after activities such as swimming, sweating, and rubbing.

Many of us have a wrong concept that sunscreen products with higher SPF give better protection to our skin and prevent it from further darkening, as compared to those with lower SPF. In fact, SPF over 30 does not provide significantly better protection. Also, bear in mind that tanning still occur with enough sun exposure. In addition, it does not protect us from UVA light which causes skin ageing as well as increases the risk of malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. At the moment, there is no recognised standard rating available for the assessment of UVA filters.

As a summary, the best way to protect skin is a combination of staying in the shade when the sun is at its strongest, using clothing to cover up and SPF 15+ sunscreen. Sunscreen should not be used in isolation or as a way of staying in the sun for longer.

The world's easiest homemade body scrub!

Bonjour! This is my first post and I would like to share something amazing with u all.

I didn't use any body scrub until i realized that my skin was dull and dry. I started to search for products but there are too many in the market. And then by chance i was allured by a few websites that taught us how to make a sugar scrub at home and that everybody was commenting how incredibly soft their skin felt. Should I take a try? Does it really good as it claims? Afterwhile, I decided to try it. There was no reason that i shouldn't try it as it's so so so economical. I modified the recipe myself because I felt that it was troublesome to prepare lots of ingredients. I simply mixed brown sugar(50%) with olive oil (50%) and a small amount of aloe vera gel to form a paste and massage gently onto my damp skin. Then i rinsed it with warm water, following my daily body wash. I gotta tell u, after the bath, i could feel the instant result that my skin was super soft and supple! The secret is, sugar cane produces glycolic acid, one of the alpha hydroxy acids that exfoliates the skin. I also scrub it over my lips as an alternative to lip scrub to keep my lips perfectly buffed.

Other recipe: Oat and brown sugar scrub

Try it yourselves and feel the difference!