Healthy Ageing
BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERTROPHYBenign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia. It is a condition in which the prostate gland becomes enlarged, interfering with urinary function. Benign prostatic hypertrophy affects around 20% of men aged 41-50, but becomes more common with age, and occurs in over 90% of men over 80 years old. Read more... |
DRY SKINDry skin is more prone to roughness, flakiness and scaling, and can easily become itchy, irritated or cracked. Read more... |
EYE STRAINEye strain occurs when the eyes are over-used, resulting in painful, tired eyes. Read more... |
HAIR & SCALP HEALTHLike your skin, the condition of your hair is a reflection of your overall state of health. It may also be affected by exposure to the sun, heat and chemicals, and by hereditary or hormonal factors. Read more... |
MACULAR DEGENERATIONMacular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in Australia and New Zealand. It is a progressive disease caused by the deterioration of a part of the retina called the macula. Read more... |
MEMORY PROBLEMSAll of us forget things or have difficulty paying attention from time to time, but sometimes these issues are symptomatic of underlying health problems. Stress may be a factor for all of us, and in older people, persistent or progressive forgetfulness may sometimes be a sign of dementia. Read more... |
MENOPAUSEMenopause is a natural biological transition that involves many changes within the female body, and tends to occur between 44 and 55 years of age, although some women experience it earlier or later than this. The reduced hormone production that marks the end of a woman's fertile years also has implications for the health of the heart, skeleton, skin and other tissues and organs. Read more... |
MUSCLE CRAMPSCramps occur when a muscle contracts painfully and involuntarily. Read more... |
OSTEOARTHRITISOsteoarthritis is a progressive disorder of the joints and cartilage that becomes more common with age, although it may also affect young people. Joints that are commonly affected include the knees, hips, spine and hands. Osteoarthritis causes pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints, and may reduce mobility. Read more... |
OSTEOPOROSISOsteoporosis is a condition in which the amount and quality of skeletal bone are reduced, predisposing the bones to fracture. A healthy skeleton undergoes a continual process of bone breakdown and remodelling. In osteoporosis, bone is broken down faster than it is rebuilt, resulting in a decrease in the bone mass and a corresponding fragility of the skeleton. Read more... |
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITISRheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory progressive disease that affects the joints, especially the hands, wrists, feet and knees. The inflammation makes the joints stiff, swollen, painful and sometimes misshapen. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the immune system attacks healthy tissue in the joints and it can potentially lead to irreversible joint destruction and disability. Read more... |
SPERM HEALTH & SEXUAL PERFORMANCEMen's sexual health issues can be stressful to deal with, but in many cases, natural medicines and a healthy diet and lifestyle can help to improve the situation. Read more... |
UNDERACTIVE THYROIDThyroid hormones regulate the body's metabolism, so an under-active thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) has far-reaching physical effects, even if the under-secretion of thyroid hormones is so minor that it is undetectable in blood tests. More severe thyroid dysfunction can result in severe and even life-threatening health problems. Read more... |
ANAEMIA & IRON DEFICIENCYOxygen is transported around the body via the red blood cells, where it is a component of haemoglobin. Iron is vital to this process, and inadequate dietary intake of iron is one of several factors that can result in anaemia, a state in which levels of either haemoglobin or the blood cells themselves are abnormally low. Read more... |
CHOLESTEROLCholesterol occurs naturally in the body, and in limited quantities is essential for good health, being required for the production of cell membranes, hormones, bile and vitamin D. High levels of cholesterol and other fatty substances in the blood can lead to atherosclerosis (the deposition of fatty plaque in the arteries) increasing the risk of poor heart health or circulatory problems. Read more... |
CIRCULATORY PROBLEMSCirculatory problems can take many forms, and can range from a minor inconvenience (such as cold hands and feet) to cosmetic problems like burst blood vessels, and painful, aching conditions like varicose veins. Other situations may be indicative of underlying disease processes (e.g. leg ulcers, Raynaud's disease, intermittent claudication and peripheral arterial disease). Read more... |
FREE RADICAL DAMAGEFree radicals are molecules that are unstable or volatile, and consequently have the capacity to damage tissues that they come into contact with. Free radical damage to cells and the structures they form is believed to contribute to the development of many of the chronic diseases associated with ageing. Antioxidants are compounds that restore balance to free radicals, making them more stable, and limiting the damage they cause. Read more... |
HIGH BLOOD PRESSUREYour blood pressure is a measure of how much force your heart uses to push the blood around your arteries. It varies according to the activities you're performing and your emotional state, but blood pressure that is consistently higher than normal is referred to as hypertension, and is one of several risk factors that increase the likelihood you'll develop cardiovascular disease. Read more... |
HEART HEALTHCardiovascular disease affects millions of people, and is a leading cause of death and disability. However in many cases, making more heart-conscious health choices could reduce your risk of conditions such as heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and circulatory problems. Read more... |
SENIORS' HEALTHAs we get older, we become increasingly susceptible to health problems. Many of the conditions that we commonly associate with ageing can be relieved or prevented through a healthy diet and lifestyle. Read more... |
IMMUNITYThe immune system prevents infections taking hold, and helps overcome those that do. It also catalogues infectious organisms so that the body is better equipped to fight them if they're ever encountered again. The components of the immune system range from simple barrier defences (for example the tiny hairs and mucus secretions of the nostrils) to sophisticated cells that recognise and engulf invading organisms. Read more... |
WOUNDSMost skin wounds heal naturally and relatively quickly, but severe or infected wounds may take longer to resolve. Circulatory problems may also delay wound healing. Read more... |
