Can’t tell the difference between the flu and the common cold? Tabibi is here to answer all your questions and help you prepare for the upcoming flu season!

COMMON COLD VS. THE FLU

Both are respiratory illnesses that have similar symptoms but are caused by different viruses. It can be difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone.

In general, the flu is worse than the common cold with more intense symptoms that include fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose.

Unlike the flu, colds generally do not result in serious health problems such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations. A key difference in treatment is that antibiotics have NO role in treating flu as they fight bacteria not viruses.

HOW IT SPREADS

The flu is a contagious disease, people with the flu can spread it to others up to about 6 feet away. Flu viruses are spread mainly by droplets made when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Less often, a person might also get the flu by touching a surface or object that has the flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth or nose.

Some people can be infected with the flu virus but have no symptoms. During this time, they may still spread the virus to others.

WHY WINTER IS THE PRIME TIME FOR INFECTION

The virus lives longer indoors during winter, because the air is less humid than it is outside. Also, we spend more time indoors and have closer contact with each other, which makes it easier for the virus to spread.

PROTECTION AND PREVENTION

Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every season (usually late September). The vaccine has important benefits, it can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, missed days at work or school, and can prevent flu-related hospitalizations.

Vaccination is particularly important for people who are at high risk of serious complications from influenza. Those include: Infants and young children, people 65 years of age and older, pregnant women, people with certain health conditions such as asthma, heart diseases, diabetes, kidney diseases, liver diseases or a weakened immune system, and people who are morbidly obese (BMI>40).

If you would like to take steps towards prevention, try to avoid close contact with sick people and also limit contact with others as much as possible while sick to keep from infecting them. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand rub. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, as germs spread this way. And finally, clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs.

TREATMENT

The flu is generally a self-limiting illness that resolves on its own, however following these tips can help you get better more quickly: Get plenty of rest and sleep. Stay warm. Take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower your temperature and relieve aches and pains. Drinking plenty of water to avoid dehydration (your pee should be light yellow or clear). Finally, there are flu antiviral drugs that can be used to treat and prevent flu. Ask your doctor if you need any.

This article was brought to you by Tabibi 24/7, Cairo’s leading family medicine & pediatrics group practice. Tabibi operates 24/7 and offers its services in the comfort of your own home or in one of its clinics.

For more information, you can call 16724.

www.tabibi247.com

It can sneak up on you. The gradual realization that your waistline is spreading a little, your hairline seems to be moving, and your energy levels are nowhere near what they used to be. Your routine seems monotonous and life has lost its buzz. So, how can you coast through the inevitable years of middle age and learn to appreciate every moment? Cairo West Magazine chatted with leading psychiatrist, Dr. Bassem Soliman, for tips on how to turn these critical years into a rewarding and fulfilling life stage.

WHAT IS IT?

A midlife crisis usually derives from the fear of getting older. It is not considered a medical condition, but it could result in depression and anxiety, which are medical conditions. Therefore, if I am treating a patient going through a midlife crisis, I am usually addressing the depression and anxiety problem that was a result of it. There is also a feeling of disappointment and loss of self confidence.

MIDLIFE CRISIS INDICATIONS

1. Mood swings and impulsive decision-making.
2. Obsession with appearance.
3. Changes in sleeping habits.
4. Replacing old friends with younger ones.
5. Thinking of death.
6. Changing careers.
7. Leaving a spouse or having an affair.
8. Attacks of depression.

HOW TO TACKLE A MIDLIFE CRISIS

A midlife crisis derives from fear, which is an attribute that is usually difficult for a man to accept. Therefore, it can result in denial that their fear exists and replacing it with other excuses for the absurd actions taking place. They could often blame their actions on boredom or accuse their partner of being monotonous.

The dangers involved here would be that major life decisions could be taken at that time that result in drastic permanent changes. It could sometimes reach divorce or bankruptcy. 

4 BEGINNER STEPS

• Admit to the fact that a mid life crisis is happening in order to seek professional help.
• Start acknowledging the good things in life.
• Discuss any life-changing decisions with a trustworthy person who can dispense sound advice.
• Meditation helps connecting to the voice within and can help a man face his fears and tackle them one at a time.

SUPPORT FROM FAMILY

One of the major mistakes that a wife does is push her husband to fix the situation too fast, wives must give it time. Consider the following advice:

• Patience is key, don’t panic.
• Try to join in on any new activities and show interest. Ask questions in order to figure out the mindset.
• Take care of yourself through the process. A midlife crisis is not a medical condition, yet along with it comes anxiety and depression, which are difficult to deal with.
• Seek professional advice.

10 WAY TO MAKE A POSITIVE CHANGE

1. Don’t fear your age; embrace it.
2. Have an open channel with a counselor or someone who you can take valid advice from.
3. Discover some hobbies and involve your partner in them.
4. Have a diary where you can write down your thoughts.
5. Meditate.
6. Make time for yourself each day even if it’s 15 minutes of just “me time”.
7. Play sports, keeping fit will give you more confidence.
8. Travel with your partner or loved one; make new memories.
9. Cut down on caffeine and nicotine as these increase anxiety levels.
10. Get a pet; it has been proven that pets decrease anxiety levels.

Dr. Bassem Soliman is a Senior Consultant pf Psychiatry at Seeds Clinics and the Head at the Dr. Bassem Soliman Thought Management Clinic in Alexandria.

By Julie-ann Odell

Happiness is by far the most important thing in one’s life because without it, nothing really has any value. Yet so many people believe that if they get the next promotion, or a bigger house, or a new car, or win the lottery that they will be content. However, happiness is really an “inside job”.  When we are happy with ourselves, it is far easier to be motivated, as happiness leads to passion, and passion creates energy. Our health is better, relationships are more harmonious, careers are successful, and life heads in the right direction.

 Motivation

Sustaining motivation can be tough when you don’t feel so inspired. Under the best of circumstances, the modern-day world has a way of blowing you off course, with “to-do lists” that can run into pages, time that never seems to be enough, and negative feelings that seem to have a way of creeping up on you.

So how do you gain inspiration and motivation to stay on track when there are elements of your life that score low on the “happy scale”, and when your self-confidence is being chipped away by doubt and fear? How can you find a way to regain hope and positivity to trust that everything is going to work out for the best and a bright future is around the corner?

It might just be time to look for a life coach! This highly successful form of talking therapy that deals with the present and the future rather than dwelling on the past has been proven to help with virtually any aspect of a person’s life – whether personal or professional. It primarily focuses on improving the human potential to help people create their desired future.  Is it any wonder that it is one of the fastest-growing professions in the world and is experiencing exponential annual growth? It makes sense because so many people want help with finding their dream, and when they can’t find inspiration from the inside, they look for help from the outside.

Self Worth

As well as coaching people who want to achieve their dreams and high performers who want to increase their productivity and positivity, life coaches also work with people who have issues of self-worth. As mentors, they seek to install the awareness needed for people to change limiting beliefs. This is facilitated during coaching sessions, where the coach works with the individual to change how they see themselves and the rest of the world so that a more positive thought process can be developed. It is the alteration of the thought process combined with the desire to change that will allow the individual to ultimately achieve their goals and live inspired motivated lives.

A Commitment to Change

 Part of what fires the demand for coaching is the fact that clients have someone, on a regular basis, that listens to them without judgment and wholeheartedly believes in their ability to achieve their goals. Research shows that being in a supportive network is incredibly empowering and helpful for staying on track with goals.

A life coach isn’t a miracle worker though, and they don’t have a magic potion that comes in a bottle. To a great extent, the success of a life coach is highly dependent on the client’s commitment to wanting positive change in their lives and their realization that this takes time, discipline, effort and a budget.

 Get Started on Your Own

Hiring a life coach can be pricey. For maximum effect, a coaching engagement can last for a year or more, so it requires a lot of commitment, time and money. So what options do you have, if you aren’t in a position to hire a life coach but want to change your life from uninspired to inspired?

The following is a list of tried and true steps I have found these steps to be successful in my own life and that of my coaching clients.

Ten Steps to Improve Your Life

1. Know your values. It is important to know and understand your values, as this will help you lay the foundation for motivating yourself to reach your goals and ultimate success. Make a list and then take actions that are in alignment with your values. Ask yourself: What is really important in my life, and who is the person I want to become? Click the link at the end of the article for an online test determining values.
2. Condition your mind. Train yourself to think positive thoughts. When you find yourself thinking negatively, send the thought away and replace it with a positive affirmation. Keep doing this until a new, positive neuron pathway is fired and the old negative one fades away.
3. Mix with positive people. Do your best to keep away from negative people as they will drain your energy, waste your time, and demotivate you. Seek out people who are inspiring and motivated, as their positive energy will rub off on you and you can imitate their success strategies.
4. Make a list of your goals. Once you’ve established that you need to make changes in your life, the next step is making a list to identify which areas to target: career, health, romance, finances, etc. Write your list by hand with a pen, as studies show that when we connect the letters manually, we engage the brain more actively in the process.
5. Prioritize and break goals down. If you try to do everything at once, you’re going to get overwhelmed. So it is important to prioritize goals and break them down into small, realistic steps. This helps focus concentration and inspires similar behavior.
6. Visualize your goals. See it, feel it, hear it. Top performing athletes actually visualize their performance ahead of time — right down to the sensation of the sweat on their faces as they cross the finish line. Imagining clearly defined goals help you take your dreams and turn them into reality, so dream big and often.
7. Deal with demotivation. At some point along the way, whether because of temporary setbacks or lack of energy and initiative, you will need a little boost, so work out what this can be from the get-go. Winston Churchill is particularly inspirational on this front. During World War II, he was invited to address a group of students. In that speech, he uttered his immortal line “Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give up.” So do the same!
8. Continually check in with yourself. In the ebb and tide of life, there are going to be times when you are criticized, and this can be hard to deal with sometimes. Work on really grounding yourself intrinsically with your values and your goals and learn to not take things personally. Remember to pull back from time to time, connect within and listen to the beat of your own drum.
9. Ask yourself powerful questions. Inspiration is all about having a big enough reason for doing something. If you have a big enough why, you can always find the motivation that comes from asking yourself how to accomplish it.  So “if not you, then who?” and “if not now, then when?”
10. Give yourself recognition. Remember to acknowledge your successes. Neuroscience tells us that each small success triggers the brain’s reward center and releases the feel-good chemical dopamine. Recognition is one of the most powerful motivators there is, so every day give yourself a pat on the back for the effort you are making to improve yourself. Stop comparing yourself to others. Be grateful for what you have, and on a daily basis celebrate what you love about yourself.

Julie-ann Odell is a certified Life Coach, Business Coach, Leadership Coach and Relationship Coach. She has been coaching for the past 15 years and divides her time between her clients in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Email: Julie@jupitereclipse.com or WhatsApp  +971-50-6592874.

Determine your values today:

https://www.cmu.edu/career/documents/my-career-path-activities/values-exercise.pdf

From sniffles and sneezes to more severe reactions, there is barely a family that has not been impacted by allergies in one form or another. As explained to Cairo West Magazine by Dr. Mohamed Magdy from Revive Medical, an allergy is a manifestation of your over active immune system response. Allergies may crop up in different organs as an eye allergy, a nasal allergy, a respiratory allergy, a skin allergy or a gastrointestinal allergy. There is a broad spectrum involved, ranging from a simple sensitivity to a more severe intolerance according to personal susceptibility.

Allergies and the Body

Body functions affected by allergies can be classified according to the affected organ e.g. lungs, nasal sinus, eyes, gastrointestinal and skin. Allergies can vary from just a mild form such as intolerance to moderate hypersensitive response, although rarely there may be a severe form of atopy, which is a life-threatening condition. The aetiology (set of causations) of an allergic response can have genetic and environmental factors.

Indications

Allergies can emerge at any age but are usually apparent between the ages of 5 to 16 years. Although an allergy usually develops at an early stage of life, it can tend to come and go, even to the extent of disappearing for decades and then cropping up again later in life. So it is a chronic condition that needs monitoring to control its symptoms and prevent its exacerbation.

An allergy tends to come in exacerbations and remissions as long as you become exposed to the allergic substance that induces it and it will decrease as long as you are away from this allergen. But the immune system is still sensitive to that allergen and the reaction may happen whenever the person is exposed to that allergen.

Treatment

Fortunately, allergies can be controlled and sometimes reversed depending on the degree of severity. The most sensitive method of treatment is the elimination and re-introduction diet, if we are talking about food triggers. There are antibody blood and skin tests, they are not always sensitive or specific but could be helpful in extreme forms of autoimmune reactions like anaphylaxis.                                 

There are various tests that can be carried out according to the type of allergy. If we are dealing with a food allergy for example; the elimination and reintroduction diet is very effective but needs the patient’s cooperation and compliance. It entails stopping the consumption of many types of food for an elimination period, then reintroducing these food items again one at a time and observing the response of the body. In terms of alleviating the symptoms of common allergies, while there are no obvious contraindications for long term use of antihistamines like Zyrtec or Telfast, they do come with some side effects such as drowsiness and headache.

At Revive, we follow an integrative medical approach, whereby we try to get a picture of the types of allergies and their reflection on the blood panel and symptoms. We also take a thorough history of family health predispositions, occupation of the patients, diet, stress, environment and an overall life style to check all the factors that might affect the patient and cause the allergies.

Prevention

In many instances, stress in the form of emotional, physical or mental can actually affect the immune system in a negative way. This leads to its over activation and manifesting in different types of autoimmune diseases like allergies. Stress management is vital where there is a risk of allergies. It should be noted that a lot of the allergy triggers are environmental in nature, like pollens, dust and mites.

Contact info:

Revive Medical

Address: 33B Abu El Feda St. Zamalek

Tel: 01144446911

https://www.facebook.com/revivemedicalgroup

https://www.revive-medical.com/