Whelehans Health News

Smoking Cessation Part 1       10 reasons to stop smoking Makes hair clothes and breath smell Teeth and fingers get stained brown with nicotine Smoking ages the skin prematurely 20 cigarettes a day cost approximately €5096 a year (since budget 2021; now €14 per pack). Ireland is the most expensive place in Europe and third most expensive in the world (after Australia and New Zealand) for cigarettes. Smokers are 10 times more likely to die from a major heart attack or stroke 9 out of 10 lung cancer deaths are because of smoking Male smokers have a lower...

Threadworm in Children Threadworms are tiny parasites that infect the large intestine. They are mostly common in children under the age of ten. A common symptom in includes intense itching around the anus, especially at night. If you suspect your child to have threadworms the entire family should be treated, as sometimes they can be asymptomatic. Prevention   Threadworm are usually passed on through poor hygiene. The female worms lay eggs around the anus. When a child scratches, the threadworms can be transferred from their fingers to their mouth and different surfaces. If another person touches these contaminated surfaces and...

Children’s Nutrition Part 2 Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are made up of sugars. They are for energy. Refined sugars include sweets, cakes etc. They have no nutritional benefits and should only be consumed sparingly, as they can cause serious health problems for adults and children including tooth decay, diabetes, and heart disease. Wholegrain carbohydrates are the more the more nutritious option as opposed to wheat i.e. white bread. Wholegrains contain soluble fibre, vitamin, iron, copper, zinc, magnesium, and antioxidants. Protein Proteins are made up of essential and non- essential amino acids. Non- essential amino acids are already made in the body, so...

The Role of Ultrasound in Gynaecology/Women’s Health Ultrasound is one of the first diagnostic tools used to examine the body for certain conditions like ovarian cysts, fibroids, early pregnancy problems and screening for fertility problems in women. Ultrasound examinations (often referred to as “scans”) are non-invasive and generally take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.  Usually they are performed at local radiology departments by radiographers/radiologists, but in the past decade, other medical professionals have started to see the merit in having on-site ultrasound services, in order to speed up diagnosis and treatment of certain conditions. Ultrasound is radiation free, which makes...

Menopause How to survive it One Lady’s Experience   Menopause usually occurs between the ages of 35 to 55.  It is a signal that this is the end of a woman’s productive life and monthly periods come to an end. At this time many women can feel unattractive and even less of a woman.   There is help there The very word can send shivers through many women.  Like death and taxes, mild to severe symptoms of the menopause are inevitable.  Everywhere you go, you can get information on the subject, library, internet and magazines, to name a few. Sometimes...