STRUCK down by hay fever? You’re not the only one rubbing your eyes and constantly sneezing at the moment – millions of people find this time of year a misery.
A major pollen bomb hit at the weekend, and as spring gets going, sufferers will be dealing with tree pollen, before grass pollen kicks in from mid-May, then weed pollen at the end of June.
The SunDr Zoe Williams answers some common questions sent in by readers[/caption]
Symptoms can include watery eyes, loss of smell, headaches, fatigue and a runny or blocked nose.
There are things you can do, though.
Speak to your pharmacist about antihistamines and nasal sprays, and aim to start using these two weeks before symptoms usually start, that way you can block the allergic reaction more effectively.
Consider staying indoors when the pollen count is high. If you do go out, wear wraparound sunglasses to protect your eyes and dab Vaseline in your nostrils to block pollen.
Here are some of the questions readers asked me this week . . .
Q) WHAT are the best ways to help me recover post-pregnancy through diet and exercise?
A) Your post-pregnancy body will look and feel different to your pre-pregnancy one and I don’t think new mums give themselves enough thought in those first few weeks and months.
Firstly, rest. Sleep when you can and relax as much as you can.
Easier said than done with a newborn, but take help from family, friends and whoever is on hand to let you get some much-needed rest.
Secondly, eat. Whether you’re breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, make sure you have a nutrient-rich diet. Protein is required for good healing, so important for all but especially so for those recovering from Caesarean section.
Breastfeeding burns up a lot of energy, so most women will need to eat extra snacks to meet their energy needs.
Some of the extra energy may come from the fat you laid down in pregnancy.
When breastfeeding your requirements of calcium, iron, iodine, vitamin D and vitamin B12 are higher, so a nutrient-rich diet is important and supplementing with vitamin D or a suitable multivitamin should continue.
Time can be short, so batch cook things like Bolognese, chilli or stews and chuck tins of beans and lentils in there to make it go further and save you the hassle of cooking every day. Portion and freeze as you go.
Don’t forget pregnancy and childbirth take an awful lot out of you physically, so you need to think about recovery like athletes do.
Think about complex carbs, healthy fats, lots of wholegrains and fruit and vegetables.
Snacking is important too, so don’t neglect that.
It’s worth having baskets of healthy snacks, like nuts and fruit (and a little chocolate) in places where you tend to feed your baby, and plenty of water.
You’ll have a six to eight week check with your GP, but these appointments are short and mostly led by any concerns raised by you, so make sure you note down any physical or mental health issues you’re worried about and please, please do not be afraid to raise any issue out of fear of embarrassment or judgment.
Pelvic floor issues, separated abdominal muscles and back pain are common post-pregnancy.
There are resources at nhs.uk/conditions/baby/support-and-services/your-post-pregnancy-body/ and your GP can refer you on for physiotherapy if needed.
Moving your body is important, and a daily walk can be great for your mental health too, but don’t rush back into high-impact exercise like running or lifting heavy weights.
Your body has done the most amazing thing, but your joints remain lax and your pelvic floor has been stretched, so it will probably take months to gradually build up to doing higher-impact exercise safely.
Take your time, don’t rush it. It’s fine to have some fitness goals in mind, but when it comes to postpartum recovery, slow and steady wins the race.
Q) I SUFFER from numb feet. How do I resolve the problem?
A) If a patient presents with persistently numb feet, as GPs, it usually makes us think about the health of the nerves in the feet.
These nerves are the furthest away from the brain, so signals received in the feet have the furthest to travel to get to the brain.
If there’s a problem with nerve function, the feet will often be the first place that develops symptoms.
Conditions that can affect the nerves include diabetes, thyroid disorders, drug side-effects, or some vitamin deficiencies, such as B12 or folate. It could also be due to a circulatory issue.
It’s impossible to diagnose without a full history and physical examination so make an appointment with your GP who should examine your feet and offer a series of blood tests and it’ll be taken from there.
It’s important not to worry, but it’s definitely something a GP needs to check in person. Keep in touch and let me know how it goes.
Worried by willy spots
Q) LAST week I was having a shower and I noticed my testicles were covered in black spots.
They don’t hurt when touched nor itch, but as I have never seen them before I’m a bit worried.
Today, the black spots are still there on my testicles, but now they have spread to my penis.
A) Is it possible these spots have been there for some time, but you just hadn’t had a good look at that area until last week?
While these spots have no doubt given you concern, and you should have it checked by your GP, one common condition that this may be is angiokeratoma of Fordyce.
It occurs when blood vessels close to the surface of the skin dilate. The marks can look red, blue or purple/black as in your case.
One in 40,000 to 60,000 cases is down to a genetic condition called Fabry disease, a very rare condition where people have an enzyme deficiency, which leads to defective storage of some types of fat. It can lead to heart and renal failure and increase stroke risk.
The risk of angiokeratoma of Fordyce increases with age but no treatment is necessary if the spots aren’t causing any pain or bleeding.
They won’t go away but they can be treated with cryotherapy and laser treatment to improve cosmetic appearance – cosmetic treatment isn’t available on the NHS.
Checking ourselves while we’re in the shower or after a bath is a good way to keep an eye on general health so start to get familiar with your body and check for lumps, bumps, or changes to your skin