General Medical 

Did you know that 76 million women worldwide suffer with endometriosis? But what exactly is it. According to professional GP, Dr. Sam, "The term endometriosis has its roots with the word ‘endometrium’. This is the lining of the womb (uterus) that changes with the normal menstruation cycle, shedding away to cause your ‘period’. In endometriosis, little patches of this lining occur in places they shouldn’t – all through the pelvis and abdomen – attached to your ovaries, bowel, abdominal wall, and every other organ that gets in their way. Influenced by the natural cycling of hormones, these patches grow and change just like a normal endometrium should, consequently inflaming and irritating tissues around them. A variety of symptoms result, but the most classic are pain and infertility." In this article, Dr. Sam breaks offers his advice on the symptoms to look out for and the treatment options available.

Did you know that back pain is incredibly common? According to medical professional and HIF blogger, Dr. Sam, "If you’re an Aussie, then you’re almost certain to suffer a bout of back pain at some stage in your life, in fact 80% of us do. It’s just far too common, associated with more global disability than any other condition." We chatted to Dr. Sam to get his advice on everything you need to know about back pain. Including the serious red flags to look out for, what can help to prevent back pain and what can help ease the pain and aid recovery.

Did you know that today is World No Tobacco Day? This day is all about the dangers of smoking, not only to each individual’s health and wallet, but to everyone worldwide According to medical health professional Dr. Sam Hay, "By 2030 – 8 million people will die every single year from tobacco use. That’s the entire population of Switzerland or the United Arab Emirates, or all of Sydney and Brisbane combined – each and every twelve months." In this article Dr. Sam presents the cold hard facts about smoking, that in some ways, can be even more confronting than those images on the ciggie packs that have been in place for more than 10 years.

We’re all familiar with the ‘2&5’ rule, not to mention the popular raw food movement. For many Aussies however, enjoying raw fruit and veg simply isn’t an option. Enter ‘Oral Allergy Syndrome’, or OAS to its friends. A relatively common condition which causes a range of different reactions from tingling tongues, itchy throats and swollen lips to more serious consequences like vomiting and abdominal pain. In some extreme cases, although uncommon, OAS can even trigger life-threatening anaphylactic shock. The thought of being unable to snack on a juicy peach or crunchy carrot made us curious -  what are the symptoms and triggers of OAS, and how can it be treated? Thankfully, our resident GP Dr. Sam Hay was on hand to tell us more...
 

Did you know that nine common foods are responsible for over 90% of allergic reactions? According to our resident GP Dr. Sam, "Cow's milk, egg, peanut, sesame, soy, tree nuts, wheat and shellfish are the main culprits”. But what exactly causes a food allergy and more importantly why are they becoming increasingly more common in Australian kids? Well, current research indicates that a fear of allergies to foods such as peanuts has led many parents to delay when they introduce these types of foods to their babies. Despite their best intentions though, Dr Sam says that this has in fact compounded the issue – “as ALL foods must be introduced early in a baby’s diet.” In this latest article for HIF, Dr. Sam sifts through the facts to discuss what all parents really need to know about food allergies.

Do you suffer from migraines? If you do, you're not alone. According to GP, Dr. Sam, "Overall 12% of Aussies are estimated to suffer a migraine at some stage in their lives, that's nearly a whopping 3 million people! Striking most commonly in our thirties, migraines carry significant social, economical, and personal consequences." So what exactly are migraines and what do we need to know about them? We caught up with Dr. Sam to find out more. 

Heart disease is the single biggest killer in Australia. But most risk factors for heart disease are lifestyle based. Knowing the risks and making changes in your daily life can reduce your chance of developing heart disease and suffering a heart attack.