DON’T BE IMMUNE TO SEASONAL HEALTH ADVICE –TOP TIPS TO BOOST YOUR WELLBEING
As many of us begin to resume our “old routines” this Autumn, it will be more important than ever to keep on top of our mental and physical health. The “double whammy” of the impact of lockdown and the reoccurrence of winter ailments means we’ll need to pay particular attention to nurturing our immune system. This will ensure that we’re “fighting fit” to navigate the return to the norms of daily life – whether it’s a step back into commuting, giving a holding hand on the school run or continuing the “Work From Home” routine. Follow our top immune boosting tips to make your wellbeing a top priority:
Stress less
Stress is sadly seen by many of us as a by-product of our times – but it’s important that we keep our response to the pressures of modern life in check. Stress can affect how we feel, think, behave and how our body works – from how well we sleep to our immune system. And, long term stress can put our health at risk. We often need to be proactive in our stress management, adopting a more mindful approach to life and using techniques such as meditation, breathing exercises and yoga. Also, remember the adage – laughter is the best medicine? It’s true! Laughter is proven to increase your heart rate and help us de-stress.
Hot tip for your lips
A weakened immune system is one of a number of trigger factors for cold sores including fever, exposure to UV radiation and hormonal fluctuations. Cold sores are a common lip issue that are not only unsightly, but can also be very painful and make people feel extremely self-conscious. Therefore, cold sores can make big events like dates, interviews, holidays and selfies with friends feel miserable and uncomfortable. Thanks to an advance in heat technology there is a new chemical-free option called HERPOtherm®. This pocket-sized saviour – shaped like a lip balm stick for convenience and to avoid stigma – produces a concentrated temperature of approximately 51 degrees to reduce symptoms of itching, tingling, tightness, burning and pain. The treatment can reduce the duration of cold sore blisters by 50% or prevent development completely if applied early enough.
Eat well to feel well
The changing of the seasons is always a great opportunity to review your diet and take advantage of the new produce available. Try boosting your diet with foods that are naturally orange, red, yellow and deep greens – autumn-like colours. Think pumpkin, squash, oranges, carrots, kale, red bell peppers, broccoli etc. Choosing recipes that incorporate natural herbal flavour-favourites such a ginger, turmeric and garlic also support healthy immune function, which can help you to avoid common problems such as colds, fever and cold sores. You could whizz up some of these ingredients into a breakfast smoothie or incorporate them into a chicken bone broth (bone marrow helps produce white blood cells to help fight viruses).
Sleep on it
Getting a good night’s sleep can be easier said than done in current times – but try to set good intentions for a healthy bedtime routine to aid sound sleep. Your immune system works better when it’s well rested and we should aim for between 7-9 hours per night. If you’re finding it difficult to get to sleep or are fitful during the night, try to incorporate some gentle exercise into your daily routine – morning yoga and/or an evening walk are ideal. A warm bath or shower using soothing lavender products is a positive daily pre-bedtime ritual which helps relax the mind and body for slumber.
Hands up for hygiene
The importance of hand washing has been rung out loud and clear over the last couple of months – and it’s vital that we remain vigilant in this to ensure our immune system isn’t compromised as the colder weather returns. Offices, public transport and schools can be common breeding grounds for germs and bugs and washing your hands is one of the easiest ways to protect against illnesses such as food poisoning, flu and colds. If this isn’t possible, then hand sanitiser is a good alternative and should be top of your checklist alongside your face mask whenever you leave the house.
Want to know the “hot tip” to luscious lips?
Our lips require TLC all year round to keep them looking lush – from using SPF protection, especially in the summer, or lip balm and cold sore remedies in winter. Dry, cracked lips and cold sores can really knock people’s confidence, especially ahead of major events such as holidays, first dates or job interviews.
Cold sores are common with up to 9 out of 10 people being infected with the cold sore virus. There is a stigma around cold sores as they can be unsightly and can often cause feelings of shame and embarrassment. Thankfully, due to advances in heat technology, the pocket-sized medical device HERPOtherm® can give you the confidence to combat cold sores in a discreet and effective way.
The lowdown on cold sores
Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus and about one third of those infected with the virus will develop small, fluid-filled blisters at the affected site. Acute cold sores are highly infectious and without treatment, can take up to 12 days to completely heal . It is essential to treat initial symptoms early on to help reduce the tingling, pain, swelling and severity of the infection.
These unpleasant blisters that flare up around the mouth area can be very painful and appear crusted and cracked, and in some cases bleed. The colder weather can affect the skin and lips, leaving them dry and chapped, creating the perfect conditions for the cold sore virus. In addition, cold sores are more likely to occur if the immune system is weakened by triggers such as common colds, fever, emotional stress, or hormonal imbalances.
The hot tip for combating cold sores
Currently, there is no cure for the virus. However, for those seeking a natural, long lasting alternative to traditional creams and patches to treat the symptoms associated with cold sores, local hypothermia (heat therapy) can prevent the development of cold sore blisters and promote faster healing of symptoms if applied early enough.
The HERPOtherm® device can be used to apply a brief, concentrated temperature of about 51°C to the affected area of skin, which can reduce symptoms such as tingling, pain, swelling, itching and tightness. It’s also chemical-free and suitable for self-administration by children of 12 years up – which means those who are pregnant or have allergies can use the product worry-free.
When compared to creams containing aciclovir, clinical evidence has shown that HERPOtherm® can reduce the duration of cold sore blisters by 50% or prevent the development completely, if applied early enough4. In addition, since there’s no need to apply creams, lips are not going to be left feeling greasy and make it difficult to apply lip gloss or lipstick over the top.
How to use:
Open the product by removing the protective cap from the HERPOtherm® ‘lipstick’.
Place the device to the cold sore blister, making sure that the ceramic surface is placed accurately with the affected area to ensure the treatment is effective.
Activate product by simply pressing the button once. This will then heat the ceramic plate to 51°C for three seconds, before switching off automatically.
Relax with the knowledge that HERPOtherm® can reduce the duration of the outbreak and is chemical-free!
If symptoms persist, multiple treatments of the same site are possible. It is recommended that you leave at least 2 minutes between each application, but do not exceed the maximum of 5 applications on the same skin area within one hour.
HERPOtherm® costs £34.99 and can be used for roughly 100 applications before the battery needs replacing. It is available online from Amazon, eBay and Boots.com and stocked in Boots stores and independent pharmacies across the UK. For more information, please visit myherpotherm.co.uk
