I’m 23-years-old. I’ve been smoking for the past 8 years. I cannot resist it. Please advise me on how I can kick the habit and also reduce its ill effects.
You have smoked long enough to last a lifetime, and it appears you have indeed become a nicotine addict. While it’s true that all that smoking may have affected your vital organs like the heart and lungs, remember, it is never too late to quit. You can begin your smoking cessation program immediately. To successfully kick the habit you must not only prepare yourself mentally but also take practical steps that’ll ease the process. For example:
(1) Avoid being put in the presence of tobacco – be it people who smoke or places that allow smoking;
(2) Plan for all those times when you will feel the urge to smoke – before dinner, after dinner, in the loo, at work. How do you intend to keep your hands, mouth and brain busy when they’re not in the thrall of nicotine?
(3) When you get the urge to smoke talk to a friend or relative. Yoga and Pranayama will also help.
(4) Resort to nicotine gums to overcome the craving, but use only for short periods.
It’s usually best to quit cold turkey but follow whatever method that works best for you. Finally remember that even though you may fall off the wagon and go back to smoking, don’t castigate yourself for having failed in your attempt. All successful quitters tried many times before they kicked the habit for good. Staying away from nicotine is the only way to avoid its dangers but you may give antioxidants and vitamin pills a try.

I am 57 years old male, 5′6″ height, 30½” waist, weighing 51 kg with normal Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar level, pure vegetarian, non smoker and limited tea taker. I am fully active and healthy. However my LDL cholesterol (232 MG/DL) and Total cholesterol (318 MG/DL) figures are very high. Kindly explain my chances of developing CAD (Coronary Artery Disease) and what I can do to prevent it.
You appear to have hypercholesterolemia. Deranged lipid profiles are one of the factors which predispose to coronary artery disease. However, you are not overweight, non-hypertensive, and non-diabetic. And while a deranged lipid profile marginally increases your risk of heart attack, correcting the levels would help in reducing it. I would suggest that you avoid saturated fats like ghee and butter and also fried foods. A heart healthy diet includes plenty of whole grains, vegetables, fruit and good fats (peanut, olive, mustard oils). Tea, by the way, is good for the ticker. Exercise can also help boost your HDL “good” cholesterol levels. Finally, ask your cardiologist about cholesterol-lowering medications like statins.

My grandson suffers severely from a recurrent blistering rash across his face that I believe are cold sores. I have read that there is a drug to cure herpes infections. Will this drug work on cold sores as well as genital herpes?
Zovirax (aciclovir) was the first effective antiviral drug ever developed. It is expensive, but also very effective in controlling infection by all forms of the herpes virus. There are several newer drugs that also act in this way.
The herpes virus causes cold sores, genital sores, shingles and chickenpox.
The drug has been used for some years to control genital herpes and shingles, but cases of severe cold sores can also be prevented and controlled by the drug. Because chickenpox is a self-limiting disease, it is only used to treat this disease in patients who have an inadequate immune system.
Zovirax can be used in a low dose long term to prevent infection, or at a high dose for a short time to settle an acute infection.
The government subsidises the cost of the drug under very strict guidelines. If your grandson falls outside these guidelines, be prepared for a very large bill from the pharmacist.

My daughter’s best friend has Ross River fever. I am worried that she could catch it too. What is this fever, and how do you catch it?
Ross River fever is caused by a virus-like germ that attacks the connective tissue of the body. It is transmitted from one person to the next by mosquitoes. When the mosquito bites an infected person, the germ enters the mosquito with the blood, and is injected back into the next person the mosquito bites, infecting them also.
The patient suffers from fevers, muscle aches, arthritis and headaches, and is very tired. It may last for a couple of weeks or a couple of months. There is no cure available. The only form of prevention is the liberal use of insect repellents, screening houses and long sleeves.
The disease is more common in north Queensland and the Northern Territory, but may occur anywhere in Australia that mosquitoes occur.