Health Tips

As we move through another busy season on the beautiful South Coast, I want to take a moment to reflect on the health themes we're seeing in the clinic and share a few reminders to help keep our community well.

Australia has one of the highest rates of childhood food allergies in the world. 1 in 10 Australian babies develops a food allergy in their first year, though this drops to around 6 in a 100 by age ten. The good news? Most children outgrow their allergies—9 out of 10 kids with egg allergies will no longer be allergic by age six.

As summer heats up across the Illawarra, kids are diving into pools, tearing around playgrounds, and gearing up for sports. While the season brings alot of fun, it also comes with a few risks worth preparing for.

Life in Australia means beach days, barbecues, and plenty of time soaking up the sunshine! But with some of the world’s strongest UV radiation right on our doorstep, taking care of your skin this season isn’t just smart – it’s essential.

Have you ever pulled your back lifting a box, slipped on a wet floor, or developed neck pain from desk posture?

As winter approaches across the Illawarra, cold and flu season intensifies alongside the cooler weather.

Is your child experiencing unexplained symptoms after meals? Unlike food allergies that cause immediate reactions, food intolerances can be subtle and difficult to identify, affecting up to 25% of Australians. Any age group can be affected, but it is a common concern for parents of young children.

Is your immune system working as well as it used to? Are your immunisations up to date? As we age, our body’s defence system naturally weakens, leaving us more vulnerable to infectious diseases and making vaccines less effective. This challenging combination makes staying up to date with your immunisation schedule especially important for seniors.

Ozempic is the trade name for the medication Semaglutide. It is a bio-similar medication to a gut hormone that regulates insulin responses to food and is the best known in the class of medications called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists.

The new guideline aims to update advice about sun exposure and protection for Australia’s diverse population. The guideline was published in February 2024 and endorsed by leading experts in skin cancer including the Cancer Council. The guideline aims to balance the harms and benefits of sun exposure. The main risk of sun exposure is skin cancer, while the main benefit is that it allows your body to make vitamin D, which has many important functions including bone health.

Adolescents are increasingly struggling with poor mental health. The two most frequently cited issues thought to have had a negative impact on youth mental health are:

Discovering that it is not easy to fall pregnant can be stressful and concerning, but it is a common experience. Around one in six Australian couples have fertility difficulties. Seeking help from a trusted GP is an important first step in finding any underlying medical explanations, getting emotional support and considering medical assistance.

Bulli Medical Practice uses the HotDoc patient engagement platform to connect with our patients. Patients can use HotDoc to make online appointments, and we use HotDoc to stay connected to you via appointment reminders, SMS recalls, patient forms etc.

“What we don’t need, in the midst of struggle, is shame for being human,” Brene Brown, American professor, social worker and author.

22nd July is World Brain Day and this year’s theme is brain health and prevention of brain-related conditions, especially cognitive impairment and dementia.

As we move into the cooler months, it is an important time to prepare yourself and your family members to reduce the risk of illness from respiratory viruses that circulate in the community in late Autumn and Winter.

World Glaucoma Week is from March 10-16, 2024. Over 300,000 Australians have glaucoma yet 50% are unaware that they have it.

Tinnitus is a condition when people experience a ringing sensation in their ears. Alternatively, the sound may be humming, hissing, whistling, clicking, wooshing or pulsing. Usually, these sounds are something only the person themselves can hear.

Carers are people in our community who provide invaluable unpaid care and support to family members/friends living with a disability, mental illness, chronic or terminal illness, or frail elders.