Functional medicine is a patient-centric approach that seeks to identify and address the underlying causes of diseases. Unlike conventional medicine, which often isolates diseases, functional medicine views the body as one integrated system, addressing the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms. This approach is based on the understanding that each individual's environment, lifestyle, and genetic makeup play pivotal roles in their overall health.
Our process begins with a thorough assessment of your genetic makeup, medical history, environmental factors, and lifestyle. This comprehensive evaluation allows us to understand your unique health profile. We utilize specialized laboratory tests to uncover often-hidden triggers of disease. Based on these insights, we develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.
Raju Batavia, our seasoned functional medicine practitioner, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to each consultation. His expertise lies in not only understanding complex medical conditions but also in tailoring interventions that resonate with each patient’s unique circumstances, fostering an environment of care and understanding.
Functional medicine shines in managing chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, gastrointestinal disorders, and autoimmune diseases. By addressing the underlying causes of these conditions, functional medicine provides innovative and effective solutions that go beyond symptom management.
The effectiveness of functional medicine is supported by scientific research. Studies have shown its efficacy in improving health outcomes for chronic diseases, showcasing the potential for long-term health improvements. Patient testimonials and case studies further underscore the transformative impact of this approach.
Safety is paramount in functional medicine. Our treatments are grounded in scientific evidence and are administered with the utmost care, ensuring both safety and efficacy. We understand that new medical approaches can raise questions; thus, we're committed to addressing any concerns and misconceptions our patients may have.
Beyond functional medicine, we offer a range of specialized services, including support for NDIS products and sleep apnoea solutions. Our commitment is to holistic health and wellness, empowering our patients to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.
Functional medicine offers a promising alternative to traditional healthcare, especially for those dealing with chronic conditions. At Woodvale Boulevard Chemist & News, we're proud to be at the forefront of this health revolution. We invite you to experience the benefits of functional medicine by booking a consultation with Raju Batavia today.
For more information or to schedule a consultation, please book online or contact us directly. We're here to answer your questions and guide you on your journey to optimal health.
]]>Compression stockings are specially designed garments that snugly fit your legs, providing graduated pressure. They are engineered to improve blood circulation and reduce swelling in your legs and feet, offering a combination of comfort, health benefits, and style.
Our trained professionals are adept at fitting the right compression stockings for you, ensuring maximum comfort and efficacy. We offer a diverse range of sizes, styles, and compression levels to suit various needs and preferences, all from reputable brands known for their quality.
At Woodvale Boulevard Chemist & News, we pride ourselves on providing personalized service. We understand that every individual's needs are unique, and we tailor our recommendations to match your specific requirements.
The versatility of compression stockings makes them beneficial for a wide array of individuals, including those with:
Improved Circulation: They enhance blood flow, reducing the risk of blood clots and promoting overall leg health.
Reduced Swelling: Ideal for alleviating leg and foot swelling, these stockings are a boon for those with conditions like oedema.
Pain Relief: They offer significant relief from discomfort associated with varicose veins and other similar conditions.
Energy and Comfort: By boosting circulation, compression stockings can increase energy levels and provide all-day comfort.
Prevention: They play a crucial role in guarding against serious medical conditions like Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).
Compression stockings are more than just a medical garment; they are a lifestyle choice promoting health, comfort, and well-being. Whether you're dealing with specific medical conditions or looking for comfort during long hours of work or travel, compression stockings can provide significant relief and benefits.
We invite you to explore our selection at Woodvale Boulevard Chemist & News. Our experienced team is here to assist you with expert fittings and personalized recommendations. Visit our website at www.woodvaleboulevardchemist.com.au to learn more and book an appointment.
]]>Your support is crucial in ensuring that medications and pharmacies are accessible to patients when they are most needed.
]]>Australia, akin to numerous other nations, is grappling with a shortage of medicinal supplies, and a shift in dispensing regulations may exacerbate the situation. The risk of essential medicines running dry at your local pharmacy is escalating.
A critical shortage list bears the names of 400 different drugs, and alarmingly, 20% of them are already anticipated to be unavailable due to the government's decision to raise dispensing limits.
The introduction of 60-day dispensing by the Federal Government, while seemingly beneficial at first glance, may actually result in worsening the medicine shortages. This regulation entails providing patients with double their normal medication dosage at once. Consequently, while some may end up with more than they require, others could be left wanting.
The promise made by the Federal Government to patients and community pharmacies is in jeopardy.
The government's proposed strategy implies a surge in medicine shortages at a time when we're already facing a medicines crisis, and this will resonate with all Australians. Moreover, the 60-day dispensing rule will not only aggravate the medicine shortages, but it could also slash $175,000 of funding from each community pharmacy. This could potentially lead to reduced operating hours and staff cuts.
Your support is crucial in ensuring that medications and pharmacies are accessible to patients when they are most needed.
]]>Amoebic meningitis is a rare but fatal infection caused by Naegleria fowleri and can be contracted when either fresh or poorly treated water contaminated with amoeba enters the nose.
The infection can affect people at any age. Children and young adults are usually more susceptible to the infection due to their recreational water use and activities.
Amoeba typically grows in warm water temperatures between 28 degrees and 40 degrees Celsius. Therefore any warm, fresh water could potentially contain Naegleria fowleri amoeba.
The Naegleria fowleri amoeba is naturally occurring in the environment and cannot be eradicated.
The risk of amoebic meningitis can be reduced by:
Most asbestos cement roofs are over 40 years old and have reached the end of their serviceable life.
Of all asbestos building materials, roof sheeting is usually in the poorest condition as it is directly exposed to sun, wind, rain and hail, and often damaged by moss and lichen that grows on its surface. To seal or coat a product the surface first needs to be safely cleaned and this may be virtually impossible for roofs that have not been maintained over time and/or that have significant moss and algal growth penetrating the surface
As asbestos roofs age they weaken, leading to the potential for breakage and even collapse. Furthermore, as the cement matrix breaks down, asbestos fibres are released into the air or washed into the gutters. Gutter waste can become contaminated and needs to be safely removed and disposed.
WA’s Environmental Health Executive Director Dr Michael Lindsay said while WA Health does provide advice about safe methods for ongoing cleaning and maintenance of asbestos roofs on the HealthyWA website, removal is preferred.
“If you If you have an asbestos cement roof, it’s past time to consider removal and replacement. Most asbestos cement roofs are over 40 years old and cleaning and maintaining these roofs can be dangerous.” Said Dr Lindsay.
Dr Lindsay said “homeowners need to know that any form of power tool or pressure cleaner is prohibited to be used to clean or repair an asbestos cement roof. Use of these can lead to exposure of fibres and contaminate the property and surrounding properties.”
“Over time, asbestos roofs become brittle and more prone to damage. Asbestos contamination spreading from any damage can lead to high clean-up costs, which may not be covered by your household insurance.”
Storm damage, cyclones, high winds and fires, as we have experienced in WA this year, cause extensive damage of roofs, contaminate multiple properties and result in high clean-up costs. Costs can be in hundreds of thousands of dollars for single properties and millions of dollars for larger natural disasters. Natural disasters and extreme weather events are expected to become more frequent in coming years
In addition, Dr Lindsay said tradesmen might refuse to work on asbestos roofs and restrictions on use handling limits the installation of TV aerial, satellite dish or solar panels.
“All good reasons to replace your asbestos roof as soon as practical,” he said.
For more information on asbestos, visit our webpage
]]>Researchers at PathWest and WA Health are looking for volunteers who are intending to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations to participate in a COVID-19 Immunity Biobank study investigating the immunity and immune response of those receiving the vaccine.
Participants who would like to participate will be asked to provide blood and saliva samples at up to 8 study visits held at Fiona Stanley Hospital over a period of 1-2 years.
Parking vouchers will be provided if required.
For more information on the Western Australian COVID-19 Immunity Collaborative (WACIC) Biobank study, please contact the study team by emailing WACIC@health.wa.gov.au or register your interest (external site).
]]>The 'Roll up for WA' campaign will feature across TV, digital, outdoor, print and radio channels.
People aged 50 years and over are eligible to book an appointment and receive the AstraZeneca vaccine from Perth metropolitan COVID-19 vaccination community clinics and a number of regional public hospital-based vaccination clinics.
Bookings for the above clinics can be made by calling 13 COVID (13 26843) selecting option 3, option 1, option 1. It is recommended that people have their Medicare card on them when making the booking. Walk-ins are not recommended.
COVID-19 vaccination appointments can also be made with participating General Practices, GP respiratory clinics and Aboriginal Medical Services. These appointments can be made via the vaccine eligibility checker (external site) or contacting them directly.
The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for people aged 50 years and over.
People most at risk of becoming ill with COVID-19 and those at greater risk of infecting others through their work and infecting others continue to be offered the vaccine as a priority via more than 80 State hospital-based vaccination clinics. These groups included those working in hotel quarantine, border and healthcare workers and people within the State’s emergency services sector. In addition, aged care and disability workers and residents, people with underlying medical condition including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over 50 have also been offered vaccination.
More people will have access to the COVID-19 vaccination as further doses become available and then advised, how to book an appointment and where to get vaccinated.
]]>Australia’s COVID-19 vaccines will become available in phases. Learn about priority groups and who will receive the first doses of the vaccine.
This video describes how vaccines will be rolled out, and who they will go to first.
Australia’s COVID-19 vaccines will become available in phases. Priority groups have been identified using public health, medical and epidemiological evidence.
This includes people that would be at higher risk of serious illness if they contracted COVID-19, and those most likely to be exposed to it.
The Australian Government aims to have as many people vaccinated as possible in 2021. Identified priority groups will get the first available safe and effective doses of vaccines. More people will have access to a vaccine as more doses become available throughout 2021.
The COVID-19 Vaccines National Rollout Strategy details the phases in which vaccines will be available.
Phase 1a | |
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Quarantine, border and front line health care workers will need to provide proof of occupation to demonstrate their eligibility Quarantine and border workers, including:
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Frontline health care worker sub-groups for prioritisation
*All other healthcare workers are included in Phase 1b, including medical and tertiary students with placements in these healthcare settings. |
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Aged care and disability care staff |
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Aged care and disability care residents |
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Number of doses | up to 1.4m |
Phase 1b | |
Elderly adults aged 80 years and over |
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Elderly adults aged 70-79 years |
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Other health care workers |
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people > 55 |
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Adults with an underlying medical condition, including those with a disability *People will need to provide proof of these conditions to demonstrate their eligibility for vaccination via My health record, a health professional referral if required or a declaration form. |
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Critical and high risk workers including defence, police, fire, emergency services and meat processing * Workers will need to provide proof of occupation to demonstrate their eligibility. |
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Number of doses | up to 14.8m |
Phase 2a | |
Adults aged 60-69 years |
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Adults aged 50-59 years |
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 18-54 |
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Other critical and high risk workers |
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Number of doses | up to 15.8m |
Phase 2b | |
Balance of adult population |
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Catch up any unvaccinated Australians from previous phases |
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Number of doses | up to 16m |
Phase 3 | |
< 16 if recommended* | |
Number of doses | up to 13.6m |
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Use the COVID-19 vaccine eligibility checker to see in which phase you will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. You may need to provide evidence of eligibility to your vaccination provider before you can receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
There are some things you can do now, while you wait to be vaccinated. Find out what you can do to be ready for your COVID-19 vaccine.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has advised the Australian Government on which groups should be prioritised for the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccination in Australia. This advice is consistent with guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO).
More information is available on ATAGI’s advice to Government on priority population groups for COVID-19 vaccination.
These groups may change as more information becomes available
ATAGI is regularly reviewing data and evidence for vaccines. It may update its advice to government as new information becomes available.
We will update our information if there is any change to the priority groups.
Information that could change the priority groups includes:
There is significant demand for safe and effective vaccines to end the COVID-19 pandemic. As vaccines become available, they will go to people in higher risk groups.
Priority groups are identified by considering current public health, medical and epidemiological evidence on who would be most affected if they contracted COVID-19.
For example, health and aged care workers are a priority group because they are at high risk of contracting COVID-19 due to their frequent contact with people.
They are also more likely to transmit the virus to vulnerable people through their work in hospitals and aged care facilities. It is for everyone’s benefit that this group is prioritised for vaccination so they can continue providing essential care.
Whether you are in a priority group or not, the best thing you can do is stay up to date and continue to be COVIDSafe. The Australian Government will provide further information about how vaccines will roll out over the coming months.
In the meantime, everyone still needs to:
Find out more about COVID-19 vaccines and getting vaccinated in Australia.
Both illnesses can cause complications that may require hospitalization, especially in older adults and people of any age with certain underlying health conditions. In some cases, the complications can even be fatal. While the illnesses share some characteristics, they are unique viruses with important differences. Here's what you need to know about the flu and COVID-19.
Flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 are contagious, and mainly spread between people through tiny respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. These droplets can land in the noses and mouths of people who are nearby, and possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Spread is more likely when people are in close contact with one another (within about six feet). Less often, people may become infected when they touch a surface that contains the virus and then touch their mouths, noses or possibly eyes. Note that people who are infected with the flu or COVID-19 can be contagious for days before they develop symptoms.
The flu and COVID-19 can each cause a variety of symptoms, ranging from mild to severe. Symptoms of the flu tend to develop within 1–4 days of exposure to the virus. With COVID-19, symptoms appear within 2–14 days after the virus enters your body. Signs of each illness include:
Flu symptoms | COVID-19 symptoms |
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The following are emergency signs of illness. If you have any of these symptoms, seek medical help right away:
Flu emergency warning signs | COVID-19 emergency warning signs |
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In children, emergency warning signs of the flu can also include fast breathing, bluish lips or face, ribs pulling in with each breath, chest pain, not urinating for eight or more hours, dry mouth, no tears when crying, loss of alertness or a fever over 104°F (in children younger than 12 weeks, any fever is an emergency.)
Anyone can become infected with the flu or COVID-19 if they are exposed to the viruses that cause these illnesses. Know that in many cases, infections are mild and people are able to recover on their own. Still, certain people have a higher risk of severe illness and complications.
Higher risk of flu complications | Higher risk of severe COVID-19 illness |
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Since both infections share many of the same symptoms, it may not be possible to know which illness you have without seeing your health care provider or getting tested. If you have symptoms of the flu or COVID-19, contact your provider, especially if you are at high risk for severe infection. They may examine or test you for the flu or COVID-19.
Most people who become infected with the flu or COVID-19 recover on their own. For mild cases, the goal of treatment is to ease symptoms. Getting enough sleep, drinking plenty of fluids and using over-the-counter medicines can temporarily relieve symptoms.
If you have the flu, your health care provider may prescribe antiviral medications. When treatment is started promptly after you start to feel sick, these medications can lessen symptoms and shorten the length of your illness by about one to two days. Antiviral medicines may also reduce the risk of flu-related complications.
At this time, there are no U.S Food and Drug Administration or FDA-approved medicines specifically for COVID-19. Scientists are learning more about the virus each day, and are working to find treatments.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), getting the flu vaccine each year is the best way to protect yourself from the flu. Flu vaccination can prevent flu-related illnesses, health care provider visits and hospitalizations, and it can even be lifesaving in children. While there is no vaccine for COVID-19 yet, scientists are working on developing one. In the meantime, there are actions you can take to reduce your risk of getting sick with COVID-19 or the flu:
If you have either illness, it's important to try to stop from spreading it to others. Stay home, except to get medical care, when you're sick. Since you may be able to pass illness to others before you know you're sick, the CDC recommends that people wear cloth face coverings that cover their noses and mouths in public settings to keep from spreading COVID-19 to others.
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