Well it has been a long time coming and the new "pap smear" test has arrived. It won't be called a pap smear now, as the technology has changed, so it is now officially called  a "cervical screening test", but that doesn't roll off the tongue, like a pap test does, so colloquially the term pap test will stick around for now. So what does this mean for women.... Over the last few decades medical science has found that most women who go onto develop cervical c...

It is pretty common to get a phone call from the school every few weeks, telling you that your little man or little lady has turned up again, saying something is hurting and as parents we often know when things are minor and to push on, but there are times when all we need is a little reassurance.  We need to make sure the cough is not a pneumonia, the ear drum isn't about to burst or the tonsils are just red and not full of a bacterial infection. At Whole Medicine we know this happ...

This article will appear in the Mornington Peninsula Magazine June 2018 Addition. Time moves quickly after the arrival of your cherished baby, and as a new mum there's much to learn. What nappies to use? What signs to look for regarding over-tiredness? How to navigate the world of breastfeeding? It can be a confronting and challenging time albeit an exciting one. The good news is there are lots of positive things you can do to optimise your baby's health and transition from a...

Self-talk can be described as that continuous narrative that occurs between the conscious and subconscious levels of our mind and body. It is a part of the mind that rarely shuts down, and is so familiar that we often aren't aware of these thoughts. The messages can be benign, positive or negative in nature, and are experienced in our physical body as comfortable or uncomfortable sensations. Our habitual reaction is often to shut down uncomfortable thoughts and sensations because we bel...

Some facts Vaccines are the most effective way to prevent the spread of influenza in the community. Every year the virus adapts to it's environment, meaning the vaccine needs to adapt too to maintain its virulence.  Last year the 2017 flu season was with worst we have seen in years, prompting new recommendations for the community.  The flu vaccine doesn't contain live virus, so you can't get the flu from having a flu shot. Taking good quality probiotics along side yo...