Running noses and green phlegm do not mean patients need antibiotics, say doctors and public health experts.
It was described as a "prevailing myth" that the drugs were needed to treat such infections.
Public Health England and the Royal College of General Practitioners said the symptoms were often caused by viruses.
And the use of antibiotics was leading to resistance, they said.
Public Health England said its own research showed that 40% of people thought antibiotics would help a cough if the phlegm was green, while very few thought it would make a difference to clear-coloured phlegm.
Dr Cliodna McNulty, from the organisation, said: "It's a prevailing myth that anyone with green phlegm or snot needs a course of antibiotics to get better.
"Most of the infections that generate lots of phlegm and snot are viral illnesses and will get better on their own although you can expect to feel pretty poorly for a few weeks.
"The problems of antibiotic resistance are growing. Everyone can help by not using antibiotics for the treatment of uncomplicated infections."
Taking antibiotics affects the trillions of bacteria that naturally live in the human body and can lead to resistance.
Dr Maureen Baker, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said: "Overuse of antibiotics is a serious public health concern.
"Infections adapt to antibiotics used to kill them and can ultimately make treatment ineffective so it's crucial that antibiotics are used appropriately."
The green colour in phlegm and snot is the result of a protein made by the immune system to fight infection.
The latest advice comes on European Antibiotics Awareness Day.
Yogurt Recipe
Homemade Yogurt
This is a simple recipe: a few tablespoons of pre-made yogurt gives the necessary base while the milk makes up the bulk of the yogurt. I have listed whole milk as the starting point but you may use non-fat, low-fat, (unsweetened) soy milk, etc., and the formula remains the same.
Makes 1 quart of yogurt
1 quart whole milk
1/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt
Have a 1 quart jar with a screw-on lid (or several smaller jars) ready and boil water. Pour the boiling water into the jar and let it stand for 5 minutes to sterilize it. Pour out the water and set aside.
In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan heat the milk until it reaches 180 degrees on a thermometer. Remove from heat, keeping the thermometer in the pot.
When the temperature drops to 115 degrees, stir in the yogurt until thoroughly incorporated. Pour the mixture into the jar and screw on the lid.
Place the yogurt in a warm place and leave it undisturbed for 10 to 12 hours. You can wrap the jar with a towel if your house is a bit cool. For a thicker, tangier yogurt, let yogurt sit an additional 3 to 5 hours.
Refrigerate yogurt for at least 3 hours before eating.
Greek-Style Yogurt
You can make your homemade yogurt slightly thicker and more like Greek yogurt.
Makes 2 cups
Line a medium-large bowl with a piece of cheesecloth and dump 2 cups of homemade yogurt into the center of the cloth.
Bring the four corners of the cloth together and lift the yogurt over the bowl and twist the corners to squeeze out the liquid (it will drain through the cloth).
Continue squeezing to force the liquid out. When the majority of the surface liquid has been drained, it will start to drip more slowly. Tie off the top of the cloth just above the mass of yogurt with string.
Place the cloth containing the yogurt in a strainer or colander and place the strainer or colander in a bowl where it doesn't touch the bottom; liquid will continue to drain.
Place the bowl containing the strainer/colander in the refrigerator and let drain for 2 to 3 hours. After draining, take the cloth containing the yogurt and put it in the sink (do not remove the string). Using your hands, squeeze out any remaining liquid.
Remove the string, open the cloth and using a spatula, scrape out the yogurt into a bowl. Yogurt should be at least as thick as sour cream.
This is a simple recipe: a few tablespoons of pre-made yogurt gives the necessary base while the milk makes up the bulk of the yogurt. I have listed whole milk as the starting point but you may use non-fat, low-fat, (unsweetened) soy milk, etc., and the formula remains the same.
Makes 1 quart of yogurt
1 quart whole milk
1/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt
Have a 1 quart jar with a screw-on lid (or several smaller jars) ready and boil water. Pour the boiling water into the jar and let it stand for 5 minutes to sterilize it. Pour out the water and set aside.
In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan heat the milk until it reaches 180 degrees on a thermometer. Remove from heat, keeping the thermometer in the pot.
When the temperature drops to 115 degrees, stir in the yogurt until thoroughly incorporated. Pour the mixture into the jar and screw on the lid.
Place the yogurt in a warm place and leave it undisturbed for 10 to 12 hours. You can wrap the jar with a towel if your house is a bit cool. For a thicker, tangier yogurt, let yogurt sit an additional 3 to 5 hours.
Refrigerate yogurt for at least 3 hours before eating.
Greek-Style Yogurt
You can make your homemade yogurt slightly thicker and more like Greek yogurt.
Makes 2 cups
Line a medium-large bowl with a piece of cheesecloth and dump 2 cups of homemade yogurt into the center of the cloth.
Bring the four corners of the cloth together and lift the yogurt over the bowl and twist the corners to squeeze out the liquid (it will drain through the cloth).
Continue squeezing to force the liquid out. When the majority of the surface liquid has been drained, it will start to drip more slowly. Tie off the top of the cloth just above the mass of yogurt with string.
Place the cloth containing the yogurt in a strainer or colander and place the strainer or colander in a bowl where it doesn't touch the bottom; liquid will continue to drain.
Place the bowl containing the strainer/colander in the refrigerator and let drain for 2 to 3 hours. After draining, take the cloth containing the yogurt and put it in the sink (do not remove the string). Using your hands, squeeze out any remaining liquid.
Remove the string, open the cloth and using a spatula, scrape out the yogurt into a bowl. Yogurt should be at least as thick as sour cream.
Anti Stress Breathing Techniques
BREATHING BASICS — THE NEED-TO-KNOW
Don’t wait ‘til fight or flight kicks in before minding the breath. Controlled breathing not only keeps the mind and body functioning at their best, it can also lower blood pressure, promote feelings of calm and relaxation, and — if we play our lungs right — help us de-stress .
While the effects of breathing techniques on anxiety haven’t yet been studied at length (at least in a controlled clinical setting), many experts encourage using the breath as a means of increasing awareness,mindfulness, or, for the yogis among us, finding that elusive state of Zen.
MIND OVER MATTER — YOUR ACTION PLAN
From the confines of a bed, a desk, or any place where negativity finds its way, consider these six techniques to help keep calm and carry on.
Sama Vritti or “Equal Breathing”
How it’s done: Balance can do a body good, beginning with the breath. To start, inhale for a count of four, then exhale for a count of four (all through the nose, which adds a natural resistance to the breath). Got the basic pranayama down? More advanced yogis can aim for six to eight counts per breath with the same goal in mind: Calm the nervous system, increase focus, and reduce stress.
When it works best: Anytime, anyplace — but this is one technique that’s especially effective before bed. “Similar to counting sheep, if you’re having trouble falling asleep, this breath can help take your mind off the racing thoughts, or whatever might be distracting you from sleep.”
Level of difficulty: Beginner
When it works best: Anytime, anyplace — but this is one technique that’s especially effective before bed. “Similar to counting sheep, if you’re having trouble falling asleep, this breath can help take your mind off the racing thoughts, or whatever might be distracting you from sleep.”
Level of difficulty: Beginner
Abdominal Breathing Technique
How it’s done: With one hand on the chest and the other on the belly, take a deep breath in through the nose, ensuring the diaphragm (not the chest) inflates with enough air to create a stretch in the lungs. The goal: Six to 10 deep, slow breaths per minute for 10 minutes each day to experience immediate reductions to heart rate and blood pressure. Keep at it for six to eight weeks, and those benefits might stick around even longer.
When it works best: Before an exam, or any stressful event. But keep in mind, “Those who operate in a stressed state all the time might be a little shocked how hard it is to control the breath”.
Level of difficulty: Beginner
When it works best: Before an exam, or any stressful event. But keep in mind, “Those who operate in a stressed state all the time might be a little shocked how hard it is to control the breath”.
Level of difficulty: Beginner
Nadi Shodhana or “Alternate Nostril Breathing”
How it’s done: A yogi’s best friend, this breath is said to bring calm and balance, and unite the right and left sides of the brain. Starting in a comfortable meditative pose, hold the right thumb over the right nostril and inhale deeply through the left nostril. At the peak of inhalation, close off the left nostril with the ring finger, then exhale through the right nostril. Continue the pattern, inhaling through the right nostril, closing it off with the right thumb, and exhaling through the left nostril.
When it works best: Crunch time, or whenever it’s time to focus or energize. Just don’t try this one before bed: Nadi shodhana is said to “clear the channels” and make people feel more awake. “It’s almost like a cup of coffee”.
Level of difficulty: Intermediate
When it works best: Crunch time, or whenever it’s time to focus or energize. Just don’t try this one before bed: Nadi shodhana is said to “clear the channels” and make people feel more awake. “It’s almost like a cup of coffee”.
Level of difficulty: Intermediate
Kapalabhati or “Skull Shining Breath”
How it’s done: Ready to brighten up your day from the inside out? This one begins with a long, slow inhale, followed by a quick, powerful exhale generated from the lower belly. Once comfortable with the contraction, up the pace to one inhale-exhale (all through the nose) every one to two seconds, for a total of 10 breaths.
When it works best: When it’s time to wake up, warm or, or to start looking on the brighter side of things. “It’s pretty abdominal-intensive, but it will warm up the body, shake off stale energy, and wake up the brain.” If alternate nostril breathing is like coffee, consider this a shot of espresso, she says.
Level of difficulty: Advanced
When it works best: When it’s time to wake up, warm or, or to start looking on the brighter side of things. “It’s pretty abdominal-intensive, but it will warm up the body, shake off stale energy, and wake up the brain.” If alternate nostril breathing is like coffee, consider this a shot of espresso, she says.
Level of difficulty: Advanced
Progressive Relaxation
How it’s done: To nix tension from head to toe, close the eyes and focus on tensing and relaxing each muscle group for two to three seconds each. Start with the feet and toes, then move up to the knees, thighs, rear, chest, arms, hands, neck, jaw, and eyes — all while maintaining deep, slow breaths. Having trouble staying on track? Suggests we breathe in through the nose, hold for a count of five while the muscles tense, then breathe out through the mouth on release.
When it works best: At home, at a desk, or even on the road. One word of caution: Dizziness is never the goal. If holding the breath ever feels uncomfortable, tone it down to just a few seconds at most. Level of difficulty: Beginner
When it works best: At home, at a desk, or even on the road. One word of caution: Dizziness is never the goal. If holding the breath ever feels uncomfortable, tone it down to just a few seconds at most. Level of difficulty: Beginner
Guided Visualization
How it’s done: Head straight for that “happy place,” no questions asked. With a coach, therapist, or helpful recording as your guide, breathe deeply while focusing on pleasant, positive images to replace any negative thoughts. While it’s just one means of achieving mindfulness, “Guided visualization helps puts you in the place you want to be, rather than letting your mind go to the internal dialogue that is stressful.”
When it works best: Pretty much any place you can safely close your eyes and let go (e.g. not at the wheel of a car).
Level of difficulty: Intermediate
When it works best: Pretty much any place you can safely close your eyes and let go (e.g. not at the wheel of a car).
Level of difficulty: Intermediate
While stress, frustration, and other daily setbacks will always be there, the good news is, so will our breath.
10 Ways To Fall Out Of Love With Someone
By BRIANNA WIEST
1. Write down why it didn’t work and the ways you weren’t happy and keep that list with you. Read it when you inevitably start thinking of all the reasons why you miss them, and why they were so perfect for you. We all romanticize the love we once had, but if and when we get it back, we realize that it’s just the same as it was. When it comes to the past, nothing changes but how we view it. Be conscious of that.
2. Learn to differentiate between love, lust and attachment. Now, I’ll argue that love actually is a deep form of attachment, but in many ways, these three can be different, unique experiences that don’t add up to enough cause for spending the rest of your life with someone. It’s okay to be in lust. It’s okay to be attached. You don’t have to be forever though.
3. Realize that relationships aren’t supposed to make you feel good as much as they are supposed to teach you something, and to help you grow. Allow someone to be part of your story and not the tragic, final scene. Take from it what you need to learn. If it showed you all the unloving parts of yourself, work on those, that’s what it was supposed to do. We have a tendency to exacerbate relationships by the way in which we categorize them as good bad or ugly, and yet, for some reason, no matter which way we go, we always want to hold on for just a little bit longer.
4. Cut off all contact. You can’t pick and choose right now, and it’s great if you can get into a friendship one day, but until your feelings have faded, you need to take some distance. This is absolutely essential. Stop checking their social media, don’t ask friends about how they’re doing. You don’t have to be a jerk about it, and you can politely let them know that it’s best for you to take some time away from them (although it usually doesn’t go that smoothly) it’s important that it’s said and followed through with regardless.
5. Let yourself be sad. Resisting it makes it worse than it is. Give yourself time to mourn and grieve the loss of someone who was a big part of your life. Then let them go, and love yourself enough to let yourself go too. As in, let yourself walk away from them in the metaphorical sense. Nobody else will give you permission.
6. Don’t get frustrated when your thoughts inevitably keep drifting back to that person. Just let them recess and pass. This is really how you should deal with all of your negative thoughts, but doing so becomes increasingly difficult when the subject matter is something you want to cling onto like an addict. You have to embrace the fact that letting those thoughts wash over you and fade is the best thing you can do for yourself and for your post-relationship relationship.
7. Don’t expect to get over them if you’re sitting in your bed all day thinking about them. Get out and do what you love, go visit friends you’ve lost touch with. Fall in love with other things and people and yourself. There are more loves in your life other than just romantic, and when you learn to enchant yourself with them, you find yourself needing a significant other less and less.
8. Embrace that you may never get over them, but let them be a part of your story anyway. Not every love has to result in a vow to spend forever together, and it doesn’t mean that what you had wasn’t real or worthwhile or beautiful. Part of the story can be that you simply always loved them, even long after you were over, and you know what? If you ask me, no matter how it turns out in the long-run, that is the most beautiful thing you can experience: loving someone despite everything. The only catch is, you have to be able to do it in an accepting way, or you’ll bury yourself in your heartache for the rest of your life.
9. Start to detach yourself. Something we all have to come to terms with is the fact that we attach ourselves to other people in light of what we think they can provide for us– whether it’s subconscious or not, we go into near panic mode when they leave us because we don’t know how we’ll get by. But we will, because we always do.
10. Learn to take your feelings and channel them into fuel to propel you toward something greater. If anything, motivate yourself to succeed in spite of them. It’s not the most positive way of going about things (and I do believe you should really do things for yourself) but for now, while you’re struggling, it’s not the worst way to cope. Let them do what they came into your life to do: make you better, however doing so played out
1. Write down why it didn’t work and the ways you weren’t happy and keep that list with you. Read it when you inevitably start thinking of all the reasons why you miss them, and why they were so perfect for you. We all romanticize the love we once had, but if and when we get it back, we realize that it’s just the same as it was. When it comes to the past, nothing changes but how we view it. Be conscious of that.
2. Learn to differentiate between love, lust and attachment. Now, I’ll argue that love actually is a deep form of attachment, but in many ways, these three can be different, unique experiences that don’t add up to enough cause for spending the rest of your life with someone. It’s okay to be in lust. It’s okay to be attached. You don’t have to be forever though.
3. Realize that relationships aren’t supposed to make you feel good as much as they are supposed to teach you something, and to help you grow. Allow someone to be part of your story and not the tragic, final scene. Take from it what you need to learn. If it showed you all the unloving parts of yourself, work on those, that’s what it was supposed to do. We have a tendency to exacerbate relationships by the way in which we categorize them as good bad or ugly, and yet, for some reason, no matter which way we go, we always want to hold on for just a little bit longer.
4. Cut off all contact. You can’t pick and choose right now, and it’s great if you can get into a friendship one day, but until your feelings have faded, you need to take some distance. This is absolutely essential. Stop checking their social media, don’t ask friends about how they’re doing. You don’t have to be a jerk about it, and you can politely let them know that it’s best for you to take some time away from them (although it usually doesn’t go that smoothly) it’s important that it’s said and followed through with regardless.
5. Let yourself be sad. Resisting it makes it worse than it is. Give yourself time to mourn and grieve the loss of someone who was a big part of your life. Then let them go, and love yourself enough to let yourself go too. As in, let yourself walk away from them in the metaphorical sense. Nobody else will give you permission.
6. Don’t get frustrated when your thoughts inevitably keep drifting back to that person. Just let them recess and pass. This is really how you should deal with all of your negative thoughts, but doing so becomes increasingly difficult when the subject matter is something you want to cling onto like an addict. You have to embrace the fact that letting those thoughts wash over you and fade is the best thing you can do for yourself and for your post-relationship relationship.
7. Don’t expect to get over them if you’re sitting in your bed all day thinking about them. Get out and do what you love, go visit friends you’ve lost touch with. Fall in love with other things and people and yourself. There are more loves in your life other than just romantic, and when you learn to enchant yourself with them, you find yourself needing a significant other less and less.
8. Embrace that you may never get over them, but let them be a part of your story anyway. Not every love has to result in a vow to spend forever together, and it doesn’t mean that what you had wasn’t real or worthwhile or beautiful. Part of the story can be that you simply always loved them, even long after you were over, and you know what? If you ask me, no matter how it turns out in the long-run, that is the most beautiful thing you can experience: loving someone despite everything. The only catch is, you have to be able to do it in an accepting way, or you’ll bury yourself in your heartache for the rest of your life.
9. Start to detach yourself. Something we all have to come to terms with is the fact that we attach ourselves to other people in light of what we think they can provide for us– whether it’s subconscious or not, we go into near panic mode when they leave us because we don’t know how we’ll get by. But we will, because we always do.
10. Learn to take your feelings and channel them into fuel to propel you toward something greater. If anything, motivate yourself to succeed in spite of them. It’s not the most positive way of going about things (and I do believe you should really do things for yourself) but for now, while you’re struggling, it’s not the worst way to cope. Let them do what they came into your life to do: make you better, however doing so played out
***
Stop worrying, if it is supposed to happen it will.
Allow yourself to be a beginner. No one starts off being excellent.
Don't let your happiness depend on anything outside of yourself.
Stay close to everything that makes you feel alive.
Listen to your body, it will lead you to unlimited health.
Surround yourself with people who see your greatness.
Make peace with your past.
See all setbacks as growth and expansive opportunities.
See all setbacks as growth and expansive opportunities.
Comparing yourself to others will hurt your health and steal your joy.
Don't give up, EVER.
You always have a choice.
Stop chasing what’s not working.
Believe wholeheartedly in miracles.
Don't postpone joy.
Trust the universe, there is a plan greater than yours.
Wake up every morning with a grateful heart.
Remember things take time.
Always trust your gut.
No need to change people; just love them for who they are.
Don't resist change.
Forgive yourself.
Your life is a creative adventure.
Release expectations and enjoy the journey, there is no destination.
Just do you.
You're not broken or damaged.
You are perfect just the way you are.
***
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