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health
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healthadvice
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lifecoach
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8239276
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www.ehow.com
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www.ehow.com
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www.ehow.com
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www.ehow.com
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www.ehow.com
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www.ehow.com
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www.ehow.com
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www.ehow.com
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www.ehow.com
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www.ehow.com
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www.ehow.com
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www.ehow.com
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www.ehow.com
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www.ehow.com
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-----
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# Lifecoach: Cold and flu cures
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## Our experts answer your questions in a special on colds and flu
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![Best of all when you have a cold is to keep up a high fluid intake and keep
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the illness to yourself ][1]
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Best of all when you have a cold is to keep up a high fluid intake and keep
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the illness to yourself
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4:48PM GMT 04 Jan 2011
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[Comments][2]
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**DR DAN RUTHERFORD WRITES: **
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You feel achy, have a cough, sore head and a temperature, and don't feel like
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going to work. Your GP says: "It's just a virus." Sounds familiar? Part of the
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reason why winter is seasonal colds and flu time is the social nature of the
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viruses that cause these illnesses. They love to spread through the air
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(sneezes from uncovered noses and mouths are their favourite).
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Re-used hankies are up there as safe harbours for bugs. Add those simple
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hygiene lapses to the fact that in cold weather we congregate more, close the
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windows and crank up the heating, and you have the perfect setting to let
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airborne virus particles get about. Norovirus (the "winter vomiting bug")
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spreads the same way but upsets the digestive system rather than airways.
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Viruses are living organisms stripped to the bare essentials - they can
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survive only by hitching a ride in more complex beings, like us. The cells
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that line our upper airways (nose and throat) take the brunt. Flu viruses have
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a greater potential to upset the body and in particular to strike lower in the
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airways.
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When flu gets serious it becomes a nasty lung infection responsible for
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between 5,000 to 20,000 deaths a year. Protection against flu (with the annual
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vaccine) and getting medical attention quickly are the key points to remember.
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## Related Articles
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* [Take zinc to fight a cold][3]
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16 Feb 2011
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* [Lifecoach: Survive the Christmas excess][4]
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20 Dec 2010
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* [Lifecoach: How do I get rid of stress?][5]
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15 Dec 2010
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* [Lifecoach: How do I recover my singing voice?][6]
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08 Dec 2010
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* [Lifecoach: stop stress from causing stomach pain][7]
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29 Nov 2010
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* [Lifecoach: Stop suffering in the cold][8]
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23 Nov 2010
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Much mythology persists about these illnesses. There is no convincing evidence
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to support chicken soup or zinc supplements as preventatives. Echinacea herbal
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remedies might shorten the length of symptoms by a few hours at most. Having
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said that, these measures are not harmful and we all feel better for doing
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something.
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Paracetamol and ibuprofen relieve the symptoms of a fever, headaches and
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muscle aches. Steam inhalations help loosen a sticky cough.
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Despite the high number of cold remedies on the shelves there are only a small
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number of active ingredients among them. Best of all is to keep up a high
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fluid intake and take steps to keep the illness to yourself (stay at home,
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disposable hankies, wash hands).
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**SARA STANNER WRITES: **
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During the cold and flu season make sure that you are getting sufficient
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amounts of the many nutrients involved in strengthening the immune system.
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Among others, these include vitamins A, C and E, selenium and iron.
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Being physically active, getting enough sleep and not drinking too much
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alcohol will also boost your immunity, while smoking is detrimental - one
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study showed smokers to be twice as likely to catch colds as non‑smokers.
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Vitamin A deficiency will increase your risk of infectious diseases. Foods
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providing vitamin A include eggs, milk, and orange fruits and vegetables like
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carrots and apricots. Nuts, as well as grains and vegetable oils, will provide
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vitamin E. Brazil nuts are a good choice at this time of year as they also
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provide the antioxidant selenium (also in seafood, meat, poultry and cereals).
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Although studies don't show that taking massive doses of vitamin C help to
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prevent colds and flu, getting enough from your diet is important as it
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increases the production of infection-fighting white blood cells and
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antibodies. Citrus fruits, including oranges, satsumas and tangerines, are a
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good source, as well as kiwis, peppers and green leafy veg.
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Getting enough iron is important to help fight infections. Red meat is an
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important provider of iron but eating seafood, chicken, turkey, nuts, seeds,
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pulses and whole grains will also boost intake.
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Good nutrition is important if you catch a cold or flu and plenty of fluid
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will prevent the nose and throat lining from drying out. Juices with 100 per
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cent fruit are a good choice as they will provide vitamin C. Honey can ease a
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cough and hot drinks and soup offer relief.
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If you are not eating a varied diet, taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement
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throughout the winter might help fend off infection but won't replace all of
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the immune-boosting effects of a healthy diet.
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**TONY GALLAGHER WRITES: **
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It is thought that moderate exercise helps boost the immune system by
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strengthening the body, and making it better able to fight infections and
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diseases.
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More recent studies have shown that there are physiological changes in the
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immune system in response to exercise. There is a positive immune system
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response and a temporary boost in the production of macrophages, the cells
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that attack bacteria. After exercise ends, the immune system returns to normal
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generally within a few hours, but with consistent, regular exercise it seems
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to make these changes a bit more long‑lasting.
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You need to watch out for over-exercising though, as there is evidence that
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too much of it can actually reduce immunity. It is thought that more than 90
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minutes of high-intensity endurance exercise can make exercisers susceptible
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to illness for up to 72 hours after their session. This is because the body
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produces the hormones cortisol and adrenalin, which can temporarily lower
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immunity.
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Mild to moderate physical activity is usually fine if you have a cold but no
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fever. The usual advice is to continue with your workout if signs and symptoms
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are above the neck such as runny nose, sore throat, sneezing or nasal
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congestion. Reduce the intensity of your workout if required. Exercise may
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even help you feel better by temporarily relieving any nasal congestion.
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For people with congestion issues, a sleeping position with head elevated at
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least 30 degrees may help with breathing.
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If you go to [**www.ehow.com/list_5974339_nonmedicinal-ways-clear-
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congestion.html**][9]** **you can investigate eight non-medical ways to help
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fight congestion. These should give you plenty of additional tools in your
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armoury.
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It's also worth taking a look at [**www.ehow.com/way_5650486_deep-breathing-
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exercises-congestion.html**][10], where you will find suggestions on deep-
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breathing techniques that can help alleviate congestion. The claim is that,
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although simple, these exercises can help to clear your chest and nose,
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potentially relieving your congestion.
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[X][11] Share & bookmark
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[What are these?][12]
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* Share: [Share][11] [ ][13] [ ][14]
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[Tweet][15]
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthadvice/lifecoach/8239276/Lifecoach-
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Cold-and-flu-cures.html
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Telegraph
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## [LifeCoach][16]
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* ### [Lifestyle »][17]
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* ### [Health »][18]
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* ### [Health Advice »][19]
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* ### [Flu »][20]
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[![Telegraph Medical Insurance][21]][22]
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### [Telegraph Medical Insurance][22]
|
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|
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In health
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|
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[!['Picky eating' can be common in childhood, but most grow out of it][23]
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][24]
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|
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### [Lifecoach: My son won't finish his meals][24]
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|
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[![The side-effects of medication can feel as bad as the original illness][25]
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][26]
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|
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### [Lifecoach: I'm fed up with feeling ill][26]
|
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|
||
[![Changes to diet and exercise can give you more energy ][27] ][28]
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|
||
### [Lifecoach: How to spring clean your diet][28]
|
||
|
||
[![Best of all when you have a cold is to keep up a high fluid intake and keep
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the illness to yourself ][29] ][30]
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|
||
### [Lifecoach: Cold and flu cures][30]
|
||
|
||
[X][11] Share & bookmark
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|
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Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter
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Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
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[What are these?][12]
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Share:
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* [ ][11]
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* [ ][13]
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* [ ][14]
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* [Tweet][15]
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* Advertisement
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![][31]
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telegraphuk
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Please enable JavaScript to view the [comments powered by Disqus.][32] [blog
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comments powered by Disqus][33]
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Advertisement
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[TELEGRAPH MEDICAL INSURANCE »][34]
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* [Calculators][35]
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* [Advice][36]
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