If you have ever experienced sitting the wrong way for too long that resulted in stiffness or pain you will not be surprised to learn that there are serious consequences of poor long term posture. According to the American Posture Institute, this is a growing problem globally. Poor posture can contribute to musculoskeletal disorders and physiologic dysfunction of the body.  These problems are not only causing pain, but they are a burden to individuals and society. The American Posture Institute Highlight These Facts: 80% of Americans report having back pain at some point in their lives. Up to 54% of workers in the western world experience neck pain. Americans spend between $50-$100 billion per year on back pain. Low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide.  The cause of many patients’ pain…

Through the Covid-19 period, some of our practitioner team moved to offer telehealth and telephone appointments.  This has been in place for our GP’s, Occupational Therapists, Speech Pathologists, Psychologists, Dietitians and Physiotherapists.  For a period of time our Remedial Massage Therapists were also restricted from practicing.  I am pleased to say, as restrictions have lifted, most of our team have returned to face-to-face consultations, and our Remedial Massage Team is back on deck!    Certainly, if patients would still prefer to utilise a telephone or telehealth appointment, we are more than happy to facilitate that for you.  Our GP’s are still offering telephone appointments as their preference, however will see patients face-to-face should that be required.   In order to ensure our practice remains a clean and safe place to attend, we are still embarking…

with Dr. Ned Slater (Osteopathy) Overview of ‘The Running Diaries’ Over the next few newsletters, I will be discussing the most common injuries experienced by the runner, as well as strategies to enhance your performance. Throughout the series of articles we will discuss the ways to detect whether or not there is an issue, strategies to mitigate injury, and the best ways to manage the return to optimum function. We will be covering Achilles Tendinopathy, Anterior Knee Pain and Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (Shin Splints). In this first installment, we will be discussing the best way to begin a running program if you’re a beginner, or if you’ve been running for a while, how to properly increase your running capacity to see the greatest improvements. Increase your running capacity A running mentor of mine put…

According to the Australian Department of Health, the percentage of people diagnosed with Coronavirus compared with those who have died from it is estimated at 2.17%. SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) had a higher death rate of 9.6%. At the time of writing, there have only been 2 confirmed deaths from this outside of China. While every effort to reduce the spread is being made throughout the world, the number of confirmed cases in Australia is likely to rise.  Australia however is far better equipped to respond than countries like China and we will likely contain and support those who do become infected more successfully. – ABC News…

Sweden’s capital city has launched an emergency response team solely for people in severe mental health or behavioural distress. Typically situations of this nature are handled by the police. Treating mental health problems in the same way as physical health problems helps to reduce stigmatisation of psychiatric illness which encourages people suffering to reach out and get help. The ambulance is staffed by two specialised psychiatric nurses and a paramedic from 3pm to 1 am every day. In the first year it responded to 1,580 calls for help. - www.headsmart.me…

Gut health information has exploded in recent years, with many a quick fix promoted. Microbiome testing is a new player on the field. Is it worth investing in? Our microbiome is a rich ecosystem, full of thriving bacteria that produce beneficial metabolites to keep the gut functioning optimally. Sometimes this balance of bacteria can be altered, which can have detrimental effects on the diversity and richness of the bacteria in our gut. Bacteria levels can be impacted by: stress long term medication and anti-biotics recurrent infections/viruses or parasites diversity of diet and number of plant-based foods Until recently it was very much guesswork for clients, with dietary recommendations based on reported symptoms. Now a company called Microba have developed an Australian first in testing the human gut microbiome at a DNA level. This evidence-based tool can…

All relationships face a similar set of hurdles. Success comes from being equipped to get over them. Twenty years of relationship research reveals successful couples share these 4 common habits. Reduce Withdrawals #1 – BE CURIOUS, not critical #2 – BE CAREFUL, not crushing Make Deposits #3 – ASK, don’t assume #4 – CONNECT, before you correct To watch the TedX talk explaining this click here https://youtu.be/o4Y5Mr8rZ9A The4Habits.com …

ADAPT is an exciting new initiative for people living with Dementia and their carers in Wynnum and surrounding suburbs. With the support of the Brisbane City Council, this is a very affordable program that addresses a growing need in the community to help people living with Dementia and carers to live well now. Studio Yellow based in Manly West aims to deliver high-quality art experiences to adults of all ages to promote good mental health through creativity. Every program includes Art Therapy techniques from absolute beginner levels to the more experienced. Natalie Lynch, the owner of Studio Yellow has a passion for what she does after becoming a widow in 2009 when her husband lost his battle with depression. Starting in February 2020, the program will provide a wonderful opportunity for people living with…

“As a first time febfaster, I must say, I have never slept better, been so efficient on Sundays and had cash in my wallet after a weekend!”- Samantha from NAB Febfast is a charity that supports you to take an alcohol or sugar fast challenge throughout the month of February, while raising funds for worthy disadvantaged youth. Why not make a difference to how you look and feel this Feb and give it a go! Click this link to get started today https://febfast.org.au/…

Some tea companies are replacing traditional paper teabags with plastic ones, but the new bags may be adding billions of tiny bits of plastic to your beverage, a team from Canada reports. "We show that steeping a single plastic teabag at brewing temperature [205 degrees Fahrenheit] releases approximately 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics into a single cup of the beverage," concluded a team led by Nathalie Tufenkji. She's a professor of chemical engineering at McGill University in Montreal. "In the past few years, there has been a steadily increasing body of scientific literature demonstrating that not only are microplastics permeating the broader environment, they are entering our bodies, as well," noted Dr Kenneth Spaeth, chief of occupational and environmental medicine at Northwell Health in Great Neck, N.Y. He wasn't involved…

Giving newborns babies cow's milk formula in the first few days after birth doubles their risk of developing cow's milk allergy by their second birthday, a small Japanese study suggests. The researchers say the findings of their randomised controlled trial indicate that dairy allergies are “primarily preventable” by avoiding supplementing newborns with cow's milk formula for at least the first three days of life.- AusDoc…

“I never binge drink!” Binge drinking can throw test results off and send your doctor down the wrong path if you have health problems. “Don’t worry Doc, I already quit smoking”Not being honest with your doctor about smoking can interfere with certain drugs, and might help explain symptoms you may have. Your doctor could actually help you quit and relieve your guilt as well. “I eat healthy”…except when there are fresh doughnuts nearby! If you leave out this last part while your weight and “bad” cholesterol skyrocket, your tall tale could lead to less effective treatment. “I run every day” Tell your doctor the truth about your exercise habits. It will help him/her figure out how to keep you healthy. If you’re not the type to go to the gym every day, that…

Danelle Kenny (Podiatrist), now working from our Sunshine Coast clinic wants people with, or considering orthotics to know that orthotics do not need to be used long term. She often treats patients who have foot orthotics that think once you get orthotics you need to keep replacing them and using them forever. Orthotics are a lot like a splint for a sprained wrist. They immobilise movement until the area has healed and pain resolved. Most of us recognise that if we get a wrist splint it is temporary. With foot Orthotics this same message is not getting out there. Orthotics can be a costly unnecessary expense you may no longer need to make. At the time foot orthotics first came into vogue there was also compelling evidence supporting the opposite approach.…

Most people don’t know what EMDR therapy is. It stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). This psychotherapy technique has been shown to be highly effective in relieving psychological distress. It is an effective treatment for trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In most psychology sessions you can look where ever you prefer. In EMDR therapy sessions your therapist directs your eye movements while you re-live traumatic or triggering experiences in brief doses. EMDR is believed to be effective because recalling distressing events is often less emotionally upsetting when your attention is diverted. Eye movement while recalling traumatic events also helps move the memory to an area of the brain where it can be processed more effectively. This allows you to be exposed to the memories or thoughts without having…

A new book by neuroscientist Dr Jared Horvath called Stop Talking, Start Influencing outlines 12 scientific principles that explain how we learn and remember. In his book, he debunks conventional thinking with scientific evidence about how we prevent cognitive decline as we age. At age 65 most of us retire and play golf or bowls and do crosswords or Sudoku. The idea of doing crosswords or Sudoku to keep our brains mentally fit has benefit yet mostly only while we are first learning to do it. Once we become familiar and good at doing these brain games, they become predictable to our brains and the benefit is minimal. If we keep learning new things that are unpredictable, like playing an instrument, learning a new sport, playing chess, then backgammon, then…

There is loads of conflicting dietary information bombarding us to eat more of this and less of that. One such food group that is poorly understood by many consumers is nuts. Because they are high in both Fats and Calories many weight conscious individuals choose to avoid them. The evidence is that is unnecessary and eating nuts is more likely to assist in losing weight rather than gaining weight. Studies that looked over a long period at people's eating habits and body weight have found people who regularly eat nuts tend to gain less weight over time than people who don't. Similar patterns in clinical studies that asked people to include nuts in their diet and then looked at the effects on body weight. Positive effects were observed more often. A review of more than…

By Sara J Brown Skin is our largest organ and something we may take for granted when it's healthy.   An academic dermatologist shares the frequent misleading "facts" that seem to be stubbornly enduring.  Here are some of the most commonly shared myths that can be cleared up immediately, and some truths you can rely on. Skin constantly renews itself - True The skin provides a dynamic barrier between your body's internal environment and the outside world.  Cells in the epidermis (the outer layer of skin) are constantly dividing to produce a supply of cells that move up through this layer and are shed from its surface.  Skin is a rich source of stem cells with the capacity to divide and renew themselves.  A good skin-care regime starts with gently removing dirt from skin but not the oily barrier. Drink two…

This Forum is being held to educate community members and health professionals on how they can help people with dementia make the most of life with the condition. The forum will be held this Tuesday March 5 2019 at the Wynnum Community Centre, from 6pm until 7:15pm, Level 2 Room 2.10. A light super will be served. Attendees do not need to RSVP, just show up and lend your support to this worthy initiative.  This event is free and locals are encouraged to attend to help make Wynnum Manly a Dementia friendly community. Speakers at the Forum are from the Queensland Brain Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Dementia Australia and Centacare. They will discuss topics including the impact of exercise on the brain, available care services and the Getting Home Safely project, which helps people…

Fad diets are not new, and yes, you can lose weight and see some positive results in the short term, but what effect does a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet have on your long-term health? Recent research published by The Lancet found that restricted carbohydrate levels replaced or supplemented by animal-based protein and fat sources could lead to a higher risk of premature death. Dr Sara Seidelmann, study author, cardiologist, and Clinical Research Fellow said: “We need to look really carefully at what are the healthy compounds in diets that provide protection. Low-carb diets that replace carbohydrates with protein or fat are gaining widespread popularity as a health and weight loss strategy. However, our data suggests that animal-based low carbohydrate diets, which are prevalent in North America and Europe, might be associated with shorter overall lifespan…

This latest cancer prevention study highlights the top three risk factors that we all need to act on. In the USA cancer directly related to smoking still attributed to 19.4% of cancer deaths. "Smoking remains the number one cause of mortality in the United States” said Dr Susan Gapstur, “despite evidence from more than 6 decades.” Approximately 7.8% of cancer cases are attributed to excess body fat. This was not just obese people but also overweight individuals. The third most important modifiable risk factor is alcohol. "I think this is something that is really underappreciated as a risk factor, because people don't like to talk about it or think about it. But it's important to know that it accounts for more than 16% of all breast cancers in women," Gapster said.…