Your Mental wellbeing is important, it affects everything from how we handle work, family, and other stressors in our lives. We can help make sure that we are promoting positive mental health by checking in with ourselves and making sure that we are consistently implementing healthy behaviours, practices, and strategies. So, what is mental wellbeing? To clarify, mental wellbeing is not the same as mental illness. Whilst elongated periods of poor mental health may lead to the possible development of some mood disorders, mental wellbeing is less about illness and more about your state of wellness. A state of mental wellbeing can be defined as an individual’s awareness of their unique abilities, how they cope with the stressors of life and how productively and fruitfully they can work and contribute to their…

1796 English doctor Edward Jenner noticed that milkmaids who had gotten cowpox were protected from smallpox. He grabs a boy off the street and administers the very first vaccine to prove his theory. Where was the ethics committee? Quite possibly he saved the boys life it turns out, as it proves successful. The more deadly strain of smallpox killed 30% of those infected and left survivors badly scarred and disfigured. Global vaccination efforts by the World Health Organization has completely eradicated smallpox and to date it is the only human disease to be completely eradicated.…

About 50 per cent of Australians are living with a chronic disease and 63 per cent of adults are now considered overweight or obese, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Chronic disease shortens life expectancy.  The American Heart Association released findings March 1, 2021 that highlights higher consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of death in men and women, according to data representing nearly 2 million adults. Five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, eaten as 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables, may be the optimal amount and combination for a longer life. - ScienceDaily…

Laughing 100 times is equivalent to 15 minutes of exercise on a stationary bike. That’s no laughing matter! Of the 206 bones in the average human adult's body, 106 are in the hands and feet. (54 in the hands and 52 in the feet). Smokers reduce their life span expectancy by 11 minutes per cigarette. …

We have tried hard to continually reduce our energy intensity over the past several years. This is Tyack Health’s third assessment. We maintained our partnership status in 2020 and have maintained it again by continuing to improve our energy intensity. Tyack Health continues to gradually reduce our energy intensity year on year.…

Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders, affecting up to 264 million people worldwide. It is also the primary cause of hundreds of thousands of deaths per year. But as many as 30 percent of patients do not respond to standard treatments such as medication or psychotherapy. Some of these individuals respond positively to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), but stigma and side effects make ECT undesirable for many, and one in ten patients experience little to no benefit from ECT so other solutions are needed. One such option showing promise is targeted neuromodulation tailored to individual patients' distinctive symptoms. This approach is an increasingly common way of correcting misfiring brain circuits in people with epilepsy or Parkinson's disease. Scientists at UC San Francisco's Dolby Family Centre for Mood Disorders have --…

Most Margarines, especially the solid kind, have trans fats. They raise your “bad” cholesterol, lower your “good” kind, and create inflammation throughout your body.   Sodas and Energy Drinks - The more sodas and energy drinks you consume, the quicker the cells in your tissues age. The high sugar content leads to weight gain and a higher risk of stroke and dementia.     Alcohol dehydrates you. This makes a big impact on your skin, which is 63% water. When you don’t get enough hydration, your skin looks and feels dry, and can’t defend itself against wrinkles.   Processed meats, like pepperoni, bacon, sausage, ham, and deli cuts, are smoked, cured, or salted so they’ll last longer. The sodium and chemical preservatives cause inflammation that can wear your body down inside and out.   Fried Foods are cooked…

Looking at seven key dietary factors, the total contribution to the cancer burden was five percent of all cases over a year. This number is on par for cancer burden attributable to alcohol which is four to six percent. Overweight and obesity had a slightly higher cancer burden of seven to eight percent of the cases of cancer with physical inactivity coming in at two to three percent. Diet is one factor that is well within the control of a person to change when it comes to reducing the risk of cancer. Having plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables together with dairy foods if a person chooses to have them while cutting back on red meat and sugary drinks is where the greatest health wins are to be found. - My…

Life takes many twists and turns and along the way we tend to accumulate stuff. The past 8 months have been taxing for many of us and this can lead to us feeling weighed down. The process of clearing out and losing our unwanted stuff both physical and emotionally can be a very worthwhile process to undertake. Spring is the perfect time to undertake this process which can help us re-group, re-prioritise and re-invent ourselves. Abigail Brenner, M.D., is a psychiatrist and shared her tips in an article published online on Psychology Today.  1.) De-clutter your living space. Get rid of anything you no longer need. Here’s the rule of thumb: If you haven’t worn it (or used it) for two years, out it goes. Donate clothing and household items that are in…

Eating Leafy Vegetables, Nigeria "Many traditional Nigerian dishes include vegetables that are not only highly nutritious, but also intensely flavorful," says Okeke-Igbokwe. "For example, bitter leaf from the plant Veronia amygdalina is a vegetable used to cook bitter leaf (onugbu) soup that is popularly eaten in Nigeria. The leaves of this vegetable has antioxidant properties with several health benefits. Other vegetables like okra are routinely used to make traditional soups." Cycling, The Netherlands People don't just ride their bikes for fun in The Netherlands — they ride around to get to work or to run their errands. The European Commission found that Dutch people use bikes as their main mode of transportation more than any other European country. "This form of aerobic exercise promotes cardiovascular health," says Okeke-Igbokwe. Using Turkish Baths, Turkey Stressed? We…

Altina Drinks is on a mission to shake up the Aussie drinking culture. The founders of this social enterprise have used science smarts to create innovative zero proof cocktails without the alcohol and added sugar. Partnering with organizations working in the alcohol harm reduction space is how they are having an impact. This Brand is a vehicle to encourage and normalize mindful drinking conversations.…

Twitches and spasms are most common in the thighs, calves, hands, arms, belly, ribcage, and the arches of your foot. They can involve part of a muscle, all of it, or a group of muscles. Doctors aren’t always sure why they happen, but a few common triggers can set them off. Triggers for twitching eyes range from stress and smoking to wind, bright light, too much caffeine, and lack of sleep. Your muscles depend on minerals, like potassium and magnesium, to work properly. If you’re running low on them, your body sends you a message with cramps and spasms. Exercise or heavy sweating can deplete you, but some medications can, too. If you don’t get enough to drink, your muscles will be more likely to twitch and spasm. - WebMD…

In April 2020, the New South Wales Attorney-General Mark Speakman reported that Google searches on domestic violence are up by 75 per cent since the first recorded COVID-19 cases in the state. While the global COVID-19 crisis is unprecedented, it has left many victims of domestic and family abuse locked inside their homes with their abuser, with no way to escape. The mobile phone is something that many of us take for granted, but it can be a lifesaver for victims of domestic violence. DV Safe Phone will ensure your old mobile phone is erased, tested and distributed to someone in need. So get digging through your drawer and cupboards and you might just save a life! To donate your old phone find out more here https://dvsafephone.com.au/…

While social distancing in public is important to stop the spread of COVID-19 our need for physical touch to stay healthy should not be deferred.    From birth through to our senior years, touch plays a key role in our development and physical and mental well-being. New studies on touch continue to show the importance of physical contact in early development, communication, personal relationships, and fighting disease. The therapeutic benefits of touch have become increasingly clear since study in this field started to grow in the 1990’s. Dr Tiffany Field from the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine identifies that with no-touch policies in schools and the isolating effects of cell phones and computers, we are touching each other less. What impact is this decline in…

With the chance of a second wave of Coronavirus coming to Queensland we wish to assure our patients that we are continuing to take nececcary steps to ensure the safety of our practice. All patients are screened for Covid -19 symptoms either online or by telephone – and those with symptoms are treated via phone consultation rather than attending the clinic Our waiting room and common areas are cleaned twice daily with medical grade cleaners Our waiting areas and consult rooms are arranged to meet social distancing requirements Hand sanitizer is provided throughout the practice and we encourage our patients and staff to use it when arriving and when leaving We use fresh linen and the couch’s are wiped down with medical grade cleaners Door handles are cleaned twice daily with medical grade cleaners …

What is cadence? ”The amount of strides/steps taken per minute (SPM)” In the running scene, cadence is the most common metric to measure running form. Put simply, the shorter your stride length and quicker your stride rate, the faster and more efficient you run. Aside from enhancing performance, research has found that a higher cadence is associated with a decreased likelihood of overuse type injuries (i.e: shin splints, achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis). Optimum running cadence is considered 180pm (meaning each foot strikes the ground 90 times per minute) Softer impact and more efficient Improving cadence reduces overstriding, and thus knee extension that occurs on foot strike, allowing for the GRF (ground reaction force) to be absorbed under your body’s centre of gravity. The image on the right has less knee extension and a more rigid foot…

1.    Fruit Juice The fibre in whole fruit fills you up and slows down how your blood takes in energy. Without fibre, you’re just drinking nutritious sugar-water that can quickly hype you up. Eat your fruit whole. When you’re thirsty, drink water.  2.    Regular Soft Drink It has all of the blood-spiking sugar of fruit juice with none of the nutrition. Sugar-sweetened drinks have a direct link to depression. Try soda water with a splash of juice instead. It will give you a bubbly fix without too much of the stuff you don't need. 3.    Diet Soft Drink You may not have the energy crash that comes with having too much sugar, but diet soft drink may make you depressed. Too much of the caffeine that many soft drinks have can be bad for anxiety,…

In a large French study (more than one hundred thousand people) researchers looked at a cohort of people who had answered questions about nutrition and their health over five years. Participants were asked about their diet including the sugary drinks – things like soft drinks, energy drinks and fruit juices, they consumed, at different points in time. Other health information was also collected – such as whether the people smoked or drank a lot, which could influence the overall results. About three-quarters of the study group were women. While we already know that sugary drinks contribute to weight gain and obesity, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, the cancer link was not well established. Conclusions in this large prospective study, the consumption of sugary drinks was positively associated with the risk of…

While staying home may keep us safer from catching different viruses, the risk of suffering from loneliness goes up. Loneliness has a wide range of negative effects on both physical and mental health, including: Cardiovascular disease and stroke Increased stress levels Decreased memory and learning Antisocial behaviour Poor decision-making Alcoholism and drug abuse The progression of Alzheimer's disease Altered brain function Depression and suicide The good news is loneliness can be overcome, even while staying home, thanks to technology. It does require a conscious effort on your part to make a change. Making a change, in the long run, can make you happier, healthier, and enable you to impact others around you in a positive way. Tips to prevent loneliness include: Recognise that loneliness is a sign that something needs to change. Understand the effects that loneliness has on your life, both physically and mentally. Consider…

Most of us know that a poor diet and too little exercise can negatively impact our heart. There are lots of less obvious things that can contribute to heart disease that you may not be aware of. See how many you were aware of? Dental problems There is a link between gum disease and the higher likelihood of having heart disease, too. While the connection isn’t clear, experts surmise bacteria from your gums may move into your bloodstream, leading to inflammation of the blood vessels and other heart problems. Dental check-ups every 6 months will help safeguard your heart. If you spot redness or soreness on your gums or changes in your teeth see a dentist right away. Shift Work Western University in Canada identified in a study that working at night or irregular…