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…

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…