“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.…

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.…

A new "pacemaker" for the human brain funded in February 2018 by the US Department of Defence could boost the memory of sufferers of epilepsy, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's disease. It operates through deep-brain stimulation created by electrical pulses. Though this is not the first device of its kind, it does have a wider potential application than previous efforts, such as Ohio State University's Alzheimer's-targeted pacemaker. - Interesting Engineering.com …

If progress is happiness, then mastering the key to developing lasting positive habits is one of the most important skills we can all learn if we want to enjoy life more. One of the keys and possibly the most important element to building lasting habits is focusing on creating a new identity first. Experts suggest that our current behaviours are a reflection of our current identity. The outcomes and results we are getting in our lives right now are simply a mirror image of the type of person we believe that we are (either consciously or subconsciously). Let’s say you decide you want to become a competitive cyclist after watching the Tour De France for the 20th year in a row. You are most likely starting out as a novice and a very…

With two in three Australians diagnosed with skin cancer by age 70, the Action Week is an important reminder of the risks of exposure to UV radiation, the need for sun protection and early skin cancer detection for all Australians. More than 2,000 people in Australia die from skin cancer each year, and Cancer Council estimates that Australia spends more than $1 billion per year treating skin cancer, with costs increasing substantially over the past few years. Most skin cancers can be prevented by the use of good sun protection, yet too many Australians still have a tan. Despite many Australians referring to a “healthy tan”, a tan is not a sign of good health or well-being. In fact, tanning is a sign that you have been exposed to enough UV radiation to…

Psychology Today highlights research from Stanford by Rachel Mander that going to sleep at the same time each night, and getting up at the same time each morning, improves depression better than many other treatment types. Other studies suggest that getting up at the same time is what is most critical regardless of varying night time routines. While very specific research shows that women who get up early are 12% -27% less likely to develop depression. Naturally, sleep quality and quantity are important factors as it is clear sleep deprivation leads to depression. The Lancet Psychiatry Journal published recently that doing regular exercise, on average, reduces depression by 43%, and doing regular household chores can reduce depression by 12%. While having depression might make it hard to do these activities, the benefits are…

The Harvard Study of Adult Development In the words of the study's long-time director George Vaillant, data can be boiled down to five words: "Happiness is love. Full stop." It's true: the one variable that predicted happiness in late life better than anything else was the number of so-called "warm relationships" the man had. That's true throughout his life, by the way — men who had warm relationships with their mother in childhood were found to earn an average of $87,000 more per year than others, and those who were close to their fathers showed higher satisfaction in late life. The study showed that it was actually relationships from around age 47 that proved to be the best predictors of happiness in the 80s and 90s.…

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/whole-vs-skim-milk Recent studies suggest that skim milk may not always be the healthiest option when it comes to milk. Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to many health benefits, including improved heart and brain health and a lower risk of cancer. The more fat a cup of milk has in it, the higher it’s omega-3 content.  In the past, whole milk was considered to be unhealthy because of it’s saturated fat content, but recent research does not support this recommendation.  There is no solid evidence that saturated fat increases the risk of heart disease. Saturated fat does increase LDL, but not the most damaging type of LDL. It also raises good HDL levels.  Many people avoid drinking whole milk because they assume the extra fat and calories will cause them…

Excerpt of Bustle Article by Alice Broster Are you sick of tossing and turning because you can’t sleep? Sleepless nights may be a thing of the past once you know how to use this technique.   Yes, there is a trick to falling asleep fast and it can help you to fall asleep in just two minutes. It’s so good, it has even got the seal of approval from the U.S. Army. Originally published in 1981 in a book called Relax and Win: Championship Performance. This technique suggests some magical steps to relax your body then your mind that will leave you fast asleep in 120 seconds? One: Relax the muscles in your face, including your tongue, jaw, and the muscles around your eyes. Two:…

Get involved in Mental Health Week, 6-14 October 2018 and show your commitment to positive mental health at your workplace.  Mental Health Week promotes the importance of mental health and wellbeing and helps to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. The Department of Health states on their website that almost half of the total Australian population (45.5%) will experience a mental disorder at some point in their lifetime. This is why we need to do more to reduce the stigma and support those in our workplaces suffering with a mental health disorder. One day it might just be us. At Tyack Health we are hosting a morning tea for our team in Mental Health week to remind ourselves to take a break, breathe and connect.  Could you…

Tonsil removal was considered a cure-all for children who repeatedly endured sore throats.  A University of Melbourne study suggests having your tonsils out in childhood could harm your health later in life. University of Melbourne researchers found that children under 10 who had their tonsils removed could be at triple the risk of throat, nose and sinus infections as adults.  And children who had adenoids taken out could be at double the risk of lung disease, throat and sinus infections, and the eye infection conjunctivitis.  Those who had the procedures were also at higher risk of asthma, pneumonia and allergies. Because tonsils and adenoids are part of the immune system, researchers said removing them while children were developing could make them more susceptible to infections and allergies. – Courier Mail…