by Belinda | Jul 25, 2022 | Uncategorised
19 – 23 August 2022
Healthy Bones Action Week is a national campaign that runs annually. The aim of this action week is to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy and stronger bone health. It focuses on how your diet, exercise and lifestyle choices can impact your bone health.
There are 206 bones in the body – the smallest bone (stapes) is in our ear and the largest (femur) in our leg.
“An estimated 924,000 Australians have osteoporosis, representing 3.8% of the population.” (Source : AIHW – Australian Institute Of Health and Welfare 2020).
What is bone health and why is it important?
Bone health is an important part of your overall general health. Your bones have many roles within your body. Most of us just think about our bones as a frame or structure but they do more than that. They not only provide structure, but they also protect your main organ’s, anchor muscles and store calcium. Having healthy strong bones are key to leading long, healthy, active, independent lives. Having poor bone health can increase the risk of developing osteoporosis.
Did you know that your bones are continuously changing?
Your bones are living tissues. Up until around the age of 30, your body is continuously going through the process of bone remodelling. This is the process of your body making new bone whilst breaking down old bone. This results in an increase in your bone mass. Once you have reached your peak, (generally around the age of 30) the process continues but you lose slightly more bone mass than you gain. Your risk of developing osteoporosis depends on your peak bone mass. The higher the mass, the less likely you are to develop osteoporosis.
What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis, (meaning porous bones), is a long-term (chronic) disease which makes your bones less dense and more fragile, leaving the bones with an increased risk of fractures and breaking
What is osteopenia?
We often hear about osteoporosis but not so much about osteopenia. Osteopenia is the medical name for low bone density or thinning of the bones. If you have been diagnosed with osteopenia, it means that you bones are weaker than normal but not as far gone as they would be if you have osteoporosis. Some people with osteopenia may go on to develop osteoporosis.
What can affect bone health?
There are several risk factors that affect your bone health. Knowing them can help you reduce this risk.
- Family history
- Low calcium and vitamin D levels
- Medical conditions
- History of breaking bones from a minor bump or fall
- Thyroid conditions
- Low levels of physical activity
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol intake
- Obesity
- Gender
- Age
- Hormone levels
- Medications
Steps you can take now to help build stronger bones:
- Ensure you diet includes plenty of calcium and vitamin D
- Physical activity including weight bearing and strength training exercises
- Healthy eating including vitamin and nutrient rich foods.
- Avoid substance abuse
- Maintain a stable, healthy weight
- Speak to your doctor
by Belinda | Jul 25, 2022 | Uncategorised
12th August 2022
Each year, on the second Saturday in August, Red Nose Australia holds its national fundraising campaign “Red Nose Day”.
Red Nose Day is major fundraising and awareness campaign to raise money for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). It’s a day when the community comes together by wearing red noses and acting silly to raise money for a good cause.
Since it first began in 1988, the “funds raised on Red Nose Day have resulted in an incredible 85 per cent reduction in sudden infant deaths. That’s 11,357 babies saved and counting.” (Source : Rednoseday.org.au)
What is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)?
SIDS is the sudden, unexplained death of an infant younger than one year old. It usually occurs during sleep.
6 evidence-based steps all parents can take to reduce the risk of their baby dying in their sleep
- Sleep baby on the back from birth
- Sleep baby with head and face uncovered
- Keep baby smoke free before and after birth
- Provide a safe sleeping environment night and day
- Sleep baby in their own safe sleeping place in the same room as an adult care-giver for the first 6 – 12 months
- Breastfeed baby if you can
“By choosing to fundraise on Red Nose Day, you will be making a profound difference for Aussie families and helping to protect little lives. Funds raised support lifesaving education and safe pregnancy programs, free 24/7 counselling and bereavement support services for families, and allow for greater investment in vital research.” (Source : Rednoseday.org.au)
Support families. Fund research. Save little lives.
by Grace | Apr 4, 2022 | Uncategorised
The immune system is a complex network of cells and proteins that defends the body against infection. The immune system keeps a record of every germ (microbe) it has ever defeated so it can recognise and destroy the microbe quickly if it enters the body again. (Better Health, 2021).
When you have a strong immunity, your body has the ability to:
- Detect and fight infections;
- Reduce tiredness;
- Provide seasonal protection (ie. against the flu);
- Recover faster;
- Promote a more restful sleep;
- Improve energy levels;
- Reduce inflammation;
- Improve mood and stress management;
According to Hourston Methodist Leading Medicine (2021), 6 ways to boost your immune system include:
- Stay up to date with the recommended vaccines:
Your immune system is smart, but vaccines train it to be even smarter — helping it learn how to recognize and fight off certain disease-causing illnesses. It’s much safer for your immune system to learn via vaccination than through infection with these harmful germs.
- Maintain a healthy diet:
Eat plenty of vegetables, legumes, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats.
In addition, a healthy diet can help ensure you’re getting sufficient amounts of micronutrients that play a role in maintaining your immune system, including Vitamin B6, Vitamin C and Vitamin E.
- Exercise Regularly:
Studies have shown that engaging in as little as 30 minutes of moderate-vigorous exercise every day helps stimulate the immune system.
- Hydrate:
- Drinking enough water helps your circulatory system carry important infection-fighting cells around the body
- Get plenty of sleep:
There are plenty of important things happening while your body isn’t awake. For example, important infection-fighting molecules are created while you sleep.
To give your immune system the best chance to fight ff infections and illness, it’s important you get enough sleep every night, as well as take steps if your sleep is suffering.
- Reduce stress levels:
During periods of stress, particularly chronic stress that’s frequent and long-lasting, your body responds by initiating what’s called a stress response. It helps you handle the stressful situations. Unfortunately, this response also suppresses your immune system – increasing your chance of infection or illness.
Stress is different for everyone, and how we relieve it is, too. Given the effect it can have on your health, it’s important to know how to identify stress. And, whether it’s deep breathing, mediation, prayer or exercise, you should also get familiar with the activities that help you reduce stress.
by Grace | Mar 1, 2022 | Uncategorised
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease where the lining of the small intestine is damaged by tiny amounts of gluten (a protein found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley and oats) – Health Direct (2022).
‘Coeliac disease affects on average approximately 1 in 70 Australians. However, around 80% of this number remain undiagnosed. This means the vast majority of Australians who have coeliac disease don’t yet know it.’ – coeliac.org.au (2022).
Symptoms:
- Gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhoea, constipation, fatty stools, flatulence);
- Nausea & vomiting;
- Pain or discomfort in the tummy;
- Iron deficiency or anaemia;
- Weight loss or gain;
- Feeling tired;
- Irritability;
- Bone or joint pain and stiffness;
- Swelling of the mouth or tongue, recurring mouth ulcers;
- Itchy and blistery skin rash;
Causes:
It’s not yet known why people develop coeliac disease. Some factors associated with an increased risk of developing this disease include:
- Family history;
- Environmental factors: previous GIT infections, a person’s diet during early childhood;
- Other health conditions associated with an increased risk: diabetes, ulcerative colitis, neurological disorders, thyroid disease or downs syndrome;
Can coeliac disease be prevented?
It is not preventable, however it is possible to prevent complications of coeliac disease by being diagnosed early.
Complications of coeliac disease:
Early diagnosis and treatment of coeliac disease can significantly reduce the risk of most complications ever occurring. If not treated early, coeliacs may lead to:
- Chronic inflammation of the small bowel, skin, joints, bones, liver, pancreas, thyroid gland, nervous system and reproductive system;
- The changes in the small bowel can lead to poor absorption of nutrients, resulting in problems such as iron deficiency;
- Increased risk of bowel lymphoma (a type of cancer);
- Infertility;
- Chronic ill health;
How do you get diagnosed?
Bring up any concerns of symptoms or family history with your doctor.
How is coeliacs disease managed?
Coeliacs disease can not be cured, but it can be managed.
Once diagnosed by your doctor, a gluten free diet is commonly used to manage coeliacs disease. Today, we are so lucky to be offered a variety of gluten free foods and beverages with some supermarkets offering gluten free isles!
by Grace | Jan 31, 2022 | Uncategorised
“Alcohol and drugs cost Australian workplaces an estimated $6 billion per year in lost productivity.” – Alcohol and Drug Foundation (2017)
Statistics show that alcohol and drug users impact their workplaces by:
- Being far less productive;
- Using three times as many sick days;
- Being more likely to injure themselves or a colleague;
- Potentially putting strain on relationships;
‘2.5 million days are lost annually due to drinking and drug use, at a cost of more than $680 million’ – Alcohol & Drug Foundation (2017).
In addition, to deaths and accidents, absenteeism and loss of production, other problems that alcohol and drug abuse can cause on the job include (Very Well Mind, 2020):
- Tardiness/sleeping on the job;
- Hangover or withdrawalaffecting job performance;
- Poor decision making;
- Loss of efficiency;
- Theft;
- Decreased morale of co-workers;
- Increased likelihood of strained relationships;
- Decreased attention and concentration;
- Illegal activities at work including selling illicit drugs to other employees;
- Higher turnover;
Many workplaces are required to complete routine random drug and alcohol testing when operating heavy machinery, other employers like to keep their workplace safe or have a problem they would like to address.
Our accredited testers offer onsite drug & alcohol testing, following your policy. We are also available for guidance on how to address a situation.
If you would like to book in your drug and alcohol testing at your workplace, please email [email protected] or call 0456 387 569.
by Grace | Jan 31, 2022 | Uncategorised
‘Kindness is Catching’ – Feel Good Feb, 2021.
Encourage your workplace to participate in Feel Good February this year. Lift the vibe within your workplace by performing at least one random act of kindness each day.
Feel Good Feb (2020) states that extensive research shows that ‘giving out good’ not only benefits the receiver, but also increases the happiness of the giver!
You will FEEL GOOD, we promise!