Health

February 4, 2024 Health

Fighting Dental Fear in Children

Fear of the dentist affects around five percent of the Australian population. To someone who doesn’t fear their dental check-up, they may not see what all the fuss is about. However, to those who have a phobia, believe some dental myths or are genuinely scared of the experience, it can be overwhelming. Fear of a dental technician can start from a young age, with a childhood experience often tainting future appointments too. Your local dentist will advise that if you are worried about your children being scared or overwhelmed with their scheduled dentist visits, then it might be time to get proactive. There are several things you can to do to ensure their check-ups are as straightforward as possible. Meet First When you take your dog to a vet clinic for the first time, the vet will shower them in love, give them treats and toys, and lay a foundation for positive veterinary visits going forward. The same concept applies to a child’s first trip to the dentist. The first one should be merely a meet and greet, offering you a chance to ask questions as a parent, and for the child to learn all about the clinic and meet the dentist and their team who will be taking care of them. Then, the next time you return, your child will be in familiar surroundings. Be Mindful of What You Say If you have had a damaging dental experience in the past, then it’s a good idea to be aware of what you say around your children. A dentist’s office should be a positive place, not one of horror. Avoid using negative language about a dentist and focus on the good in the visit – such as keeping your teeth sparkling clean and healthy. Prepare Them In the days before to your child’s first dental check-up, prepare them by dropping information into everyday conversation. Get them used to talking about their teeth, and even help them to count them so they can be full of fun information to tell their dentist when they meet them for the first time. Encourage Beneficial Oral Care Habits If you want your child’s first in-chair check-up to be a rewarding one, then lay the groundwork from a baby. Wipe their gums with soft gauze, see a dentist as soon as they are one year old or their first tooth erupts, and make it a fun exercise to brush their teeth twice daily. When you instill oral health habits from a young age, their teeth are more likely to be in tip-top shape when it comes time to attend their first check-up. (more…)

January 3, 2024 Health

Why Getting Into Drug Rehab Quickly is Essential

When someone you know and love needs drug rehab, it’s essential to get them into it as quickly as possible. The longer it is left, the more damage it causes - and if they are gone for too long without treatment, it sometimes becomes impossible to help them. As sad as it is, it’s better to face the likelihood of a worst-case scenario than to procrastinate because the simple fact is that untreated drug addiction can kill. And before that happens, the addict’s life will be wrecked as they seek the only thing that seems to work for them: more drugs. Overseas rehab centres in Bali and Thailand have become popular due to the much lower cost than Australia's. Still, when considering quick help, Bali - known for its beautiful scenery and picturesque villas from Easy Bali Villas - is the fastest and easiest to get to. With only one plane trip to take, the addict can usually manage to get to their destination without becoming distracted by the need for another fix. Besides this, many people don’t have the finances to provide for a month or more at a drug rehabilitation centre that does not offer affordable sts. While it is essential to get a treatment that works, affordability is a fact of life that must be considered. If you need to take out a loan, an affordable amount is much easier to pay back and more likely to be given in the first place, enabling you to get the best treatment for your loved one. (more…)

October 25, 2023 Health Lifestyle

10 Unique Ideas For What To Do With A Loved One’s Ashes

When funeral directors arrange multicultural funerals that are to be a cremation rather than a burial, once the proceedings have been concluded, having been asked by the deceased's loved ones, they will arrange for the ashes of that individual to be delivered to or collected by that family. At this point, funeral directors might be asked by the deceased's family how they can scatter the ashes of their loved one. Thankfully, due to their many years of experience, funeral directors will have no shortage of ideas they can offer, some traditional and others less so, often bordering on the bizarre. If you require suggestions for what to do with a loved one's ashes or are pre-planning for your own funeral and looking for something different from the norm, below are ten options we hope you will consider. One point we must make is that some might seem inappropriate or insensitive; however, for many individuals, these will be done as part of their wishes when they pre-planned their funeral arrangements. Turn Ashes Into Jewellery You have a couple of options here. The simplest is to purchase lockets specially designed for carrying ashes and then give one to each of the deceased’s closest family and friends so that they are with them always. The other is companies specialising in turning ashes into diamonds and creating jewellery items such as pendants or earrings. (more…)

June 21, 2023 Health Sustainability

Which are the Most Sustainable Air Conditioners?

The inverter air conditioner is one of the most sustainable air conditioning units available because inverter technology is eco-friendly technology and reduces running costs by around 30%. It is the ability to vary the unit's speed that lowers the electricity consumption. According to air conditioning experts airandwater.com.au, the inverter models always stay on and vary the running speed once the selected temperature is maintained. This means they not only use less power but are much quieter too. By comparison, a non-inverter air con runs at the same start-up speed constantly, switching on and off constantly to maintain the temperature. It is the constant starting up that gobbles up power and creates noise. If you use an older model air con, it may not be an inverter type. Another way the inverter air cons are eco-friendly is the type of refrigerant used. This is R410a refrigerant, containing HFC, as against the R22 refrigerant, which contains HCFC, a chlorine component known to destroy the ozone layer. However, some installers will still use R22 due to its lower cost, so it’s a good idea to check before your air conditioner is installed and ask for the R410a refrigerant. The disadvantage of choosing an air-con with inverter technology is in the initial cost. Still, since they do save so much when running and are so quiet during their operation, it is certainly worthwhile paying the extra price. Remember, the lesser cost is due to decreased consumption, which increases sustainability. (more…)

April 6, 2023 Health

7 Health Benefits Of Using Adjustable Standing Office Desks

In years gone by, when you were buying commercial furniture that included office desks, invariably they would be office desks designed for sitting at. Look at most video footage of office workers going back through the decades, and almost all will feature employees sitting down and working at their desks. However, in recent years standing office desks have become increasingly popular, but it might surprise you to learn they are not a new concept. Believe it or not, the use of standing desks can be traced back as far as 600 years ago, and it is the case that, in the 18th and 19th centuries, their use was widespread. However, the sedentary nature of the way we lived moving through the 20th century meant that standing desks were more of a novelty, rather than commercial furniture that was used widely in offices. That has changed significantly since the start of the 21st century, and were you to look at Google Trends to see how many searches there are for "standing desks", it will show you that since 2008 they have increased by a mind-blowing 1,200 per cent. Why would this be? The simple fact is that the increase in the desire for and the popularity of standing desks is primarily down to a consideration of the health and well-being of those who work at office desks. This is true of individuals buying standing desks for themselves, but it is also being led by thousands of employers who regard standing office desks from Atama Furniture as a means of supporting the health of their employees. As for how, here are seven health benefits that studies and the feedback from users indicate. (more…)

January 12, 2023 Family Health

5 Health Benefits Of Having A Financial Plan

There are several experts that your doctor may tell you can enhance your health such as a fitness coach, a dietician, or a physiotherapist, but one group of experts that might not be at forefront of every doctor’s or every patient's thoughts are financial planners. Admittedly, if you have a health problem we still strongly advise you to visit your doctor first, but you would also be doing your health a favour if you speak to a financial advisor too. If those last statements have led to a puzzled expression on your face, we are not surprised. After all, financial advisors are not the people who would immediately turn to for health advice, nor should you. We are not suggesting that your financial advisor should replace your doctor, but instead should provide you with financial planning advice that can mean you are better protected from the health issues that can arise from money worries. In many cases, an illness or disease can often be traced, not to some physical event, but to a person's mental health. This is most likely where the phrase "Healthy Mind, Healthy Body" originates from. It can be eye-opening when you discover that many of the physical issues you may suffer from are in part often caused by mental health issues with stress and anxiety being two of the prime culprits. (more…)

January 10, 2023 Family Health

5 Everyday Activities Parents Can Use To Enhance Their Children’s Language Skills

Parents of children with speech and language difficulties may well have taken them to see a speech therapy specialist such as speech pathologists for help, advice, and a view to finding a treatment option for their child. Doubtless, the treatment recommended will be based upon the specifics of the child's speech development problems, their age, and other factors such as their home environment. A child's home environment can be a huge factor in how effective any speech therapy program is. One example of how is whether or not either of the child’s parents is at home during the day which will determine if the child spends time each day with a childminder. Whilst a childminder may be able to look after the child whilst their parents are at work, their experience may not include speech therapy. Another influence at home would be older siblings who are willing to spend time with their younger brother or sister to help with their speech. The reason why we highlight childminders and older siblings is because, despite neither having any speech therapy qualifications, and that can also extend to a child’s parents, the fact is there are several ways that all of these people with whom the child has regular contact can assist in their speech therapy. (more…)

December 20, 2021 Family Fitness Health

5 Ways You Can Benefit From Axe Throwing

If you have never heard of axe throwing, then you may be surprised to learn it is a hugely popular pastime, and a highly competitive sport. Axe throwing centres are fast becoming the place to go for an enjoyable get-together and chance to show your friends and family just how accurate your axe throwing skills are. The concept is extremely simple in that there is a wooden target with concentric circles, and you score more points the closer your axe is to the centre when you throw. Think of it a bit like darts, but with more street cred. There are many benefits to axe throwing, and to give you some incentive to give it a go, here are 5 of them. #1 Physical Exercise. It might not be on the same level as marathon running, but axe throwing does take a reasonable degree of physical exertion. The axes have weight to them with the smaller ones weighing around 800 grammes, and the larger ones used in some competitions weighing up to 1.5 kilograms. Add to that the fact that you have to pull your arm back in order to then throw your axe, you will soon appreciate that there is a reasonable degree of physical effort required. What's certain is that after you have thrown that axe several times, you will have burnt off plenty of calories. (more…)

November 18, 2021 Food Health

Iron Deficient? Try this amazing natural food source

Are you iron deficient? Or choose not to eat iron-rich animal products? Already eating heaps of leafy greens but don’t want to take a supplement? Say hello to blackstrap molasses! Blackstrap molasses was at one time the most popular sweetener in the world (circ, 18th Century) as it was more affordable than refined cane sugar. Molasses is a by-product of the sugar making process – sugar cane is crushed & the juice is boiled to create sugar cane syrup. A second boiling makes molasses & the third boiling creates the dark viscous liquid that is blackstrap molasses. The term ‘Blackstrap’ comes from the US. Blackstrap molasses has the lowest sugar content of any sugar cane product as most of the sucrose has been removed in the sugar making production, giving it a low glycaemic (GI) index of 55 so it is a great sweetener substitute for diabetics. It also has high levels of chromium which helps to stabilise blood sugar levels. The most amazing thing about blackstrap molasses is its nutritional content. Per 100g it contains 95% of your recommended daily intake of iron (approx. 13mg) which is about 5 times more iron than a steak! It also contains 400mg of calcium & 300mg of magnesium. It is also high in vitamin B6, potassium, manganese & selenium. (more…)

June 30, 2021 Family Health

How To Cope With Backache From Sitting In An Office Chair All Day

If you have to sit in an office chair for long hours at a time you may be a web designer. If you are not to get a backache, it’s important to ensure your chair is a good fit for you. Even ergonomic chairs will not prevent a backache if they are not of the right dimensions for you. Tall people need a chair that is larger than one a short person would find comfortable. Often, even though the chair fits and the desk is the right height, people who sit for many hours a day can still end up with a backache. This can be due to any number of factors. In fact, if the computer monitor is not directly in front of you, a neck and backache can develop from the angle of your neck and head. Even though you may only need to turn slightly, when you have to hold that position for a long time, it can put a strain on your neck and spine. If you have a backache at the end of the day – or before – try these few healthy living tips to alleviate it.

Place a cushion at your lower back for more support
Get up more frequently, stretch and walk about
Sit on a cushion with a coccyx cut-out at the back to relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve
Try and keep your back straight rather than slumping
Use a chair with padded armrests to ease shoulder and upper back pain
Stretch your arms above your head at random times throughout the day
Move your head gently from side to side every so often
Inscribe circles with your shoulders to ease stiffness in the upper back
Make sure your feet are firmly on the floor and the top half of your legs are horizontal, not sloping either up or down.
If nothing else works, try a different kind of chair

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June 1, 2021 Health

Warning Signs of a Heart Attack

No one wants to have a heart attack, but many people do; sadly, funeral directors find it is the number one killer in many countries. One reason for this is obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. But even stress can cause a heart attack. Whether you are a business person running a busy digital marketing business or a hard-working carpet cleaner, when you have a heart attack, it is essential to have treatment as soon as possible to lessen the damage done to the heart. The trouble is that not everyone recognises they are having a heart attack because of the symptoms they get. It is not always a pain in the heart or chest area that heralds such an attack. Here are some of the signs of a heart attack. If they last for 10 minutes, you should dial 000.

Pain in the lower jaw on either side extends into the chest.
Pain or discomfort in the neck, with a burning or choking feeling in the throat. It may originate in the chest and move to the neck.
Pain, heaviness or pressure in the shoulders that moves to the chest. One or both shoulders can be affected.
Pain, heaviness or tightness in the centre of the chest. Generally, a stabbing, sharp pain in the chest is not indicative of a heart attack. It is more like a crushing weight.
A dull ache between the shoulder blades that spread from the chest
Pain, heaviness, discomfort, tingling or uselessness in one or both arms, often originating from the chest.

Secondary warning signs accompanying the above can be nausea, cold sweats, dizziness and shortness of breath. (more…)

May 24, 2021 Beauty Health

7 Facts About Teeth Whitening You Should Know

Whilst every dentist will tell you they'd rather people look after their teeth properly to avoid staining, nevertheless, staining does occur, and one of the most popular remedies is whitening. There are several ways in which teeth whitening can occur, but in all cases, the effect is to give teeth a makeover and return them to their gleaming white state, and in doing so, give the individual the confidence to smile once more. If you have been considering whitening or are concerned about stains on your teeth and would like to know more about teeth whitening, with the help of dental experts, here are 7 facts about teeth whitening that you should know before making any decision. Preventing Staining Is The Best Way To Achieve White Teeth At the risk of sounding like killjoys, we are going to say upfront that the best way to keep your teeth white is to avoid staining in the first place. As well as avoiding activities that are well known to stain teeth like smoking and drinking excess tea or coffee, regular brushing, will be a lot more effective, and less expensive than teeth whitening. Teeth Whitening Will Not Harm Your Teeth The process which occurs when teeth are being whitened is harmless to them. During the process, ingredients within the whitener open the tiny pores which exist within your teeth. This not only helps to remove stains, but it also rehydrates the teeth and allows the mineralization process to enhance the natural whiteness of your teeth. (more…)

May 1, 2021 Health

Food and Exercises To Keep Your Eyes Healthy

There are many jobs that can cause eyestrain, especially those in the area of computers. If you work as an SEO expert you’ll be focussed on that computer screen for 8 hours a day or more, which can be a big strain on your eyes. Since we all depend on our eyes a great deal, it is essential to keep them healthy and there are several ways to do this. Food to keep your eyes healthy One way is to have a healthy diet, but there are certain foods on restaurant menus that are better for eye health than others, so make sure you include them in your diet every day.

Foods that are orange in color contain beta-carotene, a nutrient that is especially good for eyesight. Carrots, sweet potato, and pumpkin are easy additions to your evening meals.

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March 29, 2021 Health Legal

Compensation Payouts If You Win A Medical Negligence Case Against Your Dentist

It is the right of every patient to expect a duty of care from any medical professional, and that includes their favourite dentist. Should that dentist fail to show a duty of care to the patient, and it results in that patient suffering a loss, injury, or damage, then the patient has the right to sue that dentist or dental practice, for medical negligence. Now that all sounds fine, but you should be aware that medical negligence is an extremely complex area of the law and being able to prove medical negligence can be a considerable challenge. Should you ever need to sue, then it is certainly advisable that you seek legal guidance and representation. Whilst you may have an existing commercial lawyer from www.rowebristol.com.au who represents you, for medical negligence cases it is recommended that you acquire a lawyer who is versed in that sort of case. For a start, they will consult with you to ascertain whether not you have grounds to bring a medical negligence case at all, and if you do, what the chances are of it succeeding. (more…)

December 1, 2020 Health

Why The Cleaning Of Health Care Facilities Should Only Be Done By Professionals

Healthcare facilities, clinics, hospitals, and dentist offices regularly need professional commercial cleaning services. Given how critical cleanliness and hygiene are to an individual's health, if you think that cleaning healthcare facilities is similar to cleaning offices and other types of commercial premises, then you are mistaken. Cleaning health care facilities should not be left to amateurs because you need these premises, not just to be clean. Still, they also need to be thoroughly sanitised and left in as hygienic a condition as possible, so only professional commercial cleaners should be trusted to do it. Here are some more reasons why. Knowledge And Experience Anyone could pick up a mop. a brush, and a duster and say they are a cleaner. We must admit that in some basic business premises like a small office, they could probably do an ok job with just those 'tools'. However, when it comes to cleaning and sanitising healthcare facilities, doing an 'ok' job is not good enough. We are talking about people's health, so doing that work effectively requires experience and specialised knowledge. Knowing what chemicals you can use to clean and sanitise or what areas require even greater levels of hygiene are just two benefits a professional commercial cleaning company can offer. (more…)

December 1, 2020 Health

7 Types of Psychological Disorders

Just as doctors at a local surgery have to treat a wide range of physical conditions, the exact same principle applies to psychology. The Experienced Psychologists at www.southsidepsychology.com tell us many people are under the misconception that a psychologist treats something called 'mental illness', but that is the same as calling muscle strains, broken bones, heart conditions, respiratory and digestive problems as simply a ‘physical illness’. The most likely reason for it is that most people are simply not aware of the many individual types of psychological disorders that an individual can suffer from, and so we are going to outline, in no particular order, no fewer than 7 of them right now. #1 Eating Disorders: These get a lot of publicity due to the number of celebrities who have suffered from them. They include conditions such as bulimia and anorexia nervosa which each have the sufferer consuming too much, or too little food, respectively. Other behaviours can include inducing themselves to vomit, taking laxatives, and a self-loathing of their appearance. #2 Stress-Related Disorders: Specific conditions include adjustment, acute stress, and post-traumatic stress disorders. These are usually triggered by specific events or a series of events which have induced high levels of stress. Unlike other people, sufferers are unable to reduce their stress levels and experience the likes of flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, and feelings of isolation. (more…)

June 26, 2020 Health Legal

Understanding the Health Effects of Workplace Discrimination

Despite the governments best efforts to eliminate all forms of discrimination from Australian culture and society, it still remains. In the workplace, things like racial, gender and religious discrimination are common, especially against minority groups. Because of this, thousands of people across the country suffer some form of mental illness every year. Even low-level workplace discrimination can have a cumulative effect which can impact absolutely anyone. As you can imagine, it’s important that we’re able to identify and deal with these impacts before they become too severe. Below, we’ve outlined a few strategies to help you with office sickness, regardless of your exact situation. Pay Careful Attention to Your Mental State For starters, it’s extremely important to make sure you’re aware of your mental state and any lasting irregularities. This is true regardless of whether or not you’re being discriminated against. The key to maintaining mental health is to be mindful of the following:

Any loss of motivation or lack of energy that could signal the onset of depression, anxiety or any other illness.
Lower self-confidence, including in social settings where you would have been comfortable in the past.
A desire to stay home from work. Everyone loves a day off from time to time, but if you find yourself having trouble getting out of bed for work every day, you could have a problem.
Any increase in alcohol and/or cigarette consumption.

If you identify these or any other mental health warning signs, be sure to speak with a psychologist or other medical professional as soon as possible. (more…)

February 6, 2020 Family Health

How You Know Your Child Might Have a Language Disorder

If someone has ever recommended that your child see an expert in speech pathology, then you might be quite confused by what they mean. If your child doesn’t have problems with stuttering or pronunciation, then how can they need to see a speech pathologist? You may be surprised to know that communication goes beyond just speaking, and speech pathology can be a way in which to help children with many disabilities. Read on to learn what indicators may be present to identify a language disorder, and why a speech expert could be of assistance. How to Define a Language Disorder You can define a language disorder as having trouble expressing your thoughts vocally, or finding it problematic to understand what other people are saying. Speech, reading, and writing all form part of a language disorder, with treatment options depending on what that disorder is. Language disorders can go hand in hand with other conditions, such as developmental disabilities, autism, and ADHD. What Does a Language Disorder Look Like? According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), a language disorder can be broken down into:

Phonology
Syntax and Morphology
Semantics
Pragmatics
Social, emotional, and behavioural considerations

Phonology relates to problems with early speech, limited phonological awareness (rhyming, blending), limited vocalisation compared to same-age peers, and difficulties with speech sound. Morphology and syntax, on the other hand, refers to errors with verbs and pronouns, trouble with grammar, and challenges relating to complex sentences, among other things. Children with language disorders may also find it challenging to play and relate to peers, comprehend social situations, and contribute in classroom environments. What Can a Speech Pathologist Do?

A language disorder should always be diagnosed by an experienced professional, so the first step for any worried parent should be their child’s GP. If they have concerns, they may refer the parent to a speech pathologist to intervene and provide a diagnosis and treatment options. How someone in speech pathology can help depends on the age of the child and the severity of the language disorder, not to mention whether any other disabilities and conditions may play a part. (more…)

January 16, 2020 Health

Simple Ways to Avoid Sickness in the Office

Self-care most certainly comes into play when you are trying to stop yourself from succumbing to the “office ‘flu”. You use hand sanitiser, are wary of communal areas, and stay on high alert for the sneezer in your workplace who never seems to cover their mouth. However, there’s something extra that can help reduce the risk of office sickness, and that’s using a “infection control-style” commercial cleaner is better than DIY methods. Read on to learn what those might be, and why they are worthwhile for your workplace. Daily Surface Disinfecting & Cleaning You might think it’s going a little overboard to clean and disinfect surfaces in your workplace every day, but think how many people are in your business? How many people touch the bathroom door, the kitchen benches, and the office phones? Any surfaces in communal areas, and even your own cubicle, should be considered for daily cleaning and disinfecting. A commercial cleaning company can be of assistance by cleaning them with an all-purpose cleaner, followed up with disinfectant spray. (more…)

December 20, 2019 Health

5 Things to Know Before Your Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery is a routine procedure during which a foggy and blurred lens is removed from the affected eye and replaced with an artificial lens. Although cataract surgery is very common, it can still be scary for some. The best thing to do in the face of an unknown and frightening procedure is to get some helpful information. We’re here to give you our top five tips to know before you go in for your cataract surgery. 1. Cataracts Form Naturally With Aging The first thing to realize about cataracts is that they are quite normal. They occur naturally as we age, and most often they are quite harmless. As they start to cause blurring, early treatments can help greatly, such as stronger prescription glasses. It’s only when cataracts start to really interfere with your vision that they become necessary to remove. They aren’t going to become deadly overnight, and most often you’ll know when your cataracts are starting to get worse. You will have plenty of time to plan ahead with your doctor. 2. You May Still Need Glasses After Your Surgery There are a couple of different types of surgeries and two varieties of lenses you can choose for your procedure. Depending on your choice, your long distance vision will improve but not necessarily your short range vision. A monofocal lens will generally restore only your long distance vision, whereas a multifocal lens will restore your reading vision as well. Your choice will depend on several factors, like price point, necessity and what your doctor recommends. Regardless of your decision, it’s important to know that cataract surgery is not a magical fix-all, and its primary function is to restore normal eyesight rather than create perfect vision. 3. Cataract Surgery Is Often Covered by Insurance The type of lens you choose will also determine how much of your surgery is covered by insurance. Monofocal lenses are usually covered by insurance, whereas multifocal lenses typically are not because of the higher expenses associated with them. Similarly, basic cataract surgery is covered by insurance, whereas newer methods of advanced laser eye surgery usually aren’t. Out of pocket expenses for cataract surgery typically range from $1000 to $3000 per eye depending on the exact procedure. Obviously, it can be costly without insurance. Therefore, if pricing is an issue for you, make sure to factor the qualifications for insurance coverage into your planning process. (more…)

September 26, 2019 Health

Why Fish Oil is Something Worth Adding to Your Diet

Many Australians are on the hunt for ways to improve their health and fitness. Eating well, along with regular exercise, is at the top of the list. However, there are also supplements, vitamins, and minerals you can consume to provide unparalleled health benefits too. Fish oil is something that you might not think would factor into your diet, but could have more benefits than you think. Omega 3 fatty acids, which are in fish oil extracted from the tissue of fish, can support your health and can be more rewarding than you might think. Read on to learn why adding this oil to your shopping cart could be a good idea. Heart Health Illnesses relating to heart health are all too prevalent, which is why many people are on the hunt for ways to improve their heart health, or at least maintain it. Fish oil may be the answer. Some studies show that fish oil in a supplement form can reduce your risk of heart disease. It can also lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Talk to your GP to see if fish oil supplements might be right for you. Weight Maintenance Eating well is an excellent way in which to lose weight or maintain healthy body weight, but fish oil can’t hurt the process. If you take a fish oil supplement while consuming a balanced diet and exercising, you may be able to reduce some of those obesity risks. (more…)

September 30, 2018 Beauty Health

Why You Need to Use a Body Exfoliator

Body exfoliation is something that can be beneficial for anyone with any skin type. While traditionally, such body care products as a body exfoliator were for removing dry and dead skin, it can do so much more. What’s more, you don’t even need to have dry skin to reap the rewards. If you’re not yet convinced of the benefits of a body exfoliator product, then read on. You will be more than surprised. Removes Dry Skin Of course, the first and most well-known benefit from a body exfoliator – be it a natural body care product or a synthetic one, is that it can remove dry skin. Every day, your toned body needs to shed a lot of skin, and exfoliation products can help to speed up the process. Unclogs Your Pores Do you find yourself with whiteheads and blackheads more often than not? Then try an exfoliating body product. When you exfoliate your skin, you’re getting rid of dead skin as well as surface debris that builds up during the day. By doing so, you’re unclogging your pores and stopping the formation of whiteheads and blackheads. If you don’t unclog your pores, they build up with all manner of dirt and skin, causing oil production under the skin and the resultant pimples. Reduces Acne By using a natural body care product such as a skin exfoliator, you can reap the rewards of reduced acne or a reduced risk of getting it in the first place. While exfoliators help to unclog your pores and reduce blackheads and whiteheads, it can also help to prevent acne. You can use a skin exfoliator once or twice a week to clean out your pores and reduce your acne risk. (more…)

August 11, 2018 Health

5 Ways Improving Your Dental Health Can Improve Your Overall Wellbeing

It is a well known fact that your oral and dental health is linked to your general well-being. It is very important to make sure that you visit your dentist regularly to make sure that your teeth and gums remain in great condition. However, with this in mind, you may be wondering exactly what sort of benefits a healthy mouth can have with respect to your general health and wellbeing. Luckily for you, we have put together a list of our top five ways that improving your dental health, creating your perfect set of teeth, can improve your overall wellbeing. These include:

Healthy Saliva Will Keep Your Gut Healthy

Your saliva is your bodies first defence against harmful bacteria and viruses within your body. Disease causing organisms can easily enter your mouth, and from there they are able to move down into the heart or lungs - if they aren’t stopped first. Saliva contains antibodies which can destroy pathogenic organisms, including those that cause things like the common cold or HIV infections.

An Unhealthy Mouth Can Cause Digestive Infections

Everything which goes through your mouth eventually ends up in your stomach and digestive system. If you have infections in your teeth, gums or elsewhere in your mouth, they can spread to your stomach and the rest of your digestive system, causing all sorts of problems.

An Unhealthy Mouth Smells!

There is nothing worse than someone with terrible breath. One of the best ways to make sure that you have bad breath, is to make sure that your mouth is unhealthy. While bad breath won’t directly impact your health, it will make it hard for you to have meaningful social interactions and relationships, and it may even make it hard for you to find a job. This can affect your mental health. (more…)

February 18, 2018 Health

Peer Pressure and Drug Abuse: How to Deal with It?

We are social beings, and it is in our nature to fit in with the rest of society. This innate nature of being sociable might be advantageous because it gives us more opportunities to acquire knowledge and increase our network. That is, however, if you use it properly. What if you lost your way and you mixed with a group of people who didn’t seem to care about what’s right or wrong? Would you let yourself be influenced by them? Most probably yes. In fact, statistics state that 55% of teenagers use drugs because of peer pressure and this is another reason for the growth and importance of drug rehab centres. However, that’s not the only reason why the number of drug incidents are increasing. There are also other factors that cause this serious issue — lack of guidance from family and personal problems being the two biggest reasons. Spend time with the right people. Surround yourself with the right people. Before making close friends with someone, make sure that you know who they are, where they're from, and what kind of friends they have. Stay away from them if you think they're into drugs or other vices. (more…)

March 25, 2017 Health

Remove Health Worries with Help from a Financial Planner

Few people know what their future holds with regard to their health. As we age especially, health problems seem to pop up more frequently and this can be a worry. But with help from a financial planner like Andep, you can take a lot of the worry out of the health concerns in your future. The right financial planning will ensure that your family can be taken care of should you not be around to do it. A good financial advisor will lead you through the steps needed to ensure you not only have a Will, but you’ve given Power of Attorney to someone you trust to handle your affairs and administer your estate properly. They will help you plan for the possibility of health problems that can prevent you from making business or any other decisions. Of course, a lawyer can do this too, but they don’t give financial advice; just legal advice. (more…)

January 22, 2017 Food Health

Pros and Cons of Dieting

There have never been so many different diets around and yet we know that many people suffer from being overweight. If the media is to be believed the western world is suffering from the worst plague of all eating disorders - obesity. Most people – women at least – have tried dieting at some time in their lives. Sometimes they achieve their goal to lose weight; sometimes they don’t. The main trouble is the weight usually goes back on once the diet is no longer followed. This must tell us that what people have for their ‘normal’ food is not good for them, causing excessive weight gain that is bad for their health. And yet, even this is not the whole story. In some cases we have the kind of jobs that don’t allow us to have enough exercise to burn off those calories, but still make us too tired to do any kind of exercise after work is done for the day. Or in some cases we are too busy doing other essentials like housework and supervising children to hit the gym or go jogging. This is where dieting comes in. Once that weight starts to become more noticeable we look around for ways to reduce it. But is dieting really the answer? Here are some pros and cons of dieting. Pros

It does in some cases help to get the unhealthy weight off.
It gives us a feeling of control because we are doing something to make us healthier.
We learn more about healthy nutrition as we research which diet to go on.
We become more aware of what we eat.

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November 20, 2016 Health

21 Tips to Stay Healthy in the Heat

Not every country suffers from intense heat and so tourists visiting Australia may not realise that the kind of heat they are likely to encounter in outback areas or during heatwaves during summer can actually kill. This summer has been one of the hottest experienced for several years so it is likely to catch people unawares. Some of the things we do to cool off in summer are no longer safe when the temperature climbs to 36 or 40C. Here are 21 tips to keep you healthy in the hot weather.

Stay out of the sun. Even wearing sunscreen and a hat won’t protect you from the heat that is reflected from pavement.
If you have to work outside, don’t wear shorts as your legs will burn. Wear cotton pants and long sleeves.
Don’t wear synthetic fabrics in the heat, they will make you sweat and lose more fluid.
Keep in air conditioning if possible. Spend the day in the mall or library if you don’t have it at home.
Stay away from the beach. The water may cool you but you’ll get sunburned on all those portions that are not under the water – including your head.
Never sit on the sand, even if you are covered up and under an umbrella. The sand reflects heat and you can get burned or suffer from dehydration.

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May 9, 2016 Health

15 Tips on How to Stay Safe with Heating

Every winter, we hear of homes burning and people getting burned or worse due to a fire in their homes – often caused by leaving a heater on. Experienced electricians such as Electrician Perth Experts can provide sound advice over the media each time the weather turns colder. Yet, people don’t notice it enough or fall asleep before they have time to turn their heater off. The trouble is that nighttime and early morning are the coldest parts of the winter, so that is when heaters are set to high and left on. Here are some tips on staying healthy and warm without being at risk of having the house burn down.

Choosing a safe type of heater with a thermostat is good, as is the kind that won’t roll over.
Teach children safety procedures with heaters, such as not covering the top, leaving paper close, and not sitting too close to them.
Never leave a plug-in heater going overnight. Snuggle into a rug and turn the heater off if you feel sleepy.
Always keep heaters away from drapes, clothes and sofas that could catch fire.
If you have carpet, get your carpet cleaned professionally regularly and keep the heater off long piles that may get too close to the elements.
Toddlers can do anything without realising the harm, so if you have a floor heater in the bathroom, ensure the cord from it is not long enough to allow it to reach the bathtub if picked up and thrown.

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March 17, 2016 Health

10 Reasons to go to the Dentist

According to the gurus at Joondalup City Dental, most people don’t like the idea of going to the dentist because they equate it with pain, or at the very least, discomfort. Another reason could be that they can’t afford it, or prefer to spend their time and money on something more pleasant. However, if you neglect this important area of your health you will certainly pay for it in terms of discomfort later on. Here are 10 reasons you should make regular dental check-ups a regular part of your routine.

You’ll suffer less if you have a tiny decay seen to quickly, than if you wait until it is a really big one that aches badly. The treatment will be easier to undergo and the cost will be less when the decay is only small.
The dentist can correct problems that are not decays, making your teeth a lot stronger so they’ll last longer. For instance, getting teeth straightened will prevent them breaking off as you get older due to pressure they weren’t meant to withstand.
Your health will be better if your teeth are not decayed.
You won’t have to get false teeth with their discomfort.
The dentist will not have to perform extractions if your teeth are healthy. He can often do small corrections that prevent you getting decay, such as filling a deep crevice in a molar that is not yet decayed, but is likely to be soon.

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February 12, 2016 Family Health

The Downsides of Working From Home – and How to Address Them

If you work from home you are very likely to be using your computer a great deal. You could be an business consultant, or perhaps you’re a writer. Working from home has a great many benefits, not least being that you can save on renting an office and travelling and also be there for your family. In fact, having some kind of home business is ideal for many people. However, if you work from home you may have realised there are downsides too. These must be addressed in order to make your business as well as your life, successful. Here are some of them.

It is very easy to put in longer hours at a home business because you don’t need to leave the office at the end of the day. Working can become addictive to the point you neglect your relationships even though you live and work in the same home as your family. You may just want to finish that website or do a little more research into keywords and the next thing you know the children are all in bed and so is your spouse. You need to make a cut-off point for work and stick to it.

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January 22, 2016 Health

Don’t Let Drugs Ruin Your Life

When you first begin to take drugs it is usually as a way to cope with something in your life that is causing emotional pain; something that you don’t know how to handle. The drugs take away the pain and make you feel good for a little while. It might be some time before you realise there is a serious problem and what your friends or parents have been telling you for some time is really true; you are suffering from drug addiction. This is the time to make some major decisions, before it is really too late. It is time to book into a drug rehab to get off those drugs and get your life back. That doesn’t have to mean you have to suffer from the emotional pain that caused you to take drugs in the first place. If you can get to the right facility for drug rehabilitation your treatment will include counselling to find out what it was you were trying to get relief from and you’ll be taught how to deal with it in a different way; one that doesn’t give you an addiction. To that end, your parents or other loved ones may have to undergo counselling with you. That’s good, because it will teach them how to change their ways and stop doing or saying those things that hurt you. Your parents love you, but sometimes they don’t know how to cope with certain behaviours. And sometimes they too, were hurt by their parents in the same way. (more…)

December 10, 2015 Health

What to do After You Kick Drugs

So you've been to drug rehab and successfully kicked the habit. Now you are home again and you may be feeling a bit let down. After all, home is nothing like that wonderful place you just came back from where everyone treated you so nicely. At home, you have to deal with people who may be cranky, drunk or just uncaring. Or even if they love you, maybe they just have too many issues to deal with to show you some of that TLC you crave. If your life looks like it’s going to be a hard drag again, it’s important to do certain things to deal with it, or you risk falling once again into the habit you just got free from. Here are some tips to help you.

If a home is difficult to deal with move out, as scary as it may seem.
If you can’t move out, concentrate on making new friends who are caring, but not part of the drug scene. You can do this by joining a club – painting, photography, cooking, dancing – whatever your interests are.
Go out regularly. Nurture your new friends by suggesting you meet for a coffee, a walk in the park or a movie night, whatever seems good to you.
Eat good food. Many people live on fast food and miss out on the basic nutrition their body needs to remain healthy. Lots of fresh fruit and vegetables give you energy without piling on the weight.
If you love fast food, you don’t have to miss it altogether, just limit it to once a week or fortnight.

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October 9, 2015 Health

How to Reduce Your Pain Pills

It is a well-known fact that laughing triggers release of endorphins – feel good chemicals that help to relieve pain, hence reduces need for pain pills. Some people go without laughter in their life, especially if they have a serious personality. But you can help your friends all have fun and laugh by adding a photo booth to your party or wedding reception. With the addition of this great piece of technology you and your friends will find many ways to dress up and take funny photos and you are sure to end up in fits of laughter while doing it. Not only will you all have a great deal of fun, you will learn that laughing makes you feel really good inside. Those chemicals called endorphins that have been released through laughing will also take away a great deal of pain and so alleviate the need for taking so many pain pills. If anyone is in pain on a daily basis due to things like injury or arthritis, then making sure they get plenty of laughter will help them to reduce the amount of pills they have to take for the pain. The trouble is, when you are in pain you don’t feel like laughing. It is important then to do things that help you forget that pain and make you feel happy enough to laugh. You could –

Watch funny movies or sitcoms on television
Read funny stories
Learn and tell funny jokes
Remember funny things that have happened in your life
Get your friends to tell about the funny things that have happened to them

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May 17, 2015 Health

6 Ways to Find a Good Dentist

According to the dentists at Candlewood Dental Centre, most people really need a dentist at some point in their life, especially if they have never gone to one, or not gone regularly. There will come a time when that aching tooth simply won’t respond to pain-killers and you are losing sleep over it, so you finally take the plunge to see a dentist. So how do you choose? Here are 5 ways to make your search a bit easier.

Ask family or friends – those who have a nice smile - who they recommend and why.
Go online and ask Google. Pay close attention to the websites to see what testimonials are there, what the pricing is and whether they allow you to pay it off. Find out how many people work there. A clinic usually employs several dentists while a practice may only have one or two.
See if there are any customer reviews on places such as Facebook.
Ring them to find out what their customer service is like. If the receptionist is cranky give them a miss. It’s bad enough having a tooth out without having to put up with people who can’t treat you with respect.
Go for a consultation to see for yourself in person. Most dentists are caring people who want to help you and create a good impression. The success of their practice depends on it.
That said, don’t be pressured into having work done that you don’t want or can’t afford. If you have any doubts about what is said, get a second opinion.

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October 15, 2014 Health

How to Choose Wine as a Gift

If you’ve been invited out for dinner at someone’s place, it is good manners to take a gift and people often choose wine. But what if you don’t know the wine preferences of your host or hostess? It is easy enough to buy wine, but it is a little more difficult to choose one you can be relatively sure that your hosts will like. Don’t be tempted by a pretty label One thing you should not do is buy it just because the label is attractive. This is a hit or miss way to choose a wine and in fact, some of the prettiest labels hide wines that are very ordinary at best and quite horrible at worst. This is because the label is made by a marketing specialist in order to attract buyers. Wines with an established reputation tend to have quite plain labels that simply tell the buyer what they need to know; they don’t need to rely on marketing with an attractive label to sell to people who don’t know their wines. Don’t pay more than you need to You may think that the best way to ensure your wine is acceptable is to pay a great deal for it. This is not necessary; many very nice, quality wines are quite inexpensive. One way to find a wine that is popular when you don’t know a lot about them is to ask the sales attendant which wines they sell the most of. These will be the most popular wine and are sure to be acceptable to most people. (more…)

February 21, 2012 Food Health

Child Nutrition Programs: Legislative History Highlights

The legislative history of child nutrition can be traced back to the creation of the National School Lunch Program in 1946. These highlights are a good primer for anyone interested in child nutrition programs.

1946

The National School Lunch Act (NSLA) was signed by President Harry Truman.
Program began as a grant aid to states.
Per meal reimbursement was approximately 9 cents.
Three meal options were included:
- Type A - A complete lunch.
- Type B -“Incomplete” lunch with smaller portions and fewer items.
- Type C - 1/2 pint of milk.
The American School Food Service Association (ASFSA) was founded.

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May 28, 2010 Health

2010 Child Nutrition Reauthorization

Every five years the window of opportunity opens on Capitol Hill as lawmakers and their staff work together to improve, tweak and reauthorize the federal Child Nutrition Programs. During this time a bevy of questions are asked: what works well? What isn’t working? How can we address new needs? For school nutrition professionals and SNA as the voice of school nutrition, Child Nutrition Reauthorization brings with it a special responsibility to answer these questions in order to ensure quality, healthy, safe meals are provided to children every school day. The School Breakfast Program and the National School Lunch Program are permanently authorized. However the other child nutrition programs that affect school nutrition operators must be reauthorized every five years. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), State Administrative Expenses (SAE), the Special Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and other smaller pieces of the complete package of child nutrition programs must be renewed because they have actual expiration dates. The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 expired on September 30, 2009 was extended until September 30, 2010. SNA co-chairs the Child Nutrition Forum along with the Food Research and Action Center. The Forum is a diverse group of organizations that comes together every five years during child nutrition reauthorization to help create legislation that promotes access to healthy food for all children. You will find resources, links and other information on Reauthorization below, continually updated.

May 9, 2010 Health

How a Photo Booth Can Help You Relax

It is important when organising a wedding to not get too caught up in everything that must be done to the extent of having no time to relax. If every spare minute of the day is spent on wedding preparations, you’ll soon start to feel too tired to do anything and this is not a good or healthy state to be in. Because Photo Booths can be connected to wedding packages it can reduce time spent on organising the details of the wedding, so giving you more time to relax, which is good for your health. Not everyone is good at organisation, and working out all the important details of a wedding and reception can be hard work, especially if you are working at a full-time job as well. It’s important to have help so you don’t feel like you are responsible for every single thing. In fact, it’s a good idea to get your fiancée’s help in a lot of the organisation. At the very least, he should be able to organise -

The wedding cars
The suit rentals/purchases
The venue
The DJ
He should also have a say in the catering

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June 26, 2009 Health

The Best Place to Meditate

Meditation is a good way to relax, reduce stress levels, stay healthy restore your sanity, especially if life is treating you poorly or you have a very demanding job. In fact, it’s good to do even if you stay home all day coping with toddlers; every parent who does knows exactly how demanding that job can be. Just because it comes with copious amounts of love doesn’t mean it’s not often difficult, especially during teething when you are up half the night. Where to do it Everyone should give meditation a try; most will find it helps them to relax at least a little bit. Done properly it can have wider benefits. However, you do need a place to do it that is free from distractions and is comfortable. If you are uncomfortable it will intrude into your inner consciousness and prevent you from meditating properly. If you can’t find the right place to meditate, create one! This can be as easy as placing a comfortable chair out on the deck where the fresh air and sunshine will help you feel at peace with the world. You can sit there whenever you’ve a spare moment or three and simply relax, or get into other meditation techniques. Benefits of an outdoor haven Another place to meditate in is an outdoor haven you create for yourself with plenty of alfresco furniture such as a chaise, chairs, tables and whatever else you feel is needed. Maybe some shade cloth or a decorative garden wall to protect you from the prevailing breeze. Having dedicated outdoor furniture will ensure the place is ready when you are and you won’t have to cart heavy chairs outside and back in. (more…)

June 10, 2009 Health

Natural Remedies for Arthritis

Arthritis is a condition that affects many people. It may have eventuated from your choice of career. For instance people that have worked all their lives in jobs like furniture removalists such as Brilliance Removalists Melbourne or a tough job such as carpet steam cleaners done by Brilliance Cleaning where their bodies have been subjected to heavy physical loads are particularly susceptible. One big problem with treatment is that there are many different forms of arthritis and not all respond to the same treatment. Another problem is that the drugs - whether they are prescription or over the counter – have side effects that can be sometimes worse than the disease. Most drugs are anti-inflammatories or painkillers – or sometimes both in one. Long-term use can cause problems such as digestive problems, ulcers, stroke and more. Even if they just make you drowsy, going around in a daze is not living life to the fullest. You may not be able to drive or go out because you tend to lose your balance and are afraid of falling. So what can you do? There are many natural remedies for arthritis. Trying out these different remedies gives you a feeling of control over your life and your body that can even make you feel better. This is known as the placebo effect. That said, sometimes the remedies work well and it is far better to take them than the drugs that can have those awful side effects. The remedies may be herbs, spices, essential oils or even fruit and/or vegetables. Some people change their diet and get a great deal of relief. (more…)

May 1, 2005 Fitness Health

Nutrition Advisory Council

18^th Annual NAC Art Contest Are you looking for ways to encourage your NAC members' creativity and talent? Participate in the 18th Annual NAC Art Contest. This year's theme is "School Meals are a SMART Start to Good Health." State associations are asked to promote, conduct and sponsor a state contest. Each state is to select three winners to be submitted for the national competition: one from grades K-4, one from grades 5-8 and one from grades 9-12. Twelve national winners will be selected from the state entries, four from each category. Each of the twelve finalists will receive $75 from ASFSA. The Grand Prize winner will receive an additional $100 from ASFSA, and the entry will be reproduced on a T-shirt. Encourage your students to illustrate the theme in the most colorful and creative ways possible. Entries are due to states for judging by January 12, 2004. National winners will be announced in March 2004.

Download an application (in Adobe Acrobat format)
Download an application (in Microsoft Word format)

February 4, 2003 Food Health

President Releases FY 2004 Budget, Agriculture Appropriations

President Bush sent his fiscal year 2004 budget to Congress this week, asking for $2.23 trillion dollars in all. Funds for the Department of Agriculture remained close to FY2002 levels, when adjusted for inflation. Half of the Department’s budget supports federal nutrition programs including food stamps and the National School Lunch Program.

The President’s budget narrative includes analysis of the National School Lunch Program, with specific attention to the alleged over-certification of children in the Program. The narrative states,

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June 2, 2002 Health

School Foodservice Directors’ Attitudes and Perceived Challenges to Implementing Food Safety and HACCP Programs

Food safety is an important part of providing school children with acceptable, safe, and nutritious meals. There is evidence that improvements are needed in the area of food safety in schools, and that few schools have implemented Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) programs. The purposes of this study were to determine the attitudes of school foodservice directors toward food safety and the use of HACCP programs in school foodservice and to identify the challenges to implementing food safety and HACCP programs.

A focus group was conducted to generate a list of challenges to implementing food safety and HACCP programs. As a result, a three-part written questionnaire was developed. For Part 1, school foodservice directors' attitudes toward food safety and HACCP programs were determined. For Part 2, the challenges to implementing food safety and HACCP were investigated. For Part 3, demographic information about directors and their districts was collected. Questionnaires were mailed to a randomly selected national sample of 800 district school foodservice directors. A total of 461 questionnaires were returned for a response rate of 58%.

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February 10, 1999 Health

Rediscover School Lunch

When was the last time you had a school lunch? If you answered, "When I was in school, " then it's time for you to make a lunchtime visit to your child's cafeteria. You'll be surprised how much has changed! Today's school cafeterias provide much more variety and nutrition than lunchrooms of old. Here are just a few examples of what today's school nutrition programs offer:

Salad, soup, potato, pizza and deli bars
Ethnic menus featuring Mexican, Italian, Greek and Chinese favorites
"Scramble system," similar to the food courts you find at the local mall
"Offer vs. serve" plans where students may select from several choices in each food group

And today's school cafeterias are much more fun to eat in, too! Many new and renovated school cafeterias are featuring: (more…)