Great Health Guide: November 2016

November 2016

Transition from School to Holidays Fructose:

the New

Booze

Change: forgive & Forget

Find your Dream Team

‘I Survived

3Cancers’ How to

thrive in Marriage

Fighting Fair • Food Intolerance • Motivation to Exercise • Back Pain Treatments

Contents Great health

NUTRITION

Heel Pain: Plantar Fasciitis

Fructose: The New Booze

What is Plantar fasciitis, causes, prevention and treatment .....Margarita Gurevich..................... 6

Good Posture-Healthy Mind

How our minds respond to having a good posture the mental link .....Kusal Goonewardena............... 11

Find Your Dream Team

Fructose can cause liver damage just like alcohol .....Dr Helena Popovic................... 19 Food Intolerance Part 2

The elimination diet, sugars & the low-FODMAP diet, Irritable Bowel Syndrome .....Dr Helen Dodd.......................... 22

FITNESS

How your dream team affects your wellbeing

Motivation to Exercise

.....Megan McGrath........................ 16

.....Kat Millar.................................. 27

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Top seven exercise success tips GHG Disclaimer – please read

Back Pain Treatments

How to Thrive in Marriage

Different treatments to relieve chronic back pain

Some simple tips to help you thrive in a marriage?

.....Michael Dermansky................ 30

.....Dr Matthew Anderson............ 44

MINDSET The Art of Being

Who you are is more important than what you are in life .....Terry Sidford........................... 33

IMPACT Change - Forgive & Forget

Change is one constant in modern life .....Kelly Swingler........................ 50

I Survived Three Cancers

RELATIONSHIPS

A true story of survival and determination to live

Building Your Love Part 2

.....Jodie Guerrero....................... 54

Five more of the top ten tips for building love .....Martin Gladman...................... 37

Fighting Fair

KIDZ MATTERS Transition from School to Holidays

Arguments-out of control, how do you fight fair?

Tips for an easy transition from school to holidays

.....Charmaine Roth...................... 41

.....Deb Hopper............................ 58

GHG Disclaimer – please read

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EDITOR’S NOTE Dear Friends Some wonderful news… Great Health GuideTM is a FINALIST in the International ‘Digital Magazine Awards’ 2016, being held in London later this month.

In the section ‘Editorial Team of-the-year’, GHGTM is the only HEALTH MAGAZINE in the Editorial category, from around the world.

What this means for YOU… 1. We select credible health messages 2. We publish content from Health Specialists 3. Editors are specialists in science & health sectors 4. All articles are factual and credible More exciting things for YOU...

Fresh Food is now available with Hello Fresh offering you easy access to a range of healthy dishes. With the special $25 off for your first two orders, here’s the quick link to your next step to great health.

Interflora Flowers & Christmas hamper are now available through GHGTM magazine. Share your love

today and get organised for Christmas by placing your hamper order conveniently through Great Health GuideTM. Finding expert articles is now quick and easy with the release of The GHG Index, an important resource featuring all articles from GHGTM back issues and published on ISSUU.com. For credible health expert articles, your quick-access is supported by links to each article in all back issues.

Quick, credible info is now ready for you.

This month, more expert articles are presented from some of our favourite authors with a range of topics including, ‘How to Thrive in Marriage’, ‘Fructose: The New Booze’ and ‘Food Intolerance Part 2’.

We hope you will enjoy and benefit from all these new ideas.

Kath (Founder)

TEAM GHG FOUNDER + EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kathryn Dodd DEPUTY EDITORS Dr Helen J. Dodd, Dr William A. Dodd DESIGNERS Olha Blagodir, Jenny Hagglund, Belinda Nelson, Weng Yee Leong, Oleksandra Zuieva

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dr Matthew Anderson, Michael Dermansky, Dr Helen Dodd, Martin Gladman, Kusal Goonewardena, Jodie Guerrero, Margarita Gurevich, Deb Hopper, Megan McGrath, Kat Millar, Dr Helena Popovic, Charmaine Roth, Terry Sidford, Kelly Swingler

ADMINISTRATION Weng Yee Leong, Tiana Tischler CONNECT WITH US:

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Any information made available in the Great Health Guide Magazine (electronic or hard copy formats), or from Antalya Developments Pty Limited or Kathryn Dodd, including by way of third party authored articles or discussions, is made available for readers’ interest only. The purpose of making the information available is to stimulate research, public discussion and debate. Readers are encouraged to undertake their own research and consult with professional advisors to form their own independent views about the topic/s discussed. The information made available in the Great Health Guide Magazine (electronic or hard copy formats) is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Readers should seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions regarding a potential or actual medical condition or the proposed use or decision not to use any particular product. Readers should not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it at any time, including because of the content of any information made available in the Great Health Guide Magazine (electronic or hard copy formats). Each of Antalya Developments Pty Ltd and Kathryn Dodd do not warrant, guarantee or make any representation regarding the accuracy, veracity, adequacy, reliability, completeness or timeliness of any information available on, or arising in relation to, the Great Health Guide Magazine (electronic or hard copy formats). Neither Antalya Developments Pty Limited nor Kathryn Dodd endorses the views of any contributing authors to the Great Health Guide Magazine (electronic or hard copy formats).

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H

EEL PAIN:

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PLANTAR FASCIITIS Words Margarita Gurevich

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

GHG Disclaimer – please read

mouthful but the meaning is quite simple - inflammation of the fascia

(connective tissue) on the underside of the foot, which connects the heel to the toes and acts as a shock absorber. When the tension on this band becomes too strong small tears can form; repetitive tears and stretching can lead to irritation and inflammation of the plantar fascia, causing pain in the foot and heel.

In this article we will review how plantar fasciitis is generally diagnosed as well as what you can do to prevent and treat it. Bear in mind that each case is different and that the information provided in this article is not a substitute for seeing a qualified health professional.

Diagnosis Unlike many other conditions that can be tricky to diagnose, the diagnosis of plantar fasciitis is usually quite straightforward. Several factors in the history and examination are so characteristic that in most cases the diagnosis is not difficult. Pain that is worse on first arising in the morning or after a period of rest is highly suggestive of plantar fasciitis. The pain often improves when we start to walk but may recur after prolonged, continued, or more stressful activity. When severe, the pain may have a throbbing, searing quality. The second highly characteristic feature is the location of the pain, which is usually along the arch of the foot, anywhere between the heel and toes.

Your physiotherapist can perform a few simple tests that are very specific to plantar fasciitis.

These include palpation (feeling) of the arch GHG Disclaimer – please read

..........................................................................................................................................................

P

lantar fasciitis – the term might be a

of the foot, movements of the foot and toes as well as testing the strength of the muscles of the foot. Imaging tests, such as ultrasound, X-Ray etc are generally not required. However, if the symptoms don’t improve with treatment it is important to undergo these tests in order to make sure that the diagnosis is correct and that there is nothing else causing the clinical signs.

Your

physiotherapist

can

perform simple

tests specific

to

plantar fasciitis.

Risk factors There are a number of risk factors that have been shown to be associated with plantar fasciitis. These include the following: • Exercise which places repetitive stress on the plantar fascia, such as dancing (particularly ballet), long distance running and others • Age (40-60 is the most common age for presentation) SUBSCRIBE to GHG | 7

A number of these risk factors are under our

control

a high arch, incorrect pattern of walking and others) • Obesity • Certain occupations which requires the person to spend a lot of time on the feet Relationships have also been proposed, but not established, for other factors, such as acute injury, the presence of a heel spur, the shoe type, the walking surface and others.

From this list it is evident that the risk of developing plantar fasciitis can be significantly reduced if we do the following: • Maintaining a healthy weight • Making sure that if we are involved in sports which stress the plantar fascia, we have the correct technique • Trying to limit the time on our feet. Even if our occupation forces us to be on our 8 | SUBSCRIBE to GHG

.........................................................................................

• Abnormal foot biomechanics (e.g. having

feet a lot it is usually still possible to take breaks and do certain stretches which take the pressure off the plantar fascia, allowing it to recover.

Treatment There are a number of treatment options available for plantar fasciitis and there is a consensus that nonsurgical treatment is effective approximately 90% of the time, which is very reassuring. The most treatment approaches are physiotherapy, night splints and

orthotics.

Physiotherapy

treatment

includes ultrasound treatment and drug phoresis, soft tissue massage and stretching of the plantar fascia as well as strengthening exercises for the small and large muscles of the foot and the lower leg in general.

Ultrasound helps to settle the inflammation, which in turn reduces the pain associated GHG Disclaimer – please read

with plantar fasciitis. Drug phoresis is when ultrasound is coupled with medications such as Voltaren Emulgel, instead of ultrasound gel.

The sound waves drive the medication into the tissues, which results in a double effect

Editor’s

Choice

– that of the ultrasound and the medication.

From our experience this is usually superior to the use of ultrasound alone.

When it comes to strengthening exercises it is important that these include not only the muscles of the foot but of the whole lower leg. To understand why we will look at an example. Let’s say that you have weak muscles of the hips. As a result of this more load will be going through your knees and consequently through the ankle and foot, placing even more strain on the plantar plantar fasciitis the risk of having a flare up in the future will be much greater than if the muscles of the whole lower leg are working well.

Margarita Gurevich is Senior Physiotherapist at

Health

Point

Physiotherapy.

She

completed B.Phty degree at La Trobe University and Diploma of SCENAR Therapy

Every Woman’s Guide to Foot Pain Relief

by Katy Bowman

The New Science of Healthy Feet Foot pain isn’t just pain—it’s a symptom of serious problems that will only get worse if you ignore it.

One in four women is suffering from debilitating foot pain, which can affect the function of other body parts, from knees and hips to the pelvis and spine. But foot pain - and the underlying problems it reveals - can be eliminated.

Find out how a healthy foot works optimally and put yourself on the road to prevention and recovery.

including Real Time ultrasound and McKenzie

• Prevent pain in feet, and lower legs • How to fix your feet & halt the damage • Scientific look at gravity, friction & pressure on joints • Innovative set of exercises to eliminate pain • Shoes to wear & not wear at different stages of your life

treatment. She specialises in Sports Injuries,

Paperback Published 2011

in

Moscow

SCENAR

Centre.

Margarita

extensively uses Clinical Pilates, SCENAR therapy & other evidence-based techniques,

Women’s Health (including incontinence) and gastrointestinal issues.

GHG Disclaimer – please read

RRP $28.99 Now $25.25 Booktopia may vary prices from those published.

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© Depositphotos.com/Soft_light69

fascia. Consequently, even if you treat the

guide

article index ...........................................

Expert Health Articles

> Click here

P

Good

osture – Healthy Mind!

Words Kusal Goonewardena

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

W

posture,

and how it may detract from performance.

we tend to concentrate on the

By contrast the open, upright posture you

physical consequences – bad

see in elite athletes, only partly results from

backs, headaches, pain and so on. But did you

physical fitness; it is also essential in creating

know that research has found your posture

the right mentality to perform.

hen

thinking

about

also influences your mental state?

Elite athletes use posture to get in the zone - power poses.

Observe an athlete’s body language when they are training or at a meet and see how they use strong, positive body language.

Elite athletes are the masters at standing tall and will often adopt ‘power poses’, such as standing with hands on hips (a la Wonder Woman).

Many athletes have

of I

the

elite

work

with

incorporated

You don’t need to be an elite

athlete to benefit from

good

posture.

power poses into their routine – for example,

Several recent studies

in the morning, they

have shown that good

will devote two minutes

posture

to sitting or standing

a

strongly. They recognise

particularly

that to reap the benefits

mind. A San Francisco

from good posture, you

University study found

need to make it a healthy

that adopting a more

habit.

upright body posture

While you may see elite athletes hunched over with exhaustion or pain, you almost never see them adopting negative body language such as slouching or closed-off stances with

can

powerful

have impact,

on

our

can improve mood and energy levels.

The study also found that a slouched or poor body posture can lead to ‘feelings of depression or decreased energy’.

arms folded. This is because they understand

This study linked posture with previous studies

the link between negative body language

on movement, which showed that movement

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Adopting a

more

upright

body

posture can improve mood & energy levels. that increase happiness and energy’. These same feelings can be accessed when people adopt more open, upright postures.

Social psychologist Amy Cuddy, a professor and researcher at Harvard Business School, takes it one step further. Her research has showed that just adopting high power or low power poses for a period of two minutes has a measured hormonal effect.

Ms Cuddy’s research found that high power poses – good, strong posture – leads to higher testosterone, which is linked with higher confidence levels. High power poses also lower the ‘stress hormone’, cortisol. Only two minutes is enough to make you feel more assertive and confident.

The opposite is also true: adopting low power posture leads to lower testosterone levels and higher cortisol. Correcting poor posture is among the most important things anybody can do.

GHG Disclaimer – please read

............................................................................................

and exercise ‘open up biological pathways

Good, strong

posture

leads

to

higher

testosterone & lower cortisol.

Both of these studies are big on the ‘fake it till you make it’ principle, showing you can essentially trick your mind into benefiting from the good posture vibes just by adopting a more open and upright stance.

There are other obvious physical benefits from good posture: • E.g.

Good

posture

is

linked

with

better breathing, which enables better concentration. The brain needs about 20% of our oxygen supply and some experts estimate posture makes up to a 30% difference in our breathing capacity.

• Good posture is also good for backs. I see people every day who suffer physical problems owing to their posture – at least 85% of injuries can be related to incorrect posture. Sitting posture has become the SUBSCRIBE to GHG | 13

live more sedentary lifestyles.

The importance of making good posture a habit: • It’s possible to correct posture through repetition by using cues to ‘grow tall’. For example, you may remind yourself to grow tall every time you check your phone and your emails or you may partner up with a buddy so you can help each other. Before you know it, you have accumulated enough repetitions to make good posture a habit with long-lasting positive health effects.

• If you wish to take it one step further, consider adopting the power poses, as discussed above. Just two minutes a day in a power pose – e.g. the Wonder Woman pose, standing open and upright, with hands on

................................................................................

most important to address as so many of us

hips. The best time to adopt the power pose is early morning if possible.

In summary: • Recent studies show that good posture promotes mental well-being • Adopting simple power poses can have a greater impact than you think • The key is making healthy posture habitual

Kusal

Goonewardena

an

experienced

physiotherapist who consults via his clinic, Elite Akademy. Kusal has authored books including: Low Back Pain - 30 Days to Pain Free; 3 Minute Workouts; and co-authored Natural Healing: Quiet and Calm.

Kusal is a lecturer, author, consultant and mentor

to

thousands

of

physiotherapy

students around the world.

Editor’s choice The Happiness Track

by Dr Emma Seppala

Everyone wants to be happy and successful. And yet the pursuit of both has never been more elusive. As work and personal demands rise, we try to keep up by juggling everything better, moving faster, and doing more. While we might succeed in the short term, it comes at a cost to our well-being, relationships and our productivity. Happiness is the key to fast tracking our professional and personal success

• The latest findings in cognitive psychology • Neuroscience-research on happiness • Understand resilience, compassion, creativity & mindfulness • Finding happiness & fulfillment increases our productivity

Hardcover Published 2016

RRP $55.99 Now $41.25 Booktopia may vary prices from those published.

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© Depositphotos.com/Soft_light69

Apply the Science of Happiness to Accelerate Your Success:

“Body language is a very powerful

tool…80%

of what you understand in a conversation is read through the body, not the words”

- Deborah Bull

Find Your

Dream Team Words Megan McGrath

network. Our lives are made all the better by having people to help us

out when we need it. When we decide and are committed to change, it is vital to have the right people around us to encourage, support and celebrate our success. This is what I like to call a ‘Dream Team’ – they are people who genuinely care and want the best for us. These people want to see us achieve our goals and fulfil our potential.

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.............................................

A

ll of us need a good support

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

Whilst some people lift, nurture and encourage us, others can have the opposite effect.

These are the people who might shoot down your idea, lead you astray or are just plain unsupportive. They are the people that want you to keep drinking with them, putting on weight with them; they might want you to continue smoking with them. They will sabotage your efforts because it is uncomfortable for them to see you step up. For you to succeed shines a light on their own insecurities.

GHG Disclaimer – please read

Our wellbeing is certainly influenced by those around us so it is important for us to surround ourselves with a team of people that cultivate healthy and positive behaviour. If we can keep this in mind we can have greater insights into the quality of our interactions and their energetic effect on us. We need to choose our team carefully – as they will help us strive or wilt.

I encourage all my clients to choose a ‘Dream Team’. In my experience they are crucial in supporting a person achieve positive and lasting change. Our team inspire us to be a better person, can provide us with motivation to achieve our goals, empower us to make changes, hold us accountable and are happy for our success.

Who Makes Up a Dream Team?

Positive people that enrich our lives. They might be:

..............................................................................

Our ‘Team’ Effects our Wellbeing

needs unless you are specific. Our journey to wellness can be made so much better by having people to be strong when we are weak and offer perspective when we feel lost.

I would challenge you to have the courage to ask for support, to acknowledge that we are stronger when we to lean in. Surround yourself with people who are going to cultivate this new, healthy, positive change you want.

Megan McGrath has a Health Science degree,

These people see the potential in you, even when you are having trouble yourself.

How to Engage Your Team Tell people that they are part of your team, allow yourself to be vulnerable, share your dreams, goals and desires. In many cases it might be

empowering

women

accredited

towards

achieving

healthy, balanced and fulfilling lives. She is the Founder of Chasing Sunrise – a Health and Wellness consultancy.

Editor’s

Choice

Change the Things You Can

by Mike Martin

Dealing with Difficult People in Your Life: • especially at work.

• help you stay calm, serene & sane • with proven strategies & techniques • improve communication skills Find your own path to serenity.

helpful to tell your team what support you need.

Paperback

Don’t expect them to necessarily know your

Now $28.55

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professional

Megan is passionate about supporting and

• friends

• mentor/coach

a

Wellness Coach and certified Fitness Trainer.

• family members

• co workers

is

Published 2011

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NUTRITION

F

ructose: the New Booze

GHG Disclaimer – please read

Words Dr Helena Popovic

Design Oleksandra Zuieva SUBSCRIBE to GHG | 19

M

any people have heard that fructose is worse for the body than glucose because fructose can cause liver

damage similar to that caused by alcohol.

Yes, glucose and fructose are metabolised differently by the body. However, too much of either of these sugars causes visceral fat deposition via different mechanisms. This is not the place for a complex biochemistry lesson so I apologise in advance for oversimplifying the case.

In short, glucose (but not fructose) stimulates the release of insulin, which is a protein that allows glucose to be absorbed from the blood into liver, muscle and fat cells. The glucose is then converted to glycogen (in muscle and liver) and triglycerides (in fat and liver).

When blood glucose levels (from a diet too rich in added sugar and refined carbohydrates) are consistently high, the pancreas needs to produce increasing amounts of insulin. This

Glucose & fructose are

metabolised

a multitude of other illnesses including heart

differently by the body.

disease, kidney failure, limb amputation and

However, fructose arriving from soft drinks,

dementia. Diabetes can shorten lifespan by

fruit juices and processed foods is absorbed

more than 10 years.

far too quickly and in too large amounts for

can lead to insulin resistance where the organs no longer respond to insulin and eventually results in diabetes. Diabetes is a risk factor for

Fructose on the other hand is only metabolised by the liver, not by muscle or any other organ.

This means the liver gets overwhelmed when faced with a constant influx of fructose. Once

the liver to metabolise without negative consequences. These negative consequences include gout, high blood pressure, widespread inflammation and visceral fat deposition.

again I’d like to reiterate that fructose in whole

The way the body handles fructose is

fruits and vegetables does not pose a problem

very similar to the way the body handles

because the fibre in natural foods controls the

alcohol. Alcohol sets off the same chemical

rate at which fructose arrives at the liver and

reactions causing fatty liver and widespread

makes it manageable.

inflammation.

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NeuroSlimming

The body handles fructose & alcohol in a similar way.

by Dr Helena Popovic

If alcohol consumption goes unchecked, the result is alcoholic liver disease. If fructose consumption goes unchecked, the result is also alcoholic liver disease! Only it isn’t due to alcohol but due to fructose.

The hidden danger with fructose is that it doesn’t cause a person to fall down drunk or go to sleep - there are no immediate visible signals of fructose overload – so a person can consume more soft drinks than bottles of whisky.

This is why children are starting to develop unheard until about a decade ago.

• • • •

The first step in weaning ourselves off

It’s not what you eat, it’s why and how.

excessive sugar is to change our perspective

Paperback Published 2015

liver failure. Liver failure in children was

Sets you free from dieting A Mind Plan not a meal plan Let your brain change your body The missing piece in weight loss

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on what constitutes a ‘treat’ or ‘reward’.

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As long as you continue to label sugar-laden

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foods as a ‘treat’ you will feel deprived if you don’t have them. You will feel that you are not to rot your teeth, brain and liver. Suddenly sugar doesn’t sound like such a treat.

So my conclusion is the same as in my previous article in GHGTM on The Sugar Series. Eat whole foods as often as you can.

Eat processed foods as little as possible. If you do eat processed foods, calculate their sugar content and aim for the WHO target of less than four (for children), six (for women) and nine (for men) teaspoons per day. If you stay under your sugar limit, you won’t be consuming too much of either glucose GHG Disclaimer – please read

.......................................................

‘missing out’ or ‘resisting’ rather than choosing

or fructose because their combined total is E-BOOK

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covered under ‘sugars’ in the nutrition panel of packaged foods.

Dr Helena Popovic is a medical doctor, a leading authority on how to improve brain function, international speaker and best-selling author. She runs weight management retreats based on living, not dieting, and is the author of the award-winning book ‘NeuroSlimming – let your brain change your body’. For more information, refer to Helena’s website

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Part 2

ood Fintolerance Words Dr. Helen Dodd

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

Food

Intolerance is

GuideTM, Food Intolerance Part 1

described the difference between

Food Allergy and Food Intolerance. Many people suffer from food intolerance after eating certain foods. These symptoms can be similar but are more moderate than with a food allergy.

Food intolerance is harder to diagnose as there is no specific test for this condition.

....................................

In

the previous issue of Great Health

treatable.

Food intolerance is the most common cause of undiagnosed Gastrointestinal (GI) tract problems.

Many factors cause intolerance to foods that were previously well absorbed. Cells along the lining of the bowels are altered, damaged and destroyed by various infections and medications.

Alteration in the gut flora, from infections, use of antibiotics, stress and age are some other factors in food intolerance. Lactose intolerance is the

the Hydrogen Breath Test.

Food Intolerance is a hypersensitivity to certain foods and there are no specific tests for this condition. Symptoms include diarrhoea, constipation, flatulence, bloating of stomach and bowels, nausea, vomiting, reflux (GERD), fatigue, dizziness, rashes, brain fog to list a few. Thus the simplest way to deal with food intolerance is to use an Elimination Diet.

If food intolerance is left undiagnosed and untreated, it can become chronic Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Food Intolerance is diagnosed using an Elimination Diet, with Two Phases: During the initial Exclusion Phase, many known intolerant foods are excluded from the diet. It is necessary to keep an accurate and detailed diary of all foods consumed, when they were eaten and the time if symptoms occur. It is then possible to determine a pattern of which foods may be causing the problem. A pattern is sometimes difficult to see as symptoms may not appear for 24 hours. The GI tract should become less sensitive after 2-3 weeks of the exclusion phase.

The Reintroduction Phase is where a single food is introduced into the diet for 3-4 days and symptoms are noted in the diary. Since the symptoms may take up to

.....................................................................................................................................

only food intolerance that can be diagnosed with

48 hours to appear after the problem food is ingested, 3-4 days testing of a single food is necessary. If upon reintroducing the suspected food, the symptoms return, then this is a reliable diagnosis of intolerance to that food. If asymptomatic, a second food is reintroduced and checked in the same manner. This is repeated with other excluded foods being slowly added and presence or absence of symptoms noted. A very simple description of an Elimination Diet with a suggested choice of foods to eliminate is found here.

IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS): This is a common disorder of the GI tract.

The underlying cause is not known but certain factors are related to the condition.

This hypersensitive bowel may be triggered after a severe bout of gastroenteritis or the prolonged use of strong antibiotics.

Symptoms do vary but in general IBS has symptoms of abdominal pain, excessive wind, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, heartburn, nausea and sometimes vomiting. With IBS, microflora that normally inhabit the bowel are altered with an overgrowth of bacteria or a new bacterial species becoming dominant.

Foods that are not tolerated with IBS include chocolate, alcohol, fatty foods, dairy products & sugars.

Exclusion Phase, one food or several foods will be removed over time.

In the

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Overconsumption of

sugars

may result in change in

microflora A detailed Elimination Diet for IBS, was pioneered by Dr Sue Shepherd, an Australian dietician. This diet is called The Low-FODMAP diet, and lists in detail, foods containing sugars and related compounds that will cause IBS. Sugar such as lactose: ‘milk sugar’ is one of the main triggers for IBS. It comprises two simple sugars, glucose & galactose.

Intolerance to lactose is due to the lack of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose into the two simple sugars. Lactose intolerance can be readily diagnosed by replacing regular milk with lactose free milk. Thus milk, yoghurt, cream, ice cream and deserts made with regular milk, will cause IBS. Butter and older, matured cheese do not contain lactose, so can be included in a lactose-free diet.

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...........................................................................

SUGARS are major problems in IBS.

leading to IBS.

Other

sugars,

with

the

acronym

FODMAP: Fermentable, Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides,

Monosaccharaides

And

Polyols, are not absorbed in the small intestine.

They pass into the large intestine where bacteria use them as a food source, causing IBS symptoms. These natural sugars are present in freshly grown fruits & vegetables, nuts, grains and natural sweeteners such as honey and maple syrup. These foods with high quantities of FODMAP sugars are listed in FODMAPs. Many other sweeteners added to processed foods trigger IBS, including High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), sorbitol and mannitol.

The Low-FODMAP Diet, using Elimination and Reintroduction Phases, will identify the problem foods and their related sugars. The GHG Disclaimer – please read

and any problem foods are totally removed from diet.

Avoid FODMAP’s: • Prepare you own food, then you know exactly what is in it.

• Do not purchase processed or prepackaged food as all the ingredients may not be listed or if listed, under a different name or a coded number.

• The ingredients in the processed food may not specify the word ‘sugar’ and there are many ways to hide the fact that certain sugars are present.

Always seek advice from your GP rather than attempting to diagnose or treat these

......................................................................

diet plan is followed over these two phases

problems yourself. It is very important that your doctor take numerous tests initially to exclude other possible conditions. It is important that a GP or dietician manage an elimination diet to balance nutritional requirements.

Food intolerance is treatable. Many people have symptoms for years and only when symptoms

become

a

chronic

digestive

disorder, are food intolerance and IBS recognised. By eliminating the offending foods, life becomes so much more pleasant.

Helen Dodd BSc. BPharm. PhD, is a retired pharmacist, continuing to provide information and education on nutrition and diseases that affect modern society. Contact Helen by email.

Editor’s choice The 2-STEP LOW-FODMAP EATING PLAN

by Dr Sue Shepherd

How to Build a Custom Diet That Relieves the Symptoms of IBS, Lactose Intolerance & Gluten Sensitivity.

The Low-FODMAP plan can: Identify foods high in FODMAPs Discover what foods you can enjoy Eliminate & avoid problem foods Plan a sustainable low-FODMAP diet Help with over 80 recipes full of flavor

This is the most effective dietary treatment worldwide for IBS and other conditions including lactose, fructose & gluten intolerances.

Paperback Published 2016

RRP $39.95 Now $27.95 GHG Disclaimer – please read

Booktopia may vary prices fromto those published.

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• • • • •

FITNESS

7 top

motivational

exercise success

tips.

Motivation to

Exercise Words Kat Millar

GHG Disclaimer – please read

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

SUBSCRIBE to GHG | 27

W

hen it comes to sticking to

you to push yourself can be very beneficial.

exercise and making it more fun

However, many people compare their journey to

and enjoyable, I have some really

others. To keep from burning out, decide to go

cool tips that can help make exercise easier

at your own pace. I remember a time when I was

to stick to. Throughout my time in the fitness

out running and a guy ran past me and I thought,

industry since 2003, I’ve come to realise that

‘I’m going too slow’. I started running to try and

there are certain things that successful people

catch up and next thing I found myself slowing to

do when it comes to exercise. These things help

a walk because I ran too fast to keep up and over

keep them on track, motivated and consistently

did it. I was annoyed. I had to slow to a walk. It was

inspired to keep exercise as a lifestyle habit.

a good lesson for me to go at my own pace!

1. Keep it Enjoyable, Manageable and Simple: If you want to be someone who exercises for life, I believe that the more enjoyable, simple and manageable you make your exercise routine, the more likely you will be motivated to do it.

If your exercise is too complicated, hard or boring, you will find a host of reasons not to do it – and then you’ll feel bad about it. Finding enjoyable exercise and looking forward to it can be a total game-changer for people. It doesn’t mean you will feel like doing it every single time, or that there won’t be days when you struggle to get motivated to do it. But it will mean you are more likely to keep it up regularly.

Ask yourself what you really love. Is it dancing,

3. Follow a Personalised Program: Your body is unique and unlike that of any other person. It’s important to make sure you are personalising your program to suit your individual preferences, needs, body-type, personality, goals, history, strengths and weaknesses.

4. Enlist Positive Support: Ideally, enlist the help of a training buddy or Exercise Professional to help you in your fitness journey. Whether you want to get fitter, stronger, leaner, more toned, have more energy or all of the above, having accountability, cheerleaders, positive support and help, can make the world of difference.

boxing, classes? If you can’t think of anything,

5. Cover all bases - Resistance, Cardio,

it may be time to simply try some new things

Flexibility and Mobility:

and choose your favourite. Be careful not to overcomplicate it. Don’t try to make five or ten changes at once or set yourself targets that are complex or unattainable. This week, just pick one thing to focus on and do it well.

Regardless of your goal, I recommend that you cover all 4 of these aspects in your program.

If your program doesn’t cover all 4 of these areas, research what you need to do. Getting professional help can help reduce poor

2. Go at Your Own Pace:

technique, injuries and over or under developing

Going at your own pace is all about your own

certain muscles to the detriment of others. It can

personal bests. Healthy competition that inspires

also help you get the most out of your time.

28 | SUBSCRIBE to GHG

GHG Disclaimer – please read

you are likely to get bored or feel like you’re not having fun.

Pick any of these 7 success principles that you feel will help you the most and choose a simple next step to start taking action today.

Your body is too important not to take the time to create a simple, enjoyable and manageable movement plan.

Kat Millar owns Get Results Training, dedicated to helping people transform their health, mind & body. Since 2003, Kat

Daily movement is best; our bodies are designed to move. This, however, doesn’t mean going hell-for-leather each and every day. Make sure you vary the intensity and type of training to give your body a change.

If you want to save time in your resistance training, use exercises that target large muscle mass to get more bang for your buck.

For example, multi-joint, compound exercises such as squats, lunges, push ups and rows.

Always allow sufficient rest and recovery. For example, HIIT one day, weights the next then yoga or a walk or swim the next.

7. Create an Empowering Environment: If you’re not reached your goal yet or are struggling to get motivated, check your environment. How motivating is the physical location where you exercise? Is it a place you enjoy going to? An empowering environment also includes people. If you’re the kind of person who likes exercising with others, are you in a group training environment? If not, GHG Disclaimer – please read

..................................

6. Regular Movement:

has helped thousands of people achieve their goals. She’s a coach, speaker, awardwinning figure competitor, fitness lecturer & NLP practitioner. Her passion helps people achieve life-changing results & fulfillment, with a range of programs for holistic health & body transformation. Contact via Kat’s

website or Facebook

Editor’s

Choice

Get Off Your Ass and Run!

by Ruth Field

A Tough-Love Running Program.

Losing the Excuses & Weight to: • Locate your long lost energy • Follow a simple beginner’s program • Fuel your running with the right foods Paperback Published 2013

RRP $29.99 Now $22.75 Booktopia may vary prices from SUBSCRIBE to those GHGpublished. | 29 Postage $6.95 per order AUST/NZ

ack pain B Treatments Words Michael Dermansky

should I get it manipulated, get a massage or start a Pilates program to

work on my ‘core’? With conflicting messages from doctors, the media and other health professionals, it can be difficult to know what is the best approach to take for chronic back pain.

The answer is that it depends on the cause and chronic nature of the pain. Please note that the suggestions made in this article, should only be undertaken after complete diagnosis of the condition by a GP. Your GP will be able to recommend and monitor appropriate treatments by health professionals.

30 | SUBSCRIBE to GHG

..........................................................

If

I have had back pain for a while,

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

1) Hands-on treatments, in the short term only – The usual ‘hands-on’ treatment such as mobilisation and manipulation used by health professionals are effective in reducing some pain and improving the ability to move in the short term. This means that combined with specific core stability strengthening, these treatments are great in helping pain relief in the short term, but are not enough to reduce pain in the long term.

Unfortunately, other treatments such as massage, electrical stimulation (TENS) and laser have no long term effect on chronic lower back pain.

GHG Disclaimer – please read

back pain, – In general, scientific evidence shows that exercise following back pain can work both as treatment to reduce pain and to improve pain in the long term. Studies into exercise following back pain have shown that in the long term 80% of the patients considered themselves recovered after exercise therapy, compared to only 47% who followed the usual recommendation of pain relief medication, rest and just getting on with it.

3) Specific exercise for core stability is better – The multifidus muscle is a series of muscles that are attached to the spinal column. There are many studies that have shown that core stabilising muscles, in particular the multifidus muscle, is reduced in size particularly at the site and the side of a particular back injury. This is

..............................................................................

2) Exercise in general can reduce lower

and general everyday function had improved.

Both flexibility and balance improved after a consistent 6-week program.

Back pain can be managed. Your GP can advise, as different treatments are required in the short term and the long term. In the early stages, treatment from a health professional is important. However, in the long term, this may not be enough and specific exercises to strengthen the stabilising muscles of the back are necessary to give you the best results.

Michael Dermansky is a Senior Physiotherapist and Managing Director of MD Health Pilates, with 17 years’ experience of treating clients from all walks of life, from 6 year children all the way to the age of 92. He can be contacted through his website.

commonly seen and easily evaluated on lumbar MRI scans and on ultrasound. The good news is that specific core stability training for both the transversus abdominis and multifidus muscles, can improve the size of these muscles and reduce back pain by 50%. In fact, improving your core stability will reduce back pain in the long term by 75%, while medication and rest

Editor’s

Choice

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Say Goodbye to Back Pain!

alone achieves only 25% relief.

by Dr Julie Silver

stability training? - The principles of Pilates are still very effective in training the core

Terrific tips for:

and multifidus, to manage lower back pain,

• Flare-ups • Chronic back pain • Improving mobility • Practical medical information

especially if they are specific and targeted.

Paperback Published 2013

stabilisers,

both

transversus

abdominus

In a scientific study into Pilates, focussing on the core stabilisers, back pain was reduced GHG Disclaimer – please read

Now $14.60 Booktopia may vary prices from those published.

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4) What is the place of Pilates in core

How to Handle Flare-Ups, Injuries & Everyday Back Health

mindset

being

The Art of Words Terry Sidford

used

regularly,

but

chances

are we don’t really know or

think about what it means for ourselves. The definition of ‘being’ is: ‘Have life, have being, exist, live, be alive.’

The art of being is expressing your state of being, your essence, who you have been your whole life. This is the ‘Being’ who feels deeply, who laughs, who cries, who smiles, who gets GHG Disclaimer – please read

.........................................

W

e’ve all heard the word ‘being’

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

fired up about life and the things you love in life.

But how much time do we actually spend ‘being’ in the present and not thinking about the past or future? In shedding some light on this subject, I hope to point out a state that could reveal a better way to express who you are.

If we take time to ‘BE’ in present time and see, feel, listen to our thoughts and feel our hearts, we would have a sense of who we are being in that moment. However, for most of us, very SUBSCRIBE to GHG | 33

How much time do we actually spend ‘being’ in the present?

We have a choice every moment of our lives about who we choose to ‘Be’. Wouldn’t it be a lot better to be who we are instead of who we think we should be or who someone else thinks we should be?

I used to have a license plate that said, ‘Just Be’ and people would often ask me, ‘Just be what?’

With a smile I would think to myself, ‘This cannot be expressed, but experienced.’ I truly believe that who you are being is much more powerful than what you are doing in life. For instance, how many times have you heard people say that they are doing all the right things, but the results are not what they want or reflect who they are? They might want to start looking at who they are ‘being’ first.

The impact you can make on your life and others is in proportion to who you are ‘being’.

You could have the so-called perfect career, family and life, but not being yourself will result in consequences that are not in alignment with your true self and best life. I have experienced some examples while coaching clients.

One client in particular was very unhappy with her job. She felt that everyone was unhappy with their jobs and only complained. This did not make for a happy environment. She felt 34 | SUBSCRIBE to GHG

.........................................................................................................................

little of our time is spent in this present state.

that her only choice was to find a new job.

However, finances were an issue and did not allow her the luxury of quitting until she found another job. Together, we implemented a plan that allowed her to start living and being happy regardless of what was happening around her.

We talked about who she was ‘being’ when she was her best self. She decorated her office with items to remind her who she wanted to ‘BE.’ Among them were a picture of a sun, a beautiful plant and quotes that touched her soul. A few weeks passed and she reported that she was feeling happy and fulfilled again.

Not only was she happier, but also she noted that other employees were happier as well.

They commented on her new state of ‘being’ and how that made a difference in their job.

Take time to look at who you are ‘being’ in your life and if the results are not what you want, perhaps you, too, should make a change from the inside out. Here are some suggestions to help you get started: 1. Set a reminder on your phone at least five times during the day, to actually put down the phone (or step away from the computer screen) for a moment and look to see what is around you. Breathe slower and deeper than normal; notice how your body is feeling.

GHG Disclaimer – please read

are being

is much more

powerful than what you are doing in life

2. Try on different ways of ‘being’ around others. Notice how you feel and when you feel more yourself.

3. Notice how people react around you, then make a mental note if these are reactions you want.

....................................................................................

Who you

4. Remember a time when you felt your best and how you were feeling and acting.

How did others react to you? If reactions were positive, try to recreate those previous actions and see if you can get similar results.

5. Create an environment that reminds you of who you want to ‘BE’. This could be as simple as posting a picture of yourself at your best, a piece of jewelry, or as elaborate as redecorating your room, home or office. My client painted the door from her garage to her home yellow to remind her to shine her light.

Terry Sidford has been a certified life coach in the United States for the past 15 years and has assisted scores of people in achieving their dreams, which she believes is her own life’s purpose. More information is available from her website.

Editor’s choice The Power of the Heart

by Baptist De Pape

Finding Your True Purpose In Life: about the power of the heart lessons that reveal your hidden talents qualities to bring out the best in yourself the heart is an inexhaustible source of love this love surpasses that of the mind

Baptist De Pape travelled the world interviewing 18 spiritual teachers on a journey to discover the power of the heart as an inexhaustible source of love, wisdom, and intelligence that far surpasses that of the mind.

Discover an original & authentic power that is buried inside you, like a hidden treasure. It is time to take the key & open the treasure chest inside & discover the power of the heart.

Hardcover Published 2014

RRP $29.99 Now $23.25 Booktopia may vary prices from those published.

Postage $6.95 per order AUST/NZ

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• • • • •

Relationships

Love

Part 2

Building Your Words Martin Gladman

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Design Oleksandra Zuieva SUBSCRIBE to GHG | 37

published the first half of our Top Ten Tips for Building Your Love,

designed to support you to build and enjoy your love. In this edition, we wrap up the series with the final five; we trust you have been enjoying connecting to your own love over the last month.

The ways in which we can develop and build our love is endless, but at the heart of it, it requires us to lovingly commit to it every day, assuring that every step of the way holds us in the truth of who we are. This supports us to let go of any lies we might have bought into; the type of lies that say we’re not worth it, we don’t deserve it or that for some reason, love is just not possible for us. All bullock.

The final 5 tips have been put together

................................................................................

IN

the October issue of GHGTM, we

6. Allow yourself to be loved.

Many of us struggle to genuinely love ourselves, let alone let someone else truly love and see who we are – yet we so deeply pine for other people to love and adore us! The best remedy for this is to start to take the time to love ourselves through building self-appreciation into our day, to not judge ourselves against ideas or images of how we should or shouldn’t be, just simply appreciate, choose love and let things unfold without attachment. Then, when someone comes along and sees all of who we are, it won’t be a shock or something we ‘need’; it will be a confirmation of what we already know and what we have already built.

7. Don’t restrict it to just one person, group or thing.

Love is not something that can be channelled

to support you to further

or bound to one person

build and get to know the

or thing. Love has no

quality of your own love.

boundaries or entry rights, it doesn’t hold one less or more than another, it simply loves and adores,

Love is

equally. So what happens

that we can

Essentially, we cut ourselves

something choose and

build on.

38 | SUBSCRIBE to GHG

then when we choose to restrict our love to only one or a small group of people? off from the enormity of our love, restricting and making ourselves small.

Now this is not a plea for polygamy! Opening our hearts to all, does not mean we share our bodies with them, it just means we love them GHG Disclaimer – please read

Love

has no boundaries or entry rights.

of. So connect to the things that you love in people, appreciate their quirks, including your own. Don’t restrict your love, let it be felt and seen by all.

8. Don’t get caught up in emotions.

True love is not a rollercoaster, it is steady, stable and strong. Love is forever holding and appreciating of who and what we are, it’s not an emotional turmoil. Many of us get caught up thinking that love needs to be this really big drama, so much so, that when we get offered the real thing, we struggle to accept it and let it in fully. Love is filled with joy, stillness, harmony and truth, all very beautiful and fulfilling things; it’s not filled with heart ache, pain, longing and guilt. Allow yourself to find joy in the mundane and watch how love steadily flows throughout each and GHG Disclaimer – please read

...................................................................................

for who they are and what they are capable

every part of your life, not just in spurts, every now and then.

9. Make it a priority.

How many of us prioritise everything else other than being loving? We might prioritise watching a movie over going to bed despite our body telling us it’s time to rest; we might prioritise our children’s needs over our own or working that extra hour overtime when we could be out walking or connecting with friends or family. Building our love can start by simply choosing a quality of gentleness and respect and bringing it to all that we do, from the moment we wake to the moment we sleep – which includes washing our clothes and going to work because all these things support us! It’s very loving to do the chores.

Make love your priority and watch how your love comes back to you.

SUBSCRIBE to GHG | 39

10. Be love, don’t wait for it to come to you.

And lastly, tip number ten, be love. Live the love you are and the love you want to see in the world and make it unconditional, don’t wait for others to bring it to you, take the lead!

Many of us wait for others to lead the way but this ultimately only leaves a world of people waiting, somebody has to step out and make the change, so why not let that be you?

Let your

love lead

the way.

And that rounds up our Top Ten Tips for Building Your Love. If you missed the first round, go back to the previous edition of GHGTM and check it out. At any time, we can start to build our love, so if you fall off the bandwagon, there’s no need to worry, just get back on! Choose your love in every moment and then watch it build overtime.

Martin Gladman is a counsellor, teacher, life coach working out of Melbourne. Victoria.

Martin has had the pleasure of supporting people of all ages, backgrounds and genders to work through the many challenges which can prevent them from living truly joyful and vital lives. Martin can be contacted through his website.

40 | SUBSCRIBE to GHG

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Fighting

Fair: Research shows that 69% of those arguments are perpetual. We have all

had them - the finances, the in-laws, too much time spent at work, too much time spent on sport, not enough help around the house, not enough sex, not enough attention and the list GHG Disclaimer – please read

.............................

E

veryone who is in a relationship argues.

Managing conflict Words Charmaine Roth

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

goes on. So if conflict is a healthy part of every relationship, why do so many people avoid it?

We each have our own ways to manage conflict. Some of us are competitive, needing to win at all costs, others accommodate, putting the needs of other first so as to ‘keep the peace’ and some people avoid conflict SUBSCRIBE to GHG | 41

“The aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory but progress” – Joseph Joubert. argument that the damage is done.

Marital expert John Gottman has identified four behaviors that if repeated constantly can be fatal to a relationship. These behaviours are: 1. Criticism: ‘You always…’, ‘you never’, ‘why do you…’ This behavior attacks your partner with the intent of making someone right and someone wrong.

2. Contempt: Insults, name calling, eyerolling, sarcasm, hostile humour, mockery, sneering. This behaviour attacks your partner’s sense of self, with the intent to shut the other down.

3. Defensiveness: Warding off a perceived attack by making excuses, meeting a complaint with a cross complaint, ‘yesbutting…’, blaming, constant repetition which becomes whining. This is done with the intent to shut the other down yet it invites contempt and criticisms well as stonewalling.

4. Stonewalling: Withdrawing as a way to avoid conflict - silence, monosyllabic conversations, leaving the room without explanation and changing the subject.

Nothing ever gets resolved.

42 | SUBSCRIBE to GHG

.........................................................................................................................

all together. It is how we behave during an

If you can identify your conflict style and behaviours, then you can begin to replace them with behaviors that encourage ‘fair fighting’, therefore enhancing the relationship rather than harming it. You might not get the desired outcome yet you might understand your partner more and find collaborative ways to solve problems.

So how do we have a fair fight?

Here’s some tips: 1. Identify the perpetual conflicts in your relationships, then you can look to ways of discussing and brainstorming solutions before a fight erupts.

2. Identify what your conflict behaviour is and see if you can slowly start to change the patterns - after all if there is a change in you - your partner will change also.

3. If you have a complaint, keep it specific.

Understand how the behaviour impacts on you - use ‘I’ statements and listen to the reply - even if you don’t agree with it.

Identify what you need and state it.

4. Take some responsibility. Validate your partner’s argument by demonstrating you have listened. Accept responsibility for a small part. This can be a learning GHG Disclaimer – please read

responsibility you will not have to resort to defensive behaviors.

5. If you feel overwhelmed, let your partner know, take a break and agree to re-visit the discussion when you have calmed down. Don’t avoid the problem - make a specific time to discuss the problem.

6. If you find that none of these options are working for you, therapy can help you understand your triggers and what you are reacting to.

7. Finally try to respond and not react.

Conflict is part of every healthy relationship. It is what we do with our anger that can destroy

...................................................................

experience as once you can accept

our relationships. If you are constantly using one of the four behaviours identified by John Gottman, you are constantly harming your relationship. You can still argue, but replace the harmful behaviours with relationship enhancing ones.

Charmaine Counsellor

Roth

is

an

Psychotherapist

experienced practicing

in

Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. Through safe, skilled conversation Charmaine works with individuals, couples and families to help them become more aware of behaviours that are no longer working and explore new choices that will improve relationships. For more information, see her website.

Editor’s choice The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work

by Emeritus Professor John M Gottman & Nan Silver

A Practical Guide from the Country’s Foremost Relationship Expert They teach couples to: • focus on each other • being thoughtful about ordinary matters • build a solid foundation for resolving conflict

• • • • • • •

Paperback Published 2015

GHG Disclaimer – please read

Maintain a love map.

Foster fondness and admiration.

Turn toward instead of away.

Accept influence.

Solve solvable conflicts.

Cope with conflicts you can’t resolve.

Create shared meaning.

RRP $32.00 Now $22.25 Booktopia maySUBSCRIBE vary prices from to those published.

GHG | 43 Postage $6.95 per order AUST/NZ

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The Seven Principles Essential to the Success of Any Marriage:

M

arriage:

44 | SUBSCRIBE to GHG

How to Thrive Words Dr Matthew Anderson

Design Oleksandra Zuieva GHG Disclaimer – please read

Warning! This is a tough talk article. If you are considering marriage or already married, you may be upset by what you read. You may discover that you are not ready for marriage or that you are currently incapable of creating a marriage that thrives. However, if you are not yet married and heed my advice you will save yourself a tremendous amount of suffering. If you are already in a marriage, you could benefit greatly if you apply even a small part of the crucial information below.

in marriage?

You are already aware that half of all marriages fail. I imagine that you also are aware that many marriages that survive divorce simply do just that; survive. Only a small percentage of the survivors go on to create a relationship that truly thrives with joy, deep intimacy and significant mutual love, respect and support.

However, the ‘thrivers’ do exist and their success is not a mystery. They make their special relationship last and grow by applying a number of very specific attitudes and behaviors that can be taught, learned and applied.

I have described these powerful guidelines for thriving in my book The Resurrection of Romance: How to create and sustain a world class romantic relationship that lasts. However, for those of you who have not read the book, I have created a short cut to help you assess your own readiness to make your marriage thrive and your romance blossom. That short cut is in the form of a test (see below). In just a few moments you can find out if you have what it takes to create and sustain a truly satisfying marriage. If you discover that GHG Disclaimer – please read

..............................................................................................................................

Do you have the skills to thrive

you lack all the skills necessary to make your relationship thrive, don’t despair.

You can then refer to the test as a guide for what to pay attention too next.

Why Thrive in Marriage?

What are the benefits of a thriving love relationship? Marriage has gotten such a negative reputation in recent decades that

many

couples

are

unaware

of

the truly astounding gifts that are the result of a healthy, thriving relationship between two committed lovers. However, no other form of human connection provides the potential for such life transforming

experiences

as

does

a

fully blossomed romantic relationship.

A fully realized, blossoming, long-term romantic relationship has more healing power than years of psychotherapy, more access to ecstasy than any mind altering drug, more spiritual realization than most relationships with gurus, more power to engender creativity than an artistic mentor and more ability to empower personal growth than the best motivation coach.

To thrive in a marriage, you must be able to answer YES to all of the following questions, AND you must be in a SUBSCRIBE to GHG | 45

love. An open heart, undefended and accessible, will carry a couple through any valley of adversity. It will also raise their love to ecstatic heights.

4. Do words really matter? Your words and your tone make a powerful difference in the effect you have on your love partner each and every day. There are no ‘throw away’ words.

Everything you say counts. answer YES. Otherwise it is not going to happen (unless both of you decide to make real and meaningful changes based on the list below). Read each question carefully and answer honestly.

The Marriage Thrivers Skill Test: 1. Do you and your partner affirm each other at least twenty times for each negative comment? This is a 20 to 1 ratio. Really happy couples often say that this ratio is even higher than 20 to 1 but that is a good start.

2. Do you affirm each other daily? Every day matters in a happy relationship.

Affirmation counts when it is honest and frequent. It validates and encourages and reminds both partners why they got married in the first place.

3. Is emotional vulnerability a daily part

of

Emotional

your

communication?

vulnerability

is

the

cornerstone of deep intimacy and deep intimacy is the heart of romantic 46 | SUBSCRIBE to GHG

.............................................................................................................

relationship with someone who can also

5. Is sex almost always about making love?

Sex

is

not

about

mutual

masturbation. It is not about tension release. Sex is about naked hearts meeting naked bodies in the most intimate connection possible.

Share this article with your

partner &

compare your

answers.

6. Do

you

consider

your

loving

relationship precious? To consider something (your loving relationship) to be precious means to think of it as an enormous treasure that both deserves and requires care, protection and attention.

GHG Disclaimer – please read

you

consider

relationship

your

primary?

loving Is

your

relationship more important than work or play or even the kids? The husband/wife connection must be prior to the father/mother connection.

8. Is anger a rare occurrence? Rare, in this case, means once or twice a year.

Frequent anger between partners is a sign of dysfunction and needs immediate and significant attention. Otherwise it becomes toxic and destroys intimacy.

9. Is your loving connection more important

than

being

right?

Is

your love for one another greater than either of your egos? Being right begets self-righteousness and that creates defensiveness and emotional distance. True lovers enjoy it when their partner gets it right. Ego-sacrifice, in these situations, creates warmth and trust and appreciation.

10. Are you consistently responsive to your partner? Being regularly attentive and responsive to your partner validates her/him. It also establishes a flow of communication that increases play, joy, understanding and appreciation.

11.

Do

you

avoid

habituation?

.........................................................................

7. Do

So now you know what you are good at and what you and your love partner need to work on. Whatever effort you have to make will be worth it for both of you. Very little in this world is as wonderful as a thriving romantic relationship. So go for it. If you need help you can find it at my website or email me.

Reverend Matthew Anderson has a Doctor of Ministry specialising in counselling and has extensive training and experience in Gestalt and Jungian Psychology. He has helped many couples and singles successfully navigate relationship issues.

He has a best-selling book, The Resurrection of Romance. Matthew may be contacted through his website.

Editor’s

Choice

Elemental Love Styles

by Dr Craig Martin

Find Compatibility & Create a Lasting Relationship In the language of the 4 elements

Adding spontaneity, small changes,

• Creative Fire-desires recognition • Intellectual Air-loves freedom • Intuitive Water-thrives on reassurance • Practical earth-strong & dependable

creativity to the ordinary aspects of your

Paperback Published 2010

Overdoing habits in any area of your relationship will cause desensitization and a loss of awareness of the other.

life together will ensure excitement, interest and stimulation.

GHG Disclaimer – please read

RRP $39.99 Now $35.95 Booktopia may vary prices from those published.

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Disclaimer >

>

Designed by Belinda Nelson

IMPACT

C

Forgive & Forget?

Words Kelly Swingler

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

But is it the process of change or the emotional

side of change that we struggle to cope with the most? You’ve been with your company for 10 years, you’ve secured a promotion or two, you’ve always been graded highly in your performance reviews and then you get called into a meeting, ‘We need to let you go’.

What? You didn’t see that coming. Nobody said the business was in trouble, is it something you said or something you did? No! ‘How can this possibly be happening to me?’

If you manage to hold back the tears until you get out of the door you are doing well, but your emotions are now in full swing. The tears, the fears, all those broken promises, the negativity that creeps in as you turn from upset to hatred as they surely could have chosen someone else to go!

If you secure your dream job after you leave, you may say it was the best thing ever, but if

...............................................................................................

WE

are told ‘Change is hard’.

you to stay, but your mind is made up. There are tears from both sides and then it starts, the name-calling, the friends that won’t return your calls, the bitterness, the end.

You both then find new partners, loving partners and you couldn’t be happier, but what if you both live the rest of your life alone?

Can you forgive and forget?

Change is the one

constant in modern

life.

Change is happening, every day, all over the world. In fact, every day brings with it new opportunities for change. But whether we realise it or not, change is happening. It’s

you struggle to find a new

happening in our towns

job, what then?

with new developments,

You’ve been married for

in science, in technology,

years, you’ve tried your

in our heads and in our

best, given it your all, but

businesses. It’s the one

you can’t continue living

constant that we have in

like this. It’s time to call it

our lives. We see it in the

a day. You break the news

seasons, through fashion,

to your partner who begs

food choices and even

Can you forgive & forget?

the times and embrace change or continue to fight against it.

If we only ever forgive and forget when change works in our favour, what do we do

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what’s on TV. We can choose to move with

of Leaders. Kelly has a strong background in HR; having worked in the industry for 18 years she is a qualified and accredited Executive Coach and lives in the UK. Kelly can be contacted at Chrysalis consulting.

when it doesn’t?

Editor’s

Top Tips

Choice

• Live in the now. Try it, how do you feel right here, right now?

• It’s all about mindset. Change will be as hard as you think it is.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Power of Forgiveness

• Accept that change needs to happen.

Or we would all still be living in caves.

• Look for the positives in each situation.

There will be some even if it doesn’t feel like it.

choose to forgive and forget, or you can stay stuck in the past.

Swingler,

How to Let Go & Change Your Life: • forgiveness frees us • improve your wellbeing • repair relationships

• Realise that you have a choice. You can

Kelly

by Amy Newmark & Prof Anthony Anderson

Founder

at

Chrysalis

• benefit from letting go of anger • find the power of forgiveness

Paperback

Published 2015

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“While I live to be the ruler of my life, not a slave, I meet life as a powerful

conqueror

and nothing exterior to me will ever take

command

of me�

- Walt Whitman

I

THREE CANCERS

was late 2006, as I sat on my hospital bed and looked out over the city, my heart was heavy and I had no

idea what the future held for me. A week ago, I was in my full-time Aerospace job, a mother of two little girls and a devoted wife. Now I was in hospital and dying inside. I knew it was serious, but I knew very little about the disease that was trying to consume my body – it had managed to weave itself through the majority of my torso – eating into bone, nerves and muscle.

Day after day, I lay in hospital, trying to keep my 54 | SUBSCRIBE to GHG

Words Jodie Guerrero

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IT

SURVIVED Design Oleksandra Zuieva

chin up – each day was a new challenge and provided new clues and new answers. I had no idea how sick I really was. Family and friends and co-workers would visit me – themselves floored by the fact that a seemingly young woman could actually be extremely ill and close to death. My diagnosis was also delayed – big time. In the past eleven months, I had visited seven doctors and counted twentyone separate medical visits to get help – but to no avail. I was just a hypochondriac.

So after eleven months of illness, I presented to my hospital ER, pleading for help and GHG Disclaimer – please read

someone who would listen to my concerns about my very strange symptoms. It was only until after a CT scan was performed, a ‘whitefaced’ senior consultant bravely came back to me with the news that they had found ‘something strange on my scan’. I would need to stay overnight or a few nights in the hospital.

My brain was instantly in complete shock.

I had a sense of relief that someone finally believed me. I remember that night, my husband was with me – a young Asian doctor came to me to ‘tell me what they had found’.

She must have got the ‘short straw’ – as what she was about to tell me, would shatter my perfect life, my perfect existence with my husband and two kids. She said, ‘We have found a mass in your back – it is pressing into your spine, causing your sciatica symptoms, threatening your right leg function and we think it may be malignant. We don’t know what it is or where it’s come from – it’s going to take some time before we know what you are fighting and what to do – so, you’re going to be here for a while’.

‘How long is a while?’ – I said to her, ‘What about my job, my kids, and my house?’

Suddenly a thousand thoughts flooded my mind. I was eventually diagnosed with Stage 4 Follicular B-Cell, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Low Grade. Although that is a mouthful – it was an important diagnosis in regards to treatment and the kind of chemo I needed.

In 2008, I continued to fight the disease. I thought it was a relapse for a third time, but found it was a diagnosis of scaring, from my GHG Disclaimer – please read

real message The

behind a

cancer

diagnosis is to persist & be your own

advocate.

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nerve damage from tumours/radiotherapy in the area. In 2014, I felt a familiar pain and tests revealed that I had developed a new cancer, called Myelodysplasia (RCMD), which was caused by chemo treatment from my two previous Lymphoma episodes. I ended up needing an Allogeneic (donor) Bone Marrow Transplant with stem cells. This was donated by a thirty-year-old male, located in the USA. I now use a lot of medication for pain and wear a leg brace. However, I am more than happy to be alive.

life goal is to The

be a cancer

survivor,

not a sufferer.

Always listen to your body first, keep asking questions for your health – don’t let anyone tell you that you are well when you know you are not. Advocate for yourself, at every doctor’s office – make sure you don’t leave without a satisfactory answer. If you disagree, you are paying for his/her time and it’s important you get the most out of it. Believe in your ability to survive, no matter what your obstacle. Make it your goal to get through every day, as a cancer survivor and not a sufferer. You have so much more to offer and so much more to contribute.

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initial and second relapse. This was due to

consumers, people in distress or facing difficulties, particularly women with illness and disability. My passion is for women, like me who must raise their kids, whilst they battle illness or a disadvantage. We can all find the strength to endure. SURVIVE & THRIVE!! It’s imperative to keep going – even with a poor prognosis or a non-favourable outlook.

Take heart as you continue to live and be encouraged – you can survive – not matter what faces you, continually stand firm in your beliefs – I believe you can.

Jodie Guerrero, Health Consumer Advocate.

See her website for more of her amazing and incredible story.

Editor’s

Choice

Hope & Healing for Your Breast cancer journey

by Dr Dave Alred

Surviving & Thriving During & After Your Diagnosis & Treatment • A support group from Breast Cancer • Diagnosis & treatment • Rehabilitation & recovery • Excellent emotional & medical help Paperback Published 2013

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Kidz Matters

S

Transition from

chool to Holidays Words Deb Hopper

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

excitement for children and families.

The anticipation of Christmas, holidays,

going away and seeing family and friends can be very exciting. As well as looking forwards to the holidays, there are many celebration events at school including school plays, school concerts, end of term movies and excursions as rewards for children.

Even though this can be exciting, it can be very unsettling for many children. Home and school routines are often disrupted as children go to concert or school play practices or away from the school for excursions. At home and on weekends there are the end of year Christmas parties for sporting or church groups, Nippers BBQs or street Christmas parties. Again, these are all fun, but it pulls children out of routine which can be unsettling. In addition, the social and sensory demands of these social

.....................................................................................

T

he end of the school year brings much

You can find some great downloadable resources here which will help get you started. On our free downloadable, you can see that the weeks are colour coded.

You can edit and change to suit your family.

The pink weeks are for the 2 weeks prior to holidays. The white weeks are school holidays and the yellow weeks are the first two weeks back at school.

Use clip art or pictures (especially for younger children), or just write the main activities for each day or after school. e.g. add in play dates, holiday care days, nights away etc. We have some examples at the above link.

2. When going to an event tell your child in advance (or show them on your calendar as above) and tell them as much as you know about the event. How many people will be there? Who will be there that you know?

events can be extremely

Will they know any of

challenging to children.

the children or adults? If there aren’t many children

Five Top Tips for helping

there,

support

and

will your child be able

making them feel safe in

to do? Should you plan

the transitions between

to take a small pack of

school and the summer

Lego, colouring in or their

holidays.

favourite small toy?

1. Create a calendar for

3. If your child gets

before and during the

easily overwhelmed and

children

by helping them create a calendar of what’s coming up, they see more concretely what plans are for them and the family and this makes them feel more settled.

GHG Disclaimer – please read

...................

holidays. Kids love to see things visually and

what

activities

finds it difficult to cope in busy and loud situations (as parties or BBQ’s can be) talk to them about how they will be able to tell you if they aren’t coping well or if they need some ‘away’ time. This could be a code word SUBSCRIBE to GHG | 59

Reducing Meltdowns & Improving Concentration:

forget to check out the free downloads to help your child settle back into school.

The Just Right Kids Technique

For more great tips for helping busy children

by Deb Hopper

find it easier cope with daily life, visit my

website.

Paperback Published: 2016

RRP $21.95 Now $20.80

Deb Hopper is an Amazon #1 Best Seller author. She is a practicing Occupational Therapist at Life Skills 4 Kids on the NSW Mid North Coast, Australia, she understands the day to day struggles that children, parents

signal. Encourage them to come and let you know somehow if they need help or need to

............

(e.g. code yellow or code red), or a hand

and teachers face and can be reached on her website.

leave the event.

4. When you arrive at an event, chat to the host and ask if there’s a quiet area that your child can go and ‘hang out’ if they need some retreat space. This could be a quiet area of a lounge room, outside away from others or a spare bedroom. Ask your host if it’s OK for your child to have some

Editor’s

Choice

PLAYFUL: Toys and Crafts Made by Hand

by Merrillee Liddiard

quiet time away by themselves.

5. Increase the amount of active outside

Fun Projects to Make With + for Kids

play. Just as adults benefit from movement

• Playful Dress Up,

and exercise to help de-stress and reduce

• Playful Toys, Playful Paper Crafts

anxiety, so do children. Make plans for extra trips to the park, walk around the block after dinner or have a picnic and kick a ball around. Make sure you add these things to their calendar so they know they are coming up!

As adults we can make children feel more in control during times of transitions. Don’t 60 | SUBSCRIBE to GHG

• Playful Repurposing & Playful Art • 25 unique projects with templates • Inspire many happy hours of making Hardcover Published 2014

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“Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of

happiness and just be

happy” - Guillaume Apollinaire

GHG Disclaimer – please read

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© Antalya Developments Pty Ltd 2016 Any information made available in the Great Health Guide Magazine (electronic or hard copy formats), or from Antalya Developments Pty Limited or Kathryn Dodd, including by way of third party authored articles or discussions, is made available for readers’ interest only. The purpose of making the information available is to stimulate research, public discussion and debate. Readers are encouraged to undertake their own research and consult with professional advisors to form their own independent views about the topic/s discussed. The information made available in the Great Health Guide Magazine (electronic or hard copy formats) is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Readers should seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions regarding a potential or actual medical condition or the proposed use or decision not to use any particular product. Readers should not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it at any time, including because of the content of any information made available in the Great Health Guide Magazine (electronic or hard copy formats).Each of Antalya Developments Pty Ltd and Kathryn Dodd do not warrant, guarantee or make any representation regarding the accuracy, veracity, adequacy, reliability, completeness or timeliness of any information available on, or arising in relation to, the Great Health Guide Magazine (electronic or hard copy formats). Neither Antalya Developments Pty Limited nor Kathryn Dodd endorses the views of any contributing authors to the Great Health Guide Magazine (electronic or hard copy formats).