Great Health Guide: Jan-Feb 2018 by Great Health Guide

January/February 2018

Are

Superfoods

being

Do You

Your

Risk of

CHILDHOOD SNORING & BEHAVIOUR • DIVORCE-PROOF YOUR MARRIAGE • WHEN YOUR CHILDREN INTERRUPT

GREAT HEALTH

YOUR RISK OF HEART ATTACK Check the latest information & technology to measure your risk of heart attack

ontents

Dr Warrick Bishop

DO YOU STRUGGLE WITH INSOMNIA? Seven new solutions to beat insomnia & get a refreshing nights sleep Dr Tammra Warby

WRIST PAIN: HOW CAN PHYSIOTHERAPY HELP? Causes, diagnosis & physiotherapy treatment of Carpal Tunnel Margarita Gurevich & Justin Balbir

RSI, OSTEOARTHRITIS & WRIST PAIN How physiotherapy can help RSI & Osteoarthritis of the wrist Margarita Gurevich & Justin Balbir

CREATING HEALTHY HABITS PART 1 Why motivation alone is not enough to build lasting change Megan McGrath

CREATING HEALTHY HABITS PART 2 Understand the logic behind changing habits

47 FIND MEANING EVERY DAY Guidance on how to reflect and find purpose in each day Dr Suzanne Henwood & Lani Morris

Megan McGrath

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MOVEMENT FOR MENTAL HEALTH Discover how 20 minutes of movement can improve your mood

Jennifer Smallridge

RELATIONSHIPS

36 55 EXERCISE & RECOVERY Why proper recovery from exercise is so important Kusal Goonewardena

POSITIVELY FLOURISHING Taking care of your health and well-being all starts with better thoughts

Dr Jenny Brockis

TEACHING YOUR CHILD TO NOT INTERRUPT

How to teach children the skills to be patient when you’re speaking

FITNESS

MINDSET

CHILDHOOD SNORING & BEHAVIOUR

Dr David McIntosh

Jayta Szpitalak

Kat Millar

KIDS MATTERS The links between snoring, teeth grinding, sleep-talking, bed wetting & even ADHD

ARE YOUR SUPERFOODS BEING ABSORBED? Increase gut absorption to ensure more nutrients are absorbed from your food

Leanne Allen

NUTRITION

HEALTH & FITNESS RESOLUTIONS Learn how to stimulate creativity & unlock potential to achieve your goals

YOU ARE ENOUGH! The feeling of not being enough can sabotage you & your relationships

Deb Hopper

CREATING A DIVORCE-PROOF MARRIAGE How to create a marriage that is loving, solid & healthy despite the seasons of life Dr Matthew Anderson

A NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION YOU SHOULDN’T MAKE Resist the pressures of the dieting industry & resolve to treat yourself well Dr Kiera Buchanan

DISCLAIMER

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Team

GHG

FOUNDER + EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Kathryn Dodd

DEPUTY EDITORS

Dr Helen J. Dodd Dr William A. Dodd DESIGNERS

Olha Blagodir Belinda Nelson Oleksandra Zuieva ADMINISTRATION

Weng Yee Leong Maria Renagado CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Leanne Allen, Dr Matthew Anderson Justin Balbir, Dr Warrick Bishop Dr Jenny Brockis, Dr Kiera Buchanan Kusal Goonewardena, Margarita Gurevich Dr Suzanne Henwood, Deb Hopper Megan McGrath, Dr David McIntosh Kat Millar, Lani Morris, Jennifer Smallridge Jayta Szpitalak, Dr Tammra Warby CONNECT WITH US:

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W: www.GreatHealthGuide.com.au P: +61 (0)7 3394 8263 E: CustomerCare@ GreatHealthGuide.com.au

Dear Friends With a new year comes new hopes and aspirations. It’s like a clean slate where we can have a fresh, new chance. The great thing is that despite our past failures or successes it is likely that we are a better person because of our past experiences. Every event provides a new depth to our character with new lessons learnt. Perhaps a new resilience has been crafted in us, through the challenges of 2017. Whatever last year may have looked like for you, I hope that 2018 will be infinitely better and exceed your dreams. The most important thing is to have intent with your aims and goals for the year. We know that new year resolutions only last a few days or at best a few weeks, rarely longer. However, it is important to make those resolutions and aspirations for 2018 become a reality. What new things do you need to learn, what things do you need to say ‘no’ to, what adventures will you have simply because you chose to step into the best version of yourself? Whatever you do, choose to make a difference in your world and empower others to do the same. With this new year comes the new-look Great Health GuideTM magazine with the new bi-monthly format. Every two months even more health specialists will bring the latest health information to you. With many things still left in store for 2018…keep in touch. Yours in great health

Kathryn x

© Antalya Developments Pty Ltd 2018 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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DISCLAIMER

GREAT HEALTH GUIDE | 5

HeartAllack Your Risk of

––– Dr Warrwick Bishop –––

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Great Health

his article describes a holistic guide to gauging heart attack risk. It considers the standard risk factors and includes newer methods to gauge the risk of a future heart attack. The traditional approach to heart attack risk assessment has involved the evaluation of factors that are associated with increased risk of a heart event. Among these traditional risk factors are age, smoking, diabetes and cholesterol levels. Nevertheless, these risk factors are associations that have been identified based on large subject populations. In other words, their predictive value pertains to an estimate of probability within large populations of people based on variables that may or may not have predictive value for the individual.

KNOW THE HEALTH OF YOUR ARTERIES.

MEASURE YOUR RISK BEFORE AN ADVERSE HEART EVENT.

USE CARDIAC CT IMAGING AND TRADITIONAL RISK FACTORS IN COMBINATION.

Fortunately, computed tomography or CT imaging is a relatively new method that is showing some promise in terms of predicting heart events in individual patients, which allows cardiologists to treat the risk before an adverse heart event. CT coronary angiography, is a procedure that may involve the injection of contrast dye, to gain detail about the structure of individual plaques in the heart or arteries. This provides an opportunity to make an assessment that relates to plaque-specific risk and therefore, it has important merit as another diagnostic tool in cardiology.

The CT imaging is plaque-specific and may not necessarily agree with the risk assessment suggested by the traditional risk factors. A patient may have low-risk based on CT imaging, but the traditional assessment of high risk factors (such as elevated blood sugar levels, high blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and lipoproteins), must be considered as well. The individual plaque (or plaques) may have a clear and specific impact on the risk for the potential development of a major adverse coronary event. However, the CT risk assessment for heart attack is plaque-specific and

DISCLAIMER

Regardless of a patient’s cholesterol levels, the amount of exercise he/she undertakes (or not), or how healthy his/ her diet is, it is important to know the health of that individual’s arteries, not the risk that a population of people, with the same characteristics, may have. To do this, the most information is obtained by using CT to look directly at the arteries. While there is substantial data that supports traditional methods of calculating risk, holistic heart evaluation means that it should be combined with CT imaging and other traditional predictive measures, such as blood pressure and blood sugar levels. The approach needs to be about the entire patient, their situation and their needs.

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Holistic heart evaluation combines newer methods of CT imaging with traditional predictive measures of blood pressure & blood sugar levels. 8 | GREAT HEALTH GUIDE

Great Health may not align with the risk assessment suggested by the traditional risk factors. Traditional predictors of a cardiac event do have some limitations, consequently, it is important to comprehend that both methods provide important diagnostic clues about heart health. They should be used in combination to determine decision-making about ongoing care and risk management of individual patients.

HOW TO GET THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RISKEVALUATION. The ability to combine the traditional diagnostic evaluation of an individual patient with the imaging of the arteries, allows the most comprehensive risk evaluation for an individual, not only for the immediate future, but also for possible longer-term cardiac problems. Cardiac CT imaging will lead to a conclusion that the features observed on the scan could be low-risk features, intermediate-risk features, highrisk features or very high-risk features. This information can then be measured against tradition risk calculation variables to achieve the most reliable prediction of an individual patient’s future heart health and most importantly, to ensure that the patient follows a treatment regimen that best reflects both their present and future heart health.

Dr Warrick Bishop is a cardiologist, with special interest in cardiovascular disease prevention incorporating imaging, lipids and lifestyle. He is author of the book ‘Have You Planned Your DISCLAIMER

Heart Attack?’, written for patients and doctors about how to live intentionally to reduce cardiovascular risk and save lives! Dr Bishop can be contacted via website.

Editor ,s choice HAVE YOU PLANNED YOUR HEART ATTACK? By Dr Warrick Bishop

By Dr Warrick Bishop, is an experienced cardiologist, with extensive training & expertise in CT coronary angiograms. This book is for you, if you: • want to determine your individual risk level of a heart attack • want to reduce your risk of heart attack • believe prevention is better than waiting for an attack to occur • have high cholesterol and not sure about taking statins • suffer side effects from statins • find out if plaques are blocking your coronary arteries Paperback

Published February 2017

RRP $34.99 Now $26.95 Booktopia may vary prices from those published. Postage $6.95 per order AUST/NZ

Great Health

Insomnia? Do You Struggle with

––– Dr Tammra Warby –––

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Great Health

ave you ever woken at 3am and started to toss and turn, frustrated that you aren’t able to fall back to sleep quickly? Then you start thinking about all that you must do tomorrow and all you didn’t get done today. After another hour, you think about how tired you will feel the next day and end up progressively annoyed about being awake?

Or perhaps you’re a busy working mum and after everything you’ve done all day, you stay up a little later just to try to have some time to yourself. Despite being exhausted while you stay up, when you finally go to bed, you suddenly find yourself wide awake and unable to sleep. Both scenarios are forms of insomnia, which is the inability to initiate or maintain a full and refreshing night’s sleep. This type of insomnia, when it is not associated with another problem such as a mental health disorder (anxiety or depression), can be amenable to some tips to help promote a good night’s sleep.

1. LIMIT THE USE OF SMARTPHONES, TABLETS AND COMPUTERS FOR AN HOUR BEFORE BED. For the sleep process to be enabled, several things need to come together, including the hormonal regulation of our body and our behaviours leading up to sleep and as we go to bed. As the sun goes down, our body produces the hormone melatonin. This keeps us in our natural rhythm and promotes the sleepy feeling, preparing us for bed. The release of melatonin can be inhibited by bright lights, smartphones, tablets and computers, which is why the first tip is to limit the use of these devices in the hour before bed and dim the lights if possible. DISCLAIMER

2. HAVE SOME WIND DOWN TIME, TO BECOME SLEEPY BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO SLEEP. It is not helpful in the late evening to rush from one thing to another and another and then go straight to bed, if you’re not already sleepy. You will simply be awake and stressed in bed. So, it’s important to have some wind down time, to clear your head and to become sleepy before attempting to sleep. This can be helped by having ‘the worry list’ sorted before bed, so that as you go to bed, you can tell yourself ‘that has already been dealt with’ when your mind starts racing again. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help to lessen these thoughts, as well as reducing negative thoughts associated with insomnia itself.

3. REGULATE BODY TEMPERATURE IN READINESS FOR SLEEP. Our body regulates its temperature very carefully during the 24-hour period, cooling down in preparedness for sleep. Thus, if the room is too hot or too cold, it makes it very difficult to sleep. One thing that can help lower our temperature a little in readiness for sleep, is the warmth of a bath or shower, after which the body cools down. So, to regulate temperature, GREAT HEALTH GUIDE | 11

Great Health have a warm bath, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t exercise too close to bed (within three hours) as it heats up the body. Play close attention to layering of clothing and environmental control so that you are not too hot or too cold.

4. KEEP A CONSISTENT BEDTIME AND BEDTIME ROUTINE. Apart from our hormonal regulation to enable sleep, there is also the behavioural element that is the learned mindset to sleep. This is learning and recognising that the bed is a relaxing place where only sleep occurs. For some insomniacs, the bed becomes their battleground, one of endless frustration and even dread. So, for a start, re-establishing this relationship involves keeping a consistent bedtime and bedtime routine as well as having no TV or computer in the bedroom. For those who lay awake unable to initiate sleep, limit this time to 30 minutes before getting back out of bed and undertaking a non-stimulating activity (e.g. reading elsewhere or meditation/quiet time) until feeling sleepy again. Then go back to bed to try to sleep when you are relaxed, yawning and sleepy again. This cycle can be repeated as often as necessary to reestablish this relationship of sleep to bed.

5. STOP CHECKING THE CLOCK. Other things to change would be to stop any checking on the time if you remain awake or wake in the night and thus remove any vigilant attention given to the sleeplessness itself. 12 | GREAT HEALTH GUIDE

6. LIMIT CAFFEINE AND ALCOHOL. There are other lifestyle factors that can contribute to insomnia. The stimulating effect of coffee in the evening can last up to five to six hours and can delay the body clock which reduces the amount of deep sleep. Alcohol may make you drowsy and help you fall asleep but it interrupts the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Disruptions in REM sleep may cause daytime drowsiness and poor concentration. It can also suppress breathing and contribute to sleep apnoea.

Insomnia is the inability to initiate or maintain a full & refreshing night,s sleep SUBSCRIBE

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7. DON’T SACRIFICE YOUR SLEEP. When sleep is absent, it has a global effect on one’s health and productivity. But it is also something that is often sacrificed in pursuit of work, family or leisure time. Try to put yourself and your sleep at the top of the list, rather than the bottom. Remember any persistent insomnia, especially that associated with anxiety or a low mood, should be discussed with your local doctor.

Dr Tammra Warby is a General Practitioner with a PhD in Virology. She has worked in emergency medicine and general practice in chronic disease management including diabetes, paediatrics, mental health, preventative medicine, skin cancer checks and surgery. Tammra works at Foxwell Medical, and can also be contactable via Twitter. DISCLAIMER

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How Can Physiotherapy Help? ––– Margarita Gurevich & Justin Balbir –––

hysiotherapists see many patients with wrist pain. Given that it is such a prevalent problem, let’s review some common causes and more importantly, talk about what treatment options are available. When it comes to diagnosing the cause of pain in the wrist, the first step is to determine whether it’s a true wrist problem or whether the pain is ‘masquerading’, i.e. being referred to the wrist from another part of the body. The most common areas

DISCLAIMER

which can refer pain to the wrist are the neck, shoulder and elbow. To understand how this can happen we will use the neck as an example. Imagine that you have a bulging disc in your neck. This disc can put pressure on the nerves which supply the wrist and consequently, you will feel pain in the wrist. Treating the wrist, however, will not result in an improvement as the problem is in the neck, not the wrist. Thus, in this example, it will be necessary to treat the neck, not the wrist, to abolish the symptoms. GREAT HEALTH GUIDE | 15

Great Health

THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF TRUE WRIST PAIN ARE:

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

• Wrist fracture

This disorder of the hand arises because of pressure on the median nerve as it runs through the carpal tunnel of the wrist. It typically occurs when there is swelling inside the wrist. Swelling can occur because of repetitive tasks performed with the hand, arthritis and pregnancy. Traumatic injury can also be a cause of carpal tunnel syndrome.

• Arthritis • RSI (repetitive strain injury) • Carpal tunnel • Tendinitis There are also other, more serious, causes of wrist pain. It is important to see your doctor first to be cleared of these. Once you have been cleared, treatment by a physiotherapist should be your next point of call. So, what treatment is available for wrist pain sufferers? In physiotherapy practice there are a wide range of treatment options which includes electrotherapy, ultrasound, drug phoresies and exercises. To decide which treatment will be most beneficial for each patient, it is important to carry out a detailed assessment first. This assessment will include an analysis of wrist range of motion and strength, as well as some specific tests which help to diagnose the cause of the symptoms. Specific investigations, such as diagnostic ultrasound and X-Rays, can also be helpful in certain cases, particularly if there is a suspected fracture. We will now review some of the abovementioned causes of wrist pain and specifically discuss which treatments can be helpful for these. In this article, we will discuss carpal tunnel syndrome. The following article will focus on osteoarthritis and RSI. 16 | GREAT HEALTH GUIDE

Common symptoms include numbness, pins and needles and pain. Weakness may also be felt in the hands and cramping of muscles is not uncommon. This is due to a compromised nerve supply to the affected muscles.

PHYSIOTHERAPY TREATMENT WILL INVOLVE SEVERAL COMPONENTS: • Education: regarding which activities and positions may be most provocative and best to avoid. • Hands on therapy: where indicated, wrist mobilization and passive stretching may be useful, while massage can help ease the surrounding muscle tension. • Exercises: nerve and tendon gliding, as well as muscle stretching may be prescribed, with strengthening and fine motor skills being a focus in the later stages of rehabilitation. • Ultrasound: this has been shown to reduce inflammation and assist with easing of symptoms. SUBSCRIBE

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Margarita Gurevich is Senior Physiotherapist and uses Clinical Pilates, SCENAR Therapy & other evidence-based techniques, including Real Time Ultrasound and McKenzie Treatment. Margarita specialises in sports injuries, women’s health (including incontinence) and gastrointestinal issues. Margarita may be contacted via her website. Justin Balbir has a Bachelor of Health Sciences & Masters of Physiotherapy Practice. He has worked for five years as a sports trainer for the Ajax Football Club, with experience in soft-tissue massage & injury management. Justin specializes in manual therapy & sports injuries and may be contacted via website. DISCLAIMER

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Osteoar hritis RSI,

and Wrist Pain Margarita Gurevich and Justin Balbir

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the previous article we looked at carpal tunnel, a common cause of wrist pain. In this article we will highlight RSI, osteoarthritis and wrist pain and how physiotherapy can help these conditions.

REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURY (RSI). Repetitive Strain Injury is a condition that describes injuries occurring as a result of overuse. While our bodies are built for movement and repetition, sometimes this repetition can be excessive and ultimately lead to irritation, inflammation, damage and pain to certain soft tissues of the musculoskeletal system. This includes such structures as nerves, muscles and tendons. This type of condition is especially common in the wrists, as there are many daily and occupational tasks which require many repetitions of the same movements. As examples, someone working on a conveyer belt having to repeatedly screw/unscrew objects or an individual who spends hours scrolling with their mouse while using a computer. These tasks require repeated use of specific muscles.

RISK WILL BE INCREASED IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING FACTORS ARE PRESENT: • Prolonged performance particular task

the

• Poorly fitted equipment • Working too quickly • Inadequate recovery time • Lack of training in optimal techniques. Treatment will vary largely, depending on the nature of the injury (i.e. which structures are damaged) and the type of work that has caused the injury. A simple intervention can be education around how to safely perform the task and what movements to avoid. Then, based on a thorough examination, treatment may include a mixture of hands-on therapy, soft tissue massage, stretching, strengthening, nerve gliding exercises, taping, electrotherapy, ultrasound and drug phoresis.

OSTEOARTHRITIS. Osteoarthritis does not always have a clear and obvious cause. Those who have chronically overstressed their hands and wrists may be at higher risk, such as gymnasts or weightlifters. The likelihood of suffering from this condition increases as we age. DISCLAIMER

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Great Health

Very gentle active movements or gentle passive movements performed by the therapist,form part of the treatment for wrist pain.

Exercise is typically the best remedy for arthritis. Depending on what the individual can tolerate, this may range from very gentle active movements to higher level strength exercises. Range of motion and stretching exercises may also be prescribed if indicated.

Wrist pain, loss of hand range of motion and decreased function are all typically seen with osteoarthritis sufferers. The extent of these may depend on how severe the condition has become; however, there is not always a direct correlation between the extent of arthritic changes and level of function.

Justin Balbir has a Bachelor of Health Sciences & Masters of Physiotherapy Practice. He has worked for five years as a sports trainer for the Ajax Football Club, with experience in soft-tissue massage & injury management. Justin specializes in manual therapy & sports injuries and may be contacted via website.

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When wrist pain does not permit exercise, passive treatments need to be utilised first. This can include ultrasound, electrotherapy, drug phoresis, gentle passive movements performed by the therapist, as well as massage of the surrounding musculature. RSI and osteoarthritis are common conditions that cause debilitating wrist pain. However, with specific physiotherapy treatment and exercise these conditions can be alleviated.

Great Health

Habits Creating Healthy

Part 1

––– Megan McGrath –––

DISCLAIMER

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Great Health

ave you ever felt confused or frustrated over the conflicting messages around creating healthy habits? Have you ever felt that creating new healthy habits is too challenging for busy people? Perhaps you have slipped into some bad habits and are eager to get your healthy habits back on track but just don’t know how? Here are some ideas for creating healthy habits, stay healthy and be healthy.

FIRSTLY, THERE ARE TWO MAIN REASONS PEOPLE FIND IT HARD WHEN CREATING HEALTHY HABITS: 1. Relying only on good intentions. The reality is it’s not enough to just want change and hope for it. So many people crave changes but aren’t prepared to make any. If the choice is to change then you need to commit. Full stop. No excuses. It’s not enough to simply hope for healthy habits. The worst thing in the world is for you to make the decision to change and take no action. As the saying goes, ‘If you change nothing, then nothing will change!’ 2. Relying only on willpower. We only have a set amount of willpower. We all know this because we’ve all reached that point in the day where we just can’t do it anymore. Willpower is a bit like a muscle. It will engage as you flex, but will eventually weaken and fail when it is fatigued. Willpower is NOT the best way to create lasting transformation. It is fine for short-term projects, like studying for an exam or fasting but not for sustained, long term changes like those that are required for lasting transformation. But, that’s where habits come in. Motivation and willpower is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. 22 | GREAT HEALTH GUIDE

Motivation & willpower is what gets you started. Habits are what keeps you going. CHANGE IS POSSIBLE. There is no doubt about it – change can be hard but I’m a living example that it is possible. In tiny, baby steps, I’ve changed quite a few bad habits in my time and replaced them with new, healthier rituals and routines. I started running, stopped impulse spending, stopped mid-week drinking, started meditating, began meal planning, stopped saying ‘YES’ to everyone and everything, started a morning ritual, invested in my more meaningful relationships, started using ‘affirmations’… you get the picture! It’s possible. SUBSCRIBE

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SO, WHAT IS A HABIT? Habits are routine, unconscious behaviours we perform on a regular basis. They allow us to learn to do something that eventually we can perform without having to think about it; like driving a car or brushing our teeth or having a shower.

CREATING HEALTHY HABITS. This is the process by which new healthy behaviours become automatic. For example, if you buy a coffee every day on your way to work, you have a habit. If you set an alarm and wake to exercise early, you have a habit. Old habits are hard to break and new habits are hard to form. This is because the behavioural patterns we repeat most often, are literally etched into the neural pathways in our brain.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. The good news is that through repetition it is certainly possible to create healthy habits that are positive. The key is to practise the new habit often and this

DISCLAIMER

starts the process of creating a new brain pathway. Research has shown that on average it can take up to 60 days to create a new habit, so you will need to make a deliberate and consistent effort to commit to each new habit for at least two months. After that, you won’t need to flex your willpower muscle so much. You won’t have to think about what you are doing; the behaviour will be automatic. In the following article, I will discuss the logic behind how we can change our habits.

Megan McGrath is passionate about supporting and empowering women towards achieving healthy, balanced and fulfilling lives. She helps create sustainable change for positive lasting results and is proud to have helped countless people thrive and flourish on their wellness journey. Megan has a Health Science degree, is a professional accredited Wellness Coach, a certified Fitness Trainer and Founder of Chasing Sunrise – a Health and Wellness Consultancy.

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Habits Creating Healthy

Part 2

––– Megan McGrath –––

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In the previous article on Creating Healthy Habits Part 1, habits were described as routine, unconscious behaviours that are performed on a regular basis. The key to creating a new habit is to practise it often. However, to create healthy habits to bring long term behavioural change it is important to understand the logic. There is actually a science behind the way we form habits and it is this simple logic that will help you understand your own habits in order to change them and replace them with positive new ones.

ALL HABITS ARE BASED ON A SIMPLE LOOP OF: 1. Cue. This could be a time, place, person or situation that triggers the habit. 2. Routine. What you actually do – your action. 3. Reward. What you receive for taking action.

STEPS IN CREATING NEW HABITS: There are four simple steps in the process of creating healthy habits and it is a very simple process. The steps are: 1. Write down your plan for the new habit. 2. Identify your triggers. 3. Choose the new replacement for the trigger. 4. Focus on doing the replacement habit every single time that the trigger occurs and repeat this plan for at least 30 days. Remember, the more repetition you can do the more likely the new habit will become permanent. DISCLAIMER

Let’s use exercise as an example. So, if you want to start exercising each morning, then apply this process in the following ways. • Cue – Upon going to bed, lay out your exercise clothes ready for the following morning. Remember to set the alarm. • Routine – Alarm goes off, get out of bed, get dressed, put your shoes on and start exercising. • Reward – Feel energized after completing morning exercise. For extra incentive and motivation, you might like to set a larger reward of a massage or a new gym outfit at the end of your 30 days.

IN WHAT AREAS OF YOUR LIFE CAN YOU APPLY THIS SIMPLE PROCESS? • Choose the new habits you’d like to create. • How can you cue these habits? • What will you do to create a routine? • What are some ways to reward yourself? In creating healthy habits, the initial discipline is the hardest, but momentum GREAT HEALTH GUIDE | 25

Great Health will build with the action you take each day. This action will keep you moving forward so that taking action will get easier with time.

you’re one step closer to creating the life you want. Positive rituals used when creating healthy habits can be the turning point to have a truly flourishing life.

BE KIND TO YOURSELF. Creating new habits can often be a challenging process so treat yourself like your best friend. Be gentle, accepting, kind and most importantly celebrate your success. If sometimes you revert to old habits, it’s not the end of the world. Just revisit your original goals of why you wanted to create a new habit. Remember tomorrow is a new day. Remember change can be hard, but it is possible. By taking control of your habits

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“We are what we repeatedly do.

Aristotle SUBSCRIBE

Nutrition

DISCLAIMER

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NUTRITION

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NUTRITION

Superfoods Are Your

Being Absorbed? Jayta Szpitalak

all know that we should be eating a range of fruits and veggies, healthy fats, protein and some super grains. But did you know that some of these ‘superfoods’ are not being absorbed adequately by your body and may even upset your digestive system? There is an interesting conundrum when it comes to superfoods – your body can potentially benefit immensely from them. However, if not consumed correctly, you may be flushing them down the drain as your body lets them pass right through your digestive system without absorbing the important nutrients. With a little research, you can maximise the nutrition your body can gain, with natural processing, such as sprouting seeds and fermenting of grains.

DISCLAIMER

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NUTRITION

1. ACTIVATE YOUR FOOD WHEREVER POSSIBLE. Consider nuts and grains. All seeds, nuts, grains, even the mighty chia and flax have seed coats that limit digestion in the gut. Flax, for example, is hard for digestive system to break down so we have been told to mill or pulverise it in the hopes of achieving greater absorption. Unfortunately, milling a grain does not completely remove the outside barriers that protect the seed, so these ‘superflours/powders’ may still not be absorbed completely and not be digested.

2. TRY SPROUTED ALTERNATIVES TO YOUR FAVOURITE FOODS. When it comes to grains, you can improve your digestion by consuming them in their sprouted form. When you soak grains to sprout them, the harsh outer coating of the seed is broken down when the seed germinates, changing the nutrient profile. The sprouting process produces enzymes that assist in breaking down the carbohydrates and proteins. It also can increase the antioxidants, vitamins and proteins found in the grain or seed while often lowering the calories and alkalizing the grain. Sprouting stimulates the production of enzymes that essentially pre-digest the grain, so it breaks down complex

sugar molecules, making it more readily bioavailable. According to a research paper, fermentation of cereals for a limited period of time improves amino acid composition and vitamin content. Sprouted chia seeds for example, contain more vitamins and antioxidants compared with unsprouted seeds. As well, sprouted grains also improve the microflora in our gut.

3. COMBINE CAUTIOUSLY. Combining certain superfoods with other ingredients can increase but also can decrease the availability of the nutrients. • Matcha is ground Japanese green tea leaves. The leaves are grown and dried in specially designed processes, after which they are ground to create a fine powder. Matcha is used in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. It has a high antioxidant profile and is great for your metabolism. However, when a ‘matcha latte’ is made with milk, the antioxidants may become bound in the dairy product and thus prevents the body from absorbing the antioxidants and minerals from the tea. • Turmeric is a spice known for its powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancerous properties however, it’s incredibly hard for the body to digest. Pairing it with black pepper or healthy fats makes it more digestible.

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NUTRITION

Fermenting it has also shown to be beneficial as the curcumin is metabolized, allowing for quicker absorption into the blood stream.

4. INCORPORATE FERMENTED FOODS INTO YOUR DIET. Our gut is often referred to as our second brain. The concept of a gut microbiotabrain axis suggests that regulating the gut microbiota may be beneficial, as this provides the neurotransmitters created in our body and thus the gut affects our mood. This may be an emerging treatment for/or prevention of mood and anxiety disorders. Aside from gut healing foods such as bone broth, try and eat foods that are DISCLAIMER

diverse in healthy bacteria, such as a live sauerkraut (not a sterilized one) or other fermented foods. Take probiotics, or incorporate a kefir into your daily routine. All these foods will positively affect the flora in your gut, which will essentially aid the digestion of other foods while helping your brain function optimally.

Jayta Szpitalak has aimed at combining her two professions of Psychology and Nutritional Health. Jayta created Fermentanicals with a mission to empower and support an individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s path to achieve physical and mental wellness. Jayta has made it her mission to improve the digestibility and absorption of superfoods by creating an innovative line of functional foods. GREAT HEALTH GUIDE | 31

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Fitness

esolutions R Health & Fitness

––– Kat Millar –––

any New Year’s resolutions fail, but an often over-looked and powerful factor is that many people don’t know how to effectively set goals. Many people who now have the life they want, started with a dream of something different at an earlier time in their life. Imagine for a moment that you have no limitations. What kind of health and fitness would you want to create for yourself?

According to author Brian Tracy, Back from the Future thinking, is a powerful method, used regularly by high performing people in every field. Here’s how it works. Just project yourself forward in your mind and imagine yourself as you would want to be. What do you look like? How do you feel? What are you doing? What is your energy like? The clearer you can make your forward vision of health and happiness, the faster DISCLAIMER

you move towards it. The more unclear and vague your goals are, the less likely you are to achieve them. This is a powerful exercise.

Now that you have a vision, it’s time to set your goals. Here are five steps to effective goal setting:

1. BRAIN DUMP LIST. Firstly, dump everything out of your head that you want to achieve in your health and fitness journey in 2018. I recommend that you either use a blank spreadsheet or write it in a journal. Then list everything that you need to do to achieve your goal.

2. THE CONCEPT OF BE, DO, HAVE. There are three ways that you can list your goals – to be, to do and to have. GREAT HEALTH GUIDE | 33

Fitness

4 5

ЫStimulate your creativity & unlock your potential for goal achievement. 34 | GREAT HEALTH GUIDE

This is a great way to ensure that you are taking a balanced approached. For example, if all your goals are ‘to have’ goals, then you may miss out on tapping into the type of person you want ‘to be’ and the experiences that you want ‘to do’. Let’s break it down: Be: Who do you want ‘to be’ in 2018? • Be disciplined with management and focus

your

time

• Be an excellent role-model to your family • Be energetic and strong SUBSCRIBE

Fitness Do: What do you want ‘to do’ in 2018?

your health and fitness goals.

• Do the 14km City to Surf run in August

Those things can be simple, such as time management planning for five minutes a morning, doing some form of movement for 30 minutes a day and doing some meditation for five minutes every afternoon. What’s important is that you are developing that discipline of the daily habits that will serve your ultimate goals and help you become the type of person you want to be.

• Do 20 push-ups on your toes • Do exercise using 2,500 calories every week Have: What do you want ‘to have’ in 2018? • Have the body I have always wanted and deserve • Have a new outfit that is one size less than I am now • Have a new training buddy

3. SET THE TIME FRAME. Now, write a date next to your list of everything you want to be, to do and to have. This date is when you want to achieve these goals.

4. WRITE YOUR ACTION PLAN. When writing your action plan, use John C. Maxwell’s Swing the Axe Everyday principle. The principle works like this: if you have a large tree to cut down and you go out EVERY single day and chop at it, eventually the tree will fall. You don’t need to chop it 20 times on one day and get exhausted and then not chop it at all for a week. Just swing the axe at it every day. Once you’ve decided to swing the axe every day, it no longer becomes a matter of whether or not you’ll chop down that tree but rather, WHEN that tree falls. To apply this principle to your own life, make a list of three things you can do every day that will move you towards DISCLAIMER

5. KEEP THEM VISIBLE. The final step in effective goal-setting is to keep your goals visible. I believe that missing this final step is one of the major reasons that most people don’t achieve their resolutions; they forget about them. Put your goals where you can see them every day. You have set the goals because they are important to you, so don’t give up on them. If you regularly review your goals to see how you’re progressing and tweak your action plan if necessary, you are much more likely to achieve them. Let’s make this our best year yet!

Kat Millar owns Get Results Training, dedicated to helping people transform their health, mind & body. Since 2003, Kat 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 GREAT HEALTH GUIDE | 35

Fitness

Recovery

Exercise and

––– Kusal Goonewardena –––

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Fitness

ecovering properly after exercise is key to reaching new heights as it allows your body to heal. Recovery is one way that elite athletes separate themselves from the rest of us. While the personal bests generate headlines, elite athletes know that they can only keep pushing when they recover properly.

But so many of us are time-poor and sleep deprived. While we may find a way to fit in exercise amid careers, family and more, our recovery time may be lacking. Some big roadblocks to recovery include not getting enough sleep and rewarding ourselves with alcohol, sugary drinks and fast food after exercise.

WHAT ARE SOME KEYS TO RECOVERY? 1. Hydration. You cannot recover properly when dehydrated. We are 70% fluid and need to replace what is lost. A simple test is to notice the colour of your urine – a straw or clear colour is good. A darker yellow colour says you are dehydrated. Unfortunately, rewarding yourself with wine or beer after exercise will cause dehydration and interfere with your recovery. It’s the same for sugary soft drinks and caffeine-packed energy drinks. Athletes are so concerned about their hydration levels that they weigh themselves before and after games. Happily, the rest of us need not be so obsessive. 2. Avoid energy drinks. Energy drinks do not help recovery. The high concentrations of caffeine give you a short-term boost but may dehydrate you and does nothing to help your body. Excess consumption may also be dangerous to the heart. Only consume DISCLAIMER

sports drinks with exercise, as this provides better hydration because they contain sodium and magnesium that is lost in sweating, so are ideal during or after exercise. But only take these when exercising, not as a social drink. 3. Sleep. Sleep is nature’s way of helping our body and mind recover. Athletes know that sleep is so critical for their performance that they keep a sleep diary. Yet sleep doesn’t come easy to Australians, with between 33-45% of us having poor sleep patterns, according to the Sleep Health Foundation. Busy women juggling

Recovering properly after exercise is key as it allows your body to heal. GREAT HEALTH GUIDE | 37

Fitness careers and families are among the most sleep deprived. Improvements in this one area can make a huge difference. 4. Compression. Compression garments help prevent fluid build-up in muscle tissue due to microtrauma from exercise. Compression is particularly ideal for the legs since gravity will pool the fluid down at the ankles, creating a ‘dead end’, thus compression helps prevent this. Sleeping in compression garments may help minimise swelling overnight. 5. Hydrotherapy. A bath is fabulous for recovery. Bathing in warm water relieves tired muscles, joints and ligaments. Buoyancy decreases the weight of the body and aids recovery through circulation. And it’s timeless! the Ancient Egyptians practised hydrotherapy around 5000 years ago. If you’re lucky enough to live near a beach, bathing in the sea is also therapeutic with salt water having many healing qualities. 6. Massage/physiotherapy: Hands-on treatment including massage is one of the fastest ways to recover. Elite athletes use massage on a regular basis. But for the rest of us, a massage weekly or fortnightly will make a positive impact if we are very active. Even a monthly massage will make a difference. However, if you are training for a big event or trying hard to improve, you may need more. Physiotherapy is crucial to maintaining your body, performance and address injuries or tightness. How do you choose the correct therapist? Make sure you are seeing results in three sessions or less. 38 | GREAT HEALTH GUIDE

It means they are on track. If not, get a second opinion.

KEY POINTS: • Recovery is an important part of exercise, yet many people compromise recovery due to busy lives. • Sleep and hydration are two key areas for recovery. • Being mindful of what your body needs after exercise will help you reach new heights.

Kusal is an experienced physiotherapist who consults via his clinic, Elite Akademy Sports Medicine. He believes passionately that physiotherapy patients should see positive results in three sessions or less. Kusal has authored books including: Low Back Pain – 30 Days to Pain Free and 3 Minute Workouts, currently available via Wilkinson Publishing. When not consulting, Kusal is is a lecturer, author, consultant and mentor to thousands of physiotherapy students around the world. www.eliteakademy.com

DISCLAIMER

Mindset

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Mindset

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Mindset

Flourishing Positively

––– Dr Jenny Brockis –––

e are told to ‘Just think positive!’. But let’s face it. Things don’t always turn out the way we hope or expect. Some days are great, some not so much and sometimes we have those days where we wish we had stayed in bed. Dealing with life’s challenges can be tricky, upsetting and sometimes extremely painful. But being told to look for the good in every bad situation is unhelpful because it’s unrealistic. It fails to acknowledge that our coping skills are grown through dealing with those not so wonderful times and acknowledging the associated emotions whether positive or negative that are appropriate to the situation.

DISCLAIMER

That’s why positive thinking on its own doesn’t work because it’s normal to feel sad when a relationship breaks down or hurt if we overhear someone sharing an unkind comment about us. We have a natural negativity bias, which if let off its leash can rapidly undermine our ability to see things in a more positive light. What can help is to know how to veer towards realistic optimism, so as to be more stress resilient, less fazed by change and better placed to make the best decision in any given circumstance. Nurturing a growth oriented mindset leads to possibility thinking. It helps you to see the various options available to help you achieve your goals while diminishing the impact and fear of failure. GREAT HEALTH GUIDE | 41

Mindset

Better thinking begins by taking care ofyour health & wellbeing. How you think about a given situation will be influenced by a number of factors; how tired you are, how distracted, stressed, hungry and your mood. If you’re worrying about someone who’s not well at home or you’re still angry about a conversation you had with your partner last night, it can be harder to maintain the best frame of mind and focus to help you determine ‘what should I do next?’. Our level of busyness can get in the way of our best intentions to take good care of our brains. Better thinking starts with putting in place those lifestyle practices relevant to your complete health and wellbeing; getting enough sleep, being sufficiently physically active, eating healthily and managing stress. This ensures your mental hardware is in good working order and positively oriented, so you can think more clearly and get the results you want. 42 | GREAT HEALTH GUIDE

HOW CAN YOU STAY MORE POSITIVE? 1. Refuel smart. The latest evidence points to how excess sugar is a real downer, increasing our risk for depression. The typical Western diet is high in trans fats, salt and sugar and has been shown to contribute to a lower mood. 2. Keep moving. Spending too much time sitting, means you’re missing out on the mood elevating benefits of physical activity that raise levels of our feel-good neuropeptides, dopamine, serotonin and endorphins. 3. Be curious. ‘Yes, I know’ is dangerous territory as it shuts off that natural desire to explore, keep asking questions or be open to changing your mind. SUBSCRIBE

Mindset 4. Be grateful. It’s easy to get dragged down into the mire of negativity, catastrophising and negative self-talk. Practising an attitude of gratitude by keeping a gratitude journal for two weeks, has been shown to shift mindset towards the positive for up to three months. 5. Be still. Taking time out for you isn’t selfish, it’s essential to your well being. Taking too much on, looking after everyone else may get you some brownie points towards sainthood if that’s what you seek, but does little to sustain or nurture your mind. So, book that holiday, take time off for a massage and plan to catch up with friends. 6. Rest and reflect. The truth is that many of us are so chronically sleep deprived we’ve lost sight of just how tired we are. Sleep is essential to emotional regulation and elevating mood. Try the 2-week 20-minute challenge of going to bed twenty minutes earlier each night and see what difference that makes to your mood, energy levels and thinking. 7. Hang out with those who sustain you. Unsurprisingly studies have shown that our closest relationships have the greatest influence on our state of mind and overall level of happiness. Staying in the positive not only helps you, it will positively contaminate others too, creating a more positive outlook readily available for everyone to flourish. DISCLAIMER

Dr Jenny Brockis is a Medical Practitioner and specialises in the science of high performance thinking. Jenny’s approach to overcoming life’s challenges is based on practical neuroscience which enables people to understand their thoughts and actions leading to effective behavioural change. Jenny is the author of ‘Future Brain - the 12 Keys to Create Your High-Performance Brain’ and may be contacted via her website.

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Mindset

Resolu A New Year’s

You Shouldn’t Make

––– Dr Kiera Buchanan –––

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Mindset

hen making your new years’ resolutions, I urge you to resist the pressures of the dieting industry and instead resolve to treat yourself well. If you are seeking greater health, happiness or self-worth, I assure you that being at war with your body is not the way to achieve those goals. Allow me to share a little of my story.

When I was 20 years old, I tagged along with my Mother to a very popular weightloss clinic. At this point in my life, I didn’t realise that there was anything ‘wrong’ with my body weight. Rather, I had simply agreed to attend as an opportunity to spend quality time with my mother, to support her and gain more motivation to get fitter and healthier. At the time I weighed in at 65 kilograms and was informed by the consultant that 60 kilograms would be an ideal weight for me. Rather than questioning how this woman could calculate my ideal body weight by merely looking at me, for the first time I was struck with the thought that, ‘I must be overweight. Why else would this consultant encourage me to lose weight?’

Resist the pressures of the dieting industry & instead resolve to treat yourself well. DISCLAIMER

And so, the quest began to get my weight below 60 kilograms…and I got there. However, the effort required to maintain this weight was not sustainable and before long my weight had crept back to 65 kilograms. Rather than trusting that my body knew better than the woman at this weightloss clinic, I blamed myself; a story which I’m sure many women are familiar with. So, the pattern of weight fluctuations, some intentional, some incidental had begun. A number of life events including a bout of altitude sickness whilst hiking through the peaks of South America and also the heartbreak of separating from a longterm partner saw my weight plummet back down to 60 kilograms. However, on both occasions despite my conviction to not regain the lost weight, it wasn’t long before my weight had crept back up to 65 kilograms. Years later, I am pleased to say that scales are not a part of my life. In fact, I haven’t weighed myself in years. However, whilst writing this article my curiosity was sparked which prompted me to step on the scales once more. And you wouldn’t believe it: the scales showed that once again, I weigh 65 kilograms. However, this time is different because my perspective is very different. My body tells me that all those years ago the consultant at the weight-loss clinic was wrong; 60 kilograms is not a good weight for me and 65 kilograms is not the result of

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Mindset

being lazy. 65-ish is my natural body weight. This is my ideal weight when I am health focused, not weight obsessed. However, for me 60 kilograms is the short-term effect of dieting, illness, and/or misery, none of which I wish to sustain to simply have a slimmer physique. Your body has an intuitive wisdom far greater than any dieting gimmick. Learn to listen to it, accept it and trust in your body to do its job well. When you are no longer focused on controlling your bodyweight, you’re free to deal with the real reason why you may be struggling with your weight. Resolving that issue could be a much better and worthwhile 46 | GREAT HEALTH GUIDE

resolution for the New Year rather than aiming for a certain body image and number on the scales.

Dr Kiera Buchanan is a Health and Clinical Psychologist as well as the Director of Centre for Integrative Health; a multi-disciplinary practice aimed at preventing and treating eating disorders, weight concerns and body-image issues. Kiera specialises in topics such as dieting, eating behaviour, weight management and self-compassion. She has published papers, delivered workshops and also presented at conferences. Kiera can be contacted via website. SUBSCRIBE

Meaning Mindset

Find

Every Day

––– Dr Suzanne Henwood and Lani Morris –––

DISCLAIMER

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Mindset

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED:

2. Move your attention to Reality.

• Is it worth getting out of bed?

Ask yourself, ‘what must get done today’? Honestly prioritize and confidently create a list of things that are both important and urgent. Make sure that you create space for things that will make you feel alive.

• Does my effort make any difference? • Can I keep doing this over and over? As human beings we strive for meaning and purpose and sometimes in our busyness and lists, we lose sight of the bigger picture. We forget what a difference we do make. It’s good to remind ourselves. One technique we highly recommend is to use The Map of Meaning; a beautiful way to explore meaning in your every day. The Map of Meaning is a tool created from a PhD by Marjolein Lips-Wiersma. Use this outline to draw the Map on a sheet of paper, or create a Map you can walk round on the floor by using several sheets.

TAKE YOUR FOCUS AND STEP RIGHT INTO THE CENTER:

NOW WALK ROUND THE FOUR QUADRANTS. FOCUS ON THE THING THAT INSPIRES YOU: 1. Expressing Full Potential. • What do I have the opportunity to create today? • What can I uniquely bring to this? • What strengths can use I in this? 2. Integrity with Self. • How could I be the best form of me in what I do?

1. Inspiration.

• Is it time to speak up about something?

Ask yourself, ‘what inspires me today’? Place your hand on your heart and feel what will bring your heart alive today.

• What would today look like if I was even more true to myself?

48 | GREAT HEALTH GUIDE

Mindset 3. Unity with Others. • Who do I want to involve in this? • Whose support would make a real difference? • What can I do to get the support that I want? 4. Service to Others. • What difference could my work make today? To whom? • Whose life would or could be better? The Map of Meaning also provides an excellent framework for reviewing a day. Having a copy of the Map on the fridge for example, would be a great way to remind you to reflect on what was meaningful. Take another look at the outside words on the diagram Being, Self, Doing and Others. Notice where you spent your time today. • Did you spend your time mostly Being with Self, (top left) relaxing, reflecting, dreaming? • Or Being with Others, (top right) chatting, working together, hanging out? • Was it Doing for Others, (bottom right) focused on serving others, tasks, activities?

• Or was it Doing with Yourself, (bottom left) buried in a task, maybe working alone? As you reflect on where you spent your time, how inspiring does it feel? If you are not happy with it, maybe you could look at some different activities that would feel more meaningful. There is no perfect place, just the one that feels right to you. The Map of Meaning can help us to notice whether things are a habit, a should, a necessity or can help to show how a small shift can help us to rebalance. The Map of Meaning helps us to take charge of what we do with our time, so that we can create even more meaning in our lives. We encourage you to use the Map in just the right way for you – maybe alternating it between planning your day as it starts, to reflecting back on work you have done that day. This will remind you of what a difference you make and help you to reconnect with what makes your heart come alive. There is more information available on The Map of Meaning and the new 2nd edition of the book has recently been published, full of real life stories of how the Map is used in a range of different contexts.

Dr Suzanne Henwood is the Director and Lead Coach and Trainer of mBraining4Success. She is also a Map of Meaning Practitioner; the CEO of The Healthy Workplace and a master Trainer and Master Coach of mBIT (multiple Brain Integration Techniques) and can be contacted via her website. Lani Morris is the Co-founder and CEO of The Map of Meaning International Trust, which is committed to helping people to have lives that feel worth living, work that feels worth doing, and organisations that are worthy of the human spirit. DISCLAIMER

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Movement Mindset

for Mental Health ––– Jennifer Smallridge –––

ach year, one in every five Australians will experience a mental illness. The most common type, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), are anxiety disorders, followed by mood disorders, which includes depression. Common and effective treatment pathways for mental health disorders include counselling and medication, but have you considered the role of exercise as an adjunct treatment for depression and anxiety? Although exercise can sometimes feel like the hardest thing to do, the research linking movement and improved mental health is constantly growing.

50 | GREAT HEALTH GUIDE

Mindset Serotonin, the best known ‘happy’ chemical, is produced in the brain during exercise.

EXERCISE TO REDUCE DEPRESSION AND MOOD DISORDERS. Longstanding depression is not only unpleasant for the sufferer, but it is also associated with an increased likelihood of having a chronic disease, such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The proven benefits of being active for managing depression include: • improved mood, particularly via the neurotransmitter serotonin, which increases after a single bout of exercise • improved self-concept and selfesteem – completing some exercise can give a great sense of achievement • improved performance at work – people who exercise in the morning are better able to take on challenges during the day • improved socialisation – even if the interactions are small and subtle, such as greeting a neighbour in the street or saying hello to the receptionist at the gym, are positive • helping to maintain a healthy weight and body image, particularly if medication has caused unwanted weight gain.

EXERCISE TO REDUCE ANXIETY. Anxiety is expressed quite differently from person to person, but regardless of DISCLAIMER

the symptoms, research which supports the link between exercise and managing anxiety, finds the following: 1. An immediate lowering of anxietyrelated symptoms occurs after exercise. This will be apparent after the completion of 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, such as walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, rowing or dancing. 2. Being physically active can provide a great distraction. Overthinking and persistent worries play a part in anxiety. Most people find that the worries have lost their significance after the exercise is completed. 3. Exercises that unite the breath and body movements reduce anxiety. Pilates, yoga and tai chi, are examples as they strengthen the ability to focus on the present moment and leave less room for fear and worry.

APPLYING THE RESEARCH TO REAL LIFE. Here are the top tips on getting active in the face of mental distress: 1. Realise that the best exercise is something that you’ll come back to. This could include regular walking, a class at the gym or perhaps something nontraditional like fencing or hula hooping. The key message from the research is that when it comes to improving mood, enjoyment is more important than intensity and duration. GREAT HEALTH GUIDE | 51

Mindset 3. Use exercise as a circuit breaker.

20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise changes anxious & depressed mindsets.

Decision making and rational thought tend to become lost when we’re not feeling our best. In psychological settings, a ‘circuit breaker’ is anything that interrupts the thought pattern and provides some distance between us and our thoughts. This could be a warm bath, a cup of tea, a phone call with someone in your support network or even better – a brisk walk around the block. A good strategy to get going when you lack motivation, is to promise yourself, that it’s only going to be a short walk and you can return home at any moment. Often by the time you are exposed to fresh air, with a change of scenery, the thoughts have lost their grip and you are able to gain some much-needed perspective. Always remember that it just takes 20-30 minutes to create a shift in anxious and depressed states, with exercise producing the mood changing neurotransmitters of the brain. Put exercise in the toolkit for managing depression and anxiety.

2. Find your support network. Mental distress frequently causes feelings of isolation that can engulf and overwhelm the person. Having a trusted, safety net of people can be ideal, for voicing emotions and concerns – perhaps a close family member, partner, friend or health professional, whom you can easily reach when needed. A GP can assist in providing a referral to an accredited exercise physiologist, who specialises in exercise and mental health. A plan can be developed to establish some achievable goals to provide that extra support. 52 | GREAT HEALTH GUIDE

Jennifer Smallridge is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist at Upwell Health Collective in Camberwell, Victoria, as well as a lecturer in the fields of Exercise Science and Functional Human Anatomy. SUBSCRIBE

Rela ionships

DISCLAIMER

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Relationships

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Relationships

Enough You Are

––– Leanne Allen –––

ave you ever noticed that feeling of ‘not being enough’? It can jump out at you unexpectedly, or it can sit with you like a heavy feeling, a constant reminder that something is just not right. This feeling can sabotage you and your relationships. When we believe that we are not enough, we look for evidence, on an unconscious level, that proves that we are right. We amplify things or misread things, turning small things into big things. This leads to arguments that did not need to happen, misunderstandings and a constant battle to be heard. This can lead to resentment and anger. DISCLAIMER

The feeling of not being enough can sabotage you & your relationships GREAT HEALTH GUIDE | 55

Relationships Insecurity can also lead to withdrawing from your partner, emotionally and/or physically. The thought of ‘there is no point anyway’, prevents us from even trying to be heard. This pattern can be devastating. On an unconscious level, it reinforces the belief system that, ‘I am not enough’ or perhaps even that on some other level that, ‘I deserve this because I am (insert harsh judgment of self here)’. Can you imagine how different you would feel if you were to know, deep in your core, that you are in fact enough? Insecure belief systems start very early in life, usually before the age of seven. As a psychologist and a coach, I can honestly say that 100% of people at some point in their life, go through feelings of not being enough.

HOW DOES ‘I’M NOT ENOUGH’ PLAY OUT IN RELATIONSHIP? 1. Defensiveness. ‘Yes, but….’, and not being able to simply say sorry or own up to mistakes. 2. Attacking behaviour. Blaming others, picking on the small things, resentment.

5. Nagging. The feeling that other people are not up to our standards, reflects something not right inside of us. It can be a projection of not feeling in control, or it can be high judgement of our partner. But please remember, in relationships where domestic violence is present, this is not the same, as the abusive partner is exerting his/her power over the other. It is the abusive partner who feels ‘not enough’, although they would never openly admit to that without help. When we feel like we are not enough, we start to see that in others too. Our partner is a mirror to us. Just because these beliefs start early does not mean that we are stuck with them, it just means that we need to work on them.

WHAT CAN I DO?

3. Withdrawal. There’s no point, so I’ll just shut down (stop listening, stop talking, stop engaging, stop intimacy).

1. Start by noticing your thoughts. If anyone else in the world spoke to you like that, would you accept it?

4. Frustration. I just can’t please him/ her.

2. Give your judge a silly name. ‘There goes my judge Flicka again, she is so mean!’ 3. Get professional help. Learning how to change the way you think and feel about yourself is a big part of the process. Ask for recommendations from friends or your local doctor.

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Relationships

4. Let go of the reins a little. If you are trying to control everything in your relationship, your partner will feel suffocated and you will feel exhausted. 5. Practice gratitude. Notice three things a day, every day, that you are grateful for. 6. Acknowledge things about yourself that you like. This could be physical or personality and it can be little things to start with. Examples are ‘I like my eyes’, ‘I am a good cook’, ‘Even though I am not perfect, I love who I am’. There are so many more things you can do! Most importantly is not to give up. You DISCLAIMER

are worth it. The struggle to overcome feelings of insecurity and judgements of not being enough, do not compare to finally reaching the conclusion that ‘I AM ENOUGH!’

Leanne Allen, is the Principle Psychologist at Reconnect Wellness Centre. She has trained in Sandplay Therapy, NLP and CBT and has had extensive training in relationship therapy. Leanne has also completed training as a life coach. Her approach is to look forward whilst releasing the trauma of the past. Connect on Facebook or visit the Website. GREAT HEALTH GUIDE | 57

Relationships

Creating a Divorce-Proof

Dr Matthew Anderson

he vast majority (over 80%) of Australians, Americans and most other nationalities, get married at least once in their lives. We seem to be in love with marriage. Correction: We seem to love getting married but half of us also get divorced, although no one gets married with a plan to divorce. We find a partner, stand in front of a clergy person or a judge with family and friends and swear to remain together until â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;death do us partâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Then stuff happens and half of us lose that special connection. Then we find a lawyer and divorce becomes a sad end to a promising beginning. 58 | GREAT HEALTH GUIDE

Relationships Is there a way to beat the odds? Is it possible to almost guarantee a marriage that is divorce-proof? I have over 45 years of professional experience working with couples and I can answer that question with an enthusiastic, YES! YES, it is possible to create a marriage that is solid, loving, healthy and never ends in divorce. OK, 99% divorce proof. No plan is perfect.

HERE IS HOW TO CREATE A DIVORCE PROOF MARRIAGE: 1. Create a Plan to Stay Married. It is important for you and your partner to have a serious talk about how important marriage is to both of you. Actually, answer the question: What is our plan to avoid divorce and stay happily married? If you do not have a clear and meaningful plan, then your chances of divorce are significant. Make a plan. I have listed suggestions below. 2. Assess the Cost of the Marriage Ceremony. Most couples spend quite a lot of money on getting married. Just the engagement ring (yes, it is included in the cost!) is expensive. The average American invests about $6000.00 on a ring. Add in the full cost of the ceremony, including the dress, food, flowers, etc. and take a hard look at the real expense. In the USA the average cost is almost $27,000.00, plus the ring! That adds up to $33,000.00. What is the real cost of your ceremony? 3. Make a Real Investment in your Future Together. Think about this. You are going to spend all this money, just to get started. If you DISCLAIMER

It is possible to create a marriage that is loving, solid, healthy & does not end in divorce.

invested this much in starting a business would you have a business plan? Would you expect to get some education on how to make this business successful? Yes, you would, unless you were willing to quickly lose your investment. So, what is your happy marriage worth? I suggest you add up your marriage costs (see above) and then take just 10% of that and invest in a successful marriage education. That amount would be about $3000 for the average couple. It will be the best insurance policy you and your partner ever made. Caution: Do not assume that love is enough to make a marriage work. It is a great start, but you also need to know what makes a relationship survive and GREAT HEALTH GUIDE | 59

Relationships thrive. Most couples, at least 50%, have no idea and they end up in court. What should you include in your ‘Plan to Stay Happily Married’? I have listed the basics below. Everything on this list will help. Remember, it is a lot easier to learn the right skills in the beginning of your marriage than to wait until the pain gets intense.

THREE BASICS FOR A SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE EDUCATION: 1. Read books and watch videos. Book stores and the internet are filled with excellent marriage education materials. You can begin with a simple Google search for ‘marriage education’. Great resources will show up immediately. Remember to check out my book,The Resurrection of Romance: How to create a world class romantic relationship that lasts a lifetime. It is filled with practical suggestion. 2. Attend seminars and workshops. You can Google these also and everything in your area will appear. One weekend can make a tremendous difference. A week is even better. You will learn useful skills and you will also meet other couples who are working on their relationship. 3. See a professional. Most couples wait too long before they see a professional couples’ therapist or coach. Prevention is what works best. Finally, decide with your partner that your relationship deserves regular care. Get a great education and your investment will pay off for a lifetime of love together.

Dr Matthew Anderson has a Doctor of Ministry specialising in counselling. He has extensive training and experience in Gestalt and Jungian Psychology and has helped many people successfully navigate relationship issues. Dr Anderson has a best-selling book, ‘The Resurrection of Romance’ and he may be contacted via his website. 60 | GREAT HEALTH GUIDE

Kids Ma ers

DISCLAIMER

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Kids Matters

Childhood

Snoring and Behaviour ––– Dr David McIntosh –––

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ngel is a 6-year-old girl who is anything but her namesake. She is tired and often cranky, tends to burst into tears from the simplest of things, has very poor attention and her behaviour is such that her parents have been advised by the school to see a paediatrician in case she has Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). The parents realise that something is not right with their Angel and start researching a bit and seeking advice from a range of professionals.

The paediatrician confirms she is disruptive and meets the criteria for ADHD. The audiologist confirms she can hear OK. The optician confirms her vision is fine. The naturopath suggests it might be a sensitivity to wheat and dairy and faced with the alternative option of medication, the family give this a go but unfortunately, she is only getting worse. They see the dentist for her 6-month check-up and the dentist notices that Angel is struggling to breathe in the chair. Her mum says she has been like that for a while and tends to walk around with her mouth open â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;catching fliesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The dentist proceeds to look at her teeth and notices some wear and tear suggestive of teeth grinding. Mum confirms she does this too. The dentist keeps probing - it turns out the child snores and is quite restless at night. The dentist takes a second look - this time past the teeth and looks at the back of the throat and notices the tonsils are large. Mum confirms this has been noted by others and was told that kids with big tonsils just grow into them and because there have been no infections, they wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be taken out by the specialists. Having said that, nobody has organised for Angel to see the specialists in tonsil problems, the ENT surgeons. The dentist offers a DISCLAIMER

referral to see one, which mum accepts. At the consultation the ENT specialist considers things in more detail. Not only does Angel snore, but there are times when she may even stop breathing. She wakes

25-50%%of children with a diagnosis of ADHD actually have sleep- disordered breathing.

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Kids Matters

If a child snores there may be times when she even stops breathing.

up tired, wets the bed often, grinds her teeth, sleep talks and has issues with her concentration and focus. The examination confirms the ears are fine, the nose is blocked at the back by large adenoids. The tonsils are so big that they are touching each other. Further discussion reveals that she will have episodes of choking on food and tends to avoid meat and prefers soft foods in general. 64 | GREAT HEALTH GUIDE

The ENT specialist advises mum that Angel has Sleep Disordered Breathing with probable sleep apnoea due to obstructing adenoids and tonsils. She advises mum that research shows 2550% of children with a diagnosis of ADHD actually have a sleep problem and sleep disordered breathing is the most common. Furthermore, she explains to mum that teeth grinding, sleep-talking SUBSCRIBE

Kids Matters

and bed wetting will stop, in a high proportion of cases once the airway obstruction is fixed. She advises that the best way to correct this is with surgery. It is fortunate that Angel does not get tonsillitis as the tonsils are already way too swollen and waiting for such infections. Mum is relieved and hesitant at the same time and asks about whether Angel will just grow into them. The ENT specialist explains there was a study of 11000 children, including those that had sleep disordered breathing and had nothing done to fix it at the time, did often stop having their breathing problems. However, their behaviour problems persisted. In another recent study of a couple of thousand kids showed that in the group that had surgery early versus the group that had no treatment, having surgery resulted in more substantial improvements and better long-term outcomes. Realising her child was suffering terribly, mum decided to proceed with surgery to remove the tonsils and adenoids. Angel had a rough recovery, as the specialist explained would happen, but once it all settled down, mum was dumbfounded by the changes. Angel was far more cooperative at school, had more energy and everyone commented on how she seemed to be a new child. As the specialist had advised, the symptoms of ADHD may just be reflective of her being exhausted and tired and with the good nights of sleep that came with being able to breathe well, she was able to function better during the day. Even her eating and swallowing was better. DISCLAIMER

Teeth grinding, sleep-talking & bed wetting will likely stop once the airway obstruction is fixed.

She wouldn’t eat broccoli but hey, don’t expect miracles.

Dr David McIntosh is a paediatric ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist with a particular interest in airway obstruction, facial and dental development and its relationship to ENT airway problems and middle ear disease. He also specialises in sinus disease and provides opinions on the benefit of revision of previous sinus operations. Dr McIntosh has written ‘Snored to Death’ and can be contacted via website. GREAT HEALTH GUIDE | 65

kids matters

Teaching Your Child to

Not interrupt Deb Hopper

parents, there are many things that we love and adore about our children. There are also some social skills that we seem to teach and re-teach to our kids and we wonder when they will finally learn them. One such skill includes teaching your child to not interrupt when you are speaking to someone else. This is a developmental milestone and a skill that children may need a variety of techniques and strategies to help reinforce and to learn. 66 | GREAT HEALTH GUIDE

kids matters

CHILDREN MIGHT INTERRUPT CONVERSATIONS FOR SEVERAL REASONS: 1. They don’t realise or forget that other people have needs for attention and feel that they have the most immediate or pressing need. 2. If you have a talkative family who finishes off each other’s sentences, they may be modelling their communication style from adults they know. 3. They may not pick up on social cues and body language that you use when you are busy talking. It is important to teach children to wait their turn to talk and not interrupt you when you are speaking to others.

HERE ARE THREE TIPS TO TEACH CHILDREN SOCIAL SKILLS TO NOT INTERRUPT WHEN YOU ARE SPEAKING: 1. Teaching social stories and social skills in a variety of ways. As adults, we may not realise the importance of taking the time to explain in a variety of ways the specific social skills, including not interrupting. One very successful way to do this is through creating and using a social story. A social story is a story about a particular social skill that they are struggling with. A social story for not interrupting may go something like this: ‘I love to chat and tell mum and dad (or insert name) about my day and things that are happening to me. There are also times DISCLAIMER

when I feel I really have to say something that’s super important to me’. ‘I know that mum and dad (or another adult) loves me and think that I’m important. But, sometimes they might be talking on the phone or talking to another adult and this is really important to them. They have adult things to organise’. ‘I need to be a big boy/ girl and learn to wait until they have finished talking. I need to learn to notice when they are talking to someone. If they are, I can push my lips together to remind myself that I can wait. I shouldn’t tap them on the arm or say anything as this might be annoying for them. I can wait quietly’. ‘If I forget to not interrupt, that is OK. They will probably tell me to wait. I can then push my lips together and use my thoughts to tell me, ‘It’s OK, I can wait until they are finished talking’. I might go and find something fun to do while I’m waiting, or play with someone’. You can use this story as a basis for creating your own. Add in some pictures or clip art, especially for younger children or children with additional needs or developmental delay. 2. Use role plays to practice talking together and for your child to wait and practice their strategies. 3. Notice when your child is successful at waiting and give them praise back. This will encourage them to wait again next time. While it’s important to teach children to wait, as adults we need to learn to be GREAT HEALTH GUIDE | 67

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Editor ,s choice

present and not distracted, especially from TV or other screens during peak hours before and after school. If children know that we are available to meet their attention and attachment needs regularly, they will be more able to give us time when we need to speak to others.

Deb Hopper is an Occupational Therapist, author and workshop presenter. She is passionate about empowering parents and educators to understand the underlying reasons of why children struggle with behaviour, self-esteem and sensory processing difficulties. Deb is an author and can be contacted via her website. 68 | GREAT HEALTH GUIDE

REDUCING MELTDOWNS AND IMPROVING CONCENTRATION: THE JUST RIGHT KIDS TECHNIQUE by Deb Hopper

Teach your child: • to understand & recognise emotions • to learn to control emotions & behaviour • to reduce tantrums & meltdowns • to be able to sit in class, listen & learn • to feel happy, safe & emotionally secure PLUS: FREE “Just Right Kids” Circle Self-regulation model to print & stick on your fridge & BONUS of Deb’s web training videos. Paperback Published 2016

RRP $21.90 Now $20.80 Booktopia may vary prices from those published. Postage $6.95 per order AUST/NZ

Happiness is not something ready-made; it comes from our own actions. – – Dalai Lama

DISCLAIMER

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