Great Health Guide: November 2015 by Great Health Guide

Issue 5 – November 2015

IGNITE

Yourself! Turning fear

YOUR CHILD

in Separation/Divorce

Tthrough riumph

ADVERSITY

into action

WORK/ LIFE BALANCE

BALANCING YOUR HORMONES • WHAT IS GRIEF & LOSS? • ARE YOU BRAIN FIT? • STAYING HEALTHY WHEN TRAVELLING

Contents Inspiration 10

Co-founder of a Drug & Rehabilitation Centre talks on adversity and her triumph

A practical method to handle a difficult situation Nakya Reeves

Lorraine Wood IGNITE YOURSELF!

Turning fear into action

2 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

What you need to know

Mindset

Nutrition Emma Tippett

TODDLER TANTRUMS: Ash Nayate

Deirdre Waterson

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DIGESTIVE PROCESS

CREATIVE SUPPORT FOR YOUR CHILD DURING SEPARATION / DIVORCE: 24

ARE YOU BRAIN FIT? 19

Part 1: Optimising the brain for best performance Dr Jenny Brockis GHG Disclaimer – please read

FACING ADVERSITY AND COMING OUT THE OTHER SIDE!

Relationships

WHAT IS GRIEF AND LOSS?

Different ways to cope Joanne Evans

Great health BALANCING YOUR HORMONES: 42

Can it Slow Down the Aging Process? Michael Smith CAN SUPERFOODS HELP PCOS? 46

Recovering from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Melissa Madgwick 12 TOP TIPS FOR WORK/LIFE BALANCE:

Essential for health & wellbeing Melanie Eager

Fitness STAYING HEALTHY WHEN TRAVELLING

- How to relax and enjoy it Tanya Doherty PUSHING THROUGH PAIN TO ACHIEVE RESULTS

Kat Miller

FiNANCE WOMEN AND INVESTING

Part 3: Why invest in the share market? Bill Dodd GHG Disclaimer – please read

GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 3

DISCLAIMER

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).

GHG Disclaimer – please read

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THE GHG TEAM ......................................................................................

FOUNDER + EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kathryn Dodd

DEPUTY EDITORS

Helen J. Dodd, William A. Dodd

APP DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

Monica Dam, Alex Murton, Ondrej Pluhar

DESIGNERS

Alex Mykhno, Oleksandra Zuieva

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jenny Brockis, Bill Dodd, Tanya Doherty, Melanie Eager, Joanne Evans, Melissa Madgwick, Kat Millar, Ash Nayate, Nakya Reeves, Michael Smith, Emma Tippett, Deirdre Waterson, Lorraine Wood

OTHER CONTRIBUTORS

Front Cover Image: Courtesy of The South Pacific Private Rehabilitation Centre. View from Rockcastle Room Deck

CONNECT WITH US:

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

SUBSCRIBE: W: www.GreatHealthGuide.com.au

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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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“The most powerful weapon on earth is the human

soul

on fire”

- Ferdinand Foch

EDITOR’S NOTE Can I just say I love hearing from you … I love your comments and feedback. I love hearing about your hopes and dreams, fears and frustrations. Recently a survey was sent to many of you to find out what’s important in your lives. I want Great Health GuideTM to be totally relevant to you … to meet your needs. Your comments were so beautiful and honest. Ultimately it’s about you. Great Health GuideTM exists to nourish, inspire, and equip you with gems and golden nuggets. Your feedback ensures that we can source amazing content that nourishes and inspires you. Overall the main feedback we heard was that women are short of time, sometimes lacking in motivation to make consistent healthy choices and somewhat confused by the conflicting messages around nutrition. Well Great Health GuideTM will be addressing all of that. For busy women just like you we will bring shorter, content-rich articles. Even if you have only five minutes, then you can find an article that provides valuable and life-changing content just for you. We also heard your cry about what seems to be conflicting information around health. There is no one solution for everyone – one size does NOT fit all. For example, some people advocate veganism … other people say it’s important to eat red meat. Some people say that it’s OK to eat whole grains and then some experts say that you should avoid grains altogether. So who’s correct? Essentially Great Health GuideTM will provide you with a buffet of choice covering many topics. So make small changes, listen to your body and see what works best for you.

......

At the end of the day Great Health GuideTM wants to be your guidance and support. We want to inspire, equip and empower you into optimum health and purpose. Some ideas will be new and some ideas you may have just forgotten. Well this could be a new day for you. Who knows the snowball effect of taking a few small actions … consistently? Essentially we exist for you … to champion health, bring freedom and ignite purpose … it’s all about you!!! To your best health.

8 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

Kath x Founder

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Welcome Beautiful Girls

INSPIRATION

Â© Depositphotos.com/ kartos

View from the South Pacific Private Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre, Sydney

Facing

dversit y

10 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

and Coming Out the Other Side Words Lorraine Wood

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

GHG Disclaimer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; please read

n the face of adversity, what was it that caused you to dig deep and rise above your personal challenges?

I grew up in a family where both parents were alcoholics. I didn’t learn the skills necessary to deal with the feelings that I experienced as a result of their drinking. Issues went unaddressed for many years and impacted upon me in ways that I didn’t then understand. As often happens to children of alcoholics, I married a man who was also an alcoholic. My husband Bill had been clean and sober for 12 months when we met. At that stage he was a shining example of the success of AA’s 12 Step Program. However, fairly early in our relationship there was a shift when he stopped attending AA meetings. Bill started experiencing symptoms of a condition called Dry Drunk Syndrome (DDS). This happens when recovering alcoholics/addicts don’t attend these meetings on a regular basis and don’t get the ongoing support that they need to help with their distorted thinking. He put up walls instead of healthy emotional boundaries and had issues of anger, depression and a mental obsession with drinking. The partner of a person suffering DDS often blames themselves believing the resulting unhappiness is their fault. I was no different GHG Disclaimer – please read

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I n this article Lorraine Wood, co-founder of a Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre, answers six key questions on adversity.

and went out of my way struggling to make things ‘right’. DDS is a malaise of the spirit that can be as destructive as the alcohol abuse itself. That’s why it is critical for an addict in recovery to continue to attend regular meetings as part of their ongoing recovery. There’s a saying in AA that rings especially true here, ‘I went to AA for my drinking and stayed for my thinking.’ When this happened to me, I was no longer taking good care of myself. In addition to experiencing what I have described, I was also struggling with a work addiction. I had become extremely stressed and suffered migraines on an almost daily basis. I finally realized that something needed to change. There was a moment when I knew we needed to seek professional help. Then came the moment that caused me to dig deep and get the help we both needed. I knew that if my life was going to turn around, I would have to do it myself because Bill couldn’t fix this for me. I went along to a 12 Step Program meeting – one for the family and friends of alcoholics – and it was an amazing life-changing experience. People stood up and were telling their stories – and each one was my story too. For the first time, I felt I belonged somewhere. I knew that this meeting could help me. With my interest sparked in my own recovery as well as that of my husband and family, we went to a well-known facility in the United States called The Meadows and entered treatment. At that time there was nowhere in Australia that offered this program. GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 11

may be facing adversity? As a successful businesswoman and mother to five daughters, I feel that my life experiences have given me certain insights into facing adversity. My first insight is to always trust your body. Your body doesn’t lie. If you are having headaches, physical pain or depression, you need to seek help and not deny that it’s happening. I didn’t understand the ramifications of my childhood experiences for many years until they slowly revealed themselves physically. My body was trying to tell me that I needed help and that I needed to stop and listen to it.

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What would you say to other women who

Luckily, we now live in a time where there are many options available if you want to seek help. If addiction is a problem, then I believe you need help from an addiction specialist. To invest in your own life is the greatest gift you can give yourself and the people that you love. What are a few of the biggest ‘aha’s for you along your journey? While attending family week as part of Bill’s treatment, I realized my own passion for the Recovery Movement. I later had a vision for a treatment center in Australia, one that could offer a similar program to The Meadows. Through a combination of determination, trepidation, faith and entrepreneurship, Bill and I found ourselves owners of a small private hospital on the northern beaches of Sydney. In 1993, we opened South Pacific Private (SPP) in Sydney and it continues to be the nation’s only equivalent of The Meadows and The Betty Ford Clinic in the United States. The process of buying, owning, managing and sustaining this business taught me that I have the strength and inner resources to cope

Lorraine Wood, Founder of South Pacific Private Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre, Sydney

12 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

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doubted if we had made the right decision and questioned if we would succeed. However, I learned to trust and eventually our dream was realized. You mention the Treatment Centre in Arizona called The Meadows that had a profound impact on your life. Are there any lessons from this Centre that are transferrable to other women who may be going through other challenges? I had difficult times as a young woman and learned to rely on my own judgement at an early age. My greatest insights and support came from the principles of the 12 Step Movement. I learned a philosophy of how to live my life one day at a time and absorbed the other 12 Step slogans such as: • how important is it? • there but for the grace of God • think, think, think • first things first Did you ever feel prepared or ready to open a treatment center like South Pacific Private? I learned to trust my gut reactions and to listen to my inner voice. I would recommend to any woman in a difficult or challenging situation to always listen to your body; it doesn’t lie. I am delighted that in the years that have passed since we opened in 1993, South Pacific Private has become renowned for providing the specialised care that people suffering from addictions and mood disorders need. GHG Disclaimer – please read

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with difficult situations. There were times I

The family program is the cornerstone of our treatment. At South Pacific Private, we also have a weekly outpatient family education and support group. This means that family members or anyone can come along and begin the healing process; gaining a better understanding of the nature of addiction. Since 1993, South Pacific Private has helped thousands of people into treatment for addictions, anxiety and related disorders. At the end of 2015, the facility will have almost doubled in size thus helping even more people and their families. Lorraine, are you necessarily a strong person or do you feel that you became stronger along the journey? If we had known what was ahead of us, we probably wouldn’t have started! To this day I remain immensely grateful for the path we took that led to finding our passion. To put it into context, we shared an awardwinning history in real estate but we had no collective experience in the medical field. And yet, there we were, owners of a private hospital. However, from my childhood I possessed an innate understanding of the multigenerational problems associated with substance abuse. I also knew that anyone, male or female, who has grown up in a family with a legacy of addiction needs expert help. While I may not have been equipped to open a treatment center, it soon became a passion Bill and I shared. We forged ahead without knowing what we were doing or realizing what we were getting ourselves into. When GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 13

the universe moves into alignment and helps. There were many times I questioned whether I was strong enough to manage and to continue. However, all of my life experiences, as well as my meetings and my faith enabled me to draw on an inner strength. The Twelve Step Program of Alcoholics Anonymous was founded by Dr Bob Wilson and Dr Bill Smith in 1935. There is a saying they instituted back then that still applies today: ‘If you follow the principles of the 12 Steps, you will find a life beyond your wildest dreams.’

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your passion becomes your purpose in life,

Lorraine Wood is Co-Founder and Owner of South Pacific Private which is Australia’s leading

mental

health

and

addiction

treatment facility. It offers inpatient and day programs to treat anxiety disorders, mood disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, behavioural addictions, alcohol addiction and substance abuse. Treatment at South Pacific Private offers the best possibility of recovery through its multidisciplinary, tailored programs which are designed to meet the individual needs of clients. Further information is available from the website.

Lorraine Wood believes that ‘It happened for me and it can happen for you too!’

Rockcastle room in the South Pacific Private Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre, Sydney

14 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

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“Never forget the three powerful resources you always have available to you:

love, prayer & forgiveness”

H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

gnite

Yourself!

Turning fear into action

Words Deirdre Waterson

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

ate in 2010, I opened my personal training studio. I managed a gym for six years and personally trained

from another gym for ten years. So you can understand I was so excited to now have my own studio. I loved my job and my clients. Keeping fit was a huge part of my everyday life. My studio was a great success and I was starting to look at the next phase of my career; to train the trainer. That was until the results of an MRI showed I had a massive tumour on nerve C6 of my cervical spine (my neck). My world crumbled around me as doctors told me I had to have the vertebrae removed as soon as possible. I remember being told that my chances of survival were minimal. They needed to search for the cancer and on Monday would begin a series of tests. To say I was shocked would ÂŠ Depositphotos.com/sangoiri

not even begin to explain what I felt.

I was told that my chances of survival were minimal. I refused to believe they were right. 16 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

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the operation they would have to prove to me that they were right. I took control of my destiny right there and then. I did not feel they were right. I wanted to fight whatever it was that I needed to fight; I wanted to grow old with my husband and see my girls married. They were doing all they could to keep me alive. The MRI showed a white mass that four neurosurgeons agreed was a tumour. I was in survival mode. My husband and I decided not to accept the advice and sought advice from another neurosurgeon who agreed to wait and watch the mass. For six months I was told by my GP that I would die as I had CUP cancer, i.e. cancer of unknown primary origin. This was a really challenging time in my life. What a relief when after six months, the mass disappeared and I was then told to get on with my life. Before this I practiced believing that I would be fine and read all the books I could on success stories of cancer patients; I had a husband and two children to fight to stay alive for. You would think that was the end of it, but no, my body would swell every time I exercised. The doctors told me I had rheumatoid arthritis, a disease which is disfiguring and disabling as well as being extremely painful. This was not what I had planned. I enrolled in a diploma of life coaching and set about finding a way to cure this disease. I refused to accept that my life would end in a wheel chair and that I would spend my life exposed to drugs that were potentially lethal. I have had a four year journey of nonsense, I have been to many dark places, but I knew that it would not get me where I wanted to go. I had to fight and search for a better way. There were months that I struggled GHG Disclaimer – please read

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I told the doctors that before I would consider

just to walk to the toilet and I wanted a way out. I discovered ways to appreciate and be grateful. My mantra was that ‘what you resist, will persist’. So I refused to accept that there was not a better way. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with my husband and children with joy and happiness. So I changed my diet and everything I drank. I cleansed my gut and now I work again as a Life Coach healing others, I exercise albeit differently than before and I laugh and love the time with my family. I see my journey as a gift for all the people whom I touch as a coach. My family has an incredibly committed mother and wife. I appreciate every minute of every day.

I would encourage all of you to appreciate your life now, not when… Love, live and embrace all of your challenges … they are a gift. I called my business Ignite Yourself because I had to do just that and I know you too can ignite yourself.

Deirdre Waterson has over 30 years working as a personal trainer, a life coach and a master NeuroLinguistic Programming (NLP) practitioner. She works with people where ever they are – online, face-to-face and one-on-one. With a mission to improve the life of over 1,500 people every year, Dee is a life coach of extraordinary strength, compassion and flexibility.

Deidre’s blogs

enlighten and educate, helping people, even from a distance and can be found on her website GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 17

Â© Depositphotos.com/tashka2000

NUTRITION

ÂŠ Depositphotos.com/Alinaprotsak2

Importance of the

igestive

GHG Disclaimer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; please read

Process Words Emma Tippett

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 19

people these days are having ongoing issues with their food and digestion?

A lot of this has to do with the amount of processing our foods are now subjected to, the average Western diet has moved far away from a natural wholefood approach. If we want to live a long and healthy life we have to provide the right fuel to support our optimal functioning. Food is vital for life because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the source of energy that drives every reaction that occurs in the cells of our bodies and is needed to build, repair and regenerate body tissue. We all want to feel vibrant and energised as we age and it all comes down to how we choose to nourish our body through the right nutrition.

What if you eat organic foods with minimal processing and you still experience digestive issues? This is where it gets interesting. To get the most out of a nutritious diet the function of the digestive system needs to be considered. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a continuous tube that extends from the mouth to the anus. Organs of the GI tract include the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine. The accessory organs of the digestive system include the teeth, tongue, salivary glands, liver, gall bladder and pancreas. There is a complex and long chain of events that contribute to how food is digested, 20 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

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ave you ever wondered why so many

absorbed and eliminated. If the functioning of any organ within the GI tract is compromised the whole process becomes less efficient. Contributing factors could include a history of poor dietary choices, illness, medications or lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption and smoking. The following are the some basic functions of the digestive system and tips on how you can support each function to ensure optimal digestion.

1. INGESTION This is the process of taking food and liquids into the mouth. Before we even start eating, the sight and smell of the food has stimulated saliva to be released. This moistens our mouth ready to start the digestive process. Our body needs to be in a parasympathetic state to digest our food, this means we need to stop, sit, chew and relax while eating.

2. SECRETION AND DIGESTION Cells within the walls of the GI tract and the accessory organs secrete many litres of water, acids, buffers and enzymes every day to aid in digestion. Saliva begins the breakdown of carbohydrates and fats within the mouth. The stomach secretes gastrin juice which contains hydrochloric acid, pepsin, intrinsic factor and gastric lipase. All of which initiate the breakdown of protein and fats. Hydrochloric acid (HCl) breaks down protein and kills off any non-beneficial bacteria. Symptoms of low stomach acid include: bloating and belching GHG Disclaimer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; please read

diarrhoea,

constipation

and

undigested

food in the stool. To boost levels of HCl consider taking 5ml of apple cider vinegar in water before meals and adding half a cup of fermented vegetable to meals. Zinc is important in the production of HCl and you can boost your intake through wholefoods such as pumpkin seeds, cashews and grass fed meats, salmon, mushrooms and oysters. The liver is a vital accessory organ in the process of digestion. It has many functions which include carbohydrate metabolism,

metabolism and production of bile. To ensure fats are broken down, absorbed and healthy cholesterol levels are maintained, the gall bladder must have adequate amounts of bile available for release. Foods to help improve bile production include, artichoke, radish, lemon, limes, garlic and celery. 3. ABSORPTION The main events of digestion and absorption occur in the small intestine. The mucosal layer of the small intestine features finger like projections called villi. The villi contain an outer cellular layer where the microvilli are located.

ÂŠ Depositphotos.com/foto76

blood sugar regulation, detoxification, lipid

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straight after meals, heartburn, indigestion,

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GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 21

the microvilli. Our good gut bacteria adhere to these cells and exert their immune protective functions. The health of the gut mucosa and levels of good gut bacteria are vital to our immune function and overall health. If nonbeneficial bacteria are able to adhere and thrive, then issues such as bloating, gas, food intolerances, diarrhoea and constipation can result. To improve gut bacteria, foods such as fermented vegetables, kefir or kombucha can be added to the diet.

4. ELIMINATION The process of elimination of wastes will occur in the large intestine. The mucosal layer of the colon features bacteria that finish the job of absorption and get the wastes ready to be eliminated. Butyrate producing bacteria represent a positive functional group of bacteria. Butyrate is the major energy source for colonic epithelial cells (colonocytes) and is involved in the maintenance of colonic mucosal health. Butter is a food source for butyrate. Consuming organic butter from grass fed cows can improve the health of colonic mucosa.

The health of our digestive system is vital to every other body system. Not often do we give thought to the amazing events going on within our own bodies. The health of our digestive system is vital to every 22 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

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Enterocytes are the absorptive cells found on

other body system receiving the nutrients needed for optimal functioning. It is also how our bodies get rid of waste and toxins. If living a long healthy life is important to you, consider how you can support the functions of digestion and embrace a nourishing whole food diet to discover greater health potential.

Further reading Grabowski, R Sandra & Tortora, J Gerard (2000) Principles of Anatomy and Physiology. 9th ed. Wiley & Sons, USA. Govbach, S (1996) Microbiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract. In: Baron S, Editor. Medical Microbiology 4thed. Galveston, TX.

Emma Tippet completed her Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy) in 2004 at the Australian College of Natural Medicine. Growing up in rural Victoria within a household that embraced a natural approach to health and a love for wholefood nutrition, Emma has combined this foundation with a passion for continued learning to help others reach greater health potential. Emma practices in Surrey Hills, Victoria, Australia and can be contacted on 1300 214 425 or via her website. GHG Disclaimer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; please read

Relationships

ÂŠ Depositphotos.com/riearl

hild during a Separation/Divorce

A practical method to handle a difficult situation

24 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

Words Nakya Reeves

Design Oleksandra Zuieva GHG Disclaimer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; please read

ÂŠ Depositphotos.com/CITAlliance

Creative Support for Your

ne of the most devastating things

When

about a divorce or separation is the

sometimes a typical ‘Question and Answer’

effect on the children involved. In my

style of conversation is not always helpful.

experience working with families, I often talk

In my practice, I specialize in using creative

with children who are going through this difficult

methods of therapy to help clients express

transition or have already experienced their

underlying emotions. Phototherapy exercises

parents’ separation. In talking with them, I have

have proven most helpful in this area.

noticed that one of their biggest insecurities

Phototherapy

during this process surrounds issues of identity.

bringing in photos from albums, taking

For children and teens, parents are the foundation

photos for homework assignments etc., all for

of who they are, as they have not yet moved away

the purpose of helping me to fully understand

from home and started their independence.

who they are and the ways in which they think/

It can be difficult to maintain a secure sense of

feel. Photos hold such value to our sense of

self when a parental separation has happened.

self, our identity and our families and can

Oftentimes, divorce/separation usually includes

be a great starting place for many important

some level of frequent discord, expressions

conversations.

of bitterness, or any number of various issues. Children may have a hard time expressing their thoughts and feelings during this time, for fear of re-introducing a difficult topic.

comes

difficult

techniques

emotions,

involve

clients

You can use the following exercise to create an opportunity for a discussion with your child about a divorce/separation. This is a simplified version of an exercise I would carry out with

One thing parents can do is to create an

a family in a session or give as a homework

environment that makes it easier for their child

assignment:

to express their feelings about the separation. Parents can show they are available for conversation and will be more likely to hear these expressions by providing opportunities for the discussion to occur and letting their child know that it is okay to talk about this topic. The alternative is that children hold in their feelings.

Gather materials to create a ‘new’ family photo album. This album gives the child a chance to do an activity that involves both parents (i.e. both sides of who they are). This is powerful because they don’t always get to do things that include both parents any more. Many kids are hesitant to even broach the subject of involving both parents in something. They

Children may have a hard time expressing their thoughts and feelings during this time. Parents can create an environment that makes it easier for their child to express their feelings. GHG Disclaimer – please read

may want it but feel it is best not to express these thoughts because of the discord they have seen. For the album, you need to include photos from the early part of the parents’ GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 25

and photos of recent events. The album does not have to be a huge project. It can be a simple overview; the main focus should be the conversation you are having during this time. You want to assure your child that it is okay to think about both parents as important parts of what makes up their family. For the child, it will be nice to hear parents talk about one another in a way that is positive (which for many will be a deviation from the current day-to-day discussion). Creating the album also puts into perspective the new structure of the family. The family is now living in separate homes, may now include other family members such as step-parents, 26 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

etc. Overall, the album symbolizes that every piece plays a part in what makes up the complete family.

Children may feel that talking will only cause more problems and/or they may not always have the words to fully express themselves. Depending on your circumstances, you can create a few pages with your child and let the other parent provide some of the photos for the book so that they are able to continue the activity when the child is with them. It is okay if only one parent is available for the activity; the child is still able to benefit from the conversation in a major way. GHG Disclaimer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; please read

ÂŠ Depositphotos.com/Yaruta

important trips/occasions over the years

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

relationship, the childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s early years, several

Divorce/separation can be hard on all family members, especially children, as they have no control over something that greatly affects the rest of their life. Children often have a hard time expressing their thoughts and feelings during this time and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always feel that parents are open to hearing what they have to say. Children may feel that talking will only cause more problems and/or they may not always have the words to fully express themselves. Parents can help support their children by encouraging them to open up and assuring them they will not receive a negative reaction from simply sharing their feelings. Activities like the exercise presented here are great for opening difficult conversations. This is a very important transition in the lives of all family members involved and having the support of a mental health professional is strongly recommended. This exercise alone is not meant to take the place of the very important work that can be done in therapy.

Nakya Reeves is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Florida, USA. Nakya is owner of Creative Solutions Therapy, a private practice specializing in using creative methods to address individual, couples and family therapy issues such as self-esteem, ÂŠ Depositphotos.com/photo-deti

communication and relationship difficulties. She

trained

using

Phototherapy

methods, exercises which help clients deal with difficulty in emotional expression and/or addressing underlying issues. To learn more visit her website or she can be contacted at csolutionstherapy@gmail.com. GHG Disclaimer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; please read

GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 27

Toddler

antrums: Words Dr Ash Nayate

toddlerhood, it’s tantrums. They occur unexpectedly

and

without

prejudice.

Our toddlers are masters at having multiple tantrums daily, even hourly often for no discernible reason. The top two questions that I’m asked by parents of toddlers are, ‘why does my child have so many tantrums’ and ‘what do I do?’ My advice is this: 28 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

• Tantrums are a part of toddlerhood, just like learning to walk and run • Pushing boundaries are what toddlers do. It’s their way of testing the limits of their world • Whether we like it or not, parents are the main component of their world, so the majority of limit testing occurs with us. Sometimes parents ask me, ‘why do they need to test boundaries?’ GHG Disclaimer – please read

f there’s one word that is synonymous with

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

What you need to know

lifeguards put up flags to signal the safe zone for swimming. We have a very clear boundary. Being within the flags is safe. Being outside the flags is dangerous. Imagine if we were out there swimming without an awareness of the safety zone. Most of us would feel a bit hesitant, wouldn’t we? A bit uncertain or just plain unsafe? That’s precisely why children need limits. Limits create a feeling of safety. Unfortunately, limits aren’t always as clear cut as flags on a beach. Usually, limits are in the form of ‘I won’t let you hit me’ or ‘I won’t let you run on the road’. A child is wondering, ‘what does that mean?’ • When does a pat turn into a hit? • When does the footpath turn into the road? When children test limits they’re marking out their ‘safe’ zone in the clearest way they can. That’s why we, as parents, need to hold firm with our boundaries. If we keep changing the rules then the child never really has a chance to mark out the ‘safe’ zone, so they keep testing until they do. HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO TANTRUMS? Well, as parents we often need to enforce a limit that the child does not like. The child feels anger, annoyance, irritation, frustration and more. Those are strong emotions and can be pretty scary to a small child. Think about the last time you felt strong negative emotions - perhaps your heart was racing, or you felt flushed, or you felt sick to your GHG Disclaimer – please read

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

Well, it’s a bit like swimming at the beach. The

stomach. If you didn’t know what was happening to you, you’d probably feel a bit worried. That worry causes the emotional intensity to ramp up even more. So now we have an emotional child, who is becoming more and more emotionally charged as the feelings intensify.

A tantrum is simply the outward expression of those strong emotions. At some point, a threshold is reached, when the young brain simply cannot cope with the powerful emotion any more. And a tantrum is the result. A tantrum is simply the outward expression of those strong emotions. As adults, we’ve experienced those feelings at times. Moments when we’ve been so angry that we’ve wanted to scream, or hit something, or throw something. Moments when we’ve been so upset that we wanted to cry and throw ourselves on the ground in sheer disappointment. The reason we don’t (usually) do this is because we have the ability to put ‘brakes’ on our behaviour. We can curb our impulses to act out the emotion whereas young children cannot; their emotional controls are still developing. This means that children cannot regulate their strong emotions in the same way that we can. Perhaps they are able to, where there are mild annoyances and upsets but where these irritations become really intense, young children are far more challenged. They reach GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 29

their threshold much earlier than we do. The result is a tantrum. Adults have tantrums too but we refer to these as ‘letting off steam’ or ‘having a bad moment’. In many ways, how we respond to children is quite similar to how we would want to be treated in that moment. When we’re really upset or angry, it’s hard to be rational. It is the same with children - the middle of a tantrum is not the time to try reasoning with them. A common approach is to ignore the tantrum. My response is - would you want to be ignored, if you were really upset or angry about something? This is why I don’t recommend any form of ‘super-nanny-style’ imposed ‘time-out’ for tantrums. Some parents like to tell their children ‘calm down’ or ‘you’re OK’. Imagine if you were really angry or upset and someone said those things to you. Would it calm you down? Or would it make you even more angry or upset than before? WHAT DO CHILDREN NEED WHEN THEY ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A TANTRUM?

1. Give them a shoulder to lean on. Whether that’s literally in the form of a supportive hug, or simply holding their hand, or even sitting next to them: it depends entirely on the child’s personality. Our there and we’re not going to abandon them when they have these big scary feelings. Our presence is doubly important if there is hitting or kicking involved to ensure everyone’s safety.

2. Always keep the words to a minimum. In the midst of a tantrum our children are 30 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

GHG Disclaimer – please read

physical presence teaches our child that we’re

much dialogue from us is just confusing and stressful - thus adding to the cocktail of intense emotions. In many cases our presence is enough and words are unnecessary. If we do feel the need to say something, then perhaps a simple and clear statement like ‘I’m here’. I don’t recommend saying ‘shhh’ or ‘stop crying’ because this discourages our child’s selfexpression. I also don’t recommend saying ‘it’s OK’ because the child is clearly not OK at that moment. If your child is attempting to hit, kick, or throw objects, a simple statement such as ‘I won’t let you hit me’ may be necessary.

3. We should always remain confident in our ability to handle the tantrum. Our child needs to know that we’re confident and capable for them to feel safe. If our child senses that we’re uncomfortable, annoyed or angry then this creates doubt, worry and fear and exacerbates those big scary feelings. Our child may start to believe that strong emotions are problematic and are something to be avoided. This potentially could incline the child to a life of food or alcohol addiction or other compulsive behaviours as a way of avoiding strong emotions. WHEN THE TANTRUM HAS ENDED It’s a good opportunity to reaffirm our connection with our child. This means letting our child know that we still love him and that we are there for him any time that he has strong emotions. This is also the time to reinforce the limit, if necessary, that led to the tantrum. For example say, ‘You were upset GHG Disclaimer – please read

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

easily overloaded with information. Too

because I wouldn’t let you use the scissors. The scissors are dangerous and I’m here to keep you safe’.

It’s a good opportunity to let your child know that we still love him or her and that we are there for him or her at any time. Ultimately, when dealing with tantrums, a good rule of thumb is to put yourself in your child’s shoes. This means using our

emotional

intelligence

and

being

empathetic. We must ask ourselves how we would wish to be treated if we were feeling intensely emotional. Whether young or old, it’s challenging to experience intense emotions and it’s important to handle them with connection, empathy and kindness.

Ash Nayate is a clinical neuropsychologist, which means that she specialises in brain function and how this impacts on our behaviour. She has almost 15 years’ experience working with children and families, supporting them to feel happier, more confident and more resilient. To contact Ash please visit her website. GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 31

ÂŠ Depositphotos.com/darknula

mindset

ÂŠ Depositphotos.com/BestPhotoStudio

Are You

rain fit? Part 1:

GHG Disclaimer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; please read

Optimising the brain for best performance Words Jenny Brockis

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 33

gatherers, humans have migrated. This is thought to have contributed to our

evolutionary success and the development of our extraordinary brain. The need for physical fitness to stay healthy, boost energy and live longer is well established. Curiously though, while we do our ‘cardio or resistance training’ and build muscular strength and endurance, the one organ that benefits us the most by being fit and healthy, the brain, has up to now rarely received attention. Brain fitness is about having a brain optimised for best performance. It’s not about being the smartest or most intelligent person in the room, it’s about the confidence to know you are working to your true capability.

WHY DOES BRAIN FITNESS MATTER? The modern world is incredibly busy, fast paced and challenging. Having a brain that can focus on what is important, copes well with change and remembers what matters, helps us to move beyond just surviving to truly flourish.

WHAT DOES BRAIN FITNESS INVOLVE? A brain fitness program incorporates a number of components, which fit neatly together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Each component is important and synergistic with each other, meaning none can be left out or ignored. Just like physical fitness, it takes some time, effort and commitment because working with your brain involves our neurobiology, a natural process that can’t be hurried. 34 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

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

rom our earliest times as hunter-

The good thing is that as your level of brain fitness improves in one area, it makes it easier to improve in the others, even in those activities that you find more challenging or less enjoyable. Brain fitness starts with attending to those lifestyle choices we make to stay fit and well. Only then is it time to move up to improving our effectiveness in how we pay attention, how we communicate, collaborate, develop more innovative thinking and get on well with others. Let’s look at what it takes to create a fit and healthy brain.

1. NUTRITION Yes, mother was right when she told us to eat our greens. The diet that has been shown to be especially beneficial to brains is the Mediterranean style diet. This diet includes leafy green vegetables, deeply pigmented fruits

and

berries

(think

blueberries,

strawberries, cherries and plums), seeds and nuts, (walnuts almonds, flaxseed and sunflower kernels), whole grains, olive oil and plenty of water. As well we need lean protein

and

especially

cold-water

oily

carnivorous fish (salmon, herring, sardines and mackerel). GHG Disclaimer – please read

2. ATTITUDE AND STRESS MANAGEMENT Many of us face a variety of different worries in our daily lives; difficulty finding work, relationship

problems,

bullying,

heavy

workloads, financial or health problems. They all take a toll. Knowing how to develop a positive mindset helps build emotional resilience and makes it easier for us to navigate through those tough times. This matters because severe chronic stress contributes to physical and mental ill health. While stress is normal, if we find ourselves in a position of too much stress for too long, our ability to manage that stress becomes reduced. We all need some stress to alert us when we are in a place of danger and normal levels of stress are beneficial, as it gets us out of bed in the morning and makes us concerned about what our day may bring! The problem is that many of those things that cause us stress today, induce the same physiological response that our ancestors experienced when they faced a sabre tooth tiger. But in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world, the physiological response is more chronic, meaning that instead of a quick on-off action, the stress response remains switched on and our stress

ÂŠ Depositphotos.com/SSilver

what not to eat, eating for our brain is about including more fresh unprocessed food with each meal. As we include more healthy foods, it becomes easier then to eat less of those other foods that are not so good for memory and cognition, especially those full of hidden fat, sugar and salt. GHG Disclaimer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; please read

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

While many diets are restrictive and tell us

hormones, adrenaline and cortisol continue to be produced. Long term cortisol exposure impairs the brain, which impairs learning, memory and mood. At high levels, cortisol becomes neurotoxic, which is definitely not a good thing for the brain. The more stressed we feel the harder it is to access our prefrontal cortex, (the thinking part GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 35

taken control. The limbic system is composed of interconnected neural structures in the brain that deal with emotion, motivation and behaviour. We find it hard to concentrate, to sleep, we can’t think straight and it makes us feel dreadful. Stress management begins with choosing to develop a more positive attitude or mindset - not happy-clappy rose-tinted positivity, but a realistically optimistic outlook. This can be achieved by practicing stress-regulating techniques such as meditation, listening to

Next month in the second part of ‘Are you Brain Fit?’ I will discuss three other very important aspects of being brain fit; mental challenge, exercise and sleep.

Dr Jenny Brockis specialises in the science of high performance thinking. She is the author of Future Brain - the 12 Keys to Create Your High Performance Brain, (Wiley) available at all leading book stores, online retailers and from her website.

music and exercise.

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

of our brain), because the limbic system has

36 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

GHG Disclaimer – please read

What is

rief & Loss?

hen

grief

and

think

loss

Words Joanne Evans

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

immediately think of

loss of a loved one, but when we look at our lives grief and loss covers a lot more than a death of someone we loved. It could start as early as leaving High School / University – grieving for the world we knew and the loss of our friends, security, and the feeling of confidence in our surroundings. It could be the breakup of a relationship, grieving for the dream you thought you would have, grieving the loss of the person you loved.

Retirement could also be grieving for the loss of self-esteem, confidence, prestige, income, identity, position in society that came with that position and the loss of all of these things. In our senior years we can grieve our loss of movement, ability, health and memory. GHG Disclaimer – please read 1 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 37

our lives not just death of a loved one and the symptoms of all of these events are very similar. The symptoms can include some of the following: • Depression • Becoming isolated and withdrawing from life • Problems with sleeping • Constantly tense and agitated, worrying all the time • Weight loss / gain, nausea, headaches, aches and pains • Poor work performance, problems with concentration • Feeling of being lost or overwhelmed, constant crying • Increase use of drugs / alcohol In

this

article

will

concentrate on coping with a death of a loved one, but as you read this you will see a lot of similarities with other losses in life. So now we know the outward signs of grief and loss. What can we do? How can we help ourselves? It will help if you understand something about the stages of grief: 38 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

1. Acceptance How many times you do hear someone saying ‘I just can’t believe it’. Once you get to a point where you are no longer fighting the reality of it all, you will start to notice some changes in yourself. At this stage you may become very sad and even depressed that the situation is real. 2. Work through the pain Don’t bury the pain, sit with it and accept it. Yes it hurts and it is going to hurt for quite some time. If you need to cry, then cry. If you want to scream, then scream. Remember to breathe, imagine breathing the pain out with each breath. If you bury the pain it will reoccur whether you want it to or not. 3. Work on adjusting to life without that person Learn how to do the things that they did. If you now have to handle the finances, learn how to do them. If they did the cooking, learn how to cook. Learn whatever you need to learn. 4. Find a way of changing the relationship you had with that person. They will never leave your heart, death will never take that away. Death cannot take away your

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

covers a range of stages in

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

As you can see grief and loss

memories. Imagine that they are still with you - you just can’t see them as you did before. Talk to them if it makes you feel better. Love doesn’t end with death. Find a place for them in your new life. You don’t have to leave them behind, you don’t have to forget about them, you just move forward taking them in your heart with you. It may help to remember that there is no correct way to grieve, there is only your way to grieve. If someone tells you, ‘you should be over it by now’, ignore them, we are individuals and we each grieve differently. Here are a few more ideas that may help you. • If people are treating you differently, it’s because they don’t know what to say, so tell them, or give them permission to talk about your loved one, or you talk about your loved one yourself and that will ease the tension • Take

the

pressure

off

yourself and breath • Some days will be ‘power’ days where you feel, ‘wow I am starting to feel better’ and other days are just going to be breathing days. Either way it’s OK. GHG Disclaimer – please read

• Don’t

make

any

drastic

decisions until you are feeling OK, there is plenty of time • Listen to your body, rest when you need to, cry when you need to • The world will go on, whether you want it to or not. It will be hard to believe that you can lose one of the most important people in your world and other people still go about their business. People get up and go to work, argue

to cook for dinner. That’s OK. Before this, so did you • It’s a rollercoaster ride. There will be big ups and big downs, eventually they will occur less frequently and will not appear so big • Surround

yourself

with

people who love you and support you • Listen to the advice of

friends and throw out what you don’t need • Do things you love, if there is a hobby you always wanted to do, then do it • Look at ways to keep this person’s memory alive, a memorial trophy at their GHG Disclaimer – please read

sporting club, a school trophy, a donation to their favourite charity, a tree or bench at their favourite spot, a scrapbook of their history, memories, photos and journals of how you felt at the time, conversations that you had with them. All these things you can share for generations to come • Do some volunteer work, we all feel better helping someone in need and you will get back double what you give. If you feel you cannot cope during your time of grief, get support, talk to friends and see a doctor or a counsellor. There is plenty of help out

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

make a drama about what

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

about stupid things and

there, you don’t have to do this by yourself. If you ever have suicidal thoughts contact Lifeline phone 131 114.

Joanne Evans has a Diploma in Counselling, Advanced Major studies in Effective Parenting and Child Development, Grief and Loss and just completed Abuse. Joanne is currently studying

Understanding

Dementia with University of Tasmania. Joanne is a member of ACA and PCA.

Joanne

is employed by Lifeline as Telephone Crisis Supporter and has her own practice ‘Finding Serenity’ on the Central Coast of New South Wales GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 39

“So every single day, I found something

to be grateful for and that’s a powerful

lesson”

- Alice Barrett

great health

ÂŠ Depositphotos.com/ Vadymvdrobot

ormones: can it slow Down the Ageing Process?

42 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

Words Michael Smith

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

GHG Disclaimer – please read

Balancing your

disputing that, but we can grow old gracefully living a full and vibrant life,

active in both body and mind or we can grow old ahead of our time, restricted in what we can do, spending more time visiting doctors and with a growing pile of medications to take each day. While our hormones naturally decline with age, it is our diet and lifestyle choices that speed up the process of declining hormones and this speeds up the ageing process. So what can we do? Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) utilises medication containing the hormones estrogen and progesterone and in some cases testosterone, that can help reduce symptoms of menopause. It is internationally acknowledged that HRT is the most effective treatment to combat symptoms of menopause and there is also evidence it may improve psychological wellbeing during this time. However recent studies have implicated HRT in an increase in ovarian and breast cancer as well as an increase in cardiovascular disease. Are there alternatives to HRT?

TREATING THE CAUSE! Where there is hormone imbalance, rather than trying to balance hormones like estrogen, progesterone or testosterone, a better option is to treat the cause which is usually your adrenal glands. Cortisol and androstenolone (DHEA) are the main adrenal hormones that affect the sex hormones, causing them to decline more rapidly than they should, the adrenals also affect other hormones such as thyroid hormones and insulin that are involved in the ageing process. GHG Disclaimer – please read

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

geing is inevitable, there is no

Signs and Symptoms of Hormone imbalance • Irregular

menstrual

cycle

and

PMS

symptoms • Menopause symptoms like hot flashes • Weight gain can be caused by cortisol, insulin or thyroid imbalance • Hair loss and dry skin can be caused by adrenal or thyroid hormones • Low libido can be caused by low sex hormones and adrenal function • Depression and mood changes can be caused by many hormones • Cognitive decline can be caused by adrenal function and insulin • Fatigue can be caused by low thyroid and adrenal function • Digestion problems can be caused by adrenal and thyroid hormones • Cardiovascular disease can be caused by many hormones WHAT CAUSES ADRENAL DYSFUNCTION? Stress is the cause of the imbalance of the adrenal hormones, cortisol and DHEA. Not all stress is bad but when stress becomes chronic, health related problems occur. When most people think of stress they think of emotional stress caused by work, relationships and grief, however there are many other types of stress that can affect the adrenal hormones. Stress also includes physical stress like pain, injury or an operation, poor quality sleep, infections, too much or too little exercise or dietary stress from processed foods, or low calorie/ low fat diets. GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 43

Rebalancing hormones may involve lifestyle changes, diet and nutritional supplements which will help you to feel at your best HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE ADRENAL PROBLEMS? Traditional blood testing is a poor way to diagnose adrenal problems because the adrenal hormone cortisol, changes throughout the day, so a one off blood test will not reveal these changes. The best and most convenient way to diagnose adrenal problems is with a saliva hormone test or the dried urine test for comprehensive hormones (DUTCH). Both of these methods test the hormones at four to five different times throughout the day which can diagnose if cortisol is too high or too low as well as evaluate the cortisol rhythm which is equally important.

ADRENAL FUNCTION AND INSULIN RESISTANCE SPEED UP THE AGEING

ÂŠ Depositphotos.com/stillfx

PROCESS Cortisol controls your insulin levels so when both of these hormones are out of balance, it can lead to increased weight gain particularly in the area around the waist. This may also lead to insulin resistance and increased risk 44 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

GHG Disclaimer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; please read

disease. When

you

have

your

regular

checkup, request a test for your HbA1C levels. The HbA1C test provides information on the body’s control of blood sugar level and ideally would be less than 5.5% (37mmol/mol). Besides addressing adrenal function it is important to include adequate amounts of protein in your diet (ideally 1 g of protein per kg of body weight) which works out to be around 20 - 25 g of protein with each meal. If you have excess weight around the waist, this may be a sign of insulin resistance, thus it is important to reduce the intake of processed carbohydrates and sugar from breads, cereals and other processed food sources.

ADRENAL FUNCTION AND THYROID HORMONES SLOW DOWN YOUR METABOLISM There are many different signs and symptoms of low thyroid function which will accelerate the ageing process, but often when you go to the doctor and have your thyroid tested, you are told that everything is ‘fine’. This is because doctors usually only test the level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) produced by the pituitary gland, which is a poor indicator of low thyroid function. Since stress drives up cortisol levels this can lead the body to lower TSH levels and also cause the thyroid hormone T4, to be converted to the inactive form, reverse T3 (rT3), rather than the active T3. Sixty

percent

thyroid

problems

undiagnosed because all forms of thyroid GHG Disclaimer – please read

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

of diabetes, Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular

hormones are not being tested. The symptoms of thyroid problems include fatigue, weight issues, hair and skin problems, mood and digestion issues, all of which accelerate the ageing process.

ACTION STEPS TO TAKE If you have many of these symptoms of hormone imbalance you should consult your Medical practitioner. The information in this article is to assist you to know what your hormones are doing as you age.

Our diet and lifestyle choices speed up the process of declining hormones and this speeds up the ageing process. Rebalancing hormones may involve lifestyle changes, diet and nutritional supplements which will help you to feel at your best, however this article is not intended to diagnose or treat any conditions.

Michael Smith is a Naturopath and Functional Medicine Practitioner at Planet Naturopath. Specializing in hormonal disorders, adrenal, thyroid and digestive function, Michael works with clients from the chronically ill to athletes wanting to improve performance. Consultations are available via Skype or phone. Michael can be contacted via his website. GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 45

Can

uperfoods Help You Heal from PCOS? Recovering from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

conscious society where we are becoming more aware of how

food can impact our bodies and well-being, healing us or putting us at risk of disease. Superfoods

are

becoming

increasingly

popular for their many health benefits. There are many foods that women suffering with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) can include in their diets that may help to balance their hormones, reduce insulin sensitivity, lose weight and restore their health. 46 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

Here are my top seven food suggestions which assisted during my recovery from PCOS: 1. Nuts are very nutrient dense and now a staple part of my diet. I especially love almonds, walnuts, cashews and Brazil nuts (sparingly as they have a higher omega-6 content which causes inflammation). If you are going to eat nuts, it is also important to buy them fresh, not baked in any kind of oil or roasted. Being heated can turn these fats rancid, which destroys tissue and causes GHG Disclaimer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; please read

ÂŠ Depositphotos.com/Dream79

e live in an increasingly health

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

Words Melissa Madgwick

note, because nuts are tasty and have a high fat content they are also high in calories. For this reason, people who snack on nuts might find it difficult to lose weight. 2. Avocados – Where were you all my life? For years I avoided avocados during my fatfree and low-fat dieting phase many years ago. Avocados are a great source of healthy fats and help prevent hormonal imbalances. They are also high in Vitamin E which is a potent antioxidant and is great for skin health. 3. Cinnamon is known to reduce insulin resistance, which is thought to be a leading cause of PCOS. In a recent small study done by Columbia University, women with PCOS who added cinnamon in their diets, had more regular menstrual periods than those who were given the placebo. In fact, two of the women in the trial ended up conceiving during the trial. Start adding cinnamon in your diet, especially when you eat carbohydrates. Note: Make sure you are using real cinnamon made from Ceylon cinnamon to reap the full benefits. It’s such a natural and inexpensive option. 4. Sweet Potato is high in beta-carotene and has a low glycaemic index. So sweet potatoes won’t spike your blood sugar like other carbohydrates sources, such as white breads or pasta. Include sweet potato with your evening meal. As an example, I include sweet potato with a piece of salmon, broccoli and cauliflower. Yum! GHG Disclaimer – please read

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

oxidative damage in the body. As a final

5. Apple Cider Vinegar is beneficial because it helps control blood sugar and prevents the body from producing too much insulin. Less insulin means less testosterone. Plus, it will help you lose weight and improve your overall health. I would drink a warm glass of apple cider vinegar and water every morning before breakfast to wake up my digestive system as well. 6. Cacao is a food that is incredibly high in magnesium. Magnesium helps to balance insulin levels and is also involved in over 300 detoxification processes in the body. Cacao will also provide you with plenty of antioxidants that are needed for optimal cellular health. 7. Spearmint tea – This a life saver for me due to its anti-androgenic properties. Some recent studies found that drinking spearmint tea can help reduce hirsutism, or excess body hair, by reducing free and total testosterone levels and increasing luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels.

Always be sure to choose organic products as much as possible and eat a balanced diet full of healthy fats, protein and low glycaemic carbohydrates. This will help to balance insulin levels effectively and play a vital role in supporting your hormones! These are some of the things that every woman with PCOS should know. I have discovered that food and nutrition (the GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 47

the most powerful tools to heal yourself with PCOS. I am now feeling more alive and I know you will too. This article is for information only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease. Please

consult

your

General

Medical

practitioner. Feel free to visit my website where I share more about my journey, tips and tricks, knowledge, experience and support. 48 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

Melissa Madgwick is a 29 year old woman who is on other side of healing from polycystic ovarian syndrome. Her life now revolves around health. She is an avid health advocate who specialises in working with women who suffer from PCOS and eagerly helps others overcome the PCOS disease holistically. GHG Disclaimer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; please read

ÂŠ Depositphotos.com/suravid

environment and most of all knowledge are

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

right kind), a good mindset, a supportive

12 Top Tips

for Work/Life

alance

Essential For Health & Wellbeing

Words Melanie Eager

many

times

you

hear

your

friends

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

colleagues say that they can’t seem to find a worklife

balance?

Increasing

pressures of modern living and concerns about job stability mean employees are working longer hours and working harder than ever. Modern technology, which

was

supposed

put increasing amounts of stress and demands on us so that we need to be available 24/7. It’s no longer possible to walk out of the office and leave your job until the following morning. GHG Disclaimer – please read

GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 49

achieve. More importantly it is essential for our health and wellbeing that we are able to achieve this. Work out what your priorities are and what is important to you. Sit down with family members to make a plan that works for all of you. It is a very individual thing so don’t compare yourself to others. Just do what is right for you and those around you.

each week for the following week. Build in FUN time each week

3. Ensure that you use your holiday leave. Switch off your (work) phone and e-mail, even if you are at home

4. Schedule long weekends a few times per year and make it a no-technology weekend

5. If you are able to, work from

Work-life balance can be difficult to achieve, but it is essential for our health and wellbeing.

corporate environment, here are my top twelve tips to help you on the path to achieving a healthy, happy and more balanced life. 1. Finish early one afternoon week

(Friday

possible) and treat yourself (massage, coffee, walk on beach) 50 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

per week, to cut down on commuting and use this time wisely!

6. Work out where you are

After 17 years working in a

per

home a couple of times

spending (and wasting) time (Facebook? E-mails?). Have

look

the

RescueTime website which not only tells you where you spend (or waste) your time, but how you can be more productive.

7. How many times a day are you disrupted by e-mails? Check your e-mails at the start of the day, lunch time, end of the business day and if necessary last thing at night. Make sure e-mails contain as much information

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

difficult but not impossible to

2. Make a plan at the end of

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

Work-life balance can be

as possible so that there is no back and forth. Remember if it is that urgent someone will call you! 8. One of the top regrets of the dying: ‘I wish I hadn’t worked so hard’. (Bronnie Ware, 2012). Remember that! 9 . Leave

all

your

work

thoughts in a ‘box’ at your office. Don’t take them home with you. 10. Hire an expert. Don’t waste your time on tasks that you are not an expert in. Hire a PA or VA (Virtual Assistant) to attend to social media posts, accounting and paperwork, diary scheduling, gardening, cooking

cleaning.

Consider the time it would take you and your hourly rate to assess if this would work for you. 11. Choose the hardest task on your list and get it out of the way. You won’t be stressed at the end of the day trying to achieve that deadline 12. Join a class/course so you have a reason to leave work on time at least once per week. Tell your colleagues so that you stick to it! GHG Disclaimer – please read

important to keep checking

in with yourself and your family and re-assessing your priorities. Unfortunately it isn’t something that can be done once and forgotten about. But remember not to get overwhelmed. Don’t try to tackle all twelve suggestions listed

above

once.

GHG Disclaimer – please read

Implement a few at a time and before you know it, you will be on the way to achieving that work-life balance you’ve been yearning for. FURTHER READING B Ware, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying – A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing, Hay House AU, 2012.

Melanie Eager is a nutritionist and wellness coach with a passion for helping you live

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

is an ongoing commitment. It’s

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

Achieving a work-life balance

life to your full potential. She has

two

science

degrees

from the University of London and with nearly 20 years working in a corporate science environment, she is well placed to guide you through the maze of health and wellness choices so that you too can be Eager for Life. For more information contact Melanie through her website. GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 51

FITNESS

How to Stay Fit &

ealthy when Travelling

GHG Disclaimer – please read

& how to relax and enjoy it Words Tanya Doherty

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 53

people

commitment

increase to

exercise

their and

healthy eating prior to a holiday

so they feel amazing. But as soon as they get to the airport or start on the road trip, they buy some junk food and if not driving, have a glass of wine. The holiday is filled with beach reads, cocktails and lots of yummy treats. As soon as you get back to the airport, you vow to go back to your healthy eating and exercise plan because you are feeling worse then you did before you left. It doesn’t have to be this way.

You can feel amazing while while still indulging!!! Here’s some top tips to keep you feeling amazing whilst still indulging when you’re on your next journey. Before you go: • Prepare some healthy snacks for the plane. If you want extra marks you can prepare your own meals for the plane. Personally this isn’t something I do, but I like to take healthy snacks and tend to stick to the veggie option on the plane. • Snacks such as rice cakes with nut butter, dates, dark chocolate, nuts and seeds are great options. • Take an empty water bottle with you. Fill this up once you get past security and don’t be afraid to ask for it to be filled on the plane or ask where you can refill it yourself. 54 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

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ost

Hydration is so important especially when flying. It will also make you feel a lot better once you land! • On that note take some herbal teas with you. You can ask for hot water on the plane and herbal teas are beautifully calming. Peppermint is great for digestion and chamomile is great for relaxing. • Try to avoid alcohol on the plane. It can be tempting to start your holiday with some drinks, but this is just going to dehydrate you further and will make you feel groggier when you land! • Do some research – find some healthy restaurants before you go. There’s nothing wrong with indulging when you are there, but you need to balance it with your usual healthy meals. It’s so easy to do some research before you go and have some great options at hand. • Do some more research – search out a gym that is close to your accommodation. Make a commitment to do a certain number of sessions while you are away, just as you would at home. It is also a great opportunity to try something new that you maybe wouldn’t do at home, or don’t have the opportunity to do when at home. • If you find that you are tired when you get home and start reaching for the local take away menu, why not prepare a healthy meal and freeze it before you leave home? Then you can enjoy it when you arrive back home. Much healthier and enjoyable. GHG Disclaimer – please read

Get active in your daily activities. Exercise doesn’t have to be limited to a gym, why not hire a bike and find the local walking tracks. Make it fun!

• Check out the local farmers’ markets for some great local produce. Fruit or veggie sticks are great snack options when you are out and about. If you have access to a kitchen, plan some healthy meals. Hopefully you may have more time to experiment while you are away and cook some of those new meals that you find interesting. • Try some prayer and meditation. People find that one of the biggest barriers to prayer and meditation is lack of time. A holiday is a great opportunity to experiment and hopefully once you’ve experienced the benefits, you’ll find time to continue when

you get home. • Enjoy yourself! Holidays are a great opportunity to relax, read that book you’ve been meaning to and to indulge in some self-care. Get a massage, have your nails done and do whatever else is going to make you happy. GHG Disclaimer – please read

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While you are there:

When you get home: • You should be rested, relaxed and have had a great time. If you have used the opportunity to get into a routine with your exercise, meditation or healthy food, keep it going! Now is not the time to give up. • Hopefully enjoy that meal you have prefrozen before your departure. If not grab some fish or meat and keep it simple, fast and healthy with some steamed greens.

Tanya Doherty is the founder of ‘Beachfit and Wellbeing’ and a Personal Trainer with MMA (Mixed martial arts) Level 1 Fitness. She is also a Charles Poliquin Biosignature practitioner. Based in Sydney, Tanya works in assisting women and men to live in optimum health. Tanya can be found at her website or her Facebook page. GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 55

Pushing Through

ain TO Achieve Results Understand why you need to embrace pain

it’s important to talk about how to

manage it. There are two types of pain: 1. Your body giving you a signal to stop or slow down because you are overdoing it or doing a movement incorrectly. Typically this occurs in a bone or joint with a feeling that something is definitely not right. This type of pain should be listened to and your actions modified as a result. 56 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

2. The type of pain that’s necessary for growth and for best results you need to embrace it and make it your friend which will be discussed in this article. If you’re doing ten reps of an exercise, it’s not the first six or eight reps that count but the last few really painful ones that are important. These last reps make the most difference to your strength, muscle-growth and ultimately your body shape. GHG Disclaimer – please read

between you and your transformation,

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

ince pain can be an obstacle which stands

Words Kat Millar

If you look at the microseconds that separate

which moves us to where we ultimately want

the gold and silver medallists at the Olympics,

to be. The best thing to do is to embrace it

it’s not necessarily that they have trained for

and work through it: you will come out on

more hours than the others. Often it’s just

the other side a fitter version of who went in!

that they have been determined to win and it’s the little bit of extra ‘pushing through pain’ that sets them apart. However, it is very important to check your fitness level with your GP before attempting these steps.

THREE REASONS TO EMBRACE PAIN: 1. Pain can stand between

3. Pain increases your tolerance and raises the bar Pushing through the pain-barrier has a knockon effect in other areas of your life. It can ‘toughen you up’ so that you can deal with more! If you refuse to shy away from pain, then pushing through will enable you to do more and achieve more than you had first imagined.

you and your results Being unable to embrace pain holds many people back from achieving the results they want. However, pain, or rather fear of pain is

We are programmed to survive & so we naturally want to avoid pain, but it comes with a cost.

only an obstacle if you let it be. Some pain and discomfort is necessary to take your body to the next level. For example, muscles grow when they are placed under resistance. To overcome this type of pain, it helps first to see it as part of the process. If pain becomes part of the process, it will not detract from what you want to achieve in the long-term. Once you can do that it no longer stands between you and your results. 2. Pain can make you stronger physically and mentally Avoidance is our natural response to pain

HOW TO EMBRACE PAIN IN ORDER TO GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL: 1. Focus on your end goal The more you focus on how hard something is the more your brain tries to avoid it. Therefore, you need to focus more on the type of person you are, or want to be. This involves asking yourself the question: ‘do I want to be the type of person who pushes through pain or do I want to be the type of person who gives up at the first hurdle?’

but if we don’t make a decision to walk

Focusing on a goal that you really want to

through pain and embrace it then our body

achieve can act like a pain-killer. The more

will retreat from it. We are programmed to

you are focused on the goal that you want

survive and so we naturally want to avoid

to achieve, the less you care about the pain.

pain, but it comes with a cost. If we avoid the

And the clearer your goal is, the less you feel

pain then we are also avoiding the exercise

the pain needed to achieve it.

GHG Disclaimer – please read

GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 57

Meaningful goals that are important to you provide the drive like nothing else…so make sure your goals are crystal clear!

you can use to embrace it and push through it. To isolate the pain, the main technique is to focus on it, which means thinking about where the pain actually is in your body and breathing through it. You should decide for yourself your best defence mechanisms. Personally, I 58 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

avoid looking around the gym and think only about what I need to be doing; I need to focus completely on the task at hand. I often find that I focus better when my eyes are closed and use this technique in a number of exercises. Sometimes I need strong self-talk and sometimes I need to be completely quiet in my mind and simply just think about counting the reps or think about GHG Disclaimer – please read

Isolating the pain is another technique

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

2. Isolate the pain

Sometimes I think about the actions I am doing at that moment e.g. up, down or back and forth. The key is to know what works for you and to know when distraction is appropriate. For me, cardio needs distraction, but weights do not. When weight training, it is very helpful to focus on isolating in your mind, the muscle that you’re working on. 3. Think small There is definitely a time and a place to think big. But during painful moments, focusing on smaller tasks within the bigger picture can help you to keep perspective and get the job done. I find focusing on a ‘big picture’ end goal doesn’t often help me much during that actual point of pain. So at that moment, I need to break it down really small and simply keep focused on going until the end of the set or the end of the time. Most of us do not want the feeling of regret or that we haven’t given it our best. The feelings of regret are often what can drive you to get those final few reps or sets done. It’s a great feeling to know that you haven’t got any more reps left inside of you; that you’ve left everything you had at the gym and achieved every rep that you could. Knowing to the core of your being, how good that feels and having that feeling of pride and self-respect will push you forward. GHG Disclaimer – please read

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absolutely nothing - just zone out!

Decide to be the type of person that goes to your limits; the type of person who doesn’t stop before the ‘failure point’ and who has no regrets. When it comes down to your identity; the essence of who you are right now and who you’re becoming, is often more powerful than a big far-away goal that perhaps your brain can’t grasp in that moment. Other small actions you can take include watching inspiring YouTube clips, reading your goals regularly, journaling and logging. Also surrounding yourself with others who will help you realise your potential.

All of these things can help you move forward, push through pain and achieve the results you are after.

Kat Millar works with people globally to improve

their

health,

confidence

and

energy. Since 2003, through her coaching, training, online programs and seminars, Kat has helped almost a thousand people to achieve their goals. Kat is an award-winning figure competitor, fitness lecturer and NLP practitioner and has a passion for nutrition and behavioural psychology. Kat offers a range of programs for total body transformation and can be contacted through her website or her Facebook page. GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 59

FINANCE

Women &

nvesting PART 3: Why invest in the share market?

GHG Disclaimer – please read

Words Bill Dodd

Design Oleksandra Zuieva

GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 61

discusses investing for women. This article considers why and how to

invest in the share market. 1. WHAT ARE SHARES? Of the different asset classes available to investors, shares are the most popular and widely held investment. Most Australians will have at least an indirect investment in shares through their superannuation fund. A share entitles an investor to a part ownership in a company. As a shareholder in the business of that company, the investor is entitled to shareholder benefits, including dividends. While the terms ‘shares’ or ‘stocks’ do have different meanings they tend to be used interchangeably. Shares are bought and sold on an electronic open market through the Australian Securities Exchange and this provides investors with the opportunity to quickly and easily buy or sell shares. Participants in the stock market range from small individual investors to large managed funds. In the Australia stock market activity is dominated by managed funds and institutional investors. There are about 2000 companies listed on the Australian stock market and they are divided into sectors such as energy, industrials and health care. The major market index (the ASX200) is made up of the top 200 stocks. The ASX200 is regarded as the most important index because it serves as the benchmark for fund managers. The other perhaps more widely known index, the All Ordinaries Index, comprises the top 500 stocks by capitalisation.

62 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

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his is the third in a series which

2. WHY INVEST IN SHARES? While this article is about investing in the share market, any investment portfolio should be diversified and may include other asset classes such as real estate, fixed interest and bonds. Of the different asset classes, shares are favoured as an investment because they are liquid and may be sold very readily. But more importantly, shares have outperformed other asset classes, including real estate, over the very long term, with international shares sometimes outperforming Australian shares. Shares are a very attractive investment because they are very liquid, meaning that there is always a market to buy and sell your shares. By comparison, while it may take three or more months to complete the sale of property, shares can be sold on the market immediately and the funds are transferred to the investor’s account within three days. Shares also offer the opportunity to diversify investments over a broad range of different businesses and over international markets.

3. WHAT TYPES OF SHARES TO INVEST IN? There are about 2000 listed companies on the Australian Securities Exchange. In Australia the market is dominated by listed companies in the resource sector (includes mining and exploration) and the financial sector (includes banks and insurance). It is important to select the companies that you invest in very carefully because a large number, particularly those in the resource sector are speculative exploration companies which do not pay dividends. GHG Disclaimer – please read

eventually become a BHP of the future, many will never pay a dividend, will exhaust their capital and will eventually be delisted from the stock exchange. So it is important to avoid such speculative companies particularly when you are starting as an investor. It would be safer to concentrate on those companies which have solid growth, reliably pay a dividend and there is some confidence that they will still be in business in ten years’ time. Such large, well established companies are termed blue chips. The investment article in the next issue of Great Health GuideTM will discuss how to

Devastating losses can be avoided by spreading the risk over different companies & different asset classes

4. DIFFERENT WAYS TO INVEST When investing in shares there are a number of ways to go about it. Shares can be owned personally and this is called direct investing. Alternatively an investor could choose to buy units in a managed fund. In this situation, it is the professional fund manager who buys the shares and manages them on behalf of the

select shares for the portfolio.

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

While a few of these resource companies may

GHG Disclaimer – please read

GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 63

investor. Yet another way in to buy shares is

of money. This is a problem for all investors

through a listed investment company (LIC). The

and particularly for retirees who are

LIC is a company listed on the stock exchange

depending on returns from investments.

which invests in other listed companies. There

Avoid the problems of inflation by investing

are many different LICs investing in a broad

in assets such as shares or property which

range of different listed companies. Using an

should increase in value at a rate equal to

LIC is a simple way to invest in a diversified

or greater than the rate of inflation.

portfolio and is a very useful approach to investing when starting with limited capital.

5. RISK, DIVERSIFICATION AND MONEY MANAGEMENT Investors need to understand that there are risks

There are risks associated with any investment but in general, the higher the potential return, the higher the risk

associated with any investment and in general the higher the potential return, the higher the

It is surprising how often one hears stories about

risk. This means that an attractive investment

investors who have put all of their assets into one

which offers a return of 20% per annum carries

investment and suffered significant losses. Such

a much higher risk than a blue chip share which

devastating losses can be avoided by spreading

may only pay a dividend of 5%. There are many

the risk over many companies. It is most

different types of risks which include:

important to diversify the investments across

• Market risk: the risk that the market will fall and most shares will fall in value too. This risk can be minimised by avoiding investing a large amount of money in the share market at any one time. This spreads your investing over time and you will avoid

different companies and different asset classes. This is the most obvious way that investors can protect themselves from different risks. It is also necessary to use money management whereby no more than 2% of the investment capital is risked on any single investment.

investing all the capital in a falling market. • Specific risk: the risk that a specific share that you invest in will fail due to company problems, such as bankruptcy. The way to minimise this risk is to diversify and make sure that you invest in a number of companies in different sectors.

6. THE INVESTMENT PLAN One of the reasons why so many investors fail is that they do not have a written investment plan. The investment plan is basic to successful investing. It provides a guide as to what to buy and sell and how to manage risk. It protects the

• Inflation risk: Inflation is a general increase

investor during periods of market instability. It

in prices and a fall in the purchasing value

is worth remembering that the investment plan

64 | GreatHealthGuide.com.au

GHG Disclaimer – please read

and it will evolve over time. The following is a list of variables which an investors should include in an investment plan. • Strategy: is this a buy and hold for long term portfolio? • Asset classes: what percentage will be in Australian or international shares or cash? • Market entry: when will you buy the shares? • Market exit: why, how and when will you sell the shares? • Risk management: diversification - how many companies will you invest in?

• Type of stocks: will you invest only in blue chip shares that pay a dividend? Having an investment plan which addresses these different issues means that the investor will avoid the problems of uncertainty which arise particularly at times when there is considerable volatility on the market. GHG Disclaimer – please read

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is something that is unique to any one investor

Remember that investing is all about managing risk. None of the information in this or accompanying articles is advice. Before undertaking any investment you should seek advice from a licenced and competent investment advisor who understands your personal situation, your investment objectives and your attitude to risk. This article has provided a brief overview of why and how to invest in shares. The remaining three parts in this series will expand upon this with the next issue of Great Health GuideTM discussing how to find what stocks to buy. Further information. There is a huge amount of information available on investing. A good starting point to learning more about investing in the share market are the excellent free online courses available at the education centre of the Australian Securities Exchange. There is also an investment course which is available free to members of the Australian Shareholder’s Association.

Bill Dodd is a retired academic and an experienced investor. His concern at the lack of financial literacy in Australia prompted him to become active in investment education. Since 2009 he given courses on investing for the two Australian Investor’s Associations in all states. His website provides investor information and his 10 session video course on investing is available on the Australian Shareholders Association website at no cost to members. GreatHealthGuide.com.au | 65

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).