Inform magazine Issue 29

Issue 29

Leading by example How a CEO is transforming workplace mental health.

Make healthy cooking easy Top 10 kitchen staples.

Your subconscious mind How to conquer it to reach your goals.

Waikiki wake-up bowl

Our FastBack system deposits claim benefits directly into your nominated account.

Receive your payments faster with FastBack Do we have your bank account details?

Our FastBack service deposits your benefits into your bank account within two business days of your claim being approved.

Simply go to guhealth.com.au and register for ‘Online Member Services’ or log in to your account: • Click on My FastBack details • Click on edit to enter your bank account details.

For more information go to guheath.com.au and then click on the ‘Claim now’ button.

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20 FEATURES

FAVOURITES

10 How to conquer your subconscious mind

04 The buzz 05 5 mins with...

06 Q&A 07 Is it true?

You can change your thinking and reach your goals.

13 Top 10 kitchen staples

Make healthy cooking easy.

16 Turning tragedy into triumph

08 In focus 14 Recipes 26 Get connected 27 Mindfulness colouring page

Three people share how they overcame loss.

Managing Editor: Rachel Pace

20 Transform your work space

Tips on how to make it a healthier, happier and calmer place.

Art Director: Jodie Griffiths Contributors: Gretchen Masters, Luke Hines and Katrina Ward.

Inform is published by GU Health.

23 Leading by example

Features Editor: Emma Brown

How a CEO went from battling a mental illness to transforming workplaces.

This magazine may not be reproduced in part or in full without the written permission of the publishers. All expressions of opinion are opinions of the authors only and published on the basis that they are not regarded as representing the official opinion of Grand United Corporate Health Ltd (GU Health) unless expressly stated. GU Health accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any of the opinions, advice, representations or information contained in this publication and readers should rely on their own advice and enquiries in making decisions affecting their own health, wellbeing and interest.

Contact Us: Email: corporate@guhealth.com.au Grand United Corporate Health Limited (GU Health) ABN 99 002 985 033 is a registered health insurer. A subsidiary of nib holdings limited ABN 51 125 633 856. © Grand United Corporate Health Limited 2018.

Post: Reply Paid, GPO Box 2988, Melbourne, Vic 8060 Ph: 1800 249 966

Re-think Reduce Reuse Recycle

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GM’s MESSAGE

Hello and welcome to Issue 29 of Inform.

THE BUZZ Smart Eating Week

I’m excited to announce that we now have GU Health as part of the nib group. I’m looking forward to leading GU Health – the specialists in the corporate health insurance space and exploring opportunities for growth.

12-18 FEB

The acquisition brings positive changes and opportunities, so it’s a good time to reflect on changes, be it personal or professional. The theme of this issue is transformation.

We explore many ways you can make positive changes, be it how you sit at your desk and ease your stress levels in your working day, to how you can conquer your subconscious mind.

See the interview with the Director of Corporate Edge, John Colbert on page 20, on how to remove blocks that stop you from reaching your goals.

We also meet with inspiring people who overcame tragedies to build projects and communities to make the world a better place, from page 16.

The CEO of the Workplace Mental Health Institute, Pedro Diaz shares his inspirational journey from the depths of despair, unable to work due to mental illness to founding an institute to support people in the workplace to get help and recover from mental health issues.

Smart Eating Week inspires and supports people to live healthier lives, through smart food and nutrition choices.

How does your diet measure up?

Take the Healthy Eating Quiz to find out: healthyeatingquiz.com.au

Children aren’t eating enough fruit and vegetables

The Clean Living Cook, Luke Hines, shares his tips on how to make healthy cooking easy and taste delicious, with his list of top kitchen staples and a smoothie bowl and ocean trout recipe.

Also our Wellness Manager, Gretchen Masters shares her tips on how to improve your health, with minimum effort on page 8.

Until next time, Healthy regards

Martin Adlington General Manager – Corporate Health

Do we have your email address?

Please let us know your email address so we have your current contact details.

You can do so by emailing your Member Relations Team on corporate@guhealth.com.au or call 1800 249 966 between 8.30am and 5pm (AEST) Monday to Friday.

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Only 1 in 20 children eat the recommended amount of vegetables daily.2

1 in 2 children eat an unhealthy snack every day.2

International Day of Happiness

FAVOURITE

20

MAR

The keys to living a happier life include doing things for others, connecting with people, exercising and learning new things.

Find out more: dayofhappiness.net

Thank you for the health benefits “The practice of gratitude can have dramatic and lasting effects in a person’s life,” says Professor of psychology, UC Davis Robert A. Emmons.1 “Those who kept gratitude journals on a weekly basis exercised more regularly, reported fewer physical symptoms, felt better about their lives as a whole, and were more optimistic about the upcoming week compared to those who recorded hassles or neutral life events.”2 See the Get Connected section on page 26 for a digital gratitude journal.

Cycling to work can add years to your life A study from the University of Glasgow found that cycling to work appeared to halve people’s odds for serious disease and premature death.3 Compared to “a non-active commute”, riding a bike to work was associated with a 45 per cent lower risk of cancer and a 46 per cent lower risk of heart disease.

RACV’s tips for safe riding to work: •

Ride with caution past parked cars. When safe and legal to do so, ride outside the door zone of a parked car.

•

Don’t ride in a driver’s blind spot.

Read more: racv.com.au and search for ‘Advice for safe riding’.

References: 1. UCDavis Medical Center. 25.11.2015. Gratitude is good medicine. < viewed 06.10.2017: http://www.ucdmc. ucdavis.edu/medicalcenter/features/2015-2016/11/20151125_gratitude.html > 2. Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: Experimental studies of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 377-389. [pdf] 3. CNBC. Frangoul. A. 20/4/17. Study shows that cycling to work could cut risk of cancer by 45 percent. <viewed 8.9.2017: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/20/study-shows-that-cycling-to-work-could-cut-risk-ofcancer-by-45-percent.html >

5 mins with...

Name: Anthony Klarin Position: Member Relations Manager Time with GU Health: 6 years What interests me most in my role is... helping people, whether that be a GU Health customer calling to better understand how they can use their health insurance, or a member of staff reaching their full potential. If our workplace was made up of robots, I’d be somewhere else.

Being part of the GU Health team has impacted my wellbeing as... it’s hard to ignore your health on a daily basis when you’re working in the industry.

I love to spend my weekends... anywhere my family are. I have an eight year-old son and told him that he can stop growing now and stay this age forever. Oh to be that age again with life’s mysteries and potential still to come!

My challenge for 2018 is… (now that I’ve given up the dream of becoming a professional footballer) to make small lifestyle adjustments that contribute to my health and wellbeing.

A positive change I made to my life this year was… that my family and I made the move away from suburban Melbourne to a more rural location.

The idea was to spend more time outdoors and simplify our lives.

Now that we have a river at our doorstep and some of Australia’s finest beaches a short drive away, it’s actually harder to stay indoors.

We may have built Melbourne to be the world’s most livable city, but where we should actually spend our time was created well before people got here. guhealth.com.au

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RESIDENT MEMBERS

Q&A Q: Do I need to use my private health insurance if I go to a public hospital?

If you have any questions about private health insurance that you’d like us to answer, email them to magazine@guhealth.com.au If you have full Medicare entitlements and are going to be admitted to a public hospital you can choose whether to be admitted as a public or private patient.

However, you cannot use your private health insurance if you’re attending hospital for treatment in an emergency department.

Public versus private patient A public patient chooses to be treated in a public hospital under Medicare, by a doctor appointed by the hospital and public hospital waiting lists may apply.

If you’re a private patient using your health cover in either a public or partner private hospital, you have the right to choose your own doctor and decide whether you’ll be treated at a public or a private hospital, that your doctor attends. Waiting lists may still apply in a public hospital.

Public hospitals must treat you as a free public patient if you want that, regardless of your private health insurance status.

What are the benefits of being a private patient?

You can choose your own doctor as long as that doctor practices in that hospital. You may also have more choice as to when you’re admitted to a private hospital for elective procedures.

What are the costs for being a private patient?

Medicare covers 75 per cent of the Medicare Benefit Schedule (MBS) fee for medical costs, and 100 per cent of hospital medications provided by the Government under the Pharmaceuticals Benefit Scheme.

Provided there are no exclusions or restrictions on your cover, GU Health will pay the remaining 25 per cent of the MBS fee. If your practitioner charges more than this fee, you may have to pay the difference between the practitioner’s charge for the item number and the MBS fee.

If your practitioner decides to take part in GU Health’s Access Gap Cover scheme, we’ll pay above the MBS fee to reduce or eliminate the gap.

• For more information read the Going to hospital fact sheet at guhealth.com.au under the 'Forms and Publications', 'Fact Sheets' menu, as well as Your Membership Guidelines.

• Call your Member Relations Team on 1800 249 966 between 8.30am and 5pm (AEST) Monday to Friday.

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You may also have to pay an excess.

Please check Your Cover at a Glance for details about how excess works on your cover.

If you’re a private patient in a public hospital, you may still have out-ofpocket expenses for a range of services including doctor/s services, surgicallyimplanted prostheses and personal items such as TV hire.

If you choose one of our partner private hospitals you will be covered for 100 per cent of your accommodation and theatre fees, for eligible services.

Before you go to hospital If you want to use your cover in a public hospital, it’s best to be fully informed of what’s covered and what out-of-pocket costs you may incur. Refer to Your Plan Information which outlines your benefit level, possible waiting periods exclusions and restrictions.

You can also log in to Online Member Services for further details about your cover and go to guhealth.com.au to find a partner private hospital. 

If you’re an overseas visitor please refer to Your Plan Information for details about your hospital cover.

FAVOURITE

Is it true?

Are grains good for us?

Grains have had a lot of bad press coverage do they really deserve it?

We spoke to nutritionist Chrissy Freer to find out if grains benefit or harm our health.

How do super grains differ from regular grains?

Super grains are wholegrains (except for pearl barley), which means they contain all three parts of the grain: the bran, germ and endosperm. Due to this, they’re packed with nutrients and are linked to various health benefits.

Refined grains (such as common wheat and white rice) have the bran and germ removed leaving just the endosperm, which contains the least vitamins and minerals of the grain. They are much lower in nutrients, healthy fats, antioxidants and phytonutrients than wholegrains.

What are the benefits of eating wholegrains?

They are a great source of soluble and insoluble dietary fibre. Soluble fibre helps keep the bowel healthy, reduces blood cholesterol and slows the release of sugars in the blood, which is beneficial for those with diabetes.

Insoluble fibre helps in preventing constipation and irritable bowel, keeps your colon healthy and assists heart health. Due to this, wholegrains are linked to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Many super grains (wholegrains) are gluten and/or wheat free. They play an important role in the diet of those with food intolerances and allergies, such as coeliac disease.

Some grains also contain all nine essential amino acids. This makes them ideal food for vegetarians.

Refined grains: white rice; white bread; regular white pasta; and other foods that have been made with white flour (also called enriched wheat flour or all-purpose flour), including many cookies, cakes, breakfast cereals, crackers and snack foods.

Wholegrains: brown rice, oats, millet, spelt, kamut, barley and freekah.

Why do some diet experts promote a grain-free diet?

There’s much confusion about the consumption and health benefits of grains because people don’t differentiate between refined grains and wholegrains.

Consuming a diet high in processed grains – common in a modern western diet – isn’t something that should be recommended.

These days, there is an over reliance on refined grains and not enough focus on fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds, sustainable meat and fish. Such

a diet tends to be high in sugar and salt and low in dietary fibre.

If you take a look at the food labels of processed foods, you’ll be amazed at how many of them contain wheat.

If you take a look at the food labels of processed foods, you’ll be amazed at how many of them contain wheat.

A diet rich in wholegrains, balanced with vegetables, lean protein, nuts and good oils is ideal. It’s high in dietary fibre, low GI and maintains steady blood sugar levels to keep you feeling full all day and less likely to overeat. 

TOP TIP

Check ingredient lists for refined flours. If they include wheat (including enriched or unbleached), semolina, durum or rice flour, you’re probably not getting the good stuff.

For more info check out: chrissyfreer.com.au guhealth.com.au

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IN FOCUS

Wellness short cuts

Check out these tips to improve your health and wellness with minimum effort.

When it comes to health and wellness most people would love a magic pill. But in reality, optimal health is the result of the little decisions you make each day.

So we’ve compiled these simple hacks to help you out.

Prioritise sleep

Make a commitment

Seize the moment You’ll often make dozens of healthimpacting decisions each day. Forget the big picture, take control of the little decisions. For example, no matter how many items on a menu tempt you, it only takes a moment to order the salad. By choosing to walk straight past the confectionery aisle at the supermarket, you’ve saved time and avoided temptation.

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Up to 40 per cent of Australians aren’t sleeping enough and it’s having an impact.1 Studies show that insufficient sleep leads to mental and physical illness, even increased risk of death.

Chronic lack of sleep can cause heart disease, obesity, depression and more.2 Try setting an evening alarm to remind yourself that it’s time to go to bed.

It can be easy to let yourself down. But how do you feel about letting your friend down? Or wasting personal training sessions you’ve paid good money for?

Making a commitment to a training buddy, a group exercise session or personal training may be the incentive you need to bounce out of bed in the morning.

Downsize me Research from Cornell University showed that people eating from a ‘bottomless’ bowl ate 73 per cent more than those eating from normal bowls yet they weren’t any more satisfied.3 This shows that we’re relying too heavily on visual cues (like an empty plate) to tell us that we’re full. If you want to eat less, try using smaller plates and bowls.

Re-purpose your time Track what you do all day and see where you’re losing time. A quarter of us are on social media more than five times a day.4 Some of that time could be better spent searching for healthy recipes, menu planning, meditating or exercising.

Focus on the food Replace the television with more meaningful mealtime activities.

Additional research by Cornell University showed a correlation between eating in front of the TV and increased Body Mass Index (BMI).

Eating together as a family was linked to lower BMI in both parents and children.5

Show some gratitude

Gratitude has become a buzz word and for good reason. Researchers asked one group to write about things they were grateful for each week and another group to write about what had irritated them.

Ten weeks later, the grateful group was more optimistic and even had fewer visits to their doctor, among other benefits.6 So why not take a moment to reflect on what you’re grateful for?  To assess and motivate yourself on your journey towards better health we recommend you complete your Health Risk Assessment every 6-12 months.

Log in to the My Health Space portal via Online Member Services at: guhealth.com.au.

Gretchen Masters is GU Health’s Wellness Manager and a regular contributor to Inform.

References: 1. King, CR et al. Short Sleep Duration and Incident Coronary Artery Calcification, JAMA, 2008: 300(24): 2859-2866.

2. Sleep Health Foundation, 08.08.2017. Sleep Starved Aussies Run Up $66b Bill: Report. <viewed 16.08.2017: https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/industryprofessionals/mediacentre/media-releases/869-sleep-starved-aussies-run-up-66b-bill-report.html. > 3. Food&Brand Lab. N.d. Bottomless Bowls: Why Visual Cues of Portion Size May Influence Intake. <viewed 16.08.2017 https://foodpsychology.cornell.edu/ research/bottomless-bowls-why-visual-cues-portion-size-may-influence-intake. > 4. Sensis. 01.06.2016. Sensis Social Media Report 2016 How Australian people and businesses are using social media. <viewed 16.08.2017: https://www.sensis. com.au/asset/PDFdirectory/Sensis_Social_Media_Report_2016.PDF. > 5. Food&Brand Lab. N.d. Dinner Rituals The dining table should be more than just a place for eating! <viewed 16.08.2017 https://foodpsychology.cornell.edu/ discoveries/dinner-rituals. > 6. Harvard Medical School. N.d. Giving thanks can make you happier. <viewed 16.08.2017 https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-makeyou-happier. > guhealth.com.au

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FEATURE

How to conquer your subconscious mind Is there a goal you really want to achieve like getting fit, but you just don’t have the time? Does it feel like that goal’s a mountain too high to climb?

Words Emma Brown You want to get to the gym but life just gets in the way; you don’t have the time to commit to regular sessions, work’s hectic and you’ve got your family to look after as well.

Whatever the goal may be from improving your fitness, your home life, your skills so you can get that promotion, eating well, having a better relationship with your loved ones or even seeing friends more often, most of the time it’s not external factors like your busy schedules that are blocking you from achieving your goals... it’s our subconscious mind. As Sir Edmund Hillary said ‘it’s not the mountains we conquer, but ourselves’.

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Director of Corporate Edge, John Colbert (pictured) explains that our subconscious mind is designed to protect us from pain so we avoid doing things without realising it, which can be the enemy of personal growth.

Our subconscious mind is designed to protect us from pain so we avoid doing things without realising it...

Change the conversation that’s going on in your mind John explains that there are vital moments – points in time when you know you need to do something and it’s painful to do, or has been painful in the past, so you often put it off and procrastinate because it’s uncomfortable, however it’s better to face the consequences now.

He reveals that the big challenge for him was when he had to face that his first business had failed.

It’s pain, so we delay it and then we take the easy path and create future pain for ourselves.

I had invested in a business that was going bad and was about to head into administration and a legal battle with one of our suppliers.

“99 per cent of our behaviour is driven by the unconscious part of our brain,” says John.

“The subconscious brain is the survival instinct. It’s there to keep us alive and safe so we do things without even realising.

“This is a good thing when we’re in physical danger as it keeps us safe. Like when we're going to cross a busy street, we stop and look for (oncoming) traffic or if we hear a siren, we’ll spring into action.

"However it doesn’t serve us when it holds us back from achieving things and making positive changes to our lives.”

As the Director of an organisation that specialises in behavioural change, John explains that to make changes you need to be more proactive and let your behaviours come from your conscious mind rather than the reactive subconscious.

“Most people think that things are happening to them and they’re trying to get by within their environment, but they’re not realising that they are contributing to it and their thinking has a role to play.”

It was a really difficult moment where part of me was filled with anger and bitterness. I wanted to blame people and other things.

There were things I should have done differently but I had to own those decisions. It was going to be a horrible journey to liquidate the business and deal with creditors.

I was putting it off and then I had this moment where I thought lets deal with this now.

I declared a Part 10 (personal insolvency agreement), to officially say it’s over. I had to bring all of that pain forward and deal with it as methodically and succinctly as possible. This meant that I could start the next part of my life. It was a huge relief once I decided to do it, I felt much better, even though I was going broke, I had never been happier because I was rebuilding my life.

Sometimes when things feel difficult it means that it’s the right thing to do.

Realign your thinking Our behaviours are aligned with what we think is most important, so if you’re not happy you’ve got to challenge what you think is important and make some different choices.

One of the executives that John coaches was struggling with his work life balance. He was doing well at work, but

not so good at home. He noticed that his kids stopped running to the door to greet him when he came home.

“I asked him ‘what’s the first hour like when you get home?’” ‘It’s filled with stress’, he said.

When you get home it’s a vital moment, continued John. It’s key to follow this simple rule: the first hour when you get home is not your own. Even though all day you’ve been thinking about other people and when you get home you want it to all be about you. Just pause and think this is an important moment to be there for my family – just park that stress and focus for another hour.

Your self-talk can determine your behaviour and beliefs so by changing those thoughts to be more positive and conscious, you can make positive changes.

Funnily enough his stress at work didn’t seem that bad anymore because he was doing the right thing at home.

Part of the reason he felt stressed at work was that he felt like work was causing all these issues at home. John explained to him that, ‘work isn’t the problem you’re the problem’.

If you want to overcome your subconscious mind to reach a goal, ask yourself: • why do I want to achieve this goal?

• what’s the upside of achieving it?

• w hat are the risks and the likelihood of those risks occurring?

Then list beliefs that you feel are stopping you from doing the things you want, the ‘but’ statements such as I want to get fit for summer ‘but’ I don’t have time.

John suggests reframing these statements into empowering beliefs, so change the ‘but’ to an ‘and’. "I want to get fit for summer and I can do it by training at lunchtime twice a week and on Saturday mornings."

Self-talk can determine behaviour and beliefs so by changing those thoughts to be more positive and conscious, we can make positive changes. guhealth.com.au

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Getting the balance right An exercise you can do to help balance where you’re putting your energy and focus on what’s important, is by scoring your satisfaction across different areas of your life with a life balance wheel, (see left).

Ask yourself how happy you are across each category: • Is your career where you want it to be? Are you heading in the right direction?

• Are you satisfied with your health and fitness? Are you happy with your diet?

From your results you can see where you need to step up and prioritise which areas are most important.

It’s helpful to reflect if there’s an overlap between the different parts of the balance wheel, such as if you’re not looking after yourself in a certain area, it may impact your happiness in other areas.

Fitness is a good example or the amount of time you’re spending with friends, as this will affect other parts, explains John.

“People can underestimate what they’re capable of changing. We have the capacity to change so much more than we realise. We need to recognise that it’s our thinking and subconscious that’s holding us back and stop looking for external reasons that stop us. In actual fact the change can come from within”.

For more information visit: corporate-edge.com.au 12

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FEATURE

Kitchen staples to make healthy cooking easy The Clean Living Cook, Luke Hines shares his top 10 kitchen staples to stock in your kitchen to make healthy cooking easy.

8. Herbs and spices

1. Almond meal (flour) Whether you’re cooking something sweet or savoury, this gluten-free flour has you covered. You can make your own by blitzing raw almonds in a food processor until they form a fine powder (be sure not to take it too far to turn it into nut butter).

Simple, good-quality herbs and spices can elevate a simple dish to restaurant quality. Fresh herbs are great in salads, pestos, dressings and sauces as well as scattered over dishes before serving.

9. Mince (frozen)

2. Berries Berries are a low-fructose fruit, rich in antioxidants and bursting with flavour, keep either frozen berries or if in season fresh. Try adding to your morning smoothie, to the Waikiki Wake Up Bowl (see recipe on the next page) or enjoy on their own as a healthy treat.

3. Cacao Cacao is basically raw chocolate before all the good stuff has been processed out. It’s packed full of antioxidants and magnesium and is highly nutritious, super-tasty and versatile.

Cacao and cocoa aren’t the same thing. Cocoa is processed cacao with only a fraction of the nutrients retained.

Stick to raw cacao powder to get the most out of this ingredient’s many health benefits. You can add to smoothies and to nut milks to make hot chocolate.

4. Cauliflower and broccoli My top vegetable picks due to their many health benefits, versatility and flavour.

Kept fresh or frozen, they can be the star of curries, stir-fries and stews or make the perfect addition to pretty much any dish.

5. Cinnamon and vanilla pods Cinnamon helps regulate blood-sugar levels and tricks your mind into thinking you’re having something sweet, while vanilla manages to take any homemade almond milk, breakfast smoothie or baked item to the next level.

It’s the vanilla pod or extract that you’re after, rather than the processed and sweetened flavouring or chemically produced essence.

Always have some mince in the freezer, ready for when you have one of those ‘nothing left in the house’ moments. It doesn’t matter if it’s beef, chicken or lamb, you can whip it into meatballs, burgers or a bolognese.

10. Sweet potatoes Sweet potatoes are a wonderful source of vitamins A, B5 and B6.

They’re an unprocessed, unrefined carbohydrate, perfect for that energy hit. The longer you leave them in the oven, the more delicious and caramelised they become.

6. Coconut oil Cold-pressed organic coconut oil is probably the most versatile ingredient, you can use it for frying, baking, smoothies and desserts.

7. Eggs (free-range) Eggs are one of the cheapest, bestquality sources of complete protein available, containing a wide range of vitamins and minerals together with all the essential amino acids.

For more information visit: lukehines.com guhealth.com.au

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RECIPES

Waikiki wake-up bowl

This vibrant smoothie bowl is ideal for summer.

The recipe has Hawaii written all over it and was inspired by the breakfast bowls found there.

GF

WF

DF

Ingredients 155 grams frozen blueberries

Preparation:

Serves:

5 minutes

Approx 2

125 grams frozen raspberries 1 banana, frozen if possible 2 tablespoons nut butter

Method:

1 cup coconut milk

1. Place the berries, banana, nut butter, coconut milk, maple syrup and ice in a food processor or high-speed blender and blitz until smooth and creamy.

1 tablespoon maple syrup

2. Divide the mixture evenly between two bowls and serve with the blueberries or açai berries, pumpkin seeds and chopped brazil nuts.

2–3 ice cubes To serve 1 handful of blueberries or açai berries 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds

Competition corner Recipes from Luke Hines’ Healthy Made Easy published

by Plum RRP $39.99.

To go into the draw to win a copy of Healthy Made Easy, send your top tip to make cooking healthy food easy to: magazine@guhealth.com.au.

Competition commences 9am, 1 Feb 2018 and closes 11.59pm, 21 Feb 2018. Entry only open to GU Health members 18yrs+. Prize is $39.99.

Judging of entries by 12pm, 23 Feb 2018 at GU Health, Level 6, 88 Phillip Street, Sydney NSW 2001. Winner notified by email by 27 Feb 2018 and published in Issue 30 of Inform. View full terms and conditions at guhealth.com.au/inform-competition

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1 tablespoon roughly chopped brazil nuts

TOP TIP

If you’re planning on enjoying this solo, simply make the recipe and freeze the excess. Then, when you’re ready to enjoy it later, just defrost, blend briefly and add the toppings.

Congratulations to Linda Quinton, who won a Stace’s Quick & Healthy Breakfasts e-book, in the previous competition.

Chilled coconut ocean trout

Cool, refreshing and full of flavour. It’s versatile too – you can swap the ocean trout for salmon, barramundi, or even poached chicken.

GF

WF

DF

Ingredients 1 x 400 millilitre can coconut cream

Preparation:

Cooking time:

Serves:

1 hour

15 minutes

Approx 4

2 limes (zest and juice) 6 kaffir lime leaves (optional) generous pinch of sea salt

Method: 1. Add the coconut cream, lime zest and juice, kaffir lime leaves (if using) and salt to a large non-stick frying pan over very low heat and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally and making sure the liquid doesn’t boil or catch on the bottom of the pan, then lower in the ocean trout fillets and poach gently for 6-8 minutes, turning halfway, until cooked through.

2. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool slightly, then transfer the trout pieces and poaching liquid to an airtight container and chill in the fridge.

4 x 180 grams ocean trout fillets, skin removed and pin-boned 1 green papaya (about 800 grams), peeled, de-seeded and shredded 1 bunch of coriander, leaves picked 2 tablespoons roughly chopped toasted cashew nuts Chilli and lime dipping sauce

3. To make the chilli and lime dipping sauce, place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.

1½ limes (juice)

4. Once chilled, remove the fish fillets from the poaching liquid and arrange on a platter or individual plates. Pile the papaya next to the fish and top with the coriander, a drizzle of the poaching liquid and the lime juice. Scatter over the toasted cashews and serve with the dipping sauce on the side.

2 teaspoons coconut aminos (see below)

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon coconut nectar 1 long green chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped 1 generous pinch of sea salt

Known as the Clean Living Cook, Luke is also a personal trainer, functional nutritional therapy practitioner, author and TV personality. He’s all about celebrating real food, that tastes good too. He believes cooking should be something everyone can enjoy by making it fun, sustainable and delicious.

What is coconut aminos?

It’s a sauce made from coconut sap with a salty and slightly sweet flavour, resembling a light soy sauce but, it’s soy and gluten free. Available from most health food stores.

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FEATURE

Turning tragedy into triumph Three people share how they turned loss into triumph, by striving to reach personal goals building projects and communities to make the world a better place.

Sophie Smith, Founder of Running for Premature Babies I was 21 weeks pregnant with my triplets when my waters broke. I was told I’d most probably deliver my three babies within 24 hours and they would all be stillborn. Five days later our son Henry arrived and lived for one precious hour. It gives me great comfort to know that he spent his whole life in my arms, and that he knew only love.

Jasper and Evan followed. They held on for another three weeks, reaching a gestation where intervention can be given and miracles can happen.

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Despite huge efforts to save their lives, our little boys did not pull through.

Those 82 days were the happiest and saddest of our lives. There are no words to describe the tragedy of losing all our triplets, but they brought so much love into our lives. Love that did not die when they did.

A few weeks after our third baby died, my husband Ash suggested we run the SMH Half Marathon to raise $20,000 to buy a new humidicrib.

Since then we’ve entered a ‘Running for Premature Babies’ (RFPB) team every year and 2,500 people have run with us, raising $2.4 million to provide 29 pieces of life saving equipment to the Newborn

Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Hospital for Women. Much of this equipment wasn’t available for my boys. It means that babies like mine have a better chance of survival.

Their legacy has been so life giving and healing for me. Henry, Jasper and Evan didn’t survive but that isn’t the end of their story and because of them, premature babies now have a better chance.

Two years after losing our triplets we became parents once again to Owen, a big, bouncing full-term baby. When Owen was six months old, Ash began to suffer from debilitating headaches. To our utter shock he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer with a grim prognosis. He faced his illness with incredible bravery and positivity, even returning to run on our RFPB team between surgery and chemo, but sadly lost his fight last February, seven years after his first diagnosis.

Ash didn’t spend those years worrying about what the future held.

Instead he got on with living. The biggest blessing was the arrival of our fifth son, Harvey, two years after his diagnosis. Losing my loving, funny, kind and brave husband has been desperately hard, but I gain strength from his attitude that it’s never okay to give up. Since Ash’s death, I’ve found that throwing myself into RFPB has helped me through my grief.

Last November I took a team of RFPB runners to New York to run the marathon as part of our 10th year celebrations. It was my first marathon

and I stuck to the training program like my life depended on it. On the morning of the race I wrote all the special names Ash and I had for each other up my arms and when the going got tough during the race I read them and felt Ash and our boys push me on. It was an incredible feeling to cross the finish line in four hours and four minutes and dedicate my run to Ash.

I want to now show our children that even when the worst happens, even when your heart is broken, you can pick yourself up and carry on, and you can still find joy in life.

I want to now show our children that even when the worst happens, even when your heart is broken, you can pick yourself up and carry on, and you can still find joy in life. It’s not about forgetting their dad and their brothers, but living our lives well in honour of them.

Sophie’s goal is to support more hospitals with newborn intensive care units around the country. You can run, swim or cycle in any event for the Running for Premature Babies team – you just need to raise at least $200: runningforprematurebabies.com.

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Damien Thomlinson, Former Special Forces Commando, Ambassador, Author and Actor I was serving in Afghanistan in 2009, when our Special Reconnaissance Vehicle drove over an improvised Taliban bomb. I lost both my legs, my elbow had to be completely reconstructed, I dislocated my right arm and I broke two bones in my right wrist and hand. In my left arm both bones were shattered and I had a shrapnel wound in my chest. My nose was reconstructed, which is great as my nose is much better now!

Damien on the set of the film he played a role in, Hacksaw Ridge.

It’s such a drastic change in your life that it’s hard to come to grips with.

I don’t remember anything that happened to me, not even waking up in hospital.

My head was hit really hard. They weren’t sure how I was going to back-up from it as head injuries affect people differently.

I could still string sentences together, I was responsibly conscious, but I couldn’t remember what room I was in. I was on a cocktail of painkillers.

With such extensive injuries it’s a balancing act between achieving things like wanting to be an athlete and living life. After I left the army I started snowboarding. People were shocked that I could ride so well. I was training to get selected for the Paralympics in Utah when I hit a jump and fractured my L2 vertebrae. Snowboarding is strictly a fun thing now as to be competitive I would have to devote my time to being a full-time athlete. And that would prevent me from doing other things that are extremely important to me, including supporting other veterans.

Due to the fact that I’m alive I’ve got to make the most of each opportunity 18

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I’m presented with. I’ve had great opportunities from being an advocate for veteran’s welfare to competing in the Invictus Games. The paralympian-style multi-sport event founded by Prince Harry is immeasurable in importance to the veteran community. It gives veterans something to look forward to and strive towards. There are many similarities between military service and high level sport, so to join those two together is a brilliant idea.

I wanted to be the first guy to be redeployed as a double amputee.

But in a high level unit that’s more of a hindrance than a help so I had to put my ego aside to branch out into a new career. I’m now a motivational speaker, and work with everyone from corporates to football teams and schools, speaking with them about how to deal with change and teamwork among other areas. I give people the tools and coping mechanisms to deal with change from the lessons I’ve learned.

The concepts I speak about, including ‘team not self’ and ‘ownership and accountability’ translates to every walk of life. Being able to fall back on the principles I learned as a Commando has helped me get through tough times and drastic changes. The first step to adapting to a drastic change is to acknowledge that it’s there.

Walking again wasn’t the main challenge for me, I knew it was only going to be a matter of time. What I wasn’t ready for was the change in

interpersonal relationships. I was used to army life, a rank structure. In the civilian world relationships are different.

I believe that the change in culture when leaving the military is a leading cause of mental stress among veterans. For people leaving the military all they need is sometimes having a coffee and a chat so they can get things off their chest, and someone to point them in the right direction. I’m committed to supporting our veterans so they can stay connected with people they’ve served with and remain proud. Anyone who has worn a uniform for our country should be proud.

Damien is a motivational speaker and is currently developing a support network for military veterans as well as for the police, fire and ambulance services: damienthomlinson.com.

Dai Le, former refugee, Multicultural NSW Board Member, Co-Founder of DAWN I was born in Vietnam and escaped my war torn birthplace in April 1975. We survived a treacherous boat journey and lived in refugee camps in South-East Asia for three years with my mother and two younger sisters before we were accepted for resettlement in Australia. We'd never heard of Australia. My mother was told it was an island with the best education system in the world.

Once we got here, I made the decision to fully embrace Australia. I felt like I was reborn in my new country.

I’m an Australian and I want to contribute.

I want to help shape the nation and be the best that I can be. I believe through diversity of thought, talent and lived experiences we can shape how our country should grow and prosper.

I founded the DAWN organisation to promote leadership in this country that’s representative of our diverse society. As our parliament and business world is run mainly by Anglo-Saxon men, I want our leadership to represent our diverse society and gender mix.

My son was 11 at the time so it was the fear of leaving him without a mother which first came to mind. It was a confronting feeling that death was close.

I needed my beautiful boy to believe that I would come through so we created a jar of gratefulness. For every day of the six months of treatment, we wrote what we’re grateful for and put it in the jar. That planted a seed in his mind to be grateful for everything in life.

I’m an optimistic person. No matter the situation, I can turn it around.

That moment I was told I had cancer I could either live my life fully or succumb to cancer and find reasons to blame. I chose to see the glass half full.

My journey with cancer transformed me. When I made that decision to live life fully there was nothing to fear anymore.

Death had almost got me, a second time, so I had to do something with my life.

When I made that decision to live life fully there was nothing to fear anymore. Death has almost got me, the second time, so I better do something with my life.

As a cancer survivor I’m constantly reminded that there’s an end to our life. I always ask myself 'what am I doing today to contribute to make a positive impact and what’s my purpose?' When I go to bed I think, 'have I done the best I could today?' 

For more information visit: dawn.org.au

I was doing yoga one night when this little voice inside said ‘check your breasts’ and I discovered a lump. I didn’t feel that anything was wrong, I wasn’t run down. When I was told I had cancer, I thought ‘it can’t be, it’s not possible’. I didn’t drink or smoke, I exercised regularly and no one in my family had breast cancer before.

I had my 2.5 year breast cancer test yesterday, which was clear. I’ve passed the critical period. I’ve been told that if my cancer doesn't come back in five years I'll be cleared. I had chemotherapy and radiation treatment. guhealth.com.au

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FEATURE

Make your desk a healthy place – for your body and mind Simple steps to transform your work space into a healthier, happier and calmer place.

Many of us spend most of our working lives sitting at a desk. Add to that sitting in the car and on public transport. All this sitting can lead to dangerous health risks.

The effects of a sedentary lifestyle range from having a higher chance of being overweight, developing type 2 diabetes or heart disease to experiencing depression

Senior Physiotherapist, Paula Luke from Joint Health advises how to sit and stand correctly.

Two in five working Australians are finding the workplace a source of stress...

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1

When sitting at your desk have your:

• knees positioned at 90 degrees – you may need a foot stool • bottom right back in the chair • shoulder blades should be on the back of the chair • elbows at 90 degrees • breast bone should feel like it’s lifting upwards • earlobes just above shoulder joint to stop your chin jutting out • level of sight at the top of the screen.

If you’re leaning forward (towards your screen) find out why: • Is the screen resolution too low?

• Can the chair go further under the desk • Do you need your eyes checked?

and anxiety.1

Sitting has become the new smoking phenomenon; coupled with the added demands from work, it can make your office desk an unsafe place. Two in five working Australians are finding the workplace a source of stress and 72 per cent say that it’s having an impact on their physical health.2

Follow these steps to set yourself and your desk up correctly, plus tips on how to keep moving during your working day.

Make your chair work for you:

Your chair should support (be touching) the natural curve in your back. Everyone is different so you need an adjustable chair.

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Add some movement into your working day

Katrina Ward, Pilates Instructor from Elixr Health Clubs, suggests trying these easy stretches which wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t draw too much attention from your colleagues: Wrist rolls Start by gently rolling your wrists in both directions, then give them a stretch in a flexed position; this opposes the extended position theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re often in when you're typing or texting.

Spinal rotation and movement Be sure to keep your pelvis stable and gently rotate through the thoracic spine, turning from one side to the other. Then, keep your bottom pressed evenly into your chair and reach down through one arm towards the floor.

Repeat on the other side, making sure not to move your pelvis.

Neck stretch

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Stand up more and do it properly!

Standing up correctly is called the plumb line where the centre of gravity intersects the ear lobe, the shoulder, the hip joint, the knee and ankle joints (see diagram below).

Hold on to the side of your chair with your left hand and tilt your head to the right, then repeat on the other side.

This is a great release for those often overworked neck muscles.

Shoulder and chest stretches Reach behind your chair with both hands and clasp them if you can, or hold on to the bottom of your chair and open up through the front of your shoulders and chest.

Remember to take frequent breaks away from your desk; these little breaks combined with our minute of movement will have your body feeling better each day.

A good way to make sure youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re standing correctly is to practice this posture in front of the mirror.

Standing desks are great to add mobility and movement, however make sure to progress slowly. At the beginning stand for no more than 10 minutes then have a 30 to 45 minute break to build your tolerance and alternate between sitting and standing. guhealth.com.au

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Step 2: Listen to a mantra

Work well by chilling out Do you find yourself at work leaning forward towards the computer to focus your attention, having another snack for energy or a coffee to motivate you to finish a task?

Rather than looking outwards for more energy when you’re feeling stressed and depleted such as with caffeine and snacks, Founder of yogameditationsound.com, Alexis Hannagan (pictured) advises to look from within to feel energised, calmer and happier.

“When we’re lacking energy we often get in a routine to look for that hit from outside, from going onto social media or to the vending machine,” says Alexis.

A way to look inward is by focusing on something we do all the time, often without thinking – breathing.

Focusing on your breathing is one of the best ways to ease stress at work. By slowing it down and breathing from your diaphragm and including meditation, mantras and visualisation you can relax your mind and body to reduce stress and perform better.

Step 1: Breath from the diaphragm Set an alarm, such as at 11am and spend five minutes of ‘me time’, breathing from the diaphragm to the top of the ribs, slowly breathing in and out.

If you don’t have time to sit at the park for an hour, you can sit at your desk and tune into your breath, suggests Alexis.

“If we breathe from our chest it’s stress inducing – associated with fight or flight and feeling overwhelmed. But if you breathe from the diaphragm – from below the belly button this can shift your mood to feel more relaxed.”

Try this counting breathing exercise when feeling stressed: 1. Breathe in for four counts and breathe out for four 2. Breathe in for five counts and breathe out for five 3. Continue and increase – breathe in and out up to eight counts.

A mantra is a word or phrase we say in our mind or listen to.

“It helps us to meditate as it gives the mind a focus, as our minds are often over stimulated and overwhelmed.”

On the inhale say internally or verbally 'sat', whilst breathing from the lower belly all the way to the top of the ribs and, on the exhale, say 'nam' to calm yourself.

You can also say your own positive phrase such as, 'I’m calmer, relaxed and focused' to 'I am full of life and energy' or simply the word 'peace'.

These positive words can change your outlook. When we put positive changes into our life we look forward rather than thinking how stressful things are and looking back at the past, says Alexis.

She advises to set an alarm to meditate and breathe deeply instead of going to the kitchen or vending machine and see what happens.

You can listen to mantra meditations on YouTube and iTunes or try an app such as Saagara:

saagara.com/apps/meditation Step 3: Try a visualisation Mindfulness breathing exercises can easily be done at work such as the six-second Quieting Response: • 'Smile inwardly' with your eyes and mouth, roll your shoulders down your back and let go of your stomach muscles.

• Imagine holes in the soles of your feet as you take a deep breath in, visualise hot air flowing through these holes moving slowly relaxing your muscles, up your legs, through your abdomen and filling your lungs.

• When you exhale reverse to visualise hot air coming out the same holes in your feet.

• Repeat whenever you need to feel calm.

References: 1. Better Health Channel, n.d, The dangers of sitting: why sitting is the new smoking <viewed 27/8/27: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/thedangers-of-sitting.> 2. Australian Psychological Society, Stress and Wellbeing Survey <viewed 27/8/17: http://www.psychology.org.au/psychologyweek/survey.> 22

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FEATURE

Leading by example The journey of CEO Pedro Diaz charts a course from the depths of mental illness, from not being able to work to becoming a corporate leader and business founder.

Words Emma Brown When the CEO of the Workplace Mental Health Institute Pedro Diaz spoke to the media to launch his organisation’s latest offering he opened with: "for those of you who don’t know me let me introduce myself: I use to be ‘crazy’."

The founder of the organisation, which trains corporate leaders on how to identify and deal with the warning signs of mental illness in the workplace, has extensive experience on the subject.

He overcame a decade long battle with bipolar disorder, where he was heavily medicated, he couldn’t work and was reduced to living off a disability support pension.

Years later, he founded the Workplace Mental Health Institute to support people in the workplace to get help and recover from mental health issues.

According to Pedro some 20 per cent of suicides can be work related.

“I wanted to give back as I’m one of the lucky ones. One of the ones that have recovered. Fully. Now I can show others the way,” he said.

"For those of you who don’t know me let me introduce myself, I used to be ‘crazy’."

Pedro's struggles with mental health issues started with feeling disconnected from Australian society.

He arrived in Brisbane in 1981 from Spain as a 17 year old. guhealth.com.au

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“The dynamics were not so understanding of migrants then and the moment they heard you with an accent they thought you couldn’t think properly.”

Even though Pedro learnt English quickly, he couldn’t find any white collar roles so was forced into blue collar jobs such as cleaning, leading to feelings of not belonging, not feeling appreciated nor valued.

Turning things around It was a pivotal moment one night when Pedro took a range of medications with alcohol as he was struggling to sleep.

He was unable to hold himself up and was leaning over the sink to brush his teeth when he caught his reflection in the mirror. He got really angry and said to himself ‘what are you doing’?

Descending He then became distressed enough to seek help from a doctor who diagnosed him with bipolar disorder and was put on a range of medications.

“Some chemicals were making my symptoms better and some were making them worse, some medications increased my anxiety and others increased suicidal thoughts, others were numbing me. I was like a zombie looking at the world from a disassociated state.”

He didn’t realise these effects, including a failing memory, were from the medication but attributed them to his mental health problems.

“I started to doubt myself to the point where I couldn’t hold a job. It’s what I call my descent into hell. My kids saved me from suicide at the time because I thought ‘I can’t leave that kind of legacy to them’.”

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"Even though I had ticked all those boxes, good boxes, they weren’t my own."

“At that moment I realised that I’d ticked all the boxes and yet I wasn’t happy. Even though I had ticked all those boxes, good boxes, they weren’t my own. They weren’t my beliefs and values.

I made the decision from then on the boxes I’m going to tick are going to be my own.”

The CEO then found Dr Timothy O'Neill, who became a catalyst for his recovery and provided inspiration on how to move forward with his life.

With his doctor he worked to better understand his medication needs. Dr O’Neil then asked him what he was going to do with his life and suggested he go to university and attend orientation week at the Australian Catholic University.

Pedro resisted believing that he couldn’t study because he couldn’t concentrate. His practitioner advised him not to panic and to just do one subject, and suggested studying social work.

“He said ‘what else do you have to do?’ That got me. I had nothing else going for me at the time. And it was brilliant, it was a really nice campus, I felt comfortable and the people were friendly.”

He graduated in 2002, and then doors started opening for him. He worked in workers compensation insurance, in the psychology injury department.

He then rose to senior management at Aftercare – a mental health services organisation where he became involved in researching the Collaborative Recovery Model at the University of Wollongong and became a visiting fellow.

The model incorporates coaching style relationships and focuses on increasing wellbeing rather than just decreasing symptoms.

This was the beginning of his work teaching people better ways of doing mental health work, which inspired him years later to found the Workplace Health Institute.

“I realised that while we were improving how to deliver services to clients we weren't doing much to improve services to our own staff.”

He realised that he needed to go out on his own and work alongside the health system rather than within it to achieve his vision.

The Institute prepares managers to care for their team’s mental health.

This direction evolved as the CEO was receiving feedback that the courses were fantastic but that participants couldn’t apply it to their workplaces as their managers weren't supportive of it.

“I thought managers must be so horrible until I started teaching managers, they’re not horrible, they’re quite human and when they’re shown how to do something they feel relieved that they don’t have to be so strict and rigid.”

Pedro also believes that to truly change an organisation’s culture it needs to start as high as possible because they’re the ones with the most leverage.

For more information visit: wmhi.com.au

Kicking his own goals Pedro also kicked personal goals over this time, which was an important part of his recovery. These goals included using mindfulness breathing to give up smoking and setting himself targets, such as reading 100 books in order to teach himself to start and finish things.

He learned about what he liked in the process and started exploring different topics and questioning things more.

“I went from a person who believes what he reads in marketing brochures to reading journal articles and scientific data. I also started looking at money trails, who is paying for this research, and what is the bearing on the findings.”

He also started questioning his values.

“Transformation for me was to question everything, to question what I value such as family, studies, beauty, intelligence whatever it is. Is it true?

What would happen if I didn’t have it?

Are there other people living fulfilling lives elsewhere on this planet that don’t share those values?”

He then found a coach, Michelle Duvall, who brought the coaching industry to Australia.

“I hired a coach that I couldn’t afford, but I couldn’t afford not to have.

Someone who holds the mirror to you and challenges you. It makes you stronger; it’s scary but that’s why you need a coach.”

He advises that people struggling with their mental health, go and talk to a psychologist, a therapist or a qualified coach. Someone that will hold the mirror up to you and support you through the growth.

“Every single top athlete that I can think of has a coach so if you want to be a top performer in your life, find someone that will put you in touch with your own power.

“A journey of transformation is the same as recovery from mental health issues, it’s a metamorphosis in the same way a caterpillar becomes a butterfly.

“You can never see how you’re going to turn out in a transformation because you have no frame of reference, that’s what makes it scary. It’s like you’re in cocoon mode and then when you come out it’s a brand new world. However you’re always learning, the process is never finished. It doesn’t mean you are still ill, it just means you are a work in progress.

“My message to anyone listening is, if I've been able to recover, anyone can.”

If you or anyone you know is affected by depression or other mental health issues, support can be found by contacting: • Lifeline on 13 11 14 • Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.

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FAVOURITE

Get connected Apps, books, films and podcasts to help you connect with your community, your world and yourself.

Listen

Watch

TED Radio Hour A Better You

MAUDIE

Many of us are lured by the promise of self-improvement, but find it hard to follow through. TED speakers reveal ways to discover our better selves, from simple hacks to deep introspection. Speakers include entrepreneur Jim Jiang and Headspace co-founder Andy Puddicombe (pictured).

Based on the true story of Canadian folk artist Maud Lewis.

The reclusive Everett Lewis (Ethan Hawke) hires a fragile yet determined woman, Maudie (Sally Hawkins) to be his housekeeper. The film is depicted with light, shadow and many colours in between, like Maudie's paintings.

Cost: FREE

DVD cost: RRP $39.95

npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/529942522/a-better-you

See the trailer: youtu.be/wCZ_guQTGNw

Create

Gratitude 365 Journal This app is a digital gratitude journal where you ask yourself: "What am I truly grateful for in my life?" You can list what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re thankful for every day and include photos.

Use the app on your: iPhone and iPad.

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Read

Unbreakable: Women Share Stories Of Resilience & Hope edited by Jane Caro.

In this revealingly honest collection, successful Australian women talk about the challenges they have overcome, from sexual assault to racism, miscarriage and depression. The contributors delve deeply into how these experiences made them feel, what the personal cost was and why they may have chosen to remain quiet until now.

Cost: $1.99

Cost: RRP $29.95

gratitude365app.com

uqp.uq.edu.au

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MINDFULNESS COLOURING PAGE Traditionally mandalas are works of sacred art in Tibetan Buddhism, constructed by monks from coloured sand. Derived from the Sanskrit word for ‘circle’ they’re a symbolic picture of the universe, contemplated during meditation and believed to assist healing.

They are constructed for days and once finished are destroyed by being swept up and dispersed in flowing water to represent the impermanence of life.

According to Buddhist scripture, sand mandalas transmit positive energies to

the environment and to the people who view them. See a modern representation below.

Alexis Hannagan, founder of yogameditationsound.com, says that we can transform ourselves by transforming our environment.

“We become our environment,” she says. “Transformation happens when we add positive changes into our environment.”

Positive things to implement include plants, diffusers, images such as

mandalas, and doing positive things like yoga and meditation. See page 12 for simple meditations you can do daily, even at your office desk.

References: 1. Tibetan Healing Mandala. N.d. Mandalas. Viewed <27.08.2017: http://www.asia.si.edu/exhibitions/online/mandala/mandala.htm >

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