TWR - Dec/Jan 2012 - Issue 15:The Waiting Room - Summer 2012 - Issue 13
WORLD AIDS DAY
NATURAL MIGRAINE SOLUTIONS
04/12/2012
2:11 pm
‘THINK BIG’ SOCIAL ACTION
inside
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FRE E
December 2012/January 2013 D Issue 15
TRAFFIC MEDICINE HEALTHY CAR & HEALTHY LUNGS p.07
FACTS OF LIFE HOWTO HAVETHATAWKWARD CONVERSATION p.22
YULETIDETRADITIONS WHY DOWE EATHAM ATCHRISTMAS? p.26 WWW.WAITINGROOM.IE
Super Mum Miriam O’Callaghan explains how she manages to do it all while staying healthy and happy
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PLUS CHRISTMAS COLOURING PUZZLES COMPETITIONS NOTEBOOK
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TWR - Dec/Jan 2012 - Issue 15:The Waiting Room - Summer 2012 - Issue 13
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inside Dec 2012/Jan 2013 Features
08 Bedwetting
A problem for parent & child
10 Miriam O’Callaghan The presenter and mum of eight talks us through her busy schedule
14 SMÁCHT
Power of positive thinking
20 A Game Of Two Halves Sports pundits - they can drive you mad
22 The Facts Of Life
Tips on how to have “that” chat
Regulars
04 Notebook Bits and Bobs
Competitions 28 Crossword
Win 2 nights B&B and one Evening Meal at the Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel, a member of Select Hotels
September 2012 Winners The winner of the puzzle €50 prize is Bernie Golden, Co Westmeath. The winner of last issues Crossword is Dermot Connolly, Co Sligo 2 nights B&B and 1 evening meal at Dooley’s Hotel. YOUR FREE COPY
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DECEMBER 2012 / JANUARY 2013 | THE WAITING ROOM
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notebook HEALTH
Restoring Body Image after Breast Surgery
The Marie Keating Foundation has launched a new guide titled Restoring Body Image after Breast Surgery to the conclusion of its eleventh annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign. The Foundation liaises with consultants, surgeons and breast care nurses working in the area of breast cancer in relation to support and how the Foundation may be of assistance. Almost 3,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Ireland each year and when an information gap in relation to choices post surgery was identified, the idea of developing the Restoring Body Image after Breast Surgery was conceived. The Foundation sought and received further feedback from breast care nurses which confirmed that there was indeed a need for a clear and accurate guide for women which explained all of their options, surgical and nonsurgical, in an easy to read way which could be taken home and reviewed in their own time. Mr Peter Meagher, Plastic & Reconstructive
Surgeon, Beacon Hospital, who played a central role in the compilation of the guide said “It was becoming increasingly apparent that many women simply were not aware of the numerous choices available to them following their breast surgery. The beauty of this guide is that it affords women the chance to go over the relevant information, which is laid out in a clear and comprehensive way, in their own time. They can then make an educated, well informed decision about the option best suited to them.” The Foundation’s ethos of Making Cancer less Frightening by Enlightening underpins the way the guide is presented and great care has been taken by all involved to ensure that it is accurate, balanced and positive. Geraldine Gleeson, Nurse Manager, the Marie Keating Foundation, coordinated the compilation of the guide while drawing on feedback and suggestions from numerous professionals working in the sector. The input of three key contributors, namely Mr Peter Meagher, Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon
MARIE KEATING FOUNDATION LAUNCHES FREE GUIDE WHICH DETAILS CHOICES AFTER SURGERY
SVUH, Mr Tim Davidson, Consultant Breast Surgeon, The London Clinic and Royal Free Hospital and Ms Jane Rothwell, Consultant Breast Surgeon SVUH, to the booklet was invaluable. Topics covered include; What is a mastectomy bra? What is an external prosthesis? What should I ask the surgeon? What types of breast reconstruction are there? Reconstructing the nipple after breast reconstruction. The guide finishes with a listing of bra and prostheses suppliers. Copies of the guide are now available (free of charge) through the breast care nurses and the Specialist Centres nationwide. Copies can also be requested by contacting Geraldine Gleeson, Nurse Manager, the Marie KeatingFoundation, ggleeson@mariekeating.ie 01 6283726 or visit www.mariekeating.ie to download a copy of the guide
SOCIAL ACTION
Social Action Programme ‘Think Big’ celebrates two year landmark Think Big recently celebrated its 2nd anniversary by bringing together young people from around the country for a celebratory event in The O2, Dublin recently. Over the past two years O2 has invested over €1.6 million in its social action programme, Think Big, in partnership with Headstrong, which enables young people to do projects in their local community that make a difference to young people’s mental health. Since 2010, 200 projects have been funded across the country with up to 3,500 young people getting involved. The Think Big celebratory event sees over 200 young people from around the country who have participated in the Think Big programme come together to celebrate their achievements over the past two years. The celebration event which took place in The O2 in Dublin feature art workshops, tours of The O2 as well as an exclusive gig by Irish band Royseven. One of the focal points of the day is where the young people come together to design a large art installation to represent what Think Big has meant to them over the last couple of years. This part of the day was choreographed by Morgan, one of Ireland’s most innovative artists over the last number of years. His work has moved from street level to the walls of galleries alongside the likes of Andy Warhol and Banksy.
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Speaking at the event Eugene Mitchell, Marketing Director from O2 said: “Since November 2010 Think Big has approved over 200 projects, initiated and led by young people between the ages of 14 and 25 from every county in Ireland. As well as funding, we have been delighted to supported each participant with mentoring and ongoing training to help them bring their projects to life. It is fantastic to see so many young people here today and the range and scope of project ideas that young people have come forward with have been a constant source of pride to the Think Big programme. The ideas really showcase our young people’s creativity, resourcefulness, community spirit and genuine care for each other. We in O2 applaud each and every Think Big participant – 3,500 young people and counting – and we look forward to continuing to help them bring their projects to life.” Tony Bates, Founding Director of Headstrong added: “The Think Big programme has grown and evolved into a dynamic movement that gives young people the support they need to do projects in their community. We’re delighted to witness young people’s passion on the issue of youth mental health. Young people understand how to communicate with their peers on this important subject. Giving young people ‘a voice’ has always been
THE WAITING ROOM | DECEMBER 2012 / JANUARY 2013
one of Headstrong’s core ambitions and this programme enables us to give them a voice in a very real way. We’re looking forward to working together with our partners in O2, to reach out further, wider, deeper and help more young people raise awareness of positive mental health. This movement is changing how Ireland thinks about Youth Mental Health – one project, one parish at a time.” For more information on Think Big, log on to www.o2thinkbig.ie
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notebook CHARITY
Support Older People in need this Christmas
ALONE celebrates 35 years this year as an independent registered charity working with the 10% of older people that are considered vulnerable and at risk of loneliness, poverty, sub-standard housing conditions, poor physical and mental health and homelessness. Through their Volunteer befriending service and the hosting of both large and small social events, they provide companionship. Our Community Response provides support to older people who are in crisis situations such as housing, financial, medical or personal safety. Housing Support provide 100 homes for life for older people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
ALONE doesn't receive any government funding for the day to day running of our services. They are a volunteer led organisation with a ratio of 15 volunteers to each staff member ensuring costs are kept at a minimum and the maximum benefits of the donations we receive goes towards the older people we work with. PLEASE support our Christmas card campaign so that we can continue to support more older people that will need us in the months ahead. Contact us today to place your order, and share the Christmas Spirit. ALONE-There when you need us. www.alone.ie Phone 01- 6791032 Email; fundraising@alone.ie
FITNESS
Irish Cycling Show 2013 Moves to Citywest Dublin Mara Media are delighted to confirm the new venue and dates for the second ever Irish Cycling Show which will take place on March 9th and 10th, 2013 at Citywest Exhibition venue, Dublin. The inaugural show in May 2012 attracted 4,000 visitors in a very successful two days with over 90 companies exhibiting at the event. Our surveys have shown that the new venue, Citywest, offers ease of access for visitors from Dublin and from surrounding areas with the M50 motorway and LUAS on its doorstep. New for 2013 will be Free Car Parking, Lower Entrance Prices and Sprocket Rocket for kids with a host of new exhibitors showcasing their cycling products. Animal Bike Tour will be the star “Stunt Show� attraction for 2013 while freestyle BMX rider Keelan Philips will again demonstrate his world-renowned skills. The cycle test track will be featuring again for 2013. Other special guests will be announced over the coming months. YOUR FREE COPY
For full details of The Irish Cycling Show see www.irishcyclingshow.ie
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THE WAITING ROOM MAGAZINE is produced and printed in Ireland ACTING EDITOR Danielle Barron PRODUCTION/DESIGN Colm Geoghegan colm@waitingroom.ie ADVERTISING Ingrid Lyons ingrid@imn.ie CONTRIBUTORS Hugh Tynan, Steven Barron, Mark Morgan, Theres Hegarty, Niamh Flynn, Padraic O’Maille, Dr Pat Harrold, Dr Emer Kilbride PUBLISHER Danstone Ltd. PRINT Midland Web Print DISTRIBUTION An Post
CONTACT US The Waiting Room Magazine The Studio, Maple Avenue, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin 01 2960000 | info@waitingroom.ie
Take Care of Your Skin in Winter Sun
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Total Average Net Circulation 83,002 (JUL-DEC 2010) THE WAITING ROOM MAGAZINE founded by Maurice O’Scanaill
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ith rates of skin cancer growing in Ireland at an alarming rate, it’s just as important to protect your skin in cold winter months as it is in summer. The sun’s UV rays are just as strong and can be causing hidden damage to your skin without you realising. With cold weather, windy conditions and central heating being just some of the winter elements our skin has to combat The Mole Screening Clinic, Ireland’s only dedicated melanoma detection clinic, has some simple advice for you to follow to ensure your skin is stays radiant and protected from the sun’s harmful rays at all times. Ensure you use moisturiser with a UV protection of at least 15. This goes for men and women and if you know you are going to be out in the sun for a longer period of time, such as skiing, you should up this to factor 50. In winter we tend to cover up more but if you are playing sport or have less clothing cover than you normally would, a simple way to protect your skin is to use sun screen as your
The Waiting Room Magazine will not be responsible for, nor will it return, unsolicited manuscripts. The views expressed in the magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Waiting Room Magazine. The entire contents of the magazine are the copyright of The Waiting Room Magazine and may not be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of the publishers.
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moisturiser on that day Don’t forget to protect your lips, they can be affected just as much as your skin – apply a lip balm with SPF 15 or higher and make sure to re-apply this throughout the day. Most importantly, you need to be aware of your skin, the freckles and moles you have and any changes that occur which could be cause for concern. The A-B-C-D-E checklist is best to use as a guide to (A) Asymmetry – normal moles are circular and symmetrical so if you were to draw a line down the middle they would be the same on both sides, (B) if the borders are irregular, wavy or uneven it needs to be checked immediately (C) if a mole changes colour or has different colours in it, it needs attention, (D) any mole bigger than 6mm in diameter should be checked regularly, (E) keep an eye for your moles evolving in any way particularly changes in shape, colour or size. For further information or to book a consultation please log on to www.molescreen.ie
THE WAITING ROOM | DECEMBER 2012 / JANUARY 2013
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The running engine GP DR PAT HARROLD ADVISES ON “TRAFFIC MEDICINE” FOR BOTH DRIVERS AND CARS
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inter is the season of cold,fog,rugby and diesel fumes. For some reason exhaust fumes are more noticeable at this time of the year than any other. It is a mystery to me why people just don’t turn off their engines when the car is stationary. Outside every shop, school and bus station the country you will find people standing in a pungent discharge of exhaust fumes while the driver sits listening to the radio. Or worse still, the driver leaves the keys in the ignition and the engine on while they go into the shop or school. Is it a symptom of anxiety? I must say it beats me, especially with the price of fuel. And what are these anxious drivers doing to our health? Exposure to everyday pollution from dieselpowered vehicles can be a health hazard for people with asthma. A study set in Oxford Street in London confirmed what asthma patients have been telling their doctors for years; that this type of pollution aggravates their condition. It found that after just two hours in that London urban environment with diesel-only traffic, people with mild and moderate asthma experienced increased symptoms, reduced lung capacity and inflammation in the lungs. The researchers concluded that the severity of the lung problems seen in the volunteers was linked to the amount of pollution spewed out by the diesel vehicles. Worse than that, a study in Leicester showed that twenty-two healthy children who live near main roads had detectable levels of microscopic particles from car engines in their lungs, and that the closer they were to a road the worse damage they had. Diesel fumes are also deadly to anyone with a heart condition. There are four known carcinogens in diesel fumes as well. So why would anyone want to expose people to that kind of damage? When I stared driving many years ago, when everyone drove bangers and before the NCT, YOUR FREE COPY
you felt a bit nervous turning off the engine because you weren’t sure if the car would ever start again. Cars nowadays are much more reliable so that is hardly a worry. It also used to be said that starting a car used more fuel than letting it run. This is simply untrue and probably put about by people in the oil business. If you know that you will be stopped for 20 seconds you should turn off the ignition. Anything after that is a waste of fuel. A tickingover car uses almost as much fuel as one that is moving. So if you find yourself parked at Portumna Bridge while the boats go through turn off the engine. There is no doubt about it, cars are dangerous. I suppose it is inevitable that you will come across, or be involved in a crash at some stage. If you do, the first thing to do is make the scene of the crash safe. If you have one of those red triangles that come in safety kits place it well before the crash site, so oncoming motorists can slow down or pull in.You want to avoid more cars plowing into the stopped cars or onlookers. If you can, park a car with flashing headlights up ahead, or have someone with a torch on the road to slow down cars. Ring the emergency services. Give them details of how many injured, the number of vehicles, the scene of the accident and your own contact details in case they get lost. Turn off the ignition on any running engines. Douse cigarettes. If you are not trained in first aid you will probably do more harm than good if you try to move or treat injured people. So unless they are in immediate danger don’t move them. You can support broken limbs but be careful with backs and necks. If anyone is lying on the ground keep them warm-put coats over them. And as you sit and wait for the ambulance think about doing that First Aid class sometime. Taking a night class is a suitably wintry thing to do. DECEMBER 2012 / JANUARY 2013 | THE WAITING ROOM
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FEATURE PARENTING
Bedwetting
a problem for parent and child
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edwetting is distressing for children and parents alike. The good news is that most children do simply “grow out of it”, but while it is occurring it can be an extremely stressful time for all the family. Mothers of children who wet the bed share feelings of worry, stress and frustration according to a recent study by the No More Nappies campaign and bedwetting.ie, a website that offers useful information for parents of children who wet the bed. The national study has revealed the majority of mothers feel bedwetting is a constant worry for them (68%), partly due to the stress caused by repeatedly changing bed sheets (40%) and the frustration that ensues when recommended techniques such as night lifting don’t seem to be working (52%). Yet children are also upset, explains Dr Nick van der Spek, a consultant paediatrician at Cavan General Hospital.
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“They are worried and upset too. But parents are also upset and distressed because they have to deal with the practicalities of the matter. There is also a cost involved, with incontinence material, new mattresses etc. They try not to show this to the child but there is certainly a significant strain on the parents themselves. The results of the survey don’t surprise me at all.” Quite often women don’t realise there is help out there, he added. “They think maybe that the sibling got better by themselves, so they can often hang on too long before they seek the help that is out there. But something can always be done.” Indeed the study revealed that the signs or symptoms of bedwetting can be missed. Almost half of mums (42%) said that when their child started bedwetting they thought it was because their child was not yet potty trained. It is thought that lack of awareness of the early signs of bedwetting could account for almost half of
THE WAITING ROOM | DECEMBER 2012 / JANUARY 2013
mothers waiting up to six months to a year to seek medical treatment or advice for their child. Mothers of children who wet the bed also stressed the emotional impact the condition has on the parent, as well as the child, with over two thirds (68%) of mothers admitting that they felt ‘sad their child has to cope with the condition’ or ‘worried that their child might not be able to control or overcome the condition’ (50%). “I would encourage any mums who are worried or stressed about their child’s bedwetting to seek immediate advice from their GP, or consult the educational website ,” said Dr van der Spek. CAUSES The three main causes of bedwetting in children over the age of five according to their mothers, was either laziness or not wanting to wake up (36%), followed by a medical condition (23%) that means the child does not produce enough YOUR FREE COPY
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PARENTING FEATURE of a natural hormone to concentrate urine at night time, or a small bladder (10%). It is expected that most children should be dry by the age of five, said Dr van der Spek. Ten to 15 per cent still wet the bed after the age of five, and by the age of 10 there are about five per cent wetting the bed. It is thought that bedwetting can be hereditary but in about one-third of cases it is entirely
sporadic.Bedwetting.ie features the first animated video for Irish parents to use to talk openly with their children if they suspect they are bedwetting, so they feel supported rather than distressed by the condition. It also features supports such as a detailed questionnaire for parents to fill in and bring to their GP in order to help determine whether their child needs further treatment, and a ‘Dry
Nights Diary’ which parents can use to keep a close eye on any patterns that may be emerging – information which can be very useful when visiting your GP. The 2012 Bedwetting survey was carried out online by the EU Mom parenting website in October 2012 among 502 female members of the website.
They think maybe that the sibling got better by themselves, so they can often hang on too long before they seek the help that is out there. But something can always be done YOUR FREE COPY
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Health andHappiness
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INTERVIEW MIRIAM O’CALLAGHAN
TV and radio presenter and mum-of-eight Miriam O’Callaghan speaks to
The Waiting Room about her long-standing career, her children, and the
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words of wisdom she received from her late father
t’s often hard to tell what famous people are really like when they’ve disappeared from our TV screens and newspapers, so luckily journalists sometimes get the chance to find out. The Waiting Room was happy to discover that RTE star Miriam O’Callaghan is as warm and genuine as she appears on television. The presenter is unique in Ireland; aside from her chat show Saturday Night with Miriam and her radio show Miriam Meets, she can also regularly be seen grilling politicians and chairing debates on RTÉ's flagship current affairs programme Prime Time. Miriam was born and raised in Dublin, the daughter of a civil servant father and a school principal mother. She qualified as a solicitor before beginning her broadcasting career on ITV's This is your Life, and joined the BBC as a producer in 1987, where she went on to become a reporter on BBC2's Newsnight. In the early ‘90s, Miriam returned to Ireland to present Prime Time, while continuing to cover the Northern Irish peace process for Newsnight.
TWR: One of the things that’s perhaps most commented on about you is your ability to juggle professional and family life – and the fact that you’re honest about it how it's not as easy as it looks all the time! Do you think people, especially women, have to be passionate about what they do in order to be able to successfully balance a family life and a career? Miriam: I think I have been especially lucky in that I adore my job, so it does help to love what you do. I’m busy and it can be crazy but I love it. I just signed on to do the New Year’s Eve show on RTE again this year so I’m excited about that! But of course it can be hard, working and raising children and being there for them. The notion that they need less time as they get older isn't true, either. I actually think they need more time as they get older. Because they need you to sit down and talk about life with them and give them all of your mental attention. But, then, they also need you to give them space. I hate talking about children, because I hate when people preach to other parents! But my way has always been to give them a lot of space and freedom. TWR: What is your favourite thing to do with your time off – do you ever find it hard to switch off and relax? Miriam: I don’t get to do this as much as I would like – but my favourite thing to do when I have time to myself is absolutely nothing! I
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want to be with the kids and my husband at home just hanging out. I love chilling on the couch whenever I can, maybe with a glass of wine, just relaxing. That’s heaven to me! TWR: You worked as a journalist and presenter for Newsnight on the BBC in the early ‘90s – did you ever experience sexism in your earlier years working in the media? Miriam: I can honestly say, hand on heart, that I never experienced any sexism or ever felt like I was held back because I was a woman. Perhaps I was lucky! But I’m always grateful to everyone I worked with early in my career and all my early bosses who always rewarded me when it was deserved. TWR: What is the hardest part of your job, and which part do you enjoy the most and find the most rewarding? Miriam: Recently I had to interview Savita Halappanavar's widow, Praveen. His wife had just died so tragically and I had to speak to him and get his story. I find that extremely hard. But
THE WAITING ROOM | DECEMBER 2012 / JANUARY 2013
it can also be the most rewarding part of my job. I help get such stories out in the public arena and can try to help make a difference. In these instances it’s not my job to butt in and tell people what’s going on, or offer my opinion. It’s simply to let someone talk and put the facts out there for other people to digest. That in itself can be hard. TWR: If you became Taoiseach tomorrow and had unlimited resources and support, what is the first thing you would do? Miriam: I like this question a lot, but it’s a tough one! I have been fortunate enough to work with many charities over the years, of all different types. I think – and this may be unrealistic! – that if I had unlimited resources and support, and was put in charge, I would give millions to each charity in the country, enough to keep them operating for years and years and reach every single person they aim to reach. A bit utopian perhaps! TWR: Earlier this year you helped launch a special eBook for the Nutrition and Health Foundation’s ‘Eat Smart Week’ – do you watch what you eat on a regular basis? What advice would you give to people about encouraging healthy eating in children? Miriam: It can be hard to encourage kids to eat healthily, of course. My children eat anything and everything! I try and be good with what I eat but the point of it is, to watch what you eat but don’t deny yourself everything in case you set yourself up to fail. My motto is basically everything in moderation. And I love chocolate and everything else bad but I also love vegetables and lots of different types of food. I think it’s also about choosing products or food that allows you and your family to eat healthily, but that is affordable. Broccoli, for example, is very healthy but can be prohibitively expensive! TWR: Is there anything in your life or career you would still like to achieve? Miriam: I’m really happy with my career, I just adore it. And in life, my only hope and aim is to ensure my whole family stay safe and healthy and happy. I thank God every day that they are all happy and healthy, that’s all I want. TWR: And finally…what is the best piece of advice you have ever been given? Miriam: My father, who is no longer with us, was a very wise man, and he told me something once that I never forgot. He said: if you’re ever dealing with a difficult situation, or going through a really bad time, the way to deal with it is through implacable courtesy. I always follow that advice and I always give it back to people. YOUR FREE COPY
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INTERVIEW MIRIAM O’CALLAGHAN
I’m really happy with my career, I just adore it. And in life, my only hope and aim is to ensure my whole family stay safe and healthy and happy YOUR FREE COPY
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HEALTH SCALP PSORIASIS
HEADS UP!
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Highlighting he campaign, called Heads Up, is supported by the Psoriasis Association of Ireland and the Irish Hairdressers Federation of Ireland. Salons all over Ireland will be displaying a Heads Up poster and leaflets which they hope will encourage clients to feel more comfortable talking about their scalp psoriasis. Over 100,000 people in Ireland live with psoriasis and scalp psoriasis affects at least half of them. For many people living with the condition the thoughts of visiting a hairdresser during a flare up can feel similar to a visit to the dentist. This campaign, the first of its kind to target hairdressers, aims to dispel this feeling of trepidation by both educating people on the condition whilst facilitating a conversation between clients who may be living with psoriasis and their hair stylist. Eoin Wright, who is a top hair stylist and past President of the Irish Hairdressers Federation, has been instrumental in assisting with the content of the leaflet. Bestselling author Claudia Carroll is also involved with this campaign, having lived with psoriasis for many years she is very aware of the misconceptions surrounding psoriasis, and wants to lend a voice to those with the condition. Regarding the need for a campaign such as this, Dr Ann Marie Tobin says “Psoriasis has a severe impact on patients’ lives causing embarrassment and psychological problems which can hamper relationships and reduce quality of life if not effectively treated. This is compounded by the embarrassment many of those with scalp psoriasis may feel when visiting their local hairdressing salon.” Hairdressers harness a health advice role to offer public an important ‘Heads up’ on a problem skin disease. Sufferers say anxiety about visiting the hairdresser can match stress of having to go to the dentist. Best-selling author Claudia Carroll joins top Irish hair stylist to endorse new scalp psoriasis campaign. Ireland’s hairdressers are lining up to offer the public a ‘heads up’ on solutions to the problem of scalp psoriasis – a challenging skin condition that can cause significant anguish and stigma amongst those who experience it. The hairstylists are helping to distribute an educational booklet on the condition – endorsed by the Irish Hairdressers Federation and the Psoriasis Association of Ireland – through all member salons across the country.
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Scalp
Psoriasis
The information forms part of a campaign entitled ‘Heads Up!’ which seeks to create improved understanding of the skin condition among the general public and those living with psoriasis. Supported by LEO Pharma, the outreach will remind staff and customers of the importance of recognising the condition and encouraging sufferers to seek help and support. Top hair stylist Eoin Wright has contributed to the content of the Heads Up booklet including advice on styling hints and tips. Explaining his involvement in the project, Eoin said: “As a hair stylist I have encountered this condition in my clients. Knowing that over 60% of men and women with psoriasis have experienced symptoms of depression1 motivated me to want to educate people and help remove the stigma attached to those who live with the condition. “Hairdressers have a potentially important educational role to play in terms of this problem. They are likely to recognise any scalp problems a customer may have and are well-placed to reach out to offer support and advice. My advice for people with the condition is to contact your salon and speak to someone who, if you are feeling sensitive about your condition, will address any concerns you have about visiting, with the option to bring any medicated shampoos with you” the former President of the Irish Hairdressers Federation said. Psoriasis activist Claudia Carroll, a bestselling author, urged Irish people with psoriasis to visit their hairdresser without fear or anxiety. “Like many who live with psoriasis, I could never understand why other women would claim the hairdressers was their 'happy place'; a sanctuary where you'd have coffee served up to you, while you were pampered to within an inch of your life. I would look forward to a hair appointment about as much as root canal. I can completely understand the frustration and embarrassment that can sometimes be associated with the condition, especially in situations where a stylist is looking at your scalp. That’s why I am delighted to be involved in this educational campaign – I want to show people that psoriasis does not have to be restrict how you live”. Caroline Irwin, Chairperson of the Psoriasis Association of Ireland explained that stress was a
common trigger of psoriasis. “This can be a double edged sword for many individuals with psoriasis – a person may find that stress aggravates their condition and having psoriasis causes them to get stressed. “A vicious cycle can arise in which a sufferer becomes stressed about going to the hair salon due to scalp psoriasis, which in turn causes the condition to flare up, which causes even more stress and emotional turbulence for an individual. “This campaign seeks to end this cycle for people with the condition and to educate hairdressers and customers about scalp psoriasis. This campaign removes another problem area for people with the condition, making a sufferers life a little more bearable and a little better,” she said. Dr Anne Marie Tobin, Consultant Dermatologist at Tallaght Hospital said psoriasis was a chronic inflammatory skin disorder in which there is an increase in the rate at which skin cells are produced and shed from the skin. She added: “Psoriasis has a severe impact on patients’ lives
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causing embarrassment and psychological problems which can hamper relationships and reduce quality of life if not effectively treated. This is compounded by the embarrassment many of those with scalp psoriasis may feel when visiting their local hairdressing salon. “More than 100,000 people in Ireland are affected by the condition, people should not feel embarrassed but empowered to discuss, get support and seek advice from their hairdresser and doctor.”
For more information on psoriasis and the treatment options available visit www.mypsoriasis.ie which features a range of information including lifestyle tips and advice on coping with the skin condition. The site also contains links to an iPhone App. The free app allows people to track and manage their psoriasis on the go with their iPhone or iPod touch. In addition to videos and information on psoriasis, features of the app include the ability to set personal treatment reminders, catalogue how they are feeling through a treatment diary and note any flare ups.
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MIGRAINES HEALTH
M I G R A I N E S In Search of a Natural Solution
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by Niamh Flynn
igraines are an enigma. There are several theories as to what causes migraine but the truth is no one really knows for sure. This naturally poses a problem for those treating migraines and for those at the receiving end of treatment. For those who suffer with migraine, the pain is quite unlike a headache. It is more severe, it can last anywhere from four hours up to seventy two hours and it is often accompanied by something called an aura. The aura is characterised by hallucinations. They can be visual or auditory hallucinations so a person who experiences visual hallucinations for example might see flashing lights or zigzags in their line of vision when in reality none of these things are there. Not everyone who has migraine will experience aura however. Migraine sufferers will often find that they just want to flee to a dark room and bury their head in darkness until the pain subsides. Once the migraine ends and recovery ensues there may also be some problems with concentration and lack of energy. The first step in treating migraine is to receive an official diagnosis of migraine from your neurologist or primary care physician. The purpose of this is to rule out any secondary pathologies. Once you have an official diagnosis of migraine then it is time to figure out what triggers your migraines. For those who want to use medication there are two options. The first is something called prophylactic medication. This is medication taken to prevent migraine attacks from occurring in the first place. If your migraines are infrequent then this type of medication is probably unnecessary. The second type of medication typically prescribed is abortive medication. This is medication taken when you feel a migraine coming on and the purpose of it is to stop the migraine in its tracks. There are various drugs which fall into both the prophylactic and the abortive categories. These include antiepileptic drugs such as Topiramate, betablockers such as Propanolol and triptans such as Frovatriptan. Medication, when effective, can be helpful but it is not always effective and it can be expensive. There are also many side effects with these drugs. As a result of these side effects – and the cost – many people are looking for natural alternatives to replace medication. Migraine triggers vary from person to person and to some extent this will determine the treatment you choose to follow in order to deal with the symptoms or to reduce the number and severity of them. Stress has been identified as the single most conspicuous precipitating factor in migraine and tension type headaches. Common sense would dictate that anything which would reduce that stress would help with alleviating or even eliminating migraine attacks. Other triggers include lack of sleep, fatigue, head and neck injuries, weather, hormonal changes, certain foods and mineral deficiencies. It may be worth keeping a migraine diary to see if you can notice any patterns which could be contributing to your migraines. Some people have found that eliminating certain foods such as citrus fruits, cheese, wine or chocolate has helped to keep their migraines at bay. Others have found that acupuncture helps them. Although the scientific evidence for food elimination diets and acupuncture is not as abundant as the anecdotal stories it is worth keeping an open mind. One treatment which has been highlighted as a potentially worthwhile and cost effective treatment in the management of migraines is hypnosis. Hypnosis is painfree, relaxing and scientifically proven to be helpful. For those who have never experienced hypnosis or who know little about it other than watching a stage show it may be useful to know that you are always completely in control when you are in a state of trance. You will only accept suggestions you want and, if you are using
hypnosis for migraines, these suggestions should be directed towards alleviating specific migraine triggers, disabilities and consequences. Having worked as a hypnotherapist with migraine patients the feedback even after one session is truly phenomenal. Hypnosis works on multiple levels. It is not just about acting as an analgesic where it can numb or eliminate the pain of migraine. Used effectively, hypnosis also works by helping patients to reduce their stress levels by altering perception. Fundamentally, this means that the patient feels more in control and on a behavioural level they often learn to deal with situations differently. Hypnosis works with the subconscious part of the mind. This is a very powerful part of the mind. After all, it controls our breathing and heart rate. We don’t have to think consciously about these things. It is the same too with our learned response to situations. Hypnosis can help to alter that learned response quickly and easily so that a reaction is productive rather than painful. Non-pharmacological treatment interventions for migraines are helpful but are not always easy to access. If you would prefer to find a way to reduce or eliminate your migraines as opposed to treating the symptoms with medication there are a few steps to consider. Firstly, make sure you have received an official diagnosis of migraine from your neurologist or primary care physician. Then track any patterns you might be aware of that contribute to your migraines. Once you are aware of the triggers the appropriate solution should become apparent. Admittedly, this process will take time but if migraines are making your life a misery then the long term results may be worth your while. For help with figuring out the triggers and potential solutions for your migraine attacks look out for Niamh’s book ‘ProMigraine – End Migraine Fast’ and the ProMigraine hypnosis mp3 programme. Both are due for release December 17 2012. Niamh Flynn MBA MMEDSCI BA CI DHP is a sport psychologist with Bodywatch Ltd (www.bodywatch.ie). She offers certified, internationally recognised, NGH hypnotherapy courses in Galway and Dublin. Niamh is currently pursuing a PhD in the area of hypnosis for migraines.
“Migraine triggers vary from person to person and to some extent this will determine the treatment you choose to follow in order to deal with the symptoms or to reduce the number and severity of them”
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How to Put SMÁCHT on Your Life FEATURE SMÁCHT
By Pádraic Ó Máille Creator of SMÁCHT
'In reading the lives of great people, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves.... Self-discipline with all of them came first' H a r r y S . T r u m a n
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The process you are about to learn has the power to utterly transform your life. I first heard mention of it at the age of four when my uncle Stiofáin declared to my horrified mother that he'd 'put Smácht on me'. Only last year I asked the business person Padraig O’Ceidigh how he succeeded in growing the turnover of Aer Arann from €250,000 per annum to €125 million in just three years. After much reflection he replied 'Loads of Smácht'. You see, Smácht, pronounced 'Smocht', is one of those powerfully rich and evocative Irish words that defies direct translation into the English vernacular. Loosely translated it means to put “manners or shape or discipline” on something. Many erudite minds of the past and present have identified that self-discipline is the master key to achievement. It is the elixir that unlocks our potential and presents us with almost infinite opportunity. Thomas Huxley defined self-discipline as the ability to 'Do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not'. Brian Tracy argues that 'With self-discipline, the average person can rise as far and as fast as his talents and intelligences can take him. But without selfdiscipline, a person with every blessing of background, education and opportunity will seldom rise above mediocrity'. In his seminal work 'The Road Less Travelled', M. Scott Peck declares that 'Discipline is the basic set of tools we require to solve life's problems. Without discipline we can solve nothing. With only some discipline we can solve only some problems. With total discipline we can solve all problems'. The definitive academic study undertaken by Stanford University psychology researcher Michael Mischel demonstrates categorically the connection between self-discipline (the ability to delay immediate gratification in exchange for long term goal achievement) and lifelong achievement. In a longitudinal study which began in the 1960s, he would offer hungry four year-old children a marshmallow, and tell them that if they could wait (demonstrate Smácht) for the experimenter to return after running an errand, they could have two marshmallows. The results were as you might expect. About one third of the children scoffed the single marshmallow right away. Another third demonstrated some restraint but capitulated midway through. The final third held out for the 20 minutes it took for the researcher to return and dutifully accepted their reward. What is most intriguing however is what emerged many years later long after the children had graduated from school. Dramatic behavioural differences presented between the “grabbers” and the “resisters”. Those who had grabbed the marshmallows were more troubled, stubborn and indecisive, mistrustful, less self-confident and still could not defer instant gratification. They had trouble subordinating immediate impulses in order to achieve long-term goals. When it was time to study for important tests, they tended to get distracted easily. This impulse shadowed them throughout
their lives and resulted in unsuccessful marriages, low job satisfaction and income, poor health and frustrating lives. The “resisters” on the other hand, were more positive, self-motivating, persistent in the face of adversity, and quite capable of delaying gratification in pursuit of their goals. They cultivated the habits and attitudes of successful people which resulted in successful marriages, higher incomes, increased career satisfaction, better health and led more fulfilling lives than most of the population. Why then, if the apparent panacea to achievement self-discipline or Smácht–is so obvious, is success so elusive? Despite phenomenal advances in education, technology and medicine why is it that our society is so beset by unprecedented levels of debt, disease and divorce? As Jim Rohn, that wonderful American speaker said 'neither success nor failure occurs in a single cataclysmic event. We do not fail or succeed overnight. Both are the result of the accumulation of seemingly small and insignificant decisions whose collective weight over the period of a lifetime presents the individual with his or her proportionate reward'. There you have it. Failure is a few simple errors of judgement repeated daily. Success is a few simple disciplines practiced daily. Smacht is also an acronym for six vital areas to focus your discipline on in order to extricate maximum achievement. 'S' stands for 'Set, Programme and Track Goals' Less than 5% of the population have clear, compelling and motivating goals. Fewer again understand the awesome power of the subconscious to turbocharge the impact of your goal setting. Very few have the Smácht to actually track their goals. By discipling yourself to do this aspect of Smàcht consistently you will instantly project yourself into the top 5% of achievers. Sadly, most people spend more time planning their holidays than their lives or businesses or careers. Chapter 2 discusses in detail how you can combine setting, programming and tracking your goals in as little as ten minutes a day.
'M' is for 'Money' Although we concede money comes a distinct fourth behind relationships, health and the progressive pursuit of worthy ideals in terms of importance, it nonetheless has a massive impact on the quality of our happiness in life. Yet for many, their strategy of choice to attain financial freedom is based more on winning the lotto, marrying someone rich or inheriting a fortune. Sadly, hope is an ineffective strategy in affairs financial and you would be well advised to apply a modicum of Smácht to your financial freedom. In the book “Millionaire Next Door” you might be surprised to learn that most millionaires drive second-hand cars (Warren Buffet, the second richest man on the planet has never bought a new car on the basis that it depreciates by a third as you drive it out of the garage), live in 'two up, two down' houses and live a life characterised by modesty and nonshowiness. They do share a common characteristic
THE WAITING ROOM | DECEMBER 2012 / JANUARY 2013
-they all intuitively understand the principle of compound interest and have the Smácht to invest a portion of their money in compounded growth strategies. In Chapter 3 learn how to take immediate control of your finances and begin today the journey towards financial freedom.
'A' is for 'Attitude' Attitude is more important than fact. It is also an inevitable consequence of setting challenging goals that you will experience adversity and setbacks. Your ability to respond positively and proactively to life's vicissitudes will more than anything else determine your destiny. It is said that we are only ever motivated by two factors inspiration and desperation. Whichever, Chapter 4 sets out 5 strategies that you can employ to kickstart your attitude and sustain it long after the initial enthusiasm has faded.
'C' is for 'Communication' When you think about it, fully 95% of your success in life is based on your communications with other people. In chapter 5 learn how to skyrocket the quality and quantity of your communications and watch your sales, your income and your attractiveness soar.
'H' is for 'Health' It's said in the west of Ireland that he “who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything”. Despite this, the vast majority of people take their health for granted and only become interested in it when they lose it. Chapter 6 will introduce you to five doctors that can transform your energy, vitality and life expectancy.
'T' is for 'Time' Why is it that some people seem to achieve so much in life and always seem to have time on their hands whilst others live in a state of continuous overwhelm? The answer is that they have a modicum of Smácht in relation to how they value time and how they manage themselves in relation to it. Chapter 7 sets out a number of strategies that you can begin to apply immediately to become more effective in your use of time. I once asked the legendary rugby player Brian O’Driscoll, at a time when he was captain of Leinster, Ireland and the Lions, what he did in training all day. I expected him to have a plethora of sophisticated drills and techniques that he practiced daily. As such, his answer disappointed me greatly. “I mostly practice passing, kicking and tackling”. There's a valuable lesson here. Greatness is rarely the result of learning thousands of cutting edge strategies and techniques. It's about having the Smácht to execute a small handful of tried and proven techniques thousands of times. Smácht is a personal development programme that can can help you make positive changes in your business, career and life. It is facilitated by Pádraic Ó Máille - mentor to many of Ireland's leading business people, executives and achieves. He can be contacted at p@omaille.ie or 091 865340
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Family First Aid from the Irish Red Cross
FIRST AID TIPS HEALTH
T
he Irish Red Cross is encouraging parents, babysitters, grandparents and teachers to refresh their first aid training in an effort to raise awareness of family first aid and safety in the home. Research shows that accidental burns, falls and poisoning are among the leading causes of deaths and injuries in Ireland for children aged 0-14 years old. It is estimated that 55% of deaths of young children and adolescents resulting from injuries could have been prevented. The Irish Red Cross is encouraging families and childcare workers to take simple steps to prevent avoidable injuries in and around the home. TOP 5 HOME SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FROM THE IRISH RED CROSS 1. Keep all stairs, doorways, and walkways tidy and clear of obstructions to prevent trips and falls. 2. When preparing hot food or drinks ensure young children are at a safe distance from boiling pans and kettles. Keep all pan handles turned in so they can not be reached by little hands. 3. Keep all cleaning products and hazardous and flammable liquids clearly labelled and in a cupboard that is locked or childproof. 4. Move small objects and plastic bags - anything
that could choke or suffocate out of reach. 5. Never leave a small child unattended in a bath or near water. It only takes 1 inch of water and a few seconds for a child to drown.
Family First Aid – A Choking Infant 1. If an infant is unable to breathe, cough or cry, and you suspect they have a severe obstruction in their throat: Give up to five back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. 2. If the obstruction is still present give up to five chest thrusts, with two fingers in the middle of the chest. 3. Continue this cycle of five back blows and five chest thrusts until help arrives. 4. If the infant goes unconscious dial 999 (or 112) for an ambulance and then follow CPR protocols. 5. Anyone who has been treated for choking in this way should be advised to see their doctor after the incident. Family First Aid – Child or infant Burns 1. Cool minor burns under cold running water. 2. Cover with clean cling film or a loose sterile (non-fluffy) bandage. 3. Seek medical assistance if you are unsure of the severity of the burn.
Family First Aid - Bleeding Blood loss can be serious and should be treated as quickly as possible. Your aim is to stem the flow of blood. Wear disposable gloves if available. Check if there is an object embedded in the wound. If there is NOTHING embedded: 1. Press on the wound with your hand 2. over a clean pad. 3. Secure with a bandage. 4. Raise the wound above the level of the heart. 5. Call for ambulance.
If SOMETHING is embedded 1. Do not press on the object. Instead, press either side of the object and build up padding around it before bandaging to avoid putting pressure on the object itself. 2. Get the person to hospital as quickly as possible. 3. If you are in doubt call the emergency services on 999 or 112 To learn more about Irish Red Cross Family First Aid call 1890 502 502 or see www.redcross.ie
The Irish Red Cross is encouraging parents, babysitters, grandparents and teachers to refresh their first aid training in an effort to raise awareness of family first aid and safety in the home. Photo: Irish Red Cross
Research shows that accidental burns, falls and poisoning are among the leading causes of deaths and injuries in Ireland for children aged 0-14 years old. Photo: Alex Rumford, Red Cross
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GLOBAL WORLD AIDS DAY
THE PINK SUNSETS
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World Aids Day takes place on December 1. Dr Emer Kilbride gives an account of her time working with HIV sufferers in Zimbabwe
can’t believe it’s been 3 months since I arrived in Zimbabwe. Not ever having been to Africa (I am informed that Morocco does not count as Africa), I am amazed how this land of red ground and pink sunsets, where it hasn’t rained since my arrival and where one can see monkeys and baboons on the roadside, can feel even a bit like home. I am stationed here in Gweru in the centre of the country, capital of Midlands Province, or as I like to think of it, the Athlone of Zimbabwe. Gweru was a once prosperous town with farming and mining and industry to keep the 157,000 inhabitants occupied. Like so many other places in Zimbabwe, the last 20 years have been tough, so much lost, so many factories
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closed, a once enviable economic regional power brought down by one of the greatest economic meltdowns in human history. This should be hell but it is not. It is a town of optimism. The shops now have food whereas last year they had none, not one, not a crumb, and the people are friendly and open and want to tell you that better times are sure to come. On the outskirts of town we have a clinic in Mkoba, nicknamed MK1 after its postcode, and home to about 50,000 to 60,000 people we think. No one quite knows exactly, the number is calculated using history and guesswork. Driving through Mkoba, it is not a slum, it is not squalid, but it is very poor and it is unlikely that as I write this, Mkoba has any electricity. It is very likely
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when you read this that Mkoba will be without water for some days this week. That’s thousands of families who are struggling to get water needed to wash, cook, and clean. It is no wonder that when last year’s cholera epidemic hit this area, it hit hard. At the Mkoba clinic Médecins Sans Frontières Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has treated nearly 5,000 patients with HIV. Quick maths will tell you that with national rates of HIV at 23%, we know we haven’t reached enough people yet; we are still trying to encourage people to come in to be tested. I met Joshua, one of the MK1 clinic supervisors during my first week here, when everything was new and strange. We chatted in the phlebotomy room about the programme, as YOUR FREE COPY
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WORLD AIDS DAY GLOBAL he carefully and methodically tested six samples for HIV. Each sample is analysed twice by two different lab tests to be sure, to be absolutely sure. Each sample is recorded in black pen if negative, and in red pen if positive. As he worked, I looked over his shoulder at the names of the six people who were waiting to hear the verdict. One of them caught my eye - Maria, 25 years old, which is all I knew about her, except that at this minute somewhere in the clinic, Maria was scared. At home, I take blood for HIV tests on a daily basis. At home, if I met Maria, I probably would be optimistic, the odds would be in her favor, and I would be right to reassure that she shouldn’t be overly anxious. Here, I am worried for her. As he works, Joshua tells me about the clinic’s programme, the four counselling sessions each patient will have before starting treatment to help them come to terms with the diagnosis and treatment schedule, about the antenatal program to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV, about the therapeutic feeding program for malnourished children and the TB programme to address the biggest cause of death affecting our patients. But to be honest, I am only half there, I am straining over his shoulder watching the reagents run up the test strips and crossing my fingers and holding my breath. Five minutes has elapsed; time to check the results. The two pens are in front of him. I am hoping that he will be reaching only for the black, not the red. He looks down and then back at me, with a huge smile across his face “What luck, all negative!” He looks at me as if this is an achievement that I have somehow had a hand in, a lucky charm on my first day at the clinic. I am so happy for Maria and the five others receiving good news today but know that not every day will be so lucky. But there is reason for optimism; the drugs do work. Since MSF has arrived in this town the number of people who die each week has more than halved. There is much more work to be done, but I hope my Zim friends are right and there are better times ahead.
Baby at Mpilo hospita l, Zimbabwe.
Photo - Michael Nie lsen
g with a onsultin c e bwe. d i r b l Ki in Zimba , c i n i l Dr. Emer c ru e in Gwe colleagu MSF Photo -
MSF is an international emergency medical organisation providing independent medical relief to victims of war, disasters and disease outbreaks, since 1971. To support MSF, or simply to check the latest information on MSF's medical humanitarian work around the world, visit our website: www.msf.ie MSF is an Irish registered Charity and a Company limited by guarantee. Charity Reg No. 18196 Company Registration No. 464033 World AIDS day takes place on December 1 2012
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Donkey Cart Ambulance.
photo - MSF
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ADVERTORIAL DRINK AWARE
Alcohol
A GUIDE FOR PARENTS
Young People and Alcohol, can parents have an Influence? by Mark Morgan and Thérèse Hegarty THE
PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO HELP PARENTS TO DISCUSS DRINKING WITH THEIR CHILDREN. Although it is mainly aimed
at the parents of teenagers it may also be useful for parents of younger children and, generally, for all adults concerned with the development of children. This article has been prepared by professionals who have expertise in the area of young people and alcohol but it does not set out to tell parents what they must or must not do. Instead it tries to provide useful information, which may help parents to openly discuss the issues with their children. Parents have an important influence on their children’s behaviour. Many parents may be surprised by this – but it is true! A key guiding idea is that alcohol consumption requires maturity and responsibility. For this reason postponing a first drink to an agreed age has a lot of merit. The exact age will need to be negotiated between children and parents and we take the view that the age of drinking by many young people is too young. Better information can help parents to make the right decision. We often think that we know about our children’s drinking but many parents tend to underestimate the scale of consumption. In Ireland, drinking patterns differ from, for example, wine producing countries – where children are introduced to alcohol in the home. We also differ in where alcohol is drunk, what we drink and in many of our attitudes. INFLUENCES Many factors influence the drinking patterns of young people.
FAMILY Families are of major importance in children’s drinking. Your example is important. We are not saying that all parents who abstain from alcohol will have children who are abstinent or temperate. Nor are we suggesting that the children of heavy drinkers will necessarily have drinking problems. What is clear however is that parents who drink moderately have children whose use of alcohol is quite different to the children of those whose drinking is problematic. How you react to their drinking is also
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important. The research shows that a moderate and balanced approach to underage drinking is most likely to bring about positive outcomes. In other words if parents take an indifferent attitude it does not produce positive results and a very strict and authoritarian attitude can also cause problems. Many recovering alcoholics remember their childhood as one where love was not communicated and where they felt they were not valued. The research indicates that children who feel loved and valued are less likely to abuse alcohol. We often worry that alcohol problems ‘run in families’ and will be inherited by the children. This is not necessarily true – alcohol problems develop over several years – and we should focus on those conditions in the individuals’ lives which give rise to problem drinking. FRIENDS Parents identify peers as the most important influence on their children’s decision to start to drink. This is understandable – young people who drink regularly are likely to have friends who drink, while those who do not are likely to have friends who do not drink. Whether to drink (or not) is one of the most central decisions during adolescence and influences the selection of friends. Many of us worry about ‘peer pressure’, which is often considered to come from all the peer group in the locality and school. The reality however is that it is the peer group of those selected friends, especially best friends, which matters most.
SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY You may know about the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme, which is now running in most schools in the country. This focuses on the health, personal development, decision making and self esteem of young people and it also deals with the use of alcohol. However we cannot leave it all to the schools and, as parents, we can influence our children’s attitude to school and to participation. ‘She will be taught about alcohol at school soon enough – maybe I should leave alcohol education to the experts. Besides, I don’t want to put ideas in her head before she’s even a teenager.’ When a young person drinks too much it is usually part of a broad set of
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behaviours. Here are some suggestions that can help prevent these behaviours: • Encourage commitment at school – either to study or sport or other activities; • Find out about your school's policies on alcohol. Partnership between parents and schools is likely to bring about a better outcome than any effort made by either on their own; • Encourage children to read or to take up a hobby that does not involve drink. Moving from Primary to Secondary school is a stressful time – new subjects, new teachers, possibly new classmates and making new friends. If the transition isn’t smooth young people are more likely to become involved in underage drinking. Our children may want to appear ‘grown up’ at this time but in fact they are very vulnerable and we need to be alert to any changes and be available for a chat. Teachers have insights into our children which we may not have. Many are parents themselves and they all play a significant role in our children’s formation. Do talk to them if you have concerns about alcohol abuse.
HOW YOU CAN HELP Alcohol abuse is not confined to any particular sector in society. You can be sure that your teenager (or preteen) will be offered alcohol. You cannot be sure that your children will not make silly mistakes with alcohol (You probably did too!) Young people who come through all this with responsible drinking habits often share many of the following characteristics: Healthy self esteem. They know their own strengths and weaknesses and have the confidence to know they are liked and to like themselves. Because of this they are unlikely to harm or abuse themselves. Parents can encourage selfesteem by being supportive of their children’s efforts from an early age and being willing and interested listeners to their ups and downs. They can make decisions. There are many influences on young people, often with conflicting messages. These young people can make up their minds without worrying too much what others think. Parents walk a fine line here. Too much control and children have no opportunity to think for themselves – too little and they may feel YOUR FREE COPY
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DRINK AWARE ADVERTORIAL that decisions are not important. What young people need is encouragement to think on their feet, follow their own advice and resist following the herd at times. They understand that some rules are necessary. Through learning to live with clear and reasonable rules young people develop personal responsibility. Parents can help by having a few clear rules at home and by explaining the values behind the rules. A rule about telling those at home where you are going and what time you will be home is a great protection. They appreciate the value of money. They realise that they must manage on a limited amount of money. Parents can limit their children's pocket money or control the amount available from parttime jobs – by, for example, requiring a contribution to collective household expenses from income earned outside the home. They are busy with interesting lives. Some are involved in school, others in sport, dancing, music or youth clubs. They do not have much time to be bored. Boredom is one of the greatest causes of alcohol abuse. Try to spot their talents early and give them every encouragement to develop them. Their families either drink moderately or are open about their problems. They have seen their adult relatives drink in a moderate way, and have seen them choose not to drink when driving. They may have had an occasional drink in the safety of the home with their parents. Alternatively, if there are problem drinkers in the family, these issues have been openly and frankly discussed with them. Children of alcoholic parents can use the lessons from frank and compassionate discussion of the issue to help protect themselves and their friends. Children are not taken in by appearances – they are more influenced by what we do than by what we say. Teenagers in particular are rarely fooled at home and honesty is certainly the best policy.
PARENTS’ WORRIES “How do I explain the dangers of drink?” Most adults in Ireland take a drink when relaxing and socialising and it is helpful to acknowledge the enjoyable aspect of this. It is also helpful to discuss with young people the harmful aspects such as losing control, taking risks and wasting money. A good time to bring up these discussions is when watching TV when the issue arises. We can talk to our teenagers, listen to their views and convey information and guidance in a distanced way that is not too threatening for them. This has proven more useful than scare tactics or punishment, which can turn young people off. “I worry about the friends they are with.” The ‘best friends’ have a lot of influence in the development of a pattern of drinking. Parents are wise to be aware of the pattern of drinking among young people in the area. It is also helpful to get to know the ‘best friends’ and make them welcome at home. Often parents criticise friends when they fear their influence. This can lead to a young person feeling torn between parents and friends and this is not YOUR FREE COPY
helpful in maintaining good communication. It is better for parents to convey their worries about the safety of the young people than to run down the friends themselves. “Will they end up in a fight?” We also need to discuss the increasing trend towards rowdy and violent behaviour, often under the influence of alcohol, and to clearly state that violence at all levels is unacceptable. Parents can help teenagers to think about places that are dangerous and how levels of alcohol consumption can leave them vulnerable to involvement in fights. Young people need the older generation to be clearly concerned with their safety. “I’m so worried I can’t sleep.” Parents often worry when their teenagers begin to drink. Often that fear is not so much about the drink itself as the consequences of drinking. At its worst the fear can be about drink related violence or poor decision making around sexual activity. “Are they having sex?” We all worry about pressure on our children as they enter puberty and the confusion and anxiety that can follow. The age of sexual activity has fallen and peer pressure along with media pressure can make decision making difficult. Sometimes young people drink in response to this pressure and alcohol consumption can lead to inappropriate decisions. Parents can make it clear to their sons and daughters that sexual activity is always their choice and it is always OK to say "NO". Once again TV and films can provide us with opportunities to discuss this with our young people. “I just don’t know how to begin. I know she drinks sometimes when she’s out with her friends. She’s usually quite a sensible girl, but I just hope she doesn’t take any stupid risks. Should I have drink in the house?” Most households do have drink at home and will often offer a drink to visitors. Drink however needs to be kept in a place where younger children cannot access it by accident. It is unfair to teenagers, especially if parents are away for a night, to leave them in a situation where they have access to a large supply of drink at home especially during the years when they are likely to experiment.
USEFUL CONTACTS Your school’s Parents Council Your school’s Home Liaison Officer Your Health Board's Health Promotion Officer Your local Residents Association VISIT DRINKAWARE.IE for information on alcohol and drinking, from fascinating facts to practical tips. DOWNLOAD FREE GUIDE S including the 'Student Survival Guide' the 'Festival Survival Guide', 'Alcohol Sport & You' and the 'Christmas Survival Guide'.
drinkaware.ie was developed by MEAS (Mature Enjoyment of Alcohol in Society Limited) MEAS is a drinks industry initiative against alcohol misuse MEAS,Merrion House, 1/3 Lower Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01 611 4811 Email: info@meas.ie www.meas.ie
Young People & A lc o h o l Q u iz
ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? 1 The average age of beginning to drink is 14-15 years FALSE Since the early 80's the average age of beginning to drink has reduced from 15 years to 13 years. The whole 'timetable' of drinking (starting with an occasional drink and following with more regular drinking) is now earlier than a generation ago, but has levelled off, with recent (2011) evidence showing it has increased somewhat. 2 The number of young people who have never tried alcohol has decreased over the years. TRUE There has been a dramatic change here. Thirty years ago about 1 in 4 those leaving post-primary school had not tried alcohol even once.Today the number reaching 18 without having tried alcohol is very small. Some teenagers start to drink because they wrongly think all teenagers are drinking. Recent research shows that the number of teenagers under 15 experimenting with alcohol has dropped and that half of 15 year olds are not regular drinkers. Delaying drinking reduces the risks of harmful drinking in later life. 3 Under 18's know that they will not be able to buy alcohol, even if they want to FALSE Young people aged from 16 upwards say that they can get access to alcohol if they want to. (We are not suggesting that alcohol is always easily obtained – what is crucial is that young people see it as easy to obtain). 4 There is more drinking in cities than anywhere else FALSE people from all backgrounds begin to drink at roughly the same age. 5 All young people do not start drinking in the same setting TRUE There are three broad locations for the 'first drink'. Own home or home of a friend (sometimes when parents are away), pubs/off- licences (sometimes bought by a 'friend' who is overage), and parks/beaches/ waste-ground. 6 The changes in Irish Society are part of the picture that influence the drinking of young people TRUE Childhood is shorter in modern Ireland than it was even 20 years ago. Young people are independent minded at an earlier age, are sexually active, and make decisions about their lives earlier. 7 The best time to talk to your children about alcohol is when they enter the early teens FALSE Children often ask about alcohol and drinking when they are very young. When this happens a positive response is better than ducking the issue. Many parents do not see the need to raise the subject until their children reach their teens when they apparently start drinking alcohol. Ideally you should speak to your child before he or she is likely to start experimenting with alcohol.
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FEATURE A GAME OF TWO HALVES
A GAME OF TWO HALVES ‘It’s a game of two halves . . .’ ‘The team that scores the most points will win this one . . .’ ‘The leather eluded the custodian, and the net bulged . .’ Such insightful and flowery comments have wormed their way into our vocabulary. Hugh Tynan casts his customary acerbic eye over those ubiquitous gurus of the small screen, the sports pundits
W
hat intellectually ornate times we live in, what rich and wondrous lives we lead, that we are never even momentarily deprived of life-enriching information on the happy elite who make a living as professional sportspeople! What bloodless wretch could wait uncomplainingly till match-day to discover which players will comprise the team, when the media can keep us informed for weeks in advance of every swollen pineal gland, hissy fit and minor bout of constipation which might affect the line-up? Would death not be preferable to the slightest delay in learning that a third possible suitor is considering a bid for Terry Teri Teré, that another Top Golfer is getting divorced/buying a new yacht/holidaying in Antigua, that a war of words broke out between Ferrari teammates in the FHM hospitality hot tub after the Silverstone Grand Prix? What a feeble and wan existence this would be if half of the TV news was NOT devoted to
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sport, if radio bulletins did NOT rush frenetically through the most eviscerated news headlines to arrive, gasping with happy pride, at the vital announcement that Cortez Quixote is going to miss next Wednesday's training session and manager Phillipe DeRichio isn't happy about it. Over the course of a day's continuous listening, we may even, if fortune smiles, hear a comment on the Quixotegate crisis from the assistant coach or a board member, as long as they aren't too occupied negotiating the corporate complexities of next season's sponsorship deal or a pending share dilution (and if they are, it goes without saying that we must know every intimate detail of those crucial proceedings, too). And then there's the bliss, the fulfilling ecstasy of the games themselves – or more specifically, the ceremony which surrounds… the trembling anticipation as we await the announcement of whether the formation will be four-four-two or four-three-three; the majestic adoration of the pundits (those Delphic deities, those exalted magi of sport's noble sorcery; how
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their disparate personalities captivate and enchant us!) as they swivel their seats and smooth their ties; and the solemn sanctity of the analysis, the magic words which give meaning to our passion, validation to our worship. For how else could we fill the abyss of our weekends without this theatre of beauty, this dazzling panoply of physical and verbal poetry? Where else but in the cyclical patterns of league-based sports would we find the inspiration, the grace, to stir our inner selves to the discussion of meaning, of truth, of life itself? Surely this shared, non-stop carousel of physicality and learned discourse is humankind’s greatest achievement? I for one would continuously engorge my senses on the dazzling panoply of all televised sports coverage – comment, opinion, rumour, replay – were it not for the unconscionable interruptions of the females of the household, who insist on wasting as much as 30 minutes at a time watching their stupid soap operas. It’s incredible how they can tolerate that endless, repetitive, plot-free nonsense. YOUR FREE COPY
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Making a difference in animal welfare
DSPCA FEATURE
T
he Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) was established in 1840 and is the oldest and largest animal charity in the Republic of Ireland. Every day of every year the charity works tirelessly to rescue all animals who are sick, injured or have been cruelly treated. In its early days the Society was known as the Dublin Auxiliary of the Royal Society for the Protection of Animals and it was founded the year the RSPCA received Royal Patronage, over the years it has had many names including "The Dublin Home for Starving and Forsaken Cats". The Society was based at Grand Canal Quay in Dublin City from its formation in 1840 up until 1990, and generations of Dublin people were familiar with it as “The Dogs and Cats Home” and at times as “The Cats & Dogs Home”. In 1990 the Society moved to the Potterton Restfields at Stocking Lane in Rathfarnham, a suburb of Dublin. The land was bequeathed to the Society in the 1930s as a place to graze retired working horses. In 2003 the Society moved to its new premises on Mount Venus Road, Rathfarnham where state of the art facilities were built to continue the work of the Society. The DSPCA continues to care for the sick, injured and cruelly treated animals in Dublin city and county. In 2010 the DSPCA commenced work on a new unique sustainable charity model for animal welfare. These new businesses were created to
assist the charity with its fundraising efforts and to provide a reliable source of income which will allow the charity to continue to help sick, injured and cruelly treated animals. The Pet Boarding Centre opened in November 2010 and the private Vet Hospital opened in February 2011. More recently we have opened a Pet Spa where pets can be groomed and pampered as day visitors or when boarding with us when the owners are on holidays. King of Paws Dog Training Academy has been running for 5 years and runs many different dog training and agility classes as well as the newly opened Doggy Day Care. The DSPCA also offers affordable veterinary care through our Dublin mobile veterinary clinics to those pet owners who are in receipt of social welfare payments and low cost Microchipping to all. In our fight against cruelty, and with a focus on lifelong learning, The DSPCA plays a leading role in animal welfare education as we strive to promote responsible pet care and ownership through our seminars; including talks and tours of the shelter which we offer FREE to schools, colleges, youth groups, family groups, third level, etc. We also work closely with the Irish Government and Veterinary Associations both in Ireland and Europe and campaign for updated legislation and implemented that will improve the lives of all animals.
MEET SCAMP
The DSPCA rescues thousands of sick, injured and cruelly treated animals each year. We rescue them from places and situations where otherwise they may not be alive today.
This is Scamp, a shy but sweet little dog, and his eyes tell a very sad story. Scamp arrived to the DSPCA earlier this year in very bad condition. He was scared, confused and trusted no-one. Years of neglect meant that his coat had become so badly matted it was almost strangling him. He had serious parasite infestations, was underweight, malnourished and had severe dental issues. DSPCA veterinary staff immediately got to work. They groomed and clipped
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back his coat. He was given antibiotics and medicated baths to treat his skin infections. Most of his teeth had to be removed and his gum disease treated. At first Scamp did not want to leave his kennel and would not interact with anybody. As he began to feel better and went to a loving foster home, he realised that life has much to offer and that people can be kind. He loves his walks and is happiest when out and about sniffing and exploring. He is a wonderful dog and has melted the hearts of all who come in contact with him. The DSPCA works hard to reduce suffering and create meaningful social change for these animals but we cannot do it without you.
Before
After
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Are you a parent wondering how to start a conversation about relationships and sex with your child? FEATURE CRISIS PREGNANCY
If the answer is ‘yes’, the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme can help!
It is important for parents to talk to their children about relationships and sexual health. They can have a very strong positive influence on the development of a child’s values and attitudes towards relationships and sex. Research has shown that other sources of information that are available to young people, such as media and the internet may not provide accurate or trustworthy information. Young people often do not know what information to trust and do not know whether what is represented on TV is real or not. Parents can provide a young person with a more realistic and balanced perspective on intimate relationships, sexuality and sexual behaviour than the one often portrayed as normal in television programmes and problem pages. This is important because many young people report that they feel pressure in their teenage years to have an intimate
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relationship and in some cases, to engage in sex in order to fit in with their group of friends. Research has found that young people who become sexually active at an early age (under 17) are less likely to use contraception at first sex, and more likely to experience crisis pregnancy or contract a sexually transmitted infection (STI) later in life. Top Tips for Effective Communication: • Talk to children to find out what they know and what they want to know, and don’t assume they know it all already. • Start early – ideally try to discuss relationships and sex with pre-teenage children and don’t close down communication when younger children ask questions about sex – answering questions in an age-appropriate way when children are young can lay the foundation for good communication and encourage children to continue to come to you with questions as they start puberty.
THE WAITING ROOM | DECEMBER 2012 / JANUARY 2013
• Find out what your child has been taught by talking to others involved in their child’s relationships and sexuality education – teachers, youth workers, a partner or other family member. This can help to ensure a young person gets all the information they need to make healthy decisions. • Monitor what your child is doing and who his/her friends are – both out and about and online. • Teenagers are often under pressure when it comes to sex and relationships – from friends, peers, partners and media messages. Parents and adults working with young people can help them resist these pressures, develop responsible attitudes to sexual activity and delay sex until they are ready by encouraging them to develop their own values and limits. There are a number of free relationships and sex education resources available to parents from the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme: YOUR FREE COPY
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CRISIS PREGNANCY FEATURE
Busy Bodies
You Can Talk To Me
B4udecide.ie
Busy Bodies Adolescent Development Programme provides information on the physical and emotional changes that children experience during puberty, reassures them that puberty is a normal part of growing up. To order a copy of the Booklet and DVD, FreeText BUSY plus your name and address to 50444.
In this DVD, parents and teenagers are interviewed about talking to each other about sex and relationships. Experts such as Dr Marie Murray and Dr Tony Bates also give their tips to parents on starting a conversation about sex and relationships with their child. To order a DVD and booklet, FreeText PARENT plus your name and address to 50444
The b4udecide.ie website is a useful method of introducing the subject of relationships and sexual health to your children. This initiative aims to encourage teenagers to make healthy, responsible decisions about relationships and sex. B4udecide.ie includes videos of young people talking about a range of issues, a counsellor talking about healthy relationships and a quizzes and polls section.
DVD and Booklet for Parents of 10-14 year olds
DVD and Booklet for Parents of 11-15 year olds
Website for 14 – 16 year olds (includes section for parents)
Parents,Tips for Talking to Older Teenagers Supplement for Parents of 15-17 year olds
The Programme has produced a supplement to assist parents of older adolescents in talking to their teenagers about relationships and sexuality. The supplement also provides a self-test tool for parents and teenagers to test their current sexual health knowledge. To order a copy of the supplement, FreeText TALK plus your name and address to 50444
The Facts
DVD for Parents of older teenagers
‘The Facts DVD’ provides information on contraception (including a condom demonstration), Sexually Transmitted Infections, fertility and crisis pregnancy. To order a copy of the DVD FreeText FACTS plus your name and address to 50444. All resources listed above can be ordered free of charge from the freetext number outlined above and will be delivered within 10 working days. All resources can also be ordered directly from www.healthpromotion.ie
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PROMOTION WEIGHT WATCHERS
Chicken and vegetable broth
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TAKES 10 MINUTES TO PREPARE, 1 HOUR TO COOK, SERVES 4 7 ProPoints values per serving, 30 ProPoints values per recipe,
Calorie controlled cooking spray 1 large onion, sliced finely 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1cm(1/2 inch) slices 2 celery sticks, sliced 250g (9oz) swede, peeled and cut into chunks 65g (2.5oz) dried pearl barely 500g (1lb 2oz) chicken thighs, skinless but on the bone 1.5 litres (2 3/4pints) hot chicken or vegetable stock 350g (12oz) mushroom, sliced thickly 1 teaspoon dried sage or 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage 2 tablespoons cornflour 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, to serve
Courgette Frittata
45 MINUTES TO PREPARE, VEGETARIAN, SERVES 4 6 ProPoints per serving, 24 ProPoints values per recipe
400g (14 oz) small waxy potatoes, scrubbed and sliced thickly Calorie controlled cooking spray 1 courgette, sliced 2 onions, halved and sliced thinly 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 6 eggs, beaten 25g (1 oz) pepperdew peppers from a jar, drained and sliced finely 4 tablespoons Quark Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Enjoy this mighty main meal soup with the family for a midweek supper or Saturday lunch. 1. Spray a large, lidded, non stick saucepan with the cooking spray. Add the onion, carrots, celery and swede and stir fry for 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add the pearl barley and chicken thighs and stir fry for 3-4 minutes, or until the chicken is lightly coloured. 2. Add the stock and bring to the boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for 35-40 minutes. During this time the barley will swell and soften, absorbing some of the stock. 3. Use tongs to remove the cooked chicken to a chopping board. Add the mushrooms and sage to the saucepan and continue to simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the chicken from the bones and roughly shred. Return the meat to the saucepan. Season well to taste. 4. Blend the cornflour to a paste with the Worcestershire sauce and a drop of cold water. Stir into the broth and continue to heat through until the broth thickens slightly. Check the seasoning. 5. Ladle into warmed bowls, scatter over the parsley and serve immediately.
1. Put the potatoes in a lidded ovenproof frying pan with the base measuring 20cm (8 inch) and cover with 150ml (5 fl oz) water. Bring to the boil, then cover and cook on a low heat for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander and let the excess water evaporate. Put into a large bowl 2. Wipe the pan clean and spray with the cooking spray. Cook the courgette and onions, covered, for 10 minutes until tender and starting to brown, stirring occasionally. Then transfer to the bowl with the potatoes. 3. Preheat the grill to high. Add the parsley, basil and beaten eggs to the bowl with the potatoes and toss to coat. Season. Spray the frying pan again and gently heat on the hob. Carefully tip the potato mixture into the pan, flattening it with a spatula. Sprinkle over the peppers, top with Quark, and cook gently for 4-5 minutes. 4. Grill the frittata gently for 4-8 minutes until golden and serve. (It should be a little wet in the middle if you are eating it hot. I t will firm up if you are eating it cold.)
Tip: Dark-gilled open mushrooms will add more flavour and depth to this broth than button mushrooms, so look out for those.
Salmon and Prawn Bake
6
10 MINUTES TO PREPARE, 20 MINUTES COOKING, FREEZING RECOMMENDED (UNCOOKED), SERVES 4 6 ProPoints values per serving, 24 ProPoints values per recipe
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500g (1lb 2oz) salmon fillet, skin on 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley 50g (1 ¾oz) low fat soft cheese with garlic and herbs 15g (½ oz) pepperdew peppers from a jar, drained and chopped finely 50g (1 ¾oz) raw peeled tiger prawns A pinch of chilli flakes Calorie controlled cooking spray Salt and freshly ground black pepper
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1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6/200°C/fan oven 180°C. Put the salmon on a clean board and cut a pocket in the thick side of the salmon on an angle, about 2.5cm (1 inch) deep. 2. Mix together the peppers and half of the parsley with the soft cheese and seasoning, then carefully spread inside the pocket. Arrange the prawns just on top of the soft cheese inside the pocket. Sprinkle the fish with the chilli flakes and remaining parsley. 3. Transfer the salmon to a non stick baking tray and spray with the cooking spray. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until just cooked. To serve, cut the salmon into four pieces.
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Two years on and still breaking the mould
John says; “I had wanted to do something about my weight for a while, but I just kept putting it off. A cheap bathroom scales will only weigh up to a certain point and when I started to go beyond that I knew it was time to take action. My two sisters had been on at me about joining Weight Watchers, but I was always apprehensive about going. Then I met a cousin of mine at a wedding; he had lost a lot of weight and looked great, I immediately wanted to know how he did it, the answer was WeightWatchers – I saw that as my opportunity to finally do something about my weight and I took it. I’ll admit I was nervous as hell going along to the first class, but my sister Aisling, came with me and that made it a lot easier. I had always
eaten a lot of junk food; crisps, ice cream, take-out… you name it, so I had to cut back on all of that. I started eating more fruit, vegetables and yogurt and I swapped minerals for water. I followed the eating plans in the books really closely and used all the recipes in there. Even when I moved to college I still kept it going, I stayed clear of processed food and take-aways and I made all my meals from scratch using only fresh foods. I was so determined that none of it fazed me at all, I just looked on it as an interesting task and I kept going. I still have the slip of paper charting my weight loss; I lost five pounds in the first week, five and a half the week after that, and my weight just kept going down at every weigh-in. I had great support from my leader as
John’s tips for success
If you’re nervous about joining grab a friend and bring them with you, then just take it one step at a time. Losing weight is a mind game; once you get your head around it, it’s pretty straightforward. Cook your own meals it can be a good way to keep moving. Explore Weight Watchers recipes to get the best meal ideas. Re-visit the fruit and vegetables isle and fall in love again and stock up on these healthy fillers.
John on cycling:
“I started cycling when I was 11 years old. My friends were all at it, so I gave it ago and fell in love with it. I train about four times a week whether it’s downhill, mountain biking, cross country, or road bike. I just love getting out on the bike, taking in the scenery wherever I go and clocking up the miles, but the adrenaline rush from the flat out pace coming downhill is what it’s really all about for me - I love it! My biggest goal that I had set was doing the Ring of Kerry, which I completed and really enjoyed. Now that I have lost the weight, I have competed in my first downhill race in over two years and finished 15th which I was very pleased with, I felt as light as a feather racing. The Benefits of cycling: Helps to build strength and muscle tone. Builds stamina and improves coordination. Improves cardio vascular fitness. Burns calories – steady cycling burns around 300 calories per hour. Can help to reduce stress and promote feelings of wellbeing
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WEIGHT WATCHERS PROMOTION
well as my family and friends, which made a big difference. I had always exercised, but never at the level that I should have been, so I started taking regular walks with my sister and as each week went by we built it up more and more. I’ve now taken up cycling and I recently completed my first race. I just graduated from Tralee IT in Adventure Tourism Management, so being slim and getting fit has helped a lot. My latest adventure in training is with TRX, so as I tone up and become a stronger cyclist for the New Year. Buying clothes is great now; I just bought a pair of skinny jeans, which was something I never thought I’d be able to do. Overall I feel livelier and more confident around people and it’s made a huge difference to me.”
John’s Statistics Name:
John Doyle
From:
Killarney
Start weight: 20 st 1lb / 127kg Now:
11st 7lb / 73kg
Lost:
8st 8lb/ 54kg
Class: Leader:
Killarney Breda O’Shea
See www.weightwatchers.ie or call 1850 234 123 to find your local meeting now. Can't find a meeting that suits? Try Weight Watchers At Home or an 8 week course in your workplace. For more information on 'At Work' courses see www.weightwatchers.ie or call 1850 234 123. For the 'At Home' service call 056 7722276. Men welcome at all meetings DECEMBER 2012 / JANUARY 2013 | THE WAITING ROOM
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FEATURE SANTA
CHRISTMAS TRIFLE Merry Christmas, Nollaig Shona Dhuit, Joyeux Noel, however you want to say it, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. Well Andy Williams would have us believe this anyway, but what do we really know about Christmas? Steven Barron muses on some of the stranger yuletide traditions
T
he modern day Santa Claus is derived from Saint Nicholas, the 4th century saint who had a reputation for secret gift giving, often depositing coins in the shoes of people who had left them outside their door. In an ironic twist, however, St Nick also happens to be the patron saint of thieves, for whatever reason. Whether burglar or benefactor, the dear saint’s remains are now believed to be buried in Newtown Jerpoint in the picturesque surrounds of Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, having supposedly been brought there via Turkey and Italy by a distant relative Nicholas de Frainet. December 6th is now known internationally as St Nicholas Day, although the event is quite low key – unsurprising, bearing in mind what happens later in the month! The name Santa Claus is derived from the Flemish Sinterklaas, who traditionally arrives mid November on a steamship from Spain no less. Sinterklaas is celebrated in countries such as Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands as well as parts of France and Germany. Red has always been a colour associated with Santa Claus but historically Santa was depicted wearing brown, white or green clothes, as well as red. It was eventually a Coca Cola Christmas advertising campaign from the 30’s that popularised red as the colour of Santa’s suit – now their annual TV advertisements are synonymous with the festive season. Christmas is celebrated in strange ways throughout the world. In Norway, legend states Christmas Eve is when witches and evil spirits
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THE WAITING ROOM | DECEMBER 2012 / JANUARY 2013
come out looking for brooms to ride on. To thwart these villains, all brooms in the house must be hidden and men go outside to fire shotguns in the hope of scaring the bad spirits away. In what could only be seen as gross westernisation, on Christmas Day in Japan Kentucky Fried Chicken is the traditional dinner - so much so that reservations have to be made to eat at a KFC restaurant. As we all know, throughout Ireland and the UK, a baked ham is traditionally eaten at Christmas time. But how did the idea of a yuletide ham begin? Originally seen as a tribute of German people to Freyr, a god in Germanic Paganism associated with boars, the Catholic Church then adopted it as a test for people who had converted from Judaism. Former Jews who weren’t truly committed to Catholicism would decline the pig meat whereas genuine converts would happily feast upon the ham, proving their commitment, or so the story went. Another favourite Christmas tradition is the advent of mistletoe above a doorway. The idea of hanging it in the house goes back to the times of the ancient druids who believed it warded off evil spirits and brought good luck to the household. It was also seen as a sign of love and friendship in Norse Mythology and that where the modern custom of kissing under the mistletoe comes from. The word mistletoe itself come from two Anglo Saxon words “Mistel” meaning dung and “Tan” meaning stick or twig. Dung on a stick? Not exactly Christmassy is it? Or romantic for that matter! Happy Christmas!
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Barkbuster
ONLY €49.90
Dummy Security Camera Protect your home and valuables Simple to install, this realistic looking security camera provides the deterrent of a real CCTV camera. When ONLY movement is detected, a visible activation light €34.90 illuminates and the camera begins to pan from left to right as if recording all angles. Measures 18cm in length.
Our Sonic Cat Repeller detects and repels cats without harming them. Easy to install in your garden, it will protect lawns, flowerbeds, bird feeders & ponds.
Stops dogs barking! A built-in microphone senses barking and triggers an ultrasonic tone that annoys but does not harm dogs. Once the barking ceases, the tone stops automatically. Mains operated TWR2746
TWR1546
Warm your room in seconds! Running costs are from an amazing 5cent per hour and you have 3 heat levels(400W/800W/1200W). It has grill security, a wide-angle oscillating function, overheat protection and anti-fall security features so that the unit cuts out if it tilts or falls.
TWR1358
ALARMED PADLOCK Protects your shed, garage, gates, motorcycles… This heavy-duty padlock features a motion sensitive tamper alarm, which emits a massive 110 decibel siren when triggered.
ONLY €29.90
TWR1335
Behind The Ear Hearing Aid
Unisex All Weather Waterproof Boots
Manufactured as a full CE certification class 11a medical device, this Hearing Aid is most suited to people with mild hearing loss. It hides behind the ear, is lightweight, comfortable to wear and has adjustable volume and tone controls. Two earplug sizes and batteries are included.
Get ready for another long cold winter with these wonderfully cosy waterproof boots. With slip resistant soles, you’ll be ready to go every morning, rain or snow! Comfortable enough to wear all day long these ONLY boots are perfect for a trip to the shops, €59.90 walking the dog and simply enjoying the outdoors. Available in navy, brown and black and in unisex sizes 4 –12
TWR1633
TWR1502
3-in-1 Massaging Knee Protector
Acupressure Sleeping Aid Wrist Band
Suited To People With Mild Or Early Hearing Loss Be prepared for the winter ahead. ONLY €69.90
Supports, compresses, and massages the knee ideal for sufferers of knee pain Fully medically accredited (class 1), the fully adjustable neoprene support has optional-use massage pads provides up to three levels of stimulation: Compression to protect the knee and provide support; Gentle Massage: ideal for those who experience knee pain; plus a Deep Targeted Massage using the ingenious ball-bearing massage pad insert. Ideal when walking, jogging, cycling or while simply completing your daily routine.
ONLY €49.90
TWR1948
Our Sleeping Aid combines natural Chinese double frequency acupressure technology with western medical knowledge to give the wearer a calm, soothing relaxing sensation. Wear it for 30 minutes before you go to bed and have a great night’s sleep! Supplied with contact gel, storage case and full instructions. It measures just ONLY 4.5 x 5.5cm and a battery is included. €99.90
TWR1639
Post To: The Waiting Room Reader Offers, Markettown, Unit 18, Churchtown Business Park, Dublin 14 (cheques/PO’s payable to Markettown – please include a contact phone number)
TWR - Dec/Jan 2012 - Issue 15:The Waiting Room - Summer 2012 - Issue 13
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QUICK QUIZ
TheWaitingRoom
CROSSWORD
Question 1
The southern tip of South America is? a) Cape of Good Hope b) Cape Horn c) Cape Tribulation
Question 2
Which singer did NOT support President Obama in the recent election? a) Meat Loaf b) Stevie Wonder c) Bruce Springsteen
Question 3
Before President Higgins, who was the last MALE president of Ireland? a) Cearbhall Ă“ DĂĄlaigh b) Erskine Childers c) Patrick Hillery
No.15
When completed, the letters in the shaded squares will spell out the winning word: The art of designing, step by step
WIN 2 nights B&B and
one Evening Meal at Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel, a member of Select Hotels
HOW TO ENTER: Text TWR2 followed by your answer, name and address to 53307 or post your answers along with your phone number to us!
Question 4
With which title do you associate Paul Simon? a) Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover b) Forty Shades of Green c) Fifty Shades of Grey
Question 5
US Vice President Joe Biden is what religion? a) Mormon b) Lutheran c) Catholic
Question 6
Daniel Day Lewis recently starred in a film as US President a) George Washington b) Abraham Lincoln c) Theodore Roosevelt
Question 7
President Obama’s father was from a) Tanzania b) Zambia c) Kenya
Question 8
Famous for their wool, alpacas are native to a) The Andes b) The Himalayas c) The Pyrenees
Question 9
Which of these wasn’t adopted? a) Bill Gates b) Steve Jobs c) Mario Ballotelli
Question 10
Clint Eastwood was mayor of which Californian town? a) Oakland b) Bakersfield c) Carmel
NO TIME TO FINISH? NO WORRIES! THIS MAGAZINE IS YOURS TO TAKE HOME!
DOWN ACROSS 1 Complex phrase to describe 1 Lowly servant to name Irish angel. (6) folk rock band. (8) 2 To be anxious about the world 5 Old Japanese leader needs body is not difficult. (6) letter to get weapon. (6) 3 Material left on small piece of 9 Electrician uses adjustable land. (5) apparatus that causes hearts to 4 The fruits of anger so be broken. (8) destructive. (7) 6 Is it gold-coloured or is all 6 Harry doesn’t finish with girl to black Jonah disturbed? (6) make music with it. (9) 12 Can’t be one without a driver. 7 Those aren’t children carrying out alterations to pru’s gown. (9) 13 UN Chief Executive Officer is a (5-3) 8 See a tuna mash? It’s enough lightweight. (5) to make you sick. (8) 14 Turn children’s card game into 11 Almost the colour under the utensils. (4) hairline. (4) 16 Flog little animal, a dog. (7) 15 Visit ancient monument or sip 19 put one’s foot in it at the Cola cocktail on Greek holiday. (9) racecourse. (7) 17 Sorting lab units in a foreign 21 place to live, if you’re on the city. (8) level. (4) 18 So a rapid adjustment is 24 Find fabulous old storyteller required when they are scattered as poe is translated. (5) all over the world. (8) 25 Fishy one goes by air and on 20 He’s treated fair in Kerry but or under the sea, but rarely beaten around a lot in Canada. (4) walks. (9) 27 Sports panellist Joe is a good 21 Get a lot of money for simple man to know on a rainy day. (6) piece of music. (7) 22 Two lads get together to act 28 I am in a settee in its capital as sponsor. (6) city. (8) 23 Takes broken slates without 29 A lie is corrected so one can permission. (6) act as go-between. (6) 26 One of several musical 30 Get little money around the instruments that are part of us. (5) north but in high range in England. (8)
Answers: 1b. 2a. 3c. 4a. 5c. 6b. 7c. 8a. 9a. 10c.
Crossword is open to readers aged 18 or over, are resident in the Republic of Ireland, except employees and their families of The Waiting Room Magazine, its printers, or anyone connected with the competition. The magazine is not responsible for entries lost, delayed or damaged in the post. Proof of postage is not accepted as proof of delivery. Any number of entries will be accepted. Winner will be the sender of the first correct entry to be drawn at random after the closing date. Winner will be notified by post, and only their name and the county in which they live may be published in the magazine. All personal information obtained through entry into this competition will be destroyed following its completion. Entry implies acceptance of these rules.
PUZZLES
THE WAITING ROOM | DECEMBER 2012 / JANUARY 2013
Congra tu lations! The winner of last issues Crossword is Dermot Connolly, Co Sligo
Terms: 18+. 60c per entry incl VAT. Network charges vary. Competition closes midnight January 31st 2013 Entries made after the close date do not count and you may be charged. Sp phonovation Ltd. pO Box 6, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin. Helpline 0818217100 Enter at www.waitingroom.ie or write in to The Waiting Room, The Studio, Maple Avenue, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin
SUDOKU
Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 square contain all the digits from 1 to 9
source: www.sudoku.com.au YOUR FREE COPY
TWR - Dec/Jan 2012 - Issue 15:The Waiting Room - Summer 2012 - Issue 13
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PUZZLES
Martha came out of the supermarket, laden with groceries and got the shock of her life. There were sixteen cars in the car-park but hers wasn’t one of them. What kind of car did Martha drive? Work it out and you could WIN YOURSELF T50!
Cross reference
WORD SEARCH
Alfa Romeo Continental Volkswagen Chrysler Stationwagon Convertible
YOUR FREE COPY
Rollsroyce Mercedes Mustang E typeJaguar Silver Shadow Porsche Boxer
Testarossa Lamborghini Ford Mondeo Mitsubishi Maserati
CRACK THE CODE AND WIN â‚Ź50
Each letter of the Alphabet appears as a code. Complete the grid and put the corresponding letters into the boxes below to spell the prize word. Then Text TWR3, followed by your answer, name and address to 53307 or post your answers DECEMBER 2012 / JANUARY 2013 | THE WAITING ROOM
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KIDS COLOURING PAGE
CHRISTMAS colouring fun for kids
image source: www.coloringpages.in
30
THE WAITING ROOM | DECEMBER 2012 / JANUARY 2013
YOUR FREE COPY
TWR - Dec/Jan 2012 - Issue 15:The Waiting Room - Summer 2012 - Issue 13
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COLOURING PAGE KIDS
image source: www.coloringpages.in
YOUR FREE COPY
DECEMBER 2012 / JANUARY 2013 | THE WAITING ROOM
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