1. Connect with others. Develop and maintain strong relationships with people around you who will support and enrich your life. The quality of our personal relationships has a great effect on our wellbeing. Putting time and effort into building strong relationships can bring great rewards.
2. Take time to enjoy. Set aside time for activities, hobbies and projects you enjoy. Let yourself be spontaneous and creative when the urge takes you. Do a crossword; take a walk in your local park; read a book; sew a quilt; draw pictures with your kids; play with your pets – whatever takes your fancy.
3. Participate and share interests. Join a club or group of people who share your interests. Being part of a group of people with a common interest provides a sense of belonging and is good for your mental health. Join a sports club; a band; an evening walking group; a dance class; a theatre or choir group; a book or car club.
4. Contribute to your community. Volunteer your time for a cause or issue that you care about. Help out a neighbour, work in a community garden or do something nice for a friend. There are many great ways to contribute that can help you feel good about yourself and your place in the world. An effort to improve the lives of others is sure to improve your life too.
5. Take care of yourself. Be active and eat well – these help maintain a healthy body. Physical and mental health are closely linked; it’s easier to feel good about life if your body feels good. You don’t have to go to the gym to exercise – gardening, vacuuming, dancing and bushwalking all count. Combine physical activity with a balanced diet to nourish your body and mind and keep you feeling good, inside and out.
6. Challenge yourself. Learn a new skill or take on a challenge to meet a goal. You could take on something different at work; commit to a fitness goal or learn to cook a new recipe. Learning improves your mental fitness, while striving to meet your own goals builds skills and confidence and gives you a sense of progress and achievement.
7. Deal with stress. Be aware of what triggers your stress and how you react. You may be able to avoid some of the triggers and learn to prepare for or manage others. Stress is a part of life and affects people in different ways. It only becomes a problem when it makes you feel uncomfortable or distressed. A balanced lifestyle can help you manage stress better. If you have trouble winding down, you may find that relaxation breathing, yoga or meditation can help.
8. Rest and refresh. Get plenty of sleep. Go to bed at a regular time each day and practice good habits to get better sleep. Sleep restores both your mind and body. However, feelings of fatigue can still set in if you feel constantly rushed and overwhelmed when you are awake. Allow yourself some unfocussed time each day to refresh; for example, let your mind wander, daydream or simply watch the clouds go by for a while. It’s OK to add ‘do nothing’ to your to-do list!
9. Notice the here and now. Take a moment to notice each of your senses each day. Simply ‘be’ in the moment – feel the sun and wind on your face and notice the air you are breathing. It’s easy to be caught up thinking about the past or planning for the future instead of experiencing the present. Practising mindfulness, by focusing your attention on being in the moment, is a good way to do this. Making a conscious effort to be aware of your inner and outer world is important for your mental health.
10. Ask for help. This can be as simple as asking a friend to babysit while you have some time out or speaking to your doctor (GP) about where to find a counsellor or community mental health service. The perfect, worry-free life does not exist. Everyone’s life journey has bumpy bits and the people around you can help. If you don’t get the help you need first off, keep asking until you do.

Source : Better Health Channel

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Whether they’re in bed or on the couch, the following will help them feel more comfortable.

Keep the room well ventilated. If the room is too warm they’ll probably feel worse.

Give your child plenty to drink. For the first day or so don’t bother about food unless they want it. After that start trying to tempt them with bits of food and encouraging them to have nutritious drinks like milk.

Try to give your child time for quiet games, stories, company and comfort.

Sick children get very tired and need plenty of rest. Encourage your child to doze off when they need to, perhaps with a story read by you or as an audio book.

Never fall asleep with a sick baby on the sofa with you, even if you’re both exhausted. This increases the chances of cot death.

Looking after a sick child, even for a couple of days, is exhausting. Make things as easy for yourself as you can. Get rest and sleep when you can, and try to get somebody else to take over every now and then to give you a break.

You may also want to take advantage of services like online delivery from supermarkets if you are unable to get out of the house.

Getting expert help

If you think your child is ill, contact your local doctor or out-of-hours service. Your doctor can give you advice on how to treat your child’s illness and prescribe medicines.

Most doctors are very supportive towards parents of small children. Many will fit babies in without an appointment or see them at the beginning of surgery hours and will also give advice over the phone.

If your child has signs of a serious illness or you are concerned, contact your doctor or take them straight to the emergency department of your local hospital.

You can also call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 for medical advice, 24 hours a day.

Dealing with minor accidents

Most doctors surgeries are equipped to deal with minor casualties, such as cuts or items trapped in the nose or ear. In this situation, ask your doctor or call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 for advice on where to go before you go to an emergency department.

Source: NHS Choices, UK (Looking after a sick child)

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Antibiotics are not a suitable treatment for colds and flu because antibiotics target bacteria, not viruses.

Take steps to protect yourself from colds and flu this season.

• Get immunised and protect yourself from flu.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• Throw tissues in the bin after you use them.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with people who have a flu-like illness.

If you do have a cold or flu-like illness, stay home from work or school and limit contact with other people to keep from infecting them. No treatment will cure your cold, or make it go away much more quickly, but make yourself more comfortable by getting plenty of rest and staying hydrated.

Paracetamol will help relieve headache, muscle ache and fever.

Check the active ingredients on medications to be careful you don’t ‘double dose’ (many cold and flu medicines have paracetamol as an active ingredient).

Discuss medicines with your pharmacist before using or giving to children to make sure they are safe.

Learn more about flu and what to do if you get sick.

Source : http://www.health.wa.gov.au/winter/

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Asking your friend, family, colleagues, neighbors, school friends…..RU OK?

Staying connected and having meaningful conversations is something we can all do. You don’t need to be an expert – just a good friend and a great listener. So, if you notice someone who might be struggling – start a conversation.

https://www.ruok.org.au/

The above website, has a variety of helpful links and articles on how to ask, RU OK!

FIND HELP

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• It is permanent and provides peace of mind over contraception.
• It is a simple and easy procedure, usually completed within 20-30 minutes.
• There is little discomfort and few complications if any.

What is Vasectomy?

Vasectomy is a medical term referring to the cutting of the sperm tube called Vas Deferens. The Vas Deferens takes the sperm cells from the testicles to the penis during ejaculation.

Following the procedure the semen will still be produced but without the sperm cells, “shooting the blanks” as it were. The normal ejaculation and sexual activity is normally not affected after the procedure. It takes 4 months after the procedure to be fully sterile as some of the sperm cells remain in the tubes for a while.

This method is considered permanent. Male sterilisation is the most reliable method of contraception known to the medical profession.

What is Non- Scalpel Vasectomy (NSV)?

This is a simple less invasive method of vasectomy where a small single cut is made in the middle of the scrotum to access both the left and right vas deferens.

Instead of cutting the scrotal skin, the skin is punctured and the Vas deferens is delivered with two special instruments. Over 15 million men have undergone the NSV procedure worldwide since 1974, widely used in China, USA, Canada, UK, Australia and South Asian Subcontinent. This is done under a local anaesthetic where a numbing solution is injected to the skin with just mild discomfort. The method is open ended where one end of the vas deferens is left open and the other is closed.

This method is quick, less invasive, less complications, less painful; no stitches needed and leads to speedy recovery.

Why choose the Baldivis Vasectomy Clinic?

• You don’t need a referral. Just book yourself an appointment at our vasectomy clinic.
• We offer NSV, the most reliable and well tested method of male permanent sterilisation.
• We have competent and well trained staff – Dr Femi is our primary vasectomy clinic doctor.
• You will be informed and allowed to make your choice under no coercion or bias.
• You can choose to bring your spouse or partner, we prioritise your confidentiality.
• State of the Art modern facilities with a relaxed atmosphere and impeccable service.

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October is the month for International Breast Cancer Awareness. The Pink Ribbon is very identifiable as the symbol for Breast Cancer Awareness. Breast Cancer is attributable to 28% of all cancer diagnosis in women and the second leading cause of female cancer deaths.

We all love our family however the major risk factor in the development of breast cancer is family genetics. If your family has a history of breast cancer then appropriate medical professional check ups, diagnostic testing, self awareness and self examination are essential.

Breast cancer does not discriminate it affects both Men and Women, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, this means that approximately 18,235 Australians will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. On average, 50 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer every day.

The number of women and men being diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia is increasing however the number of deaths from breast cancer is decreasing.

Self Examination is something that everyone can do to, so that you know how your individual breasts feel. When self examining for lumps ensure to check the breasts, sides around to the armpits and up towards the collarbone. Ensuring that anything unusual is followed up by a visit to your GP.

Other symptoms such as changes to the shape and size of the breast, changes to the nipples including sores or discharge, breast skin dimpling, red swollen breast or a breast with a rash, sore or ulcer all need to be assessed by a medical professional. Mammogram screening for women aged 50-74 is recommended every 2 years. However studies reveal that a mere one in two women will have a mammogram. The aim of the mammogram screening is to increase early detection and improve treatment outcomes and ultimately survival.

Survival rates have been improving progressively and it is now estimated that breast cancer survival rates five years post diagnosis are approximately 90% which can be attributable to early detection and treatment.

Unfortunately in Australia we still lose a combined total of 3000 females and males every year. As mentioned before the risk factors include family history, inherited mutated genes known as BRCA2, BRCA1 and CHEK2. Plus other risk factors include aging, female hormones both naturally occurring within the body and hormones prescribed for medical treatment, obesity and alcohol consumption which is excessive.

Research conducted indicates that everyone can reduce their risk of developing any form of cancer by maintaining a healthy lifestyle with good nutrition and being physically active. Quitting smoking and limiting alcoholic beverages to less than 2 standard drinks per day can decrease your risk of cancer.

For assistance with weight management and quitting smoking you can discuss the matter with your GP and working together you can develop a plan on how to achieve these goals.

Breast Cancer has four institutes working together to provide education, funding for research, funding for treatment, support for the families both during and after treatment.

More information about the institutes involved check out their websites.

www.canceraustralia.gov.au Cancer Australia

www.nbfc.org.au National Breast Cancer Foundation

www.bcna.org.au Breast Care Network Australian

www.mcgrathfoundation.com.au McGrath Foundation

Further information on all health topics they can be located at http://www.aihw.gov.au All information, statistics and research in this blog can be located in the websites listed above.

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