Read Before Using Unregulated Traditional Medicines!
What is the issue? Traditional medicines come in a variety of forms (for example liquids, tablets, powders, creams) and may be applied or ingested for a variety of purposes. Unregulated complementary medicines, such as some traditional folk medicines, may not be manufactured to the same quality as regulated medicines. Product labelling may be inaccurate, may include unproven […]
The chemicals in your home may affect your chance of having a baby
In daily life, we can encounter many different chemicals through the products we use, the food we eat, and the air we breathe. Studies show that a particular group of chemicals called endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can affect sperm and egg quality and, therefore, a person’s chance of having a baby. Some of the most […]
5 ways to reduce your risk of heart disease
Heart disease kills one Australian every 27 minutes, and 9 in 10 people have at least one risk factor for heart disease. But there are things you can do to reduce your risk and keep your heart healthy, and ways you can help spread awareness of this silent killer. Here are just some of them. Quit […]
Midfulness training may help you lose weight
“If you manage to lose weight but struggle to keep it off, you may want to consider taking up mindfulness meditation,” suggests the Mail Online. This follows a review of studies that looked at the effect of mindfulness-based interventions on weight loss and obesity-related eating behaviours. Mindfulness draws on the ancient practice of mediation by […]
Broccoli and sprouts linked to healthier arteries for older women
Australian researchers investigated the potential benefits of a vegetable diet in general, as well as specific types of vegetables, on artery health. They found that women who ate the most vegetables had less thickening of the walls of a vessel that supplies blood to the brain. The thickness of the walls of this blood vessel […]
Concerns about Lead in drinking water
What is the issue? In March, the City of Greater Geelong tested a random sample of its public drinking fountains following an alert from Barwon Water regarding the level of lead in water from two fountains in the municipality. These test results found levels of lead and some other metals in some fountains above the […]
Smoke exposure due to seasonal planned burns may affect health
What is the issue? Smoke from planned burns is impacting populated areas of Victoria and affecting air quality. Smoke from private stubble burns and wood heaters may also contribute to reduced air quality. Programs of planned burning led by Forest Fire Management Victoria occur each year in Victoria during autumn and early winter. Planned burns […]
Could drinking fruit tea be bad for your teeth?
“Sipping acidic fruit teas can wear away teeth, says study,” reports BBC News on a new review on the role of diet in tooth erosion – where the tooth’s enamel coating is worn down by acid. Two researchers from King’s College London looked at a number of existing studies on the topic of dietary causes […]
Blue-green algae (BGA) in Victorian waterways
What is the issue? High levels of potentially toxin-producing species of blue-green algae (BGA) have been identified along the Murray River at several locations. It has also been detected in other waterways across the state. BGA can have irritant and inflammatory effects. Direct contact may result in skin rashes and eye irritation. Inhalation of droplets […]
Sugary fruit juices and drinks linked to childhood asthma
“Children who drink fruit juice have a higher risk of developing asthma,” reports the Mail Online. Researchers in the US say children whose mothers drank more sugary drinks while pregnant, and children who drink a lot of fruit juice in early childhood, are more likely to be diagnosed with asthma by mid-childhood (around age 7 to 8). […]