“Like many men, I wasn’t aware how food affected the way I felt about myself and my world until I met my girlfriend, actress Zoe Tuckwell-Smith. Before that I smoked, drank Coke and loved Tim Tams. When Zoe fell pregnant, healthy eating became even more important and I noticed how ...
Read More »Will food ratings help us make the healthier choice?
Walk down the cereal aisle of your supermarket and you might notice something a bit different. There’s now a smattering of stars in the corner of many food packages that look similar to the energy ratings on appliances. Some Weet-Bix and Uncle Tobys Oats products are twinkling away with five ...
Read More »The fight to avert a dementia crisis
One Australian is diagnosed with dementia every six minutes. By 2050, about 900,000 of us are likely to be living with this progressive disease and experts say we’ll be facing a social, health and economic crisis if we’re unprepared for this imminent spike in the illness. “It’s becoming more prevalent ...
Read More »How safe are plastics?
Now that I have your attention with this headline, I’d like to apologise for the fact that there are no “good” plastics – after all, how could I endorse a material that ends up in landfill and our waterways, and contributes to the ever-growing garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean ...
Read More »Should we all have a standing desk?
“Sitting is worse than smoking!” “Sitting at computers all day is killing us!” Or, how about the insidious, horror movie-esque headline: “Your chair is killing you… (literally)”? Suitably terrified, I’m writing this standing up. My move to a sit-stand desk wasn’t entirely prompted by the alarming headlines and cited research, ...
Read More »Hydrogen peroxide: Is there science behind its health claims?
Peroxide is typically thought of as something hairdressers use to lighten hair, but you’ll also find a bottle at your local chemist – for about $5 – being advertised as a mild disinfectant or throat gargle. In its natural form, hydrogen peroxide is found in breast milk, rain and, crucially, ...
Read More »What you need to know about super
If you’re reading this, you’re probably interested in your finances. Most of us have to be, because whether we’re making it or spending it, money drives many of our decisions: what job we take, what house we buy,what holiday we go on. However, despite a natural desire to hunt out ...
Read More »Scientists say hipster beards are all about power
Flamboyant facial hair on men is everywhere at the moment, and scientists have come up with a theory as to why. It’s all about looking aggressive to other men, and more attractive to women, and it’s a ploy used by many other primates. A group of University of Western Australia ...
Read More »Why do Australians wait longer than most for life-saving medicine?
Australians are missing out on life-saving medicines that are readily available to most of the world, according to a new report from Medicines Australia. The Compare (Comparison Of Access And Reimbursement Environments) report reveals that Australia is ranked 18 out of 20 countries in the Organisation For Economic Co-operation And ...
Read More »Can a pill boost brain power?
Students preparing for exams and those in high-pressured jobs are turning to chemical brain boosters to give them an edge. These nootropics or “smart drugs” are described by the Australian Drug Foundation (ADF) as “cognitive enhancers”. Essentially, they’re chemical compounds purported to improve memory, alertness and concentration. But do they ...
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