Radschool Association Magazine - Vol 45

Page 11

Health issues

Health and Life style.

Back Go to page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Forward

Alcohol Management App ‘ON TRACK’ to

deliver additional support.

The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Senator the Hon. Michael Ronaldson, today announced a new and improved version of the ON TRACK with The Right Mix mobile phone application, which is now available for download.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ (DVA) ON TRACK mobile app currently lets you keep track of the number and types of drinks you consume; the amount of money it's costing you; and lets you know about that impact the alcohol has on your wellbeing and fitness.

“With the update, users will be able to graph the data being collected – providing a visual representation of the impact of one’s drinking behaviour over time. Users will also have the ability to send data to their health clinician, enabling the app to be more easily used in conjunction with treatment,” Senator Ronaldson said.

DVA has also expanded the options to track how much exercise is required to burn off the alcohol kilojoules consumed.Since being released in March 2013, the app has been downloaded around 3000 times. Current users of the app will receive a notification to download the update.

The updated version will also include a feedback feature which allows users to provide feedback to DVA on how they use the app.

“We are evolving ON TRACK to meet user needs as we learn more about what users want, what works and what doesn’t. “This updated app will further assist veterans and Australian Defence Force members to better understand how their drinking habits affect their fitness and wellbeing,” Senator Ronaldson said.

ON TRACK with The Right Mix was developed by DVA in consultation with the ADF and the Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service (VVCS). It can be downloaded free from the Apple App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android) or at www.at-ease.dva.gov.au

Some features of this app may not be accessible on earlier model Android phones.

Beards Keep You Young, Healthy and Handsome.

Gentlemen, beards are not just for hipsters and the homeless any more. While both dead sexy and totally awesome, beards are also a boon to your overall health. Researchers discovered that men with beards and moustaches actually enjoy numerous benefits including, but not limited to, instant handsomeness. A study from the University of Southern Queensland, published in the Radiation Protection Dosimetry journal, found that beards block 90 to 95 percent of UV rays, thereby slowing the aging process and reducing the risk of skin cancer.

Got asthma? Pollens and dust simply get stuck in that lustrous facial hair. Additionally, all that hair retains moisture and protects against the wind, keeping you looking young and fresh-faced. What’s more, shaving is usually the cause of ingrown hairs and bacterial infections that lead to acne.

Have you tossed your razor in the bin yet?

Researchers conducted a study into the benefits of having a beard by placing bearded and non-bearded mannequins in the blistering sun of the Australian outback and then compared the amount of radiation absorbed by each. Those with beards absorbed heaps less.

But don’t forget to take care of those blessed follicles; beards can also spread infection if not properly cared for and make consumption of certain foods (e.g. cheeseburgers, corn on the cob, falafel sandwiches—anything with hummus actually, syrupy pancakes) rather laborious. Fuzzy-faced men would be wise to take advantage of beard wash and beard oil, essential tools for looking and feeling your beardy best.

America is the only country where a significant proportion of the population believes

that professional wrestling is real but the moon landing was faked.

Good News! - Sex is good for you!!

Stressed, burdened with life's difficult problems and fear that your health is declining? Then sex is the answer to happiness, longevity and a healthy body. You don't agree? Well, here is a list of the health benefits of sex, so do it daily to experience complete pleasure. These are 16 reasons to have sex today!

1. De-stress. Sex helps you reduce stress. When deep breathing exercises fail to de-stress you, sex will do the needful. During sex your body produces dopamine, a substance that fights stress hormones, endorphins, aka "happiness hormones" and oxytocin, a desire-enhancing hormone secreted by the pituitary gland. In a study, published in the Public Library of Science journal, three neuroscience researchers conducted a test on male rats and found that the sexually active rats were less anxious than rats with no sexual activity.

2. Great Form of Exercise. Making love is a form of physical activity. During intercourse, the physiological changes in your body are consistent with a workout. You must have noticed that the respiratory rate rises, which means you get tired. Hence, you burn calories. If you have sex three times a week for 15 minutes (but we know you can do better than that) you'll burn about 7.500 calories in a year. That's the equivalent of jogging 75 miles! Heavy breathing raises the amount of oxygen in your cells, and the testosterone produced during sex keeps your bones and muscles strong.

3. Lowers high blood pressure. Hugs and sex can improve your blood pressure. Sex reduces diastolic blood pressure, that is, the bottom number while reading blood pressure. Researchers with the University of Paisley conducted an experiment on the same. They concluded that sex improves blood pressure.

4. Builds your immunity. Trying to fight the sniffles? Sex is the answer to fight cold and other health problems; sex can boost your immunity. Immunoglobulin A, an antigen that fights the flu increases when the frequency of sex increases.

5. Makes You Look Younger. Making love three times a week can make you look 10 years younger, claims a Scottish researcher. "It's good for you to have good sex," says David Weeks, a clinical neuropsychologist at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, whose study on the effects of sex on aging appears in his book, Secrets of the Superyoung.

6. Healthy heart. Sex helps you burn calories but it can also improve your heart. Sex will take care of stroke and heart attacks, you just have to enjoy the moment. Scientists with New England Research Institute examined the effect of sex on the heart. The study concluded that men are 45 percent less likely to experience cardiovascular diseases. But the study fails to study the effect of sex on a woman's heart.

7. Pain relief. Pleasure is the measure to beat out the pain. Do you experience migraines and body pain? Well sex is the answer. But if you experience back pain, it is best to consult a doctor. Dr. George E. Erlich, an arthritis specialist from Philadelphia conducted a study on the link between arthritis and sex. He narrows down that patients who engaged in sex experienced less pain.

8. Builds trust and intimacy. The act of sex spikes the hormone oxytocin; this hormone is responsible for your happiness and love. If you feel your relationship is falling out, or you're worried that your partner will stray away, then sex will dispel these doubts. The hormone oxytocin builds trust and brings couples closer, and cupid too.

9. Less chances of cancer. Regular ejaculation reduces your chances of developing prostate cancer. In an Australian study men who ejaculated 21 times a month were least likely to develop cancer. It is further supported by other researches that sexual intercourse reduces the risk of prostrate cancer.

10. Stronger pelvic muscles. Sex involves the use of several muscles; hence regular sexual intercourse can help you develop stronger pelvic muscles. Further, since the act of sex involves a range of muscles, it also helps strengthen these muscles - for ex: quads, your core, and the upper back. Through regular sex, you can also maintain a strong bladder and bowel function. Strong muscles, calorie burner, improves heart health - sex seems to take care of you.

11. Prostate Protection. Most of the fluid you ejaculate is secreted by the prostate gland. If you stop ejaculating, the fluid stays in the gland, which tends to swell, causing lots of problems. Regular ejaculation will wash those fluids out and ensure the well-being of your prostate until old age. Problems may also occur when you suddenly change the frequency of ejaculations.

12. Induces sleep. After that great, lovely workout you are bound to get good sleep. But guess what? Sex works the same way as exercise. The increased heart rate leads to increased post-coital relaxation. Sex could be the next thing for insomniacs! So what really happens: - Sex can relax you, hence if you are already tired, the act of sex will induce sleep. - When men ejaculate they become lethargic, this can make them sleepy.

13. Regular periods. Apparently sex can improve your menstrual cycle. Sex regulates hormones, which in turn regulate the menstrual cycle. Sex reduces stress, which is one of the reasons women miss their periods. Sex seems like a better option than pills.

14. Prevents Erectile Dysfunctions. Fifty per cent of men older than 40 suffer from erectile dysfunctions and all young men fear the moment when they won't be able to get it up any more. The best medicine against impotence is...sex. An erection keeps the blood flowing through your penile arteries, so the tissue stays healthy. Plus, doctors compare an erection to an athletic reflex: the more you train the more capable you are to perform.

15. Live longer. A healthy heart, stronger muscles, increased circulation of oxygen and happiness are some of the factors that add life to the years and as a result - years to your life. A study published in the British Medical Journal reveals that men who engaged in sex often live longer than those who rarely had any action.

16. Healthier semen. If you're trying to conceive, you increase the volume of semen if you have sex regularly. Regular sex replaces old sperms from the testicles. If there is a natural build of sperms it can lead to DNA damage.

A doctor made it his regular habit to stop at a bar for a hazelnut daiquiri on his way home. The bartender knew of his habit and would always have the drink waiting at precisely 5:03 PM. One afternoon, as the end of the work day approached, the bartender was dismayed to find that he was out of hazelnut extract. Thinking quickly, he threw together a daiquiri made with hickory nuts and set on the bar. The doctor came in at his regular time, took one sip of the drink and exclaimed, "This isn't my hazelnut daiquiri!" "No, I'm sorry," replied the bartender, "it's a hickory daiquiri, doc.

Sorry Rupe!

Prostate Cancer.

Men who suffer from prostate cancer are statistically significantly less likely to die from their cancer if they are taking cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins. The study, led by researchers from the US based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre, have published their findings online in The Prostate.

The study was led by Janet L. Stanford, Ph.D., co-director of the Prostate Cancer Research Program. It followed about 1000 USA prostate cancer patients over almost eight years. Approximately 30 per cent of the 1000 participants in the study were taking statin drugs to control their cholesterol. Over the eight-year period, the researchers found that the risk of death from prostate cancer in those not taking statins was five per cent. In those taking statins the risk of death caused by prostate cancer was only one per cent.

The study is unusual, as most research on the impact of statins on prostate cancer patients looks at the effect of the cholesterol-lowering drugs on a man's PSA level. A study which looks at death rates required a much longer follow-up period. Dr Stanford is hopeful, however, that her research will prompt further studies. "If the results of our study are validated in other patient cohorts with extended follow-up for cause-specific death, an intervention trial of statin drugs in prostate cancer patients may be justified."

Researchers are not yet sure what the medical reason behind the lowered death rate when taking statins will prove to be, but they have some strong theories. The first is that cells which are high in cholesterol play a key role in controlling pathways associated with the survival of prostate cancer cells in the body. More cholesterol-rich cells in the body means higher survival rates for cancer cells. The second possibility is that statins inhibit an essential precursor to cholesterol production, known as mevalonate. Lower levels of mevalonate in the body may reduce the risk of fatal prostate cancer. It may also be that these two mechanisms are working together to prevent fatal prostate cancer, but further study will be required.

But, and there is always a BUT!!! A new study suggests these drugs can also slightly increase a patient’s risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, particularly at higher doses.

The association between statins and Type 2 diabetes is not a surprise: a 2010 study in the journal Lancet suggested that people taking statins were 9% more likely to develop the disease than those who didn’t take the drugs. Still, experts say the findings shouldn’t put people who need statins off the medication. The new study suggests that the cholesterol-lowering benefits of statins outweigh the small diabetes risk. According to the data, 498 people would have to take high-dose statins for a year before causing one new case of diabetes. In contrast, only 155 people would need to take high-dose statin therapy for year to prevent a heart attack.

When a man opens a car door for his wife, it's either a new car or a new wife.

Snoring.

Snoring is often a pointer to a more serious sleep disorder. If you snore loudly, if you have pauses in your breathing during sleep, or if you wake up frequently during the night, you may be suffering from sleep apnoea. Ask your partner or a member of your family to listen for signs of this disorder.

Sleep Apnoea. Sleep apnoea is a condition where the sufferer stops breathing intermittently during sleep. This repeatedly interrupts the normal sleep pattern and may cause low oxygen levels in the blood.

Symptoms:	Snoring, grunting during sleep.
	Restless sleep.
	Non-refreshing sleep.
	Headaches on waking.
	Daytime sleepiness.
	Lack of energy and drive.
	Poor memory and concentration.
	Depression.
	Reduced sexual drive, impotence.

Treatment: If sleep apnoea is confirmed, the choice of treatment depends on the severity of the condition. Possible treatments include:

	CPAP Therapy.
	Weight loss.
	Sleeping on the side.
	Reduced pre-sleep stimulant intake.
	Nose and throat surgery.
	Mandibular Advancement Splint.

Consequences; Sleep apnoea impairs your quality of life and medical research has shown that it may also be related to:

	Heart disease.
	Atrial fibrillation.
	Stroke.
	Central obesity.
	Hypertension (high blood pressure).
	Insulin resistance/type 2 diabetes.
	Hyperlipidaemia.

Road-safety research shows sufferers also have a greatly increased risk of road and work accidents.

A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kickboxing.

A Link Between Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

and Alzheimer-type dementia.

As we know, lots of war veterans have or will develop Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Evidence has been mounting that there could be a link with Alzheimer-type dementia. This is important, because if there is, GPs should be made aware of it and be on the lookout for early symptoms. Also any link should be recognised by the Department of Veterans Affairs for compensation and treatment purposes.

In September 2012, the Vietnam Veterans Federation presented the evidence it had gathered, and asked the Repatriation Medical Authority to investigate. This the Repatriation Medical Authority did, resulting in a new factor being inserted into the Alzheimer Statement of Principles. That factor recognises the link.

In summary it states;

The Repatriation Medical Authority amends, the Statement of Principles concerning Alzheimer-type dementia Instrument No. 22 of 2010, by:

Inserting the additional factor:

Having posttraumatic stress disorder at least five years before the clinical onset of Alzheimer-type dementia .

(see the Statement of Principle itself for the exact wording)

Yours sincerely,

Tim McCombe

National President

Airlie Beach.

Any bloke who has been to Airlie Beach would have probably been to the toilet down the end of town. It’s a classic.

Back Go to page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Forward