Posted by kathryn in Health News

I’m briefly interrupting Q & A Month, because there’s some news I wanted to ask you about. In the last few days the Heart Foundation have awarded their Tick to six pizzas from the Crust chain. According to the Heart Foundation, they are “challenging pizza companies to provide healthier meals”: bq. The popularity of pizza can’t be ignored so it is great to see that a small local chain is the first pizza chain to prove that outlets can …

Read more 13 February, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Health News

• Delicious soup: Poucan has a recipe for lemon and chickpea soup. It takes a bit of time to cook, but is super-easy and looks delicious. * Watercress soup: I blame it on the rain we’ve had this week, but I can’t go past soup recipes. And Wendy has a doozy – watercress soup. Look at that vibrant green and just think of all the antioxidants. * Food for fussy kids: Annabel Karmel’s website is all about food and …

Read more 08 February, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Health News

A quick link over to my latest post at Diet-Blog: Chocolate the new antidepressant. New research from the Black Dog Institute, here in Australia, has found a link between chocolate cravings and certain personality types. If you’re prone to irritability and worrying about rejection, then not only are you more likely to crave chocolate, but it may actually improve your mood. I’ve blogged about the health benefits or otherwise, of chocolate before. For more information on this latest study, ...

Read more 04 October, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

With much fanfare the government has announced the CSIRO Wellbeing Plan for Australian Children. It’s a ten point plan, covering healthy eating and lifestyle advice. The plan is aimed at helping parents to ensure their children are eating well and developing health habits. Under the programme fridge magnets are being distributed to primary school children and the CSIRO’s website has been ramped up with lots more information and resources. According to the CSIRO: bq. The CSIRO Wellbeing Plan for …

Read more 25 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

Concern over levels of obesity has led the Australian General Practice Network to propose a $170 subsidy be given to overweight people, to encourage them to take part in an accredited weight loss programme. Individuals would be required to take part in a 12 week programme, with specific goals set for weight loss over that time. As reported on the ABC Dr Tony Hobbs from the AGPN says: bq. the proposal would help address Australia’s obesity problem by making it …

Read more 24 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

Researchers in Australia are trying to work out what makes one onion taste stronger than another. While red onions are often chosen for their milder taste, variety is not a reliable guide to the sharpness of an onion’s flavour. This work is a big deal in the onion industry where “mild onions” have become the holy grail. Scientists and farmers have joined forces on the project and Food Science Australia have even been running consumer taste tests. Over the …

Read more 22 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

• Refrigerator Raid has posted a beginner’s strength training programme. It’s a simple 30 minute programme, covering both upper body and lower body strength. If you have less time try the 15 minute home fitness circuit I posted last month. * A woman after my own heart, over at Veggie Chic, Jul asks is it really so hard to eat vegetables?. Confused about how many vegies you should be eating each day? Take a look at my post on …

Read more 21 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

Over the weekend an opinion piece in the SMH made me pause. It’s written by Tanveer Ahmed, a doctor working in the mental health system and he writes about mental health language. As people have become more and more aware of the language of psychiatry and the mind, he wonders if we are becoming distanced from the emotions we feel. Clients no longer say they are “unhappy”, but are instead almost always “depressed”. It’s not uncommon for him to be …

Read more 19 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

Over at Diet-Blog, Crabby McSlacker asks the interesting question: if there was an exercise pill, would you still work out? bq. Suppose there was now a pill that could burn the same number of calories, build the same muscles, and provide all the same health benefits as any amount of exercise you could do . . . would you ever go to the gym again? At the moment, comments are heavily in the yes I would still exercise camp – ...

Read more 19 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

I’ve been working away at an article on soy for Wellbeing magazine over the last few days. In the course of my research I came across a BBC resource called Cancer: the facts. It lists all the main types of cancer and then give some basic information on what it is, what the symptoms are, causes and treatments. Each page also shows links to news items pertaining to that particular cancer. The treatment outline is the standard medical approach and …

Read more 15 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

While I’ve posted about the healthiest type of chocolate, I’d hate you to think I was part of the current Nestle campaign to turn chocolate into a health food. Yep, Nestle, one of the big chocolate manufacturers, has launched a campaign encouraging health professionals to promote dark chocolate, because of its antioxidant properties. The “switch to dark” campaign shows chocolate spilling out of medicine bottles, under the byline “anti-oxidants never tasted so good”. Do I need to say that, while …

Read more 08 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

A new study into healthy behaviours among the Australian population has revealed worrying statistics. After analysing key healthy lifestyle markers, researchers found only 5 percent of the population were following these basic guidelines. Scientists from the University of Sydney used information from the 2004 – 2005 Australian National Health Survey, which collected data from over 16,000 people. Their aim was to examine the effect of obesity on healthy lifestyle behaviours, by looking at three key diet and lifestyle areas and …

Read more 04 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

Melanie over at Dietriffic has just completed a fantastic series of posts on diabetes. She’s built up quite a resource of information and strategies for managing diabetes. Posts cover basic dietary advice; the importance of exercise; ways of adapting recipes to be diabetes friendly; as well as information on how to prevent diabetes. To make the information easier to accesss, Melanie’s put a summary of the diabetes series on an index page. If you’re at all concerned about diabetes, then …

Read more 25 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

The Guardian has a regular feature, that I think’s quite neat – Five Ways To. These quick articles provide simple, practical was to manage a health problem. The most recent include: * Five ways to stay regular * Five ways to have healthy feet * Five ways to keep that holiday feeling * Five ways to de-stress * Five ways to improve your memory

Read more 24 July, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

If you’ve been sat at your desk all morning, you’re probably starting to feel a bit stiff and lethargic? It’s lunch-time, and while I’m a big fan of going outside during your lunchbreak to move around and clear your head, I do realise not everyone does this. The SMH has put together a list of exercises and stretches you can do at your desk. While they’re not the perfect solution, these simple moves should help to keep you supple, mobile …

Read more 24 July, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

A mushroom weighing 20kg has been found in Mexico’s southern state of Chiapas. It stands 70cm tall. Pictures are here and here . h3. Reminder Q & A Thursday is tomorrow – let me know if you have any questions about food, nutrition and health, either by sending an email or leaving a comment.

Read more 11 July, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

Paula Goodyer has also posted about echinacea. on her Chew On This blog and she shares an excellent sounding brew from Professor Marc Cohen at RMIT: bq. He heats about five cups of water with two to three large cloves of chopped garlic, an equivalent amount of fresh ginger, half a lemon and one tablespoon of echinacea root, adds honey and keeps it in a vacuum flask to drink through the day. If you use echinacea extract instead of the …

Read more 03 July, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

Every few months it seems there’s a different story about echinacea. One study “proves” it works, and then two months later along comes another that trashes the herb. Last week, results from a University of Connecticut (UConn) study were published, saying that echinacea reduces the chances of catching the common cold by 58 percent and reduces the duration of a cold by 1.4 days. Moreover echinacea, taken in conjuction with vitamin C, reduced the incidence of colds by 86 …

Read more 03 July, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

A follow up to my posts about folic acid fortification here in Australia, new research from the UK has linked depression to low folate levels. Last month, the Food Standards Agency in the UK put forward a recommendation that either bread or flour be fortified with folic acid to prevent neural tube defects. It has been suggested that this latest research means fortification may help with depression. The research, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health , comprised …

Read more 29 June, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

As I posted yesterday, folate is a vitamin we all need. Our bodies use it in DNA replication, for catalysing cell growth and repair, as well as in making red blood cells. It’s found in a number of different foods. Women are advised to take folate supplements in pregnancy, to prevent neural tube defects (NTDs). These are a group of birth defects which include spina bifida and anencephaly. It’s estimated that up to 70% of NTDs are preventable through increasing …

Read more 27 June, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

A decision was made last week by the Food Regulation Ministerial Council, that wheat flour used in bread-making would be fortified with folic acid. Until now, the fortification of foods with folic acid has been voluntary, here in Australia. Manufacturers have been able to choose to put folic acid in their foods and then include a health claim on the packaging. Over the next two years however, a mandatory code is being phased in. This will require all wheat …

Read more 26 June, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

Healthbolt has a post and wonderful graphic on what happens to your body if you stop smoking right now. It includes the short-term and long-term effects. The health benefits of quitting kick in 20 minutes after your last cigarette and within 48 hours, your chances of having a heart attack have already started to decline.

Read more 13 June, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

• Overseas action on junk food advertising to kids: tomorrow the UK parliament is having its second reading of a bill aimed at preventing the advertising on TV of foods high in fat, sugar and sodium before 9pm (when in theory young children have stopped watching and gone to bed). * According to Rudd Sound Bites, Starbucks in the US is about to make reduced fat milk the standard in a lot of its drinks. * I like this breakfast …

Read more 08 June, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

Interested in different eating patterns around the world? How does your diet compare with a family in Beijing, or one in South America? Time’s photo essay * What the World Eats * compares what’s on the dinner table of fifteen different families from around the world. Which are you most like?

Read more 05 June, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

A follow up to the previous story – the City of Knox has responded to the Melbourne University research. The local council have joined forces with community and health services to try and make it easier for mums to walk more. bq. Wendy Smith, the Knox City Council’s coordinator of social planning and research, says the research highlighted the dependence of many Knox residents on their cars for short trips around the neighbourhood. As a result, the Council, working with …

Read more 28 May, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

A new study shows where you live can influence your health. It’s not surprising news, but this three year study by the University of Melbourne has shown the more fast food outlets and the fewer walking tracks a suburb has, the more unhealthy its residents. Location affects the food residents eat, the amount of exercise they do and their weight. The report looked at 50 different areas and the food purchasing and exercise habits of about 5,000 residents. The study …

Read more 28 May, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

An article in last week’s Herald and UK Independent reported on research by the Harvard School of Public Health, showing a link between milk intake and acne. This study, undertaken by Walter Willet and his team, used information from the large-scale Nurses Health Study II, which examined the diet and lifestyle of about 47,000 women. A link was found between women who had acne and those who drank a lot of milk. The Harvard team has theorised that hormones …

Read more 21 May, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

US Food Policy reports on the anti-childhood obesity programme in Somerville, MA. Called Shape Up Somerville, it’s an example of what happens when a whole community joins together to tackle this problem. A wide range of measures have been set in motion, offering a school, parent and community programme that comes at the issue from several angles: * By improving the food served in school canteens * Including healthy eating as part of the school curriculum * Encouraging after …

Read more 17 May, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

This week is Autism Awareness Week. There’s lots going on and Neil over on At My Table is writing a series of blog posts about autism.

Read more 16 May, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

I was thinking about the recent Ribena apology last night and in particular the statement: bq. The testing method used to determine the level of Vitamin C was unreliable and we were unaware of this at the time. Testing methods revealed that Vitamin C levels in a number of our ‘ready-to-drink’ products deteriorated over time and did not meet the Vitamin C level stated on the nutritional information on the pack. This seems to me disingenuous at best. Why were …

Read more 11 May, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

The government announced a range of health and nutrition measures in last night’s budget, totalling almost $500 million dollars. The annoucement included: * $11.7 million over four years for a national nutrition and physical activity survey to focus on adults. This will include grants to community organisations to fund walking groups and exercise equipment and the programme will involve up to 14,000 participants. * the current after-school activity programme will continue to be subsidised for another three years. * $200 …

Read more 09 May, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

There’s anecdotal evidence that Sydney-siders are cycling more. Whether it’s biking to work every day, or about town on the weekend, more and more people seem to be getting on their bikes. Which makes this Saturday’s chocolate and fine food cycle ride a cute, interesting and timely event. It’s organised by the Marrickville-South Sydney Bicycle Group and is a 20 kilometre cycle, over three hours, that winds its way around the cafes, patisseries and chocolate shops of the inner west. ...

Read more 30 March, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

GlaxoSmithKline in New Zealand have been fined $NZ227,500 ($200,000) for making misleading claims about the vitamin C content of Ribena. As I suspected , their claim that “the blackcurrants in Ribena contain four times the vitamin C of oranges” has been food label trickery. While blackcurrants themselves are indeed a rich source of vitamin C, Ribena only contains 4% of the fruit. Ribena is therefore a richer source of sugar, water and kilojoules than vitamin C. As reported in …

Read more 29 March, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

School science projects can lead to unlikely results – GlaxoSmithKline were caught out on their ribena claims by two New Zealand schoolgirls . Two years ago Anna Devathasan and Jenny Suo, a couple of 14-year-old high school students tested the vitamin C levels in Ribena. Not only did they find it contained very little vitamin C, they also found at least one commercial orange juice brand which had four times more vitamin C than Ribena. I’m wondering if this is …

Read more 27 March, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

Ribena manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline have dobbed themselves in to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for misleading advertising. Apparently their claim that ribena contains four times more vitamin C than oranges, is not entirely true. They are already under investigation in New Zealand and will be in court next week facing more than 80 charges relating to misleading claims. Back in January Choice included ribena in their list of the _ * Ten foods that make kids fatter faster ...

Read more 22 March, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

Mr Oliver’s new cooking programme Jamie at home is back on TV. Having been tantalised by the first few episodes back in February, Channel 10 are now showing the rest of the series. It’s on Thursday evenings at 7.30pm . [Sorry about the day late notice, I meant to post this yesterday, but my internet connection was struggling ]

Read more 16 March, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

I’ve seen the reports this morning in the Herald , about concerns raised in a new study into vitamin supplements – that they may increase the risk of death. I will be blogging about this, but want to review the original research and other reports before commenting. I’ll post something about thison Saturdaynext week.

Read more 28 February, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

I posted last week about how much I loved the new Jamie at Home programme . Last night I sat down at 7.30pm, waited 20 mins, flicking between Channel 10 and the 7.30 Report , but Mr Oliver failed to materialise. While I found out all about the wonderful volunteers in Warnambool working to save koalas after the bush fires, the cooking show just wasn’t on. I wasn’t the only one annoyed and disconcerted by this. After speaking to Channel …

Read more 16 February, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

Big article from the Guardian on Dr Gillian McKeith, the host of You Are What You Eat . It’s emotive, angry and contains a big serve against nutritionists in general – worth a read. And yes, I am a nutritionist myself, but I have some sympathies with the writer’s point of view. Thanks to Dietgirl for the link.

Read more 13 February, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

This , from last week’s Age, on the Heart Foundation’s Tick accreditation of nine McDonald’s meals . Pros and cons of the deal, what’s involved, as well as a good outline of how the whole Tick programme works.

Read more 13 February, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

Last week Jamie Oliver’s new cooking programme started on Channel 10, called Jamie At Home . I must admit to being a big fan of Jamie Oliver, from his style of cooking, through to the work he’s done in the UK to improve school dinners, plus the Fifteen Foundation. Moreover, unlike a lot of TV celebrity chefs, Jamie Oliver’s recipes are ones that you can actually make at home. Last week’s programme was a corker – a handful of beautiful …

Read more 08 February, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

I blogged yesterday about the announcement that nine McDonald’s meals have been given Heart Foundation Ticks. A follow up story in today’s Herald gives reactions from the AMA and Westmead Children’s Hospital. The AMA are concerned the: bq. respected red tick, which indicates to consumers a healthy, low kilojoule, well-balanced meal, had been “hamburgled” by McDonald’s, and could create a “halo” effect around a small number of more healthy meals on an extensive menu high in fats, salt and sugar. ...

Read more 07 February, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

Big news from the fast food industry today, nine McDonald’s meals have been accredited with a Heart Foundation tick. What can be going on? The Heart Foundation’s Tick is a guide to helping people make healthier food choices. It’s mostly found on processed and take-away foods, offering an independent assessment on which are the healthier options in that food category . h3. Tick programme guidelines Over the last year Macca’s have been working with the Heart Foundation to improve the …

Read more 06 February, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Health News

Following all the contradictions, confusions and misinformation about soy this week, here&#