When planning a balanced diet some of the things to consider include:

• an understanding of good nutrition
• regular and nutritious family meals
• limit the amount of television watched each day -including video/computer games
• exercise more - along with good nutrition, it's probably the most important consideration Something as simple as a daily walk with friends or family is a good start. Walk to your shops or go and throw a frisbee in the park.
• don't be over ambitious and plan to introduce one new lifestyle change a week
• use resources as a guide to help you plan e.g.the Weight Watchers book, Better Health Channel, Healthy Child, helps parents establish healthy eating habits at home.

Sources: * www.health.nsw.gov.au
**www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au

 

Lung cancer claims for women on the increase

Australia may have the fifth lowest adult smoking rate after Sweden, USA, Portugal and Canada*, yet there is a growing number of lung cancer claims from Australian women. MBF's claims information shows that 500 females were hospitalised with lung cancer in 2006 - an increase of 21%.

The healthcare legacy of smoking-related cancers was revealed recently in an Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report commissioned by the National Cancer Strategies Group.**

The report projected that the number of new lung cancer cases for women is expected to increase by 38% from 2891 in 2001 to around 4000 in 2011.

Sources: * Health at a glance 2007 - OECD indicators, AIHW
** Cancer incidence projections, Australia 2002 to 2011 AIHW report (2005)

 

World Congress on Endometriosis

The 10th World Congress on Endometriosis 2008 was held at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre from 11 to 14 March 2008.

The Congress highlighted facts and trends in the management of endometriosis, offering practical solutions to its two main symptoms: pain and infertility. While showcasing new and improved diagnostic tools and drugs, the Congress also displayed the highest level of science relating to reproductive medicine and women's health.

What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is when the endometrium - the tissue that lines the uterus - develops abnormally outside the uterus. As this is the same tissue lining the inside of the uterus, it responds to hormonal changes and is likely to bleed monthly, even outside of the uterus.

Endometriosis can cause severe pain and infertility, as well as irregular menstrual bleeding, and bowel and bladder symptoms.

In the early stages it is oftendifficult to diagnose as the symptoms can often be dismissed as period pain. Also, as the tissue can be found in unusual places, symptoms often mimic other conditions, making it difficult to recognize and therefore diagnose.

If you experience severe pain at the onset of your period, or if you have a sister with endometriosis (making you 2.3 times more susceptible to it), take the time and get checked out because the symptoms of endometriosis can get more severe over time.*

Get more information about endometriosis and infertility in this issue.

Source: * www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au

 

Hearty Health

Cardiovascular disease remains Australia's greatest health issue, affecting two out of three families.*

The good news is, prevention can be as simple as ensuring a balanced diet of different foods and limiting those foods you know may cause harm.

While fat does have an impact on your cholesterol levels, you do need a certain amount of polyunsaturated and monounsatured fat to maintain good health.

So, make sure your diet includes:

• polyunsaturated fats found in fish, walnuts, hazelnuts and brazil nuts, and polyunsaturated margarines and oils
• monounsaturated fats found in avocado, peanuts, cashews and almonds and monounsaturated margarine and oils

And avoid:

• saturated fats found in many take-away meals, potato chips, commercial cakes, biscuits and pastries, butter and dairy products (full-fat milk, cream, cheese)
• trans fats found in many baked products like pies, pastries, cakes and biscuits

Remember, salt is important in your diet but only in moderation - too much can increase your blood pressure. Fresh fruit and vegetables, moderate amounts of lean meat and grain-based foods are already rich in natural salts, so you don't need to add any extra.

Finally, don't forget to plan some physical exercise into your day - a brisk walk is great for your health!

Source: * www.heartfoundation.org.au

 

Top foods to pack in your lunchbox

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but making it through the afternoon has everything to do with what you had for lunch.

Try to include the following foods in your lunchbox to provide the right nutritional balance:

• a hard boiled egg or a chunk of cheese for protein;
• carrot and celery sticks with hummus (easy to make: just blend chick peas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil) to dip;
• a few cherry tomatoes and baby spinach or rocket leaves;
• a slice of quality low-GI bread: rye, sprouted or sour dough, aids digestion; and
• for snacking, try dried fruit and a small handful of unsalted nuts like almonds and walnuts, and a banana or apple

The combination of protein and carbohydrates ensures a sustained release of energy throughout the afternoon. A balance of protein and carbs is better than high sugar and carb options which can result in the 3 o'clock afternoon slump and quite frankly make you feel worse in the long run.

And, when you do find yourself in the food hall agonizing between the creamy pasta salad and the burger with the lot, go the pasta option - just make sure you choose a small portion and have it with salad.

 

The good word on chocolate

Could it be the bittersweet romance may be over for dark chocolate lovers following a report in the medical journal, The Lancet.*

According to the report, the guys at the chocolate factory became so concerned about the impact of flavanol's bitter taste on chocolate sales, they took it out of the bar.

When consumed, flavanol-rich chocolate causes blood vessels to open up, improving heart function. But without flavanol, the only things left are high levels of fat, sugar and calories - so uh….not exactly good for you.

The moral of the story? If you're after health benefits in your snacks, check the chocolate wrapping before you buy. Or even better - have a piece of fruit!

Source: * Pogson, N. (2007) The Lancet, 370:9605

 

Breakfast: make it low GI

It's been well documented that eating breakfast improves the performance and behaviour of school children. However, a new study takes it one step further: a low glycaemic breakfast may produce the most beneficial results.

The study was part of an inquiry held in the UK by the Associate Parliamentary Food and Health Forum, entitled The Links Between Diet and Behaviour*. It found that children who ate breakfast with a low glycaemic index (GI) showed improved memory and attention, and were able to spend more time on a task in class.

While further study needs to be done to provide conclusive evidence, it certainly seems a low-GI breakfast may actually improve memory and attention in the classroom.

Good low-GI breakfast foods include muesli with low-fat milk, yoghurt and fruit, and poached eggs on wholegrain toast.

Source: * Food for the Brain 2007 Child Survey Report

 

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