The benefits that exercise can have on your mental healthByEm Batger07 October 2023October is mental health awareness month. In Australia 1 in 5 people aged 16-85 have experienced a mental health disorder in the past 12 months. These are quite confronting statistics. Regardless of whether you have a lived experience of mental health or not such events can provide an opportunity to pause and take check of your mental head space and that of those around you. For me, exercise is the single most important thing I do for my mental health every day. Why? While most of us know the physical benefits, it may surprise you to learn that what motivates many people to engage in exercise is what it can do for your mental health. Category:Mental Health, Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Living, Stress and AnxietyRead MoreWrite a Comment
Looking Out for Our Kid’s Mental Health ByDr. Michela Sorensen07 October 2023Mental illness is not just an adult issue. We know more and more young children are struggling with their mental health. In fact, up to 20 per cent of children experience mental health issues. It can be hard enough for adult to talk about this, let alone 5-year-olds. So, let’s look at some of the warning signs that a child might be struggling with their mental health. Category:Mental Health, Family First, Raising ChildrenRead MoreWrite a Comment
The Exercise Needed to Counteract a Day’s Worth of SittingByScott Henderson02 October 2023We’ve all heard the saying; sitting is the new smoking. So exactly how much exercise is needed to undo a day spent driving the desk?Category:Fitness, Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy LivingRead MoreWrite a Comment
The three steps to real money success ByBen Nash01 October 2023When it comes to money, everyone has an opinion. All this noise can lead to confusion, inaction, and missed opportunities. While there isn’t one path to money success, there are three things everyone needs to get right. Category:Healthy Living, Stress and Anxiety, Member ValueRead MoreWrite a Comment
How to Integrate Meditation into Everyday Life for Enhanced WellbeingByTammy George26 September 2023Starting a mindfulness journey is often one of those things left at the bottom of the list because "there’s no time" or "it's not for me". Could that be you?Category:Healthy LivingRead MoreWrite a Comment
What is Parasomnia? Causes, Symptoms and TreatmentByTammy George19 April 2022Stories of sleepwalking might be amusing for some, but for others, their parasomnia is a significant concern. Read on to learn more.Category:General Medical, Healthy Sleep PracticesRead MoreWrite a Comment
The Importance Of A Good Nights SleepByEm Batger07 January 2021Sleep is a factor that can truly impact on many aspects of a persons wellbeing. It is equally, if not more important, than exercise and a balanced diet. Not convinced? Have a read of why our HIF Lifestyle expert Em Batger believes that sleep is an essential element of overall health and mental wellbeing.Category:Healthy Living, Healthy Sleep PracticesRead MoreWrite a Comment
6 Tips To Help You SleepByDr. Preya Alexander High-stress levels, which many of us are experiencing right now, can easily affect sleep quality.Category:Healthy Living, Healthy Sleep PracticesRead MoreWrite a Comment
Want a Better Night’s Sleep? 9 Natural Ways to Sleep BetterByTammy GeorgeEveryone feels better after good night’s sleep. Follow our guide for falling asleep faster for a night of deep, restorative sleep.Category:Healthy Living, Healthy Sleep PracticesRead MoreWrite a Comment
Hypertension and DietByJaime Rose Chambers08 June 2023High blood pressure occurs when the force of blood pumping through the arteries is considered too high and puts pressure on the vessel walls. This can make you feel dizzy and give you a headache, but long term it can lead to serious health conditions like stroke, heart disease and kidney disease. Diet plays an integral role in controlled blood pressure and one of the best diets in the world, known as the DASH eating plan has been shown to be comparable with medication in helping to reduce blood pressure. Category:Nutrition, General Medical, Healthy LivingRead MoreWrite a Comment
Essential Health Checks Every Woman Needs to Take Charge of Her HealthByTammy GeorgeMany women fail to take good care of themselves because of their busy schedules. Read our guide on when you should have health checks for early detection of disorders or diseases. Category:General MedicalRead MoreWrite a Comment
Why Your Child Should Have an Annual Check Up ByDr. Michela Sorensen15 May 2023Do you really need to worry about taking your child to the doctor when they are well? The short answer is YES. Just like we recommend adults have an annual check, children should too. Not only does it provide the perfect opportunity to discuss all those questions you wouldn’t necessarily make an appoint for, but it also helps the child establish confidence and trust with their doctor. Doing this early on in life puts children in a great position when it comes to taking care of their health later in life. Category:General Medical, Family First, Raising ChildrenRead MoreWrite a Comment
Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS - What is it and how to manage itByJaime Rose Chambers09 May 2023IBS is short for irritable bowel syndrome. It is considered a chronic functional bowel disorder that is characterised by several symptoms that affect the functioning of the small and large intestine such as such as pain, cramping, bloating and gas, constipation or diarrhoea, or both as well as urgency with defecation. Symptoms may come and go over time and new symptoms may emerge – they may be quite mild but also severe. This can make managing IBS really tricky and often quite stressful. Category:General Medical, Conditions and TreatmentsRead MoreWrite a Comment
5 Symptoms No Women Should Ignore ByDr. Michela Sorensen02 September 2023While we are making inroads when it comes to talking about women’s health issues, there are still a lot of very common issues we don’t talk about. Whether it be fear or embarrassment, women still face barriers when it comes to accessing healthcare. So, this Women’s Health Week, lets look at 5 very common, but lesser talked about, symptoms that no women should ignore. Category:General Medical, Healthy Living, Conditions and TreatmentsRead MoreWrite a Comment
Nutrition and OsteoporosisByJaime Rose Chambers30 August 2023Our bones form our physical structure, they hold us upright and keep us moving. When our body takes calcium from our bones to use in the body and doesn’t have the nutrients available from our diet to replace them, over time bone becomes brittle. This leads to osteopenia, and the more serious, osteoporosis and increases the risk of bone fractures. It’s estimated 1 million Australians have osteoporosis. We can’t reverse it but we can make some diet and lifestyle changes to stop further bone loss and potentially build back some bone. Category:Nutrition, Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy LivingRead MoreWrite a Comment
Five top tips to recover from a fitness event ByEm Batger30 August 2023That moment when you cross the finish line of a challenge you have been training towards for a while can be one of mixed emotions. The huge surge of endorphins make you feel almost euphoric amongst the exhaustion, the elation and relief that it’s over. Even though it’s all done and dusted you owe it to your body to recover properly. How? Read on to find my top five tips to recovery after a big fitness event. Category:Fitness, Healthy Living, Injury and RehabilitationRead MoreWrite a Comment
Alcohol and Our Health - Is there a safe drinking limitByJaime Rose Chambers27 August 2023Alcohol has long been part of many cultures and is still an integral part of many celebrations and events. It’s often also abused and used in excess, at the least making you feel pretty awful, and at its worst, can be fatal to you and to others, such as from road accidents and domestic violence. After decades of research and data collection, The World Health Organisation has recently released a statement on the safest level of drinking and guidelines to keep you and others around you safe from alcohol harm. Category:Nutrition, Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy LivingRead MoreWrite a Comment
It’s OK not to do stuff!ByDr. Happy 23 November 2022With so much focus on “getting stuff done” and with so much life dissatisfaction felt by so many, maybe it’s time to give more thought to what we don’t want (or need) to get done! Category:Mental Health, Healthy Living, Stress and AnxietyRead MoreWrite a Comment
Actively Seeking Discomfort ByDr. Happy 02 November 2022Although avoiding discomfort is understandable, it might not ultimately be in our best interests. Instead, actively seeking out challenge, adversity and novelty can bring multiple benefits for our health and wellbeing and happiness. Category:Mental Health, Stress and AnxietyRead MoreWrite a Comment
Is it Time for Your Mental Health Check Up? ByDr. Michela Sorensen12 October 2022When was the last time you had a mental health check up? Do you even know what it looks like? Like all aspects of health, whether it be physical or mental, it is best to be on the front foot and recognise the early warning signs of ill health. So, just like you might book in a regular blood pressure check, make sure you schedule a mental health check too. After all, prevention is always better than cure.Category:Mental Health, Stress and Anxiety, DepressionRead MoreWrite a Comment
WHEN You Eat Can Affect Your Mental HealthByScott Henderson10 October 2022A new study suggests that when you eat can be just as important as what you eat when it comes to regulating your mental health, and timing your meals to perfection improves mood and reduces the likelihood of depressive symptoms developing.Category:Nutrition, Mental HealthRead MoreWrite a Comment
How First Time Dads Can Help Reach Those MilestonesByTammy George01 August 2017You’re going to be a dad, congratulations! Life as you know it is going to change forever. Despite the excitement and job, dads can sometimes feel a little left out. After all, it’s their partner who is doing all the heavy lifting what with carrying the baby for nine months, giving birth, breastfeeding and perhaps the main caregiver during the child’s early years. But there’s no need to stand on the sidelines.Category:Maternity Care, Family FirstRead MoreWrite a Comment
Balancing Parenting when PregnantByTammy George10 June 2017The things you can do to make parenting while pregnant that little bit easier.Category:Maternity Care, Family First, Pregnancy, Raising ChildrenRead MoreWrite a Comment
Understanding the Financial Impact of Having a BabyByTammy George20 May 2017Get your finances in order so you know how much time you can have off work to care for your new baby.Category:Maternity Care, Family FirstRead MoreWrite a Comment
Mindful Parenting - How You Can Help Your Kids ThriveByDr. Happy 02 March 2017How can we help our kids thrive? According to Dr. Happy, "The answer is “non-judgemental observation”. That is, observing phenomena (like thoughts and feelings) with curiosity but without labelling as either good or bad. This type of mindful parenting gives us the opportunity to respond more calmly; more positively; with the best interests of all involved given more weight. It puts space between a particular action and a parents reaction, enabling us to feel more in control and to act in a more considered manner." So how do we put this into practice? Check out this article to read Dr. Happy's top five tips.Category:Mental Health, Family First, Raising ChildrenRead MoreWrite a Comment