HEALTH HUB Latest Articles
Toxic Ticks and Lyme Disease
Does the Aussie tick pose a greater health risk than we thought? Lyme disease is an infection caused by a bacteria known as Borrelia that is spread to humans by a bite from a tick. The most common sign of infection is a distinctive rash shaped like a bullseye that begins at the site of the tick bite about a week after it has occurred. The rash is not usually itchy or painful and only about 25-50% of infected people develop a rash which makes diagnosis tricky. Other early symptoms include flu like symptoms such as tiredness, muscle aches, fever, [...]
Maintaining motivation
I’m writing this blog from sunny Bali, the location of our latest squad training camp. The triathlon squad are here to escape the cold Victorian winter and train hard in the mountains. It is a fantastic opportunity if you are lucky enough or would like to attend. It made me think about how important it is to add some variety to your training location to maintain motivation. It is easy to get stuck into the same old training routine and just as easy to get bored with it. Without meaning to, you can slowly but surely struggle to find the [...]
The Best Remedies for Kicking a Hangover
I’m sure many of you have experienced that yucky, dehydrated, painful experience of waking up the morning after a night of binge drinking. You may feel dizzy, sore or just plain horrible due to copious amounts of alcohol entering your system. Luckily there are a few coping mechanisms to help you feel better and get your energy back, so you don’t have to spend the whole day in bed. You should also familiarise yourself with the foods to avoid after a big night. Lots and lots of water First things first. Water should be your best friend during your big [...]
How to Stay Slim Without Dieting
Many of you know someone, perhaps a family member or close friend, who always seems to look bikini-ready - even throughout the long winters and Christmas holidays. You may be wondering how they do it, while your own weight seems to fluctuate with the seasons. Their secret doesn't involve yo-yo dieting or an intense fitness regime. It is simply a number of healthy eating habits that have been adopted into their way of life. Focus on nutritional value rather than big portions By eating food that is of better quality you are rewarding your body by receiving more nutrients that [...]
Mix it up!
Have you stagnated in your training or fitness program? There can be many reasons for this but common ones include: lack of variety in training, doing the same thing each week, missing too many sessions or an imbalance in your nutrition. Each of the week’s activities are designed to break up the training and give you the opportunity to find an activity or a couple that you enjoy. People who enjoy something are usually more willing to spend time and effort into improving and will therefore see results. Monday Day off Tuesday 5mins skipping + 20mins core strength or pilates [...]
5 Signs You’re Eating the Wrong Foods
When you decide to cut out certain foods from your diet such as sugar or caffeine, it is normal to feel withdrawal symptoms while your body adjusts. But this may not be the case all the time as your body could be reacting to certain foods that don’t make you feel so crash hot. It could be you’re not eating enough or eating too much of the wrong food and not getting the right amount of nutrients. Here are some signs to look out for that may prompt you to rethink your eating habits. 1. You have no energy This [...]
Listen to your body
Recovery is just as important as doing exercise. Some people struggle to get motivated to exercise, others go all out and never stop. The key is to find a good balance, maintain consistency and listen to your body. A key skill is to work out when your body is tired from a key session or constantly fatigued from back to back sessions and the daily grind. To assist my recovery from larger sessions (90mins of longer including intensity) I use Synd-X Protein Powder as a base to my banana smoothie. For most of the athletes I coach, we work off [...]
The Art and Science of HRT
Bioidentical versus Synthetic The art and science of natural or bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (bioidentical hormones) has flourished in the last decade. The outdated supermarket style of HRT for treating menopause has been surpassed by a combination of natural hormones tailor-made to suit every individual woman. Why is this so? Since a controversial study in 2002, HRT has been a hotly debated item. It was found that HRT increased the risk of breast cancer and subsequently this caused a decline in the number of women taking HRT for menopausal symptoms. Today, only eight per cent of menopausal Australian women use [...]
A cuppa a day to keep blood pressure at bay
Some years ago, an innovative study showed the medical world that a simple flower can help lower high blood pressure. It showed that following the British custom of ‘sipping a cuppa’ really helped to keep the pressure down. Blood pressure was lowered when participants drank three cups daily of herbal tea containing hibiscus. The study was simple and showed overall that drinking blends of hibiscus tea lowered systolic blood pressure – the top number in the blood pressure reading – by an average of 7 points. This was significantly more than the 1-point drop observed in people who were given [...]
Could you have irritable bowel syndrome?
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) means an irritability of the bowel and this can affect any area of the digestive tract. The most common symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome are: Abdominal pain – this may vary from dull aching, swollen pressure, cramping, or sharp in nature. The pains are usually intermittent and may disappear for long periods of time. Irregular pattern of bowel actions – constipation or diarrhoea, or constipation alternating with diarrhoea. Other symptoms may include belching, bloating, reduced appetite and excessive gas (flatulence). What causes Irritable Bowel Syndrome? In most cases it is food intolerance. Sometimes it’s a sensitivity [...]