Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative brain disorder that progresses slowly in most people. The main symptoms of Parkinson's – tremor, rigidity and slowness of movement – are also the main symptoms of a number of conditions that are grouped together under the term parkinsonism. "Parkinsonism" is the umbrella term used to describe a number of conditions that share symptoms of slowed movement. They also have other symptoms such … [Read more...]
Archives for May 2016
Will global warming make you fat?
Whilst the title seems somewhat gimmicky, this article raises an interesting issue – will climate change impact our weight and BMI? Even now the changing climate is impacting Australia’s produce and as the climate continues to change, it does pose the question of how greatly this will affect the availability of fruit and vegetables and what we will do about it. Unfortunately, Australia already has soaring numbers of overweight and obese people … [Read more...]
Teachers fear a ‘digital divide’, as parents concerned about BYOD costs
The Turnbull government has NSW teachers fearing a "digital divide" due to the reforms made to the about-face on Gonski program. Research shows parents are struggling with the growing burden of having to buy devices, which can cost up to $1200 for each child. The government's decision not to fund the final two years of Gonski school funding means that wealth determines the quality of a child's education. This is especially so in the realm of … [Read more...]
Are frozen vegetables as nutritious as fresh ones
Frozen vegetables are cheap and extremely convenient. This is particularly the case now that they sell individual steam bag portions that you can throw straight into the microwave for a few minutes. However, I regularly get asked whether they are as nutritious as fresh vegetables. Many people find it difficult to use the fresh ones in time and they perish. The good news is, yes, they are just as nutritious. Two large reviews of the published … [Read more...]
Exercises for Pneumonia Prevention
Aspiration Pneumonia occurs when food and fluids pass down the wrong way into the lungs and this material causes infection in the lungs. A number of aetiologies such as motor neurone disease, stroke, or Parkinson’s disease predispose a person to dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia. Certain exercises and manoeuvres can be used to assist swallowing and prevent Dysphagia. A speech pathologist will assess the cause and type of Dysphagia. This may … [Read more...]
Eggs and dietary cholesterol
Should I avoid eggs because of their cholesterol content? It’s a question I get asked a lot: "Should I avoid eggs because of their cholesterol content?" or: "How many eggs can I safely have in a week?". It was once thought that eggs, because they contain some cholesterol, would negatively impact cholesterol levels and that they should be limited or avoided. Unfortunately this is quite an outdated opinion that has managed to stick in people’s … [Read more...]
ANZACs and Australian Slang
Much of our Australian slang stems from the ANZAC soldiers who went off to fight during World War 1, World War 2 and the Vietnam War. These soldiers developed their own unique slang, much of which has survived for 90 years up to this day. A number of these slang words originated particularly from the time the ANZAC soldiers trained in Egypt before heading off to Gallipoli. The term ANZAC, which stands for Australian New Zealand Army Corps was … [Read more...]
Chicken Koftas with Apple and Lemon Yoghurt Dip Recipe
Chicken Koftas with Apple and Lemon Yoghurt Dip Serves: 4 Summary Chicken Koftas with Apple and Lemon Yoghurt Dip Serves 4 Preparation Time: 25 minutes chicken-koftas-with-apple-and-lemon-yoghurt-dip-recipe Ingredients Chicken Koftas 450g chicken mince, 1/2 cup uncooked couscous, 1/2 onion, very finely chopped, 2 cloves garlic, crushed, 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley, 1/4 cup finely chopped … [Read more...]
Re-Creating Womb Sounds Perks Preemies’ Attention
New research has suggested that premature babies may be aided in their ability to pay attention to speech through listening to recordings of their mothers’ voices and heartbeats. Researchers behind the study were aiming to recreate the environment prior to their birth inside the womb. Premature babies do better if their acoustical environment approximates what the babies would have heard in the womb, neuroscientist Amir Lahav said at a news … [Read more...]
