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Monthly Archives

March 2018

Mar 30
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Get Set to Quit for World No Tobacco Day

By Cancer, General Wellbeing, Lifestyle

We all know by now that smoking is not healthy, but over time it is easy to get complacent. May 31st is World No Tobacco Day, which is a yearly reminder of the damage that tobacco does to individuals, families and communities – and hopefully provides an extra incentive to quit. Here are some reasons to give a gentle reminder to your loved ones that it’s time to quit.

Tobacco and Heart Disease

The focus of this year’s No Tobacco Day is heart disease, which is just one of the many health concerns that come from smoking. Smoking puts people at a hugely increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death worldwide, and tobacco use is the second leading cause of CVD.

More than 7 million people worldwide die from tobacco-related disease. And it’s not just people who choose to smoke who are effected – around 900,000 of those deaths are non-smokers who were exposed to second-hand smoke from people around them.

Tobacco and Cancer

Cancer is a scary word – but even more scary is how much of a risk factor tobacco use can be. Smoking is the leading risk factor for preventable cancer, and 1 in 5 deaths from cancer are caused by smoking. The tobacco in cigarettes has more than 60 cancer-causing chemicals that are inhaled, and spread through the lungs and throughout the body.

Supporting Smokers

Just over 16% of Australians smoke, and 3 out of 4 smokers say they would like to quit. Clearly quitting is a difficult process, and it needs to be approached with support, respect and understanding. But while quitting is hard, the consequences of not quitting are much more serious.

It doesn’t matter how many times it takes for someone to fully quit, whether they cut down first or go “cold turkey”, whether they use nicotine products or simply stop all usage. The most important thing is that the tobacco goes, for good. Your wallet and every part of your body, including your future health, will thank you for it.

If you know a smoker or smoke yourself, it’s often best to have a plan in place before you quit. There are many good resources online to help you learn more about the quitting process. Another great place to get ongoing help and support is from your GP. They can advise you on what products and methods are available for you, and support you through the process.

On World No Tobacco Day, decide that today is the day to finally say goodbye to tobacco.

Click here to book an appointment with a GP to discuss quitting smoking ->

Mar 14
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Strength in Numbers – Multiple Birth Awareness Week

By Family Planning & Parenting

Parents of multiples face challenges that go beyond just an increased workload. It’s easy for families to become isolated and overloaded with the constantflow of tasks needed to look after more than one baby at a time. This year’s multiple birth awareness week focuses on the importance of the support network surrounding people who have welcomed multiple births. Here are just a very few of the challenges parents of multiple children face, and how you can help lighten the load.

Financial Pressure

Preparing for a new baby is an expensive time, and at each stage new items are needed. It makes sense that parents of multiples feel even more financial strain. Aside from needing enough items at each stage for each baby – all at once and without hand-me-downs from one to the other, many families need specialised items like prams and even cars to accommodate their new arrivals.

Guilt

Many parents experience guilt in the course of raising children, but parents of multiples can feel added pressure in this area. One baby might be more demanding or put on weight quicker, parents might not feel they are splitting their time evenly (especially if they have other children), and sleeplessness can make parents cranky.

Post-natal depression can be a real concern and bonding doesn’t always happen instantly – particularly if the babies have had a lengthy stage in hospital before coming home. Outside the home, parents rarely have the time to see friends or maintain a social life, and their relationships can be put under added strain, all contributing to feelings of guilt.

Isolation

It’s easy for parents of multiples to feel isolated, as simply leaving the house can become an exhausting ordeal. With the added pressure, it’s easy for parents to shut off. However, feelings of isolation and loneliness can also make daily life hard to bear, and the loss of freedom that most new parents experience is even greater with the added care that multiples require.

Exhaustion

Life with multiples very rarely has room for much downtime. Parents can struggle with the extra feeds, sleep routines, and nappy changes that they require, often on reduced sleep. Problems with feeding, sleeping or colic can make everyday life overwhelming. Rest time and even time to take a shower become precious.

How to Help

Any help you offer needs to be tailored to the family and to your relationship with them – if you don’t have much experience with babies, chances are they won’t call on you to babysit, for example. However, there are many areas that parents can be supported.

Any good quality baby items that you aren’t using, a shoulder to cry on, an offer to go out for coffee (on you!) to chat, suggesting that they have a quick shower while you keep an eye on the kids for a moment – anything that lightens the load can have a huge effect on the morale and stamina of stressed-out parents. Above all, asking if there is anything they need or need help with is a good strategy to make sure your support goes where it is needed most.

Raising multiples is a wonderful, rewarding task, but that doesn’t mean it is necessarily an easy one. A strong network of supporters can make all the difference to parents who are finding it tough.

Click here to book an appointment with a GP to discuss support for multiple births –>

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