When facing a major loss of any kind, it’s important to remember that grief has physical as well as emotional and spiritual effects.
Grief and the body
Lockdowns and learning
With many people in NSW and elsewhere in Australia looking at the prospects of further COVID lockdowns, parents are facing the challenge of supporting their children’s learning at home while also trying to work.
The Enneagram of Liberation
“The great gift of the Enneagram is that it describes who you are not. It shows the veiling of pure, pristine consciousness by habits of egoic identification. When these habits of mind are exposed, there is a clear choice to end all false identification and realize your true nature. When there is a willingness to […]
Donate life week rolls out
This week, public buses across the Northern Rivers will be helping to promote ‘The Great Registration Race’ to increase organ and tissue donation.
Coffee cuts close to the bone?
New research from the University of South Australia suggests that excess caffeine is linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis.
Muscle relaxants and lower back pain
Australian researchers have found that muscle relaxants are largely ineffective and potentially unsafe when treating low back pain, despite being widely prescribed.
The R number, and why it matters
An infectious diseases expert from Monash University explains what makes the delta variant of COVID-19 so challenging. It all comes down to R numbers.
Go dry in July to help fight cancer
The end of June is here, which means it’s time to ditch the booze for a month and tackle Dry July!
End in sight for HIV in Australia?
Australia can end HIV transmission within four short years, averting over 6,000 infections by 2030 and saving $1.4 billion in health costs, according to a costed plan presented to parliamentarians recently.
How to survive a severe allergic reaction
World Allergy Week is all about raising awareness of anaphylaxis, potentially life-threatening allergic reactions that cause 2,400 hospital admissions and twenty deaths in Australia each year.
Kids Helpline data reveals alarming spikes in child abuse and self-harm
Kids Helpline has announced that duty of care interventions to protect children and young people were 99% higher nationally from 1st December 2020 – 31st May 2021 compared to the same period a year ago.
Defeating diabetes with diet
A person in Australia is diagnosed with diabetes every five minutes, with many more going undiagnosed and suffering disastrous health consequences, but there is hope.
3,318 push-ups for mental health?
Lifeline has issued a challenge to Northern Rivers locals to push for better mental health, by participating in Australia’s largest fitness-based mental health initiative, The Push-Up Challenge.
Overwhelmed by life?
Almost half the 1,000+ Australians recently surveyed said they felt overwhelmed by ‘life admin’ as personal and work pressures take hold, with 79% reporting struggling to keep up, to the point of needing help.
The importance of DadPlay
Australian fathers in rural, regional and remote areas, who are raising children aged three to five with challenging behaviour, will have a helping hand through a new mobile-phone-based service.
What to do about cold sores?
Cold sores are a common and annoying condition. They can recur repeatedly as the herpes virus ‘hides’ in the nerve cells, triggered by factors including cold weather, fever, illness, and fatigue.
Trees vital for human healing and health
Much more than green things that stand in the way, trees look beautiful, make half the air we breathe, and are vital for human physical and mental health.
Childhood bullying and fighting: what’s the difference?
School bullying is a global phenomenon, with teachers often on the frontline of aggressive behaviour. New research highlights the role of early childhood teachers and the importance of correctly identifying and responding to bullying behaviours.
Underwear fighting ovarian cancer
The Ovarian Cancer Australia organisation has teamed up with Bonds, Bras N Things, Jockey and the team from Keep It Cleaner to help mark World Ovarian Cancer Day – 8th May 2021 – and help save lives and support women impacted by ovarian cancer.
Seventeen years staring at your phone?
A new study has found that Australians spend an average of 5.5 hours a day on their phones – but Gen Zers spend the most time on their mobiles, at 7.3 hours a day.
The gift of gratitude
Gratitude is the expression of appreciation for what one has and a recognition of value independent of monetary worth. Spontaneously generated from within, gratitude is an affirmation of goodness and warmth, and can literally change our lives.
Learn the FAST signs of stroke
Stroke is a time-critical medical emergency that needs urgent medical attention. On the Northern Rivers of NSW, the federal electorate of Page is ranked four out of Australia’s top ten hotspots for stroke prevalence, with 3,960 residents living with the effects of stroke.
The client/therapist relationship: being a true friend
It can be very upsetting when a friend responds to trauma in a way that’s unsupportive. It’s even worse when a professional advisor, therapist or practitioner offers you a similar prescription.
Remember to breathe
As life gets busier, many of us forget to give enough attention to the way we breathe.
Make a plan for when (or if) you can’t
Australians are being challenged to think about their future medical care needs for National Advance Care Planning Week, which starts today.
Nervous system support and stress
In modern-day western society, we are inundated with stressors. We’re so stressed that we don’t even recognise it as stress anymore, we just see it as our ‘normal’.
Surfing: connecting mind, body and soul
Women hear a lot about the importance of fitness and movement, but there’s so much misleading and contradicting information out there, it’s confusing. Surfing can cut through all this and help directly, by connecting your mind, body and soul.
Too stressed to sleep properly?
New research reveals that Australians are stressing away quality sleep, with many people being kept up at night due to high stress levels.
Chess helps kids learn about risk
As the hit Netflix drama series The Queen’s Gambit continues to drive renewed interest in chess, new research has found that the ancient game reduces risk aversion in children.
Q&A with Dr Jamie Rickcord from Ananda Clinics
The Northern Rivers of NSW is a region that’s long known the benefits of nature’s plants as medicine. Now, thanks to recent changes to the medicinal cannabis laws and progressive practices like Ananda, everyone can access these treatments in a modern, professional setting.
Happy childhood no guarantee for good mental health
While it’s well understood that a difficult childhood can increase the likelihood of mental illness, new research suggests that a happy and secure childhood doesn’t always protect a child from developing a mental illness in later life.
Participants needed for healthcare study
Southern Cross University researchers have announced a new study to better understand how parents choose healthcare interventions for their children.
Setback for Mind Medicine Australia
Last week the Therapeutic Goods Administration announced its interim decision not to reschedule medical grade psilocybin and MDMA for medical use, but Mind Medicine Australia is going to contest the decision.
Low dose CBD in pharmacies
Low dose cannabidiol (CBD) has just been approved for over-the-counter sale in pharmacies across Australia, following a decision by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
Can VR give insights into dementia?
As dementia numbers in Australia continue to skyrocket, researchers have developed a new virtual reality program to help carers walk in the shoes of those who live with the condition.
Health going up in smoke?
Tobacco smoking is widely known as the leading cause of preventable diseases and death in Australia, but almost 12% of adults still smoke daily. On average, these smokers puff more than twelve cigarettes per day.
Are shoes making you a fashion victim?
Comfortable shoes might not always be the best looking option, but they are the path to better health.
Insights into itching
Research from the USA indicates that allergans in the environment are often to blame for acute itching in people with eczema, but there’s new hope for a cure.
New Year Resolutions, again?!
We’ve all been there. In the run-up to the New Year festivities, we feel very certain that turning the page on yet another year in our journey is a perfect time to reframe, restart, reshape and recommit to higher standards in our health, our practice and our aspirations to better ourselves. The details of how […]
CSIRO weighs in with diet quiz
CSIRO has developed a free, personalised weight loss tool to help Australians combat motivation slumps in the new year and beyond.
Eco-anxiety and what to do about it
Fears for the future of life on Earth are different to other forms of anxiety, and require a different response.
Carrots and sticks
New Year is the traditional time to change your life by giving something up or starting something new, so what works and what doesn’t?
Chimneying with Santa?
Loving relationships of the romantic kind are pretty important for human well-being and survival, but 2020 brought a whole new set of words, and challenges, to the ancient art of romance.
How motherhood changes the brain
Recent studies at Monash University are beginning to understand the long-term impacts of ‘baby-brain’ and how the hormonal changes that take place in a mother’s brain can benefit women later in life.
Ending loneliness together
A new organisation was recently launched to take on the national loneliness epidemic, by bringing people together.
The Pursuit of Happiness
Essentially, everyone wants to be happy. For many of us happiness is elusive. There can be long periods of elation, until life throws us a curve ball. At the other extreme we can be living in a state of despair that seems endless. For others and perhaps most of us, happiness is an experience that […]
Mind Medicine Australia pushes forward with new partner
As Mind Medicine Australia awaits the results of a rescheduling application before the Therapeutic Goods Administration to allow psychedelic medications to be used more widely in clinical therapy, the charity organisation has announced a new partnership with the company Emyria.
Food poisoning – it’s in your hands
It’s Food Safety Week, and Ballina Shire Council is urging everyone to take food poisoning seriously.
Are we eating our way into blindness?
The Australian Society of Ophthalmologists says too much sugar consumption means many Australians are literally eating themselves blind.
Self-care and health policy
Australians will achieve better health outcomes when self-care is a priority of the healthcare system and federal government policy, says the Director of the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine at SCU, Jon Wardle.
Mothers thrive working from home?
Working from home brings its own special challenges, but a recent study of public servants has shown women in particular see themselves as winners from more flexibility about work locations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Help is at hand for mental health
It’s Mental Health Month, and there’s no question that in 2020, across Australia, people’s mental health conditions have escalated significantly.
Showing appreciation for carers
There are over 2.7 million unpaid carers in Australia and about 904,000 in NSW. National Carers Week is a chance to give something back.
Not so great to stay up late
New research from the University of South Australia suggests there are perils associated with a late bedtime for kids and parents.
Boating is good for you
Boaties all swear there’s nothing better than being in a boat. Now there’s some evidence they might be right.
Buddy Boxes for kids with cancer
Each year, over 950 children are diagnosed with cancer in Australia. Cure Cancer has launched The Buddy Box to help kids who have cancer and also aid cancer research.
First aid in a pandemic
The Australian Red Cross has revealed 82% of Australians are worried they could catch COVID-19 from a first aid emergency that involves performing CPR.
Reducing cirrhosis threat for drinkers
New research shows that a healthy weight and coffee consumption may help lower the risk of high-risk drinkers developing alcohol-induced cirrhosis, which causes 300,000 deaths each year.
Psychedelics as medicine?
Mind Medicine Australia’s Tania de Jong AM and Peter Hunt AM recently spoke in a public webinar about the emerging role of psychedelics in mental health treatment.
Nipping allergies in the bub
The Australian federal government’s Nip Allergies in the Bub initiative is part of the National Allergy Strategy.
Fitness helps to avoid thyroid problems
Women are more likely than men to develop thyroid problems. The good news is that keeping fit can keep the thyroid healthy.
Does smiling help?
New research confirms that the act of smiling can trick your mind into being more positive, simply by moving your facial muscles.
SCU adventure app helps kids address climate change fears
Many young people are seriously worried about the climate emergency, with feelings of helplessness leading to adverse health impacts. In response, SCU has created a new adventure app.
The fine line between fighting and bullying
There is no universal definition of bullying, but it is widely agreed amongst researchers that there are three essential elements: that the behaviour is ongoing, that it is intended to be harmful, and that there is a power imbalance.
Extend your yoga practice to the table
Yoga is more ancient than most people realise. Sanskrit recordings of Ayurvedic medicine and practises date back over 5000 years to India. The food, the yoga asanas and the meditation form a symbiotic circle.
National Pain Survey results published
National Pain week starts today with the launch of a major new survey from Chronic Pain Australia which shows a serious deterioration in the way chronic pain sufferers feel medical professionals have helped them manage their pain since COVID-19.
World Breastfeeding Week
Particularly apt in this tough times, World Breastfeeding Week falls in a time where mothers have had to deal with all the standard challenges as well as some new ones due to the current pandemic.
Tai chi and qi gong
Tai chi is an ancient Chinese martial art which is practised by many people around the world today for its health benefits.
Hearing is the final sense to go
New medical research appears to confirm the ancient Tibetan Buddhist belief that hearing is the last sense to go when people die.
Singing as a healing pathway
Singing isn’t just a way to bring joy to yourself and others, it also brings many health and healing benefits.
Keeping the world open for elders living with dementia
Elders around the world have been hit particularly hard by COVID-19. For those living with dementia, the new restrictions have made things even more difficult. Dementia Australia has launched a new campaign urging Australians to keep the world open for people living with dementia, not just during the pandemic, but every day.
The rise and rise of yoga
Yoga is continuing to rise in popularity in Australia and around the world. Research from Roy Morgan shows that the popularity of yoga has doubled since 2008, with over two million Australians participating.
Youth and post-COVID life
Amidst the current turmoil, there have been sparks of creativity and talk of the world emerging greater than it was before. In many ways, this is most important for the youth to embrace and that is exactly what Junior Landcare Australia’s ‘What’s in your backyard?’ campaign has shone a light on.
Stay cosy this winter
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an Australian federal government agency responsible for scientific research. Who would have thought they would have such good tips for cold-proofing your house and staying warm and cosy this winter.
Help others to heal yourself
St Francis of Assisi once said ‘for it is in the giving that we receive.’ But you don’t need sandals and a lot of pets to find out if that’s true. According to scientific research, helping others doesn’t just feel good, it has measurable health benefits.
Crystal bed healing with Emma Bellamy
After taking a break for the COVID-19 lockdown, Bangalow-based crystal bed healer Emma Bellamy is taking bookings again and preparing to re-open fully on July 20.
Innermost harmony with Yasmin Lang
Remedial massage was one of the first essential services to be re-opened by the government after COVID-19 struck. Based in Byron Bay, massage therapist Yasmin Lang has been continuing to help clients who are struggling with aches and pains at this time. She offers treatment in the safety of a warm and nurturing space.
Not so fantastic plastic
Since the 1950s, plastic has proliferated everywhere. Eight billion tonnes has been thrown away. Nine percent of that has been recycled, and twelve percent has been incinerated. Humans and every other species are constantly exposed to this stuff. Unfortunately, many forms of plastic are fundamentally toxic.
Is this Covid disruption an opportunity to reimagine your habits?
Muhamad Ali was well known for his boxing achievements but less recognized for the fact he was an outstanding mindset changemaker. He once said “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”
Healing with dance
During lockdown, getting enough fun exercise has been a challenge for a lot of us. For professional dancers trying to maintain their skills and fitness, working alone, it’s been extra tricky. The bonus for people at home who love dancing is the profusion of online learning and training opportunities, many of them free.
Connecting inwards and outwards
‘Let’s focus on what’s going to support the love, the caring. What’s going to support kindness and compassion. Whatever we give our attention to is likely to grow, so much better we put our attention to those things than fear.’
Fabulous fungi
There’s more to mushrooms than meets the eye. Some species provide psychedelic trips, some are delicious to eat, others just want to kill you. But did you know fungi can also survive in space, build things and help with the climate crisis?
Here comes the sun
With the big upsurge in home cooking lately, and with lots of us having more time than usual, slow food is enjoying a resurgence. One of the most exciting (and environmentally sound) forms of this is solar cooking. As well as tasting incredible, solar cooking is great for your health.
Isolation inspiration
During all this time we have at home, either alone or with family, provides the perfect opportunity to do all the things you didn’t have time for before
There stands the glass
New polling suggests Australians are getting worried about what’s happening with their household drinking as the COVID-19 pandemic rolls on.
The power of play
At the moment many parents are spending more time with their children than ever before, which has its wonderful and awful aspects. There’s been a lot of focus on home-schooling and parents skilling up to become de-facto teachers. But the situation also presents possibilities for parents to learn from their kids – about play.
Manuka honey and its future
Honey has been used as a remedy for many ailments across history and has now found its way into people’s pantries across the world, for very different reasons.
Overcoming loneliness
Most people try and run away from loneliness. You’ve opened the fridge for the 197th time today and almost exhausted all the good shows on Netflix.
Self-healing during COVID-19
COVID-19 policies from governments and businesses are evolving quicker than I can type. NAB announced today (20/3/20) eligible customers will be able to freeze home loan repayments. China has reported no new local cases of the virus and has successfully managed to ‘flatten the curve’ in the viruses epicentre of Wuhan.
Are you an Iron Person?
Having not enough iron in your system (anaemia) is a common problem, especially for women, but some people have the opposite problem. Haemochromatosis is an inherited condition that affects one in 200 Australians. It leads people to retain too much iron in the bloodstream.
Accentuate the positive
There’s a theory that all human emotions boil down to fear and love. For every situation that we face in life, there are two basic response paths. Unlike computers though, we’re not binary – humans are more complicated.
Talking to Turquoise Coleman
Byron Healing spoke to Turquoise Coleman, an internationally acclaimed holistic beautician, Reiki Master, Temple dancer and Transformational practitioner about her life and work.
Talking about exercise addiction
Perhaps the most misunderstood of all types of addiction, exercise addiction can have some deep-rooted mental and physical effects if ignored. It’s harder to diagnose but easier to treat than most other forms of addiction but the naturally the first question should be – what is exercise addiction?
Dark chocolate – healthy or hoax?
So, with Easter just around the corner, I thought it would be very apt to talk about an ancient food that needs no introduction. Dark chocolate.
Virtual healing: Belle McPhee
One of the ironies of the current situation is that as the pandemic tightens its grip, many people are finding it harder to get the health care they need. Most alternative health practitioners in Australia are no longer able to see patients in person due to new restrictions. Luckily there are a number of people in our region who are ready and willing to bridge this gap using digital communications technology.
Virtual healing: Lin Bell
Next in our series about local practitioners who are maintaining their practices online at this time of isolation is Lin Bell, a healer and intuitive with many years experience across a range of healing modalities.
Talking about turmeric
Famed for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, this vibrantly coloured botanical has held its spot on the health podium for a long while. Turmeric is a spice I’m sure you’ve heard of and if not, maybe you’ve noticed lattes, gelato and smoothies with a sunset-orange hue. Well, that’s turmeric
You can’t rely on the health rating system
We should all be familiar with the health star rating system (out of 5) that we see on some of our staple groceries each week. What you might not be a failure with is that it is outdated and can’t be relied upon; especially if this is the only measure you look at when deciding if a product is healthy or not.
If the rain is making you SAD – let there be light!
The onset of rain after a long dry spell is always a welcome relief, and though no-one wants to complain about life-giving water, extended cloudy periods can cause health issues.
Overuse of cold and flu tablets leads to health risk
Over the last decade, general medication use has only slightly increased however, the use of antihistamines alongside allergy and cold-and-flu drugs has risen by 3 million (tablets per year).