tag:theconversation.com,2011:/fr/topics/health-check-7426/articlesHealth Check – The Conversation2022-03-25T00:34:41Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1776332022-03-25T00:34:41Z2022-03-25T00:34:41ZYes, the ‘terrible twos’ are full-on – but let’s look at things from a child’s perspective<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/452124/original/file-20220315-23-1fhj6lu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=60%2C50%2C6611%2C4261&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://theconversation.com/whats-in-a-milestone-understanding-your-childs-development-50894">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Meet Eli. He entered the second year of his life with gusto and now, aged 18 months, he is discovering new things every day including ideas he wants to try out immediately. Like, right now. Waiting is not an option. </p>
<p>Combined with his passion for life he often becomes emotionally overwhelmed and erupts into frequent meltdowns. Words and phrases like “no”, “do it myself” and “mine” are used often.</p>
<p>Sometimes the smallest thing ends with Eli kicking, biting and crying. Although he’s still developing a command of words, he shouts “I don’t love you, Dad!” with devastating accuracy. These outbursts happen at home and out in public. </p>
<p>Research <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544286/#:%7E:text=%5B1%5D%20Researchers%20have%20found%20that,of%20four%2Dyear%2Dolds.">shows</a> tantrums occur in 87% of 18 to 24-month-olds, 91% of 30 to 36-month-olds, and 59% of 42 to 48-month-olds – often on a daily basis.</p>
<p>The “terrible twos” might sound accurate, but branding toddlerhood (18 months to 36 months) this way is an injustice to this group. The generic label fails to grasp the huge developmental growth happening at this age. It also fails to celebrate the developing emotional life of a toddler, at once complex, multifaceted and exhilarating.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-in-a-milestone-understanding-your-childs-development-50894">What’s in a milestone? Understanding your child’s development</a>
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<h2>What’s going on?</h2>
<p>Eli is at a “<a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Touchpoints.html?id=Y0FEnQAACAAJ&redir_esc=y">developmental touchpoint</a>”, where a unique surge in capacities is coupled with behaviour falling apart. At this age, children begin to establish independence while simultaneously needing to learn ways of coping with intense feelings such as fear, anger, frustration and sadness. Researchers are still <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/imhj.21877">discovering</a> what a normal trajectory for emotional regulation development looks like, and what might help or hinder it. </p>
<p>Intense, uncontrolled feelings and defiance are normal at this age. But it can be challenging for parents to support their toddlers through this stage.</p>
<p>Focusing solely on a toddler’s behaviour fails to capture the significant role sensitive care-giving plays in social and emotional development in the early years. </p>
<p>A core component of sensitive and responsive parenting is a parent’s capacity to put themselves into the mind of their very young child and understand the child’s <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16210239/">behaviour has meaning and is driven by internal experiences</a> such as feelings, thoughts, desires and intentions.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1502185488173645828"}"></div></p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/jamming-with-your-toddler-how-music-trumps-reading-for-childhood-development-49660">Jamming with your toddler: how music trumps reading for childhood development</a>
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<h2>A child’s-eye view</h2>
<p>Being able to understand the world from the child’s perspective helps a parent to <a href="https://www.appi.org/Handbook_of_Mentalizing_in_Mental_Health_Practice_Second_Edition">anticipate, interpret and respond</a> to the child’s behaviour in ways that build a child’s capacity to regulate their emotions.</p>
<p>Eli’s dad didn’t experience tantrums with his first child, who had a calmer disposition, so he finds Eli’s emotional outbursts hard to tolerate. He becomes angry when Eli refuses to do what he is told and yells at him to “stop it!”. This frightens Eli, who sometimes retreats and sometimes escalates in his distress.</p>
<p>Eli’s dad is unaware of his toddler’s internal experiences and is confused by his own “out-of-control” feelings when parenting him. Frequent emotional outbursts coupled with an authoritative parenting style <a href="https://www.appi.org/Handbook_of_Mentalizing_in_Mental_Health_Practice_Second_Edition">places children at risk</a> of developing more serious emotional and behavioural problems. </p>
<p>Eli’s dad needs to understand that his primary role at this stage is to put his child’s experiences at the centre of his mind. This requires him to try to make sense of what Eli is communicating about himself through his behaviour and to respond in a sensitive way. This can help a child like Eli not be overwhelmed by intense feelings.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/452125/original/file-20220315-13-4qeoee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="young girl having tantrum" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/452125/original/file-20220315-13-4qeoee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/452125/original/file-20220315-13-4qeoee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452125/original/file-20220315-13-4qeoee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452125/original/file-20220315-13-4qeoee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452125/original/file-20220315-13-4qeoee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452125/original/file-20220315-13-4qeoee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452125/original/file-20220315-13-4qeoee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">It’s important to figure out the big feeling behind the tantrum.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/closeup-asian-little-cute-girl-600w-1484664989.jpg">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<h2>3 guidelines for parents:</h2>
<p><strong>1. Be aware of your own responses</strong></p>
<p>Tantrums can be emotionally activating for parents. Being aware and making sense of your own feelings will help you to respond sensitively to your child’s distress. When Eli’s dad makes sense of his struggles with managing anger, he is calmer, enabling him to focus on Eli’s emotional experiences.</p>
<p><strong>2. Identify and validate your child’s difficult feelings</strong></p>
<p>Young children need help from their parents to recognise that the feelings they are expressing through their behaviours are just that: feelings that will pass in time. They need help to name them, work out what is causing them and figure out what might help. </p>
<p><strong>3. Search for underlying meaning</strong></p>
<p>Remember not to take emotional outbursts personally. Viewing a tantrum as a means of communication helps parents consider the likely causes of a child’s distress and to think through possible solutions. </p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3FsBaRYRPnU?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are is a tribute to tantrums.</span></figcaption>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/having-problems-with-your-kids-tantrums-bed-wetting-or-withdrawal-heres-when-to-get-help-125299">Having problems with your kid's tantrums, bed-wetting or withdrawal? Here's when to get help</a>
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<h2>Making changes</h2>
<p>With new insights, parents like Eli’s dad can can help their child put themselves back together again after emotional outbursts, which may be less frequent. With consistent support, toddlers can learn to tolerate frustration, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23006014/">gain a sense of control of strong feelings</a> and find words to express what is happening inside them.</p>
<p>Parenting a toddler is no easy task. Today’s parents have the advantages of remarkable leaps in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/temper-tantrum.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article&login=smartlock&auth=login-smartlock">neuroscientific and developmental knowledge</a>. However, these can be difficult to access and even more difficult to put into practice. Unwittingly we can fall back into the familiar ways we were parented, or we might attempt try to do the opposite of how we were parented only to find we have lost direction. </p>
<p>Investment in early intervention programs <a href="https://www.hachette.com.au/mona-delahooke/beyond-behaviours-using-brain-science-and-compassion-to-understand-and-solve-childrens-behavioural-challenges">for everyone</a> or at a <a href="https://www.guilford.com/books/Psychotherapy-with-Infants-and-Young-Children/Lieberman-Horn/9781609182403">targeted level</a> where the parent-child relationship is in trouble, could provide the building blocks for lifelong emotional well-being for families and for society.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/177633/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Terrible or terrific? There is a lot going when you’re two.Rochelle Matacz, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Edith Cowan UniversityLynn Priddis, Adjunct associate professor, The University of Western AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1764502022-02-22T04:49:59Z2022-02-22T04:49:59ZHow to care for your sore hands and wrists when your life is online<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/447232/original/file-20220218-23-1qf909x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5490%2C3665&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/woman-holding-her-wrist-pain-600w-1504131929.jpg">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>We are back to pounding keyboards and swiping phones for another year. But with so much of today’s learning, working and socialising happening via devices, hand and wrist injuries are both common and hard to recover from.</p>
<p>Cumulative trauma to the upper limb from prolonged computer use is a significant problem. Technological advances – online meetings anyone? – and the reduced need to leave our desks for inefficient tasks such as photocopying, sending and receiving mail, and chatting with work colleagues (if now working from home) are causing people to remain in static postures for longer periods.</p>
<p>Musculoskeletal disorders of the upper limb are a <a href="https://www.pointsdevue.com/sites/default/files/postural_load_in_digital_device_usage_and_musculoskeletal_disorders.pdf">common phenomenon</a> and are the single largest category of work-related illness, with some studies reporting they make up to <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD008570.pub3/full">20–60% of cases</a>. Musculoskeletal disorders are responsible for <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8174011_Work-Related_Musculoskeletal_Disorders_of_the_Hand_and_Wrist_Epidemiology_Pathophysiology_and_Sensorimotor_Changes">more work-related absenteeism</a> than any other type of disease.</p>
<p>Further, evidence suggests <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40557-014-0022-3">high levels of smartphone use</a> without regular breaks can result in pain and discomfort in the upper limb. High levels of device use can result in <a href="https://archivesphysiotherapy.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40945-020-00096-6">neck</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6405356/">shoulder</a>, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40557-014-0022-3">wrist and hand problems</a>. </p>
<p>But anyone who has suffered from hand or wrist pain will tell you how hard it is to rest and treat injuries when so much of everyday life – from domestic chores to technology use – is done manually. So what to do?</p>
<h2>What causes it</h2>
<p>The risk of these injuries from technology use is due to the repetitive motions of the thumb in often awkward, static (or still) postures of the wrist and hand. The main other factor in developing symptoms includes remaining in awkward static postures for extended periods of time.</p>
<p>Common upper limb disorders resulting from high levels of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6405356/">keyboard, tablet and smartphone use</a> are nerve compression disorders (<a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/carpal-tunnel-syndrome">carpal tunnel syndrome</a>) and tendon inflammation (<a href="https://www.webmd.com/arthritis/overview-tenosynovitis">tenosynovitis</a>, <a href="https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2020/november/lateral-epicondylitis">lateral epicondylalgia</a> or “tennis elbow”). Symptoms from these conditions include numbness and tingling in your hand and forearm, weakness in gripping objects in your hand, or local tenderness at the elbow, wrist and/or hand. </p>
<p>When structures of the hand are repetitively stressed for extended periods, the body doesn’t have a chance to rest and heal. What starts out as a minor irritation can soon exacerbate into a significant problem for everyday living.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/447233/original/file-20220218-7720-n1h9u5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="person sits at desk with sore wrist" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/447233/original/file-20220218-7720-n1h9u5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/447233/original/file-20220218-7720-n1h9u5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/447233/original/file-20220218-7720-n1h9u5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/447233/original/file-20220218-7720-n1h9u5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/447233/original/file-20220218-7720-n1h9u5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/447233/original/file-20220218-7720-n1h9u5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/447233/original/file-20220218-7720-n1h9u5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Even short breaks can help prevent strain.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/concept-office-syndrome-hand-pain-occupational-2003480063">Shutterstock</a></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-younger-people-can-learn-from-older-people-about-using-technology-107607">What younger people can learn from older people about using technology</a>
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<h2>How to prevent it</h2>
<p>The single best piece of advice I can provide is to ensure you have adequate breaks away from your smartphone, tablet or computer. Listen to your body, and ensure you change postures or stop the task if you begin to feel some pain or discomfort.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.uclahealth.org/safety/rest-breaks">Microbreaks</a> – as short as 30–60 seconds – can be effective, especially in jobs that require an extended period of sitting in front of a computer hammering away at a keyboard. Remember, it is the repetitive movements in static postures that you are trying to avoid. These microbreaks are especially important for prolonged smartphone or tablet use. </p>
<p>These breaks should occur every 20 minutes and involve changing the posture through some dynamic movements. This could include standing (if you were sitting), moving your joints through their full range of motion, or even better, getting away from your workstation and moving around.</p>
<p>Build these breaks into your work routine through calendar invites or other software programs that ping you an alert at the desired break time. </p>
<p>Alternatively, schedule tasks close together that requires different postures. For example, you could schedule important phone calls or face meetings between more extended periods of keyboard work.</p>
<p>Good postures and workstation ergonomics <a href="https://academic.oup.com/occmed/article/61/1/19/1451517">can make a real difference</a> in reducing and managing these aches and pains. Ensure your computer is well set up on a desk set at the appropriate height. </p>
<p>Your wrists should be slightly extended backwards (towards the ceiling) when resting on the keyboard. All other equipment on your desk that you commonly use should be within easy reach. </p>
<p>You should have a relaxed posture through your shoulders, neck and arms when sitting for extended periods. Specialised <a href="https://www.academia.edu/30927203/Evidence_for_the_efficacy_of_ergonomic_keyboards_and_mice_in_reducing_repetitive_strain_injuries_and_10_steps_to_achieving_a_healthier_workplace_Reducing_the_Incidence_and_Cost_of_Work-related_Musculoskeletal_Disorders_with_Ergonomic_Input_Devices">ergonomic equipment</a> such as keyboards and mice may be beneficial, as may <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/4257137_Is_Voice_Recognition_the_Solution_to_Keyboard-Based_RSI">voice-to-text software</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-texting-turns-you-into-a-walking-disaster-22244">How texting turns you into a walking disaster</a>
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<h2>When the damage is done</h2>
<p>If the pain or discomfort continues to worsen or impacts your engagement in your daily activities, it is important to seek professional health advice before the condition significantly progresses. </p>
<p>An accredited hand therapist is an excellent place to start. These health professionals are registered occupational therapists or physiotherapists who have extensive experience and knowledge of the complex anatomy of the hand and wrist. </p>
<p>They will be able to provide individual advice and treatment to help you manage your condition. Treatments could include tailored ergonomic advice, the prescription of specific exercises, hot or ice packs, and custom orthotic devices (splints). In more serious cases, you may be referred to a hand surgeon, who may provide medication, cortisone injections or surgery to address the underlying causes of symptoms.</p>
<p>Given the rapid changes we’ve seen in our how humans interact with their world, research is helping us better understand how to manage the adverse effects of our exploding technology use. While we know a little, there is still <a href="https://academic.oup.com/occmed/article/61/1/19/1451517">much work to be done</a>. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1428305195935617024"}"></div></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/176450/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dave Parsons is an Accredited Hand Therapist and a Board Member of the Australian Hand Therapy Association. He receives some funding from the Australian Hand Therapy Association for his research.</span></em></p>Modern life means if you have wrist or hand pain, it’s difficult to rest and repair the damage. Prevention is key.Dave Parsons, Lecturer, Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1332452020-04-27T20:05:04Z2020-04-27T20:05:04ZDo I need to floss my teeth?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/320320/original/file-20200313-90628-1g40mzi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=17%2C0%2C5734%2C3811&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>As a dentist, my patients often ask whether they still need to floss even though they brush their teeth. The answer is – that depends.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD008829.pub2/abstract">review of the research</a> on this topic found flossing, combined with regular brushing, reduced the chance of bleeding gums. But the review could not provide evidence flossing prevented holes (tooth cavities) from forming.</p>
<p>This is likely <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1532338216301877">because</a> all of the included studies were conducted within one to three month periods. A few months is long enough to detect bleeding gums, but not for cavities to grow substantially.</p>
<p>So studies in the review looked at the effectiveness of flossing on preventing gum disease rather than cavities.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-often-should-i-get-my-teeth-cleaned-121310">How often should I get my teeth cleaned?</a>
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<p>But at the very least, we know regular flossing protects our gum health, which in turn protects our teeth. So it’s definitely worth doing. </p>
<p>The advice may be different if you have certain dental conditions – but we’ll get to that later.</p>
<h2>Why should I floss?</h2>
<p>Cavities and gum disease are mainly caused by plaque that accumulates on our teeth and gums. Dental plaque is part of a complex ecosystem that includes <a href="http://www.homd.org">800 different types</a> of bacteria found in our mouth.</p>
<p>Our plaque’s unique <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/108/10/4152.short">ecosystem</a> is a like a major city, and brushing is like Godzilla destroying the infrastructure. But plaque bacteria can rebuild infrastructure fairly quickly, which is why we brush frequently.</p>
<p>Brushing, however, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1600-051X.1991.tb00109.x">isn’t very effective</a> at cleaning in between your teeth. And it’s the plaque that remains in these areas that leads to most <a href="http://www.parodontologie-utrecht.nl/media/boeken/boekintraoralhygieneevidence.pdf">cavities</a> and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1600-051X.1992.tb02174.x">gum disease</a>. So that’s where flossing comes in – to clean between the teeth.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-why-do-we-make-saliva-130288">Curious Kids: why do we make saliva?</a>
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<p>If plaque on our teeth and gums are left long enough, the mineral in our saliva hardens it to form a white chalky substance called calculus. The calculus acts as a home to many different types of bacteria that can advance gum disease. </p>
<p>Once formed, calculus is impossible to remove by brushing or flossing alone. It needs to be removed using special tools at the dentist. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/320321/original/file-20200313-90664-23tju1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/320321/original/file-20200313-90664-23tju1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=316&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/320321/original/file-20200313-90664-23tju1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=316&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/320321/original/file-20200313-90664-23tju1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=316&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/320321/original/file-20200313-90664-23tju1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/320321/original/file-20200313-90664-23tju1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/320321/original/file-20200313-90664-23tju1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Your dentist or dental hygienist can give you advice about the best way to clean between your teeth.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What’s the big deal about bleeding gums?</h2>
<p>Similar to the way doctors measure health by checking your blood pressure, dentists and hygienists gently <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1600-051X.1990.tb01059.x">poke</a> your gums to see if they bleed. </p>
<p>Bleeding gums often signal the presence of uncleaned plaque and/or calculus in the area. You may even notice bleeding after you brush your teeth or eat certain foods.</p>
<p>To a dental practitioner, bleeding gums indicate you’re at risk of developing advanced gum issues, called <a href="https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/gum-disease/more-info">periodontal disease</a>. This condition sees the foundations that hold your teeth in your jaw bone deteriorate, eventually causing your teeth to loosen and fall out.</p>
<p>Socially embarrassing by-products of advanced gum disease include:</p>
<ul>
<li>loose teeth</li>
<li>a yellow/brown smile</li>
<li>large black gaps appearing between your teeth where the gums have shrunk away</li>
<li>bad breath.</li>
</ul>
<p>So the act of flossing can serve to safeguard your smile.</p>
<p>Current evidence also suggests periodontal disease is associated with an <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1185/03007990802131215">increased risk</a> of heart disease and diabetes, among other health issues. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-why-do-my-gums-bleed-and-should-i-be-worried-28456">Health Check: why do my gums bleed and should I be worried?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>OK, so I should definitely floss then?</h2>
<p>This depends on your current situation. Just like you wouldn’t mop your rug or vacuum the shower recess, we have specific <a href="http://168.176.239.58/cursos/odontologia/2016549/pdf/Claydon2008Cepilladoylimpiezainterdental.pdf">tools</a> to suit every cleaning situation. Flossing (effectively) is great if:</p>
<ul>
<li>you still have most of your teeth</li>
<li>your teeth are tightly jammed together </li>
<li>your gums haven’t receded to leave triangular gaps between your teeth.</li>
</ul>
<p>While for a lot of us this may be the case, for some of us, simply flossing our teeth and gums will be ineffective. Particularly if you have:</p>
<ul>
<li>gaps between your teeth that are too large for floss to clean</li>
<li>complex dental work such as <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/prd.12189">crowns, bridges</a> and <a href="http://www.quintpub.com/userhome/qi/qi_47_5_clark_p417.pdf">implants</a></li>
<li>partial dentures (dentures that replace some missing teeth)</li>
<li>orthodontic appliances such as <a href="https://orthodonticsaustralia.org.au/caring-for-braces/">braces</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>In these instances, we have to start thinking about interdental cleaning, or using other tools to clean between your teeth such as special Christmas tree-shaped brushes or sticks.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-flossing-flap-mind-your-dentist-and-floss-every-night-63496">The flossing flap: Mind your dentist, and floss every night</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>If you don’t think flossing is right for you, ask about interdental (between teeth) cleaning during your next visit to the dentist. Your dentist or hygienist will be able to recommend products and a cleaning routine to suit your needs.</p>
<h2>Tips for good flossing</h2>
<p>To floss effectively, keep in mind:</p>
<ul>
<li>floss at least once a day </li>
<li>floss before brushing so it becomes part of your routine</li>
<li>cut 30-40cm of regular floss for each use</li>
<li>wrap most of it around the finger of one hand and 2-3cm around the finger of another</li>
<li>slowly move the floss towards the gums to ensure you clean both teeth.</li>
</ul>
<p>Flossing can cause some bleeding, but this will resolve over time.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KypRbdD68QQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<p>Flossing can take some time to master. But the more often you floss, the faster and better you’ll become. And what better time to practise than when you’re stuck at home during a pandemic?</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/can-i-still-go-to-the-dentist-how-coronavirus-is-changing-the-way-we-look-after-our-teeth-135300">Can I still go to the dentist? How coronavirus is changing the way we look after our teeth</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/133245/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Arosha Weerakoon has received funding from Colgate for her research. She is a member of the Australian Dental Association as well as the International Association for Dental Research. She is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons.</span></em></p>If you still have most of your teeth and they’re tightly jammed together, flossing is important. But for some people, simply flossing might not be enough.Arosha Weerakoon, Lecturer, General Dentist & PhD Candidate, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1304552020-02-24T01:04:00Z2020-02-24T01:04:00ZI think my child has outgrown their food allergy. How can I be sure?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/316106/original/file-20200219-11000-jdyvy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C1%2C1000%2C664&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cute-little-asian-toddler-boy-holding-1551986915">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Some children grow out of their food allergies, but researchers don’t exactly know why.</p>
<p>Here’s how to work with your allergy specialist if you suspect your child isn’t allergic any more.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/four-myths-about-allergies-you-thought-were-true-but-arent-42855">Four myths about allergies you thought were true – but aren't</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Who’s more likely to grow out of their food allergy?</h2>
<p>Food allergy affects up to <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/food-allergy/food-allergy">10% of infants and 8% of children</a> in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28260260">Australia and New Zealand</a>. Common food allergies in young children are egg, cow’s milk and peanut. Allergies to tree nuts, fish and seafood tend to be more common in adolescents.</p>
<p>Rates of food allergies <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/food-allergy/food-allergy">have increased</a> in children and adults in developed countries including Australia. There’s also an <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28260260">increase in the number</a> of children up to four years old who’ve been admitted to hospital with food anaphylaxis (a severe, life-threatening reaction).</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/introduce-eggs-and-peanuts-early-in-infants-diets-to-reduce-the-risk-of-allergies-65564">Introduce eggs and peanuts early in infants' diets to reduce the risk of allergies</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Yet, Australian research <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28514997">shows</a> almost all children (more than 80%) with an egg allergy outgrow their allergy by the time they are four years old, as do about 20% of children with a peanut allergy.</p>
<p>However, for others, food allergies are likely to persist. This is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26968958">most likely</a> if they have eczema, hay fever and/or asthma alongside a <a href="https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(18)32688-5/abstract">tree nut allergy from a young age</a>, or they have a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26968958">severe allergic reaction to a low dose</a> of their particular food allergen.</p>
<h2>Why do they outgrow their food allergy?</h2>
<p>Researchers don’t know exactly why some children grow out of their food allergies. But their immune response to food allergens seems to change.</p>
<p>For instance, these children have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28739336">lower levels</a> of antibodies you’d normally see as part of an allergic response (lower levels of allergen-specific IgE). They also have higher levels of other immune system components (allergen-specific IgG4, IL-10 and allergen-specific T cells).</p>
<p>Other research has focused on a type of T cell, called the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30736894">regulatory T cell</a>, which regulates how the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21070/">adaptive immune system</a> responds to antigens. </p>
<p>Children who are not allergic or have developed naturally occurring tolerance are more likely to have stable levels of these cells. However, children <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26456457">with an allergy</a> may not be able to regenerate these cells once exposed to the food allergen, so have lower levels.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-the-immune-system-19240">Explainer: what is the immune system?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Children who outgrow their food allergies may also have a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30736894">dampened inflammatory response</a> in a part of their immune system known as the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK26846/">innate immune system</a>.</p>
<p>Lastly, changes in the diversity of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27059726">gut microbiota</a> (microorganisms such as bacteria living in the gut) and substances made by these microbes may also be involved.</p>
<p>However, we need more research to verify what’s happening both in the immune system and the gut microbiome to be sure.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/essays-on-health-microbes-arent-the-enemy-theyre-a-big-part-of-who-we-are-79116">Essays on health: microbes aren't the enemy, they're a big part of who we are</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What signs can parents look out for?</h2>
<p>If you think your child has outgrown their food allergy, it’s important not to test them yourself to see what happens. This is extremely unsafe and they may have a severe allergic reaction.</p>
<p>However, you may have noticed your child has accidentally eaten a food allergen but did not develop an allergic reaction. This may indicate your child has outgrown the food allergy.</p>
<p>That’s when it’s time to consult an allergy specialist – a doctor who specialises in diagnosing and managing patients with allergic diseases – to investigate.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/316526/original/file-20200220-92530-1ab8tpq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/316526/original/file-20200220-92530-1ab8tpq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/316526/original/file-20200220-92530-1ab8tpq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/316526/original/file-20200220-92530-1ab8tpq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/316526/original/file-20200220-92530-1ab8tpq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/316526/original/file-20200220-92530-1ab8tpq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/316526/original/file-20200220-92530-1ab8tpq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/316526/original/file-20200220-92530-1ab8tpq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">An allergy specialist will conduct tests, including a skin prick test, to see whether your child has really outgrown a food allergy.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/allergy-skin-prick-tests-175616312">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Here’s what an allergy specialist will do</h2>
<p>The allergy specialist will conduct a <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergy-testing/allergy-testing">number of tests</a> to monitor your child, either annually or every few years, depending on the allergen. These tests include <a href="https://dermnetnz.org/topics/skin-prick-testing/">skin prick tests</a> and blood tests.</p>
<p>These tests indicate changes in the immune system to give us an idea of whether your child has outgrown an allergy or it persists.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/early-exposure-to-infections-doesnt-protect-against-allergies-but-getting-into-nature-might-126603">Early exposure to infections doesn't protect against allergies, but getting into nature might</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>When these tests indicate almost no allergic response, your child will have an <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/food-allergy/food-allergy-challenges-faqs">oral food challenge</a> under medical supervision. </p>
<p>For example, a child will be given the food allergen in increasing amounts in a medical facility. If the child tolerates the food (known as passing the challenge), the food is regularly reintroduced into the diet.</p>
<p>Food challenge tests are also done to see if a child can tolerate foods in a modified form. For example, a child allergic to eggs or cow’s milk may be able to tolerate baked egg or baked milk.</p>
<p>In general, it’s only with a medically supervised oral food challenge that allergy specialists can say whether your child has really outgrown their food allergy.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>If your child has a food allergy, more information is available from <a href="https://allergyfacts.org.au/">Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia</a> and the <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/food-allergy">Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy</a>. You can also listen to the <a href="https://www.podcastoneaustralia.com.au/podcasts/allergies">Allergies podcast</a>, by Murdoch Children’s Research Institute’s specialists Professors Katie Allen and Mimi Tang.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/130455/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Paxton Loke does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>If your child has accidentally eaten something you thought they were allergic to, but doesn’t have a response, they may have grown out of their food allergy. Here’s the safest way to check.Paxton Loke, Paediatric Allergist and Immunologist, Murdoch Children's Research InstituteLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1287882020-02-10T19:12:06Z2020-02-10T19:12:06ZFeel like you’re a mozzie magnet? It’s true – mosquitoes prefer to bite some people over others<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/314314/original/file-20200209-27557-1pkfocg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=36%2C27%2C5925%2C3953&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/3skLpaOBlMw">Photo by Eric Nopanen on Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>It’s always you, isn’t it? The person busy swatting away buzzing backyard mosquitoes or nursing an arm full of itchy red lumps after a weekend camping trip.</p>
<p>You’re not imagining it – mosquitoes really are attracted to some people more than others. </p>
<h2>Why do mosquitoes need blood?</h2>
<p>Only female mosquitoes bite. They do it for the nutrition contained in blood, which helps develop their eggs. </p>
<p>Mosquitoes don’t just get blood from people. They’re actually far more likely to get it from biting animals, <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-australian-wildlife-spread-and-suppress-ross-river-virus-107267">birds</a>, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-18/australian-geographic-nature-photographer-of-the-year-winners/7753248">frogs</a> and reptiles. They even <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-018-0096-5">bite earthworms</a>.</p>
<p>But some mosquitoes specifically target people. One of the worst culprits is the <em>Aedes aegypti</em> species, which spreads <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/index.html">dengue</a> and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/yellowfever/">yellow fever</a> viruses. </p>
<p>Another that prefers humans are the <em>Anopheles</em> mosquitoes, responsible for spreading the parasites that cause <a href="https://www.who.int/malaria/en/">malaria</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-when-we-get-bitten-by-a-mosquito-why-does-it-itch-so-much-93347">Curious Kids: When we get bitten by a mosquito, why does it itch so much?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How do mosquitoes find us?</h2>
<p>Most mosquitoes will get their blood from whatever is around and don’t necessarily care if they’re biting one person or another. </p>
<p>Although it’s our blood they’re after, there is no strong indicator they prefer a particular blood type over another. Some studies have <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jme/article/41/4/796/885285">suggested they prefer people with type O blood</a> but that’s unlikely to be the case for all types of mosquitoes. </p>
<p>Whether we’re picked out of a crowd may come down to heavy breathing and skin smell.</p>
<p>When they need blood, mosquitoes can pick up on the <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bulletin-of-entomological-research/article/role-of-carbon-dioxide-in-hostfinding-by-mosquitoes-diptera-culicidae-a-review/2506B86EF63852B2D02EC3FCEE1E3B8B">carbon dioxide</a> we exhale. Around the world, carbon dioxide is one of the most common “baits” used to attract and collect mosquitoes. If you’re exhaling greater volumes of carbon dioxide, you’re probably an easier target for mosquitoes.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-worst-year-for-mosquitoes-ever-heres-how-we-find-out-68433">The worst year for mosquitoes ever? Here's how we find out</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>When the mosquito gets closer, she is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214574517300342">responding to a range of stimuli</a>. </p>
<p>Perhaps it’s <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1471492210002618">body heat and sweat</a>: exercise that increases body temperature and perspiration can attract mosquitoes.</p>
<p>Perhaps it’s body size: studies indicate <a href="https://academic.oup.com/trstmh/article/96/2/113/1909983">pregnant women are more likely to be bitten</a> by mosquitoes.</p>
<p>How hairy are you? Mosquitoes may have a tough job finding a path through to your skin if there is an abundance of body hair.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/mozzie-repellent-clothing-might-stop-some-bites-but-youll-still-need-a-cream-or-spray-107266">Mozzie repellent clothing might stop some bites but you'll still need a cream or spray</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>More than anything else, though, it’s about the smell of your skin. Hundreds of chemicals are sweated out or emitted by our body’s bacteria. The <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214574517300536">cocktail of smells they create</a> will either attract or deter mosquitoes.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/314338/original/file-20200209-27533-15totfp.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/314338/original/file-20200209-27533-15totfp.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/314338/original/file-20200209-27533-15totfp.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/314338/original/file-20200209-27533-15totfp.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/314338/original/file-20200209-27533-15totfp.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/314338/original/file-20200209-27533-15totfp.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/314338/original/file-20200209-27533-15totfp.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The saltmarsh mosquito is one of the biggest nuisance-biting pests in Australia.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Dr Cameron Webb</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>It’s not just who they bite but where</h2>
<p>Mosquitoes could also have a preference for different parts of the body. </p>
<p>One study showed mosquitoes are more attracted to hands and feet <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep27141">than armpits</a>, but that just turned out to be because of deodorant residues. </p>
<p>Mosquitoes may also be more attracted to our feet: studies have shown cheese sharing similar bacteria to that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15275226">found between our toes</a> attracts mosquitoes!</p>
<h2>Who is to blame for this misery?</h2>
<p>It’s not your diet. There is no evidence that what you eat or drink will prevent mosquito bites. Some food or drink may subtly change how many mosquitoes are likely to bite you but it won’t make that much difference. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/9/4/129">Eating bananas</a> or <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2832015/">drinking beer</a> has been shown to marginally increase the attraction of mosquitoes but the results aren’t enough to suggest any dietary change will reduce your mosquito bites. That’s why our supermarket shelves aren’t full of “mozzie repellent” pills.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-can-i-eat-to-stop-mosquitoes-biting-me-87178">What can I eat to stop mosquitoes biting me?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Your irresistibility to mosquitoes may not be your fault. Blame your parents. Studies have shown the chemicals responsible for the “<a href="https://europepmc.org/article/med/2230769">skin smell</a>” that attracts mosquitoes has <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4406498/">a high level of heritability</a> when twins are exposed to biting mosquitoes. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/314337/original/file-20200209-27529-g7jtju.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/314337/original/file-20200209-27529-g7jtju.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/314337/original/file-20200209-27529-g7jtju.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/314337/original/file-20200209-27529-g7jtju.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/314337/original/file-20200209-27529-g7jtju.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/314337/original/file-20200209-27529-g7jtju.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/314337/original/file-20200209-27529-g7jtju.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Whether you’re a mosquito magnet or not, topical insect repellents are the best way to stop mozzie bites.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Dr Cameron Webb</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What can you do about it?</h2>
<p>We have to be careful about generalisations. There are thousands of types of mosquitoes around the world and all will have a different preference for what or who to bite. And the attraction of individuals and the scenario that plays out in one part of the world may be much different in another.</p>
<p>Remember, it only takes one mosquito bite to transmit a pathogen that could make you sick. So whether you’re a mosquito magnet or feeling a little invisible because you’re not bitten so often, don’t be complacent and <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-best-and-worst-ways-to-beat-mosquito-bites-70274">use insect repellents</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/128788/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cameron Webb and the Department of Medical Entomology, NSW Health Pathology and University of Sydney, have been engaged by a wide range of insect repellent and insecticide manufacturers to provide testing of products and provide expert advice on the biology of medically important insects. Cameron has also received funding from local, state and federal agencies to undertake research into mosquito-borne disease surveillance and management as well as risk assessment of a wide range of arthropod pests of public health importance.</span></em></p>Feel like mosquitoes are picking you out of a crowd when looking for someone to bite? It may come down to the smell of your skin and how heavily you breathe.Cameron Webb, Clinical Lecturer and Principal Hospital Scientist, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1291372020-02-03T04:06:30Z2020-02-03T04:06:30ZHow do I know if my child is developing normally?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312393/original/file-20200129-92949-t6qgpt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C1%2C1000%2C661&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/3-year-old-kid-playground-outdoor-151170449">from www.shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>It’s your three year old’s birthday and he’s having a party with his day care friends. You watch as the other three year olds ask for more cake and answer questions about what they’re wearing. </p>
<p>But your child doesn’t say much, and what he does say is difficult to understand. He also isn’t really kicking the ball, using the slide or riding his new tricycle as well as the other kids. </p>
<p>You always thought he was quiet or shy. But is there something more happening? Is his behaviour normal? How concerned should you be?</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-in-a-milestone-understanding-your-childs-development-50894">What’s in a milestone? Understanding your child’s development</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Delays in early child development are common. In Australia, <a href="https://www.aedc.gov.au/communities/findings-from-the-aedc">more than one in five</a> children starting school are behind where they should be in how they think, communicate, move, socialise or <a href="https://www.brighttomorrows.org.au/responding-to-emotions/">manage their emotions</a>.</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09638288.2019.1707296">recently published research</a> looked at how we begin to notice delays in young children – what delays look like and what parents need to notice.</p>
<figure>
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/277586856" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Seeking help early saved this baby’s sight (Raising Children Network)</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A niggle or an ‘aha’ moment?</h2>
<p>Noticing delays in a child’s development is not always an obvious “aha” moment, though it can be. </p>
<p>Big “aha” moments are more likely when there is a sudden change in a child. There could be something specific they should be doing but are not, such as responding to their name. Or there could be unexplained behaviours, like frequent temper tantrums sparked by seemingly nothing that take your child a long time to calm down from.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/no-i-dont-wanna-wahhhh-a-parents-guide-to-managing-tantrums-87175">'No, I don't wanna... wahhhh!' A parent's guide to managing tantrums</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>But frequently a parent notices gradually – a niggle that grows over time. This can be a gut feeling or intuition that something isn’t quite right. These niggles can be confusing and make you second-guess yourself – “maybe it’s nothing, but …”. Yet these niggles are compelling enough to make you worry. </p>
<p>Our research found both “aha” moments and niggles were often signs of real developmental delays. And generally knowing about child development and comparing your child to others of a similar age led parents to notice something wasn’t quite right.</p>
<h2>What’s normal?</h2>
<p>Knowing what normal looks like and remembering that normal is a range helps us to begin to identify when a child is developing differently. For example, knowing three-year olds use sentences of <a href="https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/development/development-tracker-1-3-years/2-3-years">three to five words</a> can help to understand their language development.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-my-child-being-too-clingy-and-how-can-i-help-115372">Is my child being too clingy and how can I help?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>But where do we get this knowledge from? While social media and parenting sites have their place, beware the rabbit hole of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563218300463">conflicting and even judgemental information</a> online. </p>
<p>Stick to sources like the <a href="https://raisingchildren.net.au">Raising Children Network</a> website, which provides best-practice, well-researched information across different ages and areas of development.</p>
<h2>Comparing with other kids</h2>
<p>Comparing your child’s development with other children’s can also help. For example, if most other children at the party speak in sentences while your child is using single words and gestures, it is easier to pick up on the difference. </p>
<p>However, rather than relying on signs from a single party, seeing your child with a variety of other children as well as in different settings is best. This helps gain a full picture of your child. </p>
<p>Remember all children develop differently and being a little behind does not necessarily <a href="https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/development/language-development/language-delay">equal delay</a>. But this may flag something to watch. </p>
<p>Play, particularly play with others, is <a href="https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/119/1/182%20">fundamental to child development</a>. It is even enshrined in the United Nations <a href="https://www.unicef.org.au/Upload/UNICEF/Media/Our%20work/childfriendlycrc.pdf">Convention on the Rights of the Child</a>.</p>
<p>Play also provides a chance to compare your child with others. This could be watching how your child plays with siblings, neighbours or friends’ children at the park or at <a href="https://playgroupaustralia.org.au/">playgroup</a>.</p>
<h2>Now, I’m concerned. What should I do?</h2>
<p>So if you would like a little more information or to talk to someone about your child, what can you do? If you are in Australia, maternal and child health services across each state and territory offer a schedule of appointments to check in with your child’s health and development. </p>
<p>For example, Western Australia operates under the <a href="https://ww2.health.wa.gov.au/%7E/media/Files/Corporate/general%20documents/CACH/CAH-010029_Purple_book_FNL.pdf">Purple Book</a> scheme and provide checks at eight weeks, four months, 12 months, two years, and when your child enters school. </p>
<p>You can also make appointments outside these set times by contacting your local child health centre if you have concerns; there is no need to wait until your child hits one of these ages. </p>
<p>Child health centres also often offer drop-in sessions as well as group sessions for parenting support and advice. </p>
<p><a href="https://raisingchildren.net.au/grown-ups/services-support/about-services-support/helplines">Parent helplines</a>, such as <a href="https://www.parentline.com.au/">Parentline</a> in Queensland and the Northern Territory, offer tips and opportunities to confidentially talk through any concerns. You can also talk to your GP.</p>
<p>So trust those niggles, watch out for “aha” moments, learn how children develop and embrace opportunities to see your child with others. Even if you are a little uncertain, talk to someone. Sharing your concerns with someone is never a waste of anyone’s time – because maybe it’s nothing, but what if it’s not? </p>
<hr>
<p><em>More information about maternal and child health services in your state or territory is available: <a href="https://health.act.gov.au/services-and-programs/women-youth-and-children/maternal-and-child-health-mach">ACT</a>, <a href="https://nt.gov.au/wellbeing/pregnancy-birthing-and-child-health/baby-child-assessments-clinics">NT</a>, <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/kidsfamilies/MCFhealth/Pages/child-family-health-faqs.aspx#faq2">NSW</a>, <a href="https://www.childrens.health.qld.gov.au/chq/our-services/community-health-services/child-health-service/">Qld</a>, <a href="https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/Public+Content/SA+Health+Internet/Health+services/Parenting+and+child+health+services/">SA</a>, <a href="https://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/service_information/services_files/child_health_centres">Tas</a>, <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/maternal-and-child-health-services">Vic</a> and <a href="https://cahs.health.wa.gov.au/our-services/community-health/child-health">WA</a>.</em></p>
<p><em>More information about child development is also available on the Raising Children Network <a href="https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/first-1000-days/development/baby-development">website</a>.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/129137/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Belinda Cuomo is affiliated with Curtin University (employee). She received PhD support funding from CoLab/the Minderoo Foundation and an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Annette Joosten is affiliated with Australian Catholic University (employee); Member of the Australian Occupational Therapy Association. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sharmila Vaz is affiliated with Curtin University (employee). </span></em></p>It’s easy to worry if your child doesn’t seem to be developing as quickly as their playmates. But trust your ‘niggles’ and watch out for ‘aha’ moments. Our research shows they’re often right.Belinda Cuomo, Lecturer and PhD Candidate, Occupational Therapy, Curtin UniversityAnnette Joosten, Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy, Australian Catholic UniversitySharmila Vaz, Senior research fellow, School of Occupational Therapy and Social Work, Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1233642020-01-29T03:01:15Z2020-01-29T03:01:15ZHad constipation? Here are 4 things to help treat it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312186/original/file-20200128-81395-ge8ymf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Medications, being out of your routine and not getting enough exercise can all cause constipation.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/mans-hand-he-holds-roll-toilet-1435142270">Seasontime/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Chronic constipation is incredibly common. Around <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30364088">one in four people</a> worldwide report symptoms, while in Australia and New Zealand, it’s around <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18269746">one in seven</a>. </p>
<p>Lots of things can trigger <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/constipation">constipation</a>: being out of your usual routine (think holidays, illness or injury), <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31292358">having a low fibre intake, not drinking enough water</a> and <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/common-causes-of-constipation">inactivity</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29382180">Certain medications</a> can also cause constipation including iron supplements, painkillers, diuretics (to help you get rid of sodium and water), and other drugs to treat heart disease, mental health conditions and allergies. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-what-causes-constipation-114290">Health Check: what causes constipation?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Constipation is more common in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16342852">older adults</a> and in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10805262">women</a>, due to hormonal changes that slow bowel motility – the time it takes for your body to digest food and expel the waste products (stools or bowel motions). <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25803402">Pregnant</a> women are particularly prone to constipation. </p>
<h2>How do you know you’re constipated?</h2>
<p>Symptoms include:</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://www.continence.org.au/pages/bristol-stool-chart.html">lumpy or hard stools</a><br></li>
<li>feeling that your bowels haven’t emptied completely or your <a href="https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/picture-of-the-anus#1">anus</a> is blocked </li>
<li>straining to pass a bowel motion</li>
<li>manipulating your body position to try and pass a bowel motion</li>
<li>having fewer than three bowel motions per week.</li>
</ol>
<p>If over a three-month period you answer yes to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30364088">two or more of these symptoms</a> most weeks, then you have “constipation”. </p>
<p>The good news is it can be treated and then prevented. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312377/original/file-20200129-93007-1k732ap.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312377/original/file-20200129-93007-1k732ap.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312377/original/file-20200129-93007-1k732ap.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312377/original/file-20200129-93007-1k732ap.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312377/original/file-20200129-93007-1k732ap.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312377/original/file-20200129-93007-1k732ap.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312377/original/file-20200129-93007-1k732ap.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Women are more likely to become constipated than men because they experience more horomonal changes.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/sign-toilet-wc-175899578">Kongsak/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If your bowels are so packed you can’t pass any bowel motions at all, see your GP. You may need treatment with specific laxatives to clear your bowels before you can start on a prevention plan. </p>
<p>Here are four things that research shows improve bowel function, which refers to the time it takes for food to move through your digestive system and be expelled as a bowel motion (called gut transit time), the frequency and volume of bowel motions, and stool consistency.</p>
<h2>1. High-fibre foods</h2>
<p>Dietary fibres are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28676135">complex carbohydrates that aren’t digested or absorbed</a> in the gut. </p>
<p>Different types of dietary fibres improve bowel function through the following processes:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>the fermentation of fibre in the colon produces water and other molecules. These make stools <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27170558">softer and easier to pass</a></p></li>
<li><p>absorption of water into stools stimulates the gut to contract and makes bowel motions softer</p></li>
<li><p>a higher fibre intake creates bigger stools, which pass more quickly, resulting in more regular bowel motions.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-are-you-eating-the-right-sorts-of-fibre-20089">Health Check: are you eating the right sorts of fibre?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>A good source of fibre is psyllium. It forms a viscous gel, which gets fermented in the colon, leading to softer bowel motions. Psyllium is the main ingredient in Metamucil, which is commonly used to treat constipation. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312188/original/file-20200128-81336-9yh27q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312188/original/file-20200128-81336-9yh27q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312188/original/file-20200128-81336-9yh27q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312188/original/file-20200128-81336-9yh27q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312188/original/file-20200128-81336-9yh27q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312188/original/file-20200128-81336-9yh27q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312188/original/file-20200128-81336-9yh27q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Psyllium is a type of fibre that helps soften bowel motions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/heap-psyllium-husk-wooden-spoon-bowl-1303334332">Shawn Hempel/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A review <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31764399">comparing the effect of psyllium to wheat bran</a> in people with chronic constipation found psyllium was 3.4 times more effective at increasing the amount of stool passed. </p>
<p>This is important because having a bigger bowel motion waiting in the colon to be passed sends signals to your gut that it’s time to expel the stool – and it helps the gut contract to do just that.</p>
<p>The review found <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31764399">both psyllium and coarse wheat bran had a stool-softening effect</a>, but finely ground wheat bran had a stool-hardening effect. </p>
<p>Other foods rich in fermentable carbohydrates include dark rye bread and <a href="https://daa.asn.au/smart-eating-for-you/smart-eating-fast-facts/food-and-food-products/legumes-what-are-they-and-how-can-i-use-them/">legumes</a> (chickpeas, lentils, four-bean mix, red kidney beans, baked beans); while <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/hacks-myths-faqs/how-much-fibre-should-i-be-eating">wholemeal and wholegrain breads</a> and cereals are high in different types of dietary fibres.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/multigrain-wholegrain-wholemeal-whats-the-difference-and-which-bread-is-best-89538">Multigrain, wholegrain, wholemeal: what's the difference and which bread is best?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>2. Kiwi fruit</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30706488">Kiwi fruit fibre</a> absorbs about three times its weight in water. This means it helps make stools softer and boosts volume by increasing the amount of water retained in bowel motions. This stimulates the gut to contract and moves the bowel motions along the gut to the anus. </p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12074185">study of 38 healthy older adults</a>, researchers found adding two to three kiwi fruit per day to their diets for three weeks resulted in participants passing bowel motions more often. It also increased the size of their stools and made them softer and easier to pass. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312189/original/file-20200128-81341-8njfqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312189/original/file-20200128-81341-8njfqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312189/original/file-20200128-81341-8njfqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312189/original/file-20200128-81341-8njfqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312189/original/file-20200128-81341-8njfqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312189/original/file-20200128-81341-8njfqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312189/original/file-20200128-81341-8njfqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Kiwi fruit can help you go to the loo more regularly.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/fresh-kiwi-fruit-background-556378681">Nitr/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Kiwi fruit are also <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30706488">rich in the complex carbohydrate inulin</a> a type of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fructan">fructan</a>. Fructans are a <em>prebiotic</em> fibre, meaning they encourage growth of healthy bacteria in the colon.</p>
<p>But fructans can also <a href="https://www.monashfodmap.com/ibs-central/i-have-ibs/">aggravate symptoms in some people with irritable bowel syndrome</a> (IBS). If you have IBS and constipation, check in with your GP before upping your fructan intake.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-irritable-bowel-syndrome-and-what-can-i-do-about-it-102579">Explainer: what is irritable bowel syndrome and what can I do about it?</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>If you don’t like kiwi fruit, other <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17625872">vegetables and fruit high in fructans</a> include spring onion, artichoke, shallots, leek, onion (brown, white and Spanish), beetroot, Brussels sprouts, white peaches, watermelon, honeydew melon and nectarines.</p>
<h2>3. Prunes</h2>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prune">Prunes</a> are dried plums. They contain a large amount of sorbitol, a complex carbohydrate that passes undigested into the colon where bacteria ferment it. This produces gas and water, which triggers an increase in bowel movements. </p>
<p>Eating prunes is even more effective than psyllium in improving stool frequency and consistency. </p>
<p>One study of adults with constipation compared <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25109788">eating 100 grams (about ten) prunes</a> a day for three weeks to those who ate psyllium. The prune group passed an average of 3.5 separate bowel motions per week compared to 2.8 in the psyllium group. </p>
<p>The prune group’s stools were also softer. They rated, on average, 3.2 on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_stool_scale">Bristol stool chart</a> compared to 2.8 for the psyllium group, meaning their bowel motions were more toward smooth to cracked sausage-shaped motions rather than lumpy ones. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/141158/original/image-20161011-3909-p1j1kp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/141158/original/image-20161011-3909-p1j1kp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=764&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/141158/original/image-20161011-3909-p1j1kp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=764&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/141158/original/image-20161011-3909-p1j1kp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=764&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/141158/original/image-20161011-3909-p1j1kp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=960&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/141158/original/image-20161011-3909-p1j1kp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=960&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/141158/original/image-20161011-3909-p1j1kp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=960&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">The Conversation</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If you don’t like prunes, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19765364">other foods that contain sorbitol</a> include apples, pears, cherries, apricots, plums and “sugar-free” chewing gum and “sugar-free” lollies.</p>
<h2>4. Water</h2>
<p>Not drinking enough water is the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27933718">strongest predictor of constipation</a>. When your body is a bit dehydrated, there’s less water for the fibre in your colon to absorb, meaning your bowel motions also become dehydrated and harder to pass. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27933718">Aim for</a> around 1.5 to two litres of fluid per day, which can include liquids such as tea, coffee, soup, juice, and even jelly and the liquid from stewed fruit. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-what-your-pee-and-poo-colour-says-about-your-health-59516">Health Check: what your pee and poo colour says about your health</a>
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</p>
<hr>
<h2>Putting it all together</h2>
<p>Start by increasing the amount of water or other liquids you drink. You should be drinking enough that your urine is the colour of straw. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312190/original/file-20200128-81346-rfkj9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312190/original/file-20200128-81346-rfkj9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312190/original/file-20200128-81346-rfkj9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312190/original/file-20200128-81346-rfkj9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312190/original/file-20200128-81346-rfkj9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312190/original/file-20200128-81346-rfkj9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312190/original/file-20200128-81346-rfkj9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Aim for two litres of water a day.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/glass-jug-fresh-water-on-wooden-1212018088">Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Next, add in psyllium. Start with a tablespoon once a day with breakfast cereal. </p>
<p>Psyllium forms a gel as soon as it comes into contact with liquids so to make psyllium more palatable, mix it with a small amount of stewed fruit or yoghurt and eat it straight away. If needed, increase psyllium to twice a day. </p>
<p>At least once a day, have some prunes (either dried or canned) or kiwi fruit and a variety of other foods high in fibre, fructans, sorbitol and fermentable carbohydrate. </p>
<p>If your bowel habits don’t improve, see your GP.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/123364/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Clare Collins is affiliated with the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, the University of Newcastle, NSW. She is an NHMRC Senior Research and Gladys M Brawn Research Fellow. She has received research grants from NHMRC, ARC, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Meat and Livestock Australia, Diabetes Australia, Heart Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, nib foundation, Rijk Zwaan Australia and Greater Charitable Foundation. She has consulted to SHINE Australia, Novo Nordisk, Quality Bakers, the Sax Institute and the ABC. She was a team member conducting systematic reviews to inform the Australian Dietary Guidelines update and the Heart Foundation evidence reviews on meat and dietary patterns.</span></em></p>One in seven Australians report symptoms of constipation, which might include hard stools, straining to poo, or having fewer than three bowel motions a week. These four things can help.Clare Collins, Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1228682020-01-21T19:03:40Z2020-01-21T19:03:40ZI’m taking antibiotics – how do I know I’ve been prescribed the right ones?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/311017/original/file-20200121-69543-del09s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Not all antibiotics kill all types of bacteria.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-sick-woman-holding-glass-water-1325841608">fizkes/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>In the days before antibiotics, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/34866829/life-before-antibiotics-and-maybe-life-after-an-antibiotic-apocalypse">deaths from bacterial infections</a> were common. Seemingly minor illnesses could escalate in severity, becoming deadly in a matter of hours or days. </p>
<p>These days, antibiotics can be life-savers. In the community, they’re <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-should-you-take-antibiotics-42751">commonly used</a> to treat bacterial infections of the lung, urinary tract, eye, throat, skin and gut. </p>
<p>But they’re not needed for <em>all</em> bacterial infections – many infections will resolve on their own without treatment. </p>
<p>And of course, antibiotics <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/features/antibioticuse/index.html">don’t treat viral infections</a> such as colds and flus, or fungal infections such as tinea or thrush. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/when-should-you-take-antibiotics-42751">When should you take antibiotics?</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Even when antibiotics are necessary, they’re not a one-size-fits-all treatment: not all antibiotics kill all types of bacteria. </p>
<h2>What type of bacteria is causing the infection?</h2>
<p>If your doctor suspects you have a serious bacterial infection, they will often take a urine or blood test, or a swab to send to the pathologist. </p>
<p>At the lab, these tests aim to detect and identify the bacteria causing the infection. </p>
<p>Some methods only need to detect bacterial DNA. These DNA-based approaches are called “genotypic methods” and are quick and highly sensitive. </p>
<p>Other methods involve attempting to culture and isolate bacteria from the sample. This can take one to four days. </p>
<h2>What antibiotic can fight the infection?</h2>
<p>If antibiotic treatment is necessary, the isolated bacteria can be used in a second series of tests to help determine the right antibiotic for your infection. These are called <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6627445/">antimicrobial susceptibility tests</a>. </p>
<p>Like the tests that first detected the bacterium causing your infection, they can be done using DNA-based (genotypic) methods or by culturing the bacterium in the presence of various antibiotics and assessing what happens (phenotypic methods). </p>
<p>Genotypic tests tend to identify which antibiotics won’t work so they can be ruled out as treatment options; ruling out the ones that won’t work leaves the ones that <em>should</em> work.</p>
<p>For phenotypic tests, the bacterium is regrown in the presence of a range of antibiotics to see which one stops its growth. A range of concentrations of each antibiotic are often used in these tests.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/311018/original/file-20200121-69555-15dpssa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/311018/original/file-20200121-69555-15dpssa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/311018/original/file-20200121-69555-15dpssa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/311018/original/file-20200121-69555-15dpssa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/311018/original/file-20200121-69555-15dpssa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/311018/original/file-20200121-69555-15dpssa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/311018/original/file-20200121-69555-15dpssa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Testing can more accurately determine the right antibiotic for your infection.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/closeup-pharmacist-hand-holding-medicine-box-756231364">iviewfinder/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Why you sometimes get a script without testing</h2>
<p>Whichever tests are done, the results may not be available for a couple of days. In the meantime, your doctor will probably get you started on an antibiotic that is <em>most likely</em> to be effective. This is called empiric therapy and is the “best guess” treatment while they wait for test results.</p>
<p>Empiric antibiotic choice is based on the doctor’s prior experience with that type of infection, as well as clinical guidelines developed from evidence about that infection type, and ongoing surveillance data from the pathology lab about the types of bacteria generally causing that infection, and which antibiotics those bacteria are susceptible to.</p>
<p>When available, the test results will either confirm the initial choice, or influence the doctor’s decision to prescribe a different antibiotic. </p>
<p>Take urinary tract infections (UTIs), for example. Most are caused by <em>E. coli</em> and there are antibiotics that reliably treat these infections. </p>
<p>Data from the thousands of pathology tests performed each year on the <em>E. coli</em> from other people’s UTIs helps inform the doctor’s choice of empiric antibiotic for you, as do the clinical guidelines. </p>
<p>The doctor can therefore be reasonably confident in prescribing that antibiotic while you wait for the test results from your urine sample. You’ll either get better and need no further intervention, or you’ll come back to the doctor, by which time your test results should be available to fine-tune the choice of antibiotic.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-im-taking-antibiotics-when-will-they-start-working-107528">Health Check: I’m taking antibiotics – when will they start working?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Why it’s important to get the right antibiotic</h2>
<p>Naturally, you want to receive an antibiotic that will effectively treat your infection. But what’s wrong with taking an antibiotic that does the job too well or, conversely, is ineffective?</p>
<p>Antibiotics that are too strong will not only clear your infection but will also kill other good bacteria, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d42859-019-00019-x">disrupting your microbiome</a> and possibly causing other knock-on effects. </p>
<p>On the other hand, an ineffective antibiotic will not only fail to treat the infection adequately, it can still cause side effects and disrupt your microbiome.</p>
<p>A broader consideration for the judicious use of antibiotics is that overuse, or ineffective use, contributes unnecessarily to the development of antibiotic resistance. All antibiotic use <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sara_Hernando-Amado/publication/335337005_Defining_and_combating_antibiotic_resistance_from_One_Health_and_Global-Health_perspectives/links/5d7123f4299bf1cb8088bd73/Defining-and-combating-antibiotic-resistance-from-One-Health-and-Global-Health-perspectives.pdf">promotes resistance</a> in other bacteria they come in contact with, so minimising and optimising their targeted use is important.</p>
<p>The right antibiotic choice for your infection is a complex decision that must often be made before key additional evidence to support the decision is available. </p>
<p>As test results become available, the treatment antibiotics may be refined, changed or even stopped. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-can-reverse-antibiotic-resistance-in-australia-heres-how-sweden-is-doing-it-123081">We can reverse antibiotic resistance in Australia. Here's how Sweden is doing it</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/122868/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christine Carson receives funding from government, industry and philanthropic sources to conduct research on antimicrobial susceptibilty test methods. She is part of a research group commercialising a rapid test.</span></em></p>Antibiotics aren’t a one-size-fits-all treatment – the one you had last time might not work on the infection you have at the moment. So how do doctors determine which one is likely to work?Christine Carson, Senior Research Fellow, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1251292019-12-08T18:52:32Z2019-12-08T18:52:32ZWhat is sodium lauryl sulfate and is it safe to use?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298865/original/file-20191028-113998-r2j8b7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C1%2C997%2C664&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">SLS is a known irritant to human skin. But if it's only in contact with your skin for a short time, it's probably OK. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>If you’ve ever Googled the causes of a skin complaint or damaged hair, chances are someone on the internet has pointed the finger at SLS, or sodium lauryl (or laureth) sulfate, a common ingredient in beauty products, washes, toothpastes and even cleaning products.</p>
<p>So what does this ingredient do, why is it in everything, and what does the evidence say about how safe it is? </p>
<h2>Why SLS?</h2>
<p>When we use a wash or beauty product on our skin, it’s probably a liquid made of a water phase and an oily phase. As we know, oil and water don’t mix, so something is required to keep the ingredients together. </p>
<p>That something is called a surfactant. A surfactant allows the oil and water molecules to bind together – it’s what’s found in soaps and detergents so we can wash our oily faces or dishes with water and get the grime to disappear.</p>
<p>Sodium lauryl sulfate is a surfactant, and its efficacy, low cost, abundance and simplicity mean it’s used in a variety of cosmetic, dermatological and consumer products.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/299627/original/file-20191031-187898-uvkcac.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/299627/original/file-20191031-187898-uvkcac.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/299627/original/file-20191031-187898-uvkcac.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/299627/original/file-20191031-187898-uvkcac.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/299627/original/file-20191031-187898-uvkcac.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/299627/original/file-20191031-187898-uvkcac.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/299627/original/file-20191031-187898-uvkcac.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/299627/original/file-20191031-187898-uvkcac.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Your toothpaste, shampoo and body wash probably all contain SLS.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-what-should-i-eat-to-improve-my-skin-94905">Health Check: what should I eat to improve my skin?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Is it harmful?</h2>
<p>Our skin’s outermost layer is specially designed to keep harmful stuff out, and this is where a surfactant can cause problems. Using a chemical that weakens this defence mechanism can <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/302244511_Sodium_Lauryl_Sulfate_Water_Soluble_Irritant_Dermatitis_Model">potentially cause our skin harm</a>. </p>
<p>And some surfactants are more irritating to our skin than others. For something to be harmful, irritant or allergenic, it has to fulfil <a href="https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:719752">two criteria</a>.</p>
<p>It has to have been found in studies to irritate human skin, and it has to have the ability to penetrate the skin. SLS ticks both of these boxes.</p>
<p><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1034/j.1600-0536.2003.480209.x">Researchers from Germany tested</a> 1,600 patients for SLS irritancy and found 42% of the patients tested had an irritant reaction.</p>
<p>Another <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16283906">study</a>, on seven volunteers over a three and a half month period, found regular contact caused irritation, and the irritation subsided once the skin was no longer exposed to SLS.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7758326">Another study found</a> the warmer the water used with SLS, the more irritating it will be.</p>
<p>In fact, SLS is so known to cause irritation, it’s used as a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022202X9091287L">positive control in dermatological testing</a>. That is, new products being tested to see how irritating they might be to human skin are compared to SLS - something we know definitely to be irritating.</p>
<p>If a person is sensitive to SLS, they might find the area that has been in contact is red, dry, scaly, itchy or sore.</p>
<p>It’s also important to note there’s <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4651417/">no scientific evidence</a> SLS causes cancer, despite what you may read on the internet.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/299625/original/file-20191031-187934-17swv0k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/299625/original/file-20191031-187934-17swv0k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/299625/original/file-20191031-187934-17swv0k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/299625/original/file-20191031-187934-17swv0k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/299625/original/file-20191031-187934-17swv0k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/299625/original/file-20191031-187934-17swv0k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/299625/original/file-20191031-187934-17swv0k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/299625/original/file-20191031-187934-17swv0k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">If you suspect you are sensitive to SLS, stop using the product and consult your GP or pharmacist.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>So why is it allowed?</h2>
<p>So if it’s known to be irritating to human skin, why don’t the regulatory authorities ban its use? </p>
<p>For SLS to be considered dangerous, it would have to be in contact with the skin for a long period of time. Generally, with consumer products such as washes that contain SLS, it’s assumed they won’t be on the skin for very long, meaning the chance of your skin being affected is pretty low. So authorities don’t ban its use, but instead cap the maximum percentage at which it can be used in products. </p>
<p>This cap varies based on how long the product is likely to be in contact with the skin. So products that will be on the skin for a prolonged time can contain no more than <a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/iig/index.cfm?event=BasicSearch.page">0.05-2.5% SLS</a> in most countries.</p>
<p>All consumer and cosmetic product manufacturers are required to conduct thorough testing and include any adverse findings in the form of warnings on their labels. So on products containing SLS, you should see something like “if this product causes any skin redness or irritation, discontinue use and consult a medical practitioner”.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-hives-the-common-skin-condition-that-gives-you-itchy-red-bumps-121693">What are hives, the common skin condition that gives you itchy, red bumps?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Who should avoid SLS?</h2>
<p>People with a history of sensitive skin, hyperirritable skin and patients suffering from skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis (eczema), rosacea and psoriasis are best to avoid products containing SLS. </p>
<p>There are many safer alternatives available (look for fatty alcohol ethoxylate, alkyl phenol ethoxylate or fatty acid alkoxylate on the label). If you think it might be SLS causing a skin irritation, stop the use of the product and ask your pharmacist or GP for advice. Skin care products also have hotline numbers on the packaging that can be contacted to report adverse effects.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/125129/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Yousuf Mohammed receives funding from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration through grants 01FD005226,U01FD006946 and U01FD006700. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not reflect the official policies of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. . </span></em></p>If you looked at the ingredient list on your body wash, shampoo, toothpaste and cleaning products, you’d probably find most contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). It is a known irritant to human skin.Yousuf Mohammed, Dermatology researcher, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1209752019-12-02T18:13:14Z2019-12-02T18:13:14ZWhy is my poo green?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/304599/original/file-20191202-156112-1jujxsa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Strange coloured poo is usually due to the food we've eaten, medication we've taken, or the processes involved in breaking down what we ingest.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/man-looking-toilet-bowl-424455349">Nomad_Soul/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>It’s happened to many of us at some point in our lives: we finish our bowel movement, look down in the bowl and have a moment of panic when we see an unusual colour. </p>
<p>Poo can be found in many colours other than brown, with green poo often eliciting concern. But it’s surprisingly common and is usually no reason to be alarmed. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/do-we-have-to-poo-every-day-we-asked-five-experts-98701">Do we have to poo every day? We asked five experts</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Why poo is usually brown</h2>
<p>The brown colour of poo initially comes from the red of blood. Haemoglobin is the red protein in blood that transports oxygen around the body. It’s eventually broken down into a substance called bilirubin. </p>
<p>In the liver, bilirubin is used to form bile and is released into the small bowel to help digest food. Bile then passes into the colon and the bilirubin is broken down by bacteria. </p>
<p>The final stage in the process is the addition of a substance called stercobilin, which gives poo its brown colour. </p>
<p>All shades of brown are considered normal. </p>
<h2>Green poo in adults</h2>
<p>Stool colour is very heavily influenced by the substances in the gut that digest food and what you eat. </p>
<p>Green stools contain <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2305176">significantly more bile acids</a> than brown stools. If food is moving through the bowel very quickly – if you have diarrhoea, for instance – there isn’t enough time for the green bile to break down completely, giving stools a green colour.</p>
<p><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2621.2004.tb09947.x">Green leafy vegetables</a> such as spinach and lettuce contain large amounts of chlorophyll (green pigment) bound to magnesium. This can lead to stools turning green. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/304600/original/file-20191202-156103-13mp0rm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/304600/original/file-20191202-156103-13mp0rm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304600/original/file-20191202-156103-13mp0rm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304600/original/file-20191202-156103-13mp0rm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304600/original/file-20191202-156103-13mp0rm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304600/original/file-20191202-156103-13mp0rm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304600/original/file-20191202-156103-13mp0rm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Sometimes it comes down to what you ate.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/fresh-green-baby-spinach-leaves-background-583556305">Natali Zakharova/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Some green food dyes such as <a href="https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Natural-green-3">natural green 3</a> contain chlorophyll (green pigment) bound to copper which can <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/98/25/14601">turn stools a dark green</a>. </p>
<h2>Why do babies have green poo?</h2>
<p>A newborn’s first stool, called meconium, is very often dark green. </p>
<p><a href="https://fn.bmj.com/content/97/6/F465.long">Green stools in formula-fed infants</a> are often due to formulas containing <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3876420">high amounts of iron</a>. </p>
<p>But even for breastfed infants it’s <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12318490">normal</a> to have yellow-green or green poo. </p>
<p>In fact, it’s normal for babies’ poo to be many different colours. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/col.21919">One study</a> found pale stools were caused by partially digested milk fats, yellow stools were due to stercobilin (which is also involved in making poo brown) and other similar compounds, and dark stools due to bilirubin or the presence of meconium. </p>
<h2>What about other colours of poo?</h2>
<p><strong>Blue</strong></p>
<p>Some food dyes, food additives and naturally occurring colours are unable to be completely broken down in the gut and this can distinctly colour poo. Children who have consumed a lot of blue-coloured drinks, for instance, often poo blue. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-how-does-my-tummy-turn-food-into-poo-110353">Curious Kids: how does my tummy turn food into poo?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Blueberries can also turn poo blue because of a type of antioxidant called anthrocyanin. Most anthrocyanins in blue berries are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/03602532.2014.978080">broken down</a> by the time they reach the colon, so kids with blue poo will either have consumed quite a lot or the berries are moving quickly through the gut.</p>
<p>Children with diarrhoea have a very rapid gut transit and stools often come out the same colour as the food that went in. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/304601/original/file-20191202-156082-1esvchl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/304601/original/file-20191202-156082-1esvchl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304601/original/file-20191202-156082-1esvchl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304601/original/file-20191202-156082-1esvchl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304601/original/file-20191202-156082-1esvchl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304601/original/file-20191202-156082-1esvchl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304601/original/file-20191202-156082-1esvchl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Eating lots of blueberries can turn poo blue.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/kid-holding-blueberries-hands-318208460">Kaspars Grinvalds/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>Orange</strong></p>
<p>Orange stools can be due to beta carotene, a compound found in particular vegetables such as carrots and butternut pumpkin. </p>
<p>Poo can also be <a href="https://health.ucsd.edu/news/features/Pages/2018-05-11-listicle-what-color-is-your-poop.aspx">orange</a> because of the effects of antacids containing aluminium hydroxide, a naturally occurring salt.</p>
<p><strong>Yellow</strong></p>
<p>Yellow-coloured poo is often normal but a greasy, foul-smelling yellow stool that floats on the toilet water can mean it contains an excess of fat.</p>
<p>Occasionally, this can arise from conditions such as undiagnosed coeliac disease, where the immune system reacts abnormally to gluten and the small bowel doesn’t properly absorb fat. </p>
<p><strong>Pale, cream or clay-cloured</strong></p>
<p>Abnormally pale or clay-coloured stools can indicate a blockage of bile from the liver to the small intestine. This means it doesn’t go through the last stage of getting its brown colour, through the addition of stercobilin. This results in poo having a very distinct pale cream appearance. </p>
<p><a href="https://adc.bmj.com/content/archdischild/52/5/360.full.pdf">One in 14,000 Australian babies</a> are born with a condition called biliary atresia, where the bile ducts outside and inside the liver are scarred and blocked. Bile is unable to flow out of the liver, which can lead to liver scarring. Biliary atresia can be treated with surgery but early diagnosis is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22933100">important</a>.</p>
<p>Pale coloured poo may also indicate the presence of an intestinal <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19825279#">parasite</a> or <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6013661/">bacteria</a>. </p>
<p><strong>Red</strong></p>
<p>Red poo could be due to red food colouring, tomato juice and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/713000">beetroot</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/304602/original/file-20191202-156112-eqvme7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/304602/original/file-20191202-156112-eqvme7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304602/original/file-20191202-156112-eqvme7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304602/original/file-20191202-156112-eqvme7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304602/original/file-20191202-156112-eqvme7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304602/original/file-20191202-156112-eqvme7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304602/original/file-20191202-156112-eqvme7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Last night’s beetroot salad could be to blame.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/beet-salad-213335788">Gayvoronskaya_Yana/Shtterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>However, bright red blood in the poo usually means internal bleeding from the bowel. </p>
<p>Causes of red blood in the poo can include conditions such as haemorrhoids and anal fissures (small, thin tears) but may be the sign of a more sinister bowel cancer. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/your-poo-is-mostly-alive-heres-whats-in-it-102848">Your poo is (mostly) alive. Here's what's in it</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>Black</strong></p>
<p>There can be a number of harmless causes for black poo such as eating black licorice.</p>
<p>Medications are another reason. Iron tablets and many antibiotics can turn poo black. (Antibiotics are also known to turn poo into <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736790/">different shades</a> of green, white, pink and orange.) </p>
<p>Black, tar-like poo can indicate bleeding from higher up in the digestive tract, such as from an oesophageal or stomach ulcer. </p>
<h2>Should you be worried?</h2>
<p>Changes to the colour of your poo are usually temporary. Getting rid of the culprit – by finishing the medication or removing the responsible food from the diet, for instance – should be able to return poo colour to its normal shade of brown. </p>
<p>If the odd colour persists, it may signify an underlying medical condition and warrant further investigation. </p>
<p>Black, red and very pale poo are the more concerning colours and should be checked out by your GP.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/120975/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Vincent Ho does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Poo can come in a range of colours, including green. Most of the time there’s nothing to worry about, but there are a few signs it’s time to see your GP.Vincent Ho, Senior Lecturer and clinical academic gastroenterologist, Western Sydney UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1217622019-09-16T02:45:17Z2019-09-16T02:45:17ZIs vigorous exercise safe during the third trimester of pregnancy?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/292146/original/file-20190912-190044-zjrlzi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C22%2C7360%2C4880&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Vigorous exercise is safe while pregnant, even in the final trimester. But if you don't feel up to it, lighter exercise is beneficial too.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Expectant mothers receive an avalanche of information about potential risks to their baby. There’s a growing list of foods, toxins and environmental threats to avoid. It’s normal for this to lead to an increased level of anxiety. </p>
<p>As a result, some women believe it’s safer to avoid any risks in pregnancy, no matter how small. Vigorous exercise may be considered one of these risks.</p>
<p>But we’ve recently <a href="https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-019-2441-1">reviewed the research</a> and found vigorous exercise is safe during pregnancy, including in the third trimester. And not only is it safe; it’s healthy, too.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-it-safe-to-run-while-pregnant-we-asked-five-experts-104489">Is it safe to run while pregnant? We asked five experts</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Moderate exercise vs vigorous exercise</h2>
<p>The safety of moderate intensity exercise during pregnancy has been well established. Walking, swimming and using an exercise bike are all activities that could be considered moderate intensity.</p>
<p>Expectant mothers who do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week, as recommended by the <a href="https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-pubhlth-strateg-phys-act-guidelines#npa1864">Australian Physical Activity Guidelines</a>, are healthier, happier, stronger, and develop <a href="https://sma.org.au/sma-site-content/uploads/2017/08/SMA-Position-Statement-Exercise-Pregnancy.pdf">fewer complications</a> like gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-what-should-our-maximum-heart-rate-be-during-exercise-107963">Health Check: what should our maximum heart rate be during exercise?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>When we’re talking about vigorous exercise, this means exercising to an intensity where you struggle to maintain a conversation, but can still manage a sentence. This could include activities such as jogging, circuit-based resistance training, or interval training on a stationary bike.</p>
<p>In the broader population, it’s exercise at 70-90% of your maximum heart rate (where <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise-intensity/art-20046887">maximum heart rate</a> is about 220 beats per minute minus your age). </p>
<p>For pregnant women, it may feel a little harder to achieve vigorous intensity exercise because of some normal changes to the heart and blood that occur during pregnancy.</p>
<p>And the safety of doing vigorous exercise during pregnancy has been more controversial. For example, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1179562X17693224">past research</a> has suggested that during vigorous exercise, blood flow is re-directed to the muscles and could take away oxygen and nutrients from the growing baby.</p>
<h2>Our research</h2>
<p>We collated <a href="https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-019-2441-1">all studies</a> looking at mothers exercising at a vigorous intensity during the third trimester, to understand how safe this was for mothers and babies. Our review included 15 studies totalling 32,703 pregnant women. </p>
<p>What we found should be reassuring for active women with healthy pregnancies: vigorous exercise appears to be safe for both mum and baby, even when continued into the third trimester. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/292147/original/file-20190912-190031-m5ai5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/292147/original/file-20190912-190031-m5ai5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/292147/original/file-20190912-190031-m5ai5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/292147/original/file-20190912-190031-m5ai5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/292147/original/file-20190912-190031-m5ai5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/292147/original/file-20190912-190031-m5ai5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/292147/original/file-20190912-190031-m5ai5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Yoga can be a gentler form of exercise to do during pregnancy.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The studies looked at a range of outcomes for both mum and baby, and none showed any meaningful increase in risk. There was no difference in birth weight of babies when their mums did vigorous exercise; and in particular no difference in the number of babies born small for gestational age. </p>
<p>For women in the healthy weight range, vigorous exercise didn’t affect the amount of weight they gained during pregnancy. That is, they followed the expected trajectory of weight gain as their pregnancy progressed. </p>
<p>But, in overweight and obese women, for whom it can be more difficult to adhere to the recommended weight gain during pregnancy, vigorous exercise did appear to reduce maternal weight gain. </p>
<p>It was also associated with a slightly lower chance of a baby being born premature, and a few extra days of gestation.</p>
<h2>High-intensity and high-impact exercise</h2>
<p>Exercise at greater than 90% of maximum heart rate is considered “high-intensity exercise”. This is where you can’t even string a sentence together. </p>
<p>We don’t yet know if high-intensity training carries any risks, so there’s still a limit to what mums might want to do later in a pregnancy. We’d recommended mums do the “<a href="https://www.physicalactivityaustralia.org.au/pregnancy-and-exercise/">talk test</a>” to make sure they can still speak while exercising. </p>
<p>Expectant mothers should also be cautious about doing high-impact exercise in the third trimester, like running, jumping or lifting heavy weights. The findings from our review suggest these types of high-impact activities are not likely to affect the baby, but it’s still not known whether they may <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/52/21/1397.long">weaken the mother’s pelvic floor muscles</a>, which may contribute to incontinence.</p>
<p>If expectant mothers want to keep these activities up, we’d recommend they consult an exercise professional and their doctor.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/should-women-exercise-during-and-after-pregnancy-53377">Should women exercise during and after pregnancy?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Exercise during pregnancy is important – but it doesn’t have to be vigorous</h2>
<p>Vigorous exercise is an efficient strategy for improving a mother’s physical and mental health. The benefits to her heart, lungs, muscles and mood are likely to be the same, if not greater, than for moderate exercise.</p>
<p>The main aim of physical activity in pregnancy is to achieve health-enhancing benefits in a way that is safe, enjoyable, and sustainable.</p>
<p>Some women may find it difficult to be mobile in the third trimester, let alone exercise vigorously. So, if you’re happily doing lighter exercise, like regular walks, you can feel confident in the benefits you’re providing both you and your baby. </p>
<p>Pregnancy specific yoga or pilates may also be a gentler way to improve muscular strength, heart health and mental health. These activities might help you prepare your body for the upcoming challenge of childbirth, and subsequent recovery. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/weight-gain-during-pregnancy-how-much-is-too-much-89016">Weight gain during pregnancy: how much is too much?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>If you’re struggling to achieve the recommended 150 minutes per week, particularly in the third trimester, then find ways to increase your breathing rate in shorter bouts. For example, by taking the stairs, parking the car a little further away, or going for brisk walk in your lunch break.</p>
<p>Mothers will usually get the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10995-016-2054-5">most benefit</a> with some extra support, whether from an exercise professional (like an accredited exercise physiologist), a medical practitioner, or both. Programs can be tailored to the most suitable exercise intensity for you.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/121762/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kassia Beetham does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>It’s normal for expectant mums to worry about how their activities might affect their baby’s health. But when it comes to vigorous exercise, the evidence shows there’s nothing to worry about.Kassia Beetham, Exercise Physiology Lecturer, Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1213102019-08-26T19:58:51Z2019-08-26T19:58:51ZHow often should I get my teeth cleaned?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289016/original/file-20190822-170951-avvckq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6016%2C4016&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Teeth cleaning at the dentist can remove plaque that regular brushing and flossing can't.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>If you went to your dentist for a check-up and dental clean in the last year, give yourself a pat on the back. Not everyone loves the dentist, but <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/dental-oral-health/dental-attendance-patterns-oral-health-status/contents/table-of-contents">research</a> shows people who visit at least once a year for preventative care are happier with their smile.</p>
<p>Regular dental visitors are also <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0022034509356779">less likely</a> to need a filling or have a tooth removed.</p>
<p>So how often do we need to go to the dentist? Most of us can get away with an annual trip, but some people at higher risk of dental problems should <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29984691">visit more often</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/child-tooth-decay-is-on-the-rise-but-few-are-brushing-their-teeth-enough-or-seeing-the-dentist-92113">Child tooth decay is on the rise, but few are brushing their teeth enough or seeing the dentist</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Why do I need to get my teeth cleaned?</h2>
<p>While we all do the best we can on our own, professional teeth cleaning removes plaque, the soft yellowish build-up, and calculus (hardened plaque) we can’t get to. This soft build-up is made up of billions of different types of bacteria that live and reproduce in our mouth by feeding on the food we eat.</p>
<p>Most bacteria live in our bodies without causing too much trouble. But certain bacteria in dental plaque, when they grow in numbers, can lead to cavities (holes in the teeth) or gum disease. </p>
<p>A dental clean will reduce your chance of getting cavities or gum disease by <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1600-051X.2004.00563.x">significantly reducing</a> the amount of plaque and calculus in your mouth.</p>
<h2>So how often?</h2>
<p>As a dentist, my patients often ask me how regularly they should get their teeth cleaned. My response is usually: “That depends”.</p>
<p>Most private health insurance schemes cover a dental check-up and clean once every six months. But there’s no hard and fast evidence, particularly if you’re a healthy person who is less likely to get a cavity or gum disease. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/50-shades-whiter-what-you-should-know-about-teeth-whitening-102474">50 shades whiter: what you should know about teeth whitening</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>However, some people are at higher risk of getting dental cavities or gum disease – and this group should get their teeth cleaned more often.</p>
<h2>Hole in one</h2>
<p>We know certain <a href="https://bmcoralhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12903-018-0585-4">health and lifestyle factors</a> can affect a person’s risk of developing cavities. Here are some yes/no questions you can ask yourself to understand whether you’re at a higher risk:</p>
<ol>
<li> is your drinking water or toothpaste fluoride-free?</li>
<li> do you snack a lot, including on sweets?</li>
<li> do you avoid flossing?</li>
<li> do you brush your teeth less than twice a day? </li>
<li> do you visit your dentist for toothaches rather than check-ups?</li>
<li> do you need new fillings every time you visit the dentist?</li>
<li> is your dentist “watching” a lot of early cavities?</li>
<li> do you have to wear an appliance in your mouth such as a denture or braces? </li>
<li> do you suffer from a chronic long-term health condition such as diabetes?</li>
<li>do you suffer from a dry mouth?</li>
</ol>
<p>If you answered “yes” to most of these questions, you’re likely to need to see your dentist or hygienist at least every six months, if not more often. </p>
<p>As well as removing the bug-loaded plaque and calculus, people prone to cavities <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002817714615269">benefit</a> from the fluoride treatment after scaling. </p>
<p>Evidence shows professional fluoride treatment every six months can lead to a <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD002280.pub2/full">30% reduced risk</a> of developing cavities, needing fillings or having teeth removed.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/two-million-aussies-delay-or-dont-go-to-the-dentist-heres-how-we-can-fix-that-113376">Two million Aussies delay or don't go to the dentist – here's how we can fix that</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Dental health is related to our overall health</h2>
<p>Some people with <a href="https://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?pid=S0042-96862005000900004&script=sci_arttext&tlng=es">chronic health issues</a> such as heart conditions or diabetes will need to see their dentists more frequently. This is because they are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1586/erc.10.109">more prone to gum disease</a>. </p>
<p>People taking blood thinners and other medications, such as pills and infusions for <a href="https://asbmr.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jbmr.3191">osteoporosis</a>, may need to visit the dentist more regularly too. These medications can complicate the process of an extraction or other dental work, so regular checks and cleans are best to help detect problems before they become serious.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289018/original/file-20190822-170906-1oobsfd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289018/original/file-20190822-170906-1oobsfd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289018/original/file-20190822-170906-1oobsfd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289018/original/file-20190822-170906-1oobsfd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289018/original/file-20190822-170906-1oobsfd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289018/original/file-20190822-170906-1oobsfd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289018/original/file-20190822-170906-1oobsfd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">People who visit the dentist regularly are less likely to need a filling or have a tooth removed.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>People with bleeding gums should also see their dental practitioners more often. This is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26698003">especially important</a> if you have been diagnosed with advanced gum disease, known as periodontal disease.</p>
<h2>What about the budget?</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.choice.com.au/health-and-body/dentists-and-dental-care/dental-treatment/articles/dental-fees">average cost</a> of a check-up, dental clean and fluoride treatment is A$231, but the cost can vary from A$150 to A$305. You can contact your local dentist to find out what they charge. Your dentist may offer you a payment plan.</p>
<p>If you can’t afford this, you may qualify for <a href="https://www.ada.org.au/Your-Dental-Health/Home">free or discounted treatment</a> if you hold a concession card. Children from families that receive a Family Tax Benefit A may be eligible for free dental treatment through the <a href="https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/medicare/child-dental-benefits-schedule">Child Dental Benefits Schedule</a>. </p>
<p>People with private health insurance with extras or ancillary cover will also have some or all of their dental treatment covered.</p>
<h2>Protecting your smile</h2>
<p>So you don’t really get cavities or have gum disease, but would prefer to see your dentist every six months? Great. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/sj.bdj.2010.796">Some people</a> prefer to go twice a year to reduce the chance of a nasty toothache. </p>
<p>Parents often wish to set a good example for their children by making regular check and clean appointments for the whole family.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-care-is-getting-cheaper-unless-you-need-a-specialist-or-a-dentist-103893">Health care is getting cheaper (unless you need a specialist, or a dentist)</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>There are many benefits to regular checks and cleans. Visiting your dentist regularly helps reduce the chance of needing more complex and expensive dental treatment later on. </p>
<p>And touching base with your oral health practitioner provides that nudge we all need now and again to eat healthily, brush better and floss more often.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/121310/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Arosha Weerakoon is a self-employed dentist in private practice. She has received funding from Colgate for her research. She is a member of the Australian Dental Association and a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons. </span></em></p>Do you really need a dental clean every six months? Most healthy people will probably be OK if they go anually. But some people are at higher risk of cavities or gum disease, and should go more often.Arosha Weerakoon, Lecturer, General Dentist & PhD Candidate, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1216302019-08-19T02:33:43Z2019-08-19T02:33:43ZWhy do I dwell on the past?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288256/original/file-20190816-136199-f4yqb7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=1%2C4%2C997%2C661&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Dwelling on the past, like writing in a diary, is part of being human and helps us form our identity. But not all memories are helpful.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-partial-portrait-black-female-author-1114940525?src=OFH0ZRmTHf5zgubAeBta-Q-1-11">from www.shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many of us enjoy writing in a diary, reading autobiographies or nostalgically reflecting with others about past times. </p>
<p>Why is remembering our past so important? Are there downsides? And what can we do if dwelling on the past bothers us?</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-memory-9035">Explainer: what is memory?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Memories make us human</h2>
<p>Over several decades, researchers have shown remembering your past is fundamental to being human, and has <a href="http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.545.5603&rep=rep1&type=pdf">four important roles</a>.</p>
<p><strong>1. Memories help form our identity</strong></p>
<p>Our personal memories give us a sense of continuity — the same person (or sense of self) moving through time. They provide important details of who we are and who we would like to be.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-we-remember-our-youth-as-one-big-hedonistic-party-78995">Why we remember our youth as one big hedonistic party</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>2. Memories help us solve problems</strong></p>
<p>Memories offer us potential solutions to current problems and help guide and direct us when solving them.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/most-people-think-playing-chess-makes-you-smarter-but-the-evidence-isnt-clear-on-that-119469">Most people think playing chess makes you 'smarter', but the evidence isn't clear on that</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>3. Memories make us social</strong></p>
<p>Personal memories are essential for social interactions. Being able to recall personal memories provides important material when making new friends, forming relationships and maintaining ones we already have.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-power-of-our-song-the-musical-glue-that-binds-friends-and-lovers-across-the-ages-73593">The power of 'our song', the musical glue that binds friends and lovers across the ages</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>4. Memories help us regulate our emotions</strong></p>
<p>Our memories provide examples of similar situations we’ve been in before. This allows us to reflect on how we managed that emotion before and what we can learn from that experience.</p>
<p>Such memories can also help us manage strong negative emotions. For example, when someone is feeling sad they can take time to dwell on a positive memory <a href="http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.545.5603&rep=rep1&type=pdf">to improve their mood</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-how-food-affects-mood-and-mood-affects-food-24834">Health Check: how food affects mood and mood affects food</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Memories help us function in our wider society</h2>
<p>Dwelling on our personal memories not only helps us as individuals. It also allows us to operate in our socio-cultural context; society and culture influence the way we remember our past. </p>
<p>For instance, in Western individualistic cultures people tend to recall memories that are long, specific, detailed and focus on the individual. </p>
<p>In contrast, in East Asian cultures people tend to recall more general memories focusing on social interactions and significant others. Researchers have seen these differences in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15335332">children and adults</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/remember-when-we-why-sharing-memories-is-soul-food-35542">'Remember when we...?' Why sharing memories is soul food</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Indeed, the way parents discuss past events with their children <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1745691610375555">differs culturally</a>.</p>
<p>Parents from Western cultures focus more on the child and the child’s thoughts and emotions than East Asian parents. So, there are even cultural differences in the ways we teach our children to dwell on the past. </p>
<p>People from Western individualistic cultures tend to recollect specific unique memories that reaffirm someone’s uniqueness, a value emphasised in Western cultures. <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/247780766_Why_We_Remember_and_What_We_Remember">In contrast</a>, in East Asian cultures memories function to assist with relatedness and social connection, a value emphasised in East Asian cultures.</p>
<h2>Memories and ill health</h2>
<p>As dwelling on the past plays such a crucial role in how we function as humans, it is unsurprising that disruptions in how we remember arise in several psychological disorders.</p>
<p>People with depression, for instance, tend to remember <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bjc.12181">more negative personal memories</a> and fewer positive personal memories than those without depression. For example, someone with depression may remember failing an exam rather than remembering their academic successes. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288254/original/file-20190816-136199-rbg65b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288254/original/file-20190816-136199-rbg65b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288254/original/file-20190816-136199-rbg65b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288254/original/file-20190816-136199-rbg65b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288254/original/file-20190816-136199-rbg65b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288254/original/file-20190816-136199-rbg65b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288254/original/file-20190816-136199-rbg65b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288254/original/file-20190816-136199-rbg65b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">People with depression are more likely to remember the bad times rather than the good.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/portrait-stressed-young-housewife-modern-kitchen-142814569?src=tUbO2N-XiJnb4Ya3ZI9UoQ-1-1">from www.shutterstock.com</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>People with depression also <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2834574/">have great difficulty</a> remembering something from a specific time and place, for instance “I really enjoyed going to Sam’s party last Thursday”. Instead they provide memories of general experiences, for instance, “I like going to parties”.</p>
<p>We have found people with depression also tend to structure their life story <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bjc.12181">differently</a> and report more negative life stories. They also tend to remember periods of their life, such as going to university, as either distinctly positive or negative (rather than a combination of both).</p>
<p>Disturbances in memory are also <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21219190">the hallmarks of</a> post-traumatic stress disorder. This is when unwanted, distressing personal memories of the trauma spontaneously pop into the mind.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-11135">Explainer: what is post-traumatic stress disorder?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<p>People with anxiety disorders also tend to have <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735809001846">biases</a> when remembering their personal past. For instance, all of us, unfortunately, experience social blunders from time to time, such as tripping getting onto a bus or spilling a drink at a party. However, people with social anxiety are more likely to be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3260374/">consumed with feelings of embarrassment and shame</a> when remembering these experiences.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-social-anxiety-disorder-36601">Explainer: what is social anxiety disorder?</a>
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<p>Finally, an excessive, repetitive dwelling on your past, without generating solutions, can be unhelpful. It can result in emotional distress and in extreme instances, emotional disorders, such as <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2000-05424-015?doi=1">depression, anxiety</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17041914">post-traumatic stress disorder</a>.</p>
<h2>I don’t want to dwell on the past. What can I do?</h2>
<p>If dwelling on the past bothers you, these practical tips can help.</p>
<p><strong>Set aside a certain time of the day for your memories.</strong> You could write in a diary or write down your worries. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/(SICI)1097-4679(199910)55:10%3C1243::AID-JCLP6%3E3.0.CO;2-N">Writing</a> about important personal experiences in an emotional way for as little as 15 minutes a day can improve your mental and physical health.</p>
<p><strong>Practice remembering specific positive memories from your past.</strong> This can allow you to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-018-0504-3">engage differently</a> with your memories and gain a new perspective on your memories.</p>
<p><strong>Learn and practise <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-dont-yet-fully-understand-what-mindfulness-is-but-this-is-what-its-not-110698">mindfulness strategies</a>.</strong> Instead of dwelling on painful memories, a focus on the present moment (such as attending to your breath, focusing on what you can currently see, smell or hear) can help break a negative cycle</p>
<p>When dwelling on past memories <strong>try being proactive and generate ideas to solve problems</strong> rather than just being passive.</p>
<p><strong>See your GP or health practitioner</strong> if you’re distressed about dwelling on your past.</p>
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<p><em>If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/121630/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Laura Jobson has previously received funding from NIHR. </span></em></p>Remembering past events, experiences or emotions is a big part of being human. But if dwelling on the past is distressing, here’s what you can do to help.Laura Jobson, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1209762019-08-06T02:29:57Z2019-08-06T02:29:57ZWhy do I grunt when I bend over?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/286870/original/file-20190805-117861-9dj8qe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Getting older? If you grunt when you bend over, you're not alone.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>You never think it’s going to happen to you. Then suddenly you’re middle-aged and you find yourself grunting when you pick up something from the floor or groaning when you get out of the chair.</p>
<p>Why do we do this? Is it a sign that we’re ageing fast? Or is it just one of those things that come with the middle years, like reading glasses, greying hair and “dad jokes”?</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-did-it-get-so-late-so-soon-why-time-flies-as-we-get-older-44296">How did it get so late so soon? Why time flies as we get older</a>
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<p>As far as I could find, there have been no specific studies to explain why otherwise healthy older people grunt or groan with the physical effort of everyday activities. </p>
<p>But noises relating to physical exertion are common in a range of ages and activities, as anyone who has watched cricket, boxing or in particular, tennis, will know. Think Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal. </p>
<p>So, we can look to the evidence of what’s behind grunting in sport or training instead.</p>
<h2>We stiffen the body, hold our breath, then slowly release it</h2>
<p>When we lift something relatively heavy, make fast movements (like hitting a tennis ball), or even stand up from sitting, we stiffen our torso. This stabilises our entire body. </p>
<p>If we were too relaxed, we would be floppy, lose balance and risk falling over. </p>
<p>So we fill the lungs by breathing in and tense up the muscles of the torso to stabilise the spine. We throw our arms forward to provide momentum and with this effort, we hold our breath to maintain that stability as we stand.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-why-do-we-sigh-116659">Curious Kids: why do we sigh?</a>
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<p>We then release the breath slowly or quickly, depending on the nature of the task. With fast (or ballistic) movements like pitching a ball or punching in boxing, we’d release the breath quickly. With slow movements, like lifting a barbell or getting off the couch, we’d release it slowly. If the muscles that move the vocal cords together are activated, we make a sound. </p>
<p>This results in a grunt or groan of the kind you might often hear at the gym. Or at least you would if not for the deafening music.</p>
<h2>Does grunting help us move, strike or lift?</h2>
<p>The evidence of whether grunting helps us move, strike or lift is mixed.</p>
<p>According to a 20-year-old study, grunting <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.2466/pms.1999.89.1.233">doesn’t help</a> weightlifters lift heavier weights. They lifted as much in a “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op9kVnSso6Q">dead lift</a>” whether they grunted or not.</p>
<p>However, in a 2011 study, shouting <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10413200.2012.688787">helped martial artists grip</a> with greater force. </p>
<p>And in a 2014 study, tennis players had <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25412161">stronger serves and forehand strokes</a> when they were allowed to grunt compared with when they were told to be silent.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/all-the-racquet-what-science-tells-us-about-the-pros-and-cons-of-grunting-in-tennis-90225">All the racquet: what science tells us about the pros and cons of grunting in tennis</a>
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<p>So, it seems that whether grunting or other vocalisations help you perform depends on the task.</p>
<p>That said, tennis great Roger Federer (a “non-grunter”) seems to perform very well without this audible shot enhancement.</p>
<h2>What does this mean for everyday activities?</h2>
<p>What all this means for grunting during everyday activities is unclear. Clearly, athletes’ grunts during fast, ballistic movements are different to the noises we make when exercising in a gym or when we get up from a chair.</p>
<p>Perhaps we are more likely to make such noises if we are tired or fatigued. And if someone <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30390830">thinks a task is going to be hard</a>, they might be more likely to grunt or vocalise. So that’s when they’re most likely holding their breath, to try to provide momentum and stability for the task ahead, then releasing it.</p>
<p>While there has been no research on this phenomenon, as far as I can tell, grunting with physical exertion does seem to be habitual. These noises are most likely learned behaviours that we copy from friends and relatives and start doing without realising it. So, you can choose not to groan the next time you get off the couch.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-power-of-our-song-the-musical-glue-that-binds-friends-and-lovers-across-the-ages-73593">The power of 'our song', the musical glue that binds friends and lovers across the ages</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/120976/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Lavender does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Is grunting a sign that we’re ageing fast? Or is it just one of those things that come with the middle years, like reading glasses, greying hair and ‘dad jokes’?Andrew Lavender, Lecturer, School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1170962019-07-31T20:04:09Z2019-07-31T20:04:09ZAre there certain foods you can eat to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285271/original/file-20190723-110187-nwaqv6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Eating healthy foods doesn't just improve our physical health. It can benefit our mental health, too.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>With the rise of fad diets, “superfoods”, and a growing range of dietary supplement choices, it’s sometimes hard to know what to eat.</p>
<p>This can be particularly relevant as we grow older, and are trying to make the best choices to minimise the risk of health problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart (cardiovascular) problems. </p>
<p>We now have evidence these health problems <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25142458">also all affect brain function</a>: they increase nerve degeneration in the brain, leading to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other brain conditions including vascular dementia and Parkinson’s disease.</p>
<p>We know a healthy diet can protect against conditions like type 2 diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Fortunately, evidence shows that what’s good for the body is <a href="https://yourbrainmatters.org.au/diet-the-evidence-base">generally also good for the brain</a>.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/people-living-in-rural-areas-may-be-at-lower-risk-of-alzheimers-disease-112417">People living in rural areas may be at lower risk of Alzheimer's disease</a>
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<h2>Oxidative stress</h2>
<p>As we age, our metabolism becomes less efficient, and is less able to get rid of compounds generated from what’s called “oxidative stress”.</p>
<p>The body’s normal chemical reactions can sometimes cause chemical damage, or generate side-products known as free radicals – which in turn cause damage to other chemicals in the body.</p>
<p>To neutralise these free radicals, our bodies draw on protective mechanisms, in the form of antioxidants or specific proteins. But as we get older, these systems become less efficient. When your body can no longer neutralise the free radical damage, it’s under oxidative stress.</p>
<p>The toxic compounds generated by oxidative stress steadily build up, slowly damaging the brain and eventually leading to symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-causes-alzheimers-disease-what-we-know-dont-know-and-suspect-75847">What causes Alzheimer’s disease? What we know, don’t know and suspect</a>
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<p>To reduce your risk, you need to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26682690">reduce oxidative stress</a> and the long-term inflammation it can cause. </p>
<p>Increasing physical activity is important. But here we are focusing on diet, which is our major source of ANTIoxidants.</p>
<h2>Foods to add</h2>
<p>There are plenty of foods you can include in your diet that will positively influence brain health. These include fresh fruits, seafood, green leafy vegetables, pulses (including beans, lentils and peas), as well as nuts and healthy oils.</p>
<p><strong>Fish</strong></p>
<p>Fish is a good source of complete protein. Importantly, oily fish in particular is rich in omega-3 fatty acids.</p>
<p>Laboratory studies have shown omega-3 fatty acids <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6236236/">protect against oxidative stress</a>, and they’ve been found to be lacking in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.</p>
<p>They are essential for memory, learning and cognitive processes, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30205543">improve the gut microbiota and function</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285272/original/file-20190723-110149-1qlz6a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285272/original/file-20190723-110149-1qlz6a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/285272/original/file-20190723-110149-1qlz6a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/285272/original/file-20190723-110149-1qlz6a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/285272/original/file-20190723-110149-1qlz6a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/285272/original/file-20190723-110149-1qlz6a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/285272/original/file-20190723-110149-1qlz6a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Oily fish, like salmon, is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which research shows can benefit our brain health.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Low dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids, meanwhile, is linked to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28466678">faster cognitive decline</a>, and the development of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (changes in the brain that can be seen several years before for onset of symptoms such as memory loss). </p>
<p>Omega-3 fatty acids are generally lacking in western diets, and this has been linked to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27825512">reduced brain cell health and function</a>.</p>
<p>Fish also provides vitamin D. This is important because a lack of vitamin D <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23042216">has been linked</a> to Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and vascular dementia (a common form of dementia caused by reduced blood supply to the brain as a result of a series of small strokes).</p>
<p><strong>Berries</strong></p>
<p>Berries are especially high in the antioxidants vitamin C (strawberries), anthocyanins (blueberries, raspberries and blackberries) and resveratrol (blueberries).</p>
<p>In research conducted on mouse brain cells, anthocyanins have been associated with lower toxic Alzheimer’s disease-related protein changes, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28931353">reduced signs of oxidative stress and inflammation</a> specifically related to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29401686">brain cell (neuron) damage</a>. Human studies have shown <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28249119">improvements in brain function and blood flow</a>, and signs of reduced brain inflammation.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/six-things-you-can-do-to-reduce-your-risk-of-dementia-93061">Six things you can do to reduce your risk of dementia</a>
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<p><strong>Red and purple sweet potato</strong></p>
<p>Longevity has been associated with a small number of traditional diets, and one of these is the diet of the Okinawan people of Japan. The starchy staple of their diet is the purple sweet potato – rich in anthocyanin antioxidants. </p>
<p>Studies in mice have shown this potato’s anthocyanins protect against the effects of obesity on blood sugar regulation and cognitive function, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29344660">and can reduce obesity-induced brain inflammation</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Green vegetables and herbs</strong></p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29555333">traditional Mediterranean diet</a> has also been studied for its links to longevity and lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. </p>
<p>Green vegetables and herbs feature prominently in this diet. They are rich sources of antioxidants including vitamins A and C, folate, polyphenols such as apigenin, and the carotenoid xanthophylls (especially if raw). A carotenoid is an orange or red pigment commonly found in carrots.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285273/original/file-20190723-110154-135q3i2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285273/original/file-20190723-110154-135q3i2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/285273/original/file-20190723-110154-135q3i2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/285273/original/file-20190723-110154-135q3i2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/285273/original/file-20190723-110154-135q3i2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/285273/original/file-20190723-110154-135q3i2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/285273/original/file-20190723-110154-135q3i2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Green vegetables and herbs provide us with several types of antioxidants.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span>
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<p>The antioxidants and anti-inflammatory chemicals in the vegetables are believed to be responsible for <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/full/10.1146/annurev-food-030216-030125">slowing Alzheimer’s pathology development</a>, the build up of specific proteins which are toxic to brain cells.</p>
<p>Parsley is rich in apigenin, a powerful antioxidant. It readily crosses the barrier between the blood and the brain (unlike many drugs), <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28237914">where it reduces inflammation and oxidative stress</a>, and helps <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6304859/">brain tissue recovery</a> after injury. </p>
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<em>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-mediterranean-diet-and-why-is-it-good-for-you-12656">What is the Mediterranean diet and why is it good for you?</a>
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<p><strong>Beetroot</strong></p>
<p>Beetroot is a rich source of folate and polyphenol antioxidants, as well as copper and manganese. In particular, beetroot is <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/10715762.2011.641157">rich in betalain pigments</a>, which reduce oxidative stress and have anti-inflammatory properties.</p>
<p>Due to its nitrate content, beetroot can also boost the body’s nitric oxide levels. Nitric oxide relaxes blood vessels resulting in lowered blood pressure, a benefit which has <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30400267">been associated</a> with drinking beetroot juice.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29077028">recent review of clinical studies</a> in older adults also indicated clear benefits of nitrate-rich beetroot juice on the health of our hearts and blood vessels.</p>
<h2>Foods to reduce</h2>
<p>Equally as important as adding good sources of antioxidants to your diet is minimising foods that are unhealthy: some foods contain damaged fats and proteins, which are major sources of oxidative stress and inflammation. </p>
<p>A high intake of “junk foods” including sweets, soft drinks, refined carbohydrates, processed meats and deep fried foods <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1038/oby.2001.122">has been linked</a> to obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.</p>
<p>Where these conditions are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31062323">are all risk factors</a> for cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease, they should be kept to a minimum to reduce health risks and improve longevity.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-can-eating-certain-foods-make-you-smarter-113551">Health Check: can eating certain foods make you smarter?</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/117096/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ralph Martins receives funding from the NHMRC, Edith Cowan University, Macquarie University, Australian Alzheimer's Research Foundation and the Lion's Alzheimer's Foundation.</span></em></p>Many chronic diseases increase our risk of Alzheimer’s disease. This link between our bodies and our brains means certain healthy choices could protect our cognitive function.Ralph N. Martins, Chair in Ageing and Alzheimer’s Disease, Edith Cowan University; Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1131972019-06-03T06:37:28Z2019-06-03T06:37:28ZHealth Check: what’s the best way to sit?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/273449/original/file-20190509-183077-9qsb8h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">There's not only one correct sitting posture. Mixing it up is the best thing to do.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many people spend the majority of their waking hours sitting – at home, commuting and at work.</p>
<p>Particularly when we’re sitting for long periods at a desk, there are a few things we should keep in mind.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-sitting-versus-standing-30145">Health Check: sitting versus standing </a>
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<h2>How should we sit?</h2>
<p>Many people think there is one “good” posture. But actually, there isn’t just one way of sitting. Different ways of sitting will place different physical stresses on our bodies, and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00140130903039101">variety is good</a>.</p>
<p>To work out if a posture is “good” or not, we can assess it based on several things:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>the amount of muscle activity required to hold the position (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17050393">too much muscle activity could be a problem</a> as it can result in fatigue if held continuously for a long period)</p></li>
<li><p>the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17050393">estimated stress on joints</a>, including the discs between the vertebral bones of the spine (too much physical loading stress could be a problem as it may cause pain in the joints and ligaments or muscles around them)</p></li>
<li><p>whether the joints are in the middle of their range of movement or near the extreme (awkward, near end-of-range postures <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/016981419290017T">may put more stress</a> on tissues around joints)</p></li>
<li><p>the amount of fidgeting people do (moving about in your seat, or fidgeting, can be <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00140136908931055">an early indicator of discomfort</a> and may suggest a risk of later pain).</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Given these criteria, research suggests there are three main options for how you can sit well at a desk. Each option has different pros and cons, and is suitable for different tasks.</p>
<h2>Option 1: upright sitting</h2>
<p>This is probably the posture you think of as “good” posture. The defining feature of this option is that the trunk is upright.</p>
<p>A key component of upright sitting is that the feet can comfortably rest on a surface, whether the floor or a footstool. This position also makes it easy to adjust posture within the chair (fidget) and change posture to get out of the chair.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-much-do-sedentary-people-really-need-to-move-its-less-than-you-think-114824">How much do sedentary people really need to move? It's less than you think</a>
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</p>
<hr>
<p>It’s also important the arms <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169814196000273">hang down from the shoulders vertically</a> with elbows by the trunk, unless the forearms are supported on the work surface. Holding unsupported arms forward requires the muscles connecting the shoulder and neck to work harder. This often results in muscle fatigue and discomfort.</p>
<p>The head should be looking straight ahead or a little downwards. Looking upwards <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19296320">would increase tension</a> in the neck and likely lead to discomfort.</p>
<p>This posture is useful for common office tasks such as working on a desktop computer.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276696/original/file-20190528-193518-1vru02p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276696/original/file-20190528-193518-1vru02p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=597&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276696/original/file-20190528-193518-1vru02p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=597&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276696/original/file-20190528-193518-1vru02p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=597&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276696/original/file-20190528-193518-1vru02p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=750&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276696/original/file-20190528-193518-1vru02p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=750&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276696/original/file-20190528-193518-1vru02p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=750&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">The Conversation</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Option 2: forward sitting</h2>
<p>The defining feature of this posture is that the trunk is angled forward, and the arms are rested on the work surface. Allowing the thigh to point down at an angle may <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/016981419190027J">make it easier</a> to maintain an inward curve in your lower back, which is suggested to reduce low back stress.</p>
<p>For a time special chairs were developed to enable the thigh to be angled downwards, and usually had a feature to block the knees, stopping the person sliding off the angled seat base.</p>
<p>By perching on the front of an ordinary chair and resting your elbows on the work surface, you can use this posture to provide variety in sitting. This posture is useful for tasks such as drawing or handwriting on a flat work surface, either with paper or a touch screen device.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/277560/original/file-20190603-69059-1awxyse.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/277560/original/file-20190603-69059-1awxyse.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=551&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277560/original/file-20190603-69059-1awxyse.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=551&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277560/original/file-20190603-69059-1awxyse.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=551&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277560/original/file-20190603-69059-1awxyse.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=693&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277560/original/file-20190603-69059-1awxyse.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=693&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277560/original/file-20190603-69059-1awxyse.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=693&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">The Conversation</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Option 3: reclined sitting</h2>
<p>The defining feature of the third option is the trunk is angled backward, supported by the chair’s backrest. Back muscle activity is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15677236">lowest in this posture</a>, as some of the upper body weight is taken by the chair.</p>
<p>This position may reduce the <a href="https://www.jospt.org/doi/full/10.2519/jospt.2010.3369">risk of fatigue in the back muscles</a> and resultant discomfort. But sitting like this for hours each day may result in the back muscles being more vulnerable to fatigue in the future.</p>
<p>This posture is useful for meetings and phone conversations. But it doesn’t work well for handwriting or using a computer as the arms need to be held forwards for these things, requiring neck and shoulder muscle activity likely to result in discomfort.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276699/original/file-20190528-193535-ykmj00.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276699/original/file-20190528-193535-ykmj00.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276699/original/file-20190528-193535-ykmj00.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276699/original/file-20190528-193535-ykmj00.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276699/original/file-20190528-193535-ykmj00.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=666&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276699/original/file-20190528-193535-ykmj00.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=666&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276699/original/file-20190528-193535-ykmj00.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=666&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">The Conversation</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Final tips</h2>
<ul>
<li><p>consider how much time you spend sitting each day, and if it’s more that around seven hours, look for ways to reduce the total amount of time you spend sitting. For example, if you’re an office worker you can stand instead of sit for some tasks (but don’t stand for too long either)</p></li>
<li><p>break up long periods of sitting with movement. Aim never to sit for longer than 30-60 minutes without allowing your body to experience alternative posture and movement, such as a short walk</p></li>
<li><p>vary your sitting posture using the three options outlined above so your body has changes in the stresses placed on it</p></li>
<li><p>remember there is no one good posture, but any posture held for a long period of time becomes a bad posture. Our bodies are meant to move regularly.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/office-workers-stand-up-from-your-desk-for-two-hours-a-day-42552">Office workers, stand up from your desk for two hours a day</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/113197/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Leon Straker receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council and Australian Research Council. </span></em></p>Contrary to what you might think, there’s not one right way to sit. According to the principles of ergonomics, there are three good options.Leon Straker, Professor of Physiotherapy, Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1165102019-05-20T06:45:37Z2019-05-20T06:45:37ZHealth Check: are you up to date with your vaccinations?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275316/original/file-20190520-69209-1k0b9o2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The majority of people in Australia who haven't had all the vaccinations they need are adults.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>About <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2017/206/6/vaccine-myopia-adult-vaccination-also-needs-attention#tbox">4.1 million Australians</a> are under-vaccinated, meaning they’ve received some vaccinations, but not all the ones they need. </p>
<p>While the vaccination debate generally centres around children, <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2017/206/6/vaccine-myopia-adult-vaccination-also-needs-attention#tbox">the majority</a> of people who are under-vaccinated are actually adults.</p>
<p>This places them and others at unnecessary risk of preventable diseases. But it is possible to catch up on missed vaccinations.</p>
<h2>Why might you have missed some?</h2>
<p>It’s possible you were too afraid of needles as a child, or your parents had ideological concerns about vaccination and never took you to get vaccinated at all. This is probably something you would know about.</p>
<p>But even if you believe you had all your vaccines as a kid, there are many reasons you might not be 100% up to date:</p>
<ul>
<li>new vaccines have been added to the immunisation schedule</li>
<li>if you’ve grown up in another country, you may not have received every vaccine recommended in Australia</li>
<li>previous ways of recording and reminding people to have vaccines were not as good as they are today, so you may have accidentally missed doses without knowing</li>
<li>you may have a medical condition that puts you at higher risk of certain diseases and therefore you need additional vaccine doses.</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australians-attitudes-to-vaccination-are-more-complex-than-a-simple-pro-or-anti-label-74245">Australians' attitudes to vaccination are more complex than a simple 'pro' or 'anti' label</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Whatever the reason and regardless of your age now, it’s worthwhile to check if you’re up to date with your vaccinations. You can do this by having a chat with your GP or an immunisation clinic nurse.</p>
<h2>Measles cases show us why it’s important</h2>
<p>Being fully up to date with vaccinations is important to protect against diseases such as measles, whooping cough (pertussis) and tetanus.</p>
<p>Globally we’ve seen a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/apr/15/measles-cases-up-300-worldwide-2019-says-who-vaccination">300% rise in measles cases</a> in the first three months of 2019 compared to the same period last year. There have been nearly <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2019-04-10/measles-spikes-prompts-immunisation-warning-are-you-at-risk/10986172">as many measles cases</a> in the first quarter of this year in Australia as in all of 2018. </p>
<p>The majority of these measles cases were introduced by healthy Australian travellers who were not fully vaccinated and caught the virus while travelling to countries where the measles is still common, such as <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/measles-alarming-surge-in-outbreaks-in-98-countries/">India, Philipines</a>, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2019/04/16/the-countries-with-the-most-reported-measles-cases-in-2019-infographic/#9890357164c8">Brazil and Ukraine</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-people-born-between-1966-and-1994-are-at-greater-risk-of-measles-and-what-to-do-about-it-110167">Why people born between 1966 and 1994 are at greater risk of measles – and what to do about it</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>So what do you need to do?</h2>
<p>Try to locate any written records of past vaccinations and take them to your GP. Your GP can also check your immunisation record on the <a href="https://developer.digitalhealth.gov.au/products/australian-immunisation-register">Australian Immunisation Register</a>, which has records of any childhood vaccinations from 1996 and some adult vaccinations from 2016. </p>
<p>You may be able to access your own immunisation records <a href="https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/medicare/australian-immunisation-register/how-use-and-update-it/immunisation-history-statements">via your Medicare online account</a> through myGov or the <a href="https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/medicare/express-plus-medicare-mobile-app">Express Plus Medicare mobile app</a>. Using this information, your GP can work out what vaccines you’re missing.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275313/original/file-20190520-69195-jasoe5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275313/original/file-20190520-69195-jasoe5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275313/original/file-20190520-69195-jasoe5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275313/original/file-20190520-69195-jasoe5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275313/original/file-20190520-69195-jasoe5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275313/original/file-20190520-69195-jasoe5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275313/original/file-20190520-69195-jasoe5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Your GP can help you understand which vaccines you might need as an adult.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If you can’t find your vaccination records, it’s generally safe to restart vaccinations from scratch. For example, if you’re already immune to measles, having an extra dose of a vaccine containing measles is safe. It will only further boost your immunity. </p>
<p>Sometimes your GP may do blood tests to check if you already have immunity to certain diseases, including hepatitis B and measles, mumps and rubella.</p>
<h2>Which vaccines do adults need?</h2>
<p>Catch-up vaccinations are <a href="https://beta.health.gov.au/resources/publications/free-catch-up-vaccines-for-10-to-19-years-fact-sheet">free for young adults under 20 years old</a>, and vary in price after that.</p>
<p>Healthy people aged ten and above should make sure they’re up to date with <a href="https://immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au/resources/handbook-tables/table-catch-up-schedule-for-people-10-years-of-age-for-vaccines">the following vaccinations</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li> diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough)</li>
<li> hepatitis B</li>
<li> polio </li>
<li> human papillomavirus (HPV)</li>
<li> measles, mumps and rubella</li>
<li> meningococcal</li>
<li> pneumococcal<br></li>
<li> varicella (chicken pox)</li>
<li> zoster (shingles).</li>
</ul>
<p>As an adult, the number of extra vaccines needed is generally lower than what is listed in the childhood immunisation schedule. This is because young babies need more doses of the same vaccine to develop adequate immunity, and because some vaccines are not required by the time you reach adulthood.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/high-dose-immune-boosting-or-four-strain-a-guide-to-flu-vaccines-for-over-65s-112224">High-dose, immune-boosting or four-strain? A guide to flu vaccines for over-65s</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>If you’re planning on becoming pregnant, it’s vital to ensure you’re immune to viruses such as <a href="http://ncirs.org.au/ncirs-fact-sheets-faqs/vaccinations-during-pregnancy">hepatitis B, rubella and chicken pox (varicella)</a> as they can be passed on to and severely affect the development of an unborn baby. </p>
<p><a href="http://ncirs.org.au/ncirs-fact-sheets-faqs/pertussis-vaccines-australians">Whooping cough (pertussis) boosters</a> are important for pregnant women, new parents and grandparents to protect babies who are most at risk of dying from this condition. </p>
<p>Older people should also be getting a booster dose of whooping cough and tetanus vaccines, as immunity can wane over time and these diseases can be serious in older people.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275317/original/file-20190520-69199-1yp5ga7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275317/original/file-20190520-69199-1yp5ga7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275317/original/file-20190520-69199-1yp5ga7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275317/original/file-20190520-69199-1yp5ga7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275317/original/file-20190520-69199-1yp5ga7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275317/original/file-20190520-69199-1yp5ga7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275317/original/file-20190520-69199-1yp5ga7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">There’s been a huge surge in measles cases in 2019. People who aren’t fully vaccinated might unknowingly bring measles back from a trip overseas.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Other vaccines may be recommended depending on your health status, age, lifestyle and occupation – called the “HALO” principle. Certain medical conditions and medical treatments can increase your susceptibility to some vaccine-preventable diseases. </p>
<p>And depending on what you do for work, you may be at <a href="https://immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au/vaccination-for-special-risk-groups/vaccination-for-people-at-occupational-risk">higher risk</a> of being exposed to some vaccine-preventable diseases. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-which-vaccinations-should-i-get-as-an-adult-81400">Health Check: which vaccinations should I get as an adult?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>For example, <a href="https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2019/03/11/increased-q-fever-vaccination-needed-for-rural-residents.html">the Q fever vaccine</a> is recommended for people working closely with livestock. Q fever is a <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-drought-could-be-increasing-q-fever-risk-but-there-are-ways-we-can-protect-ourselves-112297">bacterial infection</a> that often spreads from animals and can cause severe flu-like symptoms.</p>
<p>While guidelines available online are useful, to find out what vaccinations are going to be most appropriate for your personal circumstances, it’s best to chat to your GP.</p>
<h2>What if you’ve had a reaction in the past?</h2>
<p>If your parents told you not to have a certain vaccine due to a past reaction, it’s worth getting the details and discussing this with your GP. </p>
<p>Certain vaccines, such as the <a href="https://immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au/vaccine-preventable-diseases/pertussis-whooping-cough">whooping cough vaccine</a>, have changed over time. Some of the reactions seen with previous vaccines are no longer seen in the vaccines used today. </p>
<p>GPs can also discuss specific reactions with an <a href="http://www.ncirs.org.au/health-professionals/specialist-immunisation-services">immunisation specialist</a> to develop a plan to safely vaccinate where possible.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/everyone-can-be-an-effective-advocate-for-vaccination-heres-how-111828">Everyone can be an effective advocate for vaccination: here's how</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The immunisation schedule in Australia is <a href="https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/immunisation/immunisation-schedule-vaccine-eligibility-criteria/vaccine-history-timeline">constantly changing</a>. Changes are made in response to new scientific evidence, changes in the circulation of diseases in the community and the development of new vaccines.</p>
<p>For your own health and the health of those around you, it’s important to check in with your GP regularly to make sure your vaccinations are up to date.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/116510/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kristine Macartney is the Director of NCIRS, which receives funding from the Australian, NSW and other government Departments of Heatlh. She also receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nicholas Wood receives funding from National Health Medical Research Council funding for a Career Development Fellowship</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lucy Deng does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>There are many reasons adults might not be up to date with the vaccinations they need. Catching up is easy enough, and vitally important in the fight against infectious diseases.Lucy Deng, Staff Specialist Paediatrician, National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance; Clinical Associate Lecturer, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, University of SydneyKristine Macartney, Professor, Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of SydneyNicholas Wood, Associate Professor, Discipline of Childhood and Adolescent Health, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1128612019-05-07T07:14:26Z2019-05-07T07:14:26ZHealth check: why do we get motion sickness and what’s the best way to treat it?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/271258/original/file-20190428-194633-6ojv4w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">More than a quarter of us will suffer from motion sickness.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Motion sickness can be mild, but in some people it’s debilitating, and takes the fun out of a holiday. </p>
<p>We think it’s caused by <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/02/the-mysterious-science-of-motion-sickness/385469/">temporary dysfunction</a> of our brain’s balance centres.</p>
<p>The perception of motion of any sort can bring on <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/motion-sickness">symptoms of travel sickness</a>. These include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, excessive saliva, rapid breathing and cold sweats.</p>
<p>The good news is, there are strategies and medicines you can use to <a href="https://www.aafp.org/afp/2014/0701/p41.html">prevent motion sickness</a>, or to help you ride it out.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-do-astronauts-get-space-sick-when-they-travel-from-earth-to-the-international-space-station-82888">Curious Kids: Do astronauts get space sick when they travel from Earth to the International Space Station?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Ears and eyes disconnect</h2>
<p>As we move through space, multiple sensors in our middle ear, limbs and eyes feed information to our balance centre in our brains to orientate us. It’s when these sources of information are in apparent conflict that we may experience motion sickness.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/271354/original/file-20190429-194609-13mq9yc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/271354/original/file-20190429-194609-13mq9yc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271354/original/file-20190429-194609-13mq9yc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271354/original/file-20190429-194609-13mq9yc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271354/original/file-20190429-194609-13mq9yc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=649&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271354/original/file-20190429-194609-13mq9yc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=649&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271354/original/file-20190429-194609-13mq9yc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=649&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">This diagram of the ear shows the vestibular nerve, which is central to our balance.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For example, in those who are particularly susceptible, watching certain movies can induce motion sickness as our eyes indicate we are moving, although other sensors confirm we are stationary.</p>
<p>A boat trip in rocky seas or a car trip on winding roads means our head and body will be moving in unusual ways, in two or more axes at once, while sensing accelerations, decelerations and rotations. Together these are strong stimuli to bring on an attack of motion sickness.</p>
<h2>Motion sickness is common</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d7430.long">Around 25-30% of us</a> travelling in boats, buses or planes will suffer – from feeling a bit off all the way to completely wretched; pale, sweaty, staggering, and vomiting.</p>
<p>Some people are extremely susceptible to motion sickness, and may feel unwell even with minor movements such as “head bobbing” while snorkelling, or even <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/02/the-mysterious-science-of-motion-sickness/385469/">riding a camel</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d7430">Susceptibility</a> seems to increase with age, while women are more prone to travel sickness than men. There is a <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/02/the-mysterious-science-of-motion-sickness/385469/">genetic influence</a> too, with the condition running in families. It often co-exists with a history of migraines.</p>
<h2>Preventing motion sickness</h2>
<p>Sufferers quickly work out <a href="https://www.aafp.org/afp/2014/0701/hi-res/afp20140701p41-t2.gif">what to avoid</a>. Sitting in the back seat of the car, reading in a car or bus (trains and planes are better), facing backwards in a bus or train or going below deck on a boat in rough conditions are all best avoided if you’re prone to travel sickness.</p>
<p>Medicines that control vomiting (antiemetics) and nausea (anti-nauseants) are the <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d7430">mainstay of medicines</a> used for motion sickness and are effective. But as there are unwanted side effects such as drowsiness, it’s reasonable to try behavioural techniques first, or alongside medicines. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/mondays-medical-myth-peanuts-stop-motion-sickness-5669">Monday's medical myth: peanuts stop motion sickness</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>More time “on deck”, keeping an eye on the horizon if there’s a significant swell, and focusing on other things (for example looking out for whales) are <a href="https://www.aafp.org/afp/2014/0701/p41.html">good examples</a>.</p>
<p>Desensitisation or habituation also <a href="https://www.aafp.org/afp/2014/0701/p41.html">work for some</a>. For example, increasing experience on the water in relatively smooth conditions in preparation for longer and potentially rougher trips can help.</p>
<p>There tends to be a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25077501">reduction in symptoms</a> after a couple of days at sea. Medicines can then be reduced and even stopped. Symptoms often return when back on dry land, usually for just a day or two.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/271259/original/file-20190428-194627-wl57f7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/271259/original/file-20190428-194627-wl57f7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271259/original/file-20190428-194627-wl57f7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271259/original/file-20190428-194627-wl57f7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271259/original/file-20190428-194627-wl57f7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271259/original/file-20190428-194627-wl57f7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271259/original/file-20190428-194627-wl57f7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Motion sickness can hit us on boats, as well as planes, trains, buses and in cars.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Chewing hard ginger has been <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=3277342">claimed to work</a> for naval cadets, but other studies have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2062873">not confirmed</a> its effectiveness.</p>
<p>Some people find wrist bands that provide acupressure to be effective, although when these have been studied in controlled trials, <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d7430">the proof is lacking</a>.</p>
<p>Glasses with a built-in horizon to combat motion sickness were <a href="https://patents.google.com/patent/US20190079314A1/en">patented in 2018</a>, so watch this space.</p>
<h2>How medications work</h2>
<p>Travel sickness medications are more effective when taken pre-emptively, so before your journey begins.</p>
<p>Antiemetics and anti-nauseants act on the brain and nervous system. Medicines used to prevent and treat travel sickness most commonly are either sedating antihistamines or anticholinergics. They block the effects of neurotransmitters (molecules that transmit information) such as histamine, acetylcholine and dopamine in our <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0165017394000049">balance control centres</a>.</p>
<p>But these sorts of medicines are not very specific. That is, they block the effects of acetylcholine and histamine wherever these neurotransmitters act throughout the body. This explains <a href="https://www.aafp.org/afp/2014/0701/p41.html">unwanted side effects</a> such as sedation, drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation and confusion (in older, vulnerable people). </p>
<p>Drowsiness is more likely to reach dangerous levels if other central nervous system depressants are taken at the <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/consumers/understanding-drug-interactions">same time</a>. This includes opioids (morphine, oxycodone, codeine), alcohol, sleeping pills and some antidepressants.</p>
<iframe title="Medicines used to prevent and treat motion sickness" aria-label="Long Table" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/30Siq/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="544"></iframe>
<h2>So what’s the best option?</h2>
<p>A <a href="https://www.cochrane.org/CD002851/ENT_scopolamine-for-preventing-and-treating-motion-sickness">comprehensive review</a> of clinical trials in 2011 compared the medicine scopolamine as a preventative with other medicines, placebos, behavioural and complementary therapies.</p>
<p>Most of the 14 studies reviewed were in healthy men serving in the Navy with history of travel sickness. Women have rarely been subjects, and there are no studies in <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/australian-prescriber/articles/preventing-motion-sickness-in-children">children</a>.</p>
<p>Although scopolamine was found to be marginally more effective than the alternatives, there’s not much to go on to recommend one travel medicine over another.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/prepare-for-a-healthy-holiday-with-this-a-to-e-guide-69552">Prepare for a healthy holiday with this A-to-E guide</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>If you’re somebody who experiences motion sickness, speak to your doctor or pharmacist. Most medicines for motion sickness are <a href="https://ajp.com.au/news/travel-health-pharmacy/">available over the counter</a>. You may need to try a few different medicines to find the one that works best for you, but always follow dosage instructions and professional advice.</p>
<p>Once motion sickness is established, the only option is to ride it out. Lying down where possible, getting fresh air and focusing on the horizon can all help alongside appropriate medications. Importantly, for prolonged episodes, try to keep your fluids up to avoid dehydration (especially if vomiting occurs). </p>
<p>If you experience motion sickness for the first time, and if it’s associated with a migraine-like headache, you should seek the advice of a doctor to rule out other neurological conditions.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/112861/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew McLachlan receives research funding from the NHMRC, research scholarship funding from GSK for a PhD student under his supervision and has previously received (and disclosed) in kind research support from Pfizer and GSK for investigator initiated research projects (in the last 5 years). Andrew serves as an expert on some TGA committees and has received payment for this role.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ric Day does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Motion sickness can make you feel pretty wretched. But there are a few things you can do to try and prevent it, or to treat it once it takes hold.Ric Day, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, UNSW SydneyAndrew McLachlan, Head of School and Dean of Pharmacy, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1144372019-04-29T06:18:37Z2019-04-29T06:18:37ZHealth Check: how to start exercising if you’re out of shape<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/269719/original/file-20190417-139113-k7z726.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">It's OK to feel out of breath when you start a new exercise program. Here's why it gets easier with time.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/sweaty-overweight-plus-sized-woman-drinking-587836910">from www.shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Perhaps your GP has recommended you exercise more, or you’ve had a recent health scare. Maybe your family’s been nagging you to get off the couch or you’ve decided yourself that it’s time to lose some weight.</p>
<p>How do you find the motivation, time and resources to get fit, particularly if you haven’t exercised in a while? How do you choose the best type of exercise? And do you need a health check before you start?</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-how-much-physical-activity-is-enough-in-older-age-103686">Health Check: how much physical activity is enough in older age?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Overcoming barriers to exercise</h2>
<p><strong>Motivation</strong></p>
<p>Understanding the effect a sedentary lifestyle has on your health often hits home only after a serious event such as hearing bad news from your doctor. For some people, that’s often enough motivation to get started.</p>
<p>Surviving a serious illness as a result of an inactive lifestyle, such as a heart attack or stroke, can also be frightening enough to provide a great deal of motivation.</p>
<p>So, if you have not exercised for several years or haven’t exercised before, a it’s a good idea to get a health check with your GP before starting.</p>
<p>Then you need to keep motivated enough to stick with your exercise program. You can track your training or fitness level and set some achievable goals to keep going.</p>
<p><strong>Lack of time</strong></p>
<p>Finding the time and effort to fit exercise into your daily routine is challenging. We know being “time poor” is a common reason for not exercising. And many people such as office workers, vehicle or machine operators have low activity levels at work and don’t feel like exercising after a long day.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/time-scarcity-is-a-slippery-slope-to-inactivity-69294">Time scarcity is a slippery slope to inactivity</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>One way to get around these barriers might be to attend a group exercise session or join a sports club. If you find exercise boring, you can encourage a friend to join you or join an exercise group to make it enjoyable. If you played sport in your youth, that might provide an option.</p>
<p>Having a friend to exercise with or team mates to support you gives a sense of commitment so that you have to be there and will be challenged if you fail to show up.</p>
<p><strong>Resources</strong></p>
<p>You don’t need to join a gym with a lot of fancy equipment to get fit. There are many YouTube videos of safe routines that you can follow and adjust as you get fitter.</p>
<p>This one demonstrates a 15 minute cardio exercise routine that you can do at home.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VHyGqsPOUHs?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">You don’t need any special equipment to exercise at home along with this 15 minute cardio workout for beginners.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Many exercises – including squats, push ups and sit ups – don’t need special equipment. And rather than improving muscle strength with weights at the gym, you can fill milk bottles with water instead.</p>
<h2>Yes, you’ll huff and puff. But it gets easier</h2>
<p>You might be thinking about starting aerobic exercise like the cardio workout above, or walking, jogging, swimming or cycling. All need oxygen to provide energy over several minutes or longer.</p>
<p>When we perform aerobic exercise, our heart rate increases along with our breathing rate and depth. This is because this type of exercise requires oxygen to provide energy to keep going.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-what-should-our-maximum-heart-rate-be-during-exercise-107963">Health Check: what should our maximum heart rate be during exercise?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>When we are not used to this type of exercise our body is inefficient at using the oxygen we breathe to generate energy for our skeletal muscles. That’s why when we start an exercise program we huff and puff more, get tired quickly and may not finish the exercise.</p>
<p>But if we keep exercising regularly, our bodies become more efficient at using oxygen and we become better at generating enough energy for our muscles to work. </p>
<p>Over weeks of regular exercise, the number and efficiency of our body’s mini-powerhouses – mitochondria – increase in each cell. This increases the energy they can supply to the muscles, exercising becomes easier and we recover faster from each session.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-are-mitochondria-and-how-did-we-come-to-have-them-83106">Explainer: what are mitochondria and how did we come to have them?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>That’s why it’s important to continue and repeat exercise sessions, even after a shaky start or a few set-backs. Yes, it can be a big challenge, but aerobic exercise gets easier over time as the body gets used to providing the energy it needs.</p>
<h2>Thinking of yoga or simple stretches? Here’s what to expect</h2>
<p>Yoga is a great way to start an exercise program and you can perform it at various levels of intensity. Stretching and other moves improve flexibility and strength. Yoga also emphasises breathing and relaxation through meditation. </p>
<p>Yoga, like other forms of exercise, will be challenging to begin with. But it does get easier over the weeks as your body adapts. So, it is important to be persistent and make the exercise part of your routine with at least <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26297940">three sessions of up to one hour every week</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-yoga-paradox-how-yoga-can-cause-pain-and-treat-it-80138">The yoga paradox: how yoga can cause pain and treat it</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>At the start, you may get sore muscles. While this can be uncomfortable, the soreness goes away after about a week. You can reduce this soreness by starting with low intensity and building gradually over the first month. </p>
<p>Once your muscles become used to the new movements, the soreness will be minimal as you progress.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-why-do-my-muscles-ache-the-day-after-exercise-41820">Health Check: why do my muscles ache the day after exercise?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Watch your joints</h2>
<p>We know being overweight or obese has <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30817262">detrimental effects</a> on the heart, bones, joints and other organs including the pancreas, which regulates blood glucose (sugar) levels. Obesity can also affect <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30876771">brain health</a> and is linked to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29107872">poor cognition</a>.</p>
<p>The good news is that regular exercise can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30817262">help reduce</a> these negative effects.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/269720/original/file-20190417-139110-13nu19p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/269720/original/file-20190417-139110-13nu19p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/269720/original/file-20190417-139110-13nu19p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269720/original/file-20190417-139110-13nu19p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269720/original/file-20190417-139110-13nu19p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269720/original/file-20190417-139110-13nu19p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269720/original/file-20190417-139110-13nu19p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269720/original/file-20190417-139110-13nu19p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">To avoid pain to the knee and other joints, try gentle exercise or swimming before taking on anything more vigorous if you are obese or overweight.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/download/confirm/1050825743?src=bYOvCOKA_-3iEeoxyAxUIg-1-15&size=medium_jpg">from www.shutterstock.com</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But if you are overweight or obese, taking up exercise can place great strain on your joints, particularly the articulating surface, the cartilage surface of bones that contact each other. So hips, knees and ankles can become inflamed and painful.</p>
<p>So it may be best to include exercise that reduces weight bearing, such as exercise in water or using a stationary exercise bike or rowing machine. Once you’ve lost some weight and your cardiovascular function has improved, then you can add more walking or jogging to your exercise program.</p>
<h2>The right diet helps power you along</h2>
<p>A healthy diet you can maintain in the long term is a very important part of any fitness routine. Not only can it help you lose weight, it can also provide the right type of fuel to power your new exercise program.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-whats-the-best-diet-for-weight-loss-21557">Health Check: what's the best diet for weight loss?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Getting plenty of fibre from fruit, vegetables and whole grains will help to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2722397">reduce weight and keep it off</a> while exercising.</p>
<p>Sugar, especially the type found in fizzy drinks and sweets, are low in nutrients and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24652725">increase the risk</a> of diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. So cut down on refined carbohydrates like some breads and rice, sugary cereals and refined pasta since these include sugars we are trying to avoid and have had their fibre removed. Replace them with oats, carrots or potatoes.</p>
<p>It’s best to avoid fad diets, which tend to be restrictive and difficult to maintain. They can lead to a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ijo2011160">yo-yo effect</a> where you lose weight only for it to return.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/food-for-fitness-is-it-better-to-eat-before-or-after-exercise-18514">Food for fitness: is it better to eat before or after exercise?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>In a nutshell</h2>
<p>Once you’ve decided to start exercising, and had a medical check if needed, start slowly and build your exercise routine up over weeks and months. Make it interesting and enjoyable, perhaps by working out with a friend or group. Set some achievable goals, try to stick to them and don’t give up if you have a set back.</p>
<p>Weight loss and getting fit requires different approaches for different people so find what works for you and make it part of your lifestyle. Increase the intensity and frequency of your exercise gradually from a minimal three times a week for 20 minutes to longer, more intense sessions more often.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/114437/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Lavender does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>If you’re unfit or overweight, there’s lots you can do to make a new exercise regime both enjoyable and successful.Andrew Lavender, Lecturer, School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1142902019-04-21T23:21:48Z2019-04-21T23:21:48ZHealth Check: what causes constipation?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/269744/original/file-20190417-139110-ter4cf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">When you're constipated, you have hard or lumpy stools that are difficult to pass. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Most people have experienced being blocked up from time to time, whether it’s while travelling, after taking painkillers, or when you’ve let your diet go. </p>
<p>But some people will experience constipation more often, and for longer periods. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17464377">Chronic constipation</a> is generally defined as a problem that has persisted for six months or more. It can mean you have hard or lumpy stools that you’re straining to pass, or are passing fewer than three stools per week – or both.</p>
<p>Constipation is sometimes related to the rate at which food moves through the colon in order to be expelled as poo. This process is known as <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11894-015-0471-z#CR20">colonic transit</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/your-poo-is-mostly-alive-heres-whats-in-it-102848">Your poo is (mostly) alive. Here's what's in it</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Some people have normal colonic transit, but become constipated because of other factors, such as harder stools. This is called functional constipation.</p>
<p>Others have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3170709/">conditions of the rectum</a>, such as narrowing or tearing or an inability to relax the anal sphincter, that make it difficult to evacuate the waste.</p>
<h2>What is the ideal poo form?</h2>
<p>Poo should ideally be in a sausage form with cracks, or a smooth sausage form. Using the Bristol stool chart, this is type three or four. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/269723/original/file-20190417-139101-vrfxqv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/269723/original/file-20190417-139101-vrfxqv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/269723/original/file-20190417-139101-vrfxqv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269723/original/file-20190417-139101-vrfxqv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269723/original/file-20190417-139101-vrfxqv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269723/original/file-20190417-139101-vrfxqv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=564&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269723/original/file-20190417-139101-vrfxqv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=564&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269723/original/file-20190417-139101-vrfxqv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=564&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Type three or four is ideal.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs-wm/46082.pdf">Cabot Health, Bristol Stool Chart</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But if this doesn’t describe your usual poo, don’t worry: a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1379343/">good proportion of people</a> don’t pass these stool types regularly and are perfectly healthy. </p>
<p>In terms of how easy it should be to pass, the goal is to prevent undue straining. Passing stools in the <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-best-way-to-go-to-the-toilet-squatting-or-sitting-63991">squatting position</a> or with an elevated foot rest may make it easier.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-best-way-to-go-to-the-toilet-squatting-or-sitting-63991">What's the best way to go to the toilet – squatting or sitting?</a>
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<p>At the extreme end of the spectrum, some people with rectal evacuation disorders find it so difficult to empty their bowels, they often need to resort to digital manual evacuation. This <a href="https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0034/429586/lmn-bowel-management.pdf">involves</a> using a gloved, lubricated finger to remove the stool. </p>
<p>So what are the key factors that affect the consistency of our stools? </p>
<h2>Water</h2>
<p>Our stools are made up of around <a href="https://theconversation.com/your-poo-is-mostly-alive-heres-whats-in-it-102848">75% water</a>. Once the water content <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9558028">falls below 75%</a>, any slight decrease in water content can lead to quite a large increase in the thickness of that stool. And the thicker the stool, the more difficult it will be to pass. </p>
<p>An experiment in pigs found a decrease in the water content of stools by just 20% resulted in a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9558028">240-fold increased thickness</a> of that stool.</p>
<p>The amount of water in our stool, however, is regulated by the gut. An average person consumes around one to two litres of fluid a day. But this represents <a href="http://pathwaymedicine.org/gi-water-and-electrolyte-absorption">a small fraction</a> of the daily volume of fluid handled by the gut. Most fluid is reabsorbed by the small intestine and colon, resulting in an average stool fluid volume of <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/1601907">around 100mls</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/269745/original/file-20190417-139113-1ce3fek.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/269745/original/file-20190417-139113-1ce3fek.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269745/original/file-20190417-139113-1ce3fek.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269745/original/file-20190417-139113-1ce3fek.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269745/original/file-20190417-139113-1ce3fek.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269745/original/file-20190417-139113-1ce3fek.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269745/original/file-20190417-139113-1ce3fek.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Drinking enough water is important, but when you’re adequately hydrated, more isn’t necessarily better.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/morning-young-man-pouring-water-into-790542763?src=LRNhGLIpYeldhxXH1AyEQg-1-80">Africa Studio/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>It’s important to drink more water when you’re <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15654804">dehydrated</a> – and this will reduce constipation. But drinking additional water when you’re already well hydrated <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9916661">doesn’t improve</a> the consistency of your stools.</p>
<p>Be mindful of how frequently we can become mildly dehydrated. When travelling, for example, you might drink more coffee and alcohol than usual, which can lead to dehydration and constipation. </p>
<h2>Fibre</h2>
<p>Fibre can hold onto water and is therefore able to soften stools that are too hard. </p>
<p>A high-fibre diet leads to a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6269944">quicker colon transit time</a> – the time it takes to digest food and poo out the waste – while a poor-fibre diet is associated with constipation. </p>
<p>A high-fibre diet is helpful for patients with normal colonic transit. But people with slow transit constipation generally find their symptoms <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8995945">aren’t improved</a> with dietary fibre. </p>
<p>Excessive fibre consumption doesn’t change colonic transit and can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7912305">even worsen symptoms</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-the-consistency-of-your-poo-says-about-your-health-65106">What the consistency of your poo says about your health</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>But for most of us, there’s certainly room to improve our daily fibre intake. A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5986479/">recent Australian population survey</a> found more than one in two children and more than seven in 10 adults didn’t consume enough fibre. </p>
<h2>Exercise</h2>
<p>People who don’t get enough physical activity are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23977327">more likely</a> to have problems with constipation. </p>
<p>On the flipside, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30843436">one review</a> found that exercise, and particularly aerobic exercise, was helpful for constipation. Although the authors acknowledge more research needs to be done in this area. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/269747/original/file-20190417-139110-y8q1qw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/269747/original/file-20190417-139110-y8q1qw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=356&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269747/original/file-20190417-139110-y8q1qw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=356&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269747/original/file-20190417-139110-y8q1qw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=356&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269747/original/file-20190417-139110-y8q1qw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=447&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269747/original/file-20190417-139110-y8q1qw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=447&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269747/original/file-20190417-139110-y8q1qw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=447&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Exercise can help alleviate constipation.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/download/confirm/670209337?src=PzJcc8az6K6QveEZV00BAQ-1-13&size=huge_jpg">George Rudy/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But interestingly, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30642148">a study</a> evaluating Youtube exercise videos marketed as improving bowel problems found they were not all that good at improving constipation. </p>
<h2>Ageing, pregnancy and periods</h2>
<p>Constipation is <a href="https://www.aafp.org/afp/2015/0915/p500.html">far more common</a> in older people, often <a href="https://bmcgastroenterol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12876-015-0366-3">due to</a> low-fibre diets, dehydration, lack of adequate physical activity, major medical conditions and the use of medications. </p>
<p>Constipation occurs <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3206560/">more often</a> in women than in men. Women often report constipation just before and during their periods, which <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11227952">may be due</a> to the effects of the hormone progesterone.</p>
<p>Young women in particular are more likely to experience <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1433176/">slow transit constipation</a>, where there’s a delay in digested food passing through the body and being expelled. Symptoms often present around puberty but can develop at any age. People with this condition often have very infrequent bowel motions and rarely feel the urge to poo, even if weeks have gone by without a bowel motion.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-what-to-eat-and-avoid-during-pregnancy-30356">Health Check: what to eat and avoid during pregnancy</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>And constipation is a common problem during pregnancy. A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8047482">British study</a> of more than 1,500 women found 39% of pregnant women reported constipation at 14 weeks. </p>
<p>This is due, in part, to a surge in progesterone, which slows the body’s ability to digest food and expel the waste. During pregnancy, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3418980/">water absorption from the gut increases</a>, which can make stools drier. In late pregnancy, an <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17889809">enlarging uterus</a> can also slow the forward movement of poo.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/114290/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Vincent Ho does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Constipation can occur when there’s a delay in digested food passing through your body and being expelled. It can also happen when your poo is too hard, often because it doesn’t contain enough water.Vincent Ho, Senior Lecturer and clinical academic gastroenterologist, Western Sydney UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1140872019-04-16T03:48:56Z2019-04-16T03:48:56ZHealth check: can caffeine improve your exercise performance?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/267751/original/file-20190405-114919-uy20zh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">There's good evidence drinking coffee before exercise can marginally improve your performance.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. Nearly half the adult population <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4364.0.55.007%7E2011-12%7EMain%20Features%7ENon-alcoholic%20beverages%7E701">in Australia</a> drink it. </p>
<p>Aside from enjoying the taste, the main reason we drink coffee is to get caffeine into our bloodstream. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20888549">Caffeine can</a> help keep you awake, increase alertness, improve your concentration, enhance cognitive performance, and sharpen short-term memory and problem-solving skills.</p>
<p>It can also enhance physical performance. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-why-do-i-get-a-headache-when-i-havent-had-my-coffee-100163">Health Check: why do I get a headache when I haven't had my coffee?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>We’ve reviewed the evidence</h2>
<p>In a recent <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2019/03/29/bjsports-2018-100278">umbrella review</a>, we summarised the findings from all meta-analyses that explored the effects of caffeine on exercise performance. A meta-analysis is a method that allows us to combine results from multiple studies to estimate the true effect.</p>
<p>Our review included more than 300 primary studies with more than 4,800 participants. </p>
<p>We found improvements in sports performance following caffeine intake that range from <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2019/03/29/bjsports-2018-100278">2% to 16%</a>. </p>
<p>Those who respond most strongly to caffeine might see improvements of around 16%, but this is unusual. For the average person, improvements will likely be between about 2% and 6%.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/267753/original/file-20190405-114881-on8swi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/267753/original/file-20190405-114881-on8swi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/267753/original/file-20190405-114881-on8swi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/267753/original/file-20190405-114881-on8swi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/267753/original/file-20190405-114881-on8swi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/267753/original/file-20190405-114881-on8swi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/267753/original/file-20190405-114881-on8swi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A cup of coffee before you hop on your bike could help you cycle just that bit further.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This may not seem like much in the context of everyday life. But particularly in competitive sports, relatively small improvements in performance can make a big difference.</p>
<p>We found caffeine can enhance our <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7775331">ability to run</a> and cycle for longer periods, or to complete a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29876876">given distance</a> in a shorter time frame. It could also allow us to perform <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0765159716000563">more repetitions</a> with a given weight in the gym, or to increase the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17461391.2017.1330362?journalCode=tejs20">total weight</a> lifted.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-what-should-our-maximum-heart-rate-be-during-exercise-107963">Health Check: what should our maximum heart rate be during exercise?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How does caffeine have these effects?</h2>
<p>When we get tired, a chemical called adenosine binds to its receptors in the brain. The chemical structure of caffeine is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27612937">similar to that of adenosine</a>, and when ingested, it competes with adenosine for these receptors – which tell our brains how fatigued we are. </p>
<p>During waking hours, adenosine slows down brain activity and results in feelings of fatigue. When we have caffeine, the caffeine binds to the adenosine receptors and has the opposite effect of adenosine. It reduces fatigue and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15773860">our perception of effort</a> (for example, how hard it feels to perform an exercise).</p>
<p>Researchers once thought the effects of caffeine would be reduced in people who regularly drink a lot of coffee, but studies have shown that caffeine has performance-enhancing effects <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28495846">regardless of habits</a>.</p>
<h2>Does coffee = caffeine?</h2>
<p>In <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23573201">one study</a>, drinking coffee or taking caffeine in a capsule resulted in similar improvements in cycling performance. When the caffeine dose is matched, caffeine and coffee seem to be equally beneficial for improving performance.</p>
<p>But the dose of caffeine in a coffee may vary based on the type of coffee bean, preparation method, and size of the cup. It may also vary between <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889157512001548">different coffee brands</a>, and even within the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30392444">same brand</a> at different times.</p>
<p>On average though, one cup of brewed coffee usually contains <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/caffeine/art-20049372">between 95 and 165mg</a> of caffeine.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/267754/original/file-20190405-114899-1rito3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/267754/original/file-20190405-114899-1rito3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/267754/original/file-20190405-114899-1rito3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/267754/original/file-20190405-114899-1rito3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/267754/original/file-20190405-114899-1rito3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/267754/original/file-20190405-114899-1rito3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/267754/original/file-20190405-114899-1rito3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">About half of Australian adults drink coffee.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Nathan Dumlao/Unsplash</span></span>
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<p>Experts believe caffeine doses <a href="https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-7-5">between 3 and 6 mg/kg</a> are needed to improve performance. That’s 210 to 420mg for a 70kg person, or about two cups of coffee.</p>
<p>For safety reasons, those who don’t normally drink coffee should begin with a lower dose. The optimal dose, of course, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28853006">varies between individuals</a>, so there’s room to experiment a little.</p>
<p>Aside from caffeine capsules or coffee, researchers are exploring <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-017-0848-2">other sources</a> of caffeine for their effects on exercise performance. These include chewing gums, bars, mouth rinses, and energy drinks. But this area of research is relatively new and needs further investigation.</p>
<h2>How long before my workout should I drink coffee?</h2>
<p>Experts recommend ingesting caffeine roughly 45-90 minutes before exercising. Some forms of caffeine such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29368182">caffeine gum</a> are absorbed faster and can elicit a performance-enhancing effect even when consumed ten minutes before exercise.</p>
<p>Does this mean we should all start loading up on caffeine? Well, perhaps not just yet. Although people who ingest caffeine usually improve their performance, for some, the effects may be negligible.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/exercise-motivation-gets-you-started-but-routine-keeps-you-going-65041">Exercise: motivation gets you started, but routine keeps you going</a>
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<p>And overdosing on caffeine can have some really unpleasant <a href="http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-979-caffeine.aspx?activeingredientid=979">side effects</a>, including insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, stomach irritation, nausea, vomiting, and headaches.</p>
<p>A certain amount of individual experimentation is needed to find out if caffeine will improve your exercise performance, or just give you a headache. </p>
<p>But for those looking for simple ways to gain a slight performance edge, getting more caffeine into your bloodstream might just be the ticket.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/114087/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Brad Schoenfeld is affiliated with Dymatize Nutrition, a supplement company that has products containing caffeine, serving as a member of their scientific advisory board</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Craig is affiliated with DNAFit Life Sciences, a direct-to-consumer genetic testing company. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>David Bishop, Jozo Grgic, Pavle Mikulic, and Željko Pedišić do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Many people drink coffee for that extra bit of energy to go about their day. As well as sharpening our minds, there’s evidence caffeine can give us a physical boost, too.Jozo Grgic, PhD candidate at the Institute of Sport and Health (IHES), Victoria UniversityBrad Schoenfeld, Assistant Professor, Exercise Science, City University of New YorkCraig Pickering, Head of Sports Science (Genetics), University of Central LancashireDavid Bishop, Research Leader, Sport, Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living, Victoria UniversityPavle Mikulic, Associate Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of ZagrebŽeljko Pedišić, Associate Professor, Victoria UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1135512019-03-25T06:57:55Z2019-03-25T06:57:55ZHealth Check: can eating certain foods make you smarter?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/265493/original/file-20190325-36273-au864m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Green vegetables, nuts and berries are among the foods that could improve our brain function.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Trying to keep up with what constitutes a “healthy” diet can be exhausting. With unending options at the supermarket, and diet advice coming from all directions, filling your shopping trolley with the right things can seem an overwhelming task.</p>
<p>For a long time we’ve known diet is key to maintaining <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673618322256">physical health</a>.</p>
<p>But <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2215036614000510">emerging evidence</a> indicates diet quality also plays a critical role in our cognitive function.</p>
<p>We’re learning some of the best things to eat in this regard include vegetables, nuts and berries, foods containing “good fats” and, possibly, fermented foods.</p>
<p>As well as potentially improving our brain function, eating these sorts of foods could improve our mental well-being – and could even help the planet, too.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/research-check-does-eating-chocolate-improve-your-brain-function-55229">Research Check: does eating chocolate improve your brain function?</a>
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<h2>Diet and brain function</h2>
<p>In the face of <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/burden-of-disease/impact-of-overweight-and-obesity-as-a-risk-factor-for-chronic-conditions/contents/table-of-contents">rising obesity rates</a>, over the past couple of decades, researchers have questioned whether increased weight, or poor diet, could influence cognition. They have since looked at what sorts of diets might impair or improve the function of our brains.</p>
<p>Long term follow-up studies show obesity is associated with <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28504110">mild impairments</a> in several domains of cognitive function, including short-term memory, attention and decision-making. </p>
<p>Research has also shown <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22023100">short-term memory is poorer</a> in people who report eating more saturated fat and sugar.</p>
<p>Conversely, the Mediterranean diet has been associated with <a href="http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/28011241">better brain health</a> and maintenance of cognitive abilities into older age. A Mediterranean diet is based on vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts, with healthy fats such as olive oil. Intake of red meat, saturated fats and sugar is limited.</p>
<p>A healthy diet has many elements, so let’s look at what particular foods might explain these benefits.</p>
<h2>Vegetables, nuts and berries</h2>
<p>Evidence indicates eating more vegetables <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0531556516306064">slows the gradual decline</a> in cognitive abilities that occurs naturally as we age.</p>
<p>While all veggies are likely to contribute, those in the cruciferous (Brassicaceae) family <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15852398">may confer particular benefits</a> through their high fibre, folate, potassium and vitamin content. Vegetables in this family include broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and fad favourites kale and rocket.</p>
<p>Interestingly, while there’s good evidence for the protective role of vegetables, there’s less evidence when it comes to fruit.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/265496/original/file-20190325-36248-1by8quw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/265496/original/file-20190325-36248-1by8quw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/265496/original/file-20190325-36248-1by8quw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/265496/original/file-20190325-36248-1by8quw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/265496/original/file-20190325-36248-1by8quw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/265496/original/file-20190325-36248-1by8quw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/265496/original/file-20190325-36248-1by8quw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Research has shown a healthy diet can improve cognitive functions such as learning and memory.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span>
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<p>Berries, though, contain high levels of antioxidants. These compounds protect the body by scavenging harmful free radicals and reducing inflammation. Together these functions are likely to protect our cognitive ability.</p>
<p>Studies in rats, and in older people with mild cognitive impairment, indicate supplementing diets with berries <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf2036033">improves performance in various memory tasks</a>.</p>
<p>Nuts, meanwhile, are excellent sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, minerals and vitamins. <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/100/suppl_1/347S/4576446">Studies in animals</a> have shown the addition of nuts improves learning and memory. <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/100/suppl_1/347S/4576446">Emerging evidence in humans</a> suggests consuming nuts within a Mediterranean-style diet improves measures of cognition, such as the capacity for verbal reasoning.</p>
<h2>Healthy fats</h2>
<p>Healthy diets such as the Mediterranean diet are also characterised by foods such as oily fish, avocados, olive oil and small amounts of animal-derived fats (such as from red meat).</p>
<p>One of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27448745">our experiments</a> in rats showed diets high in saturated fat from lard or high in sugar led to memory impairments, whereas an oil-based diet high in polyunsaturated fats didn’t.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/food-as-medicine-your-brain-really-does-want-you-to-eat-more-veggies-74685">Food as medicine: your brain really does want you to eat more veggies</a>
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<p>Importantly, rats fed these different diets <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27448745">did not differ</a> in their total energy intake – only the type of fat and sugar varied.</p>
<p>While we can’t comment directly on the effects in humans, these findings suggest eating excess sugar, or animal-based fats, may negatively impact cognition.</p>
<h2>Fermented foods</h2>
<p>For thousands of years humans have prolonged the life of foods through fermentation, which increases the proportion of <em>Lactobacillus</em> and other healthy gut bacteria.</p>
<p>Kombucha and kefir are trendy right now, but other popular fermented foods include kimchi, miso, yoghurt and sauerkraut. Intake of these foods is thought to maintain the diversity of the gut microbiome.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-will-eating-nuts-make-you-gain-weight-108491">Health check: will eating nuts make you gain weight?</a>
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<p>Interest in the potential cognitive effects of fermented foods stems from <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364661318300974">emerging evidence</a> for the importance of the gut microbiota in cognition and health.</p>
<p>It’s well known that a poor diet can <a href="https://theconversation.com/fat-or-thin-can-the-bacteria-in-our-gut-affect-our-eating-habits-and-weight-65103">reduce the diversity</a> of the gut microbiome. Our work in rats has shown the cognitive impairments produced by exposure to an <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28289278">unhealthy “cafeteria” diet</a> – a Western-style diet high in saturated fat and sugar – are linked to changes in the gut microbiome. </p>
<h2>Beyond cognition</h2>
<p>It’s not possible to attribute “miracle” properties to one food group alone. We suggest a balanced, varied diet is the best approach to sustain not only brain health, but heart health too.</p>
<p>And there may be other reasons to seek out these foods. A <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953618306907">newly published study</a> showed eating fruit and vegetables improved mental well-being. Subjects tended to feel happier, less worried, and reported higher levels of overall life satisfaction.</p>
<p>The link between diet quality and better mental health is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26359904">now well-established</a>.</p>
<p>The recently published <a href="https://eatforum.org/eat-lancet-commission/">EAT-Lancet report</a> adds a further compelling reason to eat healthily: the environment. This commission argued for a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30660336">“planetary health” diet</a> – akin to the Mediterranean diet – consisting of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts and dairy, healthy fats, with low animal protein and few processed foods.</p>
<p>It is thought that shifting to such a diet, together with reducing food waste and adopting more sustainable food production systems, will minimise environmental damage and safeguard individual health. </p>
<p>The central message is the health of individuals and of the planet are inextricably linked, and this requires a rethink of global food systems.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/want-to-improve-your-mood-its-time-to-ditch-the-junk-food-107358">Want to improve your mood? It's time to ditch the junk food</a>
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<p>Overhauling food systems – and individual food habits – will not be simple while foods high in fat and sugar are so readily available and relatively cheap.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, recognising that eating well might benefit the planet, as well as the body and brain, might motivate people to change their dietary habits.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/113551/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Margaret Morris receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia and Australian Research Council and she is affiliated with Nutrition Australia. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michael Kendig has received funding from the Ian Potter Foundation.</span></em></p>We pick healthy foods to look after our bodies, but research shows certain healthy choices can also benefit our brains.Margaret Morris, Professor of Pharmacology, Head of Pharmacology, UNSW SydneyMichael Kendig, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1089212019-03-10T19:21:46Z2019-03-10T19:21:46ZHealth check: is moderate drinking good for me?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/262813/original/file-20190307-82669-qqvs4x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">We previously thought moderate drinking could be good for our health. There's now evidence that says the opposite.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>For the past three decades or so, the conventional wisdom has been that drinking alcohol at moderate levels is good for us. </p>
<p>The evidence for this has come from many studies that have suggested the death rate for moderate drinkers is lower than that for non-drinkers. In other words, we thought moderate drinkers lived longer than those who didn’t drink at all. </p>
<p>This phenomenon has been communicated with great impact by the <a href="http://www.wineanorak.com/healj.htm">J-shaped curve</a> that shows death rates fall as you move from non-drinking to moderate drinking, before rising again as drinking levels increase.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/did-you-look-forward-to-last-nights-bottle-of-wine-a-bit-too-much-ladies-youre-not-alone-109078">Did you look forward to last night's bottle of wine a bit too much? Ladies, you're not alone</a>
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<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263071/original/file-20190311-86690-dmvm70.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263071/original/file-20190311-86690-dmvm70.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263071/original/file-20190311-86690-dmvm70.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=508&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263071/original/file-20190311-86690-dmvm70.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=508&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263071/original/file-20190311-86690-dmvm70.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=508&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263071/original/file-20190311-86690-dmvm70.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=638&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263071/original/file-20190311-86690-dmvm70.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=638&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263071/original/file-20190311-86690-dmvm70.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=638&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<p>Most of us embraced these studies with enthusiasm. But the findings were probably too good to be true. The problem has always been the potential mixing of many other variables – called confounding factors – with drinking. </p>
<p>The concern was that non-drinkers as a group in many of these previous studies were different to moderate drinkers in many ways in addition to their drinking. Non-drinkers may have been unhealthier to begin with (hence not taking up drinking in the first place) or they may have included recovering alcoholics with poor health. </p>
<p>These confounding factors may have made moderate drinkers look healthier than they actually were (relative to non-drinkers) and thus have led us to associate moderate drinking with better health.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ten-reasons-some-of-us-should-cut-back-on-alcohol-70406">Ten reasons some of us should cut back on alcohol</a>
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<p>More recent studies have been able to address this challenge of separating out the effect of drinking on health, independent of other confounding factors. And these newer studies tell us moderate drinking is probably not good for us at all. </p>
<p>Instead of the J-shaped curve described previously, the most recent evidence is showing a <a href="https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/8/29/17790118/alcohol-lancet-health-study">curve that continues on an upward trajectory</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263072/original/file-20190311-86699-ddf0x3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263072/original/file-20190311-86699-ddf0x3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263072/original/file-20190311-86699-ddf0x3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=677&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263072/original/file-20190311-86699-ddf0x3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=677&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263072/original/file-20190311-86699-ddf0x3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=677&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263072/original/file-20190311-86699-ddf0x3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=851&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263072/original/file-20190311-86699-ddf0x3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=851&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263072/original/file-20190311-86699-ddf0x3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=851&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<p>As you increase your level of drinking beyond not drinking at all, for all levels of drinking, your health outcomes worsen. The curve starts off relatively flat, before rising dramatically, indicating much higher rates of early death as drinking levels increase. </p>
<p>So what is the health cost of moderate drinking? </p>
<p>If we look a <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(18)31571-X/fulltext">recent Lancet study</a> that addressed this issue, we can start to make sense of this cost. This suggests that if you drink one alcoholic drink per day you have a 0.5% higher risk of developing one of 23 alcohol-related health conditions. </p>
<p>But risk expressed in this way is difficult to interpret. It’s only when we convert this to an absolute risk that we can begin to understand the actual magnitude of this risk to our health. It translates to four more illnesses* per 100,000 people due to alcohol, which is actually a pretty small risk (but an increased risk nonetheless).</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/262814/original/file-20190307-82672-1dy5zb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/262814/original/file-20190307-82672-1dy5zb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=342&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/262814/original/file-20190307-82672-1dy5zb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=342&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/262814/original/file-20190307-82672-1dy5zb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=342&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/262814/original/file-20190307-82672-1dy5zb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=430&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/262814/original/file-20190307-82672-1dy5zb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=430&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/262814/original/file-20190307-82672-1dy5zb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=430&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">While the health implications of moderate drinking have been a point of contention, it’s clear drinking excessively isn’t good.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This risk estimation assumes several things, including that you drink alcohol every single day, so you would expect the risk to be smaller for those who drink every other day or only occasionally.</p>
<p>The latest evidence suggests the health cost of light to moderate drinking, if there is one, is quite small. What was previously thought to be a marginal benefit of moderate alcohol drinking is now considered a marginal cost to health.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/think-before-you-drink-alcohols-calories-end-up-on-your-waistline-37403">Think before you drink: alcohol's calories end up on your waistline</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>So for you as an individual, what does this new evidence mean? </p>
<p>Maybe it means having to lose the contentedness you have felt as you drink your evening glass of wine, believing it was also improving your health.</p>
<p>Or maybe this new evidence will give you the motivation to reduce your drinking, even if you are only a moderate drinker. </p>
<p>Of course, if you get pleasure from drinking responsibly, and you have no intention of changing your drinking habits, then you will have to consider and accept this potential cost to your health. </p>
<p>But remember, the evidence is still incontrovertible that drinking <em>high</em> levels
of alcohol is very bad for you. It will shorten the length of your life and affect the quality of your life and those around you.</p>
<p><em>Correction: this article originally said one alcoholic drink per day equated to four more deaths – rather than illnesses – per 100,000 people due to alcohol.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/108921/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hassan Vally does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Evidence that people who drink moderately are healthier is probably influenced by many other health and lifestyle factors. We’re now seeing that even modest amounts of alcohol could impact our health.Hassan Vally, Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology, La Trobe UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1084232019-02-25T04:36:12Z2019-02-25T04:36:12ZHealth Check: how often do people have sex?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/260602/original/file-20190225-26162-9tba0n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">We're having less sex than we used to.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/9vNFtkm-Pus">Toa Heftiba</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Australians <a href="http://www.ashr.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/sex_in_australia_2_summary_data.pdf">report having sex</a> once or twice a week, on average. For Brits, it’s <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zybpn39">less than once a week</a>, while Americans <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-017-0953-1">report having sex</a> two to three times a week. </p>
<p>We can’t know for sure how often individuals actually have sex. Some people may incorrectly report their sexual frequency, either by mistake or on purpose. But the national estimates data are based on representative samples, so they’re a useful guide. </p>
<p>What do we mean by sex? Some studies simply ask participants how often they “<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-017-0953-1">have sex</a>”; others define it specifically, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3132270/">such as</a> “activity with another person that involves genital contact and sexual excitement”. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-point-of-sex-its-good-for-your-physical-social-and-mental-health-67848">What's the point of sex? It's good for your physical, social and mental health</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Of course, averages don’t reflect the diversity of the population. Some people, whether they’re in a relationship or not, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-842X.2003.tb00805.x">never or almost never</a> have sex. Others have sex every day. </p>
<p>And individuals can vary from year to year, depending on their <a href="https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article/66B/4/502/589527">sexual opportunities</a>, <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/353919.pdf">health status</a>, and other factors. </p>
<h2>Why is the average about once or twice a week?</h2>
<p>How often we have sex is based on our <a href="https://www.nature.com/news/2006/060531/full/news060529-6.html">genes, biology</a> and <a href="https://www.nature.com/news/2006/060531/full/news060529-6.html">life circumstances</a>. </p>
<p>Biologically, if couples have intercourse at least twice a week, sex is likely to occur at least once during the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC27529/">six days a month</a> when a woman is fertile. The couple would therefore be <a href="https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/165/9/1088/90537">more likely to reproduce</a> than other couples who have sex less often. </p>
<p>Reproductive success can lead to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096098221300626X">genetic selection of behaviours</a>. In other words, people who have sex frequently may be more likely to have children, and therefore keep their genes in the gene pool. </p>
<p>But the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3893311/">level of genetic push</a> towards having sex can vary from one person to another.</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://theconversation.com/australians-are-having-sex-less-often-than-a-decade-ago-33935">life circumstances</a> may play a role in how often we have sex, especially as other things compete for our time: paid work, child care, house work and, increasingly, our <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/our-changing-culture/201703/why-couples-are-having-so-much-less-sex">smartphones and 24-7 entertainment options</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/260606/original/file-20190225-26177-kd68ri.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/260606/original/file-20190225-26177-kd68ri.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/260606/original/file-20190225-26177-kd68ri.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/260606/original/file-20190225-26177-kd68ri.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/260606/original/file-20190225-26177-kd68ri.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/260606/original/file-20190225-26177-kd68ri.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/260606/original/file-20190225-26177-kd68ri.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Technology can sometimes get in the way.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/ukHq1DA9Jok">Annie Spratt</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In fact, Australians and Americans are having less sex than they used to in past decades. </p>
<p>Aussies had sex about <a href="https://theconversation.com/australians-are-having-sex-less-often-than-a-decade-ago-33935">20 times fewer</a> in 2013 than a decade before. Americans had sex <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-017-0953-1#citeas">nine times fewer</a>, on average, in 2014 than a decade before. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australians-are-having-sex-less-often-than-a-decade-ago-33935">Australians are having sex less often than a decade ago</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Who has the most and least sex?</h2>
<p>Perhaps unsurprisingly, people who <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314273096_Declines_in_Sexual_Frequency_among_American_Adults_1989-2014">have a steady partner</a> have sex more frequently than those who don’t. And those who <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/3812249?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents">recently entered a sexual relationship</a> with another person tend to have more sex than others. </p>
<p>Couples tend to have sex less often <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022399998001068">during late pregnancy</a> and in the years after the birth of a child. <a href="https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article/66B/4/502/589527">Lack of opportunity and poor health</a> are also associated with low rates of sex. </p>
<p>One of the strongest predictors of lower sex frequency involves <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-014-0444-6">getting older</a>. Sex frequency tends to go down as people age. </p>
<p>No one knows for sure why this is the case, but it may be, in part, because many older people have spent a <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/353919.pdf">long time</a> in a relationship. Relationship satisfaction <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3061469/">tends to decrease over time</a>, possibly leading to reduced sexual interest in their partner. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/lets-talk-about-sex-over-60-condoms-casual-partners-and-the-ageing-body-44986">Let's talk about sex over 60: condoms, casual partners and the ageing body</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Also, as people get older, they tend to experience more health problems and to become <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/353919.pdf">less energetic</a>. Men <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/353919.pdf">may lose the ability</a> to gain or maintain an erection as they age. </p>
<h2>More sex won’t necessarily make you happier</h2>
<p>Most people enjoy sex and believe it <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0092623X.2011.560531">adds to their enjoyment</a> of life. </p>
<p>The higher the frequency of sex, the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1948550615616462">more likely a couple</a> is to feel satisfied with their relationship – but only up to a point. That point seems to be <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1948550615616462">once per week</a>. At levels higher than that, well-being doesn’t seem to be associated with frequency. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/260603/original/file-20190225-26168-di3auu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/260603/original/file-20190225-26168-di3auu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/260603/original/file-20190225-26168-di3auu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/260603/original/file-20190225-26168-di3auu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/260603/original/file-20190225-26168-di3auu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/260603/original/file-20190225-26168-di3auu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/260603/original/file-20190225-26168-di3auu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Half of married Australians are satisfied with how much sex they’re having.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/_vqfk_3c2UY">Rawpixel</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Psychologically, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0092623X.2011.560531">couples tend to be happier</a> if they have sex as often as they both want. </p>
<p>But their perceptions of how often other couples have sex also plays a role. Couples <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11205-013-0267-1">are happier</a> if they think they are having more sex than other couples. </p>
<p>In one study, researchers randomly assigned participant couples to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167268115001316">double their frequency of sex for 90 days</a>. </p>
<p>These couples increased their frequency substantially but didn’t quite reach the double level. At the end of the three months, those couples had significantly lower moods and liked sex less than the control couples who had sex at their usual frequency. </p>
<p>About <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/50377935_Sexual_and_Relationship_Satisfaction_Among_Heterosexual_Men_and_Women_The_Importance_of_Desired_Frequency_of_Sex">half of married Australians</a> are satisfied with their frequency of sex. Slightly more than half of unmarried adult Australians are satisfied.</p>
<p>Quality, as well as quantity, of sexual experiences may be important for relationship satisfaction. Factors such as <a href="https://www.utpjournals.press/action/captchaChallenge?redirectUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.utpjournals.press%2Fdoi%2Fabs%2F10.3138%2Fcjhs.2393">duration of sexual experiences</a>, mood setting, variety, and good communication are <a href="https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://scholar.google.com.au/&httpsredir=1&article=1074&context=psychology_articles">associated with</a> sexual satisfaction.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/108423/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John Malouff does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Australians report having sex once or twice a week, on average, but there are many variables. And that’s assuming people’s estimates are accurate.John Malouff, Associate Professor, School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences, University of New EnglandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1084912019-02-18T02:31:15Z2019-02-18T02:31:15ZHealth check: will eating nuts make you gain weight?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/259180/original/file-20190214-1726-10qcw1z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Nuts contain "good" fats.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend we eat <a href="http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/national/frequently-asked-questions/general-nutrition/nuts-and-health">30g of nuts</a> – a small handful – each day. But many of us know nuts are high in calories and fat. </p>
<p>So should we be eating nuts or will they make us gain weight?</p>
<p>In short, the answer is yes, we should eat them, and no, they won’t make us gain weight if eaten in moderate amounts. The fats in nuts are mostly the “good” fats. And aside from that, our bodies don’t actually absorb all the fat found in nuts. But we do absorb the nutrients they provide.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/five-food-mistakes-to-avoid-if-youre-trying-to-lose-weight-103678">Five food mistakes to avoid if you're trying to lose weight</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Dietary fat: friend or foe?</h2>
<p>Nuts do contain fat, and the amount of fat varies between nut types. For example, a 30g serving of raw cashews or pistachios contains around <a href="http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science/monitoringnutrients/afcd/Pages/foodsbyfoodgroupsearch.aspx?foodGroupID=19&subFoodGroupID=80">15g of fat</a>, whereas the same amount of raw macadamias contains around <a href="http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science/monitoringnutrients/afcd/Pages/foodsbyfoodgroupsearch.aspx?foodGroupID=19&subFoodGroupID=80">22g of fat</a>. </p>
<p>There are different kinds of fats in our diet and some are better for us than others. Nuts contain mainly <a href="http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science/monitoringnutrients/afcd/Pages/foodsbyfoodgroupsearch.aspx?foodGroupID=19&subFoodGroupID=80">monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats</a>. These types of fats are known as “good fats”. They can help lower cholesterol when we eat them <a href="https://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/nutrientrequirements/sfa_systematic_review/en/">in place of saturated fats</a>.</p>
<p>The type of fats present <a href="http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science/monitoringnutrients/afcd/Pages/foodsbyfoodgroupsearch.aspx?foodGroupID=19&subFoodGroupID=80">varies between nuts</a>. For example, walnuts are rich in polyunsaturated fats, whereas other types of nuts such as hazelnuts and macadamias have more monounsaturated fat. </p>
<h2>What the evidence says</h2>
<p>Even if the type of fat in nuts is good for us, they are still high in fat and calories. But this doesn’t mean we should be avoiding them to manage our weight. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24898229">Studies</a> that looked at people’s eating habits and body weight over a long period have found people who regularly eat nuts tend to gain less weight over time than people who don’t.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/259186/original/file-20190214-1726-1nfhafe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/259186/original/file-20190214-1726-1nfhafe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/259186/original/file-20190214-1726-1nfhafe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/259186/original/file-20190214-1726-1nfhafe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/259186/original/file-20190214-1726-1nfhafe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/259186/original/file-20190214-1726-1nfhafe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/259186/original/file-20190214-1726-1nfhafe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Nuts are a healthier option for a snack than many processed alternatives.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We see a similar pattern in clinical studies that asked people to include nuts in their diets and then looked at the effects on body weight.</p>
<p>A review of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23595878">more than 30 studies</a> examined the effects of eating nuts on body weight. It did not find people who ate nuts had increased their body weight, body mass index (BMI), or waist circumference, compared to a control group of people who did not eat nuts.</p>
<p>In fact, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27807041">one study</a> found that when people ate a pattern of food aimed at weight loss, the group of people who ate nuts lost more body fat than those who didn’t eat nuts.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/got-high-cholesterol-here-are-five-foods-to-eat-and-avoid-63941">Got high cholesterol? Here are five foods to eat and avoid</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Let’s nut this out</h2>
<p>There are several possible explanations for why eating nuts doesn’t seem to lead to weight gain.</p>
<ol>
<li><p><strong>We don’t absorb all of the fat in nuts:</strong> The fat in nuts is stored in the nut’s cell walls, which <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25351860">don’t easily break down</a> during digestion. As a result, when we eat nuts, we don’t absorb all of the fat. Some of the fat instead is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15321799">passed out in our faeces</a>. The amount of calories we absorb from eating nuts might be between <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21733319">5%</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26581681">30%</a> less that what we had previously thought.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Nuts increase the amount of calories we burn:</strong> Not only do we not absorb all the calories in nuts, but eating nuts may also <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19010571">increase the amount</a> of energy and fat we burn. It’s thought this may partially be explained by the protein and unsaturated fats in nuts, although we don’t yet know exactly how this occurs. Increases in the number of calories burnt can help us maintain or lose weight.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Nuts help us feel full for longer:</strong> As well as fat, nuts are rich in protein and fibre. So, nuts help to keep us <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25182142">feeling full</a> after we eat them, meaning we’re likely to eat less at later meals. Recent studies have also suggested providing people with nuts helps <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26688734">improve the overall quality</a> of the types of foods they eat. This may be because nuts replace “junk foods” as snacks.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>People who eat nuts have healthier lifestyles in general:</strong> We can’t rule out the idea that eating nuts is just a sign of a healthier lifestyle. However, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25182142">randomised controlled trials</a>, which can control for lifestyle factors like eating habits, still find no negative effect on body weight when people eat nuts. This means the favourable effects of nuts are not just the result of nut eaters having healthier lifestyles – the nuts themselves play a role.</p></li>
</ol>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/want-to-improve-your-mood-its-time-to-ditch-the-junk-food-107358">Want to improve your mood? It's time to ditch the junk food</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Overall, the evidence suggests nuts are a healthy snack that can provide us with many of the nutrients our bodies need. We can confidently include the recommended 30g of nuts a day in a healthy diet, without worrying about the effect they will have on our waistlines.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/108491/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Elizabeth Neale receives funding from Nuts for Life, California Walnut Commission, International Nut and Dried Fruit Council, and the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute. She is affiliated with the University of Wollongong and the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sze-Yen Tan was involved in clinical studies that were funded by the Almond Board of California and Californian Walnut Commission.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Yasmine Probst receives funding from the NSW Ministry of Health, Australian Eggs, Nuts for Life, Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute and the University of Wollongong Health Impacts Research Cluster. She is affiliated with the University of Wollongong and the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute. </span></em></p>Nuts do contain fat, but the evidence shows they won’t make us gain weight if eaten in moderation. We have a few theories as to why this might be.Elizabeth Neale, Career Development Fellow (Lecturer), University of WollongongSze-Yen Tan, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition Science, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin UniversityYasmine Probst, Senior lecturer, School of Medicine, University of WollongongLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.