News

The month of November gives woman the opportunity to support Cancer Council’s Girls’ Night In campaign to raise money and awareness for women’s cancers. Some ideas to help raise much needed funds can include a dinner party, high tea or a clothes swap. You could even go all out with perhaps hosting an event for a slightly larger crowd maybe a fancy dress party or trivia night. The ideas are endless not to mention a great opportunity and excuse for a get-together.

Your Girls’ night in event will make a difference to thousands of women across Australia affected by cancer. This year it’s estimated that over 20,000 Australian women will be diagnosed with breast or gynaecological cancer. Thanks to research and early detection and prevention the 5 year survival rate for breast cancer increased by 17% and gynaecological cancers by 7% from 1982-2012. Together we really can make a difference.

Seniors week is about celebrating people 55 and over and the contributions they make to our community. The Mildura region is offering activities throughout the week that are free or inexpensive to help encourage our seniors to GET OUT and GET INVOLVED!! Why not try something new.

Tickets will be available from the following venues from the 10^th September til sold out.

Mildura Rural City Council- 76 Deakin Ave, Mildura

Ouyen Service Centre- 79 Oke Street, Ouyen

Tickets can also be purchased over the phone using a credit card. To purchase tickets over the phone please call 50188100.

Sunraysia Bus lines have partnered with Mildura Rural City Council to offer seniors FREE bus travel from the 7^th to the 14^th of October on all their bus routes. Simply show your Victorian Seniors Card when catching the bus. Some events have special transport arrangements, so please check the program for relevant details.

This Event was first put together by WHO, UNICEF and WABA to promote the health benefits of breastfeeding in the first 6 months of an infant’s life.

It is important to keep in mind how common it is for mothers to experience ups and downs with breastfeeding. However it is also important to not give up unless you really want to. There’s a lot of help available and most problems can be overcome.

Breastfeeding can be a special time for mother and baby as well as offering tremendous health benefits to both. Breast milk is designed to cater for your child’s nutritional needs in the first six months of life. Benefits start straight from birth when the woman’s breasts secrete colostrum, a yellowish fluid rich in proteins. Colostrum is the most superior and well-designed nutrition for your baby in the first few days of life. These valuable proteins are essential to the development of a healthy immune system. The protein is easily digested and absorbed by the body, especially by the rapidly developing brain.

It contains factors that promote maturation of the gut and good digestion.

Benefits just continue on for breast fed babies. Advantages include increased resistance to infections, decreased risk of allergies and lactose intolerance. Baby experiences fewer stomach upsets and constipation and they benefit emotionally as they are held more.

Not only does breast feeding benefit the baby but it also helps the mother in many ways. The benefits start straight after birth with the baby’s suckling helping Mum’s uterus to contract, reducing the flow of blood after delivery.  It is an amazing bonding experiencing helping mother and child feel close to each other. It helps the mother’s body return to normal quicker in terms of losing weight more easily and breastfeeding is more economical than formula feeding.

Of course there are many different demands on busy mothers, meaning that women who may want to breastfeed their babies haven’t always got the support to continue this. Busy working schedules alongside the many other challenges that modern women face can mean that women don’t always feel that breastfeeding their child is something that is an accessible option to them.

Breastfeeding support and advice can be sought from other mothers and from a range of health professionals including midwives, baby health nurses, Australian Breastfeeding Association counsellors, lactation consultants and doctors.

The Australian Breastfeeding Association offers mother-to-mother support and encouragement to breastfeed. It also provides counselling from trained ABA counsellors, a newsletter, a library and other activities. ABA support is available in all states and territories of Australia.

The website www.breastfeeding.asn.au<http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au>

is an excellent source of useful hints and information. One feature is information for fathers. It provides an email counselling service and links to other breastfeeding sites.

*   Breastfeeding Helpline – Australia 1800 686 2 686.

*   Child and Family Health Services in your state or territory.

*   Parent Helpline in your state or territory.

White Ribbon is an organisation that helps to raise awareness and helping bring an end to violence against women. Violence against women is not just a women’s issue it’s a social issue, it’s everybody’s issue!

The White Ribbon organisation receives less than 10% funding from the government. The organisation relies on generous donations from everyday Australians to enable the work that needs to be done to end men’s violence against women.

It doesn’t have to be a night out, your fund raiser may include a movie night in with friends, a games night, a footy game dedicated to raising awareness or a workplace fund raiser that may include a morning tea or casual dress day.

Any money raised will go to help towards preventing violence against woman.

For more information go to https://www.whiteribbon.org.au/night/

Kids Health

Being active and eating healthy plays a big part in a child’s life. Everyone, not just kids should be active every day in as many ways as possible. Not being active can cause an energy imbalance which is when you take in more energy than you actually use. Poor diets can make children sluggish, tired, moody, irritable and sometimes constipated or bloated. Such symptoms can affect kids with their school work and the ability to concentrate.

For good health, wellbeing and a healthy weight it is recommended that children eat plenty of plant foods such as fruit, vegetables, bread and other grain-based foods. They should be eating moderate amounts of animal foods such as lean meat, reduced fat dairy products, chicken, fish and eggs and small amounts (if at all) foods that are fatty and high in sugar which include lollies, chocolates, soft drinks, pies and sausage rolls.

Poorly balanced eating is associated with serious health concerns such as bone growth problems, dental decay, anaemia, and lung and breathing conditions. Some children may even develop high blood cholesterol.  Overweight children may also find themselves socially isolated without friends, targets for school yard and cyber bullies.

The benefits of eating healthy and staying active for children are huge. Helping their bodies to grow properly, giving them strong bones, muscles, lungs and heart. It helps children with good flexibility, balance and coordination as well as sleeping better, improving posture and last but not least to have fun!

For the best start to the day help your child choose a healthy breakfast which is high in carbohydrates such as toast, cereal with milk or fruit and yoghurt.  Just like a car cannot run without fuel, our bodies need energy to work. Especially after a night’s sleep, energy levels are low.

Encourage your children to get active each day, turning off the TV, computer or iPad and help them make healthy choices such as water and eating more fruit and vegies.

Food allergy week is an important annual initiative of Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia. The campaign aims to raise awareness about food allergy in Australia as the numbers are growing at an alarming rate. One in 10 babies born in Australia today will develop a food allergy.

An allergic reaction can quickly become life threatening and people can die from a food allergy. The risk cannot be removed however it can be managed.

A food allergy is an immune system response to a food protein that the body mistakenly believes is harmful. This in turn makes the immune system release massive amounts of chemicals, triggering symptoms that can affect a person’s breathing, gastrointestinal tract, skin and/or heart.

An allergic reaction may present in the form of hives, swelling of the lips, face and eyes, abdominal pain, vomiting, swelling of the tongue, swelling of the throat, breathing difficulty, persistent dizziness and/collapse.

As a community it is vital we know how to minimise the risk of reaction, to know what to do if a reaction happens, and to understand and support family, friends and colleagues living with food allergies.

This week aims at reducing the stigma often shown around schizophrenia and has been proven to be very effective having been held every May since 1986. The theme is ‘do what you can do’ asking people to join in, taking action to promote the week.

Schizophrenia is a medical condition affecting the normal functioning of the brain altering a person’s ability to think, feel and act. For many this medical condition is a prolonged illness which can involve years of distressing symptoms and disability.

If not treated symptoms may include confused thinking, delusions and hallucinations. These are symptoms of what is called psychosis.

Treatment should generally include a combination of medication and community support, both are usually essential for the best outcome. Medication can assist the brain to restore its usual chemical balance, reducing some of the symptoms.

You can help by participating in an online quiz. Go to www.dowhatyoucando.com.au  and complete and share your results on social media. By doing so you will help tremendously, raising awareness of this mental illness. Understanding and acceptance by the community is essential.

More than 26,000 young Australians do not have a home. In most cases it is due to escaping conflict and violence in the home.  People associate homelessness with living on the streets however this is only a small part of the problem. Homelessness is about not having a home full stop, this includes ‘couch surfing’ temporarily with friends, family or people they don’t know very well. This may seem harmless however young people need to have a sense of security, stability, privacy, safety and the ability to control your living space, it may also be dangerous.

Youth Homelessness Matters Day campaign started in 1990. We’ll probably never live in a society where no young person has to leave home early, especially when such things are beyond our control such as family breakdown. However young people shouldn’t be faced with a life of disadvantage just because they were dealt a bad hand and born to imperfect parents or a broken family.

The campaign aims to:

#1 Ensure that young people have greater access to support and services
Young people at risk of, or experiencing homelessness need access to supportive and well-resourced services which work with them in establishing foundations on which they can build a stable future. These services can be tasked with the provision of ensuring health and wellbeing, safety and stability, re-engagement and participation with education and employment services.

#2 Break Stereotypes
The aim of this campaign is to break the common stereotypes that are associated with youth homelessness, and the young people who experience disadvantage.

The stigma attached to homelessness often prevents many young people from seeking help. As such, Youth Homelessness Matters Day aims to raise awareness that youth homelessness stereotypes are not accurate, and instead there needs to be more focus on recognising the signs of homelessness so there can be less shame and more productive help available.

#3 Engage with Government and Business
The campaign also aims to engage government and corporate sectors to resource specialist youth homelessness services, also known as youth refuges or shelters, which provide young people with the help they need in order to get back on their feet.

(Sunday 1st April, 2018 clocks back an hour at 3am)

Working smoke alarms provide vital early warning in the event of a fire. Smoke alarms are essential to wake people if a fire breaks out as when people are asleep they can’t smell smoke. They give occupants early warning and time to evacuate safely.

A good time to remember to change your smoke alarm batteries is when you change your clocks twice a year, being when daylight savings time begins and ends. Daylight savings ends on Sunday the 1st April 2018 this year so get up on those step ladders and change the battery in your smoke alarm.

Website: www.changeyourbattery.com.au/index.html

When couples find out they are expecting a multiple pregnancy it can be overwhelming. Concerns over money, how they will cope, what will be needed, how will this affect the pregnancy, these questions can consume expecting parents minds. So it can really help to know that you are not alone and that many other couples have and are experiencing exactly the same roller coaster of emotions.

Becoming a member of any support group can be of great benefit. Sharing an experience can make a big difference as there is an enormous sense of belonging which we gain from being part of a group. Benefits include a network of emotional and psychological support, tips and suggestions from other multiple birth parents, possibility of being part of a research group, newsletters, blogs and the opportunity to exchange information that has ‘worked for you’.
Dads can also gain a lot through being a part of a support group as a lot of the time the focus is often and understandably on the mother and her babies.

Many parents who initially met through being a member of a Multiple Birth Association find they develop lifelong friendships which are maintained long after their babies have grown up and are independent.
The Australian Multiple Birth Association is a not-for-profit organisation consisting of multiple birth families to provide support, resources and education.

The Australian Multiple Birth Association can be contacted at amba.org.au