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Get more movement into your day

Dr Helen Brown is an expert and thought leader in the fields of physical activity, lifestyle and health. She is also the Jean Hailes Head of Translation, Education and Communication, and President elect of the Australasian Society of Behavioural Health and Medicine.

Here, we quizzed her on all things physical activity: how we can sit less, move more and how to overcome common problems that often stand in our way.

How much physical activity should women aim to be doing for good health?

The recommended levels of physical activity per week are 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity, OR 75-150 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity, OR an equivalent combination of both.

Moderate intensity means you are putting in effort and puffing a little, but you’re still able to hold a conversation. Vigorous intensity means you are puffing and panting so much that you can’t hold a conversation.

So, what would reaching these recommendations look like?

An example of reaching the target would be jogging for 30 minutes a day, seven days a week. For many women this is a quite a lot of time to set aside for exercise, and with busy lives and lots of responsibilities it can be very hard to reach the targets in this way.

But it’s important to know that being ‘physically active’ is more about making sure that you move! For example, walking to the train station, carrying the shopping, playing with your kids in the park, or taking the stairs instead of the escalator are all ways that you can incorporate movement into your day – and they all count towards your weekly quota of physical activity.

These examples are known as ‘incidental physical activity’.

What advice do you have for busy women who aren’t getting enough movement in their day?

I suggest they build lots of incidental physical activity into their day. However, for most women who don’t lead an already active life, this is often not enough on its own.

They may also need to include activities such as brisk walking, jogging or a weekly gym session to reach the target, but the incidental physical activity really helps to build up the physically active minutes in short and easy bursts.

In other words, be as active as you can throughout your day, plus do a few exercise sessions a week and you’ll be on your way to reaching the target.

Also, for women currently doing no physical activity, including more incidental physical activity is also a great way to ease yourself into it and start doing some activity.

Do you have any tips for goal-setting?

Often when we set a particular goal, we start out strongly, but have trouble actually sticking with it. For example, on New Year’s Eve you might pledge to go running every day. You may do well for a few days or weeks, but suddenly life gets in the way – you might get sick or have to stay late at work, or it may all just get too much – and the plan goes out the window.

If this happens to you, I suggest setting simple goals for the short term; such as, ‘for the next working week, on three days I’m going to walk to the park to have my lunch’. And don’t be afraid of adapting those goals to suit what’s going on around you. For example, if one day it’s raining at lunchtime, go to the shopping centre and walk around for 20 minutes instead, or walk up and down several flights of stairs in your office building.

What’s your advice for women who know they need to move more, but don’t know where to start?

Firstly, find something you enjoy – physical activity should not be a punishment or something you dread doing!

You can also try making your physical activity a social occasion – do it with friends or as a group; you can help motivate each other and keep on track.

It can also be worthwhile to make physical activity part of your life and part of your daily chores. For example, when you do your weekly shop, walk there instead of driving, or take the stairs every day at work instead of the lift. In time, it will become a habit and second nature.

Another thing that helps is writing the activity down in your diary; schedule it as you would an important appointment.

Most importantly, always remember to take it step by step. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get it right the first time, or don’t manage to stick to your schedule perfectly. Acknowledge and congratulate yourself for each small win and positive step – you’re on the right path. You just need to keep going!

Read more about physical activity and exercise or watch a video demonstrating three simple exercises you can do at home.

Published with the permission of Jean Hailes for Women’s Health

Your guide to a digital detox

How many times a day do you check your phone – for a new message, an email, or to scroll through Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat or Facebook? Do you share a post – and then check back a minute later to see who liked, who commented, who shared?

We are fast becoming inseparable from our phones. Often, they are last thing we touch at night and the first object we interact with in the morning.

And we just can’t get enough.

Do you need to go on a ‘digital detox’? On a basic level, a digital detox is about cutting down or having break periods from the use of electronic devices such as smartphones or computers. It is often regarded as an opportunity to decrease stress or focus on social interaction in the real world.

In Australia, 84% of us have smartphones, and on average we check them 30 times a day. In one American survey, 43% of respondents considered themselves to be a ‘constant checker’; that is, they are attached to their phone at all times, and check their emails, texts or social media accounts constantly throughout the day.

If this sounds like you, or if you just want to be more mindful or have a break from social media, you may want to consider a digital detox. Here we consider why and how you might want to get some distance between you and your (beloved) device.

Why do a digital detox?

Although there are definite upsides to social media – connecting with people interstate and overseas, the ease of sharing your thoughts and life with many people in a multitude of ways – research is revealing some important findings on how spending too much time online may negatively affect mental health.

A 2015 study from Ottawa, USA, found that teenagers who used social media for two hours or more per day were significantly more likely to suffer from poor mental health, symptoms of anxiety and depression and suicidal thoughts.

Another 2013 American study found that the more that people used Facebook at one time point, the worse they felt afterwards; and the more they used Facebook over two weeks, the more their life satisfaction levels decreased over time. Other studies have linked heavy social media use with addiction and dependency.

But what’s actually at play here? If we’re connecting with people all across the world – sharing our thoughts, feelings, experiences, photos, videos and snaps – why doesn’t this make us happier?

A 2017 study from Italy may hold part of the answer: the researchers found that face-to-face communication and having trust in other people is strongly linked to mental wellbeing, and when a person spends large amounts of time communicating on social media, rather than in person, it alters how much they naturally trust another person, and how happy and satisfied they feel in their life.

The study found that spending large amounts of time on social media may lead to more face-to-face time – for example, receiving an invitation to a birthday party through Facebook or chatting with a friend on Instagram and deciding to meet up for coffee – but the results concluded that the overall effect of online networking on mental wellbeing is significantly negative.

So based on these findings, if you want to increase your mental wellbeing, put down your smartphone and spend more time with people … in the real world.

How to do a digital detox

Of course, the easiest way to do a digital detox is to throw (or give) away all your devices and never think about them again! But if you still want to live in the modern world, you instead need to look at carving some tech-free time into your day.

Here are some tips to help you along the way.

First of all, tell your close friends and family about your plans. Talking about it not only helps to cement the idea for yourself, but also helps you to avoid potential issues that might arise from changing your regular social media use. If, for example, you used to be contactable on Facebook day and night, your friends won’t be suddenly offended if you don’t reply their messages until the following morning. Plus, it’s also helpful for your family to know how to contact you if there is important news or an emergency.

Keep your phone out of your bedroom at night. Make a habit of putting it on silent, charging it in another room. If you use your phone as your alarm, swap it for a real alarm clock (if you don’t have one, buy one; a little wind-up is very cheap).

There are so many benefits to making this simple switch. Firstly, it keeps you from checking your phone before you go to sleep and during the night – out of sight, out of mind. Plus, because our phones are often the first thing we interact with in the day, it creates a distance between you and it, allowing you to wake up properly and set your own tone for the day.

Turn off push notifications. So many apps keep us coming back for more because of various pings, buzzes and beeps throughout the day and night. Our fear of missing out is on overdrive and we’re constantly being told (or tricked into thinking) that something needs our attention. Put yourself back in the driver’s seat, turn off notifications and use your phone on your own terms and in your own time – not when it tells you to.

Set a limit on how much you’re going to use your phone/device – make it reasonable and right for you and your life. Here are some tips for you to make your own:

• No screen-time after 6pm or 8pm
• No checking emails, social media accounts until after breakfast, when you’re ready to take on the day
• No phone at meal times
• No phone in the bedroom
• No more than 30 minutes spent on social media every day (set a timer to record your use)
• Check social media accounts a maximum of one or three times every day
• Turn your phone to flight mode for a certain period every day.

Choose one or two limits, try it out for a week, or set yourself another timeframe, and don’t be afraid of adapting as you go.

So before you stop reading this article (to check Instagram for any exciting new posts!), have a think about whether you could benefit from easing off your screen-time. Re-read the tips above, and consider what might work for you. You don’t have delete your entire social media presence; it’s more about making some small changes here or there, to be more mindful of your time spent online.

Don’t be afraid to try a digital detox. Rest assured, the online world will still be there waiting for you when you’re done.

Listen to a podcast of Jane Fisher, Jean Hailes Professor at Monash University, and 774 ABC’s Sami Shah, as they discuss digital detoxes on Life and Other Catastrophes.

Published with the permission of Jean Hailes for Women’s Health

Was it the reheated leftovers from three – or was it four or five – days ago? Or the sandwich you bought one day from that café you thought looked a bit dirty? Or maybe it was the salad that spent too long out of the fridge? Whatever the culprit, chances are you’ve been affected by food poisoning at some point in your life.

Food poisoning affects an estimated 4.1 million people in Australia every year. The symptoms of food poisoning can range from mild to severe, but there are steps you can take to reduce your risk, says Jean Hailes dietitian Stephanie Pirotta.

Food poisoning is caused by bacteria, toxins or viruses present in the food or drinks we consume. In Australia, food poisoning is commonly due to bacteria, namely the Campylobacter or Salmonella bacteria types.

However, as Ms Pirotta explains, not all bacteria are bad for you; some bacteria in food is normal – and in some cases, such as the good bacteria found in yoghurts, it can even be beneficial.

“Bacteria becomes a problem and can cause food poisoning when they grow to unsafe levels, or if the type of bacteria present in the food is harmful,” says Ms Pirotta.

Symptoms of food poisoning may include nausea (feeling sick), vomiting, stomach pains, diarrhoea (loose watery bowel motions), feeling weak, headache, fever, chills or sweating. When the symptoms start, how long they last and how serious they are can depend on many factors.

A common assumption is that food poisoning is caused by the last thing the person ate. However, this is often not the case, says Ms Pirotta. “Symptoms of the bacteria Campylobacter food poisoning [one of the most common culprits] usually develop two to five days after eating the food,” she says. And which food is usually the guilty party in cases of Campylobacter? “This type of illness is frequently associated with eating undercooked chicken,” says Ms Pirotta.

So how can you best protect yourself? Below Ms Pirotta answers some frequently asked questions.

What are some potentially ‘high risk’ foods of food poisoning?

Many people know that chicken or fish are common sources of food poisoning, but there are other common foods that can be potentially dangerous. Sources of food poisoning will usually look, smell and taste normal, so in this way it can be hard to detect.

Some potentially high-risk foods include:

• raw and cooked meat (including red meat, chicken, turkey and seafood) and foods containing these, such as a casserole or curry
• eggs and foods containing eggs, such as omelette or quiche
• dairy products and foods containing these, such as custard or cheesecake
• deli meats and smallgoods, such as ham or salami
• cooked rice and pasta
• prepared foods, such as coleslaw, pasta salad, rice salad, fruit salad and other ready-to-eat foods such as a sandwich/roll/leftover pizza that contain foods listed above
• opened pre-packaged foods (can, carton or plastic container/bag), especially foods not refrigerated straight after they are opened.

What is the ‘temperature danger zone’?

This is the temperature range in which harmful bacteria can grow to unsafe levels in food. The danger zone is between 5⁰C and 60⁰C.

This means it is best to keep cold foods cold – in your fridge, set below 5⁰C – and hot food should be kept and served hot – at 60°C or hotter. Using a food thermometer is an easy way to measure food temperature. These can be bought at most supermarkets.

For freshly cooked food that you’re not going to eat straight away, the Australian Food Safety Information Council advises to cool them to below the danger zone as quickly as possible: divide food into small shallow containers and place in the fridge or freezer as soon as it stops steaming.

How do you know if a food has been out of the fridge too long, if it can be put back in, or when it should be thrown away?

The ‘2 hour/4 hour rule’ tells you how long potentially high risk foods can be safely held at temperatures in the danger zone – for example leaving the food outside the fridge, after cooking or at the table.

1. If the food has been in the danger zone for two hours or less, it is generally considered safe to eat OR to put back in the fridge to eat later.
2. If the food has been in the danger zone for 2-4 hours, it is generally considered safe to eat straight away (not stored for later).
3. If the food has been in the danger zone for four hours or more, it may be unsafe to eat and should be thrown away.

What’s the deal with cooked rice?

Many people are unaware that cooked rice, when improperly stored, is a common source of food poisoning. Cooked rice is a perfect growing ground for bacteria as it is moist, full of carbohydrates for energy and provides heat. Rice grains often contain the bacteria Bacillus cereus. These bacteria can form spores that are able to survive the high temperatures of cooking. If uneaten rice is cooled slowly and left in the temperature danger zone for too long, tiny spores can grow and produce a harmful toxin (poison).

This also means reheating the cooked rice does not kill the spores or destroy the toxins that have already been produced in the rice, so they can still make you ill.

Food poisoning symptoms from this bacteria and its toxins usually consists of vomiting and/or diarrhoea for up to 24 hours.

What are some other tips we can practise at home to avoid food poisoning?

• When cooking or preparing food, try to prevent food or food surfaces coming into contact with other parts of your body or your clothing (also, wear clean clothing when cooking)
• Cover any cuts or abrasions on your body
• When preparing food, wash your hands using warm water and soap before you start, as well as:
  • after going to the toilet (ensure you remove any aprons prior to going)
  • after touching other body parts and coughing, sneezing, smoking, blowing your nose, eating
  • before handling ready-to-eat food (such as salad)
  • after touching raw foods (such as meat)
• Use different utensils/ chopping boards for ready-to-eat foods and raw meats
• Do not prepare food if you are ill or experiencing diarrhoea and/or vomiting
• When buying food, ensure that the food packaging seal is unbroken, within its use-by date and that the can is not dented.

Food can be a celebration and bring great joy as well as healthy nutrition to your life and body. Let’s keep it that way by following Ms Pirotta’s advice.

Published with the permission of Jean Hailes for Women’s Health.