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Keep tooth decay at bay
What is tooth decay?Tooth decay occurs when bacteria in the mouth make acid which then dissolves the tooth. Bacteria only produce this acid when they’re exposed to sugar. How can I avoid it? Brush and floss your teeth regularly and carefully to reduce the amount of bacteria on your teeth. You should brush your teeth […]
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Save Our Smiles
A new report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has revealed that levels of tooth decay in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are increasing, particularly among Indigenous kids under the age of seven. The report shows that poor dental health, including tooth decay, is more common among Aboriginal and Torres Strait […]
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The Eyes Have It (Eye Health)
Your eyes are not just the windows to your soul; they’re also how you see. So look after ’em! Our eyesight is essential for so many things. We need our sight to read, to drive, to learn and to spot danger. If you have a problem with your eyesight, it can make life very difficult. […]
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Doctor Didj
A new study has found that playing the didgeridoo could help people who suffer from asthma. The study, which was published in the Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal and run through the University of Southern Queensland’s Centre for Rural and Remote Area Health, used music therapy to help young Indigenous asthmatics manage their condition. […]
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Dean Widders
During the off-season, do you still need to look after your health and fitness? Mentally it’s good to relax and take a break from hard training and strict diets, so when the off season is on I do have a break, but I still try to keep active and eat healthy. I also have to […]
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Fighting for our Future
Deadly Vibe Issue 132 – February 2008 A former boxer takes on a new role to help our young fellas. STORY: After a lifetime spent in and around the boxing ring, former fighter turned trainer and manager Alex Wymarra has just won the most important title of his career after being named Boxing NSW’s new […]
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Turning a Blind Eye (Trachoma)
Why are Indigenous Australians still suffering from trachoma? Trachoma is a preventable condition that is almost entirely a disease of undeveloped countries. However, while mainstream Australians rarely – if ever – contract trachoma, the condition is rife in many Indigenous communities. What is trachoma?Trachoma is a contagious infection of the eye caused by bacteria. It’s […]
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Budget delivers $332.8 million toward Indigenous health
The Australian Government is investing $334.8 million towards closing the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a generation. Measures include $101.5 million extra funding for maternal and child health services. By addressing health issues early in life, these interventions can deliver significant progress in closing the gap. These initiatives include: an additional […]
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Alcohol
During the holiday season, people tend to consume more alcohol. Although you may have heard that moderate consumption of alcohol protects against cardiovascular disease, this generally only refers to those people over the age of 45. More men die as a result of alcohol than are saved by moderate alcohol intake. In fact, alcohol is […]
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Ear Health in Central Australia
How big an issue is hearing health in Central Australia? Rebecca: Well I can probably say that at any given time if you were to walk into a classroom of primary school aged kids you could guarantee about 85% of those children in the classroom have some kind of hearing loss, and also you can […]
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Smoking Initiatives a Good Start
Today’s announcement by the Rudd Government that it will spend $14.5 million to fund initiatives to curb high smoking rates among Aboriginal people has been welcomed by two leading Aboriginal health research bodies. The Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health (CRCAH) and the Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Tobacco Control (CEITC) said the anti-smoking initiative […]
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Barbiturates
Barbiturates are a form of depressants known as downers. They are taken in pill form and affect the central nervous system by slowing down the mind and body. Barbiturates are not only highly addictive – they can also have damaging short- and long- term effects. Short-term effects range from a feeling of sleepiness and relaxation […]
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Weight
How can a person determine his or her ideal weight? Ideas about ideal weight vary from generation to generation and culture to culture. Obesity is often looked upon as a mark of distinction in some societies where food is scarce, because it indicates that a person has enough money to eat well. Some Polynesian cultures […]
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Fat Chance (Obesity)
As a country we’re getting fatter, and it’s not doing our health any favours. All over the world, more and more people are becoming overweight or obese. The World Health Organisation has called it a global epidemic; here in Australia, obesity rates have more than doubled over the past 20 years ” we are now […]
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Feature Story – Health Round-Up
The latest in Indigenous health news from around Australia. Remote Babies at RiskIndigenous health researchers have found that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers who live in remote areas are 14 per cent less likely to have a healthy baby than mothers living in regional or city areas. Researchers from the School of Women’s and […]
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Coming to a Head (Boils)
Most of us will develop a boil at some stage ” those unsightly and often painful sores on the skin. A boil is a localised infection deep in the skin that usually starts as a reddened, tender area that over time becomes firm and hard. Eventually, the centre of the boil fills up with pus, […]
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