Health Hub

The following resources have been prepared by the array of health professionals who make up SMG Health. Browse the latest articles, download resources, watch videos or listen to podcasts here.

Staying connected with our wellbeing allows us to make better-informed decisions about our health. Sometimes, small yet instrumental changes are needed to tweak our everyday habits which assist in long term behavior change.

Below you can find further information on a variety of general health and wellbeing topics.

Articles

Resources

Videos and Podcasts

How to build a home gym on the cheap

December 2020

Gym memberships can be expensive and when life gets in the way, or our motivation dips, it can be too easy to skip class. Enter the DIY, budget-friendly home gym that you can create with minimal fuss but plenty of rewards – here, physical health experts show us how to create a budget-friendly alternative to the gym in our own home.

As time has gone on, society’s understanding of mental health issues has improved significantly. Staying mentally healthy at home and at work is just as important as the food you eat or the exercise you do.

Below you can find further information on some of the most common mental health topics.

Articles

Resources

Videos and Podcasts

When someone close to you talks about suicide

February 2021

When someone close to you talks about suicide, it can be deeply troubling and difficult to know how to respond.

Good nutrition is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. The food and drinks we consume provide us with the necessary nutrients to provide our body with energy and maintain our wellbeing.

Below you can find further information on good nutrition from the array of health professionals who make up SMG Health.

Articles

Resources

Videos and Podcasts

Nutrition and sleep

February 2021

Along with a healthy diet, exercise and lifestyle choices, sleep is a very important piece of the wellness puzzle. What we eat can have both positive and negative effects on our sleep quality and quantity.

Instilling healthy habits into children at a young age helps set them up for a bright, happy, healthy future.

Furthermore, children aged 5-12 years old are recommended to do 60 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity per day.

Below you can find further information on how to help with healthy eating habits and physical activity for children.

Articles

Resources

Sucked in by the screen – present but always distracted?

July 2018

I give my husband a hard time about his smartphone use around our toddler. Don’t get me wrong; he’s a great dad – one of the best. But that shiny, electronic little sucker has a knack for hogging his attention at the expense.

Getting active throughout the day is a core component of a healthy lifestyle, whether that be time at the gym, or simply taking the stairs at the train station.

Furthermore, getting a good night of sleep can be an understated source of good performance for your day-to-day activities.

Below you can find further information on some of the most popular physical health topics.

Articles

Resources

Videos and Podcasts

Fitness when life feels frenzied

February 2021

Whether you travel for work, have a busy schedule with your family, or have frequent disruptions to your daily routine, life can feel frenzied.

Our sleep habits and hygiene pay a crucial role in our physical and mental wellbeing. Learning and improving our sleep cycles, and the understanding the importance of good sleep hygiene can assist in improving our mood, memory, judgement, and productivity.

Below you can find further information on a variety of sleep and fatigue management resources.

Articles

Resources

Videos and Podcasts

Getting a good night’s sleep

February 2021

If you have trouble sleeping, you’re not alone. On an average night, 33 to 45 percent of the population have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Even people who usually sleep well may have trouble when they’re under extra stress or away from home.

Our lifestyles are busier than ever before and, as an ageing population, it has never been more important to invest in our physical and mental health so that we can enjoy a healthy, happy life. Checking in with how you’re fuelling your body, booking in for key physical health check ups, making time and space in your life for you, and moving your body in enjoyable ways are all great ways we can give ourselves the best chance at health.

Below you can find some helpful resources and guidance on how to support your mind and body through life’s challenges.

Articles

Resources

Videos and Podcasts

Women's Health Week 2020

September 2020

Our lifestyles are busier than ever before and, as an ageing population, it has never been more important to invest in our physical and mental health so that we can enjoy a healthy, happy life. Checking in with how you’re fuelling your body, booking in for key physical health check ups, making time and space in your life for you, and moving your body in enjoyable ways are all great ways we can give ourselves the best chance at good health.

For optimal health and performance throughout life, it’s critical for men to prioritise health and nutrition needs.

Below you can find further information on men's health and self-care.

Articles

Resources

Videos and Podcasts

Men's health in Australia

October 2017

Health remains one of few areas in life where men have the odds stacked against them, but what exactly are the biggest issues facing Men's Health in Australia?

Coping with fear and anxiety in times of uncertainty

December 2020

Deadlines loom, the phone won’t stop ringing, your inbox is a disaster zone, and your boss has just reminded you about that big meeting you totally forgot was on.  

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! 

That feels better. 

But yelling isn’t generally an appropriate response to stress, nor does it provide long-lasting relief. 

Long-term, there’s plenty people can do to manage stress – addressing work-life balance, trying meditation and yoga, and working with a professional to manage triggers and the response to them.  

But in the moment when stress is at boiling point – what can you do for some immediate relief? 

Here’s what three experts recommend … 

Lillian Nejad, Psychologist 

  • Mindfulness – “Try noticing your feelings of stress mindfully; without judging it as a ‘bad’ or ‘negative' experience. Observing your responses non-judgmentally is likely to take the edge off feeling stressed in the moment.” 
  • Keep a calm kit close by – Having a picture of your dog, a quote or affirmation, or a stress ball nearby can provide an instant sense of calm. 
  • Shift focus externally – “Increased stress is often caused by placing too much focus on how you are feeling or thinking. If you’re in a meeting or other business interaction, focus fully on what the other person is saying/doing.” 
  • Be honest – “If it is reasonable for you to feel stressed in a situation, then own it. Sometimes being genuine and honest about how you are feeling about a situation can help build rapport with others (who may be feeling the same way!).” 

Jessica Ritchie, Brand Expert and Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner 

  • Stop and breathe – Close your eyes or gently focus on an object and take some deep breaths – inhaling for five seconds and exhaling for five seconds. Repeat until you can feel yourself start to calm.  
  • Head outdoors – Being in nature helps with physical relaxation by lowering blood pressure and amounts of the stress hormone cortisol. If getting outside isn’t possible in the moment, try visualising being outside and doing an enjoyable activity. 
  • Listen to stress-reducing music – Don a pair of headphones and play ‘Weightless’ by Marconi Union. The song’s harmonies, rhythms and bass lines were designed in conjunction with sound therapists to help slow the listener’s heart rate, reduce blood pressure and lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Research shows listening to the song can reduce anxiety by up to 65 per cent.  

  • Try anchoring calmness – Establish an ‘anchor’ which you can use in moments of stress to bring about a state of calm. How?  
  1. Choose an anchor that you wish to activate the calm state – pressing the top of your thumb and middle finger together, for example.  
  2. Recall or imagine a time when you experienced feeling calm. 
  3. When the experience is vivid and you feel calm, activate the anchor (e.g. press middle finger and thumb together).  
  4. Release the anchor when the experience begins to fade.  
  5. Break the experience by opening your eyes and counting to 10.  
  6. Repeat steps 2-5 several times, each time making the calmness more vivid.  
  7. Apply the anchor the next day to check that the required state occurs. If not, repeat the process.  

Eugenie Pepper, Mindset Coach and Counsellor 

  • Take some deep breaths – “Breathing is my number one quick fix for stress. When you start to feel stressed, breathe deeply and exhale fully – take several deep breaths to slow down your heart rate and reduce your stress and anxiety.” 
  • Relax your muscles and your mind – “Visualise relaxing your muscles from the top of your head to the tip of your toes – stretch your neck, stand or sit up straight to get some of the tension out of your body.” 
  • Switch your mindset – “Take a step back from what's stressing you to get some perspective. Try to look at the situation from a different perspective.” 
  • Laugh! – “Hit up YouTube and watch some comedy; nothing relieves stress more than humour.” 

No ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution 

My own personal go-to-fix? A perspective check. Is what I’m stressing about really that big a deal? Can I even remember what stressed me this day last week? Likely, the answer’s no.  

The recommendations listed here are just a sample of the countless methods available to tackle stress, as it strikes.  

Give a few a go to find the solution that works best for you and if none seem to shift the stress you’re feeling, consult an appropriate health professional for individual advice. 

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