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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
Once Lara Flanagan made the switch to a meat-free diet, there was no going back. “Now I would not live any other way,” says the 46-year-old freelance consultant.
“I think it is the healthiest way to live, the best for our planet and also it is wonderful to know you are living a cruelty free life.”
For some of us, however, the switch to meat-free eating is far from appealing.
Indeed, Journalist Doug Larson was quoted saying: “Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.”
But even the most carnivorous ears will prick up at recent claims that tens of millions of deaths could be prevented annually, simply by turning to a plant-based diet.
“That's not even talking about physical activity or not smoking, and that's all deaths, not just cancer deaths,” said Walter Willett, one of the Harvard Medical school researchers behind the claims.
Speaking at the Unite to Cure Fourth International Vatican Conference, Dr Willett said, “how much could we reduce mortality [by] shifting toward a more plant-based diet? Our estimates are about one third of deaths could be prevented.”
Globally, roughly 30 million deaths every year are categorised as ‘preventable’ – those caused by factors we could arguably do something about, such as smoking, poor diet and obesity, for example, suggests research published in The Lancet in 2018.
Needless to say, shaving that stat by a third would be a serious achievement – 10 million lives saved, in fact.
Why is vegetarian so superior?
It’s not news that vegetarian diets, when managed well, lead to reduced body mass index, blood pressure and heart attack risk, or that red meat can increase the risk of cancer.
But the benefits of trading our steaks for veggies appear to have been vastly underestimated, if the bold new Harvard Medical School claims are to be believed.
The figures, much higher than previous estimates, are yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal so should be interpreted with caution, however, thus far, they’ve received support within the scientific community.
Dr Neal Barnard, President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, for example, told the Unite to Cure conference that “I think we’re underestimating the effect”.
“When these diets are properly constructed I think they are enormously powerful.”
Diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis are among the conditions that benefit from vegetarianism and veganism, he added. This is “partly because of things we are avoiding, like cholesterol and saturated fats, but also because of the magical things that are in vegetables and fruits which just aren’t in spam”.
Kicking meat to the curb (at least part-time)
Consuming a “properly constructed” vegetarian diet takes effort – you’ve got to ensure vitamin B12, iron and other key nutrients, found mainly in animal products, remain in ample supply. (This means upping the amounts of leafy greens, legumes, reduced-fat dairy products and eggs in your diet).
But you needn’t go the whole-hog for your health, and the environment to reap the benefits.
Limiting red meat consumption to a maximum of three times per week, for example, has the potential to prevent 31,000 deaths from heart disease, 9000 deaths from cancer and 5000 deaths from stroke, based on a 2010 Oxford University study.
Starting off can be as simple as adopting concepts such as ‘Meat-free Monday’ – choosing one day a week to forgo the meat in favour of much-needed veg.
With the delicious vegetarian recipes below, we bet you’ll hardly miss it …
Slideshow: Meat-free meals made easy
