Monat: Dezember 2023

The triage floor of a public hospital is a place of perfect polarity, with scenes of chaotic action and mundane waiting separated by just a single door. 

While not a second is wasted in an emergency ward (or any ward), with doctors and nurses pushing the boundaries of multitasking at every opportunity, the plastic seats of a waiting room can hold the same bodies for hours on end. 

Now, as new research from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) reveals, the waiting game for patients in line for elective surgeries goes far beyond that. According to the data, the average waiting time for non-emergency surgery is at its highest level in 20 years. 

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The most recent collected data has seen the number of patients undergoing elective surgery increase by 18 per cent compared to the previous year, so why are our waiting lists still so long?

Unfortunately, the extensive waiting lists are a long-lasting repercussion of the global pandemic that first tore through our public health system in 2020. The disruption caused by years of lockdowns, Covid patient admissions and shifted priorities has left almost every sector of the industry reeling. 

“Public hospitals made concerted efforts during 2020 to 2021 and 2022 to 2023 to work through procedures earlier delayed when non-urgent surgeries were suspended,” explains AIHW spokesperson Clara Jellie. “But because of these earlier delays, overall waiting times for people admitted for care have increased.”

What does the data reveal?

According to the newly released national statistics, the number of admissions to hospitals from public elective surgery waiting lists rose from 623,000 to 735,500 over the past year. 

Half of all patients admitted from a public elective surgery waiting list were done so within 49 days. This number has increased from the year before, with patients in 2021 to 2022 being admitted for their elective procedure within 40 days. The percentage of patients who waited longer than 365 days to be admitted for surgery was 9.6 per cent, a notable increase from the pre-pandemic levels (2.1 per cent). 

The extended waiting periods explored in the recent data strictly refer to patients seeking elective surgery, with the majority of urgent care patients receiving an admission within 30 days. Statistically speaking, 33 per cent of all patients admitted for care from an elective surgery waiting list were considered to be within the most urgent category.

Overall, public hospital emergency departments saw a slight increase in presentations over the past year, from 8.97 million to 8.8 million, with 29 per cent of these patients being admitted to hospital for further care. 

What is the gold standard for admissions?

In order to prioritise resources, public hospitals abide by an admissions grading system, used to determine the urgency of each presenting patient. For elective surgeries, patients are assigned to one of three clinical urgency categories and placed on a waiting list. 

Graded as either most urgent, urgent or semi-urgent, patients are recommended to receive treatment within 30, 90 or 365 days respectively. Overall in the past year, 17 per cent of patients were categorised as ‘most urgent’, meaning their conditions require resuscitation or emergency intervention, while 76 per cent of presenting elective surgical patients were categorised as urgent or semi-urgent.

The data reveals only 65 per cent of patients received treatment within the recommended timeframe for their category, a number that has slightly decreased from 67 per cent the year before. Regardless, almost all patients in the most urgent category (requiring resuscitation) were seen immediately.

Which states will wait the longest?

While this data explores public hospital waiting periods as a whole, research published earlier this year revealed the states with the longest wait times and elective surgery backlog. 

According to the data, Victorians will experience the most tedious wait for elective surgery, with a state average of 281 days. Next, sits Queensland with an average of 273 days, while New South Wales residents will generally need to wait 224 days. 

Is your mental load out of control? You’re not alone. Tech entrepreneur and mum of three Kate Morgan discusses the mental load, her learnings and how it led her to launch an app, Eggy. 

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Find out more about Kate’s app Eggy @eggy.app or via their site here. 

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To-do lists, life admin, Christmas lists – it’s all bananas at this time of year. Tech entrepreneur and mum of three Kate Morgan shares tips on how to take control of…life right now.  

WANT MORE FROM KATE?

To hear today’s full interview, where she discusses how to manage the mental load…search for Extra Healthy-ish wherever you get your pods.

Find out more about Kate’s app Eggy @eggy.app or via their site here. 

WANT MORE BODY + SOUL? 

Online: Head to bodyandsoul.com.au for your daily digital dose of health and wellness.

On social: Via Instagram at @bodyandsoul_au or Facebook. Or, TikTok here. Got an idea for an episode? DM host Felicity Harley on Instagram @felicityharley. 

In print: Each Sunday, grab Body+Soul inside The Sunday Telegraph (NSW), the Sunday Herald Sun (Victoria), The Sunday Mail (Queensland), Sunday Mail (SA) and Sunday Tasmanian (Tasmania). 

For anyone who’s ever experienced it, constipation is no doubt one of the most uncomfortable feelings. 

Characterised by fewer than three stools passed per week, abdominal pain and hardened stools, constipation is often caused by a lack of fibre, not drinking enough fluids or a sedentary lifestyle. 

Research shows that it can be strongly correlated with your diet too, particularly when it changes in a way that unbalances the delicate equilibrium in your gut. 

Unsurprisingly then, changing it in other ways is often the cure to these poo predicaments. 

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For years, research has shown that a Mediterranean diet is one of the best in the world, and is rich with “healthy fats, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds,” per the Mayo Clinic. 

Aside from the fact that a diet à la Med is a well-balanced one that includes lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, there’s also a lot of healthy oils, particularly extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). 

It’s known for its anti-inflammatory properties, and for improving heart health, cholesterol and blood pressure, but a lesser-known benefit of EVOO is softened stool, which can help ease constipation. 

After Starbucks started selling olive oil lattes in the US earlier this year, dubbed Oleato drinks, which led to a high volume of pooping, TikTok caught wind of the secondary properties of EVOO. 

Now, it’s taken flight online, with people shilling olive oil as a natural constipation remedy you can take at home. And apparently, there’s actually some fact to back it up. 

Does olive oil reduce constipation?

Ingesting enough healthy fat, i.e. olive oil, has a two-part effect on your health, which can lead to decreased constipation. 

For one, when you’re eating a healthy diet, you will need to poo a healthy amount, which is once or twice a day. 

“Good quality EVOO has unique properties that improve the health of your microbiome,” performance dietitian Peta Carige tells Body+Soul. And “a healthy gut equals healthy poo.

But on the other hand, olive oil itself can also have a “mild laxative effect on the colon,” says gastroenterologist Dr Priyanka Singh, in conversation with Well+Good.

“It lubricates the colon walls and holds water within stools, helping to soften them. This helps stool move more easily through the colon and promotes bowel movements.”

In one study, per Well+Good, “One study found that olive oil relieved symptoms of constipation just as well as mineral oil—a known laxative—in patients on dialysis when it was taken daily for four weeks.” 

How much olive oil reduces constipation?

To reap the benefits of softened stool and a regular cadence in trips to the toilet, Carige tells Body+Soul that ingesting 30g of olive oil per day (1.5 tablespoons) is a good way to go. 

“This can be achieved by a drizzle on your avocado toast, a touch in your salad dressing and using it in your cooking at dinner easily,” she says. 

Not only will this make the most of its laxative properties, and soften the stool so it can actually, you know, pass, but it will “improve your microbiome,” says Carige, which promotes a healthy pooping routine. 

According to Medical News Today, „One tablespoon of olive oil, taken on an empty stomach in the morning, may relieve constipation for many healthy adults.“ 

They also note that babies and children with constipation should not take olive oil, and as per the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), should try apple or pear juice, Karo syrup, or pureed prunes for relief instead. 

Too much of a good thing 

A word of warning – you don’t want to overdo it on the olive oil. 

For one, while your diet may be suffering from a lack of olive oil if you’re constipated, you can send things in the other direction if you consume too much. Think far too regular trips to the bathroom and a very upset stomach – as many buyers of the Starbucks latte discovered. 

But it will also send your diet out of balance, particularly if you’re still getting your dose of healthy fats from other sources too. 

“If you are consuming your healthy fats from EVOO and quality food sources such as nuts and fish, it’s important to not exceed your energy requirements by also consuming other fat sources such as pastries and biscuits,” says Carige. 

In short, add a tablespoon of olive oil to your diet if you’re not ingesting any already, but aim to reduce other sources of fat so you don’t overdo it.

If you’re thinking about having a baby but you’re using birth control, you’ve no doubt also wondered about when to stop using it.

Sure, we’ve all heard the stories of people falling pregnant as soon as they stopped taking contraception, but is it really that simple? 

To better understand this, we asked Dr Kirsty Wallace-Hor, a GP at Kin Fertility, about when is the best time to come off birth control if you’re trying to get pregnant.

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First, make sure you’re ready

“Many people assume that it takes a while for their fertility to return to normal after stopping a hormone-based contraceptive. While it’s true that it can take a few months for your body’s hormones to go back to what’s normal for you, you can potentially fall pregnant very quickly,” Dr Wallace-Hor tells Body+Soul.

“I therefore don’t recommend that you stop your contraceptive until you’re prepared to fall pregnant. I’ve had more than a few patients fall pregnant earlier than planned because they assumed it would take a long time for their body to adjust to being off contraception.

“Waiting until you’re ready to fall pregnant before you stop your contraceptive is helpful for a few reasons. For example, it gives you adequate time to start a prenatal multivitamin. For most people, it is recommended to take a 0.4-0.5mg/day supplement of folic acid for at least one month before falling pregnant, as well as an iodine supplement of 150μg each day. 

“It also gives you a chance to see your GP before falling pregnant to see whether you would benefit from other supplements (for example, if you’re iron or vitamin D deficient, or are vegan or vegetarian), ensure you have adequate insurance cover if you’d like private obstetric care, optimise your lifestyle and consider genetic carrier screening.”

When does fertility return?

The answer to this question will vary from woman to woman and it will depend on the type of birth control you’re using.

• Contraceptive pill: “It usually takes about two months for someone’s usual level of fertility to return after stopping the combined pill, some people may ovulate and fall pregnant before their next period.”

• Shot. “It can take up to 18 months for your fertility to return to your usual level.”

• IUDs. With hormonal IUDs, fertility usually returns shortly after removal and with copper IUDs, it often returns within the first menstrual cycle.
• Vaginal ring and contraceptive implant. Some women resume regular ovulation soon after removal, while others may experience a delay.

Things to consider when going off birth control

“If you’d like to track your natural cycles before you actively start trying for a baby, you can stop your hormonal contraceptive and switch to condoms until you’re ready. Tracking your cycle can help identify when you’re ovulating and help you time intercourse to optimise your chances of falling pregnant,” Dr Wallace-Hor explains.

“Even if you plan to start trying straight away, it can be helpful to track your period as this will help estimate your due date if you do fall pregnant and confirm whether your periods are regular.”

Your diet is another important piece of the puzzle and you want to make sure you’re consuming key nutrients for reproductive health – think folic acid, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids. A good prenatal vitamin can be beneficial here.

Improving your diet, keeping your stress levels under check, exercising regularly, and avoiding excessive alcohol and caffeine intake, are all simple, yet effective ways of leading a fertility-friendly lifestyle.

Finally, having the right people by your side can make a huge difference – and one of those people should be your doctor. Booking a preconception check-up and getting your fertility tested can be a good idea, as you’ll get access to personalised insights about your reproductive health, so you can manage your expectations and make informed decisions that are right for your body.

When to seek professional help

“If your periods are regular and you haven’t fallen pregnant despite having regular intercourse, you should see your GP after 12 months if you’re 35 years or younger, after 6 months if you’re over 35, or earlier if you’re concerned,” Dr Wallace-Hor recommends.

Additionally, consider booking an appointment if:

• You’re experiencing irregular menstrual cycles months after stopping birth control
• You’re not experiencing signs of ovulation, like changes in cervical mucus or breast tenderness
• You have a history of gynecological issues, like PCOS or endometriosis
• Your partner has known fertility concerns

Most importantly, be patient and kind to yourself and prioritise your wellbeing during this time. While it is natural to feel overwhelmed, stress and fertility are not a good mix. So, try to find healthy ways to deal with potential stressors and, if needed, seek support from a healthcare professional.

It’s been a big year. Actually, given what we’ve collectively been through it’s been a big few years, for all of us. So it may well be that you’re trudging towards December 25th, running on fumes with your proverbial ‘check engine’ light flashing and no petrol station in sight.

December often feels like a mad rush to an invisible finish line. Each week opening your diary to find a wedding on Friday, a Christmas party on Saturday, end-of-year drinks on Sunday afternoon and about three weeks’ worth of work to smash through come Monday morning.

Add the usual mayhem to the emotional toll of an ongoing pandemic and global unrest, and for many of us, perhaps for the first time, getting into the party spirit just feels like too much this year.

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So, if you’re tempted to climb under the bed and stay there until January 1, you’re not alone. We spoke with two experts about how best to navigate our end-of-year overwhelm.

Recognising end-of-year burnout

‘It’s the most wonderful time of the year’, sang Andy Williams all those years ago, and for some of us it will be. A chance to let our hair down at celebrations, see our much-loved friends and family, and finally, finally, take a break and get some breathing room. But for many of us, the opposite can be true. 

“We all know what happens at this time of the year,” says Sally McGrath, founder of Health that Heals specialising in burnout awareness treatment. “There are a multitude of party invitations, the people that all need to catch up because all of a sudden, it’s urgent to see every person you know. There’s the pending anxiety of catering for Christmas Day and mixing with family, some you may or may not want to see. And consider split families – it can be a time of dread because it highlights what has not worked out for people,” she says.

“People can also feel quite lonely and alone, vulnerable and depressed during this time. While for many, Christmas is a wonderful time, for others it is a challenging and emotional time, so it’s important to be aware.”

Just talking about it makes me want to nope out of my commitments and curl up in my Oodie with a hot drink, but McGrath says there’s an important difference between true burnout and simply exhaustion.

“Burnout is not something that just happens because the end of the year is in sight,” she explains. “Burnout builds over months and years through a series of unconscious habits and behaviours.” The main difference is that unlike relatively straightforward end-of-year exhaustion, burnout doesn’t resolve when we simply take a break, so it’s important to be able to spot the signs.

So yes, end-of-year exhaustion is a thing, and this year, it’s apparently on steroids. 

Why this year was especially taxing

Dr Rebecca Ray, clinical psychologist and bestselling author says that we’re facing a unique set of challenges as we close out 2023. “This year is especially trying because it occurs on the back of a once-in-a-generation pandemic, in the middle of another symptomatic wave of Covid, while we’re facing a cost-of-living crisis and observing global warfare – all simultaneously.”

Dr Beck explains that this potent mix of emotional and psychological stressors can be what takes us from the early stages of burnout and seasonal exhaustion to what she terms ‘clinically severe burnout’. “This manifests as anxiety, the energy of which has nowhere to go, and whole-person depletion where you struggle to find an area of your life in which you’re not exhausted,” she says. 

Your guide to a happy, healthy silly season

With all of this fatigue, wouldn’t it be brilliant to find a roadmap to guide us through the next month? Well, you’re in luck, because both of our experts have developed sets of easy-to-follow guidelines. 

Firstly, McGrath encourages us to implement the following:

1. Get comfortable saying ‘No, thank you, just not right now’.
2. Choose quality over quantity – Do a review of what is coming up and cherry-pick where you choose to show up.
3. Ditch the FOMO – It will exhaust you and the only person that will lose will be yourself.
4. Hold firm on boundaries – Boundaries are important for your own well-being, including your mental and physical health. 

Next, she suggests we ask some big questions:

1. How do I want and choose to spend my time socialising with work, with neighbours, with family?
2. What work priorities are really essential to be completed before Christmas? Can anything wait?
3. How do I want to spend the time off, if I have any? 

And finally, her favourite – How will I feel when all this is over? *Hint: If the answer is ‘more exhausted’, it’s a no. 

I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling calmer already. Now, what if you’re overwhelmed with a pile of event invitations? Stop. Breathe. And read on… 

Dr Beck has developed a quick and easy checklist we can refer to when we just can’t decide whether to tick ‘attending’ or send our apologies. 

Say yes if:

• There are people attending who are good for your mental health.
• There’s a part of you that really wants to go.
• The consequences of saying ‘no’ are bigger than the effort of saying ‘yes’ (e.g. attending your workplace Christmas party puts you in good stead for promotion rather than being judged as ’not a team player‘ if you don’t go). 

Say no if:

• Your ‘giving’ tanks are empty and rusting.
• You would only be going because you think you ’should‘.
• There is no identifiable benefit to you attending other than avoiding your own self-imposed guilt.

When it might be something deeper

While exhaustion, depression and even burnout are common experiences, especially this year, Dr Beck explains how to tell when it’s time to seek help from a mental health professional.

“Burnout tends to be something that is externalised, while depression has internalised features,” she explains. “With burnout, it’s common to identify things outside yourself that make you feel ‘over it’ (work, invitations, kids‘ events, school events, the world burning, etc). Depression tends to have a set of internalised features that don’t usually occur in burnout including high levels of self-criticism and a sense of self-loathing.” 

A great shortcut is to consider whether removing yourself from the circumstances that are causing you stress alleviates your symptoms. If they remain or become deeper even with rest and self-care, it’s time to enlist the help of a psychologist or counsellor. 

Honour your needs first

Both of our experts advocate for maximum self-love when it comes to navigating this time of year.

“Remove the word ‘should’ from your vocabulary, says McGrath. “As I like to tell clients, there is no need to ‘should’ on yourself, now or anytime. Should raises the expectations of self and others and before you know it you are in the cycle of being a people pleaser – making everyone else happy while you end up sick and or resentful, exhausted or burnt-out.”

And if you’re struggling to suppress that inner critic, Dr Beck says, “Leading with self-kindness is the best way forward here. Speak to yourself as you would a friend. Remember that you are only one person, and your resources (time, energy, care, attention, money, love) are not infinite. Check-in on the levels of your giving tanks before saying yes or no.” 

Dr Beck encourages us to remember that only we know how much is left in our own tanks, “if they are low, saying ’no‘ right now is a gift for your future self.”

If you’ve spent any time on social media lately, it seems everyone is ‘balancing their hormones’ for better health. Nutritionist and TV presenter Zoe Bingley-Pullin discusses the trend and how to better support your hormones.

WANT MORE FROM ZOE?

To hear today’s full interview, where she chats through hidden hormone disruptors…search for Extra Healthy-ish wherever you get your pods.

Catch Zoe @zoebingleypullen or via her site here, or see her on House of Wellness TV here. 

WANT MORE BODY + SOUL? 

Online: Head to bodyandsoul.com.au for your daily digital dose of health and wellness.

On social: Via Instagram at @bodyandsoul_au or Facebook. Or, TikTok here. Got an idea for an episode? DM host Felicity Harley on Instagram @felicityharley. 

In print: Each Sunday, grab Body+Soul inside The Sunday Telegraph (NSW), the Sunday Herald Sun (Victoria), The Sunday Mail (Queensland), Sunday Mail (SA) and Sunday Tasmanian (Tasmania). 

Hormones are having their moment on social media. Nutritionist and TV presenter Zoe Bingley-Pullin discusses all things hormones – from the ideal diet, to lifestyle habits and the top hidden hormone disruptors. 

WANT MORE FROM ZOE?

Catch Zoe @zoebingleypullen or via her site here, or see her on House of Wellness TV here. 

WANT MORE BODY + SOUL? 

Online: Head to bodyandsoul.com.au for your daily digital dose of health and wellness.

On social: Via Instagram at @bodyandsoul_au or Facebook. Or, TikTok here. Got an idea for an episode? DM host Felicity Harley on Instagram @felicityharley. 

In print: Each Sunday, grab Body+Soul inside The Sunday Telegraph (NSW), the Sunday Herald Sun (Victoria), The Sunday Mail (Queensland), Sunday Mail (SA) and Sunday Tasmanian (Tasmania).

It comes as no shock that superstar celebs like a tipple. But when does enjoying a few glasses of bubbly or a night of margaritas become less of a party and more of a problem? 

Adele recently told the audience at her Vegas residency that she’d ditched the booze after she was “literally borderline alcoholic for quite a lot of my 20s.” But the big question is: is there really such a thing? 

“Simply put, there’s no such thing as a ‘borderline alcoholic’,” says founder of alcohol reduction app, Mind the Sip, Ange Chappel. “Today the term ‘alcoholism’ is no longer used as a clinical diagnosis, and has been replaced with ‘Alcohol Use Disorder.’ This refers to problematic patterns of alcohol consumption leading to significant impairment or distress.”

She adds: “I don’t think Adele was announcing a diagnosis, but rather expressing she’s changed her relationship with alcohol. It was a way of saying alcohol wasn’t serving her.”

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“Thinking in terms of ‘alcoholic’ or ‘not alcoholic’ can be unhelpful,” confirms sober coach Rory Kinsella, who teaches Wise Monkey Way meditation-based programs that help people moderate or quit drinking.

“’Alcoholic’ is a loaded term that leads people to think if they’re not sleeping in the gutter or swigging vodka for breakfast, nothing needs to change.” He adds: “Alcohol use is a spectrum. There’s no definitive, objective point where it becomes problematic.”

Not only is our alcohol use on a spectrum, but our position on that spectrum can change at different times of our lives. “Drinking is a continuum,” says Kinsella. “People can and do move up and down it, depending on their stage of life, the amount of stress they are dealing with, and social pressure.” 

People who fall in the middle of this spectrum are known as ‘grey area drinkers.’ “These people tend to have more problems as they get older, often from 35 (Adele’s age) and upwards,” says Kinsella. “This is perhaps due to increased tolerance to alcohol, which means they drink more, and feel worse because of it.”

The change in drinking culture, particularly amongst younger people, has helped many reassess their relationship with booze. Gen Zs (generally considered those born from the mid-1990s to the mid-2010s) drink around 20 per cent less than millennials (early 1980s to mid-1990s), who also drink less than the previous generation, according to research. This means that alcohol-free alternatives are now more accepted than ever – and the conversations around alcohol are also more tolerant. 

“Recognising drinking on a continuum encourages open conversations about responsible drinking, and the diverse reasons people may choose to abstain or limit their intake,” adds Chappel. 

While labelling anyone as ‘borderline alcoholic’ isn’t helpful, there are ways to determine where you sit on the alcohol spectrum. While there are still recommended weekly alcohol limits (10 standard drinks a week for men and women in Australia), it’s good to consider how alcohol is affecting you personally, even if you’re not exceeding those limits.

“I encourage people to ask themselves if overall they feel alcohol has a positive or negative effect on them,” says Kinsella. “Are the highs worth the lows? Is the price in hangovers, interrupted sleep and increased anxiety worth whatever perceived benefit they’re getting? Regardless of how much or how often you drink, if you’re noticing increasing negative effects from it, then it’s a good time to consider stopping.”

Want to be more mindful of what you’re drinking? Look into what’s driving you to swig that Sav Blanc. “If you’re drinking half or more of a bottle of wine in the evening to cope with work or parenting stress, it can be good to find a replacement for dealing with that stress,” suggests Kinsella. “I get my clients to meditate in the early evening when they would normally have a drink and notice if they crave one less afterwards.”

If you have serious concerns about your imbibing, talk to your GP. And if you’re doing an Adele and contemplating ditching the drink, it’s time to get straight with yourself. “The simplest question to ask yourself is: ‘Am I drinking more than I would like?’ says Kinsella. “If the answer’s yes, then it’s worth looking into whether you want to change that.” 

Non-alcoholic drinks you’ll love

Wine: Altina La Vie En Rose, $120 (6 bottles),  altinadrinks.com

Shop here

Aperitif: Wilfred’s Bittersweet Aperitif, $49, notwasted.com.au 

Shop here

Spirit: Vera Gino non-alcoholic spirit, $50, danmurphys.com.au

Shop here

Cocktail: Naked Life non-alcoholic Margarita, $15 (4 pack), nakedlifespirits.com.au

Shop here

Media personality Anna Robards (nee Heinrich) is simply glowing. Pregnant with baby No. 2, she discusses her low-key approach to skincare plus her essential summer products. 

WANT MORE FROM ANNA?

To hear today’s full interview, where she shares her summer wellness essentials…search for Extra Healthy-ish wherever you get your pods.

Find Anna here @annaheinrich1 or for Intu Wellness, see @intu_wellness or here. 

WANT MORE BODY + SOUL? 

Online: Head to bodyandsoul.com.au for your daily digital dose of health and wellness.

On social: Via Instagram at @bodyandsoul_au or Facebook. Or, TikTok here. Got an idea for an episode? DM host Felicity Harley on Instagram @felicityharley. 

In print: Each Sunday, grab Body+Soul inside The Sunday Telegraph (NSW), the Sunday Herald Sun (Victoria), The Sunday Mail (Queensland), Sunday Mail (SA) and Sunday Tasmanian (Tasmania).