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Men’s Health Peer Education Magazine Vol. 13 No. 2
July 2014 – Nutrition: The Veterans’ Health Week Issue
Veterans’ Health Week 13- 19 October 2014
Veterans’ Health Week (VHW) will have a range of fun events promoting
Physical Activity, Healthy Eating, Social Inclusion and Mental Wellness. The
symbolic VHW cube represents the different and interrelated health themes
that DVA’s initiatives seek to promote. This year’s VHW edition of the MHPE
Magazine focuses on the benefits of healthy eating under the theme of
Nutrition.
Inside this issue
Easing the daily grind; veterans’ nutrition and oral health.
It is not hard to see that food and eating are heavily in vogue these days. But
while many adult Australians obsess over the nightly output of Masterchef or
seek out the latest diets, little attention is being paid to those doing the hard
yakka behind the scenes: our teeth.
Make your move – Sit less – Be Active for life!
Do you remember Norm and his cartoon family from the original Life. Be in it
promotions? If so it might be a little disheartening to know that Norm began
his campaign in 1975, when Gough Whitlam was PM, Graham Kennedy was
banned from TV for his ‘crow call’, and Think Big won his second Melbourne
Cup. Australia’s approach to physical activity has been reviewed again, and
the evidence is clear: As a nation we are sitting more and moving less. Norm
is with us still!
What are the Australian Dietary Guidelines?
The Australian Dietary Guidelines provide up-to-date advice about the amount
and kinds of foods that we need to eat for health and wellbeing. They are
based on scientific evidence and research.
Also in this issue: Which foods should I eat and how much?, Getting the right
dietary advice, How to understand food labels, Cooking for One or Two:
Recipes for Life, and much, much more.
Wanted MHPE Volunteers!
Turn to pages 35-36 for information on the MHPE programme.
Bonus free poster
Australian Healthy Food Guide: ultimate guide to serving sizes
Editorial
Welcome to the Veterans’ Health Week Nutrition issue
When I was in my 20s, I found that I could eat what I wanted and I pretty
much stayed the same shape. Nowadays, I’m still eating the same types of
food and in the same quantities, but I don’t do the same level of activity. As a
result, I’ve morphed into the stereotypical middle age shape: cuddly in the
middle.
Sometimes, it’s easier to buy clothes in a larger size, than it is to make
adjustments to our diet and turn off the TV and do some exercise. In this
issue, we’ve included articles that remind us about the foods to limit, how to
lose weight healthily and how much food we should be eating. Still not sure
what a serve is? In addition to the tear-out, we’ve included an insert: the
Australian Healthy Food Guide – Healthy Servings at a glance poster.
Earlier this year, the Australian Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour
Guidelines were released. Basically, we need to move more and sit less. We
can eat well, and eat smart, but we also need to value the long term health
benefits of being more active in our daily lives. You can read more about the
guidelines on page 9.
This year, as we celebrate Veterans’ Health Week and the theme of nutrition,
don’t forget to support your family, friends and members of your community.
Think about those who may live alone, or who have limited opportunity to get
out and enjoy the pleasure of eating with others. It could be as simple as
inviting someone over for a healthy meal and then going for a walk together.
Congratulations to our MHPE volunteers
Each year, we recognise MHPE volunteers by awarding certificates of
recognition and badges for 5 and 10 years of service. These awards are
made during National Volunteer Week in order to acknowledge the value of
volunteering within the broader Australian community. I would like to
congratulate those volunteers who will achieve 5 and 10 years of service and
thank them for all their hard work, enthusiasm and ongoing support of the
program.
Corrections to MHPE Magazine Vol. 13 No. 1 March 2014
issue.
In the MHPE Volunteers – What do they do? article on page 31, Alan White,
the MHPE Metro VIC Volunteer Representative’s landline number was
incorrect. The correct landline number is: 03 9598 1007.
In the National Men’s Health Gathering 2013 article on page 26, Gary
Treeve’s MHPE Volunteer Representative region was incorrectly stated. Gary
Treeve is the MHPE VIC Regional Volunteer Representative.
MHPE Magazine Editorial Committee Membership
Naomi Mulcahy DVA (Editor)
Dr Graeme Killer AO, DVA Principal Medical Adviser
Dr Warren Harrex, DVA Senior Medical Adviser
Dimitri Batras, DVA National Health Promotion Adviser
Mariusz Kalinowski DVA
Michael Correll VVCS
Chris Jones DVA
Dr Justin Harding DVA
Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
In a later edition of the MHPE magazine could a spot be available in the
medical section for cataracts?
Within a short time, I’m having an operation on my right eye and then on my
left to remove the cataract. My reason for writing is I’m on warafarin and am
wondering how many of our members may be facing a similar operation.
Thanking you
Peter Cowley
23 December 2013
Editor’s reply: We have included an article on eye health in this issue. Also,
DVA’s Veterans’MATES Brochure: 8 steps to taking warfarin, is a useful guide
on how to manage this medication.
Dear Editor,
I recently received and read with interest “Men’s Health Peer Education Vol
13 No 1 March 2014.
I am the President of the Hornsby-Berowra Men’s Shed and want to
compliment you and your contributors on a very helpful magazine that covers
many issues affecting the health of Australian men today.
I was recently listening to a sermon at church by a Church Consultant who
made the following statement. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians chapter 13
verse 13 “ And now these three remain faith, hope and love. But the greatest
of these is love.”
He went on to say that we can live without Faith but it is aimless. We can live
without Love, it is not nice but we cannot live without Hope.
I am 73 and healthy but according to statistics I should die in 6 years time.
What hope do I have after 79?
In our men’s shed the ages range from 60 to 80s.
Surely death is coming closer to us and those we love. Do we have a hope of
a life after death?
In the article ‘Here’s Looking at Me” Dr. Tony Ireland says in his last sentence
“And to remember that food for the soul is essential.”
I believe a future article about this essential subject and the hope we can
have from a spiritual point of view would be very beneficial to men of all ages.
David Gillan.
President.
Hornsby-Berowra Men’s Shed
28 March 2014
Editor’s reply: We will look at including information on this topic in future
issues.
Dear Editor,
It was heartening to read on page 14 of the November 2013 issue that DVA
appears to be finally (as far as I am aware) acknowledging alternative
medicine, in particular, meditation. I have moved out of the loop somewhat
since moving to King Island in Bass Strait from Queensland, however am
unaware of DVA acknowledging medical treatment other than what it has
been advocating for a long time. I might add you do it very well. This is
certainly not a complaint on how you, thankfully, manage the health of
veterans—more so a plea to give alternative medicine a fairer hearing.
Take it easy
Noel McKay
14 February 2014
Editor’s reply: We know that many of our MHPE volunteers (and readers, too)
regard alternative medicine as an important part of their health and wellbeing.
The magazine will continue to include articles that cover the wide range of
alternative therapies available. In addition to the recent article on meditation,
previous issues have included articles on yoga and tai chi. For the DVA
policy in relation to alternative therapies please refer to DVA Factsheet
HSV131 - Alternative Therapies and Gold and White Card holders.
What are the Australian Dietary Guidelines?
The Australian Dietary Guidelines provide up-to-date advice about the amount
and kinds of foods that we need to eat for health and wellbeing. They are
based on scientific evidence and research.
The Australian Dietary Guidelines of most relevance to adults are included
below:
Guideline 1:
To achieve and maintain a healthy weight, be physically active and choose
amounts of nutritious food and drinks to meet your energy needs.
 Older people should eat nutritious foods and keep physically active to help
maintain muscle strength and a healthy weight.
Guideline 2:
Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods from these five food groups every day:
 Plenty of vegetables of different types and colours, and legumes/beans
 Fruit
 Grain (cereal foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties,
such as breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, polenta, couscous, oats,
quinoa and barley)
 Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and
legumes/beans
 Milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or their alternatives, mostly reduced fat
And drink plenty of water.
Guideline 3:
Limit intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and
alcohol.
 Limit intake of foods high in unsaturated fat such as many biscuits, cakes,
pastries, pies, processed meats, commercial burgers, pizza, fried foods,
potato chips, crisps and other savoury snacks.
 Replace high fat foods which contain predominantly saturated fats such as
butter, cream, cooking margarine, coconut and palm oil with foods which
contain predominately polyunsaturated and monosaturated fats such as
oils, spreads, nut butters/pastes and avocado.
 Limit intake of foods and drinks containing added salt.
 Read labels to choose lower sodium options among similar foods.
 Do not add salt to foods in cooking or at the table.
 Limit intake of foods and drinks containing added sugars such as
confectionery, sugar-sweetened soft drinks and cordials, fruit drinks,
vitamin waters, energy and sports drinks.
 If you choose to drink alcohol, limit intake. For women who are pregnant,
planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding, not drinking alcohol is your safest
option.
Guideline 4:
Encourage, support and promote breastfeeding.
Guideline 5:
Care for your food: prepare and store it safely.
For further information visit: www.eatforhealth.gov.au
Source: National Health and Medical Research Council
Foods to limit: discretionary choices
‘Discretionary choices’ are called that because they are not an essential or
necessary part of our dietary patterns. Discretionary foods are high in
kilojoules, saturated fat, added sugars, added salt or alcohol. If chosen, they
should be eaten only sometimes and in small amounts.
Examples of discretionary choices include:








Sweet biscuits, cakes and desserts
Processed meats and sausages
Ice-cream, confectionary and chocolate
Meat pies and other pastries
Commercial burgers, hot chips, and fried foods
Crisps and other fatty and/or salty snacks
Cream and butter
Sugar-sweetened cordials, soft drinks, fruit drinks and sports drinks
 Alcoholic drinks
For further information visit: www.eatforhealth.gov.au
Source: National Health and Medical Research Council
Refer to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating insert to view the discretionary
foods that you should eat only sometimes and in small amounts.
Which foods should I eat and how much?
The Australian Dietary Guidelines provide up-to-date advice about the amount
and kinds of foods and drinks that we need regularly for health and well-being.
By eating the recommended amounts from the Five Food Groups and limiting
the foods that are high in saturated fat, added sugars and added salt, you get
enough of the nutrients essential for good health. You may reduce your risk of
chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some
cancers. You may also feel better, look better, enjoy life more and live longer!
The amount of food you will need from the Five Food Groups depends on
your age, gender, height, weight and physical activity levels, and also whether
you are pregnant or breastfeeding. For example, a 43-year-old man should
aim for 6 serves of vegetables a day, whereas a 43-year-old woman should
aim for 5 serves a day. A 61-year-old man should aim for 6 serves of grain
(cereal) foods a day, and a 61-year-old woman should aim for 4 serves a day.
Those who are taller or more physically active (and not overweight or obese)
may be able to have additional serves of the Five Food Groups or unsaturated
spreads and oils or discretionary choices.
For further information go to www.eatforhealth.gov.au
How much is a serve?
It’s helpful to get to know the recommended serving sizes and serves per day
so that you eat and drink the right amount of the nutritious foods you need for
health. The ‘serve size’ is a set amount that doesn’t change. It is used along
with the ‘serves per day’ to work out the total amount of food required from
each of the Five Food Groups. ‘Portion size’ is the amount you actually eat
and this will depend on what your energy needs are. Some people’s portion
sizes are smaller than the ‘serve size’ and some are larger. This means some
people may need to eat from the Five Food Groups more often than others.
How many serves a day?
Few people eat exactly the same way each day and it is common to have a
little more on some days than others. However, on average, the total of your
portion sizes should end up being smaller to the number of serves you need
each day.
If you eat portions that are smaller than the ‘serve size’ you will need to eat
from the Food Groups more often. If your portion size is larger than the ‘serve
size’ then you will need to eat from the Food Groups less often.
www.eatforhealth.gov.au
To meet additional energy needs, extra serves from the Five Food Groups or
unsaturated spreads and oils, or discretionary choices may be needed only by
those adults who are taller or more active, but not overweight.
For meal ideas and advice on how to apply the serve sizes go to:
www.eatforhealth.gov.au
A standard serve of vegetables is about 75g (100-350kJ) or:
½ cup cooked green or orange vegetables (for example, broccoli, spinach,
carrots or pumpkin)
½ cup cooked, dried or canned beans, peas or lentils
1 cup green leafy or raw salad vegetables
½ cup sweet corn
½ medium potato or other starchy vegetables (sweet potato,taro or cassava)
1 medium tomato
Serves per day
19-50
51-70
years
years
Men
6
5½
Women 5
5
71+
years
5
5
A standard serve of fruit is about 150g (350kJ) or:
1 medium apple, banana, orange or pear
2 small apricots, kiwi fruits or plums
1 cup diced or canned fruit (with no added sugar)
Or only occasionally:
125ml (½ cup) fruit juice (with no added sugar)
30g dried fruit (for example, 4 dried apricot halves, 1½ tablespoons of
sultanas)
Men
Serves per day
19-50
51-70
years
years
2
2
71+
years
2
Women 2
2
2
A standard serve of grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or
high cereal fibre varieties (500kJ) is:
1 slice (40g) bread
½ medium (40g) roll or flat bread
½ cup (75–120g) cooked rice, pasta, noodles, barley, buckwheat, semolina,
polenta, bulgur or quinoa
½ cup (120g) cooked porridge
²/³ cup (30g) wheat cereal flakes
¼ cup (30g) muesli
3 (35g) crisp breads
1 (60g) crumpet
1 small (35g) English muffin or scone
Serves per day
19-50
51-70
years
years
Men
6
6
Women 6
4
71+
years
4½
3
A standard serve of lean meat and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts
and seeds, and legumes/beans (500-600kJ) is:
65g cooked lean meats such as beef, lamb, veal, pork, goat or kangaroo
(about 90–100g raw). Weekly limit of 455g
80g cooked lean poultry such as chicken or turkey (100g raw)
100g cooked fish fillet (about 115g raw weight) or one small can of fish
2 large (120g) eggs
1 cup (150g) cooked or canned legumes/beans such as lentils, chick peas or
split peas (preferably with no added salt)
170g tofu
30g nuts, seeds, peanut or almond butter or tahini or other nut or seed paste
(no added salt)
Serves per day
19-50
51-70
years
years
Men
3
2½
Women 2 ½
2
71+
years
2½
2
A standard serve of Milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives,
mostly reduced fat (500-600kJ) is:
1 cup (250ml) fresh, UHT long life, reconstituted powdered milk or buttermilk
½ cup (120ml) evaporated milk
2 slices (40g) or 4 x 3 x 2cm cube (40g) of hard cheese, such as cheddar
½ cup (120g) ricotta cheese
¾ cup (200g) yoghurt
1 cup (250ml) soy, rice or other cereal drink with at least 100mg of added
calcium per 100ml
Serves per day
19-50
51-70
years
years
Men
2½
2½
Women 2 ½
4
71+
years
3½
4
For further information visit: www.eatforhealth.gov.au
Source: National Health and Medical Research Council
The Australian Healthy Food Guide Healthy servings at a glance poster,
which is included with your magazine, provides useful images to help you
understand what a serving size really is for different foods. It’s a practical
guide as it’s not always easy (or convenient) to weigh and measure food
before you eat.
Getting the right dietary advice
Getting the right food and nutrition information is very important when it
comes to looking after all aspects of your health and wellbeing. An Accredited
Practising Dietitian is a university trained health professional who translates
scientific nutrition information into practical advice, to help you make the right
decisions about what to eat.
There are no rules governing the use of the terms ‘dietitian’ and ‘nutritionist’.
The latter term can be used by people with limited nutrition training. Also,
there are many nutrition focused industries and practitioners in Australia (for
example, media, pharmacy and weight loss product companies) providing
general advice, often for profit, rather than specifically focusing on how to best
help you with your health.
For a balanced assessment, an Accredited Practising Dietitian is preferable
as they have had the training in human nutrition including substantial theory
and supervised professional practice in clinical nutrition, medical therapy and
food service management. Therefore in Australia, all dietitians are considered
nutritionists, however, nutritionists without a dietetic qualification cannot take
on the specialised role of a dietitian.
A dietitian can provide advice about:
 How to manage your health through dietary and nutritional support. This
may involve you modifying your food and/or supplement intake.







Weight loss and gain
Nutritional needs for all age groups
The right types and quantities of food and drinks
Shopping for food and understanding food labels
Food preparation and cooking skills
Meal ideas and recipes
How to adjust your diet for specific health concerns and conditions.
An Accredited Practising Dietitian is the national credential recognised by the
Dietitians Association of Australia. You should check that your dietitian has
this credential before making an appointment.
A suitable Accredited Practising Dietitian may be found by accessing the
Dietitians Association of Australia website http://daa.asn.au/for-the-public/findan-apd/.
If you have a DVA Health Card – For All Conditions (Gold Card) the
Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) will fund dietetic services through DVA
arrangements that meet your clinical needs.
If you have a DVA Health Card – For Specific Conditions (White Card), DVA
will fund dietetic services provided under DVA arrangements, if they are
required because of an accepted war or service caused injury or disease.
For further information view the DVA Dietetic Services Factsheet HSV21
http://factsheets.dva.gov.au/
For more information contact DVA via www.dva.gov.au Phone: 133 254 or
1800 555 254 (regional Australia).
For non DVA clients, an Accredited Practising Dietitian can provide services
privately, which are subsided by Medicare and private health funds.
Make your move – Sit less – Be Active for life!
Do you remember Norm and his cartoon family from the original Life. Be in it
promotions? If so it might be a little disheartening to know that Norm began
his campaign in 1975, when Gough Whitlam was PM, Graham Kennedy was
banned from TV for his ‘crow call’, and Think Big won his second Melbourne
Cup. Australia’s approach to physical activity has been reviewed again, and
the evidence is clear: As a nation we are sitting more and moving less. Norm
is with us still!
Physical inactivity is estimated to be the main cause of approximately 21–25%
of breast and colon cancers, 27% of diabetes and approximately 30% of
ischaemic heart disease. The World Health Organisation has estimated that,
in Australia, physical inactivity is the second greatest contributor, behind
tobacco smoking, to death and disability from cancer.
The previous recommendation for physical activity (30 minutes per day) was
met by less than 40% of Australian adults. Sedentary behaviour, defined as
sitting or lying down for long periods (travelling, at a desk, watching TV etc),
occupies more time than previously. It is now clear that sedentary behaviour
is associated with poorer health outcomes, including type 2 diabetes. Nearly
70% of Australian adults are sedentary and/or have low levels of
physical activity.
What are the new guidelines for adults?
Physical Activity
 Doing any physical activity is better than doing none. If you currently do no
physical activity, start by doing some, and gradually build up to the
recommended amount.
 Be active on most, preferably all, days every week.
 Accumulate 150 to 300 minutes (2 ½ to 5 hours) of moderate intensity
physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes (1 ¼ to 2 ½ hours) of vigorous
intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both moderate
and vigorous activities, each week.
 Do muscle strengthening activities on at least 2 days each week.
Sedentary Behaviour
 Minimise the amount of time spent in prolonged sitting.
 Break up long periods of sitting as often as possible.
Why bother (what is the evidence)?
Moving more and sitting less will...
 Reduce your risk of, or help manage, cardiovascular disease.
 Reduce your risk of, or help manage, type 2 diabetes.
 Maintain or improve your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar
levels.
 Reduce your risk of, and assist with rehabilitation from, some cancers.
 Help prevent unhealthy weight gain and assist with weight loss.
 Build strong muscles and bones.
 Create opportunities for socialising and meeting new people.
 Help you to prevent and manage mental health problems.
 Help you develop and maintain overall physical and mental well-being.
New guidelines also exist for children and teenagers, and there are tips for
workplaces and families. The existing guidelines are unchanged for those
over 65, simply because they haven’t been reviewed. Older Australians
exercise least and have the most sedentary behaviour. The message for
older Australians is simply: Minimise sitting, be more active!
References and read more at:
www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/health-pubhlthstrateg-phys-act-guidelines (or just search Physical Activity Guidelines):
Tips, ideas, evidence, detail and downloads aplenty
www.shapeup.gov.au Practical ideas about changing aspects of your body
and life through physical activity and nutrition
Global Health Risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected
major risks. World Health Organization, 2009
Tony Hoare, DVA National Health Adviser
Grace with Meals
“God – is - gray - shus - God - is - GOOD !
And - we - thank - Him - for - our - FOOD !... AAAH-MEN !!”
The ranks of the Sydney Street primary school scattered to the benches
where my lunchtime sandwich was urgently despatched before getting on with
the serious business of the playground. Not exactly elegant dining, but sixyear-olds have high tolerance for eat and run.
Not so with rabbits. At a recent symposium on the worldwide burden of
chronic disease, we were told about two groups of genetically identical rabbits
who were fed identical unhealthy diets. Group A was fed by “kind females”
who ensured that the rabbits felt secure and peaceful while they ate. Group B
was fed in a rough and hurried manner (? by blokes ?) while exposed to
sounds of predatory animals. Within a few months all the rabbits in Group B
were dead, while Group A remained lively.
How we eat can be just as important as what we eat. As children most of us
were told not to gobble, and making time for eating, and taking time over
meals can do wonders for our well-being. This goes for preparing our food,
even the shopping, which some genius described as “making love to one's
family”—well easy on, but you get the idea. And if you live solo, you can apply
the adman's slogan “because you're worth it”.
In this secular world, many people are thinking about ways to re-create some
of the rituals and gracefulness which religion brought to their everyday lives.
Expressing thanks for food can be mechanical, and probably mindless as for
most of the Sydney Street schoolkids. Or we can think about our great good
fortune to have clean and healthy food without having to fight for it, and offer a
vote of thanks to those who grow, gather and deliver what we eat. Or if it is
God we are thanking, we can think about the wonder behind the recited
words.
Then we can try to put grace into the meal itself.
Sometimes life demands a quick re-fuelling while doing three other urgent
tasks, but this should never become the norm. There are always some days,
some evenings, when mealtime can be planned, peaceful and pleasurable for
its own sake. Eating and drinking are, after all, the most essential activities we
perform, so it is not unreasonable to show them some respect.
Food shared with family or friends can definitely be a double pleasure: we are
programmed as communal creatures and the social transactions around
mealtimes are legion. Business lunch (bad), anniversaries and celebrations
(better) or the seduction dinner (better again?) probably cover the spectrum.
Eating at home with your usual company, or dining alone, is equally deserving
of thought, time and graciousness: the occasion of eating is no less important
nor the guest(s) less worthy.
Go on, choose something you like, quarantine the time, set the table and toast
yourself. And say thank you. Your digestion will thank you right back.
Enjoy.
Dr Tony Ireland
DVA Medical Adviser
12-Week Challenge: MHPE Volunteer Reps in great shape
MHPE Volunteer Representatives, Tiny Small (WA), Kathy Behrendt (SA) and
Laurie Harrison (TAS) were profiled in the March 2013 issue when they
agreed to embark on the Measure Up 12-Week Challenge. It’s now been over
a year, so how are things shaping up? Read on for the latest update.
Tiny Small
Following on from the 12-week challenge, although I managed to drop 11
kilos, I’ve been a little lax since. A seven week holiday in UK, that included
lots of dining out and alcohol, did put a little back on, but nowhere near what I
was prior to the challenge!
I’ve maintained my better eating habits, and whenever possible, work out at
the gym three times a week. Overall my energy levels have improved, and I
find walking and general everyday jobs are much easier carrying less weight.
For the future, I am planning to lose a bit more weight, and pass on my
success story to other MHPE volunteers in WA. I believe that by eating
properly and exercising we are better equipped to “preach to the great
overweight” and help our fellow veterans in a healthy lifestyle.
Laurie Harrison
The 12 weeks challenge had a big impact on my life and I lost a staggering
13.5 kgs over that period and felt great.
After that, I did another 12 weeks and lost another 6.5 kgs that gave a total
loss of 20 kgs. Since finishing both challenges, I have put on a kg here and
there, but I’ve also lost that kg here and there. I feel great and I still walk
between 11,000 and 20,000 steps a day. I still go to the gym three times a
week and my weight is steady around 98 kgs.
Overall I am very happy for having done this challenge and I feel better for
doing so. I am happier in myself and now find it easier to talk to others about
losing weight.
Kathy Behrendt
The 12-week challenge has had a huge impact on my life. I’ve mostly
managed to maintain the 13 kilos I lost over the 12 weeks, gaining 1 or 2 kilos
‘here’ but losing it ‘there’.
I am currently sitting on 61 kilos which I am reasonably happy with, but would
like to get rid of a bit more midriff bulge if possible. Being a ‘shorty’ I am still
considered to be overweight by the BMI.
I am still walking most days and trying to do at least 10,000 steps if possible,
sometimes it just isn’t manageable, but for some reason I stopped skipping,
so must start that again, because it was fun.
I am now able to have the odd cake or biscuit without too much damage being
done, but do know, that I can’t do it every day. As a bonus, I now find a lot of
things just far too sweet to tolerate.
Overall, I am so happy I committed to the challenge and proved to myself that
I could do it without the help of a gym or Exercise Physiologist. Don’t
procrastinate: just do it for yourself and improve your health and your self
esteem, and maybe others will join in when they see you succeeding.
Chatting to Penny on Nutrition
I’m not sure there are going to be many more chats with Penny? Penny is
very cranky and not very cooperative. She says “things are crook in
Tallarook”. It’s mainly about the budget, the horrible weather and just getting
old and achy. Penny says, all her friends are going to Brissie for the winter
and wants to know why she is not going, it just isn’t fair. I say Penny, life is not
always fair. So we have agreed to compromise, she can sleep in till 10.00
a.m. and then we go for our walk.
On the budget, Mr Hockey says the days of entitlement are over, you should
think of what we are giving up is not for you but for the country. I have said as
a result of the budget and the fact we will soon be pensioners, we need to
review her diet. Gone are the luxury days of skinless free range chicken and
maybe now it will be more about lamb chump chops and no name dog food.
She says that’s not at all fair, I’m your best friend. On the subject of nutrition,
you know full well that chump chops and no name dog food are full of
saturated fat and in both our diets we should keep fat to a minimum. By the
way she said you’re drinking far too much coffee and you know too much
coffee makes it harder to sleep at night and also the coffee upsets your
stomach something awful. You should drink your coffee the European way
and drink more water. Also while I’ve been dozing at night with one eye open,
I’ve been watching you very carefully and since you have been temporarily
batching, you’ve been drinking too much of that NZ sauvignon blanc and
shiraz and merlot etc. It’s no good for the household budget, it’s full of calories
and it’s no good for you.
Let’s try and end this chat in a positive way. Penny and I do agree on a great
number of things. She is important and her nutrition is very important and
there is no way I would cease the skinless free range chicken. The regular
daily walks, even if they are after 10.00 a.m. are very important, but when we
are walking in winter we need to be properly rugged up. Maybe I have been
drinking too much coffee and sauvignon blanc, a word to the wise is sufficient.
The bottom line is nutrition is very important for your health. The untoward
impact of high levels of fat, sugar and alcohol in the diet have been clearly
demonstrated and when we better understand nutrition and genetics,
appropriate diet will be even more important. Penny’s suggestion of a trip to
Queensland this winter does sound like a great idea. I will take her suggestion
on board.
Dr Graeme Killer AO
DVA Principal Medical Adviser
Easing the daily grind; veterans’ nutrition and oral health
It is not hard to see that food and eating are heavily in vogue these days. But
while many adult Australians obsess over the nightly output of Masterchef or
seek out the latest diets, little attention is being paid to those doing the hard
yakka behind the scenes: our teeth.
According to the most recent data by the Australian Institute of Health and
Welfare, Australians aged 45 and above made up a whopping 88.7% of
Australians with moderate or severe periodontal disease (bacterial infection of
the teeth and gums). For male veterans the statistics were more confronting
still; men were one and a half times more likely to have periodontal disease
than women.1.
Australian men also visit the dentist less than women, putting them at higher
risk of developing oral health conditions. And males are more likely to appear
at a dentist only to treat an existing problem, rather than getting a regular
check-up to guard against the spread of oral disease before it causes pain.
With the data stacking up supporting the link between oral health and general
health, Australian veterans have the opportunity to take the lead in turning
these statistics around.
Start combating the daily grind by looking after your teeth. Here’s how to get
started:
10 ways to look after your teeth:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Eat less sugary foods and drinks
Eat plenty of healthy foods like fruit and vegetables
Drink fluoridated tap water
4.Brush your teeth and gums twice a day – use a soft
toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste
Clean your dentures with soap and water
If you smoke, try to quit (visit www.quit.org.au)
Chew sugar free gum
See your dental professional regularly for a check-up
If you have any pain in your mouth, see your dentist
If your gums bleed, see your dentist.
Eric Brotchie
Dental Health Services Victoria
www.dhsv.org.au
Dental Health Services Victoria is the state government’s leading oral health
agency.
1. Sergio Chrisopoulos, Jane Harford (2013) Oral health and dental care in
Australia Key facts and figures 2012 (Canberra: Australian Institute of Health
and Welfare) (pp. 8 – 35).
http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129543387
If you have a DVA Health Card – For All Conditions (Gold Card) the
Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) will fund most dental services
necessary to meet a clinical need, if they are provided under DVA
arrangements.
If you have a DVA Health Card – For Specific Conditions (White Card), DVA
will fund dental services provided under DVA arrangements, if they are
required because of an accepted war or service caused injury or disease
For further information view the DVA Dental Services Factsheet HSV17
http://factsheets.dva.gov.au/
Tips for losing weight healthily
The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend that we all achieve and
maintain a healthy weight. More than half of all Australia adults are above
their healthiest weight. If you are carrying extra weight, losing even 5kg can
make you feel better and lower your risk factors for health problems.
Everyday there are new ideas, diets, programs and books telling us how to
lose weight. It can be very confusing and hard to know what to do. So to lose
weight that stays off we need to make small changes that turn back the clock.
We need to limit discretionary foods, down size our portions, and find
ways to be more active in our everyday lives.
To lose weight, we need to eat and drink fewer kilojoules. Choosing foods
from the Australian Dietary Guidelines will help us choose foods that
provide the most nutrients, without the extra kilojoules. For example, eating
more coloured vegetables and salad will keep us feeling fuller for fewer
kilojoules. In fact, making half our meals coloured vegetables or salad and
having smaller portions of the other foods, we can reduce the kilojoules by up
to half.
The recommended number of serves can be used to plan meals and
snacks for weight loss. Following the serves from the Five Food Groups and
avoiding discretionary foods will help most people lose weight while staying
healthy. Younger men, people who are taller than average or more active may
find they need to include the ‘additional serves’.
Planning is the secret to successful weight loss. By thinking ahead about
eating we can spread the number of serves from the five foods groups over
interesting meals and snacks and avoid unplanned eating of extra serves or
discretionary foods.
Making a plan for meals and snacks will also make food shopping easier
and quicker and cheaper and avoid unplanned extra kilojoules, because then
we can buy exactly what we need. Also, knowing a few tips for getting the
most out of food labels when shopping can help avoid extra kilojoules.
Eating away from home can be a challenge when wanting to lose weight,
but again, thinking ahead and knowing some useful strategies can make it
work.
If we eat more ‘mindfully’, turning off the TV, slowing down and savouring
food, we can enjoy food more, be more in touch with how hungry or satisfied
we are and eat less.
Source: National Health and Medical Research Council
Are you a healthy weight?
Your waist measurement
Your future risk of disease
Under 94cm
You’re in good shape
94cm to 102cm
You have an increased risk
102cm to 110cm
Your risk is substantially increased
Over 110cm
You’re in the high danger zone
If you would like more information go to the following website:
www.eatforhealth.gov.au
You’ll find a range of useful factsheets such as:
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Food shopping tips
Low fat cooking techniques
Healthy meal and snack ideas
Meal planning
Healthy eating on a budget
Eating away from home
How to add variety to your diet
Commonsense weight management
I had a favourite aunt who for as long as I can recall was always overweight.
She was not excessively obese but was always dieting one way or another. I
recall her complaining to my mother on one occasion that the new dieting
biscuits were of no use at all. It turns out she was adding these to her morning
and afternoon tea rather than using them as a substitute for cakes and tarts.
Hardly a week goes by without another article in the news, magazines or
internet about another revelation about dieting or weight loss. Clearly losing
weight ‘sells’ and there is a plethora of information available, much of which is
contradictory and / or confusing. For example, over the years, eggs, potatoes,
red wine, chocolate, bread and meat have all been labelled as good or bad for
your health. I have lost count of the number of different types of diets there
are, as they also come into and go out of fashion quite quickly. There have
been advocates for low and high protein, low and high carbohydrate and low
fat diets. No wonder we are confused.
So what should we believe? The modern human has evolved over the
centuries where food was scarce, so those who could gorge themselves and
store fat had a survival advantage during lean times or famines. This is a
disadvantage in modern western societies where processed food is plentiful
and heavily marketed and advertised. We are currently blessed in being able
to eat every day almost whenever and whatever we want. Many of our bodies
reflect this and ‘beer guts’ are frequently appropriately named.
Our weight is a balance between food in and energy out. The amount of
exercise required to expend the additional calories from that chocolate biscuit
is far greater than most people realise. This is quite evident in the weight loss
reality TV shows. It is far, far easier just to limit the hand to mouth exercise in
the first place.
Of course we need a balanced diet from the five main food groups – grains,
lean meat and fish, dairy, fruit and vegetables. If we consume food from these
groups rather than the ‘discretionary’ foods, our weight is often under control.
One strategy that has worked for a number of my patients is to assign values
to food rather than count calories. For instance, anything from the five main
food groups is considered ‘good food’, and anything else (discretionary items)
is labelled ‘bad’. So when tempted by cream cake, chocolate, biscuits, a
sausage roll, alcohol or soft drink, one learns to say ‘bad food’. But an orange,
banana, salad sandwich or chicken and vegetables is considered ‘good food’.
Like many other choices in life, we can develop the habit of avoiding bad
things most of the time and enjoying those things we regard as good. Make it
a habit to value your food in this way – your body will appreciate it.
Dr Warren Harrex
DVA Senior Medical Advisor
Eye Health
Because our eyesight changes as we get older, it’s important to keep your
eyes healthy and be aware of potential eye problems.
Have regular eye tests
An optometrist or ophthalmologist can perform an eye test. An eye test is not
just good for checking whether your glasses are up to date. It's also a vital
check on the health of your eyes. An eye test can pick up eye diseases, such
as glaucoma and cataracts, as well as general health problems, including
diabetes and high blood pressure.
How to keep your eyes healthy
As well as having regular eye tests and wearing the correct glasses, you can
do several things to keep your eyes as healthy as possible:
 Eat well – eating a healthy, balanced diet is important for your eyes.
 Wear sunglasses – strong sunlight can damage your eyes and may
increase your risk of cataracts.
 Quit smoking – smoking can increase your chances of developing
conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration.
 Stay a healthy weight – being overweight increases your risk of diabetes,
which can lead to sight loss.
 Use good lighting – to see well, your eyes need three times as much light
when you're 60 as they did when you were 20.
 Exercise – good circulation and oxygen intake are important for our eye
health.
 Sleep well – as you sleep, your eyes are continuously lubricated and
irritants, such as dust or smoke, that may have accumulated during the
day are cleared out.
Eye problems as you get older
 Difficulty reading – eye muscles start to weaken from the age of 45. It's a
natural ageing process of the eye that happens to us all.
 Floaters – these tiny specks or spots that float across your vision are
normally harmless. If they persist, see an optician as they may be a sign of
an underlying health condition.
 Cataracts – easily detected in an eye test, this gradual clouding of the
eye's lens is very common in over-60s. A simple operation can restore
sight.
 Glaucoma – this is related to an increase in pressure in the eye that leads
to damage of the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain. Left
untreated, glaucoma leads to tunnel vision and, ultimately, blindness.
However, if it's detected early enough, these complications can usually be
avoided with eye drops.
 Macular degeneration (MD) – this is the name given to a group of
degenerative diseases of the retina that cause progressive, painless loss
of central vision, affecting the ability to see fine detail, drive, read and
recognise faces. Although there is no cure for MD, there are treatment
options that can slow down its progression, depending on the stage and
the type of disease (wet, dry and other forms). The earlier the disease is
detected, the more vision you are likely to retain.
Source: http://www.healthdirect.gov.au/article/eye-health-tips-over-60s
Eye testing by an optometrist is covered under Medicare. If you’re a member
of a health fund, you may be eligible for discounts on your glasses or contact
lenses.
DVA Factsheet HSV18 Optical services and supplies - information for the
veteran community.
DVA Veterans’MATES Brochure: Take a look at Glaucoma provides advice
on the ongoing use of eye drops to prevent loss of vision.
www.dva.gov.au or phone 133 254 (metro) or 1800 555 254 (regional
Australia)
What’s Eating You? – Freddie, Reginald and Trevor
Freddie the Folding Deck-Chair
“What would a deck chair know about nutrition?”, I hear you scoff - “Bits of
wood and canvas, and no brain.”
Well, excuse me. Deck chairs are more intimately acquainted with the results
of your eating habits than any other object. Have you any idea how we feel as
you gingerly lower your soft bulk into us, sometimes spreading past the
canvas, our legs sinking inches into the sand and the fabric rivets holding on
for dear life?
Then you reach for the drink can and the doughnut. “Oh, no!” we cry, “How
much more is going to go in, and never come out again?”
Sometimes for relief we are only occupied by those young slim ones in the
year and a half you manage to retain your natural body shape. And
sometimes we see those photos of empty beaches with lines of us able to
enjoy the view in peace.
Reginald the Refrigerator
“It was in the fridge.”
“I just opened the fridge.”
“I was passing the fridge.”
Don’t blame me! I didn’t exactly step into your path, attract you with flashing
lights, or seductively half-open my door, you know.
And would you make a guess about how the stuff in the fridge got there?
There are urban myths about modern fridges that sense empty shelves and
send a reorder message to the store via internet. But there aren’t any about
underground tunnels from the store that surface immediately under us.
Even if it’s a door delivery, someone still has to sign for it, and take it into the
kitchen.
Trevor the Supermarket Trolley
And don’t blame the trolleys either. Some of us need counselling after a trip
right round the supermarket, to line up at the counter with no single
consumable that fits the definition of ‘food’. Even Wikipedia has it as:
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body.
I rest my case. On top of the cases of soft drink, beer and chips.
Next time you feel a supermarket trolley pulling you sideways towards a
different shelf, go with it. None of us have any spare fat, and we do know
where the healthy food is.
Chris Clarke, DVA
What can we learn from ‘Blue Zones’?
We are all saddened when we hear news such as the recent passing of
Australian sporting personality Tom Hafey. He had a reputation for striving to
lead a healthy life and inspiring others to do the same. Much research has
gone into uncovering some of the secrets of healthy ageing and longevity.
What is interesting is that in addition to stories about exceptional individuals
who personify health, there are unique population groups around the world
that have a high proportion of centenarians, and a significantly higher life
expectancy than the national population in their own country. Some areas
have men who live as long as women – no, women are not dying younger
men and women are living longer. These areas are known as ‘Blue Zones’.
Dan Buettner popularized the term after researchers Gianni Pes and Michel
Poulain made the discovery. They found a high proportion of male
centenarians in Sardinia, Italy.
In Buettner’s book, a range of lifestyle and geographic characteristics are
explored to try to explain why longevity is the norm in; Icaria (Greece), Nicoya
Peninsula (Costa Rica), Loma Linda (California), Okinawa (Japan) and
Sardinia (Italy). Interestingly, people in the Blue Zones are not just living
longer, they are staying healthy. Researchers who have studied these regions
have offered a number of explanatory factors, and it is no surprise that it is
combination of things at play, such as: genetics, environment and lifestyle.
Blue Zones around the world tend to be mountainous geographic areas, so
perhaps the incidental physical activity that comes along with living in this type
of area plays a protective role for health. In general terms, genetic diversity is
good for health, however, in the Blue Zone areas, there is low variation to the
genetic pool. This may contribute to longevity, if existing ‘longevity genes’ are
reinforced. However, the common characteristics of areas with a high
proportion of healthy and engaged 90-100 year old men and women, include:
strong family support, social engagement, community connectedness, a
healthy diet (predominantly plant based for some areas) and moderate
intensity physical activity as a frequent part of the normal day, and for some
areas, lower rates of smoking.
This raises a lot of questions for me. Could veteran and ex-service
communities adopt the characteristics of Blue Zones? What would the values,
beliefs and behaviours of a health promoting ex-service community look like?
In some ways the DVA health and wellbeing priority health areas of healthy
eating, physical activity, mental wellness and social connectedness are
reinforced, but we already knew that from the health evidence base at an
Australian population level.
Our challenge is to work in partnership to empower local settings to support
healthy lifestyles at a community level not just an individual level. For
example:
 finding ways to improve the range of choices on food menus (offering
smaller portion sizes, vegetarian, and healthy alternatives);
 introducing walking or standing meetings instead of sitting;
 planning social activities to centre around physical activity e.g. a bush
walk; connecting with other community groups and identifying revenue
streams that enhance the health and wellbeing of members.
There are some very dynamic and proactive veteran and ex-service
communities that have decided to make ‘the place’ healthy in order to make
‘the people’ in it healthy. If you’re a member or have a connection with a
community group who have made changes to their club to support healthy
living we’d love to hear from you to celebrate your story.
Dimitri Batras, DVA National Health Promotion Adviser
Next time you’re feeling tired and ‘old’…take a leaf from
Norm’s book
Meet Norm. He is an Ex-POW, who just turned 92 in December 2013. Most of
us merely hope for good health and a quiet, happy life by the time we retire,
but if you ask Norm, he’ll tell you how to reach your nineties in style!
At 92 years old, Norm still spends his time as a volunteer helping others
around the Gold Coast region - his friends in the ex-service community
affectionately call him ‘Stormin’ Norman’, a reflection of his tendency to be in
perpetual motion. The only deference he has given to his age has been a
recent ‘retirement’ from his Meals on Wheels runs, which he decided to step
down from at 91, when he realised that several of his clients were younger
and ‘fitter’ than him!
For his 90th birthday, Norm took a hot air balloon ride, and then for his 91st, he
decided to climb around the top of the Q1 building (78 stories high, the tallest
building on the Gold Coast). He had already walked over the Sydney Harbour
Bridge twice (in his eighties), so thought this 240 stair climb a piece of cake in
comparison.
This year he decided to scratch another activity off his bucket list. So, on a
sunny summer’s morning, Norm headed out with four nervous looking twentysomething’s to go for a plane ride. Norm had decided it was about time to
jump out of a perfectly good aeroplane. The other thrill-seekers were stunned
that he was coming with them, especially noting that he wasn’t nervous, as
they all were. “What’s there to worry about? I’ve had a good life”, said Norm in
response to their shocked questions.
Norm manages to keep so healthy because he keeps mind and body active. If
he isn’t jumping out of planes, or climbing tall buildings, he is fitting in a quick
crossword before heading off to church, or one of the various clubs he
attends. Norm has been a Legatee for many years, and still mans the
gardening equipment at his monthly retirement village working bee. He did
give up waterskiing after his last run at 89 years of age, but has continued to
travel the world to keep touch with his family, and visit special places
honouring his World War 2 service.
Norm is one of the most tenacious people you could meet: He has suffered
one of the most extreme, savage situations a human can face, but shows
amazing strength of character in being able to forgive those responsible for
his POW experiences, and live a full, meaningful life to honour his mates who
lost theirs. His only disappointment is that he has had to scratch his final
daredevil item off his bucket list: bungy jumping! (his doctor advised that at his
age he would risk retinal detachment of the eyes). So, Norm will content
himself with another jump in a few birthdays (since the skydiving business has
offered him a great deal!).
Norm’s Life Lessons:
 (Re WW2 events) Forgive the actions of a few, and do not judge others in
society by events of the past. Never forget, because that would be a stain
on the memory of those who never came home.
 Bitterness is a wasted emotion, and life is to be lived in earnest, without
hesitation.
 Life is precious, so get to it!
If you would like to watch Norm’s jump, you can check it out on ABC radio
Gold Coast’s website
http://www.abc.net.au/local/videos/2014/01/20/3928722.htm
Veterans’ Health Week 2014: October 13 - 19
The big week and the big picture
It is a big week, Veterans’ Health Week (VHW) that is. For DVA, Ex-Service
Organisations (ESO) representatives and MHPE volunteers, it is a big week
but a small part of the bigger picture for health and wellbeing. The Week is a
great time to try something new and it is one of a suite of ongoing DVA
initiatives and programmes.
The Week will have a range of fun events promoting Physical Activity, Healthy
Eating, Social Inclusion and Mental Wellness. The symbolic VHW cube
represents the different and interrelated health themes that DVA’s initiatives
seek to promote. This year’s VHW edition of the MHPE Magazine focuses on
the benefits of healthy eating under the theme of Nutrition.
Since 2010, which was the last time Nutrition was the VHW theme, a lot has
changed. VHW is now predominantly organised by community groups in
partnership with DVA at a local level. The Week has continued to grow in
reach and community profile, and importantly, it is becoming a launching
place for new DVA programmes and a recruitment opportunity for ongoing
health and wellbeing initiatives.
We often see the same faces at VHW events, Cooking for One or Two
courses, Heart Health programmes and at the local Men’s Shed. This is
terrific and it is important to support the ‘innovators’ and ‘early adopters’
because they are our biggest advocates. However, we need to attract and
involve the people who haven’t benefited from VHW and other DVA initiatives.
We encourage VHW participants to use the Week as an opportunity to
challenge themselves, take a good risk and learn what opportunities are
available for ongoing health and social engagement. DVA has a lot to offer
and so do local community agencies and other organisations, and this year
we will be seeking their input into our ‘Draft Social Health Strategy for the
Veteran and Ex-Service Community’.
In addition to VHW, DVA has a range of health and wellbeing programmes,
services and resources that operate all year round such as:
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Men’s Health Peer Education
National Indigenous Veterans’ Strategy
Day Clubs
At Ease
Veteran and Veterans’ families Counselling Service (VVCS)
Veteran and Community Grants
Cooking for One or Two
The Right Mix and ON TRACK
PTSD Coach Australia
Changing the Mix
Operation Life
Wellbeing Toolbox
Heart Health.
To seek assistance, or to find out more about VHW, contact DVA on 133 254
or 1800 555 254 for regional callers, email [email protected] or visit our
website at www.dva.gov.au/vhw.htm for the latest information.
Dimitri Batras, DVA National Health Promotion Adviser
Hume Men’s Shed - From then to now
In our March 2014 issue, we included an article on how Men’s Sheds are
making a difference to men’s health and wellbeing. We received quite a few
emails from Shedders asking for more copies of the magazine. We were also
contacted by the Hume Men’s Shed, located at Craigieburn, Victoria, who
asked if they could share their Shed story with our readers.
It’s 2008 and a gentle man named Peter, with the help of the local Pastor
(Milton), had an idea for getting men together for morning tea, a chat, and
maybe talk about things that they could not talk to their wife or family about.
They invited about five guys to meet in a garage where Peter lives. A cup
coffee or cup of tea is provided including some biscuits. Very humble
beginnings indeed, but those five guys have now amounted to a regular
attendance of 30+.
From that small garage, the local council, with a little pushing from the
Roxburgh Park Community Church, eventually granted our Shed dual
occupancy of a very old theatre, named, not appropriately, “The Cathouse
Theatre” plus a substantial grant to give us a kick start. As we had to share
this with a boxing club the work that we could perform was limited to working
outside. We performed as much community work as possible and raised
funds through having sausage sizzles once a month with the greatly
appreciated help from Bunnings and the many donations that they made to
what became “Our Shed”.
In 2012 we were given a boost from the council in the form of much larger
premises which has enabled us to obtain, and use, much more machinery. It
has taken a while to get the new Shed sorted into some sort of order but we
are now up and running quite well, just a little fine tuning is now needed. We
cannot say just how much we appreciate the efforts from Milton, Peter and
others who like to remain in the background i.e. Ray, David etc.
We all look forward to increasing our membership and we accept any man
whatever his nationality or religion or illness. Our membership consists of
Iraqi, German, English, Australian and people from other countries, plus we
now have a “Brother Shed” in Milton Keynes in the UK. Some members have
a carer with them, so as one can see, there are almost no restrictions to
joining us. So there you have it, from very humble beginnings and a desire to
help, we are now actively looking for other men to come and join us and
maybe just sit and chat or give some of our guys a hand to make
something—we guarantee you a VERY warm welcome.
To find a Shed in your area, go to the Australian Men’s Shed Association
website and use their Shed Locater tool www.mensshed.org or Phone 1300
550 009.
Cooking for One or Two: Recipes for Life
What is the Cooking for One or Two programme?
Cooking for One or Two was originally designed in 2005 by the Queensland
Division of Nutrition Australia in conjunction with the Department of Veterans’
Affairs (DVA). The programme utilised the Adding Life to Your Years
cookbook, and was designed as a six-week programme. Cooking for One or
Two has been designed to improve veterans’ health and wellbeing through
promoting knowledge of nutrition and other health activities and through
teaching basic cooking skills in the community. The programme also contains
a social component, as participants prepare and share a main meal and
dessert together.
The programme has been successfully running in a number of areas, and in
particular in Newcastle and the Hunter region where students from the
University of Newcastle Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics programme
volunteer as facilitators. Members of the veteran community also volunteer
their time to act as programme organisers. This collaboration between the
University of Newcastle and the veterans’ community has been identified as a
“recipe for success” for the programme in the Newcastle/Hunter region.
Recipes for Life
A team of researchers and dietitians led by Professor Julie Byles and myself
developed a new recipe book to extend the learning experience of Cooking for
One or Two participants at the completion of the programme. Recipes for Life
was developed in response to feedback from participants in the Cooking for
One or Two programme who highlighted the need for more recipes. The
Recipe book also contains health promotion messages. These messages
were developed by the project team and sourced from peak bodies. Experts
were asked to review the health promotion messages to ensure the
information was accurate and credible. All messages are based on current
health recommendations. Recipes for Life was designed to improve the
overall health and wellbeing of Cooking for One or Two participants as well as
reduce their risk of malnutrition. The recipes in this cookbook are easy to
prepare, use common ingredients and are nutritious and delicious. A sample
recipe has been provided on the following page.
Revamp of the Cooking for One or Two programme
The University of Newcastle team were then commissioned by DVA to
revamp and update the Cooking for One or Two programme. All of the health
promotion messages were updated to meet the latest national guidelines. The
recipes were either modified or replaced to ensure that each meal met the
new Australian Guide to Healthy Eating guidelines for older people.
Cooking Masterclasses
In addition to the new Cooking for One or Two programme, three new
“masterclasses” or extension classes were developed by the team. Each of
the masterclasses focus on a new cooking method or cuisine, these being
Slow Cooking, Seafood, and Italian cuisine. The classes run for two weeks
each and are designed for participants who have mastered the skills and
knowledge in the basics programme and would like to extend their skills.
Following some more design work, both the revamped Cooking for One or
Two programme and the Masterclasses will be made available online, on the
DVA internet site, to enable more people to access the programme. Watch
this space for the relaunch!
Dr Catherine Chojenta
HMRI Public Health Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Research Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing
Faculty of Health and Medicine
University of Newcastle
One Pot Lamb Curry
Serves 2
Preparation Time 25 mins
Cooking Time 1 h 15 mins
Ingredients
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Cooking oil spray
250g lean lamb, diced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon dried cinnamon
½ onion, diced
1 teaspoon garlic (dried or fresh)
¾ cup dried spiral pasta
1 potato, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 ½ cups reduced-salt chicken stock
400g can of diced tomatoes
¾ cup peas
Method
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Preheat oven to 200oC (180 oC fan forced) and grease a 1.5 litre (6
cup) capacity oven dish with cooking oil spray.
Place lamb in the oven dish. Mix in the curry powder, cinnamon, garlic
and onion. Bake for 20 minutes.
Fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Cook pasta for 10-15
minutes. Drain well.
Place potato and carrot in a microwave-safe bowl with a little water and
microwave for 5-10 minutes or until soft.
Remove lamb from the oven and add chicken stock, tomatoes, potato,
carrot, peas and pasta. Bake for 30 minutes.
6.
Remove from the oven and serve.
A Healthy Tip!
Quitting smoking can significantly improve your health. Strategies to help with
quitting include: taking up a new hobby, exercising or cooking new recipes like
this curry.
Source: Recipes for Life Cookbook.
Ten and Five Year Recognition for Men’s Health Peer
Education Volunteers
A number of MHPE volunteers have achieved 10 and five years of active
service. A big thank you to all of the volunteers below for your contribution to
the health and wellbeing of the veteran and ex-service community.
10 Years
NSW
Brian
Bamblett
MULLUMBIMBY
Allan
Britt
EAST BALLINA
Darryl
Clifford
CASINO
Brian
Griffin
CLUNES
Graeme Hancock
CLUNES
Mark
Hills
CAWONGLA
Peter
O'Loghlin
KYOGLE
QLD
Rodney Clarey
KILKIVAN
Marsat
Ketchell
THURSDAY ISLAND
Elley
Mundraby
EDMONTON
TAS
Warren Clarke
CAMPBELLTOWN
Five Years
NSW
Mark
Brazel
SCOTTS HEAD
Robert
Crisp
Eric
Duroux
NAMBUCCA
HEADS
COFFS HARBOUR
Richard Frost
WOOLGOOLGA
Robert
Kenny
COFFS HARBOUR
Peter
Weyling
CORINDI BEACH
QLD
George Churchward
FOREST LAKE
Ron
Crellin
SUMMERHOLM
Chris
Golley
SOUTHSIDE
Phil
Lilliebridge
MCDOWALL
John
Moffitt
CHINCHILLA
Ray
Benzie
HOPE VALLEY
Jock
Carlyle
MIDDLETON
John
Heinze
HECTORVILLE
Gareth
Hubbard
SEATON
Robert
Kelly
ATHELSTONE
SA
David
Moore
MORPHETT VALE
TAS
Stephanie Clark
COLEBROOK
Laurie
Harrison
BRIDGEWATER
Mandy
Harrison
BRIDGEWATER
Ray
Monery
RIVERSIDE
Wayne
White
COLEBROOK
VIC
Kevin
Bate
LARA
Wendy
Bateman
MELBOURNE
Blayne
Bayliss
HAWTHORN
Trevor
Daly
PRESTON
Tom
de Voil
NICHOLSON
William
Smith
GREENSBOROUGH
Vic
Smythe
BAIRNSDALE
Linda
Yemm
MULGRAVE
WA
Richard
Bligh
YOKINE SOUTH
Peter
Cowley
FORRESTFIELD
Dean
Dyer
TUART HILL
Graham
French
Carole
Matthews
SOUTH
BUNBURY
DIANELLA
Graham
Parker
DENHAM
Patricia
Parker
DENHAM
Malcolm
Small
COOBELLUP
Sally
Warner
CLOVERDALE
Madeleine Whitburn
YORK
Forgotten anyone? If you’ve been with MHPE for 10 or five years and haven’t
received your MHPE volunteer certificate and badge, please contact your
MHPE State Coordinator.
MHPE Volunteers come from all areas of Australia, and receive training by
DVA to discuss health and lifestyle issues with their peers, and to raise the
awareness of men’s health in Australia among veterans and the ex-service
community in particular.
If you are interested in becoming a MHPE volunteer, contact your MHPE
State Coordinator as listed on the back of this magazine or phone 133 254
(metro) or 1800 555 254 (regional).
Soul Food
Can you feed the soul? Would it prefer spice, or brown rice?
When I was a child I visualised the soul as a kind of luminous egg-shaped
aura hovering inside my body. It didn’t seem to have evolved any need or
mechanism for ingesting its surroundings (unlike a small child), but seemed to
tune in and react to good or bad vibes.
The only food that it seemed to be given was, in my religious upbringing, a
small, circular and tasteless wafer once a week, which didn’t seem much of a
diet. There was tantalising mention of wine too, but we and it never got any.
Except later with the Sunday roast, in those more enlightened times, when we
were now and again given a tiny taste to reinforce our view that it was horrible
and no mystery, thus delaying later experimentation by years. Parents were
cunning in those days.
At the time when I started feeding myself out in the amazing world of the late
sixties, many new influences were around including the ‘macrobiotic’
movement. At first I thought this must be plates of giant microbes visible to the
eye, and my first glimpse of a served meal consisting largely of brown rice
grains seemed to confirm this. It was consumed by thin, pale and drablydressed people with grim seriousness, which did seem to confirm their mantra
“You are what you eat.”
This came from their Eastern philosophies that connected the soul through
yoga, meditation, and an insufferable sense of spiritual superiority, even to
eating. It seemed that the soul even in other religions was partial to food that
was small, circular and tasteless.
But then technicolor arrived when I encountered the ‘Exploding Galaxy’, an
anarchic, creative commune of performers in a riot of costumes and props
who engaged the passing public in street theatre. I secretly spent my late
teenage weekends in their company, and came to no harm. They introduced
me to richer eastern traditions, including Indian classical music and dance,
possibly the most developed art forms in the world, and real Indian food.
At the end of my first ever Indian meal, in the canteen of the Indian High
Commission to which they had found access, I was handed a small parcel
wrapped in green leaves and fastened with a clove, and instructed to put it in
my mouth and bite. If ever there was food for the soul, this was it. It was
packed with spices that went off like a match in a fireworks box. I think I nearly
passed out. My inner aura exploded into rainbow colours and sang.
Who would want or need anything artificial to distort reality, when it tasted like
that? The world is full enough of natural experiences, including foods, to feed
and satisfy every part of us, even the soul.
Chris Clarke, DVA
Help A Mate Be Safe – Know The Signs
Suicide is an ever present risk facing veterans and their families and causes
great anguish and pain when it occurs. Moreover, suicide attempts are often
the most visible and extreme signs of deeper mental health concerns. Many of
us are frightened by the possibility that people close to us may feel suicidal
and shy away from it, not noticing or ignoring suicide clues and not talking to
people about their feelings and thoughts.
Current and former serving members of the Australian Defence Force are
some of the most resilient people in the country but their mental health can
suffer, just like the rest of the population. Many veterans, both older and more
recent, have been through extraordinary experiences in their Defence Force
career and, either as a direct result of these experiences or because
afterwards post-military life seems to lack meaning and importance, some
come to feel that they don’t have a future.
Such feelings can also develop with changing life situations, such as the loss
of a family member, retirement, financial problems, discharge from the
Defence Force or physical illness; many factors can affect ability to cope.
Changes in everyday behaviour, losing interest in things previously enjoyed,
taking less care of themselves than usual and engaging in risky or selfdestructive behaviours can all be signs of a person at risk.
Many people with thoughts of suicide signal their distress and invite help.
These signals can be missed, dismissed or avoided – leaving people with
suicidal thoughts more alone and at greater risk.
Maybe you are concerned about the welfare of a mate or a family member or
you know someone who is doing it tough, but you don’t know what you can
do. Perhaps someone close to you is doing or saying things that worry you
but you are afraid to raise your concerns with them in case it causes
embarrassment or anger.
There is help at hand. Operation Life is a key part of the Department of
Veterans’ Affairs’ (DVA) contribution to the National Suicide Prevention
Strategy for the veteran community and part of this strategy is safeTALK, a
half-day workshop that provides members of the veteran community with
information to recognise those who may be considering suicide as an option
and to connect them with appropriate helping services. SafeTALK workshops
are free, run by Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service (VVCS)
for all members of the veteran community.
SafeTALK can provide some important “know how” to recognise when a mate
or family member needs help, and the skills to help them. SafeTALK looks at:
 why suicide alertness matters;
 how open, direct talk about suicide can increase safety;
 common barriers to helping; and
 basic helping steps.
Participants in safeTALK workshops strongly support their value in increasing
their ability and confidence in dealing with those showing signs of suicidal
behaviour.
So, enrol in a safeTALK workshop and help a mate to be safe.
To register or find out more about safeTALK and other Operation Life
workshops, contact the Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service
(VVCS) during business hours on
1800 011 046 or visit the following websites:
http://at-ease.dva.gov.au/
www.dva.gov.au/health_and_wellbeing/health_programs/vvcs/Pages/index.as
px
Keeping your mind active
We usually include puzzles and games in this section to challenge your brain.
For something different, but maybe still a challenge, try the following quiz
which is included in the MHPE Volunteer Training Course.
Quiz: Eat Well, Eat Smart
1.
Which of the following is not a legume?
a.
Pine nuts
b.
Frozen peas
c.
Lentils
d.
Chickpeas
e.
Baked beans
2.
Which of these foods is low in fat?
a.
Avocados
b.
Soybeans
c.
Skim milk
d.
None of the above
e.
All of the above
3.
If a breakfast cereal is advertised as ‘high in energy’, what could this
really mean?
a.
It is high in sugar
b.
It is ideal for eating during exercise
c.
It is low in fat
d.
It is low salt
4.
Which has most calcium? A glass of:
a.
Whole (full cream) milk
b.
Low fat milk
c.
Soy milk
d.
All are similar
5.
The effective fluid intake from moderate tea/coffee drinking is:
a.
Greater than drinking the same amount of water, as caffeine
helps the body absorb fluid
b.
Less than drinking the same amount of water, as caffeine is a
diuretic (causes more urination)
c.
Less than drinking the same amount of water, as caffeine is a
stimulant
d.
Similar to drinking the same amount of water if the person is a
regular, moderate tea/coffee drinker
6.
Which is most true of vitamin requirements?
a.
You need all vitamins in your diet every day
b.
c.
d.
Vitamin B and C need to be replenished in the diet frequently
Vitamins A, D, E and K need to be in the diet every day
Vitamin B is stored in fat so only needs occasional intake
7.
Which of the following foods contribute most to Australians’ salt intake?
a.
Meat, poultry and game products (including processed meats)
b.
Breakfast cereals
c.
Sauces and condiments
d.
Bread and bread rolls
8.
Which change of habit is most important to cut back on your salt
intake?
a.
Not adding extra salt to your cooking
b.
Not adding salt to your food at the table
c.
Eating fewer foods that naturally contain sodium
d.
Cutting back on processed food
9.
What behaviours will improve your cholesterol levels?
a.
Quitting smoking
b.
Regular exercise
c.
Cutting down on alcohol
d.
All of the above
10.
Nutrition experts generally urge people to be wary of weight loss diets
because research shows:
a.
Most diets actually increase weight later in a ‘rebound’ effect
b.
Most diets don’t work long term
c.
Most diets don’t work at all
d.
Diets always result in loss of muscle tissue as well as fat
Answers on page 35.
Health Technology
8700 (free)
It’s easy to see why this was voted ‘Best Nutrition App – 2012 Australian
Mobile Awards’ - since it was created by the NSW Government over 100,000
downloads confirms its popularity and, more importantly, its usefulness. 8700
is loaded with a stack of nutritional information, including: how many kilojoules
(kJ) you need to consume daily to maintain a healthy weight range; the kJ
facts on over 3,000 products (including most fast food options as well as
ready to eat meals from supermarkets); the differences in kJ between different
types of meals and drinks; and can convert calories to kJ (and vice versa).
You initially set up what your daily kJ intake should be (by entering your age,
height, weight and the like), then if you wish to maintain your current weight or
lose weight, and away you go! So, next time you feel like sneaking a ‘snack’,
use 8700 to see if you should be feeling guilty or not.
CalorieKing Calorie Counter Australia (free)
Confused by looking at the amount of calories, carbs, fat and kilojoules (kJ)
on food packaging? CalorieKing will definitely assist clear up some of this
perplexity with over 22,000 Australian foods included in the app’s database,
including foods available from fast food chains and restaurants. You can
search by a specific food, and then see more detailed information about its
nutritional content such as sodium, fibre, fat and cholesterol content. Plus, you
can compare the fat, carb, foods, kJ and calorie content between foods. When
it comes to nutrition, information is power, and with CalorieKing you will
definitely have enough information at your fingertips to start making the right
choices.
A-Z Food Nutrition Facts (Lite version) (free)
While this is the ‘lite’ version, this app will, like the others previewed here,
provide you with nutritional details about thousands of types of foods and
beverages. Through a dozen or so categories, you can search for the energy,
water, fat (including saturated fat), sugar, salt, protein, vitamin, mineral and
carbohydrate content. While this is not an Australian app, you will still find
plenty of information on foods that you will find in local shops.
Nutrition Quiz (free)
Clearly there are a lot of misconceptions and myths surrounding health and
nutrition, but happily the Nutrition Quiz app will help you sort out fact from
fiction. The ‘lite’ version contains over 600 different facts and myths about
nutrition (if you upgrade you obtain access to even more information). The
app contains information about diet, nutrition, vitamins as well as health and
fitness, and after you’ve absorbed this information, you can test your
newfound knowledge through an interactive quiz (and against the clock!). You
can even share or compare your results and other information with friends.
So, now you have no excuses at all – get busy downloading, and start
cramming your head with the right information!
John Hall, DVA
MHPE National Round-up
NSW MHPE
Beautiful Macksville on the Mid North Coast held its annual show on Friday
and Saturday 3/4th May giving the MHPE volunteers a chance to hold a stall
along with the RSL and Legacy. The intrepid crew held their own under
severe windy conditions which caused a few problems. They persevered,
nevertheless, and had quite a few inquiries from interested veterans and the
general public. Gary Benjamin, Graeme Franklin, Bob Crisp and Wally Sweet
all did their bit over the 2 days. The photo shows two of our volunteers - Gary
Benjamin (left) and Graeme Franklin.
SA MHPE
Kapunda Farm Fair
On April 11th and 12th 2014, SA MHPE volunteers Trevor Klose, Ray Behrendt
and I attended the Kapunda Farm Fair, (which is like a mini Field Day) to
promote the MHPE program. Margie Gutteridge, SA MHPE State Coordinator
and Jenny Newman, SA Community Support Adviser joined us on the first
day. We all enjoyed some great networking with other groups and getting our
program out there and known to others.
We did speak to quite a few veterans but probably more families, especially
brothers and sisters of Vietnam veterans, who all spoke openly about their
siblings’ difficulties. A few WW2 veterans and families and one or two younger
vets also stopped for a chat.
We handed out quite a lot of information on prostate issues and the ‘Right
Mix’ app cards were very popular with the Mums of teens. Possibly the most
popular items we handed out were anything to do with depression and
anxiety, and had we realised, could have supplied a lot more of these items.
In one way, I guess it was good that people are now prepared to take the
information and TALK about the problems they or family members are having,
but conversely, it was astonishing that so many people had been affected in
some way.
The Kapunda Farm Fair is held biannually and we came away thinking it is
worth doing again. We had a lot of laughs, a lot of chats and came away tired
but very satisfied.
Kathy Behrendt
SA MHPE Volunteer Representative
TAS MHPE
Tasmanian MHPE Volunteers attended the annual three day AGFEST
Agricultural Show held in North Tasmania in May, attracting 61,000 attendees.
This year the volunteers promoted nutrition and healthy eating to the veteran
and broader community. The site featured a vegetable garden and displays
on eating fresh food in season, portion sizes, and sugar in drinks. The
displays were based on material and handouts from the Federal
Government’s Shape Up Australia Initiative (www.shapeup.gov.au) on
achieving a healthier lifestyle. A nutritionist was also on hand on the final day
to provide expert advice.
A children’s activity table also focusing on healthy eating was popular with the
kids and their families.
Volunteers were particularly pleased with the number of younger veterans and
their families that attended the site and talked to the volunteers. Volunteers
commented that this was a significant increase from previous years of
attending AGFEST.
Five and ten year volunteer certificates of recognition were also presented to
volunteers reaching these milestones.
The Volunteers would like to thank the Longford Men’s Shed for growing the
vegetables for the garden, which proved to be a popular talking point and
draw card to the site.
WA MHPE
Happenings from the Wild West
The Forrestfield shop continues to be a gold mine for new recruits and also
the numbers of regular visitors. Thursdays are averaging 10-12 bodies, and
Saturdays are starting to pick up with a good turnover of old and new faces.
Sadly Vic Park has almost closed down due to its location and available
people to staff it.
We recently had a stall at the Kalamunda show, one of our semi-rural
activities. There was moderate interest from the public but we were
approached by the proprietor of a local chemist at a major shopping centre;
he offered us a position to set up a permanent display within his store, and the
option to man up once or twice a month.
We have accepted his offer, subject to National approval and a test run on a
Thursday with two members from our Forrestfield shop proved to be a positive
experience. The store manager has contact with other chemists in his chain
and has offered to speak with them about expanding our presence to other
locations. This would be a great asset for MHPE provided we can cross the
‘t’s and dot the ‘I’s successfully.
Our Deep South MHPE people have been very active lately, attending
another rural show at Bridgetown. This was a blues festival and I believe there
has been some connections with the country folk. The Army Museum in
Fremantle has had a DVA Access Centre that opened three days a week, but
due to operational requirements it has been closed. However, the Museum
staff have indicated that we may be able to have a MHPE presence. This is
one of our “irons in the fire”, and our State Rep is hopefully having a chat with
them in the near future.
Tiny Small
WA MHPE Volunteer Representative
VIC MHPE
Have you ever wanted to participate in the Amazing Race?
Well now is your chance!
Join DVA’s Veterans’ Health Week event in Melbourne for your chance to
participate in our very own Amazing Race. Race around Melbourne City
Centre with six challenges to complete. This is your chance to show your
strength, win some fabulous prizes and have some fun!
Event Details: Sunday 19 October 2014
 Family-friendly with a nutrition theme to the day.
 Located in the Melbourne City Centre- Locations to be confirmed
 Snacks & lunch provided
 Register your team (up to six members per team) before the event date
More details will be available on the DVA VHW website.
If you are interested in participating, registering your team or would like more
information, please contact Rhiannon Savage on (03) 9284 6285 or
0490 392 232.
Men’s Health Peer Education National Workshop 2014
The Men’s Health Peer Education (MHPE) programme held its annual
workshop in Sydney from 26 to 28 March 2014. MHPE Volunteer
Representatives and DVA MHPE Coordinators from every state and territory
showcased health promoting activities held throughout the year and
discussed plans for the future. The DVA Repatriation Commissioner, Major
General Mark Kelly AO, DSC, opened the Workshop and DVA’s Principal
Medical Adviser, Dr Graeme Killer AO, delivered a session on nutrition, which
was the theme of the Workshop, as well as the closing address.
Key sessions were:
 An update on the Cooking for 1 or 2 programme revision, due to be
released later this year, and profiled on page 22 of the magazine.
 Veterans’ Health Week (VHW) 2013 review and planning for VHW 2014.
 MHPE National Evaluation.
 MHPE Recall Training Survey.
 R U OK? Presentation.
Planning sessions for the MHPE Volunteer Representatives and the DVA
MHPE Coordinators were held each afternoon. The following is a summary of
key outcomes from the Workshop:
 DVA would investigate providing the following new items/resources to
volunteers:







MHPE Business shirt with collar and pocket.
MHPE DVD for use at expos and information days.
MHPE lapel pin.
Electronic log book/diary.
Pit Stop banners and posters.
Selection of new designs for MHPE banners.
The volunteer inactive status was revised with a decision that volunteers
on leave greater than 12 weeks will no longer be deemed as inactive.
 Creation of two front covers for the July Magazine with a different cover for
the magazine handed out at VHW events in October.
A big thank you to all the MHPE Volunteer Representatives for travelling to
Sydney and representing the volunteers from their states and territories.
If you are interested in becoming a MHPE volunteer and would like to learn
more about the program:
 visit our website at www.dva.gov.au/mhpe.htm; or
 phone 133 243 (metro) or 1800 555 254 (regional Australia) and ask to
speak to the MHPE Coordinator for your State or Territory.
Spiders’ webs and bookworms
The CSIRO total wellbeing diet recipes on a budget
The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet has inspired thousands of Australians to lose
weight and improve their overall health. This brand new collection of more
than 135 recipes shows you how to eat well without breaking the bank or
compromising on quality or nutrition.
Introduction by Dr Manny Noakes ; photography by Cath Muscat.
Melbourne, Vic. : Penguin Group (Australia), 2013.
ISBN 9780670076321. $35.00 ABC Shop
Eat for health : Australian dietary guidelines ; providing the
scientific evidence for healthier Australian diets. National Health
and Medical Research Council.
The Australian Dietary Guidelines (the Guidelines) provide up-to-date advice
about the amount and kinds of foods that we need to eat for health and
wellbeing. The recommendations are based on scientific evidence, developed
after looking at good quality research.By following the dietary patterns
recommended in the Guidelines, we will get enough of the nutrients essential
for good health and also help reduce our risk of chronic health problems such
as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and obesity.
Download the pdf online from
http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/n55_australia
n_dietary_guidelines_0.pdf
[Canberra, A.C.T.] : National Health and Medical Research Council, 2013.
ISBN 1864965746 (pbk.)
ISBN 1864965754 (ebk.)
In defence of food : the myth of nutrition and the defence of eating
by Michael Pollan
Inviting you to junk the science, ditch the diet and instead rediscover the joys
of eating well, this title features a few pieces of advice (Eat at a table - a desk
doesn't count. Don't buy food where you'd buy your petrol!) that allows you to
enrich your life and your palate, and enlarge your sense of what it means to
be healthy and happy.
London : England Penquin Books
ISBN 9780141034720
$26.00 ABC Shop
Nutrition. : A Beginner's Guide by Dr. Sarah Brewer.
Separating fact from fiction, award-winning health journalist and nutritionist Dr
Sarah Brewer combines the latest science with practical advice on what really
matters to explain exactly how food influences our health and well-being.
From the mechanics of digestion and the chemical composition of macro and
micronutrients to methods of healthy weight loss and aiding medical
conditions with various foods, all the key issues and debates are covered
making this essential reading for medics and trainee nutritionists as well as
anyone interested in making informed decisions about their diet.
London : Oneworld Publications, 2013.
ISBN 9781851689248
$24.99 Dymocks
Eat taste nourish : how to live a healthy life with food to nurture
the mind, the body and the soul by Zoe Bingley-Pullin
Drawing from her experience as a chef in France, nutritionist Zoe BingleyPullin gives healthy recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks that let
you get in shape the easy way.
Sydney : New Holland Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd., 2013.
ISBN 9781742574127
$29.99 ABC Shop
Jo Wagner
DVA Librarian
Congratulations to Lester Leaman OAM
Lester Leaman, a WA MHPE volunteer, was awarded a Member of the Order
of Australia (OAM) in the Australia Day 2014 Honours List, for service to the
Community through the Scouting movement and to men’s health programs.
In 2004, Lester saw an article in VetAffairs calling for MHPE volunteers and
signed up for the training. Lester recognised through the volunteer training
that he suffered from PTSD. Thankfully, he was able to receive help for his
condition, which continues today. He is forever grateful for the advice and
insight that the MHPE programme gave him in recognising his condition, and
getting the help that he desperately needed; he now uses his experiences to
recognise and assist others with the same illness.
Lester took on the role of WA MHPE Volunteer Representative from 2009 –
2012, and commenced a MHPE Shopfront at a local shopping centre in 2011.
In addition to his MHPE volunteer work, since 1976, Lester has been a
member of the Scouting movement in both Victoria and Western Australia,
and has served in many positions and roles, from a member of the Scouts up
to District Commissioner. Lester has also been a volunteer for Mental Health
Carers WA (ARAFMI) and has worked with the Air Cadets since 2011.
As you can see, Lester thoroughly deserves his award.
Thank you, Lester Leaman OAM.
Volunteer Reps’ corner
Introducing Ian Dainer, the QLD Sth Volunteer Representative.
I recently accepted the position of State Rep for MHPE South QLD, following
the retirement of Kevin Moss. After my RAAF service, my wife Heather and I
established a small farm at Willowbank, near Ipswich. I’m also a member of
the Ipswich Railway RSL Sub-branch.
As retirement loomed, volunteer hours seemed to take up more of our time
(Heather took on a role with Ipswich Legacy). This has included both RSL and
community activities, including PAWS training and, actively supporting
families of deployed serving RAAF Ground Defence personnel through my
ESO. In addition to RSL activities, I also volunteer for my local community
group and I’m a member of the QLD Government’s volunteer “JP in the
Community” program. I’d also describe myself as the very dodgy editor of
newsletters for each of these community and ESO groups.
I saw my involvement in the MHPE programme as a natural progression due
to my interest in the ongoing health awareness of veterans, both young and
old. I hope that by volunteering to be not only a MHPE volunteer, but now a
State rep, that I will help make a difference in the ongoing requirement to
remind blokes that they need to be aware of the importance of getting along to
see their doctor and taking an active role in the management of their own
health.
I believe that volunteering offers not only self satisfaction in helping others,
but the unique employment condition that paid employment doesn’t. That is, if
you are not up for it on a given day, you can simply say “I won’t be in today”. I
believe that all volunteers should adopt this philosophy as their personal
guard against burnout.
Keeping your mind active: answers
1. a
2. c
3. a
4. d
5. d
6. b
7. d
8. d
9. d
10.b
MHPE volunteers – What do they do?
MHPE volunteers share health information. For example, giving a talk on a
health issue at a local community group or ex-service organisation meeting;
setting up or working with ‘Men’s Sheds’, running a stand at a community
expo; or by having a one-on-one chat.
To talk to a volunteer, please contact the relevant MHPE State/Territory
Volunteer Representative below:
Name
Sean O’Mara
OAM
Ian Dainer
Alan White
State/Territory
North
Queensland
South
Queensland
Metro Victoria
Gary Treeve
Regional Victoria
Darryel Binns
Kathleen
Northern Territory
South Australia
Phone number
(07) 4952 4960 or
0427 524 960
(07) 5467 3393 or
0438 729 040
(03) 9598 1007 or
0407 617 800
(02) 6059 2765 or
0407480 201
0417 170 171
(08) 8837 7287 or
Email address
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Behrendt
Laurie Harrison
David Francis
Stewart Harding
Malcolm ‘Tiny’
Small
Tasmania
New South Wales
& ACT
New South Wales
& ACT
Western Australia
0428 377 287
(03) 6263 7038 or
0428 626 370
0428 000 674
(02) 4443 8919 or
0422 208 902
(08) 9337 6773 or
0408 935 687
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
The Men’s Health Peer Education (MHPE) programme aims to raise the
veteran community’s awareness of men’s health issues and encourages men
to manage their own health and wellbeing. The programme trains volunteers
from all age groups to provide health information to members of the veteran
community.
MHPE volunteers share this information via many channels, for example,
giving a talk on a health issue at a local community group, holding a stand at
a community expo or speaking person-to-person with a veteran, such as a
friend at a barbeque. The MHPE programme is open to any member, male or
female, of the veteran, ex-service, or general community, who is able to
volunteer their time and has a genuine interest in helping veterans to learn
about healthy lifestyle choices.
For information about the MHPE programme, visit our website
www.dva.gov.au/mhpe.htm or contact the relevant DVA MHPE Coordinator
below:
Name
Nikki Wood
Jumae Atkinson
Stuart Evans
Janice Trezise
Margie Gutteridge
David Stevens
Naomi Blundell
Location
Queensland
Western
Australia
Victoria
Northern
Territory
South Australia
Tasmania
NSW & ACT
Phone number
(07) 5630 0203
(08) 9366 8355
Email address
[email protected]
[email protected]
(03) 9284 6602
(08) 8935 1405
[email protected]
[email protected]
(08) 8290 0375
(03) 6221 6711
(02) 9213 7661
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Back page information
Produced by:
Editor
National Coordinator, Men’s Health Peer Education
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Available for download at:
http://www.dva.gov.au/mhpe.htm
Feedback, Articles and Ideas:
Email the editor: [email protected]
Mail your letter to:
Editor
Men’s Health Peer Education magazine
c/- Department of Veterans’ Affairs
GPO Box 9998
Sydney NSW 2001
Would you like to order more copies of the magazine? It’s easy!
Download an order form from our website or email the Editor.
Next issue due out in November 2014
Theme: Sleep Better.
Deadline for articles is the 12 September 2014..
If you’d like to share your story with our readers or have an idea for an article,
we’d like to hear from you. You can email the Editor at
[email protected] or call 1800 555 254 (regional) or 133 254 (metro)
and ask for the MHPE National Coordinator.
Tear out
How to understand food labels
What to look for…
Don’t rely on health claims on labels as your guide. Instead learn a few simple
label reading tips to choose healthy foods and drinks, for yourself. You can
also use the label to help you lose weight by limiting foods that are high in
energy per serve.
Total Fat
Generally choose foods with less than 10g per 100g.
For milk, yogurt and ice-cream, choose less than 2g per 100g.
For cheese, choose less than
15g per 100g.
Saturated Fat
Aim for the lowest, per 100g.
Less than 3g per 100g is best
Other names for ingredients high in saturated fat: Animal fat/oil, beef fat,
butter, chocolate, milk solids, coconut, coconut oil/milk/cream, copha, cream,
ghee, dripping, lard, suet, palm oil, sour cream, vegetable shortening.
Fibre
Not all labels include fibre. Choose breads and cereals with 3g or more per
serve
Energy
Check how many kJ per serve to decide how much is a serve of a
‘discretionary’ food, which has 600kJ per serve.
100g Column and Serving Size
If comparing nutrients in similar food products, use the per 100g column. If
calculating how much of a nutrient, or how many kilojoules you will actually
eat, use the per serve column. But check whether your portion size is the
same as your serve size.
Sugars
Avoiding sugar completely is not necessary,
but try to avoid larger amounts of added sugars. If sugar content per 100g is
more than 15g, check that sugar (or alternative names for added sugar) is not
listed high on the ingredient list.
Other names for added sugar: Dextrose, fructose, glucose, golden syrup,
honey, maple syrup, sucrose, malt, maltose, lactose, brown sugar, caster
sugar, maple syrup, raw sugar, sucrose.
Sodium (Salt)
Choose lower sodium options among similar foods. Food with less than
400mg per 100g are good, and less than 120mg per 100g is best.
Other names for high salt ingredients:
Baking powder, celery salt, garlic salt, meat/yeast extract, monosodium
glutamate, (MSG), onion salt, rock salt, sea salt, sodium, sodium ascorbate,
sodium bicarbonate, sodium nitrate/nitrite, stock cubes, vegetable salt.
Ingredients
Listed from greatest to smallest by weight. Use this to check the first three
ingredients for items high
in saturated fat, sodium (salt) or added sugar.