The Art of Healing Vol 2 Issue 67

FRONT COVER IMAGE BY: DEBRA BERNIER Baby Snail www.shapingspirit.etsy.com Debra Bernier lives with her family on Vancouver Island, Canada, immersed in the wild and gentle inspiration of nature. Her pieces are all created on driftwood and as she says, are already a work of art, created through the hands of Mother Nature. “The earth, the ocean, even the moon and its effects on the tides, play a part in the unique shaping of driftwood.” Debra considers herself a co-creator and story teller, revealing the hidden past and spirit of the wood. Her art speaks of the unity of humans and nature. She hopes that ‘Shaping Spirit Sculptures’ will inspire others to wonder about the big stories hidden in the little things. Thank you to all the writers, organisations, and people we interviewed for their…

I am writing this on 1 April – and you will be reading this sometime after June 2019. But today is the first day that the following natural therapies will no longer be covered under private health general treatment policies: Alexander Technique, Aromatherapy, Bowen therapy, Buteyko, Feldenkrais, Western herbalism, Homeopathy, Iridology, Kinesiology, Naturopathy, Pilates, Reflexology, Rolfing, Shiatsu, Tai Chi, and Yoga. Whilst this is not necessarily good news, one thing I have seen (a little of) on social media, is a more evidence of a collective rallying cry from the ‘natural healthcare’ industry. Is there any chance that this issue could actually get more practitioners to pull together – across Associations? I hope so. Latest breaking news to hand just before we go to print, is that the current Health Minister,…

Over the next four issues, we will be reviewing some of the tests available through this site, primarily to gain an understanding of the process. Our Editor/Publisher, Cate Mercer, will undergo the tests, and as of writing, has completed the Well Woman Check. Opposite are her comments about this, but firstly we looked at what we found on the i-screen website that described their services. Taking control of your health. This is the essence of what is being offered at i-screen – giving individuals a vehicle to take more of the decision-making into their own hands regarding their health. Those who visit i-screen have made a decision to pro-actively seek out answers about their health for themselves. They are prepared to have tests done themselves, to see the results first-hand, and to…

The Well Woman Check tests bone health, cholesterol, inflammation, kidney and liver function, female hormone panel, blood glucose, full blood count and iron levels. When you get your results, you receive a summary for each test from a doctor about where you sit in the range from low-high, what that could potentially mean, and what they suggest you do about it. For example, for bone health it tests for calcium and vitamin D. For me, the doctor said: “Your vitamin D levels are borderline – we typically like to see vitamin D levels up above 75 nmol/L.” And then under Recommendations I was able to read about the risks and how to optimise my vitamin D levels. He said for me: “You may benefit from vitamin D supplementation and increasing…

Centre co-director Professor Brandon Wainwright, from UQ’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), said brain cancer survival rates had barely changed in the past 30 years. “Brain cancer treatments are not as effective as those we have for many other cancers, and must be administered on the brain while it is developing, so even those children who survive often experience neurological issues such as learning difficulties,” he said. “We need a co-ordinated approach to examine all aspects of the disease, from better therapies to the services that children and their families need to improve quality of life during treatment and into the future.” Professor Wainwright, Associate Professor Irina Vetter (IMB) and Associate Professor Tim Hassall (UQ and Queensland Children’s Hospital) will lead a project to prevent the development of severe nerve pain…

Flexibility is one of the foundational pillars to your exercise routine. Whether you're a professional athlete or someone just seeking to improve your fitness level, stretching and mobility work is an important component. Improving your flexibility allows greater joint mobility and helps reduce your day-to-day pain. With age, muscles naturally lose strength and size, becoming less supple. This loss of flexibility and elasticity may increase joint tightness and your risk of injury. Whether you're an avid exerciser or not, making stretching a part of your weekly routine will help prevent injuries and improve your ability to perform daily tasks. Spending all day at a desk may lead to neck and shoulder problems and tight hip muscles which contributes to pain and discomfort. Benefits to Being Flexible In the U.S., 31 million adults suffer…