Who Uses Complementary Therapy in South Australia?

The use of complementary medicine is often under researched, especially in areas such as rural South Australia. Nevertheless, the wellness and wellbeing of people with chronic diseases in these areas is of primary concern, and more research should be encouraged now that it is known that complementary therapies can actually enhance the effects of traditional medicine.

 

A recent study, however, has looked into the uses of complementary and alternative medicine (sometimes abbreviated to CAM) amongst Southern Australians, and has found that the use is slightly higher for those who are suffering from a chronic disease.

 

CAM is currently thought of in terms of two categories: medication-based, such as those who take multivitamins or supplements, and procedure-based, such as those who employ manual therapies such as massage, reflexology and so on. It is important to note, though that, research into the efficacy of many complementary therapies is limited at best.

 

One of the reasons that it is important to understand which herbal remedies people are using and why is because there is potential for herbal medications to interact negatively with drugs, which can lead to serious health repercussions. It is also important to do these studies in localised contexts, as a more general study (about Australia as a whole, for example) does not always mirror the behaviour of people in smaller communities.

 

It was found, for example, that those in rural communities were slightly less likely to use CAM, and that those who did use any kind of CAM services were likely to be from the higher end of the socioeconomic scale.

 

The most frequently used area of CAM was supplements such as glucosamine, fish oil and multivitamins, and there was also some use of massage therapists, alternative therapists and chiropractors.

Categories: australia, complementary, south

Australia Turns to CUPID to Combat Unintended Pregnancy

With a little help from CUPID, Australian researchers are hoping to discover what young women know, think and do about guarding their wellbeing against unintended pregnancy. Scientists from The University of Queensland and The University of Newcastle are conducting a national survey – known as the Contraceptive Use, Pregnancy Intention and Decisions (CUPID) study – to combat unintended pregnancy, which accounts for half of all pregnancies in Australia.

According to study leader Jayne Lucke, an Associate Professor from UQ’s Centre for Clinical Research, ‘The CUPID study investigates unintended pregnancy and access to contraception among Australian women aged 18- to 23-years through a short web-based survey. We are examining what young women know, think and do about avoiding unintended pregnancy and the differences women face in rural and urban areas of Australia when accessing contraception, advice and information.’

Associate Professor Lucke cited early findings from about 400 young women, which suggested using and accessing contraception means a variety of experiences for different women – and their sexual health. ‘The contraceptive pill and condoms appear to be the most common methods of contraception, with young women less likely to use more effective, long-acting methods such as implants and Intra Uterine Devices,’ Associate Professor Lucke said. ‘Those interested in contraceptive methods other than the Pill describe difficulty in getting information and support, indicating that doctors tend to prescribe the Pill without much discussion of alternative options and their side-effects.’

The preliminary study also showed that one in six of the women had been pregnant, and these women were using some form of contraception at the time but none was using a long-acting method. It is the hope of CUPID Project Coordinator Melissa Harris, from the University of Newcastle’s Research Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing, that findings from the new study will be used to suggest how contraceptive services and advice could be improved in Australia.

Ms Harris explained, ‘To assist policy makers, GPs and other health service providers working for improvements in Australia’s sexual and reproductive health it is essential that we find out more about contraception use and access to services. The CUPID study will help us define more innovative ways to provide access to sexual health information and appropriate contraception in rural areas to overcome the particular problems posed by distance.’

Categories: australia, CUPID, Unintended Pregnancy

Put Your Money where Your Mouth is: Uni Divestment Campaigns

Fossil fuel ‘divestment’ campaigns are spreading across Australia as activists target what many think is the root cause of the problem: money. Tom Swann, a student at the Australian National University (ANU), is a founding member of one of Australia’s first divestment campaigns, Fossil Free ANU.

Swann argues that universities are essential to taking action on climate change. ‘We don’t think it’s appropriate that a university that likes to boast its green credentials and its world-class research on climate change and other environmental issues invests its student fees in the companies that are creating this problem,’ he said. ‘Our campaign started when activists from the Northern Rivers of NSW contacted us about a holding that the ANU had in a coal seam gas company called Metgasco…We set up a fake gas rig at the Uni and did a lot of leafleting and postering, and we got a commitment from the vice chancellor to sell their shares.’

For many though, this isn’t just about ethical and environmental considerations, but about financial considerations as well. According to project director James Leaton, up to 80% of the coal and gas reserves owned by fossil fuel companies will be “unburnable”, which means the companies will lose 60% of their value. He explained, ‘There is a focus on short-term returns which means most investors follow the market, assuming they can get out before any bubble burst. The sub-prime crisis and dotcom bubble show that not everyone can get out in time.’

He noted, ‘There is an a opportunity now to prevent the carbon bubble inflating further by limiting the capital flowing into developing more coal, oil and gas reserves.’ Leaton reported, ‘Mining companies like BHP Billition and Rio Tinto are already pulling back on thermal coal and can deploy capital elsewhere — shareholders should be encouraging this.’ He added, ‘Reducing exposure to pure coal operators should be considered. Challenging strategies which are pouring more capital into expensive export projects should be a priority. Capital should returned to shareholders if the company does not have a viable proposal.’

Swann commented, ‘Obviously divestment is not an end in itself. It is one tactic amongst many. But when you consider the scale and urgency of the problem and the fact that this is something people can do on their own campuses, in their own communities, and see tangible results, I think it is an extremely important tactic. These industries have to go out of business, or the planet is going to go out of business.’

Categories: australia, Divestment Campaign, money

Could You Fight Ageing with an Australian Bush Plum?

An Australian bush fruit contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that could slow the ageing process. This is according to researchers at Southern Cross University, who believe the Davidson’s plum, found in rainforests in the Gold Coast and northern New South Wales, may hold the key to anti-ageing wellness.

As a result, local researchers have been commissioned to start human trials into the plum’s effectiveness by vitamin company Blackmores and Australian manufacturer Native Extracts. For two weeks, roughly 40 participants will take an 100ml dose of a water-based plum extract every day, which is the equivalent of eating four Davidson’s plums on a daily basis. Commonly known as the Mullumbimby plum, the fruit had been a staple diet to indigenous Australians for years.

According to Professor Stephen Myers, from the university’s Southern Cross Plant Science department, this is an exciting opportunity to investigate the wellbeing benefits of the bush food. ‘Davidson’s plum has a long history of use as a food, both by indigenous people and early settlers in Australia, and is now grown commercially for human consumption in jam, wine, ice-cream and sauces,’ he said.

He continued, ‘Laboratory studies have confirmed the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the plum, suggesting that it may be beneficial in stopping oxidative damage, which is a major cause of cell ageing. We are now testing it in humans to explore this potential.’ The professor added that the researchers will use blood tests to measure the antioxidant levels of participants, as well as tracking whether the plum provides any benefits in mood, fatigue and muscle function.

The native plum tree is considered endangered in the wild, but is widely cultivated on the Tweed. Usually, it is approximately 5m tall and fruits in clusters on the trunk over Christmas. At this time of year, the plums are often harvested for jams but national park Tropical Fruit World was is one of the few places to still have plums still on the tree. Park manager Aymon Gow said he had no idea the tangy plum could be used in anti-ageing, but rather it simply makes for a great ingredient. ‘It’s really sour but it’s a great flavour when used in something sweet like jams,’ he said.

Could You Fight Ageing with an Australian Bush Plum?

Categories: ageing, anti, anti ageing, anti-inflammatory, australia, australian bush, Davidson's Plum, inflammatory properties, plum, Research, southern cross