articles

B good to your Skin

by

“Slip, slop, slap” has been part of our vernacular for almost 40 years. It’s almost second nature when under the harsh Australian sun to slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen and slap on a hat to reduce the risk of skin cancer and signs of premature skin ageing due to sun damage.

But sunscreen has a formidable ally in this quest – nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3, whether applied topically or taken as a daily tablet.

In 2017, a ground-breaking trial conducted across Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred and Westmead Hospitals, led by Professor Diona Damian, made international headlines when the results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

It was one of the biggest discoveries in skin cancer research – that vitamin B3 can help reduce non-melanoma skin cancers. The trial on 386 participants showed that nicotinamide is highly effective in providing immune protection. It does this by replenishing cellular energy, which also enables faster and more efficient DNA repair following sun exposure. Meaning it also helps repair surface skin damage and keep skin looking younger and healthier for longer.

A class of water-soluble vitamins, there are eight types of B vitamins—B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12. These are vital for maintaining our energy levels, brain functions, and cell metabolism and are easily derived from food sources such as dairy, meat, fish, vegetables, seeds and nuts, and more. Used in skincare, vitamin B is an antioxidant that helps to treat signs of ageing and alleviate sensitive skin. The most common ones found in topical products are niacinamide, vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), and vitamin B12 (cobalamin).

“Vitamin B3 reduces inflammation, signs of ageing like fine wrinkles and blemishes, and improves the function of the skin’s barrier. Vitamin B5 is a humectant that keeps skin moisturised,” says specialist skincare expert Marionne de Candia, who counts among her loyal clientele the likes of Elle Macpherson, Delta Goodrem and Baz Luhrmann.

“Vitamin B12 helps to increase cellular regeneration and encourage wound healing. When taken orally, it helps in red blood cell production, regulates pigmentation in skin and maintains healthy hair and nails.”

“Daily application of nicotinamide cream, particularly post sun exposure, stands as one of the most scientifically sensible things you can do for your skin’s overall health.”

In a 30+-year career that has spanned the spectrum – from spa therapist to specialist facialist, to 5-star spa manager to spa consultancy with one of Australia’s leading spa consultancy firms – in 2017, Marionne’s special topic of interest has always been treating the ageing skin, particularly the effects of premature ageing due to sun exposure and environmental agents.

She has been profiled in influential publications here and around the world, including Australian Financial Review, Harpers Bazaar and Vogue Australia magazines. In 2012, she was voted by leading retail website Net-A-Porter as one of the Top 5 Facialists in the World.

In 2017 she decided to shift her career focus to medically-oriented skincare. Marionne studied with leading educators and skincare product chemists to develop a skincare cosmeceutical product range, Medi Skin Saver, which was launched in June, 2019. The face and body products are available through leading cosmetic and plastic surgeons globally.

From a serum (featuring vitamins B3 and B5, of course!), a facial oil, several moisturisers and a scar flattening treatment, the products are designed to protect the skin from the premature ageing process, UV damage and pollution. Medi Skin Saver’s top seller, however, is Body Treatment, whose key ingredient is nicotanimide.

“Daily application of nicotinamide cream, particularly post sun exposure, stands as one of the most scientifically sensible things you can do for your skin’s overall health,” says Marionne, who has teamed with leading Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon Dr Luke Stradwick to open a paramedical facial room at his Gold Coast, Queensland, surgery.

It offers non-surgical day treatments by Marionne, including the revolutionary Healite LED (Light Emitting Diode) device, which can be used both pre and post-surgery to assist healing, reduce bruising, pain, swelling and speed skin rejuvenation. The facials are paramedical and utilise lymphatic drainage, acupressure and reiki.

“Medi SkinSaver is skincare for everyone,” she continues. “It was formulated with the latest medical research in mind, acting to protect and restore skin cells, minimising the degeneration of cellular health into disease.”

One of its biggest fans is renowned beach babe, The Body, Elle: “I love this brand,” she has said.” It’s completely clean beauty; simple, super-efficient and not very expensive.”

www.marionnedecandia.com

www.mediskinsaver.com

10 Ways to Reduce Food Waste and Save Money

by

By LEE HOLMES

Studies show that Australians throw out around $8 billion worth of edible food each year. This is obviously a very big problem for the environment and our own budgets as well.

“If food waste was a country, it would come in third after the United States and China in terms of impact on global warming”

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, more than 30 percent of food is wasted globally across the supply chain, contributing to eight percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Plastic bags, metal cans and the cardboard boxes our food comes in all add up too! For example, if you’re chowing down on a lasagne, can’t get through it and decide to toss the uneaten portion away, half of the emissions that result from it being made, processed, packaged, shipped, stored, picked up and cooked are also wasted. To give you an idea of the enormity of the problem, if food waste was a country, it would come in third after the United States and China in terms of impact on global warming. That is a scary thought.

If you’re keen to start in your own backyard, kitchen, garden, home and rubbish bins, here are 10 ways to help reduce food waste that not only save your wallet but contribute to a greener planet:

Do a meal plan for the week. Decide what you’re going to eat on which days and what ingredients you need. I like to meal plan on Sundays for the coming week, but do what works best for you.

Create a shopping list. That way you won’t be enticed to veer off it buying extra items, which might result in more spend and more waste. Less is more!

Purchase fresh, quality organic food where possible and batch cook/prepare. Fresh salad leaves and muesli or yoghurt in a jar are healthy, nutritious and easy to prep and pop in the fridge, grabbing when needed. Soups and slow cooks like curries are also great to batch cook and freeze, reducing wastage.

Buy food in bulk. According to a BulkFoods Study in the US, consumers can save an average of 89 percent on the cost of their grocery shop by purchasing bulk foods like sustainably sourced nuts, seeds, flour, dark chocolate, nutritional yeast flakes, and sea salt which I scoop directly from glass canisters into my own, banishing those pesky plastic bags for good.

Recycle, recycle, recycle. Most Aussies are on top of this, but if you’re not, now is the time to start! Most local councils have good waste services, but you can always go one better by doing your own composting or investing in a worm farm. I am loving composting and its quite addictive once you get going!

Buy straw alternatives. Australians use an estimated 10 million plastic straws a day. I was shocked when I read this. They’re so lightweight but are not biodegradable or recyclable and frequently end up in the ocean in the stomachs of fish, birds and turtles. There are now alternative straws made from stainless steel, bamboo and sustainably grown paper straws which are a better investment.

Invest in beeswax wraps. If you want to kick the single-use disposable habit, beeswax wraps are a great plastic-free alternative. They can be used instead of clingwrap to cover food and keep it fresh, are reusable and can be refreshed is the wax starts to wear. There are lots of options in store.

Compostable bin liners: Plastic bags can take up to one thousand years to decompose in landfills. A better solution is compostable bags, with one brand shown to biodegrade 99 per cent within the first month in a commercial composting facility. If you’re a pet lover, small biodegradable bags are good for doggie pick-ups too.

Reusable mesh fruit and veg produce bags. Instead of packing fruit, vegetables and bulk-food shopping into plastic bags, using a lightweight, mesh, reusable produce bag is much better for the environment.

Water filter. One million plastic bottles are bought every minute around the globe, with our insatiable thirst for bottled water creating a crisis that experts say is as bad as climate change. First things first, ditch the plastic bottles. If you’re concerned about water quality, use a good quality water filter – otherwise just fill up your stainless-steel bottles.

Reusable cups. After plastic bottles, coffee cups are the second-largest contributor to rubbish and they are lined with plastic film, making them difficult to recycle. Since ABC’s War on Waste exposed that we throw one billion disposable cups away each year, sales of re-usable coffee cups have exploded. If you’ve left your reusable cup at home, most
cafes now offer organic coffee in compostable cups, made from plants, not plastic.

About Lee Holmes:

Lee Holmes holds an Advanced Certificate in Food and Nutrition and is a certified holistic health coach (IIN), yoga teacher, wholefoods chef and bestselling author of the Supercharged Food series, which includes Eat Your Way To Good Health; Eat Yourself Beautiful; Eat Clean, Green and Vegetarian; Heal Your Gut; Supercharged Food for Kids and Eat Right for Your Shape.

The Importance of Self Compassion

by

By DR NATALIE FLATT

Living through the pandemic has involved major challenges for many of us. During this time, we have witnessed a sharp rise in pre-existing mental health issues due to the stringent rules of self-isolation.

Individuals are reported to be five times more anxious than pre-COVID, according to a study released in April by Victoria’s Swinburne University, headed by Professor Susan Rossell. Mental health issues such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

(OCD), acute stress, panic attacks, agoraphobia and substance abuse are reportedly on the rise and, most concerning, those suffering from depressive symptoms are becoming more easily disconnected from friends, family and colleagues.

We’ve further found ourselves dealing with the double-edged sword of working from home

(WFH). On one hand, we have saved time travelling, gained greater autonomy over our daily routine, observed lower absenteeism, have had the ability to walk the dog at lunch time and do some of those household chores.

On the other hand, we can have a tendency to be more distracted, and blurred about our boundaries between work and home life. Add a healthy dose of home-schooling for some, along with the daily monotony and lack of social face-to-face connection, and we’ve been faced with adapting to a new way of living that requires a significant amount of self-awareness, discipline and conscious self-care.

But as we start to come out the other side of the pandemic, there is a new “unknown” and accompanying challenges to confront.

We are now moving from survival into recovery – but reigniting some of our pre-lockdown behaviours and lifestyle has the potential to feel overwhelming. Reflecting on areas where we have fallen behind (eg. financially, with work, social life or sport) has left many people worried that they won’t be able to recover.

“When faced with life adversity, or confronting personal mistakes, failures and inadequacies, self-compassion responds with kindness rather than self-judgment”

So how do we start to build resilience to bounce back from trauma, tragedy, the extreme stress and disappointment of COVID?

One technique is to show more self-compassion.

Self-compassion has played a central role in many religious and spiritual practices, and is now becoming increasingly important in many science-based models of therapy, coaching and counselling.

When faced with life adversity, or confronting personal mistakes, failures and inadequacies, self-compassion responds with kindness rather than self-judgment, recognising that imperfection is part of both the shared human experience and common humanity.

Self-compassion means treating yourself with the same concern as you would someone you love who found themselves in a similar situation.

While most people are quick to provide support and empathy for family, friends and colleagues, they can struggle to show themselves the same kindness, empathy and concern.

It recognises that we all suffer at some point; it is distinctly different from self-pity, where people become immersed in their own problems and forget that others have similar problems.

One of the most consistent research findings is that greater self-compassion is linked to reduced anxiety and depression along with richer relationships, both personal and professional.

Research has also displayed how self-compassion helps individuals to adopt more solution-focused thinking.

In times of high stress, we may be more likely to fall into unhelpful behaviours like criticising or becoming frustrated with ourselves and then externalising blame onto others. Because self-compassion helps us with how we internalise stress, we tend to better equip ourselves to deal with challenging life events.

So take a moment to think about how you treat yourself when you are presented with a stressful situation. If you tend to beat yourself up when things go wrong, you, like most people, can use a little more self-compassion in your life.

Below are some easy strategies to get you started on your journey toward self-compassion and how this protective mindset will assist you into the transition into a post-COVID world.

VALIDATION

– Take time out to check in with yourself

The first component of self-compassion involves self-awareness and understanding your “triggers”. How do you act when stress shows up in your life? Do you lose your appetite, struggle with getting a good night’s sleep, eat poorly, become angry with loved ones, have trouble focusing on tasks at hand? Rather than using judgement and self-criticism, practise acknowledging how you are feeling with kindness and concern – much like you would do with a friend, colleague or family member.

NORMALISATION 

– Remember that you’re not alone in how you feel

We can easily feel like we are the only ones in the whole world feeling these emotions when we are in a state of struggle. Self-compassion involves reminding ourselves that we all go through difficult times and experience feelings of stress, sadness, frustration, failure and guilt – and that it is all part of the human experience. Normalising our emotions can make us feel more accepted and less alone during this time.

PERCEPTION 

– Treat yourself the same way you would treat others

How would you respond if a family member or friend was the one experiencing what you are feeling, and they came to you to talk about it? It can be helpful to think about what we would say and do for a loved one who was in a similar situation. Being gentle, accepting and forgiving of ourselves can actually help us feel more confident in managing what we are currently going through and be there for others.

LIFESTYLE 

– A calm body can create a calm mind

Mindfulness is the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment and accept-ing it without judgment. There is more than one way to practice mindfulness, but the goal of any mindfulness technique is to achieve a state of alert, focused relaxation by deliberately paying attention to thoughts and sensations without judgment:

Basic mindfulness meditation. Sit quietly and focus on your natural breathing or on a word or “mantra” that you repeat silently. Allow thoughts to come and go without judgment and return to your focus on breath or mantra. You may like to do this outside looking at clouds or on a beach focusses on the horizon and the movement of water.

Body scanning. 

Identify subtle body sensations and movements such as an tingling or pressure without judgment and let them pass. Notice each part of your body in succession from head to toe.

Sensory. 

Take in your five senses – sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. Name them “sight,” “sound,” “smell,” “taste,” or “touch” without judgment and let them go.

Emotions. 

Allow emotions to be present without judgment. Practice a steady and relaxed naming of emotions: “joy,” “anger,” “frustration.” Accept the presence of the emotions without judgment and let them go.

Want to delve a little deeper? Read up on Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC), a process of combining the skills developed through mindfulness with the emotional practice of self-compassion. Mindfulness within self-compassion is about using mindfulness in a more targeted way, to support emotional development with overcoming feelings of personal suffering. A great start to workbooks and research can be found here: www.positivepsychology.com/mindful-self-compassion

About Dr. Natalie Flatt

Dr Natalie Flatt Ph.D is co-founder of ConnectPsych Services online e-counselling platforms that support employees with psycho-education and mental health in a flexible and convenient manner. Natalie has extensive experience in solution-focused cognitive behavioural presentation and interventions to assist with anxiety, resilience, stress management, relationships, workplace conflict and compassion fatigue. Her therapeutic work offers practical, evidence-based solutions to assist professionals to overcome a wide variety of difficulties to ensure ongoing emotional resilience, wellbeing, and improved self-confidence, resulting in higher work life satisfaction and productivity.

www.connectpsychservices.com.au/

Smoking Hot

by
A firefighter posing with a koala saved from bush fire for Australian Firefighter Calendar 2021, Thrive Magazine Issue 4

The perennially popular Australian Fire Fighters Calendar is back for 2021 with a special focus on supporting wildlife injured and displaced by the bushfires. And more rippling abs than ever. 

They were the national heroes who battled tirelessly for weeks to save lives and property amid the devastating 2019-2020 bushfires. 

Now Australian firefighters have come to the fore again to raise money for endangered wildlife and other animals in need – displaying more rippling abs than ever before. 

“2019 and early 2020 was a particularly devastating time, and the world grieved with Australia as we suffered through catastrophic bushfires, and an estimated loss of one billion animals from our diverse native wildlife,” says David Rogers, director of The Australian Firefighters Calendar. 

An Australian firefighter posing with a sleeping kangaroo for 2021 Australian Firefighters Calendar

No one was left unaffected watching our precious wildlife trying to escape from the bushfires, and the loss is beyond comprehension

“While the fires may have gone, the destroyed bushland has made it impossible for many of the displaced wildlife to return to their natural habitat. 

“No one was left unaffected watching our precious wildlife trying to escape from the bushfires, and the loss is beyond comprehension. 

An Australian firefighter posing with a ducklings for 2021 Australian Firefighters Calendar

Everyone at the Australian Firefighters Calendar decided that all our efforts needed to be focused on Australian wildlife this year”. 

Now in its 28th year, the 2021 initiative is producing six calendars, including two new versions: “The new Hero calendar honours the hard work of Australian firefighters throughout the crisis,” says David, “while the Animal Lovers calendar showcases a diverse range of Australian wildlife, adorable rescue and therapy animals; from koalas and kangaroos to rescue kittens and Rottweiler puppies. We’ve got something for everyone!” 

The perennially popular Cat and Dog Calendars returning, but with a twist. “As COVID-19 restricted our access to many rescue animals, the Australian public were asked to bring their own rescued furry friends to the photo shoot. 

“Funds raised will allow us to help less fortunate animals find a new home through rescue organisations like Safe Haven Animal Rescue and All Breeds Canine Rescue.” 

In 2021, the Animal Lovers Calendar will be more important than ever, playing a vital role in treating wildlife injured in the fires. 

Funds from this year’s 2020 calendar helped, for instance, to pay for new equipment and supplies for nearly six months, for Dr Michael Pyne and his team of vets and volunteers at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital in Queensland to save many koalas, wombats, kangaroos and birdlife. 

“The support from the donations the calendar provided were vital, as supplies were very limited,” says David. 

An Australian firefighter posing with a cat for 2021 Australian Firefighters Calendar

“For 2021, one of the recipients will be Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital, where Dr Stephen Van Mil and
his team are building Australia’s first mobile wildlife hospital, which will make it possible to rush to wherever a wildlife emergency is.” Says Cameron Simpson, leading Firefighter, Fire Rescue New South Wales: “After fighting the fires and witnessing the suffering of the wildlife, my crew and I felt compelled to do more. 

“We donated money to care for a koala called Anwen. After seeing first-hand the work carried out by the volunteers at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, our perspective on the protection of our wildlife has been changed forever.” 

The 2021 calendars are also committed to supporting small, locally based wildlife organisations. 

One of these groups is Australian Seabird Rescue, co-ordinated by Cathy Gilmore, who has dedicated 35 years to rescuing birds, pelicans, turtles and endangered sea life in the Central Coast area north of Sydney. 

Other recipients include Native Animal Rescue, Western Australia; Wildcare Inc, Northern Territory; Safe Haven Animal Rescue, Queensland; RACQ, Queensland; Rural Aid, Australia. 

Also the Kids with Cancer Foundation. 

An Australian firefighter posing with a baby kangaroo for 2021 Australian Firefighters Calendar

You can purchase the calendars at 

www.australianfirefighterscalendar.com 

And visit their Facebook page: 

www.facebook.com/search/top?q=australian%20firefighters%20calendar 

The Agony and the Ecstasy

by
A mother holding her baby in featured Thrive Magazine Issue 4

In 2016, high flying journalist Elle Halliwell discovered within two days of each other that she had a rare blood cancer – and then that she was pregnant with her first child. She recalls the decision of a lifetime she and her husband had to make. 

BY TORI ARCHBOLD

By her late 20s, Elle Halliwell seemingly had it all: she was married to Nick, the love of her life, and a high-flying fashion and entertainment journalist across newspaper, radio and TV. But despite her success she felt anxious, burnt out, and suffered low self-esteem. 

In 2016, Elle’s life changed forever when she was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, a rare blood cancer, then discovered she was pregnant – all within the space of 48 hours. 

This time of hardship changed everything. Elle had to learn to trust the universe and herself. She needed to relinquish control and reassess her life’s values, making her decisions from a place of love, not fear. 

After her beautiful baby son, Tor, was born and she had completed her treatment, Elle made a pivot
in her career. Her desire to raise awareness in the wellness space was sparked, writing her best-selling book A Mother’s Choice, and stepping into the public arena to share her story and inspire others. 

Today she is at peace, grateful and aligned with her values. To top it off she has started a jewellery-for- healing business, Auricle Ear Seeds, and is also a naturopath in training. 

Elle, now 35, recently shared her incredible story with me for a Powerful Steps’ Powerful Stories podcast (more about these podcasts over the page). Here are some powerful highlights of her journey. 

ELLE HALLIWELL IN HER OWN WORDS 

In hindsight I feel I built up my earlier career more on one part of me – the Ego Elle. When we’re really young, just starting out in our careers, often that’s the driving force. It’s things like making sure that what we do is going to be seen by other people as really cool or looks good in their eyes. Probably that drove a lot of my decisions when I was younger. 

Who I am now is very much more focused around spirit. It’s a bit of a challenge that we all have to overcome: ego versus spirit, to realise they are different things. 

Sometimes it takes a health crisis or tragedy in
your life, or some sort of adversity, to realise the difference. And that’s what happened to me in 2016. 

I got my foot in the door as an editorial assistant
at The Sunday Telegraph [in Sydney] when I was around 20 and worked my butt off. I was ambitious as a young person and very much of the mindset that if you keep it in your mind and you believe it, you can achieve it. 

Eventually I got a role as a cadet journalist. I really wanted to get into fashion and celebrity style so I started to pitch and write stories relating to those areas. 

About six months into my cadetship, I was called into the deputy editor’s office and told that the current style editor was leaving. Would I mind filling in for her until they found a replacement? All I could do was kind of nod my head and tiptoe out hoping she wasn’t going to change her mind before I left the office! 

I knew that this was my opportunity to really prove myself so they wouldn’t want to find anyone else! So, at the age of 21, I became the Style Editor of The Sunday Telegraph. I also started dipping my toes into showbiz and entertainment, then health and beauty a bit later on. 

By the time I was in my late 20s I was doing a national radio show on Nova on Sunday nights and a showbiz segment on Sunday mornings for Nine’s Today Show while in a full-time role at The Daily Telegraph [also in Sydney]. I was burning the candle at both ends, every single angle that you could imagine.

I’d just turned 30 and my health was not a priority. I put my work on top of every other area of my life. I missed out on so many social events and family moments because I was constantly putting work first.

Sometimes I think you’ve got to be careful what you wish for, because at this point I had everything that I “wanted” and had dreamed about. Yet at the same time I was crippled with anxiety and self-doubt.

 

It wasn’t to do with the kind of people I would interview. Sure, I’d feel a bit nervous ahead of some of the interviews I did but when I sat down opposite a big celebrity – be it The Rock, Kim Kardashian or Angelina Jolie – they were just normal people.

It was more of a worthiness thing, like why do I deserve to be in this position?

So I’d just turned 30, and things were going great in my love life. I had a beautiful husband, and work was manageable. But I was stressed to the limit, crippled with anxiety, and not sleeping well. My health was not a priority. I put my work on top of every other area of my life. I missed out on so many social events and family moments because I was constantly putting work first.

Then I decided that, being 30, it was time to start thinking about a family. I went to the doctor to get my folate and vitamin D tested because
I thought maybe at the end of that year, I would start trying.

 That’s when I got results that I had too-high platelets. I didn’t really know what that was, and Fashion Week was coming up, the busiest time of the year for me. So I just put it to the side as the doctor said: “Get another test. It could be the result of a virus that you had a week prior to coming to us.” 

Two weeks later I went to my GP to get the new test results, and my platelets were even higher. That was on a Thursday and I was to see the hematologist the following Monday. In between those two appointments – within two days of my diagnosis – I found that I was pregnant with my first child. 

Journalist Elle Halliwell during her pregnancy, Thrive Magazine Issue 4

To say I was in shock is a massive understatement. A couple of weeks before the diagnosis I’d planned to go out with friends for dinner. Because I’d gone off the pill and wasn’t being that careful, I thought I’d take a test just to make sure I wasn’t pregnant so I could have a few drinks. It was negative.

Then after my diagnosis I thought to myself,

“What, if anything, could make this situation worse?’ All of a sudden it popped into my head, “Take another pregnancy test”. It was positive. I must’ve been in the very early stages when I took that first test. It was really, really difficult telling my loved ones that I had this rare form of blood cancer. But we didn’t tell anyone at this point that I was also expecting. My thinking was: “This is not going to end well’.

That was reiterated to me when I saw the haematologist and he said: “I strongly advise you to terminate the pregnancy” because he wanted me to start on this revolutionary, relatively new drug for people with my illness. 

I honestly do not think I would have gotten through it without Nick. I’m very much of a respect authority kind of person. If the doctor says, “Take this, do this, do that” I’ll say, “Okay, absolutely, yes sir.” Whereas my husband, God love him, is a bit of a rebel. He’s very street smart. 

He was the one who said, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hang on. Okay, thanks for your opinion doc, but we’re going to process this and we’ll get back to you.” That’s when I thought, “Oh my gosh, yes, of course.” 

So we went home to process it. All my life, especially as a journalist, if I’ve needed to know something, I would research it. But I couldn’t bring myself to know more about this illness. It was actually my husband who started to do research and found someone who had a specialist centre in the UK, who had delivered a baby for a patient with CML. 

We consulted a CML expert in Adelaide and after a lot of tears and sleepless nights, I decided that I was going to delay my treatment and keep this child. 

Journalist Elle Halliwell with her family, Thrive Magazine Issue 4

I think that sometimes when we relinquish that desire to control, things just start falling into place because we’ve surrendered to the universe a little bit more. When you do that, things just kind of flow effortlessly. If you’re constantly trying to make things happen and control every single element, it’s like you’re trying to create a dam with your arms in a massive river.

When you just go, “What’s going to be is going to be, I’m going to just use my intuition to guide me to the right things that’s when we start seeing. Coincidences and synchronicities start to appear. That’s when we know that we’re in the flow and things are going the way that they’re supposed to be.

After I returned to the Telegraph from maternity leave, my work seemed like it hadn’t changed but I’d changed so much. I decided to leave, not really knowing what the plan was. I just knew in my heart that I needed to do this.

Eventually I wrote a book, and started doing inspirational, motivational speaking for groups and organisations, and working with various charities, including the Leukaemia Foundation and the Cancer Council.

I guess my mission is to spread the message that you don’t have to be permanently stressed in order to feel like you’re succeeding. You know what I mean? Find work that really lifts your soul up.  

 

Journalist Elle Halliwell with her family, Thrive Magazine Issue 4

Now my life is very peaceful. It’s much slower. I’m graduating this month as a naturopath. I’ve also started a wellness company called Auricle Ear Seeds, which are 24 carat gold-plated acupressure seeds. You apply them to your ears at home and they have similar effects to acupuncture. They’re great for anxiety and stress, back pain, period pain, insomnia … the list of things they can help with is endless, I’ve personally found. So far, the response has been amazing. People have really resonated with it. I’m thrilled!

For more information, visit 

www.ellehalliwell.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ellehalliwell/?hl=en 

Food as medicine

by

Many modern maladies and the need to take medication could be avoided – or at least alleviated – if people had a better understanding of foods that harm, and foods that heal

BY JOSEPHINE ZAPPIA 

Gut health is imperative for many functions of the body. It’s a complex system vital to our overall wellbeing, and gut bugs help regulate metabolism and nutrient absorption. 

The needs of the body vary during different stages of life, and each person must find their most comfortable and beneficial diet. We are not only what we eat – we are also how well we digest and absorb our food.

Fresh is obviously best: freshly picked fruits and vegetables that are in season rather than frozen or packaged varieties are ideal. Organic produce is better again.

OBSTACLES TO CURE 

Some medications will disrupt the microbial actions in your gut, either by preventing and slowing bacterial growth, or killing them. For example, antibiotics will predispose to gut dysbiosis, a condition that occurs when the normal balance of bacterial flow, or microbiota, is disrupted in the body.

Cortico steroids are a common prescription in conventional medicine for inflammatory conditions. The prolonged use of cortico-steroids depletes mineral absorption, particularly calcium, leading to osteoporosis. Some useful natural anti-inflammatories are turmeric, boswelia and glucosamine (used to repair joints and reduce pain) but should be prescribed by a practitioner to suit a client’s individual state of health.

Sugar This might be really obvious, but I can’t tell you how many people easily dismiss it. The link between sugar and inflammation is convincingly high. Patients whose presenting complaints are acne, arthritis, fibromyalgia or other general inflammatory diseases should avoid sugar. Sugar prevents the proper function of the immune system, including cough- and antibiotic syrups. With a compromised immune system, the skin remains the eliminating organ for toxic waste.

Gluten are the proteins found in wheat, rye and barley. These proteins contribute to creating a leaky gut. A leaky gut allows gluten and many other foreign toxic substances to penetrate the body. 

We are not only what we eat – we are also how well we digest and absorb our food.

FRUITS, VEGETABLES, HERBS AND SPICES AS MEDICINE 

Aloe Vera: Used for healing purposes internally and externally and in the treatment of bruises and burns. It is beneficial for skin allergies and injuries. Used in herbal medicine for the treatment of ulcers, skin burns, and to antidote poison.

Anise: Used to loosen mucous and clear respiratory congestion. Also used to relieve bloating and indigestion. Anise is also said to soothe acne scars and damaged skin. Can minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Basil: Beneficial in the treatment of stress. Tea can be prepared with basil leaves, infused with sage leaves, and sweetened with honey. Due to its antispasamodic properties, basil can be used to ease an upset stomach and stimulate the cilia in the nose to help clear the nasal passages.

Cardamom: A member of the ginger family, cardamon is used to relieve stomach problems and heartburn. Sweetens the breath similar to cool mints. Chewing cardamon seeds is an effective breath freshener.

Carrots: Juice a carrot and mix it with a teaspoon of honey for healthy eyes. Take in the morning before breakfast.

Chives: Used to promote good digestion and to help lower high blood pressure. They also make a good diuretic.

Cinnamon: Known as one of nature’s strongest antiseptics. Cinnamon also contains sedative components and is believed to lower blood-sugar levels.

Cloves: used to treat toothache and reduce inflammation.

Coconut: Many uses helping to protect and relieve the body of internal and external ailments. Coconut milk has many uses, most of which build the immune system and the body’s defences.

Coriander: Used to aid digestion. It is also known to alleviate migraine headaches.

Dill: helps to calm a nervous stomach. Also known to kill intestinal bacteria.

Garlic: The nutritional powerhouse ~ Thought to prevent all including heart disease, stroke and hypertension.

Ginger: Helps to stimulate the heart and circulatory system and also reduces inflammation. Use fresh ginger with boiling water as a tea for gas, flatulence, or wind. Dried ginger can be used for stomach problems such as stomach ache, diarrhea and nausea.

Grapefruit: The health benefits of grapefruit are enormous. A glass of chilled grapefruit juice, especially in winter, will increase your vitamin C intake. Grapefruit is full of the benefits of nutrients, vitamins, potassium, lycopene. It also contains calcium, sugar and phosphorus.

Horseradish: Promotes good blood flow. Horseradish inhibits the growth of bacteria and viruses and helps promote good blood flow.

Juniper berry: Is not a fruit, it’s a spice. Berries and needles, bark, wood, and root are all active. Juniper properties include antibacterial, anti fungal, and anti-inflammatory (great for skin problems). The berries must be tinctured in alcohol and eaten whole to be effective. The berries are used for urinary tract infections. The berries or needles for upper respiratory of GI tract infections. The heartwood, roots, bark, berries or needles are used for skin infections and infectious dysentery. The essential oil for airborne sinus and upper respiratory infections. Add any part of the plant to wound powders or use alone to prevent or treat infection in wounds.

Lemons: So many uses;
Helps heal hoarseness, inflammation (of the mouth and throat) and digestive disorders. Useful for gout and urine retention.
Useful remedy for asthma, fresh lemons very beneficial taken in the morning into a glass of warm water.
Useful for insomnia, nervousness, and heart palpitations.
Useful remedy for arthritis and Vitamin C deficiency.
Powerful natural cleaner keeping our stomach, liver and intestines in good shape.

Nutmeg: Helps stimulate the cardiovascular system, and increases concentration.

Oranges: One of the best sources of the powerful antioxidant vitamin C. Vitamin C is needed to produce collagen that strengthens the capillaries that supply the skin.  Vitamin C also enhances absorption of non-haem iron from foods consumed concurrently.Therefore a vitamin c deficiency will cause an iron deficiency.

Oregano: Used for indigestion, flatulence, bloating and to help ease stomach pains. Stand 3 tbs freshly crushed oregano leaves in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 mins.

Parsley: Strengthens the digestive system and is also used as a diuretic. It also has high levels of Vitamin C among other health benefits.

Pepper: Stimulates taste buds causing reflex stimulation of gastric secretions, improving digestion and treating gastro-intentional upsets and flatulence. Pepper calms nausea and raises body temperature, making it valuable for treating fevers and chills. Cayenne pepper is used to stimulate the digestive and circulatory systems.

Saffron: Eases fatigue and exhaustion and also strengthens the heart and nervous system.

Thyme: Relaxes cramps and gas, and also helps to relieve sore throats.

Tumeric: The anti inflammatory spice from the ginger family. Tumeric can be used with barley and yogurt for sunburn relief. Tumeric is also used to reduce the risk of gallstones. 

TREATING AN INFECTED SURFACE OR SURGICAL WOUND 

Honey has always worked! Honey is also excellent for satisfying cravings (among many other reasons) and help maintain a healthy weight. ~never heat honey~ Any organic wildflower honey can be used effectively in the treatment of antibiotic-resistant skin and wound infections. Actions – Potent antibiotic against all known forms of resistant bacteria that infect the skin and wounds. Promotes healing for wounds, moist wounds, peptic ulcers, and bacterial gastroenteritis; reduces plaque; good for gingivitis; facilitates debridement; soothes inflamed tissues; acts as a wound barrier; and stimulates skin and muscle regeneration.

TAKE THE MESSAGE:

The effects of toxic food consumption are not acute. It is slow, often silent and insidious, has long term consequences which are then often treated symptomatically and labelled “chronic and incurable” by conventional medicine.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Josephine Zappia is a qualified holistic health practitioner and counsellor, practising since 2005. For more than a decade, she has been practising homoeopathic medicine and specialises in skin disease and nutrition. She is also Australian ambassador for Still Aware, a professional community helping individuals deal with the emotional and physical aftermath of stillbirth.

 

Growing up in a family of fruit and vegetable providers, Josephine always intuitively understood the nutritional power of natural produce. It would be her own skin condition that would lead her to seek natural remedies and discover the ability to treat and heal the body holistically.

www.josephinezappia.com

The Beauty of Technology

by

A good skincare routine and sun protection are vital to maintain a healthy, glowing complexion. But there are times when they are just not enough to achieve the results we want. Enter cosmetic injectables and beauty device tech.

By TRISH HAMMOND

Once upon a time, we only had superficial weapons in our beauty armoury to address the signs of ageing and sun damage or treat “imperfections”, as we might consider physical features that bother us.

 While skincare products have come a long way over the last decade – especially the latest medical and evidence-based, vitamin-infused formulations – they can be expensive and, in reality, can only go so far in turning back the clock on the signs of ageing.

But we now live in a wonderful age where technology has allowed us to genuinely and truly turn back time on our appearance, with a range of non-surgical injectable procedures and device technology treatments that can provide outstanding results in a matter of minutes, days or weeks.

That deep frown furrow that you feel makes you look older and cranky? It can be virtually eliminated with some well-placed muscle relaxing injections. Bothered by deep facial lines and grooves, from nose to mouth or at the mouth corners, for instance? There is now a wide range of dermal fillers that can instantly plump out the hollows.

 In fact, in the hands of an experienced and talented injector, you can effectively “rebuild” the foundations and sculpt the anatomy of the face. Fillers, almost more than any other medi-cosmetic treatment, can provide instant results. Instant gratification!

We can now with ease minimise the features of our face that we don’t like, while emphasising and building on those we do. Here’s a taste from the smorgasbord of options available to Australian consumers:

MARVEL OF MUSCLE RELAXANT INJECTIONS 

Without naming brands, most people are familiar with the benefits of a medical professional injecting small amounts of muscle relaxant into strategic areas of the face to help soften, and in some cases, eliminate the appearance of lines and wrinkles in certain areas, usually where repetitive muscle movements have formed permanent grooves. 

While every face is different, there are some who exhibit the most signs of ageing around the eye area; for others, the movement of the forehead or brows can leave unattractive deep lines and wrinkles. But when it comes to regular injections of muscle relaxant in these areas, the result can be nothing short of miraculous as the face is restored to a softer, less lined appearance.

FABULOUS FILLERS 

There is a wide and growing range of injectable fillers designed to suit almost every region of the face. Again, in the hands of a talented and qualified injector, the clock can be turned back almost instantly but, as with any medical procedure, choose your injector carefully. The level of expertise and experience can be the difference between a subtle yet sensational result, or one that is disappointing, even alarming.

We can now with ease minimise the features … we don’t like, while emphasising and building on those we do.

LASERS- BIG GUNS THAT PRODUCE BIG RESULTS 

There are almost too many types of lasers to mention here. But as with all cosmetic/medical treatments, choose the best practitioner you can. Your laser professional can explain which laser is best for you according to your particular skin type and treatment expectations. In the right hands, sun damage, rosacea, fine lines, and even scarring, can be addressed. It must be noted, though, that multiple treatments may be required to achieve the optimum result. 

Other medi-cosmetic devices harvest a range of energies, such as light, radiofrequency, ultrasound, and cryolipolysis to produce specific outcomes (see Glossary for more information about these treatments).

FREEZE FAT TO DEALTH 

For some people, no amount of exercise and dieting can produce the desired results in certain areas of the body. Often due to genetics, they hold on to stubborn fat pockets in areas like beneath the chin, inner and/or outer tights, midriff, stomach and love handles. These “problematic” areas of the body can now be permanently reduced and/or sculpted with the latest cryolipolysis technology, commonly known as fat freezing (again, see Glossary). To reiterate, it’s vital to have an experienced and talented practitioner perform the procedure.

About the author

Trish Hammond is founder and blogger of Plastic Surgery Hub, which provides independent, down-to-earth Australian information on plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures. It offers real experiences and practical advice for women and men looking for suggestions and advice on available procedures. She started Hub when, after having plastic and cosmetic surgery procedures of her own, Trish could find little helpful advice from a patient experience perspective.

“At Plastic Surgery Hub, we feature only the most reputable surgeons and other related, allied medical practitioners. All of our contributors and members are reviewed, qualified and highly recommended,” says Trish.

At Home Physio Technology Breakthrough

by

The digital health industry is expanding rapidly, particularly during the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. With the impacts of so many people working from home and in isolation, technologies such as telehealth are helping to provide better access to healthcare for everyone, as well as revolutionising the way we capture and use data to support clinicians being able to help their patients, and track their progress.

Physiotherapy is one area of health care that is now able to assist most people via Virtual Reality technology to get better, or to undertake a rehabilitation program, at home.

Thrive talked to XRHealth, a company that has recently made revolutionary breakthroughs that have made having to do physiotherapy as much fun as it can be, which in turn leads to faster results, because most of us are more likely to keep up our exercise schedule if we enjoy doing it.

XRHealth’s Director of Operations in Australia, Esme Naidoo, explains: “We are really excited to launch our first Australian clinic, which offers fun and engaging physiotherapy via telehealth and virtual reality (VR) technology. This is how the system works; after an online consultation, all patients receive a tailored treatment plan and access to their own healthcare portal which displays data to better inform them of their condition and symptoms. We combine the application of digital health with personal consultation to offer our XRHealth patients the best chance of recovery.”

Esme advised that using their TGA-registered medical device technology, they can treat a range of physical conditions including whiplash, shoulder, neck and spinal arthritis, bursitis, rotator cuff tendinopathy, frozen shoulder, hip and knee injuries, and postural problems. They can also offer treatment for a range of other conditions such as ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, stroke rehabilitation, and Cerebral Palsy.
While the XRHealth launch in Australia is focused on Physiotherapy, the company is in the process of expanding their offering to include mental health, occupational therapy, cognitive therapy and more, care streams that are already in practice by their sister clinics in the USA.

most of us are more likely to keep up our exercise schedule if we enjoy doing it”

We asked Esme how one gets to use a physiotherapy headset at home, she explained: “The process to sign up with XRHealth as a patient is simple. Patients register online and have an initial consultation with their clinician of choice. Their clinician assesses their suitability to ensure they can safely use a VR headset, then the headset is shipped to the patient via courier to ensure prompt delivery.

“From there, the patient can see their clinician as often as required, with appointments available at a range of days and times.” She continues, “Telehealth offers more flexibility and convenience to fit around family, work and other commitments, meaning you can see your physiotherapist at 8:00pm at night if needed.

“During the clinician-led appointments, the patient uses the headset to complete tasks and exercises which are designed to give the clinician data to assess and monitor the patient’s progress.”

A great advantage of this system is that the data is available in the XRHealth Portal, which is accessible to both the patient and the clinician, so that both parties can track progress over time. The clinician can also see and remotely control what is on the patient’s headset during the session, which allows them to guide and instruct on correct usage and ensure that the movement is correct and appropriate for that patient’s condition.

In between appointments with their clinician, patients are given exercises to complete, both with and without the headset. Headset-related exercises might include a virtual boxing game, where the patient has to punch a colour as it appears on the screen, or a balloon-popping game where one has to swipe a sword to pop balloons in a row. Each exercise/game is designed to promote proper movement of a particular muscle or limb, and increase their range of movement, whilst simultaneously measuring and monitoring progress.

By turning these movements and exercises into a fun, interactive video game-like experience, XRHealth’s VR technology increases the likelihood that patients will complete their prescribed exercises correctly. It also captures detailed clinical data that their clinician can access to help manage the care plan and fine-tune it as required. This is something that has not previously been possible in a traditional face-to-face setting.

We asked Esme how people are responding to the VR headset model in Australia, she says that: “To date in Australia our patient engagement data shows that on average, people spend time in VR above and beyond their prescribed care plans, indicating they are having fun while getting better.

“We are conscious that many patients who see a physiotherapist in a traditional setting are not always very good at completing their at-home exercises, or may complete them incorrectly. The benefit of using the VR headset is that it encourages proper movement and motivates patients to complete their exercises as often as required, while also empowering our clinicians to monitor and influence their adherence to their exercise program.

“In a 40 patient Bupa trial we ran in May-July 2020, our patients reported high satisfaction scores, displayed engagement above and beyond prescribed care plans, and we were able to show a clinical improvement or resolution of the leading symptom.”

Esme explained to us that there is a mobile app that is used alongside the VR headsets which is also a valuable tool in a patient’s treatment journey. Patients use the app to review their data and progress, so they can see their results from when they started their treatment and then view their improvement over time quickly and conveniently. The app also sends regular notifications to the patient to remind them to complete their exercises, particularly if they have not logged in for a period of time, which can be helpful for those who may have lost motivation or need a reminder to complete their exercises. For those of us with a competitive streak, the app also provides statistics to the patient showing how they compare to other users on each app. This can offer an additional incentive to work hard and improve performance. We queried how we get the headsets and how they are handled with the COVID-19 cautions. Esme told us that XRHealth is responsible for the entire VR headset logistic cycle, including sending out headsets from their Melbourne fulfillment
centre directly to patients to be used during their care plans, which are then sent back once discharged. When they are received back at XRHealth the team enacts COVID-19 sterilisation protocols, software updates and repackaging to be ready to send to the next patient.

The good news is, XRHealth are happy to treat patients from all around Australia, regardless of location, provided that the patients have access to a stable internet connection. Esme says: “We are excited to be increasing accessibility to virtual reality physiotherapy, and happy to advise that our services can be claimed back from most private health insurers (depending on your level of cover) and we are proud to be a Member’s First Provider with Bupa. Patients can also be treated via all compensable agencies in Australia, private health insurers, DVA, Medicare chronic health
care plans, and privately.”

Check out this video to learn more about XRHealth and how virtual reality technology can help you

Born to Run

by

In the previous issue of Thrive, Erica King wrote about how, in 2002, working dozens of hours a week at her dental consulting business and “feeling overweight and tired at 38”, she wanted to find new meaning in her life.

She decided she needed a new challenge and – as you do! – picked training for and running the New York Marathon, even though she was not a runner. Nine life-changing months later, she achieved her goal. As a “complete non-runner” at the outset, Erica couldn’t do 100 metres without puffing. It took her nine months to go from zero to crossing that finish line in New York.

There are myriad health benefits of running and jogging: they help to build strong bones, as they are weight-bearing exercise, strengthen muscles, improve cardiovascular fitness and burn plenty of kilojoules. But getting started – and to keep
going – can be a daunting prospect.

ERICA’S TIPS FOR GETTING ON THE RIGHT TRACK:

If you have always wanted to be a runner and incorporate this into your weekly fitness routine here are some winning strategies that will make all the difference for you to achieve this super-life-enhancing goal.

Running is such an efficient and effective fitness strategy. The time outside with just your thoughts or some favourite tunes is absolutely invigorating. My number one tip is to take it slowly. Stop when you feel “puffed” and never be hard on yourself because you will be a runner with patience and kindness to your body and soul.

The run/walk approach will transform you into a runner in matter of weeks.

THE RUN/WALK STRATEGY?

As the name implies, this approach involves alternating intervals of running and walking. For example, you can start by walking for 8 minutes and running for 1 minute, and then repeat the cycle once for a total of 18 minutes. As you get
fitter, slowly increase the amount of time you run and reduce your walking.

Run at a pace that doesn’t leave you breathless. If you go out too hard, too soon, you won’t be able to start running again after your walking break. “Slow and steady” is your mantra.

RUN 30 MINUTES AFTER EIGHT WEEKS

Remember those elusive 30 non-stop minutes? This program will get you there in eight weeks. Warm up for 5 minutes before each workout with a brisk walk and some dynamic stretches such as high knees and walking lunges. Walk for 5 minutes
at the end of your workout to cool down. Aim for three sessions per week.

Week 1: Walk for 5 minutes, then run for 1 minute. Repeat three times.

Week 2: Walk for 4 minutes, then run for 2 minutes. Repeat three times.

Week 3: Walk for 4 minutes, then run for 4 minutes. Repeat three times.

Week 4: Walk for 3 minutes, then run for 5 minutes. Repeat three times.

Week 5: Walk for 2 minutes, then run for 7 minutes. Repeat three times.

Week 6: Walk for 1 minute, then run for 9 minutes. Repeat three times.

Week 7: Walk for 1 minute, then run for 12 minutes. Repeat three times.

Week 8: Workout 1 – Run for 20 minutes continuously. Workout 2 – Run for 25
minutes continuously. Workout 3 – Run for 30 minutes continuously.

EXTRA TIPS:

  • A great strategy for beginners is to run every second day so that your body has good recovery.
  • Add some hills into your runs to build leg strength as you build confidence.
  • Add some short bursts of faster running to improve your cardiac fitness. This can be mixed in with your longer runs and just once a week is enough.
  • Please run in supportive shoes with lightweight socks. This will significantly reduce impact on your joints.
  • Notice your breathing and try to settle your breath into a rhythmic pattern. Music at 130 to 150 beats per minute can really help with this strategy.
  • Keep your head looking straight ahead, body upright – no slouching, think about pulling in your stomach and lifting your legs from your large glute muscles.
  • Arms swing forward close to your body not across your body to conserve energy.
  • Lift your feet consciously to improve your pacing. Smaller short steps feels strange to start with but you will progress much faster by using this strategy.
  • Always take a few minutes after your run to do some static stretches and if you have a foam roller this is your new best friend to reduce muscle soreness.
  • Once a week or after a run where you feel muscle fatigue, my favourite reward is to have a lovely warm bath with some soda crystals or Epsom salts. Great for body and mind relaxation.
  • Always take some water with you to sip on or map out a route where you know that you can access some bubblers. Just a few sips makes the world of difference to endurance. This is even more essential when you run in hot and humid weather.
  • If you run on an empty stomach you will burn extra body fat – who doesn’t want to do this? Then reward yourself when you finish with a delicious meal combining equal amounts of carbs and protein.

The most critical factor is to have fun and enjoy this time just for you!

Learn More

Erin Molan‘s war on cyber bullies

by

After years of weathering online abuse and threats, Nine network NRL football frontwoman Erin Molan finally cracked in 2018. While pregnant with her daughter, Eliza, she received a vile message on social media: “I wish you a [expletive] stillborn and you die in the process, hip, hip, hooray”.

The perpetrator, who was revealed to be a young father of girls, was eventually tracked down and arrested, becoming a rare example of an online troll who was successfully convicted. He received a suspended sentence.

The incident had a devastating affect on the mum-to-be, giving a radio interview soon after in which she broke down on air. But it also steeled her to launch her campaign to lobby government to make changes to legislation, which could see cyber bullies and trolls jailed.

In another emotional interview on Nine’s 60 Minutes on October 11, Erin wept as she revealed to 60 Minutes reporter Tom Steinfort that the message took her to “some pretty dark places”.

Her older sister suffered a stillbirth in the years prior to her own pregnancy, leading her to have a “pretty anxious’ wait” for the birth of her daughter.

“She carried a beautiful little girl to full term and to watch her bury that little child – It really impacted me,” Erin says.

“If abuse occurs in a real-world setting (be it domestic, public, in the workplace or otherwise), there are criminal consequences,” Erin, 38, tells Thrive.

“Legislation is clear about the illegality of behaviour such as verbal abuse, swearing and continual humiliation, name calling, put-downs, psychological abuse, making threats, creating fear, harassment, stalking, and intimidation.

“Importantly, it will provide police with the necessary powers to regulate this unacceptable behaviour. Perhaps more importantly, new laws will help to change the public discourse on this issue and put the significant weight of the Government behind the message that you can no longer hide behind a fake profile or anonymous account. That perpetrators are accountable for what they post and send online. These cowards deserve to have the full force of the law thrown at them.”

“Every single [trolling comment] was either that I was a woman, that I was ugly, that I looked like a sl*t, that I’d never played the game, that I belong in the kitchen. About different footballers that I’ve had dalliances with, about bosses at Channel 9 that I must have slept with. It’s just vile.”

“When these incidents happen in our society, our common understanding that they are criminal drives the public discourse and response. We would never tell a victim of domestic violence to just `ignore it’, to `stop reading abusive emails or letters’ or to become more resilient. Yet, we tell this to victims of online abuse.

“I was sick of seeing trolling, abuse, threats and nothing being done – not just to me – but to plenty of others. I was sick of reading about young people taking their lives or suffering serious illness as a result of cyber bullying, I got fed up.”

Earlier this year, Erin along with Aboriginal leader and politician Warren Mundine and Paul Conlon, a judge of the District Court of NSW, met with Communications Minister Paul Fletcher and advisors. In September, she met with Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

“I am lobbying the Government to clean up the online space; to introduce legislation that better reflects the standards that exist. I have been told legislation is on the way but it takes time. I trust the Government to do this because it impacts every single Australian … and it will save lives.

Prior to the 2018 trolling incident, Erin says she received a regular stream of cyber abuse: “Every single one was either that I was a woman, that I was ugly, that I looked like a sl*t, that I’d never played the game, that I belong in the kitchen. About different footballers that I’ve had dalliances with, about bosses at Channel 9 that I must have slept with. It’s just vile.”

Erin says her own bullying experience still makes her angry but it doesn’t cripple or hurt me like it used to. It drives me more to fight for change. Just because I am somewhat immune to it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t fight it with the same passion and commitment. My daughter, your kids, everyone in this country deserves protection from these cowards.

She says victims are regularly told things like `get off social media’, `stop reading the comments’,
`ignore it’, `report it to the platforms’ (often fruitless
– how can we trust these companies to regulate themselves?), `don’t let it affect you’, `stop being sensitive’, `build up your resistance’.

“I personally am constantly told just to block, ban, delete, ignore. I’m so over it, it is exhausting. The victim-blaming thing astounds me. Apparently I `want the fame’, `I put it out there so cop it on the chin.

“Why should we be the ones to get off social media, or get `tougher’?

“Not only does this messaging not address the issue – even worse, it implies that the victim has caused or contributed to the situation. “

“This is not in any way intended to compromise free speech. Nor are we looking to punish people for being critical or even nasty. This is about holding people to account who cross the line into threatening, abusive, bullying, intimidating behaviour.

“Determining where to draw the line will be incredibly complex but it’s a challenge worth confronting head on now, as this issue – and its consequences for peoples’ mental health, wellbeing and lives – will only get worse.”

In recent weeks the momentum of public attention and support for the campaign has escalated after a powerful interview she gave to morning radio hosts Jonesy (Brendan Jones) and Amanda (Keller) – see the video below – and then on 60 Minutes.

watch Erin’s emotional 60 Minutes interview on 9now below.

I have received tens of thousands of pieces of correspondence and messages of support. Hundreds of prominent and high-profile Australians have pledged their support to making this change happen. Athletes from all codes, actors, musicians, television personalities and journalists.

“Thousands of teachers and parents have contacted me and all expressed genuine concern for their children’s welfare and committed their support to get this over the line.”

“[The Jonesy and Amanda interview] has been viewed over a million times.

Erin’s powerful interview with Jonesy and Amanda, hosts of Sydney’s WSFM 101.7 morning show, has been viewed more than a million times

A message from one teacher painted the issue in heartbreaking detail:

“So, so often, kids are in tears at school. So, so often, kids are highly anxious and don’t want to come to school,” the teacher wrote to Erin. “The reason? Social media and bullying/trolling on social media. I would say that close to 80% of my student welfare time is spent on talking to students about issues that have happened online the night before or over the weekend.

“It is rife and it is relentless. The amount of bullying, trolling, abuse, intimidation and genuine mean behaviour that happens on social media and over online gaming is astronomical.

“We have tried everything from external professional programs, chaplaincy, counselling and nothing seems to get through [to the kids].

“I just want to let you know, Erin, that I played your [radio interview] to my class during the week. It was phenomenal! You could hear a pin drop in the room. I have personally changed my conversations with kids about getting offline and just ignoring it. Now, I am going hard on the bullies and the cowards who are doing the bullying!! They will be held accountable! My students have been referring to it all week and I have sent the link for the parents to listen to it as well…”

Erin has discussed potential solutions with Judge Paul Conlon and Peta Credlin (political commentator who served as Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Tony Abbott from 2013-2015), including enforcement options involving tribunals, “which do not clog up the courts, but still possess significant power.

“A public education campaign, targeted particularly (but not exclusively) at our young people, will publicise these consequences and drive significant behavioural change. With strong support from sectors including media, sport and business, this campaign has a real opportunity to impact and influence society at large.

“The significant groundswell of support on this issue from Australians indicates that the time is right. I am ready and willing to work closely with the Government, and leverage all my platforms, networks and efforts to make this happen.

“If the government gets tough, the social media companies – I promise you – will get on board.”