Latest news with #University of Sydney
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Walk 7,000 steps a day, use emoji and eat bulgur — plus 5 more health tips to help you have a great week
Plus, why you should consider switching to an electric toothbrush. Hello, Yahoo readers! My name is Kaitlin Reilly, and I'm rounding up the best health and wellness tips from across the internet this week. One small thing you can do this week to bring some joy to your summer? Lean in to play. A 2013 Swiss study found that playful adults were happier, more satisfied in their lives and even healthier than their straitlaced peers. Consider this an excuse to challenge your pals to some pool noodle jousting, sign up for a wacky fitness class or simply put your phone down for 15 minutes and doodle with some crayons. Want to take it up a notch? Some people are going all in by signing up for adult sleepaway camps, where they can participate in classic camp activities like archery, boating and arts and crafts. (Many also have some more grown-up activities too, like toga parties and 'tini time.') Campers tell Yahoo's Meredith Begley that the experience has helped them find friendship and connect with their inner child. To get ready for the week, check your local weather forecast. Need some guidance from the stars? Take a look at your horoscope. Then pick your 'one small thing' that'll make a positive change to your well-being. Here are a few ideas … 👣 Rethink 10,000 steps Walking is good for you. But pushing for the lofty '10,000 steps a day' goal might be unnecessary. As the AFP reports, a study from the University of Sydney found that walking just 7,000 steps a day achieved similar benefits, including a 47% drop in risk of early death. The researchers, who looked at data from 57 studies worldwide, also found that 7,000 steps significantly reduced the risk of dementia, type 2 diabetes and depression. There's no harm in sticking to your 10,000-steps target (we love an overachiever), but the incentive to do more than 7,000 is pretty minimal, according to researchers. 😊 Use emoji Fire away those hearts and raised hands. Emoji can boost your social connections, Good Morning America reports. A recent study found that using emoji makes you appear friendlier and more likable, as well as more responsive — all things that can make people feel closer and ramp up relationship satisfaction. 🌾 Eat bulgur Here's a healthy grain to add to your plate: bulgur, which experts tell EatingWell can help regulate blood pressure and is packed with potassium, magnesium and fiber. Dietitians recommend adding cooked bulgur to a salad to make it more filling. You can also try using the whole grain (plus fresh herbs and chopped olives) to whip up a tasty tabbouleh. 🪥 Switch to an electric toothbrush Your dentist may send you home with a plastic toothbrush, but they'd rather you use an electric model. Dentists tell Men's Health that electric toothbrushes are more effective at removing plaque thanks to rapid bristle movement, and those that feature built-in timers can make sure you're brushing long enough. 'Most people think they brush for two minutes, but if you actually time yourself, it's often way less,' says Dr. Joyce Kahng. Plus, electric brushes take the guesswork out of brushing technique by providing consistent, powered motion. Also, using them makes it easier to clean along the gumline, which helps prevent gingivitis. Consider them worth the splurge. 🚿 Keep your shower routine simple Taking an 'everything shower' (in which you exfoliate, shave, deep condition, etc.) is super-popular on social media right now, but experts tell CNN it's 'overkill.' In fact, just five to 10 minutes of washing with gentle, fragrance-free soap in key areas — like your pits and groin — is enough to get clean, according to dermatologist Dr. Jules Lipoff. And while influencers may love lots of scrubs and lotions, dermatologist Dr. Angela Lamb warns against overdoing it on products. 'Each new product you introduce provides another opportunity for something to go on your skin and potentially create an allergic or irritating reaction for you,' she says. What's more, stripping too much of your skin's good, protective bacteria can actually lead to more acne, not less. ⌚ Take off your Apple Watch at night Do you track your sleep with a wearable like an Oura ring or an Apple Watch? Good Morning America reports that wearing these devices could lead to 'orthosomnia,' an obsession with getting quality rest. Sleep scientist Rebecca Robbins says some individuals become so obsessed with tracking their sleep that the 'information they receive stresses them out, and then it causes them to struggle the next night.' But sleep simply can't be perfect every night, she says, as it is 'a function of all of the things that we experience in a typical day — and some of that might be stressful.' Instead of focusing too hard on what your wearable says, look at things you can control, like what time you go to bed. Another tip: Create a relaxing wind-down routine before bed with activities like journaling or taking a warm bath, which should help you ease into sleep mode. 🎻 Play music Musical training could help you stay sharp, new research published in PLOS Biology finds. According to the study, older adults who play music show brain activity similar to much younger people when processing sound in noisy environments. Experts tell Women's Health there are a few reasons why. Neurologist Dr. Clifford Segil notes that playing an instrument involves 'multiple brain region activations,' and exercising them can help you build a stronger brain overall. Learning to read music is another boon for the brain, he adds. While the adults in the study had long-term musical training, challenging yourself to pick up an instrument can only be a good thing. 🍉 When life gives you lemons, make watermelonade A glass of lemonade is refreshing on a hot summer day, but it can also be full of added sugar. Simply Recipes has a healthier, pink twist on the beverage. Instead of sweetening your lemonade with sugar, puree some watermelon and mix it with your lemon juice. You'll be getting health perks like vitamin A, vitamin C and blood-pressure-regulating minerals like magnesium and potassium in the process. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Walk 7,000 steps a day, use emoji and eat bulgur — plus 5 more health tips to help you have a great week
Plus, why you should consider switching to an electric toothbrush. Hello, Yahoo readers! My name is Kaitlin Reilly, and I'm rounding up the best health and wellness tips from across the internet this week. One small thing you can do this week to bring some joy to your summer? Lean in to play. A 2013 Swiss study found that playful adults were happier, more satisfied in their lives and even healthier than their straitlaced peers. Consider this an excuse to challenge your pals to some pool noodle jousting, sign up for a wacky fitness class or simply put your phone down for 15 minutes and doodle with some crayons. Want to take it up a notch? Some people are going all in by signing up for adult sleepaway camps, where they can participate in classic camp activities like archery, boating and arts and crafts. (Many also have some more grown-up activities too, like toga parties and 'tini time.') Campers tell Yahoo's Meredith Begley that the experience has helped them find friendship and connect with their inner child. To get ready for the week, check your local weather forecast. Need some guidance from the stars? Take a look at your horoscope. Then pick your 'one small thing' that'll make a positive change to your well-being. Here are a few ideas … 👣 Rethink 10,000 steps Walking is good for you. But pushing for the lofty '10,000 steps a day' goal might be unnecessary. As the AFP reports, a study from the University of Sydney found that walking just 7,000 steps a day achieved similar benefits, including a 47% drop in risk of early death. The researchers, who looked at data from 57 studies worldwide, also found that 7,000 steps significantly reduced the risk of dementia, type 2 diabetes and depression. There's no harm in sticking to your 10,000-steps target (we love an overachiever), but the incentive to do more than 7,000 is pretty minimal, according to researchers. 😊 Use emoji Fire away those hearts and raised hands. Emoji can boost your social connections, Good Morning America reports. A recent study found that using emoji makes you appear friendlier and more likable, as well as more responsive — all things that can make people feel closer and ramp up relationship satisfaction. 🌾 Eat bulgur Here's a healthy grain to add to your plate: bulgur, which experts tell EatingWell can help regulate blood pressure and is packed with potassium, magnesium and fiber. Dietitians recommend adding cooked bulgur to a salad to make it more filling. You can also try using the whole grain (plus fresh herbs and chopped olives) to whip up a tasty tabbouleh. 🪥 Switch to an electric toothbrush Your dentist may send you home with a plastic toothbrush, but they'd rather you use an electric model. Dentists tell Men's Health that electric toothbrushes are more effective at removing plaque thanks to rapid bristle movement, and those that feature built-in timers can make sure you're brushing long enough. 'Most people think they brush for two minutes, but if you actually time yourself, it's often way less,' says Dr. Joyce Kahng. Plus, electric brushes take the guesswork out of brushing technique by providing consistent, powered motion. Also, using them makes it easier to clean along the gumline, which helps prevent gingivitis. Consider them worth the splurge. 🚿 Keep your shower routine simple Taking an 'everything shower' (in which you exfoliate, shave, deep condition, etc.) is super-popular on social media right now, but experts tell CNN it's 'overkill.' In fact, just five to 10 minutes of washing with gentle, fragrance-free soap in key areas — like your pits and groin — is enough to get clean, according to dermatologist Dr. Jules Lipoff. And while influencers may love lots of scrubs and lotions, dermatologist Dr. Angela Lamb warns against overdoing it on products. 'Each new product you introduce provides another opportunity for something to go on your skin and potentially create an allergic or irritating reaction for you,' she says. What's more, stripping too much of your skin's good, protective bacteria can actually lead to more acne, not less. ⌚ Take off your Apple Watch at night Do you track your sleep with a wearable like an Oura ring or an Apple Watch? Good Morning America reports that wearing these devices could lead to 'orthosomnia,' an obsession with getting quality rest. Sleep scientist Rebecca Robbins says some individuals become so obsessed with tracking their sleep that the 'information they receive stresses them out, and then it causes them to struggle the next night.' But sleep simply can't be perfect every night, she says, as it is 'a function of all of the things that we experience in a typical day — and some of that might be stressful.' Instead of focusing too hard on what your wearable says, look at things you can control, like what time you go to bed. Another tip: Create a relaxing wind-down routine before bed with activities like journaling or taking a warm bath, which should help you ease into sleep mode. 🎻 Play music Musical training could help you stay sharp, new research published in PLOS Biology finds. According to the study, older adults who play music show brain activity similar to much younger people when processing sound in noisy environments. Experts tell Women's Health there are a few reasons why. Neurologist Dr. Clifford Segil notes that playing an instrument involves 'multiple brain region activations,' and exercising them can help you build a stronger brain overall. Learning to read music is another boon for the brain, he adds. While the adults in the study had long-term musical training, challenging yourself to pick up an instrument can only be a good thing. 🍉 When life gives you lemons, make watermelonade A glass of lemonade is refreshing on a hot summer day, but it can also be full of added sugar. Simply Recipes has a healthier, pink twist on the beverage. Instead of sweetening your lemonade with sugar, puree some watermelon and mix it with your lemon juice. You'll be getting health perks like vitamin A, vitamin C and blood-pressure-regulating minerals like magnesium and potassium in the process. Solve the daily Crossword
ABC News
20-07-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Illicit tobacco is 'out in the open' but what is the best way to deal with it?
Jon Jon Jensen says tobacconists selling black market cigarettes are easy to find. The 58-year-old from country Victoria has been smoking for about 45 years and turned to under-the-counter cigarettes six years ago. "I just found they are so readily available, I can get them almost anywhere," says. He is one of the many Australians buying illicit tobacco — a trade that has been expanding over recent years. In 2023, it was estimated that illegal tobacco consumption may account for close to 30 per cent of the total tobacco market in Australia, although these estimates by the legal tobacco industry are disputed. And despite sectors of government agreeing Australia has a problem with the illegal trade, there's mixed messaging about how to tackle the problem. Unlike a pack of legal cigarettes, which costs about $40 for 20, Mr Jensen buys a box of 100 cigarettes once a week, which he says costs him $30. "Everyone I know who smokes is buying illicit tobacco, because of the price," he says. The difference in price between the products is because of the tax excise that is added to legal cigarettes, which can be up to 70 per cent of the total retail price. University of Sydney public health professor Becky Freeman says, despite having some of the lowest smoking rates our country has seen, we are seeing illegal tobacconists "popping up everywhere" because "cigarettes are so incredibly profitable". The current revenue for the government from tobacco excise sits at about $7.4 billion — a drop from $12.6 billion in 2022-2023 and $16.3 billion in 2019-2020. During a press conference last month, federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers said there were two reasons for the decline. "The good reason is fewer people smoking, the bad reason is we know that we've got a challenge when it comes to illegal tobacco," he says. While he has ruled out lowering the tax excise on cigarettes, which will rise again in September, NSW Premier Chris Minns has a different view. "[The cost is] pushing regular law-abiding citizens into an illicit black market, where they are forced to buy cigarettes for $20 or $17, compared to $60 or $80," he said during Parliament in June. He also argued the government did not have enough resources to crack down on the illicit trade as it currently stands. "At the end of the day, we have to make a decision about what the best use of police resources are or health resources are," he said. Professor Freeman worries if the government was to lower the tobacco excise, it would be sending the wrong message. "The only thing you would be doing is rewarding the very retailers who had flouted the law by allowing them to legally sell cheap cigarettes," she says. She argues that, if the government was to lower the tax excise, it would essentially have to remove it altogether to "compete with the illicit market". "My concern with getting rid of the tobacco tax essentially is we would make smoking more appealing to more people and we'd be undermining all the public health gains we have made," she says. There are more effective ways Ms Freeman says the government can use to target the illegal trade. "If we really want to tackle the illicit market, to me it's about managing the supply of products … cigarettes are sold everywhere in any kind of retailer you can imagine. "If you want to be able to enforce illicit tobacco, the number one thing you should be doing is reducing the number of outlets that sell it." But Fei Gao from the University of Sydney Business School believes that while a range of steps are necessary to tackle the black market, one of them is lowering the excise. "When something is so expensive from the legal market, the illicit market will grow," Dr Gao says. She says lowering the excise is an "important step because if that gap can't be closed, any effort the government takes or makes will be wasted". But she says determining the amount will require collaboration. "During all these years, we haven't done any policy review on tobacco excise, so I think we need to gather a bunch of experts, such as tax experts [and] economists," she says. "We need to sit together, talk about this topic and we need to price in all relevant factors such as the growing illicit tobacco market, the replacements such as vapes [and] the ever-changing smoking rate." This month, NSW and Victoria were the last two states to introduce tobacco licensing laws, which mean businesses in NSW have until the start of October to apply for a licence that allows them to sell cigarettes. For Victoria, it's February next year. But Professor Freeman says legislation has to go further. "Immediately shut down shops that you find selling, to issue massive fines not only to the business owner but to the landlord who owns that property and leases out that building," she says. "And then finally you should be using this licensing scheme to reduce the number of outlets." Mr Jensen says he went from smoking up to 90 cigarettes a day, down to less than 20. He wants to quit, but says the nicotine replacements are "too expensive". "I just wish the excise they do collect on cigarettes would be subsidising nicotine replacement therapy because this nicotine replacement therapy is expensive. "I don't particularly want to give up nicotine, I'd love to give up the cigarettes, but I can't afford the nicotine replacement therapy that goes with it." Mr Jensen says a box of 20 inhalers costs about $40. He says his cheapest option is turning to the black market. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler didn't answer questions from the ABC about whether he'd consider subsidising the cost of nicotine replacement therapy. The Albanese government introduced the Illicit Tobacco and E-Cigarette Commissioner (ITEC) role on July 1, 2024 to "coordinate national efforts to combat the threat of illicit tobacco and e-cigarettes to the Australian community". In a statement to the ABC, the ITEC said: 'Criminal networks don't stop at borders, and neither should the response. The ITEC continues to work with all levels of government to coordinate national policies, and support enforcement efforts across jurisdictions to drive these illicit actors out of business." As for Mr Jensen, he says he'll continue to smoke illicit tobacco until the price of inhalers drops. "If they're serious about getting us to quit smoking, make quit-smoking products cheaper."
ABC News
15-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Widespread wage theft across childcare sector and pressure on overworked staff, research reveals
Unsustainable expectations on childcare workers are leading to "massive burnout" and compromising child safety, according to a first-of-its-kind Australian study. It also found widespread wage theft across the sector, with more than 70 per cent of educators working an average of 7–9 hours of unpaid work each week. The research from the University of Sydney comes amid a crisis of confidence in the industry following revelations about poor child safety standards at some centres and allegations of child sexual abuse by a worker in Victoria. "Over 70 per cent of our educators say that they are working unpaid hours every single week and for those educators, they're reporting an average of 9 unpaid hours each week — we end up with massive burnout," said lead researcher Dr Erin Harper from Sydney University. The study was based on a survey of almost 600 educators. "Another significant finding was educators' concerns around workload and how that is then interfering with their ability to provide quality education and care," she said. Childcare worker Yingzhao Zhu has worked across some 50 centres over a decade and said staff were struggling, not just with caring for the children but with the hours of administration, cleaning and even taking out the rubbish — tasks known in the industry as "non-contact" time. "To be very honest, doing all of those things in a day and over the weeks, it's pretty hard," Ms Zhu said. Dr Harper's research found the mounting toll of those tasks being spread between too few workers meant staff were only spending 2.5 hours of quality time with children every day. "In our study, over 70 per cent of educators are telling us they are concerned that children are not getting enough of their time," Dr Harper said. "And over 70 per cent are specifically identifying non-contact workload as detracting from quality within their service." Penny* is a childcare worker at a not-for-profit provider, who spoke to ABC News on the condition her identity be protected to allow her to speak freely about problems at her workplace. Childcare workers like Penny are required by law to have a number of "non-contact" hours to design lessons and materials for the children. She said the centre continually pushing to enrol more children meant she was often forced to complete this work in her own time, with implications for the children in her care. "I engage students throughout the whole day but when I have those stressful situations, it affects my work even though I don't want to show it," Penny said. Do you have a story to share? Email She said the centre was forced to rely on casual workers to complete required administrative work or to fill staffing holes, which increased the risk of accidents because they did not have a relationship with the children. "When you change with another educator and then an accident occurs, it's frustrating because if I was there, because of the relationship, it might be avoided," she said. That dynamic put pressure on her to put the children first, which meant completing administrative work unpaid and out of hours. Carolyn Smith from the United Workers Union said employers were taking advantage of staff who were often intrinsically motivated to work in the sector to care for children. "It's impacting educators, it's impacting children and it's certainly impacting quality and safety of care." Dr Harper would like her research to lead to a stocktake of all the tasks childcare workers are required to complete, which often includes providing lengthy updates for parents. That would allow a more realistic appraisal of the number of staff required and better-quality care. "When we look at educators' paid hours, then non-contact workload accounts for about 25 per cent of their time," Dr Harper said. "But when we account for the entirety of their work hours, so including those unpaid hours, it increases to about 40 per cent." In a statement, Minister for Early Childhood Education Jess Walsh said the findings of the report were "troubling". "The foundation of quality in early education is supporting a stable and dedicated workforce," Ms Walsh said. "That's why the Albanese Government is rolling out a 15 per cent pay rise to early educators so they can afford to stay in the sector to provide quality education and care." Ms Walsh said advertised vacancies had fallen by a little more than 25 per cent this year. *Name changed to protect identity.
