Earth Day 2024 - 22nd April

 

Earth Day 2024 website link: Earth Day - plastics

Plastics, particularly microplastics, have inflitrated much of the planet and its ecosystems. Once considered a wonder of industrialisation, these substances now constitute a current and increasing threat to survival for life globally.

ANZAC Day 2024 - historical images

Australians at war (courtesy of the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia)

photo: the Australian Light Horse camp at Belah, Palestine, 1918

Photo: an Australian Machine Gun Battalion, England, Aug 1940

Photo: the 2nd AIF marches past in Sydney, January 1940

ANZAC Day the 25th April - the importance of remembering

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ANZAC Day falls on the 25th of April each year and now commemorates the service of Australians in many military conflicts across the world. The date originates from the landing of Australian and New Zealand troops on the coast of the Gallipoli peninsula on the morning of 25 April 1915 - the peninsula was fiercely defended by Ottoman Turkish forces and ultimately cost the lives of over 8,000 Australian service members before they were evacuated at the end of 1915.

At this time of continuing conflict in Eastern Europe, in the Middle East and simmering civil conflicts in other regions, the "Ode" printed below continues to resonate.

"For the Fallen"  by Laurence Binyon, published 21 September 1914, the fourth stanza of the poem - 

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We shall remember them.

Lest we forget.

Cosmetics and fitness exercise: the combination may not work

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Cosmetics and fitness training - do they belong together ? Apparently no. There is a certain common sense logic to it - having foundation on the skin while exercising prevents skin pores from opening and releasing sebum. Sebum is a waxy. oily substance produced by the sebaceous glands that protects the health of skin.

A research study from Texas A & M University - San Antonio using a cohort of 43 college students (20 men and 23 women) monitored pore size and sebum production after the use of a skin cleanser and then application of foundation in a single layer on the participants faces.  The participants then ran for 20 minutes on a treadmill after which skin measurements were taken and the level of sebum assessed. Perhaps not surprisingly, it was found that the size of skin pores increased in areas of skin where there was no foundation applied in comparison to where it had been applied. It was concluded that the foundation cosmetic restricted pores from "..naturally enlarging during exercise, prevcenting the release of sebum and sweat, which moisturises and cools the skin" [Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology].

This research is probably not earth shattering in any measure as similar findings have been found for film/television production make-up, large body ink tattooes and body paint which prevents the skin "from breathing". It does however provide a measure of actual evidence to support the perspective that natural appearance is best.

So be safe, be sweaty !

9,000 to 10,000 steps a day - does it really help with health ?

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Taking long walks amounting to 10,000 steps has long been cited in the media and in various health related publications as beneficial for reducing heart disease and improving general health, however the origin of this claim and the evidence behind it, has long been a mystery. One suggestion is that the source of this claim comes from a marketing campaign promoting pedometers - which seems very plausible. Specific evidence of the health benefits has been minimal.

One study has now been released by the University of Sydney and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. This study involved 72,000 participants with an average age of 61 whom wore a movement tracking accelerometer on their wrists for one week. Over an average of 7 years, these participants were tracked and adjusting for factors relating to illness and death (diet, smoking, other forms of exercise), the optimal number of steps per day for a health benefit were between 9,000 and 10,000. This number of steps was calculated to provide a 39 % lower risk of dying duirng the follow-up period (the 7 years) and a 21 % lower risk of a heart-related incident. Happy walking !

Link to the article: British Journal of Sport Medicine

Easter 2024

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Easter, a time of year associated with the Easter bunny, chocolate Easter eggs and for the religious, ceremonies such as the Stations of the Cross representing the death of Jesus Christ or Easter Sunday services. For many people, the public holidays bring a much wanted long weekend period to rest, have a break, see family and friends or pursue interests which are often harder to fit into busy working weeks. In a much troubled world with extreme uncertainties, wherever you may be, happy Easter !