HealthInsite Newsletter
Vol 2, Issue 5
 It's THAT time again!
IN THIS ISSUE Volume 2, Issue 5
 Editorial - How to survive the holidays
It's THAT time of the year again already! Doesn't time fly when you're having fun? As it is THAT time of the year, this issue will focus on keeping you well and safe over the silly season, with tips, links and some quizzes to help take your mind away from last minute shopping or avoiding yet another Christmas party.
While the festive season can bring much joy from being with family and friends, it can also be a time of loneliness and despair for some. This issue provides links to some helpful sites that may assist you or someone you know. Our newly re-vamped site should make finding all the tips you need much easier. As mentioned in the last newsletter, we are keen to know what you think of the new look and feel. Feel free to drop the team a line and while you're wishing them all the best for the season, let them know your thoughts about the new HealthInsite. All the team wish you and yours the very best for the holidays. Stay safe, have fun and remember moderation is much kinder to your body than excess!
Send your comments or suggestions for future editions of the newsletter to healthinsite.feedback@health.gov.au
 Hitting the Road - Tips for Travelling
At this time of year, many Australians hit the road, railway or airports to holiday or catch up with friends and family. Whether you need tips for yourself, travelling with children or someone who has special needs, HealthInsite has several topic pages and lots of resources that you might find useful:
Travel and Health and Safety topic page
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Travel _Health_and_Safety
Immunisation for Travel topic page
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Immunisation_for_Travel
Travelling with Children
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Travel_with_Children
Coping with jet lag
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Jet_Lag
Useful topics from our information partners include:
Airline travel with children
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Airline_travel_and_children
Pregnancy and travel
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Pregnancy_and_travel
Travel with dementia
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Dementia_and_travelling
Deep vein thrombosis
http://www.mydr.com.au/default_new.asp?article=3959
Travel tips for seniors
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Travel_tips_for_seniors
First aid kit for travelling
http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?article=2589
A check list of travel safety tips can be found at:
http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?article=2573
 Healthy Eating
Oh, the parties, the lunches, the overindulgence, the intake of rich and sweet foods you would never usually eat! This time of year can be murder on your waistline, cholesterol and blood pressure levels. HealthInsite offers many resources to help you maintain a healthy diet and keep you and yours from doing too much damage to your health.
Useful topics from our information partners include:
This page provides all kinds of advice and explains how Christmas is celebrated in other parts of the world.
Instead of roast turkey, try Nutrition Australia's prawn, chickpea and Asian green salad. It's a special occasion dish that's low fat, tangy and sure to impress! Find it at:
http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/recipes_week3.asp
And more Christmas day suggestions and advice can be found at:
http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/News_in_Nutrition/Media_Releases/christmas_cheer.asp
If you're not sure whether or not you need to watch what you eat over the holiday season, check your body mass index on the Healthy Eating Club site at:
http://www.healthyeatingclub.org/your-health/BMI/bmi-intro.htm
 Healthy Drinking (yes, there is such a thing!)
Most alcoholic drinks contain calories. Try mixing wine with half soda (spritzer), and to avoid the horror of a hang-over, try eating or having a healthy snack BEFORE you head off to the next party. HealthInsite has a topic page with links to lots of resources that you might find useful:
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Alcohol
Useful topics from our partners include:
Christmas alcohol tips:
http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?article=2593
For many Australians low risk drinking is part of a healthy lifestyle that also includes good diet, and regular excercise. To find out what low risk drinking means, try the Department of Veteran's Affairs site called The Right Mix. You can find this at:
http://www.therightmix.gov.au/
Unsure of how much is too much? Try this quiz from the Department of Health and Ageing
http://www.alcoholguidelines.gov.au/quiz.htm
 Staying safe in the great outdoors
Staying safe in the sun is important for all of us. Try these topic pages for some tips on avoiding heat stroke, sunburn and skin cancer:
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Sunburn
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Skin_Cancer
Hot weather means spending more time in the water. Here are some tips for staying safe and keeping others safe while swimming or playing in the water over summer:
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Water_Safety
The Better Health Channel offers some great advice for parents of small children to keep them safe over summer. You can find these at:
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Child_safety_reducing_injuries
 Coping with the stress of the season
For some people, Christmas is a difficult time of loneliness, great stress and depression. Loss of a loved one, employment or financial pressures can seem overwhelming at this time of year. HealthInsite links to a number of sites that offer assistance, advice and contact details for organisations that can help.
The Kids Help Line offers 24 hour telephone counselling for children and young people aged 5 - 18
Phone 1800 55 1800
http://www.kidshelp.com.au
Lifeline provides confidential telephone counselling, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.Phone 131 114
http://www.lifeline.org.au/
Emergency numbers - who to call in a crisis
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Emergencies
The Better Health Channel offers some great practical tips for taking the stress out of Christmas:
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Christmas_tips_to_reduce_the_stress
If you are finding the whole silly season is literally a big headache, you may indeed be stressed and need to do something about it! Try this Better Health Channel quiz and see how you rate:
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Quiz_Is_stress_giving_you_a_headache
ReachOut! provides useful tips for those coping with grief at Christmas:
http://www.reachout.com.au/default.asp?ti=332
We hope these resources help you and yours enjoy the season. If you know someone who may benefit from any of this information, please pass it on. Helping someone in need through advice, a kind word or shared festivities may make a great difference to them and enable them to enjoy the season too.
 In Brief
Please DON'T drink and drive, and to quote the movie Groundhog Day, 'don't drive angry'. If you have enjoyed this newsletter, please tell a friend by sending them to: http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/content/newsletters/maillist_subscribe.cfm
Partner Spotlight -
Every month we will include a brief overview of one of our information partners. This month we look at the Department of Veterans Affairs. You can find their website at : http://www.dva.gov.au/
This site offers lots of useful advice for veterans and war widows, including what DVA services are available during the holidays. There are also links to September's new pension rates and useful advice on drug and alcohol abuse.
 Latest Resources
The HealthInsite team regularly adds new items to the database including new information partners, new topic pages and news items. You can find a list of new and updated material added to the database in the
past month at:
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/search/newsletter_search.cfm?id=XX
 Hot Tip - A new navigation bar!
Have a look at the new navigation on the right hand navigation bar on our homepage. Lots of new features to try out including 'What questions to ask your doctor' during a consultation.
There is also a quick link to help you assess health information you might find on sites other than HealthInsite. How do you know what you're reading is trustworthy? Click on How to Assess Health Information Online to find out!
 What's on next month?
In the hurly burly of December, we haven't yet decided! Rest assured however it will be informative and hopefully, useful.
That's it for now,
from all of us at HealthInsite
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