Spring has sprung, and it’s time for us to prepare to spring into it - let’s be more active, and shed any extra pounds gained over the winter months. Anthony Franks (page 9) shows us the way with the Bundjalung Burners, a local group of Aboriginal people embarking on a lifestyle program focussing on healthy cooking, eating and following a group exercise program with friends and family.
New GPSpeak sponsor, Associate Professor Harald Puhalla (page 17), describes the omega loop gastric bypass procedure, for those morbidly obese diabetics who cannot be controlled on medication and for whom surgery becomes a consideration, and Andrew Binns (page 11) reports on new studies that show, for a percentage of patients, unhealthy lifestyle choices that lead on to chronic diseases, including obesity, and may have their roots in adverse early childhood experiences.
Even if you've got the weight under control and you're off the smokes, the booze can still get you. GPSpeak Editor, Robin Osborne, reviews the new film, Ruben Guthrie, about an advertising executive's almost literal fall from grace during a binge. Think Don Draper down under.
Former GPSpeak editor, Aaron Bertram, plays Ken, a member of Ruben's AA group. Aaron holds a special place in the world of beer drinking following his Flashdance Beer ad for Carlton United Brewery in 2006. Aaron's article, ‘Let's drink to that’ (page 25), highlights the real world influence both drinking and abstaining have on our lives. GPSpeak now feels bad about inducing him to write the article for a bottle of red. Enablers are also guilty. It must be time to head off for some cognitive behavioural therapy.
