What exactly is ‘junk food’?
Junk food is not the same as ultra processed food since not all ultra processed foods are harmful. For example, while infant milk formulas are ultra processed, they’re designed to match a baby’s nutritional needs in the absence of breast feeding. Protein supplements...
New MBS menopause and perimenopause health assessment items
New MBS health assessment items have been introduced to support patients experiencing menopause or perimenopause to receive appropriate care and symptom management. The 2 new items (695, 19000) will support general practitioners and prescribed medical practitioners to...
Cancer screening is expanding to save lives
Cancer screening is available for a limited range of cancers. Bowel cancer screening now starts at age 45 as a response to the rise in early onset cancers. Women can opt in to breast screening from the age of 40, and cervical cancer screening with new technologies...
Why are young people getting cancer at unprecedented rates?
The statistics are alarming. According to Cancer Australia, between 2000 and 2024, the rates of at least 10 different cancers have risen significantly in people under 50, especially those in their thirties. In that age group for example, pancreatic cancer has gone up...
Is organic food worth the money?
The Australian organic industry is worth $2.6 billion according to the latest Australian Organic Market Report. Just in case the message gets buried in the detail, here are the main takeaways. You’re much better eating any vegetables than avoiding them because they...
Why do we get colds when it’s cold?……. or is it a myth?
Your mum probably told you to rug up in winter because otherwise you’ll catch your death of cold. Was she right or not and why do we call colds, colds? Well, she might have been partly right, but I’ll come back to that. It’s not clear why we call colds, colds but...
GPs increasingly being empowered to diagnose and treat ADHD…..but there’s a catch
Around 1 in every 20 Australians has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). While ADHD is more common in boys, it’s under diagnosed in girls and adults. Interestingly, more than 3 in 4 children diagnosed with ADHD still have symptoms as an adult. The number...
Chronic Condition Management changes take effect
The prevalence of chronic conditions is increasing in Australia. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare almost 1 in 6 (16%; 4.1 million) Australians claimed a Chronic Disease Management service in the past year. From 1 July 2025, the new GP...
Is eight hours sleep a night a myth?
You'd think it was uncontroversial that we need eight hours sleep a night. You hear that everywhere you go, but it turns out that it may be a myth. Canadian research has called this into question, particularly looking at the impact of shorter duration sleep on health....
Do dairy and chocolate really make acne worse?
If you find a food reliably brings on a symptom like a headache or a rash, or worsening acne, then for you that food is probably a trigger. In consultation with your GP, it may be worthwhile avoiding it to see if it makes a difference. With acne though, the commonly...
Testing for prostate cancer – new recommendations
Prostate cancer screening comes closer. It is estimated that there were 26,368 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in Australia last year. According to Cancer Australia, a male has a 1 in 6 (or 18%) risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer by the age of 85....
Diabetes drug for knee osteoarthritis?
Metformin is a commonly used drug in people with type 2 diabetes. It’s cheap and safe. But it’s also known to have effects on the immune system dampening inflammation and maybe even on the brain affecting pain perception. It’s also known that people with knee...
