WBS Blog – Best Well Being Sites

Some of you may or may not know that I’m not just a copy writer, I’m a Registered Nurse who works in a busy Melbourne Metropolitan Hospital on one of their most acute units. I wanted to incorporate this part of my working life into writing so have spent a lot of time making a list of my favourite charities, organisations, products and sites that may be useful to women and mums in small business. And as you will see, they’ve been organised from head to toe, the way we assess our patients! I hope you get as much out of these resources as I do.

Brain:

The Butterfly Foundation– a charity which focuses on supporting people in the community with eating disorders. In 2014, the Butterfly Foundation are running “Climb for Butterfly”- a group climb of Mt Kilimanjaro to fundraise for the Foundation, what an unbelievable idea! You can donate to this charityhere or call  1800 ED HOPE if you or anyone you are close to may be in need of such support

Beyond Blue – a foundation aimed at assisting Australians who suffer from anxiety and or depression. Their website is a wonderful resource and you can donate to this worthy foundation here

Alzheimer’s Australia– an organization close to my heart (my grandfather had dementia when he passed away). We are all getting older and we all should be learning about the benefits of keeping our brains active! I’m sure those of you who are running your own businesses, on top of possibly working as the glue that keeps your family together, will have no trouble in this area. The Your Brain Matters Program is something we all should have a good read of. If you are needing assistance with a family member who may in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia or need more information in general, contact 1800 100 500 (National Dementia Hotline)- the support they provide to families is priceless

Ladies Night In– the mobile pamper party people! what more could a small business owner and or busy mum want?! They can be found on Twitter and Facebook– this kind of service will definitely help you relax and unwind with your friends and family

Face:

Blissfully Bare– my local Skin and Body Clinic provide seamless spray tans and the most relaxing Hot Stone Massages! Find them here on Facebook and here on Twitter. Stefanie also writes her own blog- check it out.

Eyes:

Vision 2020 Australia– an organisation who is working towards “eliminating avoidable vision loss and blindness by 2020?- get behind this cause.

Centre for Eye Research Australia– one of my favourite Research Teams, coming from a Biomed Engineering background- they are looking to boost funding into research into bionic eyes.They are affiliated with the University of Melbourne and the Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and are focused on improving the eye health of all Australians

Ears:

Office of Hearing Services– another organization who has assisted another family member of mine. Call 131 797 if you are experiencing issues with your hearing or if you require information for a friend or family member

Chill Out Music: if music helps you while you work, find something that is soothing and soulful! Here are my Top 5 Chill Out Albums

Hed Kandi- Winter Chill

Chillout: A Nettwerk Escape (Various Artists)

Enya- The Very Best of Enya (Cheesy, but I love her)

Anything by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg, in particular Wedding Day at Troldhaugen (Tal-Hain Samnon’s version is my favourite interpretation- so joyful!)

Mouth:

Five Awesome Places to Grab a Bite in Melbourne

Curious Goose on Sydney Road, Brunswick

George Street Cafe in East Melbourne

The East Pantry in East Keilor

Pope Joan on Nicholson Street, Brunswick East

Auction Rooms, North Melbourne

Neck/Shoulders:

Chiropractors Australia– enough said!

Breasts:

We all have them so we need to look after them.

Breast Cancer Network Australia– Some of the most angelic, expert Oncology Nurses (Breast Care Nurses) work tirelessly to support women in our community who are battling Breast Cancer- you only have to look back on the Tour De Crawf to realize how precious any type of donation is to this most important foundation. Considering that almost 1 in 3 of us women will be struck by this type of cancer is frightening but with the ongoing work of BCNA, these women will be supported and loved!

How to Perform a Self-Examination

Here is a basic way to learn how to self-examine, courtesy of Women’s and Breast Imaging in Cottesloe, Western Australia. Only 17% of women in the Western World perform these exams. Imagine how many cases of malignancy go undetected until late stages. Do it once a month or more often! And don’t be afraid to get checked out, no one will ever think you are foolish.

Reproductive:

The Cancer Council of Victoria recommend all women under the age of 70 to have a Pap Smear every two years. If you’ve ever received an abnormal result, you should be tested more frequently, at the discretion of your GP and specialist

Arms/Hands:

We all love a manicure to brighten up our day and the “tools of our trades”

My favourite nail bars include Jet Nail Bar in the middle of Brunswick and my new favourite Nail Artist who shows her fabulous work on Facebook is Nicole of Biosculpture Nails by Nicole

(Beautiful Bridal Nails courtesy of Mt Isa Natural Beauty http://www.mtisanaturalbeauty.com/)

Legs/Toes/Feet:

Melbourne Walks offer some wonderful information about the best walks to undertake in Melbourne and surrounds- gotta keep your blood flowing and your muscles toned! Nothing better than a great walk to release that mental tension. My favourite short walks with my kids include: Albert Park Lake (the venue for the RSPCA Million Paws Walk in Melbourne! One of my favourite events in Melbourne every year), Herring Island and Como House, You Yangs Regional Park, St Kilda to the Station Pier, Brimbank Park and Sugarloaf Reservoir. I’d really recommend that you put some of these strolls on your bucket list- get those hearts pumping ladies and gents! Feel alive!

Bones:

(Image courtesy of  http://evolutionbioc334.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/funny-bone-from-evolutionary.html)

There is nothing more important as we grow older to maintain our vitamin and mineral intake, in particular Calcium, Vitamin D and Magnesium for bone health and Fish Oil for Joint Health. TheAustralian Bone Density Testing Centre in Toorak is one such facility who can keep track of your bone health as you grow older (and wiser). Speak to your GP at your next check up about the daily requirements of vitamins and minerals (from food/drinks/supplements) to make sure your bone health is at its optimum-  it is FACT that 1 in 2 women over the age of 60 are affected in some way by osteoporosis, a condition in which your bone tissue becomes fragile and brittle, increasing your risk of fractures as you age. For more information, head to Osteoporosis Australia

Hair:

We all like a great blow wave, new stylish cut or to read magazines/check out the Web for the latest styles on trend. Even just having someone wash my hair at my local salon is AH-MAY-ZING, since I rarely get the chance to have even 20 minutes without a child clinging to me. Personally, I’m over the Ombre and hair chalking looks (always seemed to think Ombre resembled extensive regrowth, but that’s just old-fashioned me I guess). I check out Harpers Bazaar for gorgeous locks and think that they are right in saying the low knot and Bun will be back for Spring 2013- they’ll never be a risk when it comes to beautiful, easy do’s for busy women.

(My beautiful Mum and I on my Wedding Day- I loved my hair, big thanks to Jess at Elegance Hairdressing )

Skin:

I cannot stress the importance of regular skin checks highly enough, especially if you are a bit lax in the sunscreen application department through our hot summers. Whether you are white as snow, or that tanned beauty we are all jealous of, we are all at risk of melanoma, one of the most deadly forms of cancer. Nothing freaks me out more. If you notice a new spot, or an old one starts to change, it’s best to get it looked at for your own peace of mind. Check out SunSmart Victoria for the most up to date information on checking your skin, sunscreen and our summer sun tips. Do not EVER feel silly for getting a tiny spot checked, it could save your life.

And one last skin tip- even when you are so busy you think you don’t have a minute to even sneeze, try to drink up to 8 glasses of fresh water each day to keep your skin and body hydrated. You’ll look beautiful and feel great. How do I remember to drink enough water? I leave water bottles in the spots around my house I visit the most and take one fresh bottle in my car each trip.

Heart:

Even after telling you to perform breast self-examinations, get regular Pap Smears, mind your Mental Health and check your supple skin, the most important thing I can tell you is to be most mindful of your heart. After losing my beautiful mother suddenly to a heart attack in April, I think it is more important than ever to book into that CPR refresher or learn CPR for the first time. And do it now, don’t delay. Just remember that if you end up in a situation where you need to perform CPR on someone, doing SOMETHING is better than doing nothing so go easy on yourself when it’s all said and done. There are many first aid providers in every capital city. For Melbournites, I recommend CPR First Aid. It is the most valuable skill you will possess in your life. I also recommend taking a look at the Heart Foundation of Australia‘s Website- be aware of the signs of a heart attack. If you notice changes to your exercise tolerance, breathlessness, palpitations, chest pain etc, don’t ever hesitate to get to your GP, nearest emergency department or to call 000. Whether it turns out to be something sinister or not, you’ve done the right thing and got yourself or your loved one checked out. Look out for the Heart Foundation’s Mums United, Big Heart Appeal and the Go Red for Women Campaign. Donate whatever you can afford- heart disease is the number one killer of women in our country. The site is full of exercise and healthy eating tip, as well as information on cardiac rehabilitation for those with significant cardiac histories. Whether heart problems are in your family or not, just check out those little niggles that may arise. Never feel silly in doing so!

Lungs:

I am a Non-Smoking Guru. Cannot stand the stuff. Possibly because myself and now my 4.5 year old son are severe asthmatics. If you need help to quit smoking, I recommend Quit Victoria which can provide helpful information in your journey to quit smoking. Why not try a 30 day challenge? or extend it to 50 days? For every day that you stop smoking, the damage to your lungs is slowly reversing. There are so many reasons to quit, you can do it!

(Image courtesy of http://www.samuelsontalbot.com.au/quit/index.html)

So there’s my Head to Toe Round Up for Women in Business. I hope I’ve reminded you of that check up your really need to get on to, that manicure you probably should go out and get to pamper yourself or that walk you’ve been meaning to go on on your lunch break.

Our bodies are so complex, we only get one so we should do our best to look after them