Virtual Medical Centre Health eNews

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Issue 109 | Tuesday 15 November 2011

Message from the VMC Medical Spokesperson

Dr Joe Kosterich

Dr Joe

Welcome to this edition of Health eNews!

Type 2 diabetes generally occurs later in life and results from your body not recognising insulin which makes it hard to control blood sugar levels. While we think of type 2 diabetes as a disease in its own right, it can also be thought of as a symptom of an unhealthy lifestyle. Obesity in particular is strongly linked to type 2 diabetes and these two conditions share many of the same risk factors. This is good news because it means that with a few changes to how you live you can reduce your chance of developing type 2 diabetes. At the same time this healthier lifestyle will help to get your weight under control and make you less likely to suffer from other related conditions such as erectile dysfunction, metabolic syndrome and high blood pressure. So read on to learn about diabetes and what you can do to prevent or treat it.

Enter our new competition and win Movie Tickets

In this newsletter's competition we are giving away 75 double passes to the all-star ensemble movie New Year's Eve. To enter simply tell us about your resolutions for the new year. Please forward this newsletter to your friends and family too.

Movember
This month is Movember month. Join the VMC Movember team to help raise awareness for men's health issues such as prostate cancer and male depression.

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Yours in good health,

Dr Joe Kosterich
MBBS

Take it off, keep it off!
	Why obese people regain weight after dieting Worldwide, there are more than 1.5 billion overweight adults, including 400 million who are obese. In Australia, it is estimated more than 50 per cent of women and 60 per cent of men are either overweight or obese..... Read complete article

Testosterone and aging in men
	Testosterone helps maintain muscle mass in aging men A recent study found that higher levels of testosterone were associated with reduced loss of lean muscle mass in older men, especially in those who were losing weight. In these men, higher testosterone levels..... Read complete article

Good news for health consumers
	Choosing a private health fund made easy The growing number of Australians covered by private health insurance will find it easier to make informed choices about their level of cover with handy new tools available on http://www.privatehealth.gov.au from November 9th..... Read complete article

Boosting outdoor time to stop nearsightedness?
	Get kids outside to prevent nearsightedness A new analysis of recent eye health studies shows that more time spent outdoors is related to reduced rates of nearsightedness, also known as myopia, in children and adolescents.... Read complete article

Dental health in children
	Tiny teeth in tatters The tiny teeth of some of our toddlers are rotting and dental researchers at the University of Sydney are poised to start the second phase of a long-term study to find out why.... Read complete article

Putting your foot in it
	Shoes can make a difference to knee pain Researchers at the University of Melbourne have proven that a modified shoe can reduce knee load in people with knee osteoarthritis.... Read complete article

Preventing obesity
	Protein key to curbing overeating Including enough protein in our diets, rather than simply cutting calories, is the key to curbing appetites and preventing excessive consumption of fats and carbohydrates, a new study.... Read complete article

Importance of mammograms
	Mammograms vital for cancer survivors Women with a history of breast cancer should be included in population mammography screening programs, according to new evidence published in the latest issue of the Medical Journal of Australia.... Read complete article

Virtual Medical Centre Interactive

	VIDEO: How to get fit with cardio training Watch the video
	ANIMATION: What is diabetes? View the animation
	TOOL: Do you know your BMI? Use the tool
	ENCYCLOPAEDIA: Popular health topics View the most popular topics on Virtual Medical Centre.

The support of the following commercial entities is gratefully acknowledged:

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Recipe

Lentil Burgers

Makes 20 burger patties

Ingredients

2 cups red lentils
2 large onions, finely diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 large red capsicum, diced
1 small (500 g) butternut pumpkin, diced into large chunks
3 cups vegetable stock
2 tsp kasmiri korma spice mix
1 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Add olive oil to a non-stick fry pan. Cook onion until lightly coloured.

2. Add carrot, capsicum and pumpkin, and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden brown.

3. Add spice mix and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for a further 2 minutes

4. Add lentils and 1 cup of stock. Stir well to ensure the mixture doesn't stick. Lower heat and simmer, gradually adding another cup of stock.

5. Simmer for 15 minutes or until lentils and pumpkin are soft. Add extra stock if required. The mixture needs to be moist but not too runny.

6. Roll the mixture into patty shapes. You can serve them as is or dry bake them for 10 minutes for a crispy outer.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Difficulty rating: Easy

View more healthy recipes.

Message from the VMC Medical Spokesperson

Take it off, keep it off!

Testosterone and aging in men

Good news for health consumers

Boosting outdoor time to stop nearsightedness?

Dental health in children

Putting your foot in it

Preventing obesity

Importance of mammograms

Virtual Medical Centre Interactive

In This Issue

New on VMC

Today's Survey

Recipe

Lentil Burgers

Laughter is the Best Medicine