Our Publications

Here are some of our most relevant publications in reputable magazines to equip you with the knowledge to make informed health choices

Health Check: should healthy people take probiotic supplements?

If your tummy seems to feel full or stretched and is rumbling all the time, you’re not alone. Up to 30% of people of all ages experience bloating, with symptoms such as gassiness, a sense of fullness and pressure.

This can be with or without distention (a visible increase in abdominal girth).

So what might be behind your bloating?

A visit to the supermarket these days can feel more like walking through a pharmacy, with an ever-expanding range of milks, yoghurts, pills, powders and speciality foods promoting their “probiotic” prowess.

Advocates of probiotics have hailed them as the answer to all sorts of health issues and conditions. But what exactly are probiotics? And, more importantly, should you be taking them?

Why am I bloated? Here are some possibilities to consider

‘Naked carbs’ and ‘net carbs’ – what are they and should you count them?

According to social media, carbs come in various guises: naked carbs, net carbs, complex carbs and more.

You might be wondering what these terms mean or if all carbs are really the same. If you are into “carb counting” or “cutting carbs”, it’s important to make informed decisions about what you eat.

Here’s why having chocolate can make you feel great or a bit sick – plus 4 tips for better eating

Chocolate has a long history of production and consumption. It is made from cacao beans that go through processes including fermentation, drying, roasting and grounding. What is left is a rich and fatty liquor that is pressed to remove the fat (cocoa butter) and the cacao (or “cocoa”) powder which will then be mixed with different ingredients to produce dark, milk, white and other types of chocolates.

There are several health benefits and potential problems that come in these sweet chocolatey packages.

Christmas drinks anyone? Why alcohol before bedtime leaves you awake at 3am, desperate for sleep

You’ve come home after a long day at work, you have dinner, put the kids to bed, and then you have your usual nightcap before drifting off to sleep. Or, perhaps you’re at the pub for the work Christmas party, and you think you’ll just have one more drink before heading home.

That last drink might help you fall asleep easily. But your nightcap can also wreck a good night’s sleep. How could it do both?

Here’s what’s going on in your body when you drink alcohol just before bedtime. And if you want to drink at the Christmas party, we have some tips on how to protect your sleep.

Booze and driving don’t mix but a zero blood alcohol limit isn’t the answer

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians wants to see blood alcohol limits for Australian drivers drop from .05% to .02% and then zero.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a good argument for lowering the blood alcohol driving limit in Australia to zero. It sends a very clear message that alcohol and driving just don’t mix – and they don’t. Alcohol influences brain function, behaviour and performance on a range of tasks and there’s certainly good evidence that alcohol can impair a person’s ability to do complex tasks like driving a motor vehicle.

But a zero-tolerance approach is unlikely to curb the behaviour of individuals who choose to drink then drive.

‘Sleep tourism’ promises the trip of your dreams. Beyond the hype plus 5 tips for a holiday at home

Imagine arriving at your hotel after a long flight and being greeted by your own personal sleep butler. They present you with a pillow menu and invite you to a sleep meditation session later that day.

You unpack in a room kitted with an AI-powered smart bed, blackout shades, blue light-blocking glasses and weighted blankets.

Holidays are traditionally for activities or sightseeing – eating Parisian pastry under the Eiffel tower, ice skating at New York City’s Rockefeller Centre, lying by the pool in Bali or sipping limoncello in Sicily. But “sleep tourism” offers vacations for the sole purpose of getting good sleep.

Turns out the viral ‘Sleepy Girl Mocktail’ is backed by science. Should you try it?

Many of us wish we could get a better night’s sleep. Wouldn’t it be great if it was as easy as a mocktail before bed?

That’s what the latest viral trend might have us believe. The “Sleepy Girl Mocktail” is a mix of tart cherry juice, powdered magnesium supplement and soda water. TikTok videos featuring the concoction have garnered hundreds of thousands of views. But, what does the science say? Do these ingredients actually help us sleep?

Uncertainty, money worries and stress – gig workers need support and effective ways to cope

This weekend, you might hit “place order” for a meal delivery. Or jump in a ride share to meet friends. In both cases, you’ll be engaging a gig worker.

“Gig worker” is a term that generally refers to people who get work through smartphone apps – think Uber, Ola, AirTasker, Snappr, and others. Approximately 250,000 Australians are part of the gig economy – including many who consider it a “side hustle” on top of a regular job.

While gig work might be a good way to make some extra cash, our new research based on a survey of Australian gig workers, found they tend to be more stressed than other types of workers.

Power naps and meals don’t always help shift workers make it through the night

Take a nap. But not for long. Eat a meal. No, just eat a snack. This is some of the varied and often contradictory advice shift workers receive to help them stay alert and safe on the night shift. But research suggests some of this advice is not only confusing, it’s outdated. It could also lead shift workers to feel more groggy and less alert.

So, what does the evidence say about when to sleep and what to eat to stay safe at work? And what practical things can shift workers do, not only for their own health but for the safety of others?