Pulse Spring 2024 - English by DPVHEALTH_PULSE

Pulse Pulse

Welcome

Welcome to the Spring 2024 Edition of “PULSE”.

As we move towards the warmer end of the year, it's important to take time to reflect on your general health and wellbeing. As Northern Melbourne’s largest not-forprofit Community Health organisation, DPV Health is here to support the health and wellbeing of you and your family through inclusive, welcoming and high-quality local services

Exploring this edition of the Pulse newsletter, you’ll find information on the new services DPV Health has recently launched including Women’s Sexual & Reproductive Health Hubs, supports for victims of crime, food security resources and acupuncture treatments which are now available at our Mill Park Clinic

We have also proudly launched our Disability Services site in the township of Whittlesea The new service will help cater to the growing demand for dis across Melbourne’s North-East region, of access & much needed supports to the lo

Engaging with our community continues priority Over the last few months, DPV H participated in a range of community eve festivals across Melbourne’s North It was engage with so many of our clients, comm and employees and thank them for their support

We would love to receive your feedback o PULSE, as well as suggestions for topics included in future editions. Please send a marketing@dpvhealth.org.au.

Wishing you good health!

Don Tidbury CEO, DPV Health

NewServicenowAvailable

Acupuncture Treatment at Mill Park

Acupuncture has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for thousands of years During the treatment very fine needles are inserted into specific points on the body/scalp /ears, to restore balance and encourage the body to heal itself. For people who don’t want needles or for medical reasons, very low level Laser can be used to the acupuncture points.

In the past decades, Acupuncture has gained wide acceptance in western Countries There is increasing scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of acupuncture for the cure of many conditions

What are conditions can be treated with acupuncture?

Neurological conditions: Parkinson disease, post Stroke, migraine

Anxiety/depressing/insomnia/fatigue

Gynecological conditions: symptoms of menopause such as hot flush

Acute or chronic pain condition: back pain, neck pain, tendon injury

Gut issues: irritable bowel syndrome, constipation.

Respiratory conditions: Hay fever/ asthma and many others

Service Breakdown

As with any other treatment, not everyone is suitable for acupuncture treatment Talk to our qualified acupuncturist for more details and to learn if this course of treatment would be suitable for you

Is acupuncture safe?

Acupuncture is generally very safe and serious adverse events are rare.

Is the treatment covered by Medicare?

Patients can get a rebate from Medicare if treated by a medical acupuncturist.

For more information on fees visit: www.dpvhealth.org.au/acupuncture

Choosingcontraceptionthatsuitsyourneeds

Mill Park & Broadmeadows Medical Centre

When choosing a method of contraception that is right for you, it is important to have accurate information

Ahelpinghandforvictims

Victims Assistance Program

If you have been a victim of crime, have witnessed a crime or are an impacted family member to a victim of crime, the FREE Victims Assistance Program can be of help to you The types of crimes we provide support for include, homicide and related offences, assault including family violence, sexual offences, abduction, robbery, blackmail and extortion, stalking, harassment and threatening behaviour and dangerous and negligent acts.

What is the Victims Assistance Program?

The Victims Assistance Program is funded by the government to provide support to victims of crime

You can receive support whether or not you have reported the crime to the police. The program supports anyone who has been a victim, is a witness or are a family member to a victim of one or more of these crimes, including children, elderly, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, male victims of family violence, LGBTIQA+ people, culturally and linguistically diverse people, people with a disability, those struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues, or the homeless

Ways in which the Victims Assistance Program can support you:

We can provide immediate support such as emergency accommodation, counselling, emotional support and advocacy

We will support you through the justice system with access to lawyers, communication with the police, support at court hearings and access to your financial entitlements

We will support you not only through the legal process but on an ongoing basis to assist your recovery. Your case manager will enquire about your needs, provide limited psychological support and refer you on to a broad range of health services offered by DPV Health and other providers located locally to you

We will ensure that your needs are supported quickly There is no limit to the length or duration of support, you will be supported until your needs are met through the legal system

For more information on this service contact: or visit our website here to complete the referral form

The DPV Health Victims Assistance Program is available to residents of Banyule, Darebin, Hume, Merri-bek, Nillumbik, Whittlesea and Yarra local government areas

If you are from outside these areas, please call the Victim Services, Support and Reform helpline on 1800 819 817 to receive assistance

WELCOME

NewSitenowOpen

Centre-Based Disability Services Whittlesea

DPV Health are excited to announce our Centre-Based Disability Services are now available in Whittlesea!

Whether you are looking to develop new skills, or simply connect with your community, our CentreBased Disability Services have something to offer We believe in creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and supported.

Our team of dedicated professionals is here to provide personalised support tailored to your unique needs and aspirations From recreational activities and social groups to skill-building workshops and therapeutic services, we have a wide array of programs designed to enrich your life and empower you to reach your full potential.

Come visit us at our new Whittlesea location, where you can tour our new facilities, meet our friendly staff, and explore the many opportunities available to you We are committed to fostering a community where everyone has the chance to thrive and where differences are celebrated

WELCOME

HealthyTeethforaHealthyLife

Dental Health

The benefits of good dental hygiene go beyond bright smiles Making sure you’re brushing properly, flossing daily, and keeping up with dental appointments preserves your overall health

Dental problems such as gum disease and tooth decay can contribute to a number of health conditions, including heart disease and pneumonia

Apart from dental hygiene, it is important to eat and drink well to maintain healthy teeth.

What food and drink you can have to help maintain healthy teeth:

Limit how often you have sweet foods: Consume them during mealtimes rather than between meals

Limit sweet drinks, including fruit juices

2. Choose healthy snacks: Fresh fruit, vegetable sticks, natural yoghurt, plain popcorn, soups or cheese.

Choose fresh fruit over dried fruit: dried fruit will leave a sticky residue on your teeth and can contribute to tooth decay

Cut down the sugar added to cups of tea and coffee.

Drink fluoridated tap water and plain milk instead of soft drinks, juice or cordial.

Have a piece of cheese after consuming sweet or acidic food: Dairy products assist in reversing the decay process

Brushing your teeth and cleaning between your teeth is important because it removes plaque. If the plaque isn’t removed, it builds up and can cause tooth decay and gum disease You should brush your teeth at least twice a day.

For more information or to book a Dental appointment call

263 or download the brochure here (select option 2 for Dental)

Learn more: wwwdhsvorgau/oral-health-advice/teeth-tips/food-and-drink

20%ofchildren14+havetriedavape! Community Health

Vaping is on the rise among youth in Australia According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2024) the number of young people aged 14+ who have tried an e-cigarette has significantly increased from 11.3% in 2019 to 19.8% in 2022-23. That is almost 1 in 5 young people being affected

Strict laws and regulations regarding tobacco cigarettes have forced the tobacco industry to design new ways of getting younger generation hooked on nicotine through the development and advertisement of e-cigarettes and vapes The sleek design and technological appeal of vaping devices makes them attractive to youth. The availability of a wide range of flavours, adds to the allure of vaping. The accessibility of vaping products also contributes to their widespread use among young people, with almost 9 in 10 vape shops within walking distance of schools

VicHealth recently partnered with QUIT to research the unethical ways the tobacco industry promotes and sells vaping products to young Australians via social media They found over 18 billion posts with pro-vaping hashtags and more than 18 thousand vaping influencer accounts worldwide. The tobacco industry pays social media influencers to post pro-vaping content that is targeted to young people Some of this information includes tricks on how to hide vapes from parents, showing how easy it is to purchase vapes online or in-store

The lack of regulations on social media platforms (Instagram and TikTok) means the tobacco industry can intentionally target this content to young people’s feed without their parents’ knowing

Parents, caregivers, and the school environment play a vital role in counteracting the marketing tactics of the tobacco industry We encourage parents and caregivers to have open, honest, and non-confrontational conversations with their child about the dangers of vaping before they are exposed VicHealth developed a Vaping Conversation Guide for Parents to support these meaningful conversations, and the Victorian Government has a Smoking and vaping: Advice for parents webpage with more information, advice and where to get help

DOWNLOAD

Vaping Conversation Guide for Parents

LEARN MORE

Smoking and vaping: Advice for parents

References:

AustralanInsttuteofHealthandWelfare (2024,April23) Alcohol tobacco&otherdrugsinAustralia wwwahwgovau/reports/alcohol/alcoho-tobacco-other-drugs-australia/contents/drugtypes/tobacco#eectronic-cigarettes

LungFoundatonAustrala (2021,July7) Vapingandyoungpeopleforeducators https//lungfoundationcomau/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Factsheet-Vaping-and-YoungPeople For-Educators-Jul2021pdf PublcHealthAssociationAustralia (2024,January31) Almost9 n10vapestoresarewthinwalking dstanceofschools wwwphaanetau/Web/Web/News/Meda-releases-2024/ VicHealth (2023 September15) Howvapngadvertserstargetyoungpeople wwwvichealthvicgovau/news-publications/research-publcations/how-vaping- advertsers-targetyoung-people

Nutrition&FoodInsecuritySupport

Nutrition & Dietetics

In Victoria, local government areas of both Whittlesea and Hume are at a higher risk of food insecurity In Whittlesea, the number of households that had run out of food and could not afford to buy more had doubled from 6% to 12% (Whittlesea Community Wellbeing report, 2017) In Hume, it was reported that approximately 6% of its population experience food insecurity (Beaudry et al , 2020)

What is food insecurity?

Food insecurity is defined as a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food. In Australia, 3.7 million households experienced food insecurity during 2023 (Foodbank, 2023). People who face food insecurity are not able to access enough food, on a regular basis, to meet their basic needs This can lead to eating lower-quality foods or skipping meals entirely

There are three components to food insecurity:

Food access: the ability to get enough food

Transport

Home storage and preparation spaces

Time to shop and prepare food

Food use: the appropriate use of food

Knowledge and skills on preparation and cooking

Basic nutrition knowledge

Food availability: the supply of food within the community

Location of grocery stores

Food available in store

Price of food in stores

There is help out there! Ask Izzy is a great website which can tell you what support services there are near you. (https://askizzy.org.au/).

Local supports in the City of Hume and Whittlesea:

Meal Relief

Salvation Army Craigieburn Corps - Community Lunch

Banksia Gardens Broadmeadows - Community Lunch

The SHAK (Mill Park Baptist Church) - Community Lunch

Food vouchers

Anglicare Craigieburn - Emergency Relief

CatholicCare Victoria Epping - Emergency Relief

Food parcels

Compassion North Craigieburn - Material Aid

Uniting Vic Tas Broadmeadows - Emergency Relief

Enjoy Church, North Campus Epping - Emergency Relief

Turbans 4 Australia - Material Aid

For any about budget grocery shopping/meals or a complete list of current local support services, please contact DPV Health Dietetics team

Our Dietitians listen and work with you to support your health, wellbeing and goals

1300 234 264 (select option 4) or download the brochure here

We help take the pain out of ageing, so you can keep doing what you love!

For more tasty, healthy and easy to make Recipes scan the QR codes or visit: www goodfoodforgoodhealth com au

INGREDIENTS

(400 grams) Rump Steak

(1 med) Green Capsicum

(1 med) Eggplant

(2 cup) Button Mushroom

(1 1/2 cup) Green Cabbage

(2 tbsp) Fish Sauce

(1/2 cup) Lemon Juice

(1 tbsp) Mirin

(3/4 cup) Basmati Rice

(4 tbsp) Vegetable Oil

PROCEDURE

Teppan-Yaki only takes minutes to cook but it is important to have all of the food preparation done before you start

Cut the capsicum into 3cm strips and then the eggplant and cabbage into similar sized pieces, cut the stem of the mushrooms so they can sit flat and clean with a dry paper towel.

Once all the food prep is done using ideally a cast iron pan otherwise the heaviest pan you have heat the pan until it is very hot.

While the pan is heating up combine the soy, lemon and mirin for the cheats version of ponzu dipping sauce.

5 Serve the steak and vegetables with the cheats ponzu sauce and rice cooked as per packet instructions

You will be cooking all the ingredients in the same pan starting with the steak cooking for 2-3 minutes on each side, followed by the eggplant, capsicum, cabbage and mushrooms in any order you desire