In an attempt to provide you with some ‘feel good Friday’ vibe, here are some brief stories to make you smile.
Mental Health benefits in quitting smoking
In case anyone needed further encouragement to quit, a new article has debunked the idea held by some smokers that there are psychological benefits to smoking.
In a study published last month in the BMJ, Change in Mental Health after Smoking Cessation, the authors note that many smokers report psychological benefits from smoking. The conclusion of the report however is to note that there is an association between cessation of smoking and improved mental health. The authors looked at a range of mental health indicators including depression, anxiety, combined depression and anxiety and stress.
All showed significant improvement on cessation of smoking. The question remains however what the association between smoking cessation and mental health is? Is cessation the causative factor? Does an external factor influence both cessation and mental health? Whatever the cause and effect the authors conclude that smokers can be reassured that cessation of smoking is related to mental health benefits. Read the paper here.
Every minute of exercise you do as an adult gains you seven minutes of life.
This article on Dr Justin Coleman’s blog presents some compelling numbers (extrapolated from known data) for those who find themselves too busy to exercise. I particularly like the message that “if you do 15 minutes of moderate exercise per day for 40 years, on average you will live an extra three years”. Read the post here.
Service with a smile
Frank Hollingworth recently celebrated 51 years of service as an Aboriginal Health Worker. Aged 80 and questioned about retirement Frank said ‘there can be no greater satisfaction and joy than knowing you are giving back in some little way to the community you come from and live in.’
Learning and laughing
In the light of the concerning decision from the government to ration the medication management review program here is a timely (and enjoyable) reminder of the dangers of polypharmacy by James McCormack. This musical and educational take will make you smile (love the nod to Cochrane library).
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp3pFjKoZl8&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]