Olwen Anderson's Blog

With every diagnosis comes free advice, it seems – from friends, from family, from Facebook. One commonly held belief about asthma is that dairy makes asthma symptoms worse; that it increases mucous production. But is there any scientific evidence to back this up? And if this is what you actually experience as an asthmatic, why does it happen?

With a heavy heart, you realise that your waistband isn’t shrinking. Your belt confirms, as you let it out another notch, that your stomach really is getting bigger. What’s causing this subtle yet relentless weight gain? 

A confession and a revelation first: I didn't seek out this book; my supervising counsellor recommended I read it. So I duly obtained a copy and began. And the revelation: This book has nothing to do with God as Christianity knows it.

Within a few pages I wanted to toss the book across the room. Apparently, many other readers and people who've attended the author's retreats felt the same way. You might too, if you decide to read it. But, since this was 'assigned homework', I persisted. And I'm glad I did - because the book is full of insights, gentle guidance, and sometimes in-your-face realisations about your relationship with food.

There are some really enjoyable insights into "your internal weather pattern" (p.193), how the way you eat could be the key to finding what you believe in (p.77), and lots of others. But you'll probably have to keep reading beyond your discomfort, as I did.

If you suspect that your relationship with what you eat perhaps isn't all that you'd like it to be, then you'll find this book useful. But perhaps not enjoyable in the beginning. Persist.

Even just a few decades ago, the meal we started the day with was quite different to the kind many people now experience; and I wonder how much this is contributing to the skyrocketing obesity and diabetes statistics. There were no ‘instant’ breakfast cereals or meal replacement drinks back then.  Instead breakfast was a defined meal, enjoyed sitting down at the table with other household members.

Ever wondered why sugar is so addictive? It’s sometimes regarded as the ultimate legal drug from its effects and how easily it can propel you to seek out your next ‘fix’. “But I don’t eat sugar” is a frequent response; yet most of us would be shocked to learn how much sugar we’re actually eating because it’s so well concealed.

You’ve probably seen those lycra-clad people purposefully striding towards their yoga class, colourful rolled-up mat tucked under their arm. Should you be doing yoga too? After all, so many folk seem to be taking part these days, and apparently enjoying extra flexibility and strength as a result. 

You’re entitled to feel a little nervous: relaxing outside on a balmy tropical evening, you notice a mosquito feasting on your arm. Although your instinctive reaction means the mosquito’s life comes to an abrupt end, you can’t help but worry.

Bad breath is one of those embarrassing conditions that can really put a dampener on your social and romantic life. Finding the source can be challenging though, so here are some common causes and a couple of home remedies to help.


The key point to remember is that bacteria smell. The more bacteria, the more powerful the odour they create through their sulphurous off gassing. Somehow, humans are attuned to detecting the distinctive aroma of harmful bacteria. Perhaps that’s how we’ve learnt to detect ‘off’ food that could poison us and to feel repelled by the smell of contagious infection. Bad breath means bad bacteria, means instinctive revulsion.
The challenge with treating bad breath is discovering what part of your anatomy that smell originates from, and persisting long enough to evict the unwanted colony. Start at your mouth, as it’s a hive of bacterial activity. 


Bacteria are constantly being ingested through food, on air particles, and through kissing (technical term for a process of exchanging body fluids with others). To help keep you safe your immune system has established boundary patrols on all surfaces, called immunoglobulins. They identify potentially dangerous bacteria then alert immune cells to destroy them. This happens in all areas of your body where the inside meets the outside world: sinuses, nose, mouth, intestines, ear canals, vagina, urinary tract.


We also host colonies of commensal (helpful) bacteria on these surfaces. Although the good bacteria also have a distinctive smell, to us they don’t smell ‘bad’, because they’re ‘good’ bacteria.
Change the conditions on your internal mucous membranes and the bacterial balance will change, as will the smell. When you consider your mouth, tongue, tonsils and sinuses are full of moist little crypts harbouring bacteria, you can see how easily an odorous colony could set up their own safe haven.


Further down your digestive tract, reduced stomach acidity (which often happens with age) promotes bad breath; simply because the pH of food when it leaves your stomach affects the bacterial balance of your intestines; and bad bacteria love a more alkaline intestinal environment that an inadequately acidic stomach promotes. 


Some people find the addition of a little apple cider to water before a meal helps boost their stomach enough to restore bacterial harmony. Another home remedy for bad breath is chewing fresh parsley. But to wipe out bad breath completely you need to locate their safe havens and dislodge them by changing your internal environment.

As an adolescent rite of passage, acne can make life hell for some teenagers. Some aren’t affected at all, for others the condition is bad enough to draw taunts of ‘pizza face’. It’s cruel: this is a time of life when teenagers become more conscious of their appearance as individuals, and discern their place in the world. If you experienced acne when younger you know first-hand how the embarrassment can really dent your confidence and self-esteem.

I’m not sure if you’ve ever heard yourself murmuring that modern mantra “I’m too busy to….make a real breakfast…..exercise….meditate…. (insert term for any particular health-boosting activity that takes time and effort). But in fact “too busy” could really be code for “this is not important to me”.