By Roger French

The typical Australian way of eating is high in fat, sugar, white flour, stimulants and chemicals, and low in vegetables, fruit and fibre.

It’s all back to front. What we need is food that is unprocessed, low in fat, high in fibre, free of refined salt, caffeine and additives, and with the bulk of the diet being fresh vegetables and fruits.

These guidelines are literally ‘guidelines’ to take us much closer to the way we humans are designed to be nourished. They are not a universal prescription for every person, as there is no perfect diet for everyone. Some people will require variation to suit individual needs, for which professional guidance could be helpful or possibly essential.

By Natasha Trenev

Our health depends to a large extent upon beneficial ‘probiotic’ gut bacteria and the controls they exert over pathogenic (disease-associated) microorganisms. The digestive tract is occupied by microbes that are indigenous to the body and are part of its ecology. It does not try to eliminate them, nor does the immune system attack them – they are essential to us.

By Frank Carioti (speaking on 27 March, 1995)

At 11.00 pm on 4 December 1992 I was sitting at home when I was suddenly hit by this massive pain in the chest. I went weak, my throat felt tighter, my eyes started watering, I had an urge to go to the toilet and I began vomiting. I had no idea what was happening and wondered if it might be indigestion.

by Mark Berriman

As climate change issues become of increasing concern, so too is how Australians are viewing their gardens. According to a Newspoll survey conducted in July, 2008 – commissioned for the ’Life is a Garden’ initiative by Nursery and Garden Industry Australia (NGIA) – 60% of Australians see their own backyard as the place where they can make the most significant positive impact on the environment.