Kids seen playing cricket in suburbia on the nature strip between footpath and kerbside. Shock horror! When was this last seen. Today, most spend their spare time as couch potatoes, munching chips and choccies, or else bent over computer keyboards, either at play or work. We're heading for the hunched back, overweight epidemic which is coming closer by the minute. Yes, a group of 8 kids regularly play cricket close by. I nearly had heart seizure, to see their skills and agility to jump off the road as cars whizzed close by. Cricket is still alive, very robust, and parents are encouraged to keep the game alive, please offer regular encouragement and support.
Better still, the group I witnessed had a couple of girls playing batting and fielding. I yelled out "Good On Yer, Don Bradman", as a ball nearly hit my hat off as I walked by on my regular 30 minute health walk. "Don Bradman", the little Greek kid said, goggle eyed. "What�s that?" "Oh nothing", I replied, just a bloke from Bowral who liked cricket. "Dopey half wit", yelled his locally bred mate from behind the wickets. "He's a famous batsman". At least some of the younger kids hear history retold or watch historical sports on telly.
Australian youngsters are fatter and less physically active than in years past. Many are driven to school, instead of walking or pushing a bike as countless thousands did in the past. Safety is the usual reasonable answer given by parents. The backyard sports (front lawn, anywhere) or at school, gym, on picnics or anywhere on a regular basis is essential. Parents please encourage sensible eating patterns. Pack nutritious lunch boxes, provide a good spread of the essential foods, wholemeal bread sandwiches, fruit, (fresh and dried) vegetables, nuts, legumes, seeds, eggs, lean meat. The list is endless. A low-fat high-fibre menu is the ideal. Unless you instruct your children, they will suffer in the future.
Road accidents are worsening, not decreasing. Are we all more careless these days?
Whatever happened to those slogans of yester-year. Like: "Stop. Look! Listen!" drummed regularly into every school child. "Look to the right, then the left, right again, and cross at right angles." All common sense, but invariably forgotten, as people, and children, meander across roads like "Browns Cows". Some cities have "LOOK RIGHT" painted on road intersections - at least a start.
A friend spent his adolescent and early adult spare time water skiing. Absolutely fabulous ... at the time. Now, much older, he has already had two hip replacements and still limps when walking.
The terrifying pressures transmitted via tow rope, body and ultimately hip joints finally takes a toll. The joint linings wear thin, and finally bone grinds upon bone. As most sporting people find out to their chagrin years later when it is too late.
Does one completely get over glandular fever?
This common viral infection of teen years leaves its mark forever. Although acute symptoms eventually vanish, later on symptoms often resurface. Specially if one becomes over-tired, stressed out (e.g. examinations, etc) suffers recurrent viral invasions, becomes physically "run down". Swollen glands, malaise and fatigue often re-surface. Which underscores the need to keep fit and well at all times to avoid these resurgences.
I eat oranges, I suffer from sore lips later?
The white lining of the orange peel is notorious for irritating lips, so try and avoid it when eating. Ideally, peel first, removing all white. If in doubt, wash lips thoroughly with water after the feast.
A friend fell pregnant whilst taking the pill.
I'll bet she either forgot it for 1-2 days, or had a tummy upset leading to vomiting or diarrhoea. If so the pill would not have been absorbed, or more probably, was taking antibiotics simultaneously. This can affect the way the liver handles the pill, often reducing its efficiency for several days. Of course, this means pregnancy protection zeroes out. Think hard. Also, it's salutary advice for all other women relying on the pill.