Reasons to Quit Sugar: It’s Not Just About Healthy Teeth? Are you a sugar junky and need some GOOD reasons to quit sugar for good – or at least take a holiday from it? Here are 7 reasons to quit sugar today. Reduce wrinkles A diet high in sugar can accelerate the aging process and lead to an increase in wrinkles, sagging skin and dark circles under your eyes. When sugar enters your blood stream it binds with proteins to form a complex known quite literally as AGEs. AGEs or advanced glycation end products are toxic compounds produced every time you eat sugar. They fast track aging and wrinkles by damaging collagen and elastin, the proteins that keep your skin soft, supple and youthful. AGEs also make your skin more susceptible to sun damage. Quit sugar today and kiss AGEs goodbye. Healthier from the inside out Every organ in your body is happier and healthier when you quit sugar. Here’s a quick run down of how your body will be healthier from the inside out when you give up high sugar foods.   Liver – a diet high in refined sugars can increase your risk of developing the same type of liver damage caused by too much alcohol. Regular sugar is 50% fructose and high levels of fructose from simple, refined sugars found in cakes, biscuits, soft drinks and sweets (not fruit) are linked to non alcoholic fatty liver disease.   Pancreas – sugar forces your pancreas to work harder to produce more insulin. The more sugar you eat the harder your pancreas has to work. Flog your pancreas with a high sugar diet over many years and one day it will simply decide it’s had enough and quit. A worn out exhausted pancreas is a fast track to developing diabetes.   Kidneys – AGE’s, the toxic compound formed when sugar binds with proteins also slowly damage your kidneys. As your kidneys become progressively damaged by AGEs, their ability to remove and clear out these nasty age accelerators decreases so you age even faster.   Brain – whole books have been written comparing the addictiveness of sugar to cocaine. Thanks to modern neuroscience research we know that sugar literally hijacks and rewires your brains reward pathways making you crave more and more sugar. The effects on your brain don’t end there, it also slows brain function, hindering learning and memory and the inevitable blood sugar crash from that chocolate bar or can of fizzy drink also makes you cranky, irritable and tired. There is now good evidence that chronically elevated blood sugar levels leads to brain inflammation which can contribute to some forms of depression and increase your risk...

Is Sandgate Brisbane’s Home of Healthy Living? What makes Sandgate Brisbane’s healthiest suburb to live? Here are 5 reasons why Sandgate simply can’t be beaten as the healthiest place in Brisbane. Exercise Whether you’re into running, walking, riding or even scootering with the kids, you simply can’t find a better place to get active outdoors than Sandgate’s waterfront. Why would anyone want to pound the pavement breathing in car fumes along busy main roads when you can jog for around 8km along the waterfront one way from Sandgate to Brighton. If it’s raining or you want to incorporate gym equipment into your fitness regime, there are several gyms and a health club in Sandgate, including a 24 hour gym. There’s also a local CrossFit gym and community at CrossFit 4017. If swimming is your thing then Sandgate Aquatic Centre has a 50 metre pool so you can swim laps with an ocean front view. For the more adventurous how about stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, windsurfing or kite surfing with Surf Connect? It’s hard not to get caught up in the fitness vibe with so many amazing places to exercise in Sandgate, Brisbane. Healthy food When you’ve finished your morning run, power walk, cycle, swim or Cross Fit class how about a cold pressed green juice at one of Sandgate’s organic wholefoods and juice bars such as Satori Organics? If you’re into fresh and healthy food Sandgate leaves you spoiled for choice with several local organic produce stores. There’s even a local farmers market held at Sartori Organics each Wednesday and Sunday so you can stock up on the freshest organic fruit and vegetables, handmade cheeses, artisan breads as well as fermented and gluten free goodies. Fresh unpolluted air Living in Sandgate lets you enjoy the best of both worlds; the clean living of a sea side suburb and the bright lights, bars, art galleries, museums and employment opportunities of a big city. You can be in the heart of Brisbane in about 30 minutes by train from Sandgate station. Whether you’re heading into the city for work or play there’s nothing like coming home to the clean salty tang of fresh ocean air in Sandgate. Abundant green spaces Green spaces such as parks and outdoor recreation areas make everyone healthier and happier. Research shows that more parks and trees not only give everyone space to exercise and play in nature but they also help to reduce stress, enhance mood and reduce feelings of fear, anger and aggression. They also create closer knit communities and safer neighbourhoods. Sandgate is one of Brisbane’s greener suburbs and is blessed with abundant parks and nature reserves, the most notable being the esplanade...

It’s the perfect place to enjoy an outdoorsy lifestyle - we love living in 4017 and we think it’s Brisbane’s destination for healthy living. We’ve teamed up with some of Sandgate’s other favourite health providers to help you get fit and healthy for Spring. Stay tuned all September for healthy options and tips for the 4017 area! Enter now to win some cool local prizes, including a full dental check up (including xrays) to get your teeth in shape too! a Rafflecopter...

What Is Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome And How Can it be Treated? If you’ve struggled with feeling tired and exhausted through the day, snoring and insomnia – speak with your dentist. You may be suffering from a condition called Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome. Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS) is like a milder version of obstructive sleep apnoea, although testing in sleep clinics will often not detect UARS. The disorder is more common in women and younger people and not unusual in the third trimester of pregnancy. It’s caused by difficulty breathing past obstructions in the upper airways, causing the brain to constantly rouse itself from the deeper, restorative stages of sleep. You may not even be aware of waking through the night; all you will know is that you wake feeling exhausted and you’re always tired, cranky and irritable. Symptoms of Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome The most common symptoms of UARS are: difficulty getting to sleep problems staying asleep snoring or heavy breathing excessive daytime sleepiness feeling exhausted in the morning morning headaches chronic jaw pain a dry and furry mouth and tongue on waking a scalloped tongue (teeth imprints around the edge of your tongue giving it a scalloped or frilled appearance). UARS is commonly misdiagnosed or mistaken for other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and depression. If you’ve been diagnosed with any of these and your current treatment and medication is not helping, it’s time to get a second opinion. How is Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome diagnosed? UARS can be diagnosed via an at home sleep test using the Medibyte portable diagnostic system. You don’t need to book into a sleep clinic or leave home. You simply use the Medibyte as instructed by your dentist during a normal night’s sleep in your own bed. The Medibyte is comfortable to wear and easy to set up. It will monitor and record the number of times your brain is aroused from sleep. Not every dental clinic has invested in this revolutionary diagnostic portable sleep study machine. Contact Robert Duhig Dentist for more information today. How is UARS treated? Once Upper Airways Resistance Syndrome has been diagnosed by the Medibyte portable diagnostic system, your dentist will work with you to develop a treatment plan to correct the condition. Treatment for UARS usually involves the use of oral appliances, exercise and lifestyle changes. You can finally start getting a good night’s sleep! Life changing treatment and diagnosis Imagine how good it would feel to finally start waking in the morning feeling refreshed and energised for the day ahead? With proper diagnosis and treatment, you can get your life back. If you or a family member suffers from...

What Happens When You Get Your Breath Tested At Our Breath Clinic in Brisbane? Find the answers and get solutions to your bad breath problems while you wait. At Robert Duhig Dentist, our state of the art bad breath analyser gives answers within minutes! The team at our breath clinic are Brisbane’s halitosis treatment specialists. Diagnosing the cause of bad breath is essential to treating the underlying cause and eliminating the problem for good. The Oral Chroma bad breath analyser is scientifically validated, non-invasive, pain free and suitable for both adults and children. Results are ready in minutes and treatment can be started straight away. How does the Oral Chroma bad breath analyser work? The Oral Chroma bad breath analyser works by measuring the different volatile gases responsible for bad breath. These gases are produced by various species of bacteria in your mouth and throat. It’s now clearly established that bad breath is caused by the wrong type of bacteria living in your mouth. These bacteria produce gases that smell bad. The three main gases responsible for bad breath are: Methyl mercaptan, which smells like faeces Hydrogen sulphide, which smells like rotten eggs Dimethyl sulphide, which smells like cabbage or gasoline. By analysing the concentrations of these gases in your breath, your dentist can determine which bacteria are the culprits responsible for your bad breath and start you on the most appropriate and specific treatment. How is your breath tested? When you arrive at our breath clinic in Brisbane, your dentist will ask you some questions and conduct an oral examination before testing your breath with the Oral Chroma. This typically includes questions about your medical history and diet followed by a thorough examination of your teeth and gums looking for infection, areas where food is impacted and tooth decay. Once the dentist is ready to test your breath with the Oral Chroma, they will place a syringe into your mouth – but don’t worry, there’s no needle attached to the syringe. You’ll be asked to breathe normally through your nose while the syringe is left in your mouth for a minute. The dentist will then suck up a sample of breath and inject this into the Oral Chroma testing machine. The machine takes about 5 minutes to analyse the gas samples in your breath and a report is printed once this is done. Your dentist will go through what the results mean and give you a copy of the report to take home. Identify and eliminate the bacteria that cause bad breath Once the Oral Chroma has analysed your breath and identified the problem bacteria, your dentist can work with you to correct the bacterial imbalance in your...