National Bandanna Day - Oct 26

Today is National Bandanna Day which helps raise important funds for young people with cancer. Please help Canteen raise funds and awareness through the purchase and wearing of a bandanna!

Wearing a bandanna sends the message to young people with cancer that they are not fighting it alone.

If you would like to buy a bandanna please visit Woolworths, Woolworths Petrol, Wendys, Super Cheap Auto, BCF, Goldcross Cycles, Amart, Ray’s Outdoors, Rebel Sport, Newslink, and GNC Live Well or street stalls nationally today.

Your support means that CanTeen can continue to run vital counselling and support programs as well as work to establish special youth cancer centres and services to help young people rebel against cancer.

World Animal Week and Collars not Cruelty campaign

After a bit of a break (hey, it was my first wedding anniversary) I am back and wanting to discuss something very close to my heart.

Animal cruelty.

My husband and I are the type of people who will honestly tear up about a news reports about an animal that has been abused at the hands of a person or hearing about how it is customary for other cultures around the world to torture animals as part of their food processing...

My beautiful Cocker Spaniel, Charlie. Dogs deserve to live happy and full lives without cruelty and torture. No animal should have to suffer at the hands of a human unnecessarily.

I want everyone to remember this - animals don't have a voice and they can't fight back when they are trapped, scared or abused. It is not acceptable to treat any creature, no matter how big or small, young or old in a way that is not respectful of its life.

According to the WSPA website, 20 million dogs are killed every year in a cruel way. That's 38 every minute. People believe that killing a dog will end rabies - this is not true.

From today until October 10, it is World Animal Week and WSPA Australia is running a 'Collars not Cruelty" campaign to protect dogs from being drugged, gassed, strangled and tortured to death in the fight agains rabies.

I think that education is key - people need to know about what is going on so that they can inform others. Please go here to show your support: http://www.wspa.org.au/

This is a really important cause, and if you're like me and love your dog like it is your own child, you'll back this very important cause.

Remember that animals don't have a voice and it's not fair for humans to treat them in an inhumane way.

Cancer Council - Daffodil Day August 26

http://www.daffodilday.com.au/

It's Daffodil Day today - Cancer Council's most important day of the year for fundraising to help find a cure for cancer.

If you think 1 in 2 people who get cancer is one too many, please buy a daffodil today or go online and donate - any donations over $2 are tax deductible.

The target to reach is $9.5 million for patient support and research - so far funds raised sit at $827,000.

Please get behind this worthy cause because every person is affected by cancer in one way or another.

Making changes for the better

With lots of new and exiting things happening in my life, I’ve decided that I want to do a complete overhaul so that I can be in the best physical shape and have the healthiest mind/body I’ve ever had.

I’ve decided to join Hello Sunday Morning (http://hellosundaymorning.com.au/) and have joined many others who have taken the pledge to give up alcohol for a minimum of three months.

I can honestly say I am pretty proud of myself for making this commitment – it’s not as though I rely on alcohol, but I do like to have a glass of wine from time to time. It’s more the excessive consumption on a weekend that I think I really need to cut back on.

I think binge drinking in Australia, especially from 18-30 year olds is a growing problem and it’s sad because it often causes irreversible damage to those who abuse alcohol.

As part of my total transformation I’ve also decided that I want to know more about the food me and my family are consuming. 

I love cooking, as most of my friends would know, and I’ve realised that it’s no good putting things into our bodies when we don’t even know what they are. For instance, if you read the back of a chip packet and there are several different preservatives, added colours and flavours and ingredients that you can’t even pronounce… why would you eat something that you couldn’t even say?

I’ve decided that anything I cook, I am making from scratch so that I know exactly what is in the meal I’ve made.

Cutting back on red meat and animal products in general is also something I’ve committed to doing and to clarify, I don’t mean turning vegetarian.

What many people don’t realise is that consuming meat-and-three-veg is not an ideal diet to survive on. It’s proven that red meat causes cancer if consumed on a regular basis (or more than four times a week).  Saturated animal fats are among the worst kinds of fat we can put into our bodies.

So in the spirit of understanding the things I consume, I’ve decided I am going to do a course in nutrition – not full time, but I just want to take it up as a part-time hobby, because I’m generally interested in making a change and being better educated when it comes to what I put in my body.

I have a couple of dear family friends who are battling life-threatening illnesses at the moment and they remind me that at the end of the day, being healthy and happy is the main thing in life. It’s not about materialistic crap – if you don’t have your health, you don’t have much of a life, so it’s important to look after yourself.

I am not judging anyone or making any outlandish statements by doing this – it’s just a personal decision and something I want to do for me. I still endeavour to be social and go out with friends who are drinking, but I’ll just stick to the mineral water thank you very much!

If anyone has participated in a nutrition course (on the Gold Coast) I’d really like to hear about your experience and what you got out of it.

Hello Sunday Morning

http://hellosundaymorning.com.au/

I have recently discovered this site where you basically make a pledge to quit alcohol for three months (or longer).
Hello Sunday Morning was created by Chris Raine, a 24 year-old Brisbane resident after he simply got over waking up with a huge hangover every Sunday morning.
Chris' theory is that binge drinking is increasing in younger Australians, so he set up a site where participants who have taken the pledge to give up grog for at least three months and blog about it - sharing their experience with others (blogging is optional). Chris himself gave up alcohol for a total of 15 months.
I think it's a great idea and I'm going to take the pledge myself. Check out the site if you're interested.

International Women's Day

Just a quick note that today is International Women's Day. I just wanted to tell all the wonderful women in my life that I love them so much! Today marks 100 years of this milestone - so make sure you tell all the women in your life how much they mean to you on this special day!

This year's theme is: Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women.

For more information about the day go to http://www.internationalwomensday.com/ 

QLD Floods

By now you would obviously have heard about the heartbreaking floods affecting thousands throughout Queensland during the past few weeks.

A snapshot of the facts:

-More than two dozen towns flooded
-Over 200,000 people affected
-Eight people confirmed dead – more than 70 missing
-Damage bill estimated at approx $5 billion
-Coal, beef, agriculture industries devastated

Just this morning were distressing reports from Toowoomba, which has been severely inundated by flash flooding in the past 24 hours. The flow-on effect from this means major damage likely to surrounding areas including the Lockyer Valley, Murphy’s Creek, Gatton, Grantham and Ipswich. Brisbane City and surrounding suburbs are also at risk of flash flooding.

Please people in these areas, as well as the people living in areas already affected around Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Roma, Emerald and St George, in your thoughts and prayers.

The Queensland Government has set up an appeal where you can donate towards the crisis. It is important to remember that some families have lost everything.

If you would like to donate please choose one of the following options:

Donate online

Make a donation to the Premier’s Disaster relief appeal using a secure payment form here http://telethon.smartservice.qld.gov.au/

Donate by phone

Call 1800 219 028 to donate using your credit card.

Donate by internet banking

The account details for donations are:

Account Name: Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal
BSB: 064 013
Account number: 1000 6800
SWIFT code for international donations: CTBAAU2S

Once your transaction is complete, you should record the receipt number for your transaction. If you do not receive a receipt number, contact your financial institution.

If you would like a receipt for tax purposes, please forward a request, with proof of donation to:

Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal
C/O Department of the Premier and Cabinet
PO Box 15185
City East QLD 4002

Donate by mail

You can post a cheque donation – please do not send cash.

Cheques should be made payable to:

The Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal
ABN: 69 689 161 916

Cheques should be posted to:

Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal
C/O Department of the Premier and Cabinet
PO Box 15185
City East QLD 4002

Donate in person at:

-Commonwealth Bank
-NAB
-Westpac
-ANZ
-BOQ
-Suncorp
-St.George Bank
-Bank SA (Bank of South Australia)
-Australian Central Credit Union
-Savings & Loans Credit Union
-Bank West
-Australian Central Credit Union
-Savings & Loans Credit Union
-Coles supermarkets.
-Woolworths supermarkets.

Sustainable love

It’s a weird thing wanting to be rid of things. I mean in the literal sense; actually wanting to throw things out.

I know a lady who is a hoarder. The definition of a hoarder is someone who obsessively and excessively acquires possessions (and fails to discard them) even if the items are worthless, hazardous or unsanitary. There is even a show on pay TV about it.

Hoarders have every single area of space in their living environment covered in possessions that they can’t bare to throw away. Even if it’s a moth-eaten holey sock that has a funky smell about it. It might be of use someday…

I look at myself as the opposite of this – a chucker – a term I just made up. I love, love, love to chuck things out. Not to have the items replaced or anything, it’s just that I get a great sense of satisfaction using something, finding no more need for it and throwing it away or recycling it.

One of my favourite bi-annual things to do is give my wardrobe a really good cull and send my pre-loved clothing off to lifeline – a quick note: The Planet Ark National Recycling Week is happening from November 8 – 14 if you want to find out more go to http://recyclingweek.planetark.org/

It’s a more sustainable way to live and instead of buying new clothing, visit some of the great vintage clothing markets that are popping up around the Coast. One particular one is The Village Markets at Burleigh (here is their website) http://www.thevillagemarketsgc.com.au/location.html

Now I don’t claim to be a tree-hugging hippie (no offence) but I just believe we need to do what we can to make a difference for our environment, not matter how small. One thing that irks me is that stupid people still (despite years of marketing by the recycling companies and GCCC) throw plastic bags into recycling bins. YOU CAN”T RECYCLE PLASTIC BAGS!

Garage sales are also a great way for all you borderline hoarders to clear some clutter from your abode and make some cash at the same time – your trash may be someone else’s treasure! If you haven’t used something in 12 months, it’s likely you won’t use it in the next year so take a deep breath, open that garbage bag and let go of it!

We cleared out our garage over the weekend and as well as looking lovely and clear, we chucked any broken, unusable objects and packed a ute-load of old books, blankets, kitchenware and miscellaneous objects off to Lifeline. It wasn’t the most exciting job, just as this isn’t the most exciting post, but little things make a difference!