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bodyandsoul •

How to stop body insecurity from ruining your summer holiday

Imagine yourself poolside, clutching a lychee martini, as the warmth of the sun touches your bare skin for the first time in months. If you’re anything like me, this is the image gently encouraging you to press ‘confirm’ on your accommodation booking and watch your bank balance drop from a much-dearer-than-expected flight booking. Never mind all of that, you need a holiday, and it will be so worth it when you step off that plane into paradise.
But as your dream holiday approaches, and you dust o...
bodyandsoul •

'My doctor is on TikTok – should I trust them?'

Those with a nightly doom-scrolling habit have likely been confronted at some point with one of the millions of videos on social media proffering medical advice to the masses. But have you ever wondered if the lab coat wearer on the screen is actually a qualified doctor, or a self-proclaimed expert spreading unverified information? ‘TikTok docs’ are inviting us into their virtual offices in droves. Currently, the hashtag ‘doctor’ boasts 3.1 million posts on TikTok and a whopping 17 million on In...
The Sydney Morning Herald •

Jelena Dokic has lost 20 kilos. If only she could shed the trolls

Jelena Dokic has lost 20 kilograms. And again, we’re hit with deja vu as she’s inundated with body commentary from trolls and supporters alike.For years, body trolls have dwarfed the achievements of Dokic, arguably one of the best tennis commentators we’ve seen. She has long been both vocal and powerfully vulnerable about the abuse she has faced at the hands of her ex-coach and father, and from trolls online – the latter focused squarely on her changing body.Now Dokic’s body has changed again. S...
Mamamia •

If there's one conversation to start with your kids, make it this.

Some of the most magical moments in parenting or mentoring kids are the conversations we have with them. The stories your two-year-old tells in babbling run-on sentences. Hearing the third grader in your class explain the nature of gravity with such enthusiasm and delight. Talking with the teens you coach and watching their brains come up with novel ways to make our world better. These conversations can light your soul on fire, fill you with awe and remind you what life is really about. But that...
Mamamia •

Why we should be focusing on glimmers in the 'hard years' of parenting.

Early parenthood, amirite?It’s the best of times, it’s the worst of times and just when your head can’t take one more hours-long whine-athon, your little people go exploding your heart with paralysing joy.Last Wednesday, I got a call from a frazzled friend (also a working mum of an almost three-year-old) to tell me the weird itching that was driving her crazy at daycare drop-off was, in fact, lice. Right before that, I’d sent a crying-laughing emoji (yes hi, I’m a millennial) back to another fri...
Mamamia •

Why we should be focusing on glimmers in the 'hard years' of parenting.

It’s the best of times, it’s the worst of times and just when your head can’t take one more hours-long whine-athon, your little people go exploding your heart with paralysing joy.

Last Wednesday, I got a call from a frazzled friend (also a working mum of an almost three-year-old) to tell me the weird itching that was driving her crazy at daycare drop-off was, in fact, lice. Right before that, I’d sent a crying-laughing emoji (yes hi, I’m a millennial) back to another friend’s picture of her war
The Age •

Should I have married my husband? Red flag culture would say no

Anyone who has walked down an aisle or stood under a 50-year-old gum to affirm a legally binding, lifelong pact has probably asked themselves at some point in the intervening years: “Should I have done that?″⁣ It’s normal to question the big stuff. Hell, these days it’s pretty standard to spend up to an hour researching which bar to meet at. Interestingly, last week I found myself doing both. Shortly after clinking glasses with a long-time single girlfriend, our power catch-up turned to her dati
The Sydney Morning Herald •

In a fat-phobic world, Ozempic is hardly the easy way out

Imagine living in a body that is, by overwhelming consensus, regarded as wrong. Imagine being told your entire life that you need to change it. Imagine trying everything humanly possible to do that, only to wind up exactly where you started, or worse off.

Now, imagine there’s a drug that, by many reports can maybe, finally, help you achieve what the world has been asking of you your whole life. Imagine taking it and finding it does work for you (though importantly, this is not the case for many
body+soul •

Can eating only raw food really heal… anything? We asked the experts

Right now, TikTok is abuzz with talk of a pretty old-school diet that sees devotees breaking up with their ovens in favour of 'raw-only eating’. With influencers espousing benefits like clear skin, hormone balance, lasting weight loss, better sleep, shinier hair - oh and muscle aches or joint pains? Gone.

Then there are those promising that a raw food diet, or even just a short detox (eating raw for a specified period - generally 30 days) can cure autoimmune diseases, and even help treat cancer
Mamamia •

We need to talk about the cost of divorce in 2024.

Talking about divorce when you’re in a happy marriage can feel a bit like planning for your death on your sweet 16th — it just feels… wrong.

But, much like making a will (while we’re here, take this as your cue to get on that), becoming divorce-literate is one of the healthiest things you can do for your future emotional (and financial) well-being.

The reality is, about half of marriages end in separation, so it pays to put your pragmatic grown-up hat on just in case your fairytale ending turn
body+soul •

Millennials are entering their 'millenopause' era

Along with skinny jeans, crying emojis (or emojis in general), and using our Hogwarts house to describe our personalities, millennials love making up words to signpost things we’re going through. Call me a cringey millennial, but I’m on board.

In the past, we’ve had ‘adulting’ (doing anything decidedly responsible), ‘Xennials’ (older millennials, or millennial Gen-X cuspers), and more recently, ‘hot girl walks’ (two or more women out for a walk). Now, a new term is sweeping the internet, so it’
The Age •

No ill will but you could be making your sick friends feel worse

“Oh, you’ve just had your thyroid removed? I’m so glad you’re feeling better.” Venturing out just days post-op, I hightailed it to my favourite almond-chai haunt and soon found myself in a pleasant chat with an old acquaintance. She continued: “My sister had her thyroid out. She used to be absolutely tiny, but now she’s huge.” Think before you blab. Well, that took a turn, didn’t it? Indeed, but not an unexpected one. The latest stats reveal that we make up almost 50 per cent of the Australian p
Mamamia •

'Our three-year-old son has a brain tumour. There's still so many moments of joy.'

After Henry, who was just two at the time, fell over and hit his head while chasing a bird, he was taken to hospital for tests as a precaution. But the results revealed something much worse than Alex and Mark could've ever imagined – there was tumour the size of a mandarin growing in their toddler's head. 16 months on, the brave Queensland family share what they've learned as they support their little boy through the fight of his life. You can never see it coming. "I think I floated away from my
body+soul •

Why thin people aren't necessarily healthier

There are links to higher body weight and certain diseases

Dr George Balalis, a bariatric, upper GI and general surgeon based in Adelaide tells Body and Soul, “In Western cultures, such as Australia, the U.S and U.K, there are increased risks related to increased weight.” He says these may include “high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, sleep apnoea, and atrial fibrillation,” among others. But despite this, Dr. Balalis does not believe that weight by itself is a perfect determinant of heal
body+soul •

Having a low body confidence day? These tips can help

If you’re out there in the world, living in a body you often struggle to love, then you dear friend, are in excellent company. A recent study from The Butterfly Foundation found that over 90 per cent of young people feel dissatisfaction with their bodies, with further research across multiple English-speaking countries suggesting body image distress is on the rise across all ages and gender identities.

Over the past several years, many of us have been discovering new ways to be in better union
The Age •

Sobriety is your choice. Stop preaching that it should be mine

Most of the time I’m simply cosplaying as a responsible adult. Like many Millennials, I’m increasingly startled by the suggestion that I’m now genuinely a grown-up, though seeing my childhood 90s fashion return to vogue renders it pretty hard to ignore. There are myriad ways in which I fall short. For example, I’m eternally forgetting to buy milk, and I habitually neglect to move the clothes from washer to dryer fast enough to avoid smelling like a musty swamp. Spurn alcohol if you wish, but don
The Sydney Morning Herald •

Why couples should split the bill on the pill

There are all kinds of jobs involved in heterosexual sex. Some are more fun than others. But it’s women who have long been tasked with outlaying the time and money to facilitate a baby-free-bang. Yes, much like domestic chores, the mental load, child-growing and subsequent rearing, pregnancy prevention is typically a woman’s role.

Science is here for us of course, working to develop a possible evening-up-of-the score in the form of the male contraceptive pill. But if men’s historical reliabilit
Mamamia •

‘My daughter was fat shamed by a stranger. She's 2.’

*Kayla was sitting with her little girl, freshly two years old, sharing a pastry on the bench at the playground. It was a sunny Wednesday and the two were having a lovely snack break when an older woman strolled past and remarked, “She’d better slow down on those with a belly like hers.”

“I almost couldn’t believe it,” Kayla told Mamamia, “Looking back, I wish I had snapped something back to her, but I honestly was too stunned to speak. I think I muttered something like, ‘Er what?’ but she kept
bodyandsoul •

It turns out sugar doesn’t make kids ‘hyper’ - but this does

It’s a familiar story. We’ve all heard tales from parents about how hyperactive their kids get after stuffing themselves silly with birthday cake.

Perhaps you’ve heeded warnings from well-meaning grandparents, friends, or strangers to keep your kids away from the sweet stuff lest they bounce off the walls at bedtime.

And the whole thing feels, well, true, right? I mean, have you ever been to a children’s birthday party? They’re not for the faint-hearted – it’s a beautiful kind of chaos, but af
The Sydney Morning Herald •

Should grandparents be paid for childcare or should Nanna do it for nada?

The best part of being a grandparent is getting to hand them back, right? Well, it doesn’t always work that way. Picture it: you’ve finally managed to retire, you’re settling into a new pace of life and the next few decades are shining ahead of you, gloriously golden. Then your kids start in with the babies. It’s no secret that the bulk of unpaid care work still falls disproportionately on women. You’re thrilled, obviously, practically giddy anticipating all the joy en route for your family. But
bodyandsoul •

Getting over Covid or the flu? Here’s how to ease back into exercise

We all know rest is the best medicine when we’re smacked with a bug as mighty as influenza or Covid-19.

But what if you’re a month into taking it easy, and though you’re still not quite right, the thought of spending one more afternoon on the couch flicking through Netflix has you climbing out of both your skin and your well-worn Oodie?

Movement can be an important component of a healthy recovery from sickness, and with the right approach, you could be back to your regular routine sooner than
bodyandsoul •

We know comparison is the thief of joy, but how do we stop?

So, your best friend just landed her dream job, your sister recently popped out her third, perfect baby, and your colleagues appear to be the very definition of ‘thriving’ at work. You’re thrilled, right? You’re utterly beside yourself with adulation and pure and blessed contentment for their good fortune.

Sorry, I forgot we’re not living in a monastery.

There’s a reason why Shannon Knowles’ What About Me? was such a hit back in 2004. And it’s not such an easy thing to talk about, but that’s p
The Sydney Morning Herald •

My toddler is constantly misgendered. It may be the best thing for him

It’s curious how confidently strangers use “she” or “her” when referring to my son. They clock his wild curls, growing unopposed for a good two years, and they’re immediately certain – long hair must mean girl.

My son is two. He has naturally taken to ball sports, outside play and, oddly, garbage bins – all traditionally masculine pursuits. (Well, maybe not the bins.) I dress him in clothes bought mainly from the boys section and, beyond his curly mane, nothing about him discernibly signifies “
bodyandsoul •

Does your phone use border on 'digital self-harm'?

Last month, two of my close friends holidayed with their families in a tropical island paradise.

We could have been right there with them, sipping margaritas and listening to the soothing strum of a ukelele, but we couldn't get our all ducks in a row to make it work. Instead, I waved them goodbye and felt genuinely thrilled about their upcoming adventure.

But by the second day of zipping up my puffer in this icy Melbourne winter, I opened Instagram, heart in my shoes at the sight of them all t
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Travel Stories

bodyandsoul •

How to stop body insecurity from ruining your summer holiday

Imagine yourself poolside, clutching a lychee martini, as the warmth of the sun touches your bare skin for the first time in months. If you’re anything like me, this is the image gently encouraging you to press ‘confirm’ on your accommodation booking and watch your bank balance drop from a much-dearer-than-expected flight booking. Never mind all of that, you need a holiday, and it will be so worth it when you step off that plane into paradise.
But as your dream holiday approaches, and you dust o...
bodyandsoul •

'Intense wellness' retreats are going viral, but are they really worth the hype?

I brought along Mum for my three-night stay in paradise, not because she needed a health retreat, as she told me the night before we arrived, “I’m as relaxed as it gets, my life is very balanced at the moment” (nice for some). No, I roped her in because she’s bloody good fun, we love to travel together, and it turns out we needed some quality time without my darling three-year-old interjecting. 
It would also turn out that we were in good company. One lunch, sitting in the dining space we found...
Mamamia •

The 7 cultural experiences you wouldn’t expect to find in the USA.

The nifty thing about a country as vast and diverse as the USA is that no two visits will ever look the same.Sure, there are some absolute must-sees and bucket-list experiences that most tourists will have heard of — I’m talking about The Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls and of course, a ferry trip out to see Lady Liberty herself. But when traversing a country made up of states and territories, each with its own stories to tell, you’re bound to come away with some unique experiences under your travel...
Mamamia •

'Yes, holidays are different with a toddler. But they’re so worth it.'

Remember when holidays meant sleep-ins and long brunches, devouring books on the beach, and letting your worries melt away with the tide? Yeah, me either. Those memories have faded along with my tan.Since having a kid, my mini breaks have generally included a mini breakdown (or six). On our recent trip, by the time we got on the plane to leave, I was questioning if the whole thing was even worth the trouble.Watch: Holidays? What holidays with kids? Post continues below.And while I am a huge prop...
Mamamia •

'I went on a holiday without my toddler. I can’t recommend it enough.'

There’s a soft urgency in parenting. As joyous as the days can be, there’s always something lurking beneath the surface, stimulating your sympathetic nervous system. Maybe it's a potential tantrum or a blow-out nappy at an inopportune time. Maybe it’s the precarious lunch order you risk
leaving uneaten at the table thanks to a surprise meltdown over a spilt babycino. It’s all part of the ride, but it does take a toll. For me, the past two years have brought with them a beautiful new baby boy, bu...