Hello and welcome.
It's been a big few days here at the practice and across the businesses. Some real milestones landed, some good conversations along the way, and there's more still in the works.
Personal Highlights
Ella has bought herself a moped for her time in Perth, and by all accounts is settling in well.
Recording two episodes with Sydney interventional cardiologist Dr Fiona Foo was a genuine highlight this week, covering menopause and cardiovascular risk, and heat illness. Great conversations both, and I'm looking forward to sharing them with you soon.
I also caught up with Pat Howard from Talius, always good to reconnect and hear where things are heading on the remote monitoring front.
It's also been a week with some nice social connection more generally, good to slow down and catch up with people outside of work.
Did You Know? Heat Illness :
With summer coming on, this felt like the week to talk about heat illness.
Heat illness sits on a spectrum. At the mild end there are heat cramps and heat exhaustion, heavy sweating, weakness, nausea, headache, cool clammy skin. Push past that and you get heat stroke, where the body's cooling system fails altogether. Core temperature climbs above forty degrees, the skin can turn hot and dry, or stay drenched in sweat, and confusion sets in. Heat stroke is a medical emergency. If someone is confused, has stopped sweating despite the heat, or loses consciousness, call triple zero.
Some people are at real risk before they even feel unwell. Older age is a factor on its own, and so is chronic illness, particularly heart and kidney disease. Certain medications raise the risk too, including some blood pressure tablets and diuretics, so it's worth knowing if you or someone you love falls into that group. Dehydration, alcohol, exertion in the heat, and simply not having access to good ventilation or air conditioning all add to it.
If you suspect heat exhaustion, get the person into a cool space, remove excess clothing, apply cool water or ice packs to the neck, armpits and groin, and get fluids into them if they're alert enough to drink safely. For heat stroke, do the same while you wait for emergency help. Don't wait to see if it passes.
The simplest prevention is often overlooked. Stay ahead of your fluids rather than waiting to feel thirsty, avoid pushing hard through the heat of the day, and check in on older relatives or neighbours during a hot spell.
I'll go through all of this properly with Sydney interventional cardiologist Dr Fiona Foo in an upcoming episode. Keep an eye out for it.
Professional & Business Updates
Education, Research, and Partnerships
Cholesterol Explained is now fully out to everyone who helped bring it to life, a satisfying milestone after a big year of writing. I also recorded two new episodes with Dr Fiona Foo, covering menopause and cardiovascular risk, and heat illness, both coming soon. I also did a morning radio interview with a Newcastle station for Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Week, and had a good catch up with Pat Howard from Talius on where our remote monitoring work is heading.
Longevity Lab
The team spent a full day training on the Thermal Wellness Pod, and it's ready to go…….. very excited - reach out if you wold like to know more
OsteoStrong™ Hobart
Membership continues its gradual, steady growth, and Bone Buddies sessions are soon to kick off properly.
Featured Reminders
Here are a few products and tools that Chelle and I personally use and have discussed on the podcast.
These are affiliate links and are commercial in nature. They provide a genuine win–win — you receive access at a discount through your association with the Healthy Life Network, and I receive a financial benefit if you choose to purchase through them.
I only share products I personally use or believe may be of benefit, and you should always make your own informed decision.
NuCalm: www.nucalm.com, code DrWarrickNuCalm, 15% off for life, plus a seven day free trial - I’m stillusing this daily
Fatty15: partners.fatty15.com/WARRICKBISHOP - fascinating back story
PEMF (BestCellf): www.bestcellf.com.au/?ref=HealingMats - incredible technology - energising the cells, acting through the calcium channels.
Community: Healthy Life Network - join free
Cholesterol Explained: Cholesterol Book
Quiz Corner
Last week's question: Can you name the main parts of the brain, and what each one does?
Answer: The brain breaks down into a few key regions. The frontal lobes handle reasoning, planning, decision making and impulse control, along with voluntary movement. The parietal lobes process sensation and spatial awareness. The temporal lobes manage hearing, language and memory. The occipital lobes handle vision. Underneath all of that, the cerebellum fine tunes balance and coordination, and the brainstem, including the midbrain, quietly runs the essentials, breathing, heart rate, alertness and reflexes. Tucked in the middle, the limbic system, including the hippocampus and amygdala, drives memory and emotion. Different regions, all working as one system.
This week's question: What is atrial fibrillation, and why does it get an entire Awareness Week dedicated to it? I'll share the answer next week.
Final Reflection
A book finding its way to the people who helped write it. A new tool ready in the lab. Good conversations with old contacts and new ones. None of it happens in a straight line, and none of it happens alone.
Warm regards, Dr Warrick
Helping people live as well as possible for as long as possible
Disclaimer: Dr Bishop is unable to provide individual patient advice over the internet due to the complexity and importance of health related issues. Australian guidelines prevent professional specialist advice being offered without an appropriate referral.