Page 42 - Tropic Magazine Issue 18

TROPIC • HEALTH
TROPIC • HEALTH

Prescribing

growth

NEW SERVICES
Cairns Private Hospital is
expanding by embracing
new technology and
treatment options. WHAT’S NEW AT CAIRNS PRIVATE STILL TO COME IN 2019
Words Renee Cluff Mohs Micrographic Surgery After Hours GP clinic
A skin cancer removal technique in Driven by patient demand, Cairns
Cairns Private is in the midst of a very which microscopic layers of the patient’s Private Hospital’s After Hours GP
busy year. The hospital is introducing skin around the cancer are removed in clinic will open later this year. The
new ways of performing delicate increments. The skin is immediately clinic will provide safe, high-quality
surgery, cementing its place as a leader examined while the patient waits to and timely care, provided by highly
in mental health services and will soon determine whether the cancer has been skilled and experienced GPs who also
open an after-hours GP clinic to allow completely removed. If it hasn’t, the work in the local community.
people to directly access the hospital’s surgeon removes the remaining section Computerised navigational
services at night. of skin and the pathology process is spinal surgery
CEO Ben Tooth told Tropic that being repeated, resulting in a high cure rate Enhancing the hospital’s established
part of Ramsay Health Care, the with the smallest hole. spinal surgery service, computerised
country’s largest private hospital Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic navigational spinal surgery involves
operator, allows Cairns Private to draw Stimulation the use of several pieces of technology
on the experiences and support of a wide A non-invasive procedure using to both plan and execute delicate
network of sister facilities to introduce electromagnetic energy to stimulate operations. Scans of the area are
fast-paced technological changes while certain areas of the brain to improve turned into a 3D computerised
maintaining high levels of care. symptoms of depression. A Psychiatrist reconstruction of the anatomy which
“We’re excited about the continued prescribes the treatment, typically when the surgeon can view, manipulate and
expansion of specialised services at other depression treatments have not even interact with before using it to
Cairns Private Hospital” he said. “Being been effective. A pulsing magnet is navigate through surgery.
at the forefront of new technology placed on the scalp and works by altering
provides an opportunity to better serve the brain’s electrical activity and the
community healthcare needs as more chemicals involved in controlling mood. MORE: cairnsprivate.com.au
options become available locally.”

Energy is a wanted
commodity

Words: Alison Donnelly, Healthy Hub
Ever wondered why your energy levels plummet when
you have the flu? The energy producing part of your cell
(mitochondria) has gone into survival mode, known as the
Cell Danger Response, activated whenever the body senses
a threat to its homeostasis (balance). Factors include stress,
infection, nutrient deficiency, over-exercise, food poisoning
, trauma
or injury. It is estimated that by age 40, the number many pharmaceuticals, toxins, mould, pesticides and heavy
of mitochondria drops by half due to our Western lifestyle, metals. Some beneficial foods include dark leafy vegetables
with negative factors such as bad food choices, inactivity, (magnesium), good quality grass fed meats, wild caught
stress, nutrient deficiencies, bad sleep/wake cycles, and cold water fish, cauliflower , wild blueberries and nuts
artificial light. and seeds.
The good news is we have the capability to not only improve Some supplements with the biggest benefit for mitochondria
the functioning of the mitochondria but also increase are Magnesium, D-ribose, Coenzyme Q10, B vitamins and PQQ.
their numbers. You can do it with simple changes to your The good news is the best food source, by a long shot, is good
lifestyle such as bringing your sleep-wake cycle into balance quality dark chocolate or raw cacao powder. Get on it!
(known as the circadian rhythm), daily physical activity
(but not over exertion as more is definitely not better), cold MORE: Healthy Hub at 45 Moffat St in
water therapy ( think swimming at a local waterhole on a Cairns North or thehealthyhub.com.au
winter’s day ) and a voiding “mitochondrial poisons” such as

42 • Tropic • Issue 18