This week the Government officially opened the new Suicide Prevention Office.
It is a key component of the Government’s suicide prevention strategy and action plan announced back in September
The Suicide Prevention Office will initially be established as a team within the Ministry of Health's Mental Health and Addiction Directorate and is led by director Carla na Nagara.
She joined Andrew Dickens to talk about how the office will work and what the Government and country can do to reduce suicide levels.
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At the very moment the Sky City Convention Centre caught fire, I was on air at Newstalk ZB telling the world I had prostate cancer. 1.13pm. October 22. 2019.
The reason I went public will my condition was because other than a negative blood test I felt in rude good health. I felt it was a good warning that tests work.
I tested and decided on a radical prostatectomy. I don't know why it's called a radical procedure. It is what it is. A mastectomy is radical but they don't go on about it. Maybe it's just a boy thing.
I had my prostatectomy on November the 20th. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be. However, the catheter I had to wear after the reconstruction of my urethra was every bit as bad as I thought it would be. But nobody said this thing was going to be a walk in the park.
Last Thursday, November 28, was a great day. I went to my specialist and he took the bastard pipe out, pronounced me fit for public company and then he told me what they found.
It was a small tumour that took up about five per cent of the gland. It was mildly aggressive. Grade 2. 7 on the Gleason scale. However it had done something weird in that it was slightly poking out of the prostate. That's what these things normally do once they've got big enough and then it's off to colonise the rest of your body and screw you up. So it was a small but ambitious little bugger of a cancer.
The good news is that it didn't get out. The margin, or the area around the prostate, is clear.
The next step is to have a blood test in January to see what my PSA levels are like. If they're zero I'm all done. If they're not...well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
So all my team think it means I did the right thing. If I'd waited to see I could have been a bit rooted.
So this morning I'm sitting here writing to you. I appear to be pretty continent which is a relief. I'm at work. Life seems to be back to normal already. Bizarre.
It's the sort of thing that came up again this week with the tragic case of the 35-year-old Wanaka Mum who went to her doctor with a lump on her breast. She was sent home with the message "you're too healthy for cancer". A second opinion a month later decided to test and the lump is grade 4 and she is in the fight of her life, raising money for alternative treatment in Mexico.
Hello: if in doubt, test! Nobody is too healthy for cancer!
So a few points. Since I first went public I've had many people contact me and say thanks for reminding them to test. Five men, or their women, have now contacted me to say that they tested after my prompting and more testing has to be done. You're welcome. That's why I broke my privacy.
When I first railed on about the Wanaka case I got a lot of people complaining that the power to test still rests with your GP and I was told of many cases of GPs refusing to refer patients to testing.
To that I say, it's your body, not your doctor's. If you want it, get it done. Get a second opinion.
Cancer already holds too many of the cards in the game of life. It doesn't need your doctor, even if well-meaning, slipping it an ace under the table.

At the very moment the Sky City Convention Centre caught fire, I was on air at Newstalk ZB telling the world I had prostate cancer. 1.13pm. October 22. 2019.
The reason I went public will my condition was because other than a negative blood test I felt in rude good health. I felt it was a good warning that tests work.
I tested and decided on a radical prostatectomy. I don't know why it's called a radical procedure. It is what it is. A mastectomy is radical but they don't go on about it. Maybe it's just a boy thing.
I had my prostatectomy on November the 20th. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be. However, the catheter I had to wear after the reconstruction of my urethra was every bit as bad as I thought it would be. But nobody said this thing was going to be a walk in the park.
Last Thursday, November 28, was a great day. I went to my specialist and he took the bastard pipe out, pronounced me fit for public company and then he told me what they found.
It was a small tumour that took up about five per cent of the gland. It was mildly aggressive. Grade 2. 7 on the Gleason scale. However it had done something weird in that it was slightly poking out of the prostate. That's what these things normally do once they've got big enough and then it's off to colonise the rest of your body and screw you up. So it was a small but ambitious little bugger of a cancer.
The good news is that it didn't get out. The margin, or the area around the prostate, is clear.
The next step is to have a blood test in January to see what my PSA levels are like. If they're zero I'm all done. If they're not...well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
So all my team think it means I did the right thing. If I'd waited to see I could have been a bit rooted.
So this morning I'm sitting here writing to you. I appear to be pretty continent which is a relief. I'm at work. Life seems to be back to normal already. Bizarre.
It's the sort of thing that came up again this week with the tragic case of the 35-year-old Wanaka Mum who went to her doctor with a lump on her breast. She was sent home with the message "you're too healthy for cancer". A second opinion a month later decided to test and the lump is grade 4 and she is in the fight of her life, raising money for alternative treatment in Mexico.
Hello: if in doubt, test! Nobody is too healthy for cancer!
So a few points. Since I first went public I've had many people contact me and say thanks for reminding them to test. Five men, or their women, have now contacted me to say that they tested after my prompting and more testing has to be done. You're welcome. That's why I broke my privacy.
When I first railed on about the Wanaka case I got a lot of people complaining that the power to test still rests with your GP and I was told of many cases of GPs refusing to refer patients to testing.
To that I say, it's your body, not your doctor's. If you want it, get it done. Get a second opinion.
Cancer already holds too many of the cards in the game of life. It doesn't need your doctor, even if well-meaning, slipping it an ace under the table.

Blogger Megan Singleton recently completed a lengthy trip around China.
Having explored the various cities and provinces she went to, Singleton joined Francesca Rudkin to discuss the surprising things she learnt while travelling around the country, from the level of pollution they produce to how the country keeps everyone under control.
LISTEN ABOVE

Blogger Megan Singleton recently completed a lengthy trip around China.
Having explored the various cities and provinces she went to, Singleton joined Francesca Rudkin to discuss the surprising things she learnt while travelling around the country, from the level of pollution they produce to how the country keeps everyone under control.
LISTEN ABOVE

By Manal Mohammed for The Conversation
Fermented foods have become very popular, thanks to claims about their nutritional properties and reported health benefits, such as improving digestion, boosting immunity and even helping people lose weight. Some of the most popular fermented foods include kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, tempeh, natto, miso, kimchi and sourdough bread.
But though these fermented foods might offer us many health perks, most people aren’t aware that they might not work for everyone. For some people, fermented foods might cause serious health issues.
Fermented foods are loaded with microorganisms, such as live bacteria and yeast (known as probiotics). However, not all microorganisms are bad. Many, like probiotics, are harmless and are even beneficial to us.
During the process of fermentation, probiotics convert carbohydrates (starch and sugar) into alcohol and/or acids. These act as a natural preservative and give fermented foods their distinctive zest and flavour. Many factors affect fermentation, including the type of probiotic, the primary metabolites these microbes produce (such as lactic acid, or certain amino acids), and the food undergoing fermentation. For example, probiotic yogurt is produced by fermenting milk, most commonly with lactic acid bacteria that produce lactic acid.
Fermented foods contain high amounts of probiotics, which are generally considered safe for the majority of people. In fact, they’ve been shown to have anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-atherosclerotic activity. However, some people might experience severe side effects after consuming fermented foods.
1. Bloating
The most common reaction to fermented foods is a temporary increase in gas and bloating. This is the result of excess gas being produced after probiotics kill harmful gut bacteria and fungi. Probiotics secrete antimicrobial peptides that kill harmful pathogenic organisms like Salmonella and E. Coli.
A recent study showed this antimicrobial effect of probiotic Lactobacilli strains found in commercial yogurt. Although bloating after eating probiotics seems to be a good sign that the harmful bacteria are being removed from the gut, some people might experience severe bloating, which can be very painful.
Drinking too much kombucha can also lead to excess sugar and calorie intake, which may also lead to bloating and gas.
2. Headaches and migraines
Fermented foods rich in probiotics – including yogurt, sauerkraut and kimchi – naturally contain biogenic amines produced [during fermentation]. Amines are created by certain bacteria to break down the amino acids in fermented foods. The most common ones found in probiotic-rich foods include histamine and tyramine.
Some people are sensitive to histamine and other amines, and may experience headaches after eating fermented foods. Because amines stimulate the central nervous system, they can increase or decrease blood flow, which can trigger headaches and migraines. One study found that low-histamine diets reduced headaches in 75% of participants. Taking a probiotic supplement might be therefore preferred.
3. Histamine intolerance
Histamine is plentiful in fermented foods. For most, our body’s specific enzymes will naturally digest them. However, some people don’t produce enough of these enzymes. This means histamine won’t be digested and will instead be absorbed into the bloodstream.
This can cause a range of histamine intolerance symptoms. The most common are itching, headaches or migraines, runny nose (rhinitis), eye redness, fatigue, hives and digestive symptoms include diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting.
However, histamine intolerance can also cause more severe symptoms, including asthma, low blood pressure, irregular heart rate, circulatory collapse, sudden psychological changes (such as anxiety, aggressiveness, dizziness and lack of concentration)...

By Manal Mohammed for The Conversation
Fermented foods have become very popular, thanks to claims about their nutritional properties and reported health benefits, such as improving digestion, boosting immunity and even helping people lose weight. Some of the most popular fermented foods include kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, tempeh, natto, miso, kimchi and sourdough bread.
But though these fermented foods might offer us many health perks, most people aren’t aware that they might not work for everyone. For some people, fermented foods might cause serious health issues.
Fermented foods are loaded with microorganisms, such as live bacteria and yeast (known as probiotics). However, not all microorganisms are bad. Many, like probiotics, are harmless and are even beneficial to us.
During the process of fermentation, probiotics convert carbohydrates (starch and sugar) into alcohol and/or acids. These act as a natural preservative and give fermented foods their distinctive zest and flavour. Many factors affect fermentation, including the type of probiotic, the primary metabolites these microbes produce (such as lactic acid, or certain amino acids), and the food undergoing fermentation. For example, probiotic yogurt is produced by fermenting milk, most commonly with lactic acid bacteria that produce lactic acid.
Fermented foods contain high amounts of probiotics, which are generally considered safe for the majority of people. In fact, they’ve been shown to have anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-atherosclerotic activity. However, some people might experience severe side effects after consuming fermented foods.
1. Bloating
The most common reaction to fermented foods is a temporary increase in gas and bloating. This is the result of excess gas being produced after probiotics kill harmful gut bacteria and fungi. Probiotics secrete antimicrobial peptides that kill harmful pathogenic organisms like Salmonella and E. Coli.
A recent study showed this antimicrobial effect of probiotic Lactobacilli strains found in commercial yogurt. Although bloating after eating probiotics seems to be a good sign that the harmful bacteria are being removed from the gut, some people might experience severe bloating, which can be very painful.
Drinking too much kombucha can also lead to excess sugar and calorie intake, which may also lead to bloating and gas.
2. Headaches and migraines
Fermented foods rich in probiotics – including yogurt, sauerkraut and kimchi – naturally contain biogenic amines produced [during fermentation]. Amines are created by certain bacteria to break down the amino acids in fermented foods. The most common ones found in probiotic-rich foods include histamine and tyramine.
Some people are sensitive to histamine and other amines, and may experience headaches after eating fermented foods. Because amines stimulate the central nervous system, they can increase or decrease blood flow, which can trigger headaches and migraines. One study found that low-histamine diets reduced headaches in 75% of participants. Taking a probiotic supplement might be therefore preferred.
3. Histamine intolerance
Histamine is plentiful in fermented foods. For most, our body’s specific enzymes will naturally digest them. However, some people don’t produce enough of these enzymes. This means histamine won’t be digested and will instead be absorbed into the bloodstream.
This can cause a range of histamine intolerance symptoms. The most common are itching, headaches or migraines, runny nose (rhinitis), eye redness, fatigue, hives and digestive symptoms include diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting.
However, histamine intolerance can also cause more severe symptoms, including asthma, low blood pressure, irregular heart rate, circulatory collapse, sudden psychological changes (such as anxiety, aggressiveness, dizziness and lack of concentration)...

The days of having to clean stains off toilets may be over.
Researchers at Penn State University have developed a new spray-on coating, believed to be slipperier than Teflon, which will make it harder for faecal stains to become stuck to your porcelain. 
The research was done to help build toilets that can be used in the developing world.
The find is more than just aesthetically pleasing. Michelle Dickinson joined Francesca Rudkin to discuss why it's good for health and the environment. 
LISTEN ABOVE

The days of having to clean stains off toilets may be over.
Researchers at Penn State University have developed a new spray-on coating, believed to be slipperier than Teflon, which will make it harder for faecal stains to become stuck to your porcelain. 
The research was done to help build toilets that can be used in the developing world.
The find is more than just aesthetically pleasing. Michelle Dickinson joined Francesca Rudkin to discuss why it's good for health and the environment. 
LISTEN ABOVE

A history of Auckland's volcanic field, and what may be the future, has been highlighted in a new book.
Geologist, marine ecologist and volcano expert Bruce Hayward has added to his bibliography with Volcanoes of Auckland: A Field Guide.
The book highlights the over 50 volcanoes that are spread across Auckland and the history of each one. 
But the big question everyone wants to know is; when is the next eruption going to happen?
Hayward joined Francesca Rudkin to discuss the country's volcanic fields and what we can expect should another volcano make itself known, and how much of a threat it actually is. 
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