Health screenings are important at every stage of your life and an important part of maintaining a work-life balance.

Having scheduled health screenings is a great way to feel like we have some control over our bodies. So many health problems depend on early detection for effective treatment, including cancer, heart disease, and many autoimmune diseases. Here are the health screenings, check ups and exams you should have at various stages of your life.

Health checks in your 20s

You’re in the prime of your life, and the last thing on your mind is health problems. And that is exactly why health screenings are so important. In our 20s, we’re placing our bodies under a lot of stress – from partying, overwork and sometimes pregnancy. The health checks that most 20-30 year-olds should have include:

• Blood pressure checks: High blood pressure is a risk factor in the development of heart disease, and stress, carrying excess weight and being inactive can all contribute to high blood pressure.
• Bloodwork: Your blood should be screened yearly for glucose levels (an indicator of diabetes), cholesterol levels, levels of thyroid hormone and electrolytes (abnormal levels can indicate kidney function problems).
• Pap smears: Women who smoke or take the contraceptive pill should be especially vigilant about these health screenings, but all women should try to get a Pap smear done bi-yearly.
• Dental check and clean: You should have your teeth professionally cleaned and checked annually for early signs of decay.
• STI screenings: Sexually active adults should be screened by STIs, especially diseases which show no symptoms like Chlamydia, every year.
• Weight assessment: Sometimes it is difficult to know whether you are in a healthy range or not.

Health checks in your 30s

Those first grey hairs and a face that isn’t quite as bouncy as it once was often force us to think more about the condition of our bodies. Most of us are still at relatively low risk for many diseases, but you should get health screenings and check ups in your 30s like:

• Regular screenings: Just the same as you have been doing in your 20s, go for a yearly bloodwork, weight check, blood pressure check, dental check, and a 3-yearly Pap smear (if you have the bits required to test!).
• Depression screenings: If you consistently have trouble concentrating and don’t find anything to look forward to in life, be screened for depression.
• Skin cancer checks: It can be hard to identify, and your 30s are a common decade for skin cancer diagnosis.

Health checks in your 40s

In your 40s, the life distractions of kids and a career in full swing often put your health on the backburner. Even if you do little else, though, make sure you get the following health screenings:

• Your regular health screenings: The same one you were getting in your 20s and 30s are still important.
• EKG: An electrocardiogram should be done yearly; measuring your heart’s electrical activity can warn of arrhythmia and impending heart attack.
• Fecal occult blood tests: This health screening, though it can be embarrassing, is better than dying of fairly common colorectal cancer.

Health checks in your 50s and later

In many ways, people over 50 feel like they’ve hit a second prime. You’re at full earning capacity, and may even be unfettered by your darling children, as many of them will have moved out by this stage. Keep it positive in your 50s by getting the following health screenings.

• Regular health checks: Keep going with those.
• Bone density checks: To screen for early signs of osteoporosis
• Prostate exams: For men over age 50
• Mammograms: For women over age 50. These are offered free at periodic clinics around Australia.
• Vision and hearing checks: Deteriorating vision and hearing shouldn’t be a normal part of life in your 50s – have them checked regularly.

In addition, immunisations are important to maintain at all ages. Ask your doctor which shots are appropriate for you – most adults get a flu shot every year, tetanus booster every 10 years, and a pneumococcal shot every so often.

Health screenings take time – but they definitely free you from worry! Remember prevention is definitely better than cure and the quicker you are diagnosed for a potential problem, the quicker it can be treated. Doctors love to see people being proactive – so book a general health screening appointment today.

The Australian online dating industry grew by 5 per cent last year and is expected to grow by a further 5 to 10 per cent this year so what’s stopping you from putting your heart on the line?

Model turned author Tara Moss wrote in her blog about her recent experiences with online dating and how she met her now husband on a popular dating site. Once a stigma, online dating is seen as the intelligent way of searching for a partner. Each of the major Australian dating websites have in excess of a million members. So if it’s good enough for Tara Moss, could it be enough for you take the plunge and see if you click with someone online?

What online dating website should I join?

One of the most popular websites is RSVP but the online dating website you join will ultimately depend on how narrow or wide you want to cast your net. There are websites that cater for people looking for specific criteria; whether you are looking for people who are a specific culture or religion, have interests such as fitness, you’re looking for a casual or serious relationship or even looking for a millionaire.

If you’re too scared to join up to an online dating site, you may want to dip your toe in the water and add Zoosk to your Facebook account. Zoosk is an application integrated with social networking websites like Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, and Hi5. Facebook has over 400 million active users and Zoosk is a popular tool which has been added by over 8 million Facebook members and has 924,346 fans.

How do online dating websites work?

With most traditional websites, you create a profile on the site which generally includes your photo, a small blurb about yourself and what you are looking for in a partner and your hobbies and interests. The profiles are approved by the moderator of the website to make sure they are appropriate for the website ie no profanity or indecent pictures.

Usually, you will get a far better response (3 to 10 times better!) with a posted picture than without. If you’re worried about privacy, some sites even let you password protect your photo and only allow members you select to view it. After your profile is approved, you are free to search through the list of members and contact any members that catch your eye.

Some recently launched websites in Australia such as eHarmony and MyType (owned by the same company as RSVP) match people based on their psychological profiles. Unlike other conventional online websites, your profile will only be sent to people who are considered a compatible match for you. This may be based on core values like character, intellect, sense of humour, spiritual beliefs, passion, and other factors so don’t lie on in your test!

How much will it cost to join an online dating website?

Most online websites do not charge a fee for you to join the online website but may charge a subscription or one off fee for contacting members. Monthly fees may vary so investigate the cost of membership before you join. You don’t want to meet the love of your life and be unable to contact him or her due to financial constraints!

There are far and few free online dating services to choose from and be wary that if a site may be free such as Craiglist, it may not be managed as well and as safe. One free online dating service you may want to try is Oasis Active which claims to be a 100% free dating service for singles. Members can create profiles and contact other members for free.

So what are the rules for online dating?

There are certain precautions to take when finding a potential mate online. The Craigslist killer springs easily to mind! Experts suggest that if you are serious about finding a relationship online that you do not spend weeks on end talking to a potential match and meet up in the first few weeks.

This is good for two reasons; you can rule out the tyre kickers who are just interested in cyber chats and maybe more and you can see whether you have chemistry face to face beyond a pixelated image. Be careful not to create a false intimacy with someone you haven’t met and may not be attracted to in real life.

Make sure you meet in a public place during the day and give a good friend or relative the details of your meeting place, who you are meeting and their contact details. Arrange a backup plan for your friend to ring you so if the date isn’t proceeding as you wish, you can make an excuse and leave quickly.

Online dating not your thing?

If you are working in a high-profile position or you are just simply afraid to put your profile online, you may want to try an executive dating agency instead. These boutique agencies will charge higher fees from $1,600 – $6,000 depending on the individual agency and the level of package you choose.

However you will be afforded a higher level of discretion and confidentiality than an online dating website and your potential matches will be vetoed by your agency who may even do a full security check on whether they have had any previous convictions, their marital status and whether they have been bankrupt and their financial status.

Agencies you may want to try are Blue Label Life which claims to have an unrivalled 92% success rate based on a scientifically proven CQ Test to measure compatibility. Elite Introductions is also a very popular agency with offices in Sydney and Melbourne. Trudy Gilbert, the Trudy Gilbert, the Director and Founder is a regular guest on the Today Show.

So what are you waiting for? Put your profile and heart on the line … and join an online dating website. Remember it’s a numbers game so the more people you meet, the closer you are to finding your perfect match. Whether you’re just testing the waters or plunged right into the online dating pool, having all these people pay attention to you may be the ego boost you need to get out of your dating rut.

The past 30 years have shown us that house prices generally double every 7-10 years. This makes it more and more difficult for  first home buyers to get their foot in the door of their very own property. Here are some  tips to save for a house deposit for potential home owners low on funds but high on motivation to buy their first home.

Create a budget - ensure that you are in a positive cash flow position with more money coming in than going out. If not, cut back on unnecessary items and start curbing your spending habits. If your mobile phone bill is excessive, change to a pre-paid plan, move in with your parents or reduce the amount of money spent on eating out and entertainment.

Writing down your spending behaviour – Remember that budgets usually reflect 20% less than your actual spending. By writing down what you actually spend your budget will be more realistic and and you will be able to analyse where you are spending more than you should or where you are shortchanging yourself  in regards to necessary items like food or transport.

Get rid of credit card debt – The high interest rates on your credit cards mean that you should pay these off first before you start to save. It may delay the process but just as credit card debt snowballs in the wrong direction, when it is moving in the right direction it goes just as fast.

Pay your investment first- Saving for a house deposit also includes dedicating an affordable amount into your budget to go towards your house loan savings. Pay this first, bills second and only spend what is left over. Getting into a regular habit of putting money aside will put you in good stead when you do get a mortgage.

Make the most of your savings – Chose a premium savings account and preferably one that has a high level of interest and low fees. You may find separating your accounts into spending, expenses and savings makes it easier to save and get together a house deposit.

Understand how much you need to save – there are always unexpected costs that creep in at settlement so it is a good idea to find out what these are and have an extra $5000 up your sleeve to prevent the deal from going unexpectedly pear shaped.

Keep an eye on the market – This is vital. Start to investigate the trends in the market so that you understand what you should be paying when you are ready to make your purchase. Go to open house inspections and start looking at real estate websites to get a feel for the market.

Getting together a home loan deposit can be tough, especially for first time buyers but by following these tips and being patient, you will be able to save for a home deposit and develop good financial management skills in the process. Whatever your circumstance, putting aside money each week and being realistic about the property market and what area you can afford to buy in will get you into the property market a lot sooner than you think.

One of the biggest obstacles in building a healthy relationship is actually ourselves. Are you emotionally available or emotionally exhausted? Read on to find out how this affects your ability to create the proper environment for your relationships to prosper…

Emotional availability … it’s a psychological buzzword for a characteristic that we can all pick up on in people, whether we are romantically interested in them or not. A simpler way to say it would be ‘He’s just not that into you’ … and there are books, movies and Sex and the City episodes aplenty to watch if you want some real-life examples of that condition! Here is some relationship advice to work out whether he’s emotionally available and really ‘into you’ and what should you do if he isn’t.

What is Emotional Availability?

You know if someone is truly interested in you. They ask about your life and they care about what happens to you when you aren’t around. They share details of their own lives and ask you for help. This is emotional availability.

A more dictionary-esque definition of emotionally available might be “the ability to comfortably and confidently share thoughts, feelings, time and energy with another person in a relationship” … but we all know what unavailability feels like. It feels very lonely, even when you’re sitting next to each other. It’s the feeling of having to force words out of your mouth, because you know they won’t really be heard or cared about. It the constant wonder about your position in the other person’s heart … and it just feels yucky.

Remember that physical availability doesn’t always equal emotional availability. There are many people who are willing to be there in body, but not in spirit. They will talk about only superficial subjects, or go through the motions of a relationship very mechanically.

How to make sure your potential partner is emotionally available

Here are some signs in an early relationship to help you determine if your partner will be emotionally available:

• You are certain that yours is the only romantic relationship in their life is a good indication of their emotional availability
• They proudly talk about you to friends and family
• They venture details about their day, both external and internal events. For example, “This is what happened; this is how it made me feel”.
• They are willing to spend time with you, and their old friends, together

Remember, though, that there is a difference between maintaining independence and emotional unavailability. Everybody needs time to indulge their own hobbies, to do their own work and to just be alone with their thoughts.

It’s usual for the amount of time you spend together and the number of issues you agree on to start petering off after a few weeks or months in a relationship – this cycle is healthy. Emotional unavailability can be seen when you drift apart, and then just keep drifting instead of striking a balance.

But, I can change!

There is a single inevitability in the universe – change. Leopards might not change their spots … but people change every day! Don’t just give up on a relationship with an emotionally unavailable person – try some of the following steps.

Try to make yourself as emotionally available as possible. Talk about you feelings, and ask about theirs if you want to know. Keep asking – some people are just too shy or have low self-esteem.

• Make sure you maintain some independence. Don’t suffocate your partner with requests for time, with constant conversation, etc. At the same time, don’t put up with living with a brick wall that likes to party without you!
• Consider relationship counselling. For many people this is the catalyst that allows their relationship to heal, and it is always worthwhile trying before chucking in a marriage or long-term partnership.

If this relationship advice and all else fails, remember that people change when they are ready to change, and sometimes nothing you do or say will quicken the process. It may even take a breakup for them to realise the error of their emotional ways. Emotional unavailability is not a walk in the park, and like so many factors in human relationships, there are no hard and fast rules or answers. In the end, you’ll know when you made enough effort … and what you have to do to be happy.

It’s very true, what the Beatles said …. money can’t buy you love or happiness. Self improvement and happiness don’t just ‘happen’ when you’ve saved up enough money to upgrade your car, house or children’s school. Also, much as the feeling seems convincing at the time, happiness is also not a new pair of shoes or a bout of retail therapy. Here are some ten self improvement tips that can help you find lasting happiness.

Mitigate morning madness

Set your alarm so that you have plenty of time to have breakfast, a shower, and tidy up after yourself before you leave the house. Then, tell yourself before you go to sleep that “I am going to wake up when my alarm rings. I will press the snooze button once, and then get out of bed”.

Pencil it in

Create a realistic priority list of tasks that you want to achieve for the day, and make a concerted effort to tick every one of them off. The key to using this self improvement tip is not to overload yourself and to also schedule some relaxation time.

Weekend maximiser

Do you ever find that you’ve spent an entire weekend stressing about work? No wonder we all feel that weekends aren’t long enough! Check tip #2 above, and pencil some ‘fun’ into your weekend schedule so turn off your computer and stop checking your Blackberry.

Generosity killed the ’sads’

Humans are social creatures, and helping the people in your society is a wonderful personal development strategy to make yourself feel good. You don’t have to become a homeless shelter volunteer … but do take your co-worker’s teacup to the sink on your way, hold out the bag of sweets to your neighbour at the bus stop, and make dinner for an overworked friend.

The serenity to accept the things that you can’t change, the courage to change the things that you can

It’s a little trite nowadays – but if you think about this concept for a while and try to apply it to situations in your own life, you can find plenty of inspiration to either let go, or move forward.

Parlez vous …?

Learn a new language! It takes a while, but when you have the reward of a holiday in a country that has the language you’ve chosen as its native tongue it becomes much easier to motivate yourself.

Mix it up

Deliberately try to do things in a way that you usually don’t. The simple act of walking a different way to the bus stop or going to a new bar for after work drinks can really broaden your experience. Aim to achieve this on a larger level as well – to visit places you’ve never been, to speak to people that you usually wouldn’t or perhaps changing careers.

Face your fears – take a plunge

Deliberately doing things that put you outside your comfort zone are essential to personal development because they force you to look at the world in a new way … from a position of strength, courage and personal power.

Beauty is as beauty does

For many of us, thinking about our appearances takes up a significant portion of the day. Remember when your mother told you that true beauty is on the inside? She was right. Self improvement is about what’s on the inside, and you’ll have more energy for that without the distractions of excessive grooming. Spend your weekends without makeup, and wear clothes that make you feel comfortable.

Bend it, stretch it, just a little bit

Exercise is what our bodies were designed for – work that requires you to spend an entire day sitting down is a very recent social development. You’ll feel better able to deal with problems, more energetic, be less prone to depression and have a higher level of cognitive function if you make the effort to exercise every day.

Happiness has little do with the things you have, and so much to do with how you feel inside and what you do with your life! Try incorporating these self improvement tips and strategies into your life every week, and see how much difference it makes to your personal satisfaction level. Because in the end, who makes the most difference in your life? You do!

There is no doubt that fast food is not only fast but also cheap, however eating healthy doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Here are five tips for eating healthy on a budget…

Junk food itself may be the cheapest source of rich calories – but what you save on the wallet, you’ll pay for on your hips, in your medical bills, and in your self-image. Despite the messages that we get from fast food outlets, it is possible to save money on food in the short term, and on our health in the long term. Here are our best tips for healthy eating on a budget.

Preparation is the key to healthy eating habits

Prepare yourself some healthy snacks ahead of time, whether you are at home or at work. It’s very difficult to maintain healthy eating habits when we are starving.

Preparation is also the key to keeping your wastage down, and reducing the overall weekly shopping cost. Make sure that your vegetables and meat can be used for more than one dish to make healthy eating habits affordable.

Eating roast? Use the bone for soup the next day. Gearing up for a mean Chicken Korma on Friday night? Use the rest of the coriander stalks in freeze-able dipping sauce.

The Substitute

There are plenty of inexpensive substitutes for those horrible double-digit items on the supermarket receipt. You can eat healthily on a budget by:

• Squeezing some lemon juice in your water instead of buying expensive fruit juice, cordial and soft drinks.
• Freeze pots of yoghurt almost to fully frozen instead of buying ice cream.
• Asian-style noodles can be swapped for cheap, almost calorie-free rice noodles.
• Use textured vegetable protein or lentils in place of meat.

Speaking of meat…

Statistics show that vegetarians have a lower incidence of heart disease and cancer as well as lower blood pressure, and are generally slimmer. Meat is an expensive ingredient – you’ll be doing both your wallet and waistline a favour by giving it up a few nights per week. This is also in line with healthy living guidelines, which recommend that you eat around 65-100g of cooked red meat, 3-4 times a week.

If you start experimenting with chilli, curry and spices, there are few vegetarian dishes that can’t be jazzed up. Going vegetarian three nights a week will take quite a load off your wallet … and lighten the load on the inside of your pants as well.

Invest in a freezer

Did you know we throw out billions of dollars worth of food each year? A chest freezer will set you back a few hundred dollars – but they are a long term investment in both your health and your finances.

Having a deep freeze allows you to take advantage of all those awesome specials on bread, meat, your favourite frogurt, or whatever you like without wastage. A deep freeze allows you to keep snack- or meal-sized healthy portions for eating on the run.

Take your dollars out of that equation by making more of a meal than you need, and freezing the rest in portions. This cuts down waste, and your food bill, considerably.

Healthy eating on a budget is certainly possible … in some cases, healthy eating will naturally reduce your food bill without any extra effort (as it does when you cut down on meat consumption). The spare room in your pants will soon be taken up with extra $50 notes crowding out your hip pocket … and you could be using that money for an exotic holiday and showing off your new body in the Seychelles.

So you have decided to join a gym in the New Year but how do you decide which gym is right for you? Before you sign up to a gym membership, The Office of Fair Trading says you should be aware of the following when signing up for a gym membership.

Shop around

Don’t be pressured into signing up on the spot. Visit a number of gyms to work out which is the best value for money, has the best facilities, service and location for you. Consider trying a casual membership for a month or a few visits to see if the gym is right for you.

Be cautious of ‘great deals’

Be wary of special offers, promotions and verbal promises. Some deals may not be as good as they seem, once you read the fine print.

Read the fine print

Never take the salesperson’s word for it. Always take the gym contract home and read all the terms and conditions before you sign it. Know what you are getting into before you commit. Check the fees listed on the contract are the same as the price that has been quoted to you. Also check the administration fees for setting up or renewing your membership. These are non-refundable even if you cancel the contract during the cooling-off period.

Check the cooling-off period

Check if the contract has a cooling-off period which allows you to cancel the membership in writing within a limited time period.

Where will you be in 6 to 12 months?

The gym may not be easy to access if you change jobs, work different hours or move house and you may still be locked into the contract for months to come. Consider a 3 or 6-month membership – they are often no more expensive than a 12-month one.

Pre-paid fees

Fitness centres in NSW are not allowed to accept pre-paid fees in excess of 12 months so you shouldn’t be asked to pay for more than 12 months at a time.

The Fitness Services (Pre-paid Fees) Act 2000 spells out how a fitness centre must deal with pre-paid fees. The law is designed to limit losses suffered by gym members should their fitness centre close without warning. In past years, sudden fitness centre closures left many people out of pocket who paid their fees in advance, only to find that they had lost their money.

Direct debit

Many gyms ask for payments by direct debit. Just because your membership expires doesn’t mean the direct debits stop. You often need to provide the gym with 30 days written notice to stop the direct debit deductions. Check the contract before you sign. If the fitness centre continues taking payments, talk to your financial institution.

Cancelling your membership

If you need to cancel your membership, check your contract to see what is required. Even if the contract requires you to visit the centre to cancel in person, it is also wise to do it in writing. Then you can prove the date you requested for the membership to end. Remember, a membership means you have a binding agreement and you may have difficulty cancelling early. Some gyms charge up to $300 for cancelling a membership, so read the terms and conditions in your contract before you sign.

Fitness Australia

Check if the gym is a member of Fitness Australia at www.fitness.org.au or call 1300 211 311. If it is a member it must comply with the NSW Fitness Code of Practice. The Code requires members to give you a copy of the signed contract, provide a 7-day cooling-off period (if the contract is over 3 months), ensure employees are registered fitness professionals, allow you to cancel contracts in certain circumstances such as serious illness (fees may still apply) and resolve complaints quickly and fairly.

If things go wrong

If you have a dispute with a gym, check if it is a member of Fitness Australia. If the gym is a member, Fitness Australia will help negotiate your dispute if you submit it to them in writing. If the gym is not a member of Fitness Australia or you cannot resolve the issue, call Fair Trading on 13 32 20 or visit www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au for help and advice.

Follow all these great tips to find the right gym for you. Remember, going to the gym should be ideally more like a long relationship and not a one night stand. Ask if you can trial the gym and start off slowly to decide whether you want to make a longer term commitment.

Already joined a gym? Read this article to see if you’re a gym junkie or find ways to improve your metabolism.

Being single in the holidays can be a lonely time for some but others it can be a time of self indulgence, liberation and the freedom to do what you want without having to compromise or think about others. Here are five reasons why it’s great to be single in the holidays.

You can spend time with your friends and family

Being single in the holidays means that you don’t have to go through the drama of deciding whose family you are going to spend the holidays with and spending the bulk of your holidays avoiding sleazy Uncle Fred. Whether you’re single or in a relationship, friends have an important role to play. Being single gives you more time to reconnect with your friends and family and  open yourself up to finding new friends and spending time with people you actually like.

You can focus on your career

Without a partner holding you back, you’re free to do overtime, work weekends and put in as many hours at work without feeling guilty. You don’t have to balance a demanding career with a demanding partner or family and can focus solely on your career without any distractions. With all your loved up colleagues spending time with their families over Christmas and New Year, this is the perfect time to score brownie points with your boss and show how dedicated and committed an employee you are.

Your time is your own

When you’re single, you can go and please whenever you want without having to answer to anyone or explain yourself to anyone. You can spend your holidays going to the beach, festivals, concerts or just lying in your pyjamas watching cheesy sitcoms without having to consider anyone’s feelings, work around someone else’s schedule or be under any obligation to attend events you don’t want to go to.  This is a great time to learn a new hobby or a new skill and a chance for self reflection and self development and to reclaim your social identity.

You can put yourself on top of the shopping list

Dating has its price but when you’re single, you don’t have to buy Christmas gifts for your partner and his family and you can spend all your money in the post Christmas sales and be completely self indulgent. As a self respecting single, you no longer have to walk into your house and hide the Christian Louboutin designer shoes that cost half your salary or justify why you needed to spend buy five kaftans that were on sale. Your money is your own for you to spend it on what you want when you want.

You can be the best you can be

When you’re in a relationship, it’s sometimes hard to find time to fit exercise into your schedule or eat properly when you have to focus your life around a significant other or cook for someone else. Being single will force you out of your comfort zone and you can focus on your exercise schedule and eating properly without any distractions. There will be no more reasons to procrastinate or an unsupportive or an unhelpful partner trying to sabotage your gym routine.

While there are many benefits to being in a relationship, being single in society always seems to be a choice forced upon us than a choice we have made to focus on ourselves. You may not be single forever so take the time when you’re single to focus on your goals, dreams and aspirations without anyone holding you back.

Eating processed food is so last decade. Although there are no long-term studies supporting living organically, many experts and supporters claim that eating organic food is healthier and better for you. The Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) has a vision for the organic industry in Australia – to grow organic food sales to 10 per cent of the food market in Australia by 2020. Here are five reasons why experts say to go organic.

Organic foods taste better
Organic produce has been tipped as one of the “hottest” fine dining trends for 2010 in a recent survey of over 1800 professional chefs of the American Culinary Federation (ACF). The annual “What’s Hot” survey revealed that 73 percent of ACF chefs voted organic produce as a ‘hot’ restaurant menu trend for 2010. Many top chefs are choosing to cook with organic produce primarily because of their fresh, clean taste and excellent quality. The richness of the natural flavours reflects the pure nutrients of the soil.

Organic is food is better for you
Organic produce has higher antioxidant levels than conventional, according to a recent analysis of research conducted over the last three decades and published in March 2008 by the Organic Center. Scientists looked at 97 studies examining the nutritional profiles of organic and conventional fruits and vegetables and concluded organic produce are 25% more nutrient dense, on average, and hence deliver more essential nutrients per serving or calorie consumed.

Organic production reduces health risks
When you choose organic, you are supporting a farming system that keeps toxic and persistent pesticides and synthetic fertilizers out of our water, soil, and air. The Organic Trade Association says many EPA-approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. Organic agriculture is one way to prevent any more of these chemicals from getting into the environment.

Organic foods are kinder to the environment
The BFA says that by going organic you can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by eliminating synthetic nitrogen fertilisers. Agriculture in Australia is the second-highest contributor of greenhouse gases (17 per cent in 2004). The Australian Greenhouse Office says that fertiliser emissions accounted for two-thirds of all cropping emissions. Organic standards prohibit the use of nitrogen fertilisers (Cotton Research and Development Corporation, 2007).

Growing organic livestock is kinder to animals
The BFA says that organic livestock is grown in a way that ensures humane treatment of animals and improves animal welfare. Scientific evidence indicates that practices such as battery hen farming, and the use of sow stalls, inflict continuous intense suffering on animals throughout their confinement leading to acute physical and behavioural problems (RSPCA).

Organic livestock is nurtured in a way that conforms to natural processes of growth and development and the BFF says that growing organic livestock eliminate use of growth hormones, antibiotics and genetically engineered drugs and feeds in livestock.

For twenty more reasons why you should go organic, where you can buy organic food and produce or more information about organic food and produce, visit the Biological Farmers of Australia’s website.

So you have bought your first apartment or you’ve purchased your second family home and you’re ready for the big move? Moving house can be very daunting but here are ten tips to make your move go smoother.

Put together a checklist

Put together a checklist for things you need to do a month, two weeks, a week before or the night you move. By following a strict checklist, this will help avoid procrastination and last minute packing and help you remember things like defrosting the fridge or removing the light fittings or curtains that you may forget in a last minute rush to get everything done.

Declutter your life

Moving house is a good opportunity to declutter your life and get rid of all those things that you have been planning to sell or give away but have never quite got around to it. Have a garage sale to get rid of unwanted furniture, books and clothing or give it away to family friends or charity. You may have to hire a skip to take away your rubbish or check with your local council to see if they have a service where they remove rubbish.

Hire a mover

Ask friends or family if they can refer a removalist who is reliable and will give your possession the ‘white gloves’ treatment but also affordable. Other options may be to hire a truck and do the packing yourself with the help of family or friends. Make sure whatever option you choose includes insurance to protect your family heirlooms, treasured photo albums and worldly goods.

Utility check

Disconnect your phone and inform your internet service provider, gas, electricity or water company in a timely manner that you are moving and make sure utilities are connected in your new home. The last thing you want to happen is to have no water after a long day of packing to have a hot shower or even a cup of tea.

Check your rental agreement

If you are renting, make sure you give your landlord advanced notice that you are moving out. Check your individual rental agreement to see how many weeks’ notice you may need to give. You also need to allocate time to clean the apartment, arrange for an inspection and give the keys back to the real estate agent.

Redirect your mail

Contact your local post office and ask them to redirect all your mail to your new address. You will also contact your insurance company, bank and superannuation company, heathcare providers and other relevant organisations to let them know you have changed your address. Your address on your driver’s licence also needs to be changed and notify your newsagency that you are moving if you have a newspaper subscription.

Packing wisely

Make sure you label all boxes so you know where to find all your items. Pack essential items that you will require for your first night in the house such as cutlery, plates, cookware, towels, toilet paper and other essential items in a separate box. You should also pack away important documents and papers and take both boxes with you in case there is some kind of unforseen delay or accident with the removalist van.

Advance planning

With a floorplan and a little pre-planning, you can decide exactly where you want your larger furniture items to go such as lounges, wall units and cupboards. This will save you time and energy later moving large furniture around the house and up stairs.

Let everyone know you’re moving

Advise family and friends that you are moving via group emails or social networks such as Facebook to let them know your new address and telephone details.

Pick up the new set of keys

Arrange a time with your real estate agent to pick the keys to your new home and make a spare set of keys. The last thing you want is to be locked out of your new home with an expensive removalist in tow.

Moving can be a very stressing process but with a little bit of pre-planning and organisation and following a checklist; the whole day can go exactly to plan.