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Green your office and enjoy the benefits€¦ · garden centre or contact an interior plantscape...
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52 — Sunday Territorian, Sunday, November 29, 2009 www.sundayterritorian.com.au PUB: NT NEWS DATE: 29-NOV-2009 PAGE: 52 COLOR: C M Y K Autism answers hang on options ‘ She had more gains in two months of doing that than she’d ever had in her life ’ PARENTS often swear their children with autism get better while they are undergoing alternative therapies. Sara DiFucci says she vividly remembers the day a developmental paediatrician said her daughter, then a preschooler, could wind up in a group home later in life. The Illinois mother was devastated. ‘‘I thought my daughter was going to get married and go to college,’’ DiFucci said. ‘‘That was all taken away from me.’’ Attending her first alternative treatment conference more than a decade ago was energising, DiFucci said; doctors there offered the hope of recovery. Since then she has tried many treatments, including chelators, infrared sauna treatments, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the hormone secretin, the antifungal drug Nystatin and supplements. The treatments her daughter received in kindergarten were particularly beneficial, she said. ‘‘She had more gains in two months of doing that than she’d ever had in her life,’’ DiFucci said of her daughter, now 11 and an A student who wants to be a veterinarian. At a conference in May, physicians and researchers highlighted similar successes: children who could suddenly speak; children who could not sleep and were now giving their parents peaceful nights. For many parents, such stories are more persuasive than what experts say. ‘‘I met a few parents who said, ‘I tried this,’ and they had gains,’’ DiFucci said. ‘‘That’s going to mean more to me than a paediatrician who’s going to spout off statistical studies.’’ But in evaluating a therapy, the challenge is determining how much of the progress can be credited to the treatment. That is because, over time, children with autism do develop, said Dr Max Wiznitzer, a paediatric neurologist and an autism expert at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland. They make leaps; some may plateau or regress, but they show improvement. Between 10 per cent and 20 per cent of children with autism who were diagnosed early may make so much progress that they are indistinguishable from their peers and may ‘‘lose’’ the diagnosis. This happens regardless of whether the child is undergoing alternative therapies, said Dr Susan Levy, director of the Regional Autism Centre at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. But parents may credit treatments for the gains. Plans to extend DJ experience ‘ We’ll see how the rest of the year goes, but so far the launch has been great ’ SOME analysts are suggesting music-rhythm video games have run their course, but Guitar Hero founder Kai Huang is looking on the bright side. Huang and his brother, Charles, launched the $US1 billion ($A1.09b) franchise in 2005, then sold their California-based company to game giant Activision in 2006. They’ve since released more than a dozen versions of the game, including the new DJ Hero, which comes with a mock turntable for scratching, mixing and sampling hip-hop, R&B and dance music. DJ Hero failed to make the top 10 best-selling games when it debuted in October, but Huang has been happy with the sales. ‘‘We’ll see how the rest of the year goes, but so far the launch has been great,’’ he said. The game is trickier than Guitar Hero, but it can also be used as an interactive party jukebox. It can be set to play a list of songs that run uninterrupted while various people try the turntable. But the main goal is to extend the franchise to fans of music other than the rock. Huang explained: ‘‘This is targeting a group of people who, when they played Guitar Hero said, ‘where’s the music I love and listen to every day?’.’’ He’s also planning to extend the franchise with new technologies such as a Microsoft Project motion- sensing input system. Green your office and enjoy the benefits OFFICE GREEN: The benefits of having plants in your office are obvious D ID you know that the words ‘‘garden’’ and ‘‘paradise’’ came from pretty much the same idea? Both words mean an enclosed space protected from the wilderness. They’re places where you’re safe from the outside world. These days the wilderness you’re dealing with is often the pressures of work or the stresses of daily life. The garden remains the best place to relax and recuperate. We are not suggesting that the office will necessarily become paradise; however the Nursery & Garden Industry is encouraging you to bring the outdoors in and green your office. We all know plants look pretty but now there are more than just aesthetic reasons to have plants in the workplace. PLANTS improve air quality — by taking toxins from the air and contributing oxygen back, plants reduce harmful chemicals. PLANTS relieve stress — studies have shown that if workers can see greenery from their windows, significantly less stress is reported. PLANTS keep you healthy — office workers with plants in their environment have shown reduced symptoms of coughing, dry throat, itching facial skin and fatigue. PLANTS increase productivity — comparison studies assessing workers who have plants in their office with those who don’t, show greater productivity and efficiency when plants are present. So what are you waiting for? Get down to your local garden centre or contact an interior plantscape professional or garden designer and get started on making your office healthier, more productive and less stressed! Tips for keeping indoor plants in your office: NEVER overwater indoor plants. Always check the moisture before watering. ONLY fertilise indoor plants with half-strength liquid fertiliser during the active growing season. INDOOR plants appreciate a trip outdoors from time to time. And when you are away from the office, enjoy the health benefits that are provided by spending time in the garden. EXERCISE: Gardening is great exercise. Spending time out in the garden will work all the major muscle groups. Every gardener has experienced tired muscles at the end of the day, but probably don’t think they’ve been giving themselves a workout. Some studies suggest that 45 minutes of gardening is equal to 30 minutes at the gym. But everyone would have to agree that it’s more pleasant and more convenient. It’s also free! We all know that you’ll stick to an exercise regime that you enjoy, so making gardening a regular part of life is more likely to keep you fit and healthy than occasional visits to the gym. RELAXATION: Gardens are a great place to relax. A garden can be a sanctuary where you can go to get rid of the stresses of the day, clear your head and think about the achievement of creating a living, growing thing of beauty. A garden lets you be creative and express yourself, and you’ll feel good about the job you’ve done. You might like to grow herbs for relaxation. Lemon Verbena steeped in boiled water makes for a soothing drink, and the smell of lavender is well-known to relax the senses. There are many other herbs said to sooth the soul, so do some research. GENERAL HEALTH: A lot of people say that they feel better surrounded by plants. That’s because plants give us oxygen and create the right humidity levels. Scientists, academics and healthcare practitioners in the United States, Canada and Australia have recently come forth with strong evidence that gardens, not just gardening, have far more untapped healing power than previously realised. Did you know, for instance, that just looking at pictures of trees or water can produce noticeable health benefits? Numerous studies have found that gardening, walking through gardens or even looking at gardens can lead to: IMPROVED medical outcomes, FASTER recovery rates, LOWER stress levels, LOWER blood pressure and, IMPROVED mental and physical wellbeing. For further information, please contact the Nursery & garden Industry NT. Ph: 8983 3233 email: [email protected]
Transcript of Green your office and enjoy the benefits€¦ · garden centre or contact an interior plantscape...
52 — Sunday Territorian, Sunday, November 29, 2009 www.sundayterritorian.com.au
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Autismanswershang onoptions
‘She had more gains in
two months of doing
that than she’d ever
had in her life
’
PARENTS often swear theirchildren with autism get betterwhile they are undergoingalternative therapies.
Sara DiFucci says she vividlyremembers the day adevelopmental paediatriciansaid her daughter, then apreschooler, could wind up ina group home later in life. TheIllinois mother was devastated.
‘‘I thought my daughter wasgoing to get married and go tocollege,’’ DiFucci said. ‘‘Thatwas all taken away from me.’’
Attending her first alternativetreatment conference morethan a decade ago wasenergising, DiFucci said;doctors there offered the hopeof recovery.
Since then she has triedmany treatments, includingchelators, infrared saunatreatments, hyperbaric oxygentherapy, the hormone secretin,the antifungal drug Nystatinand supplements.
The treatments her daughterreceived in kindergarten were
particularly beneficial, she said.‘‘She had more gains in two
months of doing that thanshe’d ever had in her life,’’DiFucci said of her daughter,now 11 and an A student whowants to be a veterinarian.
At a conference in May,physicians and researchershighlighted similar successes:children who could suddenlyspeak; children who could notsleep and were now givingtheir parents peaceful nights.
For many parents, suchstories are more persuasivethan what experts say. ‘‘I met afew parents who said, ‘I triedthis,’ and they had gains,’’DiFucci said. ‘‘That’s going tomean more to me than apaediatrician who’s going tospout off statistical studies.’’
But in evaluating a therapy,the challenge is determininghow much of the progress canbe credited to the treatment.
That is because, over time,children with autism dodevelop, said Dr Max Wiznitzer,a paediatric neurologist and anautism expert at RainbowBabies and Children’s Hospitalin Cleveland. They make leaps;some may plateau or regress,but they show improvement.
Between 10 per cent and 20per cent of children with autismwho were diagnosed early maymake so much progress thatthey are indistinguishable fromtheir peers and may ‘‘lose’’the diagnosis.
This happens regardless ofwhether the child isundergoing alternativetherapies, said Dr Susan Levy,director of the Regional AutismCentre at the Children’sHospital of Philadelphia. Butparents may credit treatmentsfor the gains.
Plans to extend DJ experience‘We’ll see how the rest of the year goes, but so
far the launch has been great
’
SOME analysts aresuggesting music-rhythmvideo games have run theircourse, but Guitar Hero
founder Kai Huang is lookingon the bright side.
Huang and his brother,Charles, launched the$US1 billion ($A1.09b)franchise in 2005, then soldtheir California-basedcompany to game giantActivision in 2006.
They’ve since released
more than a dozen versions ofthe game, including the newDJ Hero, which comes with amock turntable for scratching,mixing and sampling hip-hop,R&B and dance music.
DJ Hero failed to make thetop 10 best-selling gameswhen it debuted in October,but Huang has been happywith the sales.
‘‘We’ll see how the rest ofthe year goes, but so farthe launch has been great,’’he said.
The game is trickier thanGuitar Hero, but it can also beused as an interactive partyjukebox. It can be set to playa list of songs that rununinterrupted while variouspeople try the turntable.
But the main goal is toextend the franchise to fans ofmusic other than the rock.
Huang explained: ‘‘This istargeting a group of peoplewho, when they playedGuitar Hero said, ‘where’sthe music I love and listen toevery day?’.’’
He’s also planning toextend the franchise with newtechnologies such as aMicrosoft Project motion-sensing input system.
Green your officeand enjoy the benefits
OFFICE GREEN: The benefits of having plants in your office are obvious
DID you know that thewords ‘‘garden’’ and‘‘paradise’’ came from
pretty much the same idea?Both words mean an
enclosed space protectedfrom the wilderness.
They’re places whereyou’re safe from theoutside world.
These days the wildernessyou’re dealing with is often thepressures of work or thestresses of daily life.
The garden remainsthe best place to relaxand recuperate.
We are not suggesting thatthe office will necessarilybecome paradise; howeverthe Nursery & Garden Industryis encouraging you to bringthe outdoors in and greenyour office.
We all know plants lookpretty but now there are morethan just aesthetic reasons tohave plants in the workplace.PLANTS improve airquality — by taking toxins fromthe air and contributingoxygen back, plants reduceharmful chemicals.
PLANTS relieve stress —studies have shown that ifworkers can see greeneryfrom their windows,significantly less stressis reported.PLANTS keep you healthy —office workers with plants intheir environment have shownreduced symptoms ofcoughing, dry throat, itchingfacial skin and fatigue.PLANTS increase productivity— comparison studiesassessing workers who haveplants in their office with thosewho don’t, show greaterproductivity and efficiencywhen plants are present.
So what are you waiting for?Get down to your local
garden centre or contact aninterior plantscapeprofessional or gardendesigner and get startedon making your officehealthier, more productiveand less stressed!Tips for keeping indoor plantsin your office:NEVER overwater indoorplants. Always check themoisture before watering.
ONLY fertilise indoor plantswith half-strength liquidfertiliser during the activegrowing season.INDOOR plants appreciate atrip outdoors from time to time.
And when you are awayfrom the office, enjoy thehealth benefits that areprovided by spending time inthe garden.
EXERCISE: Gardening isgreat exercise. Spending timeout in the garden will work allthe major muscle groups.
Every gardener hasexperienced tired muscles atthe end of the day, butprobably don’t think they’vebeen giving themselves aworkout. Some studiessuggest that 45 minutes ofgardening is equal to 30minutes at the gym.
But everyone would have toagree that it’s more pleasantand more convenient.
It’s also free! We all knowthat you’ll stick to an exerciseregime that you enjoy, somaking gardening a regularpart of life is more likely tokeep you fit and healthy thanoccasional visits to the gym.
RELAXATION: Gardens are agreat place to relax.
A garden can be asanctuary where you can go toget rid of the stresses of theday, clear your head and thinkabout the achievement ofcreating a living, growing thingof beauty.
A garden lets you becreative and express yourself,and you’ll feel good about thejob you’ve done.
You might like to growherbs for relaxation.
Lemon Verbena steeped inboiled water makes for asoothing drink, and the smellof lavender is well-known torelax the senses.
There are many other herbssaid to sooth the soul, so dosome research.
GENERAL HEALTH: A lot ofpeople say that they feel bettersurrounded by plants.
That’s because plants giveus oxygen and create the righthumidity levels.
Scientists, academics andhealthcare practitioners in theUnited States, Canada andAustralia have recently comeforth with strong evidencethat gardens, not justgardening, have far moreuntapped healing power thanpreviously realised.
Did you know, for instance,that just looking at pictures oftrees or water can producenoticeable health benefits?
Numerous studies havefound that gardening, walkingthrough gardens or evenlooking at gardens canlead to:IMPROVED medicaloutcomes,FASTER recovery rates,LOWER stress levels,LOWER blood pressure and,IMPROVED mental andphysical wellbeing.
For further information,please contact the Nursery &garden Industry NT. Ph:8983 3233 email:[email protected]
