Latest news with #EdithCowanUniversity
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Black Tea Health Benefits: A cup of tea every day can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke
A warm cup of tea, either in the morning or evening, may be doing more than just soothing your soul. It might actually protect your heart! This humble cup of tea might just be the heart's best-kept secret. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Yes, that's right. Beyond its comforting warmth and rich aroma, black tea may have many health benefits that keep you healthy later in life. Scientists now believe that this popular beverage may hold the power to reduce the risk of life-threatening conditions like heart attacks and strokes. According to Edith Cowan University (ECU) , black tea is good for cardiovascular health. But how does a simple brew wield such strength? Let's take a look. Put the kettle on! Is your cup of morning tea or coffee healthy for your body? A daily cup of tea can protect your heart. Black tea has many heart-protective properties, thanks to its flavonoids. Flavonoids are naturally occurring substances found in many common foods and beverages, such as black tea. The protective effects of black tea are long known; however, the ECU research found that they may be even better for us than previously thought. To study the health benefits of black tea, the researchers observed 881 elderly women (median age of 80), who consumed black tea. They found that these participants were far less likely to have an extensive build-up of abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) as they consumed a high level of flavonoids in their diet. AAC is the calcification of the abdominal aorta, the largest artery in the body, which supplies oxygenated blood from the heart to the abdominal organs and lower limbs, and is a predictor of cardiovascular risk, such as heart attack and stroke. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It is also a reliable predictor for late-life dementia. Not a fan of tea? Don't worry A daily cup of tea could help you to enjoy better health late in life, however, what if you're not a drinker? Well don't worry, there are other things you can add to your diet. The researchers found that you can still reap the benefits by adding certain foods and beverages, which are rich in flavonoids. 'In most populations, a small group of foods and beverages, uniquely high in flavonoids, contribute the bulk of total dietary flavonoid intake. The main contributors are usually black or green tea, blueberries, strawberries, oranges, red wine, apples, raisins, or grapes, and dark chocolate,' Ben Parmenter, who led the study, and is a researcher at the ECU Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute, said in a statement. The mighty flavonoids Flavonoids are a diverse group of phytonutrients (plant-based compounds), known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These compounds are found in fruits, vegetables, and other plant-derived foods. There are many different types of flavonoids, such as flavan-3-ols and flavonols, which the study indicated appear to also have a link with AAC. The participants who took high amounts of total flavonoids, flavan-3-ols and flavonols were 36% to 39% less likely to have extensive AAC. Black tea was the main source of total flavonoids in this study and it was associated with significantly lower odds of extensive AAC. Participants who had two to six cups of tea per day had 16% to 42% less chance of having extensive AAC, compared to people who are non-tea drinkers. However, a few other dietary sources of flavonoids such as fruit juice, red wine, and chocolate, did not show a significant beneficial association with AAC. Not just tea Though black tea was the main source of flavonoids in the study, the researchers said people could still benefit from flavonoids without putting the kettle on. 'Out of the women who don't drink black tea, higher total non-tea flavonoid intake also appears to protect against extensive calcification of the arteries. This implies flavonoids from sources other than black tea may be protective against AAC when tea is not consumed,' Mr Parmenter said. Supreme Court Pushes Central Govt to Finalise FOPL: What It Means & Why It Matters? | Explained He added that looking at other sources of this was important as it allows non-tea drinkers to still benefit from flavonoids in their diet. 'In other populations or groups of people, such as young men or people from other countries, black tea might not be the main source of flavonoids. AAC is a major predictor of vascular disease events, and this study shows intake of flavonoids, that could protect against AAC, is easily achievable in most people's diets,' he added.
ABC News
5 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Afternoons
On Afternoons today: More and more research is pointing to the benefits of exercise for cancer patients but is that message being passed on? According to research from Edith Cowan University in Perth, less than half of the healthcare professionals surveyed in a study were giving exercise guidance to patients. Postdoctoral Research Fellow Mary Kennedy discusses the findings. Some DJ's say night clubbers are not hitting the dance floor like they once did. Triple J Hack Reporter Jackson Worthington follows up the story. School holidays sound like fun but for many parents they are an added source of stress. UNSW Associate Professor Jane Kohlhoff explains why. Dr Ann's Secret Lives will see her get up close and personal with some elusive and often dangerous wildlife. She chats about some of her memorable encounters. The iconic silver bus at the centre of the Oscar-winning 1994 Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert has been found and is in need of a major makeover. The bus was thought to have been lost for more than 25 years before it was discovered on a rural property in New South Wales. Paul Rees is the Head of Museums at the History Trust of South Australia and chats about plans for the bus from here.
Scoop
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scoop
$80,000 Grant Helps Put ECU On National Arts Map
Edith Cowan University (ECU) is one of three national galleries awarded a prestigious Copyright Agency Partnerships (CAP) grant, enabling a nationally recognised artist to showcase their work in the heart of Perth at the new ECU City campus public gallery. ECU City opens in semester one of 2026 as the centrepiece of the Perth City Deal, a collaboration between the Australian Government, Western Australian Government and ECU, to deliver a world-class university to the heart of Perth. The highly competitive Copyright Agency Partnerships grant supports mid-career and established visual artists to develop and present new work in partnership with leading art galleries and cultural organisations around Australia. The public gallery at ECU City will present a commissioned artist's work in 2027, with two other Copyright Agency Partnerships exhibitions at UNSW Galleries in Sydney (2026) and Gertrude Contemporary in Melbourne (2028). A bold cultural vision Clothilde Bullen OAM, Manager, Art, Culture and Collections at ECU, an acclaimed Wardandi and Badimaya curator, writer and arts advocate, said she was thrilled to see ECU selected as a CAP partner. 'This investment in the University's gallery program helps elevate the role ECU is playing in transforming Perth's cultural landscape, supporting bold, innovative artistic practice that resonates with diverse communities and speaks to contemporary life,' she said. 'As a university, we're deeply committed to access, equity and creativity and this CAP commission will provide vital opportunities for emerging artists and students to connect with the selected artist, research their practice, and to see first-hand what best practice in curatorial and exhibition programming can be,' she said. Creative industries at the heart of Perth The Copyright Agency Partnerships grant is supported by ECU's School of Arts and Humanities Creative Humanities program, which includes Visual Arts, Design and Screen Production. ECU Associate Dean Creative Humanities Professor Katya Johanson said the opportunity to bring a renowned artist to exhibit in ECU's public gallery and work alongside emerging artists in ECU's studio offered fantastic benefits to the arts world. 'It will help expand students' understanding of the arts ecology, the work that goes into exhibition, and what it takes to tour artwork,' she said.
Sydney Morning Herald
6 days ago
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
Dan died six weeks after our wedding. I had no idea he was struggling
We all know we're going to lose our life partner one day. If you've ever pictured it, your brain has probably aged you as nonagenarians or centenarians, having enjoyed an extraordinary 60 to 70 years of laughter and love. To imagine anything less is too painful. Yet, according to the last census, many Australians experience this heartbreak at a time when peers are still raising families and building lives. The data shows 55,000 Australians under the age of 55 are widowed, 18,000 of them younger than 45. And of the 1 million-plus Australians who are widowed, eight out of 10 are female. The challenges of young widowhood include financial insecurity and social isolation. Researchers at Edith Cowan University found widows are also at a heightened risk of poor adjustment, with two-thirds of respondents surveyed reporting decreased functioning and high rates of psychological distress. What does it take to start over without your partner? Three women share their stories. 'My husband died six weeks after our wedding': Rebecca Adams, 45 'Daniel was the sort of person people fell in love with as soon as they met him. He was wickedly funny, but because he was also so kind, he always looked for the best in others. We met online in 2011, and when he proposed just shy of our one-year anniversary, I couldn't say yes fast enough. We were both in our early 30s and knew we'd each found 'our person'. We married in June 2013; Dan died of suicide just six weeks later. I didn't know how deeply Dan was struggling; he protected everyone who knew and loved him from that, so his death came as a huge shock. I was still going through the process of taking my marriage certificate around and changing my name on various documents. But very quickly I had to pivot to the process of carrying a death certificate and organising a funeral. The trauma and pain of losing Dan were all-consuming, and being 33, I honestly believed I'd lost my only shot at happiness and having children. When we think of widows, we tend to think of older women – I only knew one other widow at the time, and she was in her 90s, so I felt alone. It felt like everyone I knew was either getting married or having children, so they couldn't quite understand or support me in the way that I needed. When I found a Facebook group dedicated to connecting younger women who'd lost their partners, I realised how helpful it was for me to meet up with others who truly understood what I was going through. In 2016, I launched First Light Widowed Support, a peer-support model of care – whether it be catch-up programs, an online forum, speaking events or resources – to help others find hope, inspiration and understanding through their journey.
The Age
6 days ago
- General
- The Age
Dan died six weeks after our wedding. I had no idea he was struggling
We all know we're going to lose our life partner one day. If you've ever pictured it, your brain has probably aged you as nonagenarians or centenarians, having enjoyed an extraordinary 60 to 70 years of laughter and love. To imagine anything less is too painful. Yet, according to the last census, many Australians experience this heartbreak at a time when peers are still raising families and building lives. The data shows 55,000 Australians under the age of 55 are widowed, 18,000 of them younger than 45. And of the 1 million-plus Australians who are widowed, eight out of 10 are female. The challenges of young widowhood include financial insecurity and social isolation. Researchers at Edith Cowan University found widows are also at a heightened risk of poor adjustment, with two-thirds of respondents surveyed reporting decreased functioning and high rates of psychological distress. What does it take to start over without your partner? Three women share their stories. 'My husband died six weeks after our wedding': Rebecca Adams, 45 'Daniel was the sort of person people fell in love with as soon as they met him. He was wickedly funny, but because he was also so kind, he always looked for the best in others. We met online in 2011, and when he proposed just shy of our one-year anniversary, I couldn't say yes fast enough. We were both in our early 30s and knew we'd each found 'our person'. We married in June 2013; Dan died of suicide just six weeks later. I didn't know how deeply Dan was struggling; he protected everyone who knew and loved him from that, so his death came as a huge shock. I was still going through the process of taking my marriage certificate around and changing my name on various documents. But very quickly I had to pivot to the process of carrying a death certificate and organising a funeral. The trauma and pain of losing Dan were all-consuming, and being 33, I honestly believed I'd lost my only shot at happiness and having children. When we think of widows, we tend to think of older women – I only knew one other widow at the time, and she was in her 90s, so I felt alone. It felt like everyone I knew was either getting married or having children, so they couldn't quite understand or support me in the way that I needed. When I found a Facebook group dedicated to connecting younger women who'd lost their partners, I realised how helpful it was for me to meet up with others who truly understood what I was going through. In 2016, I launched First Light Widowed Support, a peer-support model of care – whether it be catch-up programs, an online forum, speaking events or resources – to help others find hope, inspiration and understanding through their journey.
