Eumundi Voice Magazine

Eumundi Voice

7 hours ago

On 28 April 1770 English explorer Captain James Cook landed at Botany Bay, becoming the first European to do so. However, he was not the first European to step onto Australian soil.
In the early 1600s, the Dutch East India Company operated in the waters around Indonesia. Several Dutch ships were blown off course and made landfall on parts of Australia, including the west coast of Cape York Peninsula and the north-west coastline. In 1642, Dutch explorer Abel Tasman reached the Tasmanian coast. Despite these discoveries Dutch interest in Australia faded, as the Dutch East India Company declined as a trading and sea power by the late 17th century.
As a result, Australia’s east coast remained largely uncharted until Cook arrived in 1770. During the 1700s and early 1800s, France sent numerous scientific and commercial expeditions to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, attempting to solve the mystery of the legendary Terra Australis Incognita. France and Britain had a strong rivalry as both nations also attempted to establish new trade opportunities.
In 1769, just 5 months before Cook’s landing, French explorer Jean François Marie de Surville sailed close to Sydney, but decided not to explore signs of land and sailed on to New Zealand.
In 1785, when French King Louis XVI heard that the British had sent Arthur Phillip with a load of prisoners to settle in Botany Bay, he ordered French explorer Comte de la Pérouse to get there first. La Pérouse arrived on 24 January 1788, only days after Phillip and the First Fleet. He stayed for 6 weeks before sailing to New Caledonia, never to be seen again. By just a few days, European settlement in Australia could have been French instead of English. ... See MoreSee Less

Eumundi Voice

10 hours ago

It's interesting to compare women living today with women in other cultures and their experience of perimenopause. It appears that in modern day living, women are far more likely to experience symptoms. So what are we doing differently, and what can we learn to change our experience of perimenopause and menopause?
In the media and from patients I see in clinic, I often hear the question, "Is this a symptom of perimenopause?" Many women find themselves questioning every new sensation or asking, “What can I do to prevent ageing?” This can reflect a deeper worry about what this transition involves, and an associated fear of ageing.
In Japan, they have a term Konenki, which describes the menopausal transition and translates to "the renewal years" or "turning point of life energy”. It frames this stage as a time of recalibration and empowerment rather than decline – shifting the perspective to something we can embrace rather than dread.
It is true of many cultures that menopause is accepted as a natural stage of ageing, rather than something going wrong or a problem to correct. There is often an associated change in social status. In many African cultures, menopause is not viewed as a disease but a rite of passage. In communities such as the Batlokwa, menopause is celebrated by women joining a group of older females, often accompanied by music, dance, and the bestowal of a new name (leina la bokgekelo)
In addition to ceremony and ritual, traditional approaches to perimenopause relied on community support and medicinal herbs. As a naturopath, the herbal medicine I use today draws deeply on traditional knowledge, combined with modern science, to deliver safe and natural protocols to assist women with their symptoms and wellbeing. The supportive role of a caring practitioner, whether a naturopath, GP, traditional Chinese medicine or other health practitioner, is important for everyone. Don't hesitate to reach out if you need it. ... See MoreSee Less

Eumundi Voice

1 day ago

Australia’s Eurovision Song Contest entry last year didn’t impress the judges but Go-Jo the Milkshake Man, is returning to the spotlight in Vienna as a special guest interval performer, following a brilliant year of sold-out shows across Europe.
Former Sunshine Coast resident and Go-Jo’s promoter Daniel Watson will be in the audience when he appears during the interval of Semi-Final 1. He will perform a song parodying the common confusion between Australia and Austria, host of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest.
Under this year’s theme – United by Song – the contest has spanned 52 countries and 1,754 songs. It has featured newcomers such as Celine Dion (1988) and Abba (1974) while also attracting established artists such as Oliva Newton-John (1974), Cliff Richard (1968) and Bonnie Tyler (2013) who only finished 19th with Believe in Me, despite topping charts in 7 countries with Total Eclipse of the Heart – proof Eurovision is a genuine song contest.
Rules have changed to regulate over 40 entries – discarding the dreadful, picking the possible and selecting the 30 entries worth watching by 160M viewers worldwide. Tickets sold out for all 9 arena shows within hours. Semi-Final 1 begins on 11 May with an evening preview, followed by an afternoon preview and the live broadcast on 12 May.
To continue reading, please click here: issuu.com/eumundivoice/docs/eumundi_voice_issue_139/27 ... See MoreSee Less