Organ donation registration takes a minute but can change lives
While many Australians believe in organ and tissue donation, only two per cent of people that die in Australian hospitals are registered donors. Registering is quick, simple and could save lives — and TV star Luke Jacobz is putting his support behind it.
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The thing about these rolling coronavirus lockdowns is that they are impacting all of us equally, no matter how famous.
Take Aussie TV star Luke Jacobz. Back in February, he was excitedly announcing his return to Home And Away. But then, just like the rest of us, he found himself forced to spend a lot more time at home and a lot less time away.
The Silver Logie winner’s TV return was put on the backburner, and instead he found himself pottering around the house, picking up new skills in the kitchen and doing his best to stay connected with family and friends.
“I think reaching out and talking to friends and family has really helped, having those Zoom chats or organising times to get a group together to catch up,” he tells Health Hacker.
“Otherwise, I’ve been doing the same things as everyone else. I’m trying to make a lot more food from scratch, and I’m brushing up on sauce making, baking, homemade pasta — you name it.”
Like many of us, Jacobz says he wanted something to feel hopeful about while the COVID situation in Australia worsened. A cause he could believe in, and fight for. And he found it in Donate Life Australia.
Jacobz says, when he started looking into organ donation statistics in Australia, he was blown away.
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According to government statistics, only about 1300 Australians (or just two per cent of the people who die in a hospital in any given year) are suitable donors, and of those, an even smaller number can actually go on to donate their organs. Last year a total of 548 Australians donated their organs to save the lives of 1444 other Australians.
“There are currently about 1600 Australians, many of them children, desperately awaiting an organ or tissue transplant that could save their lives. All the evidence points to the fact that Australians support organ and tissue donation, but so many people fail to take that next step to register to be donors and tell their family,” Jacobz says.
“It literally only takes a minute to register at the Donate Life website. I’ve done it, because I know there’s a chance I could make a major difference to someone’s life.”
I’m jumping right behind this incredible cause, too. So as well encouraging everyone reading this right now to register to become donors, I’ll also spend this week hacking how to keep your own organs in the best possible shape.
We’ll call it staying inner fit, and it’s easier than you think.
* For more infomration go to donatelife.gov.au
FAST FACTS ON STAYING INNER FIT
1. Stay hydrated
Did you know that as many a 70 per cent of Australians are currently dehydrated? We simply don’t drink enough water, despite it being one of the easiest things we can do for our health.
Studies have found that dehydration is linked to permanent kidney damage, clogging our bodies with acids and muscle proteins.
Men should aim for 2.6L of water a day, while women need 2.1L. So tomorrow morning, start your day (yes, before coffee) with a tall glass of water.
2. Ditch the sweet stuff
We used to think that consuming fats was the worst thing we could do to our bodies, but now we know the real culprit is actually processed sugar. But while we know eating a bag of lollies isn’t good for us, few realise just how damaging it can be to our hearts.
In fact, studies have found that excess sugar increases the insulin in your blood, causing the walls of your arteries to thicken, putting extra stress and pressure on your heart.
3. Introduce AFDs
Beer and wine seem stitched into the fabric of Australian society. According to the WHO, we are second-highest per-capita drinkers on the planet, consuming some 12.6L of booze a year, ever year.
That puts us ahead of the UK, the USA, Ireland and even the wine-rich countries of France and Italy. Only the Czech Republic ranks higher, with 14.1L per person.
While you don’t need to cut it out completely, the science is in on the benefits of having just two alcohol free days per week, with studies showing it lowers the risk of developing chronic disease, as well as lowering the carcinogenic effects of acetaldehyde — which is what alcohol becomes as our body digests it.
* Send your questions to adam@themanshake.com.au
GET FIT AND HEALTHY WITH ADAM MACDOUGALL
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Adam MacDougall is the creator of The Man Shake. A new, healthy, weight loss shake that is low in sugar, full of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals that you can have on the run and leaves you feeling full.
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