Health and Wellbeing Resources

Mentemia (available in Australia and New Zealand)

All Blacks legend and mental health champion Sir John Kirwan, along with tech entrepreneur Adam Clark and medical advisers, have produced this app. It provides practical tops and techniques to help users take control of their mental health and wellbeing. Download on Android and Apple.

Waking Up (available everywhere)

Waking Up by Sam Harris, a neuroscientist, philosopher and New York Times bestselling author exploring the practice of meditation and the theory behind it. Download on Android and Apple.

Insight Timer

Insight Timer is a library of 12,000 meditations and music tracks that help with sleep, anxiety, happiness, mindfulness, stress, etc. It is particularly good at helping you get to sleep or back to sleep after that 2-3AM awakening. Download on Android and Apple.

Treat

This is a meditation and mindfulness app made for healthcare professionals by healthcare professionals! Download on Android and Apple.

App on the go? Strava

This app allows you to track your exercise in an individual or group setting. Dr Seb Brown has set up a RANZCO HWB group so make sure you join that once you’re set up. Download on Android and Apple.

Ten Percent Happier

This is a meditation and mindfulness app – usually paid but currently FREE for healthcare professionals.

• In ‘The Happiness Lab‘ podcast, Yale professor Dr Laurie Santos will take you through the latest scientific research and share some surprising and inspiring stories that will forever alter the way you think about happiness.
• RANZCO Fellow, Dr Jacqui Beltz’s podcasts on GENEYE. Topics such as attitude, body and mind are covered and are highly rated by the members of the Health and Wellbeing Group.
• Pomegranate Health is an award-winning podcast about the culture of medicine. How do doctors make difficult clinical and ethical decisions? How can one communicate better with patients? How can health delivery be made more equitable and efficient? You’ll hear from clinicians, researchers and advocates. Every episode is developed with the guidance of RACP members to inspire excellence in practice. More information is on the RACP website, along with a list of other recommended podcasts.

• The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) has developed some excellent resources on their ‘Taking Care During a Pandemic‘ page.
• RANZCO Fellow, Dr Anne Malatt’s website also contains information on topics relating to Health and Wellbeing.
• The Yoga Impact Charity is offering free virtual yoga classes every weeknight between 6:30-7:30PM AEST via Zoom. The free classes will be running for two months.
• No Money No Time – a website for healthy eating.

• The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday. If the book is too much of a commitment, check out the website by the same name. The website includes many helpful and accessible resources.
• In A Guide to the Good Life, William B. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of Stoic philosophy, one of the most popular and successful schools of thought in ancient Rome, and shows how its insights and advice are still remarkably applicable to modern lives. Google the title to find an online retailer – also available as an audiobook.
• The new edition of Eye2Eye via the digital version on the website.
• The United States Agency for Healthcare, Quality and Research have an easy-to-read and comprehensive guide to physician burnout.
• The New England Journal of Medicine’s article on Confronting Health Worker Burnout and Well-Being, written by the US Surgeon General at the time.
• An editorial piece from Dr Tait Shanafelt in JAMA on Enhancing Meaning in Work: A Prescription for Preventing Physician Burnout and Promoting Patient-Centered Care. Dr Shanafelt is a leading expert on burnout and how organisational change is required to address this occupational hazard.

• Online Trainee Support Session for Basic Trainees with Dr Tremayne

• In my Blood It Runs – recommended by Censor-in-Chief Justin Mora to anyone who works closely with First Nations People, this critically acclaimed documentary is told through the eyes of a charismatic 10-year-old Arrernte/Garrwa boy, Dujuan and his family. The documentary explores the impact of the lack of relevant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history in mainstream educational curriculum. The film is available for free via ABC iview for a limited time. Other access options for viewing can be found here.

• “On Yoga” – ‘The Architecture of Peace’ on Netflix.