“I think you could easily do that in ten to fifteen minutes and still get a benefit.”
Reasons for the benefit are threefold, he says.

“The cells turn over to make the blood vessels less stiff and more compliant, but there are other mechanisms too when you stretch a muscle it might promote the release of some metabolites in the walls of you blood vessels and it makes the blood vessels dilate so it makes the blood vessels less resistant to blood flow.”

There is a nervous system component too, Prof Chilibeck says.

“When you’ve done a stretching routine it seems to activate the part of your nervous system that makes you more relaxed.”

He also believes people with very high blood pressure would benefit – not just those with moderately elevated levels.

“I think the worse you are the more benefit you are going to end up seeing. I think this would be very encouraging for someone that has very high blood pressure.”
 
Ref: RNZ (Radio New Zealand)
 
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2018782622/study-shows-stretching-more-effective-than-walking-to-lower-high-blood-pressure

​Nutritionist Claire Turnbull has tips for keeping your fruit and vegetables fresh for longer; what to keep in the fridge, how to store them, and what to do when you do find vegetables looking limp.

It's estimated the average New Zealand household throws away 86kg of edible food each year, worth $644.

Many veggies can be resuscitated, she says, by cutting a bit off the stem and putting it in water.

“It's like a plant. You know, if you get a rose and it's looking a bit flat, if you chop up the stem, put it in fresh water, it will come back to life again and vegetables are much the same.”

The fridge is your friend but check the temperature, Turnbull says, as some fridges are running too warm.

“We need to keep it below five degrees, 70 percent of Kiwis have their fridges too warm. So it’s well worth going into your fridge today and checking that, particularly if you're opening it and closing it regularly.”

Most vegetables will last better in the fridge drawer, because it’s designed to make the ideal climate for them, she says.

Never leave cut salad in its plastic bag in the fridge, Turnbull says.

“As I get that home from the supermarket, I chop it open, chop the bag open, put a piece of paper towel down each side of the bag. So that could be rocket, baby spinach, coleslaw.

“And I promise you, you'll get at least an extra two days out of it more than you would have, because otherwise it basically sweats in the bag.”

Even better transfer to a brown paper bag, she says.

“Take everything out of a plastic bag that you can, most vegetables actually work really well in a plastic box like a sustainer type box with paper towel in it.

“But not in a plastic bag that can sweat and brown paper bags or those net bags are good for basically most vegetables.”

She is a great believer in paper towels, she says. Cheese, for example, lasts better in a plastic container with a paper towel inside.

​Chilled fruit can lose flavour, so store in the fridge and take out what you need for the day she suggests.

“I bought some nectarines the other the day because they're on special and I put eight of them in the fridge and I put three of them out and then every day just kind of keep rotating them like that until the end of the week, and I buy some more.

That rotation is good because eating things straight out of the fridge isn't particularly pleasant.”

Some veggies are best kept apart, she says.

“Even though onions and potatoes both like the dark, you are definitely best to keep them apart because they cause each other to sprout.

“You'll get more life out of them if you separate them and put them in a different place.”
In fact, most root vegetables prefer the dark, she says.

“Anything that would naturally sprout is much better in the dark. So, potato, kumara, onions, garlic, all of those kinds of things are definitely best kept in the dark.

Don’t fear the freezer, she says, you’d be surprised what freezes well.

“Often if I'm buying say three containers of milk from the supermarket because that's what I need for my family to last a week, I freeze one. I'll go through the first two and get the frozen one out near the end of the week - milk freezes really well”

Those with veggie gardens are seeing a surplus now and the freezer can help here too, she says.
​
“A lot of the vegetables you can blend them down and freeze them. Even courgettes, if you chop them up into small cubes, you can actually put a few into a smoothie just to give it a bit of extra veg.”
 
Ref: RNZ
 
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018828713/how-to-store-fruit-and-veg-and-reduce-food-waste

Improved support for disabled New Zealanders
Minister for Disability Issues Media Release 3 September 2025

Disabled people, their families and carers will gain choice and control around flexible funding when improvements to the disability support system are rolled out from early next year.
 
“The disability community has made it clear they want the freedom to make their own decisions on what supports and services they need,” Minister for Disability Issues Louise Upston says.
 
“We’ve taken that feedback on board.  We know some difficult decisions had to be made in 2024 to limit ongoing acceleration of costs. Since then, we have done more work to make sure disabled people, their families and carers have a system they can trust and is easy to use.
 
“Last year’s Independent Review found disability support services had unsustainable spending increases, lack of clear criteria for access to flexible funding, and an inequitable and unfair postcode lottery for disabled people around the country.
 
“Underlying all these were long-standing issues that had not been tackled over time.
 
“Since then, our Government has made real progress in stabilising services, with this year’s Budget funding $1 billion over four years towards meeting the increasing costs of disability support services, including $240 million for residential care.
 
“Now we can confirm the next phase, giving disabled people and their families and carers more clarity, certainty and choice.
 
“My absolute priority is to ensure the disability support system is more consistent, transparent, sustainable and fair.”
 
The changes announced today will only apply to disability support services   and funding allocated by Needs Assessment Service Coordination organisations (NASCs). The changes do not include supports and funding allocated by Enabling Good Lives (EGL) sites, as further consideration would be needed for there to be any changes to the current EGL operating model.

• To ensure the coordination of supports is consistent across the country, there will be a single assessment process and allocation used by all NASCs.
• NASCs will develop personalised support plans.
• Families and carers will be considered as part of the assessment where their needs are relevant to the care of the disabled disability support user.
• The purchasing guidelines, including March 2024 amendments to them, will no longer apply.
• Flexible funding users will have more choice and control but will need to keep their spending within their budget 
• People can seek a reassessment if their circumstances have changed, but otherwise will not receive more funding if they use up their budget early.

​“The improvements have been informed by what more than 1,800 disabled people, their families and carers told DSS they wanted in nationwide community consultation this year,” Louise Upston says.
 
“We know about 38,500 people already use flexible funding, with more than 90 per cent of them accessing it through a NASC.
 
“While it will take time to implement the new system, these changes are significant for disabled people, families and carers.
 
“They build on improvements already made to stabilise the disability support system while longer-term work is done to strengthen it to reflect the Enabling Good Lives vision and principles,” Louise Upston says.
 
The website www.disabilitysupport.govt.nz has more information on the changes and will be updated regularly.
 
 
Ref: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/improved-support-disabled-new-zealanders

Arthritis
 
There are over 100 types of arthritis. Each type of arthritis is different, therefore, needs different treatment.  Arthritis may cause pain, stiffness, swelling, tenderness or inflammation of the joints or affected areas.  It can also prevent some movements which are necessary for the activities of daily living.
 
It is important that people should try to learn as much as possible about this disease so that they may be able to understand how to control it.
 
Did you know that:

• arthritis affects people from all age groups
• arthritis cannot be cured but may be controlled
• arthritis is a disease which usually lasts a lifetime but, in many cases, there are periods in which few or no symptoms are apparent (periods of remission)
• arthritis means that you have change in one or more of the following parts of your joints

 
Functional parts of a joint:
 
Cartilage:
A tough material that cushions and protects the ends of bones. (Example of arthritis in this part: osteoarthritis.)
 
Synovial membrane:
A thin layer of tissue which surrounds the joint and contains and produces a lubricating fluid (synovial fluid).  This fluid oils the joint and is also responsible for keeping the cartilage healthy.  (Examples of arthritis in this part:  rheumatoid arthritis, gout.)
 
Bursa:
A small sac located near the joint which contains a lubricating fluid.  This sac allows smooth movement of muscle across muscle and tendon across bone. (Example of inflammation of this part: bursitis.)
 
Muscle:
The muscles are elastic tissues that work together to move the bones by contracting and relaxing.  (Example of involvement of this part:  fibrositis.)
 
Tendon:
Tissue fibre which attaches muscle to bone.  (Example of involvement of this part:  tendonitis.)
 
Ligament:
Tissue fibre which attaches bone to bone. (Example of arthritis in this part:  ankylosing spondylitis.)

OSTEOARTHRITIS
 
Also called:
 
Degenerative joint disease
Degenerative arthritis
Osteoarthrosis
 
What is it?
 
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease which most often affects the ‘weight-bearing joints’ ie ankles, knees, hips, spine.   The cartilage breaks down, tears, or rips and leaves the bone surfaces without a cushion.
 
How do I get it?
 
The cause of arthritis is not definitely known, but it can be caused by one or more of the following factors:
 

• normal wear and tear
• injuries to joints
• the natural ageing process
• heredity
• abuse of joints
• insufficient use of joints

 
How does it affect me?
 
Bony growths or ‘spurs’ may appear in the affected joint, causing intense pain and limited movement.
 
Due to the lack of cartilage, bone surfaces rub together resulting in pain and limited movement.
 
 
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
 
What is it?
 
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disorder which involves many of the body’s systems and often affects the toes, ankles, knees, shoulders, elbows and fingers.  The synovial membrane which lines the joint, becomes inflamed.  About one person in 100 of the population have rheumatoid arthritis, and two to three times more women do than men.
 
How do I get it?
 
There is no known specific cause of rheumatoid arthritis, but the latest theories suggest that it develops from a viral or bacterial infection.
 
It is an auto-immune disease, which means your body is attacked by its own defence mechanism.
 
How does it affect me?
 
Rheumatoid arthritis causes many problems because it works on many of the body’s systems.
 
Some of the problems are:
 

• pain
• swelling
• weakness
• fatigue
• stiffness
• weight loss
• fever
• joint deformity

 
 
Reference: Healthy happy ageing:  a positive approach to active living
Yvonne Wagorn, Sonia Théberge, Dr William R Orban