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Ashleigh Gleeson
National Health Editor

Family support can be a lifeline in tough times.

But new research has found not enough of us are having those critical conversations about mental health with one another.

That's why over the past week we've shared personal stories and looked at what can help for our Can We Talk? campaign in partnership with Medibank.

In a powerful piece, WBBL cricketer Amelia Kerr revealed how she tried to hide her “unbearable sadness” from her family . But her loved ones then surprised her with a life-saving intervention that included a 10-minute tear-filled speech from her Dad.

AFL club boss Rod Butterss and his daughter Ash also spoke about how they support each other after both battling alcoholism.

Actor Tammin Sursok meanwhile opened up about parenting her two girls.

On a different topic, this week we have some simple exercises to do at home to reduce the risk of falling as we age. They might look easy, but they really do test you. Take a look at the video demonstrations and let us know how you go at health@news.com.au.

Have a great week.

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Three stories to read today
Five simple exercises to improve balance and reduce risk of falling
A lot of people don’t realise that falling isn’t a necessary part of ageing – it’s often preventable. These are five simple exercises you can do at home to improve your balance.
‘We refuse to be quiet’: Why menopausal women are speaking out
Australian women ‘of a certain age’ are signing up to a global menopause manifesto sharing the trials and tribulations of ‘the change’.
700 brothers and sisters: IVF scandal creates DNA nightmare
This woman knows who her sperm donor father is, and the medical risks he passed down. But Australian laws mean most can’t access the same lifesaving information.

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In focus

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I think it’s been really helpful for my kids to see that we don’t always have to have it together and be perfect.

Actor Tammin Sursok on anxiety and raising her two girls

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Can We Talk?
Nightly tradition keeping Aussie family close
New research shows not enough Aussie families are having critical conversations about mental health. But one nightly tradition is this family’s secret to supporting each other.
‘Crisis point’: Moment that changed cricketer
An intervention from her family, marked by a tearful 10-minute speech from her father, turned this international cricket star’s life around.
How AFL boss, daughter beat ‘family disease’
A well known Australian sporting identity and his daughter have opened up on their battles with alcoholism, the heavy toll of addiction and fears for the family’s next generation.

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Must-reads for parents

#1 - Three reasons parents and their Millennial or Gen Z kids don’t talk Half of parents of 16 to 30-year-olds are uncomfortable talking to their children about their wellbeing, although a third want to. This is how to change that.

#2 - My daughter’s spiral into anxiety at age six A mother has shared how it took a year to get help for her child, saying her concerns were dismissed and minimised.

#3 - My son survived a brain tumour — we now have this incredible bond Leo was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour at just seven months old, beginning a five-year journey of hospital stays. He and his mother now treasure their time together.

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More from our expert columnist

GP Kavya Chaganti on a hidden danger linked to postpartum hair loss

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GP-obstetrician Kavya Chaganti reveals how to check for a rare but easy-to-miss issue after having a baby.

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Train your Brain
Which US city is sometimes nicknamed The Big Easy?
The Chase Australia’s official Shark, Brydon Coverdale, has created a new daily quiz challenge. Test yourself.

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What we're cooking

Chicken, lemongrass, turmeric and ginger soup

This anti-inflammatory soup is a delicious way to warm up with this winter.

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Read the method and ingredients needed to whip this up yourself, here.

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