The Art of Healing

Vietnam was the fastest-growing tourism destination in the world in 2025, with record expansion far above the global average. Statistics from the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) regarding the health and wellness sector specifically show an increase of about 12 per cent annually from 2017-2024. And the good thing is that Vietnam as a country and the Vietnamese people seem to be taking this growth in their stride. It was wonderful to visit Vietnam for the first time in 2025 as a reconnaissance trip but also to visit three very special high-end retreats and spas which we have reviewed in this magazine for our Feature on Wellness Travel. And what you have heard is true – the people are really lovely. Also in this magazine, a cohort of health organisations in NSW have written a letter to the government with concerns regarding the prescribing and dispensing of medical cannabis. The number of patients using medicinal cannabis products in Australia has grown from 18,000 in 2019 to more than a million in January 2024. And did you know that just one can of soft drink may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 38 percent? Or that eggs can actually lower bad cholesterol. Or that caffeine pouches (that look and work a lot like nicotine patches) deliver from 25mg to 200mg of caffeine (a typical mug of coffee contains about 100mg of caffeine). If these topics astound you, find out more in our latest issue of The Art of Healing magazine out early December 2025. Also more on microplastics and gut health, how to talk with someone from a different class, the rise of the armchair psychologist, and the illnesses you can’t see. Always jam-packed with solid research and info. book reviews, recipes, and lots of tips for maintaining supreme health and wellness.

THE TAO

The Art of Healing

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR’S NOTE

SHORT NEWS BYTES

Caffeine Pouches Have Hidden Risks • Caffeine pouches promise a fast, discreet hit of energy but while they may look like a harmless pick-me-up, experts warn they carry real risks, especially for teenagers and people with underlying health conditions.

Medical Cannabis Delivery Needs More Structure • Eminent representative health organisations have joined forces calling on the New South Wales Government to act on medicinal cannabis prescribing and dispensing as the number of people using these products continues to explode.

Plastics Pollution Is Surging • Worldwide consumption of plastics is ballooning. More than half of the plastics ever made have been created after 2000. On the current trajectory, annual global production is expected to double by 2050.

Neighbourhood Design Key To Slowing Cognitive Decline • A 13-year study of older Australians has revealed that where you live may play a powerful role in how your brain ages.

Just One Can May Increase Risk of Diabetes • An Australian study has found that drinking just one can of artificially sweetened soft drink a day may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 38 per cent.

Eating Eggs Can Actually Lower Bad Cholesterol • High dietary cholesterol from eggs, when eaten as part of a low saturated fat diet, does not raise bad cholesterol levels.

Video Technology Revolutionises Allied Health Experience • A new platform is helping allied health practitioners turn their unique approach into scalable, personalised client support that can bridge the gap between sessions.

Talking to Someone From A Different Class • We regularly interact with people across race and class lines, but those conversations sometimes go wrong. Lower-status people fear facing discrimination; higher-status people fear being accused of discrimination; most agree that microaggressions happen but disagree on what defines them.

Can Microplastics Affect Gut Health? • Microplastics (defined as plastic...