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Ashleigh Gleeson
National Health Editor

IVF is full of uncertainty and often disappointment.

But some overseas surrogacy clinics are offering “guarantee” plans that promise couples their baby dreams … for a hefty price tag.

This week Tamara McDonald investigates the complications, delays and all-too-common heartbreak that can arise from turning to commercial surrogacy in another country.

She reveals the story of an Aussie couple who paid $65,000 and now feel stuck with a Colombian clinic they don’t trust alleging their experience has been riddled with failures.

Meanwhile, in part four of the Get Your Body Right series, we include a simple move to help avoid "tech neck", which comes from staring at our computer screens and phones all day.

Over the past week Anthony Dowsley has used the movie Rocky as inspiration to stay on track with the program. See below.

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It’s not about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.

If you don’t remember this quote, it’s a line from Rocky, the legendary movie about a down and out boxer from Philadelphia, who out-of-nowhere gets a shot at the heavyweight title.

If motivation is what you need, there’s no better story.

Last week I did arm and core strength at the local park … but it was a big fail when it came to the "dead bug" exercise. It was a little embarrassing, but that’s not a first.

A couple of years ago I drove with my mate, Sam, from Chicago to Philadelphia with the sole purpose of running up the iconic stairs Rocky climbed in the lead up to his big fight.

The first flight of stairs was OK. The second, a little tougher.

Then, as Rocky would say, my legs didn’t move so good no more.

But that's why it’s important to remember: “Every champion was once a contender who refused to give up".

Finally, there's been a huge promise from Labor on mental health following our Can We Talk? campaign. See what it is here.

Have a great week.

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Three stories to read today
This readily available vaccine may cut your dementia risk by 20 per cent
A vaccine that is free to anyone aged 65 plus, or costs $650 for younger people, may cut dementia risk by a fifth — even though it’s for a completely different condition.
Full List: Shock safety scores of aged care homes revealed
Aged care residents have revealed how safe they feel in their facility, with those in 200 Australian homes claiming they ‘never feel safe’. See how yours rates.
Big change for single women doing IVF
More people will be able to get Medicare rebates for IVF after the definition of infertility was expanded to include single women and same-sex couples.

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In focus

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If you make noise and complain, no baby and no refund — that’s the really hard part

This couple paid $65k to have a baby through an overseas surrogacy clinic. They say it's been an emotional rollercoaster of failures.

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To help you right now
Do this 20-second exercise if you look at your phone a lot
If you look at your phone multiple times a day then experts say you should do this simple exercise to avoid a common problem being seen in people aged 16 and up.
How to deal with this common weight loss struggle
Arpita Nandi lost more than 21kg through making a change. But since then she has experienced a difficulty that’s more common than you might think.
42,000 since January: How to get a free flu jab as cases soar
Australia is in the grip of a record influenza wave, while Covid-19 is also circulating widely. See how you can get the flu vaccine for free.

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Eating and exercise

#1 - Get fit, quick ... The superfast workouts going viral You may know about the 5-2, but what about 10-20-30? The latest fitness trends are easy-to-remember concepts, but do they really work?

#2 - This East African country’s cuisine may be the new healthy diet For decades, the Mediterranean way of eating has been held up as a model of nutrition. But this less-heralded menu could be equally protective.

#3 - Why intermittent fasting may beat calorie-counting for weight loss People who restricted their calorie intake three days a week lost slightly more than people who tried to limit food on a daily basis, this new study has found.

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More from our expert columnist

'Contagion': Psychiatrist Pat McGorry's ADHD concern

Hear from one of our experts every Tuesday.

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Respected psychiatrist Pat McGorry raises this concern about how ADHD is being diagnosed.

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Train your Brain
Dakota Johnson is the daughter of which other famous actress?
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

Healthy berry chia puddings

Serves 4 | 9 ingredients

Chia seeds are full of protein and fibre. Try this sweet and satisfying pudding for breakfast or a snack. It comes with a salted maple syrup and seed topping for an added crunch.

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

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