It’s Women’s Health Week in Australia, a time to put ourselves first, for just one week, and start making positive lifestyle changes that can last a lifetime. An initiative of Jean Hailes for Women’s Health, Women’s Health Week (4-8 September) will focus on: Heart Health, Mindfulness, Bone Health, Physical Activity, Sleep and Fatigue.
Now in its fifth year, Women’s Health Week encourages women around Australia to make their own health a priority. Held in the first week of September, it includes both online and on-the-ground events dedicated to getting women together to focus on their health and to start making positive changes.
The event online at www.womenshealthweek.com.au provides practical tips, resources and tools to help women of all ages to make better health and lifestyle choices. On-the ground, more than 54,000 women have signed up to take part in more than 1,500 events in cities and towns across Australia.
Being physically active is an important part of healthy living. It’s also a key message for this year’s annual Women’s Health Week. To help increase awareness of physical activity and overall health and wellbeing for women of all ages, Jean Hailes for Women’s Health has signed up the Founder and CEO of Fernwood Fitness, Diana Williams, as a 2017 Women’s Health Week Ambassador.
Diana Williams opened the first Fernwood Fitness in Bendigo in 1989, with the intention of creating a sanctuary for women to train with weights. Her vision struck a chord with Australian women and now, nearly three decades later, Fernwood has expanded its reach to every state in the country, with
69 clubs nationwide and more than 70,000 members.
“I have been a long-time supporter of Jean Hailes and the work they do in women’s health education and I was thrilled to hear about their focus on encouraging positive changes through physical activity,” said Ms Williams.
“I am also very passionate about promoting physical activity in older women. Many women, instead of modifying or changing their activity, stop altogether, yet one of the great benefits of staying active, particularly as we age, is it can help us continue to do the things we enjoy and to stay independent.”
In the lead up to Women’s Health Week 2017, Jean Hailes talked to more than 10,000 of women across Australia to find out their greatest health fears and needs. According to the survey, women in Australia are most concerned about menopause, bone health, breast and bowel health, and painful sex.
The Women’s Health Week website will focus on a particular area of women’s health on each day this week, kicking off with Heart Health on Monday. On Tuesday, the site will take a closer look at Mindfulness and on Wednesday the focus will be on Bone Health. Physical Activity will be addressed on Thursday, followed by Sleep and Fatigue on Friday.
Find out more at: www.womenshealthweek.com.au