Living Well Series - introduction

Welcome to our 6 part series on Living Well.
This is the outline of what you can expect to receive in the next 6 Series. 

Why am I doing this Living Well series?

I am passionate about Living Well in this life.  Not only with our Bodies, but also with our minds and our spirits!  When I started to look at what Living Well meant to me – I realised it meant so much more than just what we eat and think – Living Well encompasses all parts of our lives and brings it all together so that we can make the most out of every day we have!  I know that most of us don’t  Live Well 100% of the time – that is ok.  Life is meant to be enjoyed -  which in my house  includes sweet treats and of course my favourite chocolate! As long as we are choosing well most of the time, then not only will we Be Well but we will also lose the guilt associated with “poor” choices.  My aim is to empower you with the information to make informed decisions to Live Well – whatever that may mean to you. 

Lifestyle choices have had a huge impact on our health and the health of the next generation – our kids.  As a mother of 2 children, it horrifies me that the medical data out there at moment shows that unless we begin to make changes today, our kids will not live as long as we will.   In this quick-fix-it life that we lead we need to start asking ourselves why? 

Why?... because of today’s lifestyle choices.  Lifestyle choices that involve the food we eat, the amount of exercise we do, the stress we place upon ourselves. 

Increases in diseases in the last 20 years – Cancer, Diabetes, Obesity – a little about them... 

Cancer –

The dreaded “C” word! The numbers of new cancers diagnosed each year in Australia has increased by 25 per cent from 1994 to 2004.  The data available from Cancer Australia estimates that at the current incidence rates, one in three men and one in four women in Australia will develop cancer by the age of 75.

 The most common cancers in Australia (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) are prostate, colorectal (large bowel), breast, melanoma and lung cancer. These cancers accounted for about 60 per cent of all new cancers in 2004. (This was the last available reliable data that we have) (1) 

Diabetes –

In 2008 it was estimated that 4% of the population had medically diagnosed diabetes.  Almost 90% of these cases reported they had Type 2 (adult onset / lifestyle) diabetes, and only 10% reported Type 1.  This figure is on the increase – why?  If we look at our diets and lifestyles it becomes very clear that the increase in Type 2 diabetes has a direct correlation with the increase in obesity.  (2)

Obesity –

Up 30% in 10 years.  Australia has now overtaken America as having the unenviable title of being the fattest nation on the planet – not something that we should be proud of!

 According the ABS -  National Health Survey 2008 (the most recent data available) - it is estimated that 62% of Australians are considered overweight or obese according to their  BMI (Body Mass Index) .   Do you know your BMI? 

BMIs are measured by weight (kg) divided by square of your height (m).  So for example,  if you weigh 70 kg and are 1.7 m high, your BMI would be 24.22 just putting you into the healthy weight range.   BMI’s between 18-25 are considered normal; 25-30 are considered to be overweight; and above 30 are considered to be obese.  68% males & 53% of women today in Australia are overweight or obese.
It is estimated that between 20 – 25% of our kids are considered overweight or obese. (2) 

On another note, the majority of insurance companies will start increasing premiums for Life Insurance for individuals with a BMI over 35 and will generally refuse you life insurance if your BMI is over 40.     Auto-Immune Diseases- Autoimmune diseases are a consequence of the body’s  impaired immune function - a  process in which the body’s immune system causes illness by mistakenly attacking healthy cells, organs, or  tissues in the body that are essential for good health.   There are literally hundreds of autoimmune diseases such as  lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, insulin-dependent diabetes, Addison's disease and multiple sclerosis (MS) – to name just a few. (3) 

It is estimated that 1 in 20 Australians are now affected by some type of auto-immune disease, about 75% of these cases are in Women. 

No-one knows what really causes many of these diseases, although most medical opinion believes it is a combination of genetic pre-disposition and environmental triggers.   There are many specialists who don’t doubt a link between the increase of chemicals used over the past 60 years and a decrease in the quality of nutrition received though our diets.   Many believe that this decline in nutrients necessary for a proper functioning healthy body combined with increased levels of chemicals,  a stressful lifestyle and lack of proper regular exercise, are the major contributing factors to autoimmunity. 

Allergies & Sensitivities

How many kids in your class at school had a nut, dairy, wheat or egg allergy?  If your class was like mine – none!  It is my belief that we can no longer put our head in the sands when it comes to the correlation of these increases and our increased exposure to chemicals – both in our diet and environment!

I will not mince words.  I will share with you what I have learnt through lots of research and information produced by experts in their fields in all areas of Health and Wellbeing.  The information provided to you will be founded in research and data unless I tell you that it is my personal opinion.