Yahoo Lifestyle Sneak peek: Our National Prevention Week Issue!
Health is a hot topic right now.
From personalised medicine to hi-tech research on products like the battery-free pacemaker, nutritionists, scientists and wellness experts are at the forefront of the latest trends and finding out what makes us tick. And one of the most interesting parts about it? How much the concept of health has changed.
These days we live in a world where doctors are just as likely to prescribe regular exercise as they are to reach for their prescription pad. Where we know that the very best ‘medicine’ is to put the right foods on our plate. And where the emphasis is now firmly on prevention rather than cure. But despite all that there are still
so many important health issues. Every year in Australia around 15,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, 280 people a day develop diabetes, and heart disease now touches some one in six of us.
But the very good news that could change our country’s health future forever? The fact that the risk of almost every major chronic disease can be drastically reduced—or even prevented altogether—with the help of a few simple lifestyle changes, like drinking a green smoothie daily, sprinkling fresh blueberries on your porridge or even just meditating for five minutes every morning. The message couldn’t be simpler, but the effect it could have is truly profound.
So, in order to spread that message as widely as we possibly could, we invited seven of Australia’s most high-profile women - Rebecca Gibney, Michelle Bridges, Gabi Hollows, Chris Bath, Marta Dusseldorp, Natarsha Belling and Nicky Buckley - to join us in an Australian first, National Prevention Week, to be held from March 23-29. Despite being some of the busiest women I know, when we approached them to be involved, every single one said yes, and couldn’t have been more generous with their time and support. And the reason? Because as you’ll read, the health cause that they’ve chosen to champion is intensely personal.
In ‘The Power of Prevention’ they share the issues closest to their hearts and the health facts every woman should know. Shot on location at an incredible private home on Sydney’s North Shore, the two-day shoot was inspiring, empowering and proof that when a group of smart, passionate women with a common goal come together, anythingis possible.
In between takes as our hard-working crew meticulously arranged hundreds of flowers (sourced by Prevention’s art director at the ungodly hour of 5am) and moved furniture, we chatted about many things. But one comment Natarsha made has stayed with me. As she reveals on page 72: “I’ve had a few family health challenges in recent years and it reinforces something my grandmother told me. ‘If you’ve got your health, you’ve got everything’. It’s so true.”
Over the next few months we’ll bring you even more of this message. The aim? To feel stronger, live longer and squeeze every last drop out of life. I hope that you enjoy this very special issue as much as we did. In the meantime, be sure to get in touch via email or Twitter. I’d love to hear from you.
