Health Wake Up Call in Australia

Hi all, must apologise for the delay in updating the blog more frequently; plenty of excuses no reasons.

Below is an article that highlights the attitude issues that need to be addressed in our modern society to really make the shift from dying fast to living long.

I have shared with you in previous messages about developing a 'wellness attitude'. A position where you decide you are worth the effort required to change some beliefs and behaviours.

In my role as a coach / consultant, it is interesting to hear a person self assessment of their diet or lifestyle. Usually it goes like " I know I could do some things better, but I have a healthy diet".

98% of the time this statement can be shown to be less than accurate when considered in relation to what the body needs, what government agencies recommend and natural health models I suggest.

Changes are made and results follow quickly. The SAD model (standard american diet) has eroded the health of westernised communities worldwide and it now that we need to do is; call it quits and get back to the actual needs of the human form. In just a small period of time people have moved from an essentially natural diet to one that is highly processed, void of concentrated nutrients and in massive quantities.

The end result is disorders like cardiovascular disease and cancer being responsible for more than 65% of premature deaths in our region alone. The result of this 4500 people dying each year is massive family loss, a massive loss of skilled contributors to society and a massive financial burden on taxpayers.

This is totally avoidable. Each year nationally, over 78 000 people finish life early and sick from cardiovasular disease. Just imagine the fuss in the media if we looked like having that many people die from say; a new flu virus. Just imagine the efforts all governments would go to if that was the national road toll, to repair roads and improve driver training.

Early death by knife, fork and comfy chairs.

So are you going to keep following the crowd?

You owe it to yourself to make the changes, to live the life and to enjoy an active, productive and long existence.

Catch up soon, I promise :-)

Andrew Fenwick
Health & Wellness Guide
Medical Herbalist
EFT Practitioner







Article from: ( Herald Sun Melbourne)
May 12, 2009
AUSTRALIANS are becoming fatter, drunker and sicker, but are in denial, with most saying they are in excellent health.
More than a quarter of all adults are obese, with 65 to 74-year-old men the heaviest of all, figures from the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics health survey reveal.
According to body mass index, more than 60 per cent of men and 55 per cent of Australian women were classified as obese, a jump from 64 per cent and 49 per cent respectively in 1995.
The survey also revealed children were getting heavier, with the number of obese boys doubling since 1995 and more than 15 per cent of girls and boys classified as obese.
Obesity Policy Coalition adviser Jane Martin said taxing junk food and soft drinks was the only solution, with the ABS report revealing only 6 per cent of children consumed the recommended five or more serves of vegetables a day.
"Overweight and obesity is absolutely preventable and in this day and age we should not be seeing this happen," Mrs Martin said. "It is a tragedy. We will die younger and have disabilities."
The most common long-term medical conditions suffered by Australian adults were poor eyesight, arthritis, back and disc problems and asthma.
But most Australians reported themselves to be in very good or excellent health.
"What an optimistic country we are. But the reality is Australians are fooling themselves: our nutrition is poor and we are putting on weight," Mrs Martin said.
The National Health Survey 2007-08, released yesterday, also revealed:
ONE IN FIVE Australians drink alcohol at a level that poses a risk to their health. 20%
ONE IN FOUR 15 to 17-year-old boys and 16 per cent of girls consumed alcohol in the week before the survey. 25%
SMOKING rates were lower, with 20 per cent of adults smoking, down from 23 per cent in 2004. 20%
Less than half of all adults eat the recommended serve of fruit and vegetables each day. Less than 50%
ONE IN 10 Australians have a long-term mental health problem. 10%