Women's Health Week 2023

Women’s Health Week

Be proactive with sexual and reproductive health

Women’s Health Week is Australia’s largest event dedicated to the health and wellbeing of all women, girls and gender-diverse people.

Every September, over 200,000 people gather in Australia’s boardrooms, tearooms and community centres to share vital, up-to-date health information.

This year, in line with Women’s Health Week, Echuca Regional Health’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Clinic strives to help spread a message.

A message of importance that your health starts with you.

Echuca Regional Health’s sexual health nurse Bianca Fleming said it’s a great time for women to focus on good health and a preventative approach to staying healthy.

She urges women to set some time aside to take care of themselves.

“Our sexual health clinic provides resources, tips and information on all things women’s health, with assessments, testing and referrals as necessary,” Bianca said.

“Women’s Health Week is an important reminder for all women to make their health a priority.

“However, every week, when it comes to your health, is just as important.”

The clinic is a free and confidential sexual and reproductive health service for all ages, genders and gender diverse people.

It offers clients a safe setting to discuss sexual health concerns and receive specialist sexual and reproductive health care.

Their services include cervical screening which can be selfscreening or clinician collected screening, sexually transmitted infection screening, pregnancy testing and unplanned pregnancy support.

Their comprehensive services also extend to education and support on topics like menopause, menstruation, contraception, cancer screening, heart health and healthy living.

The Jean Hailes Women’s Health Week program from September 4 to 8 will encapsulate a variety of topics over the five days providing valuable insights at the clinic.

Topics include check me out, pain drain, hello hormones, making it work and food for thought. Keep an eye on information and tips over the week on their socials.

“It’s all about supporting women to be proactive in their health, understand their bodies and make informed decisions about their health with support and information,” Bianca said.

“Anyone can make an appointment to see a sexual health nurse by calling us. We are here to help support your health journey, so make it a priority as it starts with you.”

Health professionals can also refer patients by mail or fax.

▯ For more information, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the clinic on (03) 5485 5801 or visit erh.org.au/departmentservice/

Support available: Echuca Regional Health’s sexual health nurse Bianca Fleming.

Focus: The Jean Hailes Women’s Health Week program from September 4 to 8 will encapsulate a variety of topics.

Safe space: The Echuca Regional Health Sexual and Reproductive Health Clinic is a free and confidential service.

Health and wellbeing: It is a great time for women to focus on good health and a preventative approach to staying healthy.

Women’s Health Week

Women are encouraged to take their health seriously

This year’s Women’s Health Week theme from September 4 to 8 is Grow Your Knowledge

The week is all about supporting women, girls and gender-diverse people to make informed decisions about their health with information that’s easy to understand.

During Women’s Health Week, everyone is encouraged to take their health seriously and step out of their comfort zone, have conversations, and see your GP if you feel the need.

Women face diverse and unique health concerns across their lifespan, which may affect their overall health and wellness.

Maintaining women’s health and wellbeing involves a combination of physical, mental and emotional care.

Here are some tips to help keep women’s health in check:

Regular health check-ups: Schedule routine visits to your healthcare provider for check-ups, screenings and vaccinations. These

can help detect and prevent health issues early on.

Healthy diet: Consume a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Limit processed foods, sugary snacks, and excessive caffeine and alcohol intake.

Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to support bodily functions, skin health and overall wellbeing.

Physical activity: Engage in regular physical activity to maintain a healthy weight, boost cardiovascular health and improve mood.

Adequate sleep: Prioritise getting seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Sleep is crucial for physical and mental restoration.

Manage stress: Practice stress-reduction techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga or mindfulness. Chronic stress can negatively impact both physical and mental health.

Regular screenings: Follow recommended guidelines for screenings such as mammograms, pap smears and bone density tests. These screenings help detect potential health issues early.

Maintain mental health: Pay attention to your mental and emotional wellbeing. Seek professional help if you’re struggling with anxiety, depression or other mental health concerns.

Build supportive relationships: Surround yourself with positive, supportive people who uplift and empower you. Strong social connections can contribute to overall happiness.

Practice safe sex: If sexually active, use protection to prevent sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies. Regular gynaecological exams are also important.

Heart health: Be aware of heart health risks. Maintain a healthy blood pressure, cholesterol levels and avoid smoking.

Bone health: Consume adequate calcium and vitamin D through diet or supplements to maintain strong bones and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Breast health: Perform regular breast self-exams and be vigilant about any changes in your breasts. Discuss mammograms and other screenings with a healthcare provider.

Gynecological health: Understand your menstrual cycle, and if you experience irregularities, pain or other issues, consult a healthcare professional.

Limit alcohol and avoid smoking: Excessive alcohol consumption and smoking can have detrimental effects on health. Limit or avoid these habits.

Hygiene and infections: Practice proper hygiene, especially during menstruation, to prevent infections.

Everyone’s health journey is unique, so it’s essential to have regular communication with healthcare professionals for personalised guidance and care.

Insight: Women’s Health Week enforces how important it is that women have regular communication with healthcare professionals for personalised guidance.

Lily & Pearl your lingerie location

Lily & Pearl Lingerie has been boosting the confidence of women for more than a decade.

Established 11 years ago, the boutique lingerie store has become a one-stop shop for women of all sizes and shapes, with its extensive collection of breast forms, shapers, bras and camisoles.

Staffed by a team of qualified bra and prosthesis fitters, clients can expect to receive personalised advice tailored to each individual’s body type and journey.

Along with everyday wear, Lily & Pearl Lingerie is stocked with beautiful styles for special occasions as well as pre and post operative wear for women undergoing breast surgery.

Having worked in the industry for more than 22 years, boutique owner Deb Guy knows how painful it can be to find the right bra for you.

But she also knows how big a

difference the right bra can make in someone’s life.

“We understand that it’s not a one size fits all situation when it comes to bras and lingerie. We offer a range of bra sizes, from an A cup to a J cup, to cater to every shape and size,” Deb said.

Not just a fashion retailer — the level of support that the Lily & Pearl Lingerie team provides their clients cannot be understated.

They have personally assisted cancer patients, cancer survivors and women undergoing breast surgery, such as mastectomies, lumpectomies, breast enhancements and breast reductions, with finding a comfortable bra or prosthesis for that next chapter of life.

Often the first point of contact after surgery, the team at Lily & Pearl ensure they handle your visit with respect, privacy and sensitivity.

“We’re here to help make that journey a little bit easier,” Deb said.

They stock three prosthetic ranges — Amoena, Advanced Breast Care and Trulife.

Most prostheses on offer at the store are made from premium

Active Flow

Active lifestyle breast form

The perfect combination of beads and moulded spacer fabric provide a attering,natural pro le, whether active or lying down. it's your perfect companion for all active and leisurely activities such as gardening, yoga, tennis, golf and swimming.

lightweight silicone, however, there is an active lifestyle breast form that is made from a combination of beads and a moulded base of fabric.

The active lifestyle breast form provides a natural profile, whether active or lying down, and is a great option for all pool activities.

“We stock three different ranges because we want to provide a more personalised service with as many options as possible,” Deb said.

“All the prostheses in our store have a two-year warranty and anyone who purchases a prosthesis is eligible to receive a rebate of up to $400 from Medicare every two years.”

Also available for purchase is a vast range of soft surgical bras that assist with the preparation and recovery of breast reduction and enhancement surgeries.

Lily & Pearl Lingerie is located at 125 Hare St, Echuca.

Operating hours are from 9.30am to 4.30pm, Monday through Friday, and from 9.30am to 2pm on Saturdays.

▯ To contact the store, phone (03) 5480 6731 or email deb@lilyandpearl.com.au

Providing support: Lily & Pearl Lingerie owner Deb Guy can fit the perfect bra for women of all shapes and sizes.

Photo: Aidan Briggs

Women’s Health Week

Find a perfect outfit at Enliven

With more and more women relying on exercise to uphold their mental wellbeing, Enliven Active & Dance knows how important it is to find the perfect activewear match for you.

Store owner and pilates instructor Felicity Wright took a leap of faith when she purchased a local dancewear store and rebranded it as Enliven Active & Dance.

“My little girl dances, and I knew if the store was going to close down, then there would be nothing around for all the kids that dance, which would make it really hard for the parents who’d have to travel an

hour to get uniforms and shoes or purchase online,” Felicity said.

“For me, it was about keeping that service going in the community.”

The store offers a range of high-performance activewear for women, alongside its popular dancewear collection.

And the best part is that the activewear range is suitable for women and girls of all ages.

Being a pilates instructor, Felicity knew how important it was for women and girls to feel comfortable in their attire and she also knew how big an impact the wrong outfit choice can have on movement.

Using her knowledge of quality activewear brands, she stocked the store with brands she had personal knowledge of — labels she loved and trusted.

“Having good quality activewear that you feel comfortable in, that you’re confident in, that you know is going to stay up, is a massive part of the other side of my world, which is teaching,” she said.

“Movement is so important for mental health and physical health and feeling confident while you’re doing that only adds to the experience.

“I’m proud to say our store is

inclusive and caters to a broad age range. It’s for all generations.”

With their high-performance and contemporary activewear, Enliven Active & Dance has got you covered for all your gym, pilates, yoga and daily life activities.

Alongside their activewear range, a large selection of dance shoes, dance bags, tights, dance underwear, leotards and hair accessories are available for purchase.

The store provides beautiful attire for performers of all genres and styles — from ballet, gymnastics and acro dance, to tap, callisthenics, jazz and performing arts, there is

truly something for everyone. You will be spoilt for choice with brands such as Bloch, Etoil, CEACEA, Studio 7 and Dharma Bums on offer.

The friendly team at Enliven Active & Dance will help you find the ideal fit and style for your needs.

Enliven Active & Dance is located at 288 Hare St, Echuca.

The shop is open from 10am to 5pm Mondays to Fridays and from 10am to 1pm on Saturdays. ▯ You can also check out the full range online by visiting https:// www.enliven.dance/

Stocking a wide range: Enliven Active & Dance owner Felicity Wright has labels she knows and trusts.

Your first port of call: Enliven Active & Dance owner Felicity Wright has activewear and dancewear for all age groups.

Women’s Health Week

Worklocker pink for a cause

Fridays are for wearing pink at Worklocker Echuca, and no, it’s not just because the staff look good in pink.

Worklocker Echuca is a proud supporter of the Tradies Support the Ladies campaign — a campaign that raises awareness for breast cancer and encourages women to get themselves checked.

As a way to show their support for the campaign, staff members at the store will be repping their pink Tradies Support the Ladies shirts every Friday.

Ten per cent of sales made at the store on Tradies Support the Ladies days will be donated to the Echuca Cancer and Wellness Centre.

Owner Jaime Lake said the shirts were a great conversation starter.

“The shirts are quite obvious and in your face, so, we do have a lot of customers asking us what it’s for and what it means,” Jaime said.

“We do have more female staff at our store than male, we are a female-dominated team and it is an issue that is very important to all of us as a team.”

Worklocker Echuca has supplied the region with

workwear, schoolwear and sporting uniforms for more than two decades.

From high vis workwear, hard hats and work boots to medical scrubs and formal suits, they have always ensured the store is stocked with good-quality clothing and accessories

for all genders, sizes and shapes.

They also offer a uniform embroidery service with their onsite state-of-theart embroidery machines, enabling their team to deliver prompt, professional and efficient service on time, every time.

Worklocker Echuca is more than just a provider of workwear for businesses; they have always placed a high emphasis on supporting the community.

They sponsor and produce merchandise for many local football and netball clubs and have recently decided

to get involved with the Boys to the Bush campaign — an initiative that focuses on preventative and early intervention strategies for ‘disengaged’ young males.

Support Worklocker Echuca in their mission to raise funds for Echuca’s Cancer and Wellness Centre by dropping

in on one of their Tradies Support the Ladies days.

▯ Visit worklockerechuca. com.au for the full range of Worklocker Echuca’s workwear, design and embroidery.

▯ To contact the team, visit 130 Hare St, Echuca or phone 5482 1822.

WHAT IS TRADIES SUPPORT THE LADIES ALL ABOUT?

AWARENESS | EDUCATION | EARLY DETECTION | SUPPORT | SAVING LIVES ON FRIDAYS, WE WEAR PINK!

It couldn’t be more simple - wear pink to show your support. Conversations start with an ice-breaker, and a pink shirt is a great way to get talking about breast cancer awareness. The more we talk, the more open we become, the more aware we are of symptoms, the higher the chance of early detection & survival.

*CALL US TODAY TO JOIN THE PINK ARMY ON FRIDAY’S*

We all know the big breast cancer charities - they’re out there, and they do fantastic, vital work.

A percentage of proceeds of pink product sales will go to our LOCAL Cancer Wellness Centre

TRADIES SUPPORT THE LADIES IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANISATION. THEIR AIM IS TO RAISE AWARENESS, PROMOTE EARLY DETECTION, PROVIDE COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO THOSE AFFECTED AND HELP SAVE AS MANY LIVES AS POSSIBLE.

130 Hare Street, Echuca

Showing support: Starr Martin, Stacey Hope, Tiharn Duncan, Jaime Lake, Leanne Hutson, Candice Hay are happy to wear pink for a cause. Photo: Aidan Briggs

Women’s Health Week

The specialist for gluten-free diets

For a lot of women with a gluten-free diet, getting enough protein in your diet can be difficult, but one Kyabram store is leading the way when it comes to providing nutritional products for sensitive tummies.

Committed to offering the best products, Healthy Tummies Pantry sells a vast range of high-quality, and most importantly yummy, gluten free protein products.

From whey protein powder and protein powder banana bread mixes to protein cookies and bone broth — business owner Debi Kitt said there was truly something for everyone.

“Our protein products are really popular with women,” Debi said.

“As well as gluten-free, we do also provide dairy free, FODMAP friendly and vegan options.”

Healthy Tummies Pantry was borne out of the pandemic after Debi’s other business — Boomerang Travel Centre — began to suffer after travel restrictions were imposed.

This motivated Debi to find opportunities that would keep their business afloat and enable staff to keep earning an income.

Taking a leap of faith, she decided to create Healthy Tummies — a store dedicated to selling gluten-free food products.

Diagnosed as coeliac more than 20 years ago, Debi said she really struggled with finding gluten-free food during the initial stages of the pandemic.

“I used to drive to Melbourne every month or so to stock up on all my gluten-free food items but obviously with travel restrictions I couldn’t drive around,” she said.

“I was very overwhelmed at the start of the pandemic because everyone was panic buying and clearing the shelves, which meant that people had started taking gluten-free items like pasta and bread.

“We don’t eat gluten-free by choice, so that was very frustrating.”

Healthy Tummies Pantry has evolved from an experimental business to a booming one.

As well as a physical store, they have an online store and a café.

Debi said she never dreamed the business would gain as much traction as it had and never realised there were so many

gluten-free people in Kyabram and surrounding communities.

“The thing that’s surprised me is that we have customers coming from everywhere and that is because a lot of other shops are not 100 per cent gluten-free,” she said.

“Often you will still have to use an app to check whether something has gluten in it but with our store, it’s guaranteed. People can walk in without having to check every little thing and we have a lot of variety, so, they don’t have to go from one health food store to the next.”

Healthy Tummies Pantry, located at 210 Allan St, Kyabram, is open seven days a week, from 8am until 5pm, Monday to Friday, and between 9am and 1pm on Saturday and Sunday (during winter).

▯ To view the Healthy Tummies range, visit https://healthytummies-pantry-pty-ltd. square.site/s/shop

One-stop shop: Healthy Tummies Pantry owner Debi Kitt is leading the way providing gluten-free products.

Photo: Aidan Briggs

Women’s Health Week

Treatments to tackle stress

By Jaci Hicken endota spa Echuca owner

Jacinta Cannon believes we feel more confident and ready to tackle life’s daily stressors when we look and feel better in ourselves.

“We know from experience that when we feel good, we are kinder to ourselves and we are more able to care for those around us better as well,” Jacinta said.

“But it is more than that, as a society we are more stressed and busier than ever before, and we really need to make time for ourselves, to stop for a moment, take a breath and reset.

“We strive to be a place where people can come to escape, to take that minute for themselves.

“You can enjoy a spa treatment, a relaxation or remedial massage, and an indulgent facial, for just half an hour or a full day escape.

“We begin by welcoming you into the lounge where your journey begins with a beautiful herbal tea and you can feel yourself beginning to relax, then you have your treatment and afterwards, you float on out the door, ready to take on the world again.

“You don’t need to go on a long expensive holiday, you can just visit us and have a midweek reset for a couple of hours, making endota spa Echuca your destination.

“We are for anyone male or female, we are a fully accessible

service and provide specialities such as pregnancy and oncology massage.”

Brand new to endota spa Echuca, and the only one in the region, is the patented Laser Genesis treatment by Cutera.

“Until now people had to travel to Bendigo or Melbourne to get this incredible service,” Jacinta said.

“Laser Genesis is a trademarked treatment that does an incredible job of remodelling and rebuilding the internal collagen and elastin of the skin, but there is no downtime and you can correct skin conditions such as rosacea and pigmentation.

“It’s also a much healthier alternative to botox.

“We assist the body to heal and rebuild itself.

“We can remove pigmentation and do vascular treatments for concerns such as spider veins and cherry angiomas, all without having to leave Echuca.”

For clients wanting a Laser Genesis or IPL treatment, first they will need to book in for a skin consultation and test patch, then 48 hours later you can return for your first treatment.

▯ To book in for any of their treatments, including a skin consultation and Laser Genesis, drop by endota spa Echuca, 544 High St, Echuca, book online or phone (03) 5427 7142.

There for you: Zahli Calder, Sue Reid, Bree Young and Jacinta Cannon from endota spa are experts at helping their clients relax and unwind.

Photo: Aidan Briggs