Empowering Women: Highlights from Longevity’s Second Annual Women’s Health Night 

May 1^st markedLongevity Exercise Physiology Drummoyne, Edgecliff, Marrickville, Castle Hill, Randwick, Pymble, Kingsgrove, Neutral Bay, Rhodes, Five Dock, Casey, Gungahlin and Coburg ‘s second annual Women’s Health Night, hosted at the Kirribilli Club. The sold-out event was an enriching experience that not only empowered women but educated us on how we can optimise our physical and mental health.

There was a star panel of allied health professionals that came together to present on a wide range of different conditions and topics such as menopause, osteoporosis, prolapse and vaginal health, weight-loss, and diet management. The panel consisted of:

• GP Dr Kath Turner from Hunters Hill Medical Practice  
  
• Longevity’s Exercise Physiologists Georgia Wassall & Susannah Mah-Chut 
  
• Lifestyle Dietician’s Erika Hung 
  
• Women’s Health Physiotherapist, Sophie McFarlane, from The Physiotherapy Clinic  
  
• Women’s Health Specialist in Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Dr. Gabrielle Sach 
  
• Dr Rosie Atkinson & Caroline Shannon from The Noi Clinic  
  

I’m beyond grateful I had the opportunity to be immersed in a room with such a wide range of qualified and amazing allied health professionals who all dedicate their time to women’s health. It’s very rare that you’re able to sit in a room with 70 of Longevity’s clients and friends and be thoroughly educated on topics that are often traditionally skimmed over, and be given direct resources to help you after the presentations had concluded. To make the night even more special, my mum was one of the 70 attendees of the sold-out night and the presentations really highlighted why we both want to stay strong and healthy for each other and the rest of our family.

Some key take-aways from the night that resonated with myself included Australia’s National Cervical Screening Program and debunking a few common misconceptions about cervical cancer and screening, presented by Dr. Gabrielle Sach.

Did you know that cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers? Dr. Sach recommends a Cervical Screening Test (CST) every 5 years for all women/ people with a cervix aged 25 to 74 (unless otherwise indicated).

Sophie McFarlene’s presentation on pelvic floor health was another insightful presentation that emphasised women should not normalise pelvic floor dysfunction or prolapse, which often present symptoms like leaking urine when you sneeze, painful intercourse, and feeling vaginal ‘bulging’ or ‘heaviness.’ I loved hearing about the services a Women’s Health Physiotherapist can provide such as internal examinations, transperineal ultrasounds, and whole-body assessments to help assess your pelvic floor health. Pelvic floor exercises are just as important as traditional gym exercises and must always be prescribed from a health care professional to optimise your own pelvic floor muscles and strength. There’s so much more to pelvic floor strength than squeezing, and your physiotherapist can teach you progressive and functional muscle training to improve your pelvic health, allowing you to stay active and exercise for life without symptoms.

My mum loved hearing from Dr. Kath Turner’s menopause seminar, and she expressed to me she genuinely had no idea how the development of osteoporosis, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes are escalated due to menopause.

Erika Hung from The Lifestyle Dietitian gave great insights into the importance of nutrition for women at all stages of life, as well as many tips and tricks on how to meet these nutritional guidelines and the importance of sustainability in these dietary habits!

We also had Dr. Rosemary Atkinson and Caroline Shannon from NOI clinic, a multidisciplinary weight-management clinic, who shined light onto the nature of weight management in females. Their presentation focused on how physical, mental, and emotional aspects are needed to achieve sustainable weight loss. 

As an Exercise Physiologist myself, I was still blown away by my colleagues Georgia Wassall and Susannah Mah-Chut’s presentations on the evidence about exercise and how it has the power to improve your quality of life, but also what this improved quality of life can mean for your family. Lifting a 10kg weight can be the same as raising your toddler daughter/son/niece/nephew/grandchild over your head pain free. A sled push can be pushing your kids on a swing (which may target your endurance and not just your patience). Interval running on the treadmill can be running after them in a park without feeling out of breath with muscle aches.

Sometimes the hardest part about exercise physiology isn’t about the actual exercise, it can be about actually making time for yourself so you’re able to exercise in the first place. Susannah not only shared the clinical evidence about exercise, but also how she’s balanced her own training with being a full-time, working mother of two young kids.

At this point in the night was when my mum turned to me and said she wished she could have started her exercise physiology journey before she was even pregnant with myself and my brother, because she knows it would have improved her pregnancy journey, weight management, and now her menopause experience.

I think one of the key take-aways from the night is to continue having these conversations about women’s health because there’s still such a lack of education within our health care systems, which is why Longevity is so passionate about optimising every client’s health so we can all stand stronger, prouder, and healthier for all of our loved ones. Just like Longevity’s Exercise Physiologist, Suzanne Mah-Chut, stated, “it takes village to raise a child, but it takes a village to look after YOUR health.”

Every woman deserves to know about the benefits and the absolute need to incorporate daily exercise into their lifestyles to manage menopause, to prevent the development of cardiovascular and metabolic disease, and to maintain and improve their pelvic floor health. When you come to Longevity, you’ll never feel like you’re alone in this journey. Our Exercise Physiologists are experts in this field, and will provide you with 60 minute, one on one consultations with individualised exercise prescriptions to optimise your health. You’ll also receive direct contact with our EPs, meaning we’re always just a quick phone call away if you ever have any questions.

With our women’s health night being a prime example of how we action our value of collaboration. Come join our ‘Village’ of experts and book in with us today! Call  Longevity Exercise Physiology Drummoyne, Edgecliff, Marrickville, Castle Hill, Randwick, Pymble, Kingsgrove, Neutral Bay, Rhodes, Five Dock, Casey, Gungahlin and Coburg. on 1300 964 002 to start your journey to Longevity today! 

Written by Sophie Wheeler

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