#movemoreoften

If you haven’t joined up for our Active April Walk N Talk Buddies there is no time like now! 

Walking is known to have great physical, mental and social benefits and having someone to walk with can turn exercise into an enjoyable social occasion and make it part of your routine.

To join use the link below

https://forms.office.com/r/tQbmgp9y1p

Take your buddy for a walk to one of the participating cafés to buy a coffee for yourself and get one free for your walking companion!😄

Coffee Offers available at: Arcade Café from 10am-12pm (11th -15th April) At Forty One Café from 2pm-3pm (17th -22nd April) Logan Street Café from 8am-10am (24th- 28th April)

For every day you walk your name will go in the draw to win prizes.

In April, the health promotion team at Swan Hill District Health encouraged children aged 5-12 years old to get active through their Active April campaign. Active April is a Victorian Government program that aims to encourage Victorians to increase their physical activity levels in the month of April. The health promotion team worked alongside local organisations, schools, and sporting clubs to promote the campaign and organise free “come and try” days, providing local children with the opportunity to be physically active in a number of different ways. We extend our thanks to the Swan Hill Callisthenics Club, Richardson Dance Studio, Dance Force, Strike A Pose and Swan Hill Nyah Two Bays for opening their doors to local children for free classes. 

Participating in regular physical activity has positive impacts for children on not only their physical health, but their social and mental health as well. Some of the benefits of being active include better concentration, increased self-esteem, decreased risk of disease, decreased anxiety and stress levels, and increased social skills. According to the Australian Physical Activity Guidelines, it is recommended that children aged 5-17 years old should participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day.

Children can increase their physical activity levels by: -              Gardening -              Taking the dog for a walk -              Dancing to their favourite song -              Sweeping the floors -              Kicking the footy or soccer ball around with friends -              Going for a swim -              Riding their bike to school

As we move into the new year it is time to reflect on how we are going in this pandemic crazed world, take a moment or two to check in on yourself and be kind. Covid-19 has had a lasting impact on us all.

Consider these tips from the team at SHDH:

Remember it is okay to say no

Allow yourself some time away from everyone

Catch up with those that you want to spend time with

Review your social media and unfollow pages that you feel are unhelpful

Meet a friend for a walk along the river or around a local market

Try a new class, for fitness, creativity, relaxation, whatever interests you

Get outdoors as often as you can, weather permitting (be sunsmart)

Take time to rest

We look forward to working along side our community in 2022 to make good health and wellbeing achievable for all.

Put a spring in the step of our local kids by encouraging them to get involved in Walk to School!

This is a great time for us all to get involved in helping families stay healthy and active while following local coronavirus restrictions. When we support our kids to walk, ride, scoot or skate to school, we’re setting them up for healthy, active adult lives. We’re also making the streets around our schools safer and less congested.

VicHealth’s Walk to School program is easier than ever for schools and teachers. The focus is on encouraging kids to be active before and after school—whether or not they’re back in classrooms—while making sure they stay safe and follow the latest health advice.

Visit walktoschool.vic.gov.au to find out more about how the kids at your school can get involved in Walk to School and to access free resources, including a range of worksheets designed for simple, flexible activities that can be used by parents, carers and teachers.

Did you know that we have a Peddle Park at George Lay Park in Swan Hill? It is a perfect place to teach children of all ages some road rules when walking, riding, scooting or skating with street signs and road markings. Check it out in Murlong Street, Swan Hill, see map below.

One of our key messages is all about physical activity or moving more often. We know how good it is for us in regard to our physical health, but it is also very important to our mental health. Getting active can reduce the effects of stress and increase feelings of wellbeing, this is because exercise can increase your level of endorphins, which are natural mood lifters. Exercise can help to normalise your sleep patterns too, and getting enough sleep can protect the brain from damage. In these very difficult times of lockdown and uncertainty it is so important that we include movement in everyday. 

Choose what is most rewarding and achievable to you. Locally here in Swan Hill, we are very lucky to have access to the beautiful Murray River, which if flowing at a very high level at the moment. Our local council has provided a fabulous walking/cycling track along the river front, dotted with water fountains, rest stops, points of interest, lighting and even some exercise equipment. It is certainly my favourite place at the end of a long work day, a walk along the river. 

What is your favourite way to ‘move more often’?

For those that are home bound, try some online exercise classes or make up your own routine,  or try some backyard games with the kids, dancing, gardening, the options are endless. It is amazing how you will feel afterwards.

This week, from 3rd to 9th May, is Heart Week!

Engagement between health service providers and the general public has never been more important. The COVID-19 pandemic has had indirect consequences on the health of many through a reduction in routine health checks. Now is the time to reconnect with local services and have that all-important conversation around heart health.

According to the National Heart Foundation, more than one in four deaths and over 1,600 daily hospitalisations are caused by cardiovascular (heart) disease. In addition, two-thirds of Australians are currently living with at least three risk factors for the disease. These include high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. Seeing a doctor for a heart health check will not only give people an understanding of their risks but will also guide them to further support if needed.

Some examples of the support available are the Cardiac Rehabilitation and Heart Failure programs at Swan Hill District Health (SHDH), pictured below. These programs are for members of the community who have had a cardiac event (e.g. heart attack) or have experienced heart failure, respectively. Sessions run over eight weeks and involve exercise and education on various topics. Participants receive support from a range of health professionals including a Cardiac Nurse, Exercise Physiologist, Dietitian, Occupational Therapist, Counsellor and Pharmacist.

It is important to remember that awareness of heart health is not only essential for those with cardiovascular disease. We can keep our hearts healthy and strong with a few lifestyle changes – for example, through our diet. Dietitian Olivia Millett from SHDH has the following tips:

With the colder months ahead, keep yourself warm with a bowl of porridge. Oats are a great source of soluble fibre, which helps to lower cholesterol.

Cut back on red meat and aim to have 2-3 serves of fish per week. Fish are a great source of omega 3s which are essential for heart health.

Include a handful (30g) of unsalted nuts each day. They are a good source of unsaturated healthy fats. Try sprinkling nuts or seeds on your salad for an added bit of crunch!

Cut back on saturated fat by swapping butter for a healthy spread such as margarine (olive, canola, sunflower), avocado or a nut butter.

Stock your pantry with healthy oils such as extra virgin olive, peanut, sunflower, avocado, sesame or canola oil.

Watch your salt (sodium) intake which is known to increase blood pressure. Most of the sodium we eat comes from packaged foods so have a look at the label next time you do the grocery shopping. Aim for less than 400mg of sodium per 100g, but less than 120mg per 100g is best!

For more information on the Cardiac Rehabilitation and Heart Failure programs, please contact the SHDH Community Rehabilitation Centre on (03) 5033 9321. For more information on the SHDH Dietetics service, please contact (03) 5033 9337.

To learn more about heart health go to the following website:   https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/

 or view this link  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHGI9O6m3B0

Staff at Swan Hill District Health have set themselves a challenge to Get Active in April! 

To encourage everyone to move more often, the Swan Hill District Health team has challenged Echuca Regional Health and Mildura Base Public Hospital to see who the most active health service in the region is. Since the start of the month, staff have been tracking their physical activity and are aiming to be more active to help the Swan Hill District Health team win, all while building some healthy habits. So far we have clocked up over 128 hours of activity between the 43 team members who have signed up – only one week into our competition!

The Australian Physical Activity Guidelines for adults recommend getting active for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. If you aren’t doing any physical activity, you can start small and work up to a comfortable amount. There are so many different ways we can get active – taking your dog for a walk, playing outside with your children, parking a little bit further away than usual and walking the rest of the way to work, getting out in the garden, being on your feet at work or getting up to have a walk around and a stretch away from your desk. Get creative with your activity, move more often and find something you enjoy.

The Swan Hill District Health team will be competing throughout the month, however everyone will be encouraged to keep up their activity past April. If you would like to get more active, get your own team together or find out more, visit the Get Active Victoria website www.getactive.vic.gov.au