Women’s Health Week 2024: What Choices Are You Making for Your Health?
Hey ladies, mark your calendars because Women’s Health Week is back from 2 to 6 September, celebrating your power to choose and speak up about your health! This year’s theme, Your Voice. Your Choice, carries a powerful message: know your options and make decisions that are right for YOU.
At WholeLife Pharmacy and Healthfoods we provide essential health services and information, empowering women to take charge of their well-being.
Empowering Choices
Women’s health is diverse and complex, encompassing a range of needs from contraception, Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) management and STI prophylaxis to hormonal health. Australian pharmacists are increasingly playing a vital role in providing accessible healthcare services.
Here’s how pharmacists are making a difference for women’s health:
✔️ UTI antibiotic supply
Who has time for a UTI? Nobody. UTIs are common among women and require prompt treatment to prevent complications. Authorised and specially trained pharmacists are now able to provide antibiotics for uncomplicated UTIs after a quick consultation. This health service offers not only convenience but also ensures timely intervention without the need for an appointment with a doctor.
✔️ Supporting sexual health through vaccination
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common viral sexually transmitted infection and is responsible for almost all cases of cervical cancer in women. The good news is there are highly effective vaccines that provide long lasting protection against HPV. And even better news, authorised pharmacists can now provide these vaccinations in community pharmacy, making protecting yourself even easier.
✔️ Hormonal health advice and contraception
Pharmacists offer a wealth of expertise on women’s hormonal issues, such as managing menopause symptoms as well as providing valuable guidance on women’s health supplements, ensuring effective choices tailored to individual needs.
In situations where unplanned pregnancy is a concern, pharmacists offer emergency contraception (EC) services without the need for a prescription. Confidential counselling on EC use, is routinely part of the supply process, ensuring women understand their options and can make informed decisions.
Did you know 83% of Australian women have used regular contraception? While barriers to access remain, there’s exciting progress: in the near future, women may be able to access hormonal contraception like the combined oral contraceptive pill, injections, or devices directly from specially trained pharmacists, possibly without a doctor’s prescription. Some states are currently offering this service through pilot programs. Stay tuned for updates on how this progressive change could significantly enhance accessibility for women seeking reliable birth control methods.
Trust your gut: Our top Essential Women’s Minerals
Day 5 of Women’s Health Week brings us awareness around women’s nutrition: Trust your gut.
Here are our WholeLife Pharmacy and Healthfoods top essential minerals, crucial for women’s health:
Iron
Did you know during reproductive years, women’s iron requirements are roughly double that of men?
Why we need it: Since blood loss during periods can deplete iron stores, it is particularly important for those with heavy periods to get enough iron. A lack of iron can lead to fatigue, shortness of breath and decreased immune function.
Where to get it: Lean meats, red lentils, cashew nuts, dark-green leafy vegetables and tofu. Iron supplements are also available if you require additional support.
Calcium
Why we need it: Calcium is needed for optimal bone health and as bone mass decreases with age it is particularly important for women to have good reserves before menopause. Pregnancy can also create extra calcium demands on the body.
Where to get it: Dairy products including milk, cheese, or yoghurt, or fortified non-dairy options. Supplementation can be considered for those with additional needs.
Magnesium
Why we need it: Magnesium is a bit of an allrounder mineral, having roles in everything from regulating heart rhythm, sleep, reducing anxiety and depression to helping with Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) symptoms.
Where to get it: Pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds, spinach, salmon, and peanut butter. Those with a higher deficiency risk or who don’t consume enough magnesium may benefit from a magnesium supplement.
As we celebrate Women’s Health Week, let’s embrace the theme of empowerment: your voice, your choice. Whether its exploring contraceptive options, managing women’s health conditions or seeking nutrition advice, visit your local WholeLife Pharmacy and Healthfoods, where our friendly pharmacists, nutritionists, and naturopaths are available to help.
References:
Healthdirect, 2023, ‘How to meet your iron needs – infographic’, Healthdirect. <https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/how-to-meet-your-iron-needs-infographic>.
Miller K, 2024, ‘12 Magnesium Benefits And Potential Side Effects, Explained By Registered Dietitians’, Women’s Health. <https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a41615473/magnesium-health-benefits/>.
Miller M, Canning K and Mahtani N, 2019, ‘The 15 Best Supplements For Women, According To Nutritionists’, Women’s Health. <https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/g19961434/vitamins-and-nutrients-for-women/>.
The Royal Women’s Hospital, n.d., ‘Human papillomavirus (HPV)’, The Royal Women’s Hospital Victoria, Australia. <https://www.thewomens.org.au/health-information/sex-sexuality/sexually-transmitted-infections/human-papillomavirus-hpv>.