Tag: 16. Januar 2024

Viral tabloids blasting a (usually female) celebrity for any amount of weight gain or loss should be condemned to remain in the nineties. 

But old habits die hard according to the current news cycle surrounding Rebel Wilson. The iconic Australian actress took to Instagram today to share an update on her health, kickstarting a wave of media attention across major publications. 

In a bid to show honesty and transparency to her 11.1 million followers, Wilson explains her jam-packed schedule over the past year has caused her weight loss journey to take a step backwards. 

“Working really hard has meant that, [because] of all the stress, I’ve gained 14 kg (30 pounds)!” Writes Wilson, crediting her recent weight gain to the stress of her busy lifestyle and work commitments.  

Like what you see? Sign up to our bodyandsoul.com.au newsletter for more stories like this.

But ‘busy’ may be the understatement of the century. In a January 1st Instagram post, Wilson lists exactly what ate into her time throughout 2023, and just reading it is enough to exhaust anyone. 

In the past year alone, the Pitch Perfect actress has worked on three films as an actress, directed another, written her autobiographical book, Rebel Rising, and even launched a gender-fluid dating app. 

In addition to her crazy work schedule, the mother of one celebrated two major milestones in her personal life; her daughter’s first birthday and her engagement to partner Ramona Agruma. 

Continuing on from her ‘year of health’

In the post, Wilson admitted to feeling defeated by the recent setback, “It makes me feel bad about myself…it shouldn’t…but it does.” the actress shares. 

“I’m really proud of the work I’ve been doing on new movies and my memoir, it’s just been a LOT and I’ve lost focus on my healthy lifestyle,” she continues. 

In 2020, Wilson again caused a media frenzy when she posted about embarking on what she called her ‘year of health’, detailing her total lifestyle overhaul in pursuit of living a healthier life. 

Sharing her motivations in a 2021 interview, she shares the pushback she initially faced from her team in Hollywood, due to her career success from roles typically reserved for the ‘funny fat girl’. 

Since 2020, Wilson has been vocal and transparent about her health and fitness journey, with her latest post being no exception. Ending her recent post, Wilson asked her fanbase, “Anyone else going through the same thing?”

Motherhood and motivation 

In a 2022 interview, Wilson recounts how her desire to become a parent sparked her healthier lifestyle changes. After her fertility specialist suggested she lose weight to better her chances of harvesting and freezing her eggs, Wilson was initially offended. 

Upon reflection, the star recalls how the prospect of motherhood soon inspired her to take her own health seriously, “It’s almost like I didn’t think of my own needs. I thought of a future child’s needs which really inspired me to get healthier,” she shares on a 2022 interview with People. 

Having already opened up about her lifelong battle with emotional eating and fluctuating self-confidence, Wilson’s latest update has been met with an outpouring of support. 

“Keep up with your healthy choices and fitness, but allow for the joy and little things that make you happy. At the end of the day, your weight and body don’t define you. We’ll love you whatever you weigh,” writes one follower. 

“Losing weight is the easy bit… keeping it off is the biggest battle,” another empathises. 

2. Take the SAGE

A 15-minute screening, that can be carried out at home, can indicate early signs of mental decline, which in turn can suggest a risk of dementia.

The Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam (SAGE) asks participants 12 questions, testing their cognitive function.

These range from writing today’s date, to naming animals, to calculating how much change you should receive when doing your shopping.

All you have to do is print the relevant pages, pick up a pen or pencil, and complete the task without help from others.

There is no time limit, but most people take 10 to 15 minutes.

The maximum score is 22. A score of 17 and above is considered normal.

If you score below this or struggle with the test, developed by scientists at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in the US, speak to your GP.

Researchers found that 28 per cent of the 1,000 people they studied who took the test had a mild loss of mental functioning, which closely matched the results from detailed diagnostic checks carried out by health experts.

You can take the test here.

When it comes to our health, it’s widely believed that prevention is better than cure. 

Taking the steps to stay well, and screen for issues before they arise, is always preferable to falling ill and then having to undergo treatment. 

When it comes to women’s health, one of the best modes of preventative health and screening are pap smears, which involves swabbing the cervix to test for presence of human papillomavirus virus (HPV) or other health conditions and diseases.

The only problem? They’re not exactly a pleasant experience, which doesn’t always incentivise women to stay on top of their screenings. 

But now, thanks to new technological developments, the trusty but uncomfortable era of in-clinic pap smears may be coming to an end. 

Like what you see? Sign up to our bodyandsoul.com.au newsletter for more stories like this.

In July 2022 the Australian federal government expanded the eligibility criteria for a new form of cervical screening tests, which involve the woman self-collecting.

The self-test still involves swabbing the cervix, but rather than relying on a metal speculum to open the vagina for a doctor to access, the woman can insert the swab herself, which resembles the long and thin applicator used in a Covid PCR test. 

Once inserted, the swab is rotated for 20 to 30 seconds, to ensure the area is properly swabbed, before being removed and screwed into the test tube-shaped packaging. 

The tests are given to women during their health check-ups but can be taken to a bathroom or private room away from the doctor, so they can swab themselves in privacy. 

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, “Evidence shows a Cervical Screening Test using a self-collected sample from your vagina is just as accurate at detecting HPV as a clinician-collected sample taken from the cervix during a speculum examination.” 

There’s no doubt that pap smears are an incredibly effective mode of screening for health conditions, including HPV and cervical cancer. But due to the highly involved process of testing, many women avoid or delay these often life-saving screenings. 

For those with vagina conditions like endometriosis or vaginismus, undergoing testing is reliably painful, while others who may have has experiences with sexual violence or abuse, the process is downright traumatic.

Many women, who may fit into neither of the above categories, still go out of their way to avoid pap smears, thanks to a mixture of word-of-mouth forewarning, or a one-off negative experience that’s caused them to shirk the appointments. 

Between 2018 and 2020, data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) showed a cervical screening rate of 68 per cent for eligible women – those who are sexually active over the age of 25. 

However, since the increased accessibility to the self-tests 18 months ago, the Sydney Morning Herald reports a 25-fold increase in women doing their own tests. 

“I see this as a real gift to women’s health,” Dr Lara Roeske, a Melbourne-based GP told the Herald.

The current form of pap smears (known as cervical screening tests) are only required once every five years – much less frequent than the traditional smears which were needed every two. 

While they’re not testing as often, the new HPV tests can identify changes to the cervix, including abnormal cell development, much earlier. But they do need to be carried out, to ensure they’re picking up those changes – and with the speculum still required to get the swabs, women are delaying or skipping the tests. 

Per the Department of Health, about 800 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in Australia each year, and about 70 per cent of these cases occur in women who have never screened or were not up-to-date with their screening.

“Cervical cancer progresses locally by expanding as a tumour,” obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Jeff Andrews told Forbes. “It goes on to involve the bladder [and] the bowels and it gets into nerves. It’s a difficult cancer to manage once it’s become metastatic. It’s painful too.”

Thus, staying on top of testing is key. 

If the uptake in testing continues as it has since the eligibility expansion, we could be onto a winner with self-collection, says experts. 

At this stage, many people aren’t aware that they are eligible for the self-screening method, which now encompasses all people who are eligible for the regular cervical screening tests. 

The eligibility requirements for self-collection include people who: 

• Are aged between 25 and 74
• Have had any type of sexual contact
• Are a woman / person with a cervix
• Are due or overdue for routine cervical screening

Appointments can be booked through your regular doctor or healthcare provider. 

For more information about the process, visit health.gov.au