Mental Health Week raises community awareness about mental health issues and is held in October each year to coincide with World Mental Health Day on 10 October. The 2016 Mental Health Week is being held from 8 to 15 October. The 2016 theme is Act-Belong-Commit with a focus on suicide prevention, ‘Together we can save lives’.

A healthy heart is essential for healthy living. Heart attack and heart disease are the world’s biggest killers – over 17 million people each year die from cardiovascular disease. The most common cardiovascular diseases include coronary heart disease (e.g. heart attack) and cerebrovascular disease (e.g. stroke). Coronary heart disease (also called ischaemic heart disease) is caused by the build-up of fatty material called plaque on the inside walls of coronary arteries. Plaque is mostly cholesterol.

This week, the 12th-16th September 2016, is Headache Awareness Week. Headache Awareness Week is an opportunity to discuss the types of headaches, what causes them, and what can be done to ease the pain.

Due to our well-known sense of adventure, more and more Australians are travelling overseas – often to exotic and remote locations. As the number of Australians travelling overseas increases, so do the number of travellers who become ill – sometimes fatally.

Asthma is commonly treated with medication using a handheld inhaler or puffer.  Proper use of inhalers help such medications work properly with minimal side effects.  However up to 9 out of 10 people who use inhaler medications for their asthma do not use it correctly.

Approximately 3.2 million Australians have diabetes or pre-diabetes while worldwide 366 million people are affected. National Diabetes Week runs from July 10 to 16 and everyone is encouraged to have checks and learn more about this disease.