FIVE QUESTIONS is where we ask members of the community to talk about how they stay HEALTHY. CEO of the Canterbury City Community Centre, Esta Paschalidis-Chilas, who recently attended the Canterbury Head to Health launch, shared this:
I ate bircher muesli with yoghurt that I made at home and took into work. I also ate an apple, some crackers and cheese as snacks during the day. As a late lunch I had a lentil salad that I buy from Aldi which is really nice. For dinner it was my turn to cook and I made chicken schnitzel and apple and walnut salad. Our dinners 3 times a week are pre-ordered healthy meal kits which makes planning and preparing dinner much easier for all of us.
2. What exercise did you do yesterday?
I am lucky enough to have a great community pool and gym near my home and I am a member there, so tonight I did a pilates class with my younger daughter.
The instructor is fantastic and I enjoy her classes very much. It isn’t always easy to make the time to exercise because I juggle a fair bit in my life, like everyone these days. I find that I feel so much better when I make the time though.
3. When did you last see a primary health professional?
Probably about a year ago to be honest.
I have some outstanding blood tests I need to do to make sure I am doing well from a diabetic perspective. I worry because my Dad was a diabetic and the disease was not kind to him towards the end of his life last year.
4. What do you do to improve your mental health?
I work in a place that makes me happy and with people who are motivated about making a positive difference to our community. I believe that a workplace plays a significant role in fostering a healthy mind because we spend some much time in them and they form a large part of how we see ourselves.
In addition to that, when I do physical exercise I sleep better and bring greater balance and calm to my life.
There is a history of mental health issues in my family over several generations and we sadly lost my Uncle to suicide in 1981. Given this history I am mindful about doing things that bring me joy and steering clear of situations that do not assist my positive mental health.
I have wonderful friends I have been blessed with for many years and we anchor and support one another.
My Husband, my Daughters and my extended family play a significant role in my life as well. Before my Dad passed away last year I played a significant role as a Co-Carer of him and doing that while juggling full time work and family had its pressures.
Alongside that I saw a Counsellor and it made a major difference as to how I turned up and also managed the various aspects of my life and the roles that I hold.
I would not live the life I do without all of those strategies and support structures.
5. What are your health goals for the next month?
Keep going to the gym a few times a week, planning my meals better so that I have the fuel I need to stay energised and focused and getting onto the blood tests and other preventative health tasks that I must do!
Immunisation Weekly Update: Federal ministers and national media react to falling vaccination rates Be mindful of measles before and after Hajj COVID-19 vaccine update and new resource Flu Vaccine Updates ‘Possible but rare’ RSV vaccine risk First Nations maternal vaccinations poster Federal ministers and national media react to falling vaccination…
Immunisation Weekly Update: CESPHN seeking Immunisation Working Group clinical representatives Lunch and Learn: Measles awareness and prevention in 2025 Concerns rise as vaccination rates continue to fall The latest influenza vaccination coverage data Access to existing Q Fever statements in the Q Fever Register to end 30 June 2025 Have…
Immunisation Weekly Update: Lunch and Learn: Measles awareness and prevention in 2025 Australia on track for record number of flu cases Free SMS recall – 2025 Quality Improvement programs Large-scale revamp of Handbook immunocompromised chapter In case you missed it… Beyfortus™ (nirsevimab) eligibility expansion Access to the Australian Immunisation Register…
Immunisation Weekly Update: Lunch and Learn: Measles awareness and prevention in 2025 New vaccination resources released Immunisation Handbook chapters updated Pharmacist Vaccination Standards updated Mpox disinformation corrected by experts New report on COVID-19 health impacts History of immunisation in Australia resource updated Lunch and Learn: Measles awareness and prevention in…
Immunisation Weekly Update: Updates to NSW Pharmacist Vaccination Standards Free ‘RSV Protection for Infants’ modules Updated vaccine co-administration resource Report Q fever vaccination records before 30 June Flu vaccine orders and updates Your experience matters: Have your say on vaccine storage Respiratory Surveillance Report Updates to NSW Pharmacist Vaccination Standards…