Magda Szubanski wants Aussies to be educated on their own individual health.
“I thought I was probably riddled with heart disease, and it turns out, I’m not,” Szubanski tells WHO.
WATCH: Magda Szubanski: I was sacked and humiliated over weight
Magda Szubanski is the first to admit she might not be a typical poster girl for great health. But her new series, Magda’s Big Health Check, challenges some facts and fallacies with diet, exercise and illness.
“Before doing the series, I was feeling a bit stuck in a hole. I mean, I’ve tried f–king everything [to lose weight] short of having gastric bypass surgery,” Szubanski, a former Jenny Craig spokesperson admits to WHO.
“I’ve really, really tried. And I’m starting to realise how complex the factors for me are.“ The much-loved Kath & Kim star acknowledges there has long been a public interest in her own health and wellbeing, but she wants this series to debunk some myths about what ‘healthy’ looks like.
“I have an autoimmune scenario and you’ve got to be realistic and do your best to manage it,” she says, adding that for the most part, her fans and commentators have been supportive of her public journey.
“What I’ve always wanted to say to people – and this series gives me the opportunity to make this point – is that my health fundamentals are really sound.
I’ve gone and had heart checks and I’ve never had any problems. But when I had the proper definitive tests to have my arteries checked, I was fine.”
Magda’s Big Health Check asks us all to be more intelligent about the assumptions we make about people who are overweight.
“My issue is more with blood sugars and always has been. We all have unique genetics and there’s a lot of confusing information out there.”
“I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, [but] my nutrition isn’t so great. I exercise more than people think.
I grew up sporty. There’s a whole heap of things that contributes to a person’s health and wellbeing, so we’ve got to stop blaming individuals. I’m not exonerating myself from personal responsibility, but we’ve got to be looking at the facts. What are the factors working against you?”
In the series, Szubanski meets everyday people who’ve embarked on their own health journeys, plus she encourages viewers to set themselves up with healthy habits now – because it’s never too early to take care of yourself.
“I don’t want kids to end up where I am. I find that distressing,” Szubanski tells WHO, insisting that prevention is key and that starts within the family home.
She says, “Emergency wards aren’t full of people who’ve been in traffic accidents and fallen off ladders, they’re full of people with chronic illnesses. It would take so much pressure off our health system if we all educated ourselves.”
Magda’s Big Health Check is an eye-opener in every sense of the word. It’s upfront, honest and at times shocking, but it also proves that taking control of your health and future can be simple, and that can start with a visit to your GP. “I wish a show like this was around when I was younger,” Szubanski says. “Because I think it would have changed my life.”
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