The Hopewood Project
Introducing The Hopewood Project
In 2019, the Australian Youth and Health Foundation made a generous gift towards the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney to support research on the impact of nutrition, exercise, stress management and physical wellbeing on the health of individuals in relation to cardiovascular diseases and other lifestyle diseases.
Eric Storm AM, renowned investor, stockbroker, entrepreneur and philanthropist, attributed his 103 years’ long life to adopting a natural health lifestyle in the 1930s, after suffering a serious heart attack. Mr Storm became a passionate advocate for healthy living and a founding Director of Hopewood Health Retreat. His significant bequest enables the Australian Youth and Health Foundation to continue to support projects which encourage wellbeing. It recently funded this exciting, longitudinal, independent study at the University of Sydney to investigate the impact of an intensive lifestyle program on cardiometabolic health.
Professor Luigi Fontana
Internationally recognised physician scientist, Professor Luigi Fontana, and his team are leading ‘The Hopewood Project’ research program which will explore the impact of holistic approaches to health, such as the Hopewood philosophy.
Hopewood’s philosophy for a healthier lifestyle, which supported thousands of guests at the Hopewood Health Retreat for 55 years, and is now promoted through this website, has always been funded by the Australian Youth and Health Foundation. It advocates for a holistic approach that focuses on lifestyle as a whole, rather than a specific health problem or part of the body. This focus supports better long-term wellbeing. In particular it advocates a natural, unprocessed diet; drinking ample water; sleep and meditation; and exercise.
The focus of Professor Fontana’s work is the LIVEPLUS (LIfestyle VulnErable PLaqUe Study) trial. This study will measure the impact of a holistic lifestyle program on inflammatory markers such as fatty deposits in arteries (plaques), body composition, blood vessel function, blood pressure, blood lipids and glucose metabolism. These are all known to indicate risk factors for coronary heart disease in adults.
About the Charles Perkins Centre: The Charles Perkins Centre is committed to easing the burden of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and related metabolic conditions that drive accelerated aging, through innovative research projects and partnerships, and teaching and clinical activities.
The Hopewood Project
The LIVEPLUS Study at the University of Sydney
By Professor Luigi Fontana
Cardiometabolic disease (a group of common but often preventable conditions including heart attack, stroke, diabetes, insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) is one of Australia’s largest health problems and cause of death in Australia and worldwide.
Harnessing slow, deep breathing: An effective strategy against stress and anxiety
Acute stress serves as a crucial survival instinct; when faced with a threatening situation, our brain swiftly triggers the fight-or-flight response. This activates the sympathetic nervous system, boosting heart rate and blood pressure to supply
Gentle movement: East meets West
Engaging in intense endurance and resistance exercise training plays a pivotal role in enhancing metabolic health and overall wellbeing. However, it's equally essential to recognize the significance of more gentle practices such as yoga, Pilates,
Not all plant-based foods are equally healthy
Vegetarians and pesco-vegetarians should pay close attention to the quality and composition of their diets. Not all plant-based foods are equally healthy. Data from epidemiological studies show that people eating minimally processed plant-based foods (fresh
The benefits of adding fish to a vegetarian diet By Professor Luigi Fontana
According to the American and Canadian Dietetic Associations’ appropriately planned and supplemented vegetarian diet with fish is rich in vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds, nuts and fruits are nutritionally adequate, suitable for individuals in all
Healthy hydration – what should we drink?
Nothing can beat a glass of pure and fresh spring water for appeasing our thirst. It’s the best beverage to hydrate our cells while providing a range of essential minerals and oligo-elements. But did you
Healthy hydration – how much should we drink?
One of the urban myths is that we should drink at least 5 litres of water a day if we want to stay healthy. There is no evidence to support this claim at least in
Healthy hydration
by Professor Luigi Fontana, Scientific Director, Charles Perkins Centre RPA Clinic, The University of Sydney Most healthy people should drink water, better spring water, or a variety of herbal teas only when they feel thirsty.
5 more benefits of mindfulness meditation
Here are five more scientifically proven benefits of mindfulness meditation: Increased flexible thinking. Cognitive flexibility is the capacity of our mind to adapt quickly and successfully to new and unanticipated environmental conditions. Practising mindfulness meditation,
5 benefits of mindfulness meditation
Author: Sydney University (Luigi Fontana) Here are five scientifically proven benefits of mindfulness meditation: Decreased stress and anxiety. Stress is the physiological reaction to a peril, while anxiety is a reaction to stress itself. Chronic
Meditation for a healthy brain
We live in a world where multiple things are competing for our attention, and it’s easy to get distracted, unfocused and stressed. Depending on how we use and train our mind, it can become our
Exercise is medicine
Epidemiological studies have shown that physically active individuals are healthier and live longer than sedentary ones. Scheduling in even small amounts of exercise into your daily routine can have major impacts on your health.
Healthy sleeping for a healthy life
Sleep is a non-negotiable biological condition necessary for the preservation of human life and wellbeing. It is a foundational component of our biology, as much as the air we breathe, and the food and the
The health and environmental benefits of a healthy diet
Did you know the benefits of implementing a healthy plant-based or pesco-vegetarian diet extend beyond our own personal health? Professor Luigi Fontana is an internationally recognised physician scientist and his team at the Charles
The key to living a long and healthy life
It can seem impossible to avoid the lure of quick weight loss tips and fad diets. But what if there was a way to live a long, healthy and fulfilling life without falling prey to
Measuring the impact of a healthy lifestyle
Despite the clear experimental and clinical trial data demonstrating the power of a healthy lifestyle to change heart risk factors and events, there are still gaps which need to be addressed. Firstly, there is
Reducing the risk of chronic diseases
Imagine if a team of researchers discovered medication which significantly reduced people’s chances of developing obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and many of the most common cancers, thus cutting the overall risk of
When to start making lifestyle changes
It is never too late to start making changes. Adopting a healthy lifestyle can drastically improve your health at any age, even if someone is already suffering from one or more chronic illnesses. Of
Preventive medicine and healthy longevity
My interest in the topic of preventive medicine and healthy longevity started many years ago. As a medical student and young doctor, I started to realise that medical training was more about caring for the
Nutrition and lifestyle philosophy
Most people are extremely careful about how they spend and invest their money. They take very good care of their movable and real estate assets. But awkwardly they care much less about their most
The LIVEPLUS study at the University of Sydney
Cardiometabolic disease (a group of common but often preventable conditions including heart attack, stroke, diabetes, insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) is one of Australia’s largest health problems and cause of death in
The 5:2 pesco-vegetarian diet
The diet will focus on substituting meat with fish and processed and refined foods with a range of minimally processed plant-based foods and will involve fasting for two non-consecutive days a week. For the
Physical activity
There is strong evidence that reducing sedentary behaviour and increasing overall physical activity is associated with reduced cardiovascular events and death. Based on an initial consultation with the exercise physiologist, we will measure participants baseline
Mindfulness
Research has shown that meditation may be beneficial for cardiovascular and mental health. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a specific approach that integrates meditation and gentle hatha yoga. MBSR has been shown to be an
