45 best health tips ever for Women
1. Copy
your kitty: Learn to do stretching exercises when you wake up.
It
boosts circulation and digestion,
and eases back pain.
2. Don’t
skip breakfast. Studies show that eating a proper breakfast
is
one of the most positive things you can do if you are trying
to lose
weight. Breakfast skippers tend to gain weight. A balanced breakfast
includes fresh fruit or fruit juice, a high-fibre breakfast cereal, low-fat
milk or yoghurt, wholewheat toast, and a boiled
egg.
3. Brush up on
hygiene. Many people don't know how to brush their teethproperly.
Improper brushing can cause as
much damage to the teeth and gums as not
brushing at all. Lots of people don’t
brush for long enough, don’t floss
and don’t see a dentist regularly. Hold your
toothbrush in the same way
that would hold a pencil, and brush for at least two
minutes. This
includes brushing the teeth, the junction of the teeth and gums,
the
tongue and the roof of the mouth. And you don't need a fancy, angled
toothbrush – just a sturdy, soft-bristled one that you replace each
month.
4. Neurobics for your
mind. Get your brain fizzing with energy.
American researchers
coined the term ‘neurobics’ for tasks which activate the
brain's own
biochemical pathways and to bring new pathways online that can help
to
strengthen or preserve brain circuits. Brush your teeth with your ‘other’
hand, take a new route to work or choose your clothes based on sense of touch
rather than sight. People with mental agility tend to have lower rates of
Alzheimer's disease and
age-related mental
decline.
5. Get what you give! Always giving and never taking? This is
the
short road to compassion fatigue. Give to yourself and receive from
others,
otherwise you’ll get to a point where you have nothing left to
give. And hey,
if you can’t receive from others, how can you expect them
to receive from
you?
6. Get
spiritual. A study conducted by the formidably sober and
scientific Harvard University found that patients who were prayed for recovered
quicker than those who weren’t, even if they weren’t aware of the
prayer.
7. Get smelly.
Garlic, onions, spring onions and leeks all contain
stuff that’s good for
you. A study at the Child’s Health Institute in Cape Town
found that
eating raw garlic helped fight serious childhood infections. Heat
destroys
these properties, so eat yours raw, wash it down with fruit juice or,
if
you’re a sissy, have it in tablet form.
8. Knock one back. A glass of red wine a day is good for you. A
number
of studies have found this, but a recent one found that the
polyphenols (a type
of antioxidant) in green tea, red wine and olives may
also help protect you
against breast cancer. It’s thought that the
antioxidants help protect you from
environmentalcarcinogens
such as passive tobacco
smoke.
9. Bone up daily. Get your daily calcium by popping a tab,
chugging
milk or eating yoghurt. It’ll keep your bones strong. Remember
that your bone
density declines after the age of 30. You need at least 200
milligrams daily,
which you should combine with magnesium, or it simply
won’t be absorbed.
10. Berries for
your belly. Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries
contain
plant nutrients known as anthocyanidins, which are powerful
antioxidants.
Blueberries rival grapes in concentrations of resveratrol – the
antioxidant compound found in red wine that has assumed near mythological
proportions. Resveratrol is believed to help protect against heart disease and
cancer.
11. Curry
favour. Hot, spicy foods containing chillies or cayenne
pepper
trigger endorphins, the feel-good hormones. Endorphins have a powerful,
almost narcotic, effect and make you feel good after exercising. But go easy on
the lamb, pork and mutton and the high-fat, creamy dishes served in many
Indian
restaurants.
12. Cut
out herbs before ops. Some herbal supplements – from the
popular
St John's Wort and ginkgo biloba to garlic, ginger, ginseng and
feverfew –
can cause increased bleeding during surgery, warn surgeons. It may be
wise
to stop taking all medication, including herbal supplements, at least two
weeks before surgery, and inform your surgeon about your herbal
use.
13. I say tomato.
Tomato is a superstar in the fruit and veggie
pantheon. Tomatoes contain
lycopene, a powerful cancer fighter. They’re also
rich in vitamin C. The
good news is that cooked tomatoes are also nutritious,
so use them in
pasta, soups and casseroles, as well as in salads. The British
Thoracic
Society says that tomatoes and apples can reduce your risk of asthmaand chronic
lung diseases . Both contain the antioxidant
quercetin. To enjoy the
benefits, eat five apples a week or a tomato every
other
day.
14. Eat your stress
away. Prevent low blood sugar as it stresses you
out. Eat regular
and small healthy meals and keep fruit and veggies handy.
Herbal teas will
also soothe your frazzled nerves. Eating unrefined
carbohydrates, nuts and
bananas boosts the formation of serotonin, another
feel-good drug. Small
amounts of protein containing the amino acid tryptamine
can give you a
boost when stress tires you out.
15. Load up on vitamin C.We need at least 90 mg of vitamin C
per day
and the best way to get this is by eating at least five servings
of fresh fruit
and vegetables every day. So hit the oranges and
guavas!
16. No folly in folic
acid. Folic acid should be taken regularly by
all pregnant mums
and people with a low immunity to disease. Folic acid
prevents spina
bifida in unborn babies and can play a role in cancer
prevention. It is
found in green leafy vegetables, liver, fruit and
bran.
17. A for Away.
This vitamin, and beta carotene, help to boost
immunity against disease.
It also assists in the healing process of diseases
such as measles and is
recommended by the WHO. Good natural sources of vitamin
A are kidneys,
liver, dairy products, green and yellow vegetables, pawpaw,
mangoes,
chilli pepper, red sorrel and red palm
oil.
18. Pure water.
Don’t have soft drinks or energy drinks while you're
exercising. Stay
properly hydrated by drinking enough water during your
workout (just don't
overdo things, as drinking too much water can also be
dangerous). While
you might need energy drinks for long-distance running, in
shorter
exercise sessions in the gym, your body will burn the glucose from the
soft drink first, before starting to burn body fat. Same goes for eating
sweets.
19. GI, Jane.
Carbohydrates with a high glycaemic index, such as bread, sugar,
honey and
grain-based food will give instant energy and accelerate your
metabolism.
If you’re trying to burn fat, stick to beans, rice, pasta, lentils,
peas,
soya beans and oat bran, all of which have a low GI
count.
20. Mindful living.
You've probably heard the old adage that life's
too short to
stuff a mushroom. But perhaps you should consider the opposite:
that
life's simply too short NOT to focus on the simple tasks. By slowing down
and concentrating on basic things, you'll clear your mind of everything that
worries you. Really concentrate on sensations and experiences
again:
observe the rough texture of a strawberry's skin as you touch it,
and taste the
sweet-sour juice as you bite into the fruit; when your
partner strokes your
hand, pay careful attention to the sensation on your
skin; and learn to really
focus on simple tasks while doing them, whether
it's flowering plants or
ironing your
clothes.
21. The secret of
stretching. When you stretch, ease your body into
position until
you feel the stretch and hold it for about 25 seconds. Breathe
deeply to
help your body move oxygen-rich blood to those sore muscles. Don't
bounce
or force yourself into an uncomfortable
position.
22. Do your weights
workout first. Experts say weight training should
be done first,
because it's a higher intensity exercise compared to cardio.
Your body is
better able to handle weight training early in the workout because
you're
fresh and you have the energy you need to work it. Conversely,
cardiovascular exercise should be the last thing you do at the gym, because it
helps your body recover by increasing blood flow to the muscles, and
flushing
out lactic acid, which builds up in the muscles while you're
weight training.
It’s the lactic acid that makes your muscles feel stiff
and sore.
23. Burn fat during
intervals. To improve your fitness quickly and lose weight, harness the
joys of interval
training. Set the treadmill or step machine on the
interval programme, where
your speed and workload varies from minute to
minute. Build up gradually, every
minute and return to the starting speed.
Repeat this routine. Not only will it
be less monotonous, but you can
train for a shorter time and achieve greater
results.
24. Your dirtiest foot
forward. If your ankles, knees, and hips ache
from running on
pavement, head for the dirt. Soft trails or graded roads are a
lot easier
on your joints than the hard stuff. Also, dirt surfaces tend to be
uneven,
forcing you to slow down a bit and focus on where to put your feet –
great
for agility and concentration.
25.
Burn the boredom, blast the lard. Rev up your metabolism by
alternating
your speed and intensity during aerobic workouts. Not only
should you alternate
your routine to prevent burnout or boredom, but to
give your body a jolt. If
you normally walk at 6.5km/h on the treadmill or
take 15 minutes to walk a km,
up the pace by going at 8km/h for a minute
or so during your workout. Do this
every five minutes or so. Each time you
work out, increase your bouts of speed
in small
increments.
26. Cool off without a
beer. Don’t eat carbohydrates for at least an
hour after
exercise. This will force your body to break down body fat, rather
than
using the food you ingest. Stick to fruit and fluids during that hour, but
avoid beer.
27. ‘Okay, now do 100
of those’. Instead of flailing away at gym,
enlist the help –
even temporarily – of a personal trainer. Make sure you learn to breathe
properly and to do the exercises the right way. You’ll get more of a workout
while spending less time at the gym.
28. Stop fuming. Don’t smoke and if you smoke already, do
everything
in your power to quit. Don’t buy into that
my-granny-smoked-and-lived-to-be-90
crud – not even the tobacco giants
believe it. Apart from the well-known risks
of heart disease and cancer,
orthopaedic surgeons have found that smoking
accelerates bone density loss
and constricts blood flow. So you could live to
be a 90-year-old amputee
who smells of stale tobacco smoke. Unsexy.
29. Ask about Mad Aunt Edith. Find out your family history. You
need
to know if there are any inherited diseases prowling your gene pool.
According
to the Mayo Clinic, USA, finding out what your grandparents died
of can provide
useful – even lifesaving – information about what’s in
store for you. And be
candid, not coy: 25 percent of the children of
alcoholics become alcoholics
themselves.
30. Do
self-checks. Do regular self-examinations of your breasts. Most
partners are more than happy to help, not just because breast cancer is the
most common cancer among SA women. The best time to examine your breasts is in
the week after your period.
31. My smear campaign. Have a pap smear once a year. Not on our
list
of favourite things, but it’s vital. Cervical cancer kills 200 000
women a year
and it’s the most prevalent form of cancer among black women,
affecting more
than 30 percent. But the chances of survival are nearly 100
percent if it’s
detected early. Be particularly careful if you became
sexually active at an
early age, have had multiple sex partners or
smoke.
32. Understand
hormones. Recent research suggests that short-term
(less than
five years) use of HRT is not associated with an increase in the
risk of
breast cancer, but that using it for more than ten years might be.
Breast
cancer is detected earlier in women using HRT, as they are more alert to the
disease than other women.
32.
Beat the sneezes. There are more than 240 allergens, some rare and
others very common. If you’re a sneezer due to pollen: close your car’s windows
while driving, rather switch on the internal fan (drawing in air from the
outside), and avoid being outdoors between 5am and 10 am when pollen
counts are
at their highest; stick to holidays in areas with low pollen
counts, such as
the seaside and stay away from freshly cut
grass.
33. Doggone. If
you’re allergic to your cat, dog, budgie or pet
piglet, stop suffering the
ravages of animal dander: Install an air filter in
your home. Keep your
pet outside as much as possible and brush him outside of
the home to
remove loose hair and other allergens. Better yet, ask someone else
to do
so.
34. Asthma-friendly
sports. Swimming is the most asthma-friendly sport
of all, but
cycling, canoeing, fishing, sailing and walking are also good,
according
to the experts. Asthma need not hinder peak performance in sport. 11
percent of the US Olympic team were asthmatics – and between them they won 41
medals.
35. Deep
heat. Sun rays can burn even through thick glass, and under
water. Up to 35 percent of UVB rays and 85 percent of UVA rays penetrate thick
glass, while 50 percent of UVB rays and 77 percent of UVA rays penetrate a
meter of water and wet cotton clothing. Which means you’ll need sunscreen
while
driving your car on holiday, and water resistant block if you’re
swimming.
36. Fragrant
ageing. Stay away from perfumed or flavoured suntan
lotions which
smell of coconut oil or orange if you want your skin to stay
young. These
lotions contain psoralen, which speeds up the ageing process.
Rather use a
fake-tan lotion. Avoid sun beds, which are as bad as the sun
itself.
37. Sunscreen can be a
smokescreen. Sunscreen is unlikely to stop you
from being
sunburned, or to reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. That’s
because most people don’t apply it properly, and stay in the sun too long. The
solution? Slather on sunscreen daily and reapply it often, especially if
you’ve
been in the water. How much? At least enough to fill a shot
glass.
38. Laugh and cry.
Having a good sob is reputed to be good for you. So
is laughter, which has
been shown to help heal bodies, as well as broken
hearts. Studies in Japan
indicate that laughter boosts the immune system and
helps the body shake
off allergic reactions.
39. It
ain’t over till it’s over. End relationships that no longer
work
for you, as you could be spending time in a dead end. Rather head for more
meaningful things. You could be missing opportunities while you’re stuck in a
meaningless rut, trying to breathe life into something that is long
gone.
40. Strong people go for
help. Ask for assistance. Gnashing your teeth
in the dark will
not get you extra brownie points. It is a sign of strength to
ask for
assistance and people will respect you for it. If there is a
relationship
problem, the one who refuses to go for help is usually the one
with whom
the problem lies to begin with.
41. Save steamy scenes for the bedroom. Showering or bathing in
water
that’s too hot will dry out your skin and cause it to age
prematurely. Warm
water is much better. Apply moisturiser while your
skin is still damp – it ll be absorbed more
easily. Adding a little
olive oil to your bath with help keep your skin
moisturised
too.
42. Here’s the rub.
Improve your circulation and help your lymph
glands to drain by the way
you towel off. Helping your lymph glands function
can help prevent them
becoming infected. When drying off your limbs and torso,
brush towards the
groin on your legs and towards the armpits on your upper
body. You can do
the same during gentle massage with your
partner.
43.
Sugar-coated. More than three million South Africans suffer from
type 2 diabetes, and the incidence is increasing – with new patients getting
younger. New studies show this type of diabetes is often part of a
metabolic
syndrome (X Syndrome), which includes high blood pressure and
other risk
factors for heart disease. More than 80 percent of type 2
diabetics die of heart disease
and watch your blood pressure
and cholesteral levels.
44. Relax,
it’s only sex. Stress and sex make bad bedfellows,
it seems. A US
survey showed that stress, kids and work are main factors to
dampen libido.
With the advent of technology that allows us to work from home,
the lines
between our jobs and our personal lives have become blurred. People
work
longer hours, commutes are longer and work pervades all aspects of our
lives, including our sexual relationships. Put nooky and intimacy on the
agenda, just like everything
else.
45. Good night,
sweetheart. Rest heals the body and has been shown to
lessen the
risk of heart trouble and pycological problems.
1. Copy
your kitty: Learn to do stretching exercises when you wake up.
It
boosts circulation and digestion,
and eases back pain.
2. Don’t
skip breakfast. Studies show that eating a proper breakfast
is
one of the most positive things you can do if you are trying
to lose
weight. Breakfast skippers tend to gain weight. A balanced breakfast
includes fresh fruit or fruit juice, a high-fibre breakfast cereal, low-fat
milk or yoghurt, wholewheat toast, and a boiled
egg.
3. Brush up on
hygiene. Many people don't know how to brush their teethproperly.
Improper brushing can cause as
much damage to the teeth and gums as not
brushing at all. Lots of people don’t
brush for long enough, don’t floss
and don’t see a dentist regularly. Hold your
toothbrush in the same way
that would hold a pencil, and brush for at least two
minutes. This
includes brushing the teeth, the junction of the teeth and gums,
the
tongue and the roof of the mouth. And you don't need a fancy, angled
toothbrush – just a sturdy, soft-bristled one that you replace each
month.
4. Neurobics for your
mind. Get your brain fizzing with energy.
American researchers
coined the term ‘neurobics’ for tasks which activate the
brain's own
biochemical pathways and to bring new pathways online that can help
to
strengthen or preserve brain circuits. Brush your teeth with your ‘other’
hand, take a new route to work or choose your clothes based on sense of touch
rather than sight. People with mental agility tend to have lower rates of
Alzheimer's disease and
age-related mental
decline.
5. Get what you give! Always giving and never taking? This is
the
short road to compassion fatigue. Give to yourself and receive from
others,
otherwise you’ll get to a point where you have nothing left to
give. And hey,
if you can’t receive from others, how can you expect them
to receive from
you?
6. Get
spiritual. A study conducted by the formidably sober and
scientific Harvard University found that patients who were prayed for recovered
quicker than those who weren’t, even if they weren’t aware of the
prayer.
7. Get smelly.
Garlic, onions, spring onions and leeks all contain
stuff that’s good for
you. A study at the Child’s Health Institute in Cape Town
found that
eating raw garlic helped fight serious childhood infections. Heat
destroys
these properties, so eat yours raw, wash it down with fruit juice or,
if
you’re a sissy, have it in tablet form.
8. Knock one back. A glass of red wine a day is good for you. A
number
of studies have found this, but a recent one found that the
polyphenols (a type
of antioxidant) in green tea, red wine and olives may
also help protect you
against breast cancer. It’s thought that the
antioxidants help protect you from
environmentalcarcinogens
such as passive tobacco
smoke.
9. Bone up daily. Get your daily calcium by popping a tab,
chugging
milk or eating yoghurt. It’ll keep your bones strong. Remember
that your bone
density declines after the age of 30. You need at least 200
milligrams daily,
which you should combine with magnesium, or it simply
won’t be absorbed.
10. Berries for
your belly. Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries
contain
plant nutrients known as anthocyanidins, which are powerful
antioxidants.
Blueberries rival grapes in concentrations of resveratrol – the
antioxidant compound found in red wine that has assumed near mythological
proportions. Resveratrol is believed to help protect against heart disease and
cancer.
11. Curry
favour. Hot, spicy foods containing chillies or cayenne
pepper
trigger endorphins, the feel-good hormones. Endorphins have a powerful,
almost narcotic, effect and make you feel good after exercising. But go easy on
the lamb, pork and mutton and the high-fat, creamy dishes served in many
Indian
restaurants.
12. Cut
out herbs before ops. Some herbal supplements – from the
popular
St John's Wort and ginkgo biloba to garlic, ginger, ginseng and
feverfew –
can cause increased bleeding during surgery, warn surgeons. It may be
wise
to stop taking all medication, including herbal supplements, at least two
weeks before surgery, and inform your surgeon about your herbal
use.
13. I say tomato.
Tomato is a superstar in the fruit and veggie
pantheon. Tomatoes contain
lycopene, a powerful cancer fighter. They’re also
rich in vitamin C. The
good news is that cooked tomatoes are also nutritious,
so use them in
pasta, soups and casseroles, as well as in salads. The British
Thoracic
Society says that tomatoes and apples can reduce your risk of asthmaand chronic
lung diseases . Both contain the antioxidant
quercetin. To enjoy the
benefits, eat five apples a week or a tomato every
other
day.
14. Eat your stress
away. Prevent low blood sugar as it stresses you
out. Eat regular
and small healthy meals and keep fruit and veggies handy.
Herbal teas will
also soothe your frazzled nerves. Eating unrefined
carbohydrates, nuts and
bananas boosts the formation of serotonin, another
feel-good drug. Small
amounts of protein containing the amino acid tryptamine
can give you a
boost when stress tires you out.
15. Load up on vitamin C.We need at least 90 mg of vitamin C
per day
and the best way to get this is by eating at least five servings
of fresh fruit
and vegetables every day. So hit the oranges and
guavas!
16. No folly in folic
acid. Folic acid should be taken regularly by
all pregnant mums
and people with a low immunity to disease. Folic acid
prevents spina
bifida in unborn babies and can play a role in cancer
prevention. It is
found in green leafy vegetables, liver, fruit and
bran.
17. A for Away.
This vitamin, and beta carotene, help to boost
immunity against disease.
It also assists in the healing process of diseases
such as measles and is
recommended by the WHO. Good natural sources of vitamin
A are kidneys,
liver, dairy products, green and yellow vegetables, pawpaw,
mangoes,
chilli pepper, red sorrel and red palm
oil.
18. Pure water.
Don’t have soft drinks or energy drinks while you're
exercising. Stay
properly hydrated by drinking enough water during your
workout (just don't
overdo things, as drinking too much water can also be
dangerous). While
you might need energy drinks for long-distance running, in
shorter
exercise sessions in the gym, your body will burn the glucose from the
soft drink first, before starting to burn body fat. Same goes for eating
sweets.
19. GI, Jane.
Carbohydrates with a high glycaemic index, such as bread, sugar,
honey and
grain-based food will give instant energy and accelerate your
metabolism.
If you’re trying to burn fat, stick to beans, rice, pasta, lentils,
peas,
soya beans and oat bran, all of which have a low GI
count.
20. Mindful living.
You've probably heard the old adage that life's
too short to
stuff a mushroom. But perhaps you should consider the opposite:
that
life's simply too short NOT to focus on the simple tasks. By slowing down
and concentrating on basic things, you'll clear your mind of everything that
worries you. Really concentrate on sensations and experiences
again:
observe the rough texture of a strawberry's skin as you touch it,
and taste the
sweet-sour juice as you bite into the fruit; when your
partner strokes your
hand, pay careful attention to the sensation on your
skin; and learn to really
focus on simple tasks while doing them, whether
it's flowering plants or
ironing your
clothes.
21. The secret of
stretching. When you stretch, ease your body into
position until
you feel the stretch and hold it for about 25 seconds. Breathe
deeply to
help your body move oxygen-rich blood to those sore muscles. Don't
bounce
or force yourself into an uncomfortable
position.
22. Do your weights
workout first. Experts say weight training should
be done first,
because it's a higher intensity exercise compared to cardio.
Your body is
better able to handle weight training early in the workout because
you're
fresh and you have the energy you need to work it. Conversely,
cardiovascular exercise should be the last thing you do at the gym, because it
helps your body recover by increasing blood flow to the muscles, and
flushing
out lactic acid, which builds up in the muscles while you're
weight training.
It’s the lactic acid that makes your muscles feel stiff
and sore.
23. Burn fat during
intervals. To improve your fitness quickly and lose weight, harness the
joys of interval
training. Set the treadmill or step machine on the
interval programme, where
your speed and workload varies from minute to
minute. Build up gradually, every
minute and return to the starting speed.
Repeat this routine. Not only will it
be less monotonous, but you can
train for a shorter time and achieve greater
results.
24. Your dirtiest foot
forward. If your ankles, knees, and hips ache
from running on
pavement, head for the dirt. Soft trails or graded roads are a
lot easier
on your joints than the hard stuff. Also, dirt surfaces tend to be
uneven,
forcing you to slow down a bit and focus on where to put your feet –
great
for agility and concentration.
25.
Burn the boredom, blast the lard. Rev up your metabolism by
alternating
your speed and intensity during aerobic workouts. Not only
should you alternate
your routine to prevent burnout or boredom, but to
give your body a jolt. If
you normally walk at 6.5km/h on the treadmill or
take 15 minutes to walk a km,
up the pace by going at 8km/h for a minute
or so during your workout. Do this
every five minutes or so. Each time you
work out, increase your bouts of speed
in small
increments.
26. Cool off without a
beer. Don’t eat carbohydrates for at least an
hour after
exercise. This will force your body to break down body fat, rather
than
using the food you ingest. Stick to fruit and fluids during that hour, but
avoid beer.
27. ‘Okay, now do 100
of those’. Instead of flailing away at gym,
enlist the help –
even temporarily – of a personal trainer. Make sure you learn to breathe
properly and to do the exercises the right way. You’ll get more of a workout
while spending less time at the gym.
28. Stop fuming. Don’t smoke and if you smoke already, do
everything
in your power to quit. Don’t buy into that
my-granny-smoked-and-lived-to-be-90
crud – not even the tobacco giants
believe it. Apart from the well-known risks
of heart disease and cancer,
orthopaedic surgeons have found that smoking
accelerates bone density loss
and constricts blood flow. So you could live to
be a 90-year-old amputee
who smells of stale tobacco smoke. Unsexy.
29. Ask about Mad Aunt Edith. Find out your family history. You
need
to know if there are any inherited diseases prowling your gene pool.
According
to the Mayo Clinic, USA, finding out what your grandparents died
of can provide
useful – even lifesaving – information about what’s in
store for you. And be
candid, not coy: 25 percent of the children of
alcoholics become alcoholics
themselves.
30. Do
self-checks. Do regular self-examinations of your breasts. Most
partners are more than happy to help, not just because breast cancer is the
most common cancer among SA women. The best time to examine your breasts is in
the week after your period.
31. My smear campaign. Have a pap smear once a year. Not on our
list
of favourite things, but it’s vital. Cervical cancer kills 200 000
women a year
and it’s the most prevalent form of cancer among black women,
affecting more
than 30 percent. But the chances of survival are nearly 100
percent if it’s
detected early. Be particularly careful if you became
sexually active at an
early age, have had multiple sex partners or
smoke.
32. Understand
hormones. Recent research suggests that short-term
(less than
five years) use of HRT is not associated with an increase in the
risk of
breast cancer, but that using it for more than ten years might be.
Breast
cancer is detected earlier in women using HRT, as they are more alert to the
disease than other women.
32.
Beat the sneezes. There are more than 240 allergens, some rare and
others very common. If you’re a sneezer due to pollen: close your car’s windows
while driving, rather switch on the internal fan (drawing in air from the
outside), and avoid being outdoors between 5am and 10 am when pollen
counts are
at their highest; stick to holidays in areas with low pollen
counts, such as
the seaside and stay away from freshly cut
grass.
33. Doggone. If
you’re allergic to your cat, dog, budgie or pet
piglet, stop suffering the
ravages of animal dander: Install an air filter in
your home. Keep your
pet outside as much as possible and brush him outside of
the home to
remove loose hair and other allergens. Better yet, ask someone else
to do
so.
34. Asthma-friendly
sports. Swimming is the most asthma-friendly sport
of all, but
cycling, canoeing, fishing, sailing and walking are also good,
according
to the experts. Asthma need not hinder peak performance in sport. 11
percent of the US Olympic team were asthmatics – and between them they won 41
medals.
35. Deep
heat. Sun rays can burn even through thick glass, and under
water. Up to 35 percent of UVB rays and 85 percent of UVA rays penetrate thick
glass, while 50 percent of UVB rays and 77 percent of UVA rays penetrate a
meter of water and wet cotton clothing. Which means you’ll need sunscreen
while
driving your car on holiday, and water resistant block if you’re
swimming.
36. Fragrant
ageing. Stay away from perfumed or flavoured suntan
lotions which
smell of coconut oil or orange if you want your skin to stay
young. These
lotions contain psoralen, which speeds up the ageing process.
Rather use a
fake-tan lotion. Avoid sun beds, which are as bad as the sun
itself.
37. Sunscreen can be a
smokescreen. Sunscreen is unlikely to stop you
from being
sunburned, or to reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. That’s
because most people don’t apply it properly, and stay in the sun too long. The
solution? Slather on sunscreen daily and reapply it often, especially if
you’ve
been in the water. How much? At least enough to fill a shot
glass.
38. Laugh and cry.
Having a good sob is reputed to be good for you. So
is laughter, which has
been shown to help heal bodies, as well as broken
hearts. Studies in Japan
indicate that laughter boosts the immune system and
helps the body shake
off allergic reactions.
39. It
ain’t over till it’s over. End relationships that no longer
work
for you, as you could be spending time in a dead end. Rather head for more
meaningful things. You could be missing opportunities while you’re stuck in a
meaningless rut, trying to breathe life into something that is long
gone.
40. Strong people go for
help. Ask for assistance. Gnashing your teeth
in the dark will
not get you extra brownie points. It is a sign of strength to
ask for
assistance and people will respect you for it. If there is a
relationship
problem, the one who refuses to go for help is usually the one
with whom
the problem lies to begin with.
41. Save steamy scenes for the bedroom. Showering or bathing in
water
that’s too hot will dry out your skin and cause it to age
prematurely. Warm
water is much better. Apply moisturiser while your
skin is still damp – it ll be absorbed more
easily. Adding a little
olive oil to your bath with help keep your skin
moisturised
too.
42. Here’s the rub.
Improve your circulation and help your lymph
glands to drain by the way
you towel off. Helping your lymph glands function
can help prevent them
becoming infected. When drying off your limbs and torso,
brush towards the
groin on your legs and towards the armpits on your upper
body. You can do
the same during gentle massage with your
partner.
43.
Sugar-coated. More than three million South Africans suffer from
type 2 diabetes, and the incidence is increasing – with new patients getting
younger. New studies show this type of diabetes is often part of a
metabolic
syndrome (X Syndrome), which includes high blood pressure and
other risk
factors for heart disease. More than 80 percent of type 2
diabetics die of heart disease
and watch your blood pressure
and cholesteral levels.
44. Relax,
it’s only sex. Stress and sex make bad bedfellows,
it seems. A US
survey showed that stress, kids and work are main factors to
dampen libido.
With the advent of technology that allows us to work from home,
the lines
between our jobs and our personal lives have become blurred. People
work
longer hours, commutes are longer and work pervades all aspects of our
lives, including our sexual relationships. Put nooky and intimacy on the
agenda, just like everything
else.
45. Good night,
sweetheart. Rest heals the body and has been shown to
lessen the
risk of heart trouble and pycological problems.