Health, Fitness, Beauty & Fashion

I was hoping to write an update each week on my progress with my health challenge but I had a mental health wobble which meant I had to put my focus on putting one foot in front of the other rather than writing about my progress. Although it has been …

Two weeks ago I had the Mirena put in and while I was prepared for a lot of the unpleasant side effects there was one side effect that I was completely taken by surprise by and that knocked me very badly – depression and oh my word did it knock …

A healthy lifestyle and getting the right nutrition plays a paramount role in how it affects your daily life. If your diet lacks the right nutrition, you are depriving yourself from optimal health and subsequently living a happy life. If you had the opportunity to be smarter, live longer, be …

What fun things do your legs help you do? When our legs are strong and healthy, we don’t give them a moment’s thought. But let them start being tired, heavy, crampy or swollen, then it’s time to give them special attention. Turns out, caring for legs early when they first …

Things got off to a slow start with the four week health challenge I’m doing with Helen Joubert, so from when we did the live video together I started implementing some of the changes she suggested but we officially only started on Monday 01 March 2021.  I’m blown away by …

(Not) A piece of cake! “Brown. Gooey. Thick. It lay on the table in front of me. I could smell it from where I sat. The scent made my stomach queasy, bubbling with anxiety. My friends surrounded me, smiling and laughing. They weren’t concerned about it. I dared not join …

We would like to believe there may be small, simple solutions to big problems, but when is that actually true?  The answer is probably, never.  Intractable, extreme issues arise out of complexity, and nothing less than a host of multi-dimensional, cross-functional countermeasures issued at the right time and the right …

Stalkerware – secret surveillance software used in the field of domestic violence – remains a significant problem according to a new Kaspersky report which found that a total of 53,870 mobile users were affected globally by stalkerware in 2020. The recent Kaspersky report, “The State of Stalkerware 2020”, shows that …

The Covid-19 pandemic continues to teach us tough lessons and it’s an ongoing fight. The bigger picture is that whether we are travelling, at work, home or school, our bodies are continuously responding to tiny organisms that can cause disease. Germs like viruses and bacteria are everywhere, and it is …

With an exceptionally high incidence of road accidents and fatalities, South Africa is a dangerous place to drive in. The government has made several attempts to clamp down on traffic offenders, for example through the proposed AARTO Demerit system. However, many challenges have been identified in administering and policing it, if …

There are many great reasons to ensure that you and your children eat breakfast every morning, there is a reason why it is called the most important meal of the day. If you want your children to grow up with healthy eating patterns and to get the best start to …

Being a parent is not easy as it involves constantly worrying about the child. It became even more challenging in modern times when various digital threats came to the stage. Such dangers as cyberbullying emerged with the ability to provoke stress, depression and social isolation. However, all can be prevented …

Diclofenac (Voltaren) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication available by prescription for use in treating inflamed muscles in the USA, and without prescription in Canada, it is useful in the management of low back pain and tennis elbow. This article examines the effectiveness of diclofenac for chronic musculo-skeletal (muscle) pain. …

Worldwide cancer is the second leading cause of death with around one in six deaths due to cancer.1 In 2018, approximately 9.6 million people died due to cancer.1 In South Africa, the burden of cancer continues to grow with cancer (neoplasm) ranked as the second leading cause of death in South Africa …

Now before I get into the benefits of prayer for mental health it’s important that I make clear that I am in no way religious, so when I am talking about prayer I am not necessarily referring to the religious practice of praying to God. If I need to put …

Living with untreated attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a daily struggle for many people. ADHD is a chronic brain disorder, with symptoms including inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity.1 These symptoms can affect a person’s behaviour and social interactions.1 People often find ADHD symptoms disruptive to their life, making it difficult to complete academic or …

For three days a month on average, a significant proportion of the population experience painful menstruation. While it is not often spoken about, period pain can be very uncomfortable for girls and women if the symptoms are not treated.  “Period pain is a very common reason for women requesting self-medication …

With South Africa’s Covid-19 vaccination campaign being placed on hold for now, the country must do everything within its power to find a solution, fast. Vaccinating as many people as quickly as possible will not just prevent more South Africans from getting sick, dying, and infecting others; it is also …