Sadly I do not hear enough of this coming out of adults’ mouths. I have often wondered if the old school approach to education, whereby we were taught to do as we were told and to follow instructions unquestionably has not stifled previous generations’ will to do what their hearts truly desired or the courage to learn new skills as part of a personal growth mission. To me it feels like previous generations (mine included – as a product of the 70′s) were so used to being told what to do, that when they were not being told what to do simply did nothing extra.

The extras included personal growth outside of a career or child rearing. This is the area in one’s life that all too often gets ignored, maybe put on the end of a to- do list or possibly cracks our life bucket list – but sees no more action past being written on a piece of paper or thought about momentarily.

What or who is stopping you from making 2012 YOUR year? I hear answers like “money, time, my boss, my children. Bluntly, the answer can only be – YOU! No one but yourself is stopping you from growing in an area that you have always wanted to. The tired old adage – ‘where there is a will there’s a way’ comes into play here. You will amaze yourself at how creative you can be about moving forward in an area in your life, if you are truly committed to it. Decide right now that you are on a mission of personal growth.

If you see this as an investment in yourself and an investment in your future you will make it happen. How to plant the seeds for your personal growth…

Seed # 1: Know exactly what YOU want

It is of paramount importance throughout your growth process that you understand what remains important in YOUR life. So many people have resorted to others’ ideas of what it means to be successful that they themselves are unaware of what is truly important to them. You need to form your own beliefs and stop changing your personal goals because of what others say or believe. Finish that degree; learn about blogging or iPads or anything that you are fearful of only because of a lack of knowledge.

Seed # 2: Read and read some more

Whether your growth is in the intellectual, emotional, physical or a skill development area, you need to read. By engaging in active reading you will not only improve your vocabulary, but also improve your complete understanding of your chosen area of growth. Reading provides you with the opportunity to pick the world’s best teachers and gurus in your chosen growth area. Choose inspirational material to read and listen to positive audio books. Reading the sensational news in newspapers and magazines will not grow you in any way – so stay away from them and be selective about what you put into your mind through reading.

Seed # 3: Develop a winning plan with goals

There’s a saying that goes something along the lines of ‘failing to plan means you are planning to fail’, so it is a critical part of your personal growth that you plan properly. Be as clear as possible about what you want to do and outline realistic steps for its implementation. Make it simple and easy to follow. Within this plan you need to set realistic goals – and not just long term goals.

Dependent on your area you will need goals for every day, week, month and year. The clearer the goals and plan is, the better the chances you have of achieving them. Establish a routine within your plan and as you change your daily routine to include your personal development you will experience an exponential growth within yourself.

Seed # 4: Take massive and consistent action

If you have great ideas that never get implemented then sadly you won’t accomplish much. Many people have great and creative ideas, but they don’t achieve their goals because they don’t take action and don’t put these ideas into practice. A mentor of mine once said to me “ideas are ten a penny and are worth less than that, if never put into action!”

We all have many great talents and a lot more potential than we give ourselves credit for. The most important thing to understand is that the only difference is that successful people take action to achieve their goals and desires. Make the commitment to your growth and prove this commitment to yourself through consistent massive action.

Growing yourself is going to take hard work – but it will be worth it. Stop putting your personal development on the back burner and make 2012 YOUR year.

As summer approaches we tend to become more aware of our physical appearance and take up exercise in anticipation for the sweltering days that are on the way. We know we will have to reveal a bit more of ourselves than when we are covered with our winter woollies. As a result we share some easy steps on how to tone up your ‘hello-goodbye’ arms, so that the only hello you will be saying is to those cool summer vests.

A few things to keep in mind in order to get the best results:

Muscle will only adapt when exposed to overload (more resistance). The best changes in shape come from increasing the resistance (weight used). Ladies need not fear becoming muscle-bound as they do not have high enough levels of testosterone.

Muscles will only strengthen when they are resting – so don’t train the same muscle group every day. It’s important to incorporate rest days into your training so your muscle has time to recover and grow.

Muscle needs the right food and nutrients to recover, repair and grow, so eat right and stay hydrated and you will look and feel great.

Supersets

For the following home workout we will be using supersets (performing two exercises back-to- back, with no rest in between). Supersets are time-efficient. By doing sets back-to-back, you can reduce your total workout time while still doing the same amount of physical activity. Supersets shorten your work-out time, lending more time for family over the holiday season.

To begin, grab two household items for weights. Two tin cans are a great start. Warm-up for at least 5 minutes by doing cardio (like walking or running). This will be followed by stretching to get the arm muscles warm with increased blood flow.

The Routine

Tricep Press - This is usually done lying on a bench or on the floor. Start by lying down on your back and placing your spine flat with no curve to help with protection and correct posture and form. Place arms above your chest with both arms parallel. Draw bent arms in to the belly button, keeping elbows at your sides. Stop when the back of your arm (tricep) is flat against the surface with your forearms still extended above your belly button. That’s one repetition. Repeat a few times to make a complete set.

Seated one-arm dumbell curls - Adopt a good seated posture with a dumbbell in each hand. Place both arms close to your sides with palms facing forward, pulling the shoulder blades back and down. Exhale slowly and bend your elbow, bringing the weight/ dumbbell toward your shoulder. Do not allow your back to arch or your elbow to move forward. Keep your wrists in line with your forearms. Do not allow the wrists to bend. Keep them firm and straight. Do not allow the shoulders to shrug or elbows to move from the sides of the body like wings. Then inhale and complete the move by straightening your elbow and lowering the weight back to start position in a controlled and slow manner. Repeat on the other side, alternating arms until desired repetitions are performed and the set is complete.

Bench dips - Seated on the edge of a bench with your hands holding the bench either side of your glutes, place your feet in front of you with the knees slightly bent or on another bench, depending on your physical ability. Now slowly lower yourself off the bench until your elbows reach an angle of 90° then extend the elbow to return to the start position. Make sure you keep your back close to the bench throughout the movement and do not go all the way down if your shoulders start to hurt.

Hammer curls - stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent and your back straight or in a stable, comfortable posture. Grasp a dumbbell or weight in each hand but keep your palms turned towards your sides. Now flex the elbow and bring the hands up towards the shoulders. Then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the start position. Make sure that you keep your back straight because leaning forward reduces the range of motion of the elbow.

Start off doing 3-4 sets of 12-15 repetitions of each exercise. If you can do this comfortably then increase the resistance or weight to keep challenging the body and making it a fat burning machine.

Remember to cool down, stretch, stay hydrated and love yourself.

According to Victoria Sherrow, author of ‘Encyclopedia of Hair: a Cultural History’, the average South African woman will spend over one and a half million rand on hair care products and salon appointments during her lifetime, and our average monthly spend only increases as we age. But why does our hair require so much more love and attention as we get older? We share tips on what you can do today to make sure your hair stays vibrant and full of life.

Hair in depth

Hair is primarily made up of Keratin, a tough, water- insoluble protein, which also contains oils and water. You have approximately 100 000 hairs on your head, of which you will lose 50-100 every day, but this is no cause for concern. “In fact, the old hair is usually prompted to fall out only when it is pushed out by the new hair growing through,” says Dr Kevin Alexander, owner of Dr Alexander’s Hair Loss clinic in Johannesburg. Hair needs to be replaced to keep it healthy and shiny, and protected to ensure that it stays that way!

According to Hannon Bothma, well-known stylist, image consultant, co-founder of the Hannon brand and presenter of Glam Guru on Kyknet, the combination of sunlight, heat and wind creates a natural peroxide that bleaches and damages the hair’s pigment. “Cuticle scales open up and expose the fragile cortex where all the moisture is stored. Hair becomes drier and starts feeling porous.” Wear a hat when spending time out in the sun, or use a leave-in conditioner with a sun protection factor.

Caring for your hair

Salon products promise wonderful improvements to your hair, but is it necessary to spend the extra money or do store-bought products work just as well? According to Hannon, to keep the cost of supermarket products down, the ingredients they use have to be very basic. “If you want more than just clean hair, you will have to spend a little bit more on hair care products. However, if you find something that works for you, keep using it.”

To keep your locks looking young and lovely, always keep the following in mind:

•    Use a conditioner every time you shampoo, as this will close the hair cuticles to preserve your hair colour and moisture molecules.

•    If possible, hair should only be combed when dry. ” Wet hair is more elastic than dry hair, which means that vigorous combing can stretch hair to the point of breakage.

•    Hair pins and hair bands all break some hair since they must hold the hair tightly to stay in place. Look for hair pins with a smooth, ball-tipped surface and hair clips with spongy rubber padding where they $ make contact with the hair.

•    Let your hair go natural. Washing, bleaching, and dyeing your hair too often can make hair weak and brittle. So can frequent use of blow-dryers, curling irons and flat irons. Letting your hair do whanaturally does is the best way to keep it healthy.

Aging Hair

One of the most obvious signs of aging is hair colour g change. As you age, the hair follicles produce less pigment (melanin), which causes the greying process. Although hair colouring is probably the easier way | to conceal a person’s true age, it may not be the J! healthiest option. “Hair growth slows down with age, so cosmetically damaged hair will be present longer on older individuals,” says Dr Zoe Draelos, dermatologist gj and clinical associate professor in the department | of dermatology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in the United States.

The best way to keep your greying hair gorgeous? Go grey gracefully! There are plenty products that aid in keeping grey hair a silvery-white tint, instead of a dull yellow, which can look striking in certain styles. Ask your hairdresser for classic styles that work with your face shape.

When you have a situation whereby the rate of replacement of the hair is surpassed by the rate at which the hair is lost, there is condition of hair thinning, which – when at its extreme – can result in balding. As you age, the hair strands become smaller and has less pigment, so the thick, coarse hair of a young adult eventually becomes thin and fine. Many hair follicles stop producing new hairs altogether, but can be aided by hair supplements and products that combat thinning.

You may also find that you developed a problem with dry hair seemingly overnight. Hair consists of around 13% water, and as you age your hair loses some of this water and becomes dry. Dry hair is less shiny than hydrated hair so the result is often dull, unhealthy looking hair. Try not to use heated appliances and apply special hair finishing products to protect the hair shaft from heat damage. Deep conditioning treatments once a week will also aid in keeping your hair looking shiny and healthy.

Eat your hair beautiful!

“Because hair and nails are keratin based, they are affected by the amount of calcium you have in your diet,” says Hannon. A lack of calcium will affect the thickness and lustre of your hair, so a properly balanced diet with all the essential nutrients is important for having beautiful and healthy hair.

“Hair supplements will help transport active ingredients and nutrients directly to the hair follicles” adds Hannon. “This is possibly the most effective and lasting treatment for aging hair and scalp.” But watch out for overdosing on Vitamin A, as this is known to cause hair loss, amongst other more severe side effects.

By following these few simple guidelines, you can ensure that your crowning glory remains shiny and beautiful no matter your age.

Spending long hours in front of your computer at work can have a negative effect on more than just your social life. Tension headaches, stiff neck-and-shoulders and lower back pain are some familiar aches for those of us who sit behind a desk most of our day. We bring you some simple tips on how to be good to your spine, while reaping the numerous benefits of having a good posture.

Even if you follow an active lifestyle, chances are that you spend most of your day in a seated position. Experts estimate that, between driving, working on the computer and watching TV, we spend in excess of nine hours per day sitting down. The consequences of which are backache, tension, impaired digestion and concentration, and a reduction in breathing ability (as the lungs are unable to extend to full capacity).

People in the office environment are especially at risk. A recent study done by the Division of Physiotherapy at Stellenbosch University revealed that academics are exposed to up to 12 hours of computer work a day.

Keep active

“Movement is a decisive factor in the fight against typical complaints from seated employees,” says Debbie Arnoldi-Radford, MD of Dauphin HumanDesign Group, South Africa (a company who manufactures top quality office chairs), “Our bodies are better designed to move than to spend long periods of time in the same position.”

Andrew Todd, Lecturer at Rhodes University’s Department of Human Kinetics and Ergonomics and chairman of the Ergonomics Society of South Africa agrees. “Workers should incorporate appropriate rest breaks when working long hours, and should walk around or stand and stretch for at least five minutes for every hour spent sitting down. This will relieve the contraction of the back and neck muscles, stimulate activity in the extremities and the heart, and improve blood circulation.”

Perfect Posture

Good sitting posture does not necessarily mean that you have to sit up straight for long periods of time. According to one of Europe’s leading ergonomic experts, Malte Lenkeit, no two people sit the same way, as our seating habits are adopted during childhood as part of a formative process, much like the way we learn to walk. There is, therefore, no single ideal posture since humans come in all shapes and sizes. The ideal posture for you is one in which your back is put under the least strain and in which your spine is naturally and gracefully curved. The following tips can aid you in achieving your personal perfect sitting posture:

•    When sitting, always keep your feet flat on the floor. If you need to cross your legs, however, do it while leaning back and refrain from sitting forwards.

•    Always maintain contact with the back rest of your chair. This will provide your lower back muscles with the support they need.

•    Keep your shoulders in line with your hips when sitting down.

•    Weak muscles provide poor support for your body. Try to follow an exercise plan that includes movements to strengthen legs, abdominals and back.

•    Allow a small hollow in your back when you are in a seated position, but do not arch your back.

There is not much that you can do to change the amount of hours you have to spend in front of a computer at work, but changing the way you sit could make a world of difference to your back’s state of health. Sitting approximately an arm’s length from the screen, and placing your monitor so that the top of the computer screen is just below eye level will keep your back happier, and maintaining your shoulders in a relaxed and neutral position as you type will keep the tension from building there. Dr Reg Engelbrecht, CEO of the Chiropractic Assosiation of South Africa, adds that people should avoid cradling their phone between their shoulder and ear, and refrain from over extending their arm to reach the mouse by keeping the mouse as close to the keyboard as possible.

Generally speaking, the slight S shape of the spine serves us well. “If you think about a heavy weight on a C or S, which is going to collapse more easily? The C,” says Galen Cranz, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley. But when you sit the spine’s natural S-shape turns into a C, hampering the abdominal and back muscles that support the body. The body is left to slouch, and the muscles grow weak and unable to support it.

Aside from decreasing the amount of pressure on your spine and back muscles, a good posture can also make you appear slimmer, taller and more confident. It also aids in breathing, which directly affects the amount of energy you have and your ability to think clearly, as the more oxygen your brain has, the more thinking power it has.

Adapting proper posture techniques bring you an array of wonderful benefits, and is something that doesn’t cost you a cent to do! Keep an eye on your back, and that of your children, to insure that sitting down never becomes a pain in the neck.

5 Tips for preventing back problems

1.    Use an exercise ball as a chair for part of the day: It makes sitting less of a sedentary activity and forces the body to maintain its core strength.

2.    Sleep smart: Sleeping on your back puts roughly 25 kilograms of pressure on your back muscles. Putting a couple of pillows under your knees can cut that pressure in half. Or, lie on your side with a pillow between your knees.

3.    Keep your weight under control: As few as 5 extra kilograms can put unnecessary strain on the joints and muscles, hastening degeneration.

4.    Wear supportive shoes: If your feet aren’t healthy, it transfers to your knees, hips, and back. Skip the high heels.

5.    Quit smoking: Nicotine restricts the flow of blood to the discs that cushion your vertebrae.

Heading on holiday doesn’t automatically equate to relaxation. Demanding jobs make holidays difficult, even surprisingly stressful, particularly if you can’t leave the office behind.

A holiday is as much a mindset as it is getting away from everyday routine. Half the battle is committing to a specific time to take the break!

1. Plan ahead by delegating your responsibilities to capable staff members. Make sure they are adequately equipped to handle the workload, including a contingency plan should any unexpected problems arise. Identify your stress triggers and put some structures in place so that your stand-in will be able to cope while you are away,

2. Leaving a contact number is advised however in the hands of one colleague only. Give strict instructions to only call in the event of absolute emergencies!

3. While it is best to leave the Blackberry and laptop at home, if you must take them with you, make sure they are turned off most of the time. Check emails and messages once every three to four days only. Leave an automated ‘away message’ and include the name and contact number of your stand-in so people know you are out the office. Alternatively, ask a colleague to check your emails daily and action on your behalf. That way you can rest easy knowing that queries are being handled promptly.

4. If you struggle to ‘detach’ from work, plan holiday activities to keep your mind busy. These may include anything from playing a round of golf to extreme sports like bungee jumping.

5. Do it for your health. Holidays help to heal, de-stress and rejuvenate body, mind and soul. Studies show multiple mini-breaks throughout the year prove more beneficial than one, lengthy holiday. Researchers from the State University of New York in, noted that men who didn’t take at least one weekly holiday a year, increased their risk of fatal heart disease by 30%!

6. Get active on your holiday by putting your best foot forward and navigating outdoor attractions on foot. Most people are sedentary in the workplace and benefit greatly from exercise while on holiday.

7.  Learn to let go. Stop worrying about everything that could go wrong in your absence. If you can’t manage the turn around on your own, enlist the assistance of a professional.

The key to getting fit and staying healthy is at least 30 minutes exercise every day to get your heart rate up. The beauty of everyday exercise is that, to some extent, it can be anything you want it to be. There is no bewildering fitness jargon, no need for tight-fitting Lycra and no prescriptive schedules. Anything that gets your muscles working, your joints moving and your heart pumping faster – from dog-walking to stair-climbing – can be considered as everyday exercise. It can slip neatly into your lifestyle and, above all, can be done without costing you a cent. Here are a few ideas on how you can get fit for free…

Getting fit at home

■ Clean up! Cleaning your house from top to bottom once a week can melt away around 5kg a year.

■ Free weights. Use equipment you already have at home, like soup cans or water bottles (filled with water or sand), as small hand-weights. You can use these for any exercises where you would usually use small hand weights, and as you progress and get stronger, you can fill them with sand or coins and pebbles instead of water.

■ Jump rope. Use a skipping rope and do some skipping – it will make you feel like a care-free child again and it’s one of the best forms of exercise. If you don’t have a skipping rope, a clothes line or extra piece of rope will work just as well.

■ Dance! Dancing is a great form of full-body exercise and it is fun to do! Furthermore, it can be done for long periods at a time without tiring you out too much. If you’re too shy to pull out all your moves in public, put on your favourite songs at home and dance the night (or day) away.

Getting fit at the shop

■ Power walk. Do some power-walking while doing your weekly shopping, not only will you speed past the doughnut isle before it tempts you, you will also give your heart, lungs and legs a good workout.

■ Ditch the trolley. Use a hand-basket instead of a trolley whenever you can, as this will help tone and strengthen your arms.

Get fit in front of the TV

■ Mini workouts. Every time an ad comes on, do 10-15 lunges or crunches. These short bursts of exercise are perfect for getting your heart rate up during a time when you would usually be inactive.

■ Word workout. Decide on a word before the show you’re watching starts, and make a mental note of how many times the word is used. Do that many push-ups or sit-ups after the episode finishes.

■ Stability balls. Sit on a stability ball instead of the couch while watching TV. These are a fantastic way of strengthening core muscles.

■ Swap out DVDs. Exercise DVDs are a cheap and easy way of getting a work-out in the comfort of your own home. Everybody owns at least one, and you can swap them out with your friends to ensure that you can do a different form of exercise every week or so.

Get fit in the garden

■ Down and dirty. Gardening is a great form of exercise for those who also want to work in some quite time. Grow your own vegetable garden, the effort put into tending to them will be repaid threefold – you will get some exercise, get a good tan and reap the benefits of having fresh and healthy vegetables on your table at night.

■ Play! Play with your kids in the yard. Whether it’s a simple game of cat and mouse or just throwing a ball to each other, you can work off some centimeters and work on the relationship you have with your children.

Get fit on holiday

■ Sandy secret. Exercising on sand turns any simple and free cardio exercise into a high-intensity workout, as running on sand is much harder than on a solid horizontal surface. Play some beach volley-ball or take a short jog on the shoreline.

■ Swimming. Almost all hotels and resorts have a pool, and many hot summer hours can be spent getting some exercise in the water! Swim in the sea if you have the opportunity, or play some pool games with your kids.

■ Hiking. Walking has always been a free and easy way of getting exercise, and it can be even more effective when done on uneven terrain. Hikes are a great cardio workout, and a terrific bonding exercise when done with family and friends.

Get fit with technology

■ Runkeeper (by FitnessKeeper, Inc.) This is an application you can download to your Android, iPhone, Windows Phone or Nokia Smartphones that uses GPS technology to track distance, time and pace while running, cycling or snowboarding and skiing. It’s free to download and easy to use!

■ Fitness Pro (by Data Supply) This application is not only able to track your distance and time while running, but can also get you going with strength training in the gym. Hundreds of exercises have been preloaded alphabetically, and when selected it shows a simple demonstration of how to complete it. While this application is free to download to your iPhone now, it may not remain free indefinitely.

Everyday exercise is simple, easy and will bring you numerous health benefits. Incorporate some of these activities into your daily routine when you might otherwise have been inert and you will see and feel the benefits.

The important thing is to remember that every second you are active makes a positive difference to your health.

Although we all know that it is really the centimeters that count, and that muscle weighs more than fat, for some reason it is the number on the scale that makes (or breaks) our day. There is nothing better than seeing numbers that you haven’t seen for a while. And there is nothing more disheartening than facing up to the truth after falling off the rails for a few days. The scale has definitely become an integral part of a members life, and like it or not, it is here to stay.

Because the scale mostly goes hand-in-hand with dieting – the question remains: “Is it sensitive enough to be the ‘be all and end all’ of judging a leaner, healthier body, or should we be looking for additional positive affirmation elsewhere too?”

There is no one, straightforward answer to this question. Every measure of success has its ups and downs (excuse the pun). Making matters even more complicated, because we are human beings, somehow we can manipulate measures of success making them less accurate. For example, how often have you reassured yourself that your pants have just come out of the wash and therefore must have shrunk? Or how often have you ‘starved’ yourself before a weigh-in? Because we are all individuals, and because we all find different reasons to do the right thing, when questioned: “What is the best way to measure success?” The answer would be dependant on who you are and what you are trying to achieve. So the question should rather be: “When do you use what measures of success?”

The scale

The scale has stood the test of time – and for good reason. It is easy to use, available almost everywhere and is easy to translate. Furthermore, for a large percentage of the population the scale tells a good story. It may not tell a detailed story, but the general outline of the story is told by the scale. In other words, for most, the scale is sufficient enough to give them a rough outline on what their body is doing.

The measurement on the scale is also able to give you an idea of how good or bad your health is. There is no doubt that (for an overweight person), as the number on the scale decreases, so your health profile improves. So, for the large majority of us who are trying to shed a few kilos, the number on the scale, can be one way to measure success. But, you should never be in despair when the figure on the scale jumps up a notch. For example, during your menstrual cycle you can put on a kilo or two as most times this is due to water retention (the body is experiencing changes and tends to swell up a bit). Another common mistake that most people make is weighing themselves daily. One should never fall into this pattern as it would be of ineffect, rather weigh yourself once every seven days. Remember, our bodies are comprised of 55%-75% water. As such, your bodyweight fluctuates daily due to fluid changes.

Keep in mind, the scale only gives a rough outline. Because the scale may not be budging, it does not necessarily mean you may as well throw your hands in the air and give up. Conversely, if you stand cautiously on the scale expecting to see the worst, don’t think you are getting away with it just because the scale says you are.
It is important to note that the scale weighs everything in and on your body. It weighs muscle, fat, water and bone. It also weighs what you ate last night, if you need a wee or if you are slightly constipated. So if you are one of those people who, despite your best intentions, find that the number is staying ‘put’, it may be time to look elsewhere for positive affirmation. This is when it is important to bring in other measures of success.

THE WARNING:

Do not get too hung up on the actual number, rather monitor the trend. It is only possible to get a trend after a few months. So to get a true picture of what the scale is telling us, keep a record of the trend over time. If the trend is downwards (no matter how fast), the results are positive!

Body fat percentage

Scale weight can be a useful number to know but, knowing how much of your weight is body fat is also important. Weight loss should be about fat loss, the problem is the scale cannot measure this! So when the number on the scale is not doing what you expect it to be doing, start focusing on change in body fat.

Fat loss is a much slower process than weight loss, but it is also less variable. Because weight is affected by what you ate last night, water retention and how much food is in your tummy, keeping track of your fat loss can help differentiate between fat gain and so- called ‘circumstantial’ weight gain that has nothing to do with fat. Keeping track of body fat is also very important for people about to embark on a new exercise programme. Because muscle is denser than fat, it’s possible for the scale weight to remain the same, even though you are losing fat. Knowing your body fat percentage can also give you a better idea of how much fat you really need to lose.

THE WARNING:

Measure body fat only every week (or even bi-weekly) and NOT daily as body fat does not vanish overnight. Also always use the same tool to monitor fat loss as different tools vary greatly.

Centimeters

Centimeters are a great way to monitor progress. Generally if you are losing weight on the scale, your centimeters should be decreasing. For those people that are exercising and building muscle, or for people that have greater water fluctuations from day to day, the scale may not indicate your full results. This is when centimeters come into play.

One of the greatest measures of success is waist circumference (generally taken around your belly button area). Waist circumference is an independent risk factor for heart disease, diabetes and other health issues. If your waist circumference is decreasing – there is reason to celebrate!

THE WARNING:

One trick on how to use centimeters effectively is to use the same point on your body to ensure you always measure from the same place. For example use your belly button as the waist marker. For chest or bust measurements, the nipple is the best marker whereas thighs should be measured from the widest area. Hips can be measured over the hip bone and arm circumference should be measured in the middle of the arm between the elbow and the shoulder.

Your body shape

To see how your weight loss is going, look at yourself – really look! Get naked (or almost naked) and get familiar with your body. Do this every week or two and as you go on, you’ll see changes in your body shape, size and tone – definitely fewer jiggling bits! Try to focus on what looks good, especially as your body improves, and celebrate every improvement.

THE WARNING:

There is no warning here, keep the lights on bright and take a good look – don’t be shy!

Your clothes

Stay away from baggy clothing and elasticised waists. Get into your tighter clothes and monitor how well they are fitting. Try on some previously snug jeans, or try on some of your tight fitting tops and feel how loose they feel. What clothes size are you down to? Are you able to fasten your belt tighter by a notch or two? These are all signs that you’re going the right way.

THE WARNING:

More often than not clothes do not shrink in the wash, but you should try not to lose focus on your goal.

Make notes of your behaviour

Each day, there are so many things that you do right. It is these exact behavioural changes that are the REAL measures of success. No matter how small the change may be, when repeated often it can make a big difference to your weight and health. It is also important to make note of the things you do wrong or would like to improve on.

When the scale lets you down, and you do not see results fast enough, reflect back on just how far you have come and how many behavioural changes you have made. What is important to remember is that it is the small daily little changes that will make a big difference in the long-term. So as long as you can keep up the changes, the chances are, with time, you will see more tangible results.

THE WARNING:

No matter what measure of success you are using, always measure under similar circumstances. Use the same trainer to measure body fat, use the same tape measure to measure centimeters and use the same scale to measure weight.

While many feel the widely anticipated dreaded fatal influenza pandemic had finally arrived in the form of the swine flu, which has since petered out, vigilance is still necessary to keep the flu virus away on a regular basis. 

As a major cause of complications and death, influenza represents a serious global public issue that causes severe illness, hospitalisation and death – mainly among high-risk groups (the very young, elderly or chronically ill). The World Health Organisation estimates as much as five to 15% of the population are affected by upper respiratory tract infections in annual influenza epidemics each year, with a higher rate in children – where one in three would get infected.

Worldwide, annual influenza epidemics result in three to five million cases of severe illness, and 250,000 to 500,000 deaths. Influenza is the most frequent cause of acute respiratory illness requiring medical intervention because it affects all age groups and because it can recur in any individual.

WHO therefore strongly emphasises the importance of raising public awareness of influenza and its complications as well as the beneficial effects of influenza vaccination and is working, in close partnership with global health authorities, to strengthen national and regional influenza diagnostic capacities, disease surveillance and outbreak responses.

EASILY SPREAD

Influenza viruses are very infectious and are easily transmitted from person to person through air droplets projected by coughing and sneezing. The virus can also be spread by shaking hands or touching surfaces contaminated with the virus. The incubation period averages two days (it can range from one to four days). Infected adult individuals are contagious from the day before symptoms appear until five days after onset of the illness and severely immuno-compromised persons can shed the virus for weeks or months.

Children can be infectious for more than 10 days after the onset of symptoms. Daycare and primary school children often spread the virus into homes and communities, as children are efficient transmitters of influenza viruses. Children aged five to nine typically manifest the highest rates of infection and illness. Up to 59% of healthcare workers experience flu infections without classic symptoms and can transmit the virus to patients. And while influenza epidemics occur yearly during autumn and winter in temperate regions, the influenza viruses circulate throughout the year with one or two peaks during rainy seasons in tropical countries.

Uncomplicated infection is accompanied by the abrupt onset of fever, sore throat, headache, muscle pain, chills, anorexia, fatigue and severe malaise (feeling unwell). Fever lasting three to five days, unproductive cough and a runny or stuffy nose are all common. The illness usually improves after one week, but cough and malaise may persist.

However, these symptoms are non-specific and can also be caused by other respiratory tract infections. As a consequence, influenza is often mistaken for the common cold or other benign respiratory tract infections. But, unlike the common cold, flu may cause mild-to-severe illness and can also induce life-threatening complications such as viral or secondary bacterial pneumonia and the aggravation of underlying medical conditions, including congestive heart failure and diabetes. In adults, the risk of dying from influenza and related complications increases from the age of 50.

STAVING OFF INFECTION

Influenza illness affects people of all ages, but adults age 65 or older and children younger than two are particularly vulnerable, as well as those with certain medical conditions (such as chronic heart, lung, kidney, liver, blood diseases, diabetes) or illnesses that weaken the immune system. To prevent transmission as much as possible, infected people should cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, and wash their hands regularly.

Annual vaccination is also considered as being one of the most effective ways to prevent influenza infection plus complications and to alleviate its economic burden, especially for people at higher risk and for people who live with or care for high risk individuals. The approach to influenza control typically aims at reducing severe influenza-related outcomes largely by vaccination of the elderly, who are at highest risk for influenza-related deaths.

Influenza vaccination offers approximately 70-90% protection against clinical disease in healthy adults aged 18-59, provided there is a good match between the vaccine antigens and circulating virus( es). But, flu viruses are capable of evading the body’s immune system by undergoing continuous genetic variation and may change from season to season. Individuals are susceptible to new strains despite previous infection by other influenza viruses.

Since people may have limited protection against new circulating viruses, changes in influenza vaccine strains may be needed from one year to another and this is why annual administration of influenza vaccine may be recommended by authorities.

Every year, the WHO Global Surveillance Network analyses thousands of virus samples from around the world and makes predictions about which seasonal strains will likely threaten human health the most in the next season. The recommendations for the influenza strains to be used in the composition of seasonal vaccines every year accordingly. And yet, one key challenge in influenza prevention remains the difficulty in convincing patients to get vaccinated.

Some of the main reasons for people not to be vaccinated include:

• lack of education about the real impact of the disease and the
necessity to repeat vaccination every year;
• lack of physician recommendations;
• mistaken assumptions on the disease or on the vaccine; and
• a misunderstanding of the vaccination process.

Additionally, the current mode of vaccination – intramuscular injection – and the fear or the dislike of needles may represent a potential barrier for all adults – whether healthy or at-risk – who are apprehensive of injections and/or needles and may keep them from being vaccinated. Patients not only need to be convinced of the benefit of being vaccinated but also reassured about the process of receiving an influenza vaccination.

ECONOMIC TOLL

In industrialised countries, influenza is associated with a considerable economic burden in terms of healthcare costs, lost days of work or education, general social disruption and workforce productivity losses. Indirect costs of influenza can account for SO-90% of the total costs and stem largely from work absenteeism, disruption of activities and loss of productivity. Annual direct costs of influenza, including costs of hospitalisations, outpatient visits and care, physician visits and drugs, etc have been estimated at US$2.2 billion and indirect costs at US$S.S billion in the US in 2004.

In unvaccinated healthy adults aged 50-64 years, influenza illness was shown to be responsible for 39% of all illness-related work days lost and 49% of all illness-related reduced on-the job productivity.

In the US, 44 million days of productivity were estimated to be lost due to influenza illness every year. Estimates from France, Germany and the US indicate that the total annual cost of influenza outbreaks varies between US$1 million and US$6 million per 100,000 inhabitants

Many of us would like to believe it is not possible to overdose on sugar. At most, the belief is we’d simply become hyper and feel high in the same way we would after a cup of coffee, with the ‘buzz’ wearing off after a while.

Now consider the case of British baby Poppy Davies, who was born three months premature. She was given up to 75 times the recommended amount of glucose at the Great Ormond Street Hospital – causing the infant to become paralysed and also suffer brain damage.

A subsequent inquest in the UK found no suspicious circumstance in the events which led to the baby’s death five weeks later, though some had speculated the baby’s undeveloped organs couldn’t break down the sugar properly.While this may be an extreme tragic example, the dangers remain real – too much sugar is bad for our health. And our taste buds craving for sugar can mask this hidden insidious addiction until we don’t realise just how much excess sugar we consume daily.

ISN ‘T IT NATURAL?

But wait a minute – isn’t sugar found in almost every food available naturally? Isn’t sugar a necessary energy-providing carbohydrate we all need for everyday activities, including even when we’re sleeping? Herein lies the rub – while all kinds of sugars are found naturally, most of the processed food we consume also contain lots of added sugar. Manufacturers aren’t stupid, adding sugar enhances the taste of their products – which leads us to buy more.

If you still aren’t convinced, check the product labels. Just how many products actually state there’s no sugar included as part of the ingredients? Don’t be easily fooled by the terms honey, sucrose, lactose, glucose and fructose – they are all types of sugar. Once you’ve done this quick check, consider this – how much sugar do you really think your body needs daily? The benchmark is usually set at 50g or seven teaspoons daily. That’s less than what’s in a soft drink can or a small bottle of juice.

Let’s look at it from another angle – you would usually have about five to six teaspoons of sugar in a cup of teh tarik. Even the curry or spicy nasi lemak sambal you’ve just consumed has added sugar, amounting to about two to three teaspoons’ worth. So, on an average day, chances are you might have consumed around 25 to 30 teaspoons worth of added sugar – roughly four times more than your body actually needs! It’s not worth deluding yourself this guesstimate could be wrong, for this figure is in addition to the natural sugar you already consume by eating fruits and vegetables too. Once you factor that in, it becomes very clear just how much our excess sugar intake is really on a daily basis.  

WEANING OFF SUGAR

It isn’t easy to simply go off sugar because our bodies are already used to its high intake on a regular basis. Just like any addiction, it is often easier to have a steady reduction schedule until it’s possible to completely cut out all the excess sugar. To start, cut out on all the pre-sweetened drinks and focus on reducing the amount of sugar you add to your beverage. If you put in three teaspoons of sugar into your coffee, reduce it to two and eventually it will taste fine without any. It’s all a matter of getting your taste buds adjusted. After all, any individual will need to climb 14 floors to burn off the 20 kilocalories contained in one just teaspoon of sugar! So, the alternative of reducing your sugar intake is definitely an easier way to lose weight.

Then, start looking at the food you consume. Inevitably, food you buy from any outlet will have sugar added. So, try to make your own dishes instead to help you cut down on the added sugar. This effort also burns off calories and keeps you healthier. Another easy adjustment you can make to your diet is to start consuming lots of fresh fruits and raw vegetables. While this may seem counterintuitive, it actually isn’t – such a diet actually reduces your sugar intake to about one-third!

Why? Sugar content is lower in natural foods because the plant produces only however much is truly needed and no more. This is opposite to processed foods, where taste is paramount and added sugar is a must!  

THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS

We have long learnt in schools and probably read almost everywhere that sugar is an important carbohydrate – an element that supplies the energy needed for our bodies to function. Without carbohydrate intake, the belief is our bodies will become sluggish listless until there is some more energy intake. Also, whatever stored energy in our bodies become used up in the interim until we lose weight or worse, become a bag of bones. Fact of the matter is, as stated earlier, we consume too much sugar on a daily basis. What happens then is our cells take up the excess sugar from the bloodstream and first use this to fulfil their own energy needs.

A sugar overdose, however, results in cells taking up far more sugar than they actually need for their own purposes. As such, fat cells are free to convert excess sugar into fat – which is the body’s primary energy storage medium. The reason the body converts sugar to fat, note Drs. Mary Campbell and Shawn Farrell in their book Biochemistry is that fat takes up less room in the body and is lighter in weight than sugar. A sugar overdose therefore leads to significant body fat storage.

To avoid this negative consequence, it is actually better to consume complex carbohydrates, said general and interventional cardiologist Dr Peter Wong Mee Tong of Normah Medical Specialist Centre in Sabah . “An average person should rely only on unpolished rice, potatoes, tapioca, fruits and flour to supplement their sugar intake. The body has its own system to produce sugar after these carbohydrates are broken down.”

Explaining sweetness is just a matter of taste and not a necessity in any diet, he said we don’t need excess glucose from refined sugar. “We don’t need any sugar intake for our body,” he reiterated. “Basically, even artificial sugar has no functional value. The amount of sugar needed by the body is zero as the body can produce and absorb sugar from consumption of other daily food supplements.” Dr Nancy Appleton has also written extensively on the subject of excessive sugar consumption in her book Lick The Sugar Habit. Her full list of unhealthy consequences can be found at www.healingcancernaturally.com/ sugar-health-effects-risks. html. 

POSITIVE GAIN

But, the prognosis isn’t all that bad. A recent study has added more weight to why medication for children should be in the form of sickly sweet syrups to make them more palatable. Study researcher James Collins, a professor of Biomedical Engineering at Boston University, said their research found sugar can make certain antibiotics more effective at wiping out bacterial infections. The sugar tricks  bacteria that would otherwise play dead into consuming the antibiotic and therefore end up really dead.

As these studies have so far only been conducted in animals, more testing is needed to see if the same results also apply to humans. If the conclusion is the same, it’s possible the antibiotics we already have could be improved and patients may not need to take multiple doses of antibiotics to combat recurrent infections, which would save on health care costs. But, the researchers warned this method could only be effective against bacterial persisters – which are not the same as antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Persisters survive by essentially playing dead. They shut down their normal metabolic functions and lie dormant in the body, refusing to consumer the antibiotics designed to poison them. The sugar wakes the bacteria and makes them eat. This technique won’t work with antibiotic¬resistant bacteria, which survive because they have genetic mutations that protect them from antibiotics. No amount of sugar will affect their genetic mutation capabilities, as far as we know. So, in the meantime, it’s perhaps better to avoid all that added sugar – unless your doctor prescribes it to you!

Think you know everything there is to know about walking? Think again.Even seasoned striders don’t always have all the facts. Test your knowledge by taking this quiz, then turn the page to find some surprising answers. We guarantee you’ll learn a thing or two.

1. How many kilojoules does one kilometre of walking burn? 
a. 150 
b. 260 
c. 520 

Answers    : b. 260kJ 

A 68kg person burns about 260kJ per kilometre. Not a whole lot, but it isn’t just kilojoule burn that’s important. Walking builds metabolism-revving muscle tissue in your lower body, melts dangerous belly fat (even if you don’t lose much weight), and improves your heart health and fitness and energy levels, so you’re more likely to keep moving – and combusting kilojoules.

2. To walk faster, increase your stride length. 
a. True 
b. False

Answers    :   b. False

This is a common misconception among walkers of all experience levels. Lengthening your stride may make you feel like you’re covering more ground, but it actually slows you down, since your front foot lands outstretched like a brake, hampering your progress. It’s also inefficient, so you get tired faster. Speed up by taking short, quick strides, concentrating on pushing off your toes with every step. (Hint: Pumping your arms quickly will automatically make your feet move faster.)

3. How long do walking shoes generally last? 
a. 6 – 12 months 
b. 1- 2 years 
c. 3 years

Answers    :   a. 6 – 12 months

This depends on how often you walk. Most shoes are built to last about 800km. Alter that, the cushioning breaks down, and your body starts absorbing the impact instead. If you walk 30 or 40 minutes most days of the week, replace your shoes before a year is up. (To remember when you bought them, write the date inside the tongue.)

4. Which increases your kilojoule burn the most? 
a. Walking uphill 
b. Wearing a backpack 
c. Carrying hand weights

Answers    :   b. Wearing a backpack 

Wearing either a backpack with a few books or hefty groceries inside, or a weighted walking vest, can nearly double your kilojoule burn – scorching about 2000kJ per hour. Skip the hand weights; they may increase kilojoule burn, but they can strain shoulders, elbows and wrists. Prefer to walk unencumbered? Hit the hills. Hoofing against gravity burns nearly as many kilojoules as walking with extra weight.

5.”Gait speed” is a key indicator of: 
a. Low mortality rate
b. Leg strength
c. Lung capacity

Answers    :    a. Low mortality rate

That’s right: how fast you walk is a strong indicator of your general health. In
a recent study of walkers aged 65 and over, those who walked fastest had lower mortality rates. The key speed for sidestepping ill health is at least 3.5km/h for people in this age group. Need a boost? Try some resistance training (especially squats) to improve leg strength. Also, add intervals to your walks. Every two to three minutes, increase your pace above your comfort zone for 30 to 60 seconds. Eventually, your regular walking speed will rise, too.

6. What is an “average” walking pace? 
a. 2km/h 
b. 3km/h 
c. 5km/h 

Answers    :     b. 3km/h 

Most people naturally walk between 2.5km/h and 4km/h. That’s fine for window-shopping, but if you want to lose weight and optimise fitness, aim higher. A good walking speed for fitness is 4km/h to 6.5km/h – the pace you walk when you’re late for a meeting or getting through the airport to make a flight.

7. How many kilometres do you need to walk each week to cut your heart attack risk in half? 
a. 12-16km 
b. 19-23km 
c. 27 -32km 

Answers    :      b. 19-23km 

A recent US heart study found that men who walked about 3km per day had half the heart attack risk as those who walked 400m or less. But even logging less distance has significant cardio benefits. The 20-year Nurses’ Health Study of more than 72.000 women found that those who walked about 2km per day (the equivalent of 15km per week at 5km/h) reduced their heart attack risk by 35%.

8. After a brisk two-hour walk, your body continues to burn kilojoules for how many hours? 
a. 1 
b. 12 
c. 24 

Answers    :   b. 12  hours

Human movement studies have determined that metabolism stays revved for a full 12 hours after a brisk two-hour walk. That’s another great reason to schedule long walks on the weekends.

9. Every minute of walking extends your life by how much?
a. 30 seconds
b. 1.5 to 2 minutes
c. 5 minutes

Answers    :     b. 1.5 to 2 minutes

You read right: when it comes to life span, walking delivers a two-for-one special! If you ever doubted it, here’s proof that every minute of walking does indeed count.

10. Which brain benefit does walking not provide?
a. Better memory
b. Higher IQ
 c. Improved problem-solving

Answers    :      b. Higher IQ

OK, walking won’t actually increase your intelligence. But it sure will make you feel smarter. In a study of more than 18,000 women aged 70 and older, researchers found that those who walked at least 1.5 hours per week scored higher on tests of memory, general problem solving and attention, compared with those who walked less than 40 minutes per week. Walking may also reduce your risk of developing dementia.

11. The average person takes how many steps per day?
a. 2000 to 3000
b. 5000 to 6000
c. 8000 to 10,000

Answers    :     b. 5000 to 6000

That’s less than 5km each day (1.6km is about 2000 steps). While that’s enough to produce some measurable benefits – such as cutting heart attack risk – for optimum health and fitness, experts recommend 10,000 steps per day