Winston Churchill once said that whenever he felt the urge to exercise, he lay down until it went away. A reasonable sentiment you may think, given that exercise can be so painful. So why, you may ask, do so many people do it voluntarily? Why do joggers run the risk of stiffness and soreness the […]

Go for some spinal manipulation and you’re likely to get a therapist that works hard to get an audible “pop” or “crack” in the back, with the implicit suggestion that this means you’re better. Yet is this so? Does the “pop” actually relate to the outcome in a patient with back or neck pain? Not […]

They are promoted on some food products, available as supplements and mentioned in magazine articles and television advertisements. Your doctor may have even suggested that you eat more of them. But do you really understand omega-3 fats and why they are important in our diets? And if you don’t eat fish, can you get enough? […]

**”I’m trying to get healthy, however, I don’t eat fruit and very limited amounts of salad. It’s hard to get healthy when all of the healthy options in shops contain these.” — Kate** I question anyone who says they dislike all fruit and vegetables as the options with fresh produce are so extensive and diverse. […]

Your Gran’s favourite adage can actually help prevent cancer: in a recent report by the Cancer Council, eating more veggies and fewer lollies can help reduce your risk of bowel, liver, oesophagus (food pipe), lung and stomach cancer. According to the report, unhealthy diets, as well as lack of activity and obesity, can account for […]

Most busy working mothers will readily admit to having been driven up the wall at some stage … and not having particularly enjoyed the experience. But Diane Westaway absolutely loves going up walls and makes sure it happens several times a week! “It’s such fun and if you can incorporate the kids, you’ll love it!” […]

According to a study from Chicago’s Loyola University, reported in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, moderate drinkers — defined as women who drank one alcoholic beverage a day and men who drank one or two — have less memory loss than teetotallers. Although long-term alcohol abuse can certainly harm the brain, moderate drinking […]

Most of us are aware of the relationship between what we eat and good health, but do our food choices also affect the health of our environment? Reducing our emphasis on animal foods in favour of more plant-based foods is one way we can help to reduce our impact on the environment. This is partly […]

Here’s something you won’t read about all that often: weight loss is not a linear process. In other words, you’re unlikely to lose a predictable 1 or 2 kilograms per week until you get down to where you want to be. Why don’t the TV shows talk about this? Because they don’t want you to […]

If you want to tip the scales in your favour, you should opt for an aerobic activity like a run or a walk that gets you huffing and puffing, rather than resistance training. According to a recent study from the UK’s Loughborough University, reported in the American Journal of Physiology, if you want to tip […]