Regular self-examination reduces your risk of many diseases. These 10 safe and painless health checks could save your life. 1.Know your breasts.Look at your breasts in the mirror and feel them with soapy hands while you’re in the shower. Check for changes at least once a month. For further information, visit The Cancer Council at […]

By Judy Davie **”How important is fibre if you don’t have any problems with regularity? And what is the difference between soluble and insoluble fibre?” — Erin** Fibre is important for many reasons, not just for keeping the body “regular”. Fibre protects the health of the intestinal tract by increasing the bulk of stools and […]

By Michaela Ryan Most women tend to focus way too much on cardiovascular exercise, according to personal trainer Davina Tyquin from Step Into Life. But if you’re serious about shaping up, you really should incorporate resistance training, or weight-bearing exercises, into your regime. Weight-bearing exercises make your body work against gravity. That includes squats, lunges […]

By Judy Davie **”I am 12 years old and weigh 60 kilos. My friends tell me they only weigh 50 or 55 and I often just say I weigh 55 because I’m embarrassed to say I weigh 60. I have three sisters (aged 22, 20, 18) who have told me they all weighed 60 at […]

By Judy Davie **”Is sushi good for you as an alternative fast food meal?” — Sussan** Comparing sushi with other fast food, in particular burgers, fried chicken, and even those marketed as healthy sandwich franchises, sushi rates high on the list, especially sushi made with salmon or tuna and avocado. Unlike other fast food outlets […]

While it’s not known exactly what causes breast cancer or how to prevent it, there are things you can do to lower your cancer risk. Follow these tips from the National Breast Cancer Centre. A new lump or lumpiness, especially if it’s only in one breast A change in the size or shape of your […]

Australians love their coffee breaks and now new research is revealing that they may indeed be doing their health a big favour. Let’s take a closer look at exciting new research on antioxidants in coffee: Antioxidant power Antioxidants fight cellular damage caused by free radicals in the body produced during daily life such as in […]

Drinking black tea might be the easiest way to beat stress, say English researchers. According to a University College London study of 75 adults, drinking four cups of plain black tea a day appears to cut levels of the hormone cortisol by a remarkable 20 per cent. (Cortisol is a potentially dangerous ‘stress hormone’, which […]