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On Growth, Gratitude And Her New Side Hustles

HIT ! H S E R F E R N R O B B U T S T F I SH ILOS K N A E L C G N I R P S R LIFE YOU E H T N I E LIV ENT PRES 02112

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2020 EAT WELL ALL YEAR The A-Z Of New-Trition

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SA'S B IG G EST WO R KOU T PA RT Y I S BAC K I N 20 20 DON’T MISS WOMEN’S HEALTH FIT NIGHT OUT – COMING TO YOUR CITY THIS YEAR!

• CELEB TRAINERS • LIVE DJ • AWESOME GOODIE BAGS • AMAZING PRIZES TO BE WON • ALL. THE. GEES. CAPE TOWN

15 FEBRUARY, GRANDWEST DURBAN

20 JUNE, MOSES MABHIDA STADIUM JOBURG

15 AUGUST, MONTECASINO OUTDOOR EVENTS AREA

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JAN/FEB 2020 BEST BODY

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Take your exercise to the next level with a training partner and this workout

Think you’re getting A-grade sleep? Think again...

Dané van Niekerk shares the lessons she’s learnt from the sport

One women recounts her scary experience

43 It Takes Two

56 Bedtime Stories

46 You Can Do This: Cricket

62 “My Breast Implants Gave Me Cancer”

66 The Future Of Health Tech:

49 Day On A Plate

2020 And Beyond

Actress Alex McGregor shows us how she fuels her day

We take a look at how technology is going to change the face of the healthcare landscape

50 New You, Now What?

Losing weight isn’t only about a physical transformation, it’s mental too...

54 You Lose, You Win

Discover how this woman lost seven kilos and found killer abs in the process

70 The Big Skin Detox

Give your skin some love after the festive season with these nourishing products

76 2020 Beauty Trends Five looks to try out this year

LIFE ETC

ON OUR COVER

78 Lurking For Love

124 Pop it!

Do you know what soft stalking is?

81 Back To The Present

Learn to live in the now-ish with these tips 76

84 Inspire Series: On The Rise

102 Your A-Z Of New-Trition

FEATURES

108 The WH Travel Diaries

Actress, entrepreneur and motivational speaker, Leandie du Randt is taking her 30s head-on – here’s how

FOOD HUB

Powerhouse women to follow this year

34

34 Bring It

43 96 81

102

Use this guide to brush up on all the nutrition knowledge you need to know Here’s where you should holiday in 2020

86 Gear Up, Level Up

118 Get Your Greens

96 Spring Clean Your Life

124 All That Sparkles

Prepare to hit your fitness goals with our pick of great gear

Yup, sugar and booze are on the list of no-nos, but so is being a Judgey Judy

We show you how to elevate green leaves from meh to amazing Crisp and dry or blushing with berries, here are the bubblies to bring in the New Year

126 Summer Veg Braai, Sorted

102

It’s a bug’s life.

IN EVERY ISSUE

86

Watch it.

10 Letter From The Editor 12 Meet The Team

14 Ask Us Anything 18 WH Social

23 Discuss!

PHOTOGR APHS (FROM TOP): JAMES GAR AGHT Y, GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM

Grill master, Jan Braai has a new book – and it’s all veg! Try these vegan options over the coals this summer

GO BOLDLY MEANS: “TAKING A CHANCE, DOING SOMETHING NO ONE’S EVER DONE BEFORE”

www.cat.com / www.caterpillar.com © 2019 Wolverine World Wide. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, BUILT FOR IT, their respective logos, “ Caterpillar Yellow”, the “Power Edge” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission. Medicus, an authorized distributor of Cat Footwear of Wolverine World Wide, a global licensee of Caterpillar Inc.

PHOTOGR APH AND COVER PHOTOGR APH: SEAN L AURÉNZ; CLOTHES: SWIMSUIT, MAYLUXE; TR ACK TOP, DIADOR A

2020

JAN/FEB “The vision I have in my life is to bring joy and inspiration to people’s lives.”

LEANDIE DU RANDT, P.34

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Hello, 2020! Getting to the end of a year comes with an equal amount of fatigue and indefatigable spirit. Confusing, I know. But that’s what the end of a decade – the second (already!) of the new millennium – surely allows. We get to be equal parts #TheStruggleIsReal and buoyantly optimistic. I certainly am, but then that describes me at this time of the year, every year. Near-flattened by the previous 51 weeks of too-early alarm clocks and meal prep, dying for a sunshiny, mindless and unfussy holiday where minutes ooze languorously into hours without anyone paying them any mind, until it’s time to eat again or celebrate or pour an icy-cold glass of wine. It is this heavenly downtime at year-end that carries me over into the new year with a big smile slapped on my face. And if you’re anything like our cover star Leandie du Randt, you would call that gratitude. To look at Leandie – on our cover, on the screen – gives little insight into the boisterous, go-getter of a human being that she is. When I first met her, earlier in 2019, I was taken with her what-you-seeis-not-what-you-get persona. Yes, she is quite luminous in the flesh and fiercely

stylish, but she is madly unpretentious and loud – gloriously loud, with a big, ready laugh and an arched eyebrow. I also find her incredibly inspiring in that she hustles. Not content with simply being an actress, Leandie has lots of irons in the fire – she’s got game. And she’s insightful, earnest in her appraisal and full of you-gotthis-girl gees and thanks for her many blessings. An hour with her and you literally want to fist pump Our new the air yelling ‘yesssss’ as you booklet Yoga leave the restaurant – a cheesy Now is on sale just emotion that I never would in time to take your have admitted until I realised practice on holiday with you. Turn to it was shared by our writer, p.57 for more Mel Reeder-Powell, who details. interviewed her for this piece. She name-checks gratitude often and I kinda love it because it really does ground the present moment. There’s always something to be grateful for – and there’s so much to look forward to in 2020. Not just DANIELLE WEAKLEY a leap year, but also an Olympic year. Editor Enjoy your downtime while you have @DanielleWeakley it and checklist your own reasons to be grateful. That’s what I’ll be doing! @danweakley

@GINA_DIONISIO AND @CALLYSILBERBAUER DID THE 35KM AND 65KM @UTCT RACES RESPECTIVELY, SMASHING THEIR YEAR-END GOALS!

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OUR LAST #WHSECRETSWEATS WORKOUT PARTY IN JOZI WAS LEAD BY OUR #WHNEXTFITSTAR @_MELANINFIT_ AND FITNESS PARTNER @OBAKENG_FITOBI AT @_THEMALLOFAFRICA.

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AVID CYCLISTS @AMY_HOPPY AND @CALLYSILBERBAUER DID THE @CORONATIONDC 202KM ROAD CYCLING RACE IN SWELLENDAM.

WE BROUGHT @NOKUPHIWOJADA @MPHOLEPANTSULA AND @QUEENFITNASS TO KHAYELITSHA IN CAPE TOWN TO CELEBRATE OUR 10TH BIRTHDAY WITH AN EXTRASPECIAL #WHSECRETSWEATS EVENT HYDRATED BY @POWERADEZA.

PHOTOGR APHS FROM LEFT: CALLY SILBERBAUER; LORNA JANE PHOTOGR APHY; SEAN BADENHORST; WANITA NICOL

We ended 2019 with a bang! Here’s what we got up to...

FIZZYTHERAPY

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Not for Persons Under the Age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly

In the beginningof-the-year spirit of bettering ourselves, the WH team are dedicated to doing the following this year...

MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS PUBLISHER Nikki Ruttimann 011 713 9147 (nikkir@media24.com) COMMERCIAL HEAD OF EVENTS: MONTHLIES Francois Malan 021 406 2376 (francois.malan@media24.com) COMMERCIAL MANAGING EDITOR Gerda Engelbrecht 021 406 2217 (gerda.engelbrecht@media24.com) COMMERCIAL MANAGER Lise Coetsee 021 406 2358 (lise.coetsee@media24.com) DIGITAL CAMPAIGN COORDINATOR Lilitha Johnson 021 406 2320 (lilitha.johnson@media24.com) BRAND COORDINATOR Andile Nkosi 021 406 2257 (andile.nkosi@media24.com)

EDITOR Danielle Weakley

(danielle.weakley@media24.com,

@danweakley)

Keep my balance. Eat my greens. PUBLISHING SALES TEAM BUSINESS MANAGER: MEDIA 24 LEISURE SALES Danie Nell 011 322 0799/076 263 9114 (danie.nell@media24.com) CAPE TOWN: Hannes Burger 076 152 4605 (hannes.burger@media24.com) Nick Fitzell 071 430 6311 (nick.fitzell@media24.com) Daniela Di Giovanni 083 709 7040 (daniela.digiovanni@media24.com)

DEPUTY EDITOR Wanita Nicol

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Robert Cilliers (robert.cilliers@media24.com,

@robdcilliers)

(wanita.nicol@media24.com,

FOOD & MANAGING EDITOR Amy Hopkins

@wanita.nicol)

(amy.hopkins@media24.com,

Reduce my phone pics – sleeping dog pics aside, of course.

Work on establishing a routine.

Sneak in more fitness where I can: ie: cycling to work.

COPY

DURBAN: Mariska Venter 082 898 4376 (mariska.venter@media24.com)

ART

CEO MEDIA24 Ishmet Davidson CEO PRINT MEDIA Rika Swart GENERAL MANAGER, LIFESTYLE Minette Ferreira GENERAL MANAGER, MONTHLIES Nerisa Coetzee CFO, LIFESTYLE Jameelah Conway FINANCIAL MANAGER Melanie Leeman

ART DIRECTOR Pia Hammond

SENIOR COPY EDITOR Leigh Champanis-King (leigh.champanisking@media24.com,

@amy_hoppy)

(pia.hammond@media24.com,

@leighthechamp)

@piahammond)

Finish and make time for personal projects that I’ve started.

Eat out less; make more home-made meals.

JOBURG: Kylee Robertson 076 263 9114 (kylee.robertson@media24.com) Jeanine Kruger 082 342 2299 (jeanine.kruger@media24.com) Lizel Pauw 082 876 8189 (lizel.pauw@media24.com) Sharlene Smith 083 583 1604 (sharlene.smith@media24.com) Yumna Rojan 072 399 5789 (yumna.rojan@media24.com) Yelanda Mitchell 074 897 576 (yelanda.mitchell@media24.com)

EDITORIAL

CIRCULATION SALES AND SOLUTIONS CIRCULATION MANAGER Riaan Weyers 021 443 9964 SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER Jenny Marinus (jenny.marinus@media24.com) FOR ANY QUERIES, PLEASE PHONE 021 406 2121 SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES: 087 353 1300 FAX: 086 457 5943; EMAIL: SUBS@MEDIA24.COM; SMS: WOMENSHEALTHSUBS TO 32511 (R1 PER SMS); WEB: WWW.MYSUBS.CO.ZA/MAGAZINE/WOMENS-HEALTH CALL CENTRE OPERATING HOURS: 8AM-5PM (MONDAY TO FRIDAY) All subscription payments to: Women’s Health, PO Box 16428, Vlaeberg, 8018 Reproduction Media24; Printing Paarl Media Cape; Distribution On The Dot 011 402 1205

SENIOR JOURNALIST Ondela Mlandu (ondela.mlandu@media24.com,

SENIOR JOURNALIST Yamkela Mdaka

@ondela_m)

(yamkela.mdaka@media24.com,

Procrastinate less and run more… Got my first 21km run waiting for me.

@alekblak)

Reach my body goals!

WOMENSHEALTHSA.CO.ZA

Copyright © 2009 Media24 (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or be transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission by Media24 (Pty) Ltd. Women’s Health does not endorse the use of chemical or related slimming products that promise instant or long-term results. Slimming products should not be used as a substitute for a healthy diet and/or exercise. All prices recommended retail selling price.

HEARST MAGAZINES INTERNATIONAL

MANAGING EDITOR: DIGITAL Susan Barrett (susan.barrett@media24.com,

DIGITAL EDITOR Gina Beretta (gina.beretta@media24.com,

@susanjbarrett)

Learn to meditate – for real.

@gina_dionisio)

Focus on getting healthier, stronger and faster.

CONTRIBUTORS

CONTENT PRODUCER Cally Silberbauer

CONTENT PRODUCER Chandré Davids

INTERN Aphiwe Mtwaku

(cally.silberbauer@media24.com, @callysilberbauer)

(chandre.davids@media24.com, @chandre_davids)

(aphiwe.mtwaku@media24.com, @aphiweunhinged)

Be more organised.

Better myself by turning my words into actions.

Less snoozing. More books.

SHARED SERVICES PRODUCTION MANAGER Kerry Nash IN-HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHER James Garaghty

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SVP/MANAGING DIRECTOR ASIA PACIFIC & RUSSIA Simon Horne DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL LICENSING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Richard Bean SVP/EDITORIAL & BRAND DIRECTOR Kim St. Clair Bodden DEPUTY BRANDS DIRECTOR Chloe O’Brien EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CONTENT SERVICES Shelley Meeks GLOBAL EDITIONS / EDITORS-IN-CHIEF AUSTRALIA Jacqueline Mooney BRAZIL Camila Borowsky CHINA Vivi Hu GERMANY Markus Stenglein GHANA Godfred Akoto Boafo GREECE Angeliki Gourni LATIN AMERICA (CHILE, COLOMBIA, COSTA RICA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, MEXICO, NICARAGUA, PANAMA, PERU, PUERTO RICO, VENEZUELA) Cesar Perez MALAYSIA Sueann Chong MIDDLE EAST Yi-Hwa Hanna NETHERLANDS Milou Turpijn NIGERIA Osagie Alonge POLAND Aneta Martynów RUSSIA Maria Troitskaya SOUTH AFRICA Danielle Weakley SPAIN Cristina Mitre Aranda SWEDEN Erika Kits Gölevik THAILAND Nitra Kitiyakara TURKEY Sibel Yeşilçay UNITED KINGDOM Claire Sanderson UNITED STATES Liz Plosser

ASK US ANYTHING SERIOUSLY, AN YTHING AT ALL...

HOW DO I BREAK UP WITH MY EXERCISE BUDDY? ANSWER

And you thought Tinder was a minefield. A postclass smoothie here, a motivational message there and, before you knew it, you were granting them access to your Google Calendar so they could diarise your three joint sessions a week. Enough already. Whether they’re trying to drag you to spinning class at an ungodly hour or they’re the flaky one, no one said anything about until dead lifts do you part. The answer? Ease them into the separation gently by faking an invisible yet incapacitating injury (stress fractures: do your research). Just make sure you don’t run into your soon-to-beex-ercise buddy starkers in the changing rooms when you’re sneaking in to work out alone. Share a gym? Get super invested in a class they hate (“sorry, Krav Maga just soothes me”). Or develop a sudden hankering to learn Mandarin and plug in to your course during the stretching sessions they normally use to whine about their partner. If they try to engage, feel free to start practising your conversation. The high road, it isn’t. But all’s fair in love and core work.

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ANSWER It depends on what you mean by

“healthy” (say the pedants at WH). “Rice cakes contain about 30 calories each, which is why they’re marketed as a healthy snack,” says dietician Priya Tew. Constituting less than three teaspoons of puffed-up, packed-together rice, a rice cake is lower in fat, salt and calories than your average packet of salt-and-vinegar chips. And, if you have a sensitivity, they’re gluten-free. But, nutritionally speaking, there isn’t a lot to them. “Most rice cakes are made from white rice, which is stripped of most of its nutrients and fibre when the husk and bran are removed, so they provide very few vitamins and minerals,” adds Tew. “They’re not a filling snack either, since they’re refined carbs, so they’ll be quickly broken down into glucose and a spike in blood sugar will leave you hungry again not long after.” If you’re into them, Tew suggests choosing a whole-grain version and adding a protein source, such as tuna or nut butter. Eating them with fruit or veg will top up your nutrient and fibre intake, too, to keep you fuller for longer – aka, the whole point of a snack. Have your cake and eat it too.

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It’s all in the toppings.

VÍVOACTIVE® 4 SERIES 7KH *36 VPDUWZDWFK ZLWK DOO GD\ KHDOWK PRQLWRULQJ PXVLF XS WR GD\ EDWWHU\ DQG *DUPLQ 3D\ i )CTOKP .VF QT KVU UWDUKFKCTKGU

Cat naps aplenty!

17% STRUGGLING TO MODERATE YOUR LOVE AFFAIR WITH STEAK? SWAPPING ONE DAILY PORTION OF RED OR PROCESSED MEAT FOR NUTS OR WHOLE GRAINS, DECREASES RISK OF EARLY DEATH BY THIS MUCH.

DO HANGOVERS REALLY GET WORSE WITH AGE? ANSWER You could swear you used to be able to perform openheart surgery before starring in a matinee of Cats on a hangover. So why do you now feel like an extra in a zombie film some 48 hours after your last tequila shot? It may not be all in your head. “As you get older, your liver metabolism may gradually slow down,” says medical advisor Dr Fiona Sim. “Alcohol remains in your body for longer, which seems likely to contribute to a bad hangover after a heavy drinking session.” But the physical differences are minimal, really, and the rate at which your liver function slows is dependent on genetics and lifestyle as much as anything else. “A good deal of the change may be your own perception,” adds Sim. “What seemed acceptable to you as a younger person might seem less pleasant as you get older.” It means that hangovers – like your crush on Nicky from Westlife – are just less appealing when you’ve got adulting to do. As always, the advice is to drink no more than 14 units, spread throughout the week, with rest days to let your liver – and bank balance – recover.

ANSWER How can something so wrong feel so… Right? No, not smooching Brian from IT at Friday drinks, but cleaning your ears with a cotton bud. That you have lots of nerve endings in your ears might explain why it feels so satisfying going to town on them, but when you stick a cotton bud in your ear,

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you’re hitting more than just nerve endings. “Inserting cotton buds in the ear might feel like it gets wax out, but it also pushes excess wax even deeper into the ear canal,” says audiologist Duncan ColletFenson. “Inserting a foreign body into the ear canal also increases the risk of infection.” So how

January/February 2020

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WomensHealthSA.co.za

should you clean your ears then? “You shouldn’t,” explains ColletFenson. “Having earwax is both normal and useful, as it protects vital parts of the ear from infection and trauma. Symptoms of excess wax in your ear canal include severe pain, odour, hearing loss and fluid secretion from the ears.”

If you’re experiencing any of those symptoms, see a pharmacist or GP, who can advise you on the best way to get the wax removed (there’s no evidence that ear candles work, FYI). Oh, and the advice is not to stick anything smaller than an elbow into your ear canal. Go on, try it.

PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM

Why does cleaning my ears with a cotton bud feel so good?

WWW.ADIDAS.CO.ZA

WH SOCIALGRAM

#WHFITFLUENCER

Hello world!

WHO: @tidimalo_s Meet Tidimalo Sehlako: BET A-List presenter, yoga instructor and journalism and marketing graduate. Her journey to fitness started at home. She grew up watching her mother care for herself and her body and she decided there and then that she was going to do the same. “My mother has always had an inclination to take care of herself – from skincare to exercise – and it worked wonders for her,” she says. “This made me believe I could age like a boss too if I followed in her footsteps.” When she’s not teaching yoga, Tidimalo likes to do functional training – from squats to lunges to push-ups. “When I work out, I set an intention: why am I doing this? How will it benefit me? How long do I anticipate it to take?” And when she works out, she goes in hard! “I work out seasonally, so I don’t wake up every day to go to the gym – I often take breaks to relax,” she explains. “But when I do get into the spirit, I don’t compromise on time and intensity. I’ll train five times a week for about an hour or two on each day.” She admits that the fitness journey is not an easy one, but is adamant that if you start with an important intention, you’ll always have a reason to keep going.

#WHLOVES We heart you #FitFam and your love of fitness

At Women’s Health we don’t just dig documenting our healthy, active lifestyles - we love it when you do too! Check out our social stars this month, as well as our highlights on social media

#WHONTHEGO > Ed @danweakley, deputy ed @wanita.nicol and managing ed @amy_hoppy were out on the streets to see the Boks on their trophy tour – what a moment! > Our senior copy ed @leighthechamp was in Mauritius for the @monsterenergy and @sweat_1000 island bootcamp – look at that focus! > Content producer @callysilberbauer and senior writer @ondela_m boxed up a storm at @boldbodyct.

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FACEBOOK Facebook.com/ WomensHealthSA

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WomensHealthSA.co.za

“Another day at the gym! Pain or no gain! #limitless.” @caroline_pule

“Losing weight is only half the battle – there is a state of inner peace I’m after that no dress size can accomplish.” @banting_beauty

“One of my favourite places to run when visiting my mum is the Koeberg Nature Reserve.” @marlizezb

“Set your goals and reach them – it’s one of the best feelings to get things done and dusted.” @ig_altina

INSTAGRAM @WomensHealthMagSA

TWITTER @WomensHealthSA

PINTEREST Pinterest.com/ WomensHealthSA

ADVERTISING PROMOTION

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WH SOCIALGRAM

WH IN HOW DO YOU RATE?

numbers 53

percent

THE PERCENTAGE OF YOU WHO SAID THAT YOU ARE PL ANNING TO JOIN THE VEGANUARY MOVEMENT, WHICH ENCOUR AGES PEOPLE TO GO VEGAN IN JANUARY AS A WAY TO PROMOTE AND EDUCATE ABOUT A VEGAN LIFEST YLE . HEAD ON OVER TO WOMENSHEALTHSA . CO. ZA AND SEARCH “ VEGAN” FOR SOME AWESOME VEGAN RECIPES AND A GUIDE ON HOW TO MAKE YOUR SWITCH TO VEGANISM A WHOLE LOT EASIER – EVEN IF IT’S ONLY TEMPOR ARY. ALSO VISIT VEGANUAR R Y.COM TO SIGN UP FOR THE MONTH!

% F YOU YOUR NLINE BEFORE MEETING THEM. EXACTLY HALF OF THOSE ADMITTED THAT THEY GO FULL FBI IN THEIR “RESEARCH” WHILE THE OTHER HALF SAID THEY ONLY LOOK FOR THE BASIC S. TURN TO PAGE 78 TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SOFT STALKING AND ITS PITFALL S.

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percent

of you admitted to using erotica (either video or literature) to assist with arousal. Have you considered engaging with erotic content with your partner? This type of openness has been shown to foster emotional and sexual intimacy in a relationship.

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52

The percentage of you who are sexually active who admitted that you would like to improve the quality of the sex you’re having. One way to elevate your sexual experiences is to introduce sex toys into the mix. Don’t know where to start? Visit our website and click on the “Sex and Love” tab – there you’ll find a compilation of five of the best sex toys for beginners.

*ALL STATS PER WOMEN 'S HEALTH SOCIAL-MEDIA POLLS; PHOTOGR APHS: MICHAEL HEDGE, GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM; ILLUSTR ATION: K ATIE BUCKLEITNER

OF YOU SAID THAT YOU PREFER CYCLING ON MOU NTAINS AN D TR AIL S VERSUS B EI N G AN U RBAN ROADIE . TH ERE’ S NOTHING WRONG WITH INDU LG ING IN A BIT OF BOTH WORLDS – A CHANG E OF SCEN ERY IS ALWAYS WELCOM E!

@WomensHealthSA @WomensHealthMagSA Women’s Health South Africa

chase the

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2020 diary

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ice min te u L : ft let m le low Pa Most o r f n ise, ze G ick i ckw & Bron tt Lipst ), Lip o l C 9 ht i Ma One (R7 hlig Hig 0), Dem al Pink stick in al p n 5 et (R1 ring P rizer Li n!satio e u e t t o T 9), Fla Glam R99), R12 olour ( ( r w l l e o c Gl ts A Prim Multi ump d Fi Gol 1 Dream wing & tion Pl lo ra 10 in Box G , Gene ). ) h 9 Blus te (R79 ss (R7 o t l e Pal ne Lipg i & Sh

GLOBAL TREND ANALYSTS WILL TELL THAT THERE’S BEEN A NOTICEABLE SHIFT IN THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY FROM COSMETICS TO SKINCARE – THANKS TO CULT LABELS LIKE GLOSSIER. HECK YES, WE’RE AFTER A CLEAN, HEALTHY BASE FROM WHICH TO PLAY WITH A NATURAL, BARELY THERE FEEL. SO, SAY GOODBYE TO HEAVY LOOKS, LIKE CONTOURING, IN 2020 AND SAY HELLO TO SOFT FOUNDATIONS, HIGHLIGHTER PALETTES, NUDE LIPS, SHIMMERY GLOSSES AND A PEACHY GLOW. WE’RE ESPECIALLY IN LOVE WITH THIS SUMMER SURVIVAL KIT FROM CATRICE COSMETICS. January/February 2020

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{fooddiscuss MACADAMIA

First came soy, then came almond… And that’s pretty m how it’s stayed for ages. Th newest trend? Macadamia n milk. Seattle Coffee Co sto are already offering macada flat whites and our fave loc nut-butter brand: ButtaNutt launched a super-creamy, fro like-full-cream macadamia Watch this space as it launch the new year. Buttanut.co.z

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collagen cool Listen up, runners! We all know about the beauty benefits of collagen, but did you know that the protein can help with repair and recovery too? Particularly with joint health. Beauty Gen has designed these collagen-meets-superfood sachets (R610 for 20 sachets), which are easy to add to your morning smoothie, overnight oats or yoghurt. Get them at Faithful-To-Nature.co.za.

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PHOTOGR APHS: JAMES GAR AGHT Y, GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM WORDS: AMY HOPKINS

BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM, YOUR GUT HEALTH AND YOUR RECOVERY WITH SUPER-HANDY JUICE SHOTS FROM SIR FRUIT. AFFORDABLE AND READILY AVAILABLE IN SUPERMARKETS, YOU CAN STOCK YOUR FRIDGE WITH THESE BABIES TO KEEP YOUR HEALTH HIGH DURING PARTY SEASON. R19 PER 100ML. VISIT SIRFRUIT.COM FOR STOCKISTS.

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loss {weightdiscuss The

Italian Jog

Adopting a Mediterranean diet could help you run faster, and it’s got nothing to do with carbo-loading on pasta. A paper published in the Journal of The American College of Nutrition found that eating like the Italians can knock six percent off your five-kay time in just four days. Athletes running on treadmills in the small study performed better after switching from a Western diet (low on vegetables and high in saturated fat) to a Med diet (rich in whole grains, veggies and olive oil), although it made no significant impact on anaerobic tests.

SOURCE: CSIRO

DRINK COFFEE, TORCH FAT

If you end up with a biscuit every time you go on a coffee run, get a whiff of this: basking in the scent of indulgent eats for this many seconds (aka two minutes) can help you skip eating them. No joke, the treat’s aroma can satisfy the reward circuit in your brain. That said, ignoring a craving can make you splurge later on. So, if you’re still salivating, order and enjoy.

High-five to your brew for going above and beyond. Drinking a cup of coffee stimulates brown adipose tissue (brown fat, to its friends), a type of fat that generates heat in the body by burning calories. The next move, say University of Nottingham researchers, is to work out why. One theory puts it down to caffeine itself, so they’re testing supplements to see if they have the same impact. Either way, wake up and smell the coffee!

SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM, STUDIO 33

120

The percentage of us who try to lose weight for health reasons, compared with the 50 percent motivated by appearance.

Worms – the tough truth

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WARMER DAYS CALL FOR MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TIME OUTDOORS. THE WH TEAM GAVE THESE HYDRATION PACKS A TEST TRIAL – ALL IN THE NAME OF “FUN IN THE SUN”

K-WAY DART 2L PACK, R399, CAPE UNION MART “For a small bag, I was able to store my keys and phone and roll in a warm top in case it got chilly during my hike. The mesh-ventilated straps and back padding gave my back a bit of breathing room.” Ondela Mlandu, senior journalist

DEUTER SPEED LITE 16 BACKPACK, R899, CAPE UNION MART “This lightweight pack with thick, comfortable straps is very practical. I ran down the mountain with it strapped on and it didn’t shuffle when I moved.” Pia Hammond, art director

Get Moving! Not sure which workout is best for your goals? Test drive them all as the year begins with Flexi, a training app that lets you experiencee new workouts and classes on a pay-as-you-go plan. You’ll pay zero in monthly fees and there are no contracts involved – you simply payy per session. The app also has a loyalty rewards programme, where you are rewarded with cash back every time you use it. The Flexi app is available for free download on iOS and Android devices.

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percent We get it – the headgear isn’t exactly sexy or totable, but wearing a helmet when cycling can slash the risk for potentially fatal head and brain injuries by this much. Unfortunately, only 18 percent of people wear one.

PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM

K-WAY TEMPO 7L PACK, R650, CAPE UNION MART “The pack has useful pockets on the waist strap and space for a few extra items in the back. The two-litre bladder came in handy during a long and hot day on the mountain.” Cally Silberbauer, content producer

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MUSCLE PAIN CRAMPING YOURSTYLE? Muscle spasms, heartburn, constipation, headaches and sore joints – sounds like a recital of your life, doesn’t it? These are symptoms experienced by most people because of things like stress, a poor diet, smoking, over-consuming alcohol and so on. The newly launched OsteoEze Alkaline Powder (R179, Dis-Chem) manages these exact symptoms and promises to diminish their impact on your life, so you can get on with it.

Be Prepared

International Epilepsy Day falls on 10 February. Here are six things to do when someone is having a seizure • Gently bring the person down to the floor. • Turn them onto their side to help them breathe. • Remove any objects or debris around the person to limit injury. • Place either a folded jacket, a bag or anything

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soft and flat under the person’s head. • Remove any scarves and glasses and loosen ties around the neck. • Time the seizure – if it lasts for longer than five minutes, call for medical help.

WomensHealthSA.co.za

APP’ED AND READY Mobile technology in healthcare will have a profound impact in 2020. One important app in this space is the KeepSafe app developed by Dr Rufaro Nyamuda. The app is designed to promote health and safety in schools from assisting with nose bleeds and minor cuts to giving CPR instructions. “Schools need help when it comes to the management of health and safety of their learners,” Nyamuda tells us. “We are expecting schools to look after the health of 800 to 1 000 learners… Children are quite vulnerable and they need the most help.” The key idea behind the app is to create safer school communities across the board using mobile technology. Available for both Apple and Android.

PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM; BE PREPARED SOURCE: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION

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SOURCE: DR TORY EISENLOHR-MOUL

IN A NUTSHELL…

Painful sex could become a thing of the past, thanks to the OhNut wearable sex aid. Soft, stretchy and with a real-skin feel, OhNut is a set of buffers that are designed to be worn at the base of your partner’s penis during sex to limit how far he is able to penetrate you. These squishy, stackable rings can help make sex less painful for women with endometriosis and pelvic-floor issues as well new mothers, women going through menopause and those with post-surgical vaginal swelling. The rings are silicone- and water-basedlubricant friendly and condom compatible. Go on, get yours. (R925 for four, Matildas.co.za)

Puppy… Stress? LIKE MOTHER, LIKE PUP: DOGS CAN TELL WHEN YOU’RE STRUNG OUT ON STRESS AND WILL MIRROR YOUR TENSION, A NEW STUDY FOUND. THEY SMELL THE HORMONAL CHANGES IN YOUR SWEAT – NAMELY, SKYROCKETING CORTISOL AND PLUMMETING OXYTOCIN AND SEROTONIN – THEN GO INTO “PROTECTIVE POSTURING” MODE, WHERE THEY WON’T LEAVE YOUR SIDE. SOUNDS AWW… BUT THEY ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE THEIR OWN DRAMATIC UPTICK IN BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEART RATE, WHICH ISN’T HEALTHY. TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR NUGGET ZEN, SPEND MORE TIME GROOMING, WALKING AND PLAYING IN THE DOG PARK – AND LEAVE THE PHONE AT HOME. SOURCES: DR EDWARD CREAGAN; NATURE’S SCIENTIFIC REPORTS (STUDY)

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PHOTOGR APH: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM

If you suddenly feel not-so-pretty once a month, step away from the mirror. You could be dealing with PMS-related dysmorphia, a mental shift that occurs two weeks before or during your period, showing up as “random” body (and face) bashing or intensified self-consciousness. While there’s not enough research to know the cause, experts think it’s an abnormal sensitivity in the brain to totally normal hormonal changes. For sudden “ugh, I’m gross” moments (P.S. You’re so not!), book body image-boosting activities (like yoga). But if you feel hypercritical for days every month, see a doc: you could have premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). If so, you may want a psychiatrist, who can prescribe a mood-regulating treatment.

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security give tech users an extraordinary device experience that allows them to pursue their passions without constraint. The Spectre x360 13 offers two times the performance of the previous generation, enabled by HP’s first convertible featuring a quad-core 10th Gen Intel® Core™ processor with Iris® Plus Graphics and it has a battery life of up to 22 hours, more than enough for you to get through your day. It also has 4x4 LTE antennas to support gigabit download speeds; HP Network Booster allows users to leverage multiple network interfaces simultaneously across

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Wi-Fi and LTE13 for an optimised connection at all times. The laptop also has a number of safety features, including a Webcam Kill Switch – a physical on/off switch to turn off the webcam when not in use – to keep users safe from webcam hacking, a new dedicated mute mic with LED key to switch the microphone on and off and an optional built-in privacy screen, HP’s awardwinning Sure View Gen3. And you have three colour options to choose from: brand-new Natural Silver, Nightfall Black with Copper Luxe accents and Poseidon Blue with Pale Brass accents.

c ove r s t a r

bring

it

Leandie du Randt’s got game. Her multifaceted career includes actress and author, motivational guru, entrepreneur, TV show host and online retail boss. Now, she’s about to embark on a fresh new phase of life, taking her 30s headon as a major hustler and feel-good motivator. Listen up people: girl’s got somethin’ to say By Melanie Reeder-Powell Photog raphs by Sean Laurénz Styling by Karin Orzol

She operates at rapid-fire pace, delivering considered one-liners that would make Oprah give her a mmhmm and stop to take notes. Her attitude is seriously contagious and although her phone is her office 24/7, she has great etiquette, apologising if she has to do something quickly by saying, “I’m so sorry. I’ll be present in a minute.” She’s wiser than her 31 years would suggest. Her background as a psychometrist with a B Comm honours degree in industrial psychology adds academic cred to her career as motivational speaker, but it’s her life experience that adds the real weight.

Speed Bumps Ahead

“It’s so true that if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life,” says Leandie after her cover shoot. The weather was less than ideal, but she’s a pro and we wrapped in record time. Her life is pretty frenetic; bouncing between her job as an actress, TV show

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host on wellness programme Slank on kykNET, giving motivational workshops and talks to women and young girls, and operating two online businesses; but you get the feeling that she’s loving every minute, despite some speed bumps. “People do look at me and say ‘you’re so lucky’, ‘you have everything you’ve always wanted’ or ‘you’re so skinny’, but, I mean, I’ve lost my mom, I’ve been divorced… I didn’t just come into life like this. I’ve also been 10kg overweight and I’ve also had to start making changes.” Leandie’s a big believer in choices; that you have the option of how you want to respond to life’s hurdles. She lost her mom Elmarie in May 2014 and, more recently, was divorced from musician, actor and fellow creative, Bouwer Bosch, with whom she collaborated on many of her acting projects. The couple publicly announced their split in March 2019 in a joint Instagram post after three years of marriage and a five-year relationship. As we chat about how experience can shape us, she explains, “I was broken

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when my husband first initiated it… He laid some facts down on the table and I was shocked. But I automatically go into my left brain, where I think ‘I’m not going to let my emotions get into it’.” “I have no anger; he’s a beautiful human being and I only wish him amazing things. I’m grateful that he was brave enough to initiate this. So many people don’t have the courage to have the conversation… We needed to be in each other’s lives. This happened to take me to the next level.”

What’s The Frequency?

2012 was a major turning point for Leandie. She started reading Rhonda Byrne’s The Magic: a 28-day workbook which, she explains, had a serious impact on her. The book “guides you to a place of gratitude,” she explains. “You can’t always be happy, you can’t always be loving, but you can always be grateful.” This thinking has steered her through the setbacks and rejections inherent in the acting world, (yes, even Leandie du Randt gets rejected), and she applies it to all avenues of her professional and personal life, even to the loss of her mom. “The one chapter teaches you how to deal with negative situations… you must make a list of 10 things to be grateful for. I started by making these lists and I was actually ashamed of some of the things I said, but this elevated me. When something bad happens I now think, ‘I will use this as the best thing that has ever happened to me’… This is the only way I deal with setbacks now.” In the same year, Leandie was out of work for a few months and feeling a little despondent. “I was dating this Buddhist guy and he said, ‘Leandie, you have so much to say. I want you to start writing everything down. Start sharing everything that’s happened to you,’” which included her experience of being bullied in high school. Every day while he was at work, Leandie sat at her laptop and wrote. Eight months later, her reflections formed the basis of her book, Comfortable in Your Own Skin: A Guide to Loving Yourself (also available in Afrikaans as Gemaklik

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AFTER A FEW MINUTES IN THE COMPANY OF LEANDIE DU RANDT, WE PRETTY MUCH GUARANTEE YOU’LL WANT TO SHARE A FIST BUMP AND MARCH OFF INTO THE WORLD READY TO TACKLE WHATEVER LIFE HURLS AT YOU.

c ove r s t a r

inspiration go-to ONE OF OPRAH’S PODCASTS WITH MAYA ANGELOU OFFERED SOME OF THE BEST RELATIONSHIP ADVICE FOR LEANDIE. “SHE SAID, WHEN PEOPLE TELL YOU WHO THEY ARE, LISTEN. WHEN PEOPLE SHOW YOU WHO THEY ARE, LISTEN. AS WOMEN, WE SOMETIMES WANT TO CHANGE PEOPLE. IT’S SOMETHING TO TRULY LISTEN. NOT TO HEAR JUST WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR.”

c ove r s t a r

“THE THING IS, IT’S DISCIPLINE,” LEANDIE SAYS QUITE SIMPLY. “YOU NEED TO WANT SOMETHING VERY BADLY. IF YOU DON’T FEEL MOTIVATED, THEN YOU’RE NOT IN THE RIGHT PLACE. YOU’RE GOING TO WANT TO PUT IN THE EFFORT.”

in Jou Eie Lyf: Wees Die Beste Jy). Since then, she’s sold 15 000 copies and toured the country spreading her message of self-love to women, offering them the tools she’s learnt to shift their perceptions of themselves.

The Groundwork

As an actress, she’s enjoyed roles in multiple movies and TV shows, including her breakout in Getroud Met Rugby and Binnelanders, as well as films like actionpacked, heroine-led Hunting Emma, comedy Thys & Trix and Vuil Wasgoed. Not bad for a small-town girl from Makwassie in the North West province (google it, it’s there!). Her father, Neels, was the local dominee, and Leandie admits she couldn’t have asked for a better childhood, with loving parents, who gave her the confidence to pursue her goals, and older sibling Corné, who’s “the smart one!” she laughs. It was her mom who first put her in front of a camera, as she recorded hours of Leandie going about her daily life. “There was always a camera in my face!” she laughs. Now, thanks to the collection of home videos, Leandie can still listen to her mom’s voice, plus she began to learn the art of performance that her mom is partly responsible for. Twelve years of ballet training didn’t hurt either, not only with her performance skills, but it gave her body a good foundation too. Her natural strength and grace are evident from her stint on season seven of Strictly Come Dancing, where she was a major competitor. The judges commented that she left her heart on that dance floor, as she fearlessly pirouetted and freestyled her way to a top three finish with partner Brandon Eilers Le Riche. Her first acting gig was during her second year of varsity on Getroud Met Rugby, where she also met one of her most trusted BFs, actress Hanna Grobler. “My mom was already a bit sick and she didn’t realise that I was on the show, which was hard… My mom told me every day how I can do whatever I want and how pretty she thought I was.” Her dad was also a positive force in her life and their affirmations gave her courage in her career choices. It’s one of the reasons Leandie knows the value of the words we choose to use – yet another life lesson

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“DO NOT TRY TO PUT ME IN A BOX!” SHE LAUGHS, BANGING HER FISTS DEFIANTLY ON THE TABLE. “IF YOU TRY TO PUT ME IN A BOX THAT’S WHEN YOU’LL LOSE ME.” she builds into her motivational talks. “I’m filled with gratitude for that. If I had one superpower I would want to make people’s sorrow and heartache disappear, and make them feel light,” she says. “I meet all these girls who are so broken, and it’s so important to make girls feel important.” Leandie seems unaware that her superpower is already in play, between her heartfelt talks and Slank, now in its fourth season. It focuses on healthy weight loss, offering recipes, motivation and advice that are totally relatable and achievable. Leandie is really inspired by the show’s chef and cookbook author, Inè Reynierse, and is a big believer in the connection between food and health. “The latest season focused on healthy families, getting kids involved in healthy eating and giving families more energy.” The show subscribes to a low-carb and healthy fats lifestyle, a methodology

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that Leandie herself follows. “I love presenting because I love people. I love people’s stories,” but she’s also drawn to topics relating to health and nutrition. “The thing is, it’s discipline,” she says quite simply. “You need to want something very badly. If you don’t feel motivated, then you’re not in the right place. You’re going to want to put in the effort,” she adds. Leandie has a morning ritual that sets the tone for her day, placing emphasis on the words she chooses to use in her life. “I say, ‘thank you God I’m alive, I slept in a warm bed, and I am healthy. Then I start sending out intentions for the day. I go through my to-do list and I already see it working out for the best. It doesn’t mean nothing bad’s going to happen. It just means that if something unexpected comes up, I’m already in the right frequency to handle it.”

The Hustle

Leandie has also launched two flourishing online businesses: Skoonma Clothing, a quirky, vintage-inspired online boutique, and To Be Gift Boxes, with her brother's wife. “I don’t like being bored. In this industry [acting] you are always waiting. I couldn’t sit and wait for work to come in, so I thought, what else can I do with this platform?”

HAIR AND MAKE-UP: CAMILL A KERR; CLOTHING: SWIMSUIT, MAYLUXE

c ove r s t a r Leandie takes great pride in her Christian faith and it forms a major part of how she sees the world, but adds that “God can only help you so much! At some point you need to take responsibility.” Apparently, living in Makwassie couldn’t keep a good woman down and Leandie’s mom juggled three jobs. “She wanted me to do ballet, she wanted to buy me pretty clothes, so she decided to work extra. My father is also very hard working,” she says, explaining her great work ethic. Skoonma Clothing was born out of her mom’s hobby of making clothes and Leandie happened to have her old patterns. She asked her (nowex) mother-in-law to start the production process (hence the name) and they now collab with hand-selected accessories and fashion labels that all support local entrepreneurs. To Be Gift Boxes has also taken off, despite only starting out in January 2019, catering for men, women, grandparents, brides and grooms and even pregnancy reveals. “I love celebrating – my family really loves celebrating everything!” adds Leandie, and the gift-boxing business reflects this. “We went to China when we first started, but actually we loved the local stuff so much more,” which is why she’s so proud to support other local start-ups through her platforms. Her products are stylish, clean, and super cool. Speaking of boxes, Leandie prefers not to be inside one. “Do not try to put me in a box!” she laughs, banging her fists defiantly on the table. “If you try to put me in a box that’s when you’ll lose me,” referring mostly to her relationships, but she’s navigated this well in her acting career too – no easy feat for a petite blonde, who could have easily ended up as a neverending film reel of helpless poppies. (Watch Hunting Emma if you’re in any doubt!) While she’s a free spirit who loves exploring ideas and business opportunities, with hustling comes some serious juggling. “I’m very, very good

Waxing lyrical On her divorce…

“I’M NOW IN A SPACE WHERE I’M READY TO LOVE AGAIN. MY HEART’S BEEN HEALED.”

On lessons from her father… “MY FATHER WAS CLEVER. HE WAS SUBTLE WITH HIS LESSONS – HE WOULD SHARE STORIES OF OTHER PEOPLE AND THE REPERCUSSIONS OF THEIR CHOICES. HE GAVE ME A SOLID BASE AND ALLOWED ME TO BE WHO I AM.”

On work… “DON’T GIVE UP UNTIL YOU FIND THAT THING THAT SETS YOUR SOUL ON FIRE. I LITERALLY FEEL LIKE I HAVEN’T WORKED A DAY IN MY LIFE.”

Most proud of… “HAVING SO MUCH VARIATION IN MY ACTING CAREER. I’VE HAD ACTION ROLES, ROMANTIC COMEDY, PLAYED THE TOMBOY – BEING RESTRICTED IS MY WORST FEAR.”

at multitasking,” she explains. “My phone is my office. I will quickly send an email or a voice note while I’m having a pee!” But her phone is not the only secret to success.

High Counsel

“My direct family and my five best friends who’ve been in my life for 13 years are what I call my ‘counsel’,” she says. “I’m a recovering people pleaser,” she adds. “I used to take things too far and start changing myself to suit other people,” but she’s learnt the value of holding on to who you are, and surrounding yourself with good people totally helps. “Have girlfriends who have their own careers and their own motivation so there’s no jealousy. Only they can be genuinely happy for you. I wouldn’t be where I am without my team, my ‘solid’!” Leandie translates this into her professional life too and values the people who support her businesses, from her customer-services righthand (she affectionately calls her “my hoofmeisie”) to the vendors and suppliers she selects. “Choosing the right people to work with is also key. I would not be here without the people around me.”

Soul Goals

Leandie is a firm believer in vision boards and part of her journey, both personally and professionally, has been to realise what the real end game is. “My overall dream and vision is more the feeling I want in my life – the vision for my soul. I want financial freedom, and it’s good to have those

goals, but we shouldn’t be too specific, and not necessarily materialistic.” “The vision I have in my life is to bring joy and inspiration to people’s lives. Whether it’s through my talks, through my acting, through my businesses – that’s the main thing. It doesn’t matter if I’m on a stage or on an international movie set – I know that if I do that, then I’ll be happy.”

Body Of Evidence

For someone who admittedly works hard and plays hard, Leandie has struck a good balance that works for her when it comes to nutrition and her health. “I drink lots of wine!” she laughs. “Coffee, water and wine! It was God’s first miracle – he made good decisions there! But it goes with the celebrating thing. I eat out all the time – at least once a day as I don’t like to cook – so don’t tell me eating out is bad for you. You can absolutely make good choices.” When she was in grade 10, she needed to lose 10kgs and she did the blood-group diet, which suggested she ease up on the carbs and sugar, but she soon gravitated towards a Keto way of life and that’s what works for her body. “I live by the 80/20 rule – 80 percent of the time I choose salads, veggies and my protein, and I also do intermittent fasting, eating for eight hours and fasting for 16 hours which has really been helping me. But I also just enjoy life. Saturdays or Sundays I’ll definitely eat a pizza. I love sushi too, but luckily that’s not too bad!” Although Leandie used to go to gym, and loves Pilates, her schedule means she can’t commit to a gym. “I travel so, so much, and realistically I can do 20 minutes a week of BodyTec (EMS training). It just makes sense for me, and keeps me toned. It’s very important to find an exercise that works for you.” Good advice indeed.

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Best Body H e a l t h a n d f i t n e s s i n s p o to f e e l a m a z i n g a l l ove r

It takes two One of the best ways to kick-start the year is by exercising with someone. Working out with a buddy makes the journey more fun and helps you maintain momentum throughout the year. So, grab your accountability partner and get working! By Ondela Mlandu Photographs by Garreth Barclay When it comes to overcoming the festiveseason slump, there’s nothing better than getting back into the swing of things with a buddy. An accountability partner, aka workout BFF, will keep you motivated on those days you feel as if pushing yourself is impossible. “Having an accountability partner creates a very good bond between

the two of you because you are both invested in each other’s fitness goals. Plus it’s more fun,” says Nomawothi Bafana. And finding someone to train with could greatly benefit your training commitment levels. “You and your training partner will be able to keep each other accountable on the things you eat and your daily activity

levels outside of the gym,” says Renché Seyffert. This set of moves will help you get back into shape if you took it easy during the holidays and will take things to the next level if you’ve been consistent. Do the moves in order, completing all reps and sets of each exercise before moving to the next. Rest between sets.

1, 2, 3… Let’s go! A A

1/ Push-up and squat TARGETS: QUADS, CORE, SHOULDERS

Start in a high-plank position, keeping your body straight and elongated, while your partner holds both of your legs (A). Now, do a push-up (B). As you straighten your arms into high-plank position, your partner does a squat (C). Do three or four sets of 10 to 15 reps.

B

B

2/ Russian twists TARGETS: CORE, OBLIQUES AND UPPER ABDOMINAL MUSCLES

C

Sit, leaning against your partner’s back, both of you keeping your chests out and your backs at a slight backwards slant (A). Holding a small weight, twist to the side to pass it to your partner as she twists to receive it (B). Repeat the move on the other side. Do three or four sets of 10 to 15 reps.

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Meet your trainers

PERSONAL/GROUP FITNESS TRAINER AND NEXT FITNESS STAR TOP FIVE FINALIST, RENCHÉ SEYFFERT AND WOMEN’S HEALTH 2019 NEXT FITNESS STAR AND GROUP FITNESS TRAINER, NOMAWOTHI BAFANA. THE WOMEN’S HEALTH NEXT FITNESS STAR IS HYDRATED BY

Best Body b e t te r

to g e t h e r

B

3/ Wood chop C

TARGETS: QUADS, OBLIQUES

A

Stand back-to-back with your partner with a slight gap in between you (A). Holding a small weight, squat and twist to the side to pass it to your partner, as she squats and twists to the same side (B). Stand up and twist to the opposite side to receive the weight from your partner above your head (C). That’s one rep. Repeat the move on the other side. Do three or four sets of 10 to 15 reps.

A B

4/ Back-to-back squat TARGETS: QUADS, GLUTES, LOWER BACK MUSCLES

Stand with your back against your partner’s (A), then, both of you squat and hold for as long as you can manage (B). Do three or four sets of 10 to 15 reps.

A

A

6/ Pistol squat TARGETS: QUADS

Stand, facing your partner, holding her right hand with your right hand, with your left legs raised about 45 degrees (A). Using each other for balance, both of you drop into a pistol squat (B). Return to standing. That’s one rep, do three or four sets of 10 to 15 reps.

B

B

A C A

7/ Crunches and punches TARGETS: CORE, BICEPS, TRICEPS

5/ Triceps dip with toe touch

Crouch over your partner’s feet, as she lies on the ground, holding your hands out (A). Your partner then does a crunch, punching your hands at the top (B). That’s one rep, do three or four sets of 10 to 15 reps, then swap positions.

TARGETS: TRICEPS, CORE

Facing your partner, start in bridge position keeping your bums high off the ground (A). Bend your elbows into a triceps dip (B), then straighten your arms back to start and touch your opposite hand to your opposite foot (C). That’s one rep, do three or four sets of 10 to 15 reps, alternating legs with each toe touch.

B

8/ Sit-through and squat

A MAKE-UP: MPHO MAIMANE; CLOTHING: ALL ADIDAS

B

TARGETS: CORE, QUADS, GLUTES

Facing your partner, get onto all fours with your knees slightly raised off the ground (A). Twisting your body to the side, lift your leg and touch your opposite hand to your opposite foot (B). That’s one rep, do three or four sets of 10 to 15 reps, alternating sides.

B

9/ Plank with tuck jump TARGETS: CORE, QUADS, HAMSTRINGS, SQUATS

Stand next to your partner as she does an elbow plank with her core engaged (A). Do a tuck jump over your partner (B), landing in a squat, before standing up straight. Do three or four sets of 10 to 15 reps, then swap positions.

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CRICKET

you can do this..

Keep it simple The best batting advice Dané ever received is advice she still uses today: have a clear mind and keep things simple. “With batting, you can overthink many things and if you cloud your mind, you won’t be as successful,” she says.

Some of Dané van Niekerk’s fondest childhood memories are of playing cricket with her father and brother in their backyard in Centurion. As a young girl, she grew up watching local rugby, cricket and soccer and her father took her to her first cricket club at the age of six. Ten years later, in 2009, she made her international cricket debut for South Africa at the ICC Women’s World Cup. Here’s what the sport has taught her and what it can teach you too… By Ondela Mlandu Photographs by Hendrik Stey tler

Best Body wo m e n

A day in Dané’s shoes The life of any sports player requires hard work and training behind the scenes. As an all-rounder (she bats and bowls well), it’s important that Dané’s cardio and strength fitness are on point so she can make runs and bowl with power. With the assistance of a coach, she and the team are hard at work with a daily training schedule. “I’m very fortunate to have a trainer who incorporates our training schedule for us as a team. This is how I keep in shape,” she says. Dané’s training is a combination of weights and cardio. “We do a bit of long-distance running, but I enjoy the short-distance runs more,” she says. Dané kick-starts her day with a hearty breakfast before the team warm-up. One of the warm-ups on her training schedule is a net session. “After net training, I bowl for about an hour. My trainer pushes me to do 10 or more overs,” she says. Dané explains that if the team is training for a T20 (where each team plays 20 overs), they aim to bat for four to six overs. From there, Dané goes into a fielding session for 40 minutes to an hour. “Depending on how big the session is, we have recovery training or a light gym session, before wrapping up the day,” she says.

in sport

MIND OVER MATTER

Mental preparation for any athlete is just as important as the physical and nutritional aspect of training and players need to be well-rounded in order to perform to the best of their ability. When asked about what goes through her mind before a game, Dané explains, “the way a player prepares for a game differs from person to person. I’m usually relaxed before a game. I don’t have any pre-game ritual; I simply reflect on what I did well in previous games and I mimic that.”

PLAYING WITH THE BOYS

EATLIKEA CHAMPION Dané’s rigorous training schedule requires her to keep her body fuelled for optimal performance. This is what she eats:

1. Breakfast Two eggs, bacon, avocado and whole-wheat toast. 2. Lunch A salad with chicken breasts – if she has a training session that afternoon, she includes carbohydrates by loading up with a baked potato. 3. Dinner Dané’s evening meals consist of a portion of meat (steak or chicken) for protein, with a side of salad or vegetables.

Just like men, women have to work hard to be the best, but, unfortunately, women have the added obstacle of playing in a male-dominated space, where they aren’t always given a space at the table or the same pay and exposure as their male counterparts. “Cricket has always been a male-dominated sport. When I would play with my dad when I was younger, he never made me feel as if girls couldn’t play the sport too. My dad encouraged me to follow my passion and that kept me going. There are a number of girls and women, who are better than the males in terms of skills, however they don’t get the exposure. I experienced difficulties as a young

STAYING MOTIVATED

“PLAYING FOR A COUNTRY IS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING JOBS IN THE WORLD. IT MOTIVATES ME TO DO BETTER AND BE BETTER. I WANT TO PLAY FOR MY COUNTRY FOR A VERY LONG TIME. I WANT YOUNG GIRLS TO GET INTO THE GAME OF CRICKET AND BE THE BEST PLAYERS THEY CAN BE.” January/February 2020

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Best Body w o m e n

in sport player while I was growing up. Boys would often make fun of me, saying I wanted to be a boy, but even though they mocked me, it definitely motivated me more. I wanted to be better than the boys and show them that I deserved to play.” Dané has definitely shown that she is worthy and hopefully she is helping to lead a movement that will one day result in women just being able to play, not having to prove themselves first.

A DIFFERENT BALL GAME Other than being a world-class cricket player, Dané has recently added another skill to her list – golf. “Golf is a challenging sport that requires intense focus. The game of golf can be very technical and a bit frustrating, but I’m getting into the swing of things and I’m having so much fun with it,” she says.

GET INVOLVED AND PLAY

Cricket is an easily accessible sport in South Africa and the game can be played socially as well. Dané advises beginners to find a cricket club or an Action Sports facility near them. “Once you’ve found your club, it’s important to train hard, but the important thing is to enjoy the game while doing so,” she says.

SHOW OUR LADIES SOME LOVE

WATCH THE PROTEAS WOMEN CRICKET TEAM IN THE ICC WOMEN’S T20 WORLD CUP IN 2020. THE TOURNAMENT KICKS OFF IN AUSTRALIA ON 21 FEBRUARY AND WILL RUN UNTIL 8 MARCH. THE FULL FIXTURE LIST FOR THE WORLD CUP IS AVAILABLE ON T20WORLD CUP.COM. FOLLOW THE PROTEAS WOMEN TEAM ON TWITTER @OFFICIALCSA.

Get Social

Join in the fun at these events 1. Action Sports Cricket There are 30 action cricket facilities around the country. The games are for all ages (men, women and children). A full game is approximately 70 minutes and you can play casually or competitively. ActionSports.co.za 2. Cape Town Sixes 2020 (15-16 February 2020) Social cricket, touch rugby and football can be played throughout the weekend at the Cape Town Sixes. The first women’s social league made its debut last year and returns again this year. Get your squad of 10 (including two reserves) together and enter your team! CapeTownSixes.com

TOP WARM-UP MOVES

The three exercises Dané does before stepping onto the cricket field 2. Hamstring kicks – they target the hips, glutes and hamstrings. Standing tall with one arm straight in front of you, alternate kicking your foot to your hand.

1. Iron cross – this exercise strengthens the arms, core and shoulders. Lying on the floor, with your arms out straight, cross one leg over your body to touch your foot to your opposite hand.

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3. Squats – these warm up the glutes and thighs. Squat down, keeping your back straight and your knees in line with your toes.

Best Body p l a te

DAY ON A PLATE

A career in acting is one that requires long days on set, mastering lines and making sure you’re eating enough food to keep you going throughout the day. South African actress ALEX MCGREGOR tells Ondela Mlandu how she manages to juggle an acting career, while staying healthy. This is what’s on her plate.

A well-balanced meal consists of essential vitamins, nutrients and minerals, but what does that look like on a plate?

WAKE UP

BREAKFAST

6:20

10:00

500ml hot lemon water to wake up/ warm up my body every day!

Scheckter’s Raw turmeric tofu scramble with diced peppers and onion, smashed avocado, mushrooms and toast.

PREWORKOUT

THE EXPERT

DIETICIAN JESSICA KOTLOWITZ SNACK 16:30 Two slices of toasted home-made vegan banana bread with chocolate and walnuts.

6:45 A double espresso.

LUNCH

Alex’s day to day

14:00

WORKOUT 7:00 Hour-long SWEAT 1000 HIIT class.

POSTWORKOUT PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM

8:30 A 25g serving of Nature’s Nutrition Coconut Vanilla superfood mix (with probiotics and 10g plant-based protein). Mixed with water only. Sometimes I add it to a smoothie.

Roasted cauliflower (250g), kale (two handfuls chopped and destemmed) and chickpeas (half a can) with cayenne pepper, cumin, sea salt and black pepper, topped with three tablespoons tahinilemon-garlic dressing.

I am so impressed to see Alex is eating such a healthy, balanced plant-based diet. Her main meals all contain a great source of plant-based protein (such as tofu, chickpeas or lentils) to help support her active lifestyle. She also includes plenty of heart-healthy omega 3, 6 and 9 fats throughout her meals. While Alex eats plenty of fresh vegetables, she doesn’t make much mention of fruit. Fruit is a great source of vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants, so she could include a serving or two per day in her post-workout smoothie or as an afternoon snack. As a plant-based eater, Alex will also need to add a vitamin B12 supplement to her daily routine in order to ensure that she gets enough of this vital nutrient.

DINNER 20:00 Thai green curry (tenderstem broccoli, asparagus, sugar-snap peas, peas, red onion) with white basmati rice and brown lentil mix. Made using home-made vegan green curry paste and organic preservative and sugar-free coconut milk.

NIGHTCAP 21:30 500ml peppermint tea

“Every day is totally different for me because if I want something or crave something, I have it. I try to be as balanced as possible, but I love all food and eat everything. I love my Beyond Burgers! And veggie pizza! And pasta! I also drink plenty of water throughout the day. I don’t label myself, but I eat 90 percent vegan and 10 percent vegetarian. I haven’t eaten meat or fish in over a year, but I occasionally have dairy and eggs. I do SWEAT 1000 three to five times a week depending on how I feel and on days that I don’t do SWEAT, I usually do weight training and I have one to two rest days a week. I plan on doing Veganuary and committing to veganism thereafter. ” Follow Alex on Insta @alexpiaramcg. January/February 2020

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up

When you set a goal to lose weight, it’s easy to imagine that reaching it will make all your dreams come true. The reality? Embracing a new, slimmer version of yourself is sometimes more complicated than you think By Ondela Mlandu

Best Body t r a n s f o r m a t i o n

station

You’re standing in front clothes scattered all over

’ find anything to wear. You rifle throu h each shelf nothing is fitting quite un er e covers. oun h rri l f mili r? I ’ ’ more comp ca e .

YOU WILL STILL DOUBT YOURSELF

My transformation happened at university. I’d picked up 20 kilos somewhere between the local takeaway joint and the calorie-dense alcoholic beverages I’d recently discovered and I realised it was time for an intervention of the exercise and cleaneating variety. My efforts paid off – as the months went by, my body began to slim down. Before I lost weight, I would spend hours in front of the mirror practising how to suck in my “boep”. I would often imagine what it would be like to have toned arms, instead of my bat-wings. I imagined slipping into those high-waist denims that show off a flat stomach beneath a tiny tank top – which I had never worn before, but I knew

’

I would soon. After I lost the weight, I was overjoyed when I slid into a pair of jeans that previously wouldn’t go over my thighs. But the excitement was short-lived. Soon I was back in front of the mirror, practising my “slimming” angles once again. How could this be? I’d hit my goals and lost weight. Where was the confidence I was meant to be oozing?

YOUR GAME PLAN: IT’S A MINDOVER-MATTER SITUATION

When you’re fixated on one aspect of yourself, say, your size, you may think that changing that one thing will change your whole selfesteem. But this isn’t always the case – confidence comes from within. “If you lack confidence, changing one aspect of your appearance will likely just result in you fixating on something else,”

If you lack confidence, changing one aspect of your appearance will likely just result in you fixating on something else.

says counselling psychologist Jaydene du Preez. Using tools such as cognitive behavioural therapy can help you address the root cause. “A session would include sitting with a psychologist and looking at barriers or challenges holding you back from achieving your goals,” she explains. These therapy sessions include giving you feedback and reinforcement of how your body is transforming. This can be motivation to keep you going. Next time you catch yourself feeling down about your body, try this: set specific and attainable goals to plan for the next steps of your journey. And don’t make it all about weight loss. Set a goal to be able to bang out ten no-knees push-ups or finish a ParkRun without walking. That shifts your focus from what your body looks like to what your body can do.

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Before I decided to take control of my eating, I often found myself thinking of my next food fix while I was still munching on something. Shedding excess fat was something I knew I’d eventually get to, but there was no real urgency. I eventually realised I wasn’t eating food for my wellbeing, but out of boredom. And that meant my food choices weren’t so much conscious decisions about what nutrients I needed to fuel my body, as they were just reaching for whatever was convenient.

YOUR GAME PLAN: MINDFUL EATING

Weight loss is not only about what is visible to the eye. There’s a greater impact that takes place – it involves your mood and how you see your

body. Nutritional therapist Hannah Kaye says, “I’ve seen women who have lost 30kg, who have gone from being tired, demotivated and overweight to energetic with a zest for life because of better nutrition.” Managing what you can eat to maintain your weight not only helps you shed the kilos, but will shift heaviness from your mind. I went back to basics and stocked up on staples such as oats, eggs, fresh vegetables, chicken breasts and plenty of water. I was amazed by how much more positive I felt about my body once I was no longer feeling sluggish and stuffed.

Shedding excess fat was something I knew I’d eventually get to, but there was no real urgency.

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE 20 PERCENT

Experts always say weight loss is 80 percent what you eat and 20 percent exercise. What they don’t emphasise

Do your best to stay on track during your weight-loss journey, but don’t be too hard on yourself if you fall off the wagon. Keep calm and remember these rules

CONSISTENCY IS KEY Training a minimum of three times a week will familiarise you with a set routine. You should make training and preparing healthy meals a part of your lifestyle.

KEEP UP THE POSITIVE SELF-TALK Don’t beat yourself up when you don’t make it to a workout and if you cave into that second helping of lasagne, it’s important not to throw in the towel. Give yourself a pep talk and start afresh the next day. Remember to show yourself some love.

YOUR GAME PLAN: GET MOVING

The thought of exercising for the first time can be daunting, but you don’t have to go all in right away. Personal trainer, Nolene Rice advises starting slowly. “Incorporate designated rest days into your weekly training schedule by stretching and focusing on flexibility work with a lowintensity activity, such as a walk or yoga,” she says.

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE Being around people who are on a similar path or have gone through a weightloss journey will help to keep you motivated.

BE HAPPY Above all else, go on this journey because you love yourself, not because you hate yourself. And have fun, it’s such an exciting time!

PHOTOGR APHS: LUCK Y IF SHARP, JOBE L AWRENSON, DANIELLE OCCHIOGROSSO DALY

WHAT YOU EAT CAN AFFECT YOUR SELFESTEEM

enough, though, is how important that 20 percent is in keeping you motivated. In my case, I started to walk more. I walked everywhere – up the stairs instead of using the lift; to campus instead of taking the shuttle. Then I joined the gym and added cardio and strength training to the mix, progressing from 30 minutes a day, three times a week, to almost an hour, five times a week. That morning walk to campus woke me up and set me up for the day. The post-workout high became my fix. And the fitter and more capable I felt, the more I wanted to carry on.

Best Body t r a n s f o r m a t i o n

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HAVING MORE CLOTHING CHOICES MAY BE DAUNTING

After losing weight, I went from being able to fit into clothing from a certain section only to sliding into clothes from every section in the mall. It was what I’d always dreamed of, but instead of shopping up a storm, I felt paralysed. I was so used to my chubbygirl uniform of leggings and a baggy T-shirt that I had no clue how to dress for my new body.

YOUR GAME PLAN: DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE BOLD

For a long time, I wore “big” clothes even after I shed weight. Big mistake! “Enjoy your wardrobe and

As women, we have so many clothing styles and colours to choose from, we should be relishing the freedom of expression these clothes gives us.

get excited about the next item you want to add to it,” says business and personal stylist and owner of The Imagepreneur, Darlene Bayley. “As women, we have so many clothing styles and colours to choose from, we should be relishing the freedom of expression these clothes gives us.” Once I started showing a bit of skin and investing in a few bold and daring outfits that the old me would never have worn, I started feeling so much more confident. And that encouraged me to buy even more flattering outfits.

LESSONS LEARNT

Getting comfortable with my transformed body turned out to be a journey in itself – an unexpected one, but one that, in the end, finally led to me feeling the confidence I thought would magically come as soon as I lost the weight. I can now see my physical changes with the naked eye. I walk proudly, knowing I conquered my goal. Standing in front of my cupboard doesn’t intimidate me anymore – in fact, I make the most of every glance in the mirror! And best of all, I’m learning to love the new me.

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Best Body yo u

l o s e , yo u w i n

“I’M ABLE TO HELP AND MOTIVATE OTHER YOUNG WOMEN ABOUT A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.”

THE GAIN

Coming from an underprivileged background made an impact on Mathapelo’s food choices and ultimately led to her weight gain. “It all began when I started working. I had the luxury of eating anything, anytime – and didn’t have to worry about the price. It was like [I was] compensating for all the times I couldn’t afford to buy whatever I wanted. And because of my background, healthy eating was not something that I knew of,” she explains. Mathapelo often found herself overindulging in carbs and fatty foods. “I was eating a slab of chocolate a day! I would also have fat cakes each morning – my day just wouldn’t feel complete without them. Every lunch and supper included pap, while on weekends I would have take-out. My eating habits would get worse depending on my mood too,” she says. Coupled with her bad eating habits, Mathapelo was not exercising. All of this left her feeling unhealthy and desperate to make a change.

THE CHANGE

The much-needed change came in May 2015 when Mathapelo says that she was done with being sick

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and tired. “I felt sick and looked very unhealthy. I would see my peers wearing short dresses and tights and I felt like I couldn’t wear that type of clothing because I felt fat. I felt like all my clothing looked like an old person trying to dress young. It was then that I realised that I did not want to look like that anymore. I felt unwanted and used my weight as a weapon to make myself a victim. I just hated what I was seeing in the mirror,” she explains. When a friend suggested that she join the gym, Mathapelo didn’t think twice. “That very day I signed up to the gym, bought exercise clothes and the next morning did my first workout,” she recalls. After a month of hitting the gym, Mathapelo addressed her eating habits; although it got off to a rocky start. “I started off with this horrible soup diet. I hated it and it just resulted in me getting sick,” she says. This failed attempt made her feel demotivated, but a friend came to the rescue and suggested that she try a high-protein, low-carb diet. This eating plan felt like something she could stick to, one that wouldn’t make her ill.

THE LIFESTYLE

Now that she’s got the hang of nutrition, Mathapelo’s diet is a lot more balanced. She eats five meals a day and keeps her diet generally high in protein. She usually starts her day with oats, bran flakes or granola with yoghurt and fruit. Before lunch, she’ll snack on boiled eggs or cottage cheese with avo. Lunch then consists of a tuna or avo sandwich or a protein like chicken breast

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with salad or vegetables. That is then followed by a midday snack of nuts or yoghurt or fruit. She ends her day with protein in the form of either meat or fish, with starch and green vegetables. Wondering how Mathapelo discovered her abs? Good nutrition and core exercises. She has a list of exercises she does when she has a spare moment. These exercises range from planks to crunches and Russian twists. She also does a combo of cardio and weight training.

B EFO RE

73kg AF TER

56kg

THE REWARDS

Since starting her journey, Mathapelo says that she is a completely different person. “My life has definitely changed, I’m much happier. I don’t get sick as often and I am comfortable in my own skin. I wear anything and everything, I am confident and feel beautiful. And now I’m able to help and motivate other young women about a healthy lifestyle,” she says. As for her physical achievements, she has completed various 5km runs and a marathon. Her next goal is to complete the Comrades in 2020. For her, the key to staying motivated is to reward herself for her efforts and be her own fan. “I always make sure I spoil myself because I feel I deserve it for all my hard work. Weight loss is not easy; you always have to find a way to keep yourself going, you are your first cheerleader. And as much as other people can encourage you, if you don’t cheer for yourself it becomes harder,” she explains.

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Hard… Core

Fitness trainer and owner of Fit Best Training, Renché Seyffert gives five tips on how to build a strong core ENGAGE YOUR MUSCLES It’s important to engage your transverse abdominis as this helps in stabilising the muscles of the lumbar spine. Having weak transverse muscles is one of the main reasons people experience lowerback pain. BUILD UP REPS Gradually build up the number of reps you perform of each exercise. Start at about six to eight reps then work your way up to 12 to 15. This allows you to challenge your muscles and get them stronger over time. ADD CORE EXERCISES TO EACH SESSION Try to incorporate some sort of core training to

each training session. Because your core is the centre of the body, exercising it will improve other aspects of your training regimen. DON’T PUSH INTENSITY Your workouts don’t always have to leave you dripping in sweat; very often it’s the seemingly easy exercises that make the most difference. POSTURE! POSTURE! POSTURE! When performing core exercises (or any exercises, really) be sure to have the correct posture. If your form is incorrect, you won’t get the desired results or could even risk injury.

PHOTOGR APH: GARRETH BARCL AY; WORDS: CHANDRÉ DAVIDS

VITALS: Mathapelo Semake, 27, Johannesburg OCCUPATION: Medical technologist HEIGHT: 1.57 TIME TO REACH CURRENT WEIGHT: 3 years SECRET WEAPON TO WEIGHT LOSS: Be your cheerleader.

2020 SW E AT PART Y SAT, 29 FEBRUARY PHOTOGR APH: CHRIS KOTZE/BACKPAGE PIX

An extra day of possibility! IT’S A LEAP YEAR!

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Health & Beauty S i m p l e s e c re t s to f e e l g re a t a n d l o o k g o rg e o u s

Bedtime Stories Attaining stellar sleep can feel like the stuff of dreams. That’s why we tapped experts to analyse our treasured shut-eye habits. Legit or foolish? Read on for the answers By Aryelle Siclait

Whether it’s the symphony of late night rubbish trucks or your kids climbing in next to you before your alarm sounds or, worst of all, your own mind refusing to quieten down and let you doze off, getting good Zzzs can seem like... A minefield littered with pillows. So it’s no wonder we tend to cling to the personalised formulas that make our eyelids heavy. After all, how could we not when it feels as if every day new research discovers a link between lack of sleep and a host of health ailments? The thing is, since many of our routines are more DIY than defbacked-by-science, it’s tough to gauge whether they’re actually helping (or possibly hurting) our sweet, sweet slumber. To bring an end to the uncertainty, we asked a number of sleep pros to hold different habits up to the light to declare once and for all which ones are in the clear and which need to be put to bed.

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night

“I think I function well on five to six hours of sleep and with my phone and a baby monitor right on my nightstand.” – ABIGAIL CUFFEY

! VERDICT A less-than-ideal setup.

No matter how rested you may feel during the day, five hours of shut-eye, especially when it’s fragmented by noise coming from a baby monitor or phone alerts, “is definitely not enough,” says sleep specialist Dr Mandana Mahmoudi. The sleep sweet

spot is more like seven hours, she says. By sticking to her nightly habits, Abigail risks chronic sleep deprivation that will strike hard as she gets older – think wrinkles and inflammation (oof!). The fix? Commitment to hitting the hay much earlier

by designating a bedtime and relegation of the baby monitor and phone to a spot across the bedroom. That way she’ll be able to resist the urge to tune in to her kid’s every move and noise throughout the night, but still be able to hear when she’s needed.

“I’m obsessed with sleeping with an eye mask on. I think it knocks me out super-fast. There’s something about the slight pressure over my eyes that I find insanely relaxing.”

“I head to bed only when I cannot keep my eyes open anymore and that’s usually around 2am or 3am. I’m listening to my body and waiting for when it feels genuinely tired.”

– MADDIE ABERMAN

– AMANDA LUCCI

!

!

VERDICT She’s on to something.

VERDICT A biiig no-no.

Major points to Maddie for turning to this expert-approved night-time eyewear. However, the pressure is likely not the reason she’s feeling rested, says sleep researcher Dr Jerome Siegel. The kudos should go to the mask’s ability to block out light: the body releases melatonin just before you fall asleep and light suppresses melatonin levels. Also, the eye shield keeps early-morning sunshine (and the sneaky light that seeps in under her door) from ruining Maddie’s dream sesh, allowing her to stay zonked until 07:30.

Immediately Mahmoudi recognises Amanda’s habits as delayed sleep phase syndrome. In other words, she’s a night owl. For anyone on a similar schedule, the natural end of your sleep cycle may not actually hit until 11am. Before you stress, Mahmoudi assures that you can reset your sleep rhythm with light therapy: gradually reduce your exposure to light (stay away from gadgets, lower the shades etc.) earlier and earlier each night, then increase it as soon as you rise (throw open the curtains or get out for a walk). After a couple of weeks, you’ll feel sleepy sooner than usual.

“I sleep with my dog in the bed. I love having him in there with me so much, I’ve convinced myself my sleep doesn’t suffer because of it.” – AMANDA WOERNER

! VERDICT It’s nothing to worry about.

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Okay, sleeping with a pup who might hop off and on the bed or bark if he hears something outside every now and again isn’t awardwinning sleep hygiene. But who could say no to that face? “As long

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as you’re feeling alert throughout the day, you shouldn’t lose sleep over snuggling up with a furry friend,” says Siegel. And in Amanda’s case, if she’s not kicking her husband out of the bedroom for waking her

up when he gets out of bed, her dog can stay too. The exception: if you routinely find yourself totally alert during the night because of your pet, you should train him to sleep in another room.

night

Give It A Rest

“I often catch up on sleep on Sundays with a long nap. And I never have a problem falling and staying asleep later that night despite dozing off in the late afternoon.” – JACQUELINE ANDRIAKOS

! VERDICT A sign of a bigger sleep issue. If Jacqueline were getting enough sleep most nights, she wouldn’t need to “catch up” by napping (which, btw, isn’t possible), says Siegel. And after hearing she can stay horizontal for a night of Zzzs after those afternoon snoozes, Mahmoudi wonders whether a sleep problem is also at play, in addition to her being short on sleep. If Jacqueline’s ability to knock out at will sounds familiar to you, ask yourself a few questions: do I snore? Are my dreams vivid? Do l toss and turn? These are all indicators of underlying disorders – such as sleep apnoea – that often go undetected. You and Jacqueline may want to hit up a sleep expert just in case.

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FYI: Your face, arms, torso and genitals can all be affected by restless legs syndrome (RLS), an uncomfortable tingling sensation combined with the urge to move around after you’ve been still. The effects of RLS are most noticeable in the evenings, causing twitches every 10 to 15 seconds leading up to and during sleep. If this is your sitch, take notes on your sleep quality and keep track of when these feelings are strongest. Your doc can determine whether it’s RLS and suggest changes (like cutting caffeine), and possibly meds, to kick the annoyance.

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PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM

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ADVERTISING ERTISING PROMOTION

Dr Dale Rae, sleep scientist at UCT, and Gaynor McVitty of Granny Goose.

Sleep Easy

Sleep better with Granny Goose

Get better shut-eye. Granny Goose and sleep scientist Dr Dale Rae tell you how The National Sleep Foundation in the US recommends that adults sleep between seven to nine hours per night for optimal health, but they also recognise that for some people six hours is sufficient while for others 10 hours is best, which implies that we each have unique sleep needs. “Bear in mind too that your sleep need changes depending on what’s happening in your world at any given time. In a high training load period, your sleep need will increase, as it will if you are ill or very stressed. You may notice that you can get away with less sleep in summer than winter and that on holiday, once you have repaid some sleep debt, your sleep need may reduce,” explains director of sleep science at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa, Dr Dale Rae. Most people talk about how many hours they should sleep each night, but not many people interrogate quality. “Good-quality sleep is quite simply unbroken, restorative sleep. Think of it like this: if you don’t find falling asleep too stressful, barely remember the night, begin to surface

just ahead of your alarm in the morning and are energised and alert during the day – you are most likely experiencing goodquality sleep,” says Rae, who is Granny Goose’s go-to sleep expert. Numerous things can ruin quality, including stress, a racing mind, uncomfortable bed linen, a baby, a snoring partner, stimulants (e.g. caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines), alcohol, some medications… The list is endless. The effects of not getting good sleep are not just struggling to wake up in the morning. Insufficient or poor-quality sleep has physical and mental-health consequences. “In a nutshell, the sleep-deprived version of you will be less productive, more forgetful, grumpy or emotional, more prone to depression and anxiety, more likely to have accidents or make risky decisions, make poorer food choices, be at increased risk for weight gain, insulin resistance and heart disease and find it harder to perform well in your chosen sport. Not only is sleep the time when our bodies repair and regenerate, but we consolidate

and store new information and spend a lot of time processing our emotions. Our immune system also relies on sleep to get its job done: much of our resistance against pathogens is built up while we sleep, not to mention the housekeeping function of killing off mutated or damaged cells. In light of this, I view good sleep today as a long-term insurance policy for good health in the years to come,” explains Rae. It goes without saying that a comfortable bed is key to a good night’s sleep and your bedding plays a large role in this. It’s always important to choose cotton bedding because this is a natural, breathable fibre that doesn’t create any static charge. It’s also moisture-wicking, so it won’t cling to your body during hot summer nights. Polyester, on the other hand, is a synthetic product that attracts static electricity and it stains and wrinkles easily, which is never ideal. When buying your bedding, make sure that you’re getting only the best – your sleep is counting on it.

Granny Goose is a product leader and expert in the industry of sleep. Its mission is to provide customers with the best-quality down duvets, pillows and bed linen products, with unsurpassed service, with the goal of helping them greatly improve their quality of sleep. All of its quality linen bedding is made locally from 100 percent pure cotton and its duvets and pillows are filled with a natural fill.

GrannyGoose.com @grannygoosesa grannygoosesa 0860 388 387 info@grannygoose.com

Health & Beauty c o s m e t i c

cancer

MY “ BREAST IMPLANTS GAVE ME CANCER” IMAGINE BEING TOLD YOU HAVE CANCER. THEN FEELING THAT YOU BROUGHT IT ON YOURSELF BY HAVING COSMETIC SURGERY. IT’S THE STARK REALITY FOR A GROWING NUMBER OF WOMEN BEING DIAGNOSED WITH A RARE FORM OF CANCER CAUSED BY TEXTURED BREAST IMPLANTS. ONE OF THESE WOMEN HELPS WH INVESTIGATE THE NIGHTMARE AS IT UNFOLDS… By Roisín Dervish-O’Kane

“You will feel this,” says the nurse. “The anaesthetic doesn’t reach the bone.” Anna Nightingale hears the words, but doesn’t fully take them in. It’s early January 2019 and the 43-year-old artist has spent the past two weeks coming to terms with the news that she has cancer in the lymph node under her right armpit.

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She’s had surgery to remove growths, but the doctors are now recommending chemotherapy. The latest procedure – extracting a piece of bone and testing fluid from the marrow – will determine if the cancer has spread to Anna’s bones. “It was torture – the worst pain I’ve ever experienced,” she says. The thought running through Anna’s mind as, screaming in agony, she gripped the bar of the operating bed? You did this to yourself. Anna is one of a small but increasing number of women who have been

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diagnosed with breast implantassociated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that’s caused by textured breast implants. Cancer is a devastating diagnosis for anyone, but, for those with BIA-ALCL, there’s an added layer of anguish driven by frustration that this diagnosis could have been avoided and the shame that it was caused by a conscious choice they made to change their bodies.

Inflation rate It’s difficult to gauge how many women are in Anna’s position. The data available suggests a tiny proportion of women with textured breast implants will develop this rare cancer. According to figures collated by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, a total of 735 cases have been identified worldwide as of July 2019. What is known is that these roughsurfaced, macro-textured implants carry a cancer risk not associated with the

smooth kind. “They have much larger pores on their surface that look like deep pockets under a microscope,” explains Dr Suzanne Turner from the University of Cambridge. She’s studied ALCL, which mostly affects children and young adults, for almost two decades and is currently investigating the breast implant-associated kind. “This roughness encourages the body to make adhesions with the implants – a bit like Velcro.” These adhesions ensure the implant stays in place, which is especially important

with teardrop-shaped implants, which have become the go-to for a natural look. “If a round implant moves slightly within the body, it isn’t noticeable, but if a teardrop-shaped implant does, you risk ending up with asymmetric breasts,” adds Turner. The rougher the surface, the greater the body’s natural inflammatory response, which generates a greater amount of scar tissue around the implant, known as a capsule, to secure them in place. But none of the involved parties, from manufacturers to surgeons,

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The Good Surgery Guide

anticipated that this inflammatory response could cause cancer. Presumed safe since their conception at the beginning of this decade, macrotextured implants have been placed in more and more patients’ bodies each year, as breast-enhancement surgeries become more popular. The 2016 Global Aesthetic Survey found that breast augmentation accounted for almost 16 percent of all surgical procedures and continued to be the world’s most popular cosmetic procedure. Cosmetic plastic surgeon Dr Marisse Venter, however, tells us that this is not necessarily the case in South Africa. “Not as many people are doing breast augmentation surgeries in SA as compared to other parts of the world,” she says. “Liposuction and breast reduction surgeries are more popular this side. However, I wouldn’t say that South African women are necessarily at a lower risk for BIA-ALCL, but there is a much smaller number of women in danger of developing this type of cancer.”

BEING CLUED UP IS ESSENTIAL . PLASTIC SURGEON, DR ROBERTO VIEL ANSWERS SOME URGENT NEED-TO-KNOWS

I WANT TO GET IMPLANTS – HOW DO I FIND A REPUTABLE SURGEON? Word-of-mouth recommendations are a good place to start. Make sure they’re registered with a certified association, like the Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons of Southern Africa, and, crucially, trust your gut in the consultation. Having implants isn’t a one-step procedure, so you need to feel comfortable with your surgeon.

What lies beneath

While the first case of BIA-ALCL was reported in 1997, it received little attention until 2011, when the FDA acknowledged a possible link between implants and cancer. This prompted Turner to set up her research unit to understand the biochemical processes at play. After eight years, knowledge is growing, but many fundamental details remain unclear. “We think it starts with a toxin on the implant’s surface, which primes cells it comes into contact with towards becoming a cancer,” she says. “Then a bacterial infection or something else pushes the cells just one bit too far and they end up proliferating out of control – causing seromas (pockets of clear fluid that can develop in the body after surgery) or, in rare cases, tumour masses.”

Hidden costs

Anna is considering bringing a legal case. “I knew the implants could rupture, but there was no mention of the C word,” she says. “I’d wanted to have them for years. I was teased at school for my lack of chest. Having the surgery felt empowering.” In February 2009, Anna had macrotextured implants inserted, going from a B cup to a double D, and was delighted with the results. She didn’t shout about them but found a quiet confidence.

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WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD I ASK? You want to ask whether your implants are nano or micro textured, as these have not been associated with ALCL. Avoid any that are macro textured. Ask for a clear rundown of the risks too – especially ones exacerbated by your medical history – as well as how to prepare for surgery, ANY RED FLAGS TO WATCH OUT FOR? Be wary if the surgeon doesn’t fully address any potential risks (including those related to breastimplant illness, a range

Three years later, she developed a hard lump under her right armpit. She went to the surgeon who’d carried out the original procedure, whose main concern was whether the implant had ruptured; an ultrasound showed that it hadn’t. She was told she simply had a seroma and was sent home with antibiotics to reduce the swelling. A year later, Anna gave birth and breastfed without complications. When the swelling returned in 2014, the same cosmetic surgeon performed a scan, determined that neither implant had ruptured, and gave Anna antibiotics, saying there was no cause for worry. The lump returned a year later and Anna visited a doctor in her new home of Malta. Fluid was tested and all was clear. Twelve months later, she felt a small lump of fluid under her right breast and returned to the same doctor, who said there was no need to worry because fluid collecting around the implant is normal. By the time the swelling returned in autumn 2018 – accompanied by a deep, painful ache – Anna had divorced her son’s father and was dating as a single

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of autoimmune-adjacent symptoms associated with breast implants) or doesn’t answer your concerns in detail. I’VE HAD IMPLANTS – DO I NEED TO HAVE THEM REMOVED? No – although if you’re experiencing multiple incidents of swelling or pain, inform your surgeon. As a rule, implants should be assessed every 10 years to minimise the risk of complications. If the implant is old and ‘macro-textured’, discuss changing it with your surgeon.

mother. Finances forced her to book an appointment with another doctor. “Something switched when I saw the intense worry on the doctor’s face,” she says. “I knew I was in trouble, but I still didn’t think it was implant-related – why would I? No one ever told me they carried a cancer risk.” Anna was put on a waiting list for a biopsy and, seven weeks later, the doctor used the word ‘lymphoma’ for the first time. The following day, surgery confirmed the diagnosis of BIA-ALCL. Anna spent the weeks leading up to Christmas in and out of hospital and, on Christmas Eve, staying with her new boyfriend’s family in Rome, received the results of her biopsy over the phone. On hearing her oncologist say that the cancer may have reached her bones, any stoicism evaporated. “I burst into angry tears,” she recalls. “If the cancer was in my bones, there was a real possibility that I might die. I just thought: all this for breast implants? I assumed my boyfriend’s family would think I didn’t deserve sympathy because my cancer was caused by cosmetic surgery; but

rather than judgement, they showed me kindness.” And yet, Anna felt utterly alone. “I felt as though I was in a wind tunnel. Life was whizzing around me and I just put my head down, determined not to cry in front of my son.”

PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM

Out of time

While unable to comment on the specifics of Anna’s case, Turner stated that if BIA-ALCL is caught early, a surgeon should be able to remove the implant and surrounding capsule of scar tissue, and patients should make a full recovery without the need for chemotherapy. But over a decade had passed between Anna’s surgery and her diagnosis, and many others preparing to sue experienced a similar delay. One reason is that the mutations in DNA that amount to cancer formation take time. The second is that low awareness among the medical community means that even when patients do present with pain, swelling or lumps in the breast or armpit, symptomatic of BIA-ALCL, the right steps likely aren’t being taken quickly enough. In some cases, by the time diagnosis is made, the warranty on the breastenhancement procedure – the timespan within which a manufacturer is required to replace an implant – has expired and patients can’t seek financial support from the surgeon or implant manufacturer. While Anna’s legal team blame the implants’ manufacturer, she wonders if her cosmetic surgeon could have done more. The first time she presented with a seroma, he said that, if they kept returning, she’d need to have her implants taken out. “But he never explained why,”

she says. “I assumed it was because I couldn’t keep taking antibiotics – he never mentioned cancer.” Indeed, her surgeon would likely have been made aware of the admittedly low-risk as early as 2011.

Singled out

The irony of enhancing her breasts to help her feel more feminine, only for that to set off a chain of events that has ended up costing her her long blonde hair, plus her lashes and eyebrows, isn’t lost on Anna. The shame, too, has been difficult. Over and above the fear that an aestheticsbased choice might cost her her life, there’s guilt over how much worth she placed on the way her breasts looked: “I know my own mind – how had I thought I needed these things to feel okay?”. If this internal shame has made Anna feel like a “different”, less deserving cancer patient, it’s been reinforced by others during her treatment and recovery. Seeing the faces of well-meaning nurses contort in horror on learning that it was implants that caused her cancer. The brusque tone in which her oncologist explained that chemo had left her infertile. “There was zero sympathy. I felt like he was looking at me thinking, ‘Silly girl – shouldn’t have had those done, should you?’” Thankfully, those close to Anna have counteracted her damning internal narrative with empathic support. Unfortunately, some friends have fallen away – even going so far as to cross the street to avoid her. “I don’t think that’s anything to do with me having implants,” Anna reasons. “They’re just people unable to cope with coming face-to-face with a cancer patient.”

In response to the rising tide of stories like Anna’s, manufacturers and regulators appear to be taking action. In December 2018, Allergan suspended sales of its Biocell macro-textured implants and withdrew any remaining supply in Europe. In April, French authorities placed a blanket ban on the sale and use of all macro-textured implants. Come July, Australian authorities proposed to ban 25 models of textured implants because of their connections with BIA-ALCL; two weeks later, following an FDA request, Allergan removed its macro-textured implants from the US market as part of a worldwide recall. In South Africa? Venter says that The Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons of Southern Africa (APRASSA) ordered plastic surgeons to inform patients about the new risks involved with opting for textured implants. Personally, she advises her patients to go for smooth implants to minimise any risk for developing BIA-ALCL. “Currently the FDA does not recommend removing textured implants if you already have them. With that said, there are certain signs that women with textured implants should look out for that could indicate that something is wrong,” Venter says. Signs include: swelling of the breast, a hard mass closely associated to the implant, persistent pain around the implant and a skin rash close to the implant. “If you notice any of these, you should go see your plastic surgeon immediately,” says Venter. She adds that if you’re not sure or can’t remember whether you had smooth or textured breast implants fitted, you can check your breast implant ID card and contact your surgeon to find out. As the global story develops, so does Anna’s. The cancer didn’t spread to her bones, her six sessions of chemo were successful and she’s now in remission, with annual check-ups advised in the rare event that the cancer returns. She considers herself one of the lucky ones. But her reflections are conflicted. “I wish there was more being done in schools to help young women; it’s amazing the lengths we’ll go to when we don’t have any self-esteem. I’m not against plastic surgery; I wanted to change an element of my body because I thought it would improve my confidence and, for a time, it did,” she explains. “What I am against is the fact that I thought I was making an informed choice about my own body, and the reality was far from it.”

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The future of health tech:

2020 AND BEYOND l l

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THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) defines health technology as the “application of organised knowledge and skills in the form of medicines, medical devices, vaccines, procedures and systems developed to solve a health problem and improve quality of life”. The development of these technologies has done a complete overhaul on the healthcare landscape as we’ve known it – and what we’ve seen is only the beginning. Everything is changing. Firstly, let’s look at the little things we might take for granted that built the very foundation of what we call health tech. The establishment of electronic databases for hospitals and medical practices is a huge efficiency driver, slowly ridding medical establishments of their never-ending rows of physical folders. This hasn’t only improved efficiency for doctors, but patients can also have easy access to their health information and history. Something else that has changed the game is the almost limitless access to medical material, whether on reputable health websites and publications or through social media. There has never before been a time when anyone could do a quick search online or hit up a specialist on Twitter to gain immediate information on a medical issue they were either experiencing or curious about. Moving on from the basics, through health tech we've seen improved testing and imaging, reduced medical errors, improved access to healthcare and affordability, more specific and accurate diagnoses and treatment and improvement in speed (in surgery, getting results etc). Most importantly, health tech has improved the patient’s experience with much of the development centred on patient care, access, affordability and positive results. We’ve put together a list of some of the most barrier-breaking health tech developments and trends that are on the steady rise, which we can look forward to seeing and possibly experiencing over the next couple of years.

Walcott goes on to explain that IBM scientists and students at the University Artificial intelligence (AI) technology of Oxford are now using AI algorithms to is the foundation of most of the determine the most effective intervention technologies that we’ll be going strategies for specific locations. “Such through and, in general, has been one approaches can demonstrate that it’s of the biggest technological births the possible to determine higher performing world has ever seen. So what exactly future intervention strategies for is AI? It’s the ability of computer a specific region based on time systems to perform tasks normally of year, weather and so on.” requiring human intelligence. A study published in The Lancet Over the years, AI tech has Digital Health journal found that become extremely sophisticated quality deep-learning AI systems in doing what humans can do (deep learning refers to an AI system – with much less room for error. that can take in information and And AI is everywhere, from when interpret it from you talk to Siri on your large unstructured phone to when you and unlabelled data, use voice-activated MEET PARO: THE unsupervised) could features in your car. THERAPEUTIC ROBOT go through tons of “By using AI, PARO IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S medical images and including algorithms, MOST POPULAR THERAPEUTIC give an accurate pattern matching diagnosis 87 percent and deep learning, ROBOTS IN THE FORM OF of the time – it also researchers can take A BABY HARP SEAL. IT’S USED found that they're just complex problems MAINLY FOR THE ELDERLY WITH as accurate as human that would be difficult DEMENTIA AND CHILDREN doctors (who were – or almost impossible WITH AUTISM AND IT CAN: part of the study). – for humans to solve

SEEK OUT EYE CONTACT and solve them,” RESPOND TO TOUCH explains Dr Aisha CUDDLE Walcott, an AI and While not new, the Blockchain scientist REMEMBER FACES advancement of at IBM Research LEARN THE ACTIONS THAT robotic technology Africa. “It has the MAKE ITS OWNER HAPPY together with artificial potential to be RESPOND TO SOUNDS intelligence, particularly applied in almost LEARN NAMES within healthcare, is every field of going to bring about medicine, including a major disruption (a good disruption, drug discovery that is). While there can never be and repurposing a replacement for the empathy you patient monitoring and personalised get from a human doctor or nurse, patient treatment plans.” robotic technology will improve Walcott offers a simple example to patient care, as well as accuracy paint a picture of AI’s contribution to and precision during procedures. healthcare: malaria risk is high in most Dr Dries van den Heever, a urologist parts of Kenya (all year long) so bed nets, and robotic surgeon (who became the insecticides and repellents are a must for youngest South African certified robotic effective prevention strategies. “But with surgeon in 2017), says that robotics is tight budgets, how can public officials currently used almost exclusively in and policymakers know what to use, urological surgery in South Africa. where and when, to be most effective?”

ROBOT surgeons

$6.6

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THIS IS HOW MUCH THE AI HEALTHCARE MARKET WILL BE WORTH BY 2021. Source: Accenture

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“Even though this is the case, it has a much wider spectrum of use internationally,” he says. He currently uses the da Vinci surgical system, an AI system that’s designed to facilitate minimally invasive procedures and is controlled by a surgeon. “Robotics offers amazing accuracy in surgeries. The quality of vision of the operative field and the improved patient outcomes speak for themselves,” he says. Healthcare systems around the globe are already feeling the pinch with available resources not meeting the demand for healthcare. Years from now, robotic surgery is predicted to be so reliable and accurate that surgeons will be able to operate remotely on patients who are not physically in front of them. “The field of robotic surgery will continue to expand to include different medical disciplines, with costs decreasing as more players enter the market,” he says. “Artificial intelligence and machine learning will undoubtedly be incorporated in future models, with improved accuracy in preoperative planning and execution.” What we’re also going to see more of is the rise of robotic caregivers and chatbot companions that will ease the emotional burden of nurses by offering companionship to patients – particularly the elderly and children – by communicating through text and audio.

3d-printed prostheses This process allows for digital files to be turned into three-dimensional solid objects in a quicker (sometimes in real-time) and more efficient way as opposed to traditional methods. And now, 3D printing has found its way into healthcare. “There are different technologies needed for this process: medical imaging technology, the software, the 3D printing machines, the filaments to print with and processing power of personal computers,” says Dr Rudolph Venter, orthopaedic surgeon and lecturer at Stellenbosch University. “At Stellenbosch University’s Division of Orthopaedic Surgery at Tygerberg Hospital, we’ve set up an in-house 3D printing lab and we’re using it to make surgical procedures safer for patients in a public-hospital setting. We’ve used this technology to rehearse surgery on printed models of our patient’s scans and to plan surgical procedures better.”

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BY 2021, THIS PERCENTAGE OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES WILL HAVE AI AS THEIR FOUNDATION. Source: Gartner

3D printing is also being used to create new prosthetic body parts for patients. In some instances, it’s being used to create skin for burn victims and in reconstructing bones and body parts for forensic investigations. And according to a report by Allianz Care, a global health and medical insurance company, one Israeli company is even using it to create 3D-printed scaffoldings for lungs so that stem cells can be used to grow new lungs for human transplantation. In 2020 and beyond, we’ll see medical 3D printing replacing human organ transplants, creating smart prosthetic limbs and creating cheaper versions of surgical tools. “Eventually it might be possible to feasibly print new bone and cartilage for our patients from their own tissues,” Venter says. Sounds impossible, but there are already trials going on to print organs that behave the same way as the originals.

dial-a-doc The innovation of telemedicine is one that’s particularly important for South Africa. Essentially, telemedicine uses telecommunications (calling, video calling, sharing images and videos) to offer medical services to patients and cuts out the need for an in-person consultation. You might be thinking: “I would always want to see my doctor in person if I had a medical issue” – but imagine if there were no doctor in the area where you live and you had to travel hundreds of kilometres just to have a consultation. This is a reality that many South Africans face and telemedicine is working to bridge the gap. But these don’t have to be your circumstances for you to use telemedicine. Other instances could include not having reliable transportation or being too sick to leave your house.

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One of the concerns surrounding this advancement is the issue of privacy when your information is exchanged on a telecommunications platform, but your virtual doctor's visit carries the same rules as an in-person visit. “The security of private information is imperative,” says Dr Helen Weber, medical advisor at Sanlam. “This is something likely to evolve considerably as data protection tightens and telemedicine continues to grow in global popularity.” An article published in the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine says that one of the biggest trends to come out of telemedicine in the future will be the growth of the “hospital at home”. This is when a patient, who under normal circumstances would be hospitalised for monitoring (“critical but stable”), is sent home instead. The patient is then monitored from home via telemedicine. Several studies have shown the effectiveness of the hospital-at-home and some of these have even suggested that this model can lead to a shorter treatment term and a lot of money saved.

VIRTUALREALITY therapy Many of us have already experienced the fun and OMG-ness of virtual reality (VR) and now it's crept into the healthcare space for several reasons. One of them being to transport you somewhere far away and keep you distracted from any physical pain you’re feeling. This is referred to as virtual-reality therapy.

AI IN REAL LIFE IF YOU THOUGHT AI IS SOME DISTANT TECH THAT HAS NO PLACE IN YOUR LIFE, THINK AGAIN. HERE’S WHERE YOU’LL FIND IT: SMART REPLIES IN GMAIL GMAIL EMAIL FILTERS (PRIMARY, SOCIAL, PROMOTIONS ETC.) PINTEREST’S LENS TOOL GOOGLE PREDICTIVE SEARCHES ONLINE PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS SPOTIFY/APPLE MUSIC/GOOGLE PLAY MUSIC RECOMMENDATIONS WAZE/GOOGLE MAPS APPS UBER/BOLT APPS

PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM, JONATHON K AMBOURIS

Health & Beauty t r e n d

Many may argue that if you’re in severe pain, no amount of visual stimulation will distract you from it – but science says otherwise. A 2019 study published by the PLOS One journal found that it was actually most effective for people in severe pain. “Therapeutic virtual reality has emerged as an effective, drug-free tool for pain management … [and we found that] VR significantly reduces pain versus an active control condition in hospitalised patients,” the study said. But what could be considered the most important use for VR in medicine is in training medical students and professionals – particularly on their level of competence before doing anything on a patient. One study published in the Journal Of Advances In Medical Education & Professionalism looked at the effectiveness of VR technology in medical group teaching. “The results indicate that the application of virtual reality capabilities plays an important role in improving the performance of different medical groups,” the study concluded. “According to the results, it can be suggested that virtual-reality capabilities should be used to train different medical groups based on their individual and collective needs.”

SMARTPHONE HEALTH The Pew Research Center estimates that more than five billion people have mobile devices and that half of these

are smartphones. This means that over two and half a billion people already have access to the health tracking apps and features that have become part and parcel of smartphones and our lives. Today, you're able to track your heart rate, count your steps and measure how many calories you’ve burnt and there are virtual personal trainers for home and gym workouts. Health tracking apps can help you eat better and some even claim to keep track of your mood. So what new advancements can we look forward to? Tech journalist Brendon Petersen says that there is going to be a big focus on mental health. He says that we’ve already seen this with companies like Samsung and Apple pushing apps that help one disconnect. “Samsung’s Calm app goes beyond just offering simple breathing exercises to help you calm down, but also aims to help anyone suffering from insomnia or anxiety,” he says. “This will continue as tech companies use your fitness and health data to help monitor your stress levels

AI IN AEROPLANES A 2015 SURVEY DONE ON AIRLINE PILOTS FOUND THAT THOSE OPERATING BOEING 777S SAID THEY SPENT ONLY AN AVERAGE OF SEVEN MINUTES MANUALLY PILOTING THE PLANE DURING A NORMAL FLIGHT. Source: NY Times

throughout the day and offer tips and recommendations to help promote your mental well-being. They’ll even be able to summon emergency services on your behalf should something happen to you.” Petersen adds that as connected smartwatches start to get more and more popular, they will become our new guides to an all-round healthy life. “Fitbit is the leading name in fitness wearables, but the company has realised the importance of creating smartwatch-style devices which do more than just tell you how many steps you’ve taken,” Petersen says. “As wearables become more powerful and pack in more adept sensors, they’ll get better at becoming stand-alone devices that can give you live coaching tips and eventually be able to help you improve your form while you’re working out, without the need of a smartphone.” The same report by Allianz Care says that even electrocardiogram (ECG) machines are now becoming portable accessories for smartphones. In fact, the latest Apple Watch already offers basic ECG measurements to wearers. As this becomes more accessible, it will allow for cardiac patients to keep track of their cardiac rhythms constantly and whenever something feels a bit off, it will immediately be able to send their readings to their doctors.

WHAT ABOUT THE SCEPTICS? Technology in general, not just in the health sector, makes some people anxious. It’s kind of like being in an aeroplane – it feels unnatural and that feeling translates into an anxiety towards the technology and its development. But Walcott has a few words for the sceptics: “Imagine you are in a part of the world where there are very few doctors to the number of patients and you are being diagnosed by a health worker with little medical training,” she starts. “Would you prefer that the health worker diagnose you based on what they know or would you prefer that the health worker gets assistance from an AI technology which has access to every piece of medical literature published in the last 10 years? I know what I would choose for myself and my loved ones.”

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THE BIG SKIN D ETOX I T M AY H AV E BE E N T H E S E A S ON T O BE JOL LY, BU T I T WA S A L S O T H E S E A S ON T O TA K E A T OL L ON OU R S K I N – C H L OR I N E , S U N , S E A S A LT A N D E XC E S S I V E C O C K TA I L S C A N H AV E YOU S TA R T T H E N E W Y E A R W I T H A DU L L C OM P L E X ION . BU T J US T L I K E YOU ’ R E A B OU T T O K IC K U P YOU R E X E R C I S E R E G I M E N A N D G E T T H AT B O O T Y T IG H T AG A I N , T H E R E A R E BE AU T Y P R ODUC T S T H AT C A N W H I P YOU R S K I N B AC K I N T O S H A P E By Sinead Martin

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TYPICAL SIGNS TO LOOK FOR W H EN IT CO M E S TO SU M M ERDAMAGED SKIN ARE REDNE S S , ROUGHNE S S AND PIGMENTATION . AND WHILE YO U MAY FEEL LIKE YO U ’ V E B EEN CO M M IT T ED TO YO U R SPF, TH ERE ARE M O M EN T S WHEN WE ALL GE T C AUGHT OFF GUARD. BE SIDE S , SPF ONLY PROTEC TS US FROM UV DAMAGE, WHILE HIGH TEMPER AT U RE S HAVE AL SO BEEN KNOWN TO C AUSE INFL AMMATION AND SWELLING OF THE SK IN . NOT TO MENTION S WE ATINE S S , WHICH , A S AVID #FITS TER S , WE KNOW IF N OT CLE AN SED PRO PERLY C AN EN D I N B R E AKO U T S TO O. B U T IT ’ S NOT ALL BACK-TO -WO RK DOOM AND GLOOM . THANK FU LLY THE BE AU T Y GO DS HAVE HE ARD OUR PR AY ER S FO R HE ALTH Y SKIN AND HAVE ANS WERED WITH DE TOXIF Y ING MA SK S , H Y DR ATING SERU MS AND PIGM ENTATIO N - FIGHTING AIDS . SO, IF YO UR SK INC ARE ROUTINE TO OK A BACK SE AT TO APEROLSPRIT Z AF TERNOONS THIS SU M M ER , N OW IS T HE T IM E TO HIT RE SE T AND FO CUS ON RE S TOR ATION AND RENE WAL WITH THE SE THREE FACE-SAVING S TEP S .

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1 HIT THE D ET OX When it comes to skincare, the ‘D’ word is way less restricting than your nutrition plan… Detoxing your skin is a vital process, which eliminates all the gunk in your pores and sheds the dull skin cells of the festive season past.

SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Toner (R883) is a master at removing excess residue and surface cells to get rid of clogged pores. Thanks to a triple formulation of exfoliating agents (lipo-hydroxy acid, glycolic acid and salicylic acid) it gently exfoliates and reveals brighter skin. It’s also synthetic fragrance-free, which will be a real blessing to your summer-sensitive skin.

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Think of the Theravine Charcoal Purifying Mask (R408) as an ultra-luxurious pollution-fighting tool. Apply it to your face and neck once or twice weekly and leave it on for up to 15 minutes. Then use a facial mitt to rinse it off efficiently.

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AC T I VAT E D C H A R C OA L M AGIC A L LY DR AWS M IC R O -PA R T IC L E S R E S U LT I NG F R OM P OL LU T ION T O T H E S U R FAC E OF YOU R S K I N A L ONG W I T H B AC T E R I A , T OX I N S , DI R T A N D OI L . N E X T, I T A B S OR B S T H E S E F OR E IGN S U B S TA NC E S T O GI V E YOU R S K I N A DE E PLY C L E A N S E D R E S U LT.

Stock your beauty kit with the SkinRepublic Detox Charcoal + 10-Superfood Formula Face Mask Sheet (R50). It's been infused with an antioxidantrich blend of 10 superfoods, including açai berries, chia seeds, spirulina and black tea to protect your skin from free radicals, while quinoa, rosehip and avocado work to nourish and revitalise.

Garnier’s PureActive Pore Purifying Toner (R100) is a blessing to those of us who are blackhead prone. Use it after cleansing and be sure to use a hydrating moisturiser afterwards. Note: this is not an overnight cure to your congested skin (very few things are!), so be disciplined and commit to using it at least once daily for four weeks to start seeing results.

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Looking to get a head start? Boost your road to an even skin tone with professional microneedling treatments. The process involves the strategic use of a dermapen, which contains several tiny (really, tiny) needles that are injected into your skin. This process is known as collagen induction therapy and really what it does is create microinjuries. This triggers your skin to produce more collagen and repair these damages, which joyfully rids your skin of old and damaged cells to make way for the new ones. You’ll see an improvement to your pigmentation after just one session, but four to six treatments will really get you glowing!

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DA R K- S P O T ST R AT E GY Right, so we’ve educated you plenty in the past around the topic of pigmentation, but here’s a quick refresher

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...AND R E ST O R E

First off, prevention is better than cure. Yup, slather on the SPF and don’t be shy when it comes to re-application throughout the day. Then, as Environ Distribution SA’s National Educator, Kea Modimogale, explains, pigmentation is mainly caused by the overexposure to sunlight, which causes your body to overproduce melanin in certain areas. Basically, your melanocytes kick into overdrive and release the darker pigment as a defence mechanism to protect your DNA from UV damage. Finally, the sun isn’t the only contributor: medication, environmental stressors and hormones can all be triggers. So too can the high-energy visible (HEV) light from our laptops and mobile phones.

When it comes to treating pigmentation, discipline is key. You need to pick the right products and stick with them. If the bottle says use twice daily, don’t let anything (not even an extra half hour in the gym) let you compromise your skin commitments. We’re big fans of Environ’s Focus Care Radiance+ Range (from R360), which has been designed as a three-step skincare system to tackle pigmentation and produce a glowing, even-toned complexion. We also love Bioderma’s Pigmentbio range, which has been created specifically for those of us with sensitive skin who want to combat pigmentation issues. It tackles dark spots, but also works to prevent new ones from occurring.

Think of this step as the savasana of skincare. It’s the point at which you reward your skin cells with much-needed R&R after their hard work. Sun, sea salt, chlorine and cocktails are all natural dehydrators, so don’t be alarmed if you’ve started the year with a less dewy look than normal. And here’s the deal, we often confuse dry skin with dehydrated skin. So if your skin feels tight after cleansing, but isn’t flaking, it’s because it’s calling out for moisture. Thankfully there’s a serum/moisturiser/ mask for that.

#LazyGirlHack: Garnier SkinActive Tissue Mask Hydra Bomb (R50) – just 15 minutes with this mask on is equivalent to a full week of using a hydrating serum. But we recommend using both. Obvs.

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Looking for an overnight moisture recharge? Keep Laneige’s Water Sleeping Mask (R550, LuxeLoft. co.za) on your nightstand. Slather it on generously a couple nights a week and let it do all the hard work while you sleep!

If you’re more about implementing a steady routine than a quick fix (you’re already the real winner, FYI), then Kalahari’s Lipid Plus Recovery Moisturiser (R290) needs to complete your skin regimen. Suitable for all skin types, it works hard to restore your skin’s natural barrier with plant-based ingredients, like shea butter and jojoba oil, to prevent inflammation and get your skin working to restore its natural hydration. And there you have it, three simple and relatively painfree ways to snap your skin back into shape after letting go a bit over the summer hols. Don’t get us wrong, we’re glad you had a good time, but we don’t need the state of your skin to show it. Instead, we’re after a healthy complexion that’s easily achieved through a little bit of dedication and absolutely no burpees whatsoever!

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in beauty

MARNI

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’70s Disco Meets ’90s Rave Culture

SpottedontheHouseofHollandSpring/Summer2020catwalkat LondonFashionWeek–althoughit’salsogivingusseriousEuphoria vibes – make-up artist Dominic Skinner said he created a look that is essentially “the morning after Coachella or Burning Man… It’s the morning after she’s had the best night of her life, and this is her at 6am.” For those wanting to try this look at home, Skinner recommends washing colour across your lids, but instead of pulling it right across your face (as seen on the runway), top it off with glitter and finish with a black liner in the waterline and some mascara to pull the look together. And we say, rather keep it for a daring night out than your first day back in the office. #NSFW

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Pearls made a comeback in 2019: we saw them dangling in a multitude of ways on earrings, encrusted on oversized hair grips and even embellishing entire clutch bags. So, should we really be surprised that they’re making their way onto mani art in adorable micro form? Models at Simone Rocha Spring/Summer 2020 sported nude matte nails dotted with tiny pearls. The look was created by nail artist Ama Quashie who took inspiration from the jewellery in the collection. We love this look for the contrast of textures. Trying it at home? Keep your base colour neutral and matte and your nails short to keep the look modern.

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HOUSE OF HOLLAND

HOUSE OF HOLLAND

Pearly White… Nails?

SIMONE ROCHA

LOUIS VUITTON

Okay, so cosmetic tattooing is nothing new. By now we all know someone (if not ourselves) who has tried microblading, permanent eyeliner or permanent lipliner. The next ink trend gaining traction? Freckle tattoos. That’s right, you can now tattoo fake freckles onto your face. While excessive sun exposure can cause serious skin damage, faux freckles are a “safer” semi-permanent solution to constantly looking sun-kissed. The freckle patterns are created by cosmetic tattoo artists with ironbased tattoo pigment. Placement, as with any tattoo, is a personal preference, but freckle tattoos tend to be centred mainly on the nose and upper cheeks where the sun hits your face the most. The idea is to place the dots as irregularly and as asymmetrically as possible in order to make them look more natural. Considering giving this speckled craze a go? Look no further than the ’gram for some inspo… Try @magickbrows; @kellymclean.pmu

PREEN

Freckle Tattoos

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In years past, brands dictated to the consumer what defined beauty and these factors were influenced by age, gender, skin, hair and body type. But this formula is rapidly changing. We’re already seeing the removal of some characteristic labels and we’re only going to see things evolve more and more. This year, it’s predicted that customisable beauty will reach an all-time high. This is because, as consumers, we’re demanding that our individual needs be taken care of. We can look forward to a year of greater inclusivity and more personalisation of product ranges to suit our individual concerns. And while monogrammed fragrance bottles are really cute, we’re talking customisation on a deeper level. It’s time to say goodbye to generic, non-targeted skincare, haircare and make-up products and ratherlookforwardtospendingyourhard-earnedmoola onproductsthatareactuallyrightforyou.Power to the (beauty-minded) people!

FL AVIA AR ANHA

JOHN RICHMOND

Bespoke Beauty

ISABEL MARANT

GIVENCHY

FROM FRECKLE TATTOOS TO THE BOB, HERE ARE THE FIVE NEXT BIG THINGS IN BEAUTYY

From braids to gorgeous afro tresses, natural hair was a trend spotted all over the runways, but it’s the return of the bob that is setting hair trends ablaze! As celebrity hairstylist David Gillson will tell you: forget about the lob, where anyone who wanted a bob asked for it to still be long enough for a ponytail. “This sharp, structured cut means you have to take the plunge – you can’t tie your hair up, but you can wear it with your natural curl and hair texture.” Now this is a trend our rushed mornings can rejoice over! Colour also gets the natural treatment. According to Gillson, there’s a lot of hand-painting and toning, so the idea is to hit your salon every six months for balayage and then go for regular toning, where you can play around with the nuances of your colour, making for a more playful, natural and ever-changing look.

GIVENCHY

Hello, New Hair

Life etc U s e f u l s t u f f to u p g r a d e yo u r eve r yd ay

Lurking For Love

In a world where you hardly have to know someone to learn about them, WH explores just how far is too far when it comes to “following� a potential partner. Here, the latest in social media-meets-relationships By Marissa Gainsburg Photographs by Corey May walt

We’d met only once, but within a week, I’d found a news article applauding his work, the value of his parents’ holiday house and his ex-girlfriend’s Facebook. And not because he told me details on any of these facts, but because I was on a mission to find out everything – mind you, anything – I could about my new crush. If you think I’m creepy AF, I’m not surprised. But if you can also relate, I’m not surprised, either. It’s Human Instinct

The desire to seek out information about a person of interest is about as natural as breathing. “The more we know about someone, the more we can connect with them, which helps fill our need for love and belonging,” says psychologist Dr Michelle Drouin, who studies technology’s role in relationships. In the past, that would happen organically – we’d learn about somebody solely through our reallife experiences with them (aka dating). But in 2019, when info is literally at our fingertips (clicking around Google, scrolling on Instagram), women are filling in the gaps through their own digital detective work. A quick “is this person who they say they are?” search is the responsible thing to do. But, knowing that nuggets of truth float around us like dust particles in the air, most of us don’t stop there. Once we’ve deemed someone a worthy match, we’ll keep searching for evidence to confirm that, piecing the particles together as we fall deeper and deeper into a fact-gathering rabbit

hole. While there’s no clinical term for the social media– fuelled habit in any psych textbook, experts have given it a compelling name: soft stalking.

The Hard Truth

Unlike actual stalking, soft stalking doesn’t really pose a threat to the subject (most of us never tell them about our surveillance, anyway). That doesn’t mean it’s harmless. “When you spend time researching a person you like online, your brain hears: ‘This person is important to me,’ which makes them seem even more desirable,” says relationship therapist Dr Chloe Carmichael. “Suddenly you’re invested in someone who may not be pursuing you, getting your fix from the outside looking in. It’s like filling up on junk food when you’re hungry for a real meal.”

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she explains. In other words, if you’re tempted to say (or post) something based on what you’ve found to elicit a specific reaction from the person… Don’t.

Your Way Out

Um, guilty. Although I saw my crush only once more within a four-month period (full disclosure: he had a girlfriend), after countless texts and online observations, I was certain we were soulmates. I loved that he had a lab, like me, and pictured us walking our pups together, lattes in hand. I watched the skiing videos he posted and imagined him teaching me. I read invitations on Facebook for his fundraising events and envisioned us hosting one together. I started to picture life as a twosome, developing, as Carmichael called it, “a false sense of intimacy and emotional attachment, caused by getting ahead of the actual relationship’s progress.” That’s the problem with soft stalking: not only do you subconsciously put the

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person on a barely earned pedestal, but because you’re mostly gathering info about them digitally, versus via live experiences, it’s even easier for your imagination to take over. The result? A relationship can’t take its natural course. And worse, you feel doubly rejected when your investment isn’t returned.

“YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET A MORE COMPLETE PICTURE OF SOMEONE BY CONSIDERING WHAT THEY DO AND SAY WHEN THEY’RE WITH YOU VERSUS WHEN THEY’RE NOT.”

It’s Not All Terrible

If you’re able to mindfully data-mine – as in, keep a neutral eye so you take in the bad (a cringeworthy exchange in their comments) with the good – you can actually get a more complete picture of someone by considering what they do and say when they’re with you versus when they’re not, says Drouin. That can help you figure out early on if you share similar values (if not, bye!) and also provide

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an easy way to connect (like over a mutual love for retrievers). “Doing your research will always put you on top, as it gives you instant conversation starters,” Drouin says. Carmichael is slightly more cautious: “If you’re hunting for intel just so you can impress them, you’re starting a relationship on an unhealthy dynamic where you always feel ‘one down,’ ”

Soft stalking can become an addictive habit that grows as time goes on. So it’s best to nip it in the cyberbud early, especially if it’s making you feel anxious or obsessive. Note that even people in LTRs – marriages too – can get caught up in tracking their partner’s digital footprint, though unless you’re invading their privacy, it’s usually less detrimental. (Just be sure to communicate any concerns in person.) To stop, Drouin recommends the extreme: a straight-up detox. Have a friend change your password for a week so when the urge strikes, you have no choice but to ignore it. The short weaning period will help you check yourself next time you log in. Then redirect your energy to learning more about you. “Ask yourself what you’re really looking for,” says Carmichael. You’ll realise what you want is closeness with a relationship-oriented person, and if they’re not giving you that, you’re preventing your brain from noticing someone who can. And use your newfound time to become a more interesting woman, one whom someone else would want to soft stalk. Take tap lessons, go on more first dates… You do you. As for me, it took a lot of encouragement from friends – and three glasses of wine – to finally unfollow my crush. I still think about him sometimes and wonder “what if.” But I know that if he ever comes back into my life, it’ll be for real this time. And no amount of Insta intel can ever stand up to that.

Life etc i t ’ s

time

By Marissa Gainsburg

WISH YOU HAD A TIME MACHINE TO WHISK YOU TO… EARLIER TODAY? CONSTANTLY FEELING UP AGAINST THE CLOCK HAS BECOME NOTHING SHORT OF A PSYCHOLOGICAL EPIDEMIC. RECLAIM YOUR JOY AND LIVE IN THE NOW-ISH WITH THIS WISDOM

Every day, even on weekends, I set three alerts within 15 minutes of each other to ensure I’m out of bed by my “real” alarm. For dates, weddings and big work meetings, I carve out two hours for getting ready. Not because I need two hours (nowhere close, really), but because I can’t stand the feeling of being rushed. And the only days I ever spend in bed are the ones when I’m too sick or hungover to move; otherwise, I have to be doing something. I have an obsession with time – or more specifically, anxiety about the inevitable lack of it. Turns out, I’m not alone. “People who lead very meaning-driven lives tend to struggle with the idea of wasting time, be it theirs or someone else’s,” says Dr Alex Lickerman, co-author of The Ten Worlds: The New Psychology of Happiness. Experts call this “time anxiety” and it’s a fixation on the passage of time, he says. It can take a few different forms: you might have an inability to sleep in, feel stressed by uncontrollable time-sucks (even when you have nowhere to be) or worry about showing up late to anything and everything. “When you base your happiness and success on your ability to be purposeful, to add value in some way, you feel very unsafe just watching the seconds tick by,” Lickerman says.

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Life etc i t ’ s Running Like Clockwork

PHOTOGR APHS: ALLIE HOLLOWAY, THE VOORHES

As kids, we hardly knew what we wanted for lunch, let alone our life purpose, and time felt… Endless. But by adulthood, we’ve experienced loss (especially the unexpected kind), watched infants grow into little people seemingly overnight and no longer have semester schedules or designated breaks to punctuate our years. We know now how fleeting and precious time can be. So as our responsibilities pile up and we chase new goals in the name of self-growth, it’s no wonder we feel attached to each minute we’re given. “The problem isn’t that time is finite,” says clinical psychologist Dr Kevin Chapman. “It’s the perception of time being out of your control that creates a negative relationship.” You end up stuck in a vicious cycle of anxious thoughts. For instance, you ruminate over what seem wasted moments – you know, sitting in traffic, standing in line, even falling asleep during a movie – to a point that it totally messes with your

headspace and the rest of your day. Living with a sense of urgency can also do a number on your mental and physical health long term. “If you’re always thinking about what you need to be doing now, or doing next, or should have done earlier, that’s enough to provoke a harmful response in your body,” says Chapman. Not only does chronic stress put you at risk for depression and disease, but it also commonly invites other saboteurs, like sleeplessness and poor eating, which make being productive even harder. (And efficiency is often what folks obsessing over the minutes are truly concerned about – oh, the irony.)

The Productivity Paradox

When you’re fixated on your watch, and by association, getting enough done, the obvious answer is to pack in as many activities as you can, right? Not so fast. “People with this anxiety are often the ones who overcommit because they think the more they’re involved in, the more relief they’ll get,” Chapman says. That just makes matters worse, he adds, “because

now they have too many things on their plate and way fewer hours to work with.” Oi! And what do you end up doing as a result of overloading yourself? Procrastinating. “You put off things that stress you out in an attempt to lower anxiety, but that just makes you more anxious about the growing lack of time,” he explains. Typical ease-up interventions, like meditation, aren’t always helpful, says Lickerman. “When the source of anxiety is not being productive, focusing on the present – on the moment you’re sitting there, ‘doing nothing’ – can make you feel meaningless.” And the more you fret about time, the more paralysed you’ll feel.

Dismantle The Time Bomb So, what can you do? The cure is twofold. First, you need to train yourself to let go of your obsession with not having enough minutes or days. You can do this by dropping “catastrophic” thoughts, like “I never have enough time to X or I don’t have time to do Y,” which create a sense of terror in

This phenomenon – the Fear of Not Doing – is when you feel guilty for spending free moments not being productive (e.g. napping instead of running errands). Fix your ’tude by acknowledging that relaxing is a feat too.

time

the body, Chapman says. Replace them with realistic, upbeat affirmations that you can whip out when your brain gets overwhelmed, such as “I have time for only one thing, but I’ll do it well”. Then realise that watching the hours go by isn’t as detrimental as it seems. Start by letting go of the idea of wasted time: “Attach a purpose to every activity you are doing, even if it feels like ‘nothing’,” says Lickerman. If you’re spending Friday night Netflixing in bed, you’re resetting your brain after a crazy week, which will help you own your Monday. Standing in line at the supermarket? You’re thinking ahead about a week of dinners with your partner or calling your mom for a catch-up. Once you reframe your perspective, make a note of even the tiniest takeaways every night (like in a gratitude journal, if you want). “Rarely do you go through a 24-hour period when you don’t move the needle in some way,” says Lickerman. On one day, that might be crushing your workout; on another, it’s just putting away the clean laundry. Every win counts. Another fun mental exercise? “Bully time,” as Chapman describes it. “Be late to an event when you won’t get fired for it and see how not-scary the consequences can be,” he says. Confronting your fear helps you feel in control of it. That’s exactly what I did for my last date: I cut my twohour prep allotment down to 30 minutes, which made me get ready in 20 (shorter period = faster decisionmaking). And guess what? I was seven minutes late, but totally calm. And it was the best time I’ve ever had.

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Life etc i n s p i re

series

READ THE FULL STORY ON GOHUSTLE. CO.ZA

When Helen Keller came up with the quote, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much,” she must have had TAMMY RAWSTRON and RACHEL KOLISI in mind. These women have taken collaboration to another level by combining their love for fitness with giving back to the community. This is a powerhouse duo to look out for in 2020

RISING TO THE OCCASION When the RISE founders birthed their women empowerment platform in May 2019, they had no idea the spontaneous project would soon become a movement that inspires women across South Africa. RISE empowers women with e-books and tools to help them take on life with purpose, while enjoying the journey of womanhood. “We strongly believe that your quality of life really begins when you start taking care of your health and fitness, and most importantly, with what you feed your head and heart,” says Tammy.

PUSHING PASSION The RISE founders firmly believe in lifting others as you grow and following their passion is at the forefront for the duo. “Don’t let the world define you. Silence the voices that say you can’t,” says Rachel. The two believe that every South African entrepreneur should have a heart to change this nation. Their platform RISE does by supporting local female brands – which emphasises the power of collaboration.

relationships we build can enhance our lives and future. “Let go of the things that hold you back. Your future is your decision,” says Tammy.

ACTIVATE GREATNESS “There is space for everyone to achieve greatness. Great leaders never hold back wisdom and guidance out of fear of being outshone,” says Tammy. The duo love to watch women achieve breakthroughs in their personal and business lives and they strongly believe in the infinite power of a community of determined women. “Cheer each other on! We flourish when we diligently pursue something with the motive of investing in the lives of others,” says Rachel.

YOUR TRIBE MATTERS Rachel and Tammy believe in surrounding themselves with people who have their best intentions at heart. The duo understands that we all want to be part of a group and that the company we choose and the

PHOTOGR APHS: WIDA MARITZ

GO ON AND HUSTLE! THE INSPIRE SERIES IS POWERED BY CLARINS AND, ALONG WITH GO HUSTLE, AIMS TO MOTIVATE WOMEN TO GO FOR THEIR GOALS – CAREER, LIFE OR OTHERWISE. GO HUSTLE IS A CAREER PLATFORM THAT AIMS TO HELP YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NAVIGATE BEING A WOMAN IN THE MODERN WORKING WORLD BY PICKING THE BRAINS OF THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS AND CONNECTING THEM WITH OTHER CURIOUS CREATIVES. IT’S DEDICATED TO HELPING YOU TURN YOUR PASSION PROJECTS INTO YOUR NINE TO FIVE. CLARINS. FOR YOU, ABOUT YOU. CLARINS.CO.ZA January/February 2020

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B y O n d e l a M l a n d u a n d Wa n i t a N ic o l

GEAR

Looking to achieve a personal fitness goal this year? Take your fitness up a notch and get kitted out with the latest gear and equipment. These are the Women’s Health 2020 Fitness Awards winners

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RUN

Select your Spotif y playlist a nd get mov ing w ith this top-rated gea r for road, trail and track running. This running gear is comfor table a nd w ill improve your per forma nce as you get f it ter

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3. ADIDAS

ULTRABOOST 19 RUNNING SHOES

REEBOK ONE SERIES EPIC 2-IN-1 SHORTS 1.

Thanks to built-in tights, these shorts give you the freedom of running in shorts without the inner-thigh chafe. The waistband doesn’t dig into your tummy rolls and has ventilation to avoid sweaty build-up. A small pocket in the back takes your keys. Bonus: these are also great for gym and yoga classes so you don’t flash everyone else on the floor. R599, Reebok.co.za

2. SALOMON

SENSE PRO 3 TRAIL RUNNING SHOES

Lightweight and grippy, these shoes have your back on the trails. You can trust them to hold their own even in slippery conditions, like on gravel or in the rain. R2 499, SalomonSports.co.za

We’ve long been fans of the Ultraboost range and this latest iteration didn’t disappoint. They feel lighter and less bulky than previous versions and the mesh upper is relaxed enough to fit broader feet, but still structured enough so narrow feet won’t slide around. There’s also plenty of room for your feet and toes to flex naturally. The sole has great cushioning for a super-comfy run. R2 999, adidas.co.za

UNDER ARMOUR HOVR PHANTOM/SE RNR RUNNING SHOES

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We’re geeking out over the technology in this running shoe – a chip in the right heel tracks your running metrics and connects to the UA MapMyRun app on your phone (free for iPhone and Android). The shoe itself has a snug, sock-like fit and pillowy sole. We like it for shorter distances. R3 306, UnderArmour.com

5. NEW BALANCE FUELCELL ECHOLUCENT RUNNING SHOES

These running shoes are super light and comfortable with improved responsive FuelCell midsole cushioning. The colour palette is bright and bold, making them stylish shoes to wear on a long walking commute to work or on training runs around the city. R1 999, NewBalance.co.za

7. FALKE

ARM PROTECTORS

6. FALKE

SOCKS

Thin enough so they don’t add bulk in your shoes, they still provide extra cushioning and support and prevent chafe. From R85, Falke.co.za

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Ideal for summer races, arm protectors give you the benefits of long sleeves without the overheating factor of a long-sleeved top. What you don’t want, though, is the annoyance of them sliding down your arms. These were stretchy enough not to dig in or chafe, but stayed in place. R269, Falke.co.za

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TR AIN

Not cr a z y a b out t r a i n i ng at t he g y m? W het her you’re t o o shy t o exer ci s e in front of people or prefer not to pay a g y m membership fee, this gear a llows you to sweat it out, in the comfor t of your ow n home 1

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Beginner bargain! REEBOK SPEED TR FLEXWEAVE TRAINERS The woven material allows heat to escape so your feet don’t overheat and swell up as you train. They’re stable enough for jumping and have good support for lateral movements. They also get bonus points for style – we rocked them with jeans and loved the glittery details in the sunlight. R1 399, Reebok.co.za

2. 1. ADIDAS PUREBOOST TRAINERS These blend the functionality of a trainer with the style of a sneaker – one tester even wore them for a night out with jeans and a glitzy top. In the gym, they hold their own in the weights section and on the functional floor, thanks to a broad, flat base and supportive, structured upper. The soles are also super grippy – great for ski jumps in the aerobics studio. R1 899, adidas.co.za

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9. ADIDAS

SKIPPING ROPE Skip as you tone your quads, calves and hamstrings. The rope handles are made from foam, giving you a good grip. R70, CrazyStore.co.za

NEW BALANCE PRINTED IMPACT RUN TIGHTS The fabric is the winner with these tights – soft and stretchy, they slip on like a second skin and feel amazing. They move with your body, staying in place even in deep squats, and the mid-rise waistband covers your tummy rolls without going up to your armpits. We also love the print, which masterfully hides that dreaded crotch sweat patch. R1 300, NewBalance.co.za

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PULSE ACTIVE EXERCISE BALL Add a different element to your sweat session by doing a full-body workout using a stability ball. The ball comes with a small pump to get you started. R150, CrazyStore.co.za 5.

6. PULSE ACTIVE AB WHEEL Grow your home-gym collection and engage your core with this affordable ab wheel. R80, CrazyStore.co.za

WomensHealthSA.co.za

GYRO FLASH SHOES A winner for walkers or new runners looking to cover short distances, this shoe has stretch knit material around the ankles that gives you a more snug and comfy fit. The rubber outsole provides a good grip. R399, MRPSport.com

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8. REEBOK OS LUX TIGHTS These are your go-to tights for day one of your period – the panelled design is delightfully flattering and the high waistband sucks in even the most bloated of tummies. Mesh insets up the legs keep you cool. R899, Reebok.co.za

Z.N.E. FAST-RELEASE MESH HOODIE Almost too gorgeous for the gym, this happy, coralcoloured cover-up is perfect for summer training. The patterned back not only looks cool, it also cools you down quickly after a workout. We love the extra cuff with thumb holes, which can be tucked into your sleeve when not in use, and the cowl-like hood. R1 599, adidas.co.za

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PL AY

This is the gear that f unctiona l-training dreams are made of. W hether your preferred f itness activ it y is cycling, tennis, g roup f itness training o r C r o s s F i t , t h e r e ’s c o m f o r t a b l e k i t f o r y o u 2

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1. SALOMON AGILE WIND PRINT HOODIE The weather on the mountain can be unpredictable and a lightweight, windproof jacket is a lifesaver. This jacket is featherlight, so it’s really easy to fit it into your hydration pack or backpack and won’t weigh you down. R1 099, SalomonSports.co.za 2. S-WORKS

EVADE MIPS WITH ANGI HELMET This helmet is sleek, light and aerodynamic. The new ANGi Crash Sensor syncs to your phone, alerting loved ones with a GPS location if you fall. R4 200, Specialized.com

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ARMOUR VANISH MID PRINT SPORTS BRA This bra is tailored for medium-impact activities, such as cycling and weight training. It features anti-odour technology that prevents the growth of odour-causing microbes. R1 063, UnderArmour.com

4. CYCLING

CALFLENGTH SOCKS Cycling socks have a different design to running socks and the trend is to wear socks that reach up to the beginning of the calf muscle. This pair has a breathable upper mesh to keep your feet cool. R140, Sako7.com

5. LDS

SCUDO CERAMIC BIB SHORTS Besides the comfy feel, thick, grippy thigh bands and longer-leg fit, the bib features a four-layer chamois pad. Each layer delivers a different function, from dual-layer shock absorption to moisture-wicking and odour control. The Lycra is infused with Ceramic Shield tech, making them abrasion-resistant, offering extra crash protection. Bonus feature: a sunglasses hook on its Elastane Snapback Straps. R2 999, Ciovita.co.za

6. PUMA

ZONE XT HYBRID TRAINING SHOES A newbie to the Puma family, these shoes take a normal gym outfit to the next level. They’re super comfortable with amazing padding that feels like you’re walking on clouds. The soles have good grip and the padding makes them great to run and jump in. R1 499, PumaSelect.co.za

7. LIV

RACE DAY SHORT FINGER GLOVES These gloves are light with a four-way stretch and sweat-wicking protection. They are also Velcro-free with an elastic wrist closure, so they slip on and stay on really easily. R380, Liv-Cycling.com

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8. THULE PACK ‘N PEDAL COMMUTER BACKPACK This waterproof backpack is the perfect carrier for commuters who use their bicycles. Pack your laptop for work, all your gear and have enough space for a change of clothes. The backpack has a reflective print that increases visibility from all angles and there’s a pocket for charging cables. The straps sit comfortably on your shoulders and it doesn’t bounce around while cycling. R2 599, ThuleStore.co.za

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BILLABONG WILD TROPIC ONE-PIECE This one-piece costume is great for surfing when you don't need a wetsuit. The feminine and classic Hawaiian-style pattern has adjustable back straps that will let nothing pop out while body surfing. R1 199, Zando.co.za 11.

9. LOU

HARVEY YOGA BAG This beautiful sling yoga bag has a cool design, is lightweight, easy to clean and one of the best ways to store or carry your yoga mat. There’s also plenty of space for a towel. R550, LouHarvey.co.za

10. LOU

HARVEY TENNIS RACQUET COVER Store your tennis racquet in this lightweight padded racquet cover bag. The covers come in a variety of designs and will protect your racquet from getting scratched. R460, LouHarvey.co.za

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VS ART DECO JERSEY This anti-bacterial jersey has a slightly longer arm and shorter torso to accommodate a more aggressive position on the bike. The Mondrian VS Art Deco design collection represents an 1850s movement that was experimental, radical and unorthodox, mixed with flavours of Art Deco. We also love the hidden zip pocket. R1 260, Sako7.com

12. MONDRIAN

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“The dramatically loose cut of the top actually suited my yoga practice perfectly. I could twist and turn without the top jamming my movements. Also, my session got quite sweaty, but the material was so soft and cooling, it didn’t show it at all. Bonus.” – Susan Barrett, managing digital editor

17. REEBOK

14. BURNT

13. S-WORKS

7 CYCLING SHOES These ultra-light shoes feature the new stiff Powerline carbon sole, making this the lightest and stiffest road cycling shoe to date (still comfy though!). The geometry of the shoe has been designed to increase efficiency and reduce the risk of injury. R5 900, Specialized.com

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STUDIOS THE TIME OUT TIGHTS These tights are made of polyester and spandex, making them comfortable enough to squat in, without them sliding down. The design is pretty and appealing. They're also especially great because they come in bigger sizes for women who wear extra large. R720, BurntStudios.co.za

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15. UA ARMOUR MID CROSSBACK SPORTS BRA This is a supportive medium-impact sports bra that’s great for movement as it keeps things in place. The cups can be removed from the bra and the crossback straps’ design is cool too. R827, UnderArmour.com

16. UNDER ARMOUR PLAY UP 2.0 SHORTS These shorts are ultra-comfortable and the material absorbs sweat and dries them out really fast. They’re a loose fit, which allows your legs to move freely, plus the side pockets are a bonus! R590, UnderArmour.com

MUSCLE TANK TOP This tank has a comfy, loose fit. The armholes are elongated, giving you enough mobility when you lift, extend and stretch your arms during a workout. R379, Reebok.co.za

18. COTTON ON HIGH WAIST MID LENGTH BIKE SHORTS These shorts are extremely comfortable, making them perfect to move in, and the high waist is flattering for those who prefer to cover up when working out. R249, CottonOn.com

GE T TECHY WITH IT...

Te c h n o l o g y h a s a d v a n c e d o u r l i f e s t y l e s b y e n c o u r a g i n g u s t o m o v e more. These high-tech gadgets are for runners, cyclists, g y m-goers a nd sw immers who enjoy f itness on a more competitive level

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“The earbuds are so comfortable that I would forget that I was wearing them. The sound quality is off the charts and it really reduces the noise around you. I wore them while working out and they stayed in the whole time (at times I did have to readjust them). I love that I didn’t have to try to work around long wires – you just pop them in and move.” – Chandré Davids, content producer

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1. FITBIT VERSA 2 New to the device is a microphone, which enables voice-to-text on Android phones, and the screen display lets you play around with your clock face as you desire. Need a moment to yourself at work? Make use of the guided breathing function to calm your nerves. By downloading the app (available on Google Play and Apple), you open up a world that connects you to an online health and fitness community. No time to hit the gym? The on-screen exercises are there to keep you moving! R3 999, SportsmansWarehouse.co.za

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2. SUUNTO

5 SPORTS WATCH This is a GPS-equipped fitness watch with a variety of features and a long battery life that makes it great for working out. Apart from the basics, like running, cycling and weight training, the Suunto 5 will also track over 60 different workouts, including cricket, CrossFit and windsurfing. R4 999, CapeUnionMart.co.za

3. FOLDING

TOOLSHED 6 This pocket-sized lifesaver is what you need for adjusting bike seats, pedals and pretty much anything. It's also very handy to travel with as it only weighs 74g. R190, Giant-Bicycles.com/za

4. PDX

QUICK FIX MTB TOOL KIT This repair kit is essential for any cyclist and is designed to fit into a compact bag, which easily fits into a jersey pocket (with tube). R750, GiantBicycles.com/za

5. LIV DOUBLE SPRING BOTTLE This 600ml bottle will fit all bikes. It’s BPA-free, easy to squeeze with a high-volume and it features a leakfree valve. R79, Liv-Cycling.com

6. KLIPSCH T5 TRUE WIRELESS EARPHONES Perfect for an active lifestyle, these earphones have ultra-comfy soft oval silicone tips that will give you the best sound quality for those long runs or cycles at the gym. R1 999, Musica.co.za

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IN THE SPIRIT OF CELEBRATING LOCAL BRANDS, THESE ARE THE PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN ACTIVEWEAR BRANDS TO CHECK OUT THIS YEAR

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“I'm so in love with this watch! I always feel a bit embarrassed when I wear my big, black fitness watch with casual clothes, so it's great that I can wear this rose-gold and white watch and still track my steps and heart rate and read my messages.” – Leigh ChampanisKing, copy editor

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RUSH ACTIVEWEAR This brand has a range of comfortable fitness gear and it features maternity wear as well. We love the bright and beautiful designs. RushActivewear.com

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SIKO REPUBLIK This range of activewear and athleisure features diverse African print designs made for all shapes and sizes. SikoRepublik.co.za

8. LIV CONTROL TOWER 2 PUMP Everyone who cycles needs a pump – plain and simple! Why this LIV pump? First of all, its price point. Pumps can go up to (and beyond) R6 000. The wide steel base with grip plates means it’s easy to stand on while doing some arm work. The Auto Head valve means you can switch between Presta and Schrader valves, so you can keep any bike running at the right pressure. I particularly like the feel of the handles and the way the pump cable clips in for easy storage. The display needle is also easy to read. R650, Liv-Cycling.com

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9. LIGHT

RECON HL 500 For training rides, use these headlights to create more visibility – for you and the cars. This light can be placed on handlebars or helmets, plus it’s lightweight. Rear lights are also a must for safety when riding on the road. R650, Giant-Bicycles.com/za

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10. GARMIN FĒNIX 6X PRO This watch is geared towards the outdoors and has some serious navigation and high-altitude tech, with a battery life of up to 21 days. It offers RacePro Technology that helps keep you on pace as you run a course. If you run in the mountains, ClimbPro gives you real-time info on your current and upcoming climb, including distance, elevation and gradient. Another gamechanging feature is that it can track your heart rate underwater (up to 100m) without a heart-rate strap. R13 999, SportsmansWarehouse.co.za

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11. GARMIN VÍVOMOVE STYLE At first glance, this is a beautiful analog watch, but the face turns into a digital touchscreen that lets you read messages, buy groceries with Garmin Pay and track your exercise with its wrist-based heart-rate monitor. It also has hydration tracking, sleep monitoring and menstrual-cycle tracking. R5 699, Garmin.co.za

FITFANATIC Stand out from the rest in a variety of striking high-waisted matching combos. FitFanatic.africa

PHOTOGR APHS: JAMES GAR AGHT Y, JAMES LUCAS, EUAN DANKS, BEN RIGGOT T, BEN RIT TER

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ZEE CAGE II RT COMPOSITE Use this side-loading bottle cage for your MTB or road bike. R340, Specialized.com

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T H E WO M E N ’ S H E A LT H T E A M T R I E D A N D T E ST E D W H AT ’ S H OT T H I S S U M M E R . F O L LOW T H E H A S H TAG # W H T E ST S I T O N I N STAG R A M TO S E E EVEN MORE GEAR.

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ALCOHOL

If you’ve spent much of the last decade caning it, whether or not a series of birthdays/ engagements/public holidays/Fridays are to blame, your body is due some attention. A sustained barrage of booze has consequences later on, so learn how to undo the effects

THE SIGNS

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You have more drinking buddies than regular friends.

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Your workplace hangovers are the stuff of legend.

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You’re the last to leave a party (and the first to carry it on back at yours).

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A bottle of red is the first thing in your shopping trolley.

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You wake at 3am with a racing heart and a mouth as dry as a desert.

THE DAMAGE

Hangovers lure you into thinking your punishment is over 24 (okay, 48) hours after last call. But the real damage is insidious. “The more you drink, the more your blood pressure goes up,” says medical advisor Dr Paul Wallace. “That won’t necessarily have an impact in your thirties. But it raises your chances of a heart attack or stroke later on.” Like your capacity for coherent speech, your liver is also slowly eroded by sustained boozing. It leads to a build-up of fat around your organs, which increases your risk of liver disease. Your brain takes a hit too. “Heavy drinkers prematurely age their brains by five to 10 years by the time they’re 50,” says psychiatrist Dr Jonathan Chick. But all is not lost – the damage is reversible if you catch it by your mid-thirties.

THE CLEAN-UP

Rather than going teetotal, have two or three alcoholfree days a week, in line with advice from the Royal College of Physicians in the UK. During daylight hours, fuelling your body with a cup of coffee can help – it was shown to offset liver damage from alcohol by 20 percent in a study published in Archives Of Internal Medicine. Then hit the bike: cycling just 32km a week cuts your risk of heart disease in half, according to Purdue University in the US, helping to undo the glass-byglass damage to your heart. Back this up in the kitchen with a daily serving of vegetables rich in B vitamins, like cauliflower, broccoli and bak choi. “Those who have a high fruit and vegetable intake also have low homocysteine [an amino acid that serves as a good indicator of cardiovascular risk] levels,’ says dietician Dale Rees. Popping a milk thistle supplement could help too. “The evidence is conflicting, but the key factor here is silymarin, a flavonoid that shows protective abilities for the liver,” says Rees.

RESULTS PREMIUM

BEAT DISEASE By reducing blood pressure and the amount of fat on internal organs, you cut your long-term risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer.

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BOOST YOUR FERTILITY

HEAL YOUR GREY MATTER

Drinking too much reduces your chances of falling pregnant, so ease off the sauce if you want your fertility at its best.

Don’t panic. When you cut your alcohol intake after years of heavy drinking, your brain tissue starts to heal itself.

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SLEEP MORE SOUNDLY

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Reducing your weekly units improves your breathing while sleeping, leaving you (and your partner, if you’re a snorer) better rested in the morning.

WomensHealthSA.co.za

SHED FAT By switching a big old binge for regular small tipples (one a day, three or four days a week), you can dramatically reduce your body fat.

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JUDGEMENT

Reality check: life is not a TV talent show. So while it might be appropriate to press a big red button of judgement from the comfort of your living room, it doesn’t fly over brunch. If a “good old bitch” leaves you feeling anything but, there’s a reason: tearing someone to shreds with your eyes, thoughts or words is doing you no good

THE SIGNS

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The eye roll has become your signature move.

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Your instant reaction to a perceived slight is criticism.

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You irrationally hate a lot of celebrities.

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One detail is all you need for a complete character appraisal.

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Insta-stalking old school friends can fill a weekday evening.

THE DAMAGE

Aside from a starring role in the sequel to How To Lose Friends & Alienate People? It’s your mental health that will really suffer. “Thinking critical or judgemental thoughts trains your mind towards the negative so, over time, you’ll develop a habit of looking for mistakes, imperfections and problems in any situation,” says anxiety expert Chloe Brotheridge. Your physical health can suffer too. “Judgement can sap your physical energy, increase your stress levels and make it harder to sleep,” says Gabrielle Bernstein, author of Judgement Detox. Oh, and if you’re nice to everyone except yourself, you’re not off the hook – your inner critic is doing you no good either, with a recent study linking self-criticism with anxiety and depression.

THE CLEAN-UP

Start by removing the source of your judgement. If you’re a serial scroller, a social-media detox will help. “Society places enormous value on social status, looks and material wealth, so we use judgement to insulate ourselves from the pain of feeling inadequate,” says Bernstein. “Remove the medium and you remove the emotional response.” A temporary break won’t rid you of your inner mean girl indefinitely – for that, you need to get to the root of why you feel the need to comment on the behaviour of others. If you’re pouring scorn on someone’s career success, perhaps you’re unhappy at work. As for telling your inner critic to get lost? It starts with self-compassion. Researchers from the University of British Columbia found that as selfcompassion levels rose, so did a person’s engagement with life and motivation. Psychologist Dr Chris Germer recommends a mindfulness exercise. “Start by telling yourself that this is a moment of suffering, and that suffering is a part of life,” he says. “Next, repeat a mantra, like “I will be kind to myself ”, replacing the word “kind” with whatever word you need.” Kind of great.

RESULTS ++

STRONG AND STABLE

How positively you see others directly affects how happy, kind-hearted and emotionally stable you are yourself.

STRESS LESS

Those who refrain from judging others have lower predicted levels of depression, anxiety and stress.

GET MORE DONE

Quit judging your hot-desking neighbour and focus on your own work and reap the productivity rewards.

YOU DO YOU

The things you judge others harshly on says a lot about you. Don’t waste the energy you could spend working on yourself.

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BE MORE LIKEABLE

Get off your high horse and you might find you earn yourself some popularity points.

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SUGAR

Factor in all the fruit smoothies and the energy bars you suspect give you a buzz for the wrong reason and you may not be as immune to the addictive qualities of sugar as you think

THE SIGNS

1

You’ve been putting off a trip to the dentist for years.

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You find chocolate wrappers in various nooks and crannies around your house.

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You’ve launched an office bakeoff as an excuse to eat cake.

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You carry change specifically for the 3pm trip to the vending machine.

THE DAMAGE

The long-term impact of excess sugar consumption extends beyond weight gain – and the inflated risk of obesity-related diseases – with researchers from Harvard linking it with high blood pressure and chronic inflammation, both precursors to heart disease. Elsewhere in the body, sweet treats really do your dental health no favours. They’re one of the main causes of tooth decay, thanks to the erosive acid produced when the bacteria in your mouth breaks down sugar. As for your mental health, beyond the all-too-familiar sugar crash – the immediate spike and subsequent plummeting of your blood sugar levels – studies have also linked excessive long-term sugar consumption with mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression.

THE CLEAN-UP

Focus on your intake of “free sugars”, reducing it to less than five percent of your total energy intake or around 30g per day. This refers to monosaccharides (glucose and fructose) and disaccharides (table sugar) that manufacturers add to all sorts of food and drink products, such as ready-made sauces, salad dressings and energy drinks, as well as the kind naturally present in fruit juice, syrups and alternative milks. Beyond the easy wins – swapping the honey on your toast for banana and buying unsweetened cereals and alt-milks – wising up to nutrition labels is key. Look for the “of which sugars” term and consider anything upwards of 22.5g of total sugars per 100g as high in sugar, and anything lower than 5g as low. As for offsetting existing damage, a study by researchers at the University of California in the US found that diets rich in an omega-3 fatty acid called DHA – found in salmon, walnuts and flaxseed – can reverse the harmful effects of excessive fructose consumption, which can damage genes in your brain, potentially leading to conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, depression and bipolar disorder.

RESULTS GET FRESH-FACED

STAVE OFF DEPRESSION

Sugar causes inflammation and binds to collagen, reducing skin elasticity in a process called glycation.

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Less sugar means less chance of developing mentalhealth problems.

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THINK MORE CLEARLY Reducing your consumption of glucose and sucrose can boost cognitive performance.

WomensHealthSA.co.za

FUTURE-PROOF YOUR MEMORY

Consuming a lot of sugar raises your risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

POWER DOWN

Cutting down on sugar will result in fewer sleep disruptions. Better zzzs? Sweet.

SCREENS

While the internet may well serve up scrolling time as delicious as a banana slathered in nut butter, and notifications draw you in like a three-for-one on fancy handwash, science is calling time on your attachment to that smartphone. So, get out of denial and into detox

THE SIGNS

1

You carry a charger with you at all times and a battery pack for emergencies.

2

Activating aeroplane mode at the start of a flight gives you the jitters.

PHOTOGR APHS: MITCH PAYNE

THE DAMAGE

Exposure to blue light suppresses secretion of melatonin – the hormonal equivalent of a boring story – in a way that disrupts both quality and duration of sleep. Harvard scientists found that viewing handheld tech in the hour before sleep delays production of melatonin by 90 minutes and cuts it in half. Given that many biological processes are governed by your sleep, to derail it through screen time is to risk far more than a grumpy morning. You’re not off the hook in daylight either. A study from the University of Toledo in the US suggests that blue light can also accelerate age-related macular degeneration, ie, irreversible blurring and reduction in vision. Oh, and there’s a term for favouring your phone over your friends. “It’s called phubbing (phone snubbing) – when the person you’re talking to pays more attention to their phone than you,” says Dr Bob Patton, a clinical psychologist. “In more general terms, this lack of social interaction inhibits communication skills and cooperative engagement.” In short: it’s a recipe for sh*t chat, but the damage could run deeper than fractured relationships. A study by San Francisco State University in the US linked a rise in time spent on digital devices with feelings of isolation, anxiety, loneliness and depression. As for what counts as excessive, “any activity that starts to inhibit your ability to do what needs to be done could be considered an issue”, says Patton.

3

You’re avoiding new screen activity metrics because you know it won’t be pretty.

4

A vibration – any vibration – sends your hand in the direction of the blue light.

THE CLEAN-UP

Oh, irony, you cruel mistress. Those alerts on your phone designed to track your usage are incredibly useful in making you face the facts. So, bite the bullet and enable that functionality, stat. And you’ll need to stave off temptation – so turn off all other notifications, save for calendar reminders or anything genuinely urgent. “Avoid any screen use for at least an hour before bed, and making sure your phone is in sleep mode before you are will also help,” says Patton. You could also try giving your screen usage a mindfulness makeover, only using one when it actually serves a purpose, rather than “just because”. Get paid to stare at a screen all day? Get acquainted with the 20-20-20 rule. Research has shown that by looking at something 20 feet away [about six metres] for 20 seconds every 20 minutes, you’ll alleviate symptoms of computer vision syndrome (CVS) – the name for the specific kind of eye strain that screen time delivers. Looking good.

RESULTS

LIVE LONGER

Researchers have found an association between high levels of screen time and a higher risk of all-cause mortality, as well as heart disease and cancer.

SAVE MONEY

With the average online shop costing R2 000 and only 13 percent of digital browsers shopping with a specific product in mind, spend less time online and you’ll spend less cash

FOCUS THE MIND

Excessive screen time has been linked with reduced attention spans among children and adolescents, so cutting back could mean you finally finish your book.

LARK ABOUT

Late-night blue light has been shown to reduce feelings of alertness the next day, which could be the difference between doing a morning workout and hitting the snooze button.

BE MORE PRODUCTIVE

Stepping away at lunchtime could make for a better afternoon, as employees who don’t take their lunch break have been shown to be less productive.

health

Chop to it!

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YOUR

A-Z OF NEW-TRITION “OH, YOU HAVEN’T HEARD OF QUARK? AND I THINK YOU’LL FIND HAEM IS PRONOUNCED ‘HEEM’.” THERE’S NOTHING MORE ANNOYING THAN BEING SCHOOLED IN NUTRITION – SO BE THE ONE DOING THE SCHOOLING! HOW? SIMPLY TURN THE PAGE FOR OUR HANDY GUIDE TO THE LATEST, GREATEST NOURISHING FOODS COMING TO A PLATE NEAR YOU. CONSIDER IT CONVERSATIONAL FODDER TO SEE YOU THROUGH THE NEXT FEW BRUNCHES WITH YOUR SMUGGEST WELLNESS MATES. YOU’RE WELCOME By Sca rlet t Wrench a nd Emily Pritcha rd

A IS FOR

arachnids

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, people are turning to creatures with six legs for their nutrients and the latest eco-friendly food trend has eight of them. With methane emissions from livestock causing a global stink, arachnids and insects are fast becoming the protein choice for the eco-conscious. A report by the UN’S Food and Agriculture Organization described insects as “highly nutritious” and a promising alternative to the conventional production of meat. FYI: tarantula is rich in zinc and packs 19g of protein per 100g. Ease yourself into the trend with Gourmet Grubb’s EntoMilk ice-cream – yup, it’s icecream made from black soldier fly larvae.

c IS FOR

convenience

IS FOR

bread Bread is back (not that we ever ditched crusty ciabatta or bagels at brunch). Bakeries are popping up faster than you can say sourdough – look at establishments such as Fournos Bakery, The Patisserie and Jason Bakery, plus all the small-batch vendors at markets around the country, just to name a few. “People who want a fresh, high-quality product are more often visiting bakeries these days,” says baker David McGuinness. “It offers a social experience where you get back to shopping locally.”

Fast weekday eats no longer mean choosing between spending Sunday meal-prepping or forking out for limp canteen salads, thanks to a new wave of donethe-work-for-you meal-delivery services. Services like UCook, FitChef, Daily Dietitian and many others deliver healthy meals and snacks straight to your doorstep. Tap a button on your phone and voila!

D IS FOR

dna

Purveyors of cutting-edge tech are now offering to analyse your genes to create hyperpersonalised diet plans. But there may be an even simpler move you can make to keep kilos in check: eat breakfast al fresco. According to research in Scientific Reports, sunlight exposure may have the power to stop certain cells in your body storing as much fat. Lit.

IS FOR

emo ojis Should you require fuurther proof of the wellness march into the mainstream, look no further than your emoji keyboard. The pizza and fries that once dominated have been swamped by recent additions, such as coconuts, broccoli and leafy greens.

H

F IS FOR

health

K IS FOR

IS FOR

flatlay

What you lose in respect from your dining companions, you’ll make up for in likes. Plus, knowing you’re going to be sharing the contents of your dinner plate can encourage you to mix things up a bit. “Social media loves colour,” says trend forecaster Melina Romero, which has the upside of encouraging you to pack a wider variety of nutrients into a dish.

kombucha

haem

Silicon Valley start-up Impossible Foods found a way to extract haem, abundant in animal muscle, from plants. The result? The Impossible Burger: a plant-based, protein-packed prodigy that produces an eighth of the greenhouse gases of a meaty burger. It’s yet to come to SA, but we have the Beyond Burger, the plant-based burger that looks, cooks and tastes like real beef. It’s available in over 150 locations in South Africa and Botswana.

IS FOR

goth If the charcoal trend started with toothpaste, more recent victims now include bread (google “goth burger”) and icecream. “It won’t add nutritional value, but it can help to remove toxins and gases,” says nutritionist Steve Grant. “Charcoal can interfere with nutrient absorption, so long-term use isn’t advised.” For a way to help digest those macros that’s just as photogenic, try turmeric instead.

Those under 25 are enjoying less booze than ever, so it’s no surprise the alcoholfree drinks industry is booming. And wellness favourite kombucha is leading the way. “A lightly effervescent fermented tea, it benefits the immune and digestive systems,” says nutritionist Matt Hodges. Note to self: it also contains up to 10g sugar per 300ml serving, so it’s best enjoyed post workout. Salted glass and olive, optional.

J IS FOR

japan

i

IS FOR

innards Hear us out: using the whole animal means less waste, which equals a clearer conscience. Liver and kidneys? Very bottom-of-your-gran’sfreezer, but they are a good way in, particularly if you like pie. However, as Grant points out, your butcher has much more to offer. “Sweetbreads – thymus and pancreas cuts – are high in vitamin C usually associated with plants, he says. A 100g portion of beef thymus provides more than half of your RDA. Not so offal.

They’re leading the wellness charge (look up forest bathing and onsens) and we’re loving the East for food inspiration too! From putting matcha in, well, everything to dining. Inspired? Experiment with a Japanesecuisine favourite such as octopus – it’s 30 percent protein and a solid source of iron and vitamin B12. Pick some up on leg day. January/February 2020

L

IS FOR

lectin Lectins are indigestible proteins that bind to sugars in the digestive tract, making them uncomfortable to break down. Cue headlines warning you off sources such as kidney beans, tomatoes and potatoes. But, wait. “Lectins are destroyed once kidney beans are soaked, boiled and tinned.” says nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert. Likewise, potatoes aren’t dangerous when cooked and consumed as normal.” Eat happy.

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MoP IS FOR

IS FOR

mesonutrients The word ‘meso’ translates from Greek as ‘middle’ and, in this case, we’re talking about the active compounds inside your food that work to maximise your nutrition. Nailed your protein/carb/fat ratio? Well done, you, so now is a good time to dig a little deeper. Show some love to a mesonutrient such as curcumin, for example, whose antioxidising effect is responsible for turmeric’s formidable wellbeing rep. Turmeric latte, anyone?

N IS FOR

nitrogen

This is the year that a nitro brew explodes into a coffee shop near you. Never heard of it? It’s essentially cold-brew coffee (brewed over 12 hours with lukewarm water) that’s been pumped with nitrogen to displace oxygen, resulting in a creamy texture. Consider it an ideal alternative to an indulgent Frappuccino.

pseudo-grains

IS FOR

oils

Debate over the best cooking fat still rages, but our tip for the next favourite? Avocado oil, which is rich in vitamin E and packs as much healthy monounsaturated fat as olive oil, but can withstand high cooking temps. Go on then, avo go…

To most of us, they’re just... Grains. But, quinoa, teff, buckwheat and amaranth are actually starchy seeds and tend to be higher in protein and micronutrients than actual grains, such as wheat, oats and rice. “They’re great for recovery, reducing inflammation while keeping you fuelled,” says Hodges. For a more #wellness take on porridge, boil iron-rich amaranth in salted water and top with almond butter, crushed nuts and banana. Yum.

IS FOR

quark High-protein products have taken over shop shelves, with fortified milks, yoghurts and ice-creams competing for your cash. But there’s also a simpler source in quark – a spoonable cheese that packs more protein than old favourites such as Greek yoghurt and cottage cheese. Due to its fermentation process, it contains less lactose than other dairy. Add a scoop to your shake for 8g of protein. Get yours from a dairy near you, including St Dairy and Camphill Village.

IS FOR

rules Beware of any eating plan that sells itself on specificity. The veganketo diet, for example, prohibits grains, fruit, legumes and tubers (think potatoes etc), as well as meat and dairy – leaving you with, well, not a lot. And that will limit your gains. If you’re training hard, eliminating whole food groups can slow your progress,” says Hodges. “The simpler you keep things, the more options you’ll have to fuel success.”

S IS FOR

skin food

A good diet will pay dividends – not just for your abs, but your overall well-being. That includes your largest organ: the skin. “Fruit, veggies, nuts, seeds and legumes are full of skin-loving nutrients,” says dermatologist Dr Johanna Ward. “They contain an abundance of vitamins and minerals, as well as phytochemicals and antioxidants, all of which protect, nourish and fortify the skin.” Glow begins in the gut.

T

health

Y W

IS FOR

PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM; ADDITIONAL WORDS: ALEX DAVIES

Tupperware Like Lycra, this brand has become synonymous with its product type. For us, Tupperware has a more specific connotation: meal prep. Should the sheer satisfaction not do it for you, take inspo from the gurus who take it to the next level. See @theplantedone, @fearlessfig and @mealprepsociety.

U IS FOR

upcycling Root-to-leaf is the new nose-to-tail. The campaign against food waste has prompted chefs to find ways to work unused plant bits into meals that are not only edible, but actually delicious. Broccoli stems – sliced, spiced, bread crumbed and baked – are an easy alternative to chips that contain far fewer carbs and a megahit of Vitamin C.

IS FOR

youth

IS FOR

white

From probiotic-fermented grains to immunity-raising kimchi and pickles, ingredients that fight the signs of ageing are in fashion. But when it comes to meat, age can be a good thing. Aged steak – anything over 21 days – has a punchy umami flavour. The nutrients are also easier for your body to absorb as natural enzymes break down and tenderise the muscle tissue. Youth is wasted on the tongue.

If you’re counting your macros, you’ll know that carbs are essential for fuel. A study in the journal PLOS One rated the white potato as offering among the best nutritionto-cost ratios of any plant, due to its blood-pressure-lowering potassium and vitamins B6 and C content. We’re so on board. Your order? Potato salad: spuds that have been cooked and then cooled are high in resistant starch, which feeds and nourishes the bacteria in your gut. Talk about a superfood.

vegan ish If you can’t commit to going fully plant-based, flexitarianism – being veganish – is a space for those who don’t want to go the whole, erm, hog. But just to show you that you won’t be missing out if you do, make your own plantbased take on that protein staple, the omelette. Combine 65g chickpea flour, a pinch of garlic powder, a tablespoon of nutritional yeast and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. Whisk the mixture with 100ml water, then combine it with sautéed veg and spices. Fry for 15g protein per serving and egg-ceedingly inventive cooking.

Z

X

IS FOR

zoats “Things in porridge” is the new “greens in a juicer” – effortless but guaranteed to be a hit on your Insta feed. The quickest route to a strong bowl? Zoats – or zucchini (baby marrow) in oats. Not only will this combination bulk up your bowl, it packs plenty of lutein, which protects your skin and reduces posttraining inflammation. Your move: grate half a baby marrow into a bowl and mix with 40g oats, cinnamon and milk. Top with nut butter and berries, then start the day with an Insta gl-oat.

IS FOR

xanthan

Not a Marvel villain, but the binding agent used in place of gluten in breads. But if you’re swerving gluten to shed fat, well, don’t. A study by the research body Examine found little to no evidence that gluten-free products aid weight loss in those without an intolerance. Gluten is a protein, while xanthan is a fibre, meaning free-from breads have less satiating protein than the regular stuff. Use your loaf.

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TRAVEL DIARIES

THE TEAM TACKLED A NUMBER OF ADVENTURES IN 2019 AND COMPILED A GUIDE SO THAT YOU CAN PLAN YOURS IN 2020

R E AC H I N G G R E AT HEIGHTS IN THE ALPS... PAG E 1 1 3 .

WH E R E TO GO FO R A B IC YCLE SA FA RI…

The Tuli Block, Southern Africa / B y C a l l y S i l b e r b a u e r I am a traveller. I thrive on the unknown and the adventure that it brings. The same can be said for my first love: mountain biking. This year, my sport has taken me to some of the most incredible hidden gems all over Africa. I’ve cycled between giraffes, eaten lunch next to a crocodile on the banks of the Limpopo and found friendships that I’ll cherish for a lifetime. There is nothing better than getting out of your comfort zone and seeing the view from that perspective. These are the highlights of my 2019 travels… The Nedbank Tour de Tuli is a four-day mountain-bike tour that starts in the Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa. From there it meanders through Zimbabwe and Botswana following the historic Tuli block. Each day covers roughly 60km

and is led by two experienced guides who navigate the bush and dry riverbeds, all the while keeping their eyes and ears open for the not-so-gentle grey giants whose home we are temporarily invading. In essence, a safari tour by bike with wildlife sightings and views that are just too breathtaking to put into words. Each day began with a personal coffee delivery to our tents by our incredibly dedicated and knowledgeable guide, Dave. After a decadent breakfast in the dining tent, we’d roll out into the sunrise and onto the trails. The terrain is wild and most of us came short a couple of times – luckily the sandy landings were forgiving. There are many trail options to follow and no set route. Our guides would navigate with a little GPS

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t r ave l s p e c i a l CLOCKWISE, FROM BOTTOM LEFT: CLUELESS BUT KEEN ON TOP OF THE ABSEILING SECTION; TDT TEAM MATE, NIC BRABY, POPPING A WHEELIE; TOUR DE TULI GROUP SIX – WE GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER REALLY WELL OVER THE FOUR DAYS; THE WHITE WATERS OF THE TUGELA RIVER THAT MADE UP THE RAFTING SECTION OF THE ADVENTURE RACE; BUSH PIGS ROAMED FREELY AROUND ZINGELA; THE DE HOOP NATURE RESERVE MTB TRAILS ARE PRISTINE AND BEAUTIFUL.

THE TOUR DE TULI COVERS 250KM THROUGH THREE COUNTRIES.

assistance along with a radio heads-up as to where the ellies were hanging out on the day. A few of the trails crossed a smooth rocky playground, almost a natural pump track in the rock shaped by the wind. These trails were among the many highlights of the trip, along with the elephant encounters, the endless banter and the infinite stretch of wilderness. Around 20km in we would reach our first water point. This would include a vast array of snacks, coffee, fruitcake, biltong, rusks… Enough to persuade you to stick around for a while. As much as our cycling revolved around wildlife spotting, it also seemed to gravitate towards food. And the catering was superb. In fact, I think the Nedbank Tour de Tuli is the only stage race I have taken part in that I’ve actually put on weight. Each day ended back at a race village that would be magically assembled in the middle of nowhere. We were treated to massages and more food. I became so accustomed to this pampered lifestyle that returning to reality was a shock to the system. The Nedbank Tour de Tuli was an absolute gem of an event but what makes it even more special is the cause that it supports. This event is a fundraiser for the non-profit organisation Children In The Wilderness, an educational programme for children in rural parts of Africa. The aim is not only to ensure that these children receive an education, but that they also learn about the incredible area that they live in and in doing so become custodians of the wilderness. It’ll come as no surprise that I’ve already registered for 2020, although this time I’m hoping to return as a volunteer. This truly is a life-changing event that should be on every cyclist’s bucket list. TourDeTuli.com

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• Passport (for the border crossings) • Cycling kit • Sunblock • Camera • Helmet • Buffs

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• Hydration pack, plus water bottles (three litres minimum) • Mountain bike, plus shoes, socks and gloves • Basic medical aid kit

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• Bike spares (derailleur hanger, spare sealant, tubes, bombs and plugs, multitool with chain breaker and spare chain links) • Headlamp

• Chamois cream • Casual clothes • Pillow and a warm sleeping bag • Towel and toiletries • Cash, credit card and medical aid card

WH E R E TO GO FO R WH A LE S A N D TR AIL S …

De Hoop Nature Reserve, WC /By Cally Silberbauer

WH E R E TO GO FO R RIV E R A DV E NTU R E S …

Zingela Safari And River Company, KZN

PHOTOGR APHS: PATRICK BL ACK , REUBEN VAN NIEKERK , KIRSTEN OLIVER, LUKE BA X, OAKPIC S

/By Cally Silberbauer

This year, I ventured into adventure racing. This entails cycling, trail running, trekking, paddling and occasionally abseiling through an area, self-navigated, for 24 to 30 hours. It is utter madness, but the bug bit and the Cyanosis Tugela AR was in fact my third race of the year. To compete you need to have a group of four. I met my teammates at the beginning of this year and together we are Team Clueless But Keen. There are some things you can’t share without ending up liking each other and adventure racing is one of them. When the team saw that the last race of the year would be hosted at Zingela Safari And River Company, we couldn’t resist. Zingela is based on the banks of the Tugela River with the closest town being Weenen. Another event slap-bang in the middle of nowhere, which is just the way I like it. There’s a choice between tented and chalet accommodation. We had the luxury of an open-plan chalet where we were treated to unexpected visits from bush pigs and bokkies. However, it was the hosts, the Calverleys, who really made this place so incredibly special – from swapping war stories at shared dinners to beers and hotdogs at 5am when we finished our race. The race itself took place on one of the hottest days I’ve ever experienced, a scorching 38 degrees. It began on foot with a few checkpoints to locate and check off on a 16km loop before the much-anticipated paddle section on the Tugela. Getting on the water was an absolute relief and no one complained when the white-water rafting resulted in capsized boats. It was only once we reached the end of the paddle leg that we found out about the crocodiles. Every adventure race comes with its highs and lows, but for Zingela a definite high would be the abseiling. I ventured tentatively over the edge and found myself suspended in the air above a valley of epic rock formations and hardy trees that had twisted through this harsh landscape. And equally incredible was a moment on our night cycle when I turned a corner and almost rode straight into a herd of sleeping giraffe. It’s moments like these that I will treasure forever and part of the reason why I continue to return to this crazy sport. ZingelaSafaris.co.za

GET I N VO LV E D TO FIND OUT A BIT MORE ABOUT ADVENTURE RACING OR TO ENTER YOUR FIRST RACE, VISIT ADVENTURE1SERIES. COM. HERE YOU’LL FIND THE LINE-UP OF EVENTS FOR 2020, PLUS YOU CAN CHECK OUT ALL THE TEAMS AND RESULTS.

TO E N T E R F O R THE NEXT DE HOOP VLEI MTB, KEEP AN EYE ON DEHOOPVLEIMTB. CO. Z A

It turns out you don’t need to venture too far from home to find some hidden gems. A three-hour drive from Cape Town will get you to De Hoop Nature Reserve and, trust me, it’s worth it. The De Hoop Vlei MTB is what brought me to the reserve and I’m so glad it did. This destination was a completely different experience to the previous events. The landscape comprises sand dunes, vlei and fynbos dotted with zebras and bontebok. I was lucky enough to explore this terrain by bike. The singletracks making up most of the cycling routes are a combination of challenging technical sections and flowing, fast descents making for a fun day out on your bike. If you’re not keen on mountain biking, you can also takkie up and trail run to Koppie Alleen. This collection of beaches, sand dunes and rock pools is the perfect spot for whale-spotting. My home away from home was a selfcatering cottage a short walk from the restaurant and swimming pool. I became increasingly grateful for a solid roof over my head when a turn in the weather sent most of the now unhappy campers in search of more secure lodgings. A storm had hit and unfortunately cancelled day two of the race. It also resulted in a very eventful departure from De Hoop including halfsubmerging my tiny car in a river crossing. Our hosts were incredibly accommodating and ensured that the treacherous drive out was a safe one. Although the weather put an end to our stage race, it only made the whole event more memorable. Like I said, I’m a sucker for adventure and driving through a river can now be checked off the list. DeHoopCollection.com

WH E R E TO GO FO R A N O FF-S E A S O N B R E A K …

Sky Villa Boutique Hotel, Plettenberg Bay / B y L e i g h C h a m p a n i s - K i n g Whenever I think of Plett, I can’t help but see it as the town to head to in December, where I can relax and take a break from work, hectic life and the strict exercise and fitness regimens I try to stick to during the year. It’s the sunny, beach holiday that definitely doesn’t have any space for any activities beyond heading to the ocean. Of course, I am very much mistaken. Yes, in December and early January it’s crazy, full of tourists and very much a festive destination, but during offseason, it’s peaceful and warm and offers so much for your body and mind. I found the perfect place to stay for a tranquil trip to this Garden Route favourite in the Sky Villa Boutique Hotel, part of Cape Summer Villas. Perched at the very top of a hill, above the town, the hotel gives guests panoramic views of the ocean as well as the Keurbooms lagoon. This luxury spot has beautifully appointed rooms which are very difficult to leave,

a phenomenal restaurant with a chef who is sensitive to those with dietary requirements – I was treated to amazing vegan meals that I would go back for in a heartbeat – and beautiful areas around the property where you can just sit and turn off your mind for a bit. If you’re able to drag yourself away from the hotel, a lovely way to spend your afternoon is stand-up paddling boarding up the Keurbooms River or, if you feel like more of a spoil, going on a bubbly cruise up the river, both of which you can do with SUP Keurbooms. Another must-do is a hike through the Robberg Nature Reserve. There are three routes to choose from, depending on the distance you want to travel and the level of difficulty you’re up for. The four-hour Point Circuit hike offers beautiful views on a 9.2km trail, but it’s fairly strenuous, so make sure you’re up for the challenge. Treat yourself afterwards with lunch at The Bungalow, right next to the beach.

Sky Villa Boutique Hotel CapeSummerVillas.co.za | SUP Keurbooms StandUpPaddling.co.za | Robberg Nature Reserve CapeNature.co.za

WH E R E TO GO FO R LUXU RY O RG A N IC . . .

Babylonstoren, Simondium / B y D a n iel le We a k le y

Stealth wealth at its very finest is in evidence at Babylonstoren. You won’t ever feel that anything is OTT, but equally the attention to detail and sheer understated class of the place are endless. Stay at the garden cottages – aside from the old-Cape-barn-meets-21st-century glass architecture, it also boasts sublime views of the lemon trees and the vineyards, a direct path to the spa and platters of amuse-bouches delivered to your door just in time for sundowners and a shared bottle of Babylonstoren rosé. Babel dishes up a homegrown organic feast from the farm’s vegetable gardens and between the 300-count cotton and the farm-to-table meals, you can enjoy guided farm and garden walks, canoeing, cycling and wine tasting aplenty. Utter heaven. Don’t miss grabbing a bicycle and spending the afternoon alternately making your own organic beauty scrubs and quaffing the wine from their vineyard. Babylonstoren.com

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E N J OY S U N D OW N E R S I N YO U R PERSONAL GLASS CUBE.

t r ave l s p e c i a l

COT TAG E S N E ST L E D I N T H E FRENCH ALPS A R E OV E R 3 0 0 Y E A R S O L D.

WH E R E TO GO FO R A M O U NTAIN IM M E R SIO N …

Club Med Les Arcs Panorama, France Be honest: when you think of the Alps, you think ski resorts, puffy jackets and freezing temperatures, right? So did I. That was until I got the chance to escape wintery Cape Town to head to magical European heat. When it’s been raining for four days in a row, a Capetonian can only dream of sipping rosé on a hot summer’s day in August. So, I packed my bikinis, trail shoes and cycling gear and

/By Amy Hopkins

left Les Mis weather behind for better days. And were they better? Hell. Yes. Because on a mountain bike, in a cable car, by foot, by train, by car, you can ascend to great, winding heights with 360-degree Insta-worthy views. Forget snowboards and glühwein – the Alps were made for summer holidaying. Normally I get quite anxious when the incline of a road reaches above 17 degrees. I imagine the car might actually start slipping backwards down the hill. In winter, the snow covers most of the roads leading up to Les Arcs Panorama, which means you have to stick to funicular trains and cable cars to get to your destination. But in summer, the roads reveal themselves as steep and snake-like treasures for hill training. You can take

a shuttle from the valley town of Bourg Saint Maurice (situated at about 800m above sea level) to Les Arcs Panorama (1 800m above sea level). Imagine driving from the ocean in Camps Bay in Cape Town to the very top of Table Mountain in 25 minutes. That’s how steep we’re talking. The reward: 360-degree views of the Alps and, in particular, the magnificent Mont Blanc mountain. Club Med Les Arcs Panorama is a large, modern building with curves that reflect the surrounding mountains. You can easily spend a day dining, swimming and exploring one side without discovering the other. There are three restaurants and two bars; a wellness centre with a full spa, a large indoor and outdoor swimming pool with loungers and a jacuzzi; a fitness studio, which offers yoga workshops, Pilates and toning workout classes; plus there are plenty of chill-out zones and lounges from which to people watch or, if you’re like me, mountain watch.

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WE HIKED PAST DAIRY COWS – THE LOCALS ARE VERY PROUD OF THEIR CHEESE.

The rooms are cosy with contemporary design elements featuring pops of bright yellow finishes. If you want to fancy it up, book the Le Belvédère luxury space for a bit more privacy, additional dining and lounge options and the best views. The resort offers six different kinds of “hikes” from a cultural excursion to the local villages to black-level technical routes with more than 1 000m elevation a day (full-day hikes include a picnic halfway). We opted for a beginner or “family” half-day hike which took us through a gorgeous valley about 30 minutes shuttle from the hotel. Our guide also happened to be the mayor of one of the local villages and grew up working as a shepherd. Yes, a shepherd. We spotted marmots (large squirrels) and posed next to quaint houses which have been nestled into pockets of the mountains for over 300 years. Bubbling streams carried crystal-clear water – totally drinkable at a refreshing five degrees – and it was the strangest feeling being warmed by the sun, while surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Very proudly, our guide told us that only very recently wolves have started coming back to these mountains. They were mostly killed out by sheep and dairy farmers over the past few hundred years, but now they’re being protected. He was also upset that I didn’t know off-hand how high Table Mountain was. I walked back to the shuttle, sad to be leaving such beautiful greenery and a little ashamed for letting my country (and Table Mountain) down. The next day, the only way to clear the cobwebs created by a dozen oysters and Champagne the night before was to take

LEFT: DAIRY COWS GRAZE HIGH UP INTO THE ALPS AND YOU CAN HEAR THEM BY THEIR CLINKING BELLS. BELOW: IN SUMMER, THERE ARE STILL SNOW PATCHES DOTTED AROUND THE MOUNTAINS. MOST OF THEM ARE SLUDGY AND VERY SLIPPERY. OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: CLUB MED LES ARCS PANORAMA; THERE ARE MOUNTAIN BIKING OPTIONS FOR ALL LEVELS; IT WAS QUITE THE CONTRAST: RIDING IN THE SNOW WITH SHINING SUN.

a dip in the pool as soon as it opened. I took in the surrounding peaks and dense forest from my vantage point in the Jacuzzi – to think that we were already 1 800m plus above sea level was awe-inspiring. And I was only going to go higher – today was mountain-biking day! I headed down to the meeting point for my bike fitting and learnt that our guided MTB excursion would – TG! – be on electric bikes. The part they didn’t tell me (or I wasn’t listening – it came as a surprise either way) was that we were only going to ride a short distance before taking the ski lifts – and our bikes – to the top slopes. I want you to imagine a bench seat for two with a hook for a bike, a bar that comes around your waist and lots of open space as your feet dangle below… I barely moved as we went up and up and up to 2 700m above sea level. There are eight lifts available to use in summer, giving you access to around 20 well-marked and signed trails. My

partner had his eyes closed the whole time. He didn’t even open them when I burst out laughing at the sight of big red cushions strapped to trees, just in case, you know, bikers crashed into them on their way down. (Not that funny, I know.) The e-bikes were so much fun and they enable all levels of fitness to ride together. Plus, you can use the boost setting to get up the steep climbs quickly without too much sweat! It was so hot and yet there were snow patches all around us – slippery suckers to ride through! With some singletrack thrown into the mix, we eventually rode all the way back down to the resort just in time for evening G&Ts. The best thing about the Club Med experience is that all of these experiences are included in your stay. A real treat! ClubMed.co.za

A MOUNTAINBIKING MECCA

If you’re a serious downhill rider, you will lose your mind here. The Les Arcs/ Peisey-Vallandry Bike Park offers a variety of mountain-biking trails for beginners (there are five practice parks with training modules and family-friendly riding paths) and single-track routes for

T R AV E L B OX START PLANNING YOUR WINTER ESCAPE NOW! SUMMER SEASON 2020 IS FROM BEGINNING JULY TO END AUGUST.

thrill-seeking enduro riders (black track number eight drops 800m). There are also e-bike specific trails: Lake District, Hot Wheels and Route 66. For more information on the routes, where to hire e-bikes and a downloadable MTB guide, visit en.LesArcs.com/BikePark.

WH E R E TO GO FO R A N O PU LE NT S TAYC ATIO N . . .

Tintswalo Atlantic, Cape Town Tucked against the foot of Table Mountain with kilometres of protected nature reserve on either side and the ocean on its doorstep, Tintswalo Atlantic feels like a remote hideaway – even though it’s just five minutes’ drive from Hout Bay. To get there, you leave your car in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it parking lot on Chapman’s Peak Drive and travel the rest of the way by shuttle. It’s a steep descent down a narrow road with heartstopping hairpin bends – all quickly forgotten once you’re enjoying your welcome drink on the sun-drenched veranda with nothing but ocean and mountains in sight. There are just 10 suites, each individually decorated and designed to maximise the ocean view, with private balconies, sheltered from the southeaster, and indulgent

/ B y Wa n it a N ic ol

bathtubs next to enormous windows. There’s also a larger two-bedroom suite, set apart from the rest, which could accommodate a family. But, really, this is the type of place where you leave the kids with a sitter and treat yourselves to sunset cuddles on your balcony, indulgent food-and-wine pairings and lazy afternoon cocktails. The pool deck, with its cosy daybeds and easy access to a private pebbled beach, is an idyllic spot for summer, but our advice: go in winter, when the rates are off peak and the ocean is angry. Throw some logs on your in-room fireplace and wallow in the tub with a glass of red and your favourite novel. Or, if you’re in the mood for a different kind of bliss, the beds are enormous and sturdy. Tintswalo.com/Atlantic/

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E X P LO R E T H E I S L A N D BY SUP AND GET A B E AU T I F U L WO R KO U T.

Veranda Tamarin Hotel, Mauritius / B y L e i g h C h a m p a n i s - K i n g Just the mention of Mauritius brings thoughts of endless sparkling shores, clear waters and tropical cocktails aplenty. The island, known for its beaches, lagoons and reef, does not disappoint. And while it wasn’t our idea to turn a visit to Mauritius into an active destination, Monster Energy had other ideas for us when we hit the island as part of their summer boot camp with SWEAT 1000. Here’s all the info so you can do the same… The hotel is a mixture of luxury and laid-back beach escape, with light, airy rooms and a crystal-clear, wooden-decked pool. There’s a variety of room types to choose from, depending on how luxury you want to go, and they offer either views of the garden, mountain or pool. There are two bars and two restaurants – and, if you want to celebrate a special occasion, you can book a private braai in the garden and eat under the stars.

The hotel is across the road from the Tamarin public beach, where you can spend your days swimming and soaking up the sun. But if poolside is more your vibe, you’ve got options. The hotel has two pools to choose from: one on the ground floor, surrounded by beach chairs and beds, or the rooftop pool with its own bar (booking is essential). If you’re looking to relax beyond lazing by the water, the Seven Colours spa will take care of all your needs, and if you’d like to do an indoor workout, you can head to the hotel’s gym. The choices are endless when it comes to activities. You can head for the hills and the hiking trails (however, if it rains too heavily, the trails could be closed for safety reasons) or make like a fish and snorkel near the reef in Tamarin Bay. You can also grab a board and learn how to surf at the surf school next door to the hotel or, better yet, head up the coast and explore the island by paddle board, watching the abundant sea life swimming beneath you. After supper, head to the Crazy Fish Bar for drinks and dancing (depending on the evening). Veranda-Resorts.com

PHOTOGR APHS: LUKE PAT TERSON (MAURITIUS)

WH E R E TO GO FO R A N AC TIV E B E ACH H O LIDAY…

SWEAT IT OUT

Turn your beach break into the ultimate fitness holiday with this beach workout from Andrew Rothschild from SWEAT 1000

WARM UP 1 minute bouncing side to side. 1 minute jumping jacks. LOWER-BODY WORKOUT Do all four exercises in a row, sticking to the time frames. Recover for one minute, then start from the top. Repeat three

times. Work hard for the recoveries and use the rest to reset and refocus. 40 seconds: squats 20 seconds: squat pulses 20 seconds: squat jumps 40 seconds: reverse lunges, alternating legs

FULL-BODY AND CORE WORKOUT Do all three exercises in a row, sticking to the time frames. Recover for 30 seconds, then start again. Repeat three times. Once again, maximum effort will get you maximum results, so push hard during the exercises

and work for those recoveries. 30 seconds: 2 push-ups, 4 mountain climbers 30 seconds: burpees 30 seconds: cross mountain climbers

WH E R E TO GO FO R A B IG - CIT Y DE TOX …

De Zeekoe Guest Farm, Oudtshoorn / B y L e i g h C h a m p a n i s - K i n g Situated just outside of Oudsthoorn, De Zeekoe Guest Farm, a member of Cape Country Routes, is the perfect spot to take a break from busy city life. With nothing but veld for what seems like kilometres, it’s easy to imagine that you’re one of the last people on earth as you sit on the balcony of your room and watch the sun set. Located on a lucerne farm, pastoral life carries on around you and it takes a matter of hours for you to forget about life before you arrived. There are rooms to suit every need, with fully equipped private rooms (ranging from standard to luxury and honeymoon suites) at the main house and three stone cottages with their own pool further out from the property. If you want to take your relaxation to the next level, the Tranquility Spa can help. There are a number of soothing treatments to choose from and all are guaranteed to have you floating back to your room when you’re done. The highlight of a trip to De Zeekoe is definitely the Five Shy Meerkats tour. After rising

at the crack of dawn, you’ll drive about 16km from the guest farm, where you’ll be greeted with hot coffee and rusks as the sun begins to show itself. (Make sure to dress warmly – in the colder months the temperatures can drop horribly low and because you’ll be sitting for most of the experience, you get cold quickly.) After an introduction from the guides, you’ll go on a short walk before setting up your camping chair in front of an innocuouslooking mound. If you’re lucky, after only a short wait, you’ll be treated to a sighting of a family of meerkats as they go about their daily routine. It’s an amazing experience and here, more than anywhere, you’ll feel like you’re alone in the world. There are also other activities to keep you busy, including canoeing down the river, mountain biking, walking or visiting the nearby Safari Ostrich Farm. CapeCountryRoutes.com

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get your

greens Often overlooked, leaves don’t have to be boring. Time to move on from iceberg and try these light, colourful, flavourful nutrient carriers used to garnish dishes, add texture or form the base of salads

fattoush 118

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WomensHealthSA.co.za

Food Hub

herbs used as teas

“The process of infusing leaves into liquid feels as old as time. Drinking tea is something done frequently with other people – it is a drink that is totally acceptable to consume endlessly, on one’s own, but also lends itself to highly formal settings – think of the intricate Japanese, Chinese and Korean tea ceremonies and the tradition of afternoon tea in the UK. I think most of us know enough that mint makes a good digestive, as does lemongrass; that chamomile, lime leaf and lemon balm and verbena are all calming and good to drink at night; or that nettles can be diuretic. If you can pick fresh herbs or take a few dried ones and have a recently boiled kettle of water (the best temperature for herbal infusions is around 80˚C), you can make an infusion. You can probably reinfuse the herbs at least once and sweeten if you like. I rarely do unless I have a cold and I want a strong infusion of thyme, rosemary or sage with a twist of lemon and some honey.” – Catherine Phipps

herb omelette

Food Hub SERVES 4 “I prefer to use the firmer, smaller cucumbers. If you can find them, microleaves are really good in this salad – think basil, fenugreek and coriander.”

SERVES 1 “It is very free-form, made with whatever you might need to use up or have growing in the garden. The greens are added in three stages. First, herbs are whisked into the omelette mixture; next, salad leaves are wilted in the pan just before the eggs go in, and finally more herbs are stirred through just before serving. You could add any kind of cheese to this too, or a handful of cherry tomatoes.”

3 eggs 2 sprigs each tarragon, parsley, lemon thyme, chives, chervil, dill or fennel, finely chopped Large knob of butter 4 handfuls baby salad leaves, such as baby leaf lettuces, spinach, rocket, pea shoots, sorrel, borage, beetroot or amaranth A few small borage leaves and flowers, to serve Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/ Break the eggs into a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Stir in half of the finely chopped herbs. 2/ Melt the butter in a small frying pan. When it starts to foam, add half the baby salad leaves. Stir around the pan until they have wilted, then pour in the egg mixture. Stir the omelette in from the sides to the centre, allowing the runny eggs to fill the exposed pan until it is almost set, then add the remaining salad leaves. Leave until just set. 3/ Sprinkle on the reserved herbs along with the borage leaves and flowers just before serving, then carefully slide onto a plate. Season before serving.

2 large pitta or an equivalent amount of flatbread 1 small red onion, thinly sliced Sea salt 3 small cucumbers, cut into crescents 200g cherry tomatoes, halved 200g radishes, sliced 1 bunch summer purslane, leaves only A few small borage leaves (optional) 100g lamb’s lettuce 1 small bunch parsley, leaves only A few mint leaves A few sprigs coriander A few sprigs oregano FOR THE DRESSING 3 tbsp olive oil Juice of ½ lemon 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 tsp sumac Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Purslane, also known as pigweed or porseleinblaar in Afrikaans and iGwanisha in isiXhosa, falls under the general veldkos category in South Africa or umfino, which loosely translates to wild spinach or pot herb and includes a number of edible leafy greens growing wild. Purslane is found wild in the Western Cape and is packed with more omega-3 fatty acids than any other leafy green. You can grow your own purslane along with many other herbs and microherbs with seeds from SeedsForAfrica.co.za.

TO SERVE Sumac Za’atar A few microleaves (optional) 1/ First, toast the pitta or flatbread. You can either do this in a dry frying pan or in your toaster. Leave to cool, then tear or cut into pieces. Meanwhile, put the red onion in a small bowl, toss in half a teaspoon salt and cover with cold water. Leave to stand for 20 minutes, then drain thoroughly. 2/ Put all the salad ingredients, including the herbs and the bread, into a large bowl. Whisk the dressing ingredients together and taste. Add pepper. 3/ Dress the salad and mix everything together. Serve on a large platter, sprinkled with sumac, za’atar and a few microleaves.

SERVES 4 “This is a good salad to prepare ahead and will keep well in the fridge as long as you follow the salting instructions below – if you skip this step, the vegetables will go soggy.

250g red cabbage, finely shredded 2 heads red chicory, roughly chopped 1 large carrot, preferably purple, julienned 2 celery sticks (plus leaves from the centre of the bunch), sliced 1 red onion, thinly sliced Sea salt ½ tsp caster sugar 1 tsp white-wine vinegar 1 blood orange 400g smoked mackerel, skinned, deboned and roughly broken up 2 tbsp capers, rinsed 1 small bunch dill, finely chopped 1 small bunch mint, leaves only, finely chopped

A few sprigs tarragon, finely chopped Handful baby beetroot leaves A few purple kale leaves, destemmed and massaged A few horseradish, mustard green or mitzuna leaves FOR THE DRESSING 1 heaped tbsp crème fraîche 2 tsp wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp sherry vinegar 1 tbsp hazelnut or walnut oil Orange juice from a blood orange (see method below) Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/ Put the red cabbage, chicory, carrot, celery sticks and red onion into a large colander and sprinkle with one teaspoon sea salt, the sugar and the vinegar. Mix thoroughly and set over a bowl or stand in your sink. Cover with a tea towel and leave to stand for an hour. 2/ Transfer the vegetables to a serving bowl. Prepare the orange by topping and tailing it, cutting away the skin and outer membrane, then dicing the remaining flesh, flicking out any seeds or large pieces of pith. Squeeze juice from the discarded skin into a small bowl. 3/Make the dressing by adding the crème fraîche, wholegrain mustard, sherry vinegar and oil to the orange juice. Season with salt and pepper and whisk together. 4/ Pour the dressing over the salad, then add the mackerel, capers and orange. Fold over gently to combine everything, then add the herbs and the celery leaves. Fold over once more. 5/ Serve on a bed of the remaining leaves.

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Food Hub

red leaves, mackerel and orange salad

Leaf: Lettuce, Greens, Herbs, Weeds

(Jonathan Ball Publishers) by Catherine Phipps, from R350.

PHOTOGR APHS: MOWIE K AY ADDITIONAL REPORTING: AMY HOPKINS

SERVES 4 “There are a lot of ingredients here, but I do this because the joy of a salad like this is that every mouthful will be different.”

2 tsp dried oregano Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp olive oil 2 skin-on chicken breasts, butterflied 1 bunch spring onions, trimmed 2 little gem lettuces, cut into wedges A few tomatillos or cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped Selection of salad leaves, including purslane 75g cooked quinoa Leaves from a few small bunches of herbs, such as basil, coriander or mint, or snipped chives A few pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted

1 small bunch parsley, leaves only A few sprigs coriander A few sprigs basil 1 jalapeño or other green chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped Juice of 1 lime 2 tbsp yoghurt 1 tsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp honey 4 tbsp olive oil 1/ First, heat a griddle pan until it is too hot to hold your hand over. Mix the oregano with salt and pepper and the olive oil and rub all over the chicken. Griddle the chicken for a few minutes on each side until char lines appear and it is just cooked through. The pieces with the skin will take longer, skin-side down – make sure the skin is crisp and papery, not soft and flabby.

2/ Remove the chicken from the griddle pan and rest for a few minutes before cutting or tearing into strips. 3/ Add the spring onions and little gems to the griddle pan. Grill until lightly charred and softened, turning regularly. Remove from the griddle pan. 4/ Make the salad dressing. Blitz the herbs, chilli and garlic with the lime juice, adding a little water if they are reluctant to come together. Add the yoghurt, vinegar, honey and olive oil. Whisk together – you need the dressing to be quite thin, so add more water if necessary. Season well and taste – adjust the vinegar and honey if necessary. 5/ To assemble the salad, toss the chicken, vegetables, salad leaves and quinoa together and drizzle with the dressing. Garnish with the herbs and pumpkin seeds.

FOR THE DRESSING 1 small bunch tarragon, leaves only

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Food Hub Windfall Mendola Blanc De Blanc, R230 Peach, guava and citrus blossoms on the nose, which follow through onto the palate with beautiful nutty flavours. 12% ALC | ROBERTSON

Christina The Heritage Collection Brut, R168 Upfront lime and citrus flavours with soft, refined bubbles and a full, fruity taste. 11% ALC | ROBERTSON

Villiera Tradition Brut, R119 Full, balanced yeasty complexity synonymous with a wine made in this classic French style, except for the touch of South African flair: 12 percent Pinotage. 11% ALC | STELLENBOSCH

Steenberg 1682 Chardonnay Brut, R205 Flavours of lemon cordial, honeyed nectarines, toasted croissant and pistachio are evident on the palate. 12% ALC | CONSTANTIA

BUBBLY IS LOWER IN CALORIES THAN WINE, PLUS, BECAUSE THE SERVING SIZES ARE OFTEN SMALLER, YOU MAY AUTOMATICALLY DRINK LESS THAN IF YOU’VE GOT A BOWL-GLASS OF WINE.

Kleine Zalze Brut Rosé, R159 A delicate silver-pink hue with a lively cascading sparkle, aromas of cherries and red berries with elegant layers of finesse and decadence on the palate.

Colmant Cap Classique Brut Rosé, R205 Wild strawberries, red currants and a hint of flowers on the nose with a silky mouthfeel, succulent red berries on the palate followed by a creamy texture.

Newstead Rosé 2016, R245 Raspberry flavours and hints of red berries – it’s elegant and silky.

12.5% ALC | FRANSCHHOEK

12.5% ALC | PLETTENBERG BAY

WORDS: AMY HOPKINS; PHOTOGR APHS: JAMES GAR AGHT Y, GALLOGET T YIMAGES.COM

11.5% ALC | STELLENBOSCH

BLANC DE BLANC MEANS WHITE WINE MADE FROM WHITE GRAPES. TRADITIONALLY, CHAMPAGNE IS MADE FROM A BLEND OF CHARDONNAY AND PINOT NOIR.

Pierre Jourdan Belle Nectar Demi-Sec Rosé, R145 With a pink-salmon colour, this is sweeter than your traditional Brut. Perfect for high tea and desserts. 12% ALC | FRANSCHHOEK

L’Ormarins Brut Classique Rosé, R130 Delicious berries with a peppery spice on the nose. The taste is lively with red berries, crisp acidity and toasted biscuit flavours. 12.5% ALC | FRANSCHHOEK

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Food Hub

ADD SOME BRAAIED TOFU TO THIS SALAD FOR EXTRA PROTEIN. SIMPLY SLICE YOUR FIRM TOFU TO THE DESIRED SIZE, THEN BRUSH OLIVE OIL OVER AND GRILL UNTIL CRISPY ON THE OUTSIDE. FOR EXTRA FLAVOUR, MARINATE THE TOFU IN SOY SAUCE OR A VINAIGRETTE FOR 30 MINUTES BEFORE GRILLING.

Summer Veg Braai, Sorted Our fave braai advocate, Jan Braai, has – like us – seen the evergrowing trend for opting to live a plant-based lifestyle. His new book, The Vegetarian Option, has a wealth of veggie recipes. If you’re doing Veganuary this January, then give these three recipes a try…

BRAAIED SWEET PEPPER SALAD “There are a few reasons why it’s a good idea to braai or, more accurately, char peppers. It makes the process easier to separate the tough skin from the silky flesh of sweet peppers. They also become even sweeter through the process of caramelisation. It makes them softer. And it gives them a smoked fire taste.”

SERVES 4

3 bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green) ½ cup pumpkin seeds 200g baby spinach leaves (or more) 1 tin chickpeas, drained and washed 1 red onion, sliced thinly 1 cup pitted olives A few basil leaves, torn 200g vegan feta-style cheese (optional) 2 tots olive oil Juice of 1 lemon 2 tots balsamic vinegar Salt and pepper

1. Place the peppers on a grid or suspend them over flames until blackened on all sides. You will obviously need to turn them now and again to expose all sides to the flames. 2. Once blackened on all sides, place the peppers into a plastic bag, close the bag and leave for 20 minutes to cool down. 3. While you wait, roast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan over a hot fire for a few minutes until they start to smell fantastic. Here and there they will also start to pop. Immediately remove from the pan and let them wait somewhere tranquil like in a bowl, plate or mug. 4. Peel the skins off the peppers (they will come off easily) and cut them open. Scrape out and discard all the unsavoury innards and seeds and then cut the flesh into chunky blocks. Here and there you will have bits of charred skin left on the flesh. This is fine and part of the final flavour. 5. Place the spinach in a bowl and add the charred pieces of pepper, chickpeas, red onion, olives and basil and mix everything together. 6. Sprinkle the roasted pumpkin seeds (and crumbled vegan cheese, if using) over the salad. 7. Dress with high-quality South African olive oil, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

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WOOLWORTHS HAS A R ANGE OF VEGAN CHEESES AND SO DO SELECTED SPAR GROCERY STORES AND CHECKERS SUPERMARKETS. FAIRVIEW AL SO MAKES A VEGAN CHEESE R ANGE. FOR THIS RECIPE, WE RECOMMEND TRYING VIOLIFE GREEK WHITE VEGAN FETA CHEESE. FOR A L ARGE R ANGE OF VEGAN CHEESES, CHECK OUT VFOODS.CO.ZA .

ITALIAN BRAAI BRUSCHETTAS “We’re braaiing tomatoes and adding some fire-toast flavour to the bread to end up with bruschetta that I honestly think is better than the original Italian.” SERVES 6 TO 8 (AS A SNACK)

1 baguette, sliced 200g vegan feta-style cheese, crumbled FOR THE OLIVE-OIL SPREAD 4 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped Few sprigs fresh thyme 1 tsp salt 2 tots olive oil

FOR THE TOMATO SALAD 500g cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped 1 tot olive oil 1 tot balsamic vinegar Salt and pepper, to taste Bunch of fresh basil, roughly chopped FOR THE TOMATO SKEWERS 500g cherry, Mediterranean cocktail or Roma tomatoes Skewers

1. Make the olive oil spread. Place the garlic, thyme and salt into your mortar and use the pestle to make a smooth paste. Add the olive oil and mix well. If you don’t have a pestle and mortar, chop everything together as finely as possible and add the olive oil. Now lather all of the bread slices with the olive oil spread on one side. 2. Make the tomato salad by mixing the tomatoes, olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a bowl. Add salt, pepper and basil to taste. 3. Place the whole tomatoes on the skewers and braai over hot coals until roasted and charred. They should just start to burst and crack a little bit. 4. Lightly toast the bread slices on a grid over medium-hot coals with the oiled side facing down. 5. Build your braaied bruschetta by starting with the toasted bread, oiled side up, topping with tomato salad, then vegan cheese and ending with the roasted tomatoes from the skewers.

Food Hub

CARAMELISED NECTARINES WITH SPICED YOGHURT “The direct heat of the coals lets the sugar in the fruit caramelise, making it even sweeter.” SERVES 4

6 nectarines 2 tots brown sugar FOR THE SPICED YOGHURT 3 cardamom pods ½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 cup yoghurt (or coconut yoghurt)

ALL PHOTOGR APHS: JAN BR A AI 2019; FOOD ST YLING: BRITA DU PLESSIS AND CHRISTIEN DUR AND; ADDITIONAL REPORTING: AMY HOPKINS

1. With the cardamom you deal as follows. Break the pods open and use a pestle and mortar to grind the seeds into a fine powder. Failing a pestle and mortar, just put the seeds on a cutting board and roll over them with a wine bottle and some pressure until they are fine. 2. Mix the spices with the yoghurt. 3. Peel and halve the fruit and remove the stones. 4. Braai the nectarines on a grid over hot coals until browned and then remove from the fire. 5. Sprinkle with sugar and return to the fire. Continue to braai them, turning each one to braai on both sides until the sugar melts and starts to bubble. 6. Serve the braaied nectarines with the spiced yoghurt.

NOWADAYS IT’S SO EASY TO FIND VEGAN YOGHURT. OUR RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS RECIPE IS THE PL AIN COCONUT YOGHURT FROM WOOLWORTHS. OTHER BR ANDS OF VEGAN YOGHURT WE LIKE INCLUDE UTOPIA FOODS CA SHEW NUT YOGHURT (FIND IT IN CAPE TOWN AND DURBAN), PHAT FOX PL AIN CULTURED COCONUT (CAPE TOWN) AND WOT NO DAIRY VEGAN DESSERT YOGHURTS (DIS-CHEM COUNTRY WIDE). The Vegetarian Option (Bookstorm) by Jan Braai, R299.

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ADVERTISING PROMOTION

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EAT LEAN Lactose intolerant? No problem! Having launched four years ago in the UK and since then in Spain, ‘eatlean’ cheese now hits select South African retailers in their attempt to put cheese back on the menu worldwide. Enter a first of its kind; an all-natural, low-fat, high protein cheese that’s also suitable for those who are lactose-intolerant. Finally! Check the aisles of your nearest Shoprite or Pick n Pay now.

SODASTREAM Add sparkle to your life this summer with SodaStream! The SodaStream range offers innovative, quality carbonation machines and promises better-for-you syrup flavours to suit all tastes and diets. With SodaStream the whole family can make fresh sparkling water from tap water at the push of a button, and even better SodaStream Bottles are BPA-free and better for the planet. Go on! Stay healthy refreshed with SodaStream.

The dual action rehydration solution HydrAssist ORS Powder contains a WHO approved, dual action formula that replenishes fluids and electrolytes and reduces vomiting and diarrhoea! HydrAssist ORS Powder is orange flavoured and can be taken by the whole family. Available in packs of 5s or 20s from Clicks, Dis-Chem and major pharmacies in SA.

CLEMENGOLD Citrusy delight Eight botanicals – with sundried ClemenGold mandarin peels taking the flavour lead – are used when distilling this premium handcrafted gin. The essence of sunshine that the fruit imparts to this cosmopolitan gin is headily aromatic and upon raising your glass of ClemenGold Gin for the first sip, a perfume of citrus draws you in.

PROBIFLORA

REUTERINA

Heal you gut!

Bleeding Gums?

An imbalanced gut can leave you feeling uncomfortable, bloated and even compromise your immune system. Go with the number one probiotic, Probiflora. Listen to you gut! There are many Probiotics, but only one Probiflora

You could be on the road to serious gum disease if left untreated. Take 1 to 2 Reuterina™ Lozenges daily after tooth brushing to reduce bleeding gums by up to 85% in 14 days* or speak to your healthcare professional. No prescription needed! Find us in the probiotic aisle of your nearest Dis-Chem, Clicks, PNP, all major pharmacies in SA and selected stores in Namibia.*Reference available on request or visit www.reuterina.co.za

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