Health & Fitness Issue 8

Health&Fitness

TODAY

ISSUE NO. 8 • AUGUST 2013

Yoga on the sea with Svetlana Whips and chains to spice up your sex life Weightlifting in later years

8 - Health & Fitness Today

HAPPY HOLIDAYS “Your guide to the essentials”

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Contents

T

August 2013

he heat has been turned up this as every summer as August takes its toll. For most exercise fiends, working out becomes more difficult not only because of the physical demands on the body to perform well in the heat, but also because there are just so many more fun things to do!

Tailor your exercise routine to include some fun sports in the water. Why not try yoga on a stand up paddle board. If you think yoga is just a lot of stretching and not much working out, try taking away the stability of the hard ground for an all in one work out. Svetlana Abela shows us the ropes on the board.

Daniel Petre talks about changing your attitude to food and weight loss for an overall healthier lifestyle which then results in weight loss. Check out some of Carla Maree Vella’s healthy recipes off of her new book Eat Me, I’m Healthy.

Working out isn’t just about losing weight. Jovan Reljic talks about weightlifting in older age to keep bone density up and reduce the risk of illness and injury.

Mariella Dimech talks about the need to take control, why is comes about and how to deal with the need to take too much control.

Ever thought bondage and BDSM was a little bit freaky? Check out Matthew Bartolo’s article to find out what makes bondage a fun bit of playtime in the bedroom.

We hope you enjoy this issue of Health and Fitness and look forward to receiving your comments and suggestions.

INTERVIEW 3

Svetlana Abela takes to the sea with SUP yoga

MENTAL HEALTH 9

Letting go of control

SEXUAL HEALTH 13 Whips and chains in the bedroom

DISEASE PREVENTION 16 Staying safe in the sun

COMMUNICATION 18 Communicating with people with disabilities

NUTRITION 20 The magic of coconut water 21 Losing weight and keeping it off 24 Summer, slimming indulgences

24

FITNESS 27 Discipline to achieve goals 32 Strength training to dodge the homes

Clean summer eating

27

COSMETIC SURGERY

Selfdiscipline

34 The years following breast augmentations

13

34

Tie me up baby

After a boob job

Contributors

Matthew Bartolo Sex counsellor

Mariella Dimech Psychotherapist

Health&Fitness

TODAY

Published by:

Charmaine Gauci Director for Health Promotion

Josnef Agius Professional support worker

Vjal ir-Riħan, San Ġwann SGN 9016 Malta Tel: +356 382741 • Fax: +356 21381992 www.maltatoday.com.mt

Natasha Coppini Professional support worker

Daniel Petre Nutritionist

Carla Maree Vella Metabolic trainer

Managing Editor: Saviour Balzan Editor: Rachel Zammit Cutajar healthandfitness@mediatoday.com.mt Cover photo: Svetlana Abela Printed at: Union Print

Darryl Poulton Personal trainer

Jovan Reljic Personal trainer

Design: Kevin Grech Cover photo by: Ray Attard Head of sales: Adriana Farrugia Contact for advertising: Ray Falzon – 21382741 ext: 118

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At the height of summer it is really difficult to keep up with an exercise programme. Not only does the heat put the brakes on your motivation, but the long daylight hours make ‘other plans’ encroach on your exercise time. The trick is to update your exercise routine to include some fun, summery workouts that involve the sun, sea and sand. Svetlana Abela talks to RACHEL ZAMMIT CUTAJAR about finding your inner focus on a stand up paddleboard with SUP yoga

INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY: RAY ATTARD

The power of the sea

INTERVIEW

S

vetlana started out as a ballerina at age five, however by the age of 15 she had to decide on whether she was going to pursue the life of a ballerina or let ballet take a backseat and embark on a college education. Not wanting to put all her eggs in one basket she decided that university was more important and stopped ballet to focus on her studies.

“Not long after I stopped ballet I noticed how quickly

my posture was deteriorating.

My mother also noticed and encouraged me to accompany her to one of her yoga classes.

“I wasn’t very impressed with my first class. I was only 16 and the class was made up of people my mother’s age. It seemed too slow and not as graceful as ballet and overall just a bit boring.”

Svetlana continued attending classes because she felt that her posture improved as a result. She was eventually in-

4 - Health & Fitness Today • August 2013

troduced to Power Yoga while on a student exchange as part of a university degree in international law and politics.

“This was more my style of yoga, better suited to my age group and a lot more dynamic.

I started practicing every day and did some teacher training courses simply to be able to practice on my own, though I never intended on teaching.”

When a friend and yoga instructor went on holiday for a month she persuaded Svetlana

to take over her classes with a little arm-twisting and emotional blackmail. After completing the month, armed with a newfound respect of how hard it is to teach yoga as opposed to simply practicing she set up her own group and started replacing other people at different studios and started a life as a part-time yoga instructor, balancing yoga classes with a job at the Ministry for Social Affairs and Employment in Germany.

INTERVIEW Having found herself living in Malta, after she met the man she would later marry, she started up classes at a number of five-star hotels and then eventually formed her own following. Eventually she set up her own studio and also gives private classes outdoors.

“I love living in Malta, but exercise during the summer months seems to be low on the list of priorities of the Maltese at this time. I had heard about paddleboard yoga from an

American friend who is also a yoga instructor and thought why not do this in Malta? We certainly have the right environment for it. It is perfect for the summer months as people don’t like being cooped up in a studio, so combining the great outdoors, the sea and a paddleboard seemed to be an obvious combination.”

SUP yoga originated around five years ago in California as yoga instructors realised the benefits of combining hatha

and vinyasa yoga with surfing.

“Taking away the stability of a grounded mat makes central focus all the more important.

If you allow your strong side to lead in any movement you are going to get wet! Similarly if you allow yourself to get distracted by outside influences, looking at someone else for example, you are more likely to fall. Therefore it is very important to be fully present from the very beginning of the class.

“It is also great for meditation,

the movement of the water, the sounds and the smells all encourage relaxation and what’s more is that its so much fun it doesn’t feel like you have to leave the beach to go do some boring, stressful exercise regime. You can spend the day at Baia beach and then get on the paddleboard in the evening for some SUP yoga.”

Svetlana organises SUP yoga classes every Saturday at Baia beach.

Health & Fitness Today • August 2013 - 5

DIFFERENT STYLES OF YOGA Yoga has been around for more than 5,000 years. Aside from seeing new yoga studios being set up all over the island we are also seeing different styles of yoga. Different styles suit different people at different times in their lives. Try out the different styles to find one that fits into your lifestyle.

Ashtanga

Fast-paced and intense with lunges and push-ups, the purpose of this yoga is it improve one’s spiritual self.

Benefits: Relieves stress, improves coordination and helps with weight loss Good for: Fit people looking to maintain strength and stamina and those who want to get in touch with their spiritual side

Bikram

Also known as hot yoga, Bikram is practiced in a room at temperatures of 37°C and high humidity levels to allow for loosening of tight muscles and flushing out toxins through sweat.

Benefits: Speeds up recovery from injury, enhances flexibility and cleanses the body.

Good for: Beginners and advanced yogis alike who want to push themselves and those with physical injuries

Hatha

Slow-paced, gentle and focused on breathing and meditation, this type of yoga introduces beginners to basic poses and relaxation techniques Benefits: Relieves stress, provides physical exercise and improves breathing Good for: Beginners and people wanting to learn the basics of yoga

Iyengar

Covers the same eight aspects as Ashtanga yoga and focuses on body alignment. Different props like blankets and blocks are used to assist in strengthening the body. Standing poses are held for long periods of time to strengthen and bring the body into alignment.

Benefits: Help to improve balance, speeds up recovery from injury and builds body strength Good for: Beginners who want to learn the correct alignments in each pose and those with injuries, balance issues and chronic medical conditions like arthritis.

Paddleboard

Poses are done on a stand up paddleboard as opposed to the mat removing stability and making simple poses more difficult to achieve.

Benefits: Strengthens core muscles as even simply standing on the board requires effort. Increases concentration as a result of decreased stability Good for: Beginners and advanced yogis looking for a challenge and to enjoy the island’s natural surroundings

Power

An athletic style of yoga similar to Ashtanga, though the sequence of movements is not as strict. The style varies according to the teacher. Isometric movements recruit every muscle in the body, sparking the metabolism and burning more calories as a result.

Benefits: Improved strength and flexibility as well as weight loss Good for: Those looking for a more challenging and intense style of yoga

Vinyasa

Basic poses and breath-synchronised movement with emphasis on Sun Salutation – 12 poses where movement is attached to breath, this type of yoga creates lean muscle mass throughout the body Benefits: Improves strength and flexibility, tones abdominal muscles and reduces the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes Good for: Beginners and advanced yogis seeking to strengthen their bodies

INTERVIEW

60 SECONDS WITH SVETLANA ABELA Date of Birth: 27 December 1982 Born in: Siberia, Russia Lives in: St Paul’s Bay Job: Full time yoga instructor Loves: yoga, golf, reading, music – singing and dancing and everything related to music Favourite music: Jazz and classical music Favourite book: Any book about yoga, Eat, Pray, Love

by Elizabeth Gilbert comes to mind Favourite film: Pearl Harbour because I am a hopeless romantic

For more information visit www.poweryogaworld.com or contact Svetlana on info@poweryogaworld.com

Health & Fitness Today • August 2013 - 7

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Have you ever felt that you are doing something that you don’t really want to do? Do you often feel guilty if you do not agree with your partner or friends, yet you also feel suffocated, frustrated and held back from being who you really are? Are you living around someone who you have to tiptoe around and be very careful what you say or else he or she will blow up? If you have answered yes to most of these questions then you may be living with, working with or just being with a controlling person.

W

e actually all need to be in control. During our developmental years we accept that our parents and carers will decide most of what is going on in our lives. However, as we begin to grow up the struggle or challenge to develop our own identity, values, choices and goals increases with time.

There are children who are allowed to have the space to explore and experience new things and learn in a safe environment. These parents will be capable of recognising their own anxiety and fears when giving space to their growing children, yet not letting these feelings condition them into suffocating and dominating the choices their children make. When parents are capable of creating respect alongside discipline, communicating and compromising with their children, they create an environment of discussion, dialogue and healthy conflicts rather than rebelliousness and anger.

Then there are children who unfortunately are dominated by controlling parents, who in various ways continue to try and control and determine the lives of their children.

Parents who are too controlling probably experience too much anxiety which in turn creates the need to know and control the outcome of their child’s experiences as he or she is growing up. The anxiety will never be removed as we can never always know the outcome of what we try out in life. Some parents may also be controlling as they would expect their children to mirror them which may lead them to impose rather than teach values. A majority of these children rebel and hopefully do not get hurt

MARIELLA DIMECH Mariella is a pychotherapist specialising in addictive personalities.

Besides working privately with persons having problems such as depression, anxiety and other emotional issues, she also conducts training within the organisational field focusing on well-being and motivation

whilst trying to let go of the controlling parent/s, others will feel too guilty and remain influenced not allowing themselves to develop their own identity and personality.

The ideal situation would be when a young person learns through assertiveness, dialogue and perseverance to move on and live their own lives making their own choices and being the person they want to be. These are the persons who are natural leaders, who will be able to have healthy relationships and who will probably be sought after by friends.

The rebellious chil-

The rebellious children are the ones who are at risk at becoming controlling themselves, since they will always be afraid of being in an ‘underdog’ situation again

Health & Fitness Today • August 2013 - 9

MENTAL HEALTH

The need to control

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dren are the ones who are at risk at becoming controlling themselves, since they will always be afraid of being in an ‘underdog’ situation again. And unfortunately the children who feel guilty and find it hard to disagree and let go of their dominant parents will be vulnerable to ending up in relationships where they are yet again dominated by a controlling partner, or working in an environment where they find it hard to be assertive.

Being controlling is basically a method of dealing with anxiety, which could have been experienced in the early stages of life. For example on the other end of the spectrum a child may be raised by parents who can’t quite fulfil their role as assertive and confident caregivers. If the parents are going through a difficult separation, taking drugs or suffering from other addictions or mental problems then the child may need to learn to create their own controlled environment in order to feel safe.

The factors that will cause control issues are experiencing an unhealthy upbringing, low or damaged self-esteem, the beliefs and values a person will develop and traumatic or abusive life experiences.

Research shows that the need for control may also be due to being abused sexually, physically, emotionally or neglect. Because of such traumatic experiences a person may need to regain control in order to ensure that they do not experience such helplessness again in their

A controlling person will often have a short fuse, and find it hard to communicate when he or she believes they are justified in feeling frustrated, angry, disappointed because they are not in control of the situation, or even if someone has not appreciated all that has been done for him or her

lives. The basis for this need of control is often a reaction to fear, fear of being at the mercy of someone else, fear of not being able to lash out and retaliate and defend oneself. Controlling persons may also feel fear of failing, losing someone they love, being blamed unfairly, or being in a vulnerable situation they do not have the possibility of changing.

So, who is the controlling

MENTAL HEALTH

person? There is no clear cut definition as different persons are controlling in various ways. However there are some common traits. Controlling persons very often experience anxiety and fear when not taking the lead. In fact they are often in leadership roles and would have had that role even as they were growing up. A controlling person may channel their needs by being very supportive to others and advising friends, family and colleagues consistently and at times in an intrusive way. There are also different levels of controlling; some persons manage to have healthy relationships and successful careers as long as particular systems of how things are done are in place.

However, when a person is failing to have things done in the ‘safe’ or ‘right’ way that they believe should be done, serious problems may arise.

A controlling person will often have a short fuse, and find it hard to communicate when he or she believes they are justified in feeling frustrated, angry, disappointed because they are not in control of the situation, or even if someone has not appreciated all that has been done for him or her.

Unfortunately, when communication with others is severed, negative and aggressive the situation will not be resolved. The need to control is actually quite tiring and such an overwhelming need which actually often creates chaos rather than calm in other persons lives.

A person who can be controlling can often be surrounded by two types of persons, the ones who are dependant and find it hard to function without their support and the persons who resent them for trying to continuously try and help, direct and fix things for them.

The only way to address the ‘controlling issue’ is by discovering the source of the fear, anxiety or other emotions that are behind this impulsive need. This can never be done if the person does not accept that they may be controlling in nature. The first step is actually accepting and believing that one needs to improve and change in some ways. Self awareness and acceptance is the key to becoming a better person, no matter what flaws one may

have.

Although therapy is a good option if this problem may begin to effect relationships at home, work or socially, there are also some practical things a person can do. First of all deal with the anxiety, recognise when you feel anxious and try and calm down without impulsively trying to control the situation or person involved. Acknowledge your feelings and learn to share them with someone you trust and very importantly listen to the feelings of others and take them into consideration.

Secondly, rather than control what other people are doing write a list of what you can control about yourself.

Things like listening more, hearing others’ opinions before stating your own, holding on to the impulse of advising others before you hear what their ideas are. Change creates a feeling of not knowing what is going to happen and you may feel uncomfortable and helpless at first. However, it is actually quite liberating to lessen the effort and energy dedicated in helping others, advising others and deciding for others based on the idea that only you can get it done.

For more information contact Mariella on mariella.balzan@gmail.com

Health & Fitness Today • August 2013 - 11

SEXUAL HEALTH

Chains and whips excite me Both awareness and popularity of BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism) has sky-rocketed since the trilogy 50 Shades of Grey.

While some argue that the roots of BDSM lie in abuse, others believe that BDSM can be part of healthy sex life as long as there is respect between the couple practising BDSM

L

ately, a lot of studies are being published about BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism) and psychologists and sexologists have differing opinions about whether BDSM has any relationship with abuse. Some argue that people who engage in bondage, discipline, and sadomasochism do so because on a sub-conscious or unconscious level they are reliving the abuse. Others might argue that someone who has been abused in the past would choose to be the Dom in a relationship as this helps her / him feel in control and this helps them gain the power that they feel that they lost both sexually and socially.

On the other hand, there’s an equal amount of research that explains how some peo-

MATTHEW BARTOLO Matthew Bartolo is a qualified counsellor specialising in Sex and Relationships. He runs workshops for couples and works in private practice where he helps individuals and couples with relationship and sexual problems.

Having worked with people from all walks of life, he is learning a lot about life’s challenges and how different people cope. This has all taught him a lot about life and what a difference counselling and a positive attitude can make.

ple do have a higher threshold to pain and this is why they might be more attracted at the idea of experiencing it.

Some psychologists state that a lot of people have sexual fantasies that feature violence and submission. Contrary to popular belief the sexual fantasies of men and women do not differ much in nature. In general both fantasize about dominating or being dominated by their partner. Whilst sex and aggression seem to make good bed fellows, as long as people recognise that these are just fantasies and can only be acted upon in a role play with the other person’s consent, there’s nothing to worry about.

Since the hype of 50 Shades of Grey trilogy BDSM related sex toy sales have increased by anything between 50% to 400%. This means that a

Whilst sex and aggression seem to make good bed fellows, as long as people recognise that these are just fantasies and can only be acted upon in a role play with the other person’s consent, there’s nothing to worry about lot of couples are engaging in this potentially dangerous behaviour. Reported cases of people dying from asphyxiation and mishandling of BDSM toys do exist.

Health & Fitness Today • August 2013 - 13

SEXUAL HEALTH

As in any other thing there’s a wide spectrum of BDSM practices; the mildest starting with pulling of hair and dirty talking to extreme pain and humiliation. It is very important to understand that any kind of kink should be practised with a person that one trusts totally, who is lucid and not under the influence of any substance.

Respect and the “safe word” are the two most important things when having fun in an aggressive way.

14 - Health & Fitness Today • August 2013

On the other hand, there are couples who engage in BDSM in a safe way. One such couple are Julia and Robert.

Julia is a young business woman, married to Robert, with whom she has a 2 year old daughter. She is a very successful and assertive woman. From time to time she engages in BDSM with her husband. They leave their daughter with her parents and go on a weekend break to Gozo where they can “play

SEXUAL HEALTH

and have fun together”. They call it this their play time together.

Julia describes how her husband “ties (her) with a lead and is (her) master for a whole day…and night. He tells (her) when to eat, when to move and when to pleasure him.” When asked why she’s the submissive one in the relationship and if it has to do with her being female she answered, “For my husband and myself it’s fun. To be honest we did try to swap roles but it

For an outsider it might seem like an abusive relationship but the master does not exist without the slave and the slave can de-role his master

FACTS 14% of American males and 11% of American females engaged in some form of pleasurein-pain practice.

Endorphin rush is a feeling of exhilaration that can be brought on by pain, danger or other forms of stress. This is caused by the release of endorphins that feels like a “small high”.

Increase in BDSM sex toys since the release of 50 Shades of Grey • Whips by 50% • Blindfolds by 80% • Handcuffs by 100% • Ben Wa balls by 400%

doesn’t work for us. It was too big a pressure and responsibility for me. I’d rather just let go and have someone else make all my decisions for me for a change. I don’t have to think about anything. It’s ALL taken care of.”

About the pain she added, “Pain…for me it is about control and losing it but pain is part of it. It’s good pain.

How can I explain this? Errmm… you know when you have a pip in your nose… the ones that are really painful?

You keep touching it… that cause it’s pleasurable pain.

That’s the kind of pain that Robert makes me feel. The tools and toys he uses cause pain but the good type of pain. Robert and I read a lot about BDSM and the human body. He knows which toys to use where and all about the vital organs. He knows to avoid these when flogging or spanking. I control the situation. We have a safe word and when I utter it it all stops.

I only had to use it once as Robert knows me very well and knows my boundaries and limits.”

“All BDSM couples have a safe word. It’s a word that shows the dom that s/he needs to stop what they’re doing. It would be a word that has nothing to do with the sexual play because as you can imagine the words “stop” and “no” could be part of the play so we use words such as “caramel”, “flower”. It’s an equal relationship in BDSM. We talk about power from

above and power from below.

I understand that for an outsider it might seem like an abusive relationship but the master does not exist without the slave. The slave can derole his master.

Rihanna admits to being excited about chains and whips.

In fact in her music video she portrays different S&M techniques and practices, such as asphyxiation, gagging, being someone’s pet, latex, leather, exhibitionism, ropes and being tied, amongst others.

Choosing Rihanna’s quote as title for this article might sound biased as it is a world known fact that Rihanna was physically assaulted by her boyfriend, Chris Brown. Some people are scared that if a couple practices “violent sex” in the bedroom this violence and power will spill over onto the rest of the relationship. However, research and experience shows that a lot of couples practice some form of pleasure causing pain in their love making and this does not necessarily reflect the rest of the relationship.

It is healthy for the couple to experiment and try new things sexually but respect to one’s partner is paramount. One should feel free to refuse any kind of physical intimacy without being made to feel guilty or frigid. Sex can be used as fun and play but only when respect and trust exist.

For more information contact Matthew Bartolo on matthew.bartolo@gmail.com www.willingness.com.mt

Health & Fitness Today • August 2013 - 15

DISEASE PREVENTION

Protection from more than just sunburn Most people spend the winter looking forward to summer with warmer temperatures, longer daylight hours, increased outdoor activity and naturally more sunshine. We’ve all heard about the dangers of over-exposure to the sun before but are we really doing enough to prevent its ill-effects?

M

alta enjoys around 3,000 hours of sunshine per year.

In fact this is one of the highest results in Europe. We typically have an average of five hours of sunshine per day in December to an average of 12 hours of sunshine per day in July.

Small amounts of UV from the sun are beneficial for people and essential in the production of vitamin D. However, prolonged human exposure to UV radiation may result in acute and chronic health effects on the skin, eye and immune system. Probably if you walk down Republic Street in Valletta and ask people about effects of the sun, sunburn is the best-known effect. In fact this is one of the most common acute effects of excessive UV radiation exposure. Over the longer term, UV radiation induces degenerative changes in cells of the skin, fibrous tissue and blood vessels leading to premature skin aging.

Another long-term effect is an inflammatory reaction of the eye. In the most serious cases, skin cancer and cataracts can occur. In fact the rise in the incidence of skin cancers over the past decades is strongly related to increasingly popular outdoor activities and occupational and recreational exposure.

By adopting the following

DR CHARMAINE GAUCI Charmaine is the Director of the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Directorate. She is a senior lecturer with the University of Malta and delivers lectures in the field of public health with special interest in Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases. She is active in the field of public health and is currently also the President of the Malta Association of Public Health Medicine.

simple precautions one can prevent the harmful effects of the sun. These include staying in the shade, wearing proper clothing and hats and applying sunscreen on those parts of the body that remain exposed like the face and hands.

UV attenuating sunglasses with side shields as well as brimmed hats considerably de-

16 - Health & Fitness Today • August 2013

crease eye exposure and should be worn for optimal protection against UV exposure of the eye.

Everyone can enjoy outdoor activities in the early morning and late afternoon on summer days, but there is good reason to adopt protective measures if a person is exposed to the sun within the 5-hour period around the middle of the day from 11am to 4pm. Shade is a useful method of protection for the skin, but protects the eye

only when a person faces the shaded areas.

Parents are particularly encouraged to keep UV exposure of their children to minimum levels in order to reduce the risk of UV-induced problems in later life.

It is important to avoid sun exposure: • As a general rule, whenever your shadow is shorter than your height, care should be taken to protect the skin from the sun. The shorter the shadow the more likely it is that harmful effects from the sun will occur.

• Solar UV is most damaging in the five hours around noon when approximately 50% of daily UV is received in summer, so avoidance of bright sunshine from 11am to 4pm is desirable. If this is not possible, try to seek shade or cover up with clothing, a hat and sunglasses.

The UV index has become an integral part of the local weather forecast. It is an indicator of the intensity of harmful UV rays around midday. The index ranges from 0 to 11+ and is an excellent guide to the recommended level of sun protection on a day-to-day basis:

UV index 0-2 3-4 5-6 7-9 10-11+

Category Minimal Low Moderate High Very High

Recommended sun protection Wear a hat Wear a hat & sunscreen SPF 20+ Wear a hat, sunscreen SPF 20+, stay in shade 11am-4pm As above & stay indoors 11am-4pm As above & greater effort to stay indoors 11am-4pm

• Care should be exercised in and around water and open spaces because of the extensive contribution of UV exposure from the sky (direct and atmospherically scattered UV). Many people are sunburnt when they are swimming, boating or playing on a beach.

the most serious form of skin cancer in terms of risk of death.

It may develop anywhere on the skin, and within a pre-existing mole in 30 to 50% of cases. The commonest sites are the trunk in men, and the legs and trunk in women however it can develop spontaneously.

Fair-skinned men and women aged 65 and older, and people with atypical moles or more than 50 moles in their body, are at greater risk for developing melanoma. Also, having an unusual type of mole increases the risk of melanoma. Known medically as dysplastic nevi, these tend to be larger (greater than 1/5 inch or 5 millimeters) than normal moles and have irregular borders and a mixture of colours. A family history of melanoma increases the risk too. If a close relative, such as a parent, child or sibling, has had melanoma, you have a greater chance of developing it too. People with weakened immune systems have an increased risk of skin cancer.

This includes people who have HIV/AIDS and those who have undergone organ transplants.

Hence it is essential that we protect ourselves from the harmful effects of the sun so we can enjoy summer in a healthy way.

Protection

The best form of protection is to wear loose-fitting, closely woven fabrics that cast a dense shadow when held up to the light. Most types of textiles, both natural and synthetic, provide good protection against UV. Topical sunscreens act by absorbing, scattering or reflecting UV. The sun protection factor (SPF) gives an indication of the effectiveness of the sunscreens.

For example, a sunscreen with SPF 4 means that the UV exposure received after spending a given time in the sun is one-quarter that received in the absence of any protection.

For those people who want good UV protection, a high factor, broad-spectrum (blocks UVB and UVA) sunscreen should be used over those parts of the body that are not covered by clothing.

An even thickness should be applied liberally to clean, dry skin and allowed to dry for 15 minutes or so before going outside. Sunscreens applied too thinly or too infrequently will not provide adequate protection.

They should be reapplied every two hours or so.

Occupational exposure to UV

should be kept to a minimum.

The risk from solar UV exposure to outdoor workers such as agricultural workers, labourers, construction workers and fishermen can be minimized by wearing appropriate tightly woven clothing and, most importantly, a

brimmed hat to reduce face and neck exposure. Sunscreens can be applied to exposed skin to reduce UV exposure further.

Secondary prevention in raising awareness about identification of early stages of skin cancer is important. Melanoma is

For more information contact the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Directorate on 23266000

For more information contact the directorate on health.pro@ gov.mt or 23266000.

EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF MELANOMA The A-B-C-D-E rule can be useful in making an early diagnosis.

A- Asymmetry (melanoma is asymmetrical – it cannot be divided into two equal halves) B- Border (melanoma has an irregular indented border as opposed to a smooth rounded border) C- Colour (melanoma consists of more than one shade as opposed to one uniform colour) D- Diameter (melanoma is usually larger than 6mm in diameter. This last criterion is only valid in the presence of an abnormal shape and colour) E- Evolution (recent change in size, shape and colour, spontaneous bleeding, and irritation) *Whether a mole is flat or raised, whether it has gradually become fleshier over a long period, or whether it has hairs protruding is not an indicator of melanoma.

Health & Fitness Today • August 2013 - 17

DISEASE PREVENTION

• Sunburn can occur on cloudy days as well as clear days, although heavy overcast skies do offer some protection.

It is the UV and not the heat rays of the sun that are harmful, thus you can still burn on a cool, windy day in summer.

COMMUNICATION

Getting the message across Communication is the way in which one expresses an idea, a feeling or an opinion.

This may be done verbally or non-verbally and it must be perceived or heard by another person. While most people use speech as their most common form of communication, getting your message across to people with disabilities may require more sensitive skills

W

hen communicating with persons with disability, it is crucial to consider the diversity of disability, and thus the different abilities and needs that an individual possesses. Often, even within a specific disability or disorder, there will be various ways of communicating effectively with the individual. For instance, individuals with an intellectual disability are more likely to face challenges in the development of communication skills or the transfer of learned skills to daily activities. Thus the use of alternative communication methods may increase the opportunity for communication and thus increase their ability to choose and participate in activities.

People whose disability

JOSNEF AGIUS

NATASHA COPPINI

Josnef Agius graduated in Psychology with the University of Malta and has been working with Aġenzija Sapport since 2010. He started working as a Professional Support Worker covering a wide job description but as time went by, Josnef found himself specialising on neurosensory disorders and sensory integration.

Nowadays he focuses more on structuring personcentered programs for service-users diagnosed with neurosensory disorders.

Natasha Coppini completed her Psychology Degree with the University of Malta in 2010. She has been working with Aġenzija Sapport since 2011 as a Professional Support Worker within Aġenzija Sapport’s Day Centres for adults with disabilities. She is currently reading for an MSc in Positive Approaches to Challenging Behaviour with Cardiff University and is in the process of conducting a research study investigating Communication and Challenging Behaviour.

restricts their levels of verbal communication – such as autism and dyspraxia – may have a strong understanding of visual aids due to heightened visual processing. Thus using picture communication methods may be particularly useful for communication.

Such alternative communication methods, which can include tools such as communication boards and speech generating devices, often result in more effective and satisfying communication.

Yet one should even be sensitive when resorting to such measures. One must also consider other disabilities such as visual or auditory impairments that may present the individual with communication barriers. For the visually impaired, being unable to access information, the potential danger posed by unreadable notices and the loss of privacy when documents are unreadable by the individual, can be very frustrating for the person. On the other hand, the individual with hearing impairment has the normal capacity and potential to assimilate language and communicate should the appropriate methods be used and are available to the individual.

Tips on how to communicate with persons with disability Persons with visual impairment: • Address the person by his or her name so that they are aware that they are being spoken to.

• Direct the person verbally when offering directions.

• Inform the person when new furniture and objects have been removed or added.

18 - Health & Fitness Today • August 2013

COMMUNICATION

(Note that people with a visual impairment can hear and speak, so they would appreciate being asked what they want) Communicating with people with a hearing impairment: • Place yourself within their visual field so that they are aware of your presence.

• Use eye contact so that the person is aware that they are being engaged.

• Use a pen and paper to communicate if needed.

Communicating with a person with speech impairment: • Do not raise your voice or higher your pitch. Remember that most people with speech impairment are able to hear clearly.

• Do not be shy to ask them to repeat should they not have made themselves understood. It may be disrespectful to the person if one pretends to have understood.

Communicating with a person with cognitive impairment: • Speak directly to the person and not to the person assisting him/her.

• Speak clearly and use short sentences.

• Repeat yourself if it seems that the person has not understood.

Communicating with a person with physical disability: • When speaking with a

person using a wheelchair it is best to speak to the person at an eye level.

• Always ask if he/she would like to be helped so as not to show control

over the person.

• Avoid leaning on the wheelchair. Note that the wheelchair often becomes one’s personal space.

In conclusion, it is crucial to make different communication methods available to all. By making use of all communication options available and becoming aware of the most effective way of communicating with different individuals, we are creating a society free of communication barriers. Ideally, it is a society where everyone is free to express themselves and be understood by those around them.

For further information contact Aġenzija Sapport on 21451868 / 22568210 during office hours.

Health & Fitness Today • August 2013 - 19

I

n our eat-and-run, massive-portion-sized culture, maintaining a healthy weight can be tough — and losing weight, even tougher. If you’ve tried and failed to lose weight before, you may believe that diets don’t work for you. You’re probably right: traditional diets don’t work—at least not in the long term. However, there are plenty of small but powerful ways to avoid common dieting pitfalls, achieve lasting weight loss success, and develop a healthier relationship with food.

The key to successful, healthy weight loss

Your weight is a balancing act, but the equation is simple: If you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight. And if you eat fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight.

Since 3,500 calories equals

DANIEL PETRE Daniel is a nutritionist registered with the Council for the Professions Complimentary to Medicine. He runs his own clinic, Karma Clinic and has collaborated with the Fortina Spa Resort for the last 10 years. Daniel was the first to introduce body stat and metabolic testing to Malta, as well as food intolerance testing. He is also qualified in Life Coaching

about one pound of fat, if you cut 500 calories from your typical diet each day, you’ll lose approximately one pound a week (500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories). Simple, right? Then why is weight loss so hard?

All too often, we make weight loss much more difficult than it needs to be with extreme diets that leave us cranky and starving, unhealthy lifestyle choices that undermine our dieting efforts, and emotional eating habits that stop us before we get started. But there’s a better way! You can lose weight without feeling miserable. By making smart choices every day, you can develop new eating habits and preferences that will leave you feeling satisfied — and winning the battle of the bulge.

Getting started

While there is no “one size fits all” solution to permanent

healthy weight loss, the following guidelines are a great place to start: • Think lifestyle change, not short-term diet. Permanent weight loss is not something that a “quick-fix” diet can achieve. Instead, think about weight loss as a permanent lifestyle change — a commitment to your health for life. Various popular diets can help jumpstart your weight loss, but permanent changes in your lifestyle and food choices are what will work in the long run.

• Slow and steady wins the race. Aim to lose one kilo a week to ensure healthy weight loss. Losing weight too fast can take a toll on your mind and body, making you feel sluggish, drained, and sick. When you drop a lot of weight quickly, you’re actually losing mostly

Health & Fitness Today • August 2013 - 21

NUTRITION

Losing weight and keeping it off

NUTRITION

water and muscle, rather than fat.

• Set goals to keep you motivated. Short-term goals, like wanting to fit into a bikini for the summer, usually don’t work as well as wanting to feel more confident or become healthier for your children’s sakes. When frustration and temptation strike, concentrate on the many benefits you will reap from being healthier and leaner.

• Use tools that help you track your progress. Keep a food journal and weigh yourself regularly, keeping track of each kilo you lose and inch lost from your waist. By keeping track of your weight loss efforts, you’ll see the results in black and white, which will help you stay motivated.

Keep in mind it may take some experimenting to find the right diet for your individual body. It’s important that you feel satisfied so that you can stick with it on a long-term basis. If one diet plan doesn’t work, then try another one. There are many ways to lose weight. The key is to find what works for you.

Avoid common pitfalls

Diets, especially fad diets or “quick-fix” pills and plans, often set you up for failure because: • You feel deprived. Diets that cut out entire groups of food, such as carbs or fat, are simply impractical, not to mention unhealthy. The key is moderation. Eliminating entire food groups doesn’t allow for a healthy, well-rounded diet and creates nutritional imbalances.

• You lose weight, but can’t keep it off. Diets that severely cut calories, restrict certain foods, or rely on ready-made meals might work in the short term. However, once you meet your weight loss goal, you don’t have a plan for maintaining your weight and the pounds quickly come back.

• After your diet, you seem to put on weight more quickly.

When you drastically restrict your food intake, your metabolism will temporarily slow down. Once you start eating normally, you’ll gain weight until your metabolism bounces back—another reason why starvation or “fasting” diets are counterproductive.

All too often, we make weight loss much more difficult than it needs to be with extreme diets that leave us cranky and starving, unhealthy lifestyle choices that undermine our dieting efforts, and emotional eating habits that stop us before we get started

• You break your diet and feel too discouraged to try again.

Just because you gave in to temptation doesn’t mean all your hard work goes down the drain. Healthy eating is about the big picture. An occasional splurge won’t kill your efforts.

Diets that are too restrictive are conducive to cheating— when you feel deprived, it’s easy to fall off the wagon.

• You lose money faster than you lose weight. Special shakes, meals, and programs are not only expensive, but they are less practical for longterm weight loss and healthy weight maintenance.

• You feel isolated and unable to enjoy social situations revolving around food. Without some practical, healthy diet strategies, you may feel lost when dining out or attending events like cocktail parties or weddings. If the food served isn’t on your specific diet plan, what can you do?

Put a stop to emotional eating

We don’t always eat simply to satisfy hunger. If we did, no one would be overweight. All too often, we turn to food for comfort and stress relief. When this happens, we frequently pack on pounds.

Learning to recognize the emotional triggers that lead you to overeat and respond with healthier choices can make all the difference in your weight loss efforts.

To start, consider how and when you eat. Do you only eat when you are hungry, or do you reach for a snack while watching TV? Do you eat when you’re stressed or bored? When you’re lonely? To reward yourself?

Once you’ve identified your

22 - Health & Fitness Today • August 2013

emotional eating tendencies, you can work towards gradually changing the habits and mental attitudes that have sabotaged your dieting efforts in the past.

Strategies to combat emotional eating

• If you turn to food at the end of a long day, find other soothing ways to reward yourself and de-stress. Relax with a book and a steaming cup of herbal tea, soak in a hot bath, or savor a beautiful view.

• If you eat when you’re feeling low on energy, find other mid-afternoon pick-me-ups.

Try walking around the block, listening to energizing music, or doing some quick stretches or jumping jacks. Another alternative is taking a short nap—just keep it to 30 minutes or less.

• If you eat when you’re lonely or bored, reach out to others instead of reaching for the refrigerator. Call a friend who makes you laugh, take your dog for a walk, find a fun activity to do, or go out in public (to the library, the mall, or the park—anywhere there are people).

• If you eat when you’re stressed, find healthier ways to calm yourself. Try exercise, yoga, meditation, or breathing exercises. Better manage stressful situations by either changing the situation or changing your reaction.

NUTRITION Fill up with fruit, veggies, and fibre

To lose weight, you have to eat fewer calories. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to eat less food. You can fill up while on a diet, as long as you choose your foods wisely. The key is to add the types of food that can keep you feeling satisfied and full, without packing on the pounds.

Fibre: the secret to feeling satisfied while losing weight

If you want to lose weight without feeling hungry and deprived all the time, start eating foods high in fibre. High-fibre foods are higher in volume, which makes them filling. They also take longer to chew, which makes them more satisfying to eat. High-fibre foods also take a long time to digest, which means you’ll feel full longer. There’s nothing magic about it, but the weight-loss results may seem like it.

High-fibre heavyweights include: • Fruits and vegetables – Enjoy whole fruits across the rainbow (strawberries, apples, oranges, berries, nectarines, plums), leafy salads, and green veggies of all kinds.

• Beans – Select beans of any kind (black beans, lentils, split peas, pinto beans, chickpeas). Add them to soups, salads, and entrees, or enjoy them as a hearty dish of their own.

• Whole grains – Try high-fibre cereal, oatmeal, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, wholewheat or multigrain bread, bran muffins, or air-popped popcorn.

Indulge without overindulging In order to successfully lose weight and keep it off, you need to learn how to enjoy the foods you love without going overboard. A diet that places all your favorite foods off limits

won’t work in the long run.

Eventually, you’ll feel deprived and will cave. And when you do, you probably won’t stop at a sensible-sized portion.

Tips for enjoying treats without overeating

• Combine your treat with other healthy foods. You can still enjoy your favorite high-calorie treat, whether it’s ice cream, chips, cake, or chocolate. The key is to eat a smaller serving of it along with a lower-calorie option. For example, add strawberries to your ice cream or munch on carrot and celery sticks along with your chips and dip. By piling on the low-cal option, you can eat a diet-friendly portion of your favorite treat without feeling deprived.

• Schedule your treats. We are creatures are habit, and you can use this to your advantage when trying to lose weight. Establish regular times when you get to indulge in your favorite food. For example, maybe you enjoy a small square of chocolate every day after lunch, or a slice of cheesecake every Friday evening.

Once you’re conditioned

to eat your treat at those times—and those times only—you’ll stop obsessing about them at other times.

• Make your indulgence less indulgent. Find ways to reduce fat, sugar, or calories in your favorite treats and snacks. If you do your own

In order to successfully lose weight and keep it off, you need to learn how to enjoy the foods you love without going overboard

baking, swap out half the butter or oil in the recipe with applesauce, and cut back on the sugar, making up for it with extra cinnamon or vanilla extract. You can also eliminate or reduce high-calorie toppings and sides, like whipped cream, cheese, dip, and frosting.

For more information contact Daniel at Karma Clinic, Church Hill Court,Vjal Ir-Rihan. San Gwann.

Tel: 9944 0384 • daniel@karma-clinic.com • www.karma-clinic.com

Health & Fitness Today • August 2013 - 23

NUTRITION

Clean summer e

I

f you want to lose weight, have energy and glowing skin then eating clean is the way forward for you and your family! Eating clean is not a diet but a lifestyle. It is something you can adopt with a few changes to your grocery list and stick to without feeling like you are going without or the deprivation of foods you love when you go onto a quick fix diet.

Eating clean is all about the ingredients you use. Eating clean does not mean that

CARLA MAREE VELLA Carla is the blogger behind www.drdietright.com, a blog that provides clean eating recipes and fitness tips. She is a qualified fitness instructor and is currently studying to become a Metabolic Effect Personal Trainer. She has recently published her first fitness workout ebook called: Sexy not Skinny.

all you will eat are salads! It means avoiding white starchy carbohydrates (white bread, cakes, and pastries), sugar, mass produced foods like breaded fish fingers and chicken nuggets and premade beef patties.

To help you on your way to eating clean here are two very tasty, clean recipes from my new summer recipes book ‘Eat Me! I’m Healthy’, that are ideal for lunches, dinners, family meals and even summer barbeques.

Grilled spicy chicken Ingredients • 2 large chicken breasts Chicken Marinade: • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp mild curry • 1 tbsp paprika • 1 tbsp turmeric • 1 tbsp cumin • ½ tbsp cinnamon • Fresh pepper • 1 tbsp lemon juice Salad • 1 can sweet corn • 1 small onion • 2 small tomatoes • 1 can kidney beans Dressing • 1 tub Greek yoghurt • 1 tbsp lemon juice Needed • Grill pan or BBQ Makes: • 4 portions

2. Put the olive oil, mild curry, paprika, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, fresh pepper, and lemon juice in a large Tupperware dish that can be sealed.

3. Add the chicken pieces into the dish, close lid tightly and shake. You can use immediately but you can also leave this in the fridge for a couple of hours.

4. Heat up a grill pan and grill the pieces of chicken for 10 to 12 minutes (depending on size and thickness). Flip over regularly to ensure that they cook evenly.

Method

5. For the salad, chop up the onion and the tomatoes into small cubes. Open and strain the can of sweet corn and kidney beans. Mix all ingredients together is a bowl.

1. Using defrosted chicken breasts, cut the breasts into quarters. First fillet the breast and then cut the fillets in half.

6. In a small bowl, mix Greek yoghurt and lemon juice together to create a very simple sour yoghurt dressing for the chicken.

Time Needed • 20 minutes

24 - Health & Fitness Today • August 2013

NUTRITION

r eating Spinach, yellow pepper rice salad (with tuna) Ingredients • 1 cup wholegrain rice • 1 cup spinach • ¼ onion • ½ yellow pepper • 1 large can tuna (drained) • 2 dessert spoons ricotta • Pepper Needed • Mixing bowl Makes: • 4 portions Time Needed • 10 minutes (if rice and spinach is precooked) Method 1. Using defrosted chicken breasts, cut the breasts into quarters. First fillet the breast and then cut the fillets in half.

2. Put the olive oil, mild curry, paprika, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, fresh pepper, and lemon juice in a large Tupperware dish that can be sealed.

3. Add the chicken pieces into the dish, close lid tightly and shake. You can use immediately but you can also leave this in the fridge

for a couple of hours.

4. Heat up a grill pan and grill the pieces of chicken for 10 to 12 minutes (depending on size and thickness). Flip over regularly to ensure that

they cook evenly.

5. For the salad, chop up the onion and the tomatoes into small cubes. Open and strain the can of sweet corn and kidney beans. Mix all

If you are looking for healthy summer recipes check out Carla’s new recipe ebook ‘Eat Me, I’m Healthy’, which includes 40 clean summer recipes for all the family. The recipe book is now available to download from her website: www.drdietright.com.

ingredients together is a bowl.

6. In a small bowl, mix Greek yoghurt and lemon juice together to create a very simple sour yoghurt dressing for the chicken.

Contact Carla on her blog drdietright.com or facebook page facebook.com/drdietright

Health & Fitness Today • August 2013 - 25

Safety in the sun with Photoderm Ultra-Fluid

I

n the hot summer sun, everyone tends to spend more time at the beach, soaking up the sun’s rays.

Not only does the sun feel good but it also enhances complexions and brightens moods.

However the long-term effects of exposure are well known – such as premature ageing and worse so, skin cancers. Each and every person is responsible for determining just how much exposure their skin can take.

The Photoderm range created

by Bioderma offers the perfect solar protection and corresponds to different skin tones and types for a more personalized product.

The Photoderm Max UltraFluid is an emulsion with very high protective performance (SPF 50+ UVA40). It has a new exclusive ultra-fluid texture that gives the skin an ultra-soft feel and powdery effect.

Photoderm Max Ultra-Fluid comes in three shades; neutral, light and golden. Water resistant, photostable, fragrance free, non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic, it allows sensitive skin that needs maximum protection to be safely exposed to the sun.

Bioderma Laboratoire Dermatologique’s goal is to treat not only the symptoms of a skin problem, but also its origin.

Available now in all leading pharmacies. www.bioderma.com

26 - Health & Fitness Today • August 2013

Distributed by Vivian Corporation T: 21320388 E: info@viviancorp.com W: www.viviancorp.com

No personal success, achievement, or goal, can be realized without self-discipline. It is singularly the most important attribute needed to achieve any type of personal excellence, athletic excellence, virtuosity in the arts, or otherwise outstanding performance.

What is self-discipline?

It is the ability to control one’s impulses, emotions, desires and behaviour. It is being able to turn down immediate pleasure and instant gratification in favour of gaining the long-term satisfaction and fulfilment from achieving higher and more meaningful goals.

To possess it is to be able to make the decisions, take the actions, and execute your game plan regardless of the obstacles, discomfort, or difficulties that may come your way.

Certainly, being disciplined does not mean living a limiting or a restrictive lifestyle. Nor does it mean giving up everything you enjoy, or to relinquish fun and relaxation. It does mean learning how to focus your mind and energies on your goals and persevere until they are accomplished. It also means cultivating a mind-set whereby you are ruled by your deliberate choices rather than by your emotions, bad habits, or the influence of others. Self-

Learn what motivates you and what your bad triggers are. You can begin by learning about yourself! Sometimes it is very difficult to fight off urges How to develop selfand cravings, so know the discipline areas where your resistance Start with is low and how to baby steps. No avoid those situaprocess takes tions. If you know place overyou can’t resist night. Just as cake, fries, or other No process it takes time to temptations - stay build muscle, away from them. takes place so does it take Do not have them overnight.

Just as it time to develop around to lure you takes time to build in moments of self-discipline. muscle, so does it The more you weakness. If you train and build also know that take time to it, the stronger putting pressure develop selfyou become. In on yourself does discipline exercise, if you not work for you, try to do too then set yourself much at once, up in an environyou could injure ment that encouryourself and ages the building have a setback. Likewise, take of self-discipline rather than it one step at a time in building one that sabotages it. Remove self-discipline. So, begin by the temptations and surround making the decision to go foryourself with soothing and ward and learning what it takes encouraging items such as to get there. motivating slogans and discipline allows you to reach your goals in a reasonable time frame and to live a more orderly and satisfying life.

DARRYL POULTON Darryl is a qualified Personal Trainer and a 2nd Dan Taekwondo Black Belt.

His primary role is enabling his clients to become selfsufficient by leading healthy lifestyles through exercise, nutrition and positive thinking, combining aspects from martial arts and yoga such as flexibility training, breathing techniques and balancing poses into his fitness programs.

His favourite motto is ‘Your health is your greatest wealth’.

Health & Fitness Today • August 2013 - 27

FITNESS

Self-discipline – the foundation for success

28 - Health & Fitness Today • August 2013

FITNESS

Participating in sports provides a situation where you learn to work hard and strive to do your best, which in turn, teaches you to integrate the same discipline thought processes into your everyday life pictures of what you want to achieve.

Learn also what energizes and motivates you. Your willpower can go up and down with your energy levels so play energetic music to perk you up, move around, and laugh. Train yourself to enjoy what you are doing by being energized. This will make it easier to implement desirable and appropriate behaviours into your routine - which is really what self-discipline is all about.

Make certain behaviours a routine. Once you have decided what’s important to you and which goals to strive for, establish a daily routine that will help you achieve them. For example, if you want to eat healthily or lose weight; resolve to eat several servings of fruits and vegetables each day and exercise for at least half an hour. Make it part of your daily routine and part of your self-discipline building. Likewise, get rid of some of your bad, self-defeating habits, whatever they may be.

They can put you in a negative frame of mind and hinder your self-discipline. A poor attitude can also be a bad habit.

Practice self-denial. Learn to say no to some of your feelings, impulses and urges. Train

THE BENEFITS OF DISCIPLINE • • • • • •

It helps build self-confidence.

You accomplish more, and are therefore more productive.

You are able to maintain a higher tolerance for frustration, obstacles and negative emotions.

Allows you to obtain better health, better finances and a good work ethic.

You are able to reach your most difficult goals more efficiently.

The more disciplined you become, the easier life gets.

yourself to do what you know to be right, even if you don’t feel like doing it. Skip dessert some evenings. Limit your TV watching. Resist the urge to yell at someone who has irritated you. Stop and think before you act. Think about consequences. When you practice self-restraint it helps

you develop the habit of keeping other things under control.

Engage in sports or activities. Sports are an excellent way to enhance self- discipline. They train you to set goals, focus your mental and emotional energies, become physically fit, and to get along well with others. Participating in sports provides a situation where you learn to work hard and strive to do your best, which in turn, teaches you to integrate the same discipline thought processes into your everyday life.

Learning to play a musical instrument can be another great way to practice selfdiscipline. The focus, repetition, and application required in learning to play an instrument is invaluable. Achieving self-discipline in any one area

of your life reprograms your mind to choose what is right, rather than what is easy.

Get inspiration from those you admire. Bruce Lee is today regarded as the most influential martial artist to ever walk the earth. His skill was developed over many years from his willingness to work hard at his craft. It was his desire through discipline and focus that made him one of the best martial artists ever. If it worked for him, it could certainly work for the rest of us.

Visualize the rewards. There is nothing more gratifying than accomplishing your goals.

Practice the technique that high achievers and top athletes do. Project yourself in the future. Visualize your desired outcome. Feel how rewarding it is and the countless benefits you will enjoy. Remind yourself what it takes to get there.

If we are to be masters of our own destiny, we must develop self-discipline and self-control.

By focusing on long-term benefits instead of short-term discomfort, we can encourage ourselves to develop of self-discipline. Ultimately our health and happiness depend on it.

For more information contact Darryl on 7985-8289 or info@fitnessmgt.com or visit his website www.fitnessmgt.com

Health & Fitness Today • August 2013 - 29

STRENGTH TRAINING

Strength training to dodge the nursing home

I

t was once thought that just like wrinkles and grey hair is an inevitable effect of the ageing process, changes to muscles, bones and joints were unavoidable too. Yet as one may find, most of these unwanted factors are actually related to inactivity, rather than the passage of time. Research now suggests that performing physical activity, including weight training, can greatly reduce and even reverse the risk of disability and chronic disease.

Call me biased, but as a competitive weightlifter I

JOVAN RELJIC Jovan is a freelance personal trainer specialising in functional strength training. As an athlete, he is part of the Maltese national olympic weightlifting team..

firmly stand behind weight training - carried out in its proper form - as a fundamental activity for increasing strength, vitality and overall wellbeing.

As we age, our bodies naturally start to break down muscle and bone mass and density, leaving bones to become brittle, increasing the risk of fractures greatly.

This condition is known as osteoporosis, very common among the elderly population. However this not the only common condition – others include osteoarthritis, the breakdown of the cartilage within joints

causing the much-hated pain and stiffness, and osteomalacia, softening of the bones due to problems with the metabolism of vitamin D, and rheumatoid arthritis, the inflammation of the joints. All of these conditions lead to muscle weakness and pain which, in turn, effects their proper functioning.

With age, muscle fibers reduce – shrink, essentially – and muscle tissue is replaced more slowly. This has begged the question, is weight training the solution?

Strength training with a moderate amount of weight and repetitions leads to what

Health & Fitness Today • August 2013 - 31

STRENGTH TRAINING

is known as muscle hypertrophy: the increase of skeletal muscle in size caused by increasing size of its component cells.

The effect of ageing on the bones can also be quite dramatic. The skeletal structure changes, which result in the loss of bone tissue, either through an inactive lifestyle, hormonal changes and loss of calcium and other minerals.

Weight training and exercises which involve impact - such as jogging or even walking causes stress on the bones as muscles contract, which enables the bones to thicken by stimulating their growth, and while adequate calcium intake and even supplementation is important, it may not be enough – this type of strength training however enables the body to retain more calcium. This is of particular importance for postmenopausal women who are especially prone to osteoporosis due to a lack of estrogen which triggers the loss of minerals in bone tissue.

In a nutshell, increased bone density and improved muscle strength pave the way for better balance, posture, and better defenses against fracture or other injury - dra-

matically improving the later years and potentially increasing longevity.

So where to start from?

Easy. Distinguish between

32 - Health & Fitness Today • August 2013

the exercises that will create the necessary impact and mechanical stress on the skeletal system in order to promote strength and bone density: this means you

As we age, our bodies naturally start to break down muscle and bone mass and density, leaving bones to become brittle, increasing the risk of fractures greatly

STRENGTH TRAINING

Weight training and exercises which involve impact causes stress on the bones as muscles contract, which enables the bones to thicken by stimulating their growth, and while adequate calcium intake and even supplementation is important

must incorporate anything from dancing, walking, jogging, stair climbing and, if possible, exercises mimicking jumping for impact, such as skipping a rope. Squats are the next step - you may start off by using your own body weight and very gradually adding resistance, either with

dumbbells or a barbell. Twisting or rotational movements are also beneficial as they force the muscle attachments to pull on the bone. For this, one may perform lunges with outstretched arms – holding a dumbbell, however this is optional - and incorporate a twisting motion. The focus

should be on performing 3 sets of 10 repetitions with a moderate weight.

As with all exercises programs, one must follow certain safety guidelines.

Make sure that you warm up at least 10 minutes before exercise and cool down for at least 10 minutes afterwards;

some soreness in the muscle may be expected but do stop the exercise if you are experiencing pain in your joints; posture is key – maintain an upright posture throughout, focus on your ‘chest proud’; keep the breathing natural – this means that you should not be holding your breath, especially during the exertion part of the exercise; and last (but not least!) all movements should be done with purpose, in a moderate and deliberate manner. Refrain from the temptation to go through the motion but rather feel the relevant targeted muscle group work accordingly, focusing your energy on performing the exercise in proper form – remember, its quality over quantity!

The payoff? It does not take a complete lifestyle change and years of training to achieve this. In fact, only 15 to 30 minutes of weight training, two to three times per week can provide you with the bone density you need to prevent chronic disease such as osteoporosis.

Rest is a vital component - be sure to leave a 24-hour lapse between strength training sessions.

For more information contact Jovan Reljic on 7928 3971

Health & Fitness Today • August 2013 - 33

COSMETIC SURGERY

The years after a boob job The majority of today’s women are insecure about their body shape as a result of the perfection of womanly shape so heavily portrayed in the media. Breast augmentation is just one way in which women seek to correct nature’s imperfections – or society’s perception of imperfection. Before going under the knife get the low down on what could go wrong a few years down the line

T

he reality is that most breast augmentation, if done at a reputable surgeon, will not require further surgery.

However in 30% of cases further surgery will be required within 10 years of the initial operation for a number of reasons.

The additional surgery may be needed for one or more of the following reasons • capsular contracture (hardening of the scar capsule around the implant), • sagging of the breast (through pregnancies or aging), • movement of the implants (rotation or upward or downward displacement) and • implant rupture (though with good quality implants this is rare, < 1%) • change in size or shape of implants.

Capsular contracture

After having a breast implant, your body will create a capsule of fibrous scar tissue around the implant as part of the healing process. Over time, the scar tissue may begin to shrink. The shrinkage is known as capsular contraction. The rate and extent at which the shrinkage occurs

RAYMOND DEBONO Raymond is a consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon in practice in Malta and the UK. He studied in the UK and the US and specialises in facial rejuvenation, cosmetic breast surgery and body contouring, skin cancer treatment, breast reconstruction, hand surgery and laser treatment

varies from person to person.

In some people, the capsule can tighten and squeeze the implant, making the breast feel hard and there may be pain and discomfort.

If the capsule becomes tight enough to cause distortion in shape then an operation to remove the capsule will be required. The capsule can be removed completely (capsulectomy) or only partly incised (capsulotomy). The recurrence rate after capsulotomy is much higher than after capsulectomy.

34 - Health & Fitness Today • June 2013

COSMETIC SURGERY Sagging of the breasts

Breast sag as a result of three main reasons: • after pregnancy and breast feeding • after weight loss • with age as part of the aging process Breast implants DO NOT protect in any way the breasts from sagging. Heavy implants especially if placed under the skin and gland on top of the pectoralis muscle will undoubtedly make the breast skin sag (especially the lower pole) and become ‘thinned’ out in time.

It is therefore very important to avoid the use of unnecessarily large implants (especially above the 400/450 ml size – to increase breast size by 3 or 4 cup sizes) as they will lead to definite future problems.

Movement of the implants

In time implants can move downwards, upwards, sideways or rotate with the consequent deformity in shape and volume. If ‘tear drop’ shaped implants rotate the shape of the breast changes and usually becomes more full near the middle of the chest.

Once implants move surgery is generally required to repair the pockets and restore shape.

Implant rupture

Implants rupture when the shell cover splits. Implant covers weaken with time as the silicone cover ages. Rarely implants rupture after an accident or are damaged during surgery. Modern implants have strong vulcanized shells and rupture is very rare, the rupture rate is less than 1%. Modern implants are filled with cohe-

sive gel silicone which does not flow away when the shell is ruptured and remains enclosed in the capsule the body would have formed around the implant.

Other problems requiring surgery

Visible rippling, kinks or creases: This deformity can be very problematic and usually happens when implants are

The rate and extent at which the shrinkage of the scar tissue surrounding the implant occurs varies from person to person and in some cases can tighten and squeeze the implant, making the breast feel hard and there may be pain and discomfort placed under the skin and breast gland on top of the pectoralis muscle especially in women with small breasts.

Loss of nipple sensation: This problem is often encountered in women with small breast and relatively large implants placed under the skin and gland on top of the pectoralis muscle. The incidence can be as high as 25%.

The feeling almost never fully returns though it may improve to some extent.

General deterioration of shape

With time the aging process in the body leads to loss of fat in and around the breast. This leads to a general deterioration of the tissues that support and cover the breast implants. In general the shape of breasts with implants placed on top of the pectoralis muscle deteriorates far quicker than the shape of breasts with implants placed under the pectoralis muscle.

Health & Fitness Today • June 2013 - 35

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