Sunday Times Lifestyle BodySoulMind (September 5 2021)

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Exercise, diet, mental and social health are all aspects of a healthy mind and body.

TREAT HEALTH HOLISTICALLY FOR A BETTER OUTCOME Dis-Chem’s national nutrition and wellness expert Ashley Butler Lobb says it’s up to each of us to ensure that we consider all areas — physical, mental, spiritual and social — to achieve optimal health and wellness

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here is a growing tendency globally to consider health and wellness holistically. Holistic health, says national nutrition and wellness expert at Dis-Chem Ashley Butler Lobb, is a form of healing that considers the whole body when treating illness.

“It’s about treating the whole person and not just one specific area, with the understanding that all areas are interconnected; and that to achieve optimal health and wellness, all areas must be considered — physical, mental, spiritual and social health.”

In fact, in order to be considered “well”, none of these areas must be neglected given that being unwell in one aspect affects you in other areas.

A holistic approach The mind, body and spirit all have an impact on each other, which is why a holistic approach to health is so important.

When health practitioners are treating illness, it can be helpful to widen the approach and ensure that the whole person is cared for.

However, while alternative health care should play a strong role in supporting wellness, it’s always important to seek advice from a health-care professional before embarking on anything new, advises Ashley.

wellness is making the wrong food choices. “Pay special attention to food labels as they will always give you a clear picture of what that food contains, which will allow you to better understand what effect it will have on your health.” .

A common mistake is to choose “fat-free” alternatives, based on the assumption that these are better food choices for your health. While this might be true in some cases, in many cases these foods contain high quantities of hidden sugar and actually do more damage than the full-fat alternative.

Immunity and wellness

Ashley Butler Lobb PICTURES: SUPPLIED

On good nourishment Diet plays an integral role in overall health and is closely linked to both physical and mental health. Ashley says: “Given that your diet directly affects weight and various body systems, it’s imperative to eat a healthy, balanced diet to ensure that your body and mind function optimally.”

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Micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals are vital contributors to overall health and wellness and the optimal functioning of immune systems.

“Each micronutrient plays a specific role in our body and specific amounts are required daily, depending on a number of factors. If your body lacks any of these micronutrients it risks not being able to function optimally and negative sideeffects such as decreased immunity and poor recovery after illness,”Ashley says, adding that in cases of deficiency or where you are unable to take in certain micronutrients in optimal doses, a supplement can be useful and should be considered.

However, another common mistake is

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to assume that supplements are the solution without considering anything else.

Although supplements can make the world of difference to your health and certainly have a place, they won’t do all the work. Ultimately it’s up to each of us to ensure that all other aspects including diet, exercise, mental health and social health are being considered in order to ensure optimal health outcomes.

Choose prevention Supplements should only be used to supplement the diet when required to do so, rather than being used as magic bullets.

Ultimately, treating health holistically is about prevention rather than treatment.

“The best position to be in is where you prevent illness based on better self-care and through better choices,” she says. “If you look after your health holistically and prevent illness, there is a stronger likelihood that treatment won’t be needed,” adds Ashley.

Her final piece of advice is that people should consult with a medical professional such as a dietitian, naturopath or doctor who can tailor a personalised plan to help you achieve your goals and maintain good health.

Ashley Butler Lobb interviewed by Lynette Dicey

Mineraline is formulated with the therapeutic power of the minerals found in the depths of the Dead Sea which gently purify, exfoliate and regenerate your skin, relieving it from the toxins that build up daily and improving signs of damage.

Each products’ unique formulation also incorporate proven quality ingredients, supercharging them to renew tired and stressed skin.

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Lifestyle Food is Dis-Chem Pharmacies’ healthy food range including plant-based milk alternatives, gluten- and wheat-free products, superfood powders, sugar alternatives, healthy treats like dried fruit and nuts, calorie conscious condiments, dressings and oils, and much more.

Scan QR Code for more information on Lifestyle Food or visit www.lifestylefoods.co.za

Biogen Platinum Series offers a full range of vitamins, minerals, herbal and anti-ageing products.

This vast range caters for a number of needs such as daily multi-nutrients, anti-oxidants, vitamins B, C, D, E and essential fatty acids, skin, bone & joint support, as well as natural anti-ageing solutions.

Biogen Plant Based Protein is a supreme daily supplement, and an excellent choice of protein for athletes and individuals following a vegan or dairy-free lifestyle. Rice and pea protein is free from gluten, dairy and lactose, making it easily digestible, especially with the added bamboo fibre, an excellent ingredient for fibre enrichment.

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Visit our website or come in-store and speak to a consultant to assist in nding the right products for you on your holistic healthca Delivered to your door OR collect from any Dis-Chem nationwide. Free delivery on Pictures are for illustration purpose

BioNike Triderm is specifically formulated for cleansing and treating sensitive, highly reactive and atopic-prone skin in newborns, children and adults. It is designed to relieve skin-related problems such as dryness, itching, discomfort and redness.

Holistic health is about caring for the whole person – providing for your physical, mental, spiritual and social needs. It is rooted in the understanding that all these aspects affect your overall health and that being unwell in one aspect, affects you in the others. Dis-Chem Pharmacies stocks an ever growing range of products, designed for your ‘whole health’.

Shop at Dis-Chem Pharmacies for all of your holistic healthcare and wellness needs.

Marseille Soap is made in a liquid form, yet retaining all the virtues and the beneficial properties of the ancient and simple Marseille soap-making tradition. Based on only vegetable saponified oils, it washes in a balanced and very gentle manner, even for the most sensitive skin.

Ideal for frequent washing.

The Kitz Air Purifier is a Water-Air Treatment system – a unique air cleaning system that uses the natural cleaning power of water and botanical extracts. It purifies, sanitises, humidifies, deodorises, and provides a natural aromatherapeutic effect.

Clean air for healthy living.

Windrose has an Essential Oil for every need.

• Lavender Oil is commonly associated with rest and relaxation • Eucalyptus Oil helps to open up nasal passages, when inhaled • Peppermint Oil relaxes sore muscles and stiffness • Tea Tree Oil has brilliant germicidal properties • Lemon Oil uplifts and energises.

Use these essential oils with the Kitz Air Purifier for a natural aromatherapeutic effect.

listic healthcare and wellness journey. Shop a wide range of these products online or in a Dis-Chem store near you. e delivery on orders of 60000 or more. No charge for collection in-store. ration purposes only.

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Superfood powders are dehydrated versions of foods densely packed with protein, vitamins and antioxidants. Superfoods are used as dietary supplements designed to help you reach your daily recommended fruit and vegetable intake.

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Echinacea is a plant native to America but is now cultivated extensively in Europe. It is a traditional herbal remedy used for the symptomatic relief of colds, influenza type infections and similar upper respiratory tract conditions. A.Vogel cultivates the plants that go into their products organically in Switzerland at A.Vogel’s own herb farms.

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SUPPORTING A HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM

he good news is that there is a great deal we can do to strengthen our body’s natural ability to fight off illness by supporting a healthy immune system.

Think of the immune system like an army of soldiers always ready to defend the battlefield, says registered dietitian Monique Piderit. “The immune system is the body’s natural defence, working 24/7 to protect us from diseases and infections caused by invading viruses, bacteria and other germs. Like soldiers have a range of protective equipment and tools like rifles, tanks and grenades, if these germs do get into the body, the immune system uses white blood cells, proteins, tissues and organs like the skin to back up the immune system and attack the intruder.”

The immune system relies on vitamins and minerals — together known as nutrients — to function optimally. Different nutrients have different strengths when it comes to immunity, including vitamins A, C, D, E, B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folate), B12 (cobalamin) and the minerals zinc, iron, copper, selenium and magnesium.

The skin, says Piderit, is the first line of defence against bacteria and viruses that enter the body and can provide good support to the immune system. To stay healthy skin needs vitamin A which contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system. Alarmingly, 40% of South African children under the age of five suffer from vitamin A deficiency.

“This is concerning because a vitamin A deficiency can potentially irreversibly affect growth and development of a child, as well as weaken the immune system,” she says.

Foods that contain beta carotene, a provitamin that the body converts into vitamin A, include butternut, pumpkin and carrots.

Beef or chicken liver is also a cost-effective source of vitamin A. Vitamin C is another well-known vitamin

Monique Piderit PICTURE: SUPPLIED

Eating the right foods is essential to support the body’s natural defences. PICTURE: 123RF.COM/MONTICELLO

for keeping the immune system strong.

Piderit says that it also protects cells in the body from damage and supports the normal function of the skin.

“The body cannot make or store vitamin C, so it needs to be eaten regularly and, interestingly, smokers need more vitamin C than those who don’t smoke,” she says.

Many fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C, which is why a diet low in these foods puts the body at risk of a deficiency.

“Unfortunately, many South African children are not eating enough fruit and vegetables,” she says, adding that citrus fruit like naartjies and oranges, which are in season during winter, are a good source of vitamin C. Other

good sources are strawberries, pawpaw, mango, kiwi, peppers and broccoli.

Another vitamin that contributes to the normal function of the immune system is vitamin D. “New research indicates that vitamin D may lower the risk of viral infections and the common cold,” says Piderit, adding that the skin can make vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.

“The best way to get vitamin D from the sun is to expose your arms and legs to the sun for 15 minutes at a time, three times a week, without any clothes or sunblock. You can also get a bit of vitamin D from eggs and tinned fish such as pilchards, more so when you eat the bones too. Mushrooms also have some vitamin D. Interestingly, if you put your mushrooms in the sun for 15 minutes you increase their vitamin D content by 10 to 30 times.”

Zinc is an essential mineral that is not made or stored in the body, which means, she says, that we need to eat enough every day to meet our needs. “Zinc is found in almost every cell of the body. It supports immunity, wound healing and normal growth and development in children, teenagers and pregnant women.”

There are a number of foods that contain zinc. In the current tough financial environment, Piderit advises consuming more affordable foods that contain zinc such as porridge, beans, peas, chicken and beef — or try yoghurt with specifically added zinc.

Monique Piderit interviewed by Lynette Dicey

MANAGING A GLOBAL SURGE IN DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY

Several studies are looking at Covid’s impact on mental health and ways to inform policymaking, writes Lynette Dicey

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ajor societal events tend to have an impact. A study conducted more than 14 years after the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York, for example, found that many of the city’s residents and rescue workers continued to suffer with posttraumatic stress disorder and depression.

The Covid-19 pandemic and its resulting economic recession has been no different, with one of its consequences being its impact on mental health as the percentage of people experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety surge. This area is attracting more research globally, with studies consistently finding that it is younger people rather than older people who are most vulnerable to increased psychological distress.

Young women, those with children and those with a previously diagnosed psychiatric disorder are at higher risk for mental health problems.

A number of studies being conducted globally are looking at what impact Covidrelated control measures such as lockdowns and restrictions on social gatherings have had on mental health, in order to better inform policymaking in the future.

In the US, a Kaiser Family Foundation health tracking poll found an increase in the number of adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression. In particular, many

people reported an increase in specific negative impacts such as difficulty sleeping and eating, an increase in alcohol and substance abuse and worsening chronic conditions due to worry and stress. Isolation and job losses have exacerbated these impacts.

Daisy Fancourt, a psychoneuroimmunologist from University College London, established the Covid-Minds programme to collect data from around 140 longitudinal studies being conducted in more than 70 countries. The programme has encouraged the use of standardised questionnaires so that data can be directly compared.

In the UK, Fancourt is leading one of the largest of these studies, which surveyed more than 72,000 adults during the country’s first lockdown in 2020 about their feelings of anxiety or depression.

Another study, the Covid-19 Health Care Workers Study, is researching how health workers have coped in 21 countries, including low-income countries in Africa and Latin America where mental health resources are typically limited.

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Even before the onset of the pandemic, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group said its research indicated that 20% of the South African population would suffer from a depressive illness during the course of their lives. Following a global trend, in SA depression is more common in women than in men, affecting one in five women and one in 15 men. Women are more at risk due to hormones, work stresses, family responsibilities and high rates of sexual abuse and poverty.

A study conducted by the University of Cape Town’s department of psychiatry and mental health revealed that one in three women in low-income and informal settlements surrounding Cape Town suffer from postnatal depression. Similar research from rural KwaZulu-Natal found that 41% of pregnant women were depressed.

The pandemic and the fact that many people have suffered job or income losses is likely to have exacerbated the mental health status of South Africans.

The reality is that depression can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender or race.

It’s normal to feel down and sad when you’re going through a difficult period, such as a

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divorce, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job or financial difficulties. It’s when you’re not able to get over this period, and your feelings of depression continue and you don’t feel you are able to cope, that it’s important to find help. When you’re unable to “pull yourself together” it’s likely that you’re suffering from clinical depression that requires medical intervention.

The reality is that depression can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender or race While anti-depressants play a role in managing the symptoms of depression, psychotherapy and holistic health counselling are also important.

According to an article written by Dr Arien van der Merwe and published in The Village News, there is a clear link between mental health and gut health. Immune systems, he explains, are largely found in the gut, and the interplay between the gut and the brain is a complex and profoundly important relationship. When symptoms of depression are long-lasting or interfere with your ability to function, you will need to find support to manage it holistically.