Feelgood 27-01-2012 by Evening Echo

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Feelgood Friday, January 27, 2012

Rain or shine

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Why we are hardwired for optimism, no matter what the weather: 8, 9

SHOCK REACTION Childhood allergies on the increase: 4, 5

DINNER TO GO

Supermarket lasagne put to the ďŹ&#x201A;avour test: 12

QUICK FIX

Products to save you from costly salon treatments: 14

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2 News front Kate O’Reilly WHAT’S ON ■ WALKING FESTIVAL: The third Glen of Aherlow Winter Walking Festival takes place this weekend, with seven walks planned for tomorrow and Sunday. Suitable for different levels of walkers, with A being the most difficult and C, the easiest route, the walks will be led by experienced guides from the Galtee Walking Club. The C walks take three hours, so require a reasonable level of fitness and cost €10. Further details are available from Festival Co-ordinator Helen Morrissey on 062-56331 or 086-8314443. ■ COFFEE MORNING: The Annual Coffee Morning at Monkstown Golf Club in aid of St Patrick’s Marymount Hospice will be held on Thursday next, Feb 2 at 10am. Contact Anne on 087-2274026. ■ VALENTINE’S BALL: A Valentine’s Ball fundraiser in aid of cancer research will take place on Saturday, Feb 11 at Fota Island Hotel Golf & Spa Resort. The black tie event, organised by Breakthrough Cancer Research in aid of Cork Cancer Research Centre, is now in its 21st year. Tickets, which cost €125 per person, will include a champagne reception, four-course meal and entertainment with The Swing Cats. For further information or tickets email orla@ccrc.ie; lo-call 1890-998998 or see www.breakthroughcancerresearch.ie. ■ DANCE CLASS: Let music move you into natural alignment at a free dance class on Thursday, Feb 2 at the Pilates Studio, Penrose Wharf, Cork. Inspired by Inma Pavon, the dance sequences include elements of Yoga, Feldenkrais, Moving Meditation and Body Mind Centering. This free class (12 to 1.30pm) is suitable for anyone aged between 16 and 100, and no previous experience is required. Call Finn on 087-2533244. ■ SPORTING LUNCH: Des Cahill will be MC for the annual Fighting Blindness Sporting lunch, on Friday, Feb 3 at The Westin Hotel, Dublin. Former Irish International Shane Byrne will preview Ireland’s Six Nations clash with Wales. Jockeys Ruby Walsh and David Casey will be sharing their tips ahead of the Hennessey Gold Cup. Funds raised go to the charity’s research into conditions like Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). To reserve a table call 01-7093050 or visit www.fightingblindness.ie. ■ COPE FUNDRAISER: A Black & White Fun Psychic Night in aid of St Paul’s School/ Cope Foundation will be held on Friday next February 3 at 7pm in Oriel House, Ballincollig, Co Cork. There will be a four-course meal, live music, spot prizes etc; tickets are €50, dress informal. For more information contact Angela Savage on 087-9658106. ■ TEA DANCE: Gaggin ICA in Bandon, Co Cork, will hold an afternoon Tea Dance in Gaggin Hall this Sunday from 3 to 6pm, in aid of the Mna Feasa domestic violence project. Admission €10 Music by Patrick O’Sullivan. Contact Margaret Fitzgerald on 023-8842126. ● Items for inclusion in this column can be sent to koreilly8@gmail.com

FeelgoodMag

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FeelgoodMag

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A new guide will ensure your hen or stag night will be a sober and memorable experience, Arlene Harris reports

Good party B

ILLED as the last night of freedom, many hen and stag parties have an air of debauchery about them as revellers aim to give the bride or groom an evening they will never forget. For many bridal parties the pre-wedding celebration ends up in either a hedonistic haze or a mess of tears and tantrums as traditionally the event is centred around drinking as much alcohol as possible. Whether it’s limousines and champagne or lager and leery lads, the end result is often the same with many a promising evening turning sour. It is impossible to quantify how much alcohol is consumed on a stag or hen night, but www.drinkaware.ie is sufficiently concerned to publish a guide to sensible drinking, aimed specifically at this group. “Hen and stag parties are often seen as a final send off and, unfortunately, these occasions are often synonymous with excessive drinking,” says Fionnuala Sheehan, chief executive of drinkaware.ie. “This is a great pity as it should be a weekend the bride and groom can and want to remember for years to come. “At the very least too much alcohol could cause you to miss out on the fun if you need to head home early or sleep off a nasty hangover. Our new guide isn’t anti-booze but simply aims to show the vast array of activities and venues available where drink-

GOOD TIMES: Leo Delaney and Sarah Kavanagh launch the drinkaware.ie Hen & Stag Party Survival Guides.

ing doesn’t have to be the main focus of the weekend.” Some tips for a top night are: ■ If meeting during the day, keep activities and alcohol to a minimum. A glass or two of bubbly at a spa is fine, but an afternoon of cocktails can be a recipe for disaster. ■ Start the evening off with a group dinner. Drinking on an empty stomach is never a good idea. ■ Avoid getting involved in a round. Alternatively, limit rounds to two or three friends. If you find yourself in a round where others are drinking faster than you — feel free to skip a drink.

■ Use soft drinks to pace yourself and drink water regularly to stay hydrated. ■ If you don’t know many of the other party-goers don’t rely on booze to make you feel more sociable. ■ If you’re the chief bridesmaid or best man, try to incorporate some activity (other than drinking) into the night time activities. Book tickets to a comedy gig or sport event. If you’re arranging a party at home book a tarot card reader or start with a dance off or karaoke competition. ● For more information or to download a copy of the guide visit www.drinkaware.ie

HEALTH NOTES while examining one of her patients. Over 300 cases of cancer of the mouth are detected in Ireland each year and with a reported 3% increase per annum in oral cancer incidence in Irish women since 1994. Early detection is key. Cork-based dentist, Dr Mairead Browne won the Highly Commended category. She was nominated by a patient after she put her holiday plans on hold to help ease his pain.

MindFreedom Ireland is organising a talk, Towards a better understanding of mental health and recovery by Dr Terry Lynch at 8pm tonight in The Basement Resource Centre, 14a Washington St., Cork. The Minister of State for Mental Health, Kathleen Lynch, will launch Dr Lynch’s new book Selfhood at the event. All are welcome but numbers are limited. Further enquiries: 021-4894303 or 087-0624445.

Counsellor & Wellbeing Coach Fiona Hoban will be discussing A Positive Approach to Wellbeing at The Dome, Semple Stadium in Thurles on Thursday next at a health and wellbeing evening organised by the National Dairy Council & Thurles Fresh Milk. There will also be a cookery demonstration by Ailish Maher Hennessy, from Fiacri Country House in Roscrea and dietician Paula Mee will be giving advice on nutrition and health issues. Fran Curry of Tipp FM will be MC on the night, which is a fundraiser for Friends of the Community Hospital of the Assumption, Thurles. Tickets are €10 and are available from Thurles Fresh Milk on 0504-91900; The Hospital of the Assumption Thurles, 0504-21055 or any Centenary Thurles Co-op branch. Tickets will also be available on the night, doors open at 7pm. www.irishexaminer.com www.irishexaminer.com

TOP DENTIST: Dr Sarah McMorrow of Loughrea who has been named the Sensodyne Sensitive Dentist 2011. Picture: Peter Houlihan / PH Photography

To support the Irish Cancer Society, The Body Shop will be holding a Free Threading Day on Tuesday, Jan 31. Donations can be made in store.

The overall winner of the Sensodyne Sensitive Dentist 2011 Awards is Dr Sarah McMorrow of Loughrea who spotted potential oral cancer

www.irishexaminer.com feelgood@examiner.ie

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2012

More than 1,300 primary school children will accompany their sick teddy bears to the annual Teddy Bear Hospital at NUI Galway as part of an event organised by the International Federation of Medical Students. The aim of the two-day event, which ends today, is to help children feel more comfortable around doctors and hospitals. This year, 32 local primary schools are participating in the event. Frying food in olive or sunflower oil does not increase the risk of heart disease or early death, researchers report in the British Medical Journal. The study goes against the idea that frying food is generally bad for the heart, but experts said this “does not mean that frequent meals of fish and chips will have no health consequences.”

Editorial: 021 4802 292

Advertising: 021 4802 215

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In profile

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THE SHAPE I'M IN

Brian Kennedy

The life of Brian S

INGER/songwriter Brian Kennedy is one of four coaches on RTÉ One’s new music talent series, The Voice of Ireland, which airs on Sundays at 6.30pm. The contenders sing for the coaches in ‘blind’ auditions — the coaches can hear the singers but can’t see them. “I’m loving being a coach. And it’s genius that we don’t get to see the singers before we choose them. I’ve found some incredible voices for Ireland,” says Belfast-born Brian. The 45-year-old has spent 20 years in the music business — a career that has seen him work with Van Morrison, sing for Bill Clinton and be part of the send-off for George Best. More recently — on Celebrity Come Dine With Me — Brian threw a glass of red wine over showbiz journalist Paul Martin, after the latter criticised the singer’s song, ‘Put The Message In The Box’. “I would do it again in a heartbeat and it’s a pity it wasn’t a bucket of wine,” says the singer. The Voice of Ireland is set to keep us entertained right through the spring, with three singing rounds starting shortly, followed by nine weeks of live-performance shows, which begin on March 4. The final four contestants — one for each coach — will compete in a grand final for a recording contract with Universal Music. What shape are you in? I train with my good friend, Paul Byrne, at his gym, called bodybyrne, so I’m in the best shape of my life. His knowledge about fitness and nutrition is second to none — it’s a work in progress. Do you have any health concerns? Other than getting hives if I drink orange juice, none that I know of.

What would you change about your appearance? Nothing. It’s all a work-in-progress anyway. When did you last cry? When I read Colm O’Gorman’s Beyond Belief. What trait do you least like in others? Cruelty and racism. What trait do you least like in yourself? Inappropriate, inky-stinky farts.

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Do you pray? Not in the ‘Our Father’ sense, but I send out little hopes silently to the skies now and again.

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What would cheer up your day? If Rome declared that the Pope was bailing out the Irish economy.

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● Triathlon Training

● Step & Tone

● Parent & Toddler

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Helen O’Callaghan

Leisure Club Activities

Classes

BODY WISE: Singer Brian Kennedy says he is in the best shape of his life, thanks to fitness instructor Paul Byrne. Picture: Mark Doyle

What are your healthiest eating habits? I’m addicted to sweet potatoes and spinach.

● Pilates

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Lots of New Classes & Instructors Including Mike Peterson, Lindsey Quinn and Garreth Flynn In aid of:

What’s your guiltiest pleasure when it comes to food? Wouldn’t you know it was carbs — so bread and more bread, please, and maybe a glass or two of red wine secretly. What would keep you awake at night? I’m an insomniac at the best of times. It comes and goes. I’m well-acquainted with the stresses of being alive in this day and age. How do you relax? Currently watching the box set of 24. Jack Bauer is the man. Who would you invite to your dream dinner party? Kate Bush, Stephen Fry, David Norris, Mary McAleese, Bono, Alan Quinlan and Sinead O’Connor. What’s your favourite smell? Fresh lavender bed linen and the right company.

Run Walk or Jog up to 75km over 3 days

I’m an insomniac at the best of times. It comes and goes. I’m well-acquainted with the stresses of being alive in this day and age Feelgood

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Adapting to challenge

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Childhood allergies are increasing and the main culprits are milk, egg and peanut.

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NTERING second-level education is a big step, but for Nessa Fitzpatrick it was momentous — it was the first time she brought a sandwich for school lunch. Nessa is allergic to a range of foods from dairy produce to nuts, shellfish, cauliflower and mushrooms. She can tolerate traces of wheat and has developed a sensitivity to pork products such as rashers and sausages — her eyes become puffy, and she develops a raised, red skin rash on her face and neck. Egg can cause abdominal pains and an overwhelming feeling of “something terrible happening to her,” says her mum Mary. Nessa, a student at St Mary’s High School, in Midleton, has endured a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction to milder allergic reactions such as blotches, itchy skin, raised white lumps, wheezing and puffy eyes. In primary school, she had soya yoghurt or home-made soup for lunch. It wasn’t until she was in second level that Mary sourced a sour-dough bread that was wheat, dairy and egg-free. “Last term was the first time she could take a sandwich to school — the rice bread she had to use must be toasted to be palatable and she couldn’t toast it at school.” There is no official Irish data on allergies, but childhood allergies are on the increase here, says Jonathan Hourihane, professor of paediatrics at UCC, who runs the only clinic in the country that provides an integrated allergy service for children. Although anaphylactic shock as a result of a peanut allergy is often the one to grab the headlines, everyday products can cause allergic reactions. A food allergy occurs when a person has developed abnormal antibodies against a particular food, says Hourihane: “People have defence proteins in their blood against a particular food. Everyone who eats a food makes antibodies against it, but they are usually harmless.” However, he says, people who are prone to allergies have a “deviant reaction” which creates certain antibodies. “These are antibodies that people without allergies would not make — they can cause a response ranging from a lip swelling to full-F blown anaphylaxis, because they lock on to certain cells which cause swelling or itching.” When a certain food is taken into the body, these cells respond by releasing substances that cause swelling, itch or wheezing. The three major foods that cause allergies in children are milk, egg and peanut. For adults, the most common allergy-causing foods are peanuts, nuts and shellfish, while contact dermatitis — redness, heat, swelling and pain on skin which comes in contact with certain substances — can be caused by a variety of products, such as household cleaners, detergents and soaps, battery acid, drain cleaners or turpentine. The demand for help with food allergies is increasing, Hourihane says — his clinic, at Cork University Hospital, has a nine-month waiting list, deals with 450 new patients a year, and has about 400 children on the waiting list. Hourihane and his staff are now developing procedures for GPs and hospital paediatricians on how to manage food allergies: “We’re trying to get care plans or protocols in place that

Feelgood

WHEAT GERM: Nessa Fitzpatrick was in secondary school before she brought a sandwich to lunch, when she sourced a bread that was wheat-, dairy- and egg-free. Picture: Dan Linehan hospitals and GPs around the country could use independently of the clinic, and this would allow more local management of allergy,” he says, adding that Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin is seeking approval for the appointment of an allergy consultant. Meanwhile, Nessa and her parents, who live in the village of Saleen in East Cork, have had their share of frights. At the age of nine, Nessa experienced a strong reaction to cauliflower. Mary says: “We were a bit wary of cauliflower, because she’d had a mild reaction to it previously, so we asked the restaurant not to serve it.” However, it turned out that other vegetables served to the family had been cooked

with cauliflower — and even that small trace of the vegetable was enough to set Nessa off. “She got a severe abdominal pain and started to come out in large, white raised lumps. Her lips began to swell and she became very itchy all over. We got out the anti-histamine but she had to go to the hospital,” says Mary. Nessa, who had her first allergic reaction to a food at just seven months, experienced a severe anaphylactic reaction at age two, when she consumed a tiny grain of chocolate. Anaphylaxis is a reaction by the body to an allergen, which can be anything from food to latex or a medicine. Symptoms include swelling of the throat and mouth, difficulty in swallowing or speaking, and loss of consciousness. In Nessa’s case, her lips and

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2012

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For some children eating involves constant vigilance, reports Áilín Quinlan

Rían is highly aware of what he can and can’t eat

athleen Murphy reads food labels obsessively — her young son Rían is allergic to wheat, dairy, egg, rye and tree nuts — every kind of nut, that is, except peanut. His allergies don’t just affect the food he consumes. Rían also has to be careful about arts and crafts — egg boxes, for instance, are out of bounds because the egg residue could make him ill. For the six-year-old, from Ballinteer, Dublin, it started from day one: “He was born with a rash similar to hives, all over his body,” says Kathleen. This was followed by severe eczema. “He can’t eat any bread except a type made with rice flour. He drinks rice milk. I read labels obsessively. Every time I buy a product, I check the label.” She has little option — when Rían eats something that doesn’t agree with him,

tongue started to swell, she experienced breathing difficulties and was rushed to hospital. “We have to plan ahead for any event — forward planning is the secret, so I always have food in the freezer, in case we’re going somewhere at short notice,” says Mary. And, if Nessa goes on a sleepover she must take her food with her — plain popcorn, some homemade soup, or homemade cottage pie. The teenager goes nowhere without a bag containing her two Anapens — pre-loaded needles with the appropriate amount of adrenalin to combat the reaction — her anti-histamines and her inhalers. “Sometimes, it can be hard but the people around me know I have allergies. All my close friends know about it and if I go on a sleepover I bring my own food. It’s a bit of a pain, but I have no option. Some parents might be nervous of giving me the wrong food, so I always bring my own stuff,” she says. The number of children with food allergy, eczema and rhinitis (an inflammation of the lining of the nose) is continuing to rise, says Professor Hourihane, who hopes to publish a report within the next 18 months on the situation in this country. He says our rates are similar to those in Britain, where between 3% and 6% of pre-school children and 1% of adults have allergies. Overall, about 2% of children generally have allergies, he says. Figures show that the number of cases of anaphylaxis increased by about 700% between 1990 and 2002 in Britain, and Hourihane believes the figures are similar here. “The population is becoming more allergic over the last 30 or 40 years,” he says, adding that experts are pointing to everything from falling vitamin D levels to weaning or breast-feeding habits. However, he says, while anaphylaxis can cause death, there is no evidence of a link between allergies and other serious illnesses. Clare O’Brien, chairperson of Anaphylaxis Ireland, a support group for parents, believes children with allergies must be taught to be responsible for their own well-being. O’Brien, whose son nine-year-old Iarlaith is allergic to egg, nuts and peanuts — he had a serious reaction to peanut butter at the age of two — had to travel to the Blackrock Clinic in Dublin for treatment prior to the establishment of the clinic at Cork University Hospital in 2005. “It’s fantastic to have a clinic in Cork. Iarlaith’s fine about living with the allergies, because he has had them since he was two and he is wonderful about it. “A key thing is to make it the child’s responsibility as much as possible when they are young — it’s important that they don’t see it as a parental-control issue, because that will be something they could rebel against in adolescence. It’s crucial that they see their allergy as their responsibility and that it’s about minding themselves,” says Claire.

SELF SUFFICIENT: Rían McDonagh making a special mix of bread rice flour for himself. He is allergic to wheat, dairy and nuts. Picture: Maura Hickey.

● Contact: Anaphylaxis Ireland: Visit: www.anaphylaxisireland.ie Helpline: 0818 300 238. Email: info@anaphylaxisireland.ie

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2012

he has a significant reaction, which can vary from an outbreak of hives and eczema to vomiting, diarrohea, wheezing, coughing, sneezing. He attends the allergy clinic at Cork University Hospital, and has done a number of food challenges, or tests, for dairy, egg, wheat peanuts and soya. The facility is a fantastic asset to parents of children like Rían, says Kathleen: “It’s hard to express how valuable the allergy services in Cork are for families like us. Without food challenges in a safe environment, we’d be left avoiding foods indefinitely. “Rían is highly aware of what he can and can’t eat. If he’s in someone else’s house, I always send food with him and I brief the people to whom he’s going.” On top of his food allergies, Rían has eczema, as well as vernal conjunctivitis, an allergic form of conjunctivitis, and must take a number of medications. “Occasionally, he gets fed up,” says Kathleen, but he gets on with his life. “He goes to school, plays football, goes swimming. It is challenging for him and probably will become more of a challenge as he gets older.”

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Adapting to challenge

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Childhood allergies are increasing and the main culprits are milk, egg and peanut.

Always on alert E

Feelgood

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2012

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For some children eating involves constant vigilance, reports Áilín Quinlan

Rían is highly aware of what he can and can’t eat

SELF SUFFICIENT: Rían McDonagh making a special mix of bread rice flour for himself. He is allergic to wheat, dairy and nuts. Picture: Maura Hickey.

● Contact: Anaphylaxis Ireland: Visit: www.anaphylaxisireland.ie Helpline: 0818 300 238. Email: info@anaphylaxisireland.ie

Feelgood

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2012

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6 Psychology

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Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t vilify the captain of the Costa Concordia. Few of us are masters of our own destinies

Rudderless souls

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Tony Humphreys

question every adult needs to ask is: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Am I captain of my own ship?â&#x20AC;? In his inaugural speech, then US president Ronald Reagan said that â&#x20AC;&#x153;if you have not learned to govern your own life, how can you govern a country?â&#x20AC;? There are few adults who are masters of their own destiny, who depend on themselves and who are accountable and responsible for all their own feelings, thoughts and actions. Most individuals operate from unconscious defensive places and powerfully mask their fears, insecurities, lack of confidence, lack of belief in themselves and serious doubts about their worth and value. In times of crises, we discover whether we are operating from an inner stronghold or from the quicksands of fear and dependence. When the economic crisis hit this country, many bankers, leaders of financial institutions and politicians quickly abandoned the sinking ship of the Irish economy and few have accepted responsibility or shown accountability for their reckless dealings. Many of these men â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and they were all men â&#x20AC;&#x201D; have gone underground and it appears their luxury lifestyles have not been badly hit. Any pursuit of these individuals seems to have receded into some dark and silent hole. How, then, is it that the captain of the stricken Italian cruiser, The Costa Concordia, has been so vilified that he has become the most hated man in Italy and is proclaimed worldwide as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Captain Cowardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;? When we judge and condemn those who fail to exercise responsibility â&#x20AC;&#x201D; show recklessness that endangers the well-being of others â&#x20AC;&#x201D; how are we any different? Christ put it wisely: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Judge not, for fear you may be judged yourself.â&#x20AC;? When we judge others, it is because we are in dependent and fearful places and it becomes a case of the blind leading the blind. It is incumbent on each of us to resolve our inner insecurities, so that we are in a place to support and enable those who have hit troubled waters. The media and public reaction to captain Francesco Schettinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reckless navigating, but most of all to his abandoning ship when there were still some 300 passengers on board, has traumatised a man who must have been shell-shocked when the cruiser hit the rocks. There were 4,200 passengers on board and reports are emerging that the captain had helped many people to safety before he â&#x20AC;&#x153;slipped and tripped into a lifeboat while helping passengers leave the vessel.â&#x20AC;? Only the captain knows the truth of this claim. The judgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s response was, â&#x20AC;&#x153;how is it that the captain did not jump back on board?â&#x20AC;? A likely explanation is that he was overwhelmed by a fear of death â&#x20AC;&#x201D; after all, the passengersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; panic arose from their own fear of death. Having the status of captain does not ensure maturity, as we well know now about Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;captainsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of banks, financial institutions, industry and government. Age, gender, education, status, wealth and social class are no indices of maturity. Indeed, when individuals are given leadership positions, there is no examination of their level of maturity. Even if the latter was done â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and it would more than likely guarantee a fulfilling of leadersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; responsibilities â&#x20AC;&#x201D; there is still the unpredictable possibility that in a life-threatening situation a fear of death will rise up and swallow all reason

The

Picture: (AP Photo/Enzo Russo)

We have developed no meaning for death and are tongue-tied when we encounter individuals who are bereaved. Yet when an individual is faced with death â&#x20AC;&#x201D; like Captain Schettino â&#x20AC;&#x201D; we expect him to be fearless while everybody else is losing their heads and trigger an instinctual response of survival at any cost. We do not have a pedagogy for death â&#x20AC;&#x201D; we tiptoe around it, have developed no meaning for it and are tongue-tied when we encounter individuals who are bereaved. Yet when an individual is faced with death â&#x20AC;&#x201D; like captain Schettino â&#x20AC;&#x201D; we expect them to be fearless while everybody else is losing their heads about him. Furthermore, for the captain to be branded a coward after the disaster must have added hugely to his traumatised state. For men â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and especially Italian men â&#x20AC;&#x201D; fear of being labelled a coward, next to fear of death, is their worst nightmare. Given the captainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arrest, his defensive response to being accused of manslaughter, the hate he is encountering and the label of coward, I would have grave concerns for his well-being. There is no attempt on my part to dilute the captainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s catastrophic behaviour and fear reactions, but it is going to be very difficult for him to come to terms with what has happened, to be accountable and take due responsibility when he is besieged by a ruthless and uncompassionate media and public. Unless we are non-judgemental and compassionate towards individuals who perpetrate great neglect, there is no chance that they will learn from their behaviour in ways that benefit themselves and those at the receiving end of their actions. When there is a witch-hunt, nobody gains. Dr Tony Humphreys is a consultant clinical psychologist, author and national and international speaker. His new book, Leadership with Consciousness, is now available.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2012

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2012

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8 Cover story

Positive attitude

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We just can’t help it, our brain is hardwired to look on the bright side, no matter what is happening in the world around us. Helen O’Callaghan talks to the experts

Having an uptimistic outlook

OU know how you were at 18. You had it all worked out. You expected that by the time you reached 30 you’d be well-established in your dream career — well-paying, of course, and scoring high on job satisfaction. You expected by then to have the relationship thing sussed, to be cosily set up with Mr/Ms Right, to be smoothly transitioning into parenthood. Then life — in all its complexities — happened. But it turns out there was nothing at all unusual about your 18-year-old self seeing the future through rose-tinted glasses. According to recent research, in about 80% of us the brain is hardwired to look on the bright side, even when we profess to be world-weary cynics. “The belief that the future will be much better than the past and present is known as the optimism bias. It abides in every race, region and socio-economic bracket. Schoolchildren playing when-I-grow-up are rampant optimists but so are grown-ups: a 2005 study found that adults over 60 are just as likely to see the glass half full as young adults,” says Dr Tali Sharot, a neuroscientist based at the Cognitive, Perceptual and Brain Sciences Department at University College London and author of The Optimism Bias, Why We’re Wired To Look On The Bright Side. “The optimism bias means you expect things to be better than the outcome. You expect your grade to be a bit better than it ends up being. You expect your marriage to be a bit better than it turns out,” Sharot tells Feelgood. People generally tend to overestimate probability of positive events — having a long, happy relationship, career success — and underestimate likelihood of negative events — getting Alzheimer’s, suffering marriage breakdown. And while we may be pessimistic about ‘stuff out there’ — our country’s economy, increasingly wet summers — what she calls our “private optimism” about our own personal future remains remarkably steadfast. “A 2007 study found that while 70% thought families in general were less successful than in their parents’ day, 76% of respondents were optimistic about their own family’s future,” says Sharot. Our glass-half-full perspective means we also harbour a ‘superiority illusion’ about ourselves, says Sharot. “We’re confident we’re more interesting, attractive and successful than the average person. We may not admit it openly but we have a strong sense that this is correct. Some of us are more creative, honest and funny than the average person but about half of us aren’t. We are blind to our own illusions.” Our brain, claims Sharot, seems to have the neural capability to retain its optimistic bias even when confronted with information that challenges positive expectations. When we’re presented with the objective, statistical likelihood of adverse events happening to us — getting cancer, being robbed — most people

downplay their personal risk. They don’t expect to be a negative statistic. Sharot finds striking results when people’s brains are scanned while processing negative and positive information about the future. “When people learn, their neurons faithfully encode desirable information that can enhance optimism but fail at incorporating unexpectedly undesirable information.” While we don’t expect negative, horrific events to happen to us, when they do we tend quite quickly to look for the upside. “We automatically seek evidence confirming that our misfortune’s a blessing in disguise. We didn’t anticipate losing our job, being ill or getting a divorce, but when these occur, we search for the upside,” says Sharot. Looking for the silver lining allows us conclude that our happy outlook was right after all. Our brain is wired to trust its own decisions, adds Sharot. Even when we struggle to choose between two attractive alternatives, two equally desirable job offers, two properties for sale, each of which is suitable, soon after we make a decision we tend to view the road not taken as quite dull and the chosen one as even more attractive, more right than it seemed pre-decision. “This affirmation of our decisions helps us derive heightened pleasure from choices that might actually be neutral. Without this, our lives might well be filled with second-guessing. We’d find ourselves overcome by indecision, unable to move forward,” says Sharot. Ian Robertson, professor of psychology at Trinity College Dublin, agrees that hope springs eternal in the human mind. “There’s a bias towards expecting good outcomes. People who are depressed are slightly more realistic in their expectation of events.” The human mind, he says, has a tendency to wish to confirm its beliefs and hypotheses about the world. “It’s much more difficult for it to seek information that’s contradictory to what it believes.” Having overly positive expectations about the future may lead us to miscalculate, resulting in dire consequences, says Sharot. “If we negatively underestimate risk we may not take action to protect ourselves. We may not get health checkups, apply sunscreen, open a savings account, buy insurance or wear a helmet.” Sharot points to economists who believe the optimism bias was key behind the current global economic collapse. “It was human to think the markets would go up and up, to ignore evidence to the contrary. The brain doesn’t deal efficiently with negative information — it takes into account more information that indicates things will be positive in the future. All these biases of all these people — from individuals to financial analysts to government officials — created this big bubble.” But, on balance, she believes the brain’s natural bent for optimism is a good thing. It pro-

Our brain is also wired to trust its own decisions

Feelgood

JUMP FOR JOY: The optimism bias means we are more likely to lead healthy and happy lives. If we are positive about what the future holds, we tend to feel less stressed. Picture: Fotoware

tects, inspires and motivates. Sharot points to an experiment devised by neuroscientist Sara Bengtsson. To encourage expectations of success, she primed college students with positive words (clever, intelligent) immediately before asking them to do a test. To induce expectations of failure, she primed other students with negative words (ignorant, stupid). The positive message students performed better. Optimists, says Sharot, generally work longer hours, earn more and save more. Our expected rosy future may turn out to be an illusion but optimism benefits us right now, she claims. It’s good for physical and mental health — if we

believe our prospects are good we’re less prone to stress. Research into cancer patients found that pessimistic patients younger than 60 had a higher chance of dying within eight months than optimistic patients who — at the outset — were of similar health and age. “Optimism motivates people and leads to achievement across fields,” says Sharot. Of course, being optimistic isn’t the same as being happy. Happiness is a feeling, a state. Optimism’s about expectations. “But there’s a correlation between the two. Being optimistic does make you happy because if you’re optimistic about the future you’re happy in the

moment,” says Sharot. In evolutionary terms, optimistically-biased individuals were probably more likely to survive and pass on their genes — one reason why the bias is built into our brain, observes Robertson. “If you allowed yourself be fully conscious of the bad things, it might paralyse you. It’s better to err on the optimistic side than to be statistically accurate all the time. The optimism bias is an essential factor in our human sense of adventure and possibility. If Christopher Columbus had been very realistic about his chances of surviving finding Asia, he might never have set off.”

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2012

The scientific view

The sunny side

■ Most people are better at incorporatages were blurry. ing desirable information into their exWhile the volunteers were visualising pectations for the future than they are at the desirable events, enhanced brain incorporating undesirable information. activity was seen in the amygdala — Dr Sharot recorded volunteers’ brain brain structure central to processing of activity while asking them to evaluate emotion — as well as in the RACC (rostheir probability of encountering 80 diftral anterior cingulate cortex), which ferent adverse life events. She then gave modulates emotion and motivation. them information about the The more optiactual average probability of mistic a person, the each event happening to greater activity in them. these regions when While still being positive future events brain-scanned, the volunare imagined relative teers were again asked to asto negative ones, sess their own likelihood of says Sharot. The experiencing the events. Paramygdala and the ticipants revised their initial RACC are found to be estimates only if the actual particularly malfuncobjective probability of expetioning in people sufriencing the bad event was fering depression. less than they’d expected. EXPERT PERSPECTIVE: Dr Tali (“Oh — the probability of ■ Neuroscientist Sara Sharot, a London-based death before 60 is only 10%. I neuroscientist and author, says Bengtsson investigatthought it was more. So I how expectation our neurons are programmed to ed may live longer than expectshapes reality, at the encode positive information. ed”). When the received insame time collecting formation about actual probbrain-imaging data. ability was worse, it tended to be disShe planted positive words (intelligent, missed. (“Over 20% chance of having a clever) in students’ minds just before stroke? That can’t apply to me — I’m too they took a test. She primed another healthy”). group with negative words (ignorant, Scans showed when participants stupid). Students performed better aflearned their chances of enduring a negter being primed with a positive mesative experience were less than expectsage. ed, an enhanced BOLD (blood-oxyBengtsson saw enhanced activity in gen-level-dependent) signal was seen in the anterior medial part of the preparts of the brain’s frontal lobe. frontal cortex (region involved in self-reflection and recollection) when ■ Working with neuroscientist Elizabeth the mistake followed positive words. A Phelps, Dr Sharot asked volunteers to mistake led to no heightened activity imagine specific events that might occur when participants had been primed within the following five years, while siwith negative words. Bengtsson conmultaneously scanning their brain activicluded that after being primed with ty. Some were desirable events and negative words, the brain expected to some undesirable. When volunteers do badly and didn’t show any sign of imagined the sought-after events, the surprise when it did — such brains fail images were rich and vivid. When they to learn from errors and are less likely imagined the negative scenarios, the imto improve over time.

Cut stress: Underestimating likelihood of future unwanted events lowers levels of stress and anxiety, with knock-on benefits for physical and mental health.

Does Sharot believe visualisation of happy scenarios, as promoted in the bestseller The Secret, makes it more likely we’ll get our rosy outcome? “We know that things that can be imagined visually and in detail make us think they’re possible. If we visualise something, we’re more likely to see it happening so we’re more likely to take action to make it happen.” With 80% of people showing an optimism bias, Sharot says many of the remaining 20% are depressed. “The mildly depressed simply won’t have a bias for optimism or pessimism. The more severely depressed will have a pes-

simistic bias.” Specific genes have been linked to optimistic tendencies — studies of identical and non-identical twins find the genetic component as high as 30%. Is religion the ultimate optimism? An inevitable consequence of our neural make-up that pre-disposes us to see a rosy existence even after life as we know it? Religion is definitely optimistic, says Sharot. “It very much has optimistic messages. It’s the ultimate optimism. Religions generally say that we’re good, that we do have an afterlife. One of the reasons it’s so popular is that it

By having a positive attitude we can:

Get what we expect: Optimism can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Expect you’ll end up in a rewarding career and a satisfying relationship and you’re more likely to work to achieve these. Increase the chances of success: To a point, underestimating obstacles helps us move forward with fewer inhibitions, increasing chances of success. Ignoring risks and dangers means we’re not well prepared when hurdles arise. Stay healthier, even after illness: A study of patients who’d had heart bypass surgery found optimists were more likely to incorporate healthy eating and exercise into their lives, increasing their recovery time and reducing chances of re-hospitalisation. Increase romantic opportunity: Being positive will attract more romance and companionship — optimists are as likely as anyone else to get divorced, but more likely to remarry. Save more, smoke less and make sensible decisions: A study on extreme and moderate optimists, divided participants based on how much they overestimated longevity. Extreme optimists overestimated life expectancy by 20 years, moderates by a few years. Researchers found that moderate optimists made sensible decisions, work longer hours, expected to retire later in life, saved more and smoked less. Extreme optimists worked fewer hours, saved less and smoked more. Even with optimism, moderation’s best.

taps into that very basic need to be optimistic.” The bias towards seeing the glass as half full, which exists on a neural level in our brain, is essentially good news, says Sharot. “Awareness of how our brain works allows us make our lives even better. Once we’re aware of our optimistic illusions, we can act to protect ourselves — strike a balance between believing we’ll stay healthy but getting medical insurance anyway. The optimism bias is a good thing. That’s why we have it. It makes us happier, protects our mental health and makes us try and try again.” ● The Optimism Bias, Tali Sharot, €12.25.

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8 Cover story

Positive attitude

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We just can’t help it, our brain is hardwired to look on the bright side, no matter what is happening in the world around us. Helen O’Callaghan talks to the experts

Having an uptimistic outlook

Our brain is also wired to trust its own decisions

Feelgood

JUMP FOR JOY: The optimism bias means we are more likely to lead healthy and happy lives. If we are positive about what the future holds, we tend to feel less stressed. Picture: Fotoware

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2012

The scientific view

The sunny side

Cut stress: Underestimating likelihood of future unwanted events lowers levels of stress and anxiety, with knock-on benefits for physical and mental health.

By having a positive attitude we can:

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10 Medical matters

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I’ve a three-year-old son who suffers from recurring conjunctivitis. I use an antibiotic cream to treat it but am concerned about overuse. Is there an alternative?

Dr Julius Parker is a GP with HSF Health Plan’s free 24 GP advice line. For more information visit www.hsf.ie or lo-call 1890 451 451

If you have a question about your health email it to feelgood@examiner.ie or send a letter to: Feelgood Irish Examiner City Quarter Lapps Quay Cork

A. Conjunctivitis is very common in children and often associated with another infection. Viral conjunctivitis is usually a milder, shorter lasting infection with a watery discharge. Bacterial conjunctivitis often causes a thicker, greenish yellow discharge, which may gum the lids together and may be associated with a sore throat or cough. Both conditions are very infectious. Although bacterial infections will respond to antibiotic creams, additional approaches will improve your son’s symptoms. Carefully bathe the affected eye(s) regularly during the day, using cotton wool soaked in cooled boiled water. Use disposable tissues. Make sure your son has his own flannel and towel and change his pillow case daily. If he seems to have recurrent conjunctivitis, one alternative possibility is an allergy. This is more likely if he has other atopic conditions, such as asthma or eczema, or if there is a strong family history of these. Allergic conjunctivitis typically causes reddened and very itchy eyes with less discharge and may be seasonal, being more common in spring and summer. Your doctor can provide further advice, but antihistamines, including antihistamine eye drops, will improve his symptoms. If one or both of your son’s eyes often seems to be watering he may have a partially blocked tear duct. This is much more common in babies, when it normally gets better spontaneously. It’s a rare cause of recurrent conjunctivitis in an older child, but if suspected your GP can refer you to a specialist paediatric ophthalmologist. Q. From chest infections to colds and flus, I have picked up every bug going since November. What can I do to build my immune system? A. Many people do worry that their immune system may not be working properly, but often find their doctors are less willing to accept such an explanation. Serious disorders of the immune system are rare, and although you may have had several infections recently, I’d encourage you to look back over the past year or two. Most people then realise they’re

NEWS UPDATE

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Following the deaths of three babies within three weeks at the neo-natal unit at Belfast’s Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital, concerns have been raised about the possibility of such deaths happening at a neo-natal unit here in the Republic. The deaths were caused by pseudomonas bacterial infection, which can result in breathing difficulties and tissue damage. An extensive deep clean of the unit traced the bacteria to taps and pipe work, which will be removed. The bacteria can live for several days on surfaces, but can be eradicated by vigorous hand washing. Following inquiries into inspections at the unit by the media, it emerged that the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) had not visited the unit and, given the unannounced nature of their visits, was not in a position to say whether or not they would be visiting the unit in the future. In the Republic, external checks on hospital hygiene standards are conducted by the Health and Information Quality Authority (HIQA) — though they visit and inspect hospitals generally and not specific units. Equally, it is not in a position to comment on future inspections,

normally fit and well. Respiratory infections are most common in autumn and winter, especially if you work in a communal area or have regular contact with the public. A great deal is now known about the way the immune systems fight off infection. What is not well understood is the link between the effectiveness of our immune systems and lifestyle factors. It is likely these are important. Having a healthy lifestyle sounds easy but in practice can be hard to achieve. Finding time for regular exercise and getting enough sleep takes discipline. Eating healthily and drinking alcohol within recommended limits often clashes with a busy work and

CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH: Handwashing eradicates the pseudonomas bacterial infection. Picture: Getty Images

which are not announced in advance, but it is likely they will have a focus on neo-natal units in the near future due to the Belfast case. The RQIA carried out two unannounced infection/prevention hygiene inspections at the Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital in March, 2009 and in May, 2010. However, both inspections focused on the delivery suite and did not include the neonatal unit.

social life. Not getting anxious or stressed by events at work or at home is easier said than done. It’s much better to be positive about what is going well and then decide to concentrate, with the support of your partner or family, on one or two specific changes you want to make. One high priority, if you smoke, is to stop. Respiratory infections occur more frequently and last longer in smokers. There’s plenty of help available, ask at your pharmacy or GPs surgery. Most products that claim to “boost” your immune system have limited evidence behind them and aren’t a substitute for a healthy lifestyle.

NOTE: The information contained in Dr Julius Parker’s column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor first

Catherine Shanahan MUM’S WORLD Feelgood

ITH four weeks to childbirth, the debate in our house is raging about the pairing of the 23rd chromosome, in a speculative effort to determine the gender of my tenant. There are endless tests for this, none of them scientific. Swinging a gold ring over your swelling belly is one of them. If it behaves like a pendulum, it’s female. If it’s male, the swing of the ring is more cyclical. Thanks to an overdose of scepticism, I have not tried the ring thing. Besides, for reasons unknown to anyone, the ring thing purports to work only if the band has more carats than a Donald Trump aeroplane. Some believe cravings have a bearing. If your interest is in all things savoury, the prediction is the baby is male. If the craving can only be satisfied by sugar, spice and all things nice, a girl is on the horizon. This fails to explain cravings that range from O’Flynn’s gourmet sausages to Duneen West Cork yoghurt with Canadian blueberries. Then, there’s the test I like best, not because I trust the outcome, but because chemistry outside the classroom is always more fun. It’s called The Drano, named after the drain-cleaning product that makes up half the mixture required to predict gender. The other half is a sample of your

urine (procurement is an individual decision). Mix both together, and if it quickly turns brown the prediction is for a boy. Colour doesn’t change if it’s a girl. Scientifically, The Drano hasn’t a leg to stand on. It is no more reliable than hanging a dead chicken from a flagpole and using its direction of shift in the wind to predict the sex of your unborn child. On the upside, unlike a mixture of sodium hydroxide and uric acid, the end result with a swinging chicken is not toxic. Other gender predictors are equally risible. For instance, if the baby’s father puts on weight during pregnancy, the claim is the child will be male, when, in fact, the reality is if Dad starts to expand, it’s because the bike he spent a grand on remains behind a stack of cartons in the garage, out of use, out of reach and out of mind, and as pristine as the day he first wheeled it proudly up the drive. Yes, tests that claim to predict gender are about as dependable as the fortune teller whose palm you cross with silver to tell you that the man of your dreams is just around the corner, where he remains forever. Rather than spoil the surprise, why not wait for that moment when the child arrives?

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Some believe cravings have a bearing. If your interest is in all things savoury, the baby is male. If it’s sugar, spice and all things nice, a girl is on the horizon

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Different perspective Male health 11

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At the University of Limerick medical students are improving their powers of observation in an unusual way — by learning to draw. Áilín Quinlan reports

Part of medicine E

VERY Wednesday evening, a group of students gathers in a room at the University of Limerick Medical School — but not to study anatomy or pharmacology. They’re there to draw. The teacher hands out pieces of charcoal and large sheets of drawing paper and for the next two and a half hours, these medical students produce sketch after sketch. The aim: to help nurture the fledgling doctors’ future diagnostic abilities by making them more observant. Sometimes the students sketch a nude model, sometimes they engage in exercises specifically designed to improve their observational skills. Professor Daniel Duffy is the first Fellow in the Humanities at the Graduate-Entry Medical School, University of Limerick (UL) — and the first artist-in-residence for a medical school in Ireland. “This is specifically about observational techniques: it has the same purpose as for art students — it is about improving their visual acumen,” says Duffy. “Careful observation has been known to alert a doctor to a change in skin pattern or texture indicating the presence of pre-cancerous cells. This is one example of how improved observation skills can benefit patients.” With its emphasis on drawing exercises and workshops, the art component helps students develop their observational abilities, he says. “It helps nurture improved diagnostic skills and thus patient care, and it makes them more observant.” It also, he explains, provides students with an opportunity to focus in on themselves. “It is very important for them as doctors to focus on their own humanity and this translates to their patients in the future as well. These are observational exercises that improve their ability to see. They can bring this into their medical practice,” says US-born Duffy, whose work has been exhibited internationally. Many doctors, he says, tend to spend very little of their time actually observing their patients. “Their heads tend to be stuck in charts, and looking at scans,” he says, adding that he believes that improved powers of observation can potentially help doctors spot things that could otherwise be overlooked, “such as something in an X-ray or a change in a patch of skin”. Although the course, which started in September and runs until February, is not compulsory, it attracts a loyal following of about 20 third-year students and a smaller number of first and second years. And while it’s clearly difficult to specifically measure what the programme has accomplished to date, he believes it’s showing results. “The level of enthusiasm is high. The students are coming back to my class saying they feel more confident and less anxious about observing the world and the patients in the hospital. There is a comfort level and a confidence in their powers of observation because of the tools they have been given. They feel it has been a successful addition to their education as doctors.” Traditionally, doctors were forced by necessity to hone their skills of observation says Duffy, whose residency at UL is supported by pharmaceutical company Lundbeck Ireland. “Doctors were required to draw until the turn of the century, but have lost this ability

Feelgood

WATCHING BRIEF: Professor Daniel Mark Duffy, the first Fellow in Humanities and Artist in Residence, right, viewing work by Ronan Cleary from Tramore, Co Waterford, a second year student at the Graduate-Entry Medical School, University of Limerick. Picture: Kieran Clancy now because they don’t have to exercise their eye as they would in the past when they were drawing constantly. They had to open up bodies and observe the organs, skin eyes to find out what was going on with a patient.” The connection between medicine and art is an historic one, he says. “Take the genius of Leonardo da Vinci whose sketchbooks are filled with anatomical studies of organs and embryos — they were stealing cadavers so he could open up pregnant women who had died.” He points to the work of the scientifical-

ly-minded American artist Thomas Eakins who is credited with several paintings of surgical operations, including the famous painting, The Gross Clinic, familiar to medical students worldwide. Nowadays things may have moved on but, says Duffy, art can still teach doctors a lot about observation — and he is determined to hone his students’ powers. “The aim of this humanities course is to improve medical students’ visual acumen through the introduction to fine arts concepts and structured observation exercises.

“A visual analysis of works of art and direct observation drawing workshops enhance inspection skills that apply to improved patient care. “Students will gain a greater understanding of the people (humanities) side of medicine through art and they will be equipped to comprehend the emotional aspect of illnesses.” ● Further information about the Graduate Entry Medical School is available on www.ul.ie/medicalschool.

Where art offers healing in its own way The Waterford Healing Arts Trust (WHAT) has been running an Artist in Residence programme in Waterford Regional Hospital (WRH) since 1994. In the case of visual arts, artists are given a studio space in the WHAT Centre for Arts and Health in which they create a new body of work for exhibition in the hospital. Artists forge links with the hospital community by meeting with staff, patients and visitors in creative projects. The Trust is also currently running a one-to-one music programme in Newport Day Care Centre, Dungarvan, Co Waterford. The programme is led by Liam Merriman on a one-to-one basis with mental

health service users. Merriman is working with four clients in voice, banjo, drums and creative writing. The programme is co-funded by Waterford County Council Arts Office. For further information contact Gavin Barr or Mary Grehan on 051-842664 Scales and Tales, a six-month residency of music and storytelling at Cork University Hospital, concluded in November. Once a month, musician Caoimhe Conlon and storyteller Fiona Dowling invited

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2012

the children of the paediatric department together with parents, siblings and hospital staff to engage with musical instruments in making stories and characters come to life. The Humour Foundation of Ireland established the Clown Doctors Programme in 2005 to aid the recovery of sick children. Operating from Our Lady’s Hospital in Crumlin, the clowns dole out healthy doses of fun and laughter, instead of dispensing medicine. Their aim is simple: to help the children to forget they are ill.

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12 Food survey

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Layers of warmth

wonderfully warming dish, it takes time to make really good lasagne. I have watched Italians cook their meat sauce for hours, gently simmering it, sending the most wonderful aromas around the kitchen. It’s easy to get impatient. They will make their own lasgane sheets too, winding it through rollers until wafer-thin, transparent and long enough to droop over the side of the table. Dried lasagne is the best alternative to use at home. A lasagne dish can be made at a leisurely pace at the weekend and kept for a few days, or frozen in convenient portions for several meals. Ready-made lasagne can be frozen too, so it’s a handy stand-by for tired days. Readymade tomato sauces are pretty good, so a quick lasagne is possible, but leave the meat, tomato and herb sauce, with as many

Marks & Spencer Trattoria Lasagne Al Forno, 730g, €7.49 Seventeen percent beef went a long way and there was enough tomato flavour. A splash of red wine provided depth, along with carrots and garlic. The béchamel sauce had a little flavour and was nicely creamy. The egg pasta was good. Red cheddar mozzarella and parmesan provided a decent amount of cheese flavour. An all-rounder and the favourite of tasters. The price is high, but good flavour, no additives.

Roz Crowley vegetables as possible, to simmer to allow the flavours of the tomatoes and herbs to integrate with the meat. You can use pork, too, or a mixture of pork and beef. Venison lasagne is delicious. Italians say that good lasagne sits-up proud. If it falls over, it’s too liquid. In today’s survey, we are looking for the closest to the real thing, which includes the white béchamel sauce having a delicate herb or nutmeg flavour, and the pasta firm, not flabby. Here are our findings.

Picture: Fotaware

Tesco Finest Italian Lasagne, 700g €5.57

Cully & Sully beef lasagne, 400g, €4.99

The 22% British or Irish beef here provides a nice, meaty flavour. There is red wine, tomato and garlic for flavour in the meat sauce and a little nutmeg in a pretty good béchamel, which has quite a creamy texture. The pasta is quite firm, and while the Grana Padano cheese topping doesn’t look much on top, it has a gentle richness. Overall a good product at a fair price. Tasters liked this.

At 36%, this has the highest beef content of the selection and combines with a good, vibrant tomato flavour with a hint of fresh parsley and basil. While we would have preferred the pasta a little firmer, the béchamel sauce has a nice hint of nutmeg to provide flavour, and the texture was right. A good, cheesy topping finishes it well. Tasters liked it.

Score: 8

Score: 7.5

Dunnes Beef Lasagne, 800g €4 A nice nutmeg flavour in the white sauce is as it should be and all tasters appreciated it, but the texture was a little gloopy. While there is 33% beef, tasters thought it a bit light on meat flavour. (In Italy they don’t use so much meat.) However, the pasta is of good quality, so overall tasters liked the combination and would definitely buy it again. Good value. Score: 7.5

Score: 8.5

Supervalu Irish Beef Lasagne, 1kg €4

Carroll Cuisine Lasagne, 700g, €4.99

Made using 21% Irish beef, there is plenty of meat flavour here. The overriding flavour of peppers was a little too much for a few tasters. The béchamel sauce was a bit gloopy and not the texture of a typical sauce. Skimmed milk powder was used. A generous amount of thickly grated red cheddar on top didn’t have much flavour and the pasta was a little flabby, but the overall product was pleasant and tasters enjoyed it. When told the price they thought they would buy it and add highly flavoured cheese on top.

A nice cheesy topping is a good start for this lasagne which sits up nicely when cooked. The tomato sauce has a welcome fresh flavour. The meat at 15% pork is low, but quite tasty, but the white sauce has little flavour. Tasters liked it and thought they would buy it again at this price. Score: 7

Casa Barelli, 1kg €3.85, Aldi. 20% minced beef seems low in this product, but the pasta is nicely firm. The white sauce has an unnatural texture with skimmed milk and milk protein lactose used, along with a few additives for various purposes. Still, pretty good value at this price for a night when a product like this can be taken out of the freezer to fill a gap. Score: 6

Made in France, this has 24% minced beef, but it didn’t have a strong meaty flavour. The tomato sauce was quite tasty, but the texture and taste of the béchamel sauce let it down. There was little flavour and the texture was not creamy. Skimmed milk powder with modified maize starch, and thickeners xantham gum and carob-seed flour, may have affected the texture. At this price, added cheese on top and a lively salad would make an economical supper. Score: 6

Score: 7

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Trattoria Alfredo lasagne bolognese, 1kg, €3.85, Lidl

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Male Male health health 13

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Energy for life I

T is estimated that as many as seven out of 10 smokers want to quit. Waterford man Brendan Dunne, 42, was one of those. “I was thinking of giving up cigarettes for about six years before I gave them up,” says Brendan, who was smoking 30 cigarettes a day when he finally succeeded in quitting smoking in 2004. Smokers typically battle their addiction to smoking with just willpower alone, with many relapsing in a week or less. “I started smoking when I was going to school,” says Brendan, who’s married to Susan and has two children, Sophie and Sasha. “I gave up cigarettes for 11 months when I was 18 and then, through stupidity, I went back smoking again. That was one of the only times when I was successful at staying off the cigarettes.” Research in 2011 by Ipsos MORI on behalf of Pfizer showed that smokers are resilient when it comes to toughing it out — enduring severe weather to smoke, covering up the habit from friends and family and even letting relationships ruin. However, the danger for many smokers comes from their gradual acceptance that these extreme behaviours are normal everyday life and simply part of their lifestyle as a smoker. “Most people who smoke are looking for enjoyment – that one nice cigarette, but they rarely get it,” says Brendan, who was made redundant from his sales position with an electric cable manufacturer a few years ago. “I had been giving up cigarettes on and off for a month at a time. Then, one Tuesday morning, I bought 20 cigarettes and said when they were gone, I wouldn’t

Deirdre O'Flynn MOSTLY MEN

smoke any more. I think I had trained my brain not to miss cigarettes.” Now working with The Virtual Office in Waterford, specialising in social media management, he has written blog posts outlining his experience in quitting smoking, but feels each quitter’s situation is unique. Brendan admits that it was his health — a sense of wellbeing, rather than specific concerns — which pushed him to quit smoking. “My lungs have freed up and I can play with the children,” he says, adding that he also did a marketing degree after he quit smoking. “I used to feel sluggish and felt the effects that way of smoking. I was 34 and had just met my future wife, so it just seemed the right thing to do.” If you’re one of those who would like the help of a healthcare professional, log on to www.quitwithhelp.ie for more information.

PROUD QUITTER: Waterford man Brendan Dunne managed to kick his habit of 30 cigarettes a day. Picture: Patrick Browne

Get a head start on migraine attacks

New course on men’s health and wellbeing

If migraine is an issue for you, you might note the Migraine Association of Ireland [MAI] will host its latest migraine/headache information evening in Ennis during February. The free event will take place in the Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis on Monday, February 13 from 7.30pm. The evening is an ideal opportunity for sufferers to learn how to better manage and control their migraine or other debilitating headache disorders. Those who

SHEP, the Cork-based community training organisation, is running a course on Men’s Health and Wellbeing. It’s limited to 16 participants and will be facilitated by a male tutor who will base the course on the needs of the men in the group. Topics which are covered typically include developing self-awareness, recognising stressors, conflict management, etc. The course will run in Ballincollig for eight weeks on Wednesdays from 7.30 until 10pm, starting on Feb 1.

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live, work and deal with migraineurs on a regular basis — employers, health professionals, teachers, family and friends — are also welcome to attend. Consultant neurologist Dr Peter Boers will present on the causes, diagnosis and treatment of migraine and other headache disorders. The event will also feature a presentation on the services and supports available. ● Contact 1850-200378 or info@migraine.ie

PERSONALISED GIFT: Notonthehighstreet.com has quirky personalised gifts for all the family and is now delivering to Ireland. If you are looking for an imaginative way to commemorate a special occasion like a new baby or christening, this site is worth a look. Although these gifts can be a little pricey, there is something for every budget and everything is beautifully made by more than 1,800 creative small businesses. Due to demand from Irish consumers Notonthehighstreet is planning to set up a euro version of the site shortly and to source gifts from Irish producers. Personalised piggy bank £25 (€30); www.notonthehighstreet.com

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All men are welcome to apply for a place on the course. You will need to book in advance as places are limited. While SHEP’s administrative staff will take your booking, you can ask to be contacted by the tutor if you would like to discuss anything before the course starts. ● For further information on this or other SHEP courses, phone The Social and Health Education Project on 021-4666180.

DId you know...

Running a marathon or half-marathon does not lead to an increased risk of cardiac arrest (Source: Massachusetts General Hospital, US)

Great Expectations

EASE THE STRAIN: The Medicare Pregnancy Support Belt is a new solution to ease the strain of pregnancy for expectant Irish mothers. Designed to relieve discomfort in the back, abdomen, and legs, the latex-free elastic gently supports the weight of your growing baby. The belt expands to accommodate baby’s growth, and comes in four sizes to fit dress sizes from 8-18. The Medicare Pregnancy Support Belt is available from pharmacies, €34.95, or online at www.flemingmedical.ie

NEW NAPPY: An estimated 600,000 nappies are used every day in Ireland and less than 2% of these are reusable. Nappy company Bambino Mio has created the Miosolo — a one size, all in one, reusable nappy. It features a soft lining designed to let your baby’s skin breathe, while the absorbent core draws moisture away from the skin. The easy-adjust Velcro tabs allow the nappy to be used as junior grows. The Miosolo is €17.50 and is now available in nursery stores, pharmacies and selected grocery stores nationwide. For stockist details visit www.cleverclogs.ie.

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THYME FOR BED: Is your little one finding it difficult to settle at night? Weleda says its Calendula Bath product, €9.25, contains a mix of pure plant extracts including thyme — which has an age-old reputation for soothing — so your little one can unwind at the end of the day. Calendula is a natural anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial — ideal for baby skin that might be sore or irritated from nappy rash or other common baby skin conditions. Further details from 045-865575.

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Beauty

Emily O’Sullivan

Keep up appearances on a small budget with quick-fix hair and skin products

IGHT now, I have neither the time nor the budget to look my best. My hair is frazzled to within an inch of its life, but spending a three-figure sum on good highlights and a fancy cut just isn’t an option. In fact, things have got so bad that this morning I hacked off a lump of particularly heinous ‘hair grizzle’ with a semi-blunt nail scissors. It’s January — the time of the year when quick fixes are the only option. There just isn’t the money. Instead, I’m having to get into fix-it mode, which means my hair will have to be ‘patched up’ for another few months; my skin will have to endure a complete lack of TLC, and my body is going to have to put up with whatever sorry state it’s in beneath those layers of woolies and thermals. Still, January is a good time for ‘get on with it’ products. Products that don’t cost an insane amount of money, products that don’t demand ridiculous amounts of your time, and that will tide you over for a couple of months. Top of my list is a hair fixer. Thankfully, there are two products I’ve found that are going to help sort things out. One is ‘photo fabulous intensive treatment,’ by James Brown, €11.49; the other is John Frieda ‘sheer blonde go blonder controlled lightening spray,’ €6.89. The former sorts out the condition of my hair; the latter sorts out the colour. Okay, so spraying a ‘blonding’ spray into your roots is never going to have an amazing effect, but, right now, it’s better than nothing. If you’re brunette, then a really good option is the Oscar Blandi ‘pronto colore root touch-up and highlighting pen,’ $23 (about €18). A friend of mine in the US swears by

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The January blues

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The news on... BOBBI BROWN EXTRA SPF 25 REPAIRING BALM Sometimes you put moisturisers on your skin that feel exactly right — like they’re just going to make your skin feel instantly better. This is one of those products. It has a great fragrance and smoothes onto the skin really beautifully, making it sink in and providing an excellent base for make-up. The SPF 25 is a great addition as we come into spring, too. An all round winner, although it is expensive at €52.

Take three... NAVY EYESHADOWS Oh gosh, spring is right around the corner, and the summer collections are filled with some of the most frighteningly girly shades you’ve ever seen — pastels, fuchsia’s, pretty pinks and blues. It’s all soft and feminine, not quite what you’re in the mood for in the depths of winter when the sky is still black at 5pm. But don’t worry, the navy eye is hot right now, and is going to be even hotter come summer.

FACE FACTS: Don’t discount face masks for getting you out of a bad-skin hole this winter. They can work wonders in just 10 minutes. Picture:iStock

this little fellow. Annoyingly, it’s only available from sephora.com and they don’t ship internationally, but if you know someone in the US then ask them to send it on. Troublesome, but worth it in the end. It’s not a perfect product — it can leave the hair feeling a little waxy — but it can be a lifesaver between root touch-ups. My new best friend is concealer. January is an ideal time for cosying up to a good concealer, especially for me — my eyes are grey, my skin looks rubbish and completely dull. If I was flush, I’d go and get a fancy facial, but I’m not, so really I’ve got to fake it. I’ve recently discovered Clarins’s very excellent ‘instant light brush-on perfector,’ €27.45, which is really making a difference to my skin in the morning. It’s easy and quick to apply and it does make me feel somewhat better about myself. One of the best products that you can use right now, is a fake tan. Yes, we know, fake tans are naff and it’s all about the pale. But there’s a difference between September pale

and January pale. January pale tends to have a more Sleepy Hollow feel to it, and that’s where fake tan can make a huge difference. You don’t have to spend a fortune, just as long as it’s a formulation for the face. For a very subtle effect, mix it with a little moisturiser, you’ll be surprised just how well it takes the edge off. Laura Mercier’s ‘bronzing gel for the face,’ €31.35, is good for a splash-out, but otherwise try a gradual self-tanner for the face, from Olay or Simple. And don’t discount face masks for getting you out of a bad-skin hole this January. It takes just 10 minutes to get a result and you can whack one on in the morning while you’re making a cup of coffee. Face masks are ideal for tackling all your skin problems in a very short and neat period of time. Try Korres’s yoghurt mask, €24.40, for dry or dehydrated winter skin; try Lush’s ‘love lettuce,’ €8.50 for brightening and exfoliating; or opt for Ole Henricksen’s ‘blemish attack purifying mask,’ €44, if you’re having something of a spotty month.

a very handy product to have around. A daily fave, I now can’t go out without it (well, I can, but I would be indistinguishable from the pavement). Clarins products aren’t cheap, but they make the best skin-perfecting products around. No lie.

you look that little bit healthier, quickly.

Nars Night Flight Eyeshadow, €24. This is a lovely shadow, it’s really deep navy, slightly sparkly and very flattering. If you’re worried about wearing blue, it’s a good one to start with because it’s very dark so it looks more blackish than navy. It blends well and it makes a great deep winter shadow, and will no doubt look just as hot on balmy summer nights. Bourjois Little Round Pot Eyeshadow in Magnetic Blue, €8.99. I’ve always loved these shadows because they’re great value and have a great texture. Plus, they come in an excellent range of shades — just look at this little cracker. Goes on great, and stays on well. L’Oreal Paris Colour Infallible All Night Blue, €10.79. This intense shade isn’t for eyeshadow wallflowers, but it looks really great after dark, especially worn with all black. If you’re looking for a winter disco effect, team with a silver shade on top.

STUFF WE LIKE John Frieda Go Blonder Controlled Lightening Spray, €6.89. I keep a bottle of this on hand to brighten things up every now and then when I’m trying to extend the period of time between highlights. It’s not a miracle worker, but it does brighten the hair and can lift you out of a barnet-related grump. Clarins Instant Light Brush On Perfector, €27.45. If you don’t have the time or the inclination to actually do something about why you face might need a concealer (ie exfoliating, sleeping well, exercising, fresh air, the usual), then this is

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Laura Mercier’s Bronzing Gel for the Face, €31.35. Sheer and lightweight, this works very well as a January pick-me-up. Don’t get carried away — it’s not meant to be a tan, but just putting a tiny bit underneath your make up can really give your skin a boost and make

Korres Yoghurt Mask, €24.40. Sometimes in winter I get to the end of the day and I look like someone who’s been spent quite a lot of time in Siberia — my skin looks so dry and weathered. Soft, supple skin looks an awful lot better, and a good way to give it a moisture boost is with a mask. This cooling and hydrating offering from Korres is very gentle and feels great on the skin. James Brown Photo Fabulous Treatment, €11.49. This got buried right at the back of my bathroom

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cabinet, and I only rediscovered it the other day, which is no bad thing. Sometimes hair products can be even more effective if your hair takes a break from them from a while. I love this. It feels great going on, and takes 10 minutes to work on your locks. It does make a difference. Even better, if you have the time, leave it on for half an hour at the weekend and banish the frazzle.

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Megan Sheppard Do you have a question for Megan Sheppard? Email it to feelgood@examiner.ie or send a letter to Feelgood Irish Examiner City Quarter Lapps Quay Cork

Natural health Is the water from a domestic dehumidifier the same as distilled water? If so, is it safe to drink?

A. The water collected by a dehumidifier is condensed, but is not a pure source. Since dehumidifiers are not designed with water consumption in mind, there are many points of the process at which bacteria can be introduced — which means that it is not safe to drink. As with any potentially contaminated water, you can get around this by filtering, then boiling the water — but this would be a last-resort example rather than a recommendation. I recommend you try a purpose-built distiller — these come in a wide range of sizes and prices, and it is a guarantee that you are getting true and safe distilled water. These generally start at about €200, so they are not cheap. The good thing is that, unlike water-filtration systems, you don’t have ongoing, expensive replacement filter parts, nor do they need to be plumbed in to your kitchen. Distilled water is produced by turning the water into steam, in order to remove the impurities, then the steam is condensed back into ‘pure’ water. In a previous article, I mentioned that there has been controversy regarding whether or not drinking distilled water in the long term is advisable, since it pulls minerals from the body. This is the reason why it is often recommended for health and detoxification purposes. The good news is that distilled water only attracts inorganic minerals for removal from the body. Harvey and Marilyn Diamond address the distilled water myth in their updated book, Fit For Life II: Living Health, writing that “distilled water has an inherent quality. Acting almost like a magnet, it picks up rejected, discarded, and unusable minerals and, assisted by the blood and the lymph, carries them to the lungs and kidneys for elimination from the body. “The statement that distilled water leaches minerals from the body has no basis in fact. It doesn’t leach out minerals that have become part of the cell structure. It can’t and won’t. It collects only minerals that have already been rejected or excreted by the cells ....” Western Green has a 3.2-litre model on special offer for €180, including free delivery within Ireland. You can contact them at 023 8869651, or order online at www.westerngreen.ie. Q. I have eczema on my left shin. I had a varicose vein as well, but I got it successfully removed two weeks ago. The eczema is improved when dry, but I wonder what cream I could use to make it better? A. One of the best creams for relieving the discomfort, redness, weeping, and swelling associated with eczema is chickweed (Stellaria

THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE: Distilled water does not remove beneficial minerals from the body. Picture: iStock

media). This herb has a powerful purifying-and-cleansing action, plus it is incredibly soothing. You should be able to find this in a cream or gel form at your local health store. The other consideration when it comes to healing eczema is bowel health. It is important to remember that the skin is just one of the organs of elimination, and so by cleansing the lower bowel, skin conditions tend to clear more easily, since the workload of this elimination organ is now shared. Switching to organic wholefoods is also important when it comes to eczema, and trialling exclusion of common allergens such as wheat, sugar and dairy can eliminate this condition altogether. There are many effective bowel-cleansing programmes and methods, so I recommend you do a little research and choose one that you are comfortable with, so that you are more likely to stick to the plan and achieve the best results. Q. For the past three years, I have suffered slight headaches and my eye sight is also affected. An eye specialist advised having cataracts removed but the procedure had no effect on my condition. I then went to an optician who said I had double vision and prescribed glasses — but these have had no effect either. I understand the condition is due to the muscles of the eye weakening. Do you have further information on this condition and is there a remedy to help? A. It can be very stressful when eyesight begins to deteriorate, as it brings with it a set of limitations and can lead to a sense of losing your independence. However, there are

simple exercises which have been used for decades to help strengthen eye muscles, for details see the below Spotlight column. Eyesight issues in people of all ages and backgrounds are becoming more and more common with screen technology taking such a front seat in our lives. You can tweak your diet to support your eye health, as well as performing the simple daily exercises. Bilberries, in particular, have a reputation for supporting eye health and are often prescribed by naturopaths to improve vision, focus and dry eyes. In fact, they were eaten by aircraft pilots in the Second World War to improve their night vision. Bilberry is available from health stores (or www.hereshealth.ie), where 60 capsules cost €23.87. DHA (docosahexanoic acid) is worth considering as a supplement, since it has a number of proven benefits for eye and brain health. DHA is present in the retina of the eye, and supplementation has been shown to provide protection against macular degeneration. Healthy and Essential (045-892267; www.healthyandessential.ie) has a wide range of DHA supplements and their oils are of the highest quality. Essential fatty acids are also renowned for helping with allergic conditions such as hay fever. Two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin play a crucial role in eyesight protection. Lutein is present in leafy, green vegetables such as spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts and broccoli, while zeaxanthin can be found in egg yolks along with yellow and orange produce. Because lutein is oil-soluble, maximise your absorption of this nutrient by making your own colourful vegetable stir-fry.

■ NOTE: The information contained above is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor first.

Megan puts the spotlight on:

mproving your eyesight and reducing your chance of degenerative eye conditions later in life may be as simple as doing these basic exercises for 10 to 15 minutes a day.

1. FOCUS SWITCH Practise this exercise for a couple of minutes each session, and do it at least once daily. Focus on a close object (you can use your thumb) and hold it about 25cm/10in away from your face. Now, choose a distant object — about

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4.5m/15ft away from you. With each breath, switch your focus between the near and far objects. This is one of the best exercises for strengthening eye muscles. 2. INFINITY Another eye-muscle strengthener, this improves flexibility. The infinity exercise involves you moving your eyeballs in the shape of the infinity symbol (like a horizontal figure 8). It feels weird to begin with, but persist. Move your eyes, slowly tracing the infinity pattern in one direction for two minutes, then switch to the other direction for two minutes. 3. BLINK This may sound incredibly simple, but

Five exercises to improve eyesight we don’t blink as often as we should throughout the day. This is particularly true for people who spend lot of time working at computers or watching television. Even non-screen activities, where you are intently focused on your task, cause you to blink far less than usual. The simplest exercise of all — just blink, then count to three, then blink again, repeating this for two minutes. Take note of times throughout the day when you find yourself staring, and use the opportunity to consciously blink more often. 4. HITCH-HIKER While you are sitting down comfortably, outstretch your arm with the thumb up

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(in the hitchhiking position). Focus on your thumb at arm’s length, and then slowly bring your thumb towards your face while maintaining focus. Do this until your thumb is about 7.5cm/3in from your eyes, and then bring the thumb slowly back to arm’s length again. Repeat for two minutes daily. 5. EYE PALM This is the most relaxing of all the exercises, and helps to relieve stress in the eye area. Sit at a desk or table and breathe deeply. Rest your elbows on the table and close our eyes. Place your palms over your eyes and cup your eye sockets for a couple of minutes. Ensure that the pressure is gentle — the point is relaxation and stress relief.

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