A&H April 2016

ORGANIC FOOD How to recognise the real thing

PLUS

REAL PEOPLE, REAL LIVES, PRODUCT NEWS & MORE

APRIL/MAY . ISSUE 67

M A LTA ’ S B E S T A N D B R I G H T E S T H E A LT H A N D W E L L B E I N G M A G A Z I N E

KEEP COOL, KEEP WELL

LOVE THE GREAT OUTDOORS

STRESSFREE STUDY

A GUIDE FOR PARENTS

MIXING MEDICINE AND MUSIC

AUTISM

ask the right questions

EATING LACTOFREE

SCREEN TIME Are you seeing right?

Mum, welcome to your new life.

Mum

Immune system

Maternal tissue

Bone health

Blood formation

Eyes and brain

Available in Pharmacies NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS CANNOT REPLACE A VARIED, BALANCED DIET AND A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. IMPORTANT NOTICE: The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. NestlĂŠ fully supports this recommendation and extended breastfeeding also during weaning, as advised by paediatricians and health authorities.

SAYS...

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t’s here at last – the spring that follows the winter that never was. It’s me to put away the thick sweaters, roll up the carpets and get outdoors. That’s tricky if you’re a parent in the thick of exam season. The frustra on of being inside and trying to mo vate uncoopera ve children can drive you up the wall. Before you lose it, take a deep breath and turn to our feature on stress-free study. Good me management and work planning can help you regain control.

You might even free up enough me to enjoy the great outdoors.

Whether you indoors or out, take a moment to read through A&H. We’ve filled this issue with interes ng people, useful features and prac cal informa on. We hope you enjoy the read and will see you again in June.

EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Corinne Vella ASSISTANT EDITOR Anna Maria Ga DESIGNER Conrad Bondin – Standard Publica ons Ltd. CONTRIBUTORS Marika Azzopardi, Suzanne Bonello, Anna Maria Ga , Richard Mills, Corinne Vella PHOTOGRAPHY Standard Publica ons Ltd., AP & others.

PRINTER Print-it DISTRIBUTION Bi-monthly with The Malta Independent on Sunday, and in clinics, hair and beauty salons and pharmacies.

ADVERTISING Chris ne Bu gieg – Standard Publica ons Ltd. T 2134 5888 ext 136. cbu gieg@independent.com.mt SALES CO ORDINATOR/ARTWORK COLLECTION Chris ne Bu gieg – Standard Publica ons Ltd. T 2134 5888 ext 136 PUBLISHERS P&D Communica ons Ltd. Standard Publica ons Ltd., Standard House, Birkirkara Hill, St Julian’s STJ1149, Malta.

T (356) 2134 5888 F (356) 2134 6062, 2134 3460 The informa on in this magazine should not be used as a subs tute for the care and advice of a health professional. Appropriate treatment varies according to an individual’s par cular condi on and circumstances. Self-diagnosis is risky, especially in the case of serious condi ons.

All rights reserved. Reproduc on of this magazine in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without the wri en consent of Standard Publica ons Ltd. A&H’s publishers cannot be held responsible for any ac on taken without the advice of a medical specialist. The opinions expressed in this publica on are not necessarily those of the publishers or the editor. While every a empt has been made to ensure accuracy, the publisher and the editor cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions from ar cles, adver sing, photographs or illustra ons, for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or other material, or for submissions of any kind, whether delivered electronically or by conven onal mail, which are lost or damaged in transit.

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IN THIS ISSUE

FAMILY LIFE

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MY KIND OF LIFE

AUTISM Ask the right questions

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STRESS FREE STUDY

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Soprano Maria Angela Grima

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WHAT AM I DOING HERE?

COMPUTER VISION SYNDROME

REAL LIVES

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MY KIND OF LIFE Meet Maria Angela Grima

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WHAT AM I DOING HERE? ON TRACK On track with Athletics coach Angie Mangion

ENJOY THE GREAT OUTDOORS

REGULAR 06

QUIZ Are you a risk taker?

24, 37, 43 INFORMATION 44 PRODUCT NEWS 47 PHARMACIES

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FOOD IN SEASON

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STRESS FREE STUDY

FEATURES 08 10 18 20 23 38 4

April 2016

LONG HAIR CARE ENJOY THE GREAT OUTDOORS COMPUTER VISION SYNDROME LACTOSE INTOLERANCE FOOD IN SEASON CONDITIONING THE AIR WE BREATHE

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AUTISM Ask the right questions

LivoNervis Dosage regimen: Once daily dose = 600mg alphalipoic acid, 100% RDA of Vitamins B1, B6 and B12

Controlled release of alphalipoic acid One of the advantages of LivoNervis is the controlled release of alphalipoic acid over a number of hours, thus allowing for once daily administra on. Alphalipoic acid has a short half-life, and with the incorpora on of both the MATRIS® (Retard Mul form Administra on Timed Release Ingredient System) and SURACTIVES components, this degrada on can be reduced by releasing the alphalipoic acid over 9-10 hours.

LivoNervis is made up of controlled release alpha lipoic acid (ALA) at a dose of 600mg, and Vitamin B complex.

ALA is a POTENT an oxidant able to counteract free radicalmediated oxida ve stress damages, whereas the Vitamin B complex protects the nerves from degenera ve phenomena.

This combina on offers synergis c, las ng and targe ed treatment for neuropathic pain and hypersensi ve nerves.

Indica ons: • Cervical brachial syndrome pain • Carpal Tunnel syndrome pain • Scia ca pain • Diabe c neuropathy • Fibromyalgia

Peak plasma concentra ons are reached a er 11 hours. *LivoNervis was previously known as LipoNerv.

LivoNervis is a registered food supplement, does not require a prescrip on.

Available from leading pharmacies and Europharma Medical Center, Psaila Street, B’Kara.

Tel 23859211; 23859272 info@europharma.com.mt

QUIZ

ARE YOU A RISK TAKER? You are abroad and your guide takes you to a remote place to try out a local dish. You: a. politely refuse but admire the way they cook b. say you’re not hungry but then dip a piece of bread into your partner’s dish c. look forward to trying it out and ask for a second helping.

On an expedition you come across a bridge with a signpost warning you not to cross and to take a detour instead.

You: a. turn around and follow the new directions b. start going across the bridge but then change your mind c. defy the instructions and go across the bridge to avoid wasting time.

You wake up feverish and with a sore throat. You: a. call in sick and go back to bed to recover b. go to work but visit your doctor on the way c. keep on with your normal routine and deny all symptoms.

While preparing dinner, you: a. use all appropriate utensils and wash everything with warm water

b. clear up while cooking and tend to finish as quickly as possible c. mix up all utensils and chopping boards because time is precious.

You start coughing, so you: a. go to the doctor for some medicine b. ask the pharmacist to suggest something c. open the medicine cupboard at home and take two teaspoons of the first cough syrup you find.

You come home late from work and rummage through your larder for a can of ready-made pasta sauce. The only one left is expired. You: a. throw it away and decide to prepare some fresh sauce b. phone for a pizza delivery c. use it just the same and say that it’s never tasted better.

Your mechanic noticed that your car brakes need to be replaced as soon as possible. You: a. have them replaced straight away b. take the car to another mechanic for a second opinion c. decide you are too busy to spend days without a car while the brakes are replaced.

YOUR ANSWERS Mostly A’s You definitely are not a risk-taker. You are very cautious and think twice before taking a decision. This might ensure your safety but at the same time, research shows that a lack of challenge in one’s life can have adverse consequences. In fact some research confirms that slight risk-taking can actually prolong one’s life. It s good to avoid serious risks especially if other people are involved but some adrenaline will definitely not harm you. You might need that little extra boost of confidence to believe in your ability to succeed.

Mostly B’s You are a very indecisive person. You take long to decide and always weighing the good and bad options for fear of taking the wrong decision. Even after you do and achieve something,

you still keep thinking of what could have been if you had taken a different decision. This continuous questioning interferes with your ability to enjoy life and appreciate your achievements. It is good to think things through before taking decisions, but once that decision has been taken, it is useless looking back. Each decision taken is a lesson learnt.

Mostly C’s You are definitely a risk-taker. At times you over do it without stopping to think about the possibility that you might hurt yourself and the people around you. Your life history might have always proved you right but don t forget that accidents do happen and remorse will haunt you forever. In case of quick decisions, risk-taking might turn out to be useful. But be sure of what you decide. Remember your life could be at stake, as well as those of people around you.

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HAIRCARE

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Oil your hair a couple of times a week. It helps nourish the scalp and strengthens the hair shaft. Warm a cupful of oil (olive, coconut or almond) and gently rub it into your scalp. Divide your hair into sections and massage warm oil in, using your palms in downward strokes. Then slip on a shower cap, wrap your head in a towel and leave the oil in for as long as you can. Wash out the excess oil using a light shampoo applied only to your scalp.

Don’t wash your hair every day. Washing your hair strips it of its natural protective coating.

Even if you use a good conditioner after shampooing your hair, frequent washing dries it out. Use a dry shampoo to freshen up in between washes, if you really need it.

Don’t rub your hair when shampooing. Lightly massage your scalp and then let the suds run through your hair.

Wrap your head in a towel to remove excess water. It’s a lot better than rubbing it dry using a rough towel. Alternatively, pat your hair with a soft towel to absorb excess moisture.

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Ways to LUSTROUS LOCKS

GROWING YOUR HAIR IS A SLOW PROCESS. YOU CAN’T SPEED IT UP, BUT YOU CAN HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN. HERE’S HOW.

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Always, always use a hair conditioner. Conditioner helps protect your hair and keeps it healthy. If you have greasy hair, choose an appropriate conditioner and apply it from midway down the hair shaft to your hair tips.

Let your hair air dry as often as possible. Blowdrying damages the hair shaft so save that for when you really need it.

Put away your hair styling tools for a while. Using tongs, curlers, and crimping and straightening irons damages your hair.

Leave your hair in its natural state and save the styling tools for special occasions.

Detangle your hair using your fingers or a wide-toothed comb.

Don’t use a brush on wet hair because it’s easily stretched and broken.

Rinse your hair in tepid water, rather than hot and finish off with a quick, cold rinse. Hot water dries out your hair. A cold rinse will help smoothen the hair shaft.

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Massage your scalp daily.

It’ll help stimulate your scalp circulation, bringing precious nutrients to your hair roots.

Use a nourishing oil like coconut or almond oil.

Wear a sunhat.

Whenever you’re outdoors and especially at the beach, cover your hair to prevent sun damage.

Let your hair down. Tying and pinning your hair back damages the hair shaft. Leave your hair loose as often as possible. High, tight pony tails strain your

hair roots, causing hair loss in the long-term.

Choose and use hair products that nourish the hair. Don’t overload your hair with styling products that then need to be washed out with strong shampoo.

Use natural products to help nourish your hair and scalp. Plant-based oils are good for your hair. So are honey, egg yolk, and aloe vera.

Make sure you eat the right nutrients. Protein is essential for good hair growth and vitamin E helps scalp health. Include both in your daily diet to maximise healthy hair growth.

Supplements can help maximise hair health.

Health supplements are no substitute for a properly nutritious diet but they can help your hair be the best it possibly can be.

Exercise regularly. The best way to encourage healthy hair growth, is to lead a healthy lifestyle. Exercise helps stimulate circulation, driving oxygen and nutrients to all parts of your body, including your hair roots.

Keep calm. Stress can make your hair fall out faster than it should.

Get your hair trimmed regularly. Leaving it untrimmed only means that you’ll have to hack off more each time you visit your hairdresser.

Silk pillowcases are kinder to your hair than cotton. If you can’t or won’t use a silk pillow case, drape a silk scarf over your pillow. It’ll help prevent breakage.

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April 2016

Ask your pharmacists why Pantogar is the most recommended product in Malta for woman suffering from hair loss and weak hair.

For more information please visitwww.pantogar.com

LEISURE

ENJOY THE GREAT OUTDOORS OUTDOOR EDUCATION AIMS TO FILL A GAP IN LIVES THAT HAVE BECOME DOMINATED BY TECHNOLOGY AND SEDENTARY ACTIVITY. ANNA MARIA GATT REPORTS.

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icture this situation: a peaceful home, a child watching his favourite TV programme, his elder sister chatting on her tablet while the parents are busy continuing some work they brought home from the office. What do these three activities have in common apart from silence? All three are happening indoors and are consistent with current research which shows that children are spending more and more of their free time indoors.

There are three main reasons. The first is lack of time with parents whose busy schedule means that their work now overflows into the weekend. Second is the daily increase in time spent using technology and gadgets and which is turning our children’s active free time into sedentary time. Third is the issue of safety where we find parents who are anxious if their child ventures slightly beyond his / her comfort zone and shows interest in exploring an unknown area or engaging in a new physical activity.

Throughout the scholastic year, schools now

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organise activities aimed at making time outdoors part of their pupils’ and students’ lives. Outdoor Education is one of the main areas covered in the physical education curricula around the world, including Malta. Outdoor Education includes activities such as trekking, abseiling, tent pitching, orienteering and climbing, to mention just a few.

One such recent educational activity was a three-day camp organised for a group of pupils at the National Sports School. The purpose was for the pupils to explore and experience life outdoors, understanding how time out can help their holistic development.

When one thinks of child development what comes to mind is their physical development. We tend to forget that outdoors is a human being’s natural environment. It provides the space to experience a sense of freedom you cannot feel indoors.

We set up camp in a field at Dwejra, close to Mgarr, in an open and natural environment where the students could roam about safely. Some activities were organised, but there was time and plenty of space for them to split up into smaller groups and do their own thing.

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Outdoor Education is one of the main areas covered in the physical education curricula around the world, including Malta.

LEISURE

Living close to nature helps eappreciate its beauty.

Traditional camping games drew the group together and long walks tested their stamina. At times, parents avoid long walks with their children, brushing the thought away with excuses of fatigue or boredom. But that means the children miss out on the chance to discover the countryside for themselves. It also means they miss out on their physical development. Exploratory walks help children make full use of their senses, to appreciate the environment and to learn how to take decisions quickly for themselves and the other members of their group.

Outdoor Education has two aims: enjoyment and learning. To make the most of the Dwejra camping trip, the school organisers teamed up with private companies who helped out enthusiastically.

Teamwork is crucial in group activity, and more so outdoors. Setting up camp and sorting out the sleeping arrangements called for careful planning. It all paid off as the students not only learned how to 12

April 2016

pitch a tent, but also had to learn how to share a new space with others so that everyone felt part of the adventure. Learning to share is part of Outdoor Education, so chores were divided among the students. The lesson there was that when the burden of work is divided, it all becomes easier for everyone and it can even be fun.

Being in an open space, without the rigid boundaries of a school building, enables more social interaction, helping students to develop their social skills. In Outdoor Education, the purpose of organised activities is to enhance team work. At the Dwejra camp, for instance, the students had a sculpture session where they had split up into groups who had to form a sculpture using natural materials they found in their surroundings, such as stones, soil, twigs and leaves. Was there any point to this? Yes. Creative group work is relaxing and generates a sense of wellbeing, as the students commented afterwards

Learning new skills in an unconventional environment is refreshing and stimulating. The unusual combination of, say, learning Karate skills together in an environment far removed from the traditional Dojo is part of Outdoor Education, making the most of physical activity in natural light, in a wide open space under an open sky and with clean, spring air all around.

Educators know that although not all students learn in the same way, the more they enjoy an activity, the more they will learn. So, in a literacy session with a difference students huddled round a camp-fire for a story-telling session quite unlike the dull experience of studying alone at a desk. The purpose was to show how books, when they are read with passion, can lead you to undiscovered worlds and provide moments of enjoyment. Couldn’t a story-telling session be held in class? It obviously could, but the outcome wouldn’t be the same.

Not least, Outdoor Education teaches respect for the environment. Living close to nature helps one appreciate its beauty. Unfortunately, in this country, space is at a premium and open spaces are decreasing every day. Younger generations will have fewer and fewer opportunities to feel the freedom of being outdoors and to listen to the sound of nature.

During this camping trip, the students were encouraged to understand how we should protect our natural environment and were also given practical tips on how they make a difference through their attitude within their families and at school.

Students were briefed on how to make use of the different waste bins provided on site and were also encouraged to avoid wasting food and water.

There is an impressive amount of international research that highlights the importance of students experiencing life outdoors. Some fairly recent research shows that children who spend time outdoors become more independent. Living and sleeping outdoors means making do without some of the usual comforts of home, which helps children become resourceful as they have to learn how to think about what to do, how to adapt to their environment and how to take appropriate decisions at the right time.

This three-day camping trip aimed to tick all those boxes. It did that and more, helping the holistic development of students who spent a few days away from their families and among their peers. That’s the point of Outdoor Education. It makes learning fun, leaving participants with great memories of an enjoyable life experience.

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The National Sports School would like to thank the following for their priceless help throughout the organisation of the camp: Sergeant Mark and Mrs. Carmen Camilleri, Fontanella, Surplus Adventure, Joe Bonnici & Sons, Alberta, Mediterranean Ceramics, Kompakt Trading, Anthony’s Bakery, Jesper, Aquatess, Malta Archery Association, Malta Karate Federation, SO Galerie, Lara Schembri Photography and Julian Vella Aerial Cinematography.

INTERVIEW

my kind OF LIFE SOPRANO MARIA ANGELA GRIMA TALKS TO SUZANNE VASSALLO ABOUT MUSIC, ART AND LIFE AS A MEDICAL DOCTOR. PHOTOS BY VANESSA VASSALLO.

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omehow I always have a mental picture of the person I am to meet, and this time was no exception. I was given a name and contact details and told that the young woman in question was a soprano. Naturally I assumed that the woman I was about to meet was a tad older and - how can I put this nicely?- larger than what is today considered the norm. I couldn’t have been more surprised on meeting our interviewee of the day. Maria Angela is a slip of a thing, Petite, and only twenty three, she is not only a soprano but also a medical doctor. At present a houseman ( happily there is no such politically correct word as houseperson yet) she graduated recently and is at present happily experiencing all the different facets of medicine our hospital has to offer.

I find her delightful. Maria Angela is bright, interesting, well spoken and a well rounded personality. She is quite the busy bee having a decent social life, work and singing, with a few performances thrown in for good measure. Maria Angela sings at many functions- weddings and funerals, concerts and also, being a rather decent sort, at philanthropic functions too. Kudos to her, I say. When many youngsters are into the latest fashions and Facebook, meeting someone like Maria Angela restores your faith in

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the younger generation.

Yes Maria Angela always wanted to become a doctor. Did she play with dolls, sharpening pencils to make syringes while wearing a small white coat and a toy stethoscope?

Sadly, it turns out my imagination had run away with me. No such thing happened. However, Maria knows that she decided she wanted to be a doctor aged seven. Singing came earlier. There’s a video somewhere, of her crawling under the piano at home singing away.

That must be adorable.

The piano at home belongs to her mother, Claudia, an accomplished pianist and organist. Her father, Guido, is a bass baritone. This musicality certainly runs in the family.

Maria Angela’s twin, Francesca, is also musical. She’s a singer too, but unlike her Soprano Sister, Francesca is a mezzo soprano. I imagine family get togethers are an interesting affair. I tease her about doing so much, jokingly asking if besides having been taught to play the piano by her mother, she might also have a violin stashed away somewhere. Her reply, that she tried violin but piano and singing were already time consuming enough with school, floors me. She still has two violins in her room, but they are not used anymore.

Why am I not surprised? Maria Angela’s typical day starts early with a decent breakfast and then she's off to work. She gets to hospital earlier to have a cup of coffee

before ward rounds. Then, from what I can gather, she is rushed off her feet until after half past two.

She usually grabs a banana half way at about noon, has lunch at home and then rests before studying.

Once a week she attends her voice coaching lesson with Juliette Bizazza, unless she’s on night duty, meaning that she goes home the next day,

She tried violin but piano and singing were already time consuming enough with school after the day's work's done. Supper – usually vegetable based – is followed by some time spent socialising with friends. She also tries to fit a session or two at the gym which helps her keep trim. Does she stay out late, at least once a week? Referring to herself as Cinderella, Maria Angela likes to be in bed by midnight, even if she’s off work the next day. Sleep is important, but then, so is an rounded life.

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INTERVIEW

April 2016

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INTERVIEW

Again, I am incredibly impressed with the way she manages everything, and tell her so. It is delightfully refreshing to find that the next generation are as full of life as we once were, even though technology has taken away much of the outdoor life that was once routine. Maria Angela believes that time management is of the essence.

This had started when she was a medical student, which, in her own words is very time consuming.

Having already been a singer in a choir, she continued with both. Even in her schooldays, as part of the Cantrores Sancti Juliani conducted by Maestro Lino Attard, she managed her time well.

She remembers when they sang for Pope John Paul II, describing it as a wonderful experience.

The choir was so big that they would fill the entire parish church of St Julians. Goodness, I think, there must have been hundreds. Today the choir is no longer. I imagine it was disbanded as most singers couldn’t give half their working week to rehearsals. Today our young soprano sings solo and , at times, with a couple of the 16

February 2016

Maria Angela shows me some of her doodles and sketches, and paintings too. Her favourite media are watercolours, acrylics and pencils

young ladies she befriended during her choir days.

Conversation turns to fashion and then to art.

Again, I am pleasantly surprised. Maria Angela shows me some of her doodles and sketches, and paintings too. Her favourite media are watercolours, acrylics and pencils. She is extremely talented, and, bless her, self-taught. She discovered her love of art one summer. Wishing to do something with her time (and I’m as surprised as you are that she had any to spare ) she enrolled for a summer course in painting. Sadly, today she has no time to pursue her painting, but she does draw occasionally. Those doodles themselves are stunning. Her mother tells her that Maria has an untapped talent which she should work on when she retires. Somehow, I doubt that she will ever understand the meaning of the word. I imagine what her mother means is to say is ‘when you give up full time medicine’. Looking at Maria's eyes shine when she talks about her work, I don’t really see that ever happening.

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AWARENESS

Seeing STRAIGHT

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taring at a screen all day strains your eyes, dries them out, and blurs your vision. You’re not imagining things. It really does happen and the medical world’s got a name for it – Computer Vision Syndrome, or Computer Eye Syndrome.

The term covers a whole range of irritating and uncomfortable conditions brought on by long stretches of computer use. Most computer users have some form of eye trouble, brought on by heavy use of a backlit screen in less than ideal conditions.

Computer Vision Syndrome doesn’t only affect office workers. Children use computers at school and then rush to their tablet or portable video games when they get home, spending long hours focused on a screen inches from their eyes.

Working at a screen doesn’t compare to reading a book for hours. A book page is flat, uniformly lit and unmoving. There is no backlight, flickering or glare.

Like other repetitive strain injuries, Computer Vision Syndrome is brought on by repeated action and worsens over time. While you’re sitting at your desk, your eyes are constantly working, shifting

SYMPTOMS Computer eye syndrome doesn’t cause longterm, permanent damage to the eyes, but eye strain is uncomfortable to live with and can affect your ability to work properly. If you notice any of these symptoms are relieved by taking a break from using a screen, your eye problems are probably due to computer eye syndrome and an eye examination is necessary.

• Back pain • neck pain • blurred vision • dry, red eyes • eye irritation • headaches.

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ARE YOUR EYES RED AND DRY? IS YOUR VISION BLURRED AT THE END OF THE DAY? IF YOU SPEND LONG HOURS STARING AT A SCREEN, IT’S PROBABLY BECAUSE OF COMPUTER VISION SYNDROME.

between the screen and documents on your desk, adjusting to screen content so that your mind can make sense of what you see. The effort is even more intense if you work online and worse still if you are 40+ because your eyes’ ability to focus at a close distance weakens with age and as a result near vision spectacles are needed.

If an eye test indicates taht spectacles are needed, your eye care professional can even suggest using occupational lenses such as bifocals and varifocals,

depending on the prescription. When choosing spectacles lenses, consider new technologies including specific coatings and tints with antireflective properties. These enhance the digital experience to prevent digital eye strain.

Taking frequent breaks, drinking water regularly, blinking often and adjusting your work area can help reduce the strain of Computer Vision Syndrome. It is essential that an eye exam is carried out at regular intervals if you’re a frequent computer user.

PREVENTING COMPUTER EYE SYNDROME 9 things you should do right now

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Adjust the lighting or your work position. When you use a screen, you still need ambient lighting but it should be about half as bright as a normal environment. Place your screen with windows to the side and not directly ahead of or behind you.

Use an anti-glare filter on your screen to reduce reflections. If you work for long periods at a desk, consider installing a computer hood to cut out lateral light.

Adjust your display settings. The background light of your screen should be about as bright as the light in the immediate area around the screen. Play around with the settings until you find the right balance. Switch the auto-adjust control on so that your screen light will adapt as your ambient light changes. Reduce the colour temperature of your screen display to reduce the amount of blue light your screen emits and enlarge the font to a comfortable size.

Blink and drink often and use eye drops.

Blinking prevents your eyes drying out.

Drink enough to keep well hydrated. Use natural eye drops to relieve occasional dryness.

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Give your eyes a 20-20-20 break. Close focused work for long stretches tires out your eyes. Give your eyes frequent breaks.

Look up from your screen every twenty minutes and focus on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds to relax your eye’s focus muscles.

Take 10-10 eye breaks. Look far ahead for 10 seconds, then at something close for another 10 seconds and then look far ahead again. Repeat this ten times at frequent intervals.

Don’t take your work breaks at your desk.

Stand up, move around and relax your neck, back and shoulders.

Rearrange your desk and workstation. If youneed to refer to paper documents while working, use a support stand so that the documents are in the same plane as your screen.

Set up your workstation so that the centre of your screen is slightly below eye level. Laptops aren’t suitable for hours at a time. Choose a desk chair that allows you to sit upright.

Have your eyes thoroughly checked. Tell your eye doctor how often you use a screen and for how long. If you use contact lenses or spectacles, your doctor may recommend using computer glasses. These are specially coated and tinted to reduce glare and eye strain.

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When was your last eye exam?

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DIET

Milking

THE SYSTEM

LACTOSE INTOLERANCE IS NOT A FASHION FAD. THE CONDITION IS REAL AND CAN BE DEBILITATING IF UNDIAGNOSED.

present in young children (see below). Primary lactose actose intolerance (also known intolerance is more common in the Mediterranean as lactose malabsorption) is the body’s inability to digest lactose, region, including southern Europe. a substance found in milk and milk products. Normally, an enzyme in the small intestine helps break down lactose. A deficiency of lactase in the small intenstine means the lactose passes through the small intestine undigested. It is then broken down further along Primary lactose intolerance develops as the intestines leading to gas, bloating and diarrhea. lactase production slows down when a person grows into Lactose intolerance is not an allergy. Although the adulthood. effects are uncomfortable and unpleasant, ingesting lactose does not cause an allergic Secondary lactose intolerance develops as a reaction. The symptoms are temporary and do not result of illness, injury or surgery involving the small intestine have long-lasting harmful effects. which affects lactase production. Treating the underlying illness The condition can occur at any age and can be can improve the condition, but this happens slowly.

l

SYMPTOMS

WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR If you notice some or all of the symptoms whenever you drink milk, eat dairy products or food containing milk or milk products, you probably are lactose intolerant. See your doctor for a proper assessment of your symptoms as you need to exclude other possible causes. Ask for advice on how to manage your condition, including dietary substitutes.

How it’s treated Lactose intolerance can’t be cured but it can be managed, usually by cutting out dairy foods and substituting them with nutritional alternatives.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The common symptoms of lactose intolerance can also be caused by other factors. They are associated with lactose intolerance if they routinely occur within a short time (30 minutes – two hours) of you eating or drinking milk or milk products, or foods that contain lactose. Symptoms include • gas • bloating • cramps in the abdomen • diarrhoea • nausea (occasionally followed by vomiting)

Is lactose intolerance harmful?

Lactose intolerance itself is not harmful but its effects are uncomfortable and can be temporarily debilitating. Cutting out dairy products without substitute nutrition can lead to conditions caused by calcium-deficiency such as osteoporosis. In growing children, the effects of nutrition deficiency can be serious and have long-term effects. If you’re not sure what food substitutes are suitable, ask a nutritionist or paediatrician for advice.

TYPES OF LACTOSE INTOLERANCE

Congenital or developmental lactose intolerance is rare and hereditary, occurring when both parents pass on the same gene variant to the child. Premature babies are sometimes lactose intolerant because their lactase level is insufficient. containing gluten has to be excluded from the diet. Bread contains gluten but normally doesn’t contain milk. However, specialist breads like brioche contain milk which can cause symptoms if eaten in sufficient amounts.

Is it contagious?

No. Lactose intolerance is not an infection and cannot be transmitted through any form of direct or indirect contact.

What about cake?

Most cakes are made with butter and cream, which contain lactose. You need to avoid those.

Ask for fat-free bakes, like sponge cake.

What can I eat?

Anything containing lactose will produce the symptoms of lactose intolerance. Chose lactosefree dairy products made from cow’s milk or substitutes like goat milk and cheese. Soya substitutes containing calcium and vitamin D can be part of a milk-substitute diet. Check food labels to see whether they contain milk or milk products.

Can I eat bread?

Yes. Lactose intolerance is often confused with gluten intolerance, which means anything

Can I eat out?

Yes. But check first which menu items don’t include milk and milk products. Greater awareness of food intolerance means some outlets now offer lactose-free alternatives.

What if I eat something with milk in it by mistake?

You’ll feel the effects after about an hour. You’ll feel uncomfortable and may need a quick visit to the bathroom, but there won’t be any major harmful effects.

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IN SEASON

Peas & beans

CRACKING OPEN A FRESH PEA OR BEAN POD AND CHEWING ON THE JUICY CONTENTS IS SATISFYING AND GOOD FOR YOU

i

t’s not much fun working through a small sackful of pea and bean pods. Why bother, when you can pull a ready peeled, fresh tasting bagful out of the freezer and dump the lot into a boiling pot of water? There are lots of reasons. Predictably, they're all good for you.

Peas are a high protein, low fat, high fibre, low cholesterol, low salt food. That's already quite an achievement, but there's more. They start out high

in sugar but convert that to starch as they age. That makes them a high carbohydrate food, but that’s not necessarily bad news. Legumes are digested slowly so when you eat a handful of fresh peas, your blood sugar level rises slowly rather than sharply.* Peas are a good source of protein, folate, phosphorous, copper, and vitamins A, B6, C and K. They also contain iron, niacin, thiamin and manganese and are a very good source of dietary fibre.

Beans are also a high protein, low fat, high fibre, low cholesterol, low salt food, but the mineral content differs. They are a good source of vitamin B6, riboflavin, niacin, phosphorous and potassium.

They also contain folate, iron, copper and manganese.

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* If you have diabetes, ask your doctor for dietary advice.

April 2016

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IN SEASON

HOW TO SAVE TIME AND MONEY AND REDUCE FOOD WASTAGE QuickEats and Food Minders can help you plan and cook daily meals without pressure and cut down on food wastage, saving you time and money.

QuickEats is a mobile application produced by Elevate, a Junior Achievement Young Enterprise (JAYE) company. It is available for download free of charge from the Google Play store. With over 500 simple but delicious recipes, most of which take 30 minutes or less from start to finish, this app makes cooking fresh food possible even on the tightest of schedules.

QuickEats infuses daily meal preparation with fun, speed and simplicity, using ingredients already available, including leftover food from previous meals. The app is very user friendly, revolving around a few simple steps: • inputting a number of ingredients already available at home or searching according to available time; • choosing a meal catergory, e.g. vegan, meat, pasta or children, among other types; • browsing through the quick and easy recipes the app suggests based on the chosen ingredients; • choosing a recipe and getting on with the cooking.

QuickEats also caters for people with food intolerances and special diets. Recipes can be filtered to exclude a particular ingredient which cannot be consumed or is not desired.

Since even the well-stocked kitchen may be missing one or more

essential ingredients, Elevate has engaged the support of food stores in over 20 localities. These are advertised on the app, enabling you to quickly locate the nearest open store to purchase missing ingredients.

In line with its drive to reduce food wastage, Elevate has introduced Food Minders to Malta. These electronic devices provide a visual reminder of the expiry date of a food or drink item. All you need to do is set the number of days or weeks till the expiry date and attach the Food Minder to the food or drink item. A yellow light will flash a warning one day before the item expires.

Quick Eats and Food Minders are supplied by Elevate, a Junior Achievement Young Enterprise (JAYE) company. The company’s ethos is reducing food wastage. 10% of its profits will be donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Malta Trust.

Quick fixes • To cook peas and beans without oil, steam them in a colander over a pot of boiling water. This helps preserve most of the nutrients and keeps the colour bright.

• For extra crunch and flavour in a quick salad, toss a handful of beans and a handful of peas with a variety of green leaves. Dress with olive oil and a freeze squeeze of lemon juice.

• Make up a filling salad by tossing fresh peas with shredded rocket, chopped fresh mint, chopped fresh parsley in olive oil and then mixing in freshly cooked and cooled barley.

• Blanch a bowlful of fresh broad beans, drain, and let them cool down. Meanwhile, wash and chop two spoonfuls of fresh spear mint—make sure it is spearmint and not peppermint,

which will taste bi er. Toss the beans with the mint, drizzle over with olive oil and toss again. This dish can be served warm or cold as an appe ser or as a side dish.

Fresh peas can be served the same way.

• Lightly fry fresh peeled beans and peas in olive oil. If you heat the pan first, you'll need to use less oil to coat the bo om. Peel and finely chop one small spring onion. Sprinkle the onion over the beans and peas in the pan and quickly fry the lot for a few seconds, s rring all the me.

Turn out into a bowl and serve hot with slices of crusty, toasted wholemeal bread seasoned with freshly ground pepper.

• Mix fresh young peas and beans with chopped fresh tomatoes and shredded spring onion. Dress with olive oil and a squirt of lemon juice.

Good to know www.facebook.com/elevateJAYE INSTAGRAM @QuickEats Email: quickeats.elevate@gmail.com

Legumes are one of a group of foods that are likely to trigger allergy symptoms, such as swelling of the lips and eyes, an upset stomach and an outbreak of hives.

If you no ce any of these symptoms a er ea ng peas or beans, see a doctor.

Fresh peas should be kept in their pods and refridgerated un l used. Don't keep them for long as peas become less sweet and less appealing when eaten raw. Don't wash the pods because they’ll rot more easily. To keep your vegetable drawer clean, line it with a plas c bag.

Fresh beans should be kept in their pods. They do not need to be refridgerated but should be kept in a cool dark place. B6 in beans is very sensi ve to light. Peeling beans before you need to use them will reduce their vitamin B6 content because of light exposure.

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April 2016

RELATIONSHIPS

WHAT AM I DOING HERE?

BOOKS DATING BACK A FEW DECADES SHOCK CONTEMPORARY READERS WITH THEIR PORTRAYAL OF WOMEN BEING BORN TO SERVE WITHOUT HAVING A SAY IN SHAPING THEIR OWN LIVES AND RELATIONSHIPS. WOMEN TODAY ARE SUPPOSED TO FEEL INDEPENDENT AND ABLE TO SUCCEED IN THEIR OWN RIGHT. BUT IS THAT THE CASE FOR EVERYONE? WE ASKED THREE READERS HOW THEY SEE THEMSELVES, THEIR LIVES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS. HERE’S WHAT THEY TOLD US.

r

ebecca, 39 years old, married

“I was brought up in a very conservative family. My parents were authoritarian, though in a gentle way. I used to obey them and never went against their wishes. When I started post-secondary school and then moved on to university, it became difficult. There I realised that I was becoming a woman and that I had to fight my way to be accepted.

“At times it was hard but it was a lesson worth learning. I remember when I first started work in a private company, my employers emphasised that all employees should be neatly groomed. That really boosted my confidence. Suddenly I felt appreciated, I started feeling attractive.

“Now I’ve been married for nine years. My husband was my first boyfriend and even this, I might say, is a result of my childhood upbringing. I knew he was right, not just for me, but also for my parents. Now, at 39, I want more than ever to do my best to look and feel good, and I seek attention and appreciation from others. Social media has also made this easier and I have to admit that I have more male close friends than women friends.

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April 2016

RELATIONSHIPS

“Do I blame my upbringing for all this? I think yes, because now I am experiencing feelings which I should have experienced when I was sixteen or seventeen. If someone asks me whether I feel good or not, I must admit that yes, I do like my life to be as exciting as it is. I flirt, I meet new people and start new friendships. Now that I’m nearly 40, I am finally living through my teenage years.”

Jenny, 24 years old, single “I enjoy male companionship and have lots of male friends. I believe that nowadays fewer girls and women start a relationship with the intention of starting a lifetime commitment. When my mother asks me whether I intend to get married or whether I am dating someone, I am short of answers. I go out with different men, but till now I have not felt the need of settling down.

This might be because I only started working a few months ago while still studying.

“I am not afraid of commitment but I don’t see myself as a settled, stereotyped woman. I want to travel, work abroad and I plan to change jobs within a few years. Could this be linked to the way society views women, a view I definitely don’t agree with? I believe that nowadays women want to feel appreciated for what they manage to achieve and not for the way they look.

“I still haven’t found that person who feels I challenge him and who accepts that I have a brain and that I have an opinion on important matters. I feel ok striving on my own.

When I feel the need to have someone who shares my life with me, then yes, I might give commitment a second thought.”

naive. When I look back, I see a submissive woman who tried to ignore the calls of society and instead kept burying her head in the sand. I was barely 22 when I married my first boyfriend, a boy from my own town. I was never interested in having a career and so, after I finished compulsory schooling, I took up the first secretarial job I found.

“I am still working at the same desk, with the same company, even though nearly thirty-six years have passed since I left school. At first I used to love routine and felt comfortably settled with a hardworking husband and two children. I thought I had missed nothing until my husband decided that he had had enough and decided to leave home.

“My world shattered in front of me but then I was surprised to realise that I understood my husband’s reaction. He had become bored with the routine. I was never interested in doing anything new and complained if he started showing an interest in a new hobby.

“I always said that my family was my life and therefore I had no time for anything else. My reasoning was completely wrong. I thought my life was perfectly set in a routine, but it was full of boredom and cobwebs. Now that I am alone, with both daughters old enough to start building their own lives, I am finding it difficult to cope and to see something positive about myself.”

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Pauline, 52 years old, separated “One adjective that describes me well is

When I feel the need to have someone who shares my life with me, then yes, I might give commitment a second thought.

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A&H view The concept of ‘free love’ emerged mostly in the late 60s and during the 70s. This was a shock for the whole generation but led the way to the emancipation of women. Today we rarely hear the word ‘emancipation’ because it is taken for granted that men and women should enjoy rights and opportunities on an equal basis. Women have not only advanced professionally, but also in their views, opinions and actions regarding sex and sexuality.

Women are now more selective about sexual partners. Many like to take the lead and are determined to control a relationship, feeling strong enough to take decisions about where and when they want they want to take their relationship.

Conflicting views surround this new thinking about women’s sexuality. Some might find it exciting while for others it is scary. What we can all say, is that women now are more aware of the need to take care and control of their sexuality and this earns more respect.

What women should avoid is comparing themselves to media stereotypes. It is quite normal for a woman to feel tired, to feel low, and to not look her best. But behind those tired eyes and that ruffled hair, there can be a determined person, ready to take decisions and to succeed in her own right.

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Awareness

AUTISM TREATMENTS THE QUESTIONS TO ASK THERE ARE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO AUTISM TREATMENTS. PARENTS NEED TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS WHEN CHOOSING THE BEST APPROACH FOR THEIR CHILD, SAYS RICHARD MILLS or a parent of a child with autism choosing the right approach presents various dilemmas.

Obvious questions such as ‘what works’ and ‘what doesn’t work’ are difficult to answer due to the highly variable nature of autism or what is increasingly called ‘the autisms’.

Claims for treatments offering ‘cure’ or ‘recovery’ may at first sight be seductive, but at present such claims do not withstand scrutiny.

Even for less ambitious claims, the evidence at present is poor when compared to other branches of science.

Even where evidence does exist it may be incomplete or contradictory and what might help one child might not help another. Evaluation may be costly to arrange and studies involving large trials are scarce. Other difficulties involve a range of commercial and other biases, vague treatment goals or practical limitations arising from individual child or family characteristics.

The huge variation found in the autism population means that one size will not fit all. A more relevant question might therefore not be what “works or doesn’t work?” but “what are the best approaches to use with THIS child, that will help overcome difficulties, fulfil their potential and provide a good quality of life?”

f

Choice Parents face a bewildering array of treatments and approaches. In addition to more conventional mainstream approaches there is now a host of alternatives. These include, but are not limited to all manner of behavioural regimes, drugs, special devices, special diets, vitamins and supplements, swimming with 30

April 2016

dolphins, stem cell replacement, family therapy, heavy metal detoxification, hyperbaric oxygen and an almost endless list of other things including electric shocks, packing in ice - even drugs that have been used in the chemical castration of male sex offenders.

Although many of the countless number of treatment approaches in autism have evolved with the best of intentions, others exploit uncertainty and desperation. Healthcare fraud is big business internationally and parents of children with autism are one of its many targets.

Because so little is known about the causes of autism, there is no one agreed effective treatment. Therapies are frequently based on flawed or false theories or specific ideologies.

Misleading or false claims are commonplace and desperate parents are especially vulnerable.

The concept of a cure for autism is controversial. The diverse nature of autism rules out simplistic notions of a unitary condition which can be ‘cured’. Even describing autism as a distinct condition is problematic. There are many forms of autism, many different causes and many different treatments or approaches.

It is now accepted that autism results from early neurological development and is not related to parenting or attachment. It is known that genetic factors are important but this knowledge has yet to be translated into specific interventions.

There are differing views on the nature of autism. Is it a disorder to be cured and treated, or a difference to be accommodated? In fact, the concept of ‘cure’ is anathema to many individuals on the spectrum who do not wish to be ‘cured’, emphasising the uneven profile of autism, with strengths as well as difficulties, arguing instead for understanding, acceptance and reasonable adjustment.

Does anything help?

Most supportive evidence points to an individualised approach that is based on empathy for how the person experiences the world around them. This will enable us to better understand the nature of the person’s difficulties and enhance social, communication and problem solving abilities and reduce harmful levels of stress.

It is critical to see the world from the autistic perspective and apply approaches based on a mutuality of understanding that are rational and ethical, which respect the right of the individual to be different, yet which recognise and deal with distress and offer practical help.

We should encourage and motivate the person to develop strengths rather than focus on deficits. This will mean offering opportunity for development while supporting emotional stability.

We must recognise the importance of the

Awareness

physical environment and the impact of other conditions such as sensory processing difficulties and other physical, neurological or psychological disorders. These should be assessed and treated as they may actually be more significant in terms of education and development than the core features of autism. If a child is in pain he will not be able to concentrate on his school work. If a child is distressed by sensitive hearing he may exclude himself or behave in ways seen as ‘difficult’.

An ‘autism friendly‘ way of thinking about autism: ‘the SPELL framework’ The National Autistic Society does not endorse any one specific approach but has developed a framework for understanding and responding to autism, which can also serve as a context for applying other ways of responding. This approach has been developed in conjunction

If a child is distressed by sensitive hearing he may exclude himself. with the Tizard centre at the University of Kent at Canterbury UK. It is based on research and on direct experience of working with autistic children and adults. It also reflects our many consultations over the years with colleagues from around the

world and with autistic people and their families. We emphasise that this is a framework and not a dogmatic approach. We have found it has helped to make the autistic experience more accessible and as a means of problem solving and choosing approaches that are specifically suited to the individuals circumstances.

Making a decision Most specific approaches in autism claim to improve compliance, enhance social communication, improve adaptation and functioning and reduce behavioural problems but the goals of some programmes may be contentious or contradictory, increasing competence in some areas while making things worse in others. This may be due to personal stress or the imposition of ‘non-autism friendly’ approaches, learning styles and coping strategies.

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April 2016

31

Awareness

Evidence – a much misunderstood term?

So what is evidence? Anecdotal accounts or cherry-picked examples of success may be important but are not evidence. Self-promotion or unattributed testimonials should not be confused with evidence and may even serve as a warning to be wary. Where an evaluation of a treatment is not independent, or is based on a small number of participants, an impartial opinion is required.

We should also be aware that some of the measures used to evaluate outcomes may be problematic. A reduction in autism ‘symptoms’ may be seen as a desirable treatment aim but has been criticised for heaping more pressure on autistic people to become ‘normal’ and creating great distress, in some cases leading to mental health problems.

Trusted information

Acknowledgements and thanks I am indebted to my colleagues the late Lorna Wing and Judith Gould of the NAS and to Gary Mesibov and the late Eric Schopler of Division TEACCH for their thoughts on and contributions to the original paper and to Bernard Fleming and the Scientific and Advisory Committee of Research Autism and in particular Gary Mesibov and Damian Milton for their help with this revision. The full version of this article may be accessed from www.inspire.org.mt - Richard Mills

our approaches with children. The autistic voice is also important, and until relatively recently this has been largely lacking.

Regardless of the specific approach there is increasing interest in the impact of stress on the lives of autistic people and their families. This has important implications for The current emphasis the effectiveness of any on very early approach. Some intervention appears The eighth annual World Autism Awareness treatment approaches logical and may be Day was celebrated earlier this month, on April may even increase very helpful in 2nd. Every year, autism organiSations, disability stress levels because of addressing specific advocates, parents and people with autism from all the nature of physical, difficulties in over the world, celebrate the month of April with emotional and communication. We unique fundraising and awareness-raising events. financial demands on should recognise The Inspire foundation believes that everyone the child, parents and however that with the has a right to equality and inclusion. We work carers. right support, autistic with hundreds of children and adults with It is also of great children continue to various disabilities, including Autism, concern that programmes change and develop in order to help them achieve may persist even after they throughout adolescence and this. have been shown to be into adulthood, acquiring new ineffective or hazardous or doing skills and maturity along the way. more harm than good. In such It is simply not true that failing to intervene circumstances parents may become burnt out early means we may have missed the boat. By and unable to comply with agreed methods, or listening to autistic adults, we can better inform even blamed for failure.

Inspire Foundation

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April 2016

Working with the NAS and leading universities, the UK charity Research Autism has established an online information service, which seeks to provide impartial trusted information about interventions in use in autism. Where evidence is not available from peer-reviewed research papers, opinion is generated by experts, including those with autism, reflecting their expertise and experience. Research Autism also seeks to identify gaps in research that are of importance to the autism community and where possible address these.

It is known that supporting autistic individuals and their families by understanding their world, reducing their stress and improving their resilience has a critical effect on the effectiveness of all programmes. This should receive more attention. It is also important to measure impact of any programme on the quality of life of the family overall. We should remember the uniqueness of each person and to celebrate their individuality and difference and for this to be the starting point and guiding principle of our approach.

Richard Mills is the Research Director at Research Autism, London, a Research Fellow at the University of Bath and an external consultant to The Inspire Foundation in Malta.

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A&H Directory Research Autism also seeks to identify gaps in research that are of importance to the autism community and where possible address these. http://www.researchautism.net/

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SPORT

�fe on THE TRACK THE OLYMPIC GAMES FIRST INSPIRED ANGIE MANGION'S INTEREST IN ATHLETICS. AFTER YEARS ON TRACK, SHE IS NOW ONE OF MALTA'S TOP ATHLETICS COACHES. INTERVIEW BY ANNA MARIA GATT

t

he name Angie Mangion is synonymous with athletics in Malta. The Marsa athletics track has been Angie’s second home for nearly 20 years now and the soon-to-be 30-year old athletics coach considers sport as an important part of her life. “When I was ten years old I was already showing potential, winning all races at school and being the fastest of my friends,” explains Angie. What made her decide to start attending athletics’ training sessions were the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. “It all started while I was watching the 100m final during the 1996 Games and I decided there and then to give it a try,” says Angie.

Luckily her parents supported her decision, took it seriously and immediately started gathering information.

Angie admits that for a ten-year old, everything looked overwhelming and challenging. She recalls hurrying up after school to catch the bus in time for her coaching session. Throughout the years though, she found constant support from her parents which helped her and she's never looked back. During her initial training sessions, it was mostly fun and games but then training became more intense, more frequent and more was expected from her. “I also started attending gym training and followed a home schedule when I wasn’t expected to be at the track,’ explains Angie.

Her dedication and constant work at the track has been well rewarded throughout the years. In fact, Angie was chosen more than once to represent Malta in international competitions. “My greatest achievement was definitely being able to represent Malta. Luckily for me this started when I was still 14 years old and I was chosen to represent Malta in the

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April 2016

GSSE held in San Marino where we managed to win Gold in the 4x100m relay.” After this participation in the GSSE, Angie took part in other competitions both with the junior and the senior athletics’ squads.

These included the FISEC games, the European team Championships and also the World Indoors in 2010.

For all Maltese athletes, representing their home country and listening to the national anthem during the medal presentation ceremony is a major career achievement. “Representing Malta is always an honour and a great experience. I will forever treasure the memories of the many times I was part of the national athletics team.” Angie remarks that these opportunities are not only the showcase of one’s hard-work during training. They are also an opportunity for athletes from different clubs and from different nations to meet and mingle. “I still meet up with athletes with whom I used to travel.

We end up laughing about the memories we shared together as part of the national team.”

But what makes a good athlete? “A good athlete is not only the one who gets the best results and attends training regularly. An athlete must be an athlete both on and off the field. Athletes need to be committed to what they are doing, be determined to work hard and never settle at what they know or have achieved. A good athlete needs to have a lot of self-discipline and self-determination, needs to have good time management and understand the priorities which an athlete should have in life.”

Although athletics played a major role in her life, Angie still embarked on a dual career path. Her studies were given equal importance. “Managing training and studies is never easy especially when one gets older and both tasks become more intense.

However, good time management and prioritising things made life much easier,” explains Angie who always had clear ideas and was determined to fulfil her childhood dream of becoming a physical education teacher. “Teaching was always my passion and even now I still look forward to passing on my knowledge.”

Before starting her university teaching course, Angie had her first experience as a coach. “Just before I started University I completed the IAAF level 1 coaching course which enabled me to coach young athletes. Since then, I have never looked back and I am now in my 12th year of coaching.” Angie is now established as one of the top athletics coaches in Malta. “Up till four years ago I used to manage my own personal training and coaching but then I decided to dedicate more time to my athletes and that was when I decided to quit being an athlete myself.”

Angie’s dedication towards her athletes is highlighted not only in their results but also in the enthusiasm with which she speaks about them. “A coach should first and foremost be passionate about her role and love what she does. Coaching involves a lot of commitment, preparation, patience and modifications. Each athlete is a different individual with different needs so a coach should be able not just to prepare different training modalities but also to interact differently and build different types of relationships to suit each athlete and help him perform at his best,” explains Angie.

She follows the progress of each one of her athletes meticulously and shares with them the joy of victory and pain of defeat. “A coach should work towards building a relationship with the athletes so that they

SPORT

feel at ease while training and communicating with the coach.”

Angie also appreciates the role that parents play in a young athlete’s career. Parents introduce children to sport, pay for it and plan their daily schedules according to their children’s training requirements.

Angie advises parents to “find the right balance between supporting and encouraging your children without putting too much pressure on them.

Children need to enjoy what they are doing. If they are happy, then they will give their best and are less likely to quit the sport at an early age. Parents should understand when it is appropriate to interfere and to what extent so as not to bore the child or create too much pressure.”

Teaching and coaching are the two activities which Angie is passionate about. She believes in continuous learning because she believes that she must always give the best and the latest tips to her athletes. She is currently reading for a Masters degree in Strength and Conditioning. “My masters relates very well to my job. The role of a strength and conditioning coach helps the athletes prepare physically for the specific sport they want to pursue and also helps the athletes in their rehabilitation after an injury.”

My greatest achievement was definitely being able to represent Malta.

The coming months will be of great interest to sports enthusiasts with the build-up to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro next August. Research shows that during the weeks before and after the Olympic Games, each country registers increase in sport participation. In Malta athletics is gradually increasing in popularity too. “Maltese athletes compare quite well with countries described as

small states where the population does not exceed a million inhabitants,” Angie says. “However we are still far behind the bigger countries. Maltese athletes have to juggle work and training every day.

They cannot afford to train full time as sponsorships are very limited.”

People are now more aware of the need to engage in regular physical activity. Angie explains that being active aids all aspects of health. “Physical activity, apart from helping the person feel better physically, also helps the body become socially and mentally healthier. Exercising is a way of releasing stress, feeling good about yourself and giving the person that extra boost to tackle a day's work. Finding a physical activity which you can do with a group or with a friend is also a way of socialising with people of common interest and talking about stuff which is not work related.”

Watching Angie work with her athletes sheds a bright light on the future of Maltese athletics.

Instilling a passion for sport in our young ones, is an investment in our future population and for this we should be grateful to people like Angie who work hard in developing our athletes’ full potential.

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April 2016

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A&H INFORMATION

CELLULITE? LET’S TREAT IT EFFECTIVELY MANY WOMEN SIMPLY CRINGE AT THE SOUND OF THE WORD CELLULITE. LET’S FACE IT, THOUGH, IT IS A VERY COMMON CONDITION THAT AFFECTS MOST WOMEN.

c

ellulite, also known as orange peel or cottage cheese skin is basically toxins accumulated beneath the skin. It can be caused by various factors including lifestyle, hormonal changes and genetic predisposition. For our body to protect the vital organs, these toxins are stored as fat deposits right below the skin,

causing the skin to dimple, thus creating the notorious orange peel effect.

The good thing about cellulite is that it can be treated and also diminished. This obviously entails hard work and dedication, and living a healthy lifestyle is definitely a factor.

Unfortunately, we are too often tempted to grab a pizza on a Friday night with a couple of extra glasses of wine, or too tired to sweat out some toxins at an endurance class. We’re not inclined to drink lots of water in winter and most of us lead a relatively sedentary life. All these factors can cause the accumulation of unwanted fat deposits.

Since summer is round the corner we might also find ourselves on some crazy fad diets or eating almost nothing.

Calm down ladies. In addition to your crazy routines, you can introduce Fanghi D’Alga Guam, a mud treatment that drains retained water and helps to detox the body, thus making your skin look smoother and healthier.

SEAWEED The seaweed used in GUAM is carefully harvested, selected and preserved in a way that makes it a powerful ingredient to fight free radicals and skin ageing. The seaweed feeds on all the sea’s nutrients. It offers a concentration of the sea’s properties up to 50,000 times stronger than the seawater itself.

Active INGREDIENTS that fight skin imperfections caused by cellulite • GUAM ALGAE: rich in iodine, iron, calcium. Restore, rebalance, moisturise and soften the skin.

Effective against orange peel dimpling caused by water retention.

• VENTILATED CLAY: high absorbency rate, removes toxins purged from the skin, sloughs off dead surface skin cells, natural cleanser, leaves skin silky smooth.

• IVY EXTRACT: used to improve and rebalance the hydro-lipid equilibrium.

Keeps the skin firm, elastic and toned.

• FUCUS VESICULOSUS EXTRACT: astringent, cooling tonic that aids the absorption of the mud’s active ingredients through the skin.

• HORSE-CHESTNUT PHYTO-EXTRACT:

Helps reduce oedema and protects capillary vessels.

• ESSENTIAL OILS OF OREGANO AND LEMON: penetrate deep into the skin, transport active principles with localised effects on cutaneous tissue, stimulating, skin-purifying, tones and boost microcirculation.

Results Women who used Fanghi D’Alga GUAM Mud treatment have found that they obtained results from the very first application. The following changes are noticed: • loss in thigh circumference • reduction of imperfections caused by cellulite • firm and elastic skin These results have been proved and tested with instrumental clinical tests.

Guam Mud Treatment is available from all leading pharmacies and beauty salons. Alternatively you can opt for the GUAM professional treatment at your nearest GUAM beauty salon. For more information on the method of use visit www.facebook.com/GuamMalta or call Liberty Business culture on T 2142 4401

MORE HELPFUL TIPS Hydrate your body Water improves digestion as it helps with bowel movements. It also hydrates the body. Juicing vegetables is also a great way to hydrate the skin and flush those nasty toxins away.

Refined Foods – KEEP THEM OUT OF REACH! Refined foods tend to be extremely acidic and very dehydrating. They may have little or no nutritional

value due to the processing methods used. This also includes sugars. Try to ditch sugars for a month and see the amazing results for yourself.

Exercise, exercise, exercise The importance of exercise can’t be stressed enough, whether it is a 30-minute walk or a 1-hour intensive training session. As long as you are doing something, you are on the right track to lose weight, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and to

shape and tone your body.

Eating Healthily Eating a balanced diet of carbs, protein and unsaturated fats will assist the body to get in shape more healthily and quicker. Be mindful of what you eat and read food labels properly. If you are a gym lover make sure you replenish minerals in your body by eating the right nutrients before and after workouts.

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ENVIRONMENT

CONDITIONING

THE AIR WE BREATHE

ESCALATING TEMPERATURES MAKE US DUCK INDOORS FOR RESPITE. BUT CLIMATE CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENTS CAN BE HARMFUL, IF IMPROPERLY USED. MARIKA AZZOPARDI REPORTS.

ave you ever walked into an office in the height of summer and noticed that some people are wearing winter clothes? You realise why, as soon as the sweat on your back cools down way too sharply, and you suddenly feel a chill run down your spine.

Air-conditioners were created to provide the possibility of refreshing and cooling the air in a room. They were meant to be a more effective alternative to good old fans, which only helped cool you down by moving the air around, soothing your sweaty brow. As atmospheric temperatures continue rising, and as air pollution

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When entering a room with excessively low temperatures our body needs to adjust rapidly to the sudden change in air quality. is constantly on the increase, controlled indoor environments to help us deal with excessive heat while effectively filtering air for better indoor quality.

The onus is on creating an indoor ambience that is comfortable on all fronts, one that creates optimum climate control while filtering damaging pollutants from our surroundings. Unfortunately,

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ENVIRONMENT

5 things to do before summer Run a maintenance check after non-use. After any period of non-use, an both climate control and air filtering, the very qualities which should make AC units our best friends, are the very same ones which can cause most harm to our bodies. This harm is especially felt by people who are susceptible to allergies, by infants and children and by the elderly and those who have lung problems.

When entering a room with excessively low temperatures our body needs to adjust rapidly to the sudden change in air quality. While our bodies respond relatively quickly when moving from the cold to the heat, hence from low to high temperatures, they work rather more sluggishly when trying to adjust from heat to cold, i.e. from high to low temperatures. Having said that, excessive warmth in winter, while initially comforting, will eventually lead to lethargy and related body distress.

Contributive hindrances to optimum air quality are dirty or ill-maintained air-conditioning unit

filters. When filters are not cleaned properly and regularly, air conditioners do not purify air. Rather, they add pollutants by reintroducing the dust and fungal spores they collect back into the air.

In conjunction with badly controlled temperatures, pollutants create the environment for the variety of ills known as sick building syndrome (SBS). This manifests itself in various ways including muscle pains, whiplash, stiff necks and backs, joint pain, excessive tiredness, unexplainable allergies and regular dull headaches.

In 1997 Dr Dan Teculescu reported that people working in air-conditioned offices are more prone to suffer respiratory infections than those working in naturally ventilated buildings. This was announced at the European Respiratory Society’s annual congress in Berlin where Teculescu’s research on people suffering from sick building syndrome in the UK, Italy and Scandinavia, came to light.

More recently, in 2015 an epidemiologist from the California Department of Public Health, Dr Mark Mendell, reported that badly maintained or badly designed AC systems can become contaminated and potentially harmful.

air conditioner should be checked out carefully by a professional technician to help reduce wasted energy consumption and to ensure the emission of clean air.

Run pre-season checks when in regular use. To reduce and eliminate the risk of the transmission of Legionnaire’s Disease which attacks the lungs and may have serious health consequences, be sure to carry out pre-season checks on all systems, especially where larger establishments are involved.

Clean filters thoroughly. Foul odours, low airflow and unusual noise are all clear indicators of blocked or filthy filters and/or obstructed air ducts. Older apparatus may deteriorate to the point of releasing harmful particles into your space.

No smoking. Discourage or ban smoking inside air-conditioned premises.

Service equipment regularly. Air conditioning units should be serviced properly twice a year by a trained technician.

What the specialist says Setting the right temperature To minimise health risks without compromising comfort, experts recommend setting heating and cooling temperatures according to the season. The suggested indoor temperature for summer range is between 23 °C and 25.5 °C and, for winter, 20 °C - 23.5 °C.

The main problem with air conditioning systems, if they are working well, is that they lower the humidity in the room. Excessive dryness causes swelling of the nasal lining with nasal congestion, crusting and occasional bleeding. This can also happen, for example, on aeroplanes where the humidity gets very low.

Nasal congestion causes mouth-breathing, mouth dryness and the start of chronic sore throats. When air conditioners are left on during the night, especially if set very low,

these complications are common.

Problems occur in buildings where the air conditioning is centrally controlled and may be too cold for some people, with nose stuffiness and sore throats as explained above.

Problems occur too if an air conditioner is not properly maintained. If a unit is not properly maintained, fungal spores and other microorganisms are disseminated by dirty filters, triggering hay fever (allergic rhinitis) or asthma.

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Adrian M Agius MD, PHD, FRCS (Ed), M Med Sc (BHam) ENT Surgeon 40

April 2016

ADVERTORIAL

SOOTHING RELIEF FOR HAY FEVER & ALLERGY EYES that covers the white part of the eyes and the inside of the eyelids which are easily irritated by allergens like pollen.

CATACROM® SODIUM CROMOGLICATE 2% Catacrom® Eye Drops are for the relief and treatment of seasonal and year round allergic conjunctivitis and the symptoms of red, watery, itchy and puffy eyes.

Catacrom®, is the tried and tested ‘first line’ treatment for allergy eyes in the UK.

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Symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis include itching, burning, watering, redness of the eye and puffiness of the eye lids.

Each convenient unit-dose contains sodium cromoglicate and is preservative-free ensuring that the product is extra-safe to use, and that the symptoms of eye allergy are not made worse by preservatives which are often found in multi-dose formats.

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Seasonal and perennial allergic conjunctivitis usually affects both eyes at the same time.

Catacrom® is suitable to be used by children, as well as users of contact lenses.

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The most important advice for limiting allergic conjunctivitis is to try to keep away from whatever is causing the allergy.

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Keeping doors and windows closed normally helps.

A cold compress may also help to relieve sore eyes.

•

Anti-allergy eye drops, containing sodium cromoglicate, can help to treat the symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis.

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Use of preservative-free eye drops may be particularly beneficial, as this limits any potential for additional irritation to the eyes caused by preservatives.

ABOUT ALLERGIC CONJUNC TIVITIS

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For further information call Cherubino Ltd. Tel: 2134 3270 Catacrom® is a medicinal product. Always read the leaflet and consult your pharmacist or doctor for advice.

FAMILY LIFE

AVOIDING exams s�e�

SUPPORTIVE PARENTS’ PRESENCE CAN BE COMFORTING FOR ANYONE FACING EXAMS. AT TIMES, SOME PARENTS OVERDO THINGS, AGGRAVATING WHAT IS ALREADY A DIFFICULT TIME. WITH THAT IN MIND, WE ASKED EDUCATORS AND PARENTS HOW BEST TO SUPPORT CHILDREN IN THE BUILD UP TO AND DURING THE EXAM PERIOD.

s

tart early –

Avoiding a last minute rush is important, although that might occur during the few weeks before an exam. Explain and emphasise to your child the importance of doing a little bit of revision every day. Start with about 20 minutes a day, going through copybooks and workbooks to refresh their memory of what was done way back in the beginning of the school year.

Time-tabling – Working parents know the importance of time management. Children are becoming aware of this too because so many are involved in extra-curricular activities. With studying, having a time-table is important. Avoid always revising the child’s favourite subject or topic. Give the same importance to all subjects but take into consideration which day of the week it is. On days when your child is tired because of an energy-burning, sport training session after school, or a Catechism class, revise a subject or topic your child prefers. On days when your child has no extracurricular activities, revise the more demanding or less interesting subjects and topics because the child will be focussed and not excited about an upcoming activity.

Be patient – If your child notices that you are anxious to start cooking or to finish off some work you brought home from the office, s/he will find it harder to concentrate. At times making your presence felt is enough for the child. If you have urgent work, set-up your work station close to where your child is studying so that s/he can easily refer to you when necessary.

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Avoid always revising the child’s favourite subject or topic

• Maltese, English and other languages – Practice the different vocabulary and use idiomatic expressions and proverbs during conversation.

• Science – Do basic experiments with your children at home using simple ingredients you can easily find in supermarkets and pharmacies.

Use different resources – Prioritise – Teachers who spoke to A&H remarked that many pupils and students head off for weekend breaks or whole day picnics on the days before an exam. Parents should manage time spent away from home and study, saving it for shorter outings during the last few weeks before the exams. That way, the child won’t be tired and will appreciate that the whole family is supporting his / her studies.

Make studying relevant – When explaining things to your child or when going through his / her school notes, try to link the material to everyday life. This will help the child appreciate learning and realise

that what is being learnt can be applied to everyday life. Here are some ways to do that.

• Maths – Explain the value of money by making use of the leaflets you receive at home.

Explain the concept of weight by allowing the child to help out when you are experimenting with a new recipe. You can do this casually, rather than as part of a formal revision session.

• History – Plan an outing where you take your child to the locations or landmarks mentioned in his or her school notes. Explain by showing them first-hand what they have learned through study.

Most parents will remember going to the public library in Valletta on a Saturday morning to do research, look for pictures and finish off school projects. Nowadays the power button on a laptop will open up a window on the world. Websites contain valuable information presented in a colourful, interesting way which motivates our children. Look for online resources which can help your child revise. There are websites featuring explanatory videos about a wide range of school subjects and there are also interactive exercises to use for revision. Spending some time weekly to find and bookmark these websites is worth the effort and can save a lot of last-minute grief.

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BOOKS

lifestyle READING

AGENDA’S PICK OF THE LATEST LIFESTYLE BOOKS.

CLEAN UP YOUR DIET: CHANGE THE WAY YOU EAT MAX TOMLINSON The UK's best-loved naturopath, Max Tomlinson, reveals how you can harness the power of food to generate outstanding health.

Foods in their pure form can protect you against pollution and disease - especially degenerative diseases such as arthritis, diabetes and cancer - and can help you to achieve long-term health and vitality. Clean Up Your Diet shows you how to move away from processed, chemically laden food and how to capitalise on the inherent power of pure food. Choose from an all-encompassing range of programs: * The Detox Program-use pure foods for a

simple way to cleanse your body * The Clear Digestion Programdiscover how to do a pure foods tune-up * The Energy Boost Program-learn how to kick-start your energy levels * The Ailment Plan-relieve common ailments such as acne, arthritis, asthma, colds & flu, eczema, headaches, insomnia, IBS, PMT, hayfever and stress Each program is packed with nutritional advice, menu plans, delicious recipes and lifestyle techniques. Dip in and use just one section, or follow the program throughout, and enjoy renewed energy and optimum health and vitality.

HEART DISEASE: EAT YOUR WAY TO BETTER HEALTH DALE PINNOCK In this title, Dale explains that heart disease is at epidemic proportions and rising, and attempts to find out why - and what we can do about it.

His approach - using nutrition alongside conventional medicine - is to avoid the dietary baddies that may contribute to the problem. And he has some revolutionary ideas about what those might be. Dale shows how the heart works and gives you the tools you need to help yourself. His approachable, readable style reveals cardiovascular workings clearly. Dale peers inside the modern western kitchen storecupboard and shows what should be going into it with a comprehensive list of heart-healthy food.

Vitally, he reveals what needs to be thrown out and never replaced among them some startlingly common foods! Dale shows how easy it can

be to incorporate powerful super-nutrients into your diet and what foods and supplements can provide them. Each recipe has a check-list showing the components it contains that are particularly hearthealthy. Start the day with a Salmon and asparagus frittata, dine sumptuously on Black olive and anchovy-stuffed chicken breast with sweet potato mash and finish it all off with Pears poached in spiced red wine. If these seem miles away from a conventional heart-healthy diet, that is because Dale believes much modern-day dietary advice is wrong. Learn his secrets for yourself and eat your way to better heart health.

EAT RIGHT 4 YOUR TYPE PETER D’ADAMO & CATHERINE WHITNEY The individualised diet solution to staying healthy, living longer and achieving your ideal weight. Have diets you've tried in the past failed or even been counter-productive? Are you sure your diet is right for your blood type? This breakthrough programme is the only diet book to reveal the hidden key to successful dieting. Your blood type reflects your internal chemistry and actually determines the way you absorb

nutrients. The foods you absorb well and how your body handles stress differ with each blood type and plays a key part in losing weight, avoiding disease and promoting fitness and longevity. Based on that knowledge, Eat Right 4 Your Type provides a set of blood type-specific diets to help you learn how to combine the foods that are right for you, to ensure physical and mental well-being, while helping guarantee weight loss.

CHANGE YOUR MIND, HEAL YOUR BODY ANNA PARKINSON This book is a jargon-free account of a powerful personal story that has resonance for anyone dealing with physical or emotional crisis. It relates the author's conventional life and outlook as a busy BBC journalist and mother. This life was dramatically interrupted when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour while in the process of writing her first book. The reader can identify with the effect of her illness on her and her family.

Frustrations with medical system led her to gradually uncover the power of healing. Fascinated with this extraordinary 'parallel world' she shows how she developed her innate healing powers to the point where the MRI scan showed only tiny remnant of the tumour that had once

almost destroyed her life. In the process she uses healing to change all aspects of her life and relationships, and to heal others. Anna's experience and the extensive knowledge of different schools of healing that she has acquired since her illness help her to show how everyone can develop their innate power to heal and learn to understand the language of their body. She reinforces her narrative with information that explains clearly and lucidly how healing relates to the scientific discoveries of the last twenty years about how the body functions at a quantum level. The result is a book that is practical and usable as well as a personal and moving account.

LEAN IN 15: 15 MINUTE MEALS AND WORKOUTS TO KEEP YOU LEAN AND HEALTHY JOE WICK THE RECORD-BREAKING NO.1 BESTSELLER EAT MORE. EXERCISE LESS. LOSE FAT. In his first book, Joe Wicks, aka The Body Coach, reveals how to shift your body fat by eating more and exercising less. Lean in 15 features a hundred

recipes for nutritious, quick-to-prepare meals and guides you through Joe's signature HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) home workouts revealing how to combine food and exercise to ignite intense fatburning.

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PRODUCT NEWS

MADEGOOD™ CHOCO FINGERS Anyone who follows a gluten-free diet, whether by choice or due to specific dietary requirements, can tell you how hard it is to indulge in something sweet which tastes great. Peak’s Free From’s Choco Fingers allow you to do just that. Their bubbly chocolate filling wrapped in two thin layers of wafer and covered in chocolate are bound to satisfy your chocolate craving. The delicious Choco Fingers are free from gluten, wheat and GMO. Imported by: J. Calleja Ltd www.jcallejaltd.com J. Calleja Ltd

MadeGood™ Muesli Minis are organic, gluten-free, school safe and contain the nutrients found in one serving of vegetables. They’re made from whole grains, are low in sugar, and have a taste that both children and adults love.

They are available in three great varieties: Apple & Cinnamon, Chocolate & Banana or Strawberry, in 100g pouches or pocket size 24g packets. To find out which shops in your locality stock this brand, email storelocator@jcallejaltd.com.

Imported by: J. Calleja Ltd www.jcallejaltd.com J. Calleja Ltd

DEVON HEALTHLINE

A SMART WAY TO EXPERIENCE THE CITY Are you ready to discover the city anew ? At the touch of a button the new smart fortwo cabrio transforms from a closed 2-seater to a car with a large sliding sunroof or a fully fledged cabriolet enabling the occupants to discover something new around every corner. At a starting price of €18,700 the new smart fortwo cabrio really exudes joie de vivre in the city.

For more information and/or a test drive please contact Auto Sales Ltd - Kind’s, Mosta Road, Lija, on T 2331 1138 or Mgarr Road, Xewkija T 2155 0962 www.smart-malta.com

NESTLÉ MATERNA NUTRITION DURING BREASTFEEDING A healthy, well-balanced diet is important during breastfeeding. Although a supplement does not replace a wellbalanced diet, it can provide some extra insurance on those days when taking care of your new baby keeps you from eating as well as you like. It is important to choose a multivitamin that is especially formulated for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding that supports your nutritional requirements adequately as a nursing mother. Nestlé Materna helps provide the vitamins and minerals you need during all stages of your pregnancy.

After pregnancy, Nestlé Materna provides both calcium and vitamin D to help meet the nutritional needs while breastfeeding.

Available in Pharmacies

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Devon has been established since 1982 and now offers an extensive range of chocolate-coated biscuits, cream-filled biscuits, semi-sweet biscuits, cookies and crackers.

In 2005 Devon added the Healthline range, which offers sugar-free products and water crackers with omega 3 & 6. Recently, the brand launched Cereal Treats in the Healthline range. Flavours include Cranberries and Honey, and Milk & Chocolate.

Devon is the market leader on the Maltese islands offering 36 different products. Devon products are manufactured by Consolidated Biscuit Co Ltd which is BRC certified. This is internationally recognised as being one of the most effective safety control systems in the food industry.

Please visit www.cbiscuits.com or join us on facebook for more information.

Devon, finest quality biscuits

MULTI GYN INTISKIN INSTANT FRESHNESS Multi-Gyn IntiSkin is a specific product for immediate itch relief, irritations and burning as well as being a safe vaginal deodorizer. It is the latest product in the Multi-Gyn brand based on the patented 2QR-complex which balances the natural skin flora by neutralising bad bacteria.

Multi-Gyn IntiSkin safely eliminates odour and leaves you feeling fresh in a safe and natural way while supporting the barrier function of the intimate skin. Multi-Gyn IntiSkin can be sprayed at any angle at least 2 t-3 times per day or whenever relief is needed. Spray the affected area briefly once or twice.

Multi-Gyn IntiSkin is available in pharmacies Svea Distributors Co Ltd T 2149 0162 E info@svea.com.mt Multi-Gyn Malta

PRODUCT NEWS

MULTI MAM BABYDENT FOR SAFE TEETHING! NOMARILLA Menopause symptoms affect 60 to 80% of women and can occur even before the physiological cessation of the menstrual cycles. Nomarilla® is a sublingual spray based on a patented micro emulsion technology. This delivery gives better bioavailability, rapid onset of action and increased patient compliance. Nomarilla® contains • Trans-Resveratrol which controls the symptoms of menopause, especially hot flushes and night sweats. It has a broader spectrum of action than other phytoestrogens • Vitamin D3 • Vitamin E

PAMPERS BABY DRY Every mum recognises that a night of quality, uninterrupted sleep is beneficial for babies as they wake up rested, cheerful and ready to start their day. Securing the best possible night’s sleep is important, but babies don’t just sleep through the night. They need a helping hand.

Pampers Baby Dry have unique double dry zones: a new soft absorbing layer and a core which locks in wetness better than the next leading nappy for up to 12 hours of dryness. So your baby stays dry and comfortable throughout the night, every night.

Pampers Baby Dry – every good morning needs up to 12 hours of dryness.

Trade enquiries: VJ Salomone (Marketing) T 2298 3201 www.vjsm.com.mt

Multi-Mam BabyDent, the safest product for teething babies, is plant-based and gives immediate relief to the swelling of gums and pain associated with eruption of babies’ teeth. BabyDent is most effective when the gel is massaged onto the gums with a clean finger or a small soft toothbrush. It may also be directly placed onto a pacifier or teething ring. Multi-Mam BabyDent is safe and harmless when swallowed and does not contain any chemicals or anaesthetics such as Lidocaine and Benzocaine. Multi-Mam BabyDent can also be applied around the mouth in the case of skin rashes caused by drooling.

Multi-Mam BabyDent is available in pharmacies Svea Distributors Co. Ltd T 2149 0162 E info@svea.com.mt Multi-Mam Malta

DERCOS NEOGENIC Dercos Neogenicby Vichy Laboratories is a hair rebirth treatment for both men and women. It contains 5% Stemoxydine, a patented molecule which promotes the good functioning of the follicle stem cells. Dormant hair bulbs are awakened and the number of hair fibres increases, resulting in thicker, fuller hair. With 1,700 new hairs in an average of three months, Dercos Neogenic has confirmed its efficacy among users with low hair density.

Tested under dermatological supervision in a hospital environment, Dercos Neogenic is non-greasy, has a neutral fragrance, is hypoallergenic, paraben-free, and is suitable for those with sensitive scalps.

It can be applied to wet, dry or treated hair, and no rinsing is required. Use Dercos Neogenic Shampoo, which also contains Stemoxydine, to complement the treatment.

Dercos Neogenic Shampoo comes in an ultra-light texture that coats even the thinnest of hair with styling agents, thus giving it volume without weighing it down.

Dercos Neogenic is available in pharmacies For more information email vichy@prohealth.com.mt Facebook: Vichy

PHILIPS AVENT PHLORETIN CF GEL Phloretin CF Gel is a new, powerful serum-in-a-gel antioxidant. It features a patented combination of 2% Phloretin, 10% pure vitamin C (L-ascorbic Acid), and 0.5% Ferulic Acid to neutralise free radicals induced by environmental stressors such as UVA/UVB and pollution which may lead to visible signs of accelerated skin aging. Phloretin CF Gel diminishes hyperpigmentation, accelerates cellrenewal and retexturises skin. Its comforting gel base makes it ideal for normal to combination skin and non-serum users.

SkinCeuticals products are exclusively available from Persona Med-Aesthetic Centre in Ta’ Xbiex.

As a mum you’ll want to know what’s best for your baby from day one. With 30 years of clinical experience in baby feeding Philips Avent has been designing and manufacturing products to meet your needs. Products that are inspired by nature and have been developed through extensive research and clinical trials and, even more importantly, by listening to mums like you. Our products will help to support the choices you make, whether breastfeeding, bottle feeding, or combining the two. Then as your baby grows, the range’s interchangeable design features mean the products can be adapted to meet your baby’s developing needs. We are here to give your baby the best start in life. Philips Avent offers a full range of baby products from bottles, cups, soothers, electric and manual pumps, breast pads, monitors and much more.

Philips Avent is exclusively distributed by Alfred Gera & Sons Ltd, T 2144 620/5.

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PRODUCT NEWS

Munchkin offers your child a wide range of colourful, interactive toys that make bath time fun and enjoyable.

With a Bath Fun Bubble Blower, Undersea Explorer, Bath Tea and Cupcake Sets and a large selection of bath toys, Munchkin is sure to keep your child entertained.

With their bright and vibrant colours Munchkin toys are designed to help engage sensory skills as well as encourage your child to learn how to develop play patterns and interactive play. Munchkin also offers a wide range of feeding bottles, spill proof cups, training cups, flip straw cups, dining sets, door bouncers, safety car mirrors, backpacks and much more.

Munchkin toys are found in leading supermarkets, pharmacies and baby shops and are exclusively distributed by Alfred Gera & Sons Ltd, T 2144 6205/6.

GOOD THINGS MANUKA HONEY Manuka Honey is proven to contain a high level of active antioxidants that neutralise free radicals which are responsible for skin cell damage. Assisting in the growth of new cell and tissue regeneration, Manuka Honey hydrates, nourishes and helps prevent signs of ageing. With this in mind, Good Things skincare has launched a Manuka Honey skincare range. Good Things Manuka Honey skincare range will appeal to customers wanting an anti-ageing aspect tailored with hydrated, healthy, balanced skin in simple, effective products at affordable prices. The range consists of the following.

• Good Things Manuka Honey Creamy Cleanser 150ml A gentle, creamy cleanser to effectively remove daily grime and keep skin hydrated. Contains Royal Jelly and Beeswax .

• Good Things Manuka Honey Refining Scrub 150ml An exfoliating scrub to balance and smooth skin.

Contains Oat Meal and Sweet Almond oil.

• Good Things Manuka Honey SPF 15 Daily Moisturiser 100ml Hydrates, replenishes and prevents signs of skin ageing. Contains Royal Jelly and Bee Venom.

• Good Things Manuka Honey Radiance Face Mask 100ml Brightening face mask to hydrate skin and promote skin radiance. Contains White Clay and Bee Venom.

PAMPERED Treat Yourself, Treat Your Skin Pampered is an affordable range of showergels, shower and bath smoothies, handwashes, body lotions and roll-ons. New on the market are the new Pampered In Shower Body Moisturizers with yummy blends such as Sea Minerals and Nourishing Almond Oil which will help leave your skin feel moisturised, soft and smooth. The range is suitable for all skin types and best of all they are really an affordable indulgence available from all leading supermarkets and pharmacies.

For more information please call Alfred Gera & Sons Ltd T 2144 6205/6

Good Things Skincare is exclusively distributed by Alfred Gera & Sons Ltd. T 2144 6205

COLIEF FOR COLIC

SPATOPIA At SPAtopia we recognise that stressful lifestyles can leave your skin in need of some serious pampering. The SPAtopia Spa range encompasses mineral rich, energising Dead Sea Salts and super moisturising, nourishing Argan Oil for the ultimate in spa therapy.

Argan oil is widely recognised for its amazing skincare benefits. It is exceptionally rich in Vitamin E and Omega Essential Fatty Acids and therefore well known for its anti-ageing, moisturising and anti-oxidant properties. Our SPAtopia range combine essential oils with Argan oil to nourish your skin and leave you feeling pampered and revitalised.

SPAtopia is exclusively distributed by Alfred Gera & Sons Ltd, T. 2144 6205/6

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Colief is the product of choice for colic. It is completely natural and contains the enzyme lactase which breaks down lactose in milk. It is clinically proven to reduce colic-related crying time. It is added to breast milk or formula milk, prior to feeding. Once added to milk, it break downs lactose, making it more easily digested by babies; resulting in happier babies, with much less crying.

Colief also helps mothers to continue breastfeeding without the need to switch to low-lactose formula feeds. So while other colic-related products help to alleviate the symptoms of colic, Colief prevents colic!

ARTHRIMEL FOR ARTHRITIS Our joints undergo a lifetime of wear and tear and they can become damaged by injury, repetitive activity or over use.

Arthrimel, containing Glucosamine Sulfate, offers a good solution for your joint pain. Glucosamine is found naturally in your body and it keeps cartilage healthy. As you get older, your levels of glucosamine begin to drop, which leads to joint pain and stiffness. Glucosamine is not found in any natural food sources so it needs to be taken as supplements. Arthrimel will help to protect and repair joints and will reduce pain and stiffness.

It is important to note that while many glucosamine supplements are available, Arthrimel contains good quality pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine Sulphate. Arthrimel should be taken as 2 tablets daily with or without meals.

Arthrimel is a medicinal product available in all leading pharmacies. Always read the package leaflet.

Trade Enquires: Cherubino Ltd on T 2134 3270

MOMMY CARE NATURAL AND ORGANIC SKINCARE RANGE FOR MOTHER AND CHILD Mommy Care specialises in the development and production of skin care products for expectant mothers, babies and children and makes a point of developing natural and safe products for use during the time when skin is most sensitive. Our line of maternity products can be used to prevent stretch marks and help the body retain its shape after pregnancy. Our baby and child products are especially suitable for the most delicate and sensitive skin. The safety of mother and child is our primary concern at Mommy Care, so at a time when it really matters our customers can feel safe and taken care of while using our products.

Mommy Care, a natural and organic range of products, never use parabens, petroleum based ingredients, SLS, or any other controversial ingredient and it is our mission to keep developing high quality, safe skin care products that support moms who are looking to make healthy lifestyle choices for themselves and their children.

For more information and samples contact Mommy Care exclusive distributors, Alfred Gera & Sons Ltd, T. 2144 6205/6

STELATRIA SOS CREAM FOR MINOR RASH AND BITES Mustela’s Stelatria recovery cream has been specially designed to soothe localised irritations and redness (rash) on the face and body.

Typical irritations are seen around the mouth due to drooling of saliva, dummies, or even babies sucking on their thumbs, or in skin-folds, such a the neck, under the arms, between legs and behind their knees.

Stelatria is a very effective, steroid-free cream which helps soothes these irritations. It is based on a unique combination of copper, zinc and manganese, all of which are known to heal dry and irritated skin, and Bioecolia, which is yet another patented ingredient of Mustela, which helps limit the spread of bacteria and infection of these irritations. It is also ideal for insect bites, burns and chickenpox.

Stelatria can be used by newborns, babies and children and is applied 2-3 times a day.

d�ect�y ATTARD / BALZAN / IKLIN / LIJA M4 PHARMACY, OLD RAILWAY ROAD ATTARD 21436531 MISRAH KOLA PHARMACY, PITKALI ROAD ATTARD 21434137 ST. CATHERINE PHARMACY, TRIQ ID-DIELJA K/M TRIQ SANTA KATERINA ATTARD 21413442 ST. MARY PHARMACY, 2 ANTONIO SCHEMBRI STREET ATTARD 21436348 BALZAN PHARMACY, 70 ST FRANCIS STREET BALZAN 21444035 MEDICA PHARMACY, NAXXAR ROAD BALZAN 21445741 MILIA’S PHARMACY, 73 COTTONERA STREET, BIRGU 27600126 IKLIN PHARMACY, GERONIMO ABOS STREET IKLIN 21415499 IL-MEHRIEZ PHARMACY, 31 GIOVANNI CURMI STREET IKLIN 21435567 ST. JOSEPH PHARMACY, 164 ANNIBALE PRECA STREET LIJA 21418846 ST. MICHAEL PHARMACY, TRANSFIGURATION AVENUE LIJA 21435875 BAHRIJA BAHRIJA PHARMACY, RADDET IR-ROTI STREET C/W SCHOOL STREET BAHRIJA 21450743 BORMLA / SENGLEA / VITTORIOSA VITTORIOSA PHARMACY, 9 TRIQ IL-MINA IL-KBIRA, BIRGU 21807529 VERDALA PHARMACY, 57 TRIQ IL-GENDUS BORMLA 21824720 WHITE CROSS PHARMACY, SHOP A BLOCK 1 SAN PAWL BORMLA 21821671 SAN FILIPPU PHARMACY, 155 VICTORY STREET SENGLEA 21800681 VICTORY PHARMACY, 32 VICTORY STREET SENGLEA 21801698 BIRZEBBUGIA / MARSASCALA / MARSAXLOKK BLOSSOMS PHARMACY, TRIQ IL-GURGIER BIRZEBBUGIA 21652226 BRITANNIA PHARMACY, 5 PRETTY BAY STREET BIRZEBBUGIA 21658622 MARTIN’S PHARMACY, 182 MAIN STREET BIRZEBBUGIA 21651031 BELLAVISTA PHARMACY, 88 TRIQ IL-ĦORTAN MARSASCALA 21633788 SAN GWAKKIN PHARMACY, 1 ST ANNE STREET MARSASCALA 21637994 SAN TUMAS PHARMACY, LAMPUKA STREET MARSASCALA 27023322 ST. ANNE PHARMACY, TRIQ IL-QALIET MARSASCALA 21637615 POMPEI PHARMACY, 28 XATT IS-SAJJIEDA MARSAXLOKK 21651278 BUGIBBA / QAWRA / ST PAUL’S BAY PROMENADE PHARMACY, PIONEER ROAD BUGIBBA 21571530 ST. SIMON PHARMACY, 8 ISLETS PROMENADE BUGIBBA 21571649 EL MEDINA CHEMIST, TRIQ IL-MASKLI QAWRA 21576308 EURO CHEMIST, TRIQ IL-KURAZZA QAWRA 21581876 QAWRA PHARMACY, EARL’S COURT/1 TRIQ L-IMĦAR QAWRA 21585633 PARKES PHARMACY, 582 ST PAUL STREET ST. PAUL’S BAY 21571764 ST. PAUL’S BAY PHARMACY, 504 MAIN STREET ST. PAUL’S BAY 21573406

The magazine is also available for free at the following pharmacies and clinics FGURA / PAOLA / TARXIEN ALPHA PHARMACY, ‘MARIA IMMACULATA’ COTTONER STREET FGURA 21673811 CILIA’S PHARMACY, 303 ZABBAR STREET FGURA 21801962 FGURA PHARMACY, TRIQ IL-KOPPLA FGURA 21675250 BROWN’S PAOLA SQUARE PHARMACY, 64/65 ANTOINE DE PAULE SQUARE PAOLA 21821646 BROWN’S PHARMACY, 45 PAOLA HILL PAOLA 21694818 DE PAOLA PHARMACY, 36 PJAZZA ANTOINE DE PAULE PAOLA 21826408 DISTINCTION PHARMACY, 32 PJAZZA ANTOINE DE PAULE PAOLA 21693412 FLEMING PHARMACY, 61 ZABBAR STREET PAOLA 21696893 ST. MONICA PHARMACY, 157 ST MONICA STREET PAOLA 21667146 SONREN PHARMACY, ZEJTUN STREET TARXIEN 21672757 TARXIEN PHARMACY, 59 TARXIEN STREET TARXIEN 21802986 THERESA JO PHARMACY, 3A TRIQ XINTILL TARXIEN 21672703 FLEUR DE LYS / BIRKIRKARA HERBA PHARMACY, 183 MAIN STREET BIRKIRKARA 21443406 HOLY CROSS PHARMACY, 37 MAIN STREET BIRKIRKARA 21448454 MARRIT PHARMACY, 1ST MAY STREET FLEUR-DE-LYS 21488613 PHARMAPLUS GANU STREET BIRKIRKARA 21492958 RATIONAL PHARMACY, 74/75 VALLEY ROAD BIRKIRKARA 21441513 ST. ANNE PHARMACY, 24 ST HELEN SQUARE BIRKIRKARA 27441913 ST. HELEN PHARMACY, TUMAS FENECH STREET BIRKIRKARA 21441589 ST. JUDE PHARMACY, 213 VALLEY ROAD BIRKIRKARA 21492151 ST. PAUL’S PHARMACY, BRARED STREET BIRKIRKARA 21442135 THE LOCAL DISPENSARY, CAN. K. PIROTTA STREET BIRKIARA 21493549 FLEUR-DE-LYS PHARMACY 32 FLEUR-DE-LYS 21488884 MACKIE’S PHARMACY, L. CASOLANI STREET BIRKIRKARA 21496089 FLORIANA / VALLETTA CHEMIMART LTD., 14 ST ANNE STREET FLORIANA 21239310 ST. PUBLIUS PHARMACY, 48 TRIQ IL-MIRATUR FLORIANA 21225444 VILHENA PHARMACY, 3 ST ANNE STREET FLORIANA 21244114 WATERFRONT DISPENSARY, FORNI 2I PINTO WHARF FLORIANA 21233034 MEDICINE CHEST PHARMACY, DEMITRIJU FARRUGIA ROAD GHARGHUR 21422204 ST. ALBERT PHARMACY, ORATORY STREET GHARGHUR 21413402 CHEMIMART PHARMACY REPUBLIC STREET, 20/21, REPUBLIC STREET, VALLETTA 21246051 CHEMIMART CITY GATE PHARMACY, 24, CITY GATE, VALLETTA, 21238355 COLLIS WILLIAMS PHARMACY, 15 REPUBLIC STREET VALLETTA 21226281 EMPIRE PHARMACY, 77 OLD THEATRE STREET VALLETTA 21225785 EMPIRE PHARMACY BRANCH, 46 MELITA STREET VALLETTA 21225785 NEW BRITISH DISPENSARY, 109/110 ST JOHN STREET VALLETTA 21244813 REGENT PHARMACY, 70 MERCHANTS STREET VALLETTA 21245135 ROYAL PHARMACY, 271 REPUBLIC STREET VALLETTA 21252396

April 2016

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d�ect�y GHAXAQ / QRENDI / MQABBA BETA PHARMACY, 50/52 SANTA MARIA STREET GHAXAQ 21663311 CHRYSANTHEMUM PHARMACY, ST NICHOLAS STREET QRENDI 21680828 QRENDI PHARMACY, 6 MAIN STREET QRENDI 21683781 ST. PHILIP PHARMACY, TRIQ IĊ-ĊEPPUN GHAXAQ 21808723 GUDJA / LUQA / MARSA GUDJA PHARMACY, 9 TRIQ SAN ĊIRU GUDJA 21696422 MEDICAID PHARMACY, 62 VJAL IT-TORRI GUDJA 21676294 AIRPORT PHARMACY, GROUND FLOOR ARRIVAL LOUNGE MALTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TERMINAL, LUQA 23696349 CENTRAL PHARMACY, 6 ST JOSEPH STREET LUQA 21692546 ST. ANDREW’S PHARMACY, 51 ST GEORGE STREET LUQA 21820795 SAN RAFFAEL PHARMACY, 247 QORMI ROAD MARSA 21221188 TRINITY PHARMACY, 32 MARSA ROAD MARSA 21235595 VIVIEN PHARMACY, TRIQ PATRI MAGRI MARSA 21221701 HAMRUN / SANTA VENERA BROWN’S PHARMACY, 706 MAIN STREET HAMRUN 21238623 CHEMIMART INTERNATIONAL PHARMACY, 650 MAIN STREET HAMRUN 21236 477 COSMED PHARMACY, SOCCORS VILLAMBROSA STREET HAMRUN 21225991 DARWIN PHARMACY, 152 MAIN STREET HAMRUN 21221512 FRA DIEGO DISPENSARY, 94 VILLAMBROSA STREET HAMRUN 21224898 LISTER PHARMACY, 678 MAIN STREET HAMRUN 21245627 NATIONAL PHARMACY, 17 SANTA MARIA STREET HAMRUN 21225539 ST. GAETAN PHARMACY, KAPPILLAN MIFSUD STREET HAMRUN 21234570 THE CROSS PHARMACY, 859 MAIN STREET HAMRUN 21227682 THOMAS’ PHARMACY, 796 MAIN STREET HAMRUN 21238018 FATIMA PHARMACY, TRIQ IŻ-ŻONQOR SANTA VENERA 21482856 LANTERN PHARMACY, MISRAĦ IL-KEBBIES SANTA VENERA 21444648 ST. BARTHOLOMEW PHARMACY, 230 FLEUR-DE-LYS SANTA VENERA 21492271 ST. VENERA PHARMACY, 532 MAIN STREET SANTA VENERA 21238625 KALKARA KALKARA PHARMACY, NO. 8 MISRAĦ L-ARĊISQOF GONZI KALKARA 21807740 KIRKOP KIRKOP PHARMACY, 9 PARISH STREET KIRKOP 21682028 PRESTIGE PHARMACY, 16 ST JOSEPH STREET KIRKOP 21641328 MELLIEHA BROWN’S PHARMACY, SHOP A GEORGE BORG OLIVIER STREET MELLIEHA 21523554 MELLIEHA PHARMACY, 111 GEORGE BORG OLIVIER STREET MELLIEHA 21523462 BROWN’S VILLAGE PHARMACY, MAIN STREET MELLIEHA 21523536 MĠARR PHARMACY, MAIN STREET C/W VITALE STREET MGARR 21577784 ST. MARY PHARMACY, 71 SIR HARRY LUKE STREET MGARR 21580711 MOSTA / NAXXAR GROGNET PHARMACY, 41 CONSTITUTION STREET MOSTA 21432038 ROTUNDA PHARMACY, 7 EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS ROAD MOSTA 21411197 SANTA MARGHERITA PHARMACY, VJAL IL-QALBIENA MOSTIN SANTA MARGHERITA ESTATE MOSTA 21416426 SGHAJTAR PHARMACY, SGĦAJTAR STREET MOSTA 21415198 ST. JOSEPH PHARMACY, 1 TRIQ IŻ-ŻAKKAK MOSTA 21417593 ST. LOUIS PHARMACY, CALI’ STREET MOSTA 21432802 ST. MARY PHARMACY, 14 PJAZZA ROTUNDA MOSTA 21433833 TAT-TARGA PHARMACY, PLOT NO. 2 CONSTITUTION STREET MOSTA 21433141 BROWN’S CHEMISTS, ST PAUL STREET NAXXAR 21417652 NAXXAR PHARMACY, VJAL IL-21 TA’ SETTEMBRU NAXXAR 21411438 PILLBOX PHARMACY, 63 TRIQ IL-BJAD NAXXAR 21417406 VICTORY PHARMACY, 16 VICTORY SQUARE NAXXAR 21412454 MQABBA KRISTIANNE PHARMACY, TRIQ IC-CAVI MQABBA 21683048 MQABBA CENTRAL PHARMACY, ST CATHERINE STREET MQABBA 21641133 MSIDA / PIETÀ /GZIRA/ TA’ XBIEX DEBY’S PHARMACY, 1 QUARRIES STREET MSIDA 21227920 MAYER PHARMACY, 33 TA’ XBIEX SEAFRONT MSIDA 21331732

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April 2016

The magazine is also available for free at the following pharmacies and clinics

REGAL PHARMACY, 39B ANTONIO BOSIO STREET MSIDA 21313115 REGIONAL PHARMACY, E.H. FURSE STREET MSIDA 21312449 BROWN’S PHARMACY, SHOP 10 YACHT MARINA APARTMENTS TRIQ IL-MARINA PIETÀ 21244366 CHARING PHARMACY, MIMOSA STREET PIETÀ 21232954 ST. ANTHONY PHARMACY, 56 ST JOSEPH STREET PIETÀ 21237327 ST. LUKE PHARMACY, ST LUKE STREET PIETÀ 21241293 D’ARGENS PHARMACY, 330 RUE D’ARGENS GZIRA 21330817 O’HEA PHARMACY, 128 MANOEL STREET GZIRA 21330268 ST. MATTHEW’S PHARMACY, 213 THE STRAND GZIRA 21311797 TONY’S PHARMACY, 100 SIR PATRICK STUART STREET GZIRA 21332080 PHARMALAND DISPENSERS, 5 TAGLIAFERRO MANSIONS PRINCESS MARGARET STREET TA’ XBIEX 21346547 PERSONA MED-AESTHETIC CENTRE, 42, MARINA COURT, SIR UGO MIFSUD STREET, TA’ XBIEX 21340366 REMEDIES CHEMISTS, MARINA COURT 49A ABATE RIGORD STREET TA’ XBIEX 21341649 PACEVILLE / SAN GWANN / ST JULIANS POTTER CHEMISTS LTD., WILGA STREET PACEVILLE 21363244 LOURDES PHARMACY, NAXXAR ROAD SAN GWANN 21387479 MARC PHARMACY, 92 MENSIJA STREET SAN GWANN 21373275 MEDICAL PLAZA DISPENSING CHEMISTS, CASS-I-MALL BUILDINGS VJAL IR-RIHAN SAN GWANN 21372195 SAN GWANN PHARMACY, 11 FELIĊ BORG STREET SAN GWANN 21386974 SPIŻERIJA KAPPARA, ŻBIBU LANE SAN GWANN 21381776 BALLUTA PHARMACY, 30 MAIN STREET ST JULIANS 21317888 MELITA PHARMACY, 127 ST GEORGE STREET ST JULIANS 21378657 SPIŻERIJA MERĦBA, SHOP 2 LAPSI STREET TA’ GIORNI ST JULIANS 21333886 ST. JULIANS PHARMACY, 24 GEORGE BORG OLIVIER STREET ST JULIANS 21369426 PEMBROKE / SWIEQI / ST ANDREWS J.V.’S PHARMACY, SWIEQI VALLEY SWIEQI 21371062 KRYPTON CHEMISTS, IBRAGG STREET SWIEQI 21370141 ST ANDREWS PHARMACY, 87 GIUSEPPE MALFEGGIANI STREET ST ANDREWS 21372784 PENNY LANE PHARMACY, SEJJIEĦ STREET SWIEQI 21375373 SAN GIORGIO PHARMACY, MANWEL BUHAGIAR STREET PREMBROKE 21378485 ST. ANDREW’S PHARMACY, TRIQ IL-QASAM ST ANDREWS 21355205 QORMI ANICI PHARMACY, ANICI STREET QORMI 21487162 BROWN’S PHARMACY, 278 VICTORY STREET QORMI 21499697 DRUGSHOP DISPENSARY, VJAL DE LA CRUZ QORMI 21443221 EVANS PHARMACY, 96/98 ST SEBASTIAN STREET QORMI 21487020 PINTO PHARMACY, 43 ST SEBASTIAN STREET QORMI 21487311 ST. GEORGE’S PHARMACY, 21 MAIN STREET QORMI 21443045 TAL-HLAS PHARMACY, TRIQ IL-ĦELSIEN QORMI 21487739 DINGLI / MTARFA / RABAT SANTA MARIJA PHARMACY, FRENĊ ABELA SQUARE DINGLI 21452447 SPIŻERIJA CARMEN, 1 TRIQ MISRAĦ SUFFARA DINGLI 21457128 IMTARFA PHARMACY, 207 ST. DAVID ROAD MTARFA 21451261 MAKE OVER PHARMACY, BLK A TOWN CENTRE HOS MTARFA 21452833 CENTRAL PHARMACY, TRIQ GĦAJN KAJJET RABAT 21455959 IDEAL PHARMACY, 63 MAIN STREET RABAT 21455479 NIGRET PHARMACY, TRIQ IŻ-ŻAHAR RABAT 21450602 NOVA PHARMACY, 142 COLLEGE STREET RABAT 21454247 ST. ANTHONY PHARMACY, 18 MAIN STREET RABAT 21454187 SAFI PASTEUR PHARMACY, TRIQ IT-TELLERIT SAFI 21689944 SAFI PHARMACY, ST. JOHN STREET C/W BIEB IL-GARRA STREET SAFI 21649552 SANTA LUCIA MADDALENA PHARMACY, SHOP 2 TAL-FAQQANI BUILDING TOWER AVENUE SANTA LUCIA 21677037 STA. LUCIA PHARMACY, 1 MISRAĦ DORELL SANTA LUCIA 21890111

SIGGIEWI MENELO PHARMACY, DR NIKOL ZAMMIT STREET SIGGIEWI 21462957 ST. NICHOLAS PHARMACY, 1 PARISH STREET SIGGIEWI 21460828 THE BYPASS PHARMACY, MONS MIKIEL AZZOPARDI STREET SIGGIEWI 21461681 SLIEMA BROWN’S PHARMACY, UNIT 22 TIGNÈ STREET SLIEMA 21313233 CHEMIMART PHARMACY, 4 5 6 IL-PIAZZETTA TOWER ROAD SLIEMA 21338369 DRUG STORE, 382 MANWEL DIMECH STREET SLIEMA 21334627 EDWARD’S PHARMACY, 115 MANWEL DIMECH STREET SLIEMA 21334102 HARLEY PHARMACY, 1 NATHALIE POUTIATINE TABONE STREET SLIEMA 21334635 MRABAT PHARMACY, MRABAT STREET SLIEMA 21313535 NORMAN’S PHARMACY, 133 HIGH STREET SLIEMA 21332243 RUDOLPH PHARMACY, 133 RUDOLPHE STREET SLIEMA 21344722 STELLA MARIS PHARMACY, 34 MILNER STREET SLIEMA 21335217 THE ECONOMICAL DISPENSARY, 86/87 SIR ADRIAN DINGLI STREET SLIEMA 21330376 VICTOR’S PHARMACY, 9 TOWER ROAD SLIEMA 21330352 WALES PHARMACY, 183 MANWEL DIMECH STREET SLIEMA 21335492 ZABBAR ST. ELIAS PHARMACY, TRIQ SAN ELIJA XAGHJRA 21660300 FELICE DISPENSARY, 95 SANCTUARY STREET ZABBAR 21827939 MAY DAY PHARMACY, VICTORY STREET ZABBAR 21826529 MEDIATRIX PLUS PHARMACY, 7 SANCTUARY STREET ZABBAR 27826685 POLYMER PHARMACY, TRIQ IX-XGĦAJRA ZABBAR 21676263 ST. JAMES PHARMACY, 1 MISRAĦ SAN ĠAKBU ZABBAR 21666194 ST. PETER PHARMACY, TRIQ IS-SEBBELLIKA ZABBAR 21663750 ZEBBUG DE ROHAN PHARMACY, 24 ST ANTHONY STREET ZEBBUG 21464128 PLAZA PHARMACY, 86 MAIN STREET ZEBBUG 21467459 SANTA MARIJA PHARMACY, 40 GĦASFURA STREET ZEBBUG 21465346 SPIŻERIJA ĦAL-MULA, DUN SALV CIAPPARA STREET ZEBBUG 21461693 TAL-GRAZZJA PHARMACY, FRANĠISK FARRUGIA STREET ZEBBUG 21462068 BROWN’S PHARMACY, 47 VJAL IL-ĦELSIEN ZEBBUG 21465411 ZEJTUN GERADA PHARMACY, 46 MATER BONI CONSIGLI STREET ZEJTUN 21806009 GREEN CROSS PHARMACY, 31 GREGORIO BONNICI SQUARE ZEJTUN 21693723 JOHN J. BORG PHARMACY, 1 CONSTITUTION STREET ZEJTUN 21898728 ST. CATHERINE PHARMACY, PLOT 3 TRIQ IL-QADI ZEJTUN 21678039 ZURRIEQ KRISTIANNE PHARMACY, PIETRU PAWL SAYDON STREET ZURRIEQ 21647391 SALUS PHARMACY, 21 REPUBLIC SQUARE ZURRIEQ 21680761 ZURRIEQ DISPENSARY, 68 MAIN STREET ZURRIEQ 21689971 BRONJA PHARMACY, SONATA BRONJA STREET ŻURRIEQ 21682251 GOZO FONTANA PHARMACY, TRIQ IL-GĦAJN FONTANA 21566979 GĦAJNSIELEM PHARMACY, INDEPENDENCE SQUARE GHAJNSIELEM 27203615 LAURETANA PHARMACY, 36 MGARR STREET GHAJNSIELEM 21563017 SOKKORS PHARMACY, ST GREGORY STREET KERCEM 21553018 TONY’S PHARMACY, “EGRET COURT”VALLEY STREET MARSALFORN 21563617 NADUR PHARMACY, PJAZZA IT-28 TA’ APRIL 1688 NADUR 21563589 VELLA PHARMACY, 15 13TH DECEMBER STREET NADUR 21566431 ST. JOSEPH PHARMACY, 28 ST JOSEPH SQUARE QALA 21555348 ABELA’S PHARMACY, 42 G.P.F. AGIUS DE SOLDANIS STREET RABAT 21556170 AZZOPARDI PHARMACY, CAPUCHIN STREET RABAT 21563233 BATU PHARMACY, 38 PALM STREET RABAT 21551841 CASTLE PHARMACY, 2 INDEPENDENCE SQUARE RABAT 21556970 PALM PHARMACY, 2 PALM STREET RABAT 21566170 TAĊ-ĊAWLA PHARMACY, 7 JUNE 1919 STREET RABAT 21557819 PISANI PHARMACY, NEW BUILDING SANNAT STREET SANNAT 21564447 JOYCE’S PHARMACY, VJAL IT-8 TA’ SETTEMBRU XAGHRA 21561486 XAGĦRA PHARMACY 55 CHURCH STREET XAGHRA 27551140 GOZO CHEMISTS, MGARR ROAD XEWKIJA 21557278 ST. JOHN’S PHARMACY, 85 INDEPENDENCE STREET XEWKIJA 21563052

There’s nothing healthy about a tan.

MAY: MELANOMA AWARENESS MONTH

By far the biggest risk factor for developing melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, is exposure to the harmful rays of the sun.

Sun damage is cumulative and much of the harm that occurs is invisible, beneath the surface, only becoming apparent later in life. Therefore, it is essential to behave cautiously in the sun from an early age. Besides using a high SPF broad-spectrum sunscreen which protects you from both UVA and UVB radiation, the use of powerful topical antioxidants will majorly increase your protection from sun damage.

Melanoma is a type of skin tumour that contains melanin, the dark brown or black pigment in the skin that makes moles look dark. An easy method of self-examination is the ABCDE-Method: Asymmetry, Border, Colour, Diameter and Evolution - looking for the so-called ‘ugly ducklings’. Regular self-examination of the skin should be considered as complementary to a skin examination by a dermatologist. While we know that people in Malta love to enjoy the sun and the sea, we hope that Persona can contribute to raising awareness to the risks of sun exposure and to support educational campaigns aimed at the prevention of melanoma.

42 Marina Court, Sir Ugo Mifsud Street, Ta’ Xbiex 21 340 366

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