Roodeberg PHARMACY
regular dose
Health Calendar
2017
January Skin Cancer Awareness Month (SunSmart) 4......................................................... World Braille Day 31.................................................... World Leprosy Day
February Healthy Lifestyles Awareness Month Reproductive Health Month Environmental Health Awareness Month
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4........................................................World Cancer Day 8-14.................................. Pregnancy Awareness Week 10-16............................................ STI / Condom Week 13.................................................... World Epilepsy Day 19.............................. Healthy Lifestyles Awareness Day
March
2..............................International Cancer Survivors’ Day 3-9.......................................World Heart Rhythm Week 4........................................International Day of Innocent Children – Victims of Aggression 5................................................World Environment Day 14............................................. World Blood Donor Day 15............................ World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 21-27........................................National Epilepsy Week 21................................................ National Epilepsy Day 24-28............................ SANCA Drug Awareness Week 26.........................International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking
July Mental Illness Awareness Month 1-5........................................ Corporate Wellness Week 11................................................ World Population Day 18..........................................International Mandela Day 28................................................... World Hepatitis Day
TB Awareness Month 3 ......................................................World Hearing Day 4-8................................................ School Health Week 8...........................................International Women’s Day 10...................................................... World Kidney Day 12-18........................................ World Glaucoma Week 16-22................................ World Salt Awareness Week 20..............................World Head Injury Awareness Day 21.....................................................Human Rights Day 21....................................... World Down Syndrome Day 21-28..................................................... HPV 1st round 24............................................................ World TB Day
April Health Awareness Month 2........................................................ World Autism Day 7.........................................................World Health Day 17..............................................World Haemophilia Day 24-30.......................... Global/African Vaccination Week 25......................................................World Malaria Day
May Anti-Tobacco Campaign Month Burns Awareness Month International Multiple Sclerosis Month 1-8......................................................... Hospice Week 5............................................. World Hand Hygiene Day 6-12......................................... Burns Awareness Week 8.................................................. World Red Cross Day 10........................................ World Move for Health Day 12.........................................World Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome Day 12............................................ International Nurses Day 15 May-15 June.................. Go Turquoise for the Elderly 15....................... International Candlelight Memorial Day 17............................................ World Hypertension Day 27 May-2 June............................ Child Protection Week 28.......... International Day of Action for Women’s Health 31.............................................. World No Tobacco Day
June Men’s Health Month National Blood Donor Month National Youth Month Go Turquoise for the Elderly Month
August Bone Marrow Stem Cell Donation and Leukaemia Awareness Months (spans 15 August to 15 October) National Women's Month Organ Donor Month Child Health Month 1-7.......................................World Breastfeeding Week 1-7.................................................. CANSA Care Week 4-10............................................. Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease Week 6-12...........................................Polio Awareness Week 9 ................................................National Women's Day 12 ............................................. International Youth Day 26-31........................ African Traditional Medicine Week 31.................................African Traditional Medicine Day
October Bone Marrow Stem Cell Donation and Leukaemia Awareness Month (spans 15 August to 15 October) Breast Cancer Awareness Month Eye Care Awareness Month (spans 23 September to 20 October) Mental Health Awareness Month World Spina Bifida Month 1.............................. International Day for Older Persons 1.................................. National Inherited Disorders Day 9.......... International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction 9-15..........................................National Nutrition Week 10............................................World Mental Health Day 10....................... World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 11-17............................................Case Manager Week 12..................................................... World Arthritis Day 12............................................... National Bandana Day 12......................................................... World Sight day 12-20.................................World Bone and Joint Week 15......................................... Global Hand Washing Day 15....................... National Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Day 15-19.........................................National Obesity Week 16.........................................................World Food Day 16........................................................ World Spine Day 17..................................................... World Trauma Day 17...........International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 20....................................National Down Syndrome Day 20............................................ World Osteoporosis Day 20-26..... International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week 23..................... National Iodine Deficiency Disorder Day 24......................................................... World Polio Day 29.......................................................World Stroke Day 30........... Commemoration of African Food and Nutrition Security Day
November
September
Quality Month
Albinism Awareness Month Bone Marrow Stem Cell Donation and Leukaemia Awareness Month (spans 15 August to 15 October) Cervical Cancer Awareness Month Childhood Cancer Awareness Month Eye Care Awareness Month (spans 23 September to 20 October) Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Month National Heart Awareness Month National Month of Deaf People National Oral Health Month
2................................................ National Children’s Day 2-6.................................................SADC Malaria Week 4-10...National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Week 9....................................................... SADC Malaria Day 9........................................................ World Quality Day 14................................................... World Diabetes Day 14-20.....................National Antibiotic Awareness Week 25............................International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women 25/11-10/12........... 16 Days of Activism on No Violence Against Women & Children 28-3 November............................... World Stroke Week
2-6.........................................Kidney Awareness Week 2-6.............................................................. Back Week 9...................International Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Day 10.....................International Gynaecological Health Day 14...National Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Day 15 ............................................. National Sunflower Day 19-25.............................................. World Retina Week 21............................................... World Alzheimer’s Day 22-27....................................................HPV 2nd round 23......... Commencement of Eye Care Awareness Month 26....................................................... World Retina Day 26................................ World Environmental Health Day 26........................................... World Contraception Day 28...................................................... World Rabies Day 29........................................................ World Heart Day
December Prevention of Injuries Month Skin Cancer Awareness Month (SunSmart) 1........................................................... World AIDS Day 3...................International Day of Persons with Disability 5......................................... International Volunteers Day 9............................................. World Patient Safety Day 10................................. International Human Rights Day 12.................................. Universal Health Coverage Day
1..........................................International Children’s Day PUBLISHER: Free Radical Media info@freeradicalmedia.co.za www.freeradicalmedia.co.za MANAGING EDITOR Nicola Profir editor@freeradicalmedia.co.za CREATIVE MANAGER Aneska Meintjes: +27 82 851 1441 aneska@freeradicalmedia.co.za
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Radical Media. Yes, We Care is subject to copyright in its entirety. The contents may not be reproduced in any form, either in whole or in part, without the written consent of the publisher. Unless specified, all rights are reserved in material accepted for publication. All letters and other
unsolicited submissions (manuscripts, art, photographs and other materials) will be considered for publication unless clearly labeled ’not for publication’. All letters may be subject to editing. Yes, We Care is not responsible for any unsolicited submissions. Free Radical Media reserves the right to reject any advertising at our discretion without an explanation. Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Free Radical Media or their clients. Information has been included in good faith by the publisher and is believed to be correct at the time of going to print. No responsibility can be accepted for errors and omissions. No material (articles or photographs) in this publication may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without specific
written permission from Free Medical Media. No liability is accepted by Free Radical Media, the publisher, nor the authors for any information contained herein. Neither Yes, We Care magazine nor its publisher is responsible for damage or harm, of whatever description, resulting from persons undertaking any activity or health advice featured in Yes, We Care. Submissions of articles and photographs for publication are welcomed, but the publisher, while exercising all reasonable care, cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage.
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GREAT NEWS FOR ANYONE THAT PREFERS CABERNET OVER CARDIO! DRINKING TWO GLASSES OF WINE BEFORE BED COULD ACTUALLY BE THE MAGIC PILL THAT HELPS YOU LOSE WEIGHT...
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BALANCING ACT
08 10 14
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Tackling Tear Triggers Big Ideas for Small Bathrooms How Dictatorships Ruin Relationships
HEALTH HABITS
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10 Unbelievable New Diet Rules
GET PHYSICAL
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Sleep Your Way to a Healthy Body
NUTRITION
20
22 How to Avoid Overeating
REGULAR DOSE
02 06 07 28
Health Calendar 2016 Need to Know Health Trends
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Know
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WINDOWS THAK KEEP YOU WARM Selecting the correct window frames for your home is a crucial decision and according to experts at leading window and door supplier, Swartland, today you cannot make your selection solely based on aesthetics. Electricity is becoming increasingly expensive, so when building or renovating, it is a wise idea to do everything in your power to minimise the costs of heating and cooling your home, and selecting the right windows is a critical step. Swartland’s Cobus Lourens offers some advice on how to go about selecting the windows that will offer you the best value with regards to investment and energy efficiency. Choosing energy efficient fenestration will not only save you a lot of money over the lifespan of the windows, but it is also the responsible thing to do for the environment. According to Cobus, factors that you need to consider include: choosing wood and aluminium frames, opting for double or Low-E glazing, insisting on expert installation, and buying SANS 10400-XA-compliant windows. For more information, visit www.swartland.co.za.
Pretty In Pastel
From heavenly macaroons to sweet sorbets, soft fairy floss pinks to delicate baby blues, the new range of delectable pastel hues from Superga are here to sweeten up your winter! Say goodbye to the standard darker neutral shades of the colder winter months and ditch them in favour of an array of cutesy candyfloss pops of colour that will add a chic fun element to your winter wardrobe. Incorporating the pastel trend into your sneaker collection is an effortless way to update an outfit without overdoing the hues and perfectly showcase some quirk. The Superga pastel range comes in a variety of options fit for any personality, from snakeskin and suede textures to Velcro straps, platforms and metallic details and a combination of these trends ensuring that these sneakers will have style enthusiasts everywhere swooning. Available at Superga concept stores nationwide – visit www.superga.co.za to locate your nearest stockest.
Stylish Storage Solutions
Any space is only as big as your mind feels in it. Simple, clean lines are not only easy on the eye, they also create an environment where creativity is allowed free reign. Weylandts new range of minimalist storage products – the extended rod range – will do exactly that. The use of black steel gives a confident, industrial feel while the contrasting texture of wood adds a touch of warmth. With this range, Weylandts are rethinking the idea that storage is something you shouldn’t notice – creating striking pieces that provide a framework for you to showcase your unique personality. The range is available at Weylandts outlets nationwide. Visit www.weylandts.co.za for more information.
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Health
Trends Avo's for Arteries
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Did you know that avocado is proven to improve heart health? A study done by researchers in Mexico found that people who ate avocado every day for one week experienced an average 17% drop in total blood cholesterol. What's more, their levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol decreased and HDL ("good") cholesterol increased. Instead of using a whopping dollop of mayonnaise on your sandwich, try using thin slices of avocado next time. If you find it tough to work avocado into your diet try drinking it in a delicious smoothie.
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The percentage with which you could lower your risk of kidney failure by simply swapping the beef in one meal per week with another source of protein such as chicken, fish or eggs – or go meat free – lentils and beans will work too!
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PASS THE MERLOT PLEASE Great news for anyone that prefers Cabernet over cardio! Drinking two glasses of wine before bed could actually be the magic pill that helps you lose weight, according to two recent studies from Washington State University and Harvard Medical School. There's a polyphenol called resveratrol in red wine that transforms "white fat" into "beige fat" (the fat that's easier to burn off), say the Washington State researchers. The Harvard study, which looked at 20,000 women over the course of 13 years, determined that those who drank two glasses of wine daily were 70 percent less likely to be overweight. So, what's the significance of night wine? Another study found that resveratrol also helps suppress your appetite, which means that after a glass or two of red, you're much less likely to raid the fridge for a late-night snack. If drinking red wine doesn’t work for you, other major sources of resveratrol include blueberries, strawberries and (obviously) grapes. Cheers to that!
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balancing act
Crying
OVER SPILT MILK
balancing act
‘There’s no need to cry over spilt milk,’ the English love to say; but what about when you can’t help it? Crying is a normal and healthy human function and we all feel better after a good cry but not being able to control your tears is a sign that something more serious could be going on.
Stress is not a formal medical problem but it is something most of the adult population suffers from. When it comes to stress, running won’t get you far. The only way to handle life and work pressure is head-on. If you’re sweeping all that tension under the rug, it’s no surprise that the smallest thing has you reaching for the tissues. Set aside some time to evaluate the problems in your life. Writing them down and seeing it on paper can help put them in perspective. Formulate a plan to solve each problem and don’t be afraid to ask for help. This way, you are putting yourself back in control and not letting it get the better of you. Excessive stress can have more consequences than crying – it can worsen or even bring on physical problems, everything from digestive stress to heart disease.
In the days leading up to your period, a woman’s hormones are all over the place and you have very little, if any, control over your emotions. If you find yourself crying at the puppies on the BabySoft advert in the week before your period, it’s because the chemicals in the brain responsible for mood are impacted by swinging levels of oestrogen and progesterone, resulting in moodiness, irritability and uncontrollable tears. Luckily it shouldn’t last long and tapers off once your period arrives. If you find it more than you can handle, take Vitamin B6 supplements to help with mood control. If these spells are affecting your quality of life, ask your doctor to screen you for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, a rarer and more debilitating form of PMS.
DARK DEPRESSION
SLEEP DEPRIVATION
Babies aren’t the only ones who cry when they’re tired. Crying for no reason can be a sign that you aren’t getting enough sleep. Research has shown that getting less than five hours sleep on a regular basis can lead to negative mood changes ranging from irritability, frustration and sadness. The body needs sleep to restore and heal itself and not enough sleep means your body is using the little energy you have left just to keep you going, leaving you with your defences down and your emotions bare. There is no specific number of hours a person should
Clinical depression is often more of an emotional numbness than crying, but the increased need to cry can be an indicator. Depression is like any other illness and needs to be treated. If left untreated, it will get worse. Including being unable to control your tears, signs of depression are feeling worthless or hopeless, feeling lethargic, having difficulty making decisions, feeling sad for most of the day on most days, an increased need for sleep or the inability to sleep, unexplainable weight loss or weight gain and (the most alarming and the biggest cry for help) thoughts of suicide or death. If you feel that you may be depressed, seek help immediately! For anonymous help, contact the South African Depression and Anxiety Group at www.sadag.org, call their 24 hour helpline on 0800 12 13 14, their suicide emergency
STRESSED OUT
ANXIETY ISSUES
Anxiety and depression are often put together in the same boat, but anxiety is different. Most people can’t control the need to cry before, during or after an anxiety attack. These attacks are a single moment of overwhelming fear, in many cases it is a sense of impending doom or death. Crying is one of your mind’s ways of coping with these dreadful feelings and the intensity of panic attacks. If you experience feelings of nervousness, powerlessness, impending doom, panic, sense of danger, hyperventilating, excessive trembling or increased heart rate, it is possible that you are suffering from anxiety. Just like depression, anxiety won’t go away on its own. Find help to get the treatment that is right for you. Contact the South African Depression and Anxiety Group for help, details given above.
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THE UPS AND DOWNS OF PMS
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line on 0800 56 75 67 or send an SMS to 31393 and they’ll call you back. www.wecarepharmacy.co.za
sleep, some people need more and some need less, but seven to eight hours a night – consistently – is a good place to start.
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Big Ideas FOR SMALL BATHROOMS
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Johnny Lamprecht from leading sanitaryware and tiling supplier, Bathroom Bizarre, shares tips on making your small bathroom your new favourite space. Bathroom layouts can be challenging, however, a small bathroom layout can be particularly difficult to get right. Johnny Lamprecht from leading sanitaryware and tile supplier, Bathroom Bizarre, offers some tips and advice on how you can make your small bathroom a more attractive, comfortable and functional space. Just because your bathroom is short on space, does not mean that you have to sacrifice good looks for functionality – with the right combination of materials, sanitaryware and design, your small bathroom can feel inviting, serene and stylish.
STORAGE IS KEY
Most of us don’t have the luxury of space in our bathrooms, but more often than not, what we do have is overflowing drawers, cluttered counters and shelves spilling over with a collection of beauty and hygiene products. All this “stuff” will make any space feel cluttered, disorderly and smaller than it actually is. In small bathrooms especially, clutter can exacerbate the problem and make the space seem claustrophobic. As such, storage is one of the most important design features when you are creating a layout for a small bathroom. “The truth is – you can’t have too much storage in this space. Although pedestal basins remain a great way of saving floor space in a bathroom layout, the problem is that they do not offer any useful storage. Rather opt for wall-hung, floating cabinetry that acts as a sink vanity, with added storage. Bathroom Bizarre offers a range of various modular units that can be pieced together to fit virtually any custom space. For a seamless finish, we also offer custom-size filler pieces that are manufactured from the same material as the cabinetry to fill in where the unit joins up against the wall. Now homeowners can benefit from customised cabinetry, at affordable off-the-shelf prices,” says Johnny.
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When it comes to tiles, there are a number of considerations that are important to think about, notes Johnny: “My number one rule is that bigger tiles are better when it comes to smaller spaces. Larger tiles help create the illusion of more spaciousness as they create less grouting lines when installed, and these lines tend to break the space up visually. Also, be sure to use one uniform tile for the entire bathroom floor. With regards to wall tiles, it is imperative to tile from the floor right up to the ceiling to create the illusion of height. Another clever way of creating the illusion of added height is to lay the tiles vertically to draw the eye upwards – this is especially effective when using subway tiles.”
SELECTING COLOURS
Only use light hues in your small bathroom’s colour palette advises Johnny: “This is one of those go-to design tips that is especially true in a bathroom where you have so many built-in features. Lighter colours tend to open up the space visually – giving you room to breathe and making the space feel lighter and brighter. If you want
to use darker colours in this space, then reserve them for the floor to create a nice contrast between the floor and walls, and keep the overall scheme light. Also, avoid over-fussy and busy designs, as they will make the space feel cluttered – rather opt for clean, simple designs.”
MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL…
Mirrors remain a great way of adding depth, width and length to a small room. They also reflect light, which makes the space seem brighter and bigger. Johnny notes: “Adding a mirror across an entire wall can double the look and feel of a small bathroom. This is particularly effective above a vanity or along one side of a narrow room.”
KEEP IT OFF THE FLOOR
In small bathrooms, you will be short of floor space, so it is important to look vertically and use the real estate on your bathroom walls, notes Johnny: “By not breaking the line of sight on your bathroom floor, you can create the illusion of added floor space. This can be achieved by mounting as many things on the wall, as possible instead of
opting for freestanding designs. Consider the likes of floating vanities, recessed and open shelving, and wall-hung cabinetry that offer a lot of storage without taking up too much visual – or floor space. Wall-hung toilets are another a great option – they save space and add legroom by having the cistern built-into the wall behind.”
LOSE THE TUB
Baths take up twice the space of a shower, and they break the space visually as well. As such, Johnny advises that for smaller bathrooms it is best to ditch the bath altogether in lieu of a shower: “By swapping out your bath for a shower you will be able to open up your bathroom space significantly. If you opt to go this route, then be sure to include glass shower doors and panels, as these let more light into the space and don’t break up the line of sight throughout the room. Also, opt for continual flooring and a curbless shower floor if possible – by eliminating the curb around your shower, your flooring will continue right into the shower for a seamless end result and it will help to make the floor space of the room appear larger.”
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USING TILES
balancing act MAKING AN ENTRANCE
Aside from eliminating the bath, one of the biggest space-saving ideas to consider involves switching out your normal entrance swing door, and replacing it with a pocket or sliding door. Johnny explains: “A pocket door slides into a recess that is created in the wall alongside – this saves floor and wall space, and it will also give you more flexibility when placing your fixtures. However, a pocket wall is quite costly to create – to achieve a similar effect at a fraction of the cost, you could opt for a surface-mounted sliding door instead that slides open on the wall outside the bathroom.”
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LIGHT IT UP
As mentioned above when we were talking about colour choices, the lighter and brighter a space is, the larger and airier it seems. With this in mind, it is very important that your small bathroom is well lit, using both natural and electrical lighting. Johnny offers some tips: “Open up the window spaces to let in as much natural light as possible – don’t block them with heavy blinds. If privacy is an issue, then rather swap the glazing out with opaque glass, so that people can’t see in but the natural light can still light up the room. If the room is still dark, consider a skylight. With regards to the electrical lighting design – be sure to create a layered lighting scheme, with general, ambient and task lighting. It is a good idea to ensure that each different layer of lighting is separately controlled.” For more information on how to make the most of your bathroom, visit the Bathroom Bizarre website at www. abthroom.co.za.
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balancing act
How Dictatorships Ruin Relationships:Â WHEN BUSINESS AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS ARE IN CRISIS, DRASTIC MEASURES ARE CALLED FOR.
Stress hormones debilitate success and it goes without saying that confrontation goes a long way to increasing stress levels. So how do we overcome this and get back on the path to success? Conversational Intelligence is called for. This skill, the golden thread to communication, resulting in success in the workplace and in our private lives, is the global first-aid kit for success and the glue that will keep our relationships together.
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DO YOU RELATE TO ANY OF THE FOLLOWING?
• Do you feel that your family doesn’t
listen to you and that they always speak over you, interrupt and criticise you?
• Are you frustrated that your offspring
don’t listen to you and that you are unable to connect with them, leaving you frustrated, angry and unhappy?
• When you argue with your spouse or
partner, do you feel that he/she is not really listening or trying to understand your point of view and that you are each having a monologue talking past each other and not with each other – causing you to feel hurt and unappreciated?
• Would you like to learn how to restore
to deal with an irate, overbearing friend who speaks in a derogatory, condescending manner and how to turn such negative behaviour into a positive situation?
• Have you had a disagreement with a
colleague and immediately feel angry and betrayed? Your body freezes up? You can’t find the words to respond?
• Do you often have a bitter argument
with your spouse or child and wonder how it started and how to fix it?
• Often when starting a conversation
with your spouse, children, boss, colleagues or clients things don’t go as planned?
• In the blink of an eye you get
‘triggered’ causing you to go into ‘selfprotect’ mode.
The result of all the above situations is that you stop listening to each other, you become entrenched in your thinking
For more information on CIQ Masterclass courses, contact Fraser Carey, co-founder of The School of Etiquette by calling 021 437 0302, or via email at info@etischool.co.za or by visiting www.etischool.co.za.
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• Do you sometimes wish you knew how
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your relationship leading to peace in the home and a harmonious, happier, healthier family?
and you can’t see the other’s point of view. Says Fraser: “The reason for this is based on the chemistry in the brain where cortisol (the stress hormone), and adrenaline flood your brain creating fear and distrust and shutting down the part of the brain, your executive brain, used for getting along with each other, seeing things from each other’s point of view and where connection and engagement take place. This executive part of the brain is responsible for your conversational skills, trust, empathy, foresight, insight and wisdom as well as your new ideas and strategy – all of which are shut down when you feel the interaction is threatening you emotionally, or even physically.” The result is that a simple conversation ends with people withdrawing – or in a conflict situation with arguing, raised voices and talking past each other, instead of with each other. Consequently, nothing is achieved and nobody wins. In a team, collaboration and teamwork declines, performance and productivity plummets; in personal relationships it results in tears, fear, frustration, heartbreak, resentment and anger. Acquiring successful conversational skills is easier than we think. CIQ Workshops can help you get to the bottom of what ‘triggers’ you or others; how to prevent the ‘trigger;’ learning how to move back into trust after being ‘triggered;’ and creating a relationship based on trust, inclusivity, collaboration and engagement. This results in closer and more trusting relationships, where each party feels safe to share their thoughts without fear of repercussion. Relationships improve, families rebuild and colleagues transform into a successful team, whereby they become co-creators.
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When we feel emotionally rejected and trampled on, our reaction is to withdraw. This is caused by cortisol, our stress hormone. What we require is to develop the trusting, communicative and empathetic hormone, oxytocin, to listen and communicate wisely. We’ve all known or have worked for a boss who never listens to their team but tells them what to do. That manager is thriving on dopamine, the reward hormone, without understanding the reasons for sales slipping and staff not performing as they should. This boss, or spouse, needs to learn to listen and develop the art of Intelligent Conversation – in other words, their oxytocin needs a boost and maintenance to encourage empathy and wisdom in others. A peer coach in the UK is coaching Conversational Intelligence in the House of Commons and many Fortune 500 companies are now utilising these empowering skills with astounding results. Says Fraser Carey of the Conversational intelligence (C-IQ)) Masterclass, Life by Choice – and co-founder of the School of Etiquette in South Africa: “We too often lament how our family, partners and colleagues interrupt, criticise and ignore our attempts at communicating. This leads to constant bickering and frustrations, typical behaviour when we feel unappreciated and disrespected. In simple terms, our cortisol levels are high, resulting in low trust, commonly known as Level ! in Conversational Intelligence terms.” “Conversational Intelligence is based on upping our oxytocin levels, the hormone that helps us gain insight, understanding, and most importantly, trust of sharing success. By developing the simple skill of listening before dictating, we can train ourselves to ditch the cortisol hormone of talking and dictating with no regard for our colleagues or fellow man, to improve our oxytocin levels, resulting in shared success, truth telling, being co-creative and trusting.” Having spent many years as a successful businessman turned motivational and corporate speaker specialising in protocol and communications skills, Fraser’s current seminar is geared to bring self-esteem and successful communications skills into our lives, thereby creating a forum for not only success in the workplace but in our personal lives too.
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health habits
10 Diet Facts YOU WON'T BELIEVE ARE TRUE
When it comes to diets, dieting, exercise, weight loss and anything to do with living a healthy lifestyle, there are so many fads and fallacies out there and myths and trends that come and go. Who knows what to believe anymore? Here are 10 facts about being healthy that may sound too good to be true – but you can believe them, they’re backed by science.
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A WEIGHT-LOSS PILL THAT WORKS?
Most “miracle” weight-loss pills that sound too good to be true are just that. And for some reason, the more expensive they are, the more we believe they will work. But if you want to take a pill that really can help you, try taking Vitamin D supplements. Researchers in Canada found that people with higher levels of Vitamin D had lower levels of body fat.
SCIENCE SAYS: The most important things for being healthy
are a good diet and exercise but sensible supplements can fill the gaps where needed and help you reach your goals more efficiently. A vitamin D supplement can be a smart investment in your overall health and weight-loss goals.
05 BREAKFAST IS NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY
People have been saying for generations that you have to eat breakfast and you must eat as early after waking up as possible to ‘kickstart’ your metabolism. The truth is that it doesn’t matter when you eat, it matters how much you eat and what.
SCIENCE SAYS: Don’t force yourself to eat in the morning
week can have many health benefits, including learning to tell the difference between genuine hunger and hunger from boredom and thirst.
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SCIENCE SAYS: Short daily fasts (12-16 hours) once a
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if you’re not a breakfast person, it makes no difference to your metabolism and you’ll feel uncomfortable for the rest of the morning.
Now, we’re not saying starve yourself for days on end, but it is possible to use fasting to reprogram what your body needs by withholding food for short periods of time. This will teach you to control your hunger better and know when to let your body recharge. Fasting is nothing new. We do it every night when we’re asleep, why not during the day too?
EATING MORE MEALS A DAY WON’T MAKE YOU LOSE WEIGHT
On the contrary, the more meals you eat per day the more you increase your chances of overeating at each meal. When it comes to the amount of calories you burn per day, it doesn’t matter if you eat them all in one sitting or spread out over the day, what matters is how many calories you eat and what they are made of (think Big Mac vs a salad).
SCIENCE SAYS: There is no difference in weight loss between
those who ate two big meals a day and those who ate six smaller meals a day. What determines the number of meals you eat should be how many times you feel hungry in the day.
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YES, YOU CAN EAT LATE AT NIGHT
Once again, it doesn’t matter what time of the day you choose to eat your meals. As long as you don’t overeat at night, it won’t make a difference. Italian researchers did a study to compare eating earlier to eating later and it made no difference in kilograms, but the lateeaters actually lost more fat.
SCIENCE SAYS: If you are aware of how many calories you
should be eating every day, it doesn’t matter what meal you put those calories into. The basic rule is: eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full, don’t let the clock dictate your meals.
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FASTING CAN BE A WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT
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EAT ALL THE PROTEIN YOU WANT
You may have heard that eating too much protein can cause all kinds of health issues, including kidney problems. However, no studies done have shown a link between protein and developing kidney problems. If you have a pre-existing kidney condition, a diet high in protein could make things worse but then you should be talking to your doctor about your health anyway.
SCIENCE SAYS: As long as you are healthy, eat all the
protein you want. Protein is one of the most used metabolic macronutrients, meaning the more you eat, the more calories you burn. Just keep in mind, calories are calories and if you eat too much, you won’t lose weight.
health habits
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SATURATED FAT IS NOT BAD FOR YOU
There is a territory off of New Zealand called Tokelau and their diet is more than 50% saturated fats and animal fats. One would think they should have countless health problems but they have cardiovascular health that is superior to any other group of people in the world.
SCIENCE SAYS: Saturated fat is necessary for our bodies to
function at their best. Sugar and processed carbohydrates are the actual culprits behind most problems that fat and animal fat have always been blamed for. Also, diets higher in saturated fat are often lower in total calories.
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Simply putting an “organic” label on a food does not mean it is healthier and does not mean it will make you lose weight. “Organic” is a very broad term that combines many factors and it doesn’t necessarily mean it is better for you. There is no evidence to prove that eating organic food is better when it comes to preventing diseases or overall health.
SCIENCE SAYS: There is no doubt that organic food has fewer
pesticides but there are times when the difference is so small, it has no scientifically significant impact on your health. More importantly, organic food does not mean it is weight-loss friendly – organic sugar is still sugar.
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GOING ORGANIC WON’T HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT
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CAN CARBS HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT?
Carbohydrates have become the food of the devil in the dieting world. The mere word sends people into a frenzy. But do all carbs deserve this bad reputation? Up to 50% of most people’s carb intake comes from refined and highly processed carbs and sugar. When people label carbs as bad, they’re talking mostly about sugar.
SCIENCE SAYS: Cut out sugar and processed carbs but make sure you still get your daily carb allowance from fresh fruit and vegetables. Eat more good carbs on days where you’re active and less on days where you aren’t.
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YOU CAN EXERCISE BEFORE A MEAL
Working out on an empty stomach is frowned upon, but there’s nothing wrong with it. Don’t wait until you feel faint from hunger to exercise but don’t force yourself to eat right before you work out. If you feel like a pre-workout snack like a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts, that’s fine but if not, that’s fine too.
SCIENCE SAYS: The food you eat takes hours to be fully
digested so even if you eat many hours before you train, you will still have enough fuel to keep you going. Staying rested and hydrated, and eating when it feels best for you will help feel you best while training.
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Sleep YOUR WAY TO A BETTER BODY
It would seem that the world is made up of two kinds of people: those who eat right and exercise and have the body we all dream of; and then those who also eat right and exercise regularly but no matter how hard they try, their weight remains a struggle. If their diets are the same and they exercise the same, what is the difference? Why do some of us struggle so much? New studies being done suggest that sleep could be the answer.
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for you to give in, instead of having the self-control you would normally have. If that wasn’t enough, a study published in Psychoneuroendocrinology also showed that being tired makes you select bigger portion sizes of all kinds of food, further increasing the likelihood of gaining weight. Basically, not enough sleep means you are constantly hungry even though you are eating too much and you don’t have the proper brain function to say no. The disastrous impact that lack of sleep can have goes even further than your diet and into your gym time too. Muscle is the enemy of fat, but lack of sleep is the enemy of muscle. No matter what your fitness goals are, having muscle on your body is important: it helps burn fat, keeps you strong and agile, keeps you toned and
keeps you looking young. Scientists in Brazil discovered that the more sleep debt you have, the less ability your body has to build muscle, a process called protein synthesis. Just as important, not enough sleep makes it harder for your body to recover from a workout by slowing down the production of growth hormone, which helps your body recover and heal. Here’s Our Fitness Secret: Prioritize sleep! Another study that was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that sleep deprived women are 33% more likely to gain 15kg over the next 16 years than those who slept just seven hours a night. Sleep has many connections to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart failure and cognitive failure and the importance of sleep goes far beyond having a better body. There is no specific number of hours that applies to everyone, so you have to find what works for you. Try to start off with a minimum of six or seven hours a night. If you’re still tired and feeling the effects of sleep deprivation, increase it to as much as eight or nine hours. It may not seem like much but it will make a huge difference and could be the best health decision you make.
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ONLY ONE NIGHT OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION IMPAIRS ACTIVITY IN YOUR FRONTAL LOBE, THE PART OF THE BRAIN THAT CONTROLS COMPLEX DECISION MAKING, MAKING IT EASIER FOR YOU TO GIVE IN, INSTEAD OF HAVING THE SELF-CONTROL YOU WOULD NORMALLY HAVE.
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The relationship between sleep deprivation and weight gain can’t be ignored. Studies show that around 35% of adults are sleep deprived. Other studies show that around 35% of adults are obese. Starting to connect the dots yet? Results of a study that was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine showed how dieters were put on different sleep schedules. The group that got enough rest showed that half the weight they lost was from fat. The group that did not get enough sleep lost half the amount of fat, even though they were on the same diet. The sleep deprived group reported feeling hungrier, less satisfied with their meals and had less energy. Over all, the group with inadequate sleep lost 55% less weight than the well-rested group. When you don’t get enough sleep, it’s not only your mind and body that feel tired, dazed, confused or maybe a little grumpy. The University of Chicago discovered that your fat cells do too. They came up with the term ‘metabolic grogginess’ to describe your metabolism (i.e. ability to burn calories) when you are sleep deprived. Researchers analysed what happens to the body’s fat burning ability after only four days of sleep deprivation. When your body’s insulin levels are functioning well, it removes fats (or lipids) from your blood stream, preventing it from being stored. When you become insulin resistant, the lipids circulate in your blood and create more insulin. Eventually the excess insulin ends up storing fat in the wrong places, such as tissues like your liver. Within four days of sleep deprivation, your body’s ability to use insulin efficiently becomes completely disrupted and insulin sensitivity can drop by more than 30%. Lack of sleep can make you crave food more often than usual – and makes it harder to say no. Hunger is caused mainly by two hormones which need to be carefully controlled to successfully lose weight. Not getting enough sleep throws these hormones out of balance, triggering the area of your brain that increases your need for food while depressing leptin (the hormone that makes you feel full) and stimulating production of ghrelin (the hormone that makes you feel hungry). It gets worse. Only one night of sleep deprivation impairs activity in your frontal lobe, the part of the brain that controls complex decision making, making it easier
nutrition
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Understanding Overeating Overeating is something everyone does. We all have a desire to lose weight and be healthy, and be the best we can be, but when the right kind of day comes along it takes nothing for you to finish that slab of chocolate even though your brain is telling you ‘STOP!’
nutrition Why do we do it? Why is it so hard to put the chocolate down? The answer is we are emotionally hungry. And no amount of food is going to fill you up until you learn to satisfy your emotional hunger. This emotional hunger contributes to many of the reasons why we overeat and you need to identify what it is that causes you to keep stuffing your face long after you are full if you ever want to break the cycle.
REASON FOR OVEREATING #1
YOU EAT BECAUSE YOU FEEL DEPRIVED Have you ever started a diet and done really well your first day but by the time evening comes, you are tired and miserable and frustrated and all you want is FOOD. Any food will do. We have this false belief that dieting and starving ourselves will somehow make us thin and healthy and our lives will be perfect. Diets and starvation don’t work – you have to change your lifestyle. Feeling deprived and keeping your body in a near-constant state of hunger is setting yourself up for failure. When you inevitably fail, you feel guilty and resolve to starve yourself even harder next time, creating a vicious cycle. How to break the cycle: Stop it where it starts – Resolve to never diet again. Instead, learn to make better choices about your eating habits. Teach yourself to follow your body’s cues about when and how much to eat. Eat more satisfying food – Instead of filling up on junk food, eat nourishing foods that keep you fuller for longer and still taste good.
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REASON FOR OVEREATING #2
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Strategies for you to try the next time you see a burger on TV: Move around – Get up and walk around the house (not to the kitchen), go for a run or jump rope for 60 seconds. Ride it out – A craving is like a wave: It builds, then peaks and then fades away. If you don’t give in, the intensity will subside and with practice, saying no will get easier. Distract yourself – If you’re watching TV, go do something else. Or phone a friend, listen to music, clean the house, go have a bath; anything that will help you forget about it. Eat something else – Use this one with caution. Have a small piece of fruit or a few nuts to ease the craving. But don’t go overboard, it’s very easy to get carried away once you give in. Give yourself a pep talk – Ask yourself, ‘Am I really hungry?’ and ‘Why do I want this food?’ to get to the root cause of the craving. Make a list – When you discover a strategy that helps you to cope with externally triggered cravings, write it down so that the next time you see a burger ad on TV, you can refer to your list.
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YOU EAT BECAUSE OF EXTERNAL CUES You finished eating dinner barely an hour ago, the kitchen is cleaned up, the kids are in bed and you’re watching TV. An ad for fast food comes on and not five minutes later, you’re raiding the cupboards to find anything to substitute the burger you saw on TV. The food in adverts has been photo shopped and enhanced to look mouth wateringly good and it appeals to a primal part of your brain. Millions of years ago, our bodies evolved to survive food shortages by gorging on lots of food when it’s available; so it doesn’t take much to trigger a binge. It doesn’t help that food is so readily accessible now either. You can order food to be delivered to your house at any time of the day or night or a quick drive to the convenience store on the corner can have you coming home with a day’s worth of calories in a plastic bag.
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nutrition
This will lead to a healthier relationship with food and it will minimize bingeing. Stop when you’re full – It seems like an obvious one but in a world where we eat for enjoyment and emotional fulfilment, we keep eating long after our stomachs tell us to stop. Eat until your hunger is satisfied, not to clean your plate. Learn to listen to your body – A craving is one of your body’s ways of telling you what it needs, you just have to learn to listen correctly. Most often what your body wants isn’t the chocolate or sugar filled sweet that you know is in the cupboard, rather there may be nutrients or minerals your body is lacking. Don’t go by the clock – Eat when you are hungry. Don’t wait until your next meal, by then you will be starving and more likely to overeat. Likewise, if you’re not hungry at meal times, don’t force yourself to eat.
REASON FOR OVEREATING #3 YOU EAT BECAUSE YOU ARE STRESSED When you are stressed, your body reacts by unleashing a storm of cortisol, the stress hormone, which forms part of the Fight or Flight response that occurs when your brain perceives danger. However, when you remain in a chronic stressed state, your body remains crammed with cortisol which causes you to constantly want to eat as if you have just done battle with an enemy. If you are chronically stressed, you’re probably craving fats and carbohydrates regularly, especially in the afternoons and evening when stress eating tends to be at its peak. 4-step process for ridding your life of stress and your body from cortisol: Identify the enemy – Figure out what is causing stress in your life. A cranky boss? A bad relationship? You can’t solve a problem that you have not identified. Forewarned is forearmed – Pay attention to when stress-fuelled cravings hit the hardest and then plan around it. For example, if your cravings generally start at 3pm in the afternoon, plan a pre-emptive strike at 2:45 and smear some peanut butter on a few apple slices and then stay away from the kitchen until after 4 when the cravings have subsided.
Fight your battles head on – Be proactive: Get out of the relationship that is going nowhere, find a new job, ask your boss for a raise – whatever it is, do something. And don’t be too scared to ask for help if you need it. Run! – Not from your stress, but around the block. Exercise is the fastest way to diminish your body’s stress reaction. Even a ten minute walk can tame a wild cortisol rush.
REASON FOR OVEREATING #4 YOU EAT BECAUSE YOU MISTAKE EMOTIONAL NEEDS FOR HUNGER Difficult emotions are painful, and pain sends us running straight for the fridge. Food is an escape for many of us. While eating, we are transported into an alternate world where our problems don’t exist. We don’t want to come back, so we eat some more. But then the food is gone and we come crashing back to Earth, the problems are still there and they brought some friends – guilt and self-loathing from eating all that food. Understanding why you eat emotionally can not only help you to stop overeating, but also to deal with those emotions so they can go away. Techniques to understand what triggers emotional overeating: Reflect – After a binge, reflect on what contributed to it. Was it an argument with someone or are you worried about something? Could it have been boredom or loneliness? Find other ways to cope – If you feel overwhelmed by your emotions, find non-food ways to cope with them. Write a journal, speak to someone or go for a walk. Don’t hesitate to seek the help of a therapist, depression is a major cause of overeating. ‘Will this really help?’ – Before you give in to a craving, ask yourself if this food will really help make you feel better? Think about how you feel after a binge – bloated and full and ashamed. Do you want to feel like that? Eventually you will learn to say ‘I love myself too much to treat myself like that.’ Be connected to yourself – Check in with yourself throughout the day. Ask yourself how you feel and what do you need. Becoming emotionally connected to yourself will turn off that constant need to eat because you will be giving yourself what you need, instead of turning to food to find it.
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Celebrating Heritage Month In this issue we celebrate Heritage Month and explore the vast cultures within the regions of Southern Africa. To find a Pharmacy near you, choose your Province and have a look at all the WeCare Pharmacies in your area on the WeCare Pharmacy Store Locator.
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Eastern Cape DID YOU KNOW: More than being simply decorative however, Xhosa arts and crafts are linked to cultural practices and play an important role in social identity. Above is an image of contemporary xhosa cultural attire.
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Free State DID YOU KNOW: The world renowned Basotho tribal blankets distinguish this nation from others by the way in which the blankets are worn as part of their everyday life. The designs have been developed over many years.
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Gauteng DID YOU KNOW: This province really reflects South Africa’s global Status of being a rainbow nation. It is where all cultural groups converge and intermix to form a unique cultural experience.
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KwaZulu Natal Culturally speaking, KwaZuluNatal is a mix of Zulu, Indian and colonial influences, with each heritage reflected in historical and cultural trails, architecture, township cuisine and Durban’s fine Indian curries.
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Northern Cape
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Limpopo
Mpumalanga
Limpopo can proudly boast that’s it’s one of South Africa’s most diverse provinces. With at least five major cultural groups found here it’s a real cultural melting pot. Above is an image of Venda cultural attire.
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DID YOU KNOW: The Ndebele’s vivid geometric designs and striking traditional clothing are amongst Africa’s most eyecatching, as you’ll discover when you visit one of Mpumalanga’s Ndebele villages.
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North West
Western Cape
The San people of the Northern Cape are said to be one of the 14 known remaining “ancestral population clusters” to whom modern humans genetically relate. The southern group of Khomani San, living in the Kalahari is the last remaining San of South Africa.
The Tswana people are noted for their many clans, each with its own culture and dialect. There are, however, certain elements of Tswana culture that bind them, such as the use of cattle as currency and similar traditions of ancestral reverence.
Fishing is part of life in the Cape. Generations of fishermen have honed their skills through changing times, and still brave the elements of the sea everyday to catch fish, while the women work at cleaning and packaging in the processing plant.
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With just 2.1 persons per square kilometre and a population of 1.8million, Namibia’s different cultures span an impressively diverse population for what is a sparsely populated country. From the Bantu-speaking Ovambo and Herero tribes (the latter of which are admired for their colourful Victorian dress) to the Damara minorities and nomadic San Bushmen, Namibia boasts cultural and historical flavour in spades.
Namibia
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