Happy Women’s Day! In honour of this wonderful celebration of every female in the world, Nanz Inc launches our Superwoman series, starting with how to give yourself the best present ever: Space! Busy, busy, busy – that’s what the life of a modern Asian woman seems to be about. “Give me my space!” you feel like yelling out to the world as countless to-dos stream in, clamouring for your time. Here’s the news: it’s really up to you to create some room in your life to just Be. By: Melanie Lee Your to-do list is never-ending...

Writing is not just for the “arty”, it is also a great way to develop self-awareness and appreciation for the life you have and the world around you. Singaporean novelist Suchen Christine Lim, winner of the first Singapore Literature Prize in 1992 with her book, Fistful of Colours, shares her insights into the healing power of writing with Nanz Inc readers. She is also a tutor with the Arvon Foundation , an organization in the United Kingdom that runs residential creative writing courses. By: Melanie Lee How has writing changed your life?...

Everyone loves the accommodating person who is always willing to lend a helping hand and full of the “can-do” spirit. However, if your plate is piled way up high with deadlines, favours and obligations that are just sapping your energy and time away, then it probably means you’re not saying no often enough. By: Melanie Lee The problem with most of us women is that we feel like such baddies every time we refuse something. However, it’s probably worse if you grudgingly agree to do something, but do with such a negative, reluctant spirit,...

Prescription drug abuse is the use of prescription drugs in ways that are not intended by the prescribing doctor. It is a serious and growing problem worldwide, affecting people from all walks of life, from teens to senior citizens. By: Sharlene Tan Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger, Brittany Murphy, DJ AM, Anna Nicole Smith. These celebrity deaths are all related to prescription drug misuse. However, even away from the Hollywood spotlight, prescription drug abuse is destroying lives in many households. Homemaker Debra Jones, 50, began taking six...

Taking good care of yourself is not just limited to healthy diets, exercise and grooming — there’s also your emotional and psychological wellbeing to think about as well. A good state of mental health not only enables you to fully enjoy what life has to offer, it also provides you with the necessary resilience to hold your ground during stressful situations and turbulent times. By: Melanie Lee Writer’s note: This topic hit close to home when a friend committed suicide last month near Christmas. It was such a sad, tragic shock and at first,...

After an absolutely exhausting day, the last thing you want to be bothered with is flossing and brushing your teeth. But here’s why you really need to pick up that toothbrush and spend those few minutes at your sink – this set of teeth is meant to last you for the rest of your life, so you ought to take good care of them! By Sharlene Tan The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that 20% of all US teens have untreated tooth decay. It’s worse in Australia, where newspapers recently proclaimed a tooth decay an “epidemic”,...

Are your jeans faded beyond recognition? Does your makeup kit contain untouched two-year-old mascara and lipstick that’s discoloured? Are the greys in your hair getting more noticeable? If this sounds like you, read on to find out why it is important to care about your appearance (and it’s not just about vanity). By Lianne Ong “Letting yourself go” is a common phenomenon for older women but we often don’t detect it till it has grown an ugly head. It starts off with something small and innocuous, like not waxing as regularly as you used...

Don’t retire your sports shoes just because you think you’re getting older and shouldn’t be moving around so much. In fact, getting back on the fitness track may be just what you need to deal with potential old age ailments. Here are three simple steps to rediscover your inner Xena! By: Melanie Lee Walk the Talk As the wise Lao Tzu once said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” If you haven’t exercised for months (or years), the best way to get warmed up to a regular exercise regime is to make walking a big...

From The Editor: Very recently, a close friend of mine collapsed in her bathroom while getting ready for work. She had suffered a heart failure. Thank God, she was rushed to hospital and had an emergency bypass done. She is fine today, recovering well. Looking at her, you would never have guessed — she’s beautiful, witty and as sassy as any other girl. She is also younger than me. I admit the scare gave me some food for thought, and I immediately got our editorial team to whip up a number of stories on how we must all take care of ourselves....

A stressed out girl makes everybody around her stressed out too! We all know that it’s good for our health to find ways and time to relax and give our overcooked brains and bodies a break. But how to not spend a bomb doing so? Here are five totally affordable ways to de-stress — and in style too! By: Sharlene Tan Sure, a luxuriating spa treatment or a long vacation is a great way to calm down your frazzled soul, but what if your wallet is a little light and payday isn’t in sight? Check out these bright ideas. Work off some steam...