Exercise. We know we need it, sometimes we even want it, but all too often other things (like your job, your family, or just plain old fatigue) get in the way of working out.

By: Sharlene Tan

Your schedule is stuffed, packed, overflowing even. Where’s the time to exercise?, you might be wondering. But you can easily fit exercise into your daily routine because every little bit helps. A study by the University of Virginia found that women who split their exercise into 10-minute routines were more likely to exercise consistently and lost more weight than those who exercised for 20 to 40 minutes at a time. So go ahead and sweat the small stuff with these ten ways to add exercise into your everyday activities.

1. Get an early start
One of the first things you do in the morning is brush your teeth (we hope). Brushing your teeth is usually a stand-still activity, but those few minutes you spend every morning – and night – can be put to some use. Do some squats and march on the spot.

2. Skip the elevator, take the stairs
But I live on the 20th floor, you might wail in horror.  Well, you can always get off a few floors earlier and walk the rest of the way. Or, when you’re at the MRT station, skip the queue for the escalator and start climbing the stairs.

3. Park further
We’re all guilty of aiming for those sweet parking spots right next to the elevators and entrances, but instead of circling the carpark and wasting petrol trying to find that perfect space, park further away and walk.

4. Walk around the office
Instead of firing off an email or instant message or picking up the phone, take that short walk to your colleague’s cubicle to make your request or have a quick chat.

5. Turn your stroll into a brisk walk
Make it a point to walk like you’ve got some place to be, although you might not be going anywhere. Consider picking up a pedometer to calculate the number of steps you walk each day. Keep in mind that over 10,000 steps a day is considered ‘active’. How many steps do you actually walk everyday?

6. Exercise your chores away
Household chores are quite the bore but put on some great music and turn it into a mini workout by exaggerating your moves, like squatting lower to pick up the laundry. Or turn it into a challenge – how many chores can you do in half the time they usually take? Work up a sweat and get your house clean in the process!

7. Cook up a storm
Cooking is a great exercise in itself. Your arms get a workout with all the stirring, whipping, sauteing, tossing, chopping and more. While you’re waiting for the water to boil, do some lunges or calf raises. Of course, make sure you have ample space in your kitchen to exercise, and keep your eye on the stove!

8. TV
Most of us can’t quite do without some TV watching after work. But you can add in some exercise to make your TV viewing less sedentary. Jog in place or do some sit-ups or push-ups during commercial breaks. Leg lifts and lunges are easy enough to do while watching your favourite programmes.

9. Play with your kids
We don’t mean board games here, but really play with them. Play catching in the garden or playground. Run when they run, jump around and just be a kid again. You’ll be giving a beneficial kickstart to your heart, arms and legs.

10. Involve your family
On the weekends, do your family activities revolve around the TV, movies or food? Make it a point to use the weekend to be more active with your family, by exploring Singapore on your bicycles or taking a walk in one of the many parks.

If you’re feeling the sniffles coming on, you might be tempted to reach for a pill or a vitamin. However, the best way to boost your immune system is through your diet.

By: Sharlene Tan

Work stress, poor ventilation at the office, a sick child, the temperamental weather… the potential triggers for getting sick are endless, and no superwoman is unsusceptible. Doctors say that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help you ward off colds and the flu, as they contain immune-boosting antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralise the effects of free radicals, which are produced when your body breaks down food or from environmental factors like cigarette smoke. Many researchers believe that free radicals play a part in many chronic diseases including cancer and arthritis.

“Nutrition plays an important part in maintaining immune function,” Dr George L. Blackburn, associate director of the division of nutrition at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts told Cooking Light. “Insufficiency in one or more essential nutrients may prevent the immune system from functioning at its peak.”

But don’t expect there to be one ‘magic’ food that will cure you of your cold. Dawn Jackson Blatner, a dietician and author of The Flexitarian Diet, told ABC News: “I don’t say any one food is going to protect you… there is a crazy thing that happens, and it is called synergy. … You start putting multiple [foods] together, the effects are multiplied and it is shocking.” And don’t rely entirely on your diet either – exercise and sufficient sleep are also needed for these immune-boosting foods do their work.

In the meantime, here are some superfoods to help you get that superwoman health you’ve always desired:

Spice it up

Turmeric, which is made by grinding the dried roots of a plant of the ginger family, is just one of the spices that are known to have the potential to prevent cancer. Its primary compound curcumin has been found to stall the growth of cancerous stem cells – although it has not been tested on actual patients.

Other herbs and spices can boost the immune system. Researchers in Spain recently discovered the high antioxidant capacity of cloves; and oregano, often used in pasta sauces, has been found to have more antioxidant activity than apples, oranges and blueberries. Researchers with the US Department of Agriculture say that in general, fresh herbs and spices contain higher antioxidant levels than processed ones. For instance, the antioxidant activity of fresh garlic is 1.5 times higher than dry garlic powder. So consider flavouring your food with fresh herbs and spices instead of salt.

Take a tea break

Researchers in South Korea have found that an antioxidant in green tea can stop the influenza virus from replicating. Although these discoveries were made in the lab, substituting green tea for a soft drink is always a wise choice. White tea has a higher level of these antioxidants than green tea and, like green tea, has far less caffeine content than a cup of coffee.

Go green

Former President of the United States George H. W. Bush famously proclaimed his disdain for broccoli, but you shouldn’t, because broccoli can revitalise your immune system and contains plenty of vital nutrients such as folate, which can help prevent heart disease.

The bad news is that there are some foods in our pantries and refrigerators that are a lot unhealthier than we realize. Fortunately, there are tasty alternatives available. Nanzinc.Com gives the lowdown on what foods should be taken in moderation, or even cut out entirely.

By: Ng Lin-Li

Sugar-free Mints

Small and sweet, many of us usually pop several sugar-free mints into our mouths everyday  whether to stay awake at work or in between meals. Unfortunately, sugar-free mints are unkind to your tummy while being tasty on the tongue. They are artificially sweetened, usually with sorbitol, aspartame or both.

Aspartame is generally thought of as safe, but some people have reported getting headaches, migraines, insomnia, vision and taste problems and depression from consuming it. More significantly, studies have shown that sorbitol can cause serious bowel problems, diarrhea, abdominal pain and severe weight loss, and also aggravate an existing irritable bowel condition. It works by drawing water into the large intestines (thus its laxative effect) even if taken in small amounts. To keep your digestive system from being unnecessarily stressed, opt for other kinds of natural snacks instead, like fruit or unsalted nuts.

White Bread

White bread comes in relatively low on the calorie scale at 70 calories per slice, but it is also low on nutrients. To manufacture the white flour used in white bread, the wheat seed is stripped of most of its vitamins and minerals, then bleached. Additional chemicals and other whitening agents are then added to improve the texture of the bread. Some white breads are made with bromates, which is classified as a potential carcinogen.

Apart from the fact that it is a highly processed food, white bread also has a high Glycemic Index (GI). It creates large fluctuations in your blood sugar levels. You would do better to have whole wheat or whole grain bread instead, which is more nutritious. Whole-wheat options have a lower GI and more fibre, helping to control appetite and delay hunger. In the long run, eating less high-GI carbohydrates can also lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

Margarine

With the wide range of spreads available at the supermarket nowadays, it’s tricky deciding which are your best options. Margarine is made from plant oils, so it scores a point for being cholesterol-free. However, most margarines undergo a process called hydrogenation, yielding unhealthy trans fat. Consumption of trans fat increases your blood cholesterol and risk of heart disease. Margarine in stick form is especially high in trans fat.

A much better alternative is to use an olive oil spread (like Bertolli’s), or spreads with less than 2 grams of trans fat and saturated fat combined per serving (try Smart Balance or Naturel).

Peanut oil

Peanut oil is low in saturated fat, and high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which help to lower cholesterol. However, a few studies on animals have shown that peanut oil promotes the formation of plaque in the coronary arteries. It has been discovered that the sticky peanut lectins cause this attachment to artery walls.

While the jury is still out on peanut oil (as this effect has been seen only in animals, and peanut oil seems to have some health benefits), it’s best to use it in moderation and switch to olive oil where possible.

Granola

We think of granola as a relatively healthy option because it consists mainly of oats. However, most store-bought granolas contain about 4g of saturated fat, usually from a hydrogenated oil or coconut oil, in a half-cup serving. There is also 15g of sugar (equivalent to four teaspoons) in that small serving, and most of us usually have more than half a cup! For a healthier breakfast, make a batch of your own granola with less fat and sugar, or mix granola with plain rolled oats, a lighter cereal (like bran flakes) or fresh fruits.

Green is no longer just a colour but a concept, a lifestyle of being environmentally friendly. It’s all about going green these days — and perhaps the easiest way to do so is to go back to nature by greening your exercise.

By Sharlene Tan

Instead of hitting your favourite air-conditioned gym the next time you’re in need of a workout, head outdoors. A study in the United Kingdom has shown that just five minutes of exercise out in nature can lift self-esteem and mood. And we all could do with an extra mood boost sometimes!

Walk or run outdoors
Singapore has plenty of parks and outdoor trails to explore, whether it’s for a walk or a jog, by yourself or with your family. For example, the Botanic Gardens has a great diversity of plant and animal life to view and teach your kids about, such as the Evolution Garden and the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden. A scenic round trip at MacRitchie’s Tree Top Walk is about 7 to 10 km, with a panoramic view. Wild Singapore has other examples of great places to walk.

Ride a bike
Take a two-wheeled trip. The bike lanes at East Coast Park can get pretty crowded on weekends, so check out some bicycle routes online. Alternatively, take a boat ride to Pulau Ubin, where you can rent a bike and enjoy life in the slow lane.

Green your home
If you’re lucky enough to have a garden or a balcony with enough space, do some gardening. Vigorous gardening can burn about 300 calories an hour, especially if you do some digging, weeding and squatting. You’ll not only get some exercise but also beautify your home.

Be a volunteer
A great way to get some exercise and help the environment at the same time is to become a volunteer guide at nature spots like Sungei Buloh, the Lower Pierce Trail, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve or MacRitchie. You’ll learn more about Singapore’s diverse flora and fauna, enjoy the fresh air and educate the public at the same time. The National Parks Board also needs volunteers to join their reforestation and plant propagation projects – help remove weeds and plant native trees to restore degraded areas.

Make it blue, too
Raffles Museum volunteers, Toddycats! tackle the rubbish on the beaches once a year as part of International Coastal Cleanup Singapore. Volunteers help to clean up and catalogue the trash as part of an international effort to understand more about global coastal pollution. Blue Water Volunteers need both scuba divers and non-divers to help survey the coral reefs and act as guides during low tide reef walks.

Have more green exercises you do that you can share? Leave a comment?

We all know that tea is good for us. But did you know that tea is actually amazingly nutritional? Read this Nanzinc.Com story and sip your way to better health!

By: Melanie Lee

It’s funny how some dried leaves and boiled water can be considered a miracle elixir – but that’s just what tea has been for people all around the world for many centuries. While it hasn’t been as popular as coffee in the past few years (thanks to the astute and celebrity-fuelled marketing of Starbucks and Nespresso), recent scientific research findings have presented an astonishing array of tea’s therapeutic benefits:

1. Productive Ohm-ness
Tea contains L-Theanine (gamma-glutamylethylamide), an amino acid that gives you just the right amount of chill. It helps with muscle and tissue connectivity, and is known to reduce both mental and physical stress. L-Theanine tempers the caffeine content in tea (which is why you don’t usually find yourself bouncing off the walls as you might with coffee), and their combined effect is improved mood, memory and alertness.

2. Fat Buster
Why does it always feel so good to drink a hot cup of tea after a heavy meal? It’s not just the hot water at work, but also catechin, the tannin found in tea that helps to activate the enzymes in the body that metabolize stored fact. At the same time, catechin as an antioxidant helps to kill bacteria and toxins found in the intestinal tract and prevents digestive disorders such as gastric ulcers. Do take note that there is a higher concentration of catechin found in green tea compared to black tea as the former is less processed.

3. Disease Preventer
Another potent antioxidant that can be found in green tea is EGCg (Epigallocatechin gallate), which has been discovered to speed up the recovery of heart cells and minimizes cell death after a heart attack or stroke. It also helps to reduce the amount of cholesterol on the artery wall with its anti-inflammatory properties and ability to lower LDL (bad cholesterol). The potential of EGCg has yet to be fully tapped – and researchers today are studying whether this compound could help with cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and even HIV.

4. Beauty Restorer
Its high antioxidant content protects you from free radicals that are associated with accelerated ageing and of course, drinking lots of tea also keeps your skin hydrated and supple at the same time. Incidentally, tea is found just as useful even when applied externally because of its antiseptic and calming effects — try putting wet, cold teabags over puffy eyes, or try using green tea as a toner (particularly soothing if you are sun burnt).

Enjoy your cup of tea today!

Editor’s Note: I like to put an Earl Grey teabag in an old cupboard to make it smell exotic and welcoming. Have another other strange or wonderful uses for tea? Share it here!

Sarah Jessica Parker was recently criticised for her plummeting body weight — she was photographed looking dangerously thin. In 2006 and 2007, a spate of models died from starving themselves, notably Brazilian Ana Carolina Reston and Eliana Ramos. Many people have the misconception that anorexics starve themselves out of vanity and choice. Nanzinc.Com takes a deeper look at this issue that affects millions of people around the world, so you can help someone you know or take steps to prevent it.

By: Ng Lin-Li

Anorexia occurs because of a combination of different factors, including low self-esteem, a sense of helplessness, anxiety, and difficulty coping with stress. Counsellor Elaine Teong says, “Different facets of life can produce emotional issues that contribute to the development of anorexia. For example, in a chaotic home environment, an individual may feel the need to be able to control something, like their eating and weight.”

Faith* became anorexic after she went to university, and was hospitalised because of it. She says, “Most people enter into anorexia when something traumatic happens in their lives, and you feel helpless to change the situation. Restricting my diet was a way of taking control of one thing in my life, so much so it became an obsession. Your mind is just so preoccupied with food and calories, you hardly think of anything else. That’s a way of drowning out the unhappy things in your life perhaps.”

Remuda Ranch, a US-based rehabilitation center that specialises in treatment of eating disorders, describes the diagnosis as anorexia as follows:
• Low Weight If the individual is at 85% or less of what would be considered a normal body weight for her height and age, a problem likely exists.
• Weight Phobia Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight.
• Body Image Issues Believing you are fat when you are not, making your weight the only thing you judge yourself on, denying the medical seriousness of your low weight.
• Cessation of Menstrual Period For women who have reached puberty, missing at least three menstrual cycles in a row.

Singer Karen Carpenter of the famous duo The Carpenters was possibly the most famous anorexic of her era, and has been credited as the woman who brought this disease to public attention. Carpenter died of a cardiac arrest in 1983, from the stress on her heart that the anorexia had placed. She was 32 and 5′4″ — when she died she weighed 49.38kg. She had believed she was on the road to recovery after hitting an all-time low weight of 36kg, but the damage to her body was too great. She had been dieting for 16 years when she passed away.

June* was an outgoing and sociable woman, while her daughter Aki* was the opposite – quiet and introverted. June could not appreciate Aki’s unique personality, and often suggested her daughter do things differently, criticising Aki in every aspect and unable to communicate and relate to her daughter.

Combined with other stress factors at school, June’s daughter soon developed anorexia.
June was shocked and upset. She had read about anorexia in celebrity gossip magazines, but for it to happen to her daughter was a different story. After all, they were a normal, seemingly happy family, their children were in good schools and she and her husband holding good jobs.

“I didn’t know what to do, or who to tell because I felt so ashamed, and later guilty that maybe I contributed to it.” Finally, June sought professional help for her daughter and also learnt to love and communicate with her daughter better.

Criticism is also part of Faith’s story. “My parents were very strict and as a child, I threw tantrums that I didn’t understand. To stop me, I was locked out of the house or put under a cold shower. I grew up feeling very “unwanted” and really afraid of being abandoned. That insecurity pervaded every aspect of my life. I was also constantly criticized by my mum, and felt like I was not good enough for my mum or anyone. Being thin and not eating made me feel good, like I could do something better than everyone else.”

If anorexia is affecting you or your loved ones…
1. Seek professional help immediately. People struggling with anorexia need medical and clinical attention, and research has shown that the earlier treatment is sought, the better the outcome for most patients.
2. Read up on anorexia and eating disorders because it is a complex issue that goes beyond making someone eat more.
3. Be supportive and affirming, and less critical of your child if he or she is affected by such a condition. Berating them (“why are you so stubborn?”) or trying to guilt them into eating (“cancer patients are thin, and have no choice”) will make matters worse. If necessary, seek counselling for yourself to manage your angry or critical nature, or for the guilt and burden you may feel from your child’s situation.

* Names have been changed to respect the privacy of the interview subjects

For further reading on how parents can help prevent their children from developing anorexia, click here.

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 of seven painkiller pills a day, instead of the prescribed three or four. The North Carolina resident told USA Today, “I wasn’t trying to abuse it. But after 10 years, I couldn’t help what it did to my body or my brain. It was hard to work without it.”

Jones is just one of the estimated 48 million Americans – nearly 20% of the population – that the United States National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) says have abused prescription drugs. In a 2007 survey, NIDA found that prescription drug abuse occurs in more than 15% of US high school seniors. In Florida, the Medical Examiners Commission found that the rate of deaths caused by prescription drugs was three times the rate of deaths caused by all illegal drugs.

According to NIDA, there are three main classes of prescription drugs that are commonly abused. Opioids, such as OxyContin and Percocet, are used to treat pain; central nervous system (CNS) depressants, such as Valium, which are used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders; and stimulants, such as Ritalin, which are used to treat narcolepsy and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

As prescription drugs activate the brain’s reward centre, it’s easy to become addicted to them. Opioid drugs, for example, can induce euphoria by alleviating the dopamine in the pathways to the brain. Taking too much of an opioid can cause breathing to slow and in some cases, stop entirely. CNS depressants slow normal brain functions. When some CNS depressants are used with alcohol and other medications, the combination can be fatal. Repeated use of some stimulants over a short period of time can lead to paranoia. Taking high doses of stimulants may lead to dangerously high body temperature and an irregular heartbeat. There is also the potential for heart failure or lethal seizures.

Joshua Lyon, author of Pill Head: The Secret Life of a Painkiller Addict, got hooked on prescription drugs in 2003 while researching an article about buying painkillers online. He told Mother Nature Network: “Because of the lack of stigma around prescription drugs, it is much more acceptable than other drugs. Nobody bats an eyelash at work if you take a Vicodin.”

“A lot of folks think these drugs aren’t dangerous because they’re not street drugs,” he says. “But there are millions of people who take these prescription medications, not realizing they have the same type of addictive potential as street drugs.”

In Singapore, prescription drug abuse may be less common but still exists. In 2006, Subutex, a drug used to wean heroin addicts was found to be addictive when mixed with tranquilisers, leading Singapore authorities to classify it as an illegal drug. Abuse of common drugs like cough mixture that contains codeine, or certain dopamine-increasing painkillers is not unheard of. The user first finds that he feels better or even euphoric when on a particular drug, leading to an addiction to the feeling, which leads to continued use of the prescribed drug. The initial downside is that the pain or symptoms that the drug was initially prescribed to cure only grows worse or more acute with continued use of the drug, creating a cycle of dependency.

Early treatment for prescription drug abuse has been found generally to be successful. It’s therefore important that, if you suspect you may have an addiction to prescriptive drugs or someone close to you might, seek help immediately from your doctor.

Warning signs:
According to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, some of the warning signs of prescription drug abuse include:
- Continually “losing” prescriptions, so more prescriptions must be written
- Seeking prescriptions from more than one doctor
- Taking higher doses despite warnings of overdose
- Stealing, forging or selling prescriptions
- Excessive mood swings

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”, with almost half of Australian children under four suffering from untreated tooth decay. And it affects adult teeth too. In the United States, 4 to 12% of adults have advanced gum disease and 53 million children and adults have untreated tooth decay in their permanent teeth.

Don’t want to be another statistic? Here are some common oral health problems that might convince you to pick up that toothbrush and save your smile.

Halitosis (or bad breath)
This is sometimes caused by certain foods such as garlic and onions, smoking, or a dry mouth. But often, it’s usually occurs because you don’t brush and floss regularly, and food particles get stuck in your mouth and collect bacteria.

Cavities
Tooth decay occurs when bacteria in the mouth turn carbohydrates into acids, which dissolves the enamel. If cavities aren’t treated, they can grow bigger and this can result in toothache, infection or even the loss of teeth.

Gingivitis
Gums become red and bleed easily. It can be reversed easily with regular brushing, flossing and a professional cleaning. But if gingivitis is not treated, periodontitis can result. This happens when the gums pull away from teeth and the pockets (space between the gum and teeth) that form get infected. The bacteria start to break down and destroy the bone and connective tissues that hold the teeth in place. The teeth may eventually have to be removed.

Tooth erosion
The wearing away of the enamel (the hard part) of your teeth. This usually occurs after you consume foods with acids such as carbonated drinks and pure fruit juices. The erosion of enamel means that your teeth become more sensitive, and if the erosion gets too advanced, teeth can even crack. “When a patient suffers from erosion, there is a gradual loss of enamel, exposing the dentine,” says London dentist Keith Cohen. “Consequently, there is less protection of the nerve tissue, resulting in sensitivity to various stimuli such as cold and hot, brushing and foods that are erosive or sweet.”

How To Treat Your Teeth Right
Problems with your teeth can even lead to future health problems. For example, researchers have noted that people with periodontal disease are at a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. That’s why the Health Promotion Board recommends the following dental routines:

• Getting a dental check-up at least once a year
• Brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste
• Flossing daily
• Eating a balanced diet and limiting snacks
• Replacing your toothbrush every three months to ensure that germs don’t accumulate

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 to and then before you know it, your legs are growing a forest. One thing leads to another, and suddenly you’re one of those women who think it’s ok to go shopping wearing your company’s corporate retreat T-shirt.

Why do some women allow themselves to deteriorate in the looks department? Life-changing events may alter the way you think about yourself, or re-align your priorities. For example, if you’ve recently been through a breakup or divorce, your self-esteem has taken a bashing. It’s a struggle just to get out of bed, let alone put together a coherent outfit. The lack of time, as well as physical and emotional tiredness are also common reasons for not bothering with how you look. As a mother, it is also easy to let your looks slip when you are busy taking care of everyone else.

Regardless of your situation, guilt may rank even higher as a reason for not taking care of their looks. Thoughts like “I don’t deserve to look good” prevent you from pampering yourself. Or if you’ve never felt pretty in your life, you may have convinced yourself that looks are superficial and there are more important things to worry about, so you don’t even bother.
If this is how you’ve been thinking, perhaps it’s time to change the mindset a little.

Presenting your best self — including how you choose to present your physical self — not only says a lot about yourself and your mental state, it is a chance to be a model to your kids or to those you lead. How you take care of your looks carries a message that says how you value yourself, and even others.

No one is asking you to be like Heidi Klum who strutted down Victoria Secrets’ runway six weeks postpartum looking like a teenager – leave that to the supermodels. But looking good is like wearing the oxygen mask on the plane – attend to yourself first before attending to others.

To take control of your looks today, here are a few starter tips:
1. Realise that looking good takes some discipline.
Routinely grooming yourself needs to become a habit.
2. When you’re down, dress up.
It can really alter your mood and emotion when you dress confidently.
3. Add a pampering step to your shower time.
If taking a shower is the only time that you have where you are truly alone, then take time to do what you previously thought was unnecessary, like a body scrub, or a hair mask.
4. Update your wardrobe.
With a trusted friend, weed out clothes that don’t look good on you. Wear only clothes that you love and make you feel confident.
5. Put together a makeup kit that is fast and easy to apply.
Makeup doesn’t have to be a long, complicated process so stop making excuses.
6. Treat yourself to a professional grooming service.
Have your eyebrows shaped and tidied, which will instantly brighten your eyes and make you instantly appear well-groomed. For good measure, get your nails done.

Keep at it — you’ll be feeling more confident and energetic in no time!

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 part of your lifestyle. According to Lucy Knight, author of Walking for Weight Loss, “The great thing about walking is that you already know how to do it…it provides a low impact but also vigorous and well-rounded fitness activity that will significantly speed up your metabolism, increase your energy levels, improve your level of fitness and lead to better health.”

*Daisy, 56, began walking for 30 minutes daily after she was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago. “I have always been thin so I never saw the need to exercise. However, this health scare made me realize I needed to build up my fitness and improve my diet to fight this disease,” she says.

She attributes these walks to keeping her energetic even while undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Today, she continues this regime even after a complete recovery, and adds weekly challenges such as climbing Bukit Timah hill with her friends. For tips on making the best out of your walks, go to Walking for Fitness

Find the Right Fit

Some get a buzz while doing pole dancing to techno music, while others feel purified after a session of Hatha Yoga. Rather than just subscribe to what’s the “hottest” fitness activity of the season, suss out which routine you derive the most enjoyment from because this will be an important motivating factor as your body slowly (and sometimes, painfully) gets into the groove of exercising regularly.

“I felt like a captive hamster while running on treadmills so I never made much use of my gym membership,” says *Jane, 32. “Later on, I discovered I loved running along the tracks in MacRitchie Reservoir – the change of scenery and the fresh air really made the difference and I was able to run regularly and for longer periods after that.”

If you’re clueless about what works for you, you can take this Fitness Personality Test.

Diet Tweaks

Your input (what you eat) is just as important as your output (exercise). But rather than go on some extreme diet where you drastically reduce how much you eat or cut out a food group altogether, take things easy by introducing some healthy eating habits slowly but surely into your life such as:
• Whole grain meals: Opt for brown rice or wholemeal pasta for some of your meals. One way of getting used to these healthier carbohydrates is to eat them with your favourite curries or pasta sauces so you gradually ease into its taste.
• Cut down on sugar: Add some slices of lemon or berries into your water instead of drinking artificially sweetened drinks. Buy unsweetened cereal for breakfast and top them with fresh fruits for flavour.
• Cut down on meat: Start off first by avoiding processed meats such as sausages and ham as these are usually the unhealthy culprits full of salt and preservatives. Subsequently, try having a “meat-free” day each week to reduce your intake of saturated fats.

*Names have been changed for privacy.