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11 Contraceptives You Should Think About Trying – Other Than The Pill
Read More: 11 Contraceptives You Should Think About Trying – Other Than The PillPicking the right birth control is as important as picking the right partner – and almost as tricky. And for South African women, the stakes are not low: a national antenatal survey of nearly 35,000 pregnant women found that 51.6% of pregnancies in South Africa are unintended. That’s a huge number, and one that could…
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Welcome To ‘Phone Body’: How Tech Dependency Wrecks Your Vision, Brain, And More
Read More: Welcome To ‘Phone Body’: How Tech Dependency Wrecks Your Vision, Brain, And MoreScientists have been studying the health effects of cellphones on our bodies for at least 30 years, but the technology has only tightened its grip on our hands. Now, a growing body of research points to how our smartphone dependency takes its toll on our entire body. Doctors refer to it as ‘phone body’, a…
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10 Health Podcasts That Rethink Everything You Know About Wellness
Read More: 10 Health Podcasts That Rethink Everything You Know About WellnessAs a health and fitness reporter for my entire career, I’ve seen hundreds of health trends and trusted advice come and go. As fad fatigue (my own phrase) set in, I stopped following a lot of trends and truly unhinged morning routines. So trust that these health podcast recommendations are informed by my years-long private…
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The 7 Perimenopause Signs Doctors Say Women Most Often Miss – And When To See Your GP
Read More: The 7 Perimenopause Signs Doctors Say Women Most Often Miss – And When To See Your GPDoes it surprise you that one in three women aged 35 and over aren’t sure whether they’re perimenopausal? As someone turning 35 later this year, I can’t say I’m shocked. Why? Because disrupted sleep, low mood and brain fog aren’t just common perimenopausal symptoms: they’re also fairly common side effects of parenting young children, stress…
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Physical Symptoms That Mean Your Body Is Under Severe Stress
Read More: Physical Symptoms That Mean Your Body Is Under Severe StressStress has become such an ambient presence in our lives that we barely notice it – like air, or the buzzing of cicadas. But while you white-knuckle your way through yet another unprecedented crisis, your body is a pressure cooker letting off steam all over your body: your hair, your skin, your bones. Here are…
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The Surprising Way Your Bedroom Air Causes Bad Sleep Quality
Read More: The Surprising Way Your Bedroom Air Causes Bad Sleep QualityMy husband is the reason I’m so exhausted. And no, it’s not that (get your minds out of the gutter!). My sleep deprivation comes courtesy of his sinuses. One night while seriously plotting my escape to the guest room, I fell down an insomnia-fuelled research rabbit hole. What I learned surprised me, especially since none…
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World Microbiome Day: The Hidden Ecosystem Connecting You and Your Pet
Read More: World Microbiome Day: The Hidden Ecosystem Connecting You and Your PetIt turns out that sharing your home with a dog or cat could mean sharing far more than companionship. Emerging research suggests that people and their pets may also share aspects of their gut microbiomes – the trillions of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms that play a vital role in everything from digestion and immunity…
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Glowing Skin & Sharper Thinking: 7 Massive Sauna Health Benefits
Read More: Glowing Skin & Sharper Thinking: 7 Massive Sauna Health BenefitsNo, it’s not just you – suddenly, everyone is super into saunas now. Where once the touted sauna health benefits were frowned at, formal science has come out in force in support of this, erm, hot trend. The sauna, a mainstay of hotel spas, gyms and your super-rich uncle’s house, is now mainstream. These days,…
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20 Ways To Winter-Proof Your Wellness Routine
Read More: 20 Ways To Winter-Proof Your Wellness RoutineWe’re well into winter and with it comes all the usual suspects: lingering coughs, dry skin, stuffy rooms, aching joints and the occasional dip in motivation. While no product can guarantee you’ll dodge every seasonal bug, a few smart additions to your routine can make the colder months feel far more manageable. From immunity support…
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Indoor Air Pollution Gets Worse In Winter – Here’s How To Fight It
Read More: Indoor Air Pollution Gets Worse In Winter – Here’s How To Fight ItDuring colder months, you’re probably going to want to light the fire, close the windows and keep cosy. And, when loadshedding hits, flick on the generator and continue to ‘Netflix and chill’. But, if you want to stay healthy this winter, this is exactly what you shouldn’t be doing – unless you’ve invested in an…
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Can You Support Bone Density Through Diet?
Read More: Can You Support Bone Density Through Diet?It’s no secret that diet is key to maintaining a healthy heart, brain and muscles, but what about your bones? Does what you eat have an impact on bone density? The answer is a resounding yes – and there’s quite a bit more to it than drinking milk. While you might already track things like…
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Is Your Heater Wrecking Your Skin? The Sleek Smart Radiator We’re Swapping Our Family Heirlooms For
Read More: Is Your Heater Wrecking Your Skin? The Sleek Smart Radiator We’re Swapping Our Family Heirlooms ForWhen the temperature drops – and boy has it been dropping lately – our natural instinct is to hibernate. We reach for the decades-old gowns, brew endless cups of rooibos and look for any excuse to curl up under our favourite blankets. And while it’s comforting to know so many South African households revert back…
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How NIVEA Helped Women Stay Fresh and Confident at HYROX Johannesburg
Read More: How NIVEA Helped Women Stay Fresh and Confident at HYROX JohannesburgHYROX is one of the toughest fitness challenges around, combining running with functional workout stations that test endurance, strength and determination. But while competitors spend months preparing physically, confidence on race day often comes down to the small details too. At HYROX Johannesburg, NIVEA brought performance and personal care together through its Derma Control activation,…
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Why A Wardrobe Refresh May Actually Be Good For Your Health – According To Psychologists
Read More: Why A Wardrobe Refresh May Actually Be Good For Your Health – According To PsychologistsIt’s easy to feel good about yourself when you slide into a pair of jeans that fit just right and there’s now research that supports the idea that when you look good, you feel good, too. New research published in the Journal of Macromarketing found a significant association between having clothes you like and having higher levels…
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PCOS Is Getting A Rebrand – And It Makes A Big Difference, Experts Say
Read More: PCOS Is Getting A Rebrand – And It Makes A Big Difference, Experts SayPolycystic ovarian syndrome, most commonly known as PCOS, is no more. Instead, doctors will now be referring to the condition as polyendocrine metabolic syndrome – or PMOS. It’s just one letter, but it makes all the difference, according to the doctors who treat it. “This is one of the most meaningful shifts I have seen in reproductive endocrinology…
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These Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms Mean You May Need A Doc, Now
Read More: These Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms Mean You May Need A Doc, NowOne of the strangest biological catch-22s is the relationship between a human being and the sun. While excess sun exposure is linked to skin cancer, too little creates vitamin D deficiency. Unfortunately, statistics show that South African women show some of the highest numbers of vitamin D deficiency, suggesting that the sun just isn’t hitting…
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Working Out With A Cold: When It’s Safe To Exercise While Sick And When To Avoid It, According To Doctors
Read More: Working Out With A Cold: When It’s Safe To Exercise While Sick And When To Avoid It, According To DoctorsThe thought of exercising while sick can make you queasy, but you may be itching to move your body if you have a light cold or cough. Before you hop on the treadmill to “sweat it out,” though, you want to assess your symptoms carefully because working out with a cold could make matters worse. Here’s…
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10 Ways You Can Actually Lower Your Cholesterol Without Medication
Read More: 10 Ways You Can Actually Lower Your Cholesterol Without MedicationAccording to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa (HSF), 10 South Africans suffer a stroke every hour. One of the big contributors to strokes in South Africa is the prevalence of high cholesterol. Sadly, 80 percent of heart disease-related deaths in individuals under the age of 60 are preventable through a healthy balanced…
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The Risks of Tanning (And Yes, We Mean Sun Exposure Too)
Read More: The Risks of Tanning (And Yes, We Mean Sun Exposure Too)Whether you’re trying to tan or not, the South African sun has decided for you. It’s been hot – relentlessly so – and lately it feels like everyone’s getting a little sun-kissed by default. A quick coffee run, a lunch break, sitting in traffic… suddenly there are tan lines you definitely didn’t sign up for.…
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Peptide Stacking Is Everywhere – But Is It Safe?
Read More: Peptide Stacking Is Everywhere – But Is It Safe?Promising everything from improved recovery to healthier hair, peptides have become the latest wellness buzzword on everyone’s lips. The latest fixation? Peptide “stacking” – a practice once confined to elite biohackers and longevity clinics, now filtering down to TikTok. But what is it – and is it actually safe? Or just another fad in disguise? What are peptides…
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How Healthy Is Your Pee? Take This 10-Second Test To Find Out
Read More: How Healthy Is Your Pee? Take This 10-Second Test To Find OutYou can tell a lot about your health by simply scrutinising your next piddle! So, how healthy is your pee? According to experts, your urine colour or odour is largely determined by what – and how many – liquids you drink. Gulping gallons to get “hydrated”? Not so fast, says dietician Sarah Batchelor. “Eight glasses…
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11 Subtle Signs Of Diabetes You Should Never Ignore
Read More: 11 Subtle Signs Of Diabetes You Should Never IgnoreExperts are sounding the alarm about type 2 diabetes in South Africa, as the complex disease has reached crisis levels in the country – and women are disproportionately affected. And yet, so many people are unsure about the actual diabetes symptoms in women. The full picture of diabetes in South Africa is complicated and grim.…
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The Health Benefits Of Gardening
Read More: The Health Benefits Of GardeningNever thought that spending some time getting your hands and knees dirty could improve your health? Well, perhaps it’s time to rethink why you should be spending more time with the ‘skin of the earth’. Why Is Gardening Good For You? Would you believe us if we said that out of all professions, gardeners and…
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Common Misconceptions About Vaccinations And The Risks Of Missing Vaccines
Read More: Common Misconceptions About Vaccinations And The Risks Of Missing VaccinesImmunisation – more commonly known as vaccination – remains one of the most effective public health interventions we have. Each year, it prevents an estimated 2 to 3 million deaths worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccines are rigorously tested for safety and continue to be closely monitored even after approval, making them…
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Common Misconceptions About Vaccinations And The Risks Of Missing Vaccines
Read More: Common Misconceptions About Vaccinations And The Risks Of Missing VaccinesImmunisation – more commonly known as vaccination – remains one of the most effective public health interventions we have. Each year, it prevents an estimated 2 to 3 million deaths worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccines are rigorously tested for safety and continue to be closely monitored even after approval, making them…
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Getting An Abortion In South Africa: What You Should Know
Read More: Getting An Abortion In South Africa: What You Should KnowDespite abortions being legal – and free – in South Africa, doctors and nurses are not obligated to offer this service (kind of). As a result, many doctors and nurses refuse to conduct abortions for moral reasons, sometimes not knowing they are breaking the law. According to one estimate, only 7% of government facilities actually…
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Getting An Abortion In South Africa: What You Should Know
Read More: Getting An Abortion In South Africa: What You Should KnowDespite abortions being legal – and free – in South Africa, doctors and nurses are not obligated to offer this service (kind of). As a result, many doctors and nurses refuse to conduct abortions for moral reasons, sometimes not knowing they are breaking the law. According to one estimate, only 7% of government facilities actually…
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The Moment You Feel A Cold Coming On, Do These 8 Things Immediately To Speed Up Recovery
Read More: The Moment You Feel A Cold Coming On, Do These 8 Things Immediately To Speed Up RecoveryIf you can’t remember the last time someone replied to a “how are you” message with anything other than a sneezing emoji, there’s some good news at least: with the crisp turn of autumn, we’re still a little way off from the true peak of cold and flu season. As for right now, though, the…
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Here’s What Certain Changes In Your Nails Can Reveal About Your Health, According To Dermatologists
Read More: Here’s What Certain Changes In Your Nails Can Reveal About Your Health, According To DermatologistsThere’s nothing quite like sitting down for a fresh manicure. It’s a simple way to add a pop of colour to your everyday look while carving out a little time to relax and take care of yourself. But if you’re anything like us, you might not actually think much about your nails until you step into the salon…
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More And More Women Say They’ve Got Hair Loss From Using GLP-1s – Experts Explain Why
Read More: More And More Women Say They’ve Got Hair Loss From Using GLP-1s – Experts Explain WhyThe last few years have created havoc for everyone’s bingo cards, with unprecedented events popping up everywhere like a demented game of Spider Stomp. Even with a cost-of-living crisis, South Africans have flocked to weight-loss medications, GLP-1s, in droves, making it the most popular pharmaceutical product in the country. But with rapid uptake, physicians and…
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More And More Women Say They’ve Got Hair Loss From Using GLP-1s – Experts Explain Why
Read More: More And More Women Say They’ve Got Hair Loss From Using GLP-1s – Experts Explain WhyThe last few years have created havoc for everyone’s bingo cards, with unprecedented events popping up everywhere like a demented game of Spider Stomp. Even with a cost-of-living crisis, South Africans have flocked to weight-loss medications, GLP-1s, in droves, making it the most popular pharmaceutical product in the country. But with rapid uptake, physicians and…
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More And More Women Say They’ve Got Hair Loss From Using GLP-1s – Experts Explain Why
Read More: More And More Women Say They’ve Got Hair Loss From Using GLP-1s – Experts Explain WhyThe last few years have created havoc for everyone’s bingo cards, with unprecedented events popping up everywhere like a demented game of Spider Stomp. Even with a cost-of-living crisis, South Africans have flocked to weight-loss medications, GLP-1s, in droves, making it the most popular pharmaceutical product in the country. But with rapid uptake, physicians and…
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Where Should You Go For A Safe Abortion In South Africa?
Read More: Where Should You Go For A Safe Abortion In South Africa?South Africa has some of the most liberal sexual and reproductive health laws in the world. This means that, as women, we are in control of our own bodies. Women are legally entitled to a safe abortion in South Africa up to the 20th week of pregnancy. It’s been this way since November 1996, under…
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Where Should You Go For A Safe Abortion In South Africa?
Read More: Where Should You Go For A Safe Abortion In South Africa?South Africa has some of the most liberal sexual and reproductive health laws in the world. This means that, as women, we are in control of our own bodies. Women are legally entitled to a safe abortion in South Africa up to the 20th week of pregnancy. It’s been this way since November 1996, under…
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Where Should You Go For A Safe Abortion In South Africa?
Read More: Where Should You Go For A Safe Abortion In South Africa?South Africa has some of the most liberal sexual and reproductive health laws in the world. This means that, as women, we are in control of our own bodies. Women are legally entitled to a safe abortion in South Africa up to the 20th week of pregnancy. It’s been this way since November 1996, under…
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Eat This To Beat Period Bloat
Read More: Eat This To Beat Period BloatYou’re all too familiar with what happens when your period hits: you get stomach cramps, your cravings go into overdrive and eating healthfully seems like a major test of willpower. The good news is that making minor adjustments to your eating habits means you can support your body’s changing needs without feeling like you’ve lost control of your routine.…
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Itchy Bum? How To Know If It’s Haemorrhoids
Read More: Itchy Bum? How To Know If It’s HaemorrhoidsTalk about a pain in the butt: a huge percentage of South Africans encounter piles symptoms (also sometimes called jedijedi and officially known as haemorrhoids). But how to treat piles? And can you use a natural remedy? Here, everything you need to know about the pesky little suckers. What Causes Piles? Haemorrhoids (known in South…
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10 Signs Of Binge-Drinking Among Women You Shouldn’t Ignore
Read More: 10 Signs Of Binge-Drinking Among Women You Shouldn’t IgnoreIf you’re a woman and a regular drinker, you might very easily fall into the heavy-alcohol-user category. That’s because, when you look at the signs of binge-drinking, it’s scarily easier to achieve than you’d think. And from the number of dwindling nightclubs and bars globally, it seems many other people are uncoupling from booze. But…
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I Get Five Hours Of Sleep Each Night But Feel Totally Fine. How Bad Is That, Really?
Read More: I Get Five Hours Of Sleep Each Night But Feel Totally Fine. How Bad Is That, Really?There are countless sleep hacks, supplements and cosy pyjamas that may elevate your sleep game, but that doesn’t mean falling – and staying – asleep is easy. That’s why when some people feel totally fine with only a few hours of sleep under their belt, they assume it’s good enough – but that’s not exactly the case. Put simply, sleep…
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5 Doctor-Approved Strategies To Finally Cope With Year-End Burnout
Read More: 5 Doctor-Approved Strategies To Finally Cope With Year-End BurnoutYear-end burnout can feel like a slow, painful crawl to mid-December when you’re finally allowed to cancel the alarm and enable that OOO. Right now, there are urgent memos everywhere, last-minute to-dos and all the things you said you’d finish by July, now threatening to swallow you whole. And since you’ve been working so hard,…
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12 Types Of Headaches – And What The Pain Really Means
Read More: 12 Types Of Headaches – And What The Pain Really MeansKnow why Home Affairs queues, potty training a toddler and traffic are considered total headaches? Because regardless of the type of headache you’ve got, they all suck. Headaches impact daily activities for many women, causing them to avoid work, social engagements, or physical exertion. They’re also more common among women, peaking among women aged between…
