Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2017 i Men's Health South Africa

Is fresh fish any healthier for me than the stuff in the frozen-food aisle? MPHO, P.E. The cold, hard truth: it’s all pretty much frozen. Commercial fish operations flash freeze their catch – often right on the boat – before sending it to distributors, who then decide whether it’ll stay frozen for purchase or be thawed and presented “fresh” by the retailer. Nutritionally there’s not much difference between the two. As for taste, the majority of people in a Japanese study either favoured frozen fish or couldn’t tell the difference between fresh and frozen. (Repeated freezing and thawing can ruin texture and taste, though.) Bottom line? Buy it in any form, but just eat it. The average man eats about 35g of omega-3-rich fish a week, according to Nutrition Journal.…

1 LISTEN TO YOUR HEART If you’re going to spend countless hours on a project, it’d better be something you love. “For me it had to be a surfboard, for you it may be boutique coffee or a steel-frame bike.” 2 GOOGLE IS YOUR FRIEND If you can dream it, someone else has done it – and blogged about it. Careful research is vital to your success, but there comes a time when you have to move to action. 3 IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED Mistakes are inevitable; what’s important is how you react to them. “In my experience, almost anything is fixable.” 4 A BAD WORKMAN BLAMES HIS... With any botched DIY project there’s a strong temptation to blame lack of tools – but the Incas couldn’t pop…

1 / Refresh Your Mug DOVE MEN+CARE SOAP R11 DIS-CHEM Use this versatile bar on your face and body. The active ingredient, kaolin clay, absorbs excess oil. But beware: humidity can make bars like this mushy, so make sure your soap dish has drainage holes. 2 / Soften Your Beard BEARD SOAP R70 BONAFIDE Gone are the days of using shampoos to wash your beard. It’s made with pure coconut oil, clay, activated charcoal and spearmint oil, and is developed to cleanse your beard and skin without stripping them of their natural oils. 3 / Smooth Your Shave PAUL MITCHELL TEA TREE BAR R140 AT EDGE FOR MEN Enjoy shaving in the shower? Go ahead, be reckless. Tea tree oil works as a natural antiseptic and antimicrobial. So if you…

ALARM Sleep Cycle It tracks your sleep phases and wakes you when you’re sleeping lightest. “It almost felt like I woke up naturally,” our tester said. WHITE NOISE Naturespace Sounds ranging from rolling surf to rustling leaves bring nature into your bedroom. Our tester liked “Night at Lake Unknown.” REMINDER To Bed This iPhone-only app asks your age and the time you want to get up, then sets an alarm for bedtime. Our tester: “Simple yet effective.”…

Proteas vs. Sri Lanka It’s the first set of local ODIs of 2017. Translation: you won’t want to miss this. Plus, there’s a chance that if we take the series, we could jump to first in the rankings. Make sure you’re there to witness history. The matches will take place at Wanderers and Supersport Park. 4 & 10 FEB JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2 Don’t get roped into another screening of Generic RomCom 4 this Valentine’s Day. This sequel will see the hitman go toe-to-toe with the world’s deadliest killers. If there’s an airport scene, it probably won’t involve Hugh Grant. 10 FEB Live from the Apollo Technically, it’s live from Montecasino, but this event isn’t about the venue. Live from the Apollo was a TV series hosted by top comedic…

“YOU FLY FISH? HOW… ODD.” That response, offered over braais, dinner parties and around the water cooler, used to be par for the course. And my response – “What do Jimmy Kimmel, Liam Neeson, Michael Keaton (yes, Batman), Cyril Ramaphosa Dale Steyn and Quinton de Kock have in common?” – used to be standard. NO LONGER. FLY FISHING IS NOT THE CLICHÉD hobby of weird tweed-garbed geezers who collect roadkill that it used to be. A new generation of men and women are cottoning on to the possibilities and thrill of catching fish on fly. And yes, it really is fish – not just trout. While trout fishing used to be synonymous with fly fishing, here in Southern Africa, restricting yourself to trout is a great way to miss out…

Carpentry or Trades Physical activity and problem-solving make these jobs engaging. ER physician It’s a fast- paced environment with ever-changing demands. Management This is best only if you can rely on a trusty assistant to take care of the details for you. Military The combination of demanding situations and a reliable routine can work well for your mind. Pro Sport The team camaraderie and high activity level involved in this arena are both pluses. Sales It’s good especially if you’re making deals. Flip side: reports and presentations.…

A dog will get you going better than a fitness tracker, and it can catch a Frisbee too. Just don’t take a pup out running until it’s fully developed (12 to 18 months old), and start with short distances, advises Jerry Klein, chief veterinary officer with the American Kennel Club. These four breeds will never fall behind, no matter how fast you run, so look out for their unique characteristics in the mutts at your local rescue: Weimaraner It was bred for chasing down bears and wild pigs in dense forest. Bonus feature: webbed feet for crossing high water, and starting conversations with hot women. Siberian Husky No distance is too far for this furry sprinter, who will slog alongside you through mud, snow and ice. Just avoid hot weather.…

MetaDrops You’ll pack in a ton of work by repping out with successively lighter weights in each set. The brief rests and varying loads scream just one thing to your muscles: grow! DO IT Grab a weight you can lift for 40 seconds. Do reps for 40 seconds and rest 20 seconds. Now grab a weight equal to half the last weight. Do 40 more seconds of reps; rest 20 seconds. Finish with 40 seconds of the exercise using your body weight. Switch sides, repeat. That’s 1 round; do 2 to 4. MetaROM Range-of-motion exercises hammer your muscles in specific sections of an exercise, which zeroes in on your weaknesses and forces your muscles to work harder for a longer time. DO IT Using the split squat, push-up or press,…

TEST #1 Standing Toe Touch Stand with your legs straight and feet parallel and shoulder-width apart. Bend forward as you reach for your toes. It’s okay to round your back as you descend and reach. PASS: You can touch your toes without bending your knees. TEST #2 Active Straight- Leg Raise Lie on your back with your legs straight and toes pointed toward the ceiling. Raise one leg as high as you can, noting how far your leg travels upward. Lower it; test the other leg. PASS: You can raise your leg perfectly straight till it forms a 90-degree angle with your body. RESULT Pass both tests? Then you’re cleared for takeoff – that is, flexible enough to do deadlifts. If you failed either one, check out the moves on…

01 / Plank In a push-up position with your hands beyond shoulder width, drop your butt so your head and spine align. Brace your core. Hold for five breaths. “It’s awesome for building arm and core strength without crunches, which can hurt your lower back,” says Sadie Nardini, founder of Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga. 02 / Bridge Lie on your back with your arms at your sides, palms facing down, knees bent, and feet hip-width apart and flat on the floor. Raise your hips as high as you can and lift your chin a little off your chest. Hold the pose for five breaths. “This provides a ton of chest and shoulder flexibility,” says Nardini. 03 / Tree While standing, shift your weight to your left foot as you rest…

01 99 Problems Shop-bought tubs invariably deserve the cold shoulder, “because they usually contain dry milk powder,” says Kitty Travers of gourmet parlour La Grotta Ices. This is high in lactose, which can cause digestive issues. And contrary to assumption, sorbet is no better for you because pasteurisation kills the fruit’s nutrients. Still, there’s no need to freeze out all your summer treats: go DIY and dish out a van load of benefits. 02 Cold Fusion First the good/bad news: you can’t do away with sugar altogether. “Sugar is the part of the recipe that doesn’t freeze, which keeps the ice cream soft and scoopable,” says Travers. But that doesn’t have to mean shovelling in buckets of sweet stuff. Ward recommends alternatives such as coconut syrup or honey because “they…

IT WAS THE size of a marble on my neck. My lump started like a skin tag, but after three months it had quadrupled in size; turning my head was unbearable. Given my family history of cancer, I was certain: this had to be the end. Before getting my affairs in order, I went to an urgent care center. I simply had an infected cyst, easy to excise. The relief alone was worth the co-pay. “What if the person with the lump that turned out to be cancer blew it off?” asks Alfred Sacchetti, chief of emergency services at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Centre. Too careful is better than too casual. Here’s a guide to what deserves professional attention. Squiggly Artery on Your Temple Worry. That bulge may be…

Exercise combined with feelings of anger or emotional distress can be a dangerous mix, a study in the journal Circulation warns. The finding is based on the reports of nearly 12 500 heart attack survivors on what they did and how they felt in the hour before their attack. Study author Dr Andrew Smyth says that both cause blood vessels to narrow, which can triple your risk. McKibbin, who’d exercised that morning and was in court fighting for custody of his son, says those two events may have played a role in his own heart attack.…

Photographer Rowan Eva and his wife found Pepper in an abandoned car park near Ceres in 2009. “She was so tiny I could hold her in my one hand,” he says now. “We lived in a small house in Woodstock and we started planning our days and weekends around her – hikes, runs, walks, you name it. She is the most committed, most human, dog I have ever had. I know when she is happy, sad – when she has to take a bath – and depressed, like when we had our kids. We once got lost on a hike, in the rain, and we were all at each others’ throats – but she was wagging her tail, amped to be outside, and with us, on the mountain.” Rowan often…

3 - A - 12 - 5 Improve your short game Tailored shorts are the warm-weather alternative to trousers. The clean, crisp, fitted look works best with finer shoes and smarter sneakers – but skip the socks. Wear the shorts with a chambray shirt to keep your classy-but-casual vibe in check. UPGRADE YOUR AGEING WARDROBE TO LOOK YOUR BEST AND MAKE WAY FOR NEW FAVOURITES / IF YOU OWN THE RIGHT KIT, DRESSING WELL IS EASY / HERE’S HOW TO MAKE THE BASICS WORK FOR EVERY SITUATION / 11 - 15 The right stripes The simplest way to dress down but still look stylish is to bring in nautical stripes, especially the iconic blue and white tee. Go with a cotton version with a 1- to 5% stretch: they won’t…

1/ GOLFER R350 LEVI’S 2/ CLASSIC HARRINGTON JACKET R1 799 POLO 3/ CHAMBRAY SHIRT R899 TRENERY 4/ THOBE BROGUES R1 999 ALDO 5/ SNEAKERS R2 099 BEN SHERMAN 6/ SLIM-FIT BLAZER R2 399 ISSA LEO 7/ SLIM-FIT CHINOS R499 WOOL-WORTHS 8/ LIGHTWEIGHT KNIT R499 H&M 9/ JASPER JEANS R599 OLD KHAKI 10/ PRINTED SHIRT R450 OLD KHAKI 11/ JOGGERS R649 TOPMAN 12/ LINEN SHORTS R399 H&M 13/ LEATHER SANDALS R649 COUNTRY ROAD 14/ COLLARED SHIRT R1595 KURT GEIGER 15/ V-NECK T SHIRT R500 KINGSLEY HEATH A/ POCKET SQUARE R400 TM LEWIN AT EDGARS WOVEN TIE R229 TOPSHOP WOVEN BELT R299 H&M…

You know that awesome hike you went on with your little mutt last year? No? Chances are, he does. A new study published in the journal Current Biology evealed that dogs are capable of episodic-like memory, meaning they can recall events regardless of whether you’ve commanded them to commit them to memory. Yep, this is not your typical sit, play dead and have a treat retention. It’s proof that their memories aren’t just based on repetition and reward, and that exposing them to new actions (and possibly new places) will give your pup a moment he won’t forget. Do him and yourself a favour: grab that leash and find somewhere new to explore.…

1. Hire a Ref If you’re focused on the kids’ varsity tuition while she’s planning a second honeymoon, no wonder you fight about money. In an Ameriprise Financial survey, almost three-quarters of couples had difierent money management styles. But 40% of couples who couldn’t resolve their issues said an advisor helped them see eye to eye, relieving tension in their relationship. 2. Keep Your Own Stash Yes, you two should have a joint account for family expenses, and you’ll need to agree on amounts you’ll each throw into the pot. But it’s a good idea to also have your own account to use for anything you want, says Marcy Keckler, vice president of financial advice strategy at Ameriprise. “That way there’s no pointing fingers or ‘Oh, where’d you get the…

1 / Make Her Dance Indians express their freespiritedness through dancing at every opportunity, Chopra says. “Any kind of celebration is an excuse to dance.” The key to being a good dance partner? Be yourself. “Not everyone can be a Travolta, but anyone can be a good dancer. Just feel the vibe and the beat and hold your woman’s attention, whether it’s with your eyes, your moves or your hands.” 2 / Sweat the Small Stuff It’s the small gestures that show you care for her, support her and know what she likes, says Chopra. “Make her feel like she’s the only girl in the world.” Chopra recalls waking up one morning to find an espresso machine sitting on her doorstep. A friend, it turns out, had picked up on…

NAME THEUNS BOTES LOCATION CAPE TOWN OCCUPATION WINE SALES AND MARKETING CHALLENGE STEP INTO THE 2000s A/ AN ILL-FITTING SHIRT ONLY MAKES YOU LOOK BIGGER. B/ SHORTS ARE FOR DOWNTIME. C/ YOUR SNEAKERS SHOULD ALWAYS LOOK FRESH, EVEN IF THEY AREN’T. BUILT FOR RUGBY, LIKE THEUNS HERE? Go for a straight leg in a relaxed fit – the classic style sits naturally on the waist for a comfortable and sleek silhouett, and will give you a little extra room in the seat and thighs. Once you find your perfect pair, you can wear it with anything in your cupboard. 1 / A Cut Above A high and tight men’s haircut will give the illusion that you have more hair. “You want your hair in the back and on the sides…

My dog refuses to eat the new dry food I got him. How worried should I be? Some dog breeds, especially toy breeds, are notoriously fussy eaters. Firstly, ensure the food is from a reputable source and is not doing any harm. Most dogs will eventually accept a new diet, and should adapt to changes over several days. Remember, palatability of a diet is not necessarily a reflection of the quality of the product, as many cheaper sources are filled with artificial flavourants. If there is any noticeable weight loss, diarrhoea or vomiting, then seek the opinion of your veterinarian ASAP. My pup hates baths, and fights me from start to finish. How can I placate him in future? Bathing can be a time to bond with your pet, but…

EARLY DAYS You want to surprise her, not scare her. Tammy Greig from Charles Greig Jewellers says pick up a white orchid. It’s a break from the cliché of roses, and it’ll last longer too. HONEYMOON PHASE Think thoughtfulness, intimacy and a bit of background knowledge, says Tammy. “Try this: look up her birthstone, and incorporate it as part of a custom-made piece.” MARRIED WITH KIDS Skip the skimpy lingerie: it’s impractical, and it’s more of a gift for you. MH US fashion director Sandra Nygaard says a pair of flannel PJs is like getting a nonstop hug.…

The Veteran: Keith Rose-Innes One of the biggest names in fly fishing, Rose-Innes heads up Alphonse Fishing Company in the Seychelles. Fly fishermen from all over the world obsess over getting out there to target the Giant Trevally, Permit, Triggerfish, Bonefish, Milkfish and myriad other species on offer. For Rose-Innes, the ultimate target is the GT. “It’s definitely the most ferocious fish and the most exciting take you will ever have. When he eats the fly a large proportion of his body is above his mouth. He’s coming straight down the barrel, mouth open, and you’ve got to be on your game.” alphonsefishingco.com The Filmmaker: Jako Lucas Bum in the butter sums up this guy. For work Lucas gets to travel and fly fish all over the world – from…

My 7-year-old daughter is reading to me before bedtime. I’m patiently listening, pitching in on tricky words and offering gentle encouragement – and, yeah, also browsing used cars on Craigslist. The kid is no fool: “Stop looking at your phone, Dad.” You can read Tolstoy on your phone, or call your mother. But you usually don’t. You look at stupid stuff, play stupid games, and take pictures of your stupid face. When boredom, frustration, or mere solitude settles over me, I feel the weight of the device in my pocket. The urge to look is a constant neural itch. The neurochemical pleasures of smartphone use (a habit-forming flow of minor rewards and escapist nonsense) are similar to those of slot machines. Imagine being a compulsive gambler with a casino in…

STEP 1 Here’s the good, and bad, news: South Africa’s shelters aren’t short on strays. Hit up your local adoption agency and you’ll have your pick of the litter. Want a preview before you make the drive? Organisations such as TEARS (tears.org.za), FurKidz (furkidz.org.za), the Domestic Animal Rescue Group (darg.org.za), African Tails (africantails.co.za) and most others have a regularly updated roster of adoptable mutts. STEP 2 Now it’s time to spend some time with your pup. Head to the kennels (spots such as the SPCA have fairly flexible hours) and take a pooch for a walk around one of the grassy enclosures. It’s a good litmus test for how you and your new furry companion will get on. Got kids? Bring them along too – that way you’ll see if…

IN THE MOVIES, IT’S EPIC WHEN TWO PEOPLE FIGURE OUT THEY’RE MADE for each other. There’s usually an airport gate involved, or a sudden downpour, or maybe a passionate monologue, music swelling in the background. But in real life? C’mon. There’s no script. The moment can be as subtle as a glance across a room or as frenzied as a cow chase in a cornfield. (Read on.) These six stories of sudden revelation underscore what really matters. They just might help you recognise that magic moment – and seize it. When the Cows Got Out of the Barn We’re visiting her family farm in Thornhill in the Eastern Cape, and all hell is breaking loose. It’s 3 am, lights are going on, Uncle Frans is yelling and the dogs are…

THE DEPTHS OF THE female brain may be unfathomable, but the superficiality of the male mind is no easier to decipher. Why do we struggle to remember our loved ones’ birthdays yet retain an encyclopaedic knowledge of craft beer and sports stats? Why, after all these years of living in our skin, are we more fascinated with our own bodily functions than preserving the world for future generations? Frankly, we don’t know, but we can certainly explain why you feel like puking when someone else hurls. Why Do I Like My Own Body Odours Better Than Everyone Else’s? Survival of the fittest entails avoiding other people’s nastiness. Infection-causing bacteria on their bodies can be a source of disease. If you were drawn to instead of being repulsed by the unpleasant…

Three years ago Andre Pienaar was 26. He weighed 90kg, suffered from chronic asthma and had never run in his life. Last year he ran over 1 100km. He finished the 50km Bastille Day Trail Run in Franschhoek, the 80km Puffer from Cape Point to the Cape Town CBD, the JMC 38, Ultra Trail CT 35, two halves and he is maintains a weight around 75kg. He still loving braais and beers, though. Running has become Andre’s chronic medication. “I was born about 4 to 6 weeks premature, and my lungs never developed properly,” he says. “The most noticeable difference for me that running has brought to my life is the increased capillary growth in my muscles and lungs. This increased bloodflow to my lungs and the improved mitochondrial efficiency…

When Johan’s mother died of early-onset Alzheimer’s at age 61, it was a wake-up call. “The disease has hit every generation of my family,” says Johan, a software engineer. (He and his wife requested anonymity.) “I thought, ‘If there’s anything we can do to prevent this from happening to our kids, we should do that.’” Turns out there is. Johan, 36, learned that he could be tested for gene mutations that cause early-onset Alzheimer’s. Through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), he and his wife, Marie, could then screen their embryos and implant one that lacked mutations. The decision to do these “preimplantation genetic diagnostics” was agonising. “You realise that once you know the information, you can’t unknow it,” says Marie. But they proceeded. Johan tested positive for the presenilin 1 mutation. “It’s…

1 / He’s Always Happy to See You With a dog every day is your birthday and New Year’s Eve combined. Regardless of how long I’ve been away for, my dogs will always run up to the door and greet me with overwhelming affection. Meanwhile the wife and kids barely master the enthusiasm to look up from the TV. 2 / He Brings Out the Best in You Better than any alarm clock, my dogs ensure that I wake up at sunrise each day. And as far as training partners go they’ll never let me skip a walkies session. Then how’s that discipline? Two bowls of bland food daily and only drinks water? No wonder dogs are so regular. 3 /…

“MY FIRST BOARD WAS A TRAVESTY,” SAYS Patrick. “As I was gluing down the rails I realised that the three clamps I’d picked up at my local hardware store weren’t going to be enough. “I rushed inside and scrounged the laces from every shoe I could find. The shoelaces got all gummed up and had to be thrown away, but I managed to stick those rails down.” Later, when it was finally time to glass the board, Patrick couldn’t find the right type of epoxy in South Africa and had to make do with that stuff you’d use to glue carpets down. He had read how important it is to epoxy in a warm environment – so he pitched the family tent in the garage and filled it with heaters.…

1 / PREPARE A) Seize the Daylight Start the day right: early-morning sun helps set your body clock. When the alarm sounds, open the blinds. Or better yet, get outside. B) Install a Nightlight Put it in the bathroom so you don’t have to hit the overheads if nature calls. C) Stay Up Clock says it’s bedtime, but you’re not tired? Wait until you’re naturally sleepy and then go to bed. 2 / BEDTIME A) Turn On a Fan It’ll keep you cool (essential for staying asleep), and the white noise blocks out disruptive sounds. B) Evict Sparky Hey, we like dogs too. But if yours keeps you up, put him in a crate outside the room. He’ll be happier with a well-rested owner anyway. C) Listen to Music Doing…

1 / Garlic This vampire repellant will also chase away ticks and fleas, says Cesar Milan, host of The Dog Whisperer on National Geographic. “I add a little to their dry food every day. It can give them gas, but it’s worth it.” 2 / Harness A good harness should help your hound to walk by your side. “Most collars fit at the base of the neck, which is where a dog’s strongest muscles are,” says Milan. “Pulling there only encourages a dog to increase resistance.” Instead, look for a harness that sits high on the neck, right below the ears.” 3 / Racket and Launcher Big ones, small ones, covered in fur – dogs love all kinds of balls. (Focus, guys.) A tennis…

PICTURE THIS. You’re in your early 20s and the travel company you started – and quit varsity to run – fails. So you start another company and sell it to Southwest, a major airline, for a few hundred million; your cut is more than R200 million. But you’re fired five months later. You then launch another airline, JetBlue. It’s a hit, but eventually you’re removed as CEO and leave the company. Your next move: start another airline. Tired yet? This is the career flight path of David Neeleman, 57, the CEO of Azul, a Brazilian airline with some 10 000 employees serving 24 million passengers a year, and co-owner of Portugal’s national air carrier, TAP Portugal. Neeleman is known for his entrepreneurial spirit, creativity and innovative nature. (E-ticketing? That was…

IN TERMS OF ADVICE, YOU can’t beat the hard-earned workout wisdom of someone who has grafted to reinvent themselves both physically and mentally. BJ Gaddour went from a 127kg heavy-bodied 17-year-old to the ripped 102kg that he sits at today. He overhauled his life, and studied to become a personal trainer. Now he’s responsible for creating some of the best fitness-content for our brand, and was the cover model for the US January issue. BJ is the perfect example of what the right attitude and work ethic can achieve – especially if you have the right training plan. Turn over for the best one he’s ever created, then start your own comeback plan. Workout 2: Upper-Body Blaster 1 Seated Band Multi-Grip Row Sit on the floor with your legs out…

I'LL REMEMBER THAT milkshake forever. It was the summer of 2008, and my training partner and I were grinding through the soul-crushing dregs of a 200-plus-km bike ride in preparation for Ironman. We finished that ride at an ice cream shop where I proceeded to suck down a milkshake the size of my quads. I’m a dietician, so this was like a radiologist chain-smoking a pack of Luckies. Yet those cold, liquid calories were satisfying my every need at that moment. You’ve felt this feed-me-now urge. Many of my clients don’t know what true hunger is until they feel it after exercise. But then they fill up on nutrients they don’t need (like sugar from milkshakes) instead of ones they do. It’s difficult. Let’s look at how your brain, body…

GOOD / Any of the protein-filled wraps or salads are decent options, likely to give you a moderate 30g of protein, 20-30g of carbs and 20g of fat. All in all, a light meal of around 1 600 kilojoules. BETTER / The low-carb breakfast, 2 eggs, 2 rashers of bacon with added grilled mushrooms. A nice protein-veg start to the day. For a little extra nutrition (carbs, protein and fibre) add some baked beans. BEST / The new addition of chicken fillets to the menu is a great option: 60g of protein, 23g fat and 8g carbs. Take 2 chicken fillets, BBQ or peri-peri, and a side to match your goals. Choose chips or pap and sheba for high-energy needs, or a side salad for your rest day.…

“I took him to a Warriors game, and he tolerated me heckling the fielders. By the end of the game, he’d joined in too.” – AMY G. “As he walked by, he gave me this huge smile – and ran right into a wall. We laughed about it.” – DINA M. “I told him I’d probably never marry him, and he didn’t kick me out. (I’ve been his wife for a year and haven’t looked back.)” – NAOMI P. “He brought a piece of cake to his gran, who had Parkinson’s, and helped feed it to her.” – JENNIFER M. “He got busted for peeing on a house, which I found hilarious. It wasn’t yet capital-L love, but it was the start of my crush.” – KIERA A. “One night…

Hendri Herbst represented Team South Africa at the Rio Olympics, won bronze in the 100m freestyle in London 2012 and has won multiple medals in the World European Swimming Champ Circuits. He’s also currently completing his second degree (an LLB) at Stellenbosch University, where he was awarded the Rector’s award for excellence in sport in 2015. Hendri was born with glaucoma – and since the age of 14, he has been completely blind. Stan has been his seeing-eye dog since 2012. “Stan gives me back part of my freedom, my independence and my dignity,” says Hendri. “I can live a normal life – I go to class, gym, the pool whenever I need to. He’s more than a companion. I travel a lot to compete in events all over the…

Ryan Sandes needs no introduction. But here’s one anyway: the Capetonian ultrarunner shot to fame when he became the first person to win all four of the 250km-each 4Deserts races, in Chile, China, Egypt and Antartica. He has set fastest-known times everywhere from the Fish River Canyon to the Drakensberg Grand Traverse. Oh, and he’s also the first person to win ultramarathons on every continent. But most importantly? He’s an adoptive dad to Thandi. The name means “to love” in isiNdebele, and it’s a good fit for this dog. “My wife, Vanessa, found her at Randburg SPCA when she was a puppy,” Ryan says. “She used to do a lot of running with me, but now as she is a little older I don’t run more than 5km with her.…

THE 15-MINUTE RULE If you haven’t fallen asleep 15 minutes after closing your eyes at night, get up and do something else. BED BEHAVIOUR Keep your bed for sleep and sex only. Binge on series in the lounge, and keep that puppy off the bed. LIKE CLOCKWORK Go to bed at the same time every night. Eventually, your body will begin to switch itself off at the allotted time. CHECK YOUR SURROUNDINGS “We sleep best in an environment between 18 and 22°,” says Fourie, “but our core temperature drops too, so we also need to keep warm. Your body will automatically toss a duvet that is too hot, and that will interrupt your sleep.” EASY DOES IT Exercising during the day is great, but exercising too close to bedtime is…