Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2019 i Men's Health South Africa

BEOPLAY H9 NOISE-CANCELLING HEADPHONES (FROM BANG AND OLUFSEN) Struggling to hear your thoughts in a noisy office? Or do you need to block out the gym buzz so you can hear your workout jams? These wireless headphones from Bang & Olufsen come with Advance Active Noise Cancellation, which allows a clear, rich and powerful listening experience without outside interference. The over-ear cushions are made using memory foam, giving a snug fit. The device has built-in touch controls on the ear cups, so you can adjust volume, play and pause, and skip songs by simply swiping or tapping on the right ear. The H9 can also be accessed via the BeoLab app. R7 999, Incredible Connection CANON EOS RP Mirrorless cameras are the new trend in the world of photography, and…

THE MOSEL VALLEY, GERMANY “I love Riesling, and there’s no better bottle (or better place to taste it) than on the slopes of the Mosel.” CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE “I’m a big fan of this bubbly beverage (and who isn’t?), but I’m also fascinated by the history and culture behind it. This spot holds a lot of treasure on both counts.” SLANGHOEK VALLEY, SOUTH AFRICA “I find myself going there often to taste my line of Kumusha wines in the barrel. The mountainside is a warm, comfortable spot to enjoy delicious but underrated wines.” Follow @tinashe_ nyamudoka for more advice from the vine.…

LEAN IN 18 MINUTES To help you land the most potent attack on your body’s fat stores while armed with only a pair of dumbbells, we’ve made all of the moves in this workout a combination of two exercises. You’ll perform each super-move pairing for 60 seconds, taking a 30-second break in between. Complete three rounds in total, for 18 minutes of kilojoule-torching intensity that leaves no muscle unworked in your quest for a leaner physique. In the first two weeks of your plan, perform this workout on Mondays and Fridays; in your second two weeks, on Wednesdays. 01 TALL KNEELING HAMMER CURL TO FRONT RAISE 3 ROUNDS OF 60 SEC Kneel down holding two dumbbells at your sides. Curl both up (A), squeezing your biceps, before lowering them…

For traditional trench styles, the coat should sit just above the knee, though a full-length trench coat is more practical for protecting a suit. With belted designs, only tie at the front if you’re slim – otherwise, always tie at the back, to avoid looking bulky. Trenches also look great unbuttoned with the collar up; add a scarf knotted loosely over the collar for a relaxed look. Consider the fabric carefully, too – look for waterproof or water-repellent cotton; or for a heavier winter number, wool gabardine is a classic. Cream is the time-honoured choice, but dark colours – especially grey or navy – feel fresh. Country Road has a great cropped version. Meanwhile, Zara and Superdry are making use of engineered fabrics that repel water efficiently. Advances in technology…

01 Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45 “Golf Edition” Does your tee shot veer further right than Steve Hofmeyr? Spending more time in the sand than a Camp’s Bay Rescue lifeguard? Well, you could spring for golf lessons to tackle your biggest bogeymen. Or you could try the TAG Heuer Golf app and watch. Delivering performance-boosting insights such as shot distance and 3D mapping of 39 000 courses around the world, this is the most advanced golf watch on the market. Better still: when your game takes off, you can legally use the app in amateur tournaments. Once you turn pro, though, you’re on your own. R32 500 TAG HEUER BOUTIQUE 021 421 8539 02 Oris Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition III Question: when is buying a dive watch like doing…

Despite what bright new food packaging might lead you to believe, humans have known about the power of protein since at least the early 19th century. That’s when a Swedish chemist named the molecules using a word from the Greek proteios, meaning “holding first place” and therefore most important. Today, if society resurrected that Swede and dumped him into a South African supermarket, he might feel smugly validated. In the eyes of consumers and marketers, this nutrient is indeed the most important – ubiquitous, beneficial, desirable, and, now, lucrative. The global protein-supplements market will reach R310 billion by 2025, according to industry reports. You’d expect to find whey in your post-gym shakes and bars, but now protein is popping up everywhere. You can wake up and have a protein-rich bowl…

Water-Based Oske Aqua Lubricant “I love this lubricant because it’s natural, pH-balanced, vegan and hasn’t been tested on animals (good karma all round). It’s also latex safe and perfect to use with toys (a little pre-game fun is always a good idea).” (R169, myoske.com) Silicone-Based EasyGlide Silicone Lubricant “Looking to enjoy a marathon session in the sack, complete with sexy massage? This lube won’t dry out quickly, so you don’t have to stress about things getting sticky before you’ve finished having fun.” (R207, passionfruit.co.za) Wild Card Oh! Holy Mary Cannabis Sliding Gel “This is for those more adventurous folk who want to add extra spice to their romps. It has a heating effect that feels more like an intense tingle, and will definitely add another dimension to playtime.” (R429, desir.co.za)…

Sorry about that. You probably didn’t come here to be told you could save money on your car insurance. And you don’t need to be reminded that you could easily afford a house somewhere you don’t want to live if you would only scrimp on flat whites and avocados. At MH, we pride ourselves on not being your father-in-law. But something has been stirring on the personal finance dark web – something subversive, and perhaps a little cultish. This is an article about personal finance. “I see earning money like a game that I want to beat,” writes the anonymous Saving Ninja on his or her blog of the same name. “It’s fun. Being a completionist is in my nature. I need to get that high score.” The Saving Ninja…

“Owning a business generally means that you have a lot of your own capital tied up in the business. It’s good to diversify your investments and reduce your risk, if possible; and a simple and efficient way to do this is to invest in listed stocks,” says Cairo. “Although I’ve always been a keen follower of the markets, until recently I’d never actually invested myself. Now [using an online platform] I enjoy the benefits of having invested in different companies (other than my own).” If you plan on starting your own business in the future, consider investing now so you have more capital to work with when the time comes. While there are risks associated with investing, if you make smart decisions you’ll be able to mitigate these risks. Standwa…

Routinely Drinking to Oblivion Your brain is still pretty young – it’s not fully developed until your mid- to late 20s. Right now there are more connections between neurons. This helps you learn quickly, but it also means there’s more real estate for alcohol to bind to, explains Dr. Frances Jensen, author of The Teenage Brain. This makes the effects of booze more profound, and allows addictions to form in a stronger, more permanent way than they do later. Plus, binge drinking now is linked to reduced areas of the brain involved in memory, language, attention, and more – and they stay smaller for life. A Hardcore Weed Habit When you're young, the trillions of connections in your brain become wrapped in an “insulation” called myelin – a construction project…

Introduce yourself First, have a go-to doctor. You need someone to be familiar with you and your medical history, says urologist Dr. Matt Coward, director of male reproductive medicine and surgery at UNC Fertility in Raleigh. When things go wrong, a physician who knows you (not just the random person at the clinic) can better determine whether your symptoms in a crisis are signs of something bigger. This doctor should also take your baseline numbers – blood pressure, lipids, fasting blood sugar – to measure against in the future. Get them rechecked every three to five years. Share your sex life Check that you’ve received the HPV vaccine. (It may not be too late to get the vaccine now.) According to the US CDC, almost everyone who doesn’t get vaccinated…

THE FIRST TIME I had sex without a condom, I was a third-year at varsity and had been with my girlfriend at the time for about six months. We’d both been tested, and she was on the Pill. It seemed relatively responsible. But while I found the experience pleasurable, I also felt exposed, as if I were playing cricket without a box. It wasn’t gratifying enough that I wanted, afterwards, to ditch condoms altogether. For the most part, I appreciate what they do. Surprisingly, my position puts me in the minority, as an increasing number of men are going without condoms. The vast majority of guys don’t use them often or for long, according to Men’s Health sex and relationships advisor Debby Herbenick, a sexual-health researcher at Indiana University, and…

0-3MIN WHAT IT FEELS LIKE You’re short of breath and your heart rate spikes. You’re trembling; and in an evolutionary response, your body redirects blood to muscles and organs that can help you overcome a threat. Though designed to maximise your odds of survival, this can lead you to misinterpret a minor office crisis as a matter of life and death. WHAT’S HAPPENING A panic attack occurs when the mind makes a powerfully negative interpretation of normal events. When your boss sets you an impossible deadline, for example, your hypothalamus activates your pituitary and adrenal glands, causing stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol to flood into your system: the “fight or flight” response. YOUR DEFENCE A US study found that refocusing the mind on simple tasks can calm you down. The…

When you’re a career-focused 30-something with a tight schedule and busy work days, like Werner van Wyk, sometimes weight sneaks up on you. But the marketing manager wasn’t going to let those extra kilos take up permanent residence. With the help of his coach, JJ Botha, he started making subtle lifestyle changes. Now, 14 months later and 29kg lighter, he tells us how he did it. The Reality Check: One day at the office, my pants ripped in front of colleagues and I had to go home to get changed. Needless to say, I was embarrassed. More of these moments would follow. Even my pants buttons would pop off from time to time. I'm quite tall, so I never realised how much weight I'd gained; I felt humiliated and ashamed…

When Charl Stander woke up in hospital after being diagnosed with diabetes, he didn't stay down for the count. The 45-year old took control of his eating habits and implemented a new way of life. Here’s his journey to six-pack stardom. (Check out his full transformation story on our website: mh.co.za/weight-loss) The Reality Check: Charl Stander sat up in a hospital room. The walls around him lost colour every time he blinked; heavily sedated, he was in the worst shape of his life. In June 2014, after being diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, the car salesman from Port Elizabeth was in disbelief. “Can’t they just give me a pill?” he wondered. Unfortunately, they couldn't. But Charl didn't accept defeat. Two days later, he had a sudden realisation: even though his pancreas…

SEAN STEPHENS, by his own admission, was an old man in a young man’s game. In 2006, at 38, he enlisted in the Army National Guard, “a little bit older, a little bit used,” he says, but he didn’t let it get in the way of his duties in Afghanistan. He could still keep up with the 19-year-olds double-timing through the desert with 50-kilogram packs, still stand for 12 hours straight in the back of a Humvee manning the .50-cal. Sure, the pain at the end of the day didn’t wash away with some ibuprofen and a good night’s sleep like it used to, but he could handle it. By the time his fourth tour rolled around, though, his labours were catching up with him. He was 42, and the…

Either we’re in a low-T epidemic, or an epidemic of falling for persuasive ads. Testosterone-replacement prescriptions have soared – they quadrupled in guys aged 18 to 45 between 2003 and 2013 – as ads for the therapy have become widespread. So if you’re tired or losing muscle, have ED, can’t concentrate, feel irritable, or just never feel all that great, could T therapy really help? How to find out: Get Tested Sounds obvious, but as many as a quarter of men receiving T therapy do it blindly – that is, they start a regimen without testing whether they actually have low T. Supplementation won’t help if your T levels are normal. In fact, “it will turn off your own production,” says Dr Brad Anawalt, chief of medicine at the University…

ANTON NILSSON is in incredible shape. The 56-year-old started modelling in his late twenties, making it essential for him to take care of his health. By following the simple formula of eating well and exercising often he’s been able to maintain his well-being throughout his career. The Challenge: As a model who works for international brands, Anton spends a good portion of his time travelling the globe. Having a schedule that differs week on week forces the model to be flexible in his approach to health and fitness. “I see that as a good thing, and it keeps me on my toes,” he says. His healthy eating habits and gym routine go beyond the aesthetic pressures of being a model. He believes that he's honouring his body by taking care…

Maintenance! In addition to getting monitored regularly (including a second colonoscopy and blood-glucose tests every three to five years), flag any changes in your body – acute aches and pains, worsening vision. Small signs may mark bigger problems that are common in your 50s, such as arthritis or age-related macular degeneration. PSA or no PSA? The PSA blood test is the only way to catch prostate cancer, but the test is far from perfect – it misses some cancers and “catches” others that aren’t really there. But considering prostate is the second-deadliest cancer in men, ask your doctor if you need the test starting at 50 (earlier, if you're black or have a family history), says UNC fertility urologist Dr Matt Coward. How’s your dipstick? Bring up urinary symptoms –…

This is our annual Fit at Any Age issue. The theme could not be more apt for a guy of my age, following in the giant footsteps of my predecessors, Arthur Jones and Jason Brown – both great men and great editors, from whom I have gained so much knowledge and wisdom over the last eight and ahalf years at Men’s Health. This issue contains tools, tips and advice to help you look, feel and perform at your best – regardless of whether you’re 25 or 55. Here are 10 great lessons you’ll learn from this issue, no matter what your age: 1.VISUALISEYOURACTIVITY– our brains don’t know the difference between imagining something and doing it. Practise your training in your head. 2.CONFRONTYOURWORSTMEMORY– a different perspective could change your life. 3.EMBRACEYOURCOREVALUES–…

I was watching The Tonight Show with my friend Dave. One of Jimmy Fallon’s guests was British comedian Ricky Gervais. A fan asked him what the worst thing was about getting old. “I don’t know where to start,” replied Gervais. “I wake up in the morning now and go, ‘Oh God, I didn’t die.’ I’ve got a stiff back and stiff legs. I’m losing hair. It’s all bad,” he continued. And then Fallon asked him to pick just one thing. That was the wrong time for me to have taken a gulp of coffee. “Pendulous testicles,” Gervais replied sharply. Coffee sprayed out of my nose and tears rolled down my cheeks; but when I looked up, I saw that Dave was stony faced. He didn’t think it was funny. He…

01. Chained To Your Desk For many workers, it no longer feels unusual to pack up at 8pm rather than 5pm – even though that means toiling at the desk for up to 15 extra hours per week. This can affect your metabolism, by increasing your insulin resistance. Those who sit for extended periods have double the risk of developing diabetes. If you can’t get away, do a lap of the office every 30 minutes. 02. Food For Thought Leave the office late, and dinner will be late too. Mice studies suggest that this can disrupt circadian rhythms and lead to weight gain; but your extra kilos are more likely to be the result of poor food choices, caused by convenience and hunger. You’ve already packed your lunch, so make…

THE SHOW 1 – 28 JULY JIVE CAPE TOWN FUNNY FESTIVAL Recent studies have shown that laughter is a quick way to reduce stress, boost happiness, and form stronger social bonds. Featuring some of the country’s best stand-up comedians and acts from around the world, the Jive Cape Town Funny Festival is the perfect antidote after a week spent stuck in a cubicle. This year’s bill includes local talents Sifiso Nene, Emo Adams, Carvin H Goldstone, The Big Boys, and Lindy Johnson, alongside London pianist Kev Orkian and Australian mentalist and magician Matt Tarrant. Visit webtickets.co.za for more info on the month-long festival. THE MOVIE 2 JULY SPIDER-MAN FAR FROM HOME Our favourite web-slinger is back, and faces his toughest challenge yet: an all-expenses-paid school trip to Europe. But hopes…

Q: Is the fat I eat the same stuff as the fat on my body? A: In a sense, yes. The fats we eat come in the form of triglycerides: three fatty acids bound to a glycerol molecule. Without going too heavy on the biology, we break them down into their component parts, then either use them up or reassemble and store them. Q: So, what about the rest of my meal? A: Glucose (carbs) and amino acids (proteins) can be converted into fat molecules, too – that’s if we don’t use them for energy. Q: Where does the fat actually go when I lose it? A: The reverse occurs. When your body requires more energy than you’re putting in, it breaks the molecules in your fat cells back down.…

Learn from the timeless icons who wore it well. Humphrey Bogart Bogie’s Burberry, with its soft structure elegantly fitting over a suit, was Casablanca’s third star – though being complemented by snappy one-liners and Ingrid Bergman helped. Alain Delon The British trench met French Left Bank cool in 1967’s Le Samouraï, courtesy of Alain Delon. Teamed with a jaunty-angled trilby, it cemented the coat’s furtive noir aesthetic. Michael Caine Michael Caine’s black, double-breasted number in 1971’s Get Carter brought to the trench the hard-edged toughness of a Geordie gangster. Layer it over a flannel three-piece – shotgun optional.…

Winter fragrances are deepened by spicy, musky and woody notes; a spritz of the right cologne will tingle your partner’s senses and leave a lasting impression. To impress without a change of dress, here are our sexiest scents for when the temperature drops. 1. Into The Blue A spicy accord consists of nutmeg and cardamom, while the signature musky heart of this composition remains the same. It’s complemented by a blue cedar and black ebony that will impress any Tinder date. NARCISO RODRIGUEZ BLEU NOIR EDP 100ML R1 235 WOOLWORTHS.CO.ZA 2. Gentlemen Prefer Givenchy This fragrance won’t overpower you once it’s on; instead, it warms up while you’re wearing it, with a fresh pear top note that dies down to reveal a leather and patchouli base. GIVENCHY GENTLEMAN…

Breakfast Chicken Frittata CUT YOUR FRITTATA INTO FIVE SECTIONS FOR A SLICE A DAY, MONDAY TO FRIDAY. INGREDIENTS 1/ RED ONIONS, 2, SLICED 2/ MIXED PEPPERS, 100G, CHOPPED 3/ CHICKEN BREAST, 250G 4/ SPINACH, HANDFUL 5/ GARLIC CLOVES, 2, FINELY CHOPPED 6/ EGGS, 6 7/ FETA CHEESE, 100G 8/ GROUND NUTMEG, PINCH 9/ PARSLEY, HANDFUL, FINELY CHOPPED 10/ SALT AND BLACK PEPPER, TO TASTE METHOD Step 1 Add the onions, peppers and chicken pieces to an oiled pan on a low heat and fry until the meat is cooked through, stirring regularly. Scatter in the spinach and garlic and cook for a further minute. Step 2 Crack the eggs into a bowl. Crumble in the feta cheese, add the nutmeg and whisk it all together. Throw in the chopped parsley,…

I went to a nostalgic showing of the noted tearjerker Beasts of the Southern Wild recently. In one of the film’s many emotional climaxes, a father tells his daughter, with his dying breaths, “No crying.” From the back of the movie house, a woman issued a single brazen wail. The proverbial floodgates had been opened. The woman’s crying started a chain reaction in the theatre – much as when someone throws up on a plane – and within seconds, every woman in the house was weeping. I have seen the footage of mourners in North Korea after Kim Jong Il died, falling to their knees and sobbing over Dear Leader departed; but that was nothing. The women in the movie house dissolved. The men there sat quietly. I’m always surprised…

YOU DON’T have to work in a hospice (although I recommend it, and you can find one at hpca.co.za if you want to learn more). Here are some other tips to help you increase your ageing-gracefully quotient: Download an app called WeCroak. It hits you up with notifications at five random times a day that remind you to stop and think about death. It pings you, “Don’t forget, you’re going to die. Swipe to see the quote. . . .” When you swipe right, there’s a great quote about mortality. Remember that everybody who’s ever been born will die. All these lives, all this drama, it just comes and goes. Think about it. My meditation teacher, Joseph Goldstein, recommended a three-minute exercise to reflect on dying in as vivid a…

1. You’ve been rushing from house to car to office and back without seeing the sun for days, and you’re a little down. You should grab... A Five cups of milk B 15 eggs C A 140g salmon fillet Answer: A, B, or C Each of the above will meet your daily need of vitamin D, which many of us become deficient in over the winter. Although we would advise forgoing the 15-egg omelette in favour of the salmon fillet. 2. When you have a mild cold, you go to... A Bed B The kitchen C The yoga mat Answer: C, as long as your symptoms are above the neck and you don’t have a fever. Mild exercise (on your own mat, in your own home, thanks!) can help open…

01 / MAKE A SPREADSHEET This isn’t supposed to be fun. List everything you spend money on each month – not what you think you spend, but what you actually do – with the largest expenses at the top. Examine that first. 02 / ASK BIG QUESTIONS Be interrogative and meticulous. Would you consider moving to a place with cheaper rent? Or finding a flatmate? Could you work from home one day per week to reduce your transport costs? 03 / DO YOUR RESEARCH Now look at your “passive” expenses, those you barely notice: your phone contract, ADSL, electricity, water, medical aid, car insurance. Spend a day researching deals and making calls. You can haggle with most companies. 04 / KNOW WHAT COUNTS Finally, examine your…

1 GO SOLO Teamwork makes the dream work, but if you’re starting a business, a pair of meddling partners could turn those early days into a nightmare. A new study has revealed that lone-wolf entrepreneurs tend to fare better than a group of aspiring start-ups. Researchers in the US surveyed 10 000 businesses on the crowdfunding site Kickstarter. Of these, they selected around 3 500 that could be classified as companies that were founded by an individual or a partnership. While those businesses backed by a team were able to snag more funding, the solo ventures bagged higher revenue. 2 NATURAL- BORN READERS You’ve survived an eight-hour shift, squeezed in a gym session, and cooked dad’s infamous spagbol from scratch. Who really has the energy for story time? You…

WELCOME to the real world. Step 1: start saving for retirement – like, now! The earlier you start, the longer your investment has to grow and the less you’ll have to save over time, says Arielle O’Shea, a finance journalist for NerdWallet. If you’re at your first job, look at your retirement fund or employer plan and find out what percentage of your retirement investment your company is willing to match. Shoot to mirror that. (So if it matches up to 6%, try to contribute 6% from each pay cheque.) “A lot of people think they should pay off their student loan first, or build up this big emergency fund, but those matching [Rands] are an instant return on investment,” says O’Shea. For the rest of your paycheques, follow the…

Getting buff as a skinny 20-year-old is a tough ask, but not impossible. Bukhosi Khoza was on a mission for muscle a few years back; and now, at age 24, he’s no longer that skinny kid on the rugby field, but a fully fledged (and flexed) personal trainer. This is how he did it. Make sure you follow his journey on Instagram @bukhosi_khoza. The Challenge: “I grew up very skinny, but was very athletic and loved playing soccer. But my high school didn’t have soccer, so I had to play rugby. Being skinny and playing rugby is not the best combo. Especially if you had as little strength as I did. I started going to the gym to gain muscle mass and get stronger. I wanted to play first team…

JOSEPH MARQUEZ’S HANDS are a blur. His right thumb slides from button to button, his left thumb shifting between angles mere degrees apart on a circumference the size of a 50c piece. He’s just seconds into his Super Smash Bros. Melee contest against Justin McGrath, 25 – and this is not going well. Marquez, 27, is performing 325 actions per minute, or five inputs every second. That requires processing visual information onscreen, reacting, contemplating, strategising, and executing – all within milliseconds. His fingers slam buttons, unleashing a flurry of moves. But it’s not enough. Marquez, the oldest star left in last August’s Evo 2018 Melee tourney, falls, slipping into the losers bracket. He doesn’t dwell on that. “I try not to think when I’m playing,” says Marquez, known as Mang0.…

YOU’RE ON your way: (hopefully) paying off those loans and (maybe) having kids. How to prepare for the crunch? Some have adopted FIRE plans (Financial Independence, Retire Early), but this strategy is incredibly difficult, says NerdWallet’s Arielle O’Shea. “You have to be a person who can either save a huge portion of your income (and FIRE people save 40, 50, 60% of their income) and live on very little money, or else take side jobs to supplement your income.” Not inadvisable; just difficult. More difficult still is having children, which will make retiring early harder. “A lot of people think that when they have children, they should start saving for their kids (like for university) instead of for themselves,” says O’Shea. Instead, keep saving for retirement. (More on that on…

I WAS TEN YEARS OLD. It was 1993. And I’d recently entered a new junior school. One afternoon I left my classroom to pee. I entered one of the stalls in the men’s bathroom, dropped my shorts to my ankles, and relieved myself. What happened next is hazy. What I can recall is that I became preoccupied with something on or around my genitals – so preoccupied that, without noticing, I backed away from the toilet and out of the stall. I stood by the sink examining my balls. My shorts were still around my shoes when I heard the metal door slam. Standing in front of me was the toughest grade seven boy in school. Brandon [his name has been changed] was a sports star, handsome, and popular. And…

I USED TO BE a “drinker”. It was part of my identity. I was and still am very good at drinking. I have a go-to order, depending on the place. I know how to make interesting cocktails from memory. I know which gins are just great marketing. I enjoy drinking, and from about age 25 to 42, I drank frequently. Frequently means pretty much every night. Sometimes those nights were fun; but so many of them weren’t fun, exactly. They were sort of aimless. They were a way to pass the time. And they were so not worth the hangovers, which were only getting worse as I grew older. So I stopped being a “drinker”. And I started being someone who drinks occasionally. I started drinking with purpose, and that…

“The best way to address chronic pain is to treat it like a team sport,” says Dr Sean Mackey, chief of pain medicine at Stanford University. You need different players to manage different positions. If you don’t have access to an interdisciplinary pain clinic, here’s what to do: • Talk to a social worker or therapist. “The strain in pain lies mostly in the brain,” Mackey likes to say, and a psychologist who specialises in pain can help you understand this in a relatively short time period. It’s not mumbo jumbo, either. “Your beliefs, emotions, and thoughts about your pain play a huge role in your experience of pain,” he says, and he has the brain scans to prove it. Chronic pain rewires your brain, and therapy can help undo that…

NO, YOU can’t stop saving for retirement just because you have kids. Having children will certainly increase spending, and you might think you need to save for them right away (because university!). “But really, the best thing you can do for your kids is continue saving for your retirement,” says NerdWallet finance journalist Arielle O’Shea, “because there are no bursaries or grants for that.” Instead, ramp up your retirement annuity contributions and use online tools such as Old Mutual's retirement calculator to determine your progress. Your bond should carry a low interest rate, so don’t accelerate those payments to the detriment of your retirement savings. Working longer should never be a Band-Aid for not saving enough, but looking for a new job that feels fresh and provides a higher salary…

SO YOU’RE NEAR the finish. Most retirement accounts permit catch-up contributions, so if you haven’t been hitting that 15% contribution goal over the past couple of decades, you have higher contribution limits once you reach 50. Take advantage of these. "The tax laws around retirement savings in South Africa have changed in recent years to encourage investors, especially the ones starting at a late age, to drastically increase their contributions. The government now allows investors to contribute up to 27.5% of their annual salary, (with a limit of R350 000) towards retirement savings. They've also made it easier, in that pension funds, provident funds and retirement annuities are now taxed in the exact same manner," says Geo Botha CFP, a director and wealth manager at Bovest. Start keeping a few…

Potassium “Your risk of hypertension increases every year,” says Dr Mike Roussell. “Potassium balances sodium in your diet and supports healthy blood pressure.” As a bonus, greens that have potassium also tend to be rich in fibre, which will help with blood-sugar control. Note: potassium supplements can be dangerous, because too much of the nutrient can lead to heart issues. Eat more: Apricots, artichokes, butter beans, mince, beetroot, Brussels sprouts, clams, potatoes…

According to extensive research done by our US edition, the average man will own six cars in his lifetime. Now, that might seem like a high or a low number, depending on your age, your petrol-head status, and the cubic displacement of your wallet; but it got me thinking: what number was I on, and where did it all start? My current running (or, in this case, driving) total: five. I’m coveting my sixth, and it probably won’t be my last. But no matter what your driving digits are right now, your journey in combustion engines probably started in a similar way to mine – at the bottom of the fuel food chain. In my case, it was a small, lightweight, low-mileage demo Japanese hatchback with go-faster stickers called a…

HEAVY-HITTING For thumping baseline rallies, you require a racquet with enough speed and power to put your opponent on the back foot. RIGOROUS CONTROL If you’re keen to emulate Tim Henman’s “Tiger” serve-and-volley tactic, a deft touch is crucial and allows for pinpoint placement. ROOM TO IMPROVE OK, you’re not challenging for a Grand Slam just yet, so your racquet needs a little leniency when it comes to clunky swings.…

MEET TINASHE NYAMUDOKA His rise to success has included stints working at some of South Africa’s top restaurants, from the Oyster Box Hotel to Maze by Gordon Ramsey. Now he’s the in-house sommelier at Cape Town’s coveted Test Kitchen, where he runs and populates the ever-changing wine menu. In his spare time, he judges wine competitions, competes in blind tastings, and works on growing his own wine label: Kumusha Wines. Use his advice to pop the cork on your inhibitions, and take a sip from the stemmed glass of success. I’m stuck in an entry-level position and can’t figure out how to work my way up. How did you engineer your success? I was inspired by the seasoned sommeliers before me. I learnt what they did well, and perfected what…

EXPERT Tom Bliss KNOWLEDGE PT Bliss is strict on lifting technique. He’ll take you from apprentice to athlete level in four steps. CONTACT @tomblissfit BRING YOUR FAT TO THE BOIL The kettlebell swing may look simple, but you can fall into the trap of squatting, instead of generating the power by thrusting your hips. First, practise the movement; then strengthen the muscles you’ll call on, and you’ll capitalise on the kilojoule-burning benefits of the real thing. 01 BARBELL GLUTE BRIDGE 2 SETS OF 10 REPS Build a stronger set of glutes to power the upward swing. Position your upper back on a bench with a barbell resting on your hips and your knees bent, with the soles of your feet pressed into the floor (A). Under control, drive your hips…

Q: Should we avoid using the word “fat” altogether? A: The word “fat” is one that can simply be used to describe a body, like “tall” or “short”. But it can also be used to create a public enemy: people can be vilified for their fatness. So when we hear the word, we have to think about the intention behind it. Q: You mean it’s not always offensive, then? A: I actually have a problem when people try to soften it, describing me as “larger than life”, or “jolly”. These are just coded words for fat. And by trying to soften it, it reinforces the idea that fatness is something we shouldn’t talk about. I hear the phrase “fat-shaming” used a lot. It can be as simple as no one…

RARELY WILL YOU witness women crying in the office, but it’s happening all around you. Women are extremely adept at finding quiet places to sob at work. If I’m about to cry sad tears, I immediately proceed to my designated crying spot, a single-occupant bathroom on another floor. If you come upon a woman in transit to her office crying spot, do not stop her to ask, “Are you okay?” It’s perfectly acceptable to pretend you haven’t noticed. But every now and then, usually in a tense meeting with superiors, angry tears come without warning. If this happens, it is more important than ever to keep listening. For four years at my last job, every time I had an important meeting with my boss, I would weep. When tears started,…

0 TO 3 LET’S GET YOU NEXT TO THAT FIRE...WHICH WE’VE SET UP OUTSIDE IN THE SUN... AND BRING YOU SOME GLÜHWEIN. If your mood is as dark as the mornings, start your day with a nice, juicy orange: Its vitamin C may help alleviate the body’s response to stress. 4 TO 7 LEAN IN TO THE COLD. (NOT TOO FAR.) Escape your overheated home and lace up your hiking boots. Participating in nature-focused leisure activities (mountain biking would work too) can enhance your psychological health and well-being. 8 TO 10 CAN WE BORROW YOUR SOCKS? You’re handling the big freeze, so let’s put that bravado to the test: A PLOS One study found that people who finished their showers with a blast of cold water took 29% fewer sick…

Hey, you’ve got it pretty good right now! Enjoy being active and the ideal heart rate, and make sure to get plenty of sleep. You’re confident enough to take on the world and even get away with some risky behaviour without doing (major) damage. All you’ve gotta do is stay focused – and start saving some cash. THE NUMBERS What Fitbit tells us about the average man in his 20s. BODY MASS INDEX: 25.7 RESTING HEART RATE: 62 DAILY STEPS: 9903 DAILY ACTIVE MINUTES: 60 HOURS OF SLEEP: 6.59…

20s: Invest in Your Future “The single most important thing you should be doing during your 20s is protecting your skin from the sun,” says dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner. Sun damage that happens early in your life can weaken the foundation of your skin and affect how it ages over time. A whole crop of new sunscreens like ClarinsMen UV plus SPF 50, 50ml (R370, clarins. co.za) are designed for daily use and are lightweight, clear, and easy to wear so that you won’t feel like you’re hitting the beach on the way to the office. Also: Wash your face twice a day (morning and night). Look for a cleanser that contains salicylic acid, such as Neutrogena Visibly Clear Spot Clearing Facial Wash. 30s: Nurture the Face You…

The Spot: Lower Back The Injury: Muscle Spasm “Poor form when you’re lifting weights can trigger spasms in the muscles that go up and down your back,” says Dr. Ryan Lingor, team physician for the New York Rangers. Treat it: Some evidence says heat is better, other science says ice. “Go with whatever feels better to you,” Dr. Lingor says. Light stretching helps keep muscles from continuing to spasm, he adds, and OTC anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen help relieve pain. The long-term fix: Keep form on point: build core strength with rotational movements such as chops, and do deep ab-strengtheners like front and side planks. The Spot: Knees The Injury: ACL Tear It often happens when you’re doing something like swerving to receive a pass and…

So your hair's a little thinner. (There are solutions, if you want them.) And you’re getting a little less sleep. (Blame it on the baby, if you have one.) Arm yourself with some essential life skills, like disaster-proofing your life, and prepare for the future. But whatever you do, don't panic. You can nail this decade, and we're here to help you. THE NUMBERS What Fitbit tells us about the average man in his 30s. BODY MASS INDEX: 27.0 RESTING HEART RATE: 63 DAILY STEPS: 10006 DAILY ACTIVE MINUTES: 60 HOURS OF SLEEP: 6.43…

The Challenge Around this age, the number of nerve receptors in your heart declines and your maximum heart rate drops – which is why you’re breathing a little harder on your weekend jog. The Goal Run your first half marathon The Time Frame 12 weeks YOUR THIRTIES UNDENIABLY REPRESENT A PHYSIOLOGICAL TURNING POINT. But rest assured, this is no hairpin bend towards decline – merely a gentle lifting-off-the-throttle from your testosterone-fuelled twenties. The key, therefore, is to act now and shift your focus to building lifelong fitness, not summer-long abs. You need to work on your engine. Yes, the prospect of a 10km morning run is making you feel tired already, and these days it takes an extra day to shake the DOMS from your legs. However, there's still plenty…

How are those numbers now? “Because of stress, lifestyle, lack of sleep, obesity, sedentary behaviour – even favouring weightlifting over aerobic exercise – so many younger men have elevated blood pressure,” says Dr. Martin Miner, co-director of the Men’s Health Centre at the Miriam Hospital in Providence, US. Untreated, it can damage your heart, arteries, kidneys, eyes, and erection – so confirm that your numbers, including cholesterol, triglycerides, and HDL levels, look good at every visit. Premature heart attacks can hit by age 45, so you need to act on any skewed numbers right now. Do I need a fertility check? If you have problems ejaculating, issues with your erection, or disproportionate testicle sizes, ask for a semen analysis – even if you’re still a way off from having kids.…

It’s not too late to get back on track if you’ve let things slip – the transformation on the next page proves it. And even knocking out the pain from your long-ago injury is an option now. Start ramping up your savings and paying closer attention to your ticker, and you have more than half your life ahead of you. THE NUMBERS What Fitbit tells us about the average man in his 40s. BODY MASS INDEX: 27.8 RESTING HEART RATE: 64 DAILY STEPS: 10026 DAILY ACTIVE MINUTES: 61 HOURS OF SLEEP: 6.34…

IT’S ONE OF the great ironies of manhood that when the hair on your head begins to thin, the hair on other parts of your body goes wild – your ears, your shoulders, your left eyebrow, which now has a single strand three times as long as the rest. And these two common hair-related struggles, it turns out, are related. Both occur because of a genetic switch that typically happens in your 40s, says cosmetic dermatologist Dr Paul Jarrod Frank. “Hair follicles appear to change their reactivity to androgen hormones, particularly dihydrotestosterone,” he explains. While follicles on the head react to DHT by shedding the hair, follicles on the body can react in the opposite way: increasing growth. “It’s one of nature’s mysteries,” he says. Most men notice their chest…

One more new number You should be keeping good track of your heart-health numbers. But also make sure you get a blood-glucose test, since some evidence indicates that about a third of people over 45 are pre-diabetic – even if they’re at a healthy weight. A colonoscopy already? Used to be you could put it off till age 50, but the first screen should now be at 45 – or earlier, if you have a family history of colorectal cancer. Am I depressed? Primary-care docs are now tasked with inquiring about your mental health, but it’s not their first language. If your doctor asks the unhelpful “Any depression?” question, ask how you would know. In men, depression often looks more like anger, aggression, drinking too much, loneliness, and a lacklustre…

Yes, you can still be active. In fact, you should be – just don’t push it. Most elite guys in their 50s are moving more and taking more steps than in their 40s. Eat plenty of bananas. And hustle to retirement. Keep in touch with old friends. And enjoy sex more than ever now that the kids are (hopefully) out of the house. THE NUMBERS What Fitbit tells us about the average man in his 50s. BODY MASS INDEX: 28.1 RESTING HEART RATE: 64 DAILY STEPS: 9993 DAILY ACTIVE MINUTES: 65 HOURS OF SLEEP: 6.33…

In two studies involving women 18 to 59, compared with younger women, the older women were more likely to orgasm. The likely explanation is that mature women may have become more comfortable with their sexuality and learned over time what works to get them off. But guys have to do more than just lie there! There are other factors at play, says Dr Debby Herbenick, director of the Centre for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University. Orgasm frequency and relationship satisfaction work hand in hand. Couples who are more satisfied with their relationship are more likely to engage in intimate practices (think romantic texts, gestures, mood-setting, etc.) that enhance orgasm frequency, and more frequent orgasms enhance positive feelings about the relationship. Win-win.…

Dr. Shane Woolf is a 46-year-old father of two and a mountain biker who currently works as a sports-medicine guru. Ron Miller, 51, leads the team at Sawtooth Physical Therapists. He subjects himself to brutal mountain-bike competitions. He’s also a father of two kids. It turns out both of these fine gentlemen had been giving a lot of thought to exactly the sort of existential dilemmas the ageing dad athlete faces. Both warn that injuries to athletes in their 50s are fiendishly common, especially those involving connective tissue. There’s also declining bone density. All of this, frankly, is pretty damn depressing. See a sports-medicine specialist. An expert can identify issues with your posture, muscle imbalances, bone density, motor skills, and even diet. Also ask that specialist to help you develop…

THE KRAKEN Dangerous but delicious Dredged from the blackest depths of the unrelenting north Atlantic, and touched by the notorious sea beast of myth and legend, The Kraken Black Spiced is dark and dangerous, mysterious and nefarious – and undeniably delicious. Distilled in the Caribbean from naturally sweet molasses, the Kraken Black Spiced is blended with secret spices, vanilla, cinnamon, citrus, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and peppercorns. And danger. Enjoy a Kraken and cola on an evening of story-telling with friends. Available at all good bottle stores. RRP R399. HAPPY SOCKS Get some sock satisfaction Trailblazing Swedish sock brand Happy Socks has joined forces with The Rolling Stones for a limited-edition collection. Inspired by the British rock band’s iconic ‘Lick’ logo, the collaboration blends Happy Socks’ signature graphical elements with one…