Women’s Health Australia's mission is to help Aussie women feel happier and healthier (every single day!) with the ideal mix of fitness, food, nutrition, mindfulness, wellness, fitspo fashion and beauty, plus so much more.
There was a time in my life when I was searching for happiness in all the wrong places. It wasn’t in the bars I was going to most nights of the week or the side hustle that had depleted both my bank account and energy. It definitely wasn’t in my search for The One or a fancy new job title, either. It was only when I let go of what I thought society was telling me I needed to be happy, and discovered what truly lit my soul, that I finally felt content. For our cover star, RACHAEL FINCH, her road to happiness began when she realised she needed to heal her relationship with her body. She’d internalised thoughts that weren’t hers – that she was “too big” to be…
Why Am I Always More Anxious at Night? ANSWER “When you’re busy, with lots going on during the day, it’s easier to push thoughts to one side, ” explains clinical psychologist Dr Jessamy Hibberd. “But once you’re near the day’s end, essential tasks completed, the fear and worry you’ve squashed down can catch up with you... It can become habitual, to the extent that you associate your nighttime with worrying, the way you automatically think ‘food’ when you walk into your kitchen.” To break the cycle, she recommends instating a hard tech cut-off time, reassessing your caffeine and alcohol intake and committing worries – plus possible resolutions – to paper before it’s time to wind down. Still no joy after a month of good habits? Chat to your GP. Both…
When it comes to friendship, one size doesn’t fit all. So says Dr Wendy Walsh, the author and lecturer who shot to social media fame after breaking down the three types of friends you need for good mental health. For optimum mindmate balance, you’ll need a ‘historical friend’ (the childhood one), a ‘fun friend’ (the out-out pal) and an ‘intimate friend’ (the call-during-toughtimes kind).…
Non-dairy “milks” are here to stay, with the market expected to reach around $68 billion by 2028. “As consumers are introduced to an increasing diversity of plant-based milks marketed for specific attributes [frothiness for coffee or creaminess for smoothies], preferences and purchases are likely to evolve, ” says Dr Emily Belarmino, an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences at the University of Vermont. Research suggests the plant-based stuff is sustainable and overflowing with benefits – but all these choices are making decisions trickier. Ready to try something other than soy? Let’s navigate the non-dairy aisle, shall we? SOY This milk is whipped up by pressing ground soybeans, says dietitian Vandana Sheth. Of all the plant-based bevs, soy is among those requiring the least water to produce,…
Not changed your toothbrush since 2021? You’re not alone: 57 per cent of people in a survey admitted it had been six months or more. The bacteria displaced collects over time, so experts say to change manual brushes and electric heads every three months. The tooth hurts, doesn’t it? SOURCE: PLUMBNATION 67 THAT’S HOW MANY MINUTES IT TOOK PEOPLE TO FALL ASLEEP AFTER SCROLLING (AND SCROLLING) THROUGH VIDEOS ON TIKTOK BEFORE BED. NOT IDEAL. TO REMEDY THIS – AND SNOOZE SOONER – SCHEDULE IN A SOCIAL MEDIA POWER-DOWN AT LEAST TWO HOURS BEFORE BEDTIME. SOURCE: SLEEP JUNKIE WH HACK Smooth Soothe A hug before a nerve-racking event can work wonders for your mind and body. To DIY it: place one hand over your heart and the other on your belly, close…
You probably naturally breathe through your mouth during exercise – but you should try using your nose. Runners who breathe nasally may be able to increase their speed for a given distance or go longer at the same speed, found research in the International Journal of Kinesiology and Sports Science. “You move oxygen through the lungs more effectively when breathing nasally, ” says study author Dr George Dallam. Getting more oxygen with each breath requires fewer inhalations. And because breathing is muscular, reducing this allows you to use those muscles less, leaving more energy to support the ones moving your body. See our tips below. 1 When you first try breathing nasally mid-exercise, it’ll feel as if you’re not getting enough air – Dallam calls this “air hunger”. (Nasal breathing…
