Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2022 i Women's Health Australia

If it’s possible to have magazine spoilers, then spoiler alert, here’s one coming. The words that hit me the most while I was editing these pages are from our cover star, Bachelorette and mental health advocate Brooke Blurton: “I feel like we need to be our own best friends. WE’ RE SO GOOD TO GIVE ADVICE AND GOOD ENCOURAGEMENT TO OTHER PEOPLE BUT WHEN DO WE EVER SAY THAT TO OURSELVES? When do we ever highlight all the amazing things that we’ve done in our life?” It’s a piercing question. Personally, I’ve gotten better at becoming my own cheerleader over the years, but lately I’ve let it slip. And when you realise that OUR BRAINS ARE HARDWIRED TO FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE (google “negativity bias”, it’ll explain why we dwell…

Seafood swerver? You can still score heart health benefits from plant-based fatty acids. That’s the latest from Penn State scientists, who reviewed the research and discovered that consuming alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) – an essential omega-3 found in the likes of walnuts and flaxseeds – is associated with a 10 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease. WH HACK Go for Gojis Eating a small handful of little red goji berries, five times a week, may help to increase the density of eye pigments lutein and zeaxanthin, according to a small study in Nutrients. Both are protective against age-related macular degeneration – the leading cause of sight loss. Get thee to the health foods aisle and up the preventative power of your porridge. 657 FRESH INCENTIVE TO SWAP TONIGHT’S TAKEOUT FOR A…

We fuss with lashes and undereyes, but our eyelids also need TLC. Mascara-loving microbes thrive when you don’t remove eye make-up, says integrative optometrist Elisa Brisco. “They live in the hair follicles and oily tear glands, ” she explains. “That’s why people have crusty lids as they age, or their lids look a little heavy.” The outcome: tired, red, dry and uncomfy eyes. Above, your optimal optical solutions… GOOD GERMS A strong barrier is the most essential component when it comes to maintaining healthy skin. The latest slew of pre and probiotic goodies promise to protect and support healthy bacteria on your complexion.…

What’s got everyone breaking a sweat these days? Nope, not some brand spankin’ exercise gadget (though there’s plenty of that available too). We’re talking sauna blankets. They use infrared rays to warm your body while you’re zipped up in a sleeping bag-style blanky, rather than sitting in a booth as you would a traditional sauna. So, is their hot reputation warranted? Much of the hype stems from the research-backed health benefits of dry-sauna bathing on heart health, chronic pain and various other conditions. The heat from sauna treatments can promote blood flow and lower blood pressure, as well as ramp up your heart rate, research suggests. But can these blankets produce other changes too? Up next, where the science (it’s still limited, FYI) stands on the selling points and claims.…

Waking up feeling hungover when you haven’t had a sip of alcohol… As physiological unfairness goes, it’s up there with insomnia after a bubble bath and early bedtime. Dubbed a ‘food hangover’, this feeling is thought to be caused by overindulgence of a different kind. But is it just in your head? The term ‘food hangover’ hasn’t been embraced by the scientific community – it isn’t referenced in medical texts or used by clinicians – but that’s not to say the collection of symptoms that can arise after a big meal (grogginess, headaches, dehydration, nausea and bloating) isn’t real. One explanation is that your digestive system is in overdrive. Some evidence suggests that eating a larger-than-usual portion can bring on gastrointestinal discomfort, along with eating too quickly or while talking…

Now that you’ve been in therapy for a bit – or maybe you’re just starting or just thinking about it (virtual high five) – you may be struck by a eureka moment: it’s hard growing into the person you want to be. Scratch that. It’s more often than not a wade-through-the-muck, cry-a-bucket-of-tears-on-the-regular type of experience. The reality is, you may not be properly prepared for the grin-and-bear-it parts of therapy because we don’t talk about them as much – like wondering who you’ll be when you come out on the other side, or struggling to vocalise why you’re there in the first place, or feeling as if you’ve been smacked in the face with a wet fish by the time the hour’s over. Normal. It’s all n-o-r-m-a-l. Really. We chatted…

What’s the Best Time of Day to Strength Train? ANSWER “When do you have time?” asks personal trainer Jess Wilcox. “To be consistent with training and stick with it long-term, the most important thing is fitting it into your schedule, ” she tells WH, adding that the hour you choose won’t affect your ability to build muscle. That said, if your diary’s wide open, the science supports lifting in the PM. “Research has shown that mid-afternoon or early evening may be best, as you’ll have likely consumed a few meals or snacks, ” says Wilcox. “That way, you’ll have more fuel to burn, compared with training in the morning on an empty stomach.” Some studies suggest you may be stronger in the afternoon. “This is because your testosterone levels are…

WH: WHAT IS YOUR REC FOR PROPER HYDRATION DAY TO DAY? TJ Start your day with a large glass of water. Not only will this rehydrate you from sleep, it’ll support cognitive health and energise you first thing. Keep a large water bottle on hand all day to encourage yourself to drink, especially when you exercise. If you don’t like plain water, add some sliced fruit or flavoured electrolytes. WH: TRADITIONAL HYDRATION “RULES” STATE THAT DRINKING EIGHT GLASSES OF WATER A DAY IS IDEAL. TRUE? TJ Though widely held, this belief isn’t supported by research. Yes, it’s important to drink water throughout the day, but if you don’t hit eight glasses, you’re more than likely getting enough through food and other sips. WH: IS THE CURRENT SOCIAL MEDIA TREND OF…

The New Zealander quickly rose to the top of the sport, winning a world Muay Thai title in 2018. But when even this champ struggled to get a bout up in 2015, she accepted the offer of an MMA fight instead, adding a full suite of martial arts to her repertoire in record time. “I said yes straight away just for the opportunity to fight, not really knowing what I was getting myself into, ” Genah recalls. “I got thrown in at the deep end. I had a six-week training camp and didn’t think I’d even make it to the fight.” Not only did she make it, Genah, 31, won by TKO (technical knockout). Now, her star is on the rise as a lightweight in the MMA’s Professional Fighters League…

Dr Brian Block noticed that some of the people coming to his clinic at the University of California in San Francisco – created to help people recover from severe COVID – weren’t who he’d anticipated. Alongside those who had been hospitalised with COVID, which was the population he and his colleagues had expected to care for, about a quarter of the patients were people who had never been hospitalised for the disease. They’d had “mild” COVID, but months after thinking they’d beaten it, they didn’t feel like themselves – heart palpitations, brain fog, an inability to exercise like they used to. Meanwhile, on the other side of the US, Dr Monica Lypson was seeing the same thing at a post-COVID clinic she’d cofounded at George Washington University. “The predominant patients…

As a runner, there’s no better feeling than hitting the pavement or trail. And whether you’re signed up for an event or not, consider this: even the average runner (oh, hi) should be working both sprints and endurance runs into their routine for serious pay-offs. If you’re, say, a marathoner trying to hit a PB, speedwork will make you faster. (Plus, studies show that sprints can reduce body fat, if changing body composition is a focus for you.) Prefer fast and furious? Know that longer-distance cardio is powerful for overall wellness, too. Plus, training for a marathon, even at low intensity, reduced vascular age (essentially, the health of your arteries) in people by four years, according to a University College London study. We know shaking up your run routine can be…

THINK DIFFERENTLY 01 Talking Pays Off “Feeling overwhelmed about finances is very common. The first step to feeling more empowered is to speak up: facing financial fears head-on is far better than ignoring issues, suffering in silence and allowing the problems to pile up. Even being open about money with yourself will reduce stress, anxiety and fear that can adversely affect your finances. The next step is to commit to taking action to resolve any financial issues. Tackle one at a time; if you have debt on different credit cards, pay off one first to give you momentum and confidence to challenge the rest.” 02 Small Moves Add Up “A big misconception? The more money you have, the happier you will be. This is a myth; many rich people are…

Have you ever coloured your hair? Is your hairdryer getting plenty of mileage? Do you brush your hair? If you answered yes to any of those questions – yep, even the last one – you have ‘damaged’ hair. “As soon as your hair emerges from its follicle, it has external elements to contend with, ” says Anabel Kingsley, consultant trichologist and brand president at Philip Kingsley. In other words, some degree of harm is unavoidable. But don’t feel defeated. Unlike skin, hair is dead tissue and can’t regenerate itself, so it relies on you to keep it healthy. (Kinda nice to feel so needed, ya?) “How you care for strands has a huge impact on their strength, appearance, and manageability, ” says Kingsley. And, as you might expect, the longer…

Being honest online is what feels most natural to me. I’m more comfortable doing that than posting polished photos where I’m done up. I’m trying to lead by example and help people feel more comfortable in their own skin. When I was younger, I used to compare myself to other people and be so negative towards myself. I was such a different person and I’ve come a long way because I chose to work on it every single day. I think of it like training at the gym – if you want to be fit you need to consistently train. It’s the same with your mental health, you have to be consistent. I’m happy with the way I view my body now and how accepting I am of myself –…

These knots, which make the perfect coldweather baking project, have an earthy liquorice element (thanks to the anise) that works to highlight the bright, juicy citrus of the orange glaze. Yum! They beautifully round out a brunch, see you through an afternoon energy slump, or stand alone as a memorable dessert. But if you’re going to put in a weekend’s labour for them, we recommend making plans to share them with friends who’ll be suitably impressed by your extraordinary baking talents. ORANGE & ANISE KNOTS WITH ORANGE GLAZE MAKES: 12 • 115g (½ cup) unsalted butter • 240 ml (1 cup) whole (fullcream) milk • 560g (3 ½ cups) heritage bread flour • 2 tbs instant dry yeast • 100g (½ cup) granulated sugar • 2 tsp kosher salt •…

Meditate on this: those who employ mindfulness in a professional context are less likely to engage in ‘surface acting’ at work. The term, which refers to displaying fake emotions and suppressing your true feelings, is associated with a range of negative professional outcomes, from lower job satisfaction to higher emotional strain. Headspace on the commute for the win. SOURCE: JOURNAL OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY…

FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 22 Sep-1 Oct The planet’s 12 best basketball teams are coming to Sydney to battle it out for world domination. After that quarterfinals knockout in Tokyo, the Opals will be jumping to show the US who’s clutch. Go Opals! Visit tickets.womensworldcup.basketball AFLW Season 7 kickoff 25-27 August The AFLW is stepping up its game this season with four new clubs, a 94 per cent pay increase and a new, cooler schedule. Find your team’s opening fixtures at womens.afl Rugby Sevens World Cup 9-11 Sep Cape Town, South Africa is hosting the 2022 Rugby Sevens World Cup and our women’s squad will be going in hoping to score their first World Cup trophy since 2009. Get the details at world.rugby…

TikTok can take responsibility for some of the internet’s biggest foodie trends – from cooking hacks (hello, reheating rice with an ice cube) to drool-worthy mashups we never knew we needed (crumpet garlic bread, anyone?) and recipe inspo so popular it causes a cheese shortage (yep, we’re still obsessed with that feta pasta). And we’re not just hitting the heart on this content; it’s showing up on our plates IRL – a recent Samsung survey found that one in 10 of us turns to TikTok to plan our meals. So, how do you know which trends are worth their salt and which to swerve? Ones that promote balance and flexibility (without restriction and specific requirements) are generally a safe bet, say experts. “The main thing is to check where you’re…

You’ll find no elaborate moves or stunts in the Empower circuit-based strength training guides. Founder and PT Emily Ricketts is all about keeping things simple. “More doesn’t mean better and more ‘advanced’ doesn’t call for an array of complex exercise variations, ” she says. “Focus on getting strong at the basics. These foundation moves should form the bulk of your training.” She’s created this upper-body strength workout so you can “focus on mastering these movements and getting stronger over time.” 1 PUSH-UP TARGETS: Shoulders, triceps, chest, core DO: 3 sets of as many reps as possible A Start in a high plank position, with your hands directly underneath your shoulders. Aim to create a straight line from your shoulders to your hips, engaging your core. B Lower your chest to…

I was a shell-dweller long before a pandemic made introversion in vogue. I live for the slam of the door that means I’m home alone. I feel as queasy about virtual meet-ups as I do about tuna mayonnaise. And my idea of a banging night is a book and bed by 9pm. Until now. It was an article in The Atlantic that made me question if my introversion is the happiness formula I consider it to be. In the piece, the social scientist Dr Arthur Brooks sets out what introverts (who he endearingly refers to as cats) can learn from dog-folk, and vice versa. While introverts make compassionate leaders and will loyally take secrets to the grave, it’s our take-it-or-leave-it approach to social contact – proven to have as much…

1 Root Reboot The secret here? A clay-based product that can soak up excess oils and draw out impurities in your roots so your hair can grow long and strong. Use this once a week to rebalance your scalp. TRY Hair Rituel by Sisley Pre-Shampoo Purifying Mask, $130 2 Fire Tamer In a perfect world, we’d all stop using heat on our hair, but since that’s unlikely, let’s be grateful for heat protectants. A spritz or two of this protects strands from heat and UV, and is perfect for all hair types. TRY Cloud Nine Magical Quick Dry Potion, $40 3 Multi-Masker “Dry, damaged, or dyed hair can use a repairing and moisturising mask once or twice a week, ” Kingsley says. This one employs nourishing macadamia and can be…

It’s a sunny Monday morning and Steph Douglas has 20 minutes to chat to WH, sandwiching a phone interview between getting back from the school run and going to the office, where she’s head of the gifting company she launched from her spare room in 2014. She’s also mum to three kids and has 60,000 followers on Instagram. At first glance, she’s living a would-be founder’s fantasy: heading up a thriving business, hiring staff as demand grows, living on her own terms – and documenting it all on social media. But, behind the scenes, the reality looks different: “I often wake up at 3am, heart hammering, thinking, ‘Shit, shit, shit, there’s so much stuff I need to do’,” she admits. “Running the business is my dream and I love it,…

Midweek cooking can be a balancing act between nutritious and delicious and, well, fast. This is where pressure cooking comes in. The wonder cooking method lets you make meals in minutes, doing away with postwork kitchen slogs. Plus, it’s energy-efficient and food done in a pressure cooker retains more nutrients and flavour. Sold? Let these recipes from Modern Pressure Cooking by Catherine Phipps inspire you… POT-ROAST CHICKEN WITH FREEKEH SERVES 4 Here are two variations of the pot-roast, because I wanted to show just how versatile it can be. You can make it in a very simple form – a quick browned chicken, a few aromatics and minimal liquid, then 15 mins high pressure – but it also lends itself very well to being a complete one-pot meal. FOR THE…

DO (ALL OF) WHAT YOU LOVE “I loved martial arts when I was younger – I did judo, karate, and taekwondo. Then at drama school, I did a stage combat unit, which is learning how to fight with weapons safely on screen and stage. I became a little bit obsessed with it. I feel very blessed [that my two loves of sport and acting have come together]. It’s something that I’m really enjoying.” FIND WHAT HELPS YOU UNWIND “My mind was racing while I was shooting Resident Evil [a series about a pandemic, as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold of the world]. I was in a constant state of fight or flight, so I really needed to unwind. Along with Zoom workouts, I did a fair amount of meditation, which…