Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2023 i Women's Health Australia

WARM UP HEALTH 60 PIERCING HEADACHE Migraine sufferers, researchers are trying to prove what some have been saying for years: a daith piercing (the fold of your ear above the tragus) can ease symptoms. A trial by the London Migraine Clinic will track the effect on migraine sufferers over a year. Experts suspect it offers relief by stimulating the vagus nerve, which runs between your brain and gut.…

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that feeling or take it for granted,” Grace Stewart, 25, says with a smile. “Walking out for the first game in Tokyo was the same as walking out in Rio. You still get goosebumps when you line up with your arms wrapped around your teammates.” The Olympics may be the pinnacle when it comes to sporting stages, admits the captain of Australia’s national hockey team, but her biggest career highlight so far? The 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, where an electric home crowd included family and friends “who were all part of my journey and getting me [here]”. It’s a road that started when Grace was growing up in Gerringong on the NSW south coast and soaking up her family’s…

MIND Remember hours of childhood fun in a cubby house made from boxes? Hopscotch on the footpath with the neighbours’ kids? Shrieking with laughter as you were pushed higher and higher on the swings? That is playfulness in its purest sense - and it should take a starring role in your present as much as it did your past. In fact, the late neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp considered play to be an ancestral system in our brains – in other words, a genuine and primal necessity. This view is echoed by psychologist Dr Stuart Brown, a play researcher and founder of the National Institute for Play (nifplay. org) in the US. “The drive to play is as fundamental as our drives for food and sleep,” he says. While the research on…

Reframe thoughts Try reframing - altering how you view episodes in life that have hurt you. This might be seeing yourself not as a victim, Cbut as a survivor. Research says ‘framing’ so things have outcomes you are in control of is a powerful tool for positive change, says Murden. Work on self-worth List your talents and positive feedback you’ve received. Write down goals and how good it feels when you hit them. Achievement and self-esteem are linked, so set realistic goals that will push but not defeat you. Befriend yourself Say your friend needed your support - how would you respond? Not by berating them. If you’ve done wrong, accept responsibility but avoid judgement. A self-talk script may help: ‘OK, you made a mistake. Let’s see what you can…

The kit and comforts she always travels with HOCKEY STICK “It’d be a bit worrying if I didn’t have that!” MOUTHGUARD “I’ve had my teeth knocked out before so that’s super important.” CHOCOLATE “My comfort snack on tour.” SWIMMERS “When we’re going away, I pack these to try and get to a beach or go for a swim whenever I can.” A SCRUNCHIE “I like to have a pop of colour in my hair when I’m playing.” ELECTROLYTE SHOTS “For post-game, to really make sure we’re getting our hydration back up.”…

HEALTH You Wake up At… 6AM … and are out the door to get in an early workout as the sun rises. You’re showered, cooking breakfast and planning the rest of the day’s activities by 8am. 7.30AM … right as your alarm is going off. You feel refreshed and ready to take on a big day. You generally wake up at the same time every morning, with or without your alarm. 8.30AM … with your alarm and hit snooze. It takes two more alarms to get you out of bed, leaving you just enough time to guzzle coffee and walk the dog before the day starts. 9.45AM … 15 minutes before you’re supposed to be in your first Zoom meeting. You’re incredibly sleepy (because you were up until 1.30am), and…

FITNESS The saying ‘move it or lose it’ should be the slogan for mobility. Beyond your 20s, the ability to move freely and easily through a joint’s full range of motion begins to decline - unless you do something about it. “Our muscles and tendons have less pliability after the age of 30, which means less fluidity in our movements,” says physical therapist Candace Young. But mobility is about more than rehabilitation and recovery. It’s actually tied to strength gains. You might think mobility isn’t a new concept, and you’re right. But it’s on everyone’s minds lately. The past two years saw a significant uptick in interest, according to Google Trends. (Pros suspect all the extra sitting time resulted in stiffness, hence the hunt for relief.) Thing is, research on…

Ashley is an athleisure industry veteran (she was at Nike before joining Allbirds as VP of Product Design in 2021), with 15-plus years of experience under her belt. As she shares here, longevity is about self-care trusting your instincts and looking to a greener future. ASHLEY COMEAUX .. is a pilates and iced-latte fan, as well as the force behind product design at apparel B Corp Allbirds THINK DIFFERENTLY 01 Tap into Creativity “Playing music helps craft an atmosphere that supports new ideas. Movement is also a great way to loosen up and invite free-flowing thoughts. I find it helpful to abandon linearity and invite an ‘anything goes’ mentality while brainstorming concepts and solutions – [it’s about] letting go of perfectionism to invite creative flow. Stepping away and giving ideas…

BEAUTY On the screen, the woman holds your gaze. Her skin has an otherworldly glow that catches the light like frosting on a cake. Her cheekbones, highlighted between a touch of blush and barely-there bronzer, are as anatomically impossible as her eyebrows. The caption reads #cleangirl. If you’re unfamiliar with the identikit aesthetic, allow us to fill you in. A step beyond ‘skinimalism’, the lockdown phenomenon that led to a wealth of skincare/makeup hybrids, the goal of the ‘clean’ trend is impossibly glowy skin cleverly made to look au naturel. The term has a billion views on TikTok, which is enough to make your eyes water. But if you count yourself among the growing number of women for whom beige is boring, worry not, because an anti-trend has emerged –…

COVER STORY "VINOTHERAPY? THAT'S WHERE YOU DRINK COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF WINE TO FEEL BETTER," CELESTE BARBER SAYS WITH CERTAINTY. WE'RE ON THE SET OF HER WOMEN'S HEALTH COVER SHOOT, TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE MOST OUTLANDISH WELLNESS TRENDS IN RECENT YEARS, LIKE THIS SPA TREATMENT, WHICH IS ACTUALLY ONE WHERE YOU SOAK IN A TUB FILLED WITH WINE-INFUSED WATER. The wine soak is preceded by a full-body exfoliation with a scrub made out of wine grape extracts, all in a bid to lower cholesterol and stimulate collagen. “Sure. I reckon six people did that study,” Celeste deadpans after being told of the purported benefits (FYI: there was no study), “but I'm in.” With 9.4 million Instagram followers – Gwyneth Paltrow, Drew Barrymore and Cindy Crawford are just some of her…

WARM UP NUTRITION 28 Flour Power Sweet potato fries might be the best thing since sliced, well, sweet potato. But have you considered using the orange root vegie in another way - as part of your next bake perhaps? When dried and ground, sweet potato forms a flour that’s packed with antioxidants, report food scientists. It’s also gluten free for those who need it. Sweet.…

WARM UP BEAUTY 2 in 3 TRENDING A FRUITY BOOST Vitamin C is showing up bigger and better thanks to fruit-based ingredients that up the ante on dull skin.…

HEALTH Katie McKnight, 32, knew breast cancer ran in her family. Her great-grandmother, great-aunt and grandmother on her father’s side all had it. When she tested positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation – linked to a higher risk for developing the disease – she decided to do all she could to stay healthy and go to regular screenings. Even so, she was not prepared for the life-altering shock of her diagnosis in 2020. “I thought of myself as strong and in control of my health and future,” says Katie, who learnt she had triple-negative breast cancer, which is considered an aggressive form that grows quickly. The environmental scientist feared death but was also angry because she’d been living carefully to stave off the disease. “My diagnosis shattered that sense of…

NUTRITION CHOCOLATE “I’ll have chocolate most days,” says Marika Day, an accredited practising dietitian and founder of nutrition platform Fuelled. “I believe In having your favourite foods freely accessible, so they’re not ‘forbidden’ and you crave them more.” Sweet. Great news: food shopping like a nutritionist doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank and hunting down exclusive eats. In fact, these powerhouse picks are as accessible as they are nutritious, giving you a versatile line-up to boost health and energy. From smart spices to simple ways to score more vegies, meet your all-stars… 01 Tinned Tuna Fall hook, line and sinker for this “quick and easy source of protein and healthy omega 3 fatty acids,” says dietitian Marika Day. “I’ll have it on crackers with tomato and avocado, or as…

1 BEATS FIT PRO $299.95 Score With comfortable winged tips to help lock them in place, these cool earbuds make a stylish and practical pick for any fitness fan. They stayed put throughout testing, even when the intensity cranked up (hello, mountain climbers) and the rich, smooth sound – “like a nightclub in your ears” – didn’t distort even at the punchiest volume. They come in a choice of seven colours, from stone purple (shown) to plain black, while the sleek, compact case will take up minimal space in your gym bag. WH Lab Verdict There’s no denying these are impressive. Not only they do look great, but they also feel soft and snug, including during high-impact exercise. They’re water- and sweat-resistant too, so they can withstand the toughest of…

LIFE Every morning at 8.30am, Maeve* sits at the table in her living room, opens her laptop and waits for a task from her boss to hit her inbox. Once she has completed it - some take hours, others 30 minutes - she waits again. Some days, another task never arrives, so she scrolls through LinkedIn, looking for vacancies. Once a conscientious worker, Maeve has now, in her own words, “given up”. The first couple of months of the 28-year-old agency manager's job were exciting and challenging. Then, a new staff member joined the company and took over most of her responsibilities, leaving Maeve to pick up more basic tasks. Despite having over eight years of experience and working hard to climb the ladder, Maeve says she is now no…

TRAVEL It’s a tale as old as time. Or at least the early 00s. The burned-out office worker escapes corporate life to ‘find themselves’ on a farflung island. Or perhaps it’s the story of the divorcee, lost in a city of love and pondering life’s meaning to the beat of a melancholic drone. Yes, the foibles of the female traveller have long been etched into popular culture. A woman, typecast as the lonely soul, is swept into the world of solo travel not by choice, but by circumstance. It was a break-up, after all, that led Eat Pray Love’s Elizabeth Gilbert to discover the sweetness of doing nothing in Rome. And it was a tragedy that drove the author of Wild to walk 1600km along the Pacific Crest Trail in…

FOOD HUB Coconut cake P 123 After she and her daughter were diagnosed with coeliac disease, Cherie Lyden launched Wholegreen Bakery in Sydney so everyone could enjoy made-from-scratch, super delicious bakes that happen to be gluten free. Now, with the help of her new cookbook Gluten-Free Baking Made Simple, you can rustle up a new repertoire at home. Those tastebuds are in for a major treat… CHEESY GARLIC PULL-APART BUNS MAKES 18 Did this recipe have you at ‘cheesy garlic’? The delicious combination makes these buns completely moreish. Serve them up hot while the cheese is still wonderfully gooey. 205g gluten-free self-raising flour 250g gluten-free cornflour 2½ tsp salt, plus ½ tsp extra for sprinkling 1 tsp cracked black pepper 1 tbs xanthan gum 75g butter, melted, or 75ml light…

LAST WORD EMBRACE RESTORATIVE MOVEMENT “I was a professional dancer for nine years and was introduced to Pilates by my dance teacher when I was 12. It transformed my performance, strength, balance and body-mind connection. I fell in love with it. Pilates really works the smaller muscle groups to support the larger [ones]. It works on your core and foundation. There are so many restorative benefits, for body and mind.” LISTEN TO YOUR COMMUNITY “Before the pandemic, I was a Pilates teacher in studios. Then the world went into lockdown… and everyone went online. My friend and now business partner Natasha Oakley started doing my online classes, called me and said, ‘I didn’t think I’d get the same feeling from a screen, but it’s just as good - you need…