Next Fitness Star > Success Secrets Of Our Top 5

July 2019

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 17 August 2019 –
Coming soon –

PHOTOGR APH: DONOVON THORNE

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July 2019
BEST BODY 56 15-Minute Workout
Turn your gym sesh into a two-player game
36 Bend and... Snap?
Can yoga do more harm than good? 59 Are You Sleep Stressed?
Sometimes. Use these tweaks to help Here’s how to deal with sleep anxiety

41 You Can Do This: Triathlon 62 I Survived

Meet Annah Watkinson – a pro triathlete This woman fell pregnant on the Mirena
who manages to fit in a full-time job and almost died

44 Pull Ahead of The Pack 64 The Stuff of Nightmares

The best gym machine you’re not using Are night terrors affecting your mental health?

48 You Lose, You Win 66 Worried Sick

Find out how this woman lost 48kg! Germaphobe? You’d better read this

49 Critical Mass
The health benefits of gaining some muscle… STYLE & BEAUTY
52 One-Piece Workout: Gliders 68 Longer, Stronger Strand Secrets
A cheap, simple tool that gets results Why protein matters for your hair
54 Why Am I Always Hungry?
Could your eating habits affect your appetite?
71 Fit Kit Hero
The bag the WH team is lusting after right now
84
Good morning!
72 “I Will Wear SPF In Winter”
Just because we have fewer daylight hours
ON OUR doesn’t mean you can let your guard down

COVER 74 Meet The Wrinkle Slayers

Take multitasking to the next level with beauty
FEATURES
96
products that work... While you work 28 Ayanda Thabethe:
The Continual Evolution

LIFE ETC
Find out how our cover star is being her
59 28 authentic self and crushing life

80 Give It A Rest 96 Star Quality

74 Are you due for a digital detox? Meet the five powerhouse women in the running
to be SA’s next celebrity trainer
84 Rise and Shine
Time to get your morning glory 104 Does This Give You Anxiety?
49 Public service announcement: contrary to
110
86 Control Your Inner Klutz popular belief, carbs are your body’s BFFs
The science behind why you’re so clumsy
44 116
110 The Vagina Files
104
88 Money Talks… So Why The most intimate Q&A you’ll ever do
Don’t You?
Get over your financial cluelessness for good 116 Eat Yourself Clever
COVER PHOTOGR APH: SEAN L AURÉNZ What to eat before that next big meeting
CROP TOP: PUMA , TIGHTS: COT TON ON BODY,
EARRINGS: LOVISA , RING: ATHENA A , BAG: ST YLIST’S OWN 94 Keep Track
FOOD HUB
Juliet McGuire hits the road in two hot new cars

120 Homegrown Goodness

Fool-proof dishes with a South African twist
from the Kosher Butcher’s wife, Sharon Lurie

PHOTOGR APHS (FROM TOP): BEN RIT TER, THE REDHEAD’S STUDIO – MICHAEL SMITH
126 Winter Wonder Salads
Bored of soups? Give these seasonal plates a go

IN EVERY ISSUE
6 10 14
Letter Tell WH WH Social
From The 12 17
Editor Ask Discuss!
8 Anything

120
Eat well.
Meet The
Team
 2019

July
Meet the Top Five
#WHNextFitStar
finalists as voted for
by you – our readers!
STAR QUALITY, P.96
PHOTOGR APH: SEAN L AURÉNZ; CLOTHES AND SHOES: ADIDAS
 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
ALL THE FITSPO. PERIOD.
Next Fitness Star… The most life-
affirming project of the year! It always
kicks off the same way: with the WH
team’s not-so-silent prayers that we
will get entries. Because despite what
Instagram would have you believe, it’s
not actually that easy to put yourself
out there and own your fitness power.
In the case of Next Fitness Star, you
need a qualification, a great workout
style, a personality that can command
the crowd of thousands at Fit Night
Out and form good enough to bounce
balls off and balance beams on… Or
something like that!
So, yes, online video entries usually
open to deafening silence. For days. But
when that first entry lands, it’s a cause
for much celebration all around the
office. And that is usually how it remains
– a celebration. As each individual entry
lands in the gallery, we gather round
a desk, oohing and aahing over the
woman, the moves, the philosophy, the
energy, the power soundtrack choice…
We love each and every entry. It is near
impossible to whittle it down. And that’s
where you come in.
In this issue, you will see featured
our Next Fitness Star Top Five. These
five phenomenal women – from across
the country – were your audience vote.
Our celebrity judging panel narrowed
the entries down to a Top 12 and YOU
voted these five women – with their huge
hearts, broad smiles and fierce moves
– into the top spots.
It’s the #WHGetsFit staff fitness challenge!
ATEA U IN YOUR
WHEN YOU HIT A PL THING LIKE
TRAINING, THERE’S
NO
G NEW TO GET
TRYING SO METH IN
@WANITA.NICOL
MORE GAINS, LIKE
CROSSFIT!
WHO HAS TAKEN UP
6 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019
Shoot day always dawns to much
excitement as The Five jet in to the Cape
Town studio – and meet one another
for the first time. It’s rare not to see
friendships blooming by the end of
that day. Also equally rare not to see
a tear. The entire WH team still fondly
remembers our @queenfitnass, Maps at
this same shoot three years ago when
she burst into tears on seeing her image
for the first time on the photographer’s
screen. Or Takkies’ insane flexibility as
she casually threw her leg up alongside
her face without breaking eye contact
or a sweat.
This year was no different. They box-
jumped and lunge-punched and side-
kicked in full hair and make-up, hydrated
by Powerade and clad in spanking-new
adidas. Wanita was on hand to snatch
an interview and Chandré to shoot
a move. You’ll find their madly
inspirational stories on page 96 and
PHOTOGR APHS: COLLEC TED PIX
their workout vids at WomensHealthSA.
co.za and – best of all – you’ll find the
winner on stage with us at Fit Night Out
Jozi on 17 August alongside our Next
Fitness Star alumni Maps and Takkies!
And if you’re feeling like you could do
with even more inspo to get you through
the long, cold winter months when you’d
rather pull out a tray of lasagne than
a pair of trainers, then join us on our
#WHGetsFit challenge. Try something DANIELLE WEAKLEY
new, pick a race goal to work towards Editor
and tag us along the way! We could all @DanielleWeakley
do with the additional encouragement!
@danweakley
WH Y IS IT
OF YOUR GOOD TO STEP O
C U
YOU MIG OMFORT ZONE? T
HT DISCO
PASSION VER A NE
,L W
WHO HA IKE @SUSANJBA
S FALLEN RRETT
YIN YOG
A AT @M
IN LOVE
WITH
YUTOPIA
_SA.
WHAT HELPS MOTIVATE US TO HOW TO REACH YOUR RACE GOAL?
@AMY_HOPPY GOT A COACH
KEEP TRAINING IN WINTER? HAV AND
ING JOINED A TRIATHLON TRAININ
A BUDDY! @LEIGHCHAMPANISK G
ING PROGRAMME CALLED @EMB
DECIDED TO JOIN WANI AT ARKTRI.
SHE HAS NOW COMPLETED HER
@CROSSFITDISTRICT6. FIRST
IRONMAN 70.3. READ MORE ABO
UT
HOW YOU CAN TOO ON PAGE
41.
| WomensHealthSA.co.za
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8 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

ChapStickSA
WE HEAR YOU
Tell us
anything
WINNING
LETTER
Women’s Health
Changed My Life
I attribute the launching
of my career and the
finding of my purpose
in life to Women’s
Health. I remember the
first magazine I bought
had a yoga DVD as
a freebie and it just felt
like the time to take
charge of my life was at
that moment. I had just
aged out of the dreaded
puberty phase and was
not really comfortable
with my body and all
the changes it was
undergoing. I wanted
to make a change
and to get my body to
a state that made me feel
good about myself. The
10 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H
THE
POWER OF
A COMMUNITY.
magazines and the gym
were my escape and
I underwent a complete
health overhaul. After
dropping two dress
sizes, I discovered that
I really want to contribute
to making people’s lives
better and healthier so
I pursued my studies in
fitness and am now
a personal trainer.
Waking up every day
to add a little joy and
provide an escape for
other people is my
greatest joy. Women’s
Health is amazing and
impacts people’s lives
in more ways than the
team may even realise.
Jabulile Mtshali, Joburg
| July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za
Our top
reads this
month
Bend and... Snap?,
page36
“I see this a lot
– women having
to take weeks off
because they didn’t
listen to their bodies
in class.”
Amanda Kerpius,
yoga instructor
Eat Yourself
Clever, page 116
“The brain is your
fattiest organ,
at around 60
percent fat.”
Dr Caroline
Leaf, a cognitive
neuroscientist
The Vagina
Files, page 110
Getting Back as I started losing my “The clitoris can
In The Swing energy and wanted measure up to 11cm
Of Things absolutely nothing within the body,
Last year October, to do with training. surrounding
just a few days before Fast forward into my your genitals.”
my 27th birthday,
I was diagnosed with
treatment, I had to
push myself and started
Dr Nina Brochmann
TB. This challenged eating more than I did
PHOTOGR APH: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM
my thinking and how before TB. I’ve since me every time I think of
I viewed my health. picked up weight from giving up. Thank you so
I was, in my books, the treatment and much for the wonderful
a healthy person with getting back to my old content. The Internet
a good lifestyle. I did lifestyle is a challenge. has so many sources to
kick-boxing and regular I constantly have to offer, but reading about
hikes on weekends remind myself that only relatable women has
and ate as clean as I have the ability to get a much bigger impact.
I could. The first months back where I left off and Dumisa Matshikiza,
of being ill were hard reading WH inspires Cape Town
DropusalineatTellWH@WomensHealthSA.co.za.
Pleaseincludeyourfullnameandthecityinwhichyoulive.
WRITE IN AND WIN!
This month’s winner receives a Nuxe hamper
– including Rêve de Miel Super Balm, Aquabella
Micro-Exfoliating Purifying Gel, Crème Fraîche
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ASK US ANYTHING
SERIOUSLY, AN YTHING AT ALL...

Which approach is
better for weight
loss: conventional
calorie cutting or
intermittent fasting?
ANSWER
Neither! The kilo-torching mode du jour
does help with fat loss, but no more than the
traditional route of dialling down calorie intake,
according to a 50-week study in The American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which is one of the
longest-running IF experiments to date. Scientists
also saw both approaches have similar positive
impacts on metabolic health. Nice!
 I FAKED AN
ORGASM AT
THE START
OF OUR
RELATIONSHIP.
HOW DO
I STOP FAKING
IT NOW?
ANSWER First,
shame on past
you for not
having future
you’s back. If
she wasn’t so
busy perfecting

Why can’t I do anything

a performance
to make Meg

without my headphones?
Ryan proud,
she might have
spared you
a thought for
your sex life. If
ANSWER Unless you’re at a pivotal point in your Sold in America podcast or you you can come
suffer from noise sensitivity that makes birdsong sound like a world cup final, we alone, you’re off
suspect that the thing you’re actually addicted to is the thing your headphones are to a great start.
plugged into – your phone. But being perma-plugged may mean you’re missing If not, shuffle the
out on more than birdsong. A growing body of research is pointing to the neuro- deck until you
figure out what
benefits of letting your mind wander off down the street from time to time. It’s
gets you going.
thought that creative tasks particularly benefit from the daydream approach, but On to a winning
studies have also linked it with an increase in productivity – one neuroimaging study move? Insert it
showed that brain areas associated with complex problem-solving are actually (behave!) into
more active during daydreaming than when you focus on routine tasks. Got a big your foreplay.
morning meeting? Swap the headphones for birdsong and blue-sky thinking. Less “step
aside, I’ll do it
myself”, more
a subtle slide of
ANSWER It’s not the hand. While
IS IT BAD THAT ideal – but if you’re
Centre defines bad
sleep as the inability
bad the next day,
it’s likely that you’re things are in
I OFTEN WAKE drifting straight back to drift off within 30 being woken during flux, lose the
UP IN THE NIGHT, off and you’re not minutes or having dream or REM theatrics. We
BUT SOON FALL feeling exhausted frequently disturbed sleep – which is don’t suggest
BACK TO SLEEP? the day after, your slumber resulting easily done and no you go silent,
sleep’s not ‘bad’, in wakeful periods big deal, really, in but you’ve got
per se. Professor upwards of four terms of hampering no chance of
Adrian Williams at nights per week. If your sleep-time coming if you’re
The London Sleep you’re not feeling benefits. “The sleep putting your all
PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM

that allows you to into pretending.

feel refreshed and Until your

64
restored is slow- orgasms reach
The number of calories in a single gin and wave sleep,” adds the cadence of
tonic served with sugar-free tonic. While Williams. “That’s your fake ones,
we’d be wrong to pretend that drinking G&Ts what you need turn up the
is going to do wonders for your health (soz), most.” And by volume on your
if you’re reaching for a tipple while watching nearest sound-
the sounds of it,
your macros, make it this one. emitting device.
you’re getting it.

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 13
WH SOCIALGRAM

#WHFITFLUENCER
WHO: @benelibody
Fitness, fashion, self-care and food – it’s a lifestyle, right? Well, there’s
no one who seems to have that balance down more than Dominique
Beneli Lamon, aka @benelibody aka self-proclaimed “fitness, health
and French fries connoisseur”. Her long, lean and well-dressed limbs
are sculpted by a variety of workouts. “S.W.E.A.T. 1000 does it for me,”
she reveals, “I also love long-distance running as well as the classes at
MyUTOPIA yoga studio in Cape Town. I am a firm believer in balance
and everything in moderation. It’s so important to mix things up.”
Scroll through Dom’s Insta feed and you’ll see she does just that:
behind-the-scenes workout snaps, bubbles with her bff and business
partner Alexa Corlett (FYI: check out @a_la_une_label, the pair’s
uber-chic fashion label), French fries a-plenty (yes, really) and enough
yoga poses to inspire you to actually get your butt into the gym this
winter. How does this fitfluencer take time out? With “me time! I love
lying with my legs up against the wall, face mask on, listening to
a podcast.” Now that’s a routine we could certainly get on board with!

Hello
world!
#WHLOVES
We heart you #fitfam

At Women’s Health we don’t just

dig documenting our healthy, active
lifestyles – we love it when you do too!
Check out our social stars this month,
as well as our highlights on social media

#WHONTHEGO “Choose someone who motivates “B

Be kind
ki d to
t each
h other.
th ”
> We launched our first you.” @jo_lean_922 @agelessfigureskater
#WHSupperClub of the
year with Whirlpool at the
Discovery Vitality HealthyFood
Studio in Jozi with our food
and managing ed @amy_hoppy
and our #WHNextFitFoodie
Daniella Lagerwey.

> Our ed @danweakley went

to New York for some fabulous
female-forward and empowering
conferences, discussion panels “I am in COMPETITION with no one. “STOP comparing your Chapter 1
I run my own RACE. I just aim to to someone else’s Chapter 12
and good times. IMPROVE, to be better than I was No two people are the same and
before. That’s ME, I am FREE.” neither are their health journeys.”
> This magazine wouldn’t be @buttercup0584 @gempopfitness
possible if not for all the caffeine
we consume and @sinead_
martin went to hang out with
our coverstar @Takkies7 at the
FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM TWITTER PINTEREST
Nespresso launch of the Tamuka Facebook.com/ @WomensHealthMagSA @WomensHealthSA Pinterest.com/
Mu Zimbabwe pods in Joburg. WomensHealthSA WomensHealthSA

14 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

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Tick. Quick lunch? Tick. But
are your smoothies working
hard enough for you? Are
they providing you with
all the nutrients you need?
The ideal smoothie recipes
combine a mix of nutrients,
vitamins, protein, fibre,
Takkies adds McCain
hydration and yum factor! If
Baby Peas to her
you only use fruit, your sugar smoothie for
intake will be too high, so we extra fibre
always recommend making and protein.
your smoothies work harder
for you by adding vegetables.
One of our fave veggies to
PHOTOGR APH: GR AEME W YLLIE; SHOT ON LOCATION AT EASYLIFE KITCHENS K YAL AMI IN JOHANNESBURG

add to smoothies is spinach

and we love the convenience
of having McCain Garden
Spinach in our freezers, ready
to use at a moment’s notice!
Spinach is low in fat, high
in good-for-you fibre (which
helps aid digestion) and it
contains iron, which helps
boost energy and keep your
blood and heart healthy. Add
half a cup of McCain Garden
Spinach to your next smoothie
for an awesome healthy boost!
McCain.co.za @mccain_sa #McCainSA #McCainXTakkies
Here’s Why McCain
Frozen Veggies
Are So Great...
• Top-quality farm-fresh
ingredients are prepped
and immediately frozen
locking in all those essential
nutrients. Super nutritious!
• There’s zero waste as you
only use what you need (and
put the rest back for later).
• The vegetables are easy
to portion out as they’re
available in chunks.
• Using frozen veggies in
your smoothies to make
them extra creamy!
@mccainsa
THE MCCAIN
DETOXIFYING
SMOOTHIE
½ cup McCain Garden
Spinach 
½ cup McCain Baby Peas 
200ml apple juice
10 fresh mint leaves 
1 cup chopped cucumber 
Squeeze fresh lime juice
Ice (optional)
Place all the
ingredients into
a blender and blitz
until smooth.
Garnish with fresh
mint and cucumber.
 {di juicy news. shareable stats. convo starters.

s !
(DON’T)
LEAN INTO IT.

RUN HAPPY
Instant workout upgrade? Yes,
please! Leaning too far forwards
impacts running efficiency, say
scientists. Lower-back strengthening
exercises, like planks and hip bridges,
can help you both stand taller and run
WORDS: TAR A ALI PHOTOGR APH: SEAN L AURÉNZ

further. That’s what we call a win.

Source: Humboldt State University
 {fooddiscuss !
BUCHU FOR
WHO? You! The South African medicinal tea is hitting the
mainstream! Why? It helps with a host of illnesses thanks to
its active chemicals. Struggle with UTIs? Many women do and
buchu helps promote kidney and urethra health. It also helps
treat fevers, coughs and upset stomachs
(including IBS). Plus, it’s caffeine free
and helps your body detox.
Try the Cape Kingdom
range of organic buchu
POP QUIZ! teas (R92 for 100 bags,
WellnessWarehouse.com).
Do oats contain
gluten?

A B HEALTHY SNACKING
YES NO
JUST GOT SIMPLER
ANSWER: Here’s the thing, We’ve been super impressed with Checkers’ range of health
oats are often produced in foods, eco-friendly cleaning products and meal boxes, which
a factory where other wheat, launched earlier this year. Now, to assist our growling tums with
barley and rye products are
produced, so there’s cross- healthy desk-drawer options
contamination, but the correct and dinner-party treats, the
PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM, JAMES GAR AGHT Y

answer is no. Oats contain Simple Truth range has

avenin, which is a protein added organic, gluten-
similar to gluten, but they are free, baked (and only
in fact gluten-free. If you’re
sensitive to gluten, don’t lightly salted) Pretzel
avoid them because they’re Knots and Coconut
so good for you – they’re high Flakes, as well
in fibre and low in sodium. as Peanut
Dietician Jessica Kotlowitz Butter Protein
recommends rolled oats
above steel-cut and instant Balls and Coconut
and we love Nature’s Choice & Macadamia Date
Gluten Free Rolled Oats. Balls to the mix. Love!

18 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za


Avo Makes
Any Meal Better
Not only flavour-wise, but health-wise too! Adding an avo to your
meal means a whack of heart-healthy fats and nutrients that can help
improve brain function, reduce blood pressure and aid weight loss
LET’S TALK HEALTH FACTS!
GUT HEALTH
The fibre in avos is a unique
fusion of three-quarters
insoluble and one quarter
soluble fibre which our guts
need to stay healthy and
regular. Fibre may also play
a role in preventing colon
cancer, lowering cholesterol
and aiding weight loss.
HAIR AND SKIN
Avos are high in a B-vitamin
called biotin, which helps
maintain healthy hair and
skin cells.
www.avocado.co.za
@iloveavos
EYE HEALTH
Lutein, a phytochemical
that accumulates in the
eye, has been found to
protect against age-related
macular degeneration.
Avocados contain 169mcg
of lutein per 100g.
BLOOD PRESSURE
Avos are naturally free from
sodium and contain
potassium, which, when
included as part of a healthy
diet, can help to maintain
a healthy blood pressure.
BRAIN HEALTH
Lutein, combined with
monounsaturated fats,
fibre and other bioactive
compounds all found in
avos, helps keep your brain
functioning healthily.
@iloveavocadoSA
@iloveavos @iloveavossa
ADVERTISING PROMOTION
HANDY
TIP!
Replace cheese on
your pizza with slices
of avocado to get that
creamy cholesterol-
free satisfaction!
Win
Col’Cacchio
Vouchers!
SA’s favourite Italian-
inspired restaurant,
Col’Cacchio has
PREGNANCY committed to
Avos are great for expecting
offering healthy
moms because of their
nutrient-dense combination
options through their
of dietary fibre, healthy thin-based, gourmet
fats and vitamins and pizzas and freshly
minerals, such as potassium, prepared salads
magnesium, vitamin E, and pastas. Pop in
vitamin K and folate. at Col’cacchio this
month (July), add
WEIGHT LOSS an avo to your meal
The monounsaturated fats
and you could win
in avos give a feeling of
one of five R1 000
satiety (they make you feel
fuller for longer!), which
Col’Cacchio vouchers!
can reduce overeating – but Visit Colcacchio.co.za
remember portion control! for more info or scan
this code.
HEART HEALTH
Avos are high in
monounsaturated fats and
are naturally cholesterol
free, which,when combined, 
aid in keeping our hearts
healthy and happy.
 {healthdiscuss !
LOVE YOUR LATTE
Safeguard your liver with a cup of joe. That’s according to researchers at the Netherlands’
Erasmus University Medical Center, where studies suggest that drinking coffee may help
protect against liver stiffness – a state associated with advanced liver disease. Not a java
fan? Herbal tea also made a difference. Lekker, brew.

EXIT THE SHEETS MV-PJs

Under Armour developed their
Rise up! People who sleep in on weekends new Athlete Recovery sleepwear
have worse cholesterol profiles, plus higher in collab with greatest of all time
fasting insulin levels and BMIs, than those NFL quarterback – and husband
who stick to a regular sleep schedule, says of Gisele Bündchen – Tom Brady.
the University of Pittsburgh. Dial The special fabric tech is designed
up your sleep quality with these to help your body relax so you can
sleep-tech wonders. achieve deeper, more restorative
sleep. From R999, Under Armour
PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM, JAMES GAR AGHT Y

Power Pillow
Neck pain for what? New Melody
pillows from Boxmistral are
designed for better air circulation,
which guarantees sleep hygiene
for a better night’s rest. They’re
THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF MINUTES A DAY
also bigger than regular pillows,
PEOPLE WHO ARE DEPRESSED SPEND ON THEIR so you can move around at night
SMARTPHONES, COMPARED TO THOSE WITH NO
DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS WHO SWIPE FOR ABOUT with ease. R1 299, Vencasa.co.za
17 MINUTES A DAY. NEED A DIGITAL DETOX? TURN
TO PAGE 80 TO LEARN HOW TO SWITCH OFF.
Source: Northwestern University

20 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

DOWN TO
EARTH
discuss
{beauty !
We don’t know about you, but
earthy eyeshadow hues, like
browns and beiges, are the
unsung heroes of our make-
up kits. They’re timeless tones
and what we really love about
them is that they can slip into
both daytime and night-time
look categories. So, with that
in mind, these are our favourite
earthy tones that you need to
try right now.
PRO TIP: Upgrade your natural
make-up look by going full
monochromatic – we’re talking
MIRROR, MIRROR
earthy lips and cheeks too. It
looks simple, but still adds
Please explain... Struggling to put your make-up on? It could

an element of warmth. FACIAL be thanks to subpar lighting in your bedroom

or bathroom – or it could be due to your
CONTRAST sketchy eyesight. Enter the Younilook: a tech
Avon True Eyeshado ow Quad Think fine lines tool that provides a simple, yet ingenious
in Barely Blussh (R190) solution to needing spectacles to see yourself
and pigmentation clearly in the mirror. Just place it on the mirror
are the only signs above eye level, select one of four lenses,
Chanel Les Beiges Natural
eyeshadow palette (R1 575) of ageing? French which span the range of refraction errors
from 1.0 to 3.75, then hook the lenses onto the
and American device and presto – perfect vision. There’s a
researchers have built-in light too and the unique lenses correct
discovered a new both eyes simultaneously so you can see 100
one: facial contrast. percent in focus, free of any distortions. Hello,
perfect make-up look! R695, TakeALot.com
Revlon ColorStay Basically, this refers
Looks Book Eye to how much your
Shadow Palette in
Maverick (R179) eyes, lips and
PHOTOGR APH: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM

Clarins Ombre Satin Shadow

brows stand out
in Purple Rain (R355) from your face.
The more they do,
the more youthful
you’re perceived to
be. Good to know!
Source: Frontiers In Psychology
This is the selfieŏapp for you, Mzansi! Take super selfies with the coolest
branded stickers and share it with the world to earn JETS.

The more likes, comments

and shares you get on your
post, the more points (called
JETS) you earn. You can
then use these points to
purchase magazines, airtime,
food vouchers and more!

Download the app by

scanning the QR code or
visit southafricam.jet8.app

GET IT ON DOWNLOAD ON THE

Google Play App Store

Do you consider yourself a #fitfluencer, or just big on taking

#gymselfies? Now you can use your social influence to get FREE
copies of your favourite mag.
{
WHEN AT REST, YOU BURN THIS PERCENTAGE MORE
CALORIES IN THE LATE ARVIE AND EARLY EVENING THAN
discuss
FIRST THING IN THE AM OR LATE AT NIGHT. IT’S LIKELY UP TO
loss
YOUR BODY’S CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS – I.E. YOUR INTERNAL
CLOCK DETERMINES HOW SLEEPY AND ALERT YOU FEEL
AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY AND INFLUENCES YOUR
METABOLISM ACCORDINGLY. THE TAKEAWAY? IF YOU WANT
TO TRIM DOWN, RESEARCHERS SUGGEST IT’S BEST
TO AVOID BIG MEALS DURING THOSE LOW CALORIE-
BURNING HOURS.
Sweet Cause
Sugar-free chocolate sounds too good to
be true (cue: side-eye), but it’s not! Look for
products sweetened with either stevia, monk
fruit and/or sugar alcohols and you’re good
to go. Want your sweet fix without the guilt?
Try Nova Chocolate (R21, Spar), a sugar- and
gluten-free chocolate that’s also 100-percent
!
vegan friendly. Plus Nova Chocolate has
teamed up with Goodbye Malaria to
launch a new Every Bit Counts range,
where a percentage of proceeds from
each chocolate sold will raise funds and
awareness for the fight against malaria
in Southern Africa. Sweet deal indeed.

INTUITIVE
EATING?
Heard of this one, but not quite sure what
it is? It’s a cousin of mindful eating, which
encourages you to be conscious of the
reasons you’re chomping and the sensations
you experience as you do (like the taste of
the apple or the sound of its crunch). This
type, though, is all about tapping into your
body’s built-in regulatory systems (feelings
of hunger and fullness) to decide what, how
much and when to eat. Paying attention to
your intuitive cues can lead to less emotional
eating and improved self-esteem, research in
the journal Eating Behaviors shows, and has
been linked to a lower BMI (likely because
PHOTOGR APH: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM

it’s more sustainable than counting calories).

Fascinating! To master it, rate your satiety
on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 = starved, 10 = stuffed)
before and after eating. Ideally, you’ll start at
a 3 and stop at 7.

24 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

 { life etcdiscu
PLEASE EXPLAIN... POMS
Post-menstrual syndrome, or POMS. Basically, it’s PMS after your period and it
affects about five percent of us, says gynaecologist Dr Tanmoy Mukherjee. POMS
causes sleep issues, anxiety and mood swings (ugh) for several days after your
period ends. It may be linked to a higher sensitivity to hormonal changes, serotonin
imbalance or magnesium and calcium deficiencies, but research is limited. (Some
physicians don’t consider it a separate condition from PMS or its extreme version,
PMDD – premenstrual dysphoric disorder.) If your ongoing symptoms bug you, THE PERCENTAGE OF MILLENNIAL
log them in a journal for at least three months and bring the info to your gynae, MOMS WHO SAY THAT SEX IS JUST AS
GOOD – IF NOT BETTER – AFTER GIVING
says Dr Kate White. If the crappy feels line up with your cycle, your doctor may BIRTH. THE SECRET MAY BE DOING KEGEL
EXERCISES TO TIGHTEN YOUR PELVIC
recommend birth control to balance hormones or an SSRI prescription to FLOOR: 70 PERCENT SWEAR BY THEM.
manage heightened anxiety or depression. Source: 2018 survey from the Peanut app

INNER SPEECH
FOR INNER PEACE
Positive self-talk isn’t just
a hippie-dippie thing to do. It actually
zaps stress – which boosts your long-term
health (chronic stress = chronic illness).
How? Kind affirmations in moments of

DR ANKE K ARL, SENIOR LEC TURER IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSIT Y OF EXETER IN THE UK .
panic deactivate the body’s fight-or-flight

DR MARY K AR APETIAN ALVORD, PSYCHOLOGIST AND DIREC TOR AT ALVORD, BAKER & ASSOCIATES;
PHOTOGR APH: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM; SOURCES: CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE (STUDY );
response, lowering your heart rate so you
can mentally and physically relax, per
a new study. Mantras to try: “I’m doing my
best; no one is perfect,” if your stress stems
from others’ criticism. Overwhelmed?
Recall what went well today (“I crushed my
morning workout”). If you’re frazzled by
a health scare or work challenge: “I can’t
control the outcome, but I’m strong
enough to handle it.” Because
trust us, you are.
 AYA
THA NDA
BET
The Co H
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ion

, S i n ead
l e w riter el turned
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H b eaut wn with enter fo , what
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c ove r s t a r
 We’ve just wrapped a full day of
shooting. Ayanda Thabethe’s first
WH cover. I mention that it’s time to
move on to the interview portion of
the day and she quickly changes into
her comfies – black leggings, a white
tee and pink fluffy Ugg boots – before
meeting me at the studio’s boardroom
table. “Super prepped”, I think (the
studio has been chilly all day). Ayanda
was fairly quiet throughout the
shoot, which, as I begin to chat to her
one-on-one, I realise was not out of
shyness or disinterest, but rather, pure
focus. Ayanda is a powerhouse, here
to glow up, show up and rise up.
LET’S TALK…
We start chatting with ease. The
petite Top Billing presenter tells
me how much she’s enjoyed her
past week in Cape Town. Based
in Joburg, Ayanda admits she
only really visits The Mother
City for work, but this week
she has “played hard as well”.
A bite at popular restaurant The
Shortmarket Club, dim sum at
Asian eatery Haiku and even
a misty hike up Lion’s Head. She’s
loved the week in Cape Town, she
tells me, but needs to rush home
because she’s leaving in the next
few days for Monaco and a full
weekend of glamour, yacht-side
at the Formula 1 Grand Prix.
After watching her on set all
day, it became clear early on that
Ayanda knows her angles. She’s
no stranger to the camera, nor is
she shy in front of it. And quite
frankly, why should she be? Her
body looks fierce in every single
outfit and her skin is so silky
smooth that the make-up artist
has had an easy day at the office.
This is why I’m pretty surprised
when Ayanda reveals to me that in
30 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za
recent years she’s struggled with
self-confidence and insecurities.
GLOW UP
“It’s crazy – I had really great skin
growing up,” she says, “but when
I turned 29, I got adult acne… Like
serious adult acne. And that’s
when I really started to realise how
people must feel when their skin
isn’t clear. It can really hit your
self-confidence”. Before battling
with skin problems, Ayanda
admits that her skincare routine
was somewhat of an afterthought.
“I probably only started properly
exfoliating and cleansing later
on in my twenties… Before then,
I was just about cleansing with
water and whatever moisturiser
I could find.” As a beauty editor
and someone who battled all
through her teens with problem
skin, the thought of cleansing with
water alone is enough to make me
break out in jealous hives. But it’s
hard to dislike Ayanda, especially
when she’s being so candid.
“The switch only happened for
me in my late twenties when
 c ove r s t a r

Ayanda’s
Top
Training
Tips
FIND
A WORKOUT
BUDDY.
Someone
who will take
the time out
of their day
to be at the
gym with you.
Being held
accountable
is key.
YOU MIGHT
NOT FIND
WHAT
YOU LOVE
STRAIGHT
AWAY.
Be patient
until you find
your thing.
Then commit
to it.
SWITCH
THINGS UP.
In order to
see your body
evolve, you
need to put
it through
a range of
different
workouts.

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 31
I started having problems. That’s
when I woke up and realised
that I needed to make my
skin a priority,” she explains.
Becoming a Pond’s skincare
ambassador in early 2015 was
a stamp of approval for Ayanda.
After multiple model castings
where she was told she had
a great look but was too short,
this contract confirmed that “there
was a space in the industry” for
this 1.62m tall model. Before then
Ayanda was “just a model, trying
to make the big time in Jozi… But
for a brand that big to put their
name behind me at that stage of
my career was such a big push in
the positive direction” she recalls.
It’s a partnership which has
strengthened tenfold over
her ambassadorship tenure,
which Ayanda puts down to the
authenticity of her relationship
with the skincare brand. “We
have a family-like relationship,”
she tells me, “I can literally call
anyone up in the team, no
matter how senior they are.” her body changing and decided
she wanted to whip it back into
SHOW UP the slender shape she had always
“In terms of my body and my been accustomed to seeing in
physical appearance, I’ve always the mirror. “When you’re insecure
had a problem with my stomach,” about something, you have to
Ayanda reveals. “Although I’ve ask yourself, ‘so what are you
always had a tiny frame and never going to do about it? You hate
actually had a problem with my your thighs? Okay, so that’s
what lunges are for!’”

PREVIOUS SPREAD: TOP: FOREVER 21; JACKET; MRP SPORT; TIGHTS: COT TON ON BODY; EARRINGS: LOVISA; RING: ATHENA A
weight” – again, the jealousy hives
come creeping – “but then I hit But Ayanda quickly discovered

29 and my body just wasn’t the
same anymore.” Ayanda laughs
as she reflects on 29 being the
year things changed for her, but
we decide it led her down a much
healthier and more prosperous
path (you know, lemons and
lemonade and all). “When I was
younger, I would just starve myself
for a few days if I wanted to slim
down and the weight would
fall off, but then I hit this weird
age and suddenly my body just
wasn’t as co-operative. It meant
I had to start making conscious
choices about eating and drinking
well. And that’s where my fitness
journey really began.”
You might think that to grace
the cover of Women’s Health you
need to have been an exercise
enthusiast your whole life, but
Ayanda is proof of the contrary.
Her fitness journey only began in
her late twenties as she noticed
THIS SPREAD: DRESS AND SNEAKERS: PUMA; SOCKS: MRP SPORT; SUNGL ASSES: COTTON ON; EARRINGS: MISSIBABA
that it wouldn’t be as simple
as she’d hoped. “Gym is a very
intimidating space because you
get there and everyone looks like
they know what they are doing
and you’re just there thinking
‘what on earth do I do?’ Plus
you’re so scared of looking stupid,
right?” she laughs. After feeling
HAIR AND MAKE-UP: L AUREN SMIT; SHOT ON LOCATION AT FL ASH STUDIO.
a little lost on the gym floor,
Ayanda decided various classes
were the way to go. She tried
a bunch, from yoga to Zumba,
and once she felt like she had
mastered those, she decided to
take on a new challenge with
a personal trainer. “It’s definitely
my new favourite way to train
because we switch things up
all the time. One session will
be weights, the next might be
functional training or cardio. I’ve
realised that I need to keep my
training varied in order to evolve.
Oh, and most importantly,” she

32 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

FIRST SPREAD AND L AST SPREAD: JACKET: AMEN; SPORTS BR A: COTTON ON BODY; HEADPHONES: VOLCOM;
EARRINGS: KIRSTEN GOSS; RING: ATHENA A
c ove r s t a r
interjects, “it needs to be with
someone else because I simply
suck at training alone… Besides
not knowing what to do, I just
don’t have the mentality to do 20
reps when I can easily stop at 10.”
RISE UP
It quickly became apparent
to Ayanda that physical fitness
would not only help her self-
confidence, it was also a step in
the right direction for her career
as well. This petite beauty has the
business brains to back up all her
career moves and, with a B.Com
communication management
degree and an honours in
marketing behind her, she’s not
afraid to use them. “I think brands
appreciate somebody who is
being themselves and they want
to tap into that” she says. “When
I started my fitness journey,
I never would have imagined
that I’d be on a Women’s
Health cover… In fact, it was
never even part of my goals!”
she admits. And the same
was true of becoming a Puma
ambassador, “especially because
I’m a performance ambassador,
which is totally different to
a lifestyle ambassador.” Ayanda
puts it down to being true to
herself. “I think it comes down to
authenticity – I share the good
and the bad. I mean, I love sugar.
In fact, exercise and getting to the
gym isn’t my biggest challenge
– mine is eating – and I’m not
afraid to say, ‘hey, I’ve had a bad
day today, but tomorrow I’ll try to
be better’ and I think that’s what
makes me relatable.”
THE REAL DEAL
There it is again, the notion of
authenticity. Which I am quickly
realising is something very
important to Ayanda. Particularly
when it comes to her 1.1 million-
strong Instagram following.
Intimidated by the sheer volume
of that many followers myself,
I prod to see if Ayanda takes the
responsibility seriously. First,
I learn that she has grown this
mammoth following in just three
years after her account was
hacked. Back then, Ayanda had
gained an impressive 42 000
Instagram followers before her
account was mysteriously deleted.
34 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019
“Starting from scratch was scary,”
she admits, but it also gave her
the opportunity to implement
a proper social-media strategy.
“I know that I am a brand
and I know that I represent
other brands. I know what I do
matters – which means I can’t just
necessarily do things irresponsibly
on social media because my
brand, my image and what I do
impacts so many other things.”
IN THE SHEETS
Besides the business side of
WITH AYANDA
things, Ayanda admits that her Head over to
biggest obstacle is not sharing WomensHealthSA.
her day-to-day, but rather keeping co.za for Ayanda’s top
her life relevant. “Most people beauty secrets. Pssst,
in the entertainment industry
it may or may not
include a sheet
would say their biggest challenge mask of dreams!
is keeping your life private, but
for me that hasn’t been an issue.
My real challenge has been
reinventing myself all the time. As
an entertainer, I know that there
is always new talent coming in
and there will always be new
people to look at it.” I recognise
the business side of Ayanda
talking again now. “Keeping
yourself relevant and top of mind
is quite a challenge – you have to
ask yourself constantly: what am
I offering? While acknowledging
that what you offered last year
or last week may no longer be of
interest to your audience anymore.
There’s a serious challenge
in staying authentic, keeping
your authentic core values and
principles, but ensuring that
you evolve with the times.”
Forget her silky skin, chocolate-
block abs and glistening smile.
What really impressed me about
Ayanda? Her professionalism.
It’s not hard to see why the likes
of Pond’s and Puma have added
her to their squads. She arrived
on set on time (you won’t believe
how rare that actually is), ready
to shoot the lights out and nail
every shot, perfectly. Perhaps it’s
down to her conscious evolution
or her swift career switch-ups, but
at 33, Ayanda is sure of herself.
Not in a diva, roll-your-eyes kinda
way, but in the way that means
she understands her talents, feels
good in her skin and isn’t afraid
to push past any boundaries set
before her. As women, we know
we’re multi-faceted, but in case
you needed a little reminder,
Ayanda is living proof.
| WomensHealthSA.co.za
 c ove r s t a r

Getting
to know
the real
Ayanda
IN ONE
SENTENCE…
I’m a spiritual
being put
on this earth
to achieve
my highest
potential and
I’m doing it
the best way
I know how.
DREAM BIO
IN 20 YEARS…
Here’s
a woman who
has emptied
every ounce
of her talent.
ULTIMATE
SELF-CARE
TOOL…
A sheet mask.
EXERCISE
FOR ME IS…
Another self-
care tool.
I never
thought I’d
say that, but
no matter
what is going
on in my day,
if I go to gym,
I feel good
about myself.
A good
workout is
like a gift
to yourself.
Best Body
H e a l t h a n d f i t n e s s i n s p o to f e e l a m a z i n g a l l ove r
BEND AND...
SNAP?
Why being in the
right headspace is
key to preventing injury
– and feeling all the Zen
By Marissa Gainsburg
36 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H
Ah, yoga. In theory, it’s all open
hearts and good vibes – you hop
on your mat and things just… Flow.
In reality, that’s not always the case.
“Our go-go-go pace often causes
the mind to disconnect from the body,
which, if not corrected, can set you
up for an unpleasant and even unsafe
practice,” says Amanda Kerpius,
a yoga instructor and massage
therapist who specialises in functional
yoga for athletes and those rehabing
injuries. In fact, while regular yoga
has been shown to improve chronic
tension in prime areas (think neck and
lower back), it actually causes pain
in more than 10 percent of people,
| July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za
landing them with at least one new
or aggravated sore spot within a year,
according to a study in the Journal of
Bodywork and Movement Therapies.
“I see this a lot – women having
to take weeks off from the studio
because they didn’t listen to their
body in class,” Kerpius adds.
It’s not the activity itself (which does
demand some flexibility and stability
from sensitive joints): pain more
often arises when you aren’t paying
attention to your own personal limits.
You see, without that crucial mind-
body connection, your brain operates
in extremes, pressuring you to go
to the max or zoning out entirely.
A PAIN-PROOF FLOW A
Elongate your body and CROSS-
invigorate your mind LEGGED
STANDING
– without compromising CRESCENT
any naggy areas – with
this series Kerpius
TAKE A STAND
created exclusively Before any yoga flow,
for WH. You’ll also stand tall, relax your
strengthen your core shoulders and listen to B
SIDE
– key to curbing pain your breath to bring ANGLE
from your neck to yourself inwards.
your knees. Move A quick closed-eye
through Flow 1, then body scan in this
position beats lying
repeat on the other
on your back – it helps
side. Continue with you better suss out
Flow 2, performing areas that feel tired
the moves on both or stiff so you can log
sides. Repeat the full them in your mind
sequence as many before you begin.
times as you like.

FLOW 1
Stand, then cross your right foot over your left,
your right arm on your right rib cage and your left
arm overhead. Bend your torso to the right as you
stretch your left arm to come into Cross-Legged
Standing Crescent (A). Return to start, then lift
your heels and pivot to face the other direction.
Step your left foot out to a lunge position, your left C
WIDE-
toes facing forwards and perpendicular to your
LEGGED
right foot, and bring your left elbow to rest on your FORWARD
left thigh for Side Angle (B). Lift your torso and FOLD
turn to face the long edge of your mat. Spin your
left foot parallel to your right, keeping your legs
wide apart, and lower your arms to come
into Wide-Legged Forward Fold (C). Step your
feet together as you bend your knees and sit your
hips back into Chair Pose (D). Lower your left
arm outside your right knee for Alternating Chair
Twist (E); breathe, then repeat on the other side.
Return to standing.

MIND YOUR DISTRESS

Yoga should be
uncomfortable at
times, but it should
never feel bad. If
modifying a pose feels D
better (note: not easier) CHAIR
than holding it, make POSE
that adjustment. But
if holding a pose feels
like it’s strengthening
E
ALTERNATING or opening without any
CHAIR TWIST pain, breathe through
the discomfort.

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 37
Best Body p a i n - f r e e practice

EMBRACE BLOCKS
Keep at least one
block by your mat
every practice. Using
them doesn’t mean
you’re cheating or
not advanced. Blocks
simply bring the floor
closer to your body
so you don’t over-
ACCEPT, A lengthen your limbs
TWISTED beyond a safe range
DON’T EXPECT HIGH LUNGE
Need a mantra to keep of motion.
you in the moment?
Think, “Today, I am
here”. That’ll remind
you not only to stay
present, but also to
suspend judgement
about where you
should be or want to
be in your practice.

FLOW 2
Place two blocks in front of you. Step your right
foot back and bend your left knee to come into
a lunge; stretch your right arm in front of you and
your left arm behind you as you rotate your torso B
E FORWARD
to the left for Twisted High Lunge (A). Step your
CHILD’S FOLD
POSE
right foot forwards to meet your left, then bend at
your hips to come into a Forward Fold (B), knees
soft, each hand on one block. Pause, then lower
your forearms to the floor and step your feet back
to come into a Forearm Plank (C). Brace your
core as you lower your right knee to the floor for
Alternating Knee Dip (D). Return to plank, then
WATCH YOUR ARMS
repeat on the other side. Bring your knees together
Downward dog and
and lower them to the floor, stretch your arms C
chaturangas can FOREARM
forwards, your fingertips grazing the floor, as

OPENING PHOTOGR APH: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM; YOGA PHOTOGR APHS: BETH BISCHOFF
trigger wrist, shoulder PLANK
you sit your hips back into Child’s Pose (E).
and elbow pain – the
three most prevalent
injuries cited in the
study. Work around it
by sitting into child’s
pose or dropping
your knees to the
floor, respectively,
which removes excess
pressure on your
upper body.

D
ALTERNATING
KNEE DIP

38 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

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 WOMEN
IN SPORT

you can do this..

TRIATHLON
With SA’s obsession with endurance sports, it’s
no surprise that triathlon training is becoming
more popular. Annah Watkinson – who turned
pro at the age of 34 and still works full-time in
the finance industry – shares how you too can By Amy Hopkins
Photographs by Chris Hitchcock
take on this incredible sport

Swim, bike, run. As the triathlon joke goes: “Why suck at just one sport
when you can suck at three?” This could not be further from the truth.
How? Not only do these three sports complement each other, but doing
the combination of all three means you develop a variety of muscles
(and skills!), you have less risk of injury and, unlike other traditional
endurance sports (ultra-marathons or stage cycling races), you don’t
fatigue as easily because you’re constantly changing it up. And no
one is saying you need to go full IRONMAN (yet). SA plays home to
hundreds of sprint triathlons around the country: from gravel tracks
and dam swims to idyllic coastal waters and steaming tarmac (and
big parties afterwards… Triathletes love a good post-race celebration).
Part of the fun is making a weekend out of it.

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 41
Best Body yo u
THE BENEFITS
OF MULTISPORTS
Think of it like this, explains
IRONMAN coach Steve
Attwell, founder of the
Embark training programme:
“Cross-training allows for
the use of different muscles
– muscles that are perhaps
not challenged in your
chosen sport.” Let’s say your
chosen sport is running. If all
you do is run, you’re much
more likely to get injured
than if you do multisports.
“It also gives the hard-
working muscles a chance
to recover. For example, if
you are running a lot and you
swim on your off days, the
swim gives your legs a break
while challenging the upper
body more. It still gives you
a good cardio workout, so
you never feel like you are
not getting a good workout,”
explains Attwell.
Similarly, cycling can really
help build endurance, but
isn’t as hard on the body as
running, so you can go for
longer and recover faster.
can do this
MEET
ANNAH
During office hours,
investment banker, Annah
(age 37) heads up Global
Finance Coastal at ABSA.
But in the early hours of the
morning and on weekends,
she is a pro triathlete. Her
recent major success? Third
place at the IRONMAN
African Championship in
Port Elizabeth in April. She
was the first South African
woman across the finish line
and earned herself a place
at KONA, the IRONMAN
World Championship in
Hawaii. As with every full
IRONMAN, it comprises
a 3.8km swim, 180km
cycle and 42.2km run. And
requires many, many hours
of training. But like most
South African female sports
heroes, Annah manages to
do it all with a full-time job.
HOW IT ALL STARTED
Annah’s story began at
the age of 27 when – like
many of us do – she took up
running to lose weight. She’d
picked up a few kilos while
living in the US and decided
the treadmill was the place
to lose them. Back on SA
soil, that treadmill habit
turned into half marathons
and then triathlons. Within
a year she’d completed her
first half IRONMAN – East
London 70.3. Two years
later, she won her age group
category in the same race
and earned a spot at the 70.3
World Champs in Las Vegas.
The bug had bitten. Even
a cycling accident that saw
Annah breaking her collar
bone and wrist didn’t keep
her out of action for long.
She came back to complete
her first full IRONMAN and
won her age category again!
At her first KONA in 2015 she
came third and the following
year she turned pro.
“Persistence can
change failure into
extraordinary
achievement.”
– Annah Watkinson
A WEEK IN
ANNAH’S LIFE:
“In the run up to an
IRONMAN race, I would
look to average a max of
25 hours training a week.
This may include two
to three hours per day.
Over weekends I can
train longer and can
get up to six hours
a day,” says Annah.
“I feel like I am in
a perpetual state of
taking off wet and sweaty
athletic kit and getting
in the shower – for two
minutes only as I live in
Cape Town!”
In order to juggle
it all, Annah starts training
early. Really early! “And
I often end late,” she says.
“Critically, I try to get to
bed and sleep as soon as
training, work and eating
are done for the day. But,
for example, I had a late
work day last week and
got home at 8pm still with
a run session to do. So
I finished well after 9pm,
which for me is late… You
might think 9pm is early,
but when you’re waking
up at 4am, it’s a long day
and a late night!”
An average week includes:
20 to 25km of swimming
60 to 90km of running
8 hours on the bike
ANNAH’S GEAR:
W E T S U I T:
ROKA Women’s Maverick
Pro II Wetsuit – it’s super
comfortable with a lot of
buoyancy and I genuinely
have no shoulder discomfort!
GOGGLES:
Still working out which are
best. I raced in Finis Circuit.
T R I S U I T:
Orca RSI Dream Kona Suit.
I prefer a trisuit with sleeves.
It’s more aerodynamic and
reduces chafing and sunburn
over a long day.
BIKE:
Cervélo P5. There are so many
great features of Cervélo
bikes. The Cervélo P5 is an
incredibly aerodynamic frame
that with my stack and reach
feels customised to my body
and I can deliver power into
the bicycle to move forwards
as quickly as possible.
H E L M E T:
Giro Aerohead MIPS (racing)
and Specialized S-Works
Evade (training).
SUNGLASSES:
Oakley Radar EV Path and
the Oakley EVZero Stride.
FITNESS TRACKER:
I love Garmin for both its
style and design. The ease of
use alongside its top-quality
functionality is something
that I want out of the
trackers that I’m using. This
is important to me, as I use
the feedback it provides as
a measure of current status
and a communication tool
with my coach.
R U N N I N G S H O E S : 
Naturally Nike Vaporfly 4%
(racing) and Nike Epic React
(training). Putting on racing
shoes is like putting on red
lipstick for a night out on the
town, my racing shoes are
lighter (and faster) than my
training shoes and as a result
you only take those out on
big occasions – race day!
SPORTS BRA:
Lululemon or Nike
 “For me and my coach, there is
no such thing as ‘overtraining’
but rather ‘under recovering’.”
– Annah Watkinson

TRIATHLONS
FOR BEGINNERS
Start with the sprint versions (750m
swim, 20km ride, 5km run) and then
Olympic (1.5km, 40km, 10km):
• 5150 Bela Bela Triathlon,
Warmbaths (17 August 2019)
• Trinity Sports Triathlon,
Germiston (6 October 2019)
• Slanghoek Triathlon, Rawsonville
(TBC October 2019)
• 5150 Nelson Mandela
Bay, Port Elizabeth
(24 November 2019)
• Ultratri Joburg, Muldersdrift
(1 December 2019) Annah’s race-day nutrition:
• Discovery ITU World Triathlon, 4am Breakfast: I battle to get through breakfast with pre-race nerves.
I eat oats, peanut butter and some granola or muesli for crunch.
Cape Town (TBC February 2020)
What’s in your bottle: GU Roctane Energy Drink Mix.
• Blue Lagoon Triathlon, Nutrition for the day: Different things work for different people and it’s vital
Langebaan (TBC March 2020) to ‘practise’ your race day nutrition so that you’re comfortable on race day.
I typically take in between 150 to 250 calories per hour or I try drink or eat every
20 to 30 minutes and I have to force myself to do so at the end of the race. GU
WHEN YOU’RE READY Gels are 120 calories and typically I put these into a single bottle with a little
water to dilute in order to easily sip this from the bottle. I also have some GU
TO LEVEL UP: Chews and a bit of homemade fudge on the bike just to change the texture
IRONMAN 70.3 East London and flavour of what I am consuming during the race.

(26 January 2020) Post-race recovery drink: GU Recovery Drink Mix in Vanilla with a bit of ice cream
if I can… It’s my big reward and a dreamy mix.
IRONMAN 70.3 Durban (June 2020) Post-race recovery meal: Burgers definitely and salt... After a race you are crying
out for anything salted so salt-and-vinegar chips hit the spot!
IRONMAN African Championship
(TBC 2020)

I DON’T HAVE TIME TO LET

BACTERIAL AGINOSIS (B ) GET ME DOWN
EMPOWERING WOMEN

B IS THE MOST COMMON VAGINAL INFECTION, AFFECTING WOMEN1,2

SYMPTOMS May experience
Thin whitish/ Fishy odour 2
OF B itching or burning3
grey discharge2
INCLUDE:
Speak to your Doctor or Pharmacist about a suitable topical treatment option for you that is available over the counter.

www.myvaginalgel.co.za
References: 1. Impact Rx – September 2018, Data on file. Results of a survey of 64 South African gynaecologists, commissioned by iNova and undertaken by a third party in February 2017. 2. Product approved package insert, 2001/02/11. 3. Thrush and Bacterial vaginosis. Looking after your
sexual health [online] [cited 22 March 2018]; Available from URL: http://www.sexualhealthsheffield.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/thrush-bacterial-vaginosis-information-and-advice.pdf. 4. Ries AJ. Treatment of Vaginal Infections: Candidiasis, Bacterial Vaginosis, and Trichomoniasis.
J Am Pharm Assoc. 1997;NS37:563-9. 5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2015. MMWR 2015;64(3):1-137.
For more information, speak to your healthcare professional. Further information is available on request from iNova Pharmaceuticals. Name and business address: iNova Pharmaceuticals (Pty) Ltd. Co. Reg. No. 1952/001640/07. 15E Riley Road, Bedfordview.
Tel. No. 011 087 0000. www.inovapharma.co.za. IN2899/18. 80517
Best Body p u l l it of f

The cable-machine cords

hold the power to tone it all
– master ’em with our guide
to this hidden gym gem
By Kristin Canning

PULL AHEAD
OF THE PACK
W EN HEA | u | W en
nsHe
H al t hS o a
o.za
You’re confident with dumbbells,
know how to swing a kettlebell and
you pump a barbell like a champ… But
when was the last time you gave the
cable machine some love? If you’re
avoiding the pulleys, you’re missing
out. Unlike most machines, this one
doesn’t lock you into a fixed motion and
it comes with a host of power-building
benefits. Yet it’s been overlooked with
the rise of free weights. “Both are great
for strength, but certain movement
patterns can be done only with cables,”
says certified strength and conditioning
specialist Rachel Cosgrove. We’ve got
four fab reasons to make this total-
body blaster your new workout bud.

YOU’LL GET STRONGER

FASTER (YES, PLEASE!)
Imagine doing a biceps curl with
a dumbbell – it’s tough on the way
up and easier on the way down. That
second part – what experts call eccentric
movement – is harder with cables.
“The cable machine is unique in that
it provides continuous tension on the
muscle throughout the exercise,” says
certified strength and conditioning
specialist Joe Dowdell. You have to
keep flexing to prevent the cables from
pulling you in the opposite direction.
Two-way resistance means muscle
fibres experience more stress during
strength exercises, leading to quicker
muscle growth.

YOU’LL TIGHTEN YOUR

CORE FROM EVERY ANGLE
Cable towers force you to counter
instability as you move because you’re
not seated in position as you are with
other machines. That means cable
exercises recruit more of your core to
keep you stable, says Cosgrove, building
solid ab and back muscles as you work
out. Even exercises that aren’t specifically
for your core will help – it’ll be fired
up as you stabilise or fight rotation
throughout the motion. In other
words, the rest will come.
YOU’LL SLASH THOSE
PESKY ACHES AND PAINS
The pulley system means you’re not
working against the force of gravity
as you work out, which takes stress off
your joints. For example, “being able to
stand upright while performing a row
or chest press relieves pressure on your
back,” says Cosgrove. And swapping free
weights for cables allows you to practise
controlled, fluid form during tough
exercises – in a safe environment. Note:
90 percent of gym injuries come from
dumbbells and barbells, according to The
American Journal of Sports Medicine.
(You can’t drop a cable on your toe!)
YOU’LL BOOST YOUR BURN
Full-body workout without leaving your
station? Can do. All you need are a few
quick weight and pulley adjustments to
hit every muscle group. That versatility
makes for a fast, efficient workout
and, with speedier transitions between
moves, you’ll save time and increase
your overall calorie burn and fat loss,
says Cosgrove.

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 45
Best Body p u l l it of f

POWER MOVES
Mix these staple cable exercises into any workout routine.
Try completing three or four sets of 10 to 12 reps each
Set It Up Stand tall to
If you’re new to sculpt your CABLE PULL-
pulleys, start with legs and back
these simple steps. with each rep. A THROUGH Keep your
Still feeling stuck? Stand a little chest up,
Trainers hanging back flat and
in front of a low
core tight.
around the gym love pulley with rope
helping out! Don’t or handle attached,
be afraid to flag one
down and ask facing away from
a question. the tower. Position
your feet more than
1 shoulder-width
CHOOSE YOUR
apart and hold A
ATTACHMENT
Most gyms have options the rope between
– stirrup handles, split your legs with
ropes, pull-down bars. both hands. Hinge
You can clip each one
onto the cable. Start
forwards at the hips
with a few basic moves to lower your torso
(like these) until you’re towards the floor,
familiar with which keeping your chest
attachments go with
certain exercises.
up and shoulders
Triceps moves tend to down (A). Squeeze
call for split ropes and your glutes and
back exercises often drive your hips

2
call for bars, but there
are tons of different
forwards to stand
combos to try. (B). Pause, then
B slowly reverse to
2 start. That’s one rep.
ADJUST THE PULLEY
After taking the pin out
of the weight stack so
there’s no resistance, SPLIT SQUAT WITH
move the height of the FRONT FOOT ELEVATED Meet your booty
pulley up or down (it Place a low box a little in front of a low pulley. BFF. This is one
usually has a pin or of our favourite
Facing the tower, place your left foot on the box
release handle that butt builders.
holds it in place, but and step your right foot back. Grab the handle with
machines vary) to suit your right hand, right arm fully extended and legs
the exercise you’ll be straight (A). Bend your knees to lower your body
doing. For upper-body B
towards the floor, keeping your chest upright and
moves, like a chest
press or chop, make right knee in line with your shoulders (B). Push
sure the height is set so through your feet to return to start. That’s one
that you can complete rep. Do all reps, then switch sides and repeat.
the exercises without
having to raise your
shoulders, which should
always be down and
Hellllo, A B SINGLE-ARM
back, according
to Cosgrove. obliques! Your CHEST PRESS
abs (and chest Set the cable to shoulder
PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM; WORDS: JAMIE MILL AR

3 and arms) will

feel this one. height, grab the handle with
PICK YOUR NUMBER
your left hand and face away
Place the pin in the
appropriate weight from the tower. Take a big step

3
plate. The load should forwards with your right foot,
make it challenging to knees slightly bent, and raise
finish the sets and reps,
the handle to your shoulder,
but not so much that
you lose your form. That elbow bent and in line with
middle ground is your your wrist (A). Brace your core
sweet spot. and push the handle forwards
until your arm is fully extended
(B). Pause, then slowly reverse
back to start. That’s one rep.
Do all reps, then switch sides
and repeat.

46 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | Wom

mensHealthSA.co.za

TAKE IT TO
THE FLOOR
Someone already hogging the
cable machine? Pull yourself
towards a sexy back and toned
arms on the functional floor
with the classic row
If you can’t reach the
kettlebells without
rounding your back,
prop them up on
weight plates.
The bells should feel heavy,
but not impossible to lift.
Try starting with no less than
8kg, but aim for at least 10 to
12kg if you’re not a beginner.
HOW TO DO IT
1 2
Stand with feet hip-width Hinge forwards at the
apart, two kettlebells on hips to reach down and
the floor in front of you. grab the kettlebells,
maintaining a straight
back and a neutral neck.
Rowing movements are hands-down the best for back
sculpting, but traditional single-arm rows make it easy to
over-rotate your torso and use your body angle (rather
than your muscles) to pull weight, says strength and
conditioning specialist Tony Gentilcore. This anchored
kettlebell variation, on the other hand, stabilises you:
“When you anchor your opposite arm to the other kettlebell
on the ground, it’s difficult to twist.” Less rotation means
more work for your back, core and arms. Results!
Row as if you’re
putting your hand
in your back pocket
– that way, you
won’t lift too high
and round your
shoulders.
WORK IT IN
3 As a strength builder:
Row one kettlebell to your 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps per side.
hip, keeping the opposite As a superset: Add on 8 to 10 reps
hand on the other of overhead presses.
kettlebell, then lower it to As a finisher: Alternate five rows per side
the ground. That’s one rep. and five push-ups for eight minutes.
l 19
9 | OMEN’S HE LT H 47
Best Body yo u l o s e , yo u w i n

“FOR THE FIRST TIME, I AM

COMFORTABLE IN MY OWN SKIN.”
VITA L S:
Pippa Pringle, 42,
Somerset West
O CC U PATI O N: B EFO RE
Communications
company owner 114.8kg
H EIG H T: 1.65m AF TER
67kg
TI M E TA K EN TO
LOSE W EIG H T:
2.5 years
SEC R E T W E A P O N
TO W EIG H T LOS S:
Having a nutritionist

THE GAIN I was experiencing she started making

Pippa’s struggled severe joint pains,” some changes
with her weight she says. It got to while waiting for
since puberty. the point where she her new eating
When she was considered weight- plan. By the time
12, her mother loss surgery. she returned to
enrolled her in collect her plan,
a diet programme. THE CHANGE she had dropped
“Looking back, In 2015, Pippa ran almost two kilos.
I don’t think I was into a friend who And just like that,
overweight, but she had lost over 20kgs there was no
didn’t know any with the help of stopping her.
better and thought a nutritionist. This
she was doing the inspired her to give THE
right thing for me, weight loss one LIFESTYLE
which I appreciate,” last shot. “I made The first three
she says. Pippa an appointment to weeks of the plan
believes this see a nutritionist were the hardest.
contributed to her and see what lay But once she made how to better daily routine,” I had never been

PHOTOGR APH: CASE Y CR AFFORD; WORDS: CHANDRÉ DAVIDS; SHOT ON LOCATION AT BOUND FIT IN CAPE TOWN
unhealthy eating ahead for me,” she it past 22 days, her relationship she says. able to do before,”
habits, which, says. “Sitting in giving up wasn’t with food and she says. “The
over 27 years, the nutritionist’s an option. “In the actually start to like THE looks on their faces
culminated in her office, I remember past, I never got exercise. “I learnt REWARD made everything
weighing 115 kilos. feeling extremely further than three which foods are Just over two worth it!” Pippa’s
An average day’s depressed. If weeks and this in good for me and years later, Pippa quality of life and
plate was filled with I could just lose itself was a major how to eat the right had lost 50 kilos, self-esteem have
ham, cheese and two kilos it would achievement for food groups as something that’s also improved
mayo sandwiches be a win, but me,” she says. this is beneficial to allowed her to live dramatically.
and chocolate. I didn’t think it To maintain curbing cravings, a very different “I have self-
“I hit a low point, could even be that.” momentum, she which ultimately life. “The cherry confidence
where I felt fat, ugly To her surprise, her started meal steer you in the on the cake for I never had before,”
and just extremely nutritionist told prepping, which direction of the me was being able she says. “For the
uncomfortable. her she could lose allowed her to nip ‘bad’ foods. And to go on water first time in my life,
My breathing was 50 kilos. She was temptation in the then incorporating slides with my I am comfortable
laboured and so motivated that bud. She also learnt exercise into my two children which in my own skin.”

BEST Water Peppermint tea Rooibos tea

Water is a natural way to help
DRINKS FOR decrease toxins and flush out
BLOATING your gut. It will also help keep
your digestive system moving,
FROM DIETICIAN prevent constipation and, of
MISCHA JAMIESON course, keep you hydrated.
With relaxant and antispasmodic
properties, peppermint tea can help
alleviate cramps and spasms in the
gut, which improves the passing
of both food and swallowed air
through the gastrointestinal tract.
Don’t take this miracle brew
for granted – it’s packed with
goodness, like antioxidants and
anti-inflammatories. It’s also got
nutrients that act as antispasmodics
and can prevent abdominal pain.

48 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

 Best Body w e i g h t y m a t te r s

CRITICAL
MASS
Want to sleep better, build brain power and stop getting sick? (We know, of
course you do!) Picking up a dumbbell might be the best way to get there

Remember when your mom said, “Two wrongs don’t make a right”? That’s
kind of how we feel about the phrase “skinny fat.” (Seriously, no one needs
to use either word to describe a body – their own or anyone else’s, let alone
both.) Terminology aside, though, the health risks are real. Appearing to be
at a healthy weight while having excess body fat has been linked to serious
issues like heart disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Best Body w e i g h t y m a t te r s

GO PRO
Three ways to get the 100g
But recently, science threw us a curveball. up to 20 minutes less sleep at night of protein a day needed to
Studies began to show that many than non-exercisers to feel at the build and maintain
overweight people are healthier than top of their game, per one study. important muscle mass
“S-word F-word” folks, even though they
carry more body fat. Huh? Turns out, 1
A STRONGER TICKER
the problem isn’t just having too much 1 egg plus 3 whites (17g)
To understand why muscle can ward
fat – it’s not having enough muscle, says + 1 cup cottage cheese (26g)
off cardiovascular disease – the number + 1 protein bar (25g) + 115g
Dr Carla Prado, a clinical nutritionist
one killer of women – consider what chicken breast (35g)
who studies muscle and health at the
researchers call the “obesity paradox”:
University of Alberta in Canada. Her
obese people are at greater risk of 2
research has found women with
developing heart disease (due to high 1 cup fat- free plain yogurt (18g)
a “healthy” BMI, but low levels of
blood pressure and fatty build-up in + 170g sliced turkey (31g)
lean muscle have the highest risk
arteries); but once diagnosed, they’re + 2 sticks mozzarella stringy
for death, even compared with cheese (10g) + 140g salmon (36g)
much less likely to die from it, compared
those who have excess body fat.
That’s worrying because although 3
more and more women are strength Banana and 45g peanut butter
training and #StrongIsTheNew... Well, (10g) + 100g kidney beans (24g)
everything, people are still heavier and + 1.5 scoops protein powder (35g)
less muscular than they were a decade + 170g tempeh (31g)
ago. And Prado is seeing the low muscle
levels that are epidemic among older
women appearing now in younger
ones. The likely cause: a combination
of declining activity and the increasing
popularity of detox and ultra-low-calorie
diets. “When you drastically drop your
calories and protein, your body burns
muscle for fuel,” Prado explains. That’s
on top of the muscle mass women
naturally lose as they age. The good
news: there’s nowhere to go but up! “You
can always build muscle,” says Dr Suzette
Pereira, a microbiologist and muscle
researcher at Abbott Laboratories in the
US. Ditto for maintaining what you’ve
already worked so hard for. “Give it the
right input – exercise and nutrition – and

8
it will grow,” says Pereira. And when it
does, the mind and body benefits are
nearly endless. Let us count the ways…

A L I T M E TA B O L I S M
People with more muscle mass are The average
better able to process sugar, helping percentage of muscle
them fend off weight gain and diabetes. mass we lose every
In other words, the more muscle you decade after 30.
have, the more likely your next scoop Pull, push and lift
of ice cream will be used as fuel rather to fight back.
than stored as fat.

QUALITY ZZZS
A good night’s sleep is a trainer, therapist
and nutritionist in one. It can improve
your sports performance, lower your
anxiety and help you consume less.
Exercise may increase the quality of
your shut-eye and – ironically, in a good
way – decrease the time you need to
spend with the Sandman. Women who
did moderate or vigorous exercise
(including strength training) required

50 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019
 with their normal-BMI counterparts with
heart problems. That’s probably because
heavy people put on muscle mass to
carry the extra weight. As the heart
pumps more blood to feed the muscle,
its efficiency improves. Build lean mass
without fat and you’ll experience the
best of both worlds, says Dr Salvatore
Carbone, a heart disease researcher
at Virginia Commonwealth University.
PROTECTION AGAINST THE BIG C
Of the nearly 40 percent of women
who develop cancer at some point,
PHOTOGR APHS: SEAN L AURÉNZ; WORDS: JAMIE MILL AR
those with low muscle mass don’t live as
long. One theory why: muscle improves
immunity and acts as a buffer against
chemotherapy drugs. Prado’s research
shows women with the most lean muscle
experience fewer chemo side effects,
such as severe nausea and diarrhoea,
helping them power through treatment.
F E W E R S I C K DAY S
Lifting may prevent the common
cold by increasing your production
DON’T JUST TOLERATE YOUR ALLERGIES
UN-BOX THEM WITH...
of natural killer cells, an especially
aggressive type of white blood cell.
And strong core muscles stabilise The New
the spine, helping prevent the low
backaches that plague up to 80 Muscle
percent of people at some time. Doc
The latest trend in
FA L L S TA L L S physiotherapy?
As we get older, the most common and Going before an
dangerous accidents are falls – mishaps injury ever happens.
that strength training can curb the Everyday activities
risk for by 50 percent. If you do fall,
can create muscle
the stronger bones that come from
imbalances that
building muscle are less likely to
might derail your
fracture. You may not be retirement
age yet, but build muscle now and you hard work at the
can spend your golden years focused gym, says
on better things. physiotherapist
Scott Weiss.
A S T E E L- T R A P B R A I N The fix: a monthly
Need to cement a new password in physiotherapy
your brain? Doing just 20 minutes check-in to spot
of resistance exercise after learning and correct any
something can enhance long-term
unevenness.
recall of the info by up to 10 percent.
Talk about a fact to remember!
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Best Body ke e p it simple

ONE .
PIECE WORKOUT .
GLIDERS
Small but mighty and easily replaced with simple
A

paper plates or towels, these little disks are

having a moment as the use-anywhere workout
kit of choice. Don’t let the rewar s glide by

B
A

It’s that time of year when you may not be

all that inspired to leave the house. And
we certainly don’t blame you. So if you’re
looking for all-over toning in the comfort
of your own lounge, this unassuming tool

1 2
should be your first port of call. “The main
benefit of gliders is that their instability
hugely improves your core strength after
just a few weeks because all your muscles
need to synchronise to stop you from
falling,” says Simone Wightman, the trainer MOUNTAIN CLIMBER SIDE LUNGE
Targets: Quads, abs Targets: Glutes, quads
who created this workout. “Plus they add Start in high plank, wrists Stand with your right foot on
resistance, not just on the extension of directly below shoulders and a glider and your left foot on
the movement, but also as you draw it feet hip-width apart on the the floor (A). Wobbly? Hold
back in – without any impact on your gliders. Engage your core (A). your hands in prayer position
Now slide your left knee at your chest for balance. Now,
joints.” Double the benefits with less towards your chest (B), then keeping your back straight,
risk? What’s not to love? extend it back to start as shift your weight onto the heel
you slide your right knee in. of your left foot and slowly
Continue alternating as bend your left knee as you
DO IT quickly as you can for 10 slide your right foot out to the
Aim to complete three sets of 10 to 12 reps of to 12 reps per side without side (B). Slide your foot back in
each exercise in 20 minutes. Don’t have gliders? losing form. Keep your core and stand. That’s one rep. Do
Use paper plates or small towels on hard floor or engaged and your bum low. all 10 to 12, then swap sides.
the lids of plastic ice-cream bakkies on carpet.

52 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

 A

3
CORKSCREW
Targets: Gutes, abs
Start in high plank, toes on
gliders (A). Bend your left
B knee to your chest (B), then
thread your left foot in front of
your right leg and behind your
right hand, twisting your hips
slightly. Extend your left leg
fully, attempting to keep it
high and straight (C). Your hips
C might dip a little – that’s fine
– but don’t let them sink to
the floor. Return to start
and repeat on the other side.
Do 10 each side, alternating.

4
AB ROLL-OUT
Targets: Abs, lats
Start on all fours with your
hands on gliders directly
under your shoulders (A).
Slide your hands forwards until A
they’re under your head, just in
front of your shoulders, and
pause. Now, bracing your abs,
slowly slide your arms further
out in front of you (B). Only go
a short distance the first time,
exhaling as you bring your
arms back under your
shoulders. Go a little further
each rep until you find your B
max extension. As you pull
back, make sure your hips
don’t stick up – you should be
using your abs, lats and chest
to control the movement.
Aim for 10 reps.
A HAMSTRING CURL
Targets: Hamstrings, glutes
Lie on your back with your
arms at your sides, palms
down, heels on the gliders.
PHOTOGR APHS: AGATA PEC AT HEARST STUDIOS

Squeeze your glutes to lift

your bum off the floor slightly
(A). Raise your hips as you
draw your heels towards your
bum (B). Stop when they’re
B under your knees, then slide
back out to start, but don’t let
your bum touch the floor.
That’s one rep. Do 10 to 12.

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 53
WHY AM I
ALWAYS HUNGRY?
If trying to clean up your By Roisín Dervish-O’Kane

diet just leaves you more

ravenous and frustrated,
you’re not alone. Time
to learn how your eating
decisions affect your
appetite, am to pm

54 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

 Best Body h u n g e r pangs

Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full. 1 FUEL SMARTER
Isaacs advises clients to base their meals
Simple, right? So why does it sometimes feel... on protein and fibre, both of which
Not so straightforward? It may be one of our most suppress hunger hormones. His ideal
basic physiological needs, but eating feels as if it’s meal plan to increase leptin levels and
other key appetite regulators? Eggs for
become far from intuitive these days. The truth is, breakfast, lean chicken with greens and
there’s more at play than just an empty stomach brown rice for lunch, carrots and low-fat
or a need for calories. Research has found that hummus (low-calorie and fibre-rich) for
a snack and a dinner high in leptin-
everything from our hormones and stress levels boosting zinc (beef and black beans
to our moods and other people’s attitudes are both good sources). Eating more
towards food can impact how our mind omega-3 fatty acids – found in fish
processes our daily eating choices. and flaxseeds – may also help mitigate
the impact of inflammation on the
hypothalamus, which can make leptin’s
pathways less responsive, says Guyenet.

But it doesn’t have to be so complicated.
Understanding the biggest players that
affect your appetite will help you take
control of it. And that starts by getting
extremely familiar with the smallest,
most powerful teammate of them
all: a hormone called leptin. If you’ve
ever dieted in an effort to drop a few
kilos, only to feel frustrated, or worse,
hungry all the time, don’t blame a lack
of will power. Your body is hard-wired
to want to hold on to fat, says Dr Giles
Yeo, a geneticist at the University of
Cambridge. But it’s not doing it to be
spiteful. Body fat is what produces
leptin – and believe us, you want leptin.
Here’s why: it’s the hormone that
controls appetite and weight. Its main
role is to regulate your body’s energy,
which includes how many calories you
eat and burn each day, as well as how
much fat you store.
The process evolved to keep humans
from starving or overeating, both of
which would have made you less likely to
survive back in the (way long ago) day.
When the system is working properly,
fat cells regularly release high levels
of leptin that kick-start signals in the
hypothalamus, which is the part of the
brain responsible for appetite control,
says Dr Stephan Guyenet, author of The
Hungry Brain. “Leptin switches off an
appetite-driving neuron called AgRP,
while another signal suppresses food
intake and raises calorie expenditure.”
Translation: when you’ve had enough
to eat, leptin tells your brain, “All set,
you can stop now!” and keeps your
metabolism humming along steadily.
But when leptin levels drop too low
– which, FYI, happens when you go
on a crash diet – the hormone sends
a starvation alarm to the brain, increasing
your appetite and slowing your
metabolism. For some, that response
takes place even when plenty of energy
(i.e. body fat) is stored. It’s a condition
known as leptin resistance, says
endocrinologist Dr Scott Isaacs,
author of The Leptin Boost Diet, and
it’s believed to be one of the main
contributors to obesity.
How to hit reset
Scientists and doctors don’t quite agree
on exactly how leptin resistance occurs
or, more importantly, what to do about
it. But here’s what’s known: there are
very few people who have genetically
determined leptin problems. For most,
it’s something that develops over time, in
response to diet and lifestyle decisions.
Which also means: you have the power
to alter your leptin levels through your
everyday habits. Make these easy,
practical changes to your routine to
recalibrate your body’s biological
signals and get back on track with
your natural eat-stop-eat rhythm.
Satiation salvation ahead!
2 GO TO BED
When it comes to managing your hunger
and appetite, sticking to a solid sleep
schedule is a must. “Leptin is mostly
secreted at night, so if you’re getting
less than seven hours, you’ll have lower
levels,” says Isaacs. In fact, if you’re
getting only five hours a night, you’ll
have almost 16 percent less leptin than if
you’re managing the full eight, according
to research in the Annals of lnternal
Medicine. Another reason to maximise
your shut-eye: insufficient sleep can
result in consuming up to 400 extra
calories a day, mostly of high-fat, low-
protein food, according to the European
Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Ready to
rest now?
3 WATCH YOUR WHY
External cues are influential in
determining what, when and how
much we eat. For example, researchers
found that people who ate with others
consumed up to 60 percent more than
those who ate alone. Another big cause
for the munchies? Stress. While 80
percent of people said they normally
ate healthily, that number dropped to
33 percent when they were stressed,
a study reveals. And the majority of
those folks said stress produced an
increase in their appetite, so pin down
a few non-food coping mechanisms
– deep breathing, going for a walk,
venting to a friend – that you can
use as soon as life gets tense.

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 55
Best Body 1 5 - m i n u te
READY
PLAYER ONE
In the dead of winter, it’s way
too easy to pull the duvet over
your head and hit snooze when
the alarm goes off for gym.
That’s why you need a workout
buddy – someone who’s going
to motivate you to get up and
work out no matter how
reluctant you feel because
you’re in this together.
“This functional body-
weight partner workout can
be done anywhere. It’s fun,
high intensity and great to
build full-body strength,” says
trainer Sanchia du Preez, who
created the workout along
with fellow trainer Chris
Landman. “Relying on your
56 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H
w o r ko u t
Turn your workout into a two-player game
for double the fun and twice the gains
YOUR TRAINERS:
Sanchia du Preez and Chris Landman are Cape
Town-based boxing and functional trainers.
Follow them @fit_sanch and @chris_landman
TIP:
Engage
your core
throughout.
body for exercises also
improves balance and
all-round flexibility.”
Du Preez suggests finding
a workout buddy with a similar
fitness level to yours. Then, two
to three times a week, do this
workout together. Perform B
the exercises in order, keeping
breaks between exercises
short – 30 to 45 seconds max.
Aim to make them even shorter
as you get fitter. Do three 1. SQUAT TO BEAR CRAWL
rounds total. Stand facing each other, a few metres apart. Each do 15 squats
(A). Now drop down and bear crawl forwards, keeping your
bum down, knees low and back straight, while your partner
YOU’LL NEED:
resists you with their hands on your shoulders (B). When you
Partner; exercise mat
reach your partner’s station, switch – they must now crawl
(optional)
back to your spot while you add resistance.
| July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za
 3. BURPEES
OVER PARTNER
Hold a forearm plank
while your partner
performs one burpee
next to you (A), then
jumps sideways over
your legs (B) and drops
into another burpee on
the other side. Once
your partner’s done five
burpees on each side,
switch places.
A

2. LATERAL LUNGE WITH PUSH

Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart (A). As your partner
pushes you to the side, take a big step away, keeping your leg
closest to your partner straight and lowering your outside leg
until it’s bent about 90 degrees (B). Be sure to keep your weight
in your heels and bend and lower from the hips, keeping your
back straight, chest up and core engaged. Push through your
bent leg back to start. That’s one rep. Do 15 reps per leg, then
swap over.

Make it easier:
Step over your
partner instead of
jumping. Make it
harder: hold a push-up
B position and do a
push-up every time
your partner
jumps over.
B
WORKOUT PHOTOGR APHS: JAMES GAR AGHT Y; WORDS: WANITA NICOL

4. PLANK PUSH
Get into a forearm plank next to each other, elbows under shoulders, and push against their shoulder (A). Return to plank and let them
core engaged throughout, back straight and hips in line with your push against you. Repeat 20 times, then swap sides and repeat
back. Maintaining your plank, raise the hand closest to your partner using your opposite hands (B).

A B

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 57
 Your Ultimate
Weight-Loss Guide

R90

We’ve done the heavy lifting for you and whether you’re looking to shed a few
kilos or drop some serious weight, this book has all the tried-and-tested tips and
tricks to get you started. It includes rules for weight-loss success, easy workouts
that will get you fit and shedding kilos, affordable, easy meal plans that will keep
you satisfied and real-life inspiration from our readers who take motivation to
the next level with their incredible transformation stories. Get ready for
a healthier, stronger you.

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 Best body nervous napping

ARE YOU
For some, lying awake
panicked in the early
hours of the morning
happens so frequently,

SLEEP
even the prospect of
bedtime is stressful.
Anna Hart learns how to
PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM

deal with sleep anxiety

STRESSED?
July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 59
 I’ve always been crap at sleep. As a kid I would read
Roald Dahl books under the covers late into the
night, trying to stave off those dark moments when,
bereft of bedside lamp and Matilda, I was left alone
and expected to nod off. Because “nodding off”
or “dozing” just never seemed to work out for me.
Night was a time of anxiety for my hot little head,
when I would fret about my school science project,
wince over stupid things I had said to a friend or
wonder if my parents were secretly spies…
Two decades on, my worries have
changed, but not my ability to worry.
My husband, Sean, looks forward to
going to bed, a feeling as alien to me as
eagerly anticipating a pap smear. He’ll
drift straight off, leaving me alone to my
crazy thoughts. My brain still thinks the
moment my head hits the pillow is just
the time to remind me of those emails
I meant to send, question what I’m
doing with my career and wonder if
the world’s going to end. And now, as
an adult with responsibilities, like a job
and a flat and a husband, the fear of
failing to fall asleep at night and waking
up foggy, rumpled and generally unfit
for purpose, has made the prospect of
sleep itself stressful. “Lack of sleep is
a source of stress and anxiety which
affects our relationships, health and
mental well-being,” says sleep scientist
professor Graham Law, co-author of
Sleep Better: The Science And The
Myths. And just in case I wasn’t stressed
enough about poor sleep already,
“there is growing evidence that it
causes serious chronic diseases too.”
Great sleep is like the worst sort of
boyfriend: the more desperately you
want it, the less likely it is to grace
you with its presence.
But I fight fear with information and
I figure that if I better understand
my sleep obstacles, perhaps I’ll stop
tripping over them every night. Which
is how I find myself checking into
a gleaming Bavarian medi-spa, the
Lanserhof Tegernsee (Lanserhof.com).
“Sleep problems are 50 percent
biological and 50 percent psychosomatic,”
explains Dr Michael Feld, the Lanserhof’s
resident sleep expert. “Some of it is
genetic; if your parents are poor sleepers,
there is a chance you will be too. People
often report poorer sleep with age, as the
60 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za
SLEEP WHEN
YO U ’ R E A C E L E B
THE A-LISTERS LOVE THEIR ZZZS
“Having peace, happiness and healthiness is
my definition of beauty. You can’t have any
of that without sleep.”
– Beyoncé
tissues in the throat become more slack,
resulting in the narrowing of airways.
And women are lighter sleepers than
men, primed to sense danger or hear
the cries of babies.” I can’t change the
fact that I’m my sleep-shirking father’s “For me, sleep is a major thing. I don’t
daughter or that I’m female and ageing always get it – when I don’t, I look like I’ve
been hit by a truck.”
– but it’s the psychological 50 percent
– Gwyneth Paltrow
I’m interested in. The 50 percent I can
do something about.
I tell Feld about the complicated daily
ritual I undergo in pursuit of sleep: no
caffeine after 11am, at least an hour
of brisk cardio, copious amounts of
camomile tea. Yet, despite all this, at
“About five years ago, I fainted from
least four nights a week, I’m awake for
exhaustion. I hit my head on my desk. It
hours at a time, busy being crazy. Every started me on this journey to rediscovering
night, I slide between the covers, with sleep and balance and integrating my life.”
a sinking dread that I’ll still be lying – Arianna Huffington
there awake, frantic, three hours later.
To determine to what degree my
sleep issues are non-biological, aka
psychological, I spend a night in the
sleep lab. At the Lanserhof’s space-age
gym, champion ski jumper turned sports
scientist Ferdinand Bader measures “Sleep has become profoundly important.
my heart rate variability (HRV) over I didn’t understand the value of it.”
– Jamie Oliver
24 hours. Unlike measuring heart rate
itself, HRV focuses on the fluctuations of
the heart, a reliable measure of fitness,
fatigue and stress that’s included in the
new Fitbits. When analysed over 24
hours, it provides valuable information Netflix and no chill
about autonomic functioning. “It’s doing the opposite; it’s increasing
Comparing the series of graphs with your stress levels quite a lot,” says Bader.
my activity journal of the day, Bader Even though I stare at my screen through
points out where a yoga class does its a pink-hued f.lux filter? I squeak. “You
job and relaxes me and a 45-minute run might think you’re relaxed because you’re
gets my heart rate up. He also points to distracted from stressful thoughts, but
my rising heart rate and anxiety levels at you are still very focused and your pulse
around 9pm. No surprise, I think, since this is going up when it should be slowing
is when I start stressing about sleep. But down.” It also means that I am forcing
he has another explanation: my Netflix- myself to stay awake until the end of
before-bed habit, which I’ve relied on to the next episode of Narcos rather than
relax, is not relaxing me after all. naturally letting myself fall asleep when
 Best body nervous napping

I’m sufficiently fatigued. This is a bad clear that my problem isn’t that I wake up wrenching at 3am than at 3pm?
move, explains Bader, because forcing throughout the night; it’s how I deal with “There are reasons for this,” says
myself to stay awake sends a message it. “Many of us think if we have anything Feld. “You’re alone and you don’t have
to my body that it’s not okay to relax, short of an eight-hour block of blissful, distractions, like that to-do list or even
to switch off. uninterrupted sleep, we’ve slept badly,” Netflix, to help you push negative
And sleep, explains Feld, is more like says Feld. In fact, we all naturally wake thoughts out of your mind.” And let’s
surfing waves than jumping aboard an up several times a night in between not forget, adds Law, that for thousands
all-night cruise liner. Before the 50s, sleep stages – my problem is when of years, night-time was a time of
scientists believed that as we drifted I realise I’m awake, I start stressing about danger and threat for humans. “It wasn’t
off, we entered “shutdown” mode. “Now how I’m going to be useless tomorrow. that long ago, in evolutionary terms,
we understand sleep as a cycle, with two It’s a miserably triumphant, “I knew it; that the night was a time of vulnerability
distinct parts,” says Feld. During non- tomorrow is going to be a nightmare.” – feelings of anxiety associated with
REM or “quiet” sleep, which makes up 75 falling asleep are perfectly natural,
percent, we progress through four stages Under threat potentially advantageous, from an
of increasingly deep sleep. The deepest This sort of stress around sleep is evolutionary perspective.”
stage produces physiological changes actually a form of performance anxiety, I’ve always thought of my night-time
that help us regenerate biologically, says Feld. “We worry that if we get less anxiety as perverse and twisted, an
boosting immune-system functioning. than our eight hours, we’re not going to unhealthy and self-sabotaging impulse.
REM (rapid eye movement) sleep takes be able to cope with the day ahead.” I’d It’s a huge relief to learn that night-time
up 25 percent of the night and is the never associated my sleep anxiety with anxiety is perfectly natural; in fact,
period in which we dream. Heart rate and perfectionism, but suddenly it makes it was once useful for survival. As is
breathing increase to waking levels. “REM sense. When you struggle with imposter learning that all those people who think
is more associated with mental well- syndrome and a sense of not being quite they sleep an uninterrupted blissful
being,” says Feld. Studies report that REM good enough, the prospect of a crap sleep from 11pm to 7am are wrong
sleep enhances learning and memory and night’s sleep making you even more – we all wake up. This gives me one
contributes to emotional resilience. inadequate feels like a serious threat. less thing to be stressed and frustrated
The sleep lab proves me a twitchy, And am I imagining things or do about at 3am – and it might be the
sporadic sleeper – but it’s becoming anxieties seem so much more gut- thing that makes all the difference.

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Best Body I s u r v i ve d

“IONFELL
THE PREGNANT
MIRENA
AND ALMOST DIED”
We all know there’s that tiny chance that your birth control could hiccup.
But it won’t happen to you, right? Freelance journalist Amy Gibbings
thought so too – and it almost cost her her life

Earlier this year, a camping trip with my

partner and friends ended with me being
admitted to the emergency room at the
Swellendam public hospital nearby. The
reason? I’d fallen pregnant – while on birth
control – and as a result, I almost died.
 1%
MIRENA 101
I’d had the Mirena for just over two and Per the most recent
Demographic and
half years. It’s a hormonal intrauterine Health Survey,
device (IUD) that offers 99 percent 59 percent of sexually
effective contraception and is one of the active women use some
most popular forms of contraception, form of modern
Your chance of falling pregnant on the Mirena. contraception, but only
after The Pill. It was great for my sex life half of them reported
“Patients 25 years and younger have an increased
with my long-term boyfriend – I’d had no being informed about
risk of falling pregnant while using the device,”
issues and from the day it was inserted the side-effects of the
says gynaecologist Dr Candice Morrison. method they used.
I felt totally invincible, period free and
What you need to know
pregnancy-proof. That is, until I ended about this one…
up in the ER.

When good But did

HOW IT WORKS
The IUD releases

sex goes bad you die?

a minute amount of the
progestin hormone
levonorgestrel into the
It began during sex that morning in the I can’t quite decide whether I’m the uterus. This hormone
safety of our tent. It was raining outside luckiest or unluckiest woman around. acts to thicken cervical
and we were loved up from a wonderful Unlucky for being in the tiny percentage mucus to prevent
sperm from entering
holiday. Suddenly, a deeper, harder of women who fall pregnant while on
the uterus, thins the
penetration caused sudden, excruciating the Mirena or lucky for having survived lining of the uterus
pain in my cervix. I began bleeding from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy within which in turn acts to
my vagina, there was blood on both of us an hour of losing my life. I was shocked prevent a fertilised egg
from implanting and,
and I immediately felt dizzy. Everything to realise how little I knew about the as per the website,
happened very quickly from then on. I lay risks associated with the Mirena. I have “inhibits sperm from
down hoping that whatever this pain was decided to have the Mirena removed, reaching or fertilising
would subside, but I only felt increasingly despite my gynaecologist advising that your egg”.

nauseous and the cramps in my stomach I keep it in. The fear of having another
and vagina intensified. ectopic is too great. Losing both fallopian RISK FACTORS
I dragged myself out of the tent for tubes would mean losing the ability to Factors that increase
your risk of having an
some fresh air. I felt weak and light- fall pregnant naturally – a risk I’m not ectopic pregnancy on
headed. I could barely talk, let alone prepared to take. the Mirena are pelvic
walk. After a few paces I lay down on This is in no way a condemnation inflammatory
the grass where I shivered, sweated of the Mirena as a viable form of birth disease (if untreated
gonorrhoea and
and groaned with pain. Soon after that control. I still think it remains the best chlamydia can result in
I was on all fours vomiting up fluorescent and most convenient option available. PID), smoking, which
yellow bile before collapsing again. I was Rather, I want to share my story as affects the motility of
rushed to the hospital, fortunately only a warning. To be aware of the unlikely, your tubes, a previous
ectopic pregnancy or
20 minutes away. but possible one percent chance of tubal surgery and
falling pregnant on the Mirena, to listen endometriosis.

Pregnancy to your body carefully and to regard it

gently and with respect.
Mal-positioning of
the device can also

interrupted increase your chances

of falling pregnant and
that’s why going for
Tests revealed that I was pregnant. But
your six-week check-up
that’s not what was behind my state. is so important,
From the scan, the doctor showed me says Morrison.
the four-week old “product” – what
they call the embryo – which had grown
inside my left fallopian tube. It’s called
an ectopic pregnancy and it had caused
ECTOPIC PREGNANCY WARNING SIGNS
If you are pregnant
though, the signs are
my fallopian tube to rupture, resulting in
The fertilised egg doesn’t travel as it should very much the same as
severe internal bleeding. Blood had been into the uterus, but rather implants in the falling pregnant when

rapidly filling my abdomen and I needed cervix, fallopian tube or abdominal cavity. not using any form of
contraception. A first
surgery immediately. By this point If you do fall pregnant while on the Mirena, sign to look out for is
I had entered into septic shock and was there’s a 27 to 53 percent chance of it being a missed period – but
PHOTOGR APH: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM

if you don’t have your

shivering uncontrollably because I had an ectopic pregnancy, says Morrison. If the period on the Mirena,
lost more than half of my blood. ectopic pregnancy is discovered early on the start of bleeding
In surgery, they removed the product could mean an ectopic
it can be removed by laparoscopic surgery pregnancy. “Other
and my left fallopian tube, sewed it up
and scooped out as much blood from my
(keyhole surgery). According to Morrison, signs include tender

abdomen as they could. About an hour this could also mean saving the fallopian breasts, fatigue and
nausea. As well as
later I was wheeled into a private room tube and preventing what can be a very unusual cramps, pain or
to recover. traumatic experience. discomfort on either
side,” says Morrison.

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 63
 The Stuff Of
NIGHTMARES
Could that bad dream be linked to your mental well-being? We explore
the reality of those scary sleep intruders
By Lizzy Dening

Picture this: you’re walking down a dark alley. You hear

footsteps. You try to run, but your limbs feel heavy.
Your heart’s racing, your blood’s pumping, you can
hear yourself scream. And then... You open your eyes,
safe in your bed. But it all felt so real.

Nightmares are typically associated
with monsters-under-the-bed terror as
kids, but being old enough to get served
alcohol doesn’t necessarily mean you’re
immune – especially when you’re female.
“It’s a robust finding in sleep literature
that women experience more nightmares
than men; interestingly, the gender
difference only begins to emerge at
adolescence,” says Dr Bryony Sheaves,
a research clinical psychologist who
specialises in the relationship between
sleep disturbance and psychotic
experiences. “Initial findings suggest
women may remember more of their
dreams generally, so they are more likely
to retain or recollect their nightmares.
But women are also more prone to
experience feelings of anxiety and
worry – and worrying is one of the
best predictors of regular nightmares.”
This suggests that what plays out while
you’re asleep is directly linked to
things you’ve struggled to deal
with during your waking hours.
WHEN DREAMS MIMIC LIFE
While the link between nightmares and
stress is well established, a growing
body of research is contributing to
the theory that recurrent nightmares
could be indicative of something more.
Nightmares are a common symptom of
PTSD – so common, they are among the
criteria for diagnosis. And in one of the
most extensive studies on the subject,
published in the journal Scientific
Reports last year, psychologists from
the University of Turku in Finland
concluded that nightmares should
be considered an early indicator
of any mental health disorder.
“Our research group has shown that
people who experience more frequent
and distressing nightmares are more
likely to score higher on scales for
anxiety, paranoia, depression and
hallucinations,” explains Sheaves. This
doesn’t mean that all people who suffer
from nightmares have, or will develop,
mental-health difficulties – just that the
odds of doing so are slightly higher.
PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM
Best Body h e a l t h
YOUR SLEEP SOLUTIONS
This all leads to the question: how do
you know when your nightmare is more
than a nightmare? First, let’s differentiate
them from other nocturnal afflictions.
dreams
decoded
“Nightmares are typically defined as Anna- Karin Bjorklund,
[being] in the last third of the night and a counselling psychologist
cause significant distress,” explains sleep and author of Dream
researcher Dr Michelle Carr, whose work G u i d a n c e : I n t e r p r e t Yo u r
Dreams and Create The Life
focuses on the role of REM sleep and
Yo u D e s i r e , r e v e a l s w h a t ’ s
dreams in emotional memory. “They differ behind those nightmares
from other forms of sleep disruptions,
like night terrors or confusional arousals, YOU’RE FALLING
in that you quickly become awake and “These dreams tend to occur when
something isn’t going the way you
alert with certain physical symptoms
planned and change is happening
such as a racing heart, sweating or fast. If you land, it might help to
breathing quickly.” Those intense accept that things didn’t go your
physical symptoms only serve to way. If you wake up mid-fall,
exacerbate the fear nightmares produce. it could mean there’s time
to turn things around.”
Experts agree the occasional nightmare
shouldn’t be cause for concern and that BEING CHASED
you need to seek help only when they “Ask if there’s a part of yourself
become so frequent that they disturb you might be running away from.
your kip on a regular basis. But if you’re Do you feel uncomfortable with
worried, it’s worth chatting to your GP. how you react to certain scenarios,
for example?”
In other sleep news: a new talking
therapy, called imagery rehearsal therapy, YOU’RE NAKED
is also in the testing stages. This form “Have you felt like you exposed
of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) too much of yourself? Perhaps
involves working with a specialist to use you were sharing a story that
was secret?”
your imagination to write more positive
alternative endings to your ’mares and BACK IN THE CLASSROOM
then regularly rehearsing those endings. “You might have dreams of being
Sheaves is researching if this, coupled back at school or taking exams
with traditional CBT, could help nightmare when you are feeling unprepared
sufferers – and so far, so positive. Trying and insecure. It could indicate it’s
time to get more focused.”
to control your moods and stress-
hormone levels is also helpful, as is
a decent wind-down routine before
lights out. WHAT IS IT?
If your nightmares continue but Pressure Mapping
happen only every now and then, it may A test that uses sensors to
not actually be such a bad thing. Experts figure out which parts of
your body make contact
agree that they can be a useful tool in
with the mattress when you
highlighting any distress in your waking sleep so you can find your
life that you might otherwise have been perfect mattress match.
oblivious to, or chosen (subconsciously Try it at any Bed King store.
or otherwise) to bury, and give you the
impetus to sort things out. So once the We Tried It!
jitters have ceased, you can rest easy. Visit our website to see
what actually happens
In short: the odd nightmare isn’t during a pressure-
something worth losing sleep over. mapping consultation.

Soup Up EAT LIGHT DITCH BOOZE CALM YOUR MIND

Avoid heavy meals two hours before
Your Sleep nodding off. “Our metabolism speeds
Dr Gaby Prinsloo,
up to digest food after a heavy meal,
a specialist in which can make it difficult to get to
women’s sleep. Having a very full stomach can
wellness, shares also be uncomfortable, it can lead to
these tips for reflux and can make it harder to
high-quality Zzz breathe when you lie down.”
“Alcohol might sedate you, but
it doesn’t give you quality sleep.
Alcohol suppresses REM sleep,
which is when you’re integrating
memories, and causes brief
awakenings, which generally go
unnoticed.” Avoid two hours
before bedtime.
“Meditation calms the nervous
system and slows down brainwaves.”
There are various kinds, like yoga,
breathing and guided imagery.
“It’s about finding the one that
works for you.”

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 65
Best Body h e a l t h

WORRIED
SICK
Trying to rid our lives of
everything evil – household
allergens, pesticides in food,
electromagnetic currents – is
creating cleanliness craziness.
One writer explores how much
detoxing we really need to do
to stay healthy
By Linda Formichelli

It all started, innocently enough, with an article on tumble-

dryer sheets. Popular in the US, they make your laundry
smell like a summer’s day, but I had just read that the flimsy
leaflets actually coat your clothes with a thin layer of toxic
chemicals. As a health writer, I regularly come across
a fair number of startling facts about contaminants, but
this time was different: I had a baby in the next room.
It got me thinking… What other contaminants might be
lurking around my home? That’s when I read about dust.

A little online searching
bacteria cause
revealed that not only
is common house dust
loaded with noxious
particles and allergenic
dead bug bits (eww), but the
cleaning solution used to wipe it
up could cause just about every ailment
known to mankind (breast cancer,
diabetes, memory impairment… Oh my!).
And then there were our bed sheets
and towels, all crawling with germs that
could be killed only by bleach – the same
bleach that could lead to respiratory
problems. What’s more, wearing your
sneakers indoors tracks dangerous
pesticides (and other nasties you pick
up outside) through the house.
So I banned chemical-laden cleaning
products, made guests remove their
shoes at the door and launched an
all-out assault on dust and dirt. Soon
what little free time I had was spent
vacuuming toxins off the lampshades.
All worth it, I figured, to keep my
family safe from crippling illnesses
and premature death.
Of course, feeding them was another
challenge entirely. I began paying double
for organic, pesticide-free produce, free-
range chicken and hormone-free milk.
But even as these changes lightened my
wallet, they did nothing to ease my mind
because the threats were piling up faster
than the laundry. One week it was the
electromagnetic-frequency-emitting cell
phone I used as an alarm clock; the next,
the baby monitor. After I’d banished
both, I still found myself lying awake
at night, plagued by worry.
Unhealthy extremes
It was money that finally brought me
to my senses. Not the small fortune
I was shelling out for elite food and
eco-cleaners, but the actual notes
themselves. A new study trumpeted
that money is tainted with bisphenol
A (BPA), which, according to The
Cancer Association of South Africa
(CANSA), has been linked to increased
risk of breast cancer, infertility, brain
PHOTOGR APH: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM
dysfunction, thyroid dysfunction and
heart disease.
With that news, I was done. It
made no difference how many hours
I spent researching dangers, naturally
disinfecting surfaces and arguing with
my laid-back husband (who insisted
I was driving myself crazy over nothing).
I couldn’t quit cash.
SIMPLE
Surprisingly, instead of
feeling defeated, I felt free.
Less
I realised I couldn’t be
GREEN
than one
percent of expected to purify every
aspect of my family’s
STEPS
disease in life. News headlines
humans. emphasise life’s dangers
and then tantalisingly offer
Confused about which
solutions for ridding your
home, your food and your body chemicals you can live
of contaminants. But I’m not the with and which you
first to be sucked in by those claims definitely shouldn’t?
– or hopelessly confused by them. Start with these
“‘Detoxing’ can become a coping skill three easy tasks:
that’s used to gain a sense of control
when life feels overwhelming,” says
psychotherapist Dr Julie Hanks. In other
words, you may not be able to control
stock-market crashes or terrorism,
but you can ban pesticides from your
kitchen. But this control tactic can USE BLEACH-FREE
backfire: when you spend all of your DISHWASHER
time worrying about everything that DETERGENT.
could possibly harm you, and spend One sniff will tell you
a chunk of your money trying to delete how toxic the fumes
those dangers from your life, the intense from a bleach-containing
stress it causes can have a bigger impact
detergent can be.
on your lifestyle than BPA or any other
scary-sounding acronym.
“Detoxing is about taking a break and
renewing and rejuvenating ourselves,”
says Dr Gerard Mullin, an associate
professor of medicine with a special
interest in gastroenterology, elimination
diets and the gut biome. “But if you take
AVOID THE “DIRTY
it to extremes, you may do yourself more
DOZEN.” Buy organic
harm by living in a state of anxiety.”
versions of the 12 most
Balance is the only approach that
pesticide-laden fruit and
works for me. Some changes are so easy
vegetables (find the list
that it doesn’t make sense not to make
at EWG.org) and you can
them – toting a stainless-steel water
bottle in lieu of a BPA-containing plastic reduce your pesticide
one to the gym, for example. But I gave exposure by up to
up the expensive organic shampoo and 80 percent.
went back to a more affordable brand.
I still buy my toddler organic, hormone-
free milk, but my husband and I stick
with the regular stuff.
And something amazing has
happened: I’ve stopped lying awake
at night, worrying that our toilet-bowl
cleaner will give me cancer or that the DITCH FRAGRANCED
carpeting in the nursery might off-gas CLEANING PRODUCTS.
and melt my son’s brain. Even though Hormone-disrupting
I’ve let my guard down, my family and chemicals known as
I are way happier than we were when
phthalates are often
I was spending my precious spare time found in fragranced
hunting down pesticides, synthetic cleaning products and air
chemicals and stray electromagnetic
fresheners. A safer bet is
waves. I can now actually enjoy our
to opt for fragrance-free
home – and start letting good things
products for cleaning
in instead of keeping bad things out.
and essential oils as
a natural alternative
to air fresheners.
July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 67
Beauty&Style
S i m p l e s e c r e t s to f e e l g r e a t a n d l o o k g o r g e o u s

LONGER, STRONGER
STRAND
SECRETS
Protein doesn’t just fuel
PHOTOGR APH: PATRIC SHAW

your muscles, it feeds

your follicles too. Fill up
from the inside – and out

68 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

 Why Protein Matters
... IN YOUR DIET
This macronutrient and its building
blocks, amino acids, are critical for
hair growth and the formation of
keratin, your hair’s main structural
component, says dietician Dr Amy
Goss. Consuming animal protein is
the best way to get your daily dose
of strand-strengthening amino acids,
but if you’re vegetarian or vegan,
certain meat-free proteins (like the
ones below), will give you what you
need, says Goss. When it comes to
quantity, aim for 30g of protein three
times a day for optimal hair heaIth,
says physician Dr Gabrielle Lyon.
Signs you’re probably not hitting
your numbers? Frizz, lack of shine
and hair loss.

... IN YOUR HAIRCARE

Bleaching, heat styling and
environmental aggressors (UV rays,
wind, dry air) strip moisture from hair
and erode the amino-acid chains that
form the keratin in each strand, says
hair expert and product formulator
Philip B: “When those chains are
damaged, you see breakage, split
ends and roughness.” Protein-based
products can rebuild the amino-acid
chains and help lock in moisture.
Contrary to old-school thinking,
regular use of these formulas won’t
make hair brittle; any protein your
strands don’t absorb rinses away.
But intensive treatments can weigh
hair down, so limit use to once or
twice a week.

THE MANE MENU

Whether nibbled or infused into a product, these protein-rich
foods have serious hair-fortifying powers

Soybeans Almonds G r e e k Yo g h u r t Eggs

Snack On: Half Snack on: A quarter Snack on: One cup Snack On: One egg
a cup for nine cup for seven for 15g of protein. for six grams
grams of protein. grams of protein. Slather On: Shea of protein.
Slather On: Carol’s Slather On: Native Moisture Manuka Slather On: ORS
Daughter Hair Child Sweet Honey & Yogurt Hair Mayonnaise
Milk Nourishing Almond Oil (R90). Hydrate + Repair (R90).
What Is It? & Conditioning Protein Power
Keratin Original Leave-In Treatment (R290).
[ker-uh-tin] /n  
A protein that helps Moisturizer (R299).
strengthen the hair to prevent
it from breakage and heat
damage. It’s extremely
important for strong
and healthy hair.

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 69
Beauty & Style h e a l t hy hair diet

More Protein Power

Two Oceans
Brazilian Keratin
+ Argan Protein
Shampoo (R100)
CHI Keratin Silk
Infusion (R385)

Eartthsap
Pom
megranate
and Soy
Conditioner
(R655)

WET BRUSH Gary Rom

SHINE ENHANCER Cortex
BRUSH (R189) Repair
A BRUSH THAT Conditioner
WOULD MAKE (R395)
RAPUNZEL
BRISTLE WITH
ENVY. THIS ONE
DISTRIBUTES
THE HAIRS'
NATURAL OILS
THROUGHOUT,

WORDS: L AUREN BALSAMO; ADDITIONAL REPORTING: GOTLHOK WANG ANGOMA-MZINI

LEAVING HAIR
SMOOTH
AND SHINY.

Cantu Shea Butter

Grow Strong
Strengthening
Treatment (R130)

TRESemmé Keratin
Smooth Conditioner
(R80)

70 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

 Beauty&Style f i t k i t h e ro

In The Bag
All the gear you need to s y rh e

“Where can I find

a gym bag t at fits
all my stuff ut is still
smart enou for the
office?” is a estion
often thrown around
WH HQ. Let face it,
there’s nothing worse
than a grubb neon
duffel ruining your
professional l k.
Thankfully, Th e
has clocked o to
the need for a office-
approps hold- ll and
has created th Vea
backpack (R2 99,
ThuleStore.co. ),
which has all th room
and functionality you
need to lug eve ything
around, from yo r
make-up bag, el
and dirty trainer
(hello, special pouc
to your laptop a
notebook, in a sleek
design that you won’t
be embarrassed to The 21L capacity has a handy
take with you into interior laptop sleeve, plus an extra
strap which cleverly converts the
a meeting. backpack into a duffel or sling bag.

SLEEK
ACCESSORIES
PHOTOGR APHS: JAMES GAR AGHT Y; WORDS: SINEAD MARTIN

Forever dashing
between desk MOVE
and dumbbells? Unless you’re training for
Us too. Make a marathon, hitting your
sure your kit 10K-a-day step count ain’t
so easy, am I right? With
keeps up with Under Armour’s UA HOVR
these chic Infinite Floral running shoes
little extras (R2 784) you can keep track
of every single step you
take. That’s right, they come
with a built-in record sensor
that tracks all your metrics
and Bluetooths them to
your smartphone.
SEE
Let’s face it (soz), flimsy
eyewear and a busy day
seldom have a happy
ending. You need sunnies
that will make a statement,
protect your eyes, allow
you to work out outdoors
and survive the inevitable
headband switcharoo. These
Vogue Gigi Hadid Zoom-In
sunglasses (R1 590) tick
every box.
HEAR
After beating off all of the
sceptics, Apple AirPods
(R3 199) are the ultimate
workout slash commute
slash desk-side BFF. They
don’t fall out, the battery
life is hella impressive and
they automatically connect
to all of your Apple devices.
Android users, never fear,
they’re compatible with
your phones as well.

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 71
Beauty&Style s k i n te r ve n t i o n

“I Will Wear
SPF In Winter”
PSA: Sunscreens are not just for the summer. Sun protection should be a no-
brainer, not an eternal struggle, and should definitely be worn all year round

“One of the biggest mistakes

you can make is skimping
on SPF once it starts to
get chillier out,” says
dermatologist Dr Marnie
Nussbaum. UVB rays (which
cause burns) weaken when
it starts getting cooler,
but UVA rays, which are
responsible for signs of
ageing, like lines and spots,
are as strong in July as they
are in January. And both
can cause skin cancer. For
everyday use, pick a formula
that is broad-spectrum
(to protect against UVA
and UVB rays) and SPF 30
(minimum). These SPFs BEST FOR
check all the boxes… SHINE CONTROL
And then some. Nivea Sun UV Face Shine Control
50 HIGH (R125)
This one not only protects ski from
UVA/UVB rays, but also does stand-
up job of controlling oil. What we
also love is that it goes on sm othly
and absorbs super fast. The fo ormula
promises zero sticky feeling – nothing
but light and non-greasy face .

BEST F
BRI
S me SPF50+ (R440)
eaded combination of nsitive skin and uneven skin
ll this is a two-in-one moi turising product with a high
ection which prevents and lessens pigmented spots and
hypoallergenic. It’s that sun creen that steps it up a notch
our glowing skincare needs.
74 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za
 beauty

We report on horror movie-ish

sheet masks and other line-
smoothing, foot-soothing and
altogether beautifying treatments
that let you simultaneously kill
it and chill out at the office.

Because: multitasking

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 75
Self-care. It sounds like a whisper,
but as buzzwords go, it’s practically
deafening. More than 15 million
Instagram posts are tagged with the
phrase and Google searches for the
term are peaking. Everyone wants
it and experts say it’s a mental-
health must. But like most women,
it’s a struggle to fit it in. I’ve got
a demanding full-time job and two
kids. I value taking care of myself,
but five-step #selfcaresunday facials?
Not happening. When I do manage
to carve out some dedicated me-
time – say, a Sunday afternoon
bath (our freestanding
soaking tub is my personal
oasis) – I don’t fully enjoy
it. The nagging voice in
my head says I should
be playing with my kids
or tackling another load Still, when I’ve really got no time for
a drawn-out ritual, I slather on a hair
of laundry, not lounging mask before heading out for a weekend
run or I paint my girls’ nails when I do
among the bubbles. my own so we can bond over matching
manis. It’s no day at the spa, but it still
counts, says Saltz. “As long as you enjoy
the process or outcome, it’s self-care,”
she explains. Which makes the latest crop
Beauty-related self-care is especially of beauty goods especially serendipitous:
loaded. Activities like exercise or products that plump your skin or
meditation are more easily justifiable massage your scalp while letting you
because they help us to stay healthy and multitask. Products that, theoretically,
“There’s still a cultural expectation that, live longer (so we can, you know, take could even do their work while you’re
for women, being ‘good’ means taking care of other people for years to come). at work. Some are unobtrusive: no-rinse,
care of others,” says psychiatrist Dr Gail Beauty practices, though, can feel vain, moisturising mittens you can stealthily
Saltz, author of The Power of Different. says Saltz. Even the words we use to slip on under your desk, a hand treatment
By default, that means being “bad” is describe getting a massage or facial you can type in. But say you work at a
doing things for yourself. So we double – indulging, splurging, pampering – sound bank or restaurant. For those gigs, the
down, putting everyone else’s needs self-absorbed. But we need to change crow’s-feet-fighting sheets are NSFW.
before our own. A new study confirmed, that, says Saltz: “Women should know The takeaway here, though, remains:
yet again, that women tend to handle that if getting a manicure helps them feel these products are quick – most perform
more housework and childcare than confident that helps their mental health.” their magic in less than 30 minutes – and
men and carry more of the mental Plus, as Saltz reminded me, it can set can be done almost anywhere. In the
load (tracking grocery lists, birthdays). a good example. She has a point. I don’t name of science (of course). If I wasn’t
All reasons why research shows that want my daughters to feel guilt-ridden able to achieve complete Zen, at least
attaining work-life balance is getting for spending an hour on themselves I found a few minutes of calm. And
harder, not easier. when they’re harried grown-ups. better, brighter skin!

76 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za


Tighten necks with…
Clarins Super Restorative
Instant Lift Serum Mask
(R300)
WHAT IS IT? This age-defying
sheet mask visibly lifts and
plumps skin in just 15 minutes. With the
visible woes of “tech neck” becoming
increasingly common in the digital age,
a potent solution has never been more
necessary. Also, it reaches up to your
ears! This mask leans more on the NSFW
side, so be careful you don’t scare your
colleagues. However if you have the
privacy of an office (or if your open-
plan co-workers get you) you can
apply this at your desk – you don’t
need to wash your face afterwards,
you can just smooth the excess
product into your skin.
WHAT’S INSIDE? This skin-tightening
gel-serum contains oats, which lift,
smooth and plump, and shea and horse
chestnut, which nourish and comfort the
skin and restore glow to the complexion.
The mask’s pliable, natural-fibre material
moulds to the contours of the face and
neck perfectly and it has an innovative
structure, which delivers treatment
benefits to the neck, as well as the face.
Minimise fatigued
PHOTOGR APHS: TRUNK ARCHIVE; WORDS: TR ACY MIDDLETON; ADDITIONAL REPORTING: GOTLHOK WANG ANGOMA-MZINI
y with…
eyes
Thalgo Hyaluronic
Eye-Patch Masks (R739)
WHAT IS IT? An eye-patch
mask designed to provide
a targeted treatment for
wrinkles and dark circles.
They’ve been infused with hyaluronic
acid to help leave your eyes looking
smooth and visibly younger. Like coffee
gives you that afternoon pick-me-up,
these patches give you that visual
oomph before your last meeting of
the day. Your boss will never know
how tired you really are.
WHAT’S INSIDE? Hyaluronic acid
plumps up, smoothes and refreshes
your eye contour area. This can help
improve the structure and strength of
blood capillaries around the eyes. The
packet says you’ll see visibly younger-
looking eyes in 10 minutes.
Hydrate and soften
your pout with…
Intraceuticals + MASKS
Lip Mask (R695)
WHAT IS IT? Give
your lips a 10-minute
pamper minus the mess
with these lip gels. They rejuvenate,
brighten and tighten skin around the
lip, aid in the reduction of dehydration
lines and will leave your lips feeling
revived, restored and renewed. Just
peel away the foil backing and drape
over your mouth. These are perfect
for the office: you can easily stow them
in your drawer, so office heaters and
nervous presentation dry lips will never
punish you again. Plus they make
applying a lipstick, gloss or stain
a cinch (no dry dead skin).
WHAT’S INSIDE? The key ingredient is
collagen which smoothes and volumises
lips with continued use. You can think
of it as an all-rounder too: due to the
dose of super-hydrator hyaluronic  to peel off.
acid which also hydrates, calms and
soothes dry, irritated and chapped
lips damaged by the sun, pollution
and other environmental factors.
This a winner for winter weather.
Tone and relax
skin with…
Chanel Le Lift Masque
de Massage (R1 390)
WHAT IS IT? Another
cream mask? No. This
is a rich, creamy textured mask which
instantly moisturises, tones and sculpts,
visibly smoothing lines and wrinkles. If
your evenings are often spent heading
straight from the office to drinks or
dinner, this mask is great as a pick-me-
up for your face. What’s really awesome
is that it absorbs super-quickly, so you
can get going pretty much immediately
after you’ve applied it.
WHAT’S INSIDE? This is loaded with
the Le Lift formula, 3.5-DA, which
is the exclusive active ingredient,
dicaffeoylquinic acid, developed for
Chanel to work effectively on the
firmness of skin tissue. It also contains
neroli extract with relaxing and
draining properties. Use in the evenings,
two to three times a week. Try the
face-toning workout inside the box.
beauty
Smooth foot
calluses with…
Skin Republic
Foot Peel (R115)
WHAT IS IT? Yup, it’s a mask
for your foot. Foot-peeling
masks are a super-effective
way to get rid of dead skin
on your feet. First-time users may find
them kind of weird at first because
you’ll literally be living your best reptilian
life… Yes, you end up shedding layers
of rough, callused and dead skin.
After a long week of presentations
(and heels), nothing is better than taking
a load off and trying a soothing mask
to calm your battered soles.
WHAT’S INSIDE? High concentrations
of alpha-hydroxy acids soak into your
skin to remove dead skin and callouses
and 15 plant extracts, including ginkgo
biloba, green tea and vitamin E deeply
moisturise and soften feet. After seven
days, dead skin cells will naturally start
Anti-age hands with…
The Body Shop Thirsty
Hands Gloves (R165)
WHAT IS IT? Your hands
parched and feeling dry
on the daily? These gloves
simply help make sure that
your mits stay covered once you've
applied your fave moisturiser. They're
gloves, so no one will be the wiser that
you're giving your hands some much-
needed TLC while you type. So, report:
done. Softer hands: done.
WHAT’S INSIDE? You’ll have to
start by slathering on a rich, heavy-
duty hand cream. We love The Body
Shop Hemp Hard-Working Hand
Protector (R140) – it leaves your hands
feeling soft and supple and contains
beeswax, an anti-inflammatory, which
is perfect if your hands fall victim to
wounds. Then slip your digits into
these organic-cotton gloves, they’ll
help the moisturiser really soak into
your skin. Tip: you might want to keep
this one locked in your office drawer.
July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 77
We Chased The Sun!
We launched our very first 1 2
#WHChaseTheSun event in
Cape Town on 11 May – a morning
of mindful movement and good
times at Val de Vie Estate in Paarl!
1. We loved having you all at our first Chase The Sun event!
One of our guests was the amazing Rolene Strauss, who was

PHOTOGR APHS: COLLECTED PIX

crowned Miss South Africa and then later Miss World in 2014.
2. Our day kicked off with some mindful breathing, followed
by stretching (and a bit of burn!), before launching into
a boogie session with Ceri Hannan from Virgin Active.
3. Seugnet Esterhuyse of Ballet on Kloof in Cape Town
started the morning with sun salutations.
4. What better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than
with post-workout bubbly from JC Le Roux?
5. We brought Fiona Barford from Breathe Barre in
Jozi to take us all through a slow, but intense workout.
6. adidas set up an inspiring “paint the sunrise” station.
5 6
4
3

@WomensHealthSA With
thanks to
@WomensHealthMagSA

Women’s Health South Africa


The Great
Escape
In need of a little R&R? Take some time out of
your busy schedule and recharge your soul with
a health and wellness transformation at one of
Revitahealth’s Medical Wellness Retreats
We get it, keeping a balance
between work life, social
life and self-care can be
challenging. And sometimes
you need a little help figuring
out what your body needs. So
why not get all the guidance
you require against the
beautiful backdrop of Val de
Vie Estate? Sit back and be
pampered as sisters-in-law Dr
Ledivia Strauss and former Miss
World, Dr Rolene Strauss offer
a holistic experience for women
that emphasises both mental
and physical well-being.
Choose between the four-day
Princess or five-day Queen
package with accommodation
at the luxurious Mantis Pearl
Valley Hotel. Each package
focuses on fitness and
relaxation, well-being and
healthy eating, as well as
detoxing and anti-ageing. The
Queen package also includes
epigenetic DNA testing,
after which a personalised
lifestyle and nutritional
plan will be designed just
for you. All medical services
will be provided by
Dr Ledivia Strauss.
To book your spot: email
retreat@revitahealth.co.za
or phone 021 180 4650. For
more information visit
RevitaHealth.co.za
ADVERTISING PROMOTION
THE PRINCESS PACKAGE
Four-day retreat for R37 777.50, includes:
• Wellness consultation
• InBody measurement
• One-month eating plan
• Anti-ageing analysis
• Non-invasive anti-ageing treatment
• Group coaching sessions
• Detoxifying treatment
• Individual coaching session with Dr Rolene Strauss
• Weekly online wellness support for a month
• Relaxing body massage
• Daily relaxation and fitness therapy sessions
• Healthy, organic and detoxifying meals
• Three evenings at the Mantis Pearl Valley Hotel
• Wellness gift bag
Dates: 5 to 8 and 26 to 29 September 2019; 10 to 13 and
21 to 24 October 2019; 2 to 5 and 23 to 26 April 2020
THE QUEEN PACKAGE
Five-day retreat for R57 672.50, includes:
• Epigentic DNA testing
• Wellness consultation
• InBody measurement
• One-month individualised eating plan based on epigenetic
DNA test results
• Detoxifying rejuvenation therapies
• Detoxifying supplements
• Non-surgical body-contouring sessions
• Anti-ageing analysis
• Non-invasive anti-ageing treatment
• Group coaching sessions
• Weekly online wellness support for a month
• Relaxing body massages
• Daily relaxation and fitness therapy sessions
• Personalised, healthy, organic and detoxifying meals
• Four evenings at the Mantis Pearl Valley Hotel
• Wellness gift bag
Dates: 18 to 22 September 2019, 16 to 20 October 2019;
15 to 19 April 2020
 GIVE IT
A REST
Taking short tech breaks can supercharge your mind and help you
make the most of the precious hours in a day. You’ll be happier and
healthier for it (and your phone will still be there – we promise)

By Cassie Shortsleeve

We love apps, smartphones
and computers. They help
us track our sweat sessions,
get us from point A to
point B and make working
from home possible. But
we may be too reliant on
them. The average person
spends just about 11 hours
every day with their face
glued to a screen. That
level of plugging in can be
physically taxing – staring
down at a screen is torture
on your neck. But the
biggest impact could be
on your mental well-being.
Social media overuse is
linked to loneliness, in
part because when you’re
swiping and scrolling, you’re
not connecting with others
or the world around you.
That’s the truth.
The easier-said-than-
done solution isn’t to ditch
your gadgets (come on,
we’re not Neanderthals!),
but to use them, well,
smarter. Facebook and
Instagram have lent a hand
by launching tools to help
users dial back. More recent
operating systems from
both Apple and Google
let you set time limits on
apps and track how many
minutes (um, hours?) you
spend swiping memes.
Your new gig: spend
your screen-free time
reconnecting with friends,
colleagues and yourself.
It may feel awkward at
first, which is why we’ve
created this primer on how
to complete some of life’s
basics sans tech (you know,
the way people used to!).
Life etc d i g i t a l d e tox
Have a gadget-
free workout
Keeping tabs on your pace or heart rate
via tech can boost performance, but the
strategies below will help you home in on
how you’re moving, what muscles you’re
using, and how you feel – which can
ensure proper form and reduce injury Untether
risk, says biokineticist Dr Joel Martin.
at the office
TAKE THE TALK TEST
Without email or computers, few of
It’s the easiest way to gauge how hard
us could even do our jobs. But relying
on them non-stop can make you feel
you’re working. With easy effort, you
scattered, stunt productivity and prevent
should be able to speak in full sentences;
you from building relationships that
when you ratchet it up to medium,
can propel your success. Three ways
talking will be difficult. During hard
to ease up:
intervals you should only be able to say
a word or two (or a few “erghs”), says
START MOVING
Janet Hamilton, founder of Running
Strong, a US-based coaching service
If you typically brainstorm with
colleagues via Skype, try it face-to-
for runners of all abilities.
face. Exercise – even a short walk
to your colleague’s desk – impacts
GET WEANED OFF THE WATCH
neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability
Runners: a few times a week, before
to rewire itself. You’ll likely come up
an easy run, start your watch (but don’t
with more ideas, says psychologist
look at it!). Set out with the goal of
Dr Jamie Krenn, who specialises
hitting a certain pace, but check your
in developmental psychology.
times only after you finish. Note when
you were a little fast or slow, then think
DIAL IN
back to how those parts of your run felt.
Can’t meet in person with your team?
After a few workouts, you’ll have a good
Pick up the phone – and use it to make
feel for pacing.
an actual call (remember those?).
Hearing someone’s voice creates an
GRAB AN EYEFUL
emotional bond, which can get lost
Instead of stalking other cyclists on
on email or Whatsapp and fosters
Strava every time you ride, watch your
better connections overall.
breath in the cold air or study the way
light reflects off buildings. Both can
CREATE QUIET
bring about awe, a happiness-inducing
Ping! Check email. Ping! Check your
feeling you experience when you’re
phone. Ping! Alerts sap productivity
totally engrossed in a moment, says
because they make you constantly
psychologist and social behaviourist
switch gears, says Nancy Colier, author
assistant professor Paul Piff, who
of The Power of Off: The Mindful Way
studies the emotion.
To Stay Sane In A Virtual World. Switch
them to silent and log out of email
for an hour or so when you need to
focus on a big task. (Or use an app
like Boomerang, which lets you block
off times to “pause” your inbox, so
you don’t receive messages until
you’re ready to view them).
July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 81
Life etc d i g i t a l d e tox

USE SOCIAL MEDIA

AS A STARTING POINT
Scrolling your friend’s feed of baby
photos and tempted to comment with
a few hearts? Go for it, but also plan
a meet-up to gush about baba. The
appreciation she’ll feel that you took
time out of your schedule for her will
generate happiness for both of you, says
Dr Tchiki Davis, a well-being technology
expert who’s created a business out of
helping people find happiness.

Hang with yourself

(not your phone)
We’re so conditioned to look for
more – likes, posts, entertainment
– that we’ve started to believe we need
these things to be happy, says Colier.
Learn to look forward to “me time.”

PLAN A DATE
With yourself. Grab a solo coffee, go
for a walk or just ask yourself: what’s
working for me? What can I learn from
today? This can help you feel more
fulfilled (which can stop the endless
quest for more) and provide important
insight into why you turn to tech in
the first place.

Bond with loved
ones – sans emojis
Capturing (and posting) every
experience pulls you out of the moment
and liking posts in your feed can drain
your energy for real-life interactions.
Enter better ways to get close.
SLOW YOUR STORY ROLL
People who document and share
their experiences on social media form
shaky memories of those events. Snap
a quick pic (to latergram when you get
home), then soak in the sounds, smells
and sensations of the moment – details
that help our brains lock onto and
store memories.
OPEN YOUR EARS, SHUT YOUR MOUTH
“We’ve become a culture that doesn’t
know how to listen because we’re
so busy entertaining ourselves and
distracting ourselves,” says Colier. Ask
your spouse, child or friend, “What’s the
best thing that happened to you today?”
Listening helps re-spark connection
and leads to meaningful conversations.
BE STILL
Lie or sit down and simply experience
stillness for a few minutes. This practice
builds a deep peace that helps us
weather life’s struggles, says Colier.
SAY THANKS
Gratitude improves your well-being,
but posting about how #grateful you are
may elicit eye rolls and make people feel
less connected to you. Journal about
what you’re thankful for instead. Really
appreciate how a friend stuck with you
during your tough 10-kay training? Tell
her – in person.

Download MOMENT
Set a limit for how many
SPACE
Figure out which
FLIPD
Lock yourself out of your
to detox times you can pick up your “persona” you are – for own phone or set goals
Sounds counter-intuitive, but phone. You’ll be notified example, Boredom Battler to “unplug” from your
sometimes tapping into tech is the when you go over (you use your phone to devices for specified
easiest way to ease yourself into (or are about to). distract yourself when periods of time.
taking a step back from it. Three you’re bored) – to get
(free!) apps that help you limit a precise plan aimed at
your use: cutting screen time.

82 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

 DOES IT WORK IN REAL LIFE...
SOCIAL MEDIA
FASTING
There’s no time-suck quite
like your Insta feed. But
could you go on a digital
diet? A writer tries it
My name is Polly and I’m a social media
addict. You’ll find me flicking between
the holy trinity (Instagram, Facebook
and Twitter) before my eyes have even
fully opened in the morning; my
thumbs move on autopilot when I hear
that familiar ping; and WhatsApping
while weeing has seen me lose two
iPhones to the toilet bowl. But, as
seems to be the case with a lot of
friends, my social apps have left
me feeling anything but sociable.
At work, the constant notifications
leave me overwhelmed, as if each
adds to my to-do list. And when I’m
posting, too few ‘likes’ on a pic or
an unanswered message come with
a hefty sense of rejection. A study
published in the journal Computers
in Human Behavior found a strong
link between the use of multiple social
platforms and feelings of depression
and anxiety. So when the idea of
digital fasting arose, I put my phone
down and my hand up. The jury’s
out on how such a fast should work.
“Social media has only been around
for about 10 years, so there’s no
detailed evidence on the impact of
leaving it,” says Matt Keracher, who
authored a recent report on the
subject for Britain’s Royal Society
for Public Health. “The evidence … is
anecdotal, but our advice to anyone
who feels like it’s having a negative sinking into a social wormhole, I almost don’t want my beloved apps
impact on their mental health would that time is now free – and so, as back. As a compromise, I’ve decided
be to cut down. If going cold turkey it happens, is my mind. only to reinstall WhatsApp, so I’m
for a week or two appeals, give it Just 10 days later, I’m more in the loop with friends’ plans, and
a go.” I agreed to a two-week fast and productive and, dare I say it, more Instagram, because, well, #OOTD. But
deleted all social apps from my phone. sociable. I’ve used my train journey now, one day a week, I leave my phone
On day one, the struggle is real. to read two whole books in as many at home. I’ve actually found balance,
Without sharing pics and in-jokes on weeks; I ask my friends what they’ve without the need to use the hashtag.
PHOTOGR APHS: JEFF WESTBROOK

my girlfriends’ group thread, I feel been up to without the preface that

isolated. And I reach for my phone on I already know; and when my
autopilot. Happily, after just two days, boyfriend and I go out, he agrees to THE VERDICT
my habits start to shift. I reach for it leave his phone at home too, so our Stress-busting: 9/10
less and, without the constant alerts, time is spent concentrating on each
Quick results: 6/10
I have more headspace to deal with life. other. Above all, I’m focusing on my
While before I would easily waste my own goals again, instead of ‘liking’ Time-saving: 7/10
35-minute commute and lunch break those belonging to other people. Feel-good boost: 7/10
RISE AND
Real post-coital bliss, as
an adult: a more relaxed,
productive and happy day.

SHINE
It’s time to make morning
magic again
By Marissa Gainsburg

If the term morning sex women, increasing libido and

sounds like an oxymoron,
then no offence, but you’re
in need of a wake-up call.
Don’t worry, though… It’s
a fun one. “Most couples
habitually have sex at night
because that tends to be
when it’s most convenient,”
says Vanessa Marin, a sex
therapist. “But our bodies are
actually primed for stronger
orgasms right after we wake
up.” The am brings surges of
testosterone to both men and
heightening genital sensitivity
– particularly the strength
of his erection. (It’s called
morning wood, not morning
cork, for a reason.) Not to
mention, it should be easier
to reach climax in the first
place, since Murphy’s Law
(anything that can go wrong
will go wrong) hasn’t had
a chance to set in.
But there are major mental
perks to early romps too: sex
is, hands down, a fabulous
stress reliever, mood lifter
and relationship enhancer
(courtesy of a release of
feel-good hormones). So by
getting frisky first thing, you
set yourself up for a calmer,
happier day. Plus, for most,
doing the deed increases
energy, a recent survey
shows, surprisingly. Not to
say that night-time sex is
a waste, but you definitely get
more, uh, bang for your buck
by mixing up your mating
schedule. Of course, we
know mornings can be a bit
frantic – and, well, seriously
unsexy. Here’s how to flip
the script for action as hot
and stimulating as your
trusty cup of coffee.
 Life etc m o r n i n g glory

If you’re
always
R U S H I N G A N D C R A N K Y…
The obvious answer is to
wake up earlier, but without
real motivation, that’s
a futile ask. Consider this:
“If your boss requested an
early meeting, you’d make
time for it,” says Dr Rachel
Needle, a psychologist and
sex therapist. “We often blow
off sex because it doesn’t
seem like an immediate
need for our partner, but
making a conscious effort
to be intimate is almost
more important than the
intimacy itself.”
If that doesn’t get you
to rise early, pinpoint major
time-sucks (say, choosing an
outfit, drying your hair) and
do those the night before.
Or fold your partner into
your routine: “I’m taking
a quick shower – care to
join?” Whenever time anxiety
or crabbiness kills your mojo,
remember that it’s almost
impossible to feel grouchier
after sex.

If you
have way
DIFFERENT SCHEDULES…
In an ideal world, you’d
compromise so that you both do you think of these?” Or Marin says. “Let your partner you’re still interrupted – or
get up and go at each other when they’re checking their know you’re a little self- distracted. We get it. But
around the median of your email, send them a sexy conscious about X or Y. Just if your children can be
wake-up times (as in, your picture from the other room, hearing them say, ‘I couldn’t left alone in their bed (not
PHOTOGR APHS: BEN RIT TER, DANIELLE DALY, ST YLING: SHARON RYAN/HALLE Y RESOURCES

bedmate rises at five and
you at seven, so six would
be your magic hour). But
if that’s not possible, find
opportunities to catch
them off guard, says Marin.
“Playfulness and surprise are
two elements that couples
forget to incorporate over
time, but they’re also two
we secretly long for.” They
have a reciprocal effect as
well – meaning the more
you beguile your SO, the
more they’ll want to do the
same for you. When you’re
getting dressed, pull out your
laciest thong and say, “Hey,
I’m trying to decide which
undies to wear today. What
with a text like, “Waiting for
you...” Spontaneity makes
excitement practically
a given.
If you feel
LESS THAN DESIRABLE…
Particularly with newer
partners, you might feel
uneasy before you’ve
brushed your teeth, put on
make-up or showered. No
shame! Just know that as
your biggest critic, your
mindset is much more likely
to kill the mood than how you
look (or smell). But if you still
get in your own way, a casual
out-of-bed chat can help,
care less about that’ is really
powerful.” And outside the
bedroom, practise self-love
and self-acceptance, so you
can feel more comfortable in
all situations. You could also
experiment with positions
that aren’t face-to-face, like
spooning or reverse cowgirl.
(“Let’s try this new position!”
is a great cover.) And maybe
keep breath strips by the
bed. That’s the only morning
symptom worth caring about.
If you have
KIDDOS…
Have you tried locking
the door? Probably, and
crib) at night, they can
likely be left at the table
for a few minutes too. So
go for a quickie and amp
the excitement by turning
it into a challenge, says
Needle. Whisper in your
partner’s ear, “The kids are
eating breakfast; we have
10 minutes. Meet you in the
bathroom.” For younger
toddlers, you sorta have
to commit to waking up
before them. (The good
news: it’s temporary.) If
mom guilt hits, ignore it.
Together time will improve
your connection, so you
can be better co-parents
for the day… And for life.

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 85
Life etc g e t i t to g e t h e r
CONTROL YOUR
Writer Leslie Goldman’s life has been a blooper reel of slips and spills. Fear not.
There’s hope at the end of her – and your – black-and-blue rainbow
Have you ever set your
wrist on fire by knocking
a candle into bed during
sex? Or concussed yourself
by careening your bicycle
into a letterbox? Well, I have.
Because I (thwacks self in
eye while fluffing cape)
am Clumsy Girl.
INNER KLUTZ
Recently, after falling
off the couch for no reason
(again), I began to wonder:
why am I the opposite of
what Ludacris rapped about
– a lady in the bed but a freak
in the streets?
Clumsiness is basically
“a mismatch between your
intended movement and
smoothly between the eyes and the
coordination-sabotaging neurological
the movement you actually
make,” says psychologist
Emily Bloesch who studies
hand-eye coordination. It
worsens with age (ugh)
and some of us may be
hard-wired to take spills.
One in every 29 people
has a 50 percent greater
chance of experiencing an
accident requiring medical
attention, according to
the journal Accident
Analysis & Prevention.
What makes someone like
me that unlucky 1 in 29? “We
all have a bubble, a sense of
personal space that usually
extends as far as you can
reach your arms,” Bloesch
explains. When something
(say, an overhead baggage
compartment) enters your
bubble, areas of the brain
that tell it to pay extra
attention are signalled. But
for unknown reasons, some
people are just lousier at
bubble monitoring.
Well, stumble sisters, take
heart. These strategies can
help you flop (and fall and
bump) less.
Drop
Everything
(Carefully) And
Read This
Clumsiness can be a sign that
information isn’t being passed
brain or, in rare cases, a red flag for
serious conditions like diabetes or
disorders like multiple sclerosis.
If you notice yourself tripping
or losing balance much more
often than usual, check in
with your doctor.
CHECK THE
CALENDAR
Progesterone, which causes
muscles to relax, peaks just
before your period hits,
which is why you may feel
off-balance at that time, says
neuropsychiatrist Dr Louann
Brizendine. Be extra careful
during your workouts and
cut back on salty food; it
can cause swelling in your
hands and feet, contributing
to the clumsiness.
MONO TASK
Attempting to do too many
things at a time shifts
attention outside our bubble.
Plus, multitaskers are more
susceptible to distraction.
Note to self: stop shoving
health bars in your mouth
and texting while rushing
to appointments.
BE SINGLE-MINDED
That one activity that you’re
doing? Do it with intent,
says professor Susan Krauss
Whitbourne, a professor
of brain sciences who has
studied adult development
and ageing. If you’re brewing
a cup of tea, notice the
colour changing and listen
to the water pouring into
the mug. If you catch
yourself daydreaming,
PHOTOGR APH: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM
stop and bring your
mind back to the tea.
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www.partnermedia.co.za
MONEY TALKS...
SO WHY DON’T YOU?
Ignored pension alerts, a sense of queasiness when logging into your banking app
and a mortal distrust of anyone who talks about provisional tax… If money makes
the world go round, why is getting to grips with it one of the trickiest aspects of
adulting? And what impact is such an aversion having on your body and mind?
Stand by – we’re going in By Gemma Askham

88 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

 Life etc f i n a n c e

What’s the last fiddly concept that you managed to wrap

your head around? How your best friend can see a future
with that douchebag? Okay. Why VB won’t take one for the
team and join the reunion? Giving it a good go. An actionable
understanding of the benefits of a... What’s that acronym
again...? RA? Tumbleweed. Funny that. Because, while what
Posh does two decades on is quite frankly none of your
business, getting on in your own life demands you have
some understanding of what you spend and earn. Which,
it would seem, is easier said than done.

It isn’t just a lack of early education

Being in the red is one thing, but failing
to face up to how to make your own
personal finances work for you, whether
it’s laughing off having little left at the end
of the month (‘Beans for lunch again!’)
or sticking with the same bank for years
because you can’t face the admin of
shopping around, is just dropping the ball.
Take, for example, the 40 percent of the
25 million “credit active” South Africans
who are behind in their loan repayments,
according to a 2018 report by the National
Credit Regulator (NCR) – the health
impact of which ranges from migraines
to depression. So yes, you can probably
get through life without knowing the
difference between a RA and a provident
fund, but by doing so, know you’re
risking more than your pension pot.
The blame for an inadequate approach
to fund management doesn’t necessarily
lie squarely on your shoulders. According
to Laura Whateley, author of Money:
A User’s Guide, such an arm’s-length
approach has been cultivated in each
of us from a young age. If your parents
didn’t openly chat money, or discussions
were strained, financial silence will have
become a learnt behaviour – and the
longer the silence persists, the more
money is cemented in your mind as an
issue. Then there are those 12 years in
an education system that teaches you
how to use a protractor and the name
of Jan van Riebeeck’s ship, but nothing
about money management or financial
vocabulary. The maths curriculum, for
many, reads as complex and irrelevant,
thus compounding the idea that numbers
– and, by proxy, money – just aren’t your
thing. By the time you reach adulthood,
this combination of ingrained social
silence plus lack of knowledge equals
a perfect storm for making personal
finance a do-not-touch matter. “But
because it’s integral to pretty much
every aspect of adult life, you feel
like you should inherently know
how to navigate finance, then feel
embarrassed in the likely event
that you don’t,” adds Whateley.
The upshot? You don’t raise unresolved
money quandaries over your post-
HIIT-class coffee with friends, even
though letting such a situation spiral
may preclude you from being able to
purchase exclusive classes and half-price
cappuccinos. If friends talk about shares
over dinner, you keep schtum and zone
out. Shopping around for low interest
rates is a task for your hyper-functioning
friend who has a job in accounting that
you don’t really understand.
around finance that explains why you
may be crap with money or unequivocally
scared of it; there’s a whole branch of
science called behavioural economics
that sheds some light. Should you still be
using the same bank account that gifted
you a free travel wallet at 17, blame
a cunning concept called reciprocity:
“They gave me something, so I must
give them something back.” The
money wasted every year on unused
subscriptions can be explained away
by “misaligned intent” – signing up for
something you expect to use, but never
do. The entire ignore-it-until-it-goes-away
approach employed by so many has its
own term – the ostrich effect – coined in
2003 after a study found that investors
would pay more for assets if they could
avoid receiving any information about
their losses. And these are, you know,
“money people”. Apply that theory
to the magnetic-grade repelling force
of MoneySupermarket.com and the
phenomenon even has a catchy name;
FOFO – or Fear Of Finding Out.

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 89
Monstrous money
Let’s talk about this fear. According
to consumer psychologist Dr Dimitrios
Tsivrikos, there’s a good chance that it’s
this apprehension – not some missing
financial literacy gene – that’s holding you
complex science and leading a team
back. “Psychological research shows that
of people, it’s ridiculous that I don’t
perceiving yourself as bad at something
have faith in myself to ‘get’ money.”
increases the chances that you will
Without wanting to hammer home
actually be bad at it,” he explains. But
outdated stereotypes, finance aversion
why are we so scared of becoming good
does, in some cases, seem to be drawn
with money? “When you’re younger,
along gendered lines. “Sadly we have
you imagine adulthood as being about
seen centuries of male domination in the
independence and control. But the older
financial world, which perpetuates the
you get, you realise that, actually, adult
idea that money is a man’s game – even
life is more about monitoring and being
though multiple scientific papers indicate
pedantic and learning what interest rate
that women outperform men in certain
best suits your situation. It’s natural that
numerical tasks,” explains Tsivrikos.
you want to push against that,” he says.
And when you consider the point
Partly because leaning into this world
about finance aversion often being
would confirm that you’re old, boring and
underpinned by perfectionism, the
stale. “But it could also be that you feel
fact that many otherwise smart, high-
overwhelmed – you understand just how
achieving women engage in avoidance
important managing your finances is and,
behaviour around money starts to
because of your inadequate economic
make a bit more sense.
socialisation, you feel totally unprepared
Problem is, money aversion comes with
to do this important job well. So, rather
a bill. The UK debt charity StepChange
than put yourself in the firing line of
has revealed that over 70 percent of
failure by trying to be actively ‘good’ with
its clients reported having low energy
money, you retreat,” explains Tsivrikos.
and insomnia. It’s no surprise that those
“Essentially you’re procrastinating
in debt lose sleep over their finances,
– which is the sister of perfectionism
but many cite physical symptoms too
– because you’re scared of failing. It’s
– 65 percent reported headaches and
a protection measure.”
42 percent described feeling aches and
Health journalist Victoria Joy can relate
pains. A 2017 review into the impact
to the latter. “I was brought up never to
of stress confirmed that it hurts, with
spend money I didn’t have (bond aside)
scientists highlighting the havoc it can
so I’ve had a not-too-shabby savings
play on the immune, cardiovascular
buffer since I was 16, including navigating
and gastrointestinal systems. But what
six years of self-employment without
about those, like Victoria, in a financial
dipping into an overdraft. But I’ve still
situation that is less high-stakes?
spent more than a decade describing
“Procrastinating over something that
myself as numerically dyslexic because
needs your full attention leads to stress,
I struggle to get my head around
which can manifest in the form of chronic
numbers and feel like I’m probably not
headaches, weight gain and acne,”
managing my money as well as I should.”
says Tsivrikos.
The way Victoria sees it, she does
the bare minimum to have a passable
financial record, one that’s not going
Hack the system
If reading this is filling you with more
to screw her over in the long-term, and
dread than your pre-payday bank
buries her head in the sand for the rest.
statement, financial tech (aka ‘fintech’)
“If I get financial letters from the council
has your back. Internet and mobile
or my pension provider, I ask my fiancé or
banking are a start. By eliminating the
dad to take a look because I am terrified
need to go into a bank and speak to
the technical jargon will catch me out,
a teller or consultant, they put you in
joking that I do words, not figures. But
charge of your finances and give you
given that I have a degree and a job
the space to analyse your accounts
that involves wrapping my mind around
and spending in your own time
without the scary formality of
a printed bank statement.
Even better, Old Mutual’s banking
and investment app 22Seven, free for
download for Android and iOS, allows
you to track your spending and monitor

90 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

 Life etc f i n a n c e

SPEND
CLEVER
TECH YOUR MONEY
CAN’T HIDE FROM

1
SPLITWISE
It tracks
shared
expenses
between
groups of
3
friends, CLEO
housemates Like Siri for
and even your money,
couples, Cleo is an AI
tallies who’s Facebook
paid what, Messenger bot
then sends that’ll answer
reminders at any question
the end of the about your
month for finances, such
everyone as “how much
to settle have I spent
their dues. eating out this
Splitwise.com month?” and
will instantly
display all
2 your account
balances on
MONZO request. It
Monzo is gathers data
a phone- via read-only
operated technology,
current making it
account that secure.
demystifies MeetCleo.com
where your
moolah goes.
You get alerts
every time you
4
spend, which 22Seven
it groups by It monitors all
brand – so your accounts,
you can see tracks your
exactly how expenditure
much goes and picks up
to UberEats useful trends
each month. and insights
Monzo.com that can help
form better
habits.
22seven.com

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 91
Life etc f i n a n c e
all your accounts easily in one place. You
can link bank accounts, credit cards, store
cards, investments, loans and rewards
and the app will automatically generate a
personalised budget for you. It also picks
up trends and sends you notifications
like how much you’re spending on bank
charges and fees per month or the
amount you splurged on takeaways.
But technology can only do so much
– and if you really want to get your head
out of the sand, it’s time to grab your
spade and face some uncomfortable
yet unassailable truths: “Being terrible
with money isn’t a personality trait,” says
Whateley. “Not knowing your balance
doesn’t make the number go away. And
as with eating better or sleep hygiene,
you can improve if you really want to.”
We’re calling it wealthcare, and just
like with wellness, a crucial step is self-
awareness. “I’m an emotional spender,”
says Whateley. “So I know that, to keep
on top of my budget, I need to watch
out for when I am drawn to shopping
because I’m bored or feeling low.”
Wealthcare only works if it actively
meets one of your specific needs, so
while one size doesn’t fit all, some general
rules apply (see our top tips). It might
also be worth swallowing your pride and
asking your financially savvy pal to share
her saving strategies. We can’t guarantee
that it will be easy, but it pays – literally
– to try. Because, ostrich, when it comes
to money, winging it beats burying it.
92 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019
WEALTHCARE
DEBT-ONATE THE PROBLEM
“There’s no debt problem that can’t
be resolved,” says Helen Undy, chief
executive at the Money and Mental
Health Policy Institute in the UK. If you’re
unsure of how to get yourself out of debt,
call on the expertise of a professional
debt counsellor. Visit NationalDebtline.
za.com for free debt advise or call
087 805 9590.
KEEP A MONEY JOURNAL
You have to get a handle on how you
use money before you can understand
what to change,’ says Jeannette Bajalia,
author of Wi$e Up Women. For 30 days,
write down every single thing you buy
– whether it costs R1 or R100 – then
analyse what spending was actually
essential. “My clients say this is the
most helpful exercise,” adds Bajalia.
SAVE AT THE START
OF THE MONTH
Once you’ve worked out what you can
afford to put aside, set up a standing
order to move that amount into
a tax-free savings account as soon as
you’ve been paid to avoid the temptation
of spending it. Speak to an independent
financial advisor to make sure you find
the best one for your needs with the
lowest fees.
| WomensHealthSA.co.za
101
SUBSTITUTE YOUR
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Meal kits? Gym memberships? “If
you’re not using it, cancel it,” urges
chartered psychologist Fiona Murden.
“If subscriptions make you feel like
part of a community, could you fill that
gap for free somewhere online, or can
you get the same feeling from meeting
with friends?”
KEEP IT MOVING
The more money sitting in an account,
the more likely you are to dip in with
wild abandon. It’s better to distribute
your salary across lots of different
pots. Use weekly direct debits to
scoop small sums into other accounts,
like a joint account or a holiday fund.
Without one big chunk available,
you won’t blow it all two weeks
after payday.
TRY A 5:2 CLEANSE
For two days a week, practise the
discipline of sticking to only two
expenses – transport and food.
There’s something smug – and
savings-enhancing – about a zero-
extra-spend day. If restraint doesn’t
come easily (or at all), leave your
debit card at home and use cash (like,
actual notes and coins) for essentials.
PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES.COM
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Life etc c a r smarts

KEEP TRACK
Whether I’m on a race track or off the beaten track, I always find a way to have some fun.
Of course, it helps that I get to experience these conditions in some fantastic cars. This
month, I hit Kyalami race track in the new Mercedes-AMG C 63 S and then took on some
rougher terrain in the new Range Rover Evoque B y J u l i e t M c G u i r e

Having been a motoring journalist for
more than 12 years now, I’ve done my
fair share of track driving. I’ve also
done a number of advanced and high-
performance driving courses, yet almost
every time I get behind the wheel and
am facing down the pit lane, my heart
starts to race, I almost always have to
remove a piece of clothing due to over-
heating and my palms start to sweat.
Driving on a track requires intense
concentration and a basic knowledge
of track rules, but most importantly,
it demands that you have as much fun
as possible. And the Mercedes-AMG C
63 S is just the car to facilitate the kind
of fun you are required to have. It has
a 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine that
produces unstoppable performance
figures of 375kW of power and 700Nm
of torque, so it will get you to 100km/h
in just 4.0 seconds (in the sedan version).
The thing about most premium cars
is that they come equipped with the
technology to keep you safe, even
MERCEDES-AMG
under the most challenging of situations.
It is this that makes driving the C 63 S
C 63 S
on a track so confidence-inspiring. FAST FACTS:
But because I’m a bit of a daredevil, ENGINE: 4.0-litre V8 biturbo
I switched off some of the safety POWER: 375kW
systems, such as traction control, TORQUE: 700Nm
just to feel the rear of the car swing 0-100 KM: 4.0 seconds
out a bit when cornering at high speeds. (sedan)
There is nothing quite as exhilarating as FUEL CONSUMPTION
drifting around a corner on a track. Combined: 9.9 l/100 km
I was also very happy to beat a few TRANSMISSION: AMG
of my male colleagues in the drag racing Speedshift MCT 9G
section of the track day. They weren’t PRICING:
Sedan: R1 546 600
as thrilled. But being one of very few
Coupé: R1 609 100
females in this industry, it gives me
Cabriolet: R1 728 700
quite a kick to look back and see the
look on the male faces behind me
as I tear down the track.
If you want to experience track driving,
get in touch with the manufacturers who
offer advanced and high-performance
courses, such as Mercedes-Benz, Audi,
Volkswagen, BMW and Jaguar.

94 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

 TIPS FOR
TRACK
DRIVING
COURSES
FROM AN
EXPERT
Clare Vale became
the first female to
race in the premier
national V8 Supercar
Series at Kyalami
back in 2007. Since
then she has gone
on to win many races
both in track and in
drifting. She shares
some advice on
doing a high-
performance
driving course.

OFF THE
Make the most of
the opportunity! It’s
not often you get the
chance to drive on a

BEATEN
real race track, with
a skilled instructor
on hand. Learn as
much as you can

TRACK
and remember,
everything you learn
will improve your
driving skills and
help to keep you
safe on the road.

The racing line is

not only the fastest The Range Rover Evoque is usually the front of the vehicle with a virtual
way to negotiate considered a city car, but what 180-degree view.
a corner, but it’s
usually the safest
a lot of people may not realise is just The Evoque was Land Rover’s fastest
way too. Take note how capable it is off-road. The new selling car in history and this second
of the instructor’s Evoque has just arrived in South Africa generation is sure to be as successful.
advice during the and I headed to Jaguar Land Rover It is 99.9 percent new in every way, the
briefing and you’ll
get more out of your
Experience centre in Joburg to put door hinges are the only carry-over from
time on the track. it through its paces… In the dark! the previous model. With a starting price
That’s right, I navigated steep inclines, of R734 300, it doesn’t come cheap, but
The fastest drivers rocky surfaces and deep waters at night. you’re getting one of the most stylish
are the smoothest
drivers. Try to let
The new Evoque, with its host of all- off-roaders (and city dwellers) out there.
everything flow and terrain technologies, such as Hill Descent
develop a “feel” Control, Gradient Release Control and
for what the car is All-Terrain Progress Control, took all the JAGUAR
telling you. This
obstacles in its stride and made for an LAND ROVER
EXPERIENCE
feeling is usually
best transmitted to exciting and exhilarating adventure.
you via your bum! There are two really important rules CENTRE JHB
to follow when 4X4ing: 1. Take it slow
Female drivers are FAST FACTS:
often outnumbered
and 2. Trust the vehicle. When you drive
on track days. Don’t into a body of dark water that is 500mm – A 14-hectare playground
be intimidated – this deep, it helps to know that the wading for JLR customers and
is your time to learn depth of the new Evoque is 600mm.
their families.
and gain confidence – It’s the biggest experience
behind the wheel.
And when you’re heading over two
centre in the world.
planks that are the only thing between
– Book a test drive to
Most importantly, you and a deep hole, the new ClearSight
have fun! This is an
challenge your skills
Ground View – which is a world first
PHOTOGR APHS: SUPPLIED

opportunity to push and the cars’ capabilities.

your limits in a safe – keeps you calm in a sweaty-palm ADDRESS: 1 Capricorn
environment, so put situation. Cameras in the front grille Drive, Lone Hill, Sandton
your helmet on and and on the door mirrors project TELEPHONE: 010 023 0462
grow horns. a feed onto the central touchscreen to
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July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 95
 BY WANITA NICOL
PHOTOGRAPHS BY SEAN LAURÉNZ

S TA R
Q l ty Earlier this year we set out to
find SA’s next star trainer
– a woman with a powerful
fitspo story of her own and the
ability to inspire others to make
a healthy change. Our panel of
judges was blown away by the
high standard of entries this
year – so much so that they
chose 12 finalists to go through
to the second round instead of
the usual ten. Then it was up to
you, our readers, to select the
five women who would go into
the final stage. The votes are
in, the results have been tallied.
These are the women still in the
running to be named Women’s
Health Next Fitness Star 2019
hydrated by Powerade

96 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 97
 RENCHÉ Renché studied forensic
accounting, but, living in
S E Y F F E R T, Potchefstroom, jobs in her field
2 7, were thin on the ground. So,
having always been a sporty girl,
POTCHEFSTROOM she reinvented herself as a group
fitness instructor at Virgin Active.
@FITBESTTR AINING But she didn’t stop there. Renché
went on to qualify as a personal
trainer and then as a pre- and
postnatal exercise specialist,
aqua aerobics instructor, Pound
Pro and swim coach for babies
and toddlers. She now offers
home-based training and online
coaching for women through her
fitness start-up Fit Best Training.
S T R O N G
98 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za
TOP TIP:
“A good place to start is going to
classes because the main focus is
not on you – you can blend in and
you can stop if you need to stop.
Do what you can and start where
you are with what you have. And
in time you will make progress.
When I started my fitness journey
I couldn’t do a proper push-up at
all. I was struggling on my knees,
shivering and everything. I didn’t
go into fitness thinking my goal
was to do a push-up. But as you
progress, you get stronger and
more able to do things.”
 F
FAC T:
XO L I S WA D I D XO L I S WA
A BRIEF STINT
AS A PRO N KOSI ,
B OX E R A N D
G OT I N T H E 3 7, D U R B A N
RING WITH
M E N B E C AU S E
THERE WERE @XO L I S WA N KO S I . X N
N O OT H E R
WO M E N
FOR HER
TO F I G H T !
Xoliswa’s fitness career started
with a weight-loss transformation.
After spending her college vac
working in her family’s spaza shop
in Pietermaritzburg and eating
fat cakes and atchar on the daily,
she’d returned to college with
extra padding. “My friend was like,
‘no Xoli, you’re ready to pop any
day. Have you seen how big you
look? We need to start jogging’,”
she recalls. Xoliswa struggled.
“I could barely run a metre and
I’d be out of breath and needing
to rest,” she recalls. “But funny
enough, I didn’t want to stop.
I fell in love with it from the
first moment.” Xoliswa started
running every day. When winter
came, she swapped running for
aerobics classes at the local gym.
“The same thing happened. The
first class I did, I fell in love with
it. I could envision myself as an
aerobics instructor.” And that’s
what happened. When Xoliswa’s
instructor suddenly left the gym,
she stepped up – and never
looked back. She now teaches
group fitness classes at Virgin
Active in Durban. “I’ve been
asked why I don’t apply for other
posts. But group exercise for me
is life – the community feeling,
camaraderie, feeding off each E S S
other’s energy. And the fact that
you’re never alone in this journey
when you train in groups.”

TOP TIP:
“You don’t want to do one type
of training method – you want to
keep your body guessing. If you
can’t afford a personal trainer,
you can still get that with classes.
On a Monday, do high-intensity
cardio, like a boxing class. Then
conditioning and toning on
a Tuesday. Because you’ve pushed
hard on Monday and Tuesday, on
Wednesday go for a Pilates class
and on a Thursday, do normal
aerobics like high-low or step. On
a Friday, do functional or yoga.”

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 99
M E AGAN

T R A N S F O R M I N G
CLAASEN,
29 , C A P E T O W N

@T H E M E AG A N M E T H O D

“I was a chubby kid,” says Meagan

of her childhood. “I probably
weighed about 95kg when I was
13 years old.” She puts it down
to growing up in a traditional
Afrikaans family where the mantra
was, “have another helping” – of
rice, potatoes and meat. At 16,
Meagan decided to take charge
of her life and health and joined
the local gym. By the time she
hit first year varsity, she was 25
kilos down, fit and healthy and
committed to helping others
make a healthy change. So she
chose to major in both human
kinetics and ergonomics (HKE)
and psychology – and started
teaching aerobics classes from the
beginning of first year. These days,
she offers personal training with
an optional side of psych.
“I love doing transformations
because you have to
transform the mind first
before you can really tackle
the body. Otherwise you
tackle the body first and then
the mind goes, ‘ah, chilled vibes,
I can just do what I want.’ And then
nothing ever changes ’cause then
the yo-yo diet starts.”

TOP TIP:
“You’re allowed to cheat. Eat
chocolate, but don’t eat the whole
slab. If you’re going to a birthday
party and there’s a choice between
cake and Champagne, make your
choice. It’s all about maintaining
a balanced lifestyle – that creates
a healthy relationship with food
and that creates a healthier mind.”

100 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

TOKA LINTSA,
29, JOBURG

@T YO K A L

“You know sometimes you sit in an

office and think to yourself… This is
still going to be me after 20 years!
I don’t want to be this – I don’t want
to sit and just be stagnant on
a laptop and complete people’s
cash – what about my cash? Surely
I can also make money?” That’s
where Toka found herself after
completing a B.Com in chartered
accountancy. She’d recently
returned from an all-expenses-paid
trip to the UK that she’d won to
watch Beyoncé perform at The O2
Arena. Toka was feeling inspired
– but not by balance sheets. “So
I just quit,” she says. “My mom was
like, ‘what? I paid for your school
fees; now you want to tell me about
fitness?’” But Toka had a plan – to
combine her all-time love of dance
and a new-found respect for fitness
into the type of workout class
that she would want to do. “I take
different cultures, different types
of dances and different music and
fuse it into an exercise. Then people
can feel excited and represented,”
she says. Through her business,
Trot Your Globe, she teaches dance
fitness to corporates, in gyms and
at pop-up events.

TOP TIP:
“Dancing comes from the inside.
What you see inside a club, try to
see which muscle groups it targets
– like if you get down low, this is
a squat and it benefits your thighs.”

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 101

D E T E R M I N E D N O M AWO T H I
BAFANA ,
25, JOBURG

@_ M E L A N I N F I T_

Nomawothi’s first fitness class

didn’t go well. Her dad had
suggested she try a Kick class
with him and, although she’d
always played sport at school, she
just couldn’t master the moves.
“I didn’t know what was left or
right at all,” she recalls. “I cried in
my first class. I was like, ‘Dad,
I can’t do this and I’m not a failure.
So I’m just gonna leave.’” But the
instructor noticed Nomawothi
struggling and encouraged her to
try again. With extra help
and guidance, she was able to
learn the moves. “That’s when
I realised, oh my word, I think
I want to be a trainer,” she says.
Nomawothi finished her B.Com
financial science degree, went on
to do master’s in tax and currently
works at an audit firm. But she’s
built a thriving side hustle, running
group fitness classes and outdoor
boot camps where she helps
people learn to enjoy moving
their bodies in fun new ways,
just like she did.

CLOTHING: ADIDAS; MAKE-UP: TREMAYNE WEST; HAIR: NICOLE GR ANT; SHOT ON LOCATION AT FL ASH STUDIO IN CAPE TOWN
TOP TIP:
“First find what you enjoy. Visit
different gyms and see what
you’re comfortable with and if you
actually like a gym. If you don’t, try
outdoor boot camps. If you don’t
enjoy that, try a fitness centre
where they have tennis courts and
outdoor swimming pools. And
have fun. There’s no use going
through a fitness journey if you’re
not going to have fun with it.”
IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT BEING IN THE
GY M , I T ' S N OT A BOU T LO OK I N G
A CERTAIN WAY; IT'S H AV I N G

FUN WHILE YOU'RE DOING I T.

N O M AWO T H I B A FA N A

FOLLOW THE ACTION!

#WHNEXTFITSTAR
@womenshealthsa
@womenshealthmagsa

HYDRATED BY DRESSED BY
Does This
Give You
we i g h t l o s s

Anxiety?
Let’s
Change
That FOR SO MANY
OF US, CARBS
HAVE BECOME
SYNONYMOUS
WITH WEIGHT
GAIN. BUT
A FOODIE
REVOLUTION
IS DETERMINED
TO CHANGE THE
WAY WE SEE
THIS MACRO
BY ALEX DAVIES FOREVER
It’s the side order
so many of us are Of course, for some people (like those
served at most with diabetes) monitoring carb intake
meals: an instinctual can be a necessity, but experts see many
others swerve them without a legit need.
thought of, “Maybe “Carb-phobia counselling is almost
I shouldn’t have a daily job,” admits Amy Giannotti,
a dietician and strength and conditioning
bread with coach. “Many clients believe eating a
that.” Nodding banana will make them fat.” Psychologist

in recognition? Glenn Mackintosh, founder of Weight

Management Psychology, sees it too. “It’s
A 2018 poll by almost like a love-hate thing,” he says.
the International “People think carbs are delicious, but feel
a sense of guilt or shame around eating
Food Information them. There’s this real fear of ‘If I just
Council Foundation look at this food, [I’ll] gain five kilos.’”

revealed a quarter While Courtenay McDermott loves

pasta, potatoes and the like, the 34-year-
of respondents old marketing manager wrangles with
blame this macro almost-ingrained ideas about them.
“I look at things like pasta or bread as
for kilo gain. The the ‘bad carbs’ and definitely ... feel like
hashtag #lowcarb you can only have carbs once a day,” she

has been used nearly says. “Even when I’m going out for dinner
with friends and some of us order pasta,
16 million times on there’s that feeling of almost [having
lnstagram, while to] justify why – ‘I didn’t have lunch so
I’m having pasta for dinner’ or ‘I trained
one quick google today so I’m going to have carbs’.”
delivers countless Just like any big name in the midst

articles and books of a PR crisis, carbs are fighting back.

And experts are leading the sourdough-
about going low- fuelled charge. Their goal? To clear
carb or saying no through the confusion and most
importantly, help us cultivate healthy,
to the stuff. J. Lo happy relationships with the content of
made headlines our plates (and bread baskets). This carb
comeback is gaining traction, but that
when she showcased word “relationship” is telling. Because
her bod after 10 the struggle here is as much, if not more,

days without carbs. about emotion and mindset as it is about

understanding the nutritional benefits
In short, this macro’s of that spud you’re eyeing up warily.
reputation has So, what does it take to fall back in
love (or at least catch feels for) an
suffered a harder hit entire food group?
than a rugby rookie.

106 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za


The number of times in millions that
#lowcarb has been used on Instagram.
we i g h t l o s s
Hard to swallow
First though, where did things go awry
for that packet of penne gathering dust
in your cupboard? While old mate Dr
Atkins came up with his famous low-carb
approach in the 60s, the diet boomed
in the early noughties. Since then, we’ve
seen the rise of Paleo then keto (which
both err on the low-carb side) as protein
and now fat have become the macros
du jour (Giannotti mentions how often
she sees women who’d rather consume
a processed high-protein shake or bar
than any sort of carb). Dr Helen Rydge,
a clinical psychologist and clinical
director at Inside Out – National Institute
for Eating Disorders at the University of
Sydney, adds that guilt around so-called
“good” and “bad” foods has always
existed in diet culture, but the kind of
food we focus on shifts with the times.
Oversimplified nutrition messages
don’t help, argues dietician Joel Feren.
“I think some of the anxiety stems
from ‘nutrition gurus’ and their ...
very simplistic approach, saying that
carbohydrates lead to sugar in the
system, which then gets converted to fat.
Biochemically, that is certainly not the
case.” What is the case: carb-rich foods
can be nutritional all-stars, influencing
everything from workout success to
how well you concentrate in meetings.
“Carbohydrates are our bodies’ preferred
fuel source,” says Feren. “They [break]
down into a sugar called glucose, but
that’s what our body thrives on. Our
muscles and organs largely rely on
glucose, as does our brain – if it didn’t
have that glucose, it would certainly
not run as effectively as it could.”
Fruit, veggies, including potato,
legumes and whole-grains also house
a carb-type currently captivating
experts, scientists and foodies alike: fibre,
a best friend that’ll help manage your
blood-sugar levels, reduce cholesterol
and keep you fuller for longer. Types like
resistant starch (found in cooked-and-
cooled potato, legumes, oats, onion and
garlic) actually feed and nourish gut
bacteria. As for workouts, protein and
carbs are crucial for performance and
“replenishing glycogen stores lost in
training as well as ‘fuelling’ the recovery
of muscles and the entire body,” says
Giannotti. Hand us that banana will you?
Feren says, “It really upsets me when
people go, ‘I’m going to cut out carbs
to lose weight.’ At what cost – nutrient
deficiencies, poor mood, elevated
cholesterol levels and an impact on your
heart health? We really need to think of
July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 107
the big picture. And permission to
yes, sometimes we break that rule

Complex
can overeat those really arbitrarily.”
types of foods, but (Signs it’s worth

Carbs
we certainly should getting expert
be including them in help for you or
small to moderate someone else?
amounts. After Obsessionality The spud delivers
all, you can [also] The percentage of our diets that and patterns. more than just
overeat protein, should be made up of carbs, according Things like eating carbs. Dietician
you can overeat to a 2018 study in The Lancet. That in secret, avoiding
Joel Feren
fat and it will lead covers everything from veggies social situations or
you to weight gain. and fruit to grains and starches. not eating around unpacks the other
The one food that Pasta tonight? Yes, please. others; obsessing nutritional perks
you can’t overeat is over the gym, these “feared”
non-carb vegetables. It’s a tired, boring,
old approach, but we need to encourage
even when unwell; a teenager dieting or
cutting out food groups. “It’s about the
foods have
moderation and include foods from the intensity and how much [the behaviour] to offer
five food groups, including whole-grains is ... affecting you physically, socially,
and starchy foods.” Case in point: in one mentally,” says Rydge.) QUALITY BREAD
of the most comprehensive studies on Fibre, vitamin E, iodine
carb intake, published in The Lancet at
Bite by bite (for thyroid function),
the end of 2018, Brigham and Women’s
Loosening up your rule book around folate, B vitamins,
Hospital researchers landed on a sweet
carbs starts with facing fear. Gradually potassium and iron.
spot – around 50 percent of our calories
reintroduce the foods you’re worried
should come from carb-containing foods
about over time – say, by having half POTATO
(the less processed the better, obvs),
with anything lower or higher associated
a cup of rice tomorrow night – and as Vitamin B6, potassium
with increased mortality.
you see nothing really bad happens, it (for blood-pressure
becomes easier, says Rydge. “Often the
control), fibre, resistant
fear is ‘If I eat carbs I’m going to gain
In-grained thinking five kilos’, which is impossible. It’s about
starch. Plus, sweet
It’s great knowing what carbs bring to testing out some of those beliefs that go potato boasts beta
the health party, but changing mindsets along with the rules you’ve put in place carotene (for skin
takes time. Especially with some celebs because the beliefs are often false.” and eye health).
and influencers spreading the no-carb Macintosh is a fan of intuitive eating
message like it’s #spon. Mackintosh for its focus on trusting yourself and your PASTA
talks about rules so many of us set body, rather than letting the rules take Low-sodium,
ourselves, dictating if we’re “allowed” to over. “Intuitive eating is a life changer for B vitamins (for
have certain foods and how problematic a lot of people who don’t have a healthy
energy), fibre (more
these can be. “We’ve seen the same relationship with food, but it takes time
thing before with fats and sugars [as and practice,” he says. “It’s a skill like
in wholegrain) and
well as] carbs,” he says. “When you sewing or kicking a football.” The idea
sustainable energy
start to almost demonise food, that’s behind this cousin of mindful eating? via low-GI carbs.
when you can run into trouble. But you You tune into the reasons you’re eating
can also do that when you put foods and the sensations that come with each RICE
on a pedestal. We like to think of food mouthful, but also learn to recognise Folate, B vitamins,
as morally neutral. People are so quick your body’s hunger and fullness signals manganese,
to judge ‘good’, ‘bad’, ‘right’, ‘wrong’, as well as tune out the myriad self-
phosphorus. The
‘should’, ‘shouldn’t’. When you have all judgements running through your mind.
of those judgements in your mind, it (Side note: it goes without saying that
brown kind also packs
undermines your ability to enjoy food.” it’s smart to check in with an expert for fibre, selenium
Another by-product of these labels, he advice before making any big dietary (a powerful
adds, is as soon as you tell yourself you changes.) Ultimately, the proof is in the antioxidant) and
can’t eat something, that’s all you want. eating of the bread pudding. “When magnesium.
(True story.) I do have carbs, I notice how much more
The intensity and flexibility of the energy I have,” McDermott admits.
“rules” matter, says Rydge. “For someone “I realise I should probably eat more of
with an eating disorder this rule-based them.” Macintosh adds, “See what your
thinking would be extremely black and brain thinks [when you eat carbs] and
white,” she explains. “They would never what they do for your performance,
break that rule. For the average person, energy and mood. You’ll start to
the rules are a little bit more permeable experience the benefits and see they
– ‘I’d better not eat carbs,’ not ‘I aren’t the bad guy.” We’ll take that
cannot eat carbs.’ We’ll give ourselves – with a side of crusty sourdough, please.

108 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

we i g h t l o s s
 THE VAGINA FILES

We’re not
afraid to get
real about
sexual health.
But have you
got the
low-down on
your lady bits?
TAKE OUR POP QUIZ TO DISCOVER YOUR VIQ...
BY CLARE BAXTER

110 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za

 s ex u a l h e a l t h

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 111

It’s been a while since we were in awks-inducing sex ed
classes labelling fallopian tubes. But even as adults in 2019,
we could all stand to learn more about our vaginas. Luckily, it
seems they’re quite the hot topic right now. Athletes, such as
Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui and fitness guru Kayla ltsines,
are candid about how periods affect their performance,
while celebs share everything from vagina-steaming pics
(Chrissy Teigen, we’re looking at you – doctors advise against
it, BTW) to stories of endometriosis. Heck, singer Janelle
Monáe even wears vulva-shaped trousers in her music video
for Pynk. And we’re 100 percent here for it. So, in the spirit of
myth-busting, behold the trivia you never knew you needed
to know about your vagina et al. Class is officially in session.

WHAT ACTUALLY COUNTS penis, not that it’s a competition). “The

clitoris is a large organ hidden beneath

AS THE VAGINA? the surface, with four legs and a long

A The stretchy, muscular passageway
from the vulva to the cervix.
B Everything going on down there.
C The lips outside the genitals.
neck,” explains Dr Nina Brochmann,
co-author of The Wonder Down Under:
A User’s Guide To The Vagina. “It can
measure up to 11cm within the body,
surrounding your genitals.”

ANSWER: A. High-10 if you got this one

right: a British survey by The Eve Appeal
found 44 percent of women couldn’t
point out the vagina on a diagram of
the reproductive tract. “People often
get mixed up with their vagina and their
vulva,” says family-planning specialist Dr
Deborah Bateson. So, how can you tell
them apart? Think of the vagina as the
stretchy, muscular internal passageway
from the opening of the vagina to the
cervix at the top, which leads to the
uterus. Whereas the vulva is the outside
part of your genitals, including
the inner and outer lips (labia), the
clitoris, urethral opening (for pee)
and vaginal opening. V enlightening.
How long is the
average clitoris?
A 1 to 2cm
B 5 to 6cm
C 9 to 11cm
ANSWER: C. Yep, you’re packing down
there. The pea-sized part you can see
(named the head or glans) is just the tip
of the iceberg – a tip that contains 8 000
nerve endings (double the amount in the
Your body needs a
break from hormonal
contraception.
A True.
B False.
ANSWER: B. A US survey of almost 900
young women published in the journal
Women’s Health Issues (no relation)
found that more than half thought they
Lady boners: the real deal?
should hit pause on their contraception A Legit.
to stay healthy. But unless you’re trying B Surely not.
to get pregnant, there’s no need, says
Bateson. “If you’ve found a pill that ANSWER: A. Your clitoris is made of
works for you, there are no health the same erectile tissue as the penis,
benefits in stopping.” In fact, stopping
and starting may cause unwanted side
meaning you too can get it up – and
get it up you do. “Women have up to
effects because of the fluctuations in
the reproductive hormones. Better to do
eight ‘boners’ a night,” says Brochmann.
“In fact, there’s little anatomical or
your research first. “A growing number physiological difference between female
of women would rather have something and male sexual arousal – you also
more natural – either lower doses of have a sexual organ that is erect and
hormones or no hormones at all, so it’s responds in the same way as the penis.”
important to be aware of your options,” The female version of nocturnal arousal
she says. “If you do want to switch, make goes by the not-so-sexy name “nocturnal
sure you’re aware of the need to take clitoris tumescence” and it explains why
other precautions if you don’t want to you might prefer sex in the morning.
become pregnant right now.” Rise and shine indeed.

112 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za


How many women will get
thrush at some point?
A 35%
PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES .COM; ILLUSTR ATION: MDI DIGITAL;
B 75%
C 95%
ANSWER: B. Three quarters of women
will experience the fungal infection
at least once in their life, according
ADDITIONAL REPORTING: CHANDRÉ DAVIDS
to healthcare company Bupa, along
with the symptoms (itching, burning
and general discomfort) it can trigger.
Thrush is mostly harmless, but this
doesn’t mean you should swerve the
GP visit. “It’s common for women to
self-diagnose thrush and other female
health problems when it might be
something else. So it’s important to
s ex u a l h e a l t h
WHAT YOUR PERIOD IS
TRYING TO TELL YOU
It’s really heavy and put up with. “Seek help,”
urges Bateson. “It may just
“Having a light period is
be a matter of understanding
generally not a problem; the
how best to manage your pain,
more important thing is
but it might be that more
regularity,” explains
investigations are needed
Bateson. On the other hand,
to work out the cause.”
see your GP if you have a heavy
flow. How heavy is heavy?
Changing your sanitary
It surprises you
If you’re bleeding in between
protection every two hours,
periods, especially after
passing blood clots the size
sex, take note: “That can
of a R5 coin or regularly
sometimes be associated with
bleeding through your clothes
a problem with the cervix, or
or bedding. According to the
it can be an indicator of an
National Health Service in the
STI, such as chlamydia or
UK, no underlying reason is
gonorrhoea,” says Bateson.
found in around half of women
Book in a check-up to put
with heavy bleeding, but it
your mind (and body) at ease.
could be a sign of a condition
like fibroids or endometriosis.
It’s gone AWOL
It’s painful “Pregnancy aside, sudden
weight loss, over-exercising,
There are lots of potential
stress and medications, as
culprits – a key one is
well as some serious medical
endometriosis, thought to
conditions, can stop periods,”
affect one in 10 women. If your
says Bateson. Another
period leaves you doubled
cause? Premature ovarian
over, taking sick days or
insufficiency (or premature
mainlining painkillers, it’s not
menopause), which is thought
something you have to accept
to affect one in 100 women
under the age of 40. This can
go to your doctor and get checked
out, even if there are over-the-counter
happen if you undergo cancer
treatments or surgery, but can
also be caused by autoimmune
products available,” says Brochmann.
and genetic conditions.
As for those home remedies you found
“Getting to know your
on an online forum? Ja... No. “Most are
bleeding pattern is important,
a waste of time and resources,” she as some women might only
advises, citing yoghurt and cranberry have a period every three or
juice on the safe-but-basically-pointless four months, which can be an
list. And ditch douching at all costs, indicator of polycystic ovary
which upsets the pH balance of your syndrome,” says Bateson.
vagina. “That can lead to all sorts of “If the regularity of your
problems, such as bacterial vaginosis,” periods changes, talk to
adds Bateson. If you do have recurring your doctor about it.”
thrush, opt for loose clothing to keep
the area dry, wear cotton undies and
avoid panty liners to ease the itch.
July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 113

What’s the function
of the female orgasm?
A To promote both loyalty and
bonding between sexual partners.
B The muscle contractions help
suck sperm up to the ovaries.
C Experts don’t actually know
– it’s probably useless.
ANSWER: C. Female orgasms are still
a mystery and although all of the above
have been theorised at some point,
the general consensus among experts
is that the big O doesn’t do all that
much. According to Brochmann, female
orgasms are just a (really) fun bonus of
male and female anatomy starting from
the same point as foetuses develop in the
uterus. Essentially, while men’s orgasms
function to deliver sperm and fertilise
eggs, we have orgasms simply because
men do.” It’s just a great evolutionary
by-product,” she says. We couldn’t
agree more.
I tested the
Elvie kegels
trainer...
“Elvie is small enough to be inserted
easily (although a little water-based
lubricant is always advisable) and
once it’s inside, you don’t really feel it.
Doing the exercises was really
eye-opening because it made me
realise that although, in theory, I know
what to do to contract my pelvic-floor
muscles, in practice, I missed the mark
quite often and am definitely
squeezing my glutes, which I shouldn’t
be. Having the app to show me that I’m
114 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019
Sexual
Healing
The future of your vaginal The most important thing you
can do for your sexual health?
health is bright, thanks Get exploring, advises Brochmann.
“Masturbating is the best solution
mainly to... for basically any mental sexual
problem a woman might have,” she
says. “Plus, it makes it easier to fall
A Social media. asleep, has a positive effect on
B Femtech. your mood and a lot of women
C Europe. who masturbate more have
better body image.”
ANSWER: B. Obvs. Female technology,
Self-care, here we...
Come!
otherwise known as femtech, is
a completely new – and welcome
– category in healthcare, with the market
predicted to be worth R749 billion by
2025. Categorised as tech developments
primarily focused on women’s health
issues – including pregnancy, fertility,
gynaecological conditions and the
menstrual cycle – this can only be a good
thing for your vagina. Ironically, one of
the industry’s strongest areas is focused
on weakness, namely that of your pelvic
floor, a group of hammock-like muscles
that support your organs and ensure you
only wee when you choose to. Vaginal
trainers such as Elvie (pictured, R3 465,
Matildas.co.za) go inside your vagina and
send signals to their respective apps to
measure the strength of your pelvic floor
and show how well you do your Kegel
exercises. Viveve, a US company, has led
clinical trials to prove the efficacy of its
treatment for female sexual dysfunction,
which uses a device to deliver a patented
cryogen-cooled radio frequency to
renew tissue and maximise blood flow
in the vaginal canal. Then there’s Ohnut
(they ship to SA), a Kickstarter-funded
product for the 75 percent of women
who have experienced pain during sex,
whether because of conditions like
endometriosis, after childbirth or due
to muscle spasms. Made of stackable
silicone rings, you pop it on a partner’s
penis or insertable toy, letting you
choose a depth that feels good
for you. Happy, enlightened vagina
times all round.
not doing the right thing is so beneficial
because I can correct myself immediately,
instead of wasting my time and missing
out on the benefits by doing the wrong
thing. The app, itself, is also really cool.
It’s easy to use, has great graphics and it
gives you a little progress report after
each set of exercises so that you know
how you did. It’s encouraging to see
where you’ve done really well and
motivating to see where you need
more work.”
| WomensHealthSA.co.za

Your vagina is a grown-up
and can look after herself.
A. True.
B. False.
ANSWER: A. This is true, but there are
some things you can do to keep her extra
happy, according to GP Dr Christine Kriel.
First off, look after your vaginal flora. If
your flora gets thrown off balance, say,
by taking antibiotics or washing with
harsh soaps (the vagina is self-cleaning
and doesn’t need to be washed with
soap!), you will be more susceptible
to yeast infections. It’s also important
to ask about your partner’s status and
their sexual history before you get down
and dirty – STIs are common and easily
transferred during hanky panky. And
while we’re on the topic of sex, always
have vaginal intercourse first, then
move on to anal – never do it the other
way around because this can introduce
harmful bacteria into your vagina,
putting you at risk of infection, especially
a UTI. Still on the topic of intercourse,
always try to urinate afterwards. Our
urethras are shorter than men’s, which
makes us more prone to UTIs. Urinating
will help flush out any bacteria that might
have got into your urethra. On a more
fundamental level, always remember
to wipe from front to back – there’s
a reason our mom’s taught us this as
kids. If you reverse the direction, you’ll
likely introduce faecal bacteria into your
sensitive vagina and, again, risk getting
an infection. Finally, try to have regular
appointments with your gynae – at
the very least, you should be having
a pap smear every three years. But more
regular appointments will let your gynae
keep an eye on you and any changes
that your body is going through.
Should your vagina smell?
A Ugh, definitely not.
B A little odour is normal.
ANSWER: B. Put away that douching
kit! Vagina odour is mostly normal. “Each
vagina has its own unique smell,” explains
Dr Kim Sonntag, a gynaecologist and
obstetrician. Okay, so since our vajayjays
are supposed to have their own brand
of eau de toilette, what should they
not smell like? “It should never have
an offensive, malodorous smell,” says
s ex u a l h e a l t h
Sonntag. One of the most common
odour problems women experience is
a fishy smell. According to Sonntag this
is commonly caused by an organism
called trichomonas vaginalis. It could
also be caused by bacterial vaginosis:
an overgrowth of the healthy normal
bacteria in the vagina. Vaginal thrush,
which is usually characterised by a thick,
white discharge accompanied by itching,
could give off a yeasty odour. Also be
alert to musky, rotten or metallic smells
– these aren’t normal and need to be
checked out. You should also visit your
gynae if you smell anything that differs
from your usual scent. This is important
because “sometimes smell may be
the only symptom [of an underlying
problem],” says Sonntag. If the smell
is accompanied by unusual discharge,
or an itchy or burning sensation, you’ll
definitely need to get it looked at.
Should you
treat the
smell?
Although it’s tempting to use
scented soaps or vaginal hygiene
products, don’t. Dr Kim Sonntag
recommends washing with water
and keeping creams, lotions and
other products away from your
vagina as these can disturb your
vaginal pH, making you more
susceptible to infections.
The vagina is self-cleaning, so
there’s no need to make it smell like
flowers. If the smell is bothering
you, the only person who can help is
your doctor. Having an odour
problem isn’t something to be
ashamed of – in fact, it’s a common
problem, one that most women
encounter at least once in their
lifetime. Don’t let your
embarrassment stop you from
getting the treatment you need. To
ensure you’re helping to keep your
vagina smelling like it should, try to
wear cotton underwear and avoid
scented pantyliners and pads as
these can also affect your pH levels.
Visit WomensHealthSA.co.za for
more information.
July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 115
 Eat
ourself
BY KATE WILLS

Clever
MAKE DECISIONS
LIKE A BOSS, UP
YOUR FOCUS AND
IMPROVE YOUR
MEMORY WITH THIS
NEW PLATE PLAN
 health
Still bringing up the A you got in matric
French? Oui. Make a point of letting
everyone know when you got a question
right on QI? Affirmative. But if that’s not
you, and you’re in need of a boost upstairs,
we have some good news: clever cuisine.
Eating for the brain, aka neuro-nutrition,
is the hot new area researchers are keen
to explore in the mind-food connection.
It looks at the ways in which food affects
how we think, feel and age. “The brain
consumes an immense amount of energy
in comparison with the rest of your body
– about 25 percent of our total energy
expenditure,” explains Dr Caroline Leaf,
a cognitive neuroscientist and author of
Think & Eat Yourself Smart. “Therefore it
makes sense that the transfer of energy
from the foods you eat to the neurons
in your brain has a big impact, not only
on its function, but on how you behave.
Clearly, there are huge implications to
this – not only regarding what we feed
growing minds in school, but what you
put on your plate every day.”

Does my brain
look big in this?
Let’s talk about fat for a minute and
how good it is as fuel for your brain
cells. “The brain is your fattiest organ,
at around 60 percent fat,” says Leaf.
“Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs),
found in foods like oily fish, kiwi fruit
and walnuts, are the building blocks
of brain cells and are integral to how
fast a signal travels between them.”
It’s why stringing a sentence together is
difficult when you’re days into a low-fat
diet. “Oily fish is an exceptional source
of a particular omega-3 that is critical 4pm meetings? Chow down on this:
for brain function – docosahexaenoic according to Leaf, eating more omega-
acid (DHA),” adds Leaf. “In fact, low 3-rich foods, such as herring, salmon and
levels of DHA have even been linked mackerel, can boost your attention span
with depression, premature brain within just a few days. Big meeting on
ageing and Alzheimer’s.” Whoa! Thursday? Perfect excuse to hit the sushi
Not only is omega-3 vital to your belt for supper.
brain’s health, upping your intake
can improve focus too. One study
by the University of Gothenburg in A good egg
Sweden found that school kids given But brain food goes beyond omega-3s
a supplement with omega-3 performed to “intelligent fats” – aka phospholipids.
better at reading than those who were “Keeping the brain’s structure in good
given a placebo. Want to stay alert in

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 117

condition is key to improving memory,
cognition, focus and concentration,”
explains food psychologist Dr Christy
Fergusson. “Phospholipids help to
develop the cell walls of neurons so
that they can regulate nutrients coming
in and waste going out, and also support
signal-transmitting chemicals, known
as neurotransmitters.”
So where do we head in the
supermarket aisle? “Lecithin and choline
are phospholipids that are found in
sunflower seeds, egg yolks and peanuts.”
According to Fergusson, we should be
eating between two and six eggs a week
for optimum brain health. And egg-white
omelettes won’t cut it – you need to
be eating the yolk as well. “Egg yolk is
one of the richest sources of choline,”
says Fergusson. “As well as being
a phospholipid, choline helps produce
the neurotransmitter acetylcholine,
which is needed to pass messages
from the brain to your nerves and
muscles.” Talk about a sunny side.
Hungry, hungry
hippocampus
Want to create new brain cells? Until
recently, it was just the stuff of science
fiction, but scientists now know that we
can create new neurons. And doing so
will do more than boost your cognitive
function. Producing new neurons can
also improve your mood and memory
capacity and hinder the mental decline
associated with ageing.
“There’s a growing body of research
indicating that consuming certain foods
and avoiding others might allow the
brain to stop degenerating and maybe
even grow new cells (neurogenesis) as
we grow older,” explains Dr Gary Wenk,
neuroscientist and author of Your Brain
On Food. “There’s some interesting
new research into neurogenesis in mice,
which suggests that what we eat and
when we eat it might be crucial to new
neuron growth. In general, it seems that
restricting your maximum (calorie) intake
(about 2 000 a day for women) by 20 to
30 percent and practising intermittent
fasting (switching between periods
of eating and fasting) can encourage
neurogenesis. We don’t know exactly
why yet, but we think it has to do with
ghrelin – the body’s hunger hormone.”
A recent study by Swansea University
in the UK found that mice injected with
ghrelin improved their mental ability and
made more brain cell connections. Don’t
start calorie-cutting for a brain boost,
though – restricting by 20 percent means
118 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H | July 2019
consuming about 1 500 calories daily
for a woman. “New brain cells can take
a few weeks to start working, so people
shouldn’t expect fasting to produce
immediate effects on their brainpower,”
warns Wenk.
Radical thinking
Think you’re way too young to be
worrying about brain ageing? Neuro-
nutrition can help future-proof your head
for later life. “Anti-inflammatory foods
high in flavonoids are crucial to protect
the brain from the effects of free radicals
and stop cells from dying,” explains
Wenk. “Flavonoids protect neurons in
the hippocampus, induce blood flow to
this area of the brain and also play a role
in improvements in numerous cognitive
skills, including memory, learning and
decision-making.” Look for cinnamon
and turmeric or brightly coloured fruit,
such as raspberries and blueberries.
And (oh, happy day) red wine and dark
chocolate are filled with flavonoids too.
While your noggin needs a wide
variety of vitamins and minerals to
keep your synapses firing, you need to
eat those magical B vitamins (think B
for brain) to prevent cognitive decline.
Why? A study from the University of
Oxford confirmed that folic acid and
vitamins B6 and B12 work together to
reduce brain atrophy, improve brain
function and dramatically reduce
shrinkage in the part of the brain
most affected by Alzheimer’s. Look at
grains, legumes, nuts, fish and meat
for B6 and animal products for B12 (or
a vegan supplement). Meanwhile, pork
and peanuts are both high in thiamine
(vitamin B1), while dark-green power
veggies, like broccoli and spinach, are
high in folate.
Banish brain drain
While filling up on brain fodder is good,
a growing body of research shows it’s
just as important to think about eats to
avoid. “A diet that’s high in refined sugar “Other additives, such as artificial
and processed food has been found colourings or E numbers, are also known
to damage your memory and capacity to cause heightened mood swings, so try
for learning,” says psychologist Dr to choose foods that are as unprocessed
Jane McCarthy. “A recent study found as possible.”
that rats fed fructose syrup showed The good news is, even if you’ve spent
significant impairment in their cognitive decades scoffing processed foods and
abilities.” And artificial ingredients OD-ing on refined sugar, Wenk says
– particularly the sweetener aspartame, it’s never too late to start feeding your
found in many fizzy diet drinks – can play mind. “The brain’s ability to form new
havoc with your normal brain function. neural connections throughout life is
“Depression, anxiety and panic attacks remarkable,” he says. “The brain is very
are known potential side effects of receptive to changes in diet, no matter
aspartame consumption,” says McCarthy. what age you start.”
| WomensHealthSA.co.za
 health

Brain
Fuel
Get wise to the food and
drinks science says are
the fastest way to boost
your brainpower

Best all-rounder:
BERRIES
Berries contain resveratrol,
which has been shown to
enhance brain connectivity
and cognitive function,
and can also increase
neuroplasticity.

Best for a big

day at work:
WALNUTS
A UCLA team discovered
that eating just 13g of
walnuts a day can improve
recall, reaction time and
the ability to learn new
tasks. Amazing!

Best for warding

off disease:
CAFFEINE
Three to five cups of coffee
a day may offer protection
against cardiovascular and
Parkinson’s disease, say
Harvard researchers.
Drink up!

Best for memory:

PHOTOGR APHS: GALLO/GET T YIMAGES .COM

HOT CHOCOLATE
A Harvard Medical School
study found drinking
two cups a day boosted
people’s memory scores.

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 119

Homegrown
good ness

Who better to get

fool-proof recipes
from than your
butcher’s wife?
These hearty dishes
by Sharon Lurie
come straight out
of Joburg’s melting
pot of cultures and
are all we want TSEBROCHEN SALAD aka
to eat this winter…
It’s called balance deconstructed chakalaka salad
What is a braai without
chakalaka? This classic South Food
Hub
African relish is packed with
goodness, especially when
made from scratch, and goes
well with stews, meat, samp
or as a side.

Serves 8 to 10

3 cups ready-cooked
sushi rice
1 English cucumber, skin
removed, julienned
250g baby mealies,
sliced on the diagonal
250g sugar-snap peas,
sliced on the diagonal
1 red pepper, deseeded
and thinly sliced
1 green pepper, deseeded
and thinly sliced
1 yellow pepper, deseeded
and thinly sliced
2 carrots, julienned
½ cup chopped
spring onions
100g salted cashew nuts
Handful chopped fresh
coriander, for garnishing

FOR THE CHAKALAKA

(MAKES 4 CUPS)
3 tbsp sunflower oil
4 onions, finely chopped
2 tsp medium-strength
curry powder
1½ tsp ground cumin
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
3 small green peppers,
finely sliced lengthwise
2 green or red chillies,

yentil soup with an african twist

deseeded and finely
chopped (or more, to taste)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 carrots, grated
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
6 large, very ripe
red tomatoes
Salt and black pepper,
to taste
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp sugar or equivalent
sweetener
½ cup finely chopped
fresh parsley or coriander
FOR THE DRESSING
½ cup chakalaka sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup cold water
½ cup white wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar or
equivalent sweetener
1. For the chakalaka, heat the oil
in a pan and fry the onions until
soft. Mix in the curry powder
and cumin. Add the celery,
green peppers, chillies, garlic,
carrots, ginger and tomatoes
and mix well. Allow to boil
for 15 to 20 minutes until the
veggies are soft. Finally, add
the salt and pepper, vinegar,
sugar or sweetener and parsley
or coriander, and give it a good
stir. Decant into prepared
sterilised glass jars when cool.
2. Spoon the sushi rice onto
a platter and cover with the
cucumber, mealies, peas,
peppers, carrots and spring
onions. Alternatively, arrange
the ingredients in groups over
the rice.
3. To make the dressing,
combine the chakalaka with
the mayonnaise, water, vinegar
and sugar or sweetener until
well mixed.
4. When ready to serve, pour
the dressing over the sushi
rice and vegetables and
garnish with the cashew
nuts and fresh coriander.
Lentils are not only affordable,
but packed with good-for-you
fibre. Make a pot of this soup
on Sundays and that’s meal
planning for the week sorted!
Serves 8 to 10
1kg butternut, cubed
2 large potatoes, cubed
Water
2 x 400g tins lentils
2 x 410g tins whole
kernel corn
1 tsp harissa spice
1 tsp curry powder
3 tbsp vegetable
stock powder
1 x 165ml tin coconut cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
Finely chopped fresh
coriander, for serving
FOR THE SOUP TOPPINGS
½ cup toasted
sunflower seeds
½ cup crunchy toasted corn
Pinch dukkah spice
1. Add the butternut and
potatoes to a saucepan. Pour
in sufficient water to cover by
5cm, bring to the boil and cook
until soft. Blend with a hand
blender or food processor
until smooth.
2. Add the lentils, corn, harissa
spice, curry powder, vegetable
stock and coconut cream and
bring to the boil. Reduce the
heat and allow to simmer for
30 minutes with the lid lying
loosely on top. Switch off the
heat, replace the lid firmly and
allow the soup to absorb all
the wonderful flavours.
3. Season, sprinkle with
coriander and a topping
of your choice before serving.

July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 121

Beetroot should be right up
there with other superfoods
like moringa and hemp.
They’re a powerhouse of
nutrients, such as potassium,
vitamin B, fibre and folate, and
they’ve been proven to help
lower blood pressure and
increase sports performance.
Serves 8 to 10
soweto salad with bubbe’s borscht twist
122 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H
6 large beetroots, boiled
with skins until soft
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chicken-stock powder
2 large red onions, sliced
1 tsp salt
¾ cup fresh orange juice
1 cup white vinegar
4 bay leaves
2 tbsp honey
1 small head red
cabbage, shredded
Fresh flat-leaf parsley,
for garnishing
| July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Once the beetroots are cool,
remove their skins (it’s best
to wear gloves when peeling
them) and cube. Arrange the
cubes in a roasting dish, drizzle
with the oil and sprinkle over
the chicken-stock powder.
Roast until the edges start
to caramelise.
3. Meanwhile, place the onions,
salt, orange juice, vinegar, bay
leaves and honey into a bowl
and leave to marinate. As soon
as the beetroots are roasted,
add them to the bowl as well
to marinate overnight with the
rest. When ready to serve,
arrange the shredded cabbage
on a platter followed by the
beetroot and onions (removed
from the marinade with
a slotted spoon). Garnish
with the parsley.
 Food
Hub

The combo of spice and citrus

means that this dish comes
with a whack of immune-
boosting antioxidants.

Serves 6

1 spatchcocked chicken
1 lime

FOR THE MARINADE

1 cup chopped spring onions
8 cloves garlic
5cm piece fresh ginger,
roughly chopped
1 Scotch bonnet pepper,
intense hot orange or
red in colour
2 tbsp dried thyme
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp apple-cider vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
(or coconut sugar)
2 tsp ground allspice
Juice of 2 oranges
2 tsp grated nutmeg

1. Place all the marinade

ingredients into the bowl of
a food processor and blend
until smooth. Spread this
mixture over the chicken and
leave it to marinate overnight.
2. If you are having a braai,
make sure that the coals have
been burning for an hour or
so before you braai the chicken.

joburg-style jerk chicken Authentic jerked meats are not

exactly grilled as we think of
grilling, but sort of smoke-
grilled. For a more authentic jerk
experience, add some wood
chips to the braai, then cook the
chicken over slow, indirect heat
for 1 to 1½ hours. Just before
serving, squeeze the juice of
a lime over the chicken.
3. To cook in the oven, preheat
to 180°C. Place the chicken in
a roasting dish, uncovered, with
the lime cut in half, then roast
for 1 hour. Reduce the heat to
160°C and roast for a further
30 minutes. Serve with rice.

Sticky ribs are a treat and
they’re way better when made
at home from scratch! While
it seems like a lot of calories,
remember you won’t be
ingesting all the cola and
basting sauce – they’re used
to make the meat tender and
sticky! Pair with some greens.
Serves 6
jislaaik ribeliscious ribs
124 W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H
3 racks smoked steakhouse
ribs, cut up individually (±
20 ribs, each ± 12cm long)
2 litres cola
1 tsp crushed fresh garlic
1 heaped tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
BASTING SAUCE
1 cup tomato sauce
(like All Gold)
¼ cup mustard
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup smooth apricot jam
| July 2019 | WomensHealthSA.co.za
1. Wash the ribs well to remove
excess salt from the smoking
process. Place them in a large
pot and cover with the cola,
garlic,ginger and chilli flakes.
Don’t worry if they are not
covered completely as there
should be sufficient liquid to
steam them. Bring to the boil,
then reduce the heat to a
simmer and allow the ribs to
cook for at least 30 minutes.
After 15 minutes swap the ribs
at the bottom of the pot to
the top so that all the ribs are
cooked evenly in the cola.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Transfer the ribs to a roasting
dish, discarding any cola that
hasn’t already cooked out.
3. To make the basting sauce,
mix the tomato sauce, mustard,
soy sauce and apricot jam in
a bowl until well combined.
Baste the ribs with this mixture,
then roast in the oven, covered,
for one hour, turning after 30
minutes. After an hour, reduce
the heat to 160°C and roast for
another hour, uncovered, until
the ribs are dark and crispy.
PHOTOGR APHS: MICHAEL SMITH – THE REDHEAD’S
STUDIO; FOOD ST YLING: LYNN WOODWARD
ADDITIONAL REPORTING: AMY HOPKINS;

granadilla lollies for the dollies
The lolly to make you jolly…
Granadillas are full of vitamins
A, B6 and C, as well as
potassium and magnesium,
which has been proven to
decrease stress and anxiety.
Mood-boosters all round then!
Makes 12
Food
Hub
1 cup water
1 cup sugar or sweetener
of choice
2 cups fresh granadilla juice
1 cup granadilla pulp
1. In a saucepan, bring the
water and sugar to a boil for
10 minutes. Remove from
the heat and slowly add the
granadilla juice, then stir in
the granadilla pulp.
2. Pour the mixture into little
100ml plastic cups, cover with
cling film and place a wooden
sucker stick in the middle of
each cup. Freeze.
A Taste of South
Africa with The
Kosher Butcher’s
Wife (Penguin
Random House), by
Sharon Lurie, R290.
When you’re getting tired of soups
and stews, these three wintery
salads will add crunch to your
palate. Nutritious and easy to
make, they’re great to add to your
weekly rotation or serve them as
starters or sides at a dinner party

Winter Wonder
salads
y S law
a n berr
C r
n &
o
Bac,
coli
Broc

PHOTOGRAPHS BY NASSIMA ROTHACKER

 Food
Hub

a lnut ressing
& W m i so d
i h
s arr o t-
R a d c
o , ith
d W
a c
Avo
 lm o n , K a le & Black Ri
Sa ce
With crispy shallot
s

Broccoli, Bacon &
Cranberry Slaw
You can replace the bacon with
cooked, sliced chicken breasts.
3 slices smoked streaky bacon,
cut into small 5mm thick strips
150g broccoli florets
2 tbsp dried cranberries
1 tbsp finely diced red onion
2 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp hot horseradish
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Put the bacon in a small frying pan over
a medium-low heat and fry for about five
minutes until golden. Lift out with a slotted
spoon and set aside to drain on paper towel.
2. You want really little pieces of broccoli
for the slaw, about the size of the tip of
your little finger. So, chop the broccoli into
smallish florets, then break those into really
small pieces with your hands; you’ll end up
not using a lot of the stem so keep this for
juicing or a soup. Alternatively, pulse the
broccoli in a food processor until broken
down into small pieces (you can leave
the stem in if using a food processor).
3. Tip the broccoli into a large mixing bowl
and add the cranberries, onion, bacon
and sunflower seeds.
4. Mix the mayonnaise, yoghurt, lemon juice
and horseradish in a bowl. Season with salt
and pepper and stir half of this through the
broccoli. You’ll probably want to add a little
more dressing, though it depends on how
‘wet’ you like your slaw.
California: Living +
Eating (Jonathan Ball)
by Eleanor Maidment, R415.
Avocado, Radish & Walnut
With carrot-miso dressing
This makes far more dressing than you’ll need,
so store the leftover dressing in a sealed jar in
the refrigerator for up to a week and spoon over
all sorts of salads, veggies, fish and chicken.
100g mixed radishes, rinsed
3 avocados, peeled, halved and stoned
30g toasted walnuts
Large handful chopped coriander or
micro herbs (such as coriander or basil)
FOR THE DRESSING:
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp Japanese rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp white miso paste
1 spring onion, roughly chopped
1 small garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger root
2 tsp runny honey
1. Trim and thinly slice the radishes. If you
have time, place them in a bowl of iced
water while you prepare the rest of the
salad as it will help to crisp them up and
give even more of a textural contrast to
the avocado.
2. To make the dressing, place all the
ingredients in a high-speed blender and
blitz until smooth. Check the seasoning:
it should be salty and sweet in just the
right balance.
3. Cut the avocado halves into thick slices;
I tend to cut them into irregular shapes as
the contrasting heights and shapes look
quite striking. Arrange over a serving plate.
Drizzle with a little dressing.
4. If you have soaked the radishes, drain
and pat dry with paper towels, then scatter
them over the avocado. Roughly break up
the walnuts and sprinkle over the top, along
with the herbs. Spoon over more dressing,
serving a little extra on the side.
Food
Hub
Salmon, Kale & Black Rice
With crispy shallots
You can replace the raw salmon for smoked
salmon, seared tuna or prawns and change it
up by using broccoli instead of kale or adding
pickled ginger and thinly sliced cucumber.
100g black rice
100g frozen edamame beans
30g kale, thick stems removed (keep
the stems to chop into stews or blend
into smoothies)
Juice of 1 naartjie
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
½ avocado, diced
100g raw, sliced sushi-grade salmon
FOR THE CRISPY SHALLOTS
90ml sunflower oil
2 banana shallots, halved
and quite thinly sliced
Pinch sea salt
1. Put the rice in a large saucepan and cover
with triple the volume of water. Bring to the
boil, then turn down the heat and simmer
for 40 to 45 minutes (top up with water if
necessary) until tender; drain and spread
out on a plate to cool.
2. In a separate pan of boiling water, simmer
the edamame for three minutes, or until
they’re all floating on the surface; drain,
rinse under the cold tap and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, tear the kale leaves into
bite-sized pieces. Place them in a mixing
bowl, add half the naartjie juice and
massage the juice into the leaves to
soften them. Set aside.
4. Put the remaining naartjie juice in a jar
with the sesame oil and soy sauce. Seal
with a lid and shake to make a dressing.
5. To make the crispy shallots, place the
oil and shallots in a cold saucepan, set over
a medium-low heat and sprinkle with the
salt. The aim is to cook them slowly until
they crisp up and turn a medium golden
colour, this should take 10 to 15 minutes.
Drain through a sieve (fine-mesh strainer),
reserving the oil for dressings and
marinades, then transfer the shallots
to paper towel to soak up any excess oil.
6. Toss the cooled rice with the kale and
divide between two plates. Spoon a little
dressing over each. Scatter over the
edamame and avocado, then arrange the
salmon on top. Spoon over the rest of the
dressing, then scatter with crispy shallots
to serve.
July 2019 | W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H 129
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