Pole Fitness

Apart from the fun factor it’s been estimated that beginner pole fitness dancers can lose between 300 and 400 calories per hour! Just Dance, providers of the classes, also claim it is a great toning and cardiovascular exercise. So is pole dancing a whole lot of fun or just a plain stick in the mud? I decided to give it a whirl to find out…

Week One

My friends and I turn up to the trendy venue, located in Annabel’s nightclub at the back of the Burlington hotel, Dublin 4. Most of the girls are between the ages of 16 – 25 and seem excited to try out pole dancing for the first time. Our instructor turns on the music, we do a basic dance warm up and then it is time to grab a pole each – with three girls to each pole. Our teacher demonstrates something called the ankle spin. She looks as though she is floating through the air. When I try the same thing I feel like a koala that has lost its balance on a tree. There is no dignity or self-respect as girls end up on the ground one by one. We learn an entire beginners routine in our first class including a ‘booty pop’ and lots of grips to hold the pole. Decide practising on an empty Luas before next week is a must! 

Week Two

This week we do push ups and sit ups to warm up which are a killer. We add to the routine from last week and learn a move called the attitude knee spin (impossible) and the backward stag. It just gets harder and I don’t seem to have mastered the last bits yet – if anything I am actually a lot worse then I was last week. It is frustrating. The teacher gets us to stand and try and pull ourselves up on the pole without jumping. She tells me if I keep doing this my arms will get stronger. I don’t believe her – my arms are not pulling me anywhere! Instead manage to pull a muscle in my shoulder. My friend gets a few large and painful bruises. On plus side, we learn some sexy moves – bending backwards on floor like goddess. Vow to practice on my friends pole before next week so we can be better then the others.

Week Three

This week we learn, among other things, the squatting thrust and the showgirl pose. Things do start to get a little easier but not much. What people don’t realise about pole dancing is that it’s not as easy as holding onto the monkey bars down the local park. You are mainly relying on upper body strength and also core strength (your stomach) and your legs. If you have none of these pre-requisites the moves are virtually impossible. We have been taught most of the routine now, which involves moves from forward twirls to backwards twirls (my name for them not the official names). Just know most of twirly things hurt my shoulders. The teacher continually tries to show me how to hold on properly but my hands slide down leaving me in a heap on the floor.

Me trying the pole dancing

Week Four

There are genuinely girls in the class who are starting to look professional at this but, sadly, I am not one of them. Some of the girls have at least mastered control of the pole, instead of flailing wildly around it. Even my bessie mate who comes with me has said she is starting to love it. She has mastered the basics and the teacher nods approvingly whenever she passes her. When she passes me, she always comes over and tells me I am doing it wrong. Start to remember why I hated school all those years ago…

Week Five

Today we learn the chair, the carousel and the windmill. Make a breakthrough on some of the moves we learned in the first and second weeks but my windmill looks more like a can-can dancer with a broken foot. After this class I stay back to watch some of the advanced students in progress – they are amazing and definitely something to aspire to in the future!

Week Six

We all dress up for the final day and we have lots of laughs. Have really enjoyed my few weeks pole dancing despite not being able to master as much as I would have hoped. The class is fun and friendly and you always come away feeling like you have achieved something – even if it’s only having laughed until you cried! My advice for any aspiring pole dancers would be to build up fitness and upper body strength to a basic level before you embark on this class. Getting a head start with a few weeks of press ups and weights for your arms will ensure you will get lots more out of your pole fitness classes. And who knows, within weeks you could find yourself twirling away and impressing everyone at the party with your moves!

For more information on the next course of pole dancing lessons with Just Dance go to www.justdance.ie

Ways To Live Longer

Whether you want to live forever or simply be cryogenically frozen like Britney Spears – living past 100 is completely possible in today’s world. But one thing is for certain if you want to be a centenarian or even a supercentenarian (110 and over) you’ll have to ditch the bad habits! We look at a few ways to improve your health and lifestyle to see you living long enough to see the polar ice caps melt…

1. Get laughing
Finally a reason you can have a laugh rather then do the household chores! A good laugh is like a mini-workout – for example 100 to 200 laughs are equivalent to ten minutes of jogging or rowing, according to a US cardiologist, Dr William Fry. Research also shows that chuckling at a good joke lowers levels of stress hormones, and heightens the activity of the body’s natural defensive killer cells and antibodies. A DVD of your favourite comedian might make the Christmas list then…

2. Mum’s the word
Believe it or not, having a stronger bond with your mother could be a way to live longer. A study by the Harvard Medical School found that 91% of people who weren’t close to their mothers developed a serious disease by midlife, including things such as high blood pressure, alcoholism and heart disease. Only 45% of participants who said they had close relationships with their mothers developed these illnesses.

3. Quit smoking
We all know it’s bad for our health but next time you’re sparking up on a cancer stick, remember the ten years of your fabulous life you could most possibly be giving up. Not to mention the risks you are putting on yourself for developing cancer, strokes, heart disease and emphysema. Smoking might be enjoyable but we bet it’s not worth leaving your loved ones behind.

4. Find your soulmate
Although more and more people are choosing to live the single life – studies show it might be better for your health to be living in wedded bliss. According to a study in 2006 by the University of Chicago – married men live on average 10 years longer and women four years longer then their unmarried counterparts. Similarly, single people spend longer in the hospital, have a greater risk of dying after surgery and are more likely to report higher levels of depression and distress. But don’t rush into anything – divorcing increases your risk of dying earlier even more then staying single!

5. Get a pet
There is more then one reason not to give up your pet in the recession! Studies show, having a moggie or faithful four-legged friend at your side can significantly reduce your stress levels. In fact, the survival rate for heart attack victims who had a pet were 28% higher then patients that didn’t – and they provide a welcome boost after a tough day. Dogs bring the best results so get down to your local animal shelter asap and see your stress rates plummeting!

6. Move to the country
The city might be your friend but the big smoke ain’t called that for nothing. Whether it’s the level of pollution or simply the stress of the rat race – people living in rural areas such as Mayo have a higher expectancy then urban Dub’s. And if you’re not a fan of being miles away from the nearest shop don’t worry. Living near a green open space of some sort can have a similar affect!

7. Make things Rosy
It brings a new meaning to ‘a pocket full of posies’. According to research from Rutgers University just looking at flowers can put you in a brighter mood. In three different studies, receiving flowers was shown to have both immediate and long-term positive effects on emotional outlook. You don’t have to wait for your partner to send them either (as this might mean waiting forever), buy them yourself for a quick boost!

8. Go to bed later
Go to bed later or get up earlier! Studies show sleeping more than eight hours a night may reduce your life expectancy. A study in the Archives of General Psychiatry, US, found that those who get only six to seven hours sleep a night live longer. While bed- worshippers who sleep eight hours or more were shown to have a significantly higher death rate, as were those who got less than four hours.

9. Get it on
Its official – bumping uglies is good for your health! Couples with a healthy sex life can look up to seven years younger than those who don’t, according to a study by Dr David Weeks at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. This is because sex reduces stress, leads to greater contentment and better sleep. And you don’t even have to have a partner to enjoy the benefits – according to stats, orgasm’s (about 100 per year) can increase your life expectancy by up to eight years! Who said staying healthy was boring?

Ways to Stick to Your New Year’s Diet

The weather is miserable, the Christmas cheer has completely passed and you’re looking out to a bleak and dreary January and February. But if that diet resolution you made on New Year’s Eve seems like an impossible dream and you’re finding the biscuit tin just too hard to resist, you’re not alone. More than a third of women on a New Year’s diet are secretly cheating. In fact, according to studies, close to 90% of us admitting to failing on previous January healthy eating plans. But don’t give up. Remember that it’s simply a case of knowing how to tackle the common problems that can derail your diet. So ensure that 2010 is the year you finally stick to your resolutions with the following tips.

1. Unattainable goals

If you think you’re going to lose three dress sizes in a month, never eat chocolate again or spend two hours at the gym every day, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Apart from the fact that losing weight so quickly is not healthy, it’s also relatively impossible. Set yourself more achievable, short-term goals such as a pound a week or fitting into your skinny jeans by March. For example, to lose one pound you must cut back on 3500 calories – this is 500 calories a day for a week. That’s the equivalent of those extra few chocolate digestives and taking a brisk walk every day with a friend. It sounds simple but you could lose a whopping 8 pounds loss in two months.

2. Bingeing in secret

If no one else sees it, it doesn’t count – is the mantra for over a third of dieters. Handbags and drawers were found to be the favourite places to stash supplies of junk food. Some women even admitted to bingeing in their car! Try replacing snacks in the cupboard healthy ¬alternatives, such as nuts, yogurt ricecakes or fruit, so you won’t be tempted to eat in secret. And next time you’re on your own and you grab something fattening to eat, ask yourself: “Would I eat this if someone else was in the room or would I be too embarrassed?” If the answer is yes, then don’t do it!

3. Partner persuasion

It might seem like he’s deliberately tempting you by bringing home that tub of ice cream but it probably hasn’t crossed his mind that his behaviour’s making things difficult for you. So if your partner is in the habit of tucking into a calorie-packed meal right in front of your face, let him know he is sabotaging your attempts to get thin. And why not get your man involved in your new, healthy regime? That way you’ll both feel the benefits and you’ll be able to support each other as a team.

4. Giving up

So you went out for a meal with friends, ate chips and had a glass of wine. But this is not the problem. The problem is when you think: I ate too much on Friday, so I may as well carry on all weekend! To try and solve this, ditch the all or nothing mentality. Don’t use slip-ups as an excuse to give up. Just move on and try harder next time. A study from the International Journal of Obesity found that people with a flexible approach to eating – one that allows for some ‘bad foods’ – were more likely to maintain their weight loss than dieters with an all or nothing strategy.

5. You can’t stop comfort eating

It’s only human to run to food as comfort – since many of our rituals are linked with food from early on in life. You’re not alone if you eat for emotional reasons whether it’s because you’re fed up, lonely, or had a bad day at work. But try choosing food-free mood lifters instead. This could include activities to distract yourself from comfort eating, such as phoning a friend, painting your nails or best of all exercise which will provide you with lots of natural endorphins.

6. You hate gyms

Not all of us are made for gyms. They can be trying places at the best of times. Watching the healthy people jog as you sweat on the treadmill in your old clothes, feeling like an unattractive marshmallow. But sadly, a healthy diet and exercise go hand-in-hand and it’s only that combination which gives great results. You need to find the right exercise for you. Look for local sports teams or dance classes, or simply fit exercise into your daily routine by vacuuming with a bit more vigour, walking to work and taking the stairs instead of the lift!

7. You have health food fatigue

Anyone who tries to stick to a diet of salads and jacket potatoes with cottage cheese, is destined to diet failure, because let’s face it – they’re pretty boring foods to eat every day. The key is to keep eating foods that you and your family love otherwise you will always revert back to your old bad habits. So if Shepherd’s pie is a family favourite, you can still eat it, just tweak the recipe. Use half as much lean mince, half the baked beans, and fill half your plate with steamed green vegetables so you’re eating a smaller portion.

Dress To Suit Your Shape

While we all might want to be a size ten with Angelina’s lips and Shakira’s hips – life means we come in all shapes and sizes. You might not be the ideal type in your own mind but help is always at hand to help you make the most of your body – by diet, exercise and even how you dress. So whether you are an Apple a Pear or even a Celery pay attention to the following tips and embrace your differences.

Petite

Definition: Pint sized and smaller in height. 

Diet and Exercise: Extra weight can be more obvious on smaller frames and it is also harder for you to lose weight then for your taller mates. The sad fact is that the smaller you are in height the lesser calories you require to keep you going. But that doesn’t mean you should deny yourself. The key is long term change in your lifestyle. Sticking to a regular exercise routine means you can consume more calories. Also try having smaller portions of your favourite food when you have cravings, and when you are snacking stick to nuts, fruit and low fat yogurts if you can. 

Fashion Tip: Horizontal sailor stripes make you look shorter and wider. Opt for vertical stripes on the top or the bottom (just not at the same time!). Vertical lines elongate and slim the body, this effect can also be achieved with vertical seams and zip-front styles.

Beauty: Make your petite frame stand out with a shimmer of body lotion and some sparkling jewellery.

Celeb Twin: Eva Longoria Parker, Reece Witherspoon and Jessica Parker.

Pear- Shaped 

Definition: Weight stored on hips, bottom and thighs – often with a slim waist and flat stomach

Diet and Exercise: You’ve got toned arms and a flat tummy so lucky you! Your best feature is your nicely defined back and slim arms. But if you still worry about your lower half then a good way to keep in shape is not skip meals. By doing this the weight will merely come off the places you don’t need to lose it. For maximum calorie blasting try work outs such as rowing or cross-training – and keep eating, but cut down on the calories in each meal by choosing lower fat options and smaller portion sizes.

Fashion Tip: Choose A-line dresses or babydoll dresses which will skim over any trouble areas and de-emphasise your lower half.

Beauty: Body brushing can help rev up the circulation on the bum and thigh areas and improve your skins texture.

Celeb Twin: Hayden Panettiere and Kate Winslet

Hour-glass

 Definition: Shoulders and hips are similar width – waist pinches in, curvy figure with full chest but in proportion.

Diet and Exercise: Your best feature is your shapely waist. Men adore 50s siren hourglass figures. You tend to be reasonably well balanced and can adapt to most types of training. Cross training, cycling, running and rowing are all great forms of cardiovascular or aerobic exercise for the hourglass. In order to maintain that great shape a balanced diet is also key. Try tweaking your meals by chopping a banana into your cereal to help you get your five a day, or try fruit as a snack instead of that chocolate bar. 

Fashion Tip: Cinch in your great curves with a statement belt and don’t be afraid to flaunt your assets!

Beauty: A subtle sheen can make limbs seems slimmer so slather on silky body oil which will keep skin soft too.

Celeb Twin: Eva Mendes and Marilyn Monroe

Celery

Definition: Shoulders, waist and hips are similar width. Athletic, thin and boyish figure.

Diet and Exercise: Lucky for you eating habits are rarely a problem and chances are you can eat mostly what you want without having to watch your weight. With the body of a model, you might be the envy of all your mates, but secretly sometimes you envy their curves. Try and incorporate 30 minutes of exercise into your daily routine to keep your athletic figure tight and toned. Make sure you don’t skip on meals. 

Fashion Tip: Choose horizontal stripes to give up-and-down figures more curves.

Beauty: Try some bronzer or fake tan to give your leans limbs an extra healthy glow.

Celeb Twin: Cameron Diaz and Gwyneth Paltrow

Apple Shape

Definition: Tend to hold weight around abdomen – bottom small and flat. Generous waist, thin legs and narrow hips.

Diet and Exercise: Cardiovascular training work is crucial for apples’ heart health, and in order to reduce fat around the internal organs. The apples amongst us need to take care to protect their (often delicate) ankles and knees, particularly if very overweight. For those heavier apples, rowing and cycling are a great place to begin cardiovascular training, as bodyweight is supported reducing impact. Apples need to maximise their calorie burning potential and build lean muscle tissue to help fire up their metabolism, so exercises that move more than one joint at a time are a must.

Fashion Tip: Tops can be low cut, and should go in under the bust, then flare out over the stomach – this is the most flattering shape for the apple. Add dainty wedge shaped shoes with dresses to show off slender lower legs.

Beauty: As an apple shaped woman, you want to select jewelry that highlights your face or thinner limbs. Steer clear of long necklaces that end below the bust as these will draw the focus to your stomach.

Celeb Twin: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Liz Hurley and Drew Barrymore

Irish Food Blogs

In the past, when an Irish food enthusiast decided they wanted to take the frying pan into their own hands, so to speak, they had to leaf through the floury pages of an old cookbook relic, passed down through the family. There, between the sugar stuck pages, the recipe was sought out with strict instructions on how to prepare – leaving nothing for the beginner to work with apart from a musty smell of cooking passed. 

Since the age of Irish food bloggers that has emerged all this has changed, of course.

The word of mouth style blogs that have emerged contain everything from recipes to handy, honest tips and have become the everyday cooking guide. With a domain of answers to a gamut of questions – the food enthusiast can discover a world of answers.

www.thegoodmoodfoodblog.com

When it comes to improving your health and mood all while eating delicious food – Donal Skehan has the answer. Donal lives in Dublin and he believes variety is the spice of life. His website features recipes such as Meatballs in Spicy Sauce, Scrambled Eggs with Chilli Jam, Chanterelles with Garlic Toast, Cucumber, Fennel and Lentil Salad and other mouth-watering and easy mood-boosting recipes. Winner of Best Irish Food Blog at the Irish Blog Award’s 2010, this budding chef is building a respectable name for himself on Irish turf. The young Jamie Oliver (easy on the eye and prowess in the kitchen) also has his own recipe book out – Good Mood Food: Simple Healthy Home Cooking, which is available to buy on Amazon.

Www.cheapeats.ie

Cheap Eats motto is ‘tough times, great food’ which is fairly apt in today’s economy. Among the mandatory recipes such as Tandoori Chicken Kebabs and Homemade Fish and Chips, they post up daily advice such as product reviews, money saving tips, price comparisons and where to get the best bargains on food and drink in specific Irish supermarkets. Their recipes are cheap and delicious and they boast restaurant and take away reviews, food events, competitions and more. All in all, Cheapeats.ie is a frank and straightforward yet fun blog for the food conscious and thifty among us!

Www.englishmum.com

Englishmum.com is exactly what you get when you put together a passion for food with an ordinary mother’s access to the internet. Having moved to the West of Ireland in 2006 from England, this 40-year-old mother of two decided to start her own food blog. Full of dry wit and entertaining (to the point that you’ll waste an awful lot of time on there when you should be doing other things) – the blog features her own tried and tested recipes such as Chicken and Ham Pie, Paprika Chicken and Strawberry Pavalova. She even features her own little competitions! A must for all mothers, from Ireland and further afield. 

www.thedailyspud.com 

Unusual recipes such as gooseberry curd and hot whiskey sauce sets this blog apart from the rest. But The Daily Spud is Irish through and through. Winner of Best Food and Drink Blog in 2009, they claim to deliver ‘a bellyful of daily delight and foodie satisfaction.’ When you log on you can access recipes for pasta dishes, curries, preserves, dips, gratins, salads, cheeses, cocktails and many more. The Daily Spud is a conglomerate of down to earth explanations twinned with both the exotic and delicious and the pure and simple.

Www.foodfight.ie

FoodFight.ie aggregates all the tastiest content from around the Irish blogosphere. From recipes to restaurant reviews, news, tid bits and more, they also feature original content written by some of Ireland’s top food bloggers such as recipes and information from cheapeats.ie and thedailyspud.com. It is also updated several times a day so you can be sure of lots and lots of new information right at your fingertips, all day, every day.

 Drink

 www.sourgrapes.ie

Lar, the writer of sourgrapes.ie travelled extensively around Italy, France, Australia and New Zealand which he says gave him a perspective on the places, the people and the stories behind what goes into every glass. In 2007, with an interest in wine he started sourgrapes.ie, for an Irish perspective on the world of wine. He recommends “wines I like and which I think are genuinely good value.” It features an Irish Wine Map, wine book guide, an A-Z of grapes – news, tid-bits and videos, and of course, the all important wine reviews.

Ten Foods to Reduce Stress

It’s not for nothing they call stress the ‘slow killer’. With the recession and the increasing pressure to live in the fast lane, we have never been exposed so highly to it. And you may not realise it, but having an argument with a friend or receiving that scary credit card bill can make your body react just as strongly as if you were facing a life-or-death situation. Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems and disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility and speed up the aging process. Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression. The current recession proves we are a nation in the grip of stress. In a nationwide survey by the Samaritans, over 59 per cent of people cited problems with debts and money as their main concern with almost a third of people describing 2009 as a bad year or their worst ever. So while you might not be able to control the stress in your life, you can control your eating habits. We look at the top ten stress-busting foods. 1. Complex Carbohydrates – These include among others – brown rice, high fibre breakfast cereals, beans, lentils, bran and barley. In terms of stress control, complex carbohydrates encourage the body to produce serotonin, a stress relieving chemical. Eating these foods should allow you to maintain a sense of calm, even when things are a bit crazy.
2. Asparagus – Asparagus is a handy yet tasty vegetable to include in most dinners – from simple meat and two veg combinations to more complicated recipes. It is rich in folic acid, a B vitamin that is necessary to prevent irritability, fatigue, depression and confusion.

3. Avocados – Avocados have tons of B vitamins in them. They help to lower cholesterol and protect the body from stress and damage. Also, the high potassium levels in avocados are helpful for managing stress. Try eating a small serving of avocado each day to manage your weight and balance your feelings of anxiety better. 4. Nuts – Go nutty and have a helping of Brazil nuts or almonds. Almonds are rich in vitamin E which helps to fight some of the damage caused by stress. Brazil nuts, meanwhile, contain lots of zinc and selenium, which also fights free radicals.
5. Chicken Breast – Chicken is a great source of tryptophan, which can help you sleep better and elevate your mood. Contrary to popular belief, chicken breast actually contains slightly more tryptophan than turkey. Buy free range and you’re likely to see even more benefits.
6. Low Fat and Skimmed Milk – Milk actually helps your nerves stay healthy and, as it can stabilize your blood sugar, it also stops you from feeling those extreme highs and lows. But stay away from caffeine with your milk if you’re stressed, it will just make you feel worse.
7. Panax Ginseng – Go along to your local herb shop and have a browse for natural stress reducing supplements. Panax Ginseng is an ancient Chinese herb that is popular both in the West and China. It was originally used for all manner of conditions. In the western world, however, it is used for two primary issues – both stress and aging.
8. Chamomile or peppermint tea – Substitute one of your daily coffees for Chamomile tea and peppermint tea and see your stress levels go down. Warm chamomile tea is comforting for adults and children during an illness or times of stress. Peppermint tea is easy on the stomach and can also be used to increase concentration.
9. Dark leafy greens – Dark leafy greens such as kale, Swiss chard, spinach and collards are B-complex vitamin rich and known for calming your nerves. These B vitamins are crucial for stress prevention because they are needed to create serotonin, a chemical that helps to boost your mood.
10. Chocolate – Now you have an excuse! Even though chocolate usually contains some caffeine, it’s also one of the best foods to eat in a stress relief diet. Most doctors still can’t figure out why chocolate makes us feel so good, although some think it might be the antioxidants chocolate is loaded with. Just don’t eat too much of it or you’ll be even more stressed than before!

Pink Mojito

In tradition of cocktail hour, this one is great on a nice hot summers day. Refreshing and yummy!

Ingredients

6 mint leaves
1/2 lime
2 teaspoons sugar syrup
3 raspberries
crushed ice
1 1/2 measures white rum
1/2 measure Chambord raspberry liqueur
Cranberry juice
mint sprig to decorate

Muddle the mint leaves, lime, sugar syrup and raspberries in a highball glass. Add some crushed ice and the rum and Chambord. Stir well and top up with cranbery juice. Decorate with a mint sprig.

Eat Your Way to Summer Goddess

Booking in for a spray tan, slathering on the brown stuff with a mitt, rushing outside to hike up your work skirt in the street on a sunny day (much to the embarrassment of several people nearby) – oh and of course, bending over backwards trying to get fake tan onto that awkward spot on your back. It’s all fun and games planning for bikini season. One minute you’re thinking about forgoing summer in favour of Autumn (all those lovely Halloween costumes to hide the cellulite) and the next you’re beside your ‘Mediterranean-skinned’ Irish friend in Magaluff resembling a pink marshmallow type creature. Well never fear, now there’s something you can do that just involves a quick trip to the supermarket. We look at the top five eating tips to eat your way to a fabulous tan.

More then just rabbit food...

Tip One

Jessica Rabbit didn’t look that good by accident. One word: Beta-Carotene. Not only does it give food its orange colour but it can also help you with your tan. It has a protective effect, particularly on skin and mucous membranes, helping them fight the harmful effects of the sun. So when your body gets lots of the pigments in beta carotene, it takes on a naturally beautiful shade and also looks more youthful and supple. Eat lots of carrots and you will be sure to grace the beach in style. Lovely.
Fill up your plate with: Peppers, peaches, apricots, melons, carrots, tomatoes and aubergines.

How much: At least two out of your three meals a day.

Tip Two

Choose foods high in vitamin A. Vitamin A functions in maintaining normal skin health. If you are going for vitamin A – mangos contain more vitamin A than almost any other fruit. Add to the list such things as melons (also rehydrates you in the hot weather), dairy and fish. From dairy products you can also take calcium, while from foods as turkey, shells and liver, you can give your skin a lovely boost of zinc. Avoid fried foods, dishes with rich sauces, pickled, cured or preserved foods and strong coffee. These will only banish the rays leaving you looking like Casper the unfriendly ghost of the beach. And some of these evil foods even make it more likely that you’ll burn!

Fill up your plate with: Carrots, mangoes, oily fish, melons, cheese, eggs and milk.

How much: If you are vegetarian, one carrot gives you nearly twice your daily allowance. If you’re a meat eater beef, liver, fish and chicken are full of Vitamin A.

Tip Three

Be a water baby! Water is essential for your skin to look in top shape (the frazzled prune look not so attractive.) Our body is made up of about 60% water so it plays an important role by circulating nutritional elements, eliminating wastes and regenerating the skin. Water is also a thermo-regulator that maintains proper body temperature. When you’re in the sun you perspire and your body gradually loses water. As a result, your skin dehydrates and becomes more fragile. Therefore, you must drink large amounts of water to keep the body’s systems in balance. Have a few mouthfuls of water every twenty minutes or eat something with a high water content such as watermelon, cucumber, celery, grapes etc. Drinks containing caffeine such as coffee, tea and cola, as well as alcoholic beverages make you lose water. Stay away from these if possible.

How much: The average person needs two litres of water a day, that’s around 6 -8 glasses.

Tip Four

Free radicals may put you in mind of an ageing hippie, but they are actually organic molecules responsible for ageing and tissue damage. Antioxidants, present in many foods, are molecules that prevent free radicals from harming healthy tissue. Vitamin E is an antioxidant which has a powerful action against free radical damage – ie. the effects of the sun. It also helps the skin retain moisture. The best foods to eat for vitamin E intake are: Asparagus, avocado, egg, nuts, seeds, spinach and other green leafy vegetables and wholegrain foods. Premature wrinkles, pale skin, acne, easy bruising and slow wound healing may indicate a deficiency. Eat more Vitmain E to keep your skin spot and wrinkle free for the beach.

Fill up your plate with: Vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, peanut butter, wheatgerm, wholegrains, avocados and sweet potatoes.
Tip Five

Essential Fatty Acids come in two classes, Omega-3 and Omega-6. Omega-3 is our friend. It has the most effect on skin and hair condition. The body cannot make these so they have to come from our food. Ideally, they should account for 15 per cent of our calorie intake. Oily fish such as sardines, tuna and salmon are good sources of essential fatty acids, as are nuts and seeds and their oils, organic eggs, prawns and soya beans. A quick way to increase your intake is to use sesame, walnut, soya bean or flax oils in the kitchen.

Fill up your plate with: salmon, sardines, tuna, prawns, nuts and soya beans.

How much: You should aim to eat fish around two or three times a week, but be cautious: too much omega-3 fatty acid can promote a risk of stroke by thinning the blood excessively.

The Face as a Map

Face it – good health is the key to staying beautiful. So what if we could read our health just by looking in the mirror? With the art of Chinese face reading you can do just that. For years, Eastern beauty secrets – such as green tea, coconut oil and other holistic superfoods have become increasingly popular as a way of making sure our health shines through. But face reading works by focusing on certain points on the face to achieve pain relief and help with illness – it also means you can notice health problems before they get serious. Having just celebrated the Chinese New Year, we take a look at face reading to help you have a happier and healthier lifestyle for the year of the Tiger.

The Map

The map is simple. According to the Chinese, each section of your face corresponds to a different area of your body. For example, if you are suffering from certain blemishes or problems in certain parts of your face – this means the area of your body it corresponds with may be weak or susceptible to illness. If you have a mole or line on a certain part of your face it my also indicate a weakness in the corresponding part of the body. The parts of the face you can read from are as follows.

FOREHEAD
If you have digestion or bladder trouble, take a look at your forehead. An outbreak here may indicate tummy trouble. If you are on a detox diet or change your diet for some reason this is also the area that is most likely to show the change. How you can help: Historically, the Chinese ate mostly rice and vegetables with a little lean meat or fish for protein and flavour. A step back to more natural foods may improve your health and waistline.

EYEBROWS
Right at the top of your nose between your eyebrows is the area that is meant to rule your liver. Look out for a deep line in between your eyebrows – this can indicate that your liver is working too hard due to adrenal stress. How you can help: Eating late at night can put stress on your liver. Don’t eat anything after 8pm and try and avoid eating too many rich foods. Avoid excess alcohol.

CHEEKS AND NECK
Random spots on your neck? Stress breakouts are more likely to occur on the temples or neck. Your cheeks are connected to your lungs, gums and teeth. Smokers often get a puffy ‘pouch’ on each cheek near the nose. Breakouts on the bottom half of the cheekbones might suggest gum or teeth problems. How you can help: When you consider the statistics that an estimated 60 to 90 percent of all visits to the doctor’s office are for stress-related complaints, the value of stress-relief exercises skyrockets. At least half an hour exercise a day can help combat stress. See a dentist if you think you may have gum or teeth problems.

THE EARS
We all know the phrase ‘our ears are burning’ but the fact that someone is talking about you is probably just a myth. In actual fact, your ears burning is a more likely sign of having just drank or eaten something which your kidneys are working hard to clear out – like coffee for instance. A mole of a line on your ears could also indicate a weakness. How you can help: The kidneys act as filters to clean the blood. They get rid of wastes and send along filtered fluid. Keep your blood pressure below 130/80 to help prevent kidney damage. Blood pressure is written with two numbers separated by a slash, you can have this checked by a doctor. You can also have your kidneys checked at least once a year by having your urine tested for small amounts of protein.

EYES
Look out for eye bags – they may not just be a sign you are tired. Constant bags under the eyes can be a sign of kidney stress. The eye area can also indicate allergies. How you can help: About half of those who have diabetes will develop early signs of kidney damage. Ask you doctor about regular urine and blood tests to monitor your kidney function.

SKIN
The lungs and skin are directly related, this is why smokers age faster. Look out for broken capillaries – this may indicate weakness in the lungs. How you can help: While exercising does not change total lung capacity, it does improve your cardio-respiratory functioning. It also helps prevent lung cancer. Try it – your lungs will thank you for it!

UPPER LIP
The heart and reproductive system are connected with the upper lip (nose to chin). Spots on this area may indicate reproductive problems such as polycystic ovaries. How you can help: See a doctor if you are concerned about reproductive problems.

MOUTH
The mouth itself represents the stomach and colon. A dry mouth may indicate a dry colon or constipation. How you can help: Eat plenty of fibre such as wholemeal bread, pasta, cereals and vegetables. Keep your body hydrated with plenty of water.

CHIN
Spots on the chin usually occur around the menstrual cycle of a woman – this is because the sides of the chin are connected to the ovaries. In fact you can sometimes tell what side you are ovulating depending on what side you get the breakout. The centre of the chin is connected to the small intestine – spots here may indicate issue with your digestion. How you can help: For hormones there is not a lot you can do except grin and bear it, though a good concealer can help you and your blemish, face the world!

The Seven Day Recession Busting Diet

These days just eating healthy can be a strain on the wallet. With fattening foods retailing so cheaply, it can be hard to persuade yourself to pick that organic salmon over the can of macaroni and cheese. But as the saying goes – you can’t put a price on health. So what if there was a way you could eat healthy and save money at the same time? We investigate the seven day diet tips that allow you to do just that.

The Shopping 

Planning ahead is the key to saving money and eating healthy – so the plan starts from when you do your weekly shop. Make a list of everything you will need for each recipe during the week so you don’t overspend. Things like vegetables, fruit, porridge oats and meat might seem expensive when you buy in bulk but it ends up being cheaper overall as the ingredients stretch further. Then make a big vat of homemade vegetable soup on the Sunday to heat up for lunches during the week.

Day One

Breakfast

Time to spare: 1 bowl of porridge oats cooked in water with small amount of milk. 1 tsp of honey. 1 piece of fresh fruit.

On the go: Two Ryvita crackers with a light scraping of butter and a multigrain bar

Lunch

Time to spare: Four Ryvita crackers with tuna, mayonnaise and sweetcorn on top. Some homemade vegetable soup heated up.   

On the go: A healthy chicken and vegetable wrap from a supermarket or a cheese sandwich on wholemeal bread brought with you – this will cut the cost of eating lunch out considerably.  

Dinner

Homemade Casserole – made using chicken, lamb or beef and lots of vegetables. Make enough for two nights.

Snacks

Probiotic or Natural yogurt flavoured with honey

Casserole - Healthy Alternative

Day Two

Breakfast

Time to spare: 1 bowl of bran flakes with milk, 1 tsp of sugar

On the go: Two Ryvita crackers with a light scraping of butter and a banana.

Lunch

Time to spare: 1 small tin of baked beans served on two slices of multigrain bread.

On the go: A wholemeal chicken and mayonnaise sandwich brought with you.

Dinner

Rest of homemade casserole from previous day.

Snacks

10 grapes or 1 apple

Day Three

Breakfast

Time to spare: 1 boiled egg and two Ryvita with a scrape of butter.

On the Go: 1 apple and one banana

Lunch

Time to spare: Your homemade soup heated up with four Ryvita, one chopped tomato and a few slices of cucumber.

Dinner

1 Lean chicken breast with vegetables and new potatoes. Small amount of low fat gravy.

Snacks

½ grapefruit

Day Four

Breakfast

Time to spare: 1 bowl of porridge oats cooked in water with small amount of milk. 1 tsp of honey. 1 piece of fresh fruit.

On the go: One multigrain bar and a yogurt

Lunch

Time to Spare: A wholemeal pasta salad – with wholemeal pasta, salad leaves, chopped tomato, olives, mozzarella balls and pesto.

On the go: Bring a homemade chicken and salad sandwich on wholemeal bread from home.

Dinner

Grilled salmon with Thai sweet chilli dressing, new potatoes and unlimited veg.

Snacks

1 Kiwi or 4oz of cherries

Day Five

Breakfast

Time to spare: Poached egg on two slices of wholemeal bread.

On the go: One multigrain bar and a banana or apple. 

Lunch

Time to spare: Your homemade soup with four ryvita with tuna and mayonnaise.

On the go: A wholemeal bagel with low fat cream cheese.

Snacks: 4oz of strawberries or a natural yogurt with honey

Day Six – Weekend

Breakfast

1 boiled egg, 1 slice of multigrain bread, ½ grapefruit sprinkled with sugar

Lunch

1 small multigrain roll spread with mustard and filled with 50g of wafer thin ham and salad leaves. 1 low fat yogurt.

Dinner

1 x 200g baked potato, served with a small tin of tuna, a small tin of sweetcorn and 2 tsp of light mayonnaise. A mixed salad.

Snacks: A nectarine

Day Seven – Weekend

Breakfast

7oz of fresh fruit salad (use leftover fruit from week) serve with low fat yogurt sprinkles with 1 tsp of porridge oats and 1 tsp of sugar 

Lunch

Sheppard’s pie – this can be made very cheaply using mince, potatoes and lots of veg.

Snack

1 low fat yogurt

Recipe – Beef Casserole

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 leek, diced
• 2 celery sticks diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 75g mushrooms, sliced
• 500g braising steaks, cubed
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• Beef stock, fresh, cube or concentrate made up to 750ml
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• A dash of Worcestershire sauce

 

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan then add the onion, carrot, leek, celery and garlic, and cook gently for 5 minutes. Do not brown. Add the mushrooms and cook everything for a further 5 minutes then remove from the pan. Heat a little more olive oil in the pan, add the beef (in batches if necessary) and brown all over then stir the flour in well.
2. Return the veg to the pan and add the thyme, stock, purée and Worcestershire sauce. Season and mix well. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook covered for 1 1/2 hours until tender, stirring occasionally. Serve with jacket potatoes, rice, pasta or mash.

Per serving: 290 calories