You must have experienced insomnia at least once in your life. You must have known what it is like to lie awake at night, frustrated at not being able to sleep. The more frustrated you get, the less likely you are to sleep. The next day you find yourself fighting fatigue, convinced that this exhaustion will be the automatic introduction to a good night’s sleep… then it happens again. Insomnia affects all of us at one point, some far worse than others. There are three medically recorded types of insomnia: Transient insomnia lasts only a night or two, or, at most, a week. It is usually caused by some outside influence like…

Depression is a biological illness that effects behaviour, thoughts and feelings. Although depression can be caused by or worsened by life problems, medical research has shown that depression occurs as a result of a chemical imbalance in the brain, just as many other diseases such as diabetes, involve chemical imbalances. Almost all of us have, at one point or another, experienced feelings of unhappiness “a blue mood” that could be associated with a disruptive life event. However, a pervasive feeling of sadness that lasts for more than two weeks, and affects our general functioning is a sign of depression. Some common symptoms of depression include: Changes in sleep habits, like…

Quitting smoking was never on my list of priorities. I’m young and generally healthy and so logically there is no reason whatsoever to quit smoking, right? For God’s sake, I am 26 years old. I mean people who quit smoking are usually middle aged, or suffer from asthma or have just discovered a deadly disease. Other than that, there is no real reason to quit smoking, right?WRONG WRONG WRONG. Last week, I had to interview someone for an article I was writing. For once I had made the appointment on time and was therefore feeling rather graceful. I walked into the entrance of the building and found the bawab informing…

DID YOU KNOW Breast cancer risk increases with age and every woman is at risk. Every 13 minutes a woman dies of breast cancer. Seventy-seven percent of women with breast cancer are over 50. Risks for breast cancer include a family history, delaying pregnancy until after age 30 or never becoming pregnant, early menstruation (before age 12), late menopause (after age 55), current use or use in the last ten years of oral contraceptives, and daily consumption of alcohol. Early detection of breast cancer, through monthly breast self-exam and particularly early mammography after age 40, offers the best chance for survival. Ninety-six percent of women who find and treat breast…

Feeling bloated? Feeling anxious for no obvious reason? You burst into tears at the slightest remark. You feel lonely even if you’re in the most loving relationship. You have backache. You’re craving food. We’ve all gone through it; you’re suffering from pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS). According to studies at the University of Virginia, PMS is a group of symptoms that affect a high percentage of females between the ages of 18 to 50 thus making it one of the most prevalent health disorders today. For many years, women were told that their symptoms were either those of a hypochondriac and were told, “it’s all in your head.” Today we know this…

Want to keep your bones and teeth healthy?Milk isn’t the only source of Calcium… Calcium-rich foods keep our bones and teeth healthy. It’s a key mineral for women as it helps prevent arthritis (inflammation of the joint). But don’t just look to milk for this mineral, you’ll find it in some other more surprising foods. Why is calcium so beneficial? Our bodies contain around 1kg of calcium in our bones and teeth. It is the main mineral we need and is vital to us throughout our lives. Children need calcium to build a strong healthy skeleton. Women (of all ages) need it to prevent arthritis in later life, not just…

Even though eating healthily may feel like a luxury at times, it is not. Delicious and healthy dinners that won’t break the wallet are possible with some forethought and preparation. Listed here are five healthy and inexpensive dinner options for your next home cooking session. If you make some of these healthy and inexpensive meal suggestions a regular part of your cooking, you won’t have to sacrifice your diet or your budget. You can feed your family well without breaking the bank if you come up with your own nutritious and inexpensive recipes to cook at home. Photo by Ksenia Chernaya: https://www.pexels.com/photo/wooden-kitchen-utensils-and-vegetables-3952043/

Science has long proven that being lighter (BMI between 18.5 and 24.9) is how human bodies were meant to function in an optimal way. Weight loss seems to be on the top of wish lists for many people around the globe which make it a multibillion dollar business. But do we have to be rich to be thin? We’ve been confused and dispersed lately between all the latest theories about weight loss: from caloric density (voluminous food that packs less calories), to low carb and low fat diets (putting certain foods off limit), to intermittent fasting, to calorie trackers…etc. Coming across each method brings us to think that we found…

We all know the old adage that it gets harder to lose weight as we age. Herman Pontzer author of “Burn” talks about how our metabolic rate stays pretty much the same between the ages of 20 and 60, after which it starts slowing down. His studies also show that menopause does not slow metabolism. We simply pile on the pounds as we tend to consume more palatable foods in which the calories tend to pile high (think processed foods, refined sugars and fats). So how can win this fight? Follow these 4 recommendations: Stick with low calorie density foods The key to fat loss is to be in a…

Lots of people complain that they overeat in response to professional or personal stress. If this sounds like you, read the following tips for managing stress-related overeating to help you get rid of this unhealthy habit. Practice waiting. Postpone your instant gratification when hunger hits. Tell yourself you’ll wait 15, or better 30, minutes to eat. Chances are good if your cravings are only stress-related, they’ll disappear when you allow yourself to become distracted. Keep a running list of what you eat each day. Knowing you have to write down every snack or nibble can be a good way to remind yourself to think before eating. If you binge at…