SIMPLY THE BREAST
Considering the amount of time most blokes think about breasts, it's surprising
that their real function is often ignored: namely to feed babies. Although
research has proved conclusively that breast milk is best for the child,
nine out of 10 new mums in the UK stop breastfeeding before they want to,
due often to lack of support from new dads. In the excitement and nervousness
leading up to the arrival of a new baby, discussing whether your partner
will choose to breastfeed is probably not something you'd think of doing.
But it's a seriously smart idea to do so - before the big day. Expectant
dads sometimes feel like a bit of a spare part in the whole birthing process,
but one way they can really make a difference is by encouraging their partners
to breastfeed. As well as being proven to be the best source of nutritional
value, breastfeeding reduces the likelihood of children developing allergies,
type-1 diabetes and chest, stomach and ear infections in later life. This
is due to the special components in breast milk that boost a baby's developing
immune system. And, not only are there health benefits for the baby, breastfeeding
also has significant pluses for the mum. Women who breastfeed are less likely
to develop post-natal depression due to the fact that they bond more quickly
with their baby. And breastfeeding for more than a year has been shown to
significantly reduce the risk of mums developing breast and ovarian cancers
in later life. So if you're fortunate enough to be an expectant dad, now's
the time to discuss breastfeeding. Encourage your other half to keep off
the bottle!
www.wales.gov.uk/breastfeeding
mailto: breastfeeding@wales.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: NHS Help line 0300 100 0212
DRINK UP
We’re constantly told that alcohol is the enemy, but is it completely
bad for us in moderation? As we’re approaching the season to be merry,
here are some health benefits of booze.
Booze keeps colds away
Moderate drinkers have been found to be more resistant than teetotalers to
five strains of the common cold virus, which is handy to know at this time
of year. In tests, those who consumed two to three drinks daily had an 85%
greater resistance. Those drinking one to two drinks daily had a 65% lower
risk and those who drank less daily had a 30% lower risk than abstainers.
The odd tipple helps your ticker
Alcohol can reduce the risk of both heart disease and death by heart attack.
Studies have found variable risk reduction rates, ranging from 25% to 40% in
studies over the past 30 years.
Alcohol cuts the risk of developing arthritis
Two studies by the Swedish Karolinska Institute testing nearly 3,000 people
discovered that those with the higher alcohol consumption were 40-50% less
likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than those who didn’t drink as
much.
Sensible drinking boosts memory
A team of American researchers discovered that rats exposed to small amounts
of alcohol on a regular basis had radically improved memories, leading them
to suggest that it could protect against human diseases, such as Alzheimer’s.
It’s good for general health
A national US study found that moderate drinkers are more likely to get enough
sleep each night, exercise regularly and be at a healthy weight than nondrinkers
and heavy drinkers.
STRETCH AND TONE
The guys at Bannatynes Health Club on Parc Ty Glas are getting in to the New
Year, New You spirit by investing a big wedge of cash into ensuring the club
keeps ahead of the game. The start of 2010 will bring with it plush newly refurbished
changing rooms, an investment in state-of-the-art free weights facilities,
funky new lighting and up-lighting for the luxurious swimming pool and, if
a little less sexy, but very commendable and practical - a brand new car park.
With these new additions, the club insist they will continue to lead from the
front in the local health club industry, as they also already have the luxurious
in-house Sensory Spa, sauna, steam room, health classes, swimming pool, physiotherapy,
hairdressers, as well as, their fully licenced bar. Top all this off with their
unrivalled one-on-one tuition included in the membership and it surely makes
Bannatynes a one-stop-shop for health and pampering – whatever time of
year! Info: 029 2076 1222
www.bannatyne.co.uk
CALLING IT QUITS
If your New Year’s resolution is to pack in the fags, you’re not
alone. Of the UK’s 12 million smokers, three million attempt to quit
each year but the bad news is only 3% manage to stay on the wagon long-term.
As an ex-smoker, I know how hard kicking the habit to the curb is, because
I’ve been off the nicotine for three years and I still get the occasional
craving. If you want to take the sting out of stopping then smoking cessation
programmes are becoming increasingly popular, primarily because they’re
more likely to work. The late anti-smoking tsar Allen Carr’s much-vaunted
course is probably the most famous. Spread over five hours of one day in groups
of about twenty, it uses a psychotherapy/hypnotherapy double whammy approach
and focuses on why smokers continue despite the obvious disadvantages as opposed
to concentrating on why they should quit. It’s successful because it’s
about cognitive behavioural therapy: changing your behaviour to change the
way you think. The course costs £220 - private sessions are a couple
of grand - which sounds a lot but is a mere drop in the ocean compared to how
smoking dents your wallet over a lifetime - and this will actually prolong
it - and if it doesn’t do the trick then there’s a money back guarantee
to boot. For details of your local Allen Carr therapist log onto the website:
www.allencarreasyway.com 10 WAYS TO BEAT THE WINTER BLUES
1. Don’t sheep-flock to the gym with the masses this January, take up
a team sport instead. Try not to barf, but the camaraderie can be a real mood
elevator
2. Take up a new interest. I know this sounds Simon Says simplistic, but sometimes
simple is best
3. Lay off the drowning-your-sorrows approach, as alcohol is a potent depressant.
You may feel a temporary lift but the high is soon goodbyed
4. Eat spicy food. The substance that makes chillies hot, capsicum, stimulates
the release of feel-good endorphins in the brain. Think about it: have you
ever seen a depressed Mexican?
5. Drink green tea. It contains high levels of antioxidants that help fight
mild depression as well as protect against cancer and heart disease
6. Take vitamins. Zinc is especially effective at upping the brain’s
good mood medicine, serotonin
7. Do a negativity edit. If you’ve got a whinger mate who’s always
on the moan, limit the amount of time you spend together. Or, harsher still,
hit the delete button
8. Change your routine. Experiment by chopping and changing the ingredients
of your life to keep things fresh
9. Have a Thai massage. This is much more energising and rigorous than other
forms of massage, literally extracting stress from the body
10. Remember winter doesn’t go on forever so enjoy some of its perks,
like long walks on crisp, frosty days or having a Sunday roast in front of
a crackling country pub fire
Jason Jones is keeping abreast of the situation