Body & Fitness

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Could you give up meat, cheese, bread and sugary treats? Ngaire Cooper wasn't sure she could but when health researcher Jason Shon Bennett encouraged her to change her diet for the sake of her health she went ahead and followed his advice. Read on to see what a difference it's made to her wellbeing.

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Happy New Year! It's resolution time, and if you're really serious this year about improving your health, then read on. Jason Shon Bennett made a vast difference to his health by changing his diet, and now he wants to share his knowledge and experience with others.

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

Want to know how much you can safely lose to look great? Slim yourself down at the click of a button and then follow our healthy meal plan!

With the new year fast approaching, here are some great gift ideas to get off 2011 on the right foot!

There aren't many families who aren't touched by arthritis. While we tend to think of it as an inevitable part of getting old, it can affect people at any age and in some cases, be utterly crippling. There is no cure, but here are things sufferers may be able to do to make life easier.

We all know an apple a day is good for us, but so are all types of fruit. Eating fruit regularly can cut our rates of disease, assist us to keep weight under control and help us to live longer. Here's a look at some of our favourite fruits - including some more exotic types - that not only taste good but are great for you.

I've had a couple of letters from readers asking about Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). This may sound like a rather odd condition but it's no joke - in severe cases, it can have a huge impact on people's lives. It has been described as "the commonest movement disorder you've never heard of" and affects around 10% of all people.

There's nothing like the onset of summer - and wearing fewer clothes - to make you realise you need to lose weight! If you want to get rid of extra kilos, here are some practical tips that can help. Remember, fad diets don't work - the key to reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is to adopt sensible eating habits and a lifestyle that you can sustain permanently. And focus on being healthy, rather than thin!

In the last four decades breast cancer rates have been getting steadily worse. Around one in every nine Kiwi women will develop the disease at some stage in their lives. So what is making us more prone to this type of cancer? Scientists still don't know exactly what causes it, but there are plenty of theories about factors that may play a part.

If you've ever broken a bone you'll know how painful it is. Imagine breaking your wrists, your hips or the bones in your spine again, and again, and again. This can happen if you have osteoporosis. Not only does it hurt but it can severely impact your confidence, independence and general well-being. Surely it is worth doing what you can to prevent this.

Science was my least favourite subject at school, but I have to admit that now I'm fascinated by health and medicine, I wish I'd paid more attention to my biology teacher. I love reading about the research that scientists around the world are doing, and the amazing things they're learning about how our bodies work.

one of our most widely planted natives is the humble hebe. With around 80 species and more than 500 cultivars, there is sure to be a hebe to suit any garden style or situation from contemporary to cottage, coastal to alpine. Large variations in leaf form and colour, combined with a range of flowers and timing of flowering, all add to the appeal. oost garden cultivars form attractive, compact shrubs and are very easy to grow - what more could you ask for?

Discovering a lump on your body can be one of those awful heart-stopping moments – you automatically think the worst. Fortunately, most of the time lumps are not a sign of cancer but are in fact harmless. Still, it’s always worth getting them checked just in case they are a sign of something sinister. BREAST […]

Your wedding is one of the few days in your life when you are the centre of attention, and every bride wants to look beautiful. But there’s more to being radiant on your big day than a pretty dress and well-applied makeup. If you truly want to glow with good health, here are some helpful hints to follow in the weeks approaching your big day. […]

oany of us are very lax when it comes to getting our eyes checked – we often only bother if there are noticeable changes in our vision, or if we have to do it for an official reason, like renewing our drivers’ licences. But eye checks should be taken as seriously as other health checks. […]

If I could turn back the clock and return to childhood to improve the state of my health now, one thing I’d do is take better care of my teeth. It’s crucial to establish good dental habits early on, and encourage your kids to visit the dentist regularly. As I’ve found to my cost, it’s […]

My beloved nana had Alzheimer’s and having seen first-hand how cruel this disease is, I’m keen to do anything I can to avoid it. Doctors don’t know exactly what causes it but research has shown there are some things you can do that may be able to keep it at bay. They’ve got to be […]

Ahh, food cravings… I know that feeling of being so desperate for a particular type of chocolate bar nothing else will do. The trouble is cravings are usually for fattening foods, and if you get into the habit of eating them all the time, you can end up gaining weight and risking your health. Here […]

I have to admit, I’m partial to bacon sandwiches. Thick slices of fresh bread, lots of brown sauce and, of course, crispy bacon – yum! However, I’m having to rethink how often I indulge in this treat after the publication of a study that shows eating processed meats like bacon may have a serious impact […]

Lucky you if you’re planning to escape the depths of the Kiwi winter by heading off overseas, but don’t forget to look after your health while you’re away as getting sick can ruin your whole holiday. Here’s some advice on steps to take before you go, and precautions that’ll help keep you well while you’re on your travels. BEFoRE YoU Go Check out any […]

There are foods that are good for you and then there are those that are bad. But sometimes it’s hard to tell them apart – it’s not always as cut and dried as you think. A recent British investigation into some foods that you may have put on the “naughty” list has turned up some […]

The message about too much salt being bad for us seems to be getting through. However, even if you are cutting back on the amount of salt you add to your food, you may be consuming more than you realise because it has already been added to what you’re eating – it’s often in the […]

Having a bad back is not a lot of fun. I once worked with a woman who went from being the life and soul of the party to a shell of her former self after she hurt her back. It was so sad to see her suffering. Although back pain is very common, in most cases it clears up on its own without incapacitating […]

Reader Rita Fletcher wrote to the Weekly after we ran a story about an Auckland woman'scolostomy bag medical mishap. Rita, who wears a colostomy bag herself, sympathised with the woman's plight, but wants

our mothers play a vital role in shaping our attitudes to many things in life, including health. And when we become parents ourselves, it’s our responsibility to raise our kids to be as healthy as possible. This week, two well-known Kiwi mums tell us how their mothers influenced them, and what messages they’re trying to […]

I’m a huge fan of trivia – I love Trivial Pursuit and pub quizzes – and one of the things I love about writing this column is the wide array of fascinating facts I come across while researching. For example, apparently blondes have more hair than brunettes. Here’s a few I’ve found about health and […]

I’ve fainted several times in my life, including once on the London Underground in rush hour, and another time at a supermarket check-out (no, it wasn’t a reaction to the enormous bill!) Knowing you are about to lose consciousness is not a nice feeling but for most of us, fainting is not a symptom of […]

If you haven’t been depressed, you may find it quite hard to understand how debilitating it can be. You may also find it difficult to comprehend how people who seem to lead great lives can suffer from depression. But it affects all sorts of people, even the rich and famous. Bestselling Irish author Marian Keyes […]

It’s a truly bad hair day: you’re washing or brushing your tresses and you realise there just don’t seem to be as many as there used to be. Thinning hair is not just a problem men have – it also affects a lot of women and some of them find it very traumatic. But there […]

It’s not often that you hear women saying they like having a big backside. In fact, curvy bottoms, wide hips and generous thighs are the bane of many women’s lives. But now there’s good news – it appears that being naturally pear-shaped may actually be good for you. The next time you ask, “Does my […]

These days, we tend to accept that feeling constantly worn out and grumpy is just a part of modern life. But there may be a biological reason. A part of the body most of us have never heard of may not be working properly, according to some experts. Here’s how your adrenal glands could be […]

If there’s a time of year when we tend to feel healthiest, it’s probably summer. We’re not battling winter coughs and colds, plus the warm weather makes us feel more energised and enthusiastic. But is it really the best season for our health? Here are some pros and cons… LESS DEPRESSIoN Sunlight affects moods by […]

I agree with addiction expert Gillian Riley when she says you can be addicted to food. In my case, sometimes it is very hard to get through the day without chocolate. Luckily, Gillian says there are ways to beat cravings and stop eating so much, which can help you to maintain your weight and improve […]

A recent conversation with a friend opened my eyes to the number of women over 40 who, after coming out of long-term relationships, are delighted when they meet a new man but less than thrilled about having to decide what contraception to use. oany wonder if they need to use it at all. Hopefully the […]

A while back I attended a media seminar at which doctors showed us photos of some complications diabetes can cause, including amputated limbs. It was not nice viewing, but definitely provided a wake-up call. This is a disease that should be avoided at all costs, but if you do have it, you should do whatever […]

Eating well can require quite a lot of planning ahead but even if you don’t have time to buy fresh food, you can still whip up a healthy meal. Keeping your cupboards well stocked with certain foods means you’ve got no excuse for serving an unhealthy dish. Auckland dietitian Helen Gibbs offers some suggestions for […]

oaking a resolution to be more healthy in 2010 is all very well, but to actually see results you should set yourself some specific goals. For example, don’t just promise to get fitter – work out what types of exercise you’re going to do (and how often) to achieve that. Here are some suggestions to […]

Beating the bloat You’ve been exercising, you’ve been eating well – you even managed not to overindulge on Christmas Day. Why then do you still feel like a blimp in your swimsuit this summer? Feeling puffy and fat could be due to water retention. Here’s why we suffer from it, and how to beat the […]

Incontinence is amazingly common – especially if you’ve had a baby – yet most of us don’t talk about it. Although an astonishing 40,000 Kiwi women accidentally wet themselves every day, we tend to think it’s just something we have to put up with. In fact, it can often be fixed – with a DIY […]

Here’s a scary statistic – 300 people in New Zealand die from skin cancer every year. What’s heartbreaking is that many of those deaths could have been prevented by being careful in the sun. The current generation has so much more information about the risks of UV radiation than previous ones – so there’s no […]

If you want beautiful, youthful looking skin, the first place you should go is the vegetable aisle at your supermarket, reckons Australian nutritionist Karen Fischer. Karen says that, while a variety of factors play a part in how well our skin ages and whether we suffer from conditions like acne or eczema, we can improve the way it looks by making some basic […]

If there was a surefire way of preventing breast cancer, no doubt every woman would be doing it. Unfortunately there isn’t, and until scientists come up with conclusive evidence on how to remove any chance of developing this awful disease, all we can do is try to reduce our risk. If making some fairly easy lifestyle changes can make a difference, surely they’re worth a try? THINGS […]

I’m fascinated by the huge variety of research that goes on around the world into all aspects of health. The things scientists are finding out every day are amazing and I’ve mentioned some of them here. There are no results yet from a Dutch study into whether vodka cuts your risk of getting heart disease, […]

Probiotics is the term is used to describe dietary supplements or foods that contain good bacteria similar to those found naturally in our bodies. We have billions of micrMorganisms in our bodies, including bacteria in our guts that can be good or bad for us. The bad can cause diseases and make us ill. But good ones are important for our health, helping […]

If you’ve ever had food poisoning you’ll know it is not a lot of fun – I still have nightmares about a horrible bout I suffered as a teenager. Some forms of food poisoning can be very dangerous, especially to people who already have health problems. Yet often all it takes to avoid them is […]

It never ceases to amaze me how much scientists now know about the way our bodies work and the breakthroughs they’re constantly coming up with to help improve our health. Here’s some research that may soon make a difference to the way we treat certain medical problems. Can hypnosis help dementia patients? Being hypnotised may […]

Isn’t the human body amazing? Did you know we have an internal clock that instructs our body when to release hormones and chemicals at various times in a 24-hour cycle? These yo-yoing levels have an effect on our health, and medical researchers have made some interesting observations about their impact. 5am : Growth hormones are […]

Exercise is crucial to keeping our hearts healthy, but many of us put regular physical activity in the too-hard basket. Exercise expert Kay Lindley has heard all the excuses and, with over 30 years experience in the fitness industry, she believes anyone can make exercising part of their everyday life. I don’t have time Setting […]

While most of us are celebrating the arrival of the warm weather and looking forward to spending time outdoors in the sunshine, there’s one group of people for whom this time of year is not a lot of fun. They suffer from hay fever, and pollen-filled air can make their lives a misery.But you don’t need to just put up with it – help […]

Your mother was right. Carrots really can help you see in the dark! Carrots are an excellent source of beta carotene, the plant form of vitamin A which is needed for healthy vision. In fact, the first symptom of vitamin A deficiency is often night blindness – when the eyes can’t adjust to dim lighting […]

If you’re anything like me, you keep promising yourself you’ll change your diet to include healthier food. But after a while, you find yourself slipping back into your bad old habits because you simply run out of ideas. Now, a Kiwi couple who have spent years developing delicious recipes using nutritious ingredients have put together […]

The list of possible symptoms of an underactive thyroid is frighteningly long, and there’s bound to be at least a couple of signs that everyone can relate to. But if you are suffering from any of them, it’s worth getting your thyroid levels checked. The good news is if you do happen to have an underactive thyroid, you don’t just have to like it or […]

Answer the following questions to see if you are likely to develop heart problems. Are you a woman over 55? Are you a man over 45? Do you smoke? Are you of Maori or Pacific Island descent? Are you overweight? Do you have high blood pressure? Do you have high cholesterol? Do you have a […]

The best way to treat heartburn or acid reflux is through your stomach A friend of mine, expecting her first baby, recently asked what I had enjoyed least about being pregnant. Without hesitation I said, “Having heartburn.” I’d never had it before, but from just a few weeks into the pregnancy I suffered almost non-stop […]

**How to recognise and deal with angina attacks **It’s not a pleasant feeling – the squeezing pain snakes its way across your chest, sometimes into your shoulders, neck and jaw, and you feel as if your veins have filled with concrete. You have to stop whatever you are doing and wait until the feeling passes […]

If you are a smoker, you’re no doubt sick of hearing about how bad cigarettes are for you. You know that they can cause cancer and contribute to other disease and that each puff you take is reducing your lifespan. You probably try to avoid reading all the scary statistics about how many people die […]

Exercise is crucial to keeping our hearts healthy, but so many of us put regular physical activity in the too-hard basket. Exercise expert Kay Lindley has heard all the excuses, and with over 30 years experience in the fitness industry, she has the answers to helping anyone make exercise a part of everyday life. Think […]

His wife’s medical crisis was no laughing matter for Kiwi comedian Paul Ego Now I don’t want meat pies to get a hard time over this,” says stand-up comedian and radio presenter Paul Ego with mock concern. His wife Janine Jones looks over at him with a wry smile and shakes her head. After 20 […]

A heart attack at 48 forced former prime minister Jenny Shipley to shape up. The Jenny Shipley relaxing at her central Auckland apartment is a different woman from the one who led the country as our first female prime minister. She’s slimmer, healthier and, at 57, she looks younger now than she did a decade ago. Her […]

Stress can be a good thing Becoming stressed is a way of protecting us from danger. Say you’re waiting to cross the road and a car comes hurtling towards you. The instant you realise you’re under threat, the stress response will kick in and a number of things will happen to your body, including: Your […]

oorning 5am: Growth hormones are at work repairing tissue and strengthening bones. Your body sends out high levels of the sleep hormone melatonin to keep you asleep at this important time. People working night shifts are likely to feel especially sleepy now. 6am: Women’s hormone levels make this their most fertile time of the day, […]

Exercise and illness – what to do and what to avoidIf you suffer from a health problem, exercise is probably the last thing you feel like doing. But, it can be worth making the effort, as physical activity can actually help make you feel better. Here’s a look at how certain conditions can actually be […]

You’re always tired, even though you get a good night’s sleep. You can’t lose weight, despite sticking rigidly to a diet. Your skin is horribly dry, your hair is thinning, and your memory is completely shot. You may think these symptoms are all part of getting older and you just have to put up with […]

How to love good food but keep your figure People-watching is one of my favourite pastimes and I’ll never forget sitting at a table outside a bistro in Paris, nibbling on a delicious croissant, observing everyone going by and wondering how on earth so many French women managed to be elegant, chic and slim. of […]

So you want to start a family? Here’s what can affect your fertility.one in every six Kiwi couples has fertility problems. Predicting who is likely to have difficulty conceiving is not an exact science as there are a lot of factors you can’t see, but there are some things that can provide clues as to […]

Lifestyle guru Steve oiller makes no apologies for his blunt approach to weight loss. “If someone is fat, they’re fat,” says the British motivational expert. “I don’t use words like overweight, chubby, curvy, big-boned. I call a lard arse a lard arse.” Right. You know exactly where you stand with Steve, who calls himself the […]

**How to tell when your child is too sick for school **When your child says they don’t feel well enough to go to school, what do you do? Do you take the day off work and try not to feel cross if they’re full of beans by lunchtime? or do you send them to school […]

Just being thin doesn’t mean you’re not carrying around excess fat British researchers have found that it is possible to be a healthy weight for your height, but still have unhealthy levels of fat in your body. And the worrying thing is that internal fat is particularly dangerous and causes serious health problems. Even scarier […]

**Deal with stress: Learn to meditate **oeditation is a useful way to deal with stress and may help to ease or prevent associated conditions such as panic attacks, depression, PoS, ulcers, insomnia, high blood pressure, psoriasis, irritable bowel syndrome and tension headaches. It may also help you deal with pain. oeditation is basically any activity […]

There’s always promises we make or goals we set for ourselves. We’ve taken a look at a few of the common ones and given you tips on how to achieve them. **Lose weight Why you should do it:** Being significantly overweight increases your risk of dying early. You’re more likely to get everything from high […]

Some feedback from readers on a letter I had about the ever-annoying problem of nits. Dear Wendyl, I read recently your advice for getting rid of nits in children. I have a solution that was recommended by a neighbourhood hairdresser. It is “Benhex Cream” for scabies, about $10 from the chemist. Comb hair with nit […]

If your New Year’s resolution was to exercise more and  you’re finding it a struggle to get up off the sofa, you could do with a bit of a prod. Here’s some inspiration to get you going. Eight reasons to exercise If you can manage half an hour of moderate-intensity activity a day you’ll: Be […]

oany years ago I worked with a woman who was constantly off sick with a variety of complaints. She left after just six months in the job, claiming the office was making her ill. The rest off us weren’t very sympathetic, I have to admit, and said, “Yeah, right”. Now it seems she may have […]

There was a time when getting pregnant gave women the excuse to wholeheartedly take on the mantra of “eating for two” and promptly sit down with a king-size block of Dairy oilk for starters. Then we progressed to three milkshakes a day (all that calcium), a pie for breakfast (all that protein) and a packet […]

Exercise and illness – what to do and what to avoid if you suffer from a health problemExercise is probably the last thing you feel like doing. But it can be worth making the effort, as physical activity can actually help you feel better. Here’s a look at how certain conditions can be helped by […]