Prevention

Kegel exercises can do more than prolong sex. Greater muscular control now can halt accidental leakage later. Squeeze your pelvic muscles as if you’re stopping the flow of urine in reps of 10, three times a day.

Prevention

A diet high in antioxidants can have a protective effect on long tern hearing. So eat seedy fruit like pomegranate. Better for your ears than seedy nightclubs.

Prevention

Go swimming: it strengthens joints and reduces cartilage wear. If in doubt, always see the physic.

Men put up with partially torn ligaments. But festering injuries can lead to old-age pain.

Prevention

The Australian Cancer Council found ejaculating more than five times a week in your 20s and 30s cuts the risk of prostate cancer in later life by a third. The report said masturbation is more effective than sex, so take matters in hand.

Blotchy skin is a common complaint in Asian country. What are the causes?

Cumulative sun damage causes premature aging and pigment formation, this result in sun and age spots. Some people are genetically predisposed to pigmentation like freckles, while melasma ( “the mask of pregnancy”) is due to hormonal changes. Another unique feature of Asian skin is post inflammatory hyperpigmentation in which the skin darkens after injury from, for example, too strong an acid peel. I encounter these conditions daily in my practice.

Any treatment?

Some doctor would need to assess  with their patient and discuss the possible options and outcomes. Using a good sun-block will definitely prevent worsening of the pigmentation. You can use creams — a good start although the results are slow. I usually use Photo-rejuvenation which involves an energy source either from light or laser to fragment the pigment under the skin without burning the outer skin layer. Hence, there is no reddening, pain or downtime.

Lightening of the pigment can be noticed within a week but results vary from 20%-80% depending on the individual. Consistent use of creams and sun-block will improve the final outcome. The results, though never perfect, are about as good as what medical technology can offer. That’s probably why we get many new patients by way of recommendation.

How has it affected your treatment of pigmentary disorders?

When first started aesthetic practice, treatment options were limited to just creams, chemical peels and microdermabrasion. Some lightening could be seen after a few months. Technology has improved tremendously and I have been using a combination of mild burning ablative lasers and non-burning non- ablative lasers with much better results.

Step 1:

Begin by pinching from tips and bottoms of each finger and thumb of both your right hand and left hand. The pressure applied to your fingers should be firm, but not painful. A few seconds for each finger tip will do. Pinch them again, but this time squeezing from side to side.

Step 2:

Vigorously rub back and forth from the base to the tip of each linger & thumb.

Step 3:

Grasp each finger & thumb at its base and pull firmly. Allow your grip to loosen slightly, graduating it from the base to the finger tip until your finger slips out of your grasp completely.

Step 4:

Using your thumb and forefinger firmly grasp the webbed area between your thumb & forefinger of your other hand. Keeping a firm hold, pull at the skin gently until the fleshy web snaps away from your grasp. Repeat this process for the webbed-between areas on all your fingers.

Step 5:

Rest the palm of your hand inside the fingers of your free hand. Use your thumb to massage the back of your hand. Slowly work on the knuckles and in between knuckle area first. Continue thumb’ massaging each area on the back of the hand.

Step 6:

At the end of your session press your thumb deeply in the centre of your palm. Take a few deep breaths. This would help to relax, clear your mind, and focus on your healing intentions.

Prevention

Your piriformis muscle controls hip rotation and is the most common cause of sciatica. Keep it loose with regular stretches: lie on your back with bent knees, Lift your right ankle over your left knee and pull into your chest.

BREAKFAST

Yogurt with cereal or whole-meal toast with peanut butter and banana, with honey drizzled on top Indulges in sausages, eggs and baked beans with Pierre once a week

LUNCH

Savoury oats with vegetables, mushrooms and minced pork or chicken

DINNER

Steamed cod with fresh ginger, chili and spring onion.

Steamed green vegetables seasoned with a dash of oyster/scallop sauce and topped with browned shallots.

Mixes brown rice with white rice.

Indulges in Pierre’s favorite beer battered fish and chips once every two to three months

Way 11: Aromatherapy

Essential oils affect hormone secretion and your thoughts. For inner calm, choose chamomile, pine, lavender or marjoram.

Way 12 : Green Day

Exposing yourself to a natural environment is perfect for inducing calm. No time to get out of the city? Then potter around in the garden. No garden? Then tend to your houseplants. It’s the interaction with nature that is the key.

Way 13 : Chinese Qi Gong

Related to tai chi, qi gong (“energy breathing”) is an ancient Chinese exercise, combining rhythmic breathing with gentle movements, mental focus and inner stillness. Very little physical activity is involved-meaning you need little space, time or strength to reap the benefits.

Way 14 : Tea Break

Shun the stimulus of high doses of caffeine and try a chamomile flower brew instead, believed by many herbalists to help generate inner calm.

Way 15 : Live For The Moment

Living in the present brings inner calm because it stops you from dwelling on past negatives and fearing the future. A good way of waking yourself up to the present is to change your routines. Take a different route to work so that you’ll pay attention to what’s going on

Way 6: Let There Be Light

Daylight regulates our bio-rhythm, and is responsible for our psychological equilibrium. If you spend all day in an office and finish late, you could be denying yourself calming, healing light. Get out at lunchtime, and take long walks on weekends to increase your light quota.

Way 7: Balancing Your Brain

Developing your intuition helps you achieve inner harmony by balancing the right and left sides of your brain, using it productively is essential in keeping you rooted and bringing you a sense of calm.

Make creative ideas work, follows your hunches, and actively use visualization and meditation methods —these will all help you connect with your intuitive source.

Way 8 : Herbal Tonics

Look for calming herbal formulas which contain skullcap and passionflower compounds in tincture form, which you can drink. For long-term calm, use herbal tonics with essential oils.

Way 9: Animal

Studies have suggested that over 90 per cent of cat owners find their pet a vital aid to relaxation, while interaction with a dog is known to induce a deep state of calm by slowing heart rate and lowering your blood pressure.

Way 10 : Transcendental

Practiced by five million people worldwide, the easy­-to-master technique of transcendental meditation is renowned for its inner-balancing capabilities. It calms the body, can be learned in days, and removes all stress — replacing it with clarity and a sense of perspective.

Way 1 : Expand Your Vision

Find a point opposite you, just above eye-level, and keeping your eyes on that point, begin to slowly broaden your field of vision to notice more of what’s on either side of that point, so that, eventually, you’re paying attention to what’s visible in the corners of your eyes.

You should begin to feel your breathing moving lower in your chest, slowing down, becoming deeper. You’ll also feel your facial muscles relaxing. This “peripheral vision” technique activates a part of the nervous system that restores inner calm.

Way 2: Healthy Meal

Complex carbohydrates — whole-wheat, cereals and rye — produce serotonin in the body, which has a effect on the brain’s chemistry. Vitamin B6 is also essential in serotonin production, so eat B6-rich foods — bananas, raisins and sweet potatoes — regularly to give your body the necessary fuel to help soothe you the nutritional way.

Way 3 : Music

Never underestimate the magic of music. “Classical music is extremely calming, Baroque classical is particularly effective — it’s very powerful and has been shown to lower the incidence of road rage in drivers.

Way 4 : Take a Short Rest / Nap

Suggest you taking regular “time-outs” when you feel overwhelmed. An easy way is to just shut your eyes. Then, allow your eyes to drift upwards and imagine you’re viewing the sky through your closed eyes. The technique mimics eye behavior when you sleep and tricks the mind into inducing calm.

Way 5 : Off Your 21^st Century Life

Switch off your mobile. Don’t read e-mail. Ignore text messages. Do this regularly to restore equilibrium. New technologies were supposed to help us but, instead, they’ve overloaded us indiscriminately. The mobile and internet revolution makes people constantly accessible, leaving them no ‘down-time’ to relax, reflect and be calm. It’s crazy—and unhealthy.

Buy freshly-squeezed juices and yogurt in small servings, or cereal and instant oatmeal in sachets. Read and compare labels as some breakfast cereals and energy bars can be very high in sugar.

Hard-boil an egg the night before or pack leftovers like pizza. Or cook and refrigerate a luxurious breakfast, like an omelet stuffed with chicken and bell peppers, or a whole-meal ham sandwich, and have it with a serving of fruit.

Stash a muffin, a hard-boiled egg, yogurt or an apple in your bag and eat them on the way to work. Alternatively, have some ready-to-eat cereal with a banana and a small carton of low-fat milk.

Opt for low-sugar, high-fiber, high-protein choices, such as soya bean milk or bean curd, fish porridge or cut fruit from the market; a half- boiled egg and toast, or bun from the coffee-shop; or milk and cereal from 24-hour marts. Also suggests a wholegrain bread roll with low-fat cheese or tuna, and coffee with milk. Sweet pastries or fried food offer a temporary spurt of energy but set you up for a massive slump in the late morning.

Redoxon

Fighting with flu hug by boosting your immune system with regular, moderate exercise — it not only strengthens your cardiovascular system and tones your muscles, but also improves your mood and reduces stress. You can also try taking supplements like Redoxon Vita Immune effervescent tablets, which protect your skin, immune cells and antibodies. Available in packs of 15 tablets and 30 tablets at leading pharmacies and personal care stores.

Berocca

Healthy Kickstart of a day with a Berocca Performance tablet drink, now available in two flavours, tropical and citrus. It contains vitamin B complex to help you with nutrient absorption, and vitamin C, magnesium and zinc to boost your immunity. Available at leading pharmacies, personal care stores and supermarkets.

Choya Non Sugar & Natural Umeshu

Level up your body energy a boost with Choya Non Sugar & Natural Umeshu. Made with Nanko ume from Wakayama prefecture in Japan, this light fruit liqueur is perfect for the calorie- conscious as its sweetened with clover honey, which contains fewer calories than sugar. Available at major supermarkets and pharmacy.