October 2013

Know your numbers for a healthy heart

Danie Gerber (46), former Springbok centre and national rugby hero, used to be the picture of health. Darting around opponents, sidestepping and counter-attacking, nobody would have suspected that the arteries of his heart were slowly clogging up. Feeling great and fit, he didn't suspect anything. 
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Stay focused!

Starting your exercise programme is easy in comparison to sticking to it. In fact, half of all people who start off with a new programme, will quit in 6 - 8 weeks' time, and another quarter within a few months.
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Screening tests in men

Most men would rather set their shorts on fire or attend five children's parties in a row than go for a colon cancer screening or a prostate check-up. If minimum hassle is your main objective, going for regular disease-screening tests will probably reduce rather than increase your number of visits to the doctor.  
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Nutrition for expectant moms

The reason why mothers gain some weight during pregnancy is biologically determined. The purpose of moderate weight gain during pregnancy is to ensure that you have what is called "a desirable pregnancy outcome", which means that your baby should weigh between three and four kilograms. 
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Good bacteria vs. bad bacteria

Not all bacteria are bad. In fact, some are rather good for you. But the line could be a thin one. So, what should you know? The human body plays host to a number of micro-organisms, most of which are our friends. This is nothing to be grossed out about. In fact, the phenomenon of living in close physical association with other organisms ("symbiosis") is as common as life itself.
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