Southern Cross Health Features

As work, family, and social obligations increasingly compete for our time, our days get busier and our stress levels get higher. Surely women’s liberation was not meant for us to simply exchange one kind of shackle for another?

US baseball star Mickey Mantle once said, ”If I had known I was going to live this long, I would’ve taken better care of myself.”  Good advice for the typical kiwi bloke whose reluctance to seek help for medical problems is a source of frustration for spouses and medical professionals alike.

Spring time!  How do you snap-out of that winter malaise? We’ve got ten tips that can help boost your energy levels.  Yes - diet, exercise and getting a good night’s sleep are on the list.  So is laughter, keeping good company and learning new skills.

Blood has fascinated mankind throughout the ages. Some cultures worship it, while some people faint at the very sight of it. So what do we really know about the fluid of life?

Our bodies are almost 75% water – every cell, tissue and organ in the body needs water to function. Dehydration can result in heartburn, stomach ache, recurring or chronic pain (such as lower back pain and headaches), mental irritation, depression and (ironically) water retention. Dehydration is also the primary trigger of daytime fatigue.

Harvard Medical School researchers have found that skipping the first meal of the day increases the chances of becoming obese, developing diabetes or even having a heart attack.

Chicken soup may provide soothing relief for a cold. But it’s the friend who brings it to you who may help ward off the virus.

Whether you’re eight or 80 - or somewhere in between – you can benefit from the health-giving properties of regular exercise.  We’re not just talking about keeping your weight under control and your heart in good order.  These are only two of a multitude of exercise-related health benefits.  

The alarm wrenches you awake at 6 am and rush-hour traffic delivers you to the scene of eight hours of desk-bound servitude. The same streams of traffic carry you home in the evening, where breakfast dishes await and a hungry family demands feeding. Welcome to the Monday to Friday reality of many New Zealanders.  

The Nutrition Information Panels or NIP on most packaged foods can be particularly useful in managing the fat and salt in your diet. That’s because they are required to state the quantity of the very things we are trying to reduce for heart health.

If you’re stuck for a present for Mum or Dad this Christmas, and she’s 55 or older and he’s 45 or older, you might consider giving them an all-expenses-paid trip to the doctor

Why do so many of us suffer from lower back pain? “Overuse in the wrong environment,” says Auckland physiotherapist Ian Rainey.

Our feet walk an average 115,000km in a lifetime – nearly three times the circumference of the earth.  So, if you’re going to be using them so much, it makes sense to take good care of them. 

No matter what the weather’s doing, we’re nice and dry inside the house, right? Wrong!

Children’s bodies are like high-powered combustion engines that need not just enough fuel, but the right kind.

We all need energy. But are we consuming too much for our lifestyles?

If we were to heed the advice of Hippocrates, the Greek physician and founder of medicine, we should all be asking our doctors to write out a grocery list for us instead of a prescription to help lower cholesterol.

Feeling tired, no energy, need more get-up-and-go? Simple lifestyle choices - related to sleep, managing stress, nutrition, exercise and mental ease – can make a big difference.

What’s the world’s most elaborate piece of engineering?  If you guessed the pyramids, Eiffel tower, Chrysler building or Taipei 101, you’re way out!  The answer is you!

While it can be tempting to hibernate indoors with comfort food and a television remote over winter, remaining active and healthy can be your best defence against colds and flu, not to mention the winter blues.

Planning to embark on a new fitness regime? Congratulations! There are more choices than ever before. As well as favourites such as going to the gym, walking or jogging, there are plenty of other mind/body activities on the menu: Pilates, t'ai chi, yoga, and the Alexander Technique, to name but a few.

After almost two decades of “slip, slop, slap and wrap” you’d think we’d be world class in our sun-smart behaviour. Sadly no.

One in six visits to the family doctor involves a skin problem, according to the New Zealand Dermatological Society, with pre and actual skin cancer, and dermatitis among the most common.

An excellent source of protein, fish contains compounds called omega-3 oils that do wonders for our health.

We’ve all felt pain at some time or other, but what is its function and how can we minimise it in our daily lives?

You’ve heard it all before but there’s no getting past the fact: veggies can add length and quality to your time on this planet.

Walking for exercise needs to be more than just a leisurely stroll down to the shops, says Wayne Edgeler, an occupational therapist and fitness consultant who asks his clients to rate their “perceived exertion factor” from zero to 10.

Southern Cross has partnered with TVOne to deliver the nation's biggest health test - with nearly a million Kiwis tuning in to the 3 hour television special Test The Nation – The Southern Cross Health Test. 

What shape is your heart in? Simple lifestyle changes can significantly lower your risk of heart disease.

Don’t be fooled into thinking you’re “safe” because you’re just a social smoker.

We all know the ‘whole’ is equal to the sum of its various parts.  So why not eat food that has had none of its best bits taken away?

A Victoria University health sociologist says that understanding the importance of one small word could help improve outcomes in the health system.