Christmas Weight Gain: Enjoy the food without the guilt!

Warnings about impending weight gain over the holidays are as prevalent as eggnog, chocolates and Christmas cake. It’s true that tucking into a 6,000 kcal feast is not the best course for your overall health, yet an extra slice of dessert does not have to mean the death certificate for your annual nutritional goals.

But no-one should feel miserable about the heavier meals and parties that December brings. So pass the roast and let’s discuss navigating any growing anxiety about the holiday spread.

The Truth about Christmas and Weight Gain

Although the festive season might cause for some weight gain scares. While headlines scream 1-4kg in weight gain, these figures, although undeniably scary, are dubious. Still, the approach to commence crash dieting is most prevalent around the holiday season; and though it might help you drop dress sizes, the results are short-lived, and can negatively impact your body and mind.

The drastic reduction of calories slows down metabolic rate and burns calories slower, and breaks down muscle, is damaging for hair and skin quality, and most importantly weakens your immune system. Besides, crash dieting hinders the body’s ability to absorb healthy fats which are integral for the complete absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K by your body. You don’t need an expert to tell you that this doesn’t sound like an ideal solution to your overall health.

So, are a few indulgent meals going to resign you to a life of ill health and bloating, or avoiding holiday weight gain is as impossible as Santa slipping down a billion chimneys on Christmas Eve? The answer is not all black or white.

A decade long independent clinical analysis on more than 120,000 healthy Americans carried out by the National Institutes of Health, found that a highly processed, junk food-heavy diet caused an average weight gain of three pounds in over four-year periods – clearly, fostering a balanced lifestyle for 364 days a year is more important than obsessing over one holiday that calls for a grand celebration.

Seasonal Variations in Weight Are Normal

Our bodies have a remarkable ability to maintain a steady weight, or a set point weight, over the long term. A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that on average our weight fluctuates only 0.5kg throughout the year. It peaks in winter, due to the side-lining of a healthy lifestyle, but bounces back to normal.

80/20 Approach

Eating fresh, natural foods, and shunning a high-sugar, high-salt, ultra-processed diet will provide long-term benefits for your health and your figure. Yet, it would be rather Scrooge-like to renounce all treats in December. Nutritionists recommend intuitive eating instead, which means careful selection of nibbles and an understanding of moderation and hunger cues.

The 80/20 rule diet weighs in here: eat ‘clean’ 80-percent of the time and allow yourself to indulge more freely during the other 20-percent. The knowledge that 100-percent compliance is not required is enough for most of us to stick to a balanced, healthy eating plan in the long term.

Also Read: Top 7 mental health and well-being podcasts of 2021

Pick Your Poison Wisely

We know that alcohol is empty calories, similar to candy and soda, when mixed with syrups and juices it packs a heavy amount of carbohydrates, but now research has found it also slows the body’s fat-burning ability by nearly 30-percent. That doesn’t mean you have to quit cold turkey or deny yourself social situations because you’re obsessed about your weight and health.

The World Health Organisation recommends a maximum of two drinks per day in the festive week – anything over that amounts to binge drinking. A glass of beer can have 140 to 200 kcal, while a large whisky neat has 70 to 90 kcal, but once you top that with mixers or make a decadent cocktail, it will probably pack in more calories than a beer. Only Vodka Soda is a great option for the calorie-conscious drinker. It’s Hong Kong’s first zero sugar, zero carbs and premium vodka soda and comes in a can— no affiliation but perfect for those who want their tipples but not the carbs.

Break a Sweat

While sticking to an exercise routine is challenging during the busy days of December, workouts don’t have to be overly long or more strenuous to get results. An extra 30-minutes could help counteract last night’s office dinner.

If you’re pressed for time amid an influx of people and parties, split your session into short, doable bouts. Any extra steps you can get in are also better than slumping on the sofa. Keeping the load on your feet, and unnecessary worry about fleeting seasonal weight gain from your mind, results in a healthy body.

(Text: Nikita Mishra)

Also Read: Beauty Airbrushing – How photo filters are denting our confidence

Beauty Airbrushing: Why filters are denting our confidence

It was fun at first – a golden glow, long lashes, smoother skin and a defined jawline – until it became more invasive. High cheekbones, bigger eyes, cuter pouts, slimmer faces, glass-like skin and doll-like perfection; so unreal, except the trend has never been more real. While projection of unattainable beauty standards is nothing new, photo-editing apps and filters powered by augmented reality have dramatically changed the way we choose to present ourselves to the online world.

Digitally ‘touching up’ our faces might seem like an innocent thing to do. A sudden breakout, lethargic eyes or visible greying spoiling your near-perfect selfie – why not run it through Meitu or Facetune it? But taken to extremes, it is harmful to self-esteem and well-being.

Imperfection is Passé
“The original selfie editor”, Facetune was launched in 2013 as a simple photo manipulating app that gives users the options to slim their faces, enhance features, cover grey, smooth blemishes, whiten teeth and eyes, and thus look at least 10 years younger. Alter your expressions to ‘fierce’ (squinted eyes), ‘cute’ (naughty smile) or ‘seduce’ (plump lips) with the touch of a button.

Facetune saw a 20-percent increase in users at the start of the pandemic and by January 2021, more than a million pictures were saved in its database every day. Along with similar applications, it can be downloaded by children as young as four. It has never been easier to smooth, shrink or shine your way to perfection. Your modified face can be saved and retrieved to admire or tinker with once more, over and over again.

Dr Keith Hariman, a psychiatrist at OT&P’s MindWorX Mental Wellness Clinic, feels that the message – your real face isn’t good enough – is a dark, damaging one, especially to someone already suffering from anxiety or struggling with a body-image disorder. “At face value swiping away your blemishes doesn’t seem like a terrible thing to do, but without doubt, the trend is a part of a bigger behavioural issue,” he says. “It creates a detrimental impact on the self-esteem and body images of people, especially young girls. The problem is not limited to correcting facial features, but encompasses other parts of the body like the bust, waist or bottom as well.”

Manipulation Mania
Spend a few hours scrolling through digitally manipulated images on Instagram – be it a friend’s edited holiday picture or a celebrity’s airbrushed gym selfie – and you are bound to feel worse about your own body.

Instagram introduced a selection of AR face-flattering filters for its Stories feature in 2018. Thousands of filters are now commonly used by millions of people to appear cosmetically enhanced. Many of these appear harmless as brightening and colour-correcting tools, but in reality they alter your facial features and expressions more than you realise.

Edited imagery and its impact on self-worth is nothing new, yet the earlier trend of airbrushed magazine images of celebrities was about measuring yourself to unrealistic beauty standards. Now with filters, it’s a whole new level – it’s about comparing your real self against your fake, tweaked image.

“Now with filters, it’s a whole new level – it’s about comparing your real self against your fake, tweaked image”

Divorced from Reality
If we were filtering our lives before Covid-19, the trend spiralled out of control in 2020. As our social world became entirely digital and screen time shot up, staring at our own faces, day in and day out on Zoom, Google Hangouts or Houseparty with a ‘touch up’ button has left a dramatic, precarious impact on our self-image and mental health.

The regularity of using filters is particularly disturbing – whether those clearly designed to refine ourselves or the silly ones that just change our appearance. Self-esteem issues may be directly linked to the discrepancy between our touched-up selfies and how we actually look in the mirror. Positive validation with ‘likes’ and ‘comments’ is like a rush of dopamine that makes you repeat the behaviour again and again, creating a troubling online environment that is increasingly divorced from reality.

End of Individuality?
In 2019, plastic surgeons the world over coined terms like ‘Snapchat Dysmorphia’ and ‘Instagram Face’ to describe the trail of aesthetic sameness that filters and photo-editing apps leave in their wake.

The world of social media is so visual that cosmetologists are becoming deluged with people seeking an upgrade to look more like their enhanced image rather a celebrity. But with everyone singing to the same (face)tune, a whole generation is trying to fit into an identical beauty mould – big eyes, bigger lips, perfect round buttocks, pore-less skin, the waspiest of waists… This not only deletes individuality, but spurs the current uncanny resemblance of young women to porcelain dolls.

If filtered images are leaving you with low mood, anxiety or body image issues, what’s the solution? Selfies and the appearance-obsessed culture aren’t going away. Perhaps then, a robust regulation to flag each image as doctored might be the way forward.

“With everyone singing to the same (face)tune, a whole generation is trying hard to fit into an identical beauty mould”

But until that distant moment, protect your mental health. Exist in the real world and limit screen time – and if you find yourself crushing under the weight of unrealistic social standards, seek professional help without delay.

(Text: Nikita Mishra Photo: Ramkin)

Best mattresses for comfortable and pain-free sleep

Mattresses, like many things that benefit the body, are truly an investment worth making. The best mattresses not only keep you comfortable at night, they also support your head, neck and limbs, as well as offer healing so you wake up pain-free and ready to start the day in the best possible shape.

If you regularly wake up with back or neck pain, your mattress may not be giving you the support you need. As a general rule of thumb, mattresses should be changed every 8-10 years. For those who regularly wake up with back pains, stiff necks, sore hips, especially if they are suffering from sciatica, a medium to firm mattress would be ideal, as the the surface is soft enough for comfort but firm enough to support the spine, keeping it aligned and not dipping too deep into the mattress.

gafencu-luxury-lifestyle-How-pick-perfect-mattress-better-sleep-glencraft (2) — (Image courtesy of Glencraft)

But there is no one-size-fits-all mattress. Several factors need to be taken into consideration, such as sleep positions, body weight and anatomical build, as well as preference for materials and construction of the mattress. No matter how you sleep, the spine should always remain straight throughout the night. But ultimately, anything that lets you rest easy and pain-free is a mattress worth getting.

Here are Gafencu’s top tips for picking the right luxury mattress to ensure you get a great night’s rest

To relieve lower back pain and sciatica symptoms

gafencu-luxury-lifestyle-How-pick-perfect-mattress-better-sleep-simmons-bed-company — (Image courtesy of Simmons Bedding Company)

Those suffering from sciatica, disc problems from an old injury or lower back pains are advised to avoid soft and latex mattresses. Instead a medium to firm mattress would put the body more at ease and relieve such pains. Pocket springs serve as the perfect and latest in mattress engineering that allows the weight of the body to spread evenly across the mattress. Unlike traditional coil sprung mattresses, pocket coils are springs that are individually encased within their own fabric, allowing each spring to perform individually – absorbing pressure and evening out the weight distribution while relieving pressure points.

Atlanta-based Simmons’ BeautyRest Black Radiance is an outstanding example of pocketed coil technology. Composed of graphite memory foam and latex gel foam, it provides a breathable material that conforms naturally to the body’s shape, and is said to enhance well-being and overall sleep quality, giving the sleeper optimal support and minimal motion transfer — meaning you won’t feel your partner toss and turn in the middle of the night!

Try: Simmons BeautyRest Black Radiance
Price: From HK$15,500
Where to go: simmons.com

gafencu-luxury-lifestyle-How-pick-perfect-mattress-better-sleep-sealy — (Image courtesy of Sealy)

Yet another example of the benefits of pocketed coil, pioneering in posturepedic-designed mattress is Australian-made handcrafted mattress manufacturer Sealy. Teaming up with orthopaedic surgeons to develop innovative solutions to contribute to consumers’ orthopaedic health and a good night’s rest, they have put out the Heritage collection.

Featuring the highest grade of patented coils, keys locking into the inner spring, a wider edge for more stability and even weight distribution and a unique three-stage advanced edge support system that gradually adjusts to the sleeper’s weight, the result is optimum comfort throughout the night. Its exceptional comfort is further reinforced with gel-infused visco elastic foam that provides even better conformance and enhanced spinal support.

Try: Sealy Heritage Collection
Price: From HK$59,800
Where to go: sealy.com

Also Read: Smart gadgets to get sound sleep

For a foam-based option to suit any sleeping position

gafencu-luxury-lifestyle-How-pick-perfect-mattress-better-sleep-dorelan — (Image courtesy of Dorelan)

For those who tend to sleep on their sides, faced down, or alternate in positions throughout the night, a mattress that can support the spine, neck and hips are essential. Foam-based constructions are made to contour to the unique shape of the body, adjusting to its shape while offering support to the spine and relieving pressure points.

Steeped in stylish Italian design, Dorelan incorporates technology and craftsmanship together through intensive research, innovative approaches and the use of carefully selected raw materials to redefine sleep quality for quality lifestyle. Created based on five decades of science-based research, its Myform mattress is an innovative solution to superior comfort for any sleeping position. Created with hypoallergenic fabric and a synergy of components layered to provide an ergonomic and comfortable anatomic support for sleepers of all types.

Try: Dorelan Myform
Price: From HK$14,435
Where to go: hkdorelan.com

For a Latex mattress option

gafencu-luxury-lifestyle-How-pick-perfect-mattress-better-sleep-okooko-by-european-bedding — (Image courtesy of Okooko by European Bedding)

However, in some cases it would be proven true that having less springs can offer more pressure relief for those who tend to sleep on their sides or have heavier contours on their shoulders and hips. Softer mattresses that cushions the body can help relieve pressure at these key points and reduce muscle spasms.

Hong Kong-based Okooko by European Bedding offers a mattress with natural latex fabric made from the sap of a rubber tree. Unlike other soft mattresses, such as memory foam, Okooko’s Heveya® Natural Organic Latex Mattress III provides amazing support for the spine, distributing weight evenly — accommodating the preference of various levels of firmness. Its construction is made with 100% natural, organic and sustainable materials that are breathable, mould- and dust mute- resistant and hypoallergenic, which perfectly suits Hong Kong’s humid weather and air quality problem.

Try: Okooko Heveya® Natural Organic Latex Mattress III
Price: From HK$20,500 (Single)
Where to go: europeanbedding.hk

Also Read: Philips’ Somneo Sleep and Wake-Up Light for a more soothing sleep

For a hybrid coil and foam option

gafencu-luxury-lifestyle-How-pick-perfect-mattress-better-sleep-glencraft — (Image courtesy of Glencraft)

Do you prefer something soft or firm? Or perhaps something in between? Hybrid mattresses are a combination of coils and foam; providing good support and comfort that delivers equally on conform-ability and alleviate pressure point pain in most people. Providing a plush but firm construction for sleepers who need a soft, breathable layer free of uneven dips and reinforced with good support for the back, neck and for back sleepers — allowing the shoulder and hips to sink in slightly, especially for those who have a broader structure.

UK-based Glencraft, suppliers to the royals, also features its own Heritage collection which, although demands a hefty price, will have you sleeping like a King (or Queen) — so they claim. Boasting 3,800 individual pocket springs that are layered, above and below, with silk, alpaca, horsetail, wool, horsehair and Egyptian cotton, this mattress provides sleepers with breathable quality materials to regulate temperature throughout the night, while enjoying the support of that is perfectly levelled to support the spine and neck. Its natural fibers also helps adjust to the contours of the body, providing extraordinary comfort and not the slightest disturbance as your partner tosses and turns next to you.

Try: Glencraft Heritage Collection
Price: From HK$142,380
Where to go: glencraft.luxury

For a sustainably-made option

gafencu-luxury-lifestyle-How-pick-perfect-mattress-better-sleep-savoir-beds — (Image courtesy of Savoir Beds)

Prized for the use of soft wool, on the other hand, is the Nº4 The New Standard by London based Savoir, supplier to the world’s most luxurious hotels. With the ambition to set a new standard in for luxury sleep, this hand-tufted and knotted mattress delivers on the utmost comfort for a rejuvenated body and well-rested mind.

Replete with superior quality wool, a hair pad and needled cotton, layered above and below tall nested pocket springs, this mattress provides great comfort and better circulation for the body. Paired with its mattress topper which is filled with soft loose cotton wrapped in soft, thick soft wool, it makes for a sumptuously soft and comfortable resting spot as the wool helps regulates the temperature throughout the night.

Try: Savoir Beds Nº4 The New Standard
Price: From HK$39,523
Where to go: Beyond Sleep

gafencu-luxury-lifestyle-How-pick-perfect-mattress-better-sleep-vispring — (Image courtesy of Vispring)

Similarly made up with sustainable materials as Savoir, Vispring’s Diamond Majesty is hand-filled with some of the world’s finest natural materials, such as British wool, hand-opened Austrian Moosburger® horsetail, Shetland organic cotton and wool blended with cashmere and silk, as well as bamboo and lavish Vicuña fleece wool. Hand-tufted and -stitched, it features a two layer hand-nested calico pocket spring construction with 2,832 springs within a solid beech frame. Its spring tension and firmness can be customised from soft and medium to extra firm.

Try: Vispring Diamond Majesty
Price: From HK$303,538
Where to go: Beyond Sleep

Also Read: Top 5 bad sleeping habits to avoid at all cost

Five things to do to recover after running a marathon

So you’ve just ran your 10km marathon and are on an adrenaline high about your triumph. After months of training crossing that finish line makes it all feel worth it, but it doesn’t end there…Running long distances can put any body under a lot of stress. It is crucial that runners be aware and mindful of their post-marathon recovery plan to avoid the risk of injury and reduce the symptoms of muscular, skeletal and cellular damage and post-marathon fatigue.

If you feel unwell or have abnormal coloured urine, it might be best to seek medical advise. However for general muscle recovery post-run, here are five things to do to recover from a marathon

1. Keep it moving
The moment you cross that finish line, your legs will go from running to barely able to move. But this isn’t the time to stop. Bringing your body to an abrupt halt after putting it through heavy exertion can cause severe cramps in the muscle. Instead, try brisk walking or walking at a casual pace — whatever your body can take — just keep it moving.

2. Grab a recovery snack / drink
Within 20 minutes of your hard run, hydrate your body with water, carbohydrates and protein. Protein shakes, electrolite tables in water, and protein bars help nourish the body with a quick and effective muscle restoration. As for your post-run recovery meal, put carbohydrates and starchy food ahead of anything else for a much needed refuel in energy, then protein for muscle repair. Don’t forget to stay hydrated with water throughout the day!

3. Go for a light massage
Your legs have just completed a 10km run and is in need of some tender love and care. At this point, going for a light massage just to encourage the blood circulation throughout the body, warm up the muscle fibers and remove any built up lactic acid in the body which can cause muscle tension. Above all, don’t forget to stretch!

4. Try cryo- , heat, or float therapy
Once you get home, you may be tempted to jump in the shower. However, between the debate between cold or heat therapy, you might be contemplating between an ice bath or hot shower to alleviate muscle soreness. While ice baths, otherwise known as cryotherapy, constrictsblood vessels and decreases metabolic activity helping bring down the swelling and the breakdown of muscle tissue, heat therapy, on the other hand, helps relax the muscle and allow fluids to flow more freely through your body.

Alternatively, float therapy also provides a great and tranquil session for the body to recover. The sensory deprivation chamber is filled with about 454kg of Epsom salt, making the water dense with magnesium sulfate, thus promoting the increase in magnesium in the body which is ideal for muscle recovery.

5. Take two-weeks off
Whether you are an amateur or professional marathon runner, after any long distance marathon, it is always important to give your body a rest and avoid cross training. It takes 10 to 12 days for muscle, cellular and skeletal damage from marathons, while the compromised immune system takes 3 days to recover, though professional runners can take up to a month of rest just to recover.

Not having a proper recovery plan can lead to injuries, an increase in total recovery time and decrease in over all performance in the long run. But for those who cannot go a week without activity, perhaps light activity such as swimming and yoga will satisfy your yearnings.

Also Read: Unusual alternative therapies to try in Hong Kong

Top 7 mental health and well-being podcasts of 2021

The past year and a half has been a trying year for Hongkongers. With unique challenges and a fear of unpredictable circumstances being thrown at us, Covid-19 was the largest contributor to employee mental health decline across the city. According to a survey conducted by the City Mental Health Alliance Hong Kong (CMHA HK), it was revealed that 27% of employees in the city have experienced mental health problems in the past 12 months. But it was also found that mental health has risen to become a priority in many Hongkongers lives.

“growing efforts by employers to improve workplace wellbeing are now being recognised by employees, with attitudes towards both mental health and mental ill health showing positive signs of change as awareness increases and more employees feel able to reach out for support,” said Dr. Zoë Fortune, CEO of CMHA HK.

To help navigate through tough times, we recommend seven mental health podcasts for sound advice and navigating through tough times.

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1. Talking Mental
Hosted by Hong Kong-based bilingual Aaron Stadlin-Robbie, Talking Mental is all about mental health. Each episode, a different guest is interviewed to discuss their expertise in the field and various light topics such as sleep, medication, and lifestyle. Recognising the stigma that surrounds mental health issues in the city, the podcast navigates through these topics in a non-judgmental, educational and informative way.

2. Ten Percent Happier
Hosted by the author of the New York Times best selling book of the same name, Dan Harris expands his Ten Percent Happier journey through meditation. Featuring meditation coaches, scientists as well as other experts across the field, listeners can dive into the conversation of mental well-being and discovering their own path to discovering a more fulfilled and happier life.

3. The Hilarious World of Depression
Using humour as a tool to lift and understand the dark veil that is depression, The Hilarious World of Depression, an award-winning hit podcast hosted by veteran humorist and public radio host John Moe, invites listeners in on the conversations he has with guests who have dealt with depression and managed to find a reason to laugh along the way. After all, laughter is the best medicine.

4. Unlocking Us with Berne Brown
“Let go of who you think you’re supposed to be; embrace who you are”, says American professor, researcher and number one best-selling author Berne Brown. In her latest body of work, Unlocking Us with Berne Browne is a podcast that explores the universal experiences of being human. From trauma, self-esteem, resilience and healing, she, along with her guests of field experts, unpack the bravest moments to the most brokenhearted experiences, while navigating through the deeply human parts of who we are so that we can live, love, parent, and lead with more courage and heart.

5. On Purpose
Following the viral spread of his wisdom-filled videos on his YouTube channel, former Hindu-monk, award-winning storyteller, podcaster and one of the most followed personalities on social media, Jay Shetty, serves up a podcast as your on-the-go well-being companion for a more purposeful, mindful and productive lifestyle. Offering deep, meaningful conversations with a diverse lineup of high-profile guests, from the late Kobe Bryant to musician and song writer Alicia Keys to intellectual and best-selling author Yuval Noah Harari.

6. Terrible, thanks for asking
Does anybody else feel that awkward pinch of discomfort whenever they are asked, “how are you?”. Don’t worry — you’re not alone. In Terrible, thanks for asking, podcast host and author Nora McInerny breaks through the superficial layers of “How are you” and “Fine, thanks” by offering her platform for her guests to share their real, complicated and honest feelings about how they really are. The episodes are sometimes sad, sometimes funny, often both but always relatable.

7. The Lavendaire Lifestyle
A podcast on personal growth, art and lifestyle for the youth that shares weekly inspirations, guided meditation and real-talk conversations with varied guests that will offer your teens a platform to find a connection and hopefully feel a little less. Hosted by Hong Kong entrepreneur Aileen Xu whose podcast is ranked among the top in iTunes’ Self Self and Mental Health categories.

Painting Pink: Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is the only month in the year when adults are swathed in pink – from pink ribbons, sweaters and candles to pink marathons and monuments to pink shopping sales and dining deals. In fact, pink ceases to be just a colour; it becomes a verb, a groundswell of hope.

‘Pinkifying’ our favourite things in life during Breast Cancer Awareness Month – which first began in the United States in October 1985 – not only puts the disease on the map, but also pledges a percentage of profits towards cancer research. Since more than two million women are diagnosed with breast cancer annually, the reality is hardly rosy, but early detection saves lives – survival rates over the last three decades have steadily improved.

No one wants to hear the words, ‘You have cancer’; yet out of eight women worldwide, one will receive the distressing diagnosis of breast cancer at some point in her life. According to the World Cancer Research Fund, it has become the most common cancer in women globally, and the second most prevalent overall, thus it’s important we act to reduce the risk.

The Real Picture
The big myth about breast cancer is that it only affects women. Men get it too, though the male count of breast cancer is only a fraction of the total number of cases diagnosed per year, “because their breast duct cells are less developed, and they have lower levels of female hormones that affect the growth of breast cells”, according to Dr Senthil Sundaram, Chief Clinical Officer of the leading genetics and diagnostic health testing company Prenetics.

In reality, anyone with the breast tissue can get cancer – female, male, transgender, cisgender. Dr Sundaram further adds, ” A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 833. There are several known factors for breast cancer but lack of sleep, especially shift work, night shift for 30 years or more is said to increase the risk.” Research is still ongoing to establish the overall link between the graveyard shift and breast cancer, but it could be down to the exposure to electric lights at night which messes up the body’s circadian rhythm.

Given the alarming rate of breast cancer in women, you might look around at a playground and mentally scan seven young girls, then feel sorry for the eighth… but hold that thought for a couple of decades. It would be very rare for that girl on the swings to be diagnosed with breast cancer in her teens or twenties. The disease is much more likely to strike her in middle age or by the time she’s a grandmother at 70.

Another dominant myth is that breast-cancer is mostly genetic. Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes do raise the odds of breast cancer – boosting the norm of a 13 percent chance of contracting the disease during your lifetime to highs of up to 72 percent and 69 percent respectively, according to the US National Cancer Institute. Yet, more than 75 percent of women who are diagnosed have no family history of the disease, and less than 10 percent have a known gene mutation that increases risk.
While genetic makeup is a known risk factor, poor lifestyle, obesity, smoking, alcohol use or abuse and environmental circumstances all contribute to the likelihood of the disease. Age is the biggest reason, however, which is why many countries offer regular screening to women from the age of 50.

“While genetic makeup is one of the considerations [in getting breast cancer] … age is the biggest risk factor”

Know Your Normal
All breasts are different. They are uneven, bumpy masses, but once you start examining them regularly at the same point in your menstrual cycle, you will become aware of what’s normal for you. Doctors suggest doing a self-exam in the shower, or while moisturising, to check for any noticeable changes.

The classic lump is not always a tell-tale sign; in fact, 80 percent of tumours are non-cancerous, so also look out for droopy boobs, changes in breast shape or size, nipple discharge, puckering of the skin, redness, inflammation in the lymph nodes, and dimpling around the areola. In a nutshell, anything unusual from the breast to armpit area should be reported to your doctor and medically examined.

Ethnic Divide
It does not strike everyone equally. African-American women are more likely to develop breast cancer at a younger age – and get a more aggressive type of breast cancer called triple negative – than their white counterparts in the US. They’re also often diagnosed at late stages where little or no treatment options are available.

Rates among women in Hong Kong are less alarming, though the disease is on a steady upswing. The Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation states that the lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer is one in 14 for local Chinese women (compared to one in eight in the US and the UK). In 2008, it was one in 21, and if you review the annual figures from 1993, there has been a worrying threefold upsurge in breast-cancer patients in the city.

“The classic lump is not always a tell-tale sign; in fact, 80 percent of tumours are non-cancerous”

Mass Screening Concern
Unlike the West, where regular mammograms are recommended for women in high-risk groups – designed to achieve early diagnosis and thus better prognosis – the Hong Kong government hasn’t yet implemented a mass breast screening programme. Perhaps worryingly, local medical experts charged with studying cancer prevention and screening made this conclusion in 2018: “There is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against population-based mammography screening for asymptomatic women at average risk in Hong Kong.”

In their view, the public health success of conducting widespread mammograms remains debatable. Citing evidence from some Western countries, they went so far as to write: “Disadvantages such as false-positive or false-negative results, over diagnosis, overtreatment and potential complications arising from subsequent invasive investigations or treatment may outweigh the benefits.”

This does not imply that you should shy away from regular screening, especially if you are a woman with a family history of the disease or a smoker. Having frequent mammograms should be considered, and regular self-checks are essential. Importantly, if you do detect a noticeable change in your breast health, don’t dither: bring it to your doctor’s attention immediately. It may turn out to be nothing serious, but better swift than sorry. And in this month of thinking pink, awareness trumps complacency.

(Written By: Nikita Mishra)

Do essential oils really work? Here’s what science says

What does a whiff of cinnamon do to you? Does it flood your mind with memories of Christmas at grandma’s? Does the smell of frying onions make you long for your mother’s comfort food? Or the sugary pungency of Victoria’s Secret body spray spark a flurry of teenage nostalgia? Aromas have a powerful way of uplifting the mood and taking us on an emotive journey.

The sense of smell is such a commanding memory trigger. I fondly remember the fresh woody aroma in Dad’s car when he drove me home for the holidays, the scent of the crisp, cotton shirts and pristine jackets he donned for work. The acetone-like smell of his final hours at the hospital when he hovered between life and death is an unsettling memory I’d like to wipe out, but it’s intertwined so deeply with emotions. The fact that you can smell your way back in time has made aromas big business.

Fragrance, of course, is a historic commercial success story, while the ancient treatment of aromatherapy has been catching up of late – it was a US$1.6 billion global industry last year, according to market research database Grand View Research. The soothing wellness movement can be applied to a wide array of ailments, from acne to asthma to anxiety, migraine to myopia, and the common cold to, supposedly, even cancer. Touted as a cure-all because of its spectacular growth, aromatherapy is simultaneously viewed amid a waft of hype, misinformation and controversy.

In the United States, aromatherapy has generally escaped Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations and has attracted obsessive multilevel marketing by often untrained housewives. Do its benefits really run deeper than the superficial? Are any of its many impressive claims actually legitimate?

Also Read: The wonderful healing benefits of essential oils

Exacting Extraction
Aromatherapy involves the extraction of oils from plants, flowers or herbs through a complex distillation process that encapsulates the ‘essence’ of their natural source, and the subsequent use of these essential oils for therapeutic purposes. Essential oils are derived primarily from leaves, roots, bark and flowers, and sometimes from dried seeds, fruit peel and resin, and they can be 50 to 100 times more potent than the oils occurring naturally in these plants. Diffuse the oils in air and they engage the respiratory system by inhalation to reach the brain; mixed with a carrier oil and dabbed onto the skin, they work by absorption through the dermis into the bloodstream.

Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, alleviating pain or just sensationally aromatic, essential oils have been key to a multitude of alternative treatments since the earliest times. Ancient Egyptians used them as part of the mummification process.

More recently, Coca-Cola and Pepsi became the biggest consumers of food-grade essential oils after discovering the secret scent it gave to their sodas. Disseminating into the public consciousness over the past four decades, they’ve taken the wellness industry by storm.

Also Read: Eye Yoga – The latest wellness craze but does it work?

Heart & Soul
Does aromatherapy work?

Depends on who you ask and your definition of ‘work’. Supermodel Miranda Kerr advocates consulting a scent specialist to address all your emotional needs. After all, a blend of four essential oils helped her deal with post-breakup depression and find love again by “activating the heart chakra”. Earth goddess Gwyneth Paltrow is obviously one of the biggest advocates of aromatherapy. Pop star Kesha is a doTerra fan and religiously uses its essential oils to invite positivity into her life. She tweeted: “They make me feel so peaceful.” Sceptics, on the other hand, view it as a vain wellness obsession of the wealthy and a potentially dangerous marketing gimmick.

More than 150 essential oils are used in aromatherapy, and each has a distinct character, chemistry and consequence.

Rosemary, for instance, is deemed to be purifying, tea tree oil is antibacterial, chamomile is invigorating, and lavender soothes the senses. Enter a luxurious spa and within moments you are enveloped by a sense of calm, a momentary balance; smell coffee and you’re instantly jolted into focus. Aromatherapy has proven benefits of awakening the mind, calming the nerves, de-stressing tired muscles and treating conditions like eczema, psoriasis and bruising.

Also Read: Aromatic wonders: Boutique perfume houses you probably haven’t heard of…

Absence of Science
Out of the 150 types of essential oils in the market, only ten have been have examined by researchers in long-term, peer-reviewed clinical trials, and the results are modest. Yes, a waft of peppermint oil eases headaches and sharpens concentration for many, but its effectiveness is not guaranteed; indeed it may provoke an adverse reaction in some. Scientific studies have found little or no concrete evidence that aromatherapy can treat severe ailments and conditions like depression, hypertension, ADHD, autism, dementia and cancer.

So how have companies like Young Living and doTerra been able to make lofty claims about the curative potential of their products and become multi-billion-dollar megabrands? The answer lies in the intelligent positioning of essential oils in the largely unregulated wellness industry. Oils can be used as drugs, cosmetics or household items, and by slotting them into the grey area between perfumes and medicines they don’t directly fall under the purview of the FDA. Hence, as long as companies avoid marketing their oils in the ‘drug’ category, they can get away with outlandish assertions using abstract words like ‘vitality’ and ‘balance’. The big brands will have panels of attorneys on hand to ensure that their labelling claims remain vague and within legal bounds.

The production of pure essential oils is a resource-intensive process. One million rose petals are required to make an ounce of rose oil, which treats skin conditions like eczema. Frankincense oil, billed to promote cellular health and immunity, costs hundreds of thousands of dollars per barrel. Yet in a packed field of independent distributors and money-making marketing pyramids, it is hard to be sure you are getting the genuine potent product. It may soothe your furrowed brow if you keep the following points in mind:

Cheap trick
Extracting essential oils is an exacting process. Quality, purity and authenticity do not come cheap, so if the price is too good to be true, it is probably a scam.

Label envy
The common and Latin name of the plant used to extract the essence should be stated on the label, along with other essentials like the carrier oil (used to dilute the essential oil so that it can be applied to the skin) and the date and place of production. It’s a definite red flag if one of these is missing.

Pure at heart
Avoid perfume or fragrance oils; these contain chemicals. For aromatherapy to be at all effective, you need a single, pure essential oil.
Bottle check
Pure essential oils generally come in sealed bottles of dark glass with a maximum volume of four ounces. Light and heat can hamper purity, so if you’re buying a transparent bottle, it’s probably a knock-off.

So, just to be 100 percent clear, essential oils do not cure cancer or any serious medical ailment, but if they bring you some relief and respite, peace of mind and a little TLC, that’s certainly something to sniff at.

(Text: Nikita Mishra)

Also Read: Bathing Graces: Bath oils to bless your body with

COVID-19 vaccine for 5 to 11 year old kids will be available soon!

Children have rarely suffered a serious blow from COVID-19 but a jab for school going children would be a huge step towards normalcy, cutting down on severe cases of illness and ensuring a regular academic year. And in a highly anticipated announcement, data from BioNTech clinical trials published on Monday shows that a lower dose of the COVID-19 vaccine – roughly one-third the amount given to adults and teens — is safe and effective in cutting down COVID-19 infection in children as young as five.

The positive news from Pfizer-BioNtech research coincides with clinical trials being simultaneously conducted by Sinopharm’s Beijing Institute of Biological Products which found that its two-dose shot, BBIBP-CorV, widely used in China’s immunization program, triggers a “robust immune response” in children as little as three to 17.

The news comes at a time when the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 has spread to three coastal cities in China – Putian, Xiamen, Quanzhou – putting nearly 50 school going children in isolation, a safe and effective vaccine for the younger age group was the need of the hour. Scroll below for all the details:

Clinical trials – BioNTech Vaccine

BioNtech conducted the research on 2,268 participants aged five to 11 and gave them two doses of the vaccine, three weeks apart. A 10-microgram dose was selected for children – that’s one-third of the 30-microgram dose given to teens and adults.

The 10 microgram dose was carefully selected as the preferred dose for safety, tolerability and immunogenicity in children 5 to 11 years of age – Pfixer-BioNTech in a press statement.

A high level of antibodies after the vaccination determines the efficacy of the jab. Blood work post the trial revealed a “strong immune response in this cohort of children one month after the second dose”, according to the pharma company spokesperson. Complete data of the clinical trial will need to be submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration for peer review and scrutinized by regulators for approvals, the process is expected to be completed by the end of September and if everything is on track, vaccines for this age group might be available for use by Halloween.

The vaccine will have to meet the highest standards of safety before it gets the final clearance from the US FDA and World Health Organisation. A Pfizer-BioNTech spokesperson said that there were no instances of myocarditis, a type of heart inflammation linked with mRNA vaccines, in the trial but clinically 1 in 5,000 teenage boys run the risk of critical side effects of heart muscle inflammation after the shot. The company will now start clinical trials on children as young as 6 months “as soon as the fourth quarter of this year.”

Also Read: Here’s where vaccinated Hong Kongers can travel!

Clinical trials – Sinopharm’s Vaccine

Sinopharm’s vaccine is the first China-made jab to get approval by the World Health Organisation in May 2021. Unlike the BioNTech vaccine which uses the mRNA technology, Sinopharm’s BBIBP-CorV uses inactivated viruses and carries a 79% efficacy rate in third phase clinical trials. According to the Ministry of Education in China, a billion doses of it have already been administered till date in the adult and teen population, including 91% of the 12 to 17 year olds who have already taken the jab without any known side-effects.

The Sinopharm trial enrolled 288 children in phase one and 720 children in phase two in the Henan province. Phase three research is ongoing in the United Arab Emirates, where children as young as three are enlisted in the study. Till date, critical reactions were not observed except for one in a child with known food allergies, other side-effects have been “mostly mild to moderate”. The vaccine has been approved on an emergency basis for use on children age three to 17 in China, though immunizations have been focused on 12 and above.

In an encouraging development, the Chilean government has independently approved the use of another China-made jab, the Sinovac vaccine, for use on children above the age of six. Previously, only the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine had obtained approval in Chile for use on 12 to 17 years old.

Data of Sinopharm’s clinical trials has been published in prestigious medical journal, The Lancet.

Also Read: Do’s and don’ts after COVID-19 vaccination

Flu Busters: Immunity boosting health drinks that actually work!

As the season changes and the flu season is upon us, it’s much easier to catch a cold than a break in this bustling city. An endless cycle of stress, processed diet and a lack of sleep can lower your immunity, making you a phlegmy, sneezing, coughing germ-oozing person! And no one likes the sound of that especially in the midst of a pandemic! Your immune system might not zoom up overnight with these health drinks, but these delicious cold cures are packed with vitamins, probiotics and gut-cleansing concoctions that build up health over time.

Here are five probiotic and immunity-boosting drinks you can make right in your own kitchen:

1. Wang Lao Ji (cooling tea)
Starting off the list off with something sweet, Wang Lao Ji is a type of Chinese herbal cooling tea. It has a little bit of everything to fight off the flu. Think root beer without the fizz, your mouth will definitely be less miserable after drinking this!

It may not have the same appeal as soft drinks, but according to Chinese medicine, the drink dries dampness in the body, especially on hot days, which are plentiful in Hong Kong. It is a mix of herbs which washes out the toxins from the liver and clears the stomach and lungs.

Ingredients: Water, mesonas chinesis, plumera rubra, microcos paniculate, chrysanthemum, loncera japnica, prunella vulgris and licorice

How to make it:
1. Wash the dried herbs
2. Place the herbs in a tea bag and boil in water
3. Leave the tea to simmer for an hour

2. Barley Water
A simpler but very popular alternative is barley water. It is as easy to make as it is to buy in stores, and even easier to drink to stay healthy.

Barley is a great source for dietary fiber which keeps the digestive system healthy. It encourages bowel movements and balances the growth of bacteria in the gut – supporting weight loss and a healthy diet, which ultimately makes it difficult for illness and pathogens to spread in the body. After all, a healthy gut is a healthy body. It also helps that it has almost no taste (aside from a mild nutty flavour).

Ingredients: Water and barley

How to make it:
1. Rinse the barley under cold water until water runs clear
2. Pour in barley in a pot of water and bring to a boil
3. Turn down the heat to simmer for 15 to 30 minutes
4. Add honey for taste

Also Read: Seven Chinese herbal teas to soothe the body

3. Kombucha
If you’re feeling under the weather or just need a boost to wake you in the morning, you swap your morning coffee for the fermented concoction, kombucha. This superfood drink is basically fermented sweet tea mixed with specific strains of bacteria (acetic acid) and yeast (osmophilic) that comes together to make a very distinctly acquired taste — think fruity-apple cider.

Often consumed for better digestion and gut health, it also serves other health perks that improves the body’s defense against viruses, washes out toxins from the body and breaks down nutrients. It also builds the body’s defenses against viruses, thanks to the antioxidants in the tea as well as the good microbiome (bacteria) in the yeast.

Ingredients: Pu’erh, black or green tea, sugar, SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast) or store-bought kombucha.

How to make it:
1. Boil the tea
2. Add sugar
3. Cool down the sweetened tea then pour into a glass jar
4. Add SCOBY
5. Cover and leave to ferment in room temperature for 8 to 12 days
6. Add your preference of fruits, honey or syrup to taste

4. Water Kefir
A refreshingly fizzy alternative on a hot day for an immunity boosting drink. Unlike regular kefir made from milk, a dairy-free, low-calorie, plant-based kefir beverage, made with kefir grains extracted from pear cacti. It has a mild, diluted, fruity water like taste and takes less time to ferment than kombucha.

These soft, jelly-textured “grains”, when fermented in water, are said to help lower the risks of diabetes and cancer by reducing inflammation and controlling the levels of immune cells in the body. It also contains a more diverse range of bacteria and yeast of up to 56 different strains – more than its milk-based counterpart, which supports the health of the gut, organs and overall wellbeing of the body.

Ingredients: Water, sugar, carbonated beverage, water kefir grains

How to make it:
1. Dissolve sugar in hot water
2. Mix and add cool water
3. Add water kefir grains
4. Leave to ferment in room temperature for 24 to 48 hours.

Also Read: Six natural sweeteners that are healthier than sugar

5. Kanji drink
Another probiotic drink is a traditional north Indian spiced beverage that is jam-packed with health benefits, especially to keep the body warm during colder months. It has a pungent, sour-sweet and slightly hot taste. Although not as appealing as it sounds, its perks are the highlight.

Being a fermented beverage, it helps keep the gut stay healthy, while also offering a slew of Calcium, Vitamins (K, A and B9) and anti-bacterial properties that help lower blood pressure and promote cell growth in the body – ultimately boosting the immune system.

Ingredients: Cold water, carrots (traditionally black carrots), beetroot, ground mustard seeds and heeng (asafetida), red chili powder, salt

How to make it:
1. Place the beetroot and carrot in a glass or ceramic jar
2. Fill to the top with cold water
3. Season with ground mustard seed, heeng, chili powder and salt
4. Leave to ferment for 4 to 5 days in the sun.

Also Read: 10 spices with amazing health benefits

Jade Rollers – Cosmetic con or skincare secret?

Jade rollers are having a huge moment right now. They’re popping up in conversation, on social feeds, at department stores, beauty shops – almost every celebrity and influencer is using them because who isn’t obsessed with anything that naturally makes the skin taut?

The tiny beauty tools have skyrocketed in popularity, the million dollar question though – does rubbing them on your face in the name of beauty really work and is it backed by science?

Keep scrolling, we got all the answers:

What’s the fuss all about and how best to use them?

Face rollers can come in a variety of crystals – jade, rose quartz, tourmaline and amethyst are the most commonly available ones.

Crystals have a natural coolness – no wonder, they find prominence in several aspects of wellness – from cleansing our water to meditation, purifying the vibes or (like Miranda Kerr) putting them in your bra! When it comes to skincare, they might be rage right now but their use is deeply rooted in history. They’ve been used for centuries in the Chinese medicine where the belief was to draw out the negative energy or ‘chi’ and have references in ancient Indian scriptures as well.

If you haven’t really tried it, then get hold of a crystal roller, freeze it for soothing effect, apply your favourite serum or oil on the face and roll the tool in upward strokes for micro-circulation. The idea is to aid the lymphatic drainage system and help the skin and facial muscles drain toxic fluid buildup, increase the flow of oxygen which reduces puffiness and minimises fine lines. The cooling nature of crystals even after coming in contact with the skin helps to brighten complexion and penetrate the product deeper in your skin.

The design of the face roller with a larger oval stone and a smaller circular stone helps in getting complete rolling coverage on the face. Below we tell you how to use both the sides for the most effective results.

Also Read: Eye Yoga – Latest wellness trend. We examine if it’s gimmick or godsend

DIY beauty tool – Here’s what to remember

Besides that zen-like feeling, regular and correct usage of face rollers has legitimate skin benefits – dermatologists say it makes your features pop, skin looks more awake and taut, improves elasticity, tightens pores, helps eliminate toxins and naturally boosts collagen. There’s a host of benefits but if not used correctly, it can do more harm than good. Keep these tips in mind:

1. Begin with a cleansed face and a cleansed, refrigerated roller. Apply your favourite serum/cream of choice but remember to use a ‘slippery’ product. Some people apply face mask sheets and roll over it for maximum benefits.

2. Use medium pressure and at least twice a day for visible benefits.

3. Like with any beauty routine, a face roller is not for all skin types. Some people break out or develop rashes – immediately discontinue its use if it’s not suiting your skin.

Neck: The oval side of the jade roller is perfect for the long neck – roll it up and down the neck in vertical lines and with uniform pressure.

Jawline: We love them taut and defined, don’t we? Stay with the oval side of the roller and begin massaging from the centre of your chin towards the earlobe. Repeat for 6 to 7 times on each side and begin to work up the rest of the face.

Eyes: The smaller stone works well for the eye. Remember to be extra gentle on the eye, roll from the inner point of the eye to the outer area, cover the under eye which sees maximum puffiness and the crow’s feet as well. Roll back and forth for about 8 to 10 times twice a day.

Also Read: Not just skin deep, five wellness benefits of gua sha beyond skincare