IN THE KNOW

4 WELLNESS FOR ALL

Take

of your health

Here’s an app to bring some cheer to glaucoma patients: MyEyeDrops. The app which can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play, allows users to select their medication — with accompanying photographs — from a list. They can then set alerts to remind themselves to apply the correct number of

PH

OT

OS

: Getty Im

ages, Istockph

oto

chargeidea because you are not seeing what is going on underneath the nail polish,” said Dr Chris Adigun, an assistant professor of dermatology at the New York University School of Medicine in New York City.

That means problems occurring under the nail, such as an infection, could be left undetected and lead to a delay in diagnosis and treatment.

Dr Adigun suggested that women with recurring nail problems should use traditional nail polish instead of the gel type. They should also rehydrate their nails with a moisturising product such as petroleum jelly.

Get up-to-date with these

latest research findings.

drops to the correct eye.Many glaucoma patients are on lifelong

medication, but many often forget to apply their eye drops, according to a 2011 survey by the Singapore National Eye Centre, which developed the app.

The app’s other features include showing users the correct way of putting eye drops by way of a video; allowing them to listen to instructions through an audio function; and allowing multiple users and caregivers to be alerted.

of your healthidea because you are not seeing what is

use traditional nail polish instead of the

their nails with a moisturising product

Eyeball this

THIS WON’T GEL They are durable and long-lasting — no wonder women love gel manicures.But a note of caution: Frequent manicures of this nature can cause nail thinning, brittleness, peeling and cracking.

The UV light used to ‘cure’ the gel is a risk factor for skin cancer, while photo damage from the UV light can cause cosmetic changes in the skin surrounding the nails.

“Any manicure left in place for an extended period of time is not a good

Even Carrie Bradshaw could not escape the perils of wearing high heels. Actress Sarah Jessica Parker, who played the iconic character in Sex and the City, has been reported as having said that her feet have been mangled, no thanks to the years of wearing high heels on the set of the TV series. Her revelation serves as a sobering reminder of the (fashionable) health hazards. Here are four top dangers:

HIGH HEELS Teetering about on 15-cm stilettos for a prolonged period of time can cause more than just discomfort. It can also lead to posture problems, increase the risk of strain injuries, muscle fatigue and foot deformity.

FLIP-FLOPS These beach sandals, which offers no arch support or heel cushioning, force you to ‘adapt’ the way you walk. Thus, you may end up having joint pain, shin splints and orthopaedic problems.

TIGHT JEANS They may be a fashionista’s favourite but skin-tight denim and other close-fi tting trousers can cause nerve compression, resulting in tingling or numb thighs. For men, such tight trousers can cause overheating of the testes, and lead to a lowered sperm count and fertility problems.

BRA Wearing the wrong bra size can lead to health problems such as back, neck and breast pain, breathing diffi culties, poor posture, skin irritation, circulation problems and even irritable bowel syndrome.

Fashionable perils

high heels

tight jeans

fl ip-fl ops

skin-tight denim and other close-fi tting trousers can cause nerve

Wearing the wrong bra size can lead to health problems

If you have problems getting a good night’s

sleep, here’s a pill-free solution: Just move it,

move it! People who exercise, whether light or

vigorous, early in the day or right before bed,

sleep better than people who don’t exercise at

all, according to a poll by the US National Sleep

Foundation (NSF).More than three quarters of exercisers said

their sleep quality was very good or fairly good,

compared with just over half of non-exercisers.

The online poll finds that for problem

sleepers, regular exercise, meditation, yoga and

deep-breathing exercises helped a lot. Other

simple lifestyle changes, like waking up at the

same time every day, taking time to unwind

before bedtime, and using a white-noise

machine helped too.“People who sleep better report exercising

more, and people who exercise tend to sleep

better,” said Mr Matthew Buman, assistant

professor of exercise and wellness at Arizona

State University and NSF poll task force

member. “We know that life is very busy for

many people. They’re not getting enough sleep

and they’re also not getting enough exercise.”

LET’S MOVE IT, MOVE IT

Bra

ISSUE 4 5

IN THE KNOW

6 WELLNESS FOR ALL

xxis xxis Affairs of the heartIf you don’t want a broken heart, try not to get all

stressed up. Prolonged stress and disasters can raise

“fi ght or fl ight” hormones that affect blood pressure,

blood sugar and other things in ways that make heart

trouble more likely, doctors say. They also provoke

anger and helplessness and spur heart-harming

behaviors like eating or drinking too much, reported

the Associated Press.

“We’re starting to connect emotions with

cardiovascular risk markers,” said Dr Nieca

Goldberg, a cardiologist at NYU Langone

Medical Center.She was referring to studies which have found

higher rates of cardiac problems among American

war veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder

(PTSD), hurricane victims in New Orleans, US

and Greeks grappling with their country’s

fi nancial turmoil.“Twenty years ago PTSD was a term reserved for

combat veterans. We have come to realise now that

PTSD is actually a much more common disorder,”

said Dr Ramin Ebrahimi, a cardiologist at the Greater

Los Angeles VA Medical Center.

It can happen to those who suffer trauma such

as being raped, robbed at gunpoint or in a serious

accident, he added.

stressprovokes anger and helplessness and spur

heart-harming behaviors

No stress for a healthy heart

Meat lovers, bewareWant to live longer? Then you might want to eat less of sausages, ham and bacon. The salt and chemicals used to preserve such processed meats may damage your health. A study of half a million people across Europe concluded that diets high in processed meats were linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer and early deaths, reported the BBC. Despite the sobering findings, there is still hope yet for meat lovers. Ms Tracy Parker, a heart health dietitian with the British Heart Foundation, said red meat can still be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet. Her advice: “Opting for leaner cuts and using healthier cooking methods such as grilling will help to keep your heart healthy. If you eat lots of processed meat, try to vary your diet with other protein choices such as chicken, fish or lentils.”

ISSUE 4 7

Here’s a healthy way to mark your birthday, graduation, wedding anniversary or even divorce: Throw a yoga or pole-dancing party. Gyms in the United States are offering such fi tness parties — where guests and host work up a sweat — reported Reuters.

At Crunch, a national fi tness chain in New York, pole-dancing parties are among the most-requested fi tness parties — mostly attended by young women in their 20s and 30s.

Crunch fi tness instructor Courtney Alexander said her private pole dancing parties are much like her group fi tness pole dancing classes, except with more giggling.

And heading for a fi tness class instead of after-work drinks is a growing trend for women in work-related situations, said fi tness and yoga instructor Magen Banwart.

At business conferences, historically driven by parties, dinners and cocktail hours, more time and money is being spent on healthy events.

Party with a diff erence

The blind can now see again — at least partially — thanks to the “bionic eye”. The Argus II system is designed to help patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) — a rare genetic disorder that damages and kills light-processing cells in the retina.

The “bionic eye” includes a small video camera and a transmitter mounted on a pair of glasses. It also has a video processing unit and an implanted retinal prosthesis that replaces the function of degenerated cells in the retina.

While Argus II does not restore vision to patients, it may allow them to detect light and dark in the environment, helping them in identifying the location or movement of objects or people.

Argus II, which is already available in several European countries for €73,000 (about S$117,920), was given the FDA’s stamp of approval in earlier this year.

The bionic eye is here, FOR REAL