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By Dax MoyWhile it's very common for people to pay attention to their diet or exercise, it's rare to find people who give any serious thought to their recovery and regeneration (or R and R as I like to call it). We're used to thinking that it's exercise and diet that determines our health and appearance. You may be surprised to learn that what you eat and how you train are only a tiny part... ]]>
By Dax MoyYou were meant to move. Absolutely everything, every system in your body is created with movement in mind. It's what your body is for! Yet, if you're like most people, movement is something you do only occasionally. Sure, you may get up, go to work or even go to a gym but nonetheless, movement probably features not as high as it should on your 'to do' list. Let's look at the... ]]>
By Dax MoyPicture the perfect you. You are full of energy and feeling vibrant and healthy. Your weight is comfortable, your muscles are firm and toned and you can choose any glamorous outfit for your Christmas party that you would wish for. Whenever you're out on the razzle dazzle this season, people compliment you on your appearance and tell you that you look fantastic. More importantly,... ]]>
By Dax MoyWe've reached the third week in our plan to help you look amazing in your Little Black Dress and we're doing great! One of the most important factors in maintaining overall health and wellbeing whatever your particular weight loss goals, is water consumption. Next to air, water is the most vital of all human needs. It is involved in every single process in our lives from ingestion... ]]>
By Dax Moy I've been assessing, writing and teaching about postural correction for such a long time that I often take it for granted that those I work with will immediately grasp the importance of posture in maintaining optimal health and well-being. Yet time and time again I am introduced to people with chronic pain, illness and disease who have absolutely no idea about the links between... ]]>
By Dax MoyI can hear people across the country groaning as they read the title above. "Get straight to the exercise and diet bit, that's what we want!" I hear them cry. Well, this is far too important to your success to skip it! Instead we're going to look at the one area that is absolutely guaranteed to see your efforts shot down in flames if you don't pay it the proper respect... ]]>
By Dax MoyWith the Christmas party season fast approaching, the editors at handbag.com have asked me to create a Little Black Dress diet plan that will get readers into shape so that they can look and feel great and make the most of their time off. I'm not big on short-term, quick-fix programmes, and like to focus more on the long-term lifestyle aspects of health. Over the last seven... ]]>
Scientists and psychologists are perennially engaged in the nature versus nurture debate, questioning how much of our personality and behaviour is down to our genes and how much a result of the way we're raised. In healthcare it seems simple - advances in medical science have proved how strong the genetic influence can be, but what about the influence of nurture upon our approach to... ]]>
In these cash-poor times a gym membership is a luxury most people can't afford, but just because your bank account might be suffering doesn't mean your body has to as well. From wobbly thighs to flabby waistlines, personal trainer Kathryn Freeland of Absolute Fitness has devised 10 workouts that you can do at home to tone up and blitz body trouble spots in no time. 1. Press-ups This... ]]>
By Amanda Bown  Modern life is hectic, but the trend this year is all about making time for yourself, regardless of your timescale. It's a competitive world in spa-land with many places offering an A to Z of treatments, but spas don't have to be complicated or time-consuming. Along with some good old fashioned pampering, we've found the best spas which help keep the body and mind balanced,... ]]>
Research shows that dieters have a far greater chance of losing weight when they follow an eating plan than those who go it alone and what better way to kick-start your new way of flexible eating than with a seven-day diet plan? Simply follow the breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack options below and watch the pounds slip away... Day one Breakfast: Fig and flax oatmeal ½ cup skimmed or... ]]>
The flexitarian diet emerged after an increasing number of health-conscious people started swapping their usual meat fix for a healthier and lower fat vegetarian option. These individuals still ate meat occasionally but they wanted to reap all of the rewards a vegetarian diet offered without giving up their beloved meat entirely and so, the term flexitarian was born. The... ]]>
Women spend years and hundreds of pounds trying to remedy or disguise a vast range of what's seen as 'embarrassing problems'. But behind the awkward veil that surrounds these issues, solutions are easy to find. Smells like methane spirit There are many things that nice girls aren't supposed to do and breaking wind in public is one. But whether she likes to admit to it or not, the average woman... ]]>
With more than 100 species native to UK waters, seafood is the perfect family meal and there are plenty of delicious ways make sure you and your family get ‘2 a week’.The Food Standards Agency recommends eating two portions of fish a week, one of which should be oil-rich, to keep you in tip top shape. Seafood is the best natural source of complex Omega-3 oils which are good for the... ]]>
High-protein diets were popular in the 1970s, made a comeback in the '90s thanks to Atkins diet and now are doing the rounds on the diet circuit yet again. They are based on eating lots of protein, (meat, eggs, etc) but no carbohydrates. Initial weight loss is good – up to 6kg (1 stone) in the first week but, unfortunately, this is made up of water loss, not fat. When the body... ]]>
How does it work? The Pill, also called the Combined Pill, combines two female-type hormones, oestrogen and progestogen. These hormones stop you from ovulating (or producing an egg) each month. You can't get pregnant if you don't ovulate. These hormones also make it harder for sperm to reach the egg by thickening the secretions around your cervix, and make your womb less receptive to an egg... ]]>
Emile was breastfeeding her seven-month-old daughter, Lotte, when she noticed a lump in her breast. "I kept prodding it," Emilie says, "checking it was still there and that I wasn't imagining it. I called the GP surgery, because that's what you do when you've got a breast lump, but it sounded so busy in the background that I told the receptionist not to bother, it was probably... ]]>
Breast cancer affects both men and women and is now the most common cancer in the UK. In the past 25 years breast cancer incidence rates have increased by over 50 per cent, so the chances are that you or somebody you might know may have to deal with breast cancer at some point in your lives. The good news is though that more women than ever before are surviving breast cancer thanks to the... ]]>
Every woman should be breast aware throughout her adult life and it's an important part of caring for your body. Being breast aware means knowing how your breasts look and feel normally so you notice any unusual changes. Detecting a change early means that if cancer is diagnosed any treatment may well have a better outcome. Most breast changes will prove to be benign (non-cancerous) but you... ]]>
Once upon a time, going on a diet meant simply exercising more and eating a little less but in today's image and celebrity-obsessed world the food we consume can be as much of a status symbol as the clothes we wear. Ask any woman which diet Madonna is on or what brand of health supplements Jessica Alba took post-birth to help her get back in shape and you can bet that the majority will know... ]]>
By Amanda Bown   At over 100 years old, Reid's Palace in Funchal, Madeira, has enough old world charm to appeal to the traditional guest, while still appealing to a younger crowd. The amenities are modern, and the entire staff are as attentive as you'd wish. You can't fail to be impressed by the Palace's stunning coastal and cliff-edged location; the sound of the waves is audible... ]]>
The summer sun may be fading but the heat is on for the owners of Hollywood's hottest celebrity bodies. It's no good getting a sexy look for summer if you let it all slip between the last day at the beach and post-Christmas fitness regimes. With this in mind, as the days shorten the most image-conscious celebrities in Tinsel town will be moving indoors to make sure they don't lose their... ]]>
From the moment Michelle Obama first stepped into the spotlight wearing a sleeveless dress her toned, sculpted arms began making waves among both young and middle-aged women around the world. Countless arm-baring shift dresses, ball gowns and tops later and the First Lady's arms are officially her trademark making as many headlines as the president's policies.  It's not just the sight of... ]]>
The new book 'The Low-Carb Gourmet' focuses on a healthy eating plan using easy to prepare recipes, which will help control your appetite, enable you to burn fat and preserve lean muscle. Here are a few ideas...    Almond Puff Pancakes Makes 8 pancakes These are really good and have passed in my cooking classes with flying colours! I like them with melted butter, sweetener... ]]>
It's 11 months and two weeks since I got married and our first anniversary is looming. Though I've been in denial for several months, the horrible truth is that if we tried to re-enact the Big Day I'd have to have a big dress to go with it. Married life does not involve scratching around in the fridge for semi-edible items at midnight when you've finally crawled home from the pub, but... ]]>
Sometimes you've got to feel sorry for men. They're always being chided for their inability to get to terms with the female anatomy (just how hard can it be to find a clitoris, after all?), on the assumption that for them sexual satisfaction is always guaranteed. But for some, the problem lies in the orgasm itself. Broadly speaking, premature ejaculation (PE) affects any man who climaxes too... ]]>
So, summer is drawing to a close and it's time to get back to normality minus the sugar-laden cocktails, barbequed burgers and hot dogs but there's a problem, your jeans have either shrunk in the wash or the flab monster has paid you a visit. Thighs that once fit snugly into your pair of skinnies now bulge at the seams and you have a new and improved pair of love handles perched cosily on... ]]>
Take a look around your office at lunchtime and it's a safe bet that at least one person will be munching on a bowl of Special K for their lunch while another eats a carefully prepared carb-free, low-GI salad. With most women on a diet at some point, if not most of their lives it's no wonder that the diet food industry is a big business but with some weight-loss plans causing severe... ]]>
Going on a diet can be a tricky business what with calorie-counting, hidden fats and seemingly innocent-looking low-fat snacks turning out to have more sugar packed into them than their full fat relatives. To help clear up a few diet myths and put real food back onto your menu we've hunted down ten foods that contain 100 calories or less so you can indulge without the guilt. ]]>
Have you set yourself the goal slimming down but don't know where to start? These two workshops are designed to give you all the information and inspiration you need for weight loss success. Where: London's Good Housekeeping Institute in partnership with GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare When: 9 September 2009 About the workshops Workshops... ]]>