In South Africa, chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure are now responsible for more deaths than HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis combined. Approximately 225 South Africans die from heart disease every day, while around 10 people suffer a stroke every hour!
In 2020, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) received well over three hundred thousand calls asking for help and support – that’s more than three times the capacity of the FNB stadium.
Slow down for a few seconds, tune into your inner experience, and ask yourself: “How am I feeling right now? Sad, angry, happy, hopeful, excited, anxious…?” On an average day, we are often so busy focusing on tasks that we don’t pay attention to our emotions. And yet really, our emotions can actually affect our health.
Besides the obvious differences in ‘lumps’ and ‘bumps’, with men apparently coming from Mars and women from Venus, there are unique differences between the genders.
When was the last time you saw an advert selling a pro-ageing face-cream? Even though ageing is the most natural part of life, we live in a world that is aggressively anti-ageing. In fact, “anti-ageing” has become an entire industry dedicated to promote, sell and obsess over how young you look.
Traditional gender norms suggest that men are naturally strong and assertive, while women are the nurturers and care givers. Despite significant progress in the field of gender equality, traditional gender roles in the workplace, and elsewhere in life, can be difficult to shake.
Women are often told to “man-up” to become more successful. While it’s true that anyone who wants to be successful must be robust, tenacious and tough, women don’t need to buy into the idea that they need to mimic men to achieve their own success.
It’s time to shake up traditional stereotypes of how men, should or shouldn’t, express their emotions. Expressing vulnerability is what drives social connection and intimacy, regardless of your gender.
At his peak, Lance Armstrong was considered one of the greatest athletes of his time. He was fit, healthy, ate well, slept well, didn’t smoke, didn’t drink, and obviously spent a lot of time in nature. Yet in 1996 he was diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer. Armstrong may have fallen from grace following his doping confession,
If you’ve ever ‘…gone with your gut’ to make a decision, or felt ‘butterflies in your stomach’ when nervous, you’re likely getting signals from an unexpected source: your second brain. Hidden in the walls of the digestive system, this ‘brain in your gut’ is revolutionizing our understanding of the links between digestion, mood, health, and even the way you think.
Ever wondered what the most burdensome disease is in the world today? According to the World Health Organization, the disease that robs the most adults of the most years of productive life is not AIDS, not heart disease, not cancer. It is depression. As with many conditions, mental health is widely misunderstood.
When was the last time you said these three words? All of us need some support during our lives here. Help is sometimes practical – like moving furniture or carrying grocery-bags. At other times, all you want is a hug, or some emotional support. Although it’s normal to need and ask for support, many of us can find it hard to do so: especially when it comes to our mental health.
