Love your hands
With 15 percent of sporting injuries
occurring to hands and wrists, there are big reasons to look after these
important body parts. Start by getting to know them with these facts! The human
hand has 27 bones - eight in the wrist, five in the palm and 14 in the fingers
and thumb.
Love
your hands
Nails grow 3mm a month and if you lose a
fingernail expect it to take three to six months to regrow completely. As for
the myth about fingernails continuing to grow after you die, there's no truth
to it. They just look like they do as your skin dehydrates and tightens, making
it look that way.
Eat pears
This fruit is perfect as a snack, in salads
and as the hero in a dessert. Try this recipe for poached pears and top with
low-fat yoghurt for a healthy treat. Pour four cups red wine in a pot; add 12
cup sugar, one cinnamon stick, six cloves, and zest from an orange; simmer.
Eat
pears
Add four peeled pears; poach until tender.
Remove pears and reduce the liquid to a glaze, Strain and serve over pears with
low-fat yoghurt.
Try decaf
The thought of switching to decaf has been
known to strike fear into the hearts of high-octane coffee lovers. But
sometimes you don't have a choice, especially if it's late in the afternoon and
you know another dose of caffeine will disrupt your sleep.
Try
decaf
Luckily, new research from the University
of East London has found that you can get a buzz even if you're not drinking
the real deal. Study participants sipped caffeine-free coffee, but half were
told it was fully loaded; then everyone was assigned cognitive tasks to
complete. Those who thought they had downed a genuine cup scored better in both
speed and accuracy than those who knew they had quaffed decaf. With new
varieties of decaf tasting stronger than ever, it may be the perfect time to
make the switch - just enjoy the taste. Don't overthink it.
Do a bra check
At last there's proof about lingerie that
needs action – without delay. New research from Melbourne lingerie company
Brava found that, in an in-store survey of 50 women, 98 percent were wearing
the wrong size bra. Brava also checked the accuracy of on-line bra calculators.
Do
a bra check
One staffer who wears a 10F tested 10
websites and not one came up with her actual bra size. Instead she was told she
should order anything from 10J to 16B. Brava owner Lin Windram blames the old
fashioned tape measure, saying this method of bra fitting is out-of-date.
"An experienced bra fitter will know the size of a woman's back just by
looking at her. A tape measure isn't necessary for this," Windram says.
Compete City2surf
We all love Sydney for its harbour, bridge
and opera house. But how about the worldwide recognition for hosting the
world's largest run ? More than 85,000 people are expected to turn out for this
year's Sun-Herald City2Surf on Sunday, August 12.
Compete
City2surf
Among them will be Michelle Bridges, who
will race in her second City2Surf and raise money for the Black Dog Institute
and pro boxer Lauryn Eagle who will run for Camp Quality. All up runners will
raise more than $5 million for a variety of charities. Want to be part of it?
Visit city2surf.com.au to register. And remember to contact us at editor@
shapremagazine.com.au if you want to join us for a massage in the SHAPE/Men's
Fitness tent at the finish of the race at Bondi Beach.
Work your butt
It's jeans season so the perfect time to
create a better behind. It is possible, says SHAPE physiotherapist Anna- Louise
Bouvier.
Try these four tips: always stand with your
weight evenly on both legs; don't lean as the more you support yourself against
gravity, the more your muscles will switch on; whenever you walk, lead with
your heels which activates the gluteus maximus muscle; and, work your butt by
pushing through your toes when climbing stairs.
