https://www.scmp.com/rss/501967/feed The latest physical health news, with a millennial focus, including fitness, exercise, weight, diet, gyms, outdoor activities and sports. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3171849/male-contraception-comfort-women-and-ketanji-brown-jackson?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3171849/male-contraception-comfort-women-and-ketanji-brown-jackson?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Mar 2022 08:02:19 +0000 If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that it is a privilege to age – to live, to grow old and to create more memories. The effects of time showing on your face, however, might be less desirable. Although it’s impossible to stop the signs of ageing completely – even celebrities with access to the best aestheticians, dermatologists, make-up artists and skincare in the world can’t do this – we can still delay them as much as possible, all while striving to age gracefully, with plenty of... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3117564/6-anti-ageing-skincare-tips-why-you-should-add-retinol?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3117564/6-anti-ageing-skincare-tips-why-you-should-add-retinol?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Jan 2021 08:28:31 +0000 Advanced liver cancer patient Yao Ce, who made headlines last year when he discovered he had been switched at birth 28 years ago following his non-biological mother’s attempt to donate part of her liver to save his life, is in a dangerously critical condition undergoing emergency treatment in hospital. Yao, from eastern China’s Jiangxi province, was admitted to the Beihai People’s Hospital in Guangxi, an autonomous region in southern China, on Sunday when he began vomiting a large quantity of... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3117409/liver-cancer-patient-switched-birth-critical?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3117409/liver-cancer-patient-switched-birth-critical?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Jan 2021 12:15:11 +0000 As a teenager, I remember looking forward to a Sunday ritual my grandmother indulged me in – a potli (poultice bag) massage. After six days of school, homework and exhausting extracurricular activities, Granny’s rejuvenating rubdown with warm oils and a velvety potli was a welcome treat. The potli or kizhi massage, an ancient type of rub involving poultice bags and used in traditional Indian medicine, or Ayurveda, has been popular in India for centuries for relaxation and rejuvenation. Ayurvedic... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3117339/return-old-indian-massage-used-ayurveda-how-have-diy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3117339/return-old-indian-massage-used-ayurveda-how-have-diy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Jan 2021 09:15:08 +0000 Hong Kong patients suffering from spinal cord injuries could soon be able to avoid invasive operations with a novel, non-surgically implanted neurostimulator developed by a local university and expected to come on the market in a few years’ time, according to researchers. While using electrical stimulation to help patients with spinal cord injuries was not a new idea, Zheng Yong-ping, the chair professor of biomedical engineering at Polytechnic University, said the novel device was powered by... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3117248/novel-device-developed-hong-kong-researchers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3117248/novel-device-developed-hong-kong-researchers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Jan 2021 23:00:23 +0000 Most patients who received hospital treatment for Covid-19 developed long-term health problems, according to a large-scale study from China. Researchers found that 76 per cent of those discharged from one hospital in Wuhan, the city at the centre of the outbreak, still showed at least one symptom associated with the disease six months later. Fatigue and sleep difficulties, which occurred in 63 per cent and 26 per cent of the patients respectively, were the most common problems. To the surprise... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3117141/coronavirus-chinese-study-finds-most-patients-still-show-signs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3117141/coronavirus-chinese-study-finds-most-patients-still-show-signs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Jan 2021 14:12:31 +0000 You must have felt them? Those strange involuntary spasms over which you apparently have no control: a leg that kicks out as you drop off to sleep and startles you so that you are briefly wide-awake again? A shiver that runs down your spine and makes you tremble despite being safe and in the sunshine, or a lump that hardens in your throat as you struggle to swallow and hold back tears? What causes these peculiar, and strangely common, bodily reflexes? That shiver-down-the-spine sensation may... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3116790/human-body-101-why-do-we-spasm-shiver-or-feel-lump-our?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3116790/human-body-101-why-do-we-spasm-shiver-or-feel-lump-our?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Jan 2021 12:15:17 +0000 As an entrepreneur running her own marketing and public relations consultancy, 31-year-old Emma Williamson is facing a lot of unknowns about her work. With most of the world preparing for an economic recession this year, Williamson admits that she has concerns about the future. “Reports say that this is going to be one of the worst recessions we’ve ever seen,” says Williamson, who was born in Hong Kong but now lives in the UK. Last year was difficult, and despite recently launched Covid-19... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3116881/stay-happy-amid-uncertainty-live-moment-plan-ahead-reduce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3116881/stay-happy-amid-uncertainty-live-moment-plan-ahead-reduce?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Jan 2021 09:15:17 +0000 Hong Kong will launch its mass vaccination programme around Lunar New Year at four types of locations, authorities revealed late on Friday, as the city reported a slight jump in daily Covid-19 cases to 45 infections while mainland China wrestled with a worsening outbreak. Speaking after a meeting with the government, private doctors’ groups quoted officials as saying the city would roll out its first stage of Covid-19 vaccinations for target groups – including the elderly, and hospital and home... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3116928/hong-kong-fourth-wave-coronavirus-adviser-praises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3116928/hong-kong-fourth-wave-coronavirus-adviser-praises?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Jan 2021 06:59:47 +0000 Actress Sheren Tang Shui-man’s youthful demeanour – her skin is porcelain smooth and she exudes a bubbling energy – belies her age. So what is her secret to ageing well? Accepting that it happens. “Being afraid of getting old is not a good mentality,” the award-winning Hong Kong television star tells the Post. “I have not worn make-up [for non-professional occasions] for many years. I want to embrace my real age,” she says. Tang is 54. Exercise such as hiking and spending time with her family... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3116731/how-age-well-secrets-sheren-tang-tv-drama-queen-who?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3116731/how-age-well-secrets-sheren-tang-tv-drama-queen-who?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Jan 2021 04:15:13 +0000 Ozgur “Ozzy” Irier runs a very specific type of personal training session. The Turkish expat regularly yells at his clients, swears and takes their phones away when they are slacking off during exercising. His hardline stance, which includes no room for excuses or “babysitting”, is also a huge hit with Hongkongers. Irier, who has worked in the fitness industry for 14 years, calls himself a “life coach”, usually works 12 hours a day and is booked solid weeks in advance. Irier is also one of an... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3116746/hong-kongs-fitness-industry-forced-outdoors-trainers-push-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3116746/hong-kongs-fitness-industry-forced-outdoors-trainers-push-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Jan 2021 04:06:02 +0000 With the coronavirus pandemic shaping our entire world in 2020, it’s no surprise that we’ll see its influence extend into 2021 lifestyle and wellness trends. “I think the pandemic will continue to drive trends for at least another 18 months. Even with the vaccine,” says Jane Buckingham, founder and CEO of US-based trend forecasting and consulting company Trendera. So what can we expect to see in 2021? Picture a rise in health-tracking wearables, feel-good phone apps and an increased focus on... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3116438/therapy-your-phone-more-exercise-home-mushrooms-medicine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3116438/therapy-your-phone-more-exercise-home-mushrooms-medicine?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Jan 2021 18:30:12 +0000 Step aside, Atkins. There’s a new fad diet in town. The high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet – or “keto” for short – has become a popular way to lose weight. Just ask celebrities such as Halle Berry, Kourtney Kardashian and Vanessa Hudgens who all swear by it. Miley Cyrus, Samuel L. Jackson: 10 stars who quit veganism But while keto does help some to shed the pounds, it’s a huge change for your body’s metabolism and that can come with some serious side effects you should be aware of. If losing... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3116520/kourtney-kardashian-vanessa-hudgens-and-halle-berry-love?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3116520/kourtney-kardashian-vanessa-hudgens-and-halle-berry-love?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Jan 2021 21:00:09 +0000 Actress Rumer Willis and US talk show host Kelly Ripa both stopped drinking alcohol completely after trying a “Dry January”, the trending health kick which encourages people to give their bodies a break from booze for the first month of the year. Neither of the two had an abuse problem; they simply decided to try the regimen that began in the UK in 2013 and is now a global phenomenon. “My decision to become sober wasn’t out of a need necessarily, it was more just that I did ‘sober January’ and I... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3116471/do-it-j-lo-dry-january-means-better-skin-deeper-sleep-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3116471/do-it-j-lo-dry-january-means-better-skin-deeper-sleep-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Jan 2021 06:17:53 +0000 For more than a decade, Mei Lai battled a chronic cough and sought treatment from Western and Chinese medicine experts. Yet the cough persisted – and eventually erupted into lung cancer. An administrator at a private company in Hong Kong, Lai (who is not using her real name to protect her family’s privacy) had never smoked and considered herself in good health. Now in her 50s, she has been married for 28 years to a construction worker – who is a smoker. For years, she has asked him to quit. He... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3116316/lung-cancer-survivor-who-breathed-second-hand-smoke-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3116316/lung-cancer-survivor-who-breathed-second-hand-smoke-home?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Jan 2021 11:15:18 +0000 Moving to Hong Kong in 2017 was the motivation Arash and Harriet needed to lose weight and get into shape. Impressed by the city’s fitness culture, the husband and wife, who had arrived from the Middle East, set out to lose fat, build muscle and eat more healthily – as a team. The couple, who agreed to share their story but not their surname for privacy’s sake, say working towards their goals together was a key factor in their success in achieving their lean, taut bodies. Wanting to look and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3116061/couples-workout-exercise-together-lose-more-weight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3116061/couples-workout-exercise-together-lose-more-weight?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Jan 2021 05:15:16 +0000 It’s no secret that processed foods are bad for us. A recent study by Italian researchers found that eating more processed food was linked to an increased risk of dying from heart disease and stroke. In particular, ultra-processed foods – like processed meats, soda, breads, and pastries – are loaded with additives like sugar, salt and preservatives that are linked to poorer health. But there are alternatives. In 2019, a rigorously controlled study from the US’ National Institutes of Health fed... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3116220/new-years-resolutions-during-covid-19-no-processed-food?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3116220/new-years-resolutions-during-covid-19-no-processed-food?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Jan 2021 23:05:07 +0000 Money: it makes the world go around, it doesn’t grow on trees, and, if the statistics are correct, it’s the root of all … anxiety. Or, at least, a lot of anxiety. Research from the American Psychological Association’s Stress in America 2020 report shows that 64 per cent of US adults see money as a source of stress. A 2020 study designed by the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong found that 65.7 per cent of Hongkongers felt stressed about income or employment this year. Experts suggest that... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3116084/how-stop-worrying-about-money-educate-yourself-practise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3116084/how-stop-worrying-about-money-educate-yourself-practise?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Jan 2021 01:15:04 +0000 If you are poor in China, you are more likely to smoke, a study by Beijing Normal University shows. Researchers found more than 23 per cent of households with at least one smoker were poverty-stricken, which was double that of non-smokers. Lead researcher Professor Jin Chenggang said the current prices for a packet of cigarettes, which can be as low as 2 yuan (30 US cents), is too low. According to a 2018 report by the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, half of the smokers in the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115969/raise-cigarette-prices-curb-smoking-among-chinas-poor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115969/raise-cigarette-prices-curb-smoking-among-chinas-poor?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Jan 2021 12:15:04 +0000 There have been many affectionate names given to the singer songwriter IU, from “nation’s little sister” to “K-pop sweetheart” – even “Santa Claus” on account of the fact that she once again donated 100 million won to children in need on Christmas Eve. But since her debut at the tender age of 15 in 2008, we’ve also witnessed her public struggle to overcome anxiety and self-doubt, especially when it came to eating disorders. Given that this is the time to make new year’s resolutions to be... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3116079/k-pop-star-ius-battle-anxiety-and-eating-disorders-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3116079/k-pop-star-ius-battle-anxiety-and-eating-disorders-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Jan 2021 06:00:08 +0000 Coronavirus has kept many loved ones apart this holiday season, but it has brought four-year-old Yu-yan closer to her family. Diagnosed with a rare condition at just two months old, she has spent most of her life in a public hospital ward in Hong Kong. This was the first time she was able to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve at home. Yu-yan has biliary atresia, a blockage in the ducts that carry bile from the liver to the gall bladder which prevents the body eliminating it effectively. This... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115830/coronavirus-silver-lining-sick-girl-four-home-christmas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115830/coronavirus-silver-lining-sick-girl-four-home-christmas?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Dec 2020 04:15:08 +0000 In 2008, a Danish research study evaluated 500 women with chronic anorgasmia – a form of sexual dysfunction in which a person cannot reach orgasm despite “adequate stimulation”. On average, these women, aged between 18 and 88, had not had an orgasm for 12 years; one in four of the participants said that they had never experienced one. The researchers noted: “The woman who lacks orgasm … has low self-esteem, often feels like a sexual failure, and feels sexually wrong and ashamed of herself for... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115628/orgasm-one-please-wide-masturbation-gap-between-men-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115628/orgasm-one-please-wide-masturbation-gap-between-men-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Dec 2020 06:45:12 +0000 Two or more unrelated Covid-19 infections over a 14-day period in any housing block will trigger a mandatory testing order for everyone in the building under a lower threshold to contain outbreaks, Hong Kong health authorities announced on Tuesday. They also revealed that three hidden coronavirus carriers had been detected through a pilot sewage monitoring system, and warned that genetic analysis showed five recently imported infections carried a new, highly transmissible variant of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3115674/hong-kong-fourth-wave-more-50-covid-19-cases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3115674/hong-kong-fourth-wave-more-50-covid-19-cases?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Dec 2020 07:29:10 +0000 The aim of the vaccination campaign against Covid-19 is herd immunity – the point at which so few people are susceptible to infection that the virus runs out of places to go. In the early days of the pandemic, epidemiologists estimated that would require inoculating about two-thirds of the US population. Now many of those same experts say that figure is almost certainly too low. “If you really want true herd immunity, where you get a blanket of protection over the country … you want about 75 to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115519/many-unknowns-about-what-covid-19-vaccines-will-achieve?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115519/many-unknowns-about-what-covid-19-vaccines-will-achieve?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Dec 2020 04:33:07 +0000 In 2007, Saketaram Soussilane and his wife, Christelle, were working in finance in Paris but keen for a change of scenery. Hong Kong ticked all the right boxes: it was safe, multicultural and had nature trails close to the city so the couple could indulge in their love of hiking. Starting a family was also part of their Hong Kong plan, so when Kalyan was born in 2011, the couple were over the moon. But when he was about 18 months old, Kalyan developed respiratory problems, coughing at night and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115228/how-sons-asthma-diagnosis-set-dad-mission-find-its-cause?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115228/how-sons-asthma-diagnosis-set-dad-mission-find-its-cause?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Dec 2020 20:15:18 +0000 Mayuri Punjabi had an epiphany as she stood in front of a mirror, pinching the fat on her belly before injecting herself with a shot of medication for pre-diabetes. “This is not how I want to live the rest of my life,” the mother of two said to herself. “I am here to thrive, not to merely survive,” the 42-year-old dietitian and life coach says about the mind shift that triggered the creation of Instagram account MyEurekaLife two years ago. At first glance, the account looks like one of the many... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115072/why-clients-rave-about-weight-loss-coach-who-takes-mind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115072/why-clients-rave-about-weight-loss-coach-who-takes-mind?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Dec 2020 07:15:11 +0000 The coronavirus crisis will not be the last pandemic, and attempts to improve human health are “doomed” without tackling climate change and animal welfare, the World Health Organization’s chief said. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also condemned the “dangerously short-sighted” cycle of throwing cash at outbreaks but doing nothing to prepare for the next one, in a video message marking Sunday’s first International Day of Epidemic Preparedness. The WHO director general said it was time to learn the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3115448/coronavirus-crisis-will-not-be-last-pandemic-says-world-health?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3115448/coronavirus-crisis-will-not-be-last-pandemic-says-world-health?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Dec 2020 23:31:15 +0000 Men may be faster at running certain distances than women but the latest research shows that females are better at keeping an even pace and are less likely to experience burnout. An analysis of 2.3 million marathon results from 2009 to 2019 revealed women were 18.33 per cent better at keeping an even pace than men, according to research by shoe retailer and reviewer RunRepeat. Research earlier this year from RunRepeat found that the longer the distance, the smaller the gap between men and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115220/women-runners-are-better-men-keeping-even-pace-why-helps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115220/women-runners-are-better-men-keeping-even-pace-why-helps?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Dec 2020 11:15:11 +0000 Rosacea – say “row zay shuh” – is a skin condition that sounds prettier than it looks. And it’s quite common, affecting from one to 10 per cent of people. Dr Carmen Lam, a Hong Kong specialist in dermatology, describes it as “redness over the nose, cheeks, chin and forehead”. Sometimes the redness may be present with bumps which are “like acne, but not acne”. Those most commonly affected are aged 30 to 60, and are usually fair skinned. Gina Franich, who splits her time between Hong Kong and New... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115079/rosacea-treatment-causes-four-types-and-which-make?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115079/rosacea-treatment-causes-four-types-and-which-make?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Dec 2020 09:15:14 +0000 Launched in 2016, the Electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHRSS) enables medical professionals to access patients’ records from both public hospitals and private health care providers. The number of patients enrolled in the system has so far reached 1.34 million, thanks to the requirements for participants in various health programmes such as patient empowerment programmes and public-private partnership programmes to sign up. Yet, considering the limited number of health care professionals... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3114920/hong-kong-e-health-portal-would-be-more-useful-if-more-doctors-used?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3114920/hong-kong-e-health-portal-would-be-more-useful-if-more-doctors-used?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Dec 2020 22:30:14 +0000 Many people around the world have spent much of 2020 trapped at home but are now beginning to contemplate post-coronavirus trips, and are perhaps mindful of the importance attached to spending time outside, in green spaces. Less has been said about the restorative effects of outdoor spaces that are blue. Nevertheless, researchers at BlueHealth, a research consortium funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, have discovered that proximity to water – be it... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3114526/power-blue-spaces-time-spent-near-lake-beach-or-river?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3114526/power-blue-spaces-time-spent-near-lake-beach-or-river?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Dec 2020 11:45:15 +0000 Do you want to sleep better, look younger and live longer? Your answer may lie in a wonder herb that’s been used in Indian traditional medicine, or Ayurveda, for thousands of years: Withania somnifera, or ashwagandha. Also called Indian ginseng or winter cherry, its name is derived from the Sanskrit words ashwa, meaning horse, and gandha, meaning smell, referring both to the unique musky smell of its roots, reminiscent of a stallion, and its ability to give horse-like strength and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3114453/ashwagandha-ayurvedic-super-herb-helps-you-look-younger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3114453/ashwagandha-ayurvedic-super-herb-helps-you-look-younger?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Dec 2020 09:15:06 +0000 In 2018, Andy Curtain challenged himself to give up meat for a week. Fast forward two years and he still hasn’t eaten any. Now the 37-year-old father of two is encouraging others to follow in his footsteps with #OneWeekNoMeat, a campaign from January 4 to 10. He hopes that, like him, they will be inspired to stay meat-free once it’s over. Participants can commit to going without meat for seven days and document their journey on social media. “When I challenged myself to give up meat for a week I... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3114349/go-meat-free-week-january-comedian-urges-inspired-netflix?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3114349/go-meat-free-week-january-comedian-urges-inspired-netflix?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Dec 2020 11:15:16 +0000 Ah, winter. The season for thick, woolly socks, hot cocoa with marshmallows, guilt-free Netflix marathons – and a whole lot of dryness. While (nearly) everyone loves sweater weather, winter can become a whole lot less appealing when the dry, cold air zaps out the moisture in your skin and hair, leaving the latter a brittle, flaky mess. So if you’re starting to see snow on your shoulders, it’s time to step up your hair care game. Here are some tips to try out this winter. 8 superfoods for sexier... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3113615/tis-season-christmas-cheer-and-dry-brittle-frizzy-hair?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3113615/tis-season-christmas-cheer-and-dry-brittle-frizzy-hair?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Dec 2020 06:00:17 +0000 The fitness industry has been particularly agile in helping people cope with the challenges the coronavirus pandemic presents. Lockdowns and other social distancing measures have forced fitness and wellness centres to limit class numbers or close altogether, but health buffs have got around this by using innovative programmes and advanced equipment to work out in their own homes, along with expert tutelage. Online portals such as HealthclubTV (from about US$6/month) and fitness apps such as Down... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3113526/home-workout-equipment-sales-and-online-classes-multiply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3113526/home-workout-equipment-sales-and-online-classes-multiply?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Dec 2020 10:15:16 +0000 Wearing a face mask has become part of our daily routine, one of the preventive measures people have adopted worldwide to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. But what may be good for our health may not be so healthy for the planet. A Hong Kong-based marine conservation organisation says single-use surgical masks pose a huge environmental threat, estimating 1.56 billion will have entered the oceans in 2020. In a report released this week, OceansAsia says discarded face masks will result in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3113367/covid-19-face-masks-end-sea-will-take-450-years-degrade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3113367/covid-19-face-masks-end-sea-will-take-450-years-degrade?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Dec 2020 20:15:18 +0000 Nuts are high in calories, but that doesn’t stop Amy Elkhoury from eating them daily. The long-time vegan, based in Hong Kong, says that nuts keep her full for hours at a stretch, so she’s less likely to snack throughout the day. Because most of what she eats is healthy, her daily nut consumption does not make her gain weight. In fact, the oil from nuts makes up most of her daily fat intake. Walnuts are among her favourite nuts. Crunchy yet dense, and with a mildly bitter flavour, they add bite,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3113129/walnuts-health-benefits-how-get-most-out-them-plus-walnut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3113129/walnuts-health-benefits-how-get-most-out-them-plus-walnut?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Dec 2020 06:15:14 +0000 Singapore and its largest trading partner China on Tuesday pledged to enhance cooperation on public health well beyond the Covid-19 pandemic, with officials in the city state saying the pact was vital to dealing with future crises. Taking part in the annual meeting of the Joint Council of Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), officials led by Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and the Chinese Vice-Premier Han Zheng discussed a range of issues from climate change to the reopening of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3113093/coronavirus-singapore-and-china-pledge-health-partnership-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3113093/coronavirus-singapore-and-china-pledge-health-partnership-future?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Dec 2020 13:38:26 +0000 JD Health, the health care arm of e-commerce giant JD.com, plans to use part of its listing proceeds to identify acquisition opportunities among the over 450,000 offline pharmacies in China, said chief executive Xin Lijun. The internet will become the primary means of medical consultation and initial assessment in China in five years’ time, as the coronavirus pandemic has led to a lasting change to how ordinary citizens use medical services and aftercare. .JD Health is looking to buy... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3113051/jd-health-plans-use-part-hong-kong-ipo-proceeds-buy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3113051/jd-health-plans-use-part-hong-kong-ipo-proceeds-buy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Dec 2020 10:00:10 +0000 Many of us find that our body starts to work differently when we hit our forties. Our metabolism doesn’t work quite so well and losing weight gets a bit harder – but that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to stay in good shape. Let’s all take inspiration from these five Bollywood celebrities who not only look good in their forties, but have also helped us realise that with hard work and dedication, age really is just a number. Which 5 Bollywood queens reigned supreme in the 90s? Sushmita... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3112826/karisma-kapoor-shilpa-shetty-5-super-fit-bollywood?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3112826/karisma-kapoor-shilpa-shetty-5-super-fit-bollywood?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Dec 2020 04:03:56 +0000 Quality HealthCare Medical Services, one of the largest private health care providers in Hong Kong, aims to conduct 5 per cent of its consultations through telemedicine in three to four years, a fivefold increase. The company, part of London-based international health care group Bupa since October 2013, launched a mobile app in August that allows patients to make bookings, have video consultations with general practitioners and order prescription drugs. The adoption of telemedicine will not wane... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3112787/hong-kong-private-clinics-operator-quality-healthcare-bets-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3112787/hong-kong-private-clinics-operator-quality-healthcare-bets-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Dec 2020 03:00:16 +0000 The list of endurance feats Damien Rider has accomplished in the past decade is jaw-dropping. He has prone paddled solo and unsupported in the ocean for 17 days, charting an 800-kilometre course along Australia’s eastern coastline from the Gold Coast to Sydney’s Bondi Beach. He has skateboarded 4,000km over 56 days along Route 66 through the Mojave Desert in the United States, enduring temperatures of 55 degrees Celsius. He has pushed a three-tonne pickup truck for 28km along the Gold Coast... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3112562/how-victim-horrific-child-abuse-turned-his-life-around?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3112562/how-victim-horrific-child-abuse-turned-his-life-around?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Dec 2020 10:15:16 +0000 I am writing in response to the article “To reduce obesity, more weight is being put on sport in China’s high-school entrance exam” (November 20). Although it was shocking to learn that a 2017 study found China had the world’s largest population of obese children, I don’t think sport being made a subject in high-school entrance exams would really serve to reduce obesity. Reducing obesity requires one to exercise as well as have a balanced diet. Even if you do work hard at sport, the likelihood... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3112574/obesity-china-making-sport-school-entrance-exam-subject-not-winning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3112574/obesity-china-making-sport-school-entrance-exam-subject-not-winning?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Dec 2020 06:20:18 +0000 Long before he arrived in the United States to bring the ancient Indian practice of yoga to the West, Paramahansa Yogananda visited a temple in Indian-administered Kashmir and fell into an ecstatic trance. In his vision, he saw the temple transform into a gleaming white mansion. It sat on a hilltop in a distant land. Years later, he visited Mount Washington, a hilltop neighbourhood less than 10km (6 miles) from downtown Los Angeles. And there he saw it, the gleaming white mansion. “I recognised... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3112397/man-who-took-yoga-west-100-years-ago-and-his-spiritual?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3112397/man-who-took-yoga-west-100-years-ago-and-his-spiritual?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Dec 2020 01:15:18 +0000 Waking up at 5am has been a habit for Abhinav Sood, a public relations professional in Delhi, India, for more than three decades. He gets up at the crack of dawn to work out – a regime of push-ups, floor exercises and jogging – catch up on the news and have a healthy breakfast of cereal, eggs and fruit. “The best business strategy ideas come early in the morning, when the mind is free of stress,” says the 46-year-old, a director of Communications Inc. Sleeping is one of life’s pleasures, and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3112217/getting-early-benefits-5am-start-include-time-work-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3112217/getting-early-benefits-5am-start-include-time-work-out?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Dec 2020 20:45:07 +0000 Zoe Chan gently places the contents of the box on a table. There are handmade cloth pads, menstrual cups and a selection of tampons, all from Happeriod, the non-governmental organisation she founded in 2014 to destigmatise menstruation. It also hosts menstrual education sessions. “Our workshops help women and girls take control of their period and take control of their body,” says Chan. “We’re also presenting reusables, not only to empower them with more period product options but to help ease... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3112028/fight-end-period-poverty-ngo-praises-scotlands-free?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3112028/fight-end-period-poverty-ngo-praises-scotlands-free?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Dec 2020 07:15:13 +0000 Some older Indians relish the idea of being weak and frail in their old age so that they may be fussed over, cosseted and taken care of by their children, even when they are perfectly fit and capable. Some even play-act being old, stooping their shoulders and shuffling. At 40, they are middle-aged. At 50, they are elderly. These prematurely aged Indians need to meet Nitin Mehta, 48, an officer who left the Indian army in 2016 after 21 fulfilling years to become a model. In his new career, Mehta... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3111467/indian-model-48-ageing-well-having-discipline-stay-fit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3111467/indian-model-48-ageing-well-having-discipline-stay-fit?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Nov 2020 10:15:09 +0000 Hong Kong-based outdoor furniture maker 3i Corporation saw its exports to the US and Europe start to stagnate at the beginning of the year as the first reverberations of an economically disastrous global pandemic were felt. To weather the downturn that was to come, the family firm with the unlikely name decided to do what dozens of others were doing: make protective face masks. It started out with two machines in a factory in San Po Kong in April. Today it boasts six, capable of producing... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3111684/outdoor-furniture-manufacturers-filmmakers-how-companies-adapted?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3111684/outdoor-furniture-manufacturers-filmmakers-how-companies-adapted?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Nov 2020 01:45:13 +0000 When a car is working properly, it hums. If you hear strange noises or clanking, something might be wrong and you probably ought to take it for a tune-up – and t he same thinking applies to the human body. Martha Collard, the founder of Red Doors Studio (a space for meditation and healing) in Wong Chuk Hang in the southern part of Hong Kong Island, uses this analogy with me to explain voice analysis, which is like an audio snapshot of your bodily functions at a given time. She explains there are... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3111482/bad-vibrations-voice-analysis-uses-way-you-sound-reveal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3111482/bad-vibrations-voice-analysis-uses-way-you-sound-reveal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Nov 2020 21:15:09 +0000 The coronavirus pandemic is no excuse for not getting enough exercise, the World Health Organisation said, warning that even before the crisis many people were getting too little physical activity. In an update of its physical activity guidelines, the United Nations health agency stressed that exercise was vital to physical and mental health, and that sedentary behaviour can have serious repercussions. “WHO urges everyone to continue to stay active through the Covid-19 pandemic,” the agency’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3111480/get-enough-exercise-global-health-body-urges-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3111480/get-enough-exercise-global-health-body-urges-new?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Nov 2020 10:45:19 +0000