cat-right

5 Tips to Have the Healthiest Summer Ever

It may feel like a whole-year battle to be healthy, but summer is actually the easiest time of the year to get healthy. The sunny weather encourages more outdoor activities, juicy fruits are in season and bikinis are the best reason to stay fit and healthy.
To help you look and feel your best, here are some great tips for making this summer your healthiest summer ever.

jen-jewell-summer-countdown-beach

1. Take Care of Your Skin

Since it’s summertime and the weather is usually at its hottest, make sure to use sunscreen every day. For sensitive skin, mineral-based SPF would be an ideal sunscreen option. As much as possible, do not sit outside during peak hours of the day, which is from 10 in the morning to four in the afternoon. If you’re going to be out in the sun for extensive hours, reapply your sunscreen at least every three hours.

2. Drink More Water

During the summer season, sweat and heat can leave you dehydrated. It is not good for the body and can also fool your mind into thinking that you’re hungry, making you crave for unhealthy foods. It is extremely important to drink at least two litres of water a day, especially during summer. Find water boring? Add a couple of slices of fresh fruits, such as apples, melon and lemon, to add subtle flavour to your water.

fresh-summer-meal-plan

3. Be a Regular In the Farmer’s Market

Stocking up on fresh fruits and veggies will make it easier for you to eat healthy. As much as possible, include salads on your meals. Other than being healthy, salads are refreshing meal staples. Also, you can use fruits as substitute for sugary desserts. Instead of reaching for a bar of chocolate, dig into a bowl of frozen yogurt-coated berries to satiate your craving for sweets.

4. Beware of ‘Healthy’ Beverages

Fruit juices are great ways to stay refreshed all throughout the day. But be aware of bottled fruit juices in the supermarket as they are often loaded with sugar. Instead, opt for home-made fruit smoothies. Cut up some fruits of your choice and then throw it in the blender with some ice and low-fat yogurt.

5. Take a Hiatus From Television

Take advantage of the beautiful weather and go out more. Cut down the TV time by playing outside with the kids, strolling at the park, walking, biking or doing yard work. You’ll have more fun outside than being a couch potato at home.

summertime

Summer is the best time to get physical. Keep in mind these tips for a better and healthier summer.

How to Make Indoor Exercising More Enjoyable

The physical, emotional and mental health benefits offered by exercising can’t be overstated enough. More so if you’ll be working out in the comforts of your home. But since you’ll be doing one routine over and over again, you might end up falling into an exercising rut – and you’ll be forced to think of strategies that you can use to make working out more fun. To help you with that, we listed some tips on how you can possibly make indoor exercising more enjoyable.

indoor-workout

1.       Listen to Your Favourite Music

One of the best ways to make exercising more enjoyable for you is to listen to your favourite tunes. Regardless if you’re power walking, lifting weights or running, playing some music will improve your performance and boost your endurance level, causing you to think that your workout routine is easier than you actually think. Just remember that while it may make your indoor workouts more interesting, you should avoid becoming too dependent on it as it might end up distracting you from exercising.

2.       Change Up Your Workout Routine

The best thing about indoor exercising is you get to try new workouts that you’d otherwise avoid performing in public. Make your workout routine more enjoyable by incorporating new moves to your usual routine. Consider swapping running routines with swimming or your strength training with lifting free weights. Changing up your workouts won’t only make exercising more enjoyable for you, it’ll also challenge and strengthen your body.

772132a3d602373e_COVER

3.       Get a Workout Buddy

Pairing up with a relative or a friend will surely boost your motivation to exercise. Having a fitness buddy brings in accountability, camaraderie, collaboration and even some friendly competition that will keep you on your toes and give you something to look forward to as you exercise.

4.       Set Realistic Goals

Setting realistic fitness goals is the key to staying motivated throughout your workout period. It also makes the entire process more enjoyable since you’ll be confident that if you stay disciplined, you’ll achieve the goals you’ve set. Plus, it’ll give you a sense of direction as to how your workout routine should be performed.

5.       Reward Yourself

The best way to maintain your motivation when exercising is to reward yourself after a tiring day in the gym. Pick a reward that you’ve always wanted to have like a massage or a post-workout smoothie. Doing this will surely give you something to look forward to, thus making exercising more enjoyable.

Performing indoor exercises doesn’t have to be boring. By following these tips, you’ll definitely be able to enjoy and make the most out of your workout routine even if you’re doing it in the comforts of your home.

bigstock-Detox-Smoothie-Before-Running-63708910-e1449640921423

STD Screening for Men and Women

Sexually transmitted diseases are becoming more common throughout Singapore, and thousands of people have been infected. Unfortunately, many of them don’t know they have it.

Regular STD screening can significantly help in preventing the spread of these diseases and stopping them from causing incurable harm to your health. It can be intimidating to navigate your way towards STD testing, so here are some pointers to help you out in your next GP clinic visit.

SONY DSC

How can I know if I have an STD?

You’re at risk of STD even if you have only ever had sex with one person. Moreover, you can get it from any form of sex—oral, vaginal, or anal.

There are many types of STDs, but some of the most common are gonorrhoea and chlamydia, which often don’t show symptoms but can be extremely harmful. If left untreated, both STDs can cause inflammatory disease in the pelvic and even infertility in women.

The only way to confirm your reproductive health is to get tested. If you’re at risk at STD, see a doctor for STD and HIV testing.

How can I detect an STD?

Detection process usually depends on the infection you want to detect. Reproductive conditions like pubic lice and anogenital warts are usually detected during a physical examination, which do not need extensive tests to confirm diagnosis.

For gonorrhoea, trichomonas, and chlamydia, diagnostic tests involve taking swabs. We recommend M Lam clinic for men health check in Singapore because they are specialists at such tests. A swab is rubbed gently in different places, such as the penis, vagina, throat, or rectum to collect samples of discharge, mucus, or cells. The samples will then be examined under a microscope and sent to the lab for further examination.

Chlamydia can also be detected by checking your urine sample, while hepatitis B and C, syphilis, and HIV are detected through your blood sample.

What do I have to do to get tested?

If you show symptoms that you think are due to STD, or show no symptom at all but are worried if you’re infected, see a health professional to get tested. You can do any of the following options:

• Consult your own general practitioner (GP). Your doctor will perform physical examination, as well as give you advices on how to avoid STDs. If your GP suspects that you have STD, he will likely refer you to a genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic.

• Directly go to a GUM clinic. There’s no need for a referral from a GP to get tested in a GUM clinic.

• Send your sample to a laboratory by post. Some private clinics and companies offer this type of testing service for convenience and confidentiality purposes. Check the Internet to find out what companies cater screenings through samples collected via post.

Until you have the results, and cleared if necessary, avoid any sexual intercourse. This is to prevent from spreading any possible infection.

STD-Clinics

When should I get tested?

Men and women should be tested for STD regularly. Singapore health experts recommend the following:

• Sexually active women should visit a women’s health clinic to get tested for gonorrhoea and chlamydia at least once a year until they reach 25 years of age. If you have higher risk factors, such as having multiple sexual partners, gonorrhoea, and chlamydia tests should still be continued annually after 25.
• Every three years, women aging 21 to 65 should have Pap tests to check for HPV (an STD that causes cancer).
• All men who have (or had) sex with men should visit a men’s health clinic for syphilis screening, and probably also gonorrhoea and chlamydia screenings, at least once a year.
• Pregnant women should be screened for hepatitis B, HIV, chlamydia, and syphilis.
• Everyone, especially those sexually active people, should consult their healthcare professional about whether they need HIV tests.

What are the symptoms of STD?

You can get many types of STDs by having sex. Since some STDs might not how symptoms right away (or at all), it’s possible that you or your partner may be infected and not know it. If you’re sexually active, has a new partner, or have multiple sexual partners, regular screening is important.

For women, watch out for these symptoms:

• Unusual vaginal discharge (unusual colour, amount, or smell)
• Burning feeling when urinating
• Excessive itching in the labia or vagina
• Pain during intercourse
• Unusual rash or bumps on the genitals

For men, symptoms can include:

• Foul-smelling or discoloured discharge from the penis
• Burning feeling when urinating
• Excessive itching in the scrotum or penis
• Pain during intercourse or masturbation
• Unusual rash or bumps on the genitals
• Bleeding from the penis

What is the procedure of an STD test?

Screening for Men

• Preparation
Do not urinate for two hours prior the STD screening. When you’re in the testing area, your doctor may ask you to completely or partially undress.

• During the test
Expect your doctor to work closely with you during your visit to a men’s health clinic. Your doctor will visually check your genitals for abnormal discharge, sores, or pain by touching your testicles and penis. He may also take a swab from the urethra (opening of the penis), as well as from any sore or lesion. A blood and urine sample may also be asked from you for laboratory examination.

Screening for Women

• Preparation
You will also be asked to completely or partially undress.

• During the Test
During an STD test, the doctor will visually check your genitals. Your women’s health clinic professional may insert a speculum inside your vagina to get a clear view of your cervix and vaginal walls. If you’re getting a Pap test, mucous samples from the cervix will be taken using a small brush and spatula. If not, a swab from the vagina and cervix is enough. Also, like men’s screening, urine and blood samples are necessary for more in-depth examination.

Only a professional healthcare provider can tell whether you’re infected with an STD or not. So, if you’re sexually active and have never been tested, set an appointment now with your specialist to find out your reproductive health status.

std-testing-options-unemployed-uninsured