From alternative medicine to cutting-edge technology – we share everything you need to step into your second half with confidence.
AGE WELL: Lower not lift
● Good news for those who struggle to squeeze in strength training. New evidence suggests we can cut our routine in half and still see the same results. How? By focusing on lowering weights instead of lifting them.
The research from Edith Cowan University, Australia, found that the type of muscle contraction associated with lowering a heavy object is more effective for increasing muscle strength and size than the contractions needed to lift it. The researchers asked study participants to perform three variations of a dumbbell curl and found those who only lowered the weight saw the same improvements as those who raised and lowered weights – despite only performing half the number of repetitions.
How do we try it for ourselves? For a bicep curl, use two hands to help with the concentric (lifting) phase, before using just one for the eccentric (lowering) phase. The same principle can be applied to a shoulder press (lifting weights directly overhead) as well as body weight squats. Use your upper body to help yourself to standing before lowering into a chair as slowly as you can.
EAT WELL: Think zinc
A study of 11,000 adults has found that those who get plenty of zinc from food have nearly one-third lower risk of migraine than those eating very little of this mighty mineral. Look to meat, shellfish, legumes, nuts and seeds, dairy, eggs, wholegrain and dark chocolate to boost levels.
LIVE WELL: Bedtime blackout
Does your smartphone come to bed with you? New data shows these light-emitting devices significantly increase our sleep latency (how long it takes us to nod off) and average heart rate, and can lower heart rate variability – all indicative of worse rest quality. The study, which tracked 75 participants over four months, also found that smartphone use can lead to more time spent awake during the night, reducing our total sleep time. And we don’t need to be scrolling for hours to sabotage our sleep.
The average length of time study participants used their phones in bed totalled just five minutes and 22 seconds.
Time to unplug!
LIVE WELL: Blushing Brits
● A new survey by thortful.com has found that, while 75% of Brits love to give compliments, 55% feel uncomfortable receiving them. ‘Many of us respond awkwardly to compliments as an unconscious act of self-protection,’ explains relationship psychologist Mairead Molloy. ‘Unfortunately, this often robs us of human
