Sunny Side Up!

With temperatures soaring, it’s time to bring out the sunscreen and umbrellas. It’s also a good idea to brush up on the basics of sun protection.

It is nearly impossible for anyone to stay away from the sun entirely, except if you live in a cave, and even then you probably have to pop out now and then. Also not everybody can afford to live a luxurious life and keep one’s skin spotless. Then what’s the solution? In two words, sun protection. Also, depending on age, skin type and lifestyle, sun protection is also a finely calibrated science.
We all need protection from the sun. In its absence, your skin is at high risk of premature and heavy wrinkling, hyper pigmentation, melanoma and even forms of skin cancer.

What is SPF?
Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is calculated as the ratio of the minimal dose of sunlight required to cause burning of sunscreen-protected skin, divided by the minimal dose of sunlight to cause burning of unprotected skin. Sun care products are usually marked with strengths of 15, 30, 50 and 100. This indicates the duration the skin will take to reach a ‘burn’ in the sun.

What are physical and chemical sunscreens?
There are mainly two types of sunscreens. Most physical sunscreens and sun blocks act by blocking all the rays. Physical sunscreens do not penetrate the skin, thus they are not absorbed by it. They contain the two most common blockers, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. These sunscreens should be applied on all exposed parts of the body like hands, legs and the face. This is best used by those who want the sun protection, but are allergic to chemical sunscreens.
Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, are known to absorb both UVA and UVB rays.

How should you apply sunscreen?
A sunscreen is meant to be applied on the exposed areas of the skin. Apply it at least 20 minutes before you step out of the house so it is able to penetrate or bind to the skin. Use it liberally because if you use it sparingly, your exposed skin is likely to get burned. Reapply sunscreen every two hours while outdoors till 4 p.m. as water and perspiration usually dilute sunscreen.

How much is too much?
Don’t make a mistake by applying too little. It can drastically reduce the effect of the SPF. Applying five to six teaspoons over the total body’s exposed areas is recommended.

HEALTH
The Fast Way To Keep Fit

Cycling is great for your health and your shape. And you don’t have to do too much to see results.

The beauty of cycling is that it’s a stealth exercise - use your bike for local errands, or to commute to work, and it easily becomes part of your life. Research suggests that regular pedallers have a fitness level ten years younger, and a life expectancy two years longer, than average.

It’s also non-impact, so it doesn’t put strain on joints, you’ll burn up around 300 calories an hour and tone your lower body. For healthy bones, you’ll also need to do some regular load-bearing exercise, such as walking or gardening.
Regular moderate exercise is more beneficial than one big weekly workout, so incorporate your bike into everyday use.
5 ways to avoid injury
1. Start slowly, build up steadily. If you can’t breathe only through your nose or hold a conversation when cycling, you’re overdoing it.
2. Ride a woman’s bike. They have broader saddles (because our sitting bones are 3cm wider apart than a man’s) and a shorter distance to the handlebars (because our reach is shorter).
3. Have the right saddle height. Too low stresses joints, too high affects stability. To check: Sit on your bike leaning against a wall with one pedal at its lowest point. You should just be able to reach it with your heel. If you feel wobbly, start with your saddle lower and raise it as you gain confidence.
4. Wear a helmet when cycling in traffic.
5. Ride the right bike.

Wellbeing
Flip The Switch!

Seventy per cent of people say that no matter how hard they try, they never seem to have enough time to do everything they need to do. Are you part of that 70 per cent?
If you gave up TV for just one day a week, you could exercise the recommended weekly amount necessary for healthy living, read over 20 books a year, or spend more time with your loved ones.
Instead of watching reruns, go make some. Here are a few suggestions to open up a few hours a day, by simply flipping the switch!

Take Action Today
· Turn off your TV today. Tape a ‘No TV’ sign to all TV screens so that you don’t turn it on out of habit.
· Designate certain TV-free times throughout the week to reduce viewing hours.
· Remove TVs from bedrooms, the kitchen, etc.
· Make a list of activities to do besides watching TV like reading, biking, swimming, walking, gardening, or socialising with friends. Then start doing them.
· Be more selective about programming and choose history, travel, cooking, home repair/design,
· Avoid using the TV as a reward. This only increases its power.
Watching TV is not a bad thing per se. It provides a lot of benefits - entertainment, education, and something for friends or family to enjoy together; but, like anything, too much of a good thing can be bad.
So feel free to watch it, but be mindful of your time in front of it.

Food
Eat To Beat Stress

The latest research shows food can be as powerful as medicine. This month, we look at how it can make you feel less tense.

Eat Every Four Hours
Make time to eat properly throughout the day. Going for hours without refueling means your blood-sugar levels will crash, leaving you not only hungry and tired, but irritable and anxious, too. Rather than the traditional three big meals a day, aim to eat little and often. And make sure you don’t skip breakfast.

Opt For A Slow Fix
If you want to lift your mood and reduce your anxiety levels, it’s essential to eat right. Stress releases a hormone that causes us to crave sugary foods. But these don’t give us long-term energy. So have fresh fruit, vegetables, pulses and nuts, rye bread, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, oats and wholegrain cereals.

Choose ‘Happy Hormones’
Carbohydrates help us in maintaining a sense of calm. They also work their magic by triggering the release of insulin in the body which in turn helps an amino acid called tryptophan to enter the brain. Foods rich in tryptophan include lean red meat, chicken, turkey, fish eggs, cheese, nuts and seeds, so including plenty of these in your diet is thought to help ease tension.

Protect Your Body With Magnesium
Sometimes called the ‘stress mineral’, good intakes of this nutrient are essential for helping us to remain in control. Magnesium controls blood pressure, prevents our nerves from becoming overactive, and helps the body utilise important vitamins. Get your quota with pumpkin seeds, wholegrain cereals, whole meal bread, brown rice, nuts, salmon, and green, leafy vegetables.

Steer Clear Of Sweet Treats
Another way to control your stress levels is to avoid sugar-packed foods like chocolate and biscuits. Sweet snacks send blood sugar levels on a roller-coaster ride, with massive highs followed rapidly by stress-inducing dips. Reach for healthier treats, such as vegetable sticks, oatcakes, nuts and olives instead.

Replace Vital Vitamins
While we’re in stress mode, our bodies are busy pumping out large amounts of hormones, which increase our blood pressure and divert energy to our muscles. Because our bodies are working harder, they need more nutrients, so if we’re constantly up against it, our stores of vital vitamins can quickly become depleted. The following can easily get zapped by stress, so make sure you’re getting enough:
B Vitamins – Try to include lean red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, pulses, nuts, seeds, wholegrain cereals, oats, brown rice, low-fat dairy products and green vegetables in your diet.
Vitamin C – Boost your intake by eating plenty of citrus fruits, berries, kiwi fruit, papaya, tomatoes, peppers and green, leafy veggies. This nutrient is quite easily destroyed by cooking though, so try to eat foods raw or lightly steamed.

Travel
Crete Uncovered

There’s more to this Greek island than ancient ruins and dodgy package holidays. From glamour to culture, adventure and luxury, find your ideal summer getaway here.
From miles upon miles of dramatic coastline dotted with hidden beaches and bays, to an incredible history and culture that can be traced back to the birthplace of Zeus and of course a plethora of five-star luxury spas and mouth-watering menus offering the freshest of ingredients from land and sea – Crete is more than just another Greek island, it’s Europe’s new holiday hotspot.
As the largest of the Greek islands and second only to Cyprus for size in the Mediterranean, the island offers every type of getaway.
For that touch of glamour, it’s well worth visiting the super pretty coastal resort of Agios Nilolaos. It’s packed with lovely little cafes and bistros that are busy all day long with ladies who have lunch and well-travelled tourists who want to enjoy the local flavour. It’s best to make yourself a perch and grab a table anywhere around the pretty lake in the centre of town, and you’ll soon be wondering if you could afford to pack up your day job and just laze around the lakeside instead.
If you’re in the mood for some culture, then Crete has plenty. The centre of the ancient Minoan civilization (the oldest of the Greeks), the most famous landmark to their heritage is the Knossos Palace – also know as the Labyrinth. Reconstructed in 1900, it is permanently packed with tourists. But it’s a definite must see – although we’d advise against paying for a tour guide (super expensive and not necessarily as clued up about the ruins as we’d hope). Just get yourself one of the guide books when you get there and soak up the dramatic history without getting ripped off for the privilege.
And when the glamour and history leave you desperate for some time in the sun, the island has enough beaches and bays to go round. Make sure you keep away from the east of the island where you’ll find the dodgy package holidays. The best beaches are on the south coast of the island, and the most popular is Matala, which is very laid-back and relaxed. On the west coast is Plakias and Diaskari, which is a huge stretch of shingly and Paleochora is perfect for the family thanks to its shallow sandy bay.
For the more adventurous and active holidaymakers, aside from the plentiful waterspouts, there is also mountain hiking and biking along the impressive range that stretches from east to west along the island, or explore the caves at Diktaion and Idaion.
Eating well is the whole point of life on the island, and there is a fabulous selection of restaurants across Crete that allows you to do just that. You’d be made to ignore the amazing variety of fresh fish dishes on offer here and you’ll be hard pushed to find it isn’t good for you. Make sure you stick with local produce when ordering.