Womens_Health_Australia_December_2016

THE NUMBER OF TIMES

FASTER THAT STRESS CAN

CAUSE EXISTING CANCER TO

SPREAD AROUND THE BODY.

RESEARCHERS ARE NOW

TESTING MEDICATIONS TO

SEE HOW THEY CAN WORK

AS A ‘BUFFER’ FOR STRESS.

Source: Monash University

‘BE THERE

IN 10. I’M

RU N N ING

LATTE’

This just in Taking as little as

five minutes of quiet time for

a coffee before you leave in

the morning helps you cope

with stress later in the day,

research commissioned by

Nespresso found. Australian

clinical psychologist Jo

Lamble analysed the data and

found participants who had

‘a moment’ to themselves for

a cuppa were able to do tasks

with more levity and humour

than when they didn’t take

that break. “When you make

this a habit, you’re better able

to make decisions and deal

with challenges,” she explains.

YOU GET TO KNOW

YOUR BODY BETTER

Bush bashing or

climbing mountains

• away from mirrors,
  TV and wifi – can give
  you a much better
  understanding of what
  our bodies can do
  rather than how they
  look, says study author
  Professor Swami. This
  sense of physical
  empowerment boosts
  body appreciation.

YOU FEEL MORE

CONNECTED

Bringing in natural

environments can help

us feel part of a larger

ecosystem, making

us more inclined to

protect our bodies from

harmful effects, says

Swami. In other words:

you are not your thighs,

but a body and soul

that needs TLC as much

as the plants and trees

that surround you.

GET FRESH

Wa n t a (f r e e) b o o s t t o yo u r b o d y i m a g e?

Go camping or hiking. Research from Anglia

R u s k i n U n i ve r s i t y i n t h e U K h a s s h ow n t h a t

p e o p l e w h o h ave m o r e ex p o s u r e t o n a t u r a l

e nv i r o n m e n t s r e s p e c t t h e i r ow n b o d i e s m o r e

and are more willing to reject unrealistic

ideals shown in the media. Why? Two reasons:

HIGH ON

LIFE

DECEMBER 2016 womenshealth.com.au 27

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WORDS: TARA ALI. PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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