SPECIAL SERIES: A new you! Health experts answer your questions
Life in Dubai can move at 100mph, as work and social follow each other seamlessly from one day to the next without a moment’s pause. So there’s very little ‘you time’, and sooner or later those things catch up with you. Luckily What’s On is here to help with a special three-part series designed to help you restart your life.
Check out the rest of our series by clicking below
Part Two
Part Three
I HAVE A FEAR OF…
A man who thinks jumping out of a plane at 13,000 feet is a piece of cake is probably a good person to ask for advice about conquering your fears. Alan Gayton, General Operations Manager at Skydive Dubai, explains how to keep your cool.
Know your stuff: Knowledge is power, the more you know the more confident you will be.
Embrace the unexpected: Things don’t always happen the way you think they will. If something goes wrong, your brain goes head over heels. But with training, you’ll be ready and switch to autopilot. Just go with it.
Breathe: Take a couple of good deep breaths. When we’re anxious, we hold our breath, which stops the blood flow in our bodies. That slows us down and doesn’t let our brains think straight.
Be prepared: The more information you have and the more training you do, the calmer you’ll be.
Do it again: If you do lots of repetitive training, things become second nature.
Get ready: If you’re driving on the Sheikh Zayed Road and you anticipate an accident, try to sense the problem coming. You’ll work out a solution and avoid potential trouble.
Skydive Dubai Desert Campus, Route 66 (Al Ain Road), off exit 47
Tel: (050) 1542992.
Tue to Sun, 7am to 12pm.
skydivedubai.ae
I HAVE A DODGY STOMACH
Dubai Herbal & Treatment Centre Ayurvedic practitioner Dr Asha Jones offers some digestion dos and donts.
• Eat your biggest meal of the day between 12pm and 2pm, when your digestive system is most active. Dinner should be the lightest meal of the day.
• Don’t eat immediately before sleeping. Your final meal of the day should be a minimum of two hours before sleep. If you eat late, the body will have to work hard to digest the meal and you’ll wake up tired.
• Eat in a calm and comfortable place. Your stomach should be in a relaxed position when you eat. Look at what you are eating. Be aware of the taste, smell and texture.
• Don’t overeat. Your stomach should only ever be 75 per cent full. Don’t feel bloated.
• Drink water at room temperature during a meal. Ice-cold water will hinder your digestion.
• Don’t combine incompatible foods. Different foods need different digestive enzymes. For example, avoid mixing milk or yoghurt with citrus fruits.
Dubai Herbal & Treatment Centre, Oud Metha, Dubai
Tel: (04) 3351200. Taxi: Oud Metha Road.
Sun to Fri 8am to 8pm, Sat 10am to 4pm.
dubaihtc.com
I HAVE BAD POSTURE
Stefanie Ost is a former model turned award-winning businesswoman who runs makeover courses and modelling workshops at So Famous.
Why is good posture important? Good posture is just as important to your health as eating and sleeping well. Poor posture affects your energy and can damage your digestion, joints and muscles.
What are the benefits of good posture? A person with good posture will project self-confidence, look slimmer and appear younger. Clothes will look better and they’ll feel more attractive.
How should I stand? Shoulders should be back and the chin parallel to the floor. Most people slump their shoulders forwards, especially when sitting in front of a computer all day. It might feel strange to sit, stand or walk straight the first couple of times, but once you’re used to it, it will become automatic.
So Famous, Loft Office Building 3, Entrance B, Dubai Media City, Studio 405
Tel: (04) 4519160.
so-famous.com
I HAVE GNARLY FEET
Get a medi-pedi at One&Only The Palm’s Studio By Bastien Gonzalez.
Feet. Not the most attractive part of the body, are they? But, if you look after them like you would your teeth, they could become one of your most attractive body parts. Maxime Lureau, development and operation director at One&Only The Palm’s Studio By Bastien Gonzalez, suggests visiting a pedicurist every two months to keep your feet in good nick.
The treatments have been developed by French podiatrist Bastien Gonzalez (above) and all have a medical foundation. Entering one of the treatment rooms feels more like a visit to the dentist’s than a nail salon. For a start, there is no TV, because Lureau and his staff prefer that you ask questions about what is being done to your feet.
Opt for the 60-minute Bastien’s Pedicure (Dhs450) or the 75-minute Bastien’s Duo (Dhs690), which also includes a manicure. Your toenails will be clipped, filed and buffed. The tough, dead skin on the soles of your feet will be removed with a knife (it doesn’t hurt at all) and a foot balm will be applied. You’ll then have your calves and feet massaged while reclining with your eyes covered. After a quick blast of talc, you’ll dance out of the room with new feet.
Studio By Bastien Gonzalez, One & Only The Palm, West Crescent, The Palm, Dubai
Tel: (04) 4401040. Taxi: West Crescent.
Daily 10am to 8pm, Dhs450.
thepalm.oneandonlyresorts.com
I HAVE BODY ODOUR
When the strongest anti-perspirant deodorant isn’t up to the task, it’s time to look at other options with Dr Maurizio Viel.
• Use proper body cleansing agents such as soap and shower gel
• Make sure that your clothing is clean and loose fitting
• Think about what you are eating. What you put into your body eventually comes out so you might want to pass on that vindaloo
• Underarm Botox can put a stop to excessive sweating. Effects of one session can last up to a year
London Centre for Aesthetic Surgery, Al Razi Building, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai
Tel: (04) 3752393. Metro: Dubai Healthcare City.
lcas.ae