A Woman's Work

a woman's work

If women calculated the number of kilojoules utilised in their daily routine of running a household—with exercise of many muscles and joints—it would be staggering.

No wonder they outlive men.

nasal drops

Clogged up nostrils can lead to reduced flow of blood and oxygen to the area under the eyes, which may become baggy and discoloured.

The same applies to allergies. Some find nasal sprays help clear the airways but as this further shrinks vessels, it should only be used for two or three days. Simple salty water in a fine spray called Narium often gives a positive outcome.

Inhaling salty water in one nostril then the other is also helpful but sounds barbaric. Swimming in the surf has a similar benefit.

what is decaf?

Decaf is coffee put through a special process that sucks the caffeine out. Some bio-chemists still say there is quite a bit left behind. If insomnia is your challenge, don't have any kind of coffee after midday. Caffeine remains in the system, kicking around nerv ous energy for up to 16 hours! This does not leave much time for mental rest and relaxation.

weight conversion

On occasion, you will hear someone stating a weight in the old Imperial scale. Conversion is pretty simple. One kilogram equals 2.2 pounds (lbs). One stone (14 pounds) roughly equals six kilograms. Today, many digital weighing machines have a button that enables reading in either kilos or pounds.

phobias

Negative childhood experiences can trigger a response to re-exposure any time in life. There are lots of fears, called “phobias”

that affect many people.

Some hate the dark, or spiders, frogs, tunnels, lifts, being caught at lights between trucks—the list is unending.

Relaxation therapy, hypnotherapy or cognitive behavioural therapy can often bring a positive outcome. Talk to your GP.

Medication may be prescribed but simple drugfree options are often preferable. Most medications have adverse side effects and are best avoided unless absolutely necessary.

shower smart

Water conservation is essential. Vast amounts are wasted under running showers. These could be easily cut down by five minutes. Savings on a national scale would be immense. However, habits of a lifetime are often hard to alter. We should each review our personal routines.

cataract removal

When the cloudy lens is replaced by a new lens, vision magically returns.

Age is no barrier. It is the most amazing relatively simple operation of the century. It all started when a fighter pilot in WWII noticed that a bit of Perspex from his windshield became embedded in his eye and had no adverse reaction. Now tens of thousands are starting a new life with new vision.