feelgood 18-06-2010

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FeelgoodFriday, June 18, 2010

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PRESSURE PAYS:A little stress can be goodfor you: 4,5

WIDE NET:Why tennis can be enjoyedat any age: 6

WITH LOVE:Food and beauty gifts tomake dad’s day: 11, 14

dadscenturyst dadscenturystPadraig McNamara joins the ranks of modern fatherswho break the traditional family mould: 8,9,10

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Feelgood

HEALTH NOTES

Kate O’Reilly

WHAT’S ON

www.irishexaminer.com www.irishexaminer.comFeelgoodMag FeelgoodMag www.irishexaminer.com [email protected] Editorial: 021 4802 292 Advertising: 021 4802 215

SAFETY FIRST: Wearing a cycling helmetcan significantly reduce the risk of serioushead trauma.Picture: Getty Images

TAKING to the open roads on a bicycleduring these long summer days is a terrificway to get exercise but before you head off,spare a though for your safety.To mark National Bike Week, Acquired

Brain Injury (ABI) Ireland is asking all cy-clists to wear a helmet. Barbara O’Connell,CEO of ABI Ireland says: “Wearing a helmetis the most effective way of reducing head in-juries during bicycle collisions. The chancesof serious head trauma and lifelong disabilitiescan be reduced by between 65% to 88%when a helmet is worn during a bicycle col-lision.”An estimated 10,000 Irish people are affect-

ed by ABI every year.

Your ability to recover from an illness quick-ly depends on whether you are chilled orwound-up, according to recent research,which found relaxed people can recovertwice as quickly as those who are stressed.Professor John Weinman and his team

from the Institute of Psychiatry at King’sCollege London, inflicted a tiny ‘punch’wound on healthy volunteers with varyinglevels of stress, from low to high. Levels ofthe stress hormone cortisol were monitoredto track the differences in healing speed.

Young, free and interested in making movies?Then check out a summer course starting inMidleton, Co Cork on June 28. It offers 15to 21-year-olds a unique opportunity to

make their own movie. The week-longworkshop includes screenwriting, pre-pro-duction, production, acting for film, direc-tion, lighting, and editing principles. Con-tact Mary McGrath, co-ordinator First Cut!Youth Film Project, 086-8139019 or email:

[email protected] Irish interest in bio-identical hormoneskeeps growing. London-based Dr Paivi Ahto-nen will be holding bio-identical hormoneclinics on July 5-7 at Fuschia, 38 Pope’sQuay, Cork. To book an appointment call086-8112298. Further details about this cus-tomised treatment for out-of-kilter hormonescan be found on Dr Ahtonen’s website,www.healthlongevity.co.uk.

One in four people will get at least one con-tagious wart or verruca at some point in theirlives. Despite this, awareness of how warts arespread is low. According to a survey entitledthe Wart Report, carried out on behalf ofWartner, more than 50% of respondents didnot know that warts can be spread throughdirect and indirect contact. Almost one infour surveyed were unaware that warts werecaused by a virus.Worryingly, one in four believed that chil-

dren were the least likely group to contractwarts or verrucas. In fact, children andteenagers are more likely to suffer from wartsor verrucas because they have not yet built upenough antibodies to fight the virus.Warts and verrucas are highly contagious

and the virus thrives in moist conditions suchas swimming pools and shower rooms.■ For more information about warts, verru-cas log on to www.wartner.eu.ie.

Irene Feighan

■ HERB GARDEN: Dr Dilis Clare willopen her herb garden to the public thisSunday, from 12pm to 6pm. There willbe tours of the herb garden throughoutthe afternoon, with talks about themedicinal benefits and lore connectedto the herbs. The garden is at 44Seacrest, Knocknacarra, off the Bally-mooneen Road, Galway. Donations willbe collected at the entrance and all pro-ceeds go to The Galway Simon Com-munity and The Herbal Medicine Re-search Project, NUIG. For more informa-tion, see www.healthandherbs.ie

■ BIKE WEEK: National Bike Week,which runs until June 20, is across-community effort to highlight cy-cling as a fun, cost-effective and healthyway to travel. In Cork, the final event ofthe week is on this Sunday, when aCharity Cycle will start at 2pm at Co-láiste Choilm in Ballincollig finishing atFitzgerald’s Park with a brass band, pup-pets, fun and games. All proceeds willbe donated to Marymount Hospice. Seewww.bikeweek.ie

■ ZOO DAY: Jacob’s is celebrating thelaunch of their new Jacobs4kids biscuitswith a fun-filled day out for families inDublin Zoo on Sunday June 27, from11am to 6pm. Two kids will go free withlots of activities for them to enjoy.

■ REIKI ONE: Experience the healingenergy of reiki and learn how to treatyourself and others in a reiki one work-shop which will be given in Glanmire onJune 26 and 27. This course costs 150and proceeds will go towards funding acounselling service for the unemployed.If you would like to know more, contactMiriam on 086-0403222 or by email:[email protected]

■ HEART CLINIC: The Irish Heart Foun-dation will hold a free blood pressureand cholesterol testing clinic at theParish Centre, Carrigaline on Wednes-day next June 23 from 10am to 12pm.For more details call their Cork office on021-4505822 or if you have questionsabout stroke or heart disease you canalso contact the helpline at 1890 432787.

■ CANCER WALK: The Kerry Way Can-cer Research Walk is a 70km three-dayfundraising event that has raised nearly300,000 for cancer research in the pastfour years. Online registration is nowopen on www.kerrywaycancerwalk.iefor this year’s event which takes placefrom Friday, July 23 to Sunday, July 25.The three days of guided walks will startand finish each day in Kenmare and willincorporate some of the Kerry Way andBeara Way trails. Entries will close onFriday, July 2. For details contact thedevelopment office at Cork Cancer Re-search Centre on 021-490 1437.

■ Items for inclusion in this column canbe sent to [email protected]

The earlier the pregnancy scan the more difficult it is to interpretthe findings, says Sharon Ní Chonchúir

AS BIG AS LIFE:Some scannersare unable tosee a foetus ofsix weeks.Picture: iStock

Signs of lifeR ECENT revelations about HSE

misdiagnoses of miscarriageshave made many pregnant

women anxious. What are the things theyshould consider, if they are planning a scanin the early stages of pregnancy?“It’s a complicated area,” says Dr Sam

Coulter-Smith, master of the Rotunda ma-ternity hospital. “The earlier you scan, themore difficult it is to interpret. But thereare a number of reasons women want toscan at an early stage.”Some are motivated by the prospect of

seeing their baby for the first time, whileothers have a need for reassurance. This isespecially true of women who have sufferedectopic pregnancies, or miscarriages, in thepast.But there are reasons why doctors have

traditionally urged women to wait until thepregnancy has reached 12 weeks.“Not every six-week pregnancy looks the

same,” says Dr Coulter-Smith. “There arelots of variables to be taken into account. Ifan inexperienced person reads that scan,they may find it difficult to make a firm di-agnosis.”Many scanning machines are not designed

for early-scanning, either. “They are madeto scan a 12-week-old foetus,” says DrCoulter-Smith. “There may not be suffi-cient quality to see a foetus at six weeks.”There is also potential for confusion

about dates. Being a week out, at this stage,

can make a big difference.There is a need for re-education on this

issue, says Dr Coulter-Smith. “Prospectiveparents must accept that you can only tell acertain amount from a scan, at any particu-lar stage,” he says.“The earlier the pregnancy, the less you

can tell. And inexperienced medical staff,who are unsure, need to have the confi-dence to refer women for another scan, at alater stage.”The Miscarriage Association of Ireland is

pushing for this to be made mandatory. “Acompulsory, second scan should be carriedout in every case where a life is potentiallyat risk,” says spokesperson, June O’Toole.“If a second scan had been carried out inthe cases reported in the media, a lot of up-set would have been avoided.”Dr Coulter-Smith agrees. “There are no

medical reasons not to scan,” he says. “Any-thing that reassures parents is good, and ifthere is cause for concern, they should scanagain.”

News front

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How do you relax?I’m very content to throw the legs up onthe settee and watch TV — after a hecticday, I can easily just pop off to sleep.

Who would you invite to your dreamdinner party?Having met and chatted with her at theCork marathon, I’d invite Sonia O’Sullivan.And Paula Radcliffe, too. I admire thosewomen very much. I’d also invite PresidentMary McAleese.

When did you last cry?After the Cork marathon — my phonewas going non-stop with messages of con-gratulations from old and current friends. Itwas lovely, very emotional.

What’s your favourite smell?The countryside in April or May after ashower of rain — you get all these wonder-ful aromas.

What would you change about your ap-pearance?I’d like to do something different with myhair, maybe have it longer.

What trait do you least like in others?Dishonesty — I like people to be sincereand say what they feel.

What trait do you least like in yourself?I could organise myself a bit better. In myhead, I think I can do everything. With abit of planning, I’d take on less.

Do you pray?I do. It’s not that I set aside a time every-day but I would pray at some stage each day,often when I’m out training.

What would cheer up your day?Somebody being pleasant to me, sendingme good wishes or complimenting mywork.

Helen O’Callaghan

ONCE, twice,three times awinner: that’s

Lucy Brennan. For the thirdyear in a row, the 51-year-oldhas been the first woman overthe line at the Cork CityMarathon.With a finishing time of

two hours, 54 minutes and 41seconds, Lucy, one of Ireland’stop distance-runners, says thisyear’s Cork marathon broughtextra pressure because she’dalready won it twice before.“It’s really a very special winfor me,” says the Sligo wom-an, who admits to amazementthat she’s still top of the run-ning stakes at her age.“It amazes me and a lot of

other people. It’s dedicationreally. I have huge commit-ment to my training. It’snumber one in my day. If Ihave a very busy daywork-wise, I’ll be up at5.30am to go training.”A supervisor in the parks

department of Sligo BoroughCouncil, Lucy’s training con-sists mostly of running and alittle gym work. “The gymdoesn’t appeal as much. I love the outdoors.On an average day, I’ll do 70 to 80 minutes— at weekends, it’s more like two to threehours.”Acknowledging that she has “a very com-

petitive edge” that drives her to achieve,Lucy says Cork has other attractions besidesthe marathon. “My partner, DermotCronin, is in Cork — he’s a former run-ner.”A five-times winner of the Longford

marathon, Lucy usually runs threemarathons a year. “I’ll give my body a fewweeks to recover and then I’ll decide whatI’ll do next.”

What shape are you in?Right after the Cork run, my legs werequite sore. Generally, though, I’m in verygood shape. Feeling fit and good in myselfis important to me.

Do you have any health concerns?No, I’m very healthy. I’ve never been inhospital for anything serious. Over the yearsI have struggled with my iron levels. I was avegetarian and didn’t eat meat — no matterwhat supplement I took, I was alwaysanaemic. I went back to eating meat andsince then I feel much better and have fewerinjuries. I feel my body needs meat, butthat’s just me.

What are your healthiest eating habits?I eat lots of vegetables, a fair bit of chick-en and red meat on occasion. I love goodfood and never eat high-fat foods. I have toeat a lot of carbs. It’s very important to havea good balanced dinner each day.

What’s your guiltiest pleasure?I love fruit-cake and homemade breads.Apple and rhubarb tarts would be mydownfall.

What would keep you awake at night?I’m generally a good sleeper though I gothrough phases when I don’t sleep verywell. Coming up to a race, I can toss andturn and be anxious.

THE SHAPE I'M IN Lucy Brennan

Winning streak

In profile

LONG DISTANCE: Lucy Brennan recently won the women’s section of the Cork CityMarathon for the third time. Picture: James Connolly / PicSell8

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Feelgood Feelgood

do what you need to do to influence its out-come,” says Susan Firth, author of More Life,Less Stress ( 12 from amazon.co.uk) andstress management consultant. “That could besimply practicing, preparing, or, well, just do-ing it,” she says. Then, identify what youhave little control over and react accordingly.“If that’s a mistake you made, learn from it

research suggests some stress may have the opposite effect, says Anna Magee

and move on — don’t mull over it,” saysFirth. “If it is a situation you feel you haveno influence over, make a decision aboutwhether you will adapt to it in the best wayyou can or leave. There’s nothing more ener-gising than action towards change, even if it’sthe tiniest of steps”. (See our panel for Firth’stips on getting into the optimal stress zone).

ping point of just enough good stress to keepyou healthy. But with so much in today’shighly stressful world being out of our con-trol, is this realistic? Yes, says Dr Fleshner.“We can’t avoid stress, but the way we re-spond to a stressful situation can render itgood or bad.”“First, identify what you can control, then

We’ve been led to believe that all stress is destructive and prematurely ages us. But now

CHALLENGE YOURSELF

Regular exposureto mild stressorsleads to a buildingup of the body’sdefence systems

such as brain,immune and

muscle functionthat would

otherwise declineas we age

says, causes a defensive response in the body,which leads to a building-up of the body’sdefence systems, such as brain, immune andmuscle function, that would otherwise de-cline as we age. That strengthening process,called hormesis, means that by exposing our-selves intermittently to mild stressors, wemay, over time, protect ourselves against fur-ther, bigger challenges by, literally, buildingup our bodies’ ability to fight back, mentallyand physically. Professor Mattson is so con-vinced of the positive role stress has to play inhealthy ageing that he would, one day, like tosee “a menu of good stressors for us to incor-porate into our daily lives.”Top of that good stressor menu would be

exercise, a classic example of hormesis at

CHRONIC, relentless stress willmake you exhausted, prone to in-fection and old before your time,

right? So far, so obvious. But according to agrowing school of scientific thought, theright kind of stress could keep you young.Taken in small doses and at regular intervals,certain physical and mental stressors, such asregular, tough exercise, mind-bending intel-lectual work and even pressing deadlines,could not only strengthen your immune-sys-tem, they could also help fight some of thephysical and mental decline that — you mayhave noticed — is hard to avoid as you getolder.“There has been too much emphasis on the

unhealthy aspects of stress and the assumptionthat all types of stress are bad,” says Dr MarkMattson, director of the laboratory of neuro-sciences at the National Institute of Ageing inthe US. “But the right kind of stress can im-prove the length and quality of life.”Regular exposure to mild stressors, Mattson

work. “All the benefits we know from exer-cise, we can’t get without stressing out ourbodies a little bit,” says Dr Greg Whyte, pro-fessor of applied sport and exercise science atLiverpool John Moore’s University, and au-thor of Get Fit, Not Fat (Kyle Cathie 18).“Getting fitter is the way the body adapts toregular episodes of physical stressors.”Here’s how: your body has a natural equi-

librium day to day. Too much ongoing,chronic stress can change that too dramatical-ly, so the system breaks down and you be-come ill. But exercise in regular bouts chal-lenges this equilibrium in a positive way. Theheart rate goes up, muscle temperature andoxygen consumption rise, and, exercised reg-ularly over time, the body is forced to getstronger in response.“Naturally, our bodies function peaks in

the mid-30s,” says Professor Whyte. “Fromthen on, basic fitness, aerobic capacity, mobil-ity, flexibility and strength reduces. By forc-ing your body to adapt to the regular stress ofexercise — in any form — you can slow thatprogression down.”Second on the positive stressor list would

be stressful intellectual challenges. Theseprompt the release of brain chemicals thatstrengthen the connection between neuronsin the brain, helping it process informationmore efficiently. “If you don’t expose yourmind periodically to mild stress, then cells es-sentially become complacent and say ‘hey, wedon’t have any reason to get stronger, becausewe’re never exposed to any stress,” says Pro-fessor Mattson.In his laboratory studies, animals exposed

to good stressors showed higher levels of BD-NF, a brain protein associated with a loweredrisk of Alzheimer’s disease.So, next you time you feel despair about

the stressful nature of your job or thatbrain-crunching medieval history courseyou’ve signed up for, don’t complain, it couldbe keeping you young. “Keeping mentallyactive with regular mental challenges — evenif they seem stressful at the time — could en-hance brain function as we age,” says Profes-sor Mattson. A 2002 University of Texasstudy found that people engaged in meaning-ful, mentally-challenging, and occasionallystressful, professions enjoyed better health andlived for up to ten years longer than theircounterparts who did boring, passive work.As we get older, our immune system de-

clines, too. But studies from the University ofColorado-Boulder found that animals ex-posed to small amounts of good stress are alsomore efficient at fighting infections thanthose that are not exposed to any stress.“When the stress response is turned on forshort, sharp bouts, you get all the positivebenefits of stress,” says Dr Monika Fleshner,professor of integrative physiology, who ledthe studies. “The pupils dilate, so you seebetter, blood circulation pumps faster, andmuscles become more active, in preparationfor ‘fight or flight’. All this builds up the im-mune system, so it becomes more efficient atbacteria-killing.”As with most things, when it comes to

healthy, anti-ageing stress, balance is key.That’s why experts now talk about findingour ‘optimal stress zone’ — the perfect tip-

Picture: Getty Images

Get intothe zone

MUSIC MATTERS: Music can give you a needed boost to get you moving as well as helpcalm you down. Picture: Getty Images

THE right amount of stress can be ener-gising and anti-ageing, say experts,while too little can lead to disease and

make us old before our time. Here’s how tostrike a balance, from stress expert SueFirth, author of More Life, Less Stress(from Amazon.co.uk 12).

NOT ENOUGH STRESS?Fire up your system up and get the ener-gising benefits of good stress into your life.■ Breathe shallowly. Yes, that’s shallowly.For five minutes, about half an hour beforeyou have to go on stage or take that scaryinterview, pant through your mouth withvery shallow breaths. It’s energising and willget adrenalin pumping through your system— before such events adrenalin is the hor-mone that makes up perform at our best.■ Move it! Get some fast, upbeat musicon your iPod and go for a long, energisingwalk — preferably outside. The combina-tion of movement and daylight boosts sero-tonin and lifts mood so you feel instantlyenergised. Choose upbeat music that’saround 120 beats per minute (most dancemusic — 40-somethings think Duran Du-ran, Madness and Adam & The Ants).■ Call your biggest fan. Too few stressfulchallenges over the long-term can ironicallyhave the same effect as too many, leaving usde-motivated and with a lack of belief inourselves. If you feel like this, call a friendwho believes in you.

TOO MUCH STRESS?Control chronic stress and reap the physi-cal and mental benefits, with these simplestrategies■ Breathe deeply. Sounds obvious, but it’susually the last thing we think of doingwhen we’re under stress. There’s no pointtrying to reason or think yourself out of animmediate stressful situation as your systemis being flooded with stress hormones re-sponding to the challenge and you’re beingprepared to literally fight or flight. By tak-ing five deep, slow breaths into your bellyand diaphragm, you can harness the moti-

vating effects of those hormones, and lessenfeelings of overwhelm.■ Slow it down. Music is a powerfulcalming influence and studies have shownthat classical music (in particular the musicof Beethoven, Brahms and Debussy) cansoothe the effects of stress.

■ Call someone practical. Most of ushave one friend who seems to effortlesslydeal with an endless list of demands on herpersonal and work time. Next time you feelyou’re drowning in demands on your timeand energy, call her and ask for some prac-tical wisdom. She’ll probably be flattered.

Don’t stressover stressHOW can we tell the difference be-tween bad stress that makes us oldand narky and good stress thatcould be the fountain of youth?

As a general rule, say experts,positive stressful challenges havetwo characteristics — they are with-in our control (or seem to be) andthey have a beginning and an endin sight. For example, training for amarathon — your performance isup to your training to a degree, andthe stress of it ends at the finishline. Work deadlines, nerve-wreck-ing public speaking or presenta-tions, piano recitals or perfor-mances and ex-ams are all ex-amples of goodstress, becauseyou can influ-ence your ownperformance bypracticing orpreparation and— even if theyfeel endless atthe time — eachwill always haveits own finish point, after which youcan rest.

“Stressful times that are control-lable and voluntary seem to begood for you” says Professor Matt-son. “Particularly if you’re engagedin something that is challenging toyou physically or mentally, if thereis an end in sight and they are fol-lowed by periods of recuperation.”

On the other hand, chronic andongoing stress that is out of ourcontrol is often called ‘psychosocial’stress by psychologists — think badbosses, an unhappy marriage, iso-lated social life or money problemsthat don’t let up, says David Alpert,founder of the Institute of Anti-Age-ing in London. “Chronic, ongoingstress over time wears out thebody’s supply of stress hormonessuch as adrenaline and cortisol,”says Alpert. “In small, regular dosesthese hormones keep us vital.But chronic stress wearsout our bodies’ ability toproduce those and oth-er vital hormones. Overtime, that constantstress leads not only toheart attacks, depressionand suppressed immunefunction but also disrupt-ed sleep, premature wrin-kles and greying hair.”

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Feelgood

The ball’s inyour court

Tennis can be played at any age. It’s a game and a way of life, says John Daly

LOVE ALL

COURT MASTER: Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Sweden's Robinmatch for the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris,

Soderling during a men's finalsearlier this month.

Picture: AP Photo/Michel Euler

OVER the next two weeks,McEnroe, Federer and Shara-pova wannabes all over the

world will suddenly appear at tenniscourts, inspired by the drama and wonderof Wimbledon. As happens every yeararound this time, tennis players, old andyoung, rediscover that unused racquet, pluscool headband, and make a beeline totheir local club, or public courts, for im-mersion in an activity described as “agame for life.”Whether you’re a gutsy 16-year-old

itching to flake the fur off a Tretorn Xball, or a sprightly 66-year-old keen tokeep brain synapses and back joints in sup-ple condition, tennis is, as Pete Samprasonce said: “A state of mind, a way of lifethat never leaves you.”Regardless of your age or grade, tennis is

more than a game of serve, volley, andsmash. When you stroll on court, you car-ry a whole lot more than just racquet andballs — add personality, character, andtemperament as essentials in any kit bag.When Billie Jean King called it “a game ofviolent action in an atmosphere of totaltranquillity,” she got it spot on. Requiringflexibility, aerobic fitness, and mental agili-ty, it’s a sport where the highest peak is al-ways on the distant horizon and perfectiona lifelong quest, from the teenager to theseptuagenarian.Declan Bray, a coach at Cork’s Sports

Village (www.sportsvillagecork.com), wit-nesses first-hand the daily rivalry andfriendship the game fosters among its fol-lowers. “I’ll often see a pair of 40-some-things engaged in battle as intense as any-thing served up by McEnroe and Borg onthe hallowed lawns of Wimbledon,” hesays.“The competition that began in their ju-

nior coaching days is still as intense 35years on. Having played together since

childhood, they are pretty evenly matched,so the result is always in doubt and it chal-lenges them to see if they can come upwith something special each week to tryand gain an edge,” he says.“Their love of the game, and the fact

that their matches swing back and forth,keeps them interested and challenged. Atthe end, they shake hands and talk aboutthe shot that Federer would have beenproud of, if only it didn’t hit the net, and,as they head off for their morning coffee,you’ll always hear them say; ‘Same timenext week?’ That, in essence, is what thegame is all about.”In a sport where physical and mental de-

velopment are constant companions, tennisdevelops aerobic fitness, speed, strength,motor control, coordination and flexibility.

Emotionally, it develops the ability tomanage mistakes and adversity, plan strate-gically, win and lose graciously, and acceptresponsibility.“People who participate in tennis three

hours per week, at moderately vigorousintensity, cut their risk of death in halffrom any cause,” says Dr Jack Groppel, afellow in the American College of SportsMedicine. It is a sentiment echoed byfindings of the British Journal of SportsMedicine, in 2006: “The health of veterantennis players is improved by enhancedaerobic capacity, greater bone densities inspecific regions, lower body fat, greaterstrength, and maintained reaction-timeperformance, in comparison withage-matched but less active controls.”Additionally, the American Academy of

Neurology found “activities that reducethe risk of cognitive decline, that cancome with ageing, include playing tennistwice a week.”So, whether you’re a tentative 40-some-

thing who has never played before, or agutsy 10-year primadonna keen to emulateVenus Williams, the courts are ready andwaiting — all that’s required is your en-thusiasm. “Anyone can take up tennis, re-gardless of age,” says Bray. “The Interna-tional Tennis Federation has introduced aprogramme for beginner adults calledServe, Rally, Score, where you can, literal-ly, start playing a match during your firstlesson.” Similarly, membership of a clubneed not be a barrier.“Most clubs will run open days to attract

new members and give an opportunity tosample club activities and atmosphere,” hesays. “Joining a club can be very rewardingas you become part of the wider tenniscommunity, but pay-and-play facilities areanother alternative, with junior and adultcoaching programmes going on all yearround.”

WANT to sharpen your game? Then, here aresome tips:

1Training time pays dividends:weight training, leg exercises,and short sprints will improveyour on-court play. Talk toyour gym trainer about aprogramme.

2 Eat properly: This countswith all sports, and particularlywith tennis. Bananas or Jaffa cakes are afavourite during matches.

3 Warm up: make time in the changingroom for stretching the limbs and joints,before hitting any balls. It helps to keep youinjury-free.

4 Find a routine: if tennis is your sport, tryto give it the time it deserves and set aside atleast two, 90-minute sessions a week.

5Get a good attitude: there’s only oneJohn McEnroe, and while we all like a goodshowman, it really doesn’t work to be a con-stant moaner across the net.

6 Drink plenty of water: stencil this one onyour forehead. Replacing fluids is a must.

7 Believe: even though it’s become a clichéphrase used in all sports advertising thesedays, you really do need to trust in your ownabilities.

8 Have courage: Stosur was the odds-onfavourite to beat the older, and slowerSchiavone in the French ladies’ final thisyear, but it didn’t work out like that. Atextbook example of heart over head.

9 Give tennis its due respect: invest inyourself with the odd lesson and goodequipment — it will pay for itself a hundred-fold.

10 Love every moment: you’re active andalive playing a sport you love, in the openair. What’s not to like?

Some jargonAce — a winning serve, often followed bya superior smirk.

entre court — a place of ultimateachievement we all strive for.

Drop shot — a ball which barely clearsthe net, only to drop dead, leaving youropponent tired and emotional.

Love — the tennis word for zero, comesfrom the French for egg — l’oeuf — sym-bolising nothing. Yes, it is weird.

Topspin — makes the ball jump and thereceiver fume.

Umpire — the referee. Known by avariety of other words.

MATCH SET:Tennis coachDeclan Braysays the gameencouragesrivalry andfriendshipsamong itsfollowers.Picture: DenisMinehane

Just do it

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Tony Humphreys

When we aredepressed we draw

some attention to thedarkness within, but

we still not dareexpress to our

significant other thetruth of feeling

abandoned, judged,controlled, invisible

From depression to addiction, many conditionsare ‘self-created’ to highlight the loneliness within

Body wisdom

Picture: CorbisTHERE is often an aggressive reaction to the sug-gestion that illness may be created to heal woundsto the emotional self, to the soul. People say: ‘Do

you mean to tell me that I brought this illness upon my-self? — That’s mad.’ A medical colleague responded simi-larly, saying: ‘You are blaming people for their illnesses.’On the contrary, I am drawing attention to the awesomepower of the self to heal the deepest disease of all — alien-ation from one’s unique and sacred presence.Consider the other ways a person reveals his or her dark

inner terrain:■ depression,■ chronic anxiety,■ obsessiveness,■ perfectionism,■ aggression,■ addiction to substances,■ addiction to work,■ addiction to what others think and say,■ addiction to the ‘body beautiful’,■ hallucinations.Are we saying ‘these creations are off the wall?’ It may

be easier to accept that the foregoing, distressing symptomsare creations in times of emotional danger, but physical ill-ness has the same compassionate intention.Each of the conditions mentioned is cleverly devised to

draw attention to a troubled interiority. It is not that aperson wakes up one morning and consciously decides‘I’m going to create a depression or, indeed, an illness to-day’. No, this process occurs unconsciously.Be reassured, when the self has the emotional safety to

be authentic it will express openly its unresolved hurts andseek the help and support needed for these wounds to behealed. The hope is that its unconsciously created depres-sion or illness will be detected by some mature individual,or wellbeing practitioner, as a symptom of a hidden self —and not flown in vain.Depression is deep emotional pain — no words can cap-

ture its utter despair. But without that emotional pain —like physical pain — we would not know what needs tobe healed. For example, we can unwittingly cut ourselves,and the physical pain compassionately draws attention tothe wound. The pain is not the enemy, it is a creative ally.Whatever the presenting condition is — for example, anx-iety, depression, substance addiction, migraine headache,heart disease, back-pain — there is no enemy within.When individuals believe there is an enemy — like depres-sion or heart disease — and they rant and rave at the injus-tice of it, they are creating yet another defence, becausethere exists no safety in their relationships to voice thehidden emotional pain of not mattering.At least when we are depressed we draw some attention

— albeit of a substitute nature — to the darkness within,but we still not dare express to the significant other —parent, teacher, lover, spouse, sister, brother, boss, doctor— the truth of feeling abandoned, judged, controlled, lessthan others, invisible.

Nevertheless, being able to talk about being depressed,despairing, even being suicidal is some comfort — thoughcold comfort — and protects from utter despair. However,if somebody was to spot what one really needs to talkabout — how even more creative the depression then be-comes. Now, real rather than substitute resolution is possi-ble and the sky is the limit.I believe illness offers similar opportunities — either at

the substitute or real level. It is so understandable how re-luctant we are to let go of the idea that illnesses are ran-dom happenings over which we have no control. Under-standably, because illness is one of the most powerful waysof being able to talk about feeling, and being, sick withoutrevealing what you are truly and deeply sick of — emo-tional abandonment. At least when you are sick you arehighly likely to receive attention in the form of sympathy,nurturance, kindness, old wives’ remedies, visits to thedoctor and medical ‘cures’. Who would not be sick whenyour daily diet has been one of harsh rejection, or of notbeing worthy of consideration. Illness in such situations is acompassionate and creative balm to the deeper, underlyingwounds.Ultimately, the causes of all human misery lie in a lack of

loving. When illness becomes the means to either reducethe intensity of such abandonment, or brings to light theunbearable plight of having been hidden for so long, it issurely an ally, never the enemy.

■ Dr Tony Humphreys is a clinical psychologist and au-thor of several books on practical psychology, includingThe Compassionate Intentions of Illness, which is co-au-thored with Helen Ruddle.

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FEELGOOD

A DIFFERENT VIEWON LIFESTYLEYour guide to fitness, health, happiness and lifestyle.Great writers and mentors.Where you come first.

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Feelgood

Once the family unit was sacrosanct. It consisted of a working dad and a mum who stayed at home to care for the children. Fast forward to the 21st century and things couldn’tbe more different: the majority of mums now work outside the home, it’s not uncommon to have stay-at-home dads and divorce is on the increase. The word family has becomean elastic concept embracing a broad spectrum of lifestyles. This Father’s Day, we celebrate the dads who don’t live up to the old stereotypes. Sue Leonard reports

Father’s Day

DADDIES UNLIMITEDTHEYOUNGDAD

THESINGLE

DAD

Even before I had Hugo, I wasbored with the nightlife My children are so precious. Taking early retirement

was the best decision I ever made

THEPART-TIMEDAD Darragh has

given me asense ofmeaning andpurpose

● PAGE 10: Thegay dad and theat-home dad

CLOSE BOND: College student Liam Duff and his son Hugo at home in Kinsale.Picture: Denis Minihane

LIAM DUFF, now 21, hadn’t planned tobecome a father at 19, but he’d alwayswanted to be a young dad.“I always thought that would be

good,” says Liam. “My father was 35when he had me. I was always awareof that gap.”A third year student of environmen-

tal plant biotechnology at UCC, Liammisses out on the extra-curricular ac-tivities. It’s an hour’s bus trip to gethome to Kinsale to Hugo and to hispartner Charlotte Cargin.“People say, ‘Shouldn’t you be trav-

elling, or in nightclubs binge drinking’,but I was never, really into all that. Ienjoyed my Leaving Certificate holi-day, but even in first year, before I hadHugo, I got bored with the nightlife.

“The best thing about being a dad, isHugo’s ability to be always happy. How-ever upset you might be, Hugo will comein and give you a hug. If he walks into aroom you can’t help but smile. He’s al-ways jumping around laughing. It’s con-tagious and has an uplifting effect. Hecan be frustrating, and I get frustratedwith him, but that’s a small thing.“I hope Hugo and I have a good mutual

respect for each other. I hope I can be agood friend who can influence him. I’dlike to help him acquire a good spiritualcompass, because if one has that, life canbe much easier.”

Liam on Father’s Day: “I think fathersshould be recognised, but I’m not sure fa-ther’s day is the way to do it.”

FORMER GARDA: Declan Keaveney with the youngest of his three children, Cathal.

DECLAN KEAVENEY, 53, separated from hiswife in 2005. From the outset he want fullcustody of the children — Coran, 14. Ciara,12 and Cathal, 10 — which he gained aftertwo years.At first, Maynooth-based Declan hired a

nanny and continued working as a Garda.He adored his job, and gained constant pro-motion, but he gave it up for the sake of hischildren.“It was the best decision I ever made,”

says Declan, who took early retirement twoyears ago. “My children are so precious,and this is the most important time in theirlives. I think it is vital for me to be there for

them. I think one or both parents should al-ways be there.”Before he got custody, Declan took a par-

enting course. “That was wonderful,” hesays. “It gave me confidence. It was good todiscuss ways of parenting with other parents.“I give the children boundaries. I think kids

like them. They test them occasionally tocheck they are still there.”The best thing about being a dad, Declan

says, is the satisfaction he gets seeing thechildren go off to school with a smile on theirfaces.“To see that is fantastic. I got satisfaction

from being a garda, from passing exams and

from extra-curricular activities, but it wasnothing compared to the satisfaction I getfrom parenting. It’s challenging, but life is nogood if there are no challenges. The worstthing is when one of them gets hurt.”He wife died earlier this year. Is life harder

for the children?“Yes, in one way. She was a good mother

when she was here. We go to the grave, butshe is gone from their lives.”

Declan on Father’s Day: “It doesn’t meana whole lot, but I think fathers should beequal to mothers. It’s important to givefathers recognition.”

BABY LOVE: Padraig McNamara with his son Darragh, aged 10 months. Picture:Maxwell’s

WHEN Pádraig McNamara, 23, firstdiscovered he was to be a dad, hewas shocked to the core.“It was ‘whoa!’ I didn’t think I

was ready,” says Pádraig. “Itwasn’t planned. But when Darragh,now 10 months, was born, it wasbrilliant. I was at the birth and I wasdazed with emotion.”At the time Pádraig was living

with Darragh’s mum, but the rela-tionship didn’t work out. So hemoved home to Mulhuddart. Hehas mutually-agreed custody ofDarragh for three or four days ev-ery week — usually from Mondayuntil Thursday, leaving him free towork over the weekend.“Being a dad is really reward-

ing,” says Pádraig. “It’s delightfuljust to watch your son, and to seehow quickly he grows, and howquickly he learns. Darragh has giv-en me a sense of meaning and pur-pose — he’s given my life a senseof direction.“He’s a little angel. There’s not a

bother on him. He’s easy to look af-ter and he’s a great lad. He’s alwayshappy. When I was still with Laura Imissed my freedom, but I still havethat now.“My mother has taken to the

grandmother role well. If I’m work-ing — as a barman — she will mindDarragh for me.“I have great plans for Darragh. I

want him to learn languages and tolearn a musical instrument. I wanthim to have better than I had — mydad was absent from a young age.I’ll teach him strong family values.I’m determined to be a good dad.”

Pádraig on Father’s Day: “It’sjust a date, a bit like Valentine’sDay. You should be a good dad allthe time. It means nothing.”

Cover story


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Feelgood

Father’s Day

THE

AT-H

OM

ED

AD

THE

GAY

DA

D Fatherhood is hugely important tome. I’ve always stayed involved

When the children have a problem, theycome to me. I love those intimate moments

HANGING OUT: Xaun Busto is seen here with his children, Isolina, six, and three-year-old Fionn. Picture: Maura Hickey

XUAN BUSTO, dad to Isolina, six,and Fionn, three, was once acomputer engineer working withIntel. But three years ago, whenhe was offered redundancy, hedecided to take it and follow hisdreams. A keen photographer, heset up a business, asturpho-to.com, fitting his work aroundthe children, whom he cares forat home.“My wife Shauna works in

admin in a university,” saysXuan. “The children were in acrèche full time early on. And wedidn’t want that. After 15 years ofworking in a job with a lot ofstress, it was good to take abreak. I may go back in the future,but right now, I’m enjoying beingwith the children.”It’s not all easy. There are times

when Xuan finds it difficult tokeep his cool. Like when Fionnlocked himself into the bathroom,or when the children spend theirtime fighting. And it can also belonely.“I feel a bit left out at the school

gates. I tend not to be included in‘play dates’. I had a friend whowas an at home dad too. But heonly lasted a year. That was hardfor me. I miss him a lot.“The best thing is getting to

know the children. When theyhave a problem, they come tome. I love those intimatemoments.“There are times I want to bang

my head against a wall. Parentingis hard, but I wouldn’t change itfor the world.”

Xuan on Father’s Day: “It’sgood to give dad’s recognition. Ithink that’s important.”

COMING OUT: Brian Finnegan had his sonColm, seen here as a baby with him,before he coming to terms with his ownsexuality. Picture: Maura Hickey

BRIAN FINNEGAN, 45, is the editor of GayCommunity News. When he was in hislate teens, he wasn’t thinking about havingchildren. Though he was gay, he wantedto be heterosexual.“I was unhappy about being gay when I

met my son’s mother. We hit it off, and be-gan to have a sexual relationship. Ithought: ‘Hurrah I am part of the club’.”By the time Brian’s son Colm was born,

he realised he couldn’t be straight.“We stayed together until he was a year

old, to give each other support — by thenI’d grown into myself. We separated, butwe’ve always stayed friends. We take ourrole as parents very seriously and I’ve al-ways stayed involved.“My son was aware that I had my part-

ner and that he was always part of my life— when we stayed in his mum’s house in

Co Mayo, we always had ‘our room’, but wedidn’t tell him I was gay until he was nine.He took it well.“The first time one of his friends inquired

about my sexuality was when he was 17. Heasked the friend how he knew and he said:‘Your dad has all the Sex and the City DVDs.’We had a good laugh about that.“Fatherhood is hugely important to me.

And I know my role has been equally impor-tant to him. He has two male role models,his stepfather and myself. He’s been rolemodelled by a gay man who is liberal and alover of equality and diversity in the world.Along with his mother, I’ve been instrumen-tal in shaping who he has become.“I know my relationship with my son is in-

credibly important to him. And he hasgrounded me in many ways I would nothave been. He’s made me happier as aresult.”

Brian on Father’s Day: “It’s usually thesame day as my birthday, so Father’s Daygets shoved to one side. But it’s good torecognise fathers.”

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You’re the best, dad

Roz Crowley

Father’s Day

DADDY’S GIRL:Get Father’s Dayall wrapped upwith thoughtfulfoodie gifts thatwon’t break thebank.Picture: Getty Images

IDESPITE cut-backs on spending,there’s no need to cut back on gifts forfathers on their special day. This year,

make sure it not just the thought thatcounts, but the taste, too.

A well-chosen foodie gift can provideshared pleasure and fun. Make a few biscuits,put them in a fun mug, make a mad apron,buy long-handled tongs for the barbecue, ajug to fluff up cappuccino (Bodum make astylish one), a salad spinner, a photographframe, flowers and potted plants — all thethings women often receive on Mother’sDay. Men can appreciate them, too.

Or give the gift of time and make a sump-tuous breakfast, lunch or dinner for him.Whatever you choose, make a card (with avoucher for chores or breakfast at home),and your love will shine through.

Fair Trade fruit chocolate and nutcookies, 180g 2.20

These biscuits are just what men like —chunky chocolate (6.5% of plain choco-late pieces), 7.5% raisins and 6%hazlenuts, whichcombine with quitea lot of sugar, veg-etable fat and a fewadditives, but theyare a treat for specialoccasions. Good tosupport fair trade andOxfam, while puttinga smile on dad’ssweet-toothed face.

Cookery classes

At Sugar Café and Patisserie, patissierChristine Girault, pictured here, will pro-vide a special Father’s Day class on aThursday or Friday evening after work,for men who want to learn to make Dan-ish pastries, brioche,chocolatines, orfruits tarts, such asFrench apple tartand pear and al-mond tart. Excellentvalue for 45. Fordetails phone 021-4806530. In Dungar-van, The Tannery’sbarbecue classes area treat for daddy, atwww.tannery.ie.

Badger & Dodo coffee

Brock Lewin’s artisan roastery in Fer-moy, Co Cork is producing excellentcoffee for cafes and for sale in specialityshops and markets. A regular judge atbarista competitions, this Australianknows his stuff. A packet of coffeemakes a great gift and not too expen-sive at 6.95 for 250g.

Cheese

Rounds of cheese make terrific gifts andI like this latest presentation of jars ofcubes of Irish sheep’s cheese in olive oil.The same idea as Boilie cheese, Knock-alara comes from Cappoquin, Co Water-ford, and is made with vegetarian ren-net, no additives, and good extra-virginolive oil: 5.90 for 200g. Pairwith speciality crackers,such as organic, whole-grain, seeded spelt fromBaking Emporium: 4.99for 200g.

Hadji Bey’s Turkish Delight

These deliciously rose-perfumed sweetswill be familiar to over-40s from Cork,where Turkish Delight was once theheight of foodie style. Made in Corksince 1902, when it was set up by an Ar-menian, Harutun Batmazian, it is nowproduced in Co Kildare and appears inspeciality shops. In attractive, reusable,round boxes, fair valueat 8.95 for 250g.The ChocolateShop, Cork’s EnglishMarket.

Foie GrasIf daddy has a taste for French food, foiegras is a sophisticated treat. A small jarwill go a long way, and at 7.80 for 90g,you can treat him to a bottle of sweetwine to accompany it. Choose one fromMadiran in the south west of France,close to the region the liver comes from.Les Larmes Celestes is 15.60 for 750ml.Foie gras and wine can be found at thePig’s Back, Cork’s English Market.

Rosette lolly

Instead of a card, this foil-wrappedchocolate lollipop says I’m the Best!35% cocoa solids and more sugar thanwe would all like, but 28g won’t do himtoo much harm. 2.19 from Marks &Spencer.

Marinated artichoke hearts

Artichoke hearts taste of summer andare used less by us in Ireland than inthe rest of Europe, but make a welcomeaddition to salads. Pair with soft cheese,roasted peppers, grated raw courgettes.For Father’s Day, wrap in a pretty bowwith a sprig of rosemary thyme or bayleaves. Both Lidl and Aldi have good ex-amples. 1.69 for 280g.

Food gifts


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Feelgood

CatherineShanahan

MUM’S WORLD

CatherineShanahan

MUM’S WORLD

Dr Niamh Houston is aGP with a specialinterest in integrativemedicine. If you have aquestion about your child’shealth email it [email protected] send a letter toFeelgoodIrish ExaminerCity QuarterLapps QuayCork

Dr NiamhHouston

FAMILY

NOTE: The information contained in Dr Houston’s column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor first

PACKING prowess is a gift womensimply do not possess. A man canprep in 10 minutes and put every-

thing he thinks he needs in a five-kilo bag.A woman finds it spatially challenging and20 kilos is never enough. She is more thanhappy to pick up the 15 kilos of slackunutilised by her partner.Trying to crush two weeks’ wardrobe into

a supersized suitcase can cause panic attacks.While he settles down to Subbuteo —socks, jocks, razors, wirecutter and swissarmy knife rammed into his knapsack —she is in a tizzy upstairs, trying to teamshoes with skirts and handbags and weepingat having to chose between her Twin Turbo3200 hairdryer or her mini styler GHD IV.This time around, she must cater for two

kids as well and packing lists are written andrewritten to make sure nothing is forgotten.That extra 15 kilos of comfort is no longer

there just for her. Indeed, her entire holidayattire is compromised by the clothing re-quirements of children seduced by grime.She removes two of the six pairs of sandals

essential to keep her in style and one of thefour pairs of togs in a show of trying tomake room for the children’s soft toys. Shewould happily leave them at home (the toys,not the children) but knows there’s no sleepwithout Tedzer. Her crownless KentuckyDerby giant sunhat with matching sun god-dess t-shirt is forced to give way to a playshade, a kiddie tent to keep the cancer raysat bay.She wipes away a tear as she removes two

of the three bottles of after-sun bio-maplefortified treatment shampoo, enriched withginseng and green tea, to make way forJohnson’s tearless variety. She knows there’sno point in packing 10 books — the lasttime she read more than a page before

collapsing into a sleep-starved coma, was pre2006 — but she needs to keep up the pre-tense of having some stamina.She is not looking forward to the flight

and in the past would have handled thepanic with a gin and a vial of valium butairport authorities and other intending pas-sengers may not look kindly on a motherdousing herself with drugs. And so shewould have to stay sober and lucid andwithstand the terror of travel at 45,000ft.She completes the cramming over a

48-hour period, having packed and un-packed more often then a drugs mule.Sixty kilos of apparel is surely enough? Andshe still has her carry-on, although that mayrequire a hoist or at least the goodwill ofher children’s father.She lies back on the bed, flogged, and

prays to escape the fate of a busman’sholiday.

QWHAT can I do aboutheadaches duringpregnancy? I get themalmostdaily — my doctor

says there’s nothing to worryabout, and has recommendedparacetamol, but I’d rather nottake medication. I have heard ofherbal headache remedies, such asfeverfew and butterbur — are theysafe to take in pregnancy?

A. You’re not at the mercy of yourheadaches. There’s much you can doto prevent or relieve headaches dur-ing pregnancy, besides taking medi-cation. The most likely cause is ten-sion due to changes in muscles andligaments. A headache may also belinked to pain or imbalance in theback, or to tiredness or anxiety.You may find it helpful to keep a

headache diary to keep track of yourmeals, activities, and headaches forone to two weeks. This can helppinpoint what triggers theheadaches.Have a balanced diet and eat

smaller, more frequent mealsthroughout the day. This can keepyour blood sugar on an even keel,which may help prevent headaches.Try a daily walk, even for only10-15 minutes, or another form ofgentle aerobic exercise. Practising re-laxation exercises, such as deepbreathing, yoga or visualisation, willhelp. Consider bio-feedback. Thismind-body technique can teach youto control certain bodily functions— such as heart rate, muscle ten-sion and blood pressure, which mayhelp prevent headaches or reducetheir frequency.Make sure you stay well-hydrated

and keep to a regular sleep routine.And beware of poor posture, as this,or muscle tension, can result inheadaches, especially as weight gainoccurs during pregnancy.When a headache occurs, rest, if

you can, in a quiet room with your eyesclosed. Try a cold compress on the back ofyour neck, or a warm compress (such as a hottowel) to your face, eyes and temples. Rubbingyour temples may help, or ask someone tomassage your shoulders and neck.Herbal remedies, such as fever few and but-

terbur, aren’t recommended during pregnancy.Acupuncture is safe to try and may provide re-lief. Homeopathic remedies that are used forheadaches include Natrum Mur, Bryonia,Sepia, Nux Vomica and Gelsenium. Headachesare sometimes difficult to self-prescribe — youmay want to consult a homeopath.It’s best to call your doctor if you have a sud-

den or extremely intense headache, particularly

if it is associated with visual changes,swelling in your legs and upper abdominaldiscomfort. These can be features of highblood pressure and pre-eclampsia, whichneeds urgent medical treatment.

Q. I’m concerned about my elderlymother who’s in her 70s. When I waswith her, recently, in the car, she wasdriving erratically. I don’t know if she wasjust tired, as it had been a long day, butshe didn’t seem to have noticed anythingwas wrong. I don’t want to take away herindependence, but how can I ensure sheis safe on the roads?

A. As we get older, changes in our vi-sion, attention and physical abilitiescan cause us to drive less safely.Sometimes, these changes happen soslowly that the driver is not evenaware that safety is at risk. Look forthe following warning signs in herdriving: drives too slowly or tooquickly; often gets lost, even on fa-miliar routes; stops at a green light orat the wrong time; doesn’t seem tonotice other cars, cyclists or pedestri-ans on the road; is beeped at or passedoften; reacts slowly to driving situa-tions; doesn’t obey stop signs or trafficlights.If you are concerned about your

mother’s driving, talk to her and ex-press your concerns. Explain why, andgive specific reasons — for example,getting lost or breaking a red light.Your mother may become defensiveor upset — as you have mentioned,driving is important for independenceand self-esteem. Don’t bring up yourconcerns in the car, as it is dangerousto distract the driver. If your motherdoesn’t want to talk about her driv-ing, bring it up again, later. Showingyour concern and continued supportwill help her feel more comfortabletalking about this topic.A good place to start is to encour-

age your mother to visit her doctor.He can check her medical history, listof medicines, and current health.There may be a simple and treatableexplanation for the deterioration inher driving, such as cataracts. If thereare any medical concerns, he maywant your mother to undergo a spe-cific driving test for the elderly.At some point in the future, you

may be faced with the reality thatyour mother will need to stop driv-ing, for her own safety and that ofthe others on the road. You may ar-rive at this decision yourselves, or atthe recommendation of the doctor.Let your mother know that she hasyour support, and offer help willing-ly, if you can.

There are several things you can do tomake this easier — create a transportationplan to include phone numbers of friends orrelatives who can help out with lifts — thedays and times they are available. Contacther local community centre or church to seeif they have a volunteer driver programme.Help her shop from home and arrange formedicines and shopping to be delivered.Don’t forget to include transport to socialactivities — visiting friends and keepingspirits high are especially important duringthis time of adjustment, as well as benefitinghealth and well-being.■ See www.seniorcare.ie and www.friendsoftheelderly.ie

Practising relaxationexercises such as deep

breathing, yoga orvisualisation will help

relieve headaches

Picture: iStock

Medical matters


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XH - V1

Deirdre O'Flynn

MOSTLY MEN

DId you know...

Outdoor festival essentialsTAKE 4

Stay on the ballover AS symptoms

S TOKE City and formerIrish international playerRory Delap, renowned for

his devastating throw-in, has launchedBack in Play, a campaign to raiseawareness of ankylosing spondylitis(AS), a poorly understood conditionwhich can affect the lower back.

Most common in young men, AS isa type of inflammatory arthritis. Thesymptoms, typically low back pain andstiffness, can be subtle and are oftenoverlooked or confused with sportsinjuries or common back pain,meaning it can take as long as 11 yearsto be accurately diagnosed.

“Most football fans will not haveheard about AS, yet statistics show thatup to one in 200 will have it,” saysDelap. “It is understandable that someof the symptoms like lower back painare often written off as a sports injuryor bad posture. However, there aresome key subtleties such as the paingetting better with exercise and havingpainful, red eyes, that can indicate AS.

Test your skills with the game on thewebsite and check out the symptoms atthe same time.”

The campaign, supported by theAnkylosing Spondylitis InternationalFederation (ASIF), includes the Back inPlay website, www.back-in-play.com,funded by Pfizer, The site features a foot-ball game which tests a player’s throw-inskills while highlighting the symptoms ofAS that can differentiate it from otherback pain.

Visitors to the site can also watch athrow-in master class from Rory Delap,review a symptom checklist compiled byASIF, find out more information aboutthe condition through patient and doctor

interviews and explore links to patientsupport groups.

Most commonly, but not exclusive-ly, found in young men, AS symp-toms typically start in the late teensand early 20s, causing severe, chronicpain and discomfort.

While there is no cure for AS, DrAlexander Fraser, consultantrheumatologist at Limerick RegionalHospital, says it can be well managed.“There are now several effective treat-ment options available for AS,” saysDr Fraser.

“Treatments aim to reduce pain andstiffness, to preserve and improvefunction and ultimately to preventdamage. These treatments include ex-pert physiotherapy which has beenthe traditional cornerstone of therapy,the conventional anti-inflammatorydrugs and in the past few years thenewer biologic drugs, which arehighly effective, have revolutionisedthe treatment of severe AS and trans-formed the lives of many sufferers.”

Recession hitssport participation Vitamin B

helps toreduce riskof lung cancerSource: Journal of the American MedicalAssociation

New running shoes mimicnatural, barefoot postureA CORK company has responded toHarvard research by launchingfootwear that’s similar to walkingbarefoot. Researchers at Harvardare saying barefoot may be betterthan wearing shoes, provided youare on the right surface or have‘barefoot’ protection. The study indi-cated that people who ran long dis-tances ‘barefoot’ wereless prone to injury thanthose in high-perfor-mance running shoes.BAREFOOT.IE has

brought Vibram FiveFin-gers shoes, pictured, toIreland. The shoes arecausing a shift in run-ning and sport, says

Owen Loughrey, MD, BAREFOOT.IE.“Our bodies are naturally perfect indesign, and not flawed: VibramFiveFingers shoes allow our feet totake back full functional controlwhen hiking, running, weight train-ing, fitness, kayaking, sailing, yoga,or just simply living.”Loughrey began wearing Vibram

FiveFingers after readingabout the biomechanicalbenefits of going barefoot.He found the shoes pre-vented the shin splints hesuffered when running anddecided to share the ‘cure’by retailing the shoes on-line and through selectretail outlets.

SUN SMART: Taking adequatesun protection creams is a nobrainer, because even on dulldays, the sun can burn sensitiveIrish skin. For naturally

sun-kissed skin try Oy! Soft GlowGradual Tan, 14.95, from naturalskincare company Green People.Scented with mandarin, orangeand vanilla and containing85% certified organic ingredi-ents, it feeds young skin withprebiotics and omega fattyacids to build up a healthygolden glow naturally. It’ssuitable for all skin types, evensensitive and acne-prone skin,and is available from healthstores, pharmacies and onlinefrom www.naturalselection.ie.

SURVIVAL GUIDE: Boots has put togeth-er a list of must haves for the festivalcampsite. Running water is likely to bein short supply so Boots suggest takingcleansing wipes, anti-bacterial hand

wipes, mouthwash instead of toothpaste anddry shampoo to help you stay clean and fresh.Try Boots Essentials Cucumber Wipes, 3.49,

Boots Anti-bacterial hand wipes, 1.59,Boots Smile Totalcare MouthwashCoolmint 2.99, or Boots Expert DryShampoo 2.99. Fend off nasty creepycrawlies with Boots Repel Insect RepellentNatural Citrepel 75, 10.49. Its scientifical-ly proven formulation is soothing andmoisturising, offering protection againstmosquitoes, midges and other unwantedbiting insects and creatures. Designed tobe used in non-tropical areas, Boots saythis is the ideal remedy for Irish campsites.

NATURAL TREATS: Naturalskincare range Burt’s Bees havealso put together a list ofmust-haves for outdoor adven-

tures this summer. Burt’s Bees FestivalCheck List includes All-In-One-Wash,5.95, Sun Protecting Lip Balm, 4.95and Natural Hand Sanitiser, 6.95. Burt’sBees Res-Q Ointment, 6.95,comes in a handy tin and helpsto soothe bumps and bruises.The natural herbal formulacontains comfrey and allan-toin, known for their healingand anti-inflammatory proper-ties, as well as lavandin, whichhelps prevent scarring. Applyto bites, stings, cuts and grazes.The Burt’s Bees range is avail-able from health stores and se-lected pharmacies nationwide.

HANGOVER CURE: Milk Thistleis a useful herbal remedy foran over-worked liver. A VogelMilk Thistle Complex containsfive herbs tradition-

ally used to detoxify andprotect the liver. Theseinclude artichoke, milkthistle and dandelion,with support herbs boldoand peppermint whichhelp to quell the nauseaand indigestion thatcan follow after overindulgence. Milk ThistleComplex costs 10.50 for50ml, 18.50 for 100ml,or 12.55 for 60 tincturetablets and is available fromhealth stores and some pharmacies.For stockists visit www.avogel.ie.

THE recession has had a neg-ative impact on the numberof people taking part in sport,according to the annual IrishSports Monitor report con-ducted by the Economic andSocial Research Institute (ES-RI) for the Irish Sports Coun-cil. The report indicated thatactive partici-pation in sportfell to 30.8% in2008, from32.9% in 2007and the evi-dence stronglysuggests thatthe drop can

be attributed to people nolonger being in a position topay gym or club membershipfees.“Many people are put off

physical activity because theybelieve that only vigorous ex-ercise, actively attending agym or playing sport counts

as healthy ac-tivity,” saidSarah O’Neill,occupationalhealth advisor(RGN, RM,OHA) withQuinn Health-care.

AIMING HIGH:Rory Delap atthe launch ofthe Back in Playwebsite. Picture:David Maher /SPORTSFILE

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Male health


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Feelgood

STUFF WE LIKE

TAKE THREE

The news on ...

Emily O’Sullivan

It’s

agu

yth

ing Allure Homme by Chanel

THE men’s fragrance market can be adizzying place, with a mind-boggling ar-ray of scents vying for attention. Nomore after-shave for today’s men, eau detoilette is where it’s at. Chanel’s AllureHomme range is a crisp and clean scentwith a sophisticated edge, and, for Fa-ther’s Day, the brand is launching threelimited edition, 150ml bot-tles. Choose from AllureHomme eau de toilette,89, Allure HommeSport eau de toilette,89, and AllureHomme EditionBlanche eau de toilette,93.

FACE SCRUBSThey call them face scrubs, we call themexfoliators. Whatever you call it, it basi-cally has the same function: to get rid ofdead skin cells and help keep your skinsoft, smooth and free of build-ups.

Clinique Skin Supplies for Men FaceScrub, 20. Men like Clinique productsbecause of their unfussy packaging andeffectiveness. This is one of their best —a chunky face scrub with rounded gran-ules that are hearty without beingscratchy to slough off dullness, as wellhelp reduce ingrown hairs.Score: 10

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant,46. This received a “HighlyCommended” award from Men’sHealth in 2009 and it’s not even aproduct that’s directly targeted atmen.Thankfully, the neutral packag-

ing does not cause men to run amile. And it is a very effectiveproduct — a rice-based powderthat activates on contact with wa-ter and is gentle enough for sen-sitive skins to use. It is expensive,though.Score: 8

The Body Shop For Men Maca RootFace Scrub, 14.55. Maca root, in caseyou’ve never heard of it, is apparentlyknown for its energising properties and isalso one of the latest hit “superfoods”.The Body Shop, say it has harnessed itspowers in a skincare range. This facescrub is decently priced and pleasant touse.Score: 8

L’Oreal Men Expert Hydra SensitiveQuenching Effect Post-Shave Balm,

8.49. Battling the feeling of dryness andtightness post-shave, L’Oreal’s Quenching

Effect is also a good bet tocombat the effects of razorburn and shave-related ir-ritations.

Vichy Homme Boost-ing Kit and SoothingKit, 20. Whether youwant to soothe sensitiveskin or boost dehydrat-ed skin, this is a goodway to do it. Each kitcontains a shaving

product, aftercare product and face washand are on sale for 7 less than the usualprice. If you don’t fancy going for a pack,then try Vichy’s new Sensi-Baume MineralCa, 17, a fortifying and soothing af-

ter-shave balm that revealed a 60% re-duction in redness and a 62% re-duction in irritation in clinical trials.

Baxter of California SuperClose Shave Formula,

21.95. Launched back in 1965in Beverley Hills, Baxters of Cali-fornia was one of the first skin-care line on the block. Thesedays, the range is still, hip, ef-fective and cutting-edge and this

Super Close Shave Formula is one of thecompany’s bestsellers. It gives a greatshave without irritation and contains anti-septic and botanical extracts to refresh andsoothe skin.

Men’s Origins ShavingSoother: Fire Fighter, 21.50.It might not shout as loudly assome other men’s ranges, butOrigins for Men delivers asmall but effective range ofproducts. This Fire Fighter isnicely packaged in a frosteddark green bottle, and con-tains soothing chamomile,cucumber and winterbloom

to calm things down.

Clinique Post Shave Healer, 23. Clin-ique’s award-winning after-shave treatmentis a favourite among a lot of men we know.

It’s a good-quality, solid productthat uses aloe to combat razorburn and relieve dryness.

Clarins Skin Difference, 41.Don’t miss this pre-shave productand “skin conditioner” (read mois-turiser) in one. Clarins’s effectiveSkin Difference is a light serumdesigned to be applied at night tomake shaving easier and quickerthe morning after.

When it comes to aFather’s Day gift, it’sbest to follow thetraditional route

ACOUPLE of weeks ago, an in-triguing product arrived on mydesk — ab firming gel. I brought

it home and handed it to my husband. Helaughed. When I asked him would he test itfor me, he laughed again, and then threw itback to me with a look that said “absolutelyno way”.Men may have come a long way since the

day of cut-throat razors and Old Spice, butwhere toiletries are concerned, there is still aline many refuse to cross. Of course, for cer-tain age groups things have changed enor-mously over the past 20 years. A large num-ber of men under 50 will now wear a mois-turiser or use a face scrub, they’ll most cer-tainly wish to use shaving products fromgood-quality brands which make the shavingexperience more pleasant — they might evengive an eye cream a try.Though the marketing of male skincare

products continues to increase, most mentend not to bother with the likes of false tan,face masks, and, well, ab firming gel.The bottom line is that most men just

don’t care that much, and they don’t have thewill to keep up complicated regimes. Theyalso don’t believe the hype. When faced withan ab firming gel, my husband simplycouldn’t be bothered because he had no faiththat it would actually work. This ultimatelack of vanity (or fear of looking vain) mixedwith a healthy scepticism is one of the rea-sons that the men’s toiletries market seems tohave trouble moving beyond skincare andshaving products.A report commissioned by research compa-

ny Mintel in 2008 revealed that men arestarting to widen their beauty repertoire andembrace the idea of looking after their skin,but they still lag far behind women when itcomes to range of skincare products and rateof purchase.

Trends that were talked up as being a bigdeal a few years ago — men’s mascara andmanicures — never crossed over into themainstream. Not only that but the overlygroomed look sported by the likes of DavidBeckham and Cristiano Ronaldo is startingto look hyper-vain, insanely smooth anddeeply contrived.So if you’ve been flirting with the idea of

getting your dad an eyebrow reshape or aspray tan for Father’s Day, then now might bethe time to think again. Playing it safe is theway to go. And while skincare is definitelythe acceptable face of the men’s toiletries in-dustry, do you really want to go out and buyyour dad an anti-ageing moisturiser with vi-tamin E, or would he prefer something a lit-tle more traditional?The good news is that the shaving industry

is booming. Men are a lot more open tobeauty products that are packaged under theshaving banner and there are some good suit-

ably masculine-looking products out therefrom the likes of Clarins, Clinique, L’Oreal,Origins, Lancôme, Boots and Origins.If you’re looking for something that will

really make a difference to your dad’s shavethen there are a few things to bear in mind.Men’s skin is oilier than women’s, so ideallythey should be washing their face every dayand particularly before a shave. A face wash isgreat for keeping pores clear while a facescrub can also make a difference to the quali-ty of the shave by removing dead skin andpreventing ingrown hairs.Whether you’re going for a cream, gel or

foam (creams are widely judged to be thebest), or an old-school shaving brush and tra-ditional razor, balms and moisturisers domake a difference to men’s skin. Rich, sooth-ing balms can help ease the redness, irritationand burning sensations caused by shaving andnourish, protect and hydrate the skinthroughout the day.

Father’s Day

Picture: Chanel Allure Homme Sport

Beauty gifts


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Megan Sheppard

Do you have a questionfor Megan Sheppard?Email it [email protected] send a letter toFeelgoodIrish ExaminerCity QuarterLapps QuayCork

Megan puts the spotlight on: Dandelion — the healing weed

Dandelionroot is apopular

detoxifyingherb

DRINK UP:Decidingwhich kind ofwater is bestfor us can beconfusing.Picture: iStock

QI AM confused as to which isthe healthiest — tap or bot-tled water? I use a filter jugfor tap water which Idrink mostly and buy bottled

water when I’m out and about. I’ve readnegative things about both. Are there anymachines that would make the watersafer to drink? I’ve heard reverse osmosisis supposed to make water safer but,again, I’ve heard negative commentsabout this too. I have three young chil-dren and am conscious of them drinkinghealthy water and also mindful of the factthat they need fluoride. I don’t have veryhealthy teeth so I’d like us to have fluo-ride somehow.

A. The water issue is indeed a confusingone, and each expert will have a differentopinion. Grander water, Wellness water, re-verse osmosis (RO), steam distilled… thelist goes on and on. Some people are alsoconfident that straight tap water is com-pletely fine. I think that when it comes towater, work out what is important to you,decide on your budget for water equip-ment, and go from there.I opted for a reverse osmosis system.

While not perfect, it is cost-effective, andremoves the fluoride and chlorine from tapwater. It is also easy to install yourself andcan be relocated easily if you shift house. Itdoes create a lot of ‘waste’ water, which canbe used to water your fruit trees or lawn. Imust admit, nothing tastes quite as good asthe tap water from my hometown ofChristchurch in New Zealand (where thewater comes from underground aquifersand requires no treatment), but Grander,Wellness and RO all come pretty close.A filter jug or tap filter is a step in the

right direction, and while it does not re-move fluoride from the water, it certainly isan affordable option for most people. Youmention that you would prefer to have yourchildren drink fluoridated water, so perhapsa filter is the right choice for your family.Naturally occurring fluoride in water is

very different to sodium fluoride, theby-product of aluminium production whichis added to the water supply. It is importantto consider that while the amount added towater is deemed safe by authorities, this isbased on an average amount of water con-sumption assessed during the 1940s. Itwould be safe to say that we are more con-scious of water consumption today and tendto drink more water, not to mention thefact that we also use this same water in foodpreparation, cooking, growing our food,beverages, bathing, and fluoride is alsoadded to most toothpaste.Even toothpaste manufacturers themselves

have admitted that a typical family-sized tubeof toothpaste contains enough fluoride totheoretically kill a 25lb child. Excess sodiumfluoride is linked with Alzheimer’s, demen-tia, cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, musculardystrophy, and lupus.

Q. I am taking magnesium citrate(200mg per day) for the past 18 monthsfor aching legs and it is working a treat.Can I stay on this indefinitely or islong-term consumption of it dangerous?A. Magnesium citrate has been shown tohelp with muscle and nerve functioning, andin much larger doses is used as a short-termlaxative solution. With such a low dose ofthis supplement, it is unlikely that you wouldhave issues with long-term supplementation.It is wise to take regular breaks in such acase, even taking one day off each week willhelp — for example, choose to keep eachSunday as your day of no supplementation.It is important to monitor your own well-

being while supplementing with vitaminsand/or minerals, since an excess can do justas much damage as a deficiency. While tak-ing note of how you feel physically, mentally,and emotionally is one way to measure well-being, it is subjective and often untimely.Our bodies can get quite out of balance be-fore we notice it, and what feels normal forone person may seem unbearable to another.

Better to keep on top of your health bychecking the status of your blood. Ask yourhealth practitioner to perform full blood tests(what this consists of typically varies depend-ing on the willingness of your practitionerand your age, sex, health status etc.), and usethese results to see what is really going oninside your body. Since your blood works todeliver nutrients and oxygen throughoutyour body and remove wastes, it makes senseto work at keeping your blood healthy.It may be worth considering how much

magnesium you can glean from your diet. Afew simple changes might be all it takes toget enough of this important mineral, andavoid the issue of needing long-term supple-mentation.Cocoa is very high in magnesium, con-

taining around 520mg per 100g (which ispart of the reason why women crave choco-late during their pre-menstrual phase —magnesium eases cramping), spinach is alsomagnesium-rich, however the oxalates pre-sent in cocoa and leafy greens is thought toreduce the availability of magnesium.Other foods high in bioavailable magne-

sium — from 130mg/100g up to 770mg/100g — include seaweeds, nuts, seeds, cere-als, beans, most herbs and herb seeds (such ascelery seeds, cumin seeds, poppy seeds, co-riander, cardamom), sundried tomatoes, figs,apricots, prunes, and seafoods.

WITH a flower head reminiscentof the summer sun, and a seedhead seemingly designed by

garden fairy folk to delight children,the dandelion is so much more than acommon weed. It has a wide range ofhealing properties and fortunately iscommonly found.The main actions of the dandelion

(taraxacum offici-nale) are as a diuret-ic, bitter tonic, anddetoxifying herb.The leaves help withfluid retention,which in turn helpsto reduce bloodpressure. Dandelionleaves are also highin potassium,whereas most con-ventional diuretics

typically leach potassium from the sys-tem. If you are using the leaves, be sureto pick the young tender ones whichare tastier than older leaves.The bitter principle points to the

beneficial effect on the digestive systemand the liver, stimulating the produc-tion of bile in the gallbladder. Both theroot and the leaves have a preventative

action against gallstones,with the leaves oftenbeing used to dissolveexisting gallstones.Dandelion root is a

popular detoxifyingherb, working mainlyon the liver and gall-bladder to facilitate theremoval of wastes andtoxins. This means itcan be useful in a num-ber of conditions where

the body is attempting to eliminatetoxins through various channels — suchas acne, eczema, psoriasis, constipation,flatulence, osteoarthritis and gout.Herbalists who use the doctrine of

signatures will note the important as-pects of the dandelion are the yellowcolour of the flowers, the bitter andslightly salty taste of the leaves, and thesweet taste of the petals. I have alreadydiscussed the bitter principle, and theslight saltiness indicates the presence ofminerals — the yellow colour suggestsan effect on the stomach, liver, pan-creas, kidneys and adrenals and can of-ten indicate an association with healingmelancholy states (think of the brightyellow flowers of St John’s Wort) — thesweet taste of the petals suggests theybenefit pancreatic health.One thing to note with dandelions is

there are many imposters about. True

dandelions have a single flower arisingfrom each hollow stem, and the leavesgrow in a rosette from the root. Theleaves themselves are hairless, smoothand toothed in shape.Enjoy the leaves raw or cooked, espe-

cially mixed with other greens. Thepetals make a lovely addition to saladsseparated from the bracts, which arevery bitter.

Natural health

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