Health24ed

We pay less and less attention to our natural body rhythms – and our bodies hate us for it!

I felt this deeply and personally after getting on a plane at 5.30 in the morning recently. Every cell in my body screamed “where’s my bed?” Then, closed up in a conference room with no windows on the world for the next day or two, I was running to catch up with which meal I was on, whether it was light outside or not – and mostly, whether it was really nap time or just felt like it.

We ignore our natural rhythms daily. Research shows that our societal tendency to stay up late and get less sleep is physically messing with our body chemistry and may contribute to obesity. Other ailments such as heart attacks and depression have also been shown to be affected by our natural bodily ebb and flow – called circadian rhythms.

But our bodies don’t get fooled forever. I feel it most when I am on holiday: given the opportunity, my body falls into a fairly reliable rhythm of going to bed at around midnight, waking up at around 7 – and supplementing with a gorgeous afternoon nap, preferably in a shady spot under a large tree.

What’s your natural sleep and waking cycle? Do you think we have strayed too far from our natural circadian rhythms?

When things go haywire (and they have done that a bit lately), you can almost always find me in one of two places: in the kitchen, switching on the kettle for tea, or striding along outside along the seafront, trying to blow the stress away.

They are two simple ports of call that really work for me to bring me back, settle me down and allow me to face the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune (thanks for that one, Shakespeare).

Other simple things that make me feel better are doing the dishes or folding the washing. Conquering those small, manageable bits of chaos make it seem more possible to take on the less controllable aspects of life.

It’s not all moonlight and roses, though. I don’t drink or smoke, but I do sometimes go for comfort foods like freshly-baked bread or pasta – so stressful times go straight to my thighs!

What are your go-to things when life gives you lemons?

(Photo of happy woman from Shutterstock)

The office is already thinning out as people start succumbing to those early winter bugs – or have to take time off to care for sick children. When children spend the day at school, it’s impossible to avoid them being exposed to germs, which they then bring home and share with you!

How your child’s body copes with this inevitable exposure to the latest nasty bug that is going around will depend on a number of factors:

• The right balance of nutrients. Encouraging children to enjoy a wide range of foods (including colourful vegetables and fruit) is an ongoing process. Children need to be exposed to a variety of foods and get used to seeing them on their plates, whether they choose to eat them or not. A good multivitamin, aimed at children, will help fill the gaps, especially if your child is a fussy eater or can’t eat certain foods because of allergies.
• Personal hygiene. Keeping hands clean is one of the most crucial ways to minimise the impact of playground germ exposure. It should become second nature for your child to wash his or her hands after going to the toilet and before eating.
• Regular sleep habits. Sticking with more or less the same bedtime and wake-up time is one of the most important habits a child can develop, and it helps keep the immune system strong too.
• Daily activity. Research has shown that people who exercise get fewer colds, and fight them off more quickly if they do get them.

Oh, and bear in mind, all of these apply just as much to adults. Staving off those bugs is doubly important for parents, as you need to be strong and fit to take care of your kids.

How are things going at your house so far this winter?

Recent research showed that cellphone conversations in public are more annoying and distracting than two people talking in person. This comes as no surprise to me. People on cellphones in the street or in a restaurant, tend to talk at high volume: “Look at me! I have someone else to talk to!” It’s not all bad, though. This can be fun sometimes, for example when you’re stuck on the train, it’s like listening to a radio soapie: “I told him, this is the last time, and then he said, yes but it’s my money and then I said…”

I’m usually a tolerant person, and I don’t really mind if you chew gum, or play your radio too loud in your earphones, or even smoke in the designated areas. But what really stretches my patience in a public place is when parents are nasty to their children. Above all, I get annoyed if they try to drag me into it: “Stop that, Freddie, the lady is looking at you! Look, now you’ve made the lady cross. Say sorry to the lady.”

Otherwise, I am pretty laissez faire. Oh, but I wouldn’t mind if you would refrain from spitting. But that’s it. For now.

What do people do in public places that annoys you?

My first encounter with dentistry was not a good one. His name was Dr Shark (well, it should have been). When my mother was in the room he was charming, if a little unctuous, kissing my tiny (probably slightly grubby) hand. But if she stepped out of the room for a minute, he became grumpy and rough.

From this stemmed a rather embarrassing fear of dentists, and a lifelong search for a dentist who would understand. Eventually I found him. A young, rather nice-looking dentist who was very excited by all the gadgets in his surgery. Just my luck, within a year he had emigrated to Europe, leaving me again searching.

Among the failed dental relationships over the years include Dr B, who thought my fear was quite hilarious, and had a habit of talking on his cellphone with one hand while digging around with sharp objects in my mouth at the same time. Then there was Dr P, who always seemed a bit terrified herself, and was only comfortable when demonstrating proper brushing techniques on a set of giant plastic teeth with a giant toothbrush.

Enter my current dentist, the lovely Dr M. She’s experienced and businesslike but not crotchety, and most importantly, she’s gentle. I like the fact that she explains the options in detail, so that I feel I am part of the decision-making process. Does that mean I look forward to visiting the dentist? It does not. But at least I feel that I am in good hands. Now I just hope she doesn’t decide that Australia looks like a wonderful place to move to.

What do you expect from a dentist? Have you had mostly positive experiences?