Wellness

Post birth, the natural instinct of a mother is to focus on their new baby, as well as any older siblings and their husband. Her own needs come at the very bottom of the food chain. However, it is vital for mothers to focus on themselves as a priority at this time. Recovering and restoring through nurturing, optimal nutrition and resting is essential, not only for them, but also for the entire family’s health. However hard it is to prioritize yourself as a new mother, the foundation of post birth recovery is self-care. Sofie Jacobs of Urban Hatch talks you through how to blossom post birth.

Do you have memories of being able to bend over backwards as a kid? I remember it being easy and intuitive back then, but fast forward to today and now they’re a bit creaky, hard work to breathe through and some can be painful too. From cow and locust through up-dog and cobra to camel, wheel and pigeon, backbends are some of the most rejuvenating and recharging moves you can make on a mat – helping reverse crunched postures, hydrating and nourishing the spine, improving lower back pain and lifting the mood. Flex yoga instructor Dr Abhishek Agrawal explains how they work, and how to make them safe and beneficial.

Has your hectic life got you feeling a bit run down? Have you spotted a few new lines and darker eye circles in the mirror recently? Or is it taking you longer to recover from your workouts these days? If you’re not sick, but you feel like your health, energy and complexion could do with a bit of a boost, now is the perfect time to try a vitamin infusion, aka an IV drip full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and hydrating fluids. Jenny Leung, managing director of REVIV, a global brand that has just opened up in Hong Kong, tells us what makes them such a boon for anyone living in a fast-paced, demanding and busy city like Hong Kong.

For those who need scientific proof to truly believe practicing yoga and Pilates is good for your health, one neuroscientist, professor and chair of the department of neurobiology at the University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute Peter Strick, may have found the answer. Although previously the connections between the brain and the adrenal glands were believed to be limited, new findings suggest highly complex and direct links that have persuaded Professor Strick to take up Pilates.

Urban Hatch founder Sofie Jacobs explains how a mother-to-be can optimize her health and that of the baby’s with a few simple changes to her lifestyle. At such a significant time, it is essential to understand that looking after yourself is looking after your baby. Focusing on diet and supplements, exercise, sleep patterns and mental and emotional balance will all help towards a healthy, happy and harmonious pregnancy.

Back pain is one of the most pervasive ailments of our modern society. When you suffer from back pain, it not only limits what you can achieve physically, but it also impacts your mental and emotional states and overall feeling of happiness and wellbeing. In fact, it affects every waking, and often some sleeping, moments. Pilates is an ideal practice for those with back pain, helping address core weakness, while lengthening and strengthening vital muscles and helping you build body awareness in order to address the negative habits or compensations that are causing it. Donna Gee, registered physiotherapist and clinical Pilates instructor explains.

Back pain? Sciatica? Headaches? Sinusitis? Creaky, stiff muscles? If you have any of these chronic and on-going issues, working on the fascial system may just be your solution. Myofascial Release (MFR) eases the fascia, a fibrous network that covers the entire body from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet. It can help restore flexibility and range of motion, ease tension to muscles, organs and tissues, and improve the function of the nervous and circulatory systems.

No, this is not about flossing between the vertebrae. Like our dental hygiene, we should care for our spines on a daily basis. Hint: sitting all day is not called ‘the new smoking’ for nothing, and can have dire postural and pain consequences. Spinal hygiene teaches us to be mindful of our habits and posture. It reminds us to practice healthy movement. Dr Gillian Tsang, a Chiropractor and Schroth Best Practice therapist, talks us through healthy spinal habits to practice daily and how to avoid typical spinal pitfalls.