Stop moisturising and ditch your weekend lie-in… here’s unexpected advice from doctors from wearing high heels, ditching cream to eating early meals
Doctors share their well being secrets - here's some tips that might just give your health a boost
DIG out your high heels, start getting up early at weekends and don’t ever brush your teeth straight after breakfast.
Britain’s female doctors have a whole host of quirky but brilliant advice that might just give your health a boost.
This week in Me, a few of them share their wellbeing secrets with MATTHEW BARBOUR.
Dust off heels
“MANY women worry about bunions and blame stilettos,” says orthopaedic surgeon Ros Miller, from the London Orthopaedic Centre.
“But I encourage them to follow my lead and wear high heels as often as possible.
“Not only do they make your legs look more shapely, as a foot and ankle surgeon I know that bunions are 99 per cent hereditary so you may as well enjoy your shoes.
“I spend five minutes a day stretching my Achilles tendons. A tight Achilles is the root-cause of foot problems and can make a flat foot much flatter.
“If you stand on the stairs and let your heels drop down, you can feel the stretch. It really is worth doing daily.”
DON'T EAT LATE
IT’S fine to make an exception for the occasional dinner party, but Dr Rachel Cooney, a consultant gastroenterologist at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, says it’s best not to eat after 8pm.
“Eating at night raises your risk of acid reflux,” she says. “You produce more stomach acid after a meal. So if you’re lying down relatively soon afterwards, acid is more likely to get into your gullet.
“As well as being uncomfortable in the short term, there are problems associated with long-term acid reflux, namely oesophageal cancer.
“Ideally, eat your evening meal at least four hours before going to bed.”
Brush first
WE all know we should brush our teeth at least twice a day, but there’s a lot more to dental health than just that.
Dr Sara Kayat, GP and adviser to medical helpline Dr Morton’s, says that how you brush your teeth is just as important.
She explains: “You shouldn’t brush your teeth straight after meals and drinks, especially if they are acidic, because this can soften your tooth enamel, accelerating the decay process.
“To avoid erosion, wait at least 60 minutes before brushing, ensuring you don’t do it too hard. Also, don’t rinse your mouth after brushing – instead, let that toothpaste residue stay there.”
STOP DOUCHING
AFTER Gwyneth Paltrow recently encouraged the process of vaginal steaming, you could be forgiven for thinking that your vagina requires a cleansing regime of its own.
But that’s not necessarily the case, according to Dr Suzy Elneil, a consultant in urogynaecology at University College Hospital, London.
She says: “Douching upsets the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina, which makes the environment more favourable for the growth of bacteria that cause infection.
“Studies have found that women who stopped douching were less likely to have bacterial vaginosis, STDs and even pre-term labour.”
Avoid ear buds
TOO many people think a wax-free ear is “clean” – but wax is not dirty and has nothing to do with poor hygiene.
In fact, it’s just the body’s way of shielding the delicate inner workings of the ear and protecting your precious hearing.
Sarah Little, consultant ENT surgeon at St George’s NHS Trust in London, says: “Most people seem determined to dig out wax from their ears, using everything from pens to paperclips and cotton buds, which often end up pushing the wax deeper into the ear canal.
“We see far more problems from over-aggressive attempts to clean wax than we see from having an accumulation of wax. Stick to using a warm, clean flannel instead.”
DITCH CREAM
ONLY 15 per cent of us actually need a moisturiser, according to Dr Shirin Lakhani, a consultant dermatologist at Elite Aesthetics.
She says: “Moisturisers lead to the accumulation of dead skin cells, dryness, large pores and acne.
“They can make skin feel moist and relieve itchiness. But they also make the skin lazy, so it becomes less able to hydrate itself.
“What most people really need is an exfoliator, a diet rich in fruit, vegetables and nuts and to stay hydrated. You need to moisturise naturally from the inside.”
Drink less
WATER isn’t the only thing that will keep you hydrated, says Cath Collins, a consultant dietician at London’s St George’s Hospital.
She explains: “You should be taking in around two litres of liquid a day but that can be almost any fluid: Soup, tea, coffee and even beer – literally anything except spirits.
“You’ll also be taking in a substantial amount of fluid by getting your five-a-day, along with minerals and natural sugars that can actually help rehydrate you.
“Fruit and vegetables are about 95 per cent water – even bread is about a third water.
“People constantly sipping from bottles of water baffle me. If anything, the message should be more fruit and vegetables and refreshing cups of tea.”
LIMIT FACTOR 50
PEOPLE should take better care of their skin all year round, according to Dr Susannah Fraser, a consultant dermatologist for the NHS.
She says: “Sunblock isn’t just for the summer – UVA is the silent skin-ager present all year round and it can penetrate clouds and glass. Every day, I put on a day cream, SPF 15 and with specific UVA protection, rising to SPF 30 on summer days.
“Don’t bother with anything higher than this – SPF 50 offers only an extra 0.5 per cent protection over SPF 30 and is far messier, so you’re less likely to use it.”
Avoid that lie-in
IT may be tempting to stay in bed when you don’t have to get up for work, but it won’t do your body clock any good.
“Don’t lie in on days off,” says Dr Anish Bahra, consultant neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.
“Migraines used to be referred to as ‘weekend headaches’ because they’d often hit on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
“Changing your sleep pattern has a dramatic effect on the hormones in your hypothalamus that can trigger headaches which, along with any caffeine withdrawal, is enough to ruin your day.
“Always stick to as close to the same schedule as possible. If you’re tired, perhaps grab a nap later in the day.”