Articles on...

 
Beauty and Wellness
  • Beauty Gets Easy
    - Singapore Women’s Weekly October 2009:Daily stresses may have dulled your shine, but that’s…
    7 Deadly Skin Sins
    – As seen in The Singapore Women’s Weekly April 2010 issue 1. Zit popping Doing so propels…
    More Articles
 
 
 
Health and Fitness
  • Learn to leave your work at the office
    - Singapore Women’s Weekly November 2009: With the advent of mobile technology, it’s…
    工作与孩子间寻找平衡 — 职业女性最大挑战
    母爱的伟大自古以来不断被歌颂 。现今社会的职业妇女,为扮演好慈母的角色,每天都在孩子和工作间展开拉锯战,母职更为艰难,感叹母爱真难为啊!这里提供你三个要点,只要用心学会,你们都能成功兼顾慈母与好员工的角色!…
    More Articles
 
 
 
Recipe
  • LOHAN Veggie Vermicelli
    Ingredients: 1/2 packet dried beehoon (200 g) 1 carrot, thinly shredded 100gm French beans, thinly shredded…
    Braised Saucy Herby Beef Brisket
    Recipe by chef LIsa Leong Ingredients: 1 kg beef brisket, cut into large chunks  2 Tbsp butter 2 Tbsp…
    More Articles
 
 
 
Parenting
  • Etiquette Reaches Beyond Just "Being Nice"
    As parents, we are charged with such great responsibility. Not only is it our job to help our children…
    Babycare Breastfeeding
    Milking it Breastfeeding beyond the first year may post a unique set of challenges. But overcoming them…
    More Articles
 
 
 
Travel
  • 忙里偷闲香江行
    到东方之珠进行大S代言活动采访,出发前一晚还在发奋赶稿并回着email,last…
    Crossing Borders (Strasbourg, France)
    The name 'Strasbourg' is French with Germanic origin and literally means 'town at the crossing of roads'.…
    More Articles
 
 
 
Home Decor
  • Making Space
    This apartment at Varsity Park looks a lot bigger than it really is, thanks to a few smart moves Download…
    Hidden Places
    Innovative storage spaces form an integral part of the design of this flat in tampines. Download full…
    More Articles
 
 
 
Financial Planning
 
 
 
Household Tips
  • Chill Factory
    Here is how to keep your cool as the mercury begins to hit mid-year highs Download full version here.…
    Tips on Home Appliances
    Water Heating Use an instantaneous water heater instead of one with a storage tank. A storage water…
    More Articles
 
 

WEC Interest Groups
兴趣小组

 
Beauty
 
 
 
Community Service
 
 
 
Culinary
 
 
 
Dance
 
 
 
Enrichment
 
 
 
Fitness
 
 
 
Gardening
 
 
 
Handicrafts
 
 
 
Kids Programme
 
 
 
Ladies Club
 
 
 
Lifestyle/Culture
 
 
 
Musical Instrument
 
 
 
Parenting
 
 
 
Singing
 
 
 
Social & Recreation
 
 
 
Sports
 
 
 
Toastmasters
 
 
 
Travel
 
 
 
Others
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Form new Interest Group
 
 

Health and Fitness

Sneaky Stress Signs
— The Singapore Women's Weekly March 2009

You're committed to a healthy lifestyle - at least most of the time. So why is your back always sore? Or every time you turn around, you've got another cold. Or your skin is breaking out - and you're long past your teens.

Physical symptoms like these may mean your body is sending you an urgent SOS: You're stressed! Even if you think you've got things under control, chronic physical problems can signal serious stress overload. Watch out for these common stress-related symptoms.

  1. Headaches
    Dr. David Wong, Specialist in Orthopaedic Surgery, Raffles Hospital (RH), says that tension headaches are very common, affecting as many as 40 per cent of teenagers and adults. RH Neutrologist Dr Alvin Seah explains, "Chronic muscle tension in the forehead, scalp and neck region may cause our pain receptors to be more sensitive, triggering what is called a tension-type or stress headache." If you slouch at your desk all day, the muscles of your head and neck may be aggravated, which can caused muscle spasms that may activate a headache, or even lead to a migraine attack.
  2. Back or neck pain
    Under stress, you may hold your body in different positions, or unconsciously tighten your muscles, leading to achy feelings or even nagging pain in your back. Dr. Wong adds, "The neck, one of the weaker parts of the body, can cause a brutal headache. Neck movements that go on for an extended period of time can result in a cervicogenic headache, which affects both the head and neck."
  3. Constant colds
    As mentioned above, stress depresses your body's immune function. That means it's harder to fight off the viruses that causes colds, and you're also more likely to develop other infections. One US study found that people with severe chronic stressors that lasted more than a month were more likely to catch a cold than those without those stressors.
  4. Stomach upset
    Stress triggers the fight or flight syndrome in the body, diverting blood away from your organs so that your limbs are ready to respond to a threat. That lack of blood may leave you feeling sick, queasy, or nauseous. RH Gastroenterologist Dr Law Ngai Moh says, "Stress can lead to an imbalance of acid secretion and gut hormones, which results in hypersensitivity and irregular contraction of the gut." Stress may also trigger irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Dr. Law explains, "The human brain is the 'big brain' and the gut nervous network is like the 'small brain' in our body. Enhanced and disturbed 'brain and gut dialogue' due to stress will alter colonic sensation and movement, leading to symptoms like IBS."
  5. Skin disorders
    If you tend to break out before a big presentation, you may have brought it on yourself. RH Dermatologist Dr. Chris Foo says that stress produces hormones that stimulate the sebaceous glands to secrete more sebum, thereby aggravating acne. And people with psoriasis or other autoimmune diseases often notice that their symptoms are more pronounced during stressful times.

Comments on this article:
Post your comment: