Wave World: December health & beauty

Health & beauty news & reviews with Zara Baker

Pop Up Shop’s last week
Still have Christmas presents to shop for or the perfect outfit to find for the holidays? It’s the last week (17–23 December) of a fabulous Pop Up Shop at 16 Brighton Square, The Lanes, Brighton. Get up to 60% off great brands including four labels by local designer who sell around the world: Sugarhill Boutique (where I’ve already bagged my New Year’s Eve dress), Trainerspotter, Ruby Rocks and Poppy Lux. Hurry, as it closes on 23rd December 2013. Open Mon–Sat 10.30am–6pm and Sunday 11am–4pm.

New year’s resolutions
It hardly seems possibly it’s that time of year again but here we are in the run up to Christmas and New year festivities and all the over indulgences they entail. Then 1st January hits and our attention turns to our health. How did you do this year? Did you make any life-changing occurrences? My list for 2013, after piling on the pounds and catching every cold that was going, looked like this: Eat well, move more. Thirty-eight pounds lighter (in weight, not money – thank you Weight Watchers) it was glaringly obvious how the things I wanted to improve on were actually hand in hand with each other. Eating better and moving more has boosted my health, meaning I’m a lot less susceptible to viruses (mentally touches wood at this point!). The changes we need to make to improve our life in 2014, for whatever reason, may be obvious, like mine, but acting on them is another thing entirely. A support system is key – whether it’s from a loved one or support group.
Make small changes instead of a drastic one in January, as chances are you will have given up by February. Patience is indeed a virtue.

If your resolution is to cut down on alcohol consumption or to quit smoking then start small. Build a support group of friends who won’t tempt you into staying for one more glass on a school night. Willpower alone is often not enough in cutting habits of a lifetime. If quitting smoking in 2014 is on your resolution list, then Cloud Cig can change your tobacco habits for good. The leading e-cig brand has a range of starter kits to be used as an alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes. Remember, start small.