Research shows that majority of men over 60 will have an enlarged prostate which may affect their urinary system and quality of life and for which treatment ranges from medicine through to minimally invasive surgery.

And men often think frequent trips to the bathroom are a natural part of ageing, when, in most cases, this is due to an enlarged prostate. In some cases, the solution is a minimally invasive procedure known as Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), a common procedure with patients back home after two to three days in hospital, says The Urology Hospital’s Dr Francois Duvenage.

Dr Duvenage recently teamed up with NPO, Operation Healing Hands (OHH) -- which helps those who can’t afford life-saving operations -- to offer a free TURP procedure on a 73-year-old man who had an indwelling catheter for six months and who had been unable to get immediate help from a public hospital.

“TURP, in many ways is the ultimate procedure in that we can operate without cuts by going in through the penis, removing enlarged parts of the prostate and thereby allowing patients to urinate freely again. Through his operation, we solved the problem of the 73-year-old patient effectively.”

Duvenage explained that an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia) places pressure on the urethra, affecting urination. He said TURP is recommended when an enlarged prostate fails to respond to medication.

Symptoms include: 

• Difficulty starting to urine or being unable to empty the bladder fully
• Having to strain to pass urine, having a weak urine flow or stopping and starting
• Sudden urges to urinate or a frequent need to urinate including at night (known as nocturia)

“Not all men with enlarged prostates require this procedure. Medication helps if diagnosed early. I recommend all men over 40 should see a urologist annually to check for a cancerous or enlarged prostate,” said Dr Duvenage.

He urged men to call The Urology Hospital, Pretoria, to set up an appointment with a urologist.

For more information, contact 012 423-4000 or SMS the word INFO and your e-mail address to 33000 (SMS charged at R1.50).

No matter what you buy, as a consumer, it’s important to get exactly what you’re looking for. This is especially true for CBD products. Although there are many CBD oil tinctures available, it’s difficult to know whether the labels are telling the truth or not. So it’s time that we looked a little deeper. 

We took a sample of 10 of the most prominent CBD brands available in South Africa and sent them all for testing. Our goal at Cannabis Oil South Africa was to find products that not only contained CBD, but that provided accurate dosage information. And the results were quite surprising!

Results can be seen in the image attached.

CBD Oil Dosages

CBD products come in a variety of dosages, represented in milligrams (mg) on the label. Depending on what you need, it’s important that you choose the right product so that you can take the right amount of CBD. 

The most common products available today range from 100mg up to 1,000mg of CBD. But did you know that some of these products had between 50% - 200% more than the label specified? 

According to a representative from Qure testing lab, “Generally, in the pharmaceutical industry a 10% tolerance around label claim is accepted.” which means only 1 out of the 10 local CBD brands that we tested were within this range. 

One of these products (brand 8) is a CBD skin cream that is advertised at containing 156mg of CBD. However, upon testing the product it came back with NO CBD oil at all. We find this very alarming and a disappointing lie to consumers.

What’s even more surprising is that the rest were adding way more CBD than they said - with one brand (brand 3) over 1.5x the stipulated amount.

Not only is it difficult to take accurate doses, but you might be exceeding the government’s recommended dosage of 20mg per day. And even worse, the products may no longer fall under the Schedule 0 drug classification and could be illegal. 

The latest SAHRPA CBD documentation stipulates that these products must “contain a maximum daily dose of 20 mg CBD with an accepted low risk claim or health claim”.

Is it Dangerous to Consume These Products?

The products themselves are not the problem, but rather the dosage that you consume. If the products do not contain accurate CBD amounts, you will not know exactly how much to take each time. You might find the CBD isn’t working as expected or that each batch is different to the next. 

When it comes to CBD products, accuracy is key.

Finding the Right CBD Oil for Sale | What Can I Do?

If you want to take the necessary steps to avoid inferior quality products that are not providing accurate information, you need to look out for a COA (certificate of analysis). 

Every product that you purchase should have a batch number which you can match with an up-to-date CBD test result (COA). By law, the products must provide this information, so it should be there.

If you can’t find a COA for the product or if you are unsure whether the COA is linked to your current batch, it’s important that you contact the supplier directly to find out more. If they cannot (or refuse) to provide you with the test results, it is a clear indication that their products cannot be trusted. 

All of the best CBD oil providers in South Africa have this information on hand and it is usually listed on the product’s page or on the shop’s website.

Get What You Paid For

This release isn’t meant to be a name-and-shame, which is why we left out the actual companies involved. It’s intended to be a warning for any consumer looking to purchase CBD in South Africa. 

Even though getting more than your money’s worth might seem appetising, accurate information and transparency are the cornerstones of a reliable (and trustworthy) CBD product. 

There are plenty of these high-quality CBD oils available. Will you continue to let the deceptive companies pull the wool over your eyes or are you ready to find out the truth? Remember - if there isn’t a test result, something isn’t right.

Author: Kelsey Rod, Healthcare Ambassador, Dynamic Body Technology

If your people really are your greatest asset, why is burnout becoming so prevalent halfway through the year?  This is one of the challenges that leadership teams and HR executives are grappling with as the economy starts to open up again.

There is growing evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic is taking an enormous toll on the mental wellbeing of workforces across the globe. Depression, lack of motivation and a combination of mental and physical exhaustion are taking hold and negatively impacting productivity in businesses. Staff are too scared to take time off to re-charge or get professional help and this exacerbates these stress points.

If this sounds like something you are seeing within your own workforce, then perhaps it is worth looking at a quote from body-builder and movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger who once said:

“Where the mind goes, the body will follow”

While this sounds great in principle, the trick is going to be reinvigorating a team or teams that have forgotten how to put themselves and their well-being first.

Here are a couple of thoughts that might be worth considering implementing in your business:

Insist on actual breaks for all team members:

Tools like Teams and Zoom have made our workforces far better at holding meetings (not to be confused with being productive).

It has almost become the norm to try and fill up every hour of your diary with back-to-back meetings. These creates a culture where it is perceived that if you are not meeting, you are not being productive.

Microsoft actually released research showing just how bad this is for the brain and how transitions from meetings can actually become high stress points for individuals who have to re-align and re-focus their thinking.

Integrating play into your working week

Traditional teambuilding activities have been challenging due to various COVID-19 restrictions, but this doesn’t mean you have to take the fun out of your workplace.

Whether it is an informal internal cooking or fitness challenge, setting up an action soccer team or something more structured like a Lego Serious Play or a MINECRAFT facilitated session.

There are so many creative options to introduce play into your team.These activities let your staff detach from work for a bit, improve problem-solving skills and reignite the competitive juices required for a competitive organization.

Mind and Body have to be part of your organizational culture

The idea of forming a mind-body connection is not a new one in the world of fitness. The benefits of strengthening the link between your mind and body when exercising, have proven to be substantial and an investment in this area of your staff wellness program could pay substantial dividends in the long run.

If we walk into the gym one afternoon with a lazy or negative mindset, telling ourselves how unappealing the upcoming workout seems or how we would rather be at home, chances are our workout potential will be limited. On the other hand, arriving at the gym with a mindset of eagerness and determination, our physical capabilities during that workout are automatically maximized.  

Our minds cannot reach full cognitive functioning if our bodies are not being fuelled correctly with food, exercise, play, water and sleep. We cannot expect ourselves to interact with colleagues, friends, and work projects efficiently if our bodies are hungry or tired.

Similarly if your teams are overworked or undernourished, their performances will lag.Empathetic leaders recognize the toll that the last 18 months have taken on their people and are making conscious decisions to invest in the mental and physical wellbeing of their people to ensure they remain competitive in the market.

Kelsey Rod is the Healthcare Ambassador for Dynamic Body Technology, a South African wellness business focused on building the workforce of the future. For more information, please visit www.dynamicbodytechnology.com

The Polystyrene Association of SA has launched a Food Compliance Responsibility Initiative (FCRI) - aimed at ensuring that world-class health and safety standards are adhered to in the South African context. Members of the Association who manufacture packaging used in food contact applications have been encouraged to sign a voluntary commitment to adhere to  international health and safety standards. 

Polystyrene (PS) packaging is widely used by brand owners, retailers and the fast food industry to sell a wide variety of different food products. Yoghurt cups, drinking cups, ice-cream containers and fresh fruit trays, meat trays, poultry trays and convenience food boxes are all made from PS.  The packaging is strong, light and stable. It increases the shelf life of food, keeping it fresh and making it easy to transport and store.  “These are all excellent product qualities which have made PS the material of choice for many applications.  However, as with any other packaging material, it needs to be used as intended by the manufacturers and handled correctly - especially in certain phases of its life cycle if it is to have a role in a sustainable future for society,” explains Adri Spangenberg, CEO of the Polystyrene Association of SA. 

Adri goes on to clarify that the driving force behind the initiative is the belief that raw material suppliers, product manufacturers, product distributors and consumers are joint stewards for the responsible and sustainable production and use of food compliant PS products. “Manufacturers are required to ensure that all raw materials included during the production process, are food grade certified. Good manufacturing practices must be displayed at all times and only in-house recyclate derived from the original food grade raw materials is allowed to be used,” she says. 

Support from the industry has been very positive and welcoming and the country’s biggest manufacturers of polystyrene packaging have already committed themselves to these standards.   “We are very excited about this recent development and believe it will it is an important step forward that will protect the growth and well-being of our industry and ensure the long-term use of polystyrene as the packaging material,” Adri concludes. 

AfriSam, South Africa’s leading construction materials group, in partnership with the Department of Mineral Resources, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health and the Mkhambathini Local Municipality, is making essential health care services accessible to community members with the opening of a newly constructed health post in Nkanyezini.

The hand-over of this facility was celebrated at a ceremony hosted at the Nkanyezini Health Post on Friday 27 September, attended by the MEC of Health, the Mayor of Mkhambathini Municipality, Acting Regional Manager for the Department of Mineral Resources, AfriSam dignitaries, as well as community leaders and members from Nkanyezi and surrounding communities.

AfriSam’s relationship with the Department of Health goes back a number of years, and in 2017, the company heeded the call to partner in the construction of the Health Post in our host communities where there has been a challenge in accessing primary health care services.

“In support of our vision of ‘Building Communities for a positive African future’, we are committed to working with our host communities and investing in projects that will deliver on this vision. We are proud to have partnered with our stakeholders in the construction of the Nkanyezi Health Post, providing community members with the necessary facilities, resources and services that will make a positive and sustainable difference to their lives and overall well-being”, says Rob Wessels, Chief Executive Officer of AfriSam.

The Nkanyezini Health Post is strategically located to provide easy access to community members from Nkanyezi, Ntweka, Ezimbileni, Emasangweni, KwaToni, Lion Park, Miaaz Road and Manderston. Approximately 8 000 community members are expected to benefit from this health post.

AfriSam invested significantly in the construction of the Nkanyezi Health Post which consists of a sheltered waiting area for patients, two consulting rooms for nurses, an air-conditioned medicine room, a furnished kitchenette, five ablution facilities and dispensing window and counter.

Constructed on land made available by the Manyavu Traditional Council, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health will ensure the operation of the Nkanyezi Health Post will provide all movable furniture, medical equipment accessories and personnel. The Mkhambathini Municipality will provide the required services to the Health Post.

The Nkanyezi Health Post will act as a primary health care facility to provide clinical as well as public health services, awareness, and advocacy for important local health issues.

The Nkanyezini Health Post will serve as a mobile service stopping point where a team of healthcare workers led by a Professional Nurse will render a comprehensive primary healthcare service package weekly.

It is also a designated Central Chronic Medication Dispensing and Distribution (CCMD) point where patients who are on chronic medicine can collect their pre-packed medication parcels instead of going to the clinic and waiting. In addition, it will form part of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health’s Phila Mntwana program, promoting health and preventing diseases among children from the community.

AfriSam’s commitment to the project is in line with the company’s overall community involvement mission, which is to understand the needs of our host communities and make meaningful and sustainable contributions to their upliftment.

In recent years, AfriSam has been in involved in many CSR initiatives in the Pietermaritzburg area.The company successfully constructed the Honeyville Community Hall and uMsilinga Primary School Hall and has renovated the computer center and science laboratory at Panorama Primary school.

AfriSam also provides training and development to qualifying enterprises to grow and strengthen their businesses to a level where they can trade with AfriSam and other companies, in turn transferring skills to local community members and creating employment for the youth.

Interstitial cystitis, also known as painful bladder syndrome, is a chronic condition often misdiagnosed as a urinary tract infection and potentially treatable through a number of interventions.

The Urology Hospital, Pretoria, says interstitial cystitis is extremely debilitating and dramatically affects one’s quality of life. It may also cause emotional stress and problems with sexual intimacy.

Symptoms include a feeling of immense pressure and pain in the bladder or pelvis, as well as the constant need to urinate. The pain is often relieved after urinating.

Other symptoms – which differ from person to person -- include difficulty urinating and frequent urination. Pain in the scrotum, penis, testes, or between the anus and scrotum are typical male symptoms.  Women may experience pain between the vagina and anus as well as pelvic pain.

Many of these are also symptoms of a urinary tract infection, so it is important to consult a urologist for an accurate diagnosis, says Dr Preena Sivsankar from The Urology Hospital.  Misdiagnosis may result in the unnecessary use of antibiotics which could result in antibiotic resistance, while failing to treat the interstitial cystitis.

The number of people suffering from interstitial cystitis in South Africa is not known, but it affects women slightly more than men. In the United States, it affects between three and eight million women and between one and four million men.  

The exact causes are unknown, so treatments may vary. Improvement in symptoms may come from a change in diet and lifestyle and fluid intake. Medication and certain procedures may also assist.

Sivsankar says interstitial cystitis can be diagnosed through a pelvic exam, a urine test, a cystoscopy, and a bladder biopsy.  A urodynamic study is also useful to exclude other conditions. 

“There is no simple treatment. If you have symptoms, call The Urology Hospital or consult your urologist who will work with you on a treatment regime”, said Sivsankar.

For more information, contact 012 423-4000 or SMS the word INFO and your email address to 33000 (SMS charged at R1.50).

Thrive Fitness opened its doors this month in Hout Bay. Purely local, run by Hout Bay residents for Hout Bay residents.  

It’s a new concept gym that consists of 4 zones, with 4 stations each working out 4 areas of the body to synchronised music and lighting. All without any monthly contracts or sign up fees, simply book per class online. https://www.thrivefitnesssa.co.za 

This Saturday is their open day - not only free to all but if you attend you get an extra 3 free sessions. Plus giveaways, smoothies and music by DJ Moran. So spend 45 min on yourself this weekend and head on down to 31 Victoria Avenue, Hout Bay.

About Thrive Fitness
Our goal isn’t focused on how much weight you lose or how much muscle you gain. Our goal – no! - our dream - is to help you advance and thrive, by creating a supportive and inclusive space where you meet and nurture your best self.
Our Approach - it's all about fun - Ready? OK… let’s go! Our experienced trainers lead 45-minute group classes where they create a full-body workout like no other, targeting four main areas with each workout - upper and lower body, cardio and core. Each class is capped at 16 people, so the trainer can check your form to ensure optimal results and prevent injuries. Want more personal attention? We offer one-on-one training too! Let us know if you’re keen.
Thrive is a judgment-free zone. Our down-to-earth community is made up of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels where each member works towards their own goal at a level they’re comfy with.

At Dreambody Fitness there is no such thing as the perfect body. At this fitness studio the ideal shape isn’t one that steps out of the magazines, it’s the one that steps into the gym and into a healthier future.

With leading fitness guru and trainer, Steve Mululu, at the helm, Dreambody Fitness is about building a healthy lifestyle and strong body. Dreambody Fitness is also about people, real lives and realistic goals. The gym has developed a six-week transformation programme designed specifically for beginners. In six weeks, anyone following the programme will see improvements in cardiovascular fitness, strength and energy. If the program works, you get your money back.

“We believe in people and community and relationships,” says Steve Mululu, co-founder of Dreambody Fitness. “We know every one of our members, we spend time with them and we help them to achieve realistic fitness goals. From the moment someone walks in the door they know that they are somewhere that doesn’t judge them by their weight or shape. Here, we welcome people who want to make a change without feeling like they are miles behind everyone else.” This philosophy has paid off.

Dreambody Fitness has garnered a reputation for making people feel welcome and inspired and has expanded from its original location at The Core in Sunninghil to Woodlands in Woodmead. Both gyms have hands-on trainers that help members to do exercises corrently and select the best possible training programmes for their fitness goals. These trainers not only work closely with members but are part of the gym membership cost.

“Every Wednesday I host a Nutrition Workshop where I give in-depth insight into why certain foods are unhealthy and how to identify the right foods to eat,” says Mululu. “I don’t like the lies sold by the fitness industry and nobody should be made to feel that they are less or that they can’t just because they don’t have a certain body type or shape. I want people to really feel that fitness is fun. I want people to feel that they are doing this for themselves and to live a longer, healthier life.” The two gyms – Woodmead and Sunninghill – are small and community-minded.

Every person who walks through the door is made to feel as if they are part of the family. “People join our gym thinking that they are there to get that summer body but they stay because they become part of our family,” concludes Mululu. “Here we don’t believe in investing into your health for a season, we believe in giving you a place where you can feel a difference, every day.”

To find out more about Dreambody Fitness visit https://www.dreambodyfitness.co.za or call (011) 234 4700 for the Sunninghill branch and (011) 844 0400 for the Woodlands branch.

According to a new survey, “What Women Want,” distributed through the MyEcho Survey Platform, which gathered some noteworthy data from over 1,000 South African women; women know exactly what they want.

The survey explored women’s views on retail, beauty, health, destinations, food & drink and relationships. The results are of keen interest to these industries. Bette Midler in What Women Want said it best, “If you know what women want, you can rule!”

Which beauty products do women splurge on? What beauty product do women opt for when budget is an issue? These are some of the questions that are addressed in the beauty section.  The results reveal that the go to product for women is lipstick while foundation is what women are mostly likely to splurge on. A product that was specifically mentioned several times, is Estee Lauder foundation.

The health section explores ‘hot’ topics such as the biggest health concern for women and what their gynaecologist gender preference is. When asked about the biggest health concern, women of all ages said that weight is of great concern, this is followed by stress and cancer.The survey reveals interesting insights into how women feel about a male versus female gynaecologist. 71% of women who completed the survey said that they prefer a female gynaecologist.

"I feel more comfortable with someone who shares the same reproductive organs as me", "She knows her body and thus I feel she is more capable of knowing mine" and "Just can't understand how a man can help a woman with female problems when they have never experienced any of it" were cited as the reasons.One area of intrigue is the relationship section where women were asked about what they would like their partner to improve on and how a healthy relationship is maintained.  Communication came out on top as the most crucial aspect of a healthy relationship.  Furthermore, women would like their partners to simply spend more time with them.For the men out there who still don’t know what to buy their partners on special occasions, women want jewellery!

Here are some other key takeaways:

• Women were asked about their destination preferences. For a girl’s getaway, a spa type destination took preference, the best romantic destination is Paris and for a family holiday, Cape Town came out on top.
• Woolworths came out on top as the brand that tailors most to South African women. Interestingly, the 18-24 age category decided on RT (Mr Price). The best thing about being women is being able to give birth/ be a mother, followed by the joys of being able to dress up.
• Women were asked about their favourite clothing item and while jeans are the favourite across all age categories, jumpsuits, skirts and crop tops were mentioned by the younger age groups only.
• According to South African women, the top three retailers with the best promotional sales are Mr Price, Woolworths and Edgars.

About the survey
The What Women Want survey was conducted through the MyEcho Survey Platform in partnership with Mooiste Clothing Boutique. The survey covered topics around what South African women want in retail, beauty, health, destinations, food & drink and relationships. A web survey was distributed on social media on Women’s Day 2018 where 1,151 responses were collected across South Africa from women of different age and race categories.  MyEcho was developed by Lightstone Consumer, a well-established Market Research company based in Port Elizabeth. It is easy-to-use survey software for the collection of customer, employee and partner feedback and other online surveys.

For more information: MyEcho (by Lightstone Consumer)
www.my-echo.co.za

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mooiste Boutique
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
082 745 2781 

Johannesburg, South Africa, 21 July 2018 – Herbalife Nutrition South Africa has announced an exciting addition to its targeted nutrition range of products, Pro-Core.  

Pro-Core is a water mixable drink powder, formulated with a unique complex of ingredients especially designed for everyday support. Its key active ingredient is Epicorâ, a yeast-based fermentate. 

The delicious blackcurrant flavoured drink mix is provided in individual servings (each serving is a 3.7 g stick pack) and can be taken once a day with 150 ml warm or cold water, or added to your favourite Formula 1 Shake. Pro-Core provides four essential vitamins and minerals and is particularly high in vitamin D, vitamin C, Selenium and Zinc(>30 % NRV).

“Herbalife Nutrition’s Pro-Core, with its key properties that support the body’s nutritional needs, makes it a perfect addition to our family of nutrition products,” says Thilo Naidoo Herbalife Nutrition Country Director, Southern Africa.  

The essential vitamins and minerals in Pro-Core (vitamin D, vitamin C, Selenium and Zinc) all play an important role in vital everyday body functions.  

“At Herbalife Nutrition we believe that eating a varied and balanced diet, coupled with a healthy active lifestyle is key to living well. Pro-Core, when consumed correctly, can play a useful role in that lifestyle choice,” Naidoo added. 

Pro-Core will be available from 23 July, exclusively through Herbalife Nutrition’s network of Independent Members (distributors). For more information on how to purchase products go to http://contact.herbalife.co.za/?leadtype=pr

Herbalife Nutrition’s Pro-Core comes in boxes of 10 x 3.7 g stick packs.  

Herbalife Nutrition can be found online at www.herbalife.co.za, and on Facebook @HerbalifeSouthAfrica and using #HerbalifeSA

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Contact: MANGO-OMC, Genevieve Cutts, 082 546 4043 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.