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Thursday 30 November 2023 Dublin: 3°C

# wellness

Last month
October 2023
Opinion: 'I was 20, alone in the hospital and they told me I had a brain tumour'
Katie Sweeney shares her story of diagnosis of a brain tumour and stage 4 cancer and how she’s had to dig deep to battle through it all.
Some ultra-processed foods should be labelled ‘addictive’, scientists suggest
Some 14% of adults and 12% of children could be addicted to ultra-processed foods, experts have warned.
This year
2023
Therapist: Don't let the social media feed of others' perfect holidays get you down
Maxine Walsh addresses the pitfalls of doom-scrolling on social media, particularly at a time when summer adventures are everywhere.
Opinion: There are helpful ways to navigate the pressure surrounding the 'perfect summer body'
Ellen Jennings of Bodywhys looks at the pressure that people can be under to conform to an idealised and unrealistic body shape goal.
Opinion: Many carers feel isolated with no confidence after being out of paid work for so long
Caroline Lawless shares her experience of life as a carer and says more supports are needed for those returning to paid work.
Physios: Incontinence, piles and painful sex - issues new mothers face that no one talks about
Physiotherapists Eimear Lynch and Aoife Harvey have some advice for new mums facing post partum issues.
Opinion: As Lewis Capaldi pulls back, he cuts through an unspoken form of ableism
Niamh Jimenez says Lewis Capaldi’s break from touring announced this week is an antidote to inspiration porn.
Opinion: The consumer-driven concept of self-love has little to do with real self-respect
Niamh Jimenez looks at the pressure on us to be externally perfect and suggests we should be looking a little deeper.
Ulcerative colitis: I kept losing weight and was exhausted - I collapsed every time I stood up
Brian Tyrrell documents his experience dealing with ulcerative colitis, from diagnosis to an operation to living a full life.
Parenting: 'Learning the art of resting was a gamechanger for me'
Mum Margaret Lynch outlines the importance of self-care for parents. She says ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup’.
10 days silent meditation in Ennis: No phones, no talking, and no outside contact whatsoever
Cormac Fitzgerald has just completed a silent 10-day meditation course – here’s what he learned.
Extract: 'I didn't see a future for myself then and never imagined I'd reach where I am today'
Instagram influencer Jennifer Carroll shares a chapter from her new book, ‘Jen’s Journey’.
Opinion: Struggling to keep your New Year's Resolutions? It's all about short-term goals
Dr Emma Howard says it’s easy to set up ambitious resolutions but we won’t get far without short-term incentives.
Last year
2022
Therapist: Christmas can be tough - here's some strategies to help you mind yourself
Therapist Joe Heffernan has some tips for managing stress this holiday season.
Opinion: Imagining better days in hopeless times - tips for managing the stress of the world
Clinical Psychologist Dr Trudy Meehan has some practical ways to help us cling to hope in dark times.
Opinion: Five a day will keep the doctors away, or will they?
Chartered Psychologist Dr Jolanta Burke looks at the five-a-day advice and wonders if we’re getting enough nutrition.
All time
Opinion: Go easy on yourself in relation to New Year's resolutions - we've been through a lot
Siobhan Murray says it’s not the time to deprive or judge ourselves, but instead to celebrate all we’ve coped with in the last two years.
Opinion: This year, let go of the 'perfect Christmas' and choose self-compassion
Two chartered psychologists offer some helpful advice to help you avoid letting Christmas get you down this year.
Opinion: It's important to prioritise your mental health this Christmas
Krystian Fikert says it’s important to take our time this Christmas and be kind to ourselves.
Opinion: Feeling anxious this Christmas? There are steps you can take to cope
Therapist Bernie Hackett says Christmas can cause anxiety – she has a few helpful tips for coping.
Opinion: 'My prostate cancer diagnosis whipped up an emotional whirlpool that spun me around'
As part of the Movember campaign, Stephen McIntyre shares his story of diagnosis and treatment for prostate cancer.
Opinion: The mental health impacts of this pandemic are yet to be understood
Dr Stephen McWilliams says mental health difficulties should be taken into consideration as we emerge from the past 18 months of trauma.
Opinion: Your pelvic floor might have suffered in pregnancy but you can get help
Chartered Physiotherapist Aoife Ni Eochaidh says pregnancy often causes incontinence but help is at hand.
Opinion: Nutrition can empower women through menopause alongside medicine
Nutritional therapist Jackie Lynch explains how diet and particularly sugar balance can help women cope with the changes of menopause.
Opinion: 'Frontline workers are close to falling over the burnout cliff'
Johnny Moran of Trauma Response Network Ireland outlines the key signs of trauma burnout in essential workers.
Opinion: It's OK to feel anger in this crisis, but there are healthy ways to manage it
Psychotherapist Peter Devers of Knock Counselling Centre says anger is one of the tricker emotions to navigate.
Opinion: This Covid lockdown is particularly hard, so it's important to mind your mental health
Therapist Bernie Hackett says this lockdown, coupled with dark January days can take its toll, but she has some helpful advice for self-care.
Dr Deirdre Forde: Untreated menopause can be seismic for a woman, but help is at hand
The GP specialises in menopause and is urging women suffering to seek advice and assistance.
Opinion: For a change this New Year, try the 'One Word Resolution'
Resilience coach Siobhán Murray says it’s time to forget the overwhelming and unreachable resolutions and to instead focus on one key word for 2021.
My 2020: Bibi Baskin on why she loved lockdown just a little too much
Broadcaster and wellness practitioner Bibi Baskin on why lockdown forced her to embrace the quiet and ultimately change how she earns a living.
Big increase in number of Irish adults wearing fitness trackers in 2020, study finds
The findings of the study were produced byTeneo Sport and Sponsorship Index.
Opinion: Staying well at Christmas - some tips from a therapist to help you mind yourself
Therapist Liz O’Driscoll says it’s important to remember that Christmas is only a couple of days and that we shouldn’t put too much pressure on ourselves.
Consultant spine surgeon: Movement is key to avoiding back pain in the remote working era
Derek Cawley says the change in our work habits and bad home office setups have contributed greatly to an increase in back pain.
Opinion: What is crisis fatigue and have we reached that point?
Dr Philip Kieran addresses the issue of crisis fatigue and offers some helpful ways to counteract it.
How can we avoid burnout through this strange winter?
Tracy Ward explains how burnout affects us – and what to do if we’re feeling it.
Opinion: We must mind our mental health as Level 5 brings a forced introspection
Author and advocate Cathal O’Reilly has struggled with his own mental health in the past. He shares his thoughts on Level 5 and how to handle it.
My miscarriage: 'I kept hoping mine would be one of those miracle stories, where the baby would survive'
Kitty Maguire works with a lot of women who have suffered miscarriages. Today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, and until now, Kitty hadn’t written about her own loss.
Extract: 'Running makes me feel alive, connected to the moment'
Author of The Cow Book, John Connell shares his experience of one long and glorious run he had through a forest in Longford, in an extract from his new book.
What we can learn from the world's 'Blue Zones' - where people regularly live into their 90s and 100s
Lifestyle changes can cure some diseases and significantly extend our lives, writes Professor Ciaran O’Boyle.
Wellness Wednesday: A postcard from Leigh Arnold in Ibiza
Actress and wellness advocate Leigh Arnold and her husband run a wellness retreat in Ibiza. She set up a free online wellness portal for everyone in lockdown.