Sunny Health

Regardless whether you're working out at home or out doors, functional work out clothes that will complement your activity rather than hinder you are a must. If you don't wear appropriate clothes and shoes, you may even risk hurting yourself.

Clothes -

Make sure they fit well. They should be comfortable and loose but not get in your way. Exceptions are some activities like yoga and pilates where stretchy, fitted fabrics that wick away sweat are a favourite choice.  and are not too tight or lose. Pants that are too tight or lose may cause scuffing around the groin area which is extremely uncomfortable. Ladies may wish to consider getting exercise bras or yoga bras for comfort and easier movement. Do some stretches in your new outfit to verify its functionality before you head off outdoors or to the gym.

Wear clothes of the right material. You don't have to run out to the sports shops and buy pricey jerseys and sportswear, but if you're going to grab t-shirts from home, make sure they are suitable. In hot weather, the right clothing will help prevent the risk of heat-related illnesses like heat stroke and fatigue. Go for light colours like white and pastels instead of black to reflect the sun rays from your body.

Avoid fabrics that are not airy, such as rubber-based and plastic-based materials. These prevent your perspiration from evaporating, which can cause heat-related problems.

If you love exercising outdoors, don't let winter stop you. I've seen people jog around topless when I was in the States during the winter. While it is true that one heats up during physical activity, it's also not really encouraged, especially if you're just starting to exercise in cold weather and you're not so accustomed to the cold. Go for layered outfits, which you can remove layer by layer if it does get hot. Go for polypropylene thermal underwear, which absorbs sweat so you don't become chilled to the bone when the sweat evaporates.

One tends to breathe harder during exercise and in cold weather, so wear a face mask or wrap a scarf over your mouth to protect your lungs from the rush of cold air. Your hands, feet and head tend to experience the cold first, so gloves, wool socks and a wool beanie will help to provide insulation.

Footwear -

Never scrimp on quality footwear as you can incur serious injuries if you don't wear the right type of shoes. Running and walking shoes are generally fine for weight training and low impact activities like aerobics and jogging. If you're training for marathons, definitely get running shoes with plenty of support. If you're playing specific sports like tennis, basketball, football etc, get sport-specific shoes.

Wear a pair of good socks too which helps absorb the perspiration, while providing added comfort by preventing blisters and scuffing.

The past week has been an adrenaline-rushed week for Singapore! Our athletes certainly have performed admirably at the SEA Games, breaking record after record, and hauling in medal after medal. It was wonderful watching them unleash their passion and strength at their favourite sports.
I think their toned bodies give much to envy about, don't you think?

Fortunately, it's not just our athletes who have been working hard and sweating it out, but more Singaporeans are taking to active route to lead a healthy lifestyle. In recent years there has been an increase in the number of marathons, both local and regional and even international. There have also been more fitness facilities like exercise corners, which are in frequent use. Under HPB's Get Active, Anywhere, Anywhere programme, free workouts are available for the community and workplace. In the residential estates, it is a common sight in the mornings and evenings to see people jogging and exercising.

However, many Singaporeans still lead a sedentary life at the workplace, spending hours on their chair tapping away in front of their computers. You might spend an hour working out after or before office hours, but that's not going to make up for the hours of inactivity in between. Inactivity not only leads to weight gain, it also leads to aches and pains especially in the back and shoulders, as sitting is not a natural position for the body to be in, and contorting the body as such for hours on end is frankly cruel.

While sitting may not directly lead to weight gain, research does indicate that it leads to a bigger, fatter bum! The research came from a scientist who was researching on bed-ridden patients. He found that muscles at their buttocks shrink and break due to lack of exercise. Additionally, it was discovered that fat cells thrive on the inactivity and would infiltrate the muscle, causing fat to accumulate.

This is not only restricted to the bum, but other parts of the body. Examining the MRI scans of muscle tissues of paralysed patients show that lines of fat cells invade the major muscles throughout the body. According to Dailymail, researchers discovered that preadipocyte cells, the precursors to fat cells, turn into fat cells and produce even more fat when subject to prolonged periods of 'mechanical stretching loads' - referring to the weight we put on our body tissues when we sit or lie down.

The solution is honestly really simple. Get up and walk from time to time!

Set an hourly alarm, and when it goes off, get up, have a good stretch (you'll feel so much better), walk to the pantry to get some water or go to the washroom. Let your body enjoy at least 5 minutes of freedom in the normal upright position before heading back to work.

We know it's rather distracting to your colleagues to do complete workouts in the office, but you can still do something discrete like butt clenches to reduce inactivity in your bum. These are very simple to do and you can do them even when seated.

To do a butt clench, just clench your butt muscles as tight as possible (in the outwards direction). For maximum effectiveness, hold for at least 30 seconds while breathing normally, but this can be challenging for beginners, so do what you can, each time lengthening the duration and you'll eventually get better. Complete several repetitions throughout the day. Butt clenches may not help you to lose weight, but they prevent inactivity and consequently fat deposits.

In this globalised era, it doesn't matter whether the disease originated from or where it is currently wrecking havoc in. People of diverse backgrounds cross borders all the time, being potential carriers of other viruses. Banning travel is obviously not a practical solution. We should not let our guards down, but we should not panic unduly either.

Preventing MERS is very similar to protecting yourself from flu. It all boils down to good sanitation practices and personal responsibility.

Observe good hygiene

Wash your hands frequently, especially before and after handling food, after going to the toilet, after touching shared surfaces that get plenty of human contact everyday, such as the handle bars and grab poles on the public transport and before coming in contact with the vulnerable such as babies and elderly.

If you have to cough, sneeze or spit, do so into a tissue, then throw the tissue into the bin. Wear a surgical mask if you are coughing and sneezing intermittently.

Avoid close contact with people who have influenza or respiratory problems. Avoid contact with stray animals, especially camels and bats, which are thought to be the original carriers of the disease. If contact has been made, sanitise your hands thoroughly with soap.

Go to the doctor if you exhibit symptoms

Symptoms are somewhat similar to the flu and you may be tempted to dismiss them, but considering that MERS has an almost 50% fatality rate, it would be unwise to be careless. Fever, cough and breathing difficulties are common symptoms.

The incubation period of the MERS virus is up to 14 days. If within 14 days you return from a MERS affected country and experience the symptoms, go to the hospital immediately. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Get vaccinated if you are in the high-risk group 

People in this group include frequent travellers, those aged 65 above and/or have chronic medical conditions. There is no vaccination against MERS. However, the influenza vaccination will help to protect against various flu strains which have the potential to cause serious pneumococcal infections. Many clinics offer influenza vaccinations, including the polyclinics. Those in the high-risk group may use their medisave to pay for the vaccination. Do not wait till the eleventh hour to get vaccinated if you’re travelling, as it takes 2 weeks for protection to develop after vaccination. Children who have not been vaccinated previously against influenza will require 2 doses with the interval of 4 weeks. For adults, only 1 dose is required.