5 pillars of wellness

As Canterbury prepares to celebrate the 10th anniversary of World Wellness Weekend on 18 to 20 September, the five pillars of wellness come into the spotlight. From nature-based wellness experiences to mindfulness and movement, World Wellness Weekend encourages communities to enjoy free activities that promote healthier, happier lifestyles. What began ten years ago […]

The rhythm of life

What if the secret to feeling better wasn’t about adding more to your day, but about doing the right things at the right time? Deputy editor Tamara Pitelen looks at the chi cycle. Before the invention of electric lights, alarm clocks, televisions, and the 9-to-5 working week, we humans lived closely aligned to […]

Contrast therapy and the coolest place to try it: Elemental

Gwyneth Paltrow swears by contrast therapy. Cristiano Ronaldo made it a cornerstone of his post-match routine. And Metropol editor Nina Tucker believes that Hanmer Springs’ new contrast therapy experience, Elemental, rivals the most premium of celebrity wellness rituals. She takes you inside the guided 75-minute session inspired by the alpine village’s elements. Can […]

Eye on the ball

A Christchurch man has won a brand-new JAC ute after checking his balls for testicular cancer in the Lump Lottery. The Lump Lottery has driven thousands of Kiwi men to check their balls, with 13,478 balls checked during Testicular Cancer Awareness Month. The most commonly diagnosed cancer in teenage boys and young men […]

Anxiety hacks

Feeling anxious? Here are 10 quick and easy science-backed hacks to dial it down. Chew gum: Studies show it reduces cortisol and increases blood flow to the brain. Go outside and look at something far away: Anxiety literally narrows your vision, it’s part of the stress response. Forcing your eyes wide on a […]

Strength, measured: Muscle People

Once reserved for elite sport, objective performance-testing technology is now helping everyday people recover with greater precision, see their progress and return confidently to the activities that matter. How strong is your recovering arm or leg compared with the other side? Has an injured shoulder or elbow regained the capacity needed for lifting, […]

Feel-good mental hacks

Metropol deputy editor Tamara Pitelen shares insights from mental performance coach Paula Rule. Recently, Metropol editor Nina Tucker and I attended a women’s networking breakfast hosted by Inspire Me Women. The guest speaker was Paula Rule, a mental performance coach from The Mental Edge, who helps women – from athletes to business leaders […]

Under pressure: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Can hyperbaric therapy help with everything from ageing to anxiety, diabetes, erectile dysfunction and migraines? Metropol deputy editor Tamara Pitelen dons an oxygen mask and gets sealed in a hyperbaric chamber to find out more about this increasingly popular therapy. For about 12 years now, my husband has suffered debilitating, excruciating and regular […]

Is your scalp sending SOS signals? Serendipity+ Head Spa

Christchurch scalp specialist and hair stylist Tatsushi Hasegawa reveals three warning signs you shouldn’t ignore. “Every scalp tells a story, and I love helping people understand what their scalp is trying to tell them,” says Tatsushi Hasegawa (Hase) of SERENDIPITY+ Head Spa. A master in scalp health, and one of few in the […]

Magnetic Resonance Imaging: MRIs explained – Reform Radiology

What is an MRI? How is it different to other imaging technologies? Here are the answers to the questions radiologists get most. MRI technology has advanced significantly in recent years, delivering faster scan times, exceptional image quality, and greater efficiency, says Reform Radiology’s Chief Medical Officer  Dr Joel Dunn. “This is an exciting […]