Singapore, being a country located near the equator, has a tropical climate. However, most of the year, the weather stays hot and humid.

We wish we could stay at home during these days and enjoy the perks of our air-condition unit but there are times when we have to go to work or run some important errands.

Cooling down seems impossible thanks to our hectic schedules but not to worry, we can do something about this dilemma. Here are some convenient lifestyle tips to stay cool and survive the weather.

The wonders of chrysanthemum tea

You can find chrysanthemum tea in any grocery store in Singapore. It is recognized by Chinese medicine to be able to eliminate indigestion, ulcers and extreme headaches- most commonly caused by a sudden escalation of the body’s temperature.

When consumed hourly, noticeable changes can be observed. Heat rashes and other sun damages will dissipate. Drink hot chrysanthemum tea soaked with chrysanthemum leaves on hot days brings down the temperature of the body.

Natural aloe goodness

Aloe vera is known among individuals who love doing home remedies as a plant with an abundance of health benefits, most of these involving skin care.

Lathering aloe vera to sunburns or sun damaged skin can ease the pain and cool the skin. The plant has menthol properties so applying the gel, which is made up of 96% water, to the skin has a cooling and moisturizing effect.

Cool and fruity

Fruits such as cucumber and watermelon, have natural hydrating properties because of their high water content. Hydrating the body is a great way of bringing down body temperature. Citrus fruits, among them are limes and oranges, are hailed to be the one with the greatest cooling effect.

Snacking on chilled fruits is a healthy and delicious way of cooing down during extremely hot and humid days. Not only do these fruits cool down the body, but they also give the body tons of nutrients that keep the skin healthy and help break down fatty foods. Mix these with chilled veggies and bring them with you as a snack during busy days out.

No to alcohol

People from places that experience winter typically go drinking to help them keep warm. Quite the opposite, in countries experiencing hot scorching weather, people should avoid drinking alcoholic drinks.

Alcohol heightens the body’s blood volume, making more blood rise to the skin’s surface. When this happens, the body feels a lot warmer. This is why some people feel hot and turn red when they drink.

As the day progresses, it is natural that our makeup goes disarray especially if our work is very demanding. If we are a true believer of the phrase “grace under pressure”, we always make sure that we still look good no matter the demand.

Our solution is to bring our makeup kit no matter where we go and whatever the situation. However, if we value our shoulders too much, we should do away with unnecessary things and only bring retouch requirements.

Here are the retouch requirements every Singaporean should know:

• For fading: Among makeups, powder and lipstick have the shortest wear. Even if we are only sitting, the lip’s natural tendencies to moisten will fade our lipstick. This is also the same with the powder. If this is our main concern, we can just carry our favourite lipstick and powder all the time. It cannot hurt us – they are light after all.

• Clumping: There are times that our eyelash clumps. The only solution is to bring eyelash comb. The comb can help us disperse and rake out the clumped product from our strands.
• Bleeding: A bleeding lip is rare but it happens. When this happens, we should be prepared. We should always bring a cotton swab. We can dab cotton swab with a bit of concealer and gently apply around the lips. The concealer can define the contours of our lip and it can avoid further bleeding.

Now we know some retouch requirements, it is time that we apply it. Knowing these retouch requirements and learning how to apply it are different matters. We need to know how to apply it so we can achieve the look that we desire.

Singapore is a tropical country and we cannot do something about the heat. While the weather is a natural phenomenon, it is definitely taking its toll on everyone here in Singapore. As time goes by, we realize that temperatures are dangerously rising to almost unbearable levels.

With this, we are in danger of drowning in our own sweat. The worse threats are sweaty underarms and body odor – which is not pleasant at all. If in this case we are worried about our sweaty pits, we can implore the help of a good deodorant but for some, its use can lead to skin irritation.

Skin irritation is inevitable and it is crucial that we identify the root cause of skin irritation aside from heat. Here are the common causes of skin irritation:

• Shaving: If we are in the habit of shaving our underarms, we have to expect traces of razor burns which are characterized by redness and raised bumps. The razor can push the hair follicle in the wrong direction.

• Contact dermatitis: The most common cause of skin irritation is caused by an allergic reaction to a particular chemical or compound found in underarm products. To avoid this, we have to avoid products containing ingredients that can trigger allergies.
• Improper hygiene: When we are bathing, we forget to wash our underarm. We have to remember that the underarm area should be kept clean because of the accumulated dirt and sweat. Our underarms can harbour bacteria that can eventually cause irritation at the end of the day.

Now that we know what triggers skin irritation, we have to be wary of these things.

Many Singaporeans love Ian Fleming’s James Bond whether reading his series or watching the movie adaptations. James Bond is a series of novel about a British Secret Service agent. The novel was created in 1953. Ian Fleming made 12 novels including 2 short-stories. Ian Fleming died in 1953 but his legacy was continued by seven authorized Bond writers.

The seven writers include Christopher Wood, Kingsley Amis, John Gardner, Sebastian Faulks, Raymond Benson, Jeffrey Deaver and William Boyd. There will be a James Bond instalment this September 2015 written by Anthony Horowitz. James Bond characters have been adapted many times. Actually, James Bond films are the longest running film.

From 1954, there were about 14 actors who portrayed James Bond to include Sean Connery (1962-67 and 1971-83), Pierce Brosnan (1995 to 2002) and Daniel Craig (2006 to present). Daniel Craig is now making his last movie portrayal as James Bond which leaves the question “who will be the next Bond?”

Despite Craig’s last portrayal, there are no announcements yet as to who will become the next Bond. The good news is that Betfair revealed potential actors to fulfil the role of Ian Fleming’s spy. Here are the potential actors:

• Idris Elba: Idris Elba came out as a potential James Bond. Elba has the charisma but given his age (he is now 40), he might be too old for the role.
• Michael Fassbender: Michael is a German-Irish actor that claimed the role of young Magneto in the ‘X-Men’ movies. He seems to be dangerous and suave which will make him an excellent choice.
• Henry Cavill: Cavill was the first choice of Martin Campbell for ‘Casino Royale’ but he was not considered because he was too young for the role. Despite not getting the role, he still blossomed as the ‘Man of Steel’ and have undertaken a spy role in his recent movie ‘The Man From UNCLE”.

• Richard Armitage: We see Richard Armitage in ‘The Hobbit’. He has the looks and the style but he is now 40 years old which might rule him out.
• Tom Hardy: Tom Hardy is a respectable British actor. He is a likely successor to Daniel Craig especially with his latest success at ‘Mad Max’.
• Jamie Dornan: Jamie seduced millions of movie-goers as Christian Grey. He has two more instalments of the movie and who knows he will be considered Bond?
• Sam Worthington: We know Sam in ‘Avatar’. Though he is English by birth, his Australian heritage might not work well with him. He has two ‘Avatar’ instalments coming. Maybe he will not have time for James Bond.
• Jason Statham: Jason proved that he can blend action, comedy and drama. He will be an excellent Bond choice.

Regardless of the choice, we can only hope that the new actor can sustain Bond’s character.

Male breast cancer is rare but it is possible. In fact, 1% of breast cancer patients are male. Breast cancer happens when their levels of oestrogen are increased. Breast cancer can also happen if a man is exposed to radiation and has a family history of breast cancer.

We might not hear a man suffering from breast cancer here in Singapore but it doesn’t mean that we are free from it. The most common type of breast cancer for males are carcinoma. We all know that there are different symptoms of breast cancer but the most common one is a lump beneath the nipple.

People might wonder why are men prone to breast cancer when they do not have breasts like women. Well, men possess small amount of breast (non-functioning that is) which is found at the back of the nipple, undeveloped ducts, fats and connective tissue.

The initial treatment for males with breast cancer depends on the situation. It is therefore important to consult the physician and discuss treatments. There are many specialists here in Singapore that can help us get through breast cancer. The important thing is we are willing and we do not lose hope.

Specialists will usually recommend treatments like chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and radiation therapy. For some, they consider a removal of the breast to ensure that cancer cells will not spread. This is called mastectomies. We have heard Angelina Jolie undergo mastectomies to decrease the chances of developing breast cancer.

Although male removal of breast is uncommon, it doesn’t mean it is not recommended for men. In fact, there is a study that found out more men suffering from breast cancer are opting to get their breasts removed – even the healthy one. According to the recent study conducted by American Cancer Society, about 5.6% of men suffering from breast cancer consider mastectomies in 2011 alone.

It was mentioned earlier that even healthy breasts can be removed. This operation is called contralateral prophylactic mastectomy and this type of mastectomy is not always needed. Dr. Ahmedin Jemal of American Cancer Society warned males considering this type of mastectomy that it will not help them live longer.

The researchers were not astounded by the increase of males undergoing mastectomy because they observed the pattern of women. Women with breast cancer undergoing mastectomy increased in the past decade from 2.8% in 1998 to 11% in 2011.

The researchers advise that males should evaluate the benefits and harms of mastectomy before actually considering it.       

SUVs have been one of the more popular choices for vehicles because they provide the imposing size of trucks, the fuel efficiency and comfort of sedans, and the interior space of vans. You can say that an SUV is the perfect vehicle due to the utility provides for any demands, whether it is for cargo, luxury, sports or show. Hence, we have listed some of the best SUVs you can find in today’s market.

Honda CR-V 2015 – The CR-V has long been the leader when it comes to compact SUVs. The 2015 model now comes better than ever with a four-cylinder engine for better performance while staying efficient. Aside from that, it still maintains the wide interior space it has always been loved for.

Subaru Forester 2015 – The Forester is most known for is its wide and strong cargo area capable of hauling pretty much anything. Other than that, it is also a fuel-efficient line with good driving performance compared to other SUVs.

Jeep Grand Cherokee 2015 – This line has long been known for being more of an off-road vehicle. However, it has also shown to be a comfortable ride for the city streets as well. It has a well-designed interior whose only downside is the lack of passenger and cargo space.

Toyota Highlander 2015 – It is one of the better performing SUVs driving-wise due to its V6 engine combined with its fuel-efficiency. Aside from those, it is ultra spacious and can accommodate up to eight passengers.

Ford Expedition 2015 – Nothing defines the word “big” as well as the Expedition does. The improvements on the 2015 edition have made it more fuel-efficient and better designed interior-wise. It also boasts one of the widest passenger capacities for any SUV. The rear end seats can also be folded to provide a bigger space for cargo.

Land Rover Range Rover 2015 – It is a vehicle capable and durable enough to handle city driving as well as off-road treks. It is also one of the few SUVs that can come with a supercharged V8 engine for an even more powerful driving experience.

October is fast approaching. This means that, Oktoberfest, the season for beer drinking, is at our midst. This is the best time for anyone of any age and regardless of social status to get their belly’s ready for all kinds of brews available for the season. With that, here are some of the best craft brews worth tasting this season.

• Hooker

The Hooker Brewery offers its own Oktoberfest brew that provides a caramel taste together with a little bit of toasted malt.

• Heavy Seas Marzen

This is a beer brewed in March, available all year, but best tasting during October. Kinda weird isn’t it? Well, the taste isn’t as weird. It provides a toasted yet sweet crystal malt flavor that is enough to make a brew enthusiast come back for more.

• Autumnation

Brewed by Six Point Brewery, this craft brew is constantly considered one of the best beers around. It is a little spicy with a cinnamon and ginger finish.

• Harvest Ale

This is a brew made by the Founders Brewery in Michigan. It offers a rare taste that is sweet in flavor together with an herbal hop taste and a little bit of a citrus finish to add some variety.

• The Great Pumpkin Ale

The Elysian Brewing Company has developed this brew to give out a copper color intensely flavored with pumpkin and some sugar and spices.

• Octoberfest

Brewed by a craft beer pioneer Samuel Adams, the Octoberfest is one of the more popular brews during the season. It is also one of the best tasting craft beers out there probably because of it is brewed with five different roasts of malt together with some caramel and a hint of toffee for the added sweetness.

A new study found out that anxious brains are hereditary. What does this tell us? This tells us that we might inherit our parent’s temperament. According to researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison lead by Dr. Ned Kalin, anxiety is explained by our family’s history.

The study was presented in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on July 6, 2015. The researchers focused their attention on rhesus monkeys. Rhesus monkeys were chosen because like us, they have this “anxious temperament”.

What were their findings? Here’s a peak:

• Early temperament: 50 percent of kids with anxious temperaments have high risk of developing mental disorders later in their lives. Dr. Kalin and his colleagues are trying to figure the basis of the temperament and hope to develop prompt interventions that can shove kids away from depression and other anxiety problems.

• Anxious brains: Since the researchers know how monkeys are related in their study, they were able to track the inheritance of such anxious behaviours with the use of their family tree. Dr. Kalin and fellow researchers found out that 35 percent could be explained by genes passed down by fathers and mothers.

The study leads Dr. Kalin and his colleagues to believe that we inherit overactivity from our parents. This overactivity may leave us susceptible to develop anxiety and depression later in our lives. However, 70 percent of anxiety and depression variations are not genetic – which means there is hope for intervention and treatment.

This study makes sense when we hear our mother or father say “you are your mother’s daughter” or “you are your father’s son”. Now we are one step closer in understanding our anxious brains. It is crucial that we understand it because there are many Singaporeans who are one.