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Protect, Detect and Love Your Skin

Posted on February 09, 2009 at 02:19 PM

Two years ago I took the brave plunge and learnt to swim. I don’t know what was more terrifying, the thought of not being able to touch the bottom of the pool or the sight of my bottom in my antique swimsuit.

For years I have avoided the water and missed out on many fun times with the kids, I hate cold water, I hate wearing togs, all pathetic excuses but mostly I have a real phobia about drowning.

Ironically, learning to swim saved my life. A friend detected a very dodgy freckle on my back that if I hadn’t been parading around like Pamela Andersen from “Baywatch” probably would have gone unnoticed.

It was immediately removed by the skin specialist who duly rang me a few days later with the news that it was a melanoma, followed with “you should go and buy a Lotto ticket”

Needless to say I am a lot more diligent with covering up and protecting my skin than previously, and trying desperately to educate my four sons into developing really good habits at an early age.

In terms of personal health and well being most of us know what we need to do to enhance our quality of life and yet there is this obvious disconnect between knowing and actually doing something about it.

www.wonderwalkers.co.nz was developed with just that in mind, supporting women to enjoy being active to give them a daily fix of humour and health without the guilt factor.

The importance and needs of exercise change as we get older and let’s face it the majority of us even as we advance in years are so much more concerned with looking young as opposed to feeling young. Yet half the world is obese and most of the rest of us are or soon will be overweight so that just leaves the athletes and the supermodels.

There is a plethora of social marketing campaigns aimed at helping us improve our overall health status but we still (me included) bury our heads in the sand and either hope like hell it won’t happen to me or even better constantly tell ourselves we will start tomorrow.

Well for those who need a kick up the pants here is a really great idea. Develop yourself a WAP..a wellness action plan. Place it where you won’t miss it..The bathroom mirror. The fridge. The car.. and boldly put some simple reminders of what you are going to do in 2009 to work towards a healthier you!

Mine is really basic…eat more fruit and vegetables and less takeaways. Drink more water and less wine, walk everyday and do some resistance exercises. Spend more time playing with the kids and less time cleaning up their mess or screaming at them to clean up their mess. Always wear a hat and sunscreen and remember if you can’t find a little time to exercise now make sure you put aside a lot of time later in your life for illness.

Why not incorporate regular opportunities to protect, detect and love the skin you’re in as part of your 2009 Wellness Action Plan?

Beautiful skin is healthy skin – so make sure your skin is in the best shape possible by taking up Olay Complete’s two-for-one MoleMap Spot Check offer. Click here to register and don’t forget to check out the great prizes on offer this month including 6 gorgeous Swimwear packs up for grabs and a luxury spa holiday for two .