Middle-aged women are being encouraged not to forget to have sex, because it’s good for your memory… Sorry, what was I saying again? But seriously, scientists maintain that females who have sex more often score, on average, two percentage points higher on cognitive tasks.
Staying young is on my mind a lot right now because I’ve just turned 60. (Try to look shocked, will you?!) Another sure-fire way to stay young, these experts insist, is to take on new challenges and conquer old phobias.
That is why I recently found myself in the middle of the Indian Ocean, flippered feet dangling off the side of a boat, poised to plunge into the deep, dark waters below to dive with whale sharks in the Seychelles. It’s worth mentioning I have a complete sharkphobia. There must be a reason fish never look truly relaxed… Could it be because something much, much bigger is always trying to devour them?
Lisa, my chirpy dive instructor, promised that whale sharks, although the size of a truck, are harmless. “But no creature gets that big from eating periwinkles, right?” I asked, nervously.
Strapping the oxygen tank onto my back, Lisa calmly explained that whale sharks only eat algae. As she lowered the dive mask over my face, I was having serious second thoughts. I hadn’t scuba-dived for 10 years. When my mother was my age, the most athletic activity that she ever attempted was licking an envelope.
As I stepped off the boat into thin air, I wished I’d opted for a physical activity not known for its fatalities, say, hopscotch or knitting. Bobbing about, trying to repress my terror of what might be lurking beneath the water, I slowly deflated my vest and descended to the sandy seabed.
Denne historien er fra October 2019-utgaven av woman & home South Africa.
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Denne historien er fra October 2019-utgaven av woman & home South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Used car SCAMS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
Whether you're buying or selling, here are the dodgy deals to watch out for
Bliss in the BUSH
Not even the rain could dampen the spirit and beauty of a visit to Lalibela Game Reserve
Caramel CREATIONS
Three classic French sweets to round off dinner with friends
WINTER houseplant care
Bring extra greenery and life into your home when it's grey and gloomy outside
10 ways to LIVE WELL UNTIL...
It's the little lifestyle changes that can make a big difference
THE DESPAIR Of WINTER
Winter does sap one’s energy, to be sure, and you want to snuggle on the couch with a good book, but for some people, winter brings serious mental health issues
IT'S CRUNCH TIME
Noisy eaters, beware: Christabel Smith has had and heard! - enough
Pillars OF SUPPORT
We should all be paying it forward, and these women are helping to set an example
Gracefully COMMITTED
Anne Hathaway has shaken off her princess crown and is showing the world that she is more than capable of being the queen of the screen through hard work, commitment and being authentically herself
Till death do us part
It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages, said Nietzsche. He may be on to something, says Lorraine Kearney
