Wellbeing
Health taboos
Are we dieting less or lying about our diets more?
![diet_SMH1](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2014/01/12/5070323/diet_SMH1-90x60.jpg)
Katy Waldman In this age of health, purity, and clean living, no one wants to admit to being on a diet.
Dream Weaver
Can an app help you reach nirvana?
![girl walking on the beach at sunset](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2014/01/08/5061178/THUMB157013748-90x60.jpg)
Katy Waldman This might just be the tech boost spiritual slackers are lacking.
Dear lovely scientists...
7-year old Aussie girl asks scientists to make her a dragon
![dragon](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2014/01/10/5066256/1_thumbku-xlarge--2--90x60.jpg)
Effie Mann "I would like it if you could but if you can't that's fine," she writes to CSIRO.
Sleep better
Can't sleep? Blame your screen time
![Young Woman Lying In Bed Using Smartphone](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2014/01/09/5064115/th-169762639-90x60.jpg)
Sleeping with your phone and watching TV before bed might be staving off sleep, new study finds.
Healthy vows
New Year's resolutions everyone should make
![Beautiful woman](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/12/13/5008142/thumb454324495-90x60.jpg)
NICOLE ELPHICK Vows to start the year on a bright and positive note.
Going viral
Girl Instagrams her journey from anorexic to good health
![AnorexiaTH](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2014/01/05/5054582/AnorexiaTH-90x60.jpg)
Molly Mchugh One of the first pictures Erikkson ever posted is of a hospital bed. She was admitted 15 months ago, for anorexia — and she used Instagram to document the entire thing
Calm in a can
Can you find calm in a can?
![Chamomile harvest](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/12/18/5018406/THUMB92951114-90x60.jpg)
Paula Goodyer Herbal fizzy drinks that claim to help with relaxation and sleep are gaining fans.
How old are you really?
How old are you really?
![TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 07: Tavi Gevinson attends the Variety Studio At Holt Renfrew during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images for Variety)](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/12/16/5013725/thumb179967510-90x60.jpg)
Kate Marie and Professor Merlin Christopher Thomas Assessing your biological age.
Straight talking
Things no one will tell fat girls... so I will
![jes baker](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/12/13/5007774/thumb1--2--90x60.jpg)
Jes Baker Jes Baker is a 26-year-old mental health professional who writes about self-acceptance via her blog The Militant Baker. Here, she shares her body-positive message, challenging the "fat girl" stereotype, in the hope of inspiring self-belief.
The skin you're in
Skin conditions can leave emotional scars too
![Girl on bed by the window](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/12/19/5021452/THUMB88068514-90x60.jpg)
Linda McSweeny Acne and psoriasis have been linked to depression and anxiety.
Holiday health
6 ways to have a happier holiday
![holiday](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/12/13/5007413/THUMBholCapture-90x60.jpg)
Lin Taylor Holidays need not be hard work. Here's how to enjoy yourself before, during and after your break.
Body image project
'What autocomplete will tell you about fat hate and why it needs to stop'
![bullies](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/12/11/4998471/1_THUMBCapture-90x60.jpg)
EFFIE MANN Blogger Jes Baker channels her frustrations at Google autocomplete searches into a powerful new project.
Health trends
The health stories we read this year
![LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 02: Angelina Jolie attends the World Premiere of 'World War Z' at The Empire Cinema on June 2, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/12/10/4996199/THUMB169823100-90x60.jpg)
Clifford Fram From Angelina Jolie’s double mastectomy to world-leading research, we reflect on the year that was.
Vitamin value
Have we over-estimated Vitamin D's powers?
![thumb](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/10/23/4854098/143919450-90x60.jpg)
Makiko Kitamura Vitamin D shows no benefit in fighting cancer or heart disease, study says.
Anorexia memoirs
Should we stop reading anorexia memoirs?
![Woman on bed](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/12/06/4986900/thumb93504750-90x60.jpg)
LAUREN SMELCHER SAMS One author – and former anorexic – says they often do more harm than good.
Can't Sleep?
Suffering from Sunday night insomnia?
![woman](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2012/10/22/3733516/woman-TN-2-90x60.jpg)
Brigid Delaney It's time to stop worrying about the week ahead and rethink your sleep habits.
Body image
Powerful video shows people with disabilities reacting to mannequins created in their image
![disability campaign](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/12/05/4981499/1_THUMBdisCapture-90x60.jpg)
Because beauty, and people, come in all shapes and sizes.
Birth control
Male contraceptive pilll on the horizon?
![pill](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/12/06/4987522/birth_control-90x60.jpg)
Keeping sperm from being ejaculated may provide the key to creating a birth control drug for men.
Baby making
Women aren't the only ones responsible for making healthy babies
![Young couple kissing in bed](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/12/04/4980322/thumb171852391-90x60.jpg)
Jessica Grose We barely ever mention how male behavior can affect sperm quality.
Real life
What it's like to suffer from body dysmorphic disorder
![Young woman sitting on edge of bed, holding head in hand](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/12/04/4980022/1_thumbBC5544-001-90x60.jpg)
Melissa Davey "I don’t go outside, I’m an ugly duckling. What’s the point of living?"
The happy diet
Are slim people happier?
![PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 02: Fashion blogger and model Hanneli Mustaparta wearing Louis Vuitton with a Calvin Klein cardigan on day 9 of Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2014, Paris October 02, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Kirstin Sinclair/FilmMagic)](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/12/03/4976184/thumb183635275-90x60.jpg)
Dr George Blair-West The important link between life meaning and weight loss.
Family fears
Where do phobias come from?
![Woman clutching her head in mental anguish](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/12/03/4976444/thumb149627809-90x60.jpg)
Richard Gray They could be memories passed down in genes from ancestors.
Positive periods
9 things every woman should know about her period
![Assault_TN](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/11/14/4923646/Assault_TN-90x60.jpg)
Anea Bogue Breaking the long-standing and deeply-rooted taboo around the subject of menstruation.
Desk threats
The perils of a stand-up desk
![BurnOut_TN](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/09/13/4745083/BurnOut_TN-90x60.jpg)
Sydney Trent Standing up at your desk may energize you, but it's also tough on your legs.
The price of speaking my mind
![Jacinta](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/11/20/4939119/col_t-20131119182347261804-90x60.jpg)
Jacinta Tynan Jacinta Tynan learnt the hard way that there are consequences to being candid.
Happily single
The joy of being divorced
![Divorce_TN](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/11/22/4946892/Divorce_TN-90x60.jpg)
Dianne Blacklock After years of marriage and child-rearing, author Dianne Blacklock finds herself smugly single.
Size acceptance
Who would have thought a toilet sign would make us so happy?
![Female sign](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/11/21/4941577/thumb143287057--1--90x60.jpg)
Effie Mann Take a look at the ladies loos at Jacksonville International Airport.
Taming nausea
Have you experienced nausea?
![Pregnant woman lying on bed, petting cat](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/11/20/4938580/thumb200149448-001-90x60.jpg)
Kendall Powell New research focuses on finding ways to tame nausea.
No princess toys
3 girls find kickass way to play with princess toys
![girls](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/11/20/4938208/THUMBCapture-90x60.jpg)
Annie Colbert Keep your pretty pink toys, because these girls don't need them.
Katy Perry
Burlesque dancer turns Katy Perry's 'Roar' into a body image anthem
![amanda](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/11/20/4938014/Capture-90x60.jpg)
EFFIE MANN You will see skin and you will see all her passion, and it will be awesome.
Colonel Meow
Internet rallies for sick Colonel Meow
![cat](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/11/20/4937707/tm-meow2-90x60.jpg)
Annie Colbert World domination must wait — Colonel Meow is sick.
'You're Not A Princess' school ad campaign goes viral
![tn](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/11/17/4930649/tm-princess-thumb-90x60.jpg)
Kurt Wagner The Mercy Academy, an all-girls preparatory school in Louisville, Kentucky, is making waves nationally for its ad campaign telling young girls "You're Not A Princess," and encouraging them to "Prepare for real life."
Labiaplasty surgery on the rise in Australia but a backlash looms
![Single pink orchid on white background](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/11/13/4920399/1_vagina_t-20131113104232516378-90x60.jpg)
There is no such thing as perfect-looking labia. Full stop. So why are women feeling pressured into undertaking unnecessary surgery? Fortunately, there are signs of a backlash against the disturbing trend for a "designer vagina", writes Melissa Jacob.
Rare albino kangaroo found outside of Canberra is a magical creature
![A rare albino kangaroo at the Namadgi National Park.](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/11/15/4926824/tm-LR-roo-gall1-20131115121219507007-90x60.jpg)
HAMISH BOLAND-RUDDER Lazing in the middle of a kangaroo mob just a half hour drive from city suburbs is a truly incredible tale of survival, rarely seen in the animal kingdom: an albino kangaroo that has survived beyond its childhood.
Get active
You really need to get moving
![running](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/04/05/4167126/running-th-90x60.jpg)
Linda McSweeny The evidence keeps mounting - even if you jog, swim or go to the gym, sitting for long periods can kill you, writes Linda McSweeny.
Gender study
Do women worry more than men?
![woman](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2012/10/24/3738665/woman-TN-90x60.jpg)
MEX COOPER Gender does not influence what people worry about as much as other characteristics, a new survey has found.
Alternative remedies
Do alternative medicines really work?
![Dried Arnica tea](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/11/14/4922712/thumb86160300-90x60.jpg)
Paul Offit Alternative remedies have been part of scientific medicine for centuries, but which ones should we be taking?
Health Obsessed
Can you be too healthy?
![Green smoothie healthy drink in faceted glass on wooden table.](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/11/04/4894525/THUMB143177815-90x60.jpg)
Susie Burrell If you obsess over diet and exercise you could be suffering from orthorexia, writes nutritionist Susie Burrell.
Positive thinking
Is positive thinking wasted on the brain?
![Smiling woman standing with hands on hips](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/11/12/4916515/thumb184078326-90x60.jpg)
SARAH BERRY Those who seemingly "have it all" remain unsatisfied.
Contraceptive dangers
When birth control pills become dangerous
![Pill_TN](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/10/29/4869700/Pill_TN-90x60.jpg)
KASEY EDWARDS One author on how taking oral contraceptives left her suffering bouts of anxiety and paranoia.
Do married people live longer?
![thumb](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/10/25/4860396/tm-93012035-90x60.jpg)
Brian Palmer Studies suggest life partners live longer, are happier... and fatter.
Meditation
You need to know how to meditate
![<i></i>](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/10/28/4867474/tm-81724765-90x60.jpg)
Amy Molloy You don't have to sit cross-legged or close your eyes - all you need is an open mind and a few minutes each day.
Women's fertility
Does My Cervix Look Weird To You?
![thumb](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/10/14/4828149/1_1_tm-a_3x-horizontal-90x60.jpg)
Effie Mann The Beautiful Cervix Project celebrates intimate and unique selfies.
Me time: not trivial
Why 'me time' isn't trivial
![thumb](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/10/10/4818839/tm-136205507-90x60.jpg)
Damon Young Jane Austen spent hers writing Pride and Prejudice.
Naked truth
Body satisfaction is not out of reach
![NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 10: Chiara Ferragni is seen outside the Marc by Marc Jacobs show on September 10, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images)](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/09/26/4779769/tm-180288261-90x60.jpg)
SARAH BERRY Few women are satisfied with their appearance.
Chocolate healthy?
Is chocolate really that good for you?
![thumb](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/09/25/4776439/1_chocolatesthimb-90x60.jpg)
Paula Goodyer Pro-chocolate headlines don't tell the full story
Health myths
The five biggest health myths
![Chocolate Cake And Milk](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/09/20/4765050/th-cake-90x60.jpg)
SARAH BERRY According to Michael Mosley, arguably the most famous human-health guinea pig on the planet.
Live well
Healthy living could actually slow down ageing
![yoga th](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/03/04/4078815/yoga-th-90x60.jpg)
Nick Collins New study shows patients who adopted healthy diets, exercise regimes and ‘‘stress management’’ techniques developed chromosomes that appeared similar to those of a younger person.
Foods to avoid
The 10 foods nutritionists won't eat
![Nutritionist_TN](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/09/18/4758116/Nutritionist_TN-90x60.jpg)
Susie Burrell Some foods offer so little nutritionally that nutritionists would rather not eat them at all.
Michelle Bridges' gourmet sandwich
![Sandwich_TN](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/09/10/4734573/Sandwich_TN-90x60.jpg)
Michelle Bridges Celeriac coleslaw and rare roast beef sandwichRoast beef and celeriac is a fantastic flavour combination!
Rise and shine
The secret to a good night's sleep
![sleep](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/09/06/4725008/sleep-th-90x60.jpg)
Evelyn Lewin Having trouble sleeping? Forget pills and counting sheep, there's an easier way and it works like a dream.
Book guilt
The sad realisation that you've stopped reading books
![Josephine Tovey dinkus](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2011/06/14/2428927/Josephine_Tovey-90x60.jpg)
JOSEPHINE TOVEY The easy-to-consume Internet is proving a powerful opponent to the book.
Music: good for you
Listening to music is good for your health
![music](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/09/03/4715515/music-th-90x60.jpg)
Laura Donnelly Listening to music has long been seen as a remedy for heartbreak, but now a study has found that it can, in fact, strengthen the heart and improve vascular health.
Early risers win
Why getting up early is good for you
![early](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/09/02/4712360/early-bird-th-90x60.jpg)
Melissa Shedden Recent international studies have revealed late risers tend to be hungrier and fatter than morning people, suffer from poorer memory and more pain, may be extroverted and have sex more often.
Going viral
Check out this excellent short film about smartphone addiction
![newq phone](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/08/29/4701932/new-phone-th-90x60.jpg)
SIMONE MITCHELL Oh boy. This resonates. In a fairly uncomfortable way.
Midwife-led care
The results of the major midwife review
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AMY CORDEROY Women who give birth under the primary care of a midwife are more likely to have full-term births and fewer medical interventions.
Gwyneth's regime
Gwyneth's guide to being a picture of good health
![gwyneth](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/08/16/4666512/gwyneth-th-90x60.jpg)
Compiled by Rachael Dove and Simone Mitchell "I often smoke a cigarette on a Saturday". Wait, what?
Sydney team develop new cancer drug
![Neuroblastoma cancer cell.](http://web.archive.org./web/20140113001527im_/http://images.dailylife.com.au/2013/08/14/4662059/AM-TH-CANCERDRUG-20130814205302809850-90x60.jpg)
NICKY PHILLIPS Sydney researchers have developed a new class of cancer drugs, the first to target the internal structure of tumour cells.