Shoulder pain is a common problem but there are tips to avoid it. (Getty Images)

Shoulder pain is one of the most common problems I see during health consultations.

Most of the time the client tells me, "Oh it's been diagnosed as... tendinitis, rotator cuff tears, impingement" and so on.

The problem is, that the symptoms of shoulder pain feel "about the same" no matter which part of the shoulder is damaged. It is very hard to tell what the cause of the problem is just by description of the symptoms.

The cause of shoulder pain is "multi-multi-multi factorial". The reason for this, is that the shoulder has 24 attachments and components that affect its function. Any one of these, or a combination of them can affect shoulder function and cause pain.

So, today we are going to cover 3 tips that can greatly reduce your risks of shoulder pain and if done progressively even if you are injured, they should improve some of your symptoms.

As usual, never push into sharp pain, or dull pain that does not go away in a few seconds. Below, one of the Genesis Gym instructors,

Knowledge is key when it comes to health issues (Thinkstock photo)

Are Singapore women interested in being healthy and staying beautiful?

Going by the sales of Singapore's first ever guide to women's health, Beautiful Inside Out, the answer is a resounding "yes".

"Women in Singapore are definitely interested in both health and beauty. In fact, they see the two as intertwined — staying healthy helps keep you beautiful; and to get beautiful, you should focus on your health," says Kathryn Ng, director, Marketing Communications and Partnership Development, SingHealth.

"Proof is, we have already sold 2,000 copies of Beautiful Inside Out within the first year of launch." Within the past month alone, over 300 copies of the book have been sold through the website: healthxchange.com.sg/specials.

"Many women have told us they love the helpful tips dispersed throughout the book," adds Ms Ng. Key health issues covered in the 16-chapter reference guide include fertility and sexual health, oral health, heart matters, bones and joints, as well as skin conditions.

We eat comfort food to make ourselves feel better and to get some instant gratification. However, this gratification is only temporary, and will often leave you tempted for more. Worse, comfort foods (like chocolate and cookies) tend to be high in sugar, starch and fat, and can be bad for your health.

Convinced enough to want to avoid comfort food? Here are some tips:

Tip #1 — Question yourself before eating

The next time you find yourself reaching for some comfort food, ask yourself whether you are truly hungry. Think about what exactly it is that you feel — is it hunger, or is it something else like boredom or anger? If you realize that you don't actually feel hungry, accept it and address the issue at hand instead, such as the cause of your anger or unhappiness.

Try going for a walk or a jog to kill boredom or to release your emotions. Not only is this a healthier way to get rid of the negative emotions you feel, it is also a good exercise that will leave you feeling satisfied and

Does calcium really build strong bones? (Getty Images)

Would you agree that one of the things that makes ladies different from men is that they are, in general, better listeners?

This is a wonderful character trait. However, it can be taken advantage of by the media to sell methods and products that may be more hype than useful information.

One of the fallacies that is often spread is that calcium is the sole key to bone health, especially for ladies and especially as they age. Supplement and dairy producers have made millions on this assumption.

While calcium is an important mineral, there are many factors that can affect it's effectiveness, and how much calcium you eat is just one of them.

You can take in all the calcium supplements in the world, but if the rest of the system is not in balance it won't help your bone strength much.

First, you want to avoid loss of calcium.

One major factor in calcium loss from bone is excessive acidity. This comes in many forms, usually from carbonated drinks (its the phosphoric acid!), excessive

Your office photocopier is not devoid of health risks (Thinkstock photo)

Photocopiers are oh-so-essential in the modern office. But as we focus on the machines' sleek design, high-performance functionality and good quality printing, we neglect to consider how potentially risky they can be — to our health.

"Workers are using these office machines every single day. Yet not many realise that, under certain circumstances, they can bring on health problems, especially in those with pre-existing respiratory conditions" observes Dr Chew Huck Chin, Associate Consultant, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care, Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

Photocopiers create ozone gas

Ozone, a form of oxygen, is a normal constituent of the earth's atmosphere. It's a highly reactive, unstable, colourless gas with a distinctive odour.

"Photocopiers create ozone through their "corona wires" that apply a charge to the paper so the ink will cling to it," explains Chew. "As ozone is highly reactive, any adverse health effects will be found essentially at the sites of initial

Tips to help you embark on your healthy eating plan (Getty Images)

The first and most important step to getting healthy is to understand and accept that you have to make a change to your lifestyle and eating habits. Once you realize you are ready to make changes to your lifestyle, the next step is to create a plan to follow. This plan should be based on your personal fitness goals.

Creating a plan is an important step in your journey towards fitness and health, and will allow you to be aware of how much sugar and fat you are consuming. Also by making your goals concrete, it will help you be more motivated to stick to the plan. This article gives you some tips to create a personal eating plan.

Tip #1 — Set realistic goals

It a common mistake to set unreasonable goals for yourself, possibly while you are in a moment of inspiration and motivation, or perhaps after hearing about others people's success stories. Doing this can be a huge mistake, as once you find yourself unable to reach the goals you set, you will feel discouraged and might even give up

A balanced diet can provide all of the nutrients you need, but supplements are good options as well. (Getty im …
There are dozens of different supplements on the market today, each produced by numerous different companies. With so many options, how can you tell which supplements are really helpful and which ones are just a waste of money?

In this article, you will read about the vitamin and mineral supplements that can really make a difference in your health.

1. Calcium

Many people around the world do not get enough calcium in their diets. Important for bone development and strength, dental health, muscle contractions and fluid balance, calcium is an essential part of any person's diet. Without proper calcium, bones can be deformed or become easily breakable, leading to osteoporosis and low bone density.

Because calcium is only really found in milk, sardines and other fish containing small edible bones, taking supplements can be very helpful.  It is recommended that children consume at least 1,300 mg calcium per day and adults need at least 1,000 mg calcium per day. Taking a 500 mg supplement

Why it's important to maintain a healthy diet (Getty Images)

If you're one of those people who do not put on weight easily, you're probably the subject of envy of your less-fortunate friends. You might not think twice about eating a bag or two of chips or bars of chocolate as they don't show up on the scale anyway.

But there are other reasons for maintaining a healthy diet apart from weight-loss. Even if you have a naturally high metabolic rate, unhealthy foods you eat now can still affect your health later in life. For example, even if you are not overweight, eating large amounts of saturated fat can increase your risk for heart disease.

Maintaining healthy eating habits is essential to a stronger body and sharper mind. This article discusses how anyone can benefit from switching to a healthier diet.

You are what you eat

The old adage holds true in the long run. Eating healthy food leads to a healthy heart, brain, digestive system and overall body wellness. Furthermore, the human body houses extremely complex processes that require a wide