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      How Triathlete Vicky van der Merwe Balances Training With Motherhood

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      Well-known Stellenbosch-based triathlete Vicky van der Merwe is on the comeback after a break after her son was born. She will be competing at the Woolworths X TRI off-road triathlon in Elgin on Saturday 4 December.
      Vicky van der Merwe: having it all as an elite triathlete and a mom
      Top triathlete Vicky van der Merwe is also a business owner at Stellenbosch Triathlon Squad (STS), where she is a coach and race organiser, and in the last two years she has added wife and mother to her roles. The 32-year-old athlete is a familiar face on podiums across the country and internationally, and she is now focused on her return to competitive racing in short-course triathlon since the birth of her son Adriaan in February 2021.
      She says being both a mom and an elite athlete has given her a new perspective: “The amazing thing is you have to make every session count as every opportunity to train is time away from the family. You have to be so intentional with your time. I love it. I always knew that I would return to racing, but I did not have a clear plan. It was my first pregnancy and I had planned a natural birth, and then I had to have an emergency c-section at 37 weeks – you really can’t plan these things!”
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      “I threw myself in the deep end with training four or five weeks after Adriaan’s birth, and started slowly building up.”
      Three months later she went to Africa Champs, claiming fifth place despite not having a great race. She feels optimistic about re-establishing her place as one of the top female South African triathletes. Since returning to competition with the 2021 Africa Champs, she has won the Walker Bay Xtreme Big 6, the Torpedo SwimRun (she holds the record), the Caveman Triathlon, the African X Trail Run, and recently the 2022 Cape Town Triathlon.
      Vicky at the CT Triathlon 2022
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      Vicky says she loves racing and has a few more years of competitive racing ahead. Her immediate focus is on the Woolworths X TRI the off-road triathlon on 4 December at Paul Cluver Family Wines Wines in Elgin. This race is a bit more about the fun, but a challenging event nonetheless if you are taking on the full triathlon.
      “I find mixing it up a bit with off-road triathlon is so good for me as an athlete, and the WW X TRI is perfect for triathletes like myself looking to cross-train and test themselves in different disciplines. I will for sure be looking to stand on the top step of the podium, but this event really hits the mark for family fun as well, with a Lite event plus fun trail runs and a shorter walk.”
      When asked if her goal is to qualify for the Paris Olympics, she is hesitant to confirm: “You obviously have to be in the top two or three in the country and we have some very strong women athletes. Because I’ve been out of it for so long, I have set myself small goals, with SA Champs being my next big one in March next year.”
      With some confusion for the layperson about what constitutes a triathlon, Vicky sums it up, “Triathlon is any race involving a swim, a cycle and a run. There is off-road triathlon where the Xterra World Championships is the highest honours, then Ironman, full and half, that are more focused on endurance, and the World Championship held in Kona in Hawaii is the big goal. Then there is the Olympic Triathlon which is my discipline, and I prefer the sprint or short-course which is a 750m swim, 20 km cycle and 5km run. Standard Olympic Triathlon distances are 1.5 km swim, a 40 km bicycle ride and a 10 km run.”
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      As someone who was National and African Junior Triathlon champ when in high school, Vicky has triathlon in her veins, and beneath the fun and bubbly personality is a fierce competitor who juggles being a wife and mom, a businessperson, a coach and an athlete.
      Get to Paul Cluver Family Wines in Elgin on 4 December for the WW X TRI to catch Vicky in action and support the work of the Woolworths Trust, the beneficiary of all proceeds from the event.  For more information and to enter visit www.wwxtri.co.za More

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      in health and weelbeing

      Flying Pregnant? Get These Health Checks First

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      While once we thought of taking to the air as a supernatural event, catching flights is now as routine as Zooming your therapist.
      During your pregnancy, the health risks of flying are considerably low, depending on what kind of pregnancy you’re having (low or high risk). Before 36 weeks, you’re considered good to go – but there are other factors at play. Here’s what you should keep in mind before jet setting, says Wilson Tauro, Air France-KLM Country Manager Southern Africa.
      Pre-travel advice and immunisation
      Depending on your destination, advice about vaccination and malaria prevention may be different if you are pregnant. That’s why it is extremely important to be properly informed, especially when visiting countries where infectious diseases such as malaria are prevalent. In some cases, travel to a country could even be discouraged because of the risks. Pregnant women or women who want to get pregnant should also avoid travelling to countries with outbreaks of Zika.
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      How far into your pregnancy can you fly?
      KLM recommends that women who are more than 32 weeks pregnant should not fly. The airline also discourage flying – for you and your child – during the first week after birth. If you are expecting a multiple birth, the airline recommends that you consult your doctor before any flight. If you have had complications in the past, you should get your doctor’s permission to fly. Additionally, it is recommended that you carry a recent pregnancy statement with information about the due date and other relevant information. In many countries airline staff may want to see that. Regulations differ from one airline to the next, so always check before you travel.
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      Cosmic radiation
      In a normal situation, the cosmic radiation exposure of a return trans-Atlantic flight can be compared to the same amount of exposure as when you have a chest X-ray. As with X-rays, any radiation can cause damage to genetic material inside a cell. However, there is no evidence that a trans-Atlantic flight increases the risk of abnormalities. To be on the safe side it is recommended to avoid frequent air travel when pregnant. For KLM flight crew there are special regulations regarding exposure to cosmic radiation.
      Increased risk of thrombosis
      If you are pregnant, you already run a greater risk of developing thrombosis. Flying will increase this risk. Deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) is a potentially life-threatening disorder in which blood clots can form in the deep veins of the body, particularly the legs. In an aircraft, the dehydration caused by the dry air may thicken your blood. In addition, the relative immobility of sitting in a confined space for a long period can cause blood to collect in your legs.
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      There are a few things you can do to prevent or reduce the risk of thrombosis:

      During long flights, walk around the cabin every 15 to 30 minutes, if possible
      Do some simple stretching exercises while you are seated
      Only sleep for short periods – up to 30 minutes at a time
      Move around after every nap
      Drink plenty of water
      Avoid alcohol and caffeine

      Wearing compression stockings can also help.
      If you are worried about DVT during the flight, consult your doctor beforehand to discuss how to best reduce the risk. More

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      in health and weelbeing

      Apparently 35 Percent Of People Think It’s Totally Fine To Drink During Pregnancy

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      Listen: It’s totally normal to want a glass of wine after a long day at work—yes, even (or, honestly, especially) when you’re pregnant.
      And many people—pregnant or not—still think it’s totally fine to have a drink during pregnancy.
      That’s according to a new survey from Cameron Hughes Wine, an online wine brand in the States. Of 1,032 people polled, 35 per cent said that it’s okay to drink wine on occasion when you’re pregnant. The other 65 per cent said you definitely shouldn’t do this.
      So…which group is correct? Some very preliminary research suggests that low levels of alcohol consumption during pregnancy might not be linked to bad health for the baby—and many women get mixed messages from the media and even their doctors since it’s tough to say how much booze during pregnancy is too much (scientists haven’t come anywhere close to nailing this down yet and most current research suggests that recommendations should be on a case-by-case basis).
      But it’s important to keep in mind that Dr Christine Greves, a board-certified gynae at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies—along with most medical organisations — say you should totally skip the booze while expecting.
      “A safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy has not been determined,” confirms Greves. “That’s why we recommend complete abstinence.”
      And sorry, but the theory of drinking at the very end of your pregnancy (you know, because the baby is already “cooked”) hasn’t been proven legit. “Alcohol impacts foetal growth at all stages of pregnancy,” says Greves, who notes that it comes with some pretty scary potential consequences, including fetal alcohol syndrome (a condition that causes brain damage and growth problems due to alcohol exposure during pregnancy), structural issues with the baby’s body, and even issues with the baby’s heart, kidneys, or bones.
      Women’s health expert Dr Jennifer Wider, agrees. “The latest research tells us that the safest choice is not drinking anything during your pregnancy,” she says.
      So, uh, if you want to drink during your pregnancy, maybe just don’t. You’ll be able to kick back with a guilt-free glass of wine after the baby has left the premises.
      The bottom line: Drinking during pregnancy definitely hasn’t been proven to be safe for baby, so it’s best not to risk it.
      This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com

      READ MORE ON: Health Health Advice Pregnancy More