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At Maverick Life we understand that life gets tough. Sure, there are a ton of quick-fix wellness tips out there on the internet, but sometimes it’s difficult to know what’s just another fad and what’s worth your while.

That’s why we’ve made reporting on health and wellness one of our priorities. Whether an article helps you in a small way by cautioning against using earbuds for your ears, or in a large way by equipping you with healthy habits so that you truly can start ‘living your best life’, we’re confident that this curated collection of conversations will help you along your physical and mental health journey.

Be it fitness, diet, technology use, mental health, disease, or habits and routines, our journalists always consult expert sources in their reporting so that you can be sure that what you’re reading will add value to your life.

Keep your head up, put the earbuds down, stay hydrated, and get reading!

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A composite image of a set of matches. Image: Tangerine Newt / Unsplash

Are you feeling burnt out? Here is how to know the signs
Burnout is classified as an occupational phenomenon that results when stress related to one’s work is not managed correctly. Maverick Life spoke to an expert in employee wellness who gave some tips to prevent it from happening to you. By Sarah Hoek

Cotton buds. Image: Sharon Mccutcheon / Unsplash

Warning: Step away from the cotton buds to clean your ear canals
Although cotton buds are marketed as make-up application and removal aids, many consumers use them to clean their ears, despite numerous warnings from medical professionals. Here is why you should keep them out of your ears. By Malibongwe Tyilo 

A person screaming. Image: Camila Quintero Franco / Unsplash

Why you should not ignore pain – ever
Professor Sean Chetty explains that the sooner chronic pain is identified and treated, the better the chances of success. But what is chronic pain exactly? By Iza Trengrove

Core exercises. Image: Jonathan Borba / Unsplash

Regaining fitness after Covid-19 infection can be hard. Here are five things to keep in mind before you start exercising again
Are you finding it difficult to get moving after having Covid-19? You are not alone. Even if you have mild symptoms, you may still experience difficulty in regaining your fitness. By Clarice Tang

A person scrolling through social media. Image: Nathana Reboucas / Unsplash

Social media impact on the mental health of young people and practical strategies to mitigate its worst effects
As social media use has increased, researchers in the US are finding that mental health among young people has become worse. By Malibongwe Tyilo

Creatine. Image: How To Gym / Unsplash

Creatine may have a long list of health benefits – and it’s not just for athletes and bodybuilders
Creatine is among the most well-researched and most popular nutritional supplements for exercise and athletic performance, but recent research suggests there’s so much more to it for the general population. By Malibongwe Tyilo

A group of people with Parkinson’s disease take part in an exercise organized by Spain’s National Ballet on World Parkinson’s Disease Day, in Madrid, Spain, 11 April 2017. EPA/Ballesteros

A nose for Parkinson’s – woman’s ability to smell disease could revolutionise disease diagnosis
In 2015, Scot Joy Milne shook researchers and scientists around the world with her ability to smell disease on people long before they are sick. This ‘superpower’ led to recent medical discoveries that could change the reality of Parkinson’s disease patients. By Anna Southwell

Arrows. Image: CDD20 / Pixabay

Living one’s best life can begin with small changes
Do you long to change aspects of yourself but find it difficult to express your innermost aspirations? It’s not always easy and perseverance is key, especially if previous attempts at transformation have failed. If you do persist, the rewards could be life-changing. By Iza Trengrove

Runners doing a marathon. Image: Capstone Events / Unsplash

Over 50 and training: How to avoid injury and become optimally fit
The secret to staying optimally fit as we age lies in adapting one’s training programme. With a suitable schedule of strength, aerobic and flexibility exercises one can continue to realise one’s goals and prevent or even turn around signs of muscle loss without harming oneself. By Iza Trengrove

A child is asleep in her stroller. Photo: Unsplash.com

The Art of The Nap
It doesn’t take much Googling to establish that daytime naps are beneficial. The web is littered with articles preaching the nap gospel, focusing on said benefits, from relaxation to mood improvements and better concentration. But how does it all work? And does it work for all? By Malibongwe Tyilo

Steak. Image: Pixy

Eating less red meat while getting all the nutrients you need
For South Africans, meat is a firm favourite: whether it is braaied, in a potjie, served alongside Umngqusho or in a bobotie, meat can be found in the diets of 84% of South Africans, according to a recent report. By Sarah Hoek

A composite image of someone sleeping. Image: Egor Vikhrev / Unsplash

How dreams might help us solve problems and strengthen memory
While much remains unknown about why we dream, research suggests that our dreams can play a crucial role in helping solve problems, strengthen memories and prepare us for the future. By Malibongwe Tyilo

Sets of pills in different colours. Image: Raimond Klavins / Unsplash

Do vitamins and supplements boost our immunity?
Friends and sometimes complete strangers often like to give free and unsolicited advice on how to boost one’s immune system. Most of us could probably recite a list of what has been thrust at us, or shared on social media, from homoeopathic concoctions to supplements. Maverick Life asks experts about the facts vs fads of boosting immunity. By Iza Trengrove

Psilocybe mushrooms at the Numinus Bioscience lab in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada, on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. Numinus Wellness Inc, a mental health care company specializing in psychedelic-assisted therapies was the first public company in Canada to harvest the first legal batch of mushrooms from the Psilocybe genus last year. Photographer: James MacDonald/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Entheogen journeys, next step: Decriminalisation of magic mushrooms
‘Drugs is drugs,’ according to a Facebooker in response to a psilocybin post on my page. But are all drugs equal, and should some or all be legalised and/or decriminalised, and to what end? By Lucinda Jolly 

Someone lifting weights. Image: Sven Mieke / Unsplash

Lift heavy or smaller weights with high reps? It all depends on your fitness goal
If you can’t lift heavy or it’s not your thing, please don’t think lifting lighter weights is a waste of time. By Mandy Hagstrom DM/ML