WHAT YOU SHOULD BUY

Swimming paddles

Paddles aren’t just for people who can’t swim properly. You may be able to plough from one end of the pool to the other, clocking up the lengths, but that won’t automatically improve your technique. These swimming paddles, designed to enhance the work of the muscles, help to make sure your hands enter and move through the water at the correct angle. Which, of course, makes you swim faster, too.

Speedo BioFuse Power Paddles, £12.95; www.speedo.com

WHAT YOU SHOULD TRY

Body mint

A pill that makes you smell clean from head to toe sounds too good to be true, right? Well, maybe. But it’s the latest health craze in Hollywood. Apparently, ever since it was in their Oscars goodie bags, A-listers have been raving about Body Mint, an oral supplement that promises to keep your breath, underarms and feet toothpaste- and shower-fresh. It is based on chlorophyllin, a compound derived from chlorophyll that is said to absorb the toxins in the body that trigger nasty smells. It’s now available on this side of the Atlantic – you just need to remember that it’s no substitute for a good wash.

£12 for 60 tablets; www.victoriahealth.com

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

The menopause clinic

Scary statistic: in the UK, 1 in 100 women under 40 will go through the menopause early. That’s particularly daunting for women who start trying for a baby in their mid- to late thirties. With that in mind, the fertility guru Zita West has developed a menopause programme that focuses on helping women going through the change of life, whatever their age. For those showing signs of perimenopause but still wanting to have a family, the emphasis is on acupuncture, emotional support and lifestyle changes to give them the very best chance of conceiving.

www.zitawest.com

Explore Women

• Fashion

• Beauty

• Diet & Fitness

• Relationships

• Families

• Celebrity

• Body & Soul

• The Way We Live

Times recommends

• The dirty weekend guide to Europe
• Sharing the McCanns’ hell
• Steve Coogan, weathering the storms