| 1) |
Drink more water: You hear this all the time and there's a reason for
that - because it's important! Drinking water curbs your hunger, hydrates
your body and nourishes you from the inside out, including your skin. Aim
for half your body weight in ounces per day. i.e. if you weigh 150 lbs, you
would aim to drink 75 ounces of water per day. |
| 2) |
Get enough sleep: physically it is the time when the body can renew its
energy store but sleep also helps us to rebuild our mental energy. Aim for
eight hours shut-eye every night. |
| 3) |
Eat a balanced diet: a growing body of research shows direct links
between what we eat and how we feel. Mind, the mental health charity, has
produced a useful guide to mood and food. For more information visit the
Mind website -
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Mind+guide+to/Mindguidetofoodandmood.htm |
| 4) |
Make the decision to go for cancer screening when invited: Find out more
about visit the NHS Cancer Screening website -
http://www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/
|
| 5) |
Eat at least 5 portions of fruit and veg each day and cut down on fat,
salt and added sugar.
Find out more about how to have a healthy diet on the Food Standards
Agency's Eat Well, Be Well site -
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/healthyweight/ |
| 6) |
Be physically active for at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week. This can be
done in 3 x 10 minute segments. Find out from NHS Direct why exercise is an
essential part of a healthy lifestyle -
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/Fitnesshome.aspx |
| 7) |
Look on the NHS Directs self help guide to diagnose any medical problems
you may have - http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/help/index.aspx |
| 8) |
Make time to relax: Relaxing -
gives the heart a rest by slowing the heart rate
reduces blood pressure
slows the rate of breathing, which reduces the need for oxygen
increases blood flow to the muscles
decreases muscle tension |
| 9) |
Be aware of your body and any changes. Lots of changes to your body are
perfectly natural and part of the aging process but its important to be
aware of what things you should be looking out for - Please see Cancer
Research UK's guide for signs of cancer -
http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/healthyliving/signsandsymptoms/?a=5441 |
| 10) |
Think ahead - It is important to recognize the numerous choices that we
make which affect our health and also the importance of making mindful,
healthy decisions. Your state of health is an accumulation of your actions
and decisions over a long period of time. There is no way to circumvent the
laws of nature and become healthy overnight. When making healthful choices
becomes part of your daily life rather than a quick fix scheme to create a
temporary outcome, you will naturally and inevitably migrate towards a
healthier state. |
| |
* Please note we are not Doctors and if in doubt you should speak to yours! |
