5 Easy Ways to Get Healthier

As a consequence of modern technologies, we spend more time on our bottoms and less time moving. Keeping active has a myriad of benefits including reducing stress, maintaining a healthy weight, boosting mood and helping improve sleep.   Take small steps to being more active – take the stairs at work, don’t always look for the closest car park, walk the dog etc. As well as this, find an activity you like, whether it is belly dancing, gym classes or kickboxing. Getting your heart rate up also has added health benefits. So get fit and get moving!
 

If you are a white bread lover, now is the time to make the change. White bread provides little nutritional value and is quickly digested and absorbed, causing a sharp increase in blood sugar, which will then be followed by a sharp drop back to normal levels. This can cause a feeling of tiredness and over a period of time can put extra strain on our pancreas to produce enough insulin. Wholegrain bread contains more vitamins, minerals and fibre plus it is more slowly digested to help keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Aim to make most of your carbohydrates wholegrain.
 

Fizzy drinks are top on the list to cull for a healthier life. A can of coke contains around eight teaspoons of sugar. When you take a bowl of sugar and spoon out eight teaspoons, it is a lot. Sugary drinks are contributing to the rise in obesity we are seeing around our communities, and consequently also a rise in Type 2 Diabetes. Remember; always make your drink of choice water. Sugar sweetened fizzy drinks should only be an occasional thing.
 
The high levels of acidity as well as sugar in fizzy drinks also increase the risk of cavities in your teeth. So as well as being bad for your health, fizzy drinks will hit your wallet via a dentist bill sooner or later. What about fruit juice? While it is a source of Vitamin C, water still should be your drink of choice, although a small glass once a day is ok. 

 

We do need fat in our diet, but don’t let this be an excuse to get McDonalds for lunch each day – we only need around 30% of our daily calories as fat. The type of fat we get is vital to good health. A high intake of saturated fats found in animal fats, palm oil and coconut oil can increase the levels of bad LDL cholesterol and clog arteries leading to heart disease later in life. Trans fats are also another type of bad fat. Often found in pre-packaged baked goods and some fried foods, trans fats not only increase levels of LDL cholesterol, it also decreases levels of the “good” cholesterol HDL.

Look out for the words hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and avoid foods containing these. Use the good fats, which are mono and polyunsaturated found in oils like olive oil and avocado. Monounsaturated fats are actually protective against heart disease. 

 

Vegetables are a powerhouse of nutrients. Not only are they high in vitamins and minerals, they are also a valuable source of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals include antioxidants which help protect our cells from damage and are thought to be cancer protective. They are also naturally low in salt, sugar and calories. Make the focus of your meals vegetables rather than meat. Your dinner plate should be at least half vegetables. 

A variety of colours will also mean a variety of nutrients so mix it up and try different vegetables. Remember frozen vegetables are also very nutritious; so if price is an issue, hit the frozen foods isle. As well as eating plenty of vegetables, include 2-3 pieces of fruit in your daily eating. Fruit also contains a wide variety of beneficial phytochemicals, fibre, vitamins and minerals needed for good health.

Following these five steps will help keep you fit and healthy so you have the energy to do all the things you want to in life!