How to get started in healthy living — part 3A

Improving your diet and increasing healthy activity

Eating a nutritious, balanced diet is perhaps the lynchpin of healthy living. Not only does it keep all your body systems working efficiently, it also provides energy, protects your heart, helps prevent and fight off disease, maintains a healthy body weight, contributes to healthy skin, hair and nails and even influences mood.

Eat more healthy foods 

Most of us eat too much processed and refined food (containing excess sugar, fat and salt) and not enough whole grains, fiber, fruit and vegetables. The average daily intake of fiber in the UK, for example, is 12g per day — significantly less than the 18g target, while a recent Nutrition and Diet Survey found that although fruit and veg consumption has increased, the average is still less than three portions per day.

Take action

• Take a daily pill. According to the Harvard Medical School, most people benefit from a daily multivitamin and mineral complex, particularly if they don’t eat the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables each day, if they regularly miss meals or rely on highly-processed foods.
• Up your antioxidants. These naturally-occurring compounds fight disease-causing free radicals in the body and are found mainly in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and nuts. Vitamins A, C and E and the mineral selenium are powerful antioxidants, so foods rich in these micronutrients are a great place to start.  
• Eating more fruit and vegetables is one of the simplest things you can do to enhance your health — and up your antioxidant intake. While ‘five-a-day’ is the well-known recommendation, the ideal is seven to nine portions, according to many experts. Don’t get stuck in the trap of eating the same varieties, day in day out. Make it a rule never to leave the house without having consumed one of your five a day, and always have another one in your bag or car.
• Avoid trans fats. Increasingly, evidence is building to suggest that this type of ‘manufactured’ fat is more harmful even than saturated fat — no safe level has been established. Read food labels and avoid products with the words ‘hydrogenated vegetable oils’ or trans fats on.
• Switch to wholegrain and brown versions of rice, pasta and bread — these are more nutritious, in terms of their vitamin and mineral content, and also contain more fiber than white varieties.
• Eat more fish. There is strong evidence that the 'omega-3 fatty acids' in oily fish helps to protect against heart disease. Eat sardines, salmon, herring, mackerel or fresh tuna once a week, and another type of non-oily fish once a week. 

Maintain a healthy body weight

More than half the adults in the UK are overweight, one in five are obese. If you are overweight, losing weight and making healthier food choices is crucial to better health, as obesity is associated with an alarming number of diseases including diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart problems, some types of cancer, arthritis of the back and legs, gallstones, breathing problems, some complications of pregnancy and depression. One study found that just a 10 per cent weight reduction helped overweight people reduce blood pressure and cholesterol and increase longevity. The two main factors are reducing overall calorie intake and reducing fat intake.

Recent research from the University of North Carolina found that portion sizes have expanded not just in the home but also when we eat out — it’s quite common to be eating a serving that is up to three times larger than a ‘standard’ portion, piling on additional calories. The average British diet contains 41 per cent fat — significantly higher than the recommended maximum percentage of 30 per cent. What’s more, too much of the fat we eat comes from unhealthy saturated and trans fat sources (derived from meat and dairy products, pastry, fried food, refined and pre-packaged products and cakes), which is damaging to heart health.

Take action

• Weigh yourself and check your body mass index. If you are overweight, aim to lose 0.2 to 0.4kg (0.5 to 1lb) per week. Don’t be tempted by quick-fix diets. The best way to keep weight off is to lose it slowly and sensibly.
• Don’t cut out, cut down. Instead of banning cookies from the house, for example, allow yourself one in the morning and one in the evening instead of eating half the packet.
• Learn what portion sizes look like. For example, a serving of cheese should be about the size of a matchbox, a serving of meat the size of the palm of your hand. While what you eat is obviously a very important part of the equation, even very healthy food, like wholegrain bread, oily fish and pasta, when eaten to excess, is fattening.
• Reduce your use of oil or fat in cooking. You can substitute water, tomato juice or white wine — with a dash of soy sauce — for oil in pan frying.
• Go easy with fat-filled condiments and sauces, like mayonnaise, oily salad dressings, rich or creamy sauces and gravy.
• Trim visible fat from meat, and don’t eat the skin of meat or fish. Opt for leaner cuts, such as back bacon rather than streaky, chicken breast rather than leg
• Don’t forgo dairy products, as these are the richest source of calcium, which has an essential role in muscle contraction and in metabolism. It’s also vital in maintaining bone health, as calcium is a component of bone. Go for low fat versions instead.
• ‘Frontload’ your diet, so that you eat most of your calories earlier in the day and eat lightly in the evening. One study found that people who skipped breakfast or lunch and ate most of their calories in their evening meal had lower metabolisms than ‘frontloaders’, while research has also shown the body is more responsive to insulin in the morning, and therefore more capable of handling carbohydrate efficiently compared to in the evening, when the action of cortisol is more likely to cause carbohydrates to be converted and stored as fat.
• http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/how-to-get-started-in-healthy-living-part-3/

5 Scary Health Conditions Your Dentist Can Spot

[Rex]

“It’s becoming clear that we need to consider integrating oral and general health care,” says Steve Offenbacher, D.D.S., director of the Center for Oral and Systemic Diseases at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “The oral cavity is the mirror to the rest of the body, so we can pick up on systemic problems by simple dental examinations.” In other words, the state of your smile may shine a light on the rest of your body — sometimes even before other symptoms show up.

Case in point: Offenbacher once told a middle-aged patient he suspected she was pregnant, based simply on the redness of her gums. “The next week, she came back and said, ‘I went to the doctor, and yes, I am pregnant!’’ he recalls. In that case, Offenbacher was the bearer of good news, but not all of the secrets your mouth may reveal are so positive. Your teeth may also provide clues about these five health-threatening conditions:

Diabetes

Your dentist isn’t just worried about how white your teeth are. In a 2014 study, nearly two-thirds of dentists said they’d refer a patient with periodontitis (inflammation around the gums) for a diabetes evaluation. Why that’s a good thing: “Diabetes is not only a common problem, but it’s also highly under-diagnosed,” says Offenbacher. Read: Lots of people have diabetes and don’t know it, which means adding your dentist to your team of health detectives is a smart idea.

So what’s the dental-diabetes link? High blood sugar may be as damaging to your oral health as the sweet stuff in a can of soda. That’s because the condition can cause dry mouth, which increases plaque build-up, making people with uncontrolled diabetes more prone to dental problems.

“[Periodontal disease in diabetics] is usually severe for their age or for local factors, meaning they have pretty clean mouths, but they still have a periodontal problem,” says Offenbacher.

Two common oral signs of diabetes: multiple abscesses on the gums and bad breath. “It’s kind of a sour fruit smell,” Offenbacher says. “It’s ketones — metabolic products associated with poor glycemic control — in their bloodstream that you can smell.”

[Rex]

Heart disease

Your teeth may reveal what’s going on with your ticker. A 2007 study review found that people with periodontal disease are significantly more likely to develop heart disease than folks with good oral health. Among people who have both diseases, “if the periodontal disease is treated, the heart disease is greatly improved,” says Marjorie Jeffcoat, D.M.D., a professor and dean emeritus of dental medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

The common thread? Inflammation. “When you look in a patient’s mouth and you see chronic inflammation, you know that it’s creating systemic stress,” says Offenbacher. 

Although there are no dental red flags specific to heart disease, “more severe periodontal disease is strongly associated with heart disease risk,” Offenbacher says. Signs include loose, shifting, or missing teeth, and increased probing depths, where the pockets around the teeth have deepened.

Dementia

Can tooth loss indicate memory loss? In recent British research, a lack of teeth was associated with mental decline, while a 2012 study found that older adults with poor dental hygiene were 76 percent more likely to develop dementia. This is a relatively new area of research, which means the link between the two isn’t entirely clear, says Jeffcoat. However, a small 2013 study detectedPorphyromonas gingivalis — a bacteria associated with gum disease — in the brains of people with dementia, suggesting that it may play a role in the inflammation associated with cognitive decline.

You expect your dentist to flag cavities, but did you know your drill-wielding doc might also be able to spot trouble that extends well beyond your pearly whites?

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis won’t cause your teeth to decay — but your dentist may be able to spot bone loss in the surrounding structures, like the jaw, with digital X-rays, says Jeffcoat. Normal, healthy bone should be dense both at the edges and in the interior, and when that’s not the case, “the patient is more likely to have osteoporosis,” she explains.

In fact, in a 2013 study in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, the thickness of postmenopausal women’s jawbones — as measured with a panoramic X-ray — was correlated with the bone density of their spine. This means that dentists could potentially diagnose osteoporosis, which often goes undetected until a fracture occurs, in its early stages, the scientists say.

Acid reflux disease

You may feel heartburn most intensely in your chest, but its effects may be most obvious in your mouth. If you have acid reflux disease, the constant uprising of stomach acid could wear away at the enamel on your teeth, says Jeffcoat. “You’ll usually see it in the lower front teeth,” she says. “You’ll see erosion of the teeth — they get thinner. You can’t miss it.” Another sign you may be suffering from acid reflux disease: You have a persistent sour taste in your mouth, she says. 

In a 2008 study review, researchers found that about a third of adults with dental erosion also had gastrointestinal esophageal reflux disease, or GERD. Keep in mind, this erosion can happen even in the absence of chest pain — that is, you may have reflux without knowing it, until your dentist points out the damage to your choppers. 

https://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/5-scary-health-conditions-your-dentist-can-spot-140548144.html

Devilled tomatoes on toast

Nutritious low G.I. breakfast

This is a really satisfying breakfast ... and quick to prepare. The tomatoes and the wholemeal toast have a really low G.I. and so will release energy to your bloodstream slowly and gradually; the tomatoes are brimming with nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin A and B and minerals such as niacin, riboflavin, magnesium, phosphorous and calcium. They are also a good source of fiber and the antioxidant lycopene (good for fighting disease).

You can play around with the ingredients to make the tomatoes as hot and spicy as you fancy, but this is how we like it ...

Method

1. Heat the grill so that it is hot.

2. Place the tomatoes stem up and cut them in half horizontally.

3. In a bowl, mix together the butter, cayenne, Worcester sauce, vinegar, mustard and salt and pepper.

4. Put the tomatoes on a baking sheet, cut side up, and pop a knob of butter mixture on each tomato half. Pour over any excess juice.

5. Sprinkle the sugar over the tomatoes.

6. Place under the grill for about 10 minutes until golden.

7. Meanwhile make your toast.

8. Place four tomato halves onto each slice of toast. Scrape any excess juices from the pan and pour over the tomatoes. Eat immediately.

Ingredients

• 4 good quality tomatoes (preferably on the vine), halved
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp English mustard
• 1 tbs Worcester sauce
• 1 tsp cider vinegar
• 20g softened butter
• ½ tsp sugar
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 slices good quality wholemeal bread to toast

Vital Statistics

Serves: 2
Preparation: 5 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Good for: Low G.I. nutritious breakfast which will keep you sustained until lunchtime

Calories (kcal): 207.5
Protein (g): 5.5
Carbs (g): 20.6
Fat (g): 11.7
Fiber (g): 3.2

http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/devilled-tomatoes-on-toast/

How to get started in healthy living — part 3B

Improving your diet and increasing healthy activity

Eating a nutritious, balanced diet is perhaps the lynchpin of healthy living. Not only does it keep all your body systems working efficiently, it also provides energy, protects your heart, helps prevent and fight off disease, maintains a healthy body weight, contributes to healthy skin, hair and nails and even influences mood.

Exercise for a healthy life

Despite myriad campaigns and initiatives, we still aren’t getting out and about nearly often enough to benefit our health. The average person in the UK watches 26 hours of television per week! The latest statistics show that 56 per cent of men and 70 per cent of women aged 16 to 54 fail to reach the recommended levels of physical activity for health benefits. No wonder obesity is such a problem in this country ... But we remain sedentary at our peril: regular physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of a number of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes — as well as the risk of premature death.

Take action

• Stop and think before you make a journey. Could you walk it or bike it instead of driving? If it will take under 15 minutes to get there, then the answer is yes!
• Be more aware of how you use your body. Bend your knees when you pick up heavy objects, sit at your desk properly and try to keep your stomach pulled in and shoulders back and down.
• Find a fitness goal that you can work towards. It could be something as simple as being able to walk up all seven flights of stairs at work, or entering a charity fun run.  
• Think of a sport or fitness activity you loved as a child — perhaps netball or judo, cross country running or ballet — and find somewhere that you can give it a go again. It may rekindle your enthusiasm …
• Avoid labor-saving devices in and outside the home — like the remote control, the food processor, the elevators and escalators, the shopping home delivery service — even the ‘no-scrub’ bathroom cleaning fluid!
• Invest in a pedometer (they are not expensive) and monitor your steps for a full day. The goal is to reach 10,000 steps per day, but if you are like most people, your total may be closer to half of that. Aim to build up by 200 steps per day. 

Drink more fluids

Many of us spend a lot of time in a state of ‘hypo’ hydration. We’re not officially dehydrated but just slightly under-hydrated. This can make you feel sluggish, impair mental function and increase the risk of constipation. It also doesn’t do wonders for your complexion. Experts recommend that we consume 1ml of fluid for every calorie we take in — which means that the average UK woman needs around 2l, the average man needs 2.5l of fluid per day. Happily, at least a third of this comes from the moisture in the foods we eat — but it is still important to ensure you drink fluids regularly throughout the day (it doesn’t have to be water — though water is a calorie-free, sugar-free, additive-free choice). If you exercise, then starting at a level of hypohydration practically guarantees that you won’t perform to the best of your ability — so be especially vigilant if you are active.

Take action

• Keep a bottle of water handy — on your desk, in your bag or in the car — you’ll be surprised how often you take a sip from it.
• Drink a cup of water for every cup of tea or coffee you drink.
• Swap sugary carbonated drinks for sparkling water. Don’t drink too many diet drinks — the acid in them is harmful to teeth and there is still controversy over the safety of the artificial sweeteners they contain.
• Swap at least some of your caffeinated beverages for decaffeinated ones. Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it makes the body shed water. ‘Water-processed’ decaffeinated coffee is free from chemicals and much tastier.
• If you are exercising for more than 45 minutes, consider drinking an isotonic sports drink instead of water.
• Monitor the color of your urine. If you are adequately hydrated, it should be the color of pale straw. Dark urine, infrequently passed, is a sure sign of dehydration.

Alcohol consumption

Excess drinking has become so much part of our culture that many of us barely notice we are doing it — but health practitioners certainly are – with worrying increases in alcohol related diseases from cirrhosis of the liver to heart problems, stroke, obesity, some cancers and alcohol-related accidents. Stick to the recommended amounts and you can enjoy alcohol without harming your health (there’s some evidence that consuming modest amounts of alcohol is actually healthier than being teetotal) – but unfortunately, many of us are overdoing it. A survey by the Royal College of Physicians found that one in five women aged 25 to 44 had ‘binged’ (defined as consuming more than six units in one session) at least once in the previous week while in 2001, the Chief Medical Officer’s report stated that liver cirrhosis had increased seven-fold in the last 30 years in women aged 35 to 44 and eight-fold in men of the same age group.

Take action

Know your units. The maximum recommended amount is four units per day for men (but no more than 21 per week) and three units per day for women (but no more than 14 units per week), necessitating at least two alcohol-free days per week. Keep a ‘drink diary’ to find out how much you are really drinking on a weekly basis.

• Find a glass at home and mark on it with tippex or nail varnish the amount that constitutes a unit of your usual favourite tipple. For beer drinkers, that’s half a pint, for wine drinkers, 125ml and for spirit drinkers, 25ml constitutes a single unit.
• When you’ve finished an alcoholic drink, fill the glass with water and don’t drink another one until you’ve finished the water.
• Don’t get involved in ‘rounds’. You often end up drinking just because it’s been bought for you, even though you already feel you’ve had enough.
• Don’t drink alcohol when you are thirsty. Make your first drink a large soft one, otherwise you will gulp it down too quickly.
• Don’t drink on an empty stomach — either drink with food or eat before you go out.

http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/how-to-get-started-in-healthy-living-part-3/

Green Vegetables Packed Full of Benefits for Nutrition

Whilst I encourage people to have a rainbow of colors on their plate, greens should dominate. Why?

The color green is actually associated with life, vitality and renewal. Greens are essential for ensuring certain cells in your skin as well as your gut function properly. Green leafy vegetables are among the most nutrient dense foods available.

An example of a green leafy vegetables list is:

Spinach
Swiss chard
Kale
Mustard leaves
Collard
Buk choy
Radicchio
Rocket
Lettuce
Watercress
Wheatgrass
Even your non-leafy green vegetables are packed full of nutrients and vitamins.

An example of a non-leafy green vegetables list is:

Asparagus
Broccoli
Celery
Beans
Okra
Peas
Brussels sprouts
Artichokes
Cucumber
At the end of the day regardless of whether you opt for green leafy vegetables or non-leafy green vegetables, they are both still great for you. One of my absolute favorite green vegetables is - spinach.

In the words of Popeye, "I'm strong to the finish when I eats me spinach." This is so true. I have spinach in salads, with my eggs for breakfast, in juices and smoothies. There are many more ways you can get the goodness of greens into you. You just need to find what suits you, and especially those of you who have children!

My young nieces weren't a huge fan of having greens when they were little. So I involved them by getting them to help me make my Green Power Smoothie. Adding some sweet fruits to the mix is great for kids as that's what they love - something sweet! So not only did they have fun, they had some greens to get the essential nutrition.

Greens are high in Iron, Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorous, Zinc, vitamins A, C, E, K, Folate, Chlorophyll, enzymes and many other phyto-chemicals or plant nutrients.

Greens really bring so much to the table to help support your inner ecosystem. Green vegetables benefits are vast. They have been shown to:

Boost immune function
Provide steady energy
Promote healthy intestinal flora
Improve liver, kidney and gallbladder function
Help reduce inflammation
Keep disease away
Help clear congestion
Purify the blood
Improve circulation
According to a study published in the International Journal of Cancer, researchers found that increasing intakes of green leafy vegetables were associated with a 41% decrease risk of skin cancer. The study also showed that people who previously had skin cancer had a 55% decrease in skin cancer by increasing their intakes of green leafy vegetables.

Disease flourishes in an acidic body. The ability to alkalize our body is one of the most powerful and important ways of interrupting carcinogenic incubations. Green leafy vegetables have that ability as they alkalize the body. That alone should have you piling the greens on your plate.



http://ezinearticles.com/?Green-Vegetables-Packed-Full-of-Benefits-for-Nutrition&id=8773856

5 Scary Health Conditions Your Dentist Can Spot

[Rex]

You expect your dentist to flag cavities, but did you know your drill-wielding doc might also be able to spot trouble that extends well beyond your pearly whites?

“It’s becoming clear that we need to consider integrating oral and general health care,” says Steve Offenbacher, D.D.S., director of the Center for Oral and Systemic Diseases at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “The oral cavity is the mirror to the rest of the body, so we can pick up on systemic problems by simple dental examinations.” In other words, the state of your smile may shine a light on the rest of your body — sometimes even before other symptoms show up.

Case in point: Offenbacher once told a middle-aged patient he suspected she was pregnant, based simply on the redness of her gums. “The next week, she came back and said, ‘I went to the doctor, and yes, I am pregnant!’’ he recalls. In that case, Offenbacher was the bearer of good news, but not all of the secrets your mouth may reveal are so positive. Your teeth may also provide clues about these five health-threatening conditions:

Diabetes

Your dentist isn’t just worried about how white your teeth are. In a 2014 study, nearly two-thirds of dentists said they’d refer a patient with periodontitis (inflammation around the gums) for a diabetes evaluation. Why that’s a good thing: “Diabetes is not only a common problem, but it’s also highly under-diagnosed,” says Offenbacher. Read: Lots of people have diabetes and don’t know it, which means adding your dentist to your team of health detectives is a smart idea.

So what’s the dental-diabetes link? High blood sugar may be as damaging to your oral health as the sweet stuff in a can of soda. That’s because the condition can cause dry mouth, which increases plaque build-up, making people with uncontrolled diabetes more prone to dental problems.

“[Periodontal disease in diabetics] is usually severe for their age or for local factors, meaning they have pretty clean mouths, but they still have a periodontal problem,” says Offenbacher.

Two common oral signs of diabetes: multiple abscesses on the gums and bad breath. “It’s kind of a sour fruit smell,” Offenbacher says. “It’s ketones — metabolic products associated with poor glycemic control — in their bloodstream that you can smell.”

[Rex]

Heart disease

Your teeth may reveal what’s going on with your ticker. A 2007 study review found that people with periodontal disease are significantly more likely to develop heart disease than folks with good oral health. Among people who have both diseases, “if the periodontal disease is treated, the heart disease is greatly improved,” says Marjorie Jeffcoat, D.M.D., a professor and dean emeritus of dental medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

The common thread? Inflammation. “When you look in a patient’s mouth and you see chronic inflammation, you know that it’s creating systemic stress,” says Offenbacher. 

Although there are no dental red flags specific to heart disease, “more severe periodontal disease is strongly associated with heart disease risk,” Offenbacher says. Signs include loose, shifting, or missing teeth, and increased probing depths, where the pockets around the teeth have deepened.

Dementia

Can tooth loss indicate memory loss? In recent British research, a lack of teeth was associated with mental decline, while a 2012 study found that older adults with poor dental hygiene were 76 percent more likely to develop dementia. This is a relatively new area of research, which means the link between the two isn’t entirely clear, says Jeffcoat. However, a small 2013 study detectedPorphyromonas gingivalis — a bacteria associated with gum disease — in the brains of people with dementia, suggesting that it may play a role in the inflammation associated with cognitive decline.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis won’t cause your teeth to decay — but your dentist may be able to spot bone loss in the surrounding structures, like the jaw, with digital X-rays, says Jeffcoat. Normal, healthy bone should be dense both at the edges and in the interior, and when that’s not the case, “the patient is more likely to have osteoporosis,” she explains.

In fact, in a 2013 study in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, the thickness of postmenopausal women’s jawbones — as measured with a panoramic X-ray — was correlated with the bone density of their spine. This means that dentists could potentially diagnose osteoporosis, which often goes undetected until a fracture occurs, in its early stages, the scientists say.

Acid reflux disease

You may feel heartburn most intensely in your chest, but its effects may be most obvious in your mouth. If you have acid reflux disease, the constant uprising of stomach acid could wear away at the enamel on your teeth, says Jeffcoat. “You’ll usually see it in the lower front teeth,” she says. “You’ll see erosion of the teeth — they get thinner. You can’t miss it.” Another sign you may be suffering from acid reflux disease: You have a persistent sour taste in your mouth, she says. 

In a 2008 study review, researchers found that about a third of adults with dental erosion also had gastrointestinal esophageal reflux disease, or GERD. Keep in mind, this erosion can happen even in the absence of chest pain — that is, you may have reflux without knowing it, until your dentist points out the damage to your choppers. 

https://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/5-scary-health-conditions-your-dentist-can-spot-140548144.html

Stay active in winter

• 
  

The temperature plummets, it’s dark too early, and it’s hard to work up the energy to go outside. Sound familiar? Making an effort to stay active in winter can be hard, but it’s worth it.

If you stop exercising through winter you’ll increase your risk of some diseases and be more likely to gain weight (especially if you indulge in festive food!). If you get creative and find new ways to stay active, however, you’ll find that your mood and energy rise while you keep up a healthy lifestyle.

Play Indoors

Joining a health centre gym will definitely keep you active over winter, and many health centres will offer month-by-month memberships, so you only need to attend over the cold winter months.

Weights rooms and exercise machines are great if you get trained up on using them. If you’re not a fan of fitness equipment don’t worry, as most health centres offer more than just gym facilities for people who want to stay healthy.

Your local health centre will often offer fitness classes, from energetic activities like badminton, table tennis and boot camps, to dancing, pilates and yoga.

If your local gym or community pool offers aqua fitness classes, like aqua jogging and aerobics, then head to the pool for some energetic indoors exercise during winter, or even just a few laps.

Home Workouts

If you have the space and some money to invest, then consider buying some home gym equipment, like an exercise bike, and putting it to use while you watch television or listen to an audio book.

There are also a great range of exercise DVDs on offer that could keep you healthy at home over the winter. Many are very cheap to purchase and can be carried out in the comfort of your own living room, needing nothing more than a pair of trainers to work out with. The nation’s favourite Rosemary Conley has a great Fitness Triple Pack DVD (£5.99) which has workouts suitable for a range of fitness levels.

Think Creatively

There are some activities that you may not think of as exercise, but which will still keep you active over winter.

You could:

• - put on an album you love and dance in your living room
• - spend five minutes climbing up and down your stairs
• - walk a neighbour’s dog
• - tidy your garden
• - volunteer for your local community
• - stroll around a shopping centre with friends

If you’re going to exercise outside during winter, make sure you wrap up warm with several layers, and invest in a good fleece. Wear gloves, a hat and good socks, and try to avoid going out on your own to exercise when it’s dark.

http://www.silversurfers.com/health/diet-exercise/stay-active-winter/

How much do I have to eat to get my 5 servings?

• 
  

The NHS recommends a minimum of five servings of fruit and veg a day – but what does that really mean? 

We all know a varied diet is a key factor to good health and is particularly important as we age. Fruits and vegetables offer vitamins and minerals, fibre and antioxidants – all of which can help keep us on form and help fight off diseases.

But for all that, a huge portion of the adult population in the UK is falling short of the daily recommended guidelines – a YouGov poll in 2012 found just one in five people were meeting the daily requirements.

The good news is, fitting in five portions of fruit and veg isn’t as hard – or expensive – as you think. Adding them to your diet is as simple as making a few adjustments and can help with everything from energy levels to weight maintenance.

What’s a serving anyway?

First thing’s first – how much is a serving? Many people get stuck at the first hurdle, thinking it’s impossible to accommodate so many servings because they’re so large.

As a rule, a “serving” means 80 grams or 3oz of fruit and vegetables, which is roughly the size of an apple or a 2-inch piece of cucumber.  Cooked, raw or canned – it all counts, so rather than trying to reimagine your entire lifestyle, start small by looking for ways to sneak an extra serving in to the dishes you already love and prepare regularly.

For example, adding banana slices to your toast in the morning or blueberries to your oatmeal is an opportunity to sneak a serving in. A can of chopped tomatoes or some broccoli added to your pasta sauce is another easy solution.

Sometimes though, if it looks to good to be true, it is – although many processed and takeaway foods may have fruit and vegetables in them and advertise as one of your five servings, they are also high in sugar, salt and fat, so be sensible. Piling your plate high with your favourite creamy mash won’t do it either – potatoes are high in starch and don’t count towards one of your five a day.

Easy fruit and vegetable servings

To help get you started, we’ve put together a list of a few of our favourite fruits and vegetables and how much you need to eat to get a serving in. Mix and match from the list and before you know it you’ll regularly be eating your five a day without even noticing…

1 serving of fruit equals:

• 1 medium sized apple
• A handful of grapes
• 7 strawberries
• 1 banana
• 3 whole dried apricots
• Half an avocado
• 2 handfuls of raspberries
• Half a grapefruit
• 1 heaped tablespoon of tomato puree

1 serving of vegetables equals:

• 5 spears of asparagus
• 2 spears of broccoli
• 1 leek
• 14 button mushrooms
• 2 heaped tablespoons of spinach
• 1 large sweet potato
• Half a pepper
• 1 medium onion
• Half a large courgette
• 1 dessert bowl of mixed leaves lettuce
• http://www.silversurfers.com/health/diet-exercise/much-eat-get-5-servings/