How To Find The Best Cleanse For Weight Loss

Our modern world presents many health challenges including a polluted environment and obesity. Many people look for answers but only find confusing, contradicting information and band-aid solutions. We all have different goals, lifestyles, and demands on our time and finances. However, your ideal cleansing system should provide a long-term solution, fit into your routine, be effective, and improve your overall health and sense of well-being.

Because of our constant exposure to pollutants, we need to protect ourselves on an ongoing basis. A simple one-time cleanse is not going to protect you in the long run. A weight loss fad may help you lose weight today only to gain it back in a month. Ideally, you want a solution that fits into your lifestyle and can give you the results you want over the long term.

When thinking long-term you want to find something that you will stick with. If you are busy, you don't want a system that is time consuming. If you work, you don't want a harsh cleanse that will send you running to the bathroom every half hour. Ideally, you want a simple, effective system that is flexible and will work with you - not against you.

When evaluating a system you have to determine if it is effective or not. Does it provide fast, visible results? Are there testimonials from other satisfied customers? Is it backed by reputable scientific research? If you can't find support for this outside of a company's marketing material then you should move on.

Probably the most important factor when choosing a system is determining if it promotes a healthy lifestyle. You want something that is based on good nutrition and contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, and other vital nutrients. Use common sense and avoid simple 'solution-in-a-pill' formulations, as they can't address the complex needs of a healthy lifestyle.

Something that can help ensure you get the most from your experience is a system that includes support from a professional. A good system will be flexible and be able to fit your lifestyle. However, it may take the assistance of a knowledgeable coach to help you integrate the necessary components into your daily routine. Such programs are available and can include support free of charge.

Finally, you want to find a product that is within your budget. When considering a system you should realize you are making an investment in yourself. You may have to pay a little extra but the return on your investment will be better health, weight normalization, and an overall improved sense of well-being.



http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Find-The-Best-Cleanse-For-Weight-Loss&id=7568075

25 ways to improve your health

Healthy living tips

There are many ways you can improve your health and just a few small changes can give big results. Here's a list of 25 straightforward ways to improve your lifestyle and well-being.

Reduce your fat intake

The effect of fat on our arteries and general health are pretty well known, so you should try to reduce your fat intake by changing your cooking methods. Try grilling, baking, steaming or poaching, rather than frying.

Improve your sleep

If you’re having trouble sleeping, try cutting out alcohol or caffeine and other such stimulants, as this can help you to nod off and get a good night’s sleep. Also, adding a few drops of lavender oil onto your pillow at night has been shown to have relaxing effects.

Cut down on your salt intake

To reduce the impact of salt on your blood pressure, cut down on your salt intake. We suggest using herbs and spices such as oregano, nutmeg and paprika to season your food, rather than always adding salt. You may eventually find that you don’t need to add salt at all!

Enjoy a glass of wine

Drinking just one or two glasses of wine a day is thought to cut your risk of heart disease by up to a third. Make sure you go for red or rosé variety, as they contain much higher levels of antioxidants than your average glass of white wine.

Be good to your bones

A diet high in calcium and vitamin D will lead to strong bones and healthy nerves and muscles. Good sources of calcium and vitamin D include egg yolk, broccoli, oily fish and direct sunlight.

Eat a high fiber diet

Fibre aids the digestive system by helping to speed up the passage of waste material through the body — thereby ensuring that cancer-causing substances do not stay long enough in the bowels to have any damaging effects.

Have a good laugh

Laughing can help to boost blood flow by more than 20 per cent, and researchers say it may reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Laughing can also help to fight infections, relieve hay fever, ease pain and control diabetes.

Fruits for immunity and blood pressure

Fruits such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruit are a great source of vitamin C, which helps to boost the immune system. Also, citrus fruits and bananas are a good source of potassium, which can help to regulate blood pressure.

Eat more garlic

Garlic is a powerful cleanser of the body. Regular consumption of garlic (either in natural form or odourless capsules) promotes a healthy heart and good circulation by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol — and it also helps to fight infection and boost the body’s immunity.

Drink more water

The general recommendation is that we should drink around eight glasses of water a day. Taking in this amount of water will greatly enhance your digestion‚ nutrient absorption‚ skin hydration‚ and detoxification — as well as many other aspects of your health.

Drink more tea

There is general agreement that tea — both black and green — may contribute positively to your health. Tea contains antioxidants that can inhibit the growth of cancer cells, support dental health, increase bone density and strengthen cardiovascular health.

Keep your brain active

Doing a mentally challenging activity — such as reading a book or completing a crossword or Sudoku puzzle — will help to keep your brain functioning at a high level. People who do less mentally challenging activities generally show more brain degeneration earlier on in life — so get testing your brainpower!

Eat more wholegrain foods

Eating wholegrain foods such as bread, cereals and rice can reduce your cholesterol levels and greatly reduce your risk of getting heart disease. Make sure you take a look at the packaging on foods that are labeled as ‘wholegrain’ — especially cereals — to see which of them are actually the best sources of wholegrain.

Increase sexual activity

Sex may be the only real physical activity that many people get, and is a great CV workout! Having sex with your partner three to four times a week is thought to reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke by half! Sex can reduce stress and leads to greater contentment and better sleep.

Introduce olive oil to your diet

Olive oil is a monosaturated form of fat and helps to reduce levels of harmful cholesterol in the blood. You can use it as an alternative for frying foods, or use it in its uncooked form as a dressing on salads.

Improve your posture

Good posture is thought to help the flow of energy in the body — and so standing tall or sitting up straight is thought to help improve your energy levels. Slouching is a definite no-no!

Eat chillis

Chilli peppers contain capsaicin, which helps to stimulate blood circulation and therefore reduces the risk of clots. Spicy peppers also contain antioxidants, which can help to prevent cell damage.

Exercise in water

Exercising in water is a great way of getting a good workout without stressing the body too much. The water offers resistance, and so can help you to build your muscles and stamina — plus being in the water will prevent some of the impact on the joints that other land-based exercises would bring.

Eat oily fish

Eating more so-called ‘oily’ fish — such as herring, kippers, mackerel, salmon, sardines and tuna — will provide you with large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. These types of fatty acids can reduce the levels of cholesterol in the blood — thereby reducing the risk of stroke.

Build stronger bones

Weight-bearing activities such as running or dancing are great for increasing your bone health. You could also introduce some bone-building herbs like parsley into your diet in order to gain maximum benefits.

Eat carrots to help your vision

Eating carrots will help to improve your eyesight. The beta-carotene in carrots converts to vitamin A in the body, which helps to improve vision. The vitamin A forms a purple pigment called rhodopsin — which the eyes need in order to see in dim light.

Always eat breakfast

Your body needs good quality fuel to wake up your metabolism — so always eat a good breakfast! If you eat a hearty breakfast you will subsequently burn more calories throughout the day. Eating a good amount at breakfast will also prevent you from getting that lull in the morning when your body is running on empty.

Dance your way to fitness

If you’re put off by obvious forms of exercise such as sports, then get your exercise on the dancefloor instead. Dancing will tone and strengthens your whole body, and can increase your flexibility and improve your coordination and rhythm. And most importantly, it’s more fun than going to the gym!

Avoid yo-yo dieting

The majority of crash dieters regain the weight they have shed and then maintain a continuous cycle of weight loss and gain. The answer is to avoid crash diets and develop sustainable diet habits — while avoiding high-fat products.

Think positively

Having an optimistic outlook on life can actually help you to live longer. Researchers have found that optimistic people decreased their risk of early death by 50 per cent compared to those who were pessimistic. Thinking positively lessens your chances of worrying, and therefore reduces stress — thereby lessening your chances of getting a physical and mental illness.

http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/25-ways-to-improve-your-health/

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/

Five health symptoms men shouldn't ignore

British men are paying the price for neglecting their health: more than 100,000 men a year die prematurely.

On average, men go to their GP half as often as women. It's important to be aware of changes to your health, and to see your GP immediately if you notice something that's not right.

Below are five important health issues for men and the symptoms you should never ignore.

A lump on your testicle

From flab to fab

Read how Robert Langston got his life back

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 20 to 35. Nearly 2,000 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer each year in the UK, and regular self-examination is recommended.

If you notice a lump or abnormality in your testicles, first see your GP. Most testicular lumps are not cancer, but it is essential to have any abnormalities checked. This is because treatment for testicular cancer is much more effective if the cancer is diagnosed early.

• Early diagnosis meant that footballer Neil Harris beat testicular cancer and soon returned to play for Millwall 

Moles

Check your moles regularly and be aware of any change in colour or shape, or if they start bleeding. Most changes are harmless and are due to a non-cancerous increase of pigment cells in the skin.

See your GP if a mole looks unusual or becomes itchy. It can then be checked and removed if necessary.

To minimise your risk of skin cancer, avoid exposure to the sun between 11am and 3pm. Cover up and use sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 15 when you're in the sun.

Feeling depressed

If you’re depressed, you may lose interest in things you used to enjoy. If you’ve been having feelings of extreme sadness, contact your GP.

Depression is a real illness with real effects on your work, social and family life. Treatment usually involves a combination of self help, talking therapies and drugs.

Depression is more common in women, but men are far more likely to commit suicide. This may be because men are more reluctant to seek help.

Trouble urinating

When the prostate is enlarged, it can press on the tube that carries urine from the bladder. This can make it hard to pass urine, which can be a sign of prostate disease, including cancer.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. More than 30,000 men are diagnosed with it every year. Other symptoms include pain or burning when you pass urine and frequently waking up in the night to pee. If you have any of these symptoms, see your GP.  

• Every man has a prostate gland and it’s crucial to your sex life. Get to know your prostate and what can go wrong with ..

Impotence

Most men have problems getting or keeping an erection (impotence) at some point. See your GP if your erection problems last for several weeks.

Generally, lifestyle changes, such as losing weight and exercise, can correct the problem. Some men may need medication such as sildenafil (also known as Viagra).

Your GP is likely to assess your general health because impotence, also known as erectile dysfunction, can be a sign of more serious conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/men1839/Pages/Menshealthweek.aspx

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/

How to get started in healthy living — part 2

The benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle

In part 1 of this guide to healthy living, we looked at the overall picture of healthy living, and at some of the factors that contribute to a healthier lifestyle. But how do you go about making changes to your life without causing havoc and disruption? This section will show you how small changes to your lifestyle can equal big results.

Learn to cope with stress

Two-thirds of us feel under stress at work, according to a MORI poll — while outside of work, other factors like money worries, relationship and family problems, health issues and travel chaos send our blood pressure soaring. We can’t prevent stress (and how boring life would be if we did!) but we can learn todeal with stress better — and we should do so, for the sake of our health.

Chronic, uncontrolled stress produces high levels of a hormone called cortisol, which over time can affect our mental functioning and weaken the immune system. Stress has also been linked to the development of stomach ulcers and high blood pressure. A study led by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found that men with the highest level of anger in response to stress were over three times more likely to develop premature heart disease than men who reported lower anger responses. They were also over six times more likely to have a heart attack by the age of 55.

Take action

• Learn what your stress triggers are so that you can avoid them as much as possible. Some classic triggers include leaving things to the last minute, taking on more than you can handle, being put on the spot when you’re not prepared, being late and having to cope with other people’s mistakes or failings.
• Find a healthy coping mechanism. Getting drunk or eating a whole packet of biscuits doesn’t count! Try a chat with a friend, some breathing exercises (see below), thinking of something funny, a 10-minute walk or a soothing hot drink. It’s even worth writing down what coping mechanisms work for you, as you may not always think of them at times of extreme stress.
• Don’t try to be perfect in everything you do. You’ll make life a lot less stressful if you sometimes accept things as ‘good enough,’ rather than striving to achieve 100 per cent.
• Breathe. One of the first things we do when we’re under stress is hold our breath, or breathe in a rapid and shallow manner. This prevents us getting fresh oxygen in, to fuel the brain and muscles. Start by breathing out as far as you can (ideally through your mouth). Exhale every last bit of carbon dioxide! Then allow your inhalation to occur naturally (ideally through the nose). Gradually lengthen the in-breath, but always ensure the out-breath is longer, to dissipate tension.
• Do the ‘sphere of influence’ test. This involves determining whether a particular stressor is within your control to change. If it’s not, then accept that there’s nothing you can do about it and that it isn’t your fault. If it is, then deal with it as best you can now and consider how you could avoid a repeat of the situation in future.
• Ensure you get sufficient levels of vitamin B and C, which chronic stress depletes. Zinc and magnesium levels can also be affected by stress — leaving your immune system vulnerable — so be vigilant with these or consider supplementation.

Get to grips with health checks and screening

Many of us only visit the doctor when something goes wrong — but healthcare is as much about prevention as cure, so it’s important to stay on top of regular checks and screening. When did you last have an eye test? When is your next smear test due? Have you had your blood pressure checked recently? What about that itchy mole on your back? Screening gives the experts a chance to identify problems while they are still minor and easily treatable, and yet, according to a survey by healthcare provider HealthSure, 57 per cent of men and 42 per cent of women have never had a health screen or wellbeing check. Start taking control.

Take action

• Get out your diary and write down when your important health checks are next due — for example a smear test, mammogram or cholesterol check. If you don’t know, then ask your doctor. If they don’t know, then start with a ‘clean slate’ and get checked now.
• Keep note of your test results. While, for example, your blood pressure may still be ‘normal’, you should still be made aware if it has gone up since the last time it was checked.
• Check your breasts each month — and men, check your testicles regularly so that you become aware of what feels ‘normal’ to you.
• If anything — a mole, your eyesight, back pain, your reproductive organs, a stubborn cough — is bothering you pick up the phone NOW and make an appointment to see the relevant professional. Ignored health problems don’t go away.

Get a good night’s sleep

There’s no doubt that sleep deprivation is a major health problem — women who sleep less than eight hours a night over a 10-year period have a slightly higher risk of heart disease, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, though other studies say anywhere around seven to nine hours is ideal. The two major factors to tackle are poor quality sleep (insomnia, constant waking or difficulty falling asleep) and simply failing to get enough zzzzzs in altogether.

Take action

http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/how-to-get-started-in-healthy-living-part-2/

How to get started in healthy living — part 1

How to lead a healthy lifestyle

Never before has there been so much talk about healthy living. The newspapers are packed with stories about the latest dangers and hazards to our health — from mobile phones to sugar, mercury fillings to artificial sweeteners, and genetically-modified foods to noise pollution. The headlines can leave you feeling confused and overwhelmed — and above all, powerless.

But in reality, choosing to live a healthier lifestyle is a choice that any of us can make. It’s not about reacting to the latest scare story, banning certain foods or products from your life and adopting an extreme, all-or-nothing approach — it’s about balance and moderation. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about being a little more health aware, and doing the best you can on a daily basis. After all, it’s not what you do for the next seven days that’s going to affect your health for the next seven years; it’s what you do for the next seven years!

The health jigsaw

You could view healthy living as a jigsaw puzzle — made up of many different pieces, all crucial to the finished picture — but all of different shapes and sizes. If one piece is missing entirely, the overall picture isn’t complete. For example, you could be a fitness fanatic who eats healthily and never drinks alcohol — but you haven’t found a way of coping with the high levels of stress your job brings — and you can’t remember the last time you went for a health check. Or you could be someone bursting with energy, who survives on four hours sleep a night, thrives on stress and never gets ill — but who lives on junk food and caffeine.

While there are quite obviously some pieces missing in these jigsaws, scenarios such as this are far from unusual. For example, while you may be debating whether to have your mercury fillings removed, are you taking the simple step of flossing daily to look after your dental health? As many as 23 per cent of women between 30 and 54 have severe gum (periodontal) disease, according to the American Academy of Periodontology, which, as well as being the leading cause of tooth loss, has been linked to heart disease, premature births and chronic inflammation in the body.

Big health issues

Evidently, we sometimes aren’t seeing the wood for the trees — we’re worrying about the little things (should I drink normal coke or diet coke?) while ignoring the bigger issues. According to the Sleep Council, for example, 20 million people in the UK — that’s roughly a third — don’t get enough sleep, and two thirds claim that stress is a major factor in their lives.

We’re missing a few jigsaw pieces on the healthy diet front, too. While the UK’s average daily fruit and vegetable intake is three pieces — significantly less than the minimum recommended intake of five per day — research from the Office for National Statistics shows that 17 per cent of adult women drink over the recommended 14 units per week, while over a third of men drink above recommended levels.

But while we are glugging down the booze, many of us aren’t drinking enough water. Research by the Lucozade Sport Science Institute found that around 50 per cent of people hit the gym in a dehydrated state — (and that’s before they’ve even started their workout!). At least they’ve managed to get to the gym, though —56 per cent of men and 70 per cent of women aged 16 to 54 in the UK fail to reach the recommended levels of physical activity for health benefits. While 10,000 steps per day is the Holy Grail — sufficient to reduce you risk of heart disease, aid weight loss and improve musculoskeletal health — a report in the journal Sports Medicine found that less than 5,000 is more typical for the average Brit.

A positive attitude to healthy living

 Fascinatingly, our health isn’t just about what we do with our lives, it’s also about how we think, too. In 2002, researchers at the Mayo Clinic in the United States found that optimistic people decreased their risk of early death by 50 per cent compared with those with a less positive outlook. How? The researchers speculate that it’s likely to be to do with pessimists having a greater risk of future problems with their physical health, emotional stress and career achievements — along with possible changes in their immune systems.

With the wrong outlook, you could see the healthy living jigsaw as an overwhelming, unachievable challenge. How can you possibly manage to put ticks in all those ‘health’ boxes? But look again, and you’ll see that the fact that there are so many pieces means that there are countless ways you can make small changes in your life, which will have a big impact on your health and How to get started in healthy living — part 2 shows you how to do exactly that …

http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/how-to-get-started-in-healthy-living-part-1/