Sleep
Getting enough sleep may be important for
emotional wellbeing, as well as resting your body, say researchers in
California. They found that during REM – or ‘dreaming’ – sleep, the body’s
stress chemistry shuts down and this may take the edge off difficult emotional
experiences, making them easier to cope with.
Think Positively
Just
a few lifestyle changes will leave you jumping for joy!
Tell yourself: ‘Everything is going to be
fine,’ and the latest research suggests it might just work. Exactly how the
mind-body connection operates is still unclear, but the evidence is mounting –
research shows that optimists recover better, have healthier immune systems and
live longer. Optimism seems to reduce the negative physical impact of stress
and boost the body’s ability to renew and repair itself. But how do you move
from glass half empty to glass half full? Have a positive mantra that you
repeat to yourself, and take 10 minutes at the end of each day to think about
three things that went well (however small), advises Dr Ilona Boniswell, senior
lecturer in Positive Psychology at the University of East London.
Use Your Garden
Make space for herbs. The process of
planting and growing is a great stress buster, and herbs are even richer in
antioxidants than fruit and vegetables, with individual healing properties.
Basil is antibacterial, peppermint and fennel can help with indigestion, while
mint acts as a natural breath freshener. Swiss researchers also discovered that
a combination of sage and Echinacea was as effective as a standard painkiller
in helping to relieve sore throat pain.
Vitamin D
There is growing evidence of high levels of
deficiency – around half of us have inadequate vitamin D levels and one in six
is severely deficient during the winter months. Add in low levels being linked
with diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, MS and cancer, and it’s no
wonder that many of us are now taking a regular dose. You can safely take a
daily 25mcg supplement, but take it with a glass of milk or yogurt – new
research suggests that, because it’s a fat-soluble vitamin, supplements are
more effectively absorbed when taken with fatty foods.
Well-woman Checks
Prevention is always better than cure, so
keep up to date with health checks. As well as three-yearly mammograms form 50
(changing to 47 – 49) and cervical smears from the age of 25, do the vital DIY
checks – practise breast awareness by looking for any lumps or changes in
shape, size or skin texture / thickness, and examine your skin for new moles or
changes to existing ones. Twice-yearly dental visits are important to check for
oral cancers, as well as keeping teeth and gums healthy. If you haven’t had
your blood pressure monitored recently, go and get it done, and if you have a
family history of diabetes or are overweight, you should also ask for a check.
And don’t forget your eyes – two-yearly checks are recommended from your 20s.
Xylitol
A natural, lower-calorie and low-GI
sweetener extracted from birch trees or maize, xylitol is widely used to
sweeten chewing gum and can help protect teeth by reducing plaque formation.
Yoga
Back in the days when yoga was, well, just
yoga, choosing a class was easy. Now there are so many different varieties on
offer that it’s hard for a beginner to know where to start. All yoga is about
strength, flexibility and balance, but British Wheel of Yoga expert Zoe Knott
says that yoga can be broadly divided into ‘flow’ and ‘non-flow’ approaches.
Flow yoga (Ashtanga, Power and Bikram) is fast-paced and focuses on stamina,
whereas non-flow yoga (Hatha, Iyengar and British Wheel of Yoga Classes) is
slower and focuses on breathing, posture and guided relaxation. ‘While a
non-flow class is calming and relaxing, you can expect to get hot and sweaty
from a flow one,’ says Zoe Knott. Before choosing a class, talk to the teacher
about the kind of yoga you would like to practise and, above all, ensure that
the teacher has a nationally recognized qualification.’
Zumba
It combines the fun of dance class and the
energy of a cardio-based workout with built-in toning, plus it uses the
principles of interval training – shorts bursts of intense activity
interspersed with more moderate exercise – to maximize calorie burning. Zumba,
the Latin dance fitness programme that’s sweeping the nation, claims to burn up
to 800 calories an hour, and with six fitness programmes, there’s a class that
suits every fitness level and ability.
