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Health & Wellness… L IVING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE DOESN ’ T MEAN HOURS OF TRAINING AT THE GYM AND EATING ONLY SALAD LEAVES . I T ’ S ABOUT MAKING EASY - TO - MANAGE HEALTHY CHOICES IN YOUR DAY - TO - DAY LIVING . he trick to making your lifestyle healthier is to make small healthy changes every day, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, in- creasing your fruit by one, drinking an extra glass of water or quit smoking. Basic fundamentals of healthy living include… J UST M OVE I T Not just every now-and-then — but every day whenever you can. Although a set exercise program is great to work into your daily routine, you can burn calories in other small ways, such as: • Parking furthest from the building and walking in, or • Taking the stairs more often. • Doing house cleaning or gardening • Taking the dog for a walk or cycling with the kids instead of watching TV L ET ’ S S TAND T OGETHER We spend too much time sitting – at our desks, in front of the TV, or in a meeting. New research is emerging highlighting the potential risk to health from sitting on our bottoms a little too much. So break your sitting time by standing for ten minutes and reap the health benefits. Every little bit counts and it all adds up to burning more calories. If you’re overweight, making small changes in your exercise routine can boost your health. In fact, one study found that just a 10% drop on the scales helped over- weight people to reduce their blood pressure, cholesterol and im- prove their wellbeing. E ATING S MART When it comes to healthy eating, there is an overwhelming array of theories –—which is often conflicting. Although the research is still ongoing and developing, what the experts can all agree on is that our diets are too high in sugar, our portions are too big and we should eat a variety of whole natural foods. It’s hard to get away from sugary products. Often the sugar is hidden in canned goods or pre-packaged foods, or even in foods we think are healthy for us, such as fruit juice. The easiest way to limit your sugar intake with one small change is to cut out sugary, fizzy drinks. This alone can help you to lose or maintain a healthy weight, which in turn will reduce your risk of heart disease, obesity and diabetes. P ORTION D ISTORTION Our food and drink portion sizes have dramatically increased over the past 30 years. Simple ways to cut portions include: • Eat your main meals off a smaller plate — visually the plate looks full so you will be satisfied, but you’ll be eating less. • Dish up in the kitchen, rather than have the serving dishes at the dining table — it’s much easier to have seconds when it’s right in front of you. • Eat small regular meals (at least every four hours) so that you’re never starving — if you get to this point of hunger, it’s very difficult to stop before you overeat. C OLOR M E D ELICIOUS Choosing whole foods and cooking from scratch is a much healthier way to eat than buying pre-packaged or ready-meals which are high in fat and salt but very low in nutrients. To make sure you’re getting a variety of nutrients, vitamins and minerals into your body every day — a quick rule of thumb is to pick a variety of colors for your meals. Be the artist of your meals and paint a color picture with a variety of yellow, red and green fruits and vegetables throughout the day. C HOOSE L IFE There is nothing more damaging to a long, healthy life than smoking, which is estimated as the reason for death or disability in half the people who smoke. The dangers of smoking tobacco are so significant that it is the most important public health prob- lem in the world, which ironically, is largely avoidable. Smoking not only cuts your lifespan by affecting your internal organs, but it also ages you on the outside by causing skin damage. It takes courage to quit smoking — it’s not an easy journey — but it’s a brave and sensible choice. Some of the positive changes won’t hap- pen quickly, but all the changes will benefit your health and well-being. n 32 AL/ Metro 360 www.almetro360.com T