Healthy living is a subject of great interest at the moment, with the pandemic dominating the headlines and stories warning of an impending influx of seasonal illnesses. It’s not always possible to prevent ailments and infections, but there are steps you can take to improve your health and wellbeing. In this guide, we’ll go back to basics, providing some simple tips to help you enjoy better health this winter.
5 easy ways to improve your health
Adjusting your diet
We hear the word ‘diet’ and most of us think about weight loss. It is true that changing your diet can help you to lose weight, but it’s crucial not to overlook the importance of nutrition. Your main goal when changing your diet should be to improve your health. Your body relies on you to provide it with key nutrients. If your diet is lacking in healthy foods, you could be deficient in vitamins and minerals. Modifying your diet can help you manage your weight, increase your intake of essential nutrients and make the most of mealtimes. People often assume that healthy eating is time-consuming and expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. There are hundreds of recipes you can rustle up in less than half an hour using ingredients that are inexpensive and readily available.
If you’re eager to improve your diet, it’s beneficial to outline goals so that you can create a menu that is tailored to you. If you want to eat healthier foods and lose weight, for example, you can design a plan that contains nutritious, delicious, calorie-controlled foods. You can use online resources to find recipes and ideas and join forums and weight loss clubs or you can consult your GP or an online nutritionist for advice. It’s also useful to use an app to monitor what you eat. Input data daily and take a minute to read the information at the end of the week. Your food diary will track your calorie intake, as well as protein, carbohydrate, fibre and fat consumption and nutrient intake. Use your diary to adapt your diet. You may find that you’re not getting enough protein or that you’re consuming too much saturated fat, for example.
It’s essential to think about nutrition when planning a menu and to try and avoid the temptation of fad diets that promise rapid weight loss. If you do want to lose weight, opt for plans that are approved by health experts. Fad diets are often highly restrictive, and the results are not sustainable. Most people lose a lot of weight in a short period and then regain it once they switch back to their usual eating habits. Healthy eating combined with regular exercise is the best way to lose weight and improve your health.
Enhancing sleep quality
Be honest. How often do you wake up in the morning feeling refreshed, alert and well-rested? Research conducted by a team at King’s College London revealed that sleep troubles have become more common during the pandemic, with 63% of adults suggesting their sleep quality has deteriorated. Sleep is essential for mental and physical health. When you sleep, your body undergoes vital processes, which are designed to repair and restore ready for the day ahead. Chronic sleep issues can contribute to an increased risk of anxiety, depression, stress, low immunity, mood swings, fatigue and accidents and injuries.
If you have difficulty sleeping on a regular basis, it’s wise to try self-help techniques, such as exercising daily, avoiding caffeine after 4 pm, meditating, relaxing in the evenings and going to bed early enough to ensure you get enough rest. Establish a routine. Use your evenings to relax so that you feel calm when you go to bed and avoid triggers, such as scrolling through social media or reading work emails, which could cause stress. Set yourself a bedtime and stick to it. This will help your body clock to adjust. You should find that you feel tired when your bedtime is looming and that you feel more energetic and motivated when your morning alarm goes off.
Another tip for better sleep quality is adjusting your sleeping environment. Make sure your bedroom is a calming, peaceful place. Choose soothing colours for the walls, use soft furnishings to add cosiness and block out light using thick curtains or blackout blinds.
If you feel like you have already tried every trick in the book, and you still can’t sleep, don’t hesitate to contact your GP.
Keeping an eye on your alcohol intake
The Christmas countdown is on, and many people are already thinking about festive nights out and parties. Traditionally, the period before New Year is associated with eating and drinking and spending time with loved ones. While there’s nothing wrong with letting your hair down and having fun, it is beneficial to keep an eye on your alcohol intake. Health experts recommend a maximum weekly intake of 14 units. This equates to 14 shots of spirits, 8-10 small glasses of wine or approximately 7 pints of beer. If you have got parties and gatherings in the diary, try to pace yourself, have a few nights off drinking each week and drink plenty of water. It’s also an excellent idea to replace alcoholic drinks with soft drinks or alcohol-free beers or mocktails if you feel like you’ve had enough to drink.
Many people drink more than they think they do, and if you’re keeping tabs and you’re worried about your intake, there are steps you can follow to reduce alcohol consumption. Avoid drinking before you go out, order small glasses of wine or half-pints, swap alcoholic drinks for alcohol-free alternatives and set yourself a limit each day. It can also be helpful to talk to friends or the people you are going out with and explain that you’re trying to drink less. You should never feel pressured to order more drinks if you’ve had enough. See your GP or contact charity helplines if you’re concerned that your drinking is out of control.
Upping your activity levels
Exercise is one of the best natural remedies for health and wellbeing. You might think that you hate exercise as you approach the end of a run or a workout and you feel exhausted, but shortly after, you’ll feel incredible. Being active provides a natural high brought about by the release of endorphins and elevated levels of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. It can also help you to clear your mind, manage stress and feel more confident, as well as lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, some types of cancer and dementia. Many people also find that regular exercise helps them to sleep better.
If you’re keen to get into exercise and you currently lead a sedentary lifestyle, there are endless options available, including joining beginners classes, taking lessons, going to clubs to get involved in team sports, doing workouts at home or venturing into the great outdoors. You can set yourself daily targets, for example, increasing 2,000 steps to 5,000 steps or doing 30 minutes of activity per day. Get friends and family to join you, hire a personal trainer or follow online workouts from the comfort of your living room. Even simple things like going for a walk each day, getting out on your bike at the weekend or doing a beginners’ spin or circuit training class twice a week will make a difference.
Scheduling routine tests and checks
Many of us are guilty of ignoring texts and letters inviting us to attend screening or routine health checks. If you have been encouraged to go and see your doctor or dentist, or you’re overdue for a cancer screening test or a hearing assessment, try to ensure that you make the call. Regular health checks are designed to reduce the risks of health issues and they also ensure that any warning signs are spotted early. In the case of cancer, for example, early diagnosis can boost survival rates dramatically. If going to appointments is a burden, consider a house call doctor in Seattle. Physicians will conduct appointments in the comfort and privacy of your home, offering more schedule flexibility than traditional practices
It is particularly important to book appointments and keep up to date with basic health checks if you have family history of serious illnesses, or you’ve noticed changes in your health. Don’t delay if you have concerns or you’ve spotted symptoms. Use your intuition and contact your doctor if you’re worried that something isn’t quite right. It’s always best to get checked out and rule out severe conditions. Examples of symptoms to report immediately include changes in your weight that are not linked to your diet or activity levels, chronic fatigue, changes in your bowel habits, traces of blood in your urine or faeces, chest pain and shortness of breath, unexplained pain and lumps or abnormal swelling.
The subject of health is dominating the headlines at the moment, and many of us are eager to embrace healthy living this winter. There’s a huge amount of information online, but sometimes, it can be difficult to know what to believe. Stripping it back to basics is a great way to implement easy, effective ways to improve your health. Focus on nutrition, increase activity levels, try to ensure you get enough sleep, keep an eye on your alcohol consumption and keep up to date with routine checks.
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