The three easy ways to improve your health in 2014 are a balanced diet, regular exercise and sleeping well.
Fad special diets can work however more often than not they are a short term solution. If you want to lose weight and keep it off my recommendation is to reduce your portion size and eat balanced meals (for example ¼ of a plate of protein, ¼ of a plate of starchy carbohydrate and ½ of a plate of vegetables). A perfectly acceptable meal could be a slice of grilled salmon, mashed sweet potato and some spinach with broccoli.
Be wary of decreasing your calorie intake suddenly and dramatically as this can trigger health issues. By taking a long term, balanced approach to reducing calorie intake and changing your lifestyle, you will lose weight healthily and are much more likely to stay at your preferred weight.
In conjunction with a healthy regime of fruit and vegetables most of us can benefit from additional vitamin support. I recommend the use of “Juice Plus” which is a whole food supplement with a long list of clinical reviews showing the health benefits of increasing your vitamin and mineral cover. This product is well researched and easy to take, a no brainer for better health.
If you are not already exercising, you should increase your activity gradually to avoid injury and encourage weight loss. If you think you would benefit from a personal trainer to guide and inspire you I would be happy to recommend a great personal trainer I know.
Warning – sleep deprivation can harm your posture! Sleep is restorative giving the muscles time to relax and it helps decompress weight bearing joints. It is crucial to give your body the rest it needs otherwise you can perpetuate stress and strain. Each of us needs a different number of hours of sleep but the average is about 8 hours. If you are not more relaxed and rested when you wake, try to avoid looking at a screen an hour or more before bed this includes your smart phone, laptop or TV. If none of the changes you make work, it means that there may be an underlying issue to examine.
One solution is a gentle osteopathic assessment which might reveal minor mechanical stress. An osteopathic treatment could be the best way to good health.
At Prices Back Clinic we are always happy to support you, have a healthy and productive year and remember to book your health check with us as prevention is better than cure!