5 Steps to a Healthier You

Stress may seem to be a trivial thing but it can have a huge impact on your health. If you are chronically stressed you may suffer from weakened immunity and high blood pressure. High blood pressure could eventually cause you to suffer from a stroke, heart attacks and clogged arteries. But it’s not all doom and gloom, you can do something about it. If the stress you are feeling is due to an emotional upset such as a relationship break up, distract yourself.

Have fun, spend time with friends and family; laugh, see a comedy or read a funny book; get some exercise; if possible, take a break from work or study. However, if the stress is due to a problem, which needs fixing, avoiding the problem will only make it worse, so tackle it. Take some time out to brain storm solutions, ask a friend or family member for advice or if it a particularly difficult situation then you may want to seek expert advice.

 

Drink more water, and less fizzy, coffee and alcohol. Water keeps you hydrated and is free. Alcohol is a depressant, which can make you feel blue. Alcoholic drinks are usually high in sugar and kilojoules, which is terrible for your teeth and waistline. Coffee, as you may know, and some soft drinks (such as Red Bull and V) are high in caffeine, which is a diuretic. This causes you to pee more and in turn dehydrates your body. Additionally, high caffeine intake can aggravate stress.

 

Fruit and veggies provide the body with many essential vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, calcium, iron, folate, which help your body function the way its suppose to. They’re also rich in fibre and low in fat. Increasing your fibre intake can enhance the health of digestive system and help balance blood cholesterol and sugar levels. You could also cut down on processed food and start eating organically.

Organic fruit and vegetables are grown without the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides and organic meat are produced without added hormones or unnecessary antibiotics. Eating less processed foods can reduce many unwanted extras from your diet, such as sugar, salt, preservatives, and colouring agents.

 

Exercise has wide range of benefits. Getting your body moving on a regular basis can help you maintain a healthy weight, improve bone and muscle strength, as well as boost the immune system. Regular physical activity can also prevent and treat depression and insomnia. Exercise makes you feel good by releasing endorphins, which can make you feel euphoric. Physical exercise may even improve brain function.

 

This month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I know that breast cancer is pretty rare in women in our age bracket, but there is no harm in performing self breast checks – remember earlier breast cancer is detected the greater your chance of survival. See your doctor if you notice anything unusual about your breasts like a lump, rash, newly, inverted nipple or discharge. Prevention is often better than cure, so the reduce your chance of developing breast cancer live healthily.

That is, exercise at least three times per week, quit smoking if your smoker, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, and limit your alcohol intake.

Kyrstle Chester