Physical Activity

Physical Activity

Welcome to the third of a series of fact sheets aimed at raising awareness on health and wellbeing issues. In this blog we highlight the benefits of incorporating Physical Activity into your daily life and offer some suggestions on how to do this.

What is physical activity?

Physical activity is any activity that helps you to improve or maintain your physical fitness as well as your health in general. Activities could be as simple as doing the housework or walking to the shops.

Why exercise?

Regular physical activity has a number of benefits for your health such as:

· Reduces the risk of developing of coronary heart disease and possibly stroke

· Lowers blood pressure

· Increases good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers bad cholesterol (LDL)

· Reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes

· Strengthens bones and reduces risk of osteoporosis

· Lessens stress and anxiety

· Maintains a healthy weight and reduces body fat

· Increases muscles strength and joint flexibility

Overall, people who do the recommended levels of physical activity can reduce their risk of premature death by 20-30%.

Different types of exercise

Aerobic exercise

Aerobic activities are any activity that makes your heart and lungs work harder. This could include: dancing, walking, cycling, playing football, rugby, badminton or tennis, swimming, jogging or running, doing the garden or housework, taking the stairs instead of the lift. The government recommends at least 30 minutes per day on at least 5 days of the week. You do not have to do all 30 minutes at once it can be broken down into 3 x 10 minutes and will have the same benefits as long as your heart and lungs are working harder(increased heart rate).

Muscle-strengthening activities

Muscle strengthening activities help build or maintain muscles and help to improve your flexibility and balance. This could include: climbing stairs, walking uphill, lifting or carrying shopping, digging the garden, weight training, pilates, yoga or similar resistance exercises that use the major muscle groups. You should aim to do these activities twice a week in addition to your aerobic exercise and on alternate days.

Guidelines for starting an exercise programme

· If you are new to physical activity or have not been active for along time it is advisable to speak to your GP before beginning a new programme

· Start an activity you like doing and that can easily be built into your daily routine – this way you are more likely to succeed

· If you don’t like the thought of exercising on your own make it a social affair and ask a friend along

· Start slowly and gradually build up, if you feel you can do more then do so but don’t rush in

· If you feel chest pain or shortness of breath, stop and rest for a while

· Avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water

Take small steps

By following these simple steps and building activity into your daily life you will feel much healthier and save money in the process:

· Walk to work (at least 1 day a week if possible)

· Take your bike instead of the car

· Get off the bus or train a stop earlier

· Park the car further away from the office

· Clean the windows instead of hiring a window cleaner

· Start cleaning the car at home rather than going to the carwash

It is recommended you seek medical advice before starting any new exercise programme. For further information on increasing your physical activity please visit:

www.nhs.uk/change4life
www.keepfit.org.uk
www.whi.org.uk

I hope you have found this blog useful. To see our other fact sheets on Health and Wellbeing please visit our website

Wishing you health and happiness

Renée

Healthy Lifestyle

Welcome to the second of a series of fact sheets aimed at raising awareness on health and wellbing issues. In this weeks blog we highlight the benefits of healthy living and offer some suggestions to improve the way you live your life.

Benefits of a healthy lifestyle

By adopting a healthy lifestyle you are likely to reduce your chances of developing illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, liver problems, lung problems and some cancers. Other benefits include:

· You will have more energy

· You should maintain a healthy weight (put less pressure on your bones/joints)

· You will feel more alert and focused

· You will be less stressed, anxious or depressed

So what can you do to stay healthy?

Eat a healthy diet

· AT LEAST 1/3 OF THE FOOD WE EAT should be fruit and veg. This equates to between five portions, and 9 portions per day

· AT LEAST 1/3 OF THE FOOD WE EAT should be starch-based such as cereals, bread, potatoes, rice, pasta – try and eat wholegrain varieties as often as possible

· INCLUDE some dairy every day, this could be a smaller portion of the high fat varieties or regular portion of the low-fat options (milk, fromage frais, cheese, yoghurt)

· INCLUDE at least one portion of meat, fish, eggs and beans/peas/lentils per day. Opt for lean cuts of meat, remove all visible fat (including chicken skin) and grill where possible. Pulses are naturally low in fat and an excellent source of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Aim for at least 2 portions of fish per week (at least one of which should be 'oily' (such as salmon or mackerel).

· LIMIT the amount of food and drink you consume that is high in sugar and fat. If you do fry use a vegetable oil such as sunflower, rapeseed or olive.

· REDUCE salt to the recommended maximum of 6g per day for an adult

· DRINK plenty of water (at least 2 litres per day) and avoid calorie laden drinks

Physical Activity

The Government recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise per day on at least 5 days of the week. You do not have to do all 30 minutes at once it can be broken down into 3 x 10 minutes and will have the same benefits as long as your heart and lungs are working harder(increased heart rate).

Your exercise plan could include: dancing, walking, cycling, playing football, rugby, badminton or tennis, swimming, jogging or running, doing the garden or housework, taking the stairs instead of the lift.

Quit Smoking

If you stop smoking you will reap the benefits straight away. You reduce the risk of getting serious illness no matter what age you give up but the sooner you do so the greater the reduction in risk. If you give up before you are 35 your life expectancy is only slightly less than people who have never smoked and before 50 you decrease the risk of dying from smoking-related diseases by 50%.

Reduce your alcohol intake

It has been said that drinking alcohol in moderation (1-2 units per day) may help to protect you from heart disease. However, too much alcohol can be harmful. So what are the safe limits? It is recommended that: Men should drink no more than 21 units of alcohol per week (and no more than four units in any one day) and women should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week (and no more than three units in any one day) The more you drink above these limits the more harmful the alcohol is likely to be. Binge drinking (e.g. 10 or more units twice per week) can be harmful although still in the recommended safe limits.

Lose the extra pounds

If you are overweight you are putting your health in jeopardy. By losing just 5-10% of your body weight you will put less stress on your heart and joints and feel more energised. Adopting a healthy eating programme does not mean starving or depriving yourself - you can still eat the foods you love just in moderation.

Stress less

Not all pressure is bad for you, a little pressure can lead to increased productivity, improved performance and increased motivation, it only becomes a problem when the pressure becomes excessive – this then leads to stress. Stress is thought to have a detrimental affect on our health but this is difficult to prove. It is suggested that increased stress levels can lead to cardiac problems later in life. With a proactive approach and by learning some simple coping mechanisms, you can help to reduce this risk.

I hope you have found this blog useful. To see our other fact sheets on Health and Wellbeing please visit our website

Wishing you health and happiness

Renée