Disease Prevention Tips

HOW TO BE HEALTHY

Health is a very popular topic as always and it is a very controversial subject with many people arguing about what exactly health involves. The truth is, it can be very different for each person. As the saying goes, “one man's meat is another man's poison” and this can be very true from the types of food we eat, to the type of exercise we do and the kind of things we do to relax and have fun. This is because we all thrive on and enjoy different things. That is why it is so important to listen to your body when experimenting with new things and do what feels good for you and right for your unique body. 

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How healthy are you? Find out by downloading my free Health Scorecard and rate your health.

There are many benefits to improving our health:

  • Strong immune system to fight viruses

  • Emotional resilience so we feel calm and in control

  • Good brain function which helps us with mental sharpness as we age

  • Perform optimally at work and in sport

  • Lose weight and unwanted body fat

  • Improve sleep so that we feel refreshed when we wake up

  • Increase our energy so we feel motivated to pursue all our goals

Here are ten areas we can focus on to ensure our health is optimal:

  1. Sleep - although we may be an early bird or a night owl, we must get enough quality deep sleep each night. Ideally we should be sleeping during the hours of darkness, as early as we can before midnight to maximise our deep sleep and we need 7 - 9 hours sleep each night. You will know you are getting enough sleep if you can wake up without an alarm and feel rested when you wake up. Sometimes this just requires correctly timing your wake up after 4 or 5 sleep cycles before you go into the next sleep cycle. Try using the app Sleep Cycle which can help you wake up at the best time after a sleep cycle ends.

  2. Fitness - we all know we need to exercise! It is vital to have strength-based exercise as we grow older to ensure we have good muscle mass. Cardiovascular exercise as well as flexibility are also vitally important. Find the exercise you love to do which you will do regularly. Daily movement is key!

  3. Nutrition - what we eat has a major impact on our body. There is a lot of confusion about what is healthy and not healthy. Ensure you include good quality protein daily as well as colourful fruit and vegetables and healthy fats. Most importantly listen to your body and track what foods feel good. Do not assume that because a food is deemed healthy that it is good for your body. Some people have trouble digesting nuts and certain vegetables. Read this blog post if you want to learn my 10 tips on How to Eat Healthier.


  4. Gut Health / Healthy Microbiome - looking after our gut health is really important, especially since the ratio of microbes in our body compared to human cells is 3:1. We have approximately 37.2 trillion human cells compared to 100 trillion bacterial cells. Plant foods like onions, garlic and leeks feed our good gut bacteria as well as fermented foods like sauerkraut, bio-yoghurt, kefir and kimchi. Avoid artificial sweeteners and processed foods and try to follow a regular routine for eating and sleeping for a healthy microbiome.


  5. Hydration - regular intake of clean filtered water is necessary for good health. All of our organs need high amounts of water including the brain, our blood and our muscles. If we are not drinking enough water, we can suffer from headaches, lack of focus and concentration, high blood pressure, dry skin and kidney problems. If you like a change from water, try eating some fresh fruit which is very hydrating or herbal teas.


  6. Reducing Toxin Exposure - toxins create a great deal of damage in the body. It is important to look at the beauty products you use and limit parabens and fragrances which can disrupt your hormones. The app Think Dirty is fantastic to screen your products.  Try and eat organic foods where possible to limit pesticides in your body. Try and air out your house at least once a week as new furniture and carpets can release toxins which is called “off-gassing”.

  7. Detoxification - although everyone talks about “doing a detox”, many people are not doing what is really required for healthy detoxification. This involves daily bowel movements, drinking plenty of water, sweating regularly and ensuring good intake of all the necessary nutrients for the detoxification process. These nutrients include a variety of amino acids from both animal and plant protein as well as vitamins and minerals from colourful fruits and vegetables, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli.


  8. Stress Management - stress is one of those hidden causes of disease which tends to be overlooked. We can eat the best diet in the world and exercise regularly but if we suffer from stress, this can wreak havoc in the body. This is because stress shuts down many functions in the body like the immune system and the nervous system which are so vital for maintaining health. Also digestive secretions like stomach acid are massively reduced by stress and our hormones are limited as we don’t need to have all these things working well if we are running for our lives from a predator. Daily relaxation is absolutely vital for health which can include meditation or mindfulness or just spending 10 minutes a day doing something you love like playing a musical instrument, spending time with friends or family or laughing. Read my blog post on How to Manage Stress for more tips.


  9. Mindset - the way we think is key to our health. We can manifest disease through negative emotions and beliefs. It is important to watch the thoughts we have and challenge any negative or disempowering ways of thinking. Practising gratitude daily is a wonderful way to improve our mindset by really tapping into the positive feelings relating to the wonderful gifts we have in our life. I know many of us are going through a tough time with the pandemic and it is important to really take time to appreciate even the tough things that teach us life lessons. The way you start your morning can also massively impact your mindset for the day. Swap the morning news with reading a couple of pages of an inspiring book.


  10. Relationships - we thrive if we have supportive, nurturing relationships in our life as these help us feel happy and loved. This reduces stress and boosts our immune system as well as positive hormones like oxytocin. I know sometimes it's tricky with family as we don't feel like we get to choose our family. Ensure that you surround yourself with people who respect you and see the best in you. And if you haven't got those people currently in your life, it might be time to build some new relationships! According to motivational speaker Jim Rohn, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Consider carefully if you want to be thinking and behaving like the five people you spend the most time with and choose your people well! 


I hope these ten tips have given you food for thought on how you can boost your health. It is an ongoing project to keep eating healthily and exercising and taking time to relax. However it is time very well spent if we want to have a high quality life as we age. You can download my free Health Scorecard and see how healthy are in the above 10 areas.



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HOW TO MANAGE STRESS

Everyone these days talks about how stressed they are or if they do not use that word, they will talk about how busy they are with their never-ending list of things to do.

A study in 2018 found that 74% of adults in the UK felt so stressed that they felt unable to cope. It would be very interesting to run the study again now as some people may feel a great deal less stressed with the many changes due to the pandemic, for example, furlough, less time commuting, more time to exercise, more time with a pet.  On the other hand, many people may feel significantly more stressed due to overworking, homeschooling, not able to have grandparents helping with childcare, social isolation etc.  

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No matter what is going on in our lives, we all need to constantly manage our stress levels so that our bodies can heal and repair daily and be resilient and strong. Our stress response is part of our survival mechanism and unfortunately is being switched on too readily by things that are not life-threatening, for example, the amount of things we need to do or a stressful relationship. Our bodies respond in the same manner whether a predator is chasing us and we are running for our lives, or if we are stressed by our work, finances, family, health or relationships. This can take a toll on our immune system and all of our body functions.

Here are ten tips to help you manage stress:

  1. Breathing deeply - our bodies are constantly taking cues from our thoughts and our behaviours about how safe our environment is. Breathing is the easiest way to calm down our nervous system. You can try box breathing: simply inhale for 7, hold your breath for 7 and exhale for 7, pausing before the next inhalation. Our bodies know we are safe when we breathe like this as we would not hold our breath if we were running from a tiger!

  2. Do not over-exercise - we all need to move regularly to keep fit and keep our heart healthy, however excessive running and other exercise will be giving your body the message that it is in a dangerous environment. Intersperse your exercise from time to time with more gentle exercise like yoga, tai chi, stretching and walking in nature.

  3. Sleep 7-8 hours - getting a good night’s sleep and feeling rested and refreshed when you wake up are vital components of feeling in control and being emotionally resilient. Our stress levels will be much higher after a bad night’s sleep or less than 7-8 hours’ sleep.

  4. Keep your blood sugar stable - avoid eating refined carbohydrates and sugar that will cause your blood sugar to rise significantly and then drop significantly causing anxiety and oxidative stress in the body. Ensure you have protein and healthy fats at each meal that will keep your blood sugar stable for 3-4 hours after eating.

  5. Avoid changes to your circadian rhythms - try and keep a steady routine to maintain calm and safety for the nervous system. Our bodies follow a circadian rhythm which responds to light and our nervous system is calmed by routines like going to sleep and waking at the same times each day and eating our meals at the same regular times. Try to also avoid blue light in the evening by turning devices off one hour before sleep and try to get daylight into your eyes within thirty minutes of waking up in the morning. 

  6. Pay attention to your thoughts - having ruminating thoughts is not good for stress! Neuroscientist, Daniel Amen, believes that our Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs) are at the root of our stress. Here are some great questions to help you challenge these thoughts and see how valid they are. Our self-talk can be quite destructive if not managed.

  7. Track your Heart Rate Variability (HRV) - a great measure of our stress is HRV. You can track it with apps and devices and learn which activities reduce your stress the most. My favourite device is the Firstbeat Lifestyle tracker - it involves a 3-day assessment and you receive a very detailed graph on how restorative your sleep, exercise and other activities are (or are not!). The OURA ring and Heartmath also have excellent reviews.

  8. Mindfulness and Meditation - these 2 practices are extremely beneficial to helping reduce and manage stress. It is just a matter of finding a method that appeals to you and that you will do ideally daily. I personally love ziva meditation which requires no apps or headphones and I have also used holosync and lifeflow meditations with great success. I also love Calm’s daily 10 minute guided meditation with a nice tracker that gives you a sense of achievement! There are also many free guided meditations and mindfulness sessions on YouTube

  9. Gratitude journaling - taking just 5-10 minutes a day either at the end of the day or first thing in the morning to write out three things that you are grateful for as well as taking time to really evoke the emotions can be a powerful practice. Don’t just list the items, really remember and feel into it and write about 25 words about how you felt and why it felt good, for example, if someone did something kind for you, write out all the full details.

  10. Regularly take time to relax and do things you enjoy - laughter and having fun are great ways to manage stress as well as being enjoyable! Watch your favourite TV show or a film that makes you laugh or hang out with the friends that make you feel great (I know it is more limited on zoom!). Or if you prefer peace and quiet, find some great fiction books to escape into or other hobbies eg playing a musical instrument. Think about what things you loved to do as a child.


I hope these tips have given you lots of ideas to try out to manage your stress on a regular basis. The most important thing when it comes to stress is to listen to your body and rest when needed.

HOW TO PREVENT CANCER

Cancer is a scary diagnosis and according to Cancer Research UK, someone in the UK is diagnosed with cancer every two minutes. However, there is hope as the World Health Organisation states that many cancer deaths are preventable.

They refer to five diet and lifestyle risks:

  • high body mass index

  • low fruit and vegetable intake

  • physical inactivity

  • tobacco use

  • alcohol use

How to prevent cancer

GET MY FREE GUIDE WITH A QUIZ AND TEN TIPS TO PREVENT CANCER

It is important to note that there are always cancer cells present in the human body. Cancer only becomes a disease when those cells replicate out of control. Our greatest opportunities to prevent cancer are to maximise nutrition, boost immune function and ensure we have strong detoxification.

Here are my top three tips to reduce your risk of cancer:

  • Robust immune system - ensure your immune system is running at its best. You need to have a calm vigilant immune system which tolerates what is normal, for example, certain foods and temperatures. You do not want your body busy healing inflammation in your body or fighting viruses. You require the following nutrients for a healthy immune system: zinc, vitamin D, vitamin A, omega 3 fats. Eat (do an image with foods for these nutrients and a pin, oysters, beef (zinc), salmon, chestnut mushrooms, sunshine, liver, carrots, mackerel, SMASH)

  • Detox well - ensure your body’s detoxification pathways are all working optimally. You can achieve this through daily bowel movements, drinking enough water and sweating regularly. Try and limit your toxin exposure so your body has less toxins to process by eating organic foods and checking food and beauty product labels.

  • Effective stress management - ensure you take time daily to relax, take breaks from work and do things you love and that bring you joy. Think about the things you used to do as a child to have fun. Perhaps you like to do sport or read or do puzzles or just hang out with friends.

Download my free guide with a quiz and the full 10 diet and lifestyle tips to help you prevent cancer.

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Please let me know how you get on with these tips. Which is the hardest one for you to do daily?