Wednesday 27 March 2013

Exercise prevents prostate cancer

To all the men out there, this is another reason to make sure you are getting enough exercise. A recent study has found that men, particularly, Caucasian origin, who exercise regularly have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer and especially have a lower risk of the aggressive high-grade disease. So up your activity levels and you could reduce the risk by up to 49% You don’t even have to join a gym just try and achieve 30 minutes of activity that raises your heartbeat 5-6 times a week. Walking the dog and doing the garden all count! More info regarding the study can be found here

Tuesday 19 March 2013

Live Longer No 4

4 Drink in moderation One or two units a day may help reduce heart disease, but most people drink a lot more and it is doing us an increasing amount of damage. Alcohol can cause cirrhosis, which is now the 12th-highest cause of death and ill health in western Europe, fatty liver disease and liver cancer. It is also implicated in other cancers – mouth, throat and breast. And then there are all the accidents and fights in which people get hurt or killed.

Thursday 14 March 2013

OK - all you out there who like to work from a firm research base - a newly published report (in the journal of Psychological Medicine) written by Dr Dregan of King's College London tells us a great deal about the benefits of a life time of exercise. The longitudinal study shows that those of us who have engaged in regular intense activity since childhood perform better in mental tests at the age of 50. Dr Dregan says ' It's widely acknowledged that a healthy body equal a healthy mind'. He also tells uys that exercsie represents a key component of lifestyle interventions to prevent cardiovcascular disease, diabetes and cancer. So, lets all get active - its never too late to start! Contact us if you want help to be your best!

Friday 8 March 2013

And here's your handy hint number 3 - helping you to live longer. 3 Eat seeds – not junk Curiously, the Global Burden of Disease lists not only eating too little fruit (sixth-highest risk factor for early disease and death) but too few nuts and seeds (not far behind, at eighth). Too few vegetables are 12th, and low omega-3 (in oily fish, not tablet form), high processed meat and low fibre follow in that order. Too much trans fat is 19th, low calcium is 22nd and low milk consumption 23rd. So, yes, diet matters a lot and not just because eating too much makes you fat – high BMI or body mass index has a separate ranking as the fourth highest risk factor, causing heart disease, strokes, diabetes and cancers. But on a diet of nuts and seeds it is also pretty difficult to get overweight.

Thursday 7 March 2013

your second 'Live Longer' tip 2 Get your blood pressure checked Like checking the pressure of the tyres on your car, this is a very good idea. Some people have high blood pressure in the family. Others eat too much salt, don't take enough exercise, are overweight, stressed, smoke or drink too much. Most of this you can do something about, but for those who don't, a trip to the GP, who will prescribe pills, may prevent a heart attack or stroke. High blood pressure is the No 1 risk factor for early deaths and years of poor health in Europe. But if you have low blood pressure and none of the above risk factors, just a routine check on any visit to the GP for other matters is enough.

Wednesday 6 March 2013

Live longer!

want to live longer? Want to be healthier? We have the NHS and much of the rest of the world envies us for it, but how long and healthily we live is not so much about how hospitals look after us – medical care contributes only about 20% to our healthy lifespans – as how we care for ourselves before we get there The Guardian has published an article today with lots of hints on how we could all make a difference to our health - I'll post one tip a day. However, today's one is 'Move to Japan' - maybe not realistic ? But some hints none the less! 1 Move to Japan With the highest healthy life expectancy in the world, as well as the longest lives for women (men in Andorra just pip their Japanese counterparts to first place), Japan is clearly the place to buy a 1LDK (one room apartment with a living, dining and kitchen area). Space may be limited but a healthy life is not. On average, Japanese women can expect 75.5 years of good health while men enjoy 70.6 years. In the UK, we get 70.1 years and 67.1 years respectively. It is not just about sushi and rice, according to Professor Kenji Shibuya and colleagues at the University of Tokyo, writing in the Lancet in 2011. "Japanese people give attention to hygiene in all aspects of their daily life," they said. "This attitude might partly be attributable to a complex interaction of culture, education, climate [eg humidity, temperature], environment [eg having plenty of water and being a rice-eating nation] and the old Shinto tradition of purifying the body and mind before meeting others." (Not something we can replicate with a little bottle of hand sanitiser on the desk.) They have regular health checks. We weren't designed to sit around – so get running.

Tuesday 5 March 2013

Is that the sun I can see? wow - does that mean that I can shed a few layers of fat hiding clothes? Does that mean I need to think about cropped trousers and tee shirts instead of track trousers and hoodies? Best I make sure I am as trim as I can be - we've made some strides on the way to this already - we have completely revamped our exercise regime by working out in our new gym-my body doesn't know what has hit it! and how about these recipes - for your 500 calorie days BREAKFAST 1 Boiled egg and half a grapefruit DINNER Veggie chilli made with 1 large mushroom, half a tin chopped tomatoes, half a tin of kidney beans, garlic, half a chopped red chilli served with 80 g cooked weight of brown rice enjoy!

Sunday 3 March 2013

Exciting week

My lovely PT clients are in for a big treat this week - they are working out in the new gym! Will it be the treadmill, the cross trainer or the rower? Or will they venture onto the wibbly wobbly bike (you'll love it!) We can use the cable machine and our old friends the BOSU and the Swiss ball (now in a choice of 3 sizes!) And we have a lovely list of people who have contacted us already - we will be contacting you to arrange a visit and a free induction! Free kit bag and water bottle to new members while stocks last - be among the first and claim yours! Running water and the flooring just about finished - just the windows to go! We are in our new office - we have had a bit of a clear out as we moved 'stuff' from our old office - any idea why I kept used envelopes, old magazines and odd scraps of paper? They never did come in handy! New month, new week, new start - how about a new fitness regime for you? Contact us - a new you is just around the corner.