25 ways to improve your health

Healthy living tips

There are many ways you can improve your health and just a few small changes can give big results. But there always seems to be conflicting advice concerning what is good for us and what are the right ways to improve our health.

Some pieces of health advice are always useful, however — and so the team at realbuzz.com have compiled a list of 25 health-boosting tips which we believe to be pretty much incontrovertible! Doing a combination of our suggested activities will boost your health and improve your lifestyle and well-being — so try them out.

1. Reduce your fat intake

The effect of fat on our arteries and general health are pretty well known, so you should try to reduce your fat intake by changing your cooking methods. Try grilling, baking, steaming or poaching, rather than frying.

2. Improve your sleep

If you’re having trouble sleeping, try cutting out alcohol or caffeine and other such stimulants, as this can help you to nod off and get a good night’s sleep. Also, adding a few drops of lavender oil onto your pillow at night has been shown to have relaxing effects.

3. Cut down on your salt intake

To reduce the impact of salt on your blood pressure, cut down on your salt intake. We suggest using herbs and spices such as oregano, nutmeg and paprika to season your food, rather than always adding salt. You may eventually find that you don’t need to add salt at all!

4. Enjoy a glass of wine

Drinking just one or two glasses of wine a day is thought to cut your risk of heart disease by up to a third. Make sure you go for red or rosé variety, as they contain much higher levels of antioxidants than your average glass of white wine.

5. Be good to your bones

A diet high in calcium and vitamin D will lead to strong bones and healthy nerves and muscles. Good sources of calcium and vitamin D include egg yolk, broccoli, oily fish and direct sunlight.

6. Eat a high fibre diet

Fibre aids the digestive system by helping to speed up the passage of waste material through the body — thereby ensuring that cancer-causing substances do not stay long enough in the bowels to have any damaging effect.

7. Have a good laugh

Laughing can to boost the blood flow by more than 20 per cent, and researchers say it may reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Laughing can also help to fight infections, relieve hay fever, ease pain and control diabetes.

8. Fruits for immunity and blood pressure

Fruits such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruit are a great source of vitamin C, which helps to boost the immune system. Also, citrus fruits and bananas are also a good source of potassium, which can help to regulate blood pressure.

9. Eat more garlic

Garlic is a powerful cleanser of the body. Regular consumption of garlic (either in natural form or odourless capsules) promotes a healthy heart and good circulation by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol — and it also helps to fight infection and boost the body’s immunity.

10. Drink more water

The general recommendation is that we should drink around eight glasses of water a day. Taking in this amount of water will greatly enhance your digestion‚ nutrient absorption‚ skin hydration‚ and detoxification — as well as many other aspects of your health.

11. Drink more tea

There is general agreement that tea — both black and green — may contribute positively to your health. Tea contains antioxidants that can inhibit the growth of cancer cells, support dental health, increase bone density and strengthen cardiovascular health.

12. Keep your brain active

Doing a mentally challenging activity — such as reading a book or completing a crossword or Sudoku puzzle — will help to keep your brain functioning at a high level. People who do less mentally challenging activities generally show more brain degeneration earlier on in life — so get testing your brainpower!

13. Eat more wholegrain foods

Eating wholegrain foods such as bread, cereals and rice can reduce your cholesterol levels and greatly reduce your risk of getting heart disease. Make sure you take a look at the packaging on foods that are labelled as ‘wholegrain’ — especially cereals — to see which of them are actually the best sources of wholegrain.

14. Increase sexual activity

Sex may be the only real physical activity that many people get, and is a great CV workout! Having sex three to four times a week is thought to reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke by half! Sex can reduce stress and leads to greater contentment and better sleep.

15. Introduce olive oil to your diet

Olive oil is a monosaturated form of fat and helps to reduce levels of harmful cholesterol in the blood. You can use it as an alternative for frying foods, or use it in its uncooked form as a dressing on salads.

16. Improve your posture

Good posture is thought to help the flow of energy in the body — and so standing tall or sitting up straight is thought to help improve your energy levels. Slouching is a definite no-no!

17. Eat chillis

Chilli peppers contain capsaicin, which helps to stimulate blood circulation and therefore reduces the risk of clots. Spicy peppers also contain antioxidants, which can help to prevent cell damage.

18. Exercise in water

Exercising in water is a great way of getting a good workout without stressing the body too much. The water offers resistance, and so can help you to build your muscles and stamina — plus being in the water will prevent some of the impact on the joints that other land-based exercises would bring.

19. Eat oily fish

Eating more so-called ‘oily’ fish — such as herring, kippers, mackerel, salmon, sardines and tuna — will provide you with large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. These types of fatty acids can reduce the levels of cholesterol in the blood — thereby reducing the risk of stroke.

20. Build stronger bones

Weight-bearing activities such as running or dancing are great for increasing your bone health. You could also introduce some bone-building herbs like parsley into your diet in order to gain maximum benefits.

21. Eat carrots to help your vision

Eating carrots will help to improve your eyesight. The beta-carotene in carrots converts to vitamin A in the body, which helps to improve vision. The vitamin A forms a purple pigment called rhodopsin — which the eyes need in order to see in dim light.

22. Always eat breakfast

Your body needs good quality fuel to wake up your metabolism — so always eat a good breakfast! If you eat a hearty breakfast you will subsequently burn more calories throughout the day. Eating a good amount at breakfast will also prevent you from getting that lull in the morning when your body is running on empty.

23. Dance your way to fitness

If you’re put off by obvious forms of exercise such as sports, then get your exercise on the dancefloor instead. Dancing will tone and strengthens your whole body, and can increase your flexibility and improve your coordination and rhythm. And most importantly, it’s more fun than going to the gym!

24. Avoid yo-yo dieting

The majority of crash dieters regain the weight they have shed and then maintain a continuous cycle of weight loss and gain. The answer is to avoid crash diets and develop sustainable diet habits — while avoiding high-fat products.

25. Think positively

Having an optimistic outlook on life can actually help you to live longer. Researchers have found that optimistic people decreased their risk of early death by 50 per cent compared to those who were pessimistic. Thinking positively lessens your chances of worrying, and therefore reduces stress — thereby lessening your chances of getting physical and mental illness.

10 everyday things with unexpected health benefits

Think you know what’s healthy and what’s not? You may be surprised. While we all know the basics of healthy eating and exercise, there are many unexpectedly healthy things you may not be aware are good for you. Here are our top 10 surprising things that can make you healthier.

Taking photographs

If you find yourself getting snap happy on a holiday or night out, this may be no bad thing. Research suggests that recalling good memories and having a positive view of the past can help boost happiness levels and health, yet according to separate research we find it more difficult to recall good memories than bad ones. If you have trouble focusing on happy memories, try compiling some photo albums of your favourite moments for an instant health and happiness boost.

Stress

While we all know about the health dangers of long-term stress, stress in short bursts can actually strengthen your immune system. In cases of acute stress, the body prepares itself for danger or threat (the fight-or-flight response) through the release of hormones including cortisol, which causes a short term boost to the immune system. So next time you find yourself getting tense before a job interview, presentation or big sports match, take consolation in the fact that you are doing your immune system a favour.

Surfing the internet

Think that browsing Facebook and searching for celebrity gossip is a waste of time? Think again. Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles found that searching the web helps boost brain health in those middle-aged and older, and could even prevent some of the effects that ageing has on the brain. The study found that browsing the internet stimulated the areas of the brain that control language and memory as well as helping to improve decision-making and complex reasoning.

Crying

We all know that laughter is good for us, but the surprising news is that shedding some tears could also do wonders for your health. Researchers at the University of South Florida found that 88.8 per cent of people feel better after crying, while it has been suggested that crying helps release the chemicals that build up in our bodies during times of stress. So, next time you feel yourself welling up after a weepy movie or emotional day, give your health and mood a boost by letting the tears flow.

Getting married

Multiple research studies and statistics suggest that those who are married live longer than singletons due to the fact they experience less social isolation. Furthermore, while it’s never a standalone reason for raising kids, research suggests that if you decide to start a family you could boost your health even more. A study of over 1.5 million men and women found that having one to two children reduces your risk of numerous conditions including cancer, alcoholism and heart disease.

Housework

It may not be your favourite activity, yet keeping your home clean and tidy could help you stay fit and healthy and keep off those extra pounds. According to a poll on household chores, the average person walks more than 22 miles and burns off 50,000 calories a year while cleaning their home, making it a great alternative to the gym. Furthermore, research funded by Cancer Research UK found that doing household chores can reduce women’s risk of breast cancer by 30% in pre-menopausal women and 20% in those post-menopause.

Having a big bum

If you regularly spend hours in the gym trying to trim inches off your thighs or bum, it may be time you stopped and showed your curves a little appreciation instead. While you may despair of your curvy rear end, research shows that fat stored in this area mops up harmful fatty acids, contains an anti-inflammatory that prevents arteries from clogging, and cuts your risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

Dirt

With the soaring popularity of anti-bacterial hand gels, clothing and washing products, it is easy to believe that dirt is the ultimate enemy. However, while it is generally good to pay attention to hygiene, a little bit of dirt could be better for you than you think. Contrary to popular belief, being sterile doesn’t keep you healthy and in fact research suggests that exposure to friendly bacteria found in soil can actually help boost the immune system and alleviate depression.

Beer

While many of us associate beer with beer bellies, drinking this popular tipple in moderation could actually have more health benefits than red wine. Research studies have shown that moderate consumption of beer can help reduce risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and dementia. On top of this, beer is rich in many nutrients, including magnesium, selenium and B vitamins, and contains a cancer-fighting compound found in hops.

Your friends

It seems to be relatively rare that the things we love are good for us, yet in the case of our friends this is definitely the case. Research suggests that your friends can help you live longer by reducing feelings of depression, stress and risky behaviour, and encouraging you to look after your health. In fact, a study by Brigham Young University found that having a good social network boosts your survival chances by 50 per cent, while having few friends affects you longevity as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Drinking Water Before Meals Good for Weight Loss

Have you tried out every trick in the book to lose weight – crash diets, gyms, or simply starving yourself?

Now, try a simple trick – drink a glass or two of water before meals, as that’s the best way to curb appetite and shed those pounds – says a new research.

Scientists have reported that just two 8-ounce glasses of water taken before meals, can lead to weight loss.

“In this recent study, we found that over the course of 12 weeks, dieters who drank water before meals, three times per day, lost about 5 pounds more than dieters who did not increase their water intake,” said Brenda Davy of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.

The simple reason is that it fills up the stomach with a substance that has zero calories. People feel fuller as a result, and eat less calorie-containing food during the meal.

And it gets even better if you replace sweetened calorie-containing beverages with it.

Although there’s no exact amount of water one should drink, experts advise that most healthy people can simply let thirst be their guide.

The general recommendations for women are about 9 cups of fluids — from all beverages including water — each day, and men at about 13 cups of fluids. 

Watch out for those danger signs

So you think you are healthy? But how sure are you? Very often, men do not pay attention to their health. It is only when their body starts showing certain symptoms that they do something about it. A full medical check-up is something that far too many men put off for years, and this is one of the biggest reasons why unexpected health concerns occur.If you don’t score well on these parameters, it is time to make a few changes in your diet, workout or lifestyle to get yourself in better overall shape to guarantee a healthier you.

Pink nails
The colour of your nails tells a lot about your health condition. You ideally want them to be pink, firm to the touch and have a smooth surface. If you have white spots or a few ripples, you may want to check for diabetes. Likewise, if your nails are yellow, this can indicate a respiratory disease.

Urine colour
It is not absurd to check the colour of your urine as it is the best indicator of how hydrated your body is. If the colour of your urine is a deep yellow, it means that you are not drinking enough of fluids. Also if you notice an odour or blood in the urine, it’s a cause of great concern. You need to consult your physician.

Regular bowel movements
In the same vein, bowel movements must occur everyday, at the same time. If yours only occur periodically or are too hard or soft, it is abnormal. Monitor your fibre intake, consult a nutritionist, make a few changes as needed and then reassess the situation before seeking medical advice.

Sound sleep
Lack of sleep causes you to feel mentally fatigued during the day and indicates that the body is at risk of a stroke or heart disease. If waking up every morning without an alarm is war, then start sleeping early. But make sure that your body has had sufficient rest. A good night’s sleep ensures that the internal rhythm of the body functions effectively. Staying well rested is essential to good health.

Proper BMI levels
If you are 10 pounds lower than your ideal body weight, it’s obviously unhealthy. In order to check your overall health level asses your BMI. This medical standard places you in either the underweight, normal weight, or overweight categories. You should also have a body-fat test taken. Together, these can be more telling than the BMI alone, which can place more muscular individuals in the overweight category. A healthy male under 40 should have 8-19% body fat and those over 41 should be in the 11-22% range.

Normal heart rate
The first health check to look at is your resting heart rate. Ideally, your resting heart rate should be around 70 beats per minute or lower. If it’s higher than this, it is risky. Devote a little more time to your cardiovascular training to make your heart stronger and more efficient. Another easy assessment of your health is to time how long it takes your heart rate to return to normal after completing a cardiovascular session. The sooner it springs back down, the better shape you’re in. Ideally, it should return to resting in five minutes or less. To test your cardiovascular fitness on the other hand, try a onemile run. If it takes you longer than 15 minutes to complete, your fitness level is poor. The faster you can run the mile and the lower your heart rate, the better is your physical condition.

Aim for 20 pushups
One great health standard is how many pushups you can perform in one row without rest while maintaining proper form. Anything less than 20 straight full pushups means you need to devote a little more time and effort to your strength training routine.

Perfecting Power Nap

Researchers have found in recent years that the human body requires only as much sleep as the brain will allow it. 

In other words, so long as the brain is functioning at full capacity, there’s no great requirement for sleep. The big thing is that the brain needs a rest every now and then, and apparently, the brain can refresh itself and go on “like with a full tank of gas” with just a short, 20-minute power nap.

These short 20-minute power naps for people who are really engrossed in their work, almost always provide a fresh burst of new ideas and energy. They tend to eliminate the need for caffeine boosts during the workday. And, they guarantee a reserve of energy so that the working day isn’t followed by an evening in which he falls asleep on the couch watching TV or at a social event. 

:Reasons for a Power Nap:

1. Less stress.

Curling up in a sunny patch on the floor or even lying your head down on your desk for a quick snooze brings relaxation. Research found that stress hormone levels were lower in those who took stress-reducing actions such as napping. Take a break each day from the stresses and reduce your risks, find a quiet, comfortable spot and take a nap. Even a short power nap can leave you feeling refreshed, renewed, and more focused. 

2. Increased alertness and productivity.

If you have the opportunity for a power nap, particularly after a poor night of sleep, by all means, take one. You will feel more alert and energetic afterwards, and once rested after your mid-afternoon nap, your mood, efficiency, and alertness level will improve greatly. Scientists have even proven that taking a 20-minute nap approximately eight hours after you have awaken will do more for your stamina than sleeping another 20 minutes in the morning. Of course when you first come out of your afternoon nap, you will feel a bit groggy for around ten minutes, but once your decline in motor dexterity dissipates, you will reap the rewards of being well rested and ready to go for the rest of the day.

3. Improved memory and learning.

Naps aren’t just for the very young, old, and sluggish. Daytime dozing may enhance a person’s capacity to learn certain tasks. That, at least, is the eye-opening implication of a new study in which college students were challenged to detect subtle changes in an image during four different test sessions on the same day. 

Participants improved on the task throughout the first session. The students’ speed and accuracy then leveled off during the second session. The scores of the participants who didn’t nap declined throughout the final two sessions. In contrast, volunteers who took a 20-minute power nap after completing the second practice session showed no ensuing performance dips. What’s more, 1-hour power nappers responded progressively faster and more accurately in the third and fourth sessions. It looks like napping may protect brain circuits from overuse until those neurons can consolidate what’s been learned about a procedure.

4. Good for the heart.

Taking 40 winks in the middle of the day may reduce the risk of death from heart disease, particularly in young healthy men, say researchers. They studied 23,681 individuals living in Greece who had no history of coronary heart disease, stroke or cancer when they first volunteered, and found that those who took a 30-minute siesta at least three times a week had a 37% lower risk of heart-related death. The researchers took into account ill health, age, and whether people were physically active. So go ahead and nap — a short daily snooze might ward off a heart attack later in life. It is known that countries where siestas are common tend to have lower levels of heart disease.

5. Increased cognitive functioning

In a recent study, researchers at NASA showed that a 30-minute power nap increased cognitive faculties by approximately 40 percent! Tests carried out on one thousand volunteers proved that those who continued working without rest, made lower scores in intelligence tests like the IQ test. More importantly, their capacities to work and memorize decreased in comparison to those who napped after lunch.

In concordance with NASA’s work, biology students at Berkeley determined that the nap must be short in order to produce maximum effectiveness. Over forty five minutes, the beneficial effects of napping disappear and it is therefore suggested to take a fifteen to thirty five minute “power nap”. This is the time necessary for the organism to rest and enables brain neurons to recuperate.

6. Get motivated to exercise

Sufficient sleep and naps help motivate exercise. Some 28 percent of adolescents say they are too tired to exercise, due to sleep. As adults, let’s not let tiredness ruin our jogs. You’re guaranteed to run longer, faster, more efficiently and mindfully when your body has it’s required amount of zzzz’s. So, store-up, shore-up and build-up your energy reserve with a power nap. It’s easy (free!) and proven effective.

7. Boost your creativity.

Rest and relaxation isn’t only vital to your health — it might also make you a more creative person. People tend to be more imaginative after a good night’s sleep. Other experts agree that taking a nap or stepping away from a problem or project refreshes the mind and could lead to better ideas later. Power napping allows your brain to create the loose associations necessary for creative insight and opens the way for a fresh burst of new ideas. So if you feel stuck, then you might want to take a nap. Return to the problem after diverting your attention for a while. The best part is that there’s no need to feel guilty, because taking some “me time,” in this case, could help your business in the long run.

8. Make up for midnight tossing and turning.

Some of the most recent research suggests that a bad night’s sleep can stress the body as well as the mind. One such study, suggests that missing sleep throws the body’s metabolism off kilter. Scientists at the University of Chicago studied physical changes in 11 young men who slept four hours per night for six nights in a row. They found that sleep deprivation seemed to trigger a diabetes-like condition, harmed hormone production, and interfered with the ability to use carbohydrates.

According to some studies, power napping is clearly beneficial to someone who is a normal sleeper but who is getting insufficient sleep at night. Researchers still don’t understand the underlying neurobiology, but it looks like sleep time is cumulative. They compared the alertness of people who slept eight hours a night to that of people who slept less but took a nap during the day. Both groups were equivalent. 

9. Protect yourself from sleepiness.

Scientists had also found benefits in the “prophylactic” nap for people who have to stay up late. It can protect you from sleepiness. If you have to be up all night, a two-hour or a four-hour nap does provide additional alertness the next day. Research conducted by NASA produced similar results. Naps are clearly useful for some people, including shift workers, students, and anyone doing long-haul work, such as pilots on transcontinental runs.

10. Better health.

Napping in general benefits heart functioning, hormonal maintenance, and cell repair, says Dr. Sara Mednick who is at the forefront of napping research. A power nap, says Mednick, simply maximizes these benefits by getting the sleeper into and out of rejuvenating sleep as fast as possible.

Getting the perfect nap

1. The first consideration is psychological: Recognize that you’re not being lazy; napping will make you more productive and more alert after you wake up.

2. Try to nap in the morning or just after lunch; human circadian rhythms make late afternoons a more likely time to fall into deep (slow-wave) sleep, which will leave you groggy. 

3. Avoid consuming large quantities of caffeine as well as foods that are heavy in fat and sugar, which meddle with a person’s ability to fall asleep. 

4. Instead, in the hour or two before your nap time, eat foods high in calcium and protein, which promote sleep. 

5. Find a clean, quiet place where passersby and phones won’t disturb you. 

6. Try to darken your nap zone, or wear an eyeshade. Darkness stimulates melatonin, the sleep- inducing hormone. 

7. Remember that body temperature drops when you fall asleep. Raise the room temperature or use a blanket. 

8. Once you are relaxed and in position to fall asleep, set your alarm for the desired duration (see below). 

How long is a good nap?p?

THE NANO-NAP: 10 to 20 seconds. Sleep studies haven’t yet concluded whether there are benefits to these brief intervals, like when you nod off on someone’s shoulder on the train. 

THE MICRO-NAP: two to five minutes. Shown to be surprisingly effective at shedding sleepiness. 

THE MINI-NAP: five to 20 minutes. Increases alertness, stamina, motor learning, and motor performance. 

THE ORIGINAL POWER NAP: 20 minutes. Includes the benefits of the micro and the mini, but additionally improves muscle memory and clears the brain of useless built-up information, which helps with long-term memory (remembering facts, events, and names). 

THE LAZY MAN’S NAP: 50 to 90 minutes. Includes slow-wave plus REM sleep; good for improving perceptual processing; also when the system is flooded with human growth hormone, great for repairing bones and muscles. 

Contrary to popular opinion, napping isn’t for the lazy or depressed. Famous nappers have included Bill Clinton, Lance Armstrong, Leonardo da Vinci and Thomas Edison. The moral of the story: to be ultra-productive, just rest your head. You snooze, you gain. Give it a try for yourself and see if you aren’t amazed at the results.