Everyone has different ideas and expectations of what it means to be healthy. For some people reducing the amount of saturated fat could improve their health and make them healthy, for others it might be a case of entirely quitting smoking or drinking. Either way making sure you stay healthy now can really help your long term health.
To be healthy means to look after yourself in every way possible, you should aim to look after yourself physically, mentally and emotionally too. You should eat a healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight, ensure you get regular exercise, avoid smoking and reduce the amount of alcohol you drink.
If you can start living a healthy lifestyle now, you can make positives steps to reduce your chances of developing diseases associated with an unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle such as heart disease, type2 diabetes and cancer.
Before you can work whether you have a healthy BMI you need to know what it is. BMI is an abbreviation for the term Body Mass Index. The Body Mass Index is a guide that many Doctors, health professional and both you and I can use to find out whether the combination of our weight and our height is considered to be within a healthy range.
Not only will your BMI give you an idea as to whether you might need to lose or not it is also used to assess whether you could be at risk of developing obesity related diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.
Before you calculate your BMI it is important to remember that although your BMI will give you a good indication as to whether you need to lose weight or not, it unfortunately doesn’t distinguish between body fat and muscle. Just in case you weren’t aware, if you were to compare equal quantities of muscle to fat, muscle weighs more than fat and therefore your BMI should only be used as an indicator as to whether you need to lose weight.
A healthy BMI is one which ranges between 18.5 to 25. Anything over 25 is considered to be overweight and anything under 18.5 is considered to be underweight, in some cases, a BMI lower than 18.5 indicates the presence of an eating disorder.
There are some really simple steps you can take to keep your body in good health and although some are easier said than done, once you get into the habit or the routine of making these changes you’re sure to notice the difference.
Try to eat a diet which is low in saturated fat and high in fibre and protein, you should also aim to eat a variety of complex carbohydrates and avoid simple carbs such as white bread and pasts. Remember it’s ok to have the occasional treat but living off take aways and high fat food is a one way ticket to obesity central!
Now we know this is easier said than done but avoid, and if you truly cannot avoid then try reducing, your intake of things that are bad for you. You know what things we mean, reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke and the amount of alcohol you drink. Alcohol it full of sugar and calories and if you want to know just how much take a look at our alcohol calorie counter.
Finally, make sure you get plenty of physical activity and most importantly make sure it’s something you enjoy. If the gym just isn’t your thing then find other ways to keep in shape, even just doing chores around the house can help you keep trim! Did you know mopping the floor for 20 mins can burn 112 calories? And you’ll also work your shoulders and your biceps at the same time. But then again if chores around the house just aren’t your thing either, did you know you can burn over 300 calories an hour just through getting active between the sheets with your partner? Now there’s no excuse.
A supplement is something you can take to help boost your health. In the past there has been a great deal of speculation over whether supplements are actually necessary to help you maintain a healthy body.
However, supplements can help you in achieving certain goals, for example a protein supplement can help anyone wanting to build or repair their muscles. On the other hand there are plenty of supplements that will act as a slimming aid and help you lose weight too.
The fact is there are tonnes of supplements on the market! To ensure you’re taking the right supplements for you, the best advice we can give is to seek professional advice from either your Doctor, a pharmacist or the (from our experience) we have found the staff at Holland & Barrett’s are well informed and qualified to give advice on the best supplements for you.
To maintain a healthy body, many people take vitamins and your body relies on many different vitamins throughout the day to help keep it ticking over and in good shape.
Did you know there are 13 essential vitamins everyone needs on a daily basis? You could consider taking vitamin supplements if you feel you are lacking in any of the following: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B1, B2 and B3, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12 and Folate (Folic Acid).
Before you incorporate any additional vitamins into your diet, it is always advisable to medical advice first.
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