Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle

Here are some simple tips for a healthier lifestyle:

• Drink green tea. It is naturally high in antioxidants and helps raise your metabolism.
• If you drink alcohol, take milk thistle extract as it gives support to the liver.
• Make a conscious effort to do 30 minutes of physical activity every day to aid and maintain weight loss.
• Watch out for hidden salt in tinned food. For example, a tin of soup may contain 4 g of salt.
• Eat fruits and vegetables that are in season in early spring, such as rhubarb, radishes, parsley, leeks and beetroot.
• Spend as much time outdoors as you possibly can. Vitamin D from sunlight exposure is necessary for calcium absorption and strong bones.
• Don't gulp down your food. Chew your food slowly and you will be less likely to overeat.
• Eat three brazil nuts each day. Brazil nuts contain selenium, an antioxidant which helps protect against cancer.
• Eat foods high in betacarotene such as carrots and spinach. This will help increase your skin's natural defence against the sun.
• Keep a food diary to help you keep to a healthy eating plan.
• Try healthier alternatives to sugar, such as maple syrup, blackstrap molasses, honey or stevia.
• Drink at least two litres of water a day - this can include herbal teas.
• Get eight hours of sleep each night to keep energised and boost your immune system.
• Don't limit your intake of fruit and vegetables to five-a-day. Aim for more to top up your vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
• Use fresh herbs whenever possible. Unlike spices, they do not retain their nutrients when they are dried.
• Reduce blood pressure by eating foods high in potassium, such as bananas, apricots, avocado, oranges, spinach and tomatoes.

Privacy Policy © 2011 Sharon Kirby, Freelance Health Writer