30 DAYS TO A NEW YOU
Transform how you feel – both physically and mentally – in one month with these easy tips,
1
“Remain upright for 30 minutes after lunch,” advises Nuffield Health’s Professional Head of Physiology, Justin Jones. “Studies have shown both eating and sitting for long periods can cause glucose spikes, making you sluggish. So walk about or, at least, stand.”
2
Try a new fish:We rarely venture beyond the ‘big five’ – salmon, tuna, cod, prawns and haddock. But being a bit more adventurous means discovering new flavours and relieving over-fished species.
3
Start your day with a kiss: It lowers levels of stress hormone, cortisol.And German psychologists found those who kissed their spouse each morning missed less work through illness and lived longer than those who didn’t.
4
Springclean your mobile: Research suggests that the average phone has 25,000 germs per square inch – more than the soles of our shoes.
5
Arrange a night out: “Because of social media we can see what our friends are up to, their holiday photos, their children, so we feel like we don’t need to see them in person,”says Dr Rangan Chatterjee, author of The Stress Solution (Penguin Life, £16.99). But loneliness is on the rise and causes physical changes in our body. “One of the simplest things you can do to de-stress is to set a date to see friends.”
6
Play chess, suggests Dr Chatterjee. Instead of binge-watching TV shows, focus on activities that require skill and patience such as a board game or playing cards. “Playing chess, for example, encourages fierce concentration and focus.”
7
Swap seasoning for flavour: “Replace salt with spices like chilli or curry powder to add a bit of oomph to your food without the blood pressure-raising saltiness,” says Justin.
8
Add cinnamon to your morning porridge, smoothie and yoghurt – or even eggs. The spice helps balance blood sugar levels, keeping energy levels more stable and also helps combat sweet cravings.
9
Eat like a kid: Struggle to meet your five-a-day? Make up a tub of “finger food” just as you would for children. Carrot, pepper and celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, broccoli florets, grapes and berries are all nutritional powerhouses.
10
Put a (new!) shoe on your pillow: This will help check whether synthetic pillows support your head and neck. Fold the pillow in half and pop a shoe on top; if the pillow springs back, its okay. If not, replace it, say experts. Test natural-fill pillows over your arm. If it hangs down, it needs replacing.
11
Adjust your rear-view mirror: This will prevent slouching on long drives. Tilt it slightly so you have to sit up to see the cars behind. Your back will thank you for it.
12
Stand on one foot while brushing your teeth, suggests Justin. “The instability will engage your core muscles and give your abs a workout.” It will also improve your general mobility, keep you more agile and stable and help to prevent trips or falls. Use your toothbrush timer to stand on one leg for a minute, then swap.
13
Eat at the table: Staring at the telly while eating is a proven cause of weight gain. It’s distracting, so you don’t register how much you are eating or how full you feel.
14
Have a quickie: “Sex increases heart rate and some studies have shown that having an orgasm provides the same heart benefits as light exercise,” explains Justin.
15
Eat a handful of olives every day. “They act in a similar fashion to aspirin in reducing inflammation and artery plaque formation but they taste way better,” says Justin. Cook with olive oil and use extra-virgin olive oil for salads and drizzling.
16
Don’t be so house-proud, advises Dr Sally Norton of vavistalife.com: “As we understand more about the importance of our resident microbiome (gut bacteria), we are starting to realise our oversanitised lifestyle and obsession with super-strength cleaning products may be doing us more harm than good. That’s not to say that basic hygiene should be ignored... but a few healthy bugs are
a good thing.”
17
Put your phone on airplane mode for an hour a day and talk to family, says Justin. “Conversation with loved ones is important for close relationships and is a great way to talk through – and resolve – any issues you may have had. Sometimes just saying it out loud makes problems disappear.”
18
Eat an apple before grocery shopping: Cornell researchers in the US randomly gave 120 people an apple, a cookie, or nothing before they hit the supermarket. Those who ate the apple bought 28 per cent more fruits and vegetables than those who received the cookie and 25 per cent more than those
who got no snack.
19
Swap one regular cuppa for green tea, suggests Justin. “Green tea is bursting with antioxidants,
which help prevent cell damage and is low in caffeine, which can increase blood pressure.” Add lemon juice to boost absorption of antioxidants by up to 80 per cent.
20
Ditch the snooze: Exercising in the morning ticks it off the “to do” list, so there’s no chance of your workout getting bumped later. You’re also more likely to make healthier choices all day.
21
Pour yourself red wine rather than a G&T: In a study of the two drinks, red wine increased the abundance of bacteria known to promote gut health and decreased the number of harmful gut bacteria, while gin had the opposite effect.
22
Walk tall: A US study found that those actively trying to walk with their head held high and shoulders back were more likely to experience good moods, while slouchers were more likely to focus on negatives rather than positives.
23
Watch Marie Kondo on Netflix and declutter: In a recent poll over 82 per cent of Brits admitted that their mood is affected by stress, with nearly one in five confessing clutter increases their stress levels.
24
Shop online if you’re usually tempted to buy unhealthy foods. They aren’t half as appealing viewed through a computer screen and the total totting up as you add to your basket will stop you from wasting money too.
25
Carry your own pen: Cold and flu viruses can live for up to 48 hours and communal pens – and the handles of supermarket trolleys – are notorious for germs.
26
Choose eggs for breakfast – but ditch the bacon. Eating three rashers of bacon a day could raise the risk of dying from heart disease by almost a quarter.
27
Try the “3D greeting” to reduce stress and boost your mood, advises Dr Chatterjee: “Smile, maintain eye contact, and say something positive.You’ll notice you feel much brighter.”
28
Go to bed earlier: Studies show those at risk of diabetes who slept for five hours or less per night were 70 per cent more likely to develop the condition over two years, compared to adults who slept for seven hours. Lack of sleep appears to increase the body’s production of the stress hormone cortisol, which can lead to insulin resistance.
29
Do something unusual to boost memory. Singing a new tune or jumping up and down twice while locking a door or turning off hair straighteners will ensure you remember doing it later.
30
Make short journeys by foot: Lack of exercise kills twice as many people as obesity, say researchers at Cambridge University. Adding 30 minutes of walking into your daily routine, five days a week, can add three-and-a-half years to your lifespan, irrespective of weight.