5 Surprising healthy habits that hold back the clock
While the birthdays keep coming, there are plenty of ideas out there to keep you feeling your best and leading a full and active lifestyle. Here are five simple tips you might not have thought of:
Lift those weights
Maintaining your strength isn’t just about pumping those biceps. Good posture, for instance, keeps your bones in their correct position, reducing wear and tear on joints and keeping your body functioning better. When your muscles are strong, activities like getting out of a chair or holding a door open are much easier. If you decide to lift weights, start with something relatively light. If you don't have weights, you can use a can of soup, a book or a bottle of water. Try doing a few exercises while you watch TV. Another way to build muscle is to use a resistance band, which is great for strengthening arms and legs.
Eat more fibre
Linked to better health and even longer life, fibre can improve your health in three ways:
- It helps your colon work better
- It reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer
- It may help lower your cholesterol level
Men should get 30 grams of fibre per day; women should get 21 grams per day. The best sources of fibre include unrefined, natural food like fruit and veggies, seeds, nuts, pulses and wholegrains.
Do a daily mini-cleanse
The average person carries up to 4.5 kilos of unhealthy toxic waste in their body, according to Dr Gillian McKeith, naturopath, nutritionist and author of You Are What You Eat. Too many fatty and sugary foods can overload your liver, affecting bodily functions and overall health. To minimise the nasties in your system, try cutting down on the sugar, fat and alcohol while eating more unprocessed food. You can also try a daily mini-cleanse by drinking a warm cup of water with a squeeze of lemon first thing in the morning, 30 minutes before eating.
Chew each mouthful 20 to 30 times
Dr McKeith also recommends chewing slowly until each bite liquefies (when it’s most easily digestible). "Really savour each mouthful and capture the flavour of your food. It's when your food is chewed that the digestive process begins," she explains. Good digestion allows your body to absorb the maximum nutrients from food.
A 2006 study showed that chewing slowly and taking a break between each bite can cut 10 per cent off your daily calorie count, partly because it takes 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain it's full.
Breathe deeply
Shallow breathing deprives the brain, blood and cells of oxygen, affecting concentration and making you feel tired, cranky and stressed. It stimulates the body's natural “fight or flight” response, which can keep you in a state of high alert and affect overall health. Just taking a few deep, purposeful breaths can help switch off the response, and make you feel instantly calm and vibrant.