Does stress do me any harm? Yes. But not always. Let’s explain: stress can be seen as “normal” and even healthy is some situations. Some stress & nerves ahead of a job interview, for example, can keep us alert and on our toes, which is a good thing. Stress can stimulate and even drive [...]
So, what is stress? Well, the definition is that stress is your response to demands and challenges. This response may be physical or psychological and is nearly always a combination of both. The subtle but crucial thing here is that stress is something we experience due to our own response to things. Stress comes [...]
To Gym or not to Gym? Some of us see this as THE question. But this is not Shakespeare and it is not really THE question at all. It’s true that the modern gym is a great place to train. The equipment is excellent, there are many choices, there are experts on hand to help, [...]
Active living is not just about sweaty gym sessions (those are good of course). There are two types of “exercise”: strenuous exercise and incidental activity. Most of what people talk about has to do with strenuous, or formal, exercise. Let’s consider activity... Just MOVE. It is certainly true that we should all get our heart [...]
Keeping it up. It’s such a familiar story: we start with great enthusiasm and good intentions, but after a few weeks we find that we’ve reverted back to the couch, the running shoes are gathering dust, and our bellies are expanding alarmingly. It can be so very hard to develop long-standing exercise habits and this [...]
So what’s in it for me? A lot. An awful lot. Exercise is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself. Just to offer a short list of the main benefits of exercise: Energy. Active people are more energetic. They get more done in a day, more easily. Happiness. Active people feel happier [...]
But I can’t because… Let’s get onto this thorny issue. Given that you already know exercise is good for you (you do don't you?), the real issue is WHY do you not exercise like you know you should, and even want to? The reason we do not exercise is not because we don't know about [...]
All, or nearly all smokers actually want to quit. But it's not easy. What helps? One of the little things that helps quitters is setting a quit-date that is 2-6 weeks away so we suggest you think about doing just that sometime soon.. So let’s consider HOW you are going to quit. There are many [...]
7-8 hours of good sleep every night is associated with real immediate and longer-term health benefits. Here are some practical tips to help you sleep better: Dark and cool. The ideal bedroom is totally dark and cool (not freezing cold but cool). Routine. Our bodies respond well to routine so having a farly consistent bedtime really helps. [...]
Eating a healthy breakfast has been recommended by dieticians for ages. Why? By the time you wake up you will not have eaten for 6-10 hours or so. Any long period without food "tells" your body to prepare for famine/starvation and it does so by slowing down metabolism and storing fat. This is exactly what [...]
