Healthy lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle is one which helps to keep and improve people's health and well-being.Many governments and non-governmental organizations have made big efforts in healthy lifestyle and health promotion.

Mental Health

Mental health can be considered a very important factor of physical health for the effects it produces on bodily functions. This type of health concerns emotional and cognitive well-being or an absence of mental disorder.

Public health

Public health can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be presented as "the study of the physical, psychosocial and socio-cultural determinants of population health and actions to improve the health of the population.

Reproductive Health

For the UN, reproductive health is a right, like other human rights. This recent concept evokes the good transmission of the genetic heritage from one generation to the next.

Health

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

samedi 14 février 2015

Losing weight Getting started - Week 7

Welcome to Week 7. Well done, you’re on the home straight! 



Losing weight Getting started - Week 7Stick with it, each week is another week of developing healthier habits and skills that you can use at home or away. After six weeks following this guide, you should be feeling more confident with the idea of eating out. From Italian to Thai, our eating out tips and healthier meal swaps will help you to enjoy a guilt-free
lower-calorie meal out.
       Your actions for Week 7
 • Armed with this week’s advice, why not suggest a meal out with friends or family?
 • Look at your last six food and activity charts to go over your progress and identify any trends you need to keep working on
 • Try our 10-minute home toning workout – and try to do at least 150 minutes of activity this week
 • Keep counting those calories and stick to your daily limit

vendredi 13 février 2015

Resisting peer pressure


In a perfect world, family and friends would do nothing but encourage you during your 12 weeks. 


Resisting  peer pressureIn reality, it’s not always like that. You may have had a friend tell you, “just one more drink won’t hurt” or a partner say, “forget the gym tonight, let’s go out for dinner”or a parent who urges you to have another slice of their homemade cake. It’s probably well-meaning. But that doesn’t help when it comes to sticking to your daily calorie allowance. Here are seven ways to resist peer pressure:
 • Get home support. Tell your family how much you value their support. The more involved they feel, the more sensitive they’re likely to be.
 • Ask those around you not to offer you your favourite treats so you don’t give in to temptation.
 • Plan evenings out in advance to adjust your calorie intake during the day so you don’t go over your daily allowance.
 • Avoid “rounds” at the pub. They can force you to keep up with your friends’ drinking. Sit them out and buy your own drinks.
 • If you’re eating out, decide beforehand what you’ll eat. Many restaurants display menus online.
 • Learn to say no. It’s not unfriendly to refuse unwanted food or drink offered by loved ones. Be polite but firm.
 • Celebrate your success. When you hit a target, let everyone know so they see how much it means to you.


       Diet-friendly socialising

Here are some ways to spend time with friends to take your mind off food:
• A country walk
• The cinema (take your own  popcorn!)
• Bowling
• A bike ride and (low-calorie) picnic
• Roller-skating
• A game of Frisbee or football on the park
• A day at a spa

       Weight loss tips  for parents

Cooking for children can derail your diet so try these tips:
• Plan family meals ahead of time. If necessary, include a child-friendly option alongside your own healthy meal
 • Don’t ‘supersize’ your children’s meals. That way, there’ll be fewer leftovers to graze on. Good portion control can benefit the whole family

mercredi 11 février 2015

Weight loss pitfalls

Are you struggling to lose weight? Find out what could be tripping you up. Here are some of the most common weight loss traps and some quick fixes.


Weight loss pitfalls
 Skipping breakfast
Skipping breakfast can lead to unplanned and unhealthy mid-morning snacking or bingeing at lunchtime.
 Fix: go for breakfasts containing fibre, such as wholegrain bread or porridge.

 Skipping meals 
Skipping any meal is a bad idea. It may reduce your calorie intake for a brief period, but you’ll be much hungrier later on and more likely to overeat. 
Fix: eat regularly and don’t starve from one meal to the next. Have some healthier snacks handy just in case.

Losing track of your calories
A cafe latte, a handful of crisps, a piece of chocolate, a biscuit ... mindless munching can easily sabotage an otherwise well-planned diet.
 Fix: make a note of every bite to stay within your calorie allowance.



Unhealthy snacking
High-calorie snacks will do your waistline no favours, but healthier snacks can help you control hunger and keep your energy levels up.
Fix: choose snacks with fibre such as fruit, veg and wholegrain food.

 Lapping up low-fat ‘Low-fat’ or ‘fat-free’ doesn’t always mean low calorie.
Fix: always check food labels for fat, sugar and calorie content.

Drinking too many calories
Some fancy coffees, sweet fizzy drinks, smoothies and alcoholic drinks can pack a calorie punch.
 Fix: go for water (still or sparkling) with a slice of lemon, tea or coffee with reduced-fat milk, or herbal tea.

Weighing yourself too often Your weight can fluctuate from day to day, so weighing yourself daily may not give a true picture of your weight loss.
 Fix: weigh yourself once a week and use other goals to measure progress.

Setting unrealistic goals
Thinking you’ll lose half a stone (3kg) in your first week is probably setting yourself up for failure. A realistic goal is vital to successful dieting.
 Fix: smaller goals are the building blocks to weight loss success.

 Gaining weight from exercising
 Take care not to cancel out the calories you’ve burned during exercise by eating more afterwards or you might end up putting on weight.
Fix: for a low calorie post-workout snack, choose a 100kcal snack from Week 4.

Oversized portions
 This is a common reason why people struggle to lose weight.
 Fix: use smaller plates and stop eating before you feel full.

           Take the Week 6 
MoT test It’s time to take stock of your progress and highlight any problems. Are you: Carefully recording all calories? ¨ Weighing food when cooking? ¨ Watching your drinking? ¨ Reading food and drink labels? ¨ Exercising 150 minutes a week? ¨ Getting your 5 A Day? ¨ Having breakfast every day? ¨ If you didn't tick all the boxes then think about why and find a fix.
         Non-food rewards 
Tried and tested non-food rewards to help you celebrate your progress: • new music • new pair of jeans • new running shoes • trip to the movies • a DVD box set • a day at a health spa • a cooking class • a day off work For more ideas, read Non-food rewards for losing weight at nhs.uk/rewards

mercredi 4 février 2015

Losing weight Getting started - Week 6

Congratulations! You’ve reached the halfway stage of this guide.



Losing weight Getting started - Week 6There may have been bumps in the road 
but you’ve shown the determination to 
continue the journey. By sticking with 
it over the weeks, you’ve shown a real 
desire to change.
We’re rooting for you. You can do it.
Use this midway point to review  
your routine to make sure there’s   
nothing holding you back from losing 
weight.


Your actions for Week 6
• Tell family and friends how you’re
doing – you might even inspire them to
join you
• Plan a non-food reward for when you
get to 12 weeks. See what others chose
on the next page












lundi 2 février 2015

Think before you drink

It’s not just alcohol, non-alcoholic drinks from lattes to colas can also lead your calorie count to creep up.


What you drink should not be 
Think before you drinkoverlooked when trying to lose weight. 
Drinking too many sugar-sweetened 
drinks can contribute to weight gain.
So what are the common offenders and 
where could you be going wrong?
Coffee: 
Getting a caffeine fix could give you 
193kcal or more in one hit if you opt for 
cappuccino or mocha. Switch to black 
or white coffee instead.
Fruit juice and smoothies:  
You might feel virtuous guzzling 
these but watch out. A small glass of 
cranberry or apple juice racks up nearly 
100kcal and a small 250ml yoghurt-based smoothie can be about 136kcal. 
Go for fruit-only smoothies instead. 
Although fruit juice counts towards 
your 5 A Day, you may find eating 
pieces of fruit more filling.
Fizzy drinks: 
Lemonade or cola is not only bad for 
our teeth but it can provide 140kcal in 
just one can. Switch to diet versions 
and think of it as a one-off treat.
Experimenting with some interesting 
flavour combinations can help make it 
feel less like you’re depriving yourself 
so you’ll stick with it – research shows 
that our tastebuds can be retrained 
over time to enjoy far less sugar in 
drinks (or no sugar at all).

       Liquid calories

Per 250ml serving:
Cola drink: 105kcal 
Mocha: 193kcal
Cappuccino: 110kcal
Chocolate milkshake: 195kcal
Smoothie: 136kcal
Pure orange juice: 122.5kcal
Pomegranate juice: 170kcal
Pure apple juice: 117kcal
Caffeinated energy drink: 112.5kcal
Note that 150ml of pure 
unsweetened fruit juice can   
provide one of your 5 A Day. 

     Minty lemonade recipe

Make a refreshing, lower-calorie 
alternative to sugary canned drinks:
• large handful fresh mint leaves
• juice of 6 lemons and zest of 3
• 3 tbsp sugar
• sparkling mineral water
1. Tear the mint leaves to release 
the flavour
2. Add the mint to a jug with the 
juice, zest and sugar
3. Top up with sparkling water
4. Chill in the fridge
Serves 4 at 46kcals per serving