healthy lifestyle : hints and tips

Seven Ways to Kick Start Your future

We all know that regular exercise and a sensible eating plan combined with some daily relaxation will help to produce a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Here are seven other things that you might like to think about.

1. The quality of your relationships significantly affects the quality of your life; surround yourself with positive people and work on building your network of friends.

2. Visualise what you want in your life and keep that picture close. The law of attraction says that positive thoughts attract positive outcomes.

3. Try a random act of kindness every day. If you want to go further than that, make a contribution and volunteer - give your time for nothing to an organisation that deserves it, you will feel better for it.

4. Abraham Lincoln said, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." Make a conscious decision to be happy.

5. Enjoy life's small pleasures. No matter how stressed you are, take a break from your routine to admire the sunset or share coffee with a friend. It is these moments which make us happiest - yet how many of them slip by unnoticed?

6. Live in the now. Many of us spend a lot of time beating ourselves up for what has happened in the past or worrying about what might happen in the future. What really counts is making the most of the now.

7. Stop looking for external approval. "You alone are the judge of your worth and your goal is to discover infinite worth in yourself, no matter what anyone else thinks. There is great freedom in this realisation." - Deepak Chopra

Enjoy your Five a Day

The antioxidants, phytochemicals, fibre, vitamins and minerals found in fruit and vegetables are essential to good health. Here are a few suggestions to up your intake.
 
1. Beautiful Breakfast
Chop up some fruit to fill at least half a bowl. Choose 2 or 3 from kiwifruit, plum, pear, nectarine, peach, apricot, melon, berries (all sorts), grapes, pineapple etc.
Dollop on top 3-4 tablespoons of yogurt or some skimmed milk. Have some wholegrain cereal as well.

2. Sexy Salads
Salads can be so much more exciting and tasty than a bit of lettuce and a tomato, so get creative and go for variety. Choose from fresh lettuce, tomato, cucumber, salad onions, chives, mushrooms, apple, carrot, corn, beetroot, bean sprouts, celery, asparagus, steamed broccoli, green beans, peas etc.
To add some excitement and taste choose from: boiled egg, tuna (numerous flavours are available), chicken, tofu, feta cheese, parmesan cheese shavings, olives, capers, avocado, anchovies, pine nuts, sunflower or pumpkin seeds (either raw or lightly toasted in a pan).
Add fresh herbs and a drizzle of cold pressed extra olive virgin oil or balsamic vinegar.

3. Nourishing Nibbles
When you get in from work nibbles can be a downfall. So forget the crisps and cut up a selection of vegetables: Carrots, celery, mushroom, cauliflower, red/green/orange pepper, courgettes, beans, baby corn, mange tout and radishes are all good options.
Give yourself a couple of tablespoons of a low calorie type of dip: Salsa, tahini, tsatsiki and hummus are all fine; low fat sour cream and sweet chilli sauce are also tasty.