Due to the vast variety of health tips and tricks on the market, it can sometimes become overwhelming when thinking about which tips you should actually follow to properly look after yourself. Reverting to the basics and by following simple health guides, you can start to build a solid physical and mental state for your body. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of our favourite simple health tips, to keep you feeling (and looking) your best.
There are many ways in which you can care for your brain – to keep stress in check, to stimulate, and to boost overall physical health. A few ways of doing so, which are proven to be most beneficial, include the likes of practising mindfulness, brain games and incorporating specific food into your daily diet.
Adopt ‘mindfulness’ and take a breather at regular points throughout the day – don’t worry about the small things that don’t matter. As well as keeping the physiological elements of your brain in check, it’s important to fuel yourself with essential nutrients, such as fatty acids (like omega-3 which is found in oily fish and omega-6 which is found in avocados), vitamins and minerals (B12 and folate) and amino acids (which are found in oats and milk). The majority of the brain is made up of water so to keep your brain functioning correctly - make sure to stay hydrated.
Previous research suggests that incorporating oily fish, such as mackerel or salmon, into your dit (which are high in omega three fatty acids) can slow down the brain shrinkage that’s responsible for mental decline as we age - by up to a third!
Adopt a 'noise diet'...
As you age, so do your ears – general wear and tear as we grow older causes damage to nerves that send sound messages from the inner ear to our brains, which can in-turn cause hearing loss. However, simply turning down the volume of your favourite song or adopting noise-cancelling headphones, when possible, can substantially help you in protecting your hearing.
Whenever people think of tea or coffee and our teeth, the majority of individuals usually picture tooth stain and the two not mixing well. Here’s a surprising fact: green tea is a strong contender for protecting your teeth against cavities, tooth loss, unhealthy gums and bad breath.
However, if you can’t start your day without your morning coffee, then consider drinking it through a straw so the coffee bypasses your teeth.
Wearing sunglasses in winter may sound strange, but it’s something you need to consider if you’re keen on looking after your eyesight. UV rays are apparent even in the shade, the greater exposure to these UV rays – the higher risk of irreversible retina damage.
It’s common knowledge that smoking has a negative effect on every muscle in your body and your eyes are not an exception – people who smoke have four times the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration and also have a higher risk of developing cataracts, which in turn can lead to blindness.
Tips: quit smoking and get some new shades!
Eat a rainbow of foods, from different food groups...
Do you have your favourite cleansers and anti-ageing serums? It turns out that what really matters and what gives your skin the ‘glow’ is nourishment from within. Ensuring your diet is packed full of antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetables and healthy fats from oily nuts and fish should give you the ideal levels of nutrients needed for beaming skin – including selenium, zinc, vitamins C and E, and beta-carotene (an organic compound found in plants and fruit).
Make sure to drink six to eight glasses of water daily, as this helps skin appear more awake and can minimise the appearance of imperfections, such as pores and wrinkles.
Sleep is key...
Putting weight, exercise routines and diets aside, one main factor that increases the chances of acquiring heart implications is lack of sleep – not getting the right amount/quality of sleep can put you at risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease. Not only this, but a study has also found that poor sleeping patterns increase the likelihood of fatal heart attacks and strokes.
‘Sleep is important for biological recovery and takes around a third of our lifetime’ – Qiao He.
Read more about how to look after your heart in our recent blog post; ‘5 surprising ways to improve your heart health.’
As cliché as it may sound; exercise is one of the most important elements when it comes to looking after your health. Of course, exercise doesn’t eliminate all possible health implications, but it sure minimises the chances of them occurring. You don’t have to go crazy if you’re new to fitness, just getting up and walking the recommended daily steps is enough to improve our bodies functioning mechanisms.
If you’re into your fitness, take a look at our ‘fitness trends to look out for in 2018’ blog post.
Looking after yourself as much as possible is an excellent start to preventing unwanted illnesses – it is, however, apparent that some health implications are out of your control. It’s for this reason that acquiring health insurance cover can act as a safety net when it comes to your health. Contact our friendly team for advice and to learn how we can help you find the right health insurance policy, for the best price.
