You should not
smoke
If you smoke, stopping smoking
is often the single most effective thing that you can do to
reduce your risk of future illness. Smoking causes lung cancer and
other cancers, and increases your risk of heart
disease and stroke. The benefit to
health occurs rapidly as soon as you stop smoking (but takes a few years before
the increased risk reduces completely). If you find it hard to stop smoking,
then see your practice nurse for help. Medication may be advised to help you to
stop.
Do some regular
physical activity
Recent research has shown that a
sedentary lifestyle is very bad for your health. Even small amounts of
activity, such as moving around doing light tasks, probably have benefits to
health compared with being completely inactive. Research suggests that the
greatest benefits of exercise are seen in those who change from an inactive
lifestyle to a slightly active lifestyle. So doing even a little bit is
worthwhile.
However, it is thought that the more
vigorous the activity, the better. Physical
activity that gets you mildly out of breath and a little sweaty is fine -
for example, jogging, heavy gardening, swimming, cycling, etc. Taking a brisk
walk each day is something that many people do. To gain most benefit, you
should do at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days. Two shorter
bursts are thought to be just as good - for example, two 15-minute bouts of
activity at different times in a day.
Eat a healthy diet
Briefly, a healthy diet means:
·
Fruit and vegetables are very
important. Current recommendations in the UK are to eat at least five portions
of different vegetables and fruit each day; however, the advice in other parts
of the world recommends up to ten portions a day. A portion is about a handful.
·
A third of most meals should be
starch-based foods, such as cereals, bread, potatoes, rice or pasta. Wholegrain
cereals or wholemeal bread are more healthy than lower-fibre foods.
·
Not too much fatty food, such as fatty
meats, cheeses, full-cream milk, fried food, butter, etc.
·
Include 2-3 portions of fish per
week, at least one of which should be 'oily' (such as herring, mackerel,
sardines, kippers, pilchards, salmon, or fresh tuna).
·
If you eat meat it is best to eat
lean meat, or poultry such as chicken.
·
If you do fry, choose a vegetable oil
such as sunflower, rapeseed or olive.
·
Try not to add salt to food, and
limit foods which are salty.
·
Watch your weight
You don't need to get to a perfect
weight. If you are
overweight you can gain great health benefits by losing 5-10%
of your weight. This is often about 5-10 kg. (10 kg is about one and a half
stone.)
The way to lose
weight is usually a combination of eating less and exercising
more. There are many different weight loss plans to choose from: you are more
likely to lose weight successfully if you follow a plan that suits your
lifestyle. Changing to a healthier eating pattern which you can maintain once
you are happy with your weight is a good way to keep the weight off.
Don't drink too
much alcohol
Keep an eye on the amount of
alcohol you drink. Men should drink no more than 21 units of alcohol
per week, no more than four units in any one day and have at least two
alcohol-free days a week. Women should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol
per week, no more than three units in any one day and have at least two
alcohol-free days a week. Pregnant women should
not drink at all.
One unit is in about half a pint of
normal-strength beer, or two thirds of a small glass of wine, or one small pub
measure of spirits. Most bottles and cans have the number of units of alcohol
printed on the label.
Do you want more
detail?
See your practice nurse if you want
further advice or help on any of the above. Also, there are more detailed leaflets
on each of the topics listed above. See also the
separate leaflet called Preventing Cardiovascular Diseases for more
details.
Source : http://patient.info/health/five-choices-to-help-you-stay-healthy
