Health tips from 2019 - best of the blogs!
- Written by Shani Kaplan
We know you are likely either slightly suffering as a result of one too many Christmas events, or perhaps you are busy last-minute Christmas shopping; struggling to find the right present for that family member you just don't see all that often. We assume your attention span for a science-heavy article just isn't there right now, so we have a nice little summary blog for you! Today we are reflecting on our 2019 blogs and putting together some main points for you to prioritise. If you DO want to read more on the topics, don't despair! We have linked throughout the text and images so you can be directed to the right blog 🙏
NUTRITION
Just 1/3 of adults and fewer than 1/5 of children are meeting the 5-a-day vegetable requirements. This is worrying, as we know that plant-based foods are at the forefront of health!
Our tips:
- Eat plants- especially fruit and vegetables (and a variety of these!). They contain vitamins, minerals, and fibre that help your body work better and may help prevent cardiovascular disease 2 and some cancers.
- Protein is essential- aim for at least 0.75 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
- Eat more sources of good fats (nuts, avocados, oily fish), they curb hunger as they are very satiating.
- Try fermented foods and drinks, bone broths, and collagens- they are great additions to a healthy diet.
- For weight loss- the most important thing is to reduce overall caloric intake. Be mindful of your consumption of processed foods, carbohydrates and sugar.
- Some of team Truth practice fasting. Fasting MAY help reduce inflammation, slow ageing and mental decline, help with type 2 diabetes, and weight management.
We are all individuals with varying lifestyles, genetic makeup and preferences so with the above in mind, form the diet that works/feels the best for you. 🌱
SLEEP
Not sleeping long enough can cause inflammatory consequences such as weight gain and other metabolic problems like diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression as well as causing you to make poor decisions and perform up to 30% worse during physical exercise!
Focus on:
#1 Sleeping at least 7 hours per night!
#2 Measure and recording sleep patterns with handy devices like apps or tracking watches.
#3 Wear a sleep mask and block out any blue light from your devices in your bedroom
#4 Refrain from caffeinated food and beverages after 3pm!
#5 Can't stop your mind from racing at night? Try meditating before bed and stay away from screens in the lead up to sleep.
EXERCISE
Exercise helps with arthritis management, osteoporosis prevention as well as reducing the risk of major illnesses like heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes by up to 50%.
Exercise helps you:
- maintain weight loss
- achieve better posture through weight training with an emphasis on back and core strength, or Pilates classes
- manage stress
- maintain muscle mass, bone density and prevent injury.
What we believe:
- Walking is the most underrated form of exercise.
- You should perform at least 2 strength/ resistance style sessions a week to keep your agility, strength and bone density high.
- Have FUN! Try new styles and classes to introduce movement into your life. Exercise doesn't have to be a chore.
- Don't put too much pressure on yourself by having an all or nothing approach. Set realistic goals.
- Finally, make time to stretch. Static stretching can help prevent muscle stiffness from training and can help improve the mobility of our joints.
* Some extra tips to keep you motivated - get it done in the mornings so you can make no excuses. Take a friend with you or find a gym/ class/ sport that feels like a community. Finally, If you don’t have the financial capabilities to join a gym- do a home workout. *
HAPPINESS
There is an amazing 80-year-old study known as the Harvard Study of Happiness. It has been tracking the lives of 724 people and their journeys; successes, failures, happiness or unhappiness.
The key points from it:
#1. People who are more socially connected to family, to friends, to community, are happier, healthier, and they live longer.
#2. It's the quality of your relationships that matters.
#3. Society places emphasis on wealth and work but studies have shown that the people who fared the best leaned into relationships.
“Loneliness kills. It’s as powerful as smoking or alcoholism.” - Robert Waldinger
Tips for a happy life:
#1. Nurture REAL connections with people already in your life. Get outdoors. Try new activities, and put your phone away!
#2. Join clubs, teams or even form them yourself!
#3. Volunteer. There are so many charities for amazing causes. Giving back is great for the soul and feeling connected.
#4. If you’re feeling lonely -reach out. Call someone- you're not alone!
#5. Finally, daily meditation! More on this below 👇
We add in a bonus one - Stay away from your phone! Phone addiction is real and is having an impact on our mental health. 📱
MEDITATION
As society continues to grow more and more health-conscious, we are seeking alternative health routes to use before going down the road of pharmaceuticals.
At the heart of it, meditation is the practise of analysing your mind and the way that you uniquely think. It is an opportunity to conduct a measured assessment of your own thoughts, attitudes and outlooks in life.
A recent study conducted amongst students reported that following five 20-minute sessions of meditation reduced the amount of cortisol released in response to stress and also improved their scores in anxiety, depression, anger and fatigue.
Mindfulness and meditation are both billion-dollar industries for a reason. People are trying to find relief from the chaotic, modern lifestyle.
CURCUMIN
In Ayurvedic medicine, it’s been used to heal just about everything from coughs and sinusitis, to allergies and anorexia for over 3,000 years. It’s little wonder that in Indian philosophy, turmeric is called 'one who is victorious over disease'.
Curcumin has been supported by science to possibly be ‘one of nature’s best anti-inflammatory remedies’ in a variety of recent studies. There’s mounting evidence that curcumin can help control joint pain, helps control inflammatory responses which assist with wound healing, and has significant antioxidant properties.
Good news for arthritis sufferers: Studies have been collaborated into a ‘systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials’ (which is the goldest of gold standards!). In all, they considered dozens of studies that measured the effect of curcumin and turmeric on arthritis-related pain and stiffness. It was found that people taking up to 1000mg/day of curcumin had a very significant reduction in symptoms.
VITAMIN C & D
- helps your immune system by making sure it's functioning properly
- helps protect cells from oxidative stress which makes them a great antioxidant.
- is one of these antioxidants that can protect against damage caused by free radicals, as well as toxic chemicals and pollutants like cigarette smoke.
- can help keep your skin glowing and healthy.
One in every three people in the UK is deficient in Vitamin D - this proportion fluctuates throughout the year but is highest in the winter months.
Unfortunately, the long-term consequences of Vitamin D deficiency include an increased risk of osteoporosis and cancer, but also decreased life expectancy.
Tips for you:
1. Get tested
2. Get outdoors
3. Take a supplement
4. Eat foods high in Vitamin D
OMEGAS & MCT OIL
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, are important for our health and well-being.
- What many people don’t realise is that these omega fatty acids are essential and when biochemists refer to something as essential, what they mean is that we aren’t able to make them in our own bodies. We can only get them through dietary means.
- Don't need to be from fish oil, our omegas are wholly derived from plants
Medium Chain Triglycerides have been used by serious athletes and leading nutritionists for about a decade. However, the last 2 years has seen a dramatic rise in consumption as seen in "Bulletproof coffee", and in the rise of fasting and ketogenic dieting that is currently trending.
- MCT oil is derived from coconuts and is one of the cleanest fuel sources as, unlike carbohydrate-based fuels, fat-based fuels produce almost no damaging free radicals.
- MCT is rapidly taken up by working muscle, which is why it has proven so popular with athletes.
We hope this helps you enter 2020 geared with healthy information! 🌟
- Team Truth
We wish you a Merry Christmas. Thank you for the part you've played in our tribe this year!
Shani Kaplan
Shani Kaplan is a contributing writer for Truth Origins. She combines her knowledge gained from working within the fitness/wellness industry in Sydney and London for the last seven years as a Personal Trainer, and class instructor, with her addiction to research due to her BA in Business Marketing. Shani loves martial arts, resistance training, dance and yoga, nutrition, travel, design, photography, and art.
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