Top 10 tips for a healthier lifestyle

There has never been more information in the media regarding staying fit and healthy. The media's obsession with your diet, style and body can put immense pressure on people to strive for a look that may well be out of their reach.

Here are some simple tips on how to look after yourself and keep healthy:

Tip 1 - Diet
Variety is the spice of life, so ensure that your diet is varied with plenty of fruit and vegetables. At least 5 portions of fruit and veg each day are recommended.  One portion is the equivalent to a serving more-or-less the size of your fist.

Calcium helps to strengthen your bones and teeth and enables your muscles to function well. Milk and dairy products are high in calcium but it is best to stick to low fat dairy products.

Bread, pasta and cereals give your body a main source of energy and are also high in fibre which will help your digestion.

If you are intending to diet it is always best to check with your GP first. Different diets meet different people’s needs. Just making sure that you eat regularly and healthily is the best thing to do.

Tip 2 - Exercise 
Taking regular exercise is a great way to stay healthy. You don’t have to pay a huge gym membership to be healthy as there are simple things that you can do everyday.

Just 30 minutes exercise a day is recommended. Walking instead of getting the bus and taking the stairs instead of the lift or escalator can really make a difference.

If you do want to join a gym, make sure that you have an assessment with one of the personal trainers. They can check your health and develop a work out that is catered to your lifestyle.

Tip 3 - Quench it, drink water!!
Try and avoid sugar-filled fizzy drinks and caffeine-filled coffee and tea and have some nice refreshing water. It is recommended that you should drink 2 litres of water a day.

Tip 4 - Sleep
Good and regular sleep is essential and 7 or 8 hours is recommended. If you don’t get enough sleep it will show on your face (dark circles under the eyes), and you may feel lazy and unable to do tasks that need doing.

Tip 5 - Alcohol
Moderate the amount of alcohol you drink. Getting wasted at the weekend may feel fun at the time but drinking heavily can have a serious effect on your physical and mental health.

Tip 6 - Smoking
Stub out the cigarettes! Smoking can seriously damage your health, it ages your skin, discolours fingers and teeth and its highly addictive. Tobacco smoke contains 4000 chemicals. Half of all young smokers will die of tobacco-related illnesses if they continue to smoke.

Tip 7 - Drugs
Half of all 16 – 24 yr olds have experimented with drugs. This could be for lots of different reasons including peer pressure and club culture. If you are experimenting or thinking about doing it’s best to have all the facts so check out the information on this site.

Tip 8 - Work stress
Work can really pile up whether you are studying or in employment. There are some easy ways to cope with hard work. Making lists to ensure that you are keeping on top of things without overdoing it and being realistic about deadlines with your manager or tutor can help with your workload. Taking regular breaks during the day to get fresh air or give your eyes a rest is a good idea.

Tip 9 - Stress
Looking after your mental health is just as important as looking after your physical health. If you are feeling stressed, talk to someone about it. They maybe able to help and it will feel better just to get those worries off your chest.

Tip 10 - Positivity
Approach tasks or work with a positive outlook. Your situation may not be ideal at the moment, but what small steps can you take to make things better? Maybe you can delegate some of your work to take the pressure off?