Lifecoach: diet and fitness guide to the new you

Forget diet fads and New Year gym plans, and follow our tips to improve your overall health and wellbeing.

health advice - do yoga to stay healthy
Yoga is one of the many activities you can do to keep your lungs active and increase your breathing capacity. Credit: Photo: © Sam Edwards / Alamy

Did your New Year resolutions fall by the wayside? Forget fads and sporadic gym sessions and instead aim to improve your overall health and wellbeing, one organ at a time, with advice from fitness guru Tony Gallagher, health expert Dr Dan Rutherford, and nutritionist Sara Stanner.

BRAIN

Dr Rutherford says:

Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are a challenge for us, but intense research is in progress and some of it looks very promising.

Keep your brain active to preserve function: hobbies, being sociable, fresh air and exercise, and doing the things that improve heart health (right) can all help stave off dementia.

Stress and related conditions such as depression and anxiety have always been with us and perhaps in economically difficult times we will see more of them.

Treatment does not have to mean pills, although these can help when used at the right time. Often the single most useful action one can take is to recognise one has a problem and discuss it with a friend or health professional.

Sara Stanner:

Eat a diet that is low in saturated fat, with plenty of fruit and vegetables and low-fat dairy products, to lower your blood pressure and help preserve cognitive function.

Oily fish, with omega-3 fatty acids, protects against stroke and may help prevent or treat dementia.

High doses of the B vitamins folic acid, B6 and B12, can reduce brain shrinkage in people experiencing mild cognitive impairment (an early warning sign of dementia), but very high-dose supplements are not yet advised.

Being deficient in vitamins and minerals can also be a contributory factor in depression. Many depressed people lose their appetite or comfort eat – a multivitamin/mineral supplement may help.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Sara Stanner:

The bacteria in the gut alters with age, and constipation, diverticular disease and cancers become more common. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects adults of all ages but often begins in early adulthood.

A high-fibre intake (wholegrains, brown pasta and rice, fruit and vegetables) protects against diverticular disease, hiatus hernia and colon cancer and provides relief from constipation (especially when fluid intake and physical activity are also increased).

Keep your intake of red/processed meat down (no more than 60g per day/500g per week).

Avoid lactose (dairy products), gas-producing vegetables (beans and broccoli), fatty foods and alcohol, as these aggravate symptoms.

A high intake of fibre can relieve symptoms for IBS sufferers (often those with mild constipation).

Probiotics may improve the balance of gut bacteria and help ease IBS and also Crohn’s disease.

Tony Gallagher:

Light exercise improves the digestive system functions by reducing stress and anxiety, which contribute to digestive disorders, and protects against bowel symptoms.

Allow two hours after a meal before you exercise.

Ride your bike to reduce heartburn.

Light exercise that increases breathing and heart rate helps to produce more efficient bowel movements. But take care: since most exercise quells appetite and increases metabolic function, some endurance sports can cause upset stomachs/diarrhoea.

Straightening out the abdomen can help combat bloating and cramps. Put your hands behind your back, resting on the hips, and do a slight backbend (hold for 20-30 seconds).

Dr Rutherford:

The national bowel cancer screening service helps pick up people at the early stages of the disease, when it has the highest chance of a cure. Everyone should make use of this simple stool test for blood.

Reduce the amount of red meat in your diet, eat more fruit and veg, stop smoking (it is associated with cancers of the stomach and gullet, mouth and throat) and keep on top of your weight and alcohol intake.

LUNGS

Dr Rutherford:

Smoking is the biggest public health hazard to the lungs of the population. Rates have dropped but not enough. There are more older people with “smoker’s lung” (COPD) – a disabling condition that can render people invalid in their own home for years – than with lung cancer, and the numbers are increasing. Lung cancer remains a significant consequence of smoking, affects younger people and is still often diagnosed too late for effective treatment. Increasing rates of asthma and other allergic conditions have been observed, and it is still unclear what is driving this. Fortunately, asthma treatment is highly effective.

Sara Stanner:

People who eat the most fruit and vegetables appear to have the healthiest lung function.

Losing weight, combined with being more active, can also boost your lung health.

Milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, yeast products, nuts, and some food colourings and preservatives can make asthma symptoms worse, but vitamin C and vitamin E can reduce the severity of the inflammatory response in the lungs.

Tony Gallagher:

People with long-term lung problems such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease find their lungs unable to provide enough oxygen for their muscles to perform simple activities. Their lungs struggle to keep up, causing breathlessness. You can, through exercise, train your body so that more oxygen is delivered to your muscles. Individuals who keep exercising are capable of high levels of activity into their seventies.

Unfortunately, many people with lung problems are afraid to exercise, partly because they are worried that being breathless is harmful, which isn’t true. Gradually building up the exercise they take can help sufferers improve their breathing.

Keep as active as possible. A slow start, doing arm and leg movements will help. Breathing control exercises slow the breathing rate and subsequently reduce anxiety if you are becoming breathless.

KIDNEYS

Dr Rutherford:

Impaired kidney function affects nearly 10 per cent of us.

The kidneys are very sensitive to the same things that affect the heart and blood vessels, so good blood pressure control, exercise and keeping cholesterol down keeps the kidneys going.

Diabetes is the commonest cause of advanced kidney failure, so people who have this condition need to keep it under control to slow down organ damage.

Sara Stanner:

Bladder or urinary tract infections can occur at any age and are caused by bacteria getting into the urinary tract and multiplying.

Drink lots of water during and after infection (at least 6-8 glasses): each time you urinate, the bladder cleanses itself.

Cranberry juice and capsules reduce the risk of an infection reoccurring. There is also interest in the role of probiotics (e.g. drinks such as Yakult).

LIVER

Dr Rutherford:

We see very little of hepatitis viruses and other infectious diseases of the liver in the UK. However, booze culture is a mounting problem, and liver specialists are worried about the number of new cases, many in young people, of alcohol-induced liver damage.

Sara Stanner:

The liver is a tough organ, capable of regenerating itself. Despite this resilience, prolonged alcohol misuse increases risk of cancer and alcoholic liver disease. Cirrhosis occurs when prolonged inflammation of the liver has caused scarring and loss of function (usually occurs in people over 40, but has been reported in teenagers) and at this stage the damage is irreversible.

The World Cancer Research Fund advises limiting alcoholic drinks to no more than two units a day for men, one for women.

Being overweight increases risk of liver problems, such as fatty liver disease, so stay active and cut back on saturated fat.

BLOOD PRESSURE

Dr Rutherford:

BP diagnosis and management is vastly better than it was 20 years ago. However, many people are still unaware of their blood pressure being high and this remains the single biggest risk factor for stroke.

Simply getting a blood pressure reading done every few years – more often when you’re older – is a step forward. As a general rule, blood pressure of 130/80 or less (measured with an electronic BP machine) is ideal but a “target” blood pressure for people who are on treatment has to be tailored to the individual and take account of drug side-effects.

DIABETES

Dr Rutherford:

Diabetes, particularly type 2, has doubled in the past decade. In many ways it is a disease of the cardiovascular system as much as of blood glucose control. High levels of blood sugar over long periods of time appear to be toxic to the heart and blood vessels. Lack of exercise plus the easy availability of high-calorie food amounts to a public health bomb.

The same basic lifestyle changes that will improve cardiovascular risk will also reduce the risk of developing diabetes and it is important for people who already have diabetes to take this advice on board.

CHOLESTEROL

Dr Rutherford:

Cholesterol levels have dropped over the past 15 years, as many people have adopted healthier diets. Statins have also reduced cholesterol and hence cardiovascular risk in many thousands of people with existing heart disease.

Most of the cholesterol in the blood, however, is made by the liver and does not directly reflect one’s diet. Having said that, keeping body weight down and exercise up reduces levels significantly. One’s total cholesterol should be less than 5 mmol per litre.

HEART & CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

Despite the encouraging report last week that deaths from heart attacks halved between 2002 and 2010, coronary heart disease is still a critical issue in Britain. It occurs when the heart’s blood supply is blocked or interrupted by a build-up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries. This can lead to angina (chest pains) and follow, in some cases, to a heart attack (there are 230,000 every year).

Dr Rutherford:

The main challenge to the population’s cardiovascular risk is our sedentary lifestyle – we take cars everywhere, and there is a lack of infrastructure to support walking and cycling. Climbing rates of youth obesity does not bode well for the next generation.

The view that people in the Mediterranean are somehow protected against cardiovascular risk by virtue of their lifestyle and access to more heart-healthy foods is increasingly out of date. Poor lifestyle behaviour and the accompanying rise in cardiovascular risk is becoming just as much of a problem in the Mediterranean. Exercise is essential.

Tony Gallagher:

Those who smoke, have high blood pressure, have a high blood cholesterol, do not take regular exercise, have diabetes, are overweight or have a family history of CHD are more at risk.

All aspects of diet and lifestyle should be kept under review, but aim for 20-30 minutes of walking, jogging, swimming, cycling or dancing three times a week. Start slowly and gradually build up to five times a week.

Sara Stanner:

Men become more susceptible over the age of 35, with problems rising steeply after 50. Women (before the menopause) suffer 13 times fewer heart attacks than men. After 65, the risk is about the same. But it is never too late to make changes.

Eat lots of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains and at least one portion (140g) of oily fish each week – it can protect those who have suffered a heart attack from further attack (2-3 portions if you have angina or heart disease).

Cut back on salt to 6g or less/day and reduce saturated fat intake to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check.

Select leaner cuts of meat, low-fat dairy products, low-fat spreads and eat fewer high-fat foods.

A small amount of alcohol can protect your heart (1-3 units/day), but excessive drinking, especially “bingeing”, increases the risk of a heart attack, whatever your age.

HEALTH TIPS: WHAT IS NORMAL?

Blood pressure: a normal level is 120/80 (140/90 qualifies as stage one hypertension, and 90/60 qualifies as hypotension)

Body mass index (BMI): 18.5 to 24.9 indicates a healthy weight

Waist circumference: maximum of 37in/94cm (men), 31.5in/80cm (women)

Alcohol units: 2 per day (men); 1 per day (women)

A half pint/a small glass of wine is one unit

Salt: 6g or less daily

Fat: 90-95g (men); 70g women

Sugar: 120g (men); 90g (women)

Caffeine :2-4 cups coffee or 4-6 cups tea

DID YOU KNOW?

Being just 1-2 per cent dehydrated can reduce sport performance by as much as 20 per cent. Your urine should be the colour of pale straw – if any darker, you need more water.