Brought to you by Centra’s Live Well Campaign supporting the Irish Cancer Society’s Action Breast Cancer.
Sometimes being healthy can seem a lot like hard work.
With our hectic schedules and busy days at work, sometimes we just can’t be bothered making the effort to look after ourselves the way we should.
This month, we will be supporting breast cancer awareness month and encouraging our readers to get active and get fit this autumn.
So with that in mind, we have come up with some simple tips and tricks to help you be healthier without even realising you’re doing it.
Swap your afternoon coffee for some green tea
Coffee is great for a quick energy boost in the mornings. Getting a daily dose of java also helps kick start your metabolism, but if you’re loading up on sugary lattes and syrup-laden cappuccinos, it might be better to swap one of your afternoon coffees for a refreshing green tea. It’s full of anti-oxidants and is proven to help increase body functionality.
Add vegetables to everything
It’s simple but effective. You can still eat all your favourite meals just try add in some veg. If you’re making mac and cheese, throw in a few heads of broccoli, and it’s not just dinners either. Try making sweet potato brownies or an avocado chocolate cake. Anywhere you can fit more fresh ingredients into your diet, your body will thank you for it.
Get your H2O
8 glasses a day apparently keeps the doctor away. We all know the benefits of drinking lots of water not only on our health but on our skin. It’s a really simple and easy thing you can do to improve your health daily. Bring a metal or plastic water bottle to work and sip throughout the day. It also helps to keep track of how much you’ve drank so you can chart your progress.
Switch off
The hour before you go to bed, completely switch off your phone, tablet and laptop. Get rid of the notifications and stay away from the messages. Run yourself a nice bath or relax with a book in bed before you turn off the light. Relaxing before bed will help you unwind and get a decent night’s sleep, which is key for your health. Snapchat will still be there in the morning.
Stock up on frozen fruit
It’s really hard to keep stocked up on fresh fruit, especially if you are buying for one person. Before you know it they have gone off which is why buying frozen fruit like berries is a great alternative. You can chuck them into smoothies or use them on your breakfast in the morning. Less fuss, more yum.
Build gentle exercise into your routine
You don’t have to take a hardcore sweaty spin class to get some exercise. Working simple exercise moves into your everyday life is an easy way to get healthier. Walk to the shops at lunch or take the stairs at work. When you’re meeting up with a friend, suggest you go for a dander into town. All the little pieces of exercise add up throughout the day.
Set yourself an achievable fitness challenge like walking a 5k. Centra along with The Irish Cancer Society’s Action Breast Cancer will be holding over 200 walks around Ireland on 15 October to raise funds and awareness. You can sign up for the event here if you fancy setting yourself a challenge.
Eat from smaller plates
We’re all guilty of eating massive portions from time to time. Usually, we can’t even tell how much food we are piling onto our plates. Using smaller plates is an easy way to really see what you’re eating and make sure you are not overdoing it. Plus, you can always go back for seconds.
Eat more
It might sound strange but if you are the type of person who usually skips breakfast, has crisps and chocolate for lunch, and doesn’t eat dinner til late that’s not a healthy diet.
Make sure you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day as well as a few healthy snacks in between. It may seem like a lot, but once you are full up with good food you are less likely to reach for the bad stuff.
Sit up straight
Okay, that sounds pretty basic but it is true. Not only does sitting up straight help improve your core muscles and overall posture, it also helps aid digestion which means your body will be able to process food much faster. If you’re sitting down all day at work make sure your chair is properly aligned.
This article is brought to you by Centra’s Live Well Campaign supporting the Irish Cancer Society’s Action Breast Cancer.
Centra’s Live Well seminars will take place in Cork and Galway on the 15 October at 10am. On this date, Centra will also be hosting over 200 pink walks across the country encouraging healthy living as well as raising much-needed funds. To register head over to www.centra.ie/walk.
You can also support the Irish Cancer Society’s Paint it Pink campaign by holding a pink coffee morning during October. For more information see www.paintitpink.ie
