Let’s face it, many of us have been eating and drinking more during the pandemic as there has been a sore lack of things to do. Your new year’s resolution may even mirror this as we pledge to put down the junk food and abstain from alcohol and use our time in lockdown getting fit and healthy.
Tackling diet and nutrition
What exactly we choose to put into our bodies is vitally important as there is a big difference between processed foods and organic, fresh produce. This is the time to form new habits! It’s a simple truth, healthy meat comes from healthy livestock reared in natural organic environments and this is what we should seek out if we can.
Portion size is a big deal, as you should always try to avoid an unnecessarily big meal. The right portion of meat or fish should be the size and thickness of your palm, or about 75g. Field reared meat and poultry is a must, even for your eggs, as these types of farming do not require antibiotics or intervention that forced reared animals do. If you are lucky enough to live in the country you may find that you are able to access a local old fashioned butcher or farm shop where the provenance of the foodstuff is known, not only will you be eating healthier, cleaner food, but you will be supporting the local economy at the same time.
Low GI carbs such as soy products, beans, fruit, milk, grainy bread, porridge oats and lentils are better for you than high GI carbs like potatoes, white bread and short-grain rice. You should aim to eat unprocessed carbohydrates in their simplest, naturally recognisable form. Use this time to educate yourself on what you should put in your body. It will certainly pay dividends.
Remember, a healthy amount of fat or oil is about two tablespoons a day per person. Do not heat it up to smoking point when cooking and avoid using the same oil for repeated frying, as free radicals can build up over time.
Herbs and spices have a beneficial effect on health and wellness so be sure to liven your cooking up with a range of them. Perhaps buy fresh herbs to keep in the kitchen. There’s nothing like the smell of fresh basil! Eat salt in moderation, and if you can use sea salt or Himalayan salt then you should, as these contain desirable minerals that are good for health.
Practical exercises
Exercise is key to a healthy lifestyle. It can reduce your risk of major illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Studies show that exercise can lower your risk of early death by up to 30 per cent. Moreover, physical activity can boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy as well as reducing the risk of stress, depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
If you’re between the ages of 19 to 64, then you should be aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, such as a brisk walk or cycling. This can be replaced with 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity or a mix of the two. It’s recommended you further include two days of strength training where you work all the major muscle groups.
There are simple exercises to achieve this which you can perform at home with just a mat. To warm up, try the cat camel stretch followed by single leg raises and then the four-point superman to mobilise your spine, abdominal muscles and glutes.
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Once you’re warmed up and ready to go, try starting with a chair squat – a safer, modified version of the squat – followed by glute bridges and dead bugs. Floor press and floor rows can follow, then finish with shoulder and spine rotations.
You can progress from these beginner exercises to burpees, press-ups and single-leg glute bridges which are great once you have established core strength. Banded upright rows, lunges and ab toes touches are then fine ways to finish out your full body workout. The important thing is to choose something that you enjoy and is suitable for your age and general health and build it into your day. Let’s face it, for many of us, going out for a walk, run or cycle may be the only thing that connects us to what is normal life.
Modern lifestyle and habits
Since lockdown we may have found more time for self-care as a result of working from home. There is more chance than ever to get outside and walk, run or cycle which has been proved by the increasing popularity of these activities. However, bad habits loom large for many of us.
We may be drinking more alcohol and snacking too much to our great detriment. Alcohol when consumed in moderate amounts, so about 1.5 units a day, can have a beneficial effect on our health. But high levels of alcohol consumption can cause damage to the liver cells over time and increase your risk of a range of diseases.
When it comes to working, you might find that it’s harder to switch off when your office is inside your home. If possible, it’s best to separate your workspace from your living spaces so there is an escape from the travails of your job.
How you deal with your stress is key in modern times but particularly during this long lasting global pandemic. Remember that stress contributes to your general wellness and so as I said, build exercise into your daily life, get more beauty sleep, eat well and stimulate your brain. Mindfulness and meditation can also be great tools to relax yourself after a long day.
We are psycho-physical beings which means our physical and psychological health are often linked. Focus your habits on improving and taking care of your mental health and you may find more joy. The aim is to make these habits take hold and become second nature, replacing less valuable habits of the past.
You might be interested to know that it takes 30 days to create a new habit but you may have to work longer for old ones to fade.
You may not agree, but I believe that never has it has never been more important or timely to save our nation’s health.
By Dr Aamer Khan
Dr Aamer Khan is the co-founder of multi award-winning Harley Street Skin clinic www.harleystreetskinclinic.com and former GP with specialisms in psychology, psychiatry, surgery and dermatology. He is now an expert in regenerative medicine and a cosmetic doctor who has spent over a decade performing cosmetic and non-surgical procedures helping thousands of men and women look and feel as good as they can inside and out. He is the author of the book ‘Turn Back Time’ (John Blake, 2019) which explains the ageing process and focuses on protecting and optimising good health to optimise a longer, healthier life.
@dr.aamerkhan
@harleystskin, m
