Detox is short for detoxification and detox diets are becoming increasingly popular as our busy and hectic lives are causing us to be more careless with the pollutants in our bodies.

Many of the chemicals and toxins we ingest as a part of  our  daily lifestyle such as through junk food, water and polluted air can become deposited in the fat cells around our bodies. If your current diet is also lacking some nutrients it can hinder the process our body undergoes to naturally detoxify itself.

It is therefore a growing occurrence for some people to undergo an annual detox diet to clean up their body of these harmful toxins and refresh themselves. These detox diets can range in intensity and there are other methods as well such as detox pills. If you have been on a detox diet before please let us know why, how it felt during and after wards and what method you used.

If you want to lose weight and need some help keeping the pounds off these quick tips will not help you to lose a large quantity of weight but will help to slowly and permanently take a little weight off for a long term solution and a generally healthier you.

1. Switch whole fat milk or cream for full skimmed milk. The switch isn’t easy at first because you are used to the flavour of full fat milk but give it a while and you will get used to the flavour and texture of skimmed just as if it were whole milk.
2. Switch white bread for brown (or even the half and half bread). This will cut down on the bad stuff in white bread while adding the extra whole wheat goodness you get in brown.
3. Replace crisps and chocolates with fruit. Even if you are not big on apples and bananas try buying something a little more exciting like grapes, lychees and melons to keep your taste buds entertained.
4. Cut down on car use. If you can walk it, then you should. Using the car only helps add pounds to the bum and tum area while simultaneously adding to your carbon footprint.

What we wear and what we surround ourselves with can affect our mood and they way we think from day to day. Colors hold a different significance depending on where in the world you are but there are some soild truth behind all perspectives that coincide.

For example, Red is a warm vibrant color that attracts nearly everyone’s attention. It can signify danger, passion and heat. Many people paint thier homes in red to craete the illusion of extra warmth. It has however been found that red can cause headaches, raise tension and shorten tempers. If you are thinking of painting a room in red, try out a softer variation instead such as terracota.

Blue (at the other end of the spectrum) is a healing and tranquil color used to alleviate headaches, tension and stress. Surrounding yourself inn blue will help clam you down, relax you and soothe your mood.

Insomnia makes us feel run down, lethargic, irritable and unfocused as well lower our immunity making us more vulnerable to colds and flu. Having insomnia is frustrating and debilitating for the individual and you may have already tried out several different insomnia tips to no avail. Keep trying, what works for one person may not work for you and vice versa.

Top 10 things to try out if you have insomnia, perhaps one of these methods will work for you?

1. See a doctor
2. Take a relaxing warm bath before bed
3. Get a massage before bed (if you can!)
4. Listen to relaxation music
5. Try out a hypnotherapy session
6. Drink warm milk or a malt drink before bed
7. Drink a herbal tea such as camomile
8. Avoid caffiene, alcohol and tobacco just before bed
9. Avoid naps during the day
10. Don’t sleep in (difficult when you have insomnia but very effective)

We all know that alcohol when you drink too much is bad for you and many of us know that alcohol in moderation can be good for you. Finding the balance between these two can be difficult especially when given conflicting messages about units. Is a glass of wine every day a unit? Well, that depends on the size of the glass.

There are two different things to consider when you consume alcohol. The first is how much liquid there is, and the second is what the percentage alcohol content is. Both the size and strength of your drink has an affect on the unit size.

Here’s how you can calculate the units you drink and avoid stepping over the moderation mark:

Find out the percentage of alcohol in the drink (%ABV)

Find out how much you are drinking in a glass (175ml, 250ml, 1 pint…)

Multiply both of these values together and then divide by 1,000.

For example: 175ml of red wine with an alcohol content of 13%
175ml x 13% = 2275
2275 / 1000 = 2.275 units

Pets have a large range of benefits associated with them. We’re not just talking about being cute, adorable and tons of fun. Pets are great for all sorts of reasons including being a great benefit to your health and well being.

Petting your family friend whether it is a cat or dog can help reduce stress levels and promote a healthy blood flow around your body (for both you and your pet!). Your pet will appreciate regular stroking and petting because it is one of the key signs of affection and can soothe and relax both of you.

Having a dog in particular is good for people who need a bit more energy in their lives. Taking your dog for regular walks in the mornings and evenings will help keep not just your dog healthy and happy but also help you get some walking exercise into your day and enjoy the fresh air outside.

There are many reasons why you should stop eating too many sugar filled candy treats. The top contenders to stop eating sweets are the risk of obesity, tooth decay and diabetes. One of the main problems we face today as a modern family is how we can get our kids to eat more healthily. It’s very distressing to hear tales of parents allowing their kids to become obese at a young age and letting them eat what they want. As parents it’s our role to make sure we look after our kids and keep them healthy and happy whilst in our care and even when they are all grown up themselves.

But how do you get your kid to stop eating sweets? First remove the temptations in the home. Buy healthy food stuffs only, fresh fruit is always a good thing to have plenty of around the home. If your child asks for a snack they can eat an apple or other such healthier alternative. If they don’t want the apple, they aren’t really hungry so don’t give in to them. It can be hard, but stick with it and stand your ground. As soon as the kid knows they can make you give in they will continue to do it.

Second, get the support of family and other people who look after them. make sure that whent hey go to Nanna’s house they can have the occasional treat but they don’t get loaded with crisps and pop. Your family will understand and respect your wishes if you talk to them about it.

Make sure you child has a pre-packed lunch without school pocket money for Tuc shop and lunch time snacks and candy machines. Give them lots of healthy treats to eat in their lunch box so they have more than enough healthy food to keep them going.

Your health is important; you don’t need us to tell you that. A person’s health can affect their lifestyle, how they feel and what they can do. Likewise, a person’s lifestyle can affect their health. Health is on everyone’s lips this year as we are inundated with the dos and don’ts of health and wellbeing.

Have you had your five a day?

A shocking proportion of the population actually hasn’t, but believe in earnest that they have. The advertising for the five a day has been poor at best and the information that is most getting through is from food companies advertising their products as “One of your five a day” to cash in on this health advice. What people don’t understand is what constitutes a portion. Many believe having two or three apples, for instance, counts as three portions. This is not the case; the daily recommended amount of fruit and vegetables is based on the idea of you having five separate portions of different fruits and vegetables.

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