The humble apple is not so humble when it comes to health. Drinking a cup of fresh pure apple juice in the morning (make sure it’s fresh and not from concentrate) will give you a large variety of long term health benefits as well as ticking off a box for your five a day.

Apple extract has been recorded as having the second highest level of antioxidants present when compared to other typically consumed fruits. Apples contain a range of Phytochemicals which are well documented as being powerful antioxidants.

In fact apples have been shown to help reduce cholesterol, inhibit the spread of cancer cells, reduce the risk of asthma, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

So be sure you eat your apple a day to keep the doctor away!

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.

Folic acid is very important to protecting your baby’s health during and even prior to pregnancy. If you are trying to conceive for a baby you should ensure you have a healthy dose of folic acid in your diet. Folic acid is so important for your little one’s health you could be putting your baby’s life at risk without it. The problem is, folic acid is not one of the main “buzz words” when it comes to health. Everyone shouts about vitamins, cod liver oil and garlic but many mothers to be become pregnant unaware of the importance of Folic Acid for their baby.

You can take a daily supplement whilst pregnant to fill in this gap of folic acid in our diet and also try to buy more bananas which are rich in Folic Acid, especially if trying to conceive.

If you are diabetic it can be troublesome finding recipes that cater to your needs. Try out this fun and colorful Avocado, Tomato and Pepper salad which is sure to brighten up your table without you worrying about the sugar levels.

All you need for this great salad is:

1. 2 Avocados (remove the stone, peel, and cut into small cubes)
2. 1 red onion (Chopped)
3. 1 Pepper (Your choice of color, yellow is the sweetest and green is more bitter)
4. 1 Large ripe red tomato (chopped of course)
5. A small bundle of fresh chopped coriander
6. 1/2 Lime juice (fresh, avoid the bottles of the stuff)
7. Salt and Black Pepper according to taste.

Then it’s simple, just mix them up in a bowl and Bingo!

Get a great kick start to the day and also take care of one of your portions of fruit and veg at the same time. There’s no better way to start the day than with a blend of pure fresh fruit to get you revitalized and provide a large portion of those essential vitamins we need every day.

All you need for a fantastic fruit smoothie:

1. 140g fresh strawberries
2. 60g frozen blueberries
3. 2 whole bananas (peeled, top and tailed and cut into medium chunks)
4. 110ml fresh orange juice (not from concentrate, get the good stuff!)
5. 370g low fat plain yoghurt

That’s all you need to make the perfect smoothie. Now just put it all in a blender and hit Go! Make sure you pulse the blender a bit to get everything blended nicely until smooth.

This is a great way to start the day off in the morning, especially if you aren’t big on breakfast you can easily fit this healthy morning drink into your routine.

You may find it difficult to get enough exercise into your working week to keep you fit healthy and trim. This is especially true if you work in an office environment. Working in an office typically produces tummy and bum fat because you work with your brain and not with your body. For people who have long commuting times it can be especially hard to go the gym after work as well and that’s if you feel up to it after a grueling day at the office.

There are ways you can lose weight at the office without doing star jumps at your computer and receiving funny looks from colleagues.

1. If your work is close enough, try to walk to work or cycle to work instead of catching the bus or train or driving in. You’ll not only lose weight and stay healthy but you’ll also be helping the environment too.
2. If your work has a lift installed then don’t take the easy way out and use the lift to go to the first or even second floor. Take the stairs instead and tone up your legs and bum by doing so.
3. Don’t eat your lunch at your desk. Take a refreshing break outside and walk to the nearest park or suitable seating area. You’ll get exercise from the walk over there and feel more refreshed and ready for the afternoon ahead.

Drinking alcohol is always a topic that is much in debate by health critics and consumers alike. We all know drinking too much is bad for and binge drinking once in a while can even have more serious devastating affects than drinking smaller amounts every day. While we are still arguing with ourselves over how much a unit of alcohol really is depending on the beverage there is one alcohol type that really shines out in scientific research today. Surprising us with every discovery we make, a 175ml of red wine once a day is actually proving to be largely beneficial for us in a number of different ways.

You may already be aware that red wine can help keep a healthy heart so long as it is drunk in moderation. Now there are many more benefits you may be surprised to learn about. Below are just 5 of the main benefits that we have learned about recently.

1. Healthy Heart
2. Lose Weight
3. Improve Memory
4. Boost Immune System
5. Prevent Bone Loss
   

   Drinking in Moderation.

We are more surprised to learn that red wine can actually help you to lose weight since alcohol in general is typically attributed to “beer bellies”. However, it has been shown that someone who drinks a glass of red wine every day has a slimmer body and less abdominal fat that those who only drink occasionally.

It may shock you to learn that a lack of hydration can cause a serious deficiency in your focus and concentration. A drop of just 2% in your body’s hydration levels can cause short term memory problems and mental dullness. One of the best ways to ensure you get the most out of your working day is to make sure you always have a good supply of water to hand. Taking a bottle or two of mineral water to work with you can dramatically increase your motivation, the work you get done and the feel good feeling during work you need to get through the day. Many people will consider drinking copious amounts off coffee whilst at work to keep them going but this is only causing a downward spiral. The caffeine will keep them going for only short periods of time while at the same time dehydrating them causing them to feel down, foggy headed and creating concentration problems.

Try switching your coffee to water instead and you will notice a considerable difference in your working day. Not only that but you will be helping improve all sorts of things in your body too such as a healthy digestive system, healthy skin and even control body weight.

There are three main natural herbal supplements that can really help you to quit smoking by tackling the withdrawal symptoms you suffer as a result of stopping smoking. The most famous one is the herb lobelia inflate which is a common ingredient of many anti smoking products. The active product lobelia lobeline acts in a similar way to nicotine therefore satisfying nicotine cravings.

Lobelia is a potentially toxic herb and should only be used under the supervision of your local family doctor. It also comes with a variety of possible side effects so even though it’s the most famous herbal remedy it’s not the most suitable for treating cigarette cravings.

St Johns wort and Ginseng are the other two commonly used natural supplements for people who want to give up smoking. Both of these supplements are quite harmless to take so are the best choice for smokers who want to quit. You should not take St Johns wort if you are taking prescription medication, pregnant or breastfeeding.

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