10 simple sacrifices for better health

Turning over a new leaf health-wise doesn’t have to mean a massive overhaul of your habits. Sometimes just a small sacrifice here and there can set you on the road to better overall health.

By Hilary Pereira

Fill up the fruit bowl

When you’re snackish, instead of reaching for the biscuit jar or diving into a bag of crisps, grab a banana, enjoy a kiwi fruit (try cutting it in half and eating it from an eggcup instead of all that fiddly peeling) or whizz up a berry-and-banana smoothie.

Or keep a massive fresh fruit salad in the fridge for raiding. You’ll have more of a chance of eating your five pieces of fruit/veg per day and gain all the vitamins and antioxidant benefits that fruits contain, plus you’ll be cutting down on saturated fat and sugar, both of which when eaten too often can cause obesity and heart disease.

Be a bit adventurous at the supermarket, too: try mangoes, pomegranates or figs for a change.

According to the British Heart Foundation, fruits that are bright in colour usually have high levels of the protective plant compounds called phytochemicals, which help protect you from heart disease and cancer, so the more different types of highly coloured fruit you can include in your diet the better.
Swap pudding for chocolate

Lots of us fancy something sweet to finish a meal, but instead of eating pudding, keep a bar of dark chocolate to hand to satisfy that craving. A couple of squares, really savoured and made to last in the mouth, is probably all you’ll need to feel you’ve completed your meal, and a 50g serving of chocolate with 70% cocoa solids contains around 280 calories, whereas an average slice of cheesecake or portion of sponge pudding and custard has around 500 calories.

Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidant chemicals called polyphenols which help keep blood vessels dilated and, when eaten in small amounts, it has been found in some studies to cause a slight reduction in blood pressure. Eaten in large amounts, though, it can have an adverse effect on weight and blood pressure as all chocolate is relatively high in saturated fat.
Take your trainers to work

We’re not suggesting you need to go for a jog at lunchtime, but a good, brisk walk for around 15-30 minutes rather than a slouch in a sandwich bar will not only energise you for your afternoon’s work, it will also help you to raise your overall fitness levels. Depending on how quickly you move, walking can burn between 90 and 200 calories in 30 minutes.

Brisk walking means raising your heart rate whilst still being able to hold a conversation. Wearing supportive trainers or sturdy walking boots will keep your feet, and in turn your whole body, well supported.

If you’re unused to brisk walking, start with five-minute bursts and build your time up gradually. You may feel more motivated if you can persuade a colleague to be your walking buddy.
Have more alcohol-free days

Although a glass of your favourite tipple feels like a grown-up treat at the end of the day, drinking every day – even small amounts – can lead to serious health problems, according to Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Jewell. His comments followed the discovery that many people are still regularly drinking more than the government guideline amounts, with some people doing so every day.

In January of this year, Jewell called for adult to have two alcohol-free days each week and for clearer guidelines on drinking to be issued, saying ‘Drinking too much is bad for your health, your waistline, your wallet and your future’. Dr Jewell cited several quickly realized benefits to cutting back, such as feeling better in the mornings, enjoying more energy, having better skin and losing weight.

Try planning an early dinner then relaxing with a cup of tea and having an early night two to three times a week.
Walk to work

If you travel to work by train and live only a mile or so from the station – or if you live less than mile from work – instead of driving there, start walking. Regular walking will increase your overall fitness and keep you energised. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, stroke and some cancers.

According to the National Campaign for Walking, brisk walking for 8-15 miles per week (ie walking there and back every weekday) for 6-9 months can increase good cholesterol (HDL) levels and reduce level of triglycerides (a type of fat) in the blood.
Exercise while you watch TV

Ever considered exercising during the ad breaks while you’re watching TV? It might seem like too much of an effort, but it’s only around three minutes every 15-20 – and that’s if you use every break. It can help if you wear comfy gym clothing as you’ll feel more ‘in the zone’.

Try squats, ab crunches, star jumps, running on the spot, lunges or lifting small weights (a 500ml bottle of water or 400g can of veg in each hand make good makeshift dumbbells!).

A combination of all of these exercises will make three minutes speed by! You’ll benefit by gradually increasing your fitness levels and improving muscle tone – and you’re less likely to drop off in front of the telly, so you’ll get more out of your viewing, too.
Eat more fish

All types of fish and seafood are very low in fat: 100g of unbreaded, unbattered haddock, for instance, contains less than 1g of fat, which means it’s also low in calories, so can help you to lose weight if you include it in your diet more often.

The Food Standards Agency recommends we all eat at least two portions of fish per week, one of which should be oily fish like mackerel, tuna or salmon. It doesn’t have to be fresh fish: frozen or canned are generally frozen or canned very soon after catching and are cheaper and easier to store.

Oily fish contains Omega 3 fats, which have lots of benefits, including improving heart health and aiding concentration.
Cut down on red meat

Eating a lot of red and processed meats has been shown to have a likely link to an increased risk of bowel cancer. The average daily amount of red and processed meat eaten by adults in the UK is 70g, so those who eat more than 90g are considered to have a relatively high intake of these meats. Cutting down doesn’t mean cutting out altogether: there are some easy swaps you can make.

Instead of eating bacon and sausages as part of a cooked breakfast, for instance, choose one or the other and fill the rest of your plate with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes. Try to cut the size or your meat portions by a third and pile your plate with vegetables to make up the volume. Instead of having a steak and chips, try buying a smaller amount of braising steak and making a stew with root vegetables as well as meat.

By making these changes – and choosing lean and extra-lean, unprocessed cuts of meat when you do buy it – you’ll reduce your intake of saturated fat as well as decreasing your risk of bowel cancer.
Don’t add salt at the table

Put your salt shaker away! One of the best ways of improving your diet is to cut down on the amount of salt you eat. Adults should eat no more than 6g of salt per day (children less, depending on age, but none at all before the age of one, then 2-4g at different stages), but in reality most people in the UK eat more than this on a regular basis, with 75% of our intake coming from prepared foods, including bread, cakes and cereals.

Too much salt can raise your blood pressure, which puts you at increased risk of health problems such as heart disease and stroke. If you add a stock cube to your cooking, you should definitely not add extra salt, as the stock already contains it. Experiment with other seasonings, such as balsamic vinegar, herbs, lemon and lime juice and black pepper.

Check traffic-light food labels, too, on foods before you buy: red or amber along the salt or sodium line means it has a high or medium-high salt content.
Eat a good breakfast

So many of us skip breakfast, either because of time constraints or with the misguided belief it can help with weight loss, but eating a good breakfast is the most healthy start you can have to your day, whether or not you’re trying to lose weight. The emphasis is on a ‘good’ breakfast.

If you’re able to have something cooked, protein-rich foods such as eggs or lean, grilled bacon make good choices. A grilled bacon sandwich on wholemeal bread, for instance, is a healthier choice than a bowl or sugary cereal. (Check the nutrition label on your cereal: if the ‘sugar’ line is red or amber, it’s high or medium-high in sugar levels.)

If you only have time for something quick, though, wholemeal toast with low-fat spread and a glass of fruit juice is a good choice, as is a wholegrain cereal or plain, microwaveable porridge served with fresh fruit to act as a sweetener. All of these choices are low on the glycaemic index (GI), which means they release their energy slowly, keeping you fuller for longer.
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