Two Kilkenny employers have been awarded for prioritising their employees health at work, encouraging healthy living and healthy eating.

VHI Healthcare won a gold award andAut Even Hospital won a bronze award at the Irish Heart Foundations Happy Heart Healthy Eating and Active@Work Awards.

Held in the Gibson Hotel, Dublin this week, the awards recognise programmes at work, which assist staff restaurants in adopting healthier cooking practices and providing healthier food choices, with the aim of making the healthier choice the easier choice for employees.

Heart disease and stroke are among Irelands leading causes of death. However, 80% of premature heart disease and stroke are preventable through a healthy lifestyle.

Workplaces can play a key part in promoting and offering healthier food choices and physical activity programmes. The Irish Heart Foundation has been supporting healthy workplaces for over 20 years, and through the awards, recognises their efforts for prioritising employees heart health.

Health Guru Karl Henry presented the awards alongside Tim Collins, CEO of the Irish Heart Foundation, who was delighted with the culture of healthy living companies are trying to nurture.

The Irish Heart Foundation is delighted to recognise each of these companies for creating a culture of health and wellbeing and positively influencing peoples cardiovascular health by providing a long-term sustainable programme that demonstrates commitment to the organisations most important asset, its employees.

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Hearts of gold! Kilkenny employers rewarded for healthy living initiatives - Kilkenny Now

Over2,000 years ago, a gallant poet, Virgil, had it that the most significantwealth of a man is health. Do you know why? We are yet to find out why.

Many atime, we are ever held up in the rat race of life of looking for money.However, money is not all that we need; our health is the top priority. Eventhough money plays a significant role in our life, a healthy lifestyle doesntneed to cost the entire earth.

Goodfinancial habits and a healthy lifestyle are all you need. The money willsignificantly contribute to the better life you yearn for, organic foods,health checkups, and zero stress about investments.

Increaseyour lifespan by practicing these ten healthy habits to enrich your life.

Theancient adage goes that an apple a day takes the doctor away. This is a betteridea, have the habit of regular servicing!

If youvalue your life, trips to the Doctors Plaza should be regular. A visit to thedoctor will prevent further problems most of the time. If there is apossibility of high blood pressure developing, a prescribed treatment mayprevent a stroke or heart attack that could have taken place.

Remember, you will be carefully checked until it is the time to go officially!

2. A Goodnight Sleep

Justlike the name suggests, good night sleep is the recipe for a productive day.When you get the right amount of sleep, the chances are that you will behealthy.

Researchby Sidney University has it that too much sleep can kill you as fast asinsomnia. Uh! Youre perplexed. I never thought about it that way. You shouldsleep for about 7-8 hours a night.

Its this simple; you shouldnt oversleep or under sleep. Both have a high risk of death. When youre asleep, your body goes into repair mode. Good sleep builds up your immune system.

3. Exercise

Tokeep yourself fit, we are not implying that you go for a rigorous workout. Anactivity can be jogging for thirty minutes a day to keep your body active, animprovement in health plus lifestyle.

Researchhas it that inactivity raises mortality risk by 72%. You can exercise daily byswimming, dancing, cycling, or walking your dog in the neighborhood.

If youride to work on your car daily, consider leaving the car at home and walking towork occasionally. Alternatively, you can stroll around your workplace at lunchbreaks.

Tip: Exercise significantly impacts on good sleep, quality living, boosts your energy, and helps in building muscle strength and balance.

4. Eat Healthily

Havingthe presence of lifestyle diseases puts us at the drawing board to check onwhat we eat. You do not have to spend on organic or GMO-free foods to ascertainproper nutrition.

A lookat nutritional guidelines much emphasizes on regular intake of fruits andvegetables. You can take both frozen and fresh vegetables as they serve thesame purpose.

Remember to also incorporate protein, vitamins, and other minerals for a complete balanced diet.

5. Watch a Motivation Show

A show like TED talks is like mini-lecture, gearing you to accomplishing your goals. Such a presentation will guide and inspire you to carry on until you succeed. Usually, the show is short 20 minutes and you are done. You can watch the show during lunch break or when just relaxing from work.

6. Do Productive Tasks

Youknow yourself better, are you a committed procrastinator? This is for you. Setaside some minutes daily, like 30 minutes, and do all the pending tasks you hadfor the day.

You know those tasks that will mess your day if you dont do. Yes, do them then resume your routine work.

7. Know Yourself Better

If you know your strengths and weaknesses, you have a better chance of improving yourself. You can hone your weaknesses for a better self.

8. Treat Yourself

Rewarding is the greatest thing you can do to appreciate yourself. You can go for that dream lunch spot, get a relaxing massage or a manicure. Alternatively, do that latest movie you have been looking forward to.

9. Reexamine Your Goals

Everyyear, you have your resolutions. Have you been following them to the latter? Ifnot, feel confidant and begin working them. Break the goals down into shortterm and long term to achieve the targets altogether.

Take your time when free and reflect on how positive you have gone. Possibly, you can rebuild from areas that you have failed by setting steps that need to take you there.

10. Get a Youthful Attitude

Gettingold is in mind; this is according to UK research. If you are young in thebrain, there is a high possibility of being productive and have a low deathrate.

It isimportant to be youthful in mind to keep all risks at bay.

Final Shot,

Arentyou better now? Get going with these simple tricks for you to better yourhabits. The tips guarantee you a healthy and happy life if you fullyincorporate them.

See more here:
10 Affordable Habits That Will Enrich Your Life - Thrive Global

Sweat Diaries

Kate Isbel teaches spin at two gyms, manages all the digital for Visit Bucks County, and refills her S'well bottle more times than we can count.

When shes not managing digital communications or teaching spin classes, Kate Isbel drinks a ton of water and enjoys engaged life. / Photograph courtesy of Kate Isbel.

Welcome to Sweat Diaries, Be Well Phillys look at the time, energy, and money people invest in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle in Philly. For each Sweat Diary, we ask one area resident to spend a week tracking everything they eat, all the exercise they get, and the money they spend on both. Want to submit a Sweat Diary? Email lbrzyski@phillymag.com.

Who I am: Kate Isbel (@kateisb), 29

Where I live: Paoli

What I do: I run the digital communications for Visit Bucks County, the official tourism promotion agency for the area. I also teach indoor cycling at Ellis Athletic Center in Newtown Square, as well as SpinPower at the Upper Main Line YMCA in Berwyn. In addition, I am planning my wedding, which feels like a full-time job!

What role healthy living plays in my life: Healthy living has certainly changed over the past few years for me. There was definitely a time where I associated it with a number on a scale and a pant size. But then I started my Masters while working full-time and quickly learned that in order to stay remotely sane, I needed to let out some excess energy, so I walked into a fitness class on a ClassPass credit, and havent looked back. As I continued taking classes and trying out various gyms around the city, I learned that I am at my best for myself and everyone around me when I take care of my body and mind, and make conscientious decisions about my health and wellness. Healthy living is more than just working out and meal prepping. For me, its holistic: a mix of balance, moderation, and loud music to drown out whatever negative energy I have that day, plus encouraging myself to take down time if I need it. Youll see throughout my week that theres a lot of water intake, but also a lot of wine. There are a ton of salads, but also some French fries (because who can resist fries?). Healthy living for me these days is about how capable I feel.

Health memberships (and what they cost): I receive free membership to both gyms I teach at.

Isbel and her fianc Tom get their engagement photos taken in preparation of their October 2020 wedding. / Photograph courtesy of Kate Isbel

5:13 a.m. Good morning! These early-morning alarms are rough, especially on a Monday.

5:21 a.m. Okay, now Im *actually* awake. On Mondays and Wednesdays, I teach a spin class at Ellis Athletic Center at 6 a.m. I (more or less) jump out of bed, throw on my spin clothes, bundle up because its apparently freezing in the mornings now, and down about 16 ounces of water before I grab a Kind dark chocolate granola bar to snack on along the way. I keep a 32-ounce bottle filled next to my bed at all times. I try to go through at least three of these per day, plus all the times I fill my Swell bottle, which I carry around with me all day.

5:29 a.m. On the road to Ellis. It takes me a little under 10 minutes. I greet Linda, who works the front desk, and then head to the spin room to setup for class. Today, Im focusing on heavy resistance added in shorter periods of time.

6 a.m. Lets go!

6:45 a.m. Done class, feeling way more awake than I did an hour and a half ago. Anytime anyone asks why I like teaching in the mornings, I always explain that the cyclists are the absolute BEST motivation. The beauty and energy in those dark rooms at the crack of dawn is unexplainable.

7 a.m. Back home and back into bed! Today is a bit irregular for my schedule. Typically, Id be jumping in the shower now and getting ready for work before heading out around 7:30 a.m. But today, Im telecommuting. My company is amazing and lets us work from home one day per week. I normally use Wednesday for this, but I am newly engaged and my fianc Tom and I are taking our engagement pictures around 5 p.m. today and I didnt want to deal with any traffic on the way home. Plus, beauty sleep. So back to bed it is!

8 a.m. I wake up for the second (third?) time today and am ready to continue my day. I set up shop at our dining room table, and begin working through emails that came in during the weekend before I head to check on social. Being in digital communications, the work happens 24/7. I have all the apps on my phone so I can check social on the go, and do so about two to three times per day, including weekends. This helps me to not feel as behind on any morning. I also manage our paid social budget, so lots of reporting out on digital analytics.

9 a.m. The morning rush is under control so I head over to the website, which I manage both the front-end and back-end. The vendor for the website offers an online ticketing portal that doubles as a project management tool. I check on any open tickets, offer further insight to outstanding tickets, and work through a few pop-up questions my team members have brought to me over the past week or so. I like to keep these projects moving; even if its a seemingly small inconvenience, it always affects one of my teammates or another.

10:30 a.m. I realize I havent yet had coffee, or anything for that matter post-class. Too in the zone! I use my Keurig to pour out Starbucks Pike Place roast, sweetening with one raw sugar pack and a literal splash of nonfat milk. While this is brewing, I make an over-medium egg, topped on a crisped whole wheat bagel with chive cream cheese.

12 p.m. Whoa where did this day go?! A part of working in the tourism industry that I absolutely LOVE is that the work is actually fun! No seriously. One of my initiatives this year was to digitize our Bucks County Ale Trail. We cross-promote the Ale Trail on Untappd and through colla-beer-ations, our nickname for the seasonally new Bucks County Ale Trail brew. This time, the brew is created using apple cider from a local farm, as well as two breweries collaborating on the style and taste, which is perfect for fall sipping! This morning has been a flurry of work to pre-promote the ale, and cross-promote the Ale Trail.

12:45 p.m. Lunch time! Tom and I had bought several pre-packaged chicken Caesar salads from Acme over the weekend. The three for $10 is hard to beat and seriously cuts down the amount of meal-prep that occurs in our household. I consume that quickly, and realize I need to re-fill up my 32-ounce cup of water. I also use todays lunch break to complete some paperwork for West Chester University I was just hired as an adjunct there and to get a quick blowout from a local hair salon ($49). Gotta get my hair looking good for engagement pics!

2 p.m. Time for my monthly call with a vendor. Since Im working from home and have been fairly sedentary, I take this call standing up and walking throughout my apartment. At work, I usually am moving around a bit more throughout the day due to various meetings or just checking in with colleagues around the office, but at home I find I forget to stand up!

3 p.m. More social promotion and strategy, as well as developing content for our e-newsletter that will be sent out later this week. I HTML-code these emails, so they usually take me a little bit of time to get situated. Plus, these are sent to over 30,000 people, meaning it has to be correct!

5 p.m. Time for our engagement photo shoot!! We *seriously* lucked out on this day. Golden hour is a real thing. We bring along the extremely necessary prop of champagne ($18.99) and pop it halfway through.

6:30 p.m. Tom and I head to a nearby restaurant for dinner to celebrate our pictures and the fact were way more dressed up on a Monday than wed normally be. I get the fish and chips because I love anything that comes from under the sea and we split calamari as an appetizer. I also have two pumpkin beers because #fall (Tom pays!).

8 p.m. Home, and on the couch to watch some Monday Night Football be
fore heading to bed. I check social as the game happens. I usually try to get into bed by 10 p.m., but especially on days I teach, I find that time getting earlier and earlier

Daily total: $67.99

To energize in the morning, Isbel typically turns to coffee and a yogurt drink. Plus, some fuel for later in the afternoon. / Photograph by Kate Isbel.

6:30 a.m. Awake at my regular time on my non-teaching days. I sip on my 32 ounces of water, refilling the bottle before I head out the door, and also fill up my Swell. I grab a pre-made salad (same as yesterday) from the fridge for lunch, and a Chobani peach yogurt drink. These are so yummy and so easy; theyve quickly become a new morning staple for me.

7:30 a.m. Out the door!

8:05 a.m. Off my exit of the turnpike. My office is up in Bensalem, so the commute is about 35 miles. Thankfully, I go against traffic both ways.

8:07 a.m. Check my texts at a red light and realize I got a $10 Venmo for being the top-scoring team in one of my fantasy footballs leagues this week! Score. Starbucks it is.

8:11 a.m. Starbucks drive-thru for a venti pike with two raw sugars and a splash of nonfat milk, plus a butter croissant heated up to have with my Chobani ($5.72).

8:27 a.m. At work, ready to begin this dreary Tuesday. Run the typical docket: email, social, ticket portal. This afternoon I have a few back-to-back meetings with my advertising agency to review Septembers digital performance cross-channel, as well as an internal meeting to discuss AirBnB and a few approvals to get out. We switch over our advertising seasonally, so we are in the finishing stages of approving the winter-themed brand campaign.

11 a.m. Take a 10-minute mental break by walking around the office and refilling my Swell. I usually start to mildly panic when its below halfway full. I work on a dual-monitor computer all day, so I like to add in little breaks to segment out the day. Plus, it helps my eyes and brain relax.

12:15 p.m. Yay, lunch time! Or as I more commonly refer to it: Time to Do Other Work and Eat Salad. Not a complaint! I love being busy, and pushing myself not only physically but mentally as well. I feel thats when I perform best in all aspects and feel most at ease. On the side, I freelance for a blog as the digital and social consultant. The past few weeks Ive been working on archiving blog posts into categories and adding in meta-tags for SEO purposes. Then, I extract a few lines, develop social cross-promotion, and publish out. I do a bit of this while eating the salad I brought with me.

1 p.m. Ive got about two and a half hours worth of meetings ahead, which means more Swell refilling.

3:35 p.m. I swear, rain makes days feel longer. Snack break of roasted peanuts and three Hershey kisses. I keep a jar of kisses at my desk, stocked year-round. For anyone who knows me, this is no surprise. I always have chocolate nearby and can smell it from a mile away.

5 p.m. Out the door, and ready for an extra-long commute due to the rain. Bummer. I stop by Acme on my way home and pick up produce, some eggs, and a bottle of wine ($55). I shopped for protein last week and that has been in the freezer since.

6:30 p.m. Tom is cooking seasoned steak with a side Caesar salad. We settle in on the couch to watch El Camino. I refill my 32-ounce twice during the movie.

8:30 p.m. El Camino was incredible. Highly recommend. We watch a few more random shows, then head to bed.

Daily total: $60.72

Isbels fianc cooks up a healthy dinner, complete with protein, veggie, and starch. / Photograph by Kate Isbel.

5:13 a.m. Good morning! Ready for hump day at Ellis. Sip on my 32-ounce while I get ready.

5:29 a.m. Out the door, en route with a Kind bar in hand to eat along the way. Todays class is more speed-focused to a super fun 90s-inspired playlist. Theres a few new people in class, which is awesome. I love new faces especially that early in the morning!

6:50 a.m. Sweat. Everywhere. I filled my Swell before class, but love the days I have to refill it after class also. Heading back home and realize halfway there that I forgot to boil my eggs last night! Ahhhh!

7:03 a.m. Mad dash to get ready for work while getting my coffee from the Kuerig and my eggs hard-boiled. I use two scoops of Starbucks Pike Place to fill my Yeti, pouring in two raw sugar and a splash of nonfat milk, while simultaneously heating up the stove to boil the eggs.

7:37 a.m. Eggs are done, coffee is in the Yeti, Swell is full. I grab a banana and one of the three for $10 chicken Caesar salads before heading out the door to work.

8:31 a.m. At work and settled in! Today Im working on more seasonal copy in preparation for our switch-over next week, and I have a call with a Facebook specialist to go over my current ad campaigns. We manage social in house, but its nice that Facebook has this complimentary service, just to get their viewpoint on your ad buys as well. Before I get too busy, I snack on four hard-boiled eggs and a mango Chobani yogurt drink, plus my coffee.

9 a.m. Email, social, ticket portal. Repeat. I have a few new projects from this week going in the ticket portal now. It helps as the interaction is fairly real-time, and creates dedication to a project.

10:30 a.m. Quick walk around the office, refill Swell, chat with the team.

10:35 a.m. I sit back down to work on e-newsletters, social retargeting, and advertising. Ive also got a few meetings thatll round out my morning.

12:35 p.m. I eat my salad at my desk and take a mental break by scrolling through my own social feeds.

1:10 p.m. The next four-ish hours: Work, Swell, Work, Swell, Work, Swell (plus a few Hershey Kisses).

4:45 p.m. Offically time to head home!

5:30 p.m. Home for the evening. I do some laundry and vacuuming before settling in for dinner with Tom. Tonight, he makes chicken, asparagus, ad garlic mashed potatoes. Delicious! We eat it while watching the Sixers.

9:30 p.m. Bedtime!

Daily total: $0

Isbel teaches spin three mornings per week: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Swell bottle at the ready, of course. / Photograph by Kate Isbel.

5:01 a.m. Awake and ready for this day! I teach at 5:45 a.m. on Thursdays at the YMCA by my house. I enjoy teaching here mainly because I love the style of teaching. At the Y, I teach SpinPower classes, which focuses on wattage output, as opposed to caloric, heart rate, or perceived exertion. While caloric and heart rate can certainly be indicative, understanding the actual amounts of input and output of energy and energy transfers is really a solid key to developing a training plan.

5:22 a.m. After finishing my 32 ounces, Im out the door with my Kind bar and Swell in hand. Tom usually comes with me to these classes, as we have a family membership to the Y.

5:45 a.m. Class time! Todays ride focuses on maintaining the aerobic work zone while working on stamina, endurance, and resistance. The trick is to not cross from aerobic to anaerobic in this particular structure. Its so easy to go fast and jack your heart rate up, but by maintaining zones, you are forced to stay on track. In addition, we have great technology which features a leader board projected onto magnum screens at the front of the room, so not only does the bike tell you your numbers, the screen tells you as well. Accountability!

6:55 a.m. Back home and preparing for the work day. I refill my Swell, pop three hard-boiled eggs into a to-go container, grab a Chobani yogurt drink and one of my three for $10 salads. Are you noticing a theme yet?

8:15 a.m. Stop at Wawa by my work to fill my Yeti with coffee (medium roast with two raw sugars and a splash of non-dairy hazelnut creamer), fill up my car with gas, and of course, grab a hashbrown because I cant resist them ($34.28).

8:30 a.m. At work and Ive got a looooong morning stretch today! Thursdays are usually pretty busy. We have our internal team catch-up meeting before tackling different projects.

< p>1:45 p.m. Phew, I survived. I grab my salad and eat it at my desk while multi-tasking.

2 p.m. More meetings, more Swell refills, and seven Hershey Kisses round out this afternoon.

5:30 p.m. I meet Tom to go shopping and find a great dress at Goodwill for a party were attending over the weekend ($6.50). Score.

7 p.m. Tom makes me chicken Caesar salad with the other half of the chicken from last evenings dinner, and we settle in on the couch to watch Thursday Night Football. Tom does most of the cooking, whereas I do most of the grocery shopping. It works for us.

8:45 p.m. Feeling stiff from my rides this week, and I teach a double Saturday morning. I go into our room and unwind with a 20-minute quick made-up-on-the-spot yoga flow for what feels right for my body at that moment.

9:45 p.m. I never stay up too late on Thursdays since its my earliest day of the week, and this is already about an hour and a half past my Thursday bedtime! Time to hit the hay.

Daily total: $40.78

Isbel checks out the second announced collabeeration for Bucks County Ale Trail. / Photograph by Kate Isbel.

6:15 a.m. Usually I sleep in a bit more on Fridays if Im not going to a BodyPump class at the YMCA, but we are releasing the second Bucks County Ale Trail collabeeration today, and I want to head to the brewery to get pictures of the canning and labeling process. I finish my 32-ounce before jumping in the car with my Swell.

7 a.m. Up in Bucks County, and I swing through a Starbucks drive-thru to get a venti pike place with two raw sugar and splash of non-fat milk, and a bacon gouda sandwich. I am obsessed with gouda cheese. ($7.12)

7:30 a.m. At the brewery! The canning team is here and they are finishing up a cranberry beer before canning our beer.

12:35 p.m. Wow, what a morning!!! We successfully canned all of the cranberry beer, plus our Ale Trail collabeer. This time, its a graf made with apple cider from a local farm, and tastes like a chocolate-covered candy apple. Delicious!

1 p.m. Worst part of being at the brewery all morning is my Swell has been very lonely! I sip on the last bit of water I have left before heading out the door to travel to Montgomery County for a meeting.

1:30 p.m. I catch the last few minutes of the presentation before heading across the parking lot to a bar for the after-party. My industry is a lot of fun!

3 p.m. One Yuengling, tons of water to make up for this morning, and a side order of fries (comped by my company) plus plenty of networking and Im ready to head out.

5 p.m. I spent the last few hours catching up on email and social media coverage of the collabeer before heading to my parents house for dinner. A huge motivator for Tom and me to move out of the city was our proximity to both sets of parents. I snack on two bananas while my moms homemade chili heats up. I cant wait to dig in on this chili once its done.

8 p.m. Heading into downtown West Chester because one of Toms friends proposed to his girlfriend this morning! I love love. We celebrate with them at a few of our favorite bars. ($33)

10:30 p.m. Late bedtime, especially with a long day and a double spin tomorrow! Off to bed I go, after downing my 32-ounce and refilling it. Sweet dreams!

Total spent: $40.12

Money spent: $209.61Workouts completed:Four (because I get a killer workout while I teach!)Classes taught:ThreeSwell refills: Infinity and beyond!

Want to hear more from us? Join Be Well Philly at:FACEBOOK|INSTAGRAM|NEWSLETTER|TWITTER

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A Week in the Life of a Communications Manager Who Teaches Spin and Drinks So Much Water - Philadelphia magazine

One of the hottest fitness trends for 2019 is incidental fitness you know, the kind of exercise you barely notice taking the stairs instead of the lift, parking the car as far from the shops as you can, standing up for meetings

But if you really want to next-level your incidental fitness, you might want to think about swerving the bus, car or train on your morning commute in favour of your bike. The health rewards are astonishing.

According to a five-year study by the University of Glasgow, a daily bike ride could prolong your life by reducing the risk of death of cardiovascular disease.

And before you start arguing that the participants were probably lycra-clad Tour de France wannabes, they actually only averaged 30 miles per week (three miles each way, five days a week).

Still dont fancy getting back in the saddle? Running or walking to work, indeed any regular exercise can also massively improve your health and well-being.

Why? Because exercise helps us burn calories and fat, and improves muscle strength and lung function. Plus, according to research by Harvard University, exercise could lower blood pressure as the heart becomes stronger, it pumps more blood around the body with less effort, reducing the pressure on arteries.

It promotes a healthy mind too. Exercise sends endorphins around your body, which improves your mood and confidence, says celebrity trainer Chris Richardson of Zero Gravity Pilates. Still not convinced? A study by the University of Nebraska reveals aerobic exercise such as cycling or running may reduce depression and anxiety.

1 Walking

Why try it: If youre new to exercise, it can ramp up your fitness gradually, while still burning around 300 calories an hour.

Step it up: Add ankle and/or arm weights to increase the body weight youre moving: it will elevate your energy output and burn more calories. Or why not inject interval training to boost your heart rate? Speed-walk for one minute, then reduce the pace for 30 seconds and repeat.

2 Running

Why try it: This full-body workout can burn around 600 calories an hour. Plus, its high-impact, which studies show can help strengthen the skeleton in older people.

Step it up: Download PaceDJ (Free, iOS). It matches your playlist to your preferred running pace, to ensure you stay on track and dont slack off.

3 Cycling

Why try it: It targets your largest muscle your glutes to help you reduce fat and burn on average 300 calories per hour if you take it slow; much more if youve got some pace on. And, as its low-impact, it can be a less painful form of cardio for people with bad knees or ankle joints.

Step it up: Sign up to tracking app Strava. You can measure your distance and time and even compete with other users cycling the same route.

Find out about whether your company offers a Cycle to Work scheme to subsidise the cost of a new bike.

Avoid pollution:Ditch the main roads for side streets and you could cut toxic fumes by 53 per cent, according to a study by Kings College London.

Visit walkit.com to plan a less-polluted commute.

To help you support your health and well-being outside and in, Centrum has partnered with Telegraph Spark to help you make small yet effective changes*.

Centrum wants to motivate you to boost your health in a simple, enjoyable and sustainable way. Working with leading experts and nutritionists, exercise and wellness brands, we have curated a wealth of tip-packed, easy-to-follow content from healthy eating ideas to on-trend activities and ways to de-stress and relax. Centrums range of multivitamins is specially tailored to help support you every day based on your age, gender, lifestyle and nutritional needs.*

To find out more, and discover which Centrum is right for you, visit centrum.co.uk

*Multivitamins are intended to supplement your diet and should not be regarded as a substitute for a varied diet and a healthy lifestyle. Centrum contains vitamin D, which contributes to the normal function of the immune system, and vitamin B12, which contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

Read the original here:
Why the health benefits of cycling to work could prolong your life - Telegraph.co.uk

STYLE

6:00 AM PST 11/21/2019byRachel Marlowe

Imagine if, instead of meeting in a conference room at NeueHouse or over a Picante at Soho House, you were a member of a club where you could take a conference call in a hyperbaric chamber; brainstorm with your team in an infrared sauna; catch up on emails in a private IV lounge; or meet at the bar for an adaptogenic alcohol-free cocktail?

Thats the idea behind Remedy Place, a new social wellness club set to open Tuesday in West Hollywood. I wanted to create a place where your social life could be enhanced by a healthy lifestyle, rather than being sacrificed as a result, says founder Dr. Jonathan Leary, a celebrity wellness guru whose clients include a mix of professional athletes, high-powered CEOs and actors such as Julianne Hough and Freida Pinto.

Designed around what Leary believes to be the seven elements of balance Mind, Oxygen, Movement, Nutrients, Cold, Heat and Compression the zen-meets-luxury space aims to provide a 360-degree approach to holistic health from the moment a visitor walks in. Eschewing the traditional minimalism of wellness destinations, the club is all warm Venetian plaster walls and lush velvet drapes; the lighting system has been designed to limit blue light (which can inhibit rest and relaxation); and the sound system plays an underlying soundtrack of a combination of 7.83hz (which, at the frequency of the Earth, is grounding) and 40hz sound frequencies (which stimulates gamma brainwave activity).

Dr. Leary, who was previously only available to private clients, will be on hand at the club, open seven days a week, along with a "head of mind" (rather than a club manager) and a team of "wellness warriors." This includes recovery specialists who create custom programs; wellness and naturopathic doctors to carry out testing and blood analyses; nurse practitioners to administer custom IV blends; and nutritional bartenders who mix up bespoke tonics. While all of the services are offered a la carte, there is also a menu of packages to address specific stressors. The Post-LAX package is designed to reset and re-balance after travel with a combination of hyperbaric chamber oxygen therapy, infrared sauna and an ice bath with breath work. The Morning After combats hangovers with a mix of cryotherapy, infrared sauna and a lymphatic drainage massage. And the Rest Day protocol mixes cryotherapy, movement therapy and hyperbaric chamber oxygen therapy.

There also is a studio with a full schedule of group mediation, yoga and breathwork classes; a nutritional bar with a menu of healthy, locally sourced, all-natural food and alcohol-free beverages; and, of course, a lounge where members can work and hang out. Monthly membership ($495) includes unlimited cryotherapy, meditation and stretch classes; one hyperbaric chamber oxygen therapy, infrared sauna or lymphatic drainage massage per month; one IV treatment per month; and curated weekly programming from leading industry experts, including chats, workshops, educational seminars and social mixers. Non-members can also book in for services, take classes and use the bar and lounge.

Remedy Place is the manifestation of my lifes work, says Leary. I want people to take back control, to utilize incredible technologies that exist today to keep their bodies in a healthy state of balance and through preventative care that counteracts these modern stressors.

Remedy Place, 8305 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069. For more information on membership and services, visit remedyplace.com.

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First Look: Wellness Club The Remedy Place Wants to Detox Your Social Life - Hollywood Reporter

21 November 2019, Copenhagen, Denmark

The WHO status report on prison health in the WHO European Region presents an analysis of data collected on the health status of people in prison and prison health systems for 39 countries in the Region. The WHO survey collected data from Member States between 2016 and 2017 to enable monitoring and surveillance of health in prisons.

The report reveals that the general state of monitoring and surveillance systems for health in prisons is poor. This affects the development of evidence-based policies that effectively target the needs of the prison population.

We only have data from 39 countries, but the data that we have indicate an enormous difference in the general health of people in prison compared to those in the outside world. Collecting this data is essential to enable the integration of prison health policies into the broader public health agenda benefiting the entire society, says Dr Carina Ferreira-Borges, Programme Manager for Alcohol and Illicit Drugs at the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

An estimated 6 million people are incarcerated each year in the Region. After release, rates of reoffending and returning to prison are high. The report points out that this cycle between prison and community often leads to disjointed and ineffective health care outside of prison.

During the early days of a persons release, the risk of suicide, self-harm and drug overdose is increased. This means that continuity of care during this transition is critical. Gaps in care during this period have significant negative public health implications and can constrain a countrys ability to address inequalities.

A large proportion of people in prison return to the community every year, so viewing prison as a setting for public health opens an opportunity for public health actions and for improving health literacy to support and protect vulnerable populations, says Dr Bente Mikkelsen, Director of the Division of Noncommunicable Diseases and Promoting Health through the Life-course at the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

A prison sentence takes away a persons liberty; it should not also take away their health and their right to health, she adds.

Prisons and other places of detention have an opportunity to deliver preventive and risk-reduction interventions and treatments to a population that previously may have lacked or had limited access to health care and a healthy lifestyle.

According to the report, prisons must be seen as settings in which health interventions can address existing health conditions and contribute to positive lifestyles and behaviour changes. Time in prison can also be used to improve peoples skills to help them find a job after release and reintegrate into society.

The prison population, with its disproportionate disease burden, is one that cannot be forgotten in WHOs pursuit of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. To achieve universal health coverage and better health and well-being for all, as in WHOs vision, it is vital that prisons are seen as a window of opportunity to change lifestyles and ensure that no one is left behind, emphasizes Dr Mikkelsen.

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New WHO report: Ignoring the health of people in prisons now comes at a high cost for society later - World Health Organization

How much do you spend on lunch during the week? Lets say 5 a day. Over a 48-week working year, thats 1,200. Making your own lunch not only means you can save some of that for more exciting things (holiday, anyone?), but you can bask in the satisfaction of packing in the nutrients and eating food you really enjoy.

Get into some meal prep on a Sunday afternoon with the radio on, and absorb yourself in some therapeutic chopping, roasting and boiling; make extra portions of your evening meals and package them up for the next day or prepare quick lunches while the kettle is boiling for your morning cuppa.

Below, top Harley Street nutritionist Kim Pearsonsuggests delicious ideas that are packed with goodness. Use them as inspiration swap ingredients in and out as you see fit, and add your favourite toppings such as toasted seeds or a scattering of walnuts.

Use a muffin tray to make these little single-portion frittatas that you can fill with your favourite veg, such as red peppers, broccoli, peas and tomatoes. The eggs are a source of quality protein. Make them for Sunday brunch and then keep them in the fridge for a weekday lunch.

Find the recipe here: kim-pearson.com/new-ways-to-eat-eggs

Make your Sunday roast go further roasted (organic and free-range) chicken pairs beautifully with a fresh and crunchy raw slaw. Finely slice or grate red cabbage, mild onion, carrot and apple, and combine. For the dressing, shake together in a jar equal parts of olive oil and apple cider vinegar with a little Dijon mustard. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, which can help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

This tasty salad can be made in five minutes. Mix a can of tuna with a can of mixed beans and combine with a good handful of rocket leaves. Whip up a dressing (tahini, lemon juice and olive oil works well) in a jar and pour over at lunchtime to stop the salad going soggy. Beans are affordable and nutrient-dense, providing protein, fibre and a variety of vitamins and minerals.

Sushi can be hard to make at home and keep in one piece until lunch, so try making deconstructed sushi in a jar for your lunch. Layer a portion of brown rice with avocado (which provides healthy fats and fibre), nori sheets, cucumber and smoked salmon. Pour over a dressing made from soya sauce, sesame oil and a little wasabi powder.

Roast chunks of sweet potato and red onion the night before and allow them to cool. In the morning, combine with halved cherry tomatoes, cooked king prawns and fresh, torn basil leaves. Use the mixture to fill three romaine lettuce leaf shells and pack them into your lunchbox. Sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene its converted by the body into vitamin A, which helps support normal skin and vision.

A nutritious leftover dinner that tastes great cold the next day is vegetable stir-fry with salmon, coconut oil and soy sauce. Salmon is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, an essential part of a healthy diet.

Lunch boxes arent just for kids. Pack a sectioned lunch box with carrot and celery crudits, cherry tomatoes, a generous dollop of hummus, some juicy cooked king prawns and a portion of fruit such as berries. Berries are a great addition as they are one of the fruit options with the lowest sugar.

Put your soup on before your morning shower and it will be ready soon after you get out. Gently fry onion and garlic, add three or four of your favourite vegetables (the more you add, the wider the variety of vitamins and minerals it will give you), pour in hot vegetable stock until the veg is just covered and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste and whizz up with a hand blender, if you like your soup smooth. Pour into a flask and it will still be warm at lunchtime. Butternut squash, sweet potato, red pepper, chickpeas and ginger is an especially delicious combination.

Roasted veg is a great accompaniment to an evening meal and the caramelised flavours work beautifully in a lunch the following day. Add some falafel and hummus thats made with extra-virgin olive oil (available in supermarkets) pulses such as chickpeas are a good source of vegan protein.

Try strips of delicious smoked tofu (you can eat it raw), thrown over steamed spring greens and a serving of quinoa, doused with a punchy lemon and olive oil dressing. Dark green leafy veg contains iron, which contributes to the normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin that transport oxygen around the body.

To help you support your health and well-being outside and in, Centrum has partnered with Telegraph Spark to help you make small yet effective changes*.

Centrum wants to motivate you to boost your health in a simple, enjoyable and sustainable way. Working with leading experts and nutritionists, exercise and wellness brands, we have curated a wealth of tip-packed, easy-to-follow content from healthy eating ideas to on-trend activities and ways to de-stress and relax. Centrums range of multivitamins is specially tailored to help support you every day based on your age, gender, lifestyle and nutritional needs.*

To find out more, and discover which Centrum is right for you, visit centrum.co.uk

*Multivitamins are intended to supplement your diet and should not be regarded as a substitute for a varied diet and a healthy lifestyle. Centrum contains vitamin D, which contributes to the normal function of the immune system, and vitamin B12, which contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

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10 healthy and cheap ways to fill your lunchbox - Telegraph.co.uk

Healthy eating doesnt have to involve complicated diets or extreme approaches. By making some simple swaps to your regular choices, you can bag more beneficial nutrients, sustain energy levels, avoid too much snacking and feel better inside and out. Here are our suggestions for some smart switches you can build in this month for easy eats with serious benefits...

Why? It turns out Goldilocks had the right idea a bowl of porridge is one of the best ways you can start your day (though we dont suggest stealing it from a bear). Oats contain a soluble fibre called beta-glucan, found to lower bad cholesterol (note that the beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 3g of oat beta-glucan). Oats are also a complex carbohydrate, and are full of fibre and nutrients, so they take longer to digest, helping you sustain energy levels through the morning. Just remember to opt for natural oats without flavourings or added sugar. Try topping your porridge with some sliced apple with a sprinkle of cinnamon, or banana and flaked almonds, to add a little natural sweetness.

Why? OK, were not trying to deprive you of your must-have morning java, but as the day wears on, try going green, and enjoy the zen vibes that follow. Green tea is loaded with powerful antioxidants and also contains an amino acid called L-theanine. That should make your to-do list that bit more doable.

Why? If lunch just isnt lunch without a sandwich, dont panic you can still have your carb hit: just switch it for a wholemeal version that will pack health-based benefits with every bite. Upping your intake of wholegrains can help boost the nutritional quality of your diet, due to increased intake of micronutrients. They may also help you feel fuller for longer, staving off those mid-afternoon hunger pangs.

Why? Theres a reason hipsters look healthy, and its not just down to fusion yoga and unicycling. Mashing an avocado and adding it to your sandwich filling gives you a great creamy taste, like mayo, but also allows you to squeeze in one of your five-a-day. Plus these delicious fruits (technically a single-seeded berry, for any fact enthusiasts) are nutritional powerhouses rich in fibre, full of healthy fats, and a great source of potassium. So get mashing.

Why? Because (a bit of some) chocolate is good for you. By switching to dark chocolate, youre getting higher levels of cocoa flavonoids, antioxidant molecules that are believed to be beneficial to brain function. Studies have also found dark chocolate to contribute to heart health via normal blood flow. Look for bars with 70 to 85 per cent cocoa to bag the benefits, and think a few squares rather than entire giant bar (sorry).

Why? Because they are an all-round healthier, hunger-satiating snack, with walnuts in particular singled out for their high levels of antioxidants. They are also high in protein and fibre, with studies showing nuts like almonds can help you to feel fuller for longer (and less likely to hit up the vending machine for another pack).

Why? Even if youre not veggie or vegan, health experts recommend we limit our intake of red meat. Beetroot burgers are on trend as a meat-free alternative, and available in many supermarkets.

Why? Though they might be tasty, the humble spud doesnt count as one of your five a day, but sweet potatoes do, making them an easy way to up your veg intake and feel instantly virtuous. Sweet potato is full of beta carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A. Its also a good source of potassium and fibre. Oven-bake wedges or try it mashed as a side or perhaps as a tasty alternative topping on a cottage pie.

Why? Because its just as (if not more) creamy, while serving up a delicious dollop of nutrients. High in protein and rich in calcium, Greek yoghurt makes a healthier accompaniment to desserts or a great one in its own right. Look out for an unsweetened version and add some fresh fruit, chopped nuts and cinnamon.

To help you support your health and well-being outside and in, Centrum has partnered with Telegraph Spark to help you make small yet effective changes*.

Centrum wants to motivate you to boost your health in a simple, enjoyable and sustainable way. Working with leading experts and nutritionists, exercise and wellness brands, we have curated a wealth of tip-packed, easy-to-follow content from healthy eating ideas to on-trend activities and ways to de-stress and relax. Centrums range of multivitamins is specially tailored to help support you every day based on your age, gender, lifestyle and nutritional needs.*

To find out more, and discover which Centrum is right for you, visit centrum.co.uk

*Multivitamins are intended to supplement your diet and should not be regarded as a substitute for a varied diet and a healthy lifestyle. Centrum contains vitamin D, which contributes to the normal function of the immune system, and vitamin B12, which contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

Continue reading here:
These healthy food swaps will overhaul your diet - Telegraph.co.uk

With medical expenses increasing by the day, its important to be conscious about preventive healthcare, which includes keeping yourself fit. Not doing enough could make you vulnerable to diseases, especially if you have a sedentary lifestyle. Insurers too emphasize on preventive healthcare; in the last few years, many of them have started bundling reward programs to encourage fitness. In fact, not keeping fit can add to your health insurance premiums, especially if you are 40 or above.

Recognizing the need of the hour, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) has also sought to promote preventive healthcare, through its latest draft guidelines on wellness and preventive benefits. The biggest takeaway from these guidelines is the fact that insurers can now offer a discount on premiums or bump up your sum insured if you keep fit.

It has become important to prioritize health and include preventive healthcare measures in ones daily life. With this move, we believe that health insurance will no longer be perceived just as a measure to secure oneself against unforeseen illnesses; rather it will become a part of ones daily health needs," said Ashish Mehrotra, managing director and chief executive officer, Max Bupa Health Insurance Co. Ltd.

The guidelines shall come into force with immediate effect. We tell you how the health insurance industry rewards you for keeping fit and whats on the cards.

Taking a step ahead

Wellness is already being promoted as part of many health insurance policies across insurers, but not in a big way. The Health Insurance Regulations (HIR), 2016, included guidelines on wellness. However, it allowed only OPD consultation or treatment, some discount on pharmaceuticals and free health check-ups and diagnostics. Amit Chabbra, head, health insurance, Policybazaar.com, an online insurance marketplace, said the OPD benefits didnt become mainstream because insurers had to build in the cost of OPD expenses which are more common than hospitalization.

Mehrotra said the new draft guidelines take the earlier regulations a step forward to increase the bouquet of health services which can be provided to policyholders.

Shreeraj Deshpande, chief operating officer, Future Generali India Insurance Co. Ltd, said these new guidelines complement the earlier ones by allowing ways in which utilization of the wellness features can be incentivized. While the earlier guidelines introduced wellness as a feature in health insurance, there were no avenues of encouraging customers to actually use those features," added Deshpande.

Wellness perks

Irdai has proposed certain ways through which insurers can offer wellness perks to policyholders.

Based on the disclosed fitness and wellness criteria, insurers can offer redeemable vouchers for the purchase of protein supplements and other consumable health supplements. Policyholders may also get redeemable vouchers for memberships in yoga centres, gymnasiums and for participating in other fitness activities. The earlier discounts (through vouchers) on OPD consultations and treatments, pharmaceuticals and health check-ups done by network hospitals would also continue.

Of all the benefits proposed, what stands out is the discounts on premiums and an increase in sum insured at the time of renewal, depending on how well youve followed the wellness regime.

Irdai has also allowed insurers to stretch the benefits by covering non-payable items of cost of treatment. Insurers can vary the benefits offered on the basis of geography, product design and claims experience. Insurers could come up with customized health-risk assessment tools to help policyholders realize their fitness levels. The associated cost may vary from insurer to insurer based on the design of the wellness programme," said Subrata Mondal, executive vice-president, IFFCO Tokio General Insurance Co.

The benefits can be offered only after they are filed or incorporated as part of a product in line with product filing guidelines. Insurers cannot discriminate in providing the wellness features and benefits offered to the same or similar category of policyholders for a specific product. However, there would be some distinction in the kind of benefits offered based on the cost of the policy. Distinction would be there because product differentiation can be brought about only if wellness benefits are graded based on premium paid," Deshpande said.

Insurance companies have also been asked to assess the impact of such features on pricing. If theres any impact on pricing, the insurer will have to disclose it upfront.

What the draft says

Irdai has asked insurers to refrain from promoting third-party merchandise in their advertisements. However, they can disclose the items or services offered on their website in detail and also provide a link in the policy documents. They also cant accept any liability towards quality of the products or services offered by a third party.

Insurers have been asked to ensure that the agreed services or products under the wellness programme of every product are discharged accurately by the service providers. Also, other than the monetized value of reward points redeemed by policyholders, insurers cant make payments to the third party service or product providers. Insurance companies will have to, as a rule, disclose product-wise payouts for every third-party merchant in the annual public disclosures.

All insurers will have to factor in the costs towards wellness services into the pricing of the product which shall be disclosed in all the advertisements promoting wellness features. The regulator has allowed insurers to appropriately price the products based on predefined factors. The costs towards wellness services are to be kept transparent in the insurance advertisements," said Mondal.

For family floater plans, insurers will have to disclose the manner in which the accrual and redemption of benefits will be considered with respect to all the members covered. For all policies, whether the accrued benefits can be carried forward or not at the time of renewal will have to be specified clearly in the policy document stating the period of validity of the benefits. Benefits accrued cannot be linked to any dynamic factor and will have to be declared upfront at the commencement of the policy.

At least once every year, insurers shall notify the benefits accrued to the policyholder. In view of policyholders privacy, insurers must ensure that the information gathered during the process of offering wellness benefits is kept confidential and isnt used for other purposes.

How you will benefit

Though these benefits could impact premiums, it will help insurers reduce the claims ratio, which would encourage them to provide wellness features at affordable prices. The wellness regime followed by the policyholders would help in keeping them fit and in turn could result into lesser claims which would help us in providing better discounts to customers," said Mehrotra.

Most insurers said there would be a pricing impact on the policies but because companies would be sourcing these services at an aggregate level on behalf of customers, access to preventive healthcare would end up becoming cheaper.

Health insurers in developed countries and some developing countries like South Africa have a strong wellness framework embedded in their business strategy, which has helped them in getting detailed information about customers lifestyle and frame customized wellness interventions for them, said Deshpande. South African insurers such as Discovery and Clover Health are able to do far better disease management for their policyholders through wellness benefits," said Chabbra.

With the new guidelines, Indian insurers too will now be able to incentivize people to adopt a healthy lifestyle. This would lower the chances of hospitalization due to lifestyle-related diseases. Experts said what the guidelines aim to achieve will be a win-win for both the policyholde
rs and insurers.

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Stay fit and pay less for your health insurance - Livemint

Previously, consumption of food was traditionally viewed as a necessity for good growth, strength, and energy. While these factors are still very relevant, food is now also considered on the basis of its physiological, psychological and medical effects on the human body.

Does it reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases? Could it lead to or prevent cancer? How does my diet affect the probability of developing obesity or diabetes? These are common questions associated with food. These and other similar questions are becoming more important in view of growing concerns for health and wellness. Recent rising costs of health care have also generated a growth in health and diet conversations in recent times.

Eating food is an object of pleasure for some people, a health remedy for others, and a matter of life and death for some unfortunate few. Food is a source of the key nutrients the body needs for growth, development and maintenance of body tissue carbohydrates, proteins, fats and oil, vitamins, minerals, and water. The way food is consumed has huge consequences for the body. Food must be eaten adequately, timely, in the right quantities, in proper combinations, and in line with the recommended dietary allowances, for the body to derive maximum benefit and obtain good health.

Closely related to good food is the topic of antioxidants and its benefits or impact on health. Growing interest in this topic has emerged in recent times, drawing extensive research from a wide range of experts.

Antioxidants and their benefits to the human bodyResearch shows that fruits (which include 100% or pure fruit juices) and vegetables are the primary sources of antioxidants in our diet. Antioxidants are essential for preventing premature ageing, vision loss, mood disorders, and heart diseases.

According to betterhealth.vic.gov.au, antioxidants are found in certain foods and may prevent some of the damage free radicals cause in the human body by neutralizing them. Oxidative stress occurs when there are more free radicals than antioxidants in the body. Free radicals are oxygen-containing molecules, which have an irregular distribution of electrons. Oxidative stress has been linked to heart disease, cancer, arthritis, stroke, respiratory diseases, immune deficiency, emphysema, Parkinsons disease, and other inflammatory conditions. Antioxidants lessen or prevent the effects of free radicals by donating electrons to the free radicals, thereby reducing their reactivity.

Evidence has shown that certain nutrients present in the diet play an important role in fighting against nutritional oxidative stress. (Prasad, S., Gupta, S. C., & Tyagi, A. K. (2017). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cancer: Role of antioxidative nutraceuticals. Cancer Letters 387; 95-105). Examples of antioxidants include vitamins C and E, selenium and carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, flavonoids, flavones, catechins, polyphenols, and phytoestrogens; which are found in fruits and vegetables.

Antioxidants in fruit juiceMany fruit juices are high in antioxidants, packed with vitamins and minerals, and beneficial in diverse ways. These fruits include peaches, raspberries, strawberries, red currants, figs, cherries, pears, guava, oranges, apricots, mangoes, red grapes, watermelon, and papaya. 100% fruit juice contains bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties. As such, fruit juices have the potential to improve the antioxidant status in the body.

A systematic review of nutritional literature published between 1995 and 2013 was conducted using PubMed database to evaluate associations between intake of 100% fruit juice, markers of antioxidant/oxidant status, and blood lipid levels in healthy adults. Data extraction and analysis was conducted according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis Process. The results from ten clinical trials meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria suggest potential improvements in a variety of antioxidants after consumption of 100% fruit juice.

As humans we all desire a healthy life, and as such, we rely heavily on the nutrients, vitamins and minerals derived from our daily food consumption to stay healthy. Regardless of your motive for food consumption, be it for pleasure or remedy, one of the best measures to building and sustaining a healthy lifestyle is to regularly complement mealtimes with antioxidant-rich food and beverages such as vegetables and 100% fruit juice.*Olusola Malomo is a registered Dietitian (Association of Dietitians in Nigeria ADN). Twitter: @malomoolusola

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Antioxidants and healthy living: the role of 100% fruit juice - Guardian

Finding a lounger by the pool might be easier than ever before this summer. Why? Because everyones pulling on their fit kit and getting hooked on holidays with health benefits. Otherwise known as wellness tourism, a study from 2018 forecast 7.5% per cent growth in this sector with dedicated retreats debuting across the world. Established chains are getting in on the act too, with athletic curricula and healthy upgrades to recharge, reboot and restore your mind and body. So which healthy holiday is right for you?

They say happiness is in the journey, not arriving at your destination, so test this theory yourself with a cycling tour. The Netherlands is a good bet for riding rookies its flat and extremely bike-friendly. Or if you already have an active lifestyle, try Drakensberg and Kruger in South Africa, where youll pedal hard up gruelling mountains before being rewarded with spectacular views and perhaps an opportunity to take a dip in a waterfall.

Lately, canny hotels are going a step further than providing guests with a keycard for the gym. Rooms at Even Hotels (ihg.com) in the US come with fitness equipment such as exercise balls and yoga mats for in-room workouts and beds are topped with natural eucalyptus fibre bedding for a restful nights sleep. Meanwhile bathrooms at Stay Wells hotels, also across the US, (staywellrooms.com), have vitamin-infused showers, plus air purification and a dawn simulator to gently awaken you with light and sound.

Youll nail your 10,000 steps a day with ease if you book a hiking holiday. Enjoy a staycation in the Scottish Highlands, where youll clamber up ascents such as the Devils Staircase with other intrepid walkers. For a more gentle stroll, explore the pretty villages of Las Alpujarras in southern Spain with self-guided walks that last a couple of hours and take in flower meadows, citrus orchards and olive groves.

If downward dogs and pigeon pose are your thing, then you cant go wrong with a holiday that factors in daily yoga practice to tone, strengthen and condition your body as well as de-stress your mind. Many also cater well for solo travellers if you fancy some me-time. Thailand has an abundance of picturesque retreats that cater for every fitness level; many, such as Chiva-Som or Soneva Kiri offer spa facilities and other holistic options such as meditation and pranayama (awareness of ones breath and energy). Closer to home, head to Portugals picturesque Atlantic coast, where many retreats combine yoga and surfing.

Fancy making a court appearance on holiday? You should consider it a game of singles can burn around 414 calories per hour, while doubles is somewhat more sedate, at 288 per hour. Activity holiday specialists such as Mark Warner, Club Med and Neilson have extensive tuition programmes and camps, and even bring in ex-pros to train guests. You may want to consider packing Centrum MultiGummies as these high-quality multivitamins include B6 and B12 that help release energy from your food. Serve!

To help you support your health and well-being outside and in, Centrum has partnered with Telegraph Spark to help you make small yet effective changes*.

Centrum wants to motivate you to boost your health in a simple, enjoyable and sustainable way. Working with leading experts and nutritionists, exercise and wellness brands, we have curated a wealth of tip-packed, easy-to-follow content from healthy eating ideas to on-trend activities and ways to de-stress and relax. Centrums range of multivitamins is specially tailored to help support you every day based on your age, gender, lifestyle and nutritional needs.*

To find out more, and discover which Centrum is right for you, visit centrum.co.uk

*Multivitamins are intended to supplement your diet and should not be regarded as a substitute for a varied diet and a healthy lifestyle. Centrum contains vitamin D, which contributes to the normal function of the immune system, and vitamin B12, which contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

Go here to read the rest:
Will the wellness tourism trend change your holiday plans? - Telegraph.co.uk