40 Ways To Improve Your Health

In these days of skills shortages, lengthy waiting lists, ageing medical equipment, collapsing private healthcare subscriptions and prescribing restrictions, the truism that prevention is better than cure is more pertinent than ever.
So with a nod to Hippocrates and the good doctors operating under his oath, here are 40 little things you can personally do to improve your health, writes Fiona Kelly.

**1 Eat like the French**
Not everything, it would seem, is better in Denmark. For dietary advice, at least, we must look to France, which has the lowest obesity rate in Europe. Mireille Guiliano's book, French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure, explains why women eating in the traditional French way are less inclined to be obese. But it's not just what they eat, it's the entire French approach to eating that makes the French the healthiest eaters in Europe. In French Children Don't Throw Food, New Yorker Pamela Druckerman shows that the key is to start young. By training their children to eat everything, the French have a sense that food is important, joyful and exciting rather than fast, fatty and filling. And not a chicken nugget in sight.

**2 Man, know thy vitamin D levels**
Vitamin D's crucial role in calcium absorption in the body is just the tip of its beneficial iceberg. A lack of this wonder vitamin has been linked to many ailments, from cancer to hypertension, obesity, depression and multiple sclerosis. While some foods -- such as sardines, shitake mushrooms, egg yolks and fortified dairy products -- are rich in vitamin D, our main source of the vitamin is something we don't have enough of: sunshine. Experts now agree that the daily recommended intake levels for vitamin D are too low. Children, pregnant women and the elderly are most at risk of vitamin D deficiency. GPs can carry out a vitamin D check and advise on liquid supplements, which are available over the counter in pharmacies. Further information is available from the HSE and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.

**3 Invest in your metabolism**
Diet fads come and go, but an increase in your metabolic rate will endure. This means eating small meals regularly and increasing your daily exercise amount. Our metabolic rate slows markedly over the age of 35, meaning you have to work harder and eat less to maintain a constant weight. Don't think it matters if you can pinch an inch? Remember that if you have a body mass index over 40, your life expectancy is reduced by 8-10 years -- which is the same as if you smoked. So don't skip breakfast.

**4 Stand up**
Separate Canadian and Australian research has confirmed that -- even for people who are physically fit and have normal bodyweight -- prolonged sitting is associated with increased health risks, including cardiovascular disease, weakened muscles and diabetes. Our bodies are programmed to move yet we spend more than half our waking hours sitting -- in the car, at a desk, in front of a television.

Which brings us to No 5:
**5 Keep things NEAT**
NEAT, or non-exercise activity thermogenesis, is the term used for energy expended (calories burned) doing everyday activities. TV and computers have reduced our daily NEAT dramatically. The solution? Add small amounts of non-exercise-related activity into your daily routine. Standing up triples your energy consumption compared to sitting (standing up during the TV ad breaks or putting your computer on an elevated surface could be a start). And that's nothing compared to taking the stairs instead of the lift.

**6 Get an early morning HIT**
High intensity training (HIT) -- a three-minute burst of intense exercise, three times a week -- can deliver many of the health and fitness benefits of hours of conventional exercise, according to new research. It could be especially useful for those at risk of diabetes -- studies have shown HIT improves insulin sensitivity by an average of 24 per cent. However, there is a sting: not everybody will achieve the cardiovascular benefits of this type of exercise, and only a genetic test will confirm whether you are a 'super responder' or a 'non-responder'.

**7 Let flexibility be your friend**
Reduce the problems and pain surrounding arthritis by maintaining or increasing your flexibility through exercise such as yoga, Pilates or tai chi. For those without joint or mobility problems, the flexibility and mindfulness produced by these practices will be your life-long friends.

**8 Pick up the freebies**
Avail of government schemes that offer free testing for ailments such as cervical and breast cancer. And while you're at it, start lobbying for a free prostate screening service for men too. Approximately one in 12 Irish men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, but it is often slow growing so, if caught early, may not be life threatening.

**9 Get needled **
Acupuncture is now widely recognised by medical professionals as being effective in the treatment of many ailments, including reproductive problems, migraine, insomnia and chronic pain. It might involve lots of needles, but there's no pain involved in this calming, non-pharmaceutical intervention. A portion of fees are covered under some health insurance schemes too.

**10 Know what's normal . . .**
. . . and what's not. Invest in a medical guide (not a self-diagnosis book) which informs you about you and your family's health. Knowing what's normal can help you to know when it's worth going to your doctor for advice. Dr Nina Byrne's Your Health Matters (Blackwater Press) is a comprehensive, user-friendly guide to health in Ireland.

**11 Give up the pep pills**
And up your body's vitamin and mineral content through your food intake rather than by pharmaceutical means. A good way to start is to experiment with ingredients with which you don't normally cook.
For vitamin C try papaya or red bell pepper; for vitamin E try sunflower seeds or peanut butter; for beta-carotene try sweet potatoes; for folates try asparagus or black beans; for B6 try garbanzo beans, bananas or chicken; for B12 try 12 rainbow trout or clams.
Along with the nutritional benefits you'll get a more interesting and varied diet too.

**12 Meditate, the modern way**
With new technology gobbling up our every waking moment, the human brain is constantly thinking. This leads to stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia and burnout. We're well able to rest our weary bodies, but never has it been more difficult, or more important, to rest the mind. Quiet the Mind is a new, graphic guide to meditation from I Had a Black Dog author Matthew Johnstone that offers no chants, no chakras, just a clearing out of clutter in the mind.
Johnstone uses meditation as a way of averting the chronic depression that had been crippling his life as an advertising executive. So go forth and meditate. It costs nothing, involves doing nothing, and you've got nothing to lose.

**13 Gen up on your genealogy**
Many medical problems are inherited conditions: for example, having a close relative with bowel cancer puts you at much greater risk of developing the disease. Other diseases and conditions such as breast cancer and osteoporosis also have a strong genetic link. In Ireland, haemochromatosis (too much iron in the blood) is prevalent and it is recommended that anyone with a family history of the condition be tested for it. Treatment involves simply being scheduled to give blood at regular intervals. Which brings us on to No 14 . . .

**14 Give blood**
A free way to have your iron levels assessed, get a rest and a biscuit, and do your bit for others too. Before you give blood, the Irish Blood Transfusion Service tests a small drop of blood from your finger to make sure that you are not anaemic (short of iron). If your blood passes this test, they may be able to accept your donation straight away. If it doesn't, it may indicate you need to visit your GP for an iron check. There have been warnings this summer that Ireland's hospitals are running dangerously low on blood donation. So go back in 90 days -- and bring a friend. giveblood.ie.

**15 Leave the table feeling like you could eat a little more**
A variation of the etiquette rule to 'always leave something on your plate' -- the result is the same; weight control without that feeling of deprivation that accompanies a weight loss regime. Stomachs are expandible and if filled frequently they will learn to stretch to fit in larger amounts of food. Because your tummy sends a signal to your brain to stop eating when it is full, the smaller it is when it reaches that full feeling, the less you're going to feel inclined to eat in the first place.

**16 Recognise that you probably don't have a food allergy**
Unless a doctor has diagnosed you as coeliac (higher prevalence in the west of Ireland), or having lactose intolerance or a raft of other food allergies, you probably don't have one. For coeliac disease, diagnosis is not done by looking at your bloated stomach or by a walk in off the street allergy test. It's by a full blood test and confirmed by biopsy of the bowel. So don't go cutting out a major food group just yet.

**17 Take the internal lift**
Yup, we're talking Kegels here -- and not just for pregnant women. This involves isolating the pelvic muscles (those used for going to the toilet, front and back), pulling them in while counting to three, then relaxing them slowly while counting to three. Yoga teacher Deirdre Murphy of Open Mind Yoga advises visualising going up and down in an internal lift, floor by floor, as you slowly contract then relax the muscles. Kegels are best done standing up, with the stomach muscles relaxed. And remember to keep breathing throughout.

**18 Hold it in a little**
Following a bladder drill -- emptying it at regular intervals rather than every time you feel the need to go -- can help with an oversensitive bladder and urge incontinence (the need to go often). Over time you can train your bladder to become less sensitive to the need to go.

**19 Make informed choices**
And use your right to seek a second opinion. Doctors are wonderful, but they are not infallible. If you are doubtful about information you are receiving about your health, it's a good idea to ask for another doctor's opinion. Patients' organisations are also a way of becoming more informed about the medical services in your area. And don't forget the free font of knowledge that is the pharmacist if you have a query about a prescription, or to recommend over-the-counter medicine for a minor ailment.

**20 Investigate your local, honey**
There has long been anecdotal evidence of the immunising effects of eating honey. Some informal studies have proven persuasive enough for people to fight their seasonal allergies -- and perhaps even asthma -- by eating a local honey every day. The action of eating local honey is said to be that of immunotherapy. It is supposed to introduce dummy versions of a troublesome allergen into the body and effectively makes the body accustomed to its presence through the production of antibodies (much like a vaccination). This is said to decrease the chance of an immune system response such as the release of histamine when the body is actually exposed to the allergens. Honey is not recommended for babies under one year old.

**21 And then head to New Zealand**
The honey of the bees that pollinate the Manuka tree is an anti-inflammatory foodstuff recognised as a treatment for a wide range of stomach and gut ailments; as a topical antibacterial agent for wound and burn care; as a treatment for plaque and gingivitis; a soothe to sore throats; and a way to increase general health and wellbeing. Its natural antibiotic potency is rated on a Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) scale. Professor Peter Molan, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Waikato, New Zealand, famously used Manuka honey on bandages to halt the spread of MRSA in his local hospital, which is the largest in the southern hemisphere.
The NHS in Britain now also uses Manuka-impregnated bandages. "Manuka honey with a UMF of 15 is 30 times more effective than it needs to be as an antibiotic, and is fine for treating skin ailments; for treating a stomach infection or diarrhoea, where the honey stays in the gut, clinical trials have shown it to be effective," he says. Look for the registered UMF trade mark.

**22 Become a mummy**
Most of the benefits of motherhood are intangible, emotional, and social (and so are most of the drawbacks). But women having babies under the age of 30 can avail of measured protection against developing breast cancer. The hormone oestrogen fuels 80 per cent of all breast cancers. Since pregnancy and lactation reduce your oestrogen levels, your risk is decreased each time you are pregnant and while you are nursing your baby. Which, if you're in this category, means you can skip to No 25.

**23 Become a daddy**
Despite all the stresses and strains of parenting, a study of parents by the Max Planck Institute points to the fact that children are a long-term investment in happiness. The study showed that parents over the age of 40, who had one to three children, were considerably more content than childless couples. Children can increase your self esteem (you're the best daddy in the world, after all) and keep those cognitive wheels turning (why are trees green and not pink?) and even help lower your blood pressure. And you get better parking too.

**24 Have two daughters**
Want to be happy? A study from parenting website www.bounty.com has found the key to harmonious family life is to have two children of the female sex. The research found that two girls in a family are unlikely to fight, will play nicely and are generally a pleasure to be around. It was also said that they rarely annoy their parents, make limited noise, often confide in their parents and are unlikely to wind each other up or ignore each other. Unless those two girls happened to be me and my sister.

**25 Breastfeed**
The benefits of breastfeeding for babies are well documented, but mothers too can benefit from this relationship. In addition to the reduced breast cancer risk (see 22), breastfeeding lowers women's risk of uterine and ovarian cancer, and of developing osteoporosis in later life. Studies show that breastfeeding mothers show less postpartum anxiety and depression than do formula-feeding mothers, thanks to the natural endorphins released during the process. It also aids postpartum weight loss -- and it saves a lot of money too.

**26 Brush, brush, brush**
Learn how to brush your teeth. Incorrect brushing is at best ineffective brushing and at worst, a cause of gum erosion and unnecessary cavities. According to dental hygienists, the best way to brush is to make small, circular movements ten times on each tooth (front and back) with a compact toothbrush head. The toothbrush should be held at an angle to the tooth, so the bristles dislodge the harmful bacteria under the gum. This should be followed by flossing in between each tooth with a long piece of dental floss wound tightly around the first finger of each hand.

**27 It's not just about your teeth**
What goes on in your mouth can affect the rest of your body; what goes on in your body also can have an effect on your mouth -- making a dental check-up an all-over body check. For example, a growing body of research shows that gum disease can increase the risk of various medical conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and premature births. Dentists may recognise the danger signs in a mouth ulcer that won't go away, or see the indications of anaemia in pale gums and a painful palate. Regular visits can also help save on the need for costly, large-scale dental work down the line.

**28 Put money back in your pocket**
And mitigate against impotence, infertility, cancer and cardiovascular disease by stopping smoking. After years of being banged over the head with the message, you don't need to be told again that smoking kills. Do you?

**29 Gaze into your own eyes**
And then look again at your eyelids. Heart problems can be predicted by the condition of the skin around the eyes, according to Danish research. The study, published last year in the British Medical Journal, found that yellow raised patches of skin around the eyelids (called xanthelasmata) are a good indicator of cardiac problems such as heart attacks, stroke, thickening of the arteries and heart disease. The researchers found that another cholesterol deposit -- arcus corneae or grey rings around the cornea in the eye, are not a good indicator of future heart problems. But spotting these little yellow patches could be a reason to take a routine cholesterol check.

**30 Look to America and see our future**
Then head for Finland instead. The cost to the US economy of obesity-related problems such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer and hypertension -- just some of the conditions that research has linked to obesity -- is now in excess of $100 billion a year. A study of dietary change in Finland from 1972-1992, however, revealed a decrease of 55 per cent in deaths from heart disease among men, and 68 per cent in women. The figures for rising obesity in Ireland are stark. Be aware of the level at which obesity begins, for your self and your children, and see if it's time to examine your whole approach to food, alcohol and activity.

**31 Believe in miracles**
Scientists have discovered that a hidden vitamin in milk and in beer -- called the "miracle molecule" -- may prevent obesity. A new study has found that nicotinamide riboside (NR), a molecule that influences cell metabolism, could play an important role in preventing weight gain and diabetes. It is also said to improve muscular performance and provide other "extraordinary health benefits" such as anti-ageing qualities, according to a Swiss-based research team.
So is the much maligned beer actually the elixir of youth and health? At the moment the molecule is impossible to replicate and found in extremely small quantities in the liquid -- making it impossible to know how much you would need to drink to notice the effects.

**32 Work on your timing**
Obesity has also been linked to the times you eat meals in day. While eating later at night has often been pegged as the way to weight gain, it is now believed that consuming all your daily calories within an eight-hour period leads to better health than munching throughout the day, even when the former approach includes more fat. Research in the Lancet shows how our internal clocks are closely tied to our metabolism; so disrupting them can cause weight gain and diabetes. It is believed shortened feeding periods gives our metabolic systems longer to perform their function uninterrupted by a new influx of nutrients.

**33 A coffee a day keeps Alzheimer's away**
Moderate coffee drinkers can forget about trying to cut down on their caffeine intake, as US researchers have found that drinking three cups of coffee a day can reduce risk of dementia and delay onset of Alzheimer's disease in later life. The research, published in the June edition of the Journal of Alzheimer's disease, has shown that older adults with mild memory impairment who drink three coffees a day will not convert to Alzheimer's disease, or experience a substantial delay before converting as expected. Researchers believe that moderate daily coffee intake throughout adulthood should appreciably protect against Alzheimer's in later life. Separate research earlier this year has found coffee drinkers reduced their risk of dying from heart disease, lung disease, pneumonia, stroke, diabetes and even accidents and injuries. Strangely, caffeine from any other source has no effect.

**34 Drink like Goldilocks **
Avoiding the downsides of alcohol while obtaining its beneficial effects (and we don't mean that warm fuzzy feeling) would seem to be an impossible task. For every study confirming that alcohol reduces heart disease, there is another attesting to drink-related liver disease or cancer. New research in the British Medical Journal hopes to bring some clarity to the issue by modelling the daily intake across the entire English population that would maximise the benefits and minimise the downsides. The "Goldilocks" level of consumption has been shown to be 5g per adult per day -- the equivalent of two standard glasses of wine or 3.5 units of alcohol a week. This is far less than the current recommended safe levels of 21 units a week for men and 14 for women.

**35 Campaign for vending machine-free schools**
As obesity rates soar, it's hard to believe that most children and adolescents could avoid significant long-term weight gain by cutting out only 100 or 200 extra calories a day. A study in the US state of California found that by removing junk food vending machines from state schools, high school students consumed an average of 160 fewer calories a day, and there was no evidence that the students were supplementing this limited access to junk food by eating more out of school. And while we're at it, why not seek to have junk food banned in schools altogether?

**36 It's the sugar, stupid**
Working late and think you need a sugar rush to keep the brain firing on all cylinders? A new UCLA study has shown a diet high in fructose slows the brain, hampering memory and learning. So sugar consumption isn't just harmful in rotting teeth and creating obesity, it is believed the fructose blocks insulin's ability to regulate how cells use and store sugar for the energy required for processing thoughts and emotions -- so it affects how we think too. The good news is, omega-3 fatty acids can counteract the disruption caused by sugar. So if you must have that chocolate bar, have it with a spoonful of flaxseed oil.

**37 The devil's in the detail**
Always check food labelling for high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS or glucose-fructose syrup), and if you see it, put the packet back on the shelf. This inexpensive liquid that is six times sweeter than cane sugar is commonly added to processed foods, including soft drinks and baby food. The average American unwittingly consumes about 36lbs of it a year (think 36 one-pound bags of sugar). It truly is the devil. Try keeping fresh berries and Greek yogurt for snacking on instead.

**38 Learn the art of self-examination**
Most women are aware of the importance of learning how to examine for lumps in the breast. But how many men take time after the shower to do a monthly testicular examination? While rare, testicular cancer is nevertheless the most common cancer diagnosed in males aged 15-34. Have teenagers in the house?
Make them aware of the need to self-examine too.
See cancerhelp.cancerresearchuk.org

**39 Don't worry, be happy**
When things are steep, remember to stay level-headed, said Horace (BC 65-8). A lot has changed in the world since Horace was feeling a little stressed, but the fact that stress can affect both your physical health and your mental health remains. Self-help is important to keeping your life on an even keel. This includes looking at the times you get stress and identifying changes you could make that might help. Eating and exercise play a major role in stress alleviation, as does relaxation (see above) and talking to friends or relatives that you trust. Still experiencing difficulties? The GP could be your next port of call.

**40 And don't forget the sunscreen**
Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer (it can also form in the eye and in the intestines). The first sign can be a change in an existing mole, or a new atypical mole appearing. If you have a lot of moles or one you're concerned about, it could be a good idea to photograph them and then check regularly for changes. Signs of change to look out for are: (a) asymmetry. (b) borders. (c) colour. (d) diameter. (e) evolving changes -- crusting, bleeding, itching or enlargement. New moles that appear after the age of 30 should be watched closely. Apart from monitoring moles, ask your GP how to conduct a proper skin examination, which you can do at home. And never, ever use a sunbed.

*This article offers suggestions for safeguarding your health, but does not constitute, nor is it a substitute for, medical advice. Consult your doctor if you have a preexisting medical condition before following any of the recommendations above*

Article Link: THE DENTISTRY IQ NETWORK

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