HEALTHY

SEPTEMBER, 2021

B e a u t y T ip s ,
Food
R e c ip e s ,
EASY
WAYS
TO STAY
HEALTHY
& FIT
A d v ic e
on Fitness &
E a t in g
He a lthy Excercise
Self
Improvement
&
Competitions
UK’s top-selling
wellbeing magazine,
packed with health,
lifestyle, psychology
and fitness features.
Get started with barre..

What is barre?
Having its roots in ballet, barre encourages repetition of
dynamic, low-impact isometric movements. Some moves are
easy, some are tricky to master, but there’s a routine for
every level of ability. ‘Since the Covid-19 lockdown, we have
noticed a particular rise in popularity,’ says Anstey. ‘Like-
ly because it is such a versatile method and can be done an-
ywhere with very limited (or no) space or equipment.’

The benefits
Like yoga, barre tones every area of the body, and as with
other forms of resistance training, increases bone density
– of particular importance for women. ‘The movements are
controlled and precise, and a lot of focus is placed on the
key stabilisers in the body that support the core, shoulders
and hips,’ says Anstey.
‘Considering the origins in ballet, it’s no surprise
that posture is a main component, and it really
puts functional movement patterns to the test, ex-
posing weaknesses and imbalances. We regularly
train professional rugby players, cyclists, runners
and rowers, and without exception, they discover
something that can be improved and muscles they
didn’t even know they had.’
What kit is needed?
While barre refers to the long bar installed in stu
studios
dios and
used to support the body, you don’t need any equipment
to take it up – but you can make it easier (or harder) with
a few items. ‘There are plenty of home adaptations that
can be made to create your very own barre studio,’ says
Anstey. ‘But if you have a chair (used as a barre), a set of

light dumbbells, a resistance band and a soft Pilates ball,

you’re all set! We’re seeing our clients do live online work-
outs using radiators, doorways, bags of sugar, old pairs of
tights and garden railings.’
 What Does Calcium Do..

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in our bodies, mak-

ing up around 2% of our body weight. Its mostly stored in
bones and teeth, where it acts as natural scaffolding. But
this mineral is also vital for muscle contractions, pro-
tein metabolism, blood pressure and clotting, and nervous
function. If levels in the blood are too low, our bones are
raided to make up the deficit. This is why we need to keep it
topped up. Teenagers and women often have poor calcium
intake. Experts think this may be because they re more likely
to skip breakfast (which often contains milk). Worryingly,
one in five teen girls dont get enough, putting them at
risk of low bone density.
 What is it
good for? LOWER CAN-
CER RISK
There is evidence calcium protects against
some cancers, particularly colon and breast.
Cancer Research UK says ‘several studies show
a lower risk of breast cancer for women with
high calcium intake or blood levels’. One such
study, of nearly 50,000 Norwegian women,
found those who drank milk as both chil-
dren and adults had a lower risk of devel-
oping breast cancer. And in a Korean
study, those with higher intake
were 16% less likely to develop
colon cancer.

STRONG
BONES AND TEETH
By our early 20s, 90% of our bone
mass has been laid down, so our child-
hood diet is crucial. You build bone density
by eating plenty of calcium-rich foods, along-
side vitamin D, which helps calcium absorption and
transportation into bones. Later in life, bone mass
declines due to hormonal changes, and a good cal-
cium intake can mean the difference between healthy
and fragile bones. Researchers reviewed 22 trials: in 16,
combining calcium and vitamin D improved bone den-
sity. Calcium also combines with phosphate to make
hydroxyapatite, the hard substance in teeth. Again,
these nutrients are vital in early life as teeth form
in the womb. In one study, by age 12, children
whose mothers took calcium in pregnancy
had a 27% reduced risk of tooth decay
compared to those whose moth-
ers took a dummy pill.

HEALTHY
HEART
Studies show that a
higher calcium intake (usu-
ally via low-fat dairy) may help
reduce ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol
levels. It may also have a benefi-
cial impact on blood pressure,
which reduces risk of coro-
nary heart disease. Babies
of pregnant women
who con-
Upgrade To a Healthier Diet..
Y ou may already have noticed
the change in the air – more of us
are choosing to eat seasonally, sus-
tainably and sensibly, rather than
dieting. It’s about keeping things
simple, saying a happy farewell to
strict rules, and embracing a far
more flexible approach to food. ‘Ul-
timately, it’s about finding a healthy
way to eat that fits in with your life in-
stead of taking it over,’ says Uxshely
Carcamo, founder of The Food Ther-
apy Clinic. ‘When you try to give up
loads of different foods, you’re set-
ting yourself up for failure – because
the part of your brain that controls
willpower can’t cope with too many
changes, and what we call “willpower
fatigue” always kicks in. Tiny tweaks,
No more Mr Bad Guy
Demonising certain foods risks making you feel like you’ve fallen off the wagon if you
slip up, says Carcamo. ‘Ironically, the resulting sense of guilt can trigger a binge on all the
other foods you’d vowed to give up.’ Try increasing the range of foods you eat, rather than
cutting out ‘bad’ foods.

Make 10-a-day an easy goal

Use herbs to pack out a plant-based diet, says independent nutritionist Judy Watson.
‘You’ll get a broader range of phytonutrients if you aim to eat 10 varieties of plants in a n
day. An easy way is to make a hearty soup of cabbage, carrots and onions, spiced up with
garlic, ginger and turmeric, and seasoned with a mix of several dried herbs.’ Experiment
with fennel for digestive health, and sage and rosemary for a sharper mind.

Ve-gains
Veganism is huge right now, but there’s more to it than just cutting out animal products,
says Watson. ‘Don’t become a junk-food vegan. You’ll need to be savvy about your choices
to meet your nutritional requirements – and you’ll almost certainly need to supplement
with B12.’ If you’re thinking of going vegan, do your homework – visit vegansociety.com
for advice and info

Rewrite your schedule

Spending Sunday prepping the week’s dishes is a good way to ensure you stick to a
healthy diet – but it’s not for everyone. ‘Pre-planned meals can also lead to feelings of
deprivation and obsessing about the foods you can’t eat,’ says Carcamo. Cooking for two
days ahead often works better than trying to micromanage your whole week.
Protect your Respiratory Health
This Winter..

What problems
are we talking about?
The upper respiratory system –
which includes the nose, the sinus-
es, the mouth and the throat – is di-
rectly exposed to the environment, and
so susceptible to infectious agents like
viruses and bacteria. While many people re-
fer to coughs and colds as ‘flu’, be aware
that ‘flu-like’ is not the same as influen-
za, which is a more severe viral infection
and presents with high fever, sore throat,
nasal discharge, chills, headaches, muscle
aches and reduced appetite. Pneumonia,
which can be caused by viruses or bac-
teria, is an infection which caus-
es a cough, difficulty breathing,
decreased appetite and fever.
Why do respiratory health issues seem more pro-
lific in winter?
Viruses are carried in respiratory aerosols or droplets and current
thinking is that we see an increase in these infections in the win-
ter because of a drop in humidity. We also spend more time indoors
crowded together, increasing the opportunity for transmission. The
viruses that cause the common cold and influenza are very infec-
tious – they get into your nose and throat, multiply, then spread
by sneezes and coughs. These viruses mutate rapidly, so we can’t
build up much immunity. That is why there is often a new strain of
influenza virus in different seasons requiring a new batch of vac-
cines. Lung conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pul-
monary disease (COPD, a group of issues including bronchitis and
emphysema often caused by smoking), can be made worse by these in-
fections and by extremes in temperature.

Who is most at risk?

Those with asthma and COPD, which cause narrowing of the airways,
are more likely to be hospitalised due to winter respiratory health
problems. People with other chronic conditions, including heart
disease, diabetes, and conditions that result in low immunity (for
example, those receiving chemotherapy) are also at increased risk
and may be offered immunisation against influenza and pneumonia.
Infants and the elderly are also vulnerable because of their rel-
atively low immunity. If you are in good health, viral infections
pose more of an irritation than a problem.

What are the treatments?

Viral infections are usually self-limiting, which means that the
person will recover within a week or so without any treatment. So,
unless you are very unwell or have coronavirus symptoms, it may
be better to visit your pharmacist for over-the counter medication
for symptomatic relief (such as analgesia for headaches and nasal
decongestants for a blocked nose). You should make sure you are
well-hydrated and rested, and you are advised not to go to work if
you have influenza as there is a risk of transmitting it. If you
develop any worrying symptoms – chest pain, coughing up coloured or
blood-tinged secretions – then you should seek medical attention.
Some people with influenza can get a secondary bacterial infection
that will require treatment with antibiotics. Similarly, anyone who
develops bacterial pneumonia will require antibiotics, so if you
are coughing up a lot of coloured phlegm, then you should go to see
your GP.

Can I boost my lung health to prevent respirato-

ry health problems?
Lung function is affected by things like your gender and height
– taller people have a larger lung capacity than shorter people.
That said, breathlessness can be caused by lung diseases, but can
also occur due to heart problems and being unfit, so a good diet
and exercise are important. There is some evidence that vitamin D
supplements can reduce the risk of respiratory infections in those
who have a low level of vitamin D. If you are concerned, or you are
prone to an unusual number of chest infections, then you should
discuss this with your doctor.
GENIOUS MAGAZINES
#212, NEAR FILM CITY,
MUMBAI-548121, INDIA

CONTACT US AT
8487545121
WWW.GENIOUSMAGAZINES.COM