10 ways to help you avoid back pain...

Sarky comments about getting old aside, back pain is no laughing matter. Here's how to steer clear...

1. Sit up

The computer age means many of us slump for hours at work and then slump driving home. Keep your spine long: imagine there's a thread pulling the crown of your head up and lengthening that backbone.

2. Vital vitamins

Two independent research trials in the US found common kinds of back pain can be staved off via supplementation of the B-complex vitamins. Take a balanced B-complex supplement that gives you 50mg each of vitamins B1 and B6 per day.

3. Get horizontal

During sleep our backs release the stress accumulated during the day, and the force our bodyweight places on the spine is greatly reduced. However, this won't happen if your bed is over eight years old. A firm, new mattress should do the trick.

4. Glucosamine sulphate

Many an aging exerciser swears by supplement  s of Glucosamine Sulphate, one of the building blocks of joint cartilage. Studies suggest that arthritis-based back pain can be lessened as much by Glucosamine sulphate as by prescription drugs, and it works well combined with Chondroitin.

5. A firm core

The muscles girdling the lowers spine are recruited for almost every physical activity you can imagine, and if they're weak, your posture weakens and back pain is a sure bet. Pilates, Alexander Technique and Gyrotonics, all address this issue.

6. Devil's Claw

Clinical trials in Germany have shown supplements of the herb Devil's Claw are effective in relieving lower back pain. Nutritionists at Reading University in the UK have also been singing the praises of the unfortunately names supplement.

7. Get soft

Soft, or internal, martial arts - tai chi, chi gung, ba gua and aikido - require the subtle harnessing of one's 'chi power', rather than the more strength based, hard, external arts such as karate. Soft martial artists often speak of experiencing gentle spinal massage during the various practise sequences.

8. White Willow Bark

Clinical studies suggest that White Willow Bark, known as ' Nature's aspirin', is good for relieving back pain symptoms, with none of the stomach problems that can accompany real aspirin.

9. Get coordinated

University of Copenhagen researchers gave a strengthening programme to a group of back pain sufferers, and a coordination workout to another. Both group's pain diminished, which suggests being well balanced and coordinated is as important as strength.

10. Pineapple extract

Research done at Reading University in the UK shows the active compounds in Pineapple Bromelain have strong anti-inflammatory and painkilling properties and can offer relief from back pain symptoms.

Remember, if you are unsure about anything mentioned above, always seek appropriate advice or talk to you doctor!

10 ways to help you banish hunger

When a hunger craving hits, it’s difficult to think of anything else. Here are some tips to help banish those pangs…

1. Eat little and often

Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day. Avoid refined carbohydrates like white bread, rice or pasta and go for the complex carbs such as wholemeal bread or pasta and brown rice – they’re high in fibre and keep you fuller for longer. They also keep blood sugar levels balanced – dips and highs can make you want to reach for more food.

2. Count to 15

When the craving hits, it’s hard not to think about your favourite food. However, distracting yourself with another activity for 15 minutes is often all it takes for it to subside. It’s called a pattern interrupt, creating an interruption in the pattern of behaviour that leads you to reach for the biccies. Divert yourself with a walk or a phone call to a friend.

3. Love your lolly

Try making a fruit-juice ice lolly with fresh berries inside. They’re low in calories, take longer to eat because they’re frozen, but still feel like an indulgence when you’re feeling peckish. The sugars in berries are released slowly to give you a treat that won’t leave you feeling hungry quickly afterwards.

4. Clean your teeth

Don’t reach for the chocolate, reach for your toothbrush. Cleaning your teeth when you’re feeling peckish will stop you wanting sugary treats because you won’t fancy them once you have a clean, minty mouth! It’s also another way to distract you from hunger pangs.

5. Drink a glass of water

Dehydration is a key cause of fatigue and can make you want fast-energy foods that contribute to blood sugar imbalances. If you’re feeling a bit ravenous, have a large glass of water and wait five minutes to make sure you’re not just thirsty.

6. Try a supplement

Taking the supplement chromium may help balance blood sugar levels and reduce hunger and cravings. A study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that chromium could also have a beneficial effect on weight loss.

7. Smell success

Some smells can fool the brain into thinking it’s not hungry. Not so much a waft of bacon, but rather the scent of vanilla. A study carried out at St George’s Hospital in London found that people who wore a vanilla-scented patch reduced their cravings for sweets and chocolates. Try sniffing a vanilla candle or some pot pourri to curb your food urges.

8. Don’t sit around

You get cravings when they’re sedentary - at work or in front of the TV. Go for a brisk walk outside or run up and down some stairs. Exercise releases mood-boosting endorphins (much like chocolate), so you’ll feel better and distracted from any food hankerings.

9. Breakfast like a king

Breakfast is one of the quickest meals to prepare, and skipping it plays havoc with hunger. It kick-starts your metabolism for the rest of the day and is crucial for better energy balance. A piece of fruit, muesli or porridge, or egg on wholemeal toast is ideal.

10. Go nuts!

Small snacks (like dried fruit and nuts) between meals will help stop you feeling hungry and keep your blood sugar levels constant. Eat dried fruit and nuts together, as the protein in the nuts will help steady the release of sugar from the dried fruit, to balance your hunger pangs effectively.

Remember, if you are unsure about anything mentioned above, always seek appropriate advice or talk to you doctor!

10 ways to prevent the middle-age spread...

Middle age is a more comfortable time of life, but that doesn’t mean your waistline should relax too! Try these tips for staying trim...

1. Downsize meals

Don’t be tempted to have massive meals. You may live an executive lifestyle since entering middle age, but those long boozy lunches aren’t great for your waistline. Eat small, regular meals to keep metabolism rates up, and don’t forget to include five different types of fruits and vegetables every day.

2. Try chromium

Chromium can help tackle unstable blood sugar levels, so you avoid reaching for the biscuits after lunch. Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found that people who took chromium, multivitamins and vitamins B6 and B12 gained less weight over a 10-year period than those who did not.

 3. Lift weights

On average, people over 25 naturally lose 1lb of muscle tissue every year and this slows metabolism. But gaining 1lb of muscle tissue increases your metabolic rate so you’ll burn up to 50 extra calories a day. Strength training, using weights, is the best way to build muscle. A study by the University of Pennsylvania in 2006 found overweight women who did weight training for two years were less likely to get ‘middle jiggle’.

 4. Go green

Green tea can raise your metabolism, so you burn off extra calories. Research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed an extract from green tea could help with weight loss by speeding up fat burning. Researchers discovered men who drank tea containing a green tea extract used up more calories than those drinking ordinary tea.

 5. Do yoga

If you’re feeling the squeeze, try yoga. A 2005 study in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine found middle-aged men and women who practised regular yoga (at least 30 minutes once a week) gained less weight than their inflexible friends.

 6. Snack smart

The temptation to nibble on naughty snacks can be overpowering for many people. It’s even harder if you keep chocolate and crisps in the house for your children as treats. Swap sugary snacks for a small handful of unsalted brazil nuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, or dried fruit.

 7. Count on calcium

A recent study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association revealed women in their 50s who took a calcium supplement every day put on less weight after 45 than women who did not. And researchers at Purdue University in Indiana found women taking 1000mg of calcium daily (equivalent to one-and-a-half pints of semi-skimmed milk) lost 6lb over two years.

8. Work out your waist

It’s important to combine sit-ups with a healthy lifestyle, as stomach muscles are often hidden below a layer of fat,’ says McGlynn. ‘Activate your muscles by lifting your pelvic floor and pulling up through your bellybutton towards your spine. Do 10 to 15 slow, controlled sit-ups to tone the rectus abdominus muscles – that’s the six-pack!’

9. Have healthy fats

Research carried out at the University of Southern Australia last year found overweight people who took daily doses of fish oil, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and did moderate exercise three times a week lost more weight than those who also exercised but took sunflower oil supplements instead.

10 Go for H2O

People often mistake dehydration for hunger, try drinking a glass of water and then waiting half an hour to see if you’re still hungry. Swap soft drinks for water, too. In a study by the American Obesity Society in 2006, dieters who swapped fizzy drinks for water lost 5lb more than dieters who stuck to sugary drinks. 

Remember, if you are unsure about anything mentioned above, always seek appropriate advice or talk to you doctor!

10 ways to get a good night's sleep

Struggling to drop off each night? Try some of these tips and you'll sleep like a baby...

1. Throw the TV out of the bedroom window

We're not suggesting you go down the rather dated rock-star route, rather that you make your bedroom a place of relaxation rather than somewhere that you become anxious and non-organically over-stimulated. If you've the space, put the TV and computer elsewhere.

2. Valerian

Referred to in the New Testament (!), the herb Valerian has long been regarded as one of the safest sleep-inducers available. Herbalists use it to deal with nerve tension, muscle cramps and muscular spasms, and it's also suggested for bed-wetting. The effect of the supplement is cumulative, so it may have to be taken for a few days. 

3. St John's wort

This herb is already by far the favoured therapy for depression in Germany, where it has been used therapeutically for centuries. It also helps elevate serotonin levels and may also assist with insomnia.

4. Cut down on caffeine

If caffeine was discovered this week, chances are it would swiftly become a controlled substance. It's that powerful. If you can't or won't cut it out of your life entirely, then ensure your last cup is drunk before midday. Avoid other stimulants, such as alcohol, in the period before retiring. Also, aim to have your evening meal no later than two hours before your head hits the pillow.

5. Passiflora

Also known as Passion Flower, Passiflora has a calming effect, and, in supplement form is used for anxiety, tension and mild depression. If your sleeplessness is accompanied by nervous indigestion, it could be for you.

6. Camomile

One of the oldest garden plants is used these days to treat that most modern phenomenon, hyperactivity in children. It also works as a gentle sedative, usually in teabag form, although it can also be used as an aromatherapy oil.

7. Go to bed when you're tired

Going to bed when you're still full of vigour is likely to result in you feeling anxious that you can't get to sleep. Uninvited negative thoughts will come a-wandering in, and you'll be halfway towards developing an insomnia problem. Relax before turning in. Have a bath and listen to calming music (Burt Bacharach rather than, say, Napalm Death).

8. Lavender

Lavender oil, along with Geranium oil, is a top-notch relaxant for those who toss and turn. Place a few drops inside your pillowcase, and prepare to enter the Land of Nod.

9. 5HTP

A  breakdown product of the amino acid L-trytophan, 5HTP increases the level of serotonin in the brain, thus helping modulate mood and sleep and is derived from a West African herb.

10. Don't overdo the weekend lie-ins

Good habits are central to good sleeping. Try to go to bed at the same time each evening, and get up at the same time every morning. Too much lying in can signal a change of habit, and result in disrupted patterns. While an early afternoon power nap can be good, extending it beyond 45 minutes will affect the main sleep of the day/night.

Remember, if you are unsure about anything mentioned above, always seek appropriate advice or talk to you doctor!

10 ways to help you avoid that injury

With some physical activities, injury goes with the territory, but this can be avoided with a little bit of care. Here's my guide to staying on top.

1. Don't overtrain

You know the symptoms - lethargy, tired all the time - but you probably try to override them by doing an ultra-intensive session, in a bid to 'break on through to the other side'. Bad idea. These are the times when poor technique is likely to come in, and injury will follow. Do a gentle session instead, or take a break. Make glucosamine and chondroitin supplements a regular part of your diet.

2. Protein is vital

Workouts cause cellular breakdown in the body. To prevent that becoming harmful, ensure you counter it with sufficient build-up via protein intake throughout the day, but especially within 30 minutes of finishing a session. Make it shake!

3. Warm up well

Though the weather may be warm, the muscles you're about to use in an explosive fashion aren't, and they're prone to tearing if they haven't been properly coaxed into readiness. Spend at least five minutes gently, but with gradually increasing intensity, rehearsing the movements you're going to be making during your workout. If you're going to run, do some jogging. If you're doing a session solely of bicep curls - don't laugh, some people do - then do two sets with just the bar and no weights. Gradually slow your heart rate at the end of your workout otherwise blood pooling, in which blood stays at the extremities, rather than circulating healthily, can ensue.  

4. Memory work

Good news for anyone who's done a reasonable amount of quality strength work. Muscle memory, the ability of muscle fibres to quickly return to doing what they used to do after a layoff, appears to last longer than was thought. Research suggests that we shouldn't fear missing a few weeks - or even longer - of resistance work if there's good work 'in the bank'. Don't, then, run the risk of overdoing it when you're not really up to it. However, there's a limit to how long muscle memory lasts. Six months between sessions might be pushing it.

5. Sensible shoes

Make sure you're wearing footwear that does the job and doesn't do you in. Avoid high street emporia which specialise in trainers for people who spend most of their time with their feet up. Try a shop run by people who know what they're talking about.

6. Adequate fuel

Injuries often strike when you're light-headed from lack of fuel. Try to eat a carbohydrate-rich meal two hours before training, and if your session lasts an hour or longer, take along a sports drink. For your teeth's sake, don't swirl it around your mouth too long.

7. Stretch it out

Static stretching after your warm down is a must, since it improves your range of motion and lessens the likelihood of injury due to shortened muscle groups. If particular muscles tend to hurt after you've done your chosen activity, focus on stretching them afterwards. Hold stretches for 20 to 30 seconds and don't bounce. Breathe slowly and relax while doing so.

8. Know your limits 

Too much, too soon is a recipe for getting crocked, whether you're suddenly increasing your weekly running mileage or upping the weights you're lifting. Follow the 10% rule, never increasing distances or poundages by more than 10% in one week. Every session doesn't have to result in a PB!

9. Cross train

Doing just one activity is likely to result in the sporting equivalent of RSI, with the same old muscles doing the same old thing, while other fibres barely get a look in. Try cross training. If endurance is your bag, rather than just running throw in the bike, the rower and the arc trainer. And if weights are your thing, keep changing the exercises and the rep changes.

10. The right diet

Exercise has loads of positive byproducts, but one of the nasty ones is the creation of free radicals, destructive agents that clamp onto cells around the body. To diminish this internal injury process, try antioxidant-rich fruit and veg, and make sure you have antioxidant supplements such as COQ10 when training's intense.

Remember, if you are unsure about anything mentioned above, always seek appropriate advice or talk to you doctor!

10 ways to help you get the most out of your workout...

Rev up your workout with the following 10 top tips...

1. Get a boost

A coffee, or a caffeine and guarana soft drink 30 minutes before a session can provide that extra focus that could mean the difference between a lacklustre trudge around the gym and a personal best. Don't mistake caffeine as a substitute for carbohydrate energy, though, and make sure you counter its diuretic effects with plenty of water.

2. Make a plan

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Have a good idea of what you're going to be doing otherwise you can end up doing very little.

3. Howdy, partner!

A training partner can provide the motivational spur for reaching new heights, lifting heavier weights, running faster. The 'I go, you go' training approach can be fun and productive, but do beware of going down the 'anything you can do, I can do better route'.

4. And a one, two, three, four...

The right music can make the difference between a sluggish, perfunctory or half-hearted workout, and a landmark, milestone session. Give your gym a list of tracks that inspire you, and if that doesn't work, take your ipod with you.

5. Keep on-target

 'Oh, what's the point?' can creep in when we don't have any specific target with our exercise. We drift and become half-arsed in our efforts. Get short-, mid- and long-term goals. Short could be increasing your weekly running distance by a few miles, mid could be aiming for a 10k race in two months time, and long term could be a marathon next year.

6. Fuel up

Make sure you've plenty of energy before you start your session. If you're having an energy drink during the workout, make sure it's sufficiently diluted - too strong and the brain will decide it's food and send blood the working muscles need to the digestive organs.

7. Give it a rest

Exercising intensely when you're even slightly unwell, or not recovered from a previous session, is bad news for your central nervous system. The CNS can only take so much activity, and is it's overstressed it goes into shutdown. Don't fear rest - it's vital to rebuild muscle and recharge the CNS.

8. A little less conversation

Don't turn your training into too much of a social event. 'I come to the weights room to make progress, not friends,' stated Arnold Schwarzenegger.

9. Part of the process

Having said that targets are important, it's also vital that you enjoy the process. Every session, spend some time coming back to the present, to the thing you're doing right here right now.

10. Reward yourself

Having said it's crucial to enjoy the process, turning the end of a workout into something to look forward to can help. Enjoy deep breathing, stretching, feeling the muscles loosen and relax and that post-workout protein shake. Reward yourself, and next time you'll be just as keen to go through it all again.

Remember, if you are unsure about anything mentioned above, seek appropriate advice or talk to you doctor!

10 ways to help you beat bad breath

Halitosis, or bad breath, isn't nice - we all agree on that. But how do you get rid of it? Here's my top tips...

1. Quit smoking

That perennial culprit - the evil weed. Cigarettes cause less saliva to be produced, which is vital for washing away sugar, plague and tartar, all of which are immediate and long-term causes of bad breath.

2. Go to the dentist...

Gingivitis causes red, puffy gums that bleed when you brush and floss, causing the harbouring of smelly fluids, that then drip onto the tongue. Your dentist can diagnose this, and then advise on counter measures.

3. ...and the hygienist

Descaling your teeth helps remove odour-causing deposits, so see your hygienist regularly. Remember, unlike the dentist who may well want to do something that might actually hurt a bit, hygienists' techniques are relatively gentle. 

4. Learn to brush properly

80% of bad-breath cases are generated in the throat or mouth by decaying food left behind after eating. As bacteria break down the proteins in leftover food and stagnant saliva, they emit a sulphurous gas, which causes a nasty smell. Ask your dentist or hygienist about proper brushing techniques.

5. See your doctor 

The remaining 20% of bad breath cases are caused by illness or metabolic disorders, including diabetes or liver disease. In these cases, the compounds that cause the smell are produced in the body, circulate in the bloodstream, are excreted via the lungs and then exhaled in the breath. See you doctor for advice on this.

6. Calm down

When we become anxious - whether before a job interview, a hot date, or simply because everyone ahead of you in the queue seems to have all day to pay for their paper - our mouths often become dry. This is caused by lack of saliva which means a lack of washing away of smelly bacteria. So breathe deeply instead of getting jumpy.

7. Know your supplements

Spirulina, parsley, mint or charcoal supplements can help neutralise bad breath, as do parsley and mint supplements. Chew the seeds of fennel, coriander, cardamom or caraway to help you produce more saliva.

8. Go herbal

Sip mint, chamomile, fennel or lemongrass tea during the day. Not only will they keep up saliva production, but they function as natural breath fresheners.

9. Rinse and spit

Avoid mouthwash with alcohol, as it dehydrates. Look for one with zinc, chlorine dioxide, hydrogen peroxide or triclosan. They can help dislodge minute food particles, bacteria and dead skin cells and have an immediate freshening effect, plus a longer effect on oral hygiene.

10. Are you lactose intolerant?

Bad breath is a common side effect of lactose intolerance. This is because lactose can't be digested, and bacteria ferment the lactose, producing a foul-smelling gas which is then belched out. Make sure you cut out all sources of lactose - check food labels as it's sometimes in products you wouldn't expect.

Remember, if you are unsure about anything mentioned above, seek appropriate advice or talk to you doctor!