An apple a day can be a bit of a yawn
Doctors frequently tell us that getting enough exercise, eating a balanced diet, quitting smoking and cutting back on alcohol are vital if we want to stay in good health.
But are there things these specialists also do as part of their own routine in order to maximise general well being?
A broad range of medical professionals and practitioners were asked to pass on their personal tips for maintaining good health. And they came up with some very interesting suggestions.
A quick glance at the mirror by your desk will tell you if you have subconsciously slipped into a slouch. Seeing your reflection is a great way to force yourself to sit up straight.
In the sense of food, our body uses sugar from its energy stores and this mechanism can trigger a migraine or a headache.
By eating a bowl of cereal just before bedtime, we can stop the potential headache problems.
They’re great for insect bites and if taken immediately they rapidly reduce irritation to a point where you might hardly know you’ve been bitten.
Waiting until you get home means the discomfort can become far more acute.
Removing your glasses for a few minutes forces you to stop what you’re doing and prevents the eye focusing on anything in particular.
It relaxes eyes muscles, and the strain that causes fatigue is relived.
Any form of restrictive clothing can distort posture and lead to back pain.
It also forces us to breathe using the upper part of the lungs, which creates tension in the shoulders and effects posture and breathing.
The gullet joins of the stomach on the left side of the body so, by lying on the right, food can move more effectively through the digestive tract.
Not only do they feel so much more comfortable, but they polish rather than scratch the skin’s surface so that it feels less itchy. Silk is also less allergenic, so is good for asthma and eczema sufferers.
Cold viruses can be passed from a person to person by hand contact or by touching contaminated surfaces such as door and handles and then touching our eyes or nose.
By anchoring your hands with a good book or in deep pockets you stop yourself doing this.
Maintaining a work/life balance is vital for good health, so stop yourself working longer than the hours you are paid to do.
If you don’t, this will eat into the time you have appointed for leisure or out-of-work activity, putting you under pressure and increase stress.
When you buy snacks for a party or your house, buy flavours or varieties you don’t particularly like.
It makes you less tempted to eat them yourself.
Sleeping on your side or front squashes the face into the pillow and increases the chances of lines and wrinkles. This is particularly true of the nasalabial fold, which is the line that runs from the nose to the mouth.
Whenever you wake up during the night and find yourself on your side or front, switch to your back again.
This works the core stability muscles that protect our back and don’t get used enough.
The exercise also helps restore balance and posture, since we often have a tendency to lean to one side.
Stand on your left leg first until you start to feel too wobbly and then do the same with the other right.
Rinsing after brushing reduces the effectiveness of your fluoride because you wash it away. For this reason, don’t use mouthwash straight after either.
As we sleep, bacteria and plaque form on our teeth. If we have breakfast without brushing this away, the bacteria multiplies thanks to any sugar and acid in the food which, in turn, increases the risk of tooth decay.
Brushing not only removes the bacteria but also allows the fluoride in the toothpaste to coat the teeth, protecting them against acid and sugar.
Feet swell up throughout the day due to heat and activity so buying at this time means you are trying on shoes when your feet are at their largest.
This way, you avoid a bad fit that can lead to foot and health problems.