Wellness

This doesn’t’ mean joining a gym or training for a marathon (in fact, excessive strain on our bodies causes inflammation of our cells and can increase biological ageing). Just get up regularly, move around, go for a walk and just generally increase your activity. Anything is better than nothing and it’s one of the strongest links to staying fit and well into old age.

Don’t forget how much good a little walk will also do for your mental health, I’m not talking massive endorphin rushes here! Just some simple fresh air, time out of your busy routine and taking the time to reflect, really does help us with our stress and any feelings of low mood.

We all know the positive impact of a varied healthy diet, but in our busy lives, sometimes it’s not always possible to cook from scratch or get a regular amount of recommended fruit and vegetables. A simple change when you are shopping is to reach for as many different coloured fruits and vegetables as possible as they all offer differing health benefits.

The health benefits of eating what nature has provided us with are truly incredible and is the total opposite of eating processed food, high in saturated fat, sugar and salt. Nature supports us to live healthier and longer.

If you want to learn more about processed foods and the impact of them on our health, both from a physical and mental health perspective – then a great book to read is: Ultra Processed People by Chris Van Tulleken. It will open your mind to the chemicals that we all consume daily and then wonder why we just never feel right.

Most of us are not adequately hydrated. Drinking enough fluid is essential for us to maintain homeostasis (A state of balance needed for our body to function properly). The body loses fluid every day to maintain its effective functioning and this fluid needs replenishing adequately each day. Some foods are also hydrating, but as a rule, we all need to drink at least 2 litres of fluid a day and most of us fall short of this. Adequate fluid intake helps our bodies function properly and protect us from ill health.

The big one! Did you know this is the number one cause of work-related illness today. Stress causes inflammation in our body which can lead to all manner of health conditions, it also causes premature ageing of our cells and has a negative impact on cortisol production.

It can literally make you more vulnerable to physical and mental ill health, so please look at ways to alleviate stress and gain a good balance with workload and time for your body to recover.

Find ways to reduce or minimise your stress levels. From not reading or watching ‘bad news’ all the time and reducing the time you spend with ‘emotional vampires’, to taking time out of your busy day to be in nature and by (or even in) the sea. They don’t call it ‘vitamin sea’ for no reason! We are fortunate to be living in one of the UK’s most beautiful areas, taking time out to be in nature is one of the most natural stress alleviators.

Relaxation techniques: you can try meditation, yoga, tai chi, or other relaxation exercises. Meditation can help you focus your attention and quiet your thoughts, which can help you feel calm and balanced. You can also try deep breathing, which can lower your blood pressure and heart rate.

The key is to recognise that our bodies are not designed to be in a high state of stress the whole time, but this is (sadly) how most of us live. By making time for your own wellbeing, you will feel calmer, be able to handle life’s challenges more easily and will reduce the impact of stress on your mental and physical health.

The ageing process rapidly speeds up with the onset of perimenopause, bringing with it a whole host of physical and cognitive symptoms. This can commence years before more severe symptoms become evident. Supporting your bodies before, during and after the onslaught of these negative effects is imperative for women’s health.

It has been proven that general good health, intermittent fasting, certain supplements and of course, HRT, if appropriate, can all help alleviate the cellular decline and inflammation experienced. Do not fret, all of this will be covered in more depth in a separate article.

Lack of sleep equals poor health.

Good quality sleep is an essential part of our cellular recovery to maintain good health. Deep sleep is when our bodies can produce the chemicals that are needed to repair mentally and physically.

Sleep can help reduce stress in many ways, including:

• Decreasing cortisol levels: When you sleep, your body can clear excess cortisol, the hormone responsible for your body’s fight-or-flight response to danger. Sleep can also reduce other stress hormones like adrenaline.
• Processing thoughts and emotions: Sleep allows your brain to process the thoughts and emotions you experience during the day.
• Regulating your immune system: Sleep can improve your immune system.
• Improving recovery and repair: Sleep gives your body a chance to recover from the day’s activities, remove toxins from your brain, and repair cells.
• Consolidating memories: Sleep helps your brain consolidate memories and process information.