BlueSkies Newsletter - August 2008
Welcome to the August edition of the BlueSkies newsletter.
We hope that you find the articles informative and useful.
In this article, our feature articles include:
Also, look out for our tips on how to keep track of your sugar intake, find out why badminton and pumpkin seeds are good for you and learn about our new Home Health MOTs.
If you have any comments or there is a particular topic you would like us to cover in the future, please contact us by e-mail.
Men's Health - what do you need to know?
The awareness of men's health issues is rising all the time with large scale marketing campaigns, increased TV coverage and an increased interest in the subject. However, a lot men still do not know when they should visit their GP and the symptoms that they should be aware of. This article covers some of the more common issues.
Prostate cancer
The prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system that lies just underneath the bladder and surrounds the urethra - the tube that men pass urine and semen through. The prostate is a complex gland and still to be fully understood - even top researchers are unsure of all it's functions. What is known is that it makes and secretes prostatic fluid which is one of the major components of semen.
In young men, the prostate is about the size of a walnut but it's size increases with age. This enlargement can cause the urethra to narrow leading to problems when passing urine. There are a number of prostate conditions are not all are cancerous - there are three main conditions that men should be aware of that have similar symptoms:
- Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) - non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland
- Prostatitis - inflammation of the prostate gland
- Prostate Cancer - normally a slow-growing type of cancer, sometimes with no symptoms
Symptoms that may be common to all of these conditions include:
- Needing to urinate more often than is normal for you, especially at night
- Needing to rush to the toilet & occasionally leaking urine before you get there
- Difficulty starting to urinate
- Straining or taking a long time to finish urinating
- A weak urine flow
- A feeling that your bladder has not emptied properly
Less common symptoms that may apply to all of these conditions include:
- Pain when urinating
- Pain when ejaculating
- Pain in the testicles
If you have any of these symptoms, you should see your GP immediately.
Enlargement of the prostate gland is a natural process of ageing - most men are over 50 before they start to notice any symptoms. However, this is not to say that young men cannot be affected so everyone should be aware of the symptoms. You may find it useful to know that a man is 2.5 times more likely to get prostate cancer if their father or brother has suffered from it, and Afro-Caribbean men are 3 times more likely to develop this cancer than Caucasian men. If you are concerned about symptoms or think you are at high risk of developing prostate cancer, you should visit your GP.
To help reduce your risk of prostate cancer, researchers believe that you should reduce the amount of animal fat (saturated fat) in your diet and eat more fruit and vegetables. Habits that will improve your general health and also help to protect you from many other diseases.
For more information, click here to visit the Prostate Cancer Charity.
Testicular cancer
In contrast to prostate cancer, testicular cancer tends to affect young men - those in the 20 - 44 age bracket are at most risk. It is not a very common form of cancer, however there are approximately 2,000 new cases every year. It is reassuring to know that if identified early, testicular cancer can normally be successfully treated.
The signs and symptoms of testicular cancer are usually fairly easy to spot if you check for them and include:
- a hard lump on the front or side of a testicle
- a swelling or enlargement of a testicle
- an increase in the firmness of a testicle
- pain or discomfort in a testicle or in the scrotum
- an unusual difference between the two testicles
If you experience any of these symptoms or find any lumps in yor testicles, you should visit your GP ASAP. The above symptoms may also be accompanied by a dull ache in the lower stomach, groin or scrotum or a heavy feeling in the scrotum.
For anyone with a family history of testicular cancer, the risk of developing this condition is increased. Additionally, men who had undescended testicles may be 5 - 10 times more at risk of testicular cancer. The disease is rare in non-Caucasian populations and is more likely to affect affluent people. If you have symptoms or are concerned that you are at high risk of testicular cancer, visit your GP.
For more information on this condition, click here to visit the Cancer Research UK website.
Other health risks
Compared to women, men are at an increased risk of a number of diseases including heart attack and stroke and men tend to suffer from these earlier in life. However, gender is not the only thing that will influence your risk, there are important 'modifiable' risk factors including high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, excess weight, stress, poor diet and low physical activity levels.
For more information on how you can reduce your general health risks, click here. If you believe that you are at risk of any medical condition, we advise you to visit your GP as soon as possible.
Activity Of The Month - Badminton
Badminton originated in 1873 and since then many of us will have played it, maybe on the beach, in the garden, at school or even competitively. But are you aware of the health and fitness benefits this game has to offer? Research has found that regularly playing badminton for at least 30 minutes at a time to a level of slight breathlessness can increase longevity by 2 years.
Playing badminton will give you a whole body workout combining upper body and lower body movements and working your core muscles. Badminton can also reduce the risk of osteoporosis as it 'loads' our bones making them stronger. So, why not give it a go and enjoy some friendly rivalry whilst improving your health & fitness?
Don't Let Anything Get In The Way!
How many times have you decided that now is the time to get fit and eat heathily? Every New Year? Before every summer holiday? Every time you put your jeans on? Every time you go to the supermarket? And, how many times have you succeeded for long enough to see lasting results? Herein lies the problem!
Lots of us make regular attempts to 'get fit and healthy' but very few of us manage to keep it up for more than a few days, weeks or months - why? Well, there are many reasons, some of which are genuine, some of which are just excuses or the product of poor planning and preparation. Additionally, many people start making these excuses before they even step into their trainers for the first time and from then onwards it's a downward spiral. This article looks at how we can overcome common barriers to a healthy lifestyle.
Before you start
So many people, never actually start their 'new lifestyle' as they convince themselves it's impossible before they begin. How many times have you said or heard....I love being active but the weather's just too bad....I just don't have time to go to the gym.....Healthy food is too expensive?
In reality, these aren't valid reasons for not living healthily, there are excuses that can be resolved with a bit of thought and planning. Here are some of the most common perceived barriers to healthy living and the reality:
- 'I don't have time to exercise' All you need is 30 minutes a day - it's not that much! Also, you can accumulate your 30 minutes in more manageable chunks of 10-15 minutes, making it easier to fit into your existing routine. Try starting by making small changes such as walking for 15 minutes at lunchtime.
- 'I don't want to live on rabbit food' You don't have to! A lot of the time, it's not the food that we eat that's unhealthy but the way we prepare it e.g. frying it, adding mayonnaise to it, topping it with cheese or covering it in a creamy sauce. If we look at the way we prepare our food, we can often make it healthier without changing the ingredients or the cost.
- 'I'm just not sporty' Not everybody is but that's no excuse for being inactive! Activity doesn't mean sport - there are lots of ways to be active that don't require any special skills or equipment and will count towards your 30 minutes a day. Ideal activities include walking (dog optional!), dancing (any kind from ballroom to breakdancing), swimming, hiking, rambling, digging the garden and cycling.
- 'I don't have the energy' Contrary to popular opinion, being active will make you feel less tired not more so - it's a well-known fact amongst active people that activity breeds energy. Although getting active does require effort, this will be far outweighed by the positive feelings that you get once you've done it.
- 'Cooking healthily is expensive' It is a fallacy that healthy eating costs more - you don't have to buy 'special foods' to get a healthy, balanced diet. Organic does not equal healthy, low fat does not always mean healthy - eating a balanced diet IS healthy and you can do that without piling the pounds on your shopping bill.
All gone a bit Pete Tong?
Sometimes, even the best laid plans come undone. Beginning a healthy lifestyle will not be immune to setbacks and it's naiive to think it will be. The key is to see any setbacks as temporary, and ensure that you get back on track as soon as possible - it's the way that you deal with setbacks that dictates whether you succeed or not. If things don't go as planned....
- Change is pain, but pain is temporary - its not easy to change your lifestyle but once the 'new' becomes 'normal' it'll be harder to go back to old ways
- Remember that you CAN get back on track
- Think about what caused you to slip up, once you have figured out what it was, you can plan how to deal with that situation in the future
- Be realistic about your expectations - have you set them too high?
- Remember that once your new lifestyle becomes routine, you will experience fewer setbacks
- Remember that EVERYONE has good and bad days, wipe the slate clean each night and start from scratch every morning
- Think about this - there's no such thing as failure, only feedback!
Got A Sweet Tooth?
Sugar is everywhere! What's more, you, and your family, are probably consuming quite a bit more than you realise. In 1980, the average annual sugar intake was 125lb per person but this rose to 160lb in 1999 and 165lb in 2002. How did this happen? Well, one of the main reason is the increased consumption of convenience foods and drinks - e.g. fizzy drinks, sweets, tins of beans or soup, jars of sauces, ready meals - sugar makes things taste better!
Sugar isn't always easy to spot on food labels though, it may be present under many guises such as sucrose, glucose, dextrose, maltodextrin, galactose, high fructose corn syrup, dextrin......! Although you can't always avoid it, there are steps you can take to limit sugar intake. This is expecially important as excessive sugar intake can lead to hyperactivity in children, an increased risk of obesity & diabetes and poor dental health.
Sugar slashing tips:
- Reduce the amount of processed breakfast cereals you eat e.g. frosted, flavoured and coated cereals - use natural alternatives and add dried fruit or honey to sweeten them if required.
- Snack on dried or fresh and dried fruit, nuts and seeds instead of sugary cereal bars, chocolate bars and sweets
- Avoid full sugar fizzy drinks and choose diet versions or, even better, water
- Steer clear of frut juices which are labelled 'from concentrate' as these are full of added sugar - instead buy smaller amounts of 100% fresh squeezed fruit juice
- Don't be fooled by the words 'natural', 'fresh' and 'pure' on packaging - these are very often marketing claims so check the ingredients list
Food Of The Month - Pumpkin Seeds
We are all being told how 'healthy' seeds are and that we should add them to our diet so we thought we'd take a look at one of the most popular seeds this month - pumpkin. For starters.....pumpkin seeds are reported to promote prostate health, improve bladder function and help to prevent kidney stones from forming.
In addition, pumpkin seeds contain L-tryptophan which is a natural anti-depressant and they are high in zinc so help to sustain testosterone production. They are also a great source of magnesium which is also important for bone health as well as healthy blood pressure, stable blood sugar and a healthy immune system. Pumpkin seeds contain a high level of phytosterols too which can lower cholesterol and may reduce your risk of cancer. So, why not add a few to your diet? However, stick to just a small handful as they are pretty high in calories!
Are You Getting The Balance Right?
With the popularity of celebrity diets, diet books, diet videos and diet clubs, how do you know what's right and not when it comes to food and drink? Well, this article aims to clear up any confusion and show you how you can achieve a good, healthy, balanced diet which is the cornerstone to your health & well-being.
First, let's face facts, most people in the UK could probably benefit from making some surprisingly simple changes to their diet such as:
- Enjoy eating - you have to do it so you may as well enjoy it
- Eat a wide variety of different foods every day to ensure you get all of the essential nutrients
- Remember that there are no good or bad foods - just good or bad diets
- Eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day
- Drink plenty of non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic fluids
- Eat the right amount to maintain a healthy weight
- Do not consume too much fat, especially saturated fat
- Do not consume sugary foods or drinks too often
- Keep added salt to a minimum to reduce your risk of high blood pressure
Balance Your Intake
A healthy diet is a balanced diet - it's that simple! This 'balance' is shown in this diagram.
A good diet will contain foods from all the five major food groups - foods from the largest groups should be eaten most often and vice versa. The good news is that there is no need to give up any foods, especially those that you enjoy - you just need to eat them in the right amounts.
Remember, no single food contains all of the nutrients our bodies need so we need to combine different foods and drinks to achieve balance.
Applying balance
You don't need to achieve balance at every single meal but it should be applied over a day and week. Main meals are easier to balance than snacks - especially ones such as casseroles, lasagne, sandwiches etc as they are made with a variety of foods. Other examples include:
A bacon sandwich:
- 2 slices of wholemeal bread (bread, cereals, potatoes & rice group)
- a thin spread of olive oil spread (fatty & sugar foods group)
- a rasher of lean, grilled bacon (meat, poultry, fish & alternatives group)
- plenty of salad leaves and a sliced tomato (fruit & veg group)
A pizza:
- a thin wholemeal base (bread, cereals, potatoes & rice group)
- thick spread of tomato passata & plenty of chopped veg (fruit & veg group)
- a small amount of low fat grated cheese (dairy group)
- lean ham, chicken breast or tuna (meat, poultry, fish & alternatives group)
Here are a few more tips to help you achieve balance:
- Include extra veg in casseroles and sauces
- Add dried fruit to breakfast cereal
- Try to use different types of bread e.g. seeded, granary and rye
- Use small amounts of strong tasting cheese in recipes
- Use brown pasta and rice
- Substitute low fat fromage frais for cream
- Use pulses to replace some of the meat in dishes e.g. use chilli beans to replace some of the minced beef in chilli
- Experiment with interesting presentations of fruit for dessert
- Have a side salad with all of your main meals
- Use low fat dairy products and switch to skimmed milk
- Grill, casserole or bake foods instead of frying them
- Make your own sauces and custard using skimmed milk
- Regularly include white and oily fish in your diet
- Choose lean cuts of meat and remove the skin & any visible fat
- Grate cheese to make small amounts go further
- Ensure the temperature of the oil is correct if frying as this will mean less fat is absorbed by the food
Product Of The Month - Home Health MOTs
A BlueSkies Home Health MOT is exactly as it sounds - a version of our very successful Health MOT service adapted so you can carry it out at home! Home Health MOTs allow you to assess your health at a time and place convenient to you with full guidance and support from us. Each of our Home Health MOTs is designed to screen for some of the major risk factors for heart, circulatory and other major diseases.
Although Home Health MOTs are carried out in your home, you are certainly not alone once you have determined the results. We provide support and advise you how you can improve your health and reduce your health risks through the BlueSkies Members Website and Forum to which you will receive 8 weeks complimentary access. For more information, please click here. Home Health MOT packages start from £30.
Relax & Recover
What's the most important part of an exercise programme? Cardio? Resistance? Stretching? Core? Diet? Well, although all of these elements are important, the most important part is....rest! Great news - the most important part is the easiest part. However, you need to make sure that you get it right and, once again, balance is the buzz word. Too much rest means that you won't get the benefits you desire, too little rest and you will end up burnt-out, stale and possibly injured or ill.
I rest my case!
A well-planned exercise programme must incorporate adequate rest periods, normally in the form of days off and everyone, regardless of performance level and fitness, should take AT LEAST one full day off per week. The reason for this is that the body needs time to adjust to the stresses of training and without rest, it doesn't get it. Training, of any type, places overload on the body and this is the stimulus for improved fitness - the rest period is when positive adaptations leading to improved fitness and strength take place.
Without adequate rest periods, we are continuously overloading our bodies. This can lead to fatigue, losses in fitness, overuse injuries, persistent illnesses and eventually burnout. To avoid this, you need to ensure that your programme is well planned. If you are just starting to exercise, you may need 4 rest days per week whilst your body gets used to the new level of stress. Experienced trainers may be able to plan their training so that the only take one day off per week.
Recovering your breath
Exercise can leave you exhausted but failure to recover properly afterwards can lead to reduced future performance, staleness and an increased injury risk. Yes, it's very tempting to do your workout, have a shower, get changed and go home but an extra 5 minutes to recover and cool down can make all the difference. When we talk about recovering, we are not just talking about one factor - it is multi-faceted. Performing a cool down helps to:
-
Remove waste products from your muscles
-
Minimise muscle damage or joint damage caused by the exercise
-
Slowly return your body to it's resting state
A good cool down will include 3-10 minutes of decreasing intensity CV work such as walking or slow cycling and static stretches for each of the major muscle groups used during your workout. The CV element will help remove waste products and the stretching will not only aid muscular development but will also helo to speed muscle recovery.
Sleep well
The final part of the recovery process is sleep - music to our ears! Getting sufficient sleep is as important as exercise itself. Sleep doesn't only aid in the physical adaptations to training, it also allows time for mental recovery adaptations such as improved movement patterns to occur. It is recommended that we get at least 7-8 hours sleep per night which may seem like a pipe dream to a lot of people.
If you struggle to get this amount of sleep, take this into account - from the age of 35, we start to lose brain cells at a rate of 7,000 per day or 2.5 million per year (we only have 100 billion to start with!) and they will never be replaced. You can help to keep your brain in peak condition by getting enough sleep.
Thanks for reading!
If you have any comments, please e-mail us by clicking here.
If your friends or colleagues would like to receive the BlueSkies newsletter, simply ask them to e-mail us at info@blueskiesfitness.co.uk with the words Newsletter Subscribe in the subject line.
If you wish to unsubscribe from this newsletter, please click here.
We hope that you enjoyed our newsletter!