Author Archives: Leanne Rose

July 17, 2020

THE IMPACT OF CORONAVIRUS ON OUR MENTAL HEALTH.

The mental health charity Mind have recently conducted a survey to find out how the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown was affecting people’s mental health. Their findings show that new mental health problems have developed and existing mental health problems have worsened.

Worryingly, a staggering 60% of adults and 68% of young people said their mental health got worse during lockdown. 

Results show that restrictions on seeing people, not being able to go outside and worries about the health of family and friends are the key factors driving poor mental health. 

Some of the groups of people found more likely to report that their mental health has declined included women, people with eating disorders, and frontline workers.

It has been found that the most common (negative) coping strategies that people are using are over or under eating, alcohol and drug use and self-harming. 

Positive ways of coping that many are using include connecting with family and friends, watching tv or films, spending time outside and doing household chores. 

Some of the participants gave their advice on how to manage mental health during difficult periods of uncertainty. The most commonly focused five key points are:

  1. Be kind to yourself – getting through each day is enough
  2. Keep talking to others about how you’re feeling
  3. Develop a new routine
  4. Find activities that help to distract you
  5. Limit how much news you engage with

While there is still so much more to achieve, Mind’s research is leading the way to enable people to help one another through this challenging time and it has highlighted the degree of which coronavirus has affected our mental health. 

To find out how Mind are making use of these findings you can read the full report here. 

July 3, 2020

MAKING GOOD FOOD CHOICES #5.

Mindful eating

Taking time to cook more ambitiously or to cook a meal slowly is a luxury that can be enjoyed on weekends, or to unwind during the week after a long, busy day.

Really investing in the preparing and cooking of a meal is an opportunity to ground yourself and truly be in the moment, taking care and paying attention to details. 

Washing and cutting ingredients, tasting and adjusting the balance of flavours, textures, and seasoning all require full attention. Cooking is one of the easiest ways to practice mindfulness. 

Take a moment to think about your food – where it came from, how it was grown, what it cost the earth to produce it – and appreciate what is given to you.

June 15, 2020

FOODS THAT FIGHT CRAVINGS.

Making sure you eat three satisfying meals a day, with an optional two snacks, is crucial to warding off any food cravings in between meals. Have plenty of the following in your everyday diet, rather than taking supplements that may disrupt your nutritional balance.

Chromium – this regulate blood-sugar levels and is found in wholegrain cereals, black pepper, thyme, organic meat and cheese.

Magnesium – found in meats, green leafy vegetables, dairy products, beans, apricots, curry powder, wholegrain cereals, wheatgerm and nuts.

Iron – iron from red meat (especially liver) Is most easily used by the body; other good sources of fish and Sawyer, and you can get some from eggs and green leafy vegetables.

Zinc – rich sources are wholegrains, brewer’s yeast, wheatgerm, seafood and meat.

Tryptophan – milk and eggs contain plenty of this amino acid.

June 1, 2020

MAKING GOOD FOOD CHOICES #4.

The economy of food

By choosing Fairtrade where possible, we can help to make a positive contribution to the world when we buy food. 

It’s a widely supported idea that poverty in developing countries can be overcome by supporting small-scale farming and businesses. 

The more Fairtrade we buy, the more we can help people to move from poverty to sustainability and independence. Of course not everyone is able to make the most ethical, environmental, and health conscious choices when buying food. Health food, especially organic products, can have a hefty price tag.

In most cases, though, there are good budget options that are just a little less hip. And the most essential healthy foods are cheap – kale, spinach, whole grains, beans, and lentils, for example.

Careful food planning and prepping can save you money and reduce waste. Cooking from scratch is also great for keeping within a tight budget.

May 15, 2020

DO YOU NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT?

Your body mass index (BMI) is a rough estimate of whether you are overweight. It’s harder to lose weight if you’re already a healthy BMI, as your body is trying to stay healthy.

To find your BMI, divide your weight in kilos (kg) by the square of your height in metres (m). So, if you’re 1.65m tall and weigh 57kg, your BMI is 57 divided by 2.72 (i.e 1.65 x 1.65). This equals just under 21. 

For women, a BMI under 19 is considered to be underweight, over 25 is overweight and over 30 is obese. Between 19 and 25 is healthy. 

May 1, 2020

MAKING GOOD FOOD CHOICES #3.

The natural choice

Many people choose to buy organic when possible, especially for soy products that are most likely genetically modified if they’re not organic. 

Genetically modified (GM) foods are possibly harmless for our health, and our history of eating this kind of food is relatively short, so it’s a gamble to eat lots of it. 

Another issue with GM foods is that these crops are threatening the natural diversity of original seeds. Farmers worldwide have reacted with despair at the dependency on global seed manufacturers who restrict the varieties of plants grown for food to a few favoured for their reliability, not quality.

Genetically modified foods are not the standard everywhere, of course, and several countries have placed restrictions on GM crops to protect the environment. Supporting small scale, organic farming is a good thing.

April 17, 2020

PAIN = NO GAIN.

Many people give up on an exercise regime because they started over-enthusiastically and suffered an injury. Instead, start at a level that slightly challenges you and work on up. 

Move smoothly with control rather than swinging or bouncing. Push your limits gently and take time to perfect each move. Exercises are only effective if carried out correctly. 

You are wasting your effort as well as risking injury if you do you numerous repetitions wrongly or force your body passed its natural limits. Knees, ankles and lower back are especially vulnerable.

You may ache a little the day after your first few sessions, but you shouldn’t feel any pain. If you’re exhausted or hobbling, you’ve been working too hard. Ease off to avoid sabotaging your programme. 

April 3, 2020

MAKING GOOD FOOD CHOICES #2.

A plant-based diet

A vegetarian diet can seem extreme to some, but it’s a natural and nourishing way to eat. Many cultures around the world have a tradition of vegetarianism dating back thousands of years.

Science and health authorities are pretty much in agreement that the plant-based diet is the most vital way to eat. 

Today, more and more people are choosing a vegan lifestyle. As long as you eat with variety and make sure you’re getting the nutrients you need, you’re eating well.

Plant-based food is climate-smart to, using less energy and water than it takes to produce meat and fish.

March 16, 2020

WHY YOU SHOULD PUT THE SCALES AWAY.

You may think it’ll be motivational, and allow you to keep tabs on whether your workouts and nutrition are working for you, but if fat loss is your goal, then weighing yourself could be counter-intuitive.

The number on the scales may plateau, and even rise. That’s because muscle is a much denser tissue. If you compare a pound of fat and a pound of muscle, the size of the latter is much smaller.

To summarise, muscle weighs more than fat. So as you build muscle, you may actually find you weigh more when stepping on the scales.

What you should actually be considering is body fat percentage. Women between 20 and 40 years old should be aiming for between 21 and 33 per cent.

Alternatively, you could take holistic approach to measuring progress.

  • How do your clothes fit?
  • What has your mood been like? Do you have more energy?
  • Are you sleeping better?

It is all too easy to get hung up on the numbers, bring your focus back to how you feel.

March 2, 2020

MAKING GOOD FOOD CHOICES #1.

Balance

Choosing healthy can be confusing, with the jungle voices and advice on offer. My definition of eating well is really simple: eat with variety and in moderation – it’s the best health insurance you can invest in. 

I’m a big fan of light food, and it’s clear that in the industrialised world people are generally over-saturated with calories, which is causing an alarming rise in obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. 

Both under- and over-eating saps our energy. Naturally, we need to eat more when we are physically active and less when we are not. A healthy weight is a long-term project – quick fixes and diets are often working against us. 

Having a health-conscious attitude about eating is good, but be wary of developing fixations and unhealthy relationships with food – it should be enjoyed without guilt. It’s better to be relaxed about it and have the occasional treat if you want to, as long as you maintain a healthy balance.