Be Healthy on World Heart Day

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Did you know that 29 September is World Heart Day?

Well it is and the event came around in 2012 when world leaders together with the World Heart Federation committed to reducing global mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by 25% by 2025.

The World Heart Federation says that cardio vascular diseases, including strokes and heart disease, are the world’s leading cause of death and claim around 17.5 million lives each year.

The thing is, not only does your heart power your whole body but it also lets you love, laugh and live life to the full, so World Heart Day is a good time to assess just how well you are treating it.

We have some easy to follow tips that will keep not only your heart, but your whole body fit and well.

Stop Smoking
One of the single best things you can do to keep your heart healthy, is to quit smoking. Smoking increases the risk of a heart attack as well as heart disease and strokes but the good news is, the moment you quit, the risks are reduced. So, why is smoking so bad for your heart? Well, firstly it affects the vessels that supply blood to your heart, damages the blood vessel walls and reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood stream. On top of this, cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals including nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide which make your heart beat, and work faster while making it harder for you to breathe. Quitting isn’t easy, but it is the best thing you can do for your health.

Look at Your Diet
A balanced diet of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, protein and good fats can help maintain your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. All of these contribute to well-being and a healthy heart. Reducing the amount of salt and sugar you eat is a good idea and replacing saturated and trans fats with unsaturated fats can help reduce your risk of heart disease.

Eat Fish
Eating fish at least twice a week, including a portion of oily fish, can help keep your heart healthy. Sardines, fresh tuna and salmon are all fantastic sources of healthy omega-3 fats, which can help protect against heart disease, so add them to the shopping list and enjoy with fresh veg and brown rice.

Drink Less
It might sound like we are be super-boring, but cutting down your alcohol intake can help your heart as well as your waist line. Men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units a week and it is good idea to have alcohol free days each week.

Be Active
Regular, moderate physical activity is great for your heart health and just 30 minutes of activity, five days a week can make a difference. Walking to the shops, cycling to work, jogging with a friend and taking a dance class will get your heart rate up and blood pumping around your body. Those feel good endorphins will also be flying around your body helping your mental health too. Also remember, if you work at a desk, get up and stretch your legs and ease your shoulders once an hour and even walking up and down the stairs will help breathe life back into your body.

Weigh In
It is believed that being overweight can increase your risk of heart disease, so keep an eye on the scales and how your jeans feel.

By combining all the lifestyle factors, we have talked about here, you should be able to find a comfortable weight, but if you are struggling, have a chat with your GP who will be able to help.

Team Pure-Beauty

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Eating the right way on holiday

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actions, after dinner chocolates and liquors, alcohol, all-inclusive cocktails, avocado, aware, bags of nuts, baked or sweet potatoes, beach, blood sugar levels, boots, bottle, breakfast buffets, buffet, burger, Cakes and pastries, calories, cereal, cheese boards, chips, chocolate, cooking from scratch, crisps, desserts, dried fruit, drizzle, eggs, empty calories, energy bars, fresh fish, fresh fish and meat, fruit, G&T, gems, glass of wine, Grilled chicken, gym, hangovers, happy, healthier options, healthy and hydrated, home, hotel, hungrier, jeans, lettuce wrap, local food, local wines, meal, muffin top, nuts, olive oil, quinoa, rice, salad, salads and vegetables, snacks, sorbets, sweet tooth, trip, up for grabs, vegetarian option, water

Big breakfast buffets, all-inclusive cocktails and free after dinner chocolates and liquors are par for the course when you are on holiday, but if you go full speed ahead and fill your boots every night, your jeans might not be quite so happy when you get home.

Yes, holidays are all about relaxing and having fun, but if you go all out on the cheese boards and local wines when you are away, all that hard work spent in the gym and cooking from scratch the rest of the year will be wasted.

It’s not about being a kill joy and missing out on the good things but rather going for the healthier options and having the odd treat here and there so you get the balance right.

We have some easy to follow tips that will mean you enjoy all there is to offer without having hangovers all holiday and muffin top when you get back.

One great thing to is pack snacks for your trip. It is easy to overdo it on crisps and chocolate but if you have bags of nuts and boxes of dried fruit as well as energy bars, we love the new Deliciously Ella ones, then you will be less tempted to eat empty calories.

If you have a buffet at your hotel, look at the salad and fruit options and always start you day with a decent protein based breakfast that will keep you full and balance your blood sugar levels.

When you eat out, look for restaurants that are busy, offer local food, fresh fish and have a vegetarian option – if you search a little you will be surprised at what gems you find.

When it comes to menus, start off with deciding about a decent serving of protein. Go for grilled chicken or fresh seafood and you can then add local salads and vegetables to balance out your meal.

Chips are always up for grabs but think about which carbs you go for, especially if you are away for a couple of weeks. Rice, quinoa (ask about this if you can’t see it on them menu), baked or sweet potatoes are all good options and if you can’t find anything other than the deep-fried stuff, a lettuce wrap for a burger can be a great option too.

We know we need some fat in our diets so drizzle olive oil on salads, add avocado to your eggs and make sure you have some nuts on your cereal.

Cakes and pastries are all there for the taking when it comes to deserts but make the most of luscious fruits and cooling sorbets if you do have a sweet tooth.

Drink plenty of water (go easy on the ice depending where you are visiting) and keep a bottle with you at all times and this will keep you feeling healthy and hydrated. While you might be less partial to a coffee or cup of tea when you are away, the temptation to have an early G&T or glass of wine can really win when you are on holiday. We aren’t saying don’t drink, you are on holiday after all, but remember that alcohol adds calories and makes you hungrier and those beach hangovers in the heat the next day are no fun.

Have a great holiday and enjoy finding some great places, and thing, to eat!

Team Pure Beauty

Harnessing the Power of Apricots

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alcohol, antioxidants, Apricot, apricot kernel oil, apricots, balance, cleansing, cotton wool, dermalogica, Dermalogica Precleanse, Elemis, Elemis Pro-Radiance Illuminating Eye Balm, Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner, fatty acids, irritation, linoleic acid, mineral oils, moisturisation, natural, oil, parabens, pH, Quillaja Wood, saponins, SLES, sodium laureth sulphate, soothe, soothing, spritz, Sweet Betty flower, vitamin A

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The humble apricot might not seem like anything special but it actually contains a whole host of things which are incredibly good for us, which is why several of the products we sell contain some element of apricot in them. From antioxidants to all-natural moisturisation, we take a look at some of the best apricot containing products from Elemis and Dermalogica and exactly what they’re doing to keep you beautiful.

Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner

One of the things which apricot does best is soothing the skin and reducing irritation, which is why Elemis has based this toner on it’s properties. As well as containing apricot extract, the toner also contains Sweet Betty flower, which Tones, moisturises and re-balances precious pH levels without the use of alcohol and saponins from Quillaja Wood help to soothe and harmonise the skin. As will all Elemis products, this toner has no parabens, sodium laureth sulphate or mineral oils, which can damage the skin in the long run. Sweep it over the face with a cotton wool pad after cleansing the face, or use as a spritz when your face is feeling hot, dry or tight.

Dermalogica Precleanse

You may be asking “why do I need to PRE-cleanse my skin?”, but this precleanse from Dermalogica has been described as a wonder-product by professional dermatologists, beauty professionals and our customers alike. It dissolves oil-based make-up, sebum, sunscreens and environmental pollutants from skin’s surface, enabling skin to be thoroughly cleansed, all without compromising the delicate balance of natural oils which exist within the skin. It contains apricot kernel oil which not only helps soothe to irritation, nourish, and moisturize the skin, but is also an excellent source of fatty acids, Vitamin A and Linoleic Acid which help to reverse and combat the signs of ageing.

Elemis Pro-Radiance Illuminating Eye Balm

The eyes can be a really tricky area to deal with; the skin is very delicate and the whole area can be really sensitive, even if the rest of your face isn’t, however, they’re also one of the main areas where people report the early signs of ageing first. This means that a product which is powerful yet soothing and delicate is imperative, which is where this balm from Elemis comes in. As well as containing omega-rich apricot kernel oil which nourishes the delicate eye contour area, it also benefits from chamomile, arnica and bird of paradise flower, which reduce wrinkles, dark circles and puffiness. It’s free from fragrance and any irritating preservatives and is perfect for use on even the most sensitive of eyes.

Insomnia and what you can do about it

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Struggle to fall asleep night after night?

Wake up in the early hours and just can’t nod off again?

Simply don’t feel refreshed when you get up in the morning?

It could be that you are suffering from insomnia, which is thought to affect up to one in every three people in the UK at some point.

There are no official statistics to suggest how much sleep adults need because we are all different but the suggested average is between seven to nine hours. It can be detrimental to get caught up with numbers because the main thing is getting enough good quality sleep so that you don’t feel constantly tired throughout the day.

We all have the odd night of bad sleep, maybe when we are stressed, anxious or excited this doesn’t cause serious problems, but persistent insomnia can affect all aspects of your life, from your energy levels, appetite, mood and relationships.

Signs that you might have insomnia include:

• difficultly falling asleep
• waking up several times during the night
• lying awake for long periods at night
• waking up early in the early hours and not being able to go back to sleep
• not feel refreshed when you get up
• feeling constantly tired and irritable in the day and unable to concentrate

This can be caused by many factors, including stress and anxiety, an uncomfortable bed, a bedroom that’s too light, noisy, hot or cold. Lifestyle factors like shift work, jet lag, drinking alcohol or caffeine before going to bed can also play a part.

Mental and health physical conditions, as well as some medications, can also interfere with sleep on a long-term basis.

Whatever the cause, it can be frustrating but there are ways to deal with insomnia.

• Avoid alcohol, caffeine and large meals late in the evening.
• Just like with children, set a bedtime and stick to it and do the same with waking – even at the weekend.
• Relax before you go to bed and turn off all devices and TVs.
• Get an alarm clock rather than using your mobile phone to wake you up as having it on can distract you.
• Have a relaxing, warm bath before bed and add lavender oil to the water as this essential oil can aid sleep.
• Make sure your bedroom is comfortable, clean and the temperature is set correctly.
• Use thick curtains or black out blinds in your bedroom so that the least amount of sunlight is let in.
• Try an eye mask or ear plugs if you get woken often by noise.
• You might be tired but try not to sleep in the day.
• Write a list of worries, if you have any, so they are down on paper and not in your head. Look at areas in your life that are bothering you and getting you down and maybe find ways to deal with them.
• If you really cannot sleep, get up, have a warm drink in low lighting.
• We know we make it sound easy but try to relax and don’t get stressed about not sleeping as this becomes a self-perpetuating cycle of misery.

If things don’t settle down, go to see your GP who will try to help identify and treat any underlying health condition, such as anxiety, that may be causing your sleep problems and then look at other changes that can be made.

Sweet dreams.