Easy ways to boost the heart you love

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Valentine’s Day may have been and gone, but you still need to look after your heart and keep it healthy and strong if you want to live well.

On the go food, desk jobs and social media scrolling can all lead to a life that isn’t so great for your heart.

We aren’t here to spoil the fun or lay down the law, but we have some easy to implement ideas that could help you to boost your heart health and lead a better, fitter, happier life in 2020.

Look at portion sizes
The extra-large hot chocolate with cream, the super-size fizzy drink at the cinema and just one more slice of cake might taste good, but the additional calories, sugar and fat could play havoc with your heart as well as your waistline and your teeth. When it comes to portion sizes, you don’t have to overload your plate at every meal or fill your bowl to the top when it comes to cereal. Go easy on meat, stack up the veggies and be sure to drink plenty of water.

Snack on nuts
Yes, we know they come with fats, but eating nuts can help lower your cholesterol levels and half a handful with a banana will help to fill you up. You might want to try walnuts because they are a rich source of the omega-3 fatty acids that can help decrease inflammation in the arteries and protect your heart.

You generally want to eat a balanced diet that is rich in fruit and veg as well as wholegrains, protein and water. Yes, have treats but don’t make take-aways your daily supper staple or you may end up in trouble.

Think about how you cook
As well as what you eat, when it comes to your heart, you need to think about how you prepare your food. To boost your heart and overall health, we suggest you avoid frying or cooking foods in fat and this includes meat, fish and vegetables. If you bake, boil, grill, steam, or poach you will get all the goodness without the nasty heart harming extras. If you are worried about losing flavour, add in spices, herbs, garlic and lemon juice but ease up on salt, cheese and artery clogging cream.

See your friends
Loneliness and isolation aren’t good for any of us. As well as leaving us sad and prone to eating junk food and binge watching boxsets, it can raise the levels of stress hormones which can interfere with circulation and this makes your heart work harder, but not better. So, why not get out and see your friends, make new ones at a club or start a hobby and fill your heart with happiness and connections? Even better, play some sport or join a dance class and get some of the exercise your heart craves and loves.

Give up smoking
We know quitting is hard, but if you do smoke now is the time to stop. Smoking is one of the main causes of heart disease and as soon as you stop, your risk of a heart attack begins to fall. Quitting will also mean you smell better, breathe more easily, save money and generally live life in a smoke free, heart happier zone. There are many free resources out there to make this easier, and you can speak to your GP for help with this.

Ease up on booze
We always say everything in moderation, and that includes drinking. Some research says drinking red wine could be beneficial for your heart, but this is a ‘may’ so if you want to boost your heart health, limiting your consumption of alcohol will be a step in the right direction. Too much wine, beer or vodka won’t be good for you and can lead to abnormal heart rhythms, high blood pressure as well as strokes, liver issues and some cancers.

The thing is, you only have one heart, so love it and look after it and it will serve you well.

Team Pure Beauty

How to get your life together this summer

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As we are fast heading to the longest day of the year, how are you feeling about your life?

Is everything great, or could things be just a little bit better?

A bit healthier?

More organised?

Could you sleep better and feel more energised?

Well, we have put together a few ideas that we hope will let you be the very best version of you, from dawn to dusk.

Nutrition
How often do you sacrifice meal planning and cooking from scratch, for taking shortcuts and getting take-aways? It is so, so easy to get caught up in the pressures of life and the demands of everyone around you, but the truth is that won’t do anyone any favours. But, we do get why it happens. The key is to figure out what to eat each week, ensure you have the shopping organised so that you can then cook recipes that don’t require a massive amount of preparation but taste great and are good for you.

Try to eat foods that nourish your body, support your life, and make you feel and look your best! Keep sugar and alcohol down and fruit and veg high.

Keep stress under control
Stress is totally debilitating, draining, and can have massive damaging implications on our health, energy, and ability to thrive. Let’s face it, stress can stop us from achieving lasting health and wellness, so it is important to look at how we deal with it so that we don’t burnout, or lash out. If we don’t monitor stress levels, we can age before our time, get sick more often than we should, and feel anxious all the time as hormones run rampant around in our bodies.

Think again about what you eat and drink. How much time you work and spend at your screens, and consider how best to get good sleep at night so you wake feeling rested. Make time for you and relax. If you are worried about your stress levels, speak to your family, friends or GP and get some support in place.

Exercise
We have said this before, but it is key to take exercise because it has so many amazing benefits. It’s a natural stress reducer, it gets the blood flowing through your entire body, including your brain, and this can help you focus, think more clearly and allow you to perform better. Exercise gives you glowing, healthy skin and can help improve your immune system.

We aren’t saying that you need to train for a marathon or start boxing for England, but find something you like doing and in time, you will love it and all that it brings to you.

So, grab your trainers, get some funky workout gear, a bottle of water, and let those feel good endorphins racing around your system, making you feel fab.

Just say no
This isn’t easy, as so many of us are people pleasers, but it is important to have boundaries in place so you are OK saying ‘no’. Yes, you want to be able to help others, but if you don’t put yourself from time to time, you won’t be able to help anyone else. Look at what you have to do day to day, work out what your priorities really are, and if you can’t take anything else on, don’t.

We hope you have a great summer and that some of these steps will ensure you are on the right path to being the best you.

Team Pure Beauty

Get your family healthy

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Growing up in the 21st century often seems to be more about iPads, junk food and computer games than the great outdoors and being active, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

As parents we all want the best for our children and getting them off the sofa, eating well and actually moving is key to this.

As there is less time, and resources, at school for PE and games, this is falling more at the feet of families but that is no bad thing. As well as being great fun it is also the chance to spend quality time together and bond.

We have put together some easy steps so you and your family can get fit and healthy.

Eat a Variety of Foods
We hear it all the time but it is vital that you and your family eat a well balanced diet so you body has the nutrients it needs to work well. Cut down and processed foods, take-aways and try to cook from scratch when you can. If you prepare meals together and eat together, this can really help promote healthy attitudes and patterns. Aim for at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, this can include:

At breakfast chop four large strawberries on porridge or have a vitamin rich green smoothie
Include six baby carrots, slices of red pepper and a banana in lunch boxes
Snack on an apple, some nuts or blueberries
At dinner include broccoli (about 2 big spears), a cup of salad, or a serving of peas and sweet corn.

Drink the healthy way
Try to limit fizzy drinks, juices and squashes as they adds calories and no real or important nutrients.

When you’re really thirsty, water is the best option. Not only does it stop you feeling thirty, it prevents you from feeling light headed and keeps your organs, including your brain, healthily

Children also need calcium to build strong bones, and milk, cheese and yogurt are good diary options and leafy greens, seafood and legumes are also calcium sources.

Listen to your body
Some parents might think about this but it is key to talk to children about what it feels like to be full. Don’t make it an issue but do point out how your tummy feels when it is comfortably full and when it is too full. Sometimes, children and adults don’t know when to stop eating and over time this can lead to health problems including weight gain.

Limit screen time
This term that is banded around a lot, but does it actually mean? Quite simply screen time is the amount of time spent watching TV or DVDs, playing video games and using a smart phone, tablet or a computer. The more time you spend sitting-down doing these activities, the less time you are being active doing things basketball, bike riding and swimming. Try to reduced screen time, not counting computer use related to school and educational activities, and look at other ways to spend time together.

Get moving
Whilst getting your offspring out of the house might feel like a struggle, it is well worth the battle. We all know how hard to can be to go back to the gym after a break, and it can be just the same for children. Find something that is relatively easy to pick up, that is fun and where you can offer encouragement. Go to the park for a run around, join a local football team, try a trampoline park or go for a bike ride together? The more you do it, the more they will enjoy it and want to take part.

Active family holidays where you are walking, cycling or boating are not only good for all of you but also create fun memories that will last forever.

Being a fit, healthy family opens up many choices for all of you and will hopefully lead to a long, healthy and happy life together.