There is just a few weeks to go until we welcome in 2025 and introduce our new year resolutions.
We want to pay tribute to Dr. Michael Mosley’s tragic death earlier this summer by challenging ourselves to adopt one or more of his health top tips BEFORE the new year even gets started!
For many years, most recently via his beloved BBC Radio 4 show Just One Thing, Michael Mosley dedicated his career in broadcasting to providing helpful, empathetic, and manageable advice, focusing on the little habits we could all adopt to see big rewards in our health and overall quality of life. And he put his money where his mouth was, not simply reporting on the findings of studies, but trying them himself.
Here are just five of the many daily health tips he gave over the years, all of which are well worth adopting into your own routine before the end of the year!
#1 Why Should You Stand on One Leg While You Brush Your Teeth?
… or do the washing up, or make lunch. The simple act of standing with one foot off the ground puts your brain and your body through a surprisingly vigorous workout, honing your concentration, coordination, your core muscles, and – most of all – your balance.
It gets harder to maintain your balance as you get older, which can lead to an increased chance of falling. Working standing on one leg into your daily routine can help maintain your stability, and get your body used to righting itself after the inevitable wobbles. (Extra points if you can do it with your eyes closed!)
#2 Why Should You Break Up Exercise into Chunks?
One thirty minute exercise session can be daunting. Six chunks of five minutes over a whole day – not so much!
Not only is “exercise snacking” a more manageable way of achieving the 150 minutes of movement a week that we should all be aiming for, studies have shown that short bursts of activity could actually be better than longer sessions when it comes to lowering cholesterol and body fat, and keeping blood sugar levels under control. Even a minute of movement is enough to make a positive difference.
#3 Why is Walking Backwards Worth Looking Silly For?
Of course you must make sure you won’t endanger yourself or others, but walking backwards is worth the effort. A tip often recommended by physiotherapists, the method engages a different set of muscles than we use in going in the right direction, which can prove helpful in easing knee and lower back pain.
Additionally, it’s thought that walking backwards exercises our brain as well as our body, and can be great for our memory and problem solving.
#4 Why is Swimming the Best Exercise?
Those who prefer to do their workouts off of dry land are in luck – there is much research to support that swimming might just be the most effective exercise of all.
Swimming is excellent for artery elasticity, which can in turn lead to a longer life. It can also work wonders for your memory, and thanks to the way our bodies move in water, is kind on your joints. Any amount is better than nothing, but 20-30 minutes three times a week is the optimum.
#5 Really? I Should Be Eating Chocolate For My Health?!
If you’re tired after all that movement, you might be pleased to learn that there’s something you can sit and eat that will still do you the world of good: and it’s chocolate!
It may sound too good to be true, but eating two squares of dark chocolate (it’s important that it’s dark chocolate and a minimum of 70% cocoa solids) a day has been proven be excellent for cognition and regulating cholesterol levels, as well as significantly lowering the risk of heart disease. Make sure you don’t go above two squares, however – more than that, and the health benefits quickly diminish.
References
Commentaires