The Ten Top Tips For a Healthy Diet

The tips are simple habits that everyone can permanently fit into their daily routines. Keeping up all ten tips in the long term will help you lose weight and keep it off.

1)Keep to your meal routine. Try to eat at roughly the same times each day, whether this is two or five times a day.

2)Go reduced fat. Choose reduced fat versions of foods such as dairy products, spreads and salad dressings where you can. Use them sparingly as some can still be high in fat.

3)Walk off the weight. Walk 10,000 steps (about 60-90 minutes of moderate activity) each day. You can use a pedometer to help count the steps. You can break up your walking over the day.

4)Pack a healthy snack. If you snack, choose a healthy option such as fresh fruit or low calorie yogurts instead of chocolate or crisps.

5)Look at the labels. Be careful about food claims. Check the fat and sugar content on food labels when shopping and preparing food.

6)Caution with your portions. Don’t heap food on your plate (except vegetables). Think twice before having second helpings.

7)Up on your feet. Break up your sitting time. Stand up for ten minutes out of every hour.

8)Think about your drinks. Choose water or sugar-free squashes. Unsweetened fruit juice contains natural sugar so limit it to 1 glass per day (200ml / 1/3 pint). Alcohol is high in calories; try to limit the amount you drink.

9)Focus on your food. Slow down. Don’t eat on the go or while watching TV. Eat at a table if possible.

10)Don’t forget your 5 a day. Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day (400g in total).

The Ten Top Tips programme helps you incorporate the lifestyle changes into your daily routine so that they become automatic. Keeping track of whether you have successfully completed the tips on a daily basis is important for sticking to them.

Top ten threats to women's health

And what you can do to protect yourself

Women are generally more sensible and health conscious than men, and pursue eating, drinking and smoking with greater moderation. And yet, women's health is threatened by the same lethal conditions that affect men, many of which can be prevented through a healthier lifestyle. In this feature, we look at the top ten causes of women's death in the UK, and what you can do to protect yourself.

Heart disease

Heart disease kills more women in the UK than any other cause. In 2008, more than 40,000 women in England and Wales died due to heart disease, and around 100,000 women have heart attacks every year.

What you can do about it

You are more at risk of heart disease if you have high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol levels, smoke or are overweight. If you are over 40, overweight and "too busy" to exercise, at least take time off to visit your GP can assess your risk of heart disease. Try to cut back on foods, which are rich in saturated and trans fats and high in salt and incorporate some type of physical activity into your daily routine.

Stroke

For some reason, stroke is often regarded as a condition, which mainly affects men. Not so. Stroke is the second biggest cause of women's deaths in the UK. Although strokes are mores common in men, women are one and a half times more likely to die from one. They are also the leading cause of disability in the UK.

What you can do about it

A stroke happens when the blood flow to the brain is interrupted by a blood clot blocking an artery. Some risk factors for stroke can't be changed - e.g. you are more likely to have one as you age. However, eating a healthy diet rich in fibre and low in saturated fats and salt reduce your chances of developing high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol levels, both major risk factor for stroke.

Influenza

Around 17,000 women die from infections of the lower respiratory tract each year such as flu, pneumonia and bronchitis.

What you can do about it

Older women, those with weakened immune systems and smokers are most at risk from these diseases during the winter months. Protect yourself by getting the yearly vaccinations for flu and pneumonia. Eat a healthy balanced diet to keep your immune system healthy.

Dementia

More women die from dementia than men simply because they are more likely to live longer. The biggest risk factor for dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, is ageing. Having a close family member with dementia is an additional risk factor.

What you can do about it

You can't stop yourself from ageing, or change your genes (not yet anyway). When it comes to diet and exercise, many studies suggest what's good for the heart is also good for the brain. Keeping mentally, physically and socially active have also been found to lower your risk of disease.

COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of chronic lung diseases which include chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It kills more women than breast cancer, yet many people have never heard of it. COPD is more common in men, but women are catching up fast.

What you can do about it

Eight out of ten cases of COPD occur in smokers, so the best way to prevent it is to stop smoking. If you have a 'smokers cough' you should get it checked by your GP, who can carry out a lung function test to assess any damage to your lungs. There is no cure for COPD, but there is medication which can slow down the rate at which the disease progresses.

Lung cancer

Lung cancer kills more women in the UK than any other cancer in the UK. It causes one in five of all female cancer deaths, and more than 10,000 women die from it every year.

Smoking causes nine out of ten cases of lung cancer. Air pollution, second-hand smoke and working with chemicals such as asbestos can also increase your chances of lung cancer.

What you can do about it

The more you smoke, the greater your risk of lung cancer. Stopping smoking not only reduces your risk of lung and other cancers, but also of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure.

Breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. More than 45,000 women develop the disease each year - equivalent to 125 women a day. Advances in medical research, screening and new treatments is the reason why breast cancer is not higher up in our list.

What you can do about it

All women between aged between 50 to 70 are eligible for NHS screening. Screening is by breast mammogram - a bit like an X ray. If you are not being screened, see your GP to find out why not.

If you have a close family member who has had breast cancer before the age of 50, you should inform your GP, as a minority of cases are caused by a gene, which can run in families.

All women should learn what their breasts look and feel like normally, so they can notice any changes in the shape, size and texture which occur.

Kidney disease

Kidney disease is often a complication of diabetes or high blood pressure.

What you can do about it

Diabetes and high blood pressure are often linked to being overweight and an unhealthy diet. Try to maintain a healthy weight, cut down on dietary salt and include some form of physical activity on a daily basis.

Bowel cancer

Bowel cancer is the second most common cancer in women after breast cancer. Each year around 17,000 women are diagnosed with the condition and 7,000 die from it.

What you can do about it

Poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity and lack of exercise all increase the risk of bowel cancer. Diets rich in red and processed meat and low in fruit, vegetables and fibre add to the risk of disease.

Everyone between the ages of 60 and 69 in England, 50 and 74 in Scotland, and 60 and 74 in Wales are eligible for screening kits which are sent to the home. The kits detect tiny amounts of blood hidden in your faeces - don't let this put you off using them.

Ovarian cancer

There's a lot of competition for the number ten spot, but we have chosen ovarian cancer. Many medical conditions can lay claim to be a 'silent killer', but none more so than ovarian cancer.

The symptoms of early disease are often 'silent' or ignored by busy women, when treatment is most effective against the cancer. It is often mistaken by women (and some GPs) for irritable bowel syndrome.

What you can do about it

Women who have used the contraceptive pill and breast fed after pregnancy have a lower risk of ovarian cancer.

A small minority of women have inherited genes, which increases their risk of ovarian cancer. You may be eligible for screening if you have a close relative who has had the disease coupled with another who has had breast cancer before the age of 50, from the same side of the family. Contact your GP for further details on this.

Health Tips For Pets

ADULT ANIMALS DIETARY ADVICE

There is a huge variety of diets on the market for adult animals, but not all pets are the same, so how do you decide which one is the best for your pet? Here we discuss the different options that are available for lifestyle diets, and also our advice on the best way to fed your pet.

General feeding tips

Feed the highest quality food you can afford. We would always recommend the veterinary standard diets, they contain the best quality ingredients and are formulated to be an exact match to your pets nutritonal needs, they are also not as expensive as you may think!

Feed a majority dry diet, not only is dry food more practical than wet, as it can be left down without smelling or attracting flies, it is also far better for dental care.

Always feed a diet which is suitable for the age and lifestyle of your pet. For example, animals who have been neutered will have a slower metabolic rate, so they may require less food or a low calorie diet. There are also now breed specific diets for both cats and dogs.

Feed the correct amount! It sounds simple, but it is very easy to over feed your pet, they will not tell you! Always weigh out your pets food, and follow the manufacturers guidelines.

Keep treats to a minimum. It is easy to hugely increase your pets calorie intake with too many treats, feed them sparingly, and only when your pet deserves them.

Don't feed your pet table scraps. Again, this will increase the amount of calories your pet has, and also encourages bad habits of begging.

Use chews to encourage dental health. There are various dental chews on the market, the denta-stix and rasks work very well. Clean teeth with help reduce doggy breath and dirty teeth can cause health problems, especially in later life.

Dental Care

Dirty teeth and smelly breath are very common problems in pets. 80% of animals over the age of 3 will have some degree of dental disease.

Most of the premium veterinary diets, such as Hills, Proplan or RCW, are formulated with dental care in mind. So feeding these diets gives the added benefit of not always requiring additional dental care There are several diets on the market aimed at dental care, the biscuits are very fibrous, so when the animal bites they don't shatter, which means the teeth sink into the biscuit and are wiped down. Also, they tend to be large, or unusually shaped, so the teeth can bite into them. It is possible to feed the dental diets as your animals only food, but the kibbles can also be used as treats, just a few a day can really help to improve dental care. Special chews, powders or regular brushing can also be used to help keep teeth clean.

Neutering

Once your pet has been neutered, there is a big change in their metabolic rate, and so their calorific requirements.

While most pets do well on an ordinary diet, some need to go on a light diet to ensure their weight remains stable. It is especially important in neutered, male cats that their diet and weight is controlled, as if they become fat, they will be prone to developing bladder stones and crystals. There are now diets on the market designed for neutered cats, both male and female, which are lower in calories, but are also designed to make bladder stones much less likely to develop. These foods are able to control stones by altering the acidity of the urine to make it difficult for them to form, and also diluting the urine.

Performance diets

Many very active dogs, such as working animals, those that do a lot of agility, have much higher than average enery requirements and benefit from special 'performance' diets. These diets have an optimal protein to fat ratio and are very energy dense, which means the animal doesn't have to eat large volumes of food to get all the energy and nutrition they need. They are also designed to be very palatable, it is important these animals eat when they need to, or they may not cope with the stresses and strains of a working day. These diets are also generally high in vitamins and anti-oxidants, to help the dog stay in the best possible health while working hard.

Sensitive skin

Some animals, especially dogs, have a tendency to itch or scratch, or have occasional reddening of the skin, and it can be related to food or environmental allergies. However, while these problems are often seen, it is important to correctly treat your animal against fleas and other parasites first, before you consider dietary sensitivities. Some individuals can be very badly affected and require medication or prescription diets, but others just benefit from dietary management. Diets designed to help dogs with sensitive skin tend to contain a small number of protein sources, to reduce food sensitivity and increased fatty acids and antioxidants to maintain the skin in good health. They also tend to be free from wheat, gluten, red meats and dairy products, all of which are common foods to which pets can be allergic. There are lots of diets on the market which bill themselves as 'natural' or 'from nature'. While these products may contain fewer additives, they are NOT hypoallergenic or always suitable for animals with sensitivities

Weight Control

Some animals are prone to weight gain, this may be because they are less active, they are of a breed which is at risk of weight gain, for example Labradors or Staffordshire Bull Terriers, or they have been neutered, which slows the metabolic rate.

Animals who have gained weight are at risk from many diseases, including arthritis, heart disease and diabetes, and recent studies have proved that animals who are over weight do not live as long as their thinner pets. It can be difficult to keep some animals at the right weight while feeding normal food, without them becoming very hungry.

Weight control diets are generally just lighter versions of the normal diets, they tend to be higher in fibre and lower in fat, so your pet feels full but takes in fewer calories. Always take the advice of your vet before starting your pet on a diet, they will be able to advise you on the best way to go about it, and on the correct amounts to feed.

Obesity in children

Childhood obesity is becoming more common in the UK. Too much food with a high fat or sugar content and a lack of physical activity means that many children are becoming overweight and some even develop the health problems usually seen in adults.

A healthy well-balanced diet

If you're concerned about your child's weight, encourage him/her to eat a variety of nutritious foods.

Starchy foods are rich in complex carbohydrates, making them both filling and nutritious. Bread, potatoes, pasta and rice are all good sources of complex carbohydrates and should be included in your child's diet.

Where possible, try to choose wholegrain varieties when cooking family meals. However, if you have a toddler, he/she won't be able to digest as much fibre as older children, so may need a slightly different diet. Your toddler may not be able to absorb important minerals, such as calcium and iron, if he/she eats too much fibre.

Try to limit the amount of high-fat and sugary foods like chocolate, biscuits, cakes, crisps and chips that your child eats. You could replace them with healthier alternatives such as fresh, dried or tinned fruit.

Try to grill or steam foods instead of frying. Burgers, fish fingers and sausages are just as tasty when grilled, but have a lower fat content. Oven chips are lower in fat than fried chips.

Don't give your child fizzy drinks that are high in sugar. Substitute them with water, fresh juices diluted with water or low-fat milk.

A healthy breakfast of wholegrain cereal plus a piece of fruit or a yogurt is a good start to the day. Try to introduce more fruit and vegetables into your child's diet.

Making small changes like adding slices of fruit to his/her breakfast or a glass of fresh fruit juice can help him/her eat five portions of fruit and vegetables each day.

Changes to eating habits

Family attitudes and habits towards food and exercise need to change to support your child and achieve lasting effects.

Try to set a good example with your own eating habits. Provide meals and snacks at regular times to prevent "grazing" throughout the day.

Don't allow your child to eat while watching television or doing homework.

Make mealtimes an occasion by eating as a family group as often as possible.

Encourage your child to "listen to his/her tummy" and eat when he/she is hungry, rather than out of habit, and to stop eating when he/she is full.

Teach your child to eat food more slowly and savour it, as he/she will feel fuller more quickly and be less likely to overeat at mealtimes.

Don't keep lots of high-fat, high-sugar snack foods in the house.

Don't make outings for fast food part of the weekly routine.

Try to get your child involved in cooking or preparing his/her own packed lunch for school so he/she becomes more aware of different types of food.

Don't label foods as good or bad - sweets and chocolate could still be given as an occasional treat.

Physical activity

Children should be doing at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day, but four out of 10 boys and six out of 10 girls don't reach this target.

There are lots of ways you can increase the amount of physical activity your child does.

Encourage him/her to walk to school or the shops, rather than always going by car or bus.

Try to get the whole family involved in activities such as bike rides and swimming. You could suggest going to the park for a game of football, cricket or frisbee.

Visit a local leisure centre to investigate sports and team activities your child could get involved in. Guides and Scouts are a good way to get your child involved in group activities and exercise.

Make exercise into a treat by taking special trips to an adventure play park or an ice skating rink, for example. Encourage active playtime activities such as dancing or skipping.

Physically inactive pastimes, such as watching television or playing computer games, should be limited to less than two hours a day. Encourage your child to be selective about what he/she watches to reduce the amount of time spent watching television.