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Exercise
Doing something is better than nothing. Standing is better than sitting, walking is better than standing...... and if we look at steps, doing any less than 4000/day is not going to be very good. But, if you only walk on average 2000/day then increasing to 2200/day will show an improvement in your health status. But I would suggest striving for a minimum of 4000/day, but the build up to at least 8000/day from there. Aim to increase steps by 10% every week. Make sure to include Resistance Training as a PRIORITY. This will improve health and fitness significantly. Body weight exercises are perfect for this but lifting/carrying heavy things as much as possible is the way to go.
Nutrition
Two main rules;
1. Energy Balance
2. Nutrient Quality
1. In order to manage body weight, mostly referring to fat here, then this is the number one priority to focus on. Calories In versus Calories Out. it doesn't matter what type of food you eat, if energy balance is not adhered to then weight management is not going to happen optimally.
2. Different types of foods will have a better effect on health status as opposed to others. The nutrients in foods vary greatly, its no surprise to hear that a mars bar is less nutritious than a handful of almonds, but the energy is similar.
Sleep
This is one of the most, if not the most, important part of any health and fitness plan. It is such an overlooked aspect of health that many suffer from lack or progress because of this. Any starting point for a fitnss goal is to assess the road map of how to get there, I want to be this strong, lose this amount of weight then develop the plan to get there. but you don’t get big and strong in the gym, its when your sleeping, secreting growth hormone to repair the damage caused by the stress of training that enables the adaptations leading to increases in strength etc More sleep helps you to train harder, concentrate more, feel less stressed-less cortisol production (stress hormone). As well as the impact on immune system.
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So simply going to bed earlier.
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Set alarm on phone to put it down.
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Blue light filters-glasses or phone cover, to reduce stimulation.
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Commit to a specific bed time. Your not a kid and don’t need to try and stay up late! Get your adult on!
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Develop a routine for sleep-bed time, the body thrives on regularity.
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Reduce caffeine in the afternoon (or at all).
Make Sleep the priority for any health goals!
Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the force generated as your heart pumps blood and moves it through the blood vessels in your body. It is made up of two numbers called the systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Systolic blood pressure represents the pressure while the heart is beating. (the top number)
Diastolic blood pressure represents the pressure when the heart is resting. (the bottom number)
Blood pressure below 140/80 is what is considered healthy and will reduce further risk of ill health.
Blood pressure that stays persistently above this level is considered high and the person is said to have high blood pressure or hypertension.
The lower the blood pressure the more you can reduce the strain on your heart. But is very important to be aware of any symptoms that may be caused by low blood pressure such as dizziness of light-headedness as this may cause collapse and result in injury.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition where the level of Glucose (sugar) in your blood is too high because your body is unable to use it properly.
There are two main types of diabetes:
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Type 1 – occurs when the person does not produce any insulin.
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Type 2 – occurs when the person does not produce enough insulin, or their cells lose the ability to use insulin.
High glucose levels in the blood affect the walls of the arteries, making them more likely to develop atheroma leading to heart disease.
A way to measure blood glucose level is the HbA1c test. This measure average glucose levels over 1-3months.
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Over 48 could mean you have diabetes
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42-47 is classed a pre diabetic which increases your chance of developing diabetes
Another way to measure blood glucose levels that is commonly used a finger prick test. This tell us how much glucose is in the blood at that time. Sometimes a fasting sample may be useful to gage your risk of developing diabetes.
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4-7 is the aim to maintain and average reading
Cardiovascular Disease
This is one of the most, if not the most, important part of any health and
The heart is a muscular pump which needs its own supply of oxygen in order to function. Oxygen is supplied to the heart muscle via blood carried in the coronary arteries. The heart has three main coronary arteries: the right, left and circumflex. Many smaller arteries branch off the main arteries to supply the whole of the heart with blood.
When these arteries become blocked or narrowed it causes a reduction in the blood supply. The heart will not be able to continue pumping as the muscle cells will not be receiving adequate oxygen to use for energy. This blocking is called atherosclerosis. This is where complications can arise and we call this Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), there are many types of CVD. Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) occurs when the arteries that supply blood to the heart become blocked; this can occur for many reasons which we commonly refer to as Risk Factors.
CHD can then lead to Angina, and also cause Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). This is an umbrella term used to describe Myocardial Infarction (MI), commonly known as a Heart Attack, and also Unstable Angina. There are two main types of MI; NSTEMI and STEMI. These are diagnosed using and ECG and blood tests. Treatment options will vary depending on the diagnosis individual risk.
Heart Failure
A further complication that could arise is Heart Failure (HF). This happens when the heart is not able to supply the body with blood as it should do normally. This can be treated with medications and exercise.
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