Cardiovascular disease is one of the most common causes of death in the UK, with coronary heart disease (CHD) in particular responsible for 16% of all male deaths and 10% of all female deaths in the country in 2012, according to the British Medical Journal. As lifestyle can play a significant part in the development and progression of the disease, many of these deaths could have been prevented, and there are a number of steps you can take to ensure…
A healthy lifestyle and diet can provide us with so much – vitamins, energy, detoxification, and more. But make the wrong lifestyle and diet choices consistently and we could have some worries on our plate, including high blood pressure and cholesterol. Thankfully, there are a few accepted ways of minimising risk of these health issues, and in this blog we take a look at them. Before we examine some great ways of keeping high blood pressure and cholesterol in check,…
Lifestyle diseases are associated with the way a person lives their life. These can include diabetes, heart disease and obesity which are illnesses influenced by dietary choices and social activities, such as smoking and drinking. These diseases are chronic illnesses as they develop over a long period of time, and are caused by choices made consistently during that period. For example, choices that are made in our 20s can have a negative impact on our health, but the extent of…
Diet is the key foundation of any fitness regime, but with so many fast and processed foods available today, it’s all too easy to get drawn into eating the wrong things. The food industry itself is, of course, out to sell you its products, including those which we deem to be unhealthy. With that in mind, let’s look at four ways the food industry gets you to eat more of the things you shouldn’t. Unhealthy food industry tactics The four…
Previously, we have looked at the views of Marion Nestle to summarise updated thoughts on what is actually the healthiest diet available. Together with Christopher’s own extensive research into optimal dietary plans, it is fair to surmise that plant-based diets are actually the healthiest diets around. This is due to them being extremely natural and most importantly that they have been the staple diet for much of the human population for thousands of years, without a need for excessive animal…
If you’re struggling with aches and pains, it’s crucial to get enough protein to help with recovery. Plant-based foods often get a bad rap for protein – but they shouldn’t! Here we explore why: How much protein do you need? There’s a lot of misinformation floating around about how much protein you need: no one’s expecting you to eat steak three times a day, and your arteries won’t thank you for it! But by choosing high-quality, low-fat plant foods, you…
In modern dieting, there seems to be a lot of misunderstanding around what part fat plays in a healthy balanced diet. This article will, therefore, summarise the thoughts displayed in the video below which discusses the 5 healthiest food sources of fat available. As Christopher states, a healthy fat is a fatty food that is unprocessed. The 5 healthiest fatty foods Avocado Olive oil Sunflower seeds Almonds Coconut oil What benefits do they offer? The first benefit on offer is…
“As an academic nutritionist, I grapple on a daily basis with what I see as a central contradiction between nutrition theory and practice. On the one hand, our advice about health benefits, on diets mainly based on plants – fruits, vegetables and grains – has not changed in more than 50 years and is consistently supported by ongoing research. On the other hand, people seem increasingly confused about what they are supposed to eat to stay healthy.” Those are the…
In the video following this article, we are analysing the optimal position of the lumbar spine to entail healthy all round posture. Generally speaking, optimal lumbar spine positioning will fall into two different categories: one that entails a neutral position and one that entails greater levels of movement. So, as per the video, here are the two different positions in greater detail. A neutral position When in a neutral position, your spine should meet the following criteria. When looking at…
One of the most commonly used phrases in fitness is to ‘strengthen your core’. I get asked about it all the time by our clients. Indeed, strengthening your core can help to stabilise and support your spine, build maximal gains in your strength, and help you power through advanced athletic movements. It can also reduce the risk of lower-back pain and lower-back injury, as the muscles supporting the spine are stronger. To achieve a strong core, it involves working on…