With all the health advice we’re exposed to, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed – so which messages should we really prioritise?
WORDS: KAREN EVENNETT IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK
Wise Up to Better Health
Drink green tea to cut your risk of dementia, munch almonds for a healthier heart, eat dairy to decrease your risk of bowel cancer . . .
Yes nuts, tea and cheese may all have some part to play in boosting aspects of your health – but don’t let tips like these distract you from the far more prosaic health advice that we all need to take on board.
You’ve heard it all before, but stopping smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, drinking less alcohol, taking regular exercise and eating a balanced diet really can reduce your risk of a litany of conditions – not least cancer, heart disease and dementia.
For example, smoking causes at least 15 different types of cancer and is a major risk factor for heart disease, Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. Meanwhile alcohol is linked to at least seven types of cancer (including breast and bowel), and drinking above the recommended level (14 units a week) may shrink parts of the brain involved in memory.
Smoking, alcohol, poor diet and obesity also raise your risk of midlife hypertension, which is the single biggest cause of stroke and makes you more likely to develop vascular dementia in later life.
Take A Check
Be body aware, checking out new and unusual symptoms, and taking up screenings for heart health and cancer.
The NHS Health Check (every five years if you’re aged 40-75) will flag up silent issues like high cholesterol and hypertension, while cancer screening programmes save thousands of lives each year by detecting early cancerous changes that have no outward signs. “Sometimes screening will prevent the disease from developing in the first place,” Nicola Smith, senior health information manager at Cancer Research UK, says. Find out more at cancer.org.uk.
Think: Food First
There’s a temptation to see supplements as a safety net – filling gaps in your diet – but you’re far better off spending that money on high quality wholefoods, says nutritionist Jenna Hope. “Nutrients are generally easier to absorb and use from foods, and we gain the added benefits of fibres and plant chemicals that aren’t available in supplements.
