Health Hacks

[Izzy]

3 minutes ago, Brizzle Fox said:

I'm 53 and only started yoga 18 months ago even though my brother in law is a yoga teacher!

 

In the main started for the mental health benefits....I have quite a stressful corporate job and also have been through traumatic times with ill and dieing elderly parents over the last couple of years, and suffer from anxiety and panic attacks.

 

Try and do classes once or twice a week and it has  really helped me both mentally and physically.

Good to hear mate. 

 

I try to adopt the Yoga breathing exercises in day to day stressful situations too and it helps massively. I'm not quite a Zen master at mindfulness yet but I'm interested in exploring that more.

 

The best part of Yoga for me is the relaxation bit at the end. Been a few times where I've nodded off and the instructor has had to wake me up 

[Unabomber]

8 hours ago, Tommy G said:

What time you up bomber ?

5 usually.

[stretch1965]

I thought Yoga was a bit daft and for the pretentious but gave it a go during lock down. Been to a class ever since and I really am noticing the difference. Especially getting out of bed in the morning.

Over the last 18 months I really have worked on the breathing and not sure if it is linked but my running has benefitted as I'm not blowing out my backside as much.

 

 

[VLC86]

Talking about breathing exercises, go on YouTube and search for Wim Hoff breathing and give it a go. It’s wild but it does make you feel really good after.

[westernpark]

Don’t eat breakfast, eat a large lunch at 12, then a decent sized meal between 5-6.  My only issue is alcohol but quite regularly do a whole month off it a couple of times a year, as I’ve not done that since January this year, October is next. 
I run most days which is good and average about 500,000 steps a month. I would really recommend everyone skipping breakfast.

[EastAnglianFox]

Scoop of Type 1 Collagen in morning glass of water

2 Tbs of Apple Cider Vinegar (with Mother) 

30mg of CBD (capsule) morning and 30/60mg just before bed 

High Strength Magnesium Glycinate just before bed

2 High Strength Milk Thistle capsules 

As many have mentioned, Water..water, water. Usually around 3 and half litres.

 

Been an awful sleeper most of my adult life along with Psoriasis and Osteoarthritis and have genuinely found that staying consistent with the above has improved every aspect of my health, physical and mental.

Edited Wednesday at 07:49 by EastAnglianFox

[Tommy G]

4 minutes ago, EastAnglianFox said:

Scoop of Type 1 Collagen in morning glass of water

2 Tbs of Apple Cider Vinegar (with Mother) 

30mg of CBD (capsule) morning and 30/60mg just before bed 

High Strength Magnesium Glycinate just before bed

As many have mentioned, Water..water, water. Usually around 3 and half litres.

 

Been an awful sleeper most of my adult life along with Psoriasis and Osteoarthritis and have genuinely found that staying consistent with the above has improved every aspect of my health, physical and mental.

Do you mind talking about the benefits of these supplements?

 

What is CBD, seen it in the press but never really looked into it

[Tommy G]

1 hour ago, westernpark said:

Don’t eat breakfast, eat a large lunch at 12, then a decent sized meal between 5-6.  My only issue is alcohol but quite regularly do a whole month off it a couple of times a year, as I’ve not done that since January this year, October is next. 
I run most days which is good and average about 500,000 steps a month. I would really recommend everyone skipping breakfast.

Is that from a fasting point of view?  So effectively you are eating all your food in a 6 hour window. I try and do this once a week from 6pm on a sunday until noon on a monday. Havent taken it any further yet

[spacemunky]

19 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

What is CBD, seen it in the press but never really looked into it

I'm no expert, but from what I know it's from cannabis and it's helpful with pain, anxiety and helps with sleep.

 

I've been thinking about trying some myself, since all those things affect me.

[Tommy G]

7 minutes ago, spacemunky said:

I'm no expert, but from what I know it's from cannabis and it's helpful with pain, anxiety and helps with sleep.

 

I've been thinking about trying some myself, since all those things affect me.

Think Ive seen it in drinks too, TRIPP (??) - thought about it with a meal deal the other day but didnt want to be off my head in the afternoon

[spacemunky]

1 minute ago, Tommy G said:

Think Ive seen it in drinks too, TRIPP (??) - thought about it with a meal deal the other day but didnt want to be off my head in the afternoon

It's available in many forms such as gummies, liquid drops and in drinks.

 

I'm sure someone here will know more about them.

 

The fact that I'm up and posting on this at 4 in the morning, might make me a good candidate for some 

[Stadt]

1 hour ago, westernpark said:

I run most days which is good and average about 500,000 steps a month

That's impressive.

 

I think a surprising amount of people's problems would be solved if they just did another 5000 steps a day.

 

 

[JonnyBoy]

Many people focusing on supplements but the most important thing is cutting out ultra processed foods - since taking part in ZOE it has been incredibly eye opening. UPF have proven links to chronic inflammation and can lead to many cancers, cardiovascular issues, obesity, chronic pain and a lot more. anybody wonder now why so many people are getting Ill? The WHO and UK governing bodies have been ignoring the science for a while and it is now catching up with them. Banning adverts before 9pm next year will be the start, we will start seeing warning labels on food soon like we do with cigarettes. 

 

Any food that claims to be healthy isn't - i.e. Cereal with added fibre and B2 vitamins.. avoid! usually packed with sugars, stabilisers, sweetener etc. etc. do you ever see whole food items with flash advertising on them claiming them to be healthy? Massive food companies are pushing cleverly designed UPF foods with definitive ratios of fat/sugar/salt to make it as addictive as possible and are manufactured specifically to make you eat more and drive profits for the company.  They have no interest in your health. 

 

Prime example - muller 0% fat yoghurts packed with artificial ingredients wreak havoc on the gut and never makes you feel satiated after eating. Full fat Yoghurt is a lot better option. Even better adding Nuts, Honey is also no better than a can of coke.. both "naturally grown" and the body recognises it as fructose it doesn't differentiate it. The amount of people who think drinking a glass or orange juice is healthy - probably 50% of the populaton. It is just sugar, much better off eating the whole orange which contains the fibre and controls the glucose spike. 

 

FIBRE - again been linked so much with health issues, you need 30grams + a day, usually people eat less than 20 grams and this is so important to long term health. Nuts are extremely good for you but hardly any people eat them on a consistent basis

 

Brassicas - i.e. green leafy veg  - Watercress, sprouts, baby spinach, leek etc incredibly good for you due to polyphenols and glucosinolates along with eating 30+ plants a week and this includes spices, grains, nuts etc. Sounds a big number but easily done if you focus on variety. 

 

Gut health - overlooked until recently - linked so much to mood (serotonin produced in the gut) and very much linked to immune system and overall health. Probiotics - Kefir, kimchi, kombucha etc. 

 

There is nothing better you can do to limit UPF (less than 15% of intake - not saying completely eliminate them that's not realistic) and exercise often. 

 

 

 

Chris van Tulken - ultra processed people is the best book i have read and completely changed my life

Edited Wednesday at 10:06 by JonnyBoy

[Izzy]

1 hour ago, Tommy G said:

Do you mind talking about the benefits of these supplements?

 

What is CBD, seen it in the press but never really looked into it

I put some CBD drops in my vape. You don’t get the ‘high’ of cannabis but it does help me to relax. 

[Chris_OGrady]

Skip breakfast and eat between 12-8

Don't drink alcohol Monday - Thursday (where possible). Do dry January and try to have little breaks every quarter (2 weeks or so). If craving a beer at home have a non-alcoholic.

No crisps or chocolate in the week. Replace crisps with a handful of nuts instead 

Eggs most lunches with sourdough/fresh bread

Strength training/gym once a week

Try to run 10k total distance every week. This can be two 5k runs. Really need to sign upto a Run in order to be motivated to do this though. 

 

Most of the above has gone to shit this summer... However I'm getting back on it today and have a target weight for 1st of December!

[JonnyBoy]

2 hours ago, Tommy G said:

Is that from a fasting point of view?  So effectively you are eating all your food in a 6 hour window. I try and do this once a week from 6pm on a sunday until noon on a monday. Havent taken it any further yet

 

evidence that fasting can be really good for you. Also, great to give your gut bugs a rest  (12 hours +) and essentially let them "clean up" 

[izzymuzzet]

40 in a few months, always been fairly fit but like a pint and prone to getting a bit of a beer belly. My lifestyle isn't perfect but to keep in shape and feel mentally fit the following work for me:

 

Weight training at the gym 3 times a week. Mixture of big compound lifts (squat, deadlift, bench) and more focused hypertrophy exercises. I don't do any specialist cardio but walk as much as I can and ride my bike occasionally.

Walk up a big hill with some mates once a month. It's good for the soul.

Loads of water.

Track my alchol units so I'm always under the monthly recommended limit. The upshot of this is I rarely drink at home now because I like to save my units for social occassions.

Have always eaten fairly healthy so that's never been a big problem but I do have a sweet tooth. I try to limit myself to one small chocolate bar a day or a few pieces of dark chocolate.

 

The main thing I'd really like to improve on is sleep. I live in a noisy area and will be moving soon so I'm hoping that will have a positive impact.

[jgtuk]

1 hour ago, JonnyBoy said:

Many people focusing on supplements but the most important thing is cutting out ultra processed foods - since taking part in ZOE it has been incredibly eye opening. UPF have proven links to chronic inflammation and can lead to many cancers, cardiovascular issues, obesity, chronic pain and a lot more. anybody wonder now why so many people are getting Ill? The WHO and UK governing bodies have been ignoring the science for a while and it is now catching up with them. Banning adverts before 9pm next year will be the start, we will start seeing warning labels on food soon like we do with cigarettes. 

 

Any food that claims to be healthy isn't - i.e. Cereal with added fibre and B2 vitamins.. avoid! usually packed with sugars, stabilisers, sweetener etc. etc. do you ever see whole food items with flash advertising on them claiming them to be healthy? Massive food companies are pushing cleverly designed UPF foods with definitive ratios of fat/sugar/salt to make it as addictive as possible and are manufactured specifically to make you eat more and drive profits for the company.  They have no interest in your health. 

 

Prime example - muller 0% fat yoghurts packed with artificial ingredients wreak havoc on the gut and never makes you feel satiated after eating. Full fat Yoghurt is a lot better option. Even better adding Nuts, Honey is also no better than a can of coke.. both "naturally grown" and the body recognises it as fructose it doesn't differentiate it. The amount of people who think drinking a glass or orange juice is healthy - probably 50% of the populaton. It is just sugar, much better off eating the whole orange which contains the fibre and controls the glucose spike. 

 

FIBRE - again been linked so much with health issues, you need 30grams + a day, usually people eat less than 20 grams and this is so important to long term health. Nuts are extremely good for you but hardly any people eat them on a consistent basis

 

Brassicas - i.e. green leafy veg  - Watercress, sprouts, baby spinach, leek etc incredibly good for you due to polyphenols and glucosinolates along with eating 30+ plants a week and this includes spices, grains, nuts etc. Sounds a big number but easily done if you focus on variety. 

 

Gut health - overlooked until recently - linked so much to mood (serotonin produced in the gut) and very much linked to immune system and overall health. Probiotics - Kefir, kimchi, kombucha etc. 

 

There is nothing better you can do to limit UPF (less than 15% of intake - not saying completely eliminate them that's not realistic) and exercise often. 

 

 

 

Chris van Tulken - ultra processed people is the best book i have read and completely changed my life

All of this but you forgot SEEDS... I add them to everything and absolutely love them. Sunflower, Hemp, Pumpkin, Flax, Sesame, Chia, Wild rice, Pomegranate, Quinoa etc.

Cut down on meat and dairy, find alternatives.

Experiment with vegetables, you'll be surprised how many dishes don't need meat.

I fast from my evening meal until lunch the following day, every day. Been doing this for years.

Water intake!! Not tea or coffee (or Vimto ). 

If you insist on eating bread, go for 100% wholemeal flour or a seeded wholemeal. Rye or Sourdough are also better than bleached bread.

Get outdoors whenever possible, daylight is very good for mental and physical health.

Walk, cycle or run on short journeys.

100 press ups a day, plank 3 times a day. Do these in sets that are managable for you.

Yoga is fantastic for general health and fitness, flexibility and strength training all in one PLUS all of the benefits linked to relaxation and focus.

Quality sleep patterns are massively important, too much to go into in this thread but cutting down on social media, regular exercise and yoga will help.

It can't be stressed enough that modern life (food manufacturers!) is killing us - the above info on UPF's is crucial to understanding health.

Alcohol intake, smoking, vaping etc. are all no brainers to moderate/quit.

Finally (and this should probably go in the unpopular opinions thread) TAKEAWAYS... Just stop!

 

 

[leicsmac]

10 minutes ago, jgtuk said:

All of this but you forgot SEEDS... I add them to everything and absolutely love them. Sunflower, Hemp, Pumpkin, Flax, Sesame, Chia, Wild rice, Pomegranate, Quinoa etc.

Cut down on meat and dairy, find alternatives.

Experiment with vegetables, you'll be surprised how many dishes don't need meat.

I fast from my evening meal until lunch the following day, every day. Been doing this for years.

Water intake!! Not tea or coffee (or Vimto ). 

If you insist on eating bread, go for 100% wholemeal flour or a seeded wholemeal. Rye or Sourdough are also better than bleached bread.

Get outdoors whenever possible, daylight is very good for mental and physical health.

Walk, cycle or run on short journeys.

100 press ups a day, plank 3 times a day. Do these in sets that are managable for you.

Yoga is fantastic for general health and fitness, flexibility and strength training all in one PLUS all of the benefits linked to relaxation and focus.

Quality sleep patterns are massively important, too much to go into in this thread but cutting down on social media, regular exercise and yoga will help.

It can't be stressed enough that modern life (food manufacturers!) is killing us - the above info on UPF's is crucial to understanding health.

Alcohol intake, smoking, vaping etc. are all no brainers to moderate/quit.

Finally (and this should probably go in the unpopular opinions thread) TAKEAWAYS... Just stop!

 

 

UPFs are a massive problem today.

 

Still, perhaps such things are better than they were 50 years ago or before where a great many more diseases were basically considered a death sentence.

[jgtuk]

1 minute ago, leicsmac said:

UPFs are a massive problem today.

 

Still, perhaps such things are better than they were 50 years ago or before where a great many more diseases were basically considered a death sentence.

I sometimes think we've swapped one set of diseases for another set though.

Food producers are not stupid when it comes to profit and most of the suppliers still get away with advertising crap as having health benefits (such as cereal and yoghurt as previously mentioned).

The general public want cheap, tasty food and guess what - UPF's provide just that, to the detriment of the masses that buy it.

Anyway, this is probably worthy of a thread of it's own.

[leicsmac]

7 minutes ago, jgtuk said:

I sometimes think we've swapped one set of diseases for another set though.

Food producers are not stupid when it comes to profit and most of the suppliers still get away with advertising crap as having health benefits (such as cereal and yoghurt as previously mentioned).

The general public want cheap, tasty food and guess what - UPF's provide just that, to the detriment of the masses that buy it.

Anyway, this is probably worthy of a thread of it's own.

Yeah, agreed.

 

On topic, drinking more water and cutting out the aforementioned processed foods is something I'm trying really hard with.

[JonnyBoy]

9 minutes ago, jgtuk said:

All of this but you forgot SEEDS... I add them to everything and absolutely love them. Sunflower, Hemp, Pumpkin, Flax, Sesame, Chia, Wild rice, Pomegranate, Quinoa etc.

Cut down on meat and dairy, find alternatives.

Experiment with vegetables, you'll be surprised how many dishes don't need meat.

I fast from my evening meal until lunch the following day, every day. Been doing this for years.

Water intake!! Not tea or coffee (or Vimto ). 

If you insist on eating bread, go for 100% wholemeal flour or a seeded wholemeal. Rye or Sourdough are also better than bleached bread.

Get outdoors whenever possible, daylight is very good for mental and physical health.

Walk, cycle or run on short journeys.

100 press ups a day, plank 3 times a day. Do these in sets that are managable for you.

Yoga is fantastic for general health and fitness, flexibility and strength training all in one PLUS all of the benefits linked to relaxation and focus.

Quality sleep patterns are massively important, too much to go into in this thread but cutting down on social media, regular exercise and yoga will help.

It can't be stressed enough that modern life (food manufacturers!) is killing us - the above info on UPF's is crucial to understanding health.

Alcohol intake, smoking, vaping etc. are all no brainers to moderate/quit.

Finally (and this should probably go in the unpopular opinions thread) TAKEAWAYS... Just stop!

 

 

 

Do you know what i could go on and on... rookie error not mentioning seeds. I have a jar mixed of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and more. Great for sprinkling on top of porridge/yoghurt for the fibre and good fats. I also didn't mention the benefits of extra virgin olive oil.. 

 

I try and only buy sourdough, the problem with shop bought sourdough is it isn't necessarily good for you as depends on the fermentation process and added ingredients.. would love to be able to make my own sourdough. Always try and opt for wholemeal SD when i can 

 

Fasting great and important to listen to your body when you are hungry.. i think the "most important meal of the day" myth was created during a marketing campaign from Kellogs in the 80'a/90'a i believe. It is nonsense. 

 

Daylight first thing in the morning sets circadian rhythm (body clock) - again heavily linked to health benefits and sleeping better. I find it difficult in winter but have bought a lumi clock to help 

 

There is so much interesting information on the harm UPF's do and the benefits of eating whole foods and a good diet - especially the links on depression/anxiety an how closely what you eat is linked and there are some really interesting studies around this - I usually get my info from books and three really interesting podcasts i listen to a lot are Dr Chatterjee, Doctors kitchen and ZOE podcast .. i find it fascinating. The problem is it isn't the average person's fault for not understanding or being aware about UPF's effect o us. We have been brainwashed for years and will take time to change attitudes towards going back to mainly a whole food diet to help reduce the rise in all these health problems we are seeing more of.

 

i struggle with stress which i know is really bad for you, need to maybe try Yoga/deep breathing. I have started cold water therapy and it has benefitted me massively.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[grobyfox1990]

All the above is very useful. Sauna then cold shower is my addition.

[jgtuk]

6 minutes ago, JonnyBoy said:

 

Do you know what i could go on and on... rookie error not mentioning seeds. I have a jar mixed of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and more. Great for sprinkling on top of porridge/yoghurt for the fibre and good fats. I also didn't mention the benefits of extra virgin olive oil.. 

 

I try and only buy sourdough, the problem with shop bought sourdough is it isn't necessarily good for you as depends on the fermentation process and added ingredients.. would love to be able to make my own sourdough. Always try and opt for wholemeal SD when i can 

 

Fasting great and important to listen to your body when you are hungry.. i think the "most important meal of the day" myth was created during a marketing campaign from Kellogs in the 80'a/90'a i believe. It is nonsense. 

 

Daylight first thing in the morning sets circadian rhythm (body clock) - again heavily linked to health benefits and sleeping better. I find it difficult in winter but have bought a lumi clock to help 

 

There is so much interesting information on the harm UPF's do and the benefits of eating whole foods and a good diet - especially the links on depression/anxiety an how closely what you eat is linked and there are some really interesting studies around this - I usually get my info from books and three really interesting podcasts i listen to a lot are Dr Chatterjee, Doctors kitchen and ZOE podcast .. i find it fascinating. The problem is it isn't the average person's fault for not understanding or being aware about UPF's effect o us. We have been brainwashed for years and will take time to change attitudes towards going back to mainly a whole food diet to help reduce the rise in all these health problems we are seeing more of.

 

i struggle with stress which i know is really bad for you, need to maybe try Yoga/deep breathing. I have started cold water therapy and it has benefitted me massively.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's not possible to cover everything - your info was spot on.

Also, forgot to add that I agree, the Zoe podcast and website has some brilliant info and it's worth checking out for others that are interested.

[Trav Le Bleu]

57 minutes ago, jgtuk said:

All of this but you forgot SEEDS... I add them to everything and absolutely love them. Sunflower, Hemp, Pumpkin, Flax, Sesame, Chia, Wild rice, Pomegranate, Quinoa etc.

Cut down on meat and dairy, find alternatives.

Experiment with vegetables, you'll be surprised how many dishes don't need meat.

I fast from my evening meal until lunch the following day, every day. Been doing this for years.

Water intake!! Not tea or coffee (or Vimto ). 

If you insist on eating bread, go for 100% wholemeal flour or a seeded wholemeal. Rye or Sourdough are also better than bleached bread.

Get outdoors whenever possible, daylight is very good for mental and physical health.

Walk, cycle or run on short journeys.

100 press ups a day, plank 3 times a day. Do these in sets that are managable for you.

Yoga is fantastic for general health and fitness, flexibility and strength training all in one PLUS all of the benefits linked to relaxation and focus.

Quality sleep patterns are massively important, too much to go into in this thread but cutting down on social media, regular exercise and yoga will help.

It can't be stressed enough that modern life (food manufacturers!) is killing us - the above info on UPF's is crucial to understanding health.

Alcohol intake, smoking, vaping etc. are all no brainers to moderate/quit.

Finally (and this should probably go in the unpopular opinions thread) TAKEAWAYS... Just stop!

 

 

LOTS of hemp seeds?

 

Am I right, right?!?!