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Posts from July 2009

 

28/07/09

Sleep tight!

As you know, regular Inside Out Diet blogger Alana is away enjoying the Sicilian sunshine for the next fortnight, so for one week only I’m taking over the blog. My name’s Sonya; I work with Alana at Yakult, and this week I thought I’d share some top tips on getting a good night’s sleep.

I don’t know about you, but I find it particularly tricky to drop off to sleep during summer; the light nights tend to keep me alert later into the evening, plus of course the heat can make it harder to sleep. (Not that the heat has been much of a problem so far this month, of course!)
 
But a good night’s sleep is vital for good health. Just this month, research[1] has shown that a lack of sleep can raise the risk of heart disease – more so for women than for men. But did you know that sleep is also linked in with digestive health? Just like the rest of the body, the digestive system needs time to relax and recuperate – so a good, regular sleep pattern really can help the gut work more effectively.
 
So why not take a look at these top tips and see whether you could improve your sleeping habits – and be good to your gut in the process? You can find more advice and information about sleep on page 18 of your Inside Out Diet.
 
  • Get a routine. Go to bed at the same time each night and use an alarm clock if necessary to make you get up at roughly the same time each day.
  • Make sure your bedroom is a restful environment. Use earplugs if noise is a problem and hide your clock so you’re not tempted to clock-watch if you wake during the night.
  • Exercise during the day – though not too close to bedtime as it may keep you awake.
  • Cut down on stimulants such as caffeine in tea or coffee - especially in the evening.
  • Clear your head – make a list of things to be tackled the next day, then wind down for a while before bed by doing something restful, such as reading or listening to music.
Sweet dreams!
 
Sonya

[1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8128329.stm

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21/07/09

Have a healthy holiday!

 

So have you all been preparing your digestive systems for your holidays? I’ve only got four days to go and cannot wait and yes, I have been extra kind to my digestive system the last couple of weeks, loading up on lots of prebiotic foods as well as making sure I take my daily probiotic. I hate getting ill on holiday, so fingers crossed my preparation will pay off and I’ll be ok this year!
 
Over the last few months I have to say I’ve been very proactive in keeping fit and healthy in terms of my diet as well as exercise - I started jogging a few weeks ago, which I love, and I’ve also been making sure I eat a variety of fruit and veg each day. I have to say it is hard to stick to a healthy diet on holiday; mine usually goes out the window with all the tasty temptations on offer!
 
This year though, I want to make a conscious effort to keep a healthy regime going, whilst allowing myself the odd treat. I’m not going to let my holiday ruin my healthy diet and possibly cause havoc with my digestive system this year.
 
So in that spirit, here are a few holiday food/drink swaps I thought might help you and I stay healthy on holiday -
 
SWAP a small packet of crisps (181 kcal/0.9 grams fat) FOR 8 sesame rice crackers (60 kcal/0.3 grams sat fat)
 
SWAP 100 grams of vanilla ice cream (170 kcal/4.9 grams sat fat) FOR 100 grams of frozen yoghurt (100 kcal/2 grams fat)
 
SWAP a can of cola (140 kcal/0 grams sat fat) FOR sparkling water with some lime (0 kcal/0 grams sat fat))
 
SWAP a small bar of milk chocolate (200kcal/7 grams sat fat) FOR 28 grams of raisins (91 kcal/0 grams sat fat)
 
SWAP a small glass of white wine (156 kcal/0 grams fat) FOR a white wine spritzer (78 calories/0 grams fat).
 
(www.livestrong.com)
 
So bye for now, I'll be on holiday for the next two weeks; I'll let you know how my healthy food swaps went when I return! Oh, and keep your eyes peeled for some guest bloggers in my absence!
 
 

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