“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit” – Aristotle
A healthy lifestyle is the key to a happier life. It reduces our chance of getting cancer, dementia, depression, heart disease and strokes. Lifestyle changes are often more effective than medicines and many conditions are prevented by making lifestyle changes.
So why is it so hard? Three reasons prevail. We need to be motivated, have a clear plan of action and recognise that change will not happen overnight. Very often there is a culture of quick fixes and we are not prepared enough when we begin. Our focus should not be on quick fixes but instead on forming new habits. It takes about 66 days for most people to develop a habit where a new behaviour becomes automatic. If you’ve tried to change before and it didn’t work did you have a proper plan in place?
We want to promote five big areas:
- Physical activity
- Healthy weight
- Stopping smoking
- Safe alcohol consumption
- Improved mental health
If you want more information then read on or arrange a consultation with the practice nurse. If you want to make a change to your lifestyle then we can help you to do it!
What is my individual health risk?
- What is my risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years?
- Do I have a healthy weight and healthy levels of physical activity?
OK I’m motivated to make a change. What next?
Physical Activity – the single best medicine for our Health
Do you want more energy, better sleep and an improved sense of wellbeing? If yes then read on…
Modern life means that many people sit down for most of the day. Two out of every five adults in the UK are physically inactive. In fact the average person in Scotland spends twice as much time on the toilet each week as they do exercising!
We now know that lack of exercise is very harmful and increases our chances of developing lots of diseases and sadly, early death. This is because physical inactivity results in bad fat (called visceral fat) building up. This in turn causes our body’s immune system to become overactive resulting in chronic inflammation which is the driver of future disease. So becoming active reduces the bad fat, reduces inflammation and reduces the chance of developing future disease.
Even doing 10 minutes a day gives a huge benefit.
So, if we spent 30 minutes a day walking (or any form of exercise) we get:-
- An improved quality of life
- Reduced premature death and depression
- More energy, better sleep and reduced chronic pain
So if exercise was a drug then everyone would be prescribed it. It has been called the miracle cure for good reason! So the prescription is to limit sitting down and sleeping to just 23 and a half hours per day. Can you do that?
- Weigh to go – FREE GYM MEMBERSHIP and nutrition classes for 15 weeks – online booking or phone Blantyre Leisure Centre 01698 727800
- Watch the video to see the amazing benefits of 30 minutes walking a day makes to our life
- NHS tips for more information and encouragement
Free help for a healthy weight
“I’m not dieting, I’m changing my lifestyle”
Getting started – what’s my BMI?
Almost two in three people in Scotland are overweight or obese. This is a recent phenomenon and is due to us being exposed to unhealthy foods and being less physically active. Obesity causes depression, hypertension and diabetes amongst many other problems.
Having a healthier diet will make a huge difference to your health, happiness and quality of life.
Why don’t you try making a lifestyle change for one month and see the difference for yourself? Your doctor can prescribe a medicine called orlistat to help you lose weight as well though this has to be part of a weight loss management programme.
- Weigh to go – FREE GYM MEMBERSHIP and nutrition classes for 15 weeks – online booking or phone Blantyre Leisure Centre 01698 727800
- Start the NHS weight loss plan plus expert tips
- What’s the best diet for losing weight?
- Is surgery an option for me?
Free help to Stop Smoking
How would you like an extra £1595 a year, every year for the rest of your life? That’s the average cost of a 10-cigarette-a-day habit. But in truth it costs you a lot more than that. Tragically half of all smokers die from a smoking related disease. Not only is it one of the most dangerous things you could do it is also one of the most addictive and hardest to quit. If you’ve tried to give up in the past and failed there’s good news. You are four times more likely to successfully quit by getting professional help. So contact us today and we will do all we can to set you on your journey for everything we can to help you quit for you and your family’s sake.
- Smokers are 4 times more likely to quit if they get professional help. Watch the video to find out more
- Being part of our local smoking cessation group doubles your quit rate; many people are offered Champix which makes it easier to quit. Phone 0300 3030242
- Go to your local pharmacy for free nicotine replacement therapy
- Phone smokeline for tips and advice 0800 848 484
Free help to drink alcohol at safe levels
One in four people regularly have too much to drink which more than 14 units per week (e.g. more than seven pints, one and a half bottles of wine or more than a quarter bottle of spirits per week)
- Understanding units and benefits of reducing alcohol intake
- Toolkit for making a change to your drinking
- Drinkline Scotland 0300 123 1110 – if you want more information, have or know someone with an alcohol problem then phone for help and advice
Free help to improve your mental health
As the old saying goes “There’s no health without mental health.” Physical health and mental health are connected with one in four people experiencing mental health problems every year.
This video explains how improving our mental health makes us feel better and have an improved quality of life. There are lots of options: stress control classes, cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, counselling and many more.
- Explore Well Connected Lanarkshire for local contacts and make a change
Conclusion
Every journey begins with a single step, we appreciate there’s a lot of information above but we want you to know that you’re not alone in your journey and we wish you all the best. Don’t leave it till tomorrow, start living your new lifestyle now and experience the health and happiness it brings.
If you have any questions or feedback for us please contact us.