The number of people being killed by obesity-related illnesses has increased in England during the last decade.

Latest figures based on the analysis of death certificates by a team at the University of Oxford, and published in the European Journal of Public Health, revealed an annual rise in fat-linked deaths between 2000 and 2006.

On the death certificates, links to obesity rose by an average of 8% for men and 4% for women, year-on-year. And the researchers believe many more deaths may have been caused by obesity but not recorded.

This research has been published at a time when recent ministerial figures paint a similar picture, showing a jump from 358 obesity-related deaths in 2000 to 757 in 2009, with directly linked deaths in people under 65 rising from 88 in 2000 to 190 in 2009. In addition, the Scottish government has warned that 40% of Scots might be obese by 2030 unless things change.

Approximately 25% of UK adults are currently obese.  

Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, president of the Faculty of Public Health, said people in the so-called early stages of obesity often did not realise the risks that being overweight pose. He said: “People do not realise how closely linked it is with serious conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes. We have to take obesity seriously.” (Source)

There are a number of strategies which can be adopted to help ensure your weight returns to and remains at a healthy level.

•    Eat well
Make sure you are eating enough fruit and vegetables on a daily basis as these provide you with the necessary nutrients. They will also curb your appetite for sugary or fatty snacks, helping to keep calories down in-between meals. Make sure you eat a good breakfast, lunch and dinner too, making use of fresh ingredients like fish, eggs, potatoes and beans.

•    Exercise regularly
You should be doing a minimum of 30-minutes exercise five times a week which leaves you slightly out of breath and raises your heart rate. If your health permits it – always check with your doctor first – incorporate at least two intense cardio sessions into your weekly routine too.

•    Get help!
With your fitness, that is. You could consider using a personal trainer to help keep you motivated and create an exercise routine tailored to your needs, ability and goals. Another way to boost your weight loss and fitness level is boot camps. Fitness boot camps provide you with the advice, support and inspiration you need to stay fit and healthy – as well as giving you a thorough workout which leaves you feel exhausted and exhilarated.

Vanessa Alexander 

Esteem Fitness

Post from: Fitness Magazine

Fitness boot camps and weight loss weekends are a fantastic way to kick-start your new healthy lifestyle, perfect for when you want that burst of feel-good exercise. Interactive, intense and individually-based, boot camps leave you feeling – and looking – so much better thanks to the fat-burning activities and nutritious meals.

Obesity is a serious problem in our society and the latest research has revealed that the number of obesity-related deaths is increasing each year. Exercise and healthy eating are crucial if you are to stay well and protect yourself from ill-health.

With boot camps, you get a weekend of fitness fun, healthy eating and nutritional hints and tips guaranteed to make you shed some of those stubborn pounds and increase your fitness substantially.

Each weekend is full of a wide range of exercise routines to give all your muscles an excellent workout, resulting in healthy weight loss by the end of the boot camp. You will feel exhausted after all your running, circuit training, climbing, Nordic walking, martial arts, tyre and log runs – and more! But you will also feel fantastic from pushing yourself physically and being supported by your fellow boot campers – the environment is a lot more engaging and interactive than your average gym.

Fat Attack is synonymous with health and well-being, catering for the corporate fitness teambuilding and fitness boot camps markets. As busy people, you can rarely afford to spend a week away from work and family commitments – which is why all Fat Attack boot camps are run Friday to Sunday.

At Fat Attack, we want to make exercise as easy as possible for you. We run boot camps in the London/ South East England regions and also travel to your location in the UK for groups of 15+. Our bespoke service works very well for local sports teams, bridal boot camps and friends, as well as corporate teambuilding events or corporate reward weekends for hard work.

We recently launched boot camps in Kent and the first weekend in this new location will run on 19-21 March. To celebrate this new boot camp, we have drastically cut the cost of a fat loss weekend to just £375. This price is all-inclusive and if you book for this opening weekend you’ll also receive a 10% discount on the price.

To find more about the benefits of boot camps and the new Kent weight loss weekends, have a look at www.fatattack.co.uk. New dates are added often and there is at least one boot camp a month in addition to the bespoke boot camps for groups.

Vanessa Alexander
www.fatattack.co.uk

Post from: Fitness Magazine

Although we know that setting your resolutions are far easier to make than to they are to keep, but it has never stopped people to look forward and to set their goals for a better year ahead. It’s a time to reflect on the changes we want to make and follow through on those changes.

This is the perfect time to greet the newness and to learn from the past to make the future better. To be in perfect health is definitely a dream for everyone and we at Esteem Fitness can help you achieve your goals and objectives.

We have developed 5 SIMPLE tips you can follow this year to help you live a positive lifestyle and surround the New Year with a glow of health.

• Workout and Exercise – It has been proven that regular exercise has been associated with various health benefits like reducing stress, lowers blood pressure and increases longevity. Apart from being physically healthy, it also leads to a healthy mind. Corporate companies can opt for fitness classes such as yoga, strengthen classes and running clubs to get their staff healthy and it will also enhance their mood, productivity and the ability to focus better.Our professional trainers will ensure that you will enjoy working out whilst obtaining personal goals. So start working out and have a better health and feel the difference this New Year.

• Healthy eating – say no to junk food!!! It’s easier said than done especially when you have to walk pass fast food outlets and fight the constant temptation.

A healthy diet is central to overall good health. You need to plan your meals to ensure that you consume all of the required nutrients. Take time to learn by reading articles or even consulting your nutritionist on what food to avoid as well as healthy eating options that are realistic and make informed choices.   

• Quit drinking and smoking – If you have vowed to quit drinking and smoking this year, we at Esteem Fitness can help you with just that. While many struggle to do so, we have programmes to aid people who would want to make a difference in their lives. Our qualified professionals can aid you with the necessary support to tackle your tackle your issues.

• Stress Management – With the number of increasing reports on stress management, more corporate companies are incorporating various well-being programmes to overcome the problem. Stress is commonly related to over-worked, tension, depression, fatigue and other issues. Apart from exercising which is one of the best ways to tackle the problem, there are many other well-being programmes to overcome this problem.

A good way to beat stress is having team-building events. Get your colleagues together and have a fun-filled day. Enjoy a team event in a social atmosphere and distress. Regular events, scheduled fitness classes, nutritional workshop or even a cooking demonstration can help create a closer bond among employees.

• Lose weight – Reports have indicated that weight loss will help you build confidence and self esteem as well as reducing the risk of heart disease and stress upon your organs. Their programs help you lose body fat at a healthy rate, giving you energy for daily activity. With the proper diet and exercise, you will also start to tone up and this will make you feel stronger and increases muscle mass and bone density. Once you increase your muscle mass, your metabolic rate becomes more efficient at burning body fat.

Esteem Fitness can assist you with any programmes you would like to incorporate to ensure you get to achieve your goals and live a healthy lifestyle.

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Paramount to this is your decision. Decision is the opposite of indecision or procrastination. So, if that gym membership is going to waste, its time you made a decision. Maybe a change in pattern or a helping hand that will whip you into shape. Put simply, a personal trainer that’ll take your well-being to heart and soldier through sweat and grunts to get you the physique that’s eluded you all this while. It’s attainable, decide if you want it!

All you need is a change of attitude. With anything in life, the key factor to success is having the right mind set and most importantly, motivation. Yes, you heard me — Motivation! Although many utter ‘exercise’ as the answer to living a healthy lifestyle but it always boils down to motivation to ensure you carry on and complete any programme.

Without the motivation factor, many struggle to even get up in the morning let alone exercise. With a personal trainer, you literally have no excuses. You just have to get up and open your front door. Having your personal trainer making house calls is the most convenient aspect of starting your healthy lifestyle. You get to work out at the comforts of your own home, in your garden or even at a nearby park if you prefer the outdoors.

Working out with a personal trainer will enable you to follow a tailored programme that will directly help you achieve your weight loss goals within a given time frame. The personal trainer will create a plan judging from your current physical status, i.e. fitness level and specific goals.

By having your personal trainer by your side, you can be rest assured that your workout sessions are being executed properly and this is very important to avoid any injuries. He or she will also be your motivational factor and will give you the encouragement required to complete your exercise regime.

With the right advice from your personal trainer as well as our nutritionist, you will achieve your goals in the shortest timeframe. Having the right balanced diet determines the performance and appearance, and then you can have the health and physique you always wanted.

So if you think enough is enough. No more excuses. All you need to do is just get yourself a personal trainer. You can start living a healthy lifestyle by giving us at Esteem Fitness a call. We would match you with the most appropriate personal trainer if you do have any complications or prior injuries. At Esteem Fitness, we can offer personal trainers to people in London and South East of UK. This includes areas like Surrey, Kent, Sussex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Middlesex and Herfordshire.

Stop putting it off and get ready to transform your life by letting us at Esteem Fitness help you fight for your health, fitness and appearance goals. So remember, all you need is Motivation! Motivation! Motivation!   

Angela Sargunan

Esteem Fitness – Personal Training London and South East

Post from: Fitness Magazine

Between 1pm and 3pm, the workplace begins to lose its momentum, a wave of sleepiness hits and you find it hard to keep your eyes open and start yawning. Eventually you find it hard to concentrate and your typing slows to a halt. And all you want to do is ‘not’ do anything except for putting your head on your desk and take a nap.  

Most nine-to-five workers experience these energy lags and start to feel sluggish and the peckish-ness would then start to set in.

It is said that the mid-afternoon sluggishness is usually associated with a drop in blood sugar levels and lack of oxygen in the brains. To overcome this problem, follow these simple tips to snap yourself back into action and have energy flowing throughout the day.

Start off your day with a fulfilling breakfast

To keep your energy level at peak performance, ensure you start your day with a good breakfast. You can opt for wholegrain toast or cereal mixed with a handful of dried fruits and nuts as carbohydrates will help you stay mentally alert. Skipping any meal affects your concentration and often, people tend to overeat.  

Have a healthy lunch

The afternoon dip can be made worse by consuming lots of carbohydrates at lunchtime as it can make the person very lethargic in the afternoon. Carbohydrate is a combination of sugar and starch where the starch will release glucose slowly whereas sugar will do it quickly. Eating meat with high in sugar n low in starches will give you quick energy that won’t last long. Starches on the other hand will prolong the availability of glucose for the brain. However do not overeat – digestion – heavy meal takes longer time to digest and ur energy consumes it.

It is good to consume a balance meal as lack of any nutrients might lead to losing mental alertness. Consuming protein as the main course during lunch is good for mental alertness. Protein is not just meat, but nuts and seeds, eggs, dairy products such as yogurt and cheese, and beans and legumes. Esteem Fitness can provide your organisation with healthy food delivery which ensures your employees are having a healthy option and saves time walking around eateries looking for unhealthy options. This delivery service also provides employees with more time to exercise during their lunch breaks.

Take a break

Hunching over the computer all day can leave you tired and even with stiff shoulders. It is good to allow yourself to take a short break. Moving away from what you are currently working on and return to it a while later. Stretch your legs and move around can boost your circulation and you will find it to be very helpful.

Opt for a healthy energy booster

The most common practice is to reach out for a chocolate bar or coffee to get you through this sleepy period. You need to fight the urge to fill up on these sweet treats. Sugary snacks and junk food is a short-term boost and you will be back at square one. These highly refined carbohydrates will make you feel tired and mentally dull.

When you need a boost, opt for fruits or some nuts. At Esteem Fitness, we offer fruit drop deliveries to offices and you could suggest to your organization to get a fruit bowl going once or twice a week so there is always a healthy snack on hand.

Nutritionists would advise to avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea. It would perk you up but consuming too much can affect your sleep. For someone used to consume caffeine, ideally it would be great to reduce it slowly and making it easier for your body to adopt. Instead, drink water to keep you hydrated and it will help with your concentration.

Get up and move

Go on and take a walk at lunchtime and add a stretch break in the mid-afternoon. Exercise will increase the volume of blood pumped to your brain and will enhance its oxygen and nutrient supply. Exercise will also help you sleep better, improve moods, relieve stress and lower your risk of various diseases. Exercise has shown creativity which might help you to solve problems which u couldn’t conquer before.

At Esteem Fitness, we run corporate fitness classes like running clubs, yoga and kettlebell training at your venue for your convenience. With such exercise regimes, employees will definitely be more awake and alert.

Have a good night's rest

It is good to get a minimum of 7 to 8 hours of sleep so that you don’t have any sleep deficit. Most people perform and feel their best with sufficient sleep. Experts say that those with sleep deprivation will have an effect on brainpower and creativity.  A person will then have problems concentrating and will begin to make mistakes on normal tasks.

If you face any sleeping problems, you should incorporate exercise in your daily schedule. The exercise programme will not only help you sleep better but will also help you be more effective and alert during the day. Adding exercise to your daily routine can dramatically improve your sleep quality.

Esteem Fitness – Corporate Fitness, Nutrition and Well-being Consultancy
Enhancing Personal Health and Corporate Wealth

Post from: Fitness Magazine

A recent survey carried out by Slimming World and You Gov highlighted just how serious an issue so-called fattism in the workplace is. During the survey, 2,000 people were asked about their views on how overweight people are perceived at work. The results showed that many bigger people are losing out on jobs because of the assumptions managers make – that they are “lazy”, “lack self-control”, and “are not hard workers” (Source).

Of the 227 managers surveyed, 25 percent of male supervisors said they would decline a potential applicant purely because of their weight; and 10 percent said they had already done so.

The survey also showed that when overweight people do successfully gain employment, they are twice as likely to earn a low amount, four-times as likely to be bullied about their size, and six-times more likely to think the way they look has resulted in them being overlooked for a promotion.

The 9-5 desk environment is not conducive for a healthy lifestyle and the latest research serves as a reminder. However, the good news for employers is that there are many ways to enhance the work environment to ensure it is supportive of a healthy lifestyle.

Bespoke corporate nutritional programmes help facilitate the education and awareness that leads to healthier employees – not to mention increased productivity; increased staff retention; reduced absenteeism due to poor health and stress; and happier external customers due to internal customers feeling more positive and motivated – and are a great way to support staff and business results.

Corporate nutrition and well-being play a big part in most successful business models, which is why more businesses are adopting these initiatives.  This can be incorporated in a ad hoc manner through seminars and workshops on a vast number of relevant and current food associated health issues.

Road shows and interactive weight management clubs can become a main feature in the well being calendar, giving employees access to health screens and MOT’s as well as one to consultations with nutritionist. Tools kits and healthy eating options can be made available where there are subsidised restaurant facilities to mention a few options.

As an employer, your staff are your business, and by creating a healthy work environment, you are helping to overcome fattism you encourage overall staff well-being. Tailored nutritional programmes are just that – they are designed, created and implemented around your business needs. These programmes are also highly effective at generating tangible results for your company.

Esteem Fitness provides a wide range of bespoke corporate nutrition and well-being programmes. All our nutritionists are fully qualified to deliver effective and individual seminars, advice, menu plans and more to ensure your company is fighting fit.

www.esteemfitness.com

Esteem Fitness – Corporate Fitness, Nutrition and Well-being Consultancy

Enhancing Personal Health and Corporate Wealth

Post from: Fitness Magazine

To test the thought-to-exist link, a trail was conducted on older adults who had slight memory loss and an average age of 70. In the first group, the adults completed a six-month intensive exercise programme involving up to an hour’s exercise four times each week. The control group underwent more leisurely stretching exercises instead.

Conducted by researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle and funded by the US Department of Veteran Affairs and the Alzheimer’s Association, the results were published in the Archives of Neurology. (Source) Compared to the women who lightly exercised for the six months, those who had exercised intensely were shown to perform at an improved level in verbal fluency and memory tests. There was no clear improvement with the men.

However, it is uncertain how directly the improved memory findings in females who exercised intensely for six months can be applied to healthy people without the slightest memory impairment. The trial was only conducted on a small number of people so the results are by no means conclusive. Of the 23 adults who took part in group one, four people dropped out due to the intensity of the exercises.

Another study was also recently carried out by scientists from the Department of Experimental Psychology at the University of Cambridge and researchers at the National Institute on Aging in Baltimore, to test the link between brain function and exercise. (Source)

The results of this study found that the mice which exercised performed better on memory tests than those which did not exercise, and grew more new brain cells too.

The mice were monitored for 105 days; the active mice were allowed to exercise as much as they liked using a wheel and the control group mice were unable to exercise.  The mice with access to the exercise wheel ran an average of 12 miles a day and by the end of the study were shown to have grown twice as many new cells in their hippocampus, the part of the brain linked to memory.

Commenting on the findings, Stan Colcombe from Bangor University said: “Their data strongly suggest that new neurons created after exercise can play a role in improving cognitive function, which likely has direct implications for human research into the effects of exercise on neurocognition.”

All these studies point to one thing – that regular exercise helps to look after our health and well-being. And if you needed more proof of this, then how about the inspiring advice by Georgina Easter, a 100-year-old gym-goer, on living a long and healthy life: avoid junk food and stay fit.

Eat well and enjoy 30-minutes of exercise 4-5 times a week to help you stay in shape and stay positive, sharp and physically and mentally agile.

Vanessa Alexander

Esteem Fitness – Corporate Fitness, Nutrition and Well-being Consultancy
Enhancing Personal Health and Corporate Wealth

Post from: Fitness Magazine

Almost as many as 9 in 10 people are unaware that having fat around the waist is a symptom of a build-up of so-called “visceral fat” which forms around your internal organs and is linked to type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

The survey of 12,000 Europeans was carried out by GlaxoSmithKline. The findings showed people did not think being overweight posed a particularly health threat. As Dr Terry Maguire, who is honorary senior lecturer at Queen's University in Belfast and author of this report, said: “Most overweight people still see themselves as having a body image issue not a health problem and they need to understand the health benefits of weight loss as well as the cosmetic results.” (BBC News)

The reason visceral fat, which cannot be seen or felt, is dangerous is its relation to the protein and hormone release which can cause inflammation. This inflammation can lead to artery damage or liver penetration, impacting on how the body dissolves sugars and fats.

The survey found that once people knew the risk, they would lose weight.

Highlighting the positive effect that even a small weight loss could have – weight loss makes the visceral fat easier to dissolve than the fat directly under the skin – the co-author of the research, Professor David Haslam who is chair of the UK National Obesity Forum, was keen to stress steady weight loss is important – not fad diets.

If you have some extra weight around your waist, we have some exercise ideas to help you get started with trimming your waist and becoming healthier.

* Aerobic exercise

Cardiovascular exercise like running, walking, swimming, cycling and squash, give your body a good workout and help to burn fat, especially around your belly. Aim for 5 lots of 30-minute sessions a week and increase the intensity gradually, always working at a level you feel comfortable with and which leaves you slightly out of breath.   

* Muscular strength exercises     

These are good for building inner strength, reducing body fat and lowering blood pressure. Good exercises to do include lifting light weights with more repetition – about ten per exercise. Aim to do a variety of exercises at least twice a week for maximum effect.     

One exercise for strengthening the spine, hamstrings and shoulders: start on your hands and knees, and raise your left arm forward to the horizontal position and your right leg backwards to the horizontal position; hold for between 10 and 20 seconds, and repeat 3 to 5 times. Complete this exercise using the opposite arm and leg.   

* Core exercises

These exercises strengthen your core muscles such as your back, abs and pelvis. The abdominal crunch is a good core exercise: lie on your exercise mat, with your feet on the floor and your knees bent. Place your hands behind your head and slightly raise your shoulders off the ground as you lift your knees towards your tummy – hold that position for 5 seconds, and then relax. Repeat this movement ten times.       

Another exercise, which is particularly good for strengthening your lower back, is the superman pose: lie flat out on your stomach with a rolled towel under your hips to support your back and one under your face. Lift your right arm off the floor and hold for a few seconds before lowering and repeating with your left arm. Then raise your right leg off the floor and hold for a few seconds before repeating with your left leg. Repeat each arm and leg movement ten times.For overall personal fitness, you should combine your exercises with a healthy diet and lifestyle. This includes eating a nutritionally balanced diet and finding effective ways to manage your work/life balance – feeling fitter should help as you will feel happier and more in control as a result.

Vanessa Alexander

Esteem Fitness – Corporate Fitness, Nutrition and Well-being Consultancy

Enhancing Personal Health and Corporate Wealth 

Post from: Fitness Magazine

Between us, we want to lose a hefty 23 million stone in 2010 as well as make changes to our diet and exercise regime in order to be healthier and fitter.

Nearly half (47 per cent) of those surveyed highlighted that losing weight was their key resolution for 2010 with one in five aiming to lose more than two stone during the year. Considering an average target weight loss of 15.11Ibs per person, the whopping 23 million stone is the equivalent to 27 million 15Ib Christmas turkeys.

Alcohol also featured highly in people’s priorities in the research – 6.7 million Britons aim to curb their drinking in 2010 with 4 million trying to give up alcohol all together during January. The reasons for this resolution were given as over-indulgence over Christmas (25 per cent); health reasons (45 per cent); and weight loss (47 per cent).

Despite all the healthy intentions for 2010, the research also found that a mere 11 per cent have confidence of sticking to their resolutions. This compares to 19 per cent who are confident they will have given up by the end of week one and 43 per cent who feel they won’t be good all year.

The research was conducted as part of Drinkaware’s campaign, “Drink More Be More”, to encourage people to stick to their New Year resolutions. The charity’s website (www.drinkaware.co.uk) has a dedicated drinks calculator which lets you enter the drinks you’ve had to reveal the effect this has on your health. The details include the calorific content of those drinks and how much exercise you need to do to burn off these calories.

Making pledges to eat more healthily and be more active can be difficult to stick to. To help you make 2010 a healthy New Year, we have written some top tips for you.

Top Tips For A Healthier New Year

* Be realistic     

When you decide to be healthier, make small changes initially such as eating more fruit or extending your daily walk by ten minutes. This way, you are far more likely to be successful.    * Reward your progress      Monitor your progress and reward yourself for each mini-goal you achieve. For example, you may want to lose two stone in 2010 but 2Ibs in week one ~ if you achieve this, treat yourself to a mug of hot chocolate, head message or whatever else helps you to relax. These treats along the way will help you stay focused.

* Recruit a friend     

If you can work towards your New Year resolution with a friend, it’ll make it easier to stay on target. You can encourage each other to stick to your resolution by meeting up for walks or hosting dinner parties and using only healthy ingredients for the meal.

* Think

Make sure your New Year resolution is considered, preferably something you have been thinking about for a while. The less knee-jerk your resolution is the more likely you are to stick to it.   

* Be vocal

Tell your family, friends and work colleagues what you have pledged to change in 2010. By publically announcing your intentions, you are more likely to stick to them.   

* Resilience is key     

If you have a moment of weakness and eat that slice of cream cake or have a glass of wine, accept it for the set-back it is – and carry on. You’re only human so falling off-track occasionally may happen, but the important thing is to get back to it straightaway and keep working towards your long-term goal. Although January is traditionally a popular time for setting goals, it is important to be consistently striving towards something – and not necessarily just when a new year rolls around. So, if you are lacking a motivational target at present, why not take advantage of the fact it’s January and set yourself a realistic aim for today, tomorrow and the year ahead?

Vanessa AlexanderEsteem Fitness – Corporate Fitness, Nutrition and Well-being Consultancy

Enhancing Personal Health and Corporate Wealth

Post from: Fitness Magazine

Snorers cause their partners to lose an average of 49 minutes of sleep per night. The worrying knock-on effect of this is that sleeping less increases your chances of heart attack, diabetes, weight gain and premature ageing. Getting enough sleep helps you to learn new physical skills too as it builds procedural memory.

According to Marianne Davey, director of the British Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Association (BSSAA), there are 15 million snorers in Britain and many more million who are kept awake nightly by a partner/friend/sibling snoring.

Snoring and apnoea, a disruption of breathing while you are asleep, are linked to the muscles in your mouth obstructing your airways. These muscles include the uvula (tissue at the back of your throat) being overly large, your tonsils or adenoids, or your tongue partially blocking your breathing.  Obstructions like these make it harder for you to breathe, resulting in the noisier, vibrating breath that we call snores.

And the causes of these muscle obstructions? Dr Ian Myles Black of The Private Clinic of Harley Street states factors like allergies, sleeping on your back, drinking alcohol, smoking and being overweight all play a part.

Bupa divides the causes of snoring and apnoea into physical and lifestyle. Physical causes include a blocked nose, and being elderly as your muscle tone reduces as you grow older which increases your risk of snoring. Lifestyle causes include those covered by Dr Black:

Being overweight

The airways tend to be narrowed if you are overweight, probably due to the excess fat around the neck.

An ENT consultant in Sligo, Ireland, Dr Mary Bresnihan believes that problem snoring is most commonly found in people who are overweight and that the most effective treatment in many cases is weight loss.

Diet

Eating healthy and leading an active lifestyle will help you to stay fit, and less likely to suffer from snoring. Make sure you eat a balanced diet which is full of nutrient-rich foods like fruit and vegetables, drink lots of water and curb your intake of alcohol. Alcohol causes your muscles to relax more than normal as you sleep, increasing the likelihood of snoring, and it also irritates the nasal lining and impedes your breathing.

Smoking

When you smoke, you cause irritation and inflammation to the throat and nostrils which increases the risk of snoring. Passive smoking comes with similar risks.

Allergies

Allergies are accompanied by symptoms including a blocked or runny nose and an itchy throat, which will prevent you sleeping well and may lead to snoring.

A recent Which? report showed that 71 per cent of volunteers who snored found over-the-counter cures such as a mouth guard or anti-snore pillow ineffective. However, the good news is that if you suffer from snoring, there are some simple steps you can take to lower the likelihood of snoring.

Weight is a big factor and a great place to start. A Temple University in America study found that obese sleep apnoea patients who lost just 10 per cent of their weight saw a significant improvement in their condition. By exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet, you will boost your sense of well-being and reduce your risk of snoring.

Alongside a healthier lifestyle and regular exercise, not drinking alcohol near to bedtime – and limiting your intake altogether – will help, as will giving up cigarettes if you are a smoker. Cutting down on alcohol and smoking will help you to feel calmer too and stress-management also bolsters your well-being.

Now, we know these steps are easier said than done. But start by making a few small changes today – such as walking during your lunch break, swapping your chocolate bar for an apple or cereal bar, and enjoying a herbal tea before bedtime instead of a coffee – and you will help you feel healthier, be healthier, and be less likely to snore.

Vanessa Alexander

Esteem Fitness – Corporate Fitness, Nutrition and Well-being Consultancy
Enhancing Personal Health and Corporate Wealth

Post from: Fitness Magazine