About Jacqueline Harvey
Author, fitness expert and passionate advocate for total health, Jacqueline has been creating customised fitness programmes for more than 18 years. She believes that true health integrates mental, physical and emotional well being – a belief backed up by both training and long experience. Her company, Crystal Clear Health is acomplete health and lifestyle management centre on a mission to provide complete healthcare to all - nourishing the body, stimulating the mind and energising the spirit.
Happy New year . . .
January 12th, 2012
Posted by Jacqueline Harvey on January 12th, 2012
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If you want to get fit – this is definitely the year to get on track!
The start of a year is always a very exciting time for many reasons, but more so in 2012 – we’re officially in Olympic Year. I can’t wait to see the events and competitions right on my doorstep, here in London! Never before will Londoners have so much inspiration and support to get fit and healthy before elite athletes from around the world hit our town – media pressure is already pretty intense and I dare say will only increase. If only this attention on our health could stay with us to help reduce our high levels of obesity and all its health-related illnesses …
Getting Started
Many of you have made resolutions to get fit but have little idea of how to get started – your local council website will have a range of aerobic, strength and stretching classes available – you can try a session to see if like it at a very little cost before investing precious funds.
Also, the Internet has a large volume of training material, both visual and audio, where you can learn the hows and whys of fitness and basic nutrition – you’ll need both of these to change your body.
And finally, there are fitness professionals such a myself who can help clients to achieve their fitness, aesthetic and health goals by offering a bespoke service, focused on results.
I’m also fortunate enough to work with a gifted team of personal fitness trainers, hypnotherapists, neurolinguistic programmers and nutritional therapists, who can help you remain on target and change bad habits (such as smoking!). Or if you want to find out what 2012 personally has in store for you astrologically, I cannot recommend Lada Ducheva highly enough. Drop me a line at Jacqueline@crystalclearhealth.co.uk if you need further information or to book a consultation.
Training Tips
I’ll repeat it again this year – now is not the time to diet, no matter how much pressure the media puts on you. Simply return to a healthy diet after the Christmas period of eating excesses, and cut out alcohol.
In winter, our body needs healthy fat stores to keep warm and to boost our immune system – stress through dieting will only leave us more vulnerable to viruses and mentally miserable. If you want to strip fat, start late February, in spring, when the weather starts to warm up and our body is better disposed towards this.
Now is a good time to eat healthy food and clear out processed high fat and high sugar foods from your diet. You can still work out but don’t push it too hard if you’re not used to it – getting injured is not a great way to move into spring and can be very depressing.
January Sale!
15% discount on hypnotherapy, nutritional and NLP sessions.
Last month I mentioned the Ultimate Cardio Sculpt class – these sessions start on Saturday 28th January at 10am.
To book a place and further details get in touch – Jacqueline@crystalclearhealth.co.uk
And finally …
I don’t know about you but 2011 seemed to steam by and pass away in a puff of smoke – thank goodness, given how challenging it was! I had a great time with family and friends over the Christmas break – we had the joyful news of a new baby due in the summer from my youngest sister; Mum is rather chuffed to have grandchild number nine on the way J
See you next month!
at THE PELHAM & THE GORE from January 2012
Winter warmers . . .
November 20th, 2011
Posted by Jacqueline Harvey on November 20th, 2011
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This month began on a high following the birthday celebrations of my 80-year-old Mum! Considering she had a health scare a few weeks earlier, I’m happy to report she was in fine form, surrounded by her brood of eight children, eight grandchildren and various in-laws – it was wonderful for the whole family to show Ivy our appreciation and love; I’m sure you’ll agree – Mums are special people.
Exercise – Circuit training
If you’re having problems getting into an exercise routine before the winter sets in or want to add a bit of variety to your weekly routine then a group exercise session could be just the ticket. I’m really into whole body conditioning and circuit training or classes which offer you the chance to try different exercises without getting bored. This is not to say that the workouts are easy – quite the reverse; they are a mixture of cardio moves with weighted resistance exercises, which are fairly high intensity. Circuit training is a great fat buster too and as temperatures drop we all need a bit of fire in our lives to keep our energies high as well as keeping us fit.
This season, clients are enjoying the challenge of these sessions but you can join my class starting January 7th 2012 – get in touch to reserve your place!
Increase protein in your diet without eating more meat
Rice and peas
As a fully signed up carnivore in the middle of game season, it’s difficult for me to cut back on animal produce. But with so many reports suggesting that high meat diets are unhealthy and contribute to diseases like fatty liver, heart disease and certain cancers, etc, I’m always interested in ways of lowering my intake. To be fair, I only eat red meat or chicken once a week and otherwise I will choose fish, eggs and tofu and beans if I’m pushed as protein options.
The main issue is what to eat to increase your protein intake and gain the full eight essential amino acids which our bodies need to get from food. Animal produce offers this in one hit and are called complete proteins.
- Oats, quinoa, beetroot, tofu and avocados, should be your first port of call – these foods offer complete protein packed with other high value nutrients, such as fibre, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids.
- Brown rice, fresh and frozen green peas; chick peas and lentils all have fairly good levels of protein, but need to be combined with each other to form a complete protein – most cultures have a version of this; rice and peas are the great West Indian combo, and three bean salad or rice and lentils are other good options.
Assess your diet and think about adding a few of the above foods a couple of times a week – at the very least you’ll add more variety and nutrients to your daily intake while reducing the load on your digestive system which can’t be a bad thing!
We’re on the run into Christmas next month so be sure to look out for my tips on how to survive the parties in one piece.
Until next time
Jacqueline x
Indian summer . . .
October 26th, 2011
Posted by Jacqueline Harvey on October 26th, 2011
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Luckily, I saw out the last of the September sun working at Il Borro – I met some lovely people including the ladies below. Paola Buchet and Inge Jensen from London, travelled to Tuscany for the weekend, we had such a laugh! Like many of my clients on site, they wanted to chill back and recharge their batteries in the lush yet nourishing countryside.
Me, Paola and Inge at Il Borro, osteria
The reoccurring health theme during the week was what I can only term as positive stress – feeling overwhelmed, anxious and nervous about positive life changes. Heading up a family business, moving to the house of your dreams or even starting a family – all good, positive growth patterns that cause stress.
Back in London we often associate stress with hardship, anxiety or loss, so it was fascinating to witness and work with the reverse – I guess whether you belong to the group of the ‘haves’ or the ‘have nots’, in life there is always enough tension to cause stress. One of my best strategies for dealing with positive or negative stress is through meditation and deep-breathing techniques – I found myself teaching these techniques a lot, as well as discussing self-care.
Talking of self-care – how many of you are still not eating breakfast? When the temperature finally drops it’s important that your body gets a nutritious meal at the start of the day. Not only will it boost your energy on cold mornings but lower your stress levels and stabilise blood-sugar levels which will be low after a night’s sleep.
Overcome the reasons not to have breakfast and make it part of your day. If you’re too busy in the morning, prepare as much as you can the night before. If you can’t stomach anything first thing, try just a glass of pure, unsweetened fruit juice, a banana, yoghurt or slice of toast. Get into the habit of trying different dishes at breakfast – although fashionable, coffee and croissants really are not the ticket! Instead, you could try:
- Low sugar breakfast cereals such as oats, quinoa or millet flakes
- Fruit salad with yogurt, nuts and seeds
- Grilled bacon, boiled eggs, low-salt baked beans and wholemeal toast.
- Eggs and soldiers or scrambled eggs with smoked salmon on a bagel
Remember you can also eat these for lunch with a soup or salad instead of high-fat sandwiches.
And finally…
Don’t forget to keep up or start an exercise routine – if you want to get through the next six months with your mind intact, devise a simple movement plan. Look out for circuit classes and programmes that offer total body conditioning – start now to stop the winter slug setting in! More on what you can do to shape up next month
Jacqueline
Autmn glow . . .
September 13th, 2011
Posted by Jacqueline Harvey on September 13th, 2011
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Difficult as it may be to believe, another summer bites the dust and we’re in one of my best seasons of the year – autumn. I love the coolness after months of heat management and the general buzz that comes with September … it must be the back-to-school vibe of getting down to serious business that clears the air.
If you are one those people who suffers from post-summer blues, struggling to come to terms with the lack of holiday before Christmas, make plans now to give yourself a little break before the end of the year – you will have something to look forward to and ease the pressure of settling back into work.
Although we no longer really celebrate harvest time (Halloween and Bonfire night don’t quite cut it like Thanksgiving in the US), it is probably the best time of the year to enjoy quality food. Don’t be tempted to eat the same old summer salads and fruit in supermarkets that are well pass their best, many local shops will be overflowing with new season vegetables offering optimum nourishment.
Get hold of some of these goodies: figs, pears, turnips, swedes, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, onions, garlic, walnuts, chestnuts, sweet potatoes, apples and pumpkins. These foods are high in anti-oxidants, fibre, good fats and help fight infections and bacteria.
And talking of infections, we’re about to go into what could be a protracted cold period. As temperatures drop, we’re likely to get caught out wearing too little clothing, so it’s time to dig out some protection for your neck and hands if you don’t want to fall foul of an early cold.
Feeling lean and slinky after the summer sun? Then start building an exercise programme to take you through the next six months to keep it. Like all mammals, autumn is time to lay down fat, and a balanced fitness programme is essential to controlling body fat, aiding your circulation and keeping warm in winter!
News: Due to popular demand, I’ve now found a way to clone myself and be in more than one space at a time – not! Actually, I’ve managed to arrange my very own telephone health advice line where I’ll answer your health, fitness and lifestyle queries! We’re going live in October – dial 0905 248 4211* for a consultation in your home, office or on holiday.
Beginners’ Meditation and Ma’At stretching classes are due to start up again in September so get in touch if you want to secure a place.
Click on a class to download an information PDF.
Next time, I’ll have more stories from working at Il Borro – sunny Italy awaits…
*£1.10/min from a BT landline; calls from mobiles and other networks may vary. 18+.
Holiday magic . . .
July 26th, 2011
Posted by Jacqueline Harvey on July 26th, 2011
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If you’re one of those lucky people about to go on holiday, make sure you take enough sun protection – can you believe I actually got a bit of sunburn on my forehead recently without feeling a thing! Mind you, it was 44 degrees for a couple of days in the Tuscan heat of Il Borro spa – just back home after a very successful week teaching meditation, stretching and fitness. Insightful to see that the same issues and challenges in treating clients occur both here and abroad – we are all the same under the skin, in our heads and hearts …
The Ferragamo family were excellent, warm and welcoming hosts – their estate is a vision of ‘the good life’ as well as a functional blend of abundant nature mixed with sophisticated Italian design. Big thanks to the great clients and my new friends Gioia, Miria, Sara, Olivia and Vivia who helped to make the trip first class – see you in September, if not before!
Exercise & Diet Myths: Take a look at a couple of these myths to help you keep on track over the summer.
Fattening foods equal rapid weight gain?
Weight gain is a slow process, you need to eat around 3000 calories to gain 1 pound of body fat! Although you may feel like you’ve put on weight when you’ve had a blow-out meal, you’re more likely to be carrying excess fluid, which will resolve itself.
Low-fat foods help you to lose weight?
Low-fat or fat-free foods are often high in sugars and thickeners to boost the flavour, which makes them only slightly lower in calories than standard products. You also have to watch the quantity – if something is low-fat, we think we can have more of it, which is equally damaging.
Summer is the right time to start an exercise regime?
This is a tricky one – all year is great for exercise, but it is important to look at the type of exercise you do in heat. When the weather is hot, you need to be careful about over-heating with exercise, especially if you live the city, where heat tends to get trapped, thanks to the buildings and where there are no cooling sea breezes.
Walking, early morning jogging, cycling, swimming and stretching are all good – if you’re working out in an air-conditioned gym, then you can take the intensity higher a couple of times a week.
Counting calories is outdated?
No it isn’t. No amount of exercise will burn off a high-calorie diet and people over-estimate how much energy they are using when exercising. Cutting out certain foods is not as important as making sure you are not overeating.
Sleeping less means you burn more calories?
The reverse is true here: short sleeps mean more stress hormones, especially cortisol, which stimulates hunger. A study in the US conducted over 16 years, showed that women who slept five hours per night were 32 per cent more likely to experience major weight gain and 15 per cent more likely to become obese.
And finally…
Crystal Clear Health Beginners’ Mediation and Ma’At Stretching classes are due to start up again in September, so get in touch if you want secure a place – more details will follow next month. www.crystalclearhealth.co.uk
Bye for now!
Summer bliss . . .
June 9th, 2011
Posted by Jacqueline Harvey on June 9th, 2011
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At last we appear to be safely into the season of great weather, travelling and a lot of fun!
May could not have been a more exhilarating month – especially as it’s historically a time when I meet my heroes. A couple of years ago, it was Louise Hay and this year I had the opportunity to spend a day in the presence of Deepak Chopra.
Apart from his imaginative interpretation of quantum physics, synchronicity and neuro-plasticity, Deepak, Louise and Dr Wayne Dyer are some of the most inspirational founders of mind/body writing – a million thanks to both Patti in the US and Sunna Yates for making this a magical day.
Wellbeing fact: a happy friend increases your happiness by 15% (Gallup poll 2010)
Food
Want to get a bikini bod quickly? Ditch the high-carb, fatty meals and snacks – giving up desserts and replacing them with more vegetables or fruit has done wonders for the old bod!
As temperatures rise, aim to eat more cooling foods like salads, fruit, vegetables coupled a wide variety of proteins. I know it sounds like I’m repeating myself, but you’d be amazed how many people are still making bad food choices.
If you’re having problems with food cravings, The I Diet by Dr Susan Roberts and Kelly Sargent for those who want to find substitutes for calorie dense food is insightful and helpful.
According to Susan, we tend to sabotage our attempts at dieting due to our biology – we’re wired to pig out whenever possible! That’s why it’s tough, but we basically need to retrain our minds to recalibrate our taste buds. Susan says: ‘A lower calorie, high –fibre food that tastes the same resets cravings because you begin to separate calories and taste.’
Movement
The heat of Sun also increases the intensity of your workout so now is the time to reduce the intensity of your cardio workouts by reducing speed – but make sure you still work out regularly. Drink water both during and after a session to compensate for excess water loss
You may have noticed that many of the endurance sports are at the end of their season – it’s no coincidence that football, rugby and marathon-running to name a few, all take a break until the autumn. Over-heating the body with exercise causes inflammation and heat exhaustion – not a pleasant feeling – water sports, stretching, cycling or a morning walk/jog around the park are all better options.
Clinic Note:
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had few clients with lower back problems, which have largely been caused by long hours seated at computers.
If you’re experiencing a similar problem and want to ease compression on your back try these simple exercises:
(a) Stand up and circle your arms, roll your shoulders then your head in a semi-circle from side to side.
(b) Bend down, keeping your knees bent and touch your toes and hold for 15 seconds then repeat.
(c) Do 60 seconds of the plank or basis stomach crunches to trigger abdominal muscle performance.
Get creative and enjoy the month – until next time,Jacqueline
The Heat Is On….
May 5th, 2011
Posted by Jacqueline Harvey on May 5th, 2011
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Although I’m writing in May, April was an amazing month for many reasons – the glorious sunshine at the end of the month accelerated our Spring fever and blissfully rolled us into Summer in what seems like a nanosecond!
The sheer speed of life and the changes heralded last month was one reason it was so stimulating, especially with Easter being late – there has been little time to re-coup since the start of 2011 and business at Crystal Clear Health is non-stop with a variety of projects in the pipeline and a couple already in launch phase.
Early April, we launched our Ultimate Cardio-Sculpt© class at Jubilee Hall Trust on Saturday mornings for all those looking for a progressive aerobic workout designed to aid fat loss. It has been great fun and very rewarding seeing how quickly clients develop while dealing with their weekly lifestyle challenges.
These sessions were discussed at a seminar (The Secret of Easy Weight-Loss) part of a series that I present at the B-Hive Business Club and relates to both the intensity and duration of exercise.
Duration wise, for your aerobic session to be really effective i.e. increase your metabolism both during and after your session; you need to workout at a relatively high intensity for 40-45mins at least 3 times a week.
Why? –well the first 10 – 12mins of any session is to all intents and purposes a warm up and the last 5mins a cool down – this leaves 30mins for cardio training to take place.
“If you workout for less time you are essentially cutting down and eating into the important cardio training part which burns the most fat.”
Secondly, in that 30min period you should aim to exercise at a medium to high intensity or if you’re in the business, 70% of your VO2 max – you’ll generally know when you’re in this zone if you cannot speak while running, cycling etc. Both old and recent research have shown that working out like this is the only way that exercise speeds your resting metabolic rate, although the scientists still don’t know exactly why this may be the case – check out the latest report in the New York Times: For an Exercise Afterburn, Intensity May Be the Key.
What these reports fail point out however, is how difficult it is to keep this level of intensity up in a session…. it can be done safely if you know how. Being something an intensity junkie, I’ve mastered the art of increasing intensity without risk of injury and learning how and when to take your foot off the gas, to allow the body time to repair. Check out the cardio chapter in Your Health is Your Wealth to find out how to get started.
If you are in Covent Garden on the 11th May at 1pm, pop into the B-Hive lounge for my presentation on ‘How to Combat the Effects of Stress in Women’s’ Bodies.’ This free session will take a look at the causes of stress – many of us are over working, not eating properly and simply feel overburdened with money pressure, here you’ll find out what steps you can take to ease the pressures of modern life.
At the end of 2010, CCH acquired a prestigious contract to supply services to the members of Quintessentially – the global luxury concierge club. Mid-April we partnered with Q on a pre-summer competition that I would like everyone to enter – especially if you need a boost to get in shape for the summer with my Bikini Blitz sessions – simply click on www.facebook.com/QuintessentiallyLondon to find out more.
And finally…
By the end of the month, feeling slightly frazzled I managed to head out to Tuscany to the Il Borro Estate & Spa, owned by the Ferragamo family of the famed Salvatore Ferragamo luxury goods brand. Although a business trip (I’m working between there and London over the summer) – it was a pleasure to see such stunning countryside, villas and spa facilities. I felt very blessed indeed to be in this position – life is amazing!
P.s a very big thank-you to my Mum who cooked a splendid Easter Sunday lunch for old friends and family. And mega thanks to all my special friends and family who continue to support, guide and prop me up on the journey of life – see you next month!
For a full listing of classes and events Click Here
Spring into action . . .
March 12th, 2011
Posted by Jacqueline Harvey on March 12th, 2011
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I’m just back from the desert heat of Dubai, where the hazy sunshine dried out my damp winter bones and turned my skin a lovely dark chocolate hue – as a friend once remarked, ‘you look like you’ve been totally air-brushed … ’ .
March really stamps spring on the map, but so far it has been terribly cold which has not exactly encouraged us to slow down our eating of high-calorie food. I think the major trick here is to let your mind rule a bit and persevere – you really need to start getting your body used to the idea of letting go of the body fat it stored for winter. Here are a couple of tips to nudge that process forward:
- Reduce your calorie intake by as little as 200 to see a change in your weight – it’s only one latte or a couple of biscuits a day!
- Replace sugary cakes and biscuits with fresh fruit or 70% coco chocolate – two squares only, not the whole bar in one meal, is fine and kills sugar cravings
- Lay off the booze – a big sugar hit that piles on weight, especially in women
- Start to eat a wider variety of protein – eggs, fish, tofu, lentils, chicken and turkey are all good, but cut down on red meat. For women, two pieces a week is fine to keep iron stores healthy.
- Continue to increase your vegetable intake and introduce a few salads if you’re particularly hot-blooded.
Exercise-wise, spring, like autumn, is a peak time for movement – if you managed to keep up your workouts, well done! You can now increase the speed and intensity of your sessions – either run faster or start an interval hill programme to help you reduce body fat and increase fitness levels.
Those of you still trying to shake the winter blues – get started now! You still have time to get in shape before the summer but you’ll need to focus on it and keep motivated, so a personal trainer, fitness DVD or classes may help.
New Class Alert
Crystal Clear Health has a new offering this month, in Covent Garden. I’m really looking forward to teaching classes again – I can’t tell you the amount of fun, friends and knowledge I got the first time around, back in the day … it’s going to be an amazing experience.
Ma’At – mind-body stretching
Sign up for a class in a BRAND NEW mind-body stretching system which will be taking place on 24th March 2011 at 6.30pm at INC Space. Please click on the link below for all the info. Email info@crystalclearhealth.co.uk to book as places are limited.
Ma’at class invitation from Crystal Clear Health PDF
… and finally, I’ve been spring-cleaning – throwing out stuff that is either old (I kept the boyfriend), ugly or not befitting the new emerging energy … big changes ahead. Only playing old school reggae – UB40 or soul music like Kleer seems to keeps things light; with a bit of luck, the sun will arrive to stay soon.
See you next time
Reasons to be cheerful … spring is in the air!
February 13th, 2011
Posted by Jacqueline Harvey on February 13th, 2011
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Yes, we’re at the end of yet another hard winter and what a relief – time to start getting into shape for the summer fun and holidays. I’m celebrating with a beach trip next week!
Now is the time to change your diet by eating lighter foods such as more green vegetables and fruit as well as cutting back on heavier winter foods. Move to granola with yoghurt rather than porridge every day.
Energy speeds up as daylight hours increase – move to this beat by waking up earlier, even if it means spending a little more time in bed planning your day, before you actually get up.
Remember, your clearest part of the day will be in the morning because once the day gets going there will be people and situations blocking your way to un-interrupted, clear thought. You can always go to bed earlier, but can’t always get back time in the morning for thinking clearly without interruptions.
I admit to being totally hooked on this one – waking up around 5.30am and boring my partner with my chirpiness at 6am!
Below are a few tips to help you beat the late afternoon energy slump:
- Up the protein: Ensure your lunch includes high-quality protein such as salmon, tuna, chicken, eggs or cold beef or lamb. Protein helps keep you full for longer, and there’s evidence that it’s better for alertness than a high-carb meal.
- Eat low-GI (low-glycaemic index) carbs: Next, go for slower-digested low-GI carbohydrates for long-lasting energy. For instance, swap white bread for a solid grainy or rye bread if you’re having a sandwich lunch. Go for brown basmati or wild rice instead of white rice and beans & pulses such as baked beans on grainy toast, chickpeas in a salad with tuna or a dhal/lentil – they have one of the lowest GIs of all carbohydrates.
- Healthy Snacks: plan to eat a small but healthy afternoon snack to make it to dinner. Forget the chocolate bar – it’s a high-fat treat that doesn’t stick with you for long. Healthy high-energy snacks are things such as a handful of almonds, walnuts or mixed nuts (ideally unsalted), fruit, cheese with rice or oatcakes, a mug of lentil, minestrone or pea and ham soup, or a small fruit salad with yoghurt.
“It’s official – Britain’s women are the fattest in west Europe” – this hard headline about the state of women’s health in Britain is cold comfort for those wishing to change their shape.
I agree, we tend to be fatter in England than our European counterparts, but these stats are simplistic and infer the cause to be that we are eating or drinking too much.
Other factors such as stress hormones affect women badly – trying to run a home, work and bring up children requires an incredible amount of energy and support and sadly many women attempt to do the lot on their own.
Keep an eye out next month for information about my new stretching and meditation class – Ma’At and our first Your Health is Your Wealth event.
Happy Valentine’s!
Out with the Old and in with the New!
January 10th, 2011
Posted by Jacqueline Harvey on January 10th, 2011
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At last we start the year in a better position – no snow and full of positive resolutions about how to improve the quality of our lives for the next 12 months. I tend to give up bad habits constantly during the year so at this time I resolve to increase my levels of self-awareness and care.
Unlike other businesses that have a slow return to normal trading after the holiday, in my area of health and fitness we’re approaching our yearly peak ‒ and, along with many of my clients, I certainly feel the urge to focus on and take more care of my health as we still have a way to go before Spring. So without further ado, I’ll get on with my tips for keeping fit and healthy.
1. DO NOT DIET OR TAKE UP A STRICT DETOX REGIME FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER TWO MONTHS! Winter is not the time to cut down on food – your body needs all the help it can get to keep warm and charge its immune system. IGNORE ALL MEDIA PRESSURE TO DO THIS and seek instead to boost your energy by simply eating a healthy balanced diet which includes all the food groups. Spring – not winter – is the time to consider cutting back the calories and stripping fat off the body.
2. If you have low body fat or poor circulation or both, as in my case – make sure you eat spicy foods and good fats containing EFAs (essential fatty acids). These include walnuts, salmon, trout, linseeds and high quality cod liver oil and wear thin thermal layers of fleece, silk or cashmere, if your purse allows. I find compression ski socks or tights great for vascular support. See the Crystal Clear Health products page. Together with exercise the above will help you feel less cold in your bones and more energised.
Food For Thought
On the subject of good fats, I came across an interesting piece of research in the New York Times (19 December 2010) stating that, in conjunction with aerobic exercise, a high HDL level (good blood fat level) actually protects against Alzheimer’s and a legion of other illnesses: “Regular physical activity, in general, is believed to improve brain function, both by increasing blood flow to the brain and by stimulating the production of hormones and nerve growth factors involved in new nerve cell growth. Exercise also raises levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol. Studies have found that animals that are kept physically active have better memories and more cells in their hippocampus, a part of the brain critical for memory. And exercise can help stave off or keep in check diseases like Type 2 diabetes, which increase the risk of developing dementia.’
Dr. Reitz recommends a Mediterranean diet rich in healthy fats from nuts, fish and olive oil, along with exercise, adding, “Aerobic exercise helps a lot.”
(Dr. Christiane Reitz is the study’s lead author and an assistant professor of neurology at Columbia University’s Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain)
Follow fitjacqui on Twitter for the latest health and fitness tips – here are a few of her recent Tweets:
- Although it’s cold, sugar is no substitute for real nourishing food – cut back or cut it out now!
- The winter landscape has given me a passion for glossy, full-colour travel and interior design mags – treat your soul!
- Keep dry, hashy winter skin under control with a good exfoliant and moisture face mask twice a week.
- In the cold, warm up at a slow pace to decrease your chance of injury – your work-out will feel a lot easier!
- Get out in the stimulating cold air for a walk to the shops or run in the gym on a treadmill to boost your circulation!
- Breathing winter air is challenging, especially if your have a cold or flu – try a bitter nasal spray to open up your lungs.
Bye for now – Check out the Special Offers on the CCH page: www.crystalclearhealth.co.uk
YOUR HEALTH IS YOUR WEALTH
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