al Covo offers Nutritional Therapy, Herbal and Nutritional supplements, Nutritionally complete foods, plus a range of massages and well-being treatments to boost immunity.
As winter hits early this year, so do flu and colds. It’s important to keep warm and health so our immune systems can fend off those nasty seasonal viruses. So to protect yourself and your family from the illnesses that come with the cold weather, make the following foods a part of your regular diet:

1. Yogurt

Not all bacteria are bad. You need to load your gut with good bacteria (also called probiotics) to improve digestion and strengthen your immune system. If you are on a diet, plain Greek yoghurt is a great dessert option.

2. Green Tea

Instead of coffee, you may want to warm up your morning with a cup of hot green tea. Research shows that this popular beverage contains lots of antioxidants that are believed to help destroy viruses that cause influenza. Catechins – a special group of antioxidants found in green tea strengthens immune cells and inhibit the production of disease-causing inflammatory compounds.

3. Turmeric

Aside from being flavourful and pungent, there’s another reason why you should serve your family with their favourite curry dish this winter. Turmeric, the golden spice used in preparing curry meals, has cumin – an essential compound that has anti-inflammatory properties. Cumin comes in supplement forms as well.

4. Leeks

These very pungent and tasty vegetable from the onion family is fully-packed with essential nutrients that promote better a immune system. They include vitamin C, calcium, potassium, folic acid, and poly-phenols (antioxidants also found in green tea).

5. Chicken soup

Eating something warm in a very cold day increases your body temperature, making you feel warmer and more at ease. In one study, it was found that hot chicken soup is more effective than hot water in de-congesting clogged nasals.

6. Fruits and vegetables (lots of these!)

Instead of pasta, why not have a large bowl of vegetable (or fruit) salad for dinner? The more colourful your salad is, the healthier it becomes. Pile your plate with fresh red tomatoes, lettuce and other greens, beans, mushrooms, blueberries, oranges, apple slices, and other fruits you like. Sprinkle it with pecans, almonds or pistachios for more flavour and nutrition!

7. Salmon

Oily fish such as salmon are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids that keep your body (especially your heart and brain) in good condition. They are also among the few sources of vitamin D which may be difficult to get from the sun during winter. In a recent study, it was found that 50% of the British population are deficient in vitamin D during winter, and 16% of them even have a severe deficiency.

8. Citrus

If you want to stay protected from flu, cough and colds, make sure your body has a sufficient amount of vitamin C. You can get this from oranges, grapefruit, guava, lemons, spinach, broccoli and other fruits and vegetables. You can also take vitamin C in supplement form.

9. Garlic

Planning to make a home-made pizza? Why not top it with lots of roasted garlic? This world-renowned spice has antibacterial and antiviral properties that are most helpful during the winter. Studies show that garlic prevents the onset of colds and for those who already have a cold, speeds up recovery and reduces the risk of a second infection.

10. Carrots

Beta-carotene can transform itself into vitamin A, an essential nutrient that aids in various immune functions. Scientific studies reveal that beta-carotene also reduce the possibility of infection.

Staying in bed is only fun when it is planned. Other than eating right, don’t forget to exercise and de-stress for optimal immunity boost!

If you've lost weight with me with Cambridge Weight Plan, you now can become trained for free to become a Cambridge Consultant and help others manage their own weight too! Is this something of interest? I would be your sponsor and be there to help you through the process to accreditation and also support you once you’re accredited.

There’s no need to hit sales targets – you can have one or one hundred clients a week – Cambridge don’t mind, and you are self-employed! You are your own boss.

Essentially, the training takes about 4-6 months and consists of the following:

1. Chat with me and sit in on some of my Cambridge consultations.
2. Fill in application form.
3. Telephone interview with Cambridge Head Office.
4. Modules to study online.
5. Online question papers and answers.
6. Training starter day (usually in a hotel in Northants).
7. Accreditation!!
8. Payment of starter product pack (approx £300 – reduced from approx £450, plus optional full product range at reduced price too).
9. Development modules to study online (within 3 months of accreditation).
10. Online question papers and answers (within 3 months of accreditation).
11. 3 month-in development training day (usually in a hotel in Northants).

Training is excellent and broad, covering:
• Health
• Nutrition and Calories
• Exercise
• Very Low Calorie Diets
• The Cambridge Difference –Products and Services through you!
• Consulting skills – Listening and Understanding, Professional and Motivating
• Cambridge Head Office services – branding, PR, marketing, research, medical team, conferences, research, online services MY Cambridge, Cambridge Active etc
• Cambridge Protocol – the Medical Team, your Consultant Contact, Direct Selling Association, NICE and COMA guidelines.
• Medical Conditions – Diabetes, Obesity, medical prescriptions
• Business Basics – stock control, tax returns, venues, mobile options etc
• Marketing Basics – flyers, magazines, business cards, promotions, PR, friends and family, word of mouth, recommendations etc
• Cambridge Consultant tools e g Brand It Pro Software, Online Consultants Area, Online Consultants Forum, Annual Cambridge Convention, Bonuses, Sponsorship, Discounts, free webpage, online and telephone product ordering etc.

Becoming a consultant offers you a real opportunity to make some extra money and pass on to others your knowledge and experience of Cambridge Weight Plan at very little cost and brings great satisfaction to me, maybe it could do for you too?

If you’d like to discuss it, please give me call. If it’s not for you, it’s not a problem!

I wish you all the best with managing your own weight and remember I’m here if you need me.

Best wishes,
Steve

al Covo offer Nutritional Therapy and also Weight Loss Programmes
Here is the final part 6 of my set of tips to maintain weight once you have reached your target and to stop you yo-yoing back.

1. Work out which areas you can improve quickly or which depend on other factors being sorted out first, so you have thought about what issues you need to improve on. This is how you do it!

• Draw a large circle and split it equally with 8 lines coming out from the middle to the edge.
• Each line can be graded 0 in the middle and 10 on the circle edge.
• Mark a dot on each line where you score between 0 and 10 for each of the 8 elements below (10 is excellent, 0 is hopeless!)
• Join the dots - and you have your weight management circle!
• Think about how to get your own circle to be a) a circle (rather than haphazard) and b) as big as possible (i.e you’re scoring closer to 10 on each issue)
• If you have other important issues in your weight management, add them as extra lines.


2. Key aids to learn more about weight management:
• MY Cambridge (£8 a month) - online food, drink and exercise diary that links you to me too!
• Cambridge Active – online source of exercise guidelines
• Meals in Minutes (£9) – lovely pictures/cooking recipe book from Cambridge for breakfast, lunch, dinner and desserts
• Cambridge Steps Programme Booklet (£1.50) – limited advice on My Life section about GI, exercise, and limited recipes in each Step.

3. My recommended books on GI diets and Healthy Eating from my Amazon webshop. Including:
• Getting the Best from the GI Diet (Rick Gallop) – lots of good nutrtion advice, recipes, exercise suggestions, a great traffic light system for all foods, for everyday living.
• Dr Ali’s Weight Loss Plan (Dr Mosaraf Ali - Prince Charles’s doctor!) – focuses more on problems associated with weight gain, traits and physical ailments and a holistic approach to health including yoga and massage.
• Bartram’s Nature’s Plan for your Health (Thomas Bartram) – Following a section on nutritional requirements, a naturopathic approach including a herbal repertory for ailments and nutritional therapy.
• Eating Well for Optimum Health (Andrew Weil) – hefty book on nutritional requirements, various diets from around the world (eg mediterranean), recipes and a few appendices.

I hope this is of use to you and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best of luck and best wishes
Steve

al Covo offer Nutritional Therapy and also Weight Loss Programmes
Here is part 5 of my set of tips to maintain weight once you have reached your target and to stop you yo-yoing back.

7. Support
- Call me if you are feeling weak or have been tempted by food – just a helpful chat or text may be all you need!
- Use my Facebook and Twitter feeds, and also Cambridge Weight Plans Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for reminders of what you’ve achieved, why you achieved it and how good you’ve been. Remember to use my Facebook page photo albums on ‘Nutrition and Cambridge’ for advice!
- I offer free monthly weigh ins (BMI and waist to height ratio) for Cambridge maintenance clients – come along if you are unsure whether you are putting on weight, or if you just want to ask something or perk yourself up.
- Talk to friends – give them the opportunity to congratulate and support you! That’s what they want to do after all.
- Buy some of my recommended books on GI diets and Healthy Eating from my Amazon websho

8. Motivation
- Are your 3 main reasons for starting to lose weight way back when you first came to me – or before that – still true and valid?
- What reasons do you have to maintain your weight now? Is it pride, self-esteem, sport or exercise related, for medical health (eg diabetes, heart disease, risk of stroke, blood pressure, cholesterol, asthma), for friends or lovers, for social reasons?
- How motivated are you to maintain your weight? Have your lifestyle, friends, intentions and goals changed? Can you face going back there?
- It is difficult in today’s society to eat a nutritionally complete, balanced diet (with artificial ingredients and ready made to last longer processed ‘foods’ from around the world), but it makes you even more special that you are motivated to keep yourself educated and look after your body so well. You are what you eat!

al Covo offer Nutritional Therapy and also Weight Loss Programmes
Here is part 4 of my set of tips to maintain weight once you have reached your target and to stop you yo-yoing back.

5. Exercise
- Exercise has so many health benefits to your muscle tone, strength and flexibility, stamina, heart, circulation, and immune system – so you will look and feel better and reduce health problems.
- Consider exercises you can do 5x a week for 30 mins (or 10x a week for 15 mins) by combining it with a daily duty eg walking to supermarket, cycling to work, jogging, spinning, circuits, football, or boxercise classes with a friend or family member, playing squash with someone during lunch or after work, walking a dog, or stepping up, stretching, or yoga in front of TV or Wii Fit.
- Think about learning a new exercise such as swimming (361 Cals for 30 mins if you’re 82kg), skiing (264 Cals), yoga (216 Cals), jogging (405 Cals), ironing (91 Cals), dancing (184Cals) or golf (200 Cals).
- Use MY Cambridge to record your calorie expenditure online against calorie intake – a healthy lifestyle does both diet and exercise at moderate daily levels.
- Follow Cambridge Active guidelines –know how many calories you burn by aerobics, gardening or shopping for one hour (If you’re 82kg, you burn 250 Calories with a moderate 30 minute aerobics, 195 Calories gardening, and 145 Calories supermarket shopping).
- Consult your GO before any strenuous exercise. Start slowly and build up gradually, with the right clothing and footwear and a professional, if appropriate. Warm up and cool down with stretches. Stay hydrated with extra water.

6. Enjoyment!
- Relax and spend time with friends, talking, both in your home town and away.
- Do things you enjoy e.g. art galleries, watching live music, theatre, reading, visiting countryside or cities, organising dinner parties, going to the races, dancing, drawing, learning a new skill such as poetry reading, or coloured glass making, economics or Spanish.
- Remember those 3 most important things you wanted to do which was why you wanted to lose weight – e.g. go out cycling with your friends or play with the kids - and DO THEM!
- Treat yourself to a slice of cake or muffin or sausage roll every third week, instead of every third visit to the coffee shop.

al Covo offer Nutritional Therapy and also Weight Loss Programmes
Here is part 3 of my set of tips to maintain weight once you have reached your target and to stop you yo-yoing back.

4. Eating out
- How often do you eat out or get a take-away?
- Visit the restaurant online beforehand and see the menu – it gives you time to consider the best choice. Go for lean ham, chicken melon and simply prepared seafood. Pates, fried mushrooms and cheeses, pastries, chips and fried rice are normally high in fat. Plain rice, boiled and baked potatoes (no butter) are better choices.
- Ask the chef how it is cooked (grilled or fried) or the cut of meat – avoid fatty and fried foods. Soups are great but may include lots of cream or oil.
- Think about the Eatwell Plate and choose good ratio-proportioned dishes particularly with respect to veg/fruit, dairy, fat, meats and sugars. Eg a salad is usually a great ratio.
- Think about portion sizes - often a starter is better sized than a main.
- Think about sharing dishes with other diners if portions are large.
- Choose side salad or unglazed vegetables to help fill you up.
- Avoid all you can eat buffets – tempting your greatest willpower.
- Ask for dressings on the side.
- Avoid ‘creamy’ sauces and go for ‘tomato-based’ instead.
- Ask the chef if they can prepare a meal or sauce especially for you, you can even take the ingredients or sauce in beforehand – you’ll be surprised how many chefs enjoy meeting an interested and educated diner!
- Have a Cambridge bar or shake, or fruit, before you go to fill you up.
- Go for vegetable crudites rather than muching on crisps or fried foods, or bread and butter.
- Don’t starve yourself before a big blow out – it works the wrong way and you eat/drink more than you want to during your blow out!
- Eat slower.
- Take things away/back home e.g. eat half a pizza and take half home.
- If you’re full, go for a coffee or herbal tea rather than a dessert.
- Sorbets and fruit salads are low fat dessert options. Avoid big spoonfuls of cream, custard and Greek yoghurt.
- Watch alcohol intake – good intentions dissolve in alcohol! Add a side glass of water and a diet mixer to make it last longer, e.g. bitter diet shandy or wine spritzer.

al Covo offer Nutritional Therapy and also Weight Loss Programmes
Here is part 2 of my set of tips to maintain weight once you have reached your target and to stop you yo-yoing back.

2. Cooking food
- Follow the Cambridge guide in the Steps programme or the much bigger range of options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and desserts, in the Meals in Minutes Recipe book.
- Grill, cook en papillote (wrap in foil/greaseproof paper and steam or bake), griddle, poach, steam, bake, microwave, stir fry and dry fry - rather than oil-pan fry.
- Use fry sprays rather than oils.
- If you nibble while preparing food, have a piece of fruit , glass of water, celery or carrots nearby to munch on.
- Trim off visible fat from meat.
- Remove skin from poultry.
- Make your own oil-free dressings and marinades with herbs, lemon, vinegar, honey, garlic, mustard, and keep it in a jar in the fridge.
- Be honest when you measure – 30g of grated cheese is 30g!
- Make your own big healthy food plate portions and freeze the rest for convenience.
- Keep a good supply of herbs and spices to add interest and nutrtional therapy value (they’re great for the heart, circulation, immune system, skin, kidneys etc).

3. Eating food
- Try not to skip meals – you’ll eat more the next meal you have! In fact, try to eat a little more often, so go for 3 healthy nibbles (eg celery, carrots, fruit, veg) and 3 mini meals. Breakfast is particularly important.
- Keep healthy foods available to see (eg put them on work desk) – so they’re in sight and reach - and you’re more likely to eat them.
- Chew – poor digestion and nutrition starts in the mouth.
- Eat slower (eg put a knife and fork down between mouthfuls) and enjoy your eating taste!
- Drink plenty of water before meals to fill you up, and with a meal too. Food Agency Standard guidance is to drink a minimum of 1.25 litres per day, with 2 litres of water consumed in your food (eg lettuce, steak, potato).
- Use a smaller plate for main meals.
- Don’t leave extra food on the table when you are eating.
- Don’t have food or munchies in front of you when you’re disctracted by the TV, phone, computer, film etc – you won’t realise how much you’re eating.
- Use My Cambridge to keep a check on food and drink diary.
- Watch out for alcoholic calories.
- Put leftovers in the bin or freezer – avoid temptation.

al Covo offer Nutritional Therapy and also Weight Loss Programmes
Here are is my first set of tips when you have lost your weight and looking to maintain it without yo-yoing back.

1. Buying food

Here are some top tips!!- Low GI foods, such as bananas, apples and baked beans should help keep you fuller for longer. Buy some of my recommended books on GI diets and Healthy Eating from my Amazon webshop
- Look at MY Cambridge online on calorific values of foods. E.g 1x Clementine/satsuma = 22 Cals, 1x Apple = 47 Cals, 1x plain wholegrain toast = 58 Cals, 1x small banana = 76 Cals, 1x300ml lager = 87 Cals, 1x chocolate digestive biscuit = 89 Cals, 25g packet of crisps = 132 Cals, 440ml bitter = 141 Cals, 25g salted roasted peanuts = 150 Cals, 1x 250ml glass white or red wine = 170 Cals. A large glass of wine is more calorific than a Cambridge soup or shake (approx 145 Cals)!
- Buy food online to avoid temptations in store.
- Write a shopping list and stick to it e.g. from the Cambridge Meals in Minutes recipe book. don’t buy things you saw on the TV or magazine advertising.
- Avoid aisles where you know you will be tempted, or have high salt, sugar, and saturated foods.
- Remember to use the Cambridge Eat Easy range of low calorie ready meals, or have a Cambridge bar, shake, soup, or porridge once a day – all available from me.
- Go for colour – this usually means you get a great range of nutrients (serve yourself a rainbow, it doesn’t just look good, it’s full of goodness)
- Try and go somewhere that has plenty of fresh food and a high turnover.
- Buy fresh, organic, local, raw produce instead of unprepared or processed food – you’ll get more nutritional value.
- Chopped fruit and veg such as carrots, leafs, broccoli spears etc often have poorer nutritional value than the whole veg or fruit.
- Eat more fish, less meat (aim for 2-4 portions of lean, white meat a week).
- Don’t buy what’s on offer in supermarkets – they are often high in sugar, salt and saturated fat, highly refined products, and therefore poor nutritionally.
- Look at labelling for salt, sugar and saturated fat content and check the portion size to which it refers (eg does a quarter or a whole pizza contain 25% of your RDA!). The traffic light schemes focus on the key nutrients that we should be cutting down on (salt, saturated fat, sugar, calories), so choose much more greens, then amber and avoid reds. Try to avoid foods containing over 5% fat.
- Don’t buy green packaged foods thinking they’ll be better, and anything ‘giving you energy’ is probably loaded with sugar.
- Look at best before dates and buy those that are furthest away.
- Don’t go shopping when hungry or when distracted by children or other thoughts – you won’t buy as much or will make bad decisions!
- Buy a little a bit more often - instead of one big shop – your food will be fresher so higher nutritionally.
- Buy portion ratios to match the Eatwell Plate – eg 2x200g pork steaks, 2 medium potatoes and 2 tomatoes does not match the Eatwell ratio!
- Keep portion sizes real – what does an average 80g portion of fruit or veg correspond to? (3 heaped tablespoons of veg or a bowl of salad)
- Store them as guided on the label eg in the fridge – to extend nutritional value.
- Cook more often than you buy ready made things eg chips, icecream, soup, meals –spending time in your kitchen can relax you as you get used to appreciating and cooking ingredients, rather than just eating food.

1. Schedule your workout.
Marking the workout days in your calendar is a great way to mentally and physically prepare yourself to it. Don’t just exercise whenever you want to. Include it in your schedule. Exercising doesn’t have to be done daily. Three times a week will do. Scheduling your workout activities also help you make exercising a priority.
2. Get a gym buddy.
This really works! When you exercise alone, you might find it less enjoyable. Find someone who can go with you to the gym. He or she may be your best friend, your boyfriend/girlfriend, sibling, or work colleague – anyone who can share the same workout schedule with you. Well, don’t limit yourself with just one exercise buddy. The more, the merrier!
3. Treat yourself!
Isn’t it lovely to get a full body massage after a strenuous workout? Once in a while, reward yourself for exercising as a way to motivate yourself more. For instance, if you complete the three-day workout sessions in the gym for this week, buy yourself some new clothes, watch a movie, or hang out with friends. When you expect a reward, the more motivated you will become.
4. Watch your calorie intake.
Try to count how many calories you consume every day. The recommended calorie intake for men is 2,500 and for women, 2,000. Too much can lead to weight gain. But if you exercise, you can turn your body into a fat-burning engine that can even burn away the dessert you had last night.
5. Visualise a sexier you.
Who doesn’t want to develop a hotter figure? Another great way to motivate yourself to exercise is to visualise a fitter, slimmer you! Visualise
6. Hire a fitness coach.
You want to see results fast – why not hire a fitness coach? He or she can design a personalised workout activity that fits your needs. It’s always worth the investment.
7. Keep the weighing scale nearby.
If you keep an eye to your weight, you will become more motivated to shed some pounds even with a slight gain. If you weigh yourself at least once a week, you can develop a mindset to keep it down as days go by.
8. Sign up for an exercise class.
You will learn more about the best techniques to make exercising a more enjoyable activity when you sign up for a workout class. It really helps!
9. Think of a less-stressful life.
Exhausted of too much work? Have relationship issues? One great way to unwind and uplift your mood is to perspire! Exercising stimulates the production of endorphins in your brain, which in turn enlightens your mood.
10. Read. Read. Read.
The more you know about exercising, the more you become motivated to incorporate it in your life. Surf the web, buy fitness books, and scan magazines. They are great sources of information!
11. Don’t overdo it.
If you spend too much time exercising, you will end up physically and mentally exhausted instead of feeling energised and alert. Studies show that 4-7 hours of exercise a week is the best to reap its benefits.
12. Buy new clothes (smaller ones)
If you are not happy about your weight, shop for new clothes that are smaller in your current size. Just by looking at them in your closet will already make you feel motivated to sweat your fats out!
13. Do something you enjoy.
Exercising doesn’t have to be the old, boring and exhausting workout sessions. Exercise comes in many forms – dancing, yoga, sports, gardening, cycling, swimming, etc. As long as you keep your body moving, you are exercising!
14. Bring your workout clothes to work.
Pack everything you need for your workout session and bring it to the office so you will have no reason not to pursue going to the gym whenever you feel like sweating out after work.
15. Set realistic goals.
Instead of exercising for 30 minutes a day, start with 15 minutes. It’s best to begin with small steps as you are still building a habit and over time gradually increase the exercise period little by little.

al Covo offer Nutritional Therapy and also Weight Loss Programmes
Stress can take a toll on your body over time, and make you more vulnerable to a wide range of diseases, including heart disease – Britain’s number one killer. Learning how to manage your stress levels is one of the best things you can do to stay healthy. There are different ways to fight stress but instead of heading for alcohol or tobacco, today, we will focus on the most delicious way! Here are the top foods that could keep you smiling even during the most difficult, nerve-racking situations.

Complex carbohydrates
Instead of simple carbs like white bread, cookies and soft drinks, you want to uplift your mood with complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, whole grains, and pastas. Complex carbs stimulate the production of serotonin – the “feel good” chemicals in the brain. It also makes you feel balanced by stabilising your blood sugar levels. Moreover, complex carbs take make you feel longer and bolster your energy levels, preparing you for a tough, stressful day at work.

Spinach
Spinach is a good source of magnesium which does a big role in keeping stress hormones under control. This nutrient regulates the cortisol levels (hormones produced when a person is stressed), but gets depleted when you are under pressure. Lack of magnesium could lead to headache and fatigue – major symptoms of stress. Other foods high in magnesium are salmon, cocoa powder, bran, and nuts.

Black tea
If you have anxiety issues, don’t drink coffee. Have a cup of warm black tea instead. In a study that compared tea drinkers with non-drinkers, it was found that those who consumed four cups of black tea a day were calmer and had lower cortisol levels during stressful situations.

Pistachios
A handful of these flavourful nuts a day could keep heart disease at bay, studies show. Pistachios have the ability to lower down blood pressure which plays a big role in stabilising stress. So during those times when your adrenaline rush is surging, your blood pressure will not go up too high.

Broccoli
This vegetable is widely known for its amazing health benefits. It belongs to the top anti-cancer foods. But aside from keeping you physically healthy, broccoli contains folic acid which aids in the management of stress.

Sweets and chocolates
You do not need a lot of sweets and other sugary treats to experience a reduction in your stress levels. Just a little sugar on your tongue is enough to boost your mood. Study shows that foods high in sugar lowers down the production of glucocorticoid – a stress hormone linked to larger fat deposits in the stomach. Dark chocolates are the best source of antioxidant that stimulates the production of endorphins. When shopping, look for dark chocolates that contain at least 70% of cocoa.

Salmon, mussels and other fish
Deal with stress more effectively by eating foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids which are mainly found in sea food. If you don’t like eating fish, you can just take supplements that contain such essential fats.

Almonds
A handful of almonds are loaded with vitamin E and B which strengthen your immune system, making you more resilient to the effects of stress. Almonds are also rich in magnesium.

Milk
Can’t sleep? Drink a glass of warm milk. Studies show that calcium reduces muscle spasms and help reduce tension. It also gives you relief from anxiety and mood swings that are associated with pre menstrual syndrome. If you are watching your weight, stick to skimmed milk or low fat milk.

Raw vegetables
Instead of pigging out on a bowl of chips and cookies, munch on raw vegetables like carrots, celery, and other vegetables. Doing this helps release a clenched jaw which takes away headaches caused by tension. Also, raw vegetables are loaded with essential nutrients and enzymes that bolster your immune system and make you more fit to manage stress.

Here at al Covo, massages
Most of us have some habits that are making them more at risk of back pain, particularly lower back pain. Here are some of them:

1. Not observing correct posture. Incorrect posture can add so much pressure and stress on your spine and to your muscles. Moreover, it can change the anatomical characteristics of your spine. When sitting, keep the hips a little higher than the knees and stand with the knees slightly bent, and one foot forward. This takes off the pressure from the lower back and decrease strain in the back.
2. Not getting up from your desk for a long time. If you’re like most office workers who are always chained in their desks, chances are you experience lower back pain on a regular basis. Inactivity makes your muscles weaker and damages your spine. Find time to get up from your chair and take a few minutes walking. If it isn’t possible, do some stretching. Ten minutes of stretching is enough to recharge your batteries and make you energetic for the rest of the day.
3. Smoking. People who smoke and have a sedentary lifestyle are more likely to develop serious diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Also, the nicotine in tobacco prevents the blood from reaching the discs that support your vertebrae, triggering back pain.
4. Not exercising. New study shows that people stop exercising after experiencing back pain. What they don’t realise is that they are prolonging their agony and preventing their body from recovering fast. Physical activity is crucial in keeping the spine, bones and muscles healthy. If you don’t have enough time to go to the gym every day, engage on interval training which only necessitates 20 minutes per session, 3 times a week.
5. Not considering yoga. Researchers from the University of Washington found that yoga alleviates lower back pain faster than conventional exercises. This low-intensity exercise is great for everyone – young or old. Yoga is a popular workout program, and you’ll find many health clubs, fitness studios and gyms offering it. So there’s no reason not to try doing yoga!
6. Incorrect lifting. Whether you’re doing weight-lifting exercises or just moving some huge, heavy boxes, incorrect posture can put a toll on your back and expose your spine to injury. When lifting heavy objects, bend your knees and use the strength of your legs. Keep the object close to your body and avoid twisting.
7. Putting so much importance to fashion. Indeed, beauty has a price. A lot of women wear high heels to look more elegant and sexy even if it already hurts, literally. Just a three-inch shoe heel could already put 7 times more pressure on your feet than flat shoes. Research shows that nearly half of women who wear high-heeled shoes are more likely to experience back pain and foot injury. In addition to this, many people, especially women tend to wear heavy totes that cause imbalance on their shoulders.
8. Eating the wrong foods. Research shows that foods which are good for the heart, weight and blood sugar are also good for the back. By feeding your body with essential vitamins and minerals, you also feed your spine with the nutrients it needs to stay in good shape. Healthy eating also lowers the risk of obesity, another risk factor for back pain.

By avoiding these bad habits, you can become more productive and energetic every single day.

Recently it has been on the news about how taking painkillers may actually result in more headaches. So in light of this, I decided to tell people how to get relief from headaches without the use of painkillers. Below is a step by step guide on how to get headache relief. This can be used on most headaches though I have not used this on migraines. I have a specific exercise that I have had good results in getting rid of migraines all together. However prevention is better than cure. So if your headache is alcohol, staring at a screen for too long, being in high or low light/noise, or anything else, please consider what you could do to prevent or lessen the cause.

1: Rate the headache on a scale 1 – 10, 1 being very slight discomfort and 10 being you can’t take any more.

2: Give the headache pain a colour and your relaxation (no pain) a colour as well.

3: Take a slow deep breath in through your nose and hold for a few seconds. (This works through the mouth as well, people with breathing problems can skip this if needed).

4: Each time you inhale, imagine the air is going to where the pain is. Each time you exhale, imagine the air is coming from the pain.

5: Now add your relaxation colour to the inhalation and the pain colour to the exhalation.

6: After about 30 seconds to a minute re-rate the headache. It should have reduced or disappeared by then. If it has reduced or not changed repeat for a further minute and notice any change.

One client mentioned that her pain increased if this is the case stop. The client then reported the headache gone in a matter of minutes.

Overview

Using your imagination, imagine you are breathing in a relaxation colour that is being directed and swirled around the site of pain and exhaling the pain colour. Some people like to add a refreshing smell to the inhalation.