Quick tip - Speed up your metabolism!

Your metabolism is the rate at which your body burns energy. If you enjoy the occasional delicious morning tea or yummy dessert, make sure you eat the right foods to burn of those calories quicker!    

Try to regularly include metabolism boosting foods in your diet such as chilli, cayenne pepper, spices, low fat dairy, rolled oats, raw almonds, grapefruit, apples, eggs, spinach and beans.   Broccoli, cauliflower, celery and lettuce are also great as they require lots of energy to be broken down.  

DID YOU KNOW? 

If you under-eat it actually slows down your metabolism! To maintain a good metabolism, your body needs regular fuel and time in-between meals to digest.  So try to eat at least every 4-5 hours to maintain a good metabolism.

No time to exercise? Keep reading…

We all know the feeling of yet another week gone by without stepping foot in the gym, taking the dog for a walk or spending some time stretching our worn out muscles. With our increasingly busy lives, pressing deadlines and family responsibilities, finding time for exercise can too easily be put at the bottom of the to-do list!

Follow these handy tips from Hopewood to put the spring back in to your step, and help you feel more energetic:

• Take the stairs instead of the lift. Unless you’re located on the 20th Floor, walking up the steps can give you some much needed exercise and only takes a few minutes longer. Stairs are really good for aerobic fitness and strengthening the legs. Try to go use them as much as you can throughout the day. Plus, you’ll avoid those awkward silences in the lift!
• Walk wherever you can. If your work is too far away from home for an easy jog, try parking in a car park further away from your office and walk the last few kilometers. Or next time you go to the shops, instead of grabbling for the closest spot to the entry, choose one of the empty ones right at the back. You’ll save yourself some stress and increase your daily exercise.
• Sit up straight. If you find that you slouch a lot, try this simple exercise. While your sitting in your chair (you can also do this standing) sit up straight, hold your tummy in, push your shoulders down, keep your head straight, squeeze your bottom in and push your feet into the ground. Hold this for 30 seconds if you can, as it becomes easier, hold for longer.
• Take exercise breaks. Try to take four minute breaks from your computer at work (or home) and walk a measured distance. For example, the distance could be from the study to the back fence, or down the corridor at work. Keep the distance to about 30 metres. Do this simple exercise five times each day and before you know it you have walked 7km in one week! How easy and simple is that!

Detox… is it for me?

Feeling sluggish? Need to get the energy moving, clean out those clogged up vessels and get the immune system back on track?

Detoxification can help you to regain optimal health and wellbeing, prevent diseases and rid the body of accumulated toxins and harmful chemicals, whether they be enterotoxins (internal i.e. food and beverages) or exotoxins (external i.e. environmental toxins).

If you answer yes to any of the following, a detox could be beneficial for you.

Do you:

• Suffer from stress?
• Eat pre-packaged foods?
• Eat takeaway foods?
• Use artificial sweeteners?
• Drink coffee?
• Have excess sugar?
• Smoke or drink alcohol?
• Work or live in an environment where chemicals are used?
• Use household cleansers?
• Use a microwave?
• Use plastic containers to store food?
• Use cosmetics or personal body items which contain chemicals, preservatives or parabens?

Detoxifying assists our organs to work more effectively and has anti-ageing benefits and promotes longevity.

At Hopewood, detoxification programs are undertaken in a supervised environment where progress is monitored daily. The most appropriate cleanse is selected by the naturopath based upon unique conditions and a thorough medical history. It may be recommended that you follow a healthy eating plan with meals designed specifically for your condition, or go on a juice or water fast. After completing a detox, it is common for people to feel invigorated and revitalised mentally and physically.

Feeling stressed? Try laughing!

Laughter really is the best medicine. Laughing not only gives us an internal workout and stimulates circulation but can help to reduce levels of stress and anxiety, leaving you feeling calm and confident.

As a stress-buster, laughter is one of the most powerful resources available. In fact, some psychologists believe that humour has the opposite effect of stress.

Humour acts like floss for the mind - cleaning out the cobwebs that clutter our thoughts so we can focus more clearly. It also helps us to put our worries in perspective, so we can avoid having a meltdown when problems arise.

Physically, a good laugh acts like a wonder drug. Laughing relieves tension in the neck and shoulder area, massages internal organs, oxygenates the lungs, reduces blood pressure, reduces stress-inducing chemicals and increases pain-killing endorphins.

One doctor found that 20 seconds of laughter is the same caloric workout as three minutes on a rowing machine, while another study found that laughter works faster on the body than either Valium or vodka!

So next time you’re feeling stressed... give yourself a good dose of the giggles and laugh the weight from your shoulders!

Make 2011 the year to drink more… water, that is.

Our bodies need at least 6 to 8 glasses of water daily to help flush out toxins.

By drinking water regularly you could enjoy the benefits of improved digestion, a stronger immune system, a more alkaline environment within the body with less inflammatory conditions, a healthy nervous system with increased mental function and longevity.

Water is involved in almost every bodily function and is an essential nutrient as life cannot exist without it. Water assists in nutrient transportation, digestion and absorption and the elimination of waste products. Water also carries electrolytes, which are mineral salts that help convey electrical currents in the body.
Water maintains and regulates body temperature, blood volume and blood pressure.

FACT ~ Did you know that dehydration is a common cause of elimination ailments such as chronic constipation, urinary tract infections, haemorrhoids and even degenerative diseases like arthritis.

Common signs of dehydration are headaches, dizziness, fatigue, dry skin, dull back pain and swollen hands and feet.

So this summer, drink up!