A new start

For quite some years now you have been receiving our newsletter, the "Euporama" every three months. Though our name has now changed, the newsletter will continue. From now on, ISW Eupora will be called Pulso Europe. Our motto and our goal is: "passionate people, healthy organisations". To be passionate about your life and work you need to feel well and fit. Not always easy given our busy daily lives. Our behaviours can however have a positive influence on our fitness level. The Dutch nutritionist Prof. Dr M.B. Katan compares the human body to a car, asking: "How can you best maintain this car, so that you can enjoy it for as long as possible?" You'll find a few tips below!

Exercise

The advantages of exercise are huge. It reduces the risk of disease, and if you do become ill it limits the adverse effects. Exercise is good for your muscles and bones and helps you to maintain a healthy weight. You need a minimum of half an hour's moderate exercise every day. Moderate exercise should make you sweat a little and be a bit tiring. Think of cycling (at around 15 km p/h), walking (at around 5 to 6 km p/h, mowing the lawn with a nonmotorised mower, hoovering, tidying the shed and of course doing sport. You will be most successful if you build exercise into your daily schedule. For example by cycling to work, or taking a brisk walk every day. It's time to reinstate the 'daily constitutional'!

Don't smoke

Quitting smoking is always a good idea. Your body starts its big clean up after just 24 hours. After a year, the risk of cardiovascular disease has halved! But quitting smoking can be very tough. Only 3 to 5% of smokers manage to do it without support. There are often support options available in your neighbourhood. The best way to stop smoking for good is with support from your doctor or a specialist coach, in combination with nicotine substitutes or medicines.

Alcohol, in moderation

In our society, alcohol is often associated with fun. Unfortunately, its effects are often far from fun. It has been scientifically proven that alcohol use increases the risk of cancer. In reverse, the risk of developing cancer or other diseases also decreases when you drink less or don't drink at all. So it's worth taking a closer look at your daily habits. Do you usually have a beer or a glass of wine at dinner time? And perhaps another one later in the evening? Choose your own "Dry January", (UK initiative launched by Alcohol Concern, 2013) and try not to drink for a month to see if you too will sleep better, feel fitter and lose weight!

Nutrition

Every day we make food choices, mostly subconsciously. Sometimes we eat cake or crisps, just because they taste nice. They fill us up, but they don't nourish us. So what do you need each day? This depends partly on whether you are a man or a woman and how much you exercise. Your age is also a factor.

As we get older we need less food. The rule of thumb for each day is:

• Eat a lot of vegetables (250 to 300 grams)and fruit (2 pieces)
• Wholegrain products (wholegrain bread, couscous, brown rice, pasta)
• Fish, pulses, nuts, eggs, meat
• Dairy (cheese, half-fat yoghurt or semiskimmed milk)
• Soft or liquid spreads and cooking oils
• Fluids (water, tea and coffee)

Divide this between 6 meal/snack times: 3 meals and 3 snacks such as tomatoes, pepper, a piece of cucumber or an apple.

Relaxation and sleep

Everybody builds up tension or 'stress' and needs to release that tension or to 'de-stress'. This is vitally important to maintain our resilience. The way you relax is very personal and can be quite difficult for some people. Certainly, if you have been stressed for a long time it can be hard to imagine letting go of that stress. What always helps is - and note the connection to the previous section - moderate exercise, preferably outdoors and preferably every day. By exercising you activate your whole body, which allows the tension to drain away. Furthermore, it helps you to sleep better at night. Getting enough sleep also helps you to maintain a healthy weight. Try going to bed an hour earlier than usual for two weeks in a row and notice the effect on your energy levels during the day.

A healthy lifestyle consists of a combination of the above elements. It isn't always “fun” and it can't guarantee you good health, but it sure can give you a better chance. You might need to make some changes and get used to a different but equally delicious cooking style or a different exercise regime. But as soon as you get used to it, you'll start to enjoy it. After all, you deserve that! Want to know more? Would you like some support while you're changing your behaviour? Why not talk to someone at the EAP? You're always welcome to ask us anything.