Golf isn’t the most strenuous of sports but it appears to have a great many health benefits according to a study of 300,000 golfers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

The study, which was published this month in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, revealed that golfers were 40 percent less likely to die at any given age than those who did not play. A round of golf means being outside for four or five hours in the fresh air, walking at a fast pace for a few miles and this kind of mild to moderate exercise is known to be good for your health. However, the lower death rate among golfers may also be due to the social and psychological aspects of the game which keep golfers feeling challenged and involved; all important anti ageing strategies.

If you’re finding it hard to put your lemonade (a natural one of course!) down this summer and get moving so you can burn some calories you’re not alone. Even though you know exercise is good for you and can help keep your weight down, your mood up and your risk of diabetes, heart disease and depression low it’s so easy to let your motivation for regular exercise slip when the weather is gorgeous and all you want to do is lounge around and stay cool.

It’s the same with diet. Summertime and the eating is easy… buffet breakfasts, leisurely lunches, ice cream on the beach, boozy barbecues and cocktails by the pool … with so many opportunities to eat and drink it’s not surprising that lapses in diet and fitness are common when days are long and warm. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With a little planning, the summer months are a fantastic opportunity to boost both your diet and your fitness campaign. Follow the tips below and not only will your diet stay healthy but moving will become fun again.

 

Summer diet tips

Picnics: Fill sandwiches with healthy fillings such as egg, prawns or tuna canned in water or oil. Avoid packing up pastry products like pork pies, quiche, pasties and flans. Instead, go for small slices of veggie pizza or lightly grilled fish portions. Pack plenty of fresh fruit but don’t just stick to apples and pears – take along slices of melon, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, fresh apricots, nectarines and peaches. Crisps are packed with salt and fried so take along chopped up vegetable sticks and cherry tomatoes instead and serve them with dips like hummous or a handful of nuts and seeds.

 

Drinks: When it’s hot, it might be tempting to cool down with litres of fruit squashes and fizzy drinks, but these can pile on the pounds if you drink enough of them as they are loaded with sugar, additives and calories. Instead, you’re best off quenching your thirst with water, so keep a good stock of bottled water to hand, particularly if it’s not safe to drink the tap water. If you want something more interesting than water, then use half fruit juice and half sparkling water.  Alcohol won’t quench your thirst but if you do fancy a drink, moderation is key and try to alternate alcoholic drinks with a glass of water. As well as saving calories, it will also help to prevent dehydration and stop you from getting a hangover (and missing out on the glorious sunshine the next day). If you can’t resist a few cocktails, avoid those made with cream-based liqueurs, cream, and syrups. Instead choose those made with healthier ingredients like fruit juices, fresh fruit.

 

Salads and Ice cream: Be careful when you order or eat salads. It may seem like you’re having the healthiest option, but they may be drowning in dressing that is loaded with saturated fat and calories. Always best to have your dressing on the side. When it comes to ice cream a small serving now and again won’t do you any harm. You are aiming to eat well 80% of the time.  When available buy the best ice cream you can eg organic, natural ingredients and go for vanilla or a fruit one like strawberry rather than something like chocolate chip.  Remember though there are plenty of delicious healthier alternatives such as sorbets, smoothies, or frozen yogurts topped with fruit.

 

Weddings and parties: When it comes to summer weddings and parties the best advice is to enjoy the occasion not just the food. Take the time to talk with friends and family you don’t see very often. Take part in the sports or games that are being played. Spend some time with the kids and just play! Don’t go on an empty stomach; when you’re hungry you’re more likely to over eat and make unhealthy choices. Stick to your healthy eating plans when choosing foods and when you’ve finished move away from the buffet table so you’re less likely to be tempted. A small slice of wedding cake won’t ruin your diet so go ahead and enjoy it; if you’ve given a huge slice eating it all isn’t compulsory, just have a few mouthfuls.

 

Summer fitness tips

Find an exercise partner: Making a commitment to exercise with a friend makes it harder to miss a few days because you know your friend is relying on you to keep them motivated. Other friends who can help you get moving include hyperactive dogs that need to run every day or a friend or co-worker who has asked you to help them slim down. You may also want to challenge a friend or family member to a fitness contest. Pick a week and keep track of how many minutes each of you exercises. At the end the loser has to wash all the dishes for a week or take you out to the movies.

 

Be prepared: If you put your exercise clothes on as soon as you get home you’re far less likely to lounge in the garden. You may even want to take your exercise clothes to work so you can be ready to get moving as soon as you are finished. Once you’ve got your walking shoes and your leggings or shorts on you’re far more likely to be inspired to walk.

 

Track your progress: Put a big red mark on your calendar for every day you exercise. Keeping a record of your accomplishments can be really motivating, especially if you are trying to lose weight or get fitter and you feel that your progress is slow. Keep a diary of your walking or exercise workouts and how you felt after in a notebook.

 

Do something new: Instead of sticking to the same workouts each week experiment with something new. Try a different class at your gym or map out a fresh running or walking route. And if you’ve never lifted weights before here’s a good reason to give it a try: Research at Arizona State University has shown that if you lift weights on a regular basis you’ll burn extra calories for up to two hours after a workout. If you’re worried about bulking up don’t be as women only bulk up if their weight training is obsessive. Mild weight training two to three times a week for about 30 minutes will simply add tone to your muscles. It’s also a good idea to change your workout location. Running or walking in another city or village adds a bit of excitement to your routine. Or have a day working out on the beach. Bring Frisbees or a beach ball along and then after your workout give yourself plenty of time to relax on the beach and soak up the sunshine (and get a dose of vitamin D).

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Listen to music: According to a recent study fast paced music has been shown to inspire people to run faster on a treadmill than people who had no music to listen to. So, if you’re having trouble getting motivated choose an album of upbeat music that really fires you up and play it both when you workout and when you are getting ready to work out.

It’s summer time and there’s every opportunity to get outside and breathe in all that lovely fresh air. But while you’re outside enjoying the sunshine, you might want to think about the way you are breathing. Many of us don’t realise that we can improve our health simply by learning to breathe properly. This may sound too good to be true – especially as breathing is free – but learning to breathe correctly really can make you feel good. Using your lungs more effectively can help promote a positive sense of well being; boost your energy; ease stress and tension and boost your immune system. Breathing properly can also really help if you have lung problems as it can help you manage your condition more effectively and lead to a better quality of life.

Breathing is the most natural process in the world and many of us don’t even think about it. Considering we’ve been breathing since the moment we were born you would have thought we would have learned how to do it correctly but many health experts believe that few people breathe correctly and as we get older we get worse at it. Some say that incorrect breathing could be the reason why many of us feel tired so much of the time.

 

The problem is that most of us breathe too shallowly from our chests rather than from our stomachs, so air is not being pulled down deep into the lungs.  If you aren’t breathing properly your body does not get its full quota of revitalising oxygen and nutrients and energy draining waste products can’t be cleared away. This can affect your metabolism and stop your body functioning as well as it should. By making small changes to correct your breathing so that you take in more oxygen and expel more waste products – you can improve your health and levels of energy.

 

Poor posture and lack of exercise are the two main reasons most of us don’t breathe as well as we should. Many of us spend a good deal of our day hunched over computers or slouched in chairs. This means our chest is cramped and there isn’t enough space for lungs to expand and to accommodate deep breathing. Older people also tend to take less exercise so their lungs are not being used to their full capacity.

 

Researchers from Harvard University have found that breathing slowly and deeply from the stomach triggers a blood flow boost to the brain and can lead to as much as a 55% reduction in stress. Learning how to breathe correctly from your stomach is simple. Keep your hand on your abdomen and, when you breathe in, make the abdomen rise. Because you’re not used to breathing in this way it may take a few practised to find the right muscles but you will know when you have got it right because it will feel very natural.

 

Physiotherapists recommend several techniques to improve your breathing but here is one simple method you may like to try three or four times every few hours: Sit in a comfortable position and, if possible, a quiet place. Try breathing in through your nose. If this is difficult for you hold your breath and then expel air gently through your mouth. Try to expel every last bit of air from your lungs. Some people find it helpful to breathe out from pursed lips. You should also try to make your out breath twice as long as your in breathe as this really helps to empty your lungs completely so providing room for an intake of fresh air. You may also like to breathe in for a count of five, hold for a count of five and breathe out for a count of ten.

 

Another good way to improve your breathing is to make a conscious effort to be aware of your posture, especially when you are sitting and working. Try to straighten your back and loosen and relax your shoulders and upper chest to allow your rib cage and lungs to expand. The British Lung Foundation also suggests keeping your weight within reasonable limits to improve your posture and correct your breathing. Regular exercise is important too as it will help strengthen your lungs and increase their capacity. Choose an activity such as brisk walking or swimming or cycling – exercise that leaves you slightly breathless but not exhausted. Aim for 30 minutes five times a week. Yoga is also beneficial as it combines stretching and strengthening movements such as deep breathing to balance and energise your mind and body. Do be sure to check with your doctor before you begin any new exercise routine and to start off gradually and build up slowly.

 

Finally, don’t forget that mental and physical tension can hinder good breathing. Most of us find that our breathing gets faster when we are under stress. Learning to take deep, slow breaths can help calm you down and enable you to regain control over a difficult situation. Deep breathing can also be helpful for those who suffer from asthma or panic attacks or chronic pain. But whatever age you are it’s a brilliant idea to set aside some time every day to practise your breathing. Once you get used to breathing deeply in a controlled way it is easer to apply it in situations when you know it will be helpful.