The arrival of a new year is often a time of reflection and reinvention with many people pledging to make changes to improve their lives.
If you've decided to focus on some self-love in 2022, the team at Gatsby & Miller are here to help! Not only can we help you look and feel better with our wonderful range of hair & beauty treatments, but we have also teamed up with Studio E Nutrition who are here with some wellbeing, health & fitness advice.
The experts at Studio E Nutrition are going to help us create even more healthy choices for our Cafe 67 menu, while also providing regular blogs to help you become fitter and healthier. Together we will devise a plan you can stick to by finding small steps each day that will help you get results.
1. Hydrate. Try to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day, in addition to your other drinks. Water regulates body temperature, so the body and organs can function properly. It keeps joints lubricated, prevents infections and delivers nutrients to the working body/muscle cells.
Being well hydrated also improves sleep quality, concentration, performance, and focus. It helps maintain levels of dopamine and serotonin (the feel-good hormones) and can reduce depression and anxiety, enhance calmness, and promote a positive mood. Add fresh fruit slices for taste. You will need frequent loo breaks to start with but, like all routines, you will get used to it.
2. Eat The Rainbow. Your food should be different colours to ensure you are having all the required nutrients, including vitamins and minerals – not just the beige foods (bread, pasta, potatoes). Make sure you include at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables, 3-4 portions of starchy foods, 2-3 portions of protein foods, 2-3 portions of dairy/alternatives, small amounts of unsaturated oils and spreads.
3. Five A Day Fruit & Veg. Increase fruit intake by adding to breakfast cereals and having as snacks. Add vegetables and salad to lunch and dinner. This will help balance blood sugar levels. Eat the rainbow by selecting a wide variety of different coloured fruits and vegetables. Each colour has a functional role to play, towards better health. This will lead to healthier-looking skin, hair and nails – as well as overall health.
4. Don’t Skip Breakfast. Breakfast kick-starts your metabolism, helping you burn calories throughout the day. Many studies link eating breakfast to good health, including better memory and concentration, lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, and lower chances of getting diabetes, heart disease, and being overweight.
5. Choose Whole-Grain & Wholemeal. Whole grains contain all parts of the grain kernel with higher vitamins, minerals, fats, protein and fibre. However, refined grains (used to make white bread, pasta, cereals) have had the fibre-dense bran and the rich nutrients processed out, leaving only the starchy shell. This also removes key nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, protein, and fibre.
6. Cut Down On Alcohol. Alcohol contains a high amount of empty calories and sugar that we can’t yield energy from.
Too much alcohol consumption brings on the ‘drunchies’, as the appetite part of the brain and the stomach is activated with alcohol due to Ghrelin. Ghrelin stimulates the 'hunger hormone', which increases food intake and promotes fat storage.
Alcohol should therefore be drunk in limited amounts. Too much alcohol lowers testosterone in men and increases FSH, LH, and oestrogen levels - which explains the increase of emotional eating on top of Ghrelin.
7. Cut Back On Sugar. Fruit is the universe’s natural candy so swap fruit for sugar-based snacks. If you really need a snack, choose low sugar options.
Consuming too much sugar can lead to health issues such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and tooth decay. Sugar is one of the skin sins as well.
Sugar interferes with collagen, resulting in stiffening and loss of elasticity of our skin, rather than being plump and glowing. It also reduces growth and the repair of your hair. The more sugar we have, the more our skin and hair will suffer.
8. Start Moving. Go for a walk every day. Your steps will help to raise metabolism and increase serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone from the endorphin family that enhances a positive mood and can help you feel great.
As little as 10 minutes can have a significant benefit to help you feel good. Over time you can build up your stamina and push yourself a little more. Consider taking the stairs rather than the lift, think about adding an extra 15 minutes to your usual walk every week.
We'd love to hear how you get on with your New Year Resolutions. Hop on over to our Instagram or Facebook pages where we will be posting more inspirational snippets during January.
