Lifestyle factors power point

Lifestyle Factors
Smokin Alcohol Diet Sleeping Stress Exercise

From this presentation you will:
 Know the 6 main lifestyle factors
 Understand how they impact on health
 Know the current guidelines and recommendations
 How to improve each lifestyle factor

According to the NHS (2020) ‘Smoking is the biggest cause of preventable deaths in
England, accounting for nearly 80,000 deaths each year. One in two smoker will die from a
smoking-related disease.’ There’s more:
‘Every 15 cigarettes you smoke will cause a mutation in your body, mutation are how
cancers start.’
By reducing your consumption of cigarettes, and eventually quitting, you will significantly
reduce your susceptibility of the plethora of smoking-related diseases. Some of which
include:
Smoking Facts
Tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year, translating to one smoking-related death every
five seconds.That is a million more deaths than occur each year as a result of HIV, tuberculosis, and
malaria combined!

Smoking-related Diseases
 9 of the 10 known lung cancers
 Cancer of the: mouth, throat, oesophagus, stomach, digestive tract and brain
 Stroke
 COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
 Hypertension –(high blood pressure)
 Heart disease
 Osteoporosis
Lung cancer is not the only malignancy you can get from smoking. Others include cancer of
the bladder, blood, bone marrow, cervix, colon, esophagus, kidneys, larynx, liver, mouth,
pancreas, rectum, stomach, and throat.

Smoking has also been shown to adversely impact on infertility and reproduction – men
who smoke tend to have lower sperm counts – and blood circulation. As a consequence of
the toxic gunk that accumulates and coagulates in the body, which eventually finds its way
to the circulatory system, the blood of smokers is not only thicker but also carries less
oxygen. This is bad for a number of reasons. But the two most prominent are:
Smoking-related Diseases Continued
Thicker blood which increases your chances of clot formation
I Increases your blood pressure and heart rate, making your heart
harder than normal
On average, smoking will cut 13 years from your life expectancy.

If you are a smoker and you feel somewhat unnerved by the myriad ways smoking could shorten your life, TAKE
ACTION! Nowadays there is so much help available for people who want to quit the cancer sticks. You’ve just got
to be bothered, motivated and disciplined enough to seek out those support groups and use them.
To remove one less excuse I have included a number of links to smoking support groups. Follow them and start
your journey to healthier life today!
The following link will take you to the NHS’s Personal Quit Plan: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/for-your-body/quit-
smoking/personal-quit-plan/
Quit.org is charity dedicated to helping people QUIT! http://www.quit.org.uk/
Smokefree.gov is a governmental initiative to help people QUIT! https://smokefree.gov/
And then there’s Ash.org, a public charity striving to help people improve their health by staying QUIT!
https://ash.org.uk/home/
It’s Time To QUIT!
There are more than 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, of which more than 250 are known to be harmful, more
than 50 are known to cause cancer, and 11 are classified as Group I carcinogens. (Verywell Mind - 2020)

The Dangers of Alcohol Consumption
‘Like tobacco, alcohol is one of the few substances consistently linked to an increased risk of
cancer. Drinking alcohol increases the risk of developing these types of cancer: head and neck
particularly cancers of the oral cavity (mouth), pharynx (throat), and larynx (voice box),’
American Society of Clinical Oncology
‘According to Government statistics, more than 1.4 million people are dependent
on alcohol in the UK. 33,000 people die each year due to alcohol-related incidents
or associated health problem,’ (Alcoholics Anonymous 2020).
Alcohol, in any quantity, is extremely pernicious to health. ‘Moderate drinking does
appear to protect against heart disease, perhaps because of a blood-thinning effect,
but even light drinking (less than one drink a day) has been found to increase
cancer risk,’ (Greger 2017).

Dangers Continued
Alcohol is a factor … in about 60 percent of fatal burn injuries, drownings, and homicides; 50 percent
of severe trauma injuries and sexual assaults; and 40 percent of fatal motor vehicle crashes, suicides,
and fatal falls.
National Institute of Health
Alcohol consumption contributes to 3 million deaths each year globally as well
as to the disabilities and poor health of millions of people. ‘Overall, harmful use
of alcohol is responsible for 5.1% of the global burden of disease,’ WHO (2020).
Furthermore, alcohol consumption is associated with fatty-liver disease, type 2
diabetes and visceral/subcutaneous fat. Anyone who is serious about weight
loss and health must look to reduce the amount of alcohol they consume.

Alcohol-related Diseases
Alcohol is a powerful chemical that can have a wide range of adverse effects on almost every part of your
body, including your brain, bones and heart.
NHS – 2020
 Cancer!
 Cirrhosis ‘is scarring (fibrosis) of the liver caused by long-term liver damage.’ (NHS 2020)
 Wet brain syndrome or ‘‘Wernicke’s encephalopathy’ is a condition that causes neurological symptoms as a result of
biochemical lesions of the nervous system’ which can result in permanent damage to the brain leading to memory
loss and impaired cognition (Dr Thomas 2020).
 High blood pressure (hypertension)
 Stroke
 Digestive problems: alcohol can impede the body from absorbing vital nutrients – such as thiamine (B1).
 Alcohol can also damage your pancreas. If you drink too much, it can lead to acute (short-lasting) or chronic (long-
lasting) pancreatitis (BUPA 2020)
 Chronic Depression
 Impaired reproductive capacity – alcohol consumption reduces sperm count

Reducing Consumption
There is no safe limit: alcohol in any quantity is deleterious to health and jeopardises longevity.
In light of these disturbing facts, and there are many more besides, it is best to
reduce alcohol consumption to zero units per week.
Do not replace alcohol with a non-alcoholic alternative as they contain lots of sugar
and you would merely be replacing one unhealthy beverage for another.
Simply aim to cut down the number of units you consume throughout the week
until you arrive at that healthy figure: 0!

Get The Support You Need
Below I have included a number of links to support groups. Access them today and kick this nasty habit.
 Alcoholic Anonymous, in their own words, ‘is a fellowship of men and women who share their experiences,
strength and hope with each other that they may sole their common problem and help others to recover from
alcoholism.’ But the charity also provides advice on guidance on how to lower consumption and how to quit
altogether. https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/
 The NHS provides a service that enables people to find support groups in their local area. Go to:
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/
 Alcohol Change is a charity dedicated to helping people find the right support for them.
https://alcoholchange.org.uk/help-and-support/get-help-now

The Importance of Sleep
‘Not getting enough sleep can lead to heart health problems like high blood pressure or heart
attacks.’
SLCHealth (2020)
The importance of sleep and how it impacts on physiological and neurological
systems are becoming more deeply understood. Sleep scientists around the world
are studying the ways in which sleep both positively and negatively effects our lives.
Their findings are a cause for great concern for those who are not getting enough
sleep.
The focus of this analysis is centered on the negative effects and why it is
imperative to implement a healthy sleeping regime.

Sleep Really is a Matter of Life and Death
Sleep problems are … associated with more severe depressive illness.
SleepFoundation.org (2020)
Few people truly recognise just how important sleeping is. I myself often use to say that sleep is
for the lazy and that I’ll catch up on those lost hours when I’m dead. Ironic as it is, and in my
ignorance little did I know that, persistent sleep deprivation could hasten my ultimate demise.
But beyond potentially shortening your lifespan poor sleep hygiene, as it’s known, correlates
strongly with obesity, metabolic syndrome and impaired physical performance (Ventino et al
2013).
In addition, the quality of sleep is an indicator of general well-being and irregular sleeping
patterns have been shown to impair or diminish the quality of a person’s life. Poor sleep hygiene
is associated with heightened states of anxiety, stress and depression.

Other negative outcomes associated with poor sleep include:
 Impaired memory
 Impaired learning capacity
 Increases states of anxiety, stress and depression
 Increases chances of developing obesity
 Reduces the size of a males testicles thus adversely
impacting on reproductive capability
 Could increase susceptibility to Alzheimer’s
 A mere one hour of sleep deprivation can significantly
increase one’s risk of suffering a heart attack
 Sleep loss has been shown to impair immune system
function
 Short sleep duration is linked to increase risk of cancer

Shh! I’m Catching 40 Winks
Q: How much sleep we should get each night?
The general consensus amongst sleep scientists is that 8 hours I optimal – but as this is unachievably
specific aim for between 7 to 9 hours.
So now that we know how detrimental sleep deprivation is to our health, the
question remains: how do I get a good night’s sleep?
Below you will discover a list of advice from the top sleep scientists of how to get
the best night’s sleep.
Remember, don’t expect instant results. As with anything worthwhile you have to
persevere and be prepared to work at it. Yep, that’s right, even getting good sleep
requires effort!

 Abstain from caffeinated or sugary drinks for a minimum of 6 hours before bed
time. Why? Cuz caffeine can continue to stimulate the brain for up to 6 hours
after ingestion.
‘Not getting enough sleep can make it more difficult to control your appetite and might cause you to
gain weight.’
Ana Noia
Senior Clinical Physiologist in Neurophysiology and Sleep at Bupa Cromwell Hospital
 Avoid bright lights – including ‘screen time’ – for a good hour or two prior to
tucking up. Bright light can adversely impact on how the brain regulates sleep
hormones and, so I read, can trigger wakey wakey time – something we want to
avoid before fluffing up the pillow.

‘Without adequate sleep and rest, over-worked neurons can no longer function to coordinate information
properly, and we lose our ability to access previously learned information.’
Ellenbogen et al (2003) Harvard Medical Review
 It is good practice to create an environment conducive to inducing a restive
‘sleepy’ state at least an hour before entering the Land of Nod. For example, let’s
say you habitually climb into you coffin dead on10pm, at 9pm you would ensure
that all devices are turned off, lights turned down, maybe a bit of soft music
playing in the background and you might begin reading a pleasant book – not a
Stephen King slasher flick – or engage in a relaxing activity: Pilates, light Yoga,
meditation.
 Avoid strenuous physical activity at least 2 to 3 hours before boarding the sleep
train. Exercise induces a heightened arousal state which may delay
disembarkation.

@Sleep has links to people’s emotional and social intelligence. Someone who does not get adequate
sleep is more likely to have issues with recognizing other people’s emotions and expressions.’
Medical News Today (2020)
 Impose a strict zero tolerance attitude on napping throughout the day. Yes there
is evidence out there in favor of napping; some studies have shown that it can
boost mood and increase cognition. However, for light sleepers or people who
struggle to sleep napping can impoverish the quality of . . .
 Maintain a routine and rigidly stick to it. Apparently, according to the sleep
scientists, we can train ourselves to sleep not only better but more deeply. One
of the best ways to do this is establish a routine and avoid breaking it. Contrary
to popular best sleeping practices advice, even if you are not tired you should
still observe your routine.

And Finally . . .
Further reading: Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker
 Resist the temptation to hit snooze and don’t make a habit of lying in. Yes it’s
probably not going to hurt once a week – say as a Sunday morning treat – but
sneaking in extra Zzzzzs can disrupt sleep cycles.
follow the link and learn more on the importance of sleep from one of the world’s
foremost sleep scientists: https://youtu.be/5MuIMqhT8DM

Two Types of Stress
‘Stress can be defined as the strain that is imposed on a person by stressors in the environment that
are perceived to be in some way threatening to the self.’
The New Psychology of Health
Type 1: Acute – or short term: in a moment of absentmindedness you step into the road without looking, a
car wizzes past whilst honking which sends your heart rate through the roof. But after giving yourself a good
and much deserved dressing down you go about your merry way like nothing happened. After all, the crisis is
now over so why dwell on it?
Type 2: Chronic – or long-term: for months and months your boss has been saddling you with more and
more work responsibilities and you’re feeling overwhelmed and you’ve got knots in your stomach and you
can’t sleep and you’re constantly anxious and worried and, and . . . Yep, this is chronic stress and it’s the stuff
that’ll make you ill and, if not treated, potentially prematurely cut your life short.
For obvious reasons we’ll be focusing our attention on the second type.

The Dangers of Chronic Stress
‘If you want to increase your chances of avoiding stress-related diseases, make sure you don’t
inadvertently allow yourself to be born poor.’
Sapolsky
 The silent killer kills many thousands of people each year. And in one way or another stress
negatively impacts on the lives of millions of people every day. It has been shown to exacerbate the
severity of anxiety, depression and other mental health disorders.
 Stress has also been linked to physical disorders and it is estimated that ‘over 80 percent of visits to
the doctor’s office in the developed world are for stress-related disorders’ (Dr Siegel, Psy.D 2014).
 But though there is an edifice of research demonstrating the detrimental impact stress has on
human health, few people recognize just how pernicious stress actually is and it is not taken nearly as
seriously as it ought to be.

How Stress Degrades Health
The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that mental disease, including stress-related illness
will be the second leading cause of disabilities by the year 2020 (Kalia, 2002).
 In his book, Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, Robert M. Sapolsky, who is Stanford professor of
biology and neurology and foremost researcher into the impacts of stress on health, talks about
how stress impairs immune function thus increasing our susceptibility to illness and disease –
such as cancer.
 States of chronic – or persistent – stress have been shown to inhibit digestion, reproduction,
ovulation and the general growth and repair of tissue (Sapolsky 1994). This goes some way to
accounting for why people suffering with chronic stress are more likely to get ill and develop
disease for their bodies, as Sapolsky colorfully puts it, ‘halts long-term, expensive building
projects’ like manufacturing antibodies whose job it is to fight, amongst other things, tumor cells.

In addition, stress is believed to be linked to a
range of physical illness which include:
Stress has been defined as a maladaptive state in which the sympathetic nervous system is
overactivated, causing acute or chronic physical, psychological, and behavioural impairment (Hambly
1997).
 Headaches
 Infectious illness (such as influenza)
 Cardiovascular disease
 Diabetes
 Asthma
 Rheumatoid arthritis

Stress and the Brain
 Emerging research is showing how stress can exert a destructive influence at both a cellular and
neurological level. For example, the stressed brain halts highly important ‘building projects’ such
as birthing new neurons – called neurogenesis – whilst also impairing hippocampal function; the
hippocampus ‘is a small, seahorse-shaped structure that store your conscious memories in an
organized way,’ (Greenberg 2016).
 The result? Over protracted periods this neurological damage can result in a weakening of neural
networks leading to diminished memory recall and, in the most severe cases, early onset of
cognitive decline. The brain that weathers a lot of stress wears quicker.
Stress has also been shown to cause structural changes in the brain, reductions in neurons and
synaptic terminals and a reduction in telomere length - a primary psychobiomarker of stress and
disease (Reznikov et al 2007; Sapolsky 1990; Epel, 2009).

Identifying the Signs and Symptoms of Stress
 Before stress can be dealt with it must first be identified. The reason why it is called the silent
killer is because, unlike a physical ailment, such as the flue, or a sheered femur, which exhibit
salient symptoms, stress can bubble away under the surface undetected for years.
 People, in the main, just aren’t adequately educated on how to identify the signs and symptoms
of stress. This must change if we hope to avoid the pernicious effects of stress.
 In the next slide you’ll find an extensive list of the signs and symptoms commonly associated with
chronic stress.
Chronic levels of stress has shown to be detrimental to many areas of the body with links to some of
the biggest health concerns including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mental health issues
(Harris et al 2017; Song et al 2019; Bullmore, 2018).

Increased stress can lead to risky health behaviours that can have further detrimental impacts on the
physiological systems (Hornstein, 2004).
Physical
 headaches or dizziness
 muscle tension or pain
 stomach problems
 chest pain or a faster
heartbeat
 sexual problems
Mental
 difficulty concentrating
 struggling to make decisions
 feeling overwhelmed
 constantly worrying
 being forgetful
Behavior
 being irritable and snappy
 sleeping too much or too little
 eating too much or too little
 avoiding certain places or
people
 drinking or smoking more

Methods of Mitigating Stress
Below I outlined a number of stress-busting tactics that you can use when the silent killer is on the prowl.
 To identify in ourselves if we might be suffering from stress we must either know our triggers or
regularly conduct a self-examination. This may come across as a bit preposterous I know but
unless it is brought to our attention, either through illness or a breakdown, then the fact that you
are stressed might simply go unnoticed.
 If you know your stress triggers then you can work to engineer your environment to reduce or
remove them.
 But let’s imagine that you are not aware of your triggers and that, after conducting a self-
examination, you’ve realised that you are in fact exhibiting a number of the signs and symptoms
of stress. How do you go about reducing the stress response and restoring your inner harmony?

“It is not a daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack away at the inessentials.”
– Bruce Lee
Exercise has been shown to disperse the dark forces of
stress like a ray of bright monochromic light. When we
get a rigorous sweat-on the body releases ‘feel good’
chemicals – endorphins and what not – which, well,
make us feel good. This, for a time, can turn the tide of
stress. To keep stress at bay it might be worth
implementing the daily habit of an early morning 30
minute jog or gym circuit. This way you’ll not only reduce
stress but also reap the many health rewards associated
with exercise.
Exercise!

Yoga
“If the problem can be solved, why worry? If the problem cannot be solved, worrying will do you no
good.”
Attributed to Buddha
Yoga, much for the same reason as exercise,
demonstrably disposes of the demonic forces
of stress. Stretching and slow body control
movements also release ‘feel good’ chemicals.
In addition, Yoga has been shown to enhance
proprioception – body awareness. By
enhancing body awareness we will sharpen our
sensitivity to detecting the signs and symptoms
of the silent killer.

Self-care Time
“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”
– William James
Setting aside some time for self-care. This sounds a bit pink
and fluffy I agree but it is massively important. Self-care is
engaging in activities or pursuits that you love to do. By way
of example, one of my self-care activities is playing my guitar.
Every morning and evening I’ll sequester myself in a
cloistered cell and strum the sorrows of the world away. For
me an hour on the guitar never fails to banish stress. When
you identify your self-care activity of choice you must ensure
to set aside at least 30 minutes (preferably an hour) each and
every day where you can indulge without the worry of being
disturbed.

Work/Life Balance
Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.’
Dolly Parton
Work is often identified as the most prevalent stress-inducing trigger.
Because of the Western world’s unhealthy obsession towards productive
output things are not going to change any time soon and the work place
will continue to make peoples’ lives a misery. However, you can do
something about it. In fact, you absolutely must take action because it’s
highly unlikely that your employer will. By establishing a healthy work/life
balance, where work ends and life begins, you can enjoy the undisturbed
down time you deserve, free from the incessant responsibilities of the job.
But you must be strict when implementing the boundaries and you must
never allow your employer to encroach on your life outside of work: give
the bastards and inch and they’ll take a fucking mile!

Support & Further Reading
“We can easily manage if we will only take, each day, the burden appointed to it. But the load will be
too heavy for us if we carry yesterday’s burden over again today, and then add the burden of the
morrow before we are required to bear it.”
– John Newton
If you do find yourself suffering from chronic stress and the methods outlined above don’t seem to help, it is
imperative that you seek professional support: IMMEDIATELY! By following the link below you will be able to find the
support you need.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/mental-health-helplines/
Further reading
Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert M. Sapolsky
The Stress-Proof Brain by Melanie Greenberg

Exercise
Exercise Exercise
Exercise
Exercise
Exercise
Exercise

The Benefits of Exercise
‘Regular physical exercise affords protection against stroke.’
(Curtis 2000)
 The health benefits exercise confers are widely understood and recognised. Few people today are
ignorant to the fact that exercise is not only extremely good for us but can reduce our chances of
developing illness and disease.
 But exercise is even better than we previously thought.
 Amazingly, contemporary research is showing that exercise can actually be weaponised and used to
fight some of the worst diseases. In 2009 an Australian research team published a paper showing
the positive effects exercise exerts in the fight against cancer. The research demonstrated that
exercise, in conjunction with established treatment methods, can positively support cancer
patients irrespective of what stage they are at in their treatment.

Regular exercise ‘can reduce your risk of major illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2
diabetes and cancer by up to 50% and lower your risk of early death by up to 30%.’
NHS - 2020
 Since the publication of that seminal 2009 paper
the benefits accrued through supplementing
exercise during cancer treatment have been
extensively reviewed.
 A recent publication reported that of 140 such
studies 75% showed ‘statistically significant and
clinically relevant benefit through exercise on a
range of treatment-related side effects, physical,
functional, and psychosocial outcomes,’ (Maloney
et al 2018).

‘In the areas of depression, people who exercise regularly are generally less depressed than sedentary
people are.’
(Curtis 2000)
Below is a list of the health benefits associated with regular exercise.
o Weight control
o Improved body composition
o Protection against coronary heart
disease (CHD)
o Improved cardio-respiratory
performance
o Protection against stroke
o Improved immune function
o Decreased depression
o Helps reduce anxiety
o Mitigates chronic stress
o Promotes a positive attitude
o Enforces self-efficacy
o Improves self-confidence and self
body image

Now that we have covered the theoretical side of exercise we must turn our attention to the practical. In
the following section you are going to learn how to implement and organize an exercise regime.
 Wow! What a singularly impressive list of health
benefits. Makes me want to slip on a pair of sneeks
and go out for a five mile run followed by a set of 500
kettlebell swings. To think, each mile, each set of ten
could be boosting my immune system and protecting
me against heart disease!
 And, what’s more, those health benefits are there for
the taking – they could be yours. All you’ve got to do
is establish a regular exercise routine that includes a
mixture of the primary components of fitness:
cardiovascular, strength, muscular endurance and
flexibility

Establishing an Exercise Regime
To stay healthy, adults should try to be active every day and aim to achieve at least 150 minutes of
physical activity over a week through a variety of activities.
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercise-health-benefits/
 If you currently do no exercise, or your participation is at best sporadic, then you must establish a
consistent regime that incorporates a varied mix of physical activities. To get you on your way I
have explained an infallible method of establishing a fitness regime. From here all that’s left for
you to do is faithfully participate.
 Creating an exercise programme is relatively straight forward – especially for someone who is
just engaging in exercise for general fitness and health. To create your programme you merely
need either a calendar or grid/table and a pen (if you want to be fancy you can word-process the
programme and print it off).
 Now, let’s say you’re using a calendar. Simply plot each day’s exercise activity – including session
duration and type of exercise – for a minimum of 2 months. (See week 1 example two slides
down.)

“Even when all is known, the care of a man is not yet complete, because eating alone will not keep a
man well; he must also take exercise. For food and exercise, while possessing opposite qualities, yet
work together to produce health.”
Hippocrates
 Once you’ve organized your first week you can repeat for the following seven – ensuring to
gradually increase the duration of each training session; each day of the final week should be
almost double that of the first.
 Of course, you don’t have to continue creating a programme indefinitely. This is a method of
cultivating the habit of participating in daily exercise. After a couple of months of following a
training programme you should by then be thoroughly indoctrinated. At this point you can
dispense with the calendar and just do whatever comes into your head.
 However, if, after departing from your programme, you feel that you are staring to slip and slide
back into old habits, just get that calendar out again.

(Ensure, prior to taking part in any exercise activity, to spend a minimum of 10 minutes warm-up)
Week 1 Exercise
Monday 30 minute light jog
Tuesday 30 minute whole-body circuit
Wednesday 1 hour cycle (outdoors)
Thursday 30 minute light jog (including: 50 press-ups/squat thrusts/burpees
Friday 30 minute whole-body circuit
Saturday 1hour swim/cycle or combination of activities
Sunday: Enjoy a long country walk
“When it comes to health and well-being, regular exercise is about as close to a
magic potion as you can get.”
Tich Nhat Hanh

Diet-related Diseases
 The contemporary diet transgresses a number of well-established and scientifically supported
principals of what constitutes as healthy eating.
 For example, animal protein (including fish and dairy) are synonymous with excessive
subcutaneous and visceral body fat. Furthermore, many contemporary diseases – type 2
diabetes, obesity, CHD and cancer – are believed to be caused by an omnivorous diet; the risk
rate increases when the quantity of animal protein consumed increases.
 (For an insight into the detriments of animal protein on health watch the video: Why is the Science of
Nutrition Ignored in Medicine? | T. Colin Campbell | TEDxCornellUniversity – also I highly recommend: I Love
Nutritional Science: Dr. Joel Fuhrman at TEDxCharlottesville 2013)
‘He who does not know food, how can he understand the diseases of man?’
Hippocrates, the father of medicine (460 – 375 B.C.)

To Meat of not to Meat?
‘The globalization of agriculture systems over recent decades is likely to have been one of the most
important causes of overall increase in greenhouse gas emissions.’
(This Changes Everything, Naomi Klein 2016)
 Though the argument is by no means settled, scientific evidence is stacking up heavily in favor of
a plant based diet being best for human health. If the concept is new to you a plant based diet is
a diet consisting primarily of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.
 Basically, a vegan diet – but it seems as though the proponents of the plant based diet
movement don’t want it labelled ‘vegan’ due to the negative connotations surrounding the word:
viz. emaciated tree-hugging hemp-wearing hippies with flowers in their hair.
 So, if you regularly consume animal protein, but wish to pursue healthier dietary practices, then
you must look to cut down on the amount of meat you consume. Not only meat but dairy,
poultry and fish.

Plant Based Diet
‘What is my prescription for good health? In short, it is about the multiple health benefits of
consuming plant-based foods.’
T. Colin Campbell PhD - author of The China Study
 In conjunction with cutting out animal protein
simultaneously increase the quantity of vegetables
and fruits you consume on a daily basis. The
government keeps telling us to eat 5 pieces of fruit
and veg a day. But they’re well wrong – as per
usual.
 According to nutritional scientists we should be
aiming for 10 to 12! pieces of veg and fruit (I’ve put
veg first because they should take priority over
fruit for the fat that they contain more
vitamins/minerals and far less sugar: go 8 pieces of
veg to 2/4 pieces of fruit).

Snacking
 Snacking is also recognised as an enemy of health – of course that is dependent on the type of
snack foods being consumed. If snacks are processed, from a packet, laden with fat and/or sugar,
they will – over time – exert a deleterious effect on health and contribute to the accumulation of
unwanted body fat.
 Ultimately, irrespective of what foods are being snacked on, it is always best to keep snacking to
a minimum. The body needs far fewer calories than we realise; actually it is the surfeit of calories
that is currently being linked to the slew of dietary disease currently plaguing the west – in short,
we’re eating far more than we need.
 Two to three healthy meals a day will provided us with all the nutrients and energy we need to
sustain daily activity.
‘Diet is the number-one cause of premature death and the number one cause of disability.’ Greger 2017

Processed Food
‘Fifteen thousand years ago our ancestors regularly ingested 150 ingredients in a week. Most people
nowadays consume fewer than twenty separate food items and many, if not most, of these are
artificially refined. Most processed food products come depressingly from just four main ingredients:
corn, soy, wheat or meat.’
Spector (2015)
 We all know processed foods are bad for our health. And we all know that not only do processed
foods pollute our bodies but that they also contribute to weight gain and obesity. The reason why
they are so detrimental to our health is because processed foods are both energy dense and
addictive.
 It’s no secret that food industries have engineered their toxic products to manipulate the ‘pleasure
centres’ within our brains, ‘the so called dopamine reward system,’ (Greger 2017 – pp400).
 This, of course, is a disastrous combination: a plentiful supply of addictive energy-laden food. Is it any
wonder then that the fattest nations consume the most processed food?
 It is for this reason why, if you are serious about improving your health, you must drastically reduce
your consumption of processed foods and adopt clean eating principals.

References
Curtis. A. (2000) Healthy Psychology. Routaledge. USA.
Greger, M. Stone, G (2017) How Not to Die. USA. Macmillan.
Klein. N (2014). This Changes Everything. United States. Penguin.
Marks. F, D. Murray. M., Estacio. E. V (2018) Health Psychology: Theory, Research and Practice (Fifth Edition).
SAGE Publications Ltd. UK.
Spector, T. (2015) The Diet Myth. London. W&N publication.
For more articles on health & fitness go to: https://www.hungry4fitness.co.uk/blog

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