THE HERALD FRIDAY JANUARY 6 2017


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55 Feature Trying to be healthier in 2017? Cold weather practice


I SEE more and more


commercial ships nowadays are trading into waters where ice is present for part of the year. I see enclosed bridges and walkways for ships’ staff to use which are protected from cold temperatures. For those that don’t travel that far and prefer the peace and solemnity around our Welsh coast, the hazards of cold weather are still of concern, although less severe. We all wrap up warm before we


BEING healthier for 2017


doesn’t have to mean revamping your entire routine. Sometimes, all it takes are a few simple changes. It’s all about the small moves you


make that reap huge health benefits down the road. Remember, these tips are starting places. Don’t jump into them all at once.


If some of these tips don’t work for you, move on and try something that does. Little changes can bring big results.


SAY GOOD MORNING WITH LEMON WATER


Lemon water is easy to prepare


and has a couple of health benefits. It’s as simple as waking up and squeezing some lemon into a tall glass of water. The mixture helps improve your immunity because of the vitamin C and encourages digestion. Many people feel tired because they are dehydrated, so this is an easy way to make you drink more water. But remember, lemon has citric acid, which can erode tooth enamel. Try drinking lemon water with a straw and rinse your mouth afterwards to avoid the citric acid effects. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to avoid dehydration. Very often you can feel hungry when you are really thirsty. The best test to see if you are


hydrated is to check your urine. If it’s light in colour, you’re in good shape.


Darker yellow and you need to drink more water.


DO A REFRIGERATOR MAKEOVER


When you’re hungry, you’re more


likely to grab a quick and easy snack, which often isn’t the healthiest. Try putting the healthier foods front and centre in your fridge, keeping the indulgent foods out of sight, and doing some prep work. The technical term for this is ‘choice architecture’. Instead of keeping the fresh fruits


and veggies in the crisper, put them in clear containers at eye-level — those will grab your attention when you open the door. Prepare fruit and veggies ready to snack on (e.g. cucumber and carrot sticks).


TRY ‘DESKERCISES’ Avoid being a couch potato!


Or, rather, a work potato. There are waves of research that report having a more sedentary lifestyle puts you at increased risk of negative health effects compared to living a more active routine. Just because you’re spending 9 to 5 at the office doesn’t mean sabotaging your health. Get moving, no matter how briefly. Also, stop stress and channel your mood with these simple ‘deskercises’: Chair squats: To work out those glutes, stand about six inches in front


Research shows you can increase


your alertness by eating dark chocolate. That’s thanks to flavanols, which are key components in dark chocolates. They work in dilating blood vessels, which allows more oxygen and blood to reach important parts of the brain. You also feel happier and more content. Flavanols are also found naturally in tea leaves and in certain fruits and vegetables, but the amounts vary. Consume dark chocolate squares


of your chair and lower yourself down until your butt hits the edge, then pop back up. Repeat. Book press: To tone those triceps,


grab the heaviest book you can find around the office. With your elbows overhead, hold the book behind your head. Slowly lower the book down by your neck and then extend your arms up. Remember to keep elbows close to your ears. Repeat. You should perform these


exercises if you’ve been sitting for more than an hour. Try walking to meetings. Grab your colleagues and walk on a pre-mapped route outside. Make sure to put phones away. Walking boosts your blood flow, which leads to better thinking, so you’ll get more out of your meetings with a light workout.


BOOST BRAIN POWER WITH CHOCOLATE


proceed out into the winter weather, which is natural common sense. Let’s take common sense further, shall we? For those small craft owners, a visit to the boat and making a few checks would be useful. Right from the start, with warm


clothing and prior to boarding, don a lifejacket. Is the deck of your craft free from ice? Have you rock salt or other suitable impurity to provide a non-slip surface? Is there a lifeline rigged on the


exposed deck of your craft so you are able to check fore and aft moorings? Before you check overside fendering, would a boat hook be useful and is there suitable equipment available? Is safe access secured from shore


to your craft and is it ice free? The common sense (or seamanship!) described here you might think as basic but this is not a bolt on commodity, this is to keep you safe and avoid accidents. It should be second nature! Once aboard and ready for further


checks, try looking for water ingress into the craft and run a check on boat services. For your boat’s engine, a cold


that are unsweetened, since they have fewer calories and a more concentrated dose of flavanol. Don’t reach for the milk chocolate and stick to a modest consumption of high- calorie chocolates - the darker the better for the benefits.


BUDDY UP Find a health or fitness buddy, a


weather check should be followed by having an engine manual to hand. For craft appliances, such as


distress rockets and flares, these preferably should be stowed in a secure dry place (if not out of date!) and preferably locked up somewhere safe.


The boat’s cockpit should be


checked, noting any water ingress, especially where electrical and electronic equipment is usually housed. Any sign of leaks should be investigated. The craft’s’ sewage system should


be checked and during your visit - a time to heat normally accessible areas and enjoy a mug of tea at the same time! Portable radios, weather observing instruments and chronometers should be checked. Note these are important instruments to maintain – basic and reliable! So, with our lifejackets on, we


check outside on exposed decks. There should be minimum three points of contact when crossing decks and preferably with another crew member to watch your progress. There should be precautions taken in the unlikely event of persons falling overboard at your boat’s mooring, which include the recovery of a person out of cold water!


What would you (yes, you!) do


should a fellow crew member fall overboard into cold water? Have you ever thought about it?


Perhaps we have to think seamanship again!


Have a good New Year and stay safe! Keep those lifejackets on board!


friend, colleague or spouse who holds you accountable to agreed workouts and meals. You see this system in weight loss


programs all the time where you build a sense of community. You and your health buddy can


motivate each other while staying on track to a healthier lifestyle. Sharing your goals with others makes you want to achieve them.


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