Paint January RED – One step at a time

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January. It’s a month full of dark mornings, bitterly cold weather, and the joy and warmth of Christmas feels long gone. It can be a particularly difficult month for many of us.

Research shows that exercise can have a positive impact on your mental health and RED January encourages participants to get active every day in January, in order to boost their mental wellbeing.

Last year, in a bid to combat my own struggles with the gloomiest month of the year, I took up the challenge of RED January (Run Every Day January), an initiative that’s run in partnership with the mental health charity Mind. Personally, January often brings out the worst in my anxiety and I really wanted to focus on taking part in something that actively challenges it.

Research shows that exercise can have a positive impact on your mental health and RED January encourages participants to get active every day in January, in order to boost their mental wellbeing.

Although it’s called Run Every Day January, it’s not just about running. The team behind RED January suggest a whole host of other activities including swimming, yoga, cycling, and walking to get you exercising every day. The possibilities are endless and it’s up to you how you want to complete your RED January.

I decided to take on the challenge of running every day. At the beginning of the month I was a little nervous – my anxiety often stops me doing things and going places, but I was determined not to let it hold me back.

Each day it got easier – not just physically – and I soon found I wanted to get out and go for my daily run. Some days it was only half a mile, but it was enough to get the endorphins going and to give my mood a much needed boost. By the end of the month I’d managed to clock up a total of 115 miles!

Once January was over, not only did I experience an amazing sense of physical achievement, but I had started to feel detachment from my anxiety. It was still there in the background, but the running had given me an outlet for all the extra adrenaline. Although I haven’t been able to sustain running every day, I now make sure that exercise plays a regular role in my life, as I find my anxiety is easier to manage when I make exercise a priority.

To find out more information about RED January, or to take part, click here.

Exercise: a miracle cure?

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We all know exercise is good for you, right? But do you know just how good?

It’s amazing what a little bit of exercise can do for your health. According to the NHS “it can reduce your risk of major illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cancer by up to 50%.”

But it’s not just your physical health that benefits from getting your body moving. Exercise is also great for your mental wellbeing too. A short burst of 10 minutes brisk walking increases your mental alertness, energy and positive mood, while regular physical activity can increase your self-esteem, and reduce stress and anxiety. The NHS goes even further, saying, “Exercise is the miracle cure we’ve always had.”

Get up!
With many of us working longer hours and taking fewer breaks, we’re not always as active as we could be. A lot of us spend the majority of our day sitting down; either at a desk, on transport, or in our leisure time. Research suggests that many adults spend more than seven hours a day sitting down, and it’s this lack of physical activity that can have an impact on our mental health. The Royal College of Psychiatrists state, “The mind can’t function unless your body is working properly.”

Get out and about
But don’t worry, there’s plenty we can do to get our recommended daily dose of exercise and help look after our mental health. You could take up a new sport or hobby, cycle to work instead of taking the train, or even just get off the bus a stop early and walk the rest of the way. Check out the BBC’s Get Inspired website for more ideas and practical guides on what you can do.

Get moving
The NHS recommends that adults aged 19 – 64 get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity. It might sound like a lot, but you only need to do a small amount each day to reach that goal. And you don’t have to run a marathon to hit your target either – 30 minutes brisk walking, five days a week counts as your 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity.

It’s important to make sure we look after our mental health, and exercise can help do just that. So, whether it’s a taking up a new sport, restarting an old hobby, or just taking a brisk walk to the shops, a little exercise can go a long way.

Sweet ways to cut down on sugar

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We all know that eating large quantities of sugar is bad for our health, but it can often seem daunting to try and reduce the amount of sugar we consume on a daily basis. It’s Sugar Awareness Week, so we’re looking at how to spot those secret sugars and take action to make sure we aren’t overindulging a sweet tooth!

Anything with less than 5g of sugar per 100g is considered low in sugar and anything over 22.5g per 100g is considered high.

How much is too much?

NHS guidelines tell us we should limit the amount of added sugars we eat (known as ‘free sugars’) to 30g a day. This is around about 7 sugar cubes for those of us aged 11 or over, which might seem like quite a lot, but it’s surprising how quickly these can add up. So, how can you limit the amount of free sugars you consume? Read on for some tips on small, easy changes you can make that can have a big impact on the amount of sugar in your diet.

Be label aware

Before you put that snack in your shopping basket, take a look at the nutritional label. Anything with less than 5g of sugar per 100g is considered low in sugar and anything over 22.5g per 100g is considered high. There are lots of different names for sugar and they can appear cunningly disguised on the nutritional label, with sucrose and fructose among the most common – but there are many more! It’s worth trying to learn the names and also worth remembering that just because a food appears to be a healthy option, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is. Foods such as sushi or readymade pasta sauces can contain a surprising amount of hidden sugar.

Swap fizzy drinks

Instead of reaching for a sugary, fizzy drink, try making your own. To sparkling water, add tasty natural ingredients such as cucumber, mint, berries and slices of citrus fruits such as orange, lime or lemon. The possibilities are endless and you can enjoy eating the fruit once you’ve finished your drink!

Bring your own lunch

Pre-packaged salads and sandwiches can hide a large amount of sugar. Make your own lunch to help avoid hidden sugars, and make an informed choice about what you are eating at the same time!

Snacks

Snacking can often ramp up your free sugar intake. Make the swap from snacks such as cereal bars, cakes and biscuits to fruit, rice cakes, hummus and veg sticks and homemade popcorn. Swap sugary fruit yogurts for plain, natural or Greek yogurt and add your own fruit.

Get the tools you need

If this all seems a bit like hard work, there are plenty of useful apps and websites you can use. Check out Action on Sugar and the NHS change4Life websites for lots of great tips. Both Action on Sugar and Change4Life have apps you can download to your phone to help you make sugar swaps when you are out and about.

By making simple swaps, you can reduce your sugar intake and make easy, positive changes to your health. How are you going to reduce your sugar intake during Sugar Awareness Week? Let us know in the comments below!

Stress – take a workload off your mind

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“One in six of us will experience a mental health problem in any given week.”

This is just one of the worrying statistics from the Mental Health Foundation’s (MHF) survey, which highlights that pressure in our jobs is perhaps the biggest challenge to our mental health. Work commitments can often mean we’re working longer hours and taking fewer breaks – all of which can have a negative effect on our work-life balance.

Whether it’s a tight deadline or an increased workload, we all get stressed sometimes, but, it’s important to realise this and do something positive about it.

Fortunately, help is at hand. Most employers have flexible working and working hours policies that you can discuss with your line manager. In the UK we work the longest full-time hours in the EU, so adjusting your working hours and trying to ‘work smarter’ can help your work-life balance, and ultimately reduce stress.

As well as looking at your work pattern, there are a number of other steps you can take to help reduce stress. Professor Cary Cooper, an occupational health expert at the University of Lancaster, shared some top stress-busting tips with the NHS:

Be active

Exercise won’t make your stress disappear, but it will reduce some of the emotional intensity that you’re feeling, clearing your thoughts and letting you deal with your problems more calmly.

Take proper breaks at work

Make sure you take a lunch break and get out of the workplace if you can.

Connect with people

A good support network of colleagues, friends and family can ease your work troubles and help you see things in a different way. Spending time with friends can help us relax and talking things through with them might help find solutions to your problems. We often have a good laugh with them too, which is an excellent stress reliever.

Have some ‘me time’

We all need to take some time for socialising, relaxation or exercise.  Setting aside a couple of nights a week for some quality ‘me time’ away from work also means you’re less likely to be tempted to work overtime.

Challenge yourself

Try learning a new language or taking up a sport. Challenging yourself to learn something new helps to build confidence, and can help you deal with stress.

Avoid unhealthy habits

Don’t rely on alcohol, smoking or caffeine as your way of coping. Over the long term, these crutches won’t solve your problems, but will likely create new ones.

You can find a full list of Professor Cooper’s recommendations on the NHS website, as well as a host of other handy hints and tips to beat stress.

Looking after your heart and your pension

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With the State Pension Age increasing from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028, there is more need than ever to consider how we care for our hearts as well as our pensions.

According to Heart UK (A UK based charity, giving expert support and education in high cholesterol and heart decease) Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is the single most common cause of death before age 65, accounting for 16% of male and 10% of female deaths. Statistics suggest that, on average, someone in the UK will have a heart attack every seven minutes.

Advances in modern medicine and greater access to information around health, has seen a steady rise in our life expectancy, but this places a greater responsibility on us to make sure we are looking after ourselves.  So, how can we look after our hearts to keep them ticking long into retirement?

Eat healthy

Eating a varied diet of healthy foods can help you maintain your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol as stated by the British Heart Foundation, and will contribute to your overall heart health. Reducing salt, eating unsaturated fats (such as avocados, nuts and olive oil) and limiting your alcohol intake, are also some of the ways you can adopt a more heart health conscious lifestyle.

Get active

Regular, moderate physical activity is another key way to help keep your heart happy.  Maintaining your weight and leading a more active lifestyle can improve not only your physical wellbeing, but your mental wellbeing too. Try going for a short walk at lunch to break up your day. Statistics (from the NHS) show that regular gentle 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%.

Stop Smoking

If you’re a smoker, the single best thing you can do for your heart health is to quit. Not only will this impact your overall health, but it could also have a positive impact on your bank balance too! You could invest any money you save on cigarettes into your pension and may even have a few more years to enjoy that longed-for retirement . . .

Manage stress

Easier said than done. When work pressures are mounting and family life seems overwhelming, stress can build up unconsciously and cause your blood pressure to soar. There is plenty of help to be found, from professional medical advice to wellbeing apps, but managing stress can sometimes be as simple as taking a break in the middle of your day to relax or talking your problems through with a friend. Good nutrition and exercise can also impact your stress levels, so getting a good balance between the two can decrease stress and contribute to a healthy, happy heart.

These are just some of the ways you can be more mindful of your heart health before you retire. It’s never too late, and it’s certainly never too early, to start taking your health and your pension seriously.

Mindfulness, peace amongst the noise of mental health

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Mental health issues can affect us all in some way or another – whether personally or because someone close to us has suffered.  Unfortunately it still seems to be a taboo subject and is often not talked about openly, even though mental health awareness has been a subject rarely out of the news in recent times. This can lead to many of us suffering in silence, afraid to ask for help and often not knowing where to turn in times of need.

Having suffered from mental health issues myself, I understand the toll it takes both emotionally and physically,  and not only on me, but on my loved ones too. My mind is often full of negative thoughts, worries spin constantly round my brain and sleep will evade me for days. The noise in my head can become overwhelming and there are days where I struggle to look after myself.

A friend recently introduced me to a simple mindfulness programme to help me cope when my anxiety threatens to overwhelm me. After some scepticism (I’m awful at trying new things), it has helped me to take some control and in general I feel calmer and more like myself again. I am not alone in finding this approach helpful – a study conducted by the Mental Health Foundation found that subjects who undertook a course of mindfulness reported:

  • a 58% reduction in anxiety levels
  • a 57% reduction in depression
  • a 40% reduction in stress

Here are five tips to help you find some time for mindfulness in your life:

  1. Actively book some time in your calendar for yourself. You can practice mindfulness in as little as ten minutes and by scheduling this time in you are more likely to create a new habit you can keep.
  2. Find a quiet, cosy corner where you feel safe and relaxed – for me this is in my favourite armchair, surrounded by cushions.
  3. Find a programme that’s right for you. There are lots of great apps out there that make meditation and mindfulness easy, guiding you through your sessions so all you need to do is get comfy and press play. If you find sitting still hard, try a relaxing activity such as yoga which naturally encourages you to focus on your breathing, making mindfulness a more natural process. Or, take up a new hobby, such as knitting, sewing or baking – the repetitive actions act as a natural meditation.
  4. Don’t be hard on yourself.  It’s no reflection on you if you don’t feel the benefits straight away. For me, mindfulness certainly didn’t come naturally and having suffered from anxiety for years it took time to really feel the benefits.
  5. Be kind to yourself. Even if you decide the above activities aren’t for you, make time for yourself at least weekly. Do things that bring you joy, whether that’s exercising, spending time with your loved ones or something as simple as taking a hot bubble bath.

Giving ‘organic’ a go

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Many of us are still in the dark about what ‘organic’ really means – sometimes persuaded by clever packaging that what we are buying is better for us without actually knowing why. But what does ‘organic’ really mean and is it worth spending more on these products to reap the proposed benefits to our health and the environment?

‘Organic’ refers to the way which food products are grown and processed. Organic crops must be grown without the use of pesticides and fertilisers which are synthetic, petroleum or sewage based. For livestock used for meats, eggs or dairy – they must have access to the outdoors and only be fed organic feed.

What are the benefits?

There are a quite a few suggested benefits of eating organic food, however this is really down to personal preference and there are also some more negative points to consider. Take a look at some of the pros and cons of going organic below:

Pros

  • Contains only organic pesticides, if any – insecticides which are widely used in agriculture are not used on organic produce and therefore residue will not remain on your food.
  • Usually fresher – as organic food does not contain preservatives to extend the shelf life, it does tend to be fresher, although this isn’t always the case! Choose your supplier wisely – your local farmers market or farm shop is often a good place to start.
  • Is more environmentally friendly – farming without pesticides is better for the wildlife and organic farming also helps to reduce soil erosion and pollution, as well as increasing soil fertility.
  • Could be healthier – it is believed that organic foods contain more antioxidants and up to 6% more vitamin C, which will help your body to fight off nasty bacteria and keep you free of illness. Grass fed animals also intake increased levels of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) which can boost cardiovascular protection which is good for your heart health.
  • Animal welfare conscious – this is one of the top priorities for organic farmers. Many people believe that the animals on an organic farm live much happier lives as they are not confined to tight spaces and have access to the outdoors and pasture so that they can freely roam about.

Cons

  • Generally more expensive – organic food does cost more and this can make it tricky to afford those ‘five a day’! The farmers markets can be reasonable though or you could have a go at growing your own.
  • Convenience – as organic foods have a shorter shelf life, it can be a struggle to keep everything fresh and this can mean increased waste and more trips to the shop.
  • Can be hard to find – not all stores stock organic and without spending a small fortune, it’s virtually impossible to stock a whole kitchen with organic foods.
  • Creepy crawlies – as insecticides are not used on organically grown fruit and veggies, it is more common to find bugs in your food which can be off-putting for some people.

If you’ve weighed it all up and think you’re ready to give organic a go, try and grown your own or visit the farmers market this weekend!

What a difference H2o makes

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We all know that we should drink water and keep hydrated throughout the day. Water has many health benefits and even helps with our concentration. Did you know that you can actually improve your memory by drinking water?

I find it really interesting that something as simple as water can make such a difference to our brain power and overall wellbeing. We all want to wake up feeling ready for the day and able to stay focused at work, so why do so many of us find it difficult to get down the NHS recommendation of 1-2 litres of water per day (that’s only roughly 6-8 glasses per day)?

Maybe you really can’t stand the taste of water! Why not try infusing with some fruit and serve with ice, and take a look at the benefits of keeping your H2o levels topped up – it might change your mind . . .

So why should you stay hydrated?

  1. Brain power – as your brain is mainly water, keeping hydrated improves concentration, helps to balance your mood and emotions as well as maintaining memory function.
  1. Energy levels – research shows that that as little as 2% dehydration will have an effect on your energy levels.
  1. Muscle fuel – when your muscles do not have enough water, they get tired and achy – which is why it’s also important to drink more water when you exercise.
  1. Goodbye toxins – water helps your body to flush out all of the nasties.
  2. Immune booster – helps your body to fight against illness – yes it’s true that water guzzlers are actually less likely to get sick!
  1. Vitamin check – your body can only take in the vitamins and minerals it needs by using water to reach the different parts of your body. 

It’s also been suggested that water can help with hangovers, so if all of the health benefits listed above aren’t enough to make you grab a glass, remember that the day after the night before!

Part three: planning to make your dream retirement a reality?

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Have you really thought about what retirement looks like for you? Which aspects of your daily life do you currently take for granted that might have a significant impact on your wellbeing? And importantly, what plans do you need to put in place to make your dream retirement a reality . . ?

It’s worth remembering that you will still be the same you when you retire but with the added benefit of not having to go into work every day! You might be looking forward to the day when you hang up your work hat for good, but don’t under-estimate the positive effect that the old routine has had on you over the course of your working life.

Keeping in touch

You might be shocked to find that you miss aspects of your work routine! The security and familiarity of long-seated routines can be highly influential on mood and mental wellbeing. It’s worth considering how you are going to keep the variety of contact and experiences in your daily life to make sure you enjoy all the free time you suddenly have! Head over to Age UK for a wealth of information on hobbies, travel and activities local to you.

 

Missing your former colleagues? Some of our longest lasting friendships can be forged at work, so don’t be surprised if you feel lonely without daily contact with your work friends. Make time to keep in touch with your friends – you’ll benefit from a huge lift in mood even just going for a coffee and a chat.

 

Does retirement mean being at home with your partner all day, or on your own? People often describe having to get to know their partners all over again when they retire as they’ve never spent so much time together! It can be a challenging time for many in relationships, but incredibly isolating for those who suddenly find themselves at home on their own too. There is help out there for those who experience loneliness and isolation – take a look at the amazing community that Contact the Elderly has built around having a cuppa and a slice of cake!

Whatever retirement looks like for you personally, you can never save or plan for it too early. 4me has a wealth of interactive tools, short videos and a comprehensive library to help you with planning for the future. Find out more about how 4me can help you here.

Part two: planning to make your dream retirement a reality?

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For some, retirement might feel like the end of an era – a time to slow down and settle for a quieter way of life but with many of us living longer, healthier lives maintaining that full and busy lifestyle when we eventually stop working is fast becoming the norm.

It’s worth remembering that you will still be the same you when you retire but with the added benefit of not having to go into work every day!

Staying fit, healthy and active

While you’re working you might take for granted the ways in which you keep your mind and body active, but it’s important to really think about how to continue looking after yourself in retirement.

Does it take you fifteen minutes to walk to and from your workplace Monday to Friday? You probably don’t even think about it as ‘exercise’ but this daily walk helps to raise your heartrate and keep you physically mobile. NHS guidelines recommend that an adult over 65 who is generally fit and healthy should look to exercise for at least 150 minutes every week. This could equate to two thirty minute runs and 30 minutes of brisk walking, so consider how you could work those minutes into your weekly routine.

Is your current job physically demanding? You may be used to heavy lifting, walking or being on your feet all day and all of this activity benefits both your physical and mental wellbeing. Though you might be welcoming the chance to slow down a bit, you should try to make sure you have alternative plans in place to keep you fit and healthy. Age UK has some great tips on how to keep active and where to find exercise classes local to you.

Do you have a subsidised gym membership as part of your benefits and rewards package? Remember that your gym membership might cost you more when you retire so you may want to find an alternative or factor in the added cost.

Whatever retirement looks like for you personally, you can never save or plan for it too early. 4me has a wealth of interactive tools, short videos and a comprehensive library to help you with planning for the future. Find out more about how 4me can help you here.

Six ways to set personal goals

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With the New Year celebrations now behind us, lots of us are now looking forward to the year ahead!

And if your resolutions didn’t get past the first hurdle, then maybe now is a better time to reassert your will on personal improvement and goals.

Why not go for that dream promotion, or train for a muddy race? If you want to eat better you could sign up for a cookery class and you’ll even meet some new people in the process. The choice is yours, but the real question is: how do you stick to it?

Here are six ways to make an effective plan:

  1. Make your goal specific – when you have a clear goal in mind, you have a better focus on what needs to happen. For example, if you want to save more money, then set a realistic target amount and visualise what that money is going to be spent on… eventually.
  2. Measure it – it’s great when you can see your progress as it is a clear indication that you’re on the right track. If you want to lose weight, set yourself a goal weight and date to achieve it by, and use a fitness app to track your weight loss – it can help to motivate you.
  3. The goal should be achievable – when setting targets, you should be realistic about them, otherwise you will be disappointed if you don’t get there. Large-scale goals might be motivational in the beginning, but if the effort required to achieve them is unsustainable, you’ll feel worse than when you started out. Try breaking down big goals into bite-sized pieces and celebrate your small achievements!
  4. Be realistic – think about the timeframe of your goal. You may want to set long and short-term targets such as fitting into your old jeans or being race ready for a marathon which is six months away.
  5. It should be exciting – setting a goal that you’re not really bothered about will demotivate you, so make sure you don’t lose interest. Remember to visualise the end result often to keep up those levels of motivation.
  6. Record it – keep a diary of certain milestones during your journey, or log your progress on an app. You will be able to look at how far you have come and it will serve as a reminder for why you set those goals in the first place.

Be kind to your mind

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Everyone experiences some level of mental anxiety or distress at points during their lifetime.

In fact, one in four people across the world will suffer with some form of mental illness in their life. It’s completely normal to feel a range of emotions from anger and fear to deep sadness, worry and being overwhelmed when something traumatic happens, or even just when times are difficult at work or home.

Long-term impact

Though it’s normal to experience these emotions sometimes, it might indicate a more serious mental illness if the feelings don’t go away or get worse over time. Unfortunately, though efforts are being made to break down the stigma attached to being mentally ill, many people still find it difficult to seek the professional help they need, and the indications are that without proper treatment it might have a significant impact on long-term health.

There are over 200 types of mental illness, with a broad variety of symptoms.

Recognising the signs

There are over 200 types of mental illness, with a broad variety of symptoms but in general changes in behaviour, thinking and mood can be early signs of mental illness. It’s vital that we try to recognise these indicators in ourselves and in the people around us, and seek medical help as soon as possible to help minimise any lasting effects on our health.

Even if you are not suffering with a mental illness, it’s still important to be kind to your mind and put in place some simple measures to help look after your own mental wellbeing.

  • Do the things that make you happy. Sounds simple enough, but sometimes just freeing up the time in your daily routine to read, listen to music, chat with your family and friends or indulge in a relaxing bath is enough to help ease away the pressures of the day.
  • Exercise your body to help your mind. All sorts of good chemicals such as endorphins are released in your brain when you exercise helping with general feelings of happiness and wellbeing. In addition, it can help to promote positive self-esteem and see off those feelings of low confidence and poor self-worth.
  • Therapeutic hobbies. Creative hobbies have long been known to help promote calm and stem anxious thoughts through repetitive activity. Try taking up colouring, knitting or drawing to really discover the benefits of gentle activities to help relax and calm your mind.
  • Eat yourself to mental wellness. Good nutrition is essential in providing your mind and body with all of the elements it needs to function properly. Making sure you eat a diet that’s balanced will help to maintain balance in your mood and general sense of wellbeing.