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Ready to step
up to a diet rich in the healthy nutrients your heart craves? The experts
recommend staring here:
•
Eat a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole
grains, and fiber.
•
Eat fish at least twice a week.
•
Limit how much saturated fat, trans fat, and
cholesterol you eat. Only 30% of your daily calories should come from fat, with
very little of that from saturated fats.
•
Select fat-free, 1% fat, and low-fat dairy
products.
•
Cut back on foods containing partially hydrogenated
vegetable oils to reduce trans fat in your diet.
•
Limit your salt intake.
•
One way to
make sure that your diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, and fiber, and low in
saturated fats, is to divide your plate at each meal: half vegetables, 1/4
high-quality protein (like legumes -- terrific sources of protein and great for
a healthy heart!), and 1/4 for fish or a very lean meat.
And remember,
you should get your nutrients from foods themselves, the antioxidants and other
heart-healthy goodies found in foods like blueberries, beans, and artichokes
don't pack the same punch when they're not in food form.
And avoid fad
diets, advises Spartan IQ. "Almost every one may result in short-term
weight loss but leave you weighing even more a year later, and
preventing weight gain is one of the best ways to prevent developing heart
disease risk factors."
Everything you
need to know about how to prevent it and how to manage it when it occurs
1. Learn to
manage your time more effectively
We waste a lot
of time doing unimportant tasks, especially when stressed, so prioritise your
day and do the important jobs first. The unimportant ones can wait, and often
they will disappear completely leaving you time to do other things. Also, do
not put off the unpleasant tasks – avoidance causes a great deal of stress.
Give unpleasant tasks a high priority and do them first.
2. Adopt a
healthy lifestyle
If we eat a
healthy diet, exercise regularly and ensure we get adequate sleep and rest our
body is better able to cope with stress should it occur. If this is not the
case, then this may be a warning sign so don’t ignore it. Engaging in some form
of physical activity may help you by working off the biochemical and physical
changes that occur within your body due to stress. Relaxation also helps your
body return to its normal healthy state. Good relaxation techniques include
breathing exercises, massage and a variety of complimentary therapies.
3. Know your
limitations and do not take on too much
We can cause
ourselves a great deal of stress because we do not want to let people down. We
then end up doing more than we should. Learn to delegate effectively and be
assertive so that you can say ‘No’ without upsetting or offending.
4. Find out
what causes you stress
Take time to
discover what is worrying you and try to change your thoughts and behaviour to
reduce it. A stress assessment can help you to fully understand the causes, the
implications to your health and how to manage, cope and make necessary changes.
5. Avoid
unnecessary conflict
Do not be too
argumentative. Is it really worth the stress? Look for win - win situations.
Look for a resolution to a dispute where both parties can achieve a positive
outcome. Find out what the real cause of the problem is and deal with it.
6. Accept the
things you cannot change
Changing a
difficult situation is not always possible. If this proves to be the case,
recognise and accept things as they are and concentrate on all that you do have
control over. Managing change effectively is essential or else performance will
be reduced.
7. Take time
out to relax and recharge your batteries
You will
perform more effectively during work if you regularly take a short 10 / 15
minute break, easily making up the time you used relaxing. Alongside this, at
least one annual break of at least 10-14 continuous days is recommended,
8. Find time
to meet friends
Friends can
ease work troubles and help us see things in a different way. The activities we
engage in with friends help us relax and we will often have a good laugh. It
boosts the immune system that is often depleted during stress.
9. Try to see
things differently, develop a positive thinking style
If something
is concerning you, try to see it differently. Talk over your problem with
somebody before it gets out of proportion. Often, talking to a
friend/colleague/family member will help you see things from a different and
less stressful perspective. You may also need to consider professional help in
order to achieve the desired outcome and prevent ill health and / or burnout.
10. Avoid
alcohol, nicotine and caffeine as coping mechanisms
Long
term,these faulty coping mechanisms will just add to the problem. For
example,caffeine and nicotine are stimulants - too much and the body reacts to
this with the stress response increasing or even causing anxiety symptoms.
Alcohol is a depressant!
For
more information on Stress Awareness visit our website Spartan IQ
