Best Practice

ROWENA’s Best Practices.

1. Move for 30 minutes.  That’s the minimum time I spend exercising in order to avoid SDS – Sedantary Death Syndrome.  SDS is the name US scientists gave to not moving often enough.   Decide at the start of the week what time works best for you to fit your diary and stick to it.  You can also divide the 30 minutes into blocks of five, 10- or 15-minute sets.

2. Lie down to solve a problem.  If an issue is stressing me, I always try thinking about it lying down.  According to research at the Australia National University, Canberra, we tend to solve problems better when we are horizontal, as our brain releases less of the cheminal noradrenaline, which inhibits creative thought.

3. Drink enough water daily – with a proper water glass.  Drinking plenty of water throughout the day helps fight fatigue and revs up metabolism.  Strangely, US researchers recently found that water tastes alot better if it is drunk from a firm container, rather than a flimsy water-cooler cup.

4.  Get a mantra.  Regularly repeating a calming word or comforting phrase reduces stress levels and helps in getting a good sleep.  You can use any word or phrase that makes you feel positive.

5. Eat less processed food.  Read the food packet’s contents label to check that it contains no more than three ingredients.  It is the easiest way ever to control weight and also eat well.

6. Wash your hands.   Experts recommend washing your hands four times daily to reduce the risk of picking up nasty bugs.  If you are always on the go, always have hand sanitizer or wet wipes with you, as it can kill 99.9 percent of bacteria. 

7.  Get a few minutes of sunshine.  We make vital vitamin D in our bodies when the sun’s rays hit our skin.  So try and get a few minutes of sunshine every day.  Just remember to apply sunblock before heading out!

8. Throw out old make-up.  Using old make-up increases the risk of skin breakouts and eye infections.  Junk foundations that have separated or started clogging around the lid, lipsticks that smell waxy and mascaras that leave flakes on lashes should be discarded.

9. Eat only when you’re hungry. We have forgotten how to do this, but if we relearn we will never need to diet.  An easy signal to look out for that indicates your stomach is getting full is when food starts to taste dull in your mouth.

10. Drink three cups of tea a day. You are 25 percent less likely to develop plaques in your arteries that increase the risk of heart attack of stroke.   If you are not a tea fan, try ‘oolong’ tea, as it has a softer taste compared to normal black teas.