September Magazines | 10 Things

1- The secret to a longer life is nestled in your fruit and veg basket. According to a US study, women who eat 8 servings of the good stuff a day have been shown to develop 40% less life-threatening plaque in their arteries than those who only ate four. Eat 6 portions of veg and 2 portions of fruit to reap the rewards.

2- Hugs for recovery – cuddle monsters rejoice. Scientists believe oxytocin – the hormone released in response to close physical contact – could improve your muscles’ recovery and protect them from ageing.

3- Fear your desk job is killing you? Relax, though cronic sitters (so pretty much all of us) have been shown to be at a greater risk of early death, a new study by the University of Michigan has found sitters who exercised for 45 minutes a day didn’t have the same increased risk of metabolic and heart issues.

4 – 90 extra minutes in bed can help reduce hunger pangs. Less sleep means you miss out on the rapid eye movement phase, which helps suppress appetite.

5 – 8 minutes of walking (indoor or out) can make you 60% more creative!

6- Swap Black Beans for Flour – You can swap in black beans for pretty much any recipe that needs flour to save 100 calories per 100g. Just whizz a can of black beans (drained and rinsed) in a food processor in place of an equal amount of flour.

7- Studies show that you experience a 32% loss in strength after a week of not training.

8- Just one prolonged drinking session after a period of abstinence can negatively impact the body – alcohol has been proven to block fat oxidation, speeding up the rate your body stores dietary fat, as body fat.

9 – With extreme low-carb diets the pounds you lose will be mostly water, so weight-loss is short-lived. It’s because every 1g of glycogen (carbs) is bound to 4g water. You can only really lose 1-3kg of fat a week anything more will be water or muscle.

10- Running like a gazelle may not actually work in your favour. Studies found longer strides increase the force absorbed by your joints. Aim for about 180 steps a minute – download Pro Metronome to do the counting for you.

All facts and figures are courtesy of Women’s Health.

Which is your favourite fact? Or the one you’ve found most useful?