Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health, and can help you feel your best

This means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions, and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight

Base meals on starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice or pasta
Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks)
Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein
Choose unsaturated oils and spreads, eaten in small amounts
Drink plenty of fluids
80g of fresh fruit and vegetables everyday
30g of dried fruit (this is equivalent to around 80g of fresh fruit) everyday
150ml of fruit juice, vegetable juice or smoothie
80g of beans and pulses

If you're having foods and drinks that are high in fat, salt and sugar, have these less often and in small amounts. Milk and dairy foods: go for lower-fat varieties. Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins. These foods are all good sources of protein, which is essential for the body to grow and repair itself. They're also good sources of a range of vitamins and minerals. Meat is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals, including iron, zinc and B vitamins. It's also one of the main sources of vitamin B12. Always cook meat thoroughly. Fish is another important source of protein, and contains many vitamins and minerals. Oily fish is particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

How much physical activity do adults aged 19 to 64 years old need to do to stay healthy? 

To stay healthy or improve health, adults need to do 2 types of physical activity each week: aerobic and strength exercises 

at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as cycling or brisk walking every week and  strength exercises on 2 or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms)  

Or: 

75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity such as running or a game of singles tennis every week and strength exercises on 2 or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) 

Or: 

a mix of moderate and vigorous aerobic activity every week – for example, two 30-minute runs plus 30 minutes of brisk walking equates to 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity and strength exercises on 2 or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) 

Weight gain occurs when you regularly eat and drink more calories than you burn through normal bodily functions and physical activity. 

OVERWEIGHT - 12 tips to help you lose weight on the 12-week plan
1. Don't skip breakfast
2. Eat regular meals
3. Eat plenty of fruit and veg
4. Get more active
5. Drink plenty of water
6. Eat high-fibre foods
7. Read food labels
8. Use a smaller plate
9. Don't ban foods
10. Don't stock junk food
11. Cut down on alcohol
12. Plan your meals

UNDERWEIGHT - How to put on weight safely
1. Eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.
2. Basing meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates. Choose wholegrain where possible.
3. Having some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks and yoghurts). Choose lower-fat and lower-sugar options
4. Eating some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein. Aim for two portions of fish every week – one of which should be oily, such as salmon or mackerel.
5. Choosing unsaturated oils and spreads, such as sunflower or rapeseed, and eating them in small amounts.
6. Drinking plenty of fluids. 6-8 cups/glasses a day. But try not to have drinks just before meals to avoid feeling too full to eat

Feeling exhausted is so common that it has its own acronym, TATT, which stands for "tired all the time"

Why you might be tired all the time

Before you see a GP, you may want to work out how you became tired in the first place.
A GP will look at the following causes of tiredness:
psychological causes // physical causes // lifestyle causes

Psychological causes of tiredness

Stress - The strains of daily life can worry most of us at some point. It's also worth remembering that even positive events, such as moving house or getting married, can cause stress. 

Emotional shock - A bereavement, redundancy or a relationship break-up can make you feel tired and exhausted

Depression - If you feel sad, low and lacking in energy, and you also wake up tired, you may have depression

Anxiety - If you have constant uncontrollable feelings of anxiety, you may have what doctors call generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

Physical causes of tiredness
These include: Anaemia  // Underactive // Thyroid // Sleep apnoea

Tiredness can also be the result of:
Pregnancy – particularly in the first 12 weeks
Being overweight or obese – your body has to work harder to do everyday activities
Being underweight – poor muscle strength can make you tire more easily
Cancer treatments, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy
Carbon monoxide poisoning – especially if your gas boiler has not been serviced regularly
Side effects of medicines and some herbal remedies

Lifestyle causes of tiredness
Alcohol // Exercise (Too Much) // Caffeine // Night shifts // Daytime naps

STI symptoms that need checking
An STI can be passed from one person to another through sexual contact, including vaginal, anal and oral sex. STIs can pass between men and women, and from women to women and men to men. Many STIs can be cured with antibiotics. Some, such as HIV, have no cure, but can be treated to prevent them getting worse.

Symptoms
Many people do not notice symptoms when they have an STI, including most women with chlamydia. If it's left untreated, chlamydia can affect your ability to get pregnant. Gonorrhoea can also affect fertility. Around 50% of women and 10% of men with gonorrhoea do not have symptoms. Left untreated, STIs can affect your health. If you have any of the symptoms listed below, get tested.

In women and men: 
Pain when you pass urine (pee) 
Itching, burning or tingling around the genitals 
Blisters, sores, spots or lumps around the genitals or anus
Black powder or tiny white dots in your underwear – this could be droppings or eggs from
Pubic lice

In women: 
Yellow or green vaginal discharge
Discharge that smells
Bleeding between periods or after sex
Pain during sex
Lower abdominal pain

In men: 
Discharge from the penis
Irritation of the urethra (the tube urine comes out of)

These symptoms do not necessarily mean you have an STI, but it's worth seeing a doctor so you can find out what's causing the symptoms and get treatment.

HAVE SAFER SEX
Always use condoms to help protect yourself from catching or passing on an STI. Buy condoms that have the CE mark or BSI kite mark on the packet.

Where to find alcohol support - Realising you have a problem with alcohol is the first big step to getting help.

You may need help if:
You often feel the need to have a drink 
You get into trouble because of your drinking
Other people warn you about how much you're drinking
You think your drinking is causing you problems 

A good place to start is with your GP. Try to be accurate and honest about how much you drink and any problems it may be causing you. If you have become dependent on alcohol, you will have found it difficult to fully control your drinking in some way. So you'll probably need some help either to cut down and control your drinking or stop completely, and also some plans to maintain the improvement after that. Your GP may suggest different types of assessment and support options available to you, such as from local community alcohol services.

If you have become physically dependent and need to stop drinking completely, stopping overnight could be harmful. You should get advice about this and about any medication you may need to do this safely. The sorts of withdrawal symptoms that suggest you may need medication include:

Anxiety after waking
Sweating and tremors
Nausea or retching in the morning
Vomiting
Hallucinations
Seizures or fits
Staying healthy and in control
Cutting down or stopping drinking is usually just the beginning, and most people will need some degree of help or a long-term plan to stay in control or completely alcohol-free.
Getting the right support can be crucial to maintaining control in the future. Only relying on family, friends or carers for this often is not enough.

Alcohol detoxification
Most people receive support to stop drinking and recovery support in the community.
If you need medication to help you stop drinking, it can often be taken at home or when attending a local service daily.

Intensive rehabilitation
Some people are assessed as needing intensive rehabilitation and recovery support for a period after they stop drinking completely, either through attending a programme of intensive support in their local community or by attending a residential rehabilitation service.
This type of intensive treatment is usually reserved for people with medium or high levels of alcohol dependence, and particularly those who have received other forms of help previously that have not been successful.

10 health benefits of stopping smoking

Smoking is bad for your health, but exactly how will stopping make life better? Here are 10 ways your health will improve when you stop smoking.

Stopping smoking lets you breathe more easily
People breathe more easily and cough less when they give up smoking because their lung capacity improves by up to 10% within 9 months. In your 20s and 30s, the effect of smoking on your lung capacity may not be noticeable until you go for a run, but lung capacity naturally diminishes with age. In later years, having maximum lung capacity can mean the difference between having an active, healthy old age and wheezing when you go for a walk or climb the stairs.

Stopping smoking gives you more energy
Within 2 to 12 weeks of stopping smoking, your blood circulation improves. This makes all physical activity, including walking and running, much easier. You'll also give a boost to your immune system, making it easier to fight off colds and flu. The increase in oxygen in the body can also reduce tiredness and the likelihood of headaches.

Ditch the cigarettes and feel less stressed
The withdrawal from nicotine between cigarettes can heighten feelings of stress. As the stress of withdrawal feels the same as other stresses, it's easy to confuse normal stress with nicotine withdrawal, so it can seem like smoking is reducing other stresses. But this is not the case. In fact, scientific studies show people's stress levels are lower after they stop smoking.
If you find that you're prone to stress, replacing smoking with a healthier, better way of dealing with stress can give you some real benefits.

Quitting leads to better sex
Stopping smoking improves the body's blood flow, so improves sensitivity. Men who stop smoking may get better erections. Women may find their orgasms improve and they become aroused more easily. It's also been found that non-smokers are 3 times more appealing to prospective partners than smokers.

Stopping smoking improves fertility
Non-smokers find it easier to get pregnant. Quitting smoking improves the lining of the womb and can make men's sperm more potent. Becoming a non-smoker increases the possibility of conceiving through IVF and reduces the likelihood of having a miscarriage. Most importantly, it improves the chances of giving birth to a healthy baby.

Stopping smoking improves smell and taste
When you stop smoking, your senses of smell and taste get a boost. You may notice that food tastes and smells different as your mouth and nose recover from being dulled by the hundreds of toxic chemicals found in cigarettes.

Stop smoking for younger-looking skin Stopping smoking has been found to slow facial ageing and delay the appearance of wrinkles.
The skin of a non-smoker gets more nutrients, including oxygen, and stopping smoking can reverse the sallow, lined complexion smokers often have.

Ex-smokers have whiter teeth and sweeter breath
Giving up tobacco stops teeth becoming stained, and you'll have fresher breath. Ex-smokers are also less likely than smokers to get gum disease and prematurely lose their teeth.

Quit smoking to live longer
Half of all long-term smokers die early from smoking-related diseases, including heart disease, lung cancer and chronic bronchitis. Men who quit smoking by the age of 30 add 10 years to their life. People who kick the habit at 60 add 3 years to their life.
In other words, it's never too late to benefit from stopping. Being smoke-free not only adds years to your life, but also greatly improves your chances of a disease-free, mobile, happier old age.

A smoke-free home protects your loved ones
By stopping smoking, you'll be protecting the health of your non-smoking friends and family, too. Breathing in secondhand smoke increases the risk of lung cancer, heart disease and stroke. 
In children, it doubles the risk of getting chest illnesses, including pneumonia, ear infections, wheezing and asthma. They also have 3 times the risk of getting lung cancer in later life compared with children who live with non-smokers.

Top 10 healthy heart tips

A healthy lifestyle will make your heart healthier. Here are 10 things you can do to look after your heart.

Give up smoking
If you're a smoker, quit. It's the single best thing you can do for your heart health. Smoking is one of the main causes of coronary heart disease. A year after giving up, your risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker.

Get active
Getting – and staying – active can reduce your risk of developing heart disease. It can also be a great mood booster and stress buster. Do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week. One way to achieve this target is by doing 30 minutes of activity on 5 days a week. Fit it in where you can, such as by cycling to work.

Manage your weight
Being overweight can increase your risk of heart disease. Stick to a healthy, balanced diet low in fat and sugar, with plenty of fruit and vegetables, combined with regular physical activity.

Eat more fibre
Eat plenty of fibre to help lower your risk of heart disease – aim for at least 30g a day. 

Cut down on saturated fat
Eating too many foods that are high in saturated fat can raise the level of cholesterol in your blood. This increases your risk of heart disease. Choose leaner cuts of meat and lower fat dairy products like 1% fat milk over full-fat (or whole) milk. 

Get your 5 A Day
Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day. They're a good source of fibre, vitamins and minerals. There are lots of tasty ways to get your 5 A Day, like adding chopped fruit to cereal or including vegetables in your pasta sauces and curries.

Cut down on salt
To maintain healthy blood pressure, avoid using salt at the table and try adding less to your cooking. Once you get used to the taste of food without added salt, you can cut it out completely. Watch out for high salt levels in ready-made foods. Most of the salt we eat is already in the foods we buy. Check the food labels – a food is high in salt if it has more than 1.5g salt (or 0.6g sodium) per 100g. Adults should eat less than 6g of salt a day in total – that's about 1 teaspoon.

Eat fish

Eat fish at least twice a week, including a portion of oily fish. Fish such as pilchards, sardines and salmon are a source of omega-3 fats, which may help protect against heart disease. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should not have more than 2 portions of oily fish a week.
Drink less alcohol

Do not forget that alcohol contains calories. Regularly drinking more than the NHS recommends can have a noticeable impact on your waistline. Try to keep to the recommended daily alcohol limits to reduce the risk of serious problems with your health, including risks to your heart health.
Read the food label

When shopping, it's a good idea to look at the label on food and drink packaging to see how many calories and how much fat, salt and sugar the product contains. Understanding what's in food and how it fits in with the rest of your diet will help you make healthier choices.

Am I depressed? How can I feel less stressed? Why am I so anxious?
Whatever you need to know about coping with stress, anxiety or depression, or just the normal emotional ups and downs of life, Our Counselling is here to help. They offers practical advice, interactive tools, videos and audio guides to help you feel mentally and emotionally better.

10 stress busters - What you can do to address stress
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 to deal with your problems more calmly.

Take control - There's a solution to any problem. "If you remain passive, thinking, 'I can't do anything about my problem', your stress will get worse," says Professor Cooper. "That feeling of loss of control is one of the main causes of stress and lack of wellbeing."
The act of taking control is in itself empowering, and it's a crucial part of finding a solution that satisfies you and not someone else.

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. "If you don't connect with people, you won't have support to turn to when you need help". The activities we do with friends help us relax. We often have a good laugh with them, which is an excellent stress reliever. "Talking things through with a friend will also help you find solutions to your problems".

Have some 'me time' – In the city life and at work place, we work the longest, meaning we often don't spend enough time doing things we really enjoy. 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 and "By earmarking those two days, it means you won't be tempted to work overtime.

Challenge yourself - Setting yourself goals and challenges, whether at work or outside, such as learning a new language or a new sport, helps to build confidence. This will help you deal with stress. "By continuing to learn, you become more emotionally resilient as a person and it arms you with knowledge and makes you want to do things rather than be passive, such as watching TV all the time."

Avoid unhealthy habits - Don't rely on alcohol, smoking and caffeine as your ways of coping. "Men more than women are likely to do this. This called avoidance behaviour. Women are better at seeking support from their social circle. Over the long term, these crutches won't solve your problems. They'll just create new ones. It's like putting your head in the sand. It might provide temporary relief, but it won't make the problems disappear. You need to tackle the cause of your stress.

Help other people – Study and evidence shows that people who help others, through activities such as volunteering or community work, become more resilient. Helping people who are often in situations worse than yours will help you put your problems into perspective. The more you give, the more resilient and happy you feel. If you don't have time to volunteer, try to do someone a favour every day. It can be something as small as helping someone to cross the road or going on a coffee run for colleagues.

Work smarter, not harder - Working smarter means prioritising your work, concentrating on the tasks that will make a real difference. Leave the least important tasks to last. Accept that your in-tray will always be full. Don't expect it to be empty at the end of the day.

Try to be positive - Look for the positives in life, and things for which you're grateful. People don't always appreciate what they have. Try to be glass half full instead of glass half empty. Try writing down three things that went well, or for which you're grateful, at the end of every day.

Accept the things you can't change - Changing a difficult situation isn't always possible. Try to concentrate on the things you do have control over. If your company is going under and is making redundancies, for example, there's nothing you can do about it. In a situation like that, you need to focus on the things that you can control, such as looking for a new job.