- As we clean up after New Year’s Eve, our thoughts often turn to healthy resolutions
The living room floor has started to accumulate worrying numbers of pine needles; the last of the turkey trimmings have long gone; and the recycling bin is filled with more wine and beer bottles than usual. Christmas is over, and the New Year is upon us.
No doubt many of us over-indulged with one too many mince pies, mulled wines or servings of stilton. And other than eating and drinking, the main activity over the festive period was likely to have been playing couch potato around the Christmas tree.
But a new year means a new you, right? For many people, January is traditionally when they think about getting healthier. And we have our own important tradition on the Science Update Blog – each year we try to think of ways to help you reach your healthy living goals.
The stakes are high – more than four in ten cancers could be prevented by lifestyle changes such as not smoking, keeping a healthy body weight and cutting back on alcohol.
Making healthier living choices isn’t about going on a post-Christmas crash diet though – it’s about making sustainable changes for the long run. Last year, we launched our lifestyle assessment widget, which gives personalised advice on how to live healthier.
This year we’ve spoken to people who’ve managed to make positive, healthy lifestyle choices. If you’re thinking of changing your lifestyle for the better, then watching these videos of like-minded people could be just the motivation you need.
- Meet Jeff, a lorry driver from Portsmouth who lost 5 and a half stone by being creative about eating healthily and keeping active while out on the road:
- Meet Maria, who cut down on alcohol and gained a new-found confidence:
- Meet Mark, who used to wake up coughing and spluttering, but has found a new lease of life since giving up smoking:
- Meet Emilie, who smoked since she was at school, but finally managed to kick the habit 18 months ago:
Comments
MRS CHARU PUROHIT January 4, 2013
YES IT IS VERY GOOD TO HAVE THIS WEBSITE, WHERE WE LEARN FROM OTHERS WHO HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR THOUGHTS OF EXPERIENCE.
Jane January 4, 2013
Excellent website to learn quickly, what is important to know to hopefully avoid cancer, by eating and avoiding very bad foods including salt.
Naomi January 4, 2013
We often use this phrase ‘everything in moderation’ – it actually refers to – avoiding ALL harmful things for our body and ‘in moderation’ of things that are good! Poison is poison whether in small doses or large!
sue foster January 3, 2013
I think we shouldn’t make resolutions that are set to fail, everything in moderation, we all know its about healthy eating and exercise so that is my plan!
hiro mahbubani January 3, 2013
Lot of youngsters have switched to smoking Sisha (smoking tobacco through water). they think this form of smoking is safe. we must start to campaign against this as the epidemic of Shisha Bars is spreading on our streets.
brenda rusell January 26, 2013
I have admiration for all those determned folk in the videos.But sometimes it is not like that.My late husband died at 77yrs.He did not smoke, drank very moderately,kept his weight steady.He walked 5 miles every day,he did three long distance walks,around 300 miles each walk in his 60s & 70s. Making £20,000 plus for Cancer Research.He even walked 150 miles after he became ill.But he died from Pancreatic Cancer.He instructed me to ask for donations to Cancer Research in his memeory,his friends & family were very generous.His brother died at 49 from Lung Cancer.I am convinced that some “families” have Cancer in their genes.I know this is not proven, but have yet to be convinced.Of course I shall continue to support Cancer Research.But feel very sad to have lost my husband to Cancer when he worked so hard to help eradicate it.Sadly I think there is a long way to travel.But keep up your good work.