How I’m Following the Five Steps to Physical Wellness

#Contains some press/review samples

Having spent the latter half of 2019 in pain with sciatica, I promised myself that I would make amends and feel better. Concentrating on my physical wellness was paramount – even so far as saying it was higher on my ‘to do’ list than winning the lottery. But what can I do to help myself? I don’t want to start something that becomes obsessive – I want to make some small changes that reap the greatest impact. Studying the internet, I soon learned that there’s five key areas to concentrate on:

• Sleep
• Diet
• Activity
• Prevention and Hygiene
• Relaxation

I figured that if I could work on each of these areas with some small changes, I would be on my way to feeling better. My ultimate goal was to feel happier, have more energy, ache less … and with that, lose weight.

Wellness Step 1: Sleep

My sleep is atrocious. Back in the autumn I invested in a new FitBit Versa 2. I wear it all the time, including through the night. It monitors my sleep … how long have I slept, and what quality was the sleep. I was shocked to read that I sometimes only managed 2.5 hours sleep at night. Yet I was lying in bed for 6-7 hours.

I always joke that my brain never stops whirring … in seriousness I need it to give me a break occasionally. According to my FitBit a lot of the sleep I get is poor quality too, explaining why I wake up feeling yuck, and feeling in need of a nap before 10am! So clearly sleep was a key area to concentrate on. So, this is what I’ve done:

Mattress

We have a superking bed, that consisted of two single mattresses. They were memory foam-topped, but not expensive, and offered little in the way of support. People told us that you only get what you pay for – but money is a little tight, so those really expensive mattresses on the TV adverts were out of our league. But we could get a better mattress to the ones we had. So, we decided to buy a new bed frame and superking mattress, buying in the sale to get the best mattress for the least investment.

Our 2020 plans are to redecorate and renovate our bedroom anyway, so getting a new bed felt like the start to this process. Well, it’s been three weeks now, and unfortunately, I’m not liking the new mattress. Weirdly, I can’t work out if it’s too hard or too soft. All I know is that I’m waking every hour with aching ribs, needing to change position. I am hopeful that I’ll grow to like it, and it’ll adapt to like me too!

Calm app

For Christmas I asked Santa for some wireless noise-cancelling headphones. The reason wasn’t to look cool alongside my Beats-wearing children, but so that I can listen to calming music and meditate each night before I fall asleep. I’ve only been using the free tracks on the Calm app, but I’m really enjoying it.

It clears my head and definitely helps me wind down. My intention is to sign up for the paid subscription, to get access to mindfulness recordings, and hypnotherapy sessions. It’s a nice way to end each day.  

FitBit Sleep Monitor

I’ve mentioned this already, but the sleep monitoring part of the FitBit app is proving really helpful. Of course, the new mattress is causing a lot of peaks and troughs on my sleep charts, but I’m determined to try to get 7 hours sleep each night. At the moment I’m averaging 4hrs 40min, with a sleep quality rating of 60 out of 100. This is phenomenally better than the start of the year, so I’m heading in the right direction.

No caffeine after 3pm

I love my coffee. And tea. I drink a lot of it. Right up to the end of the day. I always tell people that caffeine doesn’t affect me. WRONG! When I went cold turkey once, and stopped caffeine overnight, for the following two weeks it felt like I had the flu. I don’t want to give up caffeine but I do want to cut back on it. So, I have a ‘no caffeine after 3pm’ rule now.

It’s not easy to stick too, especially if I have to do the St John Ambulance Cadets run, as I sit in my car for 2 hours, and don’t get home until 9pm. And, I’m ready for a nap by 5pm. But I’m persevering. I don’t feel so driven by coffee, but I hope this limited concentration/brain fog hurries up and goes away. Every 2 minutes I’m yawning. But if I want to enhance my wellbeing, the caffeine can’t control me.

Keep hydrated

Instead of coffee/tea, I drink water. But only fizzy water as I don’t like ‘flat’ water. Never flavoured, just carbonated water. I can – and often do – drink a litre every night. They say my skin will thank me for it. Alas my skin has decided to revert back to my teenage years and throw out some unwanted spots/acne. I know water is really good for me, so I’m assuming the skin issues are temporary!

Wellness Step 2: Diet

Over the years I’ve done them all. They work – and then they fail in style. So, I’ve given up on them and instead opt for the ‘everything in moderation’ approach. Carbs are my weakness, but I limit sugar and opt for wholemeal versions. However, I steer clear of sweeteners as I think they are as bad as the sugar they replace. Most of what we eat is cooked from scratch and is wholesome. We err more towards ‘in season’ produce.

We eat too much meat, and this is something we are actively trying to cut back on. As mentioned, I drink a lot of water and am actively cutting down on my caffeine consumption. For a change, I now drink fruit teas in the afternoons. Nim’s Edible Teas (my favourite being Pineapple & Kiwi) are simply sachets of air-dried pineapple (70%) and kiwi (30%) that you pour hot water over. Five minutes later you have a lovely drink – as well as hydrated fruit to eat as a snack.

Regarding snacks, I now try not to have any after 8pm, and try not to skip meals. When we do snack, I want them to be healthier choices – like these Nim’s Kids Fruit Crisps.

Nim’s Kids Fruit Crisps

Nim’s Kids Fruit Crisps are air dried crisps with just a single ingredient – the fruit. Our favourite is pineapple, and though they are marketed to kids for lunch boxes, we all enjoy them. A pack makes up one of your 5 a day, are 100% natural, low in calories, fat/gluten/dairy free, and made in the UK.

I drink more water, and have cut down on coffee.

Wellness Step 3: Activity

Here is my biggest challenge of the year. I don’t eat much – honestly. But if you saw me, you’d think I put away multipacks of Walkers and tubs of Quality Street each day. It’s not what I eat … the truth is, I’m so darn lazy. It’s a vicious cycle – poor sleep means I wake up tired, and so the last thing I want to do is wrap up and head outside for a walk … but that’s what I have to do. Walking the dogs every morning before I start work at my laptop, then walking instead of driving if I just need to pop up the road. Because of my sciatica, and poor condition, anything else right now is a bit ambitious – but small steps will make a big difference I’m sure.

Varidesk Sit/Stand desk

Talking about working at my laptop – this has been a huge issue. I can sit and write for 3 hours at a time, easily. I work longer than a typical 9-5, mostly sitting at my desk on my laptop. No exercise whatsoever. This is one of the curses of modern working life. A new concept, Varidesk, enables you to sit AND stand while working, and I like this idea a lot. Varidesk is a height adjustable standing desk that allows you to work and be upright and mobile. This is believed to be a healthier way to work.

The NHS has ‘real world’ evidence that sitting for long periods slows down the metabolism, which affects the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, blood pressure and break down body fat. Research shows that many UK adults, on average, occupy around 9 hours a day sitting down. These activities can include watching TV, using a computer, reading or travelling by car or train. The answer, according to a Chief Medical Officer, should be to break up periods of activity by moving around; making time for exercise of around 120-150 minutes per week.

Some commentators believe that sitting is the new smoking. Sitting for long periods may lead to a weakening and wasting of large leg and gluteal muscles. If you sit for too long it increases your risk of chronic health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Too much sitting can also be bad for your mental health.

The Varidesk and the Varichair looks to be the answer to this problem. You work at your computer while sitting or standing as the desk easily raises up to your ideal height to use when standing up. The stool is great for perching on too. Perching means you can keep at least half of your weight on your feet and exercise your calves and ankles, while you are still sitting and working.

The Varidesk is advertised as the ‘Complete Active Workspace. I am currently trialling a Varidesk SOLO Compact and a Varichair stool. It takes a bit of getting used it but the results are very positive so far.

Wellness Step 4: Prevention and Hygiene

I do quite well in this category already, I’m pleased to say. Over the years I’ve learned to listen to my body and pre-empt things. My tiredness gets worse during the autumn and winter, and I totally lose my mojo.

SAD lamp

Last year I invested in a Lumie lamp for SAD and I have to say I work with it on beside me most of the day, every day. If I forget, I really notice a slump in my energy level.

Honey

Friends laugh at this, but I swear by a hot lemon and honey first thing in the morning, every day. I used to be the one that caught every cold going – and when I got one, I REALLY got one. Not anymore! Someone told me to boost my antioxidant and vitamin C levels with a daily hot lemon and honey – fresh lemon juice, and really high quality, raw/unheated, honey. Ideally, I use local honey, otherwise manuka from the health-food store. Don’t put the honey into boiling hot water though, as this will take away all the goodness – use warm water.

At the moment myself – and the children – are using Tahi Beelicious honey. It’s far from local, as it’s from New Zealand, but it’s lovely. The children eat it on toasted bagels for breakfast. It has a creamy taste, not overpowering – and it’s a really good quality honey. The bees visit native NZ wildflowers, which include manuka, kanuka, rewarewa and pohutukawa. It’s 100% honey (no water, sugar or chemicals) and what impresses me most is that only ethical harvesting and production techniques are used. There’s no overheating or pasteurising involved (preserving all the goodness).

Tahi Honey is GE free, carbon neutral and biodiversity positive, with 100% of their profits going directly into conserving the land, culture and community where they operate. And it stops me from getting those horrid head colds! What’s not to love?       

Supplements – CBD Plus Wellbeing

Since I was a teenager I’ve suffered on and off with low iron levels. This also contributes to my tiredness of course. So, I take a good daily multivitamin – one designed for my age. At the moment I’m a bit of a convert to Naturopathica’s CBD Plus Wellbeing; it’s a great multivitamin in that a daily capsule provides me with 100% of my quota of Vitamin D2, E, C, B1 and B12 (50% of Vitamin A). It also contains 5mg of Cannabidiol.

A friend introduced me a few months back, during the height of my ongoing sciatica. She reassured me that it would help. And it did. It took the edge off the pain – and I even think it helped me sleep better (though I’m currently putting this to the test).

I know people with MS who have received considerable symptom relief using cannabis oil – and it doesn’t give you a ‘high’ or space you out as the levels are controlled. There were quite a few options in the CBD+ range that I could have chosen – Tumeric (to help aching limbs); Unwind (to help you relax); Wellbeing (a good all-rounder, which is why I picked it); and there’s also CBD+ Mind, Digestion and Night versions. I feel that my daily capsule helps keep me balanced.

Keeping up with routine appointments (dentist, optician, GP)

As a child I hated and feared going to the dentist. I had a genuine phobia and I would cry my eyes out when I knew an appointment was looming. Of course, I ended up with crooked teeth and having to face adulthood with either a crooked smile, wearing a brace to correct them, or having fake ones put in to replace them. I took the quickest route and had them replaced with fake, straight teeth. My children have a much healthier relationship with their dentist (who is luckily a family friend too), and we attend regular check-ups.

The same goes for our annual eye tests – it’s really important to attend regular/annual screenings, to nip any problems in the bud before they become problematic. Ears too … having watched my son go through three major operations on his ears, it’s really important that you don’t ignore earache or the build up of wax. There are clinics, like Auris Ear Care, run by ENT doctors and nurses, where you can have your ears cleaned/wax removed.

Obviously, for a woman of my age, the most important routine check-up of all is the smear test. You never, EVER, delay this one. Oh, and if invited for a mammogram, please go. I went along to my first one this year, and it discovered a really early breast cancer that I’m currently undergoing treatment for.

Health Screening

As well as routine appointments that arrive in letters through the post, we live in a time where we can be more pro-active about health screening. With just a few clicks, you can find an online pharmacy that offers ‘from home’ testing for all kinds of conditions, including women’s health. If you are sexually active, it’s always good to get a clean bill of health for ‘down there’!

Treating yourself (haircut, spa treatment)

That feel good feeling when you have a new haircut, or you buy a new outfit, or even treating yourself to lunch with a friend – simple activities like these boost your mood, and that’s exactly what you want when your aim is to improve your wellness. So, I want to treat myself more – stop putting everyone before myself – and enjoy life. I want to laugh more!

Wellness Step 5: Relaxation

I don’t know how to relax. I’m learning, slowly. My life, simply put, is hectic. So, what small steps am I going to take in an attempt to chill out?

More ‘Me Time’ (read a book, take a bath, listen to music)

This sounds easy, but it’s really difficult. I only read one book a year – when I’m on holiday. The book must be a real book, not a download as the tech distracts me. Becoming less addicted to my mobile is something I need to address too … but I have no clue how to do this. I feel like I’m missing a limb when I’m without my phone. For now, I want to find time to read more books. I want to find time to have a soak in the bath. Work must end at a set time – no burning the midnight oil. With my new headphones I want to listen to music.

Mindfulness

With my headphones initially, to guide me, I also want to practice some mindfulness. Clear my mind of all the stress and fuss, if only for 10 mins a day. A friend claims that her 10 minutes of meditation a day changed her life for the better. I love the sound of this!  

GTech MYO Touch Massage bed

As well as a soak in the bath, listening to music, and reading a book, a massage always leaves me feeling chilled out. This is a highlight of any spa day … but they are few and far between unfortunately. But what if you could have your very own masseuse at home, on demand? Well, you can – ish! GTech (yes the vacuum company) have launched their Gtech MYO Touch …

Massage therapy is well-known for people looking for ways to relive stress. When muscles are contracted over long periods of exercise, they sometimes compress the nerves around them and make the muscle hard and tense. Stroking the skin or applying a kneading pressure relaxes the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. But it can be quite involved and needs a proper professional masseur or physiotherapist to get the best out of it. Massage relaxes muscle tissue reducing painful contractions and spasms and is also able to reduce nerve compression.

Massage can be beneficial, good for your muscles, good for relaxation and provide excellent overall benefits. The Gtech MYO Touch Massage Bed is the latest device that can provide a good quality massage. The device is an adjustable automated massaging bed with a robotic roller underneath the contoured bed that allows you to personalise your massage to specific areas of the body in the comfort of your own home.

The MYO Touch is essentially a canvas-covered camp bed, which has a specially designed massage roller underneath. The foam roller runs along a three-piece track. This then rolls along and presses through the material of the camp bed giving you a deep and satisfying massage. The bed is really comfortable and there is a real possibility of falling asleep and the machine has an automatic shut off after 15 minutes.

Toby tried it and asked for a duvet! He then shouted that his bottom was tingling! But overall it was a very positive and moreish experience. GTech say that the MYO Touch has been designed to meet your body’s needs, and I can agree with that.

In Summary

I have a lot of small steps to take! But I feel positive that I can ‘have a good go’ and it will ultimately improve my physical wellness. I’m looking forward to reporting back in 12 months’ time!