A NEW YEAR - a more fertile, healthy YOU?

Hayley - Little Pinwheel original Image

I know it is a cliché but I still feel the need to say it - the new year is a perfect time to evaluate your health situation and to make positive changes. Truthfully, any day is a great day to do this, but the beginning of a new year brings with it the notion of a 'clean slate.' I'm not into New Years resolutions, simply because for many they seem to be short lived and forgotten by the 3rd of January. Instead, I prefer making conscious decisions to improve my life and make it better and encourage my patients to do the same.

There are so many ways we can improve our overall health - which in turn will see a more fertile you. Simple positive changes will make the world of difference.

In this new 2011 think about areas of your health that need attention. There is no time like the present to set in place new challenges and goals for the year ahead. Make your goals achievable. I encourage you to aim at maintaining health in 2011 rather than fixing it. It's not necessarily difficult to do and your body will love you for it. Improve your diet, get more sleep, take more rest time, more holidays and more time for yourself. Most of us lead ridiculously busy lives. Whilst we can't always eradicate stress we can certainly add or change small elements to our daily routines that will help our bodies cope better with this sort of stress.

Start small. Little but effective changes will allow you to build up to more challenging ones.

I'm going to give you my best three - see how you go. We can all benefit from these.

Here's to a more fertile you in 2011.

My 3 small (but essential) 2011 “to do list” for better health;

1. Increase your intake of vegetables. Add lots of colourful veggies (especially greens) and benefit by essential vitamins and elements including antioxidants for vitality and greater health.

2. Cut down your sugar intake by half. A healthy digestive system produces quality fuel for the body - improving all body systems including fertility and immunity.

3. Consult a health professional for a 'once over' and get some good advice as to how you can improve and maintain health for 2011.