World Wellbeing Week. 6 steps to a healthier you

Get active

Keeping active is a vital cornerstone of wellbeing, but as more of us lead sedentary lives, it can be more challenging. If you’re not a gym bunny that’s ok. There’s plenty of health benefits to be found in one of the easiest and cheapest forms of fitness - walking.

You might feel, due to your schedule, that you can’t plan in a dedicated walk, but you might be surprised just how much walking you can sneak into your day just by making small changes. Why not get off the bus a few stops earlier, take the stairs, suggest a walking meeting with a colleague, take a lunchtime stroll or join a friend on a dog walk for your catch up.

All these small steps can lead to big strides towards better health. Don’t believe us? Try tracking this extra activity with a pedometer or fitness tracker. Once you see those steps add up, we bet you’ll be hooked.

Veg out

Eating your veggies has long been hailed as a health priority, and with good reasons. But that doesn’t make it easier for people who simply don’t enjoy veg. And even those of us who do can struggle to get enough on our plates when we’re shopping around d convenience.

Why not try sneaking more veg into your diet in other ways. Smoothies packed with green veg, for example, are a quick way to get loads of nutrients in all at once.

Or why not plan around pockets of time to meal prep. That way, you can be sure to factor in plenty of veg into the meals you make in advance, and simply tuck in when you’re ready. Try making bulk meals like soups or stews you can sneak extra veg into.

Stretch it out

Sitting for too long isn’t good for your health and long term can lead to all sorts of issues. Making time to get up and stretch it out can help with posture problems, tension, and stress.

If yoga seems like a bit too much of a stretch for you, don’t worry. You can still benefit from taking just a few minutes in your day to test your flexibility and feel the benefits with a simple set of quick and easy exercises

Better bedtimes

Proper sleep is one of the most crucial building blocks of good health, but for so many of us, we just don’t get enough of it. And even if we do manage to get a decent amount of sleep, the quality is often affected by distractions.

If we go too long in a pattern of poor sleep, it can start to have all sorts of knock-on effects to our health, so establishing a good routine is a good idea.

Thankfully, you don’t need to do anything especially complicated. Try to make sure you start to wind down for around 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime and keep that time consistent. Keep your routine before bed the same every day, which will create a strong association that tells your brain it’s time to rest.

Try to limit alcohol and caffeine which can both disturb your sleep and avoid eating too late at night or too close to your bedtime. Keep mobile phones and other devices away from the bedroom if you can, or at least switched off, to prevent blue light from disrupting your sleep.

Prevent, rather than cure

Checking in on our health is so important. Many of the common conditions which go on to be serious and debilitating, if caught early, are easily managed through diet or lifestyle changes.

With GP waiting times increasing in many practices, and appointments for non-urgent care more difficult to access, private blood testing is becoming a common alternative for many people looking to take control of their health.

Our comprehensive PLUS VIP test is a great option for those looking for a broad snapshot of their overall health, as it tests the blood for a number of key health indicators, deficiencies, and disease markers, removing a lot of guess work and flagging any potential problems.

The test looks for liver, thyroid and kidney function, vitamin levels, cholesterol, diabetes markers, iron levels and much more.

How your appointment works

We partner with Spire Healthcare to offer a professional phlebotomy service. This guarantees that your blood samples are taken and handled correctly and that your results are processed efficiently by clinical professionals. Our confidential blood tests are available at over thirty private clinics around the UK.

Unlike home testing healthcare kits, where you take the sample yourself, our trained professionals reduce the likelihood of errors such as collecting an insufficient amount of blood or accidental contamination, which could delay your test results.

At your appointment, the friendly team will talk to you about your test, collect your blood sample and send it off for testing at an accredited partner laboratory. All you need to do is arrive for your appointment. We’ll take care of the test, and the rest.

Clear, accurate results

The time it takes to receive your results will depend on the type of test you have chosen. When they are ready, your results will be sent directly to you, via email, within the time specified. If you would prefer to receive a paper copy of your results through the post, that can be arranged for you.

You can also choose the option of reported or unreported results. Reported results include information and comment from our GP which you may find helpful to discuss with your own consultant, or for your records.

Find out more and book your health MOT