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Why is it important to have a healthy lifestyle?

Why should I lose weight?

Maintaining a healthy weight is essential to good health. Obestiy is associated with many illnesses and shortens life expectancy.  Being overweight can lead to higher risks of:

• diabetes
• high blood pressure
• breathlessness
• coronary heart disease
• osteoarthritis in the knees
• a range of cancers
• negative effects on wellbeing and self esteem.

By losing weight, your risk of developing any of these problems is greatly reduced and your self esteem and confidence is increased!

Why should I quit smoking?

There are many health benefits to quitting smoking, these include:

•  You will reduce your risk of developing illness, disability or death caused by cancer, heart or lung disease.
• You will improve your breathing and general fitness.
• You will improve your fertility levels and  your chance of a healthy pregnancy.
• You will reduce the chance of your children suffering from bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma attacks, meningitis and ear infections.
• You will protect the health of those around you by not exposing them to second hand smoke.

Quitting smoking will also improve your lifestyle by:

• Saving you money - as much as several hundred pounds a month if you are a heavy smoker.
• The appearance of your skin and teeth will improve.
• You will no longer smell of stale tobacco.

Why should I drink less?

Regularly drinking above recommended daily limits, risks damaging your health in the following ways:

• You may be affected by liver problems, reduced fertility, high blood pressure, increased risk of various cancers and heart attack.
• Drinking too much could lead to impaired judgement, slurring of speech, a tendancy to violent behaviour and short term memory loss.
• Alcohol irritates the stomach so can cause sickness, nausea and diarrhoea.
• Alcohol has a dehydrating effect which is the main reason for hangovers.

Why should I do more exercise?

• Keeping active reduces the risk of getting major chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure
• Keeping active helps you to maintain a healthy weight
• It helps to maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints.
• It is a great way to reduce stress levels by making you feel more energetic and helping you sleep better.
• Physical activity Increases your confidence and self esteem and is a great way to have fun and meet new people.

Why should I eat healthily?

When it comes to a healthy diet, balance is the key to getting it right.  This means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions.

All the food we eat can be divided into 5 groups:

• Fruit and vegetables - it is advised to eat 5 different portions of fruit and vegetables per day, try and eat a rainbow of colours to get your vital sources of vitamins and minerals. 
• Starchy foods - These foods such as bread, pasta, cereals, potatoes and rice are your main source of energy giving you fuel for the day.  These should make up 1/3 of your daily diet.
• Meat, fish, eggs and beans provide us with protein which is needed for growth and repair.
• Milk and dairy foods - such as cheese and yoghurt provide us with calcium which helps our bones grow strong.
• Fat and sugar - It is still important to have some fat in our diet to help our body function properly.  We need to try and reduce 'bad'  fats such as cakes, butters, biscuits and pastries as too much of these foods can increase your risk of heart disease and weight gain.  That is why getting the right proportion is key!