Peanut butter

Whether you are in team smooth or team crunchy, peanut butter is one of the world’s most popular spreads. But is it a healthy choice? That depends.

Do you have a friend who enthuses about how awesome their mega-hard workout was? Yet you have hated exercise since primary school? Here is how to learn to love physical activity.

The U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has identified five key factors in loving exercise: enjoyment, self-efficacy (that is, having the choice), social support, accountability and integration into your daily life.

Author and coach, Tony Robbins says the first factor, enjoyment, is all about mindset.

“Learning how to enjoy exercise is part mindset and part practice,” says Robbins. “By adopting the attitude that exercise is enjoyable, you are able to embrace fitness as part of a holistic wellness strategy.”

Robbins advises looking at your beliefs, your goals and your preferences.

1. Reconsider your beliefs

Many of us formed negative beliefs about exercise from enforced gym classes at school. These beliefs may no longer apply. Robbins says, “Take time to examine your beliefs regarding exercise… Where did the negative beliefs come from? Are they still true to your adult life or are you clinging to outdated beliefs that no longer serve you?”

2. Reconsider your goals

If you are only exercising to lose weight, you will find it discouraging. Plus, you will miss out on all the other benefits such as helping you feel better – mentally, emotionally and physically.

Robbins says, “When you start focusing on energising your body, improving your health and enhancing your life, you will start to view exercise as a healthy decision instead of an obligation.”

Instead of focusing on the number on the scale, focus on how you feel after your workout, or even the next day. Do you feel more energised? More relaxed? Over time, you will start to feel stronger and more confident.

3. Reconsider your choices

Hate running? Do not do it. Do something else. Try something else, just for fun, with no expectation. Remember, any type of physical activity that elevates your heart rate is a form of exercise.

YouTube is full of free videos of wildly different and interesting exercises. Try a dance tutorial, or drumming on the ground.

Or, if you find socialising motivates you, consider joining a local social group. This could be a weekend hiking group or a community team sport. Or just arrange a regular time to walk with local friends or colleagues.

Unique exercise ideas to inspire you

Use these budget-friendly ideas as a starting point for new and fun ways to move.

- Skip rope. Look up skipping routines in YouTube – there are thousands! You do not need to buy a proper skipping rope, just use an old rope or long strap at home.

Search online for ‘antinutrients’ and you might be concerned. According to some sites, you should steer clear of foods you have always thought were healthy.

Antinutrients are compounds in plants that help protect them from threats like bacterial infection and insects. They are high in foods like wholegrains, legumes and leafy greens – foods we are told to eat more of.

The problem with antinutrients is that they can bind with certain minerals in our bodies – notably calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc – making them less available.

Common antinutrients are:

• oxalates, found in leafy greens, tea, beans, nuts
• lectins, found in beans, peanuts and wholegrains
• phytates, from wholegrains, seeds, legumes and nuts, and,
• tannins, found in tea, coffee, legumes, berries, chocolate and wine.

Antinutrients sound pretty scary – after all, we do not want to be eating foods that may lead to a mineral deficiency. A quick online search might alarm you even more. Many sites claim these ‘plant toxins’ are behind inflammation, autoimmune disease, weight gain and kidney problems. Fortunately, most of these claims are not backed by evidence.

Did you try flossing your teeth recently, and then stop when your gums bled? It is a common problem.

Many of us avoid the whole idea of flossing. We do not even like to talk about it. And when we try it, we discover our gums bleed so we stop, out of fear.

We fear it is serious, like gum disease. And we fear our dentist will judge us or tell us off like a naughty child for not looking after our gums. So we avoid the dentist as well.

But in actual fact, a bit of blood when you floss is normal, particularly if you do not floss often. It does not mean it is healthy – healthy gums do not bleed. But it does not mean you should stop: it means you should floss more often.

The cause of the bleeding is the plaque which has built up between your teeth. Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that forms on the surface of the teeth, between the teeth and above and below the gums. If plaque is not cleared away, it can lead to gum disease, as plaque can irritate and inflame your gums. When you try to remove the plaque buildup by brushing or flossing, your swollen, inflamed gums start to bleed.

Keep flossing twice a day, and if the bleeding does not stop after a few weeks, see your dentist for a proper clean and advice.