Figures have shown that the recession and the rising price of food have resulted fruit and vegetable consumption among poorer families falling by 30%.

Lower income families throughout the UK have cut their consumption of fruit and vegetables by an average of 30% in the response to the rising price of food.

Whilst the average household continues to buy around four portions of fruit and veg each day, recently released figures show that households within the lowest tenth of incomes were only buying 2.7 daily portions.

The Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have said that the 30% decline has happened gradually since 2006, and is likely to have declined further still in the past year.

Commenting on the figures, Labour’s shadow environment secretary Mary Creagh has said that this is an area which urgently requires attention. “It’s very bad news that people on lower incomes are now even less likely to get their five a day. ” She said.

For information, advice and some helpful tips about ways to stay fit and healthy, please visit our health coaching page for more information.

View and comment on the original Guardian article. 

You can find them on the train typing furiously on precariously balanced laptops, or by the pool on holiday, emailing with a blackberry in one hand, applying sun-cream to a grumpy spouse with the other.

Workaholics have always been lambasted for their bad social habits, but now experts are wondering if ‘workaholism’ is such a bad thing after all.

The Career Development International has recently published an article arguing that negative portrayals of wokaholism are counter-productive for society.

According to the papers’ author, Professor Yehuda Baruch, an addiction to work can lead to positive outcomes for both society and individuals. Although we tend to associate workaholism with high levels of stress, depression and desintegration of domestic relationships, empirical research has shown that workaholics are more likely to display drive and ambition, rather than negativity and exhaustion.

Professor Baruch draws a comparison between workaholism and chocolate. Although chocolate can make us fat and be bad for our teeth, it has the social benefits of energizing the eater and generating a good feeling. Similarly, workaholics, although perhaps damaging their physical health, reinforce a stronger sense of well-being through their dedication and vigour.

The professor recommends that workers choose how much work they can reasonably carry out, because everybody is different.

If you feel like you need to address your work/home life balance, a life coach could help. To discover more about life coaching, please visit Life Coaching Areas.

View and comment on the original Independent article.

Though being treated like you are one of the gang by your partner’s friends may seem like a recipe for success, actually getting on ‘too’ well with your other half’s buddies may spell trouble in paradise.

According to research conducted by Cornell University, older men who socialise with their partners are more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction.

A romantic partner becoming too involved with a man and his friends is known in the scientific world as ‘partner betweeness’, a phenomenon which was experienced by 25 per cent of the men surveyed for the study in question.

Head researchers Benjamin Cornwell and Edward Laumann have said that this state actually undermines the male feelings of autonomy and privacy that are essential and central to feelings of masculinity.

The pair went on to say that men who do not spend enough time in the company of their own friends can begin to feel less attracted to their partners, and that wives should encourage their husbands to spend more time with their friends.

‘The key issue is whether it reduces his contact with his friends while it increases hers – for example she alters his social schedule to the point that his contact with his friends increasingly occurs in the context of couple’s dinners.” Said Cornwall.

Laumen added: ‘He needs to have someone to talk to about the things that matter to him – whether its football, politics, what car he is going to buy or worries about his health or his job.’

If you are experiencing problems in your relationship then yourself and your partner may benefit from relationship coaching. Please visit our fact-sheet to find out more, or alternatively use the search tool located on the homepage to locate a qualified professional in your local area.

View and comment on the original Daily Mail article.

House-swaps instead of holidays, three generations living under one roof, adults living off the ‘bank of mum and dad’ – is this how our living habits will adapt to the current economic, political and environmental climate over the next year? Caroline McGhie of the Telegraph makes her predictions.

Queen Elizabeth’s speech this Christmas placed great emphasis on the importance of family and community life. As she stated: “We’ve seen that it’s in hardship that we often find strength from our families.” True, conflict often causes humans to draw together for strength, comfort and survival. McGhie believes that we will see this happening to a greater extent over the next year, with the home itself becoming a central point in our lives.

House swaps

According to LoveHomeSwap.com, house swapping is becoming an increasingly popular and cheaper alternative to traditional holidays. House swapping is where families exchange houses for a short period of time at no cost. For example, if you own a large four bedroom house with sea-views in Devon, you might be able to arrange a house swap with a family who owns a large villa and pool in LA. Whatever the type of property you own, it is usually possible to find a match willing to swap.

Family homes

The idea of a ‘family home’ is set to change this year. According to McGhie, 2012 will see many more cases of parents, grandparents and children all living in the same house. With mortgage deposits setting an unattainable goal for many couples on the UK, teaming up with other family members may be the only feasible way forward. Parents benefit from having the help and support of their own parents, which children benefit from having their grandparents around for extra wisdom and perspective. The harder times become, the more young people will need the wisdom and experience of older generations.

Bank of mum and dad

It is becoming more and more difficult for young people to get onto the property market, what with deposits currently so high. Parents will continue to feel uncomfortable with the idea of having equity in property while their children struggle. It is becoming common practise for parents to help their children buy properties for the first time.

If you would like to make improvements to your living arrangements over the next year, whether for financial, relationship or health reasons, you may benefit from visiting a life coach. A life coach can help you to realise goals by applying expert techniques. To find out more about these techniques, and how they could help, please visit Life Coaching Areas. Alternatively, you could search for a life coach near you.

View and comment on the original Telegraph article. 

According to a recent study, having the same job as your significant other could spell trouble in paradise.

Researchers from the University of Bedfordshire have found that couples who work similar jobs find it more difficult to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

The researchers examined the lives of more than 600 individuals, around half of whom had partners who worked within the same sector.

The study participants were asked about their working hours, boundaries between their home and work life, and how often one sphere had an impact on the other.

Interestingly the results showed that individuals who had a ‘work-link’ with their partner tended to work longer hours and had more difficulty balancing work commitments with their social life in comparison to couples working in totally different sectors.

According to Professor Gail Kinman who led the study, more and more couples are now sharing similar occupations – a trend which is becoming increasingly common in the education sector.

Though the results of the study revealed that sharing a similar occupation could be beneficial for enhancing a mutual understanding of working conditions, it was also found that these couples need more support in setting boundaries between their work and home.

‘The findings suggest that doing similar work to your partner means that work issues are more likely to “spill over” into home life and threaten work-life balance.” She said.

If you are struggling to find a balance between your working life and personal life then consulting a life coach could be beneficial. Find out more by visiting our work-life balance page.
View and comment on the original Daily Mail article.

If you are prone to balancing a newspaper on the handlebars of your spin bike, chatting on your phone while running on the treadmill, or mentally planning a work presentation during your legs bums and tums class, you could be preventing your body from reaping the full benefits of exercise.  

According to the Guardian, the key to fitness is in the concentration. ‘Mindful exercise’ is a technique employed by fitness fanatics who want to maximise the effectiveness of each workout they endure by adopting only five simple steps. These steps can be applied to any daily exercise, whether it’s walking to work or running at the gym.

1. Intention - ‘Physical exercise begins before you start moving’, writes the Guardian. Instead of ambling into the gym begrudgingly, wishing you were at home watching TV, try to get into the spirit of things. There truly is no point in going to the gym if you don’t to some extent enjoy it. You will only end up feeling unhappy or guilty if you give up. If you want to get fit, you have to want to get fit. Apply your mind. Think about the exercise you are about to do and envision it in your head. Forget about work or home commitments. Just know that for the next hour or so, you must focus solely on your body.

2. Breathing – Getting enough oxygen is absolutely crucial for a good, effective work out. It may sound obvious, but a surprising number of people do not breathe properly during exercise, meaning that muscles become oxygen-starved. This can lead to a feeling of tension, tiredness, weakness and nausea. To make sure your muscles are working hard, take long, deep breaths regularly and steadily. You should aim to take a deep breath during the less strenuous phase of exercise, then exhale slowly during the more strenuous phase.

3. Timing – Concentrate on the rhythm of your movements. When we are tense, we tend to move jerkily. This can lead to injury and prohibits the body from reaching its potential. Try instead to slip into an easy, natural rhythm; one that is sustainable and comfortable.

4. Form – When you’re working hard and becoming exhausted, it is easy to slouch. Bad posture can lead to injury or long term damage. To exercise safely, concentrate on the position of your body. Activate your abdominal muscles and ensure your spine is as straight as possible.

5. Recovery – In order to recover sufficiently between or after exercises, it is important to focus on your level of breathing and your posture. If you are hunched over and breathing hard, you are restricting the amount of oxygen you can take in and preventing recovery. Good recovery is crucial to avoiding injury.

Getting fit should be a long term goal. It will not happen after only a few weeks of the gym. To reach your fitness goals you will need persistence, drive and concentration. The more in tune with your body you are, the more likely you are to want to exercise regularly.

If you would like help reaching your fitness goals, you may wish to consult a qualified life coach. To find out more about how life coaching could help, please visit Life Coaching Areas. Alternatively, you can search for a life coach near you by using our search tool.

View and comment on the original Guardian article. 

We all resolve to begin a New Year more healthily than we ended the last one, but often we set unrealistic and unreachable goals that mean our good intentions do not last long. Below are a few tips on how to boost your health and well-being in ways which can be easily integrated into your everyday life.

Sleep well

It is the most repeated advice in the book but nevertheless it is true. Sleep helps to maintain optimum brain functioning as it gives the brain the opportunity to renew.

The simple act of bringing forward your bedtime by 20 minutes each night could make the world of difference, leaving you feeling refreshed and as bright as a button in the morning.

Take a walk

Its common sense that walking will help you to stay fit and healthy as well as meaning that you ingest a great big gulp of fresh air into the lungs and you get a daily dose of melatonin.

20 minutes a day of brisk walking should be just the ticket.

Take the stairs

Your office or flat may be on the top floor but it’s still no excuse to use the lift or escalator everyday. This is such a simple addition to your routine and even though it may only result in a minimal difference, over a long period it could really help to improve overall fitness levels and encourage mobility.

Taking the stairs will also help to tone up your calf and buttock muscles.

Make your own lunch

The tempting treats on offer in the staff canteen or vending machine can make eating healthily at work a struggle.

Making your own packed lunch won’t take you long and as well as meaning you’ll be eating a healthier diet it also could save you money.

Brown pasta salads, soups and sandwich’s made on wholemeal bread are all great options.

Cut down your alcohol consumption

Do you reach for a wine glass as soon as you get in the door from work? Whilst it is true that alcohol can help you to wind down after a long day, introducing a couple of ‘dry days’ to allow your body to recover means you’ll be consuming less calories and you’ll probably feel a little more spritely in the mornings.

View and comment on the original ivillage article.

Mrs Orrey was the woman who inspired celebrity chef Jamie Oliver to embark on his world-famous school dinner campaign, and now she has been awarded an MBE for her efforts.

After serving children turkey twizzlers and pork hippos for 16 years, the mother of three from Nottingham eventually took advantage of her position as a school catering manager by introducing a range of nutritious options to the school lunch menu.

Her actions caught the attention of the Soil Association, who invited her to an awards ceremony in London.

Mrs Orrey, who had never been to London before, spent the evening discussing the state of Britain’s school dinners with Jamie Oliver, who also attended the event.

The dinner lady’s words struck a chord with the chef and he went on to take the campaign across Britain and America, with astoundingly successful results.

Mrs Orrey has since written two books on the subject and currently advises the Soil Association on an organic initiative that involves more than 4000 schools and encourages children to grow their own healthy food.

“I read the letter in my office when it came and was just shocked,” she said, when asked about her MBE.

“Then I realised I couldn’t tell anybody I was getting it. I’m delighted, honoured, humbled and shocked to have received it.”

If you would like to make a difference – to your own life or to others’, then you may find a lifecoaching session helpful. To discover how a lifecoach can help, please visit our Life Coaching Areas section.

View and comment on the original Telegraph article.

Health experts at the National Obesity Forum have warned that now is the time to tell your loved ones if they are carrying a little too much weight.

With the evidence piling up as fast as the chocolate wrappings, the message this Christmas is simple: face the flab. Abdominal fat is increasingly thought to be strongly linked to diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

A recent survey involving over 2,000 people found that nearly half of 18-24 year olds, one third of 25-44 year year olds and one quarter of over 44 year olds would not tell a loved one if they were fat incase it hurt their feelings.

The poll also revealed that men found it harder to tell their partners that they were fat than women did. Women were fine telling their husbands, but less likely to want to tell a friend.

Experts believe that Christmas, what with all the family gatherings, offers a fantastic opportunity to breech the subject.

Professor David Haslam, chair or the NOF, said: “Suggesting to someone that they should consider losing a few pounds may not be a comfortable conversation to have. But if someone close to you has a large waistline then as long as you do it sensitively, discussing it with them now could help them avoid critical health risks later down the line and could even save their life.”

When the modern commercial icon for Christmas is a chubby old man with a soft spot for mince pies and brandy butter, it would come as no surprise if sometime within the next few decades, a popular global brand unveils a healthier, slimmer version of our old pot-bellied friend.

Weight can be an awkward subject to breech with friends and family members. If you find the idea daunting, you could encourage your loved ones to visit a life coach. Life coaches aren’t there to lecture you, or make you feel stupid or bad – they are simply there to educate, guide and motivate. Life coaches  use expert techniques to make people feel good, change lives for the better and help overweight people become not only slimmer and fitter, but happier, and more comfortable in their own skin. To find out more about how a life coach can help, please visit Life Coaching Areas section.

View and comment on the original BBC article.

With Christmas party season in full swing and festivities about to go up a gear this weekend, alcohol will be flowing leaving many of us feeling less than merry the morning after the night before.

Though Christmas is a time for happiness and cheer, unfortunately alcohol means that tis the season for red faces after we embarrass ourselves in front of friends and colleagues after a few too many.

If you have decided you want to avoid the yearly office party embarrassment or you just don’t fancy a throbbing head or a stomach that’s doing so many turns it could churn butter, then read on for some useful tips on the do’s and don’t of Christmas drinking:

1. Don’t drink on an empty stomach

This is the cardinal rule if you wish to avoid a hangover. Food helps to moderate the absorption of alcohol and also reduces the chances of any stomach irritation.

2. Choose your drinks wisely

According to the brains behind alcohol, congeners – which are impurities produced by the fermentation process are a contributing factor in the severity of a hangover.

Dark spirits such as red wine and brandy contain a higher level of congeners than clear spirits such as vodka and gin, so are preferential if you wish to avoid feeling terrible the day after. The same goes for any alcohols that have been distilled, as they will have been purified to a greater extent meaning lower congener levels.

3. Don’t mix your drinks

Mixing up different drinks with different congener levels and impurities could result in a worse hangover than if you stick to the same tipple all night.

4. Drink water

Alcohol dehydrates the body so stock up before hand so that you will be less dehydrated at the end. Ideally you should also alternate between water and alcohol throughout the night, which not only keeps you hydrated but also means you may end up drinking less alcohol.

It is really important that you know your limits when drinking alcohol, especially when in a working professional environment. If you are concerned about your behaviour when you are under the influence of alcohol then the most sensible option is not to drink at all.

View and comment on the original All About You article.