Easy 5-minute life hacks to help you banish bloat, lower blood pressure & reduce stiffness while barely lifting a finger
KIM KARDASHIAN’S trainer says anyone can get a body like hers – with just five minutes’ exercise a day.
It may seem a stretch, but you CAN improve your physical and mental health in that time.
Here, TV’s Dr Emeka Okorocha, author of Your Health In Your Hands, tells Miranda Knox how . . .
FEEL THE GROOVE: Dancing helps to improve brain function and boosts memory.
Scientists have found the areas of the brain that control memory and skills, such as organising, improve with exercise.
FART WALK: A quick stroll relieves gas after dinner and helps reduce bloating and acid reflux.
Even just three extra chews on your food can improve digestion.
WALK BACKWARDS: Going in reverse can help relieve back pain, knee problems and arthritis.
HUFF AND PUFF: Research suggests 4½ minutes of vigorous activity during daily tasks could reduce the risk of some cancers by up to 32 per cent.
CHANGE YOUR PILLOW: Switching your pillowcase regularly protects eyes and skin from harmful bacteria.
KEEP BLINKING: Ease fatigue by blinking often and well, which helps to clean and moisturise your eyes.
Start by blinking quickly 20 times, then close your eyes for three deep breaths.
Do this every 20 minutes.
TAKE THE STAIRS: Weight-bearing exercises like climbing stairs, which force your body to work against gravity, help to strengthen bones.
Do it on your lunch break or add a few minutes of extra elevation to your evening run.
TAKE OFF MAKE-UP: You might not want to bother, but leaving it on means you may clog up tear ducts and irritate the cornea, risking eye infection.
TALK IT OUT: Isolation is linked to depression, heart attack and stroke.
Take five to video call a friend, chat to a colleague or even talk to a stranger.
MIX IT UP: Switch from using your dominant to your non-dominant hand for a few minutes when doing daily tasks.
This can significantly impact your brain function when it is done consistently.
WALK BAREFOOT: Five minutes a day of walking without shoes and socks, on grass, has reportedly been shown to help stabilise our physiology and reduce pain, inflammation and stress, while improving blood flow and sleep.
DESKERCISE: Combat obesity, higher cholesterol and blood pressure with one-minute stretches, leg lifts and push-ups to boost circulation and reduce stiffness.
MUCK AROUND: A little dirt can be good for you.
Research found people who grow up in the countryside have lower rates of Crohn’s disease.
So get gardening.
EGG IT ON: For those with Type 2 diabetes, a protein snack for breakfast may reduce the blood-sugar spike after a meal.
It takes around just five minutes to cook a soft-boiled egg.