Your Body Mass Index (BMI) gives a good indication of whether you are a healthy weight and what percentage of your body is fat. I frequently receive letters asking how to calculate BMI, and if you are feeling lazy, you can find a BMI calculator at www.naturalhealthlines.com — or else, you can follow the guide below.
Working It Out
BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared:
BMI = weight (kg) divided by height (m) x height (m)
Sara weighs 90 kilos and her height is 1.60 meters. The BMI calculation would be:
1.60 times 1.60 = 2.56
90 divided by 2.56 = 35
This gives her BMI, which is interpreted as follows:
under 20 = underweight
20-25 = ideal healthy weight
25-30 = overweight and advisable to lose weight
30-40 = you should lose weight for your health as you are in the obese category
over 40 = seriously overweight and in grave health danger
If you find that you are overweight, you need to make a sensible plan and aim to lose weight gradually. You can aim for half a kilo per week by making sensible, gradual changes to exercise and diet every week. Make time for some exercise, even if it is only stair climbing every day. In six weeks, you will notice a difference. You can email [email protected] for a free copy of my healthy eating guide.
Join Me in My Weekly Task
Begin a 20-minute programme of exercises every morning.
Why? Exercise is much better for you than a few extra minutes huddled under the duvet. Daily exercise is a great all-over body toner. Exercise gets the circulation going and makes you feel happier and brighter for the day ahead, no matter what it holds.
How? Get up 20 minutes earlier. Follow the Tabloid mini-morning workout of buy and exercise video. Exercise each part of the body starting with gentle stretches. Do it every day so that it becomes part of your daily routine.
Recipe of the Week
Orange Grilled Chicken with Herbs
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. orange peel, grated
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, minced
1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
freshly ground black pepper
680 g boneless chicken breast fillets, skin attached
120 ml (130 g) fresh orange juice
2 tbsp (30 g) vinegar
1 tbsp (17 g) Worcestershire sauce
Method
Combine the first 5 ingredients in a small bowl to make the herb mixture. Take each chicken breast and slip your fingers between the skin and flesh of the chicken, leaving the skin attached. Slide some of the herb mixture under the skin of each breast, pulling the skin back over each breast when finished. Prepare an outside grill with an oiled rack set 10 cm above the heat source. On a gas grill, set the heat to high. Mix together the orange juice, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Grill the chicken breasts for 3-4 minutes on each side, turning once and basting with the orange juice mixture, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the skin before eating.
Getting Active
Exercise To Lower Blood Pressure
A review of more than 50 medical research studies suggests that aerobic exercise can significantly lower your blood pressure, regardless of whether or not you suffer from high blood pressure. This reduction can lead to a decreased risk of having a stroke, heart disease, congestive heart failure, or severe kidney disease. Researchers have concluded that regular aerobic exercise is an important method to help prevent and treat high blood pressure.
Ask Alva
I have a small scar on my face that is red and swollen. Is there anything that I can eat to help it heal quickly? Wendy P.
I would recommend you follow a normal, healthy diet. And try taking the following steps:
Do not expose the scar to the sun, as scar tissue can turn darker than normal tissue in sunlight.
Massage some natural vitamin E oil into the scar two or three times daily. Cosmetic surgeons recommend this to help scars heal faster.
Avoid swimming for a week or two as pool chemicals can prevent the skin from healing properly. Alva
