Good Health Choices Magazine NZ November 2017

Welcome to your new-look Good Health Choices magazine. You’ll see we’ve had a fresh spring makeover and changed up our regular sections so we can ensure that we’re bringing you everything you need to be the healthiest, happiest version of you! At Good Health Choices we don’t believe that being healthy is something you do, but rather it’s a fundamental part of the way you live your life. It’s not enough to eat your greens and work out five times a week if you’re feeling stressed, sleeping badly or neglecting your own needs while trying to juggle all the other demands in your life. I know that when one of these factors is out of whack for me then my whole sense of wellbeing goes right out the window and…

I’M WITH YOU, MAKAIA! After having a baby last year I’ve been feeling under pressure to get back my pre-baby body, and experiencing almost daily disappointment about how different I look now. I loved reading Makaia Carr’s story in the October issue of Good Health Choices, and it really made me think about why I feel like this. Makaia’s comments about focusing on love and acceptance and, in particular, staying away from social media that doesn’t make you feel good, really resonated with me. Thanks so much for giving a balanced view of health that includes not just physical aspects but also mental wellbeing! – Sarah BACK TO HEALTH I have to admit I hadn’t bought Good Health Choices in a while, but the October issue caught my eye so…

TAKE US TO THE BEACH ! shenaemuirhead “Study break on the beach with Peanut!” #goodhealthnz MUM’S TIME OUT carly.bakes.alot “A bit of time out in the middle of the toddler whirlwind. Love the easy tips to improve sleep, workouts and more. Great meal ideas too! Thanks” #goodhealthnz BE IN TO WIN! ‘Gram our November issue, tag us on Instagram @goodhealthnz and be in to win: Pete Evans’ book, Low Carb, Healthy Fat, RRP $39.99.…

We have a finite amount of brain space dedicated to making decisions A choice too far... Do you ever get the feeling, after a busy day at work or running around after children, or both, that if you’re asked to make another decision your brain might just explode? It’s sometimes the reason why having to decide what’s for dinner can be a step too far. Well, it turns out it’s a real phenomenon – it’s called decision fatigue. According to experts at Florida State University, it’s the reason so many normally logical, rational people end up making silly, snap decisions when things end up in the too hard basket. We’re lacking the mental energy for our brain to go through the convoluted process it has to negotiate each time it…

Healthy habits New Zealand has one of the highest rates of childhood obesity, but an Otago University study has found there are two ways we can combat it: establishing family rules around food, and reducing screen time. The study looked at 30 Pacific Island families and found that parents with healthy-weight children regularly ate breakfast and lunch, rather than skipping meals; had strict household food rules, eg no fizzy drinks; and limited children’s screen time, including television and gaming. ‘It’s making sure you’re active throughout the day’ BACK TO BASICS An Australian survey of more than 10,000 women found that 60 per cent of them didn’t meet the recommended 2.5 hours of physical activity a week, citing either exhaustion or lack of spare time as the main reason why. The…

Here are some sobering facts. “Most people now check their smartphones 150 times per day, or every six minutes,” writes New York psychotherapist Nancy Colier in her book The Power of Off. “Young adults are now sending an average of 110 texts per day [and] 46 per cent of smartphone users now say their devices are something they couldn’t live without.” 1 IN 3 That’s how many people admitted they’d rather give up sex than their smartphones, according to a University of Maryland investigation.…