30 health tips that could save your life

1. Eat food, mostly plants, not too much
It's the secret of healthy eating, says US science writer Michael Pollan. Food is best eaten fresh, so avoid any with ingredients that sound like a chemistry lesson or that arrive on the back of a scooter. Most of it should be plants - veg. ‘Meat is better as a side dish than a main,' says Pollan.

2. If you want to be happy, live near your friends
Connecting on Facebook isn't enough - in fact, research shows people who spend a lot of time on the internet are more unhappy. What you need is a good friend round the corner, according to one 20-year study. It found that having a friend less than a mile from your home can increase your happiness by 25% - more than your spouse.

3. Standing on one leg can help you live longer
Good balance could stop you from falling and breaking a bone. Practise standing on one leg while you clean your teeth and balancing on tiptoes with your eyes closed.

4. Your body craves sleep more than food
Sleep isn't optional. You can live without food for a week, but after staying awake for a few nights your eyes close involuntarily (hence those Don't Drive Tired signs). In the long term, a lack of sleep lowers immunity, increasing the risk of a range of diseases from colds to cancer, says Professor Colin Espie, director of the Sleep Centre at Glasgow University. It's also linked to weight gain, stress and depression - more reasons to have an early night. Read more on getting a good night's sleep

5. Your waist should be smaller than your TV screen
The British Heart Foundation says 31½ inches should be the top measurement for women, though the average woman's waist is 34in. It's worth whittling down because a build-up of toxic fat round the middle puts you at risk of diabetes and heart disease. Measure level with your tummy button, even if that's not where you're thinnest, because your waist can be an innie or an outie, too.

6. Natural doesn't mean harmless
From morphine to St John's wort, if a plant is powerful enough to cure, it's powerful enough to harm. Treat them with respect and get advice from a professional, not a sales assistant. Read more on complementary medicine

7. It still counts if you do it standing up
Whether it's scoffing a bag of crisps or quickie sex, the consequences are the same whether you're upright or prone. The only difference is that standing burns twice as many calories.

8. Eat real food to lose real weight
High-sugar foods make your blood sugar spike and then plummet, which sends you racing back to the biscuit jar. Eating moderate amounts of fresh fruit and veg, wholegrains and lean protein every three to four hours reins in your appetite and makes it easier to shed body fat, says US fitness guru Dr Pamela Peeke.

9. Your back isn't supposed to be straight
Backs are S-shaped, so pick a chair that gives lumbar support or use a cushion to maintain the natural curve. If you sleep on your back, a pillow under your knees helps support the lower spine. Read more on improving your posture

10. If the food on your plate is all the same colour, something's missing
Hint: the answer is fruit and veg, but not potatoes, which don't count towards your five-a-day. A rainbow of colours is best because each of the five groups (red, yellow, orange, green and purple) provides different nutrients.

11. Cleaning your teeth can protect your heart, lungs, and unborn child
Bacteria-rich plaque can inflame more than your gums. The germs can migrate, triggering clots in the arteries, chest infections, and even premature birth, says the British Dental Health Foundation.

12. Don't eat cereals that change the colour of the milk
They're full of chocolate - of course. Such cereals are also likely to be highly processed and full of additives and refined carbohydrates. Read more on a healthy big breakfast

13. There's no such thing as a senior moment
Low expectations, not an ageing brain, cause most middle-aged memory lapses, says psychologist Ed Cooke, author of Remember, Remember. ‘In one study, young people were divided into two groups. One was given neutral keywords like car and bottle, the other, terms associated with ageing, like grey and bingo. When the speed with which they left the room was measured, the ‘bingo' group was much slower. I'd urge people not to cite their age as an excuse for forgetfulness. Memory is a skill everyone can learn.' Read more on improving your memory

14. Eat leaves rather than seeds
Cattle are fed carbs to fatten them - one reason to cut down on grain, says Michael Pollan in his book 'Food Rules'. Another is that grains are very dense in calories, which unbalances the diet. Leaves - green veg - are rich in inflammation-fighting omega-3s that many of us lack.

15. Retuning your radio can change your life
About 85% of what we do is pure habit, says Professor Ben Fletcher of Hertfordshire University. Doing something different every day - even just switching radio stations - breaks the chain and opens the mind to new possibilities.

16. Don't have sex with men who won't commit
Oxytocin, the ‘bonding' hormone that floods women's bodies after orgasm, creates an emotional connection that's hard to resist. It might make you feel in love with your partner after you have sex, says psychiatrist and gynaecologist Laura Berman, even if you know in your heart that he's always going to remain detached. Read more on a healthy sex life

17. Checking your pulse can prevent a stroke
Place the pads of your first two fingers on the inside of your wrist, beneath the thumb - the beat should be regular. If it's not, see your GP. An irregular pulse may mean your heartbeat's jumpy too, which puts you at risk of stroke.

18. Eating fibre is the best way to detox
Fruit, veg, wholegrains and pulses can protect you from the most toxic digestive disease of all, says Bowel Cancer UK. An overview of 100 studies by the World Cancer Research Fund shows people who eat the  most fibre have the lowest risk of bowel cancer and those who eat the least have the highest.

19. Don't use your mobile in the loo
Germs thrive on your mobile because it's kept warm in your bag or pocket. Next time you use it, they can hop to your face, infecting your skin, eyes, or insides. Best to make that call after washing your hands.

20. The most important person to keep in touch with is yourself
Mobiles and email mean we can contact anyone at any time - but we risk losing touch with ourselves, says mindfulness meditation pioneer Jon Kabat Zinn. To do that, we need to pay attention to how we feel right now. Living in the moment, not the past or the future, helps us reconnect.

21. Move for half an hour, most days, quite fast
Experts agree that exercise is medicine - reducing the risk of heart disease, breast and bowel cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity and depression. So here's the NHS prescription: 30 minutes of exercise five days a week, sufficient to make you warm and slightly out of breath. Walking up a slope might do it but, if not, up the tempo until you start to sweat or pant. Read more on getting enough exercise

22. Too much salt is bad for your stomach
A high intake can feed the bacteria that trigger ulcers and stomach cancer, says World Action on Salt and Health. Read more on cutting down on salt

23. Breast screening starts in the shower
Most lumps are found by women, not an X-ray machine. Get to know what your breasts look like throughout your cycle, says Breakthrough, and report any unusual changes - in shape, nipples, skin texture and underarms - as well as lumps. Do this even if you have regular NHS breast screening: a lot can happen in three years. And if you do find a lump, remember: 90% are benign. Read more on checking your breasts

24. Animals, nuts, and beans fill you up
Eat protein at every meal, says nutritionist Ian Marber. It takes longer than carbs to digest, keeping hunger at bay.

25. If your jaw aches, get your heart checked
Women are more likely than men to have ‘silent' heart attacks. Signs range from toothache and pain in the jaw, neck or shoulder, to exhaustion, indigestion and breathlessness. Get them checked out - especially if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or a family  history of heart trouble. Read more on minimising your heart-disease risk

26. Shouting and shaking can save a life
You can do more than call 999 if someone collapses near you. Shout ‘Can you hear me?' and ‘Open your eyes' while gently shaking their shoulders, says St John Ambulance. If there's no response, put one  hand on their forehead, then lift their chin with two fingers to help them breathe. Wait for 10 seconds: if they don't breathe on their own, start chest compressions. Read more on emergency first aid

27. Measure your height every year after 45
Shrinking is a sign your spine is compressing due to fragile vertebrae. If you lose 2cm or more in height, ask for a bone density scan. Read more on bone strength

28. If you smoke and your voice is hoarse for over three weeks, see a doctor
Your vocal cords may need inspecting to rule out disease. The usual procedure is an endoscopy, using a miniature camera fed through your nose. (It's so tiny, it's painless.)

29. Check food labels for anything ending in ‘ose'
Sucrose, dextrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose or saccharose - they're all sugars. While you're reading food labels, look out for HFCS - high fructose corn syrup. Avoid.

30. Keep calm if you want to ward off dementia
‘It's important to control blood pressure from mid-life to reduce the risk of dementia,' says the Alzheimer's Society. Stress and too much eating, drinking and smoking can send it zooming. If yours is below 120/80, checking it every two years should be enough. If it's any higher or has been high in the past, check it more often. If it hits 140/90, you'll probably be prescribed medication.

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