Vitality Magazine - Summer 2014

PRUM10157

SUMMER EDITION 2014

WIrNLeague

JESSICA ENNIS-HILL

EXERCISE IDEAS FOR KIDS

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Family Activities For The Holidays YOUR HEALTH

Vitality guide to back care See p14

GET IN SHAPE FOR SUMMER

See p27

JONNY WILKINSON

HOW TO BE OLDER BUT FITTER!

ie ry Prem s, a luxu t d e n tick l stay a y! e t n o o e h ng m i d n spe 66 See p

Steven Gerrard Q&A

GOOD FOOD GUIDE

Expert advice on what to eat, what not to eat, and why

“The Vitality programme is great”

8 PAGES OF YOUR VITALITY BENEFITS See p37

WWW.PRUHEALTH.CO.UK

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WELCOME TO

MAGAZINE! YOUR GUIDE TO LIVING LIFE WELL Welcome to our summer edition of Vitality magazine. And what a fantastic summer it’s shaping up to be! With the World Cup reaching a fantastic climax, it’s a great privilege for me to introduce our latest Vitality partnership with three of the top English Premiership football teams – Arsenal, Liverpool FC and Manchester City. We believe in the power of sport to help inspire people to get healthier. That’s why we partner with leading sports figures, teams and events to help spread the Vitality message.

If World Cup fever hasn’t got you off the couch and into the park for a kickabout, maybe one of the many other great events of the summer will? Whether it’s the Commonwealth Games, the cricket or Wimbledon – or maybe you’re taking part in our very own Vitality Run Series – there’s something for everyone to feel inspired by, no matter what your age or ability. Summer’s a great time to get outdoors with friends and family, to move about and have some fun.

In this issue we’ve put together a host of great articles from our health and wellness experts plus fantastic contributions from our Vitality Ambassadors, Jonny Wilkinson and Jessica Ennis-Hill, on how to stay in shape as we grow older and how to help our children get into the exercise habits that will serve them so well when they’re older. We’ll also hear stories from some of our members about how Vitality has helped them lead healthier lives, and you’ll find a complete list of all our Vitality partners in the ‘Your Plan’ section in the centre of the magazine.

I hope you have a great summer.

Enjoy the read.

Helping everyone to be more active and stay motivated is really important. I hope that Liverpool FC’s association with Vitality can inspire more people to get fit and stay healthy

Contents 10 Steven Gerrard

A quick chat with the Liverpool FC captain and England legend

12 Vitality Run Series Fancy a new challenge? Join us on one of our exciting running events

14 Watch Your Back

Are you having trouble with back pain? We can help

18 Vitality Explained It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3...

20 Good Food Guide No fads, just facts, courtesy of Vitality partner BMI Healthcare’s top dietician

Neville CEO, Vitality

welcome

WWW.PRUPROTECT.CO.UK

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25 Member Story How Richard, 51, used our Physio Network to get back on his bike

27 Get In Shape This Summer Whatever level of fitness you’re at, we’ve made a programme for you

32 Member Story

When mum-to-be Tricia was struck with a sudden brain disorder, PruProtect stepped in

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What is Vitality?

It’s easy to explain with these three steps…

We call our healthy living rewards programme Vitality.

It’s available to all of our members.

1. UNDERSTAND YOUR HEALTH

Maintaining your wellbeing is easier once you’ve gained a good understanding of your current health.

2. GET HEALTHIER

48 38 Lifestyle Health Insurance Join us on the journey of a lifetime

There are lots of ways you can get active with our Vitality partners – and because you’re a Vitality member, it’s cheaper to get healthier.

55 Member Story 36-year-old Louise and her Vitality-loving family

40 Member.vitality

56 Fitness Devices

42 Vitality Partners

60 Jessica Ennis-Hill

A guide to our website

All our member benefits in one place

47 Jonny Wilkinson

Our Vitality Ambassador talks about growing old gracefully

33 Britain’s Healthiest Company

48 “I don’t like salad!”

Could your boss take part?

52 Diabetes: the risks

They will when they taste these...

Good advice from Vitality partner LloydsPharmacy

The clever tools of the trade

Tips from our Vitality Ambassador for getting kids into exercise

61 1 2 Brilliant Things To Do This Summer Start today!

66 Win!

EITHER tickets to watch Arsenal, Liverpool FC or Man City plus a stay

in a swanky hotel OR Arsenal coaching

at a soccer school for 50 kids

3. REAP THE REWARDS

Vitality gives you discounts through its partners and points for doing healthy things – come and find out more!

Turn to page 18 for more information on how Vitality can help you…

LOOK FOR THESE BOXES

They’ll tell you about our Vitality partners.

See page 42 for a comprehensive list of all the partners available to Vitality members.

PHOTOS THROUGHOUT: GETTY, THINKSTOCK, I-IMAGES, EYEVINE, © 2014 RB CREATE. COMMISSIONED PHOTOGRAPHY: RICHARD NICHOLSON, MIKE PRIOR, CHARLOTTE TOLHURST. FOOD STYLIST: AMBER ROSE, PROP STYLIST: LINDA BERLIN.

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Notes

NUTRITION

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YOUR WELLBEING GUIDE Six pages of the latest scientific research about health, food and drink, fitness, wellbeing and more

Get ly a r h t? up ew eig the day e s to lo right light earlytoina new study

HEALTHY HOLIDAYS

CAN YOU INFLUENCE YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM?

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Women who eat a lot of fish high in omega-3 fatty acids may be reducing their risk of breast cancer by as much as 14 per cent, according to a review of existing studies published in the British Medical Journal. Researchers analysed 26 studies from across the globe that featured 883,585 participants – including 20,905 women with breast cancer – and found that a diet high in salmon, sardines and mackerel is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer, and that for every 0.1 grams of omega-3 fatty acids consumed through fish every day, that risk reduces by five per cent.

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HEALTH

Yes, according to a new study in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that examined whether it was possible to train the body to boost its immune system through specific activity. The study recruited 24 healthy young men and split them into two groups – one group underwent a training programme of cold water swimming, breathing techniques and meditation under medical supervision; the other was a control group who did no training. Ten days later the participants were injected with harmless, dead E Coli bacteria to spark an immune response. The volunteers who followed the training programme had higher levels of adrenaline and lower levels of inflammation than the control group, indicating that it might be possible to influence the body’s immune system. So if you fancy a dip in chilly UK waters, go ahead: it’s good for you!

Just one day

That’s all it takes for your gut to adapt to major nutritional changes. In a study published in Nature, researchers looked at the effects of two Nature contrasting diets on microorganisms in the gut. Volunteers ate either an animal-based diet of meat, cheese and eggs but no fibre, or a plant-based diet: grains, pulses, fruits and vegetables. The study found an increase, after just one day on the animal-based diet, in the number of bile-tolerant bacteria in the gut, and fewer microorganisms than before the test that metabolise plant foods. The suggestion that the body adapts well to these changes is reassuring for anyone wanting to switch from meat-eater to vegetarian.

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The reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes for people who are moderately active

WELLNESS

EXERCISE VS DRUGS Regular exercise has long been linked to any number of health benefits, and new research indicates that it could be as effective as taking prescribed drugs in reducing the risk of dying from common health conditions. The study reviewed 305 trials with 339,274 participants to determine the benefits of physical activity versus medication in lowering the chances of dying from heart disease, stroke, heart failure or prediabetes. Researchers found that exercise potentially offered similar effectiveness to drug treatments in terms of reducing the risk of death from heart disease, heart failure or prediabetes – while stroke rehabilitation exercise was found to be more effective than drugs. www.member.vitality.co.uk 5

notes HEALTH

The dangers of a sedentary lifestyle for senior adults

FACT

SLEEP = BEAUTY! The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine recruited 20 patients with sleep apnoea, which interrupts breathing during sleep, took facial images of the participants before and after treatment, then asked people to rate the two images. Twice as many preferred the posttreatment photos, judging them to be more alert, more youthful and better looking.

The images also revealed the patients had fewer wrinkles and less redness under their eyes after treatment.

Over 60? Spend a lot of time sitting down? Then get up! New research in The Journal of Physical Activity and Health suggests that senior adults who spend lots of time seated are at increased risk of developing some kind of disability. The study of 2,286 adults over 60 monitored how much of their day was spent being active.

Despite being awake for around 14 hours, researchers found on average

two-thirds of that time was spent sitting down. The results of the study then indicated that the more time older people spend in a sedentary state, the more at risk they are of having a disability – and that risk significantly increased, by more than 50 per cent, with every additional hour spent sitting down, regardless of how much physical activity the study group did during the day.

You’d be nuts not to eat them...

Full of vitamins, minerals, protein and unsaturated fats, nuts may even help you live longer. The New England Journal of Medicine analysed how often 76,464 women and 42,498 men ate one serving of nuts (28g) over 25 years or more. They found a significant association between eating nuts and lower risk of dying, with participants who ate a portion of nuts at least seven times a week having a 20 per cent lower risk of death from causes such as heart disease, cancer and respiratory disease.

SKINCARE

Sunscreen…

STRESS

STOP SMOKING, FEEL BETTER Many smokers lean on their cigarettes as a way to reduce stress and anxiety, and use that as an excuse for not giving up, but new research suggests the opposite may in fact be true – because quitting is good for your mental as well as your physical health. The study published in the British Medical Journal in February indicates that people who stop smoking have reduced

levels of anxiety, depression and stress, as well as improved positive moods and quality of life in comparison to those who continue to smoke.

If you want to quit smoking, we can help – Allen Carr’s Easyway To Stop Smoking course is FREE for Vitality members. For more details, visit member.vitality.co.uk

BRAIN POWER

Exercise boosts brain function years afterwards In a study published in the journal Neurology, researchers took 2,747 men and women aged between 18-30 and measured their cardiovascular fitness on a treadmill. They then did the same 20 years later, then tested the group’s memory and thinking skills a further five years later. The study indicated that those who were fittest in their youth performed best in the thinking tests 25 years later.

WEIGHT-LOSS

Prehistoric diets It may sound faddy but the Paleo diet, which encourages eating fish, meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds, could help you lose weight, especially in the short term. The diet revolves around eating foods in their natural state and is based on the types of foods humans would have eaten during Paleolithic times – so no processed foods such as bread, pasta or sugar. A recent study compared the effects of eating a Paleo diet versus a Nordic diet rich in oily fish, whole grains, fruit and vegetables. For two years, 70 obese women were asked to follow one or the other. After six months, both groups recorded significant loss of body fat and smaller waistlines, but the results were greater in the women eating the Paleo diet.

By the end of the two-year study, the women on both diets still reported significant weight-loss, but the gap between the two groups had narrowed.

should be applied daily if you want your skin to stay looking young. A four-year study in Australia of people under 55 found that the skin of participants who applied suntan lotion every day appeared to age 24 per cent less than those who applied it on an occasional basis.

DIABETES

A YOGHURT A DAY ...could help keep the risk of developing type 2 diabetes at bay. A new study has shown that eating 125g portions of yoghurt or similar low-fat fermented dairy products (such as cottage cheese or fromage frais) four to five times a week is associated with a 24 per cent lower risk of developing the condition, regardless of age, gender or family history. The research, which was published in the journal Diabetologia earlier this year, analysed the eating habits of more than 4,000 people living in the UK.

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ANTIHISTAMINES

Olive oil + vegetables = low blood pressure

Available as a tablet, capsule, lotion, gel or nasal spray, antihistamines are used to treat mild allergic reactions such as hay fever, insect bites and hives.

Some types of antihistamine can cause drowsiness so look for varieties such as loratadine or cetirizine which don’t usually cause drowsiness (and avoid diphenhydramine and chlorphenamine).

HOLIDAY HEALTH

TAKEAWAY FIRST AID KIT

From hay fever to insect bites and sunburn, summer holidays can present a host of health problems. When you’re off on holiday, it pays to be prepared – so make sure you don’t leave home without these essential items…

According to new research, combining unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, with vegetables leads to decreased blood pressure.

In a study published in the journal PNAS,, researchers examined the effects of a Mediterranean diet on mice and found that when eaten together, the unsaturated fat in the olive oil plus the nitrites and nitrates in the vegetables combined to produce nitro fatty acids – which in turn help to reduce blood pressure.

INSECT REPELLENT Handy if you’re going somewhere you’re likely to encounter midges or mosquitos. Look for repellants that contain Diethyltolyamide, otherwise known as DEET, which is thought to be the most effective repellant available, and apply just enough to cover your exposed parts of skin. If you’re applying insect repellant during the day, it’s best to do so after you’ve applied your suntan lotion.

SUNTAN LOTION Choose sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more – the higher the SPF, the more protection it will offer. You should also ensure your sunscreen protects against both UVA and UVB rays. UVA protection is measured with a five-star rating, with five stars offering the greatest protection. Apply a shot glass-full of sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside, then reapply every two hours or after you’ve been swimming or if you’ve been sweating profusely. You should also avoid using sunscreen beyond its expiry date.

AFTER SUN CREAM If you do get burned, aftersun lotions, especially those with aloe vera, can help to soothe the skin and lock in moisture.

BITE AND STING CREAM

WEIGHT-LOSS

They can help to relieve the symptoms of insect bites and stings. Look for creams that contain local anaesthetic, antihistamine (see above) or mild 1% hydrocortisone. Also available in spray format.

Hyoscine hydrobromide tablets can help to prevent travel sickness. To maximise their effectiveness, you should take them half an hour before you travel.

FIND OUT MORE:

member.vitality.co.uk

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PAINKILLERS It’s always good to have some painkillers with you in case anyone falls ill. The most common types are paracetamol or ibuprofen. Paracetamol is suitable for treating headaches or other aches and pains, while ibuprofen is good for reducing inflammations.

REHYDRATION SOLUTIONS Useful if you’re travelling with children, these help to rehydrate the body by replenishing lost salts and potassium. Make sure they contain potassium, sodium and glucose or starch.

PICTURE CREDIT

You can find all these items at LloydsPharmacy and get cash back of between 10-50 per cent either instore or online with a LloydsPharmacy Vitality card.

CAN RED WINE AND CHOCOLATE FIGHT CANCER? YES/NO It’s a popular healthy food story that, sadly, may be incorrect.

Resveratrol, an antioxidant found in red wine and dark chocolate, has long been thought to help protect against cancer – but a study in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests this might not be the case. Researchers took 783 people aged 65 or older and followed them for nine years, during which time 34 per cent of the volunteers passed away. The study found that the amount of resveratrol they consumed had no effect at all on their levels of inflammation, cancer, cardiovascular disease and mortality rates.

But don’t write off the health benefits of red wine and dark chocolate just yet – they also contain bioflavonoids that help to reduce inflammation and blood-clotting. Phew, carry on!

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times

The increase in hospital admissions between 2002 and 2012 due to obesity

SHORT-TERM LOSS, LONG-TERM GAIN

TRAVEL SICKNESS TABLETS

VITALITY BENEFIT: 10-50% CASH BACK AT LLOYDSPHARMACY

HEALTH

Even losing weight for a temporary period can help to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a recent study in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

Researchers looked at the Body Mass Index (BMI) of 1,273 Britons: when they were kids, then at 36, 43, 53 and 60+. At each stage they were labelled ‘normal weight’, ‘overweight’ or ‘obese’, had their blood pressure measured and gave blood samples.

The results indicated that those who went down a BMI category at some point in their life reduced their risk of cardiovascular conditions such as high blood pressure, even if they later put that weight back on. This suggests that weight-loss, even when it’s temporary, may have long-term benefits for cardiovascular health.

SUMMER SPORT

Keep your eyes on the prize!

If you play tennis, cricket or rounders this summer, keep your eye on the ball at all times if you want to do well.

Scientists asked 10 women who had all played ball sports for years to catch a sequence of tennis balls launched one after the other by a projecting machine – and measured their vision with a mobile eye-tracker. The researchers found that the participants who successfully caught the balls had tracked them with their eyes for 95 per cent of the time they were in the air.

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new Vitality partnership performing at our best. But I can’t pass on ‘five helpful tips for controlling your inner chimp’! It doesn’t work like that because everyone is an individual, and what clicks for one person might not for another.

Steven Gerrard Q&A The England skipper whose club, Liverpool FC, have just become a Vitality partner, tells us what he’s learned during his brilliant career about leadership, motivation and mental strength

Q

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in 20 years at Liverpool football club?

desire to do well for the club and its fans, and to be a good role model. Most of all, I want to know, when my career is finally done, that I made the most of the fantastic opportunities that have come my way.

The importance of respect: for my team-mates, the coaching staff and the supporters.

Q

Q

What do you think you would have done if professional sport hadn’t worked out?

Believe me, I’ve tasted the heights of success but also the pain of coming close and failing. The crucial thing is to keep a sense of perspective. We’re all too harsh on ourselves – and on other people.

Achieving a great result is a brilliant feeling but we need to pat ourselves on the back for putting in the effort, too. We can’t always win, but we can always try to be our best.

I’d have probably followed my dad into the building trade, maybe run my own business. I like the responsibility of leadership, so I think I’d have wanted to lead the business from the front.

Q

What creates a successful leader on the pitch?

There are many, many attributes which make a good captain. I think, first and foremost, you have got to be unselfish.

You have got to think of other people, you have got to put other players before yourself, and you have got to help other players. But the key to being a good captain is to try and do things right yourself – be a good role model. If you do things right, more often than not, the players will follow suit. If you set a good example, they will follow.

Q

Vitality is all about finding the right motivation to get people healthier, how do you stay motivated?

I’m motivated by loads of things: my

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How about when things aren’t going so well?

Q

You’ve been working with sports psychologist Steve Peters for a few years now, with Liverpool and England. What have you learned?

“We can’t always win, but we can always try to be our best”

Well, there isn’t a magic wand – he can’t make a player run 100 metres any quicker – but he can help a player, as long as the player buys into it, with mental preparation. He can help them to understand how the mind works, especially when it’s put under pressure.

Q

Would these mentalstrengthening techniques work for non-professionals?

Absolutely, they’d work for anyone on or

Q

Your gruelling league season fell agonisingly short, then you went straight into the incredible physical and mental demands of a World Cup. Are you ready for next season?

off a sports field who wants to keep their focus, stay positive and achieve results.

Q

Dr Peters talks about different parts of the brain battling to be in control, can you explain that for us?

He wrote a book, The Chimp Paradox, where the chimp is the emotional, irrational part of our brain. That’s the one he challenges us to control. He also encourages us to look for what he calls ‘gremlins’ – negative beliefs, or behaviour patterns, that can inhibit us from

I said when last season was over that as a footballer, you always want more. I felt we were a bit unlucky to finish second, but we gave it a great shot. So what do we do?

Simple – we dust ourselves down and we go again. We’ve got some great players and a great manager, and next month we’ll start the season as genuine title challengers before a ball has even been kicked. But first, I need a holiday!

“Next month we’ll start the season as genuine title challengers before a ball has even been kicked. But first, I need a holiday!”

New Vitality partnerships

A

t PruHealth and PruProtect with Vitality, we are always striving to find more ways to inspire you to get healthier. We believe in the power of sport to help inspire people make those changes, which is why we partner with leading sports figures, teams and events to help us spread the Vitality message.

Jessica Ennis-Hill, Jonny Wilkinson and Seb Coe, our Vitality Ambassadors, are living examples of health and wellbeing who continue to help us inspire Vitality members.

Now we’re delighted to add football, the nation’s most popular sport, to our growing Vitality family.

We’ve partnered with some of the top teams in the country including FA Cup Winners Arsenal, league runners-up Liverpool FC – who made it such a close run thing last season – and champions Manchester City, in the hope that we can inspire even more people to get healthier through association with these great teams.

What’s in it for you?

Mind Management Dr Peters’ book, The Chimp Paradox, focuses on everyday personal mind management. The central idea is that by understanding and managing our thoughts and emotions, we can manage ourselves and become more like the person we really want to be.

“Many of us suffer with thoughts or emotions that are destructive to us but this doesn’t mean we are failing,” he explains. “If we can recognise what is happening within our minds, we can begin to work with this.

Even if we have a good quality of life, we can always ask ourselves if it could be improved.

“We have spontaneous thinking from a machine inside our heads. Our machine thinks actively for us when we might not even agree with the thoughts – but even though we are not responsible for some emotions or thoughts, we are responsible for managing them.”

Dr Peters offers the example of falling and hitting your knee. If it became swollen, you wouldn’t feel guilty about it, you’d just put ice on it and rest it – you’d manage it.

“The mind is similar,” he adds. “Some areas are process-driven and you can’t stop them from reacting, so you needn’t feel guilty about them. But just like the swollen knee, you can manage them.”

Through this partnership, you’ll get access to exclusive interviews and videos, and regular chances to win: n Tickets to Premier League and FA Cup matches n Signed shirts and footballs n Stadium tours n The chance to attend and watch training sessions n Places at Soccer School clinics Plus once-in-a-lifetime opportunities such as: A training session with the players n The opportunity for your child to be a mascot at a game n

DON’T MISS OUT!

We’ll be releasing details of all the ways you can get involved in our new football partnership very soon. Meanwhile, enter our Premier League competition on page 66 –and make sure you’ve registered for Vitality so you don’t miss out: go to

member.vitality.co.uk

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inspiring a nation of runners

run with vitality:

join the fun The Vitality Run Series is a major new running series featuring eight of the UK’s most exciting running events

Pick A Run, Any Run 13 July 2014: London It’s probably too late to enter, but go and cheer the runners on as the British 10K London Run passes over 30 of London’s iconic sights. They can inspire you to have a go yourself!

12 October 2014: Oxford The Brighton halfmarathon: entries welcome for the 22 February 2015 race

The Oxford Half-Marathon’s flat course takes in a piece of running history as you run past the track where Sir Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile.

22 February 2015: Brighton One of the UK’s best loved seaside spots - and half-marathons – is punctuated by Brighton’s iconic sights.

March 2015: North London An exciting new event, starting and finishing in North London at Allianz Park, home of Saracens Rugby.

1 March 2015: Bath The Bath Half-Marathon runs through the heart of this World Heritage City and straddles both sides of the River Avon.

Get active and take on a new challenge: run one, run two or run the whole series!

The Vitality Run Series brings together eight of the UK’s most exciting half-marathons and 10k to provide all runners, irrespective of ability, with the opportunity to take on a new challenge. The series aims to inspire anyone to reach a personal goal and is focused on supporting participants on every step of their journey.

Our team of running experts will provide training and nutrition plans, and by joining the Vitality Running Community you can share your experiences and enjoy special offers and access to events during the course of the series.

GET IN TOUCH If you have a question or would like more information, please visit vitalityrunseries.com where you can also join the Vitality Running Community. You can also keep up to date with our latest news by following us on Twitter and Facebook.

PruHealth ITU World Triathlon, London Triathlon is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK, given a huge boost when the Brownlee brothers captured the hearts of the nation competing at the London 2012 Olympics.

We’re in our second year of sponsoring ITU Triathlon Series in London, which forms part of the World Series. It’s fantastic to be associated with an event that aligns perfectly with our health and wellbeing ethos and the values of Vitality.

In May, amateurs and elite racers competed through Hyde Park on much of the Olympic course. The public were out in force to cheer on the competitors who were inspired by the noisy support. Well done to all those who took part.

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March 2015: Reading The Reading Half-Marathon takes you through the city to end with amazing crowd support in the Madejski Stadium.

March 2015: Liverpool Starting and ending at the World Heritage Site of Pier Head, the Liverpool Half-Marathon course weaves past city sights and parkland before ending on the waterfront under the gaze of the iconic Liver Birds.

PRE-REGISTER FOR 2015

These races are open to anyone. We welcome people of all fitness levels and from all backgrounds who wish to give triathlon a go.

The date for the 2015 PruHealth World Triathlon has not yet been finalised, but you can register your details to receive a priority booking window. http://worldtrilondon.com/#

back care

Watch your back Four out of five adults will experience back pain at some stage...don’t be one of them

esearch from Backcare, a UK charity that provides advice and information about back pain, suggests that four out of five UK adults will experience it at some stage in their lives, and that we’re especially vulnerable between the ages of 35 and 55. But Vitality members can steer clear of back problems, and address any existing issues, with the correct level of professional care allied to appropriate self-help programmes.

Simon Cabot, the clinical lead physiotherapist at Nuffield Health in Canary Wharf, London, has been working as a back specialist for 17 years. He believes there is one piece of advice that’s applicable to all issues relating to our backs, and that’s to keep moving.

“Backs are far more robust than we think, but when most people feel pain, they worry that moving will make the problem worse and lead them to a lifetime of chronic pain. In fact, the opposite is true,” he says. “The important thing is to remain active but do the right amount of movement that is comfortable for the individual, then build upon it to improve their fitness.”

Simon explains that the body – our muscles included – is made up of 70 per

R

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cent water, and gets across his point with the analogy that if water stays still, it starts to stagnate. Move the water and it remains usable. “Moving from one posture to another – even a bad posture – every 10 minutes is better than sitting still in a good posture for an hour. Just shifting around in your chair is better than nothing. Our bodies are designed to move, our whole physiology requires movement to get blood and other fluids pumping through the body to maintain our cells and tissues.”

Back pain can present itself in a variety of ways, such as after lifting something heavy, and it can build over a period of time. But the sensation is different to the stiffness you can feel following a good workout in the gym or after a few hours in the garden. “Pain is when the feeling is sharp, or pins and needles,” explains Simon. “If that’s what you’re feeling and it hasn’t settled down after three or four days, make an appointment to see a physiotherapist because there’s a good chance that what you’re looking at is an underlying problem.”

Whether you’ve never experienced back pain, get the occasional twinge or have an ongoing problem, Simon can recommend ways to remain healthy and self-manage back issues, with exercises to improve your back’s overall wellbeing.

PICTURE CREDIT

Simon Cabot, a physiotherapist and back specialist with Vitality partner Nuffield Health, believes the solution to chronic back pain is available to all of us: keep moving!

OVER THE PAGE: HOW TO MANAGE THE DIFFERENT STAGES OF BACK CARE

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back care

It’s crucial to learn how to lift properly.

Calculate 20% of your own body weight and try never to lift anything heavier than that

HAVE A HEALTHY BACK? KEEP IT THAT WAY

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FEELING SOME TWINGES? TRY A TRIP TO A PHYSIOTHERAPIST “Consider a visit to a physiotherapist.

Sometimes with back trouble, it’s a case of a stitch in time saves nine. You may only need to see a physio two or three times to put right what’s likely to be a small issue.

Ignore it, though, and it can result in a dozen physio apppointments, a lot more pain and possibly time off work.

“A GP is likely to propose medication and refer you for a scan. For anyone over 30, that scan is likely to reveal something such as a degeneration of the spine or a bulging disc, both of which are normal and a natural part of the aging process, but it’s the kind of thing that can make people anxious. A physiotherapist, meanwhile, is a back specialist. They understand how the back works, what’s good and bad, and how to control many problems with an exercise plan that can be done at home.

If they spot anything more worrying, they will refer a patient to their GP for a consultant referral.

“A physiotherapist will ask questions to discover contributing factors to the problem, such as how often you drive, what job you do, the hours you work. For some people it might mean a workstation assessment to improve how they sit, or to set an alarm on their phone so they get up and walk across the office every half-hour.

For others the back pain could be linked to stress, so a 20-minute ‘mindfulness’ session at the end of the day could help relieve the issue. There is no magic bullet, but often a combination of factors are helped with a variety of solutions.”

“Staying active is the best way to keep your back healthy. Nearly every movement we do travels through the back, so any form of motion we do will benefit that area. Think of your body as an expensive car: you wouldn’t leave it idle in the garage, or fill it with low-grade oil, or thrash it on the motorway if it hadn’t been used for a while. So keep your body moving and well maintained with regular exercise, preferably something you enjoy so you’ll stay motivated. Eat a balanced diet packed with healthy foods that are rich in

nutrients and minerals, so the body can properly do all the functions you’re asking it to do. And don’t traumatise the body with sudden, vigorous bouts of exercise: build fitness slowly. Be considerate to your body and your back will be good to you!

“It’s crucial to learn to lift properly.

Calculate 20 per cent of your own body weight and try never to lift anything heavier than that. As for the right lifting technique: go into a squat position, bend the knees and keep your back straight. And if the object is too heavy, or just an awkward size or shape, ask for help.”

“A physiotherapist is a back specialist. They understand how the back works...”

SUFFERING FROM BACK TROUBLE RIGHT NOW? WE CAN HELP YOU GET BETTER “If you are not already seeing a physiotherapist, make an appointment as soon as it’s convenient. With backs, 90 per cent of the pain is very tricky to actually diagnose. There are so many painprovocative structures in our backs that it is difficult to be categorically accurate.

It’s more likely the trouble’s caused by a bit of everything: if your muscles are tight, that will restrict the joint, and if your joint is restricted, that will tighten the muscle.

Often the place the pain makes itself felt is not the source of a specific problem, it’s just the part of the back that is overcompensating.

“A physiotherapist will design an improvement programme to realistically fit in with a patient’s lifestyle. It’s no good

telling a rugby player to do pilates three times a week, or suggesting someone stretches every morning when the only time they can spare is 10 minutes at the end of a long working day. The important thing is to create a bespoke self-treatment plan that will not only help the patient get better but also make them feel more in control and not dictated to by the pain.

Some back conditions such as spinal stenosis, which is a narrowing of the spinal canal, or osteoarthritis, are hereditary but very rare. Sometimes an operation is necessary, but even these conditions can be managed and improved with the right education programme that puts the patient in charge. Back pain is a temporary thing – and patients do get better.”

Do you need physio?

PruHealth members with Out-patient Cover can undergo treatment at more than 1,400 clinics across the UK through our physio network. Just refer yourself and our network will manage your claim. Submit a claim online at member.vitality.co.uk or call the number on your membership card.

www.member.vitality.co.uk 17

2.

GET HEALTHIER

Once you have a good understanding of how healthy you are, and have identified areas you want to improve, you can start working on your goals. There are lots of ways you can get active with our Vitality partners – and because you’re a Vitality member, it’s cheaper to get healthier. You might choose to work out with discounts on monthly gym membership fees, monitor how active you are with Vitality Activity Tracking, or lose weight with discounted Weight Watchers membership. If you’re a smoker, Allan Carr’s EasyWay to Stop Smoking programme can help you give up – and it’s free for all members.

See page 42 for a full list of Vitality partners.

EXPLAINED Our healthy living rewards programme is available to all our members. Vitality helps you understand your health, makes it cheaper and easier to get healthier, and rewards you with discounts and incentives. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3…

GARETH WESTHEAD, VITALITY MEMBER “There are so many perks to Vitality!

I feel good and look better.”

Vitality makes it cheaper and easier for you to get healthier ■

1.

UNDERSTAND YOUR HEALTH

Maintaining or improving your wellbeing is easier once you’ve gained a good understanding of your current health. Vitality makes this simple. Start now by logging in to the Member Zone on our website and taking the quick, free online Health Review. This will show your Vitality Age – a calculation of how ‘old’ your body is based on the condition it’s in. By highlighting any areas where you can improve, Vitality will help you reduce that Vitality Age. For a more detailed analysis, have a Vitality Healthcheck and find out key statistics relating to your blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and Body Mass Index. Just choose Vitality Healthcheck from the Health partners menu in the Member Zone and select a date and location. You can discuss your results with a Vitality GP for free, and if they recommend it, have a half-price health screen with one of our partners, BMI Healthcare or Nuffield Health. You’ll earn valuable Vitality points simply by taking any health assessment with Vitality.

■ Find out your Vitality Age right now and start making improvements: just take the quick, free online Health Review – you’ll earn Vitality points for this, and for a Vitality Healthcheck or full health screen with a Vitality partner ■ One free Vitality Healthcheck is available on all PruHealth plans. PruProtect Vitality members can book a Vitality Healthcheck for just £15

■ Visit the Health and reward partners page on the Member Zone to see all the partners that apply to your plan

GO TO

KATIE EMSLIE, VITALITY MEMBER

“The online Health Review tells you what your Vitality Age is and where you can improve.

Vitality gives you specific goals that you can achieve.”

YOUR NEXT STEPS...

1. New to Vitality? Register at www.member.vitality.co.uk 2. Find out your Vitality Age and start getting healthier by taking the free online Health Review 3. Visit the ‘Health partners and rewards’ area of the site to see all the Vitality partners that apply to your plan

PAGE 42 for a full list of Vitality partners

TRACEY FOLEY, VITALITY MEMBER

“My husband and I saved hundreds of pounds in one year alone!”

3.

REAP THE REWARDS

Vitality gives you discounts through its partners and points for doing healthy things – because when you’re trying to get healthier, a little encouragement goes a long way. So when you head to the gym, go for a run or even pop out for a walk, you could earn Vitality points. When you reach a certain number of points, your Vitality status – Bronze, Silver or Gold – goes up a level until you reach Platinum. Depending on your PruHealth or PruProtect plan and Vitality status, you could get bigger savings with our Vitality partners, cash back or a discount on your premiums. The best thing about Vitality is that you don’t need to make a claim to get something back.

Vitality could reward you with cash back and bigger savings with our partners ■

The healthier you are, the less it costs us to look after you – so we pass on those savings to our members ■

With Vitality, you don’t need to make a claim to get something back ■

healthy eating WE ASKED...

WE ASKED...

“Do eggs raise our cholesterol?”

“Is it okay to add a spoonful of sugar?”

We all know that high levels of cholesterol are bad, so should we ditch the dippy egg? Aktar explodes: “There is nothing wrong with eggs! They are very high in what we call dietary cholesterol, as are prawns and shellfish, but this doesn’t have an impact on your lipid profile – your blood cholesterol. And eggs are really good sources of omega-3 which we encourage as part of a healthy diet.” The key thing, explains Aktar, is the way you cook your eggs. “I wouldn’t suggest that you fry an egg every day as what affects your blood cholesterol is saturated fat, and that’s what you’re frying it in, but boiled or poached are fine.”

In a word: no. “Sugar is found in everything,” Aktar says. “In fresh fruit or certain vegetables, it’s not harmful because it usually comes with other nutrients: fibre, vitamins, minerals and water. We need a certain amount of sugar to help maintain our energy levels and a number of functions that maintain general good health.” But with modern food processing, it’s easy to extract sugar from that natural food and leave the nutrients and fibre behind, so the processed food is not very beneficial to your body. “Fibre allows sugar to be released more slowly, so it doesn’t go straight into your blood, but with processed foods and, in particular, sugary drinks, you have excessive amounts of sugar and very little fibre,” explains Aktar. “The sugar goes straight into your body, which can lead to conditions like diabetes and obesity.”

Good food

(no fads, just facts) Hasina Aktar, a senior dietician for Vitality partner BMI Healthcare, gives us some expert answers about what to eat, what not to eat – and why WE ASKED...

20

www.member.vitality.co.uk

WE ASKED...

“Do carbs make us fat?”

“Is red meat bad for us?”

“A diet with zero carbohydrates is effective in terms of rapid weight loss,” says Aktar. “The worry is maintaining that loss – we’d never recommend a diet where you take out an entire food group for the rest of your life.”

Carbohydrates are essential, she explains: “They’re a great source of energy, vitamins and minerals – and a major source of our fibre, which is good for bowel health.” What’s important is for all of us to start controlling our portions: “If you have excessive amounts, that’s quite a large amount of sugar, which can be harmful for the body. If we have smaller portions, it’s fine for a healthy diet and it won’t encourage weight gain.” Choosing the right options is crucial too. “White carbs are broken down fast and the sugar is quickly released into your body too, which in general is not very good.”

Aktar recommends high-fibre carbs instead: granary bread, basmati rice, baby new or jacket potatoes, wholegrain cereals and wholewheat pasta.

Red meat has received plenty of bad press in recent years, but Hasina thinks that’s a mistake. “The advice that you shouldn’t eat red meat is not correct – it’s absolutely encouraged as part of a good healthy diet. Providing it’s fresh, it is a very good source of iron and the B vitamins, and lots of minerals.” The only issue, she adds, is that it’s high in saturated fat: “That’s basically the visible white fat,” she explains, “so buy as lean as possible or take as much of this off as you can.” But what about cancer risk? “Sometimes carcinogens can be produced when you are barbecuing meat,” she explains, “but in terms of normal cooking, there is no evidence to suggest it increases the risk of cancer.” Moderation still makes sense, though: “Two or three times a week is fine, but if you’ve had or have a heart condition, we’d recommend no more than that.”

WE ASKED...

“It’s good to use olive oil, isn’t it?”

As a rule, yes.“It’s high in monounsaturated fats, the best type for protecting your heart from damage,” says Aktar. But while she encourages using it cold on salads or for dressing, cooking with it is not recommended.

“When you heat olive oil it changes its properties and becomes a little harmful for the body because it doesn’t withstand heat very well – you can physically see that it smokes up really fast,” she says. “So we recommend cooking with rapeseed oil instead.”

How about sunflower oil? “It is very high in polyunsaturated fats so it is still healthier than using a saturated fat,” says Aktar, “but monounsaturated fats are the best.”

www.member.vitality.co.uk 21

healthy eating WE ASKED...

“Butter: is it better or worse than margarine?”

Butter’s gone from being blamed for everything to making something of a comeback, but you can have too much of a good thing. “The evidence is quite clear – butter is not healthy!”

Aktar cites the Dietetic Guidelines on Food and Nutrition in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, which looks at the results of hundreds of research papers. “There is a clear link between high intake of saturated fats such as butter,” she explains, “and high levels of cholesterol in your blood, which puts you at risk of heart disease.

We recommend you stick to margarine because it’s unsaturated – or better still, olive-based spreads which are monounsaturated-based.”

WE ASKED...

“Red wine’s good for you, isn’t it?”

Good news: “There’s nothing wrong with a glass of wine or two – and you do get certain benefits from red wine in the form of antioxidants.” Bad news: “The problem with red wine is that it’s also very high in triglycerides, a type of ‘bad fat’ in your blood. There’s also evidence that excessive alcohol is related to increased cancer risk, particularly head and neck cancers.”

Aktar recommends 2-3 units a day for women (equivalent to a 175ml glass of wine), 3-4 (a pint and a half of beer) for men. “If you’re keen to consume those antioxidants, simply eat more fruits and dark leafy green or purple vegetables, which probably have triple the amount of antioxidants than your red wine!”

WE ASKED...

Yes – we’re already having too much without realising it.

“Most everyday foods contain high amounts,” Aktar says.

“The average intake we recommend is 6g a day: about a teaspoon.” The UK average of 8.1g increases your chance of developing high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. Big culprits are meat products, crisps, biscuits, ready meals, soups, pasta sauces, bread and some breakfast cereals. “Try to cut down on these. And don’t add extra salt when you’re cooking or at the table, use pepper, spices, lemon juice or herbs instead.” It might be easier than you think: “Salt is an acquired taste,” says Aktar, “and it’s easy to ‘unacquire’ it. For one week, go on a low-salt diet and don’t add salt to your foods – then go back to your normal consumption after a week, you will really be able to taste that salt.” Try it!

Get full access to Weight Watchers meetings, online tools and an app. It’s the healthy way to lose weight.

FIND OUT MORE: member.vitality.co.uk

www.member.vitality.co.uk

With Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking.

“There’s no harm adding salt to food, is there?”

SIGN UP TO WEIGHT WATCHERS MONTHLY PASS FOR UP TO 12 MONTHS FOR JUST £30

22

VITALITY MEMBERS CAN QUIT SMOKING FOR FREE DO YOU THINK ITʼS POSSIBLE TO QUIT SMOKING EASILY? YES:

Well done! Just visit www.allencarr.com/pru to book your free place.

NO:

Visit www.allencarr.com/notsure to receive your free booklet ‘Explode 5 myths and illusions about quitting smoking.’

Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking programme normally costs £250 per person. Vitality members can attend for free.

TO BOOK YOUR FREE PLACE CALL:

0800 389 2115

Each adult member can attend one free Allen Carr programme during the lifetime of your plan.

swimming

HEALTH ASSESSMENTS

Meet The Members

“I PICKED UP THE PHONE AND GOT AN INSTANT DIAGNOSIS”

50% off

health screening* Call & quote

Richard was worried his torn muscle would take months to heal – but thanks to PruHealth’s physiotherapy network, he was back on his feet in no time

Pru50

KEEPING YOU RUNNING SMOOTHLY We make it easier for you to keep track of your health by offering 50% off the standard retail price of our health assessments.

Our centres are located across the UK and the price you pay depends on the screen you choose.

To take advantage of our fantastic offer call 0808 101 0335 and quote Pru50.

For information on health assessments visit bmihealthcare4business.co.uk

Serious about health.

Passionate about care. *

The discount is available on the specified assessments at participating Health Assessment centres only. A full list of Health Assessments is available on our website bmihealthcare4business.co.uk. The offer is not transferable and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. This discount will run from June 2014 to December 31st 2014. BMI Healthcare reserves the right to withdraw the offer at any time. CDS08014 © BMI 2014

It was a lovely, sunny spring day so I decided to leave my car at a friend’s house and run home instead. I hadn’t been running for a while but I do cycle a lot, so I thought I would be fine for the three-mile journey.

Having almost arrived home, I began to congratulate myself on doing so well. Then, with just a few hundred yards to go… ouch! I had torn a muscle in my calf. So I hobbled the last little bit and rested up for a few days.

The following week, I was walking my dog and my leg started to hurt a bit. Two days later, I was walking again and this time it really went. So I decided it was time to call PruHealth.

I initially thought, ‘Oh, no – I’m going to have to go to the doctor, wait for a referral and all that tiresome business’. But when I spoke to PruHealth, they explained that this wouldn’t be necessary. They said they could arrange for an instant diagnosis over the phone by putting me in touch with a qualified physiotherapist. I was very impressed.

When I spoke to the physio, I was taken through a number of exercises on the phone and given a diagnosis. Then I was booked in for six sessions at a location that’s literally only a mile from where I work. It all happened very quickly – I received my first appointment the following day.

I visited during lunchtimes over a two-week period.

At my first appointment, the physio did some electrotherapy – a treatment that brings blood into an

FACT FILE

NAME Richard Chappell AGE 51 LIKES PruHealth’s Physio Network

RICHARD BACK ON HIS FEET AND, ABOVE, BACK IN THE SADDLE

injured area and helps to speed up the healing process – and some deep tissue massage. It took them hardly any time at all to pinpoint exactly whereabouts in the calf the injury was.

The physio gave me exercises to do at home between visits. It turned out that after just four of the planned six sessions, I was well enough to be discharged, with – dare I say – a mended leg!

Self-referral is great because it takes a lengthy step out of the process and speeds everything up. Another brilliant thing is that PruHealth pays the physio directly, so you don’t even need to hand over any money.

I know the problem would have carried on if I’d done nothing. This would have been terrible for me because I’m managing director of an IT training company, and I can’t simply take months off work or spend endless hours at the physio.

We all pull and strain muscles from time to time. My advice is to get someone who knows what they’re doing to sort it out. The longer you leave it, the worse it might be. It’s not just PruHealth who are great – the physios are first-rate, too.

THINK PHYSIO COULD HELP YOU? PruHealth members with Out-patient Cover can self-refer for treatment through our physio network. Simply submit a claim online at vitality.member.co.uk or call the number on your membership card.

www.pruhealth.co.uk/member 25

outdoor fitness

Get in shape this summer Surprise yourself with small steps to fitness that make a BIG difference

123

Rapid and simple access to Physiotherapy

BEGINNERS

following an injury •

Expert advice available from our Chartered Physiotherapists

•

No GP referral required if you attend treatment at an IPRS Partner Practice

•

Evidence based and effective treatment

•

IPRS are helpful and responsive to your injury needs

•

IPRS Partner Practices close to your home or work

PruHealth members with Out-patient Cover can claim online at member.vitality.co.uk or call the number on your membership card

P H YS I OT H E R A P Y P R O V I D E R TO

I’m Tom Gallon, a Personal Trainer at Virgin Active’s Manchester Didsbury club. I’ve created a series of outdoor summer fitness plans to suit any beginner – all you need is a Resistance Band (they only cost a few pounds, from any good sports shop). There are three levels: total novice, not done a thing for ages and a bit rusty, just find the level that sounds like you. During the summer, we’ll gradually increase your fitness and grow your confidence, so that by the autumn, you’ll be physically and mentally prepared to come along to your local VA and perhaps try one of our classes. Vitality gives you such a brilliant discount, it’s a waste not to use it!

INTERMEDIATE

ADVANCED

TIME TO QUIT IT’S BEEN A THE SOFA! WHILE...

FIT-AGAIN MUM GUIDE

This won’t be painful or embarrassing, but it will make you look good and feel great. We’ll take it nice and slow, but the results will amaze you.

This plan’s for anyone who only lost touch with their fitness recently, but it’s perfect for new or recent mums. Fairly fit dads can do it too!

You’re never too old to get into better shape. If you’re new to exercise or rediscovering it, our carefully prepared plan can help attain your goals.

VITALITY HEALTHCHECK

Before embarking on any kind of exercise, it’s a good idea to work out where your health is now. A Vitality Healthcheck will offer advice on how to improve your health (and earn you Vitality points). You can also discuss your results and any concerns using our Vitality GP phone line.

FIND OUT MORE: member.vitality.co.uk

www.member.vitality.co.uk 27

outdoor fitness

Small steps fitness ake ll m that wi a BIG ce! differen

1

4

STRAIGHT ARM PLANK Get into the plank position by supporting your body weight on your hands and toes. Your hands should be placed directly under your shoulders, with your arms straight. Keep your abdominals contracted and your back straight, eyes ahead of you. Hold this position for as long as you can.

2 3

4

Let’s get started…

THIS SUNDAY EVENING, write a rough outline of the week ahead and decide when to do your first workout. You’ll only need 30 minutes and in this first week, you’ll only be doing one session (later in the summer, we’ll push that to two or three).

Now tell someone – your partner, kids, neighbours, anyone – about your plan: then you’ll become accountable, and that’s a great first step! Finally, get your workout gear ready (proper footwear is crucial, try Vitality partner Sweatshop) and put it by the front door to lessen the chance of you getting side-tracked once the week has begun and forgetting all about it.

28 www.member.vitality.co.uk

1

2

BENCH SQUAT BAND PULL Keep your feet just APART outside hips width apart, push your hips out behind you and down towards the bench. Keeping your feet where they are, try to push your knees out. Do not sit on the bench, it’s there to remind you of your range of motion. As your confidence grows, you can leave the bench and complete the movement without it.

Extend arms out in front of you, the band held in both hands. Move your hands out laterally to your sides, with elbows extended as you perform the movement, and bringing the band to your chest. Keep your shoulders back but don’t lean back – brace your abs and backside to prevent this. Pause before returning to the start position.

5

6

BIRD DOG Kneel on the floor, hands shoulderwidth apart.Brace your abs, and lift one hand and the opposite knee off the floor while balancing on the other hand and knee. Point your arm out straight in front and extend the opposite leg to the rear. Hold for 10 seconds then return to start position, and swap.

Keep your back as still as you can.

BAND TWIST & PUNCH Stand with one foot in front of the other while the resistance band is wrapped around a stationary object (we used a stump).Now punch your arm forward at a controlled pace, feeling the band’s resistance and stopping just before full extension, then slowly back to start, and swap sides.

6

3

BAND BICEP CURL Grasp the two ends of the resistance band and place the centre under your feet as an anchor.

Let your arms hang by your hips. Keep your back straight and bending your elbows, slowly raise your hands to your shoulders, pulling the resistance band taut. Slowly lower your arms.

5

www.member.vitality.co.uk 29

outdoor fitness

Week 1 Workouts The intensity of our plans gradually increases as the summer goes on. Start with the repetitions on these pages, using the workout best suited to your current fitness level.

When you want to move up a gear, you can try one of the higher level workouts. We’ll print a whole summer’s worth of workout updates in our next newsletter – just register on the Member Zone at member.vitality.co.uk to receive it.

7

BAND ROW Wrap the band around a post. In a partial squat, brace your abs and with each hand pull the band in towards the side, concentrating on squeezing your shoulder blades in behind you. Hold for a second then release.

8

10

9

BAND GLUTE SIDE STEP Step on the band with both feet and hold both ends to create a triangle.

Take a wide step to one side, follow with the other foot. After you’ve done all your reps, go back in the opposite direction.

PRESS-UPS

HIP HINGE

BAND SQUAT

They’re tough but easier off the back of a park bench (the closer you are to the bench, the easier).

Brace your abs and lower yourself down.

Concentrate on not flaring your elbows out and keeping a stiff abdomen.

Stand with feet hip-width apart and hands on your back. Squeeze your legs together, with your lower back arched, bend forward at your hips as much as you can without losing that arch. Bring your hands in front of you and hold as long as you feel comfortable.

Start by stepping on the band with both feet. Hold the band with both hands together at your chest at about shoulder height or below your chin.Do a full squat while keeping your hands in the same position, then return to your start position and repeat.

8 7

11

9

2

It’s been a while...

BEGINNER

INTERMEDIATE

1

The only things Summer you’ll need for without the your workout are: ! sofa a resistance band (you can get one for a few quid) and a park. Motivation is tricky, I know, so afterwards try writing down how the halfhour session made you feel, paying most attention to mental and physical positives.

Shove the notes in your kitbag and read them again later: if you can cultivate a positive attitude, you’ll massively improve your chances of sticking with the routine.

Bench Squat (see previous page) Band Pull Apart (see previous page) Bird Dog (see previous page)

REPS 10-10

REPS

Band Bicep Curl (see previous page)

5mins REPS 10 5 mins 10 10 16 10

Rest for a minute when you’re done,16then repeat the whole routine twice: that’s three routines in all.

30 www.pruhealth.co.uk/member

HOW MANY REPS SHOULD YOU DO? EXERCISE Side Step (see above)

HOW MANY REPS SHOULD YOU DO? EXERCISE Brisk Walk (enough to feel breathless)

As we get older our bodies stiffen up a little so this plan is about improving the range of motion in key joints, using low impact exercises so that we don’t damage them. Do a workout a week (more if you like but listen to your body), indoors if the weather’s poor. On top of the workouts try to have two 30-minute walks, immediately before or after the exercises, or totally separately – they’ll work wonders for your cardiac health.

ADVANCED

3

This programme’s been Fit-again designed with two types mum (and of people in mind: Vitality dad!) members who used to be fairly fit but have got out of the exercise habit, and new (or fairly new) mums. If you’re in the second group it’s important to have a post-natal check before getting back into exercise. Your body’s been through some enormous changes, chemically as well as physically, and you need to consider these before diving back in.

HOW MANY REPS SHOULD YOU DO?

10

EXERCISE Hip Hinge (see above)

REPS 10-15

Band Twist & Punch (previous page)

10-10

Band Pull Apart (see previous page)

10

Band Row (see above)

10

Band Twist & Punch (previous page)

10-10

Hip Hinge (see above)

10

Band Squat (above)

10

Straight Arm Plank (previous page)

20-30

Press-Ups (above)

10-15

Rest for a minute when you’re done, then repeat the whole routine twice: that’s three routines in all.

11

Rest for a minute when you’re done, then repeat the whole routine twice: that’s three routines in all.

10

50% OFF MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP FEES AT VIRGIN ACTIVE

...and with 50% off flexible individual monthly membership fees, you can really get your money’s worth. A separate joining fee may apply.

FIND OUT MORE:

member.vitality.co.uk

www.member.vitality.co.uk 31

in the workplace

“Could your boss join in?”

Meet The Members

“I’M SO PLEASED I CHOSE SUCH A COMPREHENSIVE PROTECTION POLICY” When mum-to-be Tricia was struck by a sudden brain disorder, her PruProtect Serious Illness Cover made sure everything was taken care of

Three years ago, I was pregnant with my first child and wanted the security of knowing I was insured for anything and everything that could go wrong. My husband and I spoke to a financial adviser who recommended that I take out Life and Serious Illness Cover with PruProtect.

A few months later, I was on my way home from work when I felt an excruciating pain in my head. I felt like I had been hit with something – it was all so very sudden. I was only moments away from home, so I got in and that’s when everything went hazy. Before long I was vomiting and losing vision.

As I was 33 weeks pregnant, my husband assumed it was something to do with the baby. So he took me over to the maternity hospital and they spent hours trying to work out what was going on. I was then transferred to another hospital where they found I’d suffered an arteriovenous malformation. This is when blood vessels in your brain get tangled up and your veins and arteries stop working properly.

Being pregnant for the first time, I wasn’t sure what was normal and what wasn’t. I thought maybe I’d been overdoing it. It was only about six months later when I read up on the condition that the seriousness of what had happened finally hit me.

I got the all-clear a year on. In the meantime, I had my daughter Amber by caesarean section. It was

FACT FILE

NAME Tricia Smyth AGE 30 LOCATION N.Ireland LIKES“Spending time with my daughter”

TRICIA SMYTH AND HER DAUGHTER, AMBER, 2

amazing Amber wasn’t affected in any way.

I made my claim a few months later with the help of my PruProtect adviser, who made it all very easy.

Within a few weeks, the money had come through. I hardly had to do anything. Sometimes when you have to make a claim on something you think, ‘This is going to be so difficult. I’m going to need to put together so much evidence and it’s going to be a really long process,’ but it wasn’t like that at all.

I used the funds to take a year’s maternity leave instead of nine months, which is the standard where we’re from in Northern Ireland.

It took the pressure off any money worries.

I’m so pleased I chose such a comprehensive policy. At the time I took out my policy, PruProtect was the only insurer to cover this condition. People take out policies to cover some things, but when it comes to it and they get ill, some conditions aren’t covered on their policies. So what’s the point? You’re just throwing your money away. It’s better to pay that little bit more to get the extra cover.

I got a 15% payout from my policy, which means I can claim again in the future if anything else happens.

I also can’t wait to start using my Vitality benefits!

To find out more about PruProtect’s Serious Illness Cover, please contact your Financial Adviser or call us on 0845 619 6063.

What we learned from last year’s winners QUINTILES Britain’s Healthiest Company 2013 (more than 1,000 employees) The company, which carries out clinical trials on behalf of pharmaceutical businesses, won the main Britain’s Healthiest Company award and was also named Most Healthy Workplace, the result of a health and wellness strategy they launched in Britain in 2008. They’re currently running an Are you veggin’? challenge in which employees record on an online tracker the amount of fruit and vegetables they eat. The goal is to consume two portions of fruit and three of vegetables a day, six days a week.

Staff who hit the target receive a gift card, while other features of the scheme include an annual on-site health screening, flu vaccinations, and an online health and well-being assessment with incentive prize draw.

“At Quintiles, our people are at the heart of everything we do,” says Jacqui Riches, their wellness manager, who believes a healthy workforce is vital to the company’s own health.

“Patients and clients cannot benefit if we, the employees, are not well. Fundamentally we do it because it is the right thing to do.”

ADIDAS UK Britain’s Healthiest Company 2013 (fewer than 1,000 employees) More than 130 million workdays were lost to sickness in 2011 – but not at Adidas UK, where the average sickness absence per year per employee is 2.5 days. The sports retailer based in Stockport offers staff a wealth of

on-site facilities and services, along with a Wellness Centre on their building’s top floor.

“It’s about understanding employees and giving them the tools to maintain their own health,” explains Tricia Kalloo, chief executive of Wellness International, which heads up the service. “We try to be proactive and say, ‘Let’s have a wellness check, let’s not wait until you’re ill.’ We have picked up prostate cancers, colon cancers, cardiovascular disease from members of staff who were displaying no symptoms.”

NOMURA Most Active Workplace, Healthiest Diet, Most Smoke-free Workplace 2013 The Japanese bank’s approach impressed the judges with its focus on emotional health, catered for through awareness programmes and counsellors, as well as physical health.

“There have been studies across every industry about how stress affects productivity,” explains Malcolm Horton, Nomura’s global head of recruitment and deputy head of HR for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. “Stress affects how people behave and work. We can safely assume we’re getting the best out of people by supporting them in this way.”

Nomura emphasises the importance of physical health in various ways, from its subsidised gym to company-wide events such as Healthy Heart Week. “In meetings now there are not just biscuits, but nuts and fruits,” adds Horton. “Little things such as offering healthier snacks affect people subconsciously; it tells them they do have a choice.”

“Research suggests between 50-70 per cent of deaths can be attributed to poor lifestyle behaviours. When PruHealth designed Britain’s Healthiest Company, we were trying to provide an easy, immediate measure of the impact of those behaviours on the UK’s business performance. The result? The first wide-scale health check of corporate Britain.

“To help track it we developed Vitality Age, which assesses the user’s ‘health-risk age’ and reveals, potentially, how many years of life may be lost as a result of unhealthy living – and how many gained by the reverse.

If I’m a 45-year-old smoker, drinking a lot of alcohol and taking no exercise, I’ll be at the same risk level of a man nearer 50: that would be my Vitality Age. The good news is that whatever yours is, there are things you can do now to change it for the better. To find out more, go to www.member.vitality.co.uk “It’s encouraging that companies are starting to recognise the link between a healthy workforce and a healthy bottom line.

Those that boost health and wellness at work see less absence through sickness, and there have been some interesting developments with onsite GPs to encourage staff to come into work to see a doctor, rather than take time off to do it.

“When we feel our bosses care about our health, we’re more likely to feel engaged and loyal, and to deliver higher productivity, bigger profits and better customer service.

If you work for a company that you think could enter Britain’s Healthiest Company, and perhaps get some measure of how well they look after their employees, ask them to get in touch to find out about Britain’s Healthiest Company 2015.”

Neville, CEO, Vitality

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST FOR BRITAIN’S HEALTHIEST COMPANY 2015

The results are about to be announced for Britain’s Healthiest Company 2014, but you can now register your interest in next year’s competition. Ask your HR department to enter – and find out how healthy your workplace is.

FIND OUT MORE:

www.britainshealthiestcompany.co.uk

www.member.vitality.co.uk 33

CHAMPNEYS PROVIDES EXCEPTIONAL STANDARDS IN BEAUTY, FITNESS, NUTRITION AND HOLISTIC HEALTH SO WHETHER YOU WANT TO ENTERTAIN, UNWIND, INCENTIVISE OR MEET AS A TEAM, CHAMPNEYS CORPORATE HOSPITALITY WILL GIVE YOU THE CORPORATE ADVANTAGE. WHETHER IT IS A HOSPITALITY DAY FOR CLIENTS, A DAY TO REWARD HARD-WORKING STAFF OR AN INSPIRING LOCATION FOR A MEETING OR CONFERENCE, CHAMPNEYS CAN PROVIDE EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED.

BUSINESS &

VITALITY Tring in Hertfordshire

Springs in Leicestershire

Forest Mere in Hampshire

Henlow in Bedfordshire

AT CHAMPNEYS Embrace health, fitness and wellbeing. Champneys aligns perfectly with the values of Vitality; the more you look after yourself, the healthier and happier you feel.

HUSH

IN A WORLD OF RUSH

Take time out and book a one, two or three night pamper break at one of our four luxurious spa resorts and receive an amazing 75% off.

Exclusive for Vitality members.

TO BOOK CALL 0843 316 2222 with your Vitality membership number.

GET IN TOUCH

To arrange a meeting, conference or event with Champneys, please contact us:

EVENTS@CHAMPNEYS.COM 07880 384 272

CHAMPNEYS.COM

EMPLOYEES CAN QUIT SMOKING FOR FREE

YOUR PLAN EXCITING VITALITY BENEFITS

10-50% CASH BACK AT LLOYDS PHARMACY

50% OFF A PAIR OF SPORTS SHOES WITH SWEATSHOP

75% OFF

CLASSIC BREAKS AND SPA DAYS AT CHAMPNEYS SPA RESORTS

With Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking.

If you are a Vitality member you can attend any Allen Carr’s Easyway To Stop Smoking Clinic in the UK FREE of charge.

If you can get a group of 10 or more colleagues together who are Vitality members we can liaise with your employer and arrange an Allen Carr’s Easyway To Stop Smoking Clinic at your place of work – FREE of charge.

CONTACT VITALITY@ALLENCARR.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION OR CALL 0208 9447761 Each adult member can attend one free Allen Carr programme during the lifetime of your plan.

FREE HELP!

£30

SIX-MONTH WEIGHT WATCHERS PASS. FULL ACCESS TO MEETINGS, ONLINE TOOLS AND AN APP

ALLEN CARR’S EASYWAY TO STOP SMOKING

PLUS ● OUR UNIQUE APPROACH: LIFESTYLE HEALTH INSURANCE ● PRUPROTECT’S EDUCATION COVER ● YOUR GUIDE TO THE MEMBER ZONE

Lifestyle health insurance IN ACTION

PruHealth is the insurer that gives its members something valuable every day – not just when they make a claim.

We call it Lifestyle Health Insurance: it means an insurance plan that is there for you whatever your lifestyle or lifestage. Here are three examples of it applied to weight management...

EXAMPLE 1 JOHN, 36

EXAMPLE 2 SUSAN, 29

Sign up to Weight Watchers monthly pass for 6 months for just £30

“I need to lose a few pounds but dieting doesn’t work”

With access to meetings, online tools and their app for when you’re on the go, Weight Watchers know exactly what it takes to achieve healthy and sustainable weight-loss success. To get the most from your Weight Watchers Monthly Pass, attend two meetings a month and we’ll extend your Monthly Pass for a further six months. That’s a saving of more than £200 over the course of a year1.

And when you reach your Weight Watchers Goal Weight, we’ll refund your £30 subscription payment. You’ll get 15 Vitality points each week when you attend a Weight Watchers Meeting; these will show on your Vitality points statement within two to four weeks. You’ll also earn 50 Vitality points for losing 5% and 10% of your start weight, and a further 100 Vitality points when you reach your Weight Watchers Goal Weight. Sign up today and start enjoying the benefits.

1 Based on Weight Watchers standard Monthly Pass subscription charges as at July 2014.

We know that losing weight can be challenging. That’s why we’ve partnered with Weight Watchers, the world’s leading provider of weight management services, to help inspire and enable you to lose weight healthily – and then to keep it off.

“I’m in shape and want to stay that way”ay”

Last year PruHealth introduced funding for bariatric surgery

That’s really good to hear. And we can help motivate you to keep up the great work.

Get rewarded for buying healthy foods at Sainsbury’s with bonus Nectar and Vitality points Because eating well is good for your health, you can earn bonus Nectar points and Vitality points when you buy any of our listed healthy foods at Sainsbury’s.

Sainsbury’s will give you two Nectar points when you spend £1. We’ll give you an extra eight Nectar points (as well as Vitality points) when that £1 is spent on our listed healthy foods. You can earn bonus Nectar points and Vitality points on up to £20 spend

per adult, per week.

All you need to do is register your Nectar card with us. Then we’ll automatically be sent information on how much healthy food you’re buying from Sainsbury’s and be able to update your Vitality points – so you can see how many Vitality points you’re earning.

Think of it as our way of saying thanks for shopping and eating healthily!

EXAMPLE 3

PAULA, 51

“My GP has tried everything but my obesity’s getting more severe” Obesity appears to be reaching epidemic proportions, but when all else fails, we can help with that too. In fact, we’re the only health insurer in the UK who can.

Prevention, coaching, exercise and diets all have a key role to play in addressing obesity, but for certain cases surgery is a valid and effective option. Studies prove that gastric surgery patients lose an average of 38kg three years after surgery.

Used most commonly for people with a Body Mass Index above 40 (or 35-40 when other health problems are present, such as type 2 diabetes or heart disease), members must attend a pre-surgery assessment and stick to a prescribed weight management programme for six months, and must fund 25% of the package price as a sign of their long-term commitment. Post-surgery support will be offered with up to two years of dietician and psychologist consultations.

FIND OUT MORE

Rewarding you for eating healthily, helping you lose weight and keep it off, and offering weight-loss surgery that has a proven successful track record...these are just three examples of our Lifestyle Health Insurance in action. To find out more about these benefits and services, and the many more that are now available to you, visit the Member Zone on our website.It only takes a couple of minutes to register.

FIND OUT MORE:

member.vitality.co.uk

Member Zone

Register today…

Member Zone tour:

...and take the simple online Health Review to unlock a world of rewards and discounts

V

MESSAGES

isiting the Vitality Member Zone is a simple, safe and secure way to keep track of your Vitality membership. It’s where you can find out about new Vitality partners and discounts – at any time of the day or night.

The great thing about the Vitality Member Zone is that it’s unique to you, so all the information that’s relevant to you is available to view in one convenient online space. It’s also easy to use: simply log in and you’ll be away.

YOUR DETAILS

2.

CLAIM ONLINE

MESSAGES Click this first button to read your private messages from the Vitality team.

Everything you need

Once you’ve registered, logging in will automatically take you to the Member Zone homepage (see the central screen with the blue background, right). At the top, you’ll find your current Vitality status and your membership number.

Beneath the welcome message, on the left-hand side, you’ll see a selection of the latest Vitality rewards we think you’ll be most interested in, plus links to find out more about each reward.

Underneath this is the online health review. Take this the first time you log on, and afterwards you will find personal goals that we’ve chosen especially for you to help you get healthier. (You don’t have to follow our recommendations, but think of all the points you’ll be earning – and the money you could be saving – if you do!) Below this is a brief summary of your Vitality points statement and a link to view your statement in full.

YOUR DETAILS To check or update your personal details, just click on this middle button.

HEALTH REVIEW

CLAIM ONLINE PruHealth members can make a claim on the Member Zone. To do this, click ‘Make a new claim’ here.

SIGN UP TODAY If you haven’t already registered on the Member Zone, you can do so by following these easy steps:

Change to our Vitality partner LA fitness

W

e continually review our Vitality partnerships, ensuring they deliver exceptional value and the best possible experience to our members.

As you may be aware, LA fitness has been undergoing a restructure of their business and as such are reducing the size of their gym network by selling more than 30 clubs.

Because of this from 1 August 2014, LA fitness will no longer be accepting any new Vitality members.

We are committed to ensuring all Vitality members currently registered with LA fitness are treated fairly and we will be honouring the memberships at the discounted rate, where the clubs continue under LA fitness ownership, for a further 12 months starting from 1 August 2014. We will also be writing to all existing LA fitness members with more information regarding club closures and their ongoing options.

We will of course be continuing our relationship with the market-leading health club provider, Virgin Active, who are investing in and expanding their network.

STEP 1 Visit member.vitality.co.uk and click ‘register’ NOT VISITED THE MEMBER ZONE BEFORE? REGISTRATION IS DEAD EASY AND WILL ONLY TAKE YOU A FEW MINUTES

STEP 2 Enter your Vitality membership number and set your password STEP 3 Take the online Health Review to find out how healthy you are

HEALTH REVIEW When you first log on to the Member Zone, take the online Health Review to find out how healthy you are.

OVER THE PAGE Full listing of all Vitality reward partners

Your great

GET ACTIVE

HELP TO QUIT

FREE PROGRAMME Free Stop Smoking programme with Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking

30% OFF 30% off a Merlin Standard Annual Pass

A THIRD CASH BACK

benefits

A third cash back with Ticketmaster5

FREE CINEMA TICKETS Free cinema tickets with Cineworld and Vue

Find all the Vitality partners available with PruHealth and PruProtect here. Log in to the Member Zone to find out which ones apply to your plan.

10-50% CASH BACK 10% to 50% cash back at LloydsPharmacy4

CASH BACK

50% OFF

YOUR HEALTH

VITALITY TRAVEL

UP TO 25% CASH BACK

FEEL GOOD

50% off flexible individual monthly gym membership fees with Virgin Active2

50% OFF 50% off a pair of sports shoes with Sweatshop

FREE VITALITY HEALTHCHECK Free Vitality Healthcheck through our pharmacy network1

Up to 25% cash back on the lowest available price for boutique and luxury hotels with Mr & Mrs Smith3

UP TO 50% CASH BACK

UP TO 25% OFF

Up to 50% cash back on a bike with Evans Cycles3

75% OFF

Up to 25% off with Mark Warner3

UP TO 50% OFF

LONG-TERM CONDITIONS

50% off a Polar device or get a Fitbug from £34.95

75% off one, two and three night Classic Breaks and Spa Days at Champneys

EXCLUSIVE 12-MONTH PASS

Up to 50% off rail tickets with Eurostar

Long-term condition management programme

VITALITY POINTS

An exclusive 12-month National Trust pass for £33.67

Vitality points with Vitality activity tracking and parkrun

SELF-HELP GUIDES

50% OFF

50% OFF

50% off health screens1

EATING WELL

BONUS NECTAR POINTS Bonus Nectar points on Sainsbury’s Healthy foods – only on PruHealth plans

Self-help guides and tools from Living Life to the Full

Up to £15 a month cash back with buymobiles.net

One free Vitality Healthcheck is available on all PruHealth plans. All other Vitality members, including PruProtect members, can book a Vitality Healthcheck for just £15. You may need a referral from the Vitality GP phoneline to get the 50% discount on health screens.

2

3

Up to a maximum amount depending on your Vitality status.

4

A Weight Watchers Monthly Pass for 6 months for £30

MONTHLY CASH BACK

1

A separate joining fee of up to £50 per person may apply. This excludes Virgin Active Classic Clubs where the joining fee may be up to £150. We can’t offer discounts at Virgin Active Clements Hall, Rayleigh and Chiswick Riverside clubs.

A MONTHLY PASS

STAY IN TOUCH

Subject to a maximum £50 monthly spend and a Vitality Healthcheck. Excluding nappies, infant formula milk, prescription charges (NHS or private), codeine-based products and mobile phone top-ups.

5

You’ll need to pay a fee to activate the entertainment benefit to get cash back with Ticketmaster. The yearly fee is £10 for individuals and £15 for couples or families.

Prices and discounts are correct at June 2014. Find out the latest information about each partner including full terms and conditions on the Member Zone.

Register at member.vitality.co.uk

IF YOU’RE NOT SURE ABOUT YOUR BENEFITS...

Visit the ‘Health partners and rewards’ area of the site to see the ones that apply to your plan

FIND OUT MORE:

member.vitality.co.uk

HAVE FUN!

If the worst happens, I know that Dogs Trust will care for him.

er Education Cov

Help protect your children’s future Costs for a new school year

THE COST OF SENDING CHILDREN TO SCHOOL IS SOARING EVERY YEAR

B

efore we know it the summer holidays will be coming to an end and it will be time to think about new school uniforms, shoes, stationery and all the usual bits and pieces that come with a new school term. According to one study[1] the cost of sending a child back to a new school term was £224 in 2013, and that’s compared to £177 in 2012. It means a rise of 27% in one year, and reflects how hi-tech gadgets such as phones and tablets are quickly becoming an ‘essential’ item for children.

In fact over the course of a year the total cost of sending a child to school, including the likes of dinner money, bus fares and school trips adds up to a surprising £1,723. The last thing you need is for education costs to drain your savings if your household suddenly lost an income.

We know that thinking about protection for your family isn’t much fun at the best of times, and things like the cost of sending our children to school don’t really feature in the plans we make. But we think it’s just as important to safeguard your children’s future with a good

education as it is to pay off the mortgage if something were to happen to you. So to make it easier we have created Education Cover. It helps to cover the costs of sending your children to school and to help make sure your children don’t miss out on any part of school life if something happens to you.

What does Education Cover do?

If you die we’ll pay a range of benefits for each child on your plan, to help cover the costs of their education. You can even choose to be covered in case you fall seriously ill.

For each child covered, Education Cover will: ■

Pay £843 per term to help with all those extra costs that pop up during the school year. This will increase each year in line with inflation

■

Cover your children if they become seriously ill later

■

Pay their university fees of up to £9,000 per year for three years

■

And you can even add a Private School option to help pay any school fees, too

Uniform

£41.27

Shoes

£29.33

Jackets or coats

£25.22

Trainers or plimsolls

£21.83

Gym kit

£19.42

Technology

£17.00

School bag

£16.17

Sports gear

£16.76

Books

£14.10

Lunch boxes

£10.10

Stationery

£12.96

Now I’ve got my free Canine Care Card, I have complete peace of mind. It guarantees that Dogs Trust will love and look after my dog if I pass away first. Dogs Trust is the UK’s largest dog welfare charity with 19 rehoming centres nationwide and they never put down a healthy dog.

TOTAL

£224.16

Apply now for your FREE Canine Care Card.

FIND OUT MORE

Education Cover can be added to any plan from PruProtect that has Life Cover or Serious Illness Cover. Unlike typical critical illness cover, our Serious Illness Cover pays you an amount that reflects the severity of your condition.

To find out more about the cover you could get for your children, please visit pruprotect.co.uk/educationcover

When I’m not here to love him, I know that Dogs Trust will be.

020 7837 0006

Call: or email:

ccc@dogstrust.org.uk

Please quote “112439” or complete the coupon below.

This service is currently only available for residents of the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands & the Isle of Man.

Yes I’d like to apply for my free Canine Care Card Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms/Other Address Postcode

The Mirror, August 2013

[1]

Email

112439

Please send this coupon to: Dogs Trust, CCC, FREEPOST WD360, 17 Wakley Street, London EC1B 1NA No stamp required. Reg. Charity Nos: 227523 & SC037843. All information will be treated as strictly confidential.

www.dogstrust.org.uk

Ambassador

Jonny Wilkinson with Vitality

“HOW I STAYED AT THE TOP AS LONG AS POSSIBLE” Just before his recent retirement from professional rugby, Vitality Ambassador Jonny Wilkinson passed on his tips for growing older but staying in good shape

Earn Vitality points while you work out.

G

et to the heart of the matter with Polar. The process of getting healthier doesn’t have to be restricted to the gym. As a Vitality Member you can get big savings on a Polar Heart Rate Monitor, Sensor or Cycling Computer, so you can earn Vitality points when you’re doing other healthy things. Use it when you go for a run or if you’re out on a Sunday afternoon bike ride.

Earn vitality points for your work outs

30 minutes of exercise at 60% of your age-related maximum heart rate equals five Vitality points, while 60 minutes at 60% will earn you ten Vitality points. You can achieve that same number of points by doing 30 minutes at 70%. You can earn a maximum of 40 Vitality points per week for getting active.

How do they work?

Polar devices help people to train at the right intensity. Your Polar will automatically show you what % heart rate you are exercising at. Whether you want to lose weight or get fitter your Polar will guide you.

It’s a bit like a rev counter on your wrist or phone giving you a really precise measurement of how intensely you are exercising. Other features can include calorie count, speed and distance, and fitness test.

Start earning now at: member.vitality.co.uk/partners

Over the years I’ve become much more aware of what my body is telling me and heed the warning signs: tightness, pain, fatigue plus a dropping off in precision and the execution of skills. I still have to fight my obsessional side, though, to make sure I respond to these signals in the right manner! I never stopped trying to improve. For me, ambitious goal-setting and striving for more are catalysts towards living a great life and feeling fulfilled. With age, though, comes the importance of striking a balance between laying your body on the line, enjoying yourself, and staying healthy (which is not the same thing as trying to reach peak fitness). The key is to understand the roles that fun, rest and relaxation, peace of mind and good diet play when we maintain a great health base – something we find more difficult when we’re younger and think we’re ‘invincible’.

It’s a good idea to try new ways to stay fit. I love to do anything and everything if I feel it can help me achieve my goals. But looking after your body pre- and post-exercise is paramount if you want to keep on doing, enjoying and improving at your sports. There’s a mountain of good advice out there but what works best for you might not for everyone else. It’s a bit of a try-it-and-see situation. I am not a big one for stretching or ice baths but my body definitely benefits from taking time to warm up and warm down thoroughly.

When it comes to nutrition, listening to your body can be very helpful. There’s a difference between craving something the body will profit from and bad eating habits. For example, the body might ask you for a little sugar snack input – the key is to decide if this is due to boredom, or whether it’s the result of being on the move and short of the energy you need. Then you’ll be able to determine which impulses to act on and when to say no.

I am careful with what I eat but I’m always looking for great recipes to make healthy eating more enjoyable. I know with my active lifestyle that if I get it slightly wrong, or if I do treat myself once in a while, then my appetite for exercise will minimise any negative effects. As for liquids, I will drink sports drinks like Lucozade while exercising because they are fantastic for maintaining high performance. Water is the key to life and drinking it throughout the day just allows your body to do all the things it’s supposed to do and keep you at your peak.

I fuel my body before exercise with carbohydrates and protein, and refuel it afterwards with the same but in different proportions: a little heavier on the carbs immediately post-training for recovery, depending on the type of session. I eat organic foods whenever I can and fill my diet with good protein and loads of whatever veg is in season. It seems to work well for me, and might work for you too: worth a try anyway!

JONNY ON...SLEEP

Polar H7 Heart Rate Monitor, with smartphone application, and new colour range Polar RC3 GPS and Polar FT7 sports watches.

I aim for eight hours a night and I’m more dedicated to getting them than I used to be. I try to maintain a little flexibility in my attitude, however, because sometimes a poor night’s sleep can be unavoidable – but this can’t be an excuse to throw the towel

in. We all possess the mental capacity to decide how we feel and how we are going to attack a situation, and for me, that far exceeds the effects of a less than perfect night’s sleep. I definitely believe that what you eat and drink pre-sleep, and when you do it, can

have a massive effect. I try to finish my main evening meal before 8pm and drink water regularly throughout the day but avoid drinking too much too close to bedtime. This allows me to sleep all the way through and wake up ready to make the most of breakfast!

summer eating

Group 1 Olive, Sesame & Rapeseed Oils “The key when choosing oil is to consider what it will be used for. The molecular structure of oil breaks down under high heat, producing the free radicals which are bad for our health. So for cooking, I’ll never use a high quality oil because they’re too delicate and are more likely to break down; save them for the dressing, where their delicate flavour can come through. For cooking I always use rapeseed oil: it has lots of essential fats and is structurally sound – it can be heated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit before the bonds break down and release those nasty free radicals.Here’s my rough guide to quality oils for the dressing you’ll drizzle over the finished dish: generally, the darker they are, the better they are (and for cooking, the reverse is true: the lighter the oil, the better).

Sesame oil has a strong flavour – it’s used a lot in Asian cooking – so you might want to dilute it with another oil.”

“ SALAD!” I DON’T LIKE A lot of people think it’s boring to eat but this healthy, nutritious meal can be turned into a smash hit if you add the right ingredients. Melissa Cohen, nutritional therapist at Vitality partner Champneys, explains

48 www.member.vitality.co.uk

M

elissa’s given us five groups of foods and flavours, with instructions to select one from each group and add them to our mixture of different kinds of leaves. It’s the addition of the other ingredients that will make your salads a triumph. “Take one product from each of the five groups,” explains Melissa, “mix them with your greenery and the result will be mealtime magic!” And remember, you can make a big bowl of your basics and keep it in the fridge, as long as you keep the dressing separate to be added at the table. “My top three choices for our green base would be rocket, ‘baby’ leaves and romaine lettuce.

Rocket’s very good for the digestive system and adds a slightly bitter taste. Baby leaves – lettuces picked before they’re mature – are quite sweet, so they make a great combination. And romaine lettuce hearts are basically delicious and full of calcium, too.” And if any of your three aren’t available, what’s the next best bet? “I’d be adventurous and go for curly kale: it’s from the cabbage family. I cook mine in the oven with oil and seasoning until it becomes crispy, which adds a terrific new texture to the salad. Pour it in with the other leaves – hot, with the oil, too – and let it cool.”

summer eating Group 2 Cooked Chicken or Salmon, Tinned Tuna, Lentils & Quinoa “With all our other groups, just choose one from the list for your salad, but with these proteins I tend to add lentils or quinoa (keen-wah, if you’re not sure how to ask for it), as well as fish or meat. People associate salads with diets or being served as starters, but you want yours to be filling, a proper meal in itself.

I like to marinade my chicken and salmon, then after cooking, mix in some of those marinade flavours with my dressing. Tinned tuna isn’t as good as fresh tuna steaks because it contains very few essential fatty acids, but it’s a good source of protein and very handy to keep stashed in the cupboard. I’d use tuna in oil rather than spring water to get more of those unsaturated fats. Lentils and

quinoa are great vegetarian protein options and so easy nowadays – forget soaking overnight, they come in ready-to-eat bags. But if the only lentils you can get are unprepared, just rinse them thoroughly and cook them like rice: simmer in stock for 15 minutes and bingo. Dry them thoroughly so they’re not too mushy, and make sure your salad also has something crunchy to offset them such as pine nuts. As a rough guide for portion sizes, for lentils, in a salad for six, I’d use about 200 grams.”

Group 5 Corn Nuts, Toasted Pine Kernels, Goji Berries

Group 4 Lemon Segments, Pomegranate Seeds, Mandarin Segments “Lemon juice is what we’re really after here but the zest can be added if you want a powerfully aromatic citrus salad. Use lemon zest sparingly, though: one teaspoon, mixed into an oil-based dressing, would be enough for a salad for six people. With the other two elements in this group, as well as their juice it’s nice to scatter a few pomegranate seeds or mandarin segments in there, too, but I wouldn’t do that with whole lemon segments because that would introduce too much acid into the mix.”

“Put the pine kernels in olive oil and fry them just for a minute to release their aromatic flavour – they’ll help our salad smell good.

Corn nuts are basically the yellow kernels from a sweetcorn, dried and then roasted, and you can get them ready-made. They add a nice crunch. As for goji berries, not only are they really delicious, they also have antioxidant properties to help fight off infection and keep your skin looking good.They’re a sweet, tangy, chewy component, almost savoury. Most supermarkets stock goji berries but if you can’t find them, just try dried blueberries instead.”

Group 3 Chives, Parsley, Coriander, Garlic “Herbs bring all three important elements to a salad: texture, taste and smell. Here’s my tip for using garlic: if you’re nervous about smelling too strongly of it after the meal – and still smelling of garlic the next morning – peel and crush the bulb (crushing it also releases garlic’s antibacterial and antiviral properties, so it’s a good idea as a rule anyway), then mix it in with your oil dressing. That way you can use it sparingly and it’ll keep in the fridge for a while, too.”

www.member.vitality.co.uk 51

your health

“Diabetes is rarely talked about”

Not sure if it’s worth bothering with a healthcheck? Our expert might change your mind

Alison Freemantle is a community pharmacist at Vitality partner LloydsPharmacy and a specialist in diabetes care.

She explains the extent of the growing problem of diabetes in the UK, outlining who is most at risk – and why it’s so important to get ourselves checked out

I

t’s estimated that there are up to a million between 10 to 14 years of age, and Type 2, which people in the UK with undiagnosed diabetes. usually affects people aged over 40 who are That’s a million people with an increased risk overweight. Type 2 diabetes is the most common of developing heart disease, of their organs in the UK, with 90 per cent of diabetes patients breaking down and blindness (not many people suffering this form of the illness. It’s also the one know that diabetes is the leading cause of sight loss we can have without knowing, sometimes for up to in the UK). It also damages the body’s extremities, 10 years, which is why it’s so dangerous. such as feet and fingers, and can cause erectile Diabetes is linked to the body’s production of dysfunction. More than 100 amputations of lower insulin, a substance that is produced by the pancreas limbs are carried out every week due to diabetes. to take sugar out of the bloodstream and put it into The statistics are shocking and yet the the body’s cells, where it can be used as seriousness of diabetes, in particular the energy. With Type 1 diabetes the body The symptoms growing problem of Type 2 diabetes, is simply stops producing insulin; with Type 2 rarely talked about. In the last 10 years it gradually stops over a period of time, there has been a 31 per cent increase in depending on the individual. If the body those found to be at risk of developing the If you are overweight, can’t produce enough – or any – insulin to condition, with a 17 per cent increase in have someone in your process our sugar intake, the sugar stays younger adults. Diabetes cannot be cured, in the blood as glucose, making it more family with diabetes only managed – and in most cases it can and are over 40 you are syrupy and less able to be pumped around lead to further complications. In a survey particularly at risk. Also the body efficiently. of 200,000 LloydsPharmacy diabetes look out for: patients, 82 per cent with Type 1 and 70 Type 1 diabetes TIREDNESS per cent with Type 2 had at least one other With Type 1 diabetes the onset is very DRINKING EXCESSIVE serious condition related to their illness. rapid. It is still not fully understood why AMOUNTS OF WATER This is why it is so important to get yourself the body suddenly stops producing insulin, GOING TO THE TOILET checked out, so if diabetes is diagnosed, but it usually happens following a virus.

OFTEN, DAY AND NIGHT Severe weight-loss occurs, everything treatment can begin.

BLURRED VISION So who is at risk of developing diabetes shuts down and diagnosis is usually made ERECTILE and what are the symptoms? There are two in hospital because people with Type 1 DYSFUNCTION forms of the condition: Type 1, which can tend simply to collapse. occur at any age but peak diagnosis is Type 1 diabetes is managed with insulin

Community pharmacist Alison Freemantle says it’s important to diagnose Type 2 diabetes early – and it couldn’t be simpler with the free diabetes check at participating LloydsPharmacy branches

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PICTURE CREDIT

TYPE 2 DIABETES

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your health

31% the increase in people found to be at risk of developing the condition in the last 10 years

82% 70% of people with type 1 and

of people with type 2 had at least one other serious condition related to diabetes

injections up to five times a day, delivered in the abdomen, thigh or bottom. How much insulin is needed depends on what the diabetes patient consumes and how much exercise they do. If a big dinner with alcohol on the side but not much exercise is on the cards, more insulin is required. A day with lighter meals and more exercise (because that’s when you’ll burn the sugar in your system more quickly) means less insulin is needed, because there will be less sugar to process. If the blood sugar level falls too low, hypoglycemia can occur, which can be treated with something sugary and fast-absorbing such as orange juice. People with Type 1 diabetes manage their blood glucose levels by ‘listening’ to their bodies, learning to recognise what’s happening inside them, and taking readings with a blood glucose monitor (a finger-pricking test) as often as five times a day.

The important thing is to be screened for Type 2 diabetes – and getting tested is simple Type 2 diabetes is less easy to spot, because the body is still producing insulin – it just isn’t producing enough to cope with the high level of sugars being taken in. Symptoms include tiredness, feeling the need to drink more water, going to the loo more often and blurred vision. Men can also experience erectile problems.The onset is usually slow, and because it affects people who are older and overweight, most of the symptoms are put down to carrying extra pounds and/or simply getting on a bit. Similarly, other signs such as going to the loo more often are put down to drinking lots of water – another one of the symptoms.

Type 2 diabetes

10 YEARS

the amount of time some people go before being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes

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In most cases, Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed when a patient goes to their GP about a wound that hasn’t healed: their body is unable to repair itself because their blood’s too thick with glucose to work efficiently.

The important thing is to be screened for Type 2 diabetes before that happens – and getting tested couldn’t be simpler. Anyone living in England can have an NHS Health Check which is carried out on those aged between 40 to 74 every five years.

However, diabetes screening is also available free and for anyone aged over 16 at participating branches of LloydsPharmacy, a Vitality partner, across the UK. Members can also have a diabetes test as part of their annual Vitality Healthcheck, which is also carried out at branches of LloydsPharmacy.

Anyone diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes is initially given medication called metformin in tablet form, which helps the body to use the insulin it’s still producing more effectively. Blood glucose levels continue to be monitored, until the level of insulin

being produced naturally becomes so low that it is necessary to move on to injections.

However the best treatment for all Type 2 diabetes patients – and the best way to prevent it developing in the first place – is to lose weight. Less sugary food, more vegetables and fruit in the diet, brown bread instead of white and less alcohol, not to mention giving up smoking, all help slow down the progress of diabetes and improve the quality of life. Some patients who have lost a lot of weight have managed to stabilise their diabetes altogether, so the rewards of looking after yourself are enormous.

Healthier lifestyle

Exercise is a really good idea. The more sugar burned off by cycling, jogging or trips to the gym, the less there is to process. Adopting a healthier lifestyle is hard, but Vitality members have the advantage of using their Vitality partners to help them get healthier.

Take advantage of the membership discounts for getting fit in a Virgin Active gym, for example, getting 50 per cent cash back on a bike from Evans Cycles and if you’re overweight, consider the six months’ Weight Watchers membership for just £30. Diabetes is a growing health problem in the UK, but if we look after ourselves, we can keep it at bay.

GET TESTED WITH LLOYDSPHARMACY

Arrange your FREE DIABETES TEST with our Vitality partner LloydsPharmacy...

WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE? Your height, weight and waist will be measured and you’ll be asked questions about your diet, lifestyle and family health history.

WHAT THEN? If you seem to be at risk, a tiny sample of blood will be taken to assess your blood glucose levels.

WILL I GET THE RESULTS THERE AND THEN? Yes. A healthy person has an average blood glucose reading of 4-7 millimoles per litre (mmol/l). A reading below 6 is fine, above 6 and another pinprick blood sample will be taken at another time, on an empty stomach, just as a precaution.

AND IF I HAVE DIABETES? You will be given a referral letter to pass on to your GP, and offered advice on how to manage it. If you don’t have diabetes you will be given recommendations on how to avoid it developing.

BOOK YOUR VITALITY HEALTHCHECK ONLINE Log in to the Member Zone and select Vitality Healthcheck from the Health partners menu.

FIND OUT MORE:

member.vitality.co.uk

Meet The Members

“IT’S NOT JUST A FEW PENCE HERE AND THERE. THE SAVINGS WITH VITALITY ARE REALLY SUBSTANTIAL”

FACT FILE

Louise is a working mum who finds that, thanks to Vitality, looking after the health of her young family is simple, enjoyable and affordable My husband and I are both Vitality members and we have a daughter, Ella, who is two and a half. We have just moved from south London to the Buckinghamshire countryside. London is great, but the lovely thing about moving out is that we now have a field with sheep that backs on to our garden.

Everything feels much more healthy here, and we can’t wait to start enjoying woodland walks and all the fresh air. Once Ella is old enough, we’d like to do bike rides as a family. We don’t yet have bikes, so we’re hoping to get the cash back from Evans Cycles through Vitality.

When Ella was born, we started to take our health more seriously.

We decided that we needed life insurance and to write our wills.

The chap we spoke to about them recommended PruProtect with Vitality, and we’ve found it to be a really good initiative.

What has proved to be especially good is that we’re getting reinforcements on a regular basis – we can see our Vitality points adding up as we become healthier. Of course, this then leads to money off our premium. The great thing with this system is it helps you get back on the straight and narrow quickly after a particularly indulgent period such as Christmas.

It was a big consideration for us whether we could take on the cost of life insurance, so knowing we could control our own premiums by being healthy and pushing the cost down is fantastic. And the savings aren’t just a few pence here and there – they are quite substantial. For us, it’s all about trying to build exercise into our lives and set a good example for Ella. So when we joined Vitality, we used a running buggy to help us exercise, and a Fitbug to track our steps. Again, this is great as it keeps you disciplined.

I’m now looking forward to getting 75% off at Champneys plus

NAME Louise Cooke AGE 36 LOCATION near Oxford LIKES Fitbug

25% off for a friend. This is a big, big draw as it is such a generous discount. We’re also planning to use Polar heart rate monitors, and again there is a big saving to be made on these with Vitality.

The Vitality Healthcheck was both good value and reassuring. I think things like this are really important, as my attitude has always been that it’s better to know straightaway if there’s anything wrong so you can do something about it. When you have children, you really start to think about things like your BMI and cholesterol levels. Finding out I was in the healthy range was not only a great comfort – it gave me extra points! The staff in my local LloydsPharmacy, where I took the Healthcheck, kept my daughter entertained while I was having it done.

The best thing about being part of Vitality is that as a family we’re definitely fitter. Both my husband and I have lost weight, we feel much fitter in ourselves and we feel that we’re setting a really good example for our daughter.

To find out about the Vitality benefits Louise mentions, and the other rewards available to Vitality members, go to: member.vitality.co.uk

LOUISE AND HUSBAND RICH WITH THEIR YOUNG DAUGHTER, ELLA

cool kit

Your Own Devices

PURPOSE: FOR FITNESS

At MapMyFitness, we provide interactive tools to make fitness social and simple as well as rewarding. These devices help people reach specific goals, so it’s important to decide your goal before you buy one. Some of these are general devices, others improve performance in specific sports. Some of them are designed to be worn as ‘lifestyle devices’, not put on solely when you’re ready to do an activity. And some of them cost a lot more money than others...

FITBIT FLEX

Fitness technology is a bit baffling but if anyone can explain Connected Fitness Devices to us, it’s Brian Pitstick, Director, Business Development from mapmyfitness.com

This one’s similar to the Orb (below) except that you wear it as a wristband, tracking your steps and distance but also your sleep patterns.

It has very small lights that flash when you reach the goals – 10,000 steps a day, for example – that you set for yourself earlier. It’s a 24/7 lifestyle device that you’d wear all the time.

If you’re into weight or resistance training, the lack of frequent movement means this device won’t record the hard work you’re doing, but for walkers and runners in the USA, where MapMyFitness is based, this is the number one fitness tracking seller today.

Cost: around £65

NIKE FUELBAND

This is more expensive than similar devices like the Orb and the Fitbit, but it does have a built-in display that reveals your data on the band itself – a calorie-count, for example – and, as with most fitness devices, uses an app to transmit the numbers you want direct to your smartphone.

Aside from that display, though, everything it offers is pretty much available for less money from their competitors. Then again, it’s perhaps also understandable that people who wear something day and night want it to look good, and Nike’s a pretty cool brand to have on your wrist.

Cost: around £130

GARMIN SWIMWATCH

Designed specifically for swimmers, this waterproof watch counts your laps, distance, time in the water – it’s a serious piece of kit for people who work out in the pool and want to keep tabs on their improvement.

There’s no heart rate monitoring function, though, so that would need to be done with a separate device.

Cost: around £115

FITBUG ORB

Simply log in to the Member Zone and visit the Vitality activity tracking page. You’ll earn Vitality points just for being more active.

FIND OUT MORE:

member.vitality.co.uk

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PICTURE CREDIT

ALREADY GOT A FITNESS DEVICE? LINK IT TO VITALITY

This activity tracker has a pedometer that knows when the wearer’s moving: how many steps, what distance, how many calories burned. It doesn’t have a screen but does have an affordable price tag.

The data it records syncs automatically with your mobile, so you needn’t upload anything, making it dead easy to use. But

it won’t just record your run in the park: this is one of those lifestyle devices that you wear 24/7, monitoring the times you walk instead of drive or take the lift. It’s a simple but effective way to motivate yourself to be more active.

Cost: £49.95, but for Vitality members it’s just £34.95

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cool kit

Fitness devices

POLAR H7

This monitor loops round the chest to track your heart rate during a workout and sends this data to an app on your phone. This information will help runners and cyclists get faster: they can vary their heart rate, knowing they’re working as hard as they safely can, in the course of their workout. Studies show that increasing your intensity level during exercise not only boosts your cardiovascular workout, it also raises your metabolic rate – the rate at which you burn calories – so for exercisers seeking weight-loss, the ability to adjust intensity levels is useful.

Cost: around £65, but for Vitality members it’s just £32.25

DEVICE Step-based device

ADIDAS MICOACH SMART RUN

This is a smartphone/watch created specifically for running: it has built-in GPS, so it can measure the distances you cover with more accuracy than the other devices we’ve looked at.

It’ll tell you your speed, on foot or on wheels, while its heart rate tracker – a sophisticated tool that analyses your skin and bloodflow – is inside the watch, collecting that data and putting it on screen for you to see, with no need for a separate monitor.

It’s expensive, no question, but it does offer an impressive array of uses: intensity, distance, speed, heart rate, telephone, MP3 player… basically, with this, you don’t need to carry any other kit. It does everything for you except the exercise!

Cost: around £300

Heart rate monitor

Calorie-based device

TYPE OF ACTIVITY VITALITY POINTS 7,000 steps

3 points

10,000 steps

5 points

12,500 steps

10 points

Working out at 60% of your age-related maximum heart rate

5 points for 30 minutes 10 points for 60 minutes

Working out at 70% of your age-related maximum heart rate

10 points for 30 minutes

30 minutes physical activity: 150 kcals burned at a rate of at least 300kcal/hr

5 points

30 minutes physical activity: 300 kcals burned at a rate of at least 600kcal/hr

10 points

60 minutes physical activity with 300 kcals burned at a rate of at least 300kcal/hr

10 points

Adult members can earn 10 Vitality points per day from any exercise activity, up to a maximum of 40 points per week

Take a Vitality Healthcheck and get 10% to 50% cash back on your shopping!

As a Vitality member you can get cashback on everyday essentials like health and beauty products, toiletries, fragrances and more when you shop online or in-store with a LloydsPharmacy Vitality card.^ To unlock your cash back just take a Vitality Healthcheck* in one of our selected pharmacies across the country.

You’ll also earn up to 780 Vitality points if all your results are in the healthy range.

VITALITY BENEFIT: MONEY OFF SELECTED FITNESS DEVICES Get a Fitbug from £34.95 or 50% off a Polar device. Log in to the Member Zone for details.

*One free Vitality Healthcheck per plan year on all PruHealth plans. PruProtect members pay £15 for a Vitality Healthcheck.

FIND OUT MORE:

member.vitality.co.uk

Buy instore today or online at LloydsPharmacy.com ^ Terms and conditions apply. Find out more: Visit member.vitality.co.uk

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Lloyds Pharmacy Ltd, Coventry, CV2 2TX

FREE Vi

tali Healthc ty heck*

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Ambassador

Jessica Ennis-Hill with Vitality

“MANY OF OUR KIDS NEED TO DO MORE EXERCISE!”

brilliant things to do this summer

With her first child due any day now, Vitality Ambassador Jessica shares a few fun exercise tips that will keep children healthy

60 MINUTES OF WHAT? AEROBICS It gets the heart pumping and lungs working, with less strain than other exercise on growing bodies. Running, dancing, cycling: these should be the biggest element of any kids’ exercise routine.

We all want our children to be happy and healthy but it’s so hard these days! So many of their leisure activities involve sitting down and the calories they consume just don’t get used up. Weight-gain problems can then ensue, leading to possible conditions like diabetes, joint problems, high blood pressure and heart problems as adults.

By simply encouraging them to be a little more active, we can make a big difference. Exercise will build strong bones and muscles, maintain a healthy weight, improve their balance and co-ordination, and even increase their confidence and self-esteem. They’ll sleep better too, and feel more alert for schoolwork.

The British Medical Association recommends kids do a minimum of one hour’s moderate exercise every day. But it doesn’t all have to be in one go and it can be fun – my coach Toni Minichiello advises against calling it exercise, for a start. His view is that exercise can be an intimidating word for children but of course they have no problems with playing. So get them to play, then they won’t even think about breaking into a sweat, they’ll just think about how much fun they’re having.

And what they actually do should be different to what we do to stay fit as grown-ups. When we think about exercise, we imagine working out in the gym on a treadmill or lifting weights. For our kids, says Toni, we should think about anything that gets them physically active: dance, bounce, run, jump, play ‘it’, skip…as long as they’re moving, they’re moving in the right direction!

MUSCLE-BUILDING Kids don’t need weighttraining to be strong.

Push-ups, crunches and pull-ups will tone and strengthen muscles, using their own bodies rather than gym kit. Try treeclimbing, running and gymnastics too.

My coach wouldn’t recommend doing this more than three times a week because it’s so important not to subject their joints to repetitive stresses, but to keep it varied and enjoyable.

BONE-STRENGTHENING Jumping, hopping and skipping with a skipping rope, running, hiking, volleyball and tennis:

these are all good bone-strengthening exercises that will help young bones grow. No more than three times a week for these either, though, to be safe.

STRETCHING It’s important to make their muscles more flexible, this will help them reach out, bend and turn better: plus the more flexible they are, the less likely they are to get hurt.

Try showing them simple but effective stretches: toe touches, or dangling their hand down their side, then swapping sides. If classes are available in yoga or dance, they’re good opportunities to stretch. Martial arts are great, too.

It’s important for kids to try all kinds of activity, this way they’ll find something that engages them. The more fun they have, the more likely they’ll keep it up!

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PACK A PICNIC And take lots of fruit and veg with you! Kids who eat meals as a family are more likely to eat higher quantities of fruit and veg, according to research in The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. The study of 2,383 children from 52 primary schools in London found that children who ate with their families consumed on average 125g more fruit and vegetables than children from families who never ate a meal together.

GO FOR A SWIM

3

GO SEE A MOVIE

..but make it a comedy.

Research from the University of Maryland found comedies help lower our blood pressure, while films with distressing scenes have the opposite effect. Healthy volunteers, each with normal blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels, watched a 15-minute clip either from Saving Private Ryan or a funny flick, then 48 hours later watched a segment designed to trigger the opposite emotional effect. During the stressful film, 70 per cent had reduced flow of blood in the brachial artery, while after the comedy, the blood vessels of 95 per cent of them were more relaxed.

Laughter causes the inner lining of the blood vessels to relax, increasing blood flow. Overall, blood flow increased 22 per cent during the funny films and reduced 35 per cent in the emotionally distressing ones.

VITALITY BENEFIT You could get free cinema tickets with Cineworld and Vue. member.vitality.co.uk

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Make the most of the summer weather and add outdoor swimming to your weekly routine. Whether you take a dip in your local lido, ponds or the sea, you’ll reap the health benefits as swimming has been linked to lower mortality rates. The International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education published a study into the all-cause mortality rates of men who swam regularly, compared to those who ran, walked or were sedentary. During 1971 to 2003, they monitored the health of 40,547 men aged between 20 and 90 years via a health exam. After adjusting for age, cardiovascular history, smoking and alcohol consumption they found that swimmers recorded 53 per cent, 50 per cent and 49 per cent lower mortality rates respectively than men who were sedentary, walkers or runners.

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TAKE A TRIP TO THE SEASIDE Building sandcastles, paddling in the sea, the salty smell of seaweed in the air… there’s plenty to love about the seaside already but in case you needed another reason to enjoy the sea air, research suggests it may bring health benefits, too. A study published in the journal Health & Place in 2013 looked at the relationship between living by the seaside, and general wellbeing and mental health: they found that people who lived nearer the coast had significantly better overall wellbeing and mental health than those who didn’t.

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ENJOY A GAME OF FRISBEE

On a sunny afternoon, get out the Frisbee for a game with friends and family. Head to a local park or green space and you could boost your health and wellbeing at the same time. A review of literature on the effects on health of green spaces versus urban landscapes in the journal Urban Forestry & Urban Greening found that green spaces have a positive effect on health, although the rationale for this isn’t known. The literature showed that green environments are linked to reduced levels of stress and mental fatigue, improved recovery from illness, overall better moods and general well-being.

VITALITY BENEFIT If you’re thinking of taking a holiday by the seaside, why not look at Mark Warner? The company has lots of holiday opportunities near the sea – and you could get up to 25% off Mark Warner holidays with Vitality. member.vitality.co.uk

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KE R A HI ysical O F O h G es of p

CAMP IN YOUR GARDEN

Camping is a great way to spend time together as a family and you needn’t go far to do it. Set up camp in your garden and experience the benefits that sleeping outdoors can bring.

According to researchers, camping will help you to synchronise your body clocks and make the most of the light.

The study, published in Current Biology, measured the sleep patterns of eight people in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado over a two-week period. For the first week, the participants followed their daily routine and were exposed to electric lighting. For the second week, the volunteers went camping but were only exposed to natural light.

The researchers reported that while camping, the participants’ body clocks adjusted to the natural light and they found themsleves in sync with sunset and sunrise, while still getting the same amount of sleep as usual. The study also showed that the amount of natural light the participants were exposed to increased more than four-fold.

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RIDE ON A ROLLERCOASTER

Ignore media reports that rollercoasters could cause brain injury because of the G-forces they exert on our bodies. A study by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons found zero proof of any such danger to public health, no matter how extreme the ride – and concluded that bunk beds were more likely to damage children’s neurological health. “The maximum G-forces on rollercoasters haven’t increased on rides over the last 30 years,” explained Dr Lee Dickinson.

“The annual number of injuries on fixed amusement park rides is less than that for folding lawn chairs.” Revellers who have suffered a heart attack are advised not to ride on a rollercoaster, but the rest of us can experience the thrill knowing we’re not putting our health at risk!

VITALITY BENEFIT If you’re planning a trip to Thorpe Park, Alton Towers or any other Merlin theme park, remember you could get 30% off a Merlin Standard Annual Pass. member.vitality.co.uk

EXPLORE A MUSEUM OR ART GALLERY

10

CHILL OUT AT A FESTIVAL

Listening to your favourite music can help to improve blood flow by causing the inner lining of blood vessels to expand, according to the journal Circulation. In a study of 10 healthy volunteers, researchers measured their blood pressure on four separate occasions: while listening to music they considered joyful; listening to music they said made them anxious; while laughing; and while relaxing. Blood flow increased 26 per cent during the joyful music but decreased by six per cent when they were anxious, while laughter increased it by 19 per cent and relaxation by 11 per cent. Leave the concert before the heavy metal starts!

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VITALITY BENEFIT You could get a third cash back when you buy event and concert tickets from Ticketmaster, although you’ll need to pay a yearly fee to activate this entertainment benefit of £10 for individuals, £15 for couples or families. member.vitality.co.uk

PLAY ROUNDERS Get a group together for a game of rounders as research suggests that people put in more effort when they exercise with others. The British Journal of Sports Medicine asked volunteers to walk once by themselves and once in a group. The male volunteers increased the distance they walked by 12.5 per cent when they walked in a group, while women walked an extra 13.7 per cent in a group.

VITALITY BENEFIT If you’re in need of new trainers, don’t forget you can get 50% off a pair of sports shoes with Sweatshop. member.vitality.co.uk

There are loads of great museum and gallery exhibitions to visit this summer, from Ming: The Golden Empire at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh to Henri Matisse: The CutOuts at the Tate Modern in London.

Enjoying a leisurely spot of culture at a museum or art gallery is a great way to spend an afternoon – and it’s also good for your mental wellbeing.

Researchers in Norway surveyed 50,797 adults in the country about their cultural activities and their health, and found that taking part in cultural activities, such as visiting a museum or art gallery, was significantly associated with good health, lower anxiety levels and depression, and greater general satisfaction with life.

The study indicated that 84 per cent of those who participated in at least four cultural activities reported being in good or very good health, while 91 per cent were satisfied with their lives.

VITALITY BENEFIT If you’re looking to be seriously adventurous this summer, why not head further afield and explore the museums of Paris or Bruges? Vitality members could get up to 50% off rail tickets with Eurostar. member.vitality.co.uk

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exclusive members prize draw

WIN

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Football coaching for your kids OR football tickets • two nights in a luxury hotel • spending money!

To celebrate our new partnership with Arsenal, Liverpool FC and Manchester City, we’re giving two lucky members a choice of two outstanding prizes in this free prize draw:

EITHER

THE S N CHAMPa ItrOip to Fancy hester?

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A two-night stay for four people at a Mr & Mrs Smith luxury hotel in London, Liverpool or Manchester plus four hospitality tickets for one of our three partner clubs in a Barclays Premier League home match of your choice and £100 spending money each

OR A two-day coaching clinic for your child’s school or sports club with Arsenal Soccer Schools, where up to 50 children will learn to play the Arsenal way, guided by professional coaches, with children of all abilities welcome

MIGHTYOL LIVEhReyPOgo one

HOW TO ENTER Visit vitalitywin.co.uk on or before 3 August 2014 and tell us which prize you’d like to win: tickets or coaching – but just one of them please. We’ll put your names in the hat and when the draws are all done, pull the lucky winners out for each prize and contact you with the exciting news!

You’ll need your Vitality membership number OR your name and postcode to enter. We’ll notify the winner by phone or email by 1 September 2014.

Terms and conditions: this competition is only open to PruHealth and PruProtect members. Employees of PruHealth, PruProtect and John Brown, and their families, are not eligible to enter. Entry is via www.vitalitywin.co.uk only, restricted to one entry per member. Closing date for entries: 3 August 2014. No cash alternative is available. For full terms and conditions please visit vitalitywin.co.uk.

Data Protection and Fair Processing Notice The aim of our Vitality magazine is to provide you with useful health and wellbeing information, and updates and information about your PruHealth or PruProtect with Vitality plans. The magazine will also inform you of special promotions and offers from our Vitality Partners and selected third parties. If you would like to opt out of future issues of the magazine you can do so by visiting the following website and unsubscribing.

To unsubscribe visit: www.vitalitymagazine.co.uk If you do unsubscribe you will still always be able to see the Vitality partners and offers currently available on your plan by logging in to the Member Zone.

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After all, some hotels just aren’t good enough.

(This one is)

Vitality is published on behalf of PruHealth and PruProtect with Vitality by John Brown, 136-142 Bramley Road, London W10 6SR. johnbrownmedia.com, 020 7565 3000 While every care is taken to ensure accuracy, PruHealth, PruProtect and the publishers, authors and printers cannot accept liability for errors or omissions. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the copyright holder and publisher, application for which should be made to the publisher. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of PruHealth, PruProtect or the publisher. Details and prices correct at time of going to press.

mrandmrssmith.com

Book a spa retreat, countryside escape or beach holiday at a Mr & Mrs Smith boutique hotel, and get up to 25% cash back.

Available on all PruHealth individual plans, PruHealth group plans with Vitality Plus and PruProtect plans with Vitality Plus.

50% OFF FLEXIBILITY. Vitality members can enjoy a 50% saving on fully flexible monthly membership fees at Virgin Active Health Clubs*. Try a brand new class (we’ve got over 80 to choose from), experience the latest gym floor technology or splash straight into one of our pools or spas.

Call us today to book your complimentary visit on 0203 4117002.

VIRGIN ACTIVE HEALTH CLUBS live happily ever active

SUMMER SPECIAL All this summer, Virgin Active members can access handpicked offers and exclusive benefits including holidays, festival tickets, event places, summer reads, recipes, training plans and fitness tips from our top Fitness Coaches. The perfect way to summer your socks off.

*Terms and conditions apply. A separate joining fee may apply. Offer is open to all PruHealth members, and PruProtect members with Vitality Plus.

Offer not available at The Riverside Health & Racquet Club Chiswick, Virgin Active Clements Hall or Virgin Active Rayleigh.