How to offset the overindulgence of Christmas Day

An unhealthy Christmas Day - spent drinking, watching TV, eating badly and not exercising - is the equivalent of taking hours per day off your life, it has been warned. Lifestyle habits such as smoking, lack of exercise and being overweight have been calculated into ‘microlives’; which are 30 minute chunks of life lost each day once past the age of 35. Activities like smoking, having a couple of drinks, eating red meat and watching television any time of year can each knock at least 30 minutes off your life expectancy for every day you indulge. These effects are likely to be felt more keenly over Christmas when we tend to overindulge. Watching the Downton Abbey Christmas special while sipping a second glass of champagne would knock an hour off your life. However a traditional turkey dinner with five portions of vegetables, followed by a brisk walk and two cups of coffee would add three hours to your life. We all know that being unhealthy is not good for us, however, we tend to cram a lot of unhealthy habits into one day. Therefore the choice is yours, if you want to have a blow-out and overindulge then go ahead, however, if you would like to offset your day with some healthier choices then the menubelow gives an idea of what you can do. Healthy Christmas Day Turkey with sprouts, carrots, parsnips, cabbage, followed by fruit pudding… PLUS 2 HOURS Two cups of coffee… PLUS 30 MINUTES 20 minute brisk walk… PLUS 1 HOUR One glass of champagne… PLUS 30 MINUTES TOTAL MICROLIVES = PLUS 4 HOURS   Unhealthy Christmas Day Beef with one or two vegetables… MINUS 2 HOURS 30 MINUTES Watching Downton Abbey on TV… MINUS 30 MINUTES Two cigarettes… MINUS 30 MINUTES Two more glasses of champagne… MINUS 30 MINUTES TOTAL MICROLIVES = MINUS 4 HOURS