Your health: 10 things to do in August

Good health doesn't come from a pill -- it comes from how you live your daily life. Try these 10 ways to improve your routine this month and end up healthier.

1. Make healthy friends -- or make your friends healthier
A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that you're more likely to become obese if your friends and family members are overweight, too. The reason? Researchers speculate that if you're surrounded by people who are overweight, your perception of what's normal shifts to compensate. It's not too much of a stretch to think that the same link might exist when it comes to lifestyle habits. So instead of maintaining your circle's weekly ritual of pub food and beer for dinner, suggest healthier pastimes -- and extend your social circle to include new friends that share your interest in good health. The more friends, the merrier!

2. Feast on fresh fruit
Forget frozen, canned or imported -- this month, make the most of the summer's bounty. A wealth of fruit is in season now, including peaches and plums, apples and pears, and blackberries and blueberries. Buy some at your local farmer's market or visit a farm to pick your own. You can't beat the flavour, and freshly picked fruit is a nutritional powerhouse. Eat it fresh or try the following recipes:

• Grilled Fresh Peach Salsa
• Maple Apple and Blueberry Crisp
• Plum and Almond Tart

3. Improve your balance
When it comes to staying fit, people generally think of cardio, strength and flexibility as the key components. But don't forget to include balance. Your sense of balance declines as you age, more so if you don't keep it up. Many physical activities will help you maintain your balance, including yoga, dance, skiing and martial arts. Or if you're not the sporty type, try testing yourself during daily activities: balance on one foot in the shower while washing your feet, for example, or while you're putting on your shoes.

4. Eat more garlic
And not just garlic -- all members of the allium family, including chives, onions and leeks as well as garlic, have fantastic health benefits. Liz Pearson and Mairlyn Smith, authors of Ultimate Foods for Ultimate Health (Whitecap Books, 2007) say these foods are linked to a lower risk of heart disease and cancer.

5. Get better sleep
It's one thing to get to bed at a decent time, but what if your nights are disrupted by your spouse's snoring -- or your own? Well, it's time to find a solution. Not only is snoring disruptive to sleep -- a health problem on its own -- but it's harmful to your health in other ways: for instance, interrupted breathing cuts the levels of oxygen reaching your blood, which can cause elevated cholesterol levels, according to Dr. Maoshing Ni, author of Secrets of Longevity (Chronicle, 2006). "To stop breathing through your mouth at night," says Dr. Ni, "sleep on your side, lose excess weight, and treat any sinus blockages you may have." Also make sure to check with your doctor to see if any other health issues could be causing the snoring.

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