Tackle housework as if it was a gym routine and you’ll whiz through calories too.

A US research found that when women were told chores counted as exercise, they were more likely to lose weight than those who did the same amount of activity but who were unaware of the fitness benefits.

• 2 apples
• Raspberries or strawberries (high in zinc a lack of which is linked to bad memory)
• 100g of live plain organic yogurt
• A few drops of gingko biloba which can improve attention

Juice apples add other ingredients and blend till smooth

Feeling stress, fed up or achy? Studies show that listening to music can soothe pain, reduce anxiety and help cancer patients recover quicker.

Arthritis sufferers who listened to 20 minutes of music each day reported a reduction in pain, according to an Arts Council project. Other studies have found that listening to music can reduce pain by up to 21 per cent and depression by up to 25 per cent. Music is now played in some doctors’ waiting rooms while the charity Music in hospitals performs concerts for patients.