Whenever you feel stressed or tense practice the following breathing exercise to relax your body and mind:

Breathe deeply and relax. For 2 or 3 minutes each hour, take a short mental vacation.

You can engage in this exercise while you are standing in the checkout line at the supermarket or a few minutes during your lunch break. You can do this exercise at home or at work.

Take three deep breaths and relax. As you inhale, concentrate on calm and peaceful thoughts. You may think about relaxing by a mountain, by the ocean or comfortably in your favourite room at home.

As you exhale, concentrate on pushing any tension out of your lungs.

Focus on positive images in your life. Focus on laughter, love, excitement, and hope. If you can’t recall any, imagine feeling happy and excited and hopeful.

Keep breathing in and out in this pattern until you feel better. If you practice the exercise often, you will notice wonderful changes in your outlook and in other aspects of your life.

Researchers have found that cloudy apple juice contains twice as many health boosting antioxidants as clear juice.

These antioxidants, called polyphenols, are also found in red wine, berries and green tea and protect against heart disease.

Just because you are watching your weight doesn’t mean you have to forgo the pleasures of eating out. Fortunately most restaurants offer a healthy choice as part of their standard meals, even if it is not highlighted as such on the menu.

If you want something special, ask — don’t be afraid to tell the waiter or waitress that you would like your vegetables served without butter or your fish without any sauce, but make sure you do it when they take your order.

Avoid high-fat starters such as pate or anything deep fried — choose melon, soup, salad or smoked salmon instead.

Avoid creamy sauces and anything fried. Vegetarian options are not necessarily lower in calories — avoid dishes that contain cheese.

You don’t have to miss out on dessert, just choose wisely. Opt for the fruit salad and be careful about how much you drink. A glass of wine may contain around 100 calories, but one glass tends to lead to another and another.