Dr Punam Krishan, a regular guest on BBC Morning Live, has said that there is a 60-second task which can help “future proof” our health. Alongside Dr Claire Bailey, the wife of the late Michael Mosley, she said the task came from her husband who urged people to implement it into their daily lives.
The show returned this morning (January 6) after its Christmas break, and the BBC Morning Live team are starting a series tasks we can do to improve our health. The saying is attributed to being the philosophy of the late Dr Mosley, who shared the scientifically proven simple things we can all do to boost mood and improve fitness.
Dr Bailey said that people should try and stand on one leg – and the task takes just one minute. By doing this, it has “real significant benefits.”
She explains all you need to do is stand one one leg for 30 seconds each. The benefits of doing this is “that it strengthens your legs enough for elderly people in particular and prevents falls – that is the main benefit.”
The NHS GP, who is based in Glasgow, added that “just doing one thing is so powerful” to prevent yourself from failing when it comes to your new year resolutions. “It can be as simple as adding an extra glass of water to your daily fluid intake, setting up achievable step goal or as Dr Michael Mosley told us, standing on one leg.
“The idea is is that you want to do that one thing so it becomes embedded in your everyday routine and you do it without thinking. Then you pick another one thing to add to that, and if you do, it just becomes you future proofing your health.
“It just takes 60 seconds but you just stand in one leg for 30 seconds switched to the other leg. You can do it when you’re brushing your teeth.
“I love doing it when I’m cooking or when I’m working. In those 60 seconds you are engaging your brain, your inner ear, your eyes, your nervous system, your ears, your joints, your muscles. Everything is working together and in the long run it works to improve your balance, your posture and stability.”
Having recently appeared on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, the health guru noted that with being a full-time GP and mum of two, it can be hard to exercise so this year, she will be doing the Couch to 5K. Dr Bailey then said her goal for 2025 is to do a Park Run.
With the Strictly schedule getting in the way, the Glaswegian doctor said she is going to start again with her having stopped at five weeks. Dr Punam said: “I’m going to start again, but this time finish. It’s a nine-week programme and at the end, I know it may not seem like a lot to a lot of people, but as a non-runner I’d love to just run 5K comfortably.”
Adding to their goals, Dr Claire said: “I do runs in the mornings, it just gets you going for the day. The thing that I would like to do is basically to do Park Run because I did a Park Run before and I was over taken by a man as a storm trooper,” she laughed.
If you are keen on Couch to 5K, you can visit the NHS website here for more info. If you’d love to do a Park Run, check out more info here.