healthy living

With Spinal Health Week well underway it's important to stop and think about how you're positioned, right now. Having correct posture is so important, with every minute of the day having profound implications on our health. Whether we are sitting, standing, walking, moving or sleeping there is a correct position our body should be in, in fact, our body craves alignment. And, depsite the serious affects bad posture can have on our joints and general health, we often tend to gloss over this in lieu of more acute problems, like fixing something we can visibly see. We spoke to personal trainer, Joshua Mill to find out what some of the key tips to improve posture.

In the beginning of a weight-loss journey, kilos melt away like ice on a hot Summer's day. But as you get closer to your goal, it's not unusual to hit a plateau. Here's how to keep those kilos dropping and keep the weight off for good. 

• Beef up your workouts: If you've been steadily working out and following the same routine, your body has probably grown accustomed to the routine. Rattle your body's chain a little and kick up the intensity of your workouts to further challenge your muscles. Work out longer or harder, increase the size weights you're lifting, do more reps of strength-training moves and vary the order, or try doing two workouts in one day. Keep reading for more tips!

We all have good intentions when it comes to eating healthy. Monday is always reserved for "starting fresh", but what if you could have fresh delivered to your door? I was recently sent the Dietlicious 5 Day Cleanse for review and I have to say, I was so impressed. Curious to find out how I went? Let's do it.

We're focusing on all things back and posture for Spinal Health Week 2013 and with more than two million Australians reporting back pain each year, protecting and promoting bone health is so important. Bones are literally the support system of our bodies — they provide structure, protect organs and allows us to bend and move in so many ways. By including a few essential nutrients into your daily diet, you could reduce the effects of bone related conditions like osteoporosis, and help diminish back pain and injuries. So in order to get the best for our backs, we spoke to dietitian and nutritionist, Julie Markoska, to find out the key dietary requirements for good bone health.

A varied diet that features lots of whole, fresh foods can give you the nutrition you need, but should you be using a supplement as well? Read on for recommendations from top nutritionists and dietitians to see if supplements are right for you.

Don't make supplements a substitute: Before you reach for a supplement, evaluate your diet to see how you can improve it. "Whole foods contain dozens and dozens of nutrients, including not just vitamins and minerals, but also antioxidants and phytochemicals, which would be impossible to fully replace with supplements," says Cynthia Sass, registered dietitian and author of S.A.S.S. Yourself Slim. Focus on eliminating processed foods and increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat in order to get the most out of your food. "Eat the rainbow" with these colourful, antioxidant-rich recipes.

Multivitamins can work: "Even the healthiest eater can struggle to get in every vitamin and mineral needed each and every day," says registered dietitian Erin Palinski. She recommends a multivitamin to help ensure you are filling in holes in your diet. If you take a multivitamin, however, make sure you choose a "high-quality, whole-food-based multivitamin/multimineral," says Kimberly Snyder, nutritionist and author of The Beauty Detox Solution.

Get specific: Besides a multivitamin, certain supplements can target specific holes in your diet to suit you better. Supplements like probiotics, for example, can be useful to "help ensure you are absorbing your nutrients most effectively," Kimberly says. Nutritionist and Karma Chow founder Melissa Costello recommends supplements containing B complex, iron, and vitamin D3 because those may still be missing in your food or your body may not be able to absorb all nutrients. "Most of us have poor digestion so we cannot fully absorb all the nutrients from our foods and our soils have been so depleted that the nutrients are not as present in foods today," she explains.

There's no better time to start making healthy choices than right now.