Having trouble with your blood pressure? We may just have an easy, juicy, veggie solution – beetroot juice.

A recent study conducted at Queen Mary University of London, and funded by the British Heart Foundation has shown that drinking just one glass of beetroot juice a day is enough to significantly reduce blood pressure in those with high levels.

The study used 64 participants aged 18-85, half of which consumed a glass of the juice every day for four weeks. These people found their blood pressure levels stabilised, which comes as a result of the high levels of nitrate found in beetroot; consumed daily, they can reduce blood pressure by 7%. Nitrate-high vegetables also include celery and cabbage, so if beetroot isn’t for you then try going green instead.

Calling all gym goers in our nation’s capital, London has a brand new and unique experience on offer for anyone wanting to mix up their fitness routine.

1Rebel prides itself on being the contradiction within the fitness industry, allowing you to get involved without having to sign a contract. It offers two unique classes; Ride – a group cycling class also using free weights and resistance bands; and Reshape – also a group class, which combines treadmill intervals with free weights, medicine balls and resistance bands, all provided on one workout platform for each person. Attached to the gym is 1Rebel’s own catering outlet Roots and Bulbs, offering freshly made juices, smoothies and salads to attend to the post workout hunger of its participants. Just in case that wasn’t unique enough, they also include free water, towels and toiletries in the price of any session. Find out more online by visiting www.1rebel.co.uk

For those of you that love training but hate the effects it has on your joints, head over to Spectrum Leisure Centre in Willington, County Durham.

They’ve become the first leisure facility in the country to offer newly designed gym equipment allowing high-intensity workouts for those with low mobility and joint problems. Using concentric-based training and a zero-gravity free motion bar, this machine gives its users a chance to train at widerranging levels of intensity; the more force you apply, the more resistance the machine will create. This type of training is also designed to significantly reduce Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) whilst still giving you the ‘afterburn’ affect that high-intensity training provides. Users can therefore burn lots of calories without the painful effects that more traditional forms of HIIT may cause. So there’s now even less excuse to miss your workout – a win-win situation we think.

Are you sound as a ‘Pound’? You could be soon, as new US-based fitness craze ‘Pound’ is quickly becoming popular in the UK.

Created by female drummers Kirsten Potenza and Cristina Pereenboom, this programme is seeing more and more people looking to join its up-tempo high-interval class using drummerstyled Ripstix™ to work out – and rock out – to the beat. Each class combines cardio, pilates, isometric movements and poses to help participants burn between 400 and 900 calories in just 45 minutes. The Pound fitness platform promises 15,000 reps, 30 extended interval peaks and over 70 techniques completed during each of their classes, making it perfect for those looking to burn fat fast. And don’t worry, if you don’t class yourself as a rock fan, the ‘POUNDtrack’ combines rap, dub-step, pop and old-school tunes with rock to create the ultimate playlist for your workout. Fancy Pound? There is more info available online at www.poundfit.com

Who ever said oil was bad for you? Coconut oil pulling has become the latest health craze to hit the UK, and with all its benefits we can see why.

As an ancient Ayurvedic practice, oil pulling is said to pull toxins from the mouth and help detoxify the body, and by using coconut oil, the benefits multiply. As an antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiviral substance, coconut oil pulling has been proven to significantly help heal oral infections such as gingivitis and cold sores, prevent tooth decay, whiten teeth and reduce bad breathe. So how does it work? By placing a tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth, swishing it around for 15 seconds (or as long as you can stand it) spitting it out and brushing your teeth afterwards, the bad bacteria has effectively got ‘stuck’ in the oil and been removed from the mouth. Sounds a little gross, but with all the benefits to be gained, why not try?

Forget the days of just counting calories and heart rate monitoring, with the latest high-tech gym equipment to be introduced, there are many more ways to track your workout progress and keep things interesting.

Included in this super group of machinery is the Fit3D ProScanner, capturing a full 360 model of a users’ body and displaying the circumference, height, volume and length measurements. These can be used to log and track each user’s progress online – a high-tech way to keep yourself accountable. Another new feature of the fitness industry is the Peloton Bike, measuring cadence, resistance, miles and watts, this bike also allows you to track your progress after entering your personal details. More importantly, if using one at home, you can choose to follow a live group workout using the bike’s interactive screen, or take a cycle through virtual outdoor landscapes and trails. You won’t ever have to endure a boring workout again. There is more info available online at www.fit3d.com