One thing we've learnt from watching Ready Steady Cook on sick days: you really can conquer a goal with the clock ticking. Just blend experience with the right tools. Same goes for whipping up a healthier bod. These expert tips will give you everything you need to be healthier, stronger and even more gorgeous - in about the time it takes to nuke a Lean Cuisine meal. Ready?

Feel your best

TOTAL TIME IT TAKES:

1 minute, 57 seconds

PREVENT A COLD
POP A DAILY OMEGA-3 SUPPLEMENT
A recent study found that DHA, the omega-3 fatty acid in fish oil, may stop a cold in its tracks. "DHA may reduce inflammation in the respiratory airways, which would reduce the severity of symptoms," says Dr Lisa Wood, a respiratory researcher at the University of Newcastle, Australia. It's probably too late once you have a cold, but a regular dose of fish oil may help reduce symptoms if you catch one in the future.
TIME: 7 seconds

SOOTHE SORE FEET
STRETCH YOUR TOES
"When your toes are confined in shoes all day, the nerves and blood supply get compressed," says podiatrist Colleen Schwartz. To silence the pain: stand barefoot with your feet together; raise your toes off the floor and spread them wide. Then, starting with the little ones, lower your toes two at a time (one per foot). Work inward, lowering the big toes last. Repeat 10 times.
TIME: 50 seconds
BOOST YOUR MOOD
GIVE A GIFT
It's retail therapy with a twist. Compared with people who self-indulge, those who buy gifts for others or who donate to charity feel significantly happier. Fear not, thrifty spenders: the participants in a recent study in the journal Science got a mood buzz no matter how little they spent. Why? People get a blissful boost when they feel good about themselves.
TIME: 1 minute

Extend your life

TOTAL TIME IT TAKES:

4 minutes, 52 seconds

PREVENT COLON CANCER
SCAN NUTRITION LABELS
Avoid foods with trans fats (aka partially hydrogenated oils). Researchers from the University of North Carolina, US, found that people who consumed the highest amounts were twice as likely to have colon polyps - growths that often turn cancerous - as those who ate the least. "It's possible that consuming trans fatty acids alters the concentration of acids in the colon," says study author Dr Lisa Vinikoor. "This imbalance can lead to irritation and polyps." With this artery acid, a little goes a long way, so to stay safe, keep your intake at zero grams.
TIME: 5 seconds

HALT HEART DISEASE
DECIPHER YOUR SNORING
Ask your bed buddy to stay up until you've passed out. If he hears a pause between snores that lasts up to 30 seconds and ends with a snort or a gasp for air, you may have sleep apnoea. Breathless sleep forces your heart to work harder; a study by Yale University, US, found that having sleep apnoea increases your risk of having a heart attack or dying by 30 per cent. If you've got a delay, see your doc.
TIME: 1 minute (for your bed buddy)
PRESERVE YOUR BRAIN
EAT FISH
Lack of blood flow to the brain can lead to stroke and memory loss. But the omega-3s in fish such as trout and tuna may help keep blood coursing freely to brain cells. Participants in a study who ate fish rich in the fatty acids once a week were 13 per cent less likely to display evidence of either condition than those who ate it less frequently. The reason, says lead study author Dr Jyrki Virtanen, from Finland's University of Kuopio, may be that the omega-3s keep blood-vessel walls elastic and ward off inflammation.
TIME: 3 minutes, 47 seconds

Look amazing

TOTAL TIME IT TAKES:

3 minutes, 8 seconds

DEGREASE YOUR 'DO
GET A NEW SHAMPOO
Once or twice a week, lather up with a shampoo that contains glycolic, salicylic or beta hydroxy citric acid - mild exfoliating agents. "Shampooing alone won't degrease nearly as well as exfoliating the dead skin off your scalp that's locking in the oils," says Dr Debra Luftman, dermatologist and co-author of The Beauty Prescription. We like Dermalogica Shine Therapy Shampoo ($27, dermalogica.com.au).
TIME: 2 minutes

SAVE YOUR SMILE
CHEW GUM SWEETENED WITH XYLITOL
University of Washington researchers gave kids xylitol-sweetened Gummi Bears three times daily for six weeks and saw a tenfold reduction in cavity-causing bacteria. The reason: bacteria feast on sugar, using the energy to reproduce, but they can't break down xylitol. Look for it on gum ingredient lists; find it in Sweetlife Dental Gum ($2 for 12 pieces, sweetlife.com.au).
TIME: 8 seconds

BANISH BREAKOUTS
WASH YOUR FACE BEFORE A WORKOUT
"A layer of make-up can trap sweat and oils produced during exercise in the pores," Dr Luftman says. Use an exfoliating cleanser that contains glycolic acid. We like Jan Marini Bioglycolic Cleanser ($55, janmariniaustralia.com.au). Post-session, use a mild cleanser like Cetaphil to avoid drying out your skin.
TIME: 1 minute