Although we’ve had a few cold days for May, long warmer days are ahead and the trees and flowers are in full bloom. Since moving to west Cork, surrounded by farms, I have become far more aware of the seasons and the changes that each one brings.

As I write this column, I look out on the cows grazing their new patch of grass in my neighbour’s farm, a sight that I have come to love. Next week my column will be all about gardening and wellness, but today I want to touch on something that relates not only to the garden, the farm and to nature, but to everything we do.

That is balance. Your balance keeps you mobile, confident, active, empowered and living well. When you begin to lose your balance, you begin to second guess what you do and how you do it. You start to slow down and age faster.

It is why experts such as myself are shouting from the rooftops about balance and why it is so important. A few weeks ago I asked you to test your balance to see how you perform. In case you missed that test, here it is:

  • Stand tall with your feet together.
  • Now raise one leg in front of your body, arms folded and see how long you can stand on one leg for, with your eyes open.
  • The longer you can hold it, the better. If you can hold that for 30 seconds, then try it again with your eyes closed and see how you go.

    • By doing this test, you can regularly check your balance for improvements too.

    Don’t forget to watch the video below, and I will demonstrate exactly what to do.

    If you struggled with the test, here are some really simple ways to improve your balance:

    1.Do some calf raises on the stairs. Stand on the stairs on the ball of your foot on a step. Go up on your tippy toes as high

    as you can and then drop your heels below the step.

    Test 1. \ Karl Henry

    2. If you don’t have stairs, don’t worry, you can do this on the floor too. Simply going up and down on your tippy toes has benefits.

    Test 2. \ Karl Henry

    3. Try adding some squats into your day. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees and drop your bum to the floor and stand back up. If you are nervous then try to do this in front of your favourite chair in case you fall.

    Test 3. \ Karl Henry

    4. Add some single-leg standing into your day. Standing on one leg while brushingyour teeth or washing the dishes for example, is a great way to get better at it.

    Test 4. \ Karl Henry

    5. Stand more generally. Sitting is the new smoking. By standing more you are helping your body stay strong and healthy

    as every tendon in your lower body has to work to keep you upright. The more you sit, the weaker you get. Stand for strength and balance and see what a simple change it is.

    Test 5. \ Karl Henry

    If you are in your 20s, you probably don’t give your balance a second thought. In your 30s, every now and again you will think about it. Then in your 40s, if you are sedentary it starts to become a challenge.

    Guess what? It doesn’t get any better unless you try to do something about it. The best part is, no matter what age you are, your balance will get better and better. It is an aspect of health and wellness that so many people don’t think about but it is one of the key aspects in really helping you to live your best life and maintain your independence throughout.

    Watch Karl's full exercise video below: