Lifecoach: why are Britons so unhealthy? Population-sized changes in patterns of disease take decades to happen. The present "epidemics" of obesity, diabetes, drug and alcohol abuse have their antecedents in social changes beginning back in the Seventies, and in many cases much earlier. Housing quality, employment opportunities, even road planning (can you cycle safely in your town?) and hundreds of other factors have all had an influence. We see the dynamics of these changes in the hugely uneven distribution of ill health in our population. Those from the poorest backgrounds have the biggest burden of chronic illness, particularly from those diseases associated with smoking and less healthy diets. Our children's health as adults is being determined right now by the environment we provide for them. Public health has been allowed to slide into the sidelines for years. We have been dazzled by the bright lights of modern medicine and its capacity to treat sickness. We don't want to hear the boring stuff about stopping smoking, cutting back on the booze, taking a walk regularly, eating more fruit and veg and less processed food of uncertain provenance, all of which will help keep us from needing treatment in the first place. Give them their due, the politicians have tried. The present Government's reorganisation of health services will generate many more poster campaigns on public health topics in the next few years. These will not, however, get us all fit. To do that we need to get personally interested in the boring stuff right now. Q I am a busy mum in my 30s and don't have much time for exercise. Can you suggest a short routine that would help me tone up? A Tony Gallagher writes Rather than a "one size fits all" regime, I would suggest a plan that gives you variety and lets you decide on the length of your routine on any given day. This also allows you to measure easily how much exercise you have done, which will keep you motivated. Pick from the following exercises: Legs: squats, single leg squats, lunges, outer leg raises, inner leg raises, straight leg raises, wall squats.  Arms: bicep curls using a rubber band or dumbbell, tricep dips using a chair or stair, tricep kickbacks. Chest: wide press-ups. Shoulders: front raises, lateral raises, shoulder presses, bent-over rowing movements using dumbbells. Core: abdominal curl-ups, plank, side plank, rotating plank, wall squats. To begin, choose an exercise you want to do the most out of the list. Perform between eight and 12 repetitions. Then do 10 star jumps. After that, try your next favourite exercise. Then do another 10 star jumps. Continue in the same vein, performing up to five different exercises, with the star jumps in between. This means you will have done five rounds of circuits - a surprising amount of exercise. The best part of the routine is that you can match it to your needs and energy on the day. For best results, you should aim to work on different parts of the body to build up your fitness over time. Q I love cereal, but I'm aware that its GI index isn't healthy. Is it alright to eat it more than once a day? I'm in my 20s and very active. A Sara Stanner writes The glycaemic index (GI) of a food is a measure of how quickly sugar (glucose) is released into the bloodstream after eating. The theory behind GI diets is that foods with a low GI, which release sugar slowly into the blood, provide a steady supply of energy which might make you feel fuller for longer and therefore less likely to snack. In contrast, it's been suggested that a more rapid rise in blood sugar from higher GI foods quickly leaves you lacking energy and feeling hungry. However, lots of factors can influence the GI of food, including the carbohydrate, fibre, fat or protein content, and these factors can also have an effect on satiety (how full or satisfied you feel after a meal). Foods eaten together, as is usual at mealtimes, will have a combined GI value. For example, the GI of your bowl of cereal will depend on your choice of cereal, type of milk and anything else you add to it (such as dried fruit), just as the GI of your toast will depend on the type of bread and the amount of spread you use. Although it has been suggested that low GI foods fill you up for longer, current evidence shows that when other factors (such as fibre content) are controlled, GI does not have a significant effect on appetite control.But cereal is a great choice for breakfast, especially if it is wholegrain and high in fibre. Many cereals have the added benefit of being fortified with vitamins and minerals, and adding milk will provide additional nutrients including calcium which is important for bone health. It is fine to consume cereal more than once a day - it can make a great snack, particularly if you are very active. Look for cereals that are made with wholegrains or wholewheat. Many are labelled as such but you can also look at the ingredient list. Always check the labels for added sugar - there are plenty of varieties without. Muesli, porridge and other cereals that are relatively 'unprocessed" are healthy options. Q Last winter I suffered from terrible chilblains, and they seem to be coming back. What can I do about the situation? A Dr Dan Rutherford writes Chilblains are small areas of skin inflammation triggered by cold-induced spasm of the tiny blood vessels within the skin. The inflamed areas can be painful and last several days. Most people with chilblains are healthy and their general circulation is fine. Rarely, chilblains are part of a more generalised problem of soft tissue inflammation or can point to too much protein in the blood (your GP can do blood tests). In Britain we don't get the bone-hard cold weather that is normal in, say, Scandinavia, and so we tend to be half-hearted when it comes to buying really warm clothing. Invest in good boots, thermal socks and gloves as well as core clothing, and wear them a lot. Nifedipine is a drug more commonly used for high blood pressure and angina which works by opening up the blood vessels, including those in the skin. It can help severe chilblain sufferers. For more see nhs.uk/conditions/chilblains. Urinary tract infections In the past I suffered with urinary tract infections and was forever on anti-biotics, due to a kink in the tube from my kidney to my bladder which built up the infections. Now I take two cranberry capsules regularly daily (Holland and Barrett). I have not had any problems for about two years. J Dibley, by email To those readers who are taking cranberry preparations, or who may be prompted to take them, it is important that any of them taking warfarin to be aware of the risk. Following the death of a man, on warfarin, whose blood-clotting levels changed dramatically six weeks after starting to drink cranberry juice, the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) issued a warning for patients on warfarin to limit, or avoid, taking cranberry juice or its preparations. John Goulding, Potters Bar Send your questions to lifecoach@telegraph.co.uk, or to 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0DT