 YOUR body is a temple, naturally, but once in a while we all treat it with as much respect as a trashcan. We abuse ourselves with fast food, fags, stress and a lack of exercise. The result? We're eating and working our way into an early grave. Thankfully, there's plenty that can be done to reverse the damage and claw back the years lost through an unhealthy lifestyle. And no, it doesn't involve turning into a health obsessed, lettuce-munching gym-bunny. According to a new Government initiative - Small Changes:Big Difference - just incorporating a few essential changes to your daily schedule can add years to your life. The new campaign aims to drive home the message to thousands of Merseysiders that even modest improvements to their lifestyle could have a dramatic effect on their health. The initiative follows groundbreaking research with 45-79 year olds by Professor Kay-Tee Khaw from Cambridge University. It shows that eating the recommended five portions of fruit or vegetables a day could cut one's risk of death by three to four years while even one additional serving would increase the chances of staying alive longer. The results for increasing physical activity are similar. Even moderate amounts of physical activity could add up to three years - which is great news for those intimidated by radical exercise programmes. Merseyside celebrities and politicians are already lending their support to the campaign by making their own mini health pledges. Shameless star Gillian Kearney is planning to drink more water, while ex-Brookside star Suzanne Collins has vowed to swap coffee for herbal tea. And council leader Warren Bradley says he'll row for 30 minutes a day. But what are you prepared to do? Here are some ideas for you: 1. Never take the lift and always walk up escalators. 2. Don't send e-mails to colleagues - instead walk over to discuss things. 3. Start the day with a smoothie. Mix some soft fruit with low fat yoghurt - and voila ... you hit your daily fruit quota in one go. 4. Jump off the bus one stop before your usual destination or park the car further away from the office. 5. Be happy. Optimists live an average of seven years longer than those who are depressed or gloomy. Experts believe this could be because they are better at handling stress and more in control of their destiny. 6. Log on to www.liverpoolactivecity.co.uk for further ideas on getting fit and having fun. | 
