Michael Mosley's top four health tips that he would want us to live by

Michael Mosley based his life's work on helping others to live longer and regularly offered a wealth of health advice.

The TV presenter, 67, tragically died over the weekend on the Greek island of Symi. He was found following an extensive search and rescue mission that spanned across five days in extreme heat.

News of Mosley's unexpected passing sparked an outpouring of tributes from fans, who praised his contribution to science-backed health and wellbeing. The diet guru, who had regularly appeared on This Morning and The One Show, was known to test out his own methods to ensure they offered the best benefits.

From running in the cold to fasting and testing sleeping techniques, the expert worked hard to ensure the knowledge he shared was effective while also being safe.

Here are some of his wisest health tips that the expert would want us to follow today.

1. Fasting for weight loss

Michael Mosley, worked as a banker, before training as a doctor and then joining the BBC as a producer, brought intermittent fasting into the world of modern health, namely through the creation of his Fast 800 and 5:2 diets.

Both incorporate the idea of eating within certain windows of the day, leaving time for the body to break down fat to use as energy during the remaining fasting period. Mr Mosley used this method to help him reverse his type 2 diabetes while losing 10 stone in the process.

He first demonstrated the 5:2 diet on his BBC documentary Eat, Fast and Live Longer, which aired back in 2012. During this time, he would eat a lower 600 calories on two days of the week, losing nearly one stone across a five week period, while also seeing cholesterol levels improve.

More recently, he championed the Fast 800 diet, which encourages people to eat 800 calories a day for a minimum of two weeks while following a low-carb Mediterranean-style diet. This method was designed to kick-start weight loss and re-start metabolism.

2. The importance of walking

Michael was a big endorser of simple exercises that can be easily incorporated throughout the day, with walking being one of his favourites.

He regularly praised a unique style known as Nordic walking, claiming that it could be more beneficial for weight loss than standard strolling due to its wider use of muscle groups.

The technique involves walking while holding a specific set of poles to help engage the entire body in the movement. As you walk, you drive each pole into the ground and lift to help them walk through different terrains, working both the upper and lower body.

Discussing it on an episode of his Just One Thing podcast, he said: "In a recent Italian study, researchers randomly allocated 38 middle aged people to about an hour brisk walking done three times a week for six months. Half of them were asked to do Nordic walking while the others did regular walking.

"Although both groups got fitter, it was only the group who are swinging the poles who saw significant reductions in body fat.

"Why? Well it is probably because when you are striding out with poles flying you are engaging almost twice as many muscles. Involving the muscles of your upper body can also help improve your posture, which is something I badly need to do."

Exercise snacking was another hack that the health guru praised, recommending it for people who struggle to find the time to fit a workout into their busy schedule. This involves splitting your exercise routine into short bursts throughout the day, such as doing quick rounds of going up and down the stairs.

3. How to sleep better

Mr Mosley also focused on the benefits of sleep for overall health, mainly through his BBC Sleep Well podcast.

He claimed that over half of Brits were failing to get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep a night, warning that this can cause people to make poor health choices, especially in eating.

To tackle this, Mr Mosley explained a special breathing technique that he would use to nod off known as the 4-2-4 method. He said this involves breathing for four seconds, hold for two seconds and out for four seconds, stressing that it "works really, really fast".

4. Get out in the cold

From cold water swimming to taking a chilly shower first thing in the morning, Mr Mosley was captivated with the various benefits of cold water immersion for health.

Citing several scientific studies and speaking to experts on his Just One Thing podcast, he revealed that those who regularly took a cold water dip saw a boost in their immune systems, with many seeing lower rates of conditions like respiratory tract infections.

He also said that certain study participants saw improvements in blood sugar levels.

Scientists believe it might be the cold water rather than the exercise that benefits the swimmers, as the body gets more resilient with training itself for stress Cold showers provoke a stressful response, causing the heart rate to speed up, which is beneficial when done in short periods.

Those who can't get out for a cold water swim can instead opt for turning their shower temperature down for a brief time in the morning. Mr Mosley would regularly take part in this "short, sharp shock" to help keep colds at bay.

He said: "I sing a song while I’m doing it because singing is good for you and also takes away some of the pain. I do a couple of verses and that normally gets me through about 45 seconds which seems to be enough."

In addition, he also discussed how exercising in cold weather can help you to "get fitter quicker", as the lower temperature means the body doesn't have to work as hard to stay cool, allowing for more energy to be put into the workout.

Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages