Are you making the good choices you thought you were?
Moving on from last week’s Nutrition and Hydration Week (13 - 19th March), I want to help remind us
of the importance of a good diet rich in nutrients alongside plenty of fluids for the wellbeing of you, everyone locally, nationally and globally.
Most of us think we are eating healthily but often little tweaks are all that are needed to make it truly healthy. We also forget what we do eat throughout a day. Now and again keep a food diary to see if you are staying on track, and really eating what you think you are.
The following article is a chance to remind us of what we should be doing and also some new recommendations we need to be aware of regarding juicing, that could be preventing us be as healthy
as we thought we were. Hope you enjoy...
of the importance of a good diet rich in nutrients alongside plenty of fluids for the wellbeing of you, everyone locally, nationally and globally.
Most of us think we are eating healthily but often little tweaks are all that are needed to make it truly healthy. We also forget what we do eat throughout a day. Now and again keep a food diary to see if you are staying on track, and really eating what you think you are.
The following article is a chance to remind us of what we should be doing and also some new recommendations we need to be aware of regarding juicing, that could be preventing us be as healthy
as we thought we were. Hope you enjoy...
- We should aim for 8-10 glasses of fluids a day which can include water, milk, unsweetened fruit juice, tea or coffee. It is important to limit the amount of sugar you are consuming so try to avoid too many fizzy drinks, sugar in tea or coffee, instant powdered drinks or hot chocolate.
- It is important now than the, although we should be eating at least 5 portion of fruits and vegetables a day, we should only have 1 juice or smoothie a day. Food Regulations are now saying that people should only consume 150ml of fruit juice or smoothie a day, which is quite a small portion. This is because once fruit is liquidised the sugars become free sugars, which makes them easily absorbed by the body, causing your body to react the same as they do when you eat sugary foods. So best to think of a balanced diet and avoid the diets that promote juice everything throughout the day.
- Milk is an amazing drink as very natural and contains calcium, protein, and other vitamins plus it doesn’t cause tooth decay. In fact milk is the best sports drink you can buy, as contains the right balance of amino acids and electrolytes for recovery and energy during and after sport, as well as the well needed rehydration. Many Olympians now using milk as their main recovery and energy drinks during competition and training. Note dairy alternatives unfortunately don’t offer the same benefits for sport. However, if you are consuming dairy free alternatives, also ensure that they are fortified with calcium as a level of 120mg/100ml, as this is in line with dairy milk, which will help your bone and dental health.
- 4. Our diet should contain: at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables
- a day (the more the better);, 2 portions of fish a week, with one being oily; protein with every meal to help lower the Glycaemic Index of your meal (so prevents sugar spikes in your blood, stabilising energy and hormones) and good wholegrain carbs (Low GI forms) and a vitamin D supplement (10 micrograms), especially in the Autumn and winter as getting a good amount of sunlight is harder in the winter months.
- 5. During the Summer try and give your skin 20 minutes of sun exposure, out of the hottest times of the day, without any sun cream on, to allow the UV rays to make Vitamin D within our skin. WE can also help consume more Vit D by popping mushrooms ouside in the sun for a bit before we eat them as they make Vit D too. And choosing free range eggs, as hens who go out in the sun produce eggs with higher Vitamin D levels.
6. People think that nutritious and healthy food is expensive and hard to prepare but you can make something quick and easy that’s tasty. Eating more of the right foods can reduce the need to snack unhealthily in between meals too. Aim for low GI foods, preferably with a protein, such as a few brazil nuts (Added benefit of Selenium).
Food and drink is vital for physical and mental wellbeing and everyone has the right to good nutrition in health (hospitals) and social care (day centres, nursing homes etc). And it’s our duty to ourselves, our children and other dependences to give the best food we can and the right foods for yourself to stay healthy, happy and emotionally strong.
Can you make some changes to your diet and lifestyle?
RSS Feed