Healthy Eating

“Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health and can help you feel your best” NHS

This means eating a wide variety of foods in the correct proportions and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve this, to help you maintain a healthy body. Healthy eating doesn’t mean you have to give up the treats you love, it means ‘everything in moderation’, so making sure the food you eat and drink is the right proportion for you and your activity level.

People with special dietary needs or medical conditions should ask their GP or registered dietician for advice regarding exercise and diet.

To eat a balanced diet you should prepare a good selection of well balanced meals and snacks. The benefits of a well-balanced diet are:

• Fuel your body so you are at your best for jogging and running.

• Help keep your weight at a healthy level.

• Lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some type of cancers.

• Make sure your bones and teeth stay strong and healthy.

• Keep your immune system healthy so you can fight off colds and flu.

• Keep your energy levels up throughout the day and avoid peaks and troughs.

The NHS Eatwell Guide tells us that a healthy diet should include:

• at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

• include some diary or diary alternatives eg. soya products/ coconut or almond milk.

• base meals on high fibre starchy foods eg. wholemeal pasta, rice and bread.    

• eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and protein.

• choose unsaturated oils and spreads and eat small amounts

• drink plenty of water to stay hydrated (6-8 glasses per day)