Healthy Eating
www.feedmebetter.com|
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk|
NHS Direct tel: 0845 45 46 47
I have tried loads of diets but nothing seems to work. I feel there is nowhere for me to get healthy food and I am being drawn in by fast food.
You do not state if you are overweight but it makes sense to eat a well balanced healthy diet
whether you are slim or not. Dieting doesn't work. You should aim to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day and cut down on sweet, sugary snacks and fizzy drinks. It is also important to eat protein from sources such as meat, fish and pulses. Eating foods containing carbohydrates like bread and pasta will give you more energy but be careful not to put too much butter or fat on your bread. Try to take some exercise every day and drink plenty of water. A poor diet, lack of exercise and being overweight can lead to Type 2 Diabetes, which can cause serious complications.
Think ahead and prepare a packed lunch or snack? What could be easier than slipping a banana, apple and orange into your bag or making yourself a pasta salad or sandwich to snack on when you are hungry. Food should be enjoyed, so go on, plan your lunch box and start reaping the rewards of your new healthy lifestyle.
It is hard to eat a healthy diet in schools as they sell so many unhealthy foods and not enough fruit and vegetables.
Everyday there is a wide variety of food on offer in school, and not all of it is fried! To help you eat a healthy diet try keeping to the following points:-
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When choosing your lunch in school avoid buying chips, crisps and other fried foods instead choose items such as rice, pasta or jacket potatoes.
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Try the pre-plated salads or "meal of the day" which will be a balance of carbohydrate, vegetables and protein.
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Choose a piece of fruit or yoghurt instead of a sweet pudding.
If you do not like the choices on the school menu, why not suggest some healthier options to the catering staff or school council and ask if they could be included on the menu.
I would like to exercise more but cannot use the gym as I am not 16. What can I do?
The current recommendation for exercise is for young people is to have 1 hour of exercise 5 times a week. To achieve this you do not have to attend a gym instead try one or more of the following:-
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Why not walk to and from school each day it's much better for you, and kinder to the environment.
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Take a ball with you and your friends to the local play area and have a game of football.
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Go swimming this is free of charge for under 16's during the school holidays.
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Join one of the school's sports clubs.
Whatever you choose remember it is always easier to keep up the enthusiasm and more fun with a group of friends.
Why is going without breakfast thought to be unhealthy?
Your brain and central nervous system run on glucose that's the fuel you need to think, walk and talk. If you eat something at night at say 9.00pm and then don't eat anything until lunchtime the next day you will have gone 15 hours with nothing in your system. Your body will have to work extra hard to break down any stored carbohydrate or turn fat or protein into a useable form for your brain to be able to function. That is a lot to ask if you are sitting in a classroom or at work, trying to concentrate.
Eating breakfast has been proven (many times) to improve concentration, problem solving ability, mental performance, memory, and mood. You will certainly be at a disadvantage if your classmates have eaten breakfast and you've gone without.
Breakfast skippers also have a harder time fitting important nutrients into their diet. Many foods eaten at breakfast contain significant amounts of vitamins C and D, calcium, iron, and fibre.
Some people believe that skipping breakfast may help them lose weight. Not so! Skipping meals often leads to overeating later in the day. Becoming over-hungry often leads to a lack of control and can make it hard to tell when your full. This can result in taking in more calories than if you had an appropriate breakfast. As a matter of fact, it's easier to control your weight by eating smaller meals and snacks more frequently.
What if there's just no time in the morning to eat breakfast? There are plenty of items you can bring along with you to school or work. Carry a resealable bag of easy-to-eat whole grain cereal, or bring a yoghurt or fruit.
Healthy Eating give it a try recipes from young people in Torfaen
Lentil Bolognese
Ingredients
1 chopped onion, 2 garlic cloves, crushed, 2 grated carrots, 45ml olive oil, 115g red lentils
400g chopped tomatoes, 30ml tomato puree, 450ml stock, 15ml fresh marjoram, chopped
5ml dried marjoram, salt and ground pepper
Method
In a large saucepan, gently fry the onion, garlic, carrots and celery in the oil for about 5 mins, until they are soft.
Add the lentils, tomatoes, tomato puree, stock, marjoram and seasoning.
Bring the mixture to a boil then partially cover with a lid and simmer for 20 mins.
Crusty Chicken Rolls
Ingredients
2oz Butter, small onion, peeled and finely chopped, 4oz cooked chicken, chopped,
10oz can condensed mushroom soup, 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind, 1 tablespoon parsley
salt, fresh black ground pepper, 4 long crisp rolls
Method
Melt 25g of the butter in a frying pan. Add the onion and fry until soft. Remove from the heat and stir in the chicken, mushroom soup, lemon rind and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Remove a slice from the top of each roll and scoop out most of the centre (use for breadcrumbs) to leave a shell. Melt the remaining butter and brush inside the rolls. Divide the chicken mixture between four rolls and place the lids on again. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated moderately hot oven for 10 minutes. Serve at once.
Tuna Spaghetti
Ingredients
115gm spaghetti, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 small chopped red onion, 50gm button mushrooms, sliced,
400gm can chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp corn flour, 200gm tuna steaks in brine, drained and flaked
low fat crisps, 1oz low fat cheese, grated
Method
Cook spaghetti until just tender, meanwhile heat oil in small saucepan, add onion. Cook until soft.
Add mushrooms and cook until they start to brown. Stir in oregano and tomatoes. Season.
Simmer uncovered, until sauce is reduced. Thicken sauce with corn flour. Stir into sauce, add tuna and heat until simmering. Drain Spaghetti. Toss in sauce before serving.
Fresh Fruit Salad
Ingredients
1 orange, 1 apple, 1 pear, 1 banana, peaches, strawberries, kiwi fruit, grapes, melon, lemon juice (for white fruit)
Method
Wash all fruit. Prepare the fruit: Peel and slice or chop the orange, remove the pips from grapes, the stones from peaches, cherries etc and cut the fruit into small, even pieces. Peel the kiwi fruit with a potato peeler to remove the skin and slice or chop into even pieces.
Any white fruit eg apples, pears, bananas etc should be cut into small even pieces and dipped in lemon juice to stop them from going brown.
Put all the fruit salad into a serving dish and leave covered until ready for use. It is best eaten a few hours later when it has been refrigerated and all the flavours have 'mingled'.
Honey Yoghurt Fool
Ingredients
225g/8oz dried fruit salad (no need to soak), 1 large banana, 1-2 tbsp lemon juice, 1-2 tbsp clear honey, 225/8oz plain yoghurt, 3-4 extra dried apricots (do not soak)
Method
Stew the fruit gently in a little water until tender. Peel and slice the banana and place in a food processor or liquidiser with the fruit, lemon juice and about 1 tbsp of honey. Puree until smooth and transfer to bowl. Fold in yoghurt, add more honey if you wish, mix well and spoon into individual dishes. Chop the extra dried apricots, place a few pieces in the centre of each dish. Serve chilled.
Nana Shake
Ingredients
150g (5oz) natural yoghurt, 2 bananas, 168ml (1 pint) fresh milk, 2 drops of yellow food colouring (chilled)
Method
Liquidize all the ingredients together. Pour into 2 glasses.