Healthy Eating

Healthy eating is one of the most important ways you can help yourself (and your family) to feel well and be well.

Eating is an important part of everyone's life and should be enjoyable. Foods are chosen for all sorts of reasons, not just for nutrients. Cost, availability, religion and the way you live may all affect the choices you make about the foods you eat.

Eating for health does not mean becoming obsessed with foods you think are good for you and avoiding those you think are bad. It is a matter of balance, moderation and variety.

Selecting food for healthy eating

Food provides nutrients to keep the body functioning properly. The chart below indicates the main food groups from which most of our diet should come. It gives some examples and recommended daily measures.

	Milk & dairy foods	Meat & alternatives	Vegetables & fruit	Potatoes & cereal products
Recommended portions	2 - 3	2	4+	4+
Examples	small pot of yoghurt	2-3oz lean meat or poultry	2 tbsp vegetables	3 tbsp breakfast cereal
	1/3 pint milk	4-5oz white fish	small salad	2 slices bread
	1½ oz cheese	2 eggs (max 6 per week)	portion fresh fruit	1 tbsp rice or pasta
		3 tbsp beans or lentils	2 tbsp cooked or tinned fruit	1 tbsp boiled potato
			small glass of fruit juice

It is important not to exclude any of these four groups from your diet altogether. Foods such as cakes, biscuits, sweets and savoury snacks add variety and can be part of a healthy diet, but they should not replace the foods from the four food groups or be consumed in large quantities.

How does diet affect health?

Too many calories result in an increase in body weight, which may lead to obesity and increased blood pressure.

Too much dietary fat not only causes an increase in body weight, but is also associated with an increase in blood fat levels. This may lead to depositions of fat in the blood vessels, causing narrowing and a reduction to the flow of blood to the heart.

Too much sugar, apart from increasing calorie intake and body weight, causes tooth decay and may predispose towards diabetes in older people.

Too much salt may increase blood pressure in some people.

Too little dietary fibre slows down the digestive processes, resulting in bowel disorders and constipation.

Action plan for healthy eating

Enjoy your food.

Eat a variety of different foods.

Eat sensible, regular portions of food to maintain a healthy weight.

Eat plenty of food rich in starch and fibre - they are filling without providing too many calories, are cheap and easy to prepare.

Cut down on total fat intake - substitute polyunsaturated fat for saturated fat where possible, trim meat and use low fat dairy products.

Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables - they provide fibre as well as vitamins and minerals.

Don't eat sugary foods too often, avoid "adding" sugar and avoid sweetened drinks and cereals.

Avoid skipping meals as this increases the temptation to snack.

Reduce salt intake - avoid adding salt at the table or in cooking. Remember some processed foods contain large amounts of salt, e.g. bacon, paté, crisps, pickles, etc.

If you drink alcohol keep within sensible weekly limits, i.e. 14 units for women, 21 units for men. Remember alcohol is high in calories.

If you are overweight

There is no magic way to permanently lose weight. It can only be achieved by will power, sensible eating of usual foods (as opposed to "slimming foods"), and increased exercise. By following the action plan for healthy eating and by decreasing the total daily calorie intake you should ensure a slow steady weight loss.

Remember

It is the diet in its entirety, over a period of weeks that matters, not an individual food or meal.

If your resolve slips don't give up - take each day at a time.

Set yourself a realistic, attainable target and reward yourself when you get there - not with food!

Avoid situations which prompt snacking.

Increase exercise by walking more and try to get involved in some sort of sport that you enjoy.