EAT your way to better
health.That8217s the message
from Elaine Farrell,nutrition
and dietician services manager
based at Colchester General
Hospital.
One of the main ways in which
we can improve our health is
through our diet.
Yet,says Elaine,there is an
increase in people changing their
eating habits for the worse.They
are making more use of
convenience foods and eating
more salt and sugar.And drinking
too much alcohol.
The result? Obesity,along with
increased risk of health problems,
particularly diabetes,high blood
pressure and heart disease.
So what should we be including
in a healthy diet? It is a good time
for a reminder as we now have
our pick of an abundance of fresh
fruit and vegetables 8211 much freshly
harvested from the fields and
orchards of Essex.
And,says Elaine,local and
seasonal produce is ideal when
choosing our recommended five
daily portions of fruit and veg.
Much of the healthy food
message is obvious.
8220A diet should be based on
starchy foods such as bread,
cereals,rice,pasta and potatoes,8221
she points out.
8220It should include proportionally
less meat and dairy products.It
should include more fish,notably
oily fish,once or twice a week.8221
And she recommends drinking
plenty of water:ideally six cups of
fluid a day and only one or two
cups of tea or coffee.And,of
course,keeping alcohol intake to
no more than 14 units a week for
women and 21 units a week for
men.
So where are we going wrong?
Many are disregarding the
common sense advice.
As Elaine points out:8220The change
in eating habits has partly been
caused by less cooking at home
and more use of convenience
foods,8221 although she acknowledges
that there are still those who
make efforts to prepare balanced
meals for their
families.
8220People such
as Jamie
Oliver and
Hugh
Fearnley-
Whittingstall
are helping
to renew
interest in
food and
where it
comes
from.8221
And there
are those
who eat
healthy
food,but too much of it.
8220Many people could benefit from
reducing their portion sizes by 20
to 30 per cent,8221 notes Elaine.And
those who need to snack in
between their three meals a day
should confine themselves to
water and fruit or raw vegetables,
not chocolate and cakes.
She points out:8220One extra plain
biscuit a day will lead to putting on
five pounds in weight by the end
of the year.8221
But eating breakfast is part of a
balanced diet,particularly if it
featured a healthy food such as
porridge,with porridge oats found
to reduce cholesterol.
Above all,says Elaine,8220Make sure
you eat a balanced diet and do not
over-indulge.8221Limited Edition Essex
37Eat a healthy diet by following these tips:
9632
Base your meals on starchy foods such as bread,
cereals,rice,pasta and potatoes
9632
Eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and
vegetables every day
9632
Eat at least two portions of fish a week,including
a portion of oily fish
9632
Cut down on saturated fat and sugar
9632
Eat less salt
9632
Get active to keep to a healthy weight
9632
Drink about 6 to 8 glasses of water a day
9632
Eat a breakfast which provides some vitamins
and minerals.
Information provided by the Food Standards Agency
.Eat,drinkHow to eat and improve
your health8211 and be healthier
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