Top 10 health tips

1. Decrease fat intake

• use low fat products, e.g. semi or skimmed milk, low fat cheeses and yogurts
• try boiling, grilling or baking food instead of frying
• choose lean cuts of meat, chicken or fish
• remove visible fat from meat and skin from chicken

2. Decrease sugar intake

• use sweeteners in your tea or coffee instead of sugar
• drink water instead of carbonated (fizzy) or juice drinks
• buy fruit tinned in juice, NOT syrup
• cut down on high sugar foods like biscuits, cakes and sweets

3. Increase fibre intake

• try using ‘whole wheat’ products, e.g. whole-wheat bread, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta
• add dried beans to soups and casseroles – beans contain lots of protein, are low in fat and are a great source of fibre
• try eating high fibre breakfast cereals in the morning e.g. bran-flakes, sugar-free muesli or porridge

4. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables

• aim for five portions of fruit and vegetables each day
• when serving dinner, fill half the plate with vegetables
• try to make your meal as colourful as possible
• add lettuce and a tomato to a sandwich
• when having yoghurt or icecream, try adding a piece of cut up fruit to it
• have a banana on top of your cereal in the morning
• try dried fruit as a snack instead of sweets

5. Decrease your salt intake

• too much salt in the diet can lead to high blood pressure
• do not add extra salt to your meal, try using herbs and spices for seasoning instead
• drain and rinse canned vegetables before using them
• cut down on salty snack e.g. crisps, salted nuts, popcorn
• cut down on foods made with lots of salt e.g. fast foods, frozen and microwave meals, processed meats like bacon, salami, ham, sausage

6. make sure you get enough calcium

• calcium is needed for strong bones and teeth
• eat at least two servings of dairy food each day e.g. dairy products like milk, cottage cheese, yoghurt;
• other calcium rich foods include tinned sardines and salmon; leafy green vegetables like broccoli, spinach and kale; tofu; almonds; figs; dried beans

7. be careful of your portion sizes

• think about how much you want to eat and don’t overload your plate
• chew each mouthful thouroughly
• drink a glass of water with your meal
• relax for 5 minutes before going for a second helping – ask yourself if you really need more
• when eating out, try sharing a starter or dessert

8. Exercise

• exercise can make you feel good and can reduce health problems
• try to exercise for about 30 minutes each day – anything that makes you sweaty and increases your heart rate
• stay active – take the stairs instead of the lift; walk instead of going by bus – or get off a stop early and walk the rest
• consider cycling

9. DO NOT skip meals

• skipping meals can make you gain weight by confusing your body, causing your metabolism to slow down and preventing you from burning enough calories the next time you eat
• ALWAYS eat breakfast: when you wake up in the morning your metabolism is slow because you’ve been sleeping, it’s been a while since you last ate and your body hasn’t had to work for about eight hours. It needs breakfast to stimulate it into burning off calories, which will give you energy for the morning ahead.
• skipping meals also means that your body will crave high calorie foods such as high fat snacks, cakes and pastries or sweets and sugary drinks

10. drink lots of water

• aim for about 8 – 10 glasses a day – about 2 litres
• water helps improve your energy, increase your mental and physical performance and removes toxins and waste products from your body