Maintaining a healthy weight
As well as getting active, thinking about what you are eating and making a change to a healthier diet can also make a big difference to your wellbeing. Even small changes can make a big difference.
Top tips include:
Get more higher fibre starchy carbohydrates into your diet. This includes wholegrain varieties, such as wholewheat pasta, brown rice or potatoes with their skins on.
Eat lots of fruit and veg – aim to eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and veg every day. They can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced.
Eat more fish: including a portion of oily fish like salmon and sardines
Cut down on saturated fat and sugar: Too much saturated fat can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases your risk of developing heart disease.
Cut down on the amount of salt you eat: no more than 6g a day for adults – that’s around 1 teaspoon. This can be hard when a lot of salt is hidden in processed foods. Try to check the amount on the packaging.
Drink plenty of water: Cut down on the amount of sugary, fizzy drinks and caffeine
For more information visit www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/eight-tips-for-healthy-eating/
The Eatwell Guide from the NHS has useful information on achieving a healthy balanced diet. The website includes lots of recipes and food tips.
If you are on a tight budget, there are still easy ways to eat healthily: