Nutritionist Advice

Think ahead

Every cell in your body requires a good supply of nutrients and water. What you eat and drink directly affects your bodily functions, so putting a little thought into your lifestyle habits can have lasting consequences in terms of your long term health.

Eat a rainbow of colours

When you look at your plate of food, how many colours do you see? Fast and processed foods tend to be brown or pale, yet fruit and vegetables provide you with almost every colour under the sun.

And it’s not just about eye appeal. Fruit and vegetables contain powerful anti-oxidants which can help to improve your resistance to infection and protect your body tissues against damage.

The best way to get a good mixture of antioxidants is to eat different colours of fruit and vegetables.

The red colour in tomatoes is due to lycopene (which incidentally becomes more powerful when you cook it, so tomato-based pasta sauces get the thumbs up!) and the yellow colour in carrots and mangoes comes from beta-carotene (the plant form of vitamin A, good for healthy eyes and skin). And citrus fruits, strawberries and kiwi fruits provide immune enhancing vitamin C.

Take a probiotic

Did you know that 70% of your immune system is in your gut?

You can help support your natural defences by taking a daily serving of a well researched probiotic.

Every day your body is challenged by bacteria and viruses and your gut is a crucial source of protection. Your body has developed an extensive defence network to shield you. So efficient is this network that you hardly ever give it a thought, yet minute by minute your natural defences are working to keep you in good health, and defend you against bad or pathogenic bacteria that could be potentially harmful.

Drink Water

When you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated, so the trick is to get into the daily habit of drinking water regularly throughout the day to prevent feelings of thirst.

Water Wonders

• Almost two-thirds of your weight is made up of water. You can only survive a few days without it. Every cell in your body is dependant on water for good functioning.
• If you feel fatigued, you could be mildly dehydrated. Tiredness and loss of concentration are common symptoms.
• Your body fluids are mainly water – think about blood, saliva and the fluid lubricating your joints.
• You lose water through urine and sweat, so you need to replace it. Start the day with good intentions:– wake up to water; then keep that bottle of water close to you during the day; if you’re out and about, grab a bottle and go

Eat regular meals

Research shows that eating regularly can help keep your blood sugar levels steady throughout the day. Breakfast helps to break the overnight fast and a choice such as wholegrain cereal with semi skimmed milk or low fat yogurt, refreshing water or fruit juice gets your blood sugar up slowly and steadily, preparing you for the morning ahead.

Regular snacks such as fruit, a handful of nuts or a low fat yogurt can help sustain and maintain a healthy blood sugar level for the rest of the day. Keep your evening meal light – you’re unlikely to work off those calories later on in the evening! All in all, eating regularly is great advice for helping you to achieve a balanced diet.

Move more

Regular exercise is one of the best ways to boost your immunity. Aim for 30-minutes of moderate intensity activity at least five times a week.

The key is to choose activity you enjoy and that fits in with your lifestyle. When you get it right, you’re likely to find that it produces more and more pleasure and you begin to experience a new-found level of vitality and energy that up to now, you may only have dreamt of...

If much of your day is spent behind a desk, or in a stuffy environment, you may well feel de-energised and tired. Activity, ideally including some fresh air, will have a beneficial impact.

Think about exercising as soon as you finish work – even housework counts. It can be as simple as a brisk or power walk in three 10-minute chunks.

Try these simple ideas to maximise your movement:

• Walk further to buy your lunch or shopping
• Get off the bus or train a stop before you need to
• Use the stairs
• Walk up and down escalators
• Dance to your favourite music around the home, you could combine it with doing your daily chores
• Walk the dog
• Gardening and various forms of DIY can help you burn off calories
• Spending quality time with the children in a swimming pool or park can be an energetic and fun way to engage with your kids