What you eat can affect your mood and how you feel!
Healthy eating can be made easy, here are some steps to get a balanced diet- https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/the-eatwell-guide/. It can be as easy as eating regularly with enough fruit, vegetables and protein.
One simple step would be to swop snacks that are high in sugar with alternatives. Change4Life have a list of healthier alternatives available via the following link –https://www.nhs.uk/change4life/food-facts/healthier-snacks-for-kids/100-calorie-snacks.
Food provides your body energy. Eating well is important for balancing your energy levels.
Your diet is crucial when it comes to keeping your body healthy, including helping to keep you at a healthy weight.
Eating a balanced diet with help your body stay healthy.
Eating well can improve your concentration and help you to keep a clear head.
These are all important factors when you’ve got a busy, demanding life. But eating well can be easier said than done. With so much advice out there it can be difficult to know what to listen to. Our easy tips could help you to stay on track.
As a young person, your body and your mind is going through many changes eating well can help with your growth and development, and eating a healthy, balanced diet will help with your physical and mental development.
Here’s some important ways to stay on-track:
The best way to keep your body healthy is to eat three balanced meals a day, plus snacks as needed.
Please speak to someone you trust, such as a parent, GP or teacher before making any changes to your current eating.
If you are worried that your eating habits have shifted from a healthy interest in what you eat, to something more worrying, speak to a health professional such as the school nurse or GP. Problems with your eating can cause you to feel anxious and depressed, and have a big affect on your life.
If you often feel run down, you may be low on iron. Teenage girls lose iron during their period, so it’s important to boost your iron levels. Try red meat, breakfast cereals fortified with iron, dark green veg like kale and wholegrains. Vitamin C helps you absorb iron, so drink a glass of orange juice at the same time too.
Vitamin D is really important for your body. You can get it from certain foods such as oily fish, red meat, liver, egg yolks and fortified breakfast cereals, but most of our Vitamin D comes from the sun. Slap some sunscreen on if it’s a sunny day and enjoy some fresh air. Going for a walk or a bike ride is sometimes enough or you could visit your local leisure centre.
Awake and hydrate! Start your day with a big glass of water to feel refreshed and replace fluids lost overnight.
Try an energy-boosting carbohydrate like porridge or brown toast with your favourite topping, e.g. sliced banana or peanut butter.
A balanced lunch might be something like a chicken salad, an egg sandwich, cheese, hummus and pitta breads or a baked potato with beans.
Need an energy boost? Sunflower seeds, walnuts and almonds all have omega 3 fatty acids which can help to improve your concentration. Try a small handful once a day. Don’t forget to drink more water! Cereal bars, flapjacks or a piece of fruit are also great snacks!
Enjoy a balanced meal, such as spaghetti bolognese with some protein such as meat or Quorn (e.g. mince), carbohydrates (we like wholewheat spaghetti) and vegetables (carrots and courgettes work well).
Food is split into different groups. Some of these groups can boost our energy levels, support our brain and help us feel even better, so it’s really beneficial to eat a range of them every day. That means trying to eat all of them, not just your favourites…
Your brain’s main source of fuel is glucose, which it gets from foods that contain carbohydrates. If there’s not enough fuel, your brain won’t function properly.
Good choices: Brown bread, pasta, rice, unsalted rice cakes and porridge oats all contain carbohydrates that your body breaks down slowly, giving you fuel for the day.
Your brain receives messages from around your body and the messengers are made from protein. Not eating enough protein can make you feel low, weak or worried, so it’s important to eat protein regularly.
Good choices: Meat without much fat such as chicken or turkey, tuna, mackerel, white fish, eggs, cheese, peas, beans and lentils, soya products, nuts and seeds.
Your brain is 60% fat, so eating the right fats can make a big difference. Omega 3 fatty acids can improve your concentration and support your mental health.
Good choices: Oily fish such as tinned sardines and mackerel, chicken, nuts, olive and sunflower oils, seeds, avocados, whole milk, natural yoghurt, cheese and eggs.
As well as containing important vitamins, minerals and fibre to help you stay fuller for longer, some fruits and vegetables are a great brain food that helps you concentrate and can even help your memory.
Good choices: Tomatoes, mushrooms and bananas are great for concentration. All veg is good for you, so eat a rainbow of colours – green peppers, yellow bananas etc.
Substituting foods can be an easy way to eat more healthily. Try looking at Change 4 Life food swaps for some inspiration.