Eating healthily
Eating healthily doesn't mean living on a diet of green beans and carrot juice, and can involve eating a rich variety of some of your favourite foods. Plus cooking can be a great way to help relieve stress. Here are some pointers that could help you on the road to a healthier lifestyle:
Good eating
- Doesn't need to mean fancy, elaborate cooking – cold snack meals, for example, can be as nourishing as hot meals (and a fair bit easier to create)
- Doesn't mean paying more – healthy eating can cost less and be just as tasty as pricier options
- Could mean reducing your fat intake and taking on plenty of protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre. Remember the magic number: five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day
- Does mean eating a variety of different foods and eating the right amount to be a healthy weight
- Does mean having a little of what you fancy – everything in moderation
- Many carers say that one of the problems is deciding what to cook, particularly men who have not had much experience of family cooking. If possible, it is helpful to plan a week's menus before doing the shopping, then you have the ingredients to hand and don't have to spend time thinking about what to cook every day
Some useful information
There are a great deal of quick recipes available over the internet - the links below just give a taster of some of the excellent recipes and nutritional advice to be found on the web:
Nutritionist Resource A free, confidential service providing a nutrition support network, and contacts of nutritionists in a specific area.
Healthy Start: to give children a healthy start; provides vouchers to families on certain benefits
Still can't find what you're looking for? Why not post a message on one of our discussion boards or join our online chat room where you can meet, and possibly pick up tips and advice from, experienced family carers in similar situations to yours.
