Eat a balanced diet. A healthy diet doesn’t have to be dull and boring, and even occasional treats like chocolate and crisps are fine so long as your overall diet is well balanced. The key to a healthy diet is simple:
- Eat a variety of foods each day from all the main food groups – bread, cereals and potatoes / meat, fish and alternatives / milk and dairy produce / foods containing fat or sugar (though not too much of these!) / fruit and vegetables (remember the 5-a-day guidance — www.nhs.uk/livewell/5aday)
- Eat plenty of foods rich in starch and fibre (e.g. bread, pasta, rice, noodles, breakfast cereals)
- Don’t eat too many foods that contain a lot of fat
- Be sensible about eating sugary foods and drinks too often
- Eat the right amount to be a healthy weight, don’t skip meals or over eat
- Drink plenty of water. Keeping your body hydrated is very important
There is a lot of pressure put on us by the media and others to look a certain way, and this can cause people to suffer from eating disorders such as Anorexia, Bulimia and Compulsive Overeating. These can also be a symptom of other problems. Find out more on the other pages in this You and your lifestyle > Eating section of our website.
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Page last updated 14 November 2012
