Eating healthily is important, but how do we do it?

Eating healthily can not only be a challenge but often can be confusing. There are many myths around different foods and eating habits. We want to help clear up some of these myths so you can eat well and feel great.

Eating healthily is important for absolutely everyone. When we eat well, we look after our physical body. We make sure our body has all the nutrients it needs to keep us well. It means we are fuelled to have energy for the day and research shows, it can make you feel better in your mind too!

But we see so much information about what is good and bad for us it is hard to know what to do. As we get older, healthy eating becomes even more important. We want to offer some advice and help clear up any myths you may have heard about healthy eating.

Let’s get started and see if we can help get you eating healthily.

MYTH- Eating fat is bad for us and low-fat food is best.

It is true that low fat food can help you lower cholesterol and control your weight. However, some fat in your diet is good. In particular Omega fats are good at reducing the risk of heart disease. They can also help improve circulation. This can be great for someone who spends a lot of time seated or is unable to move too much.

You can find these ‘good fats’ in things like oily fish like sardines and salmon. You could also try cooking with sunflower or olive oil which contain these healthier fats.

If you want to begin to reduce your in take of fats that aren’t as good to your body, we have a few tips.

Trim any visible bits of fat from meat before you cook it.
If you make chips at home, try making oven chips rather than fried.
Don’t stop eating treats like cake and biscuits but maybe save them for special occasions and not several times every day.

Choose the low fat option of your favourite foods. But be careful to check the sugar content! Sometimes lots of sugar is added to low fat foods to add flavour!

MYTH- Snacking is bad for you

Snacking is fine! We all fancy a snack now and again. However, if those snacks are always chocolate, crisps and cake then maybe you could make some changes.

As we get slightly older, we often don’t want to eat big meals. That’s not a problem! Eating more, smaller meals or ‘snacks’ a day can be a good way to keep your energy levels constant through the day.

Maybe snacking on a bowl of cereal with semi skimmed milk or a lump of cheese and crackers could be ideal. Even some toast with your favourite topping could be nice. Last but not least, fruit is a great and healthy snack that will really fill you up with energy and nutrients!

MYTH- Red meat is dangerous to eat and can cause heart disease or even cancer

There is nothing wrong with eating a small amount of red meat in your diet. Just like with most thing, too much of it is not good! Maybe add some variety and try eating more white meat or fish. Add plenty of vegetables to your plate as well as something like potatoes to give you a fully balanced meal.

Hopefully some of these tips have helped clear up any myths about eating well. Staying healthy is all about balance. It is also important to try to move our bodies as much as possible to keep our joints supple and our hearts healthy.

There are some great companies out there who can supply pre-prepared meals for you that are easy to heat up and provide all the nutrition you need, take a look at one here.

If you require other support at home then take a look at our website to find out about our packages. You can also get in touch with us there if you have any questions or specific needs.