A new year, a new you

A NEW year generally means a new start. So let us make this a new year and a new you. Registered dietician, Orla Walsh has 10 tips to help keep us healthy in 2012 and beyond.

1. Drink up: Water is vital for life. The body relies on it to run, in the same way your car relies on petrol. If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. Also, quite often people confuse thirst for hunger, which can lead to weight gain. So aim to drink around two litres of water each day.
2. Don’t skip breakfast: Studies show that people who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight. It kick-starts your metabolism and prevents you from snacking on high calorie snacks throughout the day. Plus, the steady energy released from a healthy breakfast will keep you thinking at your best all morning.
If you find morning time to be very hectic, prepare something the night before. Or if you don’t feel like eating as soon as you get up, take your breakfast to work with you.
3. Make fruit and vegetables, both raw and cooked, part of each meal: In order to get all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients, eat lots of different colours of fruits and vegetables. Aiming to eat your five a day doesn’t have to cost you more. Try to buy in season fruit and vegetables, as it tends to be cheaper. Whether frozen, fresh or tinned, it doesn’t matter, they’re all very nutritious.
4. Choose ‘good’ fats: Choose ‘good’ unsaturated fats, instead of the ‘bad’ saturated fats. A general rule of thumb is if the fat is liquid at room temperature, it is an unsaturated fat, for example olive oil.
Also, don’t forget to try and get some of that heart-protecting omega 3 in your diet. Sources of these include oily fish like salmon, trout and mackerel. Again, just like with fruits and vegetables, frozen, fresh, tinned… it doesn’t matter, it’s all good.
5. Move more: Exercise will not only help you look good but feel good. Exercise helps release those feel-good hormones in our body. Aim to do some exercise each day.
Aside from your regular exercise, try to work more activity into your day. Active living is shown to be connected with a decreased risk of conditions and diseases. Take the stairs instead of using the lift or elevators, walk to work, walk and talk while you’re on the phone. Even household duties like sweeping and hovering count, so get scrubbing.
6. Don’t eat in front of a screen: When we are distracted, we tend to eat more. Be aware of each mouthful.
Also, take time to eat. If we eat very fast, we tend to eat more and possibly end up with indigestion. So from now on, sit down, focus on your meal and enjoy your food.
7. Include protein sources every time you eat: Protein satisfies your need for food better than carbs or fat. So have some at each meal. Good protein sources include meat, fish, dairy products, nuts, as well as beans, peas and lentils.
8. Don’t skip meals: You’ll be more likely to overeat at the next meal. Plus, you want to keep your metabolism ticking along nicely, so eat every three to four hours.
9. Work on your strength: The stronger you are (the more muscle you have), the faster your metabolism is. Strength training can also help lift your mood and strengthen your bones. So there are plenty of reasons to pump those guns.
10. Don’t turn your back on dairy: We need calcium to build our bones in youth and keep our bones strong. While we’re an adult, calcium is needed to prevent the thinning of our bones as we age. What better source of calcium than dairy? For extra health, choose low-fat versions.

Orla Walsh is a registered dietician at Gort Medical Centre and Ballyvaughan Medical Centre.