Bright colours indicate the many nutrients present in the food. Our body needs these nutrients to protect us from diseases, nutrients such as Vitamins A,E, B, C, & D, and minerals such as Calcium, phosphorous, Iron, Potassium, Zinc, magnesium. These are just a few of the nutrients that provide us with protection from life threatening diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, strokes, alzheimer’s, arthritis, and many others. Foods can heal. Food is medicine.
Put A Rainbow On Your Plate:
Orange – Carrots sweet potatoes, pumpkins
Greens – Broccoli, Sukuma, Kale
Red – Strawberries & raspberries, beets
Yellow – mango, squash, and pineapple.
Purple – Blueberries, aubergines
Caution with your choice of carbs.
Choose complex carbohydrates:
Wholegrain cereals like oats, which lower blood pressure and provide fibre.
Eat legumes, like peas, beans (all kinds) and lentils
Choose wholewheat flour, wholewheat pasta and brown rice.
Avoid:
Avoid sugar in drinks.
Avoid hidden sugars in sodas & tinned soups and sauces
Avoid energy drinks, rely on water.
Don’t snack on sugary and refined carbs such as cakes & biscuits or anything made with white flour. These are converted into sugar very quickly.
Avoid sweets, fruit bars, and sweetened yoghurts.
Healthy Snacks
Veggie sticks such as carrot or celery, fresh fruit, apple, pears, nuts (a few, high in calories but contain protein).
Don’t mistake a change in eating habits to a diet. Diets generally fail because they are short term and can lower metabolism, the rate at which you burn calories. Exercise has the opposite effect. Exercise increases metabolism, muscles burn more calories than fat so start moderate weight training. Good eating habits combined with exercise brings countless health benefits and weight is reduced with less effort and less stress. Exercise combined with healthy eating habits can achieve the following:
Reduce your risk of Diabetes
Reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke
Reduce your blood pressure
AND
Reduce your weight.