Expert Tips for a Healthier Lifestyle

Chat 3 Comments February 22, 2017 nutritionadsa

February is national Healthy Lifestyles Awareness Month, with Healthy Lifestyles Awareness Day being celebrated on 22^nd February. The National Department of Health encourages all South Africans to live healthier lifestyles, through promoting healthy eating, regular physical activity, avoiding tobacco products, and drinking alcohol in moderation, if at all. But can improving our lifestyles have much of an impact on our health? According to the World Health Organization, the good news is that leading a healthy lifestyle can help to prevent 80% of premature deaths from heart disease and strokes and 60% of premature deaths due to cancer *.

A panel of health and wellness professionals, including dietitians, a psychologist, a sleep expert and a yoga instructor, give us their top tips on healthy eating, aiming to achieve balance, improving sleep and learning to relax to make our lifestyles healthier:

How to Get Healthy Eating Right

To transform poor eating habits into healthy ones, Raeesa Seedat, Registered Dietitian and ADSA spokesperson, says:

1. Start your day well: Eat breakfast! – Breakfast is linked to improved nutrient intakes, as well as improved concentration and alertness. Studies show that skipping breakfast is associated with increased stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue and tiredness.
2. Avoid temptation – The sight and smell of food is often enough to tempt us. Avoid keeping tempting but unhealthy foods around the house and avoid the treat aisles in the supermarket.
3. Shop smart – To avoid impulsive buying, plan your shopping with a budget and a list of what you need to buy and stick to it! If you don’t buy unhealthy foods, you won’t eat them.
4. Motivate yourself – Research shows that habits that don’t serve us can be overcome with good intentions. For example, having a conscious intention to eat healthier snacks helps to override a habit of making poor food choices.
5. Do not starve yourself – One of the most common triggers for unhealthy snacking is hunger. Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Do not get to the point where you are so hungry you could wolf down anything you get your hands on. Carry healthy snacks such as fruit, plain unsalted nuts or a tub of low fat yoghurt to work or school to snack on.

What small changes can we make to our daily eating that will help us move towards a healthier lifestyle? Kezia Kent, Registered Dietitian and ADSA spokesperson says:

1. Hydrate: Increase your daily water intake – being well-hydrated is important for overall health. Herbs such as mint, chopped fruit and lemon slices can all be used to make water more interesting. Remember that store-bought flavoured waters often have added sugar and should therefore be avoided.
2. Eat regularly through the day by trying to eat every 2-3 hours – Eating healthy snacks between main meals helps to maintain a healthy metabolism and can help to control portions at main meals. Your first meal or snack of the day should be within 90 minutes after waking up. Never skip meals.
3. Only eat until you feel satisfied – If you begin to feel uncomfortable or too full, then you’ve already eaten too much. If you still feel hungry after a meal, have some fresh vegetables with fat-free salad dressing.
4. Avoid eating while doing something else – eating while driving, watching TV, being on an electronic device or working prevents most people from actually realising what and how much they are putting into their bodies. Focusing on your food enables you to be aware of what your body wants and needs. Many also find they enjoy their food more and are more satisfied with what they have eaten.
5. Be active every day – it can be a considerable boost to your overall health to prioritize daily physical activity.   Even a short walk is better than nothing.

How to practice balance in your life

Raydene Naidoo, Psychologist from the South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP) recommends:

• Focus on yourself from time to time and pamper yourself. You can’t expect others to nurture you if you can’t nurture yourself.
• Learn to say no without feeling guilty. Having reasonable boundaries is healthy, and it helps you to regulate how much you take on.
• Take time to nurture your relationships, especially with your loved ones.
• You are only human and you’re not always going to get the balance right. Rome was not built in a day. Allow yourself a cheat day but within moderation.
• Get a good night’s rest as often as you can, naps count too.
• Set SMART goals for yourself. Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time specific.

How to improve our sleep

Sleep is central to all body functions. By the time you are 30 years old, you have already slept for about 10 years. The basis of good sleep is to maintain good sleep hygiene. Dr Kevin Rosman from the Morningside Sleep Centre has this advice:

The sleep environment – the bed must be comfortable enough, the room quiet enough, dark enough, cool enough, and secure enough. Complete absence of sound would be the best, but is generally not possible. Second-best is a continuous quiet hum. Television is generally a bad idea. Sometimes double lining of the curtains may be necessary to keep the room dark enough. We sleep better at night when the environment is cool. If you have an air conditioner, for example, set the temperature to that which is comfortable for the “cooler” partner, and let the other simply add a blanket.

Winding down the brain – before going to sleep, one needs to give the brain a chance to wind down. Allocate between 30 and 60 minutes for this. Going to bed directly after working or after exercise can cause difficulty getting to sleep. Caffeine and alcohol can affect sleep, and sufficient time should be allowed after the consumption of these before getting into bed.

Regular sleep habits – because the body works on a number of different cycles, we sleep best at our usual bedtime. Getting up at the same time every day is also helpful.

How to relax more

An important part of a healthy lifestyle is stress reduction and stress management. Lexi Ryman, Co-Founder of Wild Thing Yoga & Body Conditioning, says “Taking time to switch off and quiet your mind is so important for so many reasons; for example, having your nose to the grindstone all the time limits our perspective, meaning we might not achieve our full potential.”

The practice of mindfulness underpins activities such as yoga and meditation. “Yoga is a form of moving meditation where your movement is guided by your own breath,” Lexi says “It is a complete and total mind-body-spirit overhaul and the benefits of practicing yoga range from the physical benefits of increased flexibility and strength right through to mental and emotional wellbeing.”

To practice mindfulness, start small. “Set your alarm clock for 10 minutes earlier in the mornings. Find somewhere quiet, with a comfortable seat. Close your eyes, and focus on your breath – allowing it to move freely in and out of your nose. Start with 5 minutes and see how you go from there. If you really aren’t a morning person, try it in the evenings. Tonight, instead of your usual routine of flicking on the TV when you get home, take a few moments, find a quiet space, no technology on or around you and just breathe. Find a way of moving your body that feels good in your body. Try out different exercise or yoga classes, until you find an environment that’s comfortable to you.”

To find a registered dietitian in your area who can assist you with a healthy lifestyle plan, visit www.adsa.org.za. 

* Global status report on noncommunicable diseases 2010. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2011

‘Balance is key!’ Our latest success story

Chat Leave a comment June 24, 2016 nutritionadsa

We are sharing success stories to find out why people decide to see a dietitian, what happens on the journey, what the hardest part of that journey is and what results are achieved. This week we chat to Robyn White, who started seeing Registered Dietitian Kezia Kent after she had her second child.

Tell us about your journey with the dietitian?

My husband and I went to see Kezia Kent after the birth of our 2nd daughter. I was the heaviest I had ever been in my life and decided that I needed to focus on my health and fitness so that I could be an example for my daughters. What I loved about Kezia instantly is that we could be honest with her. I was not an easy client. I told her I had Irish blood in me and loved potatoes, that I had given up wine obviously for 9 months during my pregnancy and had no desire or intention to give it up again so it needed to be in my eating plan, and that I had a small obsession with Woolworths Hazelnut Cappuccinos! Kezia included all of these in my eating plan! Additionally Kezia always explained very thoroughly the importance and effects of each food group. I always left her sessions feeling I had gained knowledge and power. Kezia’s words constantly pop into my head, “Remember the word “die” is in diet, we do not diet, this is an eating plan and way of life!” This has really changed my perception and thinking around food and eating!

Tell us about your results?

My very first appointment with Kezia was the first day I was allowed to exercise after my C-section surgery. That day I ran/walked 5km in 58 minutes. Exactly 5 weeks later I ran 5km in 38 minutes! It was a huge accomplishment! My eating plan (even with having only 4 – 5 hours sleep each night because of the baby) had increased my energy levels drastically. I had honestly not felt so energetic and “good” in many years! In 16 weeks I have lost 12 kgs and the greatest feeling is being able to feel like I am maintaining that easily. And I finally fit into the clothes I was wearing before both my babies! Exactly 4 months after having my second daughter I ran my first ever half marathon! What an amazing feeling.

What was the hardest part of the journey?

Honestly, having the willpower to order a jacket potato over chips when we went out for meal (that Irish blood)! I sometimes had to seriously give myself a pep talk. But it got easier and eventually I was choosing sweet potatoes over normal potatoes. What a change for me!

On par with that, my husband and I are very sociable and have a very sociable family and circle of friends. It was hard to go to braais and events and not want to snack on chips and biltong, but we did not stop being sociable. We took our own healthy snacks, learnt how to make our own healthy dips and still enjoyed the social events.

What are the top three tips you can share?

• Exercise is so important! I make it a priority. Even with work, being a wife and mother to a toddler and a baby, it is a priority and I always feel so good afterwards.
• Listen to your dietitian, they know better and they are way more qualified! I learnt so much from Kezia and will be eternally grateful.
• Balance, balance, balance! Balance is the key! I always remember Kezia’s advice that you have to have that one cheat meal. But have the self-control and willpower to eat healthy again the next day. Great advice!

What the dietitian says

The most exciting moment for me was when Robyn came in with her husband and they both said to me, almost simultaneously, “It’s time for that health change”. That determination and drive from the get go will put a smile on any dietitian’s face. I knew immediately that Robyn wanted to improve her eating habits not just for herself but to ensure that the family is as healthy and adequately nourished.

Robyn knew it was not going to be easy, especially with a busy household, but she went forward with the plan knowing that she cannot follow this way of eating for a couple of weeks, it needed to be a lifestyle change. A lifestyle that does take a degree of planning, changing the snacks at social events, getting your friends on board and of course ensuring that it is manageable for all, even if potatoes are served with dinner. I reassured Robyn that my stance in general is not to exclude or cut out food, but rather encourage the addition of more nutrient dense foods as well as enjoying those small delicacies in life in a responsible manner. How boring would life be without that small bite of chocolate!

Robyn has lost a significant amount of weight but more importantly a large percentage of body fat. But her confidence in herself is far more of an achievement.

Well Done Robyn!

To find a Registered Dietitian in your area visit: www.adsa.org.za

4 NUTRITION TIPS FOR HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AWARENESS MONTH

Chat 1 Comment February 19, 2016 nutritionadsa

February is Healthy Lifestyles Awareness Month and with high rates of obesity and the so-called ‘lifestyle’ diseases, such as diabetes, it’s quite clear that South Africans need to develop more awareness about making healthy eating choices. We asked four of our dietitians what South Africans should know about nutrition:

• Let’s head for the kitchen and start cooking, invites Cath Day, RD:

“My top tip to my clients is to start cooking your own healthy meals from scratch as often as possible, using the freshest and healthiest ingredients. It’s the best way to control not only everything that goes into your meal, but also portion sizes. If you cook often at home, you have full awareness of making healthy eating choices most of the time. Cooking with fresh, healthy ingredients, making delicious meals and snacks can easily be fun rather than a chore. You can cultivate a family culture of great enjoyment at healthy eating by involving your partner, your kids, the whole family, and even, friends in preparing and sharing healthy food.”

• Let’s limit the sugar, advises Catherine Pereira, RD:

“ADSA supports the recommendations by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that added sugar intake should be limited to no more than 5 % of total energy intake. The South African Food Based Dietary Guidelines states that ‘sugar, and foods and drinks high in sugar should be consumed sparingly’. These foods include all types of confectionery (biscuits, cakes, etc.) as well as sugar-sweetened drinks. The key to getting this right is to become far more aware of ‘hidden’ sugars. We all know that when choose to eat a packet of sweets, we’re eating too much sugar; but we’re perhaps less aware that when we order an iced tea or a glass of wine at a restaurant, these also spike our daily sugar intake beyond sensible levels. When it comes to avoiding empty calories, what we drink counts every bit as much as what we eat; and we need a far higher level of awareness of our actual daily sugar intake in order to make sure we are keeping to the guidelines.”

• Let’s get over obsessing over restrictive or fad diets, says Kezia Kent, RD:

“Following your friends’ latest diet or the newest fad promoted on social media is not necessarily going to work for you as it may be working for others. Eating healthily should be tailored specifically for you and it should happen every day, not just over a time when you are trying to lose weight. There is always going to be a ‘latest’ diet; and chopping and changing according to fads can prevent you from developing sensible and sustainable healthy eating habits that truly suit your lifestyle and your body. Especially, avoid diets that promise you’ll lose weight quickly. Slow, steady weight loss lasts longer than quick, dramatic weight loss. If you lose weight quickly, you may lose muscle and water which increases your chances of regaining the weight. If you need to change to healthier eating or need to lose weight, get professional advice to develop a sustainable plan for you.”

• Let’s be careful about making carbs an enemy, warns Monique dos Santos, RD:

“There’s an immense amount of attention on low carb-high fat diets right now. We’ve got to keep the perspective that there are good reasons to include carbohydrates in our diets. Obviously, you want to limit sugar and refined starches, but there are carbohydrates in many, many foods that are good for us. Our bodies rely on a combination of carbohydrates and fat for energy to fuel daily activities. Carbohydrates are the brain’s number one energy source so cutting out carbs will zap your energy levels and leave you feeling fatigued. When carbs are limited excessively, you get really, really cranky. We also need carbohydrates to build muscle (in combination with sufficient protein in the diet and training). Fibre-rich carbohydrates such as fruits, some vegetables, legumes and wholegrain starches like oats, wild rice, and whole-wheat pasta are important for gut health. Let’s not forget that many carbs are also rich in other nutrients. If you restrict fruits, vegetables, and wholegrains then you are also limiting your intake of nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. B-vitamins, vitamin C, beta-carotene, magnesium and other essential micro-nutrients are all found in carbohydrate-rich foods.”

Our ‘Fishcakes with Barley Salad and Lemon Drizzle’ recipe ticks all the boxes – high in fibre, packed with omega 3 fatty acids, heart healthy mono-unsaturated fatty acids, an array of vitamins and minerals and contains a great balance of protein, carbohydrate and fat; and besides that its good for the earth and tastes yummy!

 

Serves 4

FISHCAKES

Ingredients

1 x can (400 g) of mackerel (middle cut)

1/4 cup oat bran

1/2 cup grated carrot

1 free-range egg

Zest of 1 lemon

10 g chopped fresh herbs (chives, dill, parsley)

Salt & pepper

2 tablespoons avocado oil

How to make it

– drain the mackerel of any liquid, and put it into a large mixing bowl.

– using a fork, shred the fish up until it’s fine and there are no large chunks.

– add the oat bran, carrot, egg, lemon zest, and chopped herbs, and mix well. Leave the mixture to stand for a bout 30min in the fridge, so the oat bran soaks up excess liquid in the mixture.

– separate the mixture into 8 equal sized balls, and shape them into patties.

– season the fishcakes with salt & pepper.

– put a large non-stick frying pan onto a medium heat and drizzle the oil into the pan.

– once the pan is hot, add the fishcakes and fry on the first side for around 2 minutes, until golden brown. Turn them over and repeat on the other side.

BARLEY SALAD

Ingredients

1 cup cooked pearl barley, cold

40 g watercress

1/2 medium cucumber

1 avo

50 g almonds, raw & chopped

50 g mixed bean sprouts

100 g cherry tomatoes, cut in half

50 g sliced red onion

10 g basil

10 g fennel

100 g feta

Salt & pepper

How to make it

 – wash the cucumber, tomatoes, and herbs.

– using a peeler, shave the cucumber into ribbons.

– cut the avo in half, remove the skin & pip and cut the avo into chunks.

– in a large bowl, mix together the barley, cucumber ribbons, almonds, bean sprouts, tomatoes, onion, tear the fennel & basil up and add to the salad.

– assemble the salad on a platter. Spread the barley salad mixture on the bottom of the platter. Add the chunks of avo, and crumble the feta over the top of the salad. Sprinkle the watercress on top of the salad.

LEMON DRIZZLE

Ingredients

zest & juice of 1 lemon

1teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon chopped chives

Salt & pepper

How to make it

– whisk together the lemon juice, zest & mustard.

– drizzle the olive oil into the lemon mixture whilst whisking.

– mix int he chopped chives, and season with salt & pepper.

 

Bon appetit!

To find a dietitian in your area who can assist you with a healthy eating lifestyle plan, visit www.adsa.org.za