Eating a healthy, balanced diet including a wide variety of foods in the right proportions is an important part of maintaining good health throughout our lives.
It isn't about weight, it’s about feeling good, energised and healthy.
Tips to help you eat healthier
Here are some handy tips for healthy eating:
- Swap snacks like chocolate, crisps and biscuits for things like avocados, carrot and cucumber batons with houmous or a handful of nuts (such as brazil, almond, walnuts)
- Plan your meals for the week. A shopping list will not only save money and time, you are less likely to grab or make something unhealthy when you’re hungry.
- Try to cook from scratch, or use a combination of some fresh and some convenience foods, more often than relying on takeaways or ready meals.
- Always include vegetables and starchy food at the main meal to provide satisfying portions without too much fat.
- Build-in slow cook or fast cook choices for your busy days.
Eatwell guide
The Eatwell Guide shows how much of what we eat overall should come from each food group to achieve a healthy, balanced diet.
You do not need to achieve this balance with every meal, but try to get the balance right over a day or even a week.
Nutrition and hydration advice and ideas for older adults
As we age, our nutritional needs change and so do our appetites. Eating well when you've over 65 can help you to feel healthier, stay active for longer and protect yourself against illness.
Staying well hydrated can increase energy and wellbeing as well as reduce infection and falls.
There are many booklets, guides and videos to help you eat well and stay hydrated.
Benefits of exercise and physical activity
Physical activity can boost your physical and mental wellbeing and change your outlook on life. Some of the benefits of physical activity include:
- More energy.
- Reduced stress.
- Stronger bones and muscles.
- Better balance, strength, suppleness and mobility.
- Improved sleep.
- Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight.
- Lowers your risk of developing diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
- More social opportunities.
- A sense of achievement.
- More independence in later life.
How much exercise should I do?
Adults should do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, 5 or more days a week.
Children and young people need to be active for at least 1 hour every day. This can be reached through active play, taking part in sports or walking to and from school.
Children with disabilities are advised to participate in 2–3 hours of exercise per week, split up as required, as well as strength based activity 3 times per week.
Be more active in the borough of Rochdale
From our parks and open spaces, to our leisure centres theres plenty of ways to be more active in the borough of Rochdale.