{"id":3897,"date":"2020-05-19T12:10:51","date_gmt":"2020-05-19T10:10:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/lowveld\/?p=3897"},"modified":"2024-05-30T15:54:46","modified_gmt":"2024-05-30T13:54:46","slug":"good-nutrition-a-priority","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/lowveld\/blog\/2020\/05\/19\/good-nutrition-a-priority\/","title":{"rendered":"Good nutrition \u2026 a priority"},"content":{"rendered":"

With lockdown continuing, and families together for extended periods of time, this is a great time to take the opportunity to refocus on nutrition and prioritise our health. It\u2019s now we can take advantage of cooking nutritious meals together, making healthy snacks and drinks available in the home and being physically active as a family on a daily basis.<\/p>\n

If it\u2019s not already a focus of family life, this is actually an ideal time to prioritise nutrition and health, according to \u00a0Retha Harmse, a Registered Dietitian and spokesperson for ADSA (Association for Dietetics in South Africa). \u201cAs lockdown restriction levels fluctuate, we will have more freedom of movement, but also more risks of contracting COVID-19.\u00a0 Eating a balanced diet plays an important role in maintaining health and supporting the immune system, as well as all the body\u2019s vital systems,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

In addition to a healthy balanced diet, a general healthy lifestyle is also important to support your immune system,\u201d says Retha, \u201cThis means not smoking, exercising regularly, getting adequate sleep and very importantly, minimizing stress, which is very intense at this time.<\/p>\n

A well-balanced, healthy diet will provide you with all the nutrients you require to support immune functioning.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Enjoy a variety of foods<\/em><\/strong> – Although certain foods might be a bit harder to come by, don\u2019t fall in the trap of eating only certain foods.\u00a0 Variety also means including foods from two or more food groups at each meal.<\/li>\n
  2. Be active<\/strong> \u2013 Regular, moderate exercise is very beneficial for getting outdoors (if you can), stress relief and improved immune function.\u00a0 Try some of these lockdown ideas:
    \n– You don\u2019t need big spaces for cardiovascular exercise – running up and down stairs is great; as is skipping, and skipping ropes are inexpensive cardio tools
    \n– Download exercise apps for daily workouts
    \n– There are many physical activity videos, including dance, martial arts and yoga, available on YouTube and other websites \u2026 try them.
    \n– If you have a closed in garden or courtyard-type space, play physical games such as handball, bat and ball, mini-cricket or mini-soccer as a family or couple, combining fun, bonding and exercise<\/li>\n
  3. Make starchy foods part of most meals<\/strong> – Choose whole grain, unrefined foods to add more fibre, vitamins and minerals to your diet. Good options to choose are whole-wheat pasta, multigrain provitas or cracker breads, brown rice and bulgur wheat. Combine whole grains with other tasty, nutritious foods in mixed dishes.<\/li>\n
  4. Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit every day<\/strong>– This can be challenging while we are under lockdown and want to avoid frequent shopping.\u00a0 Here are some tips:
    \n– Choose fresh, whole fruit that is naturally longer lasting such as apples, pineapple and citrus fruits
    \n– Eat fruits as snacks and desserts. Add sliced fruit or dried fruit to your cereal, muesli or yoghurt
    \n– As some fresh vegetables don\u2019t last long, blanche or cook them on the day of purchase and then freeze for later use
    \n– Root and bulb veg options such as carrots and turnips, onions, garlic and ginger are longer lasting
    \n– Frozen and canned vegetables are also good options<\/li>\n
  5. Eat dry beans, split peas, lentils and soya regularly<\/strong> – Dried legumes are not only good substitutes for meat, fish, eggs or cheese, but can also be used as affordable \u2018meat extenders\u2019 to make meals go further.\u00a0 If you use canned legumes rinse them well after they have been drained to reduce the sodium content.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mash and heat up tinned cannelloni beans as the creamy base for a pasta sauce.<\/p>\n

    –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Save on your budget and make your own humus from canned chickpeas.<\/p>\n

    –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Peanut butter can be used as a sandwich filling and can be stirred into porridge. \u200b<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Have milk, maas or yoghurt every day<\/strong> – Maas and yoghurt will last longer in the fridge than fresh milk.\u00a0 For more long-term milk options buy long-life milk, skim milk powder or evaporated milk.\u00a0 Fresh dairy products can also be frozen.\u00a0 Eat yoghurt, with added fruit, as a snack between meals instead of a packet of chips as this contributes to the day\u2019s nutrient intake and does not contain excess fat and salt.<\/li>\n
    2. Fish, chicken, lean meat or eggs can be eaten daily<\/strong> \u2013<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Stock up on tinned fish options such as tuna, pilchards, sardines<\/p>\n

      –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Quiches and omelettes are an easy and tasty way to use up vegetables that might spoil soon<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Drink lots of clean, safe water<\/strong> – This is perhaps the easiest time to get into the habit of drinking enough water because you are confined to one space. If water is readily available during the day, it increases consumption. Keep a water bottle on hand or a jug nearby.<\/li>\n
      2. Use fats sparingly<\/strong> – Choose vegetable oils rather than hard fats, and always use only a little, as fats are high in energy but provide relatively few nutrients.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Even for those who are still earning under the lockdown restrictions, the economic downturn is going to have an impact on the vast majority of South African households.\u00a0 Retha emphasises the importance of getting your household food budget under control, as this can relieve some stress.\u00a0 \u201cPrioritise nutrient-dense foods that you know your family enjoys, and limit your purchases of treats, drinks and snacks that are high in calories but low in nutrients,\u201d she says. \u201cMeal planning, and keeping dishes simple yet nutritious, helps to reduce your food waste and gives you the peace of mind that you\u2019re doing the best you can so that your family can maintain their health.\u00a0 Always remember that the best ways to stay safe are through regular, proper washing of hands, social distancing and limiting movement outside of your home.\u201d Details: \u00a0adsa.org.za<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        With lockdown continuing, and families together for extended periods of time, this is a great time to take the opportunity to refocus on nutrition and prioritise our health. It\u2019s now we can take advantage of cooking nutritious meals together, making healthy snacks and drinks available in the home and being physically active as a family […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":85,"featured_media":3898,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[738],"tags":[56,956,955],"class_list":{"0":"post-3897","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-food-wine","8":"tag-get-it-lowveld","9":"tag-healthy-eating","10":"tag-lockdown2020"},"yoast_head":"\nGood nutrition \u2026 a priority - Get it Lowveld<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/lowveld\/blog\/2020\/05\/19\/good-nutrition-a-priority\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Good nutrition \u2026 a priority - Get it Lowveld\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"With lockdown continuing, and families together for extended periods of time, this is a great time to take the opportunity to refocus on nutrition and prioritise our health. 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