It’s National Healthy Lifestyle Awareness Month

WITH February being National Healthy Lifestyle Awareness Month, ER24 is encouraging everyone to eat wisely.

Eating healthily, they say, is not only for those who need to lose weight; everyone should lead a balanced lifestyle.

Ironically, paramedics themselves admit to often eating junk food because of the irregular hours they work.However, the demanding nature of the job also requires them to be fit and live a healthy lifestyle.

Paramedics don’t know when the next call is going to come in so it is often easier to grab a takeaway. ER24 encourages emergency personnel to, however, make smarter food choices and to plan and pre-pack their meals.

And, as many aspects of their job are physical, paramedics need to pay special attention to their fitness. It is a good idea for paramedics and others who work in the emergency services to be involved in a sport – not only to build up their fitness levels but exercise is great for destressing too!

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Pizza or pasta?

Irene Labuschagne, principal dietitian at the Nutrition Information Centre of the University of Stellenbosch, explained that you can still make healthy food choices when eating out at a restaurant or when ordering takeaways.

“If you’re watching what you eat, then order the thin-crusted pizza and ask for half the cheese with more vegetable toppings. Remember, all the yummy toppings, like pepperoni, salami, bacon and extra cheese, mean you’ll pile on the energy (kilojoules) and fat. Go for onions, chillies, mushrooms, tuna, sardines, anchovies, peppers, spinach, roasted vegetables, olives, chicken, tomato, pineapple and banana instead. You could also share a pizza and salad, as this will reduce the energy density of the meal. If pasta tempts your tastebuds, order wholewheat (where available) with a tomato-based sauce and vegetables. Avoid cream or butter-based sauces,” Labuschagne advises.

READ: Make healthier food choices for a balanced lifestyle

Did you know?

• Many of the spices associated with Indian cuisine have significant health benefits. Cumin and mustard seeds are believed to aid digestion, while coriander has anti-inflammatory properties and helps reduce cholesterol.
• Chilli is great for your overall health and has been linked to pain relief, weight loss and even increased cardiovascular health.
• Garlic is versatile and has a number of health benefits too – its anti-oxidant properties help reduce cholesterol, promote a healthy immune system function, lower blood pressure and strengthen the body’s defences.
• Sushi is also a healthy choice because fatty fish contains good omega-3 fats and there’s no frying involved in the preparation. Although pieces wrapped in layers of tuna and avocado may be higher in fat than others, they still measure up well against many other fast-food choices. Tuna or cucumber maki rolls are even lower in kilojoules and fat. You can always spice things up with a touch of fat- and sodium-free wasabi, and make sure you ask for low-sodium soy sauce.

During the month of February keep these little snippets in mind as you start building a healthier lifestyle!

Courtesy: ER 24

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