Six Golden Rules
for a healthy lifestyle
- The family who eats together is healthier: It’s a fact that young people who eat with their families consume fewer higher calorie drinks, more fruit and vegetables, and less fat both at home and in meals away from home.
- High Five for fruit and veg: Five portions of fruit and vegetables boost intake of Vitamins A, C, and E, especially good for heart health.
- Get up and go: Children from the age of 5 to 18 need to be physically active for at least one hour a day. Playing in the garden, kicking a football, dancing on a dance mat and PE in school all count.
- Variety is the spice of life: Break old eating habits – gradually – and buy healthier options. The more foods your child is exposed to, the more balanced their diet. Check your shopping against the Food Pyramid overleaf.
- Turn off the TV more often: DVDs and computer games may be educational – at a stretch! – But it’s not exercise. Don’t underestimate the power of TV in promoting sugary, high-fat and high salt foods.
- The ‘S’ words: Some processed foods contain lots of saturated fat, sugar and salt. Buy fresh foods wherever possible to help avoid life-long battles with weight and high blood pressure.
Taken from “Your Child’s Heart” magazine published by Irish heart Foundation (www.irishheart.ie) ‘The Irish Heart Foundation is the national charity fighting heart disease and stroke. We support, educate and train people to save lives, campaign for patients, promote positive health programmes, fund research and provide vital information. We need your support through donations, as a volunteer or on our training courses’
