Yolandé van der Riet

Dietician

striving For optimal health

should no longer be considered an unkept New Year’s resolution or bucketlist entry, but rather a necessity.

The good news is that switching to a healthier lifestyle isn’t that difficult. It may take some initial planning and practise, but the long-term rewards far outweigh the taste of any unhealthy treat. Experts advise an 80:20 principle, meaning you make healthy food and beverage choices 80% of the time, with the remaining 20% allocated to the occasional indulgence. How to get started? As a dietician and personal trainer, I believe that any approach to a healthy lifestyle should be simple, affordable, practical and sustainable, but it should also be fun. Here are a few useful tweaks that I try to implement daily:

• At every meal, fill half your plate with colourful veggies and fruits, one-quarter with high-fibre carbs, and one-quarter with protein such as lean meat, poultry, eggs or fish.

• Soluble fibre – rolled oats, legumes and pulses – help to control blood sugar and cravings, lower cholesterol and improve bowel movements.

• Opt for low-fat versions of dairy products such as milk, yoghurt and cheese.

• Drink at least one glass (250ml) of water per 8kg of body weight daily.

• Eat when you’re hungry, not when you’re bored, sad, worried, peckish or thirsty.

Can proper nutrition boost your mind? Yes, it can. Complex carbohydrates raise your brain’s serotonin (a mood stabiliser); folate and B vitamins help alleviate the blues; Vitamin D and Omega-3 are believed to improve mental health and curb anxiety; and Vitamin E, found in nuts, such as almonds, is a mood-booster. yolivanderriet.wixsite.com/measurepleasure