A GROUP of 20 residents from Goulburn attended a very informative talk at the Goulburn Library last Tuesday, June 14.
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Katelyn Middleton, the Health Promotion and Youth Health Officer from Grand Pacific Health, kept the audience captivated with basic information we should all know about the food groups and how to read nutrition labels and shopping on a budget.
Katelyn explained the Australian Eating Guidelines and how to decipher examples of food labels whilst shopping for healthy products.
Did you know that studies have found that one-in-four children, and two-in-three adults are in the obese weight range in Australia.
This now relates to a simple plan showing ‘you need to eat better to improve your health’.
The Foodcents program originated in Western Australia and was designed to look at food on a budget helping to keep people in a healthy weight range.
Eating healthy can help to reduce the rate of cancer, help with arthritis, reduce the risk of heart disease, delay tooth decay, lessen the risk of liver disease, delay the onset of dementia, reduce cholesterol and prevent the risk of stroke.
All these diseases and symptoms related to an unhealthy lifestyle.
Changes can be made at the supermarket as well.
Reading a nutritional panel on food is easy when you remember these guidelines.
Nutrition panels for food: look at the per 100gm listing not the per serve amount.
Total fat: less than 10gm
Saturated fat: less than 3gm
Sugar: less than 15gm
Sodium: less than 400mg
Choose foods high in fibre (3gm of fibre per serve)
Nutrition panels for drinks
Total fat: less than 5gm
Saturated fat: less than 1.5gm
Sugar: less than 7.5gm
Sodium: less than 400mg
Water and plain reduced fat milk are the best drinks. The above information is Government Health recommendations.
Katelyn showed a wide variety of foods from the five food groups including;
Grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties.
Vegetables and legumes/beans.
Fruit.
Milk, yoghurt, cheese, mostly reduced fat.
Lean meats and poultry (recommended serve 65gm), fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds.
A little exercise was then conducted and information shared on how to swap over to healthier alternatives.
Avoid - BBQ chickens, salami, bacon, sausages (swap to) grilled chicken, lean pork, fish or lean roast beef.
Avoid - full fat cheese like camembert and cheddar, butter and full cream milk (swap to) low fat milk, margarine or fresh avocado, low fat cheese or cottage cheese.
Avoid - meat pies, hot chips, hamburgers, kebabs and laksa (swap to) soup, whole grain sandwiches, sushi or garden salads with lite dressing.
Avoid - sweet biscuits, ice cream, sweet pastry, cake (swap to) fresh fruit, diet jelly, low fat yoghurt, tinned fruit in juice not syrup.
Avoid - chips/crisps, chocolates/lollies, soft drinks (swap to) water, popcorn, diet cordial and low fat crackers.
The emphasis was also put on moving your body!
Katelyn explained to the group that it’s as simple as two-and-a-half hours per week of moderate exercise or seventy-five minutes of vigorous exercise per week.
She gave simple examples of exercise and factoring it into your daily routine.
If you have a desk job, set an alarm on your computer or phone to remind you to get up every 20 minutes and have a walk around.
Do five sit-stand exercises with your office chair or lounge chair every half-hour.
Deliver that message face-to-face, instead of sending an email.
Get yourself a pedometer and aim for 10,000 steps a day.
Park your car an extra block away from your office or work place and walk the extra distance or organise a walking meeting.The Australian Dietary Guidelines provide up-to-date advice about the amount and kinds of foods that we need to eat for health and wellbeing. They are based on scientific evidence and research. You can find this information at: www.eatforhealth.gov.au.
Another interesting tool was shared within the group, the “Bupa” FoodSwitch App.
The App helps you find alternate products which are better for you and gives you information on the ingredients list.
A simple exercise now you have been given the tools for your healthier shopping is to have a look at the nutrition panel on canned soup and tomato and barbecue sauce to see how much salt and sugar is in these products. You will be surprised at the results.
To help you save money on your food shop, plan in advance.
Write a weekly menu and then write a shopping list for your shop.
Buy in bulk where possible concentrating on specials taking notice of the 100gm pricing.
Limit your takeaway meals and daily cappuccino intake and by doing this you will see money back in your pocket.
Make your lunches and take to work, but remember to take time out at lunch time to do some form of exercise.
One idea is to get yourself and exercise bike in the office and use it for short bursts throughout the day.
Most importantly though, do not deprive yourself of a treat every-now-and-then.
Kaitlyn Middleton can be found at “Grand Pacific Health” in Goldsmith Street opposite the Lieder Theatre in Goulburn.
Note: Kaitlyn will be at the Crookwell Library between 10.30 and 12.30pm on July 5. For bookings phone the Library.