We all know that it is important, but what actually is it?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is mainly made within the body, some of which is produced in the liver and made from the foods that we eat which are high in saturated fats.

When we hear about cholesterol it is often associated with bad health, but it plays a vital role within the body in how every cell works. It is also the material which the body uses to make other vital chemicals. Even so, having too much cholesterol in the blood can be dangerous, and can increase your risk of getting heart and circulatory diseases.

You may have heard of Lipoproteins, these are combinations of cholesterol and proteins and there are 2 main types.

The 2 main types:

LDL- low-density lipoproteins.

LDL is known as the ‘bad’ cholesterol and carries cholesterol from the liver through the blood stream to the cells.

HDL – high-density lipoproteins.

These return extra cholesterol that isn’t needed from the blood stream to the liver. HDL cholesterol is a ‘good’ type of cholesterol because it removes bad cholesterol from the blood stream rather than depositing it in the arteries.

What are Triglycerides?

Triglycerides are another type of fatty substance found within the blood. These are found within foods such as dairy products, meat and cooking oils. People who are very overweight, eat a lot of fatty sugary foods or drink too much alcohol are more likely to have high triglyceride levels.

Total cholesterol is the total level of LDL, HDL and other fats found within the blood. A high level of cholesterol is one of the most important risk factors for coronary heart disease so it is important that we keep our cholesterol in check. One of the easiest ways is through out diet although other major factors include:

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• Lack of physical activity
• Being overweight or obese
• Having family history of high cholestrol

The most common cause of high cholesterol in the UK is eating too much saturated fat. Your overall risk of a heart attack is much higher if you have high cholesterol as well as one or more of the other major risk factors.

So how can you improve your cholesterol level?

Doing regular physical activity – This can help to improve your cholesterol levels. You should aim to do at least 150 minutes each week. That’s 30 minutes per day at least 5 days per week which can be easily done in shorter bouts of 10 minutes at a time.

Choosing Healthier Fats

Try to cut right down on saturated fats and replace them with monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Also avoid foods containing trans fats wherever possible – these fats are most likely to be found in processed foods like biscuits and cakes, fats food, pastries and some margarines and spreads.

Eat foods that are high in fibre – These include foods such as whole grains, fruit, vegetables and pulses which help to lower total and LDL cholesterol by reducing the amount of cholesterol absorbed into the blood stream.

Eating plant based foods – Also foods with added plant stanols and sterols work to reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the gut. Eating a range of unsalted nuts and eating some soy products can also help in reducing cholesterol.

Improve your health and wellbeing by lowering your cholesterol. Just watch what you eat to stay fit-2-work.

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We always hear about the importance of getting 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, but in recent years this old theory has recently been overcome by the concept that we should be getting

At least 7 portions instead!

New research suggests that 7 portions of fruit and vegetables per day should be the target and eating a diet in which you get 10 portions per day can have even more health benefits.

Fitting 7 portions into your day can seem a bit tricky but it’s actually easier than it seems. Don’t just stick to the usual apple and lettuce – greens are great but you need a variety of colours. Trying different seasonal fruit and veg will make your diet less boring and more balanced. If you eat the same food everyday, you’re less likely to reach your 7-a-day goal and you might end up with less nutrients that you need.

Keep in mind that potatoes don’t count as your 7-a-day but beans, lentils and chickpeas do and are also a great source of protein

Fruit & Veg at work…

For those of you who still struggle to have enough fruit and veg, the workplace is an easy opportunity to consume fruit and vegetables both in meals and as snacks. Rather than buying biscuits or chocolate, place a fruit bowl somewhere in sight and fill it with a variety of fruit and veggies that you can snack on throughout the day. Dried fruit is allowed too but make sure it’s unsweetened or unsalted and not coated in chocolate or honey.

When we’re trying to change our food habits, having someone who supports you can make things much easier. So why don’t you encourage your colleagues to bring in some fruit and veg that you can all share at work?

You’re likely now wondering “ what counts as a portion…? ”

One portion can be an orange, a banana or a small punnet of strawberries, which count as 1 of your 7-a-day. If you have any of them before lunch, and then eat a carrot, a celery stalk or some cucumber in the afternoon, you’ll quickly realise that you’ve already done half the job. Portions will vary from one fruit and veg to the next but here are some useful examples. If in doubt remember that any serving that is roughly palm sized can count as 1 portion.

If you are working from home, getting the right quantity and variety of fruit and vegetables is easy and all starts when your in the supermarket.

If you travel into work try to bring your own food, but if you really can’t, avoid take-aways, ready meals or sweet fatty snacks. When going to the canteen or to a restaurant, make sure you get a mixed salad to accompany your lunch and eat this first. This is an easy way to make sure that you get more vegetables into your diet.

Want to shake up your breakfast…

Try adding mango chunks to your yogurt, blueberries to your muesli or top your toast with smashed avocado. Instead of having a coffee on the go, prepare some freshly pressed juices. You could mix, for example, leafy green (spinach or kale), a green apple, a cucumber and a pinch of ginger.

Fresh juices are very easy to make and can give you the right boost of energy that you need to get you through your day at work.

THE BENEFITS OF MORE FRUIT & VEG

SUMMARISED 

1. Increases vitamin and mineral intake

2. Aides digestion

3. Can provide a healthier sweet snack

4. Can reduce cholestrol

5. Can increase energy

6. Can improve imune system

You now know about the benefits and how much fruit and vegetables you should be aiming for each day. Keep this is mind when food shopping and plan your meals and snacks to make sure that you hit your target

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We all know that eating well is important… so why is it so difficult?

The simple answer is that most of us feel that in order to eat well we need extensive time, effort and energy. But this doesn’t have to be the case…

A healthy well balanced diet helps us you to maintain a healthy weight and reduces the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It can also help to reduce your risk of developing coronary disease and some cancers.

Although if this isn’t enough to convince you, healthy eating has other benefits too….

Keep in mind that eating well isn’t about eliminating foods. So you can still enjoy the odd take away, desert or sugary snack every now and then. It’s important to eat these foods in moderation and maintaining a well-balanced diet by eating a wide range of foods in the right amounts is important to give your body what it needs.

Sound like a lot of effort?

You’ll be surprised to know that your journey to a healthier version of yourself can be very simple.

Start by following these 3 key tips for eating well:

1. Cut down on Fat… Particularly Saturated Fat

Here’s how:

Use fats and oil in small amounts when you’re preparing your meal but also remember to keep an eye on how much of them are in the things that you buy.

Saturated fats can raise the amounts of cholesterol in your blood so you should cut down on foods such as: butter, hard cheese, fatty meat, cream and fried foods.

Changing the way you cook your food can also help when cutting down on fat. Why don’t you try baking, boiling, steaming or poaching so that you don’t need to add fat to your food?

2. Cut down on Salt

Here’s how:

The recommended maximum amount of salt for an adult is 6g a day (about a teaspoon). The majority of us don’t realise just how much salt we’re having, so we go way over the limit.

It’s not just about the salt we add to our food, as most of the salt we eat is already hidden in foods. A few examples of foods high in salt are: soups, cheese, savoury snacks, biscuits, ready meals and fast foods. Check the labels of the food you’re buying to see how much salt they contain and try and choose the products with the least salt in them.

If you find low salt food to be tasteless or bland, try adding herbs, spices, ginger and lemon to give your meal extra flavour.

3. Know your Portion Sizes

Here’s how:

People generally think that ‘portion control’ means weighing out everything that they eat. But you’ll be surprised, there’s no need to weigh all the food we eat. Ditch the scale and just keep in mind the tips below:

A serving of meat or fish should be about the size of the palm of your hand, one cupful is the right amount of starchy foods like pasta or rice, a portion of potato should be the size of two eggs and a serving of cheese should be the size of a matchbox.

To reduce your portions, eat off of a smaller plate so you are likely to eat less and put leftovers in the fridge or freezer straight away so you’re not temped to have seconds.

6 BENEFITS OF SMART SNACKING

SUMMARISED 

1. Cut down on bad fats 

2. Reduce your salt

3. Control your portions 

Improving how you eat really can be easy. Try these 3 tips and start improving your eating habits today!

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