Healthy living for less
Careful shoppers can have a healthy diet in spite of the recession, according to a nutritionist from the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF). *
The WCRF has expressed concern that the economic climate will lead to people cutting back on healthy food, as they feel that it is too expensive to buy.
But Nathalie Winn, nutritionist at the WCRF, says money need not be an issue if shoppers buy products in season and use cheaper tinned and frozen alternatives.
She has devised a daily menu including bananas, apples, baked beans and frozen peas and sweetcorn to prove that you can eat five-a-day for less than £1.
Nathalie said: “The fact is that fresh fruit and vegetables can sometimes be expensive.
"But if you shop carefully there is no reason why you cannot have plenty of fruit and vegetables, even on a very limited budget.
"The secret is not to restrict yourself to the fresh fruit section of the supermarket, because frozen vegetables and canned fruit also count towards your five portions a day and they often cost much less."
A healthy lifestyle along with a higher fruit and vegetable consumption is thought to lower the risk of some kinds of cancer. Eating certain fruits could decrease the risk of developing stomach, mouth, pharynx and larynx cancer by almost a fifth.
A healthy, varied diet can also help to combat obesity, which can lead to other serious health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease – a warning that features in the Government’s Change4life adverts.
Now research has also shown that obese women are at a much greater risk of having asthmatic children.
The study, carried out by the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands, claims that the side-effects of being overweight may suppress immunological development in unborn children – increasing their risk of suffering from asthma.
Professor Jet Smit, from the institute, said: “When you have an obese person, you are not just looking at a problem of excess fat, but a problem of systemic inflammation. This may affect the immunological and pulmonary development in the foetus and possibly result in a higher risk of asthma symptoms after birth.”
Encouraging healthy living is always a priority for Westfield Health and as such it has developed a range of benefits to help policyholders manage their healthcare and wellbeing.
Many of Westfield’s cash plans include a health club concession benefit, which provides policyholders with access to concessionary membership deals at a national network of health and fitness clubs.
Most plans also provide access to a GP telephone consultation service, which enables policyholders to speak to a fully qualified GP 24 hours a day, from anywhere in the world. The helpline can offer advice on a range of health issues including exercise and nutrition.
Reference
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