Do you envy those people? You know the ones that seem to be bursting with energy and glowing with good health. You can pick them from a crowd by the spring in their step, the calm smile on their face and the radiant glow to their skin and hair. This year, instead of admiring from the sidelines, why not make it your resolution to add a boost of vitality to your life. If 2014 saw you falling short on physical activity, taking not so nutritious shortcuts with eating and basically pushing your mind and body a little too hard at work, Dineamic is here for you. Let’s take a closer look at my tips on the vital ingredients for healthy eating.

Get your glow with 7-a-day, every day

There’s no denying the power of plant foods. Not only do you reap the rewards of long-term protection from lifestyle diseases like heart disease and cancer, fruits and vegetables also add vibrant colours, textures and flavours to the diet. And the best way to ensure that your skin, hair, eyes and nails look their best is to get at least two fruit and five serves of vegetables everyday. You’ll benefit from goodies like collagen firming vitamin C and vision enhancing components like lutein in kiwi fruit. That’s why nearly all our Dineamic meals are brimming with vegetables.

Pep up with protein

There’s a lot of hype around protein these days. Yes, protein foods are vital to help build and repair muscle and for metabolism. A meal rich in protein can also be more satisfying and keep hunger at bay for longer, which can assist weight management. But most healthy people can get all their protein needs from nutritious meals and snacks including lean meat, fish and chicken, nuts, eggs and dairy foods, without the need for added protein powders or supplements. Just look at our Dineamic meals with high amounts of protein per serve.

Include healthy fats

The days of strict low fat eating plans have come and gone and now we recognise the health benefits of including good fats in your eating plan. From research on olive oil and the Mediterranean Diet to avocado as a smart switch for butter or margarine, make sure you include a source of healthy fats every day. For a boost of long chain omega 3 essential fats needed for heart health and healthy brain, include 2-3 oily fish meals every week.

Iron out any tiredness

Iron is very important for maximising energy levels and it also plays a vital role in immune function. Not getting enough dietary iron is common in women and athletes and can leave you feeling tired and wrung out and increase the likelihood of illness. Lean red meat is one of the best sources of readily absorbable haem iron, that’s why it features heavily in Dineamic meals along with other iron enhancers like vegetables rich in vitamin C.

Become an energetic GI Joe

Nutritious carbs in controlled portions is the way to go to keep your energy levels and fuel your fitness. Go for low to moderate glycemic index carbohydrates. These foods, such as yoghourt, oats and wholegrains, orchard fruit and legumes, have been studied for their ability to provide a sustained release of energy that helps keep you going for longer. Read our article: Help! I’m so confused about carbs.

Go easy on added salt and sugar

At Dineamic we carefully craft our recipes to be controlled in salt and added sugars so you can be confident you’re getting a healthy recipe just like you would cook at home. When you are shopping be a good label reader and compare the salt or sugar content in the per 100g column.

Don’t forget the fluid factor

Finally, it’s important to drink plenty of water and limit dehydrating fluids like alcohol and caffeine containing drinks. Staying well hydrated is an important part of tapping into that fountain of youth. For more, check out our article: How to stay hydrated in the summer heat? By Karen Inge – Accredited Practising Dietitian