Issue 01: Health, Nutrition and You

So who do we consider to be “healthy?” From an “older” person’s perspective, someone who is mentally, physically and emotionally well, makes good choices and decisions that impact their health and wellbeing. So it would be wise to say we are responsible to create a healthy space for ourselves! No matter what our background or upbringing, we are all interested in food.

We often express love through food, when mum cooks you her special meal, you know it’s made with love and its good for you. Most reality TV shows these days are based on food and while some of us are trying to be master chefs cooking an impressive meal for family or friends, others are happy to sit back and be spoilt. The food we eat is a big part of who we are, from festive celebrations to after school or college catch ups, the focus is always on glorious yummy food!

Interview with Alana

I decided to get a teen view on food and diet, so I spoke to “supergirl” Alana, 14 years old, goes to a local Sydney Girls School, enjoys cooking, her favourite meal is lasagne. She also plays Netball twice a week and coaches a junior football team, “supergirl” lives only a few streets away from us. Her occasional treats are Aporto burgers or fish and chips, sometimes ice cream.

most girls my age are very conscious about their bodies, they tend to eat less but suddenly crave junk food

So I asked her, “do girls your age discuss diet and food?” she said “yes, most girls my age are very conscious about their bodies, they tend to eat less but suddenly crave junk food” She told me about “girls who are scared to eat in case they become overweight” in fact “ there is one girl in particular who refuses to eat all day, when we share food, she takes a little and nibbles on it!” so I asked her “does she weigh herself every day?” “Yes, she does that often!” To me this is a warning sign, this can lead to serious eating disorders that require counselling and support from family and
friends. In Nutrition we label this a “yellow flag”, its means that we treat this with caution, it needs urgent attention. During this exciting life stage of growth and development, your bodies are changing, your minds are trying to keep up with changing trends on social media, peer pressure, slim models and actors wearing size 0 clothing, so the choices we make during this demanding time determine how we see ourselves as healthy individuals of the future. So we need to teach ourselves to eat for nourishment, while also having a bit of fun exploring various food sources, essential nutrients and sampling recipes.

Food composition

The three macronutrients Carbohydrates, Protein and Fats make up a well-balanced meal, they fuels our bodies on any given day. Lacking in any of these nutrients, result in depleted energy, poor cognition and focus, and if not addressed could end in chronic illness. Most of the carbohydrates comes from rice, breads, cereals and grains; protein from our meat, fish, poultry or legumes; fats from our fatty fish, nuts, oils and seeds. No matter how varied out menus, diets, styles of cooking, culture and religion, a meal will be a combination of these major nutrients. While the quality of food is important, the quantity is just as important, this will depend upon your energy requirements and your level of physical activity. We also need to consider how we eat, taking time to sit down and enjoying a meal with loved ones or friends is crucial to how we digest food.

So come along on the nutrition journey, we can share healthy recipes and food/exercise apps, discuss diet and lifestyle concerns. My role as nutritionist is not to advise you on what or how much to eat, but to offer you guidance and the tools necessary to make the right food choices, because what you eat in your teen years greatly impacts on your long term health and vitality.