The first World Health Assembly was arranged by WHO in 1948 at the World Health Organisation’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. One of the most important decisions the Assembly made that year was to establish World Health Day.
This day is an excellent opportunity for anyone to contribute to world health by doing something to make themselves healthier. After all, if everyone in the world makes an effort to improve their health, this could have a large global impact.
This year, in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, a polluted planet and an increasing incidence of diseases, the theme for World Health Day 2022 is ‘Our Planet, Our Health’. Below we share some tips to simplify your healthy eating journey in honour of World Health Day.
Prepare meals in advance
Preparing meals in advance is a strategy used by lots of people to make it easier for them to keep up with their healthy eating routine, even when they are too busy or stressed out to cook. You can prepare meals on weekends and keep your meals in the freezer so that throughout the week, all you need to do is grab a pre-prepared meal and warm it up to eat.
Make a week-long meal plan and cook at home
The best way to keep the food you eat healthily is to make it yourself. Foods from your own kitchen won’t have preservatives, hidden fats, added sugars, or fillers and you can learn to make your favourite foods healthier. For example, if you love pizza, blend spinach into your sauce and top it off with lots of vegetables.
Preparing your own food makes it a lot easier to plan ahead, and that helps you control what you eat most of the time. If you spend one day preparing a week’s worth of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, you won’t need to think about your meals again till the next week.
Keep everything in moderation
When following a healthy diet, that’s not to say you can’t have some treats along the way. Rather than cutting out your favourite foods, it’s wise to do everything in moderation. If you try to change your diet too much, you’re more likely to stuff on junk food. A rule of thumb is to see treats as just that – a treat.
Love what you eat
Find healthy foods you love and swop them out for “bad” choices. If you don’t like kale, don’t eat it. Try spinach or even beets instead. Depriving yourself of foods you like will lead to failure. All your food changes must fit you well or they won’t stick.
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