Eating Beautifully

Be positive, not negative, about food. Eating properly depends on making the right food choices. An adult woman's diet should be around 70 percent natural complex carbohydrates, not more than 25 per cent proteins and low in fats, plus plenty of fluids, including fruit juices and water.

Natural complex carbohydrates include whole grains, root vegetables, beans and nuts. They are rich in vitamins and minerals full of natural fibres as are green leafy vegetables and fruits. A high natural fibre diet aids food absorption and prevents constipation, and complex carbohydrates break down more slowly than the refined variety(found in white bread, white rice and sweets), so energy is released gradually, as the body needs it.

Protein foods such as meat, eggs and fish are necessary but a diet is too high in protein overloads your system, forcing water from your body to help rid it of debris. Fats contain some vitamins and nutrients but are high in kilojoules.

It is better if you follow this simple diet guide:

Breakfast: Wholegrain porridge, milk and yogurt or cottage cheese with some fresh fruit(nutritionally, whole fruit is better than juice). Instead of fried eggs and bacon, eat poached eggs.

Lunch: A variety of salad vegetables, at least five different kinds. Dress with herbs, garlic, onions, olive oil and lemon juice or natural apple cider vinegar rather than mayonnaise. Try fish, chicken or nuts, with wholegrain bread.

Dinner:Casseroles are excellent. Brown rice or mixed beans and vegetables with a little chicken, lean meat or cheese. Flavor with onions, green pepper or herbs.

To help your positive diet along you should:

• Reduce your salt intake. Most people salt the food, then taste the salt, not the food. Get used to the taste of food without salt; it will be just as satisfying. There is enough salt naturally in most foods without adding to it. Excess salt has been implicated in kidney and arterial disease, and inability to cope with stress.
• Substitute chicken, veal and fish for beef' lamb and pork because they contain less fat,
• Eat well on so called dieter's enemies(bread , potatoes, rice, pasta, cereals) by leaving out usual accompaniments- butter, peanut butter, oil, cream and cheese which are real foes.
• Get into the habit of using less fat by place two teaspoons of the fat of your choice(butter or polyunsaturated margarine) on a plate at breakfast and making them last the day. If you want butter on your potato at night, don't have it on your lunchtime sandwich.