Eating for wellbeing
Here are some really simple dietary changes that will have a positive effect upon your body and on the way that you feel. Make these changes for a great start.

1 - Start each day with a drink of hot water to cleanse the digestive system - add some lemon or a touch of unsweetened apple juice for taste.

2 - Fresh fruit and vegetables should make up the biggest proportion of your diet. These foods usually contain the highest levels of vitamins, minerals, fibre and water, but are low in calories.

3 - Try to avoid tinned, packaged and refined foods with a long list of ingredients, particularly preservatives and additives. The less added ingredients, the closer to the original foodstuff you are. Fill up on basic but nutritious foods.

Healthy eating is all about balance - you don't need to cut anything out altogether, but just ensure that your overall dietary intake is good, offsetting any processed, refined foods with plenty of healthier nutritious choices.

Top Tips for optimum nutrition
Drink one to two litres of water each day.
This ensures that you will remain well hydrated and enjoy better overall health - clear skin, better digestion, mental alertness and lots of energy.

Eat unrefined whole grains.
Swap white rice for brown, white or granary bread for whole meal and choose porridge over refined breakfast cereals. Whole grains contain more fibre, minerals and vitamins.

Choose high quality foods.
By choosing un-farmed, free range fresh protein foods you will be ingesting a higher quality of meat, eggs and fish. Unshelled nuts have more nutrients than shelled, salted or flavoured nuts. Eat oily fish, nuts or seeds every day to provide yourself with essential fatty acids.

Cut down on anti-nutrients.
Coffee, tea and alcohol are all anti-nutrients - they don't really provide any nutrients for our body. Plan an occasional well-earned cup of coffee or glass of wine into your weekly eating plan, rather than it being a daily habit.

Eat nutrient-rich foods.
Make each meal colourful with nutrient-rich foods - generally, the darker the colour of the vegetable, the more nutrient-rich it is. Swap iceberg lettuce for spinach leaves and white cabbage for nutrient-rich dark green cabbage.

What you should focus on eating
Choose meals from the following nutritious suggestions for good health. Gradually move towards optimum nutrition by making small changes in your diet and enjoying the benefits of eating well.

Now serve!
Breakfasts
* Muesli or granola. For granola, mix oats, nuts, seeds (toasted first if preferred with a little honey) with dried fruit
* Bio yoghurt with added mixed seeds and fruit
Berry and banana smoothie

Healthy snacks
* Raw vegetables with a yoghurt or houmous dip
* Fruit
* Seed or nut bar, or a handful of mixed seeds or nuts

Lunches
* Homemade or organic soup
* Raw vegetable salad with sprouted vegetables, green leaves and red pepper strips
* Grilled sardines on toast with a green salad

Dinner
* Seared tuna steak with mixed vegetable and pine nut stir fry
* Spring cabbage and vegetable stir fry with mixed seeds, pine nuts and cashews
* Grilled or poached salmon with roast root vegetables and spinach

Drinks
* Hot water before breakfast - a squeeze of lemon or lime is optional
* Drink at least 2 litres of water a day
* Substitute coffee and tea with green tea, Rooibosch or herbal teas

Healthy recipe
Melon and almond dessert
small watermelon
tablespoons honey
Juice of half a lemon
25g flaked almonds

Cut the watermelon into chunks.
Mix the honey and lemon juice together and pour over the watermelon.
Chill in the fridge and sprinkle with almonds before serving.