#isimportant

In an earlier blog, entitled ‘The Pandemic Has Changed Us’ I talked about the research that has been undertaken, which reaches the view that our personalities have changed in Covid-19.

'Self-focused' instead of 'people-focused'

The pandemic could have changed us positively. Instead, we have become self-focused, everything is about 'us.' But without personal development we can't change and without change, we can never meet with long-term success. The pandemic could have made us more people-focused, wanting to look out for others. In the early days of the pandemic, we very much saw that with the emergency services.

The Emergency Services

The Emergency Services and hospitals who couldn’t have done enough to help the needy, the chronically ill, the dying, the relatives of patients who were dying, those that needed 24-hour 7/day care, and although it’s something they’ve always done, the global pandemic changed all of that and they rose to the occasion brilliantly.

Change for Personal Development

The human species needs to change for personal development, because without personal positive development, we can never better our lives and because without positive change, illness will present itself. Also, change improves morale and morale changes outcomes. We also need to be able to understand the pandemic, so we can move on mentally, but we should still be cautious.

Three years in and ignoring the pandemic, or telling ourselves we're okay with it, isn't the same as being okay 'with it and moving on from it.'

Survival: The Covid Years

My third book, is about Covid, where I share my overwhelming physical and mental struggles within the chaos of the pandemic. In a revealing memoir, I show how I learned to cope with stress, and anxiety and the on-going self-isolation through Covid, through the healing power of words, and with a steely determination to connect with the outside world.

The Book...

“By shedding light on her personal challenges through the pandemic, Ilana encourages the reader to explore the thoughts and feelings raised by their own pandemic journey. In this way she aims to unlock future potential for others, enabling them to move on from this enormously difficult time. A must read for anyone wanting to take positive steps after the challenges of Covid-19.”

A balanced diet is important. Children who don’t get enough healthy foods may face growth and developmental problems, poor academic performance, and frequent infections.

They can also develop unhealthy eating habits that may persist into adulthood. Without exercise, they’ll also have a higher risk of obesity and various diseases such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

A healthy, balanced diet will usually include vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant, carbohydrates, including starches, fibre, protein and healthy fats, taken from fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and protein foods.

Foods to avoid or limit on a healthy diet include highly processed foods, refined grains, added sugar and salt, red and processed meat, alcohol and trans fats.

Fruits

Fruits are nutritious but they are high in sugar, but unlike sweets and deserts, this sugar is natural and also provides fibre and other nutrients. This means they’re less likely to cause a sugar spike and they will boost the body’s supply of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Vegetables

Vegetables are a key source of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. We should eat a variety of vegetables with different colours for a full range of nutrients. Dark, leafy greens are an excellent source of many nutrients, such as spinach, kale, green beans and broccoli.

Grains

Refined white flour is found in many breads and baked goods, but it has limited nutritional value because much of the goodness is in the outer shell of the grain, which is removed during processing. Whole grain products include the entire grain and they provide additional vitamins, minerals, and fibre.

Proteins

Meat and beans are primary sources of protein, including poultry, such as chicken and turkey, fish, including salmon and other oily fish. Avoid processed meats and red meats as these may increase the risk of cancer and other diseases, according to some research.

Nuts, beans, and soy products are also excellent sources of protein, fibre, and other nutrients. Examples include lentils, beans, peas. Tofu, and other soy-based products are healthy alternatives to meat.

Dairy

Dairy products provide essential nutrients, including protein, calcium and vitamin D. They also contain fat. Many dairy-free milks and other dairy alternatives are now available, usually made from either oats or almond. These are often fortified with calcium and other nutrients, making them excellent alternatives to dairy products.

Fats and oils

Fat is essential for energy and cell health, but too much fat increases calories above what the body needs and may lead to weight gain. The following is a simple guideline:

Love: vegetable oils and fish oils

Limit: butter, cheese, and cream

Avoid: trans fats, used in many processed foods

Olive oil is a healthy fat, especially extra virgin olive oil, which is the least processed type. Deep fried foods are often high in calories but low in nutritional value, so it is important to eat those sparingly.

The bottom-line is that a healthy diet will combine all the nutrients and foods groups mentioned above and is usually one that contains plenty of fresh, plant-based foods, and limits the intake of processed foods.

A handy way to remember how much of each food group to eat is the plate method.

fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables

fill one quarter with grains

fill one quarter with protein foods

add dairy or a non-dairy replacement on the side.

Finally, a balanced diet supplies nutrients to the body and therefore needs to work effectively. Without balanced nutrition, the body is more prone to disease, infection, fatigue, and low performance.

https://www.healthline.com/health