Ready to put knowledge into practice

It's no news to you that five portions of fruit and veg a day are recommended, or that you should cut down on fats and sugars. But incorporating that advice into your everyday habits can be tricky, so it's time for you now to fully appreciate how the simple changes can have lasting rewards for you so that you are better able to enjoy life to the full.

When your body works well for you, it's easy to take it for granted. But you may be unaware of the small changes that are taking place on the inside. For example, if you're overweight, fat deposits around your organs could be putting your long-term health at risk. Eating foods that are rich in saturated fat can raise your blood cholesterol levels. And eating too much salt can make you more at risk of high blood pressure.

So although you may not notice it, your body could be undergoing strain as a result of your eating habits. Up until now! It's now time to make those changes that will make that difference to you and your future health.

Choosing a takeaway or ready meal is fine; it just depends on how often you're doing this. If you're a Friday night takeaway person and the rest of the week you are fairly conscious of your food choices, then there is no need to change that. It's when it becomes part of your daily lifestyle that you might just want to think again about the long-term effects of this sort of habit.

These foods are generally more processed than food you would prepare at home. Also, to improve their flavour, they're usually packed with salt. Add to this the often high levels of trans or saturated fat, especially in takeaway foods, and this really isn't something you want to be exposing your body to on a regular basis.

If you choose a supermarket healthier option, remember to read the small print. A low-fat label doesn't mean that the product is also low in salt or sugar. Traffic light labelling on the front of some packets can help you to make healthier choices. Simply go for those that have more green bits than red or amber bits on the traffic light coding.

• Make a note of the number of times you rely on convenience foods such as ready meals and takeaways. Gradually try to cut down the number of times you choose these foods.
• If you have a ready meal, get into the habit of serving it with two different types of vegetables or a salad. This will help to balance your meal and provide extra nutrients.
• Invest in a quick and easy recipe book. You might surprise yourself with what you can conjure up in 15 minutes.
• Choose a rainbow of colours. When you look at your plate, try to ensure that there are a few different colours – for example, white from rice, brown from chilli con carne, and green and red from a side salad.