YourVoice- Advice and Support- Staying Healthy
Staying healthy is an important part of growing up. And it can affect you physically and emotionally.
Staying healthy physically can help you stay healthy emotionally too. If you're eating the right food and keeping fit, your body will be strong and help you to cope with stress and also fight illness.
Eating well and exercising often when you're a teenager will also help you stay in good health later in life.
Getting regular sleep is another really important way to stay healthy. Having late nights can leave you feeling tired the next day. It can be difficult, but try to have at least 8 hours sleep each night.
Five Steps to Well-being
Evidence suggests there are 5 steps we can all take to improve our mental wellbeing.
If you give them a try, you may feel happier, more positive and able to get the most from life.
- Connect – connect with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Spend time developing these relationships.
- Be active – you don't have to go to the gym. Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of football. Find an activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life.
- Keep learning – learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence. So why not sign up for that cooking course, start learning to play a musical instrument, or figure out how to fix your bike?
- Give to others – even the smallest act can count, whether it's a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks.
- Be mindful – be more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness "mindfulness". It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.
Be Active
Staying active is a vital part of staying healthy. This does not have to mean playing sport every day. It may just mean walking instead of getting the bus. Exercise does not have to be done alone; there are lots of fun classes available that you can do with friends. Getting fit can have a great effect on your self-confidence and wellbeing.
The road to a healthier lifestyle
Do something for a friend, volunteer or join a community group
Try something new, re-discover a hobby or sign up for a course
Get out and about and keep active
The NHS have lots of advice around getting and keeping healthy, from stretching and flexing to running and rock climbing.
Be Well
Looking after your body by exercising, eating well, getting regular sleep and reducing stress can make you feel good. Feeling good about yourself can affect the way you think and feel. It can give you the confidence to help you to achieve what you want in life.
Get Doncaster Moving has lots of information around how you canget involved and active in your community
NHS Choices has healthy eating tips for teenagers, such as not skipping breakfast and to drink between 6-8 glasses of fluids a day such as water, milk and unsweetened fruit juices
Change 4 Life also provide tips and advice on how to eat well, move more and be food smart. They have recipe ideas if you like to cook and show you how you can get your '5 a day' fruit and vegetables into your recipes.
The LiveWell Guide has tips for eating a balanced diet to help improve and maintain your health.
BBC Science has advice on healthy living and how to live longer.
How to eat well
Healthy eating does not have to mean living on vegetables and smoothies. It is all about a balanced diet of foods.
- Try to eat your 5 portions of fruit and vegetables day by making a few small changes to your diet
- Eat regular meals including breakfast
- Drink plenty of water and avoid lots of sugary drinks
- Don’t add extra salt to your food
- Reduce the amount of sugar you have each day
- Cut down on the amount of fatty and junk food you eat. This includes fast food takeaways, crisps, chips and other packaged snack foods
- Control your portion sizes. Eating more than your body needs or uses will result in calories being converted into stored fat
- Eat plenty of carbohydrates like rice and cereal and protein like eggs, fish and meat. Why not try brown rice, pasta or bread?
- Cooking for yourself with fresh ingredients can help reduce the amount of fat, sugar and salt in your diet.
Change4 Life have a list of recipe and meal ideas
Find a dentist on the NHS website.
What should I know about supplements?
Some supplements have been scientifically proven to encourage weight loss and increase muscle gain. However, these are not wonder drugs and should be used as part of a ‘well balanced' diet.
Legal supplements like vitamins and iron tablets are available in pharmacies and health shops. Taken at recommended levels, they can help you stay healthy and fight off infections. Consult with your doctor if you are thinking about taking a supplement.
Take extra care if you are thinking of buying supplements from the internet, they could be illegal and not properly tested or approved.
Eating disorders
Eating disorders can affect anyone, regardless of age, sex, weight, background or wealth. They are usually a result of stress or another issue that is affecting you. You may think because of what is portrayed on social media and magazines that there is a perfect body image. This is not true and many pictures may have been doctored to make people appear thinner, taller or more toned.
How can I get help?
The best thing to do is to talk to someone you trust. The sooner you are able to get the help and treatment you receive, the more likely you are to make a full recovery.
School nurses hold clinics in every Secondary School in Doncaster every two weeks. They also have an e-clinic that you can book an appointment in advance for. You can text their service for more information and to book on 07917 031891.
Beat, the eating disorder charity provide support and information for young people affected by eating disorders and difficulties with food, weight and shape