Teenagers: You’re young, living for the moment and enjoying now….however being young doesn’t mean you’re invincible.
In your teenage years you’re experiencing rapid growth and development, yet it coincides with independence, freedom, new experiences and a decline in nutrition. Pizza or Nando’s anyone?
You are actually going through the most intense physical and mental development changes of your entire life. A time where nutrition and self care awareness should be increased!
Ok, so that last bit might sound a bit dramatic…but the number of teenagers that we see in our clinic is on the increase, with the most common reasons being; skin conditions, hormone imbalances, anxiety, poor immune function, and gut issues.
And there are lots of teens that we don’t get to see, and this article is for you.
Ask yourself – how do you ‘feel’?
Are you tired? Perhaps struggling to concentrate, not enough energy for exercise, and lacking the energy and motivation to get moving…
Do you have any niggles, pains and aches that you can’t really pin point a reason for?
How’s your skin – bit dry, too oily? Do you have some acne that refuses to budge or maybe your childhood eczema suddenly resurfaced now that you have started secondary school, college or left home for Uni?
Perhaps there are some issues around your daily toilet routine? (By that we mean going to the loo more often than normal – or maybe not going at all)
Or you’re just not feeling your best generally. You know you’ve definitely felt better.
Listen, we KNOW that eating salads and veggies is probably not high on your list of priorities (although we have to stress that it is important – we are nutritionists after all)
So here are our six micro-changes that we know you can do that are guaranteed to make a difference to your energy, skin, hair, nails, digestion and long-term health:
HYDRATE
Get yourself a nice drinking bottle and set yourself a daily goal to get that water in. Fizzy drinks don’t count, so try infusing your water with fruit slices to get started. Aim for 1–2 litres a day and your skin will love you for it. So will your digestive system if you’re feeling a little sluggish.
BE ADVENTEROUS WITH FOOD
Aim to try something new when you’re eating out or at home. Choose something that you know is good for you, but have never tried. Top tip: veggies always taste better with a bit of salt, garlic and butter…. give it a go
GET MOVING
Getting outdoors and doing something fun with friends such as a walk in the park, a bike ride, a go on the trampoline, walking the dog…. these will not only make you feel good (thank you pheromones) but being active will also get the systems inside your body working efficiently, especially those muscles and your digestive system.
BE CLEVER WITH SNACKING
Constant grazing and snacking isn’t a good idea for lots of reasons. It encourages cravings, and often the end result is unwanted weight gain.
Set yourself an achievable target for treats and snacks rather than too much too often, and choose your treats wisely.
Try switching a packet of crisps for some hummus and oatcakes, swap the chocolate bar for an apple dipped in nut butter. Your teeth, stomach, and your skin will enjoy the reduction in sugar.
Try it for a week and we guarantee you’ll notice the difference!
SLOW DOWN YOUR EATING
Chew slowly and enjoy your food.
With all the technology and online entertainment available it’s easy to get distracted at meal times, which makes it easy to over eat and not chew properly. Our mouths and stomachs listen to each other, so it’s important to slow down and be mindful when eating. Enjoy each bite.
START THE DAY LIKE A BADASS
Eat a good breakfast! Ditch the cereals and go for something with less sugar that is going to keep you fuller for longer. Bacon and eggs is ideal as it’s a source of protein and fat, which can be an excellent start to the day. Not into Bacon? Try scrambled eggs cooked in butter with feta and cherry tomatoes stirred through.
LET’S GET SERIOUS…
Life is for enjoying and not developing any extra worries, which is why we encourage you to protect your health.
Lifestyle illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, IBS, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia are preventable. So if you know deep down that your diet is poor, you’re not getting outside, not sleeping enough, not drinking enough water then now is to the time to make small changes.
Healthy habits like those listed above will support your future health and prevent you from lifestyle illnesses such as diabetes, IBS, fibromyalgia and obesity.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to protect your health and improve your nutrition or know a family member who could benefit – get in touch.