With Christmas becoming a distant memory, the fridge is less and less full of leftovers you may feel that the worst of winter is over and spring is on it's way. Whilst that indeed may be the case, January to March can be some of the coldest months Britain endures, looking back at our track history of The Beast from the East, things aren't looking too promising.
Keeping warm and well fed in winter is incredibly important; the cold makes us tired and lethargic, less energised to get up and move about, let alone work away in the kitchen. This leads to malnourishment and other cold related ailments; a saddening number of people died due to avoidable causes
You are what you eat, so the saying goes – so what are the best foods to keep you in tip-top condition and raring to go? We’ve rounded up some star ingredients that are sure to give you an all-round health boost this spring.
Walnuts – good for mood
Delicious in puddings and savoury dishes, walnuts are rich in the amino acid your body needs to create the feel-good chemical serotonin. And because they're digested slowly they can contribute to mood stability and can help you tolerate stress too. Why not try… Nut & Mushroom Roast
Asparagus – good for mood
Asparagus spears are a great source of folate, a B vitamin that could help keep your spirits up - folate is important for our dopamine and serotonin levels, which are crucial for mood. Why not try… Shanghai Beef
The best way to keep your heart healthy is through your diet and we have explained some of the easiest changes you can make. Heart-healthy lifestyle habits will also benefit your general wellbeing whilst reducing your risks of heart disease and lowering your cholesterol levels.
Fruit and vegetables should make up a third of our diets so you should be having at least 5 portions a day. This can be hard so why not try adding frozen vegetables to dishes? We have some great choices like Broccoli and our Baby Carrots. Always aim for a colourful plate; variety is the spice of life and with a larger variety means more of the good things like fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Eating more fibre will also help lower your risk of heart disease, aiming for 30 grams a day from a variety of sources like Wholemeal Bread, Oats, Wholegrain Cereals, Potatoes with their skins and of course fruit and vegetables.
Cutting down on your saturated fat is always a great way to lower your cholesterol levels - using leaner cuts of meat and lower fat dairy varieties will help so try using skimmed rather than whole milk.
February is National Heart Month and a reminder of how important it is to look after our hearts.
Run by the British Heart Foundation, the initiative is held every year to raise awareness of the fight against cardiovascular disease, with the aim of keeping more hearts beating for longer.
Confused about all the ways you can keep your heart healthy? We’ve got the perfect guide!
We constantly hear that it’s important to look after your heart but the advice is numerous and it can be difficult to keep track of it all. Check our handy guide for a breakdown of how you can easily maintain a healthy heart.
