In store you can find all the foods needed to prepare healthy, nutritious and tasty meals. Healthy eating is as much about enjoying your food as it is about making sure that you are getting all the nutrients and energy that you need every day, and the best way to ensure this is by eating as large a variety of foods as possible. It's a good idea to keep these Food Based Dietary Guidelines in mind:

• Enjoy a variety of foods
• Be active!
• Make starchy foods the basis of most meals
• Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits everyday
• Eat dry beans, peas, lentils and soya regularly
• Chicken, fish, meat, milk or eggs could be eaten daily
• Eat sugar and sugar-containing foods and drinks in moderation
• Eat fats sparingly
• Use salt sparingly
• Drink lots of clean, safe water
• If you drink alcohol, drink sensibly

In addition, try aiming for products high in fibre, products low in saturated fat, a variety of fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables, different kinds of nuts and legumes and 6-8 glasses of water a day. This basic information about your food choices will help to keep you informed and healthy:

Carbohydrates give you the energy you need for the day, so include at least one source with every meal and snack. Choosing fibre-rich options will help digestive processes, help lower cholesterol levels, and give you sustained energy between meals. These include whole-wheat, wholegrain, seed and rye versions of breads, rolls and pastas. Oats, sweet potatoes, brown and wild rice, fruit with skins on, and cereals marked as being high in fibre are also good choices. Instead of buying muesli the next time you're in the store, buy the separate ingredients and make your own muesli.

Meat, poultry, fish, milk, lentils, beans, soya, nuts and eggs are all examples of protein sources, which you need for maintaining body structure and building muscle mass. These can be eaten every day, but as animal sources of protein contain saturated fat which can raise your cholesterol levels, choose leaner versions whenever you can.

Aim to eat fish at least twice a week, making sure to include oily fish, such as tuna, salmon, pilchards and mackerel, which are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Also be sure to choose the brine version for tinned fish. Lower your fat intake even more by eating more white meat, and develop a taste for chicken without the skin. When eating red meat, try to use lean cuts as often as possible, or cut away the fat that can be seen. Game and ostrich are healthier options for red meat as they contain very little fat. Use less oil when preparing your food by making use of a non-stick pan, grilling instead of frying, or by using water, lemon juice, soya sauce or wine instead of oil. Eggs should be boiled, scrambled of poached instead of fried in oil. For a hearty meal, make this delicious beef and lentil bobotie.

Lentils, chickpeas and beans are an excellent source of plant protein and are high in fibre. They can be added to stews, soups, rice, curries, or salads. Nuts are also a good source of protein. They can be added to salads, breakfast cereals, used as a spread or eaten as part of a snack. Watch out for pies and take-away foods that contain hidden fats.

Fruit and vegetables are fibre-rich and contain minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. Try to eat at least 5 portions of various fruit and vegetables a day. The greater the variety, the greater your intake of various vitamins and minerals. Make sure you have some Vitamin C-rich options too, such as citrus fruits, guavas, tomatoes and dark green vegetables. Frozen vegetables are a great option if you're short of time or cannot get fresh produce. Whenever possible, steam your vegetables as it cuts out the need for using oil. Avocados are a wonderful source of unsaturated fat, and can even be used as a spread on your sandwiches instead of butter. Fruit can be added to breakfast, or eaten as part of a snack. Dried fruit or fruit juice is great to keep with you for when you're in a hurry, but they are quite high in sugar so don't eat more than a handful and dilute your juice with water. For a weekend lunch, try out these toppings for toasted baguette.

These provide you with protein and are a rich source of calcium. If you're used to having full fat milk, gradually replace your full-fat milk with 2% milk, and then eventually with fat free or skimmed milk as you get used to the new tastes. Cheeses, creams and yoghurts marked reduced-fat, fat-free or low-fat are also available in store.

How does your child's diet affect his or her academic performance?
A healthy nutritious diet plays an essential part in the development of a young mind and therefore academic success.  Children with unbalanced diets are more easily tired and irritable, and struggle to concentrate and deal with stress.  Although food as such can't turn your child into an instant genius, it can enable him or her to better utilise what they have and perform at their mental and physical best.

What foods will give your child’s brain a boost?

1) Carbohydrates and Vitamins
Carbohydrates maintain blood glucose levels and provide energy, while the Vitamin B group is important for energy metabolism.  Vitamin B6, especially, plays an important role in learning and memory, as well as fighting stress.  Vitamin A and C will guard your child’s body against infection.  Good sources of carbohydrates and vitamins are breads, breakfast cereals with added vitamins and minerals, brown bread, milk, fruit and fruit juices.

2) Zinc and Iron
Zinc, as found in meat, brown bread and dry beans, is important for the maintenance of the central nervous system.  There are also indications that zinc is important for cognitive function which includes psychomotor skills, memory and attention span.  Iron is essential for central nervous system functioning and plays a key role in the transport of oxygen to the brain.  Iron deficiency has been associated with poor appetite and susceptibility to infection, fatigue and poor educational achievement.  Sources of iron are breakfast cereals with added iron, dried fruit, meat (especially liver and kidney) and eggs.

• Essential fatty acids (EFA's)
EFA's are essential for intellectual development.  A deficiency of EFA’s has been linked to learning difficulties.  Nuts, seeds and oily fish like pilchards, sardines, salmon, tuna and mackerel are good sources.

3) Amino acids: Tyrosine and Choline
Tyrosine, found in protein rich food, produces neurotransmitters that enliven the brain making your child more alert, attentive and motivated.  Choline has been studied as a potential memory enhancer and is naturally found in liver, eggs and lentils.  Lecithin is a wonderful source of choline and is available at health shops in granule or spread form.

What about supplements?
If your child is healthy and is eating a healthy balanced diet, he or she does not need additional supplements.  However, very poor eaters may need a basic multivitamin and mineral supplement.  Children who are prone to infection may benefit from immune boosting supplements.

A SIMPLE MEAL PLAN FOR OPTIMUM BRAIN POWER

Breakfast: 
A Kids Breakfast Cereal with added vitamins and iron (add a teaspoon of wheat germ and additional seeds and nuts)
Milk or yoghurt
Fresh fruit/fruit juice

Lunch:
Brown Bread sandwich with egg or tuna mayonnaise or cheese
Or sardines or pilchards or peanut butter
Or Crackers with cheese
Or scone/muffin with cheese
Or leftover meals from the night before eg.samp and beans or beef stew and pap, rice and chicken or Spinach and tuna quiche
And fruit/ fruit juice

Dinner:
Fish cakes or fish fingers (with added vitamins and iron) with mashed potato and peas
Or Roast chicken with potatoes and spinach
Or Butter bean and carrot soup with bread

Snacks:
Brown Bread Sandwiches with peanut butter and jam/cottage cheese/cucumber
Or crackers
Or dry breakfast cereal with added vitamins
Or Small packet of mixed nuts and raisins
Or fresh fruit
Or fresh vegetables cut up and served with cottage cheese
Or a glass of milk/yoghurt/maas

Drinks:
Water
Milk based drinks
Pure fruit juice

How does nutrition help fight infection?
Good nutrition prepares the body to fight infection. The link between nutrition and immunity was first noted more than 40 years ago when physicians in developing countries observed that malnourished children suffered from more infections due to the lack of immune boosting foods in their diets.

What nutrients are important in fighting infection?
Today there is much evidence that suggest antioxidant vitamins A and C are at the core of the body’s defence against free radicals, a highly reactive group of naturally occurring chemicals in the body that cause tissue damage. 

Vitamin A is found in liver and dairy, and its precursors found in carrots, sweet potato, spinach, pumpkin, oranges and vitamin A enriched breakfast cereals.  All citrus foods, melons, broccoli and enriched cereals are great vitamin C containing foods.

What about supplements to boost immunity?
Never sacrifice a healthy diet by shifting your focus on to supplements, herbs and tonics.  However, any significant nutrient deficiency can impair the functioning of the immune system.  If you doubt that your diet is balanced, include a complete multivitamin and mineral supplement.

1) Vitamin C
Studies suggest that 1 gram of vitamin C consumed regularly throughout the cold and flu season can reduce cold incidence by about 20% and cold duration by almost 40%.  In some people, however, high doses (500mg or more) can cause mild diarrhoea or excess wind/flatulence.

2) Vitamin A
Vitamin A prevents bacteria and viruses from penetrating the protective mucous membranes (mouth, nose, stomach, lungs) and gaining a foothold in the body.  Since vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, people on low-fat diets may be limiting their consumption of foods rich in vitamin A (liver and dairy) and should consider a supplement.  Pregnant women should not be taking Vitamin A supplements, as high-dose vitamin A is linked to birth defects.

3) Selenium
Selenium is a building block of one the body’s key antioxidant enzymes known to play a key role in helping immune cells that protect us from invading viruses and bacteria.

4) Zinc
Zinc lozenges appear to reduce cold symptoms such as sore throats, hoarseness and coughing, and may even be able to shorten the duration of colds by a full day.  Like vitamin C, Zinc is an essential nutrient for the optimal functioning of the immune system.

5) Echinacea and other herbs
There are a number of immune-stimulating herbs and herbal blends available.  Echinacea is considered the “king” of the immune function herbs.  It is important to note that the primary use of Echinacea is in the short-term treatment of the common cold – and NOT for use past a few weeks.  Also, Echinacea is not recommended if you have an autoimmune disorder (e.g. Multiple Sclerosis or Rheumatoid arthritis) due to its immune stimulating properties.

6) Probiotics
Probiotics also support immune function. These beneficial bacteria have been shown in hundreds of studies to “boost” immune function via their effects on increasing white blood cell numbers, activity and effectiveness.

How else can I protect myself and my family from infection?
Hiding from germs is impossible – and getting sick is quite normal. The only way our immune system can become resistant to infections is to get sick!

Good hygiene and clean food practices can protect you from many germs.  Most viruses, however, are airborne and spread through coughing and sneezing.  Viruses cause diseases like polio, measles and Hepatitis. As we have no alternative to breathing in normal air, we must rely on our immune systems to protect us. Other germs, both viral and bacterial, are transmitted by touch – doorknobs and handles, and especially handshakes are good routes of germ transmission. Bacteria are responsible for tuberculosis, tetanus, cholera, typhoid, and Streptococcus pneumonia.

To maintain a healthy immune system, eat regular small meals, making sure that each contains a serving of carbohydrate, protein, fruit and vegetables.  Kick-start the day with a vitamin enriched cereal, milk and freshly squeezed orange juice.  Have regular snacks of yoghurt [containing probiotics] and fruit.  Control your stress levels and do regular moderate exercise (strenuous exercise exhausts your immune system).  Listen to your body by taking a break when you're feeling under the weather!

• Have your cholesterol and blood pressure checked and try to keep them within the acceptable healthy range.
• Try to use condiments such as mustard or olives to add flavour to your food instead of using too much salt. Chilli, garlic, lemon or lime juice, cinnamon, herbs, curry powders and ginger add interesting flavours to meals.
• Quit smoking and drink in moderation.
• Be physically active every day and also make time to take part in relaxing activities that you enjoy. These will have a positive effect on your overall health and stress levels.

While it's important to remember that all foods can be a part of healthy nutritious eating, try to make healthier choices every day and ensure that you are eating a variety of foods.