Thread by @WHO

What we eat & drink can affect our body’s ability to fight infections & develop chronicle health problems.

These are 5 tips for a healthy diet this New Year:
1⃣Eat a variety of foods 🥗🥘
2⃣Cut back on 🧂
3⃣Reduce use of harmful fats & oil
4⃣Limit sugar intake
5⃣Avoid harmful 🍻

@WHOAFRO @pahowho @WHO_Europe @WHOEMRO @WHOSEARO @WHOWPRO @UN @UN_News_Centre @DrTedros Our diets must contain a wide variety of fresh & nutritious foods to keep us going strong:

1⃣mix of staple foods such as wheat, maize, rice & potatoes with legumes like lentils & beans

2⃣plenty of fresh fruit & vegetables

3⃣foods from animal sources (meat, fish, eggs & milk)

@WHOAFRO @pahowho @WHO_Europe @WHOEMRO @WHOSEARO @WHOWPRO @UN @UN_News_Centre @DrTedros Some tips to ensure a balanced diet:

Choose wholegrain foods like unprocessed maize, millet, oats, wheat and brown rice when you can. They are rich in valuable fibre and can help you feel full for longer. bit.ly/2rL9hjM

Some tips to ensure a balanced diet:

Choose lean meats where possible or trim it of visible fat. bit.ly/2rL9hjM

Some tips to ensure a balanced diet:

Try steaming or boiling instead of frying foods when cooking. bit.ly/2rL9hjM

@pahowho @WHOAFRO @WHOSEARO @WHO_Europe @WHOEMRO @WHOWPRO Some tips to ensure a balanced diet:

For snacks, choose raw vegetables, unsalted nuts and fresh fruit, rather than foods that are high in sugars, fats or salt. bit.ly/2rL9hjM

Too much salt can raise blood pressure, which is a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Most people around the world eat too much salt: on average, we consume double the WHO recommended limit of 5 grams (equivalent to a teaspoon) a day. bit.ly/2rL9hjM

Some tips to reduce your 🧂 intake:

1⃣Use salt sparingly & reduce use of salty sauces and condiments
2⃣Avoid snacks that are high in salt
3⃣When using canned or dried products, choose varieties without added salt & sugars
bit.ly/2rL9hjM

@WHOAFRO @pahowho @WHO_Europe @WHOSEARO @WHOWPRO @WHOEMRO Some tips to reduce your salt intake:

4⃣Remove salt & salty condiments from the table & avoid adding them out of habit
5⃣Check the labels on food and go for products with lower sodium content
bit.ly/2rL9hjM #BeatNCDs

@WHOAFRO @pahowho @WHO_Europe @WHOSEARO @WHOWPRO @WHOEMRO We all need some fat in our diet, but eating too much – especially the wrong kinds - increases risks of obesity, heart disease and stroke.
🍿🍩🍪🍟🍔🍕🥐

Let's #BeatNCDs.

@WHOAFRO @pahowho @WHO_Europe @WHOSEARO @WHOWPRO @WHOEMRO Industrially-produced trans fats are the most hazardous for health. A diet high in this kind of fat has been found to raise risk of heart disease by nearly 30%.

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❌🍪
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❌🍔
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Let's #BeatNCDs. 👉 bit.ly/2rL9hjM

@WHOAFRO @pahowho @WHO_Europe @WHOSEARO @WHOWPRO @WHOEMRO Some tips to reduce fat consumption:

1⃣Replace butter, lard & ghee with healthier oils such as soybean, canola (rapeseed), corn, safflower and sunflower

2⃣Try steaming or boiling instead of frying food when cooking.

Let's #BeatNCDs bit.ly/2rL9hjM

@WHOAFRO @pahowho @WHO_Europe @WHOSEARO @WHOWPRO @WHOEMRO Some tips to reduce fat consumption:

3⃣Choose white meat like poultry & fish, trim meat of visible fat & limit the consumption of processed meats
4⃣Check labels & always avoid all processed, fast & fried foods that contain industrially-produced trans fat
bit.ly/2rL9hjM

@WHOAFRO @pahowho @WHO_Europe @WHOSEARO @WHOWPRO @WHOEMRO Too much sugar is not only bad for our teeth, but increases the risk of unhealthy weight gain and obesity, which can lead to serious, chronic health problems. Let's #BeatNCDs. bit.ly/2rL9hjM

@WHOAFRO @pahowho @WHO_Europe @WHOSEARO @WHOWPRO @WHOEMRO It’s important to take note of the amount of “hidden” sugars that can be in processed food and drinks.

A single can of soda can contain up to 10 teaspoons of added sugar!

Let's #BeatNCDs. bit.ly/2rL9hjM

Some tips to reduce sugar intake:
1⃣Limit intake of sweets & sugary drinks:
-Fizzy drinks
-Fruit juices
-Juice drinks
-Liquid & powder concentrates
-Flavoured water
-Energy & sports drinks
-Ready-to-drink tea & coffee
-Fflavoured milk drinks
bit.ly/2rL9hjM #BeatNCDs

Some tips to reduce sugar intake:

2⃣Choose healthy fresh snacks
3⃣Avoid giving sugary foods to children. Salt and sugars should not be added to complementary foods given to children under 2 years of age, and should be limited beyond that age.
bit.ly/2rL9hjM #BeatNCDs

#Alcohol is not a part of a healthy diet, but in many cultures New Year’s celebrations are associated with heavy alcohol consumption.
Drinking too much, or too often, increases risk of:
-Injury
-Liver damage
-Cancer
-Heart disease
-Mental illness
bit.ly/2rL9hjM

You should not drink #alcohol at all if you are:
-Pregnant or breastfeeding
-Driving
-Operating machinery
-Having health problems which may be made worse by alcohol
-Taking 💊 which directly interact with alcohol
-Having difficulties with controlling your drinking

If you think you or someone you love may have problems with alcohol or other psychoactive substances, don’t be afraid to reach out for help from your health worker or a specialist drug & alcohol service. bit.ly/2rL9hjM