Nutrition Week held at South Rand Hospital
South Rand Hospital hosted Nutrition Week from October 9 to 15 to teach and inform about the importance of nutrition.
Dietician Lydia Shiba said, “Our theme for this year is More Fruit and Vegetables. It has been proven that as much as we eat fruits and vegetables, we are not consuming enough.
“We teach people that at least they must take three different types of fruit and two different types of vegetables every day.”
She explained fruit and vegetables are high in vitamins and minerals. Mainly they strengthen the immune system.
“We know that if the immune system is strong, it is not easy for any disease to attack the body. Even if they would attack the body it would still be easy to recover quickly because of fruits and vegetables that are taken.
“The other benefit of fruit and vegetables is that they contain fibre. It helps for anyone to not be constipated, provided they drink enough water. It is proven fruit and vegetables protect us from heart attacks, sugar diabetes and high blood pressure. We need more fruits and vegetables in our lives,” she said.
“People should know the body requires fruit and vegetables daily. It is important to encourage people about nutrition on a daily basis. It is not supposed to be celebrated only in October but every day. We cannot have a sustainable healthy life if we do not eat healthily.
“It is also important to remind people even if you cannot afford to buy fruit and vegetables, you can still plant them in your garden. It is affordable to have a garden. There is a lot of benefits to gain from your garden,” said Shiba.
