HEALTH
SWIM SAFETY
WITH EMMA NASSIF ONE POINT HEALTH • 4732 5188
WITH JULIE SHELDRAKE • NEPEAN AQUATIC CENTRE & EVA BORY’S SWIM SCHOOL • 4730 8900
Why fad diets are a no-no: Chasing quick weight loss has other impacts
Why you should keep up lessons through the year
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fad diet, which is often called a popular diet, is a diet that makes promises of weight loss or other health advantages without being backed by solid evidence. They often consist of unnecessary, expensive food products and leave out important nutrients. Some common fad diets include the following: – Paleo diet: revolves around foods that our ancestors hunted or gathered, which needed little or no processing to be eaten, such as: meat, chicken, seafood, fruit, vegetables and nuts. Packaged foods, legumes, dairy and grains are not allowed. Paleo diets are not advised as they cut out valuable food sources, such as wholegrains and legumes, which are a good source of protein and fibre, and can help lower cholesterol. It also removes dairy, which is a convenient source of calcium and protein. – Raw food diet: this diet involves only eating unprocessed plant-based foods in their raw state to retain the enzymes and vitamins that can be destroyed through cooking (at temperatures over 40°C). The diet includes fresh fruit, veg, nuts and seeds, as well as raw animal products. This diet is not recommended as some raw foods can be hard to digest and some vitamins and minerals aren’t as easily absorbed from raw food. There are also many nutrients excluded, such as zinc and iron from cooked meat products.
– Keto diet: this is a low-carbohydrate, highfat diet, which causes the body to burn fat as its main source of fuel, breaking it down into ‘ketone bodies’ (or ‘ketones’) in a process called ketosis. Although it has benefits as a medical treatment for certain groups of people, there is little evidence to recommend it as a long-term weight loss technique for healthy people. It leaves out wholegrains, certain vitamins and minerals and only allows a small protein intake. As shown, these diets are highly restrictive, and often eliminate whole foods such as dairy or grains. This means they leave out necessary nutrients and could be compromising your health. In summary, good nutrition is about healthy sustainable dietary and behavioural changes. For realistic, credible nutrition advice, seek the expertise of an Accredited Practising Dietitian, such as myself.
any children’s activities are seasonal, but swimming lessons are not one of them. I cannot stress enough the importance of learning to swim, and swimming all year round, from six-months-old, for life! For children, weekly lessons are recommended from six months of age, and to accelerate their learning, also take advantage of the intensive swim programs offered in the school holidays. These lessons are great fun and great exercise, and a perfect chance to improve your child’s swimming skills in heated pools to keep your children confident and used to the aquatic environment if you have taken a break from lessons. We have an Intensive Lesson Special coming up in the April school holidays, see our website for details. Or take advantage of multiple lesson discounts during the cooler weather to really progress your
child’s swimming skills – we are offering second and subsequent weekly lessons at a huge discount to make extra lessons and fast tracking of swimming skills more affordable, especially against the backdrop of costof-living of pressures. Importantly, in addition to being a lifesaving skill, swimming provides additional fitness to give children a valuable edge in their chosen other sports or to maintain fitness in the off season, as well as a sense of achievement while advancing through swimming levels and skills. Swimming provides the confidence to spend long days in the water in the summer months, and attend water based activities. If you are an adult who is unable to swim, why not learn this winter and be ready for summer fun in the water? We offer group lessons for adults, which are more affordable than private lessons, and have proven very popular.
We can never protect our children 24/7, or ensure they are 100 per cent safe around water – but we can do our very best to ensure they are able to swim and equip them with the water safety skills needed to have the best chance of being able to cope if put in a tricky aquatic situation. On another note… we have been proud partners of the Penrith Panthers for many years, through the good times and the bad, and are very excited to be back in footy season. To celebrate, we are offering the chance to win a Penrith Panthers signed jersey – head to our socials to enter!
Pet of the Week Greencross Vets Coreen Avenue Trusted local team, Australia’s leading veterinary network 2/117 Coreen Ave, Penrith
4731 3055
Scan to book online!
My name: Bingo My proud owner: Pam Hauer I live in: Glenmore Park A bit about me: Bingo and Pam’s daughter Zoe have
Email Cassidy.Pearce@westernweekender.com.au with your favourite picture of your pet, and include your name, pet’s name, suburb and a blurb about your favourite furry friend.
WW49028
a strong connection. Zoe is autistic and Bingo helps to calm her. She has so much patience for Zoe and definitely loves her cuddles!
Friday, March 24, 2023 « the western weekender
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