Healthy Eating & Exercise
Healthy Start Voucher Scheme
With Healthy Start, you get free vouchers every week to spend on milk, fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables, fresh, dried, and tinned pulses, and infant formula milk. You can also get free vitamins.
Pregnant or have children under the age of four? You could qualify if you’re on benefits, or if you’re pregnant and under 18.
For more information go to https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/
It is important for all members of the family to keep active, including children and adults. Mums should follow the postpartum physical activity guidelines until 12 months postpartum, before moving onto the general guidance for adults. Other adults in the household including dads and partners should adhere to the CMO guidelines for adults – outlined in the infographic below – aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week along with two strengthening sessions. Vigorous activities are ones that make conversation difficult such as running.
Physical activity is essential for normal development in children. Infants should be encouraged to be active throughout the day, including grasping, pulling and pushing, crawling and supervised floor play as shown in the infographic below . Aim for 30 minutes of tummy time spread throughout the day when they are awake .
Eating a well balanced diet is important for all family members. For older children and adults, it is good to focus on increasing your intake of fresh fruit and vegetables and wholegrains, while reducing your intake of high sugar, high salt and high fat food. The general healthy eating guidelines are outlined in the Eatwell Chart infographic below and more information can be found here
