In a World with more and more convenience food and prepackaged groceries, it can be hard to eat healthily- especially since chocolate and lollies are so hard to resist! But living a healthy life doesn’t have to mean changing overnight; the little things can make a difference, too.

• Try switching to low fat or skim milk rather than full fat. You might notice the difference at first but eventually your taste buds will adjust. You’ll find that lower fat milk has more calcium than full fat, too. And when you’re ordering a latte when you’re out- ask that they make it on skinny.

• Try buying whole grain bread instead of white bread. If you’re not a fan of seeds or grain changing the texture of your bread, there’s always light rye.

• Instead of reaching for cakes or biscuits, try to have a piece of fruit. Apples have natural sugar in them that can stop you craving the sugary 3pm pick up. If you can’t make it to the fresh food store often enough, try buying dried fruit; but eat it in moderation as there is a lot of sugar in it.

For more information on healthy living visit Formula for Life.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 cup grated carrot
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. cloves
• 1 1/4 cup chopped dates
• 1 tsp. allspice
• 1 1/3 cup water
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• cooking spray

Directions

• Place the carrots, dates, raisins, water, applesauce, cinnamon, cloves & allspice in a saucepan.
• Bring to a boil & simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Cool.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, & soda. Add cooled carrot mixture to flour mixture. Blend well.
• Spray a 9 inch cake pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Ingredients

• 200g can of tuna, drained
• 1 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 1/4 cup tomato juice
• 350g pasta
• 5 green onions, sliced diagonally
• 1 tsp ground peppercorns
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 red pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

• Heat the oil in a pan and add mushrooms, garlic and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are soft.
• Add in tomato paste, tomato juice, and peas. Bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer.
• Cook the pasta according to package directions. When the pasta is almost done, add the tuna to the sauce and heat gently, and add in green onions.
• Drain the pasta and serve with the sauce.

A lot of people suffer from food allergies. The allergy might be as mild as sensitivity to a certain food or may be as severe as inducing an anaphylaxis episode. But there are ways to manage a food allergy and still consume a healthy and satisfying diet.

Check the ingredients

Processed food has a list of ingredients on the container containing it. Make sure you read it carefully. Look, too, for items that may have been produced on processing machinery that also processes milk, soy or nut matter.

Avoid unlabelled foods

Food available at a bakery, cafe or backyard barbecue may contain your particular allergen, even if it doesn’t seem like it should. Ask the food preparer, and err on the side of caution.

Identify your allergen

If you do have a serious food allergy that may be potentially fatal, it’s best if you wear a medicalert bracelet or mediband that informs helpers and medical workers of your condition when you can’t. It may save your life.

Be questioning

If you’re dining out at a restaurant, you can call ahead to see that accommodations can be made for your food allergy. Make sure your waiter knows what you’re allergy to so they can check with the chef. Having a food allergy is no reason to stop eating out.

Be prepared

If you’re worried about your food allergy, talk to your doctor about carrying something with you in case you do have an allergic reaction.

You can find more out about food allergen awareness here or here.

Your immune system is like the search and destroy unit of your body. It protects your body from disease by seeking out and killing infecting cells.

The first line of defence for your immune system is the innate immune system. Your skin and saliva are facets of this part of your immune system.

The second part to your immune system is the acquired immune system. If pathogen cells make it past your innate immune system, the acquired immune system will kick in. Acquired immune systems need to have seen the infectious agent before it attacks it which is why babies and infants are so vulnerable to infection.

Vaccinations and immunisations work with the acquired immune system as they usually deliver the very antigen they are guarding against. This way your immune system will recognise it when it really does invade.

For more information on your immune system, click here.