Conservation Comment: Make 2017 a year of four Fs

BUTT OUT: How about having a New Year's resolution to stay fit and healthy during 2017? Among other things, that means not smoking. PHOTO/FILE

By Graham Pearson

LET'S skip Christmas and all its commercialisation and the need to purchase new "things". Instead let's consider 2017 for this week's Conservation Comment, with a focus on looking after ourselves in a sustainable way!

I heard about the "four F's" while attending the Nutrition Society of NZ's conference in Christchurch. Professor Elaine Rush, of AUT, used this phrase in her Muriel Bell lecture to society members, and I thought the phrase captured health and wellbeing in a nice simple way, that we could all relate too.

Food: Eating sufficient good healthy foodstuffs is the first step to maintaining good health. For taste and freshness you can't beat veggies straight from the garden, whether from your own, a friendly neighbour sharing their produce or your share of the bounty from a Community garden.

Avoid those sugary drinks and fast food options, or at least limit them to an occasional meal. Don't be tempted to try the latest wacky diet or theory from the internet, stick to proven programmes like 5-a-day fruit and veggie items and look for the Heart Foundation tick.

A statistic from the conference that resonated with many of us was that, on average, $67 a week is needed to feed a healthy, growing teenage boy. Teenagers, especially boys, are renowned for cleaning out the fridge in one foul swoop!

You can offset this with healthy food. South Auckland health advisers told conference attendees that their recommended health and nutritious recipes saved $18 a week on the food budget for a family of six.

Feet: This "F" represents exercise. Getting out and walking, biking, running, playing sport or regular trips to the gym are all ways to stay fit and healthy. Many of these options are free or quite cheap, with Whanganui providing some really nice walkways and routes across the city. You don't even need to make them an extra event, it can be as simple as leaving the car at home on a regular outing.

The sporting options also provide the opportunity to catch up with friends and teammates on a regular basis.

Fingers: This means don't smoke: Personally, I feel very strong on this one, having lost my brother to lung cancer at the relatively young age of 72! He was a heavy smoker through his 20s and 30s and paid the ultimate price for this bad habit. It distresses me to see so many young people in Whanganui still smoking.

For the final " F", Elaine had Fellowship: Important for healthy lives are positive interactions with our fellow human beings. I guess taking in the wider context it could include your friends and likes on Facebook and other social media, but I'd prefer to think of it as personal interactions face to face with friends, workmates and relatives.

Whanganui has much to offer here too, such as further education opportunities, hobby groups, clubs and sport and for those with local family members supporting school events and activities. Many will have church and marae affiliations which bring special fellowships.

Volunteering is strong in Whanganui, with heaps of organisations and projects to support. You can get your hands dirty at Bushy Park, or support Whanganui icons like the Opera House and the Waimarie. The Volunteer Whanganui Centre is great at matching people's skills and passions with groups and projects. Give Sandra a call (347-9430) at Community House or visit their new "pop up" office at the Duncan Pavilion, in Castlecliff, on Wednesdays.

� Graham Pearson, in addition to his involvement in local groups Progress Castlecliff and Sustainable Whanganui Trust, is the NZ Nutrition Society's treasurer.