A healthy lifestyle comprising a balanced and nutritious diet coupled with regular exercise is a winning combination that will help keep your family fit and happy. Here are three simple steps you can take to achieve this:

Opt for Healthier Food Choices

Creating a healthier lifestyle for the whole family can be as simple as making a few small changes to your food choices each day. While it’s easy to da bao food from your favourite hawker stalls, many Singaporean favourites such as char kway teow and chicken rice are not healthy food options as they are high in saturated fats. Instead, when eating out, opt for healthier options at your local kopitiam. A good option would be thunder tea rice with its wide variety of vegetables. Do go for the brown rice version that contains extra vitamins and antioxidants. Or try sliced fish soup that has very little fat added during the cooking process – it’s a power-packed meal of lean protein, fibre and carbs. Just make sure you avoid the evaporated milk and fried-fish version that triples the amount of fat.

Got a sweet tooth? Instead of digging into local desserts that have high sugar and fat content, such as ice kacang or chendol, opt for delicious local fruits like papaya (high in vitamins C and A), mangoes (rich in fibre and antioxidants) and dragon fruit (low in calories but high in fibre and vitamin C).

Make Smart Food Swaps

There are healthy, tasty and simple alternatives to some of your favourite food. Say goodbye to white carbs like white rice that cause spikes in blood sugar levels and are linked to diseases like heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Instead, switch to wholegrain options such as wholemeal bread.

Rather than buttering up your toast, smash up some avocado and spread it on your toast instead. It has twice the potassium of a banana for a healthy heart, is packed with fibre and can help lower bad cholesterol levels in your body. Love your snacks? Swap French fries for baked sweet potato for a healthier yet still yummy treat packed with vitamin A and potassium.

Get Active!

Weave fun activities into your family’s daily routine and reduce the amount of time your family is sedentary – such as watching TV together or sitting in front of your computer after dinner. Instead, head to your nearest park and go for a walk together. If you’ve got kids, get involved in active games with them. Running around with your little ones is a fun way to get your hearts pumping. Or if you have a dog, take it for a walk or jog.

Healthy habits may require a change of mindset but its impact on you and your family can be far-reaching such as helping prevent chronic illnesses later in life. Find out how to plan ahead to ensure you are covered against these illnesses by speaking with a Prudential Financial Consultant for help in selecting the right insurance plans.

Disclaimer:

The information in this article does not necessarily reflect the views of Prudential Assurance Company Singapore Pte. Ltd. Certain information in this article may be taken from external sources, which we consider reliable. We do not represent that this information is accurate or complete and should not be relied upon as such.

This article is for your information only and does not consider your specific investment objectives, financial situation or needs. We recommend that you seek advice from a Prudential Singapore Financial Consultant before making a commitment to purchase a policy.