Diet and lifestyle advice
How to read the stories

Diet and lifestyle advice

Eating is important for all of us. Different kinds of food give our bodies energy. How much energy our bodies need depends on:

How old we are (older people need less energy than younger people).
Whether we are men or women (women need less energy than men).
How heavy we are. Heavier people need more energy to do the same amount of work as people who are not heavy.
The kinds of lives we have and how much exercise we do.
Whether we are sick or not well, e.g. while a raised temperature may increase our energy needs, mostly people who are sick need less energy.
People who need a lot of help to move and walk may be using less energy.

It is important that we:

Drink plenty of water every day.
Move and keep fit by walking (or dancing, jogging, cycling, swimming, or going to the gym) because exercise keeps our bones and muscles strong.
Get the balance right between what we eat and what our bodies need.
Drink sensibly, if we drink alcohol.

The benefits of sport and exercise

Anyone can help himself or herself keep fit and feel well by taking part in weekly exercise or sport. Taking part in sport and exercise can help you to cope with your worries, can help you to sleep, and can help you lose weight (if you also change the way you eat!). Taking part in exercise and sport can help you meet people outside your home and have fun. It can help a lot if you feel down, angry or sad. Some people have heart problems, some have breathing difficulties and many are overweight. Many people also smoke and eat a lot of fatty food with too much salt. Many people don’t walk anywhere or do any exercise. Regular exercise can help with all of these problems.

Many people will have taken part in exercise at some time in their lives but do not do so at present. They may have moved, lost friends or groups of support. Previous activities may not have been taken up again and new activities not pursued or set up.

People also forget how much fun they had when doing sport and they forget other benefits like learning new skills, or having better concentration and self-confidence. Remember that it is going out of the house, meeting people and having fun in exercise and sport that makes people want to keep coming back, not just the exercise or keeping fit.

Starting something new is more successful if taken one step at a time. Planning carefully is more likely to lead to success and it will help people to build their confidence and knowledge.

How to read the stories

There is no right or wrong way to read the stories.

Some people are not used to reading stories. Start at the beginning and read the story in each picture. Encourage the reader to move through the pages at their own pace.
Encourage the person to tell the story in their own words. You will discover what they think is happening, what they already know, and how they feel. If you are using the pictures to help explain a procedure to someone, you may need to describe or clarify the actions being shown in each picture to help them understand. Try not to challenge the reader(s) or suggest their ideas are wrong.
Some pictures may be more difficult to understand. It can help to prompt the people you are supporting, for example:
• Who do you think that is?
• What is happening?
• How is he or she feeling?
• Do you feel like that? Has it happened to you/ your friend/ your family?
Allow people enough time to follow the pictures at their own pace. Allow time for discussion of each picture.
Some people may benefit from reading the larger story from which the extract has been taken. This will allow them to explore their feelings and experiences in more depth. To buy the complete book, follow the link to the bookshop that appears at the end of the story.