A Balanced and Healthy Diet

It's not always easy to maintain a balanced and healthy diet while you're a student. There are so many different pressures on your precious budget and of course, the obligatory socialising, that diet is often pushed to the back of the queue in terms of priorities. However, it doesn't take too much planning to try and at least make some attempt at leading a relatively healthy lifestyle. There also needn't be a huge dent in your wallet, as healthy eating can be just as economical as tucking into bargain ready meals.

Five a Day

An easy way to start on a healthier eating regime is to the stick to the 'five a day' rule. All this means is that you should be eating five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables every day. Easy, or is it? Well, for starters you can have a glass of fresh fruit juice with your breakfast. Try eating a couple of pieces of fruit during the day and having a salad starter for dinner and you're almost there. If you can stick to this fairly simple dietary change then you're off to a really good start.

Regular Mealtimes

You shouldn't skip meals and you should try to eat decent, regular meals throughout the day - so, ideally breakfast, lunch and dinner. Always try to get off to a good start by not skipping breakfast. It's often tempting to opt for an extra few minutes in bed, or dash off as you're running late, thinking you'll grab something later. Really, if you aim to eat breakfast before you leave the house it will kick-start your metabolism and stop you diving into crisps and chocolate later on.

Another good piece of advice is to try not to eat dinner too late. Your body needs time to digest food and it's not great to go to bed with a really full tummy. Eating late often coincides with a big night out as you might have skipped dinner and then opted for a takeaway on the way home from the pub. If possible, eat something before you go out - this has the dual benefit of lining your stomach for a few drinks, as well.

Stay Active

If you're doing a particularly taxing course you'll probably find that you spend most of your day sitting down in airless rooms. While this is probably great for your grades, it's not so good for your physical well-being. Use any break times as an excuse to get outside and get some fresh air and sunlight. If you live within walking distance of your college, then walk! Get organised, leave home a little earlier and forget about the bus or train. Walking is great exercise; it will get the blood pumping and just think of all the money you'll save by not using public transport.

Flu Fighters

If you're eating your five a day, chances are you're getting plenty of beneficial vitamins and minerals but you can always top this up with doses of garlic and chillies in your cooking and a good supply of vitamin C, which is present in lots of fruit, as well as tomatoes, broccoli and sweet potato (amongst other vegetables).