WEEK 21- Healthy Habits - Nutrition

Equipment Required
Pen and Paper

PERMAH Element
Health

 

Rationale

We are what we eat, and we need food as fuel for our bodies. Everything we eat has a short and long term health effect on our bodies. The food choices we make affect our health, mood, energy and physical appearance. Food is the source of energy for all parts of our bodies and directly affects how our body and mind works. A balanced diet consists of plant foods, such as vegetables and fruit, grain-based foods as well as moderate amounts of animal foods, such as lean meat and dairy products. Before we eat something, it helps to ask ourselves the question: is this food going to give my body good energy or empty energy? Drinking water is also extremely important for our bodies- not having enough fluid in our body can cause headaches, fatigue, make us feel cranky and affect our concentration. Water helps keep our body temperature stable, it carries nutrients and oxygen to our cells, cushions joints, protects organs and tissues and removes waste.  When we make healthy food and hydration choices we are more likely to enjoy wellness in our body and mind, we will have more energy for being active, we will have better sleep as a result and the cycle will continue.

 
Description of Personal Wellbeing Practice: Nutrition- a healthy choice

  1. Think of one easy healthy food option you could have as a snack when you are hungry (after school or on the weekend when you are at home).

  2. Now finish this sentence for what you are going to eat at a time you are usually hungry.  “I will eat [INSERT FOOD CHOICE] when I am hungry each day at [TIME] in [PLACE].”

    i.e I will eat [a banana] when I am hungry at [4:00pm] in [the kitchen].

  3. Think of a time when you could have an extra drink of water or have water instead of another drink.

  4. Now finish this sentence “ I will have an extra drink of water each day at [TIME] in [PLACE].”

    i.e “I will have an extra drink of water [every morning when I get up] in [the kitchen]."


Main message:

“Every time we eat is an opportunity to nourish our bodies” Author Unknown




 

UPP’s Personal Wellbeing Practices

A Personal Wellbeing Practice (PWP) is an evidenced-based positive psychology intervention, applied in school communities or other educational settings. At UPP, we have tried to make these PWP’s simple, concise and relevant for students and their teachers. The six elements for the Personal Wellbeing Practices are: Positive emotion (P); Engagement (E); Relationships (R); Meaning (M); Accomplishment (A); and, Health (H).


We hope that these evidence-based tools of positive psychology will enhance help people to thrive and live their best life, both within and beyond the school gates.  

For more activities like this (and much more), check out THRIVE Online Lesson Modules for Pastoral Care and Wellbeing.

Unleashing Personal Potential