Fruity Friday

Islay Hospital staff gets Fruity with help from Bowmore Co-op

 

On 15^th May Islay Hospital took part in Fruity Friday as part of their ongoing campaign towards their Healthy Working lives Bronze Award. Fruity Friday is an annual awareness and fundraising campaign, held by World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF UK), to increase public awareness of the links between diet, nutrition and cancer prevention, and to raise valuable funds for their cancer research and education programmes. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF UK) is the principal UK charity dedicated to the prevention of cancer through the promotion of healthy diet and nutrition, physical activity and weight management. WCRF UK is committed to providing cancer research and education programmes that expand our understanding of the importance of our food and lifestyle choices in the cancer process. By spreading the good news that cancer can be prevented, WCRF UK hopes that many thousands of lives will be saved.

 

This year’s theme was Go Bananas and thanks to Charles in the Co-op who kindly donated a selection of fruit, Irene and Jane in IslayHospital kitchen were able to create some fruity nibbles and smoothies for tasting by staff and patients in the ward.  Staff and Dr Jean supported the day by dressing up in something yellow and donating £2 to WRCF.  There was a few Carmen Miranda hats going about, it’s amazing what you can do with a hospital cardboard bowl! Pauline’s banana creation was reminiscent of the statue of liberty and she cut a statuesque figure up and down the corridors all day. Jane worked all day in a fetching yellow boiler suit complete with yellow wig and face paint and the staff were all game for a laugh.  In all £57.54 was raised for World Cancer Research and the staff all went away with goodies and information on healthy eating and the links on cancer and diet.

 

The Healthy Working Lives programme supports employers and employees to develop health promotion and safety themes in the workplace in a practical, logical way, that's beneficial to all, Islay Hospital is about to be assessed on its Bronze Award and will then work towards Silver and Gold alongside all NHS sites in Highland. Islay Hospital Catering department is also applying and working towards a Healthyliving Award as directed by Shona Robison, Minister for Public Health who last summer said that all hospitals with catering for staff and/or visitors should register and work towards achieving the healthyliving award. The Healthyliving award rewards catering establishments for dishing up healthier food and finding ways of helping their customers make better food choices. Consumer FocusScotland and the Scottish Government want to make all the food dished up healthier by encouraging broad improvements to the way it is prepared as well as helping customers know which dishes are healthier by highlighting the healthy choices with the apple logo. If you want to sample food from a restaurant on Islay who already have the healthyliving award then go to Bon Appétit at Port Mhor in Port Charlotte and look for the apple logo, Francois Bernier from Bon Appétit will also be supporting Islay hospital as a mentor of the scheme alongside Carol Muir and Irene Darroch.

Why should I eat more fruit?

Fruit contains a wide range of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fibre  and other phytochemicals – naturally occurring plant compounds that can be beneficial to your health by protecting cells in the body from damage that can lead to cancer.

What is a portion?

Fresh, frozen, dried and tinned fruit and vegetables all count towards your 5 A DAY. Healthier choices are tinned fruit in natural juice, and tinned vegetables in water.

One adult portion is equivalent to:

• 1 whole apple or banana
• 2 whole plums or satsumas
• A handful of grapes or berries
• 3 tablespoons of cooked vegetables such as carrots, peas,
  sweetcorn
• 1 cereal bowl of mixed salad

An easy way to remember what a portion is, is to think of it as a handful – this works for both adults and children!

Follow the rainbow rule

Many of the bright rainbow colours we see in fruit come from phytochemicals. By choosing a variety of different coloured foods not only will our meals look more appetising but they will also be providing us with the best possible mix of health-enhancing nutrients.

Easy ways to 5 A DAY

Following one or two of these simple suggestions each day will boost your fruit and vegetable intake and make sure you’re well on your way to 5 A DAY!

Breakfast

• Add a sliced banana, handful of berries or dried fruit to your cereal
• Make a fruit smoothie using low fat yoghurt and fresh fruit such as
  mangoes or berries

Healthy snacks

• A handful of cherry tomatoes
• Celery or carrot sticks with reduced fat houmous or salsa

Main meal

• Include at least 2 portions of vegetables with main meals
• Add extra vegetables to curries, casseroles, pasta and rice dishes

 

Carol Muir, SHPO