Short messages on Diet & exercise from Respect Yourself, the guidance site for young people to help make good decisions in life.
You can get out into nature and help the environment by going on a litter-picking walk, volunteering for a conservation project, planting helpful seeds such as berry bushes for garden birds or flowers to help bees, or building an animal habitat.
Hill walking or camping can help to reduce depression and anxiety. When out in nature, you will be focused on staying warm, fed, watered, and knowing where you are, leaving your mind free of daily stresses so you can spend your time being in the moment.
If you’re going out on your own for longer than you usually would, or walking somewhere you don’t know well, plan ahead and keep safety in mind. Let someone know where you’re going and for how long, and take a fully charged ‘phone with you.
If you want to spend more time outside, you can eat a picnic in the garden or a park, watch the stars, let the outdoors inspire you creatively such as drawing or poems, or find things to see and touch, like grass under your feet or the feeling of wind.
If you want to try more activities outside, you can do geocaching, beachcombing, woodland trails, local walking/rambling groups, or regular exercise such as yoga or jogging in a park.
Exercising makes you feel good. Discover a physical activity you enjoy and that suits your level of mobility and fitness. Go for a walk or run, step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Try gardening, or dance.
Try not to use alcohol or other drugs – including lots of caffeine or other energy drinks – in the hope of feeling better or forgetting expectations and pressure. The feeling is usually temporary and the effects often make you feel worse.
Expectations can lead to a lot of stress. It’s important to take time out to do something that you enjoy. Although you might not feel like it or have time, exercising, eating well and getting plenty of sleep can help you feel better.
Keep fresh meat and meat juices away from other foods in the refrigerator, and when preparing. Never place cooked foods on the same platter that held fresh meats or poultry. This stops cross-contamination of bacteria.
Wash your hands thoroughly in hot, soapy water before and after handling meat and other fresh foods. This keeps bacteria from your hands off the food, and keeps bacteria from the food off your hands.