One key meal you should never skip if you want to live longer

Maintaining a balanced diet is vital for health and longevity - but sometimes a bit of guidance and encouragement can go a long way. Nicci Roscoe, an expert in holistic wellbeing and Master NLP Practitioner, advocates for moderation in all things. However, she recognises that it's easy to get off track. She states: "It's normal to have moments of indulging every so often, but when we constantly feed our bodies with food we don't need then it's time to look at changing it by tweaking our diet to increase our wellbeing and lifespan.".

There's a wealth of research supporting the link between a well-balanced diet and a longer life. Nicci advises: "It's good to focus on this from an early age to make sure we have all the right nutrients but it's ok to start your new regime right now whatever your age to give you a new lease of energy and positive outlook. "Positive changes to what you eat and drink can play a crucial role in your everyday life and expand your lifespan." The food and drink we consume has a profound effect on our overall wellbeing, influencing not just our physical health but our mental and emotional state too.

A balanced diet ensures the body receives the essential nutrients it requires to function correctly, supporting overall health from the inside out, reports the Express. "Your diet also plays an important role in your energy levels, weight management, digestive and cardiovascular health, as well as blood sugar regulation, boosting immune function and helping to support your mood and mental health," added Nicci.

She advised: "Having a combination of rainbow colours in your food is key to a healthy balanced diet. It's important to have a good balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Plenty of fibre is also essential for your gut health and reducing refined sugar intake of biscuits, sweets and chocolates can also help reduce other health risks. "A 'healthy balanced way of eating' gives us so much more energy, helping us to focus and feel good physically, mentally and emotionally for a happier, healthier and longer life. Simple, small changes to your diet, like those detailed below can make big differences to your life, increasing longevity and quality of life.".

She explained: "If you're prone to eating on the go, it's likely you lead a hectic life, but no matter how busy you are it's important to start the day off right with a decent breakfast. Eating breakfast helps to kickstart your metabolism and stave off cravings, and it needn't be an elaborate affair. "There are some great options for a healthy breakfast. Instead of grabbing a piece of toast or biscuit on your way out the door try preparing yourself overnight oats the night before. Soak your oats in yoghurt or milk and add some seeds and berries with natural yoghurt and honey.

"You could also make a protein-packed chia seed pudding to last you the week by mixing chia seeds with coconut milk, a little vanilla extract and berries or tropical fruit. Muesli is also a wonderful fibrous option for breakfast, and you can also add natural Greek yogurt with honey too and blueberries which are high in antioxidants. By planning, preparing your food the day before gives you a much healthier option.".

If you have a sweet tooth and crave sugary foods, there are ways to take control, said Nicci. "Excess sugar consumption is associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other health problems which can significantly shorten your lifespan. Fruits are naturally sweet and full of fibre too. "They may have sugar in them but they're not the same as consuming packets of sweets and bars of chocolate. Fruit is absolutely the healthier option, especially berries including strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries which are high in fibre, rich in antioxidants and vitamin C and help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

"If you love sparkling fizzy drinks, tweak your treat to plain sparkling water and add a few fresh berries and a squeeze of lemon juice. Experiment with adding fresh mint leaves too, it's amazing how delicious it can be without adding sugar or sweetener.". If you lack time in the week, pre-preparing or batch cooking meals could be helpful and time/money saving if you're faced with the option of picking up calorie and fat-laden ready meals or sandwiches when you're on the go.

Nicci said: "Spend a couple of hours at the weekend cooking some food in batches ready for the week ahead such as homemade soups, salads, roasted vegetables, boiled eggs or savoury muffins that you can eat throughout the week. You could also make extra when you are cooking your evening meals as well so that you have an extra portion for the next day, or you could always freeze it for a later date.".