Today is a good day. Partly because my mum just turned 75 and partly because after two weeks of patchy internet, connectivity has been restored! I am not sure what she is more happy about – celebrating three-quarters of a century or being back online. If you think it’s just the teens who are internet obsessed, think again. But aren’t we all? It’s amazing how disabling it is not being online. I couldn’t check my banking, couldn’t watch the last episode of Bad Sisters (if you haven’t watched it, DO! Best TV of all time!), couldn’t connect to the baby white noise machine and had to drive to town to submit last week’s column. All suuuuch a pain! So, thank you One Comms for adventuring through our jungle of a garden, locating whatever cable needed locating and returning us to civilisation.

Of course, I write this cringing somewhat. The news is dreadful at the moment. Gaza. Ukraine. LA wildfires. The reinstatement of Donald Trump. Our internet issues aren’t really issues at all, are they? As I type, I have a warm, well-fed baby asleep on my chest. The AC unit is blowing warm air through our cozy house. My family is safe, healthy and happy. The fridge is full of food and later we’re off to afternoon tea at the Princess to celebrate mum. Gosh we’re lucky.

It's often said that “you create your own luck”. Obviously, there are some circumstances where that is just not true. No one gets to decide where they are born. War and politics are, for the most part, out of our hands. But there are some instances where it’s true. When it comes to our health, estimates suggest that at least 70 per cent of chronic disease is preventable. Of course, there are times when we just experience an awful luck of the draw but often years or even decades of poor lifestyle choices catch up with us and have their day of reckoning.

Over the past few days, social media – for those of you with wellness advocates in your newsfeed – has been rife with the news that the US is finally banning red dye 3 (a synthetic food dye often found in food and medicines.) It’s been associated with the development of cancer in rats for years and been heavily restricted in the UK and Europe. While it was banned from cosmetics in the US in 1990, it’s still been prolific in the food chain – illustrative of the fact that you just can’t rely on government agencies to protect you from harmful substances. Many of my clients come to me with the mindset of “if it was that bad for me, surely they wouldn’t allow it?”. Not the case. Just look at cigarettes and alcohol.

Looking after your health – and creating your own luck to a degree – means staying educated about what’s in your food and consistently making better choices. Here are my five top recommendations (in no particular order!) for taking positive action.

1. Avoid artificial food dyes and artificial sweeteners

Let’s start here given we were just discussing it. If you have ever compared a European Fanta to an American one, you’ll see the American version is artificially dyed and has twice the amount of sugar. That’s because the popularity of junk food in the States has distorted people’s expectations of what “fun” food options look like and how sweet things taste. One of the best things you can do is dial back your visual and taste bud expectations by avoiding foods that contain artificial dyes and sweeteners too. It’s not that you have to have a bland diet but you need to allow your taste buds to adjust to the more subtle flavours of natural food. Fresh fruit doesn’t taste all that sweet if you are also drinking a soda but if it’s the only sweet thing you have had all day, it will taste amazing. If you ditch the artificial dyes and sweeteners – as well as making room for more healthy options - you’ll also avoid a ton of adverse health associations such a hyperactivity, migraine and carcinogen exposure.

2. Avoid junk food in general

By this I mean, anything hyper-processed, deep-fried or packed full of refined sugar. For the same reasons as above, as well as the fact that these type of food options fulfil your calorie quota without fulfilling your nutrient quota. This means that although you may have consumed sufficient calories, your body still needs actual nutrients. How does it respond? By continuing to send you hunger signals – which if you continue to try and satisfy those with junk – fuels overeating and obesity (ironically, at the same time as malnutrition).

3. Make half your plate green

This is my favourite tip for getting a “bang for your buck” out of a positive lifestyle choice. By making half your plate green, non-starchy vegetables at lunch and dinner, you automatically limit your carbs and pack your plate with fibre and antioxidants. Cumulatively, this makes a huge difference over time when it comes to positively impacting your body composition and nutrient exposure. These antioxidants are amazing for boosting your immune system, looking after your heart and preventing premature ageing. The fibre helps to reduce your risk of bowel and colon cancer and lowers LDL cholesterol, as well as simply keeping things more comfortable in the bathroom department!

4. Drink plenty of water

How many of us overlook this basic? If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Dehydration is the number one cause of fatigue and reduces sports performance and mental clarity significantly. Although caffeine only becomes diuretic after 500mg or so, I would avoid thinking of tea and coffee as hydrating! The only healthy hydrators – in my opinion – would be water, sparkling water, herbal (caffeine-free) teas, natural seltzers like Spindrift and clean electrolytes such as Nuun.

5. Choose everyday superfoods

Superfoods don’t have to be fancy or expensive. Every day, try and have one serving of berries (frozen is fine) for the antioxidants, one egg (for the brain boosting choline), one handful of nuts (unroasted, unsalted and not peanuts) or seeds (for healthy fats, vitamin E and minerals), one serving of oats (for the fibre – or brown rice) and two double servings of green veg (see above!)

• The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION, BNTA is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifitandnaturalnutritionbermuda or instagram @naturalbda